The Second Annual Super Local End of Summer BBQ Bash!

The Second Annual Super Local Summer BBQ
September 28, 2008

"Robertson Estate" Fresh Squeezed Lemonade
An Assortment of Local Beers
Rose and Pinot Grigio
***
Homemade Pickled Cauliflower, Carrots and Grapes
Goat cheese with Edible Flowers and
Bleu Du'Auvergne
Temecula Olive Company "Mission" Olives
Bread and Cie Baguette
Salt and Pepper Potato Chips
***
Brandt Beef Burgers and Linkery Sausages
Bread and Cie Buns and Rolls
Shaved Winchester "Medium Aged" Gouda
Homemade Pickled Red Onions
Homemade Ketchup and Mustard
La Milpa Farms Heirloom Tomatoes and Greens
Barefoot Contessa French Potato Salad
Mom's Deviled Eggs
***
Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

This was the menu for the Second Annual End of Summer BBQ yesterday - we did Brandt burgers and Linkery links with potato salad and cookies, and homemade pickles and cheeses to start - but the biggest hit was one I did not quite expect - the lemonade we squeezed that morning using lemons from our tree. We went through this entire giant jar in an hour or so, but luckily I found some organic bottled lemonade soda in the garage, so we still had something for people to drink!

We had more people over yesterday than we've ever had at any one time. It was a great time, but a lot of work, and we couldn't have done it without the help of friends and family. In particular, my mother and James' mother, who made the deviled eggs (always a hit), and Padriec, James' brother, who came at 8 AM to cook and stayed till 10PM to clean up. Jora provided much needed storage space for supplies, Brandon loaned us his big, beautiful gas grill and cooler, and ingredients were sourced from local outlets including Specialty Produce, Hamilton's Meats, Taste Artisan Cheese, the Linkery, Bread and Cie and La Milpa Farm.

The pickled vegetables were inspired by this article by Molly of Orangette, (I used her recipes for the pickled onions and grapes) and an earlier batch of pickled carrots. I used the same recipe from Alice Waters' The Art of Simple Food for both the cauliflower and the carrots - adding curry powder to the cauliflower along with the coriander, mustard and pepper, and chile flakes and thyme to the carrots. (The peeled baby carrots are available in five pound bags at Specialty Produce.)

I made ketchup and mustard based on Emeril Lagasse's recipes - with a little tinkering (I used canned tomatoes instead of fresh, for one thing) and they came out pretty well. Not sure it's really "worth it" - the equivalent amount of organic ketchup and mustard from Trader Joes probably cost less altogether than what I spent on the ingredients for both of these items (particularly the mustard seed and mustard powder) - but it was fun. If you're looking for something similar without the work, Ritual Tavern sells their housemade ketchup and mustard for around $6.00 a bottle. I considered buying some from them, but I had already bought the ingredients by the time I discovered it so I just went ahead with my original plan.

The recipes for the cookies are here and here, and the potato salad is here. I searched high and low for a good vinaigrette potato salad recipe before finding this one (courtesy of a friend) and I haven't stopped making it all summer. I even made it for the dinner party we threw back in July. This time I used "marble" potatoes in red, yellow and purple, and fingerlings - both purchased at Specialty Produce.

Just like last year, I bought Winchester Gouda, our only truly local cheese, and some Bleu du Auvergne, one of my favorites for it's sweet sharp flavor and soft texture. I bought these at Taste Artisan Cheese in Hillcrest, my favorite local cheese shop for the personal attention, fun tastings and great information I get from George and Mary every time I go in. When I stopped in on Friday to pick up the cheeses I bought, Mary poured me a glass of wine and took me on a guided tour of all of the goudas in the house, and just changed my whole mood with her enthusiasm.

I used some ordinary chevre from Trader Joes to make the round mold of goat cheese decorated with edible flowers (again, from Specialty Produce) and put out some olives from the Temecula Olive Oil Company that I picked up a few weeks ago on my way back from Riverside. (It's a lovely store in old town Temecula and really worth a stop if you're driving by on your way back to town.)

