this is the start of something, learning to farm in Petaluma
On my friend's farm in Petaluma. . .
Moving to San Francisco some 10 years ago changed my life. More to the point, it opened-up my life. I blossomed here.
My dad was a gardener by vocation, and avocation. Green was in my genes but I’d never tried gardening as a kid. . . I just didn’t know it yet. I loved to draw, though. . .
Moving to San Francisco, I discovered truly great food. Great ingredients. Now, I wanted to find out more about the source of my food. I wanted to make it myself. I became selective about the food I chose. I started going to farmers markets.
I also moved into an apartment with unused space in the lot behind. I took it over, with the blessing of the neighbors. I had the idea I’d start an ornamental garden. I taught myself to garden by digging in the dirt every day. I grew to understand the plants by watching them, season to season, year by year.
Understanding plants and developing an appreciation for food have become essential parts of my life. It’s only natural that I would want to explore the area in which they overlap and, that’s farming. Enter my dear friend T-.
We’re on a similar trajectory, T- and I. Having never had much experience either, he’s developed his passion for farming only within the past few years, and how quickly and easily he’s succumbed to it. A fellow San Francisco resident, he’s found a way to rent a plot in distant Petaluma, which he tends as often as he can get away, getting his plant-starts established in his kitchen growing station. He’s graciously invited me to help him in his grand endeavor, and now I have a new home away from home.
Stay tuned for more posts from the farm. This is the start of something. . .
Here’s a video I find inspiring. It neatly sums up the lure of the farm, and suggests why it is that so many people nowadays are going back to their roots, by learning how to grow their own food.
heirloom carrots!
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egyptian beets!
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egyptian beets!
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pumpkin!
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the Petaluma farm
we love trees! celebrate them at the Contemporary Jewish Museum now through 28 may…
MUS•e•YUM could not have been more pleased to attend the opening-night celebration of the new exhibition, Do Not Destroy: Trees, Art, and Jewish Thought at the Contemporary Jewish Museum (CJM) of San Francisco. The CJM always puts on extraordinary exhibitions (remember Gertrude Stein and Maurice Sendak of 2011?) and Do Not Destroy, which runs now through 28 May, is no exception. A blend of art and environmentalism, religion and whimsy, the exhibition is a celebration of the role trees play in our world, in our spirituality and specifically, in our imagination as evidenced in art. Moreover, experiencing Do Not Destroy challenges us to realize our own responsibility, both individual and collective, to protect the environment. Witnessing the beauty and fragility of the world around us makes us human, and protecting what we see makes us divinely hopeful.
Only some of the memorable pieces of art include:
- A round circle of sand on the floor at the beginning of the exhibition, planted with hundreds of small metal plants. Walk the circle a full 360 degrees for the full impact of the piece, and be sure to view it from floor level, too. You’ll be glad you did.
- A short film about students in Laos. Watch to the end as art students sketch a river from the decks of small boats, and leap into the water to swim to shore when they see a tree of special significance.
- Watch a video rendition of the Tony Bennet song, “Tie a Yellow Ribbon (’round the Old Oak Tree)” – the pairing with the multimedia piece to the right is hysterical!
- Write a prayer on a small piece of paper and leave it inside a piece of wood, the collection of prayers already inside is profound and moving.
While photography is not permitted inside the exhibition, here are some memories from the opening night party that kicks it it off.
The Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Francisco
- The Food. Simple and gorgeous, I’m reminded by how beautiful vegetables are in their own right.
Grand Lobby, Contemporary Jewish Museum
enjoying the party the CJM
I invite you to go to the exhibition at the Museum, or explore it online, for more information and a first-hand view of the amazing art you’ll find there.
San Francisco Travel Guide: In the Magazine : bonappetit.com
Here’s a great list of San Francisco restaurants to experience. We can vouch for Commonwealth, and we’re eager to try more on the list! Click here :
San Francisco Travel Guide: In the Magazine : bonappetit.com.
dharma talks | Insights, inspiration and information from your friends at Dharma Merchant Services
Perhaps you, like me, are concerned about the high levels of toxicity in our environment. And perhaps you, like me, have no idea what one person can do in the face of such an omnipresent problem. The article below, from Dharma Talks, provides some useful advice in this regard and reinforces the idea that if each one of us starts by (gradually) making simple changes at home, the long-term effect will be great, and you’ll have detoxified your life. Don’t forget to leave your own tips in the comments section at the bottom of the blog post!
