mielemaiale's Profile
Cheese pairings for a sweet wine tasting party
We had a pretty good selection - a few really nice Kabinetts, a 2007 Tokaji, a 2002 Sauternes, a Beumes-De-Venise, an Anderson Valley Muscat, and an odd, syrupy Australian Muscat.
Cheese pairings for a sweet wine tasting party
Thank you to all for your helpful advice. The party was a hit–5+ hours of sitting around the table with the afternoon sun streaming through. We ended up supplementing our Costco loot with an Epoisses, and a deliciously ripe, melty goat that I can't remember the name of. The accompaniments made the party, I think - balsamic gelatina, saba, apple chutney, honeycomb, and then all the fruit and nut accompaniments. The Kirkland blue turned out to be really, really nice. Probably wouldn't have taken first prize in a blue vertical tasting, but without any competition, did a really nice job, and got lots of compliments. I did not exactly advertise its provenance, admittedly. By the way, the inexpensive (under $7) large wheel of Alouette truffle brie was perfectly acceptable and highly recommended at the price for an everyday truffled cheese.
Cheese pairings for a sweet wine tasting party
Made the trip to Costco yesterday - picked up a Gouda, the Parmigiano (looks fantastic), an aged English Cheddar, an Alouette Truffle Brie (inexpensive, so we'll see how it goes), and, well, the cheap Kirkland Made in Wisconsin Blue. The reason for the last is because I didn't want to shell out $$ for that huge amount of Pt. Reyes Blue and then have a bunch of it left over to be thrown out. All the other semi- expensive cheeses are hard, so we'll get some mileage out of leftovers.
Of course, today I deeply regret my cheap-assedness. Anyone tried the Kirkland blue? Shall I run out and buy some Stilton/Cashel/Rocquefort?
Also, today is my Cheeseboard pilgrimage. Any recommendations for a puddingy, ripe goat cheese?
Cheese pairings for a sweet wine tasting party
We're throwing a fairly last minute wine tasting party this weekend, and I was hoping to get a quick heads up from Chowhounders about cheese deals (on specific cheeses) that you all could recommend. I'm looking to buy: blue, cheddar, some ripe cow's and sheep's milk cheeses, maybe some drier cheeses.
So here's the deal. I'd like to know if you all have seen any great in + outs at places like Costco, Grocery Outlet, TJ's. I'd like to get some larger pieces at any of these locations, and then supplement with smaller quantities of more esoteric cheeses from Cheeseboard.
I'm relatively new to Costco, and not very familiar with their cheese selection. Almost never buy cheese at Trader Joe's either.
While we're at it, any recommendations for good quality crackers from any of these retailers that you might have spied recently, would be welcome.
Thanks so much!
Crusty bread for Boxing Day
Does anyone know of a bakery (Acme, Cheeseboard, La Farine caliber) that is open on Boxing Day (Dec. 26th) this year in Oakland or Berkeley and environs? I'm having my annual Porchetta Boxing Day party, and want to serve fresh crusty mini-baguettes with the pork, but don't want to buy them at Acme or Cheeseboard on the 24th to be served on the 26th.
Thanks much!
Haggis / Burns Night in San Francisco
The haggis, the beer, the Scotch eggs, and the service were excellent at Commonwealth last night. I'd never had haggis before, and this savory, unctuous yet toothsome rendition, with a delicate rosemary flavored sauce and smashed neeps and tatties was to die for. I'd eat this haggis any night of the year.
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CommonWealth Cafe & Public House
2882 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94609
trade kefir grains for a kombucha mother
Hi oaklandfoodie, i'll be happy to trade a kombucha mother for some kefir grains. i have a lot of my own, but am curious what another culture might taste like! you can direct message me at sarahwallace01atyahoodotcom
Curry Dive Chowdown Report: Viva Goa in San Francisco
I'm not sure if the two most recent posters were disagreeing with my review directly or not, but either way, I do agree that if the tomato paste was removed in the recheado, and the vinegar, heat and spices were amped up in some of the other dishes, the dishes would have good Goan flavor. In other words, different than that was served, and what I reviewed. I hope they get more fearless and authentic too. It'd be great to have a good Goan restaurant in the area!
Oh and I do think the flavoring was less authentic, not just "more inviting to the unfamliar masses." I recently dined at Fort Aguada Resort in Goa, a 5 star resort by global standards, and while the spicing was less rustic/more creamy than beachside shacks or even local restaurants, the flavors were an elegant riff on a Goan profile. The Recheado at Viva Goa, to my taste, was not even in the ballpark.
