San Francisco Favorites

 

I just helped a friend with some travel info for an upcoming trip, so I thought today I would provide a list of some of my favorite places in San Francisco. I often have friends traveling there and love to give some fun recommendations. Since I don't live there and am only there about once a year at best, I am certainly not the most up to date on the most "in" places, but I have accumulated a few great finds and tried and true places that I visit time and time again.

Great Places to Stay
Splurges:

• The Fairmont- To me this is the iconic SF hotel. It sits high atop Nob Hill and is just the epitome of old fashioned SF glamour.
• Cavallo Point Lodge- while this is located in Marin county and not in the city itself they do offer free shuttles into Town multiple times per day making it a great getaway from the hustle and bustle. I highly recommend the spa and splurging for a suite!
• Hotel Vitale- The location on the Embarcadero is a great launching point for exploring the city and the rooftop view is amazing!

More affordable:

• The Mark Hopkins- This hotel also sits on Nob Hill just across from the Fairmont. It is the a similar style as a discounted price. The rooms and lobby are not quite as plush as its comparison, but it is more interesting than your typical hotel.

Things to Do

• Bike or walk across the Golden Gate Bridge. You can ride all over SF and the areas surrounding the bay. This is a great way to get some exercise to earn your dinner for later!
• Climb the Flibert Steps to Coit Tower. Wind your way through the back yards of some interesting houses as you climb your way up to Coit Tower. Then take the time to see the tower itself. This is a great place for views and for the cool art deco murals inside.
• See Golden Gate Park. This park is huge and has so much to offer. Pick up a map and pick an area to explore. I like seeing the animals as well as the Japanese Tea Gardens and the Windmill near the beach!
• Ride a cable car!
• Be at the Ferry Building for the Saturday morning market. Plan on staying to eat breakfast and maybe lunch. I could spend all day here, but they typically pack up by 1 pm. Go early for the best selection and the most food choices.
• Take public transportation and or walk. Especially being from Atlanta, I love that even the buses are efficient and clean.
• Take a Tour. There are tons, but I recommend the following:
• Rick Evans Architecture Walking Tour
• Chris Milano's Foodie Adventures Walking Tour
• Mr. Toad's Tours (Ask for Captain as your driver!)

Places to Drink

• Top three old school bars that you have to go to once in your life: The Tonga Room, Harry Denton's Starlight Room, Top of the Mark
• Great Cocktails: Bar Agricole (just ask James Beard), Rickhouse
• Rooftop: Jones Even though the weather might be iffy, this is a great rooftop bar.

Places to Eat

• New favorite restaurant - Rich Table (reservations go a month in advance)
• Fun nice trendy option- Canteen
• Dim Sum- Yank Sing
• Chinese- House of Nanking
• Good hole in the wall Italian- Sotto Mare
• Heard great things about-
• State Bird Provisions
• Incanto
• Quince
• We love and had our rehearsal dinner at Bar Agricole
• Great Pizza/ Italian
• Flour + Water
• Delfina/ Delfina Pizzaria

San Francisco Part II: Rich Table

I have found a new favorite restaurant! While in San Francisco, I was lucky enough to snag a reservation at Rich Table.  Husband wife duo Evan and Sarah Rich opened this spot in 2012 in Hayes Valley. In  only one year, they were finalists for the James Beard Award for best new restaurant. The space is warm and inviting as well as unassuming. They pride themselves on being a place where you can casually get an amazing meal without the pretense of a fancy restaurant. We were given a great window seat near the bar and I got excited as we planned our menu choices with some help from the waiter. The menu features several sizes of dishes from bites to mid size plate to large more entree size offerings. We took the opportunity to try several things from each category. Each dish that arrived became my new favorite.

To start we sampled the dried porcini doughnuts. They were light and fluffy savory and doughy with a creamy dipping sauce that I couldn't get enough of.

 

This was quickly followed with sardines served inside of crispy house made potato chips. I learned to love all things little fish while in France and Spain and this was no exception. This was an amazing flavor with the salty and the softness of the fish paired with the crunch of the chip. It was visually interesting as well, definitely not something you would try at home. 

