I like to believe that I'm someone who listens to the universe, my God-whisper or my tummy. Whatever you want to refer to "that" feeling as, I'm someone who listens to said rumblings and realizes that a choice is being offered to me and I can make of it what I can in the hopes that I will find myself heading toward a desired direction......got it? Well. That's what this "Tuesday with Pookie" was all about.
I had been asked by the owners of the pet boutique that I call home, Wednesday-Sunday, as the Sales Manager to represent them during their absence at a public hearing at San Francisco's City Hall regarding the matter of big box pet store hoping to open a second location within the city limits of San Francisco. Mind you that this pet store also happens to be a local boy done good and now happens to also be the 8th largest Pet retailer in the good ole U.S. of A. My internal struggle going into this was that I wasn't necessarily invested in this "good" fight. I had nothing at stake...other than a decrease in customers coming in to buy their dog a 15 lb. bag of dog food. I was being asked to get up and speak in front of San Francisco's decision makers about my plea to stop the big box from building another big box. In turns. I was creating a Big Box Block. That's right. BIG. BOX. BLOCK.....
I needed to find my voice to speak the Owner's feelings and searched deep and mustered up a rumble and listened...........................................
Nothing.
..............................................................................................................................................somethi.........nope.
Nothing.
....Wait! Michael Moore's latest docu-expose-satire-mentary "Capitalism: A Love Story" was coming on right after my early morning workout. What better way to find inspiration than through Michael Moore's lens? This film deals with exactly what the title states, the American and now Global idea of wealth and what we'll do to attain it. What I personally took from this film helped me to find my own voice for the fight that I had been hired into. I came away with the realization that we all deserve the right to achieve infinite success as long as we leave enough room for everyone else to have the same chance. Impossible. You say? I'd like to think not.
There I was, hopping on BART with my gal pal, Shanni on our way to City Hall to meet Pookie to show our support of small business owners and to be my pillars for when I took the stand to garble out my plea to the Supervisors of San Francisco. We made our way into this world famous structure that has played host to so many happenings that we wouldn't even know where to start to name them. This was my first time within these confines and I was in complete awe of how the light came in from the rotunda playing off the marble which covers nearly every surface in the main foyer. After fumbling for a few moments we found our way to the room where the public hearing was being held and settled in for a journey into democracy.....or whatever it's become now-a-days...
Three hours later we walked away more enlightened about city politics and when does achieving the American dream become being the bully on the block? In today's case, the big box guys walked away with a green light, per se. The ability to go forth with what will surely be a very nice store that would create a few more jobs than a small business owner could afford, but to pretend that such stores do not affect the overall sales of smaller businesses then I'd like to talk to you about some property in a swamp.
Everyone on the side of the small businesses who worked tirelessly to spread the word about their plight and the loss of their slice of the pie should this larger retailer be given the green light to open a third store in a city of less than a million citizens and a square mileage of seven miles by seven miles. Plus, they'll also have the advantage of a parking lot which will incentivize many new and loyal customers to roll up and buy their 15lb. bag of dog food..which of course will be price matched, plus a 10% discount on top of that. So, of course the owners and their fellow comrades in arms are dejected but I believe energized to work even harder to retain a loyal customership while continually building their own American dreams. Be they larger than life to a single store front.
I am glad that I was given this opportunity to take a walk in someone else's shoes and to speak up for them in their absence. It was humbling to even be asked and the experience impassioned me with a renewed sense in self...not to sound all hokey and stuff, but sometimes all it takes is someone else's perspective to help you see the blind spots in your own. I'd love to say that I believe with all of my heart that as a species we can lift one another up so as to create an ideal world free of hate, crime, poverty, and blah and blah blah blah...and that stuff. I do believe that I really want to live my life that way, but realize that I have hurdles. Just like you do. And you, too...
You were there, too...
yeah...
So...be good to one another. Find tolerance within every situation until it stops becoming about tolerance and more about learning from and creating an experience...
yep. Michael Moore taught me all of this..
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Guy inspired...
My obsession began with a creole cookin' codger and a funny talking lady, both on my local PBS station after my weekly Saturday morning cartoons. What a babysitter that TV was on those Saturdays. Cartoons galore only interrupted to push sugary cereals with prizes. After those cartoons ended I mustered the strength to lift myself from the couch to the television to turn the knob to 13 for the "I guar-ahn-tee"s and silly warblings of an amazonian sex kitten who were the celebrity chefs of my youth. Their food was exotic..for an Arkansas boy, but it was their palatable passion for their craft that most amazed me and helped define my want to experience as many food things as possible within this lifetime.
Which brings us to this blog. Our homage to Guy Fieri, http://www.guyfieri.com/ , due to seeing him on TV at the Raiders vs. 49ers pre-season game. Guy Fieri was on the first season of "Next Food Network Star"..I think..and now look at him. He's an empire. He's in line to be the next Rachel Ray. He's so upbeat that he makes your teeth hurt ... and that's okay! He's the embodiment of why I fell in love with food. People smiling, cooking and most importantly...eating. The bones of this Tuesday's with Pookie is all about the Triple D.....Also known as Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. We knew the dive portion due to Andy's desire to check out a dive in the Haight highlighted on Anthony Bourdain's TLC show No Reservations, http://www.anthonybourdain.net/ . The diner and drive-in part were still up in the air because A) Neither of us are fans of "chain" diners...a la Mel's or Lori's. I'm sure these establishments are great for some people, but not us. and B) We wanted something authentic. A quick google search and we were on our way.
Our Tuesday started like each one before. Leslie picks me up at the back gates of my complex and then we take off with hopes of locating our destination without the assistance of a GPS. Today was no different as we made a few circles and wrong turns before landing at our first stop. It's Tops Coffee Shop; 1801 Market, SF, CA (415) 431.6395. This "coffee shop" has been a mainstay at this busy intersection since 1935! Can you even imagine? Once inside, you're immediately transported back in time as the smell of waffles invades your nostrils. Warm wood panelling covers all the walls which are packed with memorabilia and write ups from every paper in the City and every era since 1935. They even go so far as to dress the lone waitress in a hot pink outfit reminiscent of a 1950's diner. Even before sitting down, you know you're in for a good meal. The menu lists specials that one would expect in a diner and a large selection of California inspired burgers that had our tongues wagging. We opted for the California pig * burger with cheese, bacon and avocado* This was a nearly perfect burger. Not too large that you felt full even before your first bite and all of the toppings were nestled tightly on top of a perfectly cooked pattie. The hand cut fries that accompanied were just fine, albeit a little greasy. What did we care? We were at a diner, greasy spoon or whatever you want to call them. We came for food that was going to stick to our ribs and we were not disappointed.
We had very few options for our Drive-In spot. In fact we were only able to come up with one place in San Francisco that could actually be called a "drive-in". After pounding the diner burger, we made our way to Whiz Burgers Drive-In; 700 South Van Ness, SF, CA. (415)824.5888. This old school drive in is everything you want a drive in to be. No frills, a menu full of fried items, fountain sodas and whipped cream topped milk shakes. By the time we made our way to this side of town, we were ready for the dive portion of this Tuesday and had only intended to get a drink and a loo break. Although, once we spotted the menu we couldn't resist ordering a corn dog and a tang! We were both children, again. Sitting at the outdoor counter, sharing a corn dog and tang and giggling. We were now in perfect shape to start happy hour a little early.
We hopped back into the car and made our way to the Haight district for a quick happy hour at Aub Zam Zam; 1633 Haight, SF, CA. (415)861.2545. When we came up with this week's theme of Triple D, I screamed out this bar! I'd been wanting to check it out ever since Anthony Bourdain threw back a few here during a taping of his TLC show. This was the kind of watering hold where you come to be invisible. Where you come to be a regular...heck it's just a great bar with a massive selection of libations. I could extol on and on about the interior and the theme and the funky juke box, but I'll let you go to those sites dedicated to letting folks extol on such things. I'll keep it simple. We ordered our drinks. I dropped $5 in the juke box, picked a few select tunes and left credits for the other patrons to use and we made friends with the bartender. We chatted about nothing and everything..Hell, I couldn't even tell you what we really talked about..other than Leslie giving me emotional support to take my art to the next step and raising our glasses to zukra bakery's first retail store! Should you find yourself in the Castro, stop in to Buffalo Whole Food; 598 Castro, SF, CA. (415)626.7038 and pick up your week's worth of zukra's gluten-free baked goods!
