Appetizers

Sign up early to make dough at State Fair baking contests

2013-05-24T22:28:46Z

Baking know-how could pay off at the upcoming State Fair during two cooking competitions. But to make some dough, you've got to sign up early.

Friday, May 31, is the deadline to register for the State Fair's two featured baking contests: Fleischmann's Yeast Best Baking Contest and the Ghirardelli Chocolate Championship.

Judging for both contests will be July 25 near the end of the State Fair's run, July 14-28 at Cal Expo.

The Fleischmann contest includes two categories: Best yeast baked good (breads, rolls, coffee cakes, doughnuts, etc.) and "Best Dessert Pizza." A $125 prize is offered for each category.

Entrants in the Chocolate Championship must use premium Ghirardelli 60 percent Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips plus any additional Ghirardelli baking chocolate in a bite-size treat. First prize is $150 and a Ghiradelli gift basket.

Complete rules and registration are available online at www.bigfun.org (under the "Contest" section) or call the fair's entry office, (916) 263-3146.

Management shuffle at Pearl on the River

2013-05-24T21:31:43Z

Some longtime restaurant goers might recognize Dan Sneed as the former general manager of Ella Dining Room & Bar and the now defunct Mason's. His resume also includes a stint as manager at San Francisco's The Dining Room at The Ritz-Carlton and restaurant Gary Danko.

Now, Sneed has been announced as the operator and general manager of Pearl on the River. The Garden Highway restaurant is announcing some other changes as well, including a River Cafe that overlooks the restaurant's kitchen, and an emphasis on the ubiquitous "farm-to-fork" ethos found around Sacramento's dining scene.

The Bee's Blair Anthony Robertson awarded Pearl on the River a laudable three stars not long after its 2009 opening. Given these new management changes and re-tooled menu, we expect another visit soon.

]]> For more information: www.pearlontheriver.com

Sacramento second-grader cooks on national TV

2013-05-24T19:45:48Z

Nicolas Come may be only 8 years old, but the Sacramento second grader brings his hometown's "Farm-to-Fork" campaign to a national audience Saturday morning.

Broadcast live from New York City, Nicolas will appear on "FOX & Friends Saturday" on the FOX News network, starting at 3 a.m. PDT. Nicolas' scheduled segment will air about 6:30-6:45 a.m. in Sacramento.

Nicolas drew the interest of FOX producers with his Nicolas' Garden mobile app and an appearance on local TV. Released last week, the app allows families to share healthy recipes, cooking tips and more in a fun, kid-friendly format. See it at www.NicolasGarden.com.

For his TV debut, Nicolas will cook on camera a recipe he developed for First Lady Michelle Obama's "Healthy Lunch Recipe Contest."

"It's really exciting," he said when contacted by phone in New York. "I'm making Nicolas' California Sunshine; it's curry."

His own recipe, the curry features vegetables, fruit, chicken and spices. This photo is Nicolas practicing his curry Friday at a test kitchen in Brooklyn.

"He's been practicing it quite a bit," said Drisha Leggitt, a Nicolas' Garden volunteer. "On the flight, his backpack was filled with spices. He brought three different curries.

"It takes a lot of guts to get up on live TV, but Nicolas really wants to do this," she added. "Who better to represent the capital's Farm-to-Fork movement than a kid from Sacramento?"

Grange to hang retired Kings jerseys today at restaurant

2013-05-23T17:43:19Z

At least for today, Grange restaurant at 10th and J streets will be the leader of Sacramento's Farm-To-Free-Throw movement. That section of downtown will be high with Kings fever this afternoon, with a mighty rally celebrating the Kings' stay in Sacramento at Cesar Chavez Plaza, which is across the street from Grange.

Grange will take on the flavor of Arco Arena - no, Power Balance Pavilion - ack, we mean Sleep Train Arena by hanging the Kings' retired jerseys around the restaurant. Two HDTVs will also be hung in one of the windows and will broadcast Kings videos, while some Grange staff will be decked in their finest Chris Webber jerseys and gear from other classic Kings players.

To get properly fueled up for the rally, Grange's bar will serve a fine selection of purple cocktails including a "purple shooter." Swish!

The Rind giving a sneak preview -- right now

2013-05-23T00:19:20Z

As we just tweeted, thanks to a call from a friendly reader, The Rind has nudged its doors open a day ahead of the soft opening slated for 11 a.m. Thursday. So if you're in the 1800 block of L Street in midtown, stop in, taste some cheese and wish them luck.

We'll be reporting more on this new venture, which will serve artisan cheeses, wine and beer, with many suggestions for pairings.

Blair Anthony Robertson is The Bee's restaurant critic. Follow him on Twitter, @blarob.

