Bay Area Restaurants

Apricots. Photo: Domenica Marchetti for NPR Post by Domenica Marchetti, Kitchen Window at NPR Food (6/19/13) Get recipes for Strawberry-Apricot Pie, Broiled Apricots With Honey Mascarpone, Apricot-Anise Jam and Cheryl’s Apricot Frangipane Galette. Apricots are the finest of summer’s fruits, with dense, juicy flesh and delicate, velvety skins. Piled in baskets in farmers market stalls, they seem to glow in the early morning light. The prettiest ones have a celestial blush and a sweet, floral fragrance. That’s why it is so disheartening when you bite into one only to find it is mealy and flavorless. I can’t count the number of times this apricot lover has been the victim of just such an injustice. You probably have been, too. I grew up eating apricots by the kilo during summers spent in Italy. I could not get enough of their intense flavor, of prying them open and biting into their sweet-tart meaty interiors. I liked them better than I liked gelato (OK — maybe that’s a stretch, but not by much). Finding worthy apricots this side of the Atlantic has been a challenge, especially since I am not in California, the source of about 95 percent of commercially grown U.S. apricots. By the time they make their way over to Virginia, where I live, I suspect any celestial qualities have been jostled out of them. Having been burned many times, I am now reluctant to pay upwards of $6 a pound at fancy grocery stores for apricots that don’t deliver. In recent years I’ve had some luck at my weekly farmers market, where the locally grown apricots, in season in late June and early July, are flavorful and juicy, if not quite as spectacular as those I remember from my childhood. It took the apricot a long time — centuries — to get to my market. It’s an ancient fruit, the origins of which can be traced back to pre-biblical times. It was first cultivated in the mountains of Northeastern China as early as 2200 B.C., according to food historian Waverly Root. From there it traveled to Mesopotamia (it was said to grow in the hanging gardens of Babylon) and the Mediterranean. Spanish missionaries are credited with bringing the apricot to California in the 18th century. Apricot trees require a temperate climate to thrive, Root says, with a cool winter allowing for a dormant period. However, the tree blooms early and is highly susceptible to frost, which can make it difficult to cultivate. There are many varieties of apricots, with colorful names such as Lorna, Ambercot, Blenheim and Goldbar. Some are large and plush and uniformly orange-colored and some are small, with a rosy cast. Then there are the new hybrids such as red velvet, with its near-black skin — actually a cross between an apricot and a plum. Apricots are best when picked ripe from the tree. While it’s easy to tell if an apricot is ripe, it can be tough to tell whether it’s good. Look for fruits that have a deep orange-gold color rather than those that are pale orange or yellow. They should be plump and firm, with just a little softness to them. If they’re hard, they’re not ripe; if they’re squishy, they’ve gone too far. Ripe apricots have a lovely, unmistakable floral fragrance, so give it the sniff test. Having said all that, there have been times, usually in grocery stores, where I thought I was buying decent apricots and have been sorely disappointed when I took a bite. You’re likely to have better luck at a farmers market that sells locally grown fruit. Taste a sample if you can; it’s really the only way to know for sure. Besides being delicious, apricots are packed with nutrition — vitamins A and C, plus fiber and potassium. In the kitchen, they are versatile, and as much as I love them (the good ones) raw, cooking them caramelizes their sugars and deepens their flavor, making them even more delightful. They are as comfortable sidled up to a roast as they are nestled in a sweet pastry crust. In

THE MISSION—Last we heard, Local Mission Market, the newest venture from the Local Mission Eatery and Local's Corner team, was held up and aiming for a summer opening. Now they're doing a last-minute push for opening funds, via Kickstarter, and hoping to raise $50,000 by way of some giveaways. [Zagat] RICHMOND—The Richmond district, after much debate and haggling with the SFMTA, is finally getting a year-round farmers' market starting this Sunday, June 23. It will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. along Clement between 2nd and 4th Avenues. [SFoodie] SOMA—S&R Lounge, the new lobby bar and upstairs lounge at the Hotel Zetta from the Park Tavern/Marlowe crew, is now open to the public. The Cavalier, their adjacent restaurant in the hotel, is due in August. [Inside Scoop]

Changes are underway at Craftsman and Wolves this week. The contemporary patisserie, known for the Rebel Within among other idiosyncratic treats, is testing out some new menu items tomorrow, June 20: cupcakes. As the patisserie celebrates its first anniversary, chef William Werner says there has been a strong demand for the things, so he's giving it a go. "We've been listening to the guests and just trying to figure things out... we're going to make some transitions and adjust the concept a little bit," says Werner. Expect flavors like "Carrots and Wolves" (a cocoa carrot cake with brown butter cream cheese and a carrot macaron), and "the Hasselhoff" (a soft caramel cake with milk chocolate ganache and toasted coconut). Werner also shares with us a possible re-design of their logo. (Wink wink?) [EaterWire]