Take your own Triple D tour of your own city, try a new recipe, cook with a new ingredient and order something other than your usual next time you're out. There's a whole world of food out there just waiting to be gobbled up. What are you waiting for?
Pookie's Loo Review of Aub Zam Zam
3 flushes
The Ladies restroom was just what you would expect at a dive bar...grungy. Although, it did have everything one would need. Toilet paper, paper towels, hand soap and a working sink. I looked around fully expecting to see the onslaught of the "Sarah *hearts* Daniel" and the "Chris Erickson is an asshole" s. ...but to my surprise there was nary a thing on the wall with the exception of the red(ish) walls which were merely hiding the old graffiti. AHA! Just as I had expected. What dive bar is complete without a graffiti covered loo? At least not one in San Francisco. All in all...this loo was fairly clean and served its purpose.
Which brings us to this blog. Our homage to Guy Fieri, http://www.guyfieri.com/ , due to seeing him on TV at the Raiders vs. 49ers pre-season game. Guy Fieri was on the first season of "Next Food Network Star"..I think..and now look at him. He's an empire. He's in line to be the next Rachel Ray. He's so upbeat that he makes your teeth hurt ... and that's okay! He's the embodiment of why I fell in love with food. People smiling, cooking and most importantly...eating. The bones of this Tuesday's with Pookie is all about the Triple D.....Also known as Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. We knew the dive portion due to Andy's desire to check out a dive in the Haight highlighted on Anthony Bourdain's TLC show No Reservations, http://www.anthonybourdain.net/ . The diner and drive-in part were still up in the air because A) Neither of us are fans of "chain" diners...a la Mel's or Lori's. I'm sure these establishments are great for some people, but not us. and B) We wanted something authentic. A quick google search and we were on our way.
Our Tuesday started like each one before. Leslie picks me up at the back gates of my complex and then we take off with hopes of locating our destination without the assistance of a GPS. Today was no different as we made a few circles and wrong turns before landing at our first stop. It's Tops Coffee Shop; 1801 Market, SF, CA (415) 431.6395. This "coffee shop" has been a mainstay at this busy intersection since 1935! Can you even imagine? Once inside, you're immediately transported back in time as the smell of waffles invades your nostrils. Warm wood panelling covers all the walls which are packed with memorabilia and write ups from every paper in the City and every era since 1935. They even go so far as to dress the lone waitress in a hot pink outfit reminiscent of a 1950's diner. Even before sitting down, you know you're in for a good meal. The menu lists specials that one would expect in a diner and a large selection of California inspired burgers that had our tongues wagging. We opted for the California pig * burger with cheese, bacon and avocado* This was a nearly perfect burger. Not too large that you felt full even before your first bite and all of the toppings were nestled tightly on top of a perfectly cooked pattie. The hand cut fries that accompanied were just fine, albeit a little greasy. What did we care? We were at a diner, greasy spoon or whatever you want to call them. We came for food that was going to stick to our ribs and we were not disappointed.
We had very few options for our Drive-In spot. In fact we were only able to come up with one place in San Francisco that could actually be called a "drive-in". After pounding the diner burger, we made our way to Whiz Burgers Drive-In; 700 South Van Ness, SF, CA. (415)824.5888. This old school drive in is everything you want a drive in to be. No frills, a menu full of fried items, fountain sodas and whipped cream topped milk shakes. By the time we made our way to this side of town, we were ready for the dive portion of this Tuesday and had only intended to get a drink and a loo break. Although, once we spotted the menu we couldn't resist ordering a corn dog and a tang! We were both children, again. Sitting at the outdoor counter, sharing a corn dog and tang and giggling. We were now in perfect shape to start happy hour a little early.
We hopped back into the car and made our way to the Haight district for a quick happy hour at Aub Zam Zam; 1633 Haight, SF, CA. (415)861.2545. When we came up with this week's theme of Triple D, I screamed out this bar! I'd been wanting to check it out ever since Anthony Bourdain threw back a few here during a taping of his TLC show. This was the kind of watering hold where you come to be invisible. Where you come to be a regular...heck it's just a great bar with a massive selection of libations. I could extol on and on about the interior and the theme and the funky juke box, but I'll let you go to those sites dedicated to letting folks extol on such things. I'll keep it simple. We ordered our drinks. I dropped $5 in the juke box, picked a few select tunes and left credits for the other patrons to use and we made friends with the bartender. We chatted about nothing and everything..Hell, I couldn't even tell you what we really talked about..other than Leslie giving me emotional support to take my art to the next step and raising our glasses to zukra bakery's first retail store! Should you find yourself in the Castro, stop in to Buffalo Whole Food; 598 Castro, SF, CA. (415)626.7038 and pick up your week's worth of zukra's gluten-free baked goods!
Take your own Triple D tour of your own city, try a new recipe, cook with a new ingredient and order something other than your usual next time you're out. There's a whole world of food out there just waiting to be gobbled up. What are you waiting for?
Pookie's Loo Review of Aub Zam Zam
3 flushes
The Ladies restroom was just what you would expect at a dive bar...grungy. Although, it did have everything one would need. Toilet paper, paper towels, hand soap and a working sink. I looked around fully expecting to see the onslaught of the "Sarah *hearts* Daniel" and the "Chris Erickson is an asshole" s. ...but to my surprise there was nary a thing on the wall with the exception of the red(ish) walls which were merely hiding the old graffiti. AHA! Just as I had expected. What dive bar is complete without a graffiti covered loo? At least not one in San Francisco. All in all...this loo was fairly clean and served its purpose.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Pookie's reunited!
It's been close to three weeks since Leslie and me have been able to have our weekly TwP due her busy travel schedule. Since we hadn't seen each other in such a long time we wanted to plan wisely so that we could spend as much time just catching up and hanging out. Lucky for us Mother Nature finally thought that San Francisco deserved a Summer, as well on Tuesday. So, in lieu of bar/restaurant hopping we opted to hang out at my pool sippin' cool drinks and eating. From Noon-5 we were nestled under the canopy of trees shading us from the fire in the sky and spent that time with a few of our friends while we all enjoyed a very late Summer in SF!
Since our Tuesdays always involve food, I came up with an idea to A) use the food in my fridge and B) fill us up~ I had no idea what to make as my fridge was on the verge of being bare. Here's what I had:
6 pork loins
1/2 lb of bacon ends
4 peaches
organic pizza dough
red peppers
tomatoes and herbs from my garden
I quickly flipped through my mental Rolodex for ideas of what to make. I wanted to make something light and easy to handle. So that left me with one choice. Pizza. Although, I've never had a pizza topped with pork loin. I racked my brain as to how I could use this pork and do so for pizza. I started hacking at the loin. Chopping it into bite sized pieces. I still wasn't satisfied and knew that it would work well on pizza. All of a sudden, I saw the immersion blender..what if? maybe? So..I went for it. I placed the bit sized loin in a large bowl and seasoned it up with salt & pepper, threw in a few whole garlic cloves and a few sprigs of fresh rosemary. I slowly and carefully plunged the blender into this mound of meat and lo and behold..I started to get ground meat. Perfect to crumble on top of a pie! Ingenuity is definitely my best kitchen tool..after my Le Cruesset and cutting boards, of course. My quick TwP lunch was coming together quickly.
Tuesdays with Pookie Lunch date menu:
Peach, bacon and rosemary pizza
pork sausage, bacon, tomato and pepper pizza
pepper and bacon pizza
Minted Bellinis
These pies were so darn easy to make and even more so to enjoy! My favorite was the peach and bacon. I'm a sucker for savory/sweet combos. Leslie preferred the pork, bacon, tomato and pepper one. We both thoroughly enjoyed the bellinis...A lot! It was the perfect way to start a five hour stint poolside. We got our grub on early on, had drinks throughout the day and friends to keep us company. We were truly living La Dolce Vita~
For me, this Tuesday was about making the best with what you have. A great lesson that translates just as easy in the kitchen as it does out of it. If life gives you lemons then make yourself some lemonade..but pour a bit of vodka into mine..ok? I took my lemons..aka the above fridge list..and made an extraordinary lunch that was filling and super easy to prepare! If you take anything away at all from our blog, we want you to be adventurous, to get out of your comfort zone and to try something new. For if you never try it how are you to know if you're any good at it? I had never worked with pizza dough, but had a fairly good understanding of how to use it. I oiled it up, stretched it out, placed it in a oven pre-heated to 500 on my pizza stone and let the dough work it's magic. Of course, these pies had the opportunity to turn into garbage, but I have faith in myself and confidence in my decisions. I hope that you, too, will find your courage, your worth and confidence in all of the decisions you make in your life. Until next time..eat well and laugh a lot~
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
What's up, Dawg?
