Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë Francois of Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day fame (and the followup, Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day), have just put out the third book in their wildly popular series: Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in Five Minutes a Day. The duo, which consists of a medical doctor (Jeff) and an award-winning pastry chef (that would be Zoë), have spread their wings and launched an exploration of global flatbreads and the world of flavors that can be paired with them.

Jeff and Zoë were kind enough to take a break from their busy book tour to answer a few questions for Bay Area Bites readers. Here's a peek into what inspired their international journey, and how they spent an entire year eating countless pizzas. Oh, the sacrifice!

This is your third book. Now that you've covered Artisan Bread In Five Minutes a Day and Healthy Bread In Five Minutes a Day, how did you come up with the idea for pizza and flatbreads?


Jeff: It seemed to us that the country was being swept up into a high-end pizzeria craze.  These places are popping up all over the country, claiming Pizza Vera Napoletana status and all that, but it's a pretty expensive night out and our readers want something they can do at home.  Plus, we already knew that the pizzas and flatbreads were clearly the fastest things in our books.  After you stretch them flat, they're ready for the oven.  That's not true for loaf breads, which need to rest for 45 to 90 minutes after shaping.  So pizza and flatbread works for a busy weeknight.

Zoë: Pizza is one of my favorite foods and this project was an excuse to eat it at every meal. My sons love this book best of all, even after two years of serving them pizza for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In fact, my oldest son now makes his own, start to finish. It is an excellent way to get kids in the kitchen.
 

How did working on this book differ from working on the others?


Jeff: It meant thinking back to all my travel experiences around the Mediterranean -- so for me, that's Spain, Morocco, Italy, and France.  When I travel, I eat, and that's how I categorize everything.  This book was basically a travelogue for me, because these breads originated in the Middle East, and spread by water.  It's my favorite part of the world.  

Zoë: I took my family on a research trip to Turkey, Greece and Italy. We ate our way through the countries and then I came home to recreate the flavors. It was so inspiring and I discovered a whole new world of spices being in Turkey. This book is a real adventure of flavors, beyond the pizzas that we all know and love.
 

Besides the obvious pizza topic, how is Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in Five Minutes a Day different from Artisan Bread and Healthy Bread? How is it similar?


Jeff: What's similar is that we start with dough that we optimized for long-term storage in the fridge-- up to two weeks for doughs without eggs or dairy.  That's what changes everything, because you mix once, and bake up to eight half-pound pizzas, and it makes doing this nightly possible.  And we have whole grain and gluten-free options in the book.  

So what's different?  For one thing, it's a whole book of offbeat and familiar pizza toppings, fully explored.  Then, about the doughs -- for the whole grain, we didn't need vital wheat gluten for this book (as we did in Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day) because these don't have to support a tall loaf, so less structure is needed.  And in our white dough recipes, we ventured into the territory of true Italian-style flours and how to approximate them with more readily-available stuff.  

And, in this book, we wanted to get into our readers' entire meal, so there are more soups and dips than in our other books.  These breads can form the basis for everything you eat. 

Zoë: We also try to make our books a tool to help people feel confident about baking everything from simple breads to a roasted-vegetable stuffed, Italian torta. Our Tips and Techniques chapters are as valuable as the recipes themselves. We want to teach people to bake, so they share the joy we get from it.
 
For more about Jeff and Zoë, you can visit their blog, artisanbreadinfive.com. And try their gluten-free brioche recipe!

It's no secret that I'm a fan of sweets, and macarons are at the top of that list. I've written about macarons extensively on my blog, and made hundreds of them while testing recipes for a macaron cookbook. I've eaten them at every location in San Francisco that I learned made them, and it's not uncommon for me to BART over to SF just to visit Paulette.

I was in Paris this week, and the very first adventure I went on was to go find the two most famous pastry shops in town and try their macarons. That's right -- I went on a macaron pilgrimage, visiting both Pierre Hermé and Ladurée in the same day. I bought a couple in each location and put them to the test to see who had the better pastry.

Ed note: You'll notice I used the term "pastry" instead of "cookie." That's because every time I called macarons "cookies" in Paris, I was corrected. According to the Parisians I talked to, macarons are most definitely not cookies. Lesson learned!

After a little digging, I learned that both Ladurée and Hermé had locations on Rue Bonaparte, not far from the Seine River. Headed to a perfectly central location on the left bank, I planned my day: I would buy a handful of macarons at each bakery, then enjoy them in the sunshine while sitting along the river. The weather was topping out at 72 degrees that day, and I couldn't think of a better way to spend my afternoon than nibbling gourmet goodies in the Parisian sun.

