Sorry I've been away for so long!

Keep a lookout for many more posts and recipes coming in January... Plus a look into where I've been hiding for the past couple of months.

Thanks for reading, and don't hesitate to ask questions/ leave comments for me!

San Francisco street food and farmers' markets

By now, you probably know that I've always had a soft spot for farmers' markets that boast fresh, delicious and organic produce, as well as simple and vibrant dishes that celebrate ingredients themselves.  Well now, I've developed an additional obsession - street food.  

Across the country, the concept of street food has been rapidly evolving and expanding so it does not just refer to late-night taco trucks anymore.  In an eclectic and fast-paced city such as San Francisco, the street food craze has taken off.  Before I get into that any more, however, I wanted to share a couple photos of the vibrant produce I recently encountered at the Noe valley farmers' market.

And now, back to my newfound love of street food...

Over the past several months, I've spent countless hours researching food carts across the country in preparation for the San Francisco Street Food Festival that took place earlier this month; however, I waited until then to experience food truck fare for myself.  Here are two delicacies that I enjoyed the most out of a wide array of new cuisines and foods that I sampled.  

-courtesy of Pinx-

-courtesy of The Creme Brulee Cart-

After that eye-opening first encounter, my interest in street food skyrocketed. Thankfully, San Francisco is home to  off the grid, a "mobile food extravaganza" that showcases street food vendors on a daily basis.  I've had the privilege of attending this roaming collection of "gourmet" food trucks twice thus far, and plan on returning many more times.  More info and pictures coming soon!

Chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake

There are several foods I simply can't live without... and one of those foods is cheesecake.  Time and time again I have searched for the perfect creamy, sweet and tangy cheesecake, but have often found myself disappointed with restaurant fare.  So, instead, I've tried several recipes myself, some being more successful than others.  And here is the first that's going in my digital archives - chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake.

Artist spotlight: the fleeting art of Jim Denevan

{and dinner series Outstanding in the Field}

After one of my last posts where I praised the beautiful industrial photography of Mitch Epstein’s series “American Power”, I’ve decided to shed light on yet another artist (and chef) whose body of work is awe-inspiring. Read more after the jump!

Jim Denevan is known for creating installation art directly from the world around him.  Altering materials such as sand, ice and earth, Denevan has formed numerous shapes and patterns that, in time, fade away at the hands of eroding winds and tides. 

I find Denevan’s extreme scale and method of creating art to be very unique.  Most of all, however, I view his repetition of forms and abstract, geometric, linear shapes to be beautiful in their similarity with and contrast to the natural forms surrounding them.  

Another amazing aspect of Denevan's life and career is his contribution to the ever-increasing interest in the farm-to-table culinary experience.  Having founded the dinner series Outstanding in the Field, he has paved a way for diners to truly appreciate local and delicious foods, often at their very source – the farm.

These events, in keeping with Denevan’s artwork, celebrate food culture in a large scale and beautiful form.  As a tour that allows participants to feast their senses on an array of tantalizing tastes created by talented and notable chefs, this is definitely a must see!

Sioux City Kid {album release concert}

Last month, I had the amazing opportunity to attend the Sioux City Kid album release concert at the Great American Music Hall here in San Francisco.  Not only that, but I also designed the concert poster for the event!  You can see my previous post with three initial image ideas here, and below is the final design that was chosen.  

Attending this concert was a great experience.  Three bands were showcased, all of which had their own unique sounds, and it was so wonderful to finally have my art recognized.  Please check out the band's website here and listen to some of their music.  Below are just a few of the photos I took of the crowd and lead singer of Sioux City Kid.  

Industrial photography

I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE photography.  Often, I find myself mesmerized, staring at my computer screen as I study various photographs and design images, paying close attention to composition, color, and whatever elements initially draw me in.

In my photos, I rarely focus on sending a message first and foremost as many other artists choose to do.  Rather, I photograph what is beautiful, at least in my eyes.  This approach has led me to photograph many objects most individuals rarely  notice on a day-to-day basis.  I suppose this is fitting as many graphic designers (along with myself) strive to transform the ordinary or unnoticed into the extraordinary.  

