A Decade of Gratitude

Humans,

With the end of the decade approaching, I can't help but be filled with gratitude. None of what Cow by Bear has become would have been possible without you. Only a decade before this one I was in Buenos Aires, down on my luck and out of the cooking game altogether. I found myself down on the mat staring at the ceiling of an underground boxing gym. Barely conscious from the wicked right hook I had just received, my olfactory bulbs picked up a scent. I followed it out the back door of the gym where I found a parrilla grilling the fattest, juiciest steak I'd ever seen in my entire life. This is where I fell head over heels for cow. That same evening I attended a puertas cerradas dinner at a private residence. I was back in the game.

It was this meal that inspired me to start Cow by Bear from my apartment at the start of this decade. The first menus were strictly Argentinian dishes paired with my favorite Malbec and Torrontés wines from Mendoza. I am so excited to reimagine these dinners as we launch into Food by Bear: Argentina! The series will run on Friday and Saturday evenings at 8pm during January and February. As usual, it is a 5-course meal with fine wine pairings. Price per person is a flat $195.

I'm so grateful to you for being part of the Cow by Bear story this decade. It's in that and the holiday spirit I'd like to offer a 10% discount to newsletter subscribers for both this Argentina experience and for gift certificate purchases. The code is HUMANS and is valid through Christmas.

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SMALL BITES

We still have a few dates available for a Cow by Bear holiday party. This experience is for between 10-14 guests and priced at $200 per person. Come celebrate the holidays with your closest friends, family, colleagues and wild animals.

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OSO LOCRO

While tasting Argentinian cow was undoubtedly a life-changing moment for me, it was the discovery of another South American dish that I've never been able to forget. As long as you have some variation of corn (or hominy), beans, potato and meat (beef, pork, chicken) you can make locro. I've been having a blast experimenting with all kinds of concoctions and this one here is one of my current favorites. Try it as is or just look in your cupboard to see what vegetables, beans and meats you have available and give it a whirl. It's almost impossible to mess up and so very tasty.

serves 10
2 c dried, broken hominy
2 c dried white beans
3/4 c olive oil
1.5 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb pork shoulder, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 lb beef short ribs, cut between bones
1 lb flank steak, cut into 1 inch pieces
5 links chorizo
kosher salt, black pepper to taste
1 shallot
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
1 bay leaf
1 butternut squash, small cubed
1 russet potato, small cubed
1 c finely chopped scallions

The day before cooking, rinse hominy under running water until the water runs clear. Place hominy and beans in a bowl and cover with water. Soak overnight.

for the sauce:
1. Whisk 1/2 cup of the oil, paprika, chile flakes and 2 cloves of the garlic in a bowl and refrigerate until plating.

for the stew:
1. Heat remaining oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Season your meats with salt and pepper and, working in batches, add to pan. Cook about 5 minutes or until browned all over. Transfer to a plate.

2. Add the remaining 6 cloves of minced garlic and shallot and cook for about 3 minutes or until soft. Add the cumin, oregano and bay leaf and cook for about two minutes.

3. Return meat to pan and give it a good stir coating the meats with liquid in the pan. Add hominy, beans, potato, squash and 8 cups of water. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and let it ride out for about 3 hours.

4. Salt and pepper to taste and divide among bowls. Drizzle the sauce on top and garnish with scallions. Enjoy!

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BOBBY BOMBILLA

I've been an afternoon drinker of yerba mate ever since that first trip to Argentina, so you know I had to find a way to mix it into a cocktail. Named after the straw you drink traditional yerba mate from and the baseball player with the most ridiculous contract in sports history, this is a boozy delight that just might be your best friend this holiday season.

1.5 oz bourbon
1/2 oz b&b
3/4 oz yerba mate syrup
3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
1 sprig mint
ice

for the yerba mate syrup:
1. Add 1/4 cup yerba mate powder, 4 cups sugar and 4 cups hot water into a saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally for about 10 minutes. Let cool.

for the cocktail:
1. Add all of the ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake.
2. Fine-strain into glass with fresh ice.
3. Garnish with the sprig of mint and enjoy!

Sunday Funday

Humans,

It's Sunday which means it's the Bear family's day off. I wrote this yesterday, so right now I'm likely enjoying my third cup of Pursued by Bear (no relation) coffee, sprawled out in front of the fireplace in my tighty whities, reading a romance novel.

