Touring and Eating My Way Through Iceland

If you are thinking of taking a trip, why not travel to Iceland? We did. We found out about this opportunity through my hiking friend Nancy Solomon.  She is my friend who arranged the trip and is affiliated with Orinda Travel and Bridges World Travel https://www.facebook.com/Orinda-TravelBridges-World-Travel-241813252547096/. We have known each other since our kids were in junior high and this was the first time my husband and I have traveled with her. She did an amazing job and paid attention to every detail including helping us purchase our airfare and she planned an additional trip to Dublin Ireland for us on the back end of the trip. Stay tuned for a blog about Ireland and be sure to follow my blog for my latest posts!

Nancy found plenty of things for us to do in Iceland. She did a fabulous job of keeping us busy hanging out in lava caves, exploring a white sandy beach, a black rock beach, swooning over acres of volcanic rock, gazing into the stars looking at the beautiful green Northern Lights, petting wild ponies on any random highway, and hiking through wind, snow and rain in and throughout Iceland. It was quite a place.

The food was spectacular. We ate lots and lots of seafood. Cod, a fish called place (like flounder), arctic char, scallops, crab, mussels, langoustine, and shrimp.
The butter was delish on the homemade bread usually served w a yummy black salt. Even tried some lingonberry jam this morning w my warm croissant.
Loved the yogurt here and eating plenty of desserts too. The Icelanders put licorice in many of their chocolates. We went to OmNom chocolate factory https://www.omnomchocolate.com/ today and had a quick tour. Their white chocolate bar w black licorice and salt was totally unexpected and didn’t disappoint. Justine and I wore the hair nets while watching the huge urns grind the cocoa nibs into chocolate liquor. Sugar and coco butter are added before they are ready to be poured into the plastic molds. So cool. I now regret not purchasing a few to share with family and friends. The $10.00 price per bar alarmed me. Was it really that good?  I decided to walk away and preserve my budget for other excursions.

Reykjavik was a happening place. Many tourists were there with us, some standing in line at the very popular Blue Lagoon Hot Springs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mp3LZ3t18UY and some waiting for their tour guide to take them on a full on glacier hike. We did it all. I was intrigued by the desserts. We stopped at Kaffivagninn a bakery out in the middle of nowhere that had scrumptious cakes, breads and treats of all kinds. They even had vegan cupcakes for those who can’t eat gluten. I spotted a brownie with black licorice stuck in the frosting called saltladeris prparlalderisdal suldurladiganache.  I’m sure it is easier to eat than to pronounce.

 

There were eight of us all together the entire trip and we all got along fabulously. Our accommodations were comfortable and cozy. We stayed at the Foss Hotel in Hekla which included a free buffet breakfast. They offered fresh baked breads, granola, yogurt, make your own waffles served with home made berry jam, honey and maple syrup, fresh fruit like kiwi, pineapple, melon, apples, and oranges, and scrambled eggs with sausage. Yum. We ate and ate then headed off to another destination into our van. We had two tour guides during our stay who told us all about the history of Iceland. Nancy tells me that people don’t realize what they are giving up when they choose to rent a car vs hiring a guide. We got the full experience of learning about the culture, religion, food and family heritage by listening to the stories shared by our guides who had been raised there.

 

Another last minute treat was visiting Fridheimar http://fridheimar.is/ which has a huge green house full of gorgeous red tomatoes a green house full of basil and a restaurant that serves fresh tomato everything. Of course they served tomato soup, pasta, and tortillas, but what you didn’t expect to see was tomato cheesecake, tomato ice cream and tomato and apple pie! And don’t forget to try their Bloody Mary’s drink and their Tomato Schnapps.

 

We had lunch at a place called Efstidalur II http://efstidalur.is/ a cute farm and restaurant which served us some lovely cauliflower soup and homemade bread. Their ice cream was to die for made by the cows at their dairy farm. They also served farm to table beef burgers, rib eye, a local caught trout fillet and gourmet salads. I was even entertained by the parrots who spoke to me through their cage. So cute! https://www.facebook.com/Efstidalur/

So if you are thinking of taking a vacation, give Nancy a call. She really out did herself by organizing this Iceland trip. I will think of her before I try to plan a vacation of my own. Thank you Nancy, this was a trip I will never forget.

Please leave comments below.

 

Welcome to My Bread Making Classroom and Grain Walks in Maine and Petaluma California

It’s been a while since I’ve written. Life moves fast and sometimes we don’t make blog writing a priority. Between working, gardening, farming, keeping up a home and caring for my husband, I haven’t stopped. There have been funerals, engagements, weddings, birthday celebrations to prepare for, beekeeping classes and more. It doesn’t matter. I’m back.

