New York City, for me, is my first love - my ‘high school sweetheart.’ It holds so many memories and when I am there I can’t help but feel energized and happy. Just like when in love for the first time, I never thought any other would compare.

Recently, I have had the pleasure of making a few trips to San Francisco and I am falling in love all over again. Now while it will never replace my first love, SF has great weather, that laid back California vibe and, of course, THE FOOD!

Touring San Francisco through my stomach was so much fun, and very filling. I had some amazing meals and really enjoyed figuring out what made them so good. And, while I am not a restaurant reviewer, I would like to give you my humble opinion of the places I visited. Each week I’ll present a restaurant I ate at, my favorite dish and how I recreated it in my own kitchen. So, invite you to come on this little adventure with me...maybe you will fall in love too.

Unites States of AmericaAnna GassAugust 1, 2016San Francisco, Restaurant Reviews

From Nonna's Kitchen: A Trip to Mumbai

Recently, I had the immense pleasure of cooking with Khurshid Mehta, a lovely Indian woman who immigrated to the U.S. in the 80’s with her husband and two young boys. She was born and raised in Bombay (now Mumbai) India. She is a proud Parsi woman and shared many stories of Parsi traditions and food culture. An example of immigrant work ethic and perseverance, Khurshid would work all day and would come home to cook delicious food for her family.

Khurshid taught me an immense amount about Indian cooking in our short time together. One of the delicious recipes I learned in my Heirloom Kitchen while cooking with her was for these turkey kebabs (little meatballs.) They make for a great appetizer or as a snack with your favorite beer.

How-To Tuesday: Caramelized Onions

One good recipe to have in your cooking arsenal is caramelized onions. Sounds simple however, onions, when you cook them low and slow, pack quite the flavor punch. They truly transform from crisp and white to incredibly soft, dark brown deliciousness - making them the perfect complement to pretty much anything - omelets, burgers, Philly cheesesteaks and more.

So, grab a cast iron skillet and a handful of Spanish onions and you will see how a little work creates the most delicious condiment. So good you’ll cry! (Ok, this might also be from slicing so many onions, but still!)

#Thursday Trend Spot: Fruit Toast, The Next BIG Thing?

In the age of Twitter and Instagram the term ‘trending’ has become quite a, well, trend. We all are trying to keep up with what’s the latest and greatest in fashion, sports, Kim Kardashian and even the foods we eat. Every month when numerous food periodicals show up in my mailbox it seems like everyone is cooking the same thing at the exact same time.

Lately it seems that every blog, food site and Instagrammer has come up with their version of two very simple ingredients - Avocado. Toast. Well, if you are still eating Avocado toast for breakfast you are SO last year my friend. The new breakfast, lunch and dinner staple is still toast but now with fruit. And, to make it even more fancy, make sure to slather some ricotta cheese on the bread first.

While I hate jumping on any bandwagon, I must admit, its pretty good. And, it’s nice to take a break from egg white omelets. Get creative, change up the fruit, cheeses and even the canvas - just make sure to toast the bread up to a golden brown because the higher you can pile the toppings, the better!

Unites States of AmericaAnna GassJuly 14, 2016#Trending, Food Trends, Fruit Toast, Avocado Toast, Breakfast

Sunday Supper: Pork Milanese

Once summer rolls in, we hit the grill hard. Eating on paper plates, al fresco dining is fun and relaxing. On Sunday though, I still like to make a nice, sit down meal inside. Old traditions die hard I guess and I don’t feel right unless I lay the tablecloth out and make something a bit special to enjoy at the end of the week.

Tonight I'm making Pork Milanese. The term ‘Milanese’ means the meat is pounded paper thin and then dipped in egg and Italian bread crumbs. Italians love this dish and they make it with chicken, veal, pork and my mom will even do it with thin sliced steak! It’s lightly fried in olive oil and then spritzed with lots and lots of lemon. Serve it on top of a light arugula salad and I’m telling you, it’s downright heavenly.

Social Saturday: It's All About The Sides

Everybody loves a backyard BBQ - cold drinks, grilled meat and most importantly, some yummy side dishes. Unlike when you eat inside and the main dish takes center stage, at a BBQ, everyone is always excited to see what you’re serving to compliment the grill.

My Veggie Soba Noodle Salad is always a true crowd pleaser and I serve it at my annual summer party. It’s a fantastic blend of Asian flavors, barely cooked veggies and crunchy peanuts over soba. I will warn you, it’s a bit of chopping, blanching and boiling but once you take a bite, you’ll forget all the grunt work and dig in.

Sweet Tooth Friday: A Trip to NOLA Beignets

I love to travel. One place that is definitely on my bucket list is New Orleans. I know the food scene there is amazing and for me travel = food. When I do, one of my first stops will be Café Du Monde. They are world famous and serve, ‘the best’ beignets. Beignets are a little square of fried dough, served hot with powdered sugar.

