Yes, that is a picture of Todd English juggling. Why is he juggling? You’ll have to wait to find out. Monday is Labor Day and like the rest of America (many restaurants excluded), we’ll be taking the day off. But we’ll be back on Tuesday, September 7, and we promise we’ll explain that picture when we return. Promise!

In the meantime, have a great holiday weekend!

The Buzz Team

Anthony Mangieri isn’t the only one bringing New York pizza inspiration to the Bay. Eater reports that Jennifer Millar’s much-delayed Addie’s Pizza Pie in South Berkeley is hoping to have its opening party on September 12, and gets a look at the menu. What’s on there besides Big Apple–style pies? “Lake Superior–style frozen custard.” Commence brain-freeze.

It ’s the Friday before Labor Day and you are in your office reading food blogs. You know what’ll ease that pain? An animated short covering the epic battle between a possessed can of spaghetti sauce and the brave Brussels sprouts who dare fight it.

Want more Friday food fun? Can’t go wrong with Kung Food Fighting.

• Someone finally fried beer: Texas treat is booze plus grease (@nydailynews) http://zagat.bz/cvOkDK 4 days ago
• Wines of the Times: Freeing Muscadet From a Pigeonhole (@nytimesdining) http://zagat.bz/bPrbYQ 4 days ago
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Like superheros of the culinary world, these four dishes offer more than meets the eye, each masking its secret identity as something else entirely. Got a favorite dish in disguise? Let us know in the comments.

When is a soup not a soup? When it’s a basil kromeski.

At 231 Ellsworth in San Mateo, CA, restaurant executive chef Isaac Miller serves a croquette that spills out its secret identity when you crack it open: it’s filled with hot, creamy basil soup. “We first did a foie gras and chestnut version when I was working for David Kinch at Manresa,” the chef says. ”When I brought it to 231 Ellsworth, it was summer and I had a garden on the Russian River that produced a bunch of varieties of basil. So I made a very simple basil soup – just basil, cream and salt – and then I decided to set it with gelatin, bread it and fry it up, like a classic Russian kromeski.” The dish has since become a signature amuse at the restaurant. “There’s one family of regulars that requests an entire bowlful every time they come in” (650-347-7231; reserve online.)

When is a sandwich not a sandwich? When it’s BLT soup.

Chef-owner Harold Moore’s chilled soup at Commerce in NYC cleverly combines all of the flavors of the simple sandwich for a refreshing summertime favorite at the restaurant. “I like lettuce soup, which is very French,” Moore explains, “but you can’t sell that in New York.” But he didn’t shelve the idea entirely. While pondering what to cook at a pork dinner, Moore was munching on a BLT, and that’s when it hit him. “I was thinking about the synergy of the smoky bacon with the cool mayo and tomato.” The $14 chilled lettuce soup is poured over chopped heirloom tomatoes, homemade bacon bits and fried brioche croutons; the flavor layers of the sandwich melt together in one liquefied taste (212-524-2301; reserve online).

When are petit fours not for dessert? When they are a savory amuse.

Executive chef Daniel Humm welcomes guests at NYC’s Eleven Madison Park with an amuse of five savory petit fours. “There definitely has been some application from the pastry side,” Humm says about the idea. “But for me the real inspiration came from childhood, when my family would travel to Italy. In the beginning of the meal, they would send out little snacks. Even if you just had a glass of wine, they would sent out these little bites. That always left such an impression on me because it was so hospitable. I thought, there must be a way to bring that into a four-star restaurant.” Humm’s take on the bites change frequently, but diners can expect nibbles like a galette of big eye tuna and bonito mousse; black-pepper sable with foie gras and strawberry; zucchini tartlettes; a crispy sweetbread cornet; and a carrot marshmallow (212-889-0905; reserve online).

When is a candy not all sweet? When it’s foie gras cotton candy.

At first glance, diners might think they are presented with a row of oversized Q-tips at José Andrés’ LA hot spot The Bazaar. But one bite reveals that they are actually cotton-candy lollipops with a cube of foie gras hidden inside. The fanciful bite was inspired by a toy cotton-candy machine Andres bought for his daughters. “When we plugged it in and it began melting the sugar…wow!” says Andrés. “The aromas, the beautiful strands of sugar were so light, so thin, they were almost translucent. And when you put the cotton candy in your mouth, there was this crispiness of texture that rapidly dissolved. I realized this was an amazing form of caramelization, and I began to think about how to use this. Like any good Catalan, I like the play of salty and sweet. I also like to juxtapose high-end and low-end, so I thought about adding foie gras to cotton candy… circus food. The result not only plays with savory and sweet, but the idea of what is elegant and what is humble” (310-247-0400).

– Kathleen Squires

Dean Biersch, founder of the Gordon Biersch juggernaut and owner of the Hopmonk Tavern in Sebastopol, plans to open a second outpost of his brew-house in the town of Sonoma, just off the plaza in the old Deuce/Emmy’s location.

The new Hopmonk Tavern will feature an outdoor beer garden for enjoying live musical performances and special beermaker dinners. Biersch plans to feature 16 craft beers on tap, focusing specifically on seasonal domestic and international brews, along with Sonoma Valley wines and free nonalcoholic drinks for designated drivers (an idea we’d like to see more of!). The kitchen will issue hop-friendly fare like Bodega mussels and fries, crispy calamari and grilled salmon.

Biersch had hoped to open late summer, but he’s currently looking at an October debut – in time for a late Oktoberfest celebration or two, we hope (691 Broadway, Sonoma).

• Someone finally fried beer: Texas treat is booze plus grease (@nydailynews) http://zagat.bz/cvOkDK 4 days ago
• Wines of the Times: Freeing Muscadet From a Pigeonhole (@nytimesdining) http://zagat.bz/bPrbYQ 4 days ago
• The @FoodNetwork wants your vote for their best food-truck competition. The winner gets $10,000! Log on and vote http://zagat.bz/98yBSN 4 days ago
• More updates…

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Here’s our quick, poetry-inspired take on last night’s Top Chef. Submit your own in the comments. Note: spoilers ahead.

Angelo takes two.
Space, the final frontier,
takes Tiffany. Tear.

For those who can’t get enough of Mad Men, the old-school Big 4 in the Huntington Hotel is hosting a weekly Mad Men dinner series starting tonight and running every Wednesday through October 27. The rotating three-course, $36 dinner features retro fare like clams casino, chicken Kiev and bread pudding with whiskey sauce. We have to admit all that fat-laden food offers a refreshing change from our usual San Francisco holier-than-thou lifestyle.

And if you’re looking to recreate the three-martini lunch, you’re in luck. The Big 4 is once again open for lunch on Thursdays and Fridays from 11:30 AM–3 PM. But if you’re going to imitate Don Draper, just try to be like the one from the first three seasons, not the one we’ve been seeing of late. Nobody likes a sloppy drunk (415-771-1140).

• Someone finally fried beer: Texas treat is booze plus grease (@nydailynews) http://zagat.bz/cvOkDK 1 day ago
• Wines of the Times: Freeing Muscadet From a Pigeonhole (@nytimesdining) http://zagat.bz/bPrbYQ 1 day ago
• The @FoodNetwork wants your vote for their best food-truck competition. The winner gets $10,000! Log on and vote http://zagat.bz/98yBSN 1 day ago
• More updates…

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