My husband Ken and me and our cousin Michael and Alexandra’s weddinghttps://letsmakemudpies.wordpress.com

I reported in my last blog that I would share recipes from my Maine Kneading Conference in Skowhegan Maine. I took classes all week and started with Lower East Side Manhattan’s Jaqueline Eng’s sourdough bread class at Kennebec College. I may have paid extra for this course, since it involved dinner with the bakers/instructors. Jacqueline owns Party Bus Bake Shop in New York City. She was young and fun and gave explicit instructions on how to form your loaf and even talked about the math and particular ratios that you need to make a sourdough loaf. I was out of my league. Tired to take notes. Maybe even took a video of her explaining how to change hydration, etc… I walked away defeated. But I’m a beginner, I have to remind myself. Whenever I’ve baked bread, I’m a rule breaker. I add an egg (from my girlfriends in the coop), dry milk, olive oil, butter, salt, sometimes molasses, or beer. You name it, I’ve added it to my sourdough loaves. That’s what’s so great about baking. When you have been doing it as long as I have, you have the courage to break the rules. Someone like my husband Ken, would be better at sourdough. He would follow directions exactly, and not change a thing. But that’s no fun.

Jacqueline Eng’s Bakers Math

Let’s go back to how the trip to Maine actually started. I asked my husband to confirm how to get the key, since he made the reservation. It was too late to call the night before we left, so in the morning, while I was packing, I called the VRBO. A man answered and informed me, his son lives in the VRBO now because of a divorce. He thought he had taken it off the website. 

I quickly ran to the office where my husband works. He was in the middle of a training lesson and couldn’t help me. So, I called my good friend Nancy Solomon, who is a travel agent. She promptly made a few calls and booked another VRBO 30 minutes away from the conference. I was grateful. I could finish packing and get driven to the airport by Ken and pick up my son Curtis. Nancy makes my life easier. Here was my trip with Nancy in Iceland.

Spent the weekend before in Calabasas in Southern California. My Aunt Teri and I had attended her son Michael’s bride Alexandra’s bridal shower. My Aunt Teri and I drove to Southern California on Saturday, attended the beautiful shower on Sunday and drove home on Monday. We were graciously invited to stay with the bride’s mother Saundra. My Aunt Teri and I love to travel together. She is like a mouse. Super quiet. I toss and turn, but she never snores or moves an inch.

Ken drove Curtis and I landed in Boston late July 25th. We stayed at a hotel in Boston, then got a shuttle to the rental car place at the airport the following morning. Curtis scored a 2023 Q50s Infiniti by talking the sales guy into an upgrade. We took off for our destination, only stopping in Freeport Maine for chocolates at A. Wilbur’s of Maine and lunch at Tuscan Bistro. Had to buy the chocolate covered blueberries, liquorice and a few dark chocolates with caramel.

A. Wilbur’s Of Maine Chocolates https://www.wilburs.com/

Curtis dropped me off at Kennebec Community College a few hours later and he then checked in to our VRBO in Heartland Maine. The place was located on Moose Lake. It was out in the middle of nowhere. My only two complaints were the wet dog hair smell in the house and how there wasn’t a bathroom upstairs. Each time we needed to use the bathroom, Curtis and I both had to walk down these creaky steps to the other side of the house. Overall, we were grateful to have a place to sleep, since our plans had changed at the last minute.

Don Guerra gave the keynote speech after a hearty breakfast made by Beesham Soogrim from Sweden also known as Beesham the Baker and his staff at the Skowhegan State Fair. Don’s speech about his start in his “garage bakery”was inspiring and started off our week with a positive message and warmth. Don is an internationally known baker, educator and advocate for local food systems. Similar to Berkeley’s own Alice Waters and Chez Panisse (a blog about her restaurant and mission here ), he is passionate about providing heritage grains to the local community and beyond. He has taught at the University of Arizona and affiliated with the seed to table program at Tucson Village Farm. He’s a James Beard Award winner, the founder of Barrio Bread, an artisan bakery in Tuscon Arizona. His newest enterprise will be bringing Sonoran wheat sourdough bagels, baguettes, breads and more to the new Gilbert location in Phoenix at Hayden Flour Mills’ kitchen one day a week. He is happy to be collaborating with Vermont’s Emma Zimmerman the co-founder and who recently received a James Beard nomination this year for her book “The Miller’s Daughter.” She was also involved at Amber Lambke’s co-founder of Maine Grain Alliance’s Kneading Conference and stood out sporting a dress made with an Arizona grain bag. Just stunning and so creative!

