Monday, November 22, 2004
Pomegranates and Persimmons and Clemintines, oh my!
The beautiful fall fruit season is in full swing.
I was always grossed out by persimmons as a child, (they seem too much like tomatoes to smell that sweet), but this year it clicked. I'll eat my hat if they don't make the best cookies ever. Really easy to make. Here in the South Bay, they are falling off trees everywhere. If, like me, you insist on organic food that has been shipped at great expense (in lieu of what is readily available and free), you can find jiggly ripe persimmons at Whole Foods for $1.50 each on sale.
A good fall season dessert: Take a super ripe persimmon and throw it in the freezer. Once frozen, cut the peel off the top and serve in a small bowl (to keep it from rolling around.) The pulp turns into sorbet with a rather gelato-y consistency. Fabulous.
Rumor has it that the roundish fruits (not the heart shaped ones) taste great underripe, eaten as apples.
Some ideas I would like to try, or would like to hear about:
I was always grossed out by persimmons as a child, (they seem too much like tomatoes to smell that sweet), but this year it clicked. I'll eat my hat if they don't make the best cookies ever. Really easy to make. Here in the South Bay, they are falling off trees everywhere. If, like me, you insist on organic food that has been shipped at great expense (in lieu of what is readily available and free), you can find jiggly ripe persimmons at Whole Foods for $1.50 each on sale.
A good fall season dessert: Take a super ripe persimmon and throw it in the freezer. Once frozen, cut the peel off the top and serve in a small bowl (to keep it from rolling around.) The pulp turns into sorbet with a rather gelato-y consistency. Fabulous.
Rumor has it that the roundish fruits (not the heart shaped ones) taste great underripe, eaten as apples.
Some ideas I would like to try, or would like to hear about:
- Persimmon Angelfood cake (with ribbons of persimmon puree, rather than mixed all in.)
- Can you cook with the underripe as you would with apples? If so, with the mapley smell, they'd be fantastic with pork.
- Used in a sauce over gnocci or ravioli, with sage.
- Waffles, of course.
Wine pairings? Syrah if it is cooked persimmon, (like on a pork chop), chenin blanc if you're having some less-ripe fruit sliced in a salad.
Pomegranates and clemintines are too good fresh to cook or freeze (OK, pomegranates cooked up are wonderful, but nothing is worth the ensuing crime scene of bright red juice splattered clear up the walls).
Enjoy the short season by eating as many as you can.
Sunday, November 21, 2004
Praise and Scorn for Paragon
Paragon Restaurant
211 South First Street
San Jose, CA
408.282.8888
http://www.paragonrestaurant.com/sjhome.htm
Paragon is a great place to take a first date if you're used to eating at the Olive Garden.
The design of the space is so cool. It looks very clean and fashionable without being distracting. The dark rooms and the layout give you some sense of privacy, and make you forget you're in San Jose. The bar area has table lighting that is reminiscent of a communal fire, very inviting, (and flattering). The music matches the scene perfectly.
Service, however, is laughable. They all seem to be trying to take themselves seriously, but totally lack the grace and experience required. Our server over-explained everything, and brought our entrees before we were done with our salads. We had to ask for knives, and no one checked in to see how we liked our food once it was put down. Also, the host sat people right next to our small table, even though the place was empty. Like I said, I could tell they were trying, but missing the key point of putting guests first. They were kind, though, so we mostly just laughed.
The menu is standard California fusion. Nothing special on the wine list, but it should satisfy most. Skip it anyway and have a cocktail.
Let me just say by way of introduction that I hate creative cocktails. Sweet drinks make me sick. A purist when it comes to liquor, I generally don't even permit ice. I like gin up and scotch neat. An offer of something silly like "ruby red cosmo" would normally prompt a castigating, "I don't do cosmo".
But, Paragon has real fresh squeezed juice behind the bar! And clean glassware! Also, it might be the only bar in town that doesn't smell like an 8 day old tray shot (I am quite sensitive to smells). Encouraged by the hip decor and the Thievery Corporation mix, I ordered it anyway. Scared of getting some kind of liquid lollipop, I asked the server to make sure and order it not too sweet. It was perfect. I mean, the Best Drink Ever. The cranberry infused vodka with fresh squeezed ruby grapefruit juice has layers of tartness and fruity deliciousness that go so well you almost can't discern two flavors. But then you can, and it is wonderful.
