Do you do fondue?

If you don't, you really should! It's fun for one thing. It's casual and incredibly simple. It is also a highly rewarding experience. Less time is spent in the kitchen, and more on the table with your friends or family. And instead of having just one or two main courses, you can have as many as your heart desires what with the variety of meat choices and dipping sauces available.

The best part about it though is the bonding experience. We are all familiar with the joy of breaking bread with family and friends but sitting together and cooking our food from a communal vessel can take that experience to a whole new level.

During a recent family picnic in the park, we reminisced old family traditions and the meals that were always the focal point of every gathering. After waxing nostalgic for a while, we began to talk about reviving ancestral recipes. I'm not exactly sure how this led to the fondue party idea but it did. My dad, whose Swiss heritage is most evident in his diet of soup, cheese and bread, cheered the idea on.

So it was that we planned Fondue Friday, which is what I insisted on calling the event. As we were handing out assignments, I called dibs on the cheese fondue. My sister took on the seemingly daunting task of putting together the meat and seafood fondue. She was eager to try out the recipes from Jean Pare's fondue recipe book from her Company's Coming series. My Tita offered to be in charge of the dessert fondue in the form of a chocolate fountain, while another relative pledged the chocolate dippers.

The chocolate fountain and dippers: mangos, bananas, apples, strawberries and marshmallows

The wheels were set in motion. Lists were drawn and checked as ingredients were bought throughout the week. My sister busied herself with marinating duties the night before while I bought everything I needed 2 hours before dinner time. I picked-up the cheese from Santi's, freshly baked bread from Le Coeur de France and veggies from Rustan's, all conveniently located next to each other.

Good thing the kitchen was big enough to accomodate the happy chaos that ensued. We opened a bottle of wine, rolled up our sleeves and went to work. Everyone lent a helping hand in the prep work, even some of the kids. They were like Santa's elves; grating cheese, cutting up the bread, sneaking a bread stick or marshmallow here and there.

Out in the garden, the rest of the gang was busy with the table settings. Long, color-coded forks were arranged neatly side by side fondue plates on the main dining table. In the center we lined up the 5 fondue pots: 4 contained boiling broth or oil and the 5th was my cheese fondue (which turned out fabulous if I do say so myself ;-) ). The dippers and dipping sauces were laid out buffet-style on a separate table, except for the bread which we passed around in a basket. Beside this table was the chocolate fountain station, where gooey delicious chocolate flowed invitingly.

What happened next was a blur of spearing, dunking, dipping, scooping and guzzling. Everything was delicious and as expected, the chocolate fountain was the perfect sweet ending to the night. I enjoy long meals but I enjoy long meals under the stars even more. It was truly an enjoyable experience that left many of us wondering why we didn't do this more often. Now I'm sure we will. :)

Swiss Cheese Fondue

This is adapted from 3 different cheese fondue recipes which I've had on file for years. Next time I'd like to try it with Appenzeller or Gorgonzola, another 2 of my favorite cheeses.

3 cups shredded Gruyere (about 12 oz.)
2 cups shredded Emmenthaler (8 oz.)
3 tbsp. flour
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1/4 cup milk
2 cloves garlic; 1 to rub on the inside of the pot, & the other minced and to be added to the cheese
2 tbsp. cream sherry (or kirsch)
freshly grated nutmeg (about 1/4 tsp)
ground white pepper to taste

Sprinkle the combined cheeses with flour, toss and set aside. Rub the inside of the fondue pot with garlic.

Heat the wine in the fondue pot over medium heat. Just before it boils, reduce heat to low and slowly stir in the cheese mixture, stirring constantly. Make sure the cheese is melted before adding more. Keep stirring until mixture bubbles gently.

Stir in milk, sherry, nutmeg, and pepper. If mixture becomes too thick, add a little more warm milk. Serves 12.

Dippers: Cubes of French bread and Farmers bread toasted just right, steamed broccoli, boiled potato wedges, apples and garlic bread sticks.

Fondue Bourguignon (or Hot Oil Fondue)

My sister bought beef tenderloin, rib-eye, pork tenderloin, chicken, shrimp, scallops, ham and sausages. Everything except the seafood was marinated overnight in different marinades. My favorite was the Teriyaki marinade she used on the beef. It had just the right amount of sweetness to it. She then prepared 8 different kinds of dipping sauces. Here are some of the recipes she used.

Teriyaki Marinade

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp finely grated gingerroot (0r 1/4 tsp ground ginger)

1/3 cup sherry

1 garlic clove, minced

Combine all 5 ingredients in a small bowl.

Makes 2/3 cup, enough to marinade 1 1/2 lbs of meat.

Cracked Pepper Sauce

8 oz. cream cheese softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp cracked whole peppercorns

1 tsp finely chopped shallots

1/8 tsp salt

2 tbsp milk

2 tbsp finely chopped pecans (optional)

Beat cream cheese and butter together in a small bown until smooth. Add garlic, peppercorns, shallots and salt. Beat until well combined then beat in milk and pecans until well mixed. Makes 1 3/4 cups.

