A Yummy Extra inside San Francisco CityPass

If you are heading to San Francisco, here's something to note: Boudin Bakery, the original sourdough bread company (think steaming hot clam chowder inside a sourdough round), has a new home at Pier 41 in San Francisco. You can still see the old restaurant, but this new facility is a destination all its own. The cafe is very large, with indoor and outdoor seating, and there's a restaurant upstairs with wonderful views of the Bay. Upstairs is also the entrance to the Museum Tour, a self-guided tour of Boudin in a u-shape with glass windows exposing the actual bakery below. This miniature museum is a history lesson, science experiment, family genology report and simply pure love all in one. The exhibits explain how the Boudin family arrived in the United States with their french bread recipes and mother dough, and how the San Francisco fog actually created a mistake in the bread--creating the sourdough taste we know today.

At the end of the tour, a futuristic, five-sided kiosk invites you to answer some questions about yourself -- and then it will tell you what kind of bread you are! I'm olive bread! The museum exit is through the Tasting Room for sampling all the breads and spreads Boudin makes. This museum is included in the San Francisco CityPass booklet, and it is a great place for a quintessentially San Francisco waterfront meal. Don't miss it. For more information about San Francisco CityPass and the attractions included, go to www.citypass.com.