Road Trip

The first time I came to San Francisco I was eight.  We came here on a conference-turned-family-vacation that led into a summer ritual.  We spent many days there, eating interesting food, walking through Golden Gate Park and past some famous shops and landmarks.  It's all a blur now, except for the last evening before our red-eye back home when I was ten.  I felt a deep sadness that I wouldn't be back for a while.

My city adventures before San Francisco always included New York, and it was mostly spent with my grandparents in a small, one-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn.  I'd always feel the excitement of the city when we'd approach it.  The lanes would increase on the interstate and the cars would multiply.  They drove faster.  They honked.  There were more roadway to consider.  Tolls.  Bridges.  Planes flew overhead to nearby Newark Airport.  The New Jersey turnpike weaved past industrial plants, spewing smoke and smog.  And the skyscrapers. Twin Towers, Empire State Building, Chrysler Building.  Every time I'd see these iconic legends, I'd be reminded of the sheer size of this place.  So many options, so fast, so well-known and well-loved.

But we'd get to the apartment and I'd feel stifled.  This was not the New York I envisioned when I'd watch those skyscrapers on our way in.  Things felt small now.  And on our trips into Manhattan or the Bronx for a game, my parents would grab my hand, make sure I was always at their hip.  I was not to go anywhere or see anything alone without their constant eyes on me.

New York never felt like home to me.  And after a day or two every time we went there, I yearned for the fresh air, the openness of our yard in Pennsylvania.

Shastina

Now that I live on the West Coast, this is my skyline halfway between home and San Francisco.  I truly believe that Portland is fit for me, and it really is home.  But if I had to live in San Francisco, I wouldn't be too bummed.

Besides the space, there's the people.  What I think I loved about San Francisco when I was a kid that I couldn't articulate was the friendliness of the people.  People here for the most part seem genuinely happy.  On this trip, as we were fumbling through maps on our phones, a man approached us and asked where we needed to go.  When I was a kid, a server at a Chinese Restaurant taught me how to use chopsticks.  New Yorkers love their city, but what I love about this city is that people reach out and help, or just say hi.  Even the baristas at this coffee shop were friendly, something I'm not used to, especially in Portland.

We had a blast.  Maybe too much fun because now Scott is sick with pneumonia.  It was time for chicken soup when we got back home.  I never seemed to figure out chicken noodle without severely overcooking the noodles, or turning chicken and rice soup into just chicken and rice.  But a few months ago, we went here and after ordering the matzo ball soup, I was immediately brought back to my grandparents' dining room table for a Passover Seder.

I experimented and tried a few different recipes, and now I have some confidence in creating a decent Matzo Ball Soup.  It will never be as good as Grandma's, but if you're sick and you want something simple, this is a good one to try.  I started with Amanda Hesser's The Essential New York Times Cookbook and used the ingredients to form the Matzo balls, then took the methods from Smitten Kitchen to cook the Matzo balls.

Matzo Ball Soup adapted from Smitten Kitchen and The Essential New York Times Cookbook
(makes 8 servings)


A word about broth: if you have really amazing homemade broth, go for it, but if you want something a little bit easier than cooking a whole chicken, and you don't want to use canned (please don't!), get a good Rotisserie chicken, cut off the huge chunks of chicken, and then put the carcass in a big pot, add some parsley, salt, pepper, garlic, bay leaf, and any other herbs you have (I put in a few sprigs of rosemary growing outside) and water to just barely cover carcass and let it simmer until you can pull away the meat from the bone.  Taste, and add bouillon as needed to enhance the chicken flavor.  


3 large eggs
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 cup clarified unsalted butter
3/4 cup matzo meal
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup club soda
8 cups (or more) chicken broth


Whisk eggs in medium bowl.  Whisk in herbs, salt, and pepper.  Whisk in butter, matzo meal, and baking powder.  Whisk in club soda until well combined.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for two hours.  


Bring 1 1/2 quarts of salted water to a rolling boil in a medium sized pot.  Wet hands, then form matzo mix into 1-inch diameter balls.  Drop them into simmering water one at a time.  Cover and cook for 30-40 minutes.  


Meanwhile, heat up broth.  When matzo balls are done, transfer them to soup to reheat.  Taste and adjust flavors once again, then serve and eat immediately.