Rosemary Focaccia (and a Few Variations)
After several days spent eating our way through San Francisco, it was a shock to return and find that if we planned to eat, we would be doing all of the cooking. We had some memorable meals while we were away and we can highly recommend Flying Saucers (the most amazing food presentation we've seen), Postrio, I Fratelli, Yank Sing, and Il Fornio. Many of the meals we enjoyed have inspired us to research some new recipes. One on the list was part of a breakfast at Postrio - corned beef hash on roasted red pepper butter, topped with poached eggs. It would be impossible to visit Flying Saucers and not come away with new ideas for garnishing food. Their use of local produce to provide unique decorations for their wonderful food is unsurpassed.
One thing we particularly enjoyed in all of the restaurants we visited was the wide selection of freshly baked breads. Most of the places had so many things to choose from that making a selection was difficult. We hope, one day, to see more variety in the bread choices in our area. In the meantime, we will continue to make our own. The arrival of local herbs makes this an especially good time of year to try some new ideas. This recipe for focaccia, along with all its variations, is the result of some extensive experimentation by Jack Bishop and was highlighted in a recent issue of Cook's Illustrated.
