Young Foodies

By Marilyn Hunter

Gen Z. Multi-tasking, digital generation born into technology. Bold. Hungry. Curious. They text, walk, talk and even eat simultaneously.

It never ceases to amaze me how much more advanced my kids’ palates are than mine when I was a kid. Truth be told, now they’re probably more discerning with nuanced flavors than Andrew and me.

Reality struck during dinner at a local restaurant known for its molecular gastronomy- inspired menu. Chef José Andrés blends the culinary arts and sciences at The Bazaar. It’s fun, whimsical and experimental…traditional Spanish tapas served alongside “modern” ones, which are molecular versions of small plates. Both traditional and modern tapas are prepared with such genius they can be shared bite by bite. Iberico ham, Manchego cheese and verdial olives are served alongside foie gras lollipops wrapped in spun ivory-colored cotton candy.

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Chocolate = Love

By Andrew Hunter

Chocolate is the nectar of the Gods and it helps convey our sentiments for each other, especially when paired with flowers on Valentine’s Day. Chocolate is a cure-all for matters of the mind, body and heart. It brings joy, laughter and delight, no matter your age. For the boys, it’s a salve for skinned knees, a tonic for hurt feelings and a reward for any job well done!

As the boys are busy making “Happy Valentines” for their classmates and special gifts for secret admirers, Marilyn and I are busy whipping up a batch of chocolate mousse. We’ve decided to ditch the store-bought chocolates in red heart boxes this year for this fabled homemade chocolate classic that everyone loves.

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B,L,D,D Apple Fondue

By Katie Barreira

Whether you’re picking from the tree or the produce aisle, apples are in abundance and fondue is a fun and easy way to eat ‘em up. So dunk your favorite variety into a cauldron of steaming sauce for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert!

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Fresh Nectarine Galettes

By Allison Kociuruba

Living in the San Francisco Bay Area, we have quite a few houseguests. And by quite a few, I actually mean a LOT. It’s the blessing (and curse) of living in a popular travel destination.

Truthfully, I love it. We live far away from family and most friends so I relish in entertaining familiar faces and sharing the hidden gems of the Northern California coast.

Because we often eat out with guests, I don’t get to cook as much as I’d like, so I try to surprise everyone with baked treats when they wake up. I’ve done the yeast-risen cinnamon bun thing but setting the alarm to wake up over an hour before everyone else was not much fun, so my latest trick is these fresh fruit galettes.

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Boyhood Evolution

By Andrew Hunter

My youngest one is growing up – at a whopping 3 foot 4 and 38 pounds, Nick no longer introduces himself as “Nic-a-yis.” He’s moving up to kindergarten, has plenty to say about all matters of fact (his lovely teacher, Ms. Britton, thinks the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree), plays second base on his T-ball team, loves to sing and dance, and believes in community service. As he grows in dimension, he’s also forming his own sensibility about food and eating.

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