Here is Emma Zimmerman and Sheep and baker, wool curator at North Star Farm’s Lopez Island Washington

We ate well, trying several types of bread for the next three days. Beesham Soogrim shared his Walnut Bread recipe and his Beetroot Bread recipe which I have yet to try. He teaches sourdough master classes online and has a You Tube Channel. Andrew Janjigian (also known as wordloaf on Instagram) prepared his Armenian Tahini Spirals substituting mochi flour (or glutinous rice flour) instead of whole wheat. Andrew sells a popular Bread Baker’s Pocket Companion which provides conversion tables, formulas and bread recipes. I’m most excited to make this tahini spirals, since I’ve never tried baking anything like this before.

Nora Allen from Mel the Bakery in New York taught a rye bread (Smoorebrod) workshop at Maine Grain Alliance’s Kneading Conference. She shared a handout on Rye since she had a class on rye bread. Chef Ashley Patino from Pizza Bones in Richmond, Virginia Gave a pizza making class, and The Maine Meal taught a pasta class and explained how they got involved with a farm to school lunch program in Skowhegan during the pandemic. Of course they use Maine Grains flours and their pastas and soups can be found at the Belfast Farmers Market in Skowhegan.

Nora’s Rye Bread

Nora Allen from Mel the Bakery

T wo of the classes at Kneading conference

I barely caught the end of Alex Bois’ flat bread class. Alex is from Lost Bread Company in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. He owns a bakery (Howard Street currently closed, but reopening soon) and mill and sells his breads and pastries at a few New York Farmers Markets and four Farmers Market locations in Philadelphia. Alex makes a smoked potato knish, a hominy biscuit, a buckwheat cherry loaf, a whole grain croissant, a spelt hand pie, pretzle shortbreads and more. My son Curtis and I had a lengthy conversation with Alex while running into him at Bloomfield’s Tavern, the local bar in Skohegan, Maine.

My son Curtis and Chef Alex Bois from Lost Bread Co.

One morning I woke up extra early for a Grain Walk with Richard Roberts a grain expert. He took us to a wheat farm similar to Tara Firma Farms in Petaluma which I haven’t written about yet. They grow the grain for their non-profit Honore’ Farm and Mills. Last May, Ken and I went to a community Hourani wheat, and Jaljuli planting day led by Mary Giles. Mark Squire co-owner of Tara Firma Farm shared his farm story.This day deserves a blog to itself and I promise to share more.

Mary Giles of Honore Farms and Mill and Mark Squire of Tara Firma Farms Petaluma

The best day was taking a drive into Skowhegan where I had lunch at The Millers Table Cafe and Bakery. The Maine Grain Mill was closed for tours that day, but the dry goods store was open. I had a ball looking at all of the gifts, books about growing grain and Maine Grain’s offerings. I would love to write more on this beautiful place as well. What was most inspiring was their library of cookbooks which were free to the public to check out. I was mesmerized by all of the famous authors and writers and wished I could have rented out a few.

Thanks for all the support and for taking the time to read my blog. It means the world. I’ve barely scratched the surface of writing about the Kneading Conference. Let’s see if I get my chef drive back into the kitchen to whip up a loaf. You know i will share it on Instagram, so keep a watch out.

Teri

 

Hiking in Utah with friends and Ritual Chocolate

Last August, we joined my husband’s family in Jackson Hole Wyoming for four days and then traveled to Yellowstone National Park for five days. We drove and also stopped for an overnight in Utah at our good friends the Tustings place. If you’ve never been to Utah, then you will want to know what to do while in this fabulous destination. Here is a blog from my latest hiking adventure in the Napa Valley.

We got an early start on a Monday and made it to North Springville by dinner in twelve hours, stopping several times for bathroom breaks, snacks, coffee and more. The Tustings had a nice ahi tuna poke dinner waiting for us when we arrived. Johnny is quite the cook. We brought them jalapeno peach jam, bread and dessert. I can’t remember what. We chatted and got caught up on what’s happening with their kids, grand kids and their new house build project in the most beautiful remote picturesque spot in Utah. We’ve known them for over 33 years and raised our kids together, seeing their daughter get married, etc…

My husband Ken, Karen, me and Johnny after the hike near the Sundance Mountain Resort

The next day we got a tour of their incredible property, and then they took us on a gorgeous hike called Stewarts Cascade Trail. We spotted grasshoppers, mullein, mushrooms, and even a cicada insect. We ended our hike at the Sundance Mountain Resort where Karen works as a hiker guide. Both Johnny and Karen retired to move closer to Karen’s family, yet decided to find jobs again to keep them entertained. These two are in excellent physical shape. Karen was a personal trainer for thirty years and Johnny has always been physically active fishing, hunting and keeping up with Karen. We adore them and are bummed that they moved so far away.

