Posts by Clyde Van Arsdall

Do you remember Sam the Butcher from The Brady Bunch; the housekeeper Alice’s boyfriend? For many of you, that may be the only butcher you know. Butchers and butcher shops are not as common anymore, but lucky for us, they are making a comeback. I recently discovered one in a galaxy not so far away.…

A string of firecrackers ignites, spitting out loud sporadic pops over a steady crackle; the noise foreshadows the excitement about to take place. Festival goers with red envelopes clutched in their hands line Third Avenue in downtown San Diego’s historic Chinatown, waiting for the spectacle to begin. The sound of gongs, drums, and symbols erupts…

“Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods; and good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of feasts,” James Beard. Everyone should have good bread in their lives. Luckily for San Diegans, we have Bread & Cie, the first artisan bread bakery in San Diego, which opened in 1994. You can find their…

What’s in a name? Well, everything when the name is Home Ec. Remember Home Economics? That great class taught high schoolers how to cook, sew, and balance their checkbook. What happened? Suddenly, someone decided kids no longer needed to learn these skills. What is so important about Home Ec? Every child graduating from high school…

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears. I am here to tell you about a Roman-style pizza not available in Coronado. We have our fair share of places to buy pizza on the island; I count ten. Did I miss one? Of the traditional Italian styles of pizza, Coronado has a few, Napoletana and Tonda…

Paella is comfort food, not only for those who eat it but for those that prepare it. My first memory of paella was in college on a trip home for Thanksgiving. I admitted to my parents that turkey was not my favorite, so my parents suggested paella. We lived in Old Town Alexandria in Virginia…

The 3-1-2 is rocking it in the 6-1-9! Lefty’s Chicago Pizzeria brings the the taste of Chicago to San Diego. Known for its great food, Chicago has its fair share of iconic dishes, the Italian Beef Sandwich, the Chicago Dog, and Stuffed and Deep-dish pizzas. The Chicago Dog has earned a spot as one of the…

Pork shoulder slow-cooked in a mixture of lard, Mexican Coca-Cola, orange juice, onions, and spices. Shredded and griddled to order, the small pieces of meat are crispy on the outside and moist and tender on the inside. I am talking about Carnitas (pork confit), the Mexican version of pulled pork. As much as I love…

The bánh mí sandwich takes two cultures and slams them together with delicious results. French bread and pâté team up with Vietnamese meats, crisp pickled vegetables, bright herbs, and spicy chilies to make a sandwich. Although the French introduced the baguette to Vietnam in the mid-19th century, the bánh mí sandwich, as we know it…