Healdsburg Shed - An Epicurean's Elysian Fields

No trip to Healdsburg is complete without a stop at Shed -- a market, larder, restaurant, coffee bar, and fermentation bar. On most visits, we just peruse the market and procure a few unique items from their pantry and houseware selections. The chefs at Shed make their own spice blends, shrubs, and other provisions. My favorite find to date is their Vadouvan, which will take your homemade butternut squash soup to a whole new level. You will also find interesting offerings such as Charred Eggplant Powder, Shiso Salt, and a wide selection of beautifully curated and crafted housewares. Put simply, anyone who loves to eat, cook, or simply marvel at the beauty of fresh produce and well crafted goods will find blissful nirvana at Shed. 

On our most recent visit, we enjoyed a dinner al fresco with our dear friends, Mike and MJ and their son, Mason, who is presently obsessed with Greek mythology and thus inspired my headline. What follows is a pictorial of our dinner on July 29, 2017, when we selected the Let Us Cook prix fixe. Though the menu stated the Let Us Cook offering was $68 for four courses - all selected by the Chef, you will see we generously received seven courses. We express our gratitude to Shed's Chef and Culinary Director Perry Hoffman for such a beautiful meal and for taking the time later to detail the ingredients that made the meal so special. Each course unfolded with surprise and delight. 

To begin:  An Oyster with Queen Anne's Lace and Preserved Lemon Mignonette

Peach Gazpacho with Yogurt and Olive Oil

Wild King Salmon in Shaved Beets, Salmon Roe, Lemon Cucumber and Avocado

Mussels in Escabeche with Lemon Aioli, Thyme and Urfa Chile

Rabbit Tenderloin Salad with Grapes, Celery, Pink Pearl Apples, and Malabar Spinach (and its blooms)

Whole Roasted Half Moon Bay Petrale Sole with Summer Squash, Purple String Beans, Garbanzo Beans, Dragon's Tongue Beans, Vadouvan Vinaigrette, and Nasturtium

This whole roasted fish was so flavorful and luscious. After having been sous vide and then finished in the wood oven, the fish just fell away from the bone, leaving a pristine skeleton. The accompanying vegetables all tasted if they had been plucked from a nearby garden moments before service and delicately dressed in herbs and vinaigrette made with Shed's sultry Vadouvan spice.

Rouge River Toleman Blue with Toasted Walnuts, Chicories, Fermented Honey, Peaches

Shed should not be missed on any visit to Healdsburg or the surrounding Dry Creek Valley, Russian River Valley and Alexander Valley vineyards. If you can't stay for breakfast, lunch or dinner, pick up provisions to enjoy amongst the vines or back at home when you can put their pristine ingredients to good use.

Pro tip: if you visit Shed on a Saturday, be sure to go in the morning to visit the morning Healdsburg Farmers' Market (May - October). And any day of the week, trot down the next block to the Portalupi Wine tasting room.

Shed is located at 25 North Street in Healdsburg, California, just a block off the main square. For more information, visit www.healdsburgshed.com. 

Spaghettini Verdi at I Sodi: an Affair to Remember

On April 24, 2017, while on a business trip in New York, I had an affair. It was at I Sodi where I met my lover. After a long day of work, a short subway ride, and a brisk walk through the West Village, I scored a spot at the bar of this charming neighborhood restaurant. Two glasses of Pelissero Nebbiolo Langhe 2013. An appetizer of grilled white asparagus with mushrooms. A perfect Bresaola. And then - the Spaghettini Verdi, pictured above: house made pasta with a fava bean pesto. Yes, a fava bean pesto made from fava beans, thyme, pine nuts, Parmesan and Rabiolina cheese. Each bite was better than the last. So creamy. So seasonal. So sultry. It was an affair to remember. In fact, recall that scene from the movie Unfaithful where Diane Lane is riding the train back home and flashing back -- with giddy, guilty pleasure -- to the passionate romp she'd had with Olivier Martinez moments before? Well, it was kind of like that. It's now been four weeks since my passionate romp with that Spaghettini Verdi, and I still can't stop thinking about it and feeling amorous. 