Yet another Tuesdays with Pookie and I'm still one less Pookie for our Tuesday outing. She's busy making the rounds of the lower 48 spreading the gospel of idunnoknowwhat and here I am pining her absence....and yes. It's a pity party. Party of one. Not only was I Pookieless, but I was also without my partner, boyfriend, someone I'll never be able to call Husband and the such. I was left to my own guise this Tuesday and I found myself shopping at the market and creating. The best way to while the day away, I believe...
In fact, as I write this update, I am alone in our friend Shanni's apartment. Only cause she has wi-fi and HD television. I mean. Have you ever watched "Glee" in High Definition? Of course, I'm doing this all alone...well, I am surrounded by three small dogs. All sleeping and without care of me or my doings and ramblings..So this Tuesdays with Pookie is all about dinner for one. A problem for all of us at one point in time.
A.) You don't want to cook too much because we all know you're never going to eat the leftovers.
B.) You want to cook enough just in case it's really good and you'll maybeprobably have secondsthirds.
I feel as if I've perfected the art of cooking for one. Upon landing in San Francisco, I found myself living in an extended stay hotel with a small electrical stove top and the need to eat..every night. It's really simple to cook for yourself and you also have the opportunity to do whateve YOU want to do with it. Seeing as you're going to be the only one eating.
Today, I visited the Ferry Building's Tuesday Market in the hopes of finding produce that would enhance a pork dish. For whatever reason, I had swine on the mind. This tends to happen at least three times a week. Nothing but thoughts of bacon and guancianale and porcetta and pancetta and pork belly an...well..you get the idea. The weather in San Francisco has been less than Summer-like. With temperatures barley peaking above 60 for the past two months and with less than four hours of direct sun light a day. Don't get me wrong. San Francisco is a beautiful, magical, wonderfully hippieristic and doobietastic City..yes. I put a capital "C", but c'mon..I mean..C'MON...This "SUMMER" has been a rambing of expletives about something sucking...So...I wanted a meal with substance. A meal that would warm from the inside out and make me feel as if I were wrapped in a woolen stole, sitting in front of a crackling fire and rosy red from a day on the slopes. Well...not really a day on the slopes. I've got weak ankles and would surely snap 'em on skis...I'm more of an apres ski type of guy..I digress...
TwP's market inspired dinner was inspired by the Berkshire pork scallopini from Prather Ranch Meat Co. to the Braising greens from Shoi Farms in Fresno, CA. to the Galvenstein Apples from a ranch in Marin, CA. I found inspiration in the bounty around me and available to me after a mile walk from home to a fantastic farmer's market on the Bay.
Although, I complain a bit too much about the weather and can come across as ungrateful for what I have and what is available to me I am happy to say that I love living in a city where I can take my two dogs on an afternoon walk around the MLB ballpark and run into an American Idol audition in the works. Too bad I didn't run into Randy. I would have been forced to sing my rendition of that 2003 hit, "Fresh Bread"..
In fact, as I write this update, I am alone in our friend Shanni's apartment. Only cause she has wi-fi and HD television. I mean. Have you ever watched "Glee" in High Definition? Of course, I'm doing this all alone...well, I am surrounded by three small dogs. All sleeping and without care of me or my doings and ramblings..So this Tuesdays with Pookie is all about dinner for one. A problem for all of us at one point in time.
A.) You don't want to cook too much because we all know you're never going to eat the leftovers.
B.) You want to cook enough just in case it's really good and you'll maybeprobably have secondsthirds.
I feel as if I've perfected the art of cooking for one. Upon landing in San Francisco, I found myself living in an extended stay hotel with a small electrical stove top and the need to eat..every night. It's really simple to cook for yourself and you also have the opportunity to do whateve YOU want to do with it. Seeing as you're going to be the only one eating.
Today, I visited the Ferry Building's Tuesday Market in the hopes of finding produce that would enhance a pork dish. For whatever reason, I had swine on the mind. This tends to happen at least three times a week. Nothing but thoughts of bacon and guancianale and porcetta and pancetta and pork belly an...well..you get the idea. The weather in San Francisco has been less than Summer-like. With temperatures barley peaking above 60 for the past two months and with less than four hours of direct sun light a day. Don't get me wrong. San Francisco is a beautiful, magical, wonderfully hippieristic and doobietastic City..yes. I put a capital "C", but c'mon..I mean..C'MON...This "SUMMER" has been a rambing of expletives about something sucking...So...I wanted a meal with substance. A meal that would warm from the inside out and make me feel as if I were wrapped in a woolen stole, sitting in front of a crackling fire and rosy red from a day on the slopes. Well...not really a day on the slopes. I've got weak ankles and would surely snap 'em on skis...I'm more of an apres ski type of guy..I digress...
TwP's market inspired dinner was inspired by the Berkshire pork scallopini from Prather Ranch Meat Co. to the Braising greens from Shoi Farms in Fresno, CA. to the Galvenstein Apples from a ranch in Marin, CA. I found inspiration in the bounty around me and available to me after a mile walk from home to a fantastic farmer's market on the Bay.
Although, I complain a bit too much about the weather and can come across as ungrateful for what I have and what is available to me I am happy to say that I love living in a city where I can take my two dogs on an afternoon walk around the MLB ballpark and run into an American Idol audition in the works. Too bad I didn't run into Randy. I would have been forced to sing my rendition of that 2003 hit, "Fresh Bread"..
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Inspired much?
Inspiration, in the artistic sense, can come from anywhere, thing or place. It's usually waiting around the corner of the least likely place you thought you'd find it. I like to consider myself an artist, or at least I always tackle my "to-do" list with an artistic approach. Be it a large-scale painting for a window display to each meal I prepare from scratch. I believe that living the artistic life allows me to give a piece of myself each and every time I produce something. Call it what you will..it makes me happy!
This week for Tuesdays with Pookie, I found myself one Pookie short. She's on a whirl wind tour of the United States and I'm not really sure where she's at right now. I think she's somewhere in NYC. It's like that game...you know? Where's Pookie? Regardless. I needed to accomplish this week's entry and grabbed my gal pal, Shanni and ran off to the Ferry Building's Tuesday Farmers Market, http://www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com/, to scoop up a week's worth of bounty. For the past several weeks stone fruits and peppers in every color and kelvin scale have dominated the booths. Peaches, plums and pluots are so sweet that all one need to do is slice and eat. Although, I tend to want to make pies, crumbles and betty's in all flavors when I pick up these super sweet stone fruits!
I was looking for inspiration for Tuesday night's dinner. I needed to let the produce speak to me. As I made my way from one booth to the next, I was mentally flashing through recipes and ideas of what I could do with this and that. All the while on an empty stomach. Never a good idea. NEVER! I found my inspiration not in the food, but in the weather. For those of you readers who also happen to be my facebook friend , www.facebook.com/andy.farriester , you'll know by now that living in San Francisco during the Summer months is sometimes irritating due to such inclement weather. The weatherman this morning actually pointed out that San Francisco's temps have not soared above 70 degrees since July 4th! Hello! IT'S AUGUST 11! Needless to say. I was in the mood for comfort food. I flipped through my mental rolodex quickly hoping to land on the perfect dish that would lend itself to the bounty of produce in front of me. Standing in front of brightly colored root vegetables, I came to the conclusion that I would make a pot pie! Inspiration came and I was on a mission to see it to fruition. I grabbed a bunch of fresh from the ground carrots, a bag of just picked french green beans, a sweet onion and a clove of garlic. All I needed now was the bird and the crust. Thankfully for us, we were at the Ferry Building and all of that could be found within.
For the bird, I stopped at Prather Ranch, http://www.prmeatco.com/, to pick up a whole bird. This purveyor of all things protein is stocked with some of the most organic, HMO-free and free range possibilities. The bird I picked up was unlike any bird you'd find in your neighborhood grocery store. Smaller than those plumped up birds you'll find on Safeway's shelves. Lucky for me, they also carried their own pie crust. A lard crust, none the less! Voila! I had everything I needed for my Tuesdays with Pookie dinner!
