Cherries Galore at Local Restaurants

Who can resist sweet, crisp cherries? Not San Francisco chefs, who are featuring them on many menus.

At Bluestem Brasserie in San Francisco, indulge in cherries in multiple forms in one over-the-top dessert: gelee, granita, fresh and marinated in Cherry Heering Liqueur.

You get all that in the “Bing Cherry Sundae,” that’s also loaded with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. If that weren’t enough, it also comes with chocolate chip cookies. Oh my!

At Vitrine at the St. Regis in San Francisco, Executive Chef Romuald Feger pays homage to his grandmother by recreating her Alsatian black cherry clafoutis. During cherry season, she’d bake it daily, offering him a big slice after school.

His version comes with Sicilian pistachio ice cream. To pair with it, he recommends an Alsatian Gewurztraminer.

At Michael Mina in San Francisco, enjoy cherries in two unique savory preparations. First, the “Foie Gras Sphere” that is a tiny, rich mouthful of cherry and amarone-scented foie gras. It’s playfully shaped like a red sphere with a stem on top to mimic a real cherry. You’ll find  it as part of the “hors d’oeuvres platter” ($16).

Second, cherry puree is a pivotal component of the “Vacca Rosa Risotto with Cherry and Squab Ragu.” The rich Vacca Rosa cheese, similar to Parmigiano Reggiano, is a striking counterpoint to the sweet cherries. The dish is part of the tasting menu, but also can be ordered a la carte.

“Tango & Tapas” Soiree and a Discount for Food Gal Readers

Learn how to make mouth-watering tapas — then get a lesson in the tango to burn up all those calories.

Yes, it’s two demos in one with the 6:30 p.m. June 7 “Tango & Tapas” event at Circolo in San Francisco.

You’ll get to nosh on spicy corn fritters with sun-dried tomato, wild arugula salad with citrus-shallot vinaigrette, grilled skirt steak with chimichurri-chorizo herb sauce. Wash it all down with Argentinean red sangria.

Tickets are $65 per person. Food Gal readers can get $10 off each ticket by using the code: niko.

Martins West Presents “The Final Foie Frontier”

After two other sold-out foie dinners, Redwood City’s Martins West will hold one last salute to foie extravaganza before the sale of the fatty goose/duck liver is prohibited in California starting July 1.

The six-course meal on June 6 will feature foie in every dish, including “foiessants” (yup, croissants made with foie gras); “Magret Au Poivre” with corn-scallion pancake and foie gras; and “Biscuits and Cream” (almond custard, strawberry compote and foie gras pound cake).

Price is $125 per person with $50 of that donated to the Coalition for Humane and Ethical Farming Standards (CHEFS), a pro-foie gras organization. Reservations can be made by calling the restaurant: (650) 366-4366.

Sunset Celebration Weekend, June 2-3

Sunset magazine will open up its headquarters in Menlo Park, June 2-3, for a “Celebration Weekend” that highlights food, home improvement, travel and fun in the West.

Check out the “Ultimate Outdoor Living Room,” design demonstrations, backyard farm area, wine seminars, and cooking demos featuring the likes of Chris Cosentino of Incanto in San Francisco, David Bazirgan of the Fifth Floor in San Francisco, and Yigit Pura, winner of “Top Chef Just Desserts: Season 1.” For a complete list of events and times, click here.

A bevy of food trucks also will on hand to cook up a feast.

Tickets are $16 for general admission, $14 for seniors, and free for kids under age 12.

More: My Q&A with Pastry Chef Yigit Pura

And: My Q&A with Chef Chris Cosentino