Birthday dinner at Saison Chef's Table

Chef Skenes in Blue

Almost 2 months have passed since I had my birthday dinner at Saison. I've been meaning to go over the pictures to relive my meal because I have been thinking about it since. My best friend told me a few weeks ahead she was going to surprise me for dinner. I was guessing for weeks because we've dined almost everywhere together in San Francisco. I mentioned Saison a few years ago when it was a pop up restaurant, only open on weekends. I work on weekends and never made it out to Saison during its pop-up tenure.

As my sister was driving towards the Mission area I thought we were going to Range. Not only did she make reservations at Saison but it was for the Chef's table. I was surprised and excited.

1.) Please excuse the poor quality pictures because I used my iphone camera and didn't want to take more than 1-2 photos per course so I didn't hold up the kitchen and also enjoy the surroundings and conversation.

2.) I don't remember every ingredient from the dishes as I did not ask for a menu and the online menu only mentions the main ingredient.

3.) Saison changed their Chef's Table format after Thanksgiving 2011 to a prepaid reservation system which includes wine pairing, tax and tip for $498. I dined right before the change, the chef's tasting menu was $250 and wine pairing $180. I did not opt for the wine pairing because I can barely handle one glass of wine before sounding like Ozzy Osbourne on a good day.

Foodbuzz 24x24: New Year's Eve Crab Fest

Every year around November we anticipate the fruitful boost of Dungeness Crabs in the Bay Area However, Crab season started late for the Bay Area because of a price dispute between the Crab fisherman's and seafood wholesalers. After Thanksgiving the dispute was finally resolved and Crab season began.

Christmas Cornflake Wreaths

Do you believe in fairy tales? I don't but I do now...believe in blog fairy tales. Just last week I made No Bake Cookies because my oven broke in the midst of the holidays. Enter the Fairy Hobmother from Appliances Online from the UK who's mission is to bring joy and happiness to the world’s bloggers by providing treats. Fairy Hobmother sparkled a $40 Amazon gift card for me and I got myself some silpats for future baking projects. Check out Appliance Online "Best Washing Machine" and leave a comment and the Fairy Hobmother may sprinkle some sparkle your way. Fairy Hobmother found me via my comment on Foodhoe's blog -- I would consider her my blog stepsister (the non evil kind.)

Continue with making non-oven Christmas treats for my friends and family. I used everything I already have in my kitchen and quickly whipped up Christmas Cornflake Wreaths. I am going to wrap up the wreaths in cellophane with a pretty bow.

Drop it like it's hot - No Bake Cookies

The scene is perfect, the lighting is stupendous and I'm in the perfect moment when I "click" my camera to only find out I forgot to put in the battery. Story of my life, so I am not surprise when my oven decided to not turn on. Actually, my oven decided not be like my refrigerator and "run" so I can't "catch" it because I need a brand new one. Merry f##king Christmas to me.

Like most backstabbing friends, my oven decides to pick the perfect moment to not work. Two days before I meet fellow food bloggers for lunch and a cookie exchange. But like MacGyver I whittle my way out of the backstabber and make no-bake cookies. Actually, I've been meaning to make these cookies so there is a silver lining.

Peppermint Snickerdoodles Cookies with Hershey's Kisses

Snickerdoodles are my favorite cookies and happen to be the first cookies I learned to bake. Growing up in an Asian kitchen we rarely baked desserts, the sweets my Mom made usually included fresh fruits, stewed or steamed dumplings.

I am going to start my Snickerdoodle story with, "Remember when Mariah Carey actually sang good songs without taking fashion advice from Snooki's stylist?" The year was 1993 when Mariah Carey's Hero and Dreamlover songs were always on the radio. My home economics teacher turns the radio up while we were baking. I would sing along faking my soprano abilities while licking the cookie dough off the bottom of the bowl.

For a 6th grader I was either lucky or unlucky to be paired with my first crush in Middle School. He was tall, wore glasses and played basketball. I made a fool of myself when the teacher presented the recipe for Snickerdoodles and I said, "Is it a cookie with Snickers?" My crush grunted a laugh. I didn't turn beet red because I was oblivious and still wondered why we didn't have Snicker bars in the pantry.