My first stop was Ladurée, where the scent of pure sugar wafted out the door and down the street to greet me at the corner, beckoning me to the shopfront. I was immediately swept away by an incredible assortment of pastries in all sizes and colors, including a selection of ten or so flavors of macarons and a handful of larger macarons that were three times the normal size. The decor was delightfully, classically "French," or at least what this American girl thinks of when she dreams of French pastry from thousands of miles away in California. Think rich greens, blues and browns, pinstripes, and matching seafoam-green ribbons on every box. I felt like I was walking into a Parisian pastry fairy tale.

The line was out the door, but no worry; that gave me plenty of time to gawk without looking like a loafer. After staring in awe at their selection of sweets, I chose two flavors of macarons -- salted caramel and chocolate orange -- and headed out the door to visit Pierre Hermé's shop down the street.

Pierre Hermé was less classically decorated than Ladurée, and was instead very sleek and stylish. The place was decked out in glass and dark teak-looking wood, rounded out with black accents. Here, the desserts provided all the color to the joint, and I suspect that was the whole point. In the dark environment, each little treat glowed like it was Louis XV's crown jewels.

Here I selected two more macarons -- passion fruit and vanilla olive oil (!!) -- and made my way to the Seine River to put these little jewels of egg white and sugar to the test.

The Test
Visually, both shop's macarons were gorgeous. Their colors were bright and they flaunted themselves, unashamed, in the Parisian spring sunshine. The first thing I noticed, though, was that Ladurée's macarons were a little lacking in the filling department, and their shells were a little cracked, while Hermé's macarons were literally bubbling over with filling and the shells were perfectly in-tact, with not a crack to be seen. Upon the first bite, though, it turned out that one of Hermé's macarons -- the passionfruit -- had soaked up the moisture in the filling, making the shell soggy. Also, the passionfruit was really, really tart, and almost made me turn my face inside out. While I did like the flavor, it was a little shocking considering the fluffy texture of the buttercream filling.

Here it's important to note that both bakeries use the Italian meringue method for making macarons, since it yields a more stable batter (anyone who's made macarons knows how volatile the process can be) and a somewhat denser finished product. While Ladurée's macarons had less filling to boast and the shells were a little worse for wear, they both displayed consistency in quality -- the shells were crispy on the outside and soft in the middle, and had a lovely little crunch when bitten into. Hermé's on the other hand, were softer and lighter, floating on your tongue like little sugary clouds, like the very first bite of cotton candy you tried when you were four years old.

Flavor-wise, both were lovely, but I felt that while Ladurée's macarons were more consistently better, Hermé's flavors were more creative. The vanilla olive oil variety was particular unique, and incredibly satisfying, but the passion fruit was a little too much of a sock in the face for me to enjoy it. Ladurée's chocolate orange was smooth and creamy, and the salted caramel divine, but they were flavors I'd expect to see in a macaron, and therefore didn't stand out beyond their high quality of overall flavor.

The Verdict
If I had to pick a winner (and I guess I do, given the title of this post), I'd say that the Macaron Oscar goes to Pierre Hermé, with his vanilla olive oil variety. Hermé also packed in the filling, which made for a better visual experience and a more satisfying first bite, making the overall package a sheer dream. That said, Ladurée certainly held their own in the battle; their macarons were more consistently good, but the shortage of filling and the cracked shells were kind of a bummer.

My final word? Visit both. If you're in the left bank area, the two shops are only like three blocks apart, so stage your own battle!

Pierre Hermé
72, rue Bonaparte
75006 Paris, France
Tel : +33 (1) 43 54 47 77
Near the Saint-Germain des Prés Paris Metro station

Ladurée
21, Rue Bonaparte
75006 Paris, France
Tel : +33 (1) 44 07 64 87 ‎
Near the Saint Sulpice Metro station

In the United States, we have this idea that Italian meatballs are best piled on top of a huge mound of spaghetti noodles. Remember the song, spaghetti with meatballs, all covered with cheese? Well, the only way I've come across polpette en Italia is on their own, usually in a simple, tart pomodoro sauce. I've eaten polpette everywhere from Bologna to Brindisi, and while there are subtle differences in each region's traditional recipe, not once have I seen a menu offering spaghetti con polpette.

Perhaps they serve spaghetti with meatballs somewhere in the country (and if you know where, please feel free to chime in), but according to my friend's mom Angela, an incredible home cook in the Puglia region, meatballs are generally served on their own in the second piatti (second course), while pasta is served separately for the primi piatti course, or first course.

