Jalapeño Girl

Hot Stuff Food Blog Round Up

Crock pot goodness, eggy wonders, and more can be yours on this week's Hot Stuff post over at SFist.

Getting Guests to Leave

Sometimes, guests are having so much fun that they forget the specified end time of a dinner or party. Or that, beneath their smiles, the hosts may be really tired and aching for some R&R. What to do? Serving coffee isn't always the best way to cue guests to leave. Especially if it's warm weather, or the client didn't order tea or coffee service. There are other ways to get guests to leave besides the long standing tradition of serving coffee and dessert. Have your catering staff do some or all of the following:

Remove all food, plates, napkins, and the like. You may want to wait to remove the guests actual drink cups/glasses last.

Empty all garbage cans and recycle bins.

Begin moving and/or breaking down tables and chairs. The closer you are to guests when you do this, the more likely they are to get the visual cue to skedaddle.

Break down any bar stations, and remove all beverages.

Hosts, you can also disappear to your bedroom/quarters without saying goodnight. It may seem rude to not say goodbye. But if it's late, I don't think anyone can fault you. I can vouch for the success of this method from trying it at home as a last resort.

Perhaps the best cue of all is for guests to see the catering staff leaving. That happened at a recent event, and the last remaining guests stood up and began saying their goodbyes.

Dirty Words: Litquake's Tribute to SMUT!

I'm catering some naughty eats for Litquake on Sunday, August 3rd. Text below is directly from Litquake.
------------------------------------

Sexiness! Ribaldry! Corsets! Books! All for $25.00 with two drinks included!!!

Starring: *Daniel Handler * Ellen Sussman * Michelle Richmond * Helena Echlin * Stephen Elliot * Kirk Read + a fashion show featuring corsets from Stormy Leather and some naughty fun with the Twilight Vixen Review

****
Litquake season is coming up, and this is our last fundraiser of the year. So, we want you to come join us at CELLspace on August 3 for Dirty Words: Litquake’s Tribute to Smut.

It will be a giddy Sunday night homage to titillation and obscenity starring Daniel Handler (as himself rather than alter ego Lemony Snicket, reading from Watch Your Mouth, a dirty little comic novel), Ellen Sussman (editor of Dirty Words: A Literary Encyclopedia of Sex), Michelle Richmond (author of No One You Know), Kim Addonizio (My Dreams Out in the Street), Helena Echlin (charmer of snakes and author of Gone), and Stephen Elliot (author of My Girlfriend Comes to the City and Beats Me Up and editor of Sex for America).

Emcee Kirk Read (creator of performance piece This Is the Thing and author of How I Learned to Snap) will be on hand to keep things spicy. SOMA-based Stormy Leather will present a naughty fashion show with the buxom and beautiful gals from Twilight Vixen Review doing cabaret and burlesque.

What more do you need?

What: Dirty Words: Litquake’s Tribute to Smut
When: Sunday, August 3 – Doors open at 7 p.m.; readings and show begin at 8 p.m.
Where: CELLspace 2050 Bryant Street (between 18th and 19th streets), San Francisco
Tickets: $25.00 admission includes two drinks and light refreshments; in addition, alcohol will be available for purchase during the evening. Tickets available online at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/38342. Tickets also available at the door. 21 and over.

Special support from Distillery No. 209, Vine Connections, and Flora Grubb Gardens.

Wine.Dine.Donate SF benefit on July 30

Not sure I'll be attending, but this sounds like a worthwhile cause. If you've got the coin.

--Help Feed Thousands By Attending Epicurious.com's Special Farm-To-Table Event--

Join Tanya Steel, editor-in-chief of Epicurious.com, celebrated chefs, and select local farmers and purveyors for an evening of fine wine, delicious farm-fresh creations, and the company of your fellow foodies. Your ticket price will help feed the hungry as proceeds from these events benefit America's Second Harvest, the nation's largest network of food banks.

Wednesday, July 30th
ACME Chophouse with Chef Traci Des Jardins and Citizen Cake's Elizabeth Falkner

Address: 24 Willie Mays Plaza
Time: 6:15 reception, 7:15 dinner
Price: $125

Go to Epicurious.com for more information and to buy tickets

Homemade Habanero Salsa

On a recent morning, my chef brother Josh treated us to some homemade breakfast burritos. We were staying at his place in Benicia to visit relatives in from New Zealand. It was a zippy, filling, tasty way to start the day. I almost forgot the tweaks in my body from sleeping on an air mattress for five straight nights. Staycation never tasted so good.

