Tastebuds: A Taste Catering Blog

The Wedding is over…now what?

I wanted to take this opportunity to talk about “Life after a wedding”.  These past months have been so exciting, stressful and constantly filled with meetings, questions and events.  Now what? 

The answer is…enjoy the silence.  Enjoy having time with your husband, family and friends.  Enjoy looking through the pictures of the wedding and anticipating the videos to come.  Enjoy all of the memories of the wedding that your family and friends have been talking about. 

There are so many exciting elements to a wedding, but also some exciting elements when it is all over.  Why do you have to stop pampering yourself?  Why do you have to stop having some alone time?  You should continue to do all of this, even if you don’t have the “excuse” of a wedding to plan. 

My favorite part of this time, is getting to spend the time with my husband.  Getting to have actual conversations, that don’t have to do with linen color or invitation look.  We can talk about our life together and what we want as the next step.  This is very exciting.  So, enjoy “Life after a wedding”.  I am here to say it is nice…really nice!!!

Surrealistic Pillow

White Rabbits in the children’s section at Ikea.  Nola can’t get enough. Hunger pangs grow larger by the second.  Ooo!  A $2.99 clock for the kitchen office!  Sold.  Stay focused.  We’re here for a kiddy potty.  Potty time!  A kaleidoscope of colors.  We make a quick decision!  Blue and green.  Sweet.  Now we must eat, maybe.  Nap time is a calling.  Breakdown right around the corner.

Ikea.  80 West.  500 yards.  It’s now or nothing.  “The International food court?” says Sheila. Sure.  Fifteen or so ethnic food stalls.  No chains.  She’s been there.  Never mentioned it.  Strange.

Reno?  Hong Kong?  Sydney?  The last time I saw this much neon was Vegas.   But I’m all over it.  “You want to try a piece of sushi?” cries a hawker.  Uh…let’s see…sushi…hot day…Oakland food court.  Maybe not.  Free?  Really?  Crammed it in. Origato!

Smells.  Sounds.  A frenzy of activity.  Afghani.  Jamaican.  Hofbrau.  Indian.  Korean.  Hofbrau?  Damn I love Hofbrau!  Pasta.  Thai.  Vietnamese.  I know what you’re thinking.  Banh mi?  No.  There is pho though.  “Don’t you want somebody to love!”  I settle on Noodles, etc.  Tasty noodles, cooked to order.  $6.95 and pretty damn good.   All served in an eco friendly environment.  (Huh?)  EmeryBay Public Market. 

Be all end all?  Probably not.  Second visit?  Absolutely.   

Nap time.

Introducing the Taste Tomato!

Taste is pleased to introduce the Taste Tomato, bred the old fashioned way to our specific requirements for freshness, shape and flavor.

The Taste Tomato had its beginnings in September 2006 when Taste Catering sponsored the opening of the Sunol AgPark, a partnership of organic farmers and the City of San Francisco.  The City’s watershed land in Sunol, CA is some of the most fertile farmland in the state and a prime opportunity for organic farming. 

Several farmers rented plots for farming and one of these farmers is Fred Hempel of Baia Nicchia Farm and Nursery.  In addition to raising some of the tastiest tomatoes in the region, Fred devotes considerable energy to breeding new tomato varieties—the old fashioned way, the natural way.   In this day of industrial agriculture, diversity of species is often lost to the economic needs of a resource-wasting distribution system designed to support big-ag business. 

When Fred suggested breeding a tomato with flavor, shape and a growing season that met Taste Catering’s needs, we jumped at the opportunity.  Not only did this give Taste a product we needed but it also gave us the opportunity to support a cause we dearly value—reversing the loss of plant varieties. 

Fred offered Taste a deal, the opportunity to have the new tomato exclusively our own for a year.  We decided that the one year exclusive would give us time to develop special recipes as well as provide Fred some fee income which we considered to be “seed” capital for his very important breeding work.  The new tomato variety is called “Taste” and after the year of exclusivity, its seeds will be marketed through the Seeds of Change catalog, spreading the cultivation of this new, useful and tasty breed in gardens and farms throughout the world.

Savoring & Imbibing End of Season Strawberries

Tequila Rosé

This is an elegant & delicate summer tequila refresher. It is both tangy & slightly smoky. The ripe strawberries pair beautifully with the robust tequila and are brought to life by the juice & zest of the Meyer Lemon. Cachaça can be substituted for a smokier version however; it is not for the faint of heart…

Enjoy!

Tequila Rosé, Yield 2 Drinks

• 5-6 Ripe Strawberries, hulled and quartered
• 1 Teaspoon Sugar
• 1 Meyer Lemon, cut into 8ths
• 4 Oz 100% Agave Tequila
• 2 Oz Cointreau
•  Salt for Rim of Glass (Optional)

In a cocktail shaker, muddle gently Strawberries, Sugar, Meyer Lemon, Tequila & Cointreau
Strain & press on solids to extract all flavors & return liquid to cocktail shaker.
Add Ice & Shake
Pour into Martini Glass & Serve

4th of July Means BBQ's, Fireworks, and Sloshball

As I sit at my desk on Tuesday afternoon, recovering from 4th of July/my birthday weekend, I reflect on the success of our much anticipated 4th of July pig roast in Golden Gate Park. For the third year in a row myself and 5 other committee members (actually this was the first year I joined the committee), managed to produce a wonderful and practically seamless 4th of July BBQ and Pig Roast. The attendance this year was between 350 and 400 people. All of them related to the restaurant industry in some way or another.  

The day started out with an early set up (we arrived at 8am). Complete with homemade sausage, ham and egg biscuits made by my friend, Travis and Heirloom tomato bloody Mary's made by my other friend Travis. Guests started to arrive around 11am. Food was prepared/provided by all as this was a pot luck event. Some highlights included 2 whole roasted pigs, cooked skillfully in a Caja China courtesy of Justin Deering (Conduit) with desserts provided by Nicole Krasinsky (Rubicon) and Taste Catering's own Yigit Pura!

Perhaps the highlight of the event (besides the fabulous food and company) is the annual slosh ball game. Picture kickball on steroids! All participants are required to have a beer (in a glass) in their hands at all times and, in addition are required to finish their beer before leaving second base. The result, a VERY competitive, highly anticipated, but seldom remembered game of skill, coordination, and might! This years competition was east coast vs west coast. We played two games and each team won a game. Although being from the east coast I am required to report that the west coast cheated...a lot!

All in all , the weather cooperated, the company was amazing and no one got hurt, fined, or arrested. I would say that makes for a very Happy Fourth, oh yeah...my birthday wasn't bad either! That's me playing a relaxing game of Bocce Ball in San Rafael!