Kathleen M's Profile
I *LOVE* Pickles!
I live in northern California, and for a few weeks in early spring there are wild onions everywhere. They are not ramps, these onions reproduce at the root. But they are small, mild wild onions about the size of scallions but with a bulb shaped root end. Anyhow, I read an article about the scarcity of ramps on the east coast, and how harvesting them is limited, and how people who know where they grow guard that information. So, I thought that somehow I really should preserve those wild onions that are so plentiful here. I wanted to keep as much of the pure flavor as I could, so I did a very simple brine of water, white vinegar, a little salt and sugar, and the flowers of the onions. I made one batch wtih thyme, one with rosemary and one with summer savory. They came out great.
My family eats a lot of pickled hot peppers, so I've fooled around with those quite a bit. I take a basic brine and add cilantro, scallions, red pepper flakes, and usually some sliced carrots. Those come out great too.
I have found that homemade pickles are kind of like homemade cookies - a completely different product than those available commercially. I too love pickles. I've always made these processing them in a canner, mostly so that I can preserve them as gifts year 'round.
Masala Jack's in Cotati
I've eaten there many times and also really liked it. I was very afraid that it would be dumbed-down, but not at all. The lunch special is a good deal. I especially like the saag chicken. Also, the mixed vegetable pakoras are really great, although frequently they are out of them.
Your favorite 'road trip' food
My husband loves Mystic Mints for road food. We also get string cheese for road food, and at no other time. We very rarely eat at fast food places, but when we're on the road for a day we have a regular system of where we will go (and where we won't go) and what we will order: at Jack in the Box he gets a taco, I get egg rolls; at Carls Jr western bacon cheeseburger (single, not double - the proportions are off in the double) or chicken club; at Taco Bell mexican pizza for him, bean burrito extra cheese no onion for me. If we are travelling with our dog, which we usually are, that generally means we are eating dinner in the room at a Motel 6, which will be a three piece chicken strip meal with mashed potatoes and extra gravy and cole slaw, and a bottle of chardonay.
Driving from SF to Montecito: great spot for lunch half way?
Agree with Melanie. I was really surprised to read glbtrtr's admonition to drive by. We drive from north bay to southern cal pretty frequently, and Mexican food in King City is a go-to half way point lunch for us.
Looking for Central Coast/Wine Country/Northern CA honeymoon recommendations
This should go on the San Francisco area board, but I'd suggest checking out the West Sonoma County Russian River area, and specifically the Farmhouse Inn in Forestville. Another option would be the River's End Inn and Restaurant in Jenner. Both have wonderful restaurants, are in beautiful locations in nature, and there area lots of really good restaurants in the area.
Calorie listings at chains
I really appreciate the calorie listings. I recently read something to the effect that the calorie listings are not doing any good because the only people who pay attention to them are the people who don't "need" to because they are not overweight! Hey, there is a correlation between not being overweight and paying attention to the calorie content of your food! I end up eating at chains several times/year, usually because that's where my parents want to go, and the calorie listings are not the only thing that determines what I order, but they are definitely a factor.
HELP -- My fingers are throbbing from cutting jalapenos!
I'm surprised no one has mentioned washing with baking soda. That's the only thing that works for me.
Dragon Rouge (new Alameda location)
We went weekend before last. There were 6 of us. We heard about it on "Check Please, Bay Area" and so we made a day of it, went to the Oakland Museum and then over to Alameda. I had the ginger basil drop too. We enjoyed the sampler of rolls, good choice for a big group. Our waitress was one of the best servers I've ever had. She was very knowledgeable about the menu and very helpful and friendly. She recommended the pineapple salad, which we had with prawns. We also had a soup (I forget which one). The waitress recommended the catfish claypot, which was very good. We also had two more entrees, but I don't remember exactly what. Everything was very tastey. I didn't feel like we got a lot of food, but the bill was surprisingly low ($30 pp - everyone had at least one drink, a couple of people had two) so maybe we should just have ordered more. I have to admit I prefer the food at my local Vietnamese hole in the wall (Mai Vietnamese in Rohnert Park) but for an overall experience, I'd certainly return to Dragon Rouge if I were in the area.
