Mary Ladd

Crab 2 ways-Slanted Door & First Street Cafe

Walking around in the sunny, warm weather made us hungry, and we wanted to eat food that would leave us feeling light and healthy. We were somewhat toxic with cobwebs in our brains from over-imbibing the night before with our pal "Iron Liver Shag" at the Royal Exchange, Enrico's (have you seen the 2 cats they keep tethered to the hostess stand?), and Vesuvio's. The Slanted Door's cellophane Dungeness crab noodles offered simple, balanced, tastes. Looking out at the ferries and Bay soothed our senses. The sweet, fresh crab brought subtle flavor to the noodles. Paired with a refreshing ginger Kaffir lime-aid (with vodka and a sugar rim), it became the building block of a great meal.

Scone lovers flock to downtown Benicia's First Street Cafe where almost all the baked goods, jams, dressings, and granola are homemade. My crab theme continued, as I indulged in the creamy, smooth and fresh Dungeness crab and artichoke heart sandwich. It's a blend of ample crab, sour cream, roma tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and Monterey Jack cheese. Big plans for lap swimming gave way to a gentle walk in Benicia's shops, followed by reading and sunning on my parents deck. Sometimes it's best to go with the flow.

Fast Food Block

The shitty er city I work in has fast food places galore. Four are within half a block of work. I can see 3 of them from the front window, and hear the drone of the order taker. Yesterday's NY Times Life in the Fast Food Lane piece by Frank Bruni ("Nine Days, 42 Stops, 3,650 miles, 10 Favorites") got me thinking about what it's like to have fast food at ones doorstep. Frank, I'm living life in that lane! I'm a non-fast food type (some rare exceptions: road trips and In & Out sightings), but have four years of high school experience spending my daily $2 allowance on bean burritos and cheeseburgers. Some observations:

Deranged Drivers like to speed out of the drive thru lanes, without paying attention. Many times, they are hand-to-mouth, with a Big Mac or Taco Hell Combo Burrito at the lips. It's not as if there is a lot of space to zoom around on the not-so-wide road, and these outside the bun thinkers help add to heavy traffic and near collisions. The honking bugs-it's not our fault you are in a rush, folks! Life isn't fair; wait your turn.

Disgusting Cars: There's one amazing station wagon that best exemplifies this. The floor space in the back seats is piled high with old, greasy fast food wrappers. Empty drink cups and straws are mixed in. It looks dirty, ugly and I wonder what it smells like. Who owns such a beast? A portly engineerish type in his forties, sporting surprisingly clear skin and a huge belly that hangs.

Seagulls show up like clockwork, and zoom and dive over Mickey D's. They squawk and swoop at anyone walking in what turns into their sacred space. There's usually strong greasy fried food smells and grey smoke to add to the spectacle. Ah, nature.

Thank goodness there are other dining options in this area-falafel, pho, taquerias, and so on....

Getting (Lobster) Tail at the Warehouse Cafe

If your idea of a good time is eating lobster tail in a funky warehouse with an awesome jukebox playin' in the background, consider the Warehouse Cafe in Port Costa, in the East Bay Area. The menu is small, and you will leave full. King Crab legs, Surf & Turf, NY steak, Prime Rib, Shrimp Scampi and lobster all come with surprisingly good chili and clam chowder, as well as a salad bar stocked with the usual suspects-romaine, olives, pasta salad, etc.

It's easy to overeat at the salad and soup station, so be careful. Just because it's all-you-can-eat doesn't mean you have to bust your gut. Save room for the baked potato with a thick side of real full-fat sour cream (such bliss!) and butter, and sauteed mushrooms. For sweet endings, there's ice cream or one house dessert such as cheesecake that tastes homemade.

Wine selection is minimal and the pours can be scant. Stick to the specialties: sample one or more of the Cafe's 400 plus beers from all over the world. If it's nice out, enjoy the outdoor patio, with views of the Carquinez Straight. There's cans for cigarette butts and the benches and tables are flea market hodgepodge, but comfy.

Although the Warehouse Cafe has been around for forty years, it hasn't changed much (if at all) in the twenty years I've been going there. They still have a massive polar bear, as well as other curiosities (posters, pictures, signs) with dark wood everywhere. The feel is circus meets David Lynch's wild dream meets the Old West. It's likely fellow diners will include a little bit of everything-from Harley riders, to families, and the occasional yuppie couple. Wear jeans and leather rather than fancy attire. It's a casual, friendly spot. Service helps set this tone, and the staff are genuine and smile often. There's usually never a wait for a table, since it is a warehouse with lots of space.

