Ice Cream Sandwiches on the Menu

When the weather heats up, there’s nothing as joyful to enjoy as an ice cream sandwich. It can’t help but bring out the kid in each of us.

Try an “Ice Cream Sammy” at Sift Cupcake & Dessert Bar, the only Bay Area bakery to win the Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars.”

With locations in Napa, Santa Rosa and Cotati, the bakery takes organic gelato and sandwiches in between big cookies. Try the “All for the Cookie” ($4), which features cookies ‘n’ cream ice cream stuffed between two chocolate cookies.

Look for a San Francisco location to open later this summer, too.

San Francisco’s Mozzeria is getting in on the act, too, with peanut butter ice cream sandwiched between two chocolate cookies ($6). It gets even better, too. The sammy is served on a homemade fruit roll-up — with a side of spicy beer nuts. It’s a meal.

Mozzeria is one of the first deaf-owned restaurants in the country. Its global menu features everything from roast duck pizza with hoisin to Japanese pumpkin ravioli.

Dan Gordon — Beer-Maker and Musician

Sure, we all know that the founder of Gordon Biersch Brewing Company knows how to make great beer.

But how many knew that Dan Gordon also is an accomplished musician?

You can get a listen at the San Jose Jazz Festival, when Gordon will be performing on trombone with two jazz ensembles on Aug. 12 on the Gordon Biersch stage, one of nine stages that will be set up downtown.

At 12:30 p.m., he’ll be on stage with the All Star Big Band. Following that performance, Gordon also will join up with Rick Walsh’s Slide Madness. You might know Walsh from his musical arranging and copywriting for Mel Brooks’ madcap musicals, “The Producers” and “Young Frankenstein.”

Gordon Biersch is San Jose’s only bottling brewery, so it’s only appropriate that the company is also the official beer sponsor of the jazz fest.

Poggio Spotlights Roman Dishes

Fresh off a two-week culinary trip through Italy, Executive Chef-Partner Peter McNee of Poggio in Sausalito will be presenting a special menu of classic Roman fare all through August.

Look for such inspired dishes as “Rigatoni all Gricia” (pasta with guanciale, pecorino and black pepper), “Uccellini allo Spiedo” (spit-roasted small game birds with spit-roasted pork belly and bread); and “Scafata” (artichoke, fava and pea stew).

The special a la carte dishes will be available at dinner, Tuesday through Saturday nights. The regular menu also will be available.