Winning Green America’s “Green Business Leader of the Year” award in 2009 set us on a mission to constantly try to expand the ways in which we learn to reduce our footprint and support our community.
FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR THE FULL ARTICLE:
via dharma talks | Insights, inspiration and information from your friends at Dharma Merchant Services.
‘We Were Here’ review: AIDS’ horrific early years – SFGate
This is the only time we’ll recommend a film to you this year. Just see it.
‘We Were Here’ review: AIDS’ horrific early years – SFGate.
Best of 2010, a great meal at Commonwealth
A meal in pictures: happy birthday MUS•e•YUM, October 2010
Commonwealth Restaurant, the Mission, San Francisco
to start, house-made potato chips with vinegar 'foam'
potato chips and vinegar foam at Commonwealth
porcini churros, thyme, huckleberry jam: unbelievably good
...those were so good!
albacore tuna sushi with crushed hazlenut and wasabi
potato gnocchi, corn, maitake mushrooms, sage, parmesan reggiano, truffle oil
summer squash, chilled soup, fried squash blossoms, shaved salad, vadouvan
coconut milk poached halibut, sea beans, grapes, little gem lettuce, thai spices
perfectly-cooked marrow stuffed squid, tamarind pork, shelling beans, black gardlic, cilantro
dessert: cinnamon mille-fuille, caramom marshmallow, chocolate ganache, burnt honey ice cream
We cannot wait to go back.
Commonwealth
(between 18th St & 19th St)
San Francisco, CA 94110
Neighborhood: Mission
(415) 355-1500
- Hours: Tue-Thu, Sun 5:30 pm – 10 pm + Fri-Sat 5:30 pm – 11 pm
Press:
2010′s top new Bay Area restaurants
Restaurant Experts Name the Top Newcomers of 2010
Best New Restaurants, Top Eats of 2010
New San Francisco restaurants that redefine fine dining
People’s perk, Affordable, innovative Commonwealth gives inventive cooking mass appeal.
Yes, We Can: Choose This Year’s Greatest Empire Builder
This Just In: The Top 5 New Restaurants in San Francisco
Commonwealth offers exciting, unusual dining
great look back at December 2010, thanks to our friend sfjeepboy;-)
Find the tunes here:
December 2010.
dj rackles
best of 2010, our favorite bakery is Thorough Bread and Pastry
breads at thorough bread and pastry, sf
It was a great year for bakeries in SF, with several notable openings. Yet despite the competition one bakery still holds the title of our favorite and that is Thorough Bread and Pastry.
Why we love it:
- beautifully prepared food, every item we’ve ever had there has been exquisite
- broad choice, from morning pastries and loaves of bread to small, beautifully decorated artisanal desserts, parisian macarons and even sandwich offerings at lunch
- the prices are very reasonable, and it’s a great value for your money
- the beautiful space, perfect for lingering. Not only is there ample seating indoors but check out the charming garden behind- it’s a great place to read over your coffe or, to take a special friend for lunch.
- they have a mission, and that is to train future bakers. This store is affiliated with the San Francisco Baking Institute and serves as a laboratory for the students.
- Babette
- friendly, quick service. It’s quite fun to shop here, and they’ll take good care of you.
Thorough Bread and Pastry
248 Church St (between Market St & 15th St)
San Francisco, CA 94114
Neighborhood: Castro
morning pastries at Thorough Bread and Pastry, Castro, SF
gift ideas, anyone?
plant lover's delight at Succulence, Cortland Street, Bernal Heights, SF
I don’t know about you, but as for me. . . Christmas time always brings the perennial gifting dilemma. Both to help you and to keep a running list going here, I’ve started to make a list of some interesting AND budget-friendly ideas I’ve discovered this year. And PLEASE, feel free to add your own ideas to the list via comments. And I want to make it very clear, this is my own list and I’ve made it for fun. I’ve not been approached by anyone to endorse these products in any way. I just like them.
• check the web for local gift fairs like this one in the Mission, San Francisco: La Cocina Gift Fair, 10 December 4-9pm, 2868 Mission St
• make a custom photo book online, given the delight your loved one will experience, this is always a super option. There are lots of services from which to choose.