Warehouse Cafe, 5 Canyon Lakes Drive, Port Costa. 510-787-1827.

Washington DC BEA Cooks & Books

BEA is the one place to figure out: who has a book coming out, which famous (or aspiring-to-be-famous) folks are peddling their thoughts and words on the book reading masses?  The Book Expo is a test of nerves-day and night schmoozing, party after party, late night dinners and endless boozing-the liquid that holds it all together. It sounds fun and exciting, and it is.

In the They Are Such Talented Southerners category: The Lee Bros.  cookbook promises the sort of smart food writing to be expected from New York Times' vets. They love Southern staples such as hominy, country ham, boiled peanuts, and artichoke relish. Their cooling, sweet mint juleps hit the spot at the Norton Woolly Mammoth fete.   

In the How Unexpected category: Tracey Ullman has a knitting book due in September. Gossip: she was ushered to the front of a Starbuck's (there's one every 2 blocks, showing even our nation's capitol is not immune to gross Starfucksification). Everyone in line started grumbling and mumbling, perhaps unaware that a Brit star was in their midst. She surprised them all by quickly buying drinks for the house. 

In the Good Dim Sum category: Tony Cheng's Seafood Restaurant, where on the weekend, the carts deliver wonderful BBQ pork, green beans, pork buns, and custardy eggplant. The dining room fills up with local Chinese families (a good sign of quality), along with young couples and tourists.  There are scores of photos of politicians (Bill Clinton in the center) and famous folks who have eaten there.

In the Don't Drink the Water category: D.C. local author Alan Cheuse warned us to stick to bottled water. There are high levels of lead and other scary elements in the D.C. water supply. Many restaurants we visited had small bottles of flat water, and seemed put out that we didn't want tap. They frowned or looked lost at the mention of Perrier or other bubbly.

In the Best Way to Feel Close to Lincoln Greasy Spoon category: 10th Street's Waffle Shop, across from the Ford Theater where Lincoln was shot, serves up reasonably priced breakfast all day. Meat sides include scrapple, ham, bacon, and sausage. The seats at the snaking counter are wooden and small, but the service will make you smile and probably laugh.

In the Old Guy Steals the Girl category: Turns out a famous 70 plus year old Literary Lion recently stole a girl forty years younger, at a book reading. The girlfriend had been partnered with an up and coming author who was in awe or Mr. Literary Lion (whose bushy eyebrows hardly make him a candidate for hunk-in-waiting). Mr. Literary Lion did the same thing fifty years ago to another author-who still holds a grudge. Note there's no food tie-in, but it's hopefully a fascinating bit. Any guesses?

BookExpo Beckons in Washington D.C.

I'll be away for a few days. We're heading to Washington D.C. for brunches, drinks, dinners, parties, and schmoozing at BookExpo America -bound to be a great time. The first BookExpo I attended was full of fascinating finds: costumed Harry Potter & Lord of the Rings characters, make up doyenne Bobbi Brown, Madeline Albright, Garfield feline cartoon creator Jim Davis (though tempted, I didn't say, "It's all about Me-Ow!"), and Bill Clinton. Anyone with good D.C. dining tips, please speak up!

Here Comes the Caterer

Years of catering make me the "go to" person when friends (and even friends of friends) find themselves in need of a caterer. There are definitely questions to ask when soliciting a caterer. Here are some tips to shape initial catering queries:

Event flow: what type of event is this? Formal or casual? Sit down or buffet? Birthday, weddings and corporate events: Will there be speeches or dance breaks? How long will the event last?

Budget: Be upfront about how many guests and how much you are willing to spend. If it's a wedding, include the bride and groom in the guest count (usually).

Menu: While the caterer should have some set menus for your consideration, he/she should also be open to tweaking it to match your interests. There are limits: seasonality, ability to create and keep warm a certain type of dish, etc. But if the bride to be wants spaghetti and meatballs, that should be possible.

Special needs: Are there a lot of vegetarians in your group? Someone who will fall ill with a slight whiff or taste of shellfish or peanuts? Will children be attending? Usually there is a special menu for kids, with standbys like chicken fingers, mac and cheese, pizza, or hot dogs.

