Calendar for San Jose Frugal Foodies

Please note that all the below occur in Downtown San Jose.
All nights cost $8/person.

Thursday, September 9^th — Cheese Night
Neufchâtel, Chèvre, Brousse, Brocciu, Ricotta, Urda, Mizithra, Geitost Mozzarella, Lebne, Quesillo, Gouda, Sharp Cheddar, Paneer, Havarti....if you haven't guessed it yet, we'll be featuring an evening of cheese! Join us as we explore a variety of cheese from around the world and create delicious dishes filled with cheesy goodness.

RSVP for Cheese Night:

Wednesday, September 22^nd — Eggplant Night
This will be a night dedicated to eggplants, aubergines, melongenes, brinjals - even called a "mad apple" by some. We'll be branching out from the normal purple goodness and exploring different varieties (they come in green, white, and even orange!). Just about every culture has come up with incredible dishes for the eggplant, come cook and taste them with Brian and Erin.

Important Note: Please remember that you must pre-register for any and all Frugal Foodies nights so please contact us at to do so.  We look forward to seeing you this month at Frugal Foodies.

Past Events

February 2009

Wednesday, February 25^th — Join Brian and Erin for "Stan night". We'll be cooking up dishes from central Asia - tasty offerings from Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and their neighbors.
     Dishes are still being finalized from our Silk Road cookbook, but early contenders are pomegranate and eggplant rice polow, Afghan Garlic Chive Bhoulani, and desserts along the lines of rosewater sesame brittle.
All dishes vegetarian, some contain dairy.

March 2009

Wednesday, March 4^th — Join Laurel and Danny - "Breakfast for Dinner" night.

Wednesday, March 18^th — Join Brian and Erin for "Polska Night."
Maybe you've encountered heavy, bland, veggie-hostile Polish food in the past? You've been had! Come discover how tasty it can be!
We'll be cooking up Pierogi (of course), Borsht, Golabki, Kapusta z Grochem (Cabbage and split peas), Dynia w Smietanie (Creamed pumpkin soup), and maybe some stuffed Naleshniki (crepe pancakes) and round it all out with Makowiec (sweet poppy cake) or Sernik (cheese cake).

April 2009

Wednesday, April 1^st — Come partake in mystery Foodies night at Laurel and Danny's house. In honor of April Fool's Day you'll find new and exciting (if not unusual) spins on many of your favorite dishes. As usual, we're going to aim not only for great tasting dishes, but fun ways to make them as well!

Wednesday, April 15^th — This is when New Year's Day is celebrated in Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. We'll be joining in by creating a variety of dishes from Cambodia, using both exotic and common ingredients. The menu will include dishes like fried cassava curry fingers, eggplant pumpkin and bitter melon stew, coconut rice with black-eyed peas, pancakes with bean sprouts and jicama, coleslaw with daikon and carrots, and sweet mung bean dumplings.

The meal will be a good one for vegans. It's also a good choice for people who like coconut! (Hosted by Erin and Brian)

Wednesday, April 29^th — Join Laurel, Danny, Eric and Melinda for Ballpark Night.
With baseball season starting up, come celebrate the eating traditions surrounding America's Pastime - with a vegetarian twist of course. Think homemade churros, garlic fries, and maybe even cracker-jacks to start. Bring your appetite and be ready to cook up tasty new takes on some stadium favorites.

May 2009

Wednesday, May 6^th — Join Brian and Erin for "Kitchen Gadget night".
When people know you like cooking, they feel compelled to get you kitchen stuff come the holidays. Such folly enables our kitchen gadget night. We'll breathe live back into our pasta machine, panini press, and pizzelle iron. We've discovered a lot of garlic lovers out there in previous FF evenings, so we'll break out the garlic tools. Pizzelle go well with gelato - so we'll break out the ice cream maker. It'll be a fun-filled and tasty evening to play with kitchen devices and toys. (When RSVPing - if you own an impractical gadget you'd like an excuse to exercise, let us know and we'll see if it'll work with our menu).