• lots of japanese-branded gifts under $10 at Daiso, in Japantown
• Gama-Go for fun t-shirts, as well as cartoony accessories
• Hats at Goorin Brothers, there’s an awesome deal this weekend, 11-12 December mention “sample sale” in-store or online for 25% off your purchase. And if you go to the warehouse, where the actual sample sale is to be held, receive up to 75% off. Details here.
• Gift certificate Landmark Movie Theaters (the chain of independent movie theaters with several locations in the San Francisco Bay Area)
• set of two museum passes for the De Young, Costco
• Jar of Peanut Brittle, Mr and Mrs Miscellaneous, and while your there get lots of ice cream for yourself. Because you deserve it.
• Pack of parisian macarons, Thorough Bread and Pastry
• whoopie pies/gobs, Gobba Gobba Hey
• glass globe terrariums with tillandsia (air plants) or succulents Flora Grubb, Paxton Gate or make your own- the best price on empty glass globes is CB2
• succulents or specialty solar lighting for the gardener on your list, Succulence
• decorative objects made of barnacles. Ok, you just have to see them. Add tillandsia for a great centerpiece for your dining table
• carnivorous plants from Plant it Earth
• home-made gifts and other food “takehomeables” at the SF Underground Farmer’s Market, Saturday 18 December. You’ll need to sign up via this link to get more information because, well, it’s “underground” . Tantalizing? Good. Sign up and find out more.
san francisco public art, andy goldsworthy’s ‘spire’ and ‘faultline’
Great art inspires. . .
Spire, by Andy Goldsworthy, located in the Presidio, San Francisco
Last year my great friend Deena took me to a favorite spot of hers, a grove in the Presidio National Park where the forest opens to a beautiful panorama of San Francisco, right in front of you. It’s a spiritual spot, and a meditative one. It was easy to see why she brought me here. When it was decided that a monument to should be installed here, only one artist could do a place like this justice, celebrating but not changing it: Andy Goldsworthy.
So, in 2008, he built SPIRE. The amazing thing about this monumental sculpture, made of timber lashed together 90 feet high, is how effortlessly it has become part of the scene. It blends right in. This is a hallmark of Goldsworthy’s work, he incorporates natural materials from the site in which he’s working and from them he creates beautiful, fanciful and ephemeral art. Here, he took trees that would be felled (for the safety of the environment) and then used only that timber to make the sculpture. Part of the art is not only the finished state, but also the manner in which it is, in turn, reclaimed again by Nature. And will the sculpture last a minute? Two? Months? Years? That part is left to Nature, too.
Goldsworthy strives, “to make connections between what we call nature and what we call man-made.”
There is another Goldsworthy I want to tell you about, much more subtle than Spire. It’s the crack in the foundation of the de Young museum, Faultline, 2005. For this commission he created a zigzag crack in the hardscape outside the museum. The crack is a ‘path’ from the roadside to the entrance of the museum, but also serves as a subtle reminder of the seismic activity latent in the ground underneath, a characteristic of this place in the world. Unless your eyes are directed to it you might not see it but when it’s pointed out, the impact hits you immediately. Check out this great article about that piece, here.
I’ve since become a fan of his. I was so inspired after having seen Spire I created a mini-version in my backyard garden. For mine I reclaimed dead bamboo shoots from my friend’s garden, and the Hancock Spire was born!
my Spire, built in my back yard from reclaimed bamboo shoots
Not willing to stop here, I wanted to try another one. I had my opportunity when my neighbor knocked down their retaining wall and threw away the cobblestones. Thus, I gained ‘site-native’ materials for another project, and I built a zigzag ‘Faultline’ of my own by setting the stones directly into the ground, and emanating from my Spire!
my Faultline, a zigzag sculpture made from cobblestones in my back yard
My exploration of the public art in Hayes Valley, Ecstasy in Patricia’s Green, (link to post here) reminds me of the monumental and inspiring Spire. While the scale of both projects certainly inspires awe, simply by virtue of their height which forces the eye skyward, they also are partnered in my mind because of the artistic process behind them. While they differ in the sourcing of the materials, Ecstasy made from man-made objects while Spire is made from felled trees, both make from found materials sing. These monuments speak to how repurposing an everday object, even a discarded one, can imbue the art with an added significance and intrinsic beauty.