Sebastopol
I don't know if Japanese qualifies as ordinary, but Hana Sushi is definitely not formal, and it's my favorite sushi place in the area (although recently a friend told me that Sushi Tozai, also in Sebastopol, is even better). They have special prices on Saturday, but it's not expensive even without the specials. I'm sure there could be endless controversy about which is the best sushi place, but Hana is my favorite because the fish is VERY fresh (they are busy and have rapid turnover) and the hotate gai and unagi are my favorites that I've had. Would raw seafood do? Also, don't miss Screamin' Mimi's ice cream, it's wonderful, especially if they have lavendar ice cream.
Keith Gilabert: "Two words,,,,, chili-spaghetti at Bob's Big boy!"
That is my dad's favorite dish! There really is something great about the texture of the chili combined with that of the spaghetti. I've reproduced it at home with good success with a couple of different no bean chilis. If you are in northern California, it is a great dish with the Greek chili from Yanni's sausage grill in Penngrove (not the same flavor profile as Bob's, but the same great texture combination).
north bay food recs: marin sonom and napa counties
That is a pretty broad request! But I'll chime inand recommend some of my favorite small restaruants: for Bear Korean in Cotati, Sizzling Tandoor in Jenner, boon eat+drink in Guerneville, and my absolute favorite Mexican place, La Palapa in Santa Rosa. For shopping: Oliver's Market in Cotati (that's the one I usually go to, but I've also been to the one on Stony Point in Santa Rosa and it's good too) and Andy's Produce in Sebastopol. Oh yea, and Screamin' Mimi's ice cream in Sebastopol.
Best Clam chowder and Best Cioppino
I love clam chowder, and I've tasted it at many places all along the coast, and I definitely agree that Spud Point's is absolutely the best.
"Hitting" on the Waitress (server) Is it OK?
Joe has some good advice mixed in with his Irishness. (I'm of Irish descent myself.) I agree that it's better to wait and ask her out when you see her someplace else. But the idea of asking her to a specific event at a specific time is always a good approach. It leaves each person room to exit gracefully. Regarding Joe's item 3 above, if she makes an excuse, but she is interested, she will suggest getting together another time, and offer her number. If she doesn't, she is not interested. But you've saved face and you can encounter her again without embarrassment.
Red Lobster
It seems odd, but I've found that the Red Lobsters in Northern California have quite good food (as long as you stick to simple preparations) and excellent service. In Southern California, I've had the opposite experience. I admit that I've only been to a few RL's.
Cyrus OR Farmhouse Inn/Sante
Farmhouse Inn doesn't have a tasting menu. They have the Monday night prix fixe dinners during the off season, but those ended last Monday. It is an excellent restaurant in a beautiful setting, with a knowlegeable wine steward and impeccable service. I've not been to the other two, but you could save $$$ by walking a short block from Fairmont Sonoma to El Molino Central for a MUCH more casual, but incredibly delicious Mexican dinner.
Sonoma County Restaurant Week at Village Inn
Oops I forgot to mention that alongside the calimari was mashed potatoes, which is generally my favorite starch, and steamed brocoli, cooked perfectly. That's why I believe that the snap peas were also cooked perfectly. This is not cutting edge or original stuff, it's classic stuff done quite well at a very reasonable price point. I live just a few blocks away, so it's hard for me to say if I'd go out of my way to get there, but I sure do enjoymyself every time I go.
Sonoma County Restaurant Week at Village Inn
Last night we celebrated our 20th(!) anniversary with dinner at the Village Inn in Monte Rio. We had a wonderful time and a great meal. The restaurant week special is $19 and quite a bargain at that! My husband got the restaurant week special, and I ordered off the regular menu. We started by sharing the fried prawns, which were cooked just perfectly, which in my experience is unusual for fried prawns. The coating was crackly crisp, the prawns sweet and juicy. They come with a cocktail sauce and tartar sauce, both classic and quite good.
The special began with the Village Inn Ceaser (which is also available on the regular menu) which was a kind of deconstructed Ceaser, with a large half head of romaine lettuce drizzled with Ceaser dressing and sprinkled with shaved Parmaesan cheese, with two sourdough crostini on the side. I had a taste and it was quite good. The main was cabernet braised short ribs (not on the regular menu) with polenta and snap peas. I tasted the short ribs and polenta. The short ribs were absolutely delicious! I know the phrase "like butter" is overused, but here it was appropriate. The meat was rich, falling off the bone, and suberbly flavored. My husband said the snap peas were cooked perfectly. The polenta was probably the weak link, we both thought it was a little rubbery, although the flavor was fine. His dessert was a baked apple with vanilla ice cream and housemade caramel sauce (also not on the regular menu). I also had a taste of this and it was as delicious as it sounds - a simple homey dessert that was just right. I liked how the three courses seemed to harmonize with each other.
