Wednesday, June 30, 2010

You Grill, Girl!

One of the first things I did when I bought my house years ago was buy a grill, a Weber kettle. To be honest, I rarely used it unless I had guests to help. One of my fears was that one of my big dogs would knock it over. So, I switched to a big stable Weber gas grill and now I'm a dedicated griller. Yes, I prefer the flavors you get with charcoal but life is full of compromises and this feels safer for my household.

What do I grill? I haven't yet experimented with pizza, but I've got the basic proteins down, along with all sorts of vegetables and, yes, fruit. One of my favorite go-to recipes is from Deborah Schneider's book Baja! Cooking on the Edge.

Yes, it's delicious, but it's also ridiculously simple and fail proof: chicken marinated overnight in chipotle, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. I use the marinade for pork and other poultry as well. Accompanied by homemade beans, coleslaw, and homemade tortillas slathered in butter? Finger-licking good.

But, no matter how often I grill, I still feel a twinge of discomfort. After all, we are playing with fire here and it can be dangerous. The dogs still lurk hopefully. I can imagine that others, especially women, may also feel enough of that twinge to simply opt instead for the indoor kitchen. So, I figured, a little coaching was in order -- if not by me, by those who are utterly fearless and knowledgeable.


In other words, I asked for tips from readers and Facebook friends. I had no idea that all the respondents would be women. I don't know if the men are just cavalier about grilling or not interested in sharing (I doubt that, of course), but the women came through.

And, then there's the wonderful Elizabeth Karmel, the author of several terrific grilling cookbooks. I've bought two of them, Taming the Flame: Secrets for Hot-and-Quick Grilling and Low-and-Slow BBQ and Soaked, Slathered, and Seasoned. And Karmel is someone I now know, after meeting her last fall at BlogHer Food in San Francisco. She's a petite grilling dynamo.

Karmel has a new free downloadable publication out, in conjunction with St. Francis Winery & Vineyards, called The St. Francis Girls' Guide to Grilling. It's a nice little booklet with the basics -- perfect for novice grillers (men and women) -- along with wine-pairing tips and recipes. Yes, she's plugging St. Francis, but she's the real deal. You can certainly substitute other wines.

 
To get a sense of where she's coming from, she's sent me her top grilling directives:

Top 10 Grilling Dos and Don’ts
  • Know the cooking methods: direct and indirect
  • Do not peek under the lid; every time you lift the lid, heat escapes and the cooking time increases.
  • Do not add flammable liquid to the fire; this means, no lighter fluid. Use either crumbled newspaper or fire starter cubes.
  • Remember to keep the air vents open, otherwise the fire will go out.
  • Make sure charcoal briquettes are grey-ashed before cooking.
  • Do not flip more food more than once unless a recipe specifically requires it.
  • Do not move or turn meat with a fork; this lets all the yummy juices and flavor escape.
  • Control flare-ups with a closed lid, NOT a spray bottle filled with water.
  • Use an instant-read meat thermometer. The only fail-safe way to test for doneness. The thermometer reads the internal temperature of meat and poultry in a matter of seconds.
  • Know the Grilling Trilogy.
And, I've got a delicious-looking shrimp recipe from her to share:

Salt-Crusted Shrimp with Potent Lemon-Garlic Dipping Sauce

PAIRING TIP: Try St. Francis Winery & Vineyards full-bodied Chardonnay with its ripe-fruit flavors, crisp high acid on the palate and rich lingering finish

Grilling Method: Direct/Medium Heat

Dipping Sauce:
½ cup best-quality extra-virgin olive oil
Juice from 1 large lemon
Zest from ½ lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 stems fresh oregano
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Shrimp:
16 Jumbo or Colossal shrimp in the shell (or frozen black tiger shrimp)
3 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup Kosher salt

Make the Dipping Sauce: Whisk together the oil and lemon. Stir in the garlic. Take the leaves off the oregano stems and leave whole, add to oil mixture. Let sit for at least 20 to 30 minutes to marry the flavors—or make up to 12 hours in advance. Set aside.

