PERFECT Northern California Weekend

Justin Herman Plaza -- Chinese New Year Treasure Hunt starting & ending point

PERFECT Northern California Weekend:

FRIDAY – After a long week, we dined with the family and had a quiet evening at home.

SATURDAY – We dropped kids off with our wonderful neighbors, drove to North Beach [the “Little Italy” of San Francisco]. We relished in lunch with friends Ronald & Grettel & Marco at Bottle Cap. The Humboldt Burger was amazing moist and flavorful. My husband consumed his Muscovy Duck Hash & (poached) Eggs with gusto.

Next we all joined our teammates Audrey & Tim for The Chinese New Year Treasure Hunt. This outing was our most successful year (out of six!) when it came to solving clues – we solved 16 of the 17 problems!

Classic cocktails at TOSCA in North Beach (Rye Manhattan & French 75)

Five hours after we began the hunt we rewarded ourselves with properly prepared classic cocktails at Tosca, followed by a memorable dinner at Vicoletto. My Vitello Piccata (Veal Piccata) hit the spot, and the Gnocchi (stuffed with ricotta & spinach no less!) & the Tagliatelle were lovely as well.

SUNDAY – Waking up knowing what lies ahead a few moments later: homemade waffles!! We ate them in the traditional way of our friends: with preserves, fresh berries & whipped cream.

Next on the agenda was a movie premiere of "SPY GIRLS" followed by an autograph session. (If you want some quality entertainment, click the link at the bottom of my blog to see the movie!)

Premiere viewing of “Spy Girls” in North Beach

Debating where to stop on the drive home, our gracious host suggested walking to Chinatown to pickup Dim Sum from Delicious Dim Sum. The fellas forgot the Year of the Dragon celebrations were still going strong, but after a short wait we were enjoying delicate and beautifully balanced bites of dim sum!

Take-out lunch from “Delicious Dim Sum”

A nice drive home led us to our kids. After dinner together and story time, the adults settled down to relax with a glass of red!

Boy is it fantastic to have such hospitable friends in one of the most peaceful, yet bustling neighborhoods in San Francisco!! Thank you and CHEERS to all who made this a FABULOUS weekend!!! --TC 2/12/2012

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**Helpful Links:

BOTTLE CAP -- 1707 Powell Street (near Union Street), NORTH BEACH - San Francisco, CA (415) 529-2237 http://www.bottlecapsf.com/
(same location of the now closed Washington Square Bar & Grill, or “The Washbag,” on Washington Square Park)

CHINESE NEW YEAR TREASURE HUNT -- http://sftreasurehunts.com/hunts/chinese_new_year/

DELICIOUS DIM SUM -- 752 Jackson Street (between Ross Alley & Duncombe Alley), CHINATOWN - San Francisco, CA (415) 781-0721

**Note: Ca$h ONLY & the menu is in Chinese.

SPY GIRLS -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7II4JjVhFw
Directed by Joe Vazquez. Story by Gabriella Kelly.

TOSCA – 214 Columbus Avenue (between Broadway & Pacific), NORTH BEACH - San Francisco, CA (415) 986-9651

VICOLETTO Italian Restaurant – 550 Green Street, NORTH BEACH - San Francisco, CA (415) 433-5800 http://www.vicolettosf.com/

SALMON CLUB with a TWIST

SALMON CLUB with a TWIST

2 servings; Prep: 10 mins; Cook: 2-3 mins (uses leftover salmon & bacon)

Every once in a while I crave this amped up Club Sandwich! I only use 2 slices of bread per sandwich, as I like to taste the fillings not to be overwhelmed by the bread!

Next time you make salmon, make a few extra portions to chill and use in a sandwich a few days later – you won’t regret it! –TC

4 slices of bread (or 2 rolls, halved) – your choice, I used a seeded multi-grain bread
2 oz. softened cream cheese – I use the 1/3rd less fat
1 lemon, zested *Save the remaining lemon to juice into another dish, put into an air-tight container and refrigerate up to 3 days. --TC
Seasoning or salt and black pepper, to taste
3 slices pre-cooked bacon – I use crisp turkey bacon, cut in half, but go with what you like…
½ cup lettuce or greens – I used pea shoots; other options: romaine, spinach, watercress, red leaf, butter lettuce, etc.
Sliced tomatoes – I used grape tomatoes because they smelled the best at the store!
6 to 8 oz pre-cooked salmon fillet** – I used leftover salmon (**I marinaded with a mixture of soy sauce, brown sugar & red pepper flakes for about 1 hour, then broiled). --TC

Lightly toast your bread, if desired. Meanwhile, in a small bowl stir together cream cheese, zest and seasonings with a fork until incorporated. Spread one-fourth the cream cheese on each slice of bread. Layer the bacon pieces, greens and tomatoes on the ‘bottom slice of bread.’ Top with half the salmon and other slice of toast. YUM!!

