LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Jan 29, 2012, 8:53 pm
Asking for food recommendations for a trip to Spain, I knew would open up a can of worms. Everyone has an opinion that seems to counter the prevailing idea of the previous ‘expert” on topics such as favorite tapas joints or paella experiences.  However, I was surprised to see one universal thre...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Oct 8, 2011, 11:26 pm
My husband recently took me for a weekend trip to Calaveras County.  What does that have to do with Grains of Paradise?  Very little, except that I found this interesting spice while in Murphys, which along with Angels Camp reside in Calaveras County, California. Grains of Paradise Grains of Parad...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Sep 15, 2011, 12:08 pm
We are off to Spain, so the food research commenced without fail.  One of the first dishes I am anxious to discover in its native land is paella.  I’ve loved paella ever since my first bite, and while researching potential destinations, Valencia, Spain  was on this list when I discovered this a...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Aug 28, 2011, 10:31 pm
Edam cheese was never really on my radar.  I mean I’ve eaten it, and it was perfectly acceptable, but those encounters were not those superlative laden events, that I’ve had say, with a good Epoisse.  However, my interest was piqued, first when my Filipino sister-in-law mentioned her father re...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Aug 13, 2011, 10:14 pm
Last week, I did something I try to avoid at all costs; I waited in line.  Wait, let me rephrase that, I waited a long time in a very long line for a pop up bakery at a San Francisco restaurant, Flour + Water, thanks to the inside scoop from my friend, Adrienne, aka Gastroantropology.  Her friend...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Aug 1, 2011, 9:04 pm
When I say old, I mean O L D!  As in this spice mix dates back to the 1600s.  The first mixes were originally billed as medicine, and were developed shortly after the introduction of red chilies to Japan.  Shichi is the Japanese word for “seven.”   As you explore the spice racks in the mark...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Jul 24, 2011, 9:24 pm
What is old is new again in San Francisco and beyond.  In the last year or so, izakaya’s have been popping up throughout San Francisco.  In my neighborhood alone, within the last few months two have sprung  to life.  Not that I am complaining, and neither is my husband for on a recent visit he...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Jul 9, 2011, 3:07 pm
.. and so continues the epic voyage of curry.  In past posts (Curry – A World Traveler, Britain’s National Dish Is…, Curry Leaves, Curry Powder, and Asian Curry – Japan) I touched on curry and some of the roads its taken and, having been hit across the head recently with currywurst, though...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Jul 3, 2011, 5:42 pm
This week’s CSA proved a bonanza of greens.  One find I unearthed I have not used in a while mainly because its not a common herb in my local markets.  So there was an excited “woohoo” elicited from me upon its discovery.  The plant in question is sorrel, and if you are not familiar with it...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Jun 19, 2011, 12:28 pm
I love bread in all its forms, but near the top of my favorites is focaccia.  I mean what genius thought to pair bread with olive oil, cheese and any number of combinations of toppings.  My curiousity was piqued when we sampled the grape fociaccia, chiacciata con l’uva a specialty of  Florence...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - May 29, 2011, 11:25 pm
When In Rome When we went to Italy last year, half the fun was researching what food we could expect to discover, and one ingredient that quickly rose to the top of the list was artichokes.  They were everywhere, especially in Rome, where they distinguished Jewish style as opposed to, I guess, Roma...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - May 21, 2011, 6:22 pm
Growing up, my dad and grandmother extoled the virtues of drinking apple cider vinegar.  As a young girl I was highly skeptical, but over time learned to appreciate their jugement.  I am far from a regular inbiber, but I can see its merits, and the flavor has grown on me. Word of Advice - This is ...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - May 9, 2011, 9:01 am
What’s In a Name? Depending on the national laws of the country, the name caviar may also describe the roe of other fish such as salmon, steelhead, trout, lumpfish, whitefish, and any number other species of sturgeon.  The term is also used to describe dishes that are perceived to resemble caviar...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - May 1, 2011, 12:07 am
Tiki bars are one of those places that ebb and flow in popularity, but here in the Bay Area, there are some standards, no institutions that never go away. I for one cannot imagine not taking visitors to San Francisco to the Tonga Room where else can you enjoy a tropical rainstorm in a high end hotel...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Apr 2, 2011, 9:50 am
Everyone must have a favorite type of cheese, for my niece its feta, for my nephew its string cheese (huh?), and for me its Époisses.  If you’ve had it, you know what I am talking about; if not, you are in for a treat. Epoisses is a wash rind cheese made in the village Époisses located nearly ...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Mar 20, 2011, 11:35 pm
I was recently consumed with curiosity about lye used in cooking and found that its use is critical to the  pretzels we know and love.  One thing led to another, and so I decided to explore the twisted world of pretzels: Why the knots? Why use lye? Why desiccated bread? What are they? Pretztels c...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Mar 6, 2011, 4:02 pm
