The plans I had for my San Francisco trip… I was hoping to have breakfast at Tartine, lunch at Pizzeria Delfina, dinner at Zuni, ice cream at Bi-Rite Creamery & Humphry Slocombe and several coffees throughout the day at Blue Bottle EVERY SINGLE DAY. Then, I was going to visit every vintage store and photograph every mural in town, beg the lady at Cookin! for discounts, take photos of every corner of my old neighborhood to create a humongous panoramic photo for one of the walls at home, buy a luggage-full of vintage cookbooks at Omnivore, eat at In-N-Out Burger on my way to and back from Carmel and arrange a private showing to see my dream future home in Big Sur (if my cookbook sells two million more copies, I’ll be able to afford it!). Oh, and beg, cry and sleep at Nepenthe‘s doorstep to convince them to adopt me – just in case my cookbook doesn’t sell millions of copies. All these in two weeks.
I never even entered Tartine, had pizza at Delfina and lunch at Zuni only once, inhaled many (but never enough) scoops of salted caramel ice cream from Bi-Rite Creamery and managed to cross off about 1% of the murals. And not just because there wasn’t enough time or that I was the designated tour guide of a very ambitious party of four, but also because the city is full of new places to explore. It’s been almost five years since my last visit. The list of my new favorites is so long, it’s impossible to put all of them into a single post. I wanted to start off with my most favorite place: Dandelion Chocolate.
I’m sure the paragraphs above were a blur. You were just staring at the photo of that S’more, right? I totally understand. It was the second best thing I ate in San Francisco. The best? It was another Dandelion Chocolate creation: Nib toffee brittle.
They also serve spectacular coffee (Four Barrel), European drinking chocolate and two different kinds of hot chocolate – one with almonds and Mexican spices, called Mission hot chocolate.
Their store is actually a small bean-to-bar chocolate factory.
As you enjoy your brittle and coffee, you can watch the whole production process.
Before you leave, check out the shelves in the entrance, where they display their chocolate bars, the amazing Nuubia Bar, salted cacao bitters and gift boxes.
I can’t wait to be back!
DANDELION CHOCOLATE
740 Valencia St (at 18th)
San Francisco, CA 94110
Mon – Thu, Sun: 10am – 9pm
Fri, Sat: 10am – 10pm
Now, about that great news: My cookbook was awarded “Best in the World – 1st Place” at this year’s Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in the bloggers category! More than 10.000 cookbooks from 205 countries entered this year’s awards, so imagine my surprise when I received the news!
I’ll be back soon with more San Francisco treasures, lots of photos from my trip to Carmel & Big Sur and a few exciting recipes.
Wow… Just wow… Best cookbook award? Congratulations! You deserve every bit of it, with so much passion, dedication and patience you put into your work.
About selling a few million copies, how about translating your book into English and maybe a few other languages? No need to thank me for this very original idea…
oh my WHEN is this cookbook coming out in English?!?!
Wow, congratulations!! That’s an amazing achievement! And definitely well deserved, you are very talented.
I need to go back to San Francisco too…haven’t been there in more than 12 years.
Fernando, when will your excellent (congratulations on your 1st place award) cookbook be available in English?
Hi Cenk! I am interested in getting a copy of your cookbook, and would like to know if it is available in English. I have heard so much about it. Would also like to know if there are any other mid-eastern cookbooks you can recommend. Thanks.
Way to go, Cenk!
I’m just so glad you’re back! ☺
Sincere congratulations on the cookbook award.
You must be so excited. I hope you sell
two million copies and move to Big Sur.
mmmm… that calls for an English edition of the world’s best cookbook!! 🙂 Congratulations!! and how beautiful is that chocolate place!!
Cenk,
I read your plans about going back to visit SF and all the places you planned to go. You sound just like me when I dream of going back to Chicago where I grew up. I can visualize myself eating at some of my favorite places. My eating habits have changed a lot since I was there last, but I decided I would make an exception to the rule when I’m there.
I can relate to what you said about the high prices of B&B’s. I felt the same way when I was looking for a place to stay in Evanston (Chicago).
I’ve written you before. I enjoy your blog even if I just look at the pictures. Congrats on taking 1st place for your cookbook! I’d love to be your neighbor!
I live in Israel and have our home listed on airbnb. We are affordable ($50/night for 1 person
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1689577
Israel has lots of interesting food. I know the best hummus place just 10 minutes from here. It’s set up “worker’s” style.
Look forward to more of you SF stories.
Lynn
You deserved it. When you do have a post come out I actually get excited. You are really original!!!
🙂
Hello Cenk
When will your book be available in Turkey? Is it written in Turkish or English?
I have a Turkish friend who is going home in August, where can she purchase it?
My sincere congratulations to win a prize !
Congratulations, Cenk 🙂 I’m thrilled to see that your beautiful book gets the recognition it deserves.
Bravo, Cenk! I’m so happy for you. Mostly I’m happy that this recognition should make it easier to sell an English-language version. That’s what I want!
OMG, that is a great news! Congratulations!!! You worked very hard, you deserve the fruit of it. Enjoy your sweet succes 🙂
I’m so proud! Congrats on this huge accomplishment.
Congratulation !how exciting that must be. when your book will be published in English?
also, i absolutely agree with you on big sur I used to live near Carmel.what an amazing place to live or travel have fun there.
Congratulations, Cenk! Impressive, but not surprising at all given the amount of effort you’ve put in creating the book
I am not surprised at all!!!! Congratulations Cenk!!!!!!!!!! Thrilled!!!!! Your passion your hard work!!!
A big congrats! I can not wait to read the English version.
Cenk, you smile like a little child with a huge victory! So pure&sweet! Sure you deserve it. Many congrats!
there’s been a lot of additions to the pastry world in the city. Just a few links here…..
http://bpatisserie.com/
http://www.mrholmesbakehouse.com/
http://www.craftsman-wolves.com/
http://www.toutsweetsf.com/patisserie/
Belated congratulations for the big win! It is one of the only two cookbooks I have bought and once again thank you for your hard work 🙂
Fernando, this place looks fabulous. Thank you for being so generous and sharing all these wonderful photos, and the details about the place. What you describe – the list prepared to the return to San Franciso, is so illustrative of going somewhere we love, and miss. we want to see loads loads of the old favourites… often we put up a list that is so long it’s even hard to mantain 🙂 But the building up to the trip is an essencial part of the experience. :)Congratulations on the beautiful work – your book. :)I’ve been following your blog for years, and it’s a deserving recognition.
Congrats on the big Award, Cenk! I heard your name announced there (I was at the Yantai event and also won:) and I was very happy for you! Very well deserved! Your book is beautiful and I am glad the jury recognized your passion and talent. Tekrar tebrikler! Basarinizin devamini dilerim.
Feride – Thank you Feride! And congratulations to you, too!
Is your cookbook going to be in English? I would love to have a copy. I have been following your fascinating blog for a couple of years. Love your life style and enthusiasm for wonderful, original food.I am a self taught chef in Maine U.S.A.
judith clayton – Thank you! I can’t say for sure right now, but I hope to publish it in English someday.
So waiting for an English translation of your book, Cenk!
Many congratulations, much belated but heartfelt. I’ve adored your work from afar for years and this is much deserved. Everything you do is splendid!
For all who are waiting for an English version, look at the lovely book on Amazon, look through the pages displayed online, they are in English.
Thank you Cenk for the fabulous book!