scooter ride, Bernal Heights
Bernal Heights is a such a cool neighborhood. Slightly squished between the Mission, Potrero Hill and Alemaney Blvd, Bernal is a sweet spot that’s a little less traveled, and a little less known. It is sort of a frontier outpost of the City, and a lot laid-back. A week before my birthday, I thought I’d treat myself to a trip here. My itinerary included most of my favorite things: scooter exploring, a nature walk, a bakery (ok, two), succulents and a farmer’s market. Here are some of the sights:
the view from home before leaving for Bernal
Succulence, a great indoor/outdoor plant shop in Bernal Heights
early birthday gift to myself, a succulent from the plant store, Succulence (crassulaceae diagremontiana)
the designer installing new benches at Sandbox; gorgeous work!
pastries at Sandbox Bakery, bBernal Heights
I went with the chocolate, hazelnut, almond cream and sea salt bun. It was really good.
Exploring Bernal Heights Park, San Francisco
You can see both the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Bridge from the top of Bernal Heights park
shopping at the Bernal Heights Co-op, where 6 retailers share one business storefront space
A woman after my own heart, the super-friendly and beautiful owner of Wholesome Bakery is also a motorcycle rider, -heart!! The goods here are wheat, dairy and egg free.
why yes, I'll have a snickerdoodle sandwich to go with my chai, thank you!
if you're in Bernal Heights on a Saturday morning, check out the Alemaney Farmer's Market!
persimmons and pomegranates in season at Alemaney Farmer's Market
Croissant Wars: Sandbox vs. Patisserie Philippe – San Francisco Restaurants and Dining – SFoodie
Croissant Wars: Sandbox vs. Patisserie Philippe – San Francisco Restaurants and Dining – SFoodie.
Kudos to Sandbox for their victory in this triumphant battle! (I am not surprised one bit.)
I also love their scones and sticky buns!
This place is special and worth a visit, maybe combined with a stop at the Alemany Farmer’s market (Saturday morning/afternoon), or Succulence, the shop by, and for, succulent plant lovers. . . ?
recipe mainstays, easy maryland style crab cakes and caprese salad
recipe for crab cake and caprese salad of heirloom tomato, peaches and nectarines
Here’s a simple pair of recipes that packs a lot of bang for the buck, Maryland style crab cakes and a caprese salad that amounts to nothing more than good shopping (and slicing): farmer’s market heirloom tomatoes, peaches, nectarines, mozzarella and fresh basil. (Also pictured, I did a quick sauté of summer squash with olive oil, 3 cloves of garlic crushed and a little white wine.)
Caprese Salad,
• fruit: Find a good assortment of colors, roughly equal parts juicy heirloom tomatoes and stone fruit (I like a mix of peaches and nectarines), all the better if the fruits are roughly the same size
• a bunch of basil
• a ball of mozzarella
Slice and plate in layers, putting a basil leaf between each slice.
Drizzle with olive oil and follow with a scattering of sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Take a photo of your work!
Maryland Style Crab Cakes
- 16 ounces crabmeat (Costco has a great packaged option in the refrigerated case with a long shelf life, so you can have some on hand in a pinch!)
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 3 teaspoons mustard
- 3 teaspoons melted butter
- 1 teaspoon parsley flakes
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
-In a medium mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except the crab meat.
(I mix the liquid ones first, the dry ingredients second, and combine.)
-After mixing ingredients, add crab meat and fold together with a spatula, trying not to break up the crab meat chunks very much.
-Form into desired size cakes, I get 6-8 from this recipe.
Cooking:
You can make these up to two hours before your guests arrive, refrigerated, and pop in the oven right before you plan to eat. I find the best result is to bake them in a muffin tin, but you also can bake them in a pyrex dish (they’ll be less golden on the outside), or pan fry (they’ll be greasy).
Muffin Tin: Preheat oven to 450°F. Generously coat a nonstick muffin pan with cooking spray (spray enhances flavor). Bake until crispy and cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes.
Pan Fry: pan fry on each side over medium heat until golden brown (about 5-7 minutes each side) Serve with desired sauce, I mix together a little mayo, ketchup, old bay, and vinegar, but that’s just a personal thing.