Last but certainly not least, I'd like to throw in a big ole plug for the band we hired, The Grateful Hooligans. I'd been wanting to hire a bluegrass band for a party for a long time, ever since we abandoned our original wedding plan, in fact, and these guys were the perfect fit. I actually found them while researching a different group - somehow I wound up on the MySpace music page for another band, and did a search for "Bluegrass San Diego" - which led me to two additional choices - these guys, and another band called the "High Grass Rollers." (Bet they're a fun group!) We went with an acoustic performance, which was pleasant, but with the buzz from the crowd it was a little hard to hear the vocals, and I would have liked for them to have received a little more attention - maybe even get some people dancing. Guess that'll just have to wait until next year!

Couldn't Have Done it Better Myself - Angie's Chronicle of A Recent Night Out on the Town

My friend Angie surprised me today with this great writeup of our impromptu night out a couple of weeks ago - featuring visits to Hamilton's Tavern, Ritual Tavern, and Eclipse Chocolat Cafe. We had a blast, grazing our way through birria tacos, charcuterie, onion rings, a terrific burger, various and assorted beers, and some desserts including a stellar ice cream sandwich.

Intrigued? Head on over to Angie's for the rest of the story!

All about me...

I'm working on a new substantive post - I'm sorry it's been such slow going. I really wish I could post more often on here, but sadly, "real life" intervenes. I spent this weekend pickling up a storm, and making loads of cookie dough for an End of Summer barbecue we're throwing next week. (It should have been this weekend, but I had a big event for my Central Elementary Garden Project on Thursday, so couldn't jam two up right next to each other.) In the meantime, I've done a little meme that my friend Jora posted on her blog a few days ago. Though she didn't tag me (guess she already knows me too well - I even borrowed a few answers from her!) I thought it would be fun. If you're inclined - tag yourself, or leave your answers in the comments!

What are the last three things you purchased:
1. Vegetables and vinegar for making pickles (at Specialty Produce, my first trip there.)
2. toothpaste, because I lost mine. In my own bathroom!
3. some clothes and a pair of shoes from J. Crew - purchased with money I made selling some stuff on eBay.

What are the last three songs you downloaded:
Don't know the exact songs - but I know I recently downloaded songs from:
1. Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings
2. New Pornographers
3. Rufus Wainwright

What are the last three places you visited?
1. San Francisco (twice)
2. Big Sur
3. NYC

What are your three favorite movies?
(These are three that I can watch over and over again, there are many more!)
1. Singin' in the Rain
2. The Graduate
3. Fast Times at Ridgemont High

What are your three favorite possessions?
1. My grandmother's diamond ring (also functions as my engagement ring)
2. my coffeemaker
3. an old train case that I keep full of mementos, letters and postcards

What are three things you can't live without?
1. my dogs
2. my husband
3. an occasional yoga class

What would be your three wishes?
1. Good health for family and friends
2. To never have to go to work in an office again
3. The ability to always be in the moment

What are three things that you have not done yet?
1. traveled through Spain and/or the South of France
2. Mastered the art of baking bread
3. started my own garden

What are your 3 favorite dishes?
1. duck confit
2. a lobster roll
3. a really good hamburger

What 3 celebrities would you want to hang out with most?
1. Gwyneth Paltrow
2. Tony Bourdain
3. Dave Grohl

If you could describe yourself in 3 words what would it be?
1. Strong-willed
2. Curious
3. Impatient

What are 3 things you are currently coveting?
1. A teepee
2. A Smart Car
3. A new kitchen

Name 3 things you are unusually good at.
1. Playing Guitar Hero
2. Throwing parties
3. Driving (though some who call me "Crash" might disagree...)

