While mindlessly browsing the internet the other day I again landed on the blog for Pot and Pantry, a cute kitchen ware store in San Francisco’s Mission District (definitely adding this to my ever-expanding list of places I would like to visit in San Francisco when Alessandro and I are going in September). A few pages in I came across the below picture of their storefront:
Admittedly I had not come across Julia Child much before the Julia and Julia movie (which I have a love and hate relationship with – I adore Stanley Tucci and I am positively envious of how loving the relationship between Julia Child and her husband appears on screen (although this is quite likely largely due to some talented screenwriting), but I found the other Julia’s character at times unbearable). But I have been admiring her ever since, what she set out to do and what she achieved, making a mark for herself as a female chef at a time when few women managed to have a successful career, let alone in such a male dominated industry such as the culinary world.
And the quote you can see on the left shop window? I could not agree more. The best things of my life have happened to me when I have thrown myself into them with abandon and not listened to my fears or my overly rational and cynical head (including cutting my trip to Argentina short by 1 week to fly to Italy to meet this guy called Alessandro who I had spent just 2 days with in Buenos Aires, almost 5 years later I am still glad I let my heart decide for once) and the best recipes tend to come about when I throw all caution to the wind, ignore the measuring pots and scales and established flavour combinations, whether that leads to white chocolate and fennel ganache, a carrot cake porridge or chocolate mousse topped with fruity olive oil and sea salt …
And San Francisco? I cannot wait. Alessandro and I are taking a road trip across California before spending a few days in San Francisco at the end of our trip and I am itching to get there. So many fantastic food places to look forward to (Chez Panisse, Tartine, Miette, Bi-rite Creamery …), so many burritos to eat, and so much to explore (Mission District I am looking at you), plus revisiting the scenes of childhood TV in the form of Full House, a bit of Alcatraz and some hill-walking to burn off those stacks of pancakes and burgers Alessandro is looking forward to.
REAL SIMPLE FOOD 