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ABOUT ME:

Name: Gutenberg

Location: Somewhere near the Golden Gate Bridge.

Occupation: BRPR (Bunrab public relations.)

 
the BUNRAB blog spot
 

Do you need to answer back? You can send me comments if you want to.

If I want to, I'll post 'em in this very blog.

-Gutenberg



 

August 16-21, 2007

 

go to next week's blogs

 

  Tuesday, August 21, 2007
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We met our pal S. for a tasty lunch at Bette’s followed by a visit to Sketch. S and Chubby went with a couple of their creamy and flavorful ‘screams:

... while I went with  a more nostalgic frozen treat.

Their fudgesicle ($3.00):

... is a romanticized version of what this childhood stick-food should have been. It is the sort of revisionist history that I could sink my teeth into. This guilty pleasure comes wrapped in plain paper and goes down with a choco-cooling goodness that is definitely worth the investment of your lunch money.

Chubby marveled at their take on a macaroon ($1.50):

This flat as a pancake ‘roon didn’t have any of those nasty central, placeholder, filler regions (sort of like the muffin stump syndrome)  It was 100% good bits. They were judicious in their use of sugar to create a  non-cloying, coconuty, saucer that took flight. The perfect vehicle for their ice cream.

 

Sketch Ice Cream
1809A Fourth St
Berkeley, CA
510.665.5650




 

 

  Monday, August 20, 2007
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We decided to make a taco and beer stop at Casa Latina:

...today without realizing that they had the right to refuse us cerveza (since they were sin a sin license.) We made due with a couple of aguas frescas ($1.25 small):

One horchata and one tamarindo were cooling influences to accompany the hot sauce on our tacos ($2.00 each):

We ordered a chicken, pork, beef and two tongues. The chicken and pork were a little dry, but the beef and tongue were non-parched. These double-bagged corn tortillas were showered with chopped white onion, cilantro and tomatillo salsa.

They are olive oil (rather than lard) intensive which will please many people (although personally, I like a bit of lard.)

They have cases filled with baked goods:

... in addition to burritos, tortas, and their usual menu-mates in this little neighborhood food hub.

 

Casa Latina Taqueria, Bakery and Café
1805 San Pablo Ave.
Berkeley, CA
510.558.7177

 

From today’s bunrab emailbag, Art writes:


Chubby,

Just popped back in to see which places you've hopped into recently. Ad hoc looks incredible! I've revisited the "In Praise of Sardines" website which you recommended to me a while back as we will be traveling to San Sebastian recently. Unfortunately it looks as if the blog is on hiatus but there is some valuable information in the archives.

I was hoping to ask what kind of camera you use. I would like to invest in something that is great for the challenges associated with shooting food. Your shots are always great and keep me coming back to your site (the writing too). I'm sure this has a lot to do with the plethora of light that seems to flood bay area restaurants. Keep up the good work!

Cheers, Art J.


Chubby replies:

Dear Art,

I use the Fujifilm Finepix F30 which is great for low light restaurant situations (Bunrabs don’t like to use flash photography – it startles the food) and Gutenberg never leaves the hutch without a Canon PowerShot SD550. We especially like the stealth size of these little snappers.

Thanks for the compliments and for stopping by the cyberhutch.

Your pal,

Chubby




 

 

  Sunday, August 19, 2007
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The Family Winemakers of California held their 17th annual tasting today at the San Francisco Marina and it was swirling with activity.

Both Bruts:

... and full bodied, supple whites:

... blended at this lively event.

Over 400 California wineries filled the Festival Pavilion at Fort Mason Center. It was a nice mix of both the expected, higher profile wineries and the smaller, unique establishments.

Cabernet Sauvignon:

... and Syrah were the varietals that had the biggest presence. Although there was plenty of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel on hand. 

We caught up with Jay Heminway of Green and Red vineyard:

...in Saint Helena. He was pouring his Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah and Zinfandels. We were just talking about him over some of his Zin during our recent visit to T-Rex.  We noticed that his booth was not only popular with pass holders, but it was particularly popular with other vintners 

There was a nice diversity of organic, theme oriented:

and goofy selections.

As you might expect, there were misses as well as hits, but it was a great opportunity to sample some of our local goods.

