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Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, April 23, 2008 Goodbye King, Hello Coho, Janet Fletcher Chefs and home cooks do have alternatives to the local beloved salmon Recipes: Delfina’s Paccheri Amalfi Style Sauteed Ling Cod with Leeks & Aanchovy Butter Halibut Baked in Pumpkin Seed Mole Broiled Sablefish with Coriander & Paprika Judy Rogers’ Four-Minute Egg Gribiche Hotdog days of spring, Georgeanne Brennan Recipes: Jerry’s_Style Red Hot Currywurst mit Brotchen The Roving Feast, Marlena Spieler Malaysian stew inspires a song in her heart Recipe: Rendang What’s New: Opening: Anchor & Hope in San Francisco Other Openings: Hopmonk Tavern in Sebastapol and Le Garage in Sausalito Top Chef: And then there was one Pantry Primer: A how-to gift set Media: Cook’s Illustrated lightens up Taster’s Choice, Amanda Gold Mollie Stone’s cheddar makes Hall of Fame Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Views, Seafood compete for attention at Waterbar on the Embarcadero (This review appeared Sunday, April 20, 2008) Dining Out, Amanda Gold La Trappe encourages going Belgian in North Beach Dining Update, Miriam Morgan Bigger Xanh rolls out edgy design, more dishes in Mountain View Pizza of the Week A16 in San Francisco The Inside Scoop Michael Mina to open a cocktail lounge in the Westin St. Francis hotel . . . new chef at Marché in Menlo Park . . . Berkeley’s Hotel Durant to undergo renovation . . . Dine About Town to run again June 1 – 15 . . . and more. Benefits

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, April 9, 2008 Spring Entertaining: Keeping it simple, Georgeanne Brennan Let the season’s most pristine produce guide your menu Recipes: Menu 1 Radishes & Favas with Butter & Sea Salt Asparagus with Tarragon Mayonnaise Roast Chicken Stuffed with Thyme Baby Yukon Gold Potatoes & Artichokes Strawberry Meringues Menu 2 Toasts with Green Garlic & Farmer’s Cheese Green Herb Salad with Black Trumpet Mushrooms Slow-Cooked Lamb with Leeks & Rosemary Butter-Braised Carrots, Peas & Favas Rhubarb & Strawberry Shortcakes The Roving Feast, Marlena Spieler For the love of potatoes Recipe: Turkish Potato Salad What’s New: Opening: Mono debuts dinner at Jack London Square Other openings: Portelli Ross in Novato and Muracci’s Japanese Curry & Grill on Kearny Street Event: Chocolate Salon Holiday: Prepared foods for Passover Taster’s Choice, Amanda Gold Yehuda matzo still the Passover favorite Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Top 100 Bay Area Restaurants (This review appeared Sunday, April 6, 2008) Dining Out, Carey Sweet Lively Eat comes up short in the kitchen in San Anselmo Dining Update, Michael Bauer Fringale keeps its French spirit South of Market Dining Update, Amanda Gold Classic cuisine reigns at le Bistro in Petaluma The Inside Scoop Palmetto to close . . . tricky balancing act between Chapeau and Clementine . . . MacArthur Park in Palo Alto changes hands . . . new Perry’s to open at the Embarcadero . . . and more. Benefits

It's been about a year since the City of San Francisco passed it's law banning the large supermarket and drug chains from using plastic bags. NPR article about the bag ban I live outside of the city, so I don't grocery shop in SF often. It would be interesting to hear from people who do shop there all the time. I am also a big fan of the large blue/green crazy printed Trader Joe's bags, and I also keep them in my car. I take them to other stores and the checkers sometimes comment on them. "What a nice bag! Oh it's from Trader Joe's". Never won the $25 raffle either, but I keep putting in my ticket. On a somewhat related topic, there is also a move here in SF to use the biodegradable utensils at the nicer take out places and to use paper/cardboard take out boxes instead of plastic/styrofoam. I love those biodegradable spoons and forks, I wash them and save them to use when cooking in a nonstick pan.

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, March 26, 2008 Kids’ menus grow up, Tara Duggan Chefs are reaching out to families with special plates for children The Roving Feast, Marlena Spieler Meatballs evoke memories of Grandma Recipes: Big Meatballs Berlin-Inspired Potato Salad The Accidental Vegetarian, Amanda Berne A beet hater explore the root of the matter Recipe: Beet-Hater’s Salad What’s New: Opening: Candybar in San Francisco, featuring 4-course dessert tasting Openings: Domo in Hayes Valley, Bellanico in Oakland’s Glenview, Poesia in the Castro Top Chef: Feeding a crowd, gorilla style Taster’s Choice, Amanda Gold Organic applesauce land in the Hall of Fame, Mollie O and Eden Organic are winners From South to North, Jacqueline Higuera McMahan Baja-style fish tacos take a detour through New Orleans Recipes: Halibut Fish Tacos Favorite Green Salsa Favorite Red-Hot Salsa Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Well-balanced, hyper-local fare at Fish & Farm on Taylor Street in San Francisco (This review appeared Sunday, March 23, 2008) Dining Out, Amanda Gold Pacifica Catch reels in families on Ninth Avenue in San Francisco Dining Update, Michael Bauer Potrero Hill’s Baraka maintains its allure The Inside Scoop James Beard nominations . . . Café Saint Rose to expand . . . changes at Sens restaurant . . . Western Regional Barista Competition in Berkeley . . . and more.

