Free to Be Gluten Free

I've been living with allergies for as long as I can remember. When I was younger, I was that kid...


My long list of offenses include: 

• Missing kindergarden graduation because I was in the hospital with asthma (at least the nuns came to visit)

• Forgoing the 1st grade field trip to the build a bear factory because my mom was concerned (at least they brought me back a little stuffed mouse)

• Waking up after a night on my best friend's couch to find that his cat slept on my face and left me with hives (at least it only lasted a day)

I also have a list of food allergies that can be difficult to keep straight sometimes. My oldest and dearest friend, Tiff Ho, can attest to this since she frequently tries to "accidentally kill me" by offering me items that contain a forbidden ingredient. Luckily, none of the allergies are so severe that I need an EpiPen, and most of the time I can pull off the sexy raspy voice and pouty lip thing if I eat something I'm not supposed to. 

I've been allergic to most tree nuts for as long as I can remember. Walnuts are my death nut. Cashews and pecans are equal offenders. Macadamia nuts, hazelnuts and pistachios make me somewhat uncomfortable, but I can't help myself. They're so delicious! Some of my other allergies include soy milk, raw bananas, and raw stone fruits. Yes, this includes avocados, the bacon of the fruit world. I am sad about this, but happy that I can still eat real bacon.

Millionaire's Bacon (best bacon ever!!!)

Sweet Maple

San Francisco, CA

Within the past year, I found out that I was gluten sensitive. So, what does that even mean? In recent years, "Gluten Free" has gained a lot of recognition from brands and consumers alike, and a lot of traction as a movement. Many have jumped on the bandwagon for several reasons: it's supposedly "healthier" for me, it helps me cut my carbs (in line with the atkins diet), etc. Some even embrace the supposed healthiness of Gluten Free options, without really understanding why it's important, or what benefit it provides. For example, my parents aren't the healthiest of people, but somehow gluten-free ice cream cones ended up in their pantry ;)

A common misconception is that Gluten Free only applies to people with Celiac disease. That's not my issue. My journey to becoming Gluten Free is actually tied to my eczema. I credit my sister for this discovery.

Frustrated by the severity of her eczema, my sister decided to go on a cleanse to see if her diet affected her condition. Turns out, it did, and for her, all things gluten, eggs and shellfish are now contraband. After my sister began seeing results, I decided to conduct the same experiment. Luckily for me, eggs and shellfish weren't an issue. Gluten, however, was a big issue. Gluten makes me feel all sorts of ugly, and eczema flare ups and bloating are just the tip of the iceberg.

While I've learned to live with my other food allergies, my gluten allergy is the one that has been most difficult to come to terms with. It's somewhat debilitating, especially for a foodie who LOVES fried things and waffles and sweet treats. I love chicken and waffles!!!

I'm used to disappointments, and making compromises to stay healthy, but committing to a gluten free lifestyle has been admittedly difficult because I have been forced to eliminate a lot of things from my diet that are both comforting and delicious in taste and texture. Like any sane person would, every now and then I cheat. But the truth is, after I cheat, I usually hate myself. This is not an exaggeration. Not only do I feel bloated and uncomfortable, but I also find that eating gluten often puts me in a bad mood.

Living in San Francisco is wonderful, because Gluten Free is an option on almost every menu. I'm not talking about a meat or a veggie option. I'm talking about a real, delicious carby alternative. My favorites include Locanda (pasta!), Ike's (sandwiches!) and Flour and Co (cookies!). I've also learned to adapt in the kitchen, and have even perfected a gluten-free waffle recipe…

Nutella Waffle!

Savory Sausage, Parmesan & Basil Waffle topped with gravy

But most of the time, I've found that it's often extremely difficult to find a good Gluten Free option, which makes it difficult to stay on the straight and narrow. Even though Gluten Free options are plentiful, it's not always easy to find something that measures up to the norm. Often gluten free foods aren't as flavorful or satisfying as their glutenous counterpart. Gluten free foods can be starchy, mealy or they can taste like cardboard. I won't name names, but I have had the unfortunate experience of running across several brands of packaged flours and products that fit within this category. That's why I'm super excited to attend the Gluten & Allergen Free Expo this weekend in San Mateo!!! 