Rentals: Will the caterer be able to rent or otherwise provide all equipment? Chairs, dishes, stemware, and tables may be outsourced. That means the caterer can coordinate delivery, cleaning, and pick up of everything. There will be endless clean up-from stacking chairs to hauling out tables and putting dishes into crates, for pick up. This happens at the end of the event, and continues long after the guests leave.

Fees and surcharges: Is there a bar set up and/or tending fee? Cake cutting is almost a guarantee fee of at least $1.50 per guest. It can even get as high as $3 and beyond. Service/gratuity will be added on-expect to shell out fifteen to twenty per cent-ask if that covers food alone, or is a combo of food and beverages.

Time to taste: As you get further along in your discussion, set up a tasting. Hotels seem to allow 2 guests to these tastings, and it varies by caterer. There may be an extra charge if a friend or relative joins in. Keep in mind the seasonality of some items may effect what the caterer is able to prepare.... there's just no way to serve a peach dessert or salmon entree when it's off season.

Feel free to send any catering related stories or questions. I'd love to hear 'em.

Naked Dinner

Sometimes, I like to eat in the bathtub. I've been told that's a weird thing to do. How 'bout you-any bathtub diners willing to share? There are many advantages to a naked dinner: it's relaxing, easy to clean up, and there's never a worry about getting crumbs on your shirt. You may eat less, since you can see your belly expand as you eat. Simple foods like fruit, cereal, guacamole, hummus, tabouli, and anything that requires one utensil and a bowl work best. Forget about having meat that requires cutting. That seems like it'd take things too far. Think healthy, clean.

Eating in the tub has allowed me to listen to the noises of my neighborhood. I've heard people having sex (no mistaking that slap-slap-slap noise of skin on skin), fighting, listening to Spanish music (and singing along in their warbly offkey voices), and young kids playing. I find myself humming along as I peel an orange or otherwise dig in.

Maybe people eat naked meals in the tub are afraid to talk about it. A Google search brought limited results such as Follow Your Dreams who confesses, "One of my dreams... was to be able to lie back in the bath and eat grapes!" Dreamy to me, weird and funny to the rest of society? Craigslist food forum regulars offered mainly sarcasm to the idea: "I make my salad there," (clearly sarcastic!), and the snarky and darkly funny, "Beer in bath with radio thrown in." There was some hope, offered up in, "My son eats in the bath and I sometimes drink beer." Having some beer while bathing got the most responses. Repulsive, interesting and weird to learn one poster "Eats bon bons on the bidet," while another fancies himself a "ham sandwich on the toilet guy." Eww.

A Spankmag poster gave clues into the sticky aspects of eating, "I prefer apples or mandarin oranges, or in the summer, peaches since they get your entire face sticky anyhow, so you might as well eat them where you'll be washing your face."
If you take baths on a regular basis, try eating a snack, or drinking a cold one as you relax. It's a great way to chill out.

Bay to Breakers Eggs Benedict

I needed help to deliver breakfast to the press truck for the Bay to Breakers. Oscar was up for it, but I had to lure someone to drive us. At 5:30 in the morning. His brother Steve had a new, nice truck. I told him he'd see naked  people (leaving out that the naked were usually over 65, male and droopy). Perhaps we'd meet some famous local journalists, too.

It would've been a great idea to practice making poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. Instead, I read the recipe over and over, and thought about the various steps in my head. Truth was, I had no time to practice the day before, because I was helping with the food demos at the Bay to Breakers pavilion, running around buying travel mugs, and getting the smoked salmon and English muffins to go with the breakfast for twelve.

I had helped make a bunch of poached egg for a CCA-Exploratorium video, and remembered one tip: add a dash of vinegar and swirl the water with vigor. So swirl I did. Damn. The eggs were turning into white strings, and falling to the bottom of the big pot. I was starting to sweat in our little kitchen.  The oven was blasting, getting the English muffins good and crispy.

Oscar and Steve were assigned hollandaise sauce duty. They both watch a lot of Food TV, and Steve can cook. Oscar was reading the recipe steps back to Steve, who was using the whisk to work magic. Oscar turned on another burner for our Joseph Schmidt hot chocolate, and I could hear and smell hair burning. Steve's arm. "Oscar! Ow!!" Steve yelled. Oscar looked stressed.

