cooking

Mother's Day and Father's Day are coming up and if your parents are anything like mine, they don�t need more �stuff.� I�m not saying you should skip giving them presents, but you might want to consider focusing on something consumable. Here are two really special gift options, and they have the added bonus of being recurring.  Pomora Adopt An Olive Tree I have seen olives harvested and pressed in Italy, Spain and in California. I�ve also gotten to enjoy delicious high quality extra virgin olive oils, fresh from the mill, and there is nothing like it. While there is better and better quality olive oil in the supermarket these days, Pomora gives you an opportunity to connect on a deeper level, to learn more about a specific olive farmer and olive oil production and to receive a set of three 250 ml tins of oil each quarter (the tins protect the oils from light and heat, to keep the oil as fresh as possible).  I got a chance to try the olio nouvo from both Southern Italian farmers...

There is never a shortage of cool foodie events in the Bay Area, and April is no exception. Here are my top picks for the month and then it�s back to recipes, reviews and a super awesome giveaway later this week that you won't want to miss... Vivande Restaurant returns to Luce On Thursday April 16 Carlo Middione cooks what promises to be a memorable dinner with Chef Daniel Corey at Luce. If you�ve lived in Bay Area for a while, you probably recognize the name Carlo Middione as a groundbreaking chef and restaurateur of Vivande. He�s been out of the limelight for a few years but the event which is a tribute to Carlo and his wife Lisa features an incredible sounding five course dinner with dishes like antipasti of poached squid stuffed with prawns and garnished with squid ink, cannellini beans and California osetra caviar, homemade tagliatelle and Calabrian style lamb chops and baby artichokes. I asked Carlo how this dinner came about and this is what he told me: "Peter Koehler, ...

Orange trees at the Saadian tombs, Marrakech, Morocco One of the things I love most about Morocco is its intensity. I was often overwhelmed by the sounds, sights and flavors found there. In particular the colors seem to vibrate and the smells combined with the heat radiate from everywhere--the tanneries, the medinas, the communal ovens, the trees and gardens. One scent in particular reminds me of my time spent there more than anything else. Orange blossoms.  The scent of orange blossoms in Morocco is intoxicating. When a tree is in full bloom the scent is heady and exquisite. I can understand why someone would want to to capture it. Orange blossom water is made from a distillation of the blossoms from bitter orange trees. It is used in bath and body preparations but also in food. You will find it used not just in Moroccan cuisine but also in Persian, Middle Eastern, Indian and Turkish recipes. I recently purchased some orange blossom water for use in a fruit salad and got to wonder...

A few years ago I wrote a story about Chardonnay  and consumers perception of it. It's a wine that while very popular, is also held in disdain by many consumers. Napa Cabernet Sauvignon is another such wine. Not that there is just one Napa Cabernet, there are lots of stylistic differences but as the signature wine of Napa Valley, it�s one worth getting to know.  Whether you collect Napa Cabernets or avoid them, I recommend you consider a special educational program at Sequoia Grove Winery called A Taste for Cabernet. Boutique winery Sequoia Grove makes mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, it�s about 3/4 of their total production. They have some of their own vineyards but also work with quite a number of growers in the area. At the tasting, which is set in a private space away from the crowds in the tasting room, you get a chance to try four of the their top Cabernet�s and a Bordeaux blend. The wines come from different parcels with different growers, are different vintages and the...