Feeding a Yen by Calvin Trillin

Feeding a Yen is one of the best books I have ever read. That being said, the next time I read anything by him, I will need to have a lot of delicious food handy.

Having never read Trillin before, I had no idea what to expect. Calvin Trillin now has a big fan in me for a basic reason; he's not a food writer, he's a man who writes, rather passionately, about food.

Each essay has funny and delicious moments that make the book such an enjoyable read. In 'Magic Bagel' Trillin scours New York in search for lost a pumpernickel bagel with which to bribe on of his daughter's to move back East.

In 'Pepper Chase' his focus is on peppers, but all I could focus on was that "Galacia has seafood of a variety and quality unmatched by any place I've ever been."

He then proceeds to talk about eating octopus, oysters, crab, oh and peppers. His passion for peppers is matched by his desire to eat fried fish in the Carribeian, discover the ingredients of a green sandwich and the hunt for the perfect pan bagnat.

His 'Desperately Seeking Ceviche' essay, which involves eating lots of it in Ecuador, sent me to the store for fresh cracked crab, salsa and chips for a make shift version.

The crab actually finished as a fantastic crab soup....

Trillin's writing makes me crave things I have never heard of, like cancha (pan friend salted corn kernels), Chinese Flowering Chives with Shredded Duck, leek dumplings, amba & carne adovada, for example.

And then there are the things I guess I just never imagined: Sweet Potato Cream Curry Soup, and Chicken Tortilla Avocado soup from Shopsins, shrimp wrapped in rice noodles, pan bagnat, tiradito and tourte aux blette.

and just what is Empire's Favorite Concubine Chicken, anyway?!

Regardless, I have recommending Feeding a Yen to anyone who will listen. Or basically, who walks past me. If Calvin Trillin's passion for the food he writes about doesn't move you, I diagnose you a lost cause.

I am inspired to travel further a field and pursue one of my major passions further, thanks to this marvelously enjoyable series of essays!

SF Chefs Food & Wine event review

I volunteered on Friday for the SF Chefs Food and Wine event, and what an event it was!

I started my morning by guiding people to a room where we would all get to hear about GeorgeAnne Brennan and Martin Yan's culinary journeys.

I have not yet read 'A Pig in Provence', though I now fully intend to.

It was amazing to be in the same room as Chef Yan, whose cooking show I watched every weekend, with my dad, when I was a kid.



Afterwards I got to hit the big tent, where I tried food from Lake Chalet's chef, Jared. Lake Chalet is opening in Oakland this next week, and I am really excited to taste more of the food! If this losbster deviled egg is any indication of Jared's talents, I am ready!



I loved, loved, loved Parke Ulrich of Waterbar's sweet corn soup with pickled shrimp, which had flavors that really expanded my palate's capacity.

Bi Rite Creamery was serving up Strawberry IC, but I really gotta try the Salted Caramel....

Roland Passot of La Folie was serving up (fantastic) corn mousse with bacon marinated scallops.



Mark Dommen of One Market was having fun with his crabcakes on a spoon.

Erik Hopfinger of Circa, had awesome fish tacos, Chef Eric, please forgive that lousy description, which doesn't do your dish justice!

It was a wonderful and amazing day, and there was so much more that happened, which is why there is more to come!