adventures of an american housewife in the south of france

Hump Day: 10 Years in the Making

"10 years ago today, I left my cold, snowy Midwestern home to get on a plane to San Francisco. When I landed, I was greeted at the airport by my good friend Alan, the 70 degree sunshine, and cool little apartment in Noe Valley. I remember thinking that moving here was the vacation I always wanted to take; a chance for me to really get to know a place for longer than a few days. I never thought that vacation would last 10 years. Within 2 weeks of being here, it felt like home. Then home started to come here. One by one, so many of my best friends made their way out West. New friends were made, and quickly, the San Francisco Family was formed. The good times and memories continue to grow through countless concerts, adventures, and other gatherings. This city is where I found my career, my passions, and most importantly, my wife. Thank you San Francisco for being the coolest city in the land."

-Written by The Hub, for his 10-year Sanfranniversary - 2.1.11

What an exciting week, friends!  There is so much to celebrate this week/weekend and my dance card is full.  I have been booked up all week with fun dates and tomorrow friends start arriving from out of town for the 5th Annual Bus Party (more on that next week) and the Super Bowl Extravaganza.  I am so excited that it's been hard to work, but there is still a lot to do before the weekend.

Last night The Hub, Shawn, Kate and I dined at my favorite restaurant on Earth -  RANGE - for a double celebration.  Yesterday was The Hub's 10 year Anniversary of living in San Francisco and today is Kate's Birthday.  We had a fantastic meal with creative cocktails and decadent desserts.  The four of us are total foodies and snobs and decided to order 4 different appetizers, entrées, and desserts and critique them all as though we were Padma, Gail, Tom and Anthony.  Our credentials include: dining at fabulous restaurants all around the world, a friend who is an executive chef, 2 food blogs and 9 seasons of watching Top Chef (including Top Chef Masters and Top Chef All Stars). If that doesn't qualify us to be fake food critics, then I don't know what does.

As usual, we were blown away by the experience.  Here's what we had:

PRE-DINNER COCKTAILS:
  • Beauty:  chopin vodka, st. germain elderflower, sparkling rosé, blood orange
  • Huck Fizz:  209 gin, huckleberries, green chartreuse, soda, lemon
  • The Cheetah:  encanto pisco, maraschino, orange, black pepper, grapefruit bitters, lime
  • The Blade Runner (special of the night):  blade gin, cocchi americano, bitters,
 APPETIZERS:
  • butter bean and dino kale soup with cheddar cheese croutons and olive oil
  • marinated yellow candy onions and black trumpet mushrooms with a poached farm egg, sunchoke purée and sage
  • chicken liver mousse with arugula salad
  • ricotta stuffed ravioli with fromage blanc, lime butter
 DINNER WINE:
  • moziese nero d’avola 2007, sicily
  • fernandez rivera ‘dehesa la granja’ (tempranillo) 2004, castilla y león
  • qupé ‘los olivos cuvée’ (syrah blend) 2008, santa ynez valley
ENTRÉES:
  • oven roasted chicken with brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cipollini onions and pancetta
  • coffee rubbed pork shoulder with creamy hominy and collard greens
  • slow cooked lamb leg and cannelloni with chickpeas, yellow candy onions, yogurt and a pistachio salsa verde
  • alaskan cod with escarole, fingerling potatoes, bacon, parsnip purée and brown butter vinaigrette
DESSERT:
  • spicy ginger cake with meyer lemon cream, pear butter and cider caramel
  • rhubarb tart with cardamom ice cream
  • date turnovers with butterscotch and ice cream
  • cheese plate:  cypress grove ‘humbolt fog’ – pasteurized californian goat’s milk cheese with honeycomb, Wisconsin gouda with barhi dates

We decided that the the Beauty was the best cocktail, always order anything with a poached farm egg, the pork and hominy was the best entrée, and cardamom ice cream is bomb.

And to answer your question, yes I am wearing my fat pants today.

One Response to “Hump Day: 10 Years in the Making”

  1. sounds like a wonderful night.

    i love me some cardamom ice cream.

    and randomly yesterday was my 5 year anniversary of living in the CLE – thanks for reminding me :)

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