elizabethnathan

The Batali piece was in the New Yorker food issue, August 19 & 26, 2002. It had a Wayne Thiebaud on the front.

Just before finding your post I enjoyed the most incredible, simple snack: Toast with sliced tomatoes, smoked salmon, chives and creme fraiche. Also, I've taken Amanda Hesser's suggestion, and made creme fraiche whipped cream. Just whip the heavy cream and fold in creme fraiche at the end.

also manresa. it's outside the city though.

Lorca

I just read the Saveur article. The author, BTW, is working on a book on AW. The piece felt very much like an excerpt from a longer body of work. I was in Torino last fall for the conference, and considered going to the dinner, but decided against it. I live in the Bay Area, so it would have felt silly to follow Chez Panisse to Italy. I also strongly recommend the cafe over the restaurant. Dinner at the restaurant is a more formal affair, but the cafe experience is always special. I think that eating well and conciously is for many of us a way of life, one that's so ingrained, we've forgotten the alternative. I realize this is not a particularly profound statement; we all read about having Alice to thank for our mesclun. What I'm getting at is that despite all the wonderful changes, there are millions who aren't concious of any of it, can't afford to eat organically, would rather eat junk, value sustenance above all, think the whole thing is totally elitist, etc. I just think that comfort and complacency lead us to devalue things too easily. I was quickly reminded of this when I moved to Holland from San Francisco. Our standards of excellence are so very high! And that's a great thing of course. I've grown tired of the sycophantic focus on Waters, but that doesn't ever diminish my experience at Chez Panisse. The flavors are always incredibly clean, the space is so elegant, and it's just a treat.

I've been happy with Nancy Silverton's recipe from her Pastries book.

Boont Amber from Anderson Valley California. Fat Tire has only recently become widely available in the Bay Area. It's nice to see it on tap now.

What about the Liberty Cafe (Bernal) or Woodward's Garden (Mission)--both sleepers, in my mind. The Liberty is probably a bit cheaper. Maybe Cafe Jacqueline--an all souffle menu. Might be too pricey though.

New locations for Sur La Table: Santa Barbara Chicago, Lincoln Park Center Naperville, IL Chesnut Hill, MA Charlotte, NC Cleveland, OH Lake Oswego, OR Richmond, VA

Having lived in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, I second your assessment alacarte. Funny though, that another active thread at the moment is on the Michelin 3-Star Parkheuvel in Rotterdam. Overall, I was consistently disappointed with my dining experiences in Holland, even in some high end restaurants. Yes, there are lots of Argentine places in Amsterdam, but those are mostly chains catering to tourists. I've never seem them elsewhere. The place that I most wanted to visit, but never had the chance to, is De Kas in Amsterdam. It's located in a greenhouse and gets much of its produce from the garden. One hard and fast rule for Holland: always book way in advance. The Dutch love to reserve.

Sorry for the delayed response! Sounds like you're off to a good start but if you're able to splurge, do try to make it to the Chanticleer in Siasconset. It's the best meal on the island. Also on that part of the island--The Sconset Cafe. In town, I recommend 21 Federal and American Seasons for higher end meals, and Black Eyed Susan's for a more casual dinner or breakfast. Don't miss Something Natural on Cliff Road for beach food--they have the best sandwiches on your choice of homeade breads. Also, you must have ice cream at the Juice Bar on Broad St. just down the street from the ferry. They have blackberry for a few short weeks every year--not sure what the timing is. My favorite there is a watermelon cream-vanilla ice cream blended with fresh watermelon juice. Have a great trip!

Civic Center's tough--maybe something in nearby Hayes Valley like Paul K, Citizen Cake, Suppenkuche, Hayes Street Grill or even Zuni?

Nick- What kind of pot do you use? My favorite spring risotto includes meyer lemon, fresh pea and tarragon.

"tuck into"...can someone explain this one?

Thank you for this information. Michael-this is for a home kitchen. Are "caramel bar" frames difficult to find? I don't think I've ever come across them.

I buy pate de fruits whenever I find them, and particularly like these: http://www.recchiutichocolates.com/home.htm. Now I'd love to try making them. Any tips?

This is my favorite source for honey: http://www.marshallshoney.com/ They produce great varietals like "CIA Herb Garden" and "Buzzerkeley"

I never visited Arpege before the conversion, and only have one visit to go on but for me that onion gratin was stellar. I'd say it was the highlight of my meal.

