Monday, June 27, 2011

Farmers Market, Tahoe City

Summer is here! And that also means the abundance of incredible produce at local farmers markets.  The Slow Food movement has really brought excitement and volume back to farmers markets all over the country.  In California, we are spoiled with our diverse local produce, and artisan foods.  And it's not uncommon to see local wine merchants at these markets peddling their small batch vintages. I love shopping at farmers markets because you get to meet the people that grow the produce, and get to hear their enthusiasm for how sweet a blackberry is, or how that peach came from a tree less than 100 yards from where they sleep.  It is truly a great and wholesome experience that ensures whatever you create with the purchases from the market will not only be delicious, but satisfying on more than just a belly-full feeling.  

The Farmers Market in Tahoe City is one of my personal favorites for many reasons.  The quality of vendors is outstanding, and the produce is coming from no more than 90 minutes away.  I have never had a sweeter blackberry or strawberry.  I have purchased peppers that I have never even heard of before.  And, I've paddled there on my Stand Up Paddle board!  I mean, can you name another farmers market you can commute to by Paddle Board? Oh, and the also have a bike valet!  Encouraging residence to ride bikes to cut down on summer traffic, the city has volunteers (like my friends Kendra & Ryland) who will happily greet you at the entrance and park & watch your bike for you while you shop or mingle. 



But what truly makes this farmers market special is the people and community it is in.  The sun is out, everyone is smiling and taking the time to talk and chit-chat along the way. No one is in an absolute rush to leave, in fact my errands at the market usually last an hour longer than planned due to pleasant conversations and run-ins with folks I haven't seen since the winter. 

The community really embraces this market and has planned events around the day of the market.  There has been past food & wine events based on farm to table. And this year local merchants have offered a Farm to Table dining experience around the day of the farmers market.  Hopefully Ill be able to participate this year. 


Fresh produce, fresh flowers, line caught fish, and grass fed beef are just some of the products that you can find at the Tahoe City Farmers Market. But it's the people and the city that host this market is what makes it special.  If you are planning a summer get away to the North Side of Lake Tahoe, get there on a Thursday and check out the market.  Buy some fruit and picnic down by the beautiful lake. You won't be sad.  And for the adventurous bunch, Tahoe City D-League softball takes place on Thursday nights... those kids really know how to have fun.
http://www.visittahoecity.org/

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Haminaw & Mangonaw - Cooking with Lake Tahoe Mackinaw!

Lake Tahoe is one of the most beautiful places in the world, and I challenge anyone to that point.  It is also one of the deepest lakes in the US (#2 to be exact). Its stunning beauty has brought many visitors to its shores mainly to bask in the bright sunlight and breath in crisp mountain air... but it hasn't brought many to fish.  Lake Tahoe is filled with Mackinaw, a fresh water fish that is closely related to Salmon and Arctic Char.  It has light pink meat, abundant in delicious fat and a taste that is very delicate and not too 'fishy.'

Recently, I was very fortunate to run into my friend Jess who invited me over to help them prepare an abundance of local Lake Tahoe Mackinaw.  Her and a few friends had been out on "Captain Chris' Fishing Charters" and caught a large number of the local treat.  Needless to say, I was excited.  Armed with a few ideas, we hit the kitchen with what seemed like 20 pounds of fish and goofy grins on our faces.  

The dinner was to pan out in three dishes; deep fried mackinaw for tacos (I mean, we had too, we are from California!), a thick Mango-cilantro marinade, and a ham covered fillet that would be grilled.  Jess took to the deep frying, by preparing a simple buttermilk-beer batter, and I took to the mango-cilantro sauce and the ham preparation.  The mango sauce went something like this; fresh mango, cilantro, limes, honey, salt, and some additional spices.  The fish was covered in the sauce and let to marinade for about an hour.  This was then baked, sauce and all, for about 20 min @ 400* attempting to bake in all that delicious citrus.  To accompany this dish, a slaw was constructed of napa cabbage, green apples, radish, cilantro, and crispy tortilla strips, dressed with a very light vinaigrette. The side dish was a keeper.

The ham preparation actually took a few twists and ended up being the talk of the night.  The fish was lightly seasoned in salt (note: next time, I'm using Dijon mustard) then covered in black forest ham, then placed on top of a bed of corn husks.  This was grilled skin side down, until perfectly medium rare on top of the fillet, no turning necessary. This was served with a side of roasted corn on the cob. Which got the creative juices flowing for the next time: a roasted corn & shallot salad to top the fish.  

This meal turned into more of an event than expected, and dance parties erupted in the kitchen.  The fish was incredible, all preparations stirred a debate on which was everyones favorite. We still talk about the fish and we are now two months out from this dinner. Now a term of endearment amongst us, the names of the dishes became Mangonaw & Haminaw.  I can't wait to put this on my menu!!

Thanks to Jess, Johnny, Danielle, Capn Chris, Darcy, Amy, Ashley, and anyone else I'm forgetting!! 

HAMINAW!

Monday, June 20, 2011

Gorgonzola & Pear Crostini

This recipe has been in my arsenal for a while and I love to use it to start a summer dinner party.  It is very easy, very tasty, and also very pretty.  You can easily impress your friends with this one.  

