As people who claim to know anything about Italian cooking, it is not hard to imagine how we ended up in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy on our trip after loving the food and culture in the Amalfi Coast and the Tuscan wineries and restaurants. The Emila-Romagna is an area many famous Italian chefs, including Mario Batali, herald as one of the food capitals of the world.  The Emilia-Romagna, a rather wealthy area of Italy, is home to Bologna, a city that is responsible for both Bolognese sauce, which Italians call ragu, and to the cold cut that shares its name, which Italians call mortadella.  West of Bologna you will find Parma, home to the famous Parmigiana Reggiano cheese and to Prosciutto de Parma.  Between these two cities lies Modena, the birthplace of Balsamic vinegar.  With all of these culinary highlights, it is a wonder we didn’t spend our whole trip here!

Of all of the wonderful offerings of this region, I intend to dedicate the remainder of this post to just one room, in a tiny osteria in the city of Modena, hidden in the back of a little market, containing only four beautifully set tables, in which Adrian and I were served what must be the best meal we have ever eaten.  We would have never in a million years found this jewel of a restaurant had we not been led there by Mario Batali’s online guide to traveling in Italy.  His praise for the restaurant claims that if you are to travel to any one place in Italy, “it must be here.”  High marks from an iron chef who has made his career studying and preparing authentic Italian cuisine.  So we heeded his advice, and we went there.  And “there” was the highlight of our whole trip.

The market that sits in front of this hidden restaurant is called Macelleria de Guisseppe Guisti.  It is a small little market with an amazing selection of cured meats, cheeses, and jarred goods, as well as a nice variety of balsamicos. There is also a cafe next door, but don’t mistake this for the real jewel, which we only found when Adrian questioned the man servicing the meat counter about “l’hosteria?”.  The man replied, “si, si” and shuffled us behind the counter, through swinging doors and a dim hallway into a room that couldn’t have been more than ten meters in width and length.  It contained only four tables, two of which were occupied.  He seated us, and we smiled at each other victoriously, glad we hadn’t had much of a breakfast.

Our waitress, who we soon learned was the great, if not the great-great granddaughter of Guisseppe himself, spoke enough English to give us some insight into the menu and to recommend a local Lambrusco, a sparkling red wine, served chilled, that locals drink with everything.

Our plan of attack, since it was around one in the afternoon, was to just go for a big lunch and not have to eat for the rest of the day, if ever!  So we decided on sharing an antipasti, each ordering a primi piatti, and splitting a secondi.   For the first course we decided on a seasonal dish, a zucchini blossom, stuffed with simple risotto, dipped in a batter, fried to perfection, and drizzled (of course) with an aged balsamic vinegar.  It was absolutely divine.    The risotto stuffing was perfectly al dente and undoubtedly seasoned with Parmigiana, and the flavor of the zucchini blossom was the star of the dish.

For our pasta course, we went with one seasonal and one very traditional dish.  The waitress told us that they had “special” fresh ricotta, so I ordered the tortelloni with ricotta, spinach, and lemon zest that was lightly sauced with butter.  The dish was so fresh, and if you can imagine anything tossed in butter tasting light, that is the only way I can describe it.  The fresh pasta that encased the tortelloni was perfectly thin and cooked to perfection.

Adrian went with a regional specialty for his primi – Pappardelle con Guanciale, or thick cut pasta with the cured cheeks of the pig.  Again, the pasta was so perfect, it was almost the star of the dish, were it not for the unbelievable, rich and slow sauce.  We both reluctantly switched plates to sample each other’s, only to become increasingly confused about which dish to fight for.  Either one of these dishes would have certainly been the best pasta we had ever had.

For our secondi course, we opted for their house made sausage, which the waitress assured us was their specialty.  We decided to trust her on that, wisely.  The sausage was formed in perfect disc-shaped patties, coated in a light breading, and deep fried until it had a perfect golden crust to encase the savory juices within.  The sausages were accompanied by a perfect zabaglione, which is an incredibly light custard made with whipped egg yolks, sugar, and Lambrusco wine.  Having a sweet accompaniment to such a savory dish was surprising at first, but when we tasted them together, it was indescribably delicious.  Who ever thought of that should be knighted.

To finish the meal, we couldn’t pass on their homemade ice cream drizzled with a reserve aged balsamic vinegar, an absolute treat, after which we expected to have to request a wheel barrel to tote us out to the street.  Remarkably, though, we felt wonderful, which is a testament to the perfect portion sizes and simplicity of the food we had just eaten.  Or perhaps it was the ease on our wallet that left us feeling so great – the whole meal cost less than sixty Euros.

We left through the back door, which puts you at the very end of a long alley.  Just outside the door, accross the alley, there was a wine store that carried an innumerable collection of Italian wines.  The lights were low and no one was presently in the wine shop, but the door was open nonetheless, despite the fortune of wines within.  Only in Italy!  We were pleased at the opportunity to just snap a few photos and let the high from that most incredible meal carry us back to our hotel in Bologna.