The day likely started with yoga at 6am followed by meditation and a large bucket of Honey Bunches of Oats. Once Osa and Osito rise we'll go for a long walk, picking marionberries at Marian Bear Memorial Park (say hello if you see us!). We'll hit up Specialty Produce on the way home to get groceries for our Sunday family meal. We like to crank up the music - probably the new one by Oso Oso - and prep together with all the windows open.

After prep Osito has drum lessons, Osa is meeting some ladies for a tasting at Bear Roots Brewery and I'll mix up some bearnuts (recipe below). Tonight we'll dine together and it will be the highlight of the day of course. A few rounds of our favorite board game Bears vs. Babies before we hit the hay.

As much as we cherish our Sunday Funday we'll be jonesing to get back to work tomorrow. There are a handful of Food by Bear: Mexico seats available before the end of the year along with our holiday parties. We hope you'll come spend an evening with us!

Cow by Bear: Holiday Parties

Your holiday party, Cow by Bear style! Celebrate with your closest friends, family, colleagues and wild animals. This is our (un)traditional 5-course meal with pairings. Parties of 14.

We're opening up most days of the week in December but only a handful of dates remain. Book now or email info@cowbybear.com to inquire.

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BEARNUTS

A Journey Through Mexico

Humans,

In the summer of '99 I found myself motorcycling through Mexico on a spiritual journey. I was out to find myself. To do so I was to find the Great Oso, guru of all walking and talking animals. Unfortunately whoever it was that said, "Don't meet your heroes" was right. He was a total nincompoop.

But I can't be mad about the trip, for this is when I met my dear Osa. It's where we fell in love, where I thought I lost her and where we return often with our cub, Osito. It's a very sacred place. We're honored to share with you our experiences with Food by Bear: Mexico!

The series will run on Friday and Saturday evenings at 8pm during November and December. As usual it is a 5-course meal with fine wine pairings. Price per person is a flat $185.

Tickets are available exclusively to newsletter readers today before going live to the public tomorrow. Book now to make sure you get your preferred date. We look forward to spending an evening with you!

SMALL BITES

• Congratulations to our dear friend, Holly! Holly is the winner of the 2019 Fat Bear Challenge. We're so happy for her. It truly couldn't have happened to a fatter...er...better bear!

• RIP one of my great mentors, Marshall Efron. There was no one like you. You will be missed, my friend.

• We are offering Cow by Bear holiday parties in December and January. A small handful of dates are available on the calendar, but if you don't see your date available please reach out directly at info@cowbybear.com.

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RAPSCALLOPS

serves 6

6 large U-10 scallops
1 kabocha squash, sliced
pomegranate seeds
sesame salsa macha*
salt and pepper
olive oil

*for the salsa:
1 oz. dried chile de arbol
1 oz. dried guajillo chiles
1/4 c peanuts
1/4 c almonds
t tbsp sesame seeds
4 garlic cloves, halved
1/2 tsp mexican oregano
2 c extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp salt

for the salsa:

1. Stem the chiles, cut or tear them open and get rid of the seeds. Cut into 1/4-inch or smaller pieces.

2. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, cook peanuts, almonds, sesame seeds, garlic and oil until garlic is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add chiles. Let cool.

3. Mix the salt in the cider vinegar in a small bowl until the salt dissolves. Add the vinegar and oregano to the pan. Once the mixture has cooled to room temperature, add all ingredients to a food processor. Pulse until chunky. Do not over process to a smooth consistency. Season to taste and enjoy on everything.

for the squash:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Cut squash into wedges about an inch thick, leaving the skin on. Toss the wedges in a bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper. Align on a baking sheet and cook for about 25-30 minutes, until tender.

for the scallops:

1. Preheat large cast iron skillet on medium high heat for about 3 minutes. Remove mussel from scallops and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Add just enough olive oil to coat the pan. Reduce heat to medium and add scallops to pan, leaving about an inch of space between each one. Sauté scallops until first side is golden brown, then flip. Cook another three or four minutes, until they feel firm if squeezed from the side. Remove pan from heat and allow scallops to rest.

to assemble:

1. Dress plate with a smattering of salsa. Arrange a slice or two of squash on the salsa in the center of the plate. Place rested scallop on top of squash. Drizzle more salsa on top if desired. Garnish with pomegranate seeds. Enjoy!