If desired, devein the shrimp with a “shrimp deveiner” or, using a small sharp knife, make a slit about ¼-inch deep down the backs of the shrimp and remove the vein but do not remove the shells. Place the shrimp in a large bowl and toss with the olive oil to coat lightly all over. Just before putting on the grill, sprinkle the salt evenly over the shrimp and toss well to make sure each shrimp is thoroughly coated in a crust of salt.

Place the shrimp in the center of the cooking grate, 3 to 4 minutes per side or until the shrimp is pink and the flesh is opaque (white). Serve immediately with dipping sauce.

Serving Tip: This is my favorite party “ice breaker” appetizer. I place the oil-tossed shrimp in a bowl on a tray with a small bowl of the kosher salt, my tongs, lots of napkins, a platter and the prepared dipping sauce. Once everyone is armed with a cocktail, we hit the deck to start the party. While we are talking, I toss the shrimp in the salt, grill them and place them on the platter. Then the fun begins; everyone takes a shrimp, peels and dips it in the sauce for a fun, casual and interactive appetizer! By the time the shrimp, and our cocktails are gone we are either fast friends or better friends!

Alternatively, you can arrange 4 shrimp on each serving plate and accompany with a small ramekin of the dipping sauce but the girls think serving them hot off the grill is sooo much more fun!


Like I said, I also solicited grilling tips from readers and have a bunch that may surprise you. They're smart and so useful. Thank you to everyone who offered to share:
  • Do not use petroleum fire-starters. Do you really want to eat stuff smoked with toxic residue? The chimney firestarters readily available, and work safely and easily. Hardwood, charcoal, or briquettes provide the best flavor. Pam Rider
  • Have a second container of gas...or at the very least get yours filled up. NOTHING is worse than being halfway through the perfect grilled dinner and running out. Nothing. Barbara Kiebel 
  • Don't flatten down the burgers with your spatula - unjuicy hockey pucks! Jenn Felmley 
  • My advice for newbs is to not be afraid to grill vegetables or fruit. Marinated veggie skewers are delicious and nothing compares to pineapple hot of the grill with vanilla ice cream! Lorena Nava Ruggero 
  • Be gentle with the meat...don't poke, squeeze or otherwise agitate. Flip only once..soak corn in the cob before grilling..Be patient...good things take time. Valerie Clark 
  • Don't put the sauce on until the VERY END. Most sauces have some sugar in them, which just burns on the grill. You can cook the meat fully, and then brush on the sauce at the last few minutes to sear it on both sides. Marci Liroff 
  • A new neighbor--man--showed me a great tip. A halved onion passed with pressure on the heating grill with tongs is a great way to clean the grate and prepare for cooking. I now clean with half an onion after and before each grilling. Remember: there are antibiotic properties in onions (all alliums, I think). Come to think of it, cut lemons would also work. Pam Rider 
  • If you grill fish this weekend, be sure to grill your lemon halves. They give tons more juice once you heat them up. Plus they look nice with that grill mark on them. Limes work well too. Lorri Allen
And I'll add a couple of my own: Pick up a grilling basket for vegetables so you don't lose them between the grates and keep clean platters by the grill for placing cooked foods (don't use the dirty plates you had raw meat on).

Here's to a happy, fiery 4th!



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Thursday, June 24, 2010

New Mission Hills Farmers Market Opening

It was inevitable and longed for but seemed to take forever to finally happen. Mission Hills is finally getting a farmers market and it opens Friday afternoon, June 25 from 3 to 7 p.m. The site is Falcon St. between Washington and Ft. Stockton.

Market manager Ron Lachance sent me a list of the confirmed vendors, so here's what you'll find on opening day:

Certified Growers-
Organic

Smit Orchards- peaches, nectarines, plums apricots, cherries, blueberries right now. When in season apples and grapes too as well as dried fruits and nuts
Suzie’s Farm- A lot of items you don’t see everywhere like sprouts of all kinds, edible flowers etc. They also have more standard organics like carrots, radishes and greens
Soto Farms- peaches, avocados, carrots, strawberries, celery etc.

