Jerry's Thoughts, Musings, and Rants!

Travel Tuesday

This week for Travel Tueday I head back to San Francisco where I spent 4 days attending a conference a year ago . . .

Photo Hunt - Informative

This week's Photo Hunt theme is 'informative'. I had a ton of shots to select from but finally decided upon this one.

When I was in San Francisco for a conference in March the SFMoMA had an exhibit that seemed to be set up just for me: 'How Wine Became Modern;Design + Wine from 1976 - Now'. During a break in my sessions one day I headed off to the gallery. I used my reciprocal membership from the Art Gallery of Ontario to get in free and spent some time enjoying learning more about the wonderful world of wine.

One of the interesting things was a 'sniff wall'. People always describe wine as smelling of this or that but few of us ever know what the heck is going on - yes, it does smell of wine . . . The sniff wall featured wines that were especially selected to demonstrate  particular scent, the sniffer device enhanced the scent, and there was a wonderfully informative information card about each.

 

Photo Hunt Road

This week's Photo Hunt theme is 'road'. I took this picture a few weeks ago when I was in San Francisco for a conference. One afternoon I headed down to the Mission district to visit Mission Dolores. This bell was set up outside the mission.

The "El Camino Real Bells" have long been in place since the early part of the last century to mark the original route of "El Camino Real" from San Diego to Sonoma in California.  The El Camino Real,  (Royal Highway or King's Highway), closely follows Highway 101 in California.  The El Camino Real was the first roadway in the State, built by the Spanish during the early mission days. 

The 700-mile-long El Camino Real linked California's chain of 21 missions, which were founded by Father Junípero Serra and reputed to be spaced one day's journey apart by horseback.  Unfortunately over the years the Camino Real gave way to modern highways, primarily Routes 101 and 82.   Around the turn of the century several civic groups, concerned that this historic road was being lost to "progress", worked to try to preserve it by having the state declare it a historic road and marking the original route with this legendary bell. 

The bells were first erected and paid for by the Camino Real Association in the early 1900s.  The Association installed the guidepost bells to mark the road and many of these bells are still standing today. 

 

Photo Hunt - Trees

This week's Photo Hunt theme is 'trees'. When my colleague and I were in the bay area a few weeks ago (my lord, how time flies after a vacation) our plan was to visit the redwood forest park - Muir Woods. Sadly with all of the rain that fell the road to the park washedout and we were unable to go.

Unable to get to the redwood forest our plans changed. Instead we wandered around Golden Gate park. I wandered around the island in Stowe Lake - something I've never done before on any of my trips to the area. There I found some of the majestic redwoods, perghaps not as impressive as in Muir Woods, but impressive nonetheless . . .

 

What Does One Bring Back From a Trip?

It is always interesting for me to line up the things that I have brought back from a trip once I get home. It can say a lot about who you are or what caught your eye while out and about. Others bring home t-shirts, post cards, magnets - I bring home booze, food, clothing, and cooking utensils.

In fairness, I have travelled to California so many times that traditional souvenirs seem a tad redundant at this point.

Lest you think I am more self-centered than I am, much of what I bought is a gift - Easter is just around the corner and there are Easter baskets to fill!

 

So what did I bring back?

• 14 bottles of wine;
• 7 shirts (I purposely packed light knowing I'd be hitting the outlet mall);
• socks;
• underwear (miscounted there when packing :-));
• 13 boxes/packages of chocolates;
• 3 pairs of pants;
• 1 work out outfit;
• 6 bottles of olive oil;
• 3 bottles of flavoured olive oil (jalapeno, roasted garlic, lemon);
• 7 lbs of coffee;
• 4 bars of olive oil soap;
• carved wooden cooking utensils;
• chocolate covered peeps;
• choclate covered jelly beans;
• 3 jars of honey (white truffle, hazelnut, black sage);
• vin santo orange marmalade;
• fig/balsamic grilling glaze;
• an outrageously expensive watch (thank heavens it was 80 % off at the outlet mall + I had a coupon :-));
• a meat grinder attachment for my Kitchen Aid; and
• a sausage maker attachment for my Kitchen Aid.

