Hiking for my croissant

After a very rejuvenating hike last month, I decided to do it again. But whereas last month’s hike soothed my mind, this hike was unmistakably food-oriented.

I planned the hike so that I would finish at the College of San Mateo Farmers’ Market, an excellent farmers’ market perched in the hills but hard to get to without a car. What a pleasant surprise when I figured out that I could walk (actually, it’s an hour-long hike) to the market from home.

For some reason I had been craving a buttery, flaky croissant for a while. I knew Brioche Bakery, one of my favorite French bakeries in the Bay area, would be selling at the market. So I ate little for breakfast to save room for its pastries. I couldn’t wait to get there.

Brioche Bakery’s stand at the farmers’ market

Heaven for pastry fans

The hike was nice as usual thanks to the fresh air and sunshine. It was a steadily upward climb, and by the time I arrived at the market, I felt I deserved my croissant. I immediately sought out Brioche Bakery’s stand and here it was - an unending spread of croissants, muffins, fruit tarts, cookies, and other pastries pulling at my senses.

I struggled to make my selections as I like almost everything before my eyes. Finally I got an almond croissant and a coconut macaroon. I swiftly found a spot to devour them.

Difficult decisions: almond croissant and coconut macaroon

The almond croissant was just the way I wanted – flaky, topped with generous amounts of sliced almonds, and filled with fragrant, lightly sweet almond paste. Easily one of the best I’ve ever had. At $2.5, it’s amazing value.

Half-eaten almond croissant – why I can’t quit butter

(My another top pick is Baltimore’s Bonaparte Breads, which sells its morning pastries at a Washington, DC farmers’ market and always attracts a long line.)

The coconut macaroon was huge and unusually chewy because it’s stuffed with coconut. A good sign that the bakery doesn’t skimp on ingredients. The macaroon was too sweet for me, but still very good.

Fresh salad greens with edible flowers at the farmers’ market

My sugar craving taken care of, I walked around the market and was amazed again by the variety and quality of the produce on sale. Spring produce, from asparagus to strawberries, scream fresh in their bright colors and sturdy shapes. I must come back for the produce and try some of the prepared foods.

Love for Trader Joe’s

This must be a marketer’s dream. I am spending hours voluntarily to proclaim my love for a grocery store.

It all started some time last year. Previously I rarely went to Trader Joe’s because there wasn’t one close to where I lived. Then I discovered a store I could get to fairly easily, and have become a regular customer since.

Trader Joe’s near Hillsdale Shopping Center

Trader Joe’s is remarkable for its ever-changing low-priced and high-quality products. It has a strong all-natural and organic focus, but without the pretense of Whole Foods. There are many easy-to-prepare items for quick meals too.

Latkes (potato pancakes) with yogurt sauces, ready after 15 minutes in the oven

Since I enjoy grocery shopping so much, every trip to Trader Joe’s is an excursion for me. The store does a great job catering to special diets, and as a vegetarian, I never run out of things to try. From pantry staples to more obscure items like vegetarian meatballs, Trader Joe’s can meet most of my needs.

I think Trader Joe’s is strongest in its bread and nuts selections. I highly recommend its rustic, slightly sour Pain Pascal Organic Demi Miche French bread, one of the best breads I’ve ever had. It is delicious for soup-dipping, sandwiches, or by itself. When I don’t feel like eating wheat, I can choose from the mind-boggling variety of wheat-free bread on the shelves.

Vegan French toast with sliced banana and almonds made with Demi Miche bread

You also get the best bargain for nuts, especially if they are grown in the US such as almonds, walnuts, and pecans. They are as fresh as those at farmers’ markets, but cheaper. I love snacking on its organic California almonds.

I have to keep myself from the snacks section though. Hundreds of products from chips, crackers, to cookies scream “Buy me!” when I walk through the snack aisles. More often than not I succumbed to the temptation. My junk food consumption has gone up exponentially since I started going to Trader Joe’s.

One of the many Trader Joe’s snacks I’ve tried: root vegetable chips

If I were to name Trader Joe’s downside, it’d be its fresh produce. While the quality of the produce is decent, I continue to get mine from farmers’ markets (there’s no reason not to given California’s bounty!). Not surprisingly, many of its sugary snacks and desserts are too sweet for my taste.

But I bet you’ll agree that Trader Joe’s greatest asset is its people. I’ve rarely seen customer-facing employees as fun and enthusiastic as those at Trader Joe’s (well, except Southwest/JetBlue perhaps). They seem to care about their customers genuinely and they show it consistently.