These days I'm in Firenze, or Florence, so the recipe I'm going to share with you is uniquely fiorentino. This dish comes from the kind woman who runs the hotel I'm staying at, who, when it came up in conversation that I was writing this post, was all too excited to share a bit of her family's culinary history with the rest of the world. Her only condition was that I not mention her name and that I should inform you all that American meatballs are missing the necessary addition of cured pork, and that on all of her trips to the states, she had to stop ordering meatballs because they were too bland for her. So, there you go. More bacon!

If there's one thing you need to eat in Spain, it's paella. And that's exactly what I planned to do once I got to Valencia during my recent trip to Europe -- eat all the paella I could get my hands on. After all, paella originated in Valencia; hence the fact that most recipes call for Valencia rice, a short-grain white rice from the same area.

Unfortunately, my trip to Valencia succumbed to the whims of the mercurial travel gods, and I ended up spending an entire week in Barcelona instead. Not one to be dissuaded from my dream meal, I was determined to have my paella anyways, even if it could only be had a few hours north of where it originated. I set about the gorgeous city of Barcelona to find the perfect place to eat, but noticed a problem right away: many different restaurants had these funny signs with ten or so photos of paella, all labeled with a brand name: Paellador. Others had a difference brand, Paella Maxima. As one who likes my food so fresh that it would almost be breathing, my foodie-tuned spidey sense went off.

After a little digging, it turns out that these are pre-fab frozen paella companies. Restaurants buy the dishes frozen, then heat up the paella to serve to customers, who think they're getting the real thing. Um, no. No. Great big capital NO. Frozen paella? In Spain? Are you kidding me?

I polled the staff of a few restaurants and eventually turned up a handful of places that served fresh paella. I ate at three or four of them, and indeed the dishes they served were freshly made with some of the finest seafood the Aegean sea has to offer. I never did try the frozen paella, and you know what? I never will. Yikes.

For those of you not currently cooling your heels in Barcelona, I recommend making paella at home. It's a very simple dish to make, and the ingredients are easy to rustle up. If you're in the East Bay or near Mill Valley, I highly recommend making the short trek down to your local Spanish Table shop, where they not only stock Iberian imported foods, but they can also school you in the magical ways of paella making and recommend a Spanish wine to pair with your meat selection. Can you say staycation?

The market's grand exterior, on a side street just off La Rambla.

In the heart of Barcelona, Spain, there is a road called Rambla dells Caputxins, or La Rambla for short. Teeming with life, La Rambla is a wide, busy road that is partially blocked off for pedestrian traffic. You can buy all sorts of things along this street: flowers, crepes, postcards, newspapers, hamsters, and a steaming hot pan of paella. But perhaps the most interesting part of La Rambla is Mercat de La Boqueria, Barcelona's famous open food market.

Ferran Adrià, chef of Spain's famous elBulli, called the mercat "A temple of gastronomy,' if that gives you any idea of what a culinary wonderland this place its. While you can buy all sorts of interesting things on La Rambla, within the huge hangar-like structure of Mercat de La Boqueria you'll find an incredible selection of Spanish fare. Fruit and produce are just a small portion of what's available; there are rows upon rows of incredibly fresh seafood, cured meats, freshly-foraged mushrooms, and delectable handmade sweets.

The variety and freshness of the foods in the Mercat de La Boqueria can be overwhelming for even the most experienced foodie -- one could easily spend four or five hours roaming the stalls, deciding what to eat or prepare for dinner. My first visit took me about three hours, and I finally left because, being on vacation, I couldn't bear the thought of not having a place to prepare any of the wonderful things I was seeing. My second (and third!) trip to the market also took hours. Really, there is so much to see, smell, and taste.

This is one of those situations where pictures speaks much louder than words, so I'll just show you the loveliness of it all. Be prepared for the urge to book the next one-way ticket to Spain.

A forest of cured meats! Hallelujah!

Fruit salad "La Macedonia." Many vendors sell these salads for a quick, healthy, on-the-go lunch.

Fruity smoothies make a great snack. A rainbow of flavors are available.

The selection of seafood is unimaginable.

A food porn shot for the mushroom lover in all of us.

More seafood, still alive and kicking.

A huge selection of sweets are available for a huge selection of vendors. It's a sugar-lovers paradise in here.

More sweets to tempt your sweet tooth.

I loved these silver pastilles. Such a bright light in the busy market.

And did I mention the produce selection? It's ungodly, really.

More fresh seafood, though clearly not alive any longer. ;)

This fresh conejo might offend even the staunch carnivore, but that doesn't make it any less tasty.

