Scenes from a Noodle (Soup) Shoot.

SEEN and HEARD, 12.29.10:
Fromtheseed.com writer-producer Evelyn R. Manangan sets the scene at the Stirring it Up! shoot while waiting for tram parking at the LA's Getty Center...

(click on any photo to enlarge)

The Canon DSLR captures a steamy angle on Hapa Ramen's Richie Nakano.

Prized pork belly waits in the wings at the Ferry Plaza.

Making of the broth: Hapa Ramen.

BIG PORK NECK=BIG FLAVOR.

HR's Mise en place provides mise on scene for our director and DP, Evelyn and Ted.

More scenes. The HR crew servin' it hot at the Ferry Plaza Tuesday market.

Nakano using his noodle.

Sous Chef Victor stirrin' it up!

Sonia's gets to the heart of the matter at Hapa...

...farm fresh ingredients...

...ALL DAY.

Scene by scene with laughs.

THE BIG DADDY.

Cue chopsticks! Cue soup spoon!

Quivering pork belly deliciousness.

Last shot: Went for an artsy wind-down at the end. Editor-designer Ted and writer-producer Evelyn brainstorm the final flourish using 1080p wide shot, soft vertical wipe & caricature text.

Watch Hapa Ramen in action in the full episode of Stirring it Up! at SONIAHUNT.COM

(All stills courtesy of Soniahunt.com and Noie Productions)

Potato Roll Starter. Thanksgiving 2010.

Hopefully, by tomorrow at dinner we'll all be feasting on the potato rolls that shall yield from this yeasty, bubbly bread starter that I lovingly crafted from a recipe posted by Donald Link. Yes, despite diet fads and talk of "evil carbs" and the legions of haters who have sworn of bread products of all kinds, I cannot give it up. Especially on Thanksgiving, I'm always looking for the warm rolls.... slathered in that other hated food product--butter! C'mon! What is life without warm, buttered rolls! Stay tuned for the final product.

Home cook. And, proud. Happy Thanksgiggling...

Spice-E

Spicy Video Extra: From the Archives - Chicken Breast Dumplings--Not a Hoax!

When the first cold rains come through the Bay Area, I spend a day making dumplings. The kitchen table transforms into an assembly line centered around an enormous stainless-steel bowl of dumpling filling-- traditionally, a ground pork, shrimp, gingery-oniony mixture. Beside the bowl I set up the filling station: wonton skins piled on a cutting board and draped with damp paper towels to keep them from drying out, a wet hand-towel for cleaning the raw meat off things, teaspoons (one for scooping in, one for scooping out!), egg-white... I stack a few Billie Holiday albums in the player, crack the window for air and to listen to the rain, and then get to work...

Filling with just the right amount and effectively crimping (the seam will not open when steamed, boiled, fried or attacked by small, vicious beasts) dumplings by hand takes practice. Especially if you want a fancy scalloped crimp like you see in dim-sum houses. Something seemingly simple enough for children, can be a baffling and annoying practice even if you choose to follow the "How to fill wonton wrappers" directions on the back of many packets of skins. These "How-to" drawings, also explained (uselessly, to me, at least) in Chinese are the biggest step-by-step line drawing hoax known to the human race... unless you want your dumplings to resemble a burrito.

Improving dumpling skills, winter after winter, requires practice. However, the volume of the task is all but a glaring excuse to fix-up a dumpling-filling-fete!

I've been to at least one "all-day dumpling-fest," in New York in my very early twenties: Half-sheet-pans filling up with dumplings, bottles of wine being consumed rapidly, cigarette smoke lingering in from the fire escape, bursts of laughter over failed crimp-n-twist techniques... And, a jar of Nutella being passed around (for eating not filling!). Three girls of Asian persuasion (2 Korean, 1 Filipino) including myself, managed the evening's effort never questioning how the growing mound of pale-yellow dumplings would be consumed.

If you're Asian, you make enough to feed your family-- blood and extended-- even if they're thousands of miles away. If they are far away, you freeze.

