Americano Restaurant Review

I've eaten at Americano three times in the past couple of months, and each time it was better than the last. Located on the ground floor of the Hotel Vitale, it's main architectural feature is a large patio that runs the length of the restaurant and faces the bay. With heat lamps, plenty of tables, chairs and even couches, it's one of my favorite outdoor dining spaces in San Francisco (Foreign Cinema is the other).

The menu has something for everybody, with plenty of appetizers for sharing or light meals, pasta, Italian entrees and even a hamburger. While I've enjoyed the fish and hearty steak entrees, it's been the pizza, pasta and appetizers that have made me a fan.


Their take on the Margherita pizza, the pizza fresca, $15 is puffy and crisp and not overburdened with toppings. It has that melting quality I love when sauce, cheese and crust all meld together.


My favorite dishes are the appetizers, $7 each or 3 for $18. The luscious tonno conserva is so rich and delicate it will wipe away any memory of domestic canned tuna. Also notable are the arancini and the artichoke and brussels sprouts fritti. None of the fried bites are greasy or heavy.


It's hard for me not to order pasta, especially when it is homemade. Chef Kory Stewart makes fantastic stuffed pasta, supple and soft, simple yet with very high quality ingredients. You can get his pasta in smaller or larger portions. If you want to try several dishes I won't blame you for ordering the small portion, but if you're like me, you will be sad when it's gone. His pastas are often dressed simply with just a bit of olive oil or butter and topped with a bit of herbs or vegetables. The version with fava beans and Meyer lemon was a wonderful expression of late spring.


While I've enjoyed several desserts the one not to miss is the Mocha Custard $5. Served in an espresso cup it is is rich and creamy and the happiest marriage of chocolate and coffee.

Americano Restaurant & Bar
8 Mission Street @ Embaracadero
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 278-3777

Day 46-Denmark(Copenhagen - København):smørrebrød—open-faced sandwich - Up Next, Djibouti(AF)

Denmark (Copenhagen)(EU): Slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined, Denmark is the southern most of the Nordic countries and the first of the first of the "D" countries I'll be cooking in for the next week! After cooking my way through 18 "C" countries, this feels like a major milestone.  To celebrate, I decided to have some fun with one of Denmark's most traditional foods for lunch: the  Smørrebrød - an open faced sandwich which comes in a zillion different combinations, and knows no cousin in the United States. Now you know I HAVE to know where and how things got their start, so here's a little background on this venerable "sandwich."

Great bread is the foundation of the centuries-old tradition of smørrebrød. No matter what the size or shape of the bread, whole-grain is the rule rather than the exception, so most Danes get a regular dose of the fiber, B vitamins, magnesium, zinc and other nutrients whole grains supply. Though no one knows the exact origins, smørrebrød (“buttered bread”) probably evolved from a custom of using bread rounds as edible plates so that no morsel of food or sauce was wasted. 

Beautiful Slow Rise Rye Bread from Nashoba Brook Bakery
In Concord, MA - Bought today at
Mudville  Market http://www.slowrise.com/

Today it’s as much art form as sandwich. The only constant is a single, thin slice of sturdy bread, spread with butter to keep the bread from getting soggy.

The art comes in assembling what Danes call the pålæg, or “what is laid on top.” It can be as simple as last night’s leftovers, carefully assembled to complement flavors, colors and textures—or as elaborate and prescribed as the Stjerneskud (“shooting star”) topping: fried fish and cooked shrimp with caviar, lemon slices and dill. The toppings can be abundant, but never messy; “overstuffed,” thankfully, hasn’t made its way into the Danish sandwich lexicon. Though in Denmark they’re considered strictly lunch fare, in my own household smørrebrød often become tasty impromptu dinners and in smaller portions, spectacularly easy appetizers.
http://www.eatingwell.com/food_news_origins/food_travel/denmarks_fresh_simple_cuisine

The world's BEST garlic from Hopestill Farm in Sherborn, MA http://hopestill.com/

This is the recipe I settled on - check out this great blog from a fellow foodie: http://stellarrecipes.blogspot.com/2009/12/smrrebrd-open-faced-sandwiches-with.html#comment-form

Shrimp and Haddock for the smørrebrød

Combine basil, parley and fresh lime juice

Add creme fraiche to basil, parley, lime mixture

Dredge fish in flour, salt and pepper

Sauté until nicely browned on both sides  

Field greens from my garden 

Butter a slice of rye bread with UNSALTED sweet butter, top with greens 

Place fish on top of greens

Top with  creme fresh sauce

Done - the best Saturday lunch I've had in a LONG time

Oh, yeah - and beer - I had Belgian beer on hand - close enough!??

