Bacchus and Venus Wine Shop
Bacchus & Venus 769 Bridgeway Sausalito, CA 94965 415-331-2001 www.bacchusandvenus.com This wine shop is one of my favorite stops because the owner, Marcy Roth, and her staff are so knowledgeable....
View ArticleSan Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers Market
We buy at least 90% of our produce for the week in our local Bay Area farmers markets. The San Francisco Ferry Plaza farmers market is our overall favorite in the Bay Area. The setting is spectacular,...
View ArticleBouchon Bakery
Bouchon Bakery 6540 Washington Street Yountville, CA 94599 707-944-1565 What a fabulous place – the baked goods are beautiful, fragrant and delicious! Their breads are exquisite, too – I normally get...
View ArticleBistro Jeanty
Bistro Jeanty 6510 Washington Street Yountville, CA 94599 707-944-0103 www.bistrojeanty.com The pork belly and lentils at Bistro Jeanty are to die for! The other menu item that is a must is their...
View ArticleBistro Don Giovanni
Bistro Don Giovanni 4110 Howard Lane (just off Highway 29) Napa, CA 707-224-3300 www.bistrodongiovanni.com Bistro Don Giovanni is one of my all-time favorites. I have only had great experience there,...
View ArticleHurley’s Restaurant
Hurley’s Restaurant 6518 Washington Street Yountville, CA 94599 707-944-2345 www.hurleysrestaurant.com I truly enjoy Hurley’s wild game week. It only happens once a year (in November, I believe) and is...
View ArticleThe French Laundry
The French Laundry 6640 Washington Street Yountville, CA 94599 707-944-2380 www.frenchlaundry.com I have been to The French Laundry a few times now. The food is exquisite and the service is very good....
View ArticleEmporio Rulli
Emporio Rulli 464 Magnolia Street Larkspur, CA 94939 1-888-88-RULLI www.rulli.com One of my all-time favorite bakery/coffee shops is Emporio Rulli in Larkspur. Their pastries, gelatos, sandwiches and...
View ArticleCyrus Restaurant
Cyrus Restaurant 29 North Street Healdsburg, CA 95448 707-433-3311 www.cyrusrestaurant.com We heard many great things about Cyrus before we went, and we were not disappointed. From the cucumber soup to...
View ArticleRestaurant Gary Danko
Restaurant Gary Danko 800 Northpoint St. at Hyde San Francisco, CA 415-749-2060 www.garydanko.com Gary Danko is perhaps my favorite restaurant in the city for a special occasion meal. The menu is very...
View ArticleChocolate Amaretto Pots de Creme
These rich, luscious pots of chocolate creme can be made ahead and refrigerated. Just take them out a few minutes before serving. Garnish with amaretto-laced whipped cream and candied violets or with...
View ArticleIndividual Flourless Chocolate Cakes with Chantilly
Ingredients 12 ounces dark chocolate (minimum 70% cacao), chopped 6 eggs, separated 2 sticks butter (8 oz) 1 ¼ cup sugar 1 cup whipping crème 2 T confectioners sugar 1 t vanilla extract You will also...
View ArticleIndividual Dark Chocolate-Hazelnut Tortes
Ingredients 1 cup toasted hazelnuts, skin removed 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate 8 oz. butter (1 cup) 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 5 eggs 2 T Frangelico (optional) Confectioner’s sugar (optional)...
View ArticleChocolate-Banana-Cinnamon Whole-Grain Paninis
These chocolate-banana-cinnamon paninis are favorites of ours. We have them a couple of times a month for breakfast, usually on the weekend. We like to use rustic bread from the farmers market, along...
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Candied Budda’s Hand Citron
Budda’s Hand is a type of citron that looks like a large thick-skinned lemon with long fingers. It has a fragrance similar to that of lemon blossoms. One of my favorite ways to use this citron is to...
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Burnt Sugar Caramelized Banana Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream
Growing up in the South, we had homemade ice cream almost every Sunday afternoon in the summertime. Our ice cream had a very simple base of cream, whole milk and sugar. We did not use eggs in it,...
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Double Chocolate Ice Cream with Salted Toasted Pecans
With autumn at our door, I’m trying to savor one last moment of summer with this double chocolate ice cream with salted toasted pecans. In this dish, I used my favorite Askinosie chocolate – made in...
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Chocolate Amaretto Truffles
I adore truffles, and they are so easy to make! If I am flavoring them with a liqueur, herb or spice, I use semi-sweet (around 62%) chocolate so that the flavor of the liqueur, herb or spice comes...
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Salted Caramel Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate and Toasted Almonds
Growing up in the South, we had homemade ice cream often in the summertime. Our ice cream had a very simple base of cream, milk and sugar. We did not use eggs in it, and we did not cook it. We...
View ArticleDark Chocolate Tarts
These individually-sized tarts are dense and rich. They really showcase the chocolate so use the best chocolate you can find. My chocolate of choice is Askinosie’s 70% chocolate from beans sourced in...
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