Thanks to Dawn Balzarano for being our photographer!
Anyone who has read my food truck posts knows that I have lamented for some time the lack of ethnic food trucks in Sacramento. Aside from the plethora of taco trucks and the smattering of gyro trucks, I'm still craving crepes, pirogis, curries, and more. I'm happy to say that starting in September we will finally see a new addition, an Asian inspired truck named Slightly Skewed.
I've been waiting on this truck for MONTHS since I found out about it last year. What has taken so long is that they got the truck brand new, custom made. As we know with all such things like construction, there are delays after delays. The manufacturer assures them they will be getting the truck the beginning of September. (Fingers crossed)
This truck is owned by Rob Jong. Rob just graduated from the Oregon Culinary Institute in foodie city Portland with his sous chef friend, Kevin Whitmore.
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| Photo by Sterling Caviar |
I was privileged enough to recently meet Peter Struffenegger at a fundraising event. Struffenegger is the General Manager for Sterling Caviar and was gracious enough to allow this pushy blogger a fantastic opportunity - to watch them harvest and package fresh caviar.
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| Yowza! |
The United States' west coast is home to two of the 22 species of sturgeon: green and white. From these, California is producing 80% of U.S. Caviar. These bone plated fish have remained fundamentally unchanged for thousands of years. They can live to be over 100 years old and record ones have grown to be over 18 feet long and over 2000 pounds!
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| These tanks hold 1-2 year olds |
You are tired of crackers with that cheese ball at the potluck. Or maybe you are looking for a new eye-catching garnish for that cocktail or cupcake. Simple & Crisp may be the solution you are looking for.
Simple & Crisp are wafer thin slices of dried fruit that are super crisp enough to be able to substitute for a cracker. They are made from the freshest selected apples, pears, oranges and blood oranges.
I was sent a selection of the crisps to try as I thought they would be a great alternative for people with dietary concerns, such as gluten intolerance or a paleo diet, which means no grains.
The obvious things to do with them are:
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| photo by Simple & Crisp |
Garnishing desserts
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| photo by Simple & Crisp |
Garnishing beverages
And serving with cheeses and charcuterie
I have no idea how they got them so very crisp, but they are. And pretty strong too, which is important if you are using them with dips and cheeses. My only complaint was that the seeds are left in. While this is not too much of a problem with the apples, it can give you a bitter taste with the citrus seeds.
Simple & Crisp can be found at certain Whole Foods Markets, Dean & DeLucca, and other specialty stores. You can also order directly from them.
Simple & Crisp can be found at certain Whole Foods Markets, Dean & DeLucca, and other specialty stores. You can also order directly from them.
Here is the cheese spread I made for the photos.
1 8 ounce block of cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup chopped dried cranberries
1/3 cup chopped dried apricots
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onion
Mix these together.
To make a cheese log, chill the mixture til firm. Shape it into a log. Roll the log to cover with 1/2 cup of slivered, toasted almonds or other nuts.
Garnish with a sprinkling of dill weed or sea salt.
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| courtesy of Mumkin |
I also love Portland, especially since over that last couple of decades it's gone through a great rebirth and areas that were once blighted have reemerged as hip neighborhoods. When I was in college there in the 80s the Pearl District was a bunch of run down warehouses and scummy. Now it's trendy lofts, bistros and boutiques. Back then all the good restaurants were downtown on the west side of the river. Now most of the best restaurants are sprinkled throughout the revitalized neighborhoods on the east side of the river.
Recently I found an architectural gem in Northeast Portland that is one of the top eateries if you go by Eater.com Portland. The Firehouse is in the Woodlawn area and was built as a functioning firehouse back in 1913. This beautiful brick structure stands on a triangle block in the middle of what must have been a lively blue collar neighborhood. Inside there is plenty of wood detail and the wonderful garage door that is rolled up when the weather is nice. Sadly they don't have a fire pole (Sacramento's Firehouse restaurant has them beat in that one detail). On the walls there are vintage photos showing past fire brigades that occupied the station.
I am here to meet my college friend for dinner. The Firehouse garage door is open because for Portland it's a warm day. For Sacramento me, there's a bit of a chill. That's the reason I've opted for indoor seating than outdoor, where they have a nice patio.
We start off with a plate of blistered peppers. I can't remember what type they were, but they weren't Shishitos, so popular in California. These were smaller but nicely blistered in a hot pan and then tossed with a bit of olive oil and sea salt. These were handled carefully with the perfect amount of salt.
My girlfriend saw the pizza oven and knew immediately what she was having. She opted for a Margherita Pizza. We watched the dough being tossed, topped with cheese and a bit of basil, and served quickly from the oven just 10 feet away from our table.
I was a little disappointed in my almond cake with berries in that I had expected a more rustic cake made with more almond meal than flour. This was more of an almond pound cake with obvious almond extract added for the flavoring. Still, it was delicious cake paired with fresh Oregon blackberries that are so bountiful here.
Julie has a penchant for buttermilk and so she selected the buttermilk sorbet. She felt the touch of lemon overtook the buttermilk flavoring, but still enjoyed it very much.
Overall, I was very pleased with our visit to the Firehouse. The food is Oregon farm to fork with an emphasis on the pizza oven and wood fired grill. You can't beat it for charm either. It will be off the beaten path for many Portland visitors, but worth a trek away from downtown.
It appears that La Boheme in Fair Oaks has quietly slipped into the night. In its place is the new Mighty Tavern, a new neighborhood restaurant with a detailed approach to dishes.
