A few weeks ago I dined at the famous The Slanted Door in San Francisco, an upscale yet relaxed, modern Vietnamese restaurant that’s housed in the city’s historic Ferry Building. With floor to ceiling windows and stunning views of the Bay, the environment is vibrant and lively.
The Phan family, owners of the restaurant, successfully [...]

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I’m not the gambling type, but when we saw Clams Casino on the menu at The Oceanaire, I thought it was definitely something I could bet on. It’s funny, I had never heard of Clams Casino, and in the last two weeks they have surfaced twice.
You might say that Clams Casino are the cousins of [...]

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Barnaby whipped up this refreshing cocktail from the most beautiful crimson tomatoes we found at the farmer’s market. They’re so lovely, their color so perfect, they shine like they’re in a beauty pageant. “Me, me, pick me!” they seem to shout.
And, mmm…mmm…are they juicy! Perfect for flavoring a summer-fresh cocktail.
By using the strained juice of [...]

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Not long ago I posted a recipe for a chunky California-style gazpacho. It was such a hit that I thought I’d share with you a more traditional, but just as delicious, recipe.
Allow me to take you on a little trip to Spain…
Gazpacho
The following recipe is adapted from the famous Spanish cookbook 1080 Recipes.
2 1/4 pounds [...]

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Polenta is one of my favorite comfort foods. Nothing beats a heaping bowl of this peasant food made rich with cream, parmesan or gorgonzola (to name a few!). But when in its cooled and solid form, it’s perfect for grilling.
Making polenta can be a long, arduous, and painful process. If you’re not careful it will [...]

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When I was little my mother would make us wear our bathing suits and go out on in the backyard to eat watermelon. That way she could hose off the copious quantities of juice that had run down our arms and legs, which always quickly turned into sticky-pink-brown-watermelon-dirt-gunk. I won’t lie, it was not beneath [...]

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I always thought those reddish pink peppercorns were actually pepper, but I just learned they’re not! In fact they come from the Baies Rose plant (schinus bush), and are much more delicate than pepper. These semi-ripe berries are delicate, fragrant and sweet, yet also have spicy peppery notes. When you pop one in your mouth [...]

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I thought I was the only one who got ecstatic at the first sign of life in the garden, then my friend called yesterday to tell me her big news: she got her first strawberry! “We got our first tomato!” I exclaimed.
Hallllleeeluuuja!!
We’ve had a couple of false starts. You see, we have many pesky blackbirds [...]

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This year’s all-women blogging convention, BlogHer, successfully wrapped up yesterday and, let me tell you, the estrogen level was fierce!
I must say, it was empowering to see that many women (and a handful of brave men!) come together to discuss issues from their kid’s peanut allergy to race and gender in politics. Watch out, non-participating [...]

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It was very kind and considerate of the organizers of the all-women BlogHer to invite celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito as a guest presenter. Most of the women here were purring his name Rrrrrroco, and I must agree, he is pretty easy on the eyes.
If you were an attendee, and can’t remember what he cooked [...]

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