Bruschetta by the bay
Food- filled trip turns up a shrimp- topped treat
Onmy latest book tour, I stayed at the Hotel Vitale in San Francisco, which is just a crosswalk away from the famed Ferry Building, a food- lover’s paradise. If you are going to San Francisco, it isworth staying there to immerse yourself in the local food scene. You can taste coffee, fruit, pastry, roasted chickens, spices, oysters ... the list could go on forever.
Plan your trip around the Saturday morning outdoor market— there is nothing like sitting on a bench by the Oakland Bay Bridge, eating breakfast and talking food politics with the locals.
I always try to find out what’s cooking with the local chefs andwas thrilled to discover chefKory Stewart at Americano Restaurant.
There is a vibrant bar scene in the front of the restaurant, and behind a curtain there is a small dining room turning out some sensational dishes. One dish I couldn’t stop thinking aboutwas bruschetta with shrimp and romesco sauce. It is a sublimely simple recipe, perfect for the home cook.
Bruschetta is thick- sliced bread, grilled and scented with garlic, usually drizzled with fruity olive oil. Whilewe usually think of this dish as topped with tomatoes, actually it is a blank canvas for other savory ingredients. Here the bread is topped with a roasted pepper, garlic and almond sauce that beautifully complements the sweetness of the shrimp.
Any leftover sauce is alsowonderful as a dip for vegetables or a finishing sauce on any grilled fish, chicken or meat.