More cured meat, for the charcuterie lover (like me!).

I loved these little cupcakes. They were only .50 euros each -- or $0.70 US!

Seeing all of these fresh ingredients makes me wish I had a kitchen to cook in while I am here. Alas...............

When Americans think of McDonald's, they usually fall into one of two camps. These two groups can be characterized by the following thoughts:

Group A: "Yay, cheap food in 30 seconds!"
Group B: "Um, ew."

While Group B might avoid McDonald's at all costs, Group A has no problem with sitting down to grab a quick bite to eat; they might even enjoy it. They've grown accustomed to the red and yellow decor, the hard plastic chairs, the food-traffic worn floors. In the United States, McDonald's isn't known for its ambience. It's known for serving up a boatload of calories, fast and on the cheap.

Great Britain, on the other hand, has a somewhat difference perspective on America's favorite fast food chain. In Europe, locals want a comfortable place to relax -- they want clean, they want stylish, and they want nice, dammit. The hard and fast Mickey-D's as we know it wouldn't do well in, say, London, so McDonald's Corp decided to cater to the dominant demographic.

Behold, the stylish London McDonald's:

Doesn't look like the average American fast food joint exterior, does it?

Several locations have conference-style seating upstairs.

Some of the seating areas almost look like paintings, with their color selection.

Even the area around the counters are made to look nice, like a place you'd want to spend time hanging out.

And down the street at Burger King… things aren't all that different from what you'd find in the US:

It's worth noting, though, that while the interior decor is an example of European finery, the food is pretty much the same as you'd find in the United States. In fact, I had a medium fries and proceeded to pay for it with a cacophony of gastronomical gurgles for the next 24 hours. Like they say, you can't judge a book by it's cover -- regardless of how attractive that cover may be.

Like any conference or convention, there were highs and lows at the International Food Bloggers Conference (IFBC). For me, one of the highs was getting to sample food from Seattle's best food trucks--they parked outside of the conference location one day and we had free reign to sample, chat with the vendors and chefs, and learn more about mobile food in Seattle. From ice cream to crepes, tacos to schwarma--here were my favorites:

Anita's Crepes

Anita's Crepes actually has a brick and mortar location in Ballard, but they were at IFBC representing their Lemon Sugar Crepe. Working quickly and quietly, they churned out crepe after crepe to hungry conference participants. For me, this was a welcome change from some of the heavier fare and the beer we'd all been guzzling. The crepe was incredibly light and had a subtle crust of lemon sugar, served with a dollop of fresh whipped cream and a lemon slice. Perfection.

Molly Moons

I've been to Molly Moons a few times before while visiting my sister in Seattle. They have a truck, but they also have a few free-standing locations in Capital Hill and Wallingford. If you're a Salted Caramel fan, this is the place for you. I've never tasted a richer, more intensely caramel flavor then what they're doing at Molly Moons. From a girl who can eat her weight in ice cream, I generally have to stop after a few bites. At the conference, I also had the chance to try the special Olive Oil flavor and the Scout Mint (as in, Girl Scout Mint Cookie). The Scout Mint was pleasant enough, but the Olive Oil ice cream was very special--the sort of thing you try with friends and do a lot of nodding but no one's quite sure how to talk about it. It was an uber-rich vanilla ice cream spiked with the earthy, floral notes of a very fine olive oil. I hope they decide to carry this one over at the shop. If so, it'll be my first stop-off next time I'm in town.

Dante's Inferno Dogs

Up until IFBC, I had never tried a hot dog with cream cheese before. And I have to say, I'll never look at hot dogs the same. While I was too stuffed to have an entire Dante's Inferno Dog, I had many bites from friends and we all compared notes. Dante's story is a great one--after moving to the Pacific Northwest in 1995 and suffering a few failed business ventures, he decided on dogs. The rest is history. He's infamous with the late night bar crowd, but is also well-loved around town for his classic (and not-so-classic) dogs and quiet, friendly demeanor. If I lived in Seattle, I'd hunt him down frequently. And in the meantime, I'm going to start using cream cheese much more liberally when it comes to dogs and sausages. Who knew?

El Camion

El Camion has three locations in Seattle and folks like Tom Douglas and publications including the Seattle Weekly and The Seattle Times have raved about the tacos. I had the chance to try the chicken mole taco -- I'm a huge fan of mole, especially when it's done right. And El Camion nailed it. The mole was warmly spiced with hints of cinnamon and pepper. Fabulous spicy salsas, too. And an extremely friendly, exuberant staff. Folks were talking about these tacos well into the afternoon.