Wednesday, May 20^th — "Express Eats" night.
Even the most skilled cooks will admit that sometimes they're just not in the mood to cook. Join Eric, Melinda, Danny, and Laurel as they embrace this culinary laziness and share with you some of their favorite quick, easy, and nutricious recipes. For Express Eats, they have a wide aray of dishes planned so you'll be sure to find a new favorite recipe to work into your weeknight routine. And save room for dessert - they have a chocolate fondue that will be to die for!

June 2009

Wednesday, June 3^rd — Ethiopian night.
Ethiopians celebrate "Downfall of the Dergue" around this time, for the overthowing of the Derg/Dergue regime in 1991. Erin and Brian will celebrate by exploring several Ethiopian dishes. We'll be making salads and tasty vegetables stews including lentils, garbanzo beans, collard greens, potatoes, tomatoes, green beans, cabbage, and carrots. We'll serve it all with injera, a flat bread and eat with our hands (forks will be of course be available!). Join us for a variety of traditional exotic flavors.

Wednesday, June 17^th — Thai night.
Thai food has become an international phenomenon, and we're here to prove it to you. We'll be using the freshest exotic ingredients in preparing meals for spicy lovers and non as well. Come and partake in accentuating the sensual flavors of an authentic, well-balanced meal while satisfying every part of your taste buds!

July 2009

Wednesday, July 1^st — Colonial Night.
Get in the spirit of independence day by cooking and eating dishes that were favorites back in July of 1776. We hold the tastiness of these dishes to be self-evident: Peanut Soup, Spoon Bread, vegetarian Welsh rabbit/rarebit, cherry bounce and apple tansey.
Join Erin and Brian for this colonial feast.

Wednesday, July 15^th — Iron Chef Night
Join us for a South Bay first; Iron Chef night, where you'll be an assistant chef in this culinary challenge that's been adapted especially for Frugal Foodies. Two supreme master chefs will be pitted one against the other in an epic battle to win the hearts, minds, and stomachs of the Frugal Foodie attendees. The foodies will be split up and randomly assigned to assist a chef. Both chefs will be given the same theme ingredient, and will be charged with preparing an appetizer, entree, and dessert within a two hour time frame. At the end of the night, all will be able to vote for their favorite dishes and the first Iron Chef Frugal Foodies will be crowned!

Wednesday, July 29^th — French Guest Chef Night
Join hosts Brian and Erin and Guest Chef Cécile Poyet for a mouth-watering night of fine french dishes. Early contenders for the dish list are: French onion soup, Warm Goat Cheese Salad with walnuts, Steamed mussels (or tofu) in light cream sauce with curry, vegetarian sweetbreads and mushrooms in cream sauce over puff pastry, Bittersweet Chocolate Fondant, and Classic Créme Brulée. Let's have a nice big turnout to welcome Cécile's first time as a guest chef!

August 2009

Wednesday, August 12^th — No-Cook Meals and BBQ Night
Join us and embrace the heat of a hot August night by preparing easy, no-cook meals as well as a couple of dishes on the outdoor grill. The recipes will feature many home grown vegetables, including delicious heirloom tomatoes and fresh basil. Some early contenders include an Italian vegetable hoagie, creamy avocado and garbanzo wraps, and a chilled melon soup.

Wednesday, August 26^th — Turkish Night
Turkish food uses all the ingredients we can get fresh this time of year including eggplants, green beans, tomatoes, chard, carrots, cucumbers and onions. We'll explore the bounty of summer while preparing fresh, tasty dishes such as "The Imam Swooned" (a dish with eggplant, tomatoes and onions), swiss chard nests, garbanzo bean pilaf, and a Black Sea grape dessert.
Note for vegans, approximately half the dishes will include egg or milk products.

Wednesday, September 23^rd — Basil Night
Join Erin and Brian for Basil Night! Basil is found in cuisine from all over the world - from Italy to Thailand to South America. We'll use basil in traditional and exotic recipes, including, of course, a delicious basil dessert.

Thursday, October 8^th — CSA Night - Take 2
Join us for another SJ Frugal Foodies first: Community Supported Agriculture Night. This night will see a shift from Wednesday to Thursday evening (Sept. 10th) where we will utilize freshly picked, locally grown fruits and veggies from the Live Earth Farms program. This night's featured recipes will be off of the Live Earth Farm's website (http://www.liveearthfarm.net) which provides excellent and tasty ways to prepare the bountiful selection of produce that arrives in the weekly CSA box.