Now I know why my luggage was overweight!

All  things that I would be unable to get at home - either at the price I paid or because it just isn't available. SIGH  It's been 2 years now - when will they bring chocolate covered peeps to Canada?

The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen

I've mentioned before that San Francisco is one of the world's great food cities IMHO (or not so humble, opinion). Access to high quality ingredients, willingness to take chances with said ingredients, yet at the same time being respectful of the ingredients means that you can eat many a good meal in the city. Couple that with a very cosmopolitan atmosphere and on any given day you can eat around the world, as it were.

I've also mentioned that I was travelling with a colleague who thinks of food as fuel and has the palate of a 100 year old.  I crave variety in my meals. I like some flavour and heat with my food. While I enjoy fried things as much as the next person (really, what human doesn't?) I am also cognizent of the fact that my pants are tight and as I close in on 50 it is harder and harder to reign in my expanding waistline. Finally, I don't really enjoy mush.

Selecting restaurants was a challenge.

I did spot one that I was sure would be a hit - the American Grilled Cheese Kitchen located in SOMA about three or four blocks south of the convention centre. Brought to the city by a seven-time winner of the World Grilled Cheese Invitational this place is devoted to simplicity—buttery, caramelized bread, with an oozy, melted center. By house rules, each sandwich must be at least 60% cheese. Finally a rule imposed by someone else that I can live with!

Who doesn't LOVE a grilled cheese? Crisply fried buttered bread. Gooey, melted cheese. MMMMM

My colleague loves grilled cheese sandwiches. In fact, when we travelled to Sonoma for 'Jerry's Day of Fun in the Wineries', we stopped in at the famed Girl and the Fig where she ordered the grilled cheese sandwich served with tomato confit and matchstick fries and declared it 'wonderful'.

Everyone raves about The American Grileld Cheese Kitchen on the internet (those who do not rave about it complain about the lines, lack of seating, or 'why pay money for something I can make at home' - which fits nicely in Jerry's 'most stupid thing to criticise a restaurant for' category). Heck, even Lady Gaga had made a point of stopping in earlier in the week when she was in the Bay Area for two concerts. I knew of all the restaurants I had selected that this would be my colleague's favourite. I thought it would be a perfect spot to head to for lunch during the conference.

Imagine, if you will, my shock when we met up for dinner one night and we were discussing our afternoon adventures, and she indicated that she and her sister had walked there for a late lunch. 'What did you order?' I asked.

'Nothing. It looked weird. There was nothing to order.'

Yes, they had walked to the restaurant from the hotel, looked at the menu, and turned around to walk back to the hotel.

Now this was curious. Could the Wall Street Journal, Food and Wine, Sunset, San Francisco Chronicle, and 100s of Yelpers, facebook users, tweeters, and bloggers be addled? Had the restaurant changed hands?

I had to see for myself.

The first thing I checked out was the route. To walk there from the conference I'd have to go under the highway. Now where I'm from walking under the highway can be an iffy proposition. I consulted with my bus map and noticed that bus # 30 picked up right beside the convention centre and would drop me off right by the restaurant.

As soon as the keynote speaker on Monday was done I raced to the bus stop and was soon on the bus heading off on my investigation of what had gone wrong for my colleague. Unfortunately because of an unscheduled 'bathroom break' for the bus driver I and the rest of the passengers were ejcted from the bus just past the CalTran station and forced to walk the rest of the way.

The area around South Park was lovely. Monday was the first day with full sun in more than a week and people were taking advantage of it by eating their lunches in the park. I smelled the delicious scent of grilled cheese before I saw the restaurant. I was early (i.e. before the lunch crowd) so I had no trouble ordering and securing a table outside in the sun. Because this was an 'investigation' and not really lunch I was forced to order TWO sandwiches so I was able to compare. I ordered a beer because  . . . well, just because.

