Stumped on what to get your food-centric friends this holiday season? Here's some ideas:

1. Every year around the holidays, I have to watch A Christmas Story. I laugh my head off every time I see Flick's tongue gets stuck on the frozen pole, when Ralphie comes down the stairs in the hideous bunny outfit from his aunt and of course the scene with Ralphie's dad and the leg lamp-  "FRAGILE (FRA-GEE-LAY). It must be Italian!"  I love that scene so much Mr. S. got me a teeny tiny version of the leg lamp (that lights up) as a stocking stuffer last year. Anyhow when I saw these cookie cutters, I had to jump up and down in glee. Available at Amazon




2. An assortment of chocolates or macarons from Ginger Elizabeth is always appreciated.


3. A dwarf Meyer lemon tree. Mr.S. bought me one this fall and it's doing great. We're keeping ours outdoors on his patio but they grow just as well indoors. Pick one up along with a pretty pot at Green Acres Nursery.

I was at Raley's today and spotted these-- they're grapes! I've never seen anything like it, have you? According to the produce guy, they're called Witch Finger Grapes. Theses dark, elongated hybrid grapes are grown in the San Joaquin Valley. He gave me one of the freaky, little pointy "fingers" to taste and they turned out to be a tad too sweet for me but I could definitely see kids really liking them. Might be a fun way to add some pizzazz to the fruit in your kidlet's lunchbox.

Is anyone else watching David Chang (of Momofuku) in "Mind of a Chef?" on Netflix? I just started watching the series this week and am really loving it. In fact, I couldn't stop raving about it at a luncheon I went to today. It's fresh, smart and slightly sarcastic. What's it about? Well according to Anthony Bourdain, who produces and narrates the show, "We’re exploring the creative process, the anatomy of a style of cooking. Not just what inspired this dish, but where did it come from, what are they thinking about, what’s intriguing to them. How did we get here? The end result is often the end of a long story...." Basically it's a wonderful mix of food, travel science and history...something for everyone.


Season 1 won a James Beard Foundation award for Best Television Program, On Location. Season 2 will begin in the fall and will focus on the minds of two chefs- Sean Brock and April Bloomfield.

Website: Mind of a Chef

Here Chang talks about one of my all-time favorite Japanese foods, the humble yakitori:

I came across an article about the Sumo Citrus in the LA Times last year and I've been slightly obsessed with the fruit since. Now it's no secret that I'm a bit of a Satsuma junkie so when I heard that the Sumo Citrus was even sweeter, I was intrigued. Luckily, an article in The Kitchn mentioned that the Northern California Whole Foods Markets would be carrying the fruit so I contacted the store nearest to me (WF at Arden & Eastern) and was advised by their friendly representative that they should be getting some in around February. Well, (sound the trumpets) they finally came in!

A little back history...the Sumo Citrus isn't actually anything new. It was developed way back in the 70's in Japan, where it went under the name Dekopon (sounds like a creature that should be battling it out in a Godzilla movie or maybe some sort of new birth control injection, no?). However, it has just recently started being grown in California's San Joaquin Valley and marketed under the name, Sumo Citrus. The Sumo Citrus is quite large, with a bumpy loose rind that peels easily and it's adorned with a "top knot." It's seedless, juicy and the plump pulp is similar to that of the navel orange. The taste, however, is incredibly sweet and what sets it apart- sweeter than my beloved Satsumas. Their season/availability is relatively short, so if you're interested in trying them I wouldn't wait long!

Do you think they have addiction support groups for juice addicts? Not THAT kind of "juice" but actual juice...I've been going through Ocean Spray's Cran-Tangerine Juice like the zombie apocalypse is descending. I bought the stuff on a whim when it was on sale for $2 a bottle at the grocery store and like a crack whore needing her daily fix I've been chugging the stuff and returning to buy a couple of bottles a week. It tastes great straight or mixed with some fizzy water. Although I may have to cut down on buying so much of it at the same grocery store, the last time I was in there my elderly checker looked at all of my bottles of cran-tang goodness and commented, "Cranberry juice, LOVE this stuff---it's great for urinary tract infections, you know?"  Um, yeah...TMI ma'am.

