SPQR Cook the Book Class with San Francisco Cooking School

Bright orange awnings welcome as you enter the pristine work space of the San Francisco Cooking Schools showcase Kitchen. Windows encompass the front walls right on the busy corner of Van Ness & Turk just steps away from the iconic Civic Center building giving the passerby the opportunity to perchance see some culinary marvels at work. Tonight's class will be learning recipes from the city's own SPQR restaurant's cook book. A gorgeous tome filled with not only appealing recipes but also information on regional wines and illumination on the areas that inspired the dishes, which may also inspire you to hop on the first plane you can catch to Italy!

As the class trickles in to the space we are greeted enthusiastically by the staff and welcomed to take a seat at one of two long tables set with dinner ware, an apron embroidered with the school's emblem, and our recipes which we are encouraged to peruse. Tonight's class will be preparing:

Scallop Crudo with Sunchokes

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Chilled Asparagus Soup with Lemon Yogurt

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Spring Vignarola Salad

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Fontina & Mushroom Tortellini

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Pork Milanese

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Chocolate Torta with Vanilla Mascarpone

Leading the charge tonight is Amanda Haas who was the recipe tester as the book was in production and knows hands on how to make these formidable delicacies approachable to our mostly untrained crowd. We are an eager and eclectic bunch excited to get to work! I have already eyed the Asparagus soup and quickly shoot up my hand to volunteer when it comes up for selection. It's a popular choice but I luck out and get to work on it. The most hands are needed for the tortellini which will have pasta made from scratch along with filling. Once the recipes are all assigned we get to work! 

After reading over the recipe with my accomplished partner she is pulled away to assist on the dessert where her expertise will come in handy. This leaves me on my own but I'm excited to tackle this recipe. After assessing all the ingredients that have been laid out for me and finding anything else I need I get to work! As I'm chopping Asparagus, Yellow Onion, Leek, & Spring Garlic to be sauteed I glance around the room at everyone else hard at work. The station next to mine is preparing the Scallop crudo and Amanda is demonstrating how to use a small kitchen torch to get a lovely caramelized sear on the outside of the chilled seasoned scollops to get an additional layer of flavor.

On my other side the pasta station is hard at work. Having made pasta before I can empathize with the delicate balance they are working to attain. The recipe in the book calls for very little moisture in the form of egg or water and they are working to get the dough to come together just right.

The first steps in my recipe include blanching the Asparagus Tips (as an edible garnish for the end product) and the spinach & parsley that will add depth to the soup. Our culinary assistant Lauren, who is nearing graduation from the school's professional program, gets me set up at the large range at the back with a boiling pot of well salted water and I haul over my prep and ice bath.

The stove top is beginning to get crowded as everyone is hard at work, one team toasting seasonings another preparing a simple syrup. We all graciously move around one another trying not to get in anyone's way as we concentrate hard on our tasks at hand. At moments people comment how we feel a little like we are on a competition show! But obviously the stakes are null other than all enjoying a fabulous meal.

After I have my blanched elements finished I move on to saute my aromatics (onion, leek, & spring garlic) and the chopped stalks of the asparagus.

While all those ingredients are softening over a medium low heat I get to take a peek at a new preparation for pickling. A scientific wonder when you vacuum seal your cabbage et all in a bag with your pickling liquid (sugar, water, wine, vinegar, salt, & spices) rather than taking hours (or overnight as preferred) the vegetable slaw pickles almost instantly!

My onions, leeks, spring garlic, & asparagus have softened so I turn off the heat and add in the heavy cream and my blanch spinach & parsley. A few good stirs and we are ready to blend the soup! Lauren to the rescue again as she sets me up to blend my soup and gives me an effective method to strain it so that it is silky smooth.

All set up in an ice bath the soup is chilling and it's on to the Lemon yogurt topping! This is my first time working with gelatin and I'm amazed by how easy it was. After letting it soak for a few minutes in ice water it is malleable but not sticky (like I anticipated) you can squeeze the excess water out with your hands and then it seamlessly dissolves into the warmed cream. Once this is room temperature it is whisked into the yogurt & lemon juice mixture and in our case poured into a canister that imparts Co2 into the mix and dispenses it like whipped cream. At a perfect stopping point, I'm able to grab a glass of wine and enjoy the Scallop Crudo appetizer that has just finished plating!