 

 

We marched ahead to the more entree like offerings including the chicken cannelloni. This was such a fresh take on what I often think of as a heavy dish. The flavors were offset by the crisp sweet peas and the salty crunchy chicken skin bits topping the plate. 

 

Our final entree was a lighter take on the popular pork belly. This dish featured asparagus (the monster flavorful kind that you can only seem to find in Northern CA) and mushrooms. The asparagus balanced the richness of the pork and made an irresistible bite.

 

We finished our dinner with the coconut pana cotta. This was served with a fresh lime meringue and coconut crumbles. The perfect ending to a perfect meal.

 

 

Short Trip to San Francisco Part I

Last month I had the opportunity to tag along for a trip to one of my favorite cities, San Francisco. I love when I have traveled to a city enough times to no longer feel obligated to see any tourist attractions. Its a nice release to give myself permission to just wander and do or eat whatever I want!

We started our weekend at Cavallo Point the location of our wedding in 2011. It was so nice to be there and relax, have some wine on the porch and look at the view of the Golden Gate Bridge. We had a light lunch at the Farley Bar and our dinner at the Murry Circle restaurant who catered our wedding dinner as we reminisced about that great day.

Saturday we headed into the city and started off the night with an amazing dinner at Canteen. Canteen is almost like an incorporated supper club. The chef has two seatings each night at 6 and 8. The menu is 4-5 courses pre-fix with wine a la carte. When we arrived I was thrilled to see the restaurant was located in what used to be the diner like breakfast space of the old art deco Commodore Hotel. This was the first hotel that I ever stayed in when I visited SF. It had been about 16 years since I had been in the space. It is now a dorm for the San Francisco Institute of Art. It was so interesting to see the transformation. The lobby is now the dorm lobby and common area and the bar is currently closed.


Commodore Breakfast Space as I knew it!

Stepping inside we were one of about 20 people lucky enough to have a seat for the night. The chef prepped our food behind the diner style counter. Smells of the warm dinner rolls (which I heard were legendary) wafted through the air.

Our dinner was amazing. Such care and detail was taken with each dish. We had an appetizer of smoked lamb with butter beans. The lamb melted in your mouth and was balanced in richness by the beans. The second course was an English pea soup filled with lump dungeness crab. This was light and fresh and tasted like spring. The entree was halibut crusted in hazelnuts and mustard. To finish was my favorite a rhubarb shortcake with homemade cakes and tart and tangy rhubarb, perfect for the nice spring night.

To extend our evening, we walked up Nob Hill to the Fairmont Hotel. In the basement is the classic and kitchy Tonga Room. It was packed with tourists, locals, wedding parties and bachelorettes. This was so entertaining. For about $20 you can position yourself in this Tiki paradise to people watch, dance, and drink something with rum out of a whole pineapple. I had not been here in over 10 years and its still as entertaining as ever!



http://tongaroom.com/

New Orleans Finale

My last day in New Orleans I think I saved the best for last. We started off our morning with a leisurely stroll through the French Quarter to Cafe du Monde. Jackson Square was just waking up and you could smell the beingets! We snagged a table and helped ourselves to some fried goodness and strong coffee. Yes its touristy but its also fun and delicious. 

For dinner we saved our appetites for Cochon. It was a meal full of southern goodness and fresh takes on classic dishes. This restaurant continues to be on top lists for this city. While it was crowded and trendy, the food was well worth the wait. We started with the house made charcutterie but for the main course stretched a little outside our normal fare and tried a whole pork shank served over boiled peanuts and an amazing melt in your mouth dish of rabbit and dumplings.

 

 

I will certainly save time and room for Cochon next time I am in NOLA.

New Orleans Touristy Tradition (Day 3)

Sunday we wanted to experience a New Orleans tradition, the Jazz Brunch.We chose to dine at Arnaud's. This restaurant is one of the classic style upscale restaurants in the French Quarter. This type of dining seems so out of place in the U.S. more like that of a French Bistro. New Orleans is lucky enough to have several of these old gems. The oldest being Antoine's and the most famous being Galatoire's and Commander's Palace.