Serve with lemon wedges, sprinkling of paprika, and an assortment of sauces…get creative!
there’s corn growing in the sidewalk across the street! urban gardens of Hancock Street
I was amazed to see stalks of corn growing on my street, in the Castro neighborhood of San Francisco. Not only is there corn, there are immense (and surprisingly gorgeous!) artichoke plants, swiss chard, cabbage. . . It’s all part of an amazing urban micro-garden project planted by our neighbors, and made possible by Friends of the Urban Forest, a nonprofit organization which provides the manpower (and permits) to break through the concrete of the sidewalk, and then amends the soil for planting whatever the homeowner chooses. Gardens like this one prove the potential of even the smallest plots of land to provide food. (in this case 3′ x 9′) I want to see more of these in neighborhoods everywhere!
urban garden on hancock street, artichoke plant growing from the sidewalk
urban vegetable garden of Hancock Street
gama-go gama-vangelist!
Kaiju @ Gama-Go HQ
As I left the grocery store this afternoon someone called out to me with some persistence, “excuse me, excuse me sir?”, this after having followed me into the parking lot to ask the question. Next, “Where did you get that t shirt? It’s so cool!” I have been approached like this countless times in the last several years that I’ve been collecting Gama-Go tee shirts, not to mention the slippers, jackets, books, wallets and figurines. People come up to me at the grocery store, the bank, on the bus and on the sidewalk. The gym. It’s crazy, I’ve never worn anything that elicited questions and Gama-Go often inspires it!
My Gama-Go collection has grown to exceed in number a shirt for every day of the month and after that, I stopped counting. New designs come out every season, re-imagining a standard menagerie of characters in new situations, contexts and designs. A company founded by a small group of local San Francisco artists, Gama-Go produces all of these t-shirts in limited numbers, and they’ve become collector’s items. The t-shirts are wearable art.
(And yes, it’s true, I did name my scooter after the lizard above, Kaiju.)
335 8th St
(between Folsom St & Ringold St)
San Francisco, CA 94103
Neighborhood: SOMA
Just for fun, I ‘m going to start a running list of when and where I’m stopped, starting here:
Gam-accosted
• 8 July 2010, parking lot @ Trader Joe’s, SOMA, t-shirt: Deathbot grocery shopping
• 12 July 2010, front desk @ Golds Gym, SOMA, t-shirt: Yeti gets a haircut
• 17 July 2010, placing order at counter @ Bi-Rite Creamery, Mission, t-shirt: Geisha + Squid
• 3 August 2010, placing order at counter @ Sightglass Coffee, SOMA, t-shirt: Yeti Squad v. Deathbot Battle Royale IX
• 4 August 2010, check in @ Gold’s Gym, SOMA, t-shirt: Taj Majal
• 6 August 2010, locker room @ Gold’s Gym, SOMA, t-shirt: dirty bird, san francisco collage
• 18 September 2010, house party, t-shirt: flock of menacing birds
• 22 September 2010, Chairman Bao Bun Truck, t-shirt: Squid, Stowe Lake, Golden Gate Park, san francisco collage
• 02 November 2010, Lancaster PA farmer’s market lady, t-shirt: flock of birds, with Dirty Bird
gama go t-shirts
garden discovery. . .
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I’ve been collecting wine bottles for the last several months and I’ve been using them to create a border for my planting beds. Plunging the bottles into the ground neck-down, I have created a lovely organic pattern of variegated greens and browns, translucent and shimmering when they catch the rays of the sun. However,what I didn’t expect was that they could support life. Much to my surprise I’ve found plants growing inside the bottles! I have over a hundred little terrariums now. . .
little green shoot in wine bottle terrarium
wine bottle terrarium
costco scoop, cheapest (good) ice cream in San Francisco~
I stopped dead in my tracks today when I saw a new sign above the ordering window at the local San Francisco Costco, Kirkland GELATO. Now available on the menu is an ice cream cone with not one, not two but three scoops of ice cream* for one dollar and fifty cents. That’s right, one dollar. Fifty cents! And, it’s in a waffle cone, no less!
-Bellissimo!
*ice cream is gelato style, and it is available in three flavors: wild berry, pistachio and stracciatella.
no lines at the Costco!
PS, as if the day couldn’t get any better, when L. and I went to check out there were NO LINES. Inconceivable!
PSS, if you, like me, are addicted to Costco, you gotta check out this BLOG
ice-cream on a cold summer evening in San Francisco: Bi-Rite Creamery
malted vanilla ice cream at Bi-Rite Creamery San Francisco
I just checked the weather on my Yahoo! homepage and learned that we may hit record low temperatures this evening, July 1st.