The Scallops are sliced thin and they're tender and fresh, all the many components of the dish adding excitement to each bite. The firm and starchy Sunchoke gives the scallop a back bone, the agrodulce sweet & tangy, the almonds toasty and crunchy.

After this quick respite I'm ready to get my dish plated up! Into cappuccino cups with straight sides I ladle my now chilled soup, the yogurt has set up wonderfully (with an extra dose of Co2) and I get to squirt each with a beautiful little dollop, I place one perfectly blanched aspargus tip and a small spoon full of bright orange fish roe on top of each and voila!

I'm so proud of my work as I can tell are all of my classmates. We all worked hard to create this beautiful meal together and the camaraderie is evident in the room. Everyone presents their dishes so we can all dig in!

The excitement isn't over just yet however, as we are finishing eating Matt Accarrino, Executive Chef of SPQR and author of the recipes we have cooked, has stopped by to say hi! Amanda introduces him and they talk about working on the book together and Matt gives us a sneak peak into his exacting work ethic. A scientist and an artist Matt talks about constantly looking for ways to "change the paradigm" in the kitchen. He walks us through pasta making describing how the level of force that the machine you are using (or your hands if you are needing and rolling) directly effects the need for moisture in your dough. With the strength of industrial machines practically no moisture is needed, with your standard kitchen aid a little more. He also gives us a lesson in the many thickening and binding ingredients out there that the regular home chef may never realize exist but can transform your kitchen. Gracious and genuine it is a pleasure spending this time learning from him and listening to him talk about the craft which he is so passionate about.

The class with Matt

Overall none of us could have asked for more from this evening. The chance to work in this beautiful space with such an amiable and eager to teach staff and enjoying a beautiful meal prepared with love by new friends. What more could you ask for! I am already looking forward to my next chance to take a class at the San Francisco Cooking School!

Matt took the time to sign each of our books after class

Chilled Asparagus Soup with Meyer Lemon Yogurt

From SPQR Modern Italian Food and Wine: Matthew Accarrino

Serves 4-6

Asparagus Soup

1 pound, 12 ounces asparagus
kosher salt
4 cups Spinach or nettles
2 cups Italian Parsley
extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 leek, white and light green part only, sliced thinly crosswise
2 stalks spring garlic, minced
3 cups heavy cream
black pepper

Meyer Lemon Yogurt

1 sheet gelatin
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole-milk plain yogurt
1/4 cup Meyer lemon juice
1 1/2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt

extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon for zesting
kosher salt
1 oz fish roe of your choice

To Make the soup:
Prepare an ice bath. Trim the tips and ends off the asparagus stalks, discarding the ends and reserving the tips. Slice the remaining stalks into 1/2 inch thick disks. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the asparagus tips (not the stalks) until al dente 1 to 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the tips and plunge into the ice bath. Chill completely. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

In the same pot, blanch the spinach and parsley until soft, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the greens and plunge into the ice bath lined with a mesh strainer. When cold, remove them from the ice bath and squeeze out the excess water.

Heat a film of oil in a wide pot over medium-low heat. Gently sweat onion, leek, & spring garlic, taking care not to caramelize them, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in asparagus stalks and cook until softened. Turn off heat and pour in the cream and add the blanched greens. Season with salt and pepper. In a blender, puree the soup until smooth. Be patient- it will take a few minutes. With a rubber spatula, push the puree through a fine mesh strainer, extracting as much liquid as possible. Chill the strained soup over an ice bath. (If the soup seems thick, add a couple of tablespoons water or cream.) Once cold, taste the soup and season with salt if needed. You should have about 6 cups. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

To Make the yogurt:
Soak gelatin sheet in ice water for about 2 minutes or until softened. In a small pot, bring the cream to a simmer and remove from heat. Squeeze out any excess water from the gelatin and dissolve in the cream. Let cool to room temperature. In a bowl, whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Whisk in the cream and refrigerate until ready to serve. If using a canister, pour in the yogurt and charge the canister; shake well and refrigerate.

Pour the soup into 4 to 6 chilled bowls. In a bowl, dress the asparagus tips with olive oil and grated lemon zest. Season with a pinch of salt and toss until evenly coated. Place a small pile of dressed asparagus into the center of the bowls. Float a dollop of yogurt on top, then garnish with a spoonful of roe.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did. I can't wait to make it again! For all the recipes we made along with MANY MANY other wonderful thing buy the SPQR cookbook HERE!