I was feeling like seafood, so I went ahead and got a lot of it! All the entrees there come with a choice of house salad (which is very good - I've ordered it many times) or soup of the day. The soup was clam chowder, and I couldn't resist trying it. It was very good, but Spud Point Crab Shack's clam chowder has basically ruined me for any other. Still, I enjoyed the chowder at Village Inn very much and have no fault to find with it. I ordered the panko crusted calamari for my main, and like the prawns, it was done perfectly with a wonderful crisp crust and tender moist calamari. (Yes, I know I ordere oddly and had a couple of very similar dishes in the prawns and calamari, but it was just what I felt like eating.) As it was our anniversary, they brought me a slice of four layer chocolate cake as a complimentary dessert. I was too full to eat more than a bite, which was rich and dark and not too sweet. I'm looking forward to sharing the rest with my husband tonight.
Hubby had a glass of Rodney Strong cab and I had a glass of Rodney Strong chardonay with our mains. They have a pretty good wine list and usually we would try something different, but since we wanted different wines, we went with our favorite that was available by the glass.
The service at Village Inn is warm and friendly and very efficient. All meals start with an old fashioned relish tray and warm bread from Casa La Belle Bakery.
John Ash & Co and Corks Restaurant ??
I've always been very pleased with John Ash & Co. The food is generally of the perfect ingredients prepared simply type of cuisine. The service is impeccable, and the room is beautiful. I also really like The Farmhouse Inn in Forestville, but that won't be more casual.
In Graton, I think that Pam F is referring to Willowood and Underwood. I've only eaten at Underwood, and there just for late night eats. But the food we had was wonderful and the cocktails were also very good. Guerneville is just a few miles west of Forestville and has a number of places that would be great for your second meal. I heartily recommend boon eat+drink for excellent casual meals. There is a small plate with burrata cheese, beet "pesto", rustic bread and a drizzle of olive oil that is excellent - one of those dishes that is definitely more than the sum of its parts. The crispy brussels sprouts are kind of famous, and very addictive. We also visited Agriculture recently for dinner and were very pleased. The food was excellent and we thought the prices very reasonable.
Bistro des Copains is also very good, but that is a longer drive from Forestville.
Restaurants in Sonoma
P.S. You might want to re-post your question. Sonoma is actually quite a way away from Rohnert Park. I'll bet your conference is at Sonoma State University. People often (understandably!) think that Sonoma State will be in Sonoma.
Restaurants in Sonoma
I work in Rohnert Park, there are lots of possibilities right around here without having to drive to Santa Rosa or Petaluma. (Although, there are lots of good things in Santa Rosa and Petaluma too!) Right across from Sonoma State, I like Shangri-La Himalyan and Honey Korean (although I like Bear Korean, in Cotati quite nearby, better). Both are small places with limited menus, but wonderful friendly people and delicious food. Mai Vietnamese, on Hwy 116, is excellent. I also really like Suko Thai, which is in RP on Old Redwood, in the shopping center near Safeway. Their pumpkin curry is one of my favorite things, and there are always interesting specials. Right now they are serving garlic crab, which I've not tasted, but based on everything I have tasted there, I'll bet it's fantastic. Hana Japanese in RP gets rave reviews, but I've eaten there several times and the service has always been just awful, so much so that the quality of the food can't save the experience. I prefer Kyoto Japanese, and I especially like the sake sashimi there.
In Cotati, which is adjacent to Rohnert Park, there is Bear Korean that I mentioned above. The food is excellent, but the language barrier can be a bit difficult to navigate sometimes. North Light Books is a really fun place to eat and browse. The food is simple, but very delicious and almost all local and organic. I've never had anything there that I didn't love. Either North Light or Redwood Cafe (on old Redwood Hwy) will give you a good college town experience with reliably good, but not amazing, food. Although there are a number of good Mexican places nearby, if you are from Southern Cal you probably have your favorite there that is at least as good, if not better, than what you can find around here.
The Best Chain(franchise) or fast food hamburger
My favorite fast food burger, hands down, is the Western Bacon Cheeseburger at Carl's Jr. I have tried the double Western Bacon Cheeseburger, but the single is better. The ratio of meat, bun, cheese, bacon and onion ring is just right on the single, not quite right on the double. Of course, there is no option to order medium rare, or any other specific doneness. But this is a different style of burger. To me, the fast food burger is a specific dish, not the same dish as a burger at any pretty good restaurant. I always order medium rare at a decent restaurant, but I have different expectations at a fast food place.
