Posted by Katherine Frank on February 08, 2012 0 Comments
Our friends at Sweet Constructions are back with a chocolatey holiday treat. Order last minute cookie bags to make easy gifts for the valentines in your life.
Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread Hearts: A half dozen tender and buttery vanilla shortbread cookies dipped in bittersweet chocolate
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Posted by Katherine Frank on February 01, 2012 0 Comments
Stumped for a unique Valentine's Day gift? Are you a foodie that enjoys trying new experiences? I have the perfect solution for you...
Last weekend my hubby and I took a delicious food tour through the SF Mission District with Avital Tours. As self-proclaimed foodies, we love trying new foods and hearing about how they are made, sourced and distributed. Avital Tours gives you just that. A 3 hour walking tour, stopping at 6 different locations to taste and learn about local food artisans. Here's a recap of our experience this past Saturday:
The tour began with a quick intro from host and owner Avital Ungar, where she told us about what makes her an expert. This Burlingame native took a year long pilgrimage to the South of France where she spent her time tasting cheeses, pastries and chocolates, refining her palate and falling more in love with food and wine. Upon returning to the Bay Area, Avital wanted to share her passion for seeking the best of the best in the culinary scene, and sharing her knowledge with others. So she started Avital Tours!
We embarked on our first stop: Hog & Rocks. This restaurant offers an oyster and ham bar, plus a full menu of other lunch and dinner options. To get the full experience, order tastings of hams like serrano and prosciutto, and a dozen of your favorite oysters. Pair them with a refreshing Tom Collins cocktail. The owner tells the group all about where the ham and oysters are sourced from, and how he came up with such a unique dining experience.
Next was my favorite stop- Mission Cheese. The owner told us about her year long trip across the country, where she searched for the best domestic cheeses. This cheese bar is so unique because unlike a wine bar, the cheese is the main event. Create a cheese plate and the friendly staff will help you pair a beer or wine that compliments it beautifully. We tried two cheeses I had never heard of before, but ended up purchasing some to bring home, they were that good! A goats milk gouda and a blue cheddar, both so unique I can't wait to put them on a cheese plate the next time I entertain.
In between the restaurants, we stopped to admire the beautiful murals painted on the walls of Mission buildings. Avital has definitely done her research on the art scene here, and gave us insight on how the Mission murals came to be.
Next we were on to Venga Empanadas where we feasted on two large empanadas- one spinach and one beef. The owner invited us into his kitchen where we got to see how he makes the dough in the beautiful commercial kitchen.
What's a Mission food tour without a stop at a coffee joint? There are so many coffee roasters in the area, but Avital brought us to one of my favorites- Four Barrel. The line was out the door, but of course we got VIP treatment and cut in front of everyone, and made our way to the back where they roast the beans. We learned abou the different types of beans, and Four Barrel's unique process to extract the most flavor from each batch. The we got to smell and taste three different brews.
Then we were off to a SF staple, Bi-Rite market. The owners created this market with real chefs in mind. They wanted to create a place a chef could come to find the ingredients that he really wanted to work with.
After a snack at the Bi-Rite market we crossed the street for a sweet treat at Bi-Rite Creamery. Again, the line was out the door and around the corner, but Avital walked right up to the counter and got our bag of ice cream sandwiches. I'm not a huge lemon ice cream fan, but I have to admit that these were good. Their meyer lemon ice cream was sandwiched between two freshly baked ginger snap cookies. It was the perfect cookie to pair the citrus ice cream with. By that time I was pretty stuffed from the day, but don't worry my hubby helped me finish it off :)
Saturday's tour was such a unique experience. We loved getting to know the Mission on a whole new level. It turns out the Mission has so much more to offer than taquerias! Avital did such a great job putting together a progressive meal in a fun and active way. I would recommend it for any couple that needs a little help coming up with inventive dates, and breaking away from the normal dinner and a movie routine. On this tour you get to try 6 places, learn a little along the way, and do it all with a fun and entertaining host.
Gift certificates are for sale and make the perfect Valentine's Day gift. Find more info here:
Price: $64 (plus optional $16 alcohol pairing)
When: Saturdays at 11AM, Tuesdays at 6pm
Where: Mission District (starts @ Women's Building, ends @ Dolores Park)
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Posted by Katherine Frank on January 24, 2012 0 Comments
We work in a shared commercial kitchen in San Francisco where we cook side by side with many successful food companies. There are food trucks, wedding cakes, empanadas, and even dog treats! One of our favorite colleagues is Sweet Construction Bakery. They whip up dozens and dozens of cookies Sunday evenings, and the delicious aroma often wafts over to our side of the kitchen. They are so sweet that they share extra cookies with the Evolution team. After trying their product on several occasions, I decided I had to share their treats with you. So this week only, order a half dozen of their signature Peanut Butter cookie.