According to Josh, "The salsa is pretty simple:

-Vine ripened tomatoes
-Red onion
Saute these two with a small pinch of sugar and some salt 'til soft.

-Roasted red bell pepper
-Roasted habanero
-garlic
Puree in a blender and fold in chopped cilantro."

Note the U.S. salmonella scare continues to grow, so be sure your ingredients are from a safe source.

Party Time: Meatpaper & Gastronomica present...

Meatpaper and Gastronomica, two independent-minded magazines exploring the intersections of food and culture, invite you to celebrate the publication of their summer issues with a lively evening of artistic food and food-centric art at Perbacco Restaurant in downtown San Francisco. This event will feature tastings from local chefs, as well as cocktails, an art exhibition, and live music.

WHEN:
Sunday, July 20th
6pm to 9pm

WHERE:
Perbacco Restaurant
230 California Street
San Francisco, CA 94111
tel: 415-955-0663

TICKETS:
$25 per person, may be purchased online via credit card or PayPal.
A limited number of tickets will be sold at the door.

FEATURED SPONSORS:
Chef Staffan Terje (Perbacco)
Chef Leif Hedendal
Chef Chris Kronner (Serpentine & Slow Club)
Chef Scott Youkilis (Maverick)
The Fatted Calf
Prather Ranch Meat Co.
Verge Syrah
La Fee Absinthe
Rhum Clement
Bluecoat Gin
Trumer Pils
and more

PHOTOGRAPHY BY:
Charlie Grosso

MUSIC:
Gaucho

ABOUT MEATPAPER:
Founded in 2007, Meatpaper is a quarterly print journal focused on art and ideas about meat. Inspired by the current "fleischgeist" that is sweeping the country, Meatpaper publishes lush visuals, provocative articles, and timely reporting. Neither pro nor con, Meatpaper's ambidextrous approach and innovative style have generated international press.
www.meatpaper.com

ABOUT GASTRONOMICA:
Since 2001 Gastronomica has been feeding readers' sensual and intellectual appetites by offering food-focused scholarship, fiction, poetry, humor, and exciting visual imagery. With its diverse voices and eclectic mix of articles, Gastronomica provokes discussion and encourages thoughtful reflection on the history, literature, representation, and cultural impact of food.
www.gastronomica.org

Forward this to a friend

illustration by Marco Marella © 2008

 

Hot Stuff Food Section Round Up

Grilling and other noshes on this week's food section round up on SFist.

Wagyu Beef grillin' and chillin'

The marbled, rich texture of Wagyu beef is pure juicy goodness. We recently grilled some Wagyu at my folks place, in Benicia.

While the $29 per pound wholesale price is steep, the beef's smell and flavor make it a worthy purchase for any serious carnivore.

Recommended side dishes: chunky herbed mashed potatoes (go smooth if that's your preference, of course!), grilled asparagus, and buttery San Francisco sourdough bread. The only dessert you may have room for after feasting is a piece of chocolate or nibble of a fruity tart.

Qin's Asian Bistro & Bar Grand Opening on Saturday

Press Release alert! Can't make it, but this sounds like a fun one:

QIN'S (CHIN'S) ASIAN BISTRO & BAR GRAND OPENING

Noon to Midnight Party Offers

"A New Dynasty of Flavor in Antioch "

What:    Grand Opening Party for East Contra Costa County's hottest new restaurant and lounge with

free hors d'oeuvres, specially priced drinks, and live entertainment

 

Where Qin's ( pronounced Chin's ) Asian Bistro & Bar

5007 Lone Tree Way, Antioch California 94531

On the corner Hillcrest Avenue in the Lone Tree Landing Shopping Center.