Orange Sauce

1 cup orange juice

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp ground cloves

Combine all 5 ingredients in a small saucepan. Heat & stir on medium-low until thickened. Makes 1 cup.

Raisin Honey Sauce
1 cup seedless raisins
1/2 cup apple juice
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp chili sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Process raisins and apple juice in blender or food processor until pureed. Put into a small bowl and add remaining ingredients. Stir and serve at room temperature. Makes 1 cup.

Bearnaise Sauce
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 tsp dried tarragon, finely crushed
1 tbsp shallots
3/4 cup butter
3 large egg yolks
freshly ground pepper to taste
Heat wine, tarragon and shallots in a small saucepan on medium until reduced by half. Cool then strain into blender.
Heat butter in saucepan to bubbling point but do not brown. Cool.
Add egg yolks and pepper to wine mixture and process for 3 seconds. With motor running, add butter in a steady stream through hole in lid. Process for about 3o seconds until smooth. Serve warm. Makes 1 cup.

Spicy Cocktail Sauce:
1/2 cup chili sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1 1/2 tsp horseradish
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
sprinkle of pepper
Measure all 8 ingredients into a small bowl. Stir then let stand for at least 3 hours to allow flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature. Makes 3/4 cup.
Ready to cook: Fill fondue pot to no more than 2/3 full with a cooking oil of your choice. Heat the oil on the stove to 375F before transferring it to the stand. Make sure the heat underneath is high enough to mainintain the temperature.

~ ~ ~

This is my mom's old fondue pot. It's so retro I love it. It was always such a treat when she took it down from it's proud place on the shelf, usually for a special occasion. I remember how to my young eyes it looked like a decorative centerpiece instead of functional cookware. :)

Here are some tips that could help make your fondue party more enjoyable:
* Don't double-dip. That means, don't take a bite off what it is you're dunking and then return it to the pot.
* Use fondue forks for dipping only especially when having cheese fondue. Using a table fork, pry the morself into your own plate
* Variety is the spice of life. Have at least 2 dipping sauces for your meats.
* Have one fondue pot for every 4 or 5 people. When there is too much food in one pot at the same time, the temperature will drop below recommended levels. Not to mention, if there are too many forks in there at the same time, sometimes the food gets tangled and lost in the pot.

Marin County & Muir Woods

There is an abundance of scenic drives and picturesque destinations in the Bay Area. A favorite route of mine is south along the wind-swept coast of Highway 1. The magnificent vistas are enough reason to get behind the wheel but there are also many charming towns along this way which are irresistible.

I fulfilled one of my dreams in Half Moon Bay many years ago: to go horseback riding on the beach. Boy, was that an exhilarating and unforgettable experience! Further along, is the Santa Cruz boardwalk (where my favorite pair of sunglasses flew off my head while I rode the roller coaster, never to be seen again). And how can I forget the lone cypress and seal island at Pebble Beach or the aquarium at Monterrey and the charming town of Carmel-by-the-Sea with that adorable B&B that’s made me want to run my own B&B someday too. All this and more awaits you along the scenic 17 Mile Drive stretch of the highway. And I plan to take this on again someday.

This time though we went north, across the Golden Gate Bridge and into Marin County. Our first stop was Sausalito, small quaint waterfront town that has a Mediterranean feel to it. We chose to have brunch at Scoma’s. just because I thought it looked so pretty sitting on the water like that. Inside, the ambience was that of old-time charm. The view of the SF skyline from our table by the window was beautiful even on this cloudy day. Not having had enough of seafood, we feasted on crab cakes, oysters, scallops and prawns. The food was excellent and the service was gracious and friendly.

Scoma's Sausalito

After eating we browsed the many art galleries and used bookstores. It was so quiet. So different from when I was there on a weekend and it was teeming with residents and tourists alike. Even on the weekends though, this is the kind of place where people stroll. You won't see anyone rushing around. There is enough of that in the big city.

saltwater taffy in every flavor imaginable

Much of Marin County is the same way as we were about to find out. Fueled up with coffee and armed with a huge bag of assorted saltwater taffy, we continued on to the Tiburon Peninsula. We encountered another quaint sleepy town with charming restaurants and art galleries in what was once a fishing village. Some of the Bay Area's richest live here, I can see why. Tiburon has sweeping million dollar views and a host of upscale boutiques and restaurants. It was hard to imagine any crime happening here and true enough, Tiburon boasts of having one of the lowest crime rates this side of the country.

At the water's edge

By 2:oo, we left the bay behind us and headed west to walk among giants. Giant redwoods, that is. After about 30 minutes of winding road we reached Muir Woods National Monument, a 560 acre redwood forest in Mill Valley.