You Likea da Spice? You'll love-a This Place! Sab E Lee Thai, Linda Vista

Tucked away in an unassuming strip mall near the corner of Ulrich and Linda Vista Road, Sab E Lee is the kind of place you probably wouldn't notice unless you knew what you were looking for - and maybe not even then. I pulled into the parking lot to turn around, thinking I must have passed it - until I recognized the lace curtains and sign right directly in front of me from photos. (The name of the business is not displayed in English, only Thai.) I met my friend Alex there for lunch, and when we sat down at one of the six or so tables inside, we were the only party. The friendly owner, named Koby, offered us menus and asked us how we'd heard about the place. We truthfully told him we had friends who had been there and recommended it, and we had read about it on Chowhound, which seemed to please him immensely.

Though we couldn't remember which dishes the Chowhounders had enjoyed, we still managed to pick one of them as our first choice, the Spicy Pork Leg with Mint Leaf, pictured above. The other dishes we chose were the Green Papaya Salad, the Catfish Larb, a warm noodle salad called Yum Woon-Sen, and the Spicy Raw Beef. We overdid it a little bit, but we wanted to try several dishes - and at an average price of about $7.00 per menu items, we didn't suffer too much for it.

The food here is notable for its spiciness, which is intense - but there are layered flavors underneath the heat that keep you coming back for more. The Spicy Pork Leg with Mint Leaf was spicy, but not punishingly so, unlike the beautiful but deadly Green Papaya Salad. Alex enjoyed this so much that despite the sweat involved, he ate almost all of it. His evident distress sent me running to the liquor store next door for some beer. I could only eat a few bites before taking a nice long break (during which I went to buy the beer) to let my palate recover. Really, it was that hot. Green Papaya Salad is one of those things that sneaks up on you too, with its cool slippery texture, it's hard to believe it packs such a wallop, and yet it does. (We ordered a 7 on the spiciness scale, to give you an idea, but we asked them not to gringo-ize the food for us.)

The noodle dish was a little bit of a break from the spicy, but not much. It was warm, which surprised us - I had expected something cool. It was sweet and savory with fish sauce, some calamari, cilantro, chiles and peanuts. We took most of this to go, and my friend who wound up eating it was absolutely thrilled.

The Catfish Larb was not as exciting to me as it seems to have been to some, but to be honest by the time I got to it - my mouth was so on fire I could hardly taste anything. I've had larb before and loved it, and I am comfortable taking the word of friends who've eaten it that it's a fantastic version. It's one of the dishes Koby is most proud of, and something they are famous for - so if you go, it's definitely something to try.

This last dish - probably the most unusual we tried - was the Spicy Raw Beef, pictured above. I like raw beef quite a lot - I often order carpaccio when it's on the menu, and never shy away from a rare steak, so I liked the texture and taste of the meat quite a bit. I probably wouldn't order this again though, because I wasn't crazy about the grainy texture of the spices coating the meat. That's probably just my personal foible though, so don't let it stop you from trying it if you're curious. The menu said something about tripe, but I didn't detect any in evidence here, which for me was just as well.

As we were eating, Koby told us a little bit about the restaurant. He's from Los Angeles originally, and so is his chef - she's cooked at a couple of very well known restaurants up there, so I'm sure the tiny kitchen and dining room of Sab E Lee is quite a change for her. He can cook himself, but he prefers to run the front of the house - you really can't do both, as he pointed out. He saw a void in San Diego's restaurant market and decided to fill it. The style of cuisine at Sab E Lee is Northern Thai, which he seemed to indicate is spicier than southern. One of the more intriguing dishes on the menu is the "Northern" and "Northeastern" style sausage which is characteristic of this region. There are several other dishes I've never seen on a Thai (or any other) restaurant menu, including Salted Lettuce Soup, Pork Tongue Jerky, and "Curded" Pork Blood Soup.

Since our visit, I've heard from several other foodie friends that they've tried it and loved it, and I wouldn't be surprised if they outgrow their teeny tiny location before long. I, for one, am already planning my next visit.