I know this is marketed to tourists, but I was surprised at how much fun we had, how good the food was, and how many locals were eating along side our table. Our waiter, who had worked at Arnaud's for 18 years, was outstanding the type of waiter you rarely see anymore. This was not his job, it was his career. He was head waiter and had seen alot in his time at the restaurant. He noted most families in New Orleans only eat out at these institutions for special occasions. I can see why at this price point you can't do this every weekend. However, a huge family of locals celebrated a birthday at the next table with tons of oysters and multiple bottles of Dom Perignon!  

 We sat and enjoyed the atmosphere of the grand old dining room while being serenaded by a three piece jazz band. The men roamed table to table taking requests and playing old songs for the room. We had no less than 4 wait staff of various levels attending to our every need. This was a restaurant experience you dont really have anymore.   The Sunday menu is pre-fix of four courses with the price determined by your entree choice. You get an appetizer, salad, entree and dessert. For our first course, we had the shrimp bisque and the classic shrimp Arnaud. The shrimp were poached and served in a spice remoulade atop a fresh tomato.
 

The salads featured the house dressing and were the perfect way to clean our palates and prepare for the entree. We chose the crab cakes and the savory crab meat cheesecake. The crab cakes were perfect lump crab lightly breaded and sauteed. They were a perfect balance of flavor and texture.    

The cheesecake was amazing. This is one of the signature dishes. We hesitated to order concerned about being overwhelmed by the flavor or the richness, but it was more like an extremely rich quiche. The crust was light and flaky. I would have eaten two pieces!  

For dessert we couldn't help but order the bananas foster made table side old school style. This was fun to watch and melted in our mouths.



Its hard to eat here and not have a drink or two. The bar at Arnaud's is known as the French 75 Bar. We had to try one. They were great! We also took advantage of the brunch theme and had a few Bloody Marys as well. I am sure it has changed from the old days and sure it is something that lots of tourists do, but the Jazz Brunch experience is not to be missed. We spent almost three hours enjoying our drinks the music and the meal. We strolled out to roam the antique stores on Royal street with a slight champagne buzz. Now that is a perfect Sunday!  

Night on the Town NOLA (Day 2)

Saturday consisted of a great tour of the Garden District from Free Tours by Foot. This group all over the US allows you to take a walking tour for free. You are expected to tip the tour guide. We rounded up well past 20% of the value of a typical walking tour, all in all we still saved money.  The Garden District was a long walk Saturday morning from the French Quarter, but the bus system made a short trip back to downtown. The St. Charles streetcar line was disrupted due to Super Bowl construction, but for anyone visiting this spring I highly recommend the ride!

All this walking worked up a great appetite. I had planned a nice night out. We started off our evening at the Waldorf Astoria Roosevelt Hotel. This hotel was originally built in 1893 as The Grunewald. It was taken over by the Fairmont in 1965. When it was the Grunewald it held a club called "The Cave" which is thought to be one of the first nightclubs in the US. The hotel and its bar were a place to see and be seen. During Hurricane Katrina the hotel was damaged and condemned. Not until 2009 was it purchased by the Waldorf Astoria line of hotels. It was restored to a blend of art deco grandeur including its famous nightclub and bar space  now open as the Sazerac Bar.  While according to our cocktail tour from Friday, the Sazerac was invented by a pharmacist whose shop was located near Galatoires in the French Quarter, this bar holds a reputation now for having one of the best in town. They offer the modern version (think Prohibition era) made with Herbsaint and Rye Whiskey as well as the original version featuring 1840's French Cognac. While the older version packs a punch to your wallet at seventeen dollars, it is fun to compare and contrast the flavors.