Strawberry Shortcake

With April just around the corner Spring is peeking out and beckoning us to EAT STRAWBERRIES! As a Northern Californian I am pretty blessed to be able to find strawberries year round at my local stores, but nothing beats those coming in early Spring and Summer. The next time you pass by a roadside stand stop and buy a pint or two! And then make this deliciously easy take on Strawberry Shortcake for your family & friends.

I filmed a demo of this recipe with my friends over at When Creativity Knocks this weekend and the video will be posted here as well when it is all pretty & edited!!!

 Ingredients:

1 Pint fresh Strawberries washed & sliced (hulls removed)
2 Tablespoons Packed Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons high quality Balsamic Vinegar

1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 tablespoon milk or cream for brushing biscuits 

Turbinado (raw or coarse) Sugar for sprinkling 

(this is a sweeter adaptation of the buttermilk biscuit recipe I use)

6 oz Heavy Whipping Cream

1 Tablespoon Powdered Sugar

Preparation:

I love pound cake as much as the next girl but with the wonderful syrup created by the juicy strawberries, vinegar, & brown sugar in this recipe I want a little bit sturdier base for my Strawberry Shortcake. I have adapted a slightly sweeter version of my buttermilk biscuits for this recipe. You can form them in rustic blobs by pulling equal sized pieces off of the rolled dough or if you want a more uniform look roll your dough out and use a round cookie cutter.

Makes between 6-8 servings

In a medium bowl combine cleaned and sliced Strawberries, Vinegar, & Brown Sugar. Give this a gentle stir to evenly coat the strawberries and set aside (can be made up to 12 hours in advance giving the natural syrup time to meld, if you are preparing it further in advance than 1 hour refrigerate)

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into a bowl. Blend in butter with your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk and stir with a fork until a dough just forms (dough will be moist).

Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead gently 6 times. At this point either roll out your dough to a 1/4 inch thickness and cut out rounds or just pulled off small handfuls and place on your parchment paper lined baking sheet with the rugged side up (I like a nice rustic look), arranging them 2 inches apart, brush tops with milk or cream and sprinkle with Turbinado (raw coarse) sugar. Bake until pale golden, 12 to 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool to room temperature. 

While biscuits are cooling and strawberries are syruping pour your heavy whipping cream into a medium/large glass or plastic mixing bowl with high sides. Add in powdered sugar (you can add more if you want it to be sweeter, since the strawberries will be sweet I like to contrast with a less sweet cream) With your hand mixer on high beat for 5- 8 minutes until the cream is standing in stiff peaks (if you pull the mixer from the bowl whipped cream will extend from the beaters without dripping and the mixture will be thick). You can also make this just as easily in a standing mixer!

To plate layer first a biscuit then strawberries and top with a dollop of your fresh whipped cream! Drizzle a little of the natural syrup from the bowl of strawberries if you wish!

Spiced up Snacks! Baked Kale Chips with chili oil & Seasoned Roasted Nuts

I'm always on the look out for new snacks and nibbles to make for myself or for friends when we're enjoying a glass of wine. After enjoying Brussel Sprout chips at a restaurant I was OBSESSED with making those for awhile (you can read about them HERE). Not long after that I kept seeing features for Kale chips. Baked low and slow the firm leafy kale crisps up and has a wonderful crunchy texture and earthy nutty flavor. High in vitamin C, K, & A, Iron, Calcium, & Antioxidants there are tons of healthy benefits to working kale into your rotation. For me the texture is a little firm for salads so I liked this alternative to munch down a whole bunch in one sitting (especially because they are less than half the calories of the same amount of other snack foods).

Now mixed nuts might not be low calorie but they are still a great source of pick me up protein and these seasoned nuts are TO DIE FOR! Probably one of the most addicting things I have ever made I now have to have them in the house at all times. I actually first made the recipe for a Holiday party I catered for family friends and the nuts went almost as quickly as the appetizers! I have tweaked the proportions of ingredients a little from the original recipe (which can be found on Epicurious posted by Melissa Clark in November 2007) to fit my personal tastes and what I think works best (there was some trial and error the first time I made them after the party).

Both of these recipes are super simple!