Struggling Southern-California based diner chain Johnny Rockets has been sold to a private equity firm, as the OC Register is reporting. The company, as you may recall, closed its Marina location last year—it became a Super Duper— and closed its Upper Fillmore location earlier this year—it's now Glaze Teriyaki Grill. They have one remaining S.F. location at 81 Jefferson Street at Fisherman's Wharf. [OC Register via AP]

[Photo: Facebook] Coming shortly to 24th and Treat is a new wine bar called La Movida in the former El Delfin space. As discussed earlier, the project is a partnership between Michael Meadows and Pal's Takeaway sandwichman Jeff Mason, who's been looking for a spot to move his operation since the Health Department told them they couldn't keep serving out of Tony's Market down the street. Ms. Tablehopper has some new details about the project, including the fact that all beers and wines on the list except one are from California (and that's from Owen Roe, who sources grapes from Washington and Oregon). The list includes small and local producers like Broc Cellars, Dashe Cellars, and on the beer front, Cervezeria de MateVeza. Food in the evenings will be from a small plates menu including flatbreads, sliders, and the standard cheese and charcuterie plates. There will also be a Tuesday night pop-up rotation, TBA. As for Pal's, they'll operate every weekday in the space from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and you can see the expanded new menu here. Hours for La Movida will be 4:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., Sunday to Thursday, and until midnight Friday and Saturday. · La Movida Opening Next Week in the Mission [Tablehopper] · Pal's Takeaway Turns Four, Full Space Still Planned [~ESF~]

Chipotle's bid to open up in the Castro, in the former Home space at Church and Market, may not be over after tomorrow, when the Planning Commission is likely to shoot down their conditional use application due to other formula retail concentration in the vicinity. The company can still appeal to the Board of Supervisors, a move they're likely to make after investing all this time money in the project. [EaterWire]

Want to experience the birthplace of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc firsthand? Now is your chance. Brancott Estate is giving two lucky wine lovers a chance to win a trip to New Zealand, including flights, accommodation for four nights, and a five-day car rental. Click here to enter and to learn more about the full portfolio of Brancott Estate wines, made from the finest winemaking regions across New Zealand.

SAN FRANCISCO—We've mapped the most expensive homes to recently come onto the market. The cheapest is a 1-bedroom asking $3.5M, and the most expensive is a planned single-family home on Billionaire's Row that's asking $28.95M. CASTRO—A new boutique residential building called ICON in the Castro revealed itself last week when its scaffolding and protective shroud were removed. We've got pricing, too. RUSSIAN HILL—Looking to build some very big abodes on a prime lot in Russian Hill? Let us introduce you to the (planned) Wysteria Residences, which are a collection of super high-end residences that haven't been built yet but can be yours for a small sum of unlisted money. Let the bidding war begin! MID-MARKET—More housing could soon come to Mid-Market! One of Under Armour's former execs, Scott Plank, has recently acquired the 15,000 square foot lot at 1028 Market Street. Plank retired last year to "pursue his passion for building sustainable urban environments." SAN FRANCISCO—The average rental rate for a two bedroom is $4,000, but we've found five perfectly fine (and dare we say even adorable in some cases) two bedrooms for less than that. CIVIC CENTER—The Fox Theater was once San Francisco's splashiest and most glamorous movie theaters, but was torn down in 1963 to make way for an office building and apartments. Many folks were unhappy about the loss, some even believing that a curse was placed on the new building to doom its future. SAN FRANCISCO—The most expensive property sold this week was a very fancy 2-unit building in Nob Hill. It was listed for $5.995M but received $5.7M. POTRERO HILL—Potrero Hill's newest development is speeding right along as scheduled. We have photos and details over here. NOB HILL—Did you know that $3.5M won't even get you the most expensive one bedroom for sale in San Francisco? It's true! But it will get you the second most expensive one bedroom, which is a well-appointed condo at 1001 California. PACIFIC HEIGHTS—The Traina clan's old abode on Billionaire's Row is up for grabs for $14.5M. The 4-bed, 5.5-bath, 6,000 square foot pad has picturesque views of the Golden Gate Bridge and beyond from nearly every room.

