If you are wondering "What is a Star Maiden and why should I care?" take a look at my post here on the Star Maiden and Audrey Munson, the beautiful young model who posed for this work and so many others. Even though there were at least 95 Star Maidens created for the Pan Pacific Exhibition in 1915, prior to this auction, the only way to see one was to journey to the Oakland Museum. I suppose no one knows how many of these sculptures are still in existence, but it's clearly a small enough number that if you want to see one, you should go to this auction.

Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away. Antoine de Saint-Exupery

I tasted a piece before buying a bunch and can report that agretti is a bit tart (sour), quite crunchy and tends to have a mild salty taste even when watered with POW. Young enough, it can be used raw as a salad green, but more normally it is trimmed from the root, and then blanched for 10 minutes before being incorporated into salads or used as a side vegetable. Also, from personal experience, I can attest to the importance of trimming away all of the light green bottom stalk, as it is woody and tough. The dark green needles are the delectable part.

Here is a nutritional breakdown in Italian, here's a recipe for a Fritatta with Agretti, and here is a link to the Mariquita Farm's Agretti page which is full of links and recipes including this priceless observation:

.... It was really tasty (though the kids thought I made pine needle salad)!

The charge is certainly sensational, and it will probably help sell copies of his book, but it doesn't appear to be entirely responsible. Santamaria is primarily complaining about E461 or methylcellulose. This is an interesting chemical that gels at high temperature and melts at low temperatures. This makes it possible to use in making hot ice cream. (Yummy). It is also used as a laxative when enough of it is ingested, but I'm not sure that makes it a health risk; especially as "like cellulose, it is not digestible, not toxic, and not allergenic." In fact, it appears to be a harmless, widely used food additive, and Sr. Santamaria appears to be blowing smoke.

Coi: the next step beyond the Chez Panisse straight jacket, Coi uses and showcases top quality local ingredients, but adds that extra touch - cooking with technique. Coi is the only Bay Area restaurant I know of that offers only a tasting menu. The food incorporates some modern molecular techniques, but never to the detriment of gustatory pleasure. Let's call it 'mainstream' molecular cooking.

Spruce: shows the Bay Area's concern with local and organically grown produce and humanely raised and harvested meats, and does so without compromising deliciousness. At Spruce you can feel sybaritic and virtuous at the same time.

Orson: Small plates, the influence of modern Spanish cooking, and the trend towards merging the lounge and the restaurant are amply illustrated at Orson. And, to use an approprate movie theme, just like Blue Velvet, you may understand it, or not; and you may enjoy it, or not, but it is definitely worth the experience.

Slanted Door: For some obscure reason, Slanted Door is the great San Francisco restaurant that foodies of a certain type love to hate. Slanted Doors shows how a common ethnic cuisine can be transformed into destination dining with top-notch ingredients and a bit of creativity. Folks that dis this place need to go and try the Yellowtail sashimi with crispy shallots and thai basil.

Yoshi's San Francisco: shows that the Japanese cuisine is not all sushi and miso soup, and can be modern and exciting. Unfortunately, the really exciting dishes from the opening menu are now gone, replaced by a dumbed-down menu introduced in mid April 2008. Still, it is the best modern Japanese in the area, and it is a trend that should take off.

Incanto: shows that neighborhood Italian places don't have to be the red sauce and checkered table-cloth type. Incanto delivers great rustic Italian food with with a refreshing whole animal bent. Cosentino manages to specialize in offal which isn't awful; it is delicious and has made this neighborhood place a destination.

Conduit: I agree with Bauer that we are seeing a trend where wine bars are adding great food to pair with the wines; bread and cheese are now so '90s. I think, however, that Conduit is a better example than Cav.

I see I've only come up with seven trend-setting places. Sigh. Seems I'm just not a trendy fellow.

Set out on a pier overlooking the marina, Fish. is a casual, California kind of place. Except for the Marin County prices, and the lack of surfer dudes, it reminds me of a Southern California fish shack. There are picnic tables to sit at outside, and inside you get the same thing: picnic tables. However, unless it is raining or colder than San Francisco in the summer, you'll want to sit outside and enjoy the California sun and the view of the marina and its inhabitants. (Watch out for the hungry and highly-practiced seagulls though).