I was lucky to come across the Gluten & Allergen Free Expo while looking for events happening in the bay area. The Gluten &; Allergen Free Expo is a massive event, that will be spanning the course of two days this Saturday, the 25th through this Sunday, the 26th. While the event travels to different destinations across the country, the San Francisco event is the largest with over 150 vendors showcasing their foods, and offering samples and coupons to consumers.

My personal experience with becoming Gluten Free has been a roller coaster trying to find things that I can eat, and actually enjoy eating, and I can't think of a more perfect event for someone who is committed to this lifestyle. Through this event you can try different products and actually figure out what you like without wasting a ton of money, because let's face it, Gluten Free is also expensive. It's often trial and error trying to find your favorite products, and this event makes it easy. I'm really looking forward to seeing the new things the Gluten Free world has to offer, and findings new brands that can find a home in my pantry.

Besides stuffing my face, I'm also looking forward to attending some classes, particularly Nadine Grzeskowiak's presentation on "Guts, Brain and Skin Connection" at 1 pm on Saturday, because it pertains to my particular issue with gluten. I'll be attending the expo as both an official blogger and a scavenger for good food. Hope to see you there! 

A Literary Revival of the Culinary Sort.

Hello! It’s been a while, old friend.

So what's changed in the past 5 years? 

Since we last spoke I've liberated myself from the shackles of corporate product development to pursue another one of my passions: talking to people to understand what they want and what makes them excited. 

Although both me (and my wallet) miss getting paid to eat for a living, my professional absence from the food world has in no way hindered my appetite for good food. I wake up every day in San Francisco, feeling blessed to be part of a thriving culinary mecca. I've also had the good fortune of traveling a lot in the last 5 years (for work and play) and snacking every step of the way. 

My last 5 years have been filled with…

Great meals locally...

White Gazpacho with Marcona almonds, grapes and a syrah reduction

Coqueta

San Francisco, CA

Corn ravioli with a creamy baked potato filling and blue chip topping

1760

San Francisco, CA

Green Tea Shaved Ice

100% Sweet Cafe

San Francisco, CA 

Korean Bulgogi Taco

Namu

San Francisco, CA

Gluten Free Ramen Burger

Homemade!

San Francisco, CA

Great finds nationally…

Duck Confit Cinnamon Roll with a Side of Pork Belly

Comme Ça

Las Vegas, NV

Ostrich Burger with Peruvian Aji Amarillo Chili Peppers, Caramelized Pears & Blue Cheese 

Acme Burger Company

Salt Lake City, UT

Pohole Salad (hana fiddle head fern, maui onion, ebi, kombu) 

Star Noodle

Lahaina , HI

Flaming Balls (cheesy kimchi fried rice with spicy pork, served with garlic jalapeño siracha aioli)

Seoul Sausage Company

Los Angeles, CA

Guamanian Shrimp Fritters

PDX671 food cart

Portland, OR

Cereal Milk Soft Serve with Toasted Corn Flakes

Momofuku Milk Bar

New York, NY

Great adventures (a)broadly…

In España (circa 2011)

Sangria

Jamon Iberico (cured ham)

Pinchos (little bites)

Callous (tripe)

Patatas Bravas (fried potatoes)

In Brazil (circa 2013)

Pão de Quiejo (Cheese Puffs)
Everywhere!

Piranha
Pantanal, Matto Grosso do Sul



Caiman (alligator!)
Bonito, Matto Grosso do Sul

Moqueca de Peixe (coconut fish stew)
Siribinha, Bahia

Acaraje (black eyed pea and shrimp fritter)
Salvador, Bahia

Corn Pudding
Rio de Janeiro

Sweet Tapioca Crepes
Rio de Janeiro

And great naps in between. (hurray food coma!)