One photo series of mine that I love the most focused on the beauty and fragility of industrial materials and structures.  With much of my artwork, I try to allow the subject matter itself to inspire me, rather than look to artists, whose voices are similar to mine, for inspiration.  This way, I can truly consider my work to be original I may strengthen my relationship with  special world I recreate and explore through photographs.  I like to think that when I look through a camera lens, I am discovering living, existing art that no one has seen before (or at least, not the way I view it). 

I'm thrilled when I discover other artists who share my love for the beauty of the industrial world.  One of these individuals is Mitch Epstein, whose photo series "American Power", effortlessly displays machines and urban structures within  natural environments, creating an eerie feeling of isolation in our increasingly modern world.  


I haven't quite been able to pinpoint what I love so much about photography and environments like this,  but when I frame cranes, windows, or commercial pallet boards, I like to make my subject matter come alive, as if they are characters.  I love highlighting the fragility and beauty of structures we often characterize as powerful and steadfast, and hint at a fleeting moment in time, a moment of uncertain and vulnerable movement, even when these objects stand immobile. Maybe I simply love this imagery because there appears to be no more room for the human race, as if we are out of place in the world we ourselves have created.  Who knows, that might just be what happens sooner or later.  Only time will tell.  

Fresh raspberries (and what to do with them)

Sorry I have been MIA for a while.  Exploring new foods, spending time with family and becoming woefully sick for over a week this summer are a couple of obstacles that have prevented me from editing photos in photoshop and keeping you up-to-date with my oh so exciting life.  I have to admit, other times, I find myself so busy that inspiration is hard to come across... but not right now, thankfully.  

After venturing out into the wild, otherwise know as my weed-infested back yard which has only recently become hospitable to the human race (thanks to my diligent mother whose visit to San Francisco involved ripping 5 and 6 foot weeds up from their homes), I suddenly realized that some of our raspberries were ripe.  

Working with the ingredients I had at home, I decided to make myself a little treat.  I had just about a large handful of plump and juicy raspberries, one ripe Meyer Lemon from our backyard tree, heavy cream, powdered sugar and a couple of semi-sweet chocolate squares.  

Whipping the heavy cream with an electric mixer until fluffy, I began adding powdered sugar until lightly sweet, along with some lemon zest and a pinch of juice for an added citrus tang.  Meanwhile, I melted a one ounce square of chocolate with whipping cream until smooth.  Pouring both of these mixtures on top of the cool and juicy raspberries, I had a quick, delicious and convenient little dessert.  

'wichcraft

My morning began with a quick trip downtown to Tom Colicchio's sandwich spot, aptly named 'wichcraft.  I often like to try new sandwich varieties here, as the flavor and quality of each is superb; but my favorite (which has retained the top spot for years) is their "heritage smoked ham and cheddar" sandwich.  I also tried the fried egg sandwich which was pretty darn good too!  Thanks to Tom Colicchio's ingenious idea, both of these sandwiches are also featured in the 'wichcraft cookbook.  Here are the recipes in case you don't get a chance to go to one of their sandwich shops.  

Fried egg sandwich:
Ingredients:
8 thick slices bacon
4 ciabatta rolls
4 tbsp gorgonzola
2 cups frisée
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp unsalted butter
8 large eggs
salt and pepper to taste
(makes 4 sandwiches)

Method:

1) cook bacon in skillet until crisp over medium-high heat and

   transfer to paper towel to drain

2) slice ciabatta rolls in half, spread 1 tbsp of gorgonzola
   each

   bottoms slice and toast in oven

3) toss frisée in oil and vinegar, and season with salt and pepper

4) melt butter and fry eggs over medium-high, flipping halfway

   through so yolks are nearly cooked through, and season with
   salt

   and pepper

5) remove bread from oven once toasted and cheese has melted

6) place eggs, bacon and frisée on top of the gorgonzola and top

   with bread

7) serve and enjoy

Although the fried egg sandwich was very tasty, nothing tops 'wichcraft's delectable combination of cheese, ham and pear in this grilled cheese sandwich.  I can't wait to make it for myself one of these days! 

