When I was thinking about this subject, I realized I should have been taking notes. In a year, it’s easy to forget the truly great meals you’ve had, and more specifically what those dishes were. I can barely remember what I ate last weekend, although nothing about it was particularly memorable. Most of our life-changing, eye-opening meals are spent with certain special people, or in a special place for a special reason. I had very few great meals that weren’t wrapped up with some other event or special someone. As I write this, I also realize that not all the best meals of this year had the best food. I’ll share a few of these, and hopefully jog your memory of some great time you’ve had spent over food. Don’t forget to write them down, 2009 will be full of some more great times and new food to taste.

* Ladies Poker Night. I had some lovely ladies over from the store I was working at. It was one of those amazing nights where gossip and bickering was put aside for some serious booze and card playing. The different personalities laughed and chatted and we shared classic Trader Joe’s frozen appetizers and a Domino’s Pizza, which I was charged twice for; I never did get my money back. The hangover was also memorable.

* The Rock Pool. One of Sydney’s greatest restaurants, with super fresh seafood and a special Pacific flavor. A friend and I were visiting one of our closest friends who was attending school there. She hadn’t eaten a really good meal the whole time she had been in Sydney, it’s surprisingly expensive. We did the works – Prosecco, appetizers, mains, dessert. I remember boisterous laughter and closing the place down and having the waiters giving us the eye to leave. There was also incredible squid ink pasta and homemade caramels. I also realized how much I missed the three of us getting together and had to travel half way around the world to recreate it.

* Dottie’s True Blue Café, San Francisco. My husband started working for a company in San Francisco and we traveled out there together a couple times. Nothing makes a city feel more like home than when you find “your” place. We rarely go anywhere twice but Dottie’s is special. It’s an amazing breakfast eatery in a shady part of San Fran, which ends up being right behind the hotel we always stay at. They open at 7:30am (late for breakfast in NYC) and we like to be there by 7:10am to get in line and be at one of the first tables. The owner is always behind the grill and he hasn’t advertised for 13 years, no website, no color ads, and there’s a line every morning. One breakfast stands out – black bean cakes with fried eggs, salsa and sour cream. Everything is homemade, and you should always order from the specials board at the back.

* Moto, Brooklyn. It was harder to remember a great meal close to home. My senses are always heightened on a trip or vacation, and eating here in NYC is usually rushed, or I have some much on my mind I don’t pay attention as closely. This place has been mentioned as being “the last bohemian place left in Williamsburg”. It’s off the beaten track, and is really on the border between South Willamsburg and Bushwick, which is close to where we live. It’s walkable from our apartment and we didn’t even see it for over a year. It’s in an old check-cashing store, and there’s not even a sign outside telling you what it is. You have to know. When you step inside, it’s dark, and feels like a Tim Burton movie, but in a great way. You can hear the J train go by overhead but you forget where you are and what decade you’re apart of. The menu is simple, but delicious. The mac&cheese is ordered at almost every table. We’re planning a brunch trip there soon. A great way to end the year.

Mondavi Vineyard, Napa Valley

After 2 weeks away from my kitchen, I’m having a hard time getting back into my routine. We’ve reunited with the cat and dog, and adjusting to our new time zone. I was so inspired by the dishes I ate in Northern California - not so much the over fried plates from Honolulu. We got to go to some of the best spots in San Fran - Nopa, Foreign Cinema, Hog Island Oyster, and Dottie’s. I also got to take a day trip up to Napa to scope it out - my parents want to take their dream vacation there next year. It was stunning - once the fog burned off - which seemed later and later every day. I stopped at the Marin Farmer’s Market - the best I’ve ever been to. This blows Union Square out of the water - and I went on the slow day (Thursday). There were a lot more purveyors, and vendors set up to cook - and there were places to sit!! I had a wheat crepe with heirloom tomatoes, brie, and pesto for breakfast - great way to start the day. I also tasted the best strawberries I’d ever had, and actually had great conversations with people there. I think the longer people live in New York, the lower their expectations are for everyday encounters - I was shocked how friendly, helpful, and interested people were there, and at the restaurants we ate at.