The first thing that struck me about this place was how utterly peaceful it is. I walked quietly along the paved trail, careful not to make too much noise lest I disturb the peace. This was nature in it's most majestic form. I was in awe of just how incredibly tall and wide these things were! (Stretching up to over 300 feet, they are in fact the tallest living things on the planet.) Because of their strength and resistance to fire, drought and disease most have been around for over 800-1000 years.

The park has numerous trails of varying degrees of difficulty, but because of (coughcough) the lack of time, we kept to the (easy) main trail loop that led us over creeks, under fallen redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens, for the geek in you), through hollow tree trunks, inside charred trunks of live trees, and past thick ferns. The entire forest floor was covered in wild flowers, fallen twigs, evergreen huckleberry, azaleas, and clovers, among others.

Being surrounded by all that raw beauty felt almost like a religious experience. It was all at once inspiring, humbling and joyful.

The cross-section of a redwood tree trunk on display

This concludes my long overdue posts about my trip last October. As you can see, I enjoyed it immensely. The more I travel, the more I realize how little I really know about this world we live in. I love that I will never run out of new places to discover, people to meet, food to try, cultures to learn about and experiences to live out! :)

P.S. If you would like to get involved with the Muir Woods Volunteer Program, call 415-556-3535.

Ferry Building Marketplace

I am not a natural-born market enthusiast. Up until about 11 years ago, a market to me was a fly-infested, noisy place reeking of fish guts and splattered in blood and gore, a giant petri dish of bacteria. In a word, markets to me then were disgusting. I didn't know any better, obviously. But that all changed when my sister took me to the Granville Island Public Market in Vancouver, BC. From the moment I stepped foot into that magical place, I was smitten and the love affair began.

I like to visit local markets when I travel to new places because it gives me a sense of what the locals are like on an ordinary day, I like to see what unique produce or specialty items can be found there. You will be hard pressed to find a more vibrant and colorful spot in town.

Much has been written about the renovation of the SF Ferry Building Marketplace and it's rebirth as the premier destination for food lovers in the Bay Area that this was the only thing I listed as a must on my otherwise free and flexible schedule for SF. I had even added the cookbook inspired by the markets here to my rapidly expanding Amazon wishlist.

Ideally, I would have gone early on a Saturday morning when the weekend outdoor market was still bustling with activity but we were delayed and by the time we arrived, they were gone. We also, intended to dine at the Slanted Door but even that fell through because it was packed with a waiting list the size of China. My spirits were not dampened for long though as I knew there was still a whole building of treasures to explore.

The Ferry Building which is located along the Embarcadero at the foot of Market Street was built in 1898 as a transit terminal long before the completion of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Bridge. The beautiful clock tower has come to define the city's waterfront and is an important landmark for tourists and locals alike. It's like a big X that marks the spot as a food lover's nirvana.

Saturday afternoon inside the marketplace

Top row: Kingdom of Herbs, chocolate sauces
Bottom row: Far West Fungi, Tsar Nicoulai Caviar

Inside the building is an upscale gourmet marketplace, cozy cafes and trendy restaurants. Among the many merchants you will find here are the Imperial Tea Court - an elegant Chinese tea room; Acme Bread Company - artisan bread baked fresh everyday with organic flour; Far West Fungi - a good resource for wild and exotic mushrooms; the Village Market with its array of fine wines and specialty food items and Cowgirl Creamery - incredible artisan cheese including the famous Mt. Tam cheese.

decadent Scharfen Berger chocolates

stacks of wonderfully stinky Cowgirl Creamery artisan cheese

LOVE this store!

Surely all that browsing and shopping will get you hungry, and this is truly a delightful place to be hungry! We opted for a spot in the outdoor patio of Market Bar and had a seafood platter and various appetizers. I didn't see the bill because I wasn't allowed to pay but I do believe it was quite pricey. Everything on the platter was fresh, juicy and so tasty!

The seafood platter from Market Bar

The big mama of pumpkins! Look at the size of that thing!

At the rear of the building is a plaza with an expansive view of the Bay and the Bay Bridge. It's an ideal place to take your sandwich from Mastrelli's, your latte from Peet's or that Valrhona Chocolate gelato from Ciao Bella and just sit on the park bench listening to the sea gulls as you watch the boats go by.

Mission San Francisco Solano

Many people are drawn to the Sonoma Valley for it's wonderful warm climate, fertile soil and irresistible beauty. Father Jose Altimira was no exception. In July 4, 1823 he travelled north from Mission Dolores in San Francisco where he was assisting, to found Mission San Francisco Solano (or the Sonoma Mission as it is more commonly known), making it the last and northern-most of the California missions. Here the Franciscan fathers cultivated the land to make sacramental wine from the Valley's first vineyard.

Today, this historic adobe structure with its red-tiled roofs still stands at one corner of the Sonoma town square just a stone's throw away from the Sonoma Cheese Factory. The original mission was reduced to rubble after a couple of earthquakes including the big one of 1906. It has since been restored and converted into a museum. Hanging in the main room and dining room are the Virgil Jorgensen watercolor depictions of the place.