One year, I made chicken breast dumplings. A friend had left me a Kitchen Aid sausage attachment, and I was eager to grind my own meat. Chicken breast extruded right into a big stainless bowl with the rest of my dumpling filling mix of green onions, garlic, S&P and drizzles of toasted sesame oil. (A bit healthier than the traditional pork; much more substantial than veggie versions.)

Once again, armed with teaspoons and little bowls of egg white, we filled and crimped, filled and crimped... The silky wonton skins stuffed with slippery raw meat, the skins-edge dotted with egg white and sealed, with a simple pattern, from the tines of a dessert fork.

When the last dumpling was filled, it was nearly midnight. Exhausted, I tossed the dumplings in freezer bags lined with parchment paper. Ready when we are... for soup, pan fry, ravioli or a gently steamed snack.

*Make and freeze your dumplings in November, December and January, then have them available through the rains and just in time for Chinese New Year!

While delicious and simple on their own, chicken breast dumplings don't have as much natural salt as pork or the subtle brine of shrimp, so be sure to put out every Asian condiment on hand: Spicy sriracha sauce, hot chili oil, ponzu, toasted sesame/shoyu/lime/sesame seeds and more!

OUR FOOD-CENTRIC WEBSERIES IS UP... CHECK OUT THE TASTY VIDEO!

The Mother of California Chinese Cuisine Cecilia Chiang schools us in Wrapping Wonton's on a Winter's Day... topped with a Sichuan sauce.
http://soniahunt.com/episodes/ep5-memories-of-beijing-wontons/#main

New York EAT of Mind.

Scenes from a real conversation between two East Coasters:

On Nov 12, 2010, at 1:41 PM, Spicy wrote:

hey, can you bring me rainbow cookies?!!! please, please, please. Just a small box will do. there's got to be a deli or bakeshop near your mom and even your brother that will have them.. any place that does italian cookies.

it doesn't have to be la delice; it doesn't have to be veniero. some of the best ones i've had were at 2nd ave deli (the new one) and they ordered them in from somewhere. as long as they look fresh and not dry and they have the right colors: yellow, pink and green and not those weird ones that are like orange and blue as well or only orange pink and blue.

xooox i will be your friend forever :)

--- On Fri, 11/12/10, Yumi wrote:
From: Yumi
Subject: Re: Thanksgiving Order_RAINBOW COOKIES?
To: Spicy
Date: Friday, November 12, 2010, 2:40 PM

you are hilarious.and i will also have bagels made fresh that morning in my suitcase, so i will be sure to bring some extra for you - any kind you want in particluar?? i usually get some everythings and some plains...

On Nov 12, 2010, at 5:08 PM, Spicy wrote:

everything, please. but if my bagels are competing for space with my rainbow cookies, pls go for the cookies! also, any fresh rainbow cookies from some random italian/jewish/ny deli are better than no rainbow cookies in the bay area. grazie!! yahoo!! mangia!!

---On Friday, November 12, 2010 5:20 PM Yumi wrote:

you WILL get your cookies!! they were the topic of conversation (where to get them near my mom's house so they are fresh) during dinner tonight.

i came with an extra suitcase, and the one i packed was half empty, just for these kinds of important items, have no fear!!! =)

(i remember your fruitless search for the rainbow cookies in SF - i promise i will not forget them!!!)

i can almost hear you celebrating across the country.......

---On Nov 12, 2010, at 5:32 PM, Yumi wrote:
ps - had a pastrami on rye the other day that was sooooooooooooooooo good i almost slid off my chair. (well, ok, under the booth)

Saturday, November 13, 2010 6:57 AM, Spicy wrote:

Cue Meg Ryan orgasm please

~ SPICY

sent via touch

Behind the Scenes with Stirrin' It Up!: The Elusive Custard Tart. And, a Spicy Premiere.

What makes a hot restaurant even hotter? First, it needs a 'house special,' that must-eat item that can turn rooted vegetarians into pop-up carnivores. And second, it needs at least one dish that's destined to be "eighty-sixed." Meaning: You order this limited supply item with mouth-watering anticipation and then, then...the kitchen just ran out of it. Buh-bye. All gone. 86.