"OK, Oscar. Why don't you work on assembling the kits for the food?" I asked, trying to keep things moving without getting too frantic. The plastic containers would hold lettuce and smoked salmon, and we'd add the English muffin, eggs, and sauce last.

I kept stirring the milk, dropping whole disks of Joseph Schmidt chocolate mint disks in. My chef-boss had insisted we use Joseph's stuff, since they are long time pals. This chef was having me cook the breakfast, but was going to wear his chef's jacket and play it off like he cooked it. It seemed funny.

The eggs eventually started to cook up correctly, but there was still a lot of white in the pot. Thank God I overbought. I helped Steve with the sauce, which was more of a thickish paste when we finished. Rather than have the eggs served open faced, I made them all into sandwiches, to cover up the weak sauce.

We drove over. I felt something wet on my foot. Looked down at the hot chocolates and damn! One had spilled over, and was leaking into Steve's nice, new carpet.  Paper towels got some of the liquid off, but there was definitely gonna be a nasty stain. Argh. Not a good way to pay someone back who drives you to a catering gig.

Security almost didn't let us through, even though I had a media badge. Oscar and Steve didn't. Look, we're going right there, I said as I smiled REAL big, and pointed to the media crew. Chef-boss spotted me, and came over to straighten things out. The race was going to start in twenty minutes, so our timing worked out. I hid my nervousness as I watched the journalists dig in. They oooohed and ahhhed. One even asked for my card. Chef-boss took credit.

Steve did get to see a few naked people, of the aging male hippies, and middle aged female variety. He enjoyed the excitement and crazy costumes. We took him to Chava's to eat a post race meal.  I had nightmares about the eggs and sauce, even a few weeks later. Better luck next time.

Avoiding Food Coma

Food coma is the state of being overly full, and comes from eating too much. The most toxic case of food coma struck on a Santa Barbara vacation. Ahhh, vacation: it's supposed to be about experiencing new things, keeping no schedule, and romance. It's a surprise and unpleasant revelation when vacation world changes dramatically. Adding food coma to the mix had me worming around on a hotel lounge chair, clutching my belly, and moaning uncomfortably to Oscar.

The downfall came at what is supposedly Julia Child's favorite dive in Santa Barbara: La Super-Rica Taqueria. Things started out innocently enough. I ordered a carnitas taco, and large horchata, which is a creamy, sweet, drink with cinnamon notes. Drinking horchata cooled me down, but I drank too quickly. I usually have nothing to drink or plain water when eating,but the horchata tasted so sweet, cold and wonderful. I ordered another one, and kept drinking as we ordered more specials. It's dangerous to share....

Unfortunately, only time can heal a food coma. (If you have other solutions to food coma, do tell!) Back at our hotel, I spent almost an hour laying by the pool, swaddled in a blanket. Forget about feeling glamourous-I just wanted to be able to breathe normally. The sunset was beautiful, but I felt like a beached whale watching it. I could only blame myself.

La Super-Rica Taqueria, 622 N. Milpas Street (at Alphonse St.), Santa Barbara, CA. T: 805-963-4940

California Culinary Academy: What to Wear in the Kitchen

The first day of cooking school, the head chefs come in and give a spiel. No first day would be complete without rules. Here they are, along with examples of people breaking them:

Wear clean socks: Sounds basic but some students had questionable hygiene habits, or would wear bright, tie dyed (or other bright color) socks. A bigger offense occured early in the thirteen month session, when a stripper classmate showed up sans socks, and was caught. She made great money as a stripper, but couldn't seem to spend it on socks. In this case, the female sous chef sent kept warning her over and over that she needed to wear socks. There's many reasons: feet get sweaty and smelly in hot, steamy kitchens, and clean socks help keep injuries from slippin' and slidin' at bay.

Keep jewelry to a minimum: Especially big rock jewelry, piercings, and dangly earrings. Earrings can get caught or tugged, and cause major injury. If they fall off and you can't find it, customers may get hurt, or angry when they find it in their food. Women may feel emotionally attached to their engagement and wedding rings, but it can turn painful if the ring gets caught on something. Try losing your ring or setting in a mammoth batch of bread... never to be seen again (yes, there were tears and anger when this happened).

Keep your nails short, natural, and clean: I tend to follow this one even though my cooking is in a home versus professional kitchen. It's straight up nasty to have food crud under ones nails, and there's a big risk of breaking a nail and losing it in the food... never to be seen again. I wish female servers would follow this, because fake and long nails harbor endless grime and junk. Also, think about where nail polish goes when it flakes off - straight into food and drink.