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PALOMA’S REVENGE

1 oz blanco tequila
1 oz ancho reyes
6 oz grapefruit soda
.5 oz fresh lime juice
ice
salt
charred grapefruit wedge

Salt the rim of a highball glass. Combine tequila, ancho, soda and lime juice. Stir. Add ice and garnish with charred grapefruit wedge.

Mambo Italiano

Humans,

Food by Bear: Italy began with a roar last weekend, and I'm raring to go at it again this Friday night! Italy holds a special place in my heart. If France is where I learned to cook, Italy was where I learned to create an experience and throw my dinner party.

After releasing the Manifesto of Futurist Cuisine we set our sites on a proper restaurant to tease out the ideas on actual humans. The opening of Holy Palate was announced all over Italy (see original flyer below). "The first human way of eating is born!" I was quoted in one newspaper. The dinner experience itself was pretty outlandish. We started at midnight and ran until 4am. No knives or forks allowed. Absolutely no pasta permitted on the menu. Lambrusco wine served in gas cans. And of utmost importance was the requirement to use all five senses while eating; touch, taste, smell, sight and sound.

To accompany taste for the dish below we activated each of the other senses. Guests were instructed to taste the food directly from hand to mouth with their right hand, while caressing a series of tactile materials like sandpaper or velvet with their left hand. Then we'd hit them with a shot of perfume, all whilst Wagner's Parsifal quietly scored the scene. It was all so silly, but oh so fun. Most importantly, it was my first taste of what a dining experience could and should be.

Food by Bear: Italy is sold out in September but a small pawful of seats remain for October. Let's spend an evening together!

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MAMBO ITALIANO

serves 6

6 slices italian bread
3 4oz. pieces burrata cheese
white truffle oil (to garnish)
trapani sea salt & pepper (to garnish)

for the mushrooms:
12 oz. oyster mushrooms (cleaned & halved lengthwise)
1 shallot (small dice)
2 oz. champagne vinegar

for the caponata:
1 large eggplant (medium diced, salted and spread on sheet tray with paper towels)
1 small yellow onion (small dice)
1 red pepper (small dice)
1 yellow pepper (small dice)
1 tbsp garlic (minced)
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/2 c basil (chiffonade)

1. Preheat oven to 385. Slice bread into one-inch slices and drizzle with olive oil. Align slices on a cookie sheet. Bake for approximately 10 minutes, flipping halfway through. Done when golden brown.

2. While baking bread, heat a pan on medium-high heat with olive oil. Sauté mushrooms and shallots. When mushrooms are tender (about five minutes), remove pan from heat and deglaze pan with champagne vinegar. Set mushrooms and shallots aside.

3. Wring eggplant well in kitchen towel to rid of any excess moisture. In a different pan, heat on high with olive oil until very hot. Sauté eggplant until browned and tender. Remove eggplant from pan, then add peppers, onions, garlic and celery seed. Cook, stirring, approximately seven minutes. Remove from heat, add back the eggplant and allow to cool. Once cooled, fold in the basil.

4. Spread the caponata on slice of toast. Then place 1/2 piece of burrata cheese and mushrooms on top. Drizzle with truffle oil and garnish with salt and pepper. Dig in!

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GENTLEBEAR

I came across the Italian Gentleman a while back and fell in love. Here's just a slight variation using lavender and honey.

1.5 oz bourbon
1.5 oz campari
3/4 oz lemon juice
1/4 oz honey syrup*
1/4 oz lavender simple syrup*
lavender and sage leaves (to garnish)

for the honey syrup:
1 c water
1 c honey

for the lavender simple syrup:
1 c water
1 c white sugar
1 tbsp fresh lavender blossoms

For the honey syrup:

1. Combine the honey and water in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until combined and a liquid.

For the lavender simple syrup:

1. Combine water, sugar and lavender blossoms in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Let simmer for about one minute. Remove from heat and steep for at least 30 minutes. Strain into glass container.

For the cocktail:

1. Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously for about 10 seconds. Garnish with lavender or lemon twist. Strain into a coupe glass. Enjoy!