Start with a baguette sliced into pretty thick pieces, I usually go around 3/4", and place them on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.  Then place a piece of Gorgonzola or blue cheese on top, and bake in a 400* oven for about 10 min, or until the cheese is fully melted.  Meanwhile in a small sauce pan, heat up a 1/3 of a cup of lemon juice, 1/3 of a cup of white wine, and 2 tbsp of honey.  This is going to be a small sauce for the crostinis.  


Once the pieces are ready in the oven, remove and place a thin slice of pear, I used Bartlet but you can use whatever is in season, and then top with arugula.  Then drizzle the sauce on top and you have a wonderful warm and crunchy appetizer that will surely please everyone! 


A fun small twist: "Bridging" wine into food is very common and a great way to enjoy food & wine pairings.  Use a nice white wine, like a sauvignon blanc in the sauce as well as pouring a glass for your guests.  It will be a wonderful tasting experience!

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Cameron Hughes Wine Pairing - Rosemary Mint Crusted Lamb Chop


In the second half of our food and wine pairing shoot, I was asked to pair Lot 230, a Cabernet from Chalk Hill, Sonoma County.  I loved this wine upon first tasting and it didn't take long to construct a dish to pair with it.  The earthy tones of the wine screamed red meat (as what usually goes with a cab), and the deep rich berries made me think of something a bit more complex than your traditional steak.  My mind went immediately to lamb.  The gaminess of the lamb would accent all of the flavors in the wine very well.  To add a bit of a twist, I wanted to do a very flavorful crust that would mimic the earthy tones of the wine.  

Rosemary and lamb have been friends for a long time.  A classic combination.  I took that base and also added in another common pairing with lamb, mint.  Usually you see a mint jelly on the side when lamb is served. I took this idea and went on a small tangent. I took fresh rosemary, fresh mint, whole peppercorns, and kosher salt and ran them through a food processor.  I blended the dry ingredients a little more than usual to create almost a paste, but not quite the consistency.  This rub was then generously added to the french cut lamb chops.  A cast iron skillet was heating up until smokey, and then the chops were thrown in the pan with a tbsp of olive oil.  After both sides got a good sear, the cast iron went into the oven for about 20 min.  

Also added to this dish was a sauce "bridging" the wine with the food.  This essentially is cooking with the wine you will be drinking with the meal.  With the lamb out of the oven and onto a resting plate, the cast iron skillet was deglazed with the Chalk Hill Cab, and also a little balsamic, and a touch of butter to finish.  The lamb came out amazing, and paired absolutely perfect with the wine!   

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Rainy Day Breakfast


When the weather doesn't cooperate on a weekend, and you cant really do any outdoor activities, you do breakfast. And you go all out.  This is a recap of what one does with a rumbling stomach, crappy weather, and a good amount of pork products.  

First things first, bacon.  This is the foundation of all of my breakfasts, and usually the driving force behind what I order at a breakfast restaurant.  I was cooking for 3, so naturally I took the opportunity to use my handy technique (and also a past Tip of the Day) of adding brown sugar to the bacon and baking it off.  


I'm going to let the picture show you how good it was. On to the next dish.  Eggs. Another staple and wonderful canvas to create something delicious.  I happen to have a medley of great scramble ingredients on hand.  Black forest ham, red onion, spinach, cherry tomatoes, and sharp cheddar cheese.  It's all about order of operations when making scrambles or omelets.  First went the onions with some olive oil to get them caramelized.  Then the ham to get it crisp. Then the tomatoes for a few seconds followed by the spinach.  Once the spinach was wilted, the eggs were added.  Cooked on medium, the eggs were slowly turned and cooked until the held shape, but still runny.  Here is when I added a small portion of cheese to help bind everything together.  The heat was killed when the eggs were still soft and a tad runny as they will still cook while we got everything else in order.

To accompany the eggs & bacon, a generous pan of shredded hash browns were cooked with a happy amount of butter & salt.  Also on the table was some beautiful molasses wheat bread from Uncommon Kitchen, my favorite.  Lastly, there was some champagne and OJ, because what else are you gonna do on a rainy, gray Saturday!

Thanks to my guests Hiedi & Jess! Good Saturday!

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Cameron Hughes Wine Pairing - Wheat Crostini w/ Caramelized Apricots

With lessons learned from the first shoot, the second Food & Wine Pairing shoot with Cameron Hughes went fabulous. The first wine that we were working with was Lot 259, a Riesling Chenin Blanc from Columbia Valley, Washington.  When I tasted this wine my mind went immediately to apricots.  They are in season and add a great tart and sweetness to go along with the sweet Riesling.  

The dish had simple components, but elevated by a few techniques and ingredients.  A molasses wheat bread from Uncommon Kitchen served as the base for the crostini.  It was then topped with a local goat cheese which also had some fresh chives mixed in.  Then the apricots.  I decided to caramelize them with butter, brown sugar and a generous pinch of cayenne pepper.  The pepper was a late addition to the recipe but adds a wonderful kick which aids in bringing out the sweetness of the Riesling.  Finally, the crostini was topped with a paper thin slice of prosciutto di Parma.  

This crostini turned out to be a fabulous pairing with the Riesling. The notes of the stone fruits in the wine were enhanced by the caramelized apricots and the savory cheese combination.  Cameron himself went back for seconds and thirds!  This is very easy to make. Try it at your next party!!   

Recipe
8-10 Crostini Pieces (make your own by using day old bread!)
4 oz Goat Cheese
1/2 bunch of chives, chopped
2 apricots, sliced
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp Cayenne pepper
4-6 slices of Prosciutto