The menu is simple. In fact, it is just seven sandwiches deep. Your options include a basic three-cheese Mousetrap and a spicy Jalapeño Popper, made with bacon and apricot-jalapeño relish. But I had heard that the Piglet—your basic ham and cheese, if your basic ham and cheese had been tastefully slathered with apple mustard and rosemary butter - was the sandwich to order. I selected a Piglet and a Mousetrap.

 

These, ladies and gents, were freaking amazing sandwiches. The bread perfectly crisp and buttery. The cheese delicious. Melted. Gooey. The artisan cured ham on the Piglet was amazing - delicately smoked, thickly sliced but not too thick to over power the wonderful tillamook sharp cheddar.

On the way back to the convention centre for my last session of the conference (a screening of the incredible documentary 'the Race to Nowhere') I couldn't help but ponder the disconnect between theperfect grilled cheese sandwiches I had just experienced and the experience of my grilled-cheese lusting colleague, who having walked all the way to the restaurant, left without ordering anything as everything, in her opinion,  looked weird.

I think I figured it out - first it was the walk. It wasn't a short walk. It had been raining when she went. Some of the walk in SOMA can be a tad sketchy. By the time one had gotten there it is conceivable that there might have been a bit of disquiet. Hell, let's be honest - I would have been whining and looking for a cab.

Then it was the menu. Had the menu merely said 'grilled cheese' she would have ordered and been fine. Because it said things like Havarti or Monterey Jack (both cheeses she had never eaten before and worried her) she wasn't sure. Had the cheddar been called cheddar instead of Tillamook sharp cheddar - what is Tillamook? SHARP? Had the piglet merely said - 'grilled ham and cheese' - she might have been fine.

It seems I had gone too far in my selection and missed an important food rule: 'nothing out of the ordinary'. The sandwiches ARE out of the ordinary; deliciously out of the ordinary. If you like food that is well made, delicious, and out of the ordinary - come here. If you prefer food that is not stay home, open up a package of white Wonder 'bread', slather on some butter, throw on two slices of Kraft cheese product (but unwrap the cellophane first) and make your own.

A 16

 
Generally we like to end a vacation with a 'blow out' meal. I'm not sure what gives a meal 'blow out' status because it changes from time to time. Whatever the reason - it is something that has significance for me on that particular trip. For my last meal in San Francisco I wanted to eat at a restaurant that I had read much about but never been to A16. In addition to the good word of mouth, I also wanted to learn more about the foods of southern Italy since we will be there in 6 months.

A16, named after one of the main highways in southern Italy, brings the food of southern Italy to North America. Opened in 2004, A16 has since been present on many top Italian restaurant lists ever since. It is a very popular restaurant in the Marina district, with prime time reservations needing to be booked a week or two in advance. Happily we had no trouble getting a reservation through opentable.

For my first course I had ordered the burrata appetizer. I LOVE burrata - that wonderful combination of cheese and cream. A16 keeps it simple . . . drizzlingit with olive oil and finishing it with a flurry of sea salt. It`s served with crisp house-made crostini on the side - and if you run out of the crostini they`re happy to provide more.

 
Eating this dish reinforced my belief that if I were ever stranded on a desert Island, I could happily survive on bread and cheese alone.

For my main I was torn by so many dishes on the menu - in fact, there were very few that I didn`t want to try - unusual for me. In the end I went with the salsiccia pizza – fennel sausage, spring onions, mozzarella, grana padano, garlic, chiles. We had had a similar dish at Mario Batali`s restaurant, Mozza, in LA. It was brilliant there. I had to order it in SF and see how A16`s version compared. In addition, I`ve heard that A16 is the only restaurant in the Bay Area certified by the Verace Pizza Napoletana Association - more practice for our fall trip to Naples.