Wednesday, October 21^st — Guest Chef Italian Night
Frequent Frugal Foodie attendee Paolo puts on the guest chef hat - Come join him at Erin and Brian's for regional dishes from his native Liguria and other dishes that you usually don't find in Italian restaurants in the United States.
Some of the early contenders are: gnocchi alla romana, minestrone alla Genovese, pansotti (triangular stuffed pasta) with walnut sauce, and salame del papa (chocolate dessert).
Note: all dishes are vegetarian, but include eggs and diary products.

Wednesday, November 11^th — Cooking with Alcohol Night
Eric and Melinda are saucing things up with Cooking with Alcohol Night, which will feature an element of hard alcohol in every single dish. BBQ Tofu and Whiskey? Wine Salad? Orange Crepes with Triple Sec? Beer Cheese and Bread? It will all be done in a delicious way - with booze!

Wednesday, November 25^th — A Very Veggie Thanksgiving
This is the night before thanksgiving - so enjoy a pleasant evening cooking our veggie takes of thanksgiving traditional dishes. No work the next day (for most) should make this even more of a fun and relaxed cooking night than usual.
Last year we had Cranberry Apple relish, Tofu Pumpkin Pie, Balsalmic Braised Brusselsprouts and more. This year should be even better!

Wednesday, December 2^nd — Vegetarian Fast Food Night
For the first Wednesday of December join Danny and Laurel for a night featuring recipes from a great cookbook by Rose Elliot entitled "Vegetarian Fast Food." Don't be fooled by the name - the recipes in this book are not for greasy vegetarian hamburgers or soggy french fries! We'll be cooking a varied theme of fresh, hearty, and gourmet dishes, all prepared in record time. This night promises to get you out of your food rut and teach you some great quick, easy, and delicious recipes!

Wednesday, December 16^th — Indian Night
Come join us for an Indian/Fijian cooking night with special guest Chef Lachmin Singh. We'll be preparing a traditional Fijian dalo, along with tomato chutney and maybe bhaaji (spinach - but not to be confused with saag), urdi ke dhal (really teeny tiny black beans), roti, raita, rice pulao and a tasty kheer for dessert.

Wednesday, January 13^th — Middle Eastern Night
Join us for a wonderful night of Middle Eastern treats as we feature Turkish, Lebanese, and Arabic food. From hummus to falafel, we will enlighten your taste buds with vegetarian editions of various classic Middle Eastern dishes from our native Lebanese and Palestinian hosts. As delicious as traveling there, without the airline security checks!

Wednesday, January 27^th — Spanish Night
It's all the things people love about Spanish food, but without the ham. Dishes we are currently working on include a vegetarian paella, a tortilla, mushroom tapas and sweet potato turnovers. The evening should be vegan friendly, although not exclusively vegan (we're planning one egg dish.) This "Spain in Winter" evening will include lots of the fresh ingredients available this time of year.

Wednesday, February 10^th — Peanut Night
Join us for Peanut Night! Every dish will consist of this delicious treat, from the appetizers all the way to the dessert! Every hearty dish will feature a different side of the peanut, whether it be savory or sweet - so unless you're allergic, this night promises to be a delight.

Wednesday, February 24^th — Less Than 7 Night
Come join Brian and Erin for Less Than 7 Night. Every dish is not only tasty and healthy, but is assembled from fewer than seven ingredients! Our current lineup looks to be at least: Artichoke Heart and Spinach Gratin, Beets with Mint and Yogurt, Carrot & Cilantro Soup, Fusilli w/ Broccoli & Ricotta, Spaghetti Squash Pancakes, and a dessert of pecan graham crisps. Simply delicious.

Wednesday, March 10^th — Breakfast for Dinner Night
It is often said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day... and many would argue that it is potentially the most delicious. However, there is often very little time to prepare an elaborate and exciting breakfast unless we break the unwritten rules of mealtime and have Breakfast for Dinner! So, come join us at Danny & Laurel's for a FF favorite, Breakfast for Dinner, that will feature both the savory and the sweet side of the most important meal of the day.

