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Funky cranberry rice

2023-01-02T19:53:00.003-08:00

The best addition to any dinner, or lunch table. A versatile dish. Easy enough to make for Wednesday dinner, glamorous enough for the holiday table.

Finally chop a medium sweet onion and finely slice three celery stacks. Fry in extra virgin olive oil; do not forget to add salt. Once soft, reduce the heat and continue frying, stirring periodically, until they start caramelizing, 25-20mins.

Bring heat to high, add some minced garlic and a cup of parboiled rice. Cook, stirring continuously, until the rice is translucent; a few minutes. Add half a cup of crisp sauvignon blanc and keep stirring; once absorbed, add another half a cup. When half of it is absorbed, add a teaspoon of better than bouillon and a heaped teaspoon of dijon mustard. Keep stirring until mixed well.

Boil some water in a kettle; alternatively boil one-and-a-quarter cups of water (or stock) in a pot, add the better than bouillon and stir until it is dissolved. I choose the first way; it results in one pot less to wash.

Once the wine is absorbed, add the hot water, one-quarter to a-third-of-a-cup each time. Stir periodically. Add one to two saffron strands and any any other dried herbs you like. Once you use up all the water, add cranberries - I eyeball them, two or three palmfuls, and parsley. Freshly chopped is best; have successfully used dried in the past, when I forgot to include it in my shopping list.

Stir and when all liquid is absorbed, cover and let it sit for 30-45mins. When ready to serve, fluff with a fork and enjoy!

Crispy oven roasted potatoes

2023-01-02T19:04:00.005-08:00

You cannot beat Greek style oven roasted potatoes. The perfect balance between crispy skin followed by the softest potato. Tangy taste perfectly complimented by the sharpness of oregano. The best part? These are the easiest potatoes to roast! Don't believe me? Read on!

I estimate two to three potatoes per person if I am making additional side dishes; more if I am only making a salad with the meat.

Cut the potatoes in pieces. In halves, quarters, even six or eight pieces. I cut mine on the smaller side; I get more surface and thus more crispiness from a potato this way. Think two bites from each piece. I keep the skin on; feel free to peel them. It is harder work and I do think they taste better with the skin.

Preheat the oven to 425F. Spread the potatoes on a single layer on a deep pan. I use my creuset roaster but any heavy duty roasting pan would do. Add salt, pepper, Greek olive oil, oregano, the juice of a lemon, a dry white wine - my go to is a crisp Australian sauvignon blanc, and a spoonful of dijon mustard. Mix well, to ensure all potatoes are evenly coated.

Roast in the oven until crisp, about an hour. Check every 15mins or so, gently shaking the pan so the potatoes do not get stuck and add more wine, if the pan is drying out.

Καλή όρεξη!

No recipe crispy brussels sprouts

2022-02-28T22:26:00.001-08:00

You cannot go wrong with brussels sprouts. Extremely versatile, they can be boiled and served with butter, fried or roasted, whole or chips, sweet or sour. They can be the perfect side to any dinner party.

I prefer roasting to frying. Pan frying may be quicker but it is also less forgiving. I find it challenging to pan cook the brussels sprouts to the perfect crispiness roasting gives; instead they come out soft and juicy.

I do not have a recipe for my brussels sprouts; instead I follow a set of rules that I keep tweaking. The latest set is pretty simple:

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Take a large pan and arrange the brussels sprouts in it, making sure they are not crammed. I like cutting the little tail but I don't think is necessary. Half the larger brussels sprouts, so everything are bite sized pieces. You can add carrot pieces or sweet potatoes, if you want.

Sprinkle olive oil liberally. Add salt, chili flakes or any other herbs or spices you like such as oregano or cayenne pepper. I use dried herbs but fresh will work too, potentially better. Using your hands mix well, to evenly coat the brussels sprouts with the olive oil and herbs and spices.

Roast at 400F for about 30mins. Add maple syrup, shake/mix well to coat the brussels sprouts and continue roasting for another 20-30mins until the brussels sprouts are cooked, crispy on the outside and silky soft on the inside.

I used to add a glass or two of dry wine such as sauvignon blanc - it gives brightness to the dish - but I think it also can make them a bit soggy. I would suggest to try roasting them with a bit of wine and without and see which method you prefer. You can also try using freshly squeezed lemon or orange juice, to get that acid brightness.

Happy cooking! Please feel free to share your tweaks and results in the comments.

Fast & easy honey roasted carrots

2021-11-15T14:48:00.004-08:00

Peel the carrots and cut in half crosswise. Slice the top half of the carrots lengthwise to ensure that all the carrot pieces are of similar size. Arrange on a roasting pan.

In a clean container with a lid - you can use a shaker or an empty jar - add two parts olive oil, one part honey or maple syrup, two parts wine or orange juice. Add salt, cinnamon and pepper flakes to taste. You can substitute pepper flakes for black or cayenne pepper or omit completely. Shake well and pour over the carrots. Mix with a spatula or your hands to distribute the liquid evenly.

Roast in a 350F preheated oven for ~45mins or until tender. Serve and enjoy!

Cook's note: These are usually a big hit; allow 2-4 carrots per person. If you have any leftovers, store in an airtight container and refrigerate. Can be eaten straight from the fridge or warmed up in the microwave.

The perfect mashed potatoes for the perfect feast

2021-11-15T14:34:00.002-08:00

It has started getting cooler, even in San Francisco. The leaves have turned that beautiful golden shade of the fall, you can smell the fires burning when walking, bundled up, in the cold evenings. In other words, it is fall and time for some hearty food!