Baked Kale Chips with chili oil:

Ingredients:

6-8 Full Lacinato Kale Leaves (or about 1/3 of a bag of chopped kale available at Trader Joe's)
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Tablespoon Chili Oil (this will have heat you can use less if you want just a dash of flavor)
Sea Salt to taste (you will probably need less than you think)

Preparation:

Pre heat oven to 275* F

Dry any moisture off of the kale leaves gently with kitchen towels. Tear into your preferred chip sized pieces and arrange evenly on a baking sheet. Exclude the ribs. If you are using the pre chopped bagged kale remove rib pieces.

In a small bowl combine olive oil and chili oil. Stir together so they combine evenly

Drizzle over the kale on the baking sheet tossing lightly with your hands until the leaves are well coated

Sprinkle lightly with salt (far too often I over salt, start with just a 1/4 teaspoon, if you need more you can add later after they bake)

Bake for 10 minutes at 275*, pull them out and toss with a spatula so they bake evenly, put them back in the oven to bake for 10 more minutes.

They are now ready to enjoy! Nice and crispy with a great satisfying flavor!

Seasoned Roasted Nuts:

Ingredients:

8 Tablespoons (1 Stick) Unsalted Butter
1/3 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt (sea salt)
3 Tablespoons chopped Fresh Rosemary (I subbed dried and it is still good but the essential oils really come through if you can use fresh it is a marked difference)
3 teaspoons chopped Fresh Thyme
1 teaspoon dried chipotle or cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 lb Raw Walnut halves & pieces
1/2 lb Raw Pecan halves
1/2 lb Raw Almonds
(you can substitute in another favorite nut if you prefer, cashews are a great option)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375* F
Line a large baking sheet with sides with aluminum foil

In a medium sauce pan over moderately low heat melt the butter and stir in seasonings.

In a large bowl mix together all of your raw nuts

Once butter and seasoning are well combined drizzle half the mixture over the nuts. Stir to coat. Drizzle the other half of the mixture and stir again. Arrange the nuts in an even layer on your foil lined baking sheet and put in your preheated oven.

Bake for 10 minutes, pull out of the oven and stir to make sure that the nuts are baking and being coated evenly, (I take the sheet all the way out of the oven so I don't have any nuts jump ship and burn on the bottom of the oven) Return to the oven for 10 more minutes, pull out and toss again, return for the last 10 (30 minutes total) when you remove the baking sheet at the end stir the nuts one last time then let cool & dry on the counter for 30minutes. They are ready to enjoy! Keep any that you aren't eating that day in a well sealed container so they stay fresh.

 These flavorful snacks will keep you satisfied and are a great pairing for wine and cocktails for your next party or as an after work snack to pep up your day!

VOTE NOW! I'M A FINALIST!!!!

I have made it to the finals for the Whole Foods & Cook Taste Eat 365 coconut milk recipe contest! I'm currently in 5th place in the voting please VOTE NOW and help me reach this exciting goal!

 Coconut Flan with Ancho Chile Caramel VOTE

Coconut Milk Flan with Ancho Chile Caramel

I'm always looking for new ways to challenge my creativity in the kitchen. It is so much fun to take a simple concept and elevate it with new flavors and dimensions. Recently Whole Foods partnered with Cook Taste Eat, a recipe website focused on helping home cooks create inventive meals with their fabulously produced demo videos, to put forth a challenge for food bloggers: create an appetizer or dessert using Whole Food 365 brand Coconut Milk with a Cinco de Mayo theme.

My first instinct was to do an appetizer because that is usually my forte. However the more I mulled over concepts and flavor profiles the perfect answer came to me- Flan! Awhile back I learned a technique to make caramel with coconut milk base and coconut milk is also the perfect texture to include in a custard. With the key ingredient doing double duty how could this recipe not be a winner! Of course I couldn't just settle there so I took the caramel up yet another level adding some spice and flavor of Ancho Chile to make this the most unique flan ever to grace your Cinco de Mayo table.