There are not many places in the world that I’ve seen like Toscana (Tuscany to us North Americans).  Especially in the summertime, when man, that Tuscan sun is intense – the movie didn’t lie about that one.

So after an amazing few days down on the Amalfi Coast, Aimee and I made our way via rental car (a little go-cart-esque Fiat) from Sorrento up the A1 highway to the hills of Tuscany.  Along the way, we stopped in Montepulciano quickly, took some pics and (not surprisingly) bought a bottle of Brunello wine – really great stuff.

Tuscany is the home of wine in Italy for the most part – the place where Chianti comes from, the pinnacle of the ancient Sangiovese grape, which is responsible for the makeup of the region’s most popular wine, Chianti Classico.  Chianti, as we learned at the Castello Fonterutolli outside of Castellina, MUST contain no less than 80% of Sangiovese grape – other than that it’s up to the vintner, many use Cabernet Sauvignon to complement.

We spent out time between the town of Siena – an awesomely ancient city (like going back to the middle ages in terms of the architecture, art and just the feel of the city).  In terms of food, we really enjoyed Siena as well, tasting probably what was the second best meal of our time in Italy, on Aimee’s birthday at the Antica Osteria da Divo, a fantastic little restaurant that we literally stumbled upon after a rather embarrassing incident driving through the mainly pedestrian streets of the Siena town center.  The restaurant was perfectly suited for Siena, with terra cotta floors and high, wood beamed ceilings.  The only light came from candles on the tables and around the room.

It’s unfortunate that we didn’t get some pictures of this food, as it really was delicious.  We started with Crispy Herb Scented Anchovies with Eggplant Cake and Basil Sauce, then sampled some of the regional specialties.  In Tuscany, they’re famous for their use of wild boar, which we sampled in the Pici with Wild Boar Ragu.  Pici is a hand rolled, or “pinched”, pasta that is shorter and much thicker than spaghetti.  We also ordered a risotto dish with zucchini and zucchini flowers served in a hollow wheel of pecorino cheese.  When they scooped the risotto out of the cheese, the dish was delightfully rich and creamy – a nice touch!   Since we had just been in Montepulciano, and we were planning to head to Chianti in the next couple of days, we decided to order a Brunello to sip throughout the meal.  Delicious all around for sure.

In Tuscany, Aimee and I also fell head over heels in love with perhaps our favorite ingredient in all of Italy this time of year – the tomato.  Bruschetta you see was in full bloom there, and we took full advantage in Tuscany.  Perhaps the second best Bruschetta we sampled in Italy was at a cafe right on the Siena’s main square the Piazza di Campo.  So simple and delicious – something that we’ve already re-created here at home for dinner.  Just toast up some crusty bread, rub the surface with a garlic clove, and top it with tomatoes tossed in a little olive oil, salt, and dried oregano.  That’s it.  But believe me, that is enough.  In the heat of July, bruschetta is a perfect snack.

Other highlights of Tuscany besides the wine and the food was the coffee – especially at the famous Siena roaster Nannini, which roasts their own coffee and offers homemade gelato and around 1,000 different types of pastries and biscotti.  It offers very few tables, but there is a long espresso bar at which you can stand and sip your cappuccino or espresso and nibble on your pastry.

We also sampled some of the traditional dishes of Italy in Tuscany, such as Pesto Genovese, Fagiuoli all‘Uccelletto – the traditional Tuscan white beans in a simple tomato sauce.  Panzanella, a salad made with bread, cucumbers, and tomatoes, is also a regional specialty during the summertime, but the authentic version unfortunately falls a little short of the american adaptation.

Rather than making the dish with fresh baked crusty croutons, as we often see Giada prepare it on the Food Network, the serve it with mushed up day old bread, sparingly incorporate peeled and chopped cucumbers and tomatoes, and dress it with little more than olive oil.  It is served chilled and lacks much acidity.  This is one dish we tried that we definitely prefer to eat at home.

All in all, Toscana’s stunning scenery and rich history make for a memorable experience.  We’ll certainly be back.  For now, off to Bologna, Modena and Emilia-Romagna!!

So with a few days of married life under our belts, Aimee and I set off to Italia – a place we’ve long looked forward to traveling together for the sights, architecture, art, bot mostly the food and wine.  Our first stop on the trip was the Amalfi coast, where after loads of recommendations, we decided to stay in Positano, a town literally built into a 3-4K foot mountain with views right down to the Mediterranean and cool shops and restaurants throughout.

In terms of the food, we figured two things: first, we’re on the water, so the seafood must be delicious.  Second, we’re near Napoli (Naples), the home and origin of pizza, so we thought that sampling a few of these local delicacies was a good idea.  We really had no idea about which restaurants were which, but we tried to stick by our guns and find places that were more like holes in the wall instead of fancy places looking for Michelin stars.

