Stephanie Simos Photography

Stephanie is a food stylist and photographer based in San Francisco but constantly exploring. Nooks & Crannies is a space for both the wonders of eating around this world and the comforts of a place called home. Celebrating the art of slow living and farm to table no matter the locale.

Smitten | A Story of Ice Cream Scientists & Handmade Everything

Stephanie Simos1 Comment

It all started with a morning of eating ice cream for breakfast at Smitten on California Street in San Francisco. Little did I know this simple, indulgent Friday morning would turn into my favorite project yet.

Smitten features made-to-order ice cream with the purest of ingredients. One minute you are looking at fresh seasonal ingredients from farms around the Bay Area and the next minute, you have the smoothest and creamiest ice cream your little heart could desire. Their secret? Liquid nitrogen. Using patented technology and a machine called Brrr, liquid nitrogen brings the ingredients down to -321° Fahrenheit and voilà, ice cream! Smitten is literally the coolest ice cream company in the world. All without any additives or preservatives to extend shelf life. Nothing weird. Nothing you can't pronounce. Just local, seasonal ingredients. Brrristas literally make the ice cream right in front of you. Even the ice cream cones and sauces are made from scratch in their tiny kitchens. 

Smitten is deeply committed to sustainable sourcing and supporting local farmers is part of their core values. Let's just say, this project was not an accident. I have the utmost respect for companies who chose to operate this way. I respect Smitten and I chose to support them with my photography, my patronage, and a little piece of my heart.  It is worth noting that I did this project of my own volition. While they graciously gave me the ice cream, Smitten did not ask me to do this project. Since it is not officially sponsored, I can only hope I did justice to their brand.

Lemons are zested and juiced in-house and then given a kick with some gingersnaps. A absolutely perfect combination of sweet and tart. I used some linen I bought in Italy last year and found this vintage ice cream scoop at a prop studio in Potrero Hill. Don't overlook those flowers in the corner! I chose geranium daffodils to go with the lemon and ginger color scheme. Aren't they the cutest?

In the spirit of supporting local, their organic milk and cream come from happy cows in Sonoma and Marin. The head hunter-gatherer (aka procurement lead) and I had and an interesting discussion about whether or not the roaming elk herds in Point Reyes have had an impact on their dairy cows. The elk herds are knocking down cattle fences and threatening their grazing territory. As of our conversation, Smitten wasn't aware of any direct impacts. But they were looking into it. I think that is so cool. I care about answers to these questions. It might sound trite, but this is exactly the kind of information I want to know, even when I'm simply enjoying a scoop of ice cream. Other seasonal ingredients are delivered throughout the week from local farmers to their two (soon to be four) locations in San Francisco and their rapidly growing contingent of shops throughout California. 

During our morning of eating ice cream for breakfast, Smitten explained to me why there wasn't any Fresh Mint Chip on the menu this winter. Well, it turns out all the rain brought on by El Niño has been tough on the local mint crops. Farmers just haven't been able to product the quantity and quality that we are used to here in the Bay Area. Rather than compromise their dedicated local supply chain, Smitten decided to pull Fresh Mint Chip off the menu until the crops had a chance to recover. This upset some (many) customers. But for those of us with perspective, it was just the company staying committed to their local, sustainable sourcing principals. Respect. And don't worry everyone, mint crops have recovered and Fresh Mint Chip is back on the menu. 

In addition to partnering with local farmers, Smitten partners with Berkeley-based TCHO Chocolate to create whole barrage of chocolatey goodness, including TCHO 60.5% Chocolate ice cream, TCHO chocolate sauce, and little TCHO crispies to go on top of your favorite ice cream flavor. Can you think of a more delicious partnership? 

For me, this photo shoot meant a two week transformation of my kitchen into the scene of an ice cream sundae party. Smitten delivered one of their famous sundae kits to our apartment and it was my goal to make it look as tempting as possible. Smitten's brand is a mix of cutting end technology and the traditions of simpler times when business wasn't so transactional. In the beginning, owner Robyn Sue Fisher, would cart her high tech liquid nitrogen machine around San Francisco in a Radio Flyer wagon. So my goal was to focus on the juxtaposition of light and dark, old and new, rustic and modern. I played with a rustic wood tabletop, little wood bowls and tiny brass dishes, my all-time favorite, Pallarès Solsona kitchen knife, and pewter. A whole lot of pewter. I even went to a prop studio to find a thoughtful collection of spoons. My favorite spoon of all was a Japanese taka spoon with hammered silver and twine wrapped around the handle. Without a doubt, you will see that spoon again. I also found a couple of beautiful ice cream scoops that embodied the juxtaposition I was going for.

This was the first time I worked with ice cream. It was different than any other project I've worked on and I learned a tremendous amount. Most importantly, I learned that planning is everything. Since ice cream has this tendency to melt, I really had to plan every scene, from spoon placement all the way to where and how the Smitten brand was going to appear. I had to test and perfect the lighting for each scene before I dared even open the freezer. Normally, you can place the food and props and adjust after a few shots if you need to. You can test lighting and then adjust the camera if you need to. But not if ice cream is the star of your show. Maybe, just maybe, this little lesson in planning will benefit me exponentially on future shoots. Below you can see a before and after shot demonstrating my planning process. 

I also had the rude awakening that scooping technique matters. I couldn't just will the ice cream into perfect little scoops. I had to learn the technique used by sous chefs. It turns out hot water is the secret weapon. So I always had a pot of boiling water on the stove and dipped the ice cream scoop when it was time to spring into action. A heated scoop melts the ice cream ever so slightly so you can really dig in. Then the water acts as a lubricant. Just be sure to redip after each scoop and shake off excess water before you plunge into the carton.

This project also meant a celebration of seasonal ingredients. I played with two pounds of organic strawberries, a dozen organic lemons, as many ginger stems as I could carry, and more than a few bundles of fresh mint. The best part? Sharing all this abundance with my fiancé. We even asked my mom and dad to join us for a sundae party. They were more than happy to oblige. And if Smitten were to ask me to do this all over again, I would also be more than happy to oblige. Just for the record. Just so we're clear.