Other
Gayton Farms- largest variety of produce- artichokes, celery, greens, tomatoes, asparagus, onions, brussel sprouts, broccoli and much more
Rivas Farms- Strawberries, cauliflower, various squash, broccoli, tomatoes, corn
Atkins Ranch- large selection of citrus and avocados as well as potted herbs
Burin Farms- Mostly greens like kale, chard, romaine, green and red leaf, mixed greens, basil and other herbs
Hopkins Ranch- Huge variety of almonds(1 canopy)
Lopez Nursery- potted plants, mostly flowers and such (1 canopy)
Hidalgo Flowers- Simply the best flower grower in San Diego, huge selection of fresh cut flowers

Specialty Foods
Petrou Foods- Olives and olive oils, feta cheeses, pickled garlic
Poppa’s Fish-Fresh seafood
Julian Bakery- Julian Pies and other baked goods
Shroom Shack- many varieties of local mushrooms. They buy them from local growers so they can’t set-up with the other farmers
Gingerly Bakery- Cupcakes and other sweets
Sunflower- Large variety of local honey
Howllistic- Dog treats
Sadie Rose Bakery-hasn’t fully confirmed as of last week
Jackie’s Jams- Homemade preserves and jellies
Baba Hummus- Hummus, pita chips, and other Mediterranean items
CJ’s- Breakfast breads and other sweets
Caribbean Delights- Hot sauces and marinades
Zaiqai- Indian foods and sauces
Plants that Produce- potted seedlings. Mostly produce types like lettuces, tomatoes herbs and more

I'll be stopping by tomorrow to check it out and will probably post some pictures over the weekend. What I love about this market is that it gives shoppers an opportunity to buy for the weekend.

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Tuesday, June 22, 2010

The Joy of Olivewood Gardens

This is why so many of us love volunteering at Olivewood Gardens! Today, James Magnatta and Zach Negin of SoNo Trading Company were our chefs, teaching the kids to make Olivewood Garden Burgers. They were delicious and these fifth and sixth graders from Las Palmas Elementary School devoured them, zucchini, broccoli, garbanzo beans and all!

Planting corn

A garden (and cook's) best friend. Love those eggs!

Bundling chives

Picking oregano for the burgers

James and Zach on the fine art of dressing a garden burger

Combining the ingredients and forming the perfect patty

Uh, yum!

Our volunteer chefs

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Monday, June 21, 2010

Where in the World is Amy DiBiase?


It would be a fun parlor game for San Diego foodies to try to come up with a complex back story for why chef Amy DiBiase left The Glass Door at the Porto Vista Hotel -- where she'd been for all of two months after leaving Roseville -- to go over to Old Town's Cosmopolitan Restaurant and Hotel. But, as DiBiase tells it, the reason was very simple and very exciting; she got an offer she couldn't refuse -- starting up a restaurant from scratch with an owner with whom she immediately hit it off. 

At the center of it all is Sheila Tracy, who is familiar to lovers of the former Laurel (now Cucina Urbana, of course) and Farm House Cafe. DiBiase knows Tracy from her days in the kitchen at Laurel and Tracy knows Joseph Melluso, owner of The Tin Fish and DiBiase's new boss, from long ago when she roller-bladed into one of his restaurants and asked him for a glass of water. It was Tracy, says DiBiase, who recommended Melluso to the people who run the Old Town State Park concession and were looking for an operator for the hotel project. And it was Tracy again who recommended her friend DiBiase to Melluso when former Prado chef Jeff Thurston, who'd signed on for the executive chef job, decided to leave before the restaurant had even opened.

All in the family.

DiBiase says she met with Melluso and found, "We clicked just like that. We both had a similar vision for a restaurant and I don't feel like I'm handcuffed to a menu." It didn't hurt that both are seafood-centric food lovers with Melluso coming from a fishing childhood in Long Island, N.Y. and 28 seafood restaurants in his career and DiBiase coming from Maine. Seafood will be big on the menu at the Cosmopolitan Restaurant, starting with oysters -- from fried oysters and shrimp served with Sauce Gribiche and chipotle aioli to oysters on the half shell with shaved tequila ice and cilantro -- but including whatever is fresh and seasonal.

