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BAY AREA NEWS GROUP ||| WWW.MERCURYNEWS.COM 001 SECTION F ||| SUNDAY, APRIL 16, 2017

The Dish

PEBBLE BEACH FOOD & WINE

The big 1-0

From a global taco fiesta to
a sake-fueled omakase lunch,

SPRING
Pebble Beach Food & Wine will
celebrate its 10th anniversary
with events for all palates.
But it takes a culinary village
— more than 100 chefs and 250
winemakers — to put on the
four-day extravaganza, set for

COOKING
April 20-23. Lots of big names
will participate, with the Bay
Area’s Thomas Keller, Dominique
Crenn, Michael Mina, Peter
Armellino and Charles Phan
among them.
Among the highlights: an
“Omakase Magnum Party”

BY THE
with chefs Roy Yamaguchi,
Akira Back, Mike Lofaro and
Ken Tominaga; cooking demos
by Curtis Stone and Naomi
Pomeroy; a Bocuse d’Or Team
USA dinner and grand tastings.
Tickets start at $100 and

BOOK
range up to the $6,500 VIP
experience. Details: www.pbfw.
com.

Six new volumes fro

superstar chefs will m
you to some inspire guide
d dining
THINKSTOCK

Peeps pairings
First, there were the candy
PAGE 2
corn-wine pairings. Then the
Girl Scout cookie-beer pairings.
Did you actually think no one
was going to start madly pairing
Peeps and wine?
The crew at Napa’s Josh
Cellars would like to suggest
that you pair their chardonnay
with the “sugary flavor and fluffy
texture” of Peeps, their rosé with
Cadbury Cremes and their pinot
noir with those milk chocolate
bunnies you swiped from your
kid’s Easter basket.
These are controversial
pairings, though. We’ve got a
San Francisco sommelier who
says Peeps should be paired
with a French sparkling rosé and
Cadbury Cremes with Madeira.
And another expert who agrees
with the chardonnay-Peeps
pairing, but says that if you’re
pairing bunnies, you need port.
Clearly, this needs research.
We’ll hold the chocolate bunnies,
while you go do that.

ROSEWOOD SAND HILL

Hendricks on ice
HBO’s “Silicon Valley” kicks
off its fourth season on April 23,
channeling the start-up culture
and venture capital climate
of Northern California’s tech
world. Palo Alto’s Rose & Crown,
Reposado and Philz Coffee THINKSTOCK
make cameo appearances in
the show, and Rosewood Sand
Hill, the VC fave in Menlo Park,
plays itself. So it’s only fitting
that Madera, Rosewood’s chic
restaurant, salute the return of More Inside
Richard Hendricks and the Pied
Piper gang with a Hendricks’
Cucumber Cooler, perfect for
negotiating capital infusions
— or possession of the remote.
Now Ashlen Gianforcaro,
Madera’s lounge manager, is
sharing the cocktail recipe, so
you can sip it at home, too:
Muddle fresh basil leaves and
a few slices of cucumber with
1.5 ounces Hendricks Cucumber
Gin, .5 ounce St. Germaine and

5 6
3 ounces soda water. Strain over
ice. Top with a 1.5-ounce splash EAT: There’s more in the brunch
of ginger beer. Garnish with
cucumber and contemplate the recipe file than stratas. There’s
folly of click-farm shenanigans. this delicious, asparagus-topped
— Staff egg dish, for example.
7
DRINK: Ever wondered how
the wine gets into the bottle? Six
surprising tidbits, from the clink-
ing, clanking noise to the BPM.
PLAY: From the Hewlett-
Packard garage to the Computer
History Museum, a nerd-lover’s
tour of eight geeky wonders.
Eat
001 >> F2 >> SUNDAY, APRIL 16, 2017 H
Next Week
The Bay Area’s best burger
and beer pairings.

BAY AREA NEWS GROUP

Sizzling new cookbooks for spring

By Jackie Burrell, Mary Orlin and Jessica Burma Superstar: Addictive
Yadegaran
jburrell@bayareanewsgroup.com, morlin@bayareanewsgroup.
Recipes from the Crossroads
com and jyadegaran@bayareanewsgroup.com of Southeast Asia
The book: Owner Desmond Tan’s long-
Spring has arrived, in all its blossoming, awaited first cookbook (with co-author Kate
fruitful glory. Small green shoots are emerg- Leahy) reveals the rise of this beloved Inner
Richmond neighborhood restaurant, along
ing from the lush loam of Bay Area farms, with personal stories of growing up in Burma
and fruit trees are adorned with frothy pet- and immigrating to San Francisco at age 12,
als. And a fresh new cookbook crop has plus 90 recipes to re-create these vivid, intoxi-
arrived to provide a little culinary inspira- cating dishes at home.
“Burma Superstar: Addictive Recipes from
tion for all those spring berries and greens. the Crossroads of Southeast Asia” (Ten Speed,
Among them: a new Tartine volume, the $30, 272 pages) is finally here, which means
first Burma Superstar cookbook and Me- longtime fans of savory Pork and Pumpkin
Stew, Fiery Tofu, Mohinga (fish noodle soup)
lissa Clark’s bid to change the dinner game. and other iconic dishes can enjoy their favor-
Here’s the scoop. ites at home, while reading fascinating stories
about Burma then and Myanmar now. Ingre-
Tartine All Day: Modern COURTESY OF JOHN LEE
dient lists are understandably long, and the
clear instructions are involved — how could
Recipes for the Home Cook they not be, when you’re creating these com-
The book: Tartine Bakery’s James Beard Burma Superstar’s Tea Leaf Salad plex combinations? With stunningly beautiful
Award-winning pastry chef Elisabeth Prueitt Serves 4 as part of a larger meal photographs and touching stories about Tan
shares personal tales — turns out the baker is and his team, this is a memoir-style cookbook
gluten-intolerant — as well as recipes in this 6 cups thinly sliced sunflower seeds to examine and contemplate.
useful, inspirational volume, which focuses on romaine lettuce 1 tablespoon toasted Great for: Anyone who loves Southeast
home cooking. (about 1½ heads sesame seeds Asian cuisine or has visited a Burma Superstar
“Tartine All Day,” (Lorena Jones Books, romaine) 1 Roma tomato, outpost in Alameda or Oakland, as well as San
$40, 384 pages) is inviting and approachable, ½ cup tea leaf seeded and diced Francisco — and longs to cook those fragrant
with irresistible, easy-to-follow recipes that dressing 1 small jalapeño, curries and chewy samosas.
run the gamut from basic aioli to Dry-Rubbed (see recipe below) seeded and diced The dish: Tea Leaf Salad, the crunchy salad
Tri-Tip, creamy Vegetable Slaw and Tartine’s ¼ cup fried garlic (about ¼ cup) featuring fried garlic chips, shredded romaine,
Chocolate-Almond cake. The mouthwatering chips (see recipe) 1 tablespoon shrimp toasted peanuts, jalapeno, shrimp powder,
image on the book cover is for her blueberry ¼ cup fried yellow powder Roma tomatoes and lime, is so popular, it has its
jam, by the way. Prueitt covers all the meals, split peas 2 teaspoons fish own cult following. Tan even offers a way to fake
from brunch to dinner. Many recipes are (see recipe) sauce or a few laphet — the fermented tea leaves that star in the
gluten-free. And her menus are packed with ¼ cup coarsely generous pinches dressing. (Even easier shortcut: The restaurant
crowd-pleasing dishes to fit any occasion, from chopped toasted salt sells jars of this superstar dressing.)
taco night and picnics to holidays feasts — in- peanuts 1 lemon or lime,
cluding what to do with leftovers. ¼ cup toasted cut into wedges
Great for: Tartine Bakery fans and home
Joy the Baker Over Easy
Place a bed of lettuce in the center of a The book: If you’re a food blog fan, chances
cooks looking for an all-purpose cookbook full large platter. Spoon the tea leaf dressing into
of pro tips on simple ways to make good food. are good you know all about Joy Wilson, who
the center of the lettuce. Around the lettuce, chronicles buttery, sugary forays on her
The dish: Prueitt’s spicy Lamb Kofta skew- arrange separate piles of fried garlic, split peas,
ers are both delicious and amazingly simple to award-winning Joy the Baker blog. The native
peanuts, sunflower seeds, Californian lives in New Orleans these days
make. We’d advise chopping the onion in a very sesame seeds, tomato
fine dice — and grilling these kebabs outdoors — answering the sazerac’s siren call, we sus-
and jalapeño. Sprinkle pect — but you’ll find her online at joythebaker.
for maximum flavor. with shrimp powder and com and in the pages of a new, brunch-centric
drizzle with fish sauce. cookbook, “Joy the Baker Over Easy” (Clark-
Before serving, squeeze son Potter, $27.50, 257 pages).
2 lemon wedges over the The book’s 125 recipes run the full brunch
plate. Using 2 forks, mix range, including boozy libations (Black and
the ingredients together
until the tea leaves
lightly coat the lettuce. See Cookbook on Page 3
Taste, adding more lemon or fish sauce at
the table, if desired.
Tea Leaf Dressing:
½ cup packed cup 1 garlic clove,
(about 2 ounces) coarsely chopped
whole fermented ¼ teaspoon dried
tea leaves (laphet) chile flakes
or 1/3 cup packed 1 teaspoon lime or
seasoned tea leaf lemon juice
paste (without oil) Salt
1⁄3 cup canola oil

