Growing up, my mom always kept a kitchen drawer devoted for snacks.

Without fail, everyday when we came home from school, we plopped down our school bags; kicked off our muddy, stinky shoes; grabbed a juice box out of the fridge, and began the fruitless search through the snack drawer.

Without fail, we were always disappointed. The drawer never contained what we craved: Cheetos, gummy bears, sugar-loaded BubbleYum, Cheez-Wiz, marshmallow sugar bunnies, Ding-Dongs or Snicker bars. Instead, the snack drawer inventory included stale, crusty raisins (crusty because the natural sugar in these dehydrated fruits actually decomposed out of its skin and crystallized around the box) and oat & honey granola bars – ones that were designed to drain all saliva and fluids from your body and leave you dehydrated, grouchy, and completely unfulfilled.

Flash forward ten to twenty years…

Here we are, sitting at our desks, staring at our computers. Cup of coffee to the left of us, work piled high to the right, and a drawer full of random mid-day goodies close at hand.

The amount and composition in our drawers may vary.

Some will have a Nutri-grain bar stashed away with all the pens and post-its they stole from the supply cabinet.

Others may have more of the breakfast assortment stored next to their suit coat and spare set of shoes – a box of single-serving instant oatmeal or muesli cereal (gotta look healthy in front of your colleagues!)

Some drawers are filled with “emergency” foods – for those times when you forgot to bring your lunch and don’t have time to grab something from down the street. These drawers may be filled with a can or packet of soup, canned meat (tuna, Vienna sausages, etc. – I won’t venture into Spam in this article, but soon…I promise.)

And still others may have this random selection of bad snacks that – if viewed separately, may not seem so bad, and they all have a story or an excuse how they got there in the first place – but when viewed together… oh geez, this is embarrassing.

Okay, here we go – a complete list of my snack drawer contents:
 Safeway-brand, artificially flavored cherry jello
 Jar of instant oatmeal pre-mixed with brown sugar and wheat germ
 Can of garbanzo beans
 Can of kidney beans
 microwaveable popcorn
 Jar of furikake (Japanese seaweed sprinkles, typically used over rice – but in my case, with popcorn)
 Dehydrated pickled plums (an Asian thing – my mouth is saucing just thinking of them!)
 Packets of pepper & ketchup
 Bag of loose earl grey tea
 Vitamins
 Napkins

And because they have no where better to go, these items are also in the drawer:
 Toothbrush & toothpaste
 Christmas lights
 Ribbon
 A picture of me with Gette Watanabe (best known for his line in Sixteen Candles, “Wassa happenin’ hotstuff?”)
 A rose de-thorner garden gadget (don’t ask)

I know - gross, weird, and random.

After taking an objective look and analysis at the contents of my office snack drawer, I now have a stronger appreciation and understanding of my mother’s own snack drawer.

By the way – last time I checked, her drawer has gotten much better. The snack drawer now contains gum, Altoids, cheddar goldfish crackers, and packets of cookies.

Random, old stuff still gets thrown in there and forgotten – I recently opened a small tin can of chocolate truffles and noticed that not only were all the chocolates white with age, it actually had a resident mini-maggot. Nice.

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Getting your first cup of joe is a morning ritual that most of us treasure. It’s a rite of passage that we experience each day - our early, weary stage of life transforms into a more functional and alert being.

Funny, too, the amount of coffee we consume throughout each day is commonly correlated to the amount of stress we experience. Not surprising to hear, therefore, that this caffeine stimulant is a substantial contributor to anxiety.

We have stress. At work we have budget concerns, cashflow problems, personnel issues, deadlines, conflicts, politics, heavy workloads and not enough breaks. We have responsibilities, projects to manage and people to supervise. It comes in waves, it builds, and just when we think our stress and workloads are about to settle down, the next wave hits and you’re once again swirling and struggling in the under current of the next big project. Phew! You want to come up for air, take a breather, but there’s no time… there are people depending upon you, and deadlines to be met. Just revive and refuel with another cup of coffee, or a RedBull if the situation is particularly dire, and you’re off!!

I’m not even going to touch the stress we also experience at home & in our own personal finances… Talk to Azim about personal finances!

But it’s important for us to recognize: over the years, this stress and downward spiral takes its toll.

