Everything Culinary

Yeah!! The first great local tomatoes!

2010-07-26T11:30:00.000-07:00

Summer Picnics

2010-07-25T09:30:00.000-07:00

Here's my July column from the Petaluma Post.

When I think of summer the first thing that comes to mind is picnics. Be it a family gathering, getting together with friends and kids by the pool or an annual company event. After our long wet winter and spring everyone just wants to get outside for a bit. Planning a picnic is always a lot of fun. Family and friends offer to bring dishes or specialties, while you fill in the spaces.

Planning for those hot summer days, cold items are always a favorite; from chilled fried chicken to watermelon there are so many classics to choose from. But how about a gourmet twist on those classics...

Watermelon Salad with Feta and Mint

Serves 8 to 10

3 lbs Peeled Seedless Red or Yellow Watermelon

2 stems Mint

8 oz Crumbled Feta

¼ cup Sherry Vinegar

Cut the water melon into 1 inch cubes. Chiffonade (very thinly slice) the mint and add to the watermelon. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss gently. It is best prepared the same day. Serve well chilled.

Potato salad is a picnic staple, many people are leery of using mayonnaise when planning an out door event, however if you are using a commercially prepared product (Best Foods or other) you are generally safe. The preservatives added to make it shelf stable also help to keep your salad safe (although you still want to keep it a cool as you can). When making your salad, be sure that all of the ingredients are fully cooled before mixing and then allow the salad to chill over night in the refrigerator. A tasty twist is…

Turkish Potato Salad

Serves 8 to 10

3 lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes

2 Lemons

1 bunch Parsley

1 bunch Green Onions

½ cup Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper to taste

Boil the potatoes till fork tender, cool then slice into bite size pieces. Zest and juice two lemons and mix with olive oil. Chop the green onions and parsley. Toss everything together, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Transporting your picnic can be tricky. The bowl and other containers never seem to fit easily into the ice chest, and if they do they can make it very heavy. Try transporting things in plastic Ziploc bags and bringing your serving bowls on the side. The bags will mold to the shape of the chest, and this way the food can be transported submerged in ice and stay fresh.

When it comes to a favorite food for my family, ribs are it! My niece and nephew can each eat their weight. Ribs are a great picnic food that can be completely prepared ahead at home and eaten cold or just warmed on the grill when you are ready. A few tips for better ribs:

• I really like using Spare ribs; they are cut from the top of the rib rack, small and tender.

• When preparing your ribs there is a membrane on the underside of the bone that should be peeled away before do anything else. It is not permeable and your rub, sauce, whatever will just brush off. Use a paring knife to lift the thin film away from an edge, when you have about 1 inch up take hold of it and just pull it off, it should strip away easily. This will also help the ribs separate after cooking.

• Season with a dry rub and partially cooking in the oven before grilling.

• The last step should be the BBQ sauce so that it does not burn.

Here is my dry rub recipe. I have been known to give it as a gift, it is so popular.

Dry Rub

Yields 1 quart (enough for about 100 ribs)

2 cups Brown Sugar

1 cups Kosher Salt

¼ cup Paprika

¼ cup Chili Powder

¼ cup Black Pepper

¼ cup Granulated Garlic

¼ cup Granulated Onion

¼ cup Italian Seasoning

1 Tbl Cayenne

Just mix it all together. Store in an air tight container in a cool dry place.

Ribs!

Serves 6 to 8

3 racks of Spare Ribs (average Costco package - we know we all shop there)

1 cup Dry Rub

Remove the under skin from ribs, then use dry rub on both sides, allow to rest 2 to 3 hours or over night in the refrigerator. Place curved side down on a baking sheet and bake 2 hours at 250 degree, long and slow. This can be done up to 4 days before the party. Day of the party place on a low grill and just heat through. Glaze with your favorite sauce just before service.

One recipe that is dear to my heart was prepared by Grama, and is still a family classic. It’s simple (too simple really) and for my sister and I it elicits childhood memories (probably why we like it so much).

Graham Cracker Sandwich

2 packages Graham Crackers

½ cup Butter

1½ cup Powdered Sugar

2 Tbl Cocoa

1 to 2 Tbl Milk

This is a classic quick frosting that can be used in many places. Soften butter, place it, the sugar and cocoa in a mixing bowl and mix on low till combined. Add milk as necessary to make it smooth and spreadable. Spread between two Graham crackers, wrap in wax paper and refrigerate or freeze (even better).