For dinner we headed Uptown through the Garden District to a quiet residential street. Good thing I had heard about the lack of visibility for our dinner spot or I think we would have driven right by. Gautreau's Restaurant has been serving New Orleanians for over a decade. Its star chef Sue Zemanick has received the James Beard rising star award for the past 4 years running.  When you walk in the door it is a surprise after all the hype to see the small butcomfortable dining room. Looking around it seemed everyone from families to couples were enjoying themselves. They all seemed to know each other and the staff seemed to know them. (I take this as a sign of a good restaurant, especially at this price point). This place felt like a hidden gem among the flashy super star restaurants all over town. The menu was to the moment with perfect pairings of regional and gourmet. We started with the Duck Confit over a white bean salad and the kale and quinoa salad. Both were fresh and flavorful, but not over sauced. you could taste the individual flavors of the dish. These were the perfect compliments to the fall weather. As our entrees we couldn't resist the filet I had read so much about and also had to try the special rack of lamb crusted in pistachios. The meats were tender and juicy. The steak rested on top of ricotta gnocchi and melted in my mouth. The crunch and salt of the pistachios complemented the earthy lamb. Entree Heaven! We vowed to make room for dessert and selected the brown butter pear tart with marscapone fig ice cream. Sweet and tart this was autumn in your mouth! While I wish I could share some of these with you there are occasionally some places that are too nice and too intimate a setting to take pictures. This was one of those nights. So you will just have to dream of the flavors and rush the next time you are there to get a reservation!

Getting into the Spirits in New Orleans (Day One)

Two weeks ago, I was lucky enough to tag along on a weekend trip to New Orleans. I am not sure how this city has escaped my attention or my stomach for so long. Most people I know have made this short trip down experience the food, the fun and the music. I couldn't wait to see what the city had to offer.

We arrived mid day on a Friday and settled into our quarters for the weekend. The cute little Hotel Mazarin located right in the French Quarter. The even provided free bottled water, wifi, and breakfast each morning. The hotel was the perfect location and easily walkable to everything I wanted to see and eat!

We made our way toward St. Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square taking in the typical tourist sights along the way. Around each corner, it seemed there was another great little bar, coffee shop or restaurant waiting to be tried. I had a mission. I wanted to start my vacation out in true French Quarter style with an original Muffuletta. Central Grocery was established in 1906 as a grocery store and became a deli for the Sicilian  truck farmers who sold their produce at the Farmer's Market. The sandwich was invented by by Salvatore Lupo the original owner of the grocery. The traditional New Orleans muffuletta is stuffed with ham, salami, various cheeses and marinated olive salad.  While I have never been a big fan of this sandwich (too much bread not enough cheese and meat) this version won me over. My mouth is watering thinking about it as I write! The olive salad and fresh sliced deli meats paired with super soft sesame bread really make it.

We decided the best way to get to know the city was to take a tour. I was looking for something besides the typical history or ghost tours that I had experienced in Charleston or Savannah so I sought out culinary based tours and found a perfect match! The Cocktail Tour is lead by culinary historian Elizabeth Pearce. She got her start in the food world as the curator of the Southern Food and Beverage Museum and writes a monthly drinking column Neat with a Twist. She takes pride in sharing not only the history of the city but how some of its signature libations tell the stories of the development of its culture and people. Elizabeth was energetic and full of great information. This wasn't a tour where you stopped into promotional bars and got a free shot of something here and there, she has prepared homemade classic versions of three special drinks and one liquor for us to sample. We each received a small messenger bag with individually labeled cups. When we arrived at the perfect location or at the right "moment in history" we were instructed to sample. This model of touring provided more ability to see and hear the city as well as a much higher quality of drinks! We sampled the St. Charles Hotel Punch, a sazerac the official drink of New Orleans, and a Hurricane (made with real fruit juice not some over sweet mix) To round out our night we each got a share of praline liquor. We spent about 2 hours walking about 1 mile through the French Quarter. I feel like this was the perfect way to get a feel for the Vieux Carre and to kick off a great Friday night.



Back After a Break

I am back after a two month break! I have been more than just a little busy planning a destination wedding, planning events at work, and finishing up classes for the spring semester. I did manage to squeeze in some delicious meals and am back to share them with you.

Be on the look out, but for now a teaser a mouthwatering filet from Epic Roasthouse in San Francisco, CA!