The chapel at the Mission

The California Missions are a series of outposts established by the Spaniards
to spread the Christian doctrine to the Native Americans.

Today was our lucky day. There was a group of school children on an organized field trip out in the courtyard who were learning different crafts using traditional methods. They were busy flitting about and clearly enjoying themselves. I was drawn to the candle-making process because I've always wanted to make my own. The wicks are dipped in and out of the hot pot of wax (top right photo above) building up layers of wax. This is continued until the right size is achieved. These are then hung to set, as seen in the first photo above.

Using the outdoor charcoal grills and stone ovens (bottom photos), the children made their own snacks which they laid out on the table. They kindly invited us to join them, offering us the biscuits they made and some juice. The kids were really sweet and it was fun to watch them go about their crafts.

A young girl wets the dried leaves she's weaving into a basket

Sheep's wool and knitting materials

Taking a break from all that hard work

And so this was our lovely day in Sonoma, forever etched in my memory. We saw, ate and experienced more than I imagined we could in one day. A warm hug and a big thank you to my friend M for making it all happen! :)

* * *

PS: (I had to share this with you)

After Sonoma, we met up with B2 and her husband for dinner at their favorite Vietnamese restaurant, Le Cheval. It didn't take long for me to realize why this was a favorite. The food was incredible! I've been to some great Vietnamese restaurants in SF in the past, but this was the best so far. In case you ever find yourself in the area, I would hate for you to miss this place just because you didn't know about it.

Of cheese, vegetables and figs

It was a short and pleasant drive to our next stop, downtown Sonoma, where the enormous plaza or town square with it's serene duck pond is the focal point of the town. Driving around the plaza took me back to that time 10 years ago when we stopped here on our way back to SF from a ski trip in Lake Tahoe. It was just as I remembered it...quaint and peaceful. The square is rimmed with old adobe buildings, converted army barracks, chic boutiques, restaurants, the historic Sebastiani Theater and the Mission (which I will talk about in my next post).

We pulled up behind the Sonoma Cheese Factory, the home of the Sonoma Jack. Before we sampled any of their cheeses, we chose to have lunch in the patio of the Plaza Grill. It would have been a shame to stay indoors on such a beautiful day. There were sausages and burgers already sizzling on the grill, the smell wafting up and taunting our already-grumbling tummies. I couldn't help it, all that food tasting had opened up our appetites!

I chose a turkey burger, but could not decide on what cheese I wanted with it as there was so much to choose from and each one sounded like the perfect choice. After much deliberation, I decided on the Jalapeno Pepper Jack and was very glad I did because I like my burgers with a slight kick (like the Kamikaze burger with wasabi mayo), and this had just the right amount of heat for my juicy burger.

Contentedly wiping the crumbs and grease from our chins, we headed back inside to sample the various cheeses.You're probably wondering where I would put it on top of all that I had already sampled that morning plus the burger (and cold mediterranean pasta salad!) I had just cleanly put away. Well if there's one thing you should know about me, I always have space for cheese and dessert.

So there they were...wedges and tubs of cheesy goodness. On top of each flavor group are tupperwares containing cubes of cheese for sampling. Aside from the traditional Sonoma Jack, we tried the various flavors such as the very spicy Habanero Jack, sun-dried tomato and olive-flavored Mediterranean Jack, Portabella Jack with portabella mushrooms of course (these three were my favorites), and all sorts of cheese spreads and teleme - the softer and tangier cousin to Jack.

The store area is huge and one can find everything expected from a deli and cheese store but it also doubles as a souvenir shop. In addition, there is also a gelato bar and a coffee corner from where we bought the coffee we took outside to the plaza with us later. All this is managed by the Viviani family who carry on the time-honored cheese-making methods of Celso Viviani , an Italian immigrant who founded the company back in 1931.

Not yet cheesed-out, we walked past the Mission down a tree-lined road and turned left towards the Vella Cheese Factory, a true Sonoma treasure. The building made entirely of stone was originally built in 1904 to house a brewery but was later converted into a factory that has been churning award-winning artisan cheeses for 75 years.

As a bonus, we even met the man himself, Ig Vella! It was like a celebrity sighting. He walked into the store wearing his trademark suspenders and white paper cap and I immediately recognized him from the brochures. He nodded his hello then disappeared through a door at the back. I was star-struck. I read that he learned the craft from his father who was responsible for the popularity of aged cheeses in the Bay Area and beyond. Now anyone who makes good aged cheese is definitely a celebrity in my book!

Vella's Traditional Dry Jack is a favorite for its nutty flavor as well as the Mezzo Secco, it's softer offspring. Now for me, tasting is believing. So I tasted and became a believer. The dry jack brings to mind parmesan but with a milder taste and without all the salt. The asiago was nutty, buttery and slightly sweet, perfect in my opinion. The Mezzo Secco is tangy and absolutely delightful.After we made our purchases and stepped out into the sidewalk, I saw this sign (above) across the street and just had to check it out. It was a very simple self-serve produce stand filled with autumn's bounty. The first thing that caught my eye were the fresh figs in their crates! ( Joey can totally relate! She had even coincidentally posted about her experience on her blog on this very day.) The taste of fresh figs were a mystery to me until then. I let out a shriek and made a beeline for them.