Smitten's famous ice cream sundae kit! They deliver. I repeat, they deliver. 

Buon Appetito | A Story of Market Shopping in Italy

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I found this lovely bicycle parked outside a market in Florence and wished with every fiber of my being that it was mine. This - this right here - is la dolce vita. It was late afternoon and I took advantage of the long shadows to bring focus to the handle bars. I love how the bright green plant connects with dull green on the gently used bag. 

No matter what city my fiancé and I arrive in, one of the first things we do is find the nearest market and fill our apartment with beautiful food. Our trip to Italy this past fall was no exception. We were lucky enough to wander markets all over Italy - from Positano in the south all the way to Verona in the north and many cities, big and small, along the way. For now I will highlight the markets of Florence, Venice, and Rome. But feel free to write to me about any other cities you are interested in visiting and I will do my best to help you find the best markets and local chefs. It is my pleasure to share how we nourished our bodies amidst all the temptation in Italy, without sacrificing taste and experience one bit. 

Staying in apartments is one way we stay strong in our conviction for healthy eating while on the road. Having a kitchen allows us to take advantage of market shopping in a way that is authentic to the country we are staying in. Each country has their own market nuances and understanding them helps us connect to the culture and the locals on a whole new level. In Italy, you have to weigh everything in the produce section before getting in line to pay. It only takes one embarrassing encounter with a passionate and expressive Italian cashier to learn this lesson. 

Sure, staying in apartments means we have to do a few dishes on vacation. But if you pay attention to subtle differences, you can start to see how culture creeps its way even into these mundane, everyday tasks. You start to understand what it would be like to actually live in that country. For example, in Italy, you don't have nearly the variety of dish soap as you do in the United States. We always had the same dish soap when I lived on Via Ricasoli in Florence many years ago and every time I have visited Italy since, the soap has been in the same in every kitchen. The smell brings back very fond memories and it helps me settle into the notion that I am not doing dishes in my kitchen in San Francisco. I am here, in Italy, and I am so lucky. 

FLORENCE

A little corner of our pomegranate garden. I took this photo just after a deluge of rain, making the greens bright and the space between spaces nice and dark. Mother Nature did most of the work for me here, so I just dropped ISO and sped up the shutter to celebrate the contrasts.

We stayed in Florence for a long time and rented a charming garden apartment near Santa Croce. The garden aspect of this apartment was something I really looked forward to. From the streets in the city centre of Florence, you can't see any gardens. All you see are tall, narrow apartment buildings, one after the other. The idea of gardens being tucked away behind these ancient apartment buildings was so exciting to me. After all, I do love nooks and crannies. Since this would be our home for a week or so, the market shopping I did here was actually at good ole fashioned grocery stores. And they did not disappoint. For breakfast I picked up farm fresh eggs (look for "azienda"), arugula, parmigiano reggiano, and sausage to scramble together. You can buy pre-packaged and pre-cooked sausage to make things faster in morning, but we prefer to buy the ones made fresh by the butcher that morning. Thankfully, you don't have to go to a separate butcher shop to get great meat in Italy. Most grocery stores have a butcher onsite and, as you would expect from Italians, they take this stuff seriously. I also picked out some cabbage and peppers to use instead of arugula on some mornings. 

Simple grocery store lunch of farro salad and cured meat. The plates and basket you see belonged to our host (lucky me) and I found the natural linen at a shop in Positano. I took this photo on my iPhone so I had to let natural light do all the work for me. I love the dark shadows created by the basket of eggs and folds in the linen fabric. 

My favorite lunch dish was just about the easiest thing you could imagine. Every grocery store seemed to prepare a farro salad. It wasn't a leafy green salad, but more like a melange of farro, ham, vegetables, and black and green olives. Farro is not gluten free, but it contains considerably less gluten than other wheat products and is generally a lot easier on the digestive system. We often enjoyed this salad along with some cured meat and perhaps a boiled egg if we were particularly hungry. Since our apartment had a garden, coming home to eat was not only a charming experience, but it was also a reprieve from the crowds. 

We almost always had dinner reservations, so we finished off most days with wonderful food prepared by someone else (WHERE WE ATE | Italy - Part I and Part II).

My point in starting this list with grocery stores is that food shopping doesn't always have to be as glamorous as farmers markets. Farmers markets are a luxury to me and when I can shop in them, I certainly do. But that doesn't mean I turn my nose up at grocery stores. Not only is feeding yourself from grocery stores a great way to stay healthy, but it is also a great way to surround yourself with locals. There is something very authentic about doing your shopping where the average Italian does their shopping. 

VENICE

Our apartment in Venice was almost too good to be true. It had one of those front doors that you would see and instantly think "Italy". I smiled every time I put my key in the lock. It also had enormous windows that opened up to one of the main calle near the Rialto. But perhaps the best part was its proximity to the Rialto market. Every day I wandered to this market to pick out plums for breakfast or snacks for the day. I wish we had enough time to cook with the incredible seafood we saw. Thankfully, chicchetti (think tapas) are very much a part of Venetian culture. So at every bàcari, we chose seafood. For more on Venetian restaurants, visit Where We Ate - Italy Part II.

As you can see, there is an incredible variety of fruit and vegetables, many of which are grown on one of the city's lesser known islands. I found purple cabbage and pink string beans, deep red nectarines and golden zucchini flowers. I found bright green apples and classic tomatoes. And not only is the city of Venice otherworldly, but so is its seafood. In addition to sardines, clams, shrimp, and crabs, you can find moscardini (baby octopus), a personal favorite of mine, squid, and cuttlefish soaking in its own ink. You will also find fish mongers proudly displaying their biggest catches of the day. I was lucky to visit on a morning when a giant swordfish was caught. It was one of the most incredible fish I have ever seen (see photo at right/above). 

