I Over Selpt

I sleep until the unbelievable time of noon, which is good for me, but limits our sight seeing options. DoPa wants to get in the car and take off in an unknown direction, bless his heart. I reconcile my tendency of always needing to know the destination and exactly how to get there.

Driving on a back road out of town, we take in the steep hills and budding grapevines. Since we are in wine country, we talk about stopping in a winery, and I remember enough about my trip research that we’re relatively close to Domaine Carneros. Since I’m such a fan of their product, making the decision to stop is without hesitation. The next tour is in half an hour, so we have a glass of wine and share a cheese plate in their tasting salon. Our server John inquires where we are from, and our reply elicits that fact the he grew up on Williamson Street. John spends time with us reminiscing about his hometown, and we catch him up on all the changes we’ve seen in the city since we both moved here more that 20 years ago.

The winery building is modeled after a French château, and actually houses all the wine making and storage. Don’t you wish all factories were so well designed? Our tour begins with a history of Champagne and how the Taittinger family came to settle on making sparkling wine in California. We learn that the winery only uses the grapes they grow and doesn’t buy from other growers. We are then walked through an elevated and enclosed observation area over the storage, riddling, and bottling areas.

After the tour, the weather changed, and a cool drizzle is falling. We head back to the room to get ready for dinner at another Sonoma eatery, La Salatte. We are greeted and helped by an extreamly knowelgable waitress when we order. The blustery weather puts us in the mood for some comfort food. I go for the special of braised leg of lamb in a port reduction sauce, and am not disappointed. I could cut the meat with my fork. DoPa tries the house specialty of Feijoada Completa, the Brazilian national dish of stewed beef, pork, smoked sausage and black beans. We both have room for desert and order up chocolate mousse and crème brule while we finish our wine.

Rock Stars

We had planned some winery tours today, but since today was the only sunny day forecasted for the next few days, we decide to day trip over to Bodega Bay. DoPa takes the wheel of the Charger, and we meander on scenic state highways to our first destination, Sebastopol. It is near noon, and we haven’t had food since dinner last night. Walking the main drag, we scope out the eating possibilities and shops. DoPa comments that allot of the merchandise in the shops are the same stuff, different state. That being true, and not really being in procurement mode, we wander into very few establishments. However, we do amble into a gallery that touts “functional” art. Now I’m a sucker for this stuff, because allot of it tends to be household items and jewelry. Oh, and shiny things do await. Honoring my tradition of buying funky earrings as a travel souvenir, I scoop up a well priced pair of sliver hoop and cubed amber bead dangling earrings. The sales person opines that I made a good choice because amber repels negative energy. I am most definitely in California.

We track back to the K&L Bistro, a cozy little place with a busy weekday lunch crowd. Since I’m on vacation, I can indulge in a glass or two of wine with lunch. Ya-hey they have Iron Horse Wedding Cuvee brut by the glass!!! I love the bubbles. I order a glass, plus one, to go with Dungeness crab cakes. Now crab cakes can be either be ruined by too much binding material, i.e. mayonnaise, or be spectacular. These crab cakes rocked my world. They were pure crab, with no binder, and not overly seasoned - just pure crabby goodness.

Lunch being over, we head towards Bodega Bay, the back drop of Hitchcock’s “The Birds”. More stunning scenery and we recall our knowledge of the natural sciences as we get closer to the ocean. We get to the inner side of the bay and follow our intuition to get to a land point we see on the other side, and drive past marinas and cottages reminiscent of Lake Pepin.

We then reached the end of the North American continent. Being on the edge of the land, and coupled with the blustery March winds off the Pacific takes our breath away.



The road map I bought before we left Sonoma turns out to be useless when we honor another travel tradition of not going back the way you came. We get disoriented some what going back to Sonoma. I figured out enough to get us to Petaluma but didn’t see any signs for the connecting highway to Sonoma when we got there.After driving through Petaluma and confused DoPa pulls off the road into this little place. I poke around to find a soul who can direct me, and that soul is Angelo. I stopped to ask for help, and end up getting in a discussion of making gourmet jerky and sausages, and the sausage makers in Wisconsin that I admire. Angelo is a member of the meat guild and has of book of all the U.S. independent meat processors, he finds my favorites in the book, and circles them with a Sharpie. We talk about the livestock we saw between Bodega Bay and his shop, and I comment on all the tasty spring lamb in the pastures that are just waiting for the dinner table. We agree that the proper size to serve a spring lamb is when it is knee high. Angelo sends me off with driving directions and two samples of the tenderest jerky I have ever had, it’s like a good cured ham or bresolla.

Sheep, Cattle, Quail, and Hogs

Yeah, vacation is here – happy – happy – joy – joy!!! Six days of not being at work or home. Six days of my biggest worry being on time for our dinner reservation. Oh, and what splendid meals I plan to eat.