Not being one to not contribute, Shanni lent her fresh shelled English peas and a wonderful salad to accompany our hearty dinner. With her peas, I made a pea puree by simply boiling the peas with some low-sodium vegetable stock, pepper and a garlic clove. After five minutes, I removed from the stove, added the remaining stock and about a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Using an immersion blender I blended this mixture into a smooth and bright green mixture that tasted of nothing more than sweet peas. I placed this chilled puree into small liqueur glasses and topped with finely chopped pancetta from another fine house of meat located in the Ferry Building, Boccalone, http://www.boccalone.com/ , This is Chris Consentino's haven to tasty salted pig parts. Yes, the same Chris who runs Incanto in San Francisco. That fine eating institution to all things offal. I finished off this amuse with a few springs of mint and must say that it evoked everything great about each parts. The sweetness of the peas and the velvety texture playing nicely off of the salt and crunch of the pancetta. I easily could have downed a jug. Hell! I'd even give up beer if I had this in it's place. All in all this was one tasty dinner!
Whatever inspires you, find it. Find yourself inspired daily to create and to make beautiful things. Paint, cook or even cleaning. All of these things done with intent make me feel accomplished and alive. I hope that you, too, can find the beauty in everything around you. Sometimes you may have to search for the inspiration, but other times inspiration may just find you.
There will be no Pookie's Loo Reviews this week. We'll have more when we're able to resume our regularly scheduled TwP. In the meantime, eat well, laugh till it hurts and love endlessly.
This week for Tuesdays with Pookie, I found myself one Pookie short. She's on a whirl wind tour of the United States and I'm not really sure where she's at right now. I think she's somewhere in NYC. It's like that game...you know? Where's Pookie? Regardless. I needed to accomplish this week's entry and grabbed my gal pal, Shanni and ran off to the Ferry Building's Tuesday Farmers Market, http://www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com/, to scoop up a week's worth of bounty. For the past several weeks stone fruits and peppers in every color and kelvin scale have dominated the booths. Peaches, plums and pluots are so sweet that all one need to do is slice and eat. Although, I tend to want to make pies, crumbles and betty's in all flavors when I pick up these super sweet stone fruits!
I was looking for inspiration for Tuesday night's dinner. I needed to let the produce speak to me. As I made my way from one booth to the next, I was mentally flashing through recipes and ideas of what I could do with this and that. All the while on an empty stomach. Never a good idea. NEVER! I found my inspiration not in the food, but in the weather. For those of you readers who also happen to be my facebook friend , www.facebook.com/andy.farriester , you'll know by now that living in San Francisco during the Summer months is sometimes irritating due to such inclement weather. The weatherman this morning actually pointed out that San Francisco's temps have not soared above 70 degrees since July 4th! Hello! IT'S AUGUST 11! Needless to say. I was in the mood for comfort food. I flipped through my mental rolodex quickly hoping to land on the perfect dish that would lend itself to the bounty of produce in front of me. Standing in front of brightly colored root vegetables, I came to the conclusion that I would make a pot pie! Inspiration came and I was on a mission to see it to fruition. I grabbed a bunch of fresh from the ground carrots, a bag of just picked french green beans, a sweet onion and a clove of garlic. All I needed now was the bird and the crust. Thankfully for us, we were at the Ferry Building and all of that could be found within.
For the bird, I stopped at Prather Ranch, http://www.prmeatco.com/, to pick up a whole bird. This purveyor of all things protein is stocked with some of the most organic, HMO-free and free range possibilities. The bird I picked up was unlike any bird you'd find in your neighborhood grocery store. Smaller than those plumped up birds you'll find on Safeway's shelves. Lucky for me, they also carried their own pie crust. A lard crust, none the less! Voila! I had everything I needed for my Tuesdays with Pookie dinner!
Not being one to not contribute, Shanni lent her fresh shelled English peas and a wonderful salad to accompany our hearty dinner. With her peas, I made a pea puree by simply boiling the peas with some low-sodium vegetable stock, pepper and a garlic clove. After five minutes, I removed from the stove, added the remaining stock and about a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Using an immersion blender I blended this mixture into a smooth and bright green mixture that tasted of nothing more than sweet peas. I placed this chilled puree into small liqueur glasses and topped with finely chopped pancetta from another fine house of meat located in the Ferry Building, Boccalone, http://www.boccalone.com/ , This is Chris Consentino's haven to tasty salted pig parts. Yes, the same Chris who runs Incanto in San Francisco. That fine eating institution to all things offal. I finished off this amuse with a few springs of mint and must say that it evoked everything great about each parts. The sweetness of the peas and the velvety texture playing nicely off of the salt and crunch of the pancetta. I easily could have downed a jug. Hell! I'd even give up beer if I had this in it's place. All in all this was one tasty dinner!
Whatever inspires you, find it. Find yourself inspired daily to create and to make beautiful things. Paint, cook or even cleaning. All of these things done with intent make me feel accomplished and alive. I hope that you, too, can find the beauty in everything around you. Sometimes you may have to search for the inspiration, but other times inspiration may just find you.
There will be no Pookie's Loo Reviews this week. We'll have more when we're able to resume our regularly scheduled TwP. In the meantime, eat well, laugh till it hurts and love endlessly.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Tuesday with a Her...
Pookie's out of town enjoying the sun and surf of SoCal. In lieu of a lonely Tuesday with Pookie, I grabbed my gal pal, Shanni and took her on a whirlwind culinary tour of the Ferry Building Tuesday Farmer's Market followed up by a rigorous walk with our many dogs! It was quite the healthy Tuesday. As opposed to previous Tuesdays with Pookie where a cocktail found it's way into our day no later than Noon...Mind you..This Pookie and the Her found ourselves swimming in cocktails for sure...but at least we waited until 2:00 p.m. to start!
If you've never been to the Ferry Building's weekly farmer's markets..or any farmer's market for that matter..you're missing out..BIG TIME! Not only do you pay less for better, you also get to witness first hand the ebb and flow of the farm. You get to witness the seasonality of produce and in turn, you become a more informed consumer...a.k.a. FOOD SNOB! I, for one, am not ashamed of my food snobbery. I'm happy to help you become a food snob, too!
This week was all about peppers at the market. Guindillas peppers..Which are a favorite bar snack in the Basque region. Best enjoyed flash fried in olive oil until white blisters appear and sprinkle with sea salt..I added a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to coax out the natural sweetness of these yummy little peppers. We also picked up a handful of exotic sounding squash that were perfect with a sprinkling of seasoning, a dash of oil and a few minutes on a hot grill. This is summer eating at it's best!
Beyond becoming a more educated and holier-than-thou food snob when shopping at farmer's market, you're also helping to support the farmers. These farmers markets may be the only lifeline to consumers for some farmers. You're also more apt to strike up a conversation on say..the best way to prepare this bunch of peppers I just bought and within the blink of an eye, you're being handed a few other things under the table and developing a relationship that's nearly impossible to come by at a grocery store. So say it with me....EAT, SHOP AND SUPPORT LOCAL!
Did I miss my Pookie? Of course, but I do love my time with a Her. It was nice to let her in on my weekly rituals..a.k.a. drinking before noon and eating too much! As with every Tuesdays with Pookie, we start with a basic idea/theme and the rest is up to the cosmos, mother nature, karma or whathaveyou. This Tuesday was more like an extended weekend with a Her. On Monday, we happy hour'd at Osha Thai with quite successful results. 2 shots, a piece and three or four margaritas..and yes. Shanni took the elevator up to her apartment..which is on the second floor!
I'd also like to take this moment to express my joy by today's announcement of the overturning of Prop. 8 in California. It's historic and the battles ahead will more than likely be tough and many, but it's a step in the right direction. I personally don't understand how two men or two women getting married would do anything but good for our country. Was this country not founded on inclusion and equality for all? Somewhere along the way, we faltered and lost our balance and we're now in the act of finding our footing, again. I hope that the majority of Americans can learn to accept each other. Whether some one's of a different race, nationality or sexual preference. Cause in the end, we're all on the outside looking in.
If you've never been to the Ferry Building's weekly farmer's markets..or any farmer's market for that matter..you're missing out..BIG TIME! Not only do you pay less for better, you also get to witness first hand the ebb and flow of the farm. You get to witness the seasonality of produce and in turn, you become a more informed consumer...a.k.a. FOOD SNOB! I, for one, am not ashamed of my food snobbery. I'm happy to help you become a food snob, too!