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, March 26, 2008 Kids’ menus grow up, Tara Duggan Chefs are reaching out to families with special plates for children The Roving Feast, Marlena Spieler Meatballs evoke memories of Grandma Recipes: Big Meatballs Berlin-Inspired Potato Salad The Accidental Vegetarian, Amanda Berne A beet hater explore the root of the matter Recipe: Beet-Hater’s Salad What’s New: Opening: Candybar in San Francisco, featuring 4-course dessert tasting Openings: Domo in Hayes Valley, Bellanico in Oakland’s Glenview, Poesia in the Castro Top Chef: Feeding a crowd, gorilla style Taster’s Choice, Amanda Gold Organic applesauce land in the Hall of Fame, Mollie O and Eden Organic are winners From South to North, Jacqueline Higuera McMahan Baja-style fish tacos take a detour through New Orleans Recipes: Halibut Fish Tacos Favorite Green Salsa Favorite Red-Hot Salsa Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Well-balanced, hyper-local fare at Fish & Farm on Taylor Street in San Francisco (This review appeared Sunday, March 23, 2008) Dining Out, Amanda Gold Pacifica Catch reels in families on Ninth Avenue in San Francisco Dining Update, Michael Bauer Potrero Hill’s Baraka maintains its allure The Inside Scoop James Beard nominations . . . Café Saint Rose to expand . . . changes at Sens restaurant . . . Western Regional Barista Competition in Berkeley . . . and more.

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, March 19, 2008 Dreamy desserts, Janet Fletcher Italy’s famed ricotta stars in dishes that celebrate Easter, tradition and the season of rebirth Recipes: Whipped Ricotta with Candied orange, Pistachios & Chocolate Ducca’s Ricotta Cheesecake with Brown Sugar Crisp Topping Ici’s Ricotta Ice Cream La Ciccia’s Saffron Ricotta Cake Caramel Ricotta Pudding (Budino di Ricotta) A sweet hereafter for candy lovers, Jane Tunks Seasonal Cook, Molly Watson Keeping up with the Meyers Recipes: Spicy Meyer Lemon “Pickle” Whole-Fruit Meyer Lemon Marmalade What’s New: Taste Test: Dunkin’ Donuts coffee Easter: Basket-worthy bunnies and eggs Gadget: Instant juicer Top Chef: S.F. chefs grab the limelight The Baker, Flo Braker Bread makes quick work of tart shells Recipes: Toasted Bread Tarts Caponata Creamy Peanut Butter Filling The Working Cook, Tara Duggan Make salad or eggs the main cours Recipes: Steak Salad with Arugula, Parmesan & Crispy Capers Farmer’s Omelet Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer A few hits, but mostly misses at Burlingame’s Ristorante Brio (This review appeared Sunday, March 16, 2008) Dining Out, Karola Saekel Sushi Solano’s menu casts wide net in Albany Dining Update, Miriam Morgan From restrained to bold, playing with Southeast Asian flavors Sirayvah Organic Thai Cusine in San Carlos and Three Seasons Vietnamese in San Francisco Pizza of the Week Pizza Antica with locations in San Jose, Mill Valley, Granite Bay and Lafayette Readers’ Comments from Michael Bauer’s Blog Readers’ Platform: Four-star differences The Inside Scoop Cowgirl Creamery and Cyrus restaurant branching out . . . Greenleaf, Inc. changes hands . . . Food and Water Watch campaign to “Take Back the Tap” . . . and more. Benefits

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, March 12, 2008 Soups & Salads, Georgeanne Brennan Late-winter pairings make the perfect seasonal dinners Recipes: White Bean Soup with Wild Arugula & Meyer Lemon Creamy Rutabaga & Barley Soup Leek & Potato Soup Spicy Pork & Rice Soup with Lime Frisee, Escarole, Bacon & Fried-Potato Salad Radicchio & Parsley Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette Chopped Salad with Cilantro & Parmesan Spinach & Satsuma Salad with Orange-Infused Vinaigrette Tripe lovers reveal their offal secrets, Janet Fletcher Recipes: Dona Tomas’s Menudo Taverna Santi’s Trippa alla Fiorentina What’s New: Top Chef: San Francisco? Four Bay Area contestents Market Report: Ferry Plaza Farmers Market in San Francisco Cravings Dept.: Tracking down Girl Scout cookies St. Patrick’s Day: Where’s the (corned) beef? Restaurant Openings: Clementine and L’ardoise both in San Francisco Taster’s Choice, Amanda Gold Frozen garlic bread leaves panel cold, top-scoring Safeway Select brand only get 52 points Cook’s Books, Tara Duggan Indian authors take cues from American sensibilities “Tangy Tart Hot & Sweet”, by Padma Lakshmi “American Masala”, by Suvir Saran “Complete Book of Indian Cooking”, by Suneeta Vaswani “Quick & Easy Indian”, by Madhur Jaffrey Recipes: Pan-Seared Flounder in Chipotle Yogurt Sauce (Padma Lakshmi) Chipotle & Date Chutney (Padma Lakshmi) Saag Gosht (Lamb with Spinach) (Madhur Jaffrey) Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Fun atmosphere, serious food at sleek Conduit in the Mission (This review appeared Sunday, March 9, 2008) Dining Update, Michael Bauer Michael Mina enters the four-star galaxy in San Francisco Pizza of the Week Pizzeria Delfina in San Francisco The Inside Scoop Restaurant openings in the East Bay . . . Scott Howard to go to Left Bank in Larkspur . . . Last Supper Club remodeling in the Mission . . . and more.