Ingredients:

2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup cider vinegar

1 piece star anise

1 tsp black peppercorns

2 whole cloves

pinch of red pepper flakes

1/2 cinnamon stick

2 bartlett pears (cut into 1/8 inch slices)

8 slices sharp vermont cheddar cheese

8 slices cranberry pecan bread

8 slices smoked ham

2 tsp dijon mustard 

(makes 4 sandwiches)

Method:  

1) combine first seven ingredients with 2/3 cup water in saucepan

   and bring to a boil

2) reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes

3) add pears, making sure liquid is still simmering, and cook 2-3

   minutes until tender

4) remove mixture from heat and let cool

5) place 1 slice of cheddar, 1 slice of ham and 4-6 pear slices on 4

   pieces of bread each

6) top with remaining cheese and 4 remaining slices of bread after

   spreading them with mustard

7) place in (preheated) sandwich press, close lid and apply light

   pressure

8) cook 5-8 minutes, flipping halfway through to ensure even

   cooking, until cheese is melted and bread becomes golden brown

9) remove when fully cooked, cut in half, and devour

A sandwich is never just a couple ingredients wedged between two pieces of bread.  Sometimes I find these bundles of flavor more delicious than traditional meals, and often, for a much lower price!

S'mores cookies

One of my favorite things about summer, and the occasional (and slightly dreaded) camping trip, is the chance to make S'mores.  The only problem with this gooey, melted, delicious treat is getting the perfect combination of graham cracker, marshmallow and chocolate... and I love my chocolate!  Then you have to worry about getting the marshmallow just right: not too gooey that it droops and falls into the dirt, not too burnt that it tastes like charcoal, and not too under-heated that it retains its fluffy shape when smooshed between chocolate pieces and graham cracker.  

So, rather than trying to make a goopy, sticky mess in my kitchen, I opted for S'mores cookies, adapting the recipe from here.  They turned out amazing!  No overly crispy cookies for me, they were perfectly chewy and chocolatey.  I can almost smell the campfire, can't you?

   *Oops! Just realized I incorrectly wrote this recipe the first

    time around.  As of 7/11/11 it's correct!

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups flour

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

2 cups mini chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

2 king size hershey bars (roughly chopped)

Method:

1) combine butter and sugars in standing mixer until fluffy
2) then mix in eggs and vanilla until thoroughly combined

3) add flour, graham crackers, baking soda and salt and continue
   to mix

4) fold in chocolate chips

5) refrigerate dough for 1 hour

6) roll dough into balls (about the size of 1 tbsp) and place on
   lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart

7) bake at 375F for about 8 minutes

8) remove from oven and push 3-5 marshmallows and several Hershey
   chunks into each cookie
9) return to oven and bake for another 3-5 minutes until
   marshmallows have melted and browned

Hit and miss (... well sort of)

As I have made pretty clear in the past (as you can see here, here and here), I love, love, love macarons!  So, the other day, I decided to meander along inside the Ferry Building once again, and stop at Miette to buy some of these sweet, puffy, chewy little cookies that are always a hit.  Last time, I only tried their Rose-Geranium flavor, and that remains my favorite to date.  Not only do the delicate flavors stand out more, this type of macaron tends to be better constructed than their other varieties.  Second place goes to the Chocolate Lavender whose flavor profile is nearly as innovative.  Now, the flavor that keeps eluding me is the Chocolate Orange macaron.  Hopefully I can stumble upon it soon!

On another note, one of my other recent adventures (herein lies the "miss" part) was a trip to Little Skillet.  The idea of the place was great: a little walk-up restaurant serving soul food, known for its great fried chicken n' waffles.  The waffle was pretty good, soft enough to tear and munch on with ease, sturdy enough to hold up to a good drenching in syrup.  Less impressive was the fried chicken.  Having grown up in the south, I love when fried chicken slaps me in the face with great flavor.  This just didn't stand up as well as I would have liked.  That being said, I would go back for their sweet tea and waffles.  

Chicken parmesan {with crispy gnocchi}

Have you ever fallen in love with the idea of a dish, but haven’t found the perfect version at a restaurant?  Well, this is the case with me... and Chicken Parmesan.

It wasn’t until I came across this recipe, that I truly fell head-over-heels for this chicken dish that incorporates tomato sauce from scratch along with Parmesan, Pecorino Romano and Mozzarella cheeses.  As I have in the past, I decided to simply refer to the recipe as a guideline, using a handful or two of cheeses where desired rather than specific measures. 