Our first night in Italy, quite tired from a red eye flight and the day of traveling that followed, we struck out and found a restaurant called ‘Ristorante Il Capitano’, situated on a corner of a steep Positano street, just overlooking the harbor and water. Quite a setting, and they complimented it with a duo Lute and Guitar player for a small charge (something that every restaurant in Italy does I’ve learned).

Our meal started with perhaps my favorite dish of the trip so far: Thinly sliced fried Zucchini, dressed with salt, vinegar and olive oil.  Imagine something like a plate of small potato chips, but instead of potatoes, they’re zucchini instead.  Delicious, and something that I’ll try to reproduce for sure.  We then ate a pasta dish made from homemade squid ink pasta served with small fishes and tomatoes.  Delicious, and the pasta, albeit not the best made pasta I’ve ever had, was flavored with the quid ink and insanely good.  We then shared a pizzetta with some salumi and simple fresh tomatoes from San Marzano, which I later learned are grown in the area on the southern slope of Mount Vesuvius, just outside of Napoli.

This pizza really changed my idea of pizza totally around, and not just on the pizza front – on all food in general.  The food here in Italy is SO SIMPLE.  These people who cook here (basically everyone) don’t try to do too much.  It’s a lesson I needed to come here to learn – less is more.  For example, the tomato sauce they use for the pizzas in Napoli: it’s literally just pureed tomatoes – possibly a touch of garlic, but that’s basically it, and that’s all it needs to be.

Our eating experiences in Positano continued at the Saraceno D’Oro, right down the street from our hotel.  We ate simple things here as well, such as simple spaghetti with cherry tomatoes, bruschetta con tomate (best bruschetta I’ve had BY FAR) and the best thing (again) was the pizza – this time with Fungi Porcini, fresh porcini – tasting almost as delicious as if there were actual truffles on the pizza.  The bruschetta was made by the way the restaurant prepared the bread – it was baked fresh, then simply toasted to perfection (not just thrown in the toaster – it was golden brown throughout) then rubbed with garlic and topped with olive oil, before the tomatoes went on.

In terms of drinks, the Amalfi coast is known for it’s citrus groves, mostly lemons – so you can imagine it’s the home of limoncello.  What I was surprised by is that every little gift shop and bar in Positano and Amalfi makes their own version of the stuff.  We tried a couple different samples, and liked them all, especially at the Saraceno D’Oro where they gave us free samples after our meal.

As we drove out of the south of Italy, through Sorrento, Napoli and the surrounding coast, we were more than content and happy we had gone there and experienced the culture, views and of course of the food of the Amalfi coast – it’s qite a place.  Oh, and if you’re considering coming here and also potentially Cinque Terre, take it from me (I’ve been to both places) go to the Amalfi Coast, it’s much bigger and more dramatic.  Don’t forget you’re in the home of pizza!

Next Stop: Tuscany: Siena and Chianti!

Let me first start by explaining what it’s like to go on a trip with Bob Owen – my father. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been to the destination once or a thousand times, you’ll always feel like a tourist. He’s a man in constant need of information – “What are you known for”, “Who are the owners so that I may get a picture with our family”, “Does president Lincoln have any ties to this town?” But typically the local flare, despite your grumpy, “I hate tourists”, local, enjoy his passion for wanting to know every little detail about their town, locals shops and in this case, their breakfast spots.

Up For Breakfast is right across from the old Quality Restaurant in Manchester, Vermont. It was a sad sight to see a dark interior where the Quality once stood. From the classic jukebox to the fresh squeezed orange juice, our family has many fond memories of their breakfast. But there’s no question that a new breakfast sheriff is in town and many memories are in store for the Owen family.

Upon arriving at Up For Breakfast, you must first make it up the steep and narrow wooden stairs that lead you to the second floor of this two story building. The space below is closed and we later learned that Bonnie, the founder of Up For Breakfast, is the owner (she’s looking for renters). But don’t tell Bonnie she should open up the bottom with more tables for service because it’s not going to happen. You have to respect someone like Bonnie who doesn’t want to make any changes to a good thing. And boy, do they have a good thing going. According to their staff, the place can seat about forty-one people. On a busy weekend morning they turn the tables over about seven times, roughly 300 patrons.

Amanda and I showed up on Wednesday night and on Thursday morning we had our first experience here. However, this was already my parents, my two sisters and Emily’s now fiancé, second or third trip since Sunday. Per usual, they had already begun to be on a first name basis with the staff, especially Danielle, who happens to share her name with my other sister – and they also happen to share the same hair color so of course my father claims they could be sisters.

I decided to write this review after our second trip on Saturday morning so I’m going to focus the review on that particular meal. But I must say, the omelet I had the first time was just as satisfying.