Each spring, fava bean season is so brief and fleeting. I love the bright green color and the earthy flavor. Since they require a couple of steps to prepare, I usually opt to order them in restaurants rather than make them at home. In fact, I had a delicious, silky, fava bean purée last night in San Francisco's North Beach at Da Flora - my sibling-in-law's neighborhood gem. Still reeling from my fava bean pesto tryst in New York, when I saw them available in our CSA last week, I had to have them.

Pictured left to right: Fava beans in the pod, out of the pod, and peeled from the shell

Fava beans (left) squeezed from shriveled shells (right) after a 2 minute blanch & ice bath

Rather than make a pesto or a purée, I decided to simply sauté the fava beans in olive oil with garlic, fennel, and crushed red pepper flakes, and then toss them with fresh Ricotta, Parmesan Cheese, plenty of pasta water, and a freshly made Spring Herb and Lemon linguine procured that day from Market Hall. My dish was not very photogenic, but it was delicious. My husband praised it as "restaurant quality." High praise, indeed. But I shall always remember that I Sodi Spaghettini Verdi as the one that got away.

Fish Tacos and Friendship in Coastal Florida

This morning, during a sunrise walk on the beach - taking in the view, collecting seashells, and sharing a moment with my mom, I had a quiet revelation. She and the dear friends she has made in her newly proclaimed home are like the seashells that wash upon the shores of South Hutchinson Island, Florida. They all had lives elsewhere. Each unique and beautiful in their own way. And now, after a transformation, the waves and shoreline drew them here. They found each other here on the coast - now neighbors and friends. They maintain their individual history and perspective (some very different politically), but they find new common ground - in part, by proximity, and, in part, by goodness of heart.

Some arrive in pristine condition. Others are broken and worn by time or circumstance. As we walked, my mom and her friend, Barbara, scanned the beach for shells to add to their collections. "Oh, look at this one! I have a jar just for these," Barbara exclaimed. Mom replied, "they are all treasures." Mom likes the broken ones that look like conical vivisections. Some day they may become part of an art project. Until then, they will commingle in a glass jar - mementos from a treasure hunt past. 

Speaking of treasure hunts ... wherever I go, I am on the hunt for great food. After being tipped off by a local Stuart resident a few years ago, I have become addicted to the fish tacos at The Taco Shack in Stuart, Florida. There's no view (neither ocean nor intercostal), no table service, and no attitude - just delicious tacos and their compadres. 

My personal favorite is the Blackened Mahi Fish Taco. The fish is perfectly cooked and covered in crunchy cabbage and corn salsa. My mom prefers the Grilled Shrimp Taco, which is also excellent. On a prior visit we also shared a delicious Vegetable Quesadilla, seasoned with a hint of cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. 

No trip to The Taco Shack is complete without Housemade Warm Corn Tortilla Chips with Queso, Guacamole, and Pico de Gallo (otherwise known as The Three Amigos). These go quite nicely with a cold Modelo Amber - one of a handful of beers on tap. But they are best shared with a friend - new, old, or related. 

The Taco Shack is located at 555 S. Colorado Avenue in Stuart, Florida. Open Monday - Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Pro tip: visit on Taco Tuesdays (two tacos for $10) or any day before 5:00 p.m. when Castronova Chocolate is open. Note on Thursdays and Fridays Castonova offers freshly baked chocolate chip cookies made with Irish butter and their delicious chocolate chunks.

Civics, Civility, and Cuisine of Washington, D.C.

"Food is our common ground, a universal experience." - James Beard

We are embroiled in a vitriolic presidential campaign. Deep political divides exist in our country. And our elected representatives in Washington are in a standoff. Amidst this backdrop, recently my husband and I vacationed in D.C. We visited all three branches of our government, monuments, and museums. And on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, we stood in the exact location where Martin Luther King, Jr. stood as he delivered the "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963. We did so after spending the day in the extraordinary new National Museum of African American History & Culture (NMAAHC). We did so as husband and wife: one black, one white - an interracial marriage that was illegal in many states when Dr. King gave that momentous speech.

