Sushi

One of the things I missed the most during my pregnancy was sushi (raw fish is on the ever-growing list of pregnancy no-nos).  For nine long months I craved and dreamed about it, counting the days until I could eat what I pleased.  My mom brought me a spicy salmon roll while I was still in the hospital, and I never suspected that my favorite treat would soon be taken from me again.  After we discovered Warren's soy allergy, we ordered some sushi takeout anyway, but needless to say, dry sushi rolls were less than satisfying.  It just wasn't the same without the dark, salty, wasabi-laced dip.

Enter Midori, the most gracious restaurant owner you'll ever meet.  My family has been eating at Sushi Bar Hana, her Danville restaurant, since I was five years old.  When my mom went in for dinner, she told Midori that I probably wouldn't be around much because I couldn't eat soy.  That night, I got a phone call from my mom, telling me that there was actually a soy sauce alternative!  Another regular at Hana is allergic to soy and brings her own sauce, and Midori wrote down the name.  I was a little skeptical but excited to give it a try.

Since a visit to Hana was a given when my sisters were in town, we trekked to Whole Foods and found a bottle of Coconut Secret soy-free seasoning sauce, and at the first taste I could not believe how good it was!   The stuff is made from coconut tree sap of all things, but somehow it tastes just like soy sauce.  Just being back at Hana with my family, enjoying my favorite meal, made this whole allergy business seem a lot more bearable.

Besides dipping sushi, I am looking forward to trying the Coconut Secret in some Asian cooking at home.  Be on the lookout for new recipes!

Wine Country

All the chicks were back in the nest this week, as my mom likes to say, meaning that both of my sisters were in town. We had a great time hanging out, introducing my new brother-in-law to the Bay Area, and enjoying lots of good food, of course! I just have to rave about our day in Napa, where I enjoyed some of my best meals in a while, allergy restricted or not!

First we went to the Oxbow Public Market in downtown Napa. It's sort of a glorified food court with some outstanding restaurants. At Pica Pica, I ordered a sweet corn cake with marinated skirt steak, black beans, and plantains with a side of yucca fries. Where has this meal been all my life? I am currently plotting my next trip so I can order another.

From there we took Isaac to his first big-screen movie (in 3D, no less!). Toy Story 3 was delightful, as were my Junior Mints. Our last destination was downtown Sonoma. After some wine tasting,

Isaac covering himself in dirt during said wine tasting

we walked over to The Girl and the Fig, a French restaurant right on the square. Our knowledgeable waiter took me through the entire menu and there were actually several suitable options, but my heart sang when he uttered the words, "The duck confit would be ok." Duck confit? Are you kidding? I could go 1,000 years without cheese if there is duck confit in my world! So rich, so luxurious, so melt-in-your mouth fabulous nestled there on top of a warm frisée salad and roasted fingerling potatoes. And then, on the wall of the dining room on our way out, what did I see? The duck confit recipe published in Bon Appétit magazine! Not that I have time for any such elaborate undertaking, but it's nice to know I could, in theory, anyway. If there is someone out there with a little more free time than me, here is the link to the recipe: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Duck-Confit-241124

On a side note, Isaac had the grilled cheese with pommes frites and garlic aioli. As we walked through the square on our way home, he lifted his head off his daddy's shoulder to say, "Mommy, those were very good fries." That's my boy!