Fall Wine Weekend

For the first time in a while, I have a three day weekend! In thinking through what I might possibly do to fill these days with more relaxation and less laundry, I started thinking about short day trips near Atlanta. As readers know, I love wine and wine tasting. I have explored a few of the North GA wineries and written about them in past postings. This weekend I decided to take advantage of the Fall harvest festivals going on at some of the wineries on the North GA Wine Trail.  Georgia and North Carolina have an astounding number of wineries, and some of them are quite good. The Wine Growers Association of Georgia sponsors great information and events to draw more people to the wineries.  This weekend several wineries have planned events featuring free, crafts, music, wine tastings, and winery tours. In planning my trip, I came across a number of great options. We could have been wine tasting for three or four days.  I was easily able to plan a day with 3-4 wineries to visit and plan a stop for lunch in between. This weekend I will be heading to Three Sisters Vineyard for a BBQ lunch with music and wine tasting, followed by a tour at Wolf Mountain Vineyards, and then a stop at Frog Town Cellars, and wrapping up the trip at Yonah Mountain Vineyards. 

There were so many to choose from, but you have to plan carefully to avoid driving an hour between wineries on little mountain roads (after a wine tasting no less)! On my next round, I hope to get to Tiger Mountain Vineyards, and Persimmon Creek in North GA then venture into NC for the newest wine hit Chianti (yes like in Italy) at Raffaldini Vineyards near Hickory NC.

Be sure to check back next week for more pictures and thoughts from my great wine escape!

Last Summer Vacation Meal- Comerc 24 Barcelona

Comerc 24 was host to the epic meal of our vacation. Epic in terms of food, and in terms of length. Known for its innovative tapas and its famous chef, Charles Abellan, this restaurant sits tucked off of a side street near the Gothic Quarter.  In the true style of the city we had made our dinner reservations late. 9:45 pm was as late as we could manage after a long day of sightseeing. As we entered the restaurant we were happy to see we were not eating with the early bird special, but rather just on time for the start of the dinner rush. We were seated and presented with a number of dining options for the evening. We centered in on two tasting menus the Festival and the Grande Festival menu offered samplings of tapas at the whim of the chef, with some input (if desired) from the patrons. As the waiter read through the explanation, my ears tuned only to  two words cheese course. Of course this is part of what separated the two tasting menus. My gracious date agreed to fork over the additional Euro needed for the Grand Festival and we were off on our culinary journey of 12 courses of southern Spanish cuisine.

We began with a tasting of four Spanish olive oils with crusty hearty bread. This was followed by gold covered macadamia nuts, olives stuffed with anchovies, and monkfish filets with black garlic and sesame.


Apparently those were only appetizers and not a part of the actual meal! The amazingly beautiful and tasty courses came as follows:

Sancho Oyster with Beet Root Foam
Beach Shrimp chevice with wine and peaches
Marinated sardines with orange and wasabi
Cold infusion of vegetables and cockles
Consume containing poached quail egg and truffles

Razor shell clams with mandarin yakisoba
Tuna Tartar
Artichoke cod and spinach
Field rabbit with rice and asparagus
Palamos prawn on a bed of salt
Sirloin with white sesame
Assorted cheeses
Desserts and chocolates

If you travel to Barcelona and want a unique and memorable experience, try Comcerc 24.

Final Two Vacation Posts- My New Love Anchovies

My last stop in France was in the small coastal town of Collioure. This little town is what I imagined coastal France would be. Small colorful buildings lined the cobblestone streets, and little old french fishermen tended to boats and played boules along the shore. The culture here is a fascinating blend of French and Spanish tradition, Catalan is its official name. The residents here speak Catalan, French and Spanish among other languages. During my stay I had the pleasure of watching the boats come in, sitting at cafes with older couples as they passed the morning, and bargaining for delicious sausages, fruit and cheese in their weekly market.

By far the culinary highlight of my experience was a visit to the Desclaux family anchovy shop and factory. The family has been producing anchovies for over 100 years. They are nestled on a back street away from the central town, and both sell and create their amazing anchovy products on site. We fell in love with the salted plain anchovies drowned in olive oil or prepared with lemon and garlic, but also the anchovy tapenade made with black olives and the anchovy cream perfect for spreading on crusty french bread. Anchovies of this type are apparently considered rare and of a hand crafted nature as opposed to the terrible mass produced products we get here, even when they are imported from France and Spain. Calatonian anchovies have changed my mind about this food. I have been parceling out the products we brought home and am looking forward to my next installment of these salty delicacies.