Enjoy

Mud Flats

2010-07-22T09:02:00.000-07:00

For the Rivertown Revival this weekend I decided to create a special new cookie. It has long been a tradition to create a special dessert for events. So here it is.

The Petaluma Mud Flat Cookie. Our cookies have a following of their own, this one is a takeoff of our basic oatmeal cookie with cocoa powder (you should know me and cocoa) and the addition of tart sweet dried cherries, chocolate chips and coconut. I can't believe how well it came out.

Come out and try them that day only.

A

Affogato - Italian for Yummy!

2010-07-20T09:47:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been leaning toward more classical cooking, specifically French. I think there is a time when all chefs go back to the basics. Once you have created and changed so many dishes you need to go back to the basics again. My first step is usually to find classic French cuisine. French was really the first truly the first defined professional cuisine and is always a good starting off point. This took me to K&L.

A favorite restaurant in Sebastopol is K&L’s Bistro. Right on the main drag. I knew I was in the right place when they had rillette on the menu (a preserved meat dish) that just made my mouth water, grilled sardines and always a favorite Duck Confit (slow cooked in duck fat).

A surprise to me was K&L's Semifreddo on the dessert menu. Many who know me know that I'm not short on perk on my own, and most family members are afraid if I ever reach for a cup of coffee. But this was must have. Their take on a semifreddo (Italian for half frozen) is more accurately called an Affogato (Italian for drowned) was perfectly done and a new favorite dessert. Affogato is traditionally vanilla gelato with hot espresso poured over (drowning the gelato), and you may add frangelico or another liqueur. K&L's was paired with amoretti cookies, which when crumbled in made it really pop. The perfect ending. If you order it, remember you need to let it sit for a just a little bit to let the espresso and gelato begin to mix, it's tough to wait with this sitting in front of you, but worth it.

So now my hunt is on for Affogato. I suspect you’ll see in on an up coming menu.

A

Rivertown Revival

2010-07-18T12:17:00.000-07:00

There is a new event coming to Petaluma and I am excited to be a part of it. Saturday July 24th is the Rivertown Revival. (They also have a Facebook page.) It is a combination of performance art, art and Steampunk. What is steam punk you might ask. It 's like HG Wells and Jules Verne meets organic. A time of invention and creativity, usually set in the late 1800’s to the 1940’s. There will be costumes, artist created boats racing on the river, food, drink and music. The event is free. Come out and join us on Steamer Gold Landing.

The event is being created by Clementine Eco Events. They are event production and wedding coordinators that specialize on green events. It's the perfect pairing for us with our green certification.

We're serving Caprese Pasta Salad and a Thai Rice Vermicelli salad in a tortilla bowl. We take a 14” tortilla and turn it into a cone - thus no plate, just a paper envelope that is compostable and we'll be using cornstarch compostable forks as well to be ultra green.

I applaud them for working towards a green event- come out and see that it can be done so well!

A

Art & Garden Festival

2010-07-05T09:48:00.000-07:00

I can’t believe that the Art and Garden Festival is 9 years old. I am very proud of the event. We will be there this year with 2 booths.

On Kentucky street we’ll be serving “Green Tacos” corn tortillas filled with pork chile verde topped with a napa cabbage and apple slaw.

We’ll also be manning the Grill with Italian Chicken Sausages served with Baguettes and whole grain mustard . If you're thirsty look for our Pomegranate Iced Tea or Strawberry Watermelon Agua Fresca.

Will there be cookies too? Just come out and see.

Sunday July 11th, from 11 to 5 in Downtown Petaluma.

A

My New Garden

2010-06-28T11:54:00.000-07:00

Being green is important to me, both personally and professionally. When we remodeled the building we put extra effort into making it as green as possible, and even got our green certification from the County. At home we have also made a big change.

Last year we took out the lawn in our back yard, we put it into a compost pile and spent the winter with an adobe back yard. For those who do not live in this area, adobe is a very heavy black clay soil. You can even bake bricks out of it to build things (the early settlers did this). It's also sticky and messy and gets everywhere. Over the spring we dug trenches and added watering systems for pots and planter boxes. Last week the planter boxes got filled and this weekend (for me Tuesday/Wednesday) I get to plant.

The crux of all this is we save all that water without the lawn and I finally get a real garden.