Wash your hands after sneezing, coughing, using the bathroom, etc. etc. I refused to eat the food of two of my classmates because I'd watch them sneeze, wipe their nose, and get right back to work. Snot and germs are so unappealing.

Keep your uniform clean. It's a sign of ones professionalism, as well as ability to work in a focused manner. Some classmates couldn't bring themselves to wear a clean shirt under their uniform, and smelled too ripe. While cooking, things may spill or bubble over occasionally, but as a general rule, someone who keeps things clean does clean work, which is reflected in the resulting food. There's a reason some chefs mantra is "Clean as you go," - when things are consistently clean and put away, a routine built from good habits is established. It makes clean up easier at the end of the shift.

Smokers, take the uniform off before a smoke break. Wash up before returning to work. Early in the class session, smokers seem to heed this warning. But rather than rush off to the restroom or locker room and take off their chef's jacket, they eventually fall into a "Why bother?" routine. The ashes and smell of smoke follow these smokers around, which can be a big turnoff for diners.  For examples of this, any weekday take a walk in front of the California Culinary Academy Polk Street campus. There you'll find scores of chefs-to-be smoking. Photo courtesy of www.sfgate.com

Smooth Operator

Fruit and yogurt smoothies seem like a good way to start the day off. Especially when you've overslept, feel exhausted, and clothes from last year are too damn tight. It's a great alternative to skipping breakfast and heading straight to the local coffee joint, or work coffee pot. Why feel somewhat guilty looking at kitchen appliances that sit and collect dust?

Making smoothies, can be quick and easy. Combine 1-2 bananas, 1 pear (leave the skin on for some semblance of fiber), 1 tablespoon Marshall's Farm honey (combat allergies with local honey),  a dash of cinnamon, 1 cup Brown Cow non-fat vanilla yogurt, and 1 cup one per cent milk, and 2-3 ice cubes. The fruit combos are endless, and should change by season. Serve in frosted glasses from the freezer, giving them a double use-by night, they hold beer, by morning, it's breakfast-in-a-glass.

Today I asked Oscar to take on Operation Smoothie since I ignored the clock and savored laying under the covers for too long. This was his first time working the blender. He put all the fruit, yogurt, and ice in the blender. When he poured milk in, it leaked from the glass onto the blender's base. "What did you do?" I asked him, not showing much patience. Drops of milk were all over the place, and I wiped them up.

"I don't know," he said, unsure.

"Grab a bowl, a big bowl," I said, as I started unscrewing the blender. The blade was screwed on the outside rather than outside of the blender jar. It's impossible to get a seal from the outside.

We managed to save most of the ingredients by dumping them in a large bowl while I re-jiggered the blade and jar together properly. Sighs of relief all around. Oscar hit the puree button for twenty seconds, and it looked like it was ready.  Had to give Oscar a compliment, so I said, "Oh, they look great! Nice and frothy," as I poured. Being a Smooth(ie) Operator takes a little patience and care.

Catering Terms-not for the weak

"We had a code brown," a catering Manager told me, with a bemused and mortified expression. I was unsure what that meant, so I said, "Oh, really?"

"Yeah. At the Flood Mansion."

"How did it happen?" I asked.

"__________ walked past us and her gown was hiked up in the back. She had shit all over the back of her legs, and on part of the dress," he said, cringing dramatically. Code Brown. Yes. Brown, as in shit brown. Got it. "We had to grab her and take her into the bathroom, before she made it downstairs, to see the other guests. It was all over the place, even on the toilet itself. Like an explosion." While the staff helped her, the woman stared off into space, giggling inappropriately and breathing out dragonlady toxic alcohol fumes.

Code Browns unfortunately (for the catering staff) happen at prominent galas, fundraisers, in beautiful historical wonders of architecture, and even at the alumni dinner of a highbrow educational institution. These Code Browns come not from babies or children, but adults of all ages. They are almost always drunk. On the other hand, Code Yellows tend to happen to more elderly guests, and seem to cause major embarrassment and shame. One such woman begged a caterer, "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to. But the seat is wet. I need to leave. Can you help?"

Getting advance notice is better than the shock of feeling dark thick, smelly goo, or smelling sour, rank barf and realizing it's all over a table set with exquisite china and beautiful glass. Perhaps the linen rental companies have the worst tales to tell, since they see it all, eventually....