If there was ever a drink that seems guaranteed to improve the mood, its chai.  Specifically masala chai, with masala being a general Hindu term for spice mix, and chai the term for tea.  If you ask for chai tea, you’re just being redundant.  (This sort of expression is called pleonasm, where o...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Feb 26, 2011, 7:34 pm
Apologies to the Euythmics, but ever since I conceived the idea for this post, I could not get their song out of my head.  When I made my batch of homemade olives, I researched the various techniques involved, including the use of lye.  I suddenly seemed to encounter all matter of food made with s...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Feb 19, 2011, 4:35 pm
Rome is an amazing city.  It is simply confounding, at least for this American, to walk in the midst of such history and not be separated by plexiglass or rope from the antiquity on which it was built.  That’s not to say there wasn’t any protection for those priceless treasures and insights in...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Feb 12, 2011, 10:07 pm
You know how you discover something, and then you suddenly its as if by magic you see it or references to it pop up everywhere?  Or maybe you become hyper sensitive to it once you heard about it, well that’s pandan leaves for me right now.  I had heard of pandan leaves before but as I was writin...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Feb 1, 2011, 12:00 pm
I’ve long been intrigued by the lure of tonka beans, and given that they are off limits in the US thanks to the FDA its a clear cut case of desiring what you cannot have. I mean any spice described as tasting and smelling like a heady combination of vanilla, almonds, cinnamon and cloves sounds lik...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Jan 30, 2011, 10:25 am
Drip…drip…drip – watching that black gold descend one precious drop at a time from the filter suspended over the condensed milk and ice is almost more than I can take.  My impatient nature takes hold and I want to confirm that the flavor is as good as I remember… drip…drip and I want to k...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Jan 22, 2011, 7:27 pm
Montalcino is a small, very picturesque hilltop town nestled in arguably some of the most beautiful country around.  While Montalcino may not need a lot of time dedicated to exploring; indeed most guide books recommend just a few hours.  But that’s rushing things, because when you’re ensconced...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Jan 15, 2011, 9:24 pm
Isla Mujeres (Spanish for “Island of Women”) is a place to go if relaxing in the sun and surf is a priority.  This suited my family perfectly as we wanted to spend Christmas in a place that was warm and friendly for ages between six months and well a lot older.   This island is a short ferry r...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Jan 8, 2011, 11:00 pm
Sepideh sent me a cryptic email: "Do you know about sweet lemons?" was all she wrote. I replied that I thought, based on a quick glance at a sweet lemon in the neighborhood market, that it was like a Meyer's lemon. "Not so fast, my friend", was her response.
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Dec 31, 2010, 8:50 pm
On our final day in Florence – a Sunday, we decided to explore the portions of the city situated across the river and away from the main attractions.  We meandered down the streets drawn by steeples in the distance.  As we turned the corner, in the courtyard behind the Santo Spirito Church we fo...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Dec 28, 2010, 11:56 pm
Wandering around the Cancun airport, struggling to find a way to spend my last pesos on some worthy souvenir that would stretch the memories of my time with family in Isla Mujeures, I kept coming face to face with bottles of Mexican vanilla next to the sombreros and colorful rain sticks.  While I d...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Dec 15, 2010, 8:34 pm
I had to share this list of award winning cookbooks from around the world.  I’d never seen such a broad collection of resources.  All of them were entered into the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards this past year, and they represent their country in the “Best of the World” category.  If you’...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Dec 12, 2010, 10:06 am
Its Christmas time and the mind wanders to fruit cake.  No?  Not so with you?  Hmm, well trust me, this one is good, after all there must be some reason that fruit cake has been around for ages.  I know some folks think that applies to Grandma’s cake, but seriously, the fruitcake or panforte f...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Dec 4, 2010, 10:04 pm
My love for capers slowly creeped up on me, a lot I imagine like those relationships where the couple start out as friends, and then realize they have something more in common, and soon amore. What are they? Capers are the unripened green flower buds of the Capparis spinosa (close kin to the cabbage...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Nov 20, 2010, 4:24 pm
Growing up, I was one of those kids who loved olives, and like this little fella here, there was no better way to eat them then sucking them off the tip of each finger.  Mind you, we’re talking those bland, black olives, the predominate requirement was their ability to attach to the tips of my fi...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Nov 11, 2010, 12:10 pm
Florence proved a swoon worthy city where ever twist and turn offers new and unexpected delights. We spent over three days in this city and while it was a good start, it was not nearly enough to absorb its beauty or take in all the features that make it unique (more details later).  I’ve mentione...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Nov 8, 2010, 6:15 pm
Growing up, I loved mint, still do, but back then I had very fixed ideas of what mint was and where it belonged: in my gum, in my toothpaste, and most assuredly in my ice cream and my mom’s Creme de Menthe cake.  Then I went to college and all my preconceived notions were dashed, and thank goodne...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Oct 29, 2010, 3:23 pm
