Have Some Chowda

A long time ago, I made a personal resolution to experience authentic regional cuisine whenever I travel to new places. What's the point of eating at an Applebee's or Waffle House in a place like Charleston or New York City?

So, what better place than San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf to try a bread bowl of clam chowder?

Oh. My. Gosh.

The smell of the bread alone at the Boudin Bakery was nearly more than I could stand...the warm, sweet scent of the freshly baked bread wafting through the air...sends memories of homemade pies wafting through my grandmother's kitchen.

Then, there's the chowder. One look at that ivory sea of velvet makes me weak in the knees. The way the creamy lusciousness slides down the throat and warms the belly is like a first kiss on a long sweet summer night. Mmmmm....

What goes better with a hot, steamy bowl of "chowda" than a crisp, cold bottle of local beer?

Next time you're in the Wharf, stop by Boudin and partake for yourself. You won't regret it. I promise.

My First Michelin

September 30, 2010. This date will go down in history in the life of FunGirlCooks. It's going in my baby book, every scrap book and journal I own. This was the day I ate at my very first Michelin-star rated restaurant: One Market in the grand and glorious city of San Francisco.

What is a Michelin star you ask? First published in 1900 in France, the Michelin rating system has become "the benchmark in gourmet dining" by sending its professional, anonymous inspectors to restaurants around the world to rate the food on the plate.

And man, do those guys know what they're doing!

In San Fran for a work conference, I took the opportunity to get in some culinary adventures since it is one of the most magnificently mouthwatering cities in the country (in my humble opinion).

My delectable meal began with a warm, spicy glass of 2007 Freeman Pinot Noir from California's Russian River Valley and a hand-picked Dungeness crab salad over green apple water with jalapeno and cilantro garnishes.

Dinner was the Daily Roast of a tender, juicy fillet of beef wrapped in pancetta and bathed in a smoky, caramelized onion sauce that wrapped the meat in warmth like a velvet glove in the middle of winter. Served with a la carte roasted, organic baby carrots right out of Peter Rabbit's garden, it was utter perfection.

(It was so good, I forgot to take pictures! Unforgivable, I know.)

To end this intoxicating culinary experience, I had the seasonal dessert of luscious, creamy sugar pumpkin cheesecake laced with hints of warm cinnamon and nutmeg and sprinkled with maple pecans. Paired with a scoop of sweet maple ice cream and a crisp gingerbread autumn cookie, the entire piece of art was drizzled with warm caramel sauce, allowing it to simply slide from the tongue down the throat into a state of pure, unadulterated pleasure.

Seriously. I now want to marry the Michelin man.

33 Years of Love

I love birthdays. Mine. Yours. Theirs. Everyone's. This past weekend, I celebrated my 33rd year with many of my precious loved ones. In my family, your birthday is the day you get to be completely doted on and most importantly, get to eat whatever you want.

For me, nearly all of those years, that has meant a yellow cake with chocolate frosting and Brach's "little pumpkins." And this year was no exception.

Mom has long since ceased making the cake herself, but turns to our dear friend and owner of local Bill Rhodes Bakery, Becky Evans, to make this special (and gorgeous!) treat each year. This year was no exception.

The best part is the leftovers.

Ok, who doesn't like to start a meal with dessert? This moist, melt-in-your-mouth magnificence was preceded by one of my favorite dinners that embodies love for my family: Miss Elizabeth's chicken.

Miss Elizabeth was a dear lady in my dad's hometown of Boonville, Missouri that brought a steaming casserole dish of this comfort food to the farmhouse after my sweet grandmother's funeral and the rest is history. We've been making it for the past 17 years. This recipe is as homespun as they come and straight out of the church potluck cookbook. Most people call it Chicken and Rice Casserole. It's warm and creamy and utterly rich and filled with love.

Just to make sure that our veins don't completely explode from all the "love" filled food, this year's celebration was rounded out with a little greenery: a wedge salad with homemade blue cheese dressing, steamed green beans and roasted brussel sprouts with pancetta and Parmesan. Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm.

Thirty-three years of love right here on the plate.

Miss Elizabeth's Chicken


Ingredients:
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can of cream of celery soup
1/2 soup can of water
1  1/2 Cups of white rice, uncooked
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 stick of margarine
Salt and pepper

Directions:
Heat oven to 275 degrees.

Melt margarine in a large saucepan.

Add the soups and water; heat and stir well.

Add rice and stir.

Pour half of the mixture into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish.

Place chicken on top; salt and pepper.

Pour the rest of the mixture on top of chicken.

Cover with foil and bake for 2 hours; uncover and bake for one additional hour until golden and bubbly.