Yank Sing is just that hot, with just that kind of cachet and it's been givin' it up to hungry San Francisco for over 50 years. Yank Sing's also gets top marks from elite food authorities with a 2009 James Beard Foundation Award, and in 2010 a spot in the haute cuisine food lover's bible, the Michelin Guide.

Yank Sing's house specialty is Shanghai Kurobuta Pork Dumplings aka (Joe's Shanghai NYC patrons) soup dumplings aka (deem sum purists) xiao long bao. The restaurant dedicates several serving carts to this one, single dumpling. Fresh from the steamer they're a delicate package; a tiny ginger-scented, pork meatball bathing in it's own velvety broth.

Yank Sing's not just dumplings, you can round out your meal with all your "dim sum" favorites, including dessert which is where elusiveness comes in, that soon-to-be 86'd item. In other words, you need to get yours right when you walk in. I'd been to the restaurant 3 times before I wised up because this isn't just any Egg Custard Tart. It's an über-flakey crust encasing sweet, eggy custard ready to melt blissfully inside you.

Of course, Spicy's got her own must-eat-top pick. That thing I've been calling ahead for each time I head to Yank Sing. That plate of euphoria I can only find there, so I've started dining at their less busy (shhhh!) location at 49 Stevenson, streamlining any obstacles between me and my extra special deem sum...the Seaweed Tofu. If you are ever at Yank Sing, you must try this: it's about 2 ounces of tofu, stuffed with dried shrimp, wrapped in nori, expertly battered and fried, then topped with scallions and bright red chilis! .... okay, I know this may not sound yum to the 'tofu-haters' or those who fear fried stuff, but there's one thing Spicy can guarantee you in life, The more you Taste...the more you will Love. (Words to live by.)

Or, you can play it safe and eat steamed shrimp dumplings (aka shrimp shumai) until you bust open. Still absolutely delicious. At Yank Sing shrimp shumai is traditionally spelled "siu mye" on the menu ensuring that feeling like you're really in some loud, steamy, terrifically bustling deem sum hall off a main square in China.

So, what was Spicy doing at Yank Sing? When I first went to their Rincon Center location last winter, I was "stirrin' it up" as the executive producer of a food web series shot in the San Francisco Bay Area. A short-format show that visits chefs, restaurants, food stalls, halls, carts, trucks, kitchens and anywhere you can sense food adventure in the air. And, guess what?

THE SHOW IS LAUNCHING TODAY! Check out our pilot episode shot on location at Yank Sing restaurant inside San Francisco's Rincon Center.

TO WATCH EPISODE ONE "DEEM SUM FOR DUMMIES" - CLICK HERE!

(or, cut and paste this link into your browser : http://soniahunt.com/episodes/)

See you at Yank Sing! ~ Spice-E

Did you know that Spicy spent two weeks in the Beautiful South?

We're working on all the delicious stories... from sweet tea to fried pickles! Y'all come back...

Yet another trip to hometown NYC. And, a down home Southern sojourn coming soon!

You CAN go to Napa, Part I.

Before we get to that dreamy, luscious Chocolate Cream Pie... Let me set the scene for you.

It's nearly 10pm, and you're floating in 92 degree waters in an Olympic-sized pool. Not only are you drifting without a care, but the peace-inducing warmth is further enhanced by the fact that this is no ordinary pool... It's filled with steaming, geyser-fed mineral water and sits under a vast, inky sky glittering with California stars. There's no one else around, and you feel utterly safe on a cushioned floatie. But, before you close your eyes catch a glimpse of the surrounding exoticisms: Flintston-esque palm trees and a surreal steam cloud rising with a soundless hissssss... You are now relaxed. Indian Springs Resort's website says it best:

Situated on 16 beautiful acres planted with olive and palm trees, roses and lavender, the property is blessed with four thermal geysers that produce an extraordinary supply of rich mineral water. Another prized asset is the vast, natural deposit of pure volcanic ash on our acreage. These unique elements have long inspired a tradition of healing and renewal...

Oh, yeah, baby. And, it doesn't stop there... because if you live in San Francisco (or if you don't) and you've said, "I'm never going back to Napa because [fill in your lambast against tourists, high-prices, pop-yuppie-hype and general poo-poo-ing HERE]" then, listen up...