My love of good food, is and always will be a part of me. The one thing that's changed is my failure to document any of it in detail. When making resolutions this year, I remembered how much I value writing as an outlet and an art form. Writing has always given me a space where I feel comfortable being me - a place where I have a voice, and can freely share my personal experiences and perspective without major reservations. It's something I've missed, and something I want to put my heart into again. 

Giving this another shot. It’s good to be back. :)

bringing home the bacon

A few weeks ago, a good friend of mine asked me about the existence of a supposed "bacon renaissance" based on something he heard on the radio. How could this be since bacon never left he wondered...

I love it, want it. It's my fav.
I want it, love it. Got to crave.
I eat my bacon with my eggs.
I eat my bacon around kegs.
I eat my bacon with my cheese.
"You want more bacon?" oh yes please!
I get my bacon from the King,
Eat it with almost everything!
How is it that bacon is back?
When bacons not something I lack?

Oh J Dantas. While it's true that bacon has always been an American classic, there's definitely been a resurgence. I'm not talking about the latest artery-clogging burger or the greasy over -the-top fare you'd find on thisiswhyyourefat.com. I'm talking about the gourmetfication of bacon. A paradox? I think not.

Bacon has long been celebrated in our country, perhaps overly celebrated... But the nations top chefs and entrepreneurs have really started to take America's greatest pastime to the next level for a whole new type of mass appeal. So why bacon? And has this ingredient really transcended the QSR [quick service restaurant] world?

A staple food for generations of American households, bacon has a lot of nostalgic value. It's breakfast food and it's comfort food. Plus they say that adding bacon to any item it instantly increases its value - at least in the QSR world. Bacon is cravable. It's smoky, savory, crispy, and undeniably delicious.

The only difference is that it's now being used in new inspiring ways and appearing on a slew of different menus - from upscale restaurants like SF's Gary Danko to street carts such as NYC's dessert truck. And while I'm intrigued by the bakon vodka phenomenon, in my opinion the most notable translation has been within the treat/dessert world.

My first encounter happened while I was on a business trip a couple of years ago in Portland. While exploring the city I wandered into Cacao, a local chocolatier and discovered Mo's Bacon Bar. Bacon in a chocolate bar? Absurd. While unimpressed with the quality of the chocolate, I was surprised with how the smoky quality and texture of the bacon complimented the sweetness of the chocolate.

Since then, I've experienced many desserts that have used bacon to achieve that wonderful savory/smoky/sweet sensation. My all time favorite execution has to be NYC's very own Dessert Truck. A pioneer of the mobile street food phenomenon, the Dessert Truck revolves around the premise of bringing fine dining/desserting into the realm of everyday enjoyment. While their menu constantly changes, they have a few staple items that have a strong following, including the warm chocolate bread pudding, which comes with either a vanilla or bacon custard sauce. AMAZING. Warm, indulgent melt-in-your mouth goodness, the dessert truck's chocolate bread pudding doesn't disappoint. The subtle smokiness from the bacon custard adds a sophisticated twist to the traditional bread pudding we all know and love.

Over the last few months, i've had a couple of other less notable encounters. Independent food shops around the city offer bacon inspired treats, but they've missed the mark. The shops seem more interested in leveraging the buzzworthyness of bacon as an interesting ingredient rather than creating an amazing product worth returning for.

Kitchenette, a popular spot for lunch pickups in the Dogpatch district makes a signature maple bacon snickerdoodle. While slightly more interesting than the typical snickerdoodle, it's hard as a rock rather than soft and crumbly. Guess that's how the cookie crumbles...

Dynamo Donuts is a new trendy donut shop that's popped up in the mission district, offering a wide variety of flavors from caramel de sel to lemon szechwan. On a recent trip, I couldn't resist but pick up the maple apple bacon donut. "Bacon sprinkles" helped seal the deal. After trying it, I found it difficult to distinguish between the glaze and congealed bacon fat and was equally disappointed with how dry the donut really was.