One of the many photos on the wall of Robert Redford at the Owl Bar at Sundance Resort

We ended our hike by the pond at the Owl Bar where we met Karen after her shift.This property was owned by Robert Redford who was committed to a balance of art, nature and community until Dec 2020 when he sold it. They still have Art, Music and Food Festivals during the summer, hiking and people can ski there in the winter. The Owl Bar has antique wood sculptures and some that had been in Robert’s movies. There was a fancy Indian theme restaurant which I would have loved to eat at, but we were in our hiking clothes, so we settled for a drink at the bar.

Old fashioned bar at the Owl Bar at Sundance Resort with fancy beers on tap

After a nice shower, we joined up with Karen’s parents at their community pool for pizza. It was a pleasant visit and fun to get to see our friends again. I didn’t swim much as I’m not a big water person. I’d pretty much do anything besides wear a bathing suit and go swim.

Me in my happy place with https://letsmakemudpies.wordpress.com the decadent hot chocolate drink and Complete Chocolate Collection from Ritual Chocolate

We made it to Park City Ritual Chocolates and had to buy the entire collection of chocolate bars, a few savory pastries and their sipping chocolate. Ken stayed in the car to avoid seeing me spend our hard earned money. I shared many of the chocolate bars with the family while in Wyoming. Shumway Farm Store in Afton Wyoming  was a fun place to visit. They sold ice cream, Icelandic Skyr Coconut and Lemon Yogurt and more. 

I will have to finish the rest of this blog at a later date. I have an appointment to get to.

Thanks for joining me in the fun.

Teri

 

Lifetime Pursuit of Gelato While Touring Italy and an Apricot Shortbread Recipe

 

The best part of visiting #Venice is riding on a gondola

I’m excited to write again. I’ve been traveling in Italy for the past couple of weeks on vacation with my husband. We celebrated our thirty year wedding anniversary there and I didn’t bring my computer to write a new blog while away. But don’t worry, I did plenty of research eating and drinking my way through Venice, Rome, and Tuscany. Today, I will share a story or two about the Italian people we met, the food we ate, specifically the gelato, and reveal my apricot sable cookie recipe.

It’s honestly so hard to decide where to begin. We ate the best gelato, pasta, pastries and coffee of our lives. I had to stop in just about every patisserie or chocolate shop wherever we walked. My poor husband would wait outside and fiddle with his camera or people watch while I was picking out the best treat to fill our bellies so we could keep up with the next destination.

Can I first give a shout out to our travel agent and friend Nancy Solomon with Orinda Travel? Nancy led our last trip to Iceland which was phenomenal and was instrumental in making our anniversary in Italy memorable. We can’t thank her enough for the perfect itinerary, excellent hotels, delicious food and farm tours, and making all the plane reservations and Vatican, Statue of David, and Colosseum tickets. We basically handed over our credit card and she planned every detail for us. Nancy asked all the right questions and I wouldn’t hesitate to use her services again.  This adventure was personalised so that we could relax and enjoy each other. It was a trip of a lifetime and ultimately the most romantic vacation that we’ve ever been on.

My husband and I agree that we ate the best breakfasts at the Michelin rated restaurant at  Hotel Ai Reali in Venice and we ate the best pizza and gelato in Rome. Since this was our first time in Venice, we were blown away by all the superb breakfast options to choose from. There were mini pancakes which popped out of a machine made on the spot and all of the different toppings like crema di nocciole (hazelnut spread), sciroppo d’acero (maple syrup), miele di acacia (acacia honey), jams from every fruit possible like orange marmalade, triple berry, strawberry, apricot and sour cherry my favorite. Delish.

 

Ai Reali Restaurant served many baked goods like a plum cake, crostata, heart shaped gingerbread cookies, orange cake, donuts, muffins, croissants, and freshly baked breads of all kinds. There was a cheese and charcuterie platter, fresh greens with olive oil and balsamic, scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage, fresh fruit, yogurt and more. I had a glass of prosecco and cappuccino before we left for the day with coppa, salumi, ham and cheese croissant sandwiches which sustained us when we got hungry in the afternoon. 

The sandwiches I made from our breakfast spread at Hotel Ai Reali in Venice.

Art decorating the halls at Hotel Ai RealiRealli

More fun Art in our hotel in Venice

The art in our hotel in Venice was colorful and inviting, many pieces made with murano glass from Vetreria Artistica a Murano Glass Factory in Venezia. Spectacular.

 

Poli Distillerie in Venice

We also made it to Poli Distillerie where I sampled  grappa, sambuca (a licorice liquor), limoncelli and who knows what else. This place was cool and trendy. I had never sampled grappa before, so why not embibe in Venice before exploring St. Mark’s Square and Basilica?  I couldn’t stay long because my husband was yet again, waiting outside, but had time to purchase a few gifts for my boys. Ken doesn’t drink, so it was not the best time to learn about Poli and what they offer. I’ve never seen it sold in America, but that’s not saying much since I don’t shop for hard alcohol and liqueurs often. I’m known for stopping at distilleries in Sonoma. 

