Mission Gourmet from The Quotidian on Vimeo.
Okay Mountain, a group of artists from Austin, Tex., are also considering the corner. Over the weekend at Art Basel Miami Beach, the collective presented "Corner Store," a PULSE prize-winning installation: a realish-looking mini mart boasting a motley array of oddball "treats" inspired by the eclectic wares peddled at independently owned (and recession-torn) convenience shops in Texas. Wolf Meat, Kool Zesty Ranch Zest, Floppy Dogs, and dice-shaped Craps Candy remind us of Barbasoil, Boreo's, and other vintage Wacky Packages. These are lean times indeed, but wolf meat? Really? Ask the Canadians; they might know.
In the realm of poorly conceived culinary gifts, fruitcake and terrifying snack assortments stand out as some of the least welcome. But rest assured, gastronomes, it could be worse. Much, much worse.
8. Frozen Moments Plate of Spaghetti Fake Food Sculpture
Debra Resnik told SFoodie via e-mail that the project is still progressing, but didn't specify a new target opening date. The as-yet-unnamed market will house Della Terra Organic Produce, Bernal Cutlery, Paulie's Pickling, El Porteño Empanadas, Wholesome Bakery, and an unnamed sixth vendor.
Eggnog
Serves 10-12
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
10 eggs, separated
1 quart heavy cream
A fifth of bourbon or blended whiskey
2 cups milk
12 ounces dark, full-bodied rum (preferably Jamaican)
Orange and lemon rind
Nutmeg
Beat together 1/3 cup of superfine sugar with the egg whites until they foam up. In a separate bowl beat the yolks until they thicken enough to drop from the beater like a ribbon. Pour the whites into the yolks, combine, and set aside. In a 2-gallon punch bowl, beat the heavy cream with 2 tablespoons superfine sugar until it thickens and holds its shape.
Slowly add the eggs, stirring constantly, until thoroughly combined; repeat the process with the bottle of bourbon or blended whiskey, the milk, and rum. Chill at least two hours, then sprinkle with lots of grated orange rind, lemon rind, and nutmeg.
The result is sweet, creamy, robust, and boozy all at once. Just like a proper holiday.
As reported at SFGate earlier today, Hargrave will say adios to Laïola (2031 Chestnut at Fillmore) after service on New Year's Eve. After a some cosmetic changes, what will emerge by early February is Tacolicious, the taco concept that's been a favorite at the Thursday street-food market at Ferry Plaza. Starting last month, Laïola turned into Tacolicious on Tuesday nights.
Hargrave said the change had more to do with passion than business. "We're not a restaurant that's failed, by any means," he said of Laïola. "We're just thinking, How can we entertain our audience." It's also clear that the trend in San Francisco restaurants generally is toward the casual and the lower priced. He said his original idea for Laïola was for a casual place. "Four years later I'm the most formal restaurant on the street," Hargrave said. "Myth, Scott Howard ― they aren't open any more. How quickly the world has changed."
This is the flipped egg sandwich from Sweet Jo's, ordered on an off-menu onion bagel.
We at HOD HQ give it very high hangover enemy status. In fact, we think of it as the Dr. Peter Venkman to your scariest headache-and-nausea ― meaning it's guaranteed to lighten things up and distract you, even if it doesn't completely wipe out the monsters.
Sweet Jo's owner Joanna Karlinsky dishes out other edible, East Coast-deli memorabilia with a Cali/kosher twist at her newish spot in the JCC. Think Reuben with Niman Ranch corned beef and New York-style sourdough pizza. You might remember Karlinsky for the tear-of-joy-inducing biscuits she made at The Meetinghouse, which closed in 2002 due in large part to an almost-paralyzing third-degree burn she acquired while preparing that year's Thanksgiving feast. (Karlinksy sells the biscuits, frozen, here.)Karlinsky's back in action with this quick-service, any-time-of-day food stop, appealing to everyone from the Pac Heights' mom to the $15 dollar-an-hour worker to the Pac Heights' mom who works for $15 dollars an hour (if she exists), with a menu that spans the plebeian (mac 'n' cheese) to the esoteric (kosher salami and bresaola pizza).