TUESDAY, March 23^rd — French Almond Night
French night with Guest Chef Cécile will be back on a special Tuesday evening, this time with a nutty twist. We'll explore the delights of traditional and adopted French recipes combined with California's most important agricultural export, almonds. Almonds will be part of every dish, whether as a main ingredient or to go along with other flavors. Our menu will include dates with goat cheese, roasted eggplants in virgin olive oil, spinach salad, tajine of vegetables served with semolina and a traditional fun dessert with frangipane.

Wednesday, April 7^th — Mexican Night
Danny and Laurel will be hosting a San Jose Frugal Foodies first: Mexican Night. Vamos a cocinar platos tradicionales de varias regiones mexicanas, con un enfasis en verduras de la estacion. Cada plato prometa ser delicioso, entonces venga a esta noche especial! If you didn't understand the last few sentences, join us for a wonderful evening of Mexican food and we'll teach you a word or two of Spanish!

Wednesday, April 21^st — Mushroom Night
Eric and Melinda will be hosting a Mushroom night. Details to follow.

Wednesday, May 5^th — Iron Chef Night #2
Defending Iron Chef Danny takes on an Italian Challenger Paolo. Theme ingredient: Lemons!

Thursday, May 20^th — Avocado Night
Join Erin and Brian for a night dedicated to that most healthy and versatile of fruits - Avocados! We'll be enjoying Avocado Risotto, Avocado Pear Mousse, Toasted Quinoa and Avo Salad, Avo Spring Rolls, and Avo Corn Chowder, to name a few. Avos have heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, folic acid, potassium, magnesium, betacarotene, vitamins C, E, B-6, and... well, do you really need any more reasons to partake of their rich, creamy texture and exquisite flavor? Mmmm... Avocado Night!

Wednesday, June 9^th — South African Night
In June, all eyes will be turned toward the nation of South Africa as the World Cup is being played. This week at Frugal Foodies, we will get a little insight into this country by sampling some of their more renowned fare. Join us for some good food, great people, and maybe even a match or two! But, be sure to sign up quickly because we are going to limit the number of signups to 10 people this time.

Wednesday, June 23^rd — Rosemary Night
Join Brian and Erin for Rosemary Night. Its aromatic delights will be worked into every dish and dessert to tantalize your tastebuds. We'll be having rosemary and gorgonzola cream puffs, watermelon salad (with rosemary and feta), white bean rosemary hummus, rosemary vegetable skewers, rosemary peach lemonade, and rosemary pignoli cookies.

Wednesday, July 7^th — Corn Night
On Wednesday, July 7th, bring your floss and toothpicks because we're coming at you with Corn Night, a celebration of America's favorite summer vegetable. Cornbread, roasted corn, corn soup, and a random corny dessert that we've yet to come up with. Come one, come all to Corn Night!

Wednesday, July 21^st — Persian Night
Join Brian and Erin for Persian night. Persian dishes feature ingredients like rose water, garlic, saffron, cardamom, cinnamon and nuts. Think eggplant, pilows (rice dishes), kukus (vegetable and egg dishes), and of course a scrumptious persian dessert. We've got lots of delicious dishes in mind - the more folks who sign up, the more variety we'll all be able to taste at the end of the night.

Wednesday, August 11^th — Picnic Night
Join us for a warm summer evening of picnic foods and a screening of the film The Goonies at San Pedro Square in downtown San Jose! We'll meet up before the movie to prepare a delicious variety of picnic foods, then take our fixings to San Pedro Square to enjoy the movie. For those of you who aren't familiar with the Goonies, it's a 1985 action-adventure flic based on a Steven Spielberg story about a group of teenagers who set off on an underground adventure to find a legendary pirate's treasure.

Tuesday, August 24^th — Tomato Night
We're moving Frugal Foodies up to a Tuesday this week, partly to give you all another chance to attend if you have Wednesday commitments, and partly to pull it earlier in the week - when the farmer's market provides incredible varieties of fresh tomatoes.
Come join Brian and Erin for a night of dishes dedicated to the tomato. We're avoiding a lot of the old standbys to focus on more unique dishes. We'll be having: Tiered Tomato Soup, Tomato and fennel tart, Tomato and Sweet Onion Crumble, an Indian rice dish, Tomatoes in Spicy Yogurt and, a Tomato Compote for dessert.