Wüsthof - Defining the Edgë - Chef Richie Nakano

Wüsthof, a popular knife and cutlery company, has recently released a new video series spotlighting a few different chefs called "Defining the Edgë."  I'd dare say that is a great example of using web-based video to tell as story behind a person and a product.  This particular story caught my eye because it follows San Francisco-based chef Richie Nakano as he opened up a pop-up restaurant, something that I've been doing in south Louisiana all year.  Nakano is an accomplished chef and business owner, who left behind a steady job in pursuit of an idea. In the midst of a recession and a new baby on the way, the chef decided to open Hapa Ramen as a pop-up at the famous Ferry Plaza Farmers Market.  For Nakano, the risk paid off as he will open Hapa, his first brick and mortar ramen noodle restaurant very soon. Hapa will focus on non-traditional Japanese ramen cuisine using modern techniques, such as sous vide and low-temperature stock-making, along with the use of fresh ingredients from the best local farmers.  

I need to make a video like this for myself and everything I'm doing!  Check it out for yourself!

San Francisco Part V: Sunday Brunch and Ice Cream

Sunday morning came in San Francisco and Eusebio and I woke up without the beating drums and rhythmic chanting of the labor strike going on at our hotel.  I'm pretty sure they just took Sunday off.  We felt surprisingly well considering our drunken escapades the night before at the Awards Dinner.  Good times were had by all.

Foodbuzz set up a farewell brunch for the festival attendees at Restaurant LuLu courtesy of Nature's Pride, Frog Hollow Farm, Kerry Gold, and Skyy Spirits.  Skyy had a build-your-own bloody mary bar as well as all the vodka we could drink for other various cocktails.  I decided to start my day with a screwdriver in order to use a little "hair of the dog" to fight off the slight lingering hangover that I was suffering from.

My Morning Screwdriver Courtesy of Skyy Vodka

After the lines died down for the brunch buffet Eusebio and I got up to serve ourselves.  Restaurant LuLu did an amazing job working with the breads, pears, and butters that were provided by the sponsors.  Everything tasted great and looking at the pictures below makes me want to go back and eat it again!

Foodbuzz Farewell Brunch Plate #1 at Restaurant LuLu

I'll start with the bacon and move clockwise around the plate from there.  Bacon is the candy of all meats and I was happy to enjoy several slices of the thick cut, crispy swine on Sunday morning.  Next we have the nutty oak french toast with pear compote and whipped cinnamon butter which was absolutely amazing.  Moving on there is a frittata with aged cheddar, whiskey, and wild mushrooms.  It was very similar to a quiche or omelet in that its main ingredient was eggs and everything else made it taste so good!  The frittata is followed by a couple crouque monsieurs with smoked ham, swiss, and truffle mustard on whole wheat bread.  They were nice, but not good enough to go back for more.  Finally we have a pear and bleu cheese salad that added a little roughage to the brunch in a very good way.

Foodbuzz Farewell Brunch Plate #2 at Restaurant LuLu

You can tell what I enjoyed the most by looking at what I went back for in round two!  The french toast with pear compote and cinnamon butter was fantastic.  I really wanted another wedge of the frittata with cheddar, mushrooms, and whiskey because it tickled my fancy as well.  And of course, how could I not get more bacon?

After we said our goodbyes and bid adieu to our festival friends, Eusebio and I decided to make one more San Francisco stop before calling our tour complete.  No matter how full we were from the brunch, we knew that there is always room for ice cream!  Back to the Mission district we went so that we could visit the Bi-Rite Creamery which we had heard a lot about.

Ice Cream Flavor Options at the Bi-Rite Creamery

We heard about the Bi-Rite creamery on the day we arrived in San Francisco and knew that we needed to find some time to make it over there for some delightful frozen treats.  That suggestion proved to be worth every penny because the ice cream was incredible!  Bi-Rite had many different flavors including some classics like cookies 'n cream and vanilla, as well as some original and unique flavors of their own. I think I tasted about eight flavors, then ordered a cone with two of them.

Two-Flavor Ice Cream Cone at Bi-Rite Creamery

My sugar cone featured one scoop of salted caramel on top and a scoop of Ricanelas (cinnamon ice cream with snickerdoodles) on the bottom.  Both flavors were scrumptious but if I had to pick one, I'd go with the salted caramel.  It perfected the combination of sweet and salty that everyone loves in a good ice cream.  I could eat it every day so it's probably a good thing I'm not living in the Mission area right now!