One of the interesting challenges DiBiase and sous chef Matt Richman (most recently of Market St. Cafe in San Marcos and the late Illume Bistro in Little Italy) face is the directive they have to follow as being part of a historic park that they use ingredients indigenous to the location and the 19th-century period of its evolution from a Mexican pueblo to an American settlement. So, says DiBiase, look for ingredients like almonds, pine nuts, figs, dates, and citrus. The oysters were included on the menu because, DiBiase says, oyster shells were found when the property was excavated. There will be suckling pig and beef, small game birds, and a lot of local produce. And breads from Con Pane as well as olive oils from Temecula Olive Oil Company, which has a shop in Old Town. To soothe the tourist crowd, you won't find "gazpacho soup" on the menu but "chilled tomato soup." No "panzanella," but "tomato-and-bread salad." But DiBiase's  complex flavors reflecting Mediterranean influences will be there.

What's in the courtyard will also influence the dishes. Where fountains used to be, are plenty of tables for outdoor seating surrounding little garden beds where herbs like rosemary, sage, and chives will grow alongside citrus trees. Large pots along the perimeter hold blossoming pomegranate bushes, already giving DiBiase menu ideas.


The decor is just now taking shape as the property is being transformed from the old Casa de Bandini to a period-style hotel. In the indoor bar/saloon (there's also an outdoor building in the courtyard outfitted as a bar) is a heavy burnished dark wood bar that was shipped in from Tombstone, Ariz. Guess who Melluso wants behind the bar? Yep, Sheila Tracy, who most recently has been at the wine bar at Fifty-Seven Degrees in Middletown. An adjacent parlor with the requisite velvet settees will be seating for guests and there will be a parlor menu available from 3 to 5 p.m. before the restaurant opens for dinner (it's also going to be open for lunch). Next door, what had been Juan Bandini's bedroom, will be transformed into a wine room with dining for private parties. The dining room, which has a fireplace and plush velvet curtains, can be divided for private parties and is adjacent to the hotel's registration area. The area closest to the registration can be cordoned off for hotel guests to enjoy a continental breakfast.


The hotel. It's intimate. There are only 10 rooms, all on the second floor along deep balconies that will have seating overlooking the park. Most of the guest rooms are quite small but very charming with carved mahogany beds, antique trunks and other period furniture, floral wallpaper, and other decor that will take guests right back to the 19th century. The bathrooms are especially sweet with large showers and tall rain shower heads, pull-chain toilets, and pedestal sinks.


Not all have tubs but the tubs are classic clawfoot. Except for one room with an impressively enormous copper tub and another with the intriguing wood tub that even has a seat inside. DiBiase clearly got a kick out of showing these off.


DiBiase, who is dividing her time between setting up and planning the new restaurant and still running The Glass Door for the next two weeks (her last day is June 28), is still taking stock of her spacious new kitchen, fine-tuning the dinner and lunch menus, and selecting a pastry chef. The rest of the staff is hired and in training and the chefs are preparing for some tastings before soft opening the restaurant before the Fourth of July holiday -- either June 27 or 29. And, for those who enjoy Cook's Confab, don't be surprised if a meal is hosted by DiBiase at the Cosmopolitan Restaurant in the near future. The courtyard is the perfect setting for a Confab event and she's already offered to host one in the fall.

The Cosmopolitan Restaurant and Hotel is located at 2660 Calhoun St. in Old Town.

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Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Sage Mountain Farm Goes Out to Pasture with Beef

For months and months Phil Noble has been telling me about his cows and the beef he was planning to sell at the farmers markets. His farm near Hemet is a farmers market favorite and right now I'm all over the garlic scapes and young garlic he's selling. But last Sunday at the Hillcrest farmers market I took home something else from his stand: a one-pound sample package of ground beef.


Yes, Sage Mountain Farm is now also Sage Mountain Pastures. Phil has partnered with Sam and Rose Benedict (Sam is a local business consultant who researches climate change). Together they own a small herd of Guernsey, Angus, and Holstein cattle. The animals are fed on a movable feast of grass and post-harvest crops, and finished on organic grains--what Noble calls a "polyphase approach."

So, no, they're not strictly grass fed. For the partners, there's no avoiding the grains, at least for the time being. "The reason we're adding grains is that we're trying to get restaurants involved and the chefs tell us they want more fat on the beef because that's what the customer wants," said Sam Benedict.

Benedict also said that they're working on getting the beef certified as organic.

