92 replies to this topic

[pim]

Good morning everyone. It appears Melkor hoodwinked me into taking the food blog duty this week. This is good and bad, actually. This week is going to be somewhat more interesting than my normally uneventful week, which is the good part, of course. The bad part is that this is not an accurate portrayal of my eating life, by any means, which could be seen as defeating the purpose of this blog. Oh well, Melkor knew this when he tagged me.

This week, I will be at home, in San Francisco, from Monday to Wednesday, and will travel to Heidelberg and Strasbourg for a few days.

So, this food blog will take you from my comparatively mundane existence in San Francisco, to exploring the exciting world of airline and airport food, to devouring assorted wurst and Bitburger in the cold in Heidelberg, and to perhaps a more refined French culinary scene of Strasbourg. This might be fun, no?

Breakfast today looks like this


A bowl of latte, a glass of orange juice, a slice of toast with butter and jam, a bowl of yogurt with a dollop of jam in it.

The latte is homemade, from Francis! Francis! X5, using Illy espresso pod (yes, I am a pod person). I’m not sure if Melkor will approve of my foam though. The bread is Delle Frattoria’s Pain Intégral, bought at the ferry plaza farmer’s market on Saturday. The butter is Strauss Family Creamery lightly salted butter. I always use salted butter to eat out of hand, unsalted is, to me, only for cooking. The jam, or ahem, confiture, is from the grande dame of confitures, Christine Ferber. The one on the bread today is Reine Claude d’Alsace, the dollop in the Strauss Yogurt is Framboises d’Alsace et Violette. (Hmm, I just noticed that I use two jams from Alsace this morning, perhaps I’m already unconsciously prepping myself for the trip). The Yogurt is Strauss Family Creamery organic whole milk plain yogurt. I never buy flavored yogurt, preferring to use my own jams to flavor it. This gives me more variety and also a chance to control the level of sweetness to my own taste.

And for those of you who’re wondering, no I don’t eat like this every day. But, no, I’m not doing this to make my blog interesting, well, not entirely, anyway. I’m working from home this morning, and this is usually what my breakfast is like when I work from home. I live in SF, my office is in San Jose, which, for those of you who’re not in this area, is 45 miles (72 km) away. I also work a lot with teams from different time zones, resulting in many conference calls commencing at ungodly hours in the morning. When this happens, instead of getting up at the crack of dawn to get to the office, I just stay home and call into the meetings in my pajamas. (TMI?)

[edited to resize the photo. Thanks Melkor. I'm such an idiot.]

Edited by pim, 09 February 2004 - 12:29 PM.

[melkor]

As long as the foam in your latte doesn't look like the cappuccino with rabies I got the other day I approve.

Considering that I'm working from home in my pajamas, I think it's either not TMI or we are both guilty

Ya might wanna scale those pics down though so the unlucky folks with lower res screens don't need to scroll.

[pim]

Lunch is a bento box of pork in ginger/sesame sauce, with a few sunomono (cold things, including pickles and some cold stewed vegetables, and one gyoza (Japanese dumpling). I picked up the box from a Japanese grocery store in Japantown, on my way down to work.



It looked better than it was, actually. The sauce was so cloying sweet that I barely finished half of it.

Perhaps I will have better luck at dinner time.

[reesek]

pim,

how do you like the francis! francis!? i've had one on my amazon wishlist for 2 years!

[bloviatrix]

I frequently work from home in pajamas as well. My theory is as long as I don't have video-teleconfrencing, it's acceptable. Now, the fuzzy bunny slippers are another story.

And Pim, you neglected to provide details on the orange juice. Is it fresh squeezed? Or store bought?

[hillvalley]

I frequently work from home in pajamas as well. My theory is as long as I don't have video-teleconfrencing, it's acceptable. Now, the fuzzy bunny slippers are another story.

Some of us wish we could work from home!!!

[pim]

pim,

how do you like the francis! francis!? i've had one on my amazon wishlist for 2 years!

reesek,

I love it. I must admit, though, that I am not really a coffee person. I am more of a tea snob. The reason I got this one was because I was so sick of over-roasted and burnt lattes I get from local cafes. When I saw Illy advertised the Illy a Casa deal, I snapped it up.

I was convinced on the pods after reading Jeffrey Steingarten's review of it a while back. So I ordered the pods, and have been quite happy with them. I make pretty good espresso shots every time, definitely beat anything I get at cafes around here, and there is absolutely no mess.

I am proudly a Pod girl.

The machine is pretty good too. I've never had a problem with it, really.

cheers,
Pim

P.S. If Illy still had this deal, you might want to consider it. I think it's great.

Edited by pim, 09 February 2004 - 09:18 PM.

[pim]

I frequently work from home in pajamas as well.  My theory is as long as I don't have video-teleconfrencing, it's acceptable.  Now, the fuzzy bunny slippers are another story. 

And Pim, you neglected to provide details on the orange juice.  Is it fresh squeezed?  Or store bought?