1. If using whole, unseasoned laphet leaves,

soak them for 5 minutes in cold water to extract COURTESY JON MELENDEZ
some of the bitterness. Drain, squeezing the
COURTESY OF PAIGE GREEN leaves to remove excess water. Taste the leaves.
If they still taste extremely bitter, soak and drain Joy the Baker’s Shakshuka
again. Skip this step if using a seasoned paste. With Feta and Parsley
2. Put the leaves or paste in a food processor Serves 6
Tartine’s Lamb Kofta with the garlic and chile flakes; pulse a few times.
(Spicy Lamb Skewers) Add the lemon juice and half the oil, briefly pulse. 2 tablespoons olive ¼ teaspoon cayenne
Serves 4 Then, with the processor running, drizzle in the oil pepper
rest of the oil. If the leaves are not preseasoned, 1 tablespoon clarified ¼ teaspoon dried
¼ cup quinoa finely chopped add 1 teaspoon salt. If the leaves are already butter (melted oregano
½ cup water ¼ teaspoon ground seasoned, add only a pinch or two of salt. butter with 28-ounce can whole
Large pinch sea salt cinnamon the milk solids tomatoes, broken
1 pound ground lamb 1 tablespoon skimmed off) up with the back
1 onion, finely chopped mint
Fried Garlic Chips Fried Yellow
and Garlic Oil: Split Peas: 1 medium onion, of a spoon
chopped leaves chopped Salt, freshly cracked
1 teaspoon ground 1 teaspoon ½ cup canola oil ⁄ cup yellow split
1 3
1 red bell pepper, black pepper to
1⁄3 cup thinly sliced peas
cumin ras-el-hanout or seeded, and finely taste
1 teaspoon sea salt ¼ teaspoon more fresh garlic ½ cup canola oil chopped 1 cup crumbled feta
¼ teaspoon ground of each of the 1. Line a heatproof Pinch of salt 2 garlic cloves, thinly cheese, divided
black pepper other spices bowl with a strainer. 1. Place peas in a sliced 6 large eggs
¼ cup flat leaf 1 teaspoon red Line a plate with paper bowl and cover 1 inch 1 teaspoon ground ¼ cup coarsely
parsley leaves, pepper flakes towels. of water. Soak at least cumin chopped parsley,
1. Rinse the quinoa very well. Combine quinoa, 2. In a wok or small 4 hours or overnight. 1 teaspoon sweet for garnish
water and salt in a small saucepan over medium saucepan, heat the 2. Drain split peas paprika 4 warm pita breads,
heat and bring to a boil. Cover and cook for oil over medium heat through a fine-mesh ½ teaspoon smoked cut into wedges,
15 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let sit, for a minute or two strainer, shaking off paprika for serving
covered, for 15 minutes. Uncover and let cool. (the oil shouldn’t be the excess water.
Quinoa can be cooked up to 3 days ahead and scorching hot). Add 3. Line a plate 1. Place a rack in the center of the oven. Heat
stored, covered, in the refrigerator garlic and gently stir. with paper towels. the oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, When bubbles start to In a wok or small 2. In a 10-inch oven-safe skillet set over
combine the cooled form rapidly around the saucepan, heat the medium heat, heat the
quinoa, lamb, onion, garlic, decrease heat to oil over medium-high oil and butter until the
herbs and spices. low and cook, stirring heat for 1 minute. butter melts. Add the
Gently mix, just until often, until the garlic is Add the split peas. onions and bell pepper
the spices are evenly an even golden color Once the oil starts and cook for 10 to 12
distributed. Take care and nearly completely to bubble rapidly minutes, stirring, until
not to overmix, so the crisp, about 3 minutes. around the split peas, the vegetables are very
kofta remain tender If the garlic starts to lower the heat slightly soft. Stir in the garlic
when cooked. The meat darken too quickly, and continue to fry, and cook for another 2
mixture can be made remove it from the heat stirring often, until minutes.Add the cumin,
up to 3 days ahead and and let it continue to fry they begin to crisp sweet paprika, smoked
stored, covered, in the in the oil. up and turn slightly paprika, cayenne pepper, and
refrigerator. 3. Garlic and oil darker, about 5 oregano and stir well.
3. Kofta can be into the strainer. Lift minutes. 3.Add the tomatoes and use the back of a spoon
shaped around skewers and grilled or cooked as the strainer up and 4. Drain well. to break up the tomatoes. Stir in the salt and pepper
patties. For grilling: Heat the grill. Place a portion shake off the excess oil. Scatter the split peas and simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes, until the
of meat in your palm and gently flatten. Place a Scatter garlic onto the on the lined plate and sauce is bubbling and slightly thickened. Remove
skewer on top of the meat and close your hand, lined plate. The garlic season with salt. The the pan from the heat.Add ½ cup of the feta and stir.
folding the meat evenly around the skewer. should crisp up as it split peas should be Crack the eggs into the tomato mixture and use the
Repeat to form more kofta. Skewers can be cools. The chips can crunchy, but not rock- spoon to gently nestle the eggs in the sauce. Season
prepared a day or two ahead and stored, covered, be stored in an airtight hard, once cooled. the eggs with salt and pepper.
in the refrigerator. Grill the kofta until browned container at room Store in an airtight 4. Bake for 10 minutes, until the egg whites are
and cooked through, 6 to 10 minutes. (If pan temperature for container at room set. Let cool for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and
frying, shape the meat into 4-inch patties. Heat 2 1 month. Refrigerate temperature for up the remaining ½ cup feta. Serve warm with the pita
tablespoons olive oil in a skillet set over medium- the oil up to 6 months. to 2 weeks. bread.
high heat, add patties and fry until browned and Reprinted from Joy the Baker Over Easy.
cooked through.) Reprinted with permission from Burma Copyright © 2017 by Joy the Baker, Inc.
— Elisabeth Prueitt, “Tartine All Day: Modern Superstar, copyright © 2017 by Desmond Tan Photographs by Jon Melendez. Published by
Recipes for the Home Cook” (Lorena Jones and Kate Leahy. Published by Ten Speed Press, Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of
Books, $40, 384 pages) an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC Penguin Random House LLC.
Eat
BAY AREA NEWS GROUP SUNDAY, APRIL 16, 2017 >> F3 >> 001

