Scarpetta NYC

I’m in NY for work and started my week off right with a dinner at Scarpetta in the Meat Packing district. After almost walking past the low-key façade, I entered the lovely bar area and was drawn to the fantastic dining room glowing in the last rays of the day’s sunlight. The huge mirrors that line the walls of the dining room are secured by wide, Hermès-orange, leather trunk straps that lend a fun splash of color to the sophisticated décor.


The meal got off to a brilliant start with a trio of accoutrements for the gorgeous selection of breads, with the pièce de résistance coming in the form of a quenelle of marscapone butter topped with a light sprinkle of sea salt & tiny sprig of oregano -- dreamy! From appetizers through dessert, the meal was pretty flawless. A few particular highlights were the mackerel and braised rabbit with spaetzle to start, a perfectly simple handmade spaghetti, and a goat dish that's a far cry from the days I ate goat while living in Africa.


When it was time for dessert, we went with the recommendations of our server: the signature Amadei chocolate cake with burnt-orange caramel gelato and the olive oil cake with more fantastic marscapone, citrus salad & a tangerine sorbet. Both were excellent…and despite my insatiable sweet tooth, I am not easy to please with dessert. I was so happily sated at the end of the meal, I walked all the way back to the Lower East Side in a state of total food bliss.

(not sleepy) Hollow SF

After a morning run at the beach, a friend and I stopped in to Hollow-- a two-month young coffee spot and browser’s paradise that's the creation of interior designer, Dawn La Montagne.


In addition to serving up a mean cup o’ Ritual coffee, sweets from Edna’s and truffles by her chocolatier friend, Jessica Foster, Dawn offers a full, eye-candy collection of curios for the purchasing. The price tags and labels made from torn pieces of handmade paper and tied with twine, are an integral part of Hollow's charm.


I love that the baked goods are stored in the same kind of jars I raided on visits to my grandmother's house. I became instantly fond of the pecan crisps, which are like a sophisticated rendition of the graham cracker for adults. And the dark chocolate truffle made with pomegranate molasses was an unexpectedly harmonious flavor combo. For anyone who believes coffee, chocolate and sugar are the three basic food groups, Hollow serves up a mighty fine breakfast of champions!

Egg Magic

Entering Café Jacqueline to celebrate a friend's birthday was like walking into a warm and welcoming time warp. It's been awhile since I was last there to indulge in Jacqueline’s almost exclusively soufflé menu and, with the exception of my favorite surly waiter having turned friendly (a disarming though welcome change), everything about the experience was the same wonderful it's always been.


Toward the end of the meal, I went back to find Jacqueline in her teeny kitchen with her lone Kitchenaid mixer, copper bowl and mound of eggs she stores in a big wood bowl. Despite the heat of the miniature kitchen where she deftly and lovingly creates every single soufflé one by one, the eggs remain magically cool in their wooden nest. Jaqueline attributes the ‘magical’ part to the historical uses of the Native American bowl, which range from bathing babies to storing grain. It seems entirely apropos a vessel with such a rich history of nurturing would care so well for the precious eggs that have been the mainstay of her business for the past 30 years.

All Hail Olive Oil, Ice Cream and Crack

Being a consummate generalist, I’m in awe of specialists. You know—people who dive full bore into their subject or project and emerge with pure genius. Perhaps it’s a hopelessly wandering curiosity that plagues me, but I readily admit to not possessing this kind of attention span or drive. Whatever it is, I’m grateful to the specialists of our local food world for sharing the delicious outcome of their passions.