The kind man in charge was thrilled that I was thrilled and he immediately transferred some into a little plastic basket, which is how they measure and price them, and asked me how many I wanted. I stammered something about 3 or 4, paid him and grabbed a basket from him. He said to go right ahead and try them, so I did. I bit into one and felt a little bit closer to paradise. I closed my eyes and really tasted it. It was incredibly sweet! It's unique texture is a combination of it's smooth thin skin, crunchy seeds and soft chewy flesh. It was gooooooood! And very well worth the wait. :)We stopped to check out the Fruit Basket along Sonoma Highway. It turned out to be a place to buy much more than just fruit or vegetables. There were wines for sale, assorted breads and biscuits, hordes of pre-packed nuts and candies and other miscellaneous items. Ok, so I really just wanted to stop for a picture with the haystack decorated with pumpkins, which is actually what caught my attention and caused me to swerve into the driveway. But look (second pic below), doesn't it make a pretty picture!? :)

The Fruit Basket

"warty" gourds in all colors and patterns

clockwise from top right: pre-packaged pasta in various shapes, candy corn,
nuts and other goodies, beans of all varieties, and an abundance of squash

Sonoma Cheese Factory
Sonoma Town Square

Vella Cheese Factory
Second Street East
withing walking distance from the Plaza

The Fruit Basket
Sonoma Highway

Up Next: Misson Solano

Autumn in the Valley

On this crisp autumn day in October, the short drive from the town of Glen Ellen (where The Olive Press and Wine Country Chocolates are located) to downtown Sonoma was a sight for sore eyes. The warm colors of the season were visible everywhere. These are some of the pictures I managed to take with my point-and-shoot camera, though no photography or words could do it justice.

The Olive Press & Wine Country Chocolates

Ready for the picking

Next up was another tasting adventure. But this time it wasn't sparkling whites or full-bodied reds that we would be swirling in our cups. This time it would be of liquid gold, olive oil! For centuries extra-virgin olive oil has been valued for it's curative properties and culinary virtues. Any foodie worth her weight in gold knows what the Mediterranean gourmand has known for centuries, that the magical flavor and aroma of olive oil is essential to healthy and pleasurable eating.

And I adore olives and olive oil. I seriously couldn't live without it. Especially olive oil. Fortunately, my friend M is as much a food enthusiast as I am. She prepared the day's itinerary for us but I might as well have drawn it up myself! It is inevitable that such like-minded individuals would have this much fun on a road trip together. Aside from the winery, she included visits to olive oil, cheese and chocolate tasting rooms. Ooh la la! Could that be any more delightful?!

the olive press outside The Olive Press

So after Viansa we proceeded to The Olive Press, a rustic old building with a state-of-the-art Pieralisi press located in the Jack London Village. Olive trees guard the entrance to the tasting room and Provençal-inspired gift shop. Inside is a plethora of all things olive. There are pretty baskets, olive-themed ceramics, assorted jars of tapenade, olive oil storage containers, table linens, kitchenware, cured olives, and various books about olives. On a shelf across the main entryway in neat rows of sleek dark bottles are the olive oils.

In the middle of the room, on offer are the various dipping oils infused with the freshest herbs and spices. Beside each variant is a dipping dish and chunks of crusty bread. I was in glorious oily heaven! I couldn't decide which one was my favorite but it was a close fight between the Basil Walnut and Roasted Garlic and Rosemary dipping oils. What I loved best were the tapenades which I sampled on baguette slices. They were delicious! At the rate I was going, I wasn't going to have any room for lunch!

Then there is the tasting bar where you can sample all the olive oils. Here is how to sample the oils: Pump some olive oil into a small plastic cup and warm it with your hands. Bring the cup to your nose and breathe in its bouquet of aromas. Place a drop of the oil on your bottom lip and taste the oil for its degree of sweetness. After which, sip the oil and using the sides of your tongue, taste for spiciness.

the tasting bar

Ha! Who am I kidding? I didn't do all that. After pumping, warming and sniffing I used the toothpicks provided to spear a bread cube and dip it into plastic cups which I then popped into my mouth. As I went down the line, I savored the delicate flavors, smoothness and richness. Some were fruity or buttery, others peppery. Some subtle, while most were intense. All pretty wonderful.

Beside the tasting bar is a window, through which you can watch the hammer-mill press if you are lucky enough to be there during milling season (Oct-Jan). For those who are not so fortunate, like us, there is a free video tour that demonstrates the entire process.

* * *

Just around the corner from The Olive Press is a small unpretentious store which would be easy to miss if it wasn't for the big sign on the sidewalk. Wine Country Chocolates is famous for their hand-dipped, flavored chocolate truffles. They specialize in exquisite creations filled with wine-infused ganache, made from quality wines in the region such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Port and Zinfandel.