For a chef this is not an easy task… what to plant? I have decided on a mix of flowers and fruits and veggies. Already in the yard is a 5 in 1 Apple, 4 in 1 pear, a Meyer lemon bush (second love of my life to my husband, they are most flavorful lemon and have a touch sweet), a thornless Black Berry, and 2 apricot trees.

One planter that has the compost already has two types of pumpkins, a green variety and a French cooking pumpkin. Both are great for decorating, the French pumpkin is the one that I used in the whole baked pumpkin recipe. I planted them together one has a variegated leaf, I can't wait to see which is which.

A couple of things I am looking for is a Crane melon , yellow cherry tomatoes, and I already have a Hillbilly Deluxe Tomato. I choose the Hillbilly deluxe, bought one last year from Soda Farms just for the name and fell in love, it's a great meaty slicing tomato with orange variegation each one weighing in close to 1 pound.

Opal and Thai Basil are a must, then a couple of Squashes and maybe some fun peppers.

I was excited to find lemon cucumbers on of my favorite heritage veggies. They are a round cucumber that ripens to a lemony yellow color. I prefer to pick them younger at a pale green when they are more tender.

I am interested in a black watermelon. I have never grown watermelon before. The black is a small to medium size- prefect for 2 people

Anyone have any suggestions for some unique or heirloom veggies?

Not a lot of time for gardening this time of year but I can get them in and wait.

~~I'll add a photo of my new raised planters in a couple of days.~~

They came out very nice.

A

A Perfect "Pear"

2010-06-23T08:37:00.000-07:00

It's a very special occasion when I get to do an event for one of our own staff members. This weekend we had a wedding for a staff member of 6 years. She was the mellowest bride that I have ever had, I asked her why and she simply said “ I have you” and after having worked both in the kitchen and on events she knows how smooth things go.

Their location was at The Bridal Path in Santa Rosa. A private venue that specializes in horse carriages. The bride arrive in a white horse drawn carriage with her father and then enjoyed a carriage ride and champagne with her new husband. This location was just beautiful with a pond and spring time flowers.

Congratulations!

Her mom hand made all of the Pear shaped candles as the wedding favors. They are such a perfect “pear”!

Redwood Hill Gardens

2010-06-21T14:00:00.000-07:00

Just outside of Sebastopol is a hidden hill side garden, Redwood Hill Gardens. Rosie and Pat have put together a private redwood park setting for events. It's a beautiful place good for 20 to 100 guests with a sunny lawn area and a poolside patio for dancing.

Thanks to Rosie and Pat for all of the help this weekend.

Best of Petaluma!

2010-06-18T09:17:00.000-07:00

THANK YOU! We just heard we will be recieving the Petaluma People's Choice Award (Caterer) for 2010. Thank you for all the votes; we love this town!

Rancho Wikiup

2010-06-12T15:41:00.000-07:00

The other wedding last weekend was at Rancho Wikiup.

It's a very pretty spot and relaxing (except for the wedding part). With rooms available for the wedding party. A great place for a smaller wedding, family reunion, or company retreat.

Celebrating Spring Produce

2010-06-10T11:16:00.000-07:00

Here's my column from the Petaluma Post for last month.

We are lucky here in Sonoma County to have Spring in full swing; it is time to brush off the winter blues and bring on the fresh young produce. There are many items that will begin showing up at the markets that I will am eager to see to add to our menus.

To me the king of Spring will always be asparagus. The tender spears, popping out of the ground like sprouts of grass (actually their restaurant nick name is “grass”). With the tender texture and flavor my favorite preparation is simple, either grilled or roasted. Trim about 4 to 6 stalks of asparagus per person. The classic way is to snap it by holding half way up the stalk with one hand, bend the bottom end still it snaps off, this will give you the most tender part of the vegetable. Lay them out flat on a baking dish or cookie sheet and drizzle lightly with a couple teaspoons of olive oil, not very much, and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Now roll the spears until evenly coated. Place in a medium heat oven or on a medium heat bbq for 6 to 9 minutes turning the spears once. When they are raw they should be a dull green and stiff like a pencil. They are ready when the color is brilliant green and bend and sway gently (not floppy). They can be served immediately or chilled in the refrigerator. Chop the leftovers to use them in a salad.

Another of my favorites is fresh fennel. With its sweet flavor and crisp texture it is a great addition to salads, soups and sauces. Though summer and tomatoes are a bit away you might have the wants for some fresh tomato sauce. A great way to accent that flavor is with fennel.