If you’ve ever been to the Bay Area, especially in San Fran itself, it gets chilly, and fast. It didn’t rise about 70F the whole time we were there. It did get a bit toasty in Napa, but Fall was certainly in the air. I woke up this morning to a muggy 86F and was dripping by the time we walked back from the crappy, stressful market with eggs, bacon, and cheese for breakfast. However, I’m still in Fall mode, even if NYC isn’t, and it might not be till late October. So this week’s menu is a bit homey, warm, and rich. We also have a friend of a friend from England via Figi (not sure how that works yet) staying with us Wednesday and he requested a good old American roast, which I’m so happy to do. Now I’m not sure how traditional this recipe is, but beetroots are in season and a rib of roast beef can’t be too bad. So if you can crank up your A/C here in NYC and pretend it’s fall or if you’re lucky enough to be experiencing it right now, enjoy these homey treats!

Monday - Mushroom Soup with Hazelnut Gremolata

Tuesday - Belgian Leek Tart with Aged Goad Cheese

Wednesday - Rib roast of beef with Beetroot and Horseradish

Thursday - Cheesy Baked Penne with Cauliflower and Creme Fraiche

Friday - Risotto with Butternut Squash and Sage/ Carrots with Ginger-Honey Glaze

So, I don’t want to make this site about restaurants or travel, but I’m going to interject this sort of thing occasionally, and for noteworthy places. I was in Honolulu for a week, and my palate suffered greatly. It kind of reminded me of being a student in Scotland, and only having fried greasy foods to choose from if I wanted to eat out. And eat out we did - every night, and most lunches. Of course I had some wonderful fresh fruit and coffee (Kona) but after breakfast my stomach did flip flops and I did not really look forward to eating other than eating with good company. So if I wasn’t going home to my kitchen, San Francisco was the next best thing. Johnathan is here for a business trip and I get to do more exploring. When I arrived late into the Bay Area we popped into Jack in the Box. This was my first try of the West Coast fast food chain. It wasn’t horrible, but after airport and Hawaii food, I was topped. So the next morning I went to our favorite breakfast place - probably ever, including New York. Dottie’s is on Jones and O’Farrell Streets, right behind our hotel we always stay at. There’s always a line, but we figured out if we get there about 15 minutes before they open we can get in the first seating and get out in time for Johnathan to walk to work off of Market Street. I wandered over by myself, and waited for about 30 minutes for a single counter seat near the door. The food is so good, I was not deterred by my undesirable seat. While I waited in the 60 degree breezy morning, reading the New York Times like any diligent New Yorker I listened with one ear to a couple of waitresses waiting in front of me chatting. I picked up some new hot spots and listened to the drama that always ensues in the service industry. It took me a while to get through the latest Palin article in the election section, but it makes the time go by. The picture above is what I ordered - Black bean cakes with eggs over medium, grilled cornbread and home fries. Just the rescue my palate needed. And the coffee is great. If you get to this gem, the menu is pretty typical, still yummy, but the greatness lies in the specials on the white board in the back. They also make all their own bread and baked goods. Today, I made my way to the famous Ferry Terminal for the Farmer’s Market. This is where I get choked up about traveling and not having a kitchen. Colorful, abundant, mostly organic produce calling my name! So I settled for the Ferry Terminal cookbook - slightly disappointed. The purveyors inside the terminal are just as exciting as the tents outside. No matter how many times I go here, I’m always excited, and my senses go into overload. I also have the problem of toting heavy goodies home to New York. I’ll admit I did get a bottle of California Olive Oil that was creamy and nutty, and great for dipping bread. There’s also a great selection of restaurants, and great views of the bay. This week, I have another Farmer’s Market at City Hall, and on Thursday it’s up to Marin County - a guaranteed gold mine. Stay tuned….

Here is the wonderful homemade pasta Johnathan made last night -I did the sauce though. The recipe from Bon Appétit instructs you to make a pasta with flour and olive oil, but Johnathan has perfected his own pasta with eggs from Jamie Oliver, so we went with what worked for us. Make sure you get the pasta thin enough, some of our pieces were a bit thick. The sauce was really sweet, as it was made with farmer’s market cherry tomatoes. This dish was good, but it was no edamame ravioli, so for all the effort, I’ll make that, or just use a jar of sauce - I’m partial to Newman’s Own….. There is also no menu for this week, or next. I’ll be going to Honolulu for a conference ( I know, it’s tough….) and then on to San Francisco with Johnathan, who is out there working for the week. I’ve scouted some farmer’s markets and restaurants, and my week in Cali is packed - Honolulu is a bit lacking on the gourmet side, but you bet I’ll be writing about the great drive-ins and dives. So stay tuned for some unusual posts, and when I get back I’ll be guest writing on Jamati.com about African cooking - another learning experience! Aloha and happy end of summer!

From the Alcatraz Ferry