With thousands of tasting options, the organizers were prudent to have a special cab:

...standing by for those who wouldn’t say nay

 

Family Winemakers of California
Seventeenth Annual Tasting
Fort Mason Festival Pavilion
San Francisco, CA

 

From today’s bunrab email Steve writes about our Pizzaiolo breakfast:


Gutenberg,

re: pizzaiolo. $4 toast? they don't put bourbon on it or anything? i'd like to know what a $4 toast tastes like.

Steve


Gutenberg replies:

Dear Steve,

It’s true that you don’t think about toast being a lot of bread, but in this case, since there are labor intensive, house made preserves (created from well sourced fruit) involved, with a name like Pizzaiolo, it’s gotta be good.

-G




 

 

  Saturday, August 18, 2007
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French Laundry List


Corey Lee knows how to feed a rabbit.

Our five hour Kobayashi tribute began with warm gruyere gourges filled with mornay sauce and salmon tartare and crème fraiche filled cornets before moving on to:

Cold pear soup over Belgian endive which was a creamy cloud of intense liquefied pears.

Cold cucumber soup over diced cucumbers, olive puree and mint was garden fresh and appetite whetting.

Oysters and Pearls – their signature Beau Soleil oysters with pearl tapioca and sturgeon caviar

Cauliflower panna cotta with an apple glaze and white sturgeon caviar.
This is a variation of their classic oyster glazed version. Both are craveworthy:

 

Lightly cured kahala with cherry and cherry blossoms.
We were blown away by this innocent but amazing dish.

Grilled cuttlefish with French Laundry house made chorizo, Brentwood corn and Marcona almonds. Nice surf and turf combo with tasty charcuterie:

 

Flash fried roll of anago and avocado over crème fraiche.
If the French Laundry had a happy hour, this is what they would serve:

 

White truffle custard with veal stock black truffle ragout and chive chip always gets a standing ovulation.

Poached hen’s egg over black truffle puree with toasted brioche.
The breakfast of champions (who wait til dinner.):

 

They had their Adante Dairy butter but the Animal Farm butter was swapped out for one from the
Vermont Butter and Cheese company which they peppered with fleur de sel before serving.

Celery branch salad with beets and nectarines

Hearts of peach palm salad with pickled radish, compressed cucumbers, mizuna and ginger

Buckwheat vermicelli with tonburi, tamari, uni mayonnaise, hard boiled egg
and tempura sea beans. This was truly inspired.

Gnocchi with botarga and tomato raisins:

 

Sturgeon poached in extra virgin olive oil with mustard crème fraiche, mustard spaezel and cabbage

Butter poached Maine lobster tail with melted King Richard leeks, beet essence and pommes Maxine.

Maine divers scallop with pinenut tapenade, broccolini and brown butter

Seared foie gras with huckleberries, chard ribs and leaves served with a salt selection

Liberty duck breast, Jacobson Farms mission figs, Belgian endive, duck jus with balsamic vinegar

Sautéed Kabota pork belly with celery branch salad with black truffle sauce and apple puree

Veal Chateaubriande with romaine lettuce, Saskatewan golden chantrelles,
tomatoes and sauce Colbert with tarragon

Robiola cheese (combo of cow, sheep and goat milk) with figs and plum

Nettle meadow (goat cheese enriched with jersey cow milk) with walnuts and frisee

Greengage plum sorbet over Mirabelle plums with ginger foam

Shiso sorbet over Tahitian vanilla infused crème fraiche with honeydew melon.

Coffee and doughnuts – hot cinnamon-sugar coated doughnuts with a coffee semi-freddo

Delice au chocolat – mint and chocolate ice cream with a mint and chocolat parfait:

 

Vanilla malt ice cream over a chocolate malt mousse with a banana tuille

Crème brulee

White nectarine trifle

Financiers with olive and black pepper

Chocolate coated candied macadamia nuts

Assorted house made chocolates with flavored ganache fillings

Shortbreads to take home

 

Every visit has a new twist. They bravely experiment with the tried and true to come up with variations that do not disappoint. Every dinner is different but anchored by some familiar favorites.

We are too full to ever imagine another morsel of food.

 




 

 

  Friday, August 17, 2007
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Seoul on Wheels may look like a standard chow truck, but this Korean BBQ van is rockin’ so we came a knockin’.