In true wine-country style, they even had a tasting bar! I was literally a kid in a candy store! (Oh shush, I am still a kid at heart :) ) The very friendly lady behind the bar indulged our sweet tooth. We got a sweet lesson on the various compositions of chocolate, how the ratio between cacao solids to sugar and vanilla determines how sweet or bitter the chocolate is. I personally liked the 70% variety, which stayed true to its claim of having a "bold beginning and sweet finish".

Through the glass window, we watched a chocolatier at work. She made magic. She moulded and dipped more of those little pieces of heaven. I couldn't tell what flavor of truffle she was in the process of making, but it could have been any one of a wide variety of other flavors like Kahlua Irish Creme, Capuccino Tiramisu, Amaretto, Raspberry, or Champagne. I was fascinated with the molded designs they had on display, most of which were chocolate animals. They looked too good to eat. But we bought and ate them anyway. :)

The Olive Press

Jack London Village
14301 Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen, Sonoma County
Tel: 800-965-4839

Wine Country Chocolate

Jack London Village

14301 Arnold Drive, Suite 2

Glen Ellen, Sonoma County

Up Next: Downtown Sonoma & the cheese factories

Viansa Winery & Italian Marketplace

Ahhh the wine country. Napa and Sonoma Counties which make up the Wine Country heartland are accountable for 90% of all wine produced in the U.S. Although Napa Valley is slightly better known, Sonoma County is actually the birthplace of California's wine industry. It is in her rolling hills that Colonel Agoston Haraszthy first planted zinfandel grapes in the 1850's. Today, more than just rolling hills and vines as far as the eye can see, it is home to over 70 wineries and has become a popular destination for oenophiles and non-oenophiles alike. And whereas I only dipped my foot into her waters many moons ago, I was determined to take the plunge this time and venture deeper.

So armed with printed pages from Google Maps, my friend M and I took turns at the wheel as we made our way upstate from SF. We both agreed to do only one winery on this trip so we would have time for all the other things we wanted to see and do while there. The day couldn't have been more perfect. Yhe sun was shining and the leaves were swaying gently. As we cruised along the country road, I felt a flood of happiness in my veins. Roadtrip with good friend, perfect weather, gorgeous scenery, prospecting fine wine & food, this is the stuff dreams are made of.

Our first stop was the Viansa Winery. Few places in the world are more romantic than a gorgeous villa surrounded by vineyards. We caught glimpses of the Italian hilltop villa through the olive trees as we made our way up the driveway and into the parking lot. I stepped out of M's camry and into what could have been a vineyard in Tuscany.

The Sebastiani family's Tuscan heritage is visible everywhere, from the architecture : the fountain in the courtyard ,the red-tiled roofs, frescoes, sculptures, traditional artisan iron-work to the things they produced: the food, olive oil and of course the wine. The winery was founded in 1989 by the Sebastiani family and produces some of the finest Italian wines in the region.

We checked out the cool cave cellar with its interspersed arching alcoves topped with a high vaulted ceiling before heading to the Italian Marketplace at the back of the villa. Barbera Rose, Prosecco, Dolcetto, Muscat Canelli are just some of the wines made in these grounds. Upstairs is the marketplace/tasting room, I was surprised to find a very extensive array of food products. They had salsas, jams, dipping oils, spreads, cheeses, side by side with Tuscan-inspired tableware, cookbooks and souvenirs. I made my rounds from table to table sampling everything, sparing none. Everything was so good, I almost forgot about the wines!

At the rear of the villa is the beautiful picnic grounds, a popular venue for wedding receptions. Here, the guests are treated to an expansive view of the countryside, a perfect backdrop for the rustic atmosphere. I could have sat there for hours, maybe even all day and into the night if I had a good bottle of wine with me and some pairings. But we had a long day ahead of us and it was time to move on. Still so much to see!

Viansa Winery & Italian Marketplace

25200 Arnold Dr., Sonoma CA 95476

Tel. 1-800-995-4740

San Francisco

My trip last October was all about reconnecting. So far I had travelled to three different cities (Mexico, Phoenix and Las Vegas) and spent quality time with friends and family, forming new memories in the process in the hopes that it would sustain us until the next time. Coming to San Francisco was no different and neither was it any less special. I spent good quality time with old friends who I haven't seen in a long time, and also took the BART to visit an uncle who lived out east in Bay Point. (He is my mom's only brother who I hadn't seen in over 5 years I believe. My aunt and cousin joined us for a nice pasta dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory in Concorde.)

However, unlike the other places I had just been to, this wasn't my first time in this splendid city by the Bay. Having visited SF twice before is not enough if you ask me. I can't get enough of her! She holds a piece of your heart captive each time you leave, making you want to linger and compelling you to vow to come back soon. It's no wonder really that she has inspired so many poets, novelists, musicians and artists. Did you know there are over a thousand songs written about this city?