The menu is casual, sporting items like clam chowder (both red and white) shucked oysters, and a grilled fish sandwich; but it is also creative. You can also get "The Fish. Parfait" which is a parfait glass layered with Dungeness crab, salsa, tomatillo, lime crema, and cocktail sauce.

Other interesting menu choices include Ceviché, a Crab Roll, a Fish. Taco plate, Fish and Chips, and a Tuscan White Bean and Tuna Salad. And then, there is the pun: a Peanut Butter and Jelly Fish. Sandwich which is a lot less interesting than you might think, but your seven-year-old will probably like it.

There is an extensive beverage list to choose from including iced tea and lemonade (continuing fish shack theme), and wine including Champagne (vamping on the Marin theme).

I like fish. I also like Fish.. Along with Sushi Ran, it's the best food in town. Highly Recommended

Fish.
350 Harbor Drive
Sausalito, California
37 52' 5" Lon -122 29' 52"

1997 Ridge Lytton Springs - USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley (4/30/2008)
From a 375ml bottle. Deep brick red color with some lightening at the rim. Clean expressive nose of plums and spice. Palate shows beautiful smooth fruit, acid, and integrated tannins with everything in perfect harmonious balance. A beautiful mouthful of wine at absolute peak right now. This is the kind of wine that makes everything all right with the world. The best Ridge Zins have a restrained elegance that reminds you of a four-star hotel... just like top quality aged Bordeaux. Excellent. (93 pts.)

• 1998 Hanzell Chardonnay - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley (4/29/2008)
  Dark gold color, crystal clear and gem-like. Flinty nose of ripe fruit and minerals. Medium body with layers of flavors including baked bread, and citrus, with honey on the finish. Clearly new world, but made in a very refined style. Beautiful fresh wine with elegance and complexity. (94 pts.)
• 1998 Marcassin Chardonnay Marcassin Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (4/29/2008)
  Deep golden color, slightly cloudy indicating no filtration. Fairly reserved nose of ripe fruit and vanilla. Medium-full body, big full tropical and lime flavors with just noticeable oak. Good finish, but ultimately lacking finesse and complexity. (92 pts.)

Here is a Hanzell Chardonnay vine in the Ambassador vineyard, planted in 1953.

Alas, I almost never visit the new incarnation, having eaten there only three times in the past three years. The food is good, and there's really no logical reason not to eat there, so it must be illogical. It must be emotional. I miss the staff and the environment, I miss the good times, and the food that was Bizou. The picture is of a pork belly dish served the last night Bizou was open for business. (click on the pic for a larger version). I remember it was delicious.

For 3 to 4 servings:

10 or more baby artichokes
Lemon juice or vinegar (optional for soaking)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 fennel bulb – trimmed and coarsely chopped
6 oz. baby parsnips
Salt and pepper
Thyme, rosemary or other fresh herbs
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
¼ cup capers (drained)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 pound shrimp, peeled
4-6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

Method

1. Clean the artichokes by trimming the stem, pulling off the dark green tough outer leaves, cutting off the upper third of the remaining leaves and cutting each trimmed artichoke in half. If you are unlucky and find a choke, remove it. Drop the finished artichokes into a bowl of cold water with about 10 percent acid (lemon juice or vinegar).
   
2. Put the olive oil in a pan heated to medium. Drain artichokes and place in skillet along with the fennel and turnips. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, but do not brown them. Sprinkle with salt; add the herbs, red pepper flakes, and the wine. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until tender. (approximately 10 minutes)
   
3. Uncover pan and raise heat again. Stir in the capers, garlic, and shrimp. Cook, tossing or stirring for 5 minutes or so, until the shrimp are pink. Taste and adjust seasoning.

For anyone wanting more information on baby artichokes: All About Baby Artichokes.

I was fortunate enough to attend Sunday evening. My dinner proceeded as follows:

Three Amuse bouche:

Garden barbajuans (beet greens, chard, chrysanthemum…) - small pastry filled with creamed (though I don't think there was any cream involved) garden greens.