1 lbs Cherry Tomatoes (they are not in season, but they work well for this recipe)
1 head Fennel (sliced)
3 Tbsp EV Olive Oil
2 Cloves Garlic (crushed)
Salt and Pepper

Place all of the items in a heavy baking dish, stir well till all are coated with the olive oil. Roast at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes until the fennel is tender and the tomatoes burst. Finish with a touch of fresh chopped parsley or basil. This is great tossed with Pasta, over Polenta or Chicken. The fennel adds just a touch of sweetness to the tomatoes.

If you are lucky you may find my favorite hard to find item, Fresh Pea Sprouts. This is the recipe for you. These tender sprouts are just the tips of the plants and are very common in Asian Cuisine. Being so young they are very very tender and barely need cooking.

4 oz Shitake Mushrooms (very thinly sliced)
4 cloves Garlic (crushed and chopped)
3 Tbsp Vegetable Oil (you don’t want olive oil it will over whelm the flavors)
1 tsp Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp Water
8 oz Pea Sprouts (this looks like a lot but they cook down)

In a large sauté pan or wok heat the oil to medium high heat (do not let it smoke), add in the shitake mushrooms and then the garlic. The mushrooms will cool down the oil just enough that the garlic will not burn. Sauté till slightly browned and wilted. Mix the water and the soy sauce together. Have a lid ready. Add the snow peas to the pan turning 2 to 3 times to just wilt. Quickly add the water and soy mixture. Cover and allow to steam for a couple of minutes. They are ready to serve. A recent evening at home I could not find the pea sprouts and substituted fresh baby spinach- it worked great.

When I was little as soon as the warm days started I would begin looking for cherries to arrive. The first jewel of the fruit world comes in looking just like a ruby. From Rainiers to Queen Annes I can never wait for that first basket. My grandfather would stop at a roadside stand and buy us each a bag and I would eat till my lips were red. Cherries are a very delicate fruit to cook with. They are a stone fruit (the category of fruits that have a center pit) and must be pitted before use. But they are really worth it.

Cherry Clafouti, sounds so French and a bit fancy, yet it is very similar to a classic batter cobbler, great for a dessert or a nice brunch side dish. Serve with a bit of Crème Fraiche or Whipped Cream.

Preheat the oven to 400
Butter a 9” baking dish

1 lbs Cherries (pitted) I recommend tart and red
½ cup Flour
¼ tsp Salt
2 Eggs
2 T sugar
¾ cup Milk
1 tsp Vanilla
Zest ½ Lemon

Place sugar, salt and flour in a bowl and whisk together slightly. Combine all wet ingredients including the zest by whisking together, then add this to the dry ingredient mix till smooth. If you have lumps you, either place in a blender or pour though a sieve to smooth. Place the cherries in the bottom of the buttered baking dish, pour the batter over the cherries. Bake for 18 minutes before checking, do not open the door early or it will fall. When puffed and golden remove from the oven dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately.

Welcome to Spring!

Grilled Artichokes

2010-06-08T12:03:00.000-07:00

This last weekend we did a wedding with menu grilled on-site. Grilling is always best ala minute, and the smokey aroma adds to the ambiance. We prepared Artichoke Gremolota, that's grilled artichokes with a chopped herb topping of parsley, garlic and lemon. This was inspired by the absolutely fabulous Grilled Artichokes from the Los Altos Grill; next time you're in Los Altos make a point to trying these!

Also off the grill was our traditional grilled chicken topped with our very own olive tapenade.

A

Nan Winters

2010-06-07T11:53:00.000-07:00

Oops! Looks like I'v been neglecting by blog. This time of year I am spending a lot more time in the kitchen and less on the computer. Happily cooking away, I'll tell you more about that later. But I need to take a moment to send a big thank you to a local shop.

On Kenutcky Street (in Petaluma) there is a great bridal boutique, Nan Winters. This last week she has came to the rescue of two of my clients with dresses for their special events. One a bride and the ther a mother of the bride. She has a great and unique selection of pieces, and the jewelery to match them as well.

If you need a piece for a wedding or any special occasion, just stop on by.

A

Jackson's

2010-05-22T11:40:00.000-07:00

Just the other evening my husband and I decided to have a night out; last weekend was very busy and I was in need of some us time. We decided to head to Santa Rosa to Jackson’s. Mixology is a growing culinary trend, treating the bartender as a profession. The new job title is mixologist, a person that specializes in creating cocktails. We are not talking just your classic martini or gin and tonic (although they will do those perfectly), but unique and creative endeavors. If you appreciate the art, then Jackson's is a must.