About Sweet Constructions:
Located in San Francisco, Sweet Constructions makes updated, all natural family favorites and other classic sweets - cookies, mini cupcakes, and ice cream sandwiches. They carefully choose what goes into their treats and do not add preservatives, artificial flavors, or hydrogenated oils (trans fats). Whenever possible, they try to use natural, sustainable ingredients from local producers and purveyors. For example, their peanut butter cookie uses Project Open Hand Peanut Butter - freshly ground peanut butter with no additives that also supports a wonderful local charity that provides meals to seniors and to people with serious illnesses.
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Posted by Katherine Frank on January 19, 2012 0 Comments
Ahh, it finally feels like winter! What sounds better on a rainy night than a big bowl of soup and some rustic country bread to dip? The following recipe can be altered using whatever veggies are in season. Go to your local farmer's market and check out what veggies you see there. then you know they are going to taste fresh and seasonal. This soup is very forgiving too. Some people like to keep it a little chunky, some people like to thin it out with lots of broth so it's smooth. You can even pass it through a strainer if you want it more refined. Have fun with this recipe and throw in any other spices or flavors you like. Throw in some kale or beans after step (5) if you want to change it up a bit.
Ingredients
- carrots
- butternut squash
- onion
- beets
- vegetable stock (equal to the amount of all veggies combined)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 450
- Chop all veggie to 1" thick cubes, and lay on a baking sheet
- Drizzle veggies with olive oil, salt and pepper
- Roast carrots, squash, onions and tomatoes until tender
- If you have an immersion blender (hand-held blender), add veggies to soup pot with the veggie stock. Puree until smooth. If you don't have an immersion blender, add veggies to a blender or food processor with a half cup of veggie stock. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a soup pot
- Simmer soup 30 mins, adjusting seasoning to your taste. You can also adjust thickness by adding more veggie stock.
promo code: veggiesoup
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Posted by Katherine Frank on January 12, 2012 0 Comments
Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day! We'll be open and delivering your meals like usual. However, our pickup location will be closed that day. Arrange for delivery instead.
See you then!
Kat
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Posted by Katherine Frank on January 05, 2012 0 Comments
Our first Pick-up Location
470 Carolina St.
San Francisco
Mon 3:30-6pm OR Tues 9:30am-noon
Hate paying for delivery? Place your order as usual, then stop by our first pickup location, located in the Portrero Hill District of San Francisco. Our friends at
Recess Urban Recreation are opening their doors to us every Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning so you can swing by and pick up your meals for free. Just choose the 'pick up' option at checkout for free delivery.
Don't live or work in SF? Suggest a pick up location near you.
We are working to secure more pick up locations on the peninsula, in the South Bay, East Bay and Marin too. Have a place in mind that would be great for it? Let me know and we'll get the ball rolling.
Thanks!
kat & Team Evolution
What is Recess?
Drop in to play, connect with others, share a smile or a conversation. Watch as your child expores their safe, developmentally-rich play space, featuring discreet yet connected modules for babies through preschoolers.
For something more structured, they offer quarterly children's classes in art, music, movement, science and more. Learn, grow, and experiment under the guidance of one or our experienced teachers.
When you play hard you need a break! Try their casual cafe, where cheese sticks, dried fruit and bunny crackers initiate the timeless ritual of sharing a meal with others.
And be sure to join us for special events, including seasonal gatherings and regular concerts.
Come visit Reces soon!
www.RecessUrbanRecreation.com
(415)701-7529
promo code: blogjan512
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Posted by Katherine Frank on December 30, 2011 0 Comments
If 'getting in shape' or 'losing weight' is on your list of resolutions, it can be a bit overwhelming. Where do you even start? Here are a few small and manageable things I try to do on a regular basis. It's all about feeling really good. And for me that means eating as healthy as possible. Not depriving myself of anything completely, but making smarter choices every day to feel great.
