PamelaF

Bumping this up because I just received a free (unsolicited) issue of this magazine, so guess they are doing a promotion, probably sending issues to subscribers of other food magazines. It is a nice magazine, covers wine, beer, spirits, coffee and tea. The issue I received has feature articles on how agave is grown for tequila and how tequila is made, a wine tasting 101 article and story about bars in Japan among many others. The magazine is nicely laid out and has great photos as well. It was a pleasant suprise to receive this, since I had never seen this magazine before.

I second on the bamboo spoons. I got a few years ago (probably at Cost Plus) they were really cheap, and they have held up even after hundreds of times through the dishwasher. I would like to know where to buy more of these since I havn't seen any in stores recently.

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, February 21, 2007 Seduced by Sugo, Tara Duggan Long-cooked Italian sauces captivate chefs and diners Recipes: Nopa’s 9-Hour Bolognese Veal & Green Olive Ragu with Strozzapreti Pasta Sugo d’Anatra (Duck Sauce) Perbacco’s 5-Hour Pork Sugo Food in the News, Carol Ness New worries for farmers, E. Coli, clones and genetic engineering Accidental Vegetarian, Amanda Berne The little passion that grew Recipes: Farro Risotto with Roasted Mushrooms & Chard Shirred Eggs with Greens & Gruyere Triple Citrus Salad Taster’s Choice, Carol Ness Canned Cannellini beans are tasted, Annalisa brand is the winner Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Pres a Vi serves the newly bustling Presidio well with complex flavors in a giant space (This review appeared on Sunday, February 18, 2007) Dining Update, Michael Bauer PlumpJack chef is hitting high notes at PlumpJack Café on Fillmore The Inside Scoop Sammy Hagar rolls out of Tres Agaves . . . another location for Chez Papa . . . Quarry Ponds Market Hall to open in Granite Bay . . . and more.

Beautiful dish! I remember the first time I ever had abalone, in a similar preparation. It was asparagus, instead of the bok choy. It was among the most delicious things I have ever eaten. Haven't had much opportunity for abalone since then, since it has become rare and very expensive. I live on the San Mateo coast (San Francisco Bay Area) and 20+ years ago when I first moved here, abalone was freely available for anyone who wanted to dive for it. Not the case anymore, it's now an expensive delicacy. Ah Leung, best wishes for a happy and prosperous New Year!

My son went through a restaurant phase when he was 21, a friend of his was a waiter and he got him a job at a busy tourist place in San Francisco's Union Square. I gave him "Kitchen Confidential" to read before he started. I guess I don't believe in sheltering children. Anyway, he started hanging out with all the bartenders after work and that year he gave me a bottle of tequila for my birthday. (It was a really good tequila though.) He also worked as a catering waiter and got to work at some very nice events like the Napa Valley Wine Auction. After about a year though, he got tired of it and went back to an office job.

Google turned up this one in Santa Clara http://www.mrcscatering.com/kitchen.shtml and this one in Belmont http://www.kitchenbythehour.com/locations.html I believe that I have heard of other locations in the South San Francisco area as well, lots of catering firms and food prep firms that serve the airport in that area.

I'm in California and Safeway has been promoting their line of "O Organics" for the last year or so. I do not shop at Safeway that much, but it from casual observation it seems that they run aggressive specials on this brand that price the items well below their competitors. So if you are at all price conscious, you will choose their item over the competitor.