Kraft cheese truck is coming to town with free samples

2013-05-22T18:30:16Z

The big cheese is coming to town. The Kraft Fresh Possibilities tour trucks are rolling across the nation, with upcoming stops in our area. One of them will be parked in two locations, with offerings of free samples, dollars-off coupons and recipes.

A highlight will be tastes of the company's new Fresh Take, a "meal kit" of cheeses, spices and breadcrumbs in one compartmentalized bag. The Kraft folks will demonstrate "more than 60 ways" to create meals from the kit.

Look for the Kraft truck on May 30 in front of Raley's stores: 10 a.m. at 5345 Hazel Ave., Fair Oaks; and 3 p.m. at 715 Bidwell St., Folsom.

For more information, visit www.tryfreshtake.com.

Film to be part of Sacramento's Hunger Action Week

2013-05-21T18:31:41Z

It turns out that the 21st century is just as much a party to hunger issues than its predecessor.

That much is the gist of the documentary "A Place at the Table," which screens May 29 & 30 and June 1 at the Crest Theatre. The Sacramento Hunger Coalition is presenting a showing of the film tonight at 6, followed by a panel discussion as part of Hunger Action Week.

In the film co-directors Kristi Jacobson and Lori Silverbush cast the lens at three individuals living in the U.S. Each are struggling to put food on the table.

The Crest is at 1013 K St., Sacramento

]]> Their stories are interwoven with insights from experts like sociologist Janet Poppendieck and nutrition policy leader Marion Nestle. Actor Jeff Bridges and other persons of note are interviewed in the documentary.

A Place at the Table
When: 7:30 p.m., May 29, 30 and June 1; special showing, panel discussion, 6 tonight
Where: Crest Theatre, 1013 K St., Sacramento
Tickets: $9:50
Information: www.magpictures.com/aplaceatthetable

Do you know your cheese from your gravy and cucumbers?

2013-05-21T17:38:37Z

San Bruno-based Eat24 has a good gig going. It's an online service in partnership with 20,000 restaurants in 1,000 U.S. cities. It specializes in matching consumers with restaurants in their area that will deliver food "to home, office, campus or wherever you may be" when ordered online.

It's blog site, Bacon Sriracha Unicorn Diaries, has an interesting post that explores "the hidden meanings of favorite food phrases." Like these:

The big cheese
Definition: "The best of the best"
Origin: "Since the earliest 19th century, cheese was used as a noun to describe something wealthy or top-rate. Cheese originated from the Persian use 'the chiz.'"

It's all gravy
Definition: "It's all good"
Origin: "This phrase originated from an Old English saying that explained life is meat and potatoes, and the luxuries are gravy."

Cool as a cucumber
Definition: "Calm and composed even in difficult situations"
Meaning: "This expression is taken from a literal characteristic of cucumbers. The inside of a cucumber is actually 20 degrees cooler than their outsides."

For more, go to www.eat24.com.

Follow-up: The Rind to open Thursday (with details!)

2013-05-20T23:53:53Z

Turns out, Sara Arbabian did not succumb to foul play, is not pinned beneath a giant cheese wheel, does not have a cat that nested on her keyboard and, best of all, is not intentionally ducking the press.

After a bit of nudging, I finally caught up with a very affable Arbabian to hear about her plans for The Rind, a cheese bar featuring wine and beer pairings. To this observer, it's a great fit on a great block and her timing is excellent.

In fact, I think it's going to be such a big hit that Chris Hansen is going to buy it and try to move it to Seattle! (Then Mayor KJ will step in at the 11th hour, make a speech to the Cheese Board and all will be OK).

While wine and cheese pairings are well accepted, the whole idea of finding the right cheese with the right beer is an exciting and relatively unexplored concept for many folks, foodies included. Beyond that, craft beer is taking off locally and throughout many parts of the country, as more and more people are taking beer seriously and enjoying small-batch, quality-driven beer. There's certainly plenty to choose from. Watch for a future "The Beer Run" column in which Arbabian and I discuss how to enjoy cheese with beer.

Arbabian is opening Thursday at 11 a.m. For now, The Rind will be open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight and Sunday and Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. It will be closed for staff training Mondays and Tuesdays, at least for the time being.

How will it work when you walk into The Rind? For one thing, the atmosphere will be relaxed. Visitors can select one of the designated cheese samplers, featuring three cheeses, or select their own cheeses to enjoy. The Rind is also going to feature artisan grilled cheese sandwiches and mac & cheese, all with top-quality cheeses and breads. At every step of the way, the staff will be on hand to provide details about the cheeses, answer questions and give suggestions for pairings. There will be 15-20 wines at first, some available by the glass, along with six beers on tap and 10 in bottles

This is a small operation. Arbabian's husband, Stephen Tatterson, will be helping out after he gets off from his day job. There will also be a couple of other employees starting out.