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, March 5, 2008 Rising Star Chefs 2008, Michael Bauer Christopher Kostow, The Restaurant at Meadowood, St. Helena Recipe: Citrus-Cured Sardines with Escabeche Vegetables Richard Corbo, Ducca, San Francisco Recipe: Arancini Jonnatan Leiva, Jack Falstaff, San Francisco Recipe: Foraged Wild Mushroom Tart with Blue Cheese Fondue Ian Begg, Café Majestic, San Francisco Recipe: Cream of Mushroom Soup Jeremy Fox and Deanie Hickox Fox, Ubuntu, Napa Recipes: Frozen Meyer Lemon & Yogurt Parfait with Rhubarb & Rose Geranium Spiced Carrot ‘Crumble’ with Vermouth, Orange & Crème Fraiche Rising Star chefs 2007 – Where are they now? Seasonal Cook, Victoria McGinley Two-for-one vegetables are the bargain of the produce bin Recipes: Roasted Root Vegetables with Blood Orange Vinaigrette Turnip Green Vichyssoise with Pickled Turnips & Malt Froth Sautéed Beet Greens with Crispy Fried Garlic What’s New: Opening: Luce in San Francisco’s new InterContinental Hotel Opening: Le Club in San Francisco’s Nob Hill Taster’s Choice, Carol Ness Café Rouge’s fresh, sweet Italian sausage is the winner The Working Cook, Tara Duggan If inspiration won’t strike, wing it Recipes: Sesame & Ginger Chicken Wings with Roasted Broccoli Creamy Macaroni with Sausage, Peppers & Mushrooms Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Serpentine – Comfort food in an unexpected location, San Francisco’s Dogpatch neighborhood (This review appeared Sunday, March 2, 2008) Pizza of the Week Patxi’s in San Francisco’s Hayes Valley (also in Palo Alto) The Inside Scoop Moose’s to become Joey & Eddie’s . . . Scott Howard closed . . . Chez Papa chef leaves to open Le Garage . . . Myth chef on TV on “Top Chef” . . . new chef at Brix in Napa . . . more guest chefs at Manresa . . . and more.

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, February 20, 2008 Martin Yan’s Can-Do Attitude, Amanda Gold The Bay Area’s gregarious TV chef focuses on his native China with a new school and book. Recipes: Shangri-La Beef Spice Market Fish Tangerine Peel Chicken Seasonal Cook, Janet Fletcher Chefs hail Tuscan kale Recipes: Creamy Polenta with Tuscan Kale Tuscan Kale with Anchovies, Golden Raisins & Pine Nuts From South to North, Jacqueline Higuera McMahan A salad for pleasure, not punishment Recipes: Tender Greens with Pears, Caramelized Wlanuts & Blood Orange Vinaigrette Caramelized Nuts What’s New: Shopping Cart: Ramen lightens up Shopping Cart: Crock o’Clover Xroads sea salt from the Philippines Restaurant Openings; Taylor’s Refresher and Pica Pica Maize Kitchen, Venezuelan cusine, both in the Oxbow Market in Napa Books: “Eat This, Not That”, by David Zinczenko Taster’s Choice, Carol Ness Panel warms to just one frozen lasagna, Michael Angelo’s brand. Cook’s Books, Amanda Gold Baking lessons of the melting pot: “Baker’s Odyssey”, by Greg Patent Recipe: Lamingtons Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer O Izakaya riffs on Japanese tradition with winning food in the Hotel Kabuki in Japantown (This review appeared Sunday, February 17, 2008) Dining Out, Amanda Gold Sudachi riffs on Japanese classics, on Sutter Street in San Francisco Dining Update, Carol Ness Soizic Bistro seduces with interplay of flavors in Oakland Pizza of the Week Cucina in San Anselmo The Inside Scoop Slow Food Nation plans taking shape . . . executive chef leaving the Ritz-Carlton San Francisco . . . new wine bar for the San Francisco Hilton . . . remodeled Fifth Floor to reopen . . . Hog Island Oysters to open in Oxbow Market in Napa . . . and more.

