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.

Oola's Baby-Back Ribs

In April, we attended a New Zealand Wine Tasting Event in San Francisco. A restaurant named Oola's was offering free samples of their baby back ribs. I took one bite and got back in line for a second sample. The meat was fall-off-the-bone tender and crispy. The sauce was sweet and savory and totally addictive. My march to become more of a vegetarian came to a halt right there.

Although we returned to the wine tasting (which was wonderful), I kept wondering if I could disguise myself enough to stand in line for a third sample of those ribs. When I decided that I probably could, I made my way back to their booth but couldn't disguise my disappointment when I saw they were out of ribs and closing down their operation. I took one of their business cards and promised to visit them soon.

We headed for Oola's a few weeks later. Could those ribs really have been that good? Truth is, they were actually better than I remembered. The secret? The ribs are braised for hours then deep fried ...yes, deep fried! You wouldn't know it unless you read the recipe ~ check it out.

Pre-ribs, we ordered a few appetizers and I can only sing more praises for the Cheeseboard, the Beet Salad and the Steak Tartare. Each provided pops of flavor that stopped all table talk. (Mmmmm-ing while eating = really good. Silence= outrageously good, talk to you later.)

The Beet Salad deserves a special shout-out: beets and watermelon, another surprising combo that really works. I wonder who imagined that partnership...or maybe they were just too close to each other on the cutting board one day and Voila! Or should I say "Oola!"

The All-In-One Sandwich~A True Man-wich

Imagine this: you are fed up with having to put down your sandwich to eat your fries and then, oh bother, you have to pick up a fork to eat your coleslaw. Well, that must have been going through the mind of one (or both) of the Giordano Brothers when they decided to throw it all between 2 pieces of bread. Their All-In-One Sandwich is one manly objet d'art. You don't have to let go to have it all!

And to think, I didn't even want to try it. My husband and daughter invited me to come along and watch while they did. (How could I refuse an offer like that? I'm joking.) So I went, prepared to observe and watch them struggle to eat the thing.

Somehow the Bros managed to get your choice of meat, a slice of provolone cheese, a fistful of coleslaw and an order of fries smashed between two pieces of crustless white bread. The secret has got to be the bread. It doesn't crack, fall apart or explode. It's spongey but not soggy. You get the picture? I don't know what it's made of... but it works to hold it all together.

Both daughter and hubby were doing that humming thing...like "mmmmmmm, this is good. You gotta have a bite." So I did...and it was surprisingly good. The french fries added a salty, crunchy texture. They would have been terrific on their own. The roast turkey meat was fresh. The coleslaw was not dripping with sauce and added a veggie-crunch to the mix. The cheese got lost and I didn't know it was in there until I saw it on the menu. And that bread, their secret weapon, held all those ingredients together and tasted fresh.

It actually took 3 of us to eat one sandwich but I saw several tables of guys who weren't sharing theirs.

Larger than LIfe Fruit

Art, whimsey and a food theme are a delightful combination. When I saw larger than life fruits and vegetables from the Cohn-Stone Studios displayed in an actual garden, I was certain one of their pieces belonged in my kitchen window.

Cohn-Stone are known nationwide for their hand blown glass pumpkins which are gorgeous and come in all sizes. What really caught my eye was their new pieces which include very large glass apples, pears, squash, peaches, tomatoes, pomegranates and flowers. How could I pick just one? It was Mother's Day, it was raining and they were having a Mothers Day Garden Tea and Spring Sale, so off we go.

I was leaning toward selecting 3 large pears until I saw what they had on sale. The choice ended up being between an apple or peach. So I picked an apple that I could turn in a way that the color and shape could look like a peach. I sent a picture to my daughter and she responded by asking "What is it? A peach or an apple?" Good, it worked...I had a two for one.

"How big is my luscious apple-peach?" 9 1/2 inches tall with a circumference of 24 inches. I'm delighted ~ it absolutely glows with the light from the window. And there is plenty of room for that garden to grow!

Donut Muffin: A Trip to the Source

My brother, who is one of my first "followers" on this blog, asked what I would be writing about. He commented that I just couldn't keep writing about the Donut Muffin. Well, actually, Bro, I could...they are that good. And did I mention they are "baked" not "fried"?

So here is the sequel: Donut Muffin: A Trip to the Source. The motivation: as the weather got colder and damper, the donut muffins available at the outdoor booth at the SF Farmer's Market got colder and damper. Not so good. The fix: Drive to the source ~ Healdsburg and the Downtown Bakery and Creamery. Goal: to get them when they first came out of the oven. I called to confirm the time the first batch would be ready and was told 7:15 am. The dilemma: Healdsburg is over 2 hours away, would we really get up early and drive there by 7:15 am? Probably not.

Then when my daughter needed a ride to SF airport for a very early flight... the plan started to come together. My husband & I would drop her off at 5:30am then head for Healdsburg. We were up anyway. It was perfect.

I didn't know they had such thick fog inland but I saw nothing on the 1 1/2 hour drive except the pavement several feet in front of the car. Joe slept, this was my obsession and I was determined to arrive just before those muffins popped out of the oven.

We parked in front of the Bakery and watched them open the doors. I'd like to say the Donut Muffin adventure had a happy conclusion, it did not. Disappointedly, the muffins were warm but they fell flat...literally, the tops collapsed or never rose. I figured there was a glitch or the real baker took the day off. I cheered myself up with a sticky bun, an apricot pastry and a chocolate croissant. Wondering if I should at least let them know their muffins were small, flat and not at all like the ones at the Farmer's Market! They had displayed the muffins with the collapsed tops in a glass case. I decided to let it go. By this time the line of customers was out the door and I was tired and sinking in to sugar shock from my consolation pastries, which were excellent, by the way.

But, yes, my friend, there is still a happy ending. We ordered breakfast. And here is where the morning hit a high note ~ The Poached Eggs on Polenta became my new best friend. If you've never had those two together it is really worth trying. I silently forgave them for the botched Donut Muffins (I'd wait until spring and resume my trek to the Ferry Building Farmer's Market) and savored my new discovery. The dish also included fennel, spinach and goat cheese...absolutely divine and well worth the drive.