If you slow down and pay attention to the market, you can actually see the connection between what the fisherman caught that morning and the specials restaurants are serving that evening. Most seafood will be very simple so you can enjoy the tastes of the lagoon. You may also find traces of ancient spice routes like star anise and green peppercorns. The Rialto market has been selling fish and produce for over 700 years and sustainability has been engrained ever since. Now that is my kind of market!

It just so happens that one of my favorite food writers is from Venice. From My Dining Table will regale you will tales of living in Venice and cooking traditional, family-inspired meals. I met Skye in Brooklyn last spring and I have been following her work ever since. She takes the most beautiful photographs and her writing really makes you understand la bea vita di Venezia (the beautiful life of Venice).

ROME

The abundance of fall on our dining room table. I found this olive wood spoon at Mercado Centrale in Florence and was excited to use it for the first time while in Italy. I found the blue and white linen in Venice and I thought it would contrast nicely with the red and orange tones of the currants and zucchini flowers. Of all the lovely things, my favorite part of this photo is the linen placemat on the left. The color blends into the wood table, but I love the texture it adds. 

During our trip, the abundance of fall was on full display at Campo de' Fiori, Rome's biggest and most famous farmers market. This market has more tourists than I generally care for, but this is where getting up early pays off. I love getting an early start to watch the city wake up poco a poco, little by little. You can witness the vendors setting up their stalls, the shopkeepers opening their doors. You can appreciate the smells of espresso brewing and fresh bread baking. Early in the morning, you can feel the heartbeat and rhythm of the city. 

The market was bursting with zucchini flowers, figs, the deepest of blue plums, nectarines, and my personal favorite, red currants. I didn't quite know what to cook with all these delectables, but I knew I had to play with them. So I had a dreamy morning of food styling in the kitchen of our apartment. The owner of the apartment was a painter and her space was every bit as artistic as she was. Her kitchen was full of old bowls, trinkets, and apothecaries that had been in her family her years. But even more important than the props were the conversations we had. She referred to me as an artist and this is the first time I thought about myself in this way. I think often about the conversations I had with this wonderful woman in broken English. Maybe I really am an artist at heart. I already look forward to returning to Rome and to this kitchen. If you are interested in details about the apartment, write to me and let me know. I will gladly share details with people who will appreciate and honor the space as much as we did. 

Flowers from Campo de' Fiori on our dining room table. This was unplanned, but I love how the blush color of our carpet connects with the pink flower tips. I pointed the bouquet towards our window so I could drop the ISO for a darker image, but not lose any of the flower details. 

One of the reasons I love Campo de' Fiori is the variety of items you can find there. It goes far beyond vegetables and produce. There are spice makers, wood carvers, cheese mongers, and florists. All the fioristi (florists) were clustered together in one corner of the market and I took my time selecting a bouquet for our apartment. It is hard to tell from the photo to the right, but those stems were nearly three feet tall. It was the tallest bouquet I have ever made. I ended up having to display them horizontally in a basket because they were too heavy to stand upright. The flowers filled our apartment for the days we stayed in the city and when we left, I gave them to our host as a thank-you gift.  

For dinner in Rome, we made a lot of salads - in part because we had just eaten our way through the Piemonte region and needed a break from heavy Italian food, but also because the Fall season brings so much bounty. Salads are a great way to take advantage of that bounty. Campo de' Fiori is great for perusing and picking up a few beautiful treats here and there, but again most of our shopping was done at the tiny market around the corner from our apartment. We got to know the owners during our stay and it was a pleasure visiting every evening. At this market, I picked out a few different kinds greens, more farro, and chicken (by this point we needed a break from cured meats). I also picked out some olives and quinoa to switch things up and a bit of pecorino cheese. The plums, figs, and nectarines you see in the photo above were used to augment our breakfasts and salads and they made great afternoon snacks as well. 

Finalmente, I would like to share a photo from our final morning in Rome and, in my humble opinion, it is the best photo I've taken to date. It is dark, yet you can see the morning light starting to peek through our curtains. This is my favorite time of day. I had clipped a few of those gorgeous flowers very short so we could have some on our dining room table. Here in this quiet moment before a bustling day in Rome, I was able to be slow and take a breath. If you take time to share coffee with your loved ones before starting the day, gratitude has a chance to settle in. In true Italian fashion, you can practice la dolce far niente. The sweetness of doing nothing. Arrivederci, Italia. It won't be long until we meet again. 

It is hard for me to pinpoint exactly why I love this photo so much. Maybe because it is somehow symbolic of all our mornings in Italy. Maybe it's because these objects are not mine, but they somehow serendipitously found me. Maybe it is because I love the light or maybe it's the memories of my morning at Campo de' Fiori picking out those flowers. I suppose the reason doesn't really matter. I'm just going to let it remind me to slow down and take time for appreciation. 

WHERE WE ATE | Italy - Part II

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As my fiancé and I travel the world in search of nooks, crannies, and beautiful food, Italy continues to hold a special place in my heart. The love affair began many years ago when I lived in Siena and Florence during college and has continued over the years as I traveled back with family, friends, and the love of my life. It is a country that continues to teach me lessens. Each time I visit, I get more and more accustomed to la dolce far niente, the sweetness of doing nothing. I am reminded how beautiful it is to slow down and appreciate the abundance in this world. Whether it be in a quiet caffé corner or a bustling piazza, I am able to reconnect with a more peaceful version of myself. 

It is with great pleasure that I continue sharing culinary adventures from a month spent in Italy this past fall. My first Italy eat list covers Positano and Tuscany, including Florence, Siena, and Greve. Now we move north through Alba, the birthplace of the Slow Food Movement, to Venice, a city that never ceases to amaze me, and finally back south to Rome, a place where all roads lead.

