Kat's 9 Lives

What's better than eating succulent pieces of lamb, sipping wine, mingling with fellow foodies & chefs, and bidding on great items in a silent auction? Eating and not gaining a pound, I wish! At least at Fork It Over you can justify the massive food consumption as part of a wonderful cause! =) Over 25 Bay Area Chefs have joined together with the California Lamb Producers to serve up a delectable storm of culinary delights. All items at the silent auction were used support education and hospitality through the Golden Gate Restaurant Association Scholarship Foundation. A great big thanks to Andrew Freeman & CO for allowing me to cover this glorious celebration of food. If you use a Visa Signature Card to make ticket purchases, they offer a 20% discount on all events to sweeten the deal!
I took this chance to try out Acquerello with Chef Suzette Gresham wo-manning the table. Acquerello is on SF's finest restaurants as they hold a coveted Michelin Star. The lamb tartar was refreshing and tasty. In the center we have a nicely rolled up piece of lamb around a soft cheese. The sweetness of the tartar compliment the lighter flavor of the centerpiece. One of my top places that showcased the lamb off well. I made sure to make my rounds before they run out.
Scala's Bistro changed things up by offering lamb tongue! I think this is the first time I have ever had lamb tongue, so kudos to them for bringing something new to the table. Top Chef contestant, Chef Jen Biesty is the Executive Chef at Scala's Bistro. I was able to enjoy the Anolon's Chef Challenge the next morning courtesy of R3 Builders. Stay tuned to see which team won!
Chef Josiah Slone of Sent Sovi served up a lamb confit. Tender shredded pieces of lamb dabbled with the ginger chocolate sauce.
Napa Valley Wine Train with Chef Kelly MacDonald filled his station with planks of lamb. On top of each bread was a tender chunk of lamb loin. Hard to believe, but there wasn't as much lamb as there was pork the night before. I simply adore lamb and was glad to find a station offering lamb closer to medium rare.
Offering up a wide variety, Chef Hoss Zare from Zare At Fly Trap even has a vegetarian option for the night. The Kufteh Tabrizi atop verjus sauce and accompanied with Mediterranean avocado salsa, feta cheese, and black olives. On top of the table was a beautiful display of spices.To the left was pulled braised lamb slider with roasted cippolini onion and a fresh sour cherry emulsion.
A great change in pace was Chef Matt Garcia from Pier 23 serving up a refreshing seafood salad atop a round tortilla chip. Succulent bay shrimps along with shredded crab mixed together on a crunchy chip really hit the spot. I couldn't stop dropping by all night long. Lucky for me that Ms. Lin doesn't really like cooked seafood because I used her to grab a few extra for me. It's just simple, fresh, and light!
Representing for Delfina was Chef Craig Stoll and Matthew Gandin. A bustling Italian trattoria in the Mission District as well as many subsequent venues that have become a staple to SF cuisine. Ironically I have yet to visit their restaurant. This is why I love food festivals/events that allow me to get a taste of the many splendid restaurants that the city offers. Dare to be different, they served a savory sliced roast pig sliders. The best part was that each one had a crunchy piece of skin to give it that extra oomph!
Hard to believe this is only Part I. So many places left to try and a lounge to relax in. Fiji and Pom were there to lend a helping hand to quench non-alcoholic drinkers like me. I getting full yet hungry looking at all these pictures. What can I say? I simply adore food festivals/events!

What's a girl to do after an extremely long day of line waiting for the SF Street Food Festival? Well continue to eat of course!!! lol Nothing stops me! I went to Farolito for Agua Frescas, Anthony's Cookies for 1 1/2 dozen of fresh baked cookies, Happy Hour Sushi at Tokyo A Go Go, Crepes at Ti Couz, Ice Cream at Bombay Ice Cream, and then dinner at Thai House Express to finish off the night. This is just how I roll! =D I really need to think about investing in antacids in my purse!
Since Ms. Lin was able to find a great spot in the Mission District, we didn't really want to give it up! lol We kept trying to find more and more things to do. Across the street I saw Bombay Ice Cream. This trip to SF I have been sick most of the time and hadn't even had the chance to go to my favorite Bi-Rite Creamery. I took this as a sign that I needed to try Bombay Ice Cream since I haven't had any good ice cream this trip. The market adjoined was closed but the ice cream shop was empty. As soon as we walked in a guy approached us to help me order. They have a policy of trying only 2 samples so I had to choose wisely! The guy was super nice and helpful. He ended up giving me 3 samples and was very patient. I ended up ordering a pint with Mango Rose and a little bit of Rose Petal. The mango rose was just the right mix of mango and aromatic flavor of rose. I love the real rose petals in the rose petal ice cream and taste the freshness. They have a lot of unique flavors that blend fragrant spices, flowers, and fruits together. I really crave the delectable mango rose and rose petal ice cream! Wish they were down here so I can stock up in my freezer! =D I've just added a great new ice cream place to my repertoire.
Bombay Ice Cream
552 Valencia St
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 861-3995