We’re nervous, agitated, and develop this hyper level of anxiety that becomes difficult to control.

If you find yourself in this situation, one simple strategy - try taking a break from coffee - just for a while, not a permanent break-up, just a break. Sure, you’re sleepy and sluggish at first, but it’s not nearly as difficult as giving up other vices (smoking, drinking, chocolate, etc.) I cleared my system for a few weeks and was amazed by the results.

The stress and pressure factors were all still there, but my anxiety levels noticeably lowered. Even after I started my morning caffeine routine again, I felt more in-tune with my body. I can tell when I’ve had enough.

A great alternative caffeine-like source is Yerba Mate tea. Kind of tastes like you’re sucking on a root, but it has many of the great effects without the overload on your nerves. Trader Joe’s and other specialty markets carry it. The brand I’ve tried is EcoTeas, an organic, “unsmoked” tea from Argentina.

The tea leaves, yerba mate (ilex paraguariensis) grow primarily in Central America. According to the box, mate is “a rich source of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants.” It still contains caffeine, but a form of which that is much easier on our nervous system. Check out their website: www.yerbamate.com.

Curious? Try it out and let me know your thoughts!

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Is your company hosting yet another potluck gathering? Need to bring a dish to your friend’s baby shower? Here’s my favorite potluck contribution. It’s light, colorful, aromatic, looks complicated and yet super easy to prepare. It’s guaranteed to impress your friends and colleagues. I”ll leave it up to you whether or not you share the recipe…

Somen Salad, a true Japanese-American concoction

4 bundles of somen noodles (these are thin, white Japanese noodles - you can find them in the “Asian” aisle* of the supermarket)
1 medium head of red leaf lettuce, shredded
2 C ham (or chicken, roast beef), cut in julienne strips or shredded
4 stalks green onion, chopped finely
2 eggs, beaten and made into a crepe, then cut into julienne strips
1 large cucumber, cut into julienne strips
Other optional ingredients: red pickled ginger, strips of kamaboko (Japanese fish cake), julienne strips of seasoned dried seaweed

Dressing:
4 T sesame seeds
2 t salt
4 T sugar
1 t sesame oil
1/2 C salad oil
6 T rice vinegar
2 T soy sauce

Combine all dressing ingredients in jar and shake until well blended.

Cook noodles in boiling water until done. Do not overcook (usually only takes a few minutes). Drain and place in colander under running water. Soak in ice water until ready to combine with the remaining ingredients. Layer noodles and arrange on the bottom of a large platter. Top with a layer of lettuce, cucumbers, ham, eggs, and green onions. (tip: try to layer all the ingredients based on color and size - the large mass of noodles at the bottom, the finer greens on top of the bulky ones, and all the colorful ingredients on top - with the thinner, smaller ones closer to the top so all the layers are visible.)

Chill thoroughly. Can be prepared the night before. Just before serving, pour dressing over the entire salad.

Enjoy!

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DO drink lots of wine.
DO NOT get wasted.

DO visit wineries in Napa and Sonoma Valley or Santa Barbara County.
DO NOT go solely for the free wine.

DO try the smaller, family vineyards.
DO NOT fall for the tourist traps (a few are okay, but you’re missing the whole experience if you limit yourself soley to the commercial vineyards – remember, you can always get those bottles and try them yourself at Safeway or Ralphs.)

DO ask questions at tastings (”What years were great for your Cabs? Why?” or “What am I looking for in this vintage Zinfandel?”)
DO NOT be obnoxious and ask questions only to impress your friends. We all see right through your shenanigans. “Ah yes, I noticed that this Chardonnay has a deeper oak base to it, I assume it’s because you insist on letting them sit in newer barrels?”

DO explore various varieties – Chardonnays, Cabernets, Merlots, Syrahs, Sangiovese, Zinfandels, Pinots, etc. from around the world.
DO follow the recommended tasting order: lighter whites first (Pinot Grigio, Riesling), more robust whites next (Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay); then lighter, fruitier reds (Merlot, Sangiovese); followed by fuller reds (Pinot Noir, Cabernet); and ending with dessert wines (Muscat, Port).
DO NOT ask for seconds.