The construction workers at that new skyscraper site:

... on Harrison just off 1st Street Q’ed up for the sandwiches and chicken, spicy pork and short rib bowls that the BBQ Princess of Yoon:

... and her associate dish up.

We went with the regular sized bowls since the large bowls ($7.00) and are more than even Chubby can eat in one sitting.

My chicken bowl ($5.50):

... had nicely charred bits of moist and flavorful clucker over rice and cellophane noodles. The kimchii (an additional 25¢) has a friendly spice level, but there is rooster sauce if you want to add more heat. I chose to have mine over brown rice, which was good, but the white rice is really the way to make it a craveable dish (I stole some of Chubby’s.)

Chubby got the spicy pork ($5.50):

The thinly sliced, peppery pig was tasty over nicely sticky white rice, cellophane noodles and some more of that yummy kimchii.

We chatted with the proprietress, Julia, who seems to know all of her customers (even though they all wear the identical hard hat and reflective vest combo at this site.) She plans to adjust the menu for the seasons and have noodle dishes as the weather cools down. She said that she is also tweaking the level of spice in the pork to be a bit hotter and it’s clear that she isn’t one to put her cooking in cruise control.

This construction site doesn’t have a lot of places for the general public to sit and eat so next time we’ll catch up closer to the waterside at the Embarcadero and Bryant pit stop.

Julia’s infectious enthusiasm and her yummy chow at a great price have her on a roll.

Seoul on Wheels
noon til 12:25: at the construction site at Harrison just off 1st St.
12:30 til 1:45: Embarcadero and Bryant





 

 

  Thursday, August 16, 2007
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Unlike all those Hollywood types, I like to staple my stomach with pain (au levain that is) Do not bypass this gastric treat served for breakfast at Pizzaiolo. We grabbed a simple and tasty breakfast of toast, the exclusive morning menu offering at this restaurant famed for its pizza. The woman at the counter was the DJ of these def jams. After much deliberation Chubby selected the dark plum with basil and I went with the greengage preserves:

Each order of toast ($4.00):

... comes with a pat of butter and a tub of this liquid jewelry. Both of our fruity concoctions were plum tasty but my favorite was the greengage for it’s tang to sweet balance.

You can also buy jars to take home for $8.50 if you can’t venture out of your fuzzy slippers in the morning.

Blue bottle espresso drinks:

... are the beverages of choice. They don’t offer drip so you have to go with an Americano if you that’s your thing.

If you’re in the ‘nabe, this is a good place to tuck into some bread with a nip of coffee.


Pizzaiolo

5008 Telegraph Ave.
Oakland, CA
510.652.4888

 

Today’s bunrab email contained a recipe from Deborah:


Hi Gutenberg:

As much as you and Chubby enjoy pie, I felt I should share this recipe with you....What I, and countless others, feel is THE BEST peach pie.

Put 1 and 1/4 cups of flour,1/2 teaspoon salt,1/2 cup butter and 2 tablespoons sour cream into a Cuisinart and blend until they form a ball. Pat out into a buttered pie tin, and bake 10 minutes at 425. Beat 3 egg yolks slightly and combine with one cup sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and 1/3 cup sour cream. Pour over 3 peeled, sliced peaches arranged in the crust. Cover with foil. Reduce the oven to 350 and bake 35 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 10 minutes more, or until the filing is set.

Deborah


Gutenberg replies:

Dear Deborah,

Thanks for sharing your formulae for pie, we’ll have to pick up some peaches and bake one up soon.

-G

Zelda writes about the ongoing Walker Pie discussion:

Gutenberg,

You can't judge a pie place by its crappy food. I wouldn't order food at Walker's - it's a pie shop, by gum! I order pie! They have a #*%$ load of selections every day. The ambience isn't; it's better to take your pie and run, but this place should be a contender - you go and take Chubby and let us know. Also, Lois the Pie Queen in Oakland makes the best Lemon Icebox Pie this side of Atlanta. Damn.

Zelda


Gutenberg replies:

Dear Zelda,

Thanks for the tip. It has been a while since our Lois the Pie Queen visit when we relished their funky décor (and their excellent name.)

-G





 

 

 


back to last week - August 9-15, 2007

 




 

 
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