For my first selection I went with a "Ginger Not Marianne" (ha ha Gilligan) an incredible mix of lemon and ginger (Canton ginger liqueur) with just a light touch of spritze, garnished with a slice of candied ginger. The only problem with them is that you could sit and drink them all night. Jim started with a "Belushi's Breakfast", an absolutely bizarre and incredible combination. Bourbon (Bitterman's), espresso and dark beer (Death & Taxes) finished with a peanut brittle rim! When he first saw this he thought that sounds very 'questionable', but on further reflection he decided if a place like Jackson's puts something that sounds that bad on the menu, then it must be great. And it was. The beer foamed to just the perfect amount and added a foam head to the glass on which floated 3 espresso beans. You can imagine how John Belushi would have stayed awake.

Deciding to have dinner nearby (To Dai for Sushi, quite nice), we went for a second round of drinks. This time I went for a... (darn, can't remember the name, but it was something like Gin Limey), a wonderful gin and lime combination. Jim's other selection was a "Cotton Tail"; imagine a perfect white gazpacho in a glass. It went perfectly with our Truffle Fries (bar nibbles are a must). Made with fresh carrot juice and Cynar (an Italian artichoke liqueur) and someother things. Being a chef I asked to taste the Cynar, it was truly awful! So hat's off to the mixologist becasue it fit the combination wonderfully. I cannot believe that anyone would think to use it, but it highlights the drink incredibly well.

A

Another Beautiful Place

2010-05-17T12:45:00.000-07:00

One of the bonuses of catering is that I often get to see spectacular locations. One weekend I might be overlooking the ocean from a barn above occidental or out in a vineyard with the sunset. Just today I did a site visit with a bride for an upcoming wedding at a location that I hadn't been to before.

The Ralston White Retreat center is located in Mill Valley. A beautiful home that was built in 1913 as a wedding gift to his wife. A grand classic house that you can rent out for the entire weekend. The wonderful surprise as you drive up is that the front lawn in the shape of a heart; what a romantic place for the ceremony.

It is located north west of downtown Mill Valley just beyond Blithedale Park, a beautiful redwood grove.

What a nice Sunday Drive.
A

Bummer :)

2010-05-09T12:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the annual Chili Festival here in Petaluma, and after 2 years of winning top honors with our vegetarian chili, I thought it was only fair to go with the meat category this time. If vegetarian is good, then won’t it be better with meat? That was the working theory. But, sorry to say no. There is not only much more competition for the meat category, it's also a bit more of traditional taste. But look out, we’ll be there again next year. Thanks Cinnabar for all the hard work.

FYI: It was a Chili Verde with Slow Smoked Pulled Pork and Cilantro Crema. Very tasty, but didn't quite hit that Chili spot.

A

HOTDOG!

2010-05-02T10:54:00.000-07:00

Do you ever get the wants for just a really good hot dog? We found a great place here in Petaluma for an inexpensive, fast and great lunch. Roy’s Hot Doggery. Located at the auction yard on Corona Road (where Mike’s At The Yard used to be) and stopped in before going to a movie on our day off. We were a bit early 11:20 and figured we could sit down and enjoy. What a warm welcome we got and quick service. I selected to have a traditional chili dog and husband had a Farfen Fog (Vienna All-Beef Hot Dog loaded with kraut, spicy mustard & pickle).

The dogs were great, but what delighted me most was a new creation he had - Pesto Blue Cheese Fries! Having behaved lately and not ordered French fries in a while we decided to indulge. Boy was it worth it. A great flavor combination on thin crisp fries.

Go in and give them a try!
A

Coconut Mango Prawns

2010-04-29T11:08:00.000-07:00

We've already had several requests for the Coconut Mango Prawns recipe we served at Dutcher Crossing Winery last weekend. Here it is:

Mango Chili Sauce
2 cups Frozen Mangos
3 cups Sweet Chili Sauce (often found in Asian or Vietnamese shops)
Puree Togehther, that's all there is to the sauce. Simple but very good.

