Maybe Some Pie Will Cheer You Up!

Sacramento Magazine is pretty notorious for having a great food and wine section. A dedicated team to let readers know the best wines with what food, the best summer salads and, of course, the best restaurants.

While on their website, Sacmag.com, I noticed that there are numerous columns by Kira O’Donnell, that are not only good but always leaves my mouth watering.

O’Donnell’s recent column is about one of my favorite things in this world - cheese.
She writes about the different kinds of cheeses from gruyere to, one of my favorites, blue stilton, how to use them, what to drink them with and where to buy them.

She starts off by naming the specialty food shops in Sacramento such as Corti Bothers, David Berkley and the Sacramento Natural Food Co-op, then lists each cheese and how to use it when cooking.

She uses words like tangy, nutty and creamy to get you in the mood for a cheesy pizza or a simple quesadilla.

For November, O’Donnell has chosen to review the restaurant Biba, a authentic Italian restaurant, calling Biba Caggiano the, “Doyenne of Italian cusine in Sacramento.”

She describes Caggiano’s dedication, persistence and passion for writing cook books, cooking and even hosting a cooking show called “Biba’s Italian Kitchen.”

One thing O’Donnell said in her review really caught my attention, though:

“For those of us restaurant diners used to loud background music, saccharinely friendly waiters and oversize televisions in every available corner, this was a refreshing and genteel step back in time.”

This was a great observation, only I am too young for it to be a “step back in time” but I know exactly what she means.

Besides the appearance, every detail in the food is mentioned, from the way it looks on the plate to every sensation of how it tastes.

The final verdict was that it simply wouldn’t be right to compare Biba to other Italian restaurants because it would be like comparing “biscotti and breadsticks” or “pantyhose to tube socks.”

What has this talented food and wine columnist done in the last year?

This pastry specialist, who used to work at restaurants like Auberge du Soleil in the Napa Valley, Original Joe’s in San Francisco and Chez Panisse in Berkeley, definitely knows what she is talking about.

Not only are her columns delectable but she has opened up her very own pie shop called the Real Pie Company, located on 1201 F st. in Alkali Flat. While doing an interview with food columnist Mike Dunne, she explains, why pies?

O‘Donnell says, "I have had a lifelong love affair with pies - there's just something special about them. And they make people happy.”