[shroomgirl]

Yep~ it's a life long passion. I explore cities for their ethnic grocery stores, go-food, bakeries usually pretty thoroughly...I've found places natives havn't heard of....If you're in NYC check out
Garden of Eaten ( or eden not sure now) 23rd St sort of near the flea mkt. UNREAL, I shop NY like a crazy woman with a marked map, packages weighing me down, bread coming out of every pkg and pocket. This store has the best cheese selection (Shorpshire, Gouda aged 4+ years OHHHHHH) 11 varieties of WILD (NOT ESOTERIC or whatever the cultivated weird ones are called) Filled pasta and the BEST Selection of innovative go~food. Hole in the Wall place lucked into it by chance.
It's been 2-3 years since I've been to NYC hope they are still around. Shorpshire has since made it to St. Louis, now for the GREAT Gouda.

[cookM]

Shroomgirl if you ever get out here to the Bay Area, you should check out the Cheeseboard. I think I've mentioned them before. Across the street from Chez Panisse. Great bakery and cheese selection. They're very friendly, knowledgeable, and always give tastes of the cheese before you buy. They're an institution here in the East Bay. They've got a pizza store a couple doors down. They make the pizza on their baguette dough. Amazing flavors. Sometimes they put lemon zest on 'em, potatoes, cilantro, goat cheese, etc. Yeah, yum...

[nutcakes]

RE Shahrazad Bakery: Thanks, What a great lead. I have never heard of it and can't wait to get over there. It was not in the phone book, but they answered the phone.

Citizen Cake: Bakery and cafe; specializing in desserts, does breakfast, lunch and elegant looking modern tea until 7 p.m. Wines too. Elizabeth Falkner, who runs it was the pastry chef at some high-end places, like Rubicon. I have only been once, but had an excellent small pizza with pesto, fresh corn and Cowgirl Creamery frommage blanc, the crust was incredible. Very cool space, high ceilings tall glass windows, glassed in pastry area, arty furnishings.

RE Acme Bakery: This is my all time favorite, I don't think anyone touches it. I like the baguettes sweet and sour, the batard, levain and the large leaf-shaped fougasse. Most stores around here carry it; the fancy Saturday Farmer's market sells it (and it seems fresher there) and I have taken to picking up a batard, Redwood Farms goat milk feta, ripe tomato, and fresh marjoram and making a lunch out of the bread, thickly spread with:

Tomato Feta Spread

8 ounces feta cheese
1 large tomato
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic -- pressed
1 Tablespoon fresh marjoram or oregano -- or 1 tsp dried

Skin the tomato by dropping it into a small pot of boiling water for 30 seconds and running under cold water. Chop and place in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients.

Coarsly mash, but don't completely integrate all ingredients. Refrigerate about 30 minutes before serving.

Try this while the tomatoes are in--incredibly good, addictive even.

[cookM]

Sounds great nutcakes! Really, you should check out Cheeseboard if you're ever on this side of the Bay. It's in *Gourmet Ghetto*. There's also this great pastry shop, Masse's, in the area.

[nutcakes]

Hi Cook M, seems we are close by each other. I have been to the legendary Cheeseboard many years ago, and am glad it is still going strong. Do you remember Pig-by-the Tail, BTW?

I hate to say, but I do not get across the Bay much. Have been popping into the 4th street area once a year or other, since back in the days of the Fourth Street Grill. Been to Rockridge once. I plan an outing to Ashby Sta. Berkley soon on foot and daytime (nocar, when on my own).

I have pigged out all over SF, and I also cook (not pro)and look for ingredients everywhere, so to hear of places I don't know of is a shocker (Shahrazad!--I could hardly believe it existed anymore if I didn't know of it--ahh, arrogance. It was not in the book and either is Semolinas). I live near chinatown/n.b. and often shop there. Want to compare notes?

[This message has been edited by nutcakes (edited September 08, 2000).]

[cookM]

Would love to compare notes, nutcakes. I've been to Citizen Cake in its old incarnation but was in a hurry to go to Rainbow Grocery, so didn't eat. (Dumb of me...)

[shroomgirl]

So whats going on with Rattos...they were doing a mail order business that apparently went under. What a fun store! Heirloom bean varietals (flagelets, appoloosa, European soldier, marrow beans etc) GREEnest olive oil I've ever seen and the most flavorful and fruity.

[cookM]

Ratto's is still around. I don't think they're doing their Friday night opera feeds anymore. Also, when I've gone in there, their stock looks seriously reduced. I think because it is in downtown Oakland, which has a scary reputation, and the opening many other *gourmet* stores, people seem to not go there anymore. It's sort of out of the way for most people. Lots of restaurants that open around there, except for Chinatown, can't make it in that area. Hope Ratto's stays around.

[cookM]

I just wanted to tell everyone in San Francisco that loves the Cheeseboard in Berkeley that a sister co-op bakery will be opening in S.F. on or by Irving St. Perhaps you have heard of Arizmendi in the Lakeshore Area of Oakland? Yes, they use the same recipes as Cheeseboard. There will be an Arizmendi SF. I know cause a former co-worker went to start the SF one. Look for it.