Voila!

Smørrebrød


Recipe by The Scandinavian Cookbook

• 20 fresh basil leaves, finely shredded
• 3 fresh parsley sprigs, leaves only, minced
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 3/4 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup rye flour
• 4 large flounder fillets
• Butter, for cooking
• 4 slices rye bread
• 4 ounces mixed greens
• 4 ounces frozen cooked shrimp, defrosted
• 1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

Combine the basil, parsley, and lime juice in a bowl, then fold in the crème fraîche. Season with salt and pepper and place in the refrigerator. Mix the rye flour with some salt and pepper and use this mixture to coat the flounder fillets. In a skillet, melt a little butter and cook the fillets for 4 minutes on each side, or until firm to the touch. Divide the greens among the bread slices, then put a warm flounder fillet and some basil cream on each one. Top with the shrimp and a lime wedge. Serve immediately while the fish is still warm. Cold beer is an excellent accompaniment.


Final Assessment: Beautiful to look at! The combination of fish, lime, basil, parley and creme fraiche was out of this world...and, the bread! Sturdy, chewy and hearty rye bread is the key! A+ and...A++ with good beer!

Day 45-Czech Republic(Prague)(EU):Blueberry Fruit Dumplings (Svestkove Knedliky)

I love dessert -  I love everything about it. Starting with the culinary tradition of having to waiting for it till after a good meal, to the sugary anticipation of sweetness on my tongue to the presentation of a spectacular confection.  And, I especially love desserts that include fruit.


If you're wondering, as I was,  about the history of dessert, it turns out that as far back as 3000 BC,  people enjoyed a piece of fruit, possibly dipped in honey for dessert - except the Chinese who are credited with inventing ice cream.  In the Middle Ages, sugar began to be manufactured, however the cost was so prohibitive as to be used mostly by the wealthy classes. Vanilla and cinnamon, two of my favorite flavors, were first used by the Mexicans who learned how to sweeten both to use in desserts. To learn more about specific desserts and their beginning, I suggest the following link: http://gourmet.lovetoknow.com/History_of_Desserts

Czech desserts (moučníky) come in many varieties and tend to be heavy and fatty because butter (máslo) and whipped cream (šlehačka) are often used. I decided I might just as well go for broke and make blueberry dumplings since the fruit is currently in season. I also decided to make a strawberry glaze to top off this rich dessert. I already know I'm going to have to run 3 extra miles to work off the calories...but there's no such thing as "dumplings lite" - and even if there were, it would go against my die hard dessert philosophy: Go big or go home.

Czech Republic(Prague)(EU):  About the size of Virginia, the Czech Republic's topography is made of low mountains to the north and south and hills to the west. Czech ethenic groups are primarily Czech, followed by Slovak, Roma, Silesian, Polish, German, Urkrainian and Vietnamese. For those interested in learning more about this country's rich history:
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3237.htm

Behold - the assemblage of blueberry dumplings!

Combine egg, milk and melted butter

Sift flour onto counter surface, make a well and pour egg mixture into center to combine

Kneed dough

Place about 4 blueberries in the center of each piece of dough, and wrap snuggly around the fruit to seal

Pull off little pieces, shape the dough around the blueberries and seal well

The dumplings, ready to be cooked

Strawberries simmering in sugar and water to make glaze

  

Ready to go!

Drop dumplings into boiling water for 8 minutes

Remove from boiling water and brush with melted butter

Dust with poppy seeds and powdered sugar, add strawberry glaze and blueberries

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmm....Sweet, summery and tasty

Fruit Dumplings (Svestkove Knedliky)
2 cups flour
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt

Mix egg with butter and milk. Add salt. Sift flour on a board and add first mixture, kneading until smooth. Cut dough into small pieces and wrap evenly around the fruit (make sure to pre-pit your fruit!). Seal well all around. Drop dumplings in a large pan of boiling salted water and cook for about 8 minutes. Do not overcook. Remove from water immediately, sprinkle with melted butter and keep in a colander over hot water until ready to serve. Arrange on a platter, sprinkle with some more melted butter and sugar. Crumbled pot cheese, ground poppy seed or bread crumbs fried in butter can be used for topping.