Coconut Panko
1 cup Shredded Coconut
1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
¼ tsp Kosher Salt
¼ tsp Cumin
Mix together well

Coconut Prawns
3 lbs Large Prawns (21/25 per pound)
Clean prawns, all but tails of shell removed (slit the back to remove black vein)
Then split approximately 2/3rds thru to butterly the meat
Toss in Corn Stach
Dip in Egg Wash
Toss in Coconut Panko Crusting
Shrimp can be made and frozen ahead - cooking time might be longer if still frozen

Deep fry in canola oil at 350 degress for 5 to 6 minutes
Serve on cilantro leaves
Drizzle with mango chili sauce

Enjoy
A

Join the Dark Side

2010-04-19T15:46:00.000-07:00

Many years ago I started my culinary trail in baking. My plan was to be a pastry chef, that lead me to Europe (Commis de Patisserie in Innsbruck Austria), and after cooking school to be the Pastry Chef at the Ojai Valley Inn and Country Club. I have always said that pastry work is a great background for catering; baking takes a lot of planning and steps for each dessert, much like putting together an event.

Every so often my interests veer towards baking again. Recently my husband took up an interest in cocoa powder, specifically Dutch Cocoa. A couple of years ago he was making a cake for my birthday (oddly he claims he can’t cook, but can make a really good cake from scratch). By accident he bought a box of Hersey’s Special Dark Cocoa to use. He figured dark chocolate had always been my favorite, so went ahead and used it, not realizing Dutch and Dark are not the same thing. The cake he made was out of this world, with the deepest darkest chocolate and butter cream that I could imagine (I couldn’t even finish a piece - don’t worry it did not go to waste). Why was this cocoa so different?

We bought another can of the cocoa several months later and it just didn’t have the same kick to it. We started with reading that can verses the old can and saw that the original was Dutch Processed Cocoa (or Dutched Cocoa) and the new can was only 50% Dutched Cocoa and 50% Natural Cocoa (Hersey changed their recipe, for which I will never forgive them). So what is Dutched Cocoa? There the research begins.

Cocoa beans have some natural acidity; this is largely the source of the bitterness in chocolate. In the 1800’s the Dutching process was developed (by the Dutch) to neutralize the acidity by soaking the beans in an alkaline solution prior to processing. The result is cocoa that is neutral rather than acidic, which allows more of the flavors to be perceived (making it taste more chocolaty). The color is also darker, and the powder is also more soluble yielding a smoother texture.

There can be different degrees of Dutching, which are easy to tell by the color. I purchased a sampling of cocoas with Dutch, Double Dutch, and Black Cocoa. My husband thinks the Dutcher the better; for me it depends on the use.

In baking it’s easy to substitute in Dutch Cocoa for Natural Cocoa, just omit the baking soda. The soda reacts with the acids in the cocoa, so has nothing to do when dutch is used.

You will have to go through a specialty food supplier to get Dutched cocoa, but it’s well worth it. I highly recommend King Arthur Flour - they have a great web site and a killer catalog. One year for Christmas this where I bought the hubby that cocoa sampler I mentioned earlier - we are still enjoying it!

This next weekend we are at Dutcher Crossing for Dry Creek Valley’s Passport Wine Tasting. We will be making the most incredible Double Dutched Chocolate Brownies to pair with their port- don’t miss it.

Double Dutched Chocolate Brownies
   1 cup unsalted butter
   2¼ cups sugar
   1¼ cups Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa
   1 teaspoon salt
   1 teaspoon baking powder
   1 tablespoon vanilla extract
   4 large eggs
   1½ cups all-purpose flour
   2 cups chocolate chips

Combine sugar, cocoa, salt and baking powder
Add melted butter, eggs and vanilla – stir well
Finish with flour and chocolate chips – stir till combined
Pour and smooth into a parchment lined quarter sheet pan
Bake 15 to 20 minutes @ 350 degree (till glossy and firm)

Enjoy!
A

Butter and Eggs, What a Perfect Easter Brunch! (The Petaluma Post)

2010-04-17T08:35:00.000-07:00

Here's my column from the Petaluma Post for this month. It's a little dated for Easter, but perfect for the upcoming Butter & Eggs Day parade.

The sun is shining, the hills are green, the cows and the chickens are starting to enjoy the fresh grasses of Spring. The perfect time to celebrate with a home town favorite parade; the Butter & Eggs Day parade will be April 24th. To help celebrate here are a couple of my favorite brunch recipes for your parade day breakfast or your Easter brunch.