Sab E Lee
2405 Ulrich Street (on the Northeast corner of Linda Vista and Ulrich)
(858) 650-6868
Open 7 days
9:30 AM to 9:30 PM

Thirteen Things I Could No Wait, Do Eat Every Day

1. Toasted Levain Bread spread with goat cheese and topped with fresh figs and a slice of prosciutto.


2. Fresh Shrimp Spring Rolls and Spicy Lentil Wraps from Trader Joes.


3. Mint Chocolate Chip and Coffee Ice Cream - preferably together.


4. Fresh Tomato Pasta with Pesto swirled in.


5. Carne Asada burritos from Sarita's.


6. Roast Pork Bahn Mi with Iced Cafe Sue Da from K Sandwiches.


7. Homemade Roast Chicken with French Potato Salad and Sliced Heirloom Tomatoes.


8. Homemade Granola


9. Sliced Heirloom tomatoes with burrata cheese and fresh pesto or basil, drizzled with olive oil and balsamic.


10. baby peaches and green gage plums from Sage Mountain at the Farmer's Market


11. Saladstyle's Ahi Tuna and Tomato Salad


12. Falafel from Mama's Lebanese - and maybe a brownie or cupcake to go from Eclipse around the corner.


13. Those Chocolate Chip Cookies... or at least I wish!
    

If you go to Pescadero... A Slow Journey down the San Mateo Coast, Part I

Two Saturdays ago, in the middle of Slow Food Nation, I took a day off from the festivities in the City to go on an all day journey that wound up being the highlight of my trip. It was a "Slow Journey" down the San Mateo Coast, with stops at Pillar Point Harbor at Half Moon Bay, and three beautiful small farms, Pie Ranch, Harley Farms Goat Dairy, and Blue House Farm.

Complicated as it was, with multiple overlapping events and venues on opposite sides of town, it took me literally three days of poring over the calendar to come up with my schedule for Slow Food Nation. I decided that I wanted to do one of these trips early on, because they seemed to offer a chance to do something truly unique, and I was curious to be on the receiving end of a tour having guided some this past year myself. The Half Moon Bay journey caught my eye because I had not been to the area before - through what I now know was an outrageous oversight on my part - and because (be still my beating heart!) it included a visit to a goat farm. Those of you who know me well (or at all) have likely heard me wax poetic about my plan to retire to a farm in Northern California to raise goats and make cheese. If you haven't, well, there you have it. I figure it will keep me busy into my old age, and as James likes to say, "Everybody needs a hobby."

Though Slow Food Nation is long over at this point, three out of the four locations we visited are open to the public, and well worth a day trip (and Blue House Farm would probably let you visit if you called.)

If you want to go on your own Half Moon Bay Slow Journey, I'd recommend starting at Pie Ranch, located about 20 minutes South of Pescadero.

Pie Ranch is named both for the shape of the property (described to us by Farm Manager Nancy Vail, pictured at top, as "two pieces of pie kissing in the middle" ) and the fact that they grow wheat for flour and fruit that they use to make pies. It's a historic location, the site of one of the area's first and longest running dairy farms - and the farm house and buildings are still intact but in need of repairs. They are farming the lower half of the property pursuant to a lease from Peninsula Open Space Trust, an organization that works to preserve coastal property for agricultural use in the face of rising property values, and are currently in the midst of a capital campaign to raise funds to secure a long term lease and restore the buildings.

The farm works with urban high schoolers from Palo Alto and San Francisco, teaching them about about growing food, working on the farm, and the rewards that come from making something delicious with your own two hands. Pies made with the fruit they grow on the farm are sold at Mission Pie in San Francisco, but for the pies made by the students with wheat milled on the property, you'll have to go to the farm stand. If you're interested in visiting, you can call and ask about work weekends, or just ask for a tour in exchange for a donation.