This recipe makes 8 servings in 7 oz Ramekins 
Prep time: 1 hour 
Bake Time: 1 hour 
Cool time: 1 hour (can be made the day before and cooled overnight)
  (Total 3 hours)

Ingredients:

Caramel:
1 Can Whole Foods 365 brand Coconut Milk (13.5 ozs)
1 Dried Ancho Chile, rough chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground Chipotle pepper
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 Cup Agave Syrup
1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt

Custard:
1 Can Whole Foods 365 brand Coconut Milk (13.5 ozs)
1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk (14 ozs)
3 Eggs

Method:

In a medium saucepan over high heat bring 1 can of Coconut Milk to a boil
As soon as it begins to boil remove from heat and stir in rough chopped dried Ancho Chile, loose seeds included, stem and pod removed

Cover and let steep for 10 minutes so the chile can impart flavor into the Coconut milk
After 10 minutes strain a 3/4 cup of the coconut milk for use now, set aside the remaining liquid continuing to steep and gain more flavor
Add the 1/4 teaspoon of chipotle pepper to the reserve liquid that is steeping

In a medium saucepan over low/medium heat (3 out of 10 if 10 is high heat) whisk together the strained 3/4 cup of Coconut milk, cup of sugar, Agave syrup, & salt.
Simmer, gently stirring occasionally, until the caramel reaches the soft ball stage (235* F, should take between 25 minutes to half an hour)
Strain the reserved Coconut milk and stir gently into the caramel
Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the caramel reaches the hard ball stage (another 30 minutes or so)

While caramel continues to simmer preheat oven to 350* F
Arrange your ramekins on a baking sheet with at least a 1/2 inch lip or edge (you don't want your ramekins sliding off!)

In a large mixing bowl beat eggs, once beaten add your second can of coconut milk & can of sweetened condensed milk

Caramel should be reaching the hard ball stage at this point. Remove from heat and pour into a glass pouring measuring cup for ease
Evenly distribute the caramel amongst your ramekins arranged on the baking sheet. Turn each ramekin in your hands coating the sides with the caramel

Pour in custard mix filling to the inside lip of each ramekin

Cover the whole sheet with Aluminum foil and transfer to your preheated oven to bake for 1 hour

After baking for one hour remove from the oven and remove tin foil allowing to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes then transfer to the fridge for another 30 minutes (you can make this the day prior and refrigerate over night, in this instance you will want to allow the flan to come to room temp before serving, you may even choose to microwave it for 30 seconds so caramel warms and it is easier to plate)

To serve slide a knife around the edge of the ramekin, invert a small plate over the top of the ramekin and holding both sides flip it over and give it a good couple shakes loosening the flan and allowing it to land caramel side up on the plate! Spread any of the caramel remaining in the ramekin over your flan. Enjoy!

Eating this dish you will get a wonderful warmth from the chile in the caramel, the tropical sweetness of the coconut milk in the custard, and that homey texture we all love. Forewarning this dessert is very sweet! If you prefer an option to lessen the sweetness you can add 1 Tablespoon of lime zest to your custard mix. This lends a very unique flavor to the dish and is a fun variation! In tests the preference was split straight down the middle so try it both ways and let me know what you like best.

The most enjoyable part of the recipe testing process is always sharing with family and friends. Gathering their input and introducing them to new flavors and techniques is what motivates me to keep challenging myself!

 In exchange for writing this blog and tweeting a link to this blog, I received an entry into the Food Blogger to Media Star Promotion. For the Official Rules, visit http://www.cooktasteeat.com/food-blogger-media-star-official-rules.

Pliny the Younger Release & SF Beer Week festivities!

I think I drank my weight in beer last week. It started with an early Saturday morning drive to the Russian River Brew co on February 9th.... and ended with a very hung over drive home from SF Sunday morning the 17th. Was it worth it? Absolutely.

Russian River Brew Co for Pliny the Younger :

A little background to start. Russian River Brew Co is a family run brewery initially opened with the support of Korbel Champagne Cellars. Vinnie Cilurzo the Brew-master and his wife Natalie have run the business from it's inception 2003. In 2004 they opened the brewpub in downtown Santa Rosa which sets the scene for our February 9th adventure. Now for the cause- Pliny the Younger. Released for a limited 2 weeks per year at the Brewpub with single kegs distributed locally to the very special few. Named by Beer Advocate as the Best Beer In the World, it truly is a special experience.Using Triple the standard hops of your typical IPA the time and space required to brew this heavenly elixir are what keep it's quantities so limited. For those with true determination however, your prize awaits. And by true determination? I mean a willingness to wait 6 hours in line...