I was feeling more of a sweet tooth this morning so it was either French toast or pancakes. I had picked at a blueberry pancake our first day and was very impressed by the consistency of the batter. The fact that they use coffee carafes to keep their pure Vermont maple syrup warm is also a huge plus on the Dear Diner meter. As I combed the specials, I immediately noticed the French toast special – Banana blueberry whole wheat oatmeal bread topped with warm bananas, walnuts and brown sugar. But to satisfy my savory taste buds, I decided to try out the special sausage – wild boar (On Wednesday the special sausage was rabbit). Huge bonus points for exotic meats. The wild boar had a milder flavor then pork sausage. It’s a bit drier with less grease. There was a hint of gaminess but not so much that it overpowered the sausage spice, which seemed to come from a combo of nutmeg and cinnamon.

The French toast wasn’t the most colorful plate but the taste made up for the lack of beauty. The tops of the bread were perfectly grilled, giving it a surface so smooth that you could skate the butter across like a frozen pond. However, you won’t need any bit of butter for these bad boys. Just a dollop of the warmed maple syrup we mentioned above and you’re ready to dig in. While the surface was crisp, the innards were warm and moist. The syrup soaked through giving it a thick, heavenly texture as you went diving in with your fork. The taste all starts with the warmed bananas and eventually makes its way to the nutty walnut flavor. In between you soak up the sweetness of the syrup and tang of the blueberry. Unlike some whole wheat bread, this one did not taste too grainy.

From the friendly service, to the open kitchen vibe, cozy interior, and most importantly the remarkable breakfast fare, Up For Breakfast gets the first 10 out of 10 on the Dear, Diner scale. Looking forward to returning and getting more pictures with Danielle, Bonnie and crew.

This past Wednesday evening our restaurant club paid a visit to a restaurant that many of us had been wanting to try for some time now, based on some of the excellent reviews of the place in the local press.  The spot is (awesomely) called ‘Hungry Mother‘ and it’s located near the MIT campus in Kendall Square Cambridge, just across the river from Boston’s elegant Beacon Hill.  The restaurant is named after Hungry Mother State Park, located in southern Virginia, near Chef Barry Maiden’s hometown.

Culinary training took Chef Maiden to the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, VT where he learned the fine art of French cooking that he would later combine with the southern food from Appalachia that he grew up loving.  Chef Maiden made stops at venerable Boston haunts Sel de la Terre and L’Espelier before opening his own spot in Cambridge that’s giving him a chance to share his unique southern influenced French menu with us Bostonians.

Our night started at Hungry Mother with a drink and some tasty snacks.  I opted for the ‘No. 2′ – a mixture of Maker’s Mark bourbon, sorghum syrup, and amaretto.  It was served in a martini glass with a Southern boiled peanut and let me tell you, it was awesome.  A great cocktail that was a bit sweet and really unique.  Another drink that looked awesome was the ‘No 49′ which was a mixture of Rain vodka, grenadine and rosemary water.  I tried a sip of our friend Mayas and it was also really tasty (see pic).

Our amuse bouche featured more Boiled Virginia Peanuts, salted on the outside of their shells but rather mild on the inside.  They reminded me of being back on the roadside outside of Charleston, South Carolina – but I do remember them being a bit saltier down south.  We also sampled some Spicy Pimento Cheese with (white bread) toast points.  The cheese dip was spicy and really awesome – a sort of junk food in a fine restaurant – but since it was homemade, it felt ok to devour and we did just that.

Onto the appetizers and I think everyone really liked the look of the Black Eyed Pea Fritters with buttermilk ranch dressing, so we got 2 orders of them to share between the table.  The were delicious, but not totally unique in terms of their flavor – perhaps even a little over cooked for my taste.

The next appetizer was the Deviled Maine Crab (I’m a huge fan of crab in general), served in a small cast iron saute pan and topped with some bread crumbs.  This was comforting and totally delicious, full of lemon and some over the top flavor.  Perhaps my favorite bite of the evening.

The last app we sampled was a soup, aptly named Potlikker Soup.  This soup was broth based and included local turnips, braised collard greens (or chard, it was hard to tell which) and some pork which seemed like braised ham hock.  The pork was falling apart and added some excellent flavor to the soup.  If you’re looking for a hot, comforting soup on a cold day this winter, stop in to Hungry Mother and try to Potlikker – it won’t disappoint.

With our palates successfully tempered, we were ready for the entrees.  When it came my turn to order my entree, I opted for an old rule and decided to order the pork, more specifically the Berkshire Pork Loin which was served with creamed cabbage, small heirloom potatoes and some delicious apple cider based pan sauce.  The pork was cooked so well that I actually asked our server if the chef had used a sous-vide machine to cook the meat.  It was tender and absolutely delicious.  The best part of the plate though?  The BBQ rib that accompanied the cut loin pieces.  It was so good in fact, that I just went over to my freezer and took out a small rack of ribs to cook tonight.

