San Francisco International Chocolate Salon 2010

fort mason(Photo: Historic Fort Mason)

This weekend I headed out to Fort Mason to attend the San Francisco International Chocolate Salon. Located at the top of San Francisco right near the Golden Gate Bridge, Fort Mason is a former army post that is a great example of repurposing historic buildings for modern use . The old dock warehouses have been taken over by the Fort Mason Center, an organization devoted to the culture of San Francisco. Each year the center puts on thousands of events in the spaces, and the area also houses a variety of arts organizations, and the long standing Greens Restaurant: the upscale vegetarian dining establishment where one of my favorite cookbook authors Deborah Madison once reigned in the kitchen.

Having never been to Fort Mason before (shame on me!), all I knew from my peers was that this was an old army warehouse sized room devoted to chocolate… chocolate everywhere… samples of chocolate… everywhere. And I missed this last year? So this time I made sure to register early.

What I found out after walking through the fair: International Salon is more like… “International” in the baseball “world” series type of connotation. Most of the chocolates that I tried were west coast confections, with a few national companies. Overall I was a little disappointed at the lack of creativity – sure there was salt and chocolate everywhere, and bacon also made it’s appearance, but a lot of the chocolate was over sugary, and the flavorings overpowering.  Nevertheless, there were some redeeming standouts.

celia and elizabeth

My first responsibility at the fair was a work errand – I had to run back to see Celia at the Omnivore Books table, and hand her off some more bookmarks and calendars from the bookstore, as she had run out (Always a good thing!) Celia was in charge of author signings from some of the choco-celebs doing talks at the fair. When I got back to the booth, there was Elizabeth Falkner, of Citizen Cake, Orson, and Top Chef fame, just hanging out. I made sure to get a requisite silly picture of her and Celia.

Highlights of the salon:

Clarine’s Florentines: The florentine is an italian cookie made of nuts and caramel, which can be dipped into chocolate. These are one of my favorite cookies, but I hesitate to bake them because I have no restraint- once I make a batch, they find themselves quickly down the hatch. My hatch, only mine, because I’m greedy. (Like that? I rhyme and I’m ridiculous…)

Clarine makes her florentines out of Berkeley with almonds mixed in a caramel of butter, sugar, honey and cream, and are dipped in Guittard bittersweet chocolate. They were the first product I sampled at the fair, and the last (I went for a second go.)

Clarines Florentines

Lavender Chocolate Gelato: Ali’i Kula Lavender, a lavender farm on the island of Maui. I didn’t actually know that Hawaii grew lavender, but apparently the do all year round. Their delicious gelato is unfortunately only available in Hawaii, but I’m looking forward to recreating this combination at home this summer.

lavendar chocolate ice cream

Marti Chocolates: I headed over to the Marti booth on the recommendation of Elizabeth Falkner, and was impressed with the chocolates they had to offer. Marti, based in LA had some of the more creative flavors showcased at the salon, including Goat CheeseZesty Philipine Lime in Dark Chocolate, and Durian, which I dutifully sampled and actually enjoyed. I thought that the flavors of the fillings and the chocolate both came through clearly. They were quite delicious.

marti durian

Poco Dolce Chocolate – it’s not a secret, I’m in love with these chocolate squares ever since I had my first one last year conveyed in this moment: “Deep, dark chocolate. Spicy chile pepper with hints of cinnamon. Crunchy little toasted pumpkin seeds nestled in between. And flecks of salt that make the chocolate sing! You experience each individual layer and then they mix together and… I can’t come close to giving them justice, you really have to just try one.”

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I also liked the caramels dipped in chocolate with salt from Posh Chocolates – I’m love the combination of chocolate and salt, and this company had some particularly creative salts that they were using, including White Truffle Oil Caramel with Cyprus Flaked Sea Salt, Coconut-Pineapple Caramel with Hawaiian Pink Sea Salt, and Bacon Caramel with Apple wood Smoked Sea Salt. I thought the flavors were good, but in some cases the salt seemed to overwhelm the chocolate.

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After gorging myself with chocolate, my camera became lazy- so not pictured, but enjoyed:

Fentiman’s Botanically Brewed beverages: After tasting these at both the Green Fest, at Il Cane Rosso, and now at the chocolate salon, I’m hooked. My particular favorite is the Shandy soda – a mixture of beer and lemonade (their version has less than .5% alcohol). Fentiman’s soda is also the center of food scandal, after the state of Maine decided to outlaw their products to minors (even though it has less alcohol than…bread…yes, bread.) Sometimes I’m just so befuddled by people that I want to leave and start my own country somewhere.