Every year La Cocina comes out with these tees in different colors. Aren't they just frickin' adorable?

BGH QUICK CHEF MUSIC CASE from brenocosta on Vimeo.

Saw a blurb about this gadg on Apartment Therapy's The Kitchn today and thought it was a joke so I did a little research. Turns out--nope, it's for reals. Argentinian company, BGH-Quickchef, has created a microwave that plays any music file you want instead of emitting that annoying beeping sound when your chow's done thanks to a USB slot. Kind of neat.

Here's some great food & kitchen-related gift ideas to help you get your holiday shopping done early so you can kick back, relax & start knocking back those hot toddies in front of the fireplace....

1. Big Paw's Hot Tuscan Extra Virgin Olive Oil - My friend Mig, in SF, introduced me to this oil a few years back and I've been addicted ever since. My favorite way to use it is to halve some Brussels sprouts, throw them on a baking sheet, drizzle some oil along the top, toss, pop the whole lot in the oven, toss again halfway through -- and you're done. Over the years every time I've used this oil, my dinner guests have asked me what it is. It's a winner every time. (Makes a great stocking stuffer!)


2. Silpat Baking Liner - I can't tell you how many times my Silpat has probably saved my cookies and appetizers from burning on the bottom. They don't take up much room (I roll mine up), they're easy to clean and they'll get used often. Pair it up with your favorite baked goods' recipe or some cute cookie cutters and you have a nice gift ready to go.


3. What's better than a great cup of coffee? Not much. How about surprising the coffee connoisseur in your life with a Aerobie Aeropress and a bag of yummy Temple coffee? Their Brazilian Boa Sorte is one of my favs.


4. Have friends that are into cheese making or just want to learn how? Pick them up this book by Mary Karlin- "Artisan Cheese Making at Home: Techniques & Recipes for Mastering World-Class Cheeses." Think of all the fun times you could have in the new year making (and eating) all the recipes together.


5. Looking to buy a locally grown gift? How about some Chocolate Infused Olive Oil from Lucero Olive Oil, grown right here in Northern California (in Corning, 25 miles northwest of Chico). Delicious in chocolate chip cookies, over ice cream or as a dipping sauce for biscotti.


6. Looking to gift something beautiful yet functional? Try one of these unique cutting boards from Sol Boards in West Sacramento. They come in two sizes- 10″ x 12″ and 10″ x 16″.


7. Got a half-pint that likes to cook? Well, if you're going to get them a kitchen set then get them one that's retro-looking and super adorbs, like this one made by KidKraft. It even comes with an old-fashioned looking wall phone and red and white gingham curtains...how cute is that?


8. The economy sucks and your wallet's a bit bare...need a present that's cool but not going to break the bank? Pick up some of these colorful French-inspired paring knives from Chefs Catalog. (A set of five 7" stainless steel knives- includes brown, red, yellow, blue and green handles.)


9. And don't forget homemade gifts are always awesome too! The holidays tend to get a bit harried but a jar of bourbon bacon jam or some fresh Meyer lemon curd is sure to be a big hit and will bring a smile to the lips of a loved one.



Happy Holidays!


(* Photos from product websites)

While perusing the internets, I came across this trailer for a little movie called, "Jiro Dreams of Sushi," that was shown at the Tribeca Movie Festival earlier this year; now I can't wait until it's released this March in the theaters. The sushi lover in me is positively drooling at the imagery and the food lover in me is entralled by the storyline. Hopefully the Tower or the Crest will pick it up and I'll be able to catch it this spring.

Press Synopsis:

JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI is the story of 85 year-old Jiro Ono, considered by many to be the world’s greatest sushi chef. He is the proprietor of Sukiyabashi Jiro, a 10-seat, sushi-only restaurant inauspiciously located in a Tokyo subway station. Despite its humble appearances, it is the first restaurant of its kind to be awarded a prestigious 3 star Michelin review, and sushi lovers from around the globe make repeated pilgrimage, calling months in advance and shelling out top dollar for a coveted seat at Jiro’s sushi bar.