Choose your favorite meat, a chunky ribeye, a slow cooked brisket, a perfectly seared pork tenderloin. A buttery roasted chicken or turkey for the Thanksgiving feast. Elevate them with mashed potatoes, roasted carrots (recipe here) and a spinach, parmesan and cranberry salad with a tangy balsamic vinaigrette.

Mashed potatoes are easy to make. Buy fresh, good quality potatoes from your favorite farmers market or local grocery shop.. Cut in quarters, smaller if the potatoes are large, and put in a large pot. You can peel the potatoes if you want; I keep the skin on. I love the texture it gives to the dish.

Fill with water, to about three quarters, and add salt. A lot of it, three, four, five tablespoons, a handful. More is better. This is a trick I read in Samin Nosrat's book Salt Fat Acid Heat. Boiling the potatoes in salt water will allow the salt to penetrate the potatoes, perfectly seasoning them from the inside. Cover, bring to boil and simmer until the potatoes are soft. Maybe 30mins or so.

Take off the heat and strain the potatoes. Return the potatoes to the pot and start mashing. I add butter, heavy cream and parmesan; you can substitute heavy cream for yogurt or sour cream and forego the cheese. I add the butter while mashing; I start with one stick, add some cream and then taste and add more. Once the potatoes get creamy, I add grated parmesan, taste and adjust. Guesstimating, to give you a starting point, for ~10 medium sized potatoes I will use approximately one-and-a-half sticks of butter, two-thirds to a half a cup heavy cream and maybe half to two-thirds of a cup grated parmesan. Once you are happy with the consistency, add salt to taste. Depending on how much parmesan you use, you may not need to use additional salt at all. If you like spice, you can add black pepper, cayenne, harissa or hot sauce or even pepper flakes. Start with small amounts, taste and add more, if necessary.

Something to keep in mind; the potatoes will go cold fast, especially if adding cold ingredients such as butter and heavy cream. Using a cast iron/dutch oven pot will keep the potatoes warm and it makes for a beautiful serving container. When mashing the potatoes I keep my pot on the stove at very low heat. Melting the butter and warming up the heavy cream before adding is a good trick too, one I am too lazy to follow.

Happy mashing!

Live from Epidaurus

2020-07-24T09:42:00.002-07:00

Friends,

The one good thing that came out of Covid, except that I am being spared an 80-mile round-trip daily commute, is that we have been given the opportunity to experience unique performances from the comfort of our living rooms.

For me, a performance at the ancient theatre of Epidaurus is a life altering experience. You can feel the spirits of the ancient performers sitting next to you, taking in how the directors interpreted the classics.

The Persians by Aeschylus is such a classic - and has never been more relevant, in these turbulent times we are living. Streaming live this Saturday from the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus - it is simply a cannot-miss.

https://www.livefromepidaurus.gr/?fbclid=IwAR3AvKwFzXx9WV7br9D0yvmiNh1c-VHnq_Hk618KProLyZSDpWmTaPDjBHA

This Saturday 7/25. Streaming starts at 10am PT/1pm ET, performance at 11am PT/2pm ET.

Happy viewing!

Marilena.

Arugula with bacon and pistachios

2019-11-19T19:01:00.000-08:00

Thinly sliCe an onion. Heat a tablespoon of butter in a deep frying pan until it melts. Add the sliced onion and fry until it softens. Reduce the heat and let to caramelize stirring occasionally. In the meanwhile, finely dice a slice of bacon. Thinly slice four gloves of garlic.

Once the onions have started caramelizing - it took about fifteen minutes in the wok I used - add the bacon and the garlic and stir until they brown, two to four minutes. Add some Trader Joe's umami seasoning. Add the arugula - half a bag. Stir until cooked, one to two minutes. Add some more umami seasoning and a handful of pistachios. Stir up to one minute until the pistachios are warm.

Serve with or without hot, crusty bread and Enjoy!

Sunday moon

2019-11-11T16:42:00.003-08:00

It is (almost) Election Day!

2019-11-04T22:32:00.003-08:00

Grilled chicken lunch & dinner ✔️

Baby tomatoes - washed ✔️

Cliff mini bars - ten to share with other election clerks ✔️

Personal water bottle - filled ✔️

Large container filled with water ✔️

Chewing gum ✔️

Advil ✔️

Mail-in ballot - to be returned and vote in person ✔️

Poll worker manual ✔️

Note for UPS to call or come to the polling center because of course they are delivering the wine glasses on the one day I cannot be at home ✔️

Voting is 7am-8pm at your poling center. If you have not received your mail-in ballot, you can vote provisionally.

Happy voting day! Please vote! Democracy depends on all of us!

