SF Culinary Classics History
Cioppino
Cioppino was developed in the late 1800s by Italian fishermen who settled in the North Beach section of San Francisco, many from Genoa, Italy.Originally it was made on the boats while out at sea and later became a staple as Italian restaurants proliferated in San Francisco. The name comes from ciuppin, a word in the Ligurian dialect of the port city of Genoa, meaning “to chop” or “chopped” which described the process of making the stew by chopping up various leftovers of the day’s catch. Ciuppin is also a classic soup of Genoa, similar in flavor to cioppino, with less tomato, and the seafood cooked to the point that it falls apart.
Read more about cioppino.
Sourdough Bread
Sourdough was the main bread made in Northern California during the California Gold Rush, and it remains a part of the culture of San Francisco today. The bread became so common that “sourdough” became a general nickname for the gold prospectors. The nickname remains in “Sourdough Sam”, the mascot of the San Francisco 49ers. A “sourdough” is also a nickname used in the North (Yukon/Alaska) for someone having spent an entire winter north of the Arctic Circle and refers to their tradition of protecting their Sourdough during the coldest months by keeping it close to their body.
More on the history of Sourdough.
Ghirardelli Chocolate Sundae
In 1849, when Domingo Ghirardelli immigrates to the United States, he has dreams of striking it rich in the California Gold Rush. After trying his hand and failing at mining, he settles on opening a tent-store in nearby Stockton, CA, selling various supplies and confections to fellow miners. With his new business proving successful, Domingo decides to open a store and hotel in San Francisco. After a major fire in 1851 destroys his businesses, he begins to rebuild. In 1852, he forms a new confectionery company that is to become the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company. Today, Ghirardelli Chocolate Company has built on its signature taste and time honored manufacturing processes to become America’s premium chocolate company.
Click here for a more detailed timeline about Ghirardelli’s rich heritage.
Irish Coffee
The historic venture started on the night of November the 10th in 1952.
Anchor Beer:
The rich history of Anchor Brewing can be traced all the way back to the California gold rush, when German brewer Gottlieb Brekle arrived in San Francisco with his family.