Marin French Cheese Company (also known as the Cheese Factory and Rouge et Noir): I recently learned from reading Gordon Edgar’s ‘Cheesemonger – A Life on the Wedge’ that this is the oldest cheese manufacturer in the country. I haven’t yet gone to visit, but I think it’s on my to-do list for this spring. Cheese tour anyone?

And finally, what would a chocolate salon be without makeovers??? (Yeah, I was a little perplexed about that too.) But, I do admit that I waited an absurdly long time in line to get my girly beauty fix at Bare Escentuals, maker of the Bare Minerals line of cosmetics. While my date sat patiently for 40 minutes playing scrabble on my ipod, (*he was very, very patient), I sat getting dolled up and left with a handful of free samples.

The lipgloss they put on was the final touch, and as I was already completely full from chocolate samples, it was the natural conclusion to our time at the fair. Will I go next year? Perhaps. The $25 price tag for the chocolate salon is a little steep, but for those willing to be gluttonous, this isn’t too bad of a deal.

If anything, I should set up a booth selling milk and water. I think I’d make a killing.

Ad Hoc!

Tonight I got whisked away on a romantic date….. to AD HOC!!! (Yet again, an Ad Hoc trip…. yes… we decided at 6:45 that we were going to drive to Yountville to dinner.)

Ad Hoc, Thomas Keller’s casual eatery, is one of my absolute favorite restaurants, ever since I had my first blissful meal there, and a subsequent wonderful meal there on Christmas (Chicken and Waffles!). There are many wonderful things about Ad Hoc, but the things that come to mind are:

a) delicious food

b) cozy relaxed atmosphere, jovial staff

and

c) oh wait… more delicious food.

After meeting Thomas Keller and his head chef at Ad Hoc David Cruz, the food tastes even better knowing how gracious and wonderful these people are.

ad hoc menu.JPG

Tonight we had:

Salad of Escarole Hearts, and romaine lettuce with shaved radish, candied walnuts, kalamata olives, asian pears, utterly crispy and buttery garlic croutons, and white anchovy dressing. (The dressing was so good that I was offered a little dish of it after the waiter noticed me desperately wiping the plate clean with bread… I politely declined slightly shamed, because asking for more dressing after you’ve finished your salad is the true sign of a glutton.)

Devon was quite fond of the candied walnuts, which I plan on making in the near future.

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Herb Crusted Colorado Lamb Sirloin, with broccoli rabe from the French Laundry garden, roasted cauliflower, the creamiest polenta topped with a golden raisin and caper relish. [The broccoli rabe was crisped like kale chips, and the lamb was painfully delicious and absolutely beautifully cooked.]

To be honest, it was so rich that I neither one of us could finish – so it got packaged up for tomorrows breakfast – I’m planning on lamb hash.

lamb.JPG

The cheese course was one of my favorites: Tumalo Farm’s Pondhopper, from Bend, Oregon, with roasted peppers, arugula and a sweet onion soffrito.

The cheese reminds me a little bit of Turkish Kaser, and these red peppers were stellar. I ended up eating the second half of Devon’s cheese, because he understands moderation, and I, well, sometimes I just can’t help myself. We make a good team.

cheese course.JPG

And for dessert:

Some blissful Tiramisu with homemade lady fingers, and this lovely and light mascarpone cream. It was mighty tasty, although I must admit not nearly as boozy as if I were to make it myself…. Then again, I don’t have very much restraint, so this is a more refined version.

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I finished with a cup of french press coffee, and a permanent smile on my face that might not go away for the next two weeks.

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A perfect evening.

Review of Marcia Gagliardi’s ‘The Tablehopper’s Guide to Dining and Drinking in San Francisco’

Tablehopper

Before I even moved to San Francisco, I started plotting where I would eat. I picked up (and annotated) a Zagat guide, I read through a copy of  ‘The Cheap Bastard’s Guide to San Francisco’, I started reading Yelp reviews, all in addition to the 30 or so San Francisco bloggers I was relying on to steer me in the right direction. I was armed with a long list before I ever stepped foot on California soil.