Hallava Falafel

The schwarma that I had at Hallava Falafel may just possibly have been the best schwarma I've ever tasted. I've previously reserved that honor for this dumpy spot off of University Ave. in Denver that I loved as a college student, but Hallava has pushed them to second place. The folks behind the truck decided to open in 2006 in the Georgetown neighborhood after realizing how difficult it was to get a quality lunch for under $10. The schwarma itself was flavorful and spicy--slow roasted lamb and beef accompanied by Russian red relish, spinach and cabbage mix, tzatziki a wild Armenian pickle, and their "super secret spice mix". They make all of their sauces, salads, and falafel from scratch and keep their menu relatively simple to keep costs down and keep customers coming back.

Skillet

If you tied me down and asked me to name my favorite food truck that day, Skillet is it. The mini burger of grass-fed beef, arugula, bacon jam, and cambozola cheese on a little soft bun kind of blew my mind. Apparently they do poutine as well, and there's nothing like a good poutine to start the day off right. If you're local (or just visiting), check their rotating menu and calendar for specials. On his website, owner and executive chef, Joshua Henderson, notes: "we hope to create a business that sustains itself through impeccably executed food, simply done, and regionally relevant." From one small burger, I can attest to the fact that they are--without a doubt--achieving their goal.

I'm one of those travelers who loves to get to know a place based on its neighborhoods and food, but I realize not everyone's this way. So during our first few days in Shanghai, I capitalized on my family's jetlag and unfamiliarity with the city and--relying on friend's recommendations and a little research--dragged them around on many a food adventure. Over the next six days we tasted everything from steamed buns to dragon fruit, and visited markets, noodle stands and higher-end restaurants. This is far from an exhaustive list. Instead, it's simply where we found ourselves eating, lounging, and drinking: a whirlwind visual tour in case you ever find yourself in Shanghai or Hong Kong with no clue where to eat. We did a little footwork for you.

SHANGHAI
Food Market
The Chinese don't eat dessert nearly as often as we do in the States. Many folks do tea after meals or a bit of fruit, but routine desserts aren't as common. However, sweet snacks are a different story altogether and markets or street-side stands stock sweet buns or dumplings. At the Food Market on Nanjing Road in Shanghai, my sister and I noticed locals lining up for a late lunch of simple noodles and dumplings, sweet snacks, whole roasted ducks, or breads and baked goods to carry out. Some of the most popular sweets were the red bean paste dumplings, black sesame dumplings, and small rice pudding patties topped with candied fruits. I absolutely loved both sweet dumplings, and found their relatively dainty size and subtle sweetness truly satisfying.

Wang Jia Sha, 805 Nanjing Road, Shanghai, China

M on the Bund
This is, by far, my favorite restaurant in Shanghai. While not the most inexpensive choice, I've never been to a place with such energy and excitement while still maintaining an utterly unpretentious and gracious vibe. Voted “One of the Top 20 restaurants in Asia” last year by the Miele Guide and “The Most Popular Restaurant in Shanghai” by Zagat two years back, M on the Bund is located in the historic 1921 Nissin Shipping Building, and overlooks The Bund, Shanghai’s most famous waterfront destination. The food's a bit tough to pin down: the flavors range from Middle Eastern to Mod Euro, but ultimately come off as really thoughtful, tasty, comforting food. You won't find fancy foam or precious portions. Instead, there are strong cocktails, beautiful salads, perfectly cooked steak and seafood, and beautiful Moroccan vegetarian fare. The roof terrace is vast; diners are seated outside overlooking the water and the teeming nightlife and energy of the Bund, but folks also bring their cocktails out and linger while waiting for their meals. It's all very romantic and intoxicating and almost otherworldly.

7/F, No.5 The Bund ( corner of Guangdong Lu )
Shanghai 200002 China

T8
T8 has a few kinks to work out with their service and this is another spot where the food is quite pricey, but the atmosphere is beautiful and it’s located in the Xintiandi area, known for food, fashion, and nightlife and perfect for an evening stroll or grabbing a post-dinner cocktail. There is a part of me that thinks T8 takes themselves a bit too seriously, showcasing your bottle of water like it's a fine champagne and crafting teeny, artistic appetizers. However, there's another part of me that loves the candlelit atmosphere with lanterns and bamboo furnishings, a bustling open kitchen and stunning floral arrangements. They bring out incredible warm bread baked in individual popover pans--I liked that, and the entrees were solid. T8 specializes in more contemporary, seasonal European dishes with Asian accents. From the cod with Chinese vegetables to the Wagyu beef burger and sensational fries, it was a nice treat after a long day of sightseeing. Skip the starters and appetizers, go straight to the entrees, and enjoy the atmosphere.