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, February 14, 2007 Mood Food, Marlena Spieler Last-minute menu puts romance at your finger tips Recipes: Smoked Salmon with Truffle Oil Leah’s Polenta Hearts with Gorgonzola Endive, Fennel & Arugula Salad with Pomegranate & Mint Meyer Lemon Spaghetti Chicken Breasts with Mushrooms, Cream & Pink Peppercorns Cumin Lamb Chops with Sweet Potatoes and Tomato-Ginger Chutney Saffron Pineapple Carpaccio with Red Grapes Tarte du Chocolat China Chronicles, Olivia Wu Dining high on the hog for Chinese New Year Mayo made easy, Melissa Swanson Recipes: Rich Balsamic Mayonnaise Olivia’s Sauce Remoulade Pimenton Aioli What’s New: Lunch spots in the design district Restaurant Opening: Wood Tavern in Rockridge Baron’s Meat & Poultry now at Star Grocery in Berkeley Marketwatch: prices are coming down on navel and blood oranges Cook’s Books, Karola Saekel “White House Chef: Eleven Years, Two Presidents, One Kitchen”, by Walter Scheib and Andrew Friedman Recipes: Fresh Tuna & Olive Salad Orange, Jicama & Red Onion Salad with Cilantro Dressing Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Out the Door gives mall crowd a taste of Slanted Door chic in the Westfield San Francisco Centre (This review appeared Sunday, February 11, 2007) Dining Update, Michael Bauer Junnoon gets even better with time in Palo Alto Dining Out, Amanda Gold Namu’s fusion menu at home in Zen setting on Balboa Street Dining Update, Miriam Morgan Edgy fare mixes sweet and savory at Citizen Cake in San Francisco The Inside Scoop Valentine’s Day plans of local chefs . . . changes at Bacar . . .Koi Palace expands . . . and more. Letters to Food Benefits

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, February 7, 2007 Tapping into Maple Syrup, Marlene Sorosky Gray Pure, simple sweetener adds surprising depth to a variety of dishes Recipes: Apple, Cranberry & Maple Crisp Pecan-Crusted Chicken Breasts with Maple-Dijon Sauce Caramelized Maple Brussels Sprouts Maple Almond Soufflé Pancake Maple-Glazed Bacon Maple-Roasted Squash Soup Pear Salad with Blue Cheese, Hazelnuts & Maple Vinaigrette Seasonal Cook, Tara Duggan Year of the fickle fungi Recipe: Black Chanterelle-Duck Confit Spring Rolls with Blood Orange-Truffle Dipping Sauce Chef’s Night In, Dabney Gough Chef Gabriel Fregoso of Las Camelias restaurant in San Rafael Recipe: Charro’s Chamarro (Lamb Shanks) Taster’s Choice, Carol Ness Look-alike cracker beats original stoned wheat thins, 365 brand from Whole Foods is the winner What’s New: Chocolate overload Peet’s rare bean coffee Restaurant Opening: Chiaroscuro in San Francisco Market Watch: Citrus prices better than expected, strawberries are not in yet Shopping Cart: Pillsbury biscuits in “perfect portions’ Alexander Valley Gourmet Manhattan-Style Fresh Pickles The Working Cook, Tara Duggan Make-ahead Chinese sauce enhances weeknight meals Recipes: Chinese Black Bean Sauce Clams with Chinese Black Bean Sauce Chicken & Broccolini with Chinese Black Bean Sauce Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Robust dishes, diverse American flavors come together at Salt House in San Francisco (This review appeared Sunday, February 4, 2007) Dining Update, Michael Bauer Downtown in Berkeley loses its cutting edge The faded daffodil on the host stand at Downtown turned out to be highly symbolic Dining Out, Carol Ness Naan is the star at Oakland's Breads of India Except for a few bright spots, Old Oakland can feel like a ghost town after the sun goes down. The Inside Scoop Per Se executive sous chef to join Michael Mina . . . local restaurant group in discussions with Carlos Santana . . . changes on the Peninsula restaurant scene . . . and more. Letters to Food

Since they are no longer listing the branch of the Frank Fat's chain on the website, can we assume that this will be replacing it? ←

SFO has a wide range of food options. There are all the usual chains, plus some outposts of Bay Area Restaurants. Here's some info on the airport. If you take the BART to the Millbrae station, in addition to the In n Out, the very upscale Cantonese restaurant Hong Kong FLower Lounge is also at that same intersection. The town of Burlingame is a few miles further south (a short cab ride from the airport) it also has a lot of restaurant options. Have great trip!