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, January 30, 2008 A fine pickle Cooking in Common: From Seoul to San Francisco, the cross cultural condiment adds snap to cold-weather menus Winter pickles are cooler than a cucumber, Karen Solomon Recipes: Quick Pickled Daikon with Lemon Bar Bambino’s Pickled Carrots Korea’s kimchi addiction catches on in the West, Janet Fletcher Recipes: Betelnut’s Udon with Braised Pork, Greens, Kimchi & Poached Egg Betelnut’s Cabbage Kimchi Betlenut’s Fried Shallots Whole Cabbage Kimchi Kimchi Fried Rice What’s New: Openings: Kuleto’s Epic Roadhouse Kuleto’s Waterbar Other Openings: Citronelle in Carmel Valley Shopping Cart: Raw fare from Roxanne in markets Taster’s Choice, Carol Ness Kettle deemed most dip-worthy chip (with ridges), enters hall of fame From South to North, Jacqueline Higuera McMahan A Super Bowl-perfect prescription Recipes: Spicy Chicken Tacos or Tostadas Vinaigrette Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Lafayette’s Gigi is uneven, but heading in the right direction (This review appeared Sunday, January 27, 2008) Dining Out, Mandy Erickson Rumi’s inspired menu roams Silk Road in San Carlos Dining Update, Michael Bauer Portions, prices up at ‘more satisfying’ Terzo in San Francisco Pizza of the Week Giorgio’s on Clement Street in San Francisco The Inside Scoop Chef changes at SPQR . . . Andronico’s will no longer sell tabacco products . . . changes at Taste wine bar in Berkeley . . . and more. Letters to Food Benefits

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, January 23, 2008 The new yogurt culture, Amanda Gold Pro-yo has replaced fro-yo as the trendy snack of choice; appetite for probiotics fuels the market for ‘live’ yogurt Seasonal Cook, Georgeanne Brennan Savory ways with sweet grapefruit Recipes: Grapefruit, Escarole & Radicchio Salad Black Cod with Grapefruit Beurre Blanc Seared Scallops & Grapefruit with Spinach The Working Cook, Tara Duggan Rice bowl is simple Seoul food Recipes: Kong Na Mool Bahp (Soybean Sprouts & Rice) Ale-Braised Mussels with Rustic Garlic Toasts What’s New: Restaurants that feature eggs in appetizers and main dishes Opening: Blue Bottle Coffee debut its Mint Plaza café Other Openings: Brown Sugar in Oakland, Cocina Poblana in Oakland, Koi Palace opens another location in Dublin Special Edition: Peet’s “Farley” blend Taster’s Choice, Carol Ness House Organic crowned the top tofu Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Genial South Food + Wine Bar showcases down under cusine on Townsend (This review appeared Sunday, January 20, 2008) Dining Out, Amanda Gold Menu takes surprise turns at Olea in San Francisco Pizza of the Week Pizzeria Picco in Larkspur The Inside Scoop New chef for Chez TJ . . . Cetrella in Half Moon Bay open again after makeover . . . sommelier to stay at Myth . . . Maganani Poultry in Berkeley sold . . . and more.

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, January 9, 2008 What would Michael Pollan eat?, Carol Ness The reluctant food movement guru writes another book to answer that very question Accidental Vegetarian, Amanda Berne Spain inspires an end to resolutions Recipes: Smoky Chickpea Soup Spanish Salad Taster’s Choice, Carol Ness Trader Joe’s organic hot chocolate is the winner, enter Hall of Fame East to West, Linda Furiya Reward yourself with warming rice dish Recipe: Ochazuke The Working Cook, Tara Duggan From pan to plate in mere minutes, how to pan-sear meat and fish Recipes: Toasted Cracked Wheat with Steak, Onions & Greens Pan-Seared Mahi Mahi with Buttered Radishes over Rice Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Big food ambitions in a modest space at Odyssey in Windsor (This review appeared Sunday, January 6, 2008) Dining Update, Carol Ness Dona Tomas gets the balance right in Oakland Dining Update, Amanda Gold Seafood hit and miss at Seafood Peddler in San Rafael Pizza of the Week Frankie, Johnnie & Luigi Too in Mountain View The Inside Scoop End of an era as Washbag, Trader Vic's close doors . . . changes at Lark Creek Restaurant Group . . . Globe to reopen this week after kitchen fire . . . and more.

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, January 2, 2008 Just the flax, please, Stacy Finz Nutrition pros help find the grains of truth amid the hype about what to eat Recipes: Hulled Barley with Brown Butter & Scallions Wild Salmon with Quinoa & Peas Seasonal Cook, Melissa Swanson An onion's beauty is more than skin deep Recipes: Short Ribs alla Genovese Caramelized Pearl Onions Pickled Red Onions The Roving Feast, Marlena Spieler When chickens come home to roast Recipe: Ekuri What's New: Dining Deals: Dine about town Shopping Cart: Multigrain instant cereal with some pizzazz Books: "The Oxford Companion to Italian Food" Mail Order Meat: Lava Lake lamb Taster's Choice, Carol Ness Frozen Spinach from China launches the 2008 Hall of Fame, Woodstock Farms brand Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Top Ten Dining Spots of 2007 Perbacco Wood Tavern Café Majestic BarbersQ Ducca Nick's Cove Laiola Ubuntu Plumed Horse SPQR (This review appeared Sunday, December 30, 2007) Dining Out, Mandy Erickson Pleasing Polish specialties at Chopin Café in Walnut Creek Pizza of the Week Gaspare's on Geary Boulevard in San Francisco The Inside Scoop Chez TJ chef heading to Meadowood . . . more about Citizen Thai & the Monkey closing . . . well know sushi chef Sachio Kojima returns as a guest to San Francisco . . . and more. Benefits