San Francisco Cable Car

Just like Sheila, my friend in Phoenix, the friends I was staying with and visiting on this trip are friends I've had since 5th grade. They're identical twins (for purposes of this blog, I will refer to them from hereon as B1 and B2) and they're both married and living in the East Bay. I stayed with B2 in her house in the Oakland hills where she lives with her husband, her super adorable 5 month old son and his nanny. They have a beautiful 5 bedroom house with a swimming pool and jacuzzi nestled at the foothills of a reserve, the Redwood Regional Park.

B1 picked me up at the airport and she took me straight to Burlingame to meet up with her husband for cocktails. We chatted over mojitos and finger food and it was almost 10 pm when we finally crossed the Bay Bridge into Oakland. I had never stayed in the East Bay before so they made a detour up Skyline Blvd. by the redwood reserve to show me the spectacular view of San Francisco at night. It was breathtaking! I even saw wild deer, like four or five of them from the car. I wasn't fast enough with my camera though, but I have their deer-in-the-headlights look forever imprinted in my memory.

We finally got to B2's house where she had dinner waiting for hours on the table. I had almost forgotten what a riot it is when you have the twins together. They are a hoot and a half, and I missed them immensely. This was going to be a fun 10 days, I thought.

* * *

And how right I was. It was not without thought that I chose SF to be my last stop. Not only could I not resist the opportunity to come back here, but I also wanted to slow down a little, take the pace of my trip down a notch. And this was the perfect place to do that because I didn't have to run around playing the crazed tourist. I did not even make any plans for my 10 days here. I decided to let fate take it's course and let each day bring with it what it wanted.

I spent a lot of time with B2's baby boy who I fell head over heels in love with. (Boy, did it tug at my heartstrings when I said goodbye to him on my last day!) I did a lot of shopping, all the last minute orders of family and friends and buying pasalubongs (gifts for people back home). There was one entire day that Tom, B1's husband, was kind enough to offer to drive me anywhere I wanted. He insisted on being my chauffer when I protested, so I let him take me to Target & Emeryville where we hit some of my favorite stores: Old Navy, See's Candies, Crate & Barrel, Barnes & Noble, Bath & Body Works, Pottery Barn, and Williams-Sonoma, to name a few. In return, I treated him to pizza and a Jamba Juice. :)

Many of my dinners were had in B1's house where her mom would cook us the most amazing Spanish meals. Her mom had a couple of Spanish restaurants back in Manila which were famous for her traditional recipes, Rock Ola being the more famous of the two because it had a young bar crowd as well. I found myself looking forward to these dinners with the entire clan which were always casual, noisy and fun. This was much better than sitting in a stiff and crowded restaurant in downtown Oakland or Berkeley any day.

Stunning views from uphill

I was seeing SF from a whole new perspective, from an East Bay-er perspective this time. Quite different from when I used to stay in San Bruno or South San Francisco during previous visits. I found myself crossing the Bay Bridge at least twice a day, presenting me with spectacular views of the SF skyline during each westward crossing. I loved approaching the city at dusk, when everything turns a hazy orange and looks so serene.

B1 took a day off from work to spend time with me. She asked me what I wanted to do, and I told her to just drive around and so we did. There are few places in the world more diverse than right here. We navigated the hilly streets and drove from one vibrant neighborhood to another.

We headed out to the Presidio, a park under the Golden Gate National Recreation Area which boasts some of the most amazing views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco Bay. Here we parked the car at the foot of the world's most famous bridge and strolled on the dunes among bikers, kite-flyers, joggers, folks with their dogs and sunbathers. It was a beautiful clear day and I was glad to be outdoors. We continued over to the Legion of Honor which commands a magnificent view of the city and the bridge and took some pictures.

The "Painted Ladies" and the SF skyline behind them, taken from Alamo Square

We headed towards Haight Street, a stretch of vintage shops and bars where the vibe underscores the city's counterculture, where we stopped for a crepe then drove through colorful Castro district, the mecca of the gay community and venue of the world's biggest gay pride parade. We proceeded to Marina, one of my favorite neighborhoods, where you can find the Palace of Fine Arts, then finally through quaint Victorian houses that make up most of Noe Valley and Western Addition district. We stopped at Alamo Square and sat in the sun enjoying the view before we headed home to get ready for the party. This is a great way to see the city, just driving around the neighborhoods and stopping at cafes and parks as you please.

Haight St. boutique

* * *

On the Saturday before Halloween, we attended a private "pimp n ho" party at a friends house out in Marin County. We immediately headed to Telegraph Ave. in Berkeley to find something to wear. Stepping out into Telegraph Ave. you are immediately transported back to the '60s. Browsing the record shops and vintage clothing stores, I felt so...ordinary! It was almost liberating to be surrounded by so much individuality and people who exuded a devil-may-care attitude about the way they dressed or spoke or lived for that matter. Needless to say, the party and seeing everyone in pimp and ho mode was a blast!

