San Francisco Treats
There was a time when those outside of California quickly associated San Francisco with a particular “San Francisco Treat” of television commercial fame. These days, you can still find tourists hanging on to cable cars, hair blowing in the wind, singing the old advertising jingle (sometimes aloud).
San Francisco has since become known for its other delectable foods. Instead of pre-packaged convenience, it is now known for a vibrant cuisine that embraces freshness and an artisanal approach. Visitors are now eager to savor San Francisco’s seafood, sourdough, chocolates, and wine, to name a few.
So for Challenge 6 of Project Food Blog, I thought it only fitting to use some of San Francisco’s truest treats. The 60 remaining contestants were tasked with creating a delicious meal that will travel well and still taste and look great. Living in this area has made me realize that San Francisco could very well be the road trip capital of the world. Within 3 hours or so, you can easily find yourself in the ski resorts of Lake Tahoe, the rugged majesty of Yosemite, the wineries of Sonoma and Napa, the beautiful Monterey Bay, or the gorgeous coastline in West Marin.
This road trip meal is one that can be made, from scratch, at home, or from ingredients conveniently purchased at establishments throughout San Francisco.
When it comes to seafood, residents of the Bay Area eagerly await Dungeness crab season, which runs from November to about January. This large crab yields a mildly sweet meat, and when the crabbing season reaches its peak, I love to enjoy it simply: steamed.
One of my first tastes of Dungeness Crab was in a Crab Louie Salad, a true San Francisco classic. The salad features Dungeness crab with a Thousand Island dressing, served atop a bed of lettuce, with hard boiled eggs. The dish became wildly popular in the early part of the 1900′s, and was even featured in a 1910 cookbook by Victor Hertzler, the head chef of the St. Francis Hotel. Though Crab Louie is generally viewed as passé these days, you can still find it at restaurants such as Tadich Grill and Sam’s Grill. I happen to think it works really well in a sandwich with fresh sourdough bread. This Crab Louie Roll will travel perfectly.
We had our first taste of the typical San Francisco wintery rain this weekend. So, something warm was in order: a steamy bowl of Cioppino. This seafood soup has its origins from the Italian fishermen who settled in San Francisco’s North Beach, and its tomato-based broth is extremely comforting on a cold day. This version features Ling Cod, another West Coast native, along with clams and mussels.
Chocolates and San Francisco have a sweet history as well, with the likes of Ghirardelli and Scharffen Berger, as well as the growing number of artisanal chocolate makers. For dessert, I made Chocolate Raspberry Brownies, extremely portable and fudgy-licious.
My San Francisco treats fit perfectly in the Project Food Blog cooler!
The Crab Louie Rolls traveled well wrapped in paper loaf pans, which doubled as plates, and the thermos of Cioppino guaranteed piping hot soup to ward off the rainy chill.
A bottle of wine and Voss sparkling water rounded out the meal. If you’re headed to a winery that has a picnic area, this is a lovely lunch to take while you enjoy a bottle of wine from winery. If you’re headed somewhere else, be sure to bring one along. We brought a 2008 Bohan-Dillon Pinot Noir from Hirsch Vineyards, a winery located along the Sonoma Coast. A sip of this smokey plum wine along with the luscious Chocolate Raspberry Brownie will be the perfect sweet ending for any road trip.
My sincerest thanks to everyone for helping me advance to the next challenge in Project Food Blog. Your comments, tweets, and votes mean so much! This post is my submission for Challenge 6: Road Trip! Contestants were asked to create a meal to go – one that carries well on the road, and still tastes and looks great. Voting for this challenge takes place from 6AM Pacific Time (9 AM Eastern) Monday, October 25th through 6PM Pacific Time (9 PM Eastern) Thursday, October 28st. Please consider voting by clicking here (and clicking the heart). Thank you so much!
Recipes
Crab Louie Roll
- 16 oz fresh Dungeness Crab meat*
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup relish
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 avocado, sliced
- salad greens
- fresh sourdough rolls
* While it’s always fun to steam and crack your own Dungeness crabs, crab meat can often be purchased by the pound for your convenience.
Check Dungeness crab meat for any remaining shells.
Combine mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, salt and pepper in a small bowl to make the dressing. Add Dungeness crab and stir.
Build sandwich on fresh sourdough rolls, salad greens and sliced avocado.
Cioppino
Recipe from Martha Stewart can be found here. It is simple, quick, and delicious.
Chocolate Raspberry Brownies
Recipe Coming Soon
Liren – lovely post! I agree with you that living in the Bay Area is fabulous! We have so much around us and/or can get to within an hour or two! Your entire meal looks stunning and delicious!! Great job!!!
Liren replied: — October 24th, 2010 @ 9:57 pm
Thank you Lisa! I am always grateful for the time I have here in the Bay Area – there’s always much to explore and to taste! If only the rain would cooperate ;)
Fabulous post Liren – so jealous of where you live and how you have access to all those wonderful ingredients :-) Good luck in Challenge 6.