For now I'm left eagerly awaiting the next best bacon item, hoping that it's better than what I've seen so far and hoping that I'm not expecting too much. Perhaps the creme brulee cart will come out with a bacon variety...

All work and no play makes the gourmet nomad a dull blogger

After working under the tirade of a demanding boss no short of the reputation "Devil Wears Converse," I fully appreciate that I've departed from advertising hell and have entered the glorious food market. Working in the food industry is amazing. You gain a lot - exposure to new restaurants, new trends and new cuisines. No gut, no glory!

Luckily, it's not all work and no play and foodies throw the best happy hours...

Recently a coworker of mine moved back to Brazil. Before she left, she provided everyone with the best possible parting gift: a wonderful spread of her favorite brazilian treats and beverages! When I think of Brazilian food I think of churrascarias [brazilian steakhouses], so imagine my surprise when she didn't whip out skewers of succulent meat. Rather than clogging our artieries, she delighted us with the street food of the masses - an interesting mix of savory and sweet handheld foods. The interesting combination of unlikely ingredients were surprising, but incredibly satisfying...

Coxinha, which litererally means "little thigh" was my personal favorite. Aptly named for its main ingredient and shape, coxinha is made of seasoned dark chicken meat wrapped in a dough made of mashed potatoes that is then deep fried. Crispy on the outside and soft and succulent on the inside, coxinha's are completely craveable. It's the basic croquette, only better.

Pão de queijo was a close second. Savory cream puffs? Yes please! Pão de queijo are cheese puffs made with yuca flour, tapiocca flour, parmesan cheese and eggs. The beauty of this dish is that you can choose how you eat it. If you feel like indulging in something a bit more decadent, you can spread on dulce de leche - a super rich milk-based caramel sauce. If you prefer more savory foods like me, you can spread on Requeijao, Brazil's version of cream cheese. Very mild with a light creamy consistency.


Que Romantico! While not my favorite, Goiabada com queijo was a good dish with an even better story. A simple dish that consists of cheese and guava jelly, Goiabada com queijo is often referred to as Romeo y Julieta because they go together perfectly. While the story is a bit cheesy, the star is the guava jelly since the cheese that it's paired with is usually mild. It's a wonderfully sweet snack with a hint of savory.


And what happy hour is complete without a beverage or two? Caipirinha is the national cocktail of Brazil. Caipirinha has very similar qualities to the mojito, without the mint. The key is cachaça, a liquor similar to rum. Combined with lime, ice and sugar it's incredibly refreshing and very easy to drink more than one...

In addition to the above dishes, we also sampled a few others:

• Mousse de maracuja - a layered cream dessert made with passion fruit juice, sweet condensed milk and heavy cream covered with a passion fruit glaze
• Paçoquinha - cylinders of peanut powder with sugar - which tasted very similar to the inside of a reeses peanut butter cup
• Brigadeiro - homemade creamy chocolate balls made with condensed milk and powdered chocolate wrapped in chocolate sprinkles
• Guarana Antarctica- a Brazilian soft drink/energy drink that rivals Coke in popularity. Sweet and carbonated, the beverage possesses similar qualities to Gingerale.
  

Love my job. Being constantly consumed with consuming is never a bad thing. I'm just going to have to spend more time capturing personal experiences vs. just experiencing...

on a mission

As the product of a suburban family, I never really had a relationship with brunch growing up. It wasn't quite breakfast, and it wasn't quite lunch, it was more like a relative that I saw once every year - consistently during Easter after morning mass.

Once I moved to Boston, I began experimenting with brunch and found a few favorites in the process (Zaftig's, Sibling Rivalry, and Hamersley's Bistro). But it wasn't until I moved to New York that I gained a whole new appreciation for the under rated meal. In New York, brunch is on par with going to church - it's a mass ritual, complete with the breaking of the bread(basket) and a few sips of wine (or mimosas).

Now that I'm back in San Francisco, I make a more concerted effort to maintain my ongoing ritual. A couple of weekends ago, my boyfriend and I decided to venture to the mission to find a good brunch place and do some exploring. The mission is one of my favorite neighborhoods in San Francisco, home to many popular authentic mexican taquerias, trendy restaurants, bars and botiques. Beautiful vibrant murals are interspersed throughout the neighborhood - a tribute to its latin roots, despite the gentrification.