 
How was it?

Well, A16's salsiccia pizza was particularly excellent, with creamy mozzarella, just the right amount of fresh, light-tasting sauce, perfectly flavored sausage, and  peppers and onions. I ate it all. I refused to share any. Frankly - I go there JUST for this pizza in the future - it is that good.

By now I was FULL. My colleague and her sister enjoyed the famed Chocolate Budino Tart with Sea Salt and Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I went `light`and had a scoop of their meyer lemon gelato. MMMMM

Another thing that I liked about this restarant was how serious they are about wine and pairing. I had some questions about the wine and the staff was knowledgeable and provided excellent direction. Unlike some other restaurants, I wasn`t made to feel like a rube from an Alabaman trailer park for asking a question.

For dessert I asked if they had a wine similar to vin santo. After some conversation between the various wine staff they made a recommendation - as you can guess, thye were spot on.

There was but one thing I did NOT like about the restaurant. I know that profit margins are tight. I understand that the more people you serve the more money you make. That being said, I don`t enjoy sitting close to my fellow dinners that I hear their conversation or that I could reach to the next table and sample their meals with ease. A small thing for sure that won`t cause me to not go back but a big thing nonetheless.

SF MOMA - How Wine Became Modern: Design + Wine 1976 to Now

One of the nice things about attending sessions at the Moscone Center are the many galleries and museums within a short walking distance from the conference facilities. The conference that you're attending may feed your mind but the galleries and museums you can visit can feed your soul. On Saturday I popped into the SF Museum of Modern Art to view their latest exhibit 'How Wine Became Modern'. I am a member of the Art Gallery of Ontario so the entrance was free.

The exhibit starts in 1976 - the date of the now iconic Paris wine tasting in which American and French wines were blind tasted - and the American wines won. For the first time ever Californian wines were seen as world class. In the ensuing 35 years the wine industry has undergone a remarkable change. This tasting is represented by the huge wall painting you see below.

'How Wine Became Modern' explores the visual culture of wine and its stunning transformation over the last three decades. The exhibition combines historical artifacts, architectural models, design objects, newly commissioned artworks, and enticing installations, including a "smell wall," to probe many aspects of wine culture, among them the globalization of wine, concepts of terroir, wine in popular media, and new strategies in label, glassware, and winery design.

The museum has devoted more than twice the usual space for design shows — 7,500 square feet of its fourth floor. “How Wine Became Modern,” which runs until April 17, is divided into nine main sections: terroir, the DNA of the grape, global changes in wine production,  winery architecture, modern production methods, labels, wine glass production, how wine has entered popular culture, and  wine tasting.

They had a huge wall devoted to how wine labels have evolved over this time. It was neat to see them classified in the various categories. I was also surprised to see bottles of wine from three of our favourite Niagara wineries represented.

 
 

It was fascinating to see how the concept of a winery has changed with the advent of wine tourism. I was taken aback by some of the stunning architecture that was displayed - it is clear that in many cases the winery structure is as important as the wine in the bottle.

I really enjoyed the 'sniff wall'. Over the past few years there have been radical changes in theway wines are described - hamster cage being used to describe the scent of Syrah for instance. The scent wall held snifters of wine that displayed the characteristics being described - all you had to do was squeeze the rubber ball which released some air into the flask of wine thereby releasing the scent.

 
If you're a wine fan like me and are in the SF are you should check out this fun and quirky exhibit.

Visiting the San Francisco Ferry Market

 
I know that there are folks out there who see food as nothing more than fuel to keep them alive. This post is not for those folks. This post IS for those of us who see food as a creative outlet; a thing of beauty.

If you appreciate food than no visit to San Francisco is complete without a visit to the Ferry Market terminal.  Once the main hub for ferries criss-crossing the bay, in 2003 the building reopened as an upscale gourmet marketplace, office building, and re-dedicated ferry terminal. The restoration project spanned several years, with an emphasis on recreating the building's 1898 ambiance. San Francisco's most well known farmers' market is held there on Saturdays from 8 am to 2 pm, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 am - 2pm, year-round.