DoPa and I arrive at the airport in plenty of time to get thru security and any other stuff. We check in with our airline, and they already know an hour before flight time that they are running late. Additionally, our original connecting flight is only 30 minutes after we land at O’Hare. This is dicey without the delay, since it entails a terminal change. The ticket agent tried her best to get us on a reasonably later Chicago to Bay Area flight, but just couldn’t swing it. We end up getting re-ticketed on another airline and routed through Minneapolis, and end up leaving only a half an hour later. One good thing about flying from the Madison airport is that there is a ton of flexibility with re-ticketing to other airlines and their major hubs.

Now, I don’t know why, but the NTSB must have a crush me, because they always have to cop a feel. For some reason today, it seems I’m a “selectee” for additional security screening. Now I only fly about once or twice a year, but come on, every time in the last two years???? There must be a high threat of middle-aged white women going crazy after too many herbal teas.

An issue arises with the re-ticketing at the gate in Minneapolis, but I smile and apologize, and we end up getting our seats reassigned to the front of economy class with an extra seat between us to stretch out in for the four hour flight. I brought plenty of reading material with me, but I can’t resist looking at the “Sky Mall” catalog to see what the latest innovations in useless crap are. Here’s something I definitely can live without: the Booze Belt. I kid you not, the product copy reads: “Coasters!? We don’t need any stinking coasters!” This tacky fashion accessory includes two holsters for bottles, and six “ammo” slots for shotgun shell shot glasses for the low price of $90???? Ummm, I’d rather spend that for three or four nice bottles of wine.

We land, collect our luggage, pick up the rental car, and end up with a bitchin’ Dodge Charger. Then, the whole vacation space time continuum gets warped when the DoPa says, “Honey, do you want to drive?” I agree without hesitation. We take US 101 from the airport, through surface streets in San Francisco, and over the Golden Gate bridge on our way to Sonoma. Driving through the Marin headlands we see grazing Holsteins and remark that it reminds us of the landscape approaching La Cross, Wisconsin on US Highway 14.. The drive goes off with out a hitch. We arrive at the hotel with enough time to unwind after a long day of travel before we go to dinner.

And what a dinner… we eat at Café Le Haye, a small restaurant with a tiny open kitchen that’s tucked into a corner of the dining room. We start with a bottle of syrah, that turns out to be almost perfect. The menu wasn’t really big, so we don’t go the three appetizers and one main course route, and each order a main course. I’m not real adept at using superlatives to describe food, but I can say the food way exceeded my expectations. I had a free range quail stuffed with pine nuts, prosciutto, and chanterelle mushrooms: the flavors were out of this world. The DoPa went with the pan roasted pork tenderloin in a mustard sauce with pears that was another winner. With full tummies, we walked back to our hotel room to retire and drift off to sleep.

Party Time

Sorry for a late post, since this happened over a week ago. I don’t know, last week I was so relaxed after a busy two months of work, I just didn’t have the gumption to do any blogging. Plus, I was finalizing travel plans. I hope I can blog during the trip, because I am going to the Mecca of food and wine, Sonoma county California, and San Francisco.

The morning went really well. If my sister hadn’t been there to help me out, I would have been a basket case. We put the lasagna together and only got four pans, because I almost ran out of Sunday gravy.


Check out my full fridge.

I started with these modest crudites and dip. Then, people started arriving.... I asked people not to bring anything, but my family is just not built that way. It’s in our DNA that you have to share food when you go to somebody’s home. But yeah the more the better.

My sister-in-law’s taco dip is de rigure at all our family functions. You may scoff at the paring with lasagna, but this is the best taco dip in Midwest. Trust me this dip goes with every thing.

By the end of the night we're down to coffee and cigarettes.

What a Day

This was my first day off work since December 9th. It was busy, but still relaxing because I wasn’t worrying about work stuff, and doing what I love best.

Tomorrow I’m hosting a lasagna feed for about 30 people. Yes, 30. This is just my siblings, their spouses, and my nieces and nephews. I spent Super Sunday making the sauce and froze it. So tomorrow is just assembly of five pans of the most heavenly lasagna in Madison (sorry Josie’s). Other ingredients on board are ricotta, provolone, and RP’s Pasta fresh lasagna noodles.

Well we are eating more than lasagna. Salad is a given. I cheat and buy the organic pre-washed greens. But…..I made two different salad dressings today. Your standard vinaigrette, and this tasty “Cherve and Green Peppercorn” dressing. WARNING – Uses a food processor.


1 ½ ounces of peeled and trimmed shallots
1 tablespoon of green peppercorns rinsed well and dried.

1 ½ tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
1 ½ tablespoon of white wine vinegar
1/ ½ tablespoon of water
1/3 cup of sour cream or plain yourgut
6 ounces of Cherve

1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil.

