SacFoodies

2018 St. Patrick's Day Roundup

by SacFoodies

By. Jessi Gunn
St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner, March 17th to be exact, and thankfully Sacramento has plenty of activities for everyone to enjoy. Do you have a favorite annual event that didn’t make it onto the list? Leave us a note (and an invite) in the comments!

Cafeteria 15L
Local dining hotspot Cafeteria 15L is adding classic Irish dishes to their brunch menu on St. Paddy’s Day only! If you follow SacFoodies on Instagram you’ll know that we are quite partial to Sunday brunch at 15L, (Bacon Jam Bennie and bottomless mimosas, yes please!) but the corn beef hash special sounds so good I might be tempted to switch it up. Hey, this does only happen once a year!
Old Sacramento Parade
This annual parade unites hundreds of colorful marchers, highland dancers, bagpipers and drum bands, and re-enactors in traditional Irish and Celtic outfits for a day of entertainment you won’t want to miss. Events begin at 11:30 a.m. with the parade starting at 1:00 p.m. Arrive early to get a front row seat to the action.
de Vere’s Irish Pub
For Irish food you can find year-round, head to de Vere’s Irish Pub. They have traditional, yet elevated, dishes such as Bangers and Mash and Irish Stew. Before celebrating the holiday on Saturday, head to de Vere’s on Monday the 12th for their annual St. Baldrick’s Rock the Bald event to raise money for St Baldricks foundation.
Fox & Goose
Fox and Goose is bringing Irish music to town with performances from bagpipers, Irish folk singers, The Pikeys, and The Spicy McCormicks. Plus, Irish beer is on tap all night and delicious Irish bites are served until 10:00 p.m. All ages welcome until 10:00 p.m., and 21+ from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
Malt and Mash
Downtown restaurant and bar Malt and Mash is hosting their second annual St. Pat’s Block Party. They will be featuring an outdoor beer garden, four bars and live music.  Want a side of bagpipers with your Guinness? Malt and Mash will make that happen. Open from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 a.m.
Streets Pub and Grub
Streets Pub and Grub will be hosting their annual St. Patrick’s Day party featuring live entertainment, Irish beer, and peanut butter car bombs. Not to mention Irish Tacos (which I think I definitely need to try). Wear green and get ready to celebrate with the self-proclaimed “OG’s of St Paddy’s Day.”
Pizza Rock
Pizza Rock on K Street is serving their specialty Sausage and Stout pizza in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. With dough made with honey malted stout beer and toppings including beer sausage, carmelized onions, fontina cheese, scallions, beer salt and a sweet Guiness reduction, ths is the perfect dish to celebrate the holiday. Pizza Rock only make 23 of these pizzas a day, so get yours before it’s gone!
Wherever you go on St. Patrick’s Day remember to celebrate responsibly and treat-yo-self to some corn beef and cabbage, I know we will!

2018 Valentine's Day Round-Up

by SacFoodies

By Sidney Burt
With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, it’s time to start making plans. And, with the holiday falling on a Wednesday, it’s the perfect opportunity to plan a week’s worth of fun-filled activities!
Whether you are planning a romantic date night or just looking to have fun out on the town with friends, there are plenty of options for everyone! Take a look at how you can celebrate this year’s Valentine’s Day in style.
Valentine’s Day Date Night Options:
Dawson’s Steakhouse Valentine’s Day Dinner – Indulge in specialties such as a Dungeness Crab Tower, Seared Scallop or a Niman Ranch Prime Beef Filet. And be sure to save room at the end for something sweet. (Reservations required)
Hyatt Regency Sacramento
1209 L Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Painted Cork Date Night – This Valentine’s Day, enjoy an evening of professional art instruction with all art supplies included. Plus, complimentary wine and chocolate with the class to celebrate that special someone!
The Painted Cork
1624 J Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Ella Dining Room & Bar – Enjoy a beautifully prepared and locally sourced prix fixe menu to celebrate Valentine’s Day! (Reservations required)
Ella Dining Room & Bar
1131 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Valentine’s Dinner Train – Treat your loved one to three courses of hearty American fare while taking a leisurely ride along the old Garden Highway in rural West Sacramento.
Sacramento River Train
400 N Harbor Blvd, West
Sacramento, CA 95605
Selland’s Market-Café – Spend the night at home with delicious bites. Menu is available for pick-up and don’t forget the bubbles! (Must place orders by February 12)
Selland’s Market-Café – East Sacramento, Broadway and El Dorado Hills
 
