There used to be Seagulls....

We had just been seated on the deck at Sam's Anchor Cafe in Tiburon when I remarked to my husband, "There used to be seagulls along the railing when we'd come here after volleyball games in the 70's". That's how long it had been since I'd been there. Now I could only see a few pigeons walking around under the tables. No seagulls. Seemed odd for a dining area outside over the water.

We decided to sit side-by-side to enjoy the view across the Bay. The San Francisco skyline was visible and it was a gorgeous day. We ordered clam chowder and fish and chips. When the waitress brought the food, I remembered to take a food-blog picture before diving in to what looked like two wonderful pieces of fish. I asked Joe to move over to the right so I could get a better shot. I took the picture (see above) and as I was checking the camera screen I felt this commotion (that's the only way to describe it) near my right shoulder and out the corner of my eye, I saw something white moving between us.

It took us a second or two to realize what had happened. It was that fast. When I looked at the plate and saw only one piece of fish, I knew we had been raided––from behind–– by one determined seagull! We were stunned. There had not been a seagull in sight but one was diving into our fish before we did!

The waitress casually walked over to our table and just looked at us. I asked her if she could replace our order since the bird had absconded with a piece of fish, knocked over the cup of tartar sauce and for all we knew, grabbed some fries. Then (as opposed to telling us earlier) she gave us the warning: "Yeah, those seagulls are very aggressive. You kind of have to hunch down and hover over your plate so they can't see your food." Seriously?

When I studied the "crime scene" I saw that one seagull perched on the roof above the deck dining area and watched for just the right moment. No longer did the seagulls hang out on the railing waiting for food to drop or be thrown their way––they just went for what they wanted. They'd certainly evolved over the past 30 some years. This one saw his opportunity when I asked Joe to "lean to the right so I could take the mandatory food-blog picture."

When our very low-key waitress brought the replacement fish, we "hovered over and covered"our plates (try it––you lean forward and hunch over your plate as you look furtively around to make sure the coast is clear!) and––fortunately, the fish was delicious. We just tried not to think of the Hitchcock movie about some other aggressive birds. So we ate and ran––just in case.

The lesson here is––if you do choose to dine on the outdoor deck of a restaurant that is over water and you don't see any seagulls––you might ask why or request a window seat, with a view, inside.

Presidio Social Club

The rest of the USA is having a heat wave. As the fog rolled into SF Bay and over the Golden Gate Bridge we put on our jackets and said a silent "thank you" for nature's natural air conditioning. If you like warmer summers this wouldn't be your ideal summer day but it works for us.

After a visit to the Legion of Honor for an exhibit of Dutch and Flemish Masterworks that was truly a visual feast, we headed for lunch at the Presidio Social Club. Based on a previous visit there with daughter, Megan, I wanted my husband to give it a try. And yes, this was after our early morning visit to the Farmer's Market, that's why you go early––so you can eat again before the drive home.

I ordered lobster bisque and a Jamaican-style red lager beer. Sounds like an odd combination but it was actually quite good. The bisque was absent of any pieces of lobster but the flavor was absolutely captivating–– it had a roasty, nutty, slightly salt-water taste that kept me anticipating each spoonful. There were a few tiny springs of sliced basil, just enough for flavor. The surprise was the few kernels of roasted corn that hung out in the bottom of the soup. When those got added to a spoonful of the bisque it was a wonderful pop of flavor. Although this was a simple bisque every flavor counted and it was delicious.

My husband Joe had the burger and fries. The fries were addictive and some of the best we've had. (Are you noticing how I'm sharing his lunch with him? There is more of that coming up...) I had just a small bite of his burger and it was almost creamy––the meat was smooth and just greasy enough to be tasty. I'm not a burger lover but I'd add this to my short list of burgers I will eat: Shake Shack in NYC is at the top––this burger is number 2––and there is no number 3.

Joe had to try the brioche beignets and Mexican hot chocolate. I'd been dreaming about them since my last visit–– so hungry or not (whose ever really still hungry for dessert?) we ordered them. They arrived hot and liberally sprinkled with sugar & cinnamon. They were totally delightful even though we decided they could have used a bit more time to cook...they were just a tad doughy. But we did find ourselves making that little "hum of happiness" sound as we ate them, enjoyed the spicy Mexican hot chocolate and marveled at how fortunate we are to live so close to a food mecca like San Francisco.

Ever heard of a Watermelon Radish? Or a Black Radish?

I discovered French Breakfast Radishes last year. Slice, salt and put them on buttered French bread and you have a snappy little treat. Those little radishes have a punch of taste that will wake up most people's taste buds.