 

Can we talk about the worst experience we had in Venice? This happened after our gondola ride. We finally had our fabulous gondola ride, which I had to talk my way into  because my husband always wanted to save money and walk everywhere. The gondolier warned to only eat at the restaurants that had small menus. He was from Venice and seemed to know what he was talking about and it makes sense after all. So after he recommended Hosteria Al Vecio Bragosso and we saw the extended menu, I was perplexed. 

 

This waiter didn’t like me in the least and came back 6 times in 10 minutes, which just pissed me off. He acted irritated with me the whole evening, and eventually had another waiter check on us. He even brought me Chardonnay after I asked for Pinot Grigio! I was afraid of having frozen fish, like the gondolier had warned us about, so I eventually ordered pasta with Bolognese sauce and it was just fine. 

 

We even had a guy selling roses at this same restaurant who came by the table and asked me if I wanted a rose. I said, “no” and he scurried away. A little later, the same guy basically handed me the rose, then came back later and asked my husband for money to pay for it. Such a scam. But we had experiences like this in Thailand, which tainted our time there, and yet we completely understand that these locals have to make a buck and see us Americans as easy money.

 

On the fourth day, we took a train to Rome and made it to the Palazzo Navona Hotel to settle in. We had dinner at Lion, a contemporary Italian Restaurant and Cocktail Bar located across the street. Lion was the swankiest restaurant we have ever eaten at. It was bright cobalt blue with geometric floor tiles, fancy cocktails and a smart vibe. We ate oysters, grilled octopus, beef tartare, and a puffed polenta with cod cooked perfectly. Their country style bread, olive oil and balsamic didn’t disappoint. We ended our meal with a caffe corretto cappuccino, chocolate and peanut truffle and a passion fruit gelee which I think was complimentary. It was quite the culinary experience being in extraordinary Rome, Italy for the first time. 

 

But that meal wasn’t our favorite while tasting what Rome has to offer. Grano Frutta e Farina had the best pizza. I had the funghi porcini-tartufo and Ken had zucchine pesto pinoli. We were always starving after walking for miles around the Colosseum, the Sistine Chapel and we went into every basilica we walked by. Incredible.

 

The gelato from Venchi Chocolate shop in Venice. Our first gelato experience in Italy

This is what was left after I got after it! Yum.

 

On to the gelato. My very first experience tasting gelato was at Venchi in Venice near St. Mark’s Square. Oh my! I was so excited to see this chocolate gelato shop also known as #cioccogelateria in Italian. I was asking Tomazzo questions about his favorite chocolates to get the inside scoop. My husband and I shared a cup with two different flavors and I honestly can’t remember which flavor I had. I do remember how they line the paper cup with the most delicious liquid dark chocolate and dessicated coconut before they add the gelato. And it’s the dreamiest sweet treat after walking for hours in the humidity and 90 plus degree weather. I can’t understand why the US hasn’t picked up on this concept. Because after you hold the cup of gelato in your warm hands, the chocolate on the bottom of the cup melts, and after your last taste of the cold gelato, you get this incredibly rich spoonful or two of dark melted chocolate and coconut. It’s my all time favorite treat, and that is saying a lot.

 

I will end today’s blog with these pictures and fond memories of our time in Venice and Rome. There is much much more to share, but this will suffice for now. I think I took over 1000 photos, so it has been somewhat overwhelming getting my ideas and photos in order. Now it’s time to find a good gelato spot in  Northern California. Help a girl out here. Any one know of one?

 

Thanks for stopping by and reading my latest post. I’m honored to be able to share by travel and food experiences with you and am happy to leave you with my shortbread recipe. 

 

Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients:

2 Cups Unsalted Butter

1 Cup granulated Sugar

4 Cups Bread Flour

1 Cup Cake Flour

½ teaspoon vanilla bean

¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 Tablespoon Saltwerk Licorice Salt (Bought in Iceland)

 

Directions:

Cream butter, add sugar gradually and cream well. Add both flours, vanilla, and salts and mix well in a standard mixer. 

 

I use round cut outs used for biscuits in varying sizes to get desired outcome. 

 

Bake on a parchment lined sheet pan in a preheated oven at 350 degrees until done and slightly browned on edges about 9 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

 

Fill with apricot jam, or whichever filling you prefer. Serve right away with your favorite tea or coffee.

