kiliki

If I'm looking for great Vietnamese in SF, what would you suggest other than the Slanted Door? I did find a thread about cheap Vietnamese but price isn't the issue-I just want great food. Any comments about the following: La Vie, Le Colonial, Ana Mandara, or PPQ Dungeness Island? I come to the city fairly often for work but only sometimes have a car, which is why I ask only about SF. I do go to Oakland as well, and it sounds like Le Cheval is the place to go there.

Do you know what that was? In all my reading, I didn't hear about any chemical solutions, so I'm curious. I ended up not buying any calcium sprays, either-I just read too many things saying they don't work (apparently there's no evidence tomato plants can absorb calcium through their leaves). I did end up picking all the affected tomatoes, about 40 in all, and there are still plenty of non-affected fruit, so I'm hopeful I'll still get a good crop.

I based my Tony's opinion only on two visits (with friends, so we had a number of dishes), which may not be fair, but they committed some restaurant sins that made me not want to chance it further. For example, the lettuce in my salad had brown edges. YUCK. The seafood was greasy and the pasta overcooked. All of my co-workers raved about the place but they were all a little vague as to when and if they'd actually been there (that's why I made the reputation comment). But I'm glad you've had good experiences and I know we could have caught them at off times. There were some very cool things about it and some bad things (my apt. was mouse infested, heat-less and generally really gross-the NPS has no $$ to maintain employee housing. That's one reason I got to know the restaurants and delis so well-I was too grossed out by mice to cook at the apt.). I do feel very lucky that the one time I've been stationed in a park it was near such good food! I've made a number of research trips back since I left, and I will go way out of my way to eat a Pine Cone diner breakfast and Marshall Store oysters. The MS has very odd hours (I think they close at 4 on tuesdays, for example)-be sure to check these if you're making a special trip.

HM-Try searching the whole board for info about Meile. I remember reading a thread where some people were very unhappy with the brand, though I don't remember details.

The Pine Cone Cafe is fantastic. Terrific pancakes, REAL (the shredded kind) hash browns fried in butter, locally produced eggs and bacon....I miss it. If you sit outside the service can be iffy, and depending which way the wind is blowing, you'll smell the cows from the Giacomini's ranch. The Station House is fine for breakfast-they have a nice patio-but I like the PCD much better. The Station House is fine for other meals, too, but it doesn't blow me away. Tony's is not good. They are really riding their reputation of being an old favorite in the area. The Mexican place is allright but honestly, it too often made everyone a little sick (I used to work at the National Seashore). It's good, and we'd all routinely go there, but we'd often end up paying for it with, umm, intestinal trouble, later. Last time I was at Tomales Bay Foods (Feb.) it was radically different than when I lived there. Gone were the lovely chocolat pot-de-cremes, homemade pickles, and terrific looking lunch stuff. It looked like they still did sandwiches, and there is still the Cowgirl Creamery (YUM) cheese stand and produce stand. Toby's Feed Store has a better than you'd expect selection of drinks and locally made snacks. The Inverness Store made good sandwiches, especially shrimp, but they have new owners as of this year and I'm not sure if things are still the same. Most people love Bovine Bakery-I'm not a big fan of American style bakeries (muffins, etc) but if you are, check it out. In Olema, the Olema Farmhouse isn't that great. I've heard the Inn is good but haven't eaten there. And saving the best for last...the Marshall Store for bbq oysters. They are fantastic and I love the place-it's creaky, funky, order at the counter and get your own beer out of the cooler. Bring a sweater for sitting on the deck, the heat lamps always have issues. They have chowder and raw and rockefeller oysters, too. Have a great weekend-it's such a fantastic place. If you go to the lighthouse, think of me-I used to live in one of those apartments (you'll walk right by them, a white dog named Jello will probably bark at you the whole time) there.

Thanks. Some ag. extension publications said calcium spray might help, but there seems to be a consensus on gardenweb that it doesn't work. And the poor plants are just COVERED with tomatoes right now, especially the plum. My sungolds and French carmellos, in the same raised bed, are unaffected.

ACK!!! Blossom end rot is on all of my black plums and cherokee purples! I didn't even know what this was but I have since found a ton of info online about it. Interestingly, it is not affecting two other kinds of tomatoes that are in the same bed. I am going to try calcium spray but I think it might be a lost cause. *sniff* I was really looking forward to big batches of sauce from the plums. Susie-You are putting the basil starts in another, larger container, in good potting soil, right? I've never had issues with basil, no matter if I put it in pots or raised beds, with or without other plants, as long as it gets good sun. If you're doing that, I have to think it's the watering. A pot in a sunny location might need water everyday (stick your finger a couple inches down in the soil to see if it's dry), whereas in the ground, it won't need watering as often.