The farm overlooks Highway 1 from the East, and we were dropped off at the top of the hill and walked down, past the crops and the farm buildings, all the way down to the farm stand right on Highway 1. They had two mobile chicken coops where they just harvested some wheat, and were producing strawberries, citrus, apples and pumpkins for the pies. They also sell pastured eggs through a "Community Supported Eggriculture" program as well as at the farm stand. The eggs looked so beautiful that I was sad that I couldn't buy any since I wasn't going home right away. (Don't you just love those pale green ones?)

The farm stand also features their pies, these galettes and tarts, jam, pancake mix, and the beautiful produce from Blue House Farms. It's not inexpensive, but everything is gorgeous, sustainably grown and in my opinion, well worth it (especially the plum and frangipane tart I bought, which barely made it back to the bus.) The Olallieberry jam (which came in a lovely reusable Weck jar) is some of the best I've ever had.

If you took any time getting to Pie Ranch, and especially if you've had a tour - you're probably ready for lunch by now. Based on this recommendation from Tara of Tea and Cookies and the recommendation of our tour guide, Anne Duwe - a local resident and staff member at the Peninsula Open Space Trust, I'd probably go to Duarte's Tavern (pronounced Doo-arts) for some artichoke and green chile soup before heading around the corner to the dairy.

Harley Farms is a picture perfect farm and dairy located just behind the main downtown area of Pescadero. We had lunch arranged in the loft of the barn (the open door in the photo above), which is where they normally do the tasting after their very popular tours. They served us fresh soft goat cheese on grilled bread, wine, raviolis filled with more goat cheese, a green salad made with lettuces from Blue House Farms, and for dessert - what else? Pie from Pie Ranch of course.

While we ate, Jesse Cool, the owner of three organic restaurants in the Menlo Park area, talked with us about the challenges of running a restaurant using a sustainable business model and her own experiences with Slow Food, and entertained us with some stories about the locals.

After lunch (and did I mention wine?) we trundled down to the field to meet the milking goats and tour the milking shed. We even got to milk a goat, which is something I won't soon forget - and there was time for shopping in their store - which is always open even if you don't have an appointment for a tour. The cheese is worth seeking out, with a soft texture and sweet clean flavor. I also saw it at San Francisco's Whole Foods, but I don't think it makes it all the way down to San Diego. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong - so I can go buy some.

One of the most surprising things I learned at the farm was that they use llamas to protect the goats - the llamas are fiercely protective, especially of the babies (kids) and won't let the adult goats, or anything else, near them. The female goats are very social and love to come up and rub their heads on you, hoping to be petted (and milked.) Harley Farms does not sell goats for meat - they loan them out for land clearing projects and sell them as pets occasionally, but the females are used for milking and quite literally put them out to pasture when they're done - across the street.

You can read more about Harley Farms on the owner's blog and view more photos here.

To be continued... Coming up - Blue House Farm and Pillar Point Harbor

Pie Ranch
2080 Cabrillo Highway (Hwy 1)
Pescadero CA 94060
650.879.0971
call for farmstand hours - currently open 12-6 Saturdays and Sundays

Mission Pie
2901 Mission St. (entrance on 25th Street)
San Francisco
415.282.4743

More about Mission Pie and Pie Ranch (and their Mixed Berry Pie Recipe!) from SF Gate

Harley Farms Goat Dairy
205 North St.
Pescadero, CA 94060
650.879.0480

Duarte's Tavern
202 Stage Road
Pescadero, CA 94060
650.879.0464

Slow Food for the Unfamiliar

Over the past few days, as I've written and talked about this event to people who weren't involved - I've realized that not everyone knows what the heck Slow Food - much less Slow Food Nation, is all about - and it might be helpful to have a little primer.

Slow Food is a movement dedicated to a return to traditional ways of producing and enjoying food. Growing food on a local level, preparing it in a manner that showcases it's true character, enjoying it around a table with friends and family, those are guidelines that Slow Food espouses. Somewhere along the way, Slow Food has also developed a political angle. To my knowledge, this is a relatively recent development - certainly within the past ten years, and maybe even within the last five. Slow Food's current stated goal is now "clean, fair food for all" - affordable is sometimes thrown in there, though that can be a bit of a landmine, because Slow Food is ALSO about fair payment to food producers for their artisanal goods. That, as we all know - can require one to part with a "fair" amount of money, and I don't mean that in the social justice sense.