This week was all about peppers at the market. Guindillas peppers..Which are a favorite bar snack in the Basque region. Best enjoyed flash fried in olive oil until white blisters appear and sprinkle with sea salt..I added a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to coax out the natural sweetness of these yummy little peppers. We also picked up a handful of exotic sounding squash that were perfect with a sprinkling of seasoning, a dash of oil and a few minutes on a hot grill. This is summer eating at it's best!
Beyond becoming a more educated and holier-than-thou food snob when shopping at farmer's market, you're also helping to support the farmers. These farmers markets may be the only lifeline to consumers for some farmers. You're also more apt to strike up a conversation on say..the best way to prepare this bunch of peppers I just bought and within the blink of an eye, you're being handed a few other things under the table and developing a relationship that's nearly impossible to come by at a grocery store. So say it with me....EAT, SHOP AND SUPPORT LOCAL!
Did I miss my Pookie? Of course, but I do love my time with a Her. It was nice to let her in on my weekly rituals..a.k.a. drinking before noon and eating too much! As with every Tuesdays with Pookie, we start with a basic idea/theme and the rest is up to the cosmos, mother nature, karma or whathaveyou. This Tuesday was more like an extended weekend with a Her. On Monday, we happy hour'd at Osha Thai with quite successful results. 2 shots, a piece and three or four margaritas..and yes. Shanni took the elevator up to her apartment..which is on the second floor!
I'd also like to take this moment to express my joy by today's announcement of the overturning of Prop. 8 in California. It's historic and the battles ahead will more than likely be tough and many, but it's a step in the right direction. I personally don't understand how two men or two women getting married would do anything but good for our country. Was this country not founded on inclusion and equality for all? Somewhere along the way, we faltered and lost our balance and we're now in the act of finding our footing, again. I hope that the majority of Americans can learn to accept each other. Whether some one's of a different race, nationality or sexual preference. Cause in the end, we're all on the outside looking in.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
E pluribus unum
E pluribus unum is Latin for "Out of one, many" and it is the motto requested to be placed on the Seal of the United States by Pierre Eugene du Simitiere...whoever that is!? It's one of those sayings that can be taken however the reader chooses to take it. We are a nation divided. I am America and on and on. The only reason I bring it up here on Tuesdays with Pookie is because we found ourselves in posession of two brand spanking new, shiny pennies that have been updated for 2010. At first, we were elated by how pretty they were. Although, that quickly turned into being perplexed as to the new design and why our government would spend money to redesign an almost forgotten form of currency. One that is rarely spent and happily disposed of at cash registers across this wonderful Nation of ours. Although, we hoarded our new and shiny pennies..not at all unlike Gollum and his precious ring.
This is Tuesdays with Pookie!
Andy had taken the next step in becoming a fit fella and opted for a street run with a friend on Monday and come Tuesday, he woke with an ache unlike anything he'd ever felt. This Pookie was seriously walking like the Scarecrow from "Wizard of Oz" and I couldn't help but ask myself.."If only I had a brain". Since I could barely walk, I wanted to hold TwP in the morning so that I could use the remainder of the day to relax and stretch. As with every Tuesday with Pookie, I texted Leslie my idea....BREAKFAST!
Since we're both addicted to all things pastry, Leslie suggested we hit San Francisco's famous bakery cum hipster hangout, Tartine Bakery (600 Guerrero, SF, CA. 415.487.2600). This bakery is a haven for the foodies of this town. Buttery croisants and morning buns are de rigueur for those on their way into the office in the morning and at 5 p.m. sharp, everyday they roll out their fresh baked breads for those returning from the daily grind. Since we were in the mood to sit down and catch up, we opted for a greasy spoon to outdo all other greasy spoons. We ended up at St. Francis Fountain & Diner, http://www.stfrancisfountainsf.com/ , which touts itself as San Francisco's oldest Ice Cream Parlor. This throwback to diners definitely hit the spot and some. Leslie tends to be a creature of habit when it comes to breakfast while I tend to go out on a limb and St. Francis definitely had options for both of us. Leslie with her two eggs, over easy with a side of bacon and fluffy biscuits while I went with the heaping pile of freshly carved corned beef hash with two eggs. Not ones to miss any opportunity, we also ordered a hotcake to share. This was about as solid of a breakfast as you're going to get in San Francisco. Longevity tends to be a sign of good things and St. Francis certaintly didn't let us down!
This breakfast was more about catching up since we'd last seen each other the previous Tuesday and since Leslie had her big unveiling at the Underground Farmer's Market..and for those that care..She did awesome and sold out of everything..Yes...EVERYTHING! We're all so proud of her...but enough of that..this is about Pookie!
The one thing that caught my eye, other than the window art telling us to have a "Happy 4th of July" was the candy case sitting just inside the door which was stocked to the gills with Topps trading cards from days of yore..No. not baseball trading cards, but anything and everything from the 80's. Dark Crystal cards? Yep. got 'em. What about Garbage Pail Kids? You better believe it and so many more. We were literally two kids in a candy store. I believe we spent more on our retro candies than we did on our breakfast, combined. C'mon. This is Tuesdays with Pookie and we get stuff that we really don't need...or something like that!
Prior to starting this TwP, we made a pact to be back in our respective homes by Noon since we both had busy schedules. Me with my laundry and stuff to do with my "real" work and her with her baking and packing for a beach vacation, but of course the sun finally came out after a 2-week hiatus in San Francisco and you'd better believe that our pact was soon washed away by thoughts of soaking up Vitamin D. We started on Leslie's patio soaking up sun which soon turned into a beer which quickly turned into Margaritas on my patio with our gal pal, Shanni and a gaggle of dogs. This is why we love Tuesdays with Pookie so much! We only plan on one specific place and/or theme for the day and let everything else fall into place. These days always turn into playing catch up, laughing and falling in love with each other every time.
I do need to thank Leslie for introducing me to Omnivore Books in Noe Valley, http://www.omnivorebooks.com/. This is a bookstore for anyone who loves to eat, talk or read about food. The shelves are packed with new, old and antique tomes ranging from all things meat to how to cook like a hotel chef. I could have easily spent the better part of the day within these hallowed walls perusing each and every shelf..and plan on doing so soon. From the antique cocktail books which were inscribed with the previous owners musings of wine pairings and perfect temps to the delightful section dedicated to children, I was in love. I picked up a world cooking book for my niece. I plan on giving it to her when she comes to visit so that we can enjoy each other's company in the kitchen whipping up something exotic. So..thank you Pookie for the introduction. I'm now hooked!
POOKIE'S LOO REVIEW FOR ST. FRANCIS
From as early as I can remember, we went out to dinner every Friday night as a family....me, mom, dad and my older sister. The venue could be anything from the local Chinese place on the corner to fine dining with white table clothes and us trying escargot for the first time. Even as me and my sister became teenagers and would rather be somewhere else, we knew Friday nights were a mandatory family outing and one we knew that there was no use trying to get out of attending. Somewhere along the line, my estimation is around 6 or 7 years old, I became quite interested (obsessed) with the condition of the restrooms in each restaurant we visited. I would always find time during the meal and politely excuse myself. Not always to relieve myself, but for the sole purpose of "checking it out". My little excursions became my family's inside joke. One that was funny to everyone with the exception of myself. I took these trips to various loo's quite seriously. So much so that I began keeping a journal of my ratings that I would fill out as soon as I got home from each Friday night dinner...God. I so wish I still had that book! One review that has always stuck with me is of a small restaurant in our hometown that had a restroom which I labeled as a "glorified outhouse". It was a freestanding building in the back parking lot of the restaurant. I, as you can imagine, was appalled! "What must the kitchen look like?" I thought to myself. After returning to my family seated at the table with my serious face on, I stated. "I don't think we should eat here any more!" Clearly, my parents did not take me seriously because, much to my dismay, we ended up eating there many more times...I guess I turned out okay, but you'd better believe that I never went back into that restroom!
So, here's my newest edition of my restroom journal..Pookie's Loo Reviews! I can finally see the humor in it and I hope that it entertains you, as well!
My rating will be on a scale of flushes. 1 through 5 with 5 being the best! Restrooms will be rated on cleaniness, decor and continuity with the restaurant itself.
This week's rating for St. Francis Fountain & Diner:
Rating= 4 flushes
The restroom fit with the overall theme of the restaurant...retro and simple. Most importantly. It was clean! Why not five flushes, you ask? They could have done something to really push it over the edge..Free fruit stripe gum or maybe a can of Aqua Net on the counter!
This is Tuesdays with Pookie!