925-754-8888

 

When:  Saturday, June 21 ; Noon- Midnight

All Day and Night  "Social Hour" Drink Prices- $3 beer and well drinks; $5 select house wine specials

11am- 8pm Free passed Hors D'ouevres

Who:

1-2pm- Eden Aoba Taiko Drummers on the patio

4-8pm- Live Jazz with vocalist Gina Harris, Jason Martineau on piano and Lorenzo Farrell on bass

8pm-10pm Light House Electronic Music

10pm- midnight- DJ Sounds with top Bay Area favorite Greg Eversoul.com

 

About Qin's Asian Bistro & Bar

 

Qin's Asian Bistro & Bar is a giant leap for restaurants and lounges in East Contra Costa; connecting the cuisines of the exotic East and the innovative West. From creative cocktails at the circular "blue light" bar to appetizers, entrees, contemporary sushi specialties and enticing desserts, Qin's menu fuses ingredients from Japan, China, Vietnam and Thailand with California style presentations that will tantalize your taste buds.

 

Drawing inspiration from the life size signature terra cotta warriors that represent the greatness of the Qin (pronounced "Chin") dynasty, the thoroughly modern ambiance is designed to take you away to a world of culinary adventure.

Hot Stuff Food Blog Round Up

Where have all the kitchen towels gone? What is that on the grill? All answered on this week's SFist Food Blog Round Up. Follow the link.

CCA President responds to questions on tipping

Salad pic from last week's visit to the Careme 350 Restaurant at the California Culinary Academy.

Hello Ms. Ladd,

I am so glad that you enjoyed your experience at CCA’s new restaurant.  The students running the kitchen and dining room were excited to hear such great feedback about their work.

To address your concern about how we handle gratuities at Carême 350, I thought I’d offer a brief explanation.  As you know, CCA is a culinary school whose mission it is to train students in the culinary arts and hospitality fields.  Our student-run restaurant exists to provide a real-life laboratory for these students and those who work there are actually doing so as part of the curriculum.  This six-week course teaches students how to operate in a real restaurant environment, with 3-week rotations in each the front and back of the house.  The students working in our restaurant classroom are just learning the skills necessary to serve clientele in a fine dining establishment and therefore leaving a tip is not required at Carême 350.  Still, some patrons choose to do so, which led us to come up with a way to see that those funds ultimately benefit our students, but in a manner that doesn’t taint the learning environment we strive to maintain.  Therefore, all gratuities at Carême 350 are donated to the institution’s scholarship fund.

Periodically, we must hire additional students to fill in when a class is too small to keep the restaurant running on its own.  To make up for the fact that tips are not part of their compensation, we pay such individuals at a rate approximately 50% higher than the hourly wage of the average restaurant server in San Francisco .

I hope I’ve been able to clear up this issue for you and look forward to welcoming you back to Carême 350 in the near future.

Sincerely,

Jennifer White

President

 

 

Jennifer White | President

California Culinary Academy| Le Cordon Bleu

350 Rhode Island Street, San Francisco , CA 94103

Is there a Bourdain Brunch in Your Future, SF?

Late breaking brunch news: Tony Bourdain will not be making "cobra-heart omelets and fermented shark waffles" with Chef Erik Hopfinger at Circa Restaurant in the Marina tomorrow. I received email speculation that that was potentially happening. So I had to find out the truth and sent Tony an email. Yes, he is in town. But it's only for one day, to interview Hopfinger for a project he's working on. Tony is adamant that "if anybody believes I'm EVER working another brunch shift," they are mistaken. Ow. The Bay Area mourns a missed culinary opportunity.

Circa Restaurant
2001 Chestnut Street
SF, CA 94123

415.351.0275

Careme 350 lunch for $3.50

Yesterday's bargain lunch-three and a half courses for $3.50-at the California Culinary Academy's Careme 350 restaurant was a winner. The food was made and served by culinary students. There were some glitches; our bill was presented before we ate dessert, and sometimes we were waiting for utensils or food, but the light filled room and tasty fare worked. Everything looks clean and new at Careme 350. There  aren't defecating vagrants, smoking students in uniform, or flashing prostitutes outside the building, which was an issue at the CCA's old Polk Street campus.

Other diners included construction workers, office peeps, and a few grey haired senior citizens. The place was about 80% full and capacity is just over two hundred people. Nothing felt rushed, and the mood was happy. The $3.50 promotion was for both lunch and dinner yesterday, and included three and a half courses.Two senior CCA staff members visited tables to make sure customers were happy.

