'Culture'

our definition of culture...

from here on out, expect to see posts with the label 'culture' quite frequently. we're liking the category to refer not only to the arts, literature, music, scholarly pursuits, status of civilization- what have you; but also as shorthand for all things fermented. it seems we can't go a day without hearing more studies about the benefits of bacteria.  the probiotic craze has gone mainstream and we can't seem to get enough of them.

today we started the weekend off with a little foggy day ritual... standing in line at the blue bottle kiosk in hayes valley.  this is one establishment that deserves its cult following--in our humble opinion, that is.  their gorgeous, satiating latte is pictured above- note the way the creamy foam hugs the sides after a few sips.  ahhh. comfort in a cup.

for lunch, a steaming bowl of homemade miso was in order. the health benefits of miso are widely touted but the deliciousness isn't emphasized enough.  sweet white (shiromiso) was the variety of choice today.  miso master organic makes a mild though flavorful broth in which to float wakame, carrot slivers and some fresh watercress. not difficult to whip up and the perfect antidote to the misty, overcast skies of early spring.

when the afternoon lull hit us, we sampled a bit of tcho dark chocolate (70% cacao).  combine sleek packaging, fair trade practices, fastidious flavor balancing- and yes, another industrious SF chocolate maker hits the scene. these guys don't just re-melt- nope, they start from scratch to create their rather addictive cacao creations. 

mmm-- 3 tasty ways to get into fermentation.