Iconic San Francisco Dishes, Drinks & Desserts

by Arcadia Publishing

Overview

The roots of San Francisco's celebrated food and drink culture are as diverse as the city itself. A bountiful ocean, rich soil and ingenious residents combined to create unforgettable and enduring gastronomic legacies. Discover the disputed origins of local specialties like the Chicken Tetrazzini, chop suey and the classic martini, along with the legend behind the creation of Green Goddess Dressing. Learn how the abundance of the bay contributed to classics like the Hangtown Fry and Cioppino. Marvel at the introduction of America's first fortune cookie by Benkyodo Candy Factory and how a lack of refrigeration spawned the iconic Anchor Steam Beer. Pile the guacamole on a Mission Burrito and grab an Its-It for dessert. With classic and modern recipes from beloved establishments, author Laura Smith Borrman brings these and other culinary stories to life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781625859587
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	08/13/2018
Series:	American Palate
Pages:	192
Sales rank:	1,187,332
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

California native Laura Smith Borrman is a writer, editor, story gatherer, lover of food and drink and author of two previous books. She has worked in many industries, spanning pastry kitchens, culinary travel, public radio, research and the corporate world. She's a mother of two and lives with her husband and children in Oakland. She writes about the city and the people who've shaped it at discoveringvintagesanfrancisco.com and about food memories, recipes and motherhood at cravingsofhome.com.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements 9

Introduction: A Note on Origin Stories and Eras 11

1 Sourdough Bread: It's Science, It's Magic, It's San Francisco (Gold Rush + Great 'Quake, 1906) 19

2 A California Original: Steam Beer, Craft Breweries (Gold Rush) 31

3 Hangtown Fry: Are Those Bivalves in My Eggs? aka Man's Last Meal (Gold Rush) 35

4 Behold, the Majesty of the Martini-and Its Delightful, Lesser-Known Predecessor, Sort of, the Martinez (Gold Rush) 40

5 Chinese-American Specialty: Chop Suey (Gold Rush) 53

6 An Embarrassment of Fishermen's Riches: Cioppino (late 1800s) 63

7 Fortune Cookies: Not What You Think They Are (late 1800s) 71

8 Jack-of-All-Trades: Bill Boothby and His Namesake Cocktail (1891-1908) 78

9 It Packs a (Pisco) Punch (early 1900s, post-1906) 84

10 From Basque Shepherds to North Beach Bars: Picon Punch (early 1900s) 91

11 The Operatic Roots of a Humble Home Cook's Dish: Chicken Tetrazzini (early 1900s) 100

12 Ascetic Delight: Celery Victor (1910) 106

13 Comfort Food Masquerading as Salad: Crab Louis (1908) 111

14 Joe's Special: A Meaty Beauty (1920s) 118

15 An Instant Hit: Green Goddess Dressing and the Palace Hotel (1923) 126

16 Cult of Cookies and Cream: It's It (1928) 130

17 Neighborly Contribution from Across the Bay: The Mai Tai (1944) 138

18 Breakfast of Champions: Irish Coffee (1950s) 145

19 Mission Burrito: Of the Neighborhood, to the World (1960s) 150

20 The Perfect Close to a Night-or a Book: Tosca's House Cappuccino (1919) 157

Notes 161

Index 167

About the Author 171