I ♥ San Francisco! A great big thank you to Andrew Freeman & CO Hospitality and Restaurant Consultants for the media passes. Booking a last minute flight up to SF was worth it to enjoy the culinary genius that SF has to offer. Saturday started off with a bang at the Sugar Party held at the Westin St. Francis in Union Square.
Pink and sweet was the decor for the party. It felt like a sugar rave! Where sugar was the enticing drug being served up! =) Don't worry there were tons of drinks available and all the Pastry Chefs were present to showcase their talents. Everyone was feeling the music and enjoying the sweets.
Care for some Whoopee? Maple Whoopee Pie that is! Served up with Blue Bottle Coffee Milksake by Chef Christine Law from Anchor & Hope. Add a dash of alcohol into one of SF's leading coffee, Blue Bottle Coffee, you have a room full of people with a big smile on their faces.
Chef Ethan Howard from Cavallo Point pulled out his "Flufferberry" recipe. Starting from the bottom up : Peanut Macaroon, Marshmallow Ice Cream, Peanut Buttercream, and Strawberry Preserves. I really enjoyed this modern take on PB & J sandwiches. The peanut macaroon was nice and chewy. All the different textures worked perfectly together for a smooth and delicious PB & J macaroon sandwich!
One of my favorite creameries, Bi-Rite Creamery, partnered with Chef Emily Luchetti from Farallon to serve up a delectable dessert. They served a Peach Split with Crème Fraiche Ice Cream, Butterscotch Sauce, and fresh Raspberries. I have to say the butterscotch sauce was simply divine! So smooth and sweet. Wish I could get a bottle of that to use at home.
What I saw at this station was the superb camaraderie that these Chefs had. Even though they have their own station to manage, Chef Falkner was perusing around to check out Chef Luchetti's dessert and offered to help her team out. It's great to see how nice and wonderful these Chefs are. Watching what transpired really gave me a warm feeling in my heart. I guess you can say a "pay it forward" occurred, which I'll explain later. =)
A dear friend and fantastic Chef, Chef Dominique Crenn of Luce was out there in full force. Her tweet about Textured Corn and Foie Gras made me drool! Hard to imagine the combo for dessert but she worked her magic. Using her signature White Truffle Powder to top off the the Corn Sorbet, Foie Gras Terrine, and Popcorn was genius.
Take a break and enjoy a freshly brewed cup of coffee from Starbucks. At first I thought they were Blue Bottle Coffee because I've never seen Starbucks brew it like this.
Marshmallow was a popular component for the night. Chef Catherine Schimenti of Michael Minalocated right inside the Westin St. Francis offered a Smoked Vanilla Bean Parfait with Cashew Butter, Fudge, and Marshmallow. I am not a huge fan of marshmallow but I loved how the top was nicely toasted giving that extra crunch.
Chef Schimenti outdid herself because there were so many spectacular treats to nibble on besides the main dessert. There were Caramel and Pistachio mini Macaroons that were soft and chewy. In a glass vase was a nice Brittle to munch on.
Absinthe had a playful display of dry ice, water, and green light. Chef Luis Vallavelazquez partnered with Smitten Ice Cream, Robyn Goldman, for a refreshing treat of Cantaloupe, Lavender, and Lemon.
Chef Nick Flores of RN74 treated us with a Blackberry-Coconut Verrine made with Blackberry Creme, Kaffir Lime Panna Cotta, and Coconut Sorbet. Paired on the plate was a macaroon and chocolate.
If you love sweets and want to taste some of the best that SF has to offer then this would be your dream come true. I feel very fortunate this year because I got to savor these great events. Last year I only attended the Grand Tasting Tent, which I simply adored! This year I got to role out in style all thanks to Andrew Freeman & CO. I had my dessert, Sugar Party, before dinner, Fork It Over, and proud of it!