Yesterday at the Farmer's Market I was looking for those breakfast radishes when I saw a plateful of different colored slices of some small root vegetables––I couldn't tell what they were so I asked. The vendor explained that "The pink and white one is a Watermelon Radish and the other is a Black Radish––it's really peppery." Whoa, who knew? I tasted the watermelon radish and it was slightly sweet. The black radish was indeed peppery, but it snuck up on you so by the time I left the vendor with my purchase, my mouth was on fire....well, to me it was on fire. Maybe you could say my mouth was "alive" and I didn't need more than that one slice to get the idea that this was one different kind of radish.

So now you and I both know about watermelon radishes and black radishes. They are worth looking for and will introduce you to an entirely unexpected taste from the familiar red radishes we all find in the grocery store.

Tastes at the Ferry Building Farmer's Market

Go early Saturday morning. Beat the crowds. Get coffee before the lines get too long. Then head for the Hayes Street Grill booth for scrambled eggs, Hobbs bacon and an Acme baguette. Add a killer view of San Francisco Bay and it is the perfect start to our weekend. Every time we think we should do something different, we pause and say: "Nawwww, you can't beat this so why change it?"

We did add something new this time though. I spotted a new vendor inside with a table full of great looking scones. If he's there next time, he's on our list of key destinations. The cinnamon bun scone was moist on the inside, crunchy on the outside and had just the right amount of cinnamon and glaze. (pictured above)

I considered skipping our visit to the Downtown Bakery booth, but even though I could substitute the new scone source for my beloved donut muffin (today only!), I couldn't make it through next week knowing we'd missed the apricot turnover. That turnover went right into the bag next to the new-guy-in-town scone.

Because everything we taste is made with the best ingredients by people who seem excited and proud of what they make––we end up having wonderful treats that don't send us into sugar shock or carb overload. Besides, my husband and I split everything...half the cost, half the calories and we always have room for more.

The Yellow Crane

My husband, Joe, and I often walk around the lake in a local park. It's a lovely 2 1/2-mile walk with opportunities to see turtles, ducks, fresh water pelicans, Canadian geese, an occasional leaping fish and all kinds of birds that rest and nest in the trees that surround the pathway. We also often spot blue herons and white herons and cranes which are wonderful to see either flying gracefully or stalking fish in the shallow waters. I have fun looking for interesting birds that can be hidden and hard to see in some of the denser sections of the trees and ponds.

This is what happened today.

Joe: Do you see that crane?

Me: What crane, where?

Joe: Right there, can't you see it?

Me: No, is it in the water, in a tree or on the ground?

Joe: Your kidding. You can't see that?

Me: So where should I look?

Joe: It's a big yellow crane.

Me: OMG, a YELLOW crane! Where is it exactly?

Joe: Right there, don't tell me you can't see that. It's the biggest one I've ever seen!

By this time I am frantically scanning every bush, tree, nook and cranny to see this yellow crane. I've never even heard of a yellow crane, but I'm not going to miss seeing this one!

Joe's got the camera and I see him position it to take a picture. But he's holding the camera up a bit too high. So I figure the yellow crane is up in a tree top. Then I look up and I see...yes, I finally see the Yellow Crane.

Brown Sugar Kitchen

Ever since I heard about the Brown Sugar Kitchen in Oakland, I've wondered how deep-fried buttermilk chicken, waffles and syrup would work for breakfast. My system usually wakes up slowly so I needed to talk to the tummy––I shouldn't have worried.

After one of the best cafe lattes I've had and an order of outrageously fresh beignets covered with a blizzard of powdered sugar, we were braced for what felt like having dinner for breakfast. (Doesn't everyone have beignets for appetizers?)

My husband and I split everything nowadays so we each had a piece of fried chicken and a waffle, which was just the right amount since we also ordered a bowl of cheesy grits–– and don't forget those beignets. Did I mention the homemade jam that went so well with everything...oh my.

The verdict? Absolute perfection. The chicken breast was juicy and tender, the buttermilk batter was crisp, full of flavor, and not at all greasy. It was a bit "herby" with rosemary but it still worked. The waffles weren't "airy" but just the right thickness. The syrup was not your ordinary maple syrup and was the perfect complement. Even the butter on the waffle had a distinctive flavor. That "pop" of flavor in the waffle, buttermilk batter, butter and syrup was a nice wake-up call and made this no ordinary breakfast experience. The grits were also extra-ordinary. Such creamy goodness that we could have ordered another bowl.

We enjoyed every bite of our "dinner for breakfast". We left the Brown Sugar Kitchen happy, satisfied and hungry for more! We noticed on the menu that they serve two poached eggs over those amazing grits and that is definitely worth another early morning trip to Oakland.