jocelyng's Profile
Special occasion dinner - Spruce or Quince or somewhere else?
My parents are coming to town to take me, hubby and 13 yo DD to dinner for a big birthday I'm having. Trying to figure out where to go. I'd like great food, obviously, but not stuffy or overly stylized food. I don't mind dressing up (jacket and tie for the men would be fine), but I don't want a place that has a formal feel, if that makes sense. DD is quite sophisticated, so I don't worry about her. Anyway, I'm looking at Spruce or Quince or maybe Gary Danko. Must have an a la carte option since my mother doesn't like prix fixe. Would also consider Berkeley or Oakland. Don't want molecular gastronomy. Thoughts on these or other places? Thanks!
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Gary Danko
800 N Point St, San Francisco, CA 94109
Passover in restaurants
We don't need kosher for Passover. There's a restaurant here in SF that does a special meal for Passover. Scroll down to see what I mean: http://www.perbaccosf.com/events.html. Tabla in NYC used to have one, too. Mostly just a special menu for that night is what we're looking for.
Passover in restaurants
Looks like we'll be in Portland for Passover this year. Are there any restaurants that serve Passover dinners? Doesn't have to be super-traditional it's the spirit of the holiday is what we're looking for.
Thanks.
Fave new places?
Could be. Too guys with beards who kind of looked alike. DH and I both had pulled pork sandwiches. They were good, although the pork could have been more highly seasoned.
Fave new places?
I just wanted to say that we had some great meals at Andina, Toro Bravo, Wildwood and Laurelhurst Market. Lunch at Pok Pok and a food cart with pork at 9th and SW Alder. More next time! Thanks for all the advice.
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Pok Pok
3226 SE Division St, Portland, OR
Andina Restaurant
1314 NW Glisan, Portland, OR 97209
Laurelhurst Market
3155 East Burnside Street, Portland, OR 97232
Toro Bravo
120 NE Russell St Ste A, Portland, OR 97212
Fave new places?
I realize that. Despite the rave reviews, I'm not interested in molecular gastronomy.
Fave new places?
Yes - that was a typo :-).
We won't make it to Fin, and we've been to Cafe Castagna. I'm not really enamored of the menu in the restaurant.
So far, we have a reservation at Andina, which wasn't even on the list.
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Andina Restaurant
1314 NW Glisan, Portland, OR 97209
Cafe Castagna
1758 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214
Fave new places?
We'll be up in Portland in a few weeks, and I'm working out our dinner reservations. So far, my too-long list is:
Nostrana
Wildwood
Irving St. Kitchen
Laurelhurst Market
Tabla
toroa Bravo
Simpatica
They're all new to us except Irving St. Kitchen. Are there some new places that people are excited about that we should try instead of one (or more of theses)? We're two adults with a reasonably adventurous 13 year old daughter (she loved the marrow bones at ISK last summer).
Thanks!
Jocelyn
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Nostrana
1401 SE Morrison St, Portland, OR 97214
Laurelhurst Market
3155 East Burnside Street, Portland, OR 97232
Freezing milk chocolate truffles
I need to make a few hundred milk chocolate truffles, and I'd like to freeze them so I can get ahead a little bit. I have a bunch of questions:
- I wanted to at least roll the ganache into balls, but I assume I can't coat them in cocoa before I freeze them, right?
- Should I flash freeze them on a tray first?
- Do I need to defrost them before I roll them in the cocoa?
Anything else I should know before I start this endeavor? Thanks.
Ground cacao?
Not cocoa powder. Cacao. I know it isn't a lot, but it might be like cloves in that a little goes a long way. I'm just not sure how to make it.
Ground cacao?
I'm looking at this recipe, and it calls for ground cacao. Since I've never seen this in a spice department, I'm wondering if I can just grind up cacao nibs. I know it's a small amount, but I'm curious about it anyway. Anyone know? Thanks.
http://www.portlandmonthlymag.com/eat-and-drink/articles/barbecue-0710/
Castagna with older kids?
We're coming to Portland this weekend, and we have a reservation at Castagna for Saturday night. Our kids are 12 and 18 and have been to many nice restaurants. I'm just wondering how formal a vibe this restaurant has. We can easily switch to the cafe, but I'd like to try the dining room if it isn't too stuffy.
Thoughts? Thanks.
Jocelyn
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Castagna
1752 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214
Cardboard sleeve on Crockpot insert
Just did. (thanks for no snarky comments even if you were rolling your eyes.) Not sure what i was thinking.
Cardboard sleeve on Crockpot insert
I just got a new Crockpot, and it has a cardboard sleeve on the stoneware insert. It doesn't say to take that off before I use it. Was that just for packing and is supposed to be removed? Maybe I'm an idiot...
Thanks.
High-end Peninsula brunch ideas?
I don't know Madera. Where is that? All of the kids are very experienced in nice restaurants, but that doesn't mean there will necessarily be something for them to eat. I need to check the menu.
ETA: Now I remember it. I have see if they have a specific brunch menu. That could be perfect. Thanks.
High-end Peninsula brunch ideas?
We went there with them over Thanksgiving weekend (for dinner), so I'd rather take them some place new. I will keep it in mind, though. Thanks,
High-end Peninsula brunch ideas?
My mother is celebrating a big birthday this year, and it looks like Sunday brunch is our only free meal over the weekend in question (DD's Bat Mitzvah is the same weekend). I'm looking for suggestions for an elegant brunch that is preferably between Palo Alto and Burlingame. We'll have some young kids, but they are pretty sophisticated eaters. Also, there will be two fish-eating vegetarians will be in the group, but I don't want a predominantly fish menu.
So far, I've looked at the Ritz Carlton and Cetrella (concerned the menu is small) in HMB, and Astaria in San Mateo.
TIA.
Caramel burning off before browning
I tried the reverse (high flame so that it would darken before it burned off altogether). I go low next time. Thanks.
My croissants have issues
Thanks very much for the thoughtful reply and kind offer. I'd love the recipe. I'm a little uncomfortable posting my e-mail address publicly, so if you have a website, can I just contact you through that? Thanks again.
Caramel burning off before browning
I'm sorry I wasn't clear. Basically you mix in diced apples once you get the caramel done. It's 4 granny smiths, so a small saucepan won't work. (The other part of the recipe is an apple butter - the part that has the 3:1 caramel. You cook that caramel with 10 diced mcintosh apples and then mix the two parts together.)
Farm-to-table restaurant near Santa Clara Conv Center?
I saw that, and the menu looked great. Sadly it is probably too high to take a frugal friend.
Caramel burning off before browning
I'm making Karen DeMasco's Apple Turnovers (from the Craft of Baking). I made the apple butter (which has a 3:1 ratio of sugar to water). The apple mixture that gets combined with the apple butter (to make the turnover filling) has a ratio of 1:1 sugar to water. It says to heat it over medium heat, but it keeps evaporating while it's still clear. (There's only 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup sugar) Should I change the ratio so there's more sugar or make a bigger batch of the caramel? I mix in 4 large diced granny smith apples and then mix that with the apple butter.
TIA.
Farm-to-table restaurant near Santa Clara Conv Center?
Can anyone recommend a reasonably-priced (so no Manresa) restaurant near the Santa Clara Convention Center that has a seasonal focus? I'm willing to drive 10 miles in any direction.
TIA.
Homemade gravy for deep-fried turkey
Great. Thanks.
One question - if you add a leg and/or necks, do you change any of the ratios or just dump that in with the wings?
