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eG Foodblog: eje - A Week of Porridge


eje

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The Bariani folks are usually there.

Do you like their oil? I just discovered it after it was featured in a wild salmon pairing dinner here in Albuquerque, and the fishmonger had tons of it so we bought a few bottles. Nice taste but not as grassy or strong as I often like....

Andrea

http://tenacity.net

"You can't taste the beauty and energy of the Earth in a Twinkie." - Astrid Alauda

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Food Lovers' Guide to Santa Fe, Albuquerque & Taos: OMG I wrote a book. Woo!

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I've seen recipes for quince liqueurs and actually have wanted to try making one some time.  Shoot, I should have gotten some.  I always intend to do something with quinces; but, the local season flashes by so quickly, I usually miss my opportunity.  These were particularly gnarly looking specimens.  Does that mean they are extra tasty?

Dunno about the tastiness, as the ones I purchase have a different destiny....

I learned this tip from a friend, although this might get me into the eG hall of shame: I've never cooked with quinces. I buy them from the farmer's market in season and keep the bulk of them as underripe as I can for as long as possible....

...while each one takes its turn under the seat of my car, ripening away and turning into the World's Neatest Air Freshener. Then it rots, and I rotate to the next one...

:laugh:

Andrea

http://tenacity.net

"You can't taste the beauty and energy of the Earth in a Twinkie." - Astrid Alauda

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Food Lovers' Guide to Santa Fe, Albuquerque & Taos: OMG I wrote a book. Woo!

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Do you like their oil?  I just discovered it after it was featured in a wild salmon pairing dinner here in Albuquerque, and the fishmonger had tons of it so we bought a few bottles.  Nice taste but not as grassy or strong as I often like....

Andrea

http://tenacity.net

I do like their oil.

It is fairly mellow and buttery in style.

Can't claim to be an expert about olive oil though.

I do know they sometimes sell two styles of Olive Oil, one that they say reflects a particular region of Italy and another that is slightly more expensive and reflects another. It seems to me that the guy said the price difference was just about the amount of oil that they got out of their olives. I also seem to remember, he said that one of the oil styles used riper olives and another less ripe.

I've never tried both of the styles side by side, though.

I do like that it seems to be an honest well made product, which they obviously take great pride in.

---

Erik Ellestad

If the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck...

Bernal Heights, SF, CA

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We've never been real good at the brunch thing.

My feeling is, I had to work enough of them, for long enough, that I am still getting back hours of sleep by sleeping in.

However, in the interest of Foodblog cinema, we roused ourself out of the house before noon, and headed to brunch.

First, however, we were getting low on coffee. It is very bad if we run out of coffee. Headaches, crabbiness, the whole nine yards.

You may have noticed, at the begining of the week, that I get coffee from Sweet Maria's. They mostly sell green beans and supplies to roast your own beans; but, they also have a sort of roasting subscription subscription that I belong to. It's a little like the Bonnie Doon Distinctive and Estoteric Wine club, where you don't know what you'll get until it is at your door. But, we were in a bit of a rut with a single coffee from a certain supplier, so it's been a good change. Great deals on exceptional coffees.

Unfortunately, we sometimes run out before the new coffee arrives.

So it's back to our old stand by.

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Peet's Kenyan.

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Then we were off to a neighborhood called "Dogpatch" to hit up one of our favorite brunch spots.

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Mabel's Just for You Cafe used to be in a tiny space on Potrero Hill. A few years back they moved over to bigger digs in Dogpatch. There can be a significant wait; but, they are usually pretty good about turning tables and getting parties in and out.

The space is decorated with rock posters from various venues in San Francisco, like the Bottom of the Hill or the Fillmore.

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The vibe is a bit tattooed hipster; but, it's not snobby.

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They do serve beignets on the weekend.

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They were not as fluffy this time as they are some times (or as fluffy as other tables were); but, they were fried and covered in powdered sugar.

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I pretty much always get the "Cowgirl Breakfast". Two eggs (medium), two pancakes (buttermilk), two sausages. Simple stuff. Simple stuff to screw up. The eggs at Just For You are almost always cooked correctly. The pancakes are from scratch, fluffy, and have a delicious buttermilk tang. And the pork sausages are cooked on a griddle. It really is the way this sort of breakfast should be everywhere in America. It almost never is, though.

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My wife got the "Sweet Scramble" with biscuits and fruit salad. Look! The biscuits are from scratch and the fruit salad cut to order. Ripe strawberries, pears, and kiwi! You don't get that at Denny's.

---

Erik Ellestad

If the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck...

Bernal Heights, SF, CA

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Erik,

This has been such a fun blog, thanks for the trip! I love your tablecloth! I have some from my great grandmother that are similar.