Shot of shallot cream, Granny Smith apple, & 'sode de dulse' - an 'Arpege Egg' substitute with layered ingredients/flavors, with rich and salty tastes and contrasting textures.

Oyster with kohlrabi choucroute, champagne vinegar - an oyster shell filled with shredded pickled kohlrabi, topped with a raw oyster and covered with a champagne vinegar foam. Yummy!

Creamy potato soup with a Columbian coffee foam - very rich and creamy potato velouté topped with a coffee foam.

Marinated mackerel, subtly spiced, with egg and asparagus, nasturtium - a dish of interesting contrasting textures; the fresh, raw asparagus was grated and formed into quinelles.

Cod tripe, crushed Jerusalem artichoke; bouillon of dashi and baby watercress - another very interesting dish, though I find that I am not overly fond of cod tripe even when prepared to this level of excellence.

Japanese Sea Bream, puree of turnip, wild sorrel and a mesquite seashell sauce - one of the best dishes I've ever had. The sea bream, sourced from Japan, was full of flavor and perfectly cooked to a creamy texture. The texture was so perfect and unusual, I asked if it was transformed some way, but the chefs insisted it was the quality of the fish, and 'slow-broiling' with perfect timing. The seashell sauce was smoked with mesquite and then foamed. A great dish.

Roast squab and boudin noir with strawberries, beets both raw and cooked - Strawberries and beets - winter meets spring. The squab was perfectly cooked and the boudin noir puree was rich and delicious.

Spring lamb with morels “achillea millefolium”, vegetables and golden marjoram butter - nothing particularly innovative here, but innovation wasn't needed as this was a dish showcasing superior ingredients and cooking them to perfection. The lamb was from Napa and was sweet and tender. The morels were almost marinated in rich seasoned butter and melted in your mouth.

Meadowsweet ('reine de pres') foam, granita of coriander and pineapple sorbet. - a beautiful dessert playfully showcasing herbs in an unsusal setting (frozen and foamed).

Jasmine flower in white chocolate, poorman orange sorbet, sweet peas and peanuts - another beautiful dish highlighting spring peas so sweet that a pea puree was featured as a garnish.

We were seated promptly for a 7:30 reservation, and left the restaurant at midnight after coffee and a complimentary chocolate truffle.

For wine, we bought a champagne and 2005 Dagueneau Pur Sang off the list, and brought along a 2001 Louis Latour Corton-Charlemagne, and a 1975 Joseph Phelps Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. The Dagueneau was only okay, instead of being stunning, as the 2002 that I had a while back was. Based on five bottles of Daguenaeu wine from various vintages, I've decided they are best consumed young. Waiting after release is just letting the good stuff fade away. The Corton-Charlemagne was delicate and delicious, and the 1975 Eisele was a fantastic, vibrant, smooth wonder of a wine.

A most pleasant evening.

Manresa Restaurant
320 Village Lane
Los Gatos, CA 95030
Phone: (408) 354-4330

Postscript: Other Manresa Sweet and Sour Spectator blog posts here: Shafer Hillside Select Dinner, and here: The Pig Dinner at Manresa.

The early morning crowd can get a 'citoyen croissant' as well as a fresh fruit scone, pain au chocolat, ham and cheese croissant, and a cinnamon roll. Other offerings include cookies, including a signature chocolate chip version, german chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, chocolate espresso, and ginger molasses. Vanilla and chocolate cupcakes are always available, with additional chef's choice flavors as the muse dictates.

I've tried an espresso and a cappuccino. The espresso had little crema and was too cool, and the cappuccino had too much milk and also wasn't hot enough. I'm hoping that these are teething problems. I think they'll eventually get it, and the pastries are certainly a lot better than what you can get at Starbucks.

Orson Kiosk
508 4th Street (at Bryant)
San Francisco, CA 94107

Postscript: My review of Orson - the restaurant is here. It is from a visit on opening night. I've visited a few times since then and will be posting further thoughts later. Enough later so that it doesn't look like I'm the Orson PR agency!! :-).

Update: A recent cappuccino (in the afternoon) was much better. There was less milk, making it a cappuccino instead of a latte, and the temperature was better. I do believe they are getting the hang of it.