After the ice cream adventure Eusebio and I were off to the Oakland airport to catch our flight home.  We had no trouble getting on the flight from Oakland to Las Vegas, but from there it was a different story.  Too bad what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas!  Actually, that's not completely true this time, but you will have to wait until the next post to hear about that part of the trip!  San Francisco impressed the Hell out of me and I really didn't want to leave, but every vacation has to come to an end.  No worries though, I'm sure I'll be back.  I also want to give a final "thank you" to everyone at Foodbuzz for putting on a great festival that was enjoyed by many foodies and fellow bloggers.  Speaking of fellow bloggers, to everyone that I met in San Francisco, thanks for checking out my blog.  It was absolutely wonderful to meet everyone and share stories, ideas, and memories with each other!

Things To Do
San Francisco

San Francisco Part IV: Foodbuzz Awards Dinner

Saturday night in San Francisco brought me and Eusebio to the Foodbuzz Blogger Festival Outstanding in the Field Dinner and Awards Ceremony. By the time we arrived at Hotel Vitale, a mob of food bloggers had already formed in the lobby waiting for the buses to take us to the Greenleaf Produce warehouse. Still being thirsty and needing to drink our LSU sorrows away, we made the easy decision to go to the hotel lobby's bar rather than hang out in a crowded lobby.  Alison joined us for a round of beers, although I really don't remember what we drank (we tried two beers from some San Franciscan brewery, but the name escapes me).  Oh well, I guess I should have taken better notes!

The Grill on Wheels at the Greenleaf Produce Warehouse

We arrived at the Greenleaf Produce warehouse after a brief tour around San Francisco because our bus driver was momentarily lost.  The entrance to the warehouse proved the building to be exactly what it claims, a sustainably conscious, environmentally concerned produce distribution company.  One of the first things I noticed, after figuring out where the wine was located and snagging a glass, was the grill on wheels pictured above.  Since I enjoy outdoor cooking so much, I was excited to see a roller-grill such as this one on-site to prepare some of our food.  I stood around the grill for a little bit and spoke with the founder and CEO of Foodbuzz, Ben Dehen, about the Monstrosity and the Bacon Explosion!  Good times.  I needed more wine.

Bonny Doon 2008 Ca’ del Solo Albarino

Thanks to Brittany at Eating Bird Food for this picture of the Bonny Doon 2008 Ca’ del Solo Albarino that we drank while mingling with all the other food bloggers in attendance.  The vino had to have been one of the better white wines in my tasting history, as I'm a red drinker all the way, because I sure drank the Hell out if it!  While we were walking around they served bite size portions of "ahi tonnato on pain de mie with gochukaru and parsley". It was basically a tuna spread with Korean red pepper on a crusty slice of bread. To me the tuna tasted more like it was out of a can than fresh out of the sea. No worries though, I drank more wine!  I think I got three or four, maybe five refills before we finally sat down for our dinner.

The Dinner Tables at the Greenleaf Produce Warehouse for the Foodbuzz Awards Dinner

Our dining tables stretched from end to end of the produce warehouse, splitting off and joining each other as they went around the curves and the stacks of boxed organic vegetables.  The place settings were fantastic, and I was ready to feast.  Thanks again to Eating Bird Food for the picture of the dining tables.  I took a seat with Eusebio, Alison, and several members of the Foodbuzz web design team at the far end of the facility.  Apparently we were too concerned with mingling and drinking to mark our territory so we ended up with some of the last seats in the house after we had to pull up some tables and chairs to make room!

Overall, I recall being slightly disappointed with the food, though I don't remember quite why.  It must have started with the tuna and then I don't think it ever really caught back up with expectations.  I think the dinner was probably exceptional in all reality, but being drunk and hungry and having extremely high expectations, I think I was a little let down for the first time all weekend.  That being said, I imagine that just a few courses disappointed me because I do remember several of the items standing out and being fantastic.

Mushroom Dashi (Japanese Soup Stock) with Maitake, Shimeji, and Enoki Mushrooms

I know I ate this soup.  I don't remember much about it.  I'm sure it was pretty good, but not good enough or bad enough for me to really remember it or write anything down.  I do love mushrooms though!

