The downtown plaza has a great farmers’ market on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. We usually head over at lunch time, but last week we had a staff meeting so ended up going close to 2:00, which ended up being very fortuitous for us as you can get incredible bargains! The farmers bagged up their produce and some of our bounty included a huge bag of peaches, pluots and nectarines for $3; huge bag of seedless red grapes $3; cantaloupe $2; bag of green grapes $1.50; bag of pears $1.50; three gorgeous heirloom tomatoes for $1, and flowers for $3 a bunch.
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Thursday is Cajun night at the Shack, 5201 Folsom Blvd.
A Little Piece of Heaven in Des Moines
I was in Des Moines for business a few weeks back and had the pleasure of visiting the test gardens for Better Homes and Gardens magazine. It was incredible! The head gardener has broken the garden into separate sections from evergreens to heirloom tomatoes and peppers. We even stumbled upon them doing a photo shoot for strawberry festival recipes that will run in ’08. If you ever happen to be in Des Moines for business or pleasure, take a stroll through this free public garden located at Locust and 17th. Here are a couple of my favorite pics.
Weekend Round-Up
Here’s two coffee-cups up to Steady Eddy’s coffee house in Winters. We dropped in this weekend for a light lunch and got more than we bargained for – good food, friendly service and a pleasant atmosphere that fostered a gentle hum of conversation among locals and cyclists passing through on their way from Davis to Lake Berryessa.
The paninis, with clever names like Holy Cow and Sgt. Pepper’s Blue Cheese, were yummy, and we also recommend the pecan bar. Big enough for a three-way split between me, my husband and son, my husband’s comment was that it was “better than pecan pie.” And, he is right – lots of nuts and not too syrupy. We’ll be sure to make our way back to the “instantly comfortable” setting of Steady Eddy’s again soon!
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Dessert on Lake Shasta
Houseboating is the ultimate vacation. I had the pleasure of spending three lazy days with my family and dear friends who invited us aboard their houseboat on Lake Shasta this past weekend. We spent hours sitting on the deck telling stories, playing Rummikub, and plunging into the lake. It was heaven. But as a foodie, true heaven is measured by the food that is served in paradise. That said, I owe props to my mother, the best pie maker I know (besides Kira O’Donnell). She brought aboard two scrumptious pies – strawberry rhubarb and raspberry. Thanks mom!
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New “Midtown Taqueria” in East Sac
Housed in the old Sidewalk Pizza building, Midtown Taqueria on 37th and J has only been open for a few weeks, but already is a thriving outdoor eatery. After doing vigorous yard work, we decided to ride our bikes over and check it out. Even though I am very adventurous in dining, I pretty much always order the same thing with Mexican — bean and cheese burrito or carnitas — so those are my standards when judging a new place. The bean and cheese burrito was just the way I like it — not too much cheese and the beans not too saucy. My other set of criteria for judging a new place is the quality and variety of its salsas and Midtown delivered.
They had four full, fresh bowls with a salsa fresca, a mild tomato and onion, a medium poblano avocado, and a medium-spicy orange-ish salsa (not sure of the chiles used). We shared an order of nachos with carnitas, also yummy, but too much sour cream for my taste. My husband got a dang chicken quesadilla that was perfectly fine. The staff was very friendly and the interior and outdoor eating areas very clean. They carry Corona, Pacifico, Modelo (especial and dark) as well as Coors. We’ll definitely be back to try some of the yummy-sounding mariscos — nice to see they have seafood beyond shrimp, which is the case at most taquerias. Next time I’ll trade my bean and cheese burrito for either the bass filet or grilled tilapia.
The Shack, Sacramento
It was a night that couldn’t have been more perfect at The Shack on Thursday, August 9, yet it was still “the pits!” Actually, just one pit, a hand-built-for-the-occasion roasting pit, that yielded the succulent spread for “Food From a Hole Night.” At about 7:30 PM, Chef Gary and his buddy “Kiwi Bob,” with shovels in hand began unearthing the delicacies that awaited the captivated crowd. The food had been roasting for several hours and after the dirt and the coverings were removed, a troop of helpers began carting away seemingly endless mounds of steaming whole chickens, roast pork, potatoes and cabbages.
The bounty was served with an amazing shrimp and citrus salad, and delicious mini-meat pies that were also a huge hit. The music of Section R added to the ambience of a most beautiful night (this is Sacramento in August, right?), and the evening was capped off with a delightful fruit pavlova, made with kiwi, strawberries and fresh whipped cream, all layered between homemade meringues. It was one of those desserts that made you think, “I’ll just have a little of this,” and before you knew it, you were wishing that society allowed you to lick the plate. Another in a seemingly never-ending string of great Thursday nights at The Shack!
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Tomorrow is Second Saturday — Julie Ficker will report on activities at her favorite midtown spots including Java City, L Wine Lounge, Phoenix Gallery, and more!
Chef’s Table – a Bay Area Dining Experience Not to Miss
I received a comment which reminded me of a recent dining experience, and decided that I had to write a post on it. If you’re a foodie and looking for a truly unique dining experience in the Bay Area, I HIGHLY recommend visiting The Chef’s Table, in Lafayette. The concept: renowned chef couple cooks for you and seven of your closest friends, in their personal gourmet kitchen. The experience is fun, educational (for the food-hearted), and entertaining, especially if you come with a lively group of people, which of course, is how I roll.
First, Chef Howard Karp has an amazing resume. He’s taught at several culinary institutions, and has held esteemed positions such as the director of food and beverage operations for the famed Waldorf-Astoria and consultant to the famous Balducci’s Food Operations. However, what really caught my attention was that he’s cooked for FOUR U.S. presidents (including Nixon and Clinton). So of course, my expectations hit the roof before we even walked in the door. Howard runs the home kitchen with his wife, Chef Jamie Imhoff, who is a former student of his and amazing dessert chef herself.
I was accompanied by seven former colleagues, AKA: a rowdy group of self-acclaimed food and wine connoisseurs. We were greeted by Howard and Jaime as they welcomed us into their cozy home and brought us to their gourmet kitchen – with an oversized island surrounding the range: plates and stemware set for eight. The seasonal menu was set a week in advance, and guests are required to supply the wine. The wine was my duty so I “took one for the team” and went wine tasting through the Carneros appellation the weekend prior so that we would have a professionally paired bottle for each of the five courses. I know, life’s hard.
Our dinner was phenomenal. Honestly, one of the best, and definitely THE most gourmet meal I have ever tasted. The first course was baked cream of onion and apple soup with gruyere cheese and calvados, followed by roasted foie gras and port, figs and frisee. The Chefs then gave us a bit of home-made sorbet to cleanse our palate before we proceeded to the main course, which was a white fish dish with a lobster-reduction sauce (from the looks of their Web site they have since removed the dish from the menu, and I don’t remember exactly what it was, however, it was probably the weakest link in the meal so any of the current options would probably be better anyhow). Our fourth course was a refreshing artesian salad. We ended our three-hour meal with a pear tart and homemade cinnamon ice cream.
The best part of the dinner: as the Chefs are preparing these amazing dishes they are explaining the preparation and cooking process; it’s like your personal Food Network show! They discuss favorite local markets as well as answered our (many) questions from ingredients to the latest kitchen tools. Needless to say, Chef’s Table met my expectations.
One tip: Guests select their menu in advance, but I recommend not missing the onion apple soup – the couple is known for it, and for good reason. Pair it with a good “oaky” chard, and you can officially die happy.