Grilled Cheddar and Bacon on Raisin Bread
Butternut Squash and Apple Soup with Bacon
RATING: NLO
I rarely cook bacon - mostly for the sake of vanity - but the air is cooling and I was feeling like comfort food. And, next to homemade macaroni and cheese, one would be hard pressed to find another food as comforting as bacon.
(Ice cream, maybe?)
The sandwiches were a huge hit with my husband and four-year-old son but I thought they were missing something.
I made them exactly as the recipe specified except for substituting cinnamon raisin English muffins for the raisin bread. I spotted a similar recipe on http://www.epicurious.com/ that incorporates mango chutney. I may try that one next time.
The soup was competent but nothing terribly special. I even added a splash of good balsamic to liven it up, but it was still just okay. I don't feel right about dragging down the rating of the whole meal because I...
uhmmmm...
accidentally pureed the bay leaf into the soup -- oops-- inadvertantly giving it a grassy quality it was never meant to have.
RATINGS KEY:
Lick the Plate (LTP)
No Left Overs (NLO)
Maybe Better Tomorrow?(MBT)
Lots of Leftovers (LLO)
Leftovers Getting Moldy (LGM)
Talk foodie to me ...
Monday, September 29, 2008
Digestings.....
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Roasting Peppers
Every recipe I have ever attempted that calls for roasting red peppers directed me to let them rest in a paper bag after charring to make the skin easier to remove.
Apparently, this is an old wives tale.
The "paper" part at least.
It is the result of trapping the moisture inside the bag with the hot pepper that causes the skin to separate from the flesh...
....and of course a plastic bag does this job much more efficiently than paper!
(Now why didn't I think of that?)
Apparently, this is an old wives tale.
The "paper" part at least.
It is the result of trapping the moisture inside the bag with the hot pepper that causes the skin to separate from the flesh...
....and of course a plastic bag does this job much more efficiently than paper!
(Now why didn't I think of that?)
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Tuesday Twitterings on Tannins and Terroir - Pinot Noir
Laetitia Estate Pinot Noir 2005 Characteristic cherry nose ... lots of alcohol ... fruity (maybe overripe) but we like it ... ripe berries ... cherries ... mellows after five minutes ... grows smoother ... one dimensional at first ... balanced after decanting ... complexities become more noticeable ... let sit for an hour before serving ... good value, less expensive than comparable Pinot Noir's like Sanford and Patton Valley... $23.99 @ Erickson's Fine Wines
Advice: TRY IT
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Tuesday Twitterings on Tannins and Terroir - Soave Classico
Weak nose ... overly cold (my fault) ... cucumber and under-ripe pineapple ... approachable ... clean ... easy to drink ... pale ... refreshing ... slightly bitter finish, but not unpleasant ... may pair well with earthy cheeses ... $13.99 @ Boise Co-Op Wine Market
Advice: TRY IT.
Michael Pollan is Coming to Boise!
Michael Pollan is coming to speak in Boise in conjunction with Boise's Log Cabin Litereary Center's Readings & Conversations Series this fall. The event will be held on November 12, 2008 at 7:30 PM at the Egyptian Theatre, located at 700 West Main Street in downtown Boise.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Saying Goodbye to Daily Blessing Foods
I have devoured several books worth recommending over the last several months and have been meaning to use this forum to review them.
In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan was one, What To Eat by Marion Nestle was another and ChefMD's Book of Culinary Medicine by John La Puma was the last. What these books all have in common was their resounding lament for the way Americans are eating or rather .. not eating.
In a nutshell (and I hope to have time to go more in depth on these books at a later date) Americans eat what is marketed to them and what is marketed to them are the things that are the cheapest to produce, often items that are nearly nutritionally devoid (or at least compromised) and lacking in natural, real flavors.
I'm not just referring to prepackaged products, although those are the worst offenders, this scam (and I feel justified in calling it that after reading these three books) spans every aisle of the supermarket.
Our "healthy" foods (fresh produce, meat and dairy) are being affected by corporate giants that are eager to get in on the the "organic" movement.
In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan was one, What To Eat by Marion Nestle was another and ChefMD's Book of Culinary Medicine by John La Puma was the last. What these books all have in common was their resounding lament for the way Americans are eating or rather .. not eating.
In a nutshell (and I hope to have time to go more in depth on these books at a later date) Americans eat what is marketed to them and what is marketed to them are the things that are the cheapest to produce, often items that are nearly nutritionally devoid (or at least compromised) and lacking in natural, real flavors.