That's precisely why I have never been able to install a camera on my computer at home. Darn difficult, the install....

The orange juice is store bought, Odwalla from Whole Foods.

--Pim, off now to cook dinner

Edited by pim, 09 February 2004 - 09:21 PM.

[melkor]

Illy still has their X5 deal going... here's the link.

[SobaAddict70]

What airline is it btw?

Nice to see you, pim.

Soba

[pim]

Dinner tonight. Stir-fried shrimps and instant noodles with basil and chili paste. Bah-mi Goong Pad Prik-pao.




The ingredients were shown in the picture, some shrimps, 1 packet of instant noodle (pre-cooked to al dente), about 2 cloves of garlic, a bit of julienned bell peppers and onions, a handful of basil, and, of course, Nam-prik Pao (Chili Paste).

I make my own Nam-prik Pao, but when I am desperate I buy the Pantainorasingh Brand.

To make this dish, begin with a hot pan, add to it some oil, then the onions. Sweat them a little, then in goes the garlic (chopped), the shrimps, the bell peppers, a few splash of fish sauce then stir everything around well. Add a table spoon or two of the Nam-prik Pao, depending on taste. Next goes the cooked noodle, stir everything around again, taste it to check the seasonings. Throw in one or two smashed bird-eye chilies if you want more heat. The basil leaves go in last, turn off the heat. You’re done.

Edited by pim, 09 February 2004 - 11:01 PM.

[pim]

What airline is it btw?

Nice to see you, pim.

Soba

Hi Soba,

Nice to see you too. It's going to be United, by the way.

Pim

[SobaAddict70]

What's in the nam-prik pao? (Give us a generic recipe, if you don't feel like listing specifics.)

Thanks, pim.

Soba

[marlena spieler]

I frequently work from home in pajamas as well.  My theory is as long as I don't have video-teleconfrencing, it's acceptable.  Now, the fuzzy bunny slippers are another story. 

Some of us wish we could work from home!!!

some of us just wish we could have bunny slippers! (me)

x
marlena

[Marlene]

I work from home mostly too, but I have furry moccassins

[chickenlady]

What's in the nam-prik pao?  (Give us a generic recipe, if you don't feel like listing specifics.)

Thanks, pim.

Soba

No, no! A recipe, please please pleeeeezzz?! I always have way too many hot peppers in my garden. I know, too many hardly seems possible...

Thanks! And great pictures by the way! I'm looking forward to hearing about Heidelberg. I spent a summer there after college when I was a vegetarian. What a waste of an excellent eating opportunity!! Well, not completely. Every morning we'd walk to the local bakery for fresh bread and cheese. I absolutely loved this very soft, rich, probably triple-cream cheese with fresh green peppercorns in it. Anyone know what that was? I haven't been able to find it in the US, even through the importers we deal with. Hmmm... It was probably a raw milk cheese and that's why. Hrmph!! Good food is wasted on the youth!

[pim]

A simple one. A bowl of yogurt with a big spoonful of jam, and a cafe au lait. The jam today is perhaps not a jam at all, but candied seville peels in rose geranium syrup by our very own Grand Lady of Preserves, June Taylor. Her candied peels are one of my favorite things in this world. I must say I am compelled to use her product today, being a fellow Bay Area dweller and all, since I used Mdme.Ferber's yesterday.

The yogurt is, but of course, Strauss.

The cafe au lait (aka latte) is today in a glass instead of my usual bowl. And for those of you who are wondering, yes, I did it just to show off the foam. tee hee.

Edited by pim, 10 February 2004 - 10:54 AM.

[reesek]

Illy still has their X5 deal going... here's the link.

oh melkor and pim...this could be very bad for me...you can't have any idea how small my kitchen is...my kitchenaid has to live in a closet - i thought i was safe on the francis francis due to cost...thanks for the link - i think.

[melkor]

Illy still has their X5 deal going... here's the link.

oh melkor and pim...this could be very bad for me...you can't have any idea how small my kitchen is...my kitchenaid has to live in a closet - i thought i was safe on the francis francis due to cost...thanks for the link - i think.

the espresso machine doesn't have to be in the kitchen - I'm sure you'll find room for it somewhere

[pim]

You should see my kitchen. It is the size of a postage stamp, and my kitchen aid lives in the closet as well. Yet there is room in my kitchen for the X5!

[pim]

No, no! A recipe, please please pleeeeezzz?! I always have way too many hot peppers in my garden. I know, too many hardly seems possible...

Hmm...despite the name, chili paste, or roasted chili paste, there's no fresh hot peppers in it. I use chili powder.

And Soba, this thing is far too finicky for a recipe. I've tried, actually. David Thompson has one in his book, I've never used it, but perhaps it might work. Mine has pretty much has the same ingredients, except I don't use galangal. I only use garlic, shallots, tamarind, shrimp paste, dried shrimps, fish sauce and chilies.