With eyes wide open, we gazed onto the Washington, D.C. skyline noticing the sharp, bronze, and beautiful NMAAHC building rising up against the stark white Washington Monument and, indeed, all of the other white buildings housing our civic institutions. Powerful symbolism.

We are a nation of immigrants, and the Washington, D.C. restaurant scene is a reflection of our diverse and vibrant citizenry. In eight days, we dined on American, Mexican, Spanish, Italian, Greek, Thai, French, Korean, and Indian food. And we didn't even scratch the surface. My biggest regret was not making it to Bad Saint, a Filipino restaurant Bon Appetit just named the second best new restaurant in America. Next time! We made it to several great spots, and what follows is our D.C. dining experience.

Lobster Roll and Old Bay Fries at Hank's Oyster Bar, DuPont Circle

Hank's Oyster Bar was our first stop on our culinary tour of D.C. It's a classic restaurant and raw bar in the charming DuPont Circle neighborhood. The lobster roll served with French fries dusted in Old Bay was incredible. We grabbed a gelato at Dolcezza and Stumptown espresso later after a pleasant neighborhood stroll.

Gambas al Ajillo at Jaleo

Next up was lunch at Jaleo after a tour of the Capitol and Library of Congress. I am addicted to the Gambas al Ajillo at Jaleo. It's a very simple dish of sautéed shrimp with garlic, guindilla peppers, and a splash of brandy. The garlic is paper thin and beautifully browned yet not bitter. I've tried to replicate the recipe at home but I can't quite perfect it. So I order it and pepper the waiter with questions on every visit.   

We closed out the evening at Jack Rose Dining Saloon where the highlight is the mind blowing selection of whiskey and comfort food. The 2,687 bottles of whiskey line every inch of the walls.

We spent the next day touring the NMAAHC and had a great lunch at the Sweet Home Café where we indulged in delicious fried chicken, collard greens, shrimp and grits, and cornbread. Later that evening we shared a dessert and some port at Restaurant Nora - the first certified organic restaurant in the United States. Glad we got to experience it before chef-owner Nora Pouillon retires and sells, as recently reported in the Washington Post.

Momofuku Pork Buns at Momofuku CCDC

Braised Fried Chicken at Momofuku CCDC

The next day we ate Korean/Asian fusion food at Momofuku CCDC. The pork buns with Momofuku Ssäm sauce are legendary. After we devoured those, Eric opted for Momofuku ramen while I chose the braised fried chicken with crispy shallots and green onions. It was an epic, satisfying lunch after being on our feet several hours waiting (to no avail) to hear Supreme Court oral arguments in Buck v. Davis - a death penalty case where an expert testified that the defendant was more likely to commit future crimes due to his race. Seriously?! Read more about the case here.

Pintxos and sherry cocktails at Estadio

Next was more Spanish cuisine at Estadio in Logan Circle. I love this place. The atmosphere is warm and slightly rustic with beautiful tile and wood accents. The pintxos and sherry cocktails were a great way to start the meal followed by Crispy Pork Belly & Pickled Shishito Pepper Alioli Bocadillos, Sautéed Kale, Garlic, Oloroso Sherry & Chili Flakes, and Bomba Rice, Wild Mushrooms, English Peas. So so good.

Dessert at Iron Gate

After a day of perusing Georgetown shops and sharing a healthy salad from Sweetgreen,  we later celebrated our wedding anniversary at Iron Gate and indulged in the six-course Greek-Italian influenced tasting menu with beverage pairings. The antipasto plates were some of our favorite bites, including the sesame crusted feta drizzled with honey. The Autumn Squash Agnolotti with apples and sage brown butter was also sublime. It's a romantic place to spend the evening. The patio with an à la carte menu looked very inviting as well. 

Tacos and Guacamole at Mission in DuPont Circle

The next morning we had an early lunch at the classic power lunch spot, Old Ebbitt Grill, before heading across the street for a White House tour. Later we headed back to DuPont Circle for margaritas and Mexican food at Mission. The tacos there are pretty spectacular. Feeling indecisive, I chose the platter of three and got pork belly, carnitas, and chicken tinga. 