I'm not just referring to prepackaged products, although those are the worst offenders, this scam (and I feel justified in calling it that after reading these three books) spans every aisle of the supermarket.
Our "healthy" foods (fresh produce, meat and dairy) are being affected by corporate giants that are eager to get in on the the "organic" movement.
Large companies are creating foods that fit the "organic" profile as required by the USDA but are in no way affiliated with the comforting picture of the idyllic, family farm that most consumers have in their minds. The money-saving short-cuts employed by these companies are high in cost when it comes to health (people and animals), the environment and ethics. (Again, hopefully more on this later...)
What prompted me to write tonight was the jolt I received when I navigated to the Daily Blessing Foods website http://www.organic-meat.com/ (they are a local distributor of grass-fed organic meats) and saw this statement posted across the top in red font:
"08/11/08 We wish to say THANK YOU to all of you who have done business with us over the years. We regret to inform you that effective immediately, Daily Blessing is suspending business due to the high cost of fuel and huge shipping charges. We hope to be able to re-open at a later date, but for now, we do not know what the future holds. "
I can tell you what the future holds, if this is any indication.
Eventually consumers will have no choice when it comes to buying locally, from small in-state farms.
What prompted me to write tonight was the jolt I received when I navigated to the Daily Blessing Foods website http://www.organic-meat.com/ (they are a local distributor of grass-fed organic meats) and saw this statement posted across the top in red font:
"08/11/08 We wish to say THANK YOU to all of you who have done business with us over the years. We regret to inform you that effective immediately, Daily Blessing is suspending business due to the high cost of fuel and huge shipping charges. We hope to be able to re-open at a later date, but for now, we do not know what the future holds. "
I can tell you what the future holds, if this is any indication.
Eventually consumers will have no choice when it comes to buying locally, from small in-state farms.
Literally everything will be produced by large conglomerates that have stockholders to worry about before ethics, taste, the environment and health. The quality of their products will suffer as they strive to keep costs as low as possible.
A little tidbit to add credibility to my ranting: A multitude of prevalent health conditions could be prevented by an increase in omega-3 fatty acids in the diets of Americans, right? Everyone that reads or watches the news knows this.
But ... do you know why we are deficient?
A little tidbit to add credibility to my ranting: A multitude of prevalent health conditions could be prevented by an increase in omega-3 fatty acids in the diets of Americans, right? Everyone that reads or watches the news knows this.
But ... do you know why we are deficient?
At one time nearly everything had omega-3 fatty acids naturally occurring in it. Grass-fed beef, poultry, lamb and seafood (algae-fed) should all supply this necessary nutrient.
What happened?
What happened?
Land is expensive (read: grass) ... and corn is not -- so all livestock began being fed corn and the omega-3 fatty acids slowly (but completely) disappeared from our diet.
This is just the tip of the iceberg with regard to a much larger issue and, in the meantime, while you are waiting for me to find the time to review those books I mentioned earlier, why don't you pick one up and read it? -- and let me know your thoughts.
I'd like to leave you with a tip.
Next time you go shopping for salmon and start feeling good about yourself for all of those healthy omega-3 fatty acids you'll be ingesting - you'd better make sure you are buying "wild" .... (http://www.seafoodwatch.org/ backs me up here...)
...the "farmed" salmon are being fed corn.
This is just the tip of the iceberg with regard to a much larger issue and, in the meantime, while you are waiting for me to find the time to review those books I mentioned earlier, why don't you pick one up and read it? -- and let me know your thoughts.
I'd like to leave you with a tip.
Next time you go shopping for salmon and start feeling good about yourself for all of those healthy omega-3 fatty acids you'll be ingesting - you'd better make sure you are buying "wild" .... (http://www.seafoodwatch.org/ backs me up here...)
...the "farmed" salmon are being fed corn.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
Culinary S.O.S.
Good restaurants in Boise are disappearing at an alarming rate.
It seemed to start a year or so ago when Tapas Estrella closed and suddenly there was no more fresh albacore on buttered foccacia with basil, kalamata olive and melting goat cheese paired with a crisp glass of Veracruz Verdejo....
Then The Milky Way folded and there was no more apple and brie sandwiches with a Buty Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc. I can't even talk about never tasting their chocolate bread pudding again. It makes me all choked up...