No. 8 Xintiandi North Part Lane 181 Tai Cang Road
Shanghai 200021 China

Kommune
Kommune is the kind of place you'd adopt as your own if you lived in Shanghai. And sure enough, we saw many an expat, quite a few students, and a noticeably large Australian population congregated on the outdoor patio eating sandwiches, salads, fresh juices, pastas, simple entrees, and house baked cookies. Located on Taikang Lu, a bustling artist's enclave peppered with galleries, interesting shops, and numerous cafes and wine bars, this is one likeable joint. Do know that their portions are huge: the incredibly fresh Greek salad was enough for three, and the milkshakes could easily be shared with a few friends. I loved this place. It was a welcome respite from the bustling dim sum lunch joints we’d been frequenting. You can relax here, wasting away an entire afternoon drinking fresh juices or lattes (voted the best in Shanghai) while people-watching or making new international friends.

The Yard, No. 7, 210 Taikang Road
Shanghai, 200025, China

Yuyuan Gardens
The Yuyuan Gardens are one of those tourist attractions that you really should do while in Shanghai. They're also one of those things that, once you've seen it once, I'm not certain you need to brave the crowds and go again. Because there are some major crowds. In short, the gardens are an example of classical Chinese gardens and architecture. Surrounding the gardens are streets jammed with little tourist shops, candy stalls, and tea sellers. I admit it: this may have been my favorite part of the sightseeing venture. We obviously didn't really know much about the various candies, but we just chose some randomly. Their gummy candies are less sweet than the ones here in the States and they do nice sesame brittles and little pre-packaged egg pies with a variety of jammy fillings. Fun and kitschy if nothing else. Oh, and did I mention there's a Dairy Queen? Sometimes nothing tastes better than a blizzard.

In between Fuyou Lu and Middle Fangbang Lu
Shanghai, China

Street vendors
While in China, try some of the fruit that may be unfamiliar to you, including wax fruit and dragon fruit (not pictured here). Although some of our travel guides warned against buying fruit off the street, it's fine. Wash it and you're good to go.

HONG KONG
Intercontinental breakfast buffet
There are no words, really. My dad had stayed at The Intercontinental before and had described the breakfast buffet to us as "mind blowing: literally 60 feet long." I wasn’t thrilled. Visions of Vegas swam through my mind. I hate buffets. I also hate Vegas. But this may have been my very favorite part of our first day in Hong Kong. My dad was right: it truly is mind blowing (although I'm not sure it's 60 feet long). They cater to a variety of tourists here, so there are traditional Chinese breakfast items like congee, steamed buns, pickled vegetables and century eggs. There are also Japanese items like steamed eggs and noodles and there is your standard American fare: eggs and bacon, a pastry bar, and a waffle and pancake bar. What was so remarkable was how fresh and beautifully presented everything was. It didn't feel like an obscene all-you-can eat affair. Instead, it felt like you were carefully selecting very special pastries, local fruits, housemade jams, and trying breakfast items that aren't common back home. I'm a big yogurt and granola fan, and they had six different types of honey for your granola, a huge bar of seasonal fruits, ten different types of cereals, a huge variety of fresh jams and different yogurts and kefir. Add to that fresh juices, smoothies, strong coffee and international newspapers--I was a happy camper.

18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Hong Kong, 00000 China

Zuma
Zuma is a modern Japanese restaurant with other locations in London, Dubai, and Miami. We came here to celebrate my sister's birthday, so it's definitely more of a special occasion or "last night in Hong Kong and you want to live it up" kind of place. They specialize in innovative food and a wide variety of housemade cocktails you won't find elsewhere. The interior is largely granite and glass, reminiscent of a Japanese garden with a large open kitchen, techno music, and warm lighting, and the food was outstanding. It's family style, so you'll want to order quite a few dishes and they bring them out as they're ready. Don't miss the spicy fried tofu, the dragon crab roll, and the house specialty miso black cod wrapped in a hoba leaf. Order dessert, too. My sister and I shared the green tea and banana cake with coconut ice cream, and it was the perfect end to a special meal. Before you leave (or while you're waiting for your meal), spend a little time out on the romantic terrace overlooking downtown.
The Landmark Atrium Level 5, 15 Queens Road
Central Hong Kong

Heichinrou
Heichinrou is a very popular dim sum spot in the Times Square Building, a famous shopping center in Hong Kong. It was packed with locals lingering over a long lunch, and after our first bite we understood why. The food was fantastic--probably the best dim sum I had while in China. Don't miss the broccoli with garlic, fried bean curd, shrimp jaozi, or steamed pork buns. And while I know no one in China is looking to get famous off of fried rice, I loved the pork-fried rice at Heichinrou. It had little bits of pork, fried egg and green onion and came in sweet ceramic cups. Load up on Jasmine tea and get ready for your next adventure.