It turns out that our new house has a feijoa tree in the garden. When they ripen I'll try that cocktail.

If only Jack Nicholson could have narrated my dinner, it would have been perfect.

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Don't know if the gnarly fruits are tastier, but it's an interesting theory.

Love the feijoa cocktail! Very cool use of an off the beaten path fruit.

Thanks for blogging Erik. This has been a fascinating slice of your life! :smile:

Katie M. Loeb
Booze Muse, Spiritual Advisor

Author: Shake, Stir, Pour:Fresh Homegrown Cocktails

Cheers!
Bartendrix,Intoxicologist, Beverage Consultant, Philadelphia, PA
Captain Liberty of the Good Varietals, Aphrodite of Alcohol

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The same weekend every year, the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose have a Holiday Boutique to raise money. We first read about them in an article about Olive Oil.

Some of the first European settlers of California were Spanish Missionaries. They created a string of settlements (Missions) along a road they called "El Camino Real". The farthest north was San Francisco Solano in Sonoma, California (1823), and the farthest south, San Diego de Alcalá in San Diego (1769). When they came, they brought everything they would need, importantly, grape vines for wine, and olive trees.

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Some of the Olive trees at the Missions may be the same olive trees planted by those initial Spanish settlers.

The Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose (in Fremont) had always made olive oil.

But, it wasn't until a local Olive Oil merchant realized the potential gold in those trees, that they started selling it as a fund raiser.

A few years ago, after reading an article about the sisters and their olive oil, we travelled down to get some.

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We discovered that the sisters also sold baked goods, craft items, and donated produce.

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Now, every year I buy hachiya persimmons from the sisters and make a persimmon pudding from them.

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This sister is selling their famous Bourbon Balls.

They also sell a fruitcake. We happened to buy a fruit cake one year and bring it home to my in-laws, almost as a joke. My father-in-law exclaimed, "this is the only fruit cake I've ever had that tastes like my Mom's!" So now, we have a responsibility to bring or send home fruit cake every year. One year, an elderly gentleman, who was helping package the fruit cake, explained the secret to enjoying it. "Get a slice of fruitcake and a glass of brandy. Alternate between them. It's the only way."

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Olives are becoming a theme on the Foodblogs of late! By, the way, if you want to help out with the Olive harvest this year, it is planned for December 2nd.

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Some of the trees.

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The sisters convent.

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The Mission San Jose was founded in 1797. Unfortunately, the original mission was severly damaged by an earthquake in 1868 and fell into disrepair. Some of the building were restored shortly thereafter; but, the church was was not rebuilt until 1985.

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This is the restored altar.

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Here are our spoils, 2 fruit cakes, Olive Oil, bourbon balls, persimmons and cookies.

---

Erik Ellestad

If the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck...

Bernal Heights, SF, CA

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Our Sunday night dinner is typically soup noodles.

It's good to have something healthy and warming and "reset" before starting a new week.

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It's usually an Asian style broth with ginger, garlic, rice wine, and soy sauce. We add baked tofu, mushrooms, bok choy, and spinach. Or whatever is handy and looks good.

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Plenty of "Rooster Sauce" is very important!

---

Erik Ellestad

If the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck...

Bernal Heights, SF, CA

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One last ice cream treat, this week.

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Oof, I think I have eaten more ice cream this week than any I can remember!

But, it wouldn't be a San Francisco Foodblog without an It's It!

---

Erik Ellestad

If the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck...

Bernal Heights, SF, CA

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Don't know if the gnarly fruits are tastier, but it's an interesting theory.

Love the feijoa cocktail! Very cool use of an off the beaten path fruit.

Thanks for blogging Erik.  This has been a fascinating slice of your life!  :smile:

Thanks Katie!

It's my theory, that almost any fruit smashed with sugar and lime, and shaken with the delicious Mae de Ouro Cachaca will make a fine cocktail. I have yet to have it disproved.

---

Erik Ellestad

If the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck...

Bernal Heights, SF, CA

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Erik,

This has been such a fun blog, thanks for the trip!  I love your tablecloth! I have some from my great grandmother that are similar.

It turns out that our new house has a feijoa tree in the garden.  When they ripen I'll try that cocktail.

Thanks for reading!

I believe that was one my Mom found for us at an antique store.

Yes, I've read Feijoas are common in Austrailia and New Zealand. Originally from South America, though. The trees are said to bear heavily and require little care, as long as the conditions are good. Drought tolerant and all that. Some day I hope to have one in my yard. The flowers are quite unusual.

Important hint I discovered was true today. Ripe and over-ripe ones look pretty similar externally. The clue is that the flesh around the seeds starts darkens. Under-ripe is better than over ripe. The over-ripe ones tend a bit towards bitter and lose the sour component. Definitely to be avoided.