What non-food/non-traditional food items did you eat as a kid?
I was a big eater of plants. My mom taught me to suck the honey out of a honeysuckle flower. I also chewed on sour grass. And I ate each part of the begonia flowers seperately. I have a friend who liked to eat butter as a child. I wasn't into paste or crayons, but I certainly knew other kids who were. Our paste tasted (and smelled) vaguely minty.
Community Night at Applewood Inn [Guerneville]
Six of us went to the community dinner at Applewood Inn, in Guerneville, on Sunday. This is a truly incredible bargain at $30 per person, and they waive corkage for any wines from the Russian River. You can also order off the regular menu on Sundays, but all of us went for the community dinner. Applewood Inn is a lovely place and the service is top notch. Here's what we had:
Roasted beet salad with frisee and goat cheese: This is kind of a cliche, but I still really like it. The beets were very deep, earthy, and rich and contrasted well with the frisee, which was perfectly dressed with a citrus vineagrette. The citrus was prominent without being overpowering and paired well with the goat cheese. I enjoyed it very much.
Canaloni with ricottta, spinach, and wild mushrooms: I have read that the chef is an expert mushroom forager so I was looking forward to this. It didn't dissappoint. Each flavor was distinct yet they blended into a harmonious whole. The mushrooms had the strong earthy flavor that I look for, and often don't find, in cultivated "wild" mushrooms. I love spinach and often find that it is overpowered by other ingredients, but not here. Again, these were elements that I would expect to find together, but this was done perfectly.
Honey tuile with strawberries and mascarpone cream: Delicious, but it didn't blow me away like some of the desserts I have had from the regular menu (I still remember that blood orange creme brulee).
Although everything was delicious, and the price was amazing, the one impression I left with was that the three courses seemed quite a lot alike somehow. Each one was a cheese accompanied by fruit or vegetable, and, in the case of the main and dessert, a thin starchy roll of something. This is a very minor quibble and I would definitely go back for more of the Sunday dinners. I've always loved Applewood, but at the regular price point it's a special treat for me. At this price, I could see becoming a sunday regular.
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Applewood Inn & Restaurant
13555 HWY 116, Guerneville, CA 95446
Advice for Petaluma,Novato and Sebastapol
In Petaluma, I strongly second Waterstreet Bistro. Very fresh ingredients, the baked goods are fabulous, soups are great. I also recently had some really delicious Himalayan food at Kumari Pass. If you like Mexican food, Mi Pueblo (either location, the menu is the same) is very good. I especially like the chicken mole enchiladas. Also, Lolita's Market and Taqueria for Mexican is pretty darn amazing. There's no atmosphere to speak of, it's a taqueria inside a Mexican market. But the food is great. I think their mole is even better than Mi Pueblo, but it's a close call.
In Sebastopol, I also strongly second Screamin' Mimi's. If they have lavendar ice cream, just get it. It's amazing. I recently ate a scoop of their fig ice cream that was almost as wonderful. The strawberry rose sorbet is so refreshing. I also love Sushi Hana (not the same as Hana Japenese in Rohnert Park). I know what Anthony Bourdain says about discount sushi, but the sushi specials on Saturday and Wednesday are really great and very very fresh because the turnover is so fast. I particularly recommend the hotate gai and the unagi. They also have a lot of speciality rolls that people keep recommending, but I'm so fond of the nigiri on the specials list that I always stick with that.
Do let us know where you ate and how you liked it!
Can I use fresh pumpkin puree in a pumpkin cheesecake......
Sure you can. I've made pumpkin cheesecake with fresh pumpkin lots of times. Some people say you can't tell the difference, but I really think the fresh pumpkin is better.
Bringing your own food to a dinner party
This subject comes up on the boards periodically, and I think there is general chowhound agreement that it is indeed rude to bring food to a dinner party (or a party involving any meal) especially if you have been asked repeatedly (albeit in the politest of language) not to. Since I don't know your SIL, I couldn't speculate as to her motive. But, I've had to deal with this more than once at parties I've given, and I believe that the people who insisted on bringing something were motivated by generousity and a desire to share. I think that potlucks have become such a ubiquitous form of socializing that people have kind of forgotten the pleasure of entertaining. Or, for some people (see the thread on the eternal guest) entertaining is not a pleasure, so they are projecting their own wishes on the hapless host. In any case, at the holidays or any other time, I think there's only one thing to do when a guest shows up with food that you didn't plan to serve: just serve it. As someone else said, that way you know that you will appear gracious, and you can leave it to the other guests how the person who brought the food appears.