Shop 1003, 10th Floor Times Square; 1 Matheson Street
Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

Sabatini
I'm recommending Sabatini to you because it's so utterly odd I wouldn't want you to miss it--and, of course, the food is great. It's in The Royal Garden Hotel, and they actually have pseudo-table side Mariachi music…yes, in an Italian restaurant in the middle of Hong Kong. It’s strange but it kind of works somehow. Given that most of the diners were tourists and business clientele, they know pretty much any English song you throw at them (although I will say they weren’t familiar with Lady Gaga). Sabatini's food is your classic Italian fare, with a nice seafood and pasta menu and a lovely antipasto bar. The original Sabtini opened in Rome in 1952, and this is one of two other locations. There's only so many dumplings and barbecued pork a person can eat, so when you find yourself in Hong Kong and need a break, sometimes a big plate of pasta is just the thing. Sabatini does that well.
69 Mody Road, Tsimshatsui East
Kowloon, Hong Kong

Stands at Temple Street
Ah, Temple Street. This is the nighttime market hawking fake watches, handbags, and an odd collection of other items like batteries, fans, socks, baseball caps and the like. I think it's worthwhile to take a quick turn just to see it, and before you go, hit up one of the fruit stands at the far end by the food area. Here you can get a variety of local fruit juices and coconut waters. Nothing tastes better after slugging through the crowded, steamy market. Try both the young coconut and regular coconut--young coconut tends to be smaller and sweeter.

All in all, our trip was far too brief but we managed to pack it in, food-wise. I loved the variety, the spice, the unexpected cosmopolitan nature of many of the restaurants, and the graciousness of the chefs and waitstaff. I'm already compiling a list for a future trip when, perhaps, we can pack in more than a mere six days.

Vietnamese Coffee, Trung Nguyen

Enjoying your slow-drip coffee is a quintessential part of life in Vietnam. Whether you're stoopin' it, shouting your order down the street to the local coffee cart on the corner, or enjoying a carefully prepared cup in an upscale coffee house, Vietnamese coffee is meant to be savored and enjoyed to the max.

One reason is the time it takes to brew a cup. Vietnamese coffee is not for the rushy-rushy. Single servings are brewed through a simple metal filter called a Phin, which takes a good 5-10 minutes to produce a cup. The filter is fitted over the top of a cup, or glass (if you're making iced coffee), the grounds are placed inside the filter (about the same size grind as what you would use for a French press), a small weighted piece is placed on top, and then hot water is poured into the chamber.

Vietnamese coffee, Phin filter

Another reason to approach the experience with leisure is simply the heavenly flavor. Like espresso, Vietnamese coffee is deep and rich, and a little goes a long way. What makes it really stand out though in my mind, is its incredible buttery aroma and flavor. It wasn't until I bought some roasted beans from a mom-and-pop coffee/tea shop that I learned why exactly the coffee tasted so buttery -- you got it, it's because the beans are actually roasted in clarified butter! Brilliant.

As if that doesn't sound decadent enough, sweetened condensed milk is typically used in lieu of cream and sugar both for practical reasons (it doesn't have to be refrigerated) and for taste (Have you had sweetened condensed milk lately? Think creamy, thick, dulce de leche goodness...in your coffee...everyday!). This is why Vietnamese coffee is a habit I could really get used to.

Vietnamese Iced Coffee (Ca Phe Sua Da)

In Saigon, with so much fantastic coffee everywhere we turned, it was tough to be too discriminating. So, I left it to the locals to show me the way. Vietnam is a country of food-lovers and total coffee addicts. My favorite conversation starter was asking a local: Where is the best food in town? People would bubble over with recommendations and loved talking about their favorite food, where to get it, and how to eat it. Everyone had an opinion.

One afternoon, over a Lazy Susan laden with dim sum, an impassioned discussion over the most delectable banh xeo, the silkiest tofu, the best hand-pulled noodles with half a crab on top, turned into a full-on debate over where to grab coffee afterward. One fellow named Nguyen insisted, "The best coffee is at my sister's place," and after a few nods of acquiescence from his accompanying friends, we were off to taste for ourselves if he was indeed correct.