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, January 24, 2007 Tea’s Time, Olivia Wu Bay Area artisan teahouses offer tastes to rival the complexity of fine wine Seasonal Cook, Karola Saekel Cuddle up to kohlrabi Recipe: Creamed Kohlrabi What’s New: Restaurant opening: Gialina, Neapolitan style pizza in Glen Park Fancy Food Show: Natural and organic treats, fancy sea salts, exotic fruits and teas Taster’s Choice, Carol Ness Canned root beers fall a little flat, Blue Sky and Hansen’s score best The Working Cook, Tara Duggan Seafood extravaganza pays homage to Dungeness crab Recipes: Spicy Crab Stew Baked Chicken & Rice with Peas East to West, Linda Furiya Burritos can soothe your soul Recipe: Spirit-Lifting Burrito Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Seafood delicacies worthy of the Italian coast at Pescheria on Church Street (This review appeared Sunday, January 21, 2007) Dining Out, Jennifer Tomaro South American fusion fares well at The Patio in Layfayette Dining Update, Michael Bauer A bumpy night at Lark Creek Inn in Larkspur The Inside Scoop Levende to open in Oakland . . . Manresa’s David Kinch will spend his holiday working in the research kitchen at the Fat Duck in the UK . . . popular Marina district bar manager to open a wine bar South of Market . . . and more. Letters to Food Benefits

Don't keep us in suspense . . . which taqueria did you go to?

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, January 17, 2007 Sizzlng Hot, Amanda Berne Bay Area chefs and diners rediscover the irresistible appeal of fried chicken Recipes: Maverick’s Southern Fried Chicken Front Porch-Style Chicken Oven-Baked Fried Chicken Super-Simple Fried Chicken Dirty Rice Chef’s Night In, Dabney Gough Chef Mark Sullivan of Village Pub in Woodside Recipes: Fennel & Citrus Salad with Olives & Parmesan The Roving Feast, Marlena Spieler Pirouetting with Parsnips Recipes: Noah’s Soup, Marlena Style: Creamy Winter Root Puree with Fresh Tarragon Cauliflower, Caper & Pumpkin Seed Spread What’s New: Chefs’ strategies for citrus shortages Hawthorne Lane reopens as Two Mission Pie café benefits a youth training project Taster’s Choice, Carol Ness Amy’s brand is the top scoring lentil soup Restaurants Dining Out, Olivia Wu Zazil’s sophisticated take on coastal Mexican cuisine shows promise in San Francisco’s Westfield Centre (This review appeared Sunday, January 14, 2007) Dining Update, Michael Bauer House of Prime Rib, in San Francisco on Van Ness Dining Update, Bill Addison K & L Bistro in Sebastapol Dining Out, Karola Saekel Platano offers a taste of El Salvador in Berkeley The Inside Scoop Ad Hoc restaurant in Yountville will become permanent . . . new chef for Café la Haye . . . changes at EOS . . . and more. Letters to Food Benefits