Another winning entree on the menu was the French Gnocchi which was served with delicata squash, chanterelle mushrooms and a mushroom sherry broth.  Sounds pretty rich, but was actually deliciously lite yet fulfilling (according to Taylor and Lisa my mom, who ordered it).  The other entree that was ordered and enjoyed was the North Atlantic Pan Roast which was a combination of scallops, squid and oysters with hominy and a small dollop of old bay aioli.  I enjoyed tasting this dish, but found the hominy to be a little too tough and rather hard to mouth.  I know whole hominy can be rather tough unless you cook it for a long, long time.  The texture of it in this dish was interesting, but I just thought it could have beexn a little better executed.

Dessert was a little tough for us to order, as we all felt a little like loosening our belts, but we persevered and ordered 2 to share between the 8 of us dining.  The Apple Bread Pudding was stellar – served with caramel, walnuts and some Chantilly cream.  Awesome dessert and an excellent end to the meal.  We also sampled the Cranberry Upside Down Cake – tart and really interesting.  Served with Grand Marnier Chantilly cream and candied orange zest.  This dessert was truly unique and delicious.  I would love to try to re-create this at some point.  Excellent way to get things finished off on an excellent evening.

Overall, I came away really impressed with The Hungry Mother, especially since I had sky high expectations going in.  One aspect of The Hungry Mother that I’m sure everyone will enjoy is the very reasonable prices.  Check out the menu and I think you’ll agree.  One thing’s for sure, I’ll certainly be back to this place and I look forward to trying new dishes that chef Maiden creates.  Also, I’m sort of kicking myself that I didn’t try the Smoked Beef Tongue Canape, as I’m now hearing that it is the MUST order dish on the menu.  Oh well, good thing they’re right down the street.

I was fifteen years old when I first watched the Ken Burns PBS series, Baseball, with my father.  We watched all 9 innings (episodes).  Throughout the episodes you saw kids with their families stuffing their little mouths with hot dogs.  It was a part of the Great American past time and still is to this day, only now they’re enjoyed not just at ball games but also during other Great American past times such as the family BBQ.

But if you look at a Hot Dog as just another version of a sausage, then the true origin could date as far back as the day’s of Homer and his Odyssey.  I quote, “As when a man besides a great fire has filled a sausage with fat and blood and turns it this way and that and is very eager to get it quickly roasted. . .” (Homer, 850). And it became the German’s who would be known for their frankfurters and sausages.  It was they who would introduce these great meat products to the new world.

The origin of the name “Hot Dog” is hotly debated (no pun intended).  But most will agree that it was some where around the turn of the century and one man who stands in the middle of the debate is Harry Mozley Stevens.

The story goes that during a Giants game at the old Polo Grounds in Brooklyn, NY, Harry was losing money trying to sell ice cream and cold soda so he told his colleague to run out and buy all the “daschund” sausages and rolls he could buy.  Within an hour his vendors were yelling, “They’re red hot.  Come get your daschund sausages while they’re red hot!”  This would go on to inspire cartoonists to draw these “daschund” sausages wrapped in a bun showing four legs and tail coining the term “Hot Dog”.  Again, this is a lose translation of how it came to be but nonetheless, it’s a great American story.

Now that we’ve looked at a brief history of the “Hot Dog”, lets turn to Iceland.  “Iceland, you say?”  Yes, Iceland.  Amanda and I took a recent trip to the exotic volcanic world of Iceland.  One of her good friends from college lives and grew up in this viking land.  He just had his first child.  Great people over in Iceland.  A beautiful place both in landscape and in human figures.  Amanda and I both made our observations. There’s something pure and wholesome about the place.  The air is also amazing.  Very refreshing.  And if you ever go, DO NOT MISS the Blue Lagoon.  You come out feeling like someone slipped you a couple Valium and sat you up against a warm crackling fire.  In other words, you can’t feel any more relaxed then you do after three hours in the lagoon.

Upon meeting with Kristjan, we first met the little one but then immediately headed to the famous Icelandic hot dog stand known as Bæjarins beztu or The Best Hot Dog.  It’s been there since 1937.  It’s famous for having served Bill Clinton and about a week later he would have his heart attack.  So what’s in these bad boys that could induce such a joyous event one week and a horrific one the following?

If there is a dog in the states that I could compare their taste to it would be Hebrew Nationals.  Great snap but not as snappy as say a Nathan’s (my personal favorite).  The one unique factor of the dog was the bun.  Where as in the states the buns usually mold to the imprint of your hand, the buns in Iceland had a harder texture to them, but not in a stale way.  Maybe this was symbolic to the rough landscape surrounding us.

But if you’re going to experience a true Icelandic hot dog, you need to order “the works”.  This includes ketchup, sweet mustard (a relish of sorts) and caramelized onions.  But these onions were more then just caramelized, they were crunchy fried caramelized onions.  The crunch of the onion plus the sweet mustard was what won me over.