It is too reasonably priced to be upset about, but the food is just OK.
My gentleman companion enjoyed the duck confit salad. The Caesar with a single white anchovy could have benefited from another couple fish and a spritz of lemon.
The grilled pork loin chop with spaetzle and cornbread was over-marinated and tasted something like a burnt marshmallow jelly bean. Good for about two bites, and then really boring. I was hungry and I still couldn't finish it. Not that it was large, or tasted bad or anything, I just felt that I would fall asleep face first in the spaetzle if I had to chew another bite.
The burger is a good deal for a place like Paragon. For $10, it's a good size and juicy. It comes with a mountain of crisp fries and a thrilling fresh garlic aioli that got me through a few more bites of the bland pork chop.
My early success with the cosmo almost tempted me to try the Smore-tini. Baileys disgusts me, but it has a clever mini-marshmallow garnish that I think is just inspired. I don't understand why Paragon is the first to think of that one. I mean, Julia Child, it is already a drink garnish! Where were we on that one?
The restaurant has an Armagnac on the menu for those of you keeping score.
211 South First Street
San Jose, CA
408.282.8888
http://www.paragonrestaurant.com/sjhome.htm
Paragon is a great place to take a first date if you're used to eating at the Olive Garden.
The design of the space is so cool. It looks very clean and fashionable without being distracting. The dark rooms and the layout give you some sense of privacy, and make you forget you're in San Jose. The bar area has table lighting that is reminiscent of a communal fire, very inviting, (and flattering). The music matches the scene perfectly.
Service, however, is laughable. They all seem to be trying to take themselves seriously, but totally lack the grace and experience required. Our server over-explained everything, and brought our entrees before we were done with our salads. We had to ask for knives, and no one checked in to see how we liked our food once it was put down. Also, the host sat people right next to our small table, even though the place was empty. Like I said, I could tell they were trying, but missing the key point of putting guests first. They were kind, though, so we mostly just laughed.
The menu is standard California fusion. Nothing special on the wine list, but it should satisfy most. Skip it anyway and have a cocktail.
Let me just say by way of introduction that I hate creative cocktails. Sweet drinks make me sick. A purist when it comes to liquor, I generally don't even permit ice. I like gin up and scotch neat. An offer of something silly like "ruby red cosmo" would normally prompt a castigating, "I don't do cosmo".
But, Paragon has real fresh squeezed juice behind the bar! And clean glassware! Also, it might be the only bar in town that doesn't smell like an 8 day old tray shot (I am quite sensitive to smells). Encouraged by the hip decor and the Thievery Corporation mix, I ordered it anyway. Scared of getting some kind of liquid lollipop, I asked the server to make sure and order it not too sweet. It was perfect. I mean, the Best Drink Ever. The cranberry infused vodka with fresh squeezed ruby grapefruit juice has layers of tartness and fruity deliciousness that go so well you almost can't discern two flavors. But then you can, and it is wonderful.
It is too reasonably priced to be upset about, but the food is just OK.
My gentleman companion enjoyed the duck confit salad. The Caesar with a single white anchovy could have benefited from another couple fish and a spritz of lemon.
The grilled pork loin chop with spaetzle and cornbread was over-marinated and tasted something like a burnt marshmallow jelly bean. Good for about two bites, and then really boring. I was hungry and I still couldn't finish it. Not that it was large, or tasted bad or anything, I just felt that I would fall asleep face first in the spaetzle if I had to chew another bite.
The burger is a good deal for a place like Paragon. For $10, it's a good size and juicy. It comes with a mountain of crisp fries and a thrilling fresh garlic aioli that got me through a few more bites of the bland pork chop.
My early success with the cosmo almost tempted me to try the Smore-tini. Baileys disgusts me, but it has a clever mini-marshmallow garnish that I think is just inspired. I don't understand why Paragon is the first to think of that one. I mean, Julia Child, it is already a drink garnish! Where were we on that one?
The restaurant has an Armagnac on the menu for those of you keeping score.
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