Last meal in Provence: Le Mas d'Aigret

Le Mas d' Aigret is nestled at the base of the fortified walled city of Les Baux de Provence. From the moment you arrive, you know you have reached a special destination. The view from our patio was a panorama of olive groves and vineyards spanning from the mountains to Arles. The rooms were well appointed, and the property featured a pool, restaurant, and boules court! We settled onto our patio had some of our rose left over from Tavel, and enjoyed an amazing sunset following the seemingly unending daylight of summertime in Provence.  The hotel was the perfect base to explore Les Baux and its surrounding vineyards. We were able to spend two evenings climbing through this ancient city well after the tour buses had left for the day. At sunset, the town was eerily quiet and we had the streets all to ourselves. From our patio we could hear the rustle of the flag atop the castle walls. The town itself features a 13th century castle and a 16th century city. They have their fair share of tourist stores selling lavender and linens, and tourist restaurants, but they also have unending views, and some of the most interesting architecture we found in Provence.

As for dining, we chose to spend our last night dining in the restaurant at Le Mas d' Aigret. We were not disappointed. Our last day, the Mistral winds had kicked up making a meal on the patio unlikely, so we were treated to dinner in the ancient troglodyte cave room that is built into the hotel itself.  Our charming waiter described the menu and we opted for the three course tasting menu and a nice bottle of local red wine. To start, I had a nice basil pesto ravioli with fresh percorino cheese. The herbs were light and flavorful and the ravioli was perfectly cooked and buttery in the pesto sauce.

As a main course, I chose the fish which was served whole, roasted with pasta and fresh vegetables. It was light and flavorful. For a girl who used to not eat a whole fish, I had come a long way! This was no longer a challenge and I can appreciate the beauty and preparation of a whole fish.

Finally for dessert, I couldn't resist the creme brulee. It was light and served dusted with cocoa powder. The food and hospitality at Le Mas d' Aigret are unsurpassed. We were welcomed and able to be as connected or solitary as we wanted during our stay. I loved the quiet afternoons at the shady pool and the gorgeous views from our porch. I will return to Les Baux. It was all I expected from Provence.

Provence:Sunday Lunch at Le Vivier- Isle sur la Sorgue

I was drawn to L'isle sur la Sorgue for its  picturesque waterways which weave through the city. It is known as the Venice of Provence and quiet famous for its antique market on Sunday afternoons. I planned to stroll through the town and maybe find a nice place near the water to have a light lunch on our way from Tavel to Les Baux de Provence.  Little did I know I was going to find the lunch of a lifetime. Le Vivier is located on the outer edge of town away from the other cafes and the market on a road leading us out of town. It is tucked back in what looks like an office building, but once you enter, you know you have arrived. The decor seems ripped from a restaurant in Manhattan or Paris, but with a playful welcoming touch. Orange water glasses and bowls with playful goldfish highlight the stark white tables. The patio was our destination. Overhanging one of the famous waterways, it gives a cool breeze and peaceful backdrop to an epic lunch.

The menu was a pre-fix festival menu for what was the french version of Mother's Day. We began with champagne. The appetizers arrived looking like an artistic creation. They included, duck tartar served on a house made cracker, a broth of brine, kelp and seafood, a delicious deep fried head cheese, and a cheese puff served on top of a raspberry jam. We worked our way through these treats as we admired the french families out for their Sunday lunch. Each family was there to eat; even the children were diving into these amazing gourmet foods that I would have turned my nose up at as a kid. What a way to acquire an appetite!

The next course was a fois gras mouse served with a salad, toast points and the most beautiful terrine I saw in France. Wrapped in spring onions it was a fantastic blend of fois gras and sweetbreads that melted in your mouth.

The third course was a red fish served sauteed over large Provençal beans with cockles and a seafood broth.