Announcing Food by Bear: Italy

Humans,

I hope you're having your best summer yet! Mine is going just swimmingly, and certainly better than the summer of '29 when Hemingway's infatuation with bears reached a boiling point causing me to flee Paris for Milan.

My artist friends from France connected me with FT Marinetti, founder of Italy's Futurist movement. Two decades earlier he'd caused ripples with his Futurist Manifesto, and he was looking to shake things up again. I suggested the culinary world was ripe for harvest. We locked ourselves in a room at the Casa Galimberti and emerged two weeks later with the Manifesto of Futurist Cuisine.

Much of the manifesto I now find silly (absolutely NO pasta!) but I was religious about it back then. And I must say many of the outrageous quirks we created for our dinner parties in Italy directly influenced what ultimately became Cow by Bear. Come and experience it for yourself!

I'm so excited to bring you a taste of my time in Italy with the newest installment of our dinner series - Food by Bear: Italy!

This series will run in San Diego on Friday and Saturday evenings at 8pm during September and October only. As usual it is a 5-course meal with fine wine pairings. Price per person is $175. We look forward to spending an evening with you!

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Tutti Frutti Di Mare

serves 6

for the shrimp:
20 shrimp (shell on)
2 lemons, halved
3 bay leaves
3 fresh thyme leaves
1/4 c seafood seasoning

16 oz lump crab meat (shells removed)
2 lemons
24 yellow grape tomatoes, halved
12 red tomato wedges
25 cucumber slices, lengthwise

for the sauce:
10 oz. mayonnaise
2 tbsp brandy
1/4 c ketchup
2 tbsp horseradish
1/2 tsp celery seed
2 tbsp chopped fresh fennel
salt & pepper

for the shrimp:

1. Fill a large pot 3/4 full of water. Add the salt and squeeze in the juice of two lemons (go ahead and toss the halves into the water). Add the herbs and seasoning. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and simmer for about five minutes.

2. Reduce heat to medium low and add shrimp. Simmer uncovered for about five minutes, until tails begin to curl. Remove shrimp from water and chill thoroughly before peeling.

for the sauce:

1. Mix all sauce ingredients in a bowl with whisk.

for the crab:

1. Mix crab with juice from two lemons and just enough sauce to incorporate the crab.

to assemble:

1. Spread a dollop of sauce on each plate and spread. Roll cucumber slices into little tubes and line in a row over the sauce.

2. Divide crab into six. Place one scoop in the center next to cucumber on each plate.

3. On opposite side of cucumber, place tomatoes. Then place shrimp in between cucumber and tomatoes. Garnish with micro herbs if desired.

Milan-Turin

1 oz campari bitter
1 oz sweet vermouth
soda
ice
lemon twist
orange slice

This cocktail is now better known as the Americano, but I still like to call it by the name I first knew it by. It was originally named after the two cities that produced the primary ingredients: Campari and sweet vermouth.

1. Fill a tumbler with ice and pour in the Campari and sweet vermouth. Top off with a splash of soda and stir ten times. Garnish with a lemon twist and orange slice. Enjoy the rest of summer.

My Big Break

Humans,

I hope your summer is off to a fantastic start! It's been such a pleasure seeing your friendly faces at our Food by Bear: France dinners. France is very special to me. It's not just where I had my awakening but also where I got my first big break. I've shared before of taking over cooking duties for 'Po Bear at a popular Parisian restaurant after his scooter injury. What I haven't shared are the fateful circumstances of the event. Truth is, the timing couldn't have been worse. France's most famous food critic, Anton Ego, was attending dinner that evening. We'd been anticipating his visit for weeks and now lil' ol' hilariously under-qualified me was running the show. I was terrified. I'll never forget 'Po Bear looking me square in the eyes and firmly declaring, "Next. Bear. Up. You're ready." It was exactly what I needed to hear, and I jumped in with all four paws. Below is how the scene played out.

INT. – KITCHEN – EVENING

Bear flips through ‘Po’s recipe box, finds a certain card and pulls it, showing it to ‘Po.

‘PO BEAR
Ratatouille? It’s a peasant dish.
Are you sure you want to serve this
to Ego?

Bear NODS. INTERCUT: (1) Bear REIMAGINING the ratatouille; re-inventing it step by step -- WITH (2) 'PO BEAR, wheeling around the dining room in a custom wheelchair, a ONE-BEAR WAIT STAFF. MUSIC CRESCENDOS as 'PO BEAR delivers the meal to EGO’S TABLE.