The fun atmosphere permeates the store, making grocery shopping there a unique experience. Think about value creation – Trader Joe’s does it incredibly well.

Did I mention the top-notch copywriting in its Fearless Flyer ? The copy is offbeat, personable, yet powerful and persuasive. The flyer has little graphics so the copy does all the heavy-lifting work. Whenever a new flyer comes out, I read it cover to cover to learn the style. No doubt I end up buying more at the store as a result.

Now I find myself going into a Trader Joe’s store several times a week. (cue music) I think I’m fallin’ for you…

Refreshing Saturday hike, vegan lunch, and more

After a busy week at work, I was frazzled and desperately needed some fresh air. So I went hiking over the weekend.

San Andreas Reservoir after the rain

My destination was San Andreas Trail along the ridge separating San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. I was drawn to it by its views and this was my first time there. The weather was dreary with some drizzles, so there were fewer people than usual. All the better because I can’t stand crowds.

The hike was short but rejuvenating. The sun re-emerged after the rain and bounced off the water in the tranquil San Andreas Reservoir. The air was clean and crisp. I even saw deer along the trail. My composure returned.

Not in a zoo…deer grazing along the trail

What’d be better than a raw, vegan lunch after a refreshing hike? I picked the interestingly named Que SeRaw SeRaw in Burlingame, which I’ve meant to try for a long time.

The store was small and all its products were in a refrigerated case for take-out. Knowing it’s my first visit, the cheerful storeowner recommended the mock tuna pate, a white mixture made from ground almonds, sunflower seeds, tahini, celery, and other ingredients. At $7, it was quite pricey for two small mounds of pate.

Que SeRaw SeRaw storefront in Burlingame

I was pretty hungry so I also grabbed a packet of Judy’s Breadsticks dipping sticks from the natural food store next door. Then I sat outside and enjoyed my lunch.

Perfect match:  Judy’s Breadsticks and mock tuna pate

The pate was remarkably fresh and had a toothsome texture. It tasted a bit like tuna salad (probably from the kelp powder), but without the fishy smell. It complemented the crunchy dipping sticks perfectly. I’d love to try other products from the store in the future.

Although the sun came out, it was still breezy. I rounded out my lunch with a steaming cup of cafe au lait. It’s amazing how simple things like this satisfied me.

After the hike and a healthy lunch, I felt I had a good excuse to indulge myself in the evening. I wanted to use up a can of sweet adzuki bean paste that had been standing in my pantry for months. I made a vegan adzuki bean paste cake.

I spread the bean paste on top of a cake base made from a recipe in Dreena Burton’s Eat Drink and Be Vegan. To give the cake a more mochi-like texture, I substituted some of the wheat flour with glutinous rice flour.

Sweet ending: adzuki bean cake

The bean paste turned out to be too sweet for my taste. Nonetheless, the cake was a great end for the day.

Indulgence in the grocery aisles

Some people think grocery shopping is a chore. I think it’s a lot of fun.

Some people shop for clothes or electronics as “retail therapy.” I shop for food to boost my mood.

A piece of Belgium from...Safeway!

Since I was a teenager, I’ve enjoyed browsing the aisles of grocery stores, especially the snacks section. Not to buy anything, but just to see what’s out there. I had little pocket money back then and didn’t want my Mom to confront me for eating junk food, but occasionally I bought myself a treat.

Many years later I still look forward to trips to the grocery store. It doesn’t matter I am going to Safeway, Whole Foods, or Trader Joe’s. I want to check out what’s new, what’s on sale, and what I can get to complement the produce I’ve bought from the farmers’ market.

I don’t go into the grocery store with a grocery list. I let whatever stimulates me guide my buying decisions. I pore over labels to make sure a product doesn’t contain artificial ingredients (such as vanillin, a very common artificial vanilla flavor). I compare prices. This is why I spend way too much time grocery-shopping.

But I never grow tired of it. I make an effort to try something new every time. It’s almost like checking out new restaurants, but at a much lower cost.

There’re some favorites that I keep getting over and over though. Consider them my little secrets of indulgence.

Food Should Taste Good (and they certainly are) chocolate tortilla chips

- Food Should Taste Good tortilla chips from Whole Foods. They can’t be better named. A genius must have come up with the idea of chocolate tortilla chips. They are ADDICTIVE.

Hands down best Belgian wafer biscuits

- Jules Destrooper Butter Crisps from Safeway. It’s incredible that I can find an authentic Belgian product at a big-chain grocery store (although it carries LU biscuits from France too).  My mom first gave them to me as a gift years ago. After trying many copycats, they remain the best.

