No discussion of food in San Francisco would be complete without talking about coffee. Everyone always thinks of Seattle and coffee, but in San Francisco we also take our coffee pretty seriously. Could be the not so great climate, could be the great food, or it our ongoing mass fantasy that we are a European city that somehow got separated from the mother ship. Continuing with the metaphor of San Francisco as the American Paris, just as un bon café is important in the city of light, so too is it in the city by the bay. Here’s list of some our favorite coffee purveyors, but the list is by no means exhaustive.

1. Blue Bottle – Smooth, richly favored and freshly roasted to the point of obsession, this is the coffee purveyor for hipsters and anyone else who likes nuanced full flavored coffee. No matter how many outlets they open (and there are precious few) the lines get no shorter. Totally worth the wait.
2. Ritual – One of the relative new arrivals on the SF coffee scene, its super popular amongst those in the know. They are leaders in obsessing about the qualities of their “30 step” process around sourcing, roasting and brewing.
3. Martha & Bros. – A small mini chain of stores sprinkled throughout San Francisco. Their house blend drip is so intense, you’ll swear it’s espresso.
4. Peet’s – Once a start up roaster in Berkley, Peet’s is San Francisco’s Starbucks in the very best sense. Densely sprinkled throughout the Bay Area (and now beyond), the brew a full range of deeply flavored coffee drinks. Not for the feint of heart, or stomach, but for people who like their coffee with a kick.
5. Starbucks – Puhleez. San Franciscan’s only go here when all of the above are closed or out of range. The one exception is the Starbucks — a.k.a “Bearbucks” — on 18^th Street in the Castro, where the people watching at all hours of the day makes for the less than perfect cup of joe.

After spending 4 days with fellow foodies from around the globe at the Winter Fancy Food Show, I was able to take a fresh look at my home city through a visitor’s eyes. In terms of originality and individuality, San Francisco is in the first rank of world cities. The topography, the architecture, the embrace of alternative lifestyles, San Francisco’s roster of unique qualities goes on and on. In the area of food and wine, however, San Francisco, and indeed the Bay Area as a whole, is more of a synthesis. While we look to France and Italy for cooking techniques, we look to the surrounding region for our raw ingredients. Our own spin on the old world’s classic cuisine is the addition of Asian influences and of course an (near) obsessive attention to local sourcing and organic and sustainable farming by many of the city’s restaurants.

At the center of life in San Francisco is a joyful pursuit of the creation and consumption of food, wine, coffee and spirits that is arguably unequaled by any other city in the United States. In terms of gastronomy, this is our American Paris. It is with that lens in mind that we share our favorite spots to eat. We tried to distill the list down to five, but it can’t be done in a city like this, so we will do this in periodic installments. Look for subsequent editions of this posting with even more culinary treasures.

1. L’Ardoise (the Castro)– is little French bistro in a quiet neighborhood corner of the Castro. Well executed bistro fare with an edge served in an atmosphere heavily redolent of a Parisian arrondissment.
2. Greens (Fort Mason) – reigns as the grand dame, or rather the “barefoot contessa” of SF’s vegetarian restaurants with beautifully presented, innovative vegetarian cuisine (you won’t miss the meat, trust us) and a killer view out to the Golden Gate. The combination of food, wine, décor and view result in strong sense of place lacking in s many other restaurants. The Spice Mogul’s never tire of taking visitors here.
3. Delfina Pizzeria (the Mission) – makes single serving thin crust pizzas just like in the old country. Delfina, the mother restaurant next door, is just as awesome, but hard to book a table. Either one is worth the effort, and almost as much gastronomic fun (and much cheaper) than a trip to la bella Italia.
4. Range (the Mission) – serves excellent nouvelle California cuisine with a great bar and lengthy list of cocktails. Not overly expensive, and a personal favorite for when we want to feel sophisticated and urbane.
5. Salt House and Town Hall (SoMa) – both turn out variations of chic inventive nouvelle American classics. Salt House is for when you’re feeling a bit on the rebellious side, Town Hall for when a more sedate, traditional mood prevails. Choosing between these two is a no loose proposition.

Part of the great fun of any holiday is inventing new traditions. This year to celebrate the launch of Spice Mogul, we made a big triple sized batch of our Madras No. 4 lamb curry with a slew of “boys” to feed the family mob (including kids) and add a little spice to the holiday festivities. Amidst the sparkle of the holiday decorations and the colors and textures of all the sides, it made for a very festive meal.

