Jeffrey Saad » travel

Lebanese family reunion feast!

Jeffrey Saad — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 14:15:25 +0000

I live to eat great food but it is family and friends that make life worth living. This blog is dedicated to my Uncle Sam, Aunt Fahada and sister Lisa. My aunt and uncle hosted a decade of “cousin’s weekend” reunions at their home in Omaha Nebraska. We would all fly in from all over the country. As an adult and a chef I realize how much time, energy, love (and money) went into the dedication to keeping family together. My sister Lisa now continues that trend at her home. Check out the video from last weekend of our Lebanese feast!

As a dad I loved having my children see where they come from and how important family is. Uncle Sam, Aunt Fahada, and Lisa, I love you and thank you. Now let’s eat!!

Eat well, Enjoy life, Be happy!

Crab, Cuban food and taking my own advice…

Jeffrey Saad — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 04:00:04 +0000

I hope this finds you well rested and peaceful. If not read on.

A bike ride in the sun between the art deco brilliance of man and the natural beauty of the ocean. Chunks of naturally sweet crabmeat doused in butter and lemon, crispy, creamy ham croquettes, caramel-coconut cookies, perfect sushi and a nap in the sun.

Thanks to my wife that is the day I had yesterday. I was going to fly back from Miami Beach to San Francisco to have a day with my family in-between shooting cities of United Tastes of America. My wife said “why are you going to fly all the way across the country for one day, take a day off and enjoy yourself”. How is that for an amazing wife!

I have always preached that is it better to work 5 or 6 days and have your engines and your spirit at 100% then it is to sputter along non-stop with your engines at 40% (not to mention the deteriorated mind and body consequences). I had forgotten my own advice lately. I am totally refreshed now and ready to rock. Oh yeah, the food!

I finally made it to Joe’s Stone Crab in Miami Beach. It is as good as they say. I was so happy to be alone because I had a temporary out of body experience as I went from tasting the sweet crab by itself to trying it with just a touch of clarified butter to doing butter and a squeeze of lemon.

I then stopped at the most authentic Cuban diner called Puerto Sagua. I was the only English speaker in there. I sat at the counter and enjoyed the chance to practice some Spanish. I had a croquette that was perfectly crisp on the outside but without being greasy. The inside was like cream! Pureed ham and cheese that had just come to the melting point as the outside became golden. Their caramel and coconut cookie was the perfect sweet energy to get me back on my bicycle. I finished up with some of the best sushi at Nobu on the beach and went to bed completely rested and ready to wake up and make it all happen. I hope you find the time to take care of yourself and make all your dreams come true. Cheers.

Eat well, Enjoy life, Be happy!

Back to the home of my original culinary inspiration!

admin — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 14:59:17 +0000

I remember always coming back home to San Francisco after an incredible vacation and being struck by the fact that “home” is a place that people come from all over the world to experience. I am so happy to be calling SF home again. This is the place where I arrived as a young Chicago boy and bought a motorcycle in Oakland for $200 and drove it across the Bay Bridge in a T-shirt because 50 degrees was “hot” compared to where I came from. I remember staring at the city across the bay from the bridge excited to be starting culinary school and working in some of the greatest kitchens in the world. What a great journey it has been! I am back and re-discovering old favorites as well as feeling like that young kid on the motorcycle discovering new places. One of those new places was yesterday at the Ferry Building Farmers market. Culinary heaven!!! The building itself is full of one pleasure after another from Chris Cosentino’s Boccalone (“tasty salted pork parts”), to Far West Fungi (I never knew there were that many mushrooms!) to my crack like addition Blue Bottle Coffee. Outside on the weekends is a farmers’ market and stand after stand of the greatest restaurants and food carts. Yesterday’s discovery was Roli Roti. A mobile rotisserie truck that puts out the most succulent, juicy birds and Porchetta.

My daughter spotted it from across the dock. As you approach the 40 minute long line you can see these beautiful birds slowly spinning in front of a perfect flame. They look like showgirls drawing you in. As you look right you see these long cylinders of juicy pleasure spinning slowly. It is the Porchetta (essentially the best parts of the pig seasoned and rolled up like a sleeping bag in the pork belly and roasted to perfection). We sat down on the only available ledge of the pier and cuddled our chicken and Porchetta in our laps as if they were newborn babies. The chicken was so moist and juicy is could barely keep itself on the bone. The skin was crispy and had the perfect balance of rosemary and garlic as if the bird was wearing a seasoned blouse that just melted into the skin as it roasted. The Porchetta was in the form of a sandwich. The guy uses the bun to mop up the cutting board! That is your sauce! He then slices the juicy pork into thin strips and lays it across the flavor-laden bun. He makes sure that every sandwich gets a nice even strip of crispy pork belly fat down the center. With every bite of the sandwich you get a crunch and then a chew of the pork belly skin that douses your mouth with the perfect amount of pork fat. The candy like caramelized onions give you a sweet break from all the rich pleasure and a touch of arugula adds a peppery bite and makes you feel like you are not eating 100% fat. I am so happy to be back in the tasty city by the bay!!!! Enjoy.

Sorry to not get better pictures. By the time I realized I should take some food close ups my face had the remains of the pleasure on it and I was in search of napkins!

Eat well, Enjoy life, Be happy!

San Sebastian – when sand meets umami!!

admin — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 09:23:25 +0000

The saltiness of manmade brined green olives with the natural sea salt of perfectly fresh anchovies skewered together with a sliver of slightly spicy local green chile was the most incredible first bite of Pintxos (Tapas in the Basque region) (pronounced “Peen Shows”). I literally had to close my eyes to take in every bit of the pleasure. These three ingredients came together to create a new flavor that was unbelievable. The anchovy was mild (un-like the cured ones you may be used to)but tasted fully of the sea. It melted into the olive and was ignited by the chile creating an incredible sauce in my mouth. We went on from there to try dozens of Pintxos. Each bar has 80% of the same thing but then the other 20% is their own unique twist or their signature Tapas. One of my other favorites was a salt cod crostini with thinly fried onions and chiles! The salt cod (bacaloa) is actually not salty at all. The texture is almost creamy with a mild sweet fish flavor. The chiles and onions gave it a touch of richness, the perfect crunch and a cleansing chile bite. Don’t even get me started on the jamon Serrano!! Next blog…

The kids and I finished the day by swimming way out into the bay to mount a floating dock with a high-dive diving board. Watching my kids laugh and fly through the air was as much as I could ask for. Staring back at the crescent-shaped perfectly tan-colored sandy beach was almost visual overload. The Neo-classical, Baroque and Gothic architecture wrapping around the promenade and climbing up to two bookend mountains was a stunning site. Amazing place, amazing food, awesome family. I am so grateful. Enjoy the ones you love and eat something tasty!

Eat well, Enjoy life, Be happy