It's been well over two years now since the hungry writers at Bay Area Bites mentioned Big Sur Bakery. I figured it was time. Now, I can't quite pin down the exact moment I became obsessed with Big Sur Bakery. It was well before the recent Bon Appetit mention and even before the stunning My Nepenthe cookbook came out. I feel like it's always been this legend-like place that I've been trying to get past relationships, friends, and family to tag along and try. But most folks always have the same reaction:

You want to drive 5 hours round-trip to go to a bakery? In one day?
And I usually reply something like this: No, no. Clearly these people are missing something. It's not just a bakery--it's a cafe as well. With real food, too.
Oh, sorry. Let me get this straight: So you want to drive over five hours to go to a cafe?

And then I met my friend Danielle. She and her husband drove down Highway 1 on July 4th and had a chance to join in the Big Sur Bakery's special festivities (Danielle swears she's never enjoyed baked beans until she'd tried theirs). Oh and did I mention they did it in one day just for the heck of it? Reason #1 why I like Danielle. Reason #2 came to light when she mentioned how we should drive down and eat lunch there someday because she hadn't had a chance to try the normal, non-holiday menu. I didn't need much convincing. I'd found the best mini road-tripping, foccaccia-loving, landscape-gawking, jelly-donut eating companion ever. Our friend Janet had a chance to join us last minute, and we all set off on a recent cloudy Wednesday morning eager to see what all the buzz was about.

Decisions, Decisions at Big Sur Bakery

I was initially surprised at how small The Big Sur Bakery is from the inside. There are probably about ten tables and a nice wrap-around deck outside. The folks having lunch were a mix of tourists (donning hiking boots and cameras) and locals swinging in for a quick treat to take with them as they continued down the road. It has the kind of slow pace that makes you want to order a little something else when you're finished with your meal just so you can sit and languish away the afternoon. If you go for lunch as we did, do know that it's counter service only and the menu is much more limited than it is during dinner. Limited, but darn good. They display the lunch specials of the day in the bakery case right when you walk in, so you simply order and pay and they'll bring it on out to your table.

My two dining companions each ordered the seasonal corn soup and a slice of foccaccia: one with local tomatoes and caramelized onions and the other with leeks and goat cheese. Big Sur Bakery makes all of their breads and foccaccias on site in their wood-fired oven and it's apparent from the first bite. The crust is pleasantly soft yet chewy, and the toppings are thoughtful and would've been utterly delicious all on their own. That's the thing about the folks at The Big Sur Bakery: they're adamant about using local eggs and produce whenever possible, and you can taste this decision in the final product.

Foccaccias and Seasonal Corn Soup

For my own lunch, I decided to try the potato frittata and a side of house greens. The frittata was perfectly seasoned with a mix of herbs and a little salt and pepper. And the greens with shallots, roasted carrots and a lemon poppyseed dressing were quite memorable. A perfect compliment to the more substantial frittata.

Potato Fritatta and House Salad

Danielle was smart enough to take home a Citrus Morning Bun for the next day and reported back that it was a little pillow of heaven (yes, those were close to her exact words).

Breakfast Pastries at Big Sur Bakery

And my friend Janet made the wise decision to buy a jelly donut on our way out. They just looked too good to pass up. We had every intention of waiting until later that afternoon to try it, but we barely made it out the front door.

Strawberry Jelly Donut at Big Sur Bakery

This is, quite possibly, the best jelly donut I've ever had. We puzzled over what made it so extraordinary and decided it had to be the heaps of homemade strawberry jam, the fact that it seemed like the jam was actually baked right into the donut, the light airy dough, and the gentle and completely perfect dusting of sugar. If I lived close to Big Sur, I could be in a whole lot of trouble if this is a standard breakfast item.

I've been thinking about how to sum up our few hours at Big Sur Bakery. It's a special place-- that you can gather through recommendations from friends, numerous media reviews, and their very lovely cookbook. But I think the reason it remains so special is because there's a sense still --somehow-- that you've stumbled upon it. You leave feeling like it's your little place, and you can't wait to tell the friends back home who you know would appreciate it. I'll tell you this: I couldn't imagine any other place I would've wanted to be at 1 p.m. that Wednesday afternoon.