Also, the vinegary, spicy flavor of a true vindaloo or a sorpotel is amazing and addictive. I disagree that it's not a flavor that curries favor (pardon the pun). If everyone thought like that, I doubt that we would ever have Sichuan Spicy Boiled Beef popping up at multiple restaurants all over this city.
Curry Dive Chowdown Report: Viva Goa in San Francisco
With some trepidation, I have to be the voice of dissent on all this Viva Goa love. I haven't had a couple of the iconic dishes - xacuti, and vindaloo there, and i hear the xacuti is good. However, I did have the Rechado Pomfret, Chicken Cafreal, and Goan Fish Curry, and feel that this range is good enough for a general overview. To sum up, I did not enjoy the food. It was not authentic (a point that the food reviewer at SF Weekly discusses at length in his review of Viva Goa, coming to a conclusion I disagree with), and it was not tasty. Perhaps my expectations were too high because of my familiarity with Goan food, but I don't think so. Certainly, I look for certain high notes that Goan food should hit - like a sharp vinegar note, a dusky chili note, a savory garlic note, and warm cumin/coriander notes. But other than that, I didn't go in expecting fine cuisine. What I had, though, was mediocre food, period, with very little Goan flavor. I found the experience akin to eating mediocre Thai or even regional Mexican food (which abounds around here). The Rechado pomfret looked good, but the masala was dull and tomato-ey, and was sloppily mashed into the fish so I had a spoonful of just spice paste more than once. No vinegar or red chili tang in sight. The Cafreal again had a dull tasting green spice paste, smeared onto dried out pieces of chicken, and then cooked through so the spices seemed cloddish and caked on. The fish curry - which is the Goan calling card, rich, coconutty, chili hot, addictive in it's umami - was tomato paste and coconut oil with some freshwater fish - probably tilapia. Goa is not known for its freshwater fish dishes. I was incredibly disappointed. There is so much authentic Northern Indian, and even Udupi food and Indian street food happening in the Bay Area, it's too bad that Viva Goa is the standard for Goan food here.
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Viva Goa
2420 Lombard St, San Francisco, CA 94123
Bay Area Chowhounds looking for good gruc near PDX
My partner and I are going to be in Portland for the better part of this week, overseeing some manufacturing. For a variety of reasons, we ended up at a hotel near the airport, rather than downtown, which was our choice.
We would still like to dine and drink well to offset our rather intense days! Do Portland Chowhounds have some good recommendations of restaurants/bars/cafes near the airport (we're staying at the Radisson Airport Hotel), or between the airport and SE Foster Road (which is where our manufacturing facility is)?
Many thanks in advance for recommendations. We love all food and many types of ambience - ethnic holes in the wall and divey bars included.
Good bloody mary?
The BMs at Zeitgeist are good, solid, vegetal and old-skool. Better on a hot day when the burlesque ladies and the FTMs who love them are out promenading. Elixir's is good for the novelty of choice, but the bartender always rescues mine and makes them best. Zuni has good ones, except for the mignonette-like shallot pieces.
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Zuni Cafe
1658 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Ippuku - Izakaya in Berkeley
Well they had gone up to $12. Which I think is OK. Can I say that I haven't been more excited about a place in Berkeley since the original Cesar opened? Can you sense a pattern here - superb sense of place, something only a dedicated and geeked out Gaijin could do well- plus a really great beverage list. Food ranged from middling to delicious, but looking forward to trying everything on the menu. YUM.
Harsch crocks and sauerkraut, other fermented veggies. Advice, please?
I have cucumber half-sours fermenting on my kitchen counter right now. I put in some grape leaves because I heard they keep the cucumbers crunchy. We'll see.
Also, I always add the contents of a Jarrow probiotic capsule to my ferments. I find it helpful to add in some extra probiotic goodness to help the veggies along.
Lastly, don't oversalt. I am a devotee of Sandor Katz's ratios. I would buy his book, Wild Fermentation, if you don't have it already.
Lamb sausage -- All sorts -- East Bay
Ver Brugge is selling their homemade rosemary lamb sausages for $3.99/lb today. Sale.
Dopo 2010
Don't know, Robert. But I sure hope you find some and stock it in your bar. it is around the corner from my house, after all, and I plan to while away many a weeknight sipping some good after dinner digestivos!
Dopo 2010
Convinced my companions to pick Dopo over Zachary's for pizza last night - WIN! Started with the unctuous Montalbano, a salumi that is apparently fresh cured, under two weeks. Deep, gamy flavour and good porky, fatty texture.
We ordered the calzone with chard/garlic, and the asparagus pizza. The calzone was astounding, perfect crust perfumed with garlic, and a deliciously simple chard filling. The asparagus pizza was a bit bland and "green" tasting for me.