Grilled Monterey Calamari in a Browned Butter Ponzu Reduction, Cucumber, Kaiware, Frisee and Yellow Pear Tomato with Chojang and Sesame Vinaigrette Served Over Udon Noodles

As great as all of that might sound, I actually found this dish to be rather bland for my alcohol-saturated taste buds.  I'm a big calamari fan, but this dish didn't quite do it for me.  Don't get me wrong, it was not bad.  I'm really just saying that I've had better calamari in Baton Rouge.  I expected that with oysters, but not with squid!

Sea Trout Baked with Dashikombu, Fried Garlic, and Japanese Curry Powder

Now we're getting good!  While not Cajun spiced like I'm used to, the fish tasted de-lish!  Curry always spices things up a little bit and the fried garlic featured strong enough flavors for my inebriated palate to notice!

Mushroom Risotto with Koshihikari Rice and Crispy Maitake Mushrooms

The risotto was certainly memorable enough for me to write something about it.  I enjoyed the rice dish as mushrooms made another appearance in our meal.  It was quite good and something that is hard to find in the south, although Marcello's wild mushroom risotto is pretty good too!  I'm pretty sure I ate Eusebio's share because he was passed out at this point in the dinner.  You see, what had happened was, we had been drinking.

2005 Le Cigare Volant from Bonny Doon Vineyard

Before our final two dishes came out, master wine maker Randall Grahm from the Bonny Doon Vineyard came around and introduced us to one of his most critically acclaimed wines, the 2005 Le Cigare Volant.  This red wine had earthy tones and captivating character.  From the first sniff of the nose to the last drop down the throat, this wine left me thirsty for more.  Unfortunately they don't ship to Louisiana, but maybe I could send some to my mom's house in Texas!  Once again, thanks to Eating Bird Food for the beautiful picture that I was clearly too smashed like a grape to remember to take!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Ponzu Fried Garlic, Guanciale, and Bonito Flakes

These were unquestionably the best brussels sprouts I've ever had in my life.  Their flavor became magnified by the roasting process to create a truly unique and unquestionably dynamic dish.  The brussels sprouts presented the kind of flavor I had been looking for... something I've never had before!

Soy Braised Beef Cheeks and Oxtails with Baby Carrots and Fingerling Potatoes and a OB Beer and Denjang Demi

The final course of the sit-down dinner impressed me the most.  We had soy braised beef cheeks that were absolutely sensational.  The meat melted in my mouth as the flavor burst from every morsel of bovine heaven.  The carrots and potatoes soaked up the flavor of the beef and the sauce and at this point in the night I couldn't be happier... except that they were trying to escort Eusebio out of the warehouse because he was still "taking a nap" on the dinner table.  Don't worry though, he is resilient man. 

After dinner Foodbuzz presented their Outstanding in the Field awards for the best food blogs in existence.  To see a list of all the winners click here.  They served a dessert wine which tasted too sweet for me at this point in the night as well as a koshihikari rice pudding with cookie crumble and warren pear for dessert.  I didn't like it at all.  I took two bites just to make sure, and then put the rest down and labeled it unfit for consumption.  I don't know what was wrong with it, but I really was not a fan.  The pears were good on their own, so I guess it must have been the rice pudding that I don't have a taste for!

The bus ride back to the hotel featured entertainment for everyone else as Eusebio and I were pretty lit up and in the mood for some kind of trouble.  Well, not really too much trouble.  We were very civil, and after arriving back at Hotel Vitale we decided our best plan would be to get on a trolley and head back to Union Square and our hotel where we were expecting to hear the drum beats of the ongoing strike outside the lobby entrance.  Instead, we walked up Stockton Street to a flood of water pouring down the hill.  Taking a look up the street, we noticed a giant fountain of water erupting from the sidewalk.  A fire hydrant had gotten busted right outside our hotel and there was a crowd of people gathered around to watch the geyser.  Eusebio didn't feel like watching though.  Instead, being influenced by the plethora of picture taking tourists, he decided the timing was right for a shower!  The photographs speak for themselves.