Andy had taken the next step in becoming a fit fella and opted for a street run with a friend on Monday and come Tuesday, he woke with an ache unlike anything he'd ever felt. This Pookie was seriously walking like the Scarecrow from "Wizard of Oz" and I couldn't help but ask myself.."If only I had a brain". Since I could barely walk, I wanted to hold TwP in the morning so that I could use the remainder of the day to relax and stretch. As with every Tuesday with Pookie, I texted Leslie my idea....BREAKFAST!
Since we're both addicted to all things pastry, Leslie suggested we hit San Francisco's famous bakery cum hipster hangout, Tartine Bakery (600 Guerrero, SF, CA. 415.487.2600). This bakery is a haven for the foodies of this town. Buttery croisants and morning buns are de rigueur for those on their way into the office in the morning and at 5 p.m. sharp, everyday they roll out their fresh baked breads for those returning from the daily grind. Since we were in the mood to sit down and catch up, we opted for a greasy spoon to outdo all other greasy spoons. We ended up at St. Francis Fountain & Diner, http://www.stfrancisfountainsf.com/ , which touts itself as San Francisco's oldest Ice Cream Parlor. This throwback to diners definitely hit the spot and some. Leslie tends to be a creature of habit when it comes to breakfast while I tend to go out on a limb and St. Francis definitely had options for both of us. Leslie with her two eggs, over easy with a side of bacon and fluffy biscuits while I went with the heaping pile of freshly carved corned beef hash with two eggs. Not ones to miss any opportunity, we also ordered a hotcake to share. This was about as solid of a breakfast as you're going to get in San Francisco. Longevity tends to be a sign of good things and St. Francis certaintly didn't let us down!
This breakfast was more about catching up since we'd last seen each other the previous Tuesday and since Leslie had her big unveiling at the Underground Farmer's Market..and for those that care..She did awesome and sold out of everything..Yes...EVERYTHING! We're all so proud of her...but enough of that..this is about Pookie!
The one thing that caught my eye, other than the window art telling us to have a "Happy 4th of July" was the candy case sitting just inside the door which was stocked to the gills with Topps trading cards from days of yore..No. not baseball trading cards, but anything and everything from the 80's. Dark Crystal cards? Yep. got 'em. What about Garbage Pail Kids? You better believe it and so many more. We were literally two kids in a candy store. I believe we spent more on our retro candies than we did on our breakfast, combined. C'mon. This is Tuesdays with Pookie and we get stuff that we really don't need...or something like that!
Prior to starting this TwP, we made a pact to be back in our respective homes by Noon since we both had busy schedules. Me with my laundry and stuff to do with my "real" work and her with her baking and packing for a beach vacation, but of course the sun finally came out after a 2-week hiatus in San Francisco and you'd better believe that our pact was soon washed away by thoughts of soaking up Vitamin D. We started on Leslie's patio soaking up sun which soon turned into a beer which quickly turned into Margaritas on my patio with our gal pal, Shanni and a gaggle of dogs. This is why we love Tuesdays with Pookie so much! We only plan on one specific place and/or theme for the day and let everything else fall into place. These days always turn into playing catch up, laughing and falling in love with each other every time.
I do need to thank Leslie for introducing me to Omnivore Books in Noe Valley, http://www.omnivorebooks.com/. This is a bookstore for anyone who loves to eat, talk or read about food. The shelves are packed with new, old and antique tomes ranging from all things meat to how to cook like a hotel chef. I could have easily spent the better part of the day within these hallowed walls perusing each and every shelf..and plan on doing so soon. From the antique cocktail books which were inscribed with the previous owners musings of wine pairings and perfect temps to the delightful section dedicated to children, I was in love. I picked up a world cooking book for my niece. I plan on giving it to her when she comes to visit so that we can enjoy each other's company in the kitchen whipping up something exotic. So..thank you Pookie for the introduction. I'm now hooked!
POOKIE'S LOO REVIEW FOR ST. FRANCIS
From as early as I can remember, we went out to dinner every Friday night as a family....me, mom, dad and my older sister. The venue could be anything from the local Chinese place on the corner to fine dining with white table clothes and us trying escargot for the first time. Even as me and my sister became teenagers and would rather be somewhere else, we knew Friday nights were a mandatory family outing and one we knew that there was no use trying to get out of attending. Somewhere along the line, my estimation is around 6 or 7 years old, I became quite interested (obsessed) with the condition of the restrooms in each restaurant we visited. I would always find time during the meal and politely excuse myself. Not always to relieve myself, but for the sole purpose of "checking it out". My little excursions became my family's inside joke. One that was funny to everyone with the exception of myself. I took these trips to various loo's quite seriously. So much so that I began keeping a journal of my ratings that I would fill out as soon as I got home from each Friday night dinner...God. I so wish I still had that book! One review that has always stuck with me is of a small restaurant in our hometown that had a restroom which I labeled as a "glorified outhouse". It was a freestanding building in the back parking lot of the restaurant. I, as you can imagine, was appalled! "What must the kitchen look like?" I thought to myself. After returning to my family seated at the table with my serious face on, I stated. "I don't think we should eat here any more!" Clearly, my parents did not take me seriously because, much to my dismay, we ended up eating there many more times...I guess I turned out okay, but you'd better believe that I never went back into that restroom!
So, here's my newest edition of my restroom journal..Pookie's Loo Reviews! I can finally see the humor in it and I hope that it entertains you, as well!
My rating will be on a scale of flushes. 1 through 5 with 5 being the best! Restrooms will be rated on cleaniness, decor and continuity with the restaurant itself.
This week's rating for St. Francis Fountain & Diner:
Rating= 4 flushes
The restroom fit with the overall theme of the restaurant...retro and simple. Most importantly. It was clean! Why not five flushes, you ask? They could have done something to really push it over the edge..Free fruit stripe gum or maybe a can of Aqua Net on the counter!
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Here's...to toilets.
Let it evolve organically. That's our belief when discussing our empire, Tuesdays with Pookie. All thoughts must evolve organically and come from within and the same goes for each "TwP" adventure. We touch base in the morning via a text.
Pookie to Pookie: "Good Morning! We're still on..right?"
Pookie responding: "Of course. What's the plan?"
Pookie: "Not sure? You have any ideas?"
Pookie: "Food & Drinks?!"
Today was no different, although I did begin the germination of an idea prior to even waking up today. I had it in my head that we would tackle as many of the food trucks popping up all over this city. We could hit Kung Fu Tacos, that specialize in non-traditional topping for tacos. Ranging from Kimchee to vinergary chiles. We'd then dart across town to meet up with the Brulee Cart guy to get a nosh of something sweet. I even had the whole blog fleshed out. Lo and behold this idea wasn't meant to be. It did not evolve organically. It had merely come from me and not from the Pookie squared. Pookie deserved putting in her two cents, as well.
An hour before meeting, Pookie sent me a link to Pica Pica Kitchen; 401 Valencia @15th, 415.400.5453, www.picapicakitchen.com . A restaurant putting out wheat and gluten free specialities from Venezuala. Such as Arepas, a corn flour cake that's been charred on the grill, split open and stuffed with goodness. Today we had ours done a la La Shuli, one of their vegetarion options. This black bean stew was so vibrant and zesty. We could have easily had a few of these. We also had a Maize'wich, that was described as a sweet corn cake grilled like a grilled cheese sandwich. We had this one with the shredded pork. Definitely tender and flavorful, but we were both left wanting heat..or vinegar..or something more. We had a few other items, but found ourselves gravitating toward the La Shula each time. Those black beans were so good!
After unbuttoning our jeans, we ventured into the sun to tackle our next organic obstacle. A quick trip to the Ferry Building. You see. Pookie will be featured this Saturday at Forage SF's * www.foragesf.com * next Underground Farmer's Market. It will be at SomArts which is located at 934 Brannan. It is strongly suggested that you purchase your tickets prior to the event. No waiting at the door. Her gluten-free baking business, zukra bakery, was asked to join in this amazing event and she needed baking supplies. We made a b-line for Sur La Table and noticed a donut stand across from. With a mental note to get a donut before leaving, we stepped inside and tried not to lose ourselves inside.
$50.00 and a new compost pail later, I walked out and headed straight for the donut stand. This is Pepples Donuts, www.pepplesdonuts.com , and they're successful because they don't mess with what they know is good. These cake donuts are enrobed in rich glazes. From vanilla bean to salted caramel to creamscicle. Each icing flavor is prepared so that you merely want to eat another and another and another. Until you've eaten an entire dozen. I just know I could do it! I went with the orange glazed creamscicle flavor which tasted bright and zingy while Pookie went with the chococalte/chocolate glazed donut. Another winner.
