Tag: italian

Mercato Opens in North Beach

Mercato Opens in North Beach

Mercato Artisan Food & Gifts just opened in North Beach on Columbus near Green, nestled between Stella’s Pastry & Lola’s Card Stop. Mercato features imported and local artisan food and gift products, with a focus on Italia that befits the neighborhood. You may not know many of 

Braised Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Braised Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage stuffed with rice and flavorful browned ground beef braised in San Marzano tomatoes is a comfort food that helps me transition to early fall. I don’t give up late summer easily. Stuffed cabbage is easy to prepare and packs a ton of texture and 

Grilled Chicken Marinated with Rosemary & Garlic

Grilled Chicken Marinated with Rosemary & Garlic

Last week we were staying in an updated 1930s cabin overlooking Lake Tahoe. I was excited about the grill on the deck right outside the kitchen door and we used it every day. One of our dinners included delicious grilled chicken breasts simply marinated in 

Marinated Zucchini (Zucchine alla Scapace)

Marinated Zucchini (Zucchine alla Scapace)

I have more late summer zucchini than I know what to do with. Well, almost. I made a fritatta with zucchini, potatoes, wild boar salami and fontina. I made ciambotta, a zucchini stew with potatoes and onions in a tomato sauce. I used what I 

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

I was hosting a 4-course birthday dinner for a friend. I asked her what she wanted. “Nothing special. You come up with something. It’s always good,” she told me. But the next morning she sent me an email. “Can you make sweet potato gnocchi? I’ve been 

Pickled Eggplant

Pickled Eggplant

It’s getting near the end of the summer season so I’m putting up some eggplant to tide me over until spring. This a simple recipe from the south of Italia. The pickled eggplant is preserved under olive oil (sott’olio) and will keep in your refrigerator 

Square 5 Best in SF

Square 5 Best in SF

The Chronicle’s food writers just completed a year-long culinary tour of San Francisco, one square mile at a time. The city was divided into 49 “squares”. Each Sunday the culinary adventurers shared their take on the best restaurants and food attractions in each square. After exploring 

Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken Cacciatore

Flavor memories of my Mom’s hunter-style braised chicken overwhelmed me. I headed down the hill to get what I needed to make this easy, rustic dish. I’m a breast man but go ahead and include all of your favorite chicken parts. The breasts take less 

Ciao Caesar’s

Ciao Caesar’s

It’s the end of a North Beach era. After 56 years as a destination for locals, Caesar’s Restaurant near Fisherman’s Wharf, closed yesterday. The family-owned restaurant is a victim of changing San Francisco and North Beach demographics, changed tastes at the table, and a sour 

Galloping Figs

Galloping Figs

I love fresh figs. I don’t care, black or white, I eat them all while they are in season. It all started when I was a kid. We had 3 fig trees in our Jersey backyard, 2 black, 1 white. I couldn’t wait for the 

Victoria Pastry Is Back

Victoria Pastry Is Back

Victoria Pastry Company has reopened in its new digs near Washington Square Park, on Filbert just down the street from Saints Peter & Paul Church. Victoria moved after almost 100 years on the corner of Stockton & Vallejo, across the street from Little City Meats. 

An Arthur Avenue Shopping Adventure

An Arthur Avenue Shopping Adventure

When I’m in Manhattan one morning is set aside for a visit to  Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. If you want to experience a vibrant Italian-American food neighborhood with a distinctly southern Italian flavor, this is the place to go. When we make the 20-minute 

Italian Festival Saturday

Italian Festival Saturday

Don’t miss the annual Festa Coloniale Italiana this Saturday, August 11, 2012 on Washington Square in front of the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club (SFIAC). The Festa is the only Italian festival that celebrates San Francisco’s Italian and Italian-American heritage. It’s our version of Ferragosto, the 

Baked Baby Eggplant

Baked Baby Eggplant

Don’t miss the next new video recipe. Please subscribe now to my YouTube channel. I love the small Italian eggplant now in the market. Here’s a quick recipe that explodes with flavor. Just cut the eggplants in half and bake them in the oven topped with crushed  San 

Panzanella (Summer Tomato & Bread Salad)

Panzanella (Summer Tomato & Bread Salad)

I never throw away bread. I use stale bread for my meatballs, for stuffings and for breadcrumbs. I always have some hanging around. Day-old bread inspires panzanella, a simple summer tomato and bread salad. Some of you asked for this recipe based on the classic