Here’s the report:
“Tonight: Partly cloudy skies. Gusty winds during the evening. Near record low temperatures. Low 51F. W winds at 25 to 35 mph, diminishing to 10 to 15 mph.”
Just another summer evening in San Francisco!
As I rode home from work and the gym on my scooter, shivering and watching the fog blow in, I had an odd and intense craving. . . Ice-cream. It defies explanation and yet, in that moment, nothing else would do.
So L. and I put on our jackets and walked down the hill to a really great ice-cream place that’s fortunately a few blocks from home, Bi-Rite Creamery. And the line was around the block. It always is, even on a cold night like this. Like it is on rainy nights, and on winter ones. The secret is out; Bi-Rite has even been covered in national media like the Food Network and The New York Times, which reports that Bi-Rite has served up to 1,500 scoops in a day.
Salted Caramel is a perennial favorite flavor and has put them on the map. The other flavors are inventive too, like the delicious Brown Sugar with Ginger Caramel Swirl, or Ricanelas-a cinnamon base with snickerdoodle pieces. (It bears mentioning that they use fresh, local and organic ingredients, responsibly sourced, for their products but then, who on this foodie block doesn’t???)
While their hard dipped ice-creams are what makes them famous they only started serving soft serve a few months ago, so we went for that. (The fact that the soft-serve line was only half the length certainly was a bonus on a cold July night!) I ordered a malted vanilla and it was fabulous, silky in texture and deeply perfumed with my favorite flavor.
chocolate cookie at Bi-Rite Creamery
Cleverly, right there in the window where you place your order, they prominently display piles of house-made cookies, cupcakes and pie. Damn them. In my bag went a gorgeous dark chocolate cookie dusted in sugar (I’m a sucker for anything dusted in sugar, really) and a vanilla cupcake with salted caramel creme filling and a buttercream frosting, lightly dusted with sea salt.
My corruption is complete!
Tip: be sure to get the punch card when you pay, buy ten cones and you get the eleventh for free;-)
vanilla cupcake with salted caramel filling, Bi-Rite Creamery, SF
vanilla cupcake with salted caramel filling, Bi-Rite Creamery, SF
one less car . . .
No doubt the scooter is one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. And yes, I’ve named him. I call him Kaiju.
Having spent years using public transit (which was a fine, if time consuming option) life on two wheels of my own has made getting around San Francisco a dream. It’s given me a newfound feeling of freedom. It’s my wings.
I never realized until I had one just how FUN they are. I originally bought Kaiju to get to and from work quickly, putting behind me the hassles of waiting for bus connections, or waiting through service delays of the subway system. The gas is cheap relative to using a car; I use a gallon every ten days or so. And parking is far easier than it is for a car; I can utilize the gaps between parked cars, or the tiny bits of sidewalk between the driveways of houses, or any of the plentiful motorcycle parking places in the city.
But all those eminently useful arguments aside, riding on two wheels is just plain fun. And going for a ride has become an aim, in and of itself.
San Francisco is made for it. As cars inch block to block, stuck in a city not made for traffic, the scooter can leap ahead, when it is safe of course, getting you there just a little bit faster. Riding along the beach or over the hills, the scooter becomes a means to explore. There are seven hills in San Francisco and I believe I’ve ridden every one of them. It’s nice to be able to pull over easily whenever you want to take in the view. It’s nice to be able to feel the air as you ride.
2006 Blur
I ride a 2006 Blur, a 150cc bike made by Genuine Scooter Company.
2006 Blur
best ice cream in San Francisco, Mr. and Mrs. Miscellaneous
I’d been meaning to check this place out for a while now and Stephen G’s review on Yelp was the tipping point. I made a quick run after work yesterday and Mr and Mrs M. did not disappoint; I loved this place! And I’m going to go back tomorrow, too, so that’s twice in one weekend. If that’s not an endorsement, I don’t know what is. My intention was to get the Ballbark but couldn’t resist trying another flavor, all of them looked so good.
ice cream flavors at Mr. and Mrs. Miscellaneous
I sampled the Candied Violet and ultimately went with it. And, in my judgement, it just might be one of the best ice creams I’ve ever had.
