Food: July 2009 Archives

Joel Baker, bar manager at the three-year-old speakeasy Bourbon & Branch -- which has already landed twice on Esquire's Best Bars in America list -- and bar consultant behind Future Bars, gives us this week's summer cocktail. It's a crisp, complex, slightly sweet concoction that looks like a deceptively simple, clear martini. Here's Joel on the origins:

Oh, what a day! What a day! What a day! Today is National Milk Chocolate Day. Milk chocolate, you see, is the way chocolate was meant to be eaten. Dark (or real) chocolate is disgusting and bitter and gross on the tongue. It is also pretentious and stupid. People who enjoy high-percentage cocoas are the most annoying people you will ever have the displeasure of meeting. They like to boast about their "sweet tooths" while waiting in impossibly long lines at Tartine (You can hear them say things like, "Oh, this all just looks so good!" or "I tell you, I can't decide!" or "Mmm, heavenly!" Vile.) And men who enjoy dark chocolate are as good as castrated. New foodies generally flock to dark chocolate the same way they do to bacon, pirates, and condescending prattle about how vegetables should always be crisp and barely cooked.

A French-speaking customer (named "Joe") tags the chalkboard at Pizzaeria Delfina.

This week's recipe is a decidedly summer libation based on the classic Pimm's Cup, and it comes to us from Carlo Splendorini, bar manager at Gitane (6 Claude Lane). The original Pimm's Cup was created in London around 1850, and it's made with Pimm's No. 1 -- a gin-based aperitif infused with berries & spices -- along with fresh berries, mint, and soda. It became a hugely popular drink in southern England during the warmer months, and different recipes came to include a cucumber garnish and substituted ginger ale or tonic for the soda. Carlo created the Castillan Cup in order to highlight the Spanish influences on the menu at Gitane; the Bierzo Roble wine is from Castilla y Leon and is a solid fruity wine made from the Tinto Mencia grape. The cocktail makes for a unique and seasonal addition Gitane's cocktail list.

Calling all (for lack of a better term) foodies. Ready for a little controversy? The next Long Now Foundation lecture on Tuesday, July 28th promises to be especially interesting, as two agriculture experts make their case for why we should support the development of genetically modified plants AND organic farming techniques: "Organically Grown and Genetically Engineered: The Food of the Future."

       

That's right. SFist classed up its act last Friday when we jumped into a cab, threw our hair back, and deadpanned to the driver, "Take us to the Ritz." Yes, we went to the famed and supposedly inaccessible Mobil Five-Star awarded The Ritz-Carlton Bar and Dining Room, and thank God we did. It was remarkable -- surprisingly so.

It's official. Food trucks are dead. The hot dog cart, it seems, has the newest and hottest item for you to shove in your mouth. Why do we know this? Because Marcia at Tablehopper said so. Duh. According to Tablehopper's recent Twitter message, "Froyo was 2008, Street carts are 2009 Part 1, Hot dogs are 2009 Part II." And, what with this controversial wurst-related item that blew up SFist last week, it really does seem to be the case.

Last week in New Orleans, bartenders and cocktail journalists from around the country gathered for a particularly booze sozzled conference known as Tales of the Cocktail. Highlights included the History of Saloons in America panel led by H. Joseph Ehrmann of SF's Elixir, the nomination of local cocktail blogger Camper English for Best Spirits Writer, a seminar on bacon-infused cocktails, and Bols Genever winning Best New Spirit. Jonathan Santer of Heaven's Dog brings us this dispatch, and our weekly recipe:

Two-time Olympic figure skating gold medalist Brian Boitano makes his Food Network debut next month. Taking a cue off of that South Park song that made him a household name, it's called What Would Brian Boitano Make? (Our guess? Probably protein shakes and lots of meat, or whatever else it is that sports types eat.) The Food Network describes the new show like this: "Brian hosts unpredictable get-togethers at his San Francisco home and creates amazing menus focusing on innovative but accessible dishes. He feeds an all-girl roller derby squad, plays matchmaker for a friend, wins over his handyman’s supper club, and plans a surprise party celebrating new motherhood." Needless to say, we're very excited to see this. Not only will it mark the return of our favorite figure skater, but it also means the Food Network stopped hiring hosts with -- how should we put this? -- unique physical attributes.

One Market has undergone some renovations. Swankier renovations, we hear. Tomorrow, they open The Penthouse, located on the 42 floor. It will feature stellar 360º-degree views like the one at right. Want to check it out? If so, UC Santa Cruz is throwing a worthy benefit, one that will help fill your stomach and help students in need of housing. It's a bash for "Grow a Farmer," and in exchange for a mere $25 you will get to sample foods from UCSC Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems alumnus.

In his new column, Chron foodie Michael Bauer sounds more than titillated by the concept of Saison, a new restaurant from partners Joshua Skenes and Mark Bright that is set to begin service one night a week only with a set menu. From the sound of it, after a few sold out weeks they'll likely be serving three nights a week, but this does serve as another example of ingenuity in the face of economically uncertain times in the restaurant biz.

This week's drink comes to us from Sierra Zimei, bartender at The Four Seasons, who created a drink that, appropriately for the venue, goes with all seasons. As Sierra says, "It's a great drink for when the weather can't decide to be hot or cold, foggy or clear. This drink is also great for when you can't decide if you want to have something strong or sweet, a straight liquor or a cocktail." She set out to create something that sounded like a classic cocktail using new ingredients.

Happy pig face shot at 18th and Mission market by Mission Mission's newest official contributor, photographer Ariel Dovas.

15 Romolo -- which is tucked up on Romolo Place, half a steep block above Broadway -- has recently undergone a facelift and change of management, and it's a refreshingly warm and civilized joint in the otherwise frat-douchey environs of North Beach. New managing partners Scott Baird and Aaron Smith aren't fucking around with the drink menu, which features both adventurous concoctions and creative takes on classics. For summer sipping we'd highly recommend The Yellow Bicycle, a mix of yellow chartreuse, St. Germaine, lemon and champagne. But the drink that really floated our boats was the Rio Grande, which Scott created for a friend of his, Justin Simoneaux (now of the Moss Room), while the two were working at Coco500. Says Scott:

Sightglass Coffee's opening day was yesterday. Owners Jared and Justin are "super nice," according to Yelp. And their brew? Is billed as "artisan." And, from what we hear, pretty damn fantastic.