Beretta, CA
Beretta Cuisine: Italian, Pizza Neighborhood: Mission District Price: $25-30 per person, excluding drinks Phone: 415-695-1199 Address: 1199 Valencia St., San Francisco, CA 94110 I had just flown into California from New York to spend Christmas weekend at home, and I was excited for friends, family, and warm(er) weather. Furthermore, I was extremely eager to eat … Continue reading
Zucchini Blossoms Stuffed with Tomatoes and Parmesan
I first came across zucchini blossoms at Alta, a cute Tapas place in West Village. I honestly didn’t know what we would get when we ordered zucchini blossoms, but were pleasantly surprised with a beautiful vegetable dish. Although the dish was fried, the delicate nature of the blossom made it lighter and added a bit … Continue reading
Garlic Bread
As I was cooking the Leek Tops Mac & Cheese, I wanted to try making my own garlic bread to serve with it. Natalya has made garlic bread in the past, usually just combining crushed garlic with olive oil on bread. I decided to fatten it up a bit with some butter and herbs because, … Continue reading
Leek Tops Mac and Cheese
One of my new favorite vegetables are leeks, which we started picking up after seeing them at the farmers’ market (in season September to December). Leeks look a bit like scallions on steroids, but the taste is a lot milder than its pungent onion relatives, with a hint of sweetness. Most recipes only call for … Continue reading
Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
Another recipe from the Essential Mediterranean Cookbook (newest edition here). The name “puttanesca” is a derivation of the word puttana which means “whore” in Italian — so this dish is literally called the “whore’s spaghetti.” This is a spicy and salty Southern Italian dish invented in the mid-20th century. There are many accounts surrounding the … Continue reading
Creamy Kabocha Squash Risotto
To get into the autumn mood, Natalya and I decided we should try to cook something involving a pumpkin! I found a recipe from the The San Francisco Chronicle Cookbook Volume II called “Carol Field’s Creamy Pumpkin-Flavored Risotto” and decided to give it a go. When I went to the grocery store, I decided to … Continue reading
Babbo, NYC
Babbo Chef: Mario Batali Cuisine: Italian Neighborhood: West Village Price: $70/person for an antipasti with one primi and one secondi Optional: Pasta-tasting menu for $69 or a Traditional Tasting menu for $75, with $50 additional for wine pairings or $95 for “Riserva Selection” of wine pairings. The restaurant does not allow BYOB. Phone: 212-777-0303 Address: … Continue reading
Maria’s Broccoli Rabe
Natalya was making Pollo alla Diavola and the recipe suggested to serve the chicken with Broccoli Rabe or roasted potatoes. I decided to try to make Broccoli Rabe as an accompanying side dish, mainly because I had no idea what this vegetable was and I figured, “Why not?” I looked up what the vegetable looked … Continue reading
Harissa Salsa
When I attempted my first “Kei Kurobe” recipe, Roasted Beets with a Curry Vinaigrette, I had to buy a lot of spices that I had never used before, such as whole cumin seed and coriander. When I asked him when I would ever use these spices again, Kei sent me this recipe in response. Of … Continue reading
Housemade Ricotta
When I told a friend I was trying to make my own ricotta, she responded: “Leave a cup of milk in your fridge for 90 days and BOOM! Ricotta cheese.” – Shanmei So that is not really how one makes ricotta and I highly do not recommend trying it to see what happens… Ricotta, which … Continue reading
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