When we told people we were headed to Rome, I lost count of the number of suggestions of “You must explore Trastevere.”  I found out they had good reason for saying so.  Trastevere is a former working class neighborhood of Rome, across the Tiber river from all the tourist action at the Colosse...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Oct 23, 2010, 6:21 pm
Mendocino County is as breathtaking as ever, but we recently stumbled across something that took us by surprise.  My mother-in-law, who accompanied us on this trip, had heard of a restaurant called 10,000 Buddhas that intrigued her and she wanted us to go there for lunch.  She said it was a Buddhi...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Oct 16, 2010, 2:05 pm
As you read this, Mr. Oyster and I are in Italy, and I’m having no fun whatsoever.  It’s just research, research research, struggling to come up with ideas to write about (just kidding).  In the meantime, Christine from Fresh Local Best, a very talented writer and photographer (as evidenced he...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Oct 8, 2010, 6:58 am
A scene from one of the Planet of the Apes movies with Charleston Heston, came to mind the first time I saw the Sutro Baths.  I was looking at a relic of the center of some thriving recreational activity for folks in San Francisco. Never heard of either place?  If you are not from the Bay Area, I ...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Oct 5, 2010, 7:00 am
Just a bit of what’s going on for me.  Along with my day job I added teaching a class at a local university on international business and strategy.  Can I say this was one of the best choices I have ever made?  I love it – the animated conversations, the head nodding when the concepts click f...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Sep 23, 2010, 5:05 pm
Aside from salt, peppercorns are some of the oldest spice in the world, used both as a flavoring and as medicine.  Black pepper was a widespread, if expensive, seasoning in the Roman Empire.  Apicius’ De re coquinaria, a 3rd-century cookbook includes pepper in a majority of its recipes.  Edward...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Sep 12, 2010, 10:14 pm
Last week, we spent the weekend exploring parts of Sonoma County, that we had left undiscovered, not by any deliberate design, but a somewhat happy consequence that we just had not made it there just yet.  My husband found us a wonderful bed and breakfast just outside of Santa Rosa that proved to b...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Sep 5, 2010, 7:54 pm
I’ve confessed that I have a habit of buying spices first and asking questions later.  Sometimes the purchases were duds, although I believe the argument could be made for “user error,” one or two chance encounters caused strong feelings of repulsion, but every so often they led t...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Aug 25, 2010, 9:48 pm
Hands down, one of my favorite herbs is basil, there is just something about it that adds a bit of zing or flavor that I never get tired of, and I am a firm believer that just about anything you add basil to is better as a result.  Having only married into a family of Italian heritage, and not havi...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Aug 21, 2010, 11:25 pm
Every year about this time in San Francisco, pepper lovers in the know eagerly check their CSA’s with the same anticipation as a child peeking into their Christmas stocking, “Is it there?”  ”Have my wishes been answered”?  What are they looking for?  In my case, it w...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Aug 15, 2010, 10:41 am
I grew up eating spaghetti and macaroni and rigatoni, and well that’s about it.  It was not until I started cooking for myself that I discovered that 1. those names were not the names of the dishes but the names of the noodles used in the dishes, and 2. those shapes were only the tip of the p...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Aug 7, 2010, 4:45 pm
Can I just say it took all of my self control (of which there is lamentably little), not to title this post something corny like “Miso Thankful.”  Why do I feel this way?  The longer I write this blog the more amazed I am at the incredible people I encounter from writing this blog.  A...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Jul 31, 2010, 4:39 pm
I recently had a revelation – We’ve been robbed!  Robbed of some incredibly tasty opportunities, I know I am not alone in that for most of my life I ate one kind of dessert banana.  Oh yeah, I’d sampled other bananas when I traveled, and was blown away by how sweet and tasty it w...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Jul 24, 2010, 10:11 pm
I’ve had Italy on the brain lately, so much so that I’ve really struggled with finishing my other posts.  So to work it out of my system, I decided this post must be written.    My hubby and I relized we’d be celebrating our 10th anniversay this year, and it literally stopped us...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Jul 16, 2010, 9:15 am
Growing up, a favorite treat for me was the beef jerky my parents made.  I loved that delicious, salty snack, but after I moved away I questioned my memory of those meaty treats.  My subsequent encounters, left me cold, they were not so much dried as desiccated, tough as nails, so stringy that I r...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Jul 11, 2010, 10:49 am
These is a certain kind of sushi restaurant that delights in hiding in plain sight.  In San Francisco, they seem to compete on blandness for the most bland exteriors, only to show their true colors to the luck few who’s patience in out waiting their rivals is rewarded with a tasty repast.  T...
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LouAnn C. posted an article on Oyster Food and Culture - Jun 23, 2010, 5:49 pm
This may be unfair, but I’ve come to the conclusion that you can tell a lot about a country by their sausage.  For lunches, while traveling, my husband and I have developed a habit of securing some local wine, bread, cheese and sausage that we can nibble at our leisure.  Since we’ve mu...
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