Ritter Sport marzipan chocolate squares with pillowy almond paste filling

- Ritter Sport chocolate squares from Cost Plus World Market. A friend introduced these cute, colorfully packaged German chocolate bars to me in college, and we had to go to a specialty store to buy them. Now they are everywhere, but Cost Plus has the broadest selections. Old favorite: Dark Whole Hazelnuts; new darling: Marzipan.

Loacker lemon-flavored wafer biscuits, though I like the more traditional flavors better

- Loacker wafers from Cost Plus World Market. I’ve had an even longer relationship with this Italian brand. My dad (who LOVES snacks) once brought them home when I was in Hong Kong. I’ve yet to find another brand without artificial ingredients as Loacker. They are mildly sweet and won’t leave you thirsty like many similar products. Their selections are ever-expanding, and Cost Plus has the lowest prices.

Isn’t it interesting most of these have some emotional associations to them?

Fond memories from parents’ visit

Sorry that I’ve been MIA for almost three weeks. My parents visited me from Hong Kong and I spent the last two weekends with them. We had a wonderful time catching up, and you guess right, enjoying the Bay area’s scenery and food.

Santa Cruz’s Natural Bridges State Beach facing the Pacific Ocean

This is the first time we dined together since I became a vegetarian. My dad is a foodie and omnivore, and told me to research good seafood and steak restaurants prior to his arrival. My mom, on the other hand, is a vegetarian with an Asian palate (for instance, she doesn’t like cheese). It’s a fun challenge to meet everyone’s needs.

We ended up trying many types of cuisines from Afghan, Greek, to Mexican. We went to Berkeley’s famed vegetarian Cafe Gratitude,  several modest-looking but delightful restaurants in San Mateo, fine-dining spots in the quaint town of Los Gatos in Silicon Valley, among others.

The big surprise: I had my best meal at the most unexpected place. So keep on reading.

Cafe Gratitude is worth going more for the experience than the food. It lived up to its reputation of attracting a New Age-ish clientele, though there were many regular folks too. On each table was a board game for diners to play and share their feelings of “abundance.” I am hardly a spiritual type, but I love the idea of slowing down our lives to reflect on what we already have.  

I ordered a “live” enchilada platter that consisted of soft tortillas with veggie fillings topped with cashew sour cream, and a side salad. The enchilada was a bit mushy for my taste. Both my parents were psyched up after seeing the ultra-fresh greens at the nearby Berkeley Farmers’ Market and got salads. The salads didn’t disappoint.

My live enchilada platter

Dad’s “I am Fulfilled” Cafe Salad

Before my parents left, we also took a trip to Santa Cruz by the Pacific Ocean. We stayed longer than expected at the Natural Bridges State Beach with its awe-inspiring rock-formations and tranquil setting. By the time we arrived at Saturn Cafe, a vegetarian diner near downtown Santa Cruz, we were ready to eat!

But my mom and I couldn’t help but pore over the menu item by item. We were captivated by the many options, including dishes typically off-limits for vegetarians such as burgers and deli sandwiches. Okay, I admit that I crave burgers at times. My dad, who was probably starving, urged us to make up our mind.

My mom and I both got burgers, while my dad asked for a salad as he’s not a fan of mock meat. We ordered toasts, soy milk, and vegan ice cream. We happily finished the entire spread.

My vegan “Buck Rogers” burger with spicy chipotle sauce and steak-cut fries

Mom’s house burger with avocado and a side of carrot-cilantro soup

 

Outside the funky Saturn Cafe in Santa Cruz

After brunch we walked around downtown. Thank god we skipped the more touristy restaurants. They don’t have the offbeat, Santa Cruz vibe at Saturn Cafe, brought on by the students and non-conformist types who eat there.

Still my best meal with my parents was at nowhere but Forbes Mill Steakhouse in Los Gatos.

The French onion soup (though it might be made from beef stock) was one of the best I’ve ever had. My entree, portobello mushroom ravioli with Swiss chards and pine nuts and the only vegetarian option on the menu, exceeded my expectations. Did I mention the warm pumpernickel dinner rolls served with whipped butter? I could easily finish the whole basket by myself.

Our server went all out to accommodate our special requests, such as cooking my mom’s dishes in olive oil instead of butter. The experience was fine dining without the stuffiness, and the prices were good value.

Take a step back though.

In the end, it doesn’t matter where we ate. The quality time I spent with my parents: priceless.