Fine Arts In San Francisco

One of the few things that San Francisco has been lacking since I moved here nearly twenty years ago is a great fine arts museum. We did have the deYoung museum, but it was old and in disrepair. No one in their right mind would loan valuable pieces of art to the museum, given its lack of earthquake readiness, and the numerous roof leaks. All that has changed, back in 2000 the museum was closed, then torn down. Five years and millions of dollars later the new deYoung Museum is now open to the public. So if you like art and happen to be in or around Golden Gate park stop in, you won’t be disappointed. It might also be the easiest place in San Francisco to find a parking space (they now have an underground parking structure).

Todd’s Bread Stuffing

I originally got this recipe from Bon Appetite magazine about twelve years ago (I think). I don’t make it every year because it is a lot of work. I am calling the recipe mine now because I have changed more than a little bit. Also don’t be temped to make this the night before, this is one of those things that needs to come out of the oven just before dinner.

1 1/4 pounds sourdough bread, crusts trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 12 cups)
3/4 pound bacon (about 12 slices), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only)
3 cups chopped celery
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons dried sage leaves
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 1/2 cups (or more) canned low-salt chicken broth
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Preheat oven to 325°F. Spread bread cubes on 2 baking sheets.

Bake until bread cubes are dry and crisp, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Transfer bread to large bowl.

Sauté bacon in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until brown and crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels and drain. Add chopped leeks and celery to skillet and sauté until tender and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add mushrooms, sage, thyme, salt and pepper and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Pour mushroom mixture over bread cubes. Add bacon and toss to blend. Mix in 2 cups broth.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Beat
eggs and baking powder in small bowl to blend. Mix eggs into stuffing; moisten stuffing with more broth if stuffing is dry. Transfer
to prepared baking dish. Bake stuffing until cooked through and
golden brown on top, about 1 hour.

Grandma’s Sweet Potato Casserole

This is really easy and everyone always loves it, when you read through the list of ingredients you will understand why.

4 cups of mashed canned sweet potatoes
1/3 cup butter
½ cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs

Mix with an electric mixer until smooth. Poor into buttered 9x13 by baking disk, and spread evenly.

Next take,

1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
1 ½ cups brown sugar

Mix with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Spread evenly on top of the mashed sweet potatoes.

You can also sprinkle whole pecans on top if you like.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Silver Oak, 1995 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

1995 will long be remembered as one of the worst years for wine in recent memory. However a few growers did manage to produce some world class grapes in spite of the two "100-year" floods that hit the Napa valley. Justin Meyer managed to pull another rabbit out of his hat with this wine. It has a very dark ruby color, a nose of cassis, blackberry, plum, and coffee. This wine has an incredible mouth coating texture and a very long finish, with a very complex set of flavor transitions. On release it was somewhat tannic on the finish, but those tannins have mellowed to reveal a very delightful wine.

White Crane, 2004 Pinot Noir Reserve (Santa Lucia Highlands)

When I pulled into White Crane’s tasting room, I didn’t expect much. It is basically an old tool shed that needs a roof and some doors. Looks can be deceiving, what I found inside is a wine produced from grapes from one of the world’s best growing regions for Pinot Noir the Santa Lucia Highlands. This is in Monterey County, a spot with warm summer days, and cool evenings allowing the grapes develop a mature and complex set of flavors. This wine exhibits black cherry, oak, berry with a delicate but distinctly spicy finish. Alexa thinks the bouquet is wonderful and I agree. This wine is ready for drinking now but should age well for a couple years. Sadly only 125 cases were made, and it’s only available at the Livermore tasting room.

Fog City News

I don’t get up to San Francisco during the week much, but when I do I always find time to stop in at Fog City News (455 Market Street). Fog City is the coolest news stand on the planet (as far as I am concerned). They have over 700 magazine titles, most in multiple languages and over 150 kinds of chocolate in stock, and nothing with the name “Hersheys” on it. The folks there are friendly, knowledgeable and nuts about chocolate. So if you want a read about the latest break through in “String Theory” while eating a piece of raspberry, orange, almond chocolate, this is the place for you. The only problem is they are only open Monday thru Friday.

Todd’s Chocolate Pudding Souffle’

this recipe got invented when Lisa was pregnant with Alexa. It was supposed to be a traditional Chocolate Souffle’ but it didn’t quite come out that way. It is a bit of work but perfect for this time of year.

8 tbs unsalted butter
4 tbs sugar
6 egg yolks
5 oz bittersweet chocolate (melted)
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 tbs flour
2 tbs potato starch
4 egg whites (whisked to soft peaks)

Whisk the butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, and then add melted chocolate. Add vanilla, flour and potato starch and combine well.

Fold the whisked egg whites into the chocolate.

Butter a 4-cup pudding mold and pour the pudding into the prepared mold. Place in a water bath and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before un-molding.

Serve with vanilla bean ice cream and chocolate fudge sauce (if you really have a chocolate jone’s going).

Serves 8 (sometimes)