You can go to Napa. You can. Would Spicy steer your wrong? I'm a frugal yet indulgent homegrown foodie who has seen the ugly side of a stressful job and more than a few bad meals--which means I know what it means to an honest working stiff who values their time and especially their money yet craves nourishment for the soul, psyche and oh, hello, my stomach. You just want to relax, dammit. And, eat well. And, now you can... in the Napa Valley.

Let me preface this by saying a few things. Calistoga (in the Napa Valley) and its surrounding playground is a vacation for people who either (a) like to drink wine, (b) like to eat or (c) aren't shy about lolling around naked as a jaybird while getting massaged or slathered in mud by a (trained but) total stranger. There aren't a ton of amusements for ambulatory kids. And, yes, to do Napa right it's going to cost you, but probably not nearly as much as you thought. If you have the budget for it, the memories will outlast the missing cash. Let yourself feel good...

Calistoga reaches the Napa County line making it slightly less touristy and developed. The main drag aka Lincoln Avenue is only a few blocks long but it has a bike store and rental, a supermarket, liquor store and a whole bunch of restaurants and bars. But, as far as I'm concerned, the reason to go to Calistoga is to find peace... at Indian Springs Resort.

Despite its brambly sounding moniker, "the Lodge" at Indian Springs is a kid-free haven for guests: Each room has a comfy queen bed, soft sheets, armchair, flatscreen tv, airy modern bathrooms, fancy complimentary toiletries (L'Occitane!) and either an enclosed patio or balcony with a meadow view. Further up the property, past the lifesized chess and checker boards, bocce and shuffleboard courts, are standalone cottages: beautiful studio and multi-room dwellings perfect for families.

And, then, there's the spa services: Mineral mud bath guaranteed to sweat out the toxins. And, THE pool. Did I already mention it's Olympic-sized? With retro-striped cabana curtains, poolside steam room and roaring fireplace, rattan couches, the New York Times (daily!) and all that healing and renewal feels inspired by older, calmer times.


And, then there's the food. Of course, Spicy's been working on her Napa Valley/Wine Country/NorthernCal Eats list for years. But, this last trip to the Valley was a refreshing turn for this spoiled Bay Area palette. A few notes:

Let's start with the "potted" pig at the Farmstead Restaurant at Longmeadow Ranch in St. Helena. Fortunately or not, on this rare occasion, I was so caught up in eating, tasting, texture, chewing and loving every bit that I failed to photograph every course we had ate every meal... So just another farm-to-table restaurant? Well... dammit, it's good. Chef Sheamus Feeley put the pig on the table with a wonderfully fatty and salty pork rillette, served with crunchy, slightly sweet crostini and homemade wine-mustard.
I've never smothered lard on toasted bread with such gusto. Napa's ZD Carneros Chardonnay went with our pig. "I like it when people eat it all," our waitress remarked while clearing our piggy first course. Farmstead's menu is seasonal, but thank God pig doesn't go out of season... lard-ee!

Our lunch mains were fresher-tasting versions of what's featured on many a quality brunch menu in San Francisco. I had short rib hash with farm eggs and root vegetables while Giant Sous Chef had Black Cod with Meyer lemon butter, roasted beets 'n greens. Local, local, local=Fresh, fresh, fresh. It's that simple. Next trip, I'm definitely down for the meatballs 'n marmalade and chicken 'n dumplings. Yet...

Sublime degustation peaked at dessert. For a pig lover, what could top "potted" pig on toast? How about a graham cracker crust HOMEMADE WITH LARD AND LOVE? Farmstead's not dealing in white tub Wal-Mart superstore lard that's a suitable substitute for Crisco. This is artisanal lard, people, likely extracted from a single pig named "Eve." But, wherever it came from it is pure flavor and pure fat and it quite possible makes the the best pie crust ever. Our server could not "divulge" the secret to their slightly salty not-too-sweet rich graham crust, but she flinched when GSC guessed lard. And, what's inside this amazing crust? Two inches of dark chocolate pudding and two inches of whipped cream blizzard-ed with chocolate shavings. Giant Sous Chef had the Meyer lemon version of this pie, but why wouldn't you get chocolate? I was so moved by Farmstead's chocolate cream pie, I could only muster a few blurry photos of it--proof of my food-love-haze.