 

 

Tastes Like Vacation in Carneros and Biscotti

Grapes just picked at Heirs of my Dream Winery Sonoma

 

Took a vacation day trip out to the Sonoma area last week. I’ve been wanting to check out the new Hanson Distillery along Hwy 12 in the Carneros Valley for some time. I’ve been passing this place and dying to go in, but I usually have my Dad in the car and he doesn’t want to stop at these places. While out and about, I also had the pleasure of walking around Homewood Winery, Troika Wines, and Ceja Vineyards. Of course I took advantage of checking out Domaine Carneros,  Napa’s Stanly Lane Smokehouse Deli, their pumpkin farm next door, and Starmont Winery and Vineyards.

 

Today’s drive was spontaneous and last minute. Never enough time to schedule a pal to go along with me, so I decided to go by myself. It’s so much fun to explore these hidden gems especially this time of year. The colors are changing on the vines, the weather is cooler, and there is a crisp breeze which makes me want to drive to the wine country.

First was a tour of Heirs of my dream Winery by Ellie. She showed me around the quaint property letting me get a glimpse into her world. I was attracted to this property because I heard a man singing loudly while cleaning out wine barrels. This property is perfect for weddings and parties. Have I mentioned it is brand new? Their website is barely up, but they are doing exciting things.

 

Gorgeous venue.

 

Krzystof and Hanson’s vodka

 

Next was a mango, habanero vodka cocktail at Hanson’s Distillery carefully prepared by a Polish guy named Krzystof. I learned all about the Hanson family who are passionate about vodka and originally from Marin. They are the first non-GMO distillery in the US and make their vodka from grapes. They have many flavors: cucumber, ginger, mandarin, habanero, and limited varieties of espresso and boysenberry. The drink was delicious, a bit spicy too because of the habanero vodka and their Tajin Clasico Chili Lime Seasoning rimmed glass. The espresso had a bold rich flavor with notes of chocolate. The property is adorned with a pond and gorgeous romantic trees. It’s quite an experience if you are looking for a fun getaway.

 

On the same estate was Ceja Vineyards, but they were closed. Troika Wines were right next door and were offering tastings, but I had to decline since I was at my limit after drinking the cocktail. Across the road was Homewood Winery, but I chose to move on.

I’ve always wondered what the enormous breathtaking beautiful chateau was that is along Hwy 12 on the hill, and was pleasantly surprised to find Domaine Carneros. Reservations were required, but I was happy enough to walk around the premises. It seemed a bit stuffy for my taste, but I’m sure well worth the tasting if you are looking for sparkling wine and pinot noir.

Fancy Pumpkins in wheel barrow

On the way back to Hwy 29 on the left was Stanly Lane Smokehouse Deli and I was getting plenty hungry by then. The family run business owned by Wilcoxson’s are best known for their authentic pit smoked meats. Pulled pork, chicken, tri tip and brisket sandwiches are served just to name a few. I didn’t stay, since I was intrigued by their pumpkin farm adjacent to the restaurant. I’m quite the farmer, and appreciate what goes into growing these crops. This atmosphere is family friendly and a must see for locals and travelers alike.

My last stop in the Carneros Valley was paying a visit to the 50 acres of  Starmont Winery and historic Stanly Ranch. Gargantuan eucalyptus trees grace the property which draw you in and make you want to see more. It was quiet yet inviting and a nice place to spend a couple of hours. Since I was driving, I didn’t partake in their tastings, but will go back someday.

I enjoyed my day trip to the Carneros Valley. The habanero vodka cocktail is something I’d like to make for friends in the future. I will probably make one of my famous cheese platters to go with them as well. Included will be my pineapple pepper jelly from my homegrown organic serrano peppers. I also enjoy my blenheim apricot jam to accompany the brie and blue cheese.

So I hope I’ve inspired you to make a trip to the Carneros Valley with a few friends or loved ones. I know I will be finding my way back there soon also. But until then, here is my recipe for ginger, apricot, pistachio biscotti. They are chewy, not like an ordinary biscotti and a real treat.

Candied Ginger Apricot Pistachio Biscotti

 

Ingredients:

2 C All Purpose Flour

1 C Granulated Sugar

1 tsp Baking Powder

3 eggs

2 T Sambuca (an Italian Licorice flavored liquor)

2 T Grand Marnier

1 tsp Vanilla

1 tsp Anise Extract

1 C whole Pistachios

1 T fresh Orange Zest

1/2 t  Saltverk Licorice Salt (found in iceland) or substitute 1/2 t Kosher

½ C chopped Crystalized Ginger

¾ C Mariani Dried Apricots

 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line baking sheet w parchment paper or a silpat.

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder together in a large size bowl. In another bowl whisk eggs, both liqueurs, vanilla, anise, orange zest and salt.

Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir until combined. Fold in pistachios, ginger and apricots.

Divide dough in half and transfer onto parchment paper into two 2.5 inch wide logs with floured hands.

Bake until golden in color, firm and dry about 20 minutes.