As I mentioned in Part I, I did not know I was going to create a list like this before we left for Italy. The idea came to me in the middle of our trip while I was eating a sizzling, stone-cooked steak in the home of Chef Filippo (see Filippo Oste in Albaretto below). So I regrettably do not have photos of all these meals to share with you. I do, however, have many photos of the surrounding areas. So I will share a mix of photos this time and I promise to be more focused next time around. And there most certainly will be a next time around. Ci vediamo, Italia and buon appetito, my friends! 

ALBA

•Wineries - The Piemonte region is not only known as the birthplace of slow food, but it is also home to some of the most beautiful wine this world has to offer. So, basically, heaven on earth. Here Barolo and Barbaresco wines reign supreme and the wine makers I met were less than impressed when I bragged about growing up on the border of the famed Napa and Sonoma valleys. In fact, one of the wine makers laughed and called Napa "the flatlands". If you are familiar with the rolling hills of Napa, this might be hard to wrap your head around. But I have never seen hills like those in the outskirts of Alba. I am not exaggerating when I say it is dizzying to look out at the cresting hills and the grapevines weaving their way up, down, over, and across. Photos will never do it justice. You will just have to go and see for yourself. You should know that this experience is very (very) different than what you would find in Napa or Sonoma. Most of the wineries are family-run and tasting rooms are often in the homes of wine makers. You cannot just show up for a tasting. The experience is far too intimate for that. My advice would be to reach out to a few families before your trip and let them know you are interested in visiting. You will have to do some relationship building. But trust me, your experience will be worth the effort. 

View from Rivella Serafino winery

•Osteria dell'Arco - Michelin recommended and at the heart of the slow food movement. This place was doing farm to table long before it was cool. The food is simple and fresh - the kind of simple and fresh that only Italians understand. We opted for the chef's tasting menu, which included carne cruda (raw beef) and local coniglio (rabbit) from Turino. Make reservations.

•Filippo Oste in Albaretto - An intimate dining experience in the home of Chef Filippo. This was possibly my favorite dining experience to date. It is a quiet, slow experience and only for those who truly appreciate the culinary arts and the slow food movement. There was a fireplace with rabbit turning on a spit and all the charm of an Italian home that has cared for multiple generations of this family. On a cold evening in Alba, miles away from home, it is really hard to explain how truly special it was to be in this place. I recommend the chef's tasting menu and don't overlook the tajarin (egg pasta). Tajarin is a great way to cut down on gluten when you are eating pasta. It is made with a ratio of 40 egg yokes to every kilogram of flour. Reservations are a must and plan ahead because there are only a few seatings each night.  

VENEZIA

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•Osteria Antico Dolo - A family-run osteria and bacaro serving traditional Venetian dishes. We enjoyed this little spot so much, we came back a second time. Both times we had the pumpkin gnocchi. Not only was pumpkin in peak season while we were there, but it is a fantastic way to cut down on gluten while still enjoying a pasta-like experience. And if you ask me, it was much more delicious than regular gnocchi. We also enjoyed many of their cicchetti, which are essentially Venetian tapas. Think lots of seafood, olives, and cured meats. 

•Osteria Antico Giardinetto - Another family-run osteria (are you sensing a theme here?) near the Rialto Market. Chef Virgilio makes all dishes himself and they are mostly fish-centric. The name comes from a charming garden that is covered and heated during the winter. So don't skip it if you are there in the off-season. Definitely make reservations if you want to sit outside. 

Caffe Vergnano; Whole milk cappuccino

•Caffe Vergnano - This canal-side shop has been making espresso in Venice since 1882. Think about that for a second. That's well over a hundred years of coffee experience. I spent countless hours in this space - sometimes reading, sometimes drawing, and sometimes just sitting there. My fiancé and I both loved their cappuccinos. There is an indoor space as well as a large number of tables along the canal. But don't overlook the little nook upstairs. It is a perfect reprieve from the crowded fondamenti.

•Gelateria Alaska - As I mentioned in Part I of our eat list, while we have strong convictions for healthy eating, we always plan for a few thoughtful deviations. There was no way I was going to Italy and not eating gelato. We just find gelato that is made daily in-house and contains only simple ingredients like whole milk and fruit. For a description of Gelateria Alaska, I am going to use the words from my friends at Lonely Planet because I think they do a perfect job. "Outlandish organic artisanal gelato. Enjoy a Slow Food scoop of house-roasted local pistachio, or two of the tangy Sicilian lemon with vaguely minty Sant'Erasmo carciofi. Or perhaps you're more a star anise, cardamom or green tea kind of gelatista? Even vegans are spoiled for choice of flavors, including watermelon and rose." Yours truly was there in just the right season and enjoyed a scoop of plum and a scoop of fig. The two didn't necessarily go so well together, but I simply couldn't choose between the two. Magnifico! 

ROMA

•Ginger - The "San Francisco" in me was completely geeking out/trying to figure out how to open one of these in the city I call home. Ginger is definitely a breakaway from the traditional Italian bistro, but still not to be missed. We enjoyed a colorful salad with smoked salmon, mango, and pumpkin seeds. We also had octopus carpaccio and some smoothies. Octopus is one of my favorite ways to test the quality of a restaurant. This octopus was raw (obviously) and still not the slightest bit chewy. Molto impressionante! The restaurant itself is covered in fresh, vibrant vegetables and cured meats hang seductively from the ceiling. It is bright, open, and simply gorgeous. 

•This list for Rome is really short and there's a good reason for it. We cooked almost all of our food in Rome and not once did we feel like we were missing something by skipping the restaurant scene. I am a huge fan of shopping at markets while aboard and cooking in a way that is authentic to the area we are traveling in. I will touch on that in my next piece on marking shopping in Italy. It will highlight markets in Florence, Venice, and Rome. The photos below are a sneak peek from my dreamy day at Campo de' Fiori in Rome. Stay tuned for more musings and some of the best photos I think I've ever taken. 

WHERE WE ATE | Italy - Part I

Stephanie SimosComment

Florence, Italy; View of Palazzo Vecchio from Giotto's Campanile. 