Overpriced dining is usually on the list of Napa complaints. Only second to the snobby locals and even snobbier mega-wineheads shirking box-blush-wine slamming tourists. We'll get into how to avoid all that in a bit, but first... What about Yountville, Thomas Keller, Chiarello and all that hoodity-ha? Certainly, it's a scene... Yountville's Washington street's a who's who of wine country dining and $36+ plate. Yah, pre-TEN-tious.

But, yes, dammit, I went to Ad Hoc. I logged on in a semi-hypnotized state for not one but two reservations with the pithy slogan, If I was never going to eat at French Laundry I was going to eat somewhere Thomas Keller has shed his grace. And, that somewhere was Ad Hoc. And, while it wasn't entirely regrettable, I'm gonna be honest people it was a bit underwhelming...

The (unfortunate) Cons: Salty microgreens salad, ho-hum steak 'n eggs, a skimpy portion of potatoes, blah silver dollar pancakes, only decent coffee drinks and--why is there dessert at brunch?--rum baba. $34 a head is pretty fair, but, but... I wanted to start my meal with Bouchon-esque pastries and some of that yummy white sangria that they were already out of at 1pm... I just wanted it to live up to the hype.
By the time the rum baba arrived the atmosphere was fraught with expectation... Yet, the point is Ad Hoc is homestyle and homemade with the freshest ingredients. And, it's executed with textbook flawlessness... So? Beyond basic techniques, it's all about the ingredients at Ad Hoc--freshly harvested raspberries, garden peas and hand-gathered hen eggs. Wines gushing with NorCal terroir.

It's about simplicity. These are fresh ingredients that you or I can obtain. And, just like Ad Hoc's chef's we can treat fine ingredients with respect and emerge with a similar plate. Got überfresh product? Don't burn it or slice it all weird or use gross, cheap oil to cook it. Maintain the integrity of the your food... and the taste.

My advice: Skip Ad Hoc's brunch and buy Thomas Keller's wonderful cookbook Ad Hoc at Home. With whimsical pictures and text as a guide, Keller teaches can teach you how to turn food into your ally. Remember the French Chef in Rataouille who said, "Anyone can cook?" Can you guess which successful Northern California chef was the consultant on that film? Taking care when shopping for ingredients and following techniques from books like Ad Hoc, you can cook fresh and put out beautiful plates. (At least for brunch. Brunch is easy. Try it!)

By the way, we did clean our plates at Ad Hoc. Of course we did. Don't get me wrong that place is well above and beyond Le Peep grills and Cracker Barrel's offerings, but it's not cheap and certainly over-hyped which is really media's fault anyway by being so demanding on chef's these days--damned Food Network backlash.

And, by the way, if you bring a cookbook to Ad Hoc for Keller to sign, you won't get it signed. The man is essentially Zeus of the food world and as our server informed us he doesn't sign books during service... which makes me wonder if he cooks during service. Because I can't believe anything Keller ever had his hand on would have bored me the way our meal did. And, yes, I understand that someone at Keller's level isn't cooking on the line at Sunday brunch, but really, I wanted this meal to blow my socks off... and it didn't.

However... California's Wine Country is not all about the food is it? No. Absolument pas...

(bottles age in caves at Schramsberg in Calistoga)

Let Spicy take you to... Schramsberg, home of J. Davies wine estate, $40 wine caves tour. The lucky few'll get the dry-witted Kari as their guide. Spicy's pre-party spot? The one and only, bachelorette-hotspot Domain Chandon...

Spicy and Giant Sous Chef sway sophistiqué in sparkling wine edification.

Meet us in... NAPA, Part II! With Tasty 'Cue!!

Spice-E

Larousse likes it spicy... DO YOU?

"Knowledge has inspired experimentation. Individually or carefully blended spices are now used to complement ingredients and dishes that are far removed from traditional cuisines...Many dishes marry the spices of one culture with the produce and methods of another...Complementary flavours are allowed to run parallel in a dish, providing excitement as they alternately surprise the palate [!]"