The Yankee Burger and Fries at DBGB

After a somber day spent at The Holocaust Memorial Museum reminding ourselves of the dangers posed by hatred and discrimination, we needed a drink and some comfort food. So we headed to Daniel Boulud's DBGB for a glass of wine with a burger and fries. And then we strolled through the National Portrait Gallery to elevate our spirits with beautiful artworks.

Catching up on political news with an everything bagel from Bethesda Bagels in DuPont Circle

Since we were on vacation, we didn't hold back on our carbohydrate consumption. We loved grabbing bagels at Bethesda Bagels in DuPont Circle. They slather a thick layer of fluffy cream cheese on their bagels and make the indulgence totally worth it.​

Half Smoke Chili Dog and Chili Cheese Fries at Ben's Chili Bowl

On our final day in D.C., we headed to the original Ben's Chili Bowl for a chili half-smoke and chili cheese fries. Then after visiting Arlington Cemetery to pay our respects, we headed back to headquarters to pack our bags. Later that evening, we didn't have the energy to line up for Little Serow, so we ordered delivery from Beau Thai. With it we enjoyed a bottle of Virginia wine we picked up at the delightful Glen's Garden Market - a grocery and deli carrying all local food and wine. 

Our trip to Washington, D.C. was clearly delicious, but it was also a great reminder of our nation's history. Progress has been made. Progress must and will continue. But to move forward, we must have empathy and respect for others. We must lower our guards - not build walls. If only we could all just sit down at the table together.

#imwithher

AL's Place

AL's Place is a vegetable-centric restaurant in the heart of the Mission. Walking into the light-filled restaurant with bright blue and orange accents, you can't help but feel optimistic. It's definitely a glass half full kind of spot. After reading Bon Appetit's feature story declaring AL's Place the best new restaurant in America last year, we were excited to try it.

The menu at AL's Place gives vegetables the starring role, while meat plays a supporting role, listed under the Sides and Limited Availability sections. That's just fine by me, since I like to adhere to Michael Pollan's healthy eating guideline expressed in his book Food Rules: "Eat food. Mostly plants. Not too much." This is no chore at AL's Place. Chef Aaron London makes veggies sexy and delicious.

We chose the Family Style option - paying $60 per person for 10 courses served family style. We also added in an optional 11th course from the meat sides. It sounds like a lot of food, I know. But we ate every last bite, feeling satiated and only a skosh gluttonous. Here's how our dinner unfolded:

Vadouvan Almonds

Smoked Corn Husk Chawanmushi, Sungolds, Pistachio - warm & comforting, it was one of our favorites

Smoky Squash with Raspberry

Brine Pickled French Fries, Smoked Applesauce 

Baby Lettuces, Herbed Avocado, PIstachio Crumble - gorgeous flavors, eaten with our hands

Chilled Green Bean Casserole, Burrata, Tomato, Basil, Pickled Padrons - loved this dish!

Grits, Goat's Milk Curds, Corn, Padrons, Pickled Green Tomato, Yuzu Blaster - incredible! 

Lightly Cured Trout, Crispy Potato, Bashed Cucumber, Bagna Cauda

Pork Belly, Galangal Soda, Turnip + Peach-chi, Roe - next level eating ecstasy paired with the grits

Campanella, Tomato Fondant, Caper-Pepper, Goat's Gouda - sexy, silky, and sumptuous  

Fudge Brownie filled with Peanuts, Caramel, and Peanut Butter Ice Cream - yes, yes, yes! 

We loved every dish. Chef London kept them coming at a brisk pace. From our table, I watched him expedite and was impressed by the energy and precision he put into the task - checking his watch, scribbling notes, and keeping rhythm with the beat of his line. I stopped by on our way out to thank him for a wonderful meal asked him to sign the menu, which he did so generously. I geeked out a little by telling him how much I enjoyed an Ubuntu dish of fried garbanzo beans topped with a poached egg many years ago when he was chef at that groundbreaking Napa restaurant. He smiled knowingly. And proudly. As he should.

AL's Place * 1499 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110 * Phone: (415) 416-6136 * www.alsplacesf.com