Easy grilled chicken with roast potatoes

2019-11-04T21:06:00.001-08:00

This is probably the easiest dish to make and it is versatile enough to serve as a simple lunch, weekday dinner or dressed up for guests coming over. A dish I made recently for a friend that was so impressed that asked for the recipe. So here it is!
In a large bowl, mix two parts turmeric, one part chili cayenne (or any other spicy chili you like), two parts salt, two parts oregano and enough olive oil to make the spice mix into a thick but runny paste. You can vary the spice mix by adding two parts garam masala or cumin or more chili cayenne, to achieve your preferred spiciness level.
I use bone-in chicken thighs but you can use most parts of chicken. Personally, I prefer the bone in thighs as they are juicier and cheaper than the chicken breast but this recipe should work with all parts of chicken.
Take four chicken thighs - that is one of the Costco chicken thigh six pack. Remove the skin, wash and pad dry the chicken. If you are a crispy chicken skin person, leave the skin on. Taking it off makes me feel I am eating healthier and allows the chicken thigh flesh to be grilled to crispy perfection.
Add the the spice and olive paste, making sure it coats the whole chicken thigh. Marinate for at least a couple of hours up to a day in food bag or air tight container.
The marinated chicken thighs freeze well so double or triple the recipe quantities and stockpile in the freezer. Use within three months.
Wash and cut the potatoes in quarters and add in a cast iron or over safe pan. Sprinkle your favorite spices: a lot of oregano, salt, a touch of cayenne and turmeric. I think by now we all realized I love turmeric. Mix well for spices and olive oil to coat the potatoes and place in a 425F preheated oven. Keep an eye on the potatoes, shaking the dish/turning every 10-15 minutes; if you time your cooking well they will be ready at the same time as the chicken.
Add butter in a griddle or oven safe frying pan and heat until sizzling. Substitute butter for olive oil if you want your dish to be kosher. Fry each side of the chicken thighs until browned, 3-5 mins each side. This will ensure a super juicy chicken. Put in the oven for thirty minutes, turning once at the fifteen minute mark.
Take out the potatoes and chicken and serve with a tomato and burrata salad. Bliss!
Pictures to come next time I make this dish.

Spinach scrambled eggs

2019-10-03T22:23:00.001-07:00

A cold day in hell. This is what today probably was. I never thought I would be cooking spinach let alone posting about it. It was tastier than I remembered, too.
It all started with me making breakfast. I was planning on a spinach with cranberries salad with a splash of baslamic and maybe a boiled egg. For the protein. I emptied the bag of spinach in the large IKEA bowl and realized it has seen better days. Most leafs were nice and crisp but there were some that looked pretty sad. Not being one to waste food, I thought maybe I should give it a shot and - oh, the horror! - cook it.
To keep things healthy, I grabbed the wok. Put it on the stove and waited for the wok to heat up. In the meanwhile, beat two eggs with some water and fresh pepper. Sticking to the healthy theme, I put the spinach straight to the wok. No butter, no oil, no flavor? Kept swirling it and it kept getting wrinklier and wrinklier. Not a good sight. I added some balsamic for its sweetness and continued swirling the now lumps of spinach. I opened the fridge and looked for some inspiration. And there it was! A half emptied tub of Fage yogurt. Added two heaped tablespoons of yogurt, for the tanginess, and continued stirring. Once the yogurt was incorporated, added the beaten eggs and continued stirring. One second before the eggs fully set, took off the heat and served.

Now the one million dollar question, would I made again? Possibly not. But if I had to, I would cook the spinach a bit more, for the water to evaporate and the spinach lumps to be crispier. But this is just me, a spinach hater.

Sweet carryons

2019-09-19T19:53:00.001-07:00

It doesn’t take much to make people smile at airports. You would think they would be annoyed with SFO’s constant chaotic state but I guess chaos can have a certain charm to it. Or you just get used to it and accept that SFO will always be a mess.

I like baking. I am as good at it as the next person. The trick is to choose recipes that are kind, forgiving. My fallen chocolate souffle cake is a saint of recipe. Once, I forgot to add the flour. It was too late when my friend asked, So, what will you do with the flour you bought? The cake was already half baked. It turned out fine. A rich, flourless chocolate cake. Divine with ice cream. Too rich by itself.

I almost forgot to add the flour this time, too. I remembered it when I had already folded the meringue to the chocolate mix. Sod it, I thought. Add the flour now. The worst that can happen is the batter will deflate and the cake will not rise. Fine. I will make another one. So I gently mixed the flour in. Popped it in the oven and waited. And waited. Forty five minutes later, it was ready. Looked perfect, too. It rose and collapsed, as it should do. Success! Now the difficult part. Take it to Memphis via Denver. Not an easy feat.

First, you need to check in your bag. You do not want to be dragging the bag, carrying the cake and looking for Pokemon at the same time. Ideally, you may want to bring a big enough bag to bring the cake box back.

Once you are checkedin and through Clear suddenly everyone is your friend. In the line for the TSA scanners, people will eye the cake and make comments. As you are waiting at the gate, an elderly lady will declare she is sitting next to you! The air stewardess will jokingly thank you for the cake. At Denver, the sales people at the stalls will ask whether it is a brownie cake. ‘No, it is a chocolate fallen souffle cake. From Epicurious.’ And on the flight to Memphis, a fellow passenger will put the cake under the sit in front of her because you are at 1C and there is no space for the cake.

Which brings me to another point: it seems every time I carry a cake, I get upgraded. I got upgraded when I brought the monster cake from Billy’s bakery in New York. I got upgraded when I baked and carried a cake for another team team in New York. And now, when I am hauling one to Memphis. Sweet, sweet luck! 😊

If you are wondering, I was surprising one of my team mates for her birthday. I promised her when we started the project I would make her a cake for her birthday and asked what she liked. Chocolate was her response. Chocolate fallen souffle it is then!

What is shiny and hates denim?

2019-09-11T16:13:00.000-07:00

Apple now has a credit card. Titanium and pretty sleek but please keep it away from denim or leather; the material will cause permanent discoloration. Quite a disaster for such a shiny thing. Instead, one should invest in a velvet or silk lined mahogany box to display the card while protecting it from the elements.

And before I hear any snarky comments about the Apple groupies that already applied for the card, please know that I am also the proud owner of a Titanium Apple card. I will sheepishly admit that did not apply for it the first day I got the email. Shame! shame! shame!

It is a sleek card. 2% cash back if you use Apple Pay. I will take it. Correcting. Not only I will take it, I will tell the cashier at Bed, Bath & Beyond, who also has an iPhone and uses Apple Pay, to apply for it because 2% is 50 bps higher than Chase and Amex. It is issued by Goldman Sachs - I see some folks frowning, did I mention the titanium card and the 2% cash back when using Apple Pay?

The balance is due at the end of the month and you can choose to pay in full or in installments. You can also schedule future payments but there does not seem to be a recurring payment option which is pretty annoying. I am waiting to see if I am given the option when my statement is issued to set up a recurring payment but I already provided my informal feedback on this omission. I am hoping this is not a sinister plot to collect late payment fees or interest for all the absent-minded Apple card owners out there!

Apply at https://www.apple.com/apple-card/ and thank me later. I will allow you to take me to dinner with all that fabulous cash back!

The friendly skies Part 1

2019-08-27T21:35:00.001-07:00

Newark. The one in Jersey, not in California. The bane of my traveling existence. An airport that sees its fair share of rain and snow. An airport that paralyses when sees said rain and snow.
Clear made getting through the SFO TSA a breeze on a Sunday. They should be called Breeze not Clear. Time for a rebranding exercise. I was so impressed, I encouraged my seatmate, an 1K Professor from Illinois, to sign up. It is free for 1Ks after all. It was so much faster than Pre (check), I had ample time to get food, battle in a raid and takeover three gyms. I was living the life.
We boarded and started on our merry way. Did some work, took a nap and woke up to the captain announcing we are getting diverted to Chicago because Newark was slowing flights in and out of the airport due to thunderstorms. We would refuel and take off again, just so we would not circle the Jersey skies.

So we landed. And we taxied to a remote area. With other planes in the same situation as us. The captain walked the plane and talked with people. Basically Newark went into a ground stop. No flights in or out. Beautiful. We could leave the plane to head to the terminal but our suitcases will stay here and we wouldn't be able to board again. Not a particularly appealing option. In the meanwhile, United started canceling or diverting all other flights to/from Newark. There was a strong probability we would be spending the night in Chicago. The planes next to us deplaned; were we next? And did Blackbird have availability for dinner tonight? I might make the most of the windy city, if stuck here.

Our captain probably had some dirt on air traffic control because we stayed put. United keep sending their usual wishy washy text messages pushing back our departure time by half an hour each time. Not the direct types, they prefer to break delay news in half hour chunks.

The ground stop was finally lifted and we waited. And then it happened. We got the ok to take off. Cabin door closed, everyone in their seats and ready to go! Not before we got a rerun of the safety video though; apparently once the cabin door opens, we must sit through the safety demonstration again. You learn something new every day.

We spend just over three hours on the ground in Chicago. We had some rough turbulence on the way to EWR. Expected, it was. It had to be semi-rough weather to bring Newark to a ground stop. We made it; many people were delayed even more or had their flights canceled well into the next day. Of course, my Sunday adventures continued after we landed but thankfully Cheryl and the AC Hotel Times Square saved the day.

Planes picture also on Instagram.

Clear. Better than gummy bears

2019-08-18T13:48:00.000-07:00

I can count the times I was upgraded in the last year on one hand. At least in the SFO/EWR route. In the universe's credit, I did get the upgrade on the two times I needed it the most and it did not cost me anything. Long story for another post. So one naturally asks, why do I stick with United? Except for the free snack - gummy bears for my team if you must know - I get on every flight, what's in it for me? Upgrades to Kansas City or Denver or Omaha Nebraska? Do they really worth this loyalty, especially when Delta fliers with lesser status get upgraded from/to SFO? All good questions...

Reality is I do like my freebies. Even if they are gummy bears. The last Mileage Plus benefit United came up with though, might be actually worth something. Clear memberships! United formed a partnership with Clear and they offer the service to their Mileage Plus members at a discount that varies by status level, waving the annual fee for 1K members. I knew that all this flying one day would pay off!

It is a simple process. You register online and then you finish the process at any Clear center in an airport. You will be fingerprinted and your eyes will be scanned. That is your id card. On flight day, you can choose to be identified with your fingerprints or your eyes, scan your boarding pass and jump the precheck line. Not too bad.

Now, we know me. I love my freebies. So when United sent an email informing us of the new service, I thought why not? People have been raving about Clear and what is the worse that will happen if they suffer a data breach?

The online registration was simple. Took five minutes max. The next step was to head to a Clear kiosk at an airport, show id, get photographed, fingerprinted and get a retina scan and I would be all set. Last Friday evening I landed at SFO and was making my way to the garage to pick up my uber when I saw Clear. Maybe I should finish the registration now, I thought. The Clear folks directed me to the registration kiosk where the lady looked me up, authenticated me and took my fingerprints and retina scan.

Come Monday, I walked to the kiosk. Scanned my eyes and there I was! Scan the boarding pass and a Clear agent walked me to Jerry, the TSA agent, who looked at my boarding pass and sent me my merry way.
Fastest TSA screening ever. I am a fan.

Pink Martini in the park

2019-08-16T23:06:00.001-07:00

Stern Grove was sunny and hot, a stark difference to the gloomy weather when I danced to Pink Martini at the same venue six years ago. Despite getting there at 11:30 last Sunday morning, the park was already three quarters or so full. We found a flat, shaded spot, spread our blankets, put the bubbly in the ice and started with bread and cheese. We had two-and-a-half hours till showtime...

The park was buzzing with energy, the company was fun and the wine was ice cold. Our spot was shaded from the blazing sun so we ate, drank, caught up with old friends and made new ones.

At 2:00pm it finally started! About time; we were two bottles of wine down. Barrio Manouche, a San Francisco based ensemble opened the show. They perform original compositions inspired from the places that touched them. It was melodically beautiful and different but somehow it felt like it didn't belong. Stern grove was buzzing. Barrio Manouch were not. They were mellow. And paled to what followed.