Cookbook Melissa Clark’s Pizza Chicken With

Pancetta, Mozzarella and Spicy
Continued from Page 2
Tomatoes
Serves 4
White Russian, anyone?), eggs, baked goods and various grid-
dled deliciousness, from Breakfast Quesadillas to Earl Grey and 3½ pounds bone-in drained
Ricotta Waffles. chicken pieces ¼ teaspoon red chile
Great for: Any home cook who believes that brunch is the 2 teaspoons kosher flakes
most important meal of the day and that life without bacon isn’t salt, plus more to 1 pint ripe cherry
worth living. taste tomatoes, halved (a
The dish: We are mad for Shakshuka, the Middle Eastern egg 1 teaspoon freshly mix of colors is nice)
and spicy tomato sauce dish that looks divine, smells sublime and ground black pepper 3½ cups diced ripe
tastes even more so. 1 tablespoon extra- tomatoes
virgin olive oil 1 large sprig fresh basil,
5 ounces pancetta, plus chopped basil
diced leaves for serving
3 garlic cloves, thinly 8 ounces bocconcini,
sliced halved (or use 1-
4 oil-packed anchovy inch cubes of fresh
fillets (optional) mozzarella) COURTESY OF ED ANDERSON
1 tablespoon capers,
1. Pat the chicken dry and season the pieces with Silver Oak Cookbook:
1½ teaspoons of the salt and ½ teaspoon of the
pepper. Life in a Cabernet Kitchen
2. Heat a 10- or 12-inch oven-safe skillet over The book: Don’t let this gorgeous,
medium-high heat, and add the olive oil. Let the oil heat heavy Napa Valley volume sit idle on your
up for a few seconds, then add the pancetta. Cook, coffee table. It’s a cookbook worth por-
stirring frequently, until it’s well browned and crisp, ing over — and cooking out of — in the
about 3 minutes. Use a slotted kitchen. Silver Oak Cellars winery chef
spoon to transfer the pancetta to Dominic Orsini’s new book (Rizzoli, $60,
a paper-towel-lined plate. 305 pages) — the forward was written
3. Add the chicken to the by fellow chef Charlie Palmer — offers a
skillet. Sear, turning the pieces pictorial, culinary journey that ebbs and
only occasionally, until well flows with the grape harvest. The focus is
browned on all sides, about on produce from the winery’s grand gar-
10 minutes. Transfer them to dens, but these dishes will honor your own
a large plate. Pour off all but backyard plot or farmers market, too.
COURTESY ERIC WOLFINGER 1 tablespoon of the oil in the As you’d expect, the recipes are wine-
skillet. friendly and include plenty of pairing tips.
4. Add the garlic, anchovies The chapters follow the seasons, with
Dinner: Changing the Game if using, capers and chile five-course menus that include starters,
The book: This cookbook may be the exception to today’s Cali- flakes to the skillet, and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in all mains — such as Pan-Roasted Chicken
fornia-centric homage — but we’re ready to argue that if the fabulous, the tomatoes, the basil sprig, and the remaining ½ or Seafood Paella — and dessert options.
home cook-friendly recipes of the New York Times’ Melissa Clark are teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Cook and The recipes are on point and easy to du-
on our driveway, phone or iPad, then they, at least, are California resi- break up the tomatoes with a spatula, until the sauce plicate, with restaurant-quality results
dents. No? Besides, Clark’s newest cookbook, “Dinner: Changing the thickens somewhat, about 10 minutes. (even though we took a few shortcuts).
Game” (Clarkson Potter, $35, 400 pages), asks a question too game- 5. While the sauce is cooking, heat the oven to 400 Great for: Experienced home cooks
changing to miss: Does dinner really have to be a main and two sides? degrees. who want to elevate both their food and
Can’t it just be one fabulous offering? 6. Return the chicken to the skillet, transfer the wine-pairing skills.
With 200 recipes to choose from, these single-dish dinners include skillet to the oven and cook, uncovered, until the The dish: The lovely, fresh, pale green
all the usual protein suspects, plus “salads that mean it,” grain bowls chicken is no longer pink, about 30 minutes. Remove Chilled English Pea Soup with Goat
and plenty of vegetarian options. We want to cook them all, from the the skillet from the oven and scatter the bocconcini Cheese Panna Cotta is spring in a bowl.
grilled Cuban Flank Steak with lime and fresh mango to the Summer over the chicken. Following Orsini’s instructions, we plated
Grain Bowl with sweet corn and black beans. 7.Turn on the broiler, place the skillet under the heat it like a pro, pouring the soup over rad-
Great for: Home cooks looking for flavorful, delicious alternatives to source and broil until the cheese is bubbling, 1 to 3 ishes and crisp prosciutto. (We skipped
the usual supper plan. minutes (watch it carefully). Garnish the chicken with the the panna cotta and used a dollop of
The dish: Italian food fans and carb-watchers, say ciao — er, the pancetta and basil before serving. creme fraiche instead. You can, too.)
“hi!” ciao, not the good-bye one — to the Pizza Chicken. Ready in less Reprinted from Dinner. Copyright © 2017 by Melissa
than an hour, this easy single-skillet dish translates the pizza con- Clark. Photographs copyright © 2017 by Eric
cept into a mouthwatering chicken, pancetta, tomato and melty Wolfinger. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, See Cookbook on Page 4
mozzarella dish, sans dough. an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC.

SUNDAY MIRROR

Ultimately,
it’s your experience
that matters.
To be sure, we’re proud of our 29 years of
experience in senior living. But, to us, what really
matters is your experience at our communities.
We do everything with that idea clearly in mind.
STARRING
So, go ahead, enjoy yourself with great social
opportunities and amenities. Savor fine dining every day.
And feel assured that assisted living services are
always available if needed.
We invite you to experience Peninsula Del Rey
for yourself at a complimentary lunch and tour.
Please call 650.468.2734 to schedule.
APRIL 25 - 30
SAN JOSE CENTER FOR
THE PERFORMING ARTS
© THE BODYGUARD (UK) LTD. Designed by DEWYNTERS

Deborah Cox does not appear at matinee performances.

I n de p e n de n t & A s s i s t e d L i v i ng R e s i de nc e s TICKETMASTER.COM
165 Pierce Street • Daly City, CA OR CHARGE BY PHONE: 800-982-ARTS
PeninsulaDelRey.com • 650.468.2734 GROUPS OF 10 OR MORE CALL: 669-242-8559
Conveniently located between San Francisco and the ASL performance - Saturday matinee
Peninsula with easy access to Highway 280 & 101 Open Captioned Performance - Sunday evening
RCFE# 415600867 For ADA seating call 669-242-8559
Eat
001 >> F4 >> SUNDAY, APRIL 16, 2017 BAY AREA NEWS GROUP

Chilled English Pea Soup With Goat Cheese Panna Cotta

Serves 6

Panna cotta: 1 cup cubed soft bread, such as ciabatta,

2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin powder in 1-inch cubes
¼ cup cold water 2 cups water or vegetable stock
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup whole milk
1½ teaspoons extra-fine sea salt
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
YOSEMITE
4 ounces fresh goat cheese, at room Garnishes: ROOMS, CONDOS, COTTAGES AND
temperature 6 thin slices prosciutto or speck VACATION HOMES. CENTRAL YOSEMITE!
½ teaspoon fine sea salt Reserved ½ cup peas
18 thin slices radish
559-642-2211
Soup:
2½ cups shelled fresh English peas or 18 pesticide-free pansy petals www.yosemitewestreservations.com
thawed frozen peas 6 pea tendrils

1. Panna cotta: In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over water; let hydrate 5 minutes. In a small
saucepan set over medium heat, warm cream and milk until hot, but not boiling. Off heat,
MAUI CONDO AND HOME -
whisk in gelatin mixture, cheese and salt, whisking until gelatin dissolves, cheese melts and
the mixture is completely smooth. Pour into six 2-ounce silicone molds. Refrigerate for at YOUR PIECE OF PARADISE
least 4 hours or up to 2 days. 250+ Studio, 1-, 2- & 3-Br condos in Kihei,
2. Soup: (If using frozen peas, skip this blanching step.) For fresh peas, prepare a bowl of ice
water. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add peas and boil until bright green and tender, Wailea & West Maui (Kahana & Kapalua)
about 4 minutes. Transfer peas to ice water to stop the cooking, then
drain. Set aside ½ cup peas for garnish.
Call us on Maui at 844-368-1406 to save
3. In a blender, puree the remaining 2 cups peas, bread, 2 with our best rates! • www.MauiCondo.com
cups water or broth, and salt on high speed for 2 to 3 minutes.
With the motor running, add the oil in a slow, steady stream,
blending until soup is smooth and pourable. Transfer to a bowl,
cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours or up
to 2 days.
4. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line a rimmed sheet pan
with parchment paper. Arrange prosciutto on top in a
single layer. Bake until crispy and golden brown, about 15
minutes. Transfer to paper towels to cool completely, then
break prosciutto into bite-size pieces.
5. Refrigerate six serving bowls for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Unmold each panna cotta into the center of a chilled serving bowl. Arrange the
reserved peas, prosciutto, radish slices, pansy petals and pea tendrils in each bowl. Stir the
chilled soup to blend; transfer it to a pitcher for easy pouring (or use a ladle). Set a bowl
before each guest, then slowly pour the soup into the bowls.
— Dominic Orsini, “Silver Oak Cookbook: Life in a Cabernet Kitchen”
(Rizzoli, $55, 308 pages)

Cookbook pes, from gluten-free and vegetarian

Continued from Page 3
The Pho Cookbook: Easy to
Adventurous Recipes for
Vietnam’s Favorite Soup and
Noodles
The book: Andrea Nguyen has writ-
ten several acclaimed cookbooks on
Vietnamese cooking. Her latest, “The
Pho Cookbook: Easy to Adventurous
Recipes for Vietnam’s Favorite Soup
and Noodles (Ten Speed, $22, 168 pages)
is a deep dive into the ultimate aromatic
comfort soup.
You’ll appreciate her can-do motto
(“If you can boil water, you can make
pho”) and the range among the 50 reci-
options to quick, weeknight whip-ups
(hint: it’s all about the pressure cooker)
and 5-hour simmering feasts. Whether
it’s Classic Chicken Pho or Vegan “Beef”
Pho, Nguyen gives easy-to-understand
steps to achieve nirvana in the form of
star anise, ginger and cinnamon.
Our favorite recipes included versa-
tile, pho-friendly snacks and add-ons,
such as Rice Paper Salad Rolls and Beef
Meatballs. Plus: Coconut Coffee, a new
take on Viet coffee that’s trending in Ha-
noi coffee shops.
Great for: Pho addicts or home cooks
enamored with fragrant broths and Viet-
namese comfort food.
The dish: Saigon-style Beef Pho, the
kind Nguyen grew up eating. It has a
slightly sweet quality from yellow on-
ions and rock sugar.