Then Mortimer's closed their doors forever and there was no more lobster cappuccinos and Merry Edward's Sauvignon Blanc.
(I really DO drink red wine from time to time.)
Now Andrae's (who introduced us to all of the exceptional wines being produced in Walla Walla, Washington) is gone -- along with so many notable others.
But not ... thank goodness ... Jared Couch and his brain-child, SixOneSix http://www.restaurantsixonesix.com/
We had reservations at six o'clock and sat on the patio. I noticed there was a small party of people out there already, one of which was the chef's beautiful wife and another of which was their new baby girl. Everyone seemed to be relaxed, smiling and enjoying themselves. I'm hoping their ebullient demeanor bodes well for the future of the establishment.
Our waiter was a fresh-faced and handsome, yet unassuming, young man who spoke slowly and articulately. I caught myself puzzling over why he looked so familiar to me and I told him so. He explained he's always worked at SixOneSix - at least for the last two years - but started waiting tables only recently. He tended the bar before that. A ha!
He easily sold both of us on the chef's specials for our entrees. More on those later....
We ordered wines by the glass - two each - I started with a Three Horse Ranch Rose www.3horseranchvineyards.com/ and then later moved on to a Viognier by the same producer. I think the Rose edged out the Viognier a little, but both were exceptional wines, exciting not only due to their quality but for because I knew they were being produced locally. The grapes are grown right there in the Eagle, Idaho foothills.
Jason ordered a Sonoma County Syrah for his first glass and was so impressed he ordered another of the same a little later. I was delighted by the taste he gave me, but regret to say that I can't remember who the producer was. I tried to find out but, unfortunately, a quick reference to the restaurant website didn't yield any useful information in that area.
NOW ABOUT THE FOOD...
We started by sharing a huge bowl heaped with smoked (I think) clams cooked with bacon and fresh morel mushrooms. Even after the dich was reduced to a pile of shells we continued to mop up the wonderful broth with the scrumptious parmesan breadsticks served alongside.
It seemed to start a year or so ago when Tapas Estrella closed and suddenly there was no more fresh albacore on buttered foccacia with basil, kalamata olive and melting goat cheese paired with a crisp glass of Veracruz Verdejo....
Then The Milky Way folded and there was no more apple and brie sandwiches with a Buty Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc. I can't even talk about never tasting their chocolate bread pudding again. It makes me all choked up...
Then Mortimer's closed their doors forever and there was no more lobster cappuccinos and Merry Edward's Sauvignon Blanc.
(I really DO drink red wine from time to time.)
Now Andrae's (who introduced us to all of the exceptional wines being produced in Walla Walla, Washington) is gone -- along with so many notable others.
But not ... thank goodness ... Jared Couch and his brain-child, SixOneSix http://www.restaurantsixonesix.com/
We had reservations at six o'clock and sat on the patio. I noticed there was a small party of people out there already, one of which was the chef's beautiful wife and another of which was their new baby girl. Everyone seemed to be relaxed, smiling and enjoying themselves. I'm hoping their ebullient demeanor bodes well for the future of the establishment.
Our waiter was a fresh-faced and handsome, yet unassuming, young man who spoke slowly and articulately. I caught myself puzzling over why he looked so familiar to me and I told him so. He explained he's always worked at SixOneSix - at least for the last two years - but started waiting tables only recently. He tended the bar before that. A ha!
He easily sold both of us on the chef's specials for our entrees. More on those later....
We ordered wines by the glass - two each - I started with a Three Horse Ranch Rose www.3horseranchvineyards.com/ and then later moved on to a Viognier by the same producer. I think the Rose edged out the Viognier a little, but both were exceptional wines, exciting not only due to their quality but for because I knew they were being produced locally. The grapes are grown right there in the Eagle, Idaho foothills.
Jason ordered a Sonoma County Syrah for his first glass and was so impressed he ordered another of the same a little later. I was delighted by the taste he gave me, but regret to say that I can't remember who the producer was. I tried to find out but, unfortunately, a quick reference to the restaurant website didn't yield any useful information in that area.
NOW ABOUT THE FOOD...
We started by sharing a huge bowl heaped with smoked (I think) clams cooked with bacon and fresh morel mushrooms. Even after the dich was reduced to a pile of shells we continued to mop up the wonderful broth with the scrumptious parmesan breadsticks served alongside.