Hi Blondie- My favorite city! Here are some quick thoughts. I'd say the most upcoming area for restaurants is San Lorenzo, a part of the city frequented by students from the nearby university. I've seen Uno e Bino(via degli equ 58, 39-06-446-0702) mentioned all over and I know reservations are tough but it sounds fantastic. Also in San Lorenzo is Tram Tram (via dei retti 44). Another good area off the beaten track is Testaccio, truly the last working neighborhood in central Rome. The debates go on and on about where the best pizza can be found, but many believe Pizzeria Remo, in Testaccio, is the best(closed Sunday, P. Santa Maria Liberatrice). If you do make it over there, I really recommend stopping in at Volpetti's(via marmorata 47) . It's a great fine food shop and they will talk to you for hours if you let them while they offer you sample after sample. They open around 4 or 5 pm. I also love eating in Trastevere. In terms of sightseeing, I'd try to get to the recently restored Galleria Borghese for one of the finest collections of Renaissance and Baroque art in the world. My other favorite private collection is the Doria Pamphilj. This is just off the via del corso, not all that far from the Pantheon. The collection is still housed in the original private mansion and owned by the descendants of the Pamphilj pope. The Borghese gets much more attention, but I find the Pamphilj collection more interesting The space is a little shabbier and many of the paintings are still hung floor to ceiling as they used to be. You really get a sense of the people who lived there, while at the Borghese they're breathing down your throat if you get too close to anything. I never grow tired of doing the "Caravaggio tour". Basically you hit three churches, San Luigi dei Francesi, San Agostino, and finally Santa Maria del Popolo. You can see them in any order really, just be sure to time it right because closing times differ. As you walk from seeing San Luigi and San Agostino, you can take the via di ripetta to get to the Piazza del Popolo where the last church. Somewhere along this street, Caravaggio killed a man, thus triggering the events that eventually led to his banishment from Rome and eventual death. Other often overlooked favorites include the Farnesina, a Renaissance villa in Trastevere with amazing frescoes and graffiti left by the germans when they sacked the city during the 16th C., the Michelangelo Moses in San Pietro in Vincoli, Bramante's Tempieto and Borromini's San Ivo della Sapienza near P. Navona. I would not miss the top floor of the Palazzo Massimo(part of the Museo Nazionale Romano) in the Quirinale. There are top quality mosaics from all over the Roman empire and the frescoes from the Villa Livia, a house that belonged to the wife of Augustus. The only other place to see frescoes of this quality from the Roman period is Pompeii. What else? I love visiting the Piazza dei Campidoglio after dark--if you walk towards the back of the square you will be looking out over the forum. It's an incredible view at any time of day, but especailly when all the ruins are lit up. I saw this mentioned but I agree with the suggestion to visit the Campo dei Fiori market in the morning. You won't find much modern architecture in Rome but you could visit the incredibly bizarre EUR, an area outside central Rome built by Mussolini for the World's Fair. If you fly into Fiumicino and take a taxi in, you'll probably see it out the window. I know that Richard Meier has been working on a new building for the Ara Pacis but I'm not sure if it's open yet. For shopping, I always like the area behind the Piazza Navona where Govero Vecchio is. Depends on what you want really. People seem to think that the only great thing to shop for in Rome is the really high end stuff on the other side of the corso closer to the Spanish Steps. People also shop for antiques on the via giulia behind the farnese palace. For info on live music, pick up Wanted in Rome. They're also online at www.wantedinrome.com It's not exhaustive by any means, more like a nice accompaniment to a more complete guidebook, but I've gotten great suggestions from the City Secrets series. There is one published for Rome. I hope you have an incredible trip.

Breads of India in Berkeley is fantastic. They have a coupld hundred dishes in their repertoire and they rotate the menu nightly. It's pretty small and there's usually a line.

