OK, so I know P.F Chang’s China Bistro is a chain, and most food snobs don’t even consider chains when they’re in search of a good meal, but the truth is, real peeps eat at such places, and if you’re out and about and want something beyond Panda-esque fare, P.F. Chang’s is your place to go. It has nice atmosphere, an interesting menu and great cocktails. (Check out the pear mojito–pure refreshment).

I had what I might dare dub one of the best desserts of MY LIFE at the recently opened location in Pleasanton on Saturday night. The service was also darn good as was the salt and pepper prawns (juicy, tender, simple and addictive) and vegetables with creamy curry sauce. (They goofed on our order of sea bass, which they neglected to tell us they were out of, but made up for it with a melt-in-your mouth cut of salmon on the house.)

But on to the sticks. The Magic Sticks. Even though we were already completely stuffed, I had to have them. I didn’t regret it. The sticks are skinny hot crispy wonton sticks stuffed with chocolate. They’re served with a pot of peanut butter caramel sauce for dipping. Now, this alone would be enough, but to send the diner over the edge, you’re then instructed to role your freshly dipped stick into a thick bed of crushed toffee candy on the plate. OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I must have scarfed down four of them.

My only complaint was I ran out of peanut butter sauce at the end. If there had been multiple people eating, we would have done battle over the stuff.

I will now be craving these babies til the end of time.

When I saw the news item about the cupcake dispute — regarding cupcakes served to school children back East — I got tweaked. Not about cupcakes per se, but about treats that are served to our children who attend public school.

This is what I don’t understand. Principals, teachers and alarmist parents have decided that all treats to be served to children in public schools must be store-bought or store-made.

Under no circumstances are fresh, homemade cookies or cupcakes to be served to children in public school. Treats made at home from fresh eggs, oil or butter, flour and milk, real vanilla and real chocolate, the authorities have decided, put our children at risk.

Much better, they reason, to get treats from a commercial source.

I can’t help but wonder if they realize that these commercially made treats are almost always laced with not-a-bit natural preservatives.

Do they know that these treats are very often made with transfats that are known to raise cholesterol and contribute to heart disease? Are they, aware that the bulk of these treats are made from mixes that contain imitation flavorings, imitation eggs, and imitation colors? Do they realize that many of these imitation ingredients have been fingered as carcinogenic?

I also wonder if they realize that these treats taste like what they are — imitation food. They have no real food flavor, which means children (and adults) tend to eat more and more of these treats in an effort to feel satisfied. Eating more imitation food puts our children even more at risk for obesity and dozens of other diseases.

The reality is that these new rules barring mom’s baked goods from school are seriously misguided. I suggest that those in authority take a good long look at the nutritional information their next store-bought treat, then read it out loud before they serve it to their children.

– Jolene Thym

Everyone raves about Peppermint Cream Cheese Bars

By Kari Hulac
STAFF WRITER

A perk of being a judge at our annual Holiday Cookie and Candy contest isn’t necessarily getting to taste all of the winning entries. It’s sampling dozens of other goodies, many of which could have been contenders.

But as you might have read in our Dec. 13 Food section, where we announced the winners, narrowing down the field from 40 entries to a few finalists isn’t easy. The harsh reality is that sometimes the best man — er, cookie — doesn’t always receive its just desserts.

I felt that way about Elsa Bouman’s Peppermint Cream Cheese Bars, and I lobbied unsuccessfully on their sweet behalf to name them finalists.

The bars — full of crushed candy canes in a cream cheese filling between two layers of sugary crust — are a perfect example of what makes a dessert worthy of your holiday table.

The candy cane, which Bouman uses liberally in her recipe, is such a classic seasonal treat. Plus, with a touch of pink in the filling and a snow-like topping of powdered sugar and crushed candy canes, it’s quite attractive.

Bouman, 52, of Oakland, gives credit for the basic recipe to her good friend Ina Ippolito of Alameda.

The two met while they were waitressing at Walkers Pie Shop, and they’ve been getting together to bake holiday treats for more than 15 years.

Bouman says Ippolito introduced her to the concept of combining cream cheese with peppermint in a snowball cookie, but she changed the recipe to bars because “it was just so painful to make all those snowballs.”

After trying the bars as a contest judge, I couldn’t get them out of my mind. I used my clout to get the recipe from Food Editor Jenny Slafkosky, who also agreed there was something special about them.

When I baked them at home and shared them at a neighborhood cookie exchange and at the office, the response was overwhelmingly enthusiastic — so much so that I decided I’d be neglecting my journalistic duties if I failed to give Bouman some kudos.