For most of his life, Jiro has been mastering the art of making sushi, but even at his age he sees himself still striving for perfection, working from sunrise to well beyond sunset to taste every piece of fish; meticulously train his employees; and carefully mold and finesse the impeccable presentation of each sushi creation. At the heart of this story is Jiro’s relationship with his eldest son Yoshikazu, the worthy heir to Jiro’s legacy, who is unable to live up to his full potential in his father’s shadow.

The feature film debut of director David Gelb, JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI is a thoughtful and elegant meditation on work, family, and the art of perfection, chronicling Jiro’s life as both an unparalleled success in the culinary world, and a loving yet complicated father.

Sometimes you need a night to yourself...it could be that you had a rough day with your boss, maybe the kidlets are extra demanding, your boyfriend's super loco ex is in town or the dog just took a leak on the Christmas tree. Whatever the reason, throw on some PJs, grab a snugly blanket, shoo everyone away...then make yourself comfortable on the couch with a hot cup of tea, a nice book (or movie) and a bowl of Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Almonds with Sea Salt and Turbinado Sugar (or "turbo" sugar as Mr. S. likes to call it). Seriously, these little bite size treats are so amazing they could probably could bring about world peace...ok, maybe not quite but they do do wonders for PMS and are flippin' DELICIOUS. Salty, sweet, chocolaty- the combo of taste sensations will blow your tastebuds. I'm seriously addicted to them and $3.99 is a cheap price to pay to keep my sanity during the holidays.

Sometimes you want things for no other reason than that they are just so cute.


Stoneware egg cups atop of tiny little duck feet. Set of 4. Dishwasher safe.
Waddle on over to West Elm's website. They are currently marked down from $20 to $6.97 plus free shipping.

My good friend Misa, who listens patiently as I babble about food all the time and bravely tastes my cooking experiments, recently turned me onto a quirky web series called, "Cooking With Dog." Now before you get all PETA-crazed on me, let me explain that this series is NOT about cooking a dog...rather, it's about cooking with a dog. "Cooking With Dog" is a super adorable internet cooking show narrated by a cute gray poodle with an accent and wild hairdo, named Francis, who talks you through how to make various Japanese dishes (his trusty assistant does the actual food preparation). Francis' instructions are easy to follow and they have some pretty good Japanese recipes posted. You can check out the series on You Tube or you can click on the screens I've posted below to watch an episode or two.

I'm not much for eating ginormous meals early in the morning and I'm even less known for cooking early in the morning. Lucky for me, every once in awhile Mr. S. (who IS a morning person...damn him) will take it upon himself to whip up some gorgeous omelets, fluffy pancakes or other tasty breakfast treats on a weekend morning. He knows that nothing lures me out of bed eventually than the smell of crispy bacon strips and a cup of good, strong coffee. That said, I do love me some breakfast food at odd ball times of the day, like for "linner" (the time between lunch and dinner). Now this isn't a recipe post, mind you, I just wanted to give a shout out to the yummilicious coconut toast at 99 Ranch. I bought a loaf of their coconut toast (essentially a fresh loaf of coconut bread) from their bakery department and have been snacking on it. It's delicious in it's own right but I decided today to use it for making french toast. Oh-em-gee. Get some, make it into french toast (add a little bit of vanilla extract to it), pour some REAL maple syrup on it (none of that fake junk) and tell me that it doesn't make your toes curl. I dare you. It's INSANELY good.

I was reading the New York Times online today and stumbled upon a fascinating article describing the massive menu project the New York Public Library has begun to undertake. The menu transcription project entitled, "What's On The Menu?" involves digitizing the NYPL's massive menu collection of over 40,000 menus from the 1840's to the present, then using crowdsourcing to transcribe the menus and creating a searchable database for historians, nutritional scientists, chefs, novelists, script writers and food enthusiasts to use. If you're interested in donating your time to assist with the online transcription process, you can go to the project's website to sign up. As of today, there have been 96,681 dishes transcribed from 1465 menus. That's a whole lotta dishes!

I've always had a soft spot for cutesy stuff but I think these adorable fruit bus stops in Konagai, Japan (part of Isahaya City in Nagasaki Prefecture) take the cake. There were 16 stops in the shapes of watermelons, strawberries, tomatoes, oranges and melons built for the 1990 Travel Expo. According to the city's website the inspiration for the fruit bus stops came from the pumpkin carriage in the story of Cinderella.