Chocolate and Olive Oil Passion
I first met Fran Gage a few years ago when I was recipe testing for the book she wrote with Michael Recchiuti called Chocolate Obsession (yeah, I know, recipe testing for that book was a rough assignment, but someone had to do it). More recently, I had the pleasure of working with Fran on her new book, The New American Olive Oil (Stewart, Tabori & Chang). Fran’s charm, wit, humor, intelligence, passion and incredible depth of knowledge all come through in her writing. I learned so much from her about olive oil while working on the book and try the fantastic recipes, from savory to sweet. I’m already cooking out of my advance copy and plan to take it to my favorite store for cookbooks on April 11 to ask for her autograph. Which brings me to …

Cookbook Passion
For me, books are comforting. I love being surrounded by them and browsing through a bookstore. It took me much too long to explore Omnivore Books on Food in Noe Valley owned by Celia Sack [read more about her here] and advise you not to make the same mistake. It’s a sweet, bright space and Celia is friendly, genuine and enthusiastic about food and books. In addition to offering a fantastic collection of new and rare books on food, she’s put together an impressive lineup of author events and signings (including a recent visit with Eric Ripert from Le Bernardin, merci!).

Ice Cream Passion
7x7's already written about Humphry Slocombe, located way down off of 24th Street, but I finally got around to trying it out myself. To their great credit, the folks were smilingly patient while I tasted and pondered the gutsy flavor creations on my first visit. I was prepared to not like the Secret Breakfast but it was one of the final contenders on my first visit (bourbon and cornflakes- who knew!?!), as was the equally untempting, but surprisingly good, Salted Licorice. It wasn’t on the menu that day, but when it is, I’ll even give the Government Cheese a try (swear). The flavors are innovative and contemporary while the counter stools, glass cake stands and groovy, initialed ‘H’ and ‘S’ plates at the register give a nod to old-fashioned ice cream parlors.

Pork Passion
If you like pork and salty, tasty things that crunch, chances are extremely high chicharrones are your next snack addiction. That is, unless, of course, you’ve already gotten your hands on 4505 Meats' version and you’re stalking your nearest supplier. I’d been hearing about this pork crack from various sources, so I asked my neighbor, chef Ryan Farr, the pork crack dealer himself from 4505, to bring some by a photo shoot. Let’s just say I did not part with them easily. You can get your own (so I don’t have to share mine) at various spots around town, including Elixir, Coffee Bar, Mini Bar and Bloodhound.

This is the sixth and final part of my series of guest food blog posts on 7x7.

Rocket Chai

These past coupla weeks have been crazy busy! And in my seriously sleep-deprived state each morning I find myself craving a cup o’ high octane deliciousness this chai wallah served up on my recent trip to India. Clearly, the tea and spices I brought back do not alone the perfect chai make. Perhaps finding myself a pair of those ginger-crushing brass pliers would do the trick….

The Italian Job, Cookbook Styling and Food Acrobatics

	This past week, I started working on what will likely be the cookbook on Southern Italian food. It’s been a rockin’ week. I love working on cookbooks: I get to meet passionate authors, learn a ton and am given creative license in a way other gigs don’t always allow. As for this particular book, what’s not to love about collaborating with an uber-talented photographer, an Italian grandmother who’s taught me how to make pasta with a knitting needle and an all-around amazing and lovely author Rosetta Costantino who makes sure we all sample her mouth-watering creations in ample portions (my scale says, ‘ouch!’). And now for some more Italian: Buon appetito a tutti!
	Bottega Before diving into the book project, I jump-started my Italian mode with a trip up to Bottega in Yountville. (I’ve worked with Michael Chiarello from time to time over the past few years—mostly pulling all-nighters—but that’s another story!) In addition to the outstanding pasta dishes (all of ‘em, swear), I fell hard for the shaved brussels sprout salad with sieved egg, marcona almonds and citrus vinaigrette. And for dessert, the riso tart with a huckleberry compote and citrus marscapone, alone, could get me in the car for a return trip!
	NapaStyle Michael Chiarello loves salt. One might even say he’s a little … mmm … obsessed. Since his NapaStyle store is right across from Bottega, I popped in and met an alluring display of, yup, salts—right as you walk in. Truth be told, I have my own passion for salt and have been known to go to great lengths bringing it back from just about every country I’ve traveled to the past several years. Not that this stops me from adding to my already extensive collection! Remember, I’m shallow--and seemingly equally vulnerable to enticing displays as I am to knockout packaging. 6525 Washington St, Yountville, 707-945-1229.
	Piccino Craving pizza and a fresh, crisp salad on Sunday afternoon, I headed over to Dogpatch to the diminutive and always homey Piccino. I’m not someone who normally orders anchovies on a pizza (or on anything, frankly) but my curiosity was piqued by the flavor combo of the pizza bianca: roasted cauliflower, meyer lemon and anchovies. It sounded delish and most definitely was! The crisp salad that followed had a welcome splash of spring color from one of my favorite underground veggies, the watermelon radish.
	Corso A friend told me about the panzotti at Corso Trattoria in Berkeley. It’s a a big butternut squash, ricotta, walnut and sage ravioli topped with brown butter and baked in the oven to a carmelized and crispy goodness. Sadly, I learned after arriving at Corso, that this seasonal dish had been retired two days prior. I was mightily disappointed, but in forging ahead through the menu discovered a dreamy, melt-in-your-mouth pollo alla sostanza. How can you not fall for a plump, juicy, well-seasoned piece of chicken, pan seared in Plugra butter and served in it’s own little pan?! Well, okay, I guess if you don’t eat meat …