Andrea Nguyen’s Saigon-Style Beef Pho

Serves 8

Note: This recipe takes about an hour of hands-on time, plus 3½ hours to simmer and cool.

Broth: noodles, or 2 pounds fresh

Chubby 4-inch section ginger, unpeeled
1 pound yellow onion, unpeeled
6 pounds beef marrow, knuckle, and
neck bones, parboiled and rinsed
5½ quarts water
5 star anise
6 whole cloves
1 husky 3-inch cinnamon stick
1½ pounds boneless beef brisket, chuck
or cross-rib roast, cut into 2 pieces
½ ounce Chinese yellow rock sugar
1½ tablespoons fine sea salt
About ¼ cup fish sauce
Bowls:
1¼ pounds dried narrow flat rice
pho noodles
Cooked beef from the broth, sliced
about 1⁄8-inch thick
8 to 10 ounces well-trimmed beef steak
½ medium yellow or red onion, thinly
sliced against the grain and soaked in
water for 10 minutes
3 or 4 thinly sliced green onions, green
parts only
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, leafy tops
only
Pepper (optional)
Optional extras: Hoisin, chile sauce, saté
sauce or condiments and garnishes of
your choice

1. Broth: Using an outdoor grill — or
indoors on a gas burner or in the broiler
(but turn on the exhaust fan and open the
windows) — char the ginger and onion until
the skin gets a little splotchy with black. Use
tongs to occasionally rotate the ginger and
onion and discard any flyaway skin. After 10 to
15 minutes, they’ll have softened slightly and
become sweetly fragrant. Bubbling at the root
or stem ends may happen.You do not
have to blacken the entire
surface. Remove from heat
and let cool for about 10
minutes.
2. Remove the charred
onion skin. Rinse under
running water to dislodge
stubborn dark bits. Trim
and discard the blackened
root and stem ends. Cut the
onion in quarters; set aside.
Use a vegetable peeler to
remove the ginger skin.
Halve the ginger lengthwise,
cut into chunks, then bruise lightly (use the
broad side of a knife). Set aside.
3. Place the rinsed beef bones in a 12-
quart stockpot. Pour in water, partially cover
pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Uncover
and lower heat to a gentle simmer. Skim off
any scum that rises to the top.Add the charred
ginger and onions, plus the star anise, cloves,
cinnamon, boneless beef, rock sugar and salt.
Gently simmer, uncovered, for 3 hours.
4. Halfway through, remove the boneless
beef, which should feel firm, and place it in
a bowl. Add water to cover and soak for 10
minutes to prevent dry, dark meat. Drain and
set the meat aside, partially covered, to cool
completely before using, refrigerating for
up to 3 days, or freezing for up to 3 months.
Keep the broth at a steady simmer for the
remaining 1½ hours.
5. Let broth rest for 20 minutes to settle
the impurities and further concentrate
the flavor. Use tongs to remove bones and
any large, retrievable bits. Discard solids.
Skim some fat from the broth, then strain
it through a muslin-lined mesh strainer
positioned over a large pot. You should have
about 4 quarts.
6. Season with fish sauce and extra
salt and rock sugar to taste. (If cooking in
advance, cool the unseasoned broth, then
refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up With so many things
to 3 months. Reheat and season before
serving.)
7. About 30 minutes before serving, prep
to do, we suggest getting
the bowl ingredients. Soak
dried noodles in hot water
until pliable and opaque;
an early start on
drain, rinse, then drain
well. If using fresh noodles,
your want-to-do list.
untangle them and snip as
needed. Divide the noodles
among 8 soup bowls. There’s a lot to do at The Kensington Senior Living
8. Slice the cooked beef
from the broth. Cut the raw Community — clubs, events, socializing, and more.
beef steak into chunks the
size of a Roma tomato. Place
So, go ahead and make your want-to-do list.
on a plate and freeze for 15 But please don’t include a bunch of chores. We’ll take
minutes, or until firm on the
outside. Use a sharp knife care of most of those for you.
with a thin blade to slice the meat a scant
1/8-inch thick. We invite you to see all that The Kensington has
9. Create a pho assembly line with the to offer (including assisted living services if needed)
noodle bowls, meats and separate bowls of
onion, green onion, cilantro and pepper. Reheat at a complimentary lunch and tour.
the pot of broth over medium heat. Bring a
large pot of water to a boil for the noodles. Please call 925.233.5950 to schedule.
10. Use a strainer or mesh sieve to dunk
each portion of noodles in the boiling water.
When the noodles are soft, 5 to 60 seconds,
lift the strainer from the pot, shaking it to
remove excess water. Transfer the noodles
to the bowl, top with meats and shower on
the onion, green onion and cilantro. Finish
with a sprinkle of pepper. Repeat for each
bowl. Check the broth flavor once more, I n de p e n de n t & A s s i s t e d L i v i ng
then raise the heat to bring it to a boil. Ladle M e mor y C a r e
about 2 cups broth into each bowl. Serve
immediately.
Reprinted with permission from The Pho 1580 Geary Road • Walnut Creek
Cookbook: Easy to Adventurous Recipes for
Vietnam’s Favorite Soup and Noodles by 925.233.5950 • SRGseniorliving.com
Andrea Nguyen, copyright © 2017. Published
by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin
Random House LLC RCFE# 075601405
Eat
BAY AREA NEWS GROUP
Home Plates
THINKSTOCK
French onion soup gets its depth
of flavor from slowly caramelized
onions and a topping of cheese.
A really good
French onion
soup relies on
two things
When a reader requested a
recipe for French onion soup
recently, several of you were
quick to help. Donna Prime sent
in a well-tested favorite from a
1999 Cooks magazine. The secret,
she says, lies in the long, slow
cooking of the sliced red onions,
which yields rich depth of flavor.
But really, the recipe, which relies
on canned broth,
is easy to as-
semble.
Reader
Kathy Williams
remembered
returning to her
KIM BOATMAN Aunt Marilou’s
Lake Tahoe
home after a long day of skiing.
“She would have a big bowl of
onion soup waiting for us,” Wil-
liams says.
She thinks the secret is adding
¾ cup each of dry white wine and
dry white vermouth and ¼ cup
brandy to the recipe. I like her idea
of using garlic bread — sprinkled
with swiss cheese — for the crou-
ton topping.
Request line
n Mary Major wants to make
ham salad like her grandmother
and father-in-law did back in
the Midwest long ago. “Unfortu-
nately, I never got their recipes,”
Major says. Do you have a ham
salad recipe in your files?
See Plates on Page 8
French Onion Soup
Serves 6
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 medium red onions, sliced thin
½ teaspoon salt
6 cups low-sodium canned
chicken broth
1 ¾ cups low-sodium canned
beef broth
¼ cup dry red wine
2 sprigs fresh parsley
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Ground black pepper and salt
to taste
1 baguette, bias cut in ¾-inch
slices
4 ½ ounces swiss cheese,
sliced 1/16 inch thick
3 ounces asiago cheese, grated
1. In a large heavy-bottom pot set
over medium-high heat, melt butter.
Add sliced onions and ½ teaspoon
salt. Stir to coat onions thoroughly
with butter. Cook, stirring frequently,
until onions are reduced and syrupy
and inside of pot is coated with a
very deep brown crust, 30 to 35
minutes.
2. Stir in the two broths and
red wine. Add parsley, thyme and
bay leaf, scraping pot bottom with
wooden spoon to loosen browned
bits, and bring to a simmer. Simmer
to blend flavors, about 20 minutes.
Discard herbs.
3. Stir in balsamic vinegar and
adjust seasonings with salt and
pepper. At this point, the soup can
be cooled to room temperature and
refrigerated in an airtight container
up to 2 days. Return to simmer
before finishing soup with croutons
and cheese.
4. Heat broiler. Set serving
bowls on a baking sheet and fill
each with about 1 ½ cups soup.
Top each bowl with 2 baguette
slices and divide swiss cheese
slices, laying them in a single layer,
if possible, on bread. Sprinkle each
with about 2 tablespoons asiago.
Broil until well-browned and
bubbly, about 10 minutes. Cool five
minutes and serve.
— Adapted from
Cooks magazine, 1999
Restaurant Buzz
Looking for the latest Bay Area
restaurant news? Find it at
mercurynews.com/lifestyle/eat-drink.
SUNDAY, APRIL 16, 2017 >> F5 >> 001
Cooking Tips Dining Scene
KRISTOPHER SKINNER/STAFF
Sauced BBQ & Spirits is one
of more than 30 restaurants
participating in Walnut Creek
Restaurant Week.
Walnut Creek
Restaurant
RICARDO DEARATANHA/LOS ANGELES TIMES
Learn the absolutely perfect way to cook hard-boiled eggs you can actually peel.
Week has
toothsome
