San Francisco Day 2

Saturday morning I awoke with a start and felt a rush of excitement jolt through my veins. I was in San Francisco and in less than an hour we were going to the Farmer's Market! Farmer's markets hold a special place in my heart. It seems that each one I've visited is a celebration of fresh produce, beautiful flowers, and happy people. Yet for me, going to the San Francisco Farmer's Market felt like finally making it to the promised land- the place of legend- where milk and honey flow freely and glorious food abounds.

We still had a rental car (and needed to return it by 8am) so we took advantage of our wheels and arrived at the Farmer's Market as the sun slowly stretched into the sky and the market was just awakening. My eyes took in brilliant colors of beets, carrots, gigantic leeks, and more piled on tables that lined the sidewalks along the waterfront. This was it! While I was mesmerized by the bountiful produce, Mr. B had other more urgent things on his mind. He zeroed in like only Mr. B can and identified the nearest espresso cart within seconds. (Sometimes I think he may have a coffee GPS unit hardwired into his brain.) Mr. B's priorities definitely paid off when the coffee cart turned out to be one owned by Blue Bottle.

The name sounded vaguely familiar but I couldn't recall why. I accepted my cappuccino and took a whiff (after tasting wine all week it was hard to break the habit of smelling everything first!) The intense aroma of fresh coffee raised my eyebrows. One sip and the heavens opened and angels sang. (Okay not quite, but they should have!) This was the best cappuccino I had ever tasted. Mr. B also became visibly excited and said, "Oh wow!". He had just taken his first sip and the heavens opened for him too. After tasting cappuccinos across the country and on several continents, we had both just encountered perfection.

I could really just stop this story right here. Because after finding the perfect cappuccino, can it possibly get any better? Oh yes it can.

The one vendor I was intent on visiting at the Market was Rancho Gordo. This company describes themselves as featuring "glorious, old fashioned, heirloom beans" and over the past year I've read nothing but raving reviews from food bloggers about these beans. I wondered what the big deal was and how anyone could get so excited over beans. The packaging is quirky and cheerful and with so many types of beans to choose from I had a hard time deciding which one to carry home. Finally, I settled on Mayacoba, a large creamy colored bean described as buttery and delicious in salads. {Postscript: The beans were incredible and now I finally 'get it'. I'll share the recipe next week!}

Our allotted hour flew by rapidly. It probably was a good thing I didn't have access to a kitchen otherwise I would have left with more than I could carry! After a few last yearning looks, Mr. B managed to tear me away so we could return the rental car. But wait! Before we could return the car, we had one more stop to make. In a quiet neighborhood, too far from downtown for the average tourist, we located the hallowed Tartine Bakery. While I'm not much of a baker, I know how to appreciate the results of greatness. At 7:45 am on a Saturday morning, the line of customers already snaked around the counter, through crowded tables, and down the sidewalk. Despite the early hour everyone was too busy thinking happy thoughts of the awaiting pastries to be pushy or rude.

Once we reached the counter we ordered a sugared almond croissant and a Valrhona chocolate eclair filled with vanilla pastry cream. When I bit into the eclair the heavens opened for the second time in less than two hours. Rich dark chocolate, smooth vanilla scented cream, tender flaky dough; it was one of the best things I've ever put into my mouth. Mr. B promptly got back in line and bought another one.

Tartine recently published a cookbook, which includes the recipe for this eclair. After tasting them I've decided they are essential to my survival and happiness, so I am on a mission to learn how to make them at home immediately. I promise to report back soon with the results!

Now on foot, we headed separate ways. Mr. B had the unfortunate task of working for the rest of the day while I was free to continue gallivanting around the city. My next adventure started at the downtown Hilton, where I met a group of women participating in a Wok Wiz walking tour of Chinatown. These tours provide an incredible insight into the community and culture of San Francisco's Chinatown and have a strong emphasis on food, ending with a dim sum lunch.

For the next three hours I wandered up and down the back alleys of Chinatown, led by a woman who grew up in the neighborhood and enthusiastically shared her love of the area with the group. We encountered a Chinese farmer's market complete with live frogs, fish still flopping in buckets, and long green beans. Around another corner we stopped next to hanging racks of smoked squid and pork. In a small building we discovered a Chinese temple where the smell of incense permeated the air and large ornate figures stood guard over the altar. As we wound our way through the colorful buildings and shops I was quite impressed by the ever present cultural traditions, which did not seem to be diminished by an American location. We capped off our tour with a delicious dim sum lunch in a second story restaurant overlooking the streets of Chinatown.

Mr. B and I met up at the Palace a few hours later and prepared for a very exciting dinner. Our destination was A-16, a new San Francisco restaurant that has received glowing reviews for its rustic approach to authentic Italian cuisine and expertly paired wine list. Named after Italy's route A-16 which weaves through the Campania region, A-16 features a central wood fired oven and cafe style tables. We started off our meal with a ball of burrata (my #1 favorite cheese) drizzled with a bright olive oil and cracked pepper. It was creamy, luscious, and very fresh. Next we ordered two different pizzas and when they arrived at our table, the thin crackly crust was perfectly blistered from the wood fired oven. I often enjoy a chewy thick crust pizza, but the A-16 pizzas were well crafted and allowed simple ingredients to shine beautifully. Other outstanding dishes included spring pea ravioli floating in a fragrant Meyer lemon broth, and handmade bocatini in marinara sauce.

It was an excellent meal, which we will remember for years to come. (A-16 recently published a cookbook, which just won the James Beard Award for Cookbook of the Year. I hope to pick up a copy soon and learn how to create a few of the memorable dishes at home.) Our dinner provided another happy ending to an incredible day exploring the streets and markets of San Francisco. I told Mr. B for probably the 100th time in three days that I didn't think I was ever going to leave!