We ended up at Bar Tartine and had an amazing experience. In preparation for the week ahead, we decided to preemptively drown our sorrows. My strawberry prosecco apertif was perfect - light, sweet and indulgent with a little kick.

I decided to go with the foie gras panini with quince-pear butter served and mache lettuce, served on brioche bread. SO AMAZING. It's hard to get me to shut up during a meal, and this sandwich just shut me up. It was warm, indulgent melt-in-your mouth goodness. The quince-pear butter was a nice contrast to the foie gras, providing a memorable sweet/savory experience. The shoestring fries were another impressive add to our meal - a nice sharable treat prepared extremely thin and crispy, and served with a side of aioli.

After brunch we decided to journey over to Humphry Slocombe. Not your typical Baskin Robbins, Humphry Slocombe has unique savory combinations such as McEvoy Olive Oil, Boccalone Proscuitto, and Foie Gras - served on top of a gingersnap, in addition to "more traditional flavors" like Chocolate Tarragon and Blue Bottle Vietnamese Coffee. While the Foie Gras was tempting, I avoided going into overload and opted for the Strawberry Jalapeno. The ice cream was a nice and (seemingly) light treat, which was surprisingly similar to traditional strawberry ice cream with little bits of spice and heat.

Loved it, and really loved the concept. It's great to see places like Humphry Slocombe, taking the sweet/savory trend to the next level. Also digging the fact that they're incorporating local products into their products...

The mission:




The goods:

the evolution of the cupcake: from safeway to cupcakery

The relationship between a child and a cupcake is magical. Growing up, cupcakes were such a novelty. They were THE favored treat during birthday celebrations. I remember the excitement in the classroom...the anticipation of whether the treats were cupcakes or donuts, and the utter delight when cupcakes were distributed throughout the classroom. Occasionally, if you were lucky, you'd be in the class with the kid who had the super ambitious soccer mom who baked the magically delicious moist confetti cake cupcakes with the fluorescent splotches of color and the rainbow spotted frosting. But typically they were bought from Safeway and you had your pick of either chocolate or vanilla. Nowadays, the world of cupcakes is a bit different. Vanilla is now buttercream and chocolate is no longer just chocolate...it's red velvet, german chocolate cake, double fudge cake, etc.

As a cupcake advocate, I've been on many quests to different cupcakeries and have had the opportunity sample my fair share. These are just a few of my favorites...

The Gourmet Nomad's Top 5 favorite cupcakes:
(in no particular order)

1. Love at First Bite: Pretty in Pink
1510 Walnut Street, Suite G Berkeley, CA

I've fallen head over heals. Not only is it absolutely beautiful, it's so delightful that it's almost whimsical. The cake is light and the icing is good without being overly sweet or heavy. It's almost like a compact strawberry shortcake. The best part is that they use real strawberries!



2. Buttercup Bake Shop: Devil Dog
973 2nd Avenue New York, NY

This cupcake is absolutely sinful. Devils food cake topped with a lightly whipped meringue icing. While the cake is good, the icing takes the cake. It is phenomenal. Light, sweet and perfectly complementary to it's chocolate base! While too sweet for some, it's perfect if you have a sweet tooth. Buttercup is far better than the other overrated cupcakeries in the city - ahem, Crumbs and Magnolia.



3 + 4. Sibby's Cupcakery: Grandma's Chocolate Tea Cake and Red Velvet
716 S Railroad Ave San Mateo, CA

I've had several cupcakes from Sibby's and I haven't been disappointed with a single one, which isn't a surprise since all their cupcakes are freshly baked to order daily. Never have I had a cupcake as moist and indulgent. NEVER. When you taste one of Sibby's cupcakes you know that there's a lot of love put into baking it with the highest quality ingredients....