Pink Martini were next and this girl was excited. Now, if you know me, you know I love Pink Martini. I love their music, their lyrics, their showpersonship. I appreciate them supporting new talent and giving them the opportunity to be on the stage but I am not there for the guests. I am there for Pink Martini doing what they do best: singing their own music. The guests are a bonus, the amuse bouche of music.
I was in for a disappointment. It took some time after Bario Manouche completed their set for the stage to be set up for Pink Martini. When they finally came to the stage, the crowd erupted. China Forbes opened the show and it spectacular! Ari Shapiro fans were in for a treat as he performed in a few songs, including a solo. As for me, I was not sure what the big fuss is. He is good looking and a performer but I am not sure if Ari would have been a 'thing' if not for the NPR name

The show was mostly about the guests and less about China Forbes. Apparently, she still has been having trouble with her voice and has been taking a step back from concerts. For the non-hard core Pink Martini fans, China Forbes underwent vocal surgery in 2011 or so. Pink Martini toured that year with Storm Large so China would have enough time to recover. The collaboration took the fans by storm - pun intended - and it has continued since. It seems that for this show, Pink Martini decided to put the spotlight on their guests and reduce the stress on China's vocal cords/

I felt a bit cheated. It was a free concert but it still felt short. Half of the pieces performed were covers or performed by one of the guests. We left and I was craving more. Six years ago it felt they played longer.

Sunday was fun, do not take me wrong. It could have been so much more. Now the question in my mind is the December concerts. I am not paying SF Jazz prices to listen to Pink Martini's guests and covers. I guess though that being a paid concert with a hefty price tag, it will not be the same as the Stern Grove one. Different setting, different requirements. At least one can hope...

Post phone snatching walks

2019-08-11T09:10:00.001-07:00

I have been jumpy since last Saturday. Jumpy when walking around the city. Jumpy around bikes, scooters, joggers. I cried out when a jogger overtook me on Portero Avenue and I screamed when I bike turned a corner and came towards me, hoping to avoid the craziness of 11th street. At first I thought it was the initial shock of the phone snatching and it would go away. But it did not. It grew. It has gotten to the point that people realize they scare me and apologize for startling me.

The police officer knew this. He shared a small printed paper with resources to assist victims of crime; he said despite the thief not physically attacking me, the shock of the theft could cause stress. San Francisco has a lot of resources to support victims of crime; and I should reach out when needed.

All crimes, not just the ones that physically injure the victim, may

cause post traumatic stress. A violent crime does not have to physically hurt you. Any violation of your person and space is violent towards you even if it did not cause physical harm. Victims of crime may go into self-blaming mode 'It is my fault because I was walking a texting' 'I should have been more careful'. None of these are true. It is never the victim's fault. The thief, or more accurately, the predator, violated the victim's right to feel safe in their community and personal space. To walk in their neighborhood, talk to their friends, have a coffee without coming to harm. There is no being in the wrong place at the wrong time; there is a bad person looking for opportunities to cause harm. No one should feel unsafe in their community.

For now, I am trying to heal. It will take time to stop feeling hunted. To my fellow bicyclists, joggers and other pedestrians. I apologize in advance for getting startled. It is not you but it was someone like you.

When delayed in Denver

2019-08-06T16:06:00.000-07:00

I was not impressed with two things at Denver airport: United's inability to estimate how long the delay would be - for goodness sake, you know where the crew is and how long it will take to fly here - and the food options. I was, however, impressed with the lack of Pokemon players - which meant I placed Blisseys and Snorlaxes at four gyms and the food and wine at Cru.
Cru is a small, crammed wine bar with a small window looking on to the tarmac. It is cute but have I mentioned it is crammed? It also looks extremely familiar to the wine bar at Terminal 3 in SFO; it is surprising how airport wine bars look the same.
The menu is small but well executed. I had the stone fire Margarita and it was very tasty. Crispy base and gooey cheese. At $14 it is pretty steep for the size put this is an airport and I will choose quality over price.
Te Chateau de Carrou Sancerre was delicious but not worth the $18 a glass. Next time I will go for the Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc; a better value at $12.
Total, with the taxes, came to $34.56 plus $7 tip.
So, next time you find yourself stuck in Denver because United is (again!) delayed, check Cru out. The plane might not leave on time but after a glass of wine and a bite, you might not care that much!

A phone lost and found

2019-08-03T16:28:00.001-07:00

In June there were 148 larceny thefts,excluding auto thefts, just under five a day, in the Mission district. The July statistics are not out yet; should be soon. When the August numbers come out, I will be part of those statistics.

This morning started as nice as a morning with a dental appointment can be. It was sunny but not too hot and I made plans for morning coffee with a friend before my dental torture.
I was walking down Bryant Street texting. I know, rookie move but I was one quarter into the sidewalk and it was just after 10am. Broad daylight, people around, bikes and cars on the street. And then I see a bike zooming by and a gentleman looking down at me from his bike and snatching my iPhone, which I was holding with both hands. I start running after him shouting 'Stop that guy, stop that guy, he stole my phone!' And then I shout, 'Sir, give me my phone back!' You have to give it to me, remembering my manners in such a situation.

And then, like in the movies, a two door car stops and a door opens. The driver motions her son to move to the back sit, waves to me to get in and asks 'What happened?' Between sobs, I explain that my phone got stolen and off we drive to find the guy. Once it proves a futile effort, I suggest she drops me at a police station. We thought that there was one at 850 Bryant, byt that is just the courts. The officer, puzzled with a sobbing me suggests I go to the third street station. I think about it, and between tears, I decide to go to the AT&T store close to the crime scene, suspend service, see if we can locate he iPhone and then report the theft at the police station on Valencia.

