Meet Chef Daniel Humm at A Book-Signing

Daniel Humm, acclaimed chef of New York’s Eleven Madison Park, will be appearing at 7 p.m. April 3 at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco.

Humm will be in conversation with the restaurant’s General Manager Will Guidara, with whom he collaborated on the cookbook, “I Love New York: Ingredients and Recipes” (Ten Speed Press). The cookbook, which will be released in April, fuses innovative dishes with New York classics like smoked fish, egg cream, and black and white cookies.

A culinary treat is promised to attendees at the reception and book-signing afterward.

Tickets are $15 to $25, and available by calling the box office at (415) 292-1233.

DIY Dinner Kits at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market

San Francisco’s Ferry Plaza has introduced weekly Farmers Market Chef Baskets, which come complete with recipes to make dinner, along with all the fresh ingredients needed as sourced from the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market.

Each basket has been curated by a particular chef. For instance, Chef Joanne Weir’s market basket dinner includes the makings for fennel soup with Meyer lemon creme fraiche, and fresh spinach and shaved root vegetable salad. The $29 basket serves 2 to 3. All the recipes are gluten free, and can be made vegan, too. If you have hungrier appetites at home, you can opt for the Joanne Weir basket that adds a 1/2 chicken from Mountain Ranch Organically Grown to the mix for a total of $39.

The Chefs Baskets is a project by CUESA, which runs the Ferry Plaza farmers market; Luke’s Local; and Good Eggs.

Order your basket online through Good Eggs. Each week, orders are taken through Sunday night for pickup at the Ferry Plaza or other select pick-up points in Berkeley, Oakland and San Francisco on the following Tuesday. Delivery within San Francisco also is available for an extra $5.

“Beer Tuesdays” at the Boxing Room

San Francisco’s Boxing Room is getting in the brewski mood.

Every month, starting Feb. 19, Chef Justin Simoneaux will offer a special four-course Southern Louisiana-inspired prix fixe for $55 to $65 per person.

Tonight’s launch of “Beer Tuesdays,’‘ priced at $55 per person, will feature offerings from San Francisco’s Magnolia Brewery.

Look for such pairings as smoked oyster stew with German butterball potatoes and baby leeks alongside Oysterhead Dry Stout; and grilled bavette steak with charred scarlet turnips, radish and mustard greens paired with Proving Ground IPA.

Future “Beer Tuesdays” will feature Portland’s Ninkasi Brewing Company on March 19 and San Francisco’s Almanac Beer Company on April 16.

Winners of the Two Food Gal contests

In last week’s first contest, I asked you to tell me about something nutty you’ve done that you kick yourself for now. The best answer wins a stylish (orange and toasted almond-colored) tote bag with whole almonds, sliced almonds, almond butter, almond flour, almond snack packs and cute little tins to conveniently hold a few almonds in your purse, car or desk drawer for whenever the urge strikes. All of it comes courtesy of the Almond Board of California.

Congrats to:

Emily, who wrote, “This experience is so nutty I’m a little conflicted publicizing it on the web. But with almonds on the table (or, as my grandmother would say, ‘ahhhmands’), I’m putting it all out there. Several years ago my husband, Chris, and I were living in the midwest. We were fortunate enough to experience our first white Christmas, which I found absolutely charming, but it meant we had to deal with the many burdens of snow and snow removal. Just after the holiday, I was cleaning the sofa in the family room when I found a holiday Nerd (yes, the candy) under a couch cushion. These red, white and green Nerds have been a staple in my husband’s stocking for as long as I can remember. Looking at Chris, I declared, ‘LOOK! A NERD!’ as I threateningly moved the candy closer to my mouth. Chris, apparently no stranger to my eating things out of the couch, just looked at me. ‘Don’t do it,’ he warned dully, without much conviction.

I did it.

About two seconds later, my mouth was on fire and a numbing sensation was beginning to spread across my tongue. ‘OHHHHMYYYGAAAABBB!’ I gurgled. ‘ISSSSNAAAAHAHHNERRRRD.’ Turns out it wasn’t, in fact, a Nerd. It was a chemical pellet used to de-ice the walk that had made its way into the house. SO STUPID. Clearly, I lived through the experience to tell it today, but the lesson was fast learned: when eating holiday Nerds from the couch, only go for the red or green ones. Talk about nutty.”

In last week’s second contest, I asked you to tell me what you love about Mountain View or why you’d like to explore it. The winner will receive two free tickets to the Feb. 24 Neighborfood event in downtown Mountain View that’s put on by Dishcrawl. You’ll enjoy eight different dishes at eight different restaurants. The pair of tickets if valued at a total of $80.

Congrats to:

Moe Rubenzahl, who wrote, “Downtown” Mountain View. That’s what I love about Mountain View. It has a downtown. Meet for lunch, head off for coffee later, sit in a bookstore. How many places even have a bookstore anymore? Let alone two independent bookstores! How many places have not one, not two, but three independent coffee shops? And so many choices for lunch that I almost never meet anyone at a particular place. It’s always meet at a location and decide from there. And free wifi all over town, so it’s not just a downtown, it’s a Silicon Valley downtown!”

More: My Q&A with Chef Justin Simoneaux of the Boxing Room