Is this the best hot dog I’ve ever had?  Not quite.  But it’s damn close.  And who would have thunk that in a world so mysterious and unknown to the American people that they would share such an historic past time as the hot dog.

“Hill Country” in the heart of Texas is not only the home of the totally amazing Enchanted Rock, it is the peach growing capital of the state, and home to many German-influenced towns like Fredericksburg.

After a rough, windy day of rock climbing in the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, we stopped into this charming oasis to refuel.  Literally hundreds of Bed & Breakfasts made from converted historic homes and buildings are interspersed in the town along with quaint cafes, German bakeries, boutiques, unique handmade candle shops and ice cream parlors. The Fredericksburg Herb Farm about 6 blocks off Main Street sells various products made with their own organically grown culinary and ornamental herbs (we were sorry to miss it because it closes at 5:30).

We wandered into the Fredericksburg Brewing Company, housed in an 1890’s restored rock building.

The Beer:  From what I could tell, all the beer was brewed right there behind the bar.  I wasn’t expecting much from the beer thinking that I was at a tourist trap instead of a fine brewery.  Boy was i wrong.  I started off with an Enchanted Rock Red Ale.  This beer was absolutely fantastic!  Not too hoppy, a perfect blend of maltiness, and a refreshing finish.  I was already finished with half of it before I realized it is a multiple award winning brew.  I was totally in love!  (In the 2007 Great American Beer Festival it won a bronze medal, and in the 2004 World Beer Cup it won a silver medal.)  Every sip was exactly what I look for in a sip of beer.  If you like red ales, this one will blow your socks off!  The next beer I got was the Pioneer Porter.  Another Award winner (Gold and Silver from the Great American Beer Festival, and a Bronze from the World Beer Cup.)  This was good, but not the best porter I’ve had.  From hitting the lips to swallow it was superb, but I lost it on the after taste.  A bit bitter I suppose.  But still, better than most beers I’ve had.  The last I tried was the Giant.  The Giant is a heavy stout, and I mean heavy!  The head was a rich brown in color and the consistency was thicker than your normal stout.  Due to its 8.4% ABV, I got a 4 oz glass.  It was plenty for me.  I enjoyed it after our meal and was very impressed.  It is nutty and chocolaty, with a roasted finish.  No bitterness, just strong enough, and no pasty aftertaste.  An excellent after dinner, or all-by-itself beer. 

Congratulations to Fredricksburg Brewing Company for brewing fantastic beer!

Tasty as they sounded, we couldn’t bring ourselves to order the German specialties like the Reuben sandwich, schnitzel, sausage, etc (opting for the healthier options as we are trying to detox after living in New Orleans for 7 months!).

We enjoyed a winter salad with pecan vinaigrette dressing; the Monterrey Chicken, grilled with roasted peppers and cheese, and topped with fresh avocado slices; rice and beans; and a loaded baked potato. The pecan vinaigrette dressing was defiantly the highlight, nutty and sweet. I love trying new salad dressings and I’m always looking for new ideas, this was a first for me. Unfortunately I don’t know how they made it or if the pecans were local, I was too tired to ask.

Last week I stopped by to say hi to my friend Chris Cosentino over at his restaurant Incanto.  You may have seen Chris; he’s been on the Food Network quite a bit in the last year or so.  If you don’t recognize the name, you should check out his website so you know what you are getting into with him – www.offalgood.com and  www.incanto.biz.  I thought I would sit down for a glass of wine and one, maybe two courses at the bar.  Sorry there aren’t any pictures, but I was just going out for a casual meal.  I wasn’t really expecting what followed.

Incanto is a favorite spot for me in SF.  It is a total neighborhood restaurant, tucked away down Church Street in the less traveled part of Noe Valley.  I like to drop by and say hi to old friends from other restaurants (there always seem to be a couple in that kitchen for some reason).  Its a place where I know I can go for a good meal, great pasta, and maybe a dish of something I have never tried before.  Such was a case this night.

For an app I kept things traditional and ordered the Veal Terrine with Goose liver mousse.  No joke, the portion size could have fed three or four people.  Since Chris is a friend though, I felt compelled to knock down the whole thing.  It was amazing, but left me wondering how I would ever finish another course.

I started chatting with the folks sitting around me and not surprisingly, every single person sitting at the bar (seven of us) were all in some way connected to the industry.  The two ladies to my left were the owners of a local produce company, the guy on my right is a founder of the local Slow Food chapter and he also had just happened to help Chris and his local 4-H group with a project the day before.  You know you are in a good spot when the majority of the people around you are professional foodies.

And then a dish arrived.  Duck legs and necks braised in Balsamic Vinegar.  If you haven’t had duck neck, you are missing the whole point of our time here.   Believe me, your grandmother used Turkey necks in that thanksgiving stuffing that was so amazing.  Really, I’m not making it up.