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, December 26, 2007 A One-Pot Wonder, Janet Fletcher France’s iconic pot-au-feu is the perfect post-Christmas dish Recipe: Laurent Manrique’s Pot-au-Feu with Gros Sel Sauce From South to North, Jacqueline Higuera McMahan Wrap up the holidays with a simple crab feast Recipe: Dungeness Crab Cazuela What’s New: Opening: Conduit takes minimalist slant in the Mission Shopping Cart: Holiday crunch, Raincoast Crisps Taster’s Choice, Carol Ness Hall of fame opens doors to 10 items, summary of all taste tests in 2007 The Working Cook, Tara Duggan The shrimp that stirred the pot Recipes: Shrimp Etouffee with Polenta Quick Butternut Squash Soup with Spiced Pepitas Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Sens’ food hits the mark in a stunning setting, Sens Restaurant in Embarcadero Four in San Francisco (This review appeared Sunday, December 23, 2007) Dining Update, Michael Bauer One Market chef’s artistry shines Dining Out, Carol Ness It’s all about the vibe at Oakland’s Lavende East Pizza of the Week Gioia in Berkeley The Inside Scoop Citizen Thai and the Monkey closed on short notice . . . Thomas Keller moving ahead with plans for a burger place in Yountville . . . Cottage Eatery to open in Tiburon . . . and more.

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, December 19, 2007 Four-star Feasts , Janet Fletcher Top Bay Area chefs share their menus for a holiday at home Recipes: Lamb Chops with Sunchoke Puree & Shallot Marmalade, Ron Siegel, Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton Braised Pork Shoulder with Savoy Cabage & White Beans, David Kinch, Manresa Herb-Roasted Sirloin of Beef with Beurre Colbert, Thomas Keller, The French Laundry Cajun Shrimp (with Help from Mom), Douglas Keane, Cyrus Pancetta-Wrapped Venison Loin, Roland Passot, La Folie Grilled Duck Breast with Cabbage, Chestnuts & Citrus Salad, Jean Pierre Moullé, Chez Panisse What’s New: Oxbow Market in Napa gathers local purveyors Local Kitchen & Wine Merchant opens, South of Market Sundance Kabuki Cinemas goes way beyond popcorn Bayless' Frontera Fresco opens in San Francisco OpenTable accepting New Year's Eve reservations Jones holiday soda, new flavors Christmas Tree, Sugarplum, Egg Nog, and a nice, savory Christmas Ham Taster’s Choice, Carol Ness Best budget caviar, under $35, Tsar Nicoulai and Marky’s are top scorers For the food-obsessed, a holiday postcard from Europe , Karola Saekel Recipes: Riesling Pears Yara’s Super-Easy Frozen Holiday Mousse Obaster Gingerbread Spice Mix The Baker, Flo Braker Recipe: Braided Coffee Cake Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Not one miss in the Italian- inspired menu at SPQR, on Fillmore (This review appeared Sunday, December 16, 2007) Dining Update, Miriam Morgan Ingredients shine at understated Parcel 104 in Santa Clara Dining Out, Mandy Erickson Back A Yard does Jamaican jerk the right way in Menlo Park Pizza of the Week Pizzetta 211 in the Richmond District The Inside Scoop Fire damages Globe restaurant . . . Mission Pie youth program to expand . . . Imperial Tea to close Chinatown location . . . and more. Benefits

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, December 12, 2007 Liquid Gold, Amanda Gold What could be better than butter? Wait till you try browning it? Recipes: Orecchiette in Brown Butter with Toasted Pine Nuts, Capers & Currants Petrale Sole with Ginger Brown Butter Beurre Blanc Brown Butternut Squash & Scallion Risotto Brown Butter Lemon Squares Brown Butter Caramel Apple Cake Cook’s Books, Amanda Gold “Artichoke to Za’tar”, by Greg Malouf and Lucy Malouf “Dolce Italiano”, by Gina DePalma “The Elements of Cooking”, by Michael Ruhlman “Food: The History of Taste”, edited by Paul Freedman “Indulge: 100 Perfect Desserts”, by Claire Clark “Pure Dessert”, by Alice Medrich “The Tenth Muse”, Judith Jones “Veganomicon”, by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero “Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone”, by Deborah Madison “Where Flavor Was Born”, by Andreas Viestad Recipes: Lemon Ricotta Fritters (from Dolce Italiano) Shortbread (from Indulge) From South to North, Jacqueline Higuera McMahan Seafood chowder – Patricia’s way Recipe: Christmas Eve Chowder What’s New: Opening: Mulberry’s Market in Piedmont Opening: Serpentine restaurant in San Francisco Market Report: Broccoli, cauliflower, greens, apples and dates Taster’s Choice, Carol Ness Sugar-free chocolate sweetens the holidays, Michael Mischer and Charlemagne are top scorers. Restaurants Dining Out, Miriam Morgan Southern fare, California style, at Gator’s Neo-Soul Café in San Mateo (This review appeared Sunday, December 9, 2007) Dining Out, Carey Sweet Vino Grigio predictable, but satisfying in Petaluma Dining Update, Michael Bauer Jack Falstaff finding its groove in San Francisco Pizza of the Week Rosso’s in Santa Rosa The Inside Scoop Mono Restaurant to open in Jack London Square . . . Dean Biersch to open Hopmonk Tavern in Sebastapol . . . Uva Enoteca opens in the lower Haight . . . Olivia Wu will open a restaurant at Google, Amanda Gold takes over her duties at the Chronicle . . . and more.