Ego pokes a fork into the vegetables, examines them for a moment, then brings the food to his lips. As Ego’s lips close around the ratatouille, the sound, the restaurant around him is WHISKED AWAY—

FLASHBACK: FRENCH COUNTRYSIDE - A LIFETIME AGO

We are inside a cozy cottage on a golden summer day. The front door is open, a newly crashed BICYCLE lays on the ground outside. Next to it stands a five year old ANTON EGO with a skinned knee, valiantly holding back tears. His young mother turns from her cooking, and gives him a sympathetic smile. Like all mothers, she knows what to do.

MOMENTS LATER
Young EGO, already feeling better, is at a table. His mother touches his cheek and sets a freshly made bowl of ratatouille before him, warm and inviting. The boy takes a spoonful into his mouth---

AND THE PRESENT RUSHES BACK—
Ego is frozen. Astounded. His PEN slips from his hand. It CLATTERS to the floor, breaking the spell. Ego blinks. His eyes fall to his empty fork, which he holds suspended near his mouth. Slowly a long-lost feeling blooms inside him. He smiles. And has another forkful.

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Ego's review that followed thrust me into the culinary spotlight and my life has never been the same. For that reason - and a secret bear reason I can't divulge quite yet - I'm extending the Food by Bear: France series for a couple weeks through the end of August. Tickets are available now. We'll then be flipping over to the next chapter starting in September, so please keep your eyes peeled for that announcement in the coming weeks.

NEXT. BEAR. UP. RATATOUILLE

2 japanese eggplants
2 yellow squashes
2 zucchinis
6 roma tomatoes

for the sauce:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
salt & pepper to taste

for the seasoning:
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
2 tsp fresh thyme
1 tsp garlic, minced
4 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Slice the eggplant, squash, zucchini and tomatoes into 1/8 rounds with a mandoline. (Be sure to pick out veggies of approximately the same size). Set aside.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a 12 inch, oven safe pan (or dutch oven) over medium high fire. Sauté the onion, garlic, and bell peppers until tender, 8-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then add crushed tomatoes and 2 tablespoons basil. Stir until incorporated, then smooth the surface of the sauce with a spatula.

3. Arrange the vegetables in a pattern (tomato, eggplant, squash, zucchini, etc) on top of the sauce. Start from the outer edge of the pan and work in. Season dish with salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 40 minutes. Uncover the pan and cook for another 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.

4. Mix herb seasoning and spread over the cooked ratatouille.

* For some extra goodness you can add Italian sausage to the sauce, and try topping with Gruyere cheese.

Bear sex on the beach

3/4 oz suze
1/4 oz peach syrup
3 oz sparkling wine
lemon peel
floral ice cube

Combine Suze and peach syrup in a champagne flute and stir. Add ice and stir again. Pour sparkling wine on top, then express rim with lemon peel (discard peel). Finish with a floral ice cube.

Années Folles: The Crazy Years

Since returning home last month I've had many humans running up to me on the streets of San Diego. "Bear! Bear!" they say, "What's up with Food by Bear: France? Tell me all about it."

Pretend you could climb into a time machine and be whisked off to Paris for a few hours in the 1920s, I respond. It's evening, and you've landed in a discreet corner of the Montparnasse neighborhood on the left bank. Your clothing has magically altered during this short journey to a century ago, so if you're a woman you're in a straight dress with a dropped waist, a long rope of pearls knotted below the neck and t-strap shoes with small heels. If you're a man you're clad in corduroy pants, dirty white sneakers and a casual and somewhat sloppy jacket. But how shall you spend your time?

You start by making your way to the Select and start with a Pernod or two, catching a glimpse of my old pals Hemingway and Djuna Barnes yucking it up. Then you're off to Le Jockey to see Jimmie the Barman and suck down one of his famous Jimmie Specials. And later you'll certainly want to drop into my old haunt, the Rendezvous-des-Mariniers. I'll fix you up a memorable meal while you eye the young French avant-garde cavort about the dance floor as Cole Porter tickles the ivories.