It may not be proper in most restaurants, but I ate with my hands. I understand how uncouth it may seem, but at Incanto it is a compliment, especially with Duck neck.  It’s impossible to pull all that goodness off the bone with a fork and knife.

After my duck dish I had to order a pasta.  All of the Pasta at Incanto is great, so you have to try at least one with your meal.  I had “Corzetti”.  These two inch rounds were glazed in pork jus and served with braised pork shoulder and foie gras.  Do I really need to say anything else?  I didn’t think so.

So back to that 4-H project.  It turns out, the 4-H chapter up in Sebastapol (just south of Napa) had a project this year of raising two hundred turkeys.  Mike, a.k.a. the guy to my right, and Chris had joined the 4-H club the day before to help them kill and clean the turkeys.  And so, unsurprisingly, Mike and I were presented with a few dishes to share, as a thank you to the birds that were dispatched.

I make no apologies for what we ate.  In fact, it is much more of an honor to the birds that we ate all of them.  Most of us are far more comfortable eating meat that arrives in cellophane.  I was the same way for many years.  But now my eyes have been opened to the realities of farming and sustainability.  For the perfect ethical discourse I have to point you to Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstal.  He says it far better than I ever could – http://www.rivercottage.net.  His eloquent and thoughtful “Meat and Right” manifesto in the River Cottage Meat Book is a must read, whether you are a steak and potatoes carnivore or a tofurkey lover.

So by now you should have some idea of what is in the works.  Duck necks, goose liver mousse, seared foie gras…  If you haven’t guessed by now, Chris Cosentino is one of a few chefs around the globe actively working to elevate not just sustainability but a deep and abiding appreciation for all those animals we consume.  Chris is the unofficial west coast representative, Mario Batali has New York, Fergus Henderson London, and there are thousands of others around the globe.  Read their books, check out their websites, and make up your own mind.

So this is where things got really interesting.  After three obscenely rich and incredibly substantial courses, Chris sent out a turkey bouillon including the boiled fertile eggs that had not been laid yet.  I have to admit my first thought was, damn, I’m not sure about that.  But really, it was so comforting and perfectly simple, you couldn’t help but love it.

Having assuaged my initial doubts I was presented with another first, braised and seared Turkey lungs over grilled country bread and a fried egg.  I’m not sure what I expected, but they were lovely.  Texturally they reminded me of a frittata, that light, airy, Italian version of an omelette, but with a flavor that was subtly bitter.  The bitterness worked particularly well with the richness of the egg yolk.  I enjoyed it far more than I first thought I would.

Ok, I’m not afraid to admit it; at this point I was damn near hitting the wall.  There was just no more room in my stomach.  Rather sedately I called over the bar manager to ask for my check.  That’s when I noticed Chris in the kitchen trying to get my attention.  He was signaling me that he had one more course, and it was clear that it was nearly ready.  When a chef is so obviously pleased to be feeding you, the only polite thing to do is shut up and eat.  You know it is going to be good, really, really good, and with a little luck, you’ll live to eat like this tomorrow.

And so it arrived.  Sautéed turkey testicles with chunks of bacon and chanterelles.  This is an ingredient I have had several times before, always courtesy of Chris.  What can I say, the man doesn’t throw away anything.  It was delicious, the testicles providing a textural contrast more than anything.  I can’t really express how rich this dish was.  I had been drinking big wines throughout the meal, but none of them could really stand up to the intense flavors in this dish.

Mercifully, it really was the final course.  I went and chatted with Chris in the kitchen while he nursed a beer (and I had a triple espresso).  His cooks were winding down another busy evening, but it was obvious how much they enjoy being there.  It’s a testament to just what a crazy, intense and nurturing bastard Chris is.  Next time you are in San Francisco, check these guys out.  Don’t worry, most of the dishes on the menu don’t contain lamb knees or vampire spleen.

Oh, and as a point of courtesy.  If you should happen to know one of the cooks at your favorite local restaurant, when you go in for dinner, bring them a twelve pack of your favorite beer.  It’s a small gesture, but to a low level cook sweating their ass off behind the scenes, it means a lot.  And more often than not, it will confer lifetime VIP status on you.  Look what a reputation of bringing Racer 5 and Sierra Nevada has done for me.

Camellia Grill is a 70 year-old classy short-order diner, famous for its sandwiches, breakfast all day, pies and “freezes.”

Hurricane Katrina closed down this staple of the Uptown-Riverbend neighborhood. Luckily, its persuasive fan base (evidenced by the number of internet postings referring to the place, its wikipedia page, and the copious amounts of love letters left by patrons begging the grill to re-open) got it going again after Katrina. Power to the people! Camellia Grill was re-established in April 2007.