One of my favorite things about life is traveling the world with my fiancé in search of nooks, crannies, and beautiful food. When we plan these journeys, we don’t spend time researching the sites, monuments, or main attractions. Rather we prepare by studying maps and researching where we are going to eat and drink. When we study maps, we are learning about neighborhoods so we can find an apartment in an area we connect with. We are also studying public transportation and major streets because the last thing we want to do is constantly pull out a map or an iPhone any time we want to go somewhere. We want the freedom of understanding a city and how to get around. [Note: it helps that my fiancé is a borderline savant and can memorize streets, directions, etc. after a few minutes of study]. But most importantly, we prepare for these journeys by figuring out how we are going to nourish our bodies while eating and drinking as deliciously as possible. In general, we are gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free. Being able to stick with our healthy convictions while on the road takes time and preparation – especially when you factor in our high standards for culinary experience. We want to find the restaurants and cafes that are going to nourish our bodies while at the same time refuse to sacrifice taste and experience. We want to find chefs that honor family traditions as well as local, seasonal eating. We want to find coffee roasters that value sourcing and care about where their beans come from. This kind of preparation takes time, but it is always worth it. Connecting with these individuals and establishments is consistently a highlight of our trips. It allows us to understand culture at such a more intimate level. It helps us appreciate this world and all the nourishment it has to offer.

We spent almost all of September wandering around Italy, from the Amalfi Coast in the south all the way to Verona in the north and many cities, big and small, along the way. So it is with great pleasure that I share my first ever “Where We Ate” list – Italy edition.

A few notes. This list does not represent the newest, trendiest restaurants (though occasionally one of those may be included). Many will never be on the Michelin or Pellegrino lists. For the most part, they are under the radar; sometimes they are just a guy with a skillet and sometimes bigger establishments with live music or adjoining flower shops. Sometimes there are other tourists, many times there are not. I included a wide variety. After all, variety is the spice of life.

While we are strong in our conviction for healthy eating, we do let go every once in a while. There was no way I was going to Italy and not eating gelato. And cappuccinos are one of my favorite indulgences, so that is definitely worth the dairy intake. The point is, when we indulge, we are still conscious of what we are putting in our bodies. We find gelato that is made daily in-house and contains only simple ingredients like whole milk and fruit. I take my cappuccinos from a cafe that roasts in-house and I only order whole milk (more natural, less sugar). The list below includes a few thoughtful deviations from our normal practices.

Finally, I did not know I was going to do something like this before we left for Italy. This idea came to me some time in the middle of our adventure while I was eating a gorgeous steak in the home of a chef in Alba (a small town in the wine region of Piemonte). So I do not have photos of all these meals to share with you. I do, however, have many photos of the surrounding areas. So I will share a mix of photos this time and I promise to be more focused next time around. I hope this list inspires you to curate your next trip in a different way. Did I miss any places? Is there a restaurant or café you would add to this list? Write to me and let me know!

POSITANO

Spiaggia Grande; Positano, Italy

•Donna Rosa - Located just outside of Positano in the hillside of Montepertuso, this restaurant has been in the family for many generations and the entire family still works here. The granddaughter of Rosa (namesake) is now the head chef. She studied with Jamie Oliver in London, so that tells you something about the quality. The food is simple, clean, and healthy. The steamed sea bass melted in my mouth. Make reservations. Also, do yourself a favor and take the bus here. It is incredible to watch how the bus drivers navigate narrow streets up the mountain. 

Case e Bottega; Seasonal salad with Parma ham, figs, melon, and burrata cheese. Topped with fresh herbs as well as olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  

•Case e Bottega - This place is as charming as it gets. Very bright space with beautiful, nourishing food. The salads are enormous and bursting with seasonal goodies. The chefs go out of their way to create a beautiful dining experience and you can even watch them prepare your food. The juices are fresh and not loaded with sugar.  It is very small but they do not take reservations. Be prepared for a wait.

•If we had more time: La Terra - From what we heard, La Terra epitomizes local, seasonal eating. The menu features vegetables grown in their garden and fresh daily seafood caught just off the shores of the Almalfi Coast. Lots of vegetarian options too. 

FIRENZE

La Ménagère;Whole milk cappuccino

•La Ménagère - This place! My goodness, this place. Here we have the reigning queen of my worldwide cafe list. The inside is so beautiful my jaw dropped the first time I walked in. I came here every morning for a cappuccino and some times again later in the day. In addition to daily cappuccinos, we had a very healthy brunch and while we didn't make it for their full dinner menu, the enormous communal table was enough to make me wish we did. Don't miss the jazz club in the basement where they feature live artists and a special tapas menu. There is also a flower shop and a curated home goods shop. There is so much to appreciate in one space, no wonder I came here every day. No reservations are required for the cafe, but definitely make them for dinner. Jazz shows are small and intimate, so arrive early.

•Culinaria De Gustibus Bistrot - All the food served here comes from small, organic farms that are located in the region. The owner's motto is that if you can't reach the source by bicycle, they won't serve it. Their goal is to connect farmers with consumers and create a community of people who appreciate sustainable eating. Can I eat here everyday, please? The highlights for us were dishes cooked in tagines (North African clay pots).

•Quelo Bar - A healthy hidden gem in the middle of Florence! The space is quiet and cool and the salads were delicious. We were able to pick our own ingredients for juice and it was made right in front of us. I opted for a carrot, ginger, lemon concoction. 

Gelateria la Carraia; Pistachio gelato along the Arno.

•Gelateria la Carraia - La Carraia is now on the second generation of family ownership. The gelato is made fresh daily in-house and still in the tradition of homemade, small-batch gelato. The seasonal flavors range from fresh watermelon in summer to panettone for Christmas. I loved eating the pistachio gelato (made entirely with pistachios from Sicily) while sitting along the banks of the Arno with my feet hanging over the bridge. We went back more than once. Skip the cone to cut down on some of the bad stuff. 

