Blue Sky Cafe in Belmont CA

Tasty Mongolian beef and galicky green beans

Author's confession: I admit it's been years since my last visit to Blue Sky Cafe. But after all this time it still stands (testament to endurance). Hoping to visit soon!

Blue Sky Cafe

1625 El Camino Real #9

Belmont CA 94002

650.595.0228

I've driven the stretch on El Camino about a zillion times without seeing the Blue Sky Cafe. That's because you REALLY have to pay attention and quickly pull into the strip of businesses / stores before the car behind you drives over you.

If you stop, I think you'll be happy you did. The place has a menu that stretches for miles, but if you want variety and good food at value prices (yes, my favorite) then give it a try.

Here's an example of just a few items on the list:

• Eggplant with spicy garlic sauce

• Sauteed prawns with greens

• Mongolian beef (not in a soy saucy type sauce - don't expect what you'd expect from say...PF Changs)

• Basil tofu (delish - if you like tofu)

• Cashew chicken

• Basil chicken

• Broccoli beef

  
  

Blue Sky Cafe receives "many stars" from me! Enjoy.

Tacoma Glass Museum and Chihuly Exhibit

Chihuly art on display in Tacoma

Tacoma Glass Museum

1801 Dock St.

Tacoma, WA 98402

While in Seattle recently we decided to step outside our normal line-up of "things to do" and head south to Tacoma. Being a fan of Dale Chihuly, the famed glass-blower, I wanted to see the Glass Museum and some of his handywork.

Turns out much of the museum contains a fair amount of work by world-renowned Preston Singletary. Singletary has a wide range of pieces on display which reflect his Northwest Native roots as well as pieces created in a more modern European style. Beautiful!

Equally impressive are the pieces based upon artwork produced in the children's workshop on the premises. Essentially the kids get to draw in the studio and in some cases a glass piece is created based upon the drawing. One lucky child receives the glass art and a second (identical) piece is kept in the Kids Design collection. All the work is done in the "hot shop" which is a huge open forum where the public can see the piece being created. t's all good fun on a drizzly day in the Northwest.

Want to create your own piece of glass handiwork? There is a glass studio up the street where, for $65 you can work side-by-side a professional to create a custom vase or other piece of choice. Again, a very interesting and unique way to spend the day.

Tacoma Glassblowing Studio

114 S. 23rd Street

Tacoma WA 98402253.383.3499

Stunning display

info@tacmaglassblowing.com

Owned by Mark and Jeannine Sigafoos

Places to stay

Marriot

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/seatd-courtyard-tacoma-downtown/

Hotel Murano

http://www.hotelmuranotacoma.com/

Casual dining

Duke's Chowder House

3327 Ruston Way

Tacoma, WA 98402-5309

(253) 752-5444

The Lobster Shop

4015 Ruston Way

Tacoma, WA 98402

253-617-1907

An impressive exhibit!

Beer and Food Pairings at Half Moon Bay Brewery

A bevy of beers sampled at Half Moon Bay Brewery in Half Moon Bay CA.

A few years ago, a friend and I met the chef of the Half Moon Bay Brewery at a party and inquired if we could tour the kitchen. Although I had previously worked in a restaurant kitchen, the idea of hearing about life as a chef and seeing his domain was irresistible. On a sunny Saturday, we drove to the Half Moon Bay Brewery (CA) to meet Mark Hamilton (Executive Chef) and explore the inner workings of the operation.

Mark started our tour with a view into his world which was quite different than expected. He was perched behind a computer screen monitoring daily reports consisting of inventory lists which drive food orders and ultimately help ensure a smooth - and cost efficient - system from start to finish. Mark monitors everything including the weather because "it can have a dramatic impact on how much - or little - we need to staff for the day." It was surprising to see a restaurant kitchen run as a business but seems smart given the state of the economy and it's recent toll on restaurants.

After our short tour of the kitchen itself we moved on to the brewery. There we could see big vats for brewing the beer, a label-making machine and bags of malt stacked and awaiting production. It was surprising to see so many varieties of malt from all over the world and even more so to taste each one. Although each consisted of the base essence of malt there was a slightly different flavor - depending upon the country of origination - which would translate to the many beers made on the premises.

Burgers and cheese please!

Ahi poke and mango salsa - a classic that crushes it for me

Decadent dessert and a work of art too!

Half Moon Bay Brewery

390 Capistrano Road

Half Moon Bay CA 94019

650.728.2739

As we sat down to lunch and a beer sampler, we had the opportunity to pair each with the different food items before us. I admit I've never really considered beer in the context of food or desserts but the flavors which surfaced as a result of the pairings have given me new respect - and interest - in beer overall.

A few examples:

• Bootlegger's Brown Ale and sliders or the spicy shrimp.

• Sandy Beach hefeweizen with it's beautiful brown hue and sweet taste pairs well with an ahi starter or fried calamari. Surprise! It's also great with the mango cheesecake!

• Mavericks Amber Ale and burgers.

• Pilar Point pale ale is earthy, hoppy and grassy and marries with earthy flavors like those found in mushrooms.

• The stout or porter pairs well with...chocolate!

A little online searching reflects a decent amount of interest and information on the topic of beer and food pairings. Examples include:

• Milder meats like pork or chicken often pair well with beers displaying a malt accent, like a malty lager.

• Red meats go with richer, fruity ales.

• Spicy foods work with a clean, delicate lager (Singha).

• Barbequed meats marry with craft-brewed stouts and porters.

In the end, as with wine, you should always drink what you like best. But if you feel adventurous, consider a beer pairing to add some spice to your culinary palate.

Many thanks to the staff at the Brewery / Maverick's Lodge for the tour and a delicious lunch!