“As I ate the oysters with their strong taste of the sea and their faint metallic taste that the cold white wine washed away, leaving only the sea taste and the succulent texture, and as I drank their cold liquid from each shell and washed it down with the crisp taste of the wine, I lost the empty feeling and began to be happy and to make plans.” -Ernest Hemingway -’A Moveable Feast’
One of my favorite stops when I am in the Bay Area is the Hog Island Oyster Company for a dozen of their plump, sweet oysters. They have two oyster bars, one at the Ferry Building in San Francisco and a newer location at the Oxbow Market in Napa, as well as a picnic location at Tomales Bay where they are harvested. They offer oysters grilled, baked and fried as well as clam chowder and oyster po’boys but I prefer them plain and on the half shell. Not even a squeeze of lemon to get in the way of their briny deliciousness. (more…)
When my sister and I were growing up, our visits to Sicily were most often in July and August, when figs are in season. My Zia Pina would always have a plate waiting for us almost as soon as we got off the plane. The taste of the green figs that grow on their farm would immediately let me know that I was back in Sicily. Later, when we got settled, my sister and I would walk back through the lemon trees, searching for one of the very old and gnarly fig trees. We would eat them straight from the tree, still warm from the sun and tasting like honey. (more…)
In honor of my birthday today, I am making a batch of my new favorite summertime cocktail for my friends. Really, I heart anything with cherries this time of year….they taste like the essence of summer In a world where you can get strawberries in December, there are very few things that you can really only find in season. I think cherries taste even sweeter because they are only available for such a short period in the summer. Of course, it’s human nature, make something scarce and we want it all the more! Anyways, celebrate summer with this fun and easy recipe. It’s great because it can be made the day before (or even up to 3 days before) and stored in your refrigerator so that you have more time to spend with your guests. (more…)
Blood oranges are in season right now. If you aren’t familiar with them, they have a slightly sweeter, more concentrated flavor than regular oranges and a beautiful, bright vibrant red color (hence the name!). My dad has made homemade limoncello for customers at his restaurant for years, but is now experimenting with blood orangecello. His first experimental batch was ready for our Sunday dinner this week. It was like drinking fresh, super concentrated blood orange juice but with substantially more kick and a slightly bitter, refreshing aftertaste. We keep it in the freezer and serve it just as it is, but it is great in cocktails or drizzled over fruit or ice cream after dinner. My dad also claims that this can cure a cold if you pour a shot in hot water to make a Sicilian style hot toddy! Not sure if that really works, but it would certainly make you forget your cold. (more…)
Its nice to have pantry staples that you can use in a pinch to liven up a meal or add interest to last minute entertaining. Chestnut honey is one of those perfect pantry staples. Be forewarned that this is not your standard grocery store ‘honey bear’. It’s unusally rich, dark and heady flavor will come as a bit of a surprise….and it is a strong, unique flavor that is not loved by everyone.
The slightly bitter, spicy flavor gives a kick of elegance to lots of different recipes. I love it stirred into my coffee, drizzled over toast or swirled into thick greek yogurt for breakfast. An easy, yet very elegant dessert would be to quarter a pear, spoon a bit of gorgonzola over it, drizzle with chestnut honey and sprinkle crushed hazelnuts over it. (more…)
I know. You foodies out there have already heard of Russ & Daughters. How can someone not be familiar with this temple to smoked salmon? It has been featured by everyone from Martha to Oprah in addtion to delighting customers on the Lower East Side of New York since 1914. However, in the off chance that someone has not tasted their bagel and lox…let me just say that this is one to put on your ‘must-eat’ list. This is one of the last (and certainly the best!) Jewish ‘Appetizing’ Delis out there so I thought it might be worth adding my praise. (more…)
I know. I know. It’s not for everyone. I have heard all the arguments. It’s a texture thing. You just can’t imagine eating anything that comes from something so spiny. The bottom line is that you either love it or you hate it. I definitely fall into the first group. I love it and truly think it is the single sexiest food in the world. It tastes like the essence of the sea distilled into one delicious, briny, creamy, rich bite. I love it tossed simply with spaghetti. I love it as ‘uni’ in sushi. I love it most of all as simply as possible….eaten straight out the shell with a spoon or a crusty piece of bread. Nothing was a bigger treat when I visited Sicily as a child than my cousin Pietro taking us to the market to watch the fisherman crack open plates and plates of them with a machete, right in his iron gloved hand. All of that with the brilliant blue sea behind us. It seemed very exotic to a little girl and I can still taste that far-away feeling in every bite.
I will admit it. I am seriously obsessed. I have always had a bit of a thing for pistachio gelato, but Dolce Gelato in my family’s hometown of Bagheria has turned this into a full blown obsession. My cousins have been willing accomplices in my obsession….and it seems perfectly reasonable when they suggest that we have a gelato stuffed brioche for breakfast or a gelato for Sunday dinner. While having gelato for breakfast would not be socially acceptable here, in Sicily it makes perfect sense! (more…)