If you're interested in the fascinating world of cheese and are looking for a different kind of food and beverage experience, The Rind just might become a destination for you.

We'll have more on this new venture soon after it opens. Stay tuned.

The Rind is at 1801 L St., Sacramento.

(Photos courtesy of The Rind).

Blair Anthony Robertson is The Bee's restaurant critic. Follow him on Twitter, @blarob.

O, new little cheese place (with wine & beer) on L Street, call us, we really want to help spread the word that you're about to open, but, um, it would be helpful if you returned our calls

2013-05-20T20:05:19Z

There is a new new cheese shop (with wine and beer) all set to open on one of the best blocks in midtown.

It's called The Rind.

It's at 1801 L Street.

It will have lots of cheese

And wine.

And beer.

And that's all we really know.

We've left voicemails. We've sent emails. We've done walk-bys. We've done everything but go all Dustin Hoffman from "The Graduate" when strolled past and spotted the owner and two others casually sipping wine while seated at the bar. Instead of banging on the glass, "Mrs. Cheese Person, why won't you return our emails and phone calls?" we decided better of it, dignity-wise, and opted to go to Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates for yet another amazing ice cream sandwich (with lemon ice cream).

Still, we wonder about The Rind. We'd like to know more about the concept, the cheeses, the grilled cheeses, the whole dream of opening a new business and forgoing silly things like phones and internets. We want to share these things with our readers.

I contemplated the possibilities: They're ignoring us. Yes, this is a clever counter-intuitive marketing strategy to absolutely perplex everyone and generate some kind of viral reaction that winds up on CNN, sells lots and lots of cheese and leads to a book deal: "Telling People About Your New Business is Stupid.".

We contemplated foul play. Did a giant wheel of cave-aged Gruyere tumble off a shelf and pin the owner to the floor? Does the owner have a cat? A cat sat that likes to sit on computer keyboards and freeze up computers? And the owner has no idea someone is emailing her to ask this potentially exciting new venture?

And wish her luck?

And ask when we can stop by and taste some cheese (and beer and wine)?

We hear it's Thursday.

But that's all we really know.

Blair Anthony Robertson is The Bee's restaurant critic. Follow him on Twitter, @blarob.

'Cookies & Cream' arrives just in time for summer

2013-05-20T16:35:29Z

Summer is here, which means it's time for a little something to take the edge off the notorious Sacramento heat.

For guidance, one place to turn is "Cookies & Cream" by blogging cook Tessa Arias, who describes herself as "a college student turned culinary student" (Running Press, $18, 222 pages; www.handletheheat.com).

Hundreds of imaginative recipes show the step-by-steps of matching home-baked cookies with homemade ice cream and ice cream custard in ways you would not expect.

The concept is simple, but the possibilities are seemingly endless. How about a Black Forest ice cream sandwich, or vanilla whoopie pies? For fruit fans, Arias gets involved with strawberries, pomegranates, lemons, mangoes, blueberries and the like. Can your sweet tooth handle it?

Adam Pechal to host Saturday night chef's competition

2013-05-16T19:24:10Z

With knives and peelers on stand-by, some of Sacramento's top chefs will go mano a mano on Saturday night. The setting will be the Sterling Hotel on 13th and H streets, which will play host to the John Kerr Foundation Food & Wine tasting, which will include eats by Restaurant Thi13en, Grange, Zocalo, Mulvaney's B&L and more.

Along with tastings of northern California wines, the evening will feature a chef's competition hosted by Adam Pechal, the local restaurateur and chef who was a recent contestant on ABC's "The Taste." Pechal will also compete, and duke it out with Aimal Formoli of Formoli's Bistro, chef Paul Poore of Feeding Crane Farms and others. Pechal may even invite home chefs in the crowd to step up and compete.

Instead of the typical "Iron Chef" battle with a mystery ingredient, Saturday night's throwdown will focus on kitchen skills such as shucking oysters, peeling potatoes and dicing onions. The winner will get a bottle of Jameson Irish Whiskey and a hearty serving of bragging rights.

]]> "It's kind of like a chef skills triathlon," said Pechal. "We're just having fun with it. It'll be more slapstick than a big deal chef's competition."

Proceeds from the event will benefit the John Kerr Foundation, which assists people living with muscular dystrophy. The fun runs from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tickets cost $35, and can be ordered via this link.

FROM THE BEE:

* Sacramento's Adam Pechal sees life beyond 'The Taste'

River Cats' Dan Dog part of nationwide 'Food Fight'

2013-05-15T21:52:06Z

In this nationwide Food Fight, the Sacramento River Cats will try to swing for the fences with a bat-shaped burger.