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, December 5, 2007 Simply lavish, Tara Duggan Caterers divulge their top tips and crowd-pleasing recipes Recipes: Filet Mignon with Horseradish Cream on Rosemary Rolls Chocolate Peppermint Ganache S’mores Squash Tagine in Puff Pastry with Cinnamon Harissa Crème Fraiche Chestnut Crostini with Chanterelle Mushroom Duxelle Warm Prosciutto-Wrapped Dates Filled with Toasted Almonds, Gorgonzola & Chevre Smoked Whiskey Shrimp in Chinese Soupspoons Seafood of the Season, Olivia Wu A crab feast that triples the pleasure Recipes: Crab Endive Appetizers Roast Garlic Crab The Roving Feast, Marlena Spieler How to tackle the holiday smorgasbord Recipe: Creamy Swedish Potatoes with Chives What’s New: Opening: Yoshi’s San Francisco More Openings: Pacific Catch on Ninth Avenue, Pot de Pho on Geary, Ristorante Brio in Burlingame Let There Be Light; a modern take on the oil lamp Market Report: Citrus, feijoas and greens Taster’s Choice, Carol Ness Trader Joe’s wild smoked salmon is the winner Chef’s go for the heart of chocolate, Janet Fletcher Recipes: Broiled Flank Steak with Spicy Cocoa Nib Rub Mustards Grill’s Mexican Chocolate Cookies Nibby Pecan Cookies Nibby Ice Cream Restaurants Dining Out, Amanda Gold Les Amis shows promise, but needs some fine-tuning in San Francisco’s Financial District (This review appeared Sunday, December 2, 2007) Dining Out, Amanda Gold Layaly Mediterranean Grill just waiting to be discovered on Clement Street in San Francisco Dining Update, Michael Bauer San Francisco’s Grand Café fails to live up to the name Pizza of the Week Tommaso’s in North Beach The Inside Scoop Myth restaurant sold . . . Pizzeria Delfina to open second location . . . expanded quarters for Jai Yun . . . and more.

Since Mr. Sokolov raises the question about what Microsoft offers, I will comment on that. I hope that this will not be too off topic. I have had the opportunity to visit Microsoft's Redmond, WA campus several times in recent years, as a contractor and as a guest. Never been an employee. The Redmond campus has over 40 buildings and several cafeterias. Each cafeteria has some unique items, but for the most part they are pretty standard cafeteria food. Each cafe has several different stations, made to order burgers and hot sandwiches, stir-frys, pasta entrees, curries and the like. There are usually also salad and sandwich bars where you can put together your own items. Also some pre-made sandwiches and salads so you can get something quickly. Employees do pay for their food, although the prices are low. I assume that the company subsidizes the cost. Most employees pay by scanning their employee badge, I believe the total is deducted from their paycheck (could be wrong here). As a contractor, I would need to pay cash, but the prices were the same as for employees. As a guest I was usually given a voucher that would be charged back to the appropriate department. Then there is the free coffee and soda topic. Microsoft has generous coffee stations throughout their buildings. There are convenience store-style refrigerators at each coffee station stocked with a full array of sodas, juices, bottled water and milk. Coffee here is just standard office coffee, along with a nice selection of teas. If you want a more elaborate coffee beverage, the cafeterias have a Starbucks outlet, where you can get those for a price. Finally, another big part of the office culture is catered meals for meetings. If you arrange your schedule correctly you might never need to visit the cafeterias at all. I have heard rumors that there is an internal web site that lists where you can find the conference rooms that have leftovers from a meeting. P.S. Long time fan of Raymond Sokolov's books, particularly "Why We Eat What We Eat".

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, November 28, 2007 Five festive finales, Flo Braker Starting early is the key to pulling off these impressive desserts Recipes: Baked Alaska Pave Chocolate Almond Ring Torte Cranberry Cherry Ribbon Cookies Panna Cotta Parfaits with Jellied Pomegranate Ribbons Rugelach Pastry Puffs Food Conscious, Carol Ness Is organic better? It depends. Wrapping up Hanukkah treats, Marlene Sorosky Gray Recipe: Crisp Hanukkah Dessert Wrap What’s New: Holiday entertaining helpers Cook’s Books: “Yummy Potatoes”, by Marlena Spieler Restaurant Openings: Anchalee Thai Cuisine in Berkeley, Buca di Beppo reopens after renovations in San Francisco, Cava22 in the Mission Taster’s Choice, Carol Ness Stirrings brand ginger ale leads the fizzy pack Chef’s Night In, Karola Saekel Chef Maggie Pond from Cesar restaurant in Berkeley Recipe: Chicken Fricassee Restaurants Dining Out, Olivia Wu Big Portions, home-style Korean food at Sui Tofu in Santa Clara (This review appeared Sunday, November 25, 2007) Dining Out, Karola Saekel Pinole Café’s upscale fare worth a trek Dining Update, Olivia Wu Cantonese and more at Richmond’s Daimo Pizza of the Week Zachary’s in Berkeley The Inside Scoop Danko to open a new restaurant in Ghirardelli Square . . . Mooses’s undergoing a redesign . . . and more. About our reviews Benefits