Big Sur Bakery
Highway 1
Big Sur, CA 93920
(831) 667-0520
Hours: Mon 8am-3pm; Tue-Sat 8am-8:30pm; Sun 8am-2:30pm

One of the things I love about cooking around the holidays is experimenting with all the ingredients in my refrigerator. Although I have a great time planning our Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Year's feasts, I think I enjoy the impromptu ones even more. Take Christmas breakfast this year: although I had every intention of making cinnamon rolls the night before Christmas so we could have freshly-baked ooey gooey deliciousness in the morning, an ill-timed head cold forced me to bed early. So there we were, Christmas morning with no buns. What we did have, however, was a fridge full of fresh and luxurious holiday ingredients.

After my daughters had their fill of opening the slew of presents Santa left, I sidled into the kitchen and opened the fridge. As I stared at the contents, I started to get hungry. My cold was subsiding and my nasal passages were starting to be able to discern smells again. As I scanned the shelf before me, I realized I had all the makings for a great frittata: eggs, baby spinach, pancetta, ricotta, parmesan, and heavy cream. It didn’t take long to mix everything together, and once I did, my mother commented on how the pancetta’s pink color coordinated with the green spinach to make a lovely Christmas color combination. I stared at my plate and felt a bit like an accidental Martha Stewart until I looked up and was brought back to reality by my messy kitchen. Even better than how it looked, however, was the fact that the eggs, ricotta and heavy cream had merged into a gorgeous custard, with the pancetta, spinach and Parmesan adding both salty and savory flavors.

The foods I had on hand worked well for my needs, but I could have easily used a variety of other items many people have lying around during the holidays. If you have a refrigerator full of random leftovers from holiday menus, just use whatever sounds good to make your own great holiday frittata. Some items you may want to use are cheeses left over from an appetizer platter, crème freche, ricotta, heavy cream, baked ham, sausage, pate, or al dente vegetables. There’s nothing like a frittata to make the most of a 1/2 cup of leftover whatever.

I’m also including my recipe for breakfast sausage, which I made on Christmas morning to go with the frittata. I like to start with sausage meat from my local butcher, but you could just as easily cobble this dish together using mild Italian pork or chicken sausage, or bratwurst. Any sausage you like is fine as the real flavor comes from adding a few more ingredients to the meat. Sometimes I add rosemary, spring onions and mustard, but I have also tried and liked adding a tablespoon of maple syrup, thyme, and shallots. You could also toss in a tablespoon of fruit chutney.

Most of us don’t have heavy cream and aged cheeses sitting in our refrigerators on a daily basis, so if you have holiday foods left over, make the most of them. Chances are your cupboard will revert back to a more modest and healthier ingredients list in a week or two and the opportunity will be lost.

Holiday Frittata

Serves: 4 - 6 people

Ingredients:
6 eggs
1/2 cup ricotta, crème freche, or sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream or whole milk
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped pancetta, sausage or bacon
1/2 cup fresh spinach or arugula
1 Tbs olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Place olive oil and your meat of choice into a medium pan that can go into the oven for 5-7 minutes or until your meat is lightly browned.
3. Meanwhile, whisk your eggs in a medium bowl until they start to get frothy.
4. Whisk in the ricotta, crème freche or sour cream and then add in the 1/2 cup of heavy cream or whole milk (please note that you should only use one of each ingredient, i.e., not heavy cream AND whole milk).
5. Once the meat is browned, add your spinach or arugula to the pan and sprinkle on a dash of salt. Mix and set in the oven for 2-3 minutes, or until the greens wilt.
6. Add the Parmesan to the egg mixture and then add it to the pan and bake for 5-7 minutes, or until the eggs become semi-firm.
7. Switch your oven to broil and place the pan about two inches beneath it. Broil your frittata until lightly browned and then quickly remove from the oven.
8. Serve.

"Homemade" Breakfast Sausage Patties

Makes: 8 - 12 sausages (depending on how large you make the patties)

Ingredients:
6 sausages (chicken or pork) or 1 pound sausage meat
1 Tbsp finely chopped rosemary
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 cup chopped spring onions or shallots
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preparation:
1. Remove sausage meat from their casings and place meat in a medium bowl.
2. Add all the other ingredients and then form sausage into patties.
3. If making baking in the oven, place the patties on a large baking sheet and cook for 10 minutes on each side or until the patties are thoroughly browned.
4. If making on the stove top, heat a large pan on medium high and fry patties on each side until browned and thoroughly cooked through.
5. Serve.