Next up we shared a steaming bowl of sweet Walla, Walla Onion soup that was creamy and surprisingly complex. My husband asked me to tell him what the constituent parts of the soup were - just from tasting -and I laughed at him. I tried to pick out a few familiar flavors, but the complete symphony of seasonings easily eluded my culinary prowness.
Our entrees were next. My husband ordered a steak (I can't remember the cut) with a Chipotle / Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce. The heat of the spice in the sauce was compliments perfectly by the cool, crisp potato salad (with fennel?) it was served upon.
My dish was even more unusual. Blueberry Prawns served over a Fennel Pancake. It was a beautiflu dish. All purples and blues and reds and accented by a garnish of bright, orange carrot curls.
Jared came out about halfway through the meal (looking very hip in his navy blue and orange metal rimmed squared off glasses) and asked what we thought.
We were the middle of raving about everything when he asked again, with a "no, seriously", edge to his voice. He especially wanted my opinon on the shrimp dish. I again stated that I considered it delicious.
He smiled and said he loves that dish as well.
So much in fact, he went on to say, that when people send the dish back uneaten or half eaten...
he picks up the waffle...
folds it over like a tortilla with all of the shrimp and bluberries inside....
and just gobbles the whole thing down!
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
The Famine
Although the last four months have been dry in terms of blog updates, we certainly have not stopped eating and drinking well.
I'm entertaining tonight as a matter of fact and hope to find a chance to post more on how that all goes later.
In the meantime I want to share an awesome recipe for peanut butter ice cream. it's super easy (no eggs!) and incredibly good.
(Sunset Magazine gets the credit for this one.)
Salted Caramel Peanut-Butter Ice Cream
Ingredients
1/2 cup good-quality jarred caramel sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt (Use a smoked salt if you have any...)
3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter, at room temperature (I use Adam's Natural...)
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups whipping cream
1 cup whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Preparation
1. In a small saucepan or microwave-safe container, heat caramel sauce until warm but not boiling, about 1 minute over medium heat or 20 seconds in the microwave on full power (100%). Add salt and stir to combine. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together peanut butter, sugar, cream, milk, and vanilla until peanut butter is mostly dissolved. Let sit 5 minutes, or until sugar is dissolved, then whisk again.
3. Pour into an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's directions. Add salted caramel for the last 10 seconds of churning.
4. Transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container and freeze at least 8 hours and up to 24, depending on how firm you would like the ice cream to be.
Yield
Makes 4 cups; 16 servings (16? Not at my house!)
I'm entertaining tonight as a matter of fact and hope to find a chance to post more on how that all goes later.
In the meantime I want to share an awesome recipe for peanut butter ice cream. it's super easy (no eggs!) and incredibly good.
(Sunset Magazine gets the credit for this one.)
Salted Caramel Peanut-Butter Ice Cream
Ingredients
1/2 cup good-quality jarred caramel sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt (Use a smoked salt if you have any...)
3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter, at room temperature (I use Adam's Natural...)
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups whipping cream
1 cup whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Preparation
1. In a small saucepan or microwave-safe container, heat caramel sauce until warm but not boiling, about 1 minute over medium heat or 20 seconds in the microwave on full power (100%). Add salt and stir to combine. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together peanut butter, sugar, cream, milk, and vanilla until peanut butter is mostly dissolved. Let sit 5 minutes, or until sugar is dissolved, then whisk again.
3. Pour into an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's directions. Add salted caramel for the last 10 seconds of churning.
4. Transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container and freeze at least 8 hours and up to 24, depending on how firm you would like the ice cream to be.
Yield
Makes 4 cups; 16 servings (16? Not at my house!)
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Easter Eating
This entry is dedicated to my mother-in-law who is generally no slouch in the kitchen but totally managed to knock everybody's socks off with a dish she prepared for Easter brunch. It was a savory tart with wild mushrooms, leeks and Gruyere cheese. I swear it was right up there with one of the best things I have ever tasted. I made her promise to make it every Easter (if I can wait that long..)
I took on Easter dinner and prepared Anchovy and Rosemary Roasted Lamb...
(has anyone bought a leg of lamb recently? They are pricey! Maybe I should start raising lambs. But then again, I could never actually slaughter one so I'd just end up with all of these sheep as pets ... I guess I should stop complaining about the price, right?)