This is the fifth part of my series of guest food blog posts on 7x7.

Comfort Food in the Mission

After spending a cold, windy weekend in Chicago, I arrived back home sick as a pooch with whatever it is that’s going around. With nothing in my fridge but Champagne and condiments, what I really wanted was comfort food from my childhood. As a ‘grownup’, my palate and tastes are definitely more refined, but the little kid in me still thrives. Luckily, I live in the Mission District area within walking distance of a couple terrific places that offer some mighty fine sophisticated versions of my favorite childhood comfort food (okay, Pot de Pho is a little beyond walking, but I would definitely walk if I had to!).

Mission Beach Café On Sunday nights, my grandparents used to take me to a little pot pie shop I thought was the best place on earth. I recall getting a note from Mission Beach Café recently about their new Pot Pie Sundays, so I dragged my struggling respiratory system down the block for some nutrients. Seriously, the crust is perfection and the insides are equally delectable. The roasted veggies were the ideal accompaniment and helped me feel a little better about eating the whole stinkin’ pie. As if that wasn’t enough, I also got a slice o’ chocolate cake that is clearly made with love. I couldn’t resist. The love even extends to your piggy bank on certain nights when the slice is on the house if you show up for the early bird special (I missed out on that part—darn!).

Coffee Bar Still not feeling well a couple days later and with cabin fever setting in, I ventured over to Coffee Bar for a good ol’ fashioned pb & fig jam on toasted pullman bread. Just simple and satisfying. Luigi (one of the owners) drew me a lovely latte and topped it with a heart—aww! The gorgeous light that fills the space, lofted mezzanine, good tunes and friendly, mellow vibe make it feel like home away from home.

Pot de Pho I love nothing more than a good bowl of chicken soup when I’m under the weather. Since traveling to Vietnam, I’ve been on a mission to find a truly satisfying bowl of pho (pronounced fuh) and had just about given up. I must’ve passed Pot de Pho in the Richmond District a hundred times since it opened and registered it as simply a clever play on words. I now regret passing it by for so long. The deeply rich broth, organic housemade noodles and fragrant, fresh herbs will save me the airfare of a return trip to Vietnam.

Stable Café Where’ve I been?! Clearly not paying attention as I carve my usual routes through the city. It’s a good thing I found Batter Bakery’s yummy treats last week, since my conversation with owner Jen Musty led me to the gem called Stable Café. The restored carriage house is an inviting space with great light and a carefully edited array of savory offerings. Despite the sunshine, I was still full tilt in comfort food mode. Their contemporary (and stylish!) take on Toad In a Hole served with brie, bacon and a farm fresh egg was divine. I’ll be back—often!

This is the fourth part of my series of guest food blog posts on 7x7.