If music be the food of love…play on.

Over 400 hundred years later, Orsino’s opening line still resonates.

If you’ve had the pleasure of dining at flour + water, you might have noticed, we like music. A lot. An eclectic mix. And preferably a little loud.

As you enter the restaurant, every evening on the host stand is a playlist. Which like the menu, changes daily. In a similar vein to the wine pairings we create for the pasta tasting menu, the playlists are designed (by our music director, katie mathis), to elevate your dining experience and make it all round, more enjoyable. Take the playlist home, recreate it on spotify to tickle your aural senses and enjoy fond memories of a great evening.

Noted for being one of the most progressive cities for food, San Franciscans are utterly spoilt for choice. As more creative ways are thought of to bring together key elements for a memorable meal, enjoyable dining experiences keep getting more enjoyable. We have Chef Thomas McNaughton at the helm with his flavorsome fare and music has been an important part of the flour +water experience from day one.

In a city with more foodies than you could shake a spoon at, who work hard and play hard with multiple music playing idevices, we’re gifted in the art of turning on and tucking in. With so much variety available, more people are seeking well curated experiences. If you like your food full of flavor, your wines carefully paired, your music a little loud, in a room lit by candles, with some of the hottest servers in the bay area, play on.

Fore regular updates on what’s happening behind the scenes, follow us on twitter @flourandwater and facebook.

On Wednesday evening, in the Dough Room, a group of food lovers convened for a pasta class, to learn a little more about the wonderful ways to make pasta. Agnolotti Dal Plin, a flour + water signature dish was first on the menu. After everyone had a little time to relax and imbibe, Chef Thomas got to work on teaching the group the key steps to making their own agnolotti dal plin.

After laboring away rolling dough, cranking pasta, delicately filling it with spicy pork, followed by more rolling, cutting and..more rolling. The class were delighted to bag up their pillowy pieces of joy to take home to enjoy later.

At the end of the evening, they sat down to enjoy a special 5 course dinner with wine pairings. Each guest left with parting gift of a recipe book and fresh pasta to make at home.

Our next class is on February 14th so treat yourself or that special someone to a cooking class. More info here.

Every day brings us a step closer to the opening of our new ventures, Central Kitchen and Salumeria. Last week, we opened our doors for hard hat tours to give people an idea of what we have coming up. Central Kitchen has a very open and accessible kitchen which could almost steal the show, but I’ve had a sneak peek at menu ideas from Chef Michael Gaines and its clear, the elevated dining experience using the freshest ingredients found locally will be the real scene stealer. The large courtyard with retractable roof  creates an intriguing indoor-outdoor dining experience and connects the restaurant area to Salumeria.

Olive Baskets make the ideal light fittings at Salumeria – image via Eater SF. Salumeria will be run by flour + water’s former sous chef Matt Sigler. Based on a traditional Italian deli, there will be a fantastic selection of cured meats, mostly house-cured, cheeses and lots more deliciousness an for an Italian inspired easy meal at home, in the park or just about anywhere.

We have a very strong focus on fresh and local ingredients (as noted by David Kinch here). Winter citrus fruits are always a welcome addition to the menu. This week, I found myself staring at Buddha’s Hands for the first time and then being mesmerized by the striking color of the blood oranges for our Blood Orange Polenta Cake.

Fore regular updates on what’s happening behind the scenes, follow us on twitter @flourandwater and facebook.

As a new beekeeper, finding mentors to help guide me through my first year has been invaluable. I began learning with Michael Thiele of Gaia Bees. Michael provided me with a firm philosophical foundation and has always been extremely generous with his time, offering me advice along the way. Sometimes my fears (I don’t know what I’m doing. / People are going to criticize my methods/philosophy. / Surely “x” is a sign that the colony is on the verge of collapse!!) can lead me off track and Michael never fails to help me find my way back.

I’ve been extremely fortunate, however, to find some other beekeepers closer by who have been able to help me on a more day – to – day basis. I can’t express my gratitude to them enough. Because my methods and philosophy are somewhat counter to a lot of the conventional wisdom, and because I am such a novice, it’s easy for me to feel intimidated by my critics. Having a few more seasoned beekeepers behind me has made it much easier for me to stand my ground.

One such person is Bryon Waibel, proprietor of Her Majesty’s Secret Beekeeper in the Mission.

Here’s a really lovely little video about Bryon and his shop:

I really want to take a moment to say, “THANK YOU, BRYON!!” from the bottom of my heart, for your friendship and support!

A paper was published yesterday on a study performed by SFSU biology professor John Hafernik on the effects of the Phorid Fly on honeybees. The study suggests that the Phorid Fly might provide another missing piece of the Colony Collapse Disorder puzzle. The Phorid Fly is a parasitic fly previously known to attack bumble bees and paper wasps.

The study is still in its early stages, but so far we know that the flies lay eggs in a bee’s abdomen. Days later, the bee makes an uncharacteristic nocturnal departure from the hive. Once the bee dies, the larvae hatch and emerge from the bee’s body.

The study also suggests that the flies may be carriers of other viruses which contribute to colony loss – notably – Deformed Wing Virus and Nosema ceranae.

More info on the study here: http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2012/01/03/zombie-fly-parasite-killing-honeybees/

You can read the full paper here: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0029639

A few festive minutes with Michael Gaines, Chef De Cuisine of Central Kitchen.

Did you cook on Christmas Day? Yes

What did you make? A classic prime rib, with carrots, mash potatoes, horseradish cream and my girlfriend made the apple pie.

Apple pie with cream or ice cream? Vanilla Ice Cream.

Best Ice Cream in the city? Three Twins.

Favorite flavor? Vanilla. Simplicity at its best.

Favorite restaurant in SF for brunch? Bar Agricole.

Best place to for drinks? The Brazenhead for classic cocktails and Hotsy Totsy for artisan cocktails.

Top of your Holiday wish list? A lie in.

What’s a lie-in for you? 10am.

One of the many courses in The Feast Of The Seven Fishes is abalone. A tough, intimidating mollusc, its surprisingly simple to prepare.

The best place to get abalone locally is Monterey Abalone. The freshness is of paramount importance to a great tasting dish.

 Hold the shell firmly and using a spoon, moving inwards, separate the muscle attachment of the abalone from the shell.

Remove the abalone from the shell and trim.

Fold the abalone in a towel and tenderize by pounding with a mallet of cleaver.

This is a key step as it softens the abalone and stops it from being overly chewy once cooked.

Once its flattened out significantly, dust in flour.

Cook in brown butter until golden.

Finish with lemon juice.

On Christmas Eve, the abalone will be served with brown butter, caramelized onions, poached egg yolk and miner’s lettuce.

Take a peek at the full menu here.