 

As Californians we are incredibly lucky to be surrounded by a plethora of delicious wines. There's an incredible array of choices for every palate and every wallet everywhere we look. Now, I'm no expert wine connoisseur but I thought it'd be fun to share a few of the wines that I'm currently enjoying.

2007 Delas St. Esprit Cotes-du-Rhone Rouge

I was first introduced to this wine at a wine party I threw quite awhile back. A guest had picked it up at Corti Brothers and at first sip, I knew that I was in love with this full-bodied red and would be buying it regularly. The garnet-colored wine carries a nice subtle taste of pepper, plums and blackberry. If you love jammy reds like I do, you'll like this one. You can usually find it at Cost Plus World Market or Corti Bros for around $12-$14.
 
2007 Berryessa Gap Tempranillo
 
This soft Tempranillo didn't come onto my radar until late this summer. Mr. S. and I threw a BBQ and my friend Jenni was kind enough to bring a few bottles to share. Berryessa Gap's Tempranillo is very balanced and has a richness to it that makes it appealing even to the pickiest drinker. Throughout the night I heard several of our guests murmuring about how they liked the Tempranillo.
 
2008 Ceretto Moscato d'Asti Santo Stefano
 
During my recent trip to LA, Mayumi and I stopped in a wine bar called Friends of the Vine in Redondo Beach for a pre-dinner drink. My sweet tooth was in full effect so I opted for a glass of the Ceretto Moscato d'Asti Santo Stefano ($20-$25), a sparkling wine. The wine was fresh tasting, aromatic and offered up the right amount of sweetness (it wasn't cloying at all). This wine would be perfect paired with a dessert, like a raspberry tart or perhaps an apricot creme brulee.
 
Trentadue Chocolate Amore
 
If you could bottle up some post-sex after glow, it'd most definitely taste something like Trentadue's Chocolate Amore ($20-$25). The winery describes it as a, "Merlot-based, port-styled chocolate flavored dessert wine," and although that's on mark, it doesn't quite do this sublime wine justice. Seriously, the Chocolate Amore is so heavenly and decadent that you'll want to draw the shades and snuggle down in your sheets before popping the cork. If you haven't tried it you must! I was first exposed to this silky elixir after a fabulous dinner at Formoli's. It was so good that I had to check out the winery. If you can, book a room in Healdsburg, a stone's throw from Geyserville (where Trentadue is located) and make a romantic weekend out of it. They do 4 tastings for $5 and the people who work there are as sweet as pie. I think they're used to guests swooning after taking a sip of the Chocolate Amore.
 
Lastly, is the "dirty little secret wine." I know you, like me, have a few cheapie bottles of wine squirreled away somewhere. For me it used to be Ironstone's Obssession, a Symphony wine ($5-6). It really hits the spot on a sweltering summer day and doesn't put the hurt on my pocketbook. However, as it's becoming a bit of a PIA to find in the grid I've found myself turning toward Whole Food's version of the Two Buck Chuck, called Three Wishes. For $2.99, the dandelioned labeled California wine is a decent drink. It comes in merlot, chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon. The latter two are the better of the group, in my opinion, and are great for making sangria with. I also like that the bottles are made of Eco-Glass. 
 
So now that you know what's been swirling in my wine glasses, I'd love it if you'd share what bottles you've been choosing to stack on your wine racks and sip with your dinners.

Learning Exchange
1111 Howe Ave, Suite 115. (916) 929-9200
info@learningexchange.com
http://learningexchange.com/

It's strange how certain memories remain crystal clear in your mind, even decades later. I remember when I was a kid, there was one time that my mom made a bunch of sushi for the ladies at her Buddhist temple. I remember sitting at the table, leaning over on my elbows watching her as she rapidly fanned her rice which was in a large hangiri. I remember inhaling deeply and savoring the wafts of rice vinegar emanating from the sushi rice. I remember it like it was yesterday. So when the Learning Exchange (LEX) contacted me and asked if I'd be interested in taking a cooking class there, I decided that the sushi class might be a fun choice. I wasn't sure what to expect and to be quite honest, even though I'm a pretty outgoing person I was a wee bit nervous.