The main course, (yes there was another course), was an herb crusted rack of lamb. The meat melted off the bone and the herb crust added just the right amount of crunch and flavor. It was served with a beautiful pair of stuffed squash blossoms.

Finally our dessert plate featured a strawberry tart with a house made strawberry smoothie and homemade ice cream. I could not think of a more beautiful or refreshingly light way to end a large meal.

Our meal lasted about three hours. The service and owners were so friendly and accommodating. They know the food is good, but they want you to know that too. It was nice to sit back and enjoy not only the taste but the look of each dish. They gave you enough time relax (and drink your wine) between courses. It was nice to experience the true feel of a lengthy french family lunch.

Provence: Tasting dinner at Auberge du Tavel

After a long day of sightseeing, we headed back to cozy Tavel and to our room at the Auberge du Tavel. We spent some time at the pool, and as we read the owners were busily preparing the tables for dinner. When we booked our room, we had heard of the hotel through trip advisor, but as we got closer to our stay, surprisingly it was written up in the NY Times! The writer had eaten lunch at our cute little hotel. Needless to say, I was looking forward to our dinner. We knew it would be delicious, but were not prepared for the level of culinary skill and beauty this meal would entail.

To start, we ordered a flight of rose. Each wine from the region was paired with a course of our meal and gave the opportunity to see the subtle differences in the terriors of Tavel. The dinner was a coursed tasting menu. To begin, the escargot served out of shell, sauteed, and over small glasses of different creme sauces, one with basil, one traditional, and one that seemed to be red pepper.

Our other appetizer was a take on a pate served with amazing strawberry glaze and toasted bread. The flavors of the rich pate were accented by the tangy strawberries for a memorable taste.

Our main courses were roasted pork tenderloin served with a roasted eggplant, rather like an open face ratatouille and a roasted fish Provencal. To settle our stomachs, we were served a mini creme brulee served inside of an egg shell and this was followed by a delicious French take on what I would call a strawberry shortcake, featuring basil ice cream!

As we sat in the tiny courtyard, we dreamed of meals like this every night, relaxing with good company from gracious hosts, to a friendly Englishman at the adjacent table. The Auberge is well worth a stay for its large well appointed rooms and perfect location for wine tasting and visiting several of the larger cities in Provence, but I would go back again simply for its beautiful and deliciously unpretentious food.

Provence: Light lunch in Chateau Neuf du Pape

One of the highlights of our trip was the day and a half we spent in Tavel. I have posted about this earlier and was excited to see this small town and discover the food and wine they had to offer. We had booked a room at the cute Auberge du Tavel. This offered a prime location in the center of town and a great little restaurant. As we entered the house, we found the staff to be more than courteous and our room was nicely decorated, and very large by French standards.   We unpacked and headed out into town to one of the tasting rooms featuring the local rose. The wines were cool, crisp, and full of life. They varied in color and flavor from light and refreshing to dark and complex. The vineyards were laid out around the town and divided into three terriors. Each vine was surrounded by the famous rough rocky soil that makes the wine here so unique.

Unable to resist great wine at a close distance, we spent the afternoon in charming Chateau neuf de Pape. Our first stop was lunch at the adorable Le Pistou. The restaurant was perched on the narrow street heading toward the chateau.

We stopped because of the street-side seating, but were thrilled by our lunch choices. We had an amazing goat cheese, field green and pistachio salad and a sandwich of coppa, goat cheese, grilled vegetables, on warm baguette. We sat and watched as tourists climbed the hill, enjoyed our wine, and quite frankly one of the better lunches of our trip.

Le Pistou
15 rue Joseph-Ducos, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
04-90-83-71-75

Paris Day 5: Cooking with Class!

Our last day in Paris was the day I had been waiting for. Our time in the city was culminating in a chef lead market tour and cooking class offered by Cooking with Class.  We met our chef/ host Pino Ficara early in the morning in the residential neighborhood of Monmartre. I loved the neighborhood. I would compare it to the Upper Westside in NYC. It was a great mix of small businesses, restaurants, markets, and residential buildings. It had a homey feel. We made introductions with a couple from Darwin, Australia and a couple from Monterrey, California. Pino lead us through the streets in search of the perfect ingredients for our meal.