Hi there- This is my first posting so I'll try to make it count. Irish Cream, in response to your request for help, here's my attempt to narrow the field a bit. One caveat: I don't live in SF anymore! I actually live in Holland but I can't wait to return... Based on participating restaurants posted at http://www.sfdineabouttown.com/, here's are my thoughts: None on this list are absolute favorites but you have plenty of very good options. If I didn't mention it then I don't recommend it. There are a couple omissions, such as Hawthorne Lane and Charles Nob Hill, that would have once been highly recommended but have suffered from the departure of defining chefs. Alma--fairly recent addition to my former 'hood, the Mission. It's a nuevo latino place, i'd say the best in SF(there aren't many). Johnny Alamilla is really returning to his roots here. I guess you could call it nostalgia food. Aziza--new on the scene since my departure so I can't judge from experience. That said, the place sounds great and has been generating a lot of buzz. Cal-Moroccan. Andalu--small plates place run by a friend of a friend in the heart of the mission. also generating a lot of buzz. again, sorry, i haven't been there. Antica Trattoria--well respected, traditional Italian trattoria Azie--Asian Fusion place in SOMA that was very good but also pricey. I hear they've lowered their prices somewhat. B44--located on Belden Lane, a strange movie set like street situated in the financial district. I feel wierd going there at night, it's much more happening during the day. So I'd recommend lunch. This is authentic Catalan cuisine. Bacar--I haven't eaten there in two years but I found it uneven. It is an Arnold Wong project so I had high expectations--his restaurant and wine bar, EOS, in lovely Cole Valley is one of my favorites. This is little but as an example, they were serving bread from La Brea Bakery in LA. Now this is good bread, don't get me wrong. But with all the amazing SF bread sources, why go frozen? The thing to come for is wine--they have an incredible selection and they offer a lot by the glass. It's located in SOMA and at the height of dot-com madness this was a prime location. I wonder how they're faring now. Black Cat--Reed Hearon's troubled North Beach restaurant has been transformed, I hear, into a French bistro inspired place. Don't know your thoughts on Michael Bauer but he loves it. Bizou-Well regared rustic French. Beef cheeks are a signature dish. Boulevard--Very popular place on the Embarcadero. It's a bit buttoned up for my taste, due to it's location. Other than that, highly recommended. Pat Kuleto designed the beautiful art nouveau space and Nancy Oakes is one of the most well respected proponents of California Cuisine in the Bay Area. She's married to Bruce Aidells, sausage king. Citizen Cake--The food is uneven, and the service can be maddening but oh, the desserts! I vote this the best place to eat dessert in San Francisco. Owner Elizabeth Faulkner is an absolute genius in my book. You can tell she was an art student; her creations are incredibly imaginative. Enough superlatives? They also have a great take out counter. Cosmopolitan Cafe-I've never been but have always heard good things. Often overlooked (apparently by me too). Foreign Cinema--Also in the mission. Once a trendy place with so so food, now a trendy place with good food since two new chefs took over. The hook is that they project classic movies onto a large screen(no audio). Farallon--It was great but it's been awhile so I'd recommend that you get an update if you're considering it. Another Pat Kuleto multi-million dollar design project. Chefs are Stars alumns (last time I heard). Greens--A must, especially for a newcomer. This place boasts one of the best views in SF. Ask for a table by the window and either eat lunch or brunch or book early enough for sunset. Greens was originally founded by Deborah Madison and is now run by Annie Sommerville. It is vegetarian, and much of their produce comes from Green Gulch Farm at the Zen Center in Marin. The food is by no means cutting edge, but it's a Bay Area institution. Grand Cafe--Another sleeper. Isa's--Small plates in the Marina. I wasn't wowed by my experience there but everyone else seems to love it so I consider it unfair to keep it off the list. Maybe it's just the crowd... Jianna--North Beach Californian. One Market--Very close to the Embarcadero. A little stuffy at lunch, due to it's location, but gets good reviews. Opened by Joyce Goldstein, this is now owned by Bradley Ogden. Postrio--Wolfgang Puck's long established restaurant near Union Square, which means lots of tourists. Californian. Redwood Park--Again, going on hearsay since this opened after my departure (don't know if I could afford it even it I were still there). This is the place George Morrone opened after leaving Fifth Floor. I'd be willing to follow him. Rose Pistola--Another Reed Hearon project in North Beach. Italian American, heavy on seafood (Ligurian style). It's been around awhile, but I believe it's still consistent. Yabbie's Coastal Kitchen--One of the top spots for unadorned or simply adorned seafood. I'd love to hear a report on where you ended up. We're not so fortunate in Holland to have the choices you have...