•Trattoria Sostanza - Epitome of simple, clean Italian eating! There were more tourists than I I generally care for, but there were many locals too. It is a simple establishment with no frills and delicious, healthy food. If you looked around the restaurant, everyone was eating the petti di pollo al burro (butter chicken) and the bistecca alla Fiorentina (Florence-style steak). Reservations required.

Ditta Artigianale; Whole milk cappuccino

•Ditta Artigianale - A coffee lover's dreamland! I was very excited to meet Ditta. After all, he is the barista who trained everyone at La Ménagère and he is making quite the name for himself as a roaster. Brooklyn meets Italy in this ultra cool space and often times Ditta himself is behind the espresso machine. He challenged me to name my favorite coffee roaster in San Francisco (he had heard of them all). Finally, I landed on Ritual Coffee Roasters and promised him I would return one day.

•Mercado Centrale - Heaven on earth! This is an indoor marketplace filled with artisan Italian food. There are even a few home goods shops that are run by artisan traders with items that are sustainable and environmentally conscious. This is a great opportunity to connect with cheese mongers and butchers. If it is raining in Florence, head here but be prepared for the chaos. I promise, it's worth it. 

SIENA

•Caffè Alfieri - This cafe has a special place in my heart because it is where I had my very first espresso. It is amazing to think how many hours have been spent in cafes since then...There is a massive garden in the back that most people don't know is there. See inset below (right) for a view from the garden. Great place to recharge and take a break from the crowds.

Antica Trattoria Papei; Wild boar pasta (pappardelle al cinghiale)

•Antica Trattoria Papei - The wild boar pasta (pappardelle al cinghiale) is my favorite pasta in Italy! I have been coming to this restaurant for years, every time I am in Siena. Nothing has changed over the years and I couldn't be happier. I prefer not to try forcing food into being gluten free if it is not inherently gluten free (often the replacement ingredients are even worse). So if I am going to eat pasta, again it will be made in-house with simple fresh ingredients. 

GREVE

•Antica Macelleria Falorni - Greve is a very easy day trip from Florence. If you arrive early enough, you can avoid the hordes of tourists that come to drink chianti and visit Falorni, the world famous butcher shop. Falorni makes an incredible variety of salamis, many that I've never heard of. We tasted salame piccante, salame nobile, salame all' aroma di tartufo, and of course, salami al chianti classico. We had an enormous charcuterie plate along with some salads for lunch. Does life get any better than this? We may or may not have smuggled home a bunch of salame and possibly a ham hock...

COMING ON PART II

  • ALBA
  • VENEZIA
  • ROMA

INSPIRATION

  • Girl in Florence - By far and away my favorite travel and food blog for Italy. 
  • Lonely Planet - I know what you're thinking: a travel company? But seriously, we have been impressed. We find that city-specific books are much better than the books covering an entire country. In other words, we purchased, the Venice, Almalfi Cost, and Rome books rather than the "Italy" book.

Le Marais | Submission for The Infatuation | #EEEEEATS

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Le Marais Bistro + Bakery is not perfect. And I’m not going to pretend like it is. But I have this theory (stay with me). If you recognize something has flaws and decide to love it anyway, your love will run deeper than it would for perfection. And my love for Le Marais runs deep – about as deep as those sumptuous latte bowls.

To truly appreciate this establishment, you must separate the bakery and the bistro. The pastries are perfection. The croissants, pain au chocolats, danishes, etc. are all made with locally-milled organic flours and European style butter. Did someone say “Kouign-amann”? Move over croissants, everyone in San Francisco is over it.

The Kouign-amann is so special it gets its own little napkin cloud. 

The tarts are filled with the smoothest vanilla pastry cream and covered in farm fresh local fruit. I will have the blackberry cream choux, please. Or maybe, since it has been outrageously warm in San Francisco lately, I will have the cold lemon meringue tartlette. You can always choose from a rainbow of macaroons and I challenge you to resist a warm Nutella croissant bicolore. They don't happen every day, but when they do...

I enjoyed the millet bread with ricotta cheese, sprouts, and watermelon radishes. HELLO HAPPINESS.

The loaves of bread are hand-shaped using traditional French methods and are fermented for seventeen hours before baking. Every day you can choose from quite the assortment ranging from traditional baguettes all the way to seasonal loaves filled with fruits and nuts.  The millet loaf was so heavy, you could break a window with it. Not that I tried that or anything.

In case I haven't convinced you yet, let's move on to the coffee. At Le Marais, Stumptown reigns King and this makes me happier than getting a seat on Muni. The latte bowls are perfectly balanced with smooth, frothy milk and strong espresso flavor. I was also delighted to have a somewhat dry cappuccino and a real macchiato (not like whatever Starbucks is doing these days, but a real macchiato). Truly, the baristas here know what is takes to make a good espresso. Pro tip: You can ask the barista to make your mocha with chocolate made fresh that morning by the pastry chefs. It's hard to beat this, even in Paris. 

Stumptown latte bowl! Need I say more?

Once you cross the great divide (imaginary wall between the bakery and the bistro), the charm breaks down a bit. The bistro menu features breakfast items like granola, quiche, bacon and gruyere toast as well as some French classics like croque madame and croque monsieur. The dinner menu includes items like wild salmon tartine and pain au jambon. All lovely enough. But the general attitude on this side of the house rivals that of Paris and they seem to struggle with service a bit. Things can look and feel a bit disorganized. Who is taking your coffee order versus your pastry order? And why is this a different person than the person I order off the menu from? Am I allowed to sit with my coffee and pastries? Or is the bistro only for people ordering off the menu? The cafe and the bistro even have different operating hours. It all requires a little too much thought for me. I have actually never taken the time to sit down and order bistro food. Maybe that's saying something considering I stop by for a coffee at least a few times every week. But I have read Yelp. And it’s not pretty. You know what is pretty? A Stumptown latte in a giant bowl. Have I already mentioned the coffee? Awkward.