But certainly you must have the quintessential 1920s Paris experience: onion soup at dawn in Les Halles, the gigantic wholesale produce, seafood and meat market in the center of Paris. It sadly no longer exists, but looms large in the memoirs of the time. Here at dawn came the owners of small food shops, the chefs de cuisine of fine hotels, and the thrifty ménageres. The markets were surrounded by inexpensive restaurants frequented by gangsters, prostitutes and pimps, slumming socialites, and oh so many American expatriates. Les Halles symbolized what it meant to be in Paris in the 1920s: dance ‘til dawn, devour a thick, savory mess of onion soup, then home at last to start the same thing all over again the next evening. It's that magic, I say to my human friends, I hope to capture with Food by Bear: France.

Father's Day Special

Osa and Osito have a surprise in store for me this weekend for Father's Day and I can hardly wait to know what they have planned. The excitement and anticipation has me wanting to do something for y'all as well so I'm offering 10% off of the remaining Food by Bear: France tickets. There aren't many left, so get 'em while they last. Now through Saturday with the code: GREATOSO at checkout. These will be some of the most fun dinners we've had yet. I hope to see you there! 

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Scents of Les Halles

feeds 4

4 sweet onions, julienned
28 oz beef stock
1/2 cup sherry wine
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs thyme
olive oil
salt & pepper
4 slices baguette, buttered and toasted
4 slices gruyere
1 oz shredded parmigiano-reggiano

1. In a heavy bottom sauce pot, pre heat pot for two minutes on high heat. Add a few tablespoons of the best olive oil you have to the hot pan. Then add onions. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the onions are reduced to a dark, caramel color with soft texture. Slow and steady wins the race here. If you ride it out for an hour and half or even two hours you'll be left with the most flavorful soup. Be sure to redistribute throughout so not to burn.

2. Once onions are fully caramelized, deglaze pan with the sherry wine then add beef stock, bay leaf and thyme. Season with salt & pepper. Simmer on low for 30 minutes.

3. Cut baguette into one inch pieces and butter each. Toast baguette pieces on a sheet tray for 20 minutes in a 400 degree oven.

4. Remove herbs. Add soup to just below brim of a crock bowl. Place one or two toasted baguette pieces in the center of the soup, then a slice of gruyere. Add a liberal amount of shredded parmigiano-reggiano on top of all.

5. In a pre-heated broiler, place prepared soup bowls on a sheet tray to melt cheese. Allow parmesan to caramelize slightly.

The Jimmie Berenstain Special

Jimmie the Barman was the most legendary bartender in 1920s Paris, hopping around from one new hot spot to the next. His original Jimmie Special can be difficult to replicate today; one of the ingredients can't be found in the states and others are difficult to procure. Below is my take on it. If all else fails and you're unable to locate all the fixings, just grab a bottle of Pernod and sip it straight or with a splash of water. Either way you won't be disappointed.

1 oz. cognac
1/2 oz. pernod
1/2 oz. dry curaçao
1/2 oz. solerno blood orange liqueur
1/2 oz. kirschwasser
soda (to taste)

Combine the cognac, pernod, dry curaçao, blood orange liqueur and kirschwasser in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake thoroughly. Drink straight, with ice, or top with soda to taste.

I'm Coming Home

Humans,

After an incredibly memorable two year residency in lovely Seattle, I'm tickled to say I'll be returning to San Diego next week to rejoin forces with my dear Osa and Osito. And we have some exciting things in store!

When we announced last year that Cow by Bear would be shutting down to explore new opportunities, it felt like the right decision. So much had changed in the seven years since the experience first started and we were jonesing to try something new. We explored many different options while keeping a small handful of our (un)traditional dinners on the schedule to stay sharp.

Spending the evening with you fine humans is always so inspiring, and these dinners were some of the most fun we've ever had. At the same time, I've been writing the cookbook. It's been an energizing process; pouring through recipes from the past to rewrite them for the book, remembering old characters I'd long forgot...just a joy. The cookbook was intended to be the Cow by Bear experience, in book format. But it began to metamorphosis itself back the other way. I couldn't help but want for guests to experience these recipes and these stories sitting around our dinner table, together.

It all got us thinking more about why we felt  moving on was really the right choice. We took a deep dive into every single aspect of the Cow by Bear dinner experience. We asked ourselves what it would look like in an absolutely perfect world if we were to totally redesign the experience. And that's what we did.