Use the eggs-act way to hard boil ’em deals for you
We’re awash in brightly colored hard- spoon to gently place the eggs — straight
boiled eggs and anticipating the deviled eggs from the fridge is fine — in the boiling Dining deals: If you haven’t
to come — if, that is, we can get the peels off water, then set the timer for 10 minutes had a chance yet to explore Wal-
without reducing the egg whites to a pock- (or 12, if you’re doing deviled eggs). When nut Creek’s exciting, evolving
marked lunar landscape. You, too?
There are a number of reasons for egg
shell stubbornness, including pH level and
they’re done, quickly transfer the eggs to
the ice bath. Cool, then peel.
THE STEAMER METHOD: J. Kenji López-
culinary scene, a fun opportunity
is coming up. For the April 23-30
Walnut Creek Restaurant Week,
egg age. (Apparently, 10 days post-chicken Alt, from Serious Eats’ Food Lab, fills a pot more than 30 restaurants will
is optimal. Good luck figuring out when with an inch of water and places a steamer create fixed-price lunch and/or
your eggs were laid, supermarket shop- basket in the bottom. Bring the water to dinner menus for $10, $20, $30
pers.) But speed of cooking makes a huge a boil, he says, then add your eggs to the or $40. And virtually every new
difference. Eggs that are heated quickly basket, cover the pot and steam them for 12 place in town is participating:
— and cooled quickly — peel more easily. minutes. Plunge the eggs into an ice bath to Limon Rotisserie, the newest,
Celebrity chef Alton Brown, for example, cool them, then peel. with Peruvian-style chicken and
uses a pressure cooker to cook the eggs, DEVILED EGGS: Now that you have all pisco sours; Sauced BBQ &
then gives them a quick cool down in an those hard-boiled eggs peeled, prep them Spirits, that savory smokehouse
ice bath. Here are two more methods that Martha Stewart-style or try one of the from Livermore; True Food
promise hard-boiled perfection: six deviled egg variations in the “Martha Kitchen, with its emphasis on
THE BOIL AND ICE METHOD: Doctored Stewart Appetizers” cookbook (Clarkson healthy fare; Lemonade, which
water and a quick cool down are key, says Potter). Peel 8 large hard-boiled eggs, made cafeteria style trendy;
Nick Korbee, co-owner of New York’s cut them in half lengthwise and transfer Rooftop, for dining with — what
The Egg Shop and author of the new “Egg the yolks to a bowl. Use a fork to mash else? — a view; and MoMo’s,
Shop: The Cookbook.” Fill a pot with the yolks, then add 1/3 cup mayonnaise, the East Bay’s offshoot of the
enough water to cover the eggs by at least 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon restaurant near AT&T Park in
an inch. Add 1 teaspoon each of salt and white wine vinegar, and coarse salt and San Francisco.
distilled white vinegar; bring the mixture freshly ground pepper to taste. Pipe the Plus, you can revisit some of
to a boil. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with filling back into the whites and serve. your favorites, from Mexican
a mixture of ice and water. Use a slotted — Jackie Burrell (Maria Maria), to steak (Ruth’s
Chris) to soul food (Home of
Chicken and Waffles). The
promotional menus offer intrigu-
ing choices; here’s what caught
our eye (and palate): Lark Creek
Build a Better ... Brunch (hello, butterscotch pudding);
Massimo (rigatoni Bolognese);
Montecatini (pork Sorrento);
Stanford’s (cabernet tenderloin
tips); Skipolini’s Pizza (with
a new Skipolini’s IPA); Sunol
Ridge (braised pork belly);
Teleferic Barcelona (paella);
Va de Vi (braised short rib);
and Walnut Creek Yacht Club
(fresh Idaho trout).
Some participants are still
working out their menus, so
keep checking the website, www.
walnutcreekdowntown.com, for
specifics. And as always, reserva-
tions for these popular promotion
weeks are strongly encouraged.
The scoop: With the first
nonrainy warm-weather weeks
came not one, but two ice cream
openings in the South Bay.
Sweet Retreat, an institution in
South San Jose, lost the entire
summer season of 2016 after a
MCCORMICK fire last June. But owners Anjan
Eggs and veggies nestle in a puff pastry bed in this easy, last-minute brunch dish. and Bhavna Parikh found new,
larger digs nearby, so now cus-
tomers are flocking to 846 Blos-
Easy, gorgeous and delicious som Hill Road, near Santa Teresa
Boulevard, for large scoops of
locally produced Treat ice cream
showstopper of a brunch dish (we love the mango; who knew
they made 44 other flavors?) and
customized frozen yogurt.
And Becky Sunseri, the
By Jackie Burrell chef who turned — make that
jburrell@bayareanewsgroup.com
Puff Pastry Baked Eggs churned — her lifelong pas-
Serves 4
sion for ice cream into Tin Pot
We love brunch in res- Creamery, has opened her third
taurants. We’re crazy about 1 sheet frozen puff 2 tablespoons grated shop. You’ll now find her small-
brunch at other people’s homes. pastry, thawed (½ a Parmesan batch flavors at the Pruneyard
But brunch at our house? 17.3 ounce package) ¼ teaspoon salt, in Campbell, with a San Mateo
The problem with hosting 1 small yellow onion, or to taste location soon to come. Among
a fabulous morning spread is, chopped 2 tablespoons shredded the sophisticated flavors in the
of course, the morning part. 1 cup chopped bell mozzarella current rotation are Earl Grey
We’re not the only ones to see pepper 4 eggs Tea, Sweet Cream with Honey
pre-coffee slicing and dicing as 1 cup asparagus, ¼ teaspoon crushed Balsamic Swirl and Four Barrel
a problem, either. That’s why cut into 1-inch pieces red pepper flakes Coffee with Cocoa Nib Toffee.
do-ahead brunch dishes, such 2 teaspoons olive oil Fresh oregano, basil
as stratas and breakfast casse- 1 teaspoon Italian to garnish Send tips to Linda Zavoral at
roles — or a box of bagels and seasoning lzavoral@bayareanewsgroup.com.
shmears — are so popular.
But this colorful, one-pan egg 1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a large, shallow
dish looks so impressive and baking pan with olive oil or no-stick cooking spray.
comes together so quickly, you 2. Place thawed pastry sheet on a lightly floured
could make it right now. Fresh
fruit or berries and a pitcher of
surface. Cut into 4 squares. Place squares on one half of
the prepared baking pan. Prick top of pastry squares all
Contact us:
OJ are all you need to round out over with a fork. Eat Drink Play Editor
the feast. 3. In a large bowl, toss vegetables with oil. Sprinkle with Jackie Burrell
The recipe, which was cre- Italian seasoning, Parmesan and salt; toss again to coat jburrell@bayareanewsgroup.com
ated by McCormick’s spice com- well. Spread vegetables on the other half of the pan, next Dining Scene
pany, calls for their Italian Sea- to the pastry squares. Bake 10 minutes or until puff pastry Linda Zavoral
soning, a dried herb blend that is lightly browned. Remove pan from oven. lzavoral@bayareanewsgroup.com
includes marjoram, rosemary, 4. Use the back of a large spoon to make an indentation Executive Features Editor
savory and sage, as well as the in the center of each pastry square. Distribute vegetables Lisa Wrenn
usual suspects: oregano, basil evenly around the indentations, making sure to cover the lwrenn@bayareanewsgroup.com
and thyme. You can use that pastry edges. Sprinkle the squares with mozzarella. Break
or another packaged blend, or an egg into each indentation. Sprinkle with crushed red Advertising Contact
combine your own. Either way, pepper. Mary Jo Mann
we’re thinking a final sprinkling 5. Bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until eggs are softly mjmann
of fresh oregano leaves and torn set. Transfer a puff pastry square to each serving plate, @bayareanewsgroup.com
fresh basil just before serving sprinkle with fresh oregano and torn basil leaves and serve. 831-566-0125
will elevate the dish even more. — Adapted from a McCormick.com recipe
Drink
001 >> F6 >> SUNDAY, APRIL 16, 2017
Wine Tasting Adventures
Find more wine country
inspiration at mercurynews.
com/lifestyle/eat-drink.

BAY AREA NEWS GROUP

Six Things Wine Calendar

Cool information to know about bottling wine

Bay Area Craft Beer Festival:
Enjoy unlimited beer tasting from
more than 50 microbreweries,
live music and food from local
Have you ever thought about how wine restaurants. Noon-4 p.m. April 22,
actually ends up in a bottle? We spent Martinez Waterfront Park, North
some time at Livermore Valley’s Dante Court St. Must be 21 or older. $10.
Robere Vineyards and observed a few www.bayareacraftbeerfestival.
awesome things: com.