I first heard about Mighty Tavern weeks before its opening when Jason Azevedo, butcher and charcuterie specialist, started posting about it on Facebook. He has assumed the position of Sous Chef alongside Chef Carolyn Kumpe. The owners, Joan Reid Lapuyade and Dennis Lapuyade, have years of restaurant experience, including stints at Chez Panisse.
The building has been remodeled. La Boheme, being French themed, was dark and intimate for that romantic feeling. When I was married we would go there for Valentines Day. Now the space is bright and cheerful with light streaming in the front windows that used to be heavily draped. There is a back patio they hope to use for brunch/lunch, but probably won't be able to use in the evenings since they are located in a residential area.
Something definitely worth the mention, Azevedo and Kumpe are trying to make as much in-house as they can. That means housemade ketchup, mustard, pickles, jams, sausages, bacon, and more. That makes Mighty Tavern a Farm-to-Fork neighborhood restaurant for those not interested in driving downtown.
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| Who knew they were so easy?! |
I made baked beans for a potluck and was pleasantly surprised at how darn easy they are. There are very few ingredients and you just throw it all in a slow cooker. This is adapted from my friend Elise's (SimplyRecipes.com). I just wanted to add even more depth of flavor, so I added a couple more ingredients. I was very pleased with the results, and so were the folks at the potluck.
Baked Beans
1 pound (bag) dry white beans such as small navy beans
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup brown sugar
3-4 Tbsp dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
3 cups hot water
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp Worchestershire sauce
1/2 pound salt pork or bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion chopped
Pour the beans onto a plate and sort through to make sure there is no debris. Place in a large bowl and pour in water to cover them with 2 extra inches of water. Let soak overnight.
Drain the beans and rinse them. Set aside.
In a medium bowl mix together the hot water, brown sugar, molasses, cloves, mustard, vinegar, and Worchestershire sauce.
Place half of the salt pork in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add half of the chopped onions on top and then half the beans on that. Layer again with salt pork, onions, and beans. Pour the molasses mixture over the top. Set slow cooker on low and cook for 6-8 hours.
For many of us that live in the Sacramento area, Old Sacramento is where you take out-of-town guests when they come to visit. We residents seldom go there except to attend an event, meet at a restaurant, or watch the fireworks. We've turned a blind eye to the kitschy souvenir shops and the period museums.
It was a bit of a surprise, then, when I stumbled across Chefs Olive Mix one day. Located on the corner of 2nd and J Streets, it's a store that the locals shouldn't ignore.
Upon entering the store you'll be greeted with shelves of gleaming metal cans, each labeled with contents of oils or balsamic vinegars. Beneath are the bottles and tasting cups. It's a bit overwhelming to the uninitiated, but soon you'll be greeted by someone to assist you on a new tasting experience.
Chefs Olive Mix was opened in December 2011 by Lisa Paskaly, a Florida transplant who switched from dentistry to retail. It's her attention to detail in both pursuits that is leading to a successful venture - and it all revolves around education of ultra premium olive oil.
It was a bit of a surprise, then, when I stumbled across Chefs Olive Mix one day. Located on the corner of 2nd and J Streets, it's a store that the locals shouldn't ignore.
Upon entering the store you'll be greeted with shelves of gleaming metal cans, each labeled with contents of oils or balsamic vinegars. Beneath are the bottles and tasting cups. It's a bit overwhelming to the uninitiated, but soon you'll be greeted by someone to assist you on a new tasting experience.
Chefs Olive Mix was opened in December 2011 by Lisa Paskaly, a Florida transplant who switched from dentistry to retail. It's her attention to detail in both pursuits that is leading to a successful venture - and it all revolves around education of ultra premium olive oil.
Can a college town hangout translate into the city? A country mouse become a city mouse? Such is the question for the new Thai Canteen on 16th Street. The original Thai Canteen sits on the main drag of Davis, a popular place for college students. Now the owners have opened a second location in Sacramento in the space formerly occupied by Mati's Indian.
We stopped in for lunch to find the place completely transformed. Even the facade of the restaurant is new with wooden (bamboo?) framing for the windows and doors that give it a more welcoming feel than the stucco of the building it occupies. Inside you will find a couple of long picnic/communal tables and not all that many individual tables. There are plenty of counter seats, though, along the window, bar, and outside railing.
The service is organized as fast casual. The menu is posted above with specials written on a roll of butcher paper by the cashier. Place your order, take your number card stand to a table, and await delivery. The food is delivered, water is refreshed, and you leave the dirty dishes behind for them to clean up.
Fact 1: Everyone knows that if you truly want to know if an ethnic restaurant is authentic, then you need to get the opinion of a native. Fact 2: It is rare to find a good, authentic Sichuan restaurant in the United States. Including the major cities like New York and San Francisco.
I will tell you up front that this review of Sichuan Spice House (8847 Greenback Ln.) is not going to talk about each individual dish, how it was made, what spices and flavors stand out, etc. I'm not qualified to. What I will tell you is this:
1) I was referred here by Hank Shaw, recent James Beard award winner, and someone I trust with an above average knowledge of food in general.
2) The restaurant has a 5 star Yelp rating. I personally dislike Yelp, but even I know it's difficult to find an honest 5 star rating.
3) I went with four Chinese friends who are all here on work visas. Meaning, they grew up in China and have only been in the U.S. for a few years. One of them was from Sichuan province.
So really, I don't need to review it. I just need to tell you that their verdict was four thumbs up. "Pretty authentic but with toned down heat level". Basically, on a scale of 1 to 10 for heat level, they could have taken it wrenched up another six notches. Myself, I like spicy food and with 10 being "I won't even put this in my mouth", this was a 7 for me.