Some in Slow Food would like to see it become a force for political change. According to the NY Times, in one of the sessions I didn't attend, Michael Pollan said: “The era of cheap food is over. Politicians like cheap food. It’s what allows them to sleep at night. We’ve known this since the French Revolution.” People need to change their lifestyles, but in order to really make a difference, he said, "Slow Food needs policy people and lawyers to carry the message beyond the table and the field." In other word, to counter the influence of lobbyists from the agribusiness giants. (Where do I sign up??)

The most often heard criticism of Slow Food is that it is nothing more than a bunch of self-congratulatory dilletantes sitting around patting themselves on the back and eating five dollar peaches. It's true that a certain amount of that does exist, but that sort of generalized naysaying arguably dismisses the efforts of the educators, farmers and growers who live by the prinicples of Slow Food, in some cases molding their lives around them. They might do what they do with or without Slow Food, but the organization provides a platform for them to bring the message to other people who might not otherwise hear it, through school programs, community projects, neighborhood farms, gardens, and farmers markets. When people who hear this message stop shopping at Albertsons and start growing their own food and buying from their local markets - they start investing in their own communities. On a widespread scale, that can be a powerful thing.

Slow Food also encourages consumers from all walks of life to contribute to their communities by going to farmers markets, eating locally - even just buying from local businesses is a step in the right direction. There's no one dogmatic approach - and everyone takes from it what they will. It's not necessary to be a member to live the life, and arguably, if you're out there doing it, then you're already a member of the movement, whether or not you carry a card in your wallet.

Apart from the political side - Slow Food encourages families to eat together, and enjoy fresh, high-quality foods, produced in a sustainable manner. Of course, these things cost money - since they cost more to produce, but I do have to admit, they really do taste better. Over this past weekend, I had strawberries that tasted like candy, and tomatoes that literally made me swoon. (I also had a pickle that tasted like a bad mussel, but we'll forget about that for right now.) When you pay more for these foods, especially if the producers are in your local area - you're putting that money back into the community, and helping someone make a living wage. When you buy the lesser quality produce at the supermarket, you're sending that money off to a corporation that is likely using most of it to pay for fossil fuels - and the rest on pesticides, the bane of large-scale farming. Wages? Pah - the stuff is grown in Mexico. Soil quality? What's that?

On a practical level, nutrients in the food are actually lost in the transportation process, and sustainably grown produce actually has more nutrients to start with if it's grown in good soil. If you haven't read Michael Pollan's book, the Omnivore's Dilemma - it's an excellent place to start with an understanding of why large scale farming is unhealthy, and why good soil is so important for growing food.

Slow Food Nation itself, I have to admit - I am still trying to figure out. The stated purpose was to bring people together and energize the movement, and I think in terms of that goal, it was a success. The weekend offered lectures, the Civic Center happenings (which were free) the Taste Pavilions (with the $65.00 tickets) the Slow Journeys (one of which I went on) and several workshops sponsored by various advertisers, which had low cost tickets at around $10.00.

It was a convention, a festival and a showplace. A way to draw attention to the movement - which contrary to what some may believe - has not subsumed all of San Francisco just yet. It was a little over the top in some ways, but that's what sells tickets (and sell tickets they did.) It was educational - and though some criticize for "preaching to the converted" - sometimes the converted need a little encouragement and inspiration - a little recharging of the batteries - in order to keep doing what they're doing and feel like it's making a difference.

Did I need to see a giant bread snail, or stand in line for prosciutto in order to feel this way? Probably not, and I would think twice before paying for the Taste Pavilion experience (my ticket was comped) but I'm glad I went this one time. It was - as was the event as a whole - definitely something to see.