DO explore wines of all prices – the price doesn’t necessarily always dictate the quality.
DO NOT buy twist-off bottles or wine in the box.

DO invest in quality glasses.
DO NOT serve wine in red plastic cups – your frat days are over, move on.

DO see, swirl, smell, and swish.
DO NOT spit it out on your neighbor.

DO read recommendations and take note of awards and acclamations.
DO NOT choose your favorites solely on another’s opinion.

DO bring a bottle of wine as a gift to a dinner party.
DO NOT bring 2-buck-chuck.

DO keep a nice bottle tucked away for a special occasion.
DO NOT forget about it, or only bring it out just to impress friends and not offer to share.

DO enjoy “flights” of wine (a selection of three different wines of similar varieties)
DO NOT fly while or after drinking (or drive, bike, and scale high walls for that matter.)
DO book a limo or designate a driver.

DO host your own wine tasting party.
DO NOT make it a party of one.

DO buy an occasional case of wine.
DO NOT buy several cases of $100 bottles while intoxicated, I’m talking from experience – trust me.

DO pair your wines appropriately with the meal (Reds for beef, lamb and other red meat; Whites for fish, some pork and lighter meals.)
DO NOT limit yourself to this rule.

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It’s always sad to see Summer flee, but the coming of Fall does have its advantages: the changing color of leaves; the crisp, smokey breeze; Trick-or-Treating in silly costumes; candied yams and pumpkin pie; and my favorite – Oysters.

Now, you can get oysters anytime of the year. However, the old general guide for eating oysters advises consumption only in the “er” months – September, October, November and December. Some say this has to do with overall water levels in the ocean, and the concentration of sea-borne toxins contaminating oyster beds. Another theory contributes this to previous inadequate refrigeration techniques when transporting oysters. Fortunately, thanks to sophisticated and improved oyster farming and transporting techniques, select oyster farms can safely provide these sweet succulent gems all year round.

Some may squirm at the sight of them, others may kindly pass. I tend to hog them with little self-respect or dignity. Admittingly, I nearly upchucked my first oyster at a not-so-swanky Japanese sushi bar. I was 14, a late bloomer and just coming out of that “euw, cooties!” phase. Didn’t realize at the time, how similar and disappointing my first french kiss would be to that slippery, slimey sucker.

Nevertheless, with a little more practice and experience (no, I’m not still on the subject of kissing), I soon grew to love these creamy, succulent and soggy delicacies. Now that I’m back in the Bay Area, I can fully indulge my newfound obsession with oysters and use the cooler winter months as an excuse to slurpe one after another with girlhood glee!

My San Francisco favorite – Hog Island Oyster Co. The farm is located in Tomales Bay, just North of San Francisco, across the historic Golden Gate Bridge, and through the majestic Muir Woods. Their oysters are consistently fresh and irresistibly delicious! For us City folks (and yes, us San Franciscans think of our city as The City), we’re lucky to have these slimey suckers delivered to our doorsteps. Served in nearly every seafood and high-end restaurant in The City, Hog Island Oysters are a treat to be enjoyed all year long. Hog Island Oyster Co. also has a restaurant in the newly renovated Ferry Building, where you can buy raw, freshly shucked oysters for only $1 a pop on Mondays from 4-7pm. Sit at the bar and witness the efficiency the shells are ripped apart and laid on ice for your pleasurable slurping! Every now and then, you’ll see a little hermit crab that hitched a ride from the farm, and crawl across the bed of ice.

On designated oyster happy hour nights, I leave work early and save our group a seat before the 5:30 post-work Financial District crowd arrives. We typically consume 15 oysters each, and share a Cowgirl Creamery triple grilled cheese sandwich with a crisp glass of Pinot Grigio. Oysters are highly acidic (especially with all fixin’s mixed in: lemon, champagne vinegar sauce, Tobasco sauce and horseradish), so be careful when consuming mass amounts and be sure to feed your stomach some bread sticks to help absorb the acidity.

