Gourmet in the Bay Area

Our friend's backyard in Milpitas

Along the way from Carmel to Point Reyes, we visited a few friends in the Bay Area. We first stopped in Burlingame and enjoyed some of J's really interesting home brewed beers with some cheese and bread from Carmel in their tranquil backyard. J has quite the elaborate brewing set up at his place and shared with us his bourbon barrel porter, pumpkin ale, sour, amber ale and a taste of his bitter in progress. I particularly liked the hoppy amber ale; I thought it was so refreshing for a beautiful day outside and K really enjoyed the bourbon porter which was rich, complex and delicious.

After visiting J. & A., we drove to Milpitas to have dinner with some good family friends. She is a professionally trained chef with a lovely house in the hills of Milpitas. It is so beautiful up there; there's a moratorium on development which has really protected the beautiful views of rolling hills and horse farms. She made a delicious meal (as usual); we're lucky to have such great friends!

Love the clouds. She grows everything in her yard: meyer lemons, artichokes, all sorts of herbs, lettuce, onions

Quince with crushed peanuts, spinach, gouda

Salmon mousse with caviar and chives on cucumber

Asian pear, mixed greens and endive salad with almond slivers and a pear citrus vinaigrette

A delicious cioppino with grilled bread

The freshest homemade sorbet: strawberry, mango, blueberry