We capped the night with Del Capo, a gorgeous amaro that was a perfect balance of herbacious and caramel brandy.
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Dopo
4293 Piedmont Ave, Oakland, CA 94611
Sichuan dried chilies and pickled chilies
Don't think so, theSauce. It's a good substitute, but not the real thing. It's hotter, I believe. But certainly may be our only option for the time being. Thanks for the response!
Sichuan dried chilies and pickled chilies
The chili sauce is fantastic. Searing hot, with a fruity quality and lashings of good, non-vinegar, sour flavor. Went beautifully with my fish fragrant eggplant. I just read a post from Ms. Dunlop herself, BTW, on eGullet saying that she isn't too dogmatic about the variety of chilies themselves, and in fact, is using Korean hot chili pepper to make her chili oi. Go figure.
Regional Chinese
Ruth, I've actually only just ordered dumplings to go several times! I went over there today (I had read that they were open until 3 on Tuesdays) but no dice. Looking forward to trying meatballs, cold pigs year and other delicacies!
Regional Chinese
I'm on a Chinese cuisine kick, and planning a culinary trip to the mainland this year. As preparation, I've been wanting to get more familiar with the regional cuisines available in the Bay Area. While I'm well versed in Sichuan cuisine, I'm quite unschooled on most other regions, and importantly, how to identify restaurants that showcase particular cuisines. I've eaten at Shanghai restaurant in Oakland, and so understand dumplings. Most Chinese restaurants in Oakland's Chinatown appear to be Cantonese...
So, are there recommendations Chowhounds have for the best of various Chinese regional cuisines - East Bay, SF, and South Bay OK. I'm thinking - Yunnan, Beijing, anything in the Northwest (although I've seen the thread about no food from Xinxiang in the Bay Area), others? Anything but Sichuan.
Your recommendations are appreciated, Hounds!
Sichuan dried chilies and pickled chilies
Didn't find any dried chilies at Ranch 99 (Richmond) this weekend like David, but did nab a couple of jars of Chili Bean sauce and Chili Sauce made in Pixian. I tried the Chili Bean Sauce in my dry-fried beef with celery, and I found it unpleasantly salty. Disappointing, because I had high hopes for these sauces from Pixian. Then again, don't think they were made by the people Dunlop refers to, these were made in "Pixian Industrial Complex" or some such, which doesn't sound remotely artisanal. Nonetheless, it is serviceable, and I'll just know to use less of it.
I haven't used the Chili Sauce yet, I imagine it's similar to pickled chilies, with no vinegar, just brine. I am planning to fermet my own red Fresno chilies that I got at Berkeley Bowl with ShaoXing wine, salt, sugar etc.
Help me use up my dried chili stash
Harissa is a great idea! Do you use just anchos, or anchos and guajillos?
Help me use up my dried chili stash
I've been looking for Sichuan chilies recently, and all this talk has gotten me thinking about my rather vast collection of dried Mexican chilies in my pantry. I have a large collection of ancho, guajillo, pulla, chipotles mecos and the other red kind, nora chilies, New Mexico, and short, stubby red chilies I bought in the Yucatan.
I'd like to make salsa, preserves, moles and other things to just get this collection down, so I can start buying more! Ideas?
Sichuan dried chilies and pickled chilies
I think I'm going to make fermented chilies with wine, sugar, and salt. Seems like the nicest way to have these chilies. Won't have the original chilies, of course, but will use red cayenne the next time i can nab them.
Sichuan dried chilies and pickled chilies
This is a great find! Interestingly, I was at Ranch 99 on Friday looking for these, and the only chilies the clerk could point me to were in the Hispanic section. Do you recall where in the store you found them, and was this recent?
Thanks everyone for your Thai pickled chili recommendations. Seeding those sounds like a good idea.
Sichuan dried chilies and pickled chilies
I've been cooking out of Fuchsia Dunlop's book, and she often requires Sichuan dried red chilies, as well as pickled chilies. Ranch 99 has nothing of the sort.
Any sightings of Sichuan chilies at Bay Area chinese supermarkets? Any markets with an especially good selection of Sichuan ingredients - ideally East Bay or SF?
Thanks!
roasted chickpea snacks
i'm trying to find healthier, diabetic friendly snacks to nosh on during the day, and came across roasted, salted chickpeas in the bulk section. i'm not sure about them - they seem a little dry to me. what do people think about these things? are there ways to doctor them up and make them more addictive?
Fancy Food Show
Melanie, I second the skyr from Siggi and Mama's Goodies. The latter looked like a nice little company. I hope they do well.