It could be worse, at least it wasn't "Stoups and sammies" <grin, duck and run>

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, January 10, 2007 The Reign of Spain, Janet Fletcher Specialty Spanish ingredients are spicing up kitchens throughout the Bay Area Recipes: Pescado a la Bilbaína (Seared Fish Fillets with Sherry Vinegar & Fried Garlic) Caldo Gallego (Hearty Bean Soup with Chorizo, Potatoes & Cabbage) Glazed Carrots with Moscatel Vinegar Roast Chicken with Saffron & Pimenton Paella con Setas (Spanish Bomba Rice with Wild Mushrooms & Chorizo) Seasonal Cook, Carol Ness Subtropicals settle in California: Winter is peak season for California’s subtropical fruit What’s New: Meat labels emphasize humane treatment Opening: Bobby G’s Pizzeria in Berkeley Opening: Amélie, Nectar Wine Lounge, Hayes and Kebab Food trend forecast Market Watch: Colorful cauliflower, broccoli rabe and navel oranges Cook’s Books, Karola Saekel “Charlie Palmer’s Practical Guide to the New American Kitchen”, by Charlie Palmer Recipe: Braised Pork Belly with Sauerkraut & Potatoes The Working Cook, Tara Duggan When life gives you children, mealtimes can be a challenge Recipes: Creamy Mushroom Soup with Walnut Bread Croutons Broccoli Orecchiette with Tomatoes & Olives The Baker, Flo Braker Old-time pudding gets a stylish new look Recipe: Flaky Rice Pudding Turnovers Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Luscious Italian-inspired dishes entice at Perbacco in San Francisco (This review appeared Sunday, January 7, 2007) Dining Out, Amanda Gold There is much to relish at Flavor Bistro in Santa Rosa Dining Update, Bill Addison Little Nepal lures crowds with exotic, accessible cuisine in Bernal Heights The Inside Scoop Memorial for Manka’s . . . Wine bar for Out the Door . . . changes at the Ferry Plaza Market . . . and more. Between Meals, blog by Michael Bauer Benefits

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, January 3, 2007 A world of crepes, Tara Duggan Cooking in Common: Sweet or savory, crepes, blintzes, dosas and blini aren't just for breakfast or dessert Recipes: Savory Mushroom Crepes Moon Crepes Cheese Blintzes Vanilla Bean Crepes with Apple-Date Butter The Roving Feast, Marlena Spieler Hungarian hospitality warms the soles Recipe: Veal or Chicken Paprikash Taster’s Choice, Carol Ness Hall of Fame winners from 2006, 13 products that scored 80 points or above Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Solid East-West menu, lovely interior set the stage at Embarcadero’s Sutra (This review appeared on Sunday, December 31, 2006) Dining Out, Mandy Erickson Fresh seafood’s off the hook at San Mateo’s Yuzu Sushi & Grill The Inside Scoop The GM from Neiman Marcus’s Rotunda is moving to Bergdorf’s in New York . . .well known Monterey chef is moving on . . . and more.

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, December 27, 2006 The Top Ten Restaurants of 2006, Michael Bauer Ad Hoc, Yountville Ame, San Francisco Coi, San Francisco Dosa, San Francisco Kaygetsu, Menlo Park Nopa, San Francisco Poleng Lounge, San Francisco Redd, Yountville Terzo, San Francisco Tres Agaves, San Francisco Putting cheddar to the test, Janet Fletcher Chef’s Night In, Dabney Gough Make-ahead gnocchi from TV chef and author Joanne Weir Recipe: Gnocchi with Roquefort Cream What’s New: Opening: La Terrasse in the Presidio, Roots Restaurant on Bush Street and Piccino in Dogpatch La Tourangelle’s nut oils Dine About Town in January Taster’s Choice, Carol Ness Ducktrap and Spence & Co. are the winning brands of smoked salmon Cook’s Books, Stacy Finz “Barefoot Contessa at Home”, by Ina Garten Recipes: Lemon Fusilli with Arugula Stewed Lentils & Tomatoes Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Sophisticated dining, lounge setting are a refreshing mix at Circa in the Marina (This reviewed appeared on Sunday, December 24, 2006) The Inside Scoop Elizabeth Falkner is starting construction for her new restaurant . . . Enrico’s will reopen with a new owner . . . Tommy’s Joynt 60th anniversary celebration . . . and more. Letters to Food