I walk back and between sobs, curse the Universe. As I am approaching 16th Street, I see two policemen talking to a gentleman. 'Great!' I think. 'Another theft.' I run and wave frantically so they don't leave. They wave back. Bizarre. I decide against jaywalking in front of law enforcement and cross the street to them. 'My phone got stolen!' I say. 'We know. We have it.' A miracle on Bryant Street! I am excited and still upset. They tell the witness he can go and ask me if I want to file a report. Of course! I provide my id, my recollection of the event and a picture of me and the phone. 'So, what happened?' I asked 'How did you find the phone?' 'Folsom and 15. He chased after the thief who dropped the phone.'

Miracles do happen. The gentleman that was there saw the thief and heard my cries. He was riding his bike so he chased the thief until he dropped my phone on Folsom and 15th. The phone is almost pristine, except for a small crack on the top left corner.

As for me, I will be taking a pause from public phone usage for now. Today I kept the iPhone safely tucked away in my purse, looked at bikes suspiciously and used the phone in street corners, away from the street and people. I probably looked suspicious but I could not be too cautious. And of course, no Pokemon for the time being unless in a safe area. Which means, no shiny ralts for me today.

Now a few thanks. If you know either the lady or the gentleman, I would appreciate an introduction, to thank them for their help.
To the lady that stopped to see if she could help a crying and upset person in the middle of the street: THANK YOU! Maybe it was not the most brilliant idea to get into a car of a person that I didn't know but your care and concern is rare in these times we are living.
To the two officers: THANK YOU! I was upset and in tears and you tried to calm me down.
But most importantly, to the gentleman that chased the thief until he dropped my phone: THANK YOU! I regret not asking before the police dismissed you what happened and not thanking you properly. You saved a very bad day. I will check the report and see if the witness name is mentioned, to send a proper thank you. I will pass on forward your kindness and wish the Universe repays you.

San Francisco, I still love you, but maybe it is time to clean your act. Having my phone snatched is one thing, having it grabbed from my hands on my street is another. Bryant Street should have been my safe place.

Tahini cookies

2018-11-09T09:15:00.000-08:00

Tahini is one of my favorite ingredients to use. It is versatile. You can make it into a simple yet delicious dip. You can use it instead of butter and dairy to make a creamy mushroom sauce that even your fasting Greek friends will ask for seconds. And thirds. You can add it in chicken casserole or stir fry. Or you can use it in baking. In Cyprus we make tahinopittes, pastries with tahini, the most delicious pastries you ever had! They are dairy and egg free, suitable for vegans and fasting. They take some time to make. These tahini cookies do not, and they are a very close second.
I sourced the recipe from Epicurious but my tahini cookies did not come out looking like their pictures. The general feedback was that the dome shape allowed for more delicious crumbliness in the cookies.

I doubled the recipe and the cookies barely lasted a second. I ended up with around 32 to 36 cookies, far fewer than Epicurious' estimate.
You will need four (4) cups of all purpose flour, two (2) teaspoons of baking powder, one (1) teaspoon of sea salt, three (3) sticks of butter, one and a half (1.5) cups of sugar, six (6) tablespoons of honey, one and a half (1.5) cups tahini, and sesame seeds to coat the cookies in.
I remembered to soften the butter so I counted that as a success story. I bought the Greek Haitoglou tahini sold in bulk at Rainbow Grocery. At $3.95 per pound was just over half the price of the other bulk tahini they stock from Oregon.

Place the oven racks at the bottom and tip of your oven and preheat it to 350F. Using my beloved yellow Kitchenaid called Sunshine because it is the sunshine of my life, I beat the butter, sugar and honey. I added the tahini and then just added the flour, baking powder and salt. I did not bother to whisk them together like Epicurious suggests; I find it an unnecessary step resulting into more bowls for washing.

My dough was not sticky as Epicurious'; it was crumbly but held together. I am not sure why the difference to the dough stickiness, but it does impact the finished product. My cookies came out pretty much the round shape I made them into and they did not spread out like the ones on the Epicurious pictures. I think they were better dome shaped; when you bit into a cookie, it was crumbling in your mouth! Delicious!
I am guessing the difference comes to the tahini; it is possible that Epicurious used a stickier tahini. The honey I used was from the Holy Monastery of the Theotokos the Life Giving Spring and it was not as runny as the commercial honeys we buy. That could be another factor.

Using an IKEA soup spoon, I scooped heaped spoonfuls of the dough, shaped them into balls and rolled them into sesame seeds. Spaced them apart two inches or so. Baked the cookies 13 minutes in total, switching the baking sheets at the seven minute mark.

Let them cool and voila! Tahini cookies to enjoy with your coffee!
To make a vegan version, substitute the butter with oil - try using sesame oil.

Easy deviled eggs

2018-08-08T19:08:00.000-07:00

You don't need need a recipe for fabulous deviled eggs! You just need a dozen or two, week old-eggs, a pot, something creamy, something spicy and something tart. You don't believe me? Hear me out; what do you have to lose?