TC TIP - prevent mashing your sandwich when you cut it: With a serrated edge knife (you know, the one with the ’teeth’) cut through the ‘top slice’ of bread, then invert to top your pile of goodness! Now cut through your sandwich, using your pre-sliced guideline in the top piece of toast. Voila!

–Courtesy Sabryna Roberson, The Traveling Culinarian – January 2012.

CREAM of GREEN CHILE SOUP

It’s FINALLY feeling like Winter in Northern California -- it’s cold and the drizzle of rain has been continuous since yesterday afternoon!! (Hope this translates into snow falling in the Sierras! I know my plants in my ‘yarden’ are happy for the long drink!)

This is a modern take on a classic Sonoran-style soup will be great to kick off the weekend or to warm your spirit anytime! –TC [Thanks to Neighbor Liz for the cookbook gift from your travels!!]

CREAM of GREEN CHILE SOUP

6 to 8 servings; Prep: 10 mins with young person assisting; Cook: 30 mins

4 TBSP butter *I used 3 TBSP light unsalted butter --TC
4 (3 oz.) cans chopped green chiles *found in Hispanic foods section – they usually have a ‘heat index’ on the side, the “mild” still has a nice gentle underlying heat; I use 2 (7 oz.) cans, saving some for garnish --TC
1 onion, chopped *I used ½ a large onion, minced --TC
1 garlic clove, peeled and mince *I use 2 cloves, grated on the microplane! --TC
½ tsp dried oregano, crumbled
2 bay leaves
4 ½ cups chicken broth (homemade or canned) *I used 1-Qt. (or 32.oz.) Low-Sodium Broth + 1/2 cup water. --TC
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into thin pieces *I used 2 sweet potatoes – scrubbed, peeled and cut into quarters lengthwise then sliced thin. --TC
¼ tsp cumin *I used 1/3 tsp --TC
½ tsp salt **see below…
¼ tsp black pepper **In lieu of salt & pepper, I used ¾ tsp Geasoning --TC
½ cup heavy cream
2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated Monterey Jack cheese *I used Mexican blend cheese, finely shredded --TC
4 corn tortillas, cut into strips and fried until crisp *I omitted and added the garnishes listed below! --TC
The TC’s Optional garnishes: Shredded Chicken (my favorite brand: Del Real), grilled shrimp. sliced avocados, chopped cilantro, sliced green onions, additional chopped green chiles, etc.

In a 4-quart saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the chiles, onions, garlic, oregano, and bay leaves and cook, covered, stirring once or twice, for 10 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth,
potatoes, salt, cumin, and black pepper and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, partially covered, stirring once or twice, until the potatoes are very tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in the cream and adjust the seasoning if necessary. *Remove the bay leaves prior to serving. --TC

The soup can be prepared up to 3 days ahead. Cool it completely and refrigerate, covered. Reheat it over low heat, stirring often. Ladle the soup into wide bowls, sprinkle the cheese over the soup, and scatter the tortilla strips over the cheese. Serve immediately. –Courtesy Carol Blakely in “License to Cook Arizona Style,” recipe tweaked by Sabryna Roberson, The Traveling Cook – January 2012.

CRANBERRY SAUCE a la ORANGE

We are fortunate to have many, many amazing people in our lives. This Thanksgiving we will be celebrating with our "California Family" -- our incredible neighbors!! My family is providing the following Cranberry Sauce, as well as Yukon Gold Smashed Potatoes and my Gravy, plus the Pumpkin Pies my husband just pulled out of the oven (his mom will be so proud - he did a beautiful job recreating her famous pie!!) We are having a Potluck Thanksgiving Dinner with our neighbors -- what a fabulous way to share a feast!! Whatever your traditions may be ENJOY your day -- I'll toast to you and all those that we are blessed to have in our lives! CHEERS Y'ALL!!! xo

CRANBERRY SAUCE a la ORANGE (Yield = 10 cups)

3 cups GOOD orange juice

1 1/2 cups granulated

2/3 cup Agave Nectar

3 (12 oz) bags fresh cranberries, rinsed & picked

2 oranges zested (divided) and segmented *I used navel oranges today -TC

BOIL in a large stock pot: orange juice, sugar, and Agave Nectar. **You can add more sweeteners if desired, but I tend to like my cranberry sauce on the tart side...

ADD fresh cranberries, plus the zest of 1 navel orange. Return to BOIL for 8 to 12 minutes until all the cranberries 'pop.'

REMOVE FROM HEAT and stir in the zest of the second navel orange, plus the diced segments of both oranges.

SERVE warm or cool to room temperature, cover and refrigerate up to 1 week. ENJOY & Happy Thanksgiving!! --TC

Gettin' FIGGY with it...