Valentine’s Week Celebrations:
Cupid Crawl – Grab a friend and head out to the Cupid Crawl. Indulge in some great eats and delicious libations from Milagro’s Restaurant Community.
Milagro Center
February 9, 2018
Advance: $10; Door: $15
Port, Wine and Chocolate Lover’s Weekend – Enjoy wines, ports, dessert wines, and sweet delights at the Old Sugar Mill Wineries. 15 Wineries will be offering wine tastings and pairings all weekend.
Old Sugar Mill
February 10 & 11, 2018
Advance: $29.50 Door: $40
Valentine’s Day Yappy Hour – Celebrate Valentine’s Day rain or shine with your furry friends and help the animals at the SPCA. For every pint purchased, $1 will go directly to the Sacramento SPCA.
Big Sexy Brewing Company
February 15, 2018
FREE

Looking for a Great Cause on #GivingTuesday?

by SacFoodies

Now that we’ve eaten our weight in turkey (and stuffing, sweet potatoes and pie) and slept for three days, we’re back and ready to talk about more food! Well, actually, we’re back and ready to talk about food literacy!
If you’re familiar with #GivingTuesday, you’ll know that the Tuesday after Thanksgiving is a day where people come together to donate to organizations that mean the most to them. In honor of this week’s upcoming #GivingTuesday on November 28, we are spotlighting one of our favorite local organizations and pro bono client – Sacramento’s own Food Literacy Center. As SacFoodies, we believe that food literacy is central to the farm-to-fork world, and we believe that all future foodies deserve the chance to learn about where their food comes from.

Food Literacy Center works to teach kids about how food gets onto your plate, where it comes from, and what types of food should end up on your plate at every meal. They inspire kids all over Sacramento to learn more, cook more, and eat more fruits and veggies, ultimately helping them be more healthy and in touch with their roots (wink).
A #GivingTuesday donation to Food Literacy Center will help teach children how to identify healthy veggies, make healthy snacks, read a recipe, and more. With more than 50% of Sacramento kids taking part in free and reduced lunch program and 40% struggling with childhood obesity, it’s more important than ever to give them skills to identify foods that are easy and healthy alternatives.

This Giving Tuesday, donate to Food Literacy Center and help kids all over Sacramento grow into bonafide foodies!

You're Gonna Want a Pizza This!

by SacFoodies

By Cheyenne Cameron-Pruitt and Laurel Harrison
October is National Pizza Month! We stopped by Pizza Rock for a pizza feast to kick off the month, and what a feast it was!
Laurel:
Even though I’ve lived in/near Sacramento since childhood, I had never been to Pizza Rock on K Street before last Friday. Because I’m a strict thin-crust pizza aficionado and I’ve found that many large pizza places don’t get them right, I tend to stay away from larger pizza joints on the whole. However, my friends and coworkers raved about Pizza Rock, so when SacFoodies was invited to sample some menu items, I was very excited especially since Pizza Rock’s Executive Chef, Laura Meyer, was at the dinner to talk about the different offerings.

Burratina di Margherita

The food at Pizza Rock exceeded my expectations by 1 gazillion percent. I was so incredibly surprised and pleased at the quality of the pizza, the inventiveness, and the culinary knowledge displayed by Chef Meyer.
We tried everything from classic Neapolitan pizza to Detroit “Blue-Steel Pan” pizza, with lots of happy dances in-between. Chef Meyer said it best when she told us that the ideal pizza should be light enough that you can eat, have a drink and go out dancing without feeling tired or bloated. And guess what, Foodie Friends? I ate the pizza, had a drink, and went out dancing – and it was awesome.