[pim]

A few people asked me about the two ceramic bowls I used at yesterday's and today's breakfast. They are the work of my ceramicist friend Lin Myerson. I think her work is fabulous, obviously.

[pim]

Lunch was picked up on the run at the local boulangerie on Pine St.



A baguette sandwich of portabello mushroom, chèvre, roasted bellpeppers, and lettuce, and a tiny cannelé de bordeaux for a sweet finish.



I had to eat this on the run, in my car, racing from one meeting to the next. The sandwich still tasted pretty good, though.

[Squeat Mungry]

Great blog, pim -- thanks!

I love June Taylor's preserves. My favorite toast spread is a half-and-half combo of her seville orange marmalade and her apricot conserve.

Thanks again. Keep up the good work and have a great trip!

Cheers,

Squeat

[SethG]

Fascinating stuff! Thanks for blogging.

I had no idea about that Illy deal. I've been telling my wife I'm not going to become one of those espresso nuts, but man.... that's a good deal. Isn't it?

[pim]

Dinner tonight was an Omakase at Kiss, with Melkor and Malik. It was fantastic, despite the company. I managed to take a picture of everything, with the bemused Naga-san looking on.

Unfortunately I left the connector cable for my digital camera at work, so I'll have to wait till I get to work tomorrow before I can post about them.

You'll just have to wait.

[melkor]

Bah. No pictures? The wine we had was a 1989 Dr. Wagner Ayler Kupp Riesling Kabinett.

[pim]

Dinner last night was Omakase at the tiny Kiss, in the company of the incomparable Malik and our dear old man Melkor.

The reservation was at 7.30. The only person that got there on time, Malik, was the one who’d never been there at all. Our Melkor, who, without the company of the directionally gifted Ms. Melkor, was woefully lost in the jungle that was SOMA. My lateness, how unlike me I might add, was rightfully blamed on Melkor, for derailing me by calling for directional guidance.

In any case, by the time we got there we were all famished, as evident by the look of our Amuse which looked like this


…after merely two seconds of landing in front of us hungry ghosts. Well, perhaps I should also show you what it looked like when it first arrived, yes?


It was fantastic, the chunks of octopus tentacles were slightly caramelized on the outside, but ever so tender, with a salty and every so slightly sweet shoyu sauce and a few pieces of scallions. There was a slight misunderstanding with Melkor’s dietary restriction of “no shellfish”. Naga-san didn’t think that squids belong in the Shellfish category. I almost agree with him. I mean, where’s the shell? Really?

Anyhow, the mistake was corrected and Melkor received an Amuse of seaweed and marinated tofu instead.

Our actual first course was a cold dish of spinach in slightly sweet tofu sauce with crispy tiny shrimps. Melkor got one without the tasty little crustaceans.

The next course was Hakusai, a layered terrine of cabbage and minced fish, in white soy bean sauce, topped with chives and a leaf of pickled ginger flower. The minced fish was quite tasty, and the sauce, again, exemplified the perfect interplay of sweet and salty in Japanese cuisine.


Next came the sashimi. Maguro (tuna), Marugai (clam), Hirame (halibut), Halibut fins, Aji (spanish mackerel) and Suzuki. My favorite tonight is the Suzuki, but everything was great as well.


Then the Chawanmushi, a silky smooth egg custard, with a piece of white fish, some crab meat, and garnished with snow peas, carrots, ginko nuts and lily bulbs.


The next course is sushi. One piece each of Toro, Suzuki, Salmon, and Hirame.

Sushi here is always fantastic. The rice is impeccably cooked and seasoned, and the fish pristine and tasty.

I ordered some uni, since it was not included in the Omakase. Naga-san broke out a new box for us, and they were supremely delicious.


The last savory course is Akadashi, a miso-based soup with mushrooms. The perfect and soothing ending to a fantastically restorative meal.


For a simple dessert, we had a perfect slice of melon. Simple, yet delicious, a fitting end to this meal.


Melkor brought a bottle of Riesling, since he’s not a fan of Sake. I will let the boys talk to you about the wine. Malik and I also shared three types of sake, Senshin, Tokugetsu, and Hekiiju. The subtle and dry Hekiiju is what I usually drink here, but my favorite last night was the Senshin Naga-san poured for us, off the menu. It was complex and floral, with a sweet finish. The Tokugetsu is a bit too strong for my taste, but Malik loved it.

How much I liked the sakes was quite evident in the declining quality of my photographs as the meal progressed.

Edited by pim, 11 February 2004 - 12:00 PM.

[ludja]

Thank you very much for sharing your meal at Kiss; it looks incredible. I'm intrigued by the courses you had before the sushi. It is officially 'on my list'.

[alacarte]

I love the pictures with your weblog, Pim.

Question -- in the picture taken in your car, what is that sitting next to your sandwich? It looks like a mini chocolate Bundt cake, but it's hard to tell.

edited to add: oh, duh, I now see that you specify that it's a cannelé de bordeaux.

what's that, please?

Edited by alacarte, 11 February 2004 - 11:39 AM.