The point is, the coffee and pastries are out of this world. The Bistro? Not so much. Maybe this tiny little spot is trying to do too much. Rumor has it owners Patrick Ascaso and Joanna Pulcini have plans to open a full-fledged Le Marais Bistro near Ghirardelli Square in early 2016. A little birdie told me this location will be much more focused on brunch, lunch, and dinner and will feature an expanded cocktail list. Hopefully this means the Chestnut location can ditch the fine dining and focus on what it does best: coffee and pastries. Life in the deep Marina has been rough given the lack of options for coffee and lounging. We could use somewhere to sit and stay awhile. Perhaps Le Marais can fill this void. I am doing my part to aggressively support the cafe part of this business and drop subtle hints about the bistro. They can’t ignore me forever. Rest easy folks, yours truly is on the job.

BREAKING NEWS: On October 6th, 2015, Stumptown announced it was purchased by coffee juggernaut, Peet's. Will this change things? WILL IT? I am nervous and scared like when I see the trailer for San Andreas. Given its humble roots in Berkeley, I think we can hold out some hope Peet's won't ruin this coffee darling. Again, yours truly is on the job. I shall get to the bottom of this.

OMOTESANDO KOFFEE | The Art of Japanese Style Coffee

Stephanie Simos2 Comments

In case you are wondering why coffee is spelled with a "K", consider it a nod to OMOTESANDO KOFFEE's roots as a kiosk. The structure of the building has inspired not only the name and logo, but also the koffee kashi baked daily in-house. 

There is something special brewing in Tokyo. Nestled in the bustling neighborhood of Omotesando, within the walls of a 60 year old private home, lies a garden oasis. OMOTESANDO KOFFEE is a place where traditional meets modern, old meets new, and where everything is artfully done. 

While the rest of Tokyo prides itself in the ultramodern and thrives in the chaos, artisan Eiichi Kunitomo is committed to peace, quiet, and the human connection. Here, espresso reigns king, not the coffee that is more widely enjoyed across Japan.

Beyond the espresso, Eiichi is creating an entirely new cafe culture. It is not Western and it is not European. It is distinctly Japanese. Artisans, as they are called here (not baristas), incorporate elements of traditional Japanese tea ceremonies into the coffee experience. 

Eiichi's favorite beverage to enjoy is a simple espresso because it allows the quality of the beans and the preparation process to shine through. No hiding. Simply pure.

Much like the time-honored methods of preparing matcha tea, every move has a purpose as the espresso is prepared. Every step is thoughtful and optimized. How else would you get the milk so perfectly frothed? To take that one step further, one person takes you through the entire experience. No segregation of duties here. This experience is much more personal. Artisans and customers are together all the way from start to finish and get a closer connection as a result. There is no milk and sugar station. Even these details are handled by the artisan. They must take the time to get to know each customer and what they want.

 

 

The space was designed to be open and transparent, making it possible to see the entire process.  Every step is done in front of an audience. Eiichi admits this puts pressure on the artisans, but this is another way of honoring the tradition of Japanese tea ceremonies. Every move is perfected for the guest. Yet somehow, the whole process remains so simple, so uncomplicated.

Was it the best latte I've ever had? If by "best", you mean the lightest, fluffiest, smoothest latte, then yes. Absolutely. 

When it is finally time to enjoy the perfection in your cup, the espresso itself continues to be the focus. Rather than the normal flurry of caffeinated chatter, or the click-clicking of keyboards, this space is very quiet.  There are no laptops, no electronics, and certainly no cell phones. It is a calm amid the chaos of Tokyo. A reprieve from a dazzling, overstimulated city. 

I could not get enough of the colors in this maple tree. I dropped the ISO slightly and sped up the shutter speed to capture the moodiness of the red and green playing off each other. I could spend all day right here.

The surrounding garden is filled with Japanese maple trees and a small bench for customers to sit and stay awhile. The neighborhood feel is part of what makes this place stand out. It is almost as if you are enjoying a cup of coffee below your very own Japanese maple tree, in your own backyard. 

To Eiichi and his entire staff, I say, gochisousama deshita (ごちそうさま). Thank you for allowing me an intimate look inside your world. I am honored you shared with me and am humbled by the time we spent together. Your vision is inspiring. Mata ne (またね)!

There are three total locations. The original is in Omotesando, where the interview took place, the second is in Toranomon (also in Tokyo), and there is even a kiosk in Kyoto! This photo was taken at the Omotesando location, in the garden beneath a Japanese maple tree. Again, I dropped the ISO and sped up the shutter to celebrate this amazing woodwork. Even though the woodwork is beautiful, Eiichi's latte art is definitely the star of this show.

Sakura Season | Celebrating Cherries & Unexpected Lessons

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Here you see the bag I purchased the cherries in (the second bag, actually) and my new props from The Gardener. I used an assistant (read: fiancé)  to eat some cherries so I could include the stems and pits in this shot. 

Every year, sakura matsuri brings people together from all over the world for viewing parties, picnics, and strolls beneath the fluffy canopies. People flock to places like the Philosopher's Path in Kyoto, Japan, and the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC. The only thing more special than blooming sakura (cherry) trees is when we get to eat the the aftermath. Yes, the blossoms are beautiful. Certainly no humble beginnings for the cherry. It is altogether easy to forget that the blossoms turn into something nutritious we can eat. This project was about what happens after sakura matsuri.  So this time the fruit is the star of the show. Plus, I got some new food styling props I wanted to play with. 

I used bing cherries for this project and got them from Bi-Rite Market in San Francisco. I trekked to the Lower Haight and carried my little paper bag full of cherries into the sunlight with a big smile on my face. And then $25 worth of cherries spilled all over Divisadero. The handle tore and so did my heart. But, because Bi-Rite is a neighborhood market feeding the community through love, passion, and integrity, they dried my tears and gave me a new bag. A nice little reminder not to sweat the small stuff and enjoy the adventure.

This photo is all about celebrating the light in our apartment. We are blessed with a bench surrounded by windows. How perfectly San Francisco! Two little cherries were holding hands, so I pulled them out of the pile to be featured in this shot. Not pictured: the mound of pillows that typically makes this spot perfect for daydreaming.