Liren replied: — October 24th, 2010 @ 10:00 pm
Oh Mardi! Every city/region has its treasures and Toronto is no different. You have a vibrant food culture there! And I can’t wait to see how your Niagara Falls trip turned out – that used to be a favorite road trip of ours when I was young and growing up in NY.
That first picture made me laugh so hard! We aren’t crab people here in Mass. but when I do have them I love it!
Great post… you know you have my vote!
Liren replied: — October 24th, 2010 @ 10:01 pm
Every time I look at that crab photo, I think he’s saying, “Are you lookin’ at me?” With total attitude.
He was a tasty crab :)
This post exemplifies what I adore about San Francisco. A perfect picnic menu Liren. Oh how I wish I was having this picnic with you!
Liren replied: — October 24th, 2010 @ 10:01 pm
Pretty soon, Caroline, we can enjoy this picnic together. When oh when are you moving up here?
Crab on a road trip!! what a fabulous treat!! I’d love to have one of those crab louie sandwiches now!!!
Liren replied: — October 24th, 2010 @ 10:02 pm
Yes, crab! A wee more luxe than a tuna salad sandwich…though I LOVE a good tuna salad :)
Yum! I love crab. In Brazil our crabs are tiny, so when I came to the US I was so amazed with the crab here!
Liren replied: — October 24th, 2010 @ 10:03 pm
I know what you mean. Growing up on the East Coast, I was raised on Blue Crab, so you can imagine how I was shocked by the size of these Dungeness crabs!
Way to go, representing San Francisco eats, Liren. We have so many great things to offer as represented by your picnic basket. I would love to enjoy all those picnic goodies any day. :-)
Liren replied: — October 24th, 2010 @ 10:04 pm
So glad you approve, Jean! There are so many good eats out here, it was hard to narrow down what could fit in the basket!
this looks unbelievable!! Count on my vote!
You just hit a bunch of my SF favorites in one go, Liren and reminded me that crab season is near – yay! :) This picnic sounds fabulous, especially that thermos of cioppino for this weekend’s chilly weather. Maybe I can stowaway in your cooler bag?
Liren, all the things I love in a picnic format ! This looks mouthwatering and love that you showed how you got everything to fit into the cooler. Can’t wait to see what you do for the video
After reading your post, now I dream of going to San Francisco (city I still don’t know) AND eat all these specialties that you have showed with mastery and grace here !!
Your picnic looks so inviting and delicious. I’ve only been to San Francisco once, but I had Dungeness crab, sourdough bread, Ghiradelli chocolate, and wine of course. You are very lucky to live in such a a great food region.
I’ll be voting for you.
Great photos- made me hungry. I had my very first soft shell crab a few weeks ago- it was interesting. My mom lives in MD, but I’ve yet to go to a crab dinner. Now I might!
Lisa
Another winner. This will vbe my first trip to San Fran and I hope to meet you at the Festival. Good Luck and as always my vote is yours.
Yum! I love crab! You are getting me we excited to visit San Fransisco!!
Liren replied: — October 26th, 2010 @ 8:01 am
Just a couple more weeks! I hope you are able to get a taste of crab while you’re here. The crabbing season will officially open closer to Nov 15, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find crab here (it will just likely be fished from farther north…and a little pricier).
Liren, beautiful post as usual! I’m interested to try the Crab Louie. I grew up in the Pac NW on Dungeness Crab and have always preferred it simply steamed…but your sandwich looks delicious!! Good luck in the next round!
Liren replied: — October 26th, 2010 @ 8:03 am
Oh, I agree! Steamed is my favorite, and when the crab is good, it doesn’t need anything else…no butter…just pure, sweet crab! I do like this for it’s portability, though :)
wow: what incredible resources!!! I would love to move out there. A very gourmet picnic.
Liren replied: — October 26th, 2010 @ 8:04 am
If you ever have a chance to move out here, I highly recommend it. It is definitely an amazing place to live :) But it’s also great to just visit, so hope it’s in your travel plans :)
How yummy! The hot dish is the winner for me during this season. A beautiful and healthy picnic. Because we don’t have seafood in the prairies, it is such a prize and therefore your basket is particularly appealing to me!
:)
Valerie
Liren replied: — October 26th, 2010 @ 8:07 am
Hi Valerie! I understand – I spent two years in the midwest, so for me, seafood was always the special splurge. The weather here has really turned, and I was sick when I cooked up this challenge, so the soup was not only in keeping with the theme, but rather a necessity! It was perfect for a rainy/sick day.
Lovely Liren! Your photos are beautiful and your food looks delicious! I am so looking forward to the recipe for those brownies. Yum! You have my vote lady! :)
Liren replied: — October 26th, 2010 @ 8:10 am
Thanks Lindsey! I’ll be posting the brownie recipe this week, along with a yummy twist :)
I have been on a total soup kick this week with the weather cold and rainy in the Bay Area! I will have to try this! Good luck in this round!
OK, now I will have to track down a crab roll when I’m in town for FoodBuzz Fest next week! This is a great theme for a picnic and I would have loved to have been there :) Good luck!
