Culinary Muse

Sunday finally arrives

You thought Sunday would never arrive.  It had seemed like such a good idea – the right thing to do- last September when you invited them to join you for Thanksgiving in San Francisco.  Wednesday went well.  It was warm and dry and you all went out for Chinese food on Clement Street.  Thursday was lovely.  Full of thanks, turkey and champagne cocktails.  And then, as you went to bed on Thursday night you realized that they were not leaving until Sunday.  And it was going to rain on Friday.  Now what?  Rising to the occasion, as the gracious host that you are, you took them to Union Square for shopping and the Christmas tree lighting that evening.  Saturday you treated them to a morning walk at Crissy Field (surely this would tire them out) and then lunch at the Ferry Building.  Boy, those cocktails at Slanted Door are the best, aren’t they?  This is fun, isn’t it?  Who says the holidays are stressful?  Then you realized that you were actually yelling at the clerk at Sur La Table because he didn’t know what size baking sheet you had at home.  Ooooops.  With the last ounce of dignity and good sense left in your body you hailed a taxi, sent your relatives to the Metreon to see a movie and you went home alone.

Now it is Sunday morning.  They are packing.  And you are giving thanks.  Thanks that you live here and not there.  Thanks that you have the good fortune to live in San Francisco and the common sense not to do this again.  And when they hug you good-bye on the sidewalk this morning and tell you that this is the best Thanksgiving they have ever had, believe them. And try to keep that smirk and look of relief off your face as the taxi pulls away from the curb.

Smoothies at the Ferry Building?

Tucked away in the recesses of the Ferry Building Marketplace there is a juice bar.  What juice bar you may ask?  You have been to the Marketplace dozens of times and you have never seen a juice bar.  Neither had the Muse until yesterday when I stalked a woman carrying a green smoothie.  ‘Where did you get that?’  I demanded  (I mean ‘inquired’).  ‘At the produce market across from Golden Gate Meats’, she replied.  The hunt was on. 

Yes, this is one of those moments when the Muse hesitates to reveal her sources.  But the greater public good and pleasure must be taken into account.  On these warm November days – it will be 78 degrees today – there is nothing quite like sipping a fresh fruit smoothie as you stroll along the esplanade.  Try the The Leprechaun which is a not too sweet drink made of fresh apple, orange, banana and wheat grass.  Check it out: Farmer's Garden.

Deeply Satisfying Lamb Shanks

A transplanted New York chef was explaining to the Muse that San Francisco does not have as many choices for dining in the ‘reasonably priced neighborhood restaurant’ category as NYC has.  The obvious reason is that we simply do not have as dense a population as NYC to support as many restaurants.  But those restaurants do exist here and the quality is high.  One of the Muse’s favorites, especially at this time of year, is MYCONOS on Polk Street.  During the rain and thunderstorm last night we were tucked into this Greek Taverna, sipping cheap white wine and digging into tender lamb shanks.  The shanks had been braising all day in a tomato-based sauce.  One meaty shank served with roasted potato wedges and a green salad was $12.95. The wait staff is friendly and the crowd is a Polk Street mix of Nob Hill matrons dining alone, 30-something couples and a transvestite or two tossed in for good measure.  Delish.  MYCONOS, 1431 POLK STREET (CALIFORNIA/PINE), 415-775-7949.

SF FOOD LEGEND'S PERSONAL APPEARANCE

Before there was a ZAGAT GUIDE, before there was THE SAN FRANCISCO FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE and before there was a Michael Bauer there was Doris Muscatine.  Mrs. Muscatine is the author of A COOK'S TOUR OF SAN FRANCISCO.  Anyone who considered himself a gourmet and who had traveled to San Francisco owned a copy of this book.  Published in 1963 by Scribner's, it is a guidebook listing San Francisco's "best restaurants and their recipes".  (It is worth the price just to see the black and white interior photo of the now long gone Ernie's as featured in Hitchcock's movie VERTIGO).  The introduction is an interesting recap of San Francisco's food history as of the early 1960's.  The rest of the book is divided into chapters with headings such as "Elegant", "Family-Style" and "Old-Style San Francisco".  Dinner at the elegant Ernie's would have set you back at least $5.00 per person, not including tax and tip.

The Muse is pleased to announce that Mrs. Muscatine will be making a personal appearance presented by CUESA at the Ferry Plaza's Farmer's Market on Saturday, November 12 at 11:45. Her most recent book is THE VINEGAR OF SPILAMBERTO: AND OTHER ITALIAN ADVENTURES WITH FOOD, PLACES AND PEOPLE.  Don't miss this chance to meet this charming San Francisco food legend.