Le Menu was as follows:

Amuse Bouche
Spicy mini shrimp cake with lemongrass & chervil

Appetizer (choice of 1)
Sauteed portobella and oyster mushrooms, shallots, frisee and watercress with Jeres Spanish vinegar

Homemade pasta Greek style, with fresh oregano, feta cheese, Kalamata olives and Extra Virgin olive oil

Entrees
California Ling Cod gratinee with a Dijon mousseline served with steamed Tournee potatoes. 

Roasted leg of lamb with garlic, baby Lima beans and Linguica sausage.

Dessert
Chocolate tart with mango sauce

Almond cake with whipped cream, raspberries and strawberries

We did wonder about one thing: is it right (or even legal) for the Careme 350 to use "all gratuities" for their "scholarship fund"? I like the idea of helping with scholarships but don't feel this is the right way to do so. I'd rather the money go directly to the dining room and kitchen crew, as is the case at other restaurants. It's been some time since I studied restaurant law, but the Careme 350's policy seems unfair at first glance.

Hot Stuff Food Section Round Up

Can be found today on SFist.

Never leave work just because your GF is mad at you!

This weekend, I was working in a kitchen on a wedding. The kitchen crew of five had just finished unloading the two company vans and was now setting up kitchen work stations. After a mere half hour on the job, a young culinary student slash Newbie caterer told us, "Sorry guys. I gotta go. My lady... I have to go take care of her."

"Is she hurt?" someone asked.

"Nah, nah. She's freaking out. Sorry to leave. This would've been fun, I know it," Newbie said. "She keeps calling me," he added. Why he was answering his cell phone at work, who knows?

The kitchen Boss Man, told him calmly, "OK, OK," which may not be how I would've responded. Then again, perhaps Boss Man has been in the biz long enough to be able to spot and deal with flakes easily.  It turned out we would be okay without Newbie's "help" for the event.

Newbie's leaving seemed unbelievably immature and wrong, but also depressed me. Newbie is about to graduate from the California Culinary Academy, which is my alma mater. His actions were a poor reflection on the school. If this was how Newbie operated, he was only setting himself up to fail at cooking. This wasn't the first time I had seen this sort of work ethic. There were also ample flakes (and crazies) when I was in cooking school.

Much later, at the end of the night, I laughed about the Newbie incident with the Boss Man: "Why was he taking calls? Is someone hurt or dead?" -- about the only reasons to take a call at work.

"I know!" Boss Man said, nodding his head. "That seemed a little odd that he was leaving." Odd, stupid, unreliable, and dumb.

I told Boss Man that another kitchen worker who was acquainted with Newbie told me that the girlfriend in question was "crazy, and total drama," which gave a little more insight into their relationship. This was the first time Newbie had signed up to work with the catering company. The chances of him getting emailed or called to work for them again may be close to zero.

Beretta

When I learned The Last Supper Club (TLSC) was morphing into Beretta, I was a little peeved. I liked TLSC’s pasta, good wine list, and convivial party vibe. One sweet touch TLSC had was to include a pesto for each table’s bread basket, which always tasted better than plain butter or olive oil. I needn’t have worried. The new restaurant, Beretta, still has a fun setting, interesting Italian food, with smashing drinks and affordable yet good wines.

Dare yourself to try Beretta’s specialty cocktails, with ingredients like Benedictine, tia maria, absinthe and Dubonnet. The improved whisky cocktail is potent and balanced, with rye, bitters, dubonnet, absinthe and a touch of maraschino. Think smooth and sharp. Wine by the bottle is an affordable and pleasing pairing with food, and decent bottles can be had in the thirty dollar range.

Beretta’s Italian food is skillfully prepared, and the cheery and hip wait staff does a great job at pacing. Highlights included a mixed meat antipasti platter with lardo, which is white fat from the back of a pig, peppery soprassata, and artisan salumi with giardiniera, otherwise known as pickled carrots and cauliflower. The arugula & fennel salad with shaved parmesan, also pictured above, is tender greens with a nutty flavor. Pizzas are a specialty, and are of the blistery thin type. Winning flavor combinations include: potato, rosemary, radicchio & gorgonzola; and prosciutto, tomato, arugula & mozzarella. It would be nice if the arugula was slightly more wilted, but that is a small quibble.