We waited in line about 30 minutes out front on a Saturday around noon, making conversation with other hungry New Orleanians in line who recommended the same dishes we had seen our foodie friends around town drool about. We sat on  spinning stools in a curved bar formation made of marble waited on by friendly, efficient, bow-tie wearing waiters. They brought cloth napkins and marked off our individual orders onto a pre-printed worksheet with a red pen. They then fetched coffee and blended up the creamy cool chocolate freeze drinks while yelling the orders to the cooks to fry up the tastiest omelettes and burgers around. (Click here for pics inside Camellia Grill & dining info).

We tried the Pecan Waffle, which came plain on a plate with three mini pitchers on the side filled with Cane Syrup, Maple-Flavored Corn Syrup and Liquid Butter. It was perfectly cooked, crunchy and warm all the way through. I liked that they skipped the dollop of butter or whipped cream that waffle houses usually plop on top- saving both the restaurant and patron time, money and extra Calories.

We also tried the Chef’s Special Omelette: a monstrous one with potatoes and onions inside, topped with a lot of chili (with turkey bacon, beans, ham and beef) and two types of cheese, with french fries on the side. That was tasty! Enough said!

The Chocolate Freeze Drink (a chocolate frappe with chopped ice) was sweet and delicious, reminding me of thick chocolate milk with crushed ice in it.

After eating, we took our individual forms and paid at the cash register by the door  (by cash or credit card), again saving the waiters and patrons time. This place knows how to do it. The only problem with Camellia Grill is that we didn’t allow our food to settle. That was it though, everything was delicious and pleasant.

Here’s the the recipe for the Chef’s Special Omelet as posted on the Food Network:

Printed from FoodNetwork.com on 09/25/2008 © 2008 Scripps Networks, LLC. All Rights Reserved

Chef’s Special Omelet:

3 eggs
1/2 cup diced potato, boiled until tender
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced ham
1/2 cup diced bacon, cooked
1 slice Swiss cheese
1 slice American cheese
1 cup cooked chili (meat or bean)

Put eggs in a blender, and mix on high until egg mixture is almost white.
Put potato, onion, ham and bacon on grill pan and saute for 30 seconds. Then pour egg mixture over vegetables. Let eggs cook until
slightly firm around edges.
Add cheese slices. Then gently roll eggs over into omelet shape. Cook 2 minutes until firm.
Plate the omelet on a plate and pour 1 cup cooked meat or bean chili on top.

Tunas run anywhere between 70 and multi-hundreds of pounds, and if you’re an avid fisherman without a permit to sell the meat, the steaks pile up quickly in your freezer! However, a fast glance around the dockyard will probably find you RJ, ready with a cooler of ice to accept any generosity you’re inclined to bestow, as was the case earlier this week.
Which brings me to Tuesday evening when, as a dutiful wife, I received the meat my husband brought me and turned it into dinner.  This all sounds very “ugh, woman. here meat. me want food now” but I truly love the challenge of taking (literally) raw material and finding different ways to prepare it.  Fresh-caught tuna is the ultimate in this endeavor and an extra special treat.

Now, as any true tuna angler (or tuna eater for that matter) knows, the best way to eat tuna is raw, right on the boat, maybe with a splash of soy sauce or a dash of salt.  But we had about 7 pounds of the stuff and eating it all raw was a nauseating prospect.  So I approached the glut of meat in my fridge logically.  We had about 1 1/2 pounds of fatty tuna (toro) which is particularly prized for sashimi and comes from the belly and the napes (neck meat) of the beast, and about 5 pounds of ruby red tuna steak, cut from the loin.  Call me crazy but if anything was going to be eaten raw, I wanted it to be the best stuff.  So… the first order of business was Tuna Tartare made from the toro.

Our friendly neighborhood tuna fisherman had already trimmed the meat for us, but make sure that you check your pieces for silverskin (this is the term for pork and beef; I don’t know if it applies here though it looks the same) – the whitish, tough strip of gristly membrane that runs along the side of meat.  If you see it, just trim it off with a really sharp knife and try not to waste any of the meat.  Then, you’ll need:

2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3-4 shakes of Tabasco (recipe called for 1 1/2 tsp. Wasabi paste but I didn’t have any and I don’t like it anyway…)
3/4 teaspoon Sesame Oil
8 oz sushi-quality ahi tuna steak, cut into 1/3-inch cubes (as I said above, I used the napes, not the steak, cuz it is better, but I don’t think they sell it in your average grocery store)
1 medium avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and cut into 1/3-inch cubes
1 cup of 1/3-inch cubes seeded English hothouse cucumber (I forgot this!)
1 green onion, finely chopped (I substituted finely minced red onion)
Toasted Sesame seeds (I used mix of black and white ones) and/or chopped chives

Whisk the first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl to blend.  Add tuna, avocado, cucumber and onion, stir gently to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and/or chives.

I served on little toasts like these but you can also buy wonton wrappers, brush them with olive oil and bake on parchment-paper covered baking sheet at 350 degrees for 9 minutes to make a more Asian and more funky presentation.

Tomorrow… what I did with all them steaks!!