As Fall approaches, I reflect on my first summer back as a Californian; it’s been a whirlwind of fun and lazy days, reminiscent to my childhood (after all, I did grow up here). The weather has been quintessentially Bay Area: cool, crisp air, a warm sun, which requires most to dress in layers for a cool morning, a warm late afternoon, and back again, returning to a chilly night. However, it’s starting to really warm up here, as a late Indian summer reveals itself and lets us know that Fall is around the corner. But it hasn’t been all fun and games…I did a stint in restaurant work, laboring for 12 to 16 hours a day, commuting back home for an average of 6 hours of sleep only to do it again the next day. Needless to say, although cooking is fun, restaurant life wasn’t for me. I left and found a more suitable position as a test kitchen cook again.

Back in my somewhat familiar routine, I have my weekends to visit farmer’s markets, and evenings for eating out or staying in and cooking (or enjoying someone else’s).

But I just wanted to share what I’ve been up to this past summer. Enjoy these pics from my visit to a farmer’s market in Marin County and an event I assisted with Chef Charlie Parker in Santa Cruz.

One of the best parts of being a California resident is the long season for produce. I just went to the market this past Sunday in Oakland’s Jack London Square, amazed to still find a plethora of ingredients to choose from. More to come, so stay tuned…

 

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Picture 1 from 16: Farmer's Market in Marin County.

I enjoyed my day today with a fellow cook/friend and we decided to hang out in his neck of the woods - Berkeley. After a late lunch, we trekked over to Monterey Market and Berkeley Bowl; both are independent businesses offering a plethora of local, seasonal produce and speciality items at - I must say - for the most part, reasonable prices.

He was thinking of his menu for a tasting he was doing for some friends and wanted to check out ingredients for inspiration. I can’t even describe the impressive amount of available ingredients at these two stores; I found items that are usually difficult to find and have only had access to by working in/via restaurants. I was like a kid in a candy store and was easily amused by the goldmine of ingredients! There were things I hadn’t even seen before…which also consistently reveals and reminds me of the diversity of the Bay Area.

 

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Picture 1 from 9: Mushrooms galore.

Afterwards, we walked down Shattuck Avenue, where we walked through a variety of shops and ended up at Off the Grid, an event in which regular mobile food trucks gather - set up much like a farmer’s market. Chairs are spread out and the community comes together to enjoy good food, each other’s company - and today - the beautiful weather.

 

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Picture 1 from 3: Along our walk on Shattuck, we stopped in a cheese shop...

“The fresh with the indulgence - that’s very California,” as Barbara Fairchild put it in an interview with Sunset Magazine. And that seems to be the lot of it as I explore through the restaurant scene here in California. In the more reputable spots (from casual to high end), I am finding that many menus include a note at the very bottom in small print, explaining the use of seasonal/local/organic/free-range ingredients. This makes my dining-out choices a bit easier and provides a sense of relief; as a cook myself, my personal preferences also steer towards supporting the community and the environment by eating locally and organically, as much as possible. Not only does this support the underdog directly and provides a sustainable agriculture, but I believe this also results in the best quality ingredients. And I’m not trying to preach here, just sharing my perspective.

Needless to say, I’m chomping my way through restaurants showcasing a medley of vegetables in its dishes, as well as meats.California’s restaurant scene has always been pretty good at making use of their local agriculture and reflecting the diversity of its ever-changing demographics. I am eagerly awaiting to check off my list of the various ethnic restaurants to try…as well as being pleasantly surprised by those with international ambitions.

I gotta say, right now, it’s nice to be a Californian.

 

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Picture 1 from 4: I was visiting a friend in Sonoma and we decided to have lunch at a restaurant called Flavor. This is the pear bruschetta with blue cheese, drizzled with reduced balsamic vinegar.

I’m almost completely unpacked and just about settled in. The weather here is much cooler than what I’ve been used to in New Orleans, but I’ve got to admit that I won’t miss the humidity factor as it creeps into summer. Amidst the mountains of boxes and scattered knick knacks along the floor, I’d take breaks from the overwhelming task and take drives to reacquaint myself with Bay Area. On this particular trip, I made my way towards Napa and through a winding road in Rio Vista.

 

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Picture 1 from 5: The Culinary Institute of Arts, St.Helena

I’m signing out…for a little while. I’m sorry to say that I’ll be leaving Emeril’s and New Orleans to return to my hometown in California. But the good news is, I will still blog, just about the food world in the San Francisco Bay and surrounding areas. So check in for a West Coast perspective.

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I’ve been testing these suckers for what seems like forever now…and I finally got the result that I’ve been looking for: a crispy, thin, eggshell-like crust, chewy center and creamy filling.

The cookie themselves are coffee flavored, while the center is a white ganache with a shot of nocello.The flavor inspiration comes from dinners with Chef Emeril, who often orders a cup of coffee at the end of dinner.

 You may or may not see these in one of our upcoming books…but here’s what they look like.

First, I saw the rows of buttermilk drops on Edible New Orleans (a magazine based of off Edible Communities, a network of local publications) cover photo. And then I heard murmurs from coworkers reminiscing over the nostalgic confectionary, that could once be sought after at McKenzie’s pastry shop, a local chain that is no longer in existence.

What was this, “buttermilk drop?”

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I hope everyone had a great holiday! I know I did…pretty busy and sometimes difficult to keep up with the blogs. I spent my holiday season here in New Orleans this year…I gotta say that experiencing a relatively warm Xmas/New Year was strange, but  comfortable at the same time!

 Anyway, I wanted to share some things we tested recently; mainly bread for one of the upcoming books. I got a kick out of the English Muffin Bunny…

 

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Picture 1 from 2: Stacey's English Muffin Bunny (We couldn't find our round cookie cutters and she had to improvise). Although we won't leave it as a bunny, this first recipe run seems pretty good.

I was famished when I got home last night and didn’t have anything prepared to immediately consume. I made my weekly visit to Hollygrove during the weekend and picked up a box of produce…but the farthest I got with those was cleaning and prepping them. I wasn’t in the mood to spend any extensive amount of time prepping, cooking or for a clean-up afterwards. I needed something quick and delicious.

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And it’s my favorite. On most days, I try to keep it light and healthy. I need some good fuel to ”get my engines” running, ensuring a good start to my day. But I consider my weekends for an opportunity of luxury and try to remind myself to enjoy the smaller things in life - especially time. Time to enjoy good company, good food, the ability to stretch out my body and go for a run under the shady trees of Audobon park or explore the city. But first, I sleep in and then I have brunch.

I had a buddy in town this weekend and we went to brunch this past Saturday at Dante’s. I have been frequenting this spot recently and enjoy most items on the menu.

 

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Picture 1 from 2: Debris with Poached Egg and Biscuits (house-made strawberry and apple jelly in the background for the biscuits).