Two Bulgarian brothers own the place. I remember reading about it in one of those little neighborhood newspapers. Hopefully they can do better than the cafe, and the Mexican place before that..

3 full days. However, I did start eating them after 24 hours, when they were new pickles, and I loved them then, too.

Wow. I had no idea half-sours were so easy to make. I made the above recipe, with the addition of peppercorns and a jalapeno, with some baby pickling cukes I got at the farmer's market last week and they were fantastic.

I knew there was a better selection on weekends, but it is better on Sunday than Saturday, too?

I forgot that Mae's has that ice cream place now-I will definitely try that since I can walk there. I'll also try B&O next time I'm on the hill. Thanks!

I thought the seal scenes were interesting as they were almost identical to an episode of PBS's Globe Trekker, where Ian Wright went seal hunting and into a family's home to eat seal on the kitchen floor in the same way. There have been a number of other NR scenes that were very similar to Globe Trekker scenes as well. I wonder if this is just coincidence or if NR producers are hoping that Travel Channel viewers don't watch PBS.

Again the craving for a good espresso shake has hit. If anyone sees the REAL thing-espresso, ice cream, milk, a blender-in Seattle, can you let me know? I know they've got to be out there, but my usual coffee places like Lighthouse don't do them. Thanks.

Mexican food, when I travel to Europe or Hawaii (which is where I've mainly gone the past few years). Usually I have to get some on the way home from the airport. Sometimes I break down and have "Mexican" food at these places, which is a much worse idea in Europe than it is in Hawaii, and it is always bad. Fresh green salads, when I come back from one of our frequent backpacking trips.

What a fantastic blog already! And I second the request for the plov recipe.

The bruschetta lady has a big spread in Sunset this month, complete with a full page picture and a number of her recipes.

Yes, the first tomatoes! Sungolds, Stupice and Black Plum (roma-style) are all ripening. The Black Plum are great for a roma-I'll definitely plant those again. I've got lots of green tomatoes on the French Carmello and the other heirloom types I planted. The pole beans are going nuts-I have so many. I need to learn to pickle. I tried sowing various lettuce seeds a couple weeks ago but the little sprouts did not survive the heat wave. It may have been my fault for not keeping them moist enough.

I did a very stupid thing with my Saveur last weekend: I took it as reading material on a backpacking trip. Do you know what kind of torture it is to see pictures of German potato pancakes and smoked tofu with bacon and to read about the cuisine of Indonesia while you are sentanced to eating dehydrated foods for 3 days? It's not good.

I think you'll have good luck buying those things from local stores. There are very good kitchen stores-City Kitchens and Mrs. Cook's, for example, that have great big sales a couple times per year, and they always have some specials or clearance items. It seems like Le Creuset is ALWAYS on sale at these places-there is a Le Creuset outlet north of Seattle, though, if that interests you. Macy's downtown has good cookware/dinnerware and it seems like they are always having a sale. For things like cast iron cookware and plastic cutting boards (or maybe even a stock pot if you want a cheaper one), go to a Fred Meyer-this is a sort of large variety store, a NW chain that has good prices (you won't find high end stuff here)

Ditto. My parsley and cilantro last a couple weeks this way.

I just finished mine and loved it. The Sterns' essay was hilarious. The illustrations/vignettes about breakfast by the childrens' book author (I forget her name) were beautiful and unexpectedly touching. I'd LOVE to see this become a regular publication-once or twice a year at least?? Please?

I'll second Ling's Dahlia Bakery recommendation. Not only does it have great filling and crust, the Italian meringue really puts it over the top.

I agree, that's a very good route.

Sounds like a great trip! Here are some North Cascades/Methow Valley suggestions: On Hwy. 20, 3 miles east of Rockport, look for the Cascadian Farm stand. They make wonderful ice cream and shakes (avoid the shortcake, though) from the organic berries they grow there. The espresso shakes are good, too, and they have a few salads and snacks, too. In Winthrop, the Duck Brand Cantina serves only average Mexican food, but they do have a nice outdoor deck with a creek running underneath. I've had good breakfasts at Sun Mountain Lodge in recent years, and the view is great. It's been so long since I had dinner there I can't say if that is still good. I've heard the Topo Cafe (Asian) is good but I haven't tried it. In Twisp, the Twisp River Pub is good if you want burgers, hot sandwiches, etc. They have many other entrees, but honestly, I don't think it is a good idea to order Thai peanut noodles and the like at a pub in Twisp. Disclaimer: I've only eaten here after hiking trips when most anything tastes good.