Eusebio and the Broken Fire Hydrant Outside Our Hotel

The entire day went by in such a hurry but we undoubtedly enjoyed a great time throughout.  While every single course may not have impressed me at the dinner, the wine, sea trout, risotto, more wine, brussels sprouts, and beef cheeks sure did!  Sadly, the day had come to an end and all that was left to do was fight a hangover and be ready for the Sunday Farewell Brunch, some ice cream at the Bi-Rite Creamery, and our flight "home".  You can read about all of that in San Francisco Post V.  Until then, happy eating, and drink like you mean it!

Things To Do
San Francisco

San Francisco Part III: Olive Oil, Sparkling Wine, and Everything In Between

Day two of the Foodbuzz Blogger Festival proved to be just as memorable as the first.  If you missed the first two posts about the trip to San Francisco click on these for Post I and Post II.  Saturday began with a very unique way to break the fast... a sampling of delightful olive oils from around the world!  Chef Michael Tuohy from Grange at the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento, CA presented Eusebio and me, along with a room full of other festival participants, with six fine olive oils to passionately taste. 

Our Olive Oil Tasting Selection

Before telling us which oil on our sheet belonged to each of the bottles at the front of the room, Chef Tuohy asked us to follow him as he led us through a tasting session that was unique, comical, and very enjoyable.  Much like wine, the tasting of each oil began with a few swirls to open the oil up and release the fumes.  Then the taster sniffed the oil to notice and smells and fragrances that came from the lubricating liquid.  Some participants gently swirled the oil and delicately smelled it like they would a rose.  I, on the other hand, preferred to give my oil a couple hardy shakes and then inhale the aroma of the oil until it filled my nostrils with the peppery, herbaceous, buttery, and sometimes woody perfumes of all the different varietals of olive grease.  Delightful!

Six Olive Oils Ready to be Tasted

The one major difference about tasting olive oils instead of wines came when it was time to actually put the oil to our lips.  Instead of taking a nice sip of oil, Chef Tuohy suggested that we slurp it, bringing in air at the same time as the liquid.  This action "emulsifies the oil with oxygen and spreads it throughout your mouth".  Finally, after letting the oil swish around your mouth for a brief moment in time, the final step is to swallow the oil.  The after taste of each type of olive oil is one of the major ways to distinguish between the oils and it makes the swallowing action crucial in the tasting process.  Many of the oils that I liked the best are the ones that left a peppery and almost stinging aftertaste in the back of my throat.  In fact, one way to judge the oil is by how many coughs it takes to clear your throat after each swallow!

The Famous Ferry Building and Farmer's Market in San Francisco with the Bay Bridge in the Background

Eusebio and I had a little time to spend away from Festival activities after our olive oil tasting so we journeyed over to the Ferry Building and the San Francisco Farmer's Market to scope out the scene there.  The entire place was a madhouse of street vendors, organic farmers, cheese makers, and more.  It was an impressive sight to see for sure.  All of the samples that we got were amazing and we only wished that we had a house with a refrigerator and a couple days to hang out in town to cook all of the fantastic food items that we saw.

The View of San Francisco and the Bay from Our Hotel

After leaving the Farmer's Market we hopped on a trolley and took it up to the Fisherman's Wharf so we could get a view of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge.  We also came across an entire pier full of sea lions that were playing and bathing in the sun.  The sights were nice but wharf was overly touristy for my tastes so we got out of there, took a quick peek at the section of Lombard Street this is claimed to be "the crookedest street in the world" and then jumped on bus that brought us through China Town and back to our hotel.  The diversity and close proximity of everything in the heart of downtown San Francisco is amazing!

The Metreon, San Francisco, CA, Home to Our Tasting Pavilion

A brisk walk across Market Street took us to our next stop, The Metreon, where Foodbuzz had a tasting pavilion set up for us with all sorts divine treats, delectable goodies, and devilish beverages.  There were samples of too much food for me to even attempt to keep track of, so I focused primarily on the booze instead.  One note though, the food was amazing!

21st Amendment Brewery's Brew Free of Die IPA and Hell or High Watermelon Wheat

The 21st Amendment Brewery showed up with a couple of their beers, the Brew Free of Die IPA and the Hell or High Watermelon Wheat Bear.  Both were pretty good, but neither was exceptional.  The watermelon beer was rather, well, watery, and not all that flavorful.  I preferred it over an extremely sweet or way too fruity version, but this beer really had nothing on the perfect combination of fruit and beer that is Abita Strawberry Harvest.  The IPA was a decent brew, but I didn't like it as much Friday's selection from Speakeasy. 

