I Just Blue Myself

http://www.buzzfeed.com/fjelstud/ben-jerrys-announce-arrested-developmen

An homage to the recent (glorious) news that Arrested Development is coming back for 10 new episodes and a freaking movie. May the subtle one liners ensue.

Sign the Petition!

http://artisanfarmers.org/signourpetition.html

Keep foie gras in California!

Educate yourselves!

http://artisanfarmers.org/

Everything you could possibly want to know about foie gras.

La Graisse Volante

The fat is about to hit the ban. Another article on the state of the foie gras ban and its imminent repeal.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2011%2F10%2F21%2FFD451LK823.DTL

This ain't yo nonna's raviol

Pane e Vino is an adorable little restaurant/pizzeria tucked into the Suisun City train station. In an area (and by area I mean entire county) starved for (pun slightly intended) food of quality and thought, Pane e Vino aims to fill a void... in my dining calendar at least. Run by a Neopoltian chef who slings some serious pizza, this joint follows the edict of slow food- good, clean, fair. Excellent dishes, reasonable prices, seasonal selection. What more can you ask for in the 707?

Fresh, hand made pumpkin ravioli in a goat cheese sauce. 

The sweet nuttiness of the pumpkin plays amazingly well with the tang and creaminess of the goat's milk cheese. And look how plump those are! No skimping here.

Check this place out! They love to feed a fellow foodie.

Oenotri Who? What? Whatever.

This southern Italian restaurant in downtown Napa draws both its name and its ideology from southern Italy, particularly from the lesser known regions of Calabria, Campania, Basilicata, and Puglia. The Oenotrians were inhabitants of the lower part of the peninsula in the 6th century BC. What does this have to do with Italian food circa now? Nothing. Just know that the food is damn good, and that it is authentic. Not 6th century BC authentic, but definitely 20th-21st century southern Italian authentic.

We started with the house made salumi- that's salumi, not salami. Salumi is the overarching term for any cured meat product. Oenotri offers quite an extensive selection; we had Felino, Sardegna, Noce, Milano, Salametto, and Nduja. A pizza napoletana (san marzano tomato, anchovies, gaeta olives, hot pepper, oregano) and the salumi were our appetizers. This was probably one of the better pizze I've had stateside, and that assessment does not come easily. I've tried and pooh poohed many an artisanal pizza as inauthentic (including Mozza. Sorry Mario Batali fans, it ain't all that) This one is quite close to a true Italian pizza (thin crust, char, true tomato sauce, moderate toppings, not sopping with oil). Unfortunately for you and fortunately for me these antipasti were so freakin good that we were too busy with our feeding frenzy to bother for a photo-op. Whoops.

Wild nettle fusilli with cardoons, delicata squash, and young walnut pesto

Linguini with manila clams, pachino tomatoes, hot pepper, garlic, and white wine

Bucatini alla carbonara. A classic Roman dish (NOT southern Italian, hmm..) Tully dolci egg, black pepper, guanciale and pecorino romano

Cheese plate as dessert for them

Black Jonathan Apple Crostata (that means pie) with sultans and bay leaf ice cream. Auguri a me! (that means happy birthday to me)

Love this place. 

Little India Snack Shop

Basic chana masala snack shop plate: rice, onions in a sweet tamarind sauce, samosa, poori, and a honey dessert ball. All for 7 bucks! I asked for spicy but of course it was served mild; my white skin belies my tolerance for real piquancy.

Why Did The Chicken Cross the Road?

to get to Crossroad Chicken, bien sur. Located outside of JV Wines, this food truck has got some kick ass eats. And with a menu that changes weekly, according to seasonality of course (this is the bay area after all), your palate will never tire of their fare.

My lemon chicken sandwich with provolone, heirloom tomato and arugula. That tomato was BOSS.

Peppers stuffed with pork, parmigiano, and tomato coulis. 

Requisite food truck crazy man. 

My mother also got the rancho gordo chili which was tasty but not amazing. I say stick with their forte, the chicken and the local vegetable selections. They also have a nice little array of hot sauces to pique your California taste buds. If you find yourself in downtown Napa, stop by! 

Save Foie Gras!

Check out this article from Eater LA regarding the looming disappearance of foie gras from our menus.

http://la.eater.com/archives/2011/10/17/local_chefs_rally_to_keep_foie_gras_legal_in_ca.php

"Mediterranean" Food in SF.

Paul K Restaurant in San Francisco's Hayes Valley

my negroni; with lemon garnish, the horror.

bread-like pita and tahini-less hummus was served pre-dinner. overall very underwhelming.

my seafood stew: mussels, clams, cannellini beans, pork sausage, and harissa broth

Fettucine with red wine braised duck, spinach, kalamata olives, pecorino cheese

Holy Trinity In Berkeley

Café Fanny, Acme Bread, and Kermit Lynch, the legendary trio of Slow Food and sustainability in Berkeley. Breakfast here is always quite the experience.

Poached egg and prosciutto and Smoked Salmon with fresh cream cheese, capers, and pickled onions. Levain toast points from Acme Bakery next door.

The perfect café au lait.

My favorite part of breakfast: the brilliant yellow waterfall of yolk.

Gott A Burger?

A simple, no frills hamburger and garlic fries from Gott's Roadside in Napa. These fries are positively redolent of garlic; crispy and oily, they are quite the fry. 

The burger is organic, sustainable and locally sourced, as is the trio of vegetables layered on top (the holy trinity of tomato, lettuce, pickle). All this on a toasted egg bun with a "secret sauce" similar to In N Out's... but better. 

Here here!

Baja Fish Tacos

Crunchy fish taco from a joint off Ashby in Berkeley. They were pretty large for a taco (about the size of my hand). I ordered 2 tacos and a cantelope agua fresca for $9, which is not bad for the Berk. The fish was quite crunchy, and though delicious on its own, a bit overdone for a taco. Tenderness is key! All in all, a pretty good taco for the Bay. Odd that it had rice in it though...

Innovative Mexican Food

Carnitas taco with pineapple, avocado, and serrano salsa from C Casa at the Oxbow Market in Napa

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Heirloom cherry tomatoes

Dolce Di Pura Capra

Returning in Style

Slipped into Jardinière, just around the corner from the opera house, for a post-performance tipple and nosh.















Dry martini for him (gin of course), Corpse Reviver #2 for me.
















Duck liver mousse accompanied by some lovely cured olives and pickled onions. The bread was lightly toasted, yet still fluffy. You need a little give to pair with something as delicate as a savory mousse, especially one of foie gras! The last thing you want is to have to tear into a hard, crusty piece of bread, crumbs flying, teeth gnashing- and at Jardinière nonetheless. MTT, who was tippling there as well, would not have approved.

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Once a Dirty Spoon, Always a Dirty Spoon

So after not too much ado, Sarah and I have decided to revive our food-centric blog. Due to our hectic schedules (aka the time not spent eating or cooking) and laughable distance (east vs. west coast), we are tailoring Two Dirty Spoons to be more of a who's who and what's what of our culinary lives. Check-ins, brief elucidations or mutterings, and many an uploaded photo. I hope you enjoy following our bi-coastal meanderings (Sarah in NYC and its environs, I up and down the West Coast, particularly Napa, SF, and LA). So happy eating and stay dirty!