Chloe Harris and Frankie Frankeny. Photo by Keeney and Law

Power couple Chloé Harris and Frankie Frankeny are well known in the LGBT and creative worlds. Texas gals by birth, Chloé is from Dallas and Frankie from Austin. Harris is the managing editor of StyleBistro.com and a writer whose work has appeared in publications including The Advocate, Advocate.com, InStyle Home, C Magazine, L-Word’s OurChart.com, Bond Alternative Wedding Magazine, 7x7 and California Home + Design. Since 2007, Chloé has been a member of the San Francisco Leadership Council for GLAAD (the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) and is co-chair of the GLAAD 2010 Media Awards in SF.

Frankie Frankeny is a photographer and film director who has worked in the fields of fashion, lifestyle and food. She knows a lot of chefs and hospitality stars, and was once named among Entertainment Weekly’s Most Creative People in the US. Frankie has collaborated on more than 60 books including award-winners The Art of the Bar and Demolition Desserts. She is also owner of the marketing communications agency Piper/Keller. In 2008, she directed Everything Must Change, a music video in support of marriage equality. Frankie is also a founding member of dot429, a social network for LGBT professionals. Frankeny answered questions about their favorite spots via email.

Marriage two ways: Paris and San Francisco

DATE NIGHT
For date nights we love the perfect Caviar and champagne at the bar at Jardiniere. We were married there. We love the casual elegance of Barbacco (polpette we must have every time) and we way too often eat the Orson burger with duck fat french fries along side a nice glass of red.

WEEKEND BRUNCH
When we have time on the weekend day to have a long brunch we can usually be found at Slanted Door eating the glass noodle with crab dish and their perfect papaya salad. We lean very French bistro for brunch and like the croques at Cafe De La Presse, The Butler and The Chef Bistro and at Chez Papa we gravitate to the mussels and butter lettuce salads. All with sparkling and water.

WINE COUNTRY EATS
When we can get away, we love Yountville. You are in walking distance to an amazing array of special restaurants when you visit. There is Bouchon Bakery; Chloé loves the chocolate bouchons. Bistro Jeanty has the most remarkable tomato soup ever. You have Redd, Ad Hoc and Bardessono. In addition, my new love is Bottega. I just finished shooting Chef Chiarello's book on the place and can't seem to get enough! It is a really special place. You must have the burratta, gnocci, polenta and the amazing porchetta.

MOM AND POP JOINTS
We love Pazzia on 3rd (we love the pizza). Also, South Park Cafe for heirloom tomato salad in season pig salad. Marlowe for spiced prawns and steak tartar and I can be seen too regularly eating lunch and working at Mijita. I love it all there but am hooked on the nachos at the moment. This place is definitely my guiltiest local food pleasure. I eat way too much of it!

GROCERY SHOPPING
I do all the shopping, and love to grocery shop, so here is a short re-cap of my usual places in the Ferry Building:
For fresh produce, it’s the Saturday market. Then Cowgirl Creamery for cheeses. Miette because Chloé has a passion for their pistachio macarons. I like going to Far West Fungi for mushrooms, although I love to forage with my pal Matt. At Boulette's, I usually get a duck confit leg, some of their special salts, and if they have the fava bean cake, get it!

Frankeny & Harris have were first married in Paris in 2006 in a non-legal ceremony. Their full story is here: justmarried.us, and the two are working to make marriage equality a reality.

Frankeny says:

“Then we had our 2008 legal ceremony at Jardiniere, another reason we love it so much. And we couldn't have done either wedding without Traci Des Jardins who literally did most everything for us for both ceremonies. I hope to marry Chloe again when we can have a marriage that is not just recognized in nine states, but in every state and country around the world.”

Next week is the third annual San Francisco Wine. Dine. Donate dinner. It's a fundraiser for America's Second Harvest and our own San Francisco Food Bank in particular. Each year the venue changes, but it always includes a fantastic multi-course meal, a chance to meet Tanya Steel, editor in chief of Epicurious and to learn a bit about the programs of the food bank. Last year there was even a snazzy gift bag.


This year's dinner is being held at Acme Chophouse and it reunites friends and chef colleagues--Traci des Jardins and Elizabeth Falkner. Here is a sneak peek at the "From Farm to Table" menu:

Passed Hors d'oeuvres:
Tomales Bay Oysters
Craig's Charcutiere
Steak Tartare

First Course:
Cured anchovies boquerones style, squid-charred and marinated with local shelling beans and a sardine a la escabeche. Family style with Grilled Breads and marinated seasonal vegetables.

Second Course:
Spit Roasted Porchetta, Devil's Gulch Pork, Slow Cooked Kale with Lemon, Romano and Wax Beans with Tomato

Cheese:
Andanate Dairy Cheese with Breads

Dessert:
Elizabeth's Dessert olive oil crema, summer fruits (pieces of peach, and or plum) berries, pine nut streusel, and avocado ice cream with a grating of spicy chocolate

What: Wine. Dine. Donate Dinner

Where: ACME Chophouse, 24 Willie Mays Plaza, San Francisco

When: Wednesday, July 30th 2008 Reception 6:15 p.m. Dinner 7:15 p.m.

How: Tickets are $125 and include a donation to America's Second Harvest The Nation's Food Bank Network. Purchase tickets.

Why: Support a cause that serves many in our own community, experience a collaboration between two great chefs and enjoy one great local meal.

More than anything, the dinner is a chance to focus on those at risk of going hungry in our community. Undoubtedly you have seen the headlines in yesterday's San Francisco Chronicle about soaring food costs and food banks "feeling the pinch." The numbers tell a sad story, in 2007 the San Francisco Food Bank served 118,000 people and today they are serving 124,000.

Here's a great recipe from Elizabeth Falkner's Demolition Desserts cookbook, that uses luscious ripe cherries. Spoon them over ice cream, cake or cheesecake.

Wine-Soaked Cherries
Makes about 1 cup

1/2 cup Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar (about 1 1/4 ounces)
1 cup halved and pitted Bing cherries (about 4 ounces)
Small pinch of freshly ground black pepper

In a saucepan, combine the wine and sugar and place over medium-high heat. Heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar, for about 2 minutes or until the mixture comes to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by half, forming a syrup. Pour the syrup into a heatproof bowl and let cool for 2 minutes.

Stir the cherries and pepper into the syrup and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Serve the cherries right away, or cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 months.

Recipe reprinted from Elizabeth Falkner’s Demolition Desserts, Copyright 2007 Tenspeed Press