I just can't get enough of this linen napkin and little two-toned cherry wood dish. Here I used it for pits and stems, but I will also use it for salts, spices, or herbs. You will definitely be seeing it again.

Beyond being beautiful and delicious, the entire sakura narrative from blossoming to harvesting is also a reminder to appreciate transient beauty in life. The season is so short. Nothing lasts forever. It is a reminder for each of us to be in the present moment and live in the now. What started off as an excuse to play with my new props blossomed into a reminder to slow down and make time for appreciation - especially for the fleeting beauty of sakura season.

Here are a few cherry recipes I would make in a heartbeat if I wasn't running off to Japan tomorrow. All from Food52 with no added sugars and no insulin-spiking junk.

Food Styling & Photography Workshop | Aran Goyoaga and Karen Mordechai of Sunday Suppers

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In the past, when someone would ask me what kind of photographer I want to become, I would reluctantly respond that I wasn't sure about that. I was, however, sure that one day the skies would part and divine intervention would deliver the answer. Then Aran Goyoaga and Karen Mordechai of Sunday Suppers announced they were teaming up for a food styling and photography workshop at Karen’s gorgeous studio in Brooklyn, New York. As a James Beard Award nominated food blogger, stylist, and photographer, Aran brings a sense of authenticity and commitment to natural beauty. Coupled with Karen’s emphasis on design and community, these two created an opportunity I simply could not resist. Within minutes of the announcement, I had secured my spot for the workshop. My heart had already been leading me towards food photography and this opportunity gave me the courage to dive in. See for yourself what a beautiful (and delicious!) experience it was. 

In the spirit of celebrating the gorgeous light in the Sunday Suppers studio, this image was taken in the prep kitchen close to the windowed wall. I kept it bright with a slightly higher ISO and slower shutter speed. I love the way the greens and yellows contrast, but my favorite part is the little two-toned dish with parsley.

After a lovely breakfast prepared by Karen and her team, we settled in for some education. But this wasn't your average school room setting. With it’s perfectly north facing windows, the Sunday Suppers studio bathed us in gorgeous light all day. The space is clean, fresh, and open. The aesthetic almost begging for creativity to flow. Aran shared her creative process and helped us through some of the more technical aspects of food photography. She talked about the importance of thinking seasonally and honoring both the food and where it comes from. Soon smells from the nearby prep kitchen were beginning to permeate the space. It was time to get our hands dirty.

First we played with fuzzy green almonds, thinly sliced prosciutto, colorful roasted carrots, and a variety of cheeses still wrapped in parchment from the cheesemonger. Aran styled a charcuterie plate and we used the ingredients in creations of our very own. Then, of course, we enjoyed the fruits of our labor. Lunch was a silky soup from Aran’s cookbook and crisp salad with fennel and grapefruit. As you would expect, no one ate before the dishes were sufficiently photographed. My soup got cold, but that’s beside the point. As I walked back to my apartment at the end of the day, with the shadows growing long over South Williamsburg, I already felt full. As though I had already learned so much and grown more than I thought possible in a single day. But there was still more to come.

I wanted to play around with the light in the studio to see if I could harness it for a moodier tone. I moved to a dark reclaimed wood table, dropped my ISO, and sped up the shutter speed ever so slightly. My composition goal was to complement the watermelon radishes with the pink in the ramps.

Day two was about putting the knowledge into action. After another delightful breakfast, Karen and her team prepped ingredients for us to work with; including vibrant watermelon radishes, gorgeous purple artichokes, otherworldly mushrooms, tiny little sprouts, and of course, more cheese. We sliced rustic breads and spread fresh ricotta. We chopped green onions and sprinkled sea salt flakes. Thankfully, it was also that magical time of year when ramps are in season. As you can see, I had a bit of a field day with those wild and untamed bouquets. Then it was our job to style and photograph, following every whim all the way through to post production. Lunch was a bowl of golden quinoa with pesto and some of the ingredients you see in these photos. Again, hungry photographers squeezed in a few last shots before sharing a meal together.  

This photo isn't so much about the purple itself, but more about the purple and green working together. One of the participants had cut the artichoke in half - a brilliant idea - and the potatoes were a perfect complement. I fussed a lot over where the fork should be. As Aran pointed out, authenticity is key. So I put the fork where I would drop it during a meal. The bordered edge of this textile was the perfect way to bring together the purple and green. This was shot on the floor of Sunday Suppers, using the window sill to block some light so I could be darker, but not too moody. 

Aran talked a lot about creating curves in her images. Ramps are naturally full of curves, but against the backdrop of this curved wood, they stand out even more. This photo was taken on a bench surrounded by hungry photographers.

It was a weekend full of magnificent food, discovery, and companionship. Before leaving the studio, I asked Karen for recommendations on where to have dinner for my last night in Brooklyn. She would, of course, know best. So I spent my evening reveling over a three course meal at Diner, located beneath the Williamsburg Bridge with New American cuisine and daily changing menus written on napkins or old receipts. There’s nothing like a spectacular meal in a beat up railcar from the nineteen twenties to remind me why I love Brooklyn so much.

I learned many lessons throughout the workshop - including that a hungry food stylist never did anyone any good. So, eat my friends. Eat fresh and eat beautifully. Eat with gratitude and appreciation, for Mother Nature is full of abundance and we have much to be grateful for. Now, I'm off to the farmer's market before ramps go out of season again. 

For me, this scene was all about the gorgeous Pallares knife, made from carbon steel and boxwood by a third-generation blade smith in the small town of Solsona, Spain, not far from Barcelona. I chopped the green onions to create a scene that was in progress. 

Have I mentioned how special ramps are? This was one of my first shots of the day. I thought the bundle spoke for itself, so I shot it alone on that familiar reclaimed wood table. In order to create the contrast and celebrate the woodwork, I used an assistant to hold a black card off to the left.