The River Cats' Dan Dog - named for chief financial officer and executive vice president Dan Vistica - is the club's official entry in Minor League Baseball's 64-team "Food Fight."

Iconic concession items from each team's ballpark menu vie in a bracket-style format for the nation's best ballpark food.

In the "Scrumptious Sandwiches" regional, the Dan Dog competes against such heavy hitters as Fang's Venom Burger (from the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers), pitcher Phil Niekro's Knucksie pulled pork sandwich (from the Gwinnett, Ga., Braves) and Fried Bologna on a Kaiser roll (from the Buffalo, N.Y., Bisons).

The Dan Dog is actually a long burger, hand-molded to look like a hot dog. According to the River Cats' official entry, "Start with fresh-ground, locally sourced ground beef, and blend with sautéed onions, garlic and a unique combination of seasonings. ... Add cheddar cheese, grill to perfection, nestle into a sweet French roll and top with a spicy red relish."

Other categories in the bracket include Gut Busters, Hogs N Dogs (devoted to pork products and hot dogs) and Local Legends.

Voters also will automatically be entered into an online sweepstakes. Grand prize: Trip for four to the winning team's ballpark - and a chance to sample its signature dish.

The first round of voting started Wednesday and continues through May 29. The finals are May 30 through June 6.

Patrons can vote as often as they like. Tweets (and re-tweets) count, too. Follow @MiLB, tweet the hashtag #foodfight and include the name of the team or food item that gets your vote.

See all the entries at http://atmilb.com/12ASqLQ or www.milb.com/foodfight.

New location and features for West Sacramento Farmers Market

2013-05-15T19:41:17Z

The West Sacramento Farmers Market kicks off its 2013 season on June 6 and runs each Thursday through Sept. 26. Look for plenty of changes among the seasonal produce, starting with this farmers market's new location in front of West Sacramento's City Hall (1110 West Capitol Ave., West Sacramento). The market will run weekly from 4:30 p.m. to dusk.

This farmers market has also been beefed up with new programs, including a "Dig In!" dinner for 100 people which will be held on the first Thursday of each month. Guest chefs will source their ingredients directly from the market and then feed the masses. Other new features include a series of healthy living workshops and "Farm to Food Trucks" which will allow guest chefs to take the helm of the Wicked 'Wich truck and show how mobile food can work with seasonal ingredients. This food truck fiesta will take place on the last Thursday of each month.

For more information, visit the West Sacramento Farmers Market's Facebook page.

]]> FROM THE BEE:

* Weekday farmers markets in downtown launch today

Enotria's new GM: Looking to bring stability, maintain excellence

2013-05-13T21:01:28Z

Over the past nine months, Enotria Restaurant and Wine Bar has made a name for itself as a great dining destination, complete with artfully created food, polished service and a vast wine list.

But the restaurant has also seen more than its share of growing pains and personnel changes under the leadership of its dynamic and exacting executive chef, Pajo Bruich, notably the recent hiring - and then hasty departure - of general manager Anani Lawson, whose pedigree included stints as sommelier at two Thomas Keller restaurants, the French Laundry and Per Se.

Earlier this month, Enotria hired a new general manager, Jenny Yun, whose assignment will be to bring the right balance of excellence and casual fun to the dining room while providing a sense of stability and cohesiveness to what may be Sacramento's most exciting restaurant.

]]> "I think it was meant to be that I was to meet Chef (Bruich) and come to Sacramento," Yun said. "We're both focused, we're passionate and we love what we do."

Bruich first learned of Yun through Lawson. Yun worked as a concierge at Per Se, a Michelin three-star restaurant that many consider the best in New York City. Yun lived in the Big Apple for 12 years, arriving to pursue a career in fashion design only to discover that her true passion was in the hospitality industry.

She went on to work at Meadowood in St. Helena, which also earned three Michelin stars.
Turns out, Yun and Bruich realized they shared a similar vision for Enotria and decided to work together. Yun began as a consultant earlier this year, then decided to work full time as general manager.

She didn't reveal too many details about how she would take Enotria's already-polished service to new heights, saying only that "my work ethic is strong and I have extremely high expectations."

Asked if changing service standards could make Enotria appear too stiff and fussy, Yun said: "One thing I love about Enotria is everybody is really real. They don't try to put on airs. There's no smoke and mirrors. They are who they are."

Bruich also announced a modification in the restaurant's menu. For the past two months, the dining room had been limited to a chef's tasting menu, meaning guests would have to indulge in a multi-course dinner at a fixed price, and the a la carte offerings were limited to the wine bar.

Bruich said that beginning Tuesday, Enotria would open up the options, allowing diners throughout the restaurant to order a la carte or opt for a tasting menu.

-- Blair Anthony Robertson