Insert the regular chopping blade in the food processor. Drop in the shallots and process about 10 seconds. Add the peppercorns, and process another 10 seconds. Remove the shallot and peppercorn mixture, and set aside.

Put the lemon juice, vinegar, water, sour cream/yourgut, and Cherve in the work bowl and process for about 30 seconds. Turn off the processor, and scrape the bowl. Add the shallot and peppercorns. Measure out the olive oil, turn on the food processor, and drizzle in the oil until the dressing is emulsified.

Oh and some other stuff I did- I made two of these for desert, got my car washed, did my final shopping, and five loads of laundry.

Oh yeah other stuff on the menu are my Mom’s homemade herb breads, olives, and crudités.

An Idea Who’s Time has Come

This is one of the reasons I so love the DoPa. He thinks the time has come for single pasture milk. There are single pasture cheeses, so why not milk? A little southern Grant county 2% for madam with her tuna salad? Should I write the folks at Organic Valley?

I got a feeling this would go over better than his idea of bacon wrapped deep fried grapes. .

I ‘yam what I ‘yam…..

It was a very cold day today. Ten below zero when I woke up. I don’t know where you’re from, but you can’t know cold like this.



Time for Saturday night dinner. It’s been a long week, so I splurged on some beef tenderloin and good wine. I have an indoor grill, so throwing down some love on the grill is pretty easy. Another easy with the steaks is spinach in the Roman style. Heat some good olive oil in a large sauté pan, throw a few cloves of crushed garlic in the oil when it gets hot. Brown up the garlic and remove. Toss in about a quarter cup of raisins, and cook until the raisins plump up. Add a ten ounce bag of pre-washed baby spinach, salt and pepper to season, two tablespoons of pine nuts, and enough water to steam the spinach. Cover to let the spinach cook down. Check and stir occasionally to get even cooking. This should take no longer than 15 minutes.

Oh yeah, I roasted up some Yukon Gold taters with rosemary too.

Rhymes with Listeria

Today Madison got about six inches of snow. For a Wisconsin native, that’s really no big deal, but one should use caution when driving in the stuff, like da. We’ve had an extremely mild winter with little snow before today, so most folks had to re-acquaint themselves driving in it.

Well, either I’m a moron or martyr, but I schlepped a 25 mile drive into work today and back. Watching the weather forecast on the news last night, I knew we were going to get some wicked snow. But, having done the commute for the last six years, I know that the plow crews are awesome keeping the main roads clear. And today, as usual, they did. I drove to work and home in a few minutes more than my usual drive time.

But how weird, when I answered my phone at work today, people were surprised to find me there. Whatever!! I did dodge out at 3:30, and found my car with a one foot snow drift on it. I scooped the snow off with my arm and scraped the ice off the glass. Oh an early day home from work… yeah. What did I do????? Well, I made Sunday gravy with perciatelli.

But this being the biggest snow fall we’ve had in a few years, those with short memories panicked. OH…MY..GOD..THEY..CLOSED..THE…MALLS!!!!!

I Always Knew this Sh...

OK here's big shock, I don't use artificial sweeteners. When mid-life calorie counting hit me in the butt, I chose to reduce sugars. Come on, I only used honey and real maple syrup for sweeteners in beverages, would I now use Sweet and Low? I'm not a soda drinker, so it wasn't too hard to start drinking my coffee with no sugar, and I actually like it better now that way.

Today's New York Times profiles an Italian scientist, Dr. Morando Soffritti, who has studied aspartame. Now it wouldn't be fair for me to rip on this stuff without going through all points in the article, and giving subjective counterpointints. Dr. Soffritti's study concluded that aspartame may cause the dreaded "c" word.

I can't say I've never eaten at McDonalds: but I can say that artificial sweeteners have never passed my lips. I also know allot of people that consume three to four 20 ounce diet sodas a day. I just don't get that. Your whole pallet is washed with this weird flavor. Eewww, yuck and blah.

I'll try to hyperlink to the article here: The Lowdown on Sweet? - New York Times

Spit and Vinegar

For some reason today, it was exceptionally greasy. First is was bacon frying, that coated my stainless steel frying pan with a layer cooked on bacony stuff. Then, it was a pork roast that left some carmalized fat in the roasting pan. I could use a Brillo pad and scrub the crap off, but I am so lazy... pour a quarter of an inch of regular vinegar in the pan and let it set for an hour. Viola, no crud on the cookware, and no soapy taste in your food.

Craptastic

There is an abundance of crappy packaged foods on the market. Some of these are guilty pleasures, others make you cringe and wonder who the hell eats it, and actually likes it. And some, like this, are just for that person that says to themselves, "Too tired......can't hold knife......can't open cracker box.......must have beef sausage bites....Party to Go is only hope."

Happy Saint Valentine's Day

Y

Forget jewelry and chocolates, visit the butcher for your Valentine.