Our first stop was an amazing cheese shop. These small shops dotted the streets of Paris, but this one had a selection that made me want to cry. The smells of stinky cheese wafted out into the street. We were walked through the various types of cheese, their production, and type as well as interesting information about storage and use. Pino shared with us historical information about cheese in France and facts about government regulations and differences between the US and France.

Next we toured a butcher shop. There we were able to see the variety and differences in what French shoppers can choose from on a daily basis. There were many more birds than we readily find in the US at a general market, squab, duck, 4 or more types of chicken, hens, etc. There were amazing cuts of beef and pork and and entire counter filled with different cuts of duck. In the back of the store they offered house made terrines of foie gras, and other delicious pre-made treats.

Then it was onto the fish market. We were educated about how to choose a really fresh fish. Based on these qualities I am not sure we get really fresh fish in Atlanta. The shop keepers were friendly and descaled and filleted our choices on the spot.

Next was produce market. From the amazing strawberries, to the huge pears to the unlimited fresh herb section, I was in heaven! The fruit and vegetable selection was much more seasonal than what we find in the US, showing that the French like to eat everything when it is at its peak of flavor. We selected the perfect herbs to compliment the fish and duck as well as some fresh berries for our creme brulee.

Our final stop was the bread shop. Of course we purchased the customary baguette, but also some thicker more rustic bread, and nut bread to pair with out cheeses. This shop had been in existence for years and was originally the site of a communal oven for this neighborhood. They still have the oven in the basement under the store. We all stopped to smell and to taste some bread. Then we were off to prepare our meal.

The cooking school is located in an unassuming store font off of a main intersection. It was well equipped with all the tools for our class, but still small enough that we had an intimate experience with each other and with the food. Pino quickly put the group to work chopping onions, and beginning to saute shrimp for our fish sauce. He was instructive in knife techniques, food preparation tricks, and some excellent recipe ideas. Our first dish was a fillet of fish brushed with olive oil and cooked on a bed of herbs. To top it, we had a reduced sauce of creme, shrimp, shallots, and white wine. This was served on top of a fennel and orange salad with the shrimp in the side. I could not have thought of a more beautiful dish. The fish took on the herb flavor and overall it was light in flavor but filling. I would love to have this for lunch every day!

Our second dish was a seared and broiled duck breast served with quail breast drumsticks on the side. To sauce the duck, we created a reduction of caramelized onions. It was so rich and flavorful. In the preparation, I learned to de-bone and prepare the quail as well as how to use sugar and butter to caramelize onions, two skills I had always been afraid to try. With each dish, Pino instructed us on not only how to prepare, but hot to plate each item. The result was picture worthy!

Our cheese course, purchased at the market  was the largest I have ever seen, and fairly unrealistic for a party or even a restaurant, but it was a great way to try so many cheese I had not experienced. I of course loved the goat cheeses, my typical favorite, but was surprised by some of the blues, and well as one cheese we are calling spider cheese because spiders actually eat the rind as it is caved! 

Lastly we came to the creme brulee. While I had learned how to make this dish in other classes, I gathered some useful tips on the preparation as well as the cooking and storage. My favorite tip was to ditch my small Williams Sonoma kitchen torch in favor or an industrial model from Home Depot! I went right out to buy one when I got home. Pino instructed us in the proper way to spin the ramekin to distribute the sugar topping and the best ways to get the perfect carmelization on top. The result was pretty and delicious!

This was by far my favorite day in Paris. The market tour gave us insight into French food and culture. Pino was an excellent guide and able to talk with us about customs, culture, and differences in food between France, the US and other countries. I feel like I made friends, toured the city, learned some new skills and ate a delicious meal all as a part of this class. I would highly recommend taking a cooking class in Paris. This path seems to be less stuffy and formal than some other schools, and the experience is well beyond courses I have taken in the past. Thanks to our chef and guide for a wonderful day! I will be back to Paris in the future and signing up for another course with Cooking with Class will be first on my list of things to do!