I got to class a bit early and was surprised to find that the classroom was already almost full.  The instructor, Laura Thorne, greeted me and asked me to check in, wash my hands and fill my water bowl. Right on the dot, she started with her introduction. Laura has been in the sushi business (making and teaching it) for thirteen years and is the proprietor of Way Yum Sushi in Nevada City, a sushi catering company that provides custom sushi boats and sushi bars to a lot of Sacramento's premiere events. She has an easy going manner and peppers her instructions with hilarious anecdotes. I liked the fact that she explained the sushi terminology as she went so that the newbies could follow. Her mission statement was that before we left the class we would:

1. Have fun.
2. Know how to make sushi at home.

Can't ask for more than that, right? Now let me interject here...I'll confess, I figured she'd probably teach us how to make a few rolls and call it a day. Color me wrong, wrong, wrong! We learned SEVEN different types of techniques in two hours. We did learn how to make the "standard" sushi roll of course but she also showed us how to put together the inside-out rolls (the rice is on the outside), temakis (the cone shaped roll), 3 types of nigiri, inari (the ones that look like little footballs), rainbow rolls (inside out with aesthetically arranged toppings) and a cucumber bite (a thickly sliced cucumber piece that's been hollowed out, filled with Kanikama (faux crab) mix and topped with a sweet soy sauce. She provided numerous helpful tips, tricks and being a big proponent of using organic and fresh products she recommended local places to buy items and what brands she found to be the best quality. The tuna and eel she had us use in the nigiri was of very high grade which surprised me. We also learned how to make sushi rice and the various sauces that are trendy in the sushi bars now.

Now if you're like me, you're probably thinking a community cooking class? It's going to be full of blue haired grannies or bored housewives. Wrong again! Our class had a nice mix of young/old, male/female and singles/couples. Everyone was super friendly and eager to learn. I ended up chatting with my table buddy Bruce and opened up the world of Oto's to him, he had never been there and had no idea there was a Japanese grocery store in Sac! I felt like a fairy godmother cluing him in. The class turned out to not only be a great learning experience for me but a fun social activity as well. Several students commented that once they perfected their sushi making skills they had plans to throw a sushi-making party. Having gone to one of those before, I can attest to the fact they they are a blast!

Now, in these budget-conscious times I'm sure you're thinking, "It's a little pricey." It's actually not. If you factor the massive amount of sushi we made (which you can eat as you go along or take home your creations with you in a to-go container), it's a bargain. Even my giant sushi gullet couldn't come close to eating everything we got to make. It's seriously cheaper than going out to eat at a sushi-ya. Plus if you bring a friend or significant other, it's a meal and a fun evening out! The Learning Exchange offers a wide variety of cooking class (located at the LEX, the Steel Magnolia Commercial Kitchen and the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts). Now that I've realized how easy it is to sign up and fun it can be, I'm thinking of taking Mr. S. to the empanadas class or the olive curing class or the knives class...aack, so many choices! So if you're looking for something fun and interesting to do or you're trying to fulfill that New Year's resolution of branching out and learning something new, I highly recommend checking out the Learning Exchange. Maybe I'll see you there!

Here's a few pictures that the instructor snapped with my camera when we first started as my hands were covered with sticky rice. She only took one sushi photo and it was fuzzy so I didn't post it, but at least you can see what the class is like.

Looking for something that satisfies your sweet tooth, explodes with flavor in your mouth and simultaneously envelopes you with chocolaty goodness? Look no further...the good folks at Chuao Chocolatier have granted your Christmas wish...Firecracker Chocolate. I had the opportunity to try some at a book club meeting a few months back and fell head over heels for the stuff. It's a bit pricey but Whole Foods had it on sale today and I still had some coinage left on a Whole Foods gift card I received awhile back, so I splurged. Omg. I forgot how crazy delicious this stuff was. This chocolate bar will literally throw your tastebuds into a tizzy- it's gourmet dark chocolate mixed with chipotle, salt and pop rocks. You heard me right...pop rocks. Enough said.