Remove from pan and slice loaf on a diagonal into ¼ in to ½ in thick slices. Arrange cookies cut side down onto a sheet pan and bake again for about 8 to 10 minutes.

Enjoy! Do you have a favorite biscotti recipe? This is one I’ve adapted from a culinary class taken at Diablo Valley College’s pastry program.

And here is a terrific recipe for scones dipped in dark chocolate.

 

A Foodies dream: Edible Flowers and Delicious Cocktails

Recently I hosted a garden club meeting at my house. The theme was “cocktails with edible flowers”. This garden club is fairly chill. All of the women live in our neighborhood and have a passion for gardening. We meet monthly and we have garden topics of all kinds: composting, rose pruning, seeds and front yard vegetables, growing citrus, drought tolerant plants, wildflowers, and this month we are learning about Exotic Invasive Pests and Traps. Many of the meetings begin with tours of the garden. It’s fun to see what people are growing and what does well in Northern California.

I can’t remember what inspired me to have a cocktail class. I think i was inspired from being in Hawaii recently and drinking all the fancy drinks with coconut, fresh pineapple and lilikoi (Passion fruit). I had never tasted this delicious puree before and I was excited to try it in a cheesecake recipe. It was refreshing and delicious and not something you eat every day. I learned you can purchase this fruit concentrate at a company named Perfect Purees in Napa https://www.perfectpuree.com/ I’ve put my order in so I can make a lilikoi cheese cake for my son’s graduation party. They have all kinds of flavors like blackberry, key lime, ginger, blood orange and caramelized pineapple. I can’t wait to try them in a sorbet recipe which they have several of on their site.

For the cocktail class, I had my kitchen set up in different stations. I had a champagne area with a ginger simple syrup and a hibiscus rose syrup. Recipe here: http://www.cookingwithbooks.net/2014/12/rose-hibiscus-cocktail.html

I had a rum, coconut cream, coconut water, and fresh pineapple drink area with the blender and cold ice cubes.

https://www.dominicancooking.com/925-pina-colada-rum-pineapple-and-coconut-cocktail.html

I had a ginger beer section for the beer lovers. I planned on having exact recipes for everyone, but decided to “wing it” and have my computer near by in case we wanted to look up a recipe. Of course my friends could choose which edible flower they wanted to put in their drink. I had skewers, and umbrellas and all sorts of ice cubes frozen with flowers to add flair to their drinks.

All of these drinks were topped with various edible flowers such as nasturtium, violas, lilac, rose petals, pansy, lavender, dianthus, camelia, sweet pea, borage, violets, strawberry blossoms, carnations, calendula, begonia, daisy, clover, fava, jasmine, citrus blossom, rosemary dandelion and arugula blossoms. The best part was I was able to pick most of these varieties from my garden.

Since I love to bake, I also served a dark chocolate coconut rum cake. It is a family favorite and my go to dessert when I need a chocolate fix. Inspired by my trip to Iceland, I served a homemade licorice ice cream doused with sambuca (an Italian licorice liquor). The ice cream would have also tasted good served with Kahlua.

Everyone stayed a while and chatted until almost 11PM. It was nice to get to know a few of my neighbors better.  Many learned new cocktail flavors, and can now tell which flowers are edible and can be grown in their own gardens.

Isn’t it time you hosted a cocktail party? Maybe you are excited to grow a new edible plant that you can add to a salad or dress up a white cake. If I can, you can too.

Please write me in the comments below and share your thoughts. I’d love to hear from you.

Bonus Extra recipe here:

 

Simple Tips to Compost in Your Garden and Make the Best Fennel and Goat Cheese Tart for Mother’s Day

Today I took a class on composting in the home garden. Luckily for me, The UC Master Gardeners of Contra Costa County http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/OurGarden/ offer weekly free classes at Our Garden on Wiget Lane and Shadelands Drive in Walnut Creek, California. This place was started in 2009 to grow food for the hungry and also to teach sustainable gardening practices to people like me. I go to learn new techniques on how to grow organically, how to compost efficiently, and to learn the secrets to growing my own vegetables and herbs.

In early April, I bought over 25 varieties of tomatoes, egg plant, tomatillos, cucumber, squash, pumpkin, and herbs like cilantro, dill and tarragon. Last season’s compost was ready to move into my raised planter box and I planted these beautiful plants into the organic soil. It’s being able to go out and pick fresh herbs that makes my dishes come out delicious, I believe.

Composting is nature’s way to turn fruit, vegetable and yard trimmings into a dark, crumbly soil amendment. I’m all for that. I’ve been composting for several years, not really knowing what I’m doing. The class taught me I should be chopping the leaves, fruit peels, greenery, etc into smaller pieces before adding to the pile. Compost is made by the breakdown of organic material primarily microorganisms like bacteria and fungi and macro organisms like worms, insects, and their relatives. The pile heats up because the bacteria decomposes the organic matter.