The sign at Monsanto headquarters in St. Louis. Photo: James Finley/AP Post by Dan Charles, The Salt at NPR Food (6/19/13) Ever heard of the World Food Prize? It’s sometimes called the “Nobel Prize for food and agriculture,” but it has struggled to get people’s attention. Prize winners tend to be agricultural insiders, and many are scientists. Last year’s laureate, for instance, was Daniel Hillel, a pioneer of water-saving “micro-irrigation.” A pioneer in genetically modified crops, Robert Fraley has spent his entire career at Monsanto. He’s now the company’s chief technology officer. Photographer: Brian Schmittgens/Courtesy of the World Food Prize FoundationThis year, though, the World Food Prize is likely to get some publicity, some of it in the form of anger and protests. The prize will go to three scientists who played prominent roles in creating genetically engineered crops: Marc Van Montagu, Mary-Dell Chilton and Robert Fraley. Of the three, Fraley is by far the youngest, but also the most pivotal and divisive. He’s spent his entire career at Monsanto. He was hired in 1981 as one of the company’s very first molecular biologists, led the company’s intense drive to sell genetically engineered crops in the 1990s, and is now the company’s chief technology officer. In fact, if there’s a single person who most personifies Monsanto’s controversial role in American agriculture, it’s probably Robb Fraley. (A bit of self-promotion: I told much of this story in a book about the origins of genetically engineered crops, Lords of the Harvest, published in 2001. During research for the book, I also interviewed Fraley, Van Montagu and Chilton.) The winners were announced Wednesday at the U.S. State Department, with Secretary of State John Kerry contributing his own remarks. It’s hard to imagine a similar event taking place in Europe, where government authorities have refused to approve the planting or importation of some of these GMO crops. Today’s event reunited former scientific rivals. Thirty years ago, at a scientific meeting in Miami Beach, each of the award winners separately presented the results of experiments showing their first success in inserting genes into plants. At the time, Van Montagu was at the University of Ghent, in Belgium, and Mary-Dell Chilton was at Washington University in St. Louis. Both were far more prominent in scientific circles than Fraley. They also later worked with biotech companies (Plant Genetic Systems and Syngenta, respectively), but neither had as much impact in the business world as Fraley. The World Food Prize Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization with its headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa. It was set up in 1986 at the suggestion of Norman Borlaug, who had won the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in the “green revolution” that increased grain harvests worldwide. Major funding for the prize, which is worth $250,000, was provided by John Ruan, a prominent Des Moines businessman. In its early years, the award was sponsored by General Foods. The prize has been criticized in the past for close relationships with agribusiness companies. Last year, activist groups opposed to genetically modified food staged an “Occupy World Food Prize” protest during the formal awarding of the prize in Des Moines. Copyright 2013 NPR.

The martini: international drink of mystery? Photo: iStockphoto.com Post by April Fulton, The Salt at NPR Food (6/19/13) There’s no cocktail more distinctly American than the martini. It’s strong, sophisticated and sexy. It’s everything we hope to project while ordering one. Baltimore-born satirist H.L. Mencken is said to have called the martini “the only American invention as perfect as the sonnet.” But is the martini perfectly American? Maybe not entirely. So in honor of National Martini Day on Wednesday, we decided to dig into the drink’s muddled past. The history of the martini is a murky one. As is the case with many alcoholic concoctions through time, things weren’t always written down, and memories got fuzzy from drinking a few of them. Many historians follow the martini back to a miner who struck gold in California during the Gold Rush. The story goes that a miner walked into a bar and asked for a special drink to celebrate his new fortune. The bartender threw together what he had on hand — fortified wine (vermouth) and gin, and a few other goodies — and called it a Martinez, after the town in which the bar was located. The Martinez was a hit, according to the city of Martinez’s official website, and word soon spread about the new drink. It was published in the Bartender’s Manual in the 1880s. And yet, author Barnaby Conrad III, who wrote a book on the drink’s history, asserts that San Francisco is the martini’s true birthplace. Then there’s the claim that a New York bartender created it in 1911. And wait, there’s more: An Italian vermouth maker started marketing its product under the brand name Martini in 1863. “Personally … I think the martini may have gotten its name because of Martini & Rossi vermouth,” says Robert Hess, secretary of the Museum of the American Cocktail in New York. “A customer asks for a ‘Martini’ cocktail because it utilized that product, much as they might ask for a ‘sherry’ cocktail in those days if they wanted a cocktail which used sherry. During the 1800s, many drinks were named very simply (gin cocktail, fancy gin cocktail, gin cobbler, gin daisy, etc.),” Hess tells us via email. Over the years, the drink’s fame has grown, as its ingredients (Butterscotch? Seriously?), the ratio of spirits to vermouth, and even its name changed (try saying Martinez three times fast). And there are people who prefer drier versions of a martini, vodka instead of gin, and shaken instead of stirred. But where does that all-important olive garnish come in? Nobody knows for sure, but our far-flung correspondent Deborah Amos may have a lead. Last year, she tells The Salt, she was interviewing a Dr. Ammar Martini, a member of the Syrian Red Crescent, at a Syrian rehab hospital on the Turkish border. “As we were chatting, I said, ‘Hmmm, Martini, that’s an unusual Arab name, no?’ And he said, ‘There are a lot of Martinis in northern Syria. In fact, my grandfather gave the name to a famous drink in the West,’ ” Amos recalls. And how did that happen? she asked. Martini said that after the French left Syria (they occupied it from 1920-1946), his grandfather went to Paris and ran a bar and a café. “His contribution to the famous drink, according to his grandson, was to put an olive in the glass — and he did so because Idlib province in Syria [where he was from] is famous for olives — and so the drink was called Martini after its Syrian inventor,” she tells us. While it’s a great story, “unfortunately, this particular one doesn’t hold up when you realize that the martini cocktail existed pre-1900,” Hess says. It seems that everyone wants to take credit for this famous cocktail. Extra Credit: In 1935, Mencken wrote an essay called How to Drink Like a Gentleman: The Things to Do and the Things Not To, as Lea