An aside to all this: A few years ago, for various reasons Christmas eve (which is usually a big but more casual meal with the whole family and often friends) was a very small affair with just my sister and brother in law, his best friend, and me. On the way to their house, I had stopped in Solvang at what I believe is the best Danish bakery there and bought a box of delicious cinamon pinwheels to share. Then I got to thinking about all the threads I'd read here about how presumptious it is to bring food to a meal. So I got all nervous, and I asked my sister if she thougt me rude for bringing the pastry. It turned out that in all the meal planning, they had completely forgotten about dessert, and the stuff I brought saved the day!
Hostess Gift for Thanksgiving day
I was just thinking how much I appreciated a bottle of very good blood orange infused olive oil that I received last year as a Christmas gift from someone I knew only slightly. It's the kind of thing that is easy to use if you are an avid cook, but also can just make an easy salad dressing or drizzle. Another nice household gift that I gave my husband a few years ago is a soft throw blanket, this one is embroidered with the name of the area where we live. It was not too expensive, is super soft, and is just great for watching tv on chilly winter nights.
Using up Halloween candy in baked goods, or, "brownies with benefits"?
I love malt balls too! The brownies sound great. I've also chopped up leftover Halloween candy and used it in place of chocolate chips in toll house cookies. One of my other favorites is to make cupcakes (I usually use a yellow butter cake recipe, but you could use a chocolate cake or other recipe) by filling the cup half way up, putting a Halloween candy on top (anything covered in chocolate) and then filling the cup over the candy. It comes out kind of like having the frosting inside the cupcake. I think I read that suggestion in Martha Stewart Living a few years ago.
Final Occidental Farmers Market of 2011
Friday, 10/28 beginning at 4:00 is the last Occidental Farmers Market of the year. There will be costumes and entertainment, but mainly there will be food. A few of my favorites (and I apologize to those vendors whom I may forget) are Bohemian Well-Being Farm for the most flavorful mushrooms, Casa LaBell baked goods, Bloomfield Bees honey, and Latah's Indian Food. Last week Latah made a pumpkin curry that was exquisite. It was not too hot (I like plenty of spice but my dh doesn't) but complex and well balanced. I don't remember all the names of the farms, but I also bought beautiful heirloom cauliflower, romanesque broccoli, beautiful tiny red potatoes, little red and white onions, and arugula. If you haven't tried this farmers market yet, this is your last chance. It is such a sweet, friendly, happy market, you'll love it!
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Occidental Farmers Market
Occidental, CA 95465, USA, Occidental, CA 95465
Hungry Bicycle Riders Santa Rosa/Rohnert Park
My first thought on reading your post was Redwood Cafe, on Old Redwood Highway in Cotati (adjacent to Rohnert Park). It can easily accommodate a largish group. The food is not at all fancy, but well-prepared and tasty. There is a small but adequate beer and wine selection. If you like Mexican food, Mi Pueblo (NOT Mi Pueblito) in Rohnert Park is quite good - not the greatest Mexican food but probably among my current top ten. I guess it qualifies as a chain because there are two other branches in Petaluma, but it doesn't feel at all like a chain. I particularly like the chicken mole enchiladas. And I know that Masala Jack's is also a chain, and the setting and menu do have sort of a corporate feel, but we've always been really happy with the food and the service. The mixed vegetable pakora are very good. Either Mi Pueblo or Masala Jack's can easily accommodate your group. My current favorite Vietnamese restaurant is Mai Veitnamese Cuisine, also in Rohnert Park, on Gravenstein Highway. This is a tiny place, so for a group of 6-8 you might want to call ahead. Finally, one of my current favorite Thai restaurants is also in Rohnert Park, Sukhothai on Commerce. I have to confess I've only had lunch there, but I have always found a great selection of really interesting choices that go beyond what you typically find at most Thai places. They can also easily accommodate your group. I'm sure that others will chime in with places nearby, so I'll stick to my recommendations for just Rohnert Park and Cotati.
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Masala Jack's
7981 Old Redwood Hwy, Cotati, CA 94931
Sukhothai Restaurant
6358 Commerce Blvd, Rohnert Park, CA 94928