And of course, guess what Santa brought and placed under the tree in the morning? Spice Mogul starter sets for all the branches of the family. 2010 will be a flavorful year all around!

When it is cold, rainy and wet, the body craves food that warms the soul. Some fragrant lamb curry spooned up with chunks of soft naan is just what is required to counter the effects of the weather.

Madras No. 4 Lamb Curry

The Ingredients

• 1 packet Madras Curry No. 4 whole spice blend
• 2 pounds leg of lamb (Trader Joe’s has boneless butterflied lamb leg, which is what I used)
• 1/2 medium onion
• 2 Tablespoons oil
• Fleur de Sel
• Pinch of sugar
• 4 Tablespoons plain yogurt

The Cooking

Trim and dice the lamb into 1 inch cubes. Grind the Madras Curry No. 4 with a mortar and pestle. Mix half of the freshly ground spices with the lamb and set aside. Next, chop the onion finely and sweat in two tablespoons of oil. Throw in a pinch of sugar – this will give the onions a beautiful brown color thanks to the magic of caramelization. When the onions have taken on a nice brown hue, pour in the remaining ground spices with a generous pinch of Fleur de Sel. Stir for a few minutes until the onions and spices are good friends.

Add the spice-coated lamb cubes into the onion mixture and stir well to sear the meat. Cover the pan, turn the heat down low and wait 10 minutes, which will allow the meat and spices to get well acquainted with the sauteed onions. Next, mix in four tablespoons of fresh yogurt, stir, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the lamb is tender.

Serve with hot naans. I used Trader Joe’s naans imported from India.

Yields 4-6 servings

Hot caffeinated beverages are not the only way to awaken the mind and body in the morning. A small addition of the Madras Curry No. 4 to simple scrambled eggs will awaken the palate and the little gray cells.

The Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon Madras Curry No. 4 whole spice blend
• 2 Tablespoon oil
• 3 whole eggs
• 1/2 medium onion
• Fleur de Sel

Chop the onion finely and sweat in two tablespoons of oil. While the onion is cooking, take a tablespoon of Madras Curry No. 4, and grind in a mortar and pestle. Toss the freshly-ground spice blend into the sautéed onions, add three eggs and a pinch of Fleur de Sel. Stir quickly but gently and the the desired degree of looseness.

Serve with toast spread with good butter.

Yields 1 serving

This recipe makes an excellent and different treat at holiday time regardless of which holiday you are celebrating: flavor is totally non sectarian. Created by our photographic collaborator, globe trotting gourmand and accomplished home cook, Chats Chatterjee, it’s easy and delicious.

The Ingredients

• One tablespoon of coarsely ground Madras Curry No. 4 whole spice blend
• One cup of pecans
• Two tablespoons of butter — President is ideal, but any good quality sweet butter will do
• A pinch of Fleur de Sel

Let’s face it, Chicken a la King can be a snoozer. Comforting perhaps, but a bit of a culinary soporific. When that classic dish travels south of the border, however, it sizzles. The Peruvian version, Aji de Gallina, adds walnuts, Parmesan and spicy aji amarillo chilis to give it zing and depth of flavor. The recipe below is adapted from Marian Blazes’ version in About.com and makes a really different, snazzy version of the old standby. Serve it with hard boiled eggs, olives, potatoes and walnuts and you really have a feast.

The Ingredients

• 1 1/2 – 2 pounds mixed boneless skinless thighs and breasts
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3-4 yellow aji amarillo peppers
• 2 gloves garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts – plus extra for garnishing
• 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 6 slices white bread
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 4 yellow potatoes
• 2 hard boiled eggs
• 10 black olives, halved

The Cooking

Cook the yellow potatoes in water until tender. Let cool, peel, cut into quarters, and set aside. Place the bread in a small bowl and pour the evaporated milk over it to soak. Set aside. Place the chicken in a pot with the chicken stock, and bring to a simmer. Poach for 10-15 minutes, until chicken is just barely cooked through. Set chicken aside to cool, and strain the broth and reserve at least 3 cups.

While the chicken is poaching, remove stems and seeds from the aji amarillo peppers and process peppers with the vegetable oil in a blender or food processor until smooth. Sauté the garlic and onions with the puréed peppers and oil until the onions are soft. Be careful not burn garlic Remove from heat and let cool. Shred or cut the cooled chicken into bite-size pieces.

Process the evaporated milk and bread mixture with the nuts and Parmesan cheese until smooth. Add the cooked onion mixture and process briefly. Return onion mixture to pan, and add 2 or more cups of the reserved chicken stock as needed to bring the sauce to the right consistency. Bring to a low simmer, and stir in the chicken. Heat until warmed through, adding more chicken stock if sauce is too thick.