Yesterday there was a 2 hour block during which conference participants could visit the publisher display, get some lunch, or nap. I took advantage of my free time to hop on the F Line (the 7 day pass for the MUNI has paid for itself a number of times) and head to the base of Market street where I knew this foodie 'heaven' awaited.

 

The farmers market was crowded with local folks snapping up food and tourists snapping pictures.

There were long lines for Blue Bottle Coffee.

 
Happily I found the store located about a block and a half from the hotel where I have enjoyed the coffee some call the best in North America. I could ignore THIS line.

There was a line I was unable to ignore and thatwas the longest one in the market - at Roli Roti. This stand was seling spit roasted chicken, porchetta, and roasted potatoes. I am no fool - when you see a line this long you get in it. It doesn't matter if you don't know what is at the other end, don't think, don't metacognate, don't waffle, get in the damn line. I am glad I did because soon there were 20 people in line behind ME!

 
 
 

This was an amazing sandwich. The pork is as good as it gets, with crispy skin and seasoned with enough herbs to be savory without being annoyingly salty or overly herby. The onion jam is almost overkill, but really it brings the whole thing together with the greens for contrast. The guys cutting the meat cleanthe porchetta cutting board with the bread, so no gloppy mayo here. Very, very rich. Very, very, good!

In fact, I discovered later that this porchetta sandwich has become a cult favorite in the City - one of those "must do" things for visitors and locals alike. In fact, it's holding steady as #12 on the 2010 list of 100 Things to Eat Before You Die from 7x7 in San Francisco. The line is long, but it moves pretty fast.

As a side note, I have had 4 of the things on the list during this trip. YUM

But enough about my gluttony.

I wandered about the market - the fresh flowers were amazing . . .

 
These giant tulips were sold with the bulbs attached.

I was particularly intrigued by the date flowers . . .

 
Well, I was until this guy almost took out my damn eye! There outta be a warning sign on these!

Inside the market was crowded!

 
I still managed to make my way through the crowds to buy some treats to bring home. I have to be careful because with 12 bottles of wine, and all of this stuff my two suitcases will likely be over 100 lbs! ARGH Perhaps I should see if I can upgrade to first class so that I can bring homewhatever I want. LOL

Others bring home t-shirts. I bring roasted garlic oil, chocolates, dry-cured fennel sausage with orange peel, sage honey, and dried morel mushrooms.

A Rainy Day in Sonoma

Dear Lord - I don't know where all of that water came from. Back home in Canada we're used to summer storms where the rain falls down in sheets. It's quick, hard, but then it is gone. Yesterday's rain was relentless.

Our first stop was supposed to be Muir Woods. The TV advised folks to stay away from areas with tall trees, hills, and creeks.

Basically  . . . Muir Woods.

We decided to give it a pass.

We headed north to Sonoma and essentially retraced the route that Paolo and I took we first travelled to Sonoma when I was last in town for a conference. Sure it was wet, windy, and grey. There was even hail. Roads were flooded out. Traffic detoured. Trees fallen over. BUT . . . twe wine was good, the food wonderful, and the company top notch - what more could you ask for?

Some random shots from the day . . .

 
I've never seen the hills of Sonoma so green!

Cheese and meat platter at the Girl and the Fig. Tried three local artisanal cheese - the one on the right had cocoa nibs. MMMM Colleague's sister had the duck confit special. Colleague had grilled cheese which was described as 'tasty'.

 
Swollen creek at Ravenswood Winery. 

 
Gundlach Bundschu has gotten 'fancy' since we were last here. The wines were brilliant.

 
The view from the tower at Jacuzzi Winery. This was the only busy stop - clearly popular with the 'wine tour crowds'.