San Francisco is a city filled with some of the best chefs and restaurants in the country. Add its close proximity to world-class wineries and you can easily understand why so many food enthusiasts travel to this city to revel in its culinary delights.

With this in mind, I happily purchased a cookbook that lets me bring San Francisco's top recipes to my Seduction Meal arsenal-- 86 San Francisco, a concept cookbook designed to look and feel like a traditional recipe box with 86 recipe cards. Each card features one authentic recipe, adapted for home cooks, from a selection of top restaurants in the Bay Area. Included are recipes from Chez Panisse, Gary Danko, Michael Mina, Boulevard, and One Market to name a few. In addition to San Francisco, 86 Recipes offers recipes from the top restaurants in New Orleans and and New York as well. Here is one example of an 86 San Francisco recipe.

Created by Michael Mina restaurant, this recipe for Butter-Poached Main Lobster wrapped in vanilla crepes served with a coconut Thai creme sauce is one of the many gems you will find in this cookbook. I've also had much success serving up char-grilled oysters with roquefort cheese and red-wine vinaigrette which is a recipe from the 86 New Orleans recipe box by Chef Scott Snodgrass of One Restaurant & Lounge in New Orlean

Butter-Poached Main Lobster with Vanilla Crepes
Serves 4

Note: For this recipe you will need a fine mesh strainer, and allow at least 30 minutes for the crepes to rest in the refrigerator. You might want to prepare the dough first, refrigerate and proceed to the Thai Coconut Reduction.

Thai Coconut Reduction
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 inch of ginger, peeled and sliced
6 shallots, peeled and sliced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 stalk lemongrass, chopped
2 Tbsp Thai red curry paste
1 cup mirin
1 cup orange juice
10 oz unsweetened coconut milk, canned
2 cups heavy cream
1 bunch cilantro, chopped

• Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed medium sauce pot over a medium flame
• Just before the oil begins to smoke, add the ginger, shallots, garlic and lemongrass. Stir to coat well with the oil.
• Saute for 3-4 minutes until very fragrant.
  
• Add the curry and stir well. Cook for an additional 2 minutes
• Add the mirin and orange juice to the pot and reduce the heat so the liquid just simmers. Reduce until half the liquid is gone.
• Add the coconut milk, cream, and cilantro
• Simmer for about 20 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the flavors have come together. Strain through a mesh strainer and hold warm.
  

Vanilla Crepes

6 oz all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp sugar
6 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 of a vanilla bean, seeds scraped
3 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
Nonstick spray

• Sift the flour, sugar, and salt together in to a mixing bowl
• Place the butter, 1/2 cup of the milk, vanilla bean pulp and pod in a small pan and heat gently to melt the butter
• Once the butter has melted, temper the mixture into the remaining cold milk and then whisk in eggs.
  
• Combine the liquid into the dry ingredients being sure that there are no flour lumps
• Strain the mixture through a fine strainer to remove any lumps and the vanilla been seeds/pod
• Allow the batter to rest for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator before using. Batter can be made up to a day ahead of time
• When you are ready to cook the crepes, place a 6-inch nonstick pan over a medium-low flame. Be sure to allow the pan to fully preheat before attempting to make any crepes. Generously spray the pan with nonstick spray and ladle about 1/4 cup crepe batter into the pan swirling to coat.
  
• If there is any excess of batter, pour it off before returning the pan to the heat.
  
• Return the pan to the heat and allow it to set--this should take about 30-45 seconds. Once the edges just begin to look "dry", the crepe is done. You do not need to flip the crepe to release the crepe.
• As you make the crepes, lay them onto an oiled piece of parchment paper or platter to cool. Continue working until you have the desired number of crepes.
• Once the crepes have cooled, cover loosely with plastic wrap so they won't dry out.

Lobster

1/4 cup Sauvignon Blanc
1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into chunks
4 sprigs of thyme
1 fresh bay leaf
Kosher salt and black pepper
(4) 3-4 oz lobster tails, shelled

Garnishes

Jalapeno slices (optional)
basil leaves
orange sections

• Place a medium sauce pan over a low flame
• Add the wine to the pan and heat until small bubbles form.
• Working with one chunk of butter at a time, whisk until incorporated. The butter should stay emulsified and thick
• Add the herbs and season ot taste. Keep the pan on a low flame
• When ready to serve, season the lobster tails and place into the butter-herb sauce.
• Poach the lobster tails for about 8 minutes until just cooked through. Remove them from the butter and place onto a platter.

Assembly

• Working with two Vanilla Crepes at  time, lay them onto your work surface, overlapping one third, in a figure-eight shape
• Place one lobster tail at the edge of the crepe and roll it up like a cigar. Trim any excess off the ends. Continue until all 4 tails have been rolled.
• Place the lobster tails onto an oven-proof tray, brush them lightly with some of the lobster cooking butter and  place into a 350 degree F oven for about 3-4 minutes, just to heat through.

Plating the Dish

• Once the crepes are hot, carefully slice each tail into 3 sections and place in the center of a small dish cut-side up.
• Spoon the Thai Coconut Reduction around the plate
• Finish with the garnishes

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Tequila and food pairings--now that is something to explore. In Mexico Tequila is typically served with food as tiny shots, similar to how Russians enjoy vodka in between bites. When pairing Tequila with food you want to serve a premium tequila that is made for sipping. I recently discovered a wonderful ultra premium tequila called Anejo VIDA Tequila--a blend for the true tequila aficionado.

The finest tequilas are made from 100% blue agave plant juices and are best enjoyed slightly chilled and straight, offering a pure, clean taste. For those who prefer mixed drinks instead of drinking neat, there are many tequila cocktails including the most recognized tequila drink-- the margarita. VIDA has created a collection of simple to exotic recipes you can serve with your meals such as the Beso de la Manana, Vida Rojo, the Green Tequilatini, Gourmet Vida, and their signature drink the East Coast V. Watch for upcoming cocktail recipes.

At the same time that I discovered VIDA tequila, I also found this GREAT new cookbook called Fiesta Latina. I want to make every dish in this book! 

Armed with VIDA in one hand, and Fiesta Latina in the other, you are sure to create a Seduction Meal for your significant other that will always be remembered. VIDA offers three distinct premium blends that will perfectly complement the fabulous recipes you will find in Fiesta Latina.

Three VIDA Premium Blends and Suggested Recipes

VIDA Anejo (Extra-Aged) - Rich & Clean this is the finest of the three styles. Vida's Anejo Tequila is meant to be sipped. This will go well with the Lobster Chipotle Crab Cakes, or the Sirloin Steak Tiradito with Traditional Chimichurri, or one of my all time favorite dishes (not in the cookbook) but served at Mi Cocina in NYC: Chile en nogada, a poblano chili stuffed with a pork picadillo flavored with raisins, lemon and almonds sitting on top of a walnut cream sauce and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds. What I wouldn't do to get my hands on that recipe...

VIDA Reposado (Aged) - Sweet & Smoky this pairs well with pork and chicken dishes such as Roasted Chicken and Saffron Lobster Mashed Potatoes, or Roasted Duck Ropa Vieja Quesadillas with Spicy Guacamole, or to compliment the sweetness of the Sweet Corn Arepas Topped with Dulce de Leche Ice Cream.

VIDA Blanco (Silver) - Pure & Smooth Blanco tequila goes best with Seafood and Citrus based foods such as Fiesta Latina's Lobster Mango Ginger and Lemongrass Ceviche or Crispy East Coast Oysters with Sweet Fufu and Saffron Aioli or Marinated Lobster Tail and Scallop Pinchos.

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