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, December 20, 2006 The 100-mile Christmas feast , Georgeanne Brennan, Ann M. Evans Two sumptuous celebration menus for winter draw from the Bay Area's seasonal bounty Recipes: --- Traditional menu -- Oyster Bisque with Croutons of Sacramento River Sturgeon Caviar Dungeness Crab & Belgian Endive Salad Pork Loin Stuffed with Walnuts, Dried Apricots, Raisins & Sage Braised Chard with Roasted Garlic Meyer Lemon Curd Tarts with Candied Violet Cheese course -- Meatless menu -- Gigandes White Bean Soup with Wild Arugula & Meyer Lemon Zest Fennel, Mache & Belgian Endive Salad with Satsuma Mandarins Twice-Baked Butternut Squash with Walnut & Dried Fruit Stuffing Brussels Sprouts Chiffonade with Caramelized Onions Compote of Dried Fruit with Lavender Creme Anglaise Cheese course The 100-Mile Feast Wine-Pairing Tips, W. Blake Gray From South to North, Jacqueline Higuera McMahan Tamales that buck tradition Recipes: Cocktail Chipotle Chicken Tamales Braised Chipotle Chicken Seasonal Cook, Carol Ness Winter brings tangerine dreams What’s New: Holiday Treats Kit Ferry plaza farmers' Market Tokens Eat It! trivia game Opening: Pan-Asian at Umami Opening: Bi-Rite Creamery & Bakeshop More restaurants: Sushi Rock and Namu in the Richmond Taster’s Choice, Carol Ness Battle of the bittersweet bars, bittersweet baking chocolate, Sweet Earth wins but Schokinag, Ghirardelli and Baker's were not far behind. The Working Cook, Tara Duggan Simple braise for saucy pork Recipes: Pork Chops with Braised Fennel & Lentils Seared Tuna Banh Mi Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Sophisticated dining, lounge setting are a refreshing mix at Circa on Chestnut Street (This review is from Sunday, December 17, 2006) Dining Out, Bill Addison Contadina does justice to classics in the Marina Dining Out, Jennifer Tomaro Homey food hits the spot at Katy's in Walnut Creek The Inside Scoop Cosentino to retail his salumi . . . new chef at Tra Vigne . . . dinner only at Ame . . . and more. Between Meals, blog by Michael Bauer Selections from my Pasta Hit Parade

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, December 13, 2006 Rising to the occasion, Amanda Gold Four delicious desserts reflect the best of the season Recipes: Chocolate-Covered Cherry Cookies Chashew Turtle Tart Molasses & Brown Butter Cream Sandwich Cookies Lemon Layer Cake with Cranberry-Lemon Curd Seafood of the Season, Olivia Wu Sea bass returns, but there's a catch Recipe: Spicy Smoky Chilean Bass Seasonal Cook, Amanda Gold At Hanukkah, it all comes back to oil Recipes: Sweet Potato & Leek Fritters Spinach & Zucchini Latkes with Smoky Creme Fraiche Crispy Cod & Potato Cakes What’s New: Markets: Falletti Foods in NOPA, Canyon Market in Glen Park, and Blue Fog Market in the Marina Metropolis Baking Co.'s Pane di Altamura semolina bread 3-D cookie cutters from Williams-Sonoma Retro aprons Taster’s Choice, Carol Ness Bake-athon, taste-off reveal best European-style butter, Challenge European-style wins overall and is the best in the plain tasting, Jana Valley butter from New Zealand is the favorite for baking. Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Straits at San Francisco Centre has lots of flair but lacks finesse (This review appeared on Sunday, December 10, 2006) Dining Update, Michael Bauer Sweet and salty flavors overplayed at Citizen Thai in North Beach Dining Update, Bill Addison San Francisco's Indian Oven is pleasantly predictable The Inside Scoop Moose's to become 'Italian brasserie' . . . Aqua will get a new executive chef . . . Narai Thai to close in the Richmond . . . and more.