Grandma's Chocolate Tea Cake is adorable - it's basically an upscale version of a hostess cupcake. Unbelievably moist chocolate cake with a nice cream cheese chocolate chip center. The frosting is equally rich and enjoyable. Milk is a definite must with this cupcake.

The red velvet is hands down the best I've had. I've had many red velvet cupcakes, and some have been on the dry side. This cake was super moist and the cream cheese frosting was complementary without being too overpowering.




5. Zaftig's: Coconut Cupcake
335 Harvard St. Brookline, MA

While Zaftig's is better known for their amazing brunch selection and their loaded pastrami sandwiches, they make a mean cupcake. Surprisingly, this is among the best coconut cupcakes I've had. Really moist, great coconut flavor and I loved having coconut flakes in the frosting. The only thing is that the frositng was a bit heavy for my liking but otherwise it was a nice treat!

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winner winner, filet mignon dinner...

Flashing lights, opulence, diversity and dysfunction...
that's Vegas baby.

After a long weekend of debauchery I can testify that Vegas is just that - sensational and sparkling, even with a diminished audience. There are few that haven't felt the effects of the recession, and Vegas is no exception. A world-renowned mecca for tourism, Vegas is at the forefront. As such, it's no surprise that deals are plentiful for tourists who aren't tightening their fannypacks as tight.

While we decided to pass on the 99¢ shrimp cocktail and the $4.99 steak dinner, we did take advantage of the $45 3-course lounge dinner for two at Japonais.

As six of us made our way through the lounge, we were delighted when we were seated at a comfortable table surrounded by a comfortable couch with pillows. The lounge was dim, but we were surrounded with vibrant red and orange lanterns and were seated in front of the illuminated bar. Sophisticated and simple, yet very relaxed.

Japonais is on the list of restaurants I've been meaning to go to, so I'm glad that I had the opportunity to enjoy a decent sampling of their menu. When it comes to our meal, we had a good experience overall. Especially considering the fact that we ended up paying $40 to share two appetizers, two entrees, and a dessert, in addition to another appetizer and drink each. While not outstanding, our meal was an incredible value and the atmosphere was exactly what you'd look for when you're out in vegas - young, trendy and buzz-worthy (considering that it's critically acclaimed and well recognized).

I ordered a Floating Orchid to kick off the evening - Japonais' signature drink which contains Stolichnaya vodka, Cointreau, fresh pear and lemon juices with an edible orchid on top. It was light, delicate and sweet, just like I like my cocktails. The best part is that it was $7 - a part of the lucky 7 lounge special which featured certain appetizers and cocktails for $7 a piece.

Since Japonais is fusion, it wasn't a surprising that many of the dishes we sampled were catered to the American palate. We started off with the lobster spring rolls, which were plated over a mango relish and served with a blood orange vinaigrette. The spring rolls were tasty, but the lobster was completely lost in the dish. The spicy terriyaki chicken drummettes were more of a disappointment, because they weren't particularly different from the average terriyaki wings, other than that they were overly sweet and had too much soy sauce.

While the two appetizers were a bit disappointing, the rest of the meal was really enjoyable. The softshell crab roll was nice, and the presentation was really interesting with the legs placed on top of the maki which helped the roll preserve its nice crunchy texture. For our entree, we had the petite filet with uni butter served over truffled mashed potatoes and asparagus. The filet was so tender and the butter just melted into the meat, making every bite delicious. It really had that wonderful melt in your mouth sensation. The potatoes were good, as well. The mashed potatoes also had a strong truffle essence which was really nice, though they were a bit too dense for my liking.

The dessert was also a pleasant surprise since we were unaware that it came with our meal. Flipping the paradigm on the traditional cheesecake, it was light with a whipped pumpkin filling, and a crust that seemed more similar to the cheesecake we're used to, both from a flavor and texture standpoint - it was dense and creamy.

The goods:


Since the group was on somewhat of a budget, Japonais was our finest indulgence, aside from the plentiful buffets. Afterall, what trip to Vegas would be complete without some snow crab?

The crab: