Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Yesterday, R turned 14. And while he had plenty of "custom orders" for the kitchen - I made lasagna for his school lunch, MOffins for breakfasts, and lemon squares for his class  -  he wanted to go out for dinner. And he picked Thai. There's a relatively new Thai place in town that we haven't tried, so we went there: Zab Zab Thai Cuisine . Zab, in Thai, means 'delicious, spicy, and hot." So, I surmise that Zab Zab means doubly so. We talked about what we all wanted to try...and the birthday boy ordered everything for us. What We Ate... Zab Zab Fresh Spring Rolls Fresh vegetables, marinated tofu, and fresh mint in a fresh rice paper wrapper  Served with a tamarind-peanut sauce Pok Pok Sliced green papaya, chili, lime juice, and roasted peanuts Pork Larb Hand-minced pork with red onion, mint, cilantro, lime, and spices Served in a lettuce leaf Beef Yellow Curry, Cumin Prawns Beef with Indian yellow curry, coconut milk, ...

When I planned our family Valentines' adventure up to Palo Alto for a chocolate tasting and a stop by the LEGO store in Santa Clara on the way home, I started searching for a great lunch spot. Eureka! I picked Siam Orchid Organic Thai . It's a small restaurant with mixed reviews, but I loved the menu and I wasn't disappointed. I will say that it is pricey. However, we had a groupon and that brought it into reasonable range. But everything we ordered was fresh, delicious, and flavorful. We started with our favorite drinks - fresh coconut and Thai iced coffee. Som Tum This is my favorite Thai salad and it didn't disappoint. Spicy, shredded green papaya are tossed with steamed shrimps, organic tomatoes, organic carrots, organic beets, organic green beans, crushed peanuts and organic garlic in chili-lime som tum dressing. It wasn't as spicy as would have liked, but it was really tasty. Tom Yum Gung D literally picked up his bowl and poured it...

Though we don't get to Ben Lomand often, I've always driven by the Tyrolean Inn and made a mental note to go there "next time." This weekend, we finally made it. As one review I read states: "If you're a vegetarian, skip this place." Definitely. But, if you're an omnivore - and really like meats and sausages - step into Bavaria...beneath the redwood behemoths. The boys both had Weisswurst mit Breze (bockwurst with a soft pretzel). I ordered the Würstelgrösti (Polish, Bockwurst, & Nürnberger sausage sampler, sliced & sautéed with onions, tomatoes, & bell peppers). Jake ordered  Teller (Bockwurst and two Nürnberger sausages, served with sauerkraut and potatoes).  And he and I both had fantastic German brews. Funny story, Jake ordered a beer and our waiter delivered a gigantic stein. I asked, "Do you have any smaller pours that than?" Of course. You'd like an American? "Yes, I guess so....

Last Friday, Jake and I went to a Summer Solstice celebration hosted by a good friend and his landlord. We kicked up our heels, charged our glasses, and reveled in the views of a verdant gorge out in Carmel Valley on the longest day of the year. It had all the makings of a great party - delectable eats, free-flowing wine, live music, and lively conversations with friends. But the point of this post is to introduce you to a new kid on the (Carmel restaurant) block:   Yafa.  This is a food blog, after all. Many new restaurants require time to work out all the kinks. Like several months. Not so with newly-opened Yafa in Carmel. These guys have been open for less than a month and their food is impressive! Granted, I didn't actually eat at the restaurant, but the food at the party was fresh, light, and delicious. It's everything you want in a summer meal. And it was an absolutely perfect way to celebrate the Summer Solstice.  On the menu : Watermelon Salad -...

It's Spring Break this week, so I thought I would still do some tabletop traveling, but let someone else do the cooking. At least that was my intent. And while it worked for the meal, the flavors were so amazing that I decided that I will actually have to dig up some recipes and give this country a go when we get home. With a trip to the Museum of California in Oakland planned, I did some research and found a Cambodian restaurant - Phnom Penh House - nearby for this tabletop adventure. Authentic food + convenient location = perfect Spring Break "cooking" solution as far as I was concerned! Jake ordered the KARY KHMER, boneless chicken breast meat, potatoes & bamboo shoot cooked in red curry I opted for the MERM CHHOUK SALAD, lotus root salad with peanuts and prawns We also had NOUM KREAP JEAN (ground pork, shredded carrot, cabbage, bean thread, & black pepper, rolled in a thin rice paper then deep fried),   MOARN ANG KREUN (chicken charbroiled with lemong...