Finan

Day 44: Cyprus(Nicosia)(AS) and/or (EU)- Lamb Souvla and Cyprus Village Salad - Up Next, Czech Republic

After tonight's meal in Cyprus, I will have one more "C" country left to go: the Czech Republic! It feels so 

invigorating to have nearly completed all 18 countries in this category! Next, I'll be cruising along into the "D" countries, of which there are only 4. YAY!

Cyprus (Nicosia)(AS)and/or(EU):  This country has a fascinating history and culture. It is a divided island with the northern portion under Turkish control. This is referred to as "The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus", but is only recognized as legitimate by Turkey itself. The Southern portion is an independent republic called, The Republic of Cyprus. The Republic of Cypress is in the process of becoming a part of the European Union, although this will not apply to the northern portion of the island under Turkish control. The capital, Nicosia, is divided by "The Green Line" in two parts, similar to the way Berlin was once divided. Access between the two parts of Cyprus has been restricted.http://gogreece.about.com/od/cyprus/a/fastfactscyprus.htm

The cuisine on the island of Cyprus is shaped by the island's Mediterranean climate, geography, and history. Reflecting the two dominant populations, Cypriot cuisine has evolved as a fusion of Greek  and Turkish cuisines, with local twists on well-known dishes. Further influences are evident from the neighboring Levant countries, with similarity to Lebanese Cusisine There are remnants too of French, Italian, and Anglo-Saxon influences stemming from the island's occupation by the French Lusignans, the Venetians, and the British. Modern western cuisine (especially fast food) has an increasing influence on the day-to-day diet on the island. The names given to the foods of the Cypriot cuisine are different amongst the two dominant populations.

For tonight's meal, I chose to make souvla - skewered meat cooked on coal fire.  The preparation and cooking of souvla is usually a man's job, women just prepare the salad and the baked potatoes, but in my house, that's not how it goes down. Cooking on a coal fire grill / rotisserie, called foukou, is the most common way to prepare souvla. Luckily, I just HAPPEN to have a beautiful foukou right in my back yard.

Butterflied leg of lamb, which I cut up into cubes, and basted with fresh lemon juice and really good olive oil

Brush the olive oil before putting on the grill so the meat has time to absorb the fruity flavor

My rockin' fire pit. Note the great kindling wood scraps supplied by our awesome friend, Paul! Absolutely NO lighter fluid is needed: old newspaper, wood scraps and
Cowboy hardwood charcoal -  THE way to go: http://www.cowboycharcoal.com/

Beautiful cherry tomatoes, ready to pick - they went into the salad still warm from the sun

A perfect cucumber for the Cyprus Village Salad - ignore the weeds, please

I ate about 20 cherry tomatoes right off the vines :)

My guard dog, BuddyBoy, had to check to make sure they were safe - A-Okay

Summer's bounty

Paul Cook - our friend, carpenter, bicycle fixer, and kindling supplier - Thanks for everything, Paul!

I barely use this dinosaur anymore

Now THAT's what I'm talkin' about - the smell of the meat roasting was sublime

DO NOT over cook your lamb!! 

Lamb Souvla and Cyprus Village Salad - a perfect summer dinner

Souvla


Ingredients

2 lbs meats lamb and / or pork and chicken
salt and pepper
1/4 cup olive oil mixed with the juice of 1 fresh lemon
oregano
finely ground coriander seeds (optional)

Directions

1. Cut the meat into big chunks and season to taste.

2. Pass meat evenly through thick metal skewers so that it won't slip down while on the coal fire grill (foukou). Place the skewers over high fire on the foukou.

Cyprus Village Salad

One of the most common dishes found throughout Cyprus and Greece as well,,this salad is a great way of using your garden tomatoes, especially in late August when they are so plentiful.  To make a truly great salad you really should invest in a good quality olive oil.  Sprinkle this wonderful salad with feta cheese and oregano and you’ll experience a truly authentic Mediterranean experience!

4 tomatoes cut in wedges
½ cucumber sliced
½ red onion thinly sliced
A large slice of feta cheese
A handful of kalamata olives
About 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil
Season with dried oregano, salt and pepper (to taste)

Cut the vegetables and place in medium bowl.  Add the thinly sliced feta cheese and olives.  Drizzle with olive oil and season with oregano, salt and pepper.  Mix well.

Final Assessment:  I love Mediteranean cooking. It's clean, packed with the wonderful flavors of lemon, olive oil, garlic and olives - and Feta cheese? Get yourself barrel aged Feta if you can - your life will be forever changed for the better. A delicious and tasty summer meal!