surf and turf

due to the recent finding of high cholestrol, I decided to make a low fat surf and turf bbq.
first layer: coals, soaked alder chunks (super longs purchase), two bricks (deflect heat), soaked corn. While the your food, marinating and such, soak your chunks and corn.


below i positioned the coals on one side to heat and smoke the chicken thighs hotter, while the red snapper smokes slower, since it will cook faster. and the corn gets some of the juices from the dripping seasoning of the fish. once everything was position i closed the top and let it smoke. the bottom air vents, all the way open and the top vent closed and away from the direct heat.

art and food

this weekend was full of food, fun and a little bit of art. Saturday morning I helped Kelsey Nicholson take down her show at Michael Rosenthal Gallery. We enjoyed some delicious and beautiful lattes next door from Four Barrel coffee. Kelsey is a wonderful bay area artist and a lover of dogs. Look out for other upcoming show by clicking on her link above. I thank Kelsey for keeping me motivated about making and thinking creatively these days.



Lately most of my creativity has been in designing mugs and cooking. Last week I through on some grilled cheese sandwiches on the bbq, filled with heirloom tomatoes, soaked in balsamic and oil, cabot cheddar on some wheat bread. And yes people grilled fluffer nutters on white bread! It was actually really delicious!

invisible city walking tour

The walking tour was rad. Posting up on the 5th stop under the overpass was a lil windy for monty but, the foot traffic was awesome. The coffee bike caffeinated "tourists" before finishing the tour. Everyone said it was to have some coffee before wandering to the next venue. Thanks to Dafna Kory for documenting these sweet pictures. Please check out her jams at www.INNAjam.com. She's a cool and inspiring women for anyone who aspiring to start their own business.

temporary mural

coffee bike time! Amy Rathbone is putting up a temporary mural in Oakland underneath hwy 24. Unfortunately I can't remember which street somewhere like 30th or 34th and Telegraph. So on your way to the art murmur tomorrow night stop by and have some delicious coffee i roasted. See you there. Have fun arting!

49th and telegraph

yesterday everyone enjoyed a really beautiful evening of art, soup and coffee over in the temescal district of oakland. Freya Channing is showing a body of work over in a quaint architecture firm over on49th and telegraph. Gabe showed up with his coffee bike serving a delicious lentil soup. i roasted a aromatic Ethiopia bean for the opening. we even had a impromptu dance party for Mercer! Photos by Stephen Dubois.

lending library show

the coffee bike will be on telegraph and 43rd serving up cups for Oaklands First Fridays events come for more coffee, soup and a wonderful show curated by Dena Beard at the Royal NonSuch Gallery on Friday February 5th and meet some nice folks of Oakland. Here is a description of the show:
The Royal NoneSuch Gallery is pleased to present Lending Library, a group exhibition curated by Dena Beard, featuring tools, materials, and resources from artists Anthony Discenza, Lydia Greer, Desiree Holman, Trevor Paglen, Matthew Rana, Sunaura Taylor, and Andrew Rottner.

Comprised of source materials, Lending Library takes a chance to display a line of inquiry rather than a finished object. Michel Foucault said, “dreams are no longer summoned with eyes closed, but in reading; and a true image is now a product of learning.” The seven artists included in the exhibition demonstrate the labor intrinsic to this learned image, making available their visual experiments and scholarly research. These personal libraries bear witness to the conceptual undercurrents the artists’ projects but also to the aesthetic process of folding pages, scribbling in margins, and other devices of reclaiming information. Lending Library gives us a glimpse onto the research and experiments that inform artistic discovery and opens these source materials for public access. -dena beard

So come on out oaklandians and have some fun!

coffee for haiti relief

Big thanks to the Royal NoneSuch Gallery for inviting me to the sunday craft fair. The Coffee Bike made a wopping $175 for Partners In Health in the RAIN! Thanks to all who contributed and who matched the proceeds of the Coffee Bike. Well done people!

coffee bike, bbq and art

Come on down the Craft Market and BBQ this Sunday from 1-5pm! Enjoy delicious BBQ fresh from our porch, home roasted coffee from my coffee bike, and more refreshments... all while browsing amazing locally made wares!! The Royal NoneSuch Gallery is on Telegraph between 42nd and 43rd. Come by and have a glorious Sunday with us! I will be serving a Peruvian single origin bean. It's really delicious! See you there.

bottling beer

last night i bottled beer with the raddest people. Damon who actually did the brewing, brewed a IPA and a belgium. there was 10 gallons of beer we bottled. Bonneau, who is probably the coolest landlord i've ever met brought a couple of bottles of his homemade petite sirah's from the basement. he is an energetic old timer from the south, who helped us bottle and shared his skills. it was a night of great booze and good friends!

coffee bike

the coffee bike is still going strong. recent visits include the grand opening of the SOEX gallery in san francisco and the super pop up shop in alameda, ca. the coffee bike also invited gabe colker who cooked and served homemade organic squash soup for the day to help warm up the folks at the shopping center during the holidays. thanks to all cca grads who welcomed us to their event and the free patches!

meat packin'

D.I.Y sausage packing

Recently my friend Daniel picked up a old school meat grinder for me to play with.
along with a car oil filter used as a sausage stuffer you can make some wonderful
tasting sausages. the first two i made was a filipino longanisa, the short stubby ones above and
a mexican chorizo, the longer reddish ones above. I have also made a lamb linguica that was
so amazing. recipes can be found online or from your local butchers.
i get all my meat from either star market on claremont ave. or from verbrugge on college ave.
the casing from verbrugge is smaller than the casing from star. but equally excellent for
stuffing. all the butchers are friendly and are encouraging for all your meat adventures.