So, I’m happy to bestow upon Bouman a belated Honorable Mention in the 2006 ANG Newspapers Cookie and Candy Contest and to share this recipe with our readers — it’s a great way to use up all those leftover candy canes. Give these bars a try. I guarantee they’ll be the hit of your holidays.

Elsa Bouman’s Peppermint Cream Cheese Bars
Dough:
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:
3/4 cup cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup finely crushed peppermint candy or candy canes (Bouman likes Leo’s)
1 drop red food coloring

Topping:
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup finely crushed peppermint candy or candy canes

Directions:
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar; add vanilla. Stir in flour; knead until well-mixed. Reserve half of dough. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate. Press remaining dough into bottom of 9″ x 9″ glass pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Let cool.

For filling, combine cream cheese and milk in a small bowl. Crush candy canes (1 box — about 12 regular size) in food processor or blender. Stir in sugar, candy and food coloring; mix well. Spread this filling layer onto cooled bottom layer, then roll out reserved dough with a rolling pin to square-ish shape. Lay it on top and gently press into corners to cover filling. (Tip: Once you roll out the dough, gently set your glass pan on top to create square impression. Cut dough to fit.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-12 minutes.

For topping, combine sugar and candy canes and sprinkle on top, pressing down gently, and cut into small squares while warm. (If you find bars too soft to cut while warm, they can be refrigerated or frozen. Thaw slightly before cutting.)

You can e-mail Kari Hulac at khulac@angnewspapers.com or call her at (925) 416-4837.

I had always wanted to attend one of those farm dinners, long tables set up smack in the middle of a field, where you get to eat what was growing around you that very day. When I heard Cetrella was hosting a Local Farm Dinner at Daylight Farms in Half Moon Bay last month, I jumped at the opportunity.

With heavy fog socking in the coast that night, though, the dinner transformed into a fascinating tour of the pumpkin patch led by Farmer John, followed by a lavish meal inside the invitingly warm and cozy restaurant. Best of both worlds.

After a round of delectable appetizers, we celebrated the harvest with Heirloom Tomatoes with Squash Blossoms, Genovese Basil and Mozzarella, Quail with Shaved Pumpkin, Field Greens and Pumpkin Honey Vinaigrette, and a lovely Lamb Noisette served alongside grilled zucchini and sweet peas. Chef Lewis Rossman outdid himself. Each course was expertly paired with wines from Varner Winery and Banyan Wines, with a few words from the winemakers.

But, with my sweet tooth, it was the autumnal dessert that stood out most. I begged the chef for the recipe for his Pumpkin Panna Cotta with Fresh Mission Figs. And I wasn?t the only one in the room with the same request.

If you’ve never made panna cotta, which means cooked cream in Italian, you will be amazed at what a simple and sexy dessert it is. If you’d rather have someone make it for you, it’s on Cetrella’s menu the rest of the month as part of their Pumpkin Prix Fixe dinners.
– Jodie Chase

Pumpkin Panna Cotta
Recipe created by Cetrella Chef Lewis Rossman.

1 cup pumpkin puree (see below)
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
2 leaves gelatin
Maple syrup to taste (up to 1/2 cup)
Several Mission figs, quartered, for garnish
Toasted almonds dipped in powdered sugar, for garnish

Caramel
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water

In a medium saucepan, bring the cream and sugar to a simmer and remove from the heat. Add the pumpkin puree and whisk together. Remove the gelatin from the cold water and add to the mixture.

For caramel: Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan and cook on medium heat until the sugar starts to brown. Be careful, once the sugar starts to turn a caramel color, it will get dark rather quickly. The caramel should be a deep brown, but not burnt. Pour the caramel equally into any four-ounce mold. (A cupcake tin or ramekin works well.

For pumpkin puree: If you decide to use a fresh pumpkin, you can use Sugar Pie, Red Kuri or Apple Blossom. (I used Sugar Pie when I made it at home and it was great.) Split the pumpkin in half and roast on a sheet tray with the exposed side facing down. Roast at 375 degrees until tender, at least a half hour. Let the pumpkin cool and remove the flesh. Place in a food processor to get a smooth puree. While pureeing, add enough maple syrup to enhance the sweetness of the pumpkin, to taste.

Pour the panna cotta mixture over the caramel and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

To serve, place the ramekin in a little warm water bath to help loosen the panna cotta. Run a knife along the sides, place a plate on top, flip over, and gently tap the ramekin to release the panna cotta and caramel sauce. Serve with a few Mission figs and garnish with powdered almonds.