Go further North, and you find Stinson Beach – a quaint, hippy beach town. The scenic drive from San Francisco includes the winding road used in the car chase scene in the film “Basic Instinct.” The two restaurants in Stinson Beach both offer barbequed oysters. Not my favorite – I’m a traditionalist & oyster nudist and prefer them in their raw, naked state. Go a bit further North to Bolinas, and you can find raw, barbequed, and butter-garlic oysters. Similar to the barbequed oyster, the butter-garlic oysters are cooked over an open grill, and topped with generous amounts of butter and garlic. Mmmmm… you can never go wrong with butter and garlic. Throw in bacon, and I’m in Hog Heaven!

Whether raw, barbequed, drowned in butter, or classy Rockefeller-style, these creamy, sweet, succulent gems are the true treasures of the sea! Don’t forget to explore other oyster varieties: Kumamoto, Steamboats, Pearl Bay, Malaspina, Samish Bay, and Royal Myagi.

Rule of thumb: Don’t go cheap with oysters, you’ll pay for it later when you’re praying to the porcelin god for salvation.

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Let’s face it, the reason why we go on diets is because we have an overly developed relationship with food. It’s not like we suddenly woke up one morning and found ourselves impregnated with an extra 30 pounds of fat. No. We’re chubby and overweight because we love to eat. And that love of eating is stronger than our will to exercise and our tolerance for restraint.

Disclaimer– there are those that really need to diet due to serious health concerns (diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, heart conditions, etc.) And that’s a serious matter and a difficult struggle. To those dieters - I admire you, support you, and worship your efforts. In comparison to your struggle, I am about to start a shallow rant not worthy of your further attention.

For the rest of us who diet to just affect our appearance, dieting is our attempt to balance our love and emotional dependence on food with Hollywood’s image of beauty and worth. Society gave beauty a very strict definition, which I tried to summarize below, and it has made the rest of us feel like failures if we can’t meet the following criteria. This pressure leads to poor body image, self-loathing, and in extreme cases – plastic surgery and anorexic-mentality.

BEAUTY >>(beeYEW-tee): 5’ 5”; 115 lbs; size 2 to 4; long, toned legs; flawless, hairless medium-light tanned skin; 26” waist; firm butt with round curvature in the back; gentle sloping hips; 32C breasts; perky nose; high cheekbones; large, seductive eyes surrounded by long, lush eyelashes; shiny and full thick hair.

Well, I don’t know about you, but the only thing I have on that list is thick hair. Now I know I cannot help my lack of height, the length of my legs, or my flat, Mongolian nose, however, I do find myself obsessing about achieving some of the others.

So I picked up the South Beach Diet. It sounded reasonable, and there were numerous “true testimonies”. And all in all, it sounded like a limited amount of pain and torture would be involved. As a user now two weeks into the diet, here is my experience…

The basic rundown: 2 weeks of Hell. No carbs, including fruit, and you have to eat way too many eggs. Hell is followed by a longer period of teasing and temptation - a very restricted use of high fiber/low fat carbs. And the grand finale is the remainder of your lifetime filled with sadness and resignation. Sure, some may call it “a healthy lifestyle,” but I think it looks more like “a life of no more fun.”

Don’t be fooled by those who say it’s easy. They’re probably the same people who forgot all about the pains of child labor and have 5 kids; or they’re marathon runners and triathletes who thrive on pain; or the guys who lose 5 lbs just after taking a crap or skipping one meal; or people who just don’t enjoy food as much as me – so I can’t relate. For starters, I never skipped a meal.

So asking me to eliminate carbs is like asking me to sacrifice my first born. Luckily, I don’t have kids, but I’d almost rather sacrifice my dog than give up bread and pasta. The other thing that kills me is every recommended breakfast menu item involves eggs. Try having eggs every single freakin’ morning for 2 weeks! I’m thirteen days into the diet – and behold! I actually skipped my first meal – which is NOT recommended on the diet – it’s just that I am soooo sick of eggs that I can’t stomach the thought of another scrambler, frittata, omelet or whatever fancy name they give to the same basic egg dish over and over and over again!

Then…for lunch at the office, I’m chomping on salads! So many salads my jaws are weak! My desk is also lined with “mid-morning” & “mid-afternoon” snacks that bear the tell-tale signs of the South Beach diet – string cheese and pistachio nuts. I sit in our conference room at work and drool over the fat Specialties cookies being passed around, or the bar of hazelnut chocolate left on the counter for all to enjoy.