- Stock your fridge with healthy stuff: if you get stuck in a position where you're starving and have nothing healthy in your kitchen, you're in trouble. Stock your fridge with healthy snacks that you can grab in a pinch like hummus with celery or carrots, apples with almond butter, or protein rich items like low-sodium deli meat and your favorite cheese
- When ordering food at a restaurant, look for the item that has a vegetable-based sauce instead of cream-based. Pestos are great, or a meaty marinara is definitely a better option than alfredo
- Cut out bread (and other carb-laden foods): this will do wonders in no time. If you're used to eating a sandwich on a regular basis, wean yourself off of it by first subbing in a grainy bread. And then taper down to crisp whole wheat pitas, then try to skip the sandwich altogether and make an exciting salad instead. Throw in some toasted nuts, crumbled cheese, and you're not going to miss out on the sammy. Avoiding bread really will make you feel less puffy and leaner
- Buy some tea: Around 3 or 4pm I tend to crave a snack, and instead of reaching for something sweet, I try to make a cup of tea instead. Sometimes just the process of getting up away from the computer and fiddling around in the kitchen is enough to snap me out of my craving
- Order a Starter: When going out for sushi, order a big cup of miso soup first. Then indulge in your favorite caterpillar roll. If you start with a soup or salad, you're not going to fill up so much on the more fattening things
Do you have any tips to add to my list? I'd love to hear them!
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Posted by Katherine Frank on December 30, 2011 0 Comments
I wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a very Happy New Year! Each year at Evolution I make resolutions for ways to improve the business. Here's what I have in mind for 2012:
- Offer pick up locations in Marin, the Peninsula, Berkeley, and the South Bay
- Introduce a wider menu with more options and ethnic varieties, plus a low sodium option
- Team up with gyms and offices to create custom detox plans for groups
Can you think of any other resolutions we should add to our list?
And, I'm not off the hook yet. How did I do with my 2011 resolutions:
2011 New Year's Resolution
- Introduce food allergy icons on our menu that indicate Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free and Vegetarian items
- Team up with schools and businesses to offer pickup locations
- Expand to Marin County & the East Bay
We definitely did numbers 1 & 2! And we sort of hit our goal for number 3. We have expanded to Oakland, and just got our first Marin County customer last week (she's picking up her order in SF).
Whatever your New Year Resolution is, I hope we can help out at least with your dinner table. From my family to your's have a great holiday and see you in the New Year!
Kat
promo code: NYE2012
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Posted by Katherine Frank on December 14, 2011 0 Comments
An Evolution favorite for years now- this cookie brings back sweet memories. In 2006 I took my first catering job with a company in San Diego. That same day, little did I know (I had a hunch), but my boss would one day become my husband. These cookies remind me of long days and nights in the catering kitchen with him, laboring over hundreds of these cookies every day. We molded this recipe into the perfect wholesome cookie- not too sweet or heavy, but with a nice sweet bite and chewy texture. We sweeten these cookies partially with grated carrot, so they're not weighed down by sugar. In fact, there's only a 1/3 cup brown sugar in each dozen cookies.
From our family to yours, we hope you enjoy these cookies with your families and feel the love baked into every batch. We are even gift wrapping them by the dozen or half dozen this week. They make the perfect stocking stuffer!
Happy Holidays!
Kat & Team Evolution
P.S. Click here to order them for the 12/19/11 delivery
promo code: cookie
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Posted by Katherine Frank on November 16, 2011 0 Comments
Yea ok Thanksgiving is one of those days of the year that you're going to indulge. Bigger portions, more carbs than you're used to, more sweets. But you don't have to leave your dinner feeling like a blimp in the Macy's Day parade. This year, go the extra mile to make your recipes using clean ingredients. What does this mean? Here are some tips to clean up the foods at your table this year:
- Buy fresh produce: green beans can be found in the produce aisle, not the frozen food or canned food sections. Same goes with those sweet potatoes and brussel sprouts you were planning to serve
- Ditch the box: Stove-top, Potato Buds, and boxed gravy are out of the question. Take a gander at the ingredient lists and as you're trying to pronounce ingredient number thirteen you'll see why. Mashed potatoes should have a handful of ingredients at the most (potatoes, butter, milk, salt). That's it!
- Make your own pies: Well, maybe not the crust because that's a pain in the butt. But the filling, yes. You WILL notice a huge difference in the taste of your pies, guaranteed. Have you ever taken a bite of a store-bought pie to find a syrupy consistency in no way resembling the fruit it's supposed to behold? Just imagine the ingredients it took to get it to that point.
Of course, you can always order your clean alternatives from us this year.
Happy Turkey Day!
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