French pastries in Japan

It seems odd to say that one is inspired by French pastry in Japan. But consider this: how is it possible that people from a rice-based non-dairy culture have managed to create beautiful, delicious French pastries? You find them not just in fancy patisseries in cities like Tokyo and Osaka, but also in train stations.

The answer: Effort

And with effort comes focus. If you want to learn how to make the most tempting, delicious French pastries, you need to spend a lot of time learning from someone who is an expert. Then you need to focus on practicing how to make it. I am inspired by the Japanese French pastry example because it shows that your background (family, race, religion, national origin) is not an obstacle to creating something you find truly worthwhile. The most important things are your dedication to making the best you can make, the time you devote to your task and the concentration you bring to it.

This is one of my favorite soups in the world. It’s the easiest to make and very inexpensive. There are 3 basic ingredients: leeks, potatoes and broth (chicken or vegetable).

Leek and Potato Soup

• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 6 medium sized leeks or 3 very large leeks (use the light green to white parts only), chopped in rings
• 2 large potatoes or 3 medium sized potatoes, chopped into small cubes
• 7 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup milk or light cream (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

(1) Chop the leeks in small thin round circles from the bottom to the light green part. Discard the tops. Set aside.

(2) Chop the potatoes in small cubes. Set aside.

(3) Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large soup pan. Toss in the chopped leeks and let them cook for 20 minutes under medium-low heat.

(4) Toss in the chopped potatoes and stir well.

(5) Add 7 cups of broth (chicken or vegetable), bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes.

(6) After 30 minutes, check to see if the potatoes are very soft. If they are, start mashing them either with a fork or a potato masher. This will make the soup more creamy.

(7) You can add 1/4 cup of milk or light cream to the soup to make it more creamy, but it’s actually not necessary. Add salt and pepper to taste. I like this soup with lots of freshly ground black pepper.

I have made this 5-hour bolognese sauce many times. It’s perfect for cold evenings or for dinner companions who have a robust appetite.The reason I’m posting this online is my dinner guests always ask for the recipe and I’m tired of printing it out. Now, I can just point them to this article.

5-HOUR BOLOGNESE SAUCE

(4-6 people)

• 1 lb (0.5 kg) of ground meat: 1/2 lb (0.25 kg) ground beef + 1/2 lb (0.25 kg) ground veal
• 1/2 tablespoon of kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 cup yellow chopped onion cut up in small dice (usually a medium sized onion is 1 cup)
• freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 cup chopped carrots, in small dice
• 1 cup chopped celery, in small dice
• 1 ½ cups whole milk (do not use reduced fat milk)
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
• 1 ½ cups dry white wine
• 2 cups chopped canned tomatoes with juice (best one to use is the Pomi brand chopped tomatoes from Italy: it comes in a small carton – use the entire carton even if it slightly exceeds 2 cups)
• Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (use only real Parmigiano-Reggiano, not the fake stuff often called “Parmesan” or “Grana Padano”)

(1) Rub the salt into the ground meat preferably 24 hours ahead of time, but you can also do this right before cooking.

(2) In a large heavy saucepan, melt the butter and oil over medium-low heat. When the butter has melted, add the chopped onion and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Saute the onion for 10 mins.

(3) Add the chopped carrots and celery, mix well with the onions. Cook for another 10 mins.

(4) Add the ground meat and stir to coat with the oil/butter/vegetable mixture. Cook until most of the pink is gone, about 5 min. Break up large clumps of meat.

(5) Add milk. Reduce the heat so that it’s not boiling. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Add nutmeg (optional).

(6) Add wine and simmer (as you did with the milk) for another 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Make sure the heat is turned down low enough so this mixture is not over-boiling. It should be simmering.

(7) Carefully add the tomatoes, stirring them into the sauce. Reduce the heat to as low as you can go. Cook for 3 hours. Stir occasionally to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom. Make sure the sauce is not boiling too much. It should be only simmering.

(8) Serve the sauce over pasta (fresh pasta is best). Add grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Note: If your butcher has run out of veal, you can simply use more beef or substitute the veal with pork.

SF recession specials: all you can eat pizza at Local and Open Table stimulus plan

South Food and Wine Bar recession special: $34 prix fixe, 3 course dinner

San Francisco lunch favorites: Recession special at Axis Cafe hits the spot

Of course, there are other ways to save money and still enjoy a great meal. There are a lot of ethnic restaurants in and around San Francisco that may not be high on decor, but in terms of the quality of the cooking, you can’t go wrong:

Mapplr’s favorite dim sum places around SF

Miss Saigon: excellent, bargain Vietnamese lunch in downtown SF

Katana-ya: cheap good noodles in downtown SF

Best Pakistani restaurant in SF: Lahore Karahi

Kasa: Indian taqueria opens in Noe Valley

Japanese noodles and sushi in downtown SF (Union Square): Dojima-Ann

“The fast food breakfasts are just dripping with fat and sodium,” said University of Miami nutritionist Sheah Rarback said. “If you are eating this everyday, go to your doctor. Check your cholesterol.”

I went to the Civic Center Plaza’s farmers’ market during Slow Food Nation in San Francisco and discovered this California olive oil maker called Elixir. What’s so special about it? I have yet to taste a California olive oil that comes as close as this one to my favorite Tuscan olive oil (from Frantoio di Santa Tea). They carry several types of olive oil with different flavors (Tenacia, Forza, California, Grazia) and the one I mention here is the “California”. You can order online too.

Chef Rowley Leigh’s heart is broken. He says: The anchovy cannot be replaced.

10 Questions (6) for: Esme Vos of Mapplr

The Slow Food Movement was started by Carlo Petrini in Italy when McDonalds opened an outlet in Rome right by the Piazza di Spagna. The movement takes a stand against FAST FOOD and the bio industry. Over time, people around the world joined the Slow Food Movement and today it stands for sustainable organic farming, delicious food from local sources, taking time to enjoy food and wine with your friends and family.

The San Francisco Slow Food event’s tasting sessions are mostly sold out, but you can still go to the farmers market at Civic Center Plaza.

www.slowfoodnation.org