- excerpted from Larousse's Gastronomique, under the entry for "Spice"

The SpicyBrowngirl is proud to present Stirring it Up! with Sonia Hunt

Sizzle 'n Spice & Everything Nice at WWW.SONIAHUNT.COM A Foodlicious lifestyle show trailer...(looking for distribution!) WATCH IT NOW and Subscribe for future episodes at the site.

(click on the spice-colored links above to watch the show preview)

A Spicy Sabbatical...

(one of winter's most sought-after pleasures... tucking into a hot bowl of PHO)

After laying in bed, riding the subway, yoga posing and (insert pensive thought-inducing action here) all the while quietly composing the latest fromtheseed blog post, I've decided that I need to set a few things down right now. Spicy is proud to report that she's the producer on a new (soon to be launching) food and lifestyles web series. And, she's also-hello!-pursuing wild, academic dreams, a little modified and definitely "deferred," but, now, seemingly attainable. (Lächeln :)

I take my short leave not without a little food news from your favorite spicy home cook...Me!

WHAT I'M EATING (and Drinking) RIGHT NOW: 2007 Coppola Zinfandel from the Napa Valley. Popcorn, Indiana Gourmet Smoked Cheddar Kettle Corn. As for the kettle corn, I always have a bag in my house, and I've succumbed to the brand spanking new Noe Valley Whole Foods that stocks this addictive popcorn treat. The neighborhood--despite feigning protest against WF for its questionable biz ethics--is in a constant rejoice, unable to veer away from the line of cars aimed at less than 20 spots in the parking lot. If you're in the market for things like whole, ready to eat, piping hot Provence-style free range roasted chicken or preservative free, brown rice syrup, square marshmallows at $6 a box--this is your spot (two of Spicy's guilty WF pleasures).

WHAT I'VE BEEN EATING LATELY: Asian Takeout. I've discovered Turtle Tower Pho! San Francisco's "Little Saigon" is jumping with pho joints and my friends say that Turtle Tower is the best, and I don't have time to be dubious especially after an impromptu sit-down for stir-fried beef pho bo with wide, flat rice noodles. The beef was cooked well, noodles just a little caramelized from a trip through the hot wok and a rich yet subtle broth flecked with steaming fat bubbles. Add sliced carrot, celery, jalapeno and cilantro greens to my helping on a cheap plastic soup spoon and a squirt of sriracha and I'm gone...

WHAT I ATE LAST NIGHT: Back when I was just a skinny-minny and visiting San Fran for the first time, a Thai women told me that Thai House on Market St in the Castro was the best Thai place in town. "Their Larb Ga is better than my dad's," she whispered. "It's all about the toasted rice powder." When I moved to SF in '97 I became a follower. Thai House was my go-to Thai place for 5 years until I moved to SOMA and discovered Manora Thai. When I moved back to the 'hood to Dolores street in 2003, I returned to Thai House and a wonderful, hip renovation. Long gone were the days where my roommates and I were the only women in the dining room in a mostly male and openly gay neighbourhood. But, then, Thai House owners handed the Market street restaurant over to some friends and it just wasn't the same... Until... they opened Thai House Express in the Castro! (With its grandparent location in where else? SF's Little Saigon, of course!)

I drove out of my way to get takeout from there last night, and it was good. The refreshingly potent heat from the Sum Tum Thai (shredded green papaya with shrimp, tomato, green beans and lemon dressing with peanuts) paired with my Kao Pad Goong Ga-ree (yellow curry fried rice with shrimp and egg) was well worth the drive. And, there were surprises, too. Giant Sous Chef ordered #40 the tried and true Ka Moo (thanks for the rec Yelpers!) which turned out to be a falling off the bone pork leg stew flavored with onions and tangy pickled vegetables. Com. Fort. FOOD.

