Chef Joyce Goldstein. (Photo courtesy of the IACP and Goldstein)

Join the Food Gal and Joyce Goldstein For a Berkeley Event

I couldn’t be more honored to have been asked to help host an upcoming event with legendary cookbook author and chef, Joyce Goldstein.

Join us for a conversation, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 17, at the Marsh Arts Center in Berkeley. It’s all part of Litquake, San Francisco’s Literary Festival.

I’ll be talking to Goldstein about her insightful new book, “Inside the California Food Revolution: Thirty Years that Changed Our Culinary Consciousness” (University of California Press).

Sure, the food scene in the Bay Area is incomparable. But imagine a time when there wasn’t arugula available everywhere, where almost all fine-dining restaurants served only continental cuisine, and when farmers markets didn’t exist. That was California in the 1960s. Learn about the factors that went into transforming this region into a culinary mecca.

The event is free, but a $10 donation is suggested. Hope to see you all there!

Palo Alto Welcomes Gott’s Roadside

Lucky Palo Alto last week welcomed the fourth Gott’s Roadside in the Bay Area.

The gourmet burger restaurant, which first established itself in St. Helena, opened in the Town & CountryVillage to serve up its famed fish tacos, blue cheese burger, tuna melt, sweet potato fries, and my fave ahi burger.

The amazing ahi burger. (Photo courtesy of Gott’s)

Enjoy a fine wine, draft beer or killer milkshake with it all, too.

Specialty Chocolate Coming to Santana Row

Chocoholics, get ready for the opening of Chocolatier Blue Parlor on Oct. 11 at Santana Row in San Jose.

When Chris Blue told his mom he wanted to be a chef, she told him to learn how to make what he most loved to eat: chocolate. Mom always knows best, after all.

He’s been making hand-crafted treats since opening his flagship store in Berkeley years ago. Now, he’s bringing those irresistible chocolates to San Jose. Look for exquisite bonbons in flavors such as “Cookies & Cream,” “Mulled Wine,” and “Sunflower & Orange Marmalade.”

The shop also will feature artisan ice creams made with locally sourced ingredients. Flavors change monthly and can include: “Concord Grape,” “Quince Sorbet” and “Wild Mountain Honey.”

Winner of the Food Gal Contest

In last week’s Food Gal contest, I asked you to tell me about something that you think is not all that it’s cracked up to be.  The winner will receive samples of all five flavors of the new baked snack crackers from Milton’s Craft Bakers.

Three of the five new flavors of crackers. (Photo by Carolyn Jung)

Congrats to:

Thuy, who wrote, “Pumpkin Spice Lattes. I know fall is the absolute best season and all, but there are better and far more delicious things to obsess over! Like real pumpkin pie or apple spiced donut holes. Not some corporate premade mix.”