Say Cheese!

September 22, 2017

Art and Eating in SF

Every year when we do the Delicious show we try to find new ways to bring the world of food and art together. In the past we have had some of our neighbors in the food business provide tastings, or talk about what they do. This year we are posting a little story about some of the tastiest places we love.

Cheese Plus

Or as we call it, Ray's, is great source for fine cheeses, wines, and a plethora of gourmet ingredients. If you've ever paged through the Zingerman's catalog and were curious about trying some exotic tasty thing, there's a good chance you can find it at Cheese Plus.

They have ingredients to put together a nice dinner, including a selection of fresh produce. We love the bags of arugula that seem to expand as you open them. If you don't feel like cooking, the sandwich selection is a quick and tasty option, and you can sit at the sidewalk tables and parklet to enjoy dining al fresco (no relation to the painting technique involving lime plaster and pigment).

Tasty stuff, including the famous bags of arugula.

Ray, the owner, organizes fun events to keep things hopping on the corner of Polk and Pacific. Check out the Artisan Food Festival to meet purveyors and taste what their wares.

Cheese Plus
2001 Polk Street @ Pacific Ave
San Francisco CA 94109

Urban Gardens

September 15, 2017

When we choose work for the Delicious show we interpret the words "inspired by food and drink" in a broad sense. So included with pictures of fruit, cups of coffee, and chefs at work we also have farms, markets, bees, tractors and vineyards. One of the many places that people get the food they eat are community gardens. I walked over to Michelangelo Playground to see how the community garden there was faring.

This small park on the border of North Beach has some recreational facilities, as well a lovely community garden tucked off to the side.

I like seeing these little patches of agriculture in urban areas; they give people who never get out of the city a reminder of where food comes from.

While I was in the area I walked over to Fay House, which I only knew from the print by Elizabeth Ashcroft that we have in the gallery.

In the back of the house there is another small park and garden. The house and garden were donated by the Fay family to the city of San Francisco, which maintains the garden.

I walked back up Greenwich to Alice Marble Courts, the basketball court with the best view and lively geezerball games on weekdays. The park surrounding the courts is called Sterling Park after the poet George Sterling. The following 2 images give a bit of his story.

Our Delicious Neighbor

September 14, 2017

Delicious in SF

As part of our annual show of art inspired by food and drink, Delicious, we thought we would spotlight a few of our favorite spots for deliciousness in our neighborhood and beyond. Let's eat!

Craftsman and Wolves

When people in gallery ask where to eat or get a coffee, our first suggestion is right next door at Craftsman and Wolves. While they are renown for their innovative pastries and gorgeous desserts, they also make a great sandwich or salad, and they have a selection of drinks as well as coffee. My favorite is the smoked cheddar, hot pepper gougère which is in the foreground of the picture below. Jen loves their chocolate bread.

If you need a quick gift, or just need to indulge your craving for sweets, they have a nice selection of artisanal candies, confections and confitures. (Who doesn't love alliteration?)

So next time you come by the gallery and have a hankering for something sweet, or something savory, check out our friends to the west.

Craftsman and Wolves
1643 Pacific Avenue
SF, CA 94109

Ramen Time!

September 11, 2017

Delicious in SF

As part of our annual show of art inspired by food and drink, Delicious, we thought we would spotlight a few of our favorite spots for deliciousness in our neighborhood and beyond. Let's eat!

Orenchi Beyond

When we need to get fortified while hanging a new show, or just want to have a delicious lunch on our day off, we often find ourselves at Orenchi Beyond.

We used find excuses to go to the Orenchi in Santa Clara. If we were visiting an artist in Palo Alto we would time it so that we could have lunch as well. Lunch at Orenchi in Santa Clara meant cooling our heels in a strip mall parking lot while we waited for a table, and then a visit to the Korean supermarket across the street. It took up a good chunk of the day. We were thrilled when they opened up on Valencia Street, and there is never a wait at lunchtime during the week.

The space is airy and light and is a pleasant place to slurp some ramen. There is a large mural done by Chad Hasegawa and Apexer which gives the industrial chic decor a great splash of color. The staff is super, we always feel welcome. Give it a try if you are a ramen lover.

Orenchi Beyond
174 Valencia St.
San Francisco, CA 94103

The Best Tomatoes!

September 08, 2017

Delicious in SF -

As part of our annual show of art inspired by food and drink, Delicious, we thought we would spotlight a few of our favorite spots for deliciousness in our neighborhood and beyond. Let's eat!

Two Dog Farms

Late August and September make the trips to the "Heart of the City Farmers Market" at the SF Civic center even more delicious than usual. The dry-farmed Early Girl tomatoes from Two Dog Farms start to show up, as well as their Padron peppers.

As you can see from the picture they also have a great selection of lettuces and greens, and occasionally some more exotic herbs like purslane or catnip.

The tomatoes! and some lettuces. On the right the Padron peppers.

We love walking to the Civic Center Farmers Market to find fresh fruit, exotic greens, and a plethora of peppers, but the excitement goes up this time of year when the Early Girls hit the market.

Two Dog Farm
PO Box 369
Davenport CA 95017

Omusubi

September 07, 2017

Delicious in SF

As part of our annual show of art inspired by food and drink, Delicious, we thought we would spotlight a few of our favorite spots for deliciousness in our neighborhood and beyond. Let's eat!

Common Sage

Common Sage is an interesting combination of Japanese food and corner deli. They serve great coffee and have a selection of baked goods, but what keeps us coming back are the omusubi.

Common Sage is co-owned by Koji Nagao, who is also an artist that has participated in several of our past Delicious shows. Koji's art has often been about food or the experience of food and the sensation of taste. He often works with handmade puppets that he uses to create short animated videos. Perhaps the character on the omusubi wrapper (shown below) will look familiar.

The Common Sage logo girl

In addition to the coffee and omusubi, Common Sage has great selection of sake, beer and wine. There are Japanese and European food specialities (try the yuzu hot sauce!) and they serve ramen.

One of the things I like best about these omusubi are they are freshly made with warm rice. They have these nifty wrappers that keep the seaweed separate until you are ready to eat. A pull of the tab and the rice and seaweed come together, and it's chow time!