blogfromafar

Why We Travel…Part II

San Francisco overwhelms with sheer torrents of beautiful, healthy, active people of all ages, each plugged into their electronic gizmo of choice. With the plethora of transportation options (cable car, train, subway, bike) open to them, and with the concentration of space that urban settings provide, it seems ironic at first that these people are so much more active than our suburban counterparts. Not New York brash, but still focused and quick, they walk, and just look so darned interesting. Every street corner bum has a face brimming with character, and could easily fit into a Silicon Valley startup boardroom with a modicum of spit and polish.

So we love not only going to the Fancy Food Show (see left) but melting into the San Francisco flow for a day or two, feeling the lines lift off our faces in the California sun. What did we love?

• Our hotel, the Harbor Court, close to downtown and $99/night at Priceline
• Watching the sun set at McCormick and Kuletos in Ghiradelli Square
• Dinner at A16, the new “it” Italian Restaurant for all the right reasons: “Meatball Mondays“, Pizza with a crust that stays crisp but holds all the flavor, Il Falcone wine from Puglia (and a price tag that made up for what we saved at the hotel)
• Our meal at Cousin Meg and new in-law Eric’s home: Priceless

So why do we travel? Sort of like camping, where you organize possessions tightly, and scale down what you need, travel allows you to take your eye off everyday concerns and focus on other ones, to learn. The part of our mind that needs to deal with logistics finds simple puzzles in travel; following a map, scheduling a restaurant, meeting a friend. For a while we forget our usual focus on problems with trickier solutions: finances, family matters, long term dreams and plans. Returning from a vacation can be like waking from a dream, with an epiphany: problem pieces rearranged, a fresh perspective.

We’ll Match “Their” Price and Give Credit if You’re Not Happy

 We appreciate your business. At Flavors From Afar, our goal is to provide good products and experiences at a fair price. If you find one of our little beauties at another establishment at (Gasp!) a lower price, just let us know and we’ll match that price.

Likewise, if you’re not happy with the quality of one of your purchases, please return it and we’ll gladly provide credit. It’s a deal! ~~Nancy and Gary Krabill, proprietors-at-large.

We love to do focused olive oil and balsamic vinegar tastings for friends. We’ll talk about the art of tasting olive oils and Balsamics (similar to a wine tasting technique). Then we’ll sample olive oils from around the world, Balsamic vinegars of different vintages, while noshing on Flavors From Afar’s favorite hors’ d’oeuvres.
No charge, BYO wine, and 10% off any purchases made.

Pick ten of your favorite friends, call/email/post to sign up, and we’ll get going!  214.696.2327 or sales@flavorsfromafar.com

Step inside Rouge and you’re not sitting in just another Dallas restaurant. The decor? Seedy Eurocafe. The drinks? Try the tasty Sangria or Spanish Tempranillo but approach the “Ultimate Mojito” with caution. The dining? We tried wonderful little tapas plates brimming with Mediterranean fusion flavor.

Our picks from the menu:

• La Majestad. Open faced empanada with seared chicken breast, Txistorra and Gulf shrimp tossed in a Cabrales cheese sauce.
• Txistorra. Basque sausage with mushrooms and creamy thyme sauce
• Patatas Aioli Verde. Roasted potatoes with a cilantro aioli and Serrano ham.
• Entremeses. Serrano ham, manchego cheese, olives and boquerones platter
• Volcan de Chocolate. Warm chocolate lava cake volcano with a hint of brandy

What did we love? Another twist in Mediterranean flavors. Spain and France are joined at the hip, and the aioli, Serrano ham, and Provencal flavorings shot through provided food for thought and reflection. And finding new ways to use the aged Serrano ham ($22.49) and Chistorra (Txistorra to you! $11.29) that have made their way into our new cooler? Priceless…

Italian tradition holds that La Befana is a kindly witch that comes on Epiphany to bring children goodies or coal in their stocking (sound familiar?). We’ll have a visit from La Befana herself (owner Nancy Krabill) all decked out with a stocking full of tricks or treats for the kids. Meanwhile, grownups can enjoy hors d’oeuvres and samplings of pestos, sweets, and savories, with a little wine to sip along the way. 10- 6 No charge.

Learning Italian? Click here for an interactive children’s website in Italian featuring La Befana.

This weekend, we’ll be sampling meats and sausages from our new cooler:

• Rosette de Lyon – French sausage with bacon swirled inside
• Sopressata - Italian sausage with traditional fennel
• Aged Serrano Ham from Spain – we’ll sprinkle a little truffle oil on top just for fun!

Naughty or nice? La Befana knows!

We love the Twelve Days of Christmas: a second chance, a “mulligan,” if you will, for those of us who didn’t quite make all of the holiday deadlines. Twelfth Night is this Friday and Epiphany, marking the visit of the Magi, is Saturday.

Texans don’t celebrate this so much; what’s going on in the rest of the world?