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Renowned Oakland-Senegalese chef teams up on a new West African cookbook

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:55:48 GMT

Renowned Senegalese chef Pierre Thiam has been a fixture on the New York and global food scene for years as executive chef at Nok by Alara in Lagos, chef at the Pullman Hotel in Dakar and owner of Teranga in New York City.In 2017, he launched Yolélé, which works with West African farms to promote and market fonio, a grain, in the U.S. It was a move that would change his life. At his TED Talk about the grain that year, he caught the attention of Lisa Katayama, a former journalist and now his wife.These days they live in Oakland — a move prompted by the pandemic — and have just welcomed their second child. And the new “Simply West African” (Clarkson Potter, $28) his fourth cookbook, but the first they’ve done together, lands Sept. 19. (This conversation has been edited for brevity.)Lisa Katayama, left, and chef Pierre Thiam have written the cookbook “Simply West African” on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023, in Oakland, Calif. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group) ...

Opinion: Pets don’t belong on planes. Here’s why you should leave yours at home.

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:55:48 GMT

It’s time for pets to stop flying. There, I said it: Let’s ground Fido and Fluffy for good.There have been too many animal incidents on aircraft this summer, including the Delta Air Lines passenger who lost her dog while traveling from Santo Domingo to San Francisco last week. The airline is still searching for the pooch after it escaped from its kennel.Leaving your pet at home while you take a vacation makes sense not only for your dog or cat but also for you. Most pets don’t handle air travel well and many passengers are clueless about how to fly with their animal companions.I realize this might offend the 66% of readers who own a pet, but hear me out.It’s been a difficult year for flying petsWe’ve crossed a line, folks. You don’t have to read all those viral stories about entitled pet owners getting kicked off flights or abandoning their dogs at the airport to know the situation is so out of control.Planes are torture chambers for dogs and cats...

Bay Area dancers prepare for star turn at Prince Harry’s Invictus Games

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:55:48 GMT

It’s inevitable that a large number of people will want to check out coverage of the Invictus Games’ opening ceremony Sept. 9 in Germany to see the international sporting event’s celebrity founder, Prince Harry, along with his wife, Meghan Markle.But those gathered in Dusseldorf’s Merkur Apiel-Arena, as well as the millions of viewers watching online, will also be introduced to a unique and innovative dance troupe already well-known to Bay Area fans: the AXIS Dance Company.The artists from the Berkeley-based contemporary dance company will be among the featured entertainers at the Invictus Games opening ceremony, and their exuberant eight-person piece, “Dawn,” should beautifully complement the purpose of the games, which Prince Harry founded to provide an opportunity for military veterans from around the world to recover from physical and mental injuries, including PTSD, by competing in different sports.For its part, AXIS integrates the talents of professional dancers, s...

Travel Troubleshooter: Travel Insured International holds up a refund of $12,780

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:55:48 GMT

DEAR TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER: Last year, my wife and I booked a cruise with Seabourn Cruises at a cost of $12,780. I also purchased a travel insurance policy through Travel Insured International.Christopher Elliott, the Travel Troubleshooter In November, my cardiologist found blockages in three coronary arteries. After lengthy consultations with him and other doctors, I ultimately concluded that multiple stents were the best option for me. My doctor recommended that I should not travel until this was done.Regrettably, we had to cancel our trip with Seabourn.I submitted a claim in late December. Travel Insured International responded to my claim, asking for more information. I provided the documentation. From that point on until mid-March, I received several messages that said, “Thank you for your patience.”Then I received a call from Travel Insured International asking for the names of all the physicians who saw me in December. She told me, “With this informatio...

Quick Cook: Make these easy Back to School Energy Bites

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:55:48 GMT

These little energy bites taste like cookie dough but are packed with fiber, healthy fats and even chickpeas. Sweetened with dates and full of super foods like whole oats, flax seed and cashews, these energy bites give kids and adults alike a healthy burst of fuel to get through the day — without the sugar crash associated with typical snacks full of refined sugar and low in fiber. And best of all, they’re easy to make and store, at the ready for popping into a lunchbox or as an after-school snack.For nut allergies, sub in sunflower seeds for the cashews. You can omit the baking soda, but my kids like how it really gives these a cookie-doughlike flavor. If you’re avoiding sugar, leave out the chocolate chips and add 1 tablespoon cocoa powder when mixing the dough.Back to School Energy BitesMakes two dozen 1-ounce bitesINGREDIENTS1 cup pitted dates1½ cups unsalted cashews½ cup ground flax meal1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained½ teaspoon salt½ teaspoon baking soda½...