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, November 21, 2007 No-sweat Thanksgiving, Madelyn Feldman, Elizabeth Cruse, Cindy Lee & Victoria McGinley Fast, fresh ideas capture favorite holiday flavors Recipes: Chicken-Apple Sausage & Fennel Stuffing Green Bean Un-Casserole Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Roasted Yellow Peppers Cornish Game Hens with Sage, Lemon & Garlic Pumpkin Crème Caramel The Chronicle's Best Way Thanksgiving recipes, Miriam Morgan Recipes: Chronicle Classic: Best Way Brined Turkey Chronicle Classic: Best Way Mashed Potatoes Chronicle Classic: Pumpkin Pie Best Way Pie Crust Best Way Gravy for Brined Turkey Accidental Vegetarian, Amanda Berne Give vegetables a big entrée Recipes: Phyllo Pie with Greens, Goat Cheese & Cranberries Winter White Cobbler Testing which cooking gadgets make the best gifts, Stacy Finz Holiday Hotlines What’s New: Opening: O Izakaya Lounge in San Francisco More Openings: Maritime East in Berkeley and Vivere in Santa Rosa Shopping Cart: Spava fortified, organic coffee Market Watch: Persimmons, kiwis, cabbage, leeks and mushrooms are at the farmers’ market Taster’s Choice, Carol Ness Frozen apple pie is tasted, Vermont Mystic Pie Co, Sara Lee Deep Dish and Trader Joe’s are the winners. The Working Cook, Tara Duggan Two ways to savor the remains of the day Recipes: Mashed Potato and Cheddar Soup Turkey Potpie with Rosemary Roux list of recipes Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Saratoga’s Plumed Horse offers bit-city luxury (This review appeared Sunday, November 18, 2007) Dining Out, Carol Ness Gutsy flavors hit the mark at Champa in Oakland Dining Update, Michael Bauer Casual Rex Café is one of the city’s best deals on Polk Street Pizza of the Week Piccino in San Francisco Recipe Correction: Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, November 14, 2007 In it to win it, Stacy Finz The Chronicle's Turkey Training Camp Cook-Off had a twist this year - home cooks put their best Thanksgiving dishes to the test Recipes: Grilled Cajun-Rubbed Turkey Oyster Dressing Green Beans with Pickled Vidalia Onions Steve’s Sausage Stuffing Lily’s Mixed Greens Mashed Parsnip Potatoes 10-Clove Garlicky Gravy Cranberry Ginger-Tangerine Chutney Apple Clafouti with Cinnamon Nutmeg Crean Upside-Down Pumpkin Tart Buttermilk Pie Mini Crab Cakes with Chive Cream Sweet Potato Gratin with Bourbon & Pecans Andouille Sausage & Mushroom Gravy Cranberry-Pear Marmalade Best Way Brined Turkey What’s New: Openings: Flora in Oakland More Openings: Horizon and Blue Barn Gourmet in San Francisco, Flemings Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar and Shokolaat in Palo Alto Eating Out: Thanksgiving reservations Tools: A better turkey brining bag Chocolate Beat: Bittersweet Café’s blissful brownies Market Report: sweet potatoes and other root vegetables, greens and Satsuma mandarins Taster’s Choice, Carol Ness Panel pummels stuffing mixes Thanksgiving To Go Don't have the time to prepare Thanksgiving dinner? Here are some restaurants, markets and food services offering ready-to-serve feasts. Holiday Hotlines Crab for Thanksgiving? Maybe, but it won’t be local Seasonal Cook, Leah Clark Cranberries to relish Recipe: Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies Cook’s Books, Carol Ness “Demolition Desserts”, by Elizabeth Falkner Recipes: Chocolate2 Chip Espresso Cookies Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Palmetto mixes homey menu with upscale décor, on Union Street in San Francisco (This review appeared Sunday, November 11, 2007) Dining Update, Michael Bauer Quality takes a dive at Kuleto’s in San Francisco Dining Update, Amanda Gold Syrah blends casual, sophisticated dining in Santa Rosa Dining Out, Mandy Erickson Sushi meets spaghetti at San Mateo’s Chika Pizza of the Week Pizzaiolo in Oakland The Inside Scoop Big opening for Mint Plaza . . . Zoya looking for a larger location . . . Soizic in Oakland to open a new location . . . and more. Letters to Food Food nonprofit looking for volunteers to transport meals

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, November 07, 2007 The Lounge Act, Laura Compton Fine dining slips into something a little more comfortable Seasonal Cook, Victoria McGinley A soft spot for hard squash Recipes: Butternut Squash Gratin Roasted Kabocha Squash Salad with Pumpkin Seed Brittle Cook’s Books, Amanda Gold “Cooking”, by James Peterson “Cook with Jamie”, by Jamie Oliver “1080 Recipes”, Simone and Ines Ortega “The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Cuisine”, by The French Culinary Institute Recipes: The Best Onion Gratin (Jamie Oliver) Citrus & Endive Salad (James Peterson) Pork Chops with Onion & Mustard Sauce (Simone and Ines Ortega, online only recipe) What’s New: Opening: Redwood City’s Red Lantern Iron Chef: Cosentino says ‘au revoir’ Food for Thought: Chefs’ last meals Shopping Cart: Das Caramelini Taster’s Choice, Carol Ness Panel wades through clam chowder, Campbell’s condensed wins Festival of Lights, feast of sweets, Jaspreet Jodhka Diwali is the Indian Festival of Lights Recipe: Coconut Barfi Potato & Spinach Pakoras (online only recipe) Spicy Mint Chutney (online only recipe) Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Beyond Pad Thai: Grand Pu Bah’s upscale experiment, South of Market (This review appeared Sunday, November 4, 2007) Dining Update, Carol Ness Ninna still enjoyable on Piedmont Avenue in Oakland Pizza of the Week Pazzia in San Francisco The Inside Scoop Michael Mina to open a restaurant in the Millennium Tower . . . A. Sabella’s closes after 67 years . . . Slow Food update . . . and more.

