Author Archives: foodgal

Raise A Pint to Chicken Guinness Stew with Creamy Cauliflower Mash

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Swap out beef for chicken in this delicious Guinness stew.
Swap out beef for chicken in this delicious Guinness stew.

These days, with grocery prices still doing major damage to the wallet, it’s no surprise that chicken is — and has long been — the most popular meat consumed in the United States.

That makes “Chicken Guinness Stew” especially appealing.

After all, not only are chicken thighs and drumsticks cheaper than beef stew meat, but they cook up faster and are lower in fat.

That’s a win-win-win.

This riff on the classic Irish stew is from “Delicious Tonight” (Countryman Press, 2024), of which I received a review copy.

It was written by Nagi Maehashi, creator of the popular blog, RecipeTin Eats, who was born in Japan and raised in Australia. Her philanthropic not-for-profit, RecipeTin Meals, donates more than 130,000 meals annually to those in need in her community.

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New Harvest Seasons Family Reserve Picual Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

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A Spanish olive oil that boasts a lovely green color and a peppery finish.
A Spanish olive oil that boasts a lovely green color and a peppery finish.

It’s striking green in color, with green almond and tomato leaf notes, and a peppery arugula-like finish.

Seasons Family Reserve Picual Extra-Virgin Olive Oil is newly bottled from its October 2024 harvest.

I had a chance to try a sample of this oil pressed from Picual olives, harvested from a single estate in Andalusia, Spain.

While founders Tim Balshi and Soraya Aguilar import olive oil and vinegar from around the world, the single estate olive oils come from the centuries-old olive groves on Aguilar’s family estate in southern Spain.

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Chinese Walnut Cookies for the Lunar New Year

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Like Chinese almond cookies -- but made with walnuts and sesame seeds instead.
Like Chinese almond cookies — but made with walnuts and sesame seeds instead.

Growing up in San Francisco, I remember many a meal at a Chinese restaurant that would conclude with a plate of fortune cookies set down in the center of the table.

Sometimes, slices of fresh oranges accompanied them.

But on the rare occasion, when I was very, very lucky, there would be almond cookies, too.

With their splotchy, golden cracked top that had a whole almond nestled at the very center, they were crisp, crumbly, and melted in your mouth.

“Chinese Walnut Cookies” are reminiscent of those. They are more petite in size, and nudge out the almonds for ground walnuts and toasted sesame seed oil instead. Consider them Chinese almond cookies’ more radical cousin, and every bit as delicious and satisfying.

The recipe comes from the cookbook, “Crumbs” (Phaidon, 2024), of which I received a review copy. It is the work of Ben Mims, a food writer, cookbook author, and former cooking columnist for the Los Angeles Times.

It is a breathtaking volume of 300 cookie recipes from around the world. So much so, you’ll wonder if you’ll ever need another cookie cookbook again.

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Tom Colicchio’s “Possibly the Best Grilled Cheese You’ll Ever Have”

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'Nduja and plenty of mozzarella make this grilled cheese extra messy and delicious.
‘Nduja and plenty of mozzarella make this grilled cheese extra messy and delicious.

Tom Colicchio may be a household name now, thanks to 21 seasons as head judge and executive producer of the Emmy-winning, Bravo hit show “Top Chef.”

But as a kid, he felt a little lost and a lot unsure while growing up in northern New Jersey, especially with a father who was often moody, silent, and a gambling addict.

One day, when he was 13, his mom dragged him to her weekly hair appointment. As he waited, he happened to pick up a magazine, Cuisine. Leafing through it, he grew mesmerized by a recipe for roasted, stuffed eggplant. So much so, that he asked permission to take the magazine home, where he made the dish, the first meal he had ever cooked.

His dad took a taste and remarked, “Not bad, Tom” — words that Colicchio would cherish.

Three years later, when Colicchio was 16 with nary a thought to his future, his father suggested he become a chef, saying, “I think you’d be good at it.” Coming from his usually stoic dad, it carried immeasurable weight and would propel him into his exceedingly successful career.

So Colicchio recounts in his new book, “Why I Cook” (Artisan, 2024), of which I received a review copy.

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Irresistible Rory’s Bakehouse Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Rory's Bakehouse frozen cookie dough balls bake up into huge 4 1/2-inch diameter chocolate chip cookies.
Rory’s Bakehouse frozen cookie dough balls bake up into huge 4 1/2-inch-diameter chocolate chip cookies.

Warning: Do not keep these in your freezer unless you want temptation dangerously beckoning every waking moment.

Rory’s Bakehouse Giant Chocolate Chip frozen cookie dough balls will do serious damage to your willpower and waistline — and leave an enormous smile on your face in the process.

Rory Kandel of Napa is the creator of these ginormous chocolate chip cookies that have cultivated a loyal following. So much so that she started making the frozen dough available through nationwide shipping. They can also be found in the freezer case at Woodlands Market in San Francisco, Kentfield and Tiburon; Glen Ellen Village Market in Glen Ellen; and Sunshine Foods in St. Helena. They can also be found freshly baked at Loveski Deli in Napa and Marin and Biscuit’s BBQ in Napa.

The cookie dough balls come either 6 or 12 to a bag.
The cookie dough balls come either 6 or 12 to a bag.

Last month, she also debuted a walk-up retail window in Napa at 2766 Old Sonoma Road, open Thursdays and Fridays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. There, you’ll find the frozen cookie dough, along with baked cookies. There are also weekly specials of buttermilk biscuits, black truffle gougeres, and coconut passion fruit thumbprint cookies.

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