Bay Area Bites | Nov 20, 2009

Posted by Michael Procopio

I'm a sucker for a great Caesar salad. Call me old school, but there are few things that can beat it in my book. Garlicky, lemony, cheesy, and anchovy-y, if there is such a word. If there isn't, there should be. Sadly, a great restaurant Caesar salad has eluded me in this city of ours.

baking and bakeries | Nov 19, 2009

Pumpkin Cheesecake with a Pecan Shortbread Crust

Posted by Denise Santoro Lincoln

But pumpkin pie can be more than the standard fare of pureed pumpkin mixed with cream, sugar, eggs, and spices in a butter or graham cracker crust. I mean, honestly, do we all need to make the same pie every year? So this holiday, after a lifetime of eating traditional pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, I decided I was in the mood for something a little different.

asian food and drink | Nov 18, 2009

Vietnamese Coffee: In Pursuit of the Perfect Cup

Posted by Stephanie Im

Like espresso, Vietnamese coffee is deep and rich, and a little goes a long way. What makes it really stand out though is its incredible buttery aroma and flavor. Add a generous drizzle of sweetened condensed milk and you have a habit that will be hard to shake.

food and drink | Nov 17, 2009

Chilaquiles in the Mission District

Posted by Andrew Simmons

Sometimes, the homiest dishes -- foods without pretense or artifice -- are most revealing about the cultures from which they spring, and inspire the most debate amongst their devotees. However, from countless regional Mexican renditions -- like white sauces in Sinaloa and Guadalajara's polenta-like cazuela cook-downs -- to American adaptations that echo Tex-Mex migas, all chilaquiles aim to soothe -- regardless of a particular variation's provenance and claims to authenticity.

beer | Nov 16, 2009

Day Trippin' to Boonville

Posted by Megan Gordon

I'd driven through Boonville with my Dad and my sisters once, all too briefly en route to Mendocino. We stopped at the Boonville General Store for a sandwich and sat outside admiring the coolness of the little stretch of road and the delightfully slow pace of life. All along Hwy 128 there were orchards, farm stands, hidden hiking trails, and--of course--vineyards. I vowed to come back and do some exploring.

chefs | Nov 15, 2009

Primal Napa

Posted by Stephanie Rosenbaum

The lamb brains, I was told, were simply smashing. Like meaty custard, in the best possible way. But the lamb brains weren't the half of it. The outdoor tables at last weekend's first Primal Napa event were a head-to-tail, guts-and-all celebration of going deep with meat.