RRBC pours Younger beginning the first Friday in February. Rumor has it the first people in line the first morning arrived at 3am. With a 2 hour drive to get there from San Jose we weren't quite that bold. I had wrangled Abbie into coming with me after two sets of guys friends were being non-committal with their plans. Initially we talked about leaving San Jose at 9 am to arrive at 11, assuming that surely things would be tapering off going into the second weekend. However after scaring ourselves with some online reports we decided to opt a little earlier for an 8 am start. Thank goodness we did. Even arriving at that time as we drove past the brewpub observing the line that stretched a good two blocks and was beginning to accumulate around the corner... I'll be honest we got a little nervous. After finding parking (all the parking is two hour limits... so we did a lot of taking turns to move the car or pay for more time) we dutifully got to the back of the line up. Thankfully just across the street there are 2 coffee shops along with a bookstore so we weren't at a total lose. As Abbie returned from a trip to procure some pastries for breakfast I saw her signaling me to get out of line. Is she crazy? Nope! It turns out our good friend Jared and a group of other college buddies were just around the bend from where we were waiting and we were joining them! They had only arrived about 20 minutes ahead of us however joining them probably cut our wait time for later by an hour. And thankfully gave us a little more flexibility to get out of line and stay entertained. I'll keep the stories of the wait short because I don't want to bore you as much as we were bored (let's just say the last hour of the wait where you stand next to the patio full of revelers is basically torture, I watched a drunk girl spill her Pliny all over the place and I told her she was ruining my life...) Finally at about 4:15 we made it in!

As soon as we made our way to the end of their very long bar the rounds of Younger were ordered and the true festivities began! With cloying aromas of wild flowers and a viscous yet refreshing mouth feel the Younger's flavor is many layered with hints of grape fruit, wild honey, nuttiness, minimal bitterness and basically everything that is amazing about beer. Oh and also at 10% abv... your buzzed almost immediately and you've never felt happier. Although I have never given birth I feel like that first sip is like the first time you hold your child... suddenly those 6 painful prior hours drift away. Ok that is I'm sure an incredible exaggeration. Regardless by the time I was 3 deep I was on top of the world.

RRBC has an extensive portfolio of beers that they produce and you are able to sip them all in their sampler, a STEAL at $15. I appreciated the many unique styles the showcase such as 3 variations of sour style beers, their IPA's, Belgian Style beers and what felt like everything in between. It's no wonder that once people make it inside they aren't exactly eager to leave. After enjoying the many beers, pizza, & wings we finally bid adieu to Russian River Brew with our Growlers filled with Elder, a day not soon to be forgotten!

SF Beer Week: Allagash tasting & 7x7 Bar/Brewery Crawl:

Wednesday night found my roommate and I on dash up to the city after work to the Mission area bar The Sycamore for their Allagash brewery night.  A cozy space with red walls and a chalk board of beverage choices the Sycamore boats a small 6 seat bar, some tables in the main room, and an adorable patio out back. The place was packed to the gills when we arrived. After some wiggling and maneuvering however we lucked out and grabbed a corner of the bar where we set up our tasting. There were no official flights however they were pouring 8 different varieties in your choice of a 4 oz or 8 oz glass. Shannon and I decided to each pick the 2 that we were most intrigued by and share our own custom flight of 4 oz pours!

Pictured were our 4 pours- The James Bean (a Bourbon Barrel aged Tripel with cold pressed coffee added, 10.3% alcohol amazing depth of flavor sweet and smokey my favorite of the night), the Dubbel (tradition Belgian double hopped beer, it was nice but not particularly interesting), the Interlude (a Belgian style farmhouse beer aged in wine barrels with a unique almost cider type flavor, fun and different), and Allagash's most well know beer the  White (a traditional Belgian Wheat beer with the additions of coriander and tropical orange peel, always one of my favorites) we enjoyed sipping tastes and comparing all 4 beers while also sampling their kitchens offering of the night (to celebrate the Portland, Maine brewery) a traditional Lobster roll. ( I took a picture but it was way to dark to make it worth posting). Simply dressed on a traditionally grilled bun with huge chunks of sweet lobster meat it was a fun treat along with these exceptional beers. After doing our flight and lobster roll we grabbed a pint of the Trippel and headed out to enjoy the unseasonably warm night on the patio. Inside there were signs promoting their Sunday brunch specials and we look forward to another warm weekend to spend out on the patio with some mimosa's!