Due to time (and ingredient) constraints, I didn’t have the chance to make pesto myself, so I used some that had been freshly made at the Whole Foods Market, along with packaged fresh gnocchi.  For my gnocchi, instead of dropping the small lumps of dough into boiling water for 30 seconds, I decided to try something new: crisping them up, for about a minute per side, in a pan with olive oil.  I then seasoned the gnocchi with salt and pepper, and combined with two spoonfuls of pesto... Yum!

Just thought this was amusing...

Ten things NOT to say at a farmers' market:

1.       These carrots have dirt on them.

2.       How much for one?

3.       If I buy two pounds of beans, do I get

discount?

4.       What kind of pesticides do you use?

5.       How much bio-diesel did you use to drive

here from Iowa, again?

6.       Were these beets humanely killed?

7.       Isn't grass-fed beef redundant? or But I

don’t like grass-fed beef.

8.       How come you never have creamed corn?

9.       Do you have change for a $100 bill?

10.             It's cheaper at (name of supermarket).

(courtesy of the Chicago Tribune... see the full article here)

Sioux City Kid

Although this post isn't at all food related, I wanted to show you what I've been up to lately. Now, I rarely get the opportunity to go see indie or rock concerts, yet this is sure to be one that I won't miss out on.  The band, Sioux City Kid, has a unique and mellow sound that I love, coupled with amazing melodies.  You can listen to their music here, or watch one of their jam sessions with The Revolutionary Ramblers here.

In case you're wondering how I came across this band, I actually ran into Matthew from the HUGEwhisper the other day.  After seeing some of my artwork, he asked me to participate in a competition to design the poster for an upcoming concert on June 16, celebrating the release of Sioux City Kid's new album.  Here's what I've come up with so far, and please, any input would be greatly appreciated!

              

              

              

Oven-dried blueberries

In light of my recent creation of yummy granola, I've decided to make another batch (sometime in the near future).  Of course, always using the same fruits, nuts and sweeteners could make the consumption of granola a bit monotonous; so I wanted to try my hand at making oven-dried blueberries.  For my attempt, I chose to use the smallest, least sweet and juicy blueberries I could since honey is used to sweeten them anyway.  I also cut the recipe, using only 1/3 cup of blueberries and ended up leaving them in the oven for 3 and a half hours (oops!).  In the end, they still turned out better than I had expected.  

Ingredients:

1 cup blueberries

1 tsp honey

Method:

1) Mix blueberries and honey in small bowl

2) Preheat oven to 225F and bake on lined baking sheet for 2 hours, 

   or until fruit has shriveled slightly

The delicious sweet potato

Growing up, I only saw sweet potatoes mashed and topped with sugar and gooey marshmallows or baked and loaded with butter and cinnamon sugar.  These days, I have come to love the simple and subtle flavors of this starchy vegetable in dishes that actually retain its integrity.  Now, rather than making mashed sweet potatoes overpowered by cream, butter, sugar or marshmallows, I've decided to create a lighter, healthier (but just as delicious) version.

Ingredients:
1 medium sweet potato

2 tsp plain yogurt

1/2 tsp olive oil

dash cinnamon (to taste)

salt (to taste)

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 350

2) Scrub sweet potato and poke holes with fork

3) Bake for 55 minutes in oven, until soft

4) Top with dollop of yogurt, olive oil, cinnamon and salt, or 

   combine all ingredients until smooth

Sweet and crunchy granola

I’ve always loved granola, whether it’s sprinkled on top of tangy yogurt, eaten as cereal with milk or just a grab-and-go snack.  Although I usually prefer steel cut oatmeal, rolled oats work perfectly for granola and still contribute to our daily intake of whole grains.  Here’s my recipe for a delicious sweet and crunchy, maple-olive oil granola.               

           

Ingredients:

1 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (hulled)

1/4 cup pistachios (hulled)

1/4 cup dried cherries

2 tbsp golden raisins

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/8 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)

Method:

1) Combine oats, pumpkin seeds, pistachios, maple syrup, olive 
   oil, cinnamon and salt in large bowl

2) Preheat oven to 300F

3) Spread mixture evenly onto lined baking sheet

4) Bake 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes until golden brown

5) Mix with dried cherries and raisins, let cool and enjoy

Mmmm.....
Simply delicious with plain yogurt, honey, pear slices and a handful of blueberries