Serve over rice, garnished with the yellow potatoes, slices of hard boiled egg, black olives and chopped walnuts.

Yields 6 servings

The Beverage Pairing

A dry fruity white wine with a decent amount of alcohol to balance the richness of the cream sauce, and cool the fire.

Adapted from Marian Blazes’ “Peruvian Spicy Creamed Chicken -Aji de Gallina” http://southamericanfood.about.com/od/maincourses/r/ajidegallina.htm

Part of the fun of serving an Indian curry is having all the fun little condiments that go with it. Will it be a 3 or 5 (or more?) boy curry? Rumored to have been called a “boy” in reference to the servinf staff, each “boy” represents a condiment providing an additional note of flavor. And in this area things are pretty free form: it’s all about you and your tastes. You can add a little more fire with things like hot lime pickle, or cool the heat off with a bit of raita or plain cucumber. Add some sweet like with golden raisins or bananas, or a bit of salt with the addition of lightly salted nuts. Chez Spice Mogul, one of us tends to like the salty, savory accompaniments that add a bit more heat, while the other prefers the sweeter, fruit based additions. No arguments though: The great thing is everyone can tweak their dish their own way, without hassling the cook! Here are a few of the very simple condiments to a add to a traditional curry meal:

• Diced cucumber
• Banana slices
• Shredded coconut flakes (unsweetened)
• Golden raisins
• Raita (or plain yoghurt)
• Chopped hard boiled egg
• Chutney, such as Major Gray, mint or mango
• Indian pickles such as a lime pickle or radish pickle
• Cashew nuts
• Roasted chopped peanuts
• Diced tomatoes

The best way to envision your curry is like a canvas on which you get to paint a vivid picture of flavor, so do as we do chez Spice Mogul: experiment, have fun and report back. Serve them with all the “boys”, or serve only a few, but they are guaranteed to make a good meal into a really great one.

This make-up of this dish has evolved over the years and is a perennial favorite chez Spice Mogul. When the weather gets cold, the days get short and green vegetables are scarce , this dish provides a level of comfort and satisfaction that almost makes you wish winter wouldn’t end so soon. The resulting layers of earthy flavors cry out for a nice hearty Rhone style wine. Bon apetit.

The Ingredients and The Cooking

For the gratin…

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

• 1 large head cauliflower
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound diced black forest ham
• 2 cups frozen peas/petit pois

Break the cauliflower into florets, toss the with the olive oil and roast for 30 minutes or until tender, turning midway to ensure even browning.

For the cheese sauce…

• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups scalded whole milk
• 8 ounces grated Gruyere
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

While the cauliflower is roasting, melt the butter over medium heat and stir in the flour. Cook together for 2-3 minutes. Add the 2 cups of scalded milk, and stir until thickened. Add add the cream and bring to a simmer. Add mustard, salt, pepper, cumin and cayenne. Off heat, stir in the gruyere.

For the topping…

• 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

In a frying pan over low heat, melt the butter and stir in the bread crumbs. Stir to distribute the butter evenly.

In a large bowl, combine the roasted cauliflower, peas and diced ham. Pour over the cheese sauce and stir to blend. Turn into a gratin dish, and sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the top. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes until bubbling and hot, and the topping has browned. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with a simple green salad and warm crusty bread.

Yields 4-6 servings.

The Beverage Pairing

This dish is basically all about earthy flavors, so it calls for a nice heart Rhone style wine. If you are feeling like a flush peasant, Chateauneuf du Pape goes especially well.

One of the great things about Halloween is having all those crunchy and delicious pumpkin seeds leftover from your carving efforts. This year we did a bit of experimentation with our Madras Curry No. 4 blend and came up with a spicy salty snack that would be great at any time of the year.

The Ingredients

• 2 cups pumpkin seeds, cleaned and dried
• 2 Tbs of finely ground Madras Curry No. 4 (approximately 1/2 packet)
• 2 Tbs melted unsalted butter
• 1 tsp salt

The Cooking

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, and when foaming, add the ground Madras Curry No. 4 and the salt and heat for 2 minutes without burning. Place the pumpkin seeds in a bowl, and toss with the melted butter mixture, to coat evenly.

Spread on a large cookie sheet, single layer and roast in the over for 45 minutes, turning every 10-15 minutes to ensure even roasting. Remove from the oven, let cool to room temperature and serve with your favorite gin-based cocktail.