...Asparagus, Green Onion, Cucumber, and Herb Salad
....and boiled new potatoes that I mashed with a little cream and butter and blended with a healthy amount of a spring pesto I created using olive oil, pine nuts, cilantro, chives, mint, a jalapeno chili, garlic, salt and pepper.
I have to credit Chef Mortimer (again) for the pesto/potato idea. He mentioned it in his last cooking class. However, I had to refrain from appearing hypocritical and using a traditional basil pesto (after whining in an earlier blog about how I felt using basil in the spring was just somehow wrong...) so I chose different herbs for this dish.
The whole meal came together beautifully - and rather quickly. I did discover in the cooking process that I own three different instant-read meat thermometers and that none of them are even remotely accurate.
It might have something to do with the fact that they are all electronic and that my three-year-old likes the different beeping noises they make when he presses all of the buttons at the same time ...
I had to borrow my mother-in-law's.
I recruited my husband for help with the dessert. It was very hands-on, and baking and pastry 'cheffing' are not my strong suits. We made Chocolate-covered Poached Pears with Apricot-Pecan Stuffing and Chile Sabayon
(I researched the word 'Sabayon' and discovered that it is just a fancy French word for the Italian dessert known as zabaglione -- which is sort of humorous since the dessert above is described as being a staple at Mexican passovers -- talk about fusion..)
My family enjoyed all of this with a Salvestrin Rettagio and a Buena Vista Pinot Noir.
(...and you know us. Of course there were more wines opened - they just aren't worth mentioning here...)
What?
It was Easter , after all....
I took on Easter dinner and prepared Anchovy and Rosemary Roasted Lamb...
(has anyone bought a leg of lamb recently? They are pricey! Maybe I should start raising lambs. But then again, I could never actually slaughter one so I'd just end up with all of these sheep as pets ... I guess I should stop complaining about the price, right?)
...Asparagus, Green Onion, Cucumber, and Herb Salad
....and boiled new potatoes that I mashed with a little cream and butter and blended with a healthy amount of a spring pesto I created using olive oil, pine nuts, cilantro, chives, mint, a jalapeno chili, garlic, salt and pepper.
I have to credit Chef Mortimer (again) for the pesto/potato idea. He mentioned it in his last cooking class. However, I had to refrain from appearing hypocritical and using a traditional basil pesto (after whining in an earlier blog about how I felt using basil in the spring was just somehow wrong...) so I chose different herbs for this dish.
The whole meal came together beautifully - and rather quickly. I did discover in the cooking process that I own three different instant-read meat thermometers and that none of them are even remotely accurate.
It might have something to do with the fact that they are all electronic and that my three-year-old likes the different beeping noises they make when he presses all of the buttons at the same time ...
I had to borrow my mother-in-law's.
I recruited my husband for help with the dessert. It was very hands-on, and baking and pastry 'cheffing' are not my strong suits. We made Chocolate-covered Poached Pears with Apricot-Pecan Stuffing and Chile Sabayon
(I researched the word 'Sabayon' and discovered that it is just a fancy French word for the Italian dessert known as zabaglione -- which is sort of humorous since the dessert above is described as being a staple at Mexican passovers -- talk about fusion..)
My family enjoyed all of this with a Salvestrin Rettagio and a Buena Vista Pinot Noir.
(...and you know us. Of course there were more wines opened - they just aren't worth mentioning here...)
What?
It was Easter , after all....
The Reckless Chef
Wow, it's been four days already.
The carnitas turned out awesome - some of the best I've ever had - despite my inability to follow directions and my intentional adulteration of the recipe in some places.
First off, I didn't marinade at all. I didn't plan ahead enough and was running out of time.
Next, I started rubbing all of the spices into the meat before realizing that the quantities given were meant to create a batch (a whole cup) of rub and that I was only supposed to use one tablespoon for the recipe...
..OMG. I was pretty certain I had destroyed the pork with that overload of spice and salt-- but I decided to press on....
Switching into mad scientist mode, I browned the completely spice blackened pork and threw it in the crock pot on low with all of the ingredients called for in the marinade section of the recipe (minus the soy sauce because I certainly didn't need any more salt).
Miraculously, it turned out fantastic. I think the slow cooker thing kind of has a tendency to mute flavors, so it was probably a blessing that I over did the seasoning to such a huge extent.
I served the carnitas in warm corn tortillas with homemade pico de gallo, sour cream, shredded cabbage and chopped avocado(..and a Salvestrin 2005 Sauvignon Blanc...)