Seafood is one of my weaknesses…Would have LOVED to have been at your posh picnic! Amazing as always Liren! Can’t wait to see your video next week ; ) xoxo
I think this proves what I have suspected for weeks. You should change your name to Kitchen CONFIDANT!
Truly a San Francisco meal! Whenever I’m in the city, I like to plan my first lunch at Tadich’s for Crab Louie and a nice cold Chardonnay.
Liren replied: — October 26th, 2010 @ 8:10 am
Ah, great tradition, and a fantastic way to kick off any SF visit!
Lovely post, I can say as a native born San Franciscan you’ve done our City proud. You’ve got a vote from me.
Another beautiful post, Liren. The cioppino is perfect at this time of year, and your sandwich and brownies look incredible as well. (and ps those brown plates are adorable!) I lived in the bay area for many years during and after my undergrad (at Cal). I always looked forward to crab season, and loved spending time down by the water. Your picnic certainly does SF proud. Nicely done. You always have my vote!
Best of luck! Hope to see us both in round 7!!! =)
Spicy Green Mango replied: — October 26th, 2010 @ 12:10 am
Go Bears!!! Yay, another Cal alum!
Liren replied: — October 26th, 2010 @ 10:07 am
Thank you, Jacob! I had no idea you lived down here for so long! I would think that up in Portland you are able to enjoy Dungeness a little earlier than we do down here?
Jacob's Kitchen replied: — October 26th, 2010 @ 10:16 am
Oh, absolutely. =) Here we rent a house right on the beach and spend the weekend crabbing on the bay, and boil them up ourselves in these big outdoor cauldrons. It is one of those great foodie experiences that is equal parts gross, delicious, and charming. =)
I would love one of those crab louie sandwiches…Gorgeous menu!
Hi Liren
what a wonderful post for this segment of the challenge!! You know you have my vote, good luck in the challenge!
Dennis
Wonderful! Love the pics and inspiration!
Ooooh, Liren! Why did you not leave room in your cooler for me? I’m really small and I promise I would have shared a crab claw before devouring the whole thing! Amazing and I love, love Dungeness crabs from SF! This post is such a big fat tease…thank you!
Liren replied: — October 26th, 2010 @ 10:04 am
Aw, we’ll have to have a crab fest of our own! Wouldn’t that be fun? Maybe that should be the next Bay Area foodie gathering :)
Spicy Green Mango replied: — October 27th, 2010 @ 11:12 pm
OMG..you read my mind! Let’s make it happen. We can strategize at the Foodbuzz Festival..so flippin excited!
Mmm, ketchup and mayonnaise: the “special sauce!” That crab louie does look rather divine. Excellent post, again.
Liren replied: — October 26th, 2010 @ 10:06 am
Yes, simple ingredients. I remember “discovering” for myself at the age of seven that Thousand Island dressing was nothing more than those two combined. Funny to think this was the rage at the turn of the century, but now, it’s a classic nonetheless. Still, not bad for a seafood picnic, I think :)
Thank you, everyone! I’m so happy that my San Franciscans (native and transplants alike) love this picnic! I can’t wait till the crab season reaches its peak, that’s certain :)
Love the post (and the crab :) )! It makes me want to take another visit to San Francisco soon! Nice job!
This made me want to buy a ticket to San Francisco! What a wonderful collection of eats…those crab sandwiches would be picnic heaven! Thank you for sharing…you know you have my full support. Job well done!
lovely pictures and post
Liren, I wish that I had a friend like you that lived nearby who would make a picnic exactly like this one for a double-date. The thought you’ve put into your menu using local specialities is wonderful. The spread you’ve got here is amazing! You’ve got my vote! ;)
Beautiful photos. Delicious menu. Great post. Good luck, Liren!
Ooooh, this is my favorite sandwich. I’m a San Franciscan who is living in Massachusetts now and I miss really good sourdough, dungeness crab and avocado together. My mouth is watering right now…
this post makes me miss SF… we were there for a short time (4 years) and i really miss the food! i thought i hated crab (bad experience with stone crab and maryland blue crabs are a pain to eat) until i had my first dungeness crab in SF.
great post and the food looks great!
Those crabs look incredible! All looks really delicious and perfect for grey and gloomy weather. Good luck Liren!
The crab pictures made me think of two things Pike Place Market in Seattle and eating softshell crabs with my family when we visited them in Maryland as a kid.
Fun post!
Jason
Congratulation for making to challenge #6!!! You’ve got my vote again this round! Congrats & Best wishes to making to next round :)
Have a great week
jen @ http://www.passion4food.ca
this post is perfect. I love SF! I want to use your meal suggestion next time I am there.
I love your gorgeous meal!! It looks scrumptious. You have a vote from me!
For my entry, I wanted to create a road trip and picnic for my boyfriend, who had recently given me a “do over” of one of my childhood memories. I decided to give him his own “do over” — a special birthday picnic with a heart-themed meal. Come see if you’d like :)
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Another lovely post, Liren. We are so lucky we live in the Bay Area!! We love Dungeness crabs and this is the perfect San Francisco picnic food!!