And then, as soon as I got here, I discovered a great new addition to my growing arsenal:  ‘The Tablehopper’ newsletter, written by the ever charming Marcia Gagliardi. First of all, I should start by saying that this woman knows how to eat.

Her weekly newsletters are a combination of local reviews, restaurant news, food news, food gossip and events, and numerous ideas to fill your calendar and to-do list. I read it partially because it gives great advice, partially because it makes me giggle, and partially because I’m a masochist and it’s impossible not to be completely jealous of her gastronomic adventures.

And now she’s in print!

Enter Marcia Gagliardi’s new book: ‘The Tablehopper’s Guide to Dining and Drinking in San Francisco – Find the Right Spot for Every Occasion’. Thanks to Ten Speed Press, I got my hands on an early copy of this book, and it became immediately clear how useful it is.

For anyone (like myself) who decides on restaurants specifically based on emotions or occasions, this book is organized by particularly useful sections including:

  • Dinner with Your Parents (Conservative or Cool Ones)
  • Offbeat or Ethic Group Dinner Locations
  • Hip, but not a Total Scene (Slightly Spendy)
  • Co-worker Birthday Lunch
  • Good (or Hip) Spots for Solo Dining
  • Hungover (Can’t Leave Bed)
  • There are also 1, 2, and 3-day Itineraries for those visiting the city, and sections organized by food type, such as Pho or Dim Sum

Now, when I’m looking for inexpensive vegetarian, gluten-free, a place to take my grandmother, or the perfect burger, I have all the information right at my fingertips, and it fits easily in my bag. This is a great gift for anyone living in San Francisco, or anyone planning a gastronomic trip to San Francisco.

Tablehopper Cover

Follow Marcia on Twitter (while you are at it, follow me on twitter) or subscribe to the Tablehopper newsletter to get tasty ideas for bay area dining every week in your inbox.

Or come visit Marcia, (and me!) in a few weeks here at Omnivore books:

Wednesday March 24th, 6pm, free Book Signing at Omnivore Books 3885 Cesar Chavez St. at Church, San Francisco. Andrew Mariani of Scribe will be pouring his delicious 2008 Pinot Noir, Carneros, Sonoma. Yes, there will be free wine. Who doesn’t love free wine?

*            *           *

The Tablehopper’s Guide to Dining and Drinking in San Francisco: Find the Right Spot for Every Occasion by Marcia Gagliardi; Chronicle Books, 230 pages.

Tablehopper Spine

Chickpea Curry with Fresh Dill Leaves + a Review of ‘5 Spices, 50 Dishes’

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For the past few weeks I’ve been cooking up an South Asian storm. I love the flavors and spices in all types of South Asian food – and use many traditional ingredients in my everyday cooking – a lot of ginger, turmeric, cumin, and coconut milk to name a few.

I just wrote my first review up at The Good Taste Review for Ruta Kahate’s book ‘5 Spices, 50 Dishes’. Head on over and let me know what you think!

I didn’t want to leave you all hanging, so this chickpea recipe is one of my favorites that I tried from the book. I love chickpeas in any permutation, but this recipe was particularly fresh and light. It could either make a nice side dish, or a good vegetarian meal if served over rice. When I first made it, I ate it as my dinner, and was quite satisfied.  Although the recipe called for canned chickpeas, I made this with Rancho Gordo chickpeas that I had soaked overnight and cooked.

Chickpea Curry with Fresh Dill Leaves

from ‘5 Spices, 50 Dishes’, page 42

Serves 4

This recipe traditionally uses a split and skinned Indian chickpea called chana dal, but I’ve found that canned chickpeas work just as well – which makes it possible to create this dish in minutes. The other interesting thing is that it uses dill leaves in the typical Indian style – as a vegetable, rather than as an herb. Serve with Marathi Yellow Fried Rice (page 103), and Roasted Onion Raita (page 98) for a hearty vegetarian meal.

  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne (or less)
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, finely ground
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated garlic (about 2 large cloves)
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger (about 2-inch piece)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 medium tomato, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 3 cups finely chopped dill leaves and tender stalks (about 2 bunches)
  • One 15.5 ounce can low-sodium chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan and sauté the onion over medium heat until it has softened, about 5 minutes. Add the cayenne, coriander, garlic, ginger, and turmeric and stir for 3 to 4 minutes. Mix in the tomato and cook until it is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the dill, chickpeas, water, and salt, and simmer until the dill is soft and tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Serve warm.