Author Archives: shelly

About shelly

Exploring the vast culinary jungles of the San Francisco Bay Area, and my own kitchen. Khaki shorts and safari hat optional.

larry sums it up

I’ve been catching up on the American culture I’ve missed while living abroad in Israel. You know, important stuff, like NASCAR, Black Pepper Jack Doritos, and The Anna Nicole Smith Show. Yes folks, this is the same country that brought … Continue reading

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tindoras and eggs

Here’s what I did with those funny little mini-cucumbers I recently bought. I fried them with spices and eggs and served them with potatoes for a Sunday breakfast. Tindoras are fun to eat, they’re crunchy like cucumbers, but with an … Continue reading

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fennel, litchi, and roses

Using the edible roses I bought at Berkeley Bowl, I made a sweet topping/compote that complements vanilla ice cream or yogurt. I’ve always been intrigued by the slightly floral taste of litchi, which is accentuated here by the rose petals … Continue reading

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groceries

This week I did my grocery shopping at Berkeley Bowl, a local supermarket specializing in high quality, local foods and produce. Parking at Berkeley Bowl is akin to scoring tickets to the Stones and travelling back in time to watch … Continue reading

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melon cucumber soup with yogurt and basil olive oil

It’s too damn hot! The weather around here has been ridiculously hot and humid, although I hear it’s been about 110° F in some parts of the south and east bay. When it’s hot, many cultures tend to consume hot … Continue reading

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i’m actually pasta, but i identify as risotto

Clotilde recently prepared a risotto style pasta dish, meaning pasta that is cooked dry with a little oil, and then simmered in hot broth or water like risotto. The sauce is cooked along with the pasta, including vegetables, meats, and … Continue reading

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stockholm: restaurang elverket, östermalm

Östermalm is a quiet, upscale district in the eastern part of Stockholm, hence the name Östermalm, meaning, roughly, eastern district. (It is also, apparently, the name of a Swedish rock band.) I wound up wandering around Östermalm in an effort … Continue reading

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on the face

When you ask an Israeli how he’s doing and he replies “on the face,” that means things aren’t going very well. The expression is short for “falling on one’s face.” Usually, Israelis will tell you they’re “al hakefak” (great!), “eser” … Continue reading

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feedback, people, feedback

At Place Pigalle the other night, I spoke to a lovely foodblog reader named April. April often tries recipes she reads about on her favorite blogs. Sometimes the recipes come out very well, while other times they’re somewhat underwhelming. The … Continue reading

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chocolate and zucchini in san francisco

Last night, Parisian foodblogger Clotilde of chocolateandzucchini.com dropped by the Place Pigalle bar in San Francisco. (Hence the photo—it’s supposed to be chocolate and zucchini. Don’t laugh.) The place was packed with readers, forum participants, foodbloggers, the bar’s bewildered regulars, … Continue reading

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