Cracker Thin Chicago Michigan Avenue

Personally, my favorite pizza of the night was the “Cracker-Thin Chicago Michigan Avenue,” a super-thin crust pizza with spicy pepperoni and crispy, bubbly cheese. Like I said – thin-crust pizza all the way, baby. I will definitely be returning to Pizza Rock in the future, and, thanks to Chef Meyer, have a great sense of the range Pizza Rock has to offer.
Cheyenne:
When SacFoodies got the invite to sample some of Pizza Rock’s menu to kick off National Pizza Month I was thrilled! I had only been to Pizza Rock once before, but the vibe and great food made the experience a memorable one. I am a pizza connoisseur, I like thin crust, hand-tossed, deep dish and wood-fire. If it is pizza, I will try it.

When we sat down for the tasting and saw the array of options that were coming to us, to say I was excited would be an understatement! Pizza Rock’s Executive Chef really puts her time, energy and passion behind each dish, and you can taste it! Pizza is a fine science, and I would consider her the Marie Curie of the Pizza Rock kitchen. We ate A LOT of pizza, but it didn’t leave me feeling weighed down or sleepy. Just satisfied with a delicious meal and ready for the rest of the night.

New Yorker

It was really hard to pick a favorite because at some point in the night each and every slice was my top pick. One of the most unique to me was the Detroit Red Top pizza. This pizza is cooked in a blue-steel pan (which aren’t made anymore, thank goodness Pizza Rock has a few!), with Cabot and Brick cheeses and Butter toasted Cheese corners. You read it right… There. Was. A. Cheese. Skirt. On. The. Pizza! They didn’t stop there though, the garlic oil, and two racing stripes of sauce finished off this creation. When the pizza came out, all of our jaws literally dropped because it looks like a monster of a meal, but the slices were light and airy when we bit into them and Oh, so delicious!

Detroit Red Top

Though it was hard to pick, my absolute favorite of the night and a Pizza Rock exclusive was the Sausage and Stout Pizza. This pie starts with a honey malted dough made with “Homeland Stout” from the New Helvetica Brewery, house-made beer sausage and mozzarella (the only pizza you will find this on), Caramelized Onions, Crushed Red Peppers, Beer Salt and a Sweet Stout Reduction. The sweetness of the honey merged so well with the stout in the dough, and those flavors paired perfectly with each ingredient. This pizza is going to be hard to beat for me. If you stop by Pizza Rock, you HAVE to try this one.

Sausage Stout Pizza

Pizza Rock’s menu is huge, and you will not be disappointed. Great drinks like the Sweet Home Alabama and the Fat Bottomed Girl (yes, that’s really the name) and delicious appetizers like the Coccoli (Think a hollow, savory donut served with burrata and prosciutto) round out the dining experience!

Coccoli

It’s the perfect time to stop by Pizza Rock to indulge in one of these beauties. Let us know which pie is your pick!

Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates

by SacFoodies

By: Laurel Harrison 
If you forgot to make reservations, buy flowers, or write your S.O’s name in the sky today, don’t fret. Instead, head to Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates, located on 18th and L. Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates features signature and seasonal creations sure to satisfy any sweet tooth, and is holding extended hours today from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. SacFoodies decided to stop in and ask Alison, the executive pastry chef, a few dessert-related questions to help us hone in on the perfect Valentine’s dessert. Valentine’s Day procrastinators – this one’s for you!
If you could only eat one dessert for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Ice cream. There are endless possibilities for flavor combinations and textures you can add. I will never tire of eating it.

If someone was having Ginger Elizabeth chocolates for the first time, what would you recommend they try?
Our bon-bons and macarons. We have 24 flavors of bon-bons, and always have special flavors rotating. The bon-bons are my babies and we have spent years perfecting them. The macarons are delicate, not overly sweet and are an extra special treat as well. We have 7-8 different flavors at a time.
What’s your favorite dessert to make for Valentine’s Day?
I love making our Valentine’s Day entremet cake every year. It is a different flavor each year, and the recipe developing and testing is one of my favorite things to do. This year it is a salty caramel cupcake entremet that has a caramel custard, salted butter caramel, devil’s food cake, and 62% Valrhona bittersweet chocolate mousse.

You can see more dessert options at Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates.
Need more sweet treat ideas? Check out past SacFoodies Valentine’s features below:
Where to Get Something Sweet for your Sweetie in Sacramento 
Sweets for the Sweet
More Chocolate-Covered Strawberries