Mexican Homemade Breakfast Memories

As an exchange student in Mexico, the host family's matriarch was on a mission to keep me well fed. She thought I was too thin, and used breakfast as a means to change that. I had some of the most filling and leisurely breakfasts at the family table, and would gossip in Spanish with my adopted Mom and fellow exchange student, Pat. It was usually the biggest and best meal of the day, although it sometimes made me lethargic although pleasantly dazed for hours.

The maid would make a huge feast each day of fresh papaya and mango, handmade tortillas that were slightly charred from the griddle, beans, avocado slices, scrambled eggs, and steak. Sides of bell peppers and jalapenos were always on hand. I ate slowly, and savored each bite.

Drinks were milk, freshly squeezed orange juice and hot chocolate. I loved looking at the cauldron of milky chocolate, which usually had a thin skin that the maid would skim regularly. The chocolate drink had hints of Cinnamon and sugar, and was creamy-fresh.

I was grateful for the wonderful meals, and made sure to say thanks to the maid and my host mother each day. It made me feel full and quite loved.

Cocktails at A.C.T.

Going to see a play or performance always gets me excited. The downside of seeing a play can be uncomfortable seating, sleepiness (true for especially long performances), and irritation with playgoers who talk, or rifle through their purses constantly, causing major distractions. Fixing an icy glare only occasionally works, and "shhhh" ing can feel like too much of a further disturbance.

Advantages to visiting places like ACT (American Conservatory Theater) of course are higher. Sure, it's a chance to get dressy, learn about culture, drama, and the human condition. Local celebs, and lots of attractive well dressed men show up: Carrie Perloff (well, duh, she works there), Phil Bronstein, Armistead Maupin, Leah and Jerry Garchik. Controversial feats like Urinetown: The Musical and The Black Rider are balanced out by classics such as Waiting for Godot (it's a looooong wait), A Christmas Carol, and American Buffalo.

Relax over a cocktail, and maybe eat some Toblerone or M&M's. I like an Irish Coffee on A.C.T.'s lower level if it's chilly or I'm tired. The alternative is a glass of bubbly, which sure feels right in the setting of posh velvet chairs and winding staircase. Anchor Steam, poured into a glass (don't want to look trashy!) also hits the spot, although I sometimes feel manly drinking beer at a playhouse. One insider tip: the intermission cocktails can be pre-ordered, and set at the table of your choice, which is an easy way to guarantee lounge seating.

Giant's Ball Game Eats

Don't go to a ball game to feel healthy. It's a marvelous place to drink, cheer, jump up and down, and eat as much as possible. The San Francisco weather is likely to be cold, especially if it's a night game. I always look forward to eating peanuts in the shell, hot dogs and chocolate malts for these outings. However, there are modern updates that may cause traditionalists to sniff-sushi, flat bread, salads, and soft tacos? Organic fruit and smoothies? One friend joked about "bombing those places outta here, but I'd be labelled a terrorist." Perhaps in poor taste, but worth debating anyway. Who decides what food gets into a ball park? How do the fans react (seems like they are happy enough, judging from the deep lines at all vendors) to these modern twists on ball park grub?

Garlic fries may be the most welcome change. Thoughts of outrage over Barry's juicing disappear with one taste of the salty, fragrant, crisp potato strings, dipped in ketchup. Plotting breaks to get food and beer require teamwork. Should you 'beat the crowd' by going while your team is at bat, or chance missing a homer? Who can carry the most cups? He or she should hit the beer stand. Previous waitressing or catering sure helps.

Sticker shock may hit. I couldn't fathom paying almost ten dollars for an Irish coffee that was likely weak and watered down. Beer is only a few bucks cheaper, but you get more ounces. Glitches like "we're out of the Polish dogs for the next ten minutes" and being cut off by a pushy woman at the condiment bar that is out of relish may irritate. It's to be expected with big crowds in a big city, yes?

Rainbow Grocery-Where's the Beef?

Rainbow Grocery is a worker owned co-op in San Francisco. It's great for produce, bulk items, tea, chocolate, cheese, beer, and even "natural" beauty products. Just don't ask where to find chicken stock or other meat items are, unless you want the Rainbow worker to cringe and sneer. I made that mistake a few years ago, when I was a personal chef/shopper. It hadn't clicked in my mind that although Rainbow has mountains of dairy, eggs, cheese, and oils, they "like, would NEVER carry anything that caused an animal to perish," as I was sternly told.