Shrimp and Bay Scallop Seviche with Lime and Orange Citrus Flavors (Picture Courtesy of Alison)

The one food item that I did want to include was this beautiful seviche provided by Fuego.  Each individual cup was artistically created with shrimp, bay scallops, fresh herbs, and the juice of limes and oranges.  It was a tremendously flavorful couple bites of food!

Four Different California Sparkling Wines

During the afternoon session, Eusebio and I attended a California Sparkling Wine tasting that was hosted by Alder Yarrow, fellow blogger and author of the wine blog Vinography.  All four of the wines were delightful but I didn't have time to take notes about which I liked more than the others.  I feverously drank the bubbly beverage because it was time to get a move on so that we could go to Harrington's Bar and Grill to join the Bay Area Tigers for the LSU vs. Alabama football game.  We all know how that turned out.  Stupid refs.  It was nice to see William Winters at Harrington's though.  Plus, the several pitchers of beer that Eusebio and I drank with the help of Willie and Alison helped us forget about the game rather quickly.   

Three Beers on Tap from the Magnolia Brew Pub

On the way out of the tasting pavilion I happened upon another brewery that was giving out samples.  Magnolia Gastropub and Brewery had a little section set aside to let people try some of their small batch brews.  My first thought was what is a San Francisco brewery doing calling itself "Magnolia".  It turns out that the brewery has some New Orleans ties in its ownership and brewing lineage and the name, as well as their food, is a tribute to that!  I tried the Prescription Pale and the Gris-Gris.  Both were fantastic brews that I would love to go back and drink more of. 

That ended our tasting sessions at the Foodbuzz Blogger Festival.  The food and drink was plentiful and fabulous.  There was so much food at every turn and different vendors pouring wine, making cocktails, and serving brews in all directions.  I certainly drank my fair share!  The tasting pavilion lived up to its name as I tasted some of the best of what the Bay Area has to offer! 

San Francisco Post IV will feature Saturday night's Foodbuzz Blogger Awards Dinner at the Greenleaf Produce warehouse.  You don't want to miss that... or what I remember of it.  Apparently we had been drinking even more!

Things To Do
San Francisco

San Francisco Part II: Foodbuzz Street Vendor "Fare"

Part II of our San Francisco journey took Eusebio and I to Hotel Vitale on The Embarcadero right across from the famous Ferry Building and Pier 2 (Click here to go back and read Part I).  We mingled with many other food bloggers during an extended cocktail hour with free California sparkling wine, vodka drinks provided by Skyy Spirits, and a couple of beers from the Speakeasy Ales and Lagers.  The first beer that I sampled was the Untouchable.  This American-style pale ale was rather delicious.  It retained a slightly hoppy taste while still delivering a smooth and malty finish.  The second beer that they provided for us was the Big Daddy IPA.  Unlike the Untouchable, this beer has a full hops taste and there is no denying its pale ale style.  I continued to drink beer at the bar on the rooftop overlooking the market area and the bay until they ran out of malted barley and hop beverages.  I then asked the bartender to make something with the flavored Skyy vodka that were promoting.  It was ridiculously sweet and I couldn't handle it after all of the delightfully hoppy beer, so I put it down and walked across the street to the Ferry Building for our evening dining at the street vendor "fare".  This event was put on by FoodBuzz specifically for our Blogger Festival so we were free to walk around, sample food, drink more drinks, mingle with other bloggers, take pictures, and really do as we pleased.  Naturally, since it was Eusebio and I, we went straight to the beer!  Jay drank beer cause, well, Jay drinks beer (name the movie - although my name is added of course).

ThirstyBear's Polar Bear Lager and Valencia Wheat

The ThirstyBear Restaurant and Brewery, a San Francisco Brew Pub, provided the libations this time around.  They had their Polar Bear Lager and Valencia Wheat on tap for us to imbibe upon.  The Polar Bear Lager is a pilsner style beer though it tasted more like German of Belgian pilsner than an a macro-brewed American one.  Its hue gleamed with gold while the head was nothing serious, but enough to leave a bit of foam around the lip of the glass.  The Valencia Wheat was in similar style to the macro-brewed Blue Moon or possibly even Hoegarden.  It was a Belgian-style white beer with a hint of orange and coriander.  The flavor balance was nice and the beer had a refreshing aroma and taste on the tongue.  But enough about the mass quantities of booze that I consumed (for now).  Let's get on to the street vendor food!