When planning your Easter brunch, if little ones are involved, there will have to be fun activities even before you get your coffee. So have a nibble prepared; my sour cream coffee cake recipe is fool proof. Every year at Christmas time I make them as a youth project with the Rainbow Girls. If you can imagine a kitchen full of 11 to 19 year old girls making 200 coffee cakes! They sell them for a service project - they freeze well too.

Coffee Cake
1¾ cup flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla

Lightly mix the dry ingredient together. Mix all the wet ingredients together. Then stir into the dry ingredients; mix till just combined. Place in a Bundt pan or a Loaf pan, then top with streusel and bake until an inserted skewer comes out clean - this will vary with pan size, but is about 45 minutes at 350 degrees. It also makes a great hostess gift or pot luck item. Feel free to add any favorites, like blue berries (frozen are fine), chocolate chips, lemon zest and poppy seeds.

Streusel
⅔ cup flour
⅓ cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ginger
6 Tbs butter - cold

Place all ingredients in food processer and process till crumbly.

I have had this recipe for years, actually translated from German from my time in Innsbruck Austria. We always keep it in house for a quick topping. From apple pies to coffee cakes. Make a batch and keep it in the freezer.

Our Roasted Pepper Frittata recipe holds and heats up well. We recently did it for a 600 person hot breakfast event. How do you get hot food out to 600 people when all of the guest are going to be seated at the same time and the meeting starts immediately? I found myself asking that question too. As often with catering, you try looking a things from a different direction. The frittata had to be hot, but not the rest of the food, so we plated the pumpkin bread and the fruit and put out the plates, and then 15 minutes before guests we added the Frittata to the plate. The potatoes help to hold the temperature and make it very filling. It was a great hit.

Roasted Pepper Frittata
Yield: 1 9x13 pan, serves 12-15
1½ lbs chopped cooked potatoes (if you are busy and working frozen Obrien potatoes from the supermarket work just fine)
8 oz grated cheese (be creative, any cheese will work, I love the organic white cheddar from Spring Hill Farms)
2 oz baby spinach leaves (for color and texture)
¼ cup diced roasted peppers (canned is okay)
1½ tsp salt
½t pepper
12 eggs

Spray the baking pan with Pam. In a separate bowl crack the eggs and whisk till broken. Fold in all the ingredients, and mix gently until combined. Pour into the baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes, until firm.

To reheat: place in 225 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes. It is also great served cold for a light lunch.

Both of these recipes are great dishes that you can make in advance and add to. Purchase a spiral cut ham or breakfast sausages and a gallon of orange juice, have some one bring a fruit salad. I have always entertained, the family gatherings are always at my house with friends and family. It has taken me years to realize that it is not the menu that people enjoy as much as the company. Make a simple meal perfect and enjoy the day.

Enjoy,
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Gin is Back! (not that it ever really left)

2010-04-13T13:01:00.000-07:00

The classic cocktail is making its way back into American culture, Speak Easys are popping up- one will be opening up in Santa Rosa this year, and we are beginning to experiment with different types of alcohol, and looking to formerly passe (is that passe-passe?) beverages for inspiration.

Gin, which has been relegated to Martinis and your classic Gin and Tonic (add a lime and it's a Gin Ricky), is getting a lot more play. Many of the bartenders enjoy the complexity of its flavor to accent their creations. I've recently joined them. The herbal accents work really well to highlight other ingredients.

My Dad has always been a gin drinker- Bombay Sapphire is his favorite. I'm new to gin, never really liked it, or at least thought I didn't. The first time I ordered a gin cocktail he was a bit surprised.

My current favorite is Gin and Grapefruit juice. It makes the grapefruit juice sweet at the same time the bitterness blends well. I had a great blackberry cocktail last year and I am waiting for season to try to duplicate it.

The next time you are out, take a look at the bar menu and try something new. You just might like it!

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Root Vegetables - There is so much to love (The Petaluma Post)

2010-04-10T09:39:00.000-07:00

In case you missed the paper, here's my March column from The Petaluma Post...

Rutabagas, parsnips and carrots oh my. The last of the winter crops are still around, so let’s take the time to enjoy them while we can. Although they have never been the most beautiful items from the garden or the most fashionable on the menu, they have been a staple. But with the current back to basics trend they are being elevated to new levels.

These vegetables are high in starch and can be fibrous. Two of the best cooking methods are roasting and soup. When shopping for your root vegetables make sure to watch for medium size roots (too large can be fibrous and too small under developed), make sure they are heavy for their size (they have been stored correctly and not dehydrated). They will hold quite well in your refrigerator, 2 to 3 weeks in the crisper drawer, but make sure that you take them out of their bags and allow to rest loose.