Cruel and unusual punishment - and it’s self induced.

At dinner, I have to be more creative and prepare something that won’t evoke too many complaints from my husband. We once had Thai curry over mashed tofu instead of rice. Not bad, actually! But our usual favorites, and even the basics are all out: pizza, pasta, Vietnamese pho or bun rice noodle dishes, Japanese udon or somen noodle soup, rice, sandwiches, potatoes… all on the “don’t-you-dare-even-think-about-it” list. I can’t take it!!

And forget about Eating Out!
No more pre-dinner bread dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Instead, it’s - “Oh, may I have that served on a bed of lettuce instead?” Or how about, “All beans and no rice with that taco platter – oh yeah, and no tortillas, either.” Or obnoxiously leaving the rice around my California roll, and just eating the crab, cucumber and avocado innards.

It’s sad, it’s unnatural. And is it worth it?

Eh, well, I probably lost a few pounds. My belt fastened one hole smaller. It’s not major, it’s far from the miracle I was hoping for, but I will admit, it is something.

The strangest transformation I’ve experienced is my attitude towards food. True, as the book states, you do lose your craving for carbs after a week or so. It’s a totally foreign feeling for me. In my mind, I can no longer taste the sugars or savory wonderfulness of the desserts and breads I still picture in my head. In fact, I can barely remember what they tasted like. I feel full faster; I’m not as starving during the day. My sugar highs and lows have mellowed. I’ve learned to say No.

I eat, I become full, and yet I’m still not satisfied. Instead, I feel something that more resembles apathy. I don’t want breakfasts because I’m too sick of eggs. I can’t be bothered to prepare or eat another salad or stir fry. And eating out has become a hassle, a pain, and no fun. What’s the point if you can’t indulge in fresh, warm French bread that’s toasty on the outside, and filled with yummy soft love on the inside? Or spicy and vibrant chicken tikka masala curry served over aromatic jasmine rice and scooped up with fresh-outta-the-hearth garlic naan?

No, sadly I don’t think I can appreciate the full palette and depth of flavors this beautiful and diverse world offers while on this diet. A dieter’s dream solution, maybe, but for me – it’s like a sad divorce.

“I’m sorry, I just don’t love you anymore.”

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We are excited to introduce our MyCity food columnist, Mie Nakayama!

During the day, K. Mie Nakayama works at a small nonprofit legal firm in San Francisco which nourishes her soul by finding funding for programs benefiting at-risk youth. In the evenings and weekends, however, Mie (pronounced “ME-ya”) moonlights as a food aficionado. Mie recalls her first love as being a four-cheese grilled sandwich on lightly toasted focaccia bread with extra virgin olive oil lightly drizzled on top and garnished with marinated heirloom tomatoes, fresh diced lemon basil and a dollop of creamy goat cheese. Mmmm…

Since the 80’s, Mie’s culinary pursuits have taken her across the nation and around the world. She has traveled to France, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Bermuda, Thailand, China, Ireland, Scotland and England (yes, even England has food worth reporting!) While in Chiangmai, Thailand, Mie studied at a culinary school, and learned to unravel the complex and aromatic flavors of Thai cuisine. Mie finds enjoyment in regularly torturing her husband by experimenting with increased doses of green Thai chili in her coconut curry.
To earn back brownie points and trust, she also prepares his favorite homemade Hawaiian-style baby back ribs with creamy rosemary-garlic mashed potatoes and Ghiradelli’s double dark chocolate brownies. Her husband, Joel, specializes in the art of kitchen re-construction (doing the dishes & clean-up) and often complains of Mie’s overabundant use of pots, pans and dishes. She credits him as being a patient, understanding soul.

Mie and her husband live in restaurant-haven, San Francisco. They do not yet have any children because they are “too selfish to invest in offspring and take funds away from their dining and drinking budget”. They plan to soon, though. In the meantime, Mie spoils her other two “kids” – both German Sheppard mutts, which she and her husband have rescued. Unlike Mie and Joel, these furry and obnoxious pups, Zadie (2 yrs) and Yumi (1 yr), are on a strict dry diet and a regular exercise regiment. On special occasions, Mie treats them to homemade peanut butter and oatmeal dog biscuits (homemade, too, of course!)

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