1
Suisun Valley Passport
Bottling lines can be mobile. While Sunday: Tour the Suisun Valley
big wineries have their own bottling wine country for wine tasting, food
lines, many small producers, such as pairings and live music. Wineries
Dante Robere, bring mobile systems in and venues include BackRoad
trucks to tackle the job. Vines, Il Fiorello Olive Oil, Jelly Belly
A permanent bottling Candy Company, Suisun Valley
line takes up a lot of Wine Cooperative and more. 11
space, and while they’re a.m.-4 p.m. April 23. $20-$50.
common at larger www.suisunvalley.com.
wineries, smaller enti- Amador Four Fires Festival:
ties may not have room. Wine tasting, culinary demos and
MARY ORLIN Some vintners say rent- live music abound at this annual
ing a bottling line when wine and food fest that celebrates
you need it makes more more than 40 wineries and the
sense than having a large permanent cuisine of four distinct regions,
one sit idle most of the year. Bonus: No Spain, Italy, Southern France and
maintenance required. California. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. May 6.

2
Bottling lines are fast. How fast?
We were surprised to learn that
the BPM — bottles per minute
— ranges from 20 to 100 bottles per
minute, depending on the bottling line’s
capabilities. Dante Robere’s Bob Bossi
Amador County Fairgrounds. $40-
$155. amadorfourfires.com.
Sake Fundamentals: Sake
sommelier and Yuzuki sake
THINKSTOCK director Yoshihiro Sako will discuss
A wine bottling operation is a clinking, clanking, captivating sight. sake food pairings, ideal serving

4
says they average 100 cases — or 1,200 temperatures and how Koji is
bottles — per hour, working with Walnut They’ll cork or cap. The most empty bottles to corks or screwcaps, made. The class also includes a
common closure is a wine cork, labels and cases.

6
Creek’s Artisan Mobile Bottling. That’s tasting of four different sakes and
about 20 bottles per minute. but bottling lines can also handle Bottle shock is real. That’s not appetizer plates. 3:45-5 p.m. April

3
screw caps. just the name of a movie. It’s

5
16. Yuzuki Japanese Eatery, 598
All shapes and sizes are welcome.
Planning is everything. Wineries industry-speak for what happens Guerrero St., San Francisco. $55.
Most bottling lines fill regular 750-
have to be ready when the mobile when wine gets shaken up in the bottling http://bit.ly/2nErdvn.
ml wine bottles. But they can be
bottling line rolls up. That means process — and it takes about a month for Beer Pairing Dinner: Hutch
retooled to fill half-bottles (375 ml), larger
pumping the wine from the barrels to a the wine to settle down. Bar & Kitchen will host a five-
format magnums or double magnums (1.5
large holding tank several weeks ahead Details: 1200 Wetmore Road., Liver- course Lagunitas beer paired
and 3 liters, respectively) and even the
of time. Bossi says that gives the wine more; www.danterobere.com dinner, highlighting Waldo’s
rare — and enormous — 27 liter bottles.
time to settle and allows the juice from Special Ale, which is available only
Bottling lines can fill those bags that go
the smaller barrels to blend. The winery Watch the bottling line in action at once a year. A representative of the
into box wines, too.
also has equipment to gather, from the mercurynews.com/tag/wine. brewery will attend. Seatings: 5:30
p.m. and 8 p.m. April 20. Hutch
Bar & Kitchen, 2022 Telegraph
Ave., Oakland. $65. Reservations
required. 510-419-0622.
Art Sip & Stroll: Enjoy fine
Wine Crate wines and beer while strolling
through Yountville. Pick up your

Napa’s Arts in April, wine in Carmel

COURTESY OF ALLISON REGAN
At Napa Valley’s Arts in April, visitors can
view paintings, sculptures and hear music
performances at venues throughout
wine country.
ARTS IN APRIL: Spring in Napa Valley
means Arts in April is in full bloom with
more than 40 pop-up galleries, exhibits
and performances showcasing Napa
County culture and community. For
the festival’s seventh year, the cities of
American Canyon, Napa, St. Helena and
Yountville are holding celebrations this
month that reflect the local arts (and
wine) scene. The fifth annual Yountville
Art Festival on April 22, for example,
features more than 40 artists and 12
wine-tasting stops ($20 for a wine tasting
wristband/ticket, with proceeds going to
Yountville Arts) on Washington Street
from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Find all the details
at www.artscouncilnapavalley.org.
DRINK WINE, PLANT A TREE: Pop the
cork on Sonoma County’s Kenwood
Vineyards wines, and you can help keep
America’s forests green. For every Ken-
wood bottle purchased through April 30
at the tasting room, online or at a retail
partner, the winery will plant a tree in
a national forest through a National
Forest Foundation partnership. The
foundation is working to restore the 193
million-acre National Forest System by
planting up to 50,000 new trees. That’s
a lot of wine. Best get started now. De-
tails: www.kenwoodvineyards.com
JUMP FOR JOYCE: Testarossa, the
Los Gatos-based winery that recently
opened a satellite tasting room in Car-
mel Valley Village, has some company
now that the new Joyce Vineyards
tasting room has moved in — just a few
JOYCE VINEYARDS
The new Joyce Vineyards complex in
Carmel Valley. has a wine tasting bar.
blocks from its former tasting room.
Owners Russell and Charlotte Joyce
bought the former Jan de Luz Antiques
compound with the idea of developing
it into a new wine country destination.
Swing by the new tasting room, which
has a cool, modern vibe and sunny patio,
and sip awhile. Details: Open daily, $10-$15
tasting fee. 1 E. Carmel Valley Road, Car-
mel Valley; www.joycevineyards.com.
— Mary Orlin, Staff
wristband at the Napa Valley
Museum, then board the Yountville
Trolley to Washington Street where
more than 40 artists, 10 wineries
and tastings rooms and live music
await. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. April 22. $20.
http://www.artsipstroll.com.
Wine Tasting for Singles:
Single professionals of all ages are
invited to a wine tasting party co-
sponsored by the Society of Single
Professionals. Tickets are $10 at
the door and include wine tasting,
light appetizers and live music. 1-4
p.m. April 23. Miramar Vineyards,
12255 New Avenue, San Martin.
www.thepartyhotline.com.
Great Chefs and Wineries:
Huey Lewis will host the annual
Great Chefs and Wineries Gala,
which includes live music, food and
wines from more than 50 Bay Area
restaurants and wineries. Proceeds
benefit Lifehouse, which provides
residential and support services
to individuals with developmental
disabilities. 5:30-11 p.m. April
22. Peacock Gap Golf Club, 333
Biscayne Drive, San Rafael. $350.
www.greatchefsandwineries.org.
List your event at events.
mercurynews.com.

Brooks on Beer

Breakfast beer and hoppy pancakes, anyone?