Nothing says summer quite like an outside party. Whether you’re in a backyard, on a crowded deck, or in a park, gathering with friends and family to sip chilled beverages while you chat and nosh are what summer is all about. Whatever your outdoor area, it’s great if your party occurs on a hot day, but in the Bay Area, sweaters may also be in order. The one element that is essential, however, is good food. So if you decide to throw a full barbecue or just serve appetizers, food is a crucial element to any successful bash.

I recently threw a backyard party to celebrate the upcoming nuptials of two of our closest friends. It was technically dubbed a “wine shower,” but we were lucky enough to also have a keg of freshly brewed ale, courtesy of the bride’s generous brother. With almost 50 people attending, I decided to serve a variety of small plates along with lots of cheese and charcuterie. A full dinner for that many people would have been overwhelming and too expensive, so we went with a nice selection of appetizers.

I wanted to take advantage of fruits and vegetables that are in season right now, while also providing foods that accented each other nicely. Just as important, however, was providing a selection of plates that would be easy to eat in a backyard setting. Following are some of the dishes I made. All were easy to prepare and went well with the wine and beer we served.

So whatever the occasion -- from a wedding shower or Labor Day party to just finding an excuse to hang out with family and friends -- I hope you enjoy your own outdoor summer party soon.

Grilled Zucchini, Fennel, Onion and Pepper Salad
In separate batches, either grill or broil sliced zucchini, fennel, red onion and red or orange peppers in some olive oil. Once the vegetables are barely browned and still al dente, place in a bowl and season with kosher or sea salt and a sprinkling of balsamic vinegar. You don’t want the vegetables to be too vinegary, so just add enough to flavor the dish.

Potato and Artichoke Frittata
Spread some cooked potatoes and fresh artichoke slivers sautéed in olive oil in an oiled oven-proof pan. Fresh artichokes work well here. Just pare some small ones so only the choke remains and then thinly slice. Top with a mixture of 6 large eggs, a 1/4 cup of milk, some salt and pepper, adding a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese at the end. Cook on low, with a lid on the pan, until mostly done. Place pan under a broiler to finish off the frittata and then remove it from the pan to cool.

Egg Salad in Endive Cups Made with Homemade Mayonnaise
Make egg salad from about a dozen hard-boiled eggs. If you’d like, add chopped celery or other accompaniments, although I usually don’t as the endive adds enough crispness for my liking. Place scoops of the egg salad into washed endive leaves (I like to use both red and white) and refrigerate until ready to serve. This recipe is particularly good with homemade mayonnaise, which has a much better texture and flavor than the store bought variety. Just be sure to keep the egg salad cups refrigerated until you serve them to reduce the risk of spoilage. Also, please note anything made with raw eggs has a risk of carrying salmonella.

Smoked Salmon and Dill Cream Cheese Rolls
Just place some cream cheese mixed with fresh dill and some salt into 1- to 2-inch slices of smoked salmon and then them roll up. I like to put the cream cheese in a baggie and then cut the corner so I make an impromptu pastry bag. You can then insert a toothpick into each one so they’re easy for people to pick up.

Figs Wrapped in Prosciutto
Kim Laidlaw wrote about figs and prosciutto a couple of weeks ago, but I’ll repeat it here as this is a very easy and delicious dish to serve to guests. Cut very ripe figs in half lengthwise and drape with thin slices of prosciutto. The prosciutto-fruit pairing also works exceedingly well with sliced nectarines, peaches, and cantalope.

Stone Fruit Salad
Cut a variety of stone fruits into slices. If the fruits aren’t as sweet as you’d like, add a little sugar or honey and stir. This can easily be turned into a dessert if you just add some whipped cream. Even better, serve it with a slice of cake or a dish of ice cream.

Chilled Lentil, Red Pepper and Red Onion Salad
In a bowl, mix 2 cups of cooked small lentils (if you don’t want to boil them yourself, you can buy them precooked at Trader Joe’s), a 1/2 cup of diced red pepper, and a 1/2 cup of diced red onion. Mix in about a 1/4 cup each of extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and freshly chopped Italian parsley. The oil and vinegar amounts will vary depending on how dry the lentils are. Season to taste. You can make this up to a day before serving (keeping it in the refrigerator) so the dressing becomes incorporated into the beans and vegetables.