If there were a point to this blog it would be to always try something new. Be it a new restaurant, a new walking path, a new haircut or a new position....if you get my drift?...To support local businesses even though their prices are a little higher than at the big box. To be a better customer through engaging those behind the counter and being grateful to the service they provide. In doing so, you'll find that you can actually tailor your shopping experiences towards your needs. That's the beauty of small business owners. They want to cater to their neighborhood and it's citizens. We want to remind you all that it really isn't all that serious and that it's perfectly okay to make fun of yourself and to laugh at yourself, even. Pookie and I know one thing to be true. That through food and the act of preparing and offering of it makes everything else seem simple. The simple act of placing a plate filled with food in front of someone is just about as intimate an act as one can do with another person. For on that plate is more than food. On this plate sits a vast pot of emotions and love and secrets. This simple act of placing it in front of someone only brings the eater now into the story, which is recreated over and over throughout a night of service. In turn making each and every one of us a part of the same history. One filled with secrets, love and a vast pot of emotions.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Weekends with Pookie and Grilled Cheese, please..
The Fourth of July is like many of America's national holidays. Traditions recreated year after year and expected food items on the dinner table. The fourth is no different. Around this time of the year, we all crave grilled foods..or what some refer to as BBQ. This past fourth was no different. I joined Pookie up in Guerneville, CA. * www.russianriver.com * where she and her friends were staying in a house abutted up to a bend in the river on the evening of the fourth and got their just in time to join in on the potluck grill fest. Cheeseburgers, grilled chicken breasts, roasted baby veggies and Pookie's amazing bone-in marinated bird parts! I'll have her post the recipe, soon! This was definitely a fourth for the record books.
Since this blog is called "Tuesdays with Pookie", Pookie thought it best to discuss the actual day instead of our most wonderful of getaways at the River. Since Pookie was still at said river on Tuesday, Pookie was left to his own devices...and we all know that when left to his own device, Pookie gets up to no good.
Thanks to all the glory that is Facebook, Pookie was made aware of The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen in San Francisco's SoMa neighborhood * http://www.theamericansf.com/ * start of their morning service. Pookie slipped on some kicks and walked up the street to partake in a cheesy morning treat! *totes meant to do that*. First things first before we get into the goods. This barely month old eatery has been selling out of everything. Yes, everything since opening day. Having already experienced a near hour long wait in line to get a grilled cheese a few weeks ago, Pookie hooved it over at 9 in the morn to get a grilled cheese sandwich for breakfast.
Although, Pookie was nonplussed about his sandwich choice, he's willing to give it another go. Instead of going for the super sweet Sunday Brunch sandwich, he'll go with one of the savory concoctions. I totally understand the concept behind this sandwich. Stuffed french toast with a nod to NoLa cuisine. A little goes a long way in the execution of this sandwich and this morning's offering was a little heavy on the chutney, which taste house made. The chutney was paired with a chevre. A perfect pairing had the chutney not been so heavy handed. The bread is a Pain de Mie which is referred to as a perfect sandwich bread. Pookie wasn't able to find a recipe for Pain de Mie through our favorite miller, Bob's Red Mill * http://www.bobsredmill.com/ * A perfect crumb that can hold a good load...that sounded funny! At T.A.G.C.K., Pookie watched as the kitchen dunked thick slices of this bread into what he assumed to be a french toast mix of milk, eggs and warming spices. His only complaint would have been with this bread. If they were going for a play on french toast then make sure the bread gets a good crust. Of course, Pookie inhaled his sandwich as soon as he snapped a picture of it. He's actually wishing he had more of that brown sugar bourbon sauce as he's typing this. He's also wondering why he keeps referring to himself in the third person. That's neither here nor there. He digresses. Point of ramble? Lines never lie. The team behind the American Grilled Cheese Kitchen have something on their hands. A niche in a satuated market where one must always toe the line between gimmick and pure artistry to retain the masses. Although, today's line was no where near the size I was a part of during my first visit, I'm certain that this homage to all that is frommage has a long shelf life that will only mature with time. Like any good cheese, you must allow time for it to breathe, to come to room temp. before slicing, spooning or spearing into it and ensure that you supply to proper accompaniments for those about to enjoy. These folks do so and do so with a passion that's not found very often. These are people after your heart. Literally. All kidding aside, Pookie can't wait to take Pookie to this grilled cheese haven and watch her reaction as she takes her first bite into a sandwich made of passion.
Since this blog is called "Tuesdays with Pookie", Pookie thought it best to discuss the actual day instead of our most wonderful of getaways at the River. Since Pookie was still at said river on Tuesday, Pookie was left to his own devices...and we all know that when left to his own device, Pookie gets up to no good.
Thanks to all the glory that is Facebook, Pookie was made aware of The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen in San Francisco's SoMa neighborhood * http://www.theamericansf.com/ * start of their morning service. Pookie slipped on some kicks and walked up the street to partake in a cheesy morning treat! *totes meant to do that*. First things first before we get into the goods. This barely month old eatery has been selling out of everything. Yes, everything since opening day. Having already experienced a near hour long wait in line to get a grilled cheese a few weeks ago, Pookie hooved it over at 9 in the morn to get a grilled cheese sandwich for breakfast.
Although, Pookie was nonplussed about his sandwich choice, he's willing to give it another go. Instead of going for the super sweet Sunday Brunch sandwich, he'll go with one of the savory concoctions. I totally understand the concept behind this sandwich. Stuffed french toast with a nod to NoLa cuisine. A little goes a long way in the execution of this sandwich and this morning's offering was a little heavy on the chutney, which taste house made. The chutney was paired with a chevre. A perfect pairing had the chutney not been so heavy handed. The bread is a Pain de Mie which is referred to as a perfect sandwich bread. Pookie wasn't able to find a recipe for Pain de Mie through our favorite miller, Bob's Red Mill * http://www.bobsredmill.com/ * A perfect crumb that can hold a good load...that sounded funny! At T.A.G.C.K., Pookie watched as the kitchen dunked thick slices of this bread into what he assumed to be a french toast mix of milk, eggs and warming spices. His only complaint would have been with this bread. If they were going for a play on french toast then make sure the bread gets a good crust. Of course, Pookie inhaled his sandwich as soon as he snapped a picture of it. He's actually wishing he had more of that brown sugar bourbon sauce as he's typing this. He's also wondering why he keeps referring to himself in the third person. That's neither here nor there. He digresses. Point of ramble? Lines never lie. The team behind the American Grilled Cheese Kitchen have something on their hands. A niche in a satuated market where one must always toe the line between gimmick and pure artistry to retain the masses. Although, today's line was no where near the size I was a part of during my first visit, I'm certain that this homage to all that is frommage has a long shelf life that will only mature with time. Like any good cheese, you must allow time for it to breathe, to come to room temp. before slicing, spooning or spearing into it and ensure that you supply to proper accompaniments for those about to enjoy. These folks do so and do so with a passion that's not found very often. These are people after your heart. Literally. All kidding aside, Pookie can't wait to take Pookie to this grilled cheese haven and watch her reaction as she takes her first bite into a sandwich made of passion.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
No GPS .... +More
Welcome to Tuesdays with Pookie. A food-focused blog created by and for two food obsessed friends who were looking for an avenue to jot dot their musings on everything and anything....as long it involved food.
Leslie, a.k.a. Pookie, is the brains and brawns behind Zukra Bakery; a Gluten-free baked goods business that feeds the soul without all the bad stuff. Andy, also a.k.a. Pookie, spends his days surrounded by furry friends and daydreaming about his next meal. We fell for each other over our mutual love of food and this is where it's brought us today. Writing a blog about how we choose to spend our Tuesdays together. From pouring over the bounty of a late Spring Farmer's Market in the middle of the city to spending 6-hours hopping from bar to bar tasting as many mixologists concoctions as humanly possible. This blog has been weeks in the making. Our fantasies are to have a film crew following us from exotic locale to exotic locale as we eat and drink ourselves around the world. Since no one was willing to bank roll such an event nor put us on tape, we felt the next best thing was the DIY route. To keep a weekly journal of our madcap culinary adventures for our faithful and loyal readers to devour from week to week. In the hopes that we can add our own unique spin on an already saturated market of foodie bloggers and to shed some light on the ever changing world of everything food!