---

Erik Ellestad

If the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck...

Bernal Heights, SF, CA

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Don't know if the gnarly fruits are tastier, but it's an interesting theory.

Love the feijoa cocktail! Very cool use of an off the beaten path fruit.

Thanks for blogging Erik.  This has been a fascinating slice of your life!  :smile:

Thanks Katie!

It's my theory, that almost any fruit smashed with sugar and lime, and shaken with the delicious Mae de Ouro Cachaca will make a fine cocktail. I have yet to have it disproved.

I agree! Haven't had a bad one yet... :wink:

Katie M. Loeb
Booze Muse, Spiritual Advisor

Author: Shake, Stir, Pour:Fresh Homegrown Cocktails

Cheers!
Bartendrix,Intoxicologist, Beverage Consultant, Philadelphia, PA
Captain Liberty of the Good Varietals, Aphrodite of Alcohol

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Well, thanks to everyone for reading!

It's been a gas taking you on a tour of some of the highlights of what I consider "My San Francisco".

The idea for "A week of Porridge" was for it to be just a regular week and see what I could squeeze in.

I hope you've enjoyed it, and someday come visit us here in the City by the Bay.

If you have any questions, feel free to PM me.

Good night, or good morning to you all.

---

Erik Ellestad

If the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck...

Bernal Heights, SF, CA

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Plenty of "Rooster Sauce" is very important!

I like that hot sauce too! :smile: Erik: Thanks for a week's glimpse into your life in San Francisco. I very much enjoyed it, especially the portions on Asian food. That's me... eating >80% Chinese food at all time.

W.K. Leung ("Ah Leung") aka "hzrt8w"
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Thanks so much for inviting us into your life for this brief bit of time.I have enjoyed your blog very much.the pancakes at the recent brunch look wonderful, my favorite breakfast food ( except eggs...mmmmm.) Do the nuns have a web site to sell their wares? my stepdad is exceptionally fond of fruitcake ... thanks

And this old porch is like a steaming greasy plate of enchiladas,With lots of cheese and onions and a guacamole salad ...This Old Porch...Lyle Lovett

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You can make a delicious quince tatin. I also make a chicken stew with quince.

Michelle,

Is there a recipe for the chicken and quince stew available anywhere? Sounds really intruiging. A great idea for a fall dish.

My husband made his up. I will ask him if I can post it in RecipeGullet. It is very good. :wub:

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Well, thanks to everyone for reading!

It's been a gas taking you on a tour of some of the highlights of what I consider "My San Francisco".

The idea for "A week of Porridge" was for it to be pretty much just a regular week and see what I could squeeze in.

I hope you've enjoyed it, and someday come visit us here in the City by the Bay.

That's exactly why I liked your blog so much, Erik: because it was a regular week in your San Francisco life with some of your favourite places and some of your favourite foods. Fancy-schmancy isn't needed for a blog to be good... some of the foodblogs I like the most are those that feel "homey" to me, and yours is no exception.

From one former English student to another, a blog well done!

Joie Alvaro Kent

"I like rice. Rice is great if you're hungry and want 2,000 of something." ~ Mitch Hedberg

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Thanks so much for inviting us into your life for this brief bit of time.I have enjoyed your blog very much.the pancakes at the recent brunch look wonderful, my favorite breakfast food ( except eggs...mmmmm.) Do the nuns have a web site to sell their wares? my stepdad is exceptionally fond of fruitcake ... thanks

I don't believe they have an online store or anything.

I would call them and ask about fruit cake.

Holiday Boutique Website

(It seems like their webmaster messed up parts website a bit with the last update. But, the contact information is there.)

---

Erik Ellestad

If the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck...

Bernal Heights, SF, CA

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Wow Erik cute kitties.  Two of my present three are sisters, the first siblings I've adopted.

But:

home made grenadine

!!!

I've been searching for this! Has a method or recipe been here on eG somewheres all along? Local poms are cracking ripe.

I like your local market... it is an incomparable gift, one's local market being a good one.

Priscilla,

Was just going through looking for unanswered questions.

Here's the eGullet thread about home made grenadine.

Real Grenadine

---

Erik Ellestad

If the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck...

Bernal Heights, SF, CA

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Not only Mitchell's Mexican Chocolate but an It's It as well! I'm not a big ice cream eater either, but there are something one just musn't pass up.

The food was my #1 favorite thing about living in SF so it's almost overpowering to see it again through a foodblog, i.e. the "highlights" of the city. If I hadn't just visited last year, I might have forgotten why I left at all!

Thanks for the fun week. It was a cool revisitation for me and a nice thing to see the city from someone else's perspective.

To hell with poverty! We'll get drunk on cheap wine - Gang of Four

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