Bay Area Raw Oysters

These raw oysters were the definition of fresh.  Hog Island Oyster Co. pulled them out of a local bay adjoining the Pacific Ocean in the morning and we were eating them that evening.  While they were quite fantastic, I have to say that they were incredibly different than the Gulf oysters that I am used to.  In my opinion these west coast oysters were on average smaller and cleaner, which to me meant less flavorful.  I had four of them in all.  The first one I ate was completely plain, the next oyster I added a little lemon juice, then a little hot sauce to the next.  I finished with the last one in its pure, unflavored form. They made me miss Gulf oysters, but it's not like I'd ever turn them down!

Fresh Pizza Dough Getting Ready for the Wood-Burning Brick Oven on Wheels

A Few Slices of Wood-Oven Baked Pizza Pie

This pizza from Pizza Politana, cooked on location in a wood-burning brick oven on a trailer, tasted absolutely sensational.  The dough had such an old school flavor and the toppings, which featured eggplant, dry-cured olives, feta, and parsley, were fresh and delicious.  I only ate one slice because there was so much food to sample, but man, it was good!

Steak and Gruyere Pie

Speaking of amazing, I got to try one of these meat pies as it came fresh out of a mobile oven!  The buttery, flaky pie crust, created by The Pie Truck, was filled with slow-cooked, seasoned and cubed all-grass-fed beef and cave-aged Swiss Gruyere.  The pie was succulent, savory, and salavitingly splendid!

The Glenrothes Select Reserve Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Back to booze for a second.  I had this Scotch in a drink called Blood and Sand that was created by the good people at Skyy Spirits.  The drink contained The Glenrothes, Cinzano sweet vermouth, cherry liqueur, and orange juice.  The drink was much better than the incredibly sweet cocktail that I had at the meet and greet earlier, but it still was not quite my cup of tea.  I did taste the Scotch on its own.  It had an earthy peat flavor but was not too dry on the finish.  Not bad, but certainly not my favorite.

The Good People and Rotisserie Pork at RoliRoti - I Heart Crispy Skin!

For me, the winning dish of the street vendor "fare" was the rotisserie pork at the RoliRoti truck!  The Porchetta Sandwich that they turned the pork into featured a pork belly rolled into a loin with crispy skin and fresh organic herbs.  It was cooked right in front of our eyes on a rotisserie grill that was built onto a truck and driven around to different events.  The concept was original, creative, and the product couldn't have been more perfectly executed!

Pork Loin with Pork Belly, Organic Herbs, and Crispy Skin

The meat itself had an indescribable flavor.  The pork's succulent and juicy flesh made me (and everyone else there) giddy with excitement.  But the loin was not all they did!  RoliRoti sliced the pork on the cutting boards and loaded it onto a magnificent piece of sliced artisan bread.  Every sandwich was packed full of pork loin, pork belly, and, most importantly, the taste and texture of the crispy skin!  They added a little sauce, a touch of onion marmalade, some fresh curly cress, and a side of rosemary roasted French fingerling potatoes, and you were not looking at food, but rather a work of street vendor art!

Porchello Sandwich with Crispy Skin Pork Loin and Rosemary Potatoes

There were many more food items and tasty treats that I did not photograph, mention in this post, or even get to eat!  Foodbuzz immersed us in a truly great culinary experience that will not soon be forgotten.  Even though Eusebio and I drank so much San Franciscan beer that we probably shouldn't remember it, the evening really would be impossible to forget.  The kickoff cocktails filled my belly while I enjoyed meeting other food bloggers from around the world.  The street vendor "fare" showed off some of the best of what San Francisco has to offer from the culinary side.  It truly surpassed all expectations and at the end of the night I couldn't be more excited about the next couple days of the Foodbuzz Blogger Festival!

Check back for the next update- San Francisco Part III: Olive Oil, Sparkling Wine, and Everything In Between.

Things To Do
San Francisco