I will definitely make these again -- I hope I can re-create such a happy accident!
The carnitas turned out awesome - some of the best I've ever had - despite my inability to follow directions and my intentional adulteration of the recipe in some places.
First off, I didn't marinade at all. I didn't plan ahead enough and was running out of time.
Next, I started rubbing all of the spices into the meat before realizing that the quantities given were meant to create a batch (a whole cup) of rub and that I was only supposed to use one tablespoon for the recipe...
..OMG. I was pretty certain I had destroyed the pork with that overload of spice and salt-- but I decided to press on....
Switching into mad scientist mode, I browned the completely spice blackened pork and threw it in the crock pot on low with all of the ingredients called for in the marinade section of the recipe (minus the soy sauce because I certainly didn't need any more salt).
Miraculously, it turned out fantastic. I think the slow cooker thing kind of has a tendency to mute flavors, so it was probably a blessing that I over did the seasoning to such a huge extent.
I served the carnitas in warm corn tortillas with homemade pico de gallo, sour cream, shredded cabbage and chopped avocado(..and a Salvestrin 2005 Sauvignon Blanc...)
I will definitely make these again -- I hope I can re-create such a happy accident!
Thursday, March 20, 2008
We're Starting the Weekend a Little Early...
The Potato, Greens & Goat Cheese Quesadilla recipe was nice and quick but the flavors were sort of a let-down.
The salsa + the chili powder + the pepperjack cheese gave it nice spice but also made it sort of acidic. I think if I made it again I’d leave the salsa out of the quesadilla and serve it as a condiment along with sour cream. I might add cumin and cilantro to the quesadilla itself.
I think I will serve an off-dry white wine, like a Viognier, with this dish if I prepare it again. However, I must mention that last night it paired exceptionally with Diet Coke.
(We are trying to refrain from drinking wine with dinner every night. It gets expensive and, strangely, encourages excessive sleeping in.)
I’ll try to post a new recipe every day, but I’m not going to post another recipe for tonight -- because I’m not cooking.
Chef Jon Mortimer of Mortimer’s Restaurant is hosting Rich Salvestrin, winemaker and owner of Estate Vineyard and Winery in Napa Valley, for a vintner dinner.
The menu?
Seared Sea Scallops / 2006 Sauvignon Blanc
Cedar-roasted Chinook Salmon and Field Greens / 2005 Rettagio (I know all my friends think I’m a wine snob, but I’m here to admit that I have never heard of this varietal… so there.)
Fennel-Braised Herb-Crusted Pork Loin / 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon (Rumor has it this is very rare – the wine – not the pork.)
Beef Wellington / 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon
Strawberry Cheesecake with Mascarpone Filling in a Hazelnut Graham Crust / (This course doesn’t appear to be paired with a wine – I guess they just assume we’ll all be too toasted by this point to appreciate it anyway…)
I’ll fill you in on the details of the evening (and all that yummy food) tomorrow.
Hopefully my husband will go easy on me and not tease me too badly about the little crush I have on the chef…
The salsa + the chili powder + the pepperjack cheese gave it nice spice but also made it sort of acidic. I think if I made it again I’d leave the salsa out of the quesadilla and serve it as a condiment along with sour cream. I might add cumin and cilantro to the quesadilla itself.
I think I will serve an off-dry white wine, like a Viognier, with this dish if I prepare it again. However, I must mention that last night it paired exceptionally with Diet Coke.
(We are trying to refrain from drinking wine with dinner every night. It gets expensive and, strangely, encourages excessive sleeping in.)
I’ll try to post a new recipe every day, but I’m not going to post another recipe for tonight -- because I’m not cooking.
Chef Jon Mortimer of Mortimer’s Restaurant is hosting Rich Salvestrin, winemaker and owner of Estate Vineyard and Winery in Napa Valley, for a vintner dinner.
The menu?
Seared Sea Scallops / 2006 Sauvignon Blanc
Cedar-roasted Chinook Salmon and Field Greens / 2005 Rettagio (I know all my friends think I’m a wine snob, but I’m here to admit that I have never heard of this varietal… so there.)
Fennel-Braised Herb-Crusted Pork Loin / 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon (Rumor has it this is very rare – the wine – not the pork.)