The compost process requires three components: organic matter, air and water. To begin composting you need brown items that include carbon like dry leaves, egg shells, straw, coffee filters, wood shavings, pine needles, shredded paper, and chopped woody prunings. You also need green items which include nitrogen such as grass clippings, well composted herbivore manures, flowers, coffee grounds, green leaves, tea leaves/bags, sod, and fruit and vegetable waste. Food scraps should be buried in the center of the pile 6-12 inches deep. Roughly 1 volume of greens to 2 volumes of browns are the starting proportions for building a compost pile.

You need a bin made out of chicken wire, welded wire fencing, or one that is purchased at a local garden supply. Geo Bin https://www.amazon.com/Compost-Bin-by-GEOBIN/dp/B0085O6NXQ came highly recommended. The optimal size bin is between 3X3 ft or 5X5X5 ft. The bin requires air holes for good circulation and someone needs to turn the pile daily/weekly to speed the compost process. Water is needed for the pile and should be kept as damp as a wrung out sponge.

I learned that compost piles are hottest in the center and can sometimes reach above 160 degrees. The ideal temperature for the best decomposer bacteria is between 122 and 131 degrees. Turning the pile brings fresh materials (food) to the bacteria and maintains the heat in the pile. Keep the pile watered and the compost should be ready in 6 to 8 weeks if the pile stays hot enough. If it’s not turned or watered enough it could take 3 to 8 months.

Growing your own vegetables and herbs is very rewarding. Here is a pic of my raised garden in my front yard. There is nothing better than walking our to your organic garden and picking fresh herbs to add to your recipes. I’m inspired to use my composting techniques and build a healthier soil which in turn will grow healthier plants. I hope I’ve inspired you to try it in your back yard garden. You’ll be glad you did. Secrets to getting more vegies into your diet. 

Maybe you will bake this savory fennel and goat cheese tart for your friends and family this Mother’s Day. I made it recently for my garden club and they loved it. Here is the recipe:

 

Fennel, Goat Cheese and Tarragon Tart

 

Pastry Dough Recipe

1 ½ C Unbleached Flour

¾ Stick (6T) cold unsalted butter cut into small cubes

¼ t Kosher salt

4 to 5 T Ice Cold H20

 

For Tart Filling

2 large fennel bulbs @ 2 ½ lbs

1 large leek

8 green cardamom pods (or 1 t cardamom spice powder)

¼ C white wine or champagne

¼ C H20

¼ C Olive Oil

1 t Kosher salt

½ t black pepper

2 T unsalted butter

2 eggs

1 large egg yolk

½ C heavy cream

½ C whole milk

¼ C goat cheese

3 Oz (½ C) Taleggio Cheese cut into extra small cubes

1 T chopped fresh Tarragon from the garden

 

Make pastry dough for tart:

 

In a food processor, blend flour, salt and butter until blended. Or use pastry cutter or fingers just until most of  resembles coarse meal. Add cold water and blend until combined. Do not over mix or pastry will be tough.

Gather dough onto parchment paper or plastic wrap and make into a ball and flatten. Cover completely and let it rest in fridge to chill.

 

Directions for filling:

Cut off and discard fennel stalks and fronds. Cut out core and cut up fennel into ¼ in thick slices. Wash and cut leek into ¼ in slices using white parts only. Flatten cardamom pods with side of large heavy knife, then remove black seeds and discard pods. Crush seeds with side of knife and chop finely. Or sprinkle cardamom spice powder onto leeks and fennel in a 12 inch heavy skillet. Add wine, water, butter, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer, covered over moderately low heat stirring occasionally until tender about 20 to 25 min. Cool.

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and make sure rack is in center of oven.

 

Roll out dough into a 15 in round tart pan. I use plastic wrap to  prevent dough from sticking to rolling pin. Trim dough so that it is flush with rim of pan. Lightly prick dough with a fork, then chill for 30 min. Line shell with foil (I spray with Pam first)and fill with dry kidney beans, rice or pie weights.Bake on a large baking sheet for about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove foil and pie weights and bake 10 -15 min longer or until tart shell is golden brown. Remove from oven.

 

Whisk together eggs, yolk, until foamy and add milk, cream, goat cheese, chopped tarragon, salt and pepper. Transfer fennel and leek mixture into pastry shell spreading evenly, and dot with taleggio cheese. Pour custard into shell and bake until set about 20-25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack before serving. Serves 6-8 people

 

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about composting and making delicious tarts. Please follow my blog and feel free to ask me any questions in the comments below.

Touring and Eating My Way Through Iceland