7X7 North Beach Bar Crawl
 

The last event I attended was the 7x7 bar crawl featuring 7 local breweries set up at 7 different bars in the North Beach neighborhood. We didn't end up going to all 7 (we got a little bit later start than intended thanks to construction traffic on the Embarcadero) but had a great time at the ones we made it too! The entry fee was $10 pre paid (you got a tee shirt!) and each bar charged $4 for your tasting flight of 3-4 beers (my educated guess was 4 oz pours, they all had the same little plastic cups they were using specifically for the tasting). Check in was in front of Northstar so of course they had the biggest initial crowd, we decided to save them for later and headed across the street to Boardroom for so Speakeasy beers. I was so caught up in conversation with my Lil' Bro Arthur who I attended with that I have to admit to not taking notes or pictures. However you can never go wrong with Speakeasy beers! From there we headed over to O'Reilly's for some Magnolia beers. They were the only ones I saw pouring 4 and they had some great flavors particularly the Imperial IPA. Next up was Shmaltz Brewers over at Amante a cool old school bar that called to mind Frank Sinatra. They were pouring some of their He'Brews line at the tasting and I didn't realize till the brewer gave me their card that they also brew the "The Freak" Beers which are named and labeled after Circus and Carnival characters. Their Albino Python is one of my favorite Belgian White Ales. We wrapped it up at Northstar with the Laugunitas tasting.  Arthur had actually gone tasting at Laugunitas the weekend prior (after arriving WAY to late to get in at RRBC) and was familiar with the beers we were tasting particularly their "Sucks beer" which is a second run of one of their really good beers. True to name it did suck. This was a great way to spend a Saturday, the weather was mostly sunny and warm and the crowds not overwhelming if you chose your next bar carefully. It was a good value for all we got and I look forward to going again next year!

Beer week is so much fun each year and the list of events I want to attend. Even the little things (beer flavored ice cream at Humphrey Slocombe?! way tastier than you might imagine) make it a special time in the City!

Healthy Breakfast for the week: Kale & Pancetta Egg "Muffins" Trader Joe's Post #5

Getting in a healthy breakfast on the week days can sometimes be hard. I often eat at work and what this usually means is CARBS. Toast, Bagels, Croissants.... Now I will never ever be anti carb but I do agree with the breadth of research that suggests starting your day with protein is really the way to kick things into gear. So then comes the question how can I make a protein breakfast accessible and fast on week day mornings where I don't want to go in my kitchen except to maybe grab something out of the fridge? I know a lot of people will do shakes, I'll often do Greek yogurt with a little granola but what if I want something warm? I now have a great solution! Baked ahead of time Sunday night and stored in the fridge for the week to be re-heated once I arrive at work these egg "muffins" pack great protein flavor and even some green vitamins from the kale! And at 100 calories a piece you can't beat 'em.

Ingredients:

6 Large Eggs
1/3 Cup Fresh Ricotta Cheese
1/4 Cup lowfat Milk
3- 6 Cloves Roasted Garlic roughly chopped (depending on your taste)
2 oz Cubed Pancetta or Bacon
2 Cups hand torn Kale

(Makes 9 "Muffins")

Preheat oven to 340* F

In a Saute Pan Over Medium Heat Crisp pancetta or bacon cubes (10 - 12 minutes)

Lower heat to low/med and scoop out pancetta from pan leaving the fat behind. After about 5 minutes once the pan has cooled some saute your kale for about 2 minutes (you want it to get soft not crisp up in the fat which is why you want the pan to cool)

Spray your muffin tins with olive oil or baking spray, add sauted kale to the tins in even portions

In a medium mixing bowl whisk together eggs, ricotta, milk, chopped roasted garlic, & salt & pepper.

Once the egg mixture has been whisked smooth add cooled pancetta. Transfer the mixture to an easy to pour glass measuring cup in two parts.

Pour egg mixture over kale in the already sprayed muffin pan. Fill each cup to the inside edge be sure if the pancetta has sunk to the bottom of the pouring cup that you distribute it evenly amongst the cups.

Transfer your muffin pan into the oven and bake for 14 - 16 minutes, until you can pierce the centers with a  knife or tooth pick and it comes out clean.

These are great served warm right out of the oven for a brunch buffet or if you plan to save them to eat at work throughout the week make sure they cool fully on the counter top before transferring them to a plastic ziplock and refrigerating. A few stuck a little when I was removing them from the pan so make sure the cups are sprayed well with the olive oil or cooking spray and use a knife around the edges to help loosen them.

Microwave on high for 45 seconds to reheat!