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, December 6, 2006 90 minutes to a dinner party, Janet Fletcher Three elegant meals that come together quickly for holiday entertaining Recipes: Menu 1 Spanish Garlic Shrimp with Sherry Halibut with Fennel, Chick Peas & Saffron Aioli Mixed Chicory Salad with Lemon & Olive Oil Blue Cheese with Honey & Toasted Hazelnuts Menu 2 Black Olives with Red Wine & Fennel Green Olives with Toasted Cumin & Sesame Seed Taralli or Breadsticks Hand-Cut Pappardelle with Wild Mushrooms & Black Truffle Butter Arugula & Fennel Salad with Shaved Pecorino Pepato Wine-Poached Pears with Dulce de Leche Custard Sauce Menu 3 Smoked Salmon Bruschetta Splt Pea Soup with Carrots, Cilantro & Cumin Braised Baby Back Ribs with Caraway Cabbage Persimmon “Ice Cream” with Gingersnaps The Roving Feast, Marlena Spieler A funny thing happened on the way to Alba, strangers on a train lead to white truffles Recipe: Uova Tartufatta Cook’s Books, Karola Saekel Local chefs, authors share their favorite recipes “The PlumpJack Cookbook; Great Meals for Good Living”, by Jeff Morgan “Tartine”, by Elizabeth M. Prueitt “Biba’s Italy: Favorite Recipes From the Splendid Cities”, by Biba Caggiano “Big Small Plates”, by Cindy Pawlcyn “Coffee Cakes: Simple, Sweet, and Savory, by Lou Siebert Pappas “Esalen Cookbook: Healthy and Organic Recipes from Big Sur”, by Charlie Cascio Recipes: Orange/Olive Oil Cake (from ‘The PlumpJack Cookbook”) Venetian Calf’s Liver with Onions (from “Biba’s Italy”) Mu Shu Pork ‘Burritos’ with Mandarin Pancakes (from “Big Small Plates”) Cookbooks roam from Morocco to Malaysia “About Professional Baking”, by Gail Sokol “Arabesque: A Taste of Morrocco, Turkey & Lebanon”, by Claudia Roden “Baking: From My Home to Yours”, by Dorie Greenspan “Black Forest Cuisine”, by Walter Staib “Cradle of Flavor”, by James Oseland “Modern Caribbean Cooking”, by Wendy Rahamut “Whole Grains”, by Lorna Sass What’s New: Restaurant opening: Out the Door in the Westfield Centre Restaurant opening: Pres a Vi in the Presidio Market Watch: Artichokes and citrus fruit Taster’s Choice, Carol Ness Squash soups fall flat on every level, the top scorer, Pacific brand, got only 32 points. The Working Cook, Tara Duggan Chorizo substitute has south-of-the-border appeal Recipes: Soyrizo Breakfast Burritos Chicken & Brown Rice Soup East to West, Linda Furiya Ripe persimmons evoke memories of Shanghai Recipes: Five-Spice Persimmon Cake Ginger Cream Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Lark Creek stakes a claim on mainstream dining, Lark Creek Steak in San Franciso Centre (This review appeared on Sunday, December 3, 2006) Dining Out, Carol Ness Di Bartolo enlivens Oakland’s food scene Dining Update, Miriam Morgan California comfort food at its best at Blue Plate in the Mission Dining Update, Bill Addison Stuck in the ‘90s near Union Square, Puccini & Pinetti The Inside Scoop Aqua chef is moving to Saratoga . . . Benefit for Bar Crudo’s injured workers . . . Tajine is relocating . . . and more.