Beretta
1199 Valencia Street (at 23rd Street)
SF, CA 94110
415.695.1199

Champagne: Ready, set, pair!

Champagne shouldn’t be used just for the holidays. It can make the every day happy hour at home seem over the top special. Champagne’s sparkling bubbles lighten the palate, and work with both starters and well into the main course. Try pairing some bubbly with:            

Hearts of palm with prosciutto and Parmesan,

Smoked salmon with crispy vegetables,

Grilled brie and smoked duck breast with fig jam,

Hamachi tartare,

And with dessert:

Dark chocolate mousse with white chocolate whipped cream,

Warm apple and walnut with caramel ice cream,

Chocolate truffles

          

Party Platter Panache

Edible party platter garnishes are all the rage. It’s a great rule to follow in case one of your guests decides to help themselves to the garnish. Edible flowers, fruit, vegetable carvings, and fresh herbs make things look pretty and yummy. Sliced fruit (orange, lemon, and lime, alone or in a combo) also punches up a platter’s edge. Slice the fruit and lay on the platter. If doing a citrus combo, try and lay the slices on top of slices that are similar in size. That will look best to the eye.

Don’t forget to keep party platters clean during your event. I’ve learned from many catering companies that the best way to clean up a platter is to use a white vinegar and water mix. To do this, combine two parts water with one part vinegar in a squeeze bottle. (Not to worry if you go overboard on the vinegar.) If you don’t have a squeeze bottle, put the liquid mix into a bowl. Use a kitchen side towel to dab at the platter, cleaning away any leftover food and sauces. The vinegar cleans up gunk quickly, and leaves the platter looking clean and fresh. Add more food and get the platter back out to the party, stat!

Hot Stuff Food Blog Round Up

See ya over at SFist for this week's food blog round up.

R.I.P., California Culinary Academy Careme Room

"This is a funeral," one chef instructor told me. "I wore black," he added. We were mourning the last buffet dinner at the historic Careme Room at the California Culinary Academy, in San Francisco. The Polk Street campus will close this summer, after decades of food, learning, and enjoyment for culinary students and the public alike. The building is over one hundred years old, and used to be a German social club, bowling alley, and performance venue for Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles, and Janis Joplin.

The occasion felt mostly happy, perhaps due to an open bar and generous wine and champagne pours at the tables. There were lots of hugs and folks reuniting and catching up. All guests were comped for the event, which seemed like a nice gesture. I've heard that the price to attend the CCA is now over sixty thousand dollars and that enrollment is down, which is one reason the Polk campus is closing. My thirty five thousand dollar culinary education now sounds like a relative bargain compared to that steeper cost.

It would've been fun to see more fellow CCA alums in attendance. Guests included: Julie Tan, Roy Salazar, Herve LeBiavant, Serge Bled, CCA President Jennifer White, Tim Grable, Mike Weller, Chef Leo (recently retired after teaching eight thousand students!), Stephen Gibbs and Molly Fuller, Holly & Jean Yves LeDu, Emily Adams, Francesca Perata, Larry Michaels, Michael & Rose Rech, uber food blogger Amy Sherman (who had returned from a trip to Italy that afternoon), Beth Klein Seligman. Invites were sent out only seven days before the event, and what cook is able to escape work on a busy Friday night on a holiday weekend? Buffets were set up, but the room only seemed to have a third of its usual buffet contents. There seemed to be too much pates and meat, with a smidgen of Ceasar and fruit salads. I looked for endive appetizers, which were a buffet standby when I was a student. No go.

The menu: charcuterie, assorted smoked meats and fish, gallontines, ballotines, assorted pate and salads, fresh (moldy tasting) seafood selection, cheeses and fruits, hot entrees including prime rib, kobe beef, and trout. Desserts were flaming crepes, giant flaming Baked Alaska, chocolate and cheesecakes, and mini fruity/creamy pastries. Perhaps the best part was watching the teen aged daughter of Larry Michaels easily slice off the cork of a champagne. Chef Herve LeBiavant had a bigger sword, and took three tries. Next came the flaming Baked Alaska, which looked more than thirty feet long.

  Baked Alaska, anyone?