Beef Wellington / 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon
Strawberry Cheesecake with Mascarpone Filling in a Hazelnut Graham Crust / (This course doesn’t appear to be paired with a wine – I guess they just assume we’ll all be too toasted by this point to appreciate it anyway…)
I’ll fill you in on the details of the evening (and all that yummy food) tomorrow.
Hopefully my husband will go easy on me and not tease me too badly about the little crush I have on the chef…
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
The Politics of Preschool and Potato Chips
Case in point and a perfect opening to this blog …
I’m reading the “Parent Handbook” for the preschool my son will be attending in the fall.
There is a section here entitled “Snacks.” They talk about a monthly snack calendar and how each child will be assigned a day of the month on which they will be responsible for providing the snacks for their class.
In bold it says, and I’m quoting here: “
“SNACKS SHOULD BE COMMERCIALLY PREPARED AND SHOULD ARRIVE AT SCHOOL IN THE ORIGINAL UNOPENED CONTAINERS. DO NOT SEND HOMEMADE SNACKS. THEY WILL NOT BE SERVED.”
Sigh…
I don’t live in a bubble.
I realize that this “rule” stems from concerns that some child at the preschool will have a psychotic parent or guardian that would get their kicks out of adulterating some ‘homemade’ product in a way that would harm the children at the preschool.
Need me to give them more benefit of the doubt? Maybe some parents are concerned that snacks have an ingredient list for allergy purposes.
I don’t remember one instance growing up of a preschool child suffering from a serious allergic reaction or dying from the ingestion of a poison or a razor blade presumably carefully hidden in a cupcake that some mother prepared for her child’s class.
Are those truly the things we are concerned with protecting our children from today?
Isn’t obvious that we are doing more harm than good?
Obesity realted health problems are killing people at an alarming rate.
Obese children are being diagnosed with malnutrition.
Why?
Because children are being led to believe that commercially prepared foods are what’s “normal” and “safe”.
Our childrenhave been and are rapidly developing a taste for commercially prepared foods that are full of refined sugars, salt, additives and preservatives.
Unfounded and paranoid concerns are causing us to set these children up to suffer lifelong health problems.
Don't believe it?
Look up the statistics.
Is a human being more likely to die from HEART DISEASE or a peanut allergy?
DIABETES or poisoning?
Swallowing a razor blade or CANCER?
As parents, we need to make it a priority to take the time to introduce our children to delicious whole foods so that by the time they must to make their own decisions about what to eat, they will know that whole foods actually taste better …
… and they feel better when they eat them.
I’m reading the “Parent Handbook” for the preschool my son will be attending in the fall.
There is a section here entitled “Snacks.” They talk about a monthly snack calendar and how each child will be assigned a day of the month on which they will be responsible for providing the snacks for their class.
In bold it says, and I’m quoting here: “
“SNACKS SHOULD BE COMMERCIALLY PREPARED AND SHOULD ARRIVE AT SCHOOL IN THE ORIGINAL UNOPENED CONTAINERS. DO NOT SEND HOMEMADE SNACKS. THEY WILL NOT BE SERVED.”
Sigh…
I don’t live in a bubble.
I realize that this “rule” stems from concerns that some child at the preschool will have a psychotic parent or guardian that would get their kicks out of adulterating some ‘homemade’ product in a way that would harm the children at the preschool.
Need me to give them more benefit of the doubt? Maybe some parents are concerned that snacks have an ingredient list for allergy purposes.
I don’t remember one instance growing up of a preschool child suffering from a serious allergic reaction or dying from the ingestion of a poison or a razor blade presumably carefully hidden in a cupcake that some mother prepared for her child’s class.
Are those truly the things we are concerned with protecting our children from today?
Isn’t obvious that we are doing more harm than good?
Obesity realted health problems are killing people at an alarming rate.
Obese children are being diagnosed with malnutrition.
Why?
Because children are being led to believe that commercially prepared foods are what’s “normal” and “safe”.
Our childrenhave been and are rapidly developing a taste for commercially prepared foods that are full of refined sugars, salt, additives and preservatives.
Unfounded and paranoid concerns are causing us to set these children up to suffer lifelong health problems.
Don't believe it?
Look up the statistics.
Is a human being more likely to die from HEART DISEASE or a peanut allergy?
DIABETES or poisoning?
Swallowing a razor blade or CANCER?
As parents, we need to make it a priority to take the time to introduce our children to delicious whole foods so that by the time they must to make their own decisions about what to eat, they will know that whole foods actually taste better …
… and they feel better when they eat them.
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