WHAT I WILL EAT TOMORROW: Leftovers. Indian food semi-homemade (semi-ho'd) from tofu, frozen vegetables and Sukhi's Indian paste packets. (Yes, it has gotten to this point, my friends.) Takeout from Toast on Church. But, I will also linger a little while over my Sunday Times devouring Obama's latest exploits, Randy Cohen's Ethicist and whatever the journos are calling "revolution" that day. Then, with the Arts, Travel and Week In Review tucked beneath a plate, I will bust out the cheeses and dig in. Three cheeses spread to be precise. Ever since the summer BBQ that GSC and I hosted, the girls have been after me for the cheese spread recipe... And, I have to tip my hat to Anne O'Driscoll formerly of Cafe Cuvee in San Francisco where I hosted, waited and Garde Manger'd (ooooooolalaaallaaaaa!) and apparently pocketed a few party tricks for my very own foodie arsenal. Wha? Whaa? Give it up for...

Chef Anne's 3-Cheese Spread (courtesy of Anne O'Driscoll)
- locally produced goat cheese
- organic full-fat cream cheese (do NOT use neutchafel or fat-free cream cheese, PLEASE!)
- aged parmiggiano reggiano
- kosher salt
- fresh ground black pepper
- a touch of olive oil to help the mix blend
Let the cheeses soften to room temperature. Add spices and hard cheeses and oil and blend the ingredients gently with a spatula. Great on baguette, crostini, crackers, toasts and stirred into sauces or soups. Chef Anne likes a 3 Cheese Spread Focaccia sandwich with black olive tapenade. And, Spicy, yes SPICY, likes to make sweet Semifreddi's baguette crostini, smooth on a layer of three cheese spread, then a little bit of tapenade and then top with a sliver of roasted red pepper.

Spice-E-licious. Oh, let me have some fun...! Even homecooks need holidays to tickle the taste buds... Meet me in on the long queue at Armandino Batali's Salumeria in Seattle and parsing whole pig parts in Portland, Oregon. Or, maybe, sipping cafe in Vancouver? Or, dining on un plato de casado beneath Costa Rica's jungle canopies? Wherever we are, Be there. And, be ready to eat!

In the meantime, Eat Well. Take good care. And, we'll dine soon into the night with passion and joy... FROM THE SEED.

Eat This 2010! (2009's Holiday in Food)

Spicy's Home Cooking Foollage (food collage!)
click on the collage, full size version will open in the next tab

From Left to Right, from Top:

1st row: Wee Kalin Applejoy gets sushi from Melissa and Doug, Big Valley Bison burgers with Bi-rite cider vinegar slaw, Apple-Cherry Crumb pie from Nora's Pattisserie in Colma, Spicy's Citrus-craisin-poppyseed muffins, Christmas Eve Mac-n-Cheese (w low-carb cauliflower), a boneless dry-aged ribeye, Xmas Day Maple Oatmeal Pecan Scones.

2nd row: Maine Lobster Pose 1, SF Special: Sun Fat Dungeness Crab & Risotto w. Crispy root veg, Lobster's last hurrah, Price holiday table with lobster and pinot, lobster legs CU, Maine Lobster Pose 2, 2010's First NACHO Night!

3rd row: Maine Lobster Pose 2, Roasted roots for breakfast, Nora's Apple Cheery Pie-take 2, La Crema Pinot Noir and East Kilbride's Glen Cairn crystal, Maine Lobster Pose 1, Buffalo Burger with Slaw and French Fried Onions on a rich, Challah roll, What's a Spicy New York girl (in San Fran) without her ("new york style") morning bagel?

4th row: New Year Nachos-take 2- Warning: Contains highly addictive mix of seasoned ground bison and Monterey Jack achiote white pepper cheese sauce, Spicy's homemade take on Bakesale Betty's Fried Chicken Sandwich with Panko and Bi-rite Slaw, Giant Sous Chef's Noche Buena filet mignon, Butcher-tying and at-home dry-aging, Spicy makes ARANCINI, Real live Cast iron Caramelization, Maine Lobster mac-n-cheese ala SpicyBrowngirl Cooks!

Happy Delicious 2010!
(Check back for Spicy's Chinese New Year in San Francisco...)

Spicy wants to hear from you! If you're a homecook or a Spicygirl or have a mind filled with food-related thoughts, please let us know.