Our first Tuesdays with Pookie ended up being a quick run through the Tuesday Farmers Market at the Ferry Building..which then turned into a deliberately slow 6 hour cocktail tasting. So..umm..That's why you get to read our first blog post about our second Tuesdays with Pookie!
We started the day with one objection. To get to Berkeley Bowl West without the assistance of GPS. As you could have guessed, we did get turned around, but eventually found our destination. This behemoth and modern grocery store that's just as beautiful outside as it is in. Leslie had to reign me in or else I would have been running around like a headless chicken. So many things that I wanted to see *eat* and I didn't know where to start. With Leslie as my guide, we navigated our way throughout the massive produce section. Piles after neatly stacked pile of produce from the world over. In need of a Spiny Chayote? They've got it! Plus hundreds of more exotic things I've never heard of. Let alone eaten! I know what you must be thinking. That Berkeley Bowl is just another gourmet market offering mark ups at every turn. I'd have to tell you that you'd be incredibly wrong. There were discounts around every bend. A pint of California blueberries for a mere $3.00. That's almost unheard of! We both walked out after dropping $300.00 together, but our bounty would have you thinking we spent double that! Leslie stocked up to feed the masses for a weekend out of town and I made myself a trail mix from their rather large bulk department. All in all, a great trip to the grocery store.
Getting back home was another adventure. Remember, we were without GPS and were relying on my lack of direction and Leslie's vague memory of coming here once before. We ended up in the heart of Oakland..or at least we think we did. We took notice of the geography.."Where's downtown?" with no luck. Then in the distance we saw an overpass...or is it a building? Thankfully, it was the overpass which got us safely back onto the Bay Bridge and back home.
After a few hours of grocery shopping, we were famished. Thankful for the beautiful day we were having in San Francisco, we made a b-line for The Ramp. A scallywag of a dive in San Francisco's Potrero Hill neighborhood. Not only do they offer some of the best seats in all of San Francisco *you have to see their patio to believe it*, they also serve up some of the best grub around. Burgers that'll make your tongue wag and salads as big as your head. All prepared with fresh ingredients and light seasoning. Our burger needed nothing more than a pickle and lettuce to make it perfect. This is the kind of "working" lunches we like.
To cap off this nearly perfect day, we found ourselves in San Francisco's Dog Patch neighborhood in search of the perfect ice cream and brittle...and boy did we ever find it. Just find yourself inside Mr. & Mrs. Miscellaneous on the corner of 3rd and 22nd. http://www.mrandmrsmiscellaneous.com/. Leslie was super excited to have me meet her friends, who happen to be the brains behind this Willy Wonka-inspired, new age soda shoppe. Once inside the front doors, you are immediately put at ease. A cool blend of country chic and urban loft meld perfectly to create a very soothing atmosphere. Of course, it's not about the interior design. We're here for ice cream and if we don't get any, we're going to scream! They didn't dissapoint in this department. Flavors of the day ranged from an Orange Blossom semifreddo to a Fernet Branca ice cream that made me love Fernet for the first time! They also make peanut and almond brittle that will make you wish they were your parents. This stuff was insane in the brain! Buttery, crispy and so light that you felt as if you were eating pure sin! We walked into the blinding sunlight two happy campers looking forward to eating again...but not before we dive into this jar of Almond Brittle!
This was a Tuesday for the record books..well, other than the first Tuesday where we ended up smashed by 4 p.m. We ate well, laughed a lot. Got a little lost and found our new favorite foods..at least until we find more foods next week. Each week, we'll meet up and feed our passion. Food and it's many facets. We hope to empower you to seek out the best where you are, as well. Can't find your favorite cheese at your local grocer? Demand it. It is your store. Seek out the good things in life and help support small business owners at the same time. You may never look back..at least we hope so!
Leslie, a.k.a. Pookie, is the brains and brawns behind Zukra Bakery; a Gluten-free baked goods business that feeds the soul without all the bad stuff. Andy, also a.k.a. Pookie, spends his days surrounded by furry friends and daydreaming about his next meal. We fell for each other over our mutual love of food and this is where it's brought us today. Writing a blog about how we choose to spend our Tuesdays together. From pouring over the bounty of a late Spring Farmer's Market in the middle of the city to spending 6-hours hopping from bar to bar tasting as many mixologists concoctions as humanly possible. This blog has been weeks in the making. Our fantasies are to have a film crew following us from exotic locale to exotic locale as we eat and drink ourselves around the world. Since no one was willing to bank roll such an event nor put us on tape, we felt the next best thing was the DIY route. To keep a weekly journal of our madcap culinary adventures for our faithful and loyal readers to devour from week to week. In the hopes that we can add our own unique spin on an already saturated market of foodie bloggers and to shed some light on the ever changing world of everything food!
Our first Tuesdays with Pookie ended up being a quick run through the Tuesday Farmers Market at the Ferry Building..which then turned into a deliberately slow 6 hour cocktail tasting. So..umm..That's why you get to read our first blog post about our second Tuesdays with Pookie!
We started the day with one objection. To get to Berkeley Bowl West without the assistance of GPS. As you could have guessed, we did get turned around, but eventually found our destination. This behemoth and modern grocery store that's just as beautiful outside as it is in. Leslie had to reign me in or else I would have been running around like a headless chicken. So many things that I wanted to see *eat* and I didn't know where to start. With Leslie as my guide, we navigated our way throughout the massive produce section. Piles after neatly stacked pile of produce from the world over. In need of a Spiny Chayote? They've got it! Plus hundreds of more exotic things I've never heard of. Let alone eaten! I know what you must be thinking. That Berkeley Bowl is just another gourmet market offering mark ups at every turn. I'd have to tell you that you'd be incredibly wrong. There were discounts around every bend. A pint of California blueberries for a mere $3.00. That's almost unheard of! We both walked out after dropping $300.00 together, but our bounty would have you thinking we spent double that! Leslie stocked up to feed the masses for a weekend out of town and I made myself a trail mix from their rather large bulk department. All in all, a great trip to the grocery store.
Getting back home was another adventure. Remember, we were without GPS and were relying on my lack of direction and Leslie's vague memory of coming here once before. We ended up in the heart of Oakland..or at least we think we did. We took notice of the geography.."Where's downtown?" with no luck. Then in the distance we saw an overpass...or is it a building? Thankfully, it was the overpass which got us safely back onto the Bay Bridge and back home.
After a few hours of grocery shopping, we were famished. Thankful for the beautiful day we were having in San Francisco, we made a b-line for The Ramp. A scallywag of a dive in San Francisco's Potrero Hill neighborhood. Not only do they offer some of the best seats in all of San Francisco *you have to see their patio to believe it*, they also serve up some of the best grub around. Burgers that'll make your tongue wag and salads as big as your head. All prepared with fresh ingredients and light seasoning. Our burger needed nothing more than a pickle and lettuce to make it perfect. This is the kind of "working" lunches we like.
To cap off this nearly perfect day, we found ourselves in San Francisco's Dog Patch neighborhood in search of the perfect ice cream and brittle...and boy did we ever find it. Just find yourself inside Mr. & Mrs. Miscellaneous on the corner of 3rd and 22nd. http://www.mrandmrsmiscellaneous.com/. Leslie was super excited to have me meet her friends, who happen to be the brains behind this Willy Wonka-inspired, new age soda shoppe. Once inside the front doors, you are immediately put at ease. A cool blend of country chic and urban loft meld perfectly to create a very soothing atmosphere. Of course, it's not about the interior design. We're here for ice cream and if we don't get any, we're going to scream! They didn't dissapoint in this department. Flavors of the day ranged from an Orange Blossom semifreddo to a Fernet Branca ice cream that made me love Fernet for the first time! They also make peanut and almond brittle that will make you wish they were your parents. This stuff was insane in the brain! Buttery, crispy and so light that you felt as if you were eating pure sin! We walked into the blinding sunlight two happy campers looking forward to eating again...but not before we dive into this jar of Almond Brittle!
This was a Tuesday for the record books..well, other than the first Tuesday where we ended up smashed by 4 p.m. We ate well, laughed a lot. Got a little lost and found our new favorite foods..at least until we find more foods next week. Each week, we'll meet up and feed our passion. Food and it's many facets. We hope to empower you to seek out the best where you are, as well. Can't find your favorite cheese at your local grocer? Demand it. It is your store. Seek out the good things in life and help support small business owners at the same time. You may never look back..at least we hope so!
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