Seafood Center

Summer Solstice Tea Party 🌻

Tilting toward the sun, ChezHelvetica celebrated the Summer Solstice with Scandinavian-inspired revelry and best possible friends – the Cava4 (as #5 was in Scotland)! Our tea party started with Crab Toast, a luxurious combination of French Baguette toast slathered with brown butter mayonnaise and sweet Dungeness Crab. Sparkling Breathless Blanc de Noirs paired perfectly with this course. Glazed Fresh Orange Scones with hints of Vanilla and Cardamom, doused with luscious Lemon Curd, and Pineapple cubes followed.

Chives adorn crab toasts on antique platter

A traditional symbol in European celebrations are flower crowns so we played musical chairs, moving to the other end of the table with our overflowing blossoms and greens to create our crowns. Sweet Lemon Iced Tea energized this very focused multi-step creation.

The sweet send-off were Strawberry Tartlets. Ground Almonds, Walnuts and Pecans cradled a Strawberry, Lemon Verbena and Honey filling (topped with rich Whipped Cream) for a distinctive new taste. SUMMER HAPPINESS!!!

New Year | New Decade

New beginnings at ChezHelvetica! This day started with delicious deli at Toy Boats on Clement Street, fueling our search for the perfect locally sourced fresh fish to star in a “Sheet-Pan Harissa, Fish with Potatoes and Citrus” recipe, adapted from the New York Times. Our discovery at last – Monkfish from the Seafood Center. The fish roasted in Stonehouse Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Kosher Salt, Pepper, Ginger, Garlic, Moroccan Harissa Spice and juicy Tangerines and Oranges from Tory Farms and Meyer Lemons from my sister’s tree. Organic Green Beans, Tomatoes and Red Onion from Trader Joe’s with Brussel Sprouts and Red Potatoes accompanied. Delectable! We toasted the special night with Zonin Prosecco and Reed’s Ginger Beer. A gift of Gudrun Fine Belgian Chocolates concluded this wonderful New Year’s Eve, the last night of 2019. The first chapter of the Roaring 20’s, a Holy Roller on Ocean Beach – a huge cylinder stamped with symbols of many religions leaving marks in the sand, ushering in spirituality, creativity and peace for the new decade! Click to view short iMovie HolyRoller!

From OSU to SFO

ChezHelvetica regaled a dear friend from college with a Welcome Dinner amidst hugs, kisses and conversation that picked up where we left off years earlier. Our first course: Heartwarming Broccoli Cauliflower Soup accented with freshly picked Oregano, Thyme, Basil and Sage, plus a kick of Cayenne, accompanied by Delallo Jumbo Kalamata Olives and Pepperidge Farm Goldfish. Then the fest! Mouthwatering Crab Cakes composed of Dungeness Crab (one from the Seafood Center in San Francisco and another from Bolinas) and delicious Boudin Sourdough Bread, served on inner leaves of Romaine and dressed with Lemon Vinaigrette, along with Sweet Potato Fries. Jordan Russian River Chardonnay was the perfect pairing, both because of its creamy taste and its name, that of Nina’s son. For dessert we delighted in Trader Joe’s Speculoos Cookie Butter Ice Cream and World’s Finest Chocolate Mint Meltaways while discussing next days plans to see Gustav Klimt at the Legion, Teotihuacan at the deYoung and hear U.K. band Stereophonics at The Fillmore and Seal at Davies Symphony Hall. Excitement reigned!