We've come up with something that feels totally authentic to us and addresses some of the things we either knew we could do better or were inspired to do differently. It's an experience that will make us the happiest bears we can be, which ensures we will provide the best experience possible for all of you.

We are so proud and excited to introduce our newest dinner series, Food by Bear!

Announcing 'Food by Bear: France'

Food by Bear will be a one-year dinner series highlighting chapters from our upcoming cookbook. Each chapter's dinner experience will run for just two months before rotating to an entirely new theme - never to be repeated again. Dinners will be in San Diego on Friday and Saturday evenings at 8pm and follow our regular format of 1 table, 14 guests, 5 courses and pairings. 

The series begins where it all started for me: France. This is where I had my awakening and learned to walk, talk and cook. Please join us as we go back in time and enjoy some of my favorite French cuisine, wines, stories, music and more! Tickets for the France experience are $195 per person.

Food by Bear: France will run in June and July before changing over to a new region in August. We'll announce each new theme two weeks in advance.

We look forward to spending an evening with you!

Tickets

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You’re my Boy, Blue!

Osa's blue cheese panna cotta is a real showstopper currently on the menu in San Diego. There's a lot going on, so do yourself a favor and prep it in parts rather than all at once. The panna cotta component needs to chill overnight so prep that first along with the bacon fat shortbread, which will stay for two days.

feeds 6

3 ripe heirloom tomatoes
3-4 c frisee, washed & rough chopped
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lb bacon, cooked crisp, fat reserved/chilled
*bacon fat rosemary shortbread
*blue cheese panna cotta
*onion marmalade

*for the bacon fat shortbread
3.5 oz rendered bacon fat, room temp
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp rosemary, chopped
1 c all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp black pepper

*for the onion marmalade
3 yellow onions, julienned
1/2 c champagne vinegar
1 c sugar
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs thyme
salt and pepper (to taste)

*for the panna cotta
1.5 c buttermilk
4 oz blue cheese
1 c cream
2-3/4 tsp gelatin
1 clove roasted garlic
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 sprig rosemary
pinch of celery seed

For the Blue Cheese Panna Cotta: 

1. Heat cream, blue cheese, herbs and garlic in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Let cheese melt, then steep.

2. Bloom the gelatin in 1 tbsp cold water.Remove herbs, add gelatin and stir to melt gelatin completely.

3. Add cold buttermilk and mix well. Pour in container suitable for panna cotta and chill overnight. 

For the Bacon Fat Shortbread: 

1. Mix bacon fat, sugar, pepper and rosemary with a paddle in a stand mixer on high for approximately two minutes.

2. Switch speed to low and slowly add flour just until incorporated. Remove dough, wrap in plastic and allow to rest in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes (can be made up to two days ahead of time if needed).

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness and cut into similar shaped pieces to ensure even baking. Note: shortbreads will be crumbled to serve.Bake for approximately 12 minutes, or until the bottom of the cookies start to show a bit of browning. Shortbread will continue to cook on the hot pan once removed from the oven.

For the Onion Marmalade:

1. Put all ingredients in a heavy bottom pot. Cook on medium/high for a few minutes to bring to a simmer, then reduce to low for approximately one hour until liquid has reduced to nearly dry and sugar has caramelized the onions. Chill before serving.

To Plate:

1. Slice tomatoes into wedges and arrange 1/2 tomato into a circle on the plate. Be sure to season tomatoes

2. Toss frisee with extra virgin olive oil and vinegar, season with salt and pepper and arrange in the center of tomatoes on the plate.

3. Slice panna cotta into six pieces and place between tomatoes and frisee.

4. Place onion marmalade on the slice of panna cotta.Sprinkle bacon bits and shortbread over everything, and enjoy!

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Bear Slobber

If you've ever been chased through the woods by a grizzly bear, there is likely one specific image you've never been able to shake; the uncontrollable foaming of the mouth by that beautiful 800lb. creature as it inches closer and closer. What most people don't realize is that our slobber isn't made of saliva. It's actually made up of a delicious concoction that I present to you here.

1 oz. sloe gin
1 oz. gin
1 oz. sweet vermouth
1 oz. campari
grapefruit twist

1. Combine the gin, sloe gin, vermouth and campari in a rocks glass. Stir 10 times.

2. Add ice, preferable one large piece, and stir 10 more times.