Candied violet ice cream from Mr. and Mrs. Miscellaneous
The combination of the floral (real pieces of bright purple candied violet petals) with the notes of limoncello and lemon zest, made magic. What I really appreciate about this place is that the flavors are enticingly inventive without being a ‘dare’, if you know what I mean…
Then, there was that cookie. Before paying for my ice cream I spied a stack of chocolate chip like you wouldn’t believe.
chocolate chip cookie at Mr. and Mrs. Miscellaneous
I picked mine up, still WARM, and it actually started to bend in my hand. I’m not a crispy cookie kind of guy, I’m a “THIS-KIND” of chocolate cookie kind of guy. There was some nice browning on the outside, just crispy enough to contain a contrastingly melty, buttery and gooey center. Lots of chips. Awesome cookie. Maybe the best.
close up of chocolate chip cookie from Mr and Mrs Miscellaneous
So, I’m having friends over for dinner tomorrow and what’s for dessert? I don’t know yet, but I do know I’m going back to Mr and Mrs Miscellaneous to get it!
sign in the window at Mr. and Mrs. Miscellaneous
Peanut brittle at Mr. and Mrs. Miscellaneous, San Francisco
recipe fun, mark’s green eggs!
my new invention, green eggs!
This recipe is inspired by another concoction I’ve been playing with for the last few weeks, asparagus soup (which is an amazing thing in its own right, and in season right now). Looking in the fridge the morning after making the soup, I had the idea to whisk the leftover drops with egg whites, to create a more colorful (and flavorful) take on “sunny side up”. I mixed approximately one part soup to two parts egg whites. Salt and pepper. Once this mixture is poured into the hot skillet, simply drop the reserved yolks on top, sizzle for a few minutes and voila!
Really good.
This recipe is simple and delicious. And, not only are you giving second life to your leftovers but you get a whole new flavor experience, too. What’s not to love with a recipe like that?
“come and try!” or, my Costco diaries
Costco. Quite possibly the greatest warehouse club that ever was, is and will be . . .
My favorite Costco employee is Gui, and I’ve known her since 2005. She works in the San Francisco store, on the corner of 10th and Harrison. Granted, I’ve never spoken to her, other than to place an order at the Costco cafe. But her quiet dignity, fast and efficient service have left a lasting impression on me and seeing her there always makes me happy.
I created a gallery on Flickr which is a tribute to my experiences at Costco, from the Gui and the rest of her team in the cafe, to the runners on the floor with their flashing skiffs, to the food demonstrators who feed the restless masses, calming them with delightful bites of food, Costco employees have retail down to a science and dare I say, an art!
PS, if you, like me, are addicted to Costco, check out this link!
great bakeries in San Francisco, Thorough Bread & Pastry
If butter is love then this is an . . . ‘uncomplicated’ relationship.
Thorough Bread and Pastry, San Francisco
I adore Thorough Bread and in fact, I’ve made it part of my week. It’s my reward actually. Conveniently located on the way to work, I love starting the workday here with the expectation of being greeted not only by the overflowing case of gorgeous pastries and breads, but also by the friendliness of the bakers who work there. (And, I’ll confess, B. in particular!)
A working bakery, you can watch a small army of bakers working, cheerfully I might add, just feet from you as you order your breads at Thorough Bread. The café is affiliated with the San Francisco Baking Institute, so you can expect consistency and the highest bar in terms of quality. The variety is bountiful. The butter is plentiful.
Everything I’ve ever bought at Thorough Bread has, in my experience, been the best of its kind. From muffins to scones to croissants to cookies and so much more, I don’t believe you can go wrong here. There are also other items on regular rotation that I’ve not seen before in any other bakery. You owe it to yourself to try the bostock for instance. . . a thick-cut slice of brioche soaked in rum which is then baked with a layer of almond cream with sliced almonds and finally, finished with a dusting of powdered sugar. Or try the Gibassier, an impossibly light and airy bready doughnut, gently perfumed with orange zest and cardamom, finished with a light dusting of sugar (still, overall it avoids being ‘too’ sweet) The almond croissant is to die for.
Beyond breakfast and breads, there’s a small menu of sandwiches available for lunch. Enjoy on in the lovely garden patio located toward the back of the store surrounded by birds, vines and succulents:-)
I’ve been spreading the word about Thorough Bread in my own small way because when I find a local business with heart, like this one, I want to support it in any way I can. I love my neighborhood- and Thorough Bread & Pastry is a big part of what I love about it!
248 Church St
(between Market St & 15th St)
San Francisco, CA 94114
Neighborhood: Castro
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