If you’re reading this column over breakfast, it’s not
too early for a nice glass of breakfast beer. Sound odd?
Recent years have brought breakfast beer to brunch
menus, alongside the classic mimosas and bloody
marys.
Those brunch cocktails can be made with beer,
too, by the way. Add a sparkling ale such as Calicraft
Coast — which is a kölsch — or Calicraft Sparkling
Ale to orange juice, instead of Champagne and the bub-
bles will have the same effervescent,
delicious effect on the OJ. Similarly,
you can substitute any decent lager
for the vodka in a bloody mary.
But there’s no need to mix any-
thing, now that breakfast beers have
come into their own. One of the best
JAY R.BROOKS is Founder’s Kentucky Breakfast
Stout, which the Michigan brew-
ery describes as “an imperial stout
brewed with massive amounts of coffee and chocolate
and aged in oak bourbon barrels in caves that were at
one time gypsum mines, beneath Grand Rapids.”
It’s a seasonal release and it can be hard to find
— it’s something of a whale, the hardcore craft beer
lover’s term for a rare or hard-to-find beer, such as
Russian River’s Pliny the Younger. But the newest
batch of KBS was released nationally on April 1, so this
is your best chance to find it.
Coffee, bacon and stout
There are plenty of other stouts that will work well
at breakfast. Coffee stouts alone have proliferated in
recent years. Some are infused with actual coffee, while
others just take on those flavors from their roasted
malt. Particularly good ones include Lagunitas Cap-
DOGFISH HEAD BREWERY
If you ever wondered whether so-called breakfast beer
was really intended for the morning meal, Dogfish Head's
stout should answer that question.
puccino Stout, AleSmith Speedway Stout, Ballast
Point’s Victory at Sea and Kona Pipeline Porter.
New Belgium’s Imperial Coffee Chocolate Stout
— which is part of the Colorado brewery’s Lips of Faith
series — and Avery’s Tweak are also fine options.
And if you weren’t sure these beers were actually
intended for breakfast, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
has one called Beer for Breakfast Stout.
Non-stouts work, too. Beer made with maple or
molasses, for example, will complement your pancake
breakfast — they’re good with bacon and eggs, too.
Some other beers to keep in mind are Rogue Voodoo
Doughnut Bacon Maple Ale and 21st Amendment’s
Toaster Pastry. Smoked beers, such as Alaskan’s
Smoked Porter, often exhibit noticeable bacon flavors,
making them a good match for a traditional spread.
And fruit beers — especially sour fruit beers — pair
well with hearty breakfasts. Almanac’s Farmer’s
Reserve beers are divine with raspberries, citrus,
nectarines and pluots.
While I hate to tease you with a beer you’ll have
trouble finding in Northern California, this small batch
beer from San Bernardino’s Brew Rebellion is just too
good not to mention: Saturday Morning Cartoons
Breakfast Cereal Milk Stout. Sounds perfect for my
Captain Crunch.
Beer pancakes
You’ve chosen your breakfast beer. Might I sug-
gest some beer pancakes? They’re delicious — and
easy to make. Just substitute beer for the water in any
standard pancake recipe or mix. (I’ve had good results
with Krusteaz.)
Using beer instead of water makes the pancakes
incredibly fluffy, and imparts just a hint of beer flavor.
Dark beers give the pancakes some color and also seem
to make them denser. Hoppy beers make them a bit too
spicy, at least in my opinion. Malty, sweeter beers seem
to work best. And yeasty beers yield some interesting
results. I heartily recommend experimenting. That’s
what weekends are made for.
Contact Jay R. Brooks at BrooksOnBeer@gmail.com.
Play
BAY AREA NEWS GROUP
The Travel
Troubleshooter
THINKSTOCK
Airline’s
promised
refund fails
to arrive
DEAR TRAVEL TROUBLE-
SHOOTER: While my wife and
I were in the Caribbean last
summer, my brother-in-law
passed away. I called Ameri-
can Airlines, and the airline
changed our schedule to fly
home early so I could give my
sister support and help with
last-minute ar-
rangements for
the funeral.
The Ameri-
can represen-
tative who
changed our
tickets was
CHRISTOPHER very under-
ELLIOT
standing and
indicated
that she had
to charge a $200-per-person
change fee, but assured me
that once documentation was
provided, I would be reim-
bursed the $400. That was the
last verbal communication I
had with American Airlines.
Since you can’t talk to any-
one in American’s customer-
relations department, I emailed
the airline and received a reply
late last summer indicating
that a credit would be given as
a one-time courtesy. I emailed
back thanking American
Airlines for its consideration.
Since then, nothing. I emailed
again in January, receiving the
standard automated response
every time.
“Customer relations” ap-
parently means “no relations
with the customer.” I would
appreciate it if you could help
me obtain my refund.
— Charles Wohlust,
Winter Park, Florida
ANSWER: I’m sorry for your
loss. American was right to ask
for documentation but wrong
to ignore you. Right, because
too many passengers have
claimed that a relative died
and have taken advantage of
an airline’s generous policy of
waiving fees (never mind that
the fees shouldn’t even exist
— I’m not going there today).
But American was wrong to
ignore your repeated request
for a refund after you showed
the proper documentation.
Here’s what hurts about a
case like this: It’s happening
at precisely the time when you
need a little compassion, and
indeed, at a time when a com-
pany agrees to help you. I think
that’s what makes American’s
broken promise hurt most:
It’s not about the $400; it’s the
principle.
I’m not surprised by the
See Trouble on Page 8
Top Seven: Geekiest cities
Travel+Leisure magazine took an
affectionate look at the nation’s
15 geekiest cities recently, via
an “America’s Favorite Places”
survey. These cities get their
vibrant, geeky cultures, the editors
said, thanks to their college
communities — Brown University
and the Rhode Island School of
Design, in the case of chart-topping
Providence — as well as comic
book shops and Comic Cons.
San Francisco, which was
represented by an image of
the Google campus in, ahem,
Mountain View, came in at No.
12. Here’s a peek at the top
seven. Find the rest — plus the
best cities for brunch, pizza and
sheer friendliness — at www.
travelandleisure.com/americas-
Weekend Getaways
Find more travel inspiration
at www.mercurynews.com/
lifestyle/travel-play.
SUNDAY, APRIL 16, 2017 >> F7 >> 001
Nerd Alert
Silicon Valley’s geekiest hotspots
WANTYOU!
By Angela Hill
ahill@bayareanewsgroup.com
Once upon a time, math geeks and computer nerds were considered totally uncool, what with their slide
rules, pocket protectors and astonishing ability to get bonked in the nose with a fly ball to right field.
Then time passed. A lot of stuff happened. Now those guys pretty much rule the world. Their kingdom is
Silicon Valley, the coin of the realm is the latest app and the number of Teslas per block averages 25. (Number
of 2007 Honda Civics with faded roof paint: 1, at least when I’m in town.)
Here are eight real-life sites – some famed, some obscure — for geek groupies who want to see where big
brains have banged out the next big thing. It’s too bad those brains haven’t yet come out with “Star Trek”
transporters (Elon Musk probably has one, but won’t share. Darn you, Musk!). So you’ll have to take some
sort of vehicular conveyance to the Peninsula – a self-driving electric car that brews lattes and irons your shirts
along the way would be best, but do what you can.
into the garage. You can’t even get within an integrated-
circuit’s throw of the garage, because it’s behind a gate.
But you can look at it and feel the vibes of innovation.
As stated in the plaque out front, it’s an official historic
site: “The Birthplace of ‘Silicon Valley.’” It’s where, in
1938, David Packard and William Hewlett – definitely
geeks — began tinkering away on an audio oscillator.
People stop and take pics all the time.
Details: 367 Addison Ave., Palo Alto.
JIM GENSHEIMER/STAFF
A “Statue of Liberty” is one of many eye-catching bits of
decor at Buck's Restaurant in Woodside.
Buck’s Restaurant
Every good geek knows you need to start the day with
a hearty breakfast. And the best place for tech entrepre-
neurs and venture capitalists to do that is, for some rea-
son, Buck’s. It’s a fun diner in the little village of Woodside
with decidedly analog and delicious pancakes and wacky
décor — biplanes, blimps, stuffed beasts, a cosmonaut
suit, a Statue of Liberty that sometimes wears a som-
brero, sometimes a politically pink knit hat.
During the past two decades, companies like Pay-
Pal, Hotmail, Netscape and Tesla were born here, yet
Buck’s longtime owner, Jamis MacNiven, admits he
doesn’t know why it’s such a draw for the tech elite.
“We’re just people feeders here, and we happen to have
been anointed with this international reputation,” he
says. “I’m just the guy who holds open the door. Oh,
and we have food, too.”
Details: 3062 Woodside Road, Woodside, www.
buckswoodside.com.
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
Now that your brain’s been fed, take I-280 south to
Sand Hill Road. You’ll pass SLAC, which is super cool,
because inside the two-mile long building is the world’s
longest particle accelerator, which sends molecules
JIM GENSHEIMER/STAFF
speeding around like subatomic race cars. Public tours
of the Stanford-run research facility are offered twice The mascot for Ask Jeeves, a search engine company of
a month; advance registration required. the dot-com bubble era, is an affable butler on display at
Details: 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, www6. the Computer History Museum in Mountain View.
slac.stanford.edu and search for “public tours.”
Computer History Museum
Since viewing the HP garage will only take about
five minutes, you can devote lots of time to the Com-
puter History Museum. Its exhibits go back 2,000
years, starting with the abacus, moving up to slide
rules, then punch-card machines, room-size computers
with whirling tape reels, Univacs (I thought those only
existed on “The Jetsons”) and on up through robots,
software advances and a “World of Warcraft” exhibit
with a life-size Thrall statue.
There’s even a self-driving Google car. Sadly, you
can’t drive it, and it doesn’t make lattes. The gift shop
offers robot ice cube trays and “Star Trek” mugs (add
hot water and it “beams” the crew to the planet’s sur-
ANGELA HILL/STAFF
face).
This mild-mannered garage in Palo Alto is the historic Details: Open Wednesday-Sunday at 1401 N. Shore-
“Birthplace of Silicon Valley” site where David Packard and line Blvd., Mountain View. General admission is $17.50;
William Hewlett developed their first product in 1938. Super Geek and Total Geek packages with entry plus T-
shirts and more are $30-$46; www.computerhistory.org.
Hewlett-Packard garage (Bonus: Off the Grid food trucks are now at the mu-
This is just a little garage with a green garage door, seum every Friday night from 5 to 9 p.m.)
behind a two-story wood-shingled house in a pretty
neighborhood near downtown Palo Alto. You can’t go See Geek on Page 8
Travel Tip: New flights
The international end of Oakland
International Airport continues to grow with
the recent addition of British Airways service
from OAK to London Gatwick four days per
week. British Airways, by the way, is the only
European airline to operate from all three Bay
Area airports, including San Jose’s Mineta
Airport and San Francisco International
Airport. Also new this year: Norwegian
Airlines flights from OAK to Copenhagen, as
ROB OWEN/PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE well as Oslo and Stockholm, and — beginning
favorite-places-spotlight. June 7 — to Barcelona; plus Southwest flights
to Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos, Mexico.
1. Providence, Rhode Island Meanwhile at San Jose’s Mineta
2. Madison, Wisconsin International, Aeromexico will begin nonstop
3. Portland, Oregon, pictured service to Guadalajara, Mexico, on July 1 daily,
except Tuesdays. Alaska Airlines will launch
4. Seattle, Washington daily service from San Jose to Tucson, Arizona
5. Sacramento, California JACKIE BURRELL/STAFF and Austin, Texas on Aug. 28, and four flights
6. Detroit, Michigan Travelers at San Jose’s Mineta International Airport stop to daily to Los Angeles (LAX) Sept. 20.
ask a terminal robot for directions to the nearest bookstore. — Staff
7. Austin, Texas
Play
001 >> F8 >> SUNDAY, APRIL 16, 2017 H BAY AREA NEWS GROUP