As you can gather from this website, I’m a big fan of trying recipes that are indigenous to a particular area of the globe so when my daughter requested that I make them, I was very excited to comply. Whether you have made it to New Orleans or not, give these little powdered squares a try. It will feel like Mardi Gras in your mouth when you take a bite!

Super Mom Meals: Mickey Mouse Cupcakes

This week was my darling boy’s 3rd birthday. Just like many boys his age, he loves superheroes, legos, and of course, Mickey Mouse. We brought the kids to Disney this year and the love affair with the big mouse grew to epic proportions. So, for his birthday I decided to make Mickey Mouse cupcakes.

His preschool is probably the last school on the planet that allows outside food, so for birthdays we can bring in cupcakes for the kids to share. The night before the big day, I put on my Super Mom cape and tried to make the best Mickey Mouse cupcakes ever.

Sweet Tooth Friday: Super Mom Strawberry Shortcakes

My son’s preschool provides a snack for the children every day. It’s either graham crackers, goldfish or some other simple treat, but a few of us decided that we wanted to do something a little better. A schedule was made and each day, one of the moms brings in something extra for the kids to eat.

Yesterday was my day so I decided to put out my A game. Dante and I got up early and made mini strawberry shortcakes. A simple, sweet biscuit, pureed strawberries and some whipped cream and viola, the best snack ever was created.

How To Tuesday: Dinner’s Ready! Verdure Gratinate al Forno (Vegetable Gratin)

When you have a busy schedule from morning ‘till evening, it’s difficult to get dinner on the table without a little stress. For me, the kids get off the bus and it seems like a high speed chase until bedtime. I have found to make the nighttime shift a bit easier is to prep as much as I can during the day so that when six o’clock rolls around, dinner is on the table and everyone is able to enjoy a delicious meal.

My sister and her husband recently got back from a quick jaunt to Rome (lucky ducks!) and introduced me to a new cookbook, Tasting Rome. After scouring the pages, I found that his recipe fit the bill! Easy, delicious and like most Italian cooking, only a few ingredients that lead to the perfect dish.

From Nonna's Kitchen: Grandma Harriet's Matzo Brei

Before Passover ends, I wanted to feature another recipe from my husband’s wonderful grandmother Harriet. I asked her if she had a matzo brei recipe and she quickly responded with her beloved mother Jeanne’s recipe. Every Passover, this matzo brei was served to Harriet as a young girl. She and her sister considered it quite a treat. The best part? This matzo brei is slathered with apricot jam before you give it a quick broil in the oven.

Sweet Tooth Friday: Pass-Over Some Mandel Bread

Tonight starts the beginning of Passover, so I asked JoAnn Elice (a previous Heirloom featured 'Nonna') to share one of her favorite Passover desserts. Always so generous, ‘Mimi’ Jo immediately obliged with her delicious Chocolate Chip Mandel Bread.

‘Mandelbrot’ known today as Mandel Bread, originates in Eastern European, and simply means almond bread because it included ground almond flour; an acceptable flour for Passover. Just like biscotti, it is cooked twice but is much softer due to the high fat content. They are perfect for dunking!

Weekday Hero: Cast Iron Skillet Pizza

Sometimes, you just don’t want to make a big dinner. Sometimes, you just don’t feel like a really dirty kitchen, tons of dishes and loads of prep. I get it, days are long, the kids are busy and many nights, we don’t have it in us. However, before you grab the take out menu, please consider whipping up a crispy Cast Iron Skillet Pizza. It's easy and tastes so good! And, at the end of the day, you still get a pat on the back because its home cooked and the kids will be begging for more.

From Nonna's Kitchen: Omi Anke's German Potato Salad

When Anke Jacobs Gelbin left the hustle and bustle of downtown Berlin to come to the U.S., she thought it would be a quick, one-year stay. However, American life in New Jersey agreed with her family and one year turned into 26 and counting.

I was lucky that Anke decided to move to Connecticut many years ago and was willing to pack up her sharp German knives, a pressure cooker, bags full of ingredients and drive to my house on a rainy Saturday morning. I was taken by her delicious food, incredibly sharp wit and generous heart. She quickly got to work as we simultaneously made goulash and German potato salad.

I was intrigued by this salad because if you Google German Potato Salad, there are about 500 versions. As Anke explained, each German home has its own version. Even her grandmother’s was a bit different. Her grandmother used fresh cucumbers and parsley. This version belongs to Anke’s mother Uda and it’s delicious.

Cooking With Kids: Chicken Francese

My kids love to cook. Probably, because if they want to find me, I’m usually standing in front of the stove cooking, testing or occasionally, baking up some treats.

We recently started a nice Sunday tradition. The girls pick something they really like and I teach them how to make it.

Alessandra loves Chicken Francese, most likely because I try to convince her that one of my late ancestors created the dish. She is a big fan of FoodTV and all the kids cooking competitions so she really enjoys getting in the kitchen and trying her hand at making something good to eat.

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