Customers can purchase the beef by portion, not by cut. Sage Mountain Pastures is selling whole beef (400 pounds), half, one-quarter, and one-eighth -- all at $8.50 a pound, which includes cutting, wrapping, and freezing. The portions include a variety of cuts. A $75 non-refundable deposit is required for each eighth of beef ordered. Or, you can buy one-pound packages of ground beef.

 
I used half of my ground beef last night to make a burger. Because I was concerned that the leanness of the meat would make it dry I added a little chopped onion, along with minced young garlic (from Sage Mountain Farm), some red pepper sauce, and salt and pepper. Then I grilled it on top of the stove. I needn't have worried; the flavors and texture were terrific.

Visit Sage Mountain Pastures at the Hillcrest and Adams Ave. farmers markets and Little Italy Mercato or contact Noble  for an order at SageMtnPastures@gmail.com.

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Wednesday, June 9, 2010

To Market for Organic? Be Sure to Read the Label

My friend Julie Gelfat just shared this video with me about the questionable promotion of some of Whole Foods 365 brand "organic" products, which it turns out came from China. The story was produced a couple of years ago by WJLA, an ABC affiliate. But even now, if you look at the Whole Foods website, you'll find a page that explains their sourcing and defends their practice of buying from China:

"We only discriminate when it comes to quality and taste, not country of origin.

Whole Foods Market continues to buy from China because we believe in supporting farmers that provide high quality products.

  • Our strategy is not to run away from our Chinese suppliers, but to take a stand and get closer to our suppliers. We will continue to improve on the audit and testing procedures that are already in place.
  • Organic farming has a long history in China.
  • Our strategy is to build long term partnerships with our Chinese suppliers.
  • We are confident in the quality and integrity of our products from all countries, including China."
Whether you agree with Whole Foods' position or not (and I'm curious about how you feel about buying food that comes from China and other countries), this is an example of why reading labels -- and understanding them -- is so important.

Take a look:



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Friday, June 4, 2010

Strawberry Freezer Jam: How Many Ways Can You Do This?

 
Oh, the complications that come from trying to do something easy. Like making strawberry freezer jam. My friend Nicole Hamaker got me thinking about it a few weeks ago when she put together a lovely post on Pinch My Salt about her experience making the jam. I mentally moved on to loquats, though, since a tree in my neighborhood is heavy with the fruit. I made a couple of jars of loquat jam using traditional cooking methods, including sterilizing the glass jars and processing them afterward. Then I started toying with blackberries since I love them and they're ridiculously cheap right now. I have about five pints in my kitchen now, plus a productive lemon verbena bush, and my friend and pastry chef extraordinaire Tina Luu's excellent advice on how to pair the two.

Then I ran into strawberries at Henry's on Memorial Day. At 88 cents for a pound container I couldn't resist, even knowing that they'd have little taste. These were meant for jamming and since I didn't have the energy to do a full-on jamming session I started looking up freezer jam recipes. Again.

I found a bunch of different recipes. Here's one I saw repeatedly on different food blogs from pectin manufacturer Sure Jell.


Sure-Jell Premium Fruit Pectin, 1.75-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 8)

Sure Jell's Strawberry Freezer Jam

1 qt. (2 c. crushed) ripe strawberries, washed and stemmed
4 c. sugar
1 package fruit pectin
3/4 c. water
8-oz. freezer-safe containers

Wash and dry the freezer-safe containers and set aside.

With a potato masher or in a food processor, mash the berries, leaving some chunks. Measure out 2 c. of berries into a large bowl. Stir in exactly 4 c. sugar and allow to stand for 10 minutes.

While the berries and sugar are co-mingling, whisk the pectin into 3/4 c. water in a small saucepan. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over high heat and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir into strawberry mixture for 3 minutes or until sugar is almost entirely dissolved.

Ladle the jam into the prepared containers, leaving about 1/2" at the top for expansion. Top with lids and allow to stand for 24 hours at room temperature. Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or freeze for 1 year. Makes 5, 8-oz. containers.

Here's another version, this time from cooks.com:

1 qt. stemmed, crushed strawberries (once crushed, you need 1 3/4 cups)
4 c. sugar
1 pouch liquid fruit pectin
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Stir sugar into crushed fruit. Set aside for 10 minutes. In a separate bowl mix pectin and lemon juice. Stir pectin mixture into fruit/sugar mixture. Stir constantly for 3 minutes. Fill clean freezer containers immediately, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe off edges with clean cloth and apply lids quickly. Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Store in freezer until open. After opening, store in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

The difference is the liquid pectin instead of powder and the addition of lemon juice, which also has pectin but also adds a little brightness to offset all the sugary sweetness.