We hopped on our motorbikes and went caravanning off through the maze of commuters. Put-putting over main highways, over to District 7 we went...on a mission for the perfect Ca Phe Sua Da (iced coffee with sweetened condensed milk). It was spontaneous, exhilarating, and as the wind whipped through my hair, I couldn't help but envision Anthony Bourdain's crew on our tracks, kicking up some dust behind us.

Saigon Motorbike Ebb and Flow

What we came upon was a breezy little oasis of an internet cafe, tucked away amongst sprawling new developments and construction sites. The cafe itself is called Goc Peo, but the main signage outside speaks to the main reason for visiting -- the rich and aromatic Trung Nguyen coffee served.

Coffee time at Trung Nguyen

Trung Nguyen seems to have made a nice business for itself, their chains and signs are all over Saigon, as well as the airport gift shop, and while the prices are expensive by Vietnamese standards, they are still relatively cheap by US standards (a cup of their famous "Legendee Coffee" was about $2 USD). Incidentally, Trung Nguyen has a pretty comprehensive website that explains all about what defines Vietnamese coffee and makes it unique, namely:

1) The topography of the Annamite Range has allowed for a diverse variety of beans to flourish in Southeast Asia. By blending a variety of bean species (Arabica, Robusta, Excelsa and Catimor) rather than sticking to a single-source (like 100% Arabica), a broader flavor range is achieved.
2) A lower-temperature, longer roasting process that is stable and consistent.
3) Roasting the beans in clarified butter.

Another interesting fact I learned about Trung Nguyen's coffee is that they produce what they call their Legendee Coffee, a "unique enzymatically-treated coffee that releases flavors bound in the beans and not released under ordinary processing." The Legendee Coffee was what Nguyen brought us to taste. Read more about the Legend of Legendee and how modern science has attempted to reproduce the infamously expensive (and kinda gross) Kopi Luwak coffee, made with the help of the weasel-like civit.

My final verdict? The Legendee was worth experiencing, although a little intense for me to want to drink on a daily basis.

Vietnamese Iced Coffee, Trung Nguyen

Regardless, it was a joy to spend an afternoon in pursuit of the perfect cup with company who really loved their coffee. Company who loved it so much, they continued on their way, buzzing away to the next cup as we rookie tourists bid farewell.

ADDRESS

Goc Peo
So 16 Duong 8B, KDC Trung Son
Nguyen Van Cu noi dai – TP. Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam

I've just booked a trip that ensures that in less than a month, I'll be happily winging off to my home state of Minnesota. Minneapolis is where I grew up as the pickiest of eaters, eschewing nearly every vegetable aside from corn and artichokes. (Don't ask where my mother got artichokes in Minneapolis in the 70s and 80s. Or Pomegranates and avocados for that matter, but my mother was born and bred in Glendale, CA and she knew what she liked and she made sure she found it for us.)

However, on this next trip home, I will finally (FINALLY) visit the St. Paul's Farmers' Market, the jewel in Minnesota's market crown. I've done Mill City and the older Minneapolis Farmers' Market. I've also done the tiny Thursday stalls along Nicollet Avenue back when I worked downtown at my dad's law firm. Now, it's time for St. Paul, the city on the other side of the river. Capitol twin to my beloved Minneapolis.

Befitting a hardworking Midwestern state, the SPFM is only open from April 26th to November 15th. Those dates are certainly significant to any Minnesotan, because we all know that snow is no stranger to May, and I fondly remember a historic Halloween my senior year in high school when we got 33 inches of nice fluffy white stuff between 9 PM and 5 AM.

It was the first actual Snow Day of my memory. (See, we went to school even when the power went out at Jefferson Elementary and when the busses stalled. In the former, we just wore our snowsuits and in the latter, other busses came to get us.) However, Minnesota being what it is, in 1992 the roads were plowed and my dad was on his way to work by noon.

A farmers' market of some fashion has been operating in St. Paul since 1852. Back then, fresh produce was -- as it is now -- only available during the feverish and fecund summer months. However, throughout the year and even during the glacial, killing months, they had dairy, flour, cakes, and candies. Now, they also have local baked goods, cheese, poultry, buffalo, venison, beef, pork, lamb, maple syrup, eggs, honey, organic produce, flowers, plants, and shrubs.

Living in the (comparatively) warm Bay Area has definitely softened my Midwestern hide and it's also babied my palate and kitchen. I'm excited about checking out and cooking the fruits and vegetables I would have despised in my callow youth and remembering, celebrating my sturdy roots.