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, October 31, 2007 Stock Tips, Janet Fletcher Chefs offer their do’s and don’ts for making this essential base Recipes: Basic Fish Stock Basic Beef Stock Basic Vegetable Stock Basic Chicken Stock Zuni Chicken Stock From South to North, Jacqueline Higuera McMahan From the fire to the frying pan Recipes: Red-Alert Red Enchiladas The Fire Brownies The Roving Feast, Marlena Spieler Treat yourself on Halloween Recipes: Crisp, Spicy Asian-Inspired Salad Macadamia-Chocolate Popcorn Chunks Turkey Training: The Finalists, Stacy Finz What’s New: Openings: 1300 brings soul food to Fillmore’s jazz district Bird in the hand: Time to order heritage turkeys What to make for Thanksgiving? Reservations Market Report: Marin Civic Center, citrus, walnuts, greens Taster’s Choice, Carol Ness Panel likes Birds Eye view of frozen corn Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Updated again Enrico’s pleases many palates, on Broadway in San Francisco (This review appeared Sunday, October 28, 2007) Dining Out, Amanda Gold Bistro 9 is a cozy spot for a solid meal in the Sunset district Pizza of the Week Pizza Azzurro in Napa The Inside Scoop Changes at Fifth Floor . . . Cortez chef to move to French Laundry . . . restaurant changes for Mint Plaza . . . and more. Benefits

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, October 24, 2007 Imbibing izakaya style, Ben Narasin Japan’s sake and small-plate pubs are popping up from the South Bay to S.F. A culinary pioneer’s epic journey, Janet Fletcher Profile of Cecilia Chiang, who founded the famed Mandarin restaurant in San Francisco and has written a combination memoir and cookbook Recipes: Hot & Sour Cabbage (Suan La Bai Cai) Steamed Rice-Powder Ribs (Mi Fen Zhen Pai Gu) Accidental Vegetarian, Amanda Berne Falling for roasted vegetables Recipe: Spicy Autumn Vegetables & Lentils What’s New: 2008 Michelin Guide, List of Michelin winners Opening: Porter House in San Mateo Shopping Cart: An organic sugar substitute Shopping Cart: Granoro pasta Taster’s Choice, Carol Ness Chocolate chip cookies from supermarket bakeries, most score poorly East to West, Linda Furiya Recipe: Ginger & Orange Doughnuts Cook’s Books, Amanda Gold “A Great American Cook”, by Jonathan Waxman Recipe: Potato Skins with Potato Salad Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Ubuntu takes vegetarian cuisine to new heights in Napa (This review appeared Sunday, October 21, 2007) Dining Out, Mandy Erickson Risibisi’s Italian fare at home in Petaluma Dining Update, Michael Bauer PlumpJack menu needs some fine-tuning Pizza of the Week Little Star in San Francisco The Inside Scoop Roxanne’s raw food line for stores . . . Mecca to reopen after fire . . . Eater SF . . . and more.

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, October 17, 2007 Alice in the Heartland, Amanda Gold The Bay Area is well acquainted with the culinary philosophy of the Chez Panisse founder, but how does it play outside California? Cook’s Books, Amanda Gold “The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution”, by Alice Waters Recipes: Chicken Legs Braised with Tomatoes, Onions & Garlic Poached Egg with Curly Endive Salad Brussels Sprouts Gratin Turkey cooks, stay tuned Winners are being selected for Turkey Training Camp Seasonal Cook, Georgeanne Brennan Persimmon’s, Enjoy a fall fruit’s split personality Recipes: Grilled Persimmons Persimmon Bread Pudding Persimmon & Melon Salad What’s New: Openings: Fish & Farm near Union Square Other Openings: Jubili in San Francisco, Digs Bistro in Berkeley, Ginger Café in Sunnyvale Grocers: Draeger’s comes to Danville 'Next Iron Chef' watch: A grouchy Cosentino scores Classes: S. F. Cheese School relocates Taster’s Choice, Carol Ness Frozen, breaded, cooked chicken, Manor-House is top scorer with only 61 points From South to North, Jacqueline Higuera McMahan Autumn’s pumpkin parade Recipes: Pumpkin Pickles Sweet Marinated Ancho Chiles Stuffed with Pumpkin Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Wide-ranging menu satisfies at the long- awaited Spruce in San Francisco (This review appeared Sunday, October 14. 2007) Dining Out, Tara Duggan San Francisco’s cozy Tinderbox shows promise Dining Update, Michael Bauer Acclaimed Fleur de Lys loses a little magic Pizza of the Week Dopo in Oakland The Inside Scoop Danko said to be eyeing Ghirardelli Square location . . . update on the fire at Original Joe’s . . . changes in Napa and Santa Rosa . . . and more. Benefits