Put the eggs in a pot so they fit in snugly in one layer. Avoid using fresh eggs if you can; they will be a pain to peel. A week or ten day old eggs would do best and will make peeling a breeze. Add cold water to two thirds of the pot. Bring to boil, cover and let simmer for five minutes. remove from the stove and let stand for ten minutes. Take the eggs out of the water and let them cool.
Peel the eggs, cut in half, remove the yolks in a large bowl and arrange the egg white shells on a platter.
Now the fun part; creating the yummy filling. You can go the traditional route and use mustard, mayonnaise and paprika. Or you can make them dairy free by adding finely chopped sundried tomatoes, olive oil and hot sauce. Or substitute mayonnaise with yogurt and use hot sauce instead of mustard. The options are endless. Epicurious suggest using half a cup of something creamy and four tablespoons of something spicy. Use this as rough guidance. If you use thick Greek yogurt you will probably need less than if you go down the crème fraîche or sour cream route.
To add the devil in the deviled eggs look for the spicy component in liquid or paste form. Mustard ticks both the spicy and tart boxes. If you want to experiment, consider using sriracha or hot sauce with lime and avocados and sour cream for a Mexican twist, curry paste, yogurt and vinegar for the Indian version or cayenne pepper, yogurt or olive oil, sundried tomatoes and lemon for a Greek deviled egg.
Fill the egg white shells using a pastry bag or a tea spoon. Sprinkle paprika, chives, coriander, dill, pepper or even fried onions.

Happy eating!

Baked brie with mushrooms Marilena's way

2017-06-08T19:21:00.000-07:00

It all started with an invitation to friends to come over and make pastitsio. It is a filling dish but it takes two hours from when you first chop the onion to pastitsio on your plate. You definitely need a few appetizers to go with your wine while you are pretending to be the next best thing after Argiro in the kitchen! What to make, what to make...
A wedge of brie in the fridge was demanding to be the centerpiece of one of the appetizers and I happily obliged. Epicurious had a recipe that made me drool but seemed necessarily complicated. Why not adapt it to my style? Easier done than said.

Finely chop one shallot and fry in two tablespoons of butter until soft. While the shallot is simmering in the butter, chop just over one pound or crimini mushrooms. Add to the pan with one tablespoon of butter. Stir so the butter covers all the mushrooms; once they absorb all the butter and the pan appears dry add one or two more tablespoons. Repeat a few more times until the mushrooms are cooked; in total you would have added six to seven tablespoons of butter - in addition to the two the shallots fried in.
Add salt, cayenne pepper and thyme. Fresh is better but I forgot to get some. I used dry thyme and it worked well. Add one to one and a half glasses of sauvignon blanc or any other dry white wine and a teaspoon of beef bouillon. Simmer until most of the liquid evaporates and the sauce has thicken. Taste and adjust salt and spices, as desired.
In the meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F. Take a small oven proof soup bowl; I bought mine from Sur la table but they no longer seem to stock them. A cheap but plain alternative is this one at $7. Else, this four piece set from Le Creuset at just under $100 makes a more stylish and more expensive alternative.
Cut the top rind from the brie and put in the pot. If using a wedge piece of brie, cut into pieces to fit snugly into the pot. Once the brie melts in the oven, it will look beautiful. Spoon the mushroom mix on top of the brie and bake for approximately 15 minutes. Serve hot with hot baguette slices (not shown) and crackers (shown).

Bon Appétit!

Nico, quite the letdown

2017-06-06T17:20:00.000-07:00

I have been dying to try Nico since they opened amid glowing reviews a few years back. They offer a five course tasting menu at $70 per person; quite reasonable for San Francisco standards. Now, you are wondering what stopped me to dine there till now; it is not French Laundry prices after all. Well, they require a credit card to secure the reservation. And nothing scares me more than committing to where I will eat more than a day in advance. How would I know what I would be in the mood for? I do not have a crystal ball...
In April, a special occasion came up. We were going to dine with two close friends we have not seen in quite some time. Fabulous company demands fabulous surroundings. Enter Nico, all set for the last Saturday of April.
Our friends are not big drinkers and everyone had a different preference to their drinks including requests for a beer and a cocktail. Even the wine drinkers could not agree on white or red. Four people, five opinions. So, we went the easy way, wine by the glass. At around $15 and $18 per glass, we assumed the selection would have been at least acceptable. We were mistaken. I was hoping for a nice, crisp white. I tried all on offer and they were unmemorable. Maybe that is ok if you charge $6 per glass for house white but not at the price point Nico is. A great wine compliments the meal! I can think of at least many wonderful bottles of a French white at most $18 retail. That would give you more than 200% markup, since you will get the bottle wholesale. Nico, let's talk! And if we are talking, let's talk about training your wait staff not to roll their eyes at your guests because your guests have an average palate and are not happy paying $18 for a below average white. I saw him, and it was not nice.
In the end, I got a glass of the bubbles and hoped that the food would have made up for the experience. I will spoil the surprise and tell you that this was one of the most unmemorable meals I had in a long time. Add the price tag and it becomes one of the biggest disappointments in said period.

We started with a welcome dish, a savory madeleine. It was tasty, if a bit dry. Little I knew it would be one of the best items of the meal.
We were also offered bread throughout our meal; plain french village bread. Nothing spectacular but helps to fill you up.

Next, and the first item of the tasting menu, the salad. It was fresh and leafy but there was no balance of flavors. It felt forced together; ingredients that were bought from the local market and thrown together with no cohesiveness.
Availability of ingredients should suggest a direction not dictate it. If the dish does not taste good when brought together, it is not meant to be. Market to table for the sake of calling it that is pretentious and insulting to your customers. Strong words but food is an experience. Dish 1 and it has started cracking.

Then the asparagus with the shaved foie gras arrived. I have been waiting for the foie gras all afternoon! Enter slight disappointment. The asparagus had no flavor but I ate it because I was hungry. The shaved foie gras added flavor, depth and some texture. I am guessing that shaving the foie gras versus frying it meant less foie gras and thus less expense per guest. #stingy
Penny counting is not cool when in a Michelin starred restaurant with a tasting menu. Your customers are not idiots. Cutting corners and presenting it as the desired result leaves a bitten taste in our mouths. If using foie gras, be respectful to it. Shaving it to take it a longer way while not adding anything to the dish is unfortunate, at best.