TasteFood: Roasted sea bass with blistered tomatoes is a late summer treat

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:55:48 GMT

Take advantage of the season’s last cherry tomatoes on the vine with this easy one-skillet stovetop dinner. Begin by roasting the tomatoes until they begin to break down and release their juices. Once this happens, stir in fresh garlic, briny capers and herb sprigs to round out the flavors and mingle with the juices, creating a light and luscious sauce. Then add whitefish fillets to the pan sauce, transfer to the oven and let them roast in the pan juices.Make this recipe with any thick whitefish, such as sea bass, halibut or swordfish. Choose fillets that are center-cut and about 3/4-inch thick. The fish will roast quickly; cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of the fish. It’s cooked when it’s opaque through the center and easily flakes.Dinner couldn’t be any simpler — or more delicious.Roasted Sea Bass With Blistered Tomato and Caper SauceServes 4INGREDIENTS1½ pounds cherry tomatoes (left on the vine, optional)2 tablespoons extra virgin ol...

Liquid cremation? Human composting? They could be available at Tri-Valley’s cemetery of the future

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:55:48 GMT

Tucked away in eastern Alameda County is a sprawling 47-acre site that will soon be transformed into the cemetery of the future, expected to serve the Tri-Valley and surrounding region for the next 200 years. It would be the first new cemetery in Alameda County in three decades.“Not many people get a chance to do this from scratch,” said Andy Martinez, the cemetery and funeral home consultant for Monte Vista Memorial Gardens, which is set for development in unincorporated north Livermore. “And (it’s) a very pivotal moment with all the changing trends.”Alameda County supervisors approved a conditional use permit for the cemetery and funeral home project, which has been in the planning stages for almost 10 years. It is being developed by Monte Vista Memorial Investment Group.After it acquires licenses and building permits, Martinez said the cemetery could begin accommodating interments, or burials, in the first quarter of next year.Many of the cemeteries in Ala...

Home insurer exodus: Are California lawmakers weighing a secret deal to keep Big Insurance from bailing on homeowners?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:55:48 GMT

In a state scorched by a series of devastating wildfires, Californians have seen the costs of insuring their homes soar and coverage options evaporate — if they can find a company to issue a policy at all.Now, consumer advocates say lawmakers and the state’s insurance commissioner are secretly working on a deal to free up more coverage in the Golden State — but at the cost of caving to insurers’ demands to loosen regulations and let them charge higher rates.“This would constitute the biggest insurance industry bailout in modern history, rushed through without the public deliberation that placing a burden of this magnitude on policyholders demands,” said Consumer Watchdog founder Harvey Rosenfield.In a state with the country’s strongest consumer rate protections, big insurers like Allstate, State Farm and Farmers have put the brakes on new policies, leaving many homeowners scrambling for coverage and digging much deeper to pay for it.The companies say th...

Bay Area resident among thousands left stranded at Burning Man festival

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:55:48 GMT

(KRON) -- Heavy rains have left thousands of people stranded at the Burning Man festival in the Nevada desert, including one resident from the Bay Area. Thick, ankle-deep mud from heavy rains have made it difficult for festival goers to drive out of the site, including San Francisco Pride Executive Director Suzanne Ford. "I was going to leave yesterday. I hoped I was going to leave today, but it rained again this afternoon so I'm probably not going to get out of here until tomorrow night maybe,” Ford said. CHP motorcycle officer, sedan driver injured in crash in SF The desert was hit with about two to three months worth of rain in the span of 24 hours between Friday and Saturday morning.Event organizers closed the roads, but some people still tried to leave on foot or by large vehicle. Those who stayed were told to shelter in place and conserve food, water and fuel."We're conserving a little bit. We're not eating as many snacks today as we may have. We're conserving our water...

Verbal altercation leads to shooting in Safeway parking lot in San Rafael

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:55:48 GMT

(BCN) -- Police are in search of four suspects said to be involved in a Sunday morning shooting at a Safeway parking lot that left one man injured in San Rafael's Terra Linda neighborhood. Officers from the San Rafael Police Department first responded to reports of a shooting at 1:01 a.m. at a Safeway parking lot on 950 Gallinas Ave. Police said they found a 30-year-old Novato man suffering from serious injuries. He was later transported to a local hospital. Detectives determined that a group of people were gathered at the parking lot when they were approached by another group. Oakland youth football team moves game to Santa Rosa for safer environment An altercation occurred, then one person began shooting, said police. Police said the victim was hit by two bullets, and another bullet hit the bedroom window of a nearby home. All four suspects fled the scene eastbound after the altercation, said police. An officer said they saw one of the suspects on the Redwood Highway ...