It's a unique experience, shopping at Rainbow. Think of it as a great way to learn about healthy ingredients and dishes. There are many free vegetarian friendly pubs by the front door. Parking is almost always a slow process, requiring waiting for the hybrid vehicle or hippie style vw in front of you to park, while a homeless guy points and talks, looking to drum up donations. Some of the Rainbow crew doesn't seem to bathe often, or maybe the crystal deodorant rock just isn't working so well? Smile and stand a good five feet back, and you'll be fine. Moms (and an occasional Dad) tend to carry babies in those cotton slings rather than a Baby Bjorn.

Bring in your own bags and save ten cents a pop. Don't get stressed at the checkout when you realize you bag your own groceries. The vibe is usually hippie-friendly, so no need to rush. I like to first check out the dried herb, tea and spice bins, to the left of the door. Their selection is far reaching, at a great price (the Viva Mexico blend rocks).

Some products I've learned about and fallen for via Rainbow Grocery, and how I like to use them:

Non-Toxic Cleaning Supplies-Seventh Generation and other cleaners mean no fainting from the overpowering smell of bleach. Bon Ami is a favorite, because it's a hearty scrub. I don't think vinegar and water works (one green cleaning solution), but there are many other options to try out.

Yogi Ginger Tea-digestion aid, also great perk me up if sluggish or worn down by a cold or      hangover.

Kale-in ribollita (Tuscan bread/bean soup) or lasagna, sauteed with bacon or other cured meat, blanched and served with chicken.

Sierra Nevada Cream Cheese-the usual bagels, toast, and other bread products. It's tangy and creamier than any other cream cheese I've tasted. The only bummer is the way it's packaged-wrapped in plastic, and a mess to put away after the first use. Note the cheese staff at Rainbow are friendly and helpful, and there's samples, along with small "try me" chunks for those times you feel like trying something new without dropping serious coin.

Cast iron skillet-Rainbow housewares of quality and not too spendy. The cast iron baby sautes meat and veggies beautifully. It took several tries, but getting the skillet super hot makes for great scrambled eggs.

Organic Ginger-apparently this is one root that has much more flavor when grown organically. Use in stir-fries, tea, and to add a wonderful aromatic flair to Asian dishes.

Rainbow also has unique and colorful journals, cards, toys, magnets, and gifts. For Mother's Day, I picked up some organic chocolates and teas for Mom, along with a snazzy heart card. She may not agree with Rainbow's politics, but that's our little secret.

Rainbow Grocery, 1745 Folsom, SF. T: 415-863-0620.

Sopranos Saucy Sundays-Duck, Lentils, Brussel Sprouts, Fingerling Potatoes

Our menu last night was French. We must finish eating the confit duck legs in our fridge, rather than the usual Italian for Saucy Sopranos Sundays. To start, we roasted brussel sprouts and fingerling potatoes in duck fat in a 500 degree oven. (High heat Chef Marc Vogel would be proud.)

The duck went in for a few minutes, until it was crackling and warmed up. I took it out of the oven, sprinkled with sea salt and herbes du provence, and covered with foil. Our kitchen smelled meaty and delightful. Time to crack open a Blue Moon Belgian White beer-fruity, unfiltered, smooth, and crisp. Perfect for a warm night of HBO viewing.

Meanwhile, green lentils stewed on the stove. I added a dash of Tabasco to the salted cooking water, for zip. The duck was tender, rich, and a little greasy. I loved the way the fingerling potatoes were crisp on the outside, and buttery soft, and warm on the inside. Next time, I'll be sure to have sour cream or creme fraiche on hand for the potatoes and lentils.

Each duck leg required hands on eating, to get every last nibble off the bone. Delicious juice came with each bite of the crisp brussel sprout leaves. Such nutty sweetness made the brussel sprouts irresistible, and I picked a few out as I cleaned up later. Brussel sprouts turn out best when roasted, and there's little danger of getting that sulphuric torturous smell that comes with over-boiling.

Ciao Bella Chocolate Gelato gave the dessert some Italian cred for dessert. No bowls or cookies, just two spoons, and smiles as we passed the carton, back and forth. It was a mellow and great way to celebrate our second wedding anniversary.