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, November 29, 2006 Gifts from your kitchen, Marlene Sorosky Gray Recipes: Dark, Milk & While Chocolate Brownies Zesty Orange-Apricot Bread with Dried Cranberries Melon, Apple & Pear Chutney Indian-Spiced Cashews with Pistachios & Currants “Best of Everything: Almond Cake Shrimp Mousse with Avocado & Dill Moroccan Honey-Glazed Carrots Gadgets galore for the giving, Stacy Finz Chef’s Night In, Dabney Gough Chef Khai Duong of Ana Mandara Recipe: Crispy Skin Salmon What’s New: Hot cocoa in the Bay Area Ready-to-serve Tri-tip from Buckhorn Grill Dried persimmons Mary’s Gone Crackers are gluten free Taster’s Choice, Carol Ness Bette’s scone mix is the clear winner. Seasonal Cook, Tara Duggan Cauliflower shows its spicy side Recipe: Pizzeria Delfina’s Spicy Cauliflower The Baker, Flo Braker Cranberries tart up sweet dessert Recipe: Cranberry Walnut Tart Restaurants Dining Out, Michael Bauer Keller’s Ad Hoc elevates rustic, family-style dining (review from Sunday, November 26, 2006) Dining Out, Amanda Gold Mama’s influence evident at Pier 15 in San Rafael Dining Update, Michael Bauer Isa’s small plates still rate, but with a bit less luster, in the Marina The Inside Scoop, GraceAnn Walden Perello to leave Fifth Floor . . . Eos has a new owner . . . news on the Silicon Valley restaurant scene . . . and more. Letters to Food

Curlz, I love that term! I guess that's what I was for quite a few years. Now, I describe my son as a "sushi-tarian".

Many years ago I found a recipe for a sweet potato casserole, that I always made for Thanksgiving. It's baked and mashed sweet potatoes, a bit of butter, milk, seasonings and pumpkin pie-type spices, then beat in a couple of eggs, to lighten it. It will puff up a bit when you bake it. Here's the secret confession part A few years ago I saw Emeril making a similar recipe on his show. Of course he embellished it. First tip, Amaretto is the perfect flavor with sweet potatoes. Whichever way you like to make yours try adding a splash of Amaretto. Then Emeril's topping, instead of the marshmallows, was a streusel-like mixture of butter, brown sugar, chopped macadamia nuts and shredded coconut. Very indulgent, yes, but very tasty.

Digest: San Francisco Chronicle Food Section for Wednesday, November 22, 2006 The Dog Ate My Turkey, Amanda Gold . . . and other Thanksgiving disasters. Plus, time-saving strategies to calm your nerves and last-minute Thanksgiving menu Recipes: Bacon-Wrapped Turkey Breast with Cider Gravy Chorizo & Apple Cornbread Stuffing Cider Gravy Molasses & Maple Glazed Yams Pumpkin Caramel Ice Cream Pie Seasonal Cook, Olivia Wu Chestnuts usher in festivities Recipes: Fran Gage’s Apple Tart with Chestnut Cream Castagnacchio (Chestnut Cake) Seasonal Cook, Olivia Wu Crab season starts with a bang Recipe: Winter Crab Gumbo What’s New: Restaurant Opening: Farm at the Carneros Inn in Napa Barefoot Contessa pantry items Thanksgiving flavors from Jones Soda Market Watch: Citrus fruits and winter greens Taster’s Choice, Carol Ness Danish water crackers, Bisca, nudge out Carr’s for the top score. The Working Cook, Tara Duggan Friday’s bird is sometimes best Recipes: Turkey Couscous Salad with Pomegranates Baked Turkey Sandwiches with Brie & Cranberry Turkey Survival Guide Recipe: Chronicle Classic: Best Way Brined Turkey Holiday Hotlines Restaurants The Inside Scoop Changes on the restaurant scene in Tomales Bay . . . new chef at Postrio . . . Roland Passot to open a restaurant in Las Vegas . . . two Italian cafés to open in the Mission . . . the Mandarin is closing . . . and more. Dining Out, Mandy Erickson Tribu Grill’s Filipino fare caters to the carnivore in San Bruno Dining Update, Bill Addison Ella’s dinners hark back to Mom’s comfort food on Presidio Avenue Dining Update, Michael Bauer Scala’s Bistro exudes a timeless appeal in Union Square Where to eat out for Thanksgiving, Bill Addison Between Meals, blog by Michael Bauer Benefits