Then I happened on to something completely different from Taste of Home:

Strawberry Freezer Jam
Taste of Home

Ingredients

  • 2 quarts fresh strawberries
  • 5-1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 package (1-3/4 ounces) powdered fruit pectin

Directions

  • Wash and mash the berries, measuring out enough mashed berries to make 4 cups; place in a large bowl. Stir in the sugar, corn syrup and lemon juice. Let stand for 10 minutes.
  • In a kettle, combine strawberry mixture and water. Stir in pectin. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; skim off foam.
  • Pour into jars or freezer containers, leaving 1/2-in. headspace. Cover and let stand overnight or until set, but not longer than 24 hours. Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 1 year. Yield: 4-1/2 pints.
Okay, so it's twice as many strawberries but sugar and corn syrup? Plus, there's the addition of water. And, you cook it. Someone's going to have to explain the chemistry behind this to me.

I could go on, thanks to Google, which identified scads of these recipes. Why didn't I stick with Nicole's recipe and be done with it? Well, actually, I did. Her recipe comes from the package on the Ball No Cook Freezer Jam Fruit Pectin package


Ball No Cook Freezer Jam Fruit Pectin


It's a recipe I'm a little irritated with because it calls for four, one-pound containers, which I had. However, once you actually crush the fruit and add it to the 1 1/2 cups of sugar and the pectin, you end up with far more than the 4 cups of fruit it says you should have. My yield from 4 pounds of strawberries was more like 8 cups. I wasn't happy.

Now on a whim Nicole added lemon juice to her recipe but I didn't bother with that. I did want to make the flavor a little more interesting than plain strawberry, so I grated about a teaspoon of fresh ginger into the fruit, some of which I pureed and the rest I roughly chopped with my food processor so I'd have a nice texture.


Despite my complaint about the quantities of unused strawberries I now have (and have frozen to use later), I did like the flavors and the consistency I got, although next time I'll add more ginger and maybe some cointreau. And notice how much less sugar is required here than in the recipes above. That was the turning point for me. So, with thanks to Nicole, here's the recipe:

Ball No Cook Strawberry Freezer Jam

4, 1 lb. containers of strawberries (I'd go for 2, or 3 at the most), crushed
1 1/2 cups sugar

1. Stir sugar and contents of package in a bowl until well blended.
2. Stir in 4 cups crushed fruit. Stir 3 minutes longer.
3. Ladle jam into clean jars to fill line. Twist on lids. Let stand until thickened, about 30 minutes.

That's it, plus the grated ginger I added. It couldn't be simpler. For freezing, stick to plastic containers instead of traditional glass jars, which could crack. You can pick up nice packages of 5, 8-ounce freezer containers that Ball also makes (and use them for storing other dishes later).


So, now the pressing question is what to do with those remaining four cups of crushed strawberries...


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Wednesday, June 2, 2010

New Addition to San Diego Foodstuff: San Diego Foodstuff Reviews

Say hello to San Diego Foodstuff Reviews! Yesterday I posted a piece on my experience with Chevy's "Best of San Diego Fish Taco Tour" and this morning I got a very nice but firm note from advertiser BlogHer that this was against their rules.

So, I took it down and just created a separate space for reviews and related content I think you'd want to know about but which are sponsored. You'll see in the right-hand column a clickable list of these reviews so you can jump over to the page easily. If you take a look now you'll see that's where the fish taco tour write up now resides.

Now, why do I sometimes accept invitations to sponsored events? Well, they can be a good opportunity for me to experience places that I can then tell readers about. Honestly. They also allow me to network with my colleagues and people in the food industry so that I can learn more about what's going on in San Diego and beyond. I don't write about them for paid media outlets unless they send me to them but I do feel it can be appropriate for me to write about them in this forum.

I hope you'll take a look at the reviews. They won't be published nearly as frequently as my regular San Diego Foodstuff posts but when appropriate, that's where you'll find them.


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