Then it was the salmon. Average. Not bad, not great. Edible. Anyone that knows me will tell you that I am usually not a salmon fan. This dish did not convert me. Now, another salmon I tried recently almost did, but that was another day, another restaurant.

The meat was fabulous, only because Nico honored it. Plainly cooked and quite delicious, compared to the other dishes. Objectively, it was a decent meat. Just a sliver above average. In the company it was, tasted majestically. The bar was low. Very low.
Mind you, those green leaves around it, I never understood their purpose. I guess Nico wanted to contribute to our five servings of vegetables a day so he dumped them on the plate. It worked. I was hungry. I ate them. End of story.

The palate cleanser was the star of at least the dessert part of the evening; refreshing and creamy. I would have eaten three more easily. Nico, here is an idea. Swap the dessert with a larger portion of the palate cleanser. No. Honestly, do.

The last dish followed the evening theme of mediocrity. A weird combination of green tea and chocolate meant I did not finish my dessert. Nico, be proud. It does not happen often.

The final bill came to $440 including 20% (on total incl. tax) tip. Despite the waiter's eye rolling.

The verdict? Two stars. I am feeling generous. A combination of average food, bad wine and eye rolling staff means it is either one or two. I liked the meat and the palate cleanser. Saved you from being rock bottom.

By the way, Via Michelin, you may want to reconsider that Michelin star. This experience was not an off night, it was mistake after mistake. Nico was not worthy of an honorable mention, let alone a star.

Nico is located at 3228 Sacramento St in San Francisco.

Creamy, herby cheese dip

2017-05-23T19:50:00.002-07:00

When you first taste this cheese dip you would be forgiven to think that it is cumbersome to make with exotic or difficult to get ingredients. It is rich, smooth as silk with an oh so light hint of spice.
You are mistaken! This dish can be assembled in less than ten minutes, excluding the time you need to wait for the cream cheese to soften to room temperature. This wait is the difficult part...
The recipe calls for a food processor; no need to rush out and buy one. If you already have one, great! Add all the ingredients and pulse them; else just mix them using a hand mixer.
Start by softening an 8oz full fat cream cheese packet - I like Philadelphia - and two tablespoons of unsalted butter to room temperature for about an hour to an hour and a half. Wash three quarters of a parsley bunch and finely chop the leaves. Do not include the stems; their crunch does not go with the smoothness of the cheese. Add half a teaspoon of salt, a minced glove or garlic or two and approximately a sixth of the packet of chives you get at the produce section. Mix well using the dough hook attachment of a hand mixer. Chill for about two hours before you serve.
It is easy to make in large quantities and great for garden parties or game days. Serve it with crackers or toast; I find that Stanley's pita chips are easy to pour out of the bag and their crunch compliments the cheese's smoothness.
Keep well in the fridge, if you have any leftovers, and tastes fabulous on toasted bagels too!
Enjoy!

Almost Trader Joe's chocolate balls

2017-01-25T20:45:00.000-08:00

In general, I like my chocolate in bars. Smooth, creamy bars. So, naturally, I did turn my nose up to the energy balls Celeste offered me when I went over to make the onesie for the baby shower for baby Bersch. I was hungry, though. So I thought what the heck. I tried one. They were quite divine! Creamy and crunchy at the same time. The one ball became five very fast. The biggest shock? Celeste used a recipe off a Trader Joe's flaxseed packet. Seriously?
It seems that these days any packet of flaxseeds or nuts has an energy bar recipe on it. Some are good, most are bad. The one Celeste used, the Trader Joe's flaxseeds recipe is one of the better ones, if you make some changes.
What you will see below is my take on Celeste's recipe. She substitutes almond butter for the peanut butter which I think is a stroke of genius. It might be more expensive but it makes for a more balanced, creamy chocolate goodness in your mouth.
My additions are of the indulgence type. I use half maple syrup half Greek honey and I increased the quality from a third of a cup to a combined half a cup. I also added a splash of brandy. So to make the almost Trader Joe's chocolate balls, you just need to follow our lead.

In a large bowl add a cup of rolled oats, half a cup maple syrup or a quarter maple syrup and a quarter honey, half a cup almond butter, a teaspoon of vanilla extract and three teaspoons of brandy. Mix well and let sit for five to ten minutes so the liquids soften the oats a bit. Roughly chop one and a half bars of Guittard semi sweet chocolate into chocolate chips; it should yield about half a cup. Finely grind the flaxseed using a coffee grinder. Add half a cup of the flaxseed and the chocolate chips to the bowl with the oats and mix well.

We now get to the sticky part; using your hands form small balls of chocolate goodness. I found that squeezing the mixture before rolling it to a ball helps it keep its shape.

Freeze for half an hour to an hour to set. Take out of the freezer and enjoy!

A few things to keep in mind:

The chocolate balls are best kept in the fridge else they get gooey. That is if they last long enough to have this problem.

Let the oats sit a bit in the liquids to soften up else you might end up with sticky oats on your teeth.

The mixture tends to be very sticky so this is not a recipe to make with children unless you do not mind sticky chocolate bits on every piece of furniture.
A soup spoon of the mixture will make one large ball; squeeze it and then roll it into shape.

Use a container with a lid for the freezing part to avoid freezer smells on our chocolate. Line with wax or parchment paper so the chocolate balls do not stick to it.

Also, despite this being a Trader Joe's recipe, I get my ingredients from Rainbow instead of Trader Joe's. I find Rainbow's bulk quality better than any other grocery store in San Francisco. I also use Guittard chocolate and the highest quality of maple syrup, honey and almond butter I can find.