Pop-Up City

 

The above incident actually happened to my friend Kat and I.   We met on the street and started chatting.  All the sudden a line formed behind us and we realized we were at a Pop-Up for Schmendrick's Bagels.   So OF COURSE, we got one of the bagels with a scallion cream cheese and proceeded to wolf it down.   But I thought that this is hilariously amazing, how we can just stand somewhere in this great city and all the sudden find ourselves in line for some kind of specialized foodie delicacy.  Makes me feel we truly live in a town comprised of nothing but Foodies.

For those of your unfamiliar with what exactly a Pop-Up is...I think a good definition is a restaurant without a permanent home or address.  The restaurant uses Twitter to alert their followers of their locations as it moves across the eating grid like a hobo with a sack full of delicious pork belly, instead of old stinky socks.

And that got me to wondering how many current pop-up restaurants are there in San Francisco.  So I decided to make a small list, mainly for myself so I can keep track on where to stand with my "Schramsberg 40"1 on Friday nights...

May/2012
1058 Hoagie
3 Bottled Fish
AngryManEats
Bayou by the Bay
B.Patisserie
BellyBurgers
Brass Knuckle
Easy Creole
Hapa Ramen - permanent location opening this summer
HayaHon
Jablow's meats
JJs
Liholiho Yacht Club
Reform Club
Rice Paper Scissors - Vietnamese Banh Mi
Rocky's FryBread
Schmendrick's Bagels
Seoul Patch
SoupJunkie
Sweet Jo's Chili n' Biscuits 
The Wild Kitchen

These below places host Pop-Ups
BetaKichen
Casa Sanchez
The Window
Vinyl Wine Bar


(This list is purely pop-up restaurants.  No FM vendors, Trucks or Pop-ups who have moved to permanent homes(Congratz!) were counted)  Please feel free to note ones I forgot to list and I will happily update!

PS I think the extra draw to these Pop-ups is a fervor over the notion that any meal could be their last and some home chef envy.  Because, honestly don't all of us fancy home chefs have our own day dreams of doing a pop-up?  (Adam Sach's attempt made me all hearts and starbursts!)  I totally harbor secret fantasies of doing one, minus the hard work,  but BIG plus epic praise and reviews.....


1 How to make a Schramsberg 40?
 Buy a Cobra.  Pour contents on ground in remembrance of your college days and to get rid of garden snails.   Wash out cobra bottle 3xs AT LEAST.  Insert funnel and pour in Schramsberg "Blanc de Noirs."  Sit out on stoop with your "Schramsberg 40" and wait for pop-up restaurant to appear on block.  

Bohemian Creamery Bodacious

So I visited Cheese Plus1 today and picked up some cheeses for Memorial Day weekend.  Was super excited to see that they carried Bohemian Creamery's "Bodacious" cheese.  haha I love how clever this name is, because it makes it sound like you are already praising the cheese.  Plus, you get warm, fuzzy memories of Bill &Ted or TMNT from just saying "Bodacious."

"Bodacious" is a fresh goat's milk cheese encased in a candidum mold to keep that creamy inside all tangy and soft. Nothing gets my heart thumping more than seeing a core of fresh goat cheese surrounded by a runny shell!!  Seriously, its like my two favorite worlds of cheese are combined.  Gooey and crumbly!  I ate, as they suggested, with a thick slice of the cheese spread on some fresh bread with a small salad on the side.  Life was heaven for those 10 minutes I munched on it, especially with my feet in the afternoon sun.     This cheese is available March through October and I totally suggest trying to get a wedge of it on your next Napa/Sonoma trip!  Look forward to trying more cheeses from Bohemian!

In other news, I went to my husband's company party this week and totally did this....

When macarons are free, watch out! I am on the prowl!! Unfortunately, macarons do not keep their shape in your purse when you start busting moves on the dance floor.....

Hope all of you have a great holiday weekend!!

PS  I love the letter that Wendy McNaughton wrote to Nabisco below and feel very simpatico with her on this matter.  "Cookie" is a holy name that should not be abused...

1The visit to Cheese Plus started out a little hilarious with the guy helping me not knowing that gorgonzola is a blue cheese and trying to find it among the fresh/hard cheeses.  But, then a lady took over and all was well.  Good Selection and lots of specialty items.  

Houston Dairymaids

 On my last visit to Houston, I was very excited to discover that a new Cheese Shop had been opened in the last few years called Houston Dairymaids.  So of course, I made my parents leave their North Houston, suburb, safe-house and visit the cheese shop, so I could get my dairy fix!

Houston Dairymaids is located in an up and coming area of Houston.  I loved their lil shop and how they had a Huge Fig Tree growing in the back lot.  After seeing the tree, I felt like it should be a requirement for any Cheese Shop and I'm curious to know if they make their own fig preserves?  

As I entered, the lady cheesemonger was very excited to see us and greeted us warmly.1  She proceeded to grab many cheeses out for us to sample.  I informed her I was visiting from California and very interested in trying Texas Cheeses.  So she introduced me to a wide variety and discussed where each was from, plus flavor profile.   As I gobbled each cheese up, I tried to listen to her, but this is very tough when you are floating on a cloud made of gouda.  All the cheeses there are kept in perfect condition, temperature...there is just no way to get a bad cut of cheese from them.

Additionally, they carried other items like fresh Bread 2, Texas honeys, locally made dry pastas and a variety of other items.  Plus a beautiful beer/wine selection, including one of my faves, 512 Pecan Porter.  You can definitely make all your Friday evening dreams come true her y'all!  

If I was staying another week in Houston, I'm positive I would of bought a few pounds of cheeses.  BUT, sadly I was headed to Austin then Dallas, and I've learned many lessons about not traveling with cheeses... especially on a particular warm fall weekend in France. 

So the few cheeses I did choose were Redneck Cheddar,  and Pure Luck Dairy plain Chevre.  (I would of chosen a basket molded Chevre, but was leaving the rest of it for my Mother and she prefers plain....le sigh)  The other items I bought were Lucky Layla butter and yogurt drinks; which I have had before in Dallas and well aware of their greatness! That yellow on the butter...cmonnnnnnnnnnn

The cheese that made me teary eyed not to buy was Sainte Maure, especially since the cheese maker Pure Luck Dairy does not sell out of Texas.(pretty please, start!)  At least I got to taste the goat cheese and enjoy its shroomy gooey goodness for a few sacred momentos!  

I will definitely be going again our next visit to Houston and hope to attend either their Friday or Saturday tastings.  My other plans are to stop by Davis Meat Market for their cheddar & jalapeno summer sausage AND Revival Market for their Charcuterie as well. Another note to self is to try Texas Cheese House in Lorena,TX!3  So happy to see Texans are still & always will be producing amazing foods.

PS Simon Walker knows the sadness every Texan feels on leaving our home for another few months....

1.  Sometimes Cheesemongers can be cranky, boisterous jerks....maybe too much savory?

2.  Adore Slow Dough Bread's Brioche.

3.  Always seems to drive to Dallas late at night but this is never a bad thing since Czech Stop Kolaches are always involved.  

I've been pretty busy since my film became a finalist for the Student Academy Awards....But thats nothing to complain about hah.  Especially with Pluot season right around the corner!  When I first moved to California and saw pluots at the Farmers Market, I was so confused.  What was this fruit in a variety of colors with a name I'd never heard of?!   Then I tasted one....Sugary Starbursts exploded from my eyes and a tasty nectar of pluotnesslish dripped down my chin.  Ever since then, 38% of my summer diet is  pluots, 42% is peaches and the other 20% is reserved for fried substances. mmmmmmmm