Wish You Were Here

GeoQuiz
A tree-lined
tunnel, an
Elizabethan-era
pirate — and
a Morse code
station.
Where are you?
COURTESY OF THE EALEY FAMILY

Clue: A wireless telegraph

CHINA: Gilroy residents Carol Tolbert-Ealey and still in use 20 years ago.
Michael Ealey traveled to Shanghai, Beijing and
Xi’An last fall with a tour group organized by the Answer: Find it — and
Gilroy Chamber of Commerce. “Shanghai is on so much more — at
the coast, therefore much less smog than Beijing, www.mercurynews.com/tag/
and the weather was warm and balmy,” Carol says. geoquiz
Shanghai’s Bund waterfront area, pictured, “faces Last week’s answer:
the modern skyscrapers of the Pudong district.” The Vermilion Cliffs, Arizona
Travel tips: “Take an escorted tour if you’re going
to visit China. Getting around the cities takes time
THINKSTOCK
because of the traffic congestion. Pack toilet paper
— outside your hotel there are few Western style
toilets and little to no toilet paper.”

Trouble the most complained-about

air carriers, it probably was
http://elliott.org/company-
contacts/american.
You re-sent his death
certificate, and American
just struggling to keep up I contacted American on Airlines refunded your
Continued from Page 7
with the crush of emails. your behalf. The airline says $400, as promised.
Still, it’s no excuse for it emailed you in August,
airline’s radio silence. That what happened to you. asking for documentation of Christopher Elliott is the
happens with every airline, After you failed to get a re- your brother-in-law’s death, ombudsman for National
but when you’re the world’s sponse from the customer- but never heard back from Geographic Traveler
largest, as American is, service department, you you. I would almost believe magazine and the author
it’s easy to get lost in the could have appealed to one the airline, except that you of “How to Be the World’s
thousands of complaints. of American’s executives. I sent the documents several Smartest Traveler.” You can
For what it’s worth, I don’t list their names, numbers times. I think American just read more travel tips on his
think American ignored and email addresses on my lost your file. blog, elliott.org, or email him
you deliberately. As one of consumer-advocacy site: That’s easily remedied. at chris@elliott.org.

COURTESY OF THE KERSIS FAMILY

BOTSWANA AND ZIMBABWE: A group of longtime

friends from Walnut Creek and Diablo spent 17
days in Africa this winter, visiting Cape Town, South
Geek SILICON VALLEY GEEK TOUR
These destinations represent Silicon Valley’s geekiest glories,
Africa, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and Botswana. The from a tech museum to a certain, famous garage.
Continued from Page 7
group, shown here with their safari tracker and guide, Redwood San Francisco
second and fourth from left, included Paul Kersis, City Bay
Menlo
Peter and Alison Hill, Maryanne Kain and Holly Kersis. Park 3
Travel tips: “Zimbabwe and Botswana safari 1 Palo 101 Milpitas
experiences can’t be beat — open air vehicles, Woodside 2 Alto 4 5 6 237
880
opportunities for walking and boating and excellent Mountain 7 680
camps accessed by small 8-seater planes,” Holly View
says. “Camp Hwange in Botswana was our favorite, 280 Sunnyvale San
Santa
offering excellent guiding, incredible wildlife viewing 85 Clara 87 Jose
and a walking safari, where we encountered a 8
5 miles
pack of lionesses while on foot. Also, don’t miss an Cupertino
opportunity to stay at the Victoria Falls Hotel, full of
British charm and tradition.” 1 Buck’s Restaurant 5 NASA Ames Visitor Center
2 SLAC National Accelerator 6 WeirdStuff Warehouse
Laboratory 7 Intel Museum
3 Hewlett Packard Garage 8 The Tech Museum of
4 Computer History Museum Innovation
BAY AREA NEWS GROUP

ANGELA HILL/STAFF The Tech Museum of Innovation

COURTESY OF THE BARRANDEGUY FAMILY
ARGENTINA: In November, longtime friends Rick
and Marilyn Esparza, from Los Gatos, and Ansilla
and Roberto Barrandeguy, of San Jose, traveled to
Argentina, Roberto’s native country, to visit family
and friends. “We went to Bariloche, Buenos Aires and
Peninsula Valdes, a World Heritage site,” Ansilla says.
“At Punta Tombo, a nature reserve near Peninsula
Valdes, we saw the Magellanic penguins. This site
also protects native guanacos, rheas, Southern right
whales and many marine birds. The beauty of this
site is that it affords you up-close encounters with
the penguins along the well kept trails.”
Travel tips: “We traveled in our fall — Argentina’s
spring. Dress in layers. On the coast, it is always
windy. The Andes mountains in Bariloche are colder.
Buenos Aires had typical spring weather.”
Share your travels with us! Send your vacation
selfies to jburrell@bayareanewsgroup.com. Be sure
to tell us who’s who, where they’re from and where
you are — and include a couple of travel tips to help
fellow readers globetrot, too. Find more Wish You
Were Here features at www.mercurynews.com/tag/
wish-you-were-here/.
Tour a space station mock-up at NASA-AMES.
NASA Ames Research Center Visitor Center
The visitor center is just outside the NASA-Ames
main gate in a big white marshmallow of a tent. Inside,
you’ll find a mock-up of the International Space Station,
an exhibit on the Kepler Mission and a moon rock from
Apollo 15. (Hint: It’s the thing that looks like a rock). The
visitor center is not huge, but has some cool spacey stuff.
And it’s free.
Details: Moffett Blvd./NASA Parkway exit off Hwy.
101, Mountain View, www.nasa.gov/ames/visitorcenter.
html.
WeirdStuff
Not far from NASA, you’ll pass some Google and
Yahoo buildings on your way to a bland office/indus-
trial area in Sunnyvale. There you’ll find the WeirdStuff
warehouse. This is hard-wired geek territory for those
who want to rummage around old electronics and rig
up their own “Star Trek” transporter (so there, Musk!).
There are shelves and shelves of circuit boards, hard
drives and power supplies and mountains of keyboards
and mice. It’s open to the public daily.
Details: 384 W. Caribbean Drive, Sunnyvale, www.
weirdstuff.com.
Intel Museum
Inside Intel (hah, geek humor) on the company’s
Santa Clara campus, you’ll find a small but very slick,
Jetson-ish museum with glowing blue-and-white exhibit
panels, displays on Intel’s history and products, as well
as exhibits about Silicon Valley semiconductor technol-
ogy. And it’s free.
Details: 2200 Mission College Blvd., Santa Clara;
closed Sundays, www.intel.com.
Keep going south to downtown San Jose to The Tech,
where you and your geeky kids could happily occupy an
entire day or more. The 132,000-square-foot building
has multiple levels of interactive science and technology
exhibits. You’ll find everything from virtual-reality “cy-
ber sleuth” exhibits for learning about internet safety to
exploring your own body metrics (you can check out a
customized sensor kit that measures, records and dis-
plays your activity level, tension and mental focus as you
go through the museum). You can even design, build and
program a real robot using sensors, controllers and ac-
tuators. There’s an IMAX Dome theater to boot, featur-
ing films like, “Dream Big: Engineering Our World.”
Details: Open daily; $24 for adults with an addi-
tional fee for the IMAX theater. 201 S. Market St., www.
thetech.org.
JENNIFER BULLOCK/TECH MUSEUM OF INNOVATION
Kaitlyn Smiley, right, and Sarah Starkey, fifth-graders
in Los Altos, explore a station where you can engineer
multicolored bacteria at BioDesign Studio, a new exhibit
at the Tech Museum of Innovation in downtown San Jose.

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