There are tons of reasons why I love San Francisco so much. It's a vibrant, liberal city where anything goes. It is so culturally diverse that each neighborhood might as well be in a totally different country. The unparalleled epicurean delights are endless, ranging from budget friendly to luxe, and representing all corners of the globe. The climate is usually mild though unpredictable at times, the vistas are spectacular, it is a peninsula surrounded by water (a big plus!), I can name you a hundred reasons. But I won't. Instead let me show you two more of them:

Blondie's Pizza and....

clam chowder on sourdough bread!

No trip to SF is complete if I don't have at least one of my three favorite foods from there, the third being dungeness crab. :)

Blondie's Pizza
64 Powell St. , near the end of the Powell cable car line

Boudin Bakery
Macy's Dept. Store, Union Square

Up Next: Sonoma Valley

Hummus and Baba Ghanoush

Foreword:
Happy new year everyone! I hope you all had a nice time surrounded by people you love during the holidays. : ) I don't normally make NY resolutions because I don't like succumbing to the pressures of making resolutions just at the beginning of a year. I prefer making resolutions throughout the year which, in my experience, results in a higher success rate. But I found myself at the brink of the new year with a lot of blogging to catch up on. There is still the last leg of my October trip I'd like to finish documenting. So i resolved to stop slacking and start posting more often!

So here I go, my first post for 2007. I decided to start with a food post, particularly food which I included in the feast my sister and I prepared for us to enjoy as we ushered in the new year.

After I graduated from university, I went on an extended vacation to the US and Canada. I had never had more than a 2 month vacation since I became a kindergartener at the age of 4, so I was really looking forward to this hiatus. Since I finished with a double degree, wasn't it only fair that I also got a double vacation? Of course! So I went away for 4 fabulous months! I stayed in the Bay Area for a little over a month, with side trips to LA & Lake Tahoe, before making my way north to Vancouver, BC where I visited my sister and her family for the remaining 3 months. Needless to say, these were some of the best months of my life and when began my little romance with this beautiful city.

My sister is a stay-at-home mom so we spent a great deal of time together. Much of this time was enjoyed in her kitchen as she prepared dinner for her family. I tried to watch and learn from her while I balanced her then 7 month old son on my hip or painted and colored with her 3 year old daughter on the breakfast table. Because I didn't write anything down, I forgot most of what I learned.

Except for these two dishes...hummus (creamy chickpea dip) and baba ghanoush (creamy eggplant dip). I don't remember if I tried them for the first time that time, but I vividly remember happily eating either one at least twice a week either as an appetizer or as a side, and even sometimes as our main meal and always with some pita bread.

I've only bought hummus once, from a supermarket in London. Blech. That was the last time I had store-bought hummus. No matter how lazy or tired you are or, what's that? You're a kitchen-virgin? Have no fear! Not only are these delicious and healthy, they're unbelievably easy to make. I make hummus quite often at home, sometimes eating little else for a week.

There are countless variations to hummus, in fact I probably don't make it the same each time. I just throw everything into the blender and add a little of this and a little of that to taste. Every country in the Middle East, Northern Africa and along the Mediterranean has their own version of this ancient dish as well.

I prefer to use roasted garlic instead of raw garlic because the taste is nuttier and sweeter. However, when I'm in a rush or making it at someone else's place, I just use raw garlic which makes it delicious nonetheless. And since I'm a garlic fiend, I put lots of it. So for starters, you can use this recipe and tweak it as you please. The kitchen is your playground, and this hummus is your ummm, oyster!

Basic Hummus

1 can garbanzos (chickpeas, canned or cooked - I buy Molinera)
2-3 tbsp. Tahini (sesame seed paste)
6 cloves of crushed garlic (preferably roasted)
juice of 1 lemon
4-5 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp sea salt or to taste
1/4 cup water (optional, if you like a smoother and more liquid consistency, though I usually just add more olive oil and lemon juice to achieve the consistency I want)
fresh parsley or olives
paprika

Mix everything (except parsley and paprika) in a blender. Pour in a bowl, drizzle with some olive oil then sprinkle with parika and garnish with either olives or parsley. This is best eaten scooped up with warmed pita bread but you may also spread them on melba toast, crackers or french bread. It is also excellent as a vegetable dip.

For some variety, I like to substitute the garbanzos with black beans or fava beans and adding some chili powder or cayenne for a little kick. This will produce a dip similar to ful medames or simply ful, one of Egypt's national dishes. You may also add peeled roasted red peppers or kalamata olives to the basic recipe for a more Mediterranean or Greek flavor.

To make Baba Ghanoush, use the same ingredients as the recipe for hummus above but substitute the garbanzos with 4-5 small (or 2 large) eggplants. What you do is, first pierce the skin of the eggplants and broil them until they're black on all sides. Place them under cold running water while you peel the skin off, then mash the flesh before combining it with all the other ingredients. Serve in a bowl drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, paprika and garnish with parsley or an olive.