November 2011
29 posts
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isawstephen: On Government Ineptitude and... →
isawstephen:
Just days removed from a national day of gluttony, it seems things got underway a few days earlier in DC. I am still simmering about Congresses new (non) revisions on nutritional standards for school lunches. I am not alone. There were quite a few articles written (one of the best is from…
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isawstephen: Ruminantions on Gastronomy and... →
More than any other I can ever remember, this Thanksgiving was a celebration of the year. And there was a lot to celebrate in my first year in California. Last Thanksgiving I was in Vallecito, California (population 447) on a farm with one of my closest childhood friends. I remember frying turkey outside of his house and feeling very much like it was the beginning of...
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Tragedy in Bhopal: Nopa Host Shares a Firsthand...
If you’re reading this, you’re probably aware that this is a blog for Nopa Restaurant. Nopa, as much as anything, is about people. We are surrounded by intelligent, colorful and generally fantastic people. Our website wasn’t the right place to show this, but we hoped that Tumblr would be a platform to connect readers/diners to these wonderful people. So we started a...
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2009 Vinja Barde Vitovska
When people say they love coming to Nopa to try unusual wines, I often reply that I love working here for the same reason. Vitovska is one of those wines. We added this one a few weeks back, but I felt it needed some Nopalize love.
It’s from Carso, which is the Southeasternmost point in the Northeasternmost point in Italy. Friuli has always been one of my favorite regions, and while this...
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Germain Robin Part 2: Everything By Hand
How many of us really know how whiskey is made? Or spirits in general, even? Although I had an idea going into our visit to Germain Robin, I had no idea what it meant to do every step by hand. Apologies in advance if some of this veers into the realm of “too technical” but I will try to explain as plainly as possible what makes Germain Robin (and Crispin’s Low Gap label) such an...
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Millennial Farmers
Last week, the NY Times posted article on the obstacles facing young farmers. They never quite define “young”, but we have many friends on either side of 30 who could’ve been subjects for this article, so I thought it was worthwhile to share some thoughts.
Starting a farm is a courageous endeavor for a young person. The average age of a farmer in the US is 57. With those...
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“People know what they do; frequently they know why they do what they do; but...”
– Michel Foucault
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Last Night, Joe Montana Came to Nopa
Could there be a better nickname than Joe Cool? Could there possibly be a more iconic figure in SF pop culture than Joe Montana? A resounding no on both accounts. Last night, we learned that Joe Cool still lives up to the nickname. Poor Steffan had to be the one to politely inform Mr. Montana that the Chef’s Counter was being held for reservations. Joe was…cool about it. Persistent...
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Germain Robin Part 1: This is Why We Do What We Do
I am sore. On consecutive nights, I’ve been so exhausted that I feel asleep in front of a computer with my contacts still in. Once while entering sales numbers, once while web-trolling/researching. I have outbreaks of legitimate concern about my fingers and wrists, which have grown cramped and weary from the years of carrying plates and drinks. My best attempts at dating have defaulted to...
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“Youth calls to age across the tired years: ‘What have you found,’ he cries,...”
– mr. thomas
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Chablis Follow Up & Introduction to New Feature
Last week we wrote about the wines of Pattes Loup with a great deal of excitement. If you hung in for that read, you learned that we were on the last days of our Languedoc love affair and marching towards Chablis. We’ve arrived.
I meant to follow up that tasting with an additional post about some of the other Chablis we’re housing, but Chez Panisse and other stuff happened. Just when...
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Return to Chez Panisse: This Time, It Was Love
This was one of the most difficult posts I’ve written or attempted to write in some time. When Chez Panisse is the topic du jour, there is so much to be said. Anyone who has heard me talk about Chez Panisse has willingly engaged in an impassioned (at least) 5 minute soliloquy to what has become one of my favorite restaurants ever.
The problem is I already wrote a very...
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“To be nobody but
yourself in a world
which is doing its best day and night to...”
– ee
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Way Scarier Than Halloween →
The FDA is currently considering an application for genetically engineered (GE) salmon to enter the U.S. food supply. The Massachusetts-based AquaBounty’s, proclaims this creature as a miracle fish that achieves full size at twice the normal speed. To be clear, this is technically a drug not a fish. It is vital that we educate ourselves on matters of public and environmental health and demand...
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The Flavor of Apples and a Sip of Fall →
Rustic Calvados, distilled from cider, can defy our expectations of brandy.
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WatchHere is the interview in its entirety.
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The Funniest Moments Of Michael Pollan & Stephen... →
Last night, Michael Pollan was on the Colbert Report. This video is a highlight reel of his appearance. We are still psyched from his visit to Nopa, but more psyched that he was able to talk about his new book Food Rules to hundreds of thousands of members of “Colbert Nation”.
He does well with Colbert’s prodding and conservative caricature; playing nice while picking and...
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Tasting Chablis from 2009
David Feldstein talks to Nopalese
David Feldstein works for Atherton Wine Imports. He is an eccentric man, Burgundy enthusiast and longtime friend of the restaurant. David spends most of his time in Paris, remaining within striking distance to many of the vineyards and producers that he sells here in the States. Atherton is well known for their portfolio of fine Burgundy and is the direct and...
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This is what we're doing
…for fresh writing on ancient topics; or mature prose observing the sprouts of radical ideas; raw information about sustainable growth and breaking down organic matter; seasonal perspectives on change and transformation; fire; attempts to digest the indigestible; or perhaps harsh posts on the rocks or by the fence over the battles of food and politics; or maybe subtle musings with...
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