Carrots are making a huge come back with the organic farmers, you can find them in a great array of colors from yellow to red and classic orange. The heirloom varieties are best at a small to medium size for great flavor. Parsnips are actually white carrots with a similar sweet flavor but a bit heartier in texture.

Turnips are a round white root often with purple shoulders; they are much wetter and crisper than the others, both the root and greens are often eaten, and have a great peppery flavor. Try cutting them up like carrots sticks. Rutabagas also known as yellow turnips are actually a cross between a turnip and a cabbage and a bit meatier with a sweeter flavor.

Roasted Root Vegetables (serves 6 to 8)
1 lb each Carrots, Turnips, Rutabagas, Parsnips
1 Red Onion
1 Fennel Bulb
¼ cup Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Peel all of the root vegetables and cut into similar size pieces (I enjoy carrot stick size as they pile nicely on the plate). Peel the red onion and cut into wedges. Clean the fennel and cut into wedges. Place all in a mixing bowl and toss with olive oil (this can be done several hours in advance). Lay out in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake till tender. I like a higher heat 400 to 425 degrees for a bit of color around the edges for 25 to 30 minutes. They should be fork tender.

Yam vs Sweet Potato, which is which? To really confuse things we rarely ever see a true yam in the US, they are a tropical tuber; sweeter than sweet potatoes and often with red or purple flesh, but can be white, with a brown or black skin. For our purposes let’s stick to our local definition.

In the US yams and sweet potatoes but are both actually varieties of sweet potato, but are widely different in color and texture. What we call “sweet potatoes” are usually a lighter colored flesh with a thin light colored skin. The “yam” is the darker red skin with a vibrant orange flesh (full of beta carotene). Both skins are completely edible.

Recently at home I did a sweet potato / yam tasting. Purchasing one of each of similar size, washed and pricked the skin with a fork and placed in the oven to bake just like a russet potato. They took a bit longer than a potato (about 1 hour), then split them open and served with butter, salt and pepper. The sweet potato was lighter and fluffier, obviously a higher starch potato, where the yam was sweeter and denser. Yams (orange flesh / dark skin) are best for things like casseroles and hash. Sweet potatoes (white flesh / light skin) are better for baking, mashing or making fries.

I used the remainder of the yam to make a quick hash to have with breakfast the next day.

Yam Hash (serves 2 to 3)
1 baked Yam, peeled and chopped into 1” square
½ Yellow Onion, diced
2 Tbl Butter
Salt and pepper

Sauté the onion in butter, when tender add in the chopped yam, sauté gently until the yam browns, being careful to watch since the high sugar content will burn.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes (serves 4 to 6)
4 lbs of Sweet Potatoes
¼ cup Butter
¼ cup Milk
Salt and Pepper to taste

You can also add a dash of cinnamon or 1 to 2 tablespoons of Honey or Maple syrup. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into quarters, place in a pot and cover with 3” to 4“ of water. Boil till fork tender, 15-20 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain completely. Mash by hand or with a mixer. This reheats very well and is great for potlucks.

Enjoy
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Streusel (correction)

2010-04-09T09:55:00.000-07:00

In this months Post my streusel recipe contained 2/3 and 1/3 symbols, but in the paper they came out as ASCII code (that's computer stuff, or so Jim tells me). So, if &#8532 cups of flour doesn't make sense to you, try this one... :)

Streusel
2/3 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
6 Tbs butter - cold

Place all ingredients in food processer and process till crumbly.

I have had this recipe for years, actually translated from German from my time in Innsbruck Austria. We always keep it in house for a quick topping. From apple pies to coffee cakes. Make a batch and keep it in the freezer.

Smoked Fresh Ham

2010-04-07T09:01:00.000-07:00

For Easter we did a brunch for 170 at the Petaluma Golf and Country Club. I got in some beautiful fresh hams. These were the steamship cut, that comes raw (as opposed to cured and smoked) with the leg bones in it. It's impressive looking.

I took each ham and rubbed it with brown sugar and salt – just enough to season it and then smoked them over hickory for 10 hours. Wow! the place smelled great when I arrived at 5 am. From there I made a glaze of brown sugar, cloves and honey. Baked them for 2 hours till the internal temperature reached 185.

They were incredible. A bit of a twist on your traditional Easter ham. But I plan to see them again.
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