My husband grooooaaaaaned when I told him the title for this blog entry. (I cannot help it… I have to admit it… I AM CHEESY!)
Sadly I had never tasted a fresh fig until I went to culinary school. A few years later I was still debating my affections for the fruit when I decided to plant one in our back yard -- I have had NO regrets!!
My figs are now gone… the last ones were enjoyed last week by a pair of ornery squirrels who like to torment our dog, Captain Jack! (I got so excited to use my last harvest of figs—I forgot to take a picture of them! Sorry!)
That being said, our family went to RibStock this weekend on Lake Cameron Park, CA. (I was impressed by how organized it was as this was only the 2nd year of the event!) The weather was perfect “festival weather” and my husband is a BBQ Judge certified by the KCSB -- Kansas City Barbeque Society. While enjoying the different samples from the BBQ teams (chicken, ribs, shoulder & brisket) I noticed a wild fig tree on the banks of the lake. A few of the figs had just deepened to their dark "ripe" color, so that means there are still fresh figs to be harvested here in Northern California!! HOORAY!!

Quick Fig Jam/Fig Glaze

Just the right amount of tartness to cut the sweet! We have used this concoction three ways: (1) Spread on breakfast breads: pancakes, waffles, toast, etc.; (2) Spread on thin slices of crusty baguette, top with crumbled Feta, Bleu cheese or Gorgonzola and broil until hot & lightly browned for a lovely appetizer; or (3) Brush this over brined and grilled chicken or pork chops. Delicious!

6-8 fresh figs, trimmed and chopped *I use Turkish Figs right off my tree!
1/4 cup POM Pomegranate Juice *I like Pomegranate-Cherry
2 strips of lime zest (about 1/2-inch wide, with NO white pith... it is bitter!)
1 TBSP Agave Nectar or honey
pinch of sea salt

In a medium sauce pan, bring all ingredients to a rolling boil. Turn down heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Use a hand masher to crush into a smoother, yet still lightly chunky sauce. Cool completely and store covered in the fridge up to 2 weeks. --Courtesy of The Traveling Cook at Home with the Kids -- August 20, 2011.


Fig Lime Jam Yields = 8 (4 oz) jars of jam

About a month after I made the Quick Fig Jam/Fig Glaze (recipe above), I decided to try my hand at canning. I am happy with the results and am kicking myself for not trying it earlier!
To give gifts of jam to your family & friends, you'll need new lids and clean & sanitary jars. Some added pectin is a good idea to allow the mixture to "set-up" properly. I followed the "Waterbath Canning" directions on the box of BALL Jelly Jars. Below is my modified version (different fruit & less sugar) of a recipe found in SUNSET Magazine.

2 1/2 TBSP (half a 1 3/4 oz. package) Sure-Jell pectin labeled "For Less or no sugar needed recipes"
1/2 cup sugar, divided
3 cups fresh figs, trimmed and chopped fine *I use Turkish Figs right off my tree!
1 1/3 cup Hansen's Natural apple juice
3 TBSP Agave nectar
1/2 a lime, zested and juiced

STEP 1 - Place a silpat trivet OR a clean kitchen towel in the bottom of a large stock pot. Place glass jars, rings and new lids in pot and cover with 1" of water. Simmer until temperature reach 180 degrees F -- per the "Ball Complete Home Canning Instructions" on my box of jelly jars. Turn off heat and keep jars, rings and lids in this sanitized state until ready to use.
STEP 2 - Meanwhile, in a large stock pot (about 5-quart capacity or larger) combine pectin, 1/4 cup sugar, figs, juice, lime zest, and lime juice and bring to a boil. Stir often and be sure to scrape down sides of pot.
STEP 3 - Add Agave nectar and a scant 1/4 cup of sugar; bring back to a rolling boil while stirring. Continue stirring and cook 1 minute more, then remove from the heat.
STEP 4 - Either jar for short-term use or long-term use...
Short-term use: "Ladle jam into heatproof jars and close with lids. Let cool to room temperature. Keeps, chilled, up to 1 month." --per Sunset Magazine recipe for "Blackberry Lime Jam," July 2011.
Long-term use: Carefully ladle liquid jam into prepared hot jars leaving about 3/4 inch of jar empty. Wipe the edge of the jar with a clean damp towel and place new lid on top. Screw on ring just tightened. Immerse the jars in 1 inch of water in a stock pot, cover and bring to a boil. After 10 minutes**, turn off heat and allow the jars to remain in the pot for an additional 5 minutes. [**Time will depend on altitude, please check "Altitude Chart" for canning in your area. www.FreshPreserving.com.] Remove from water and place on a thick clean towel or cooling rack for 12 hours. *Be sure to keep jars in upright position when moving them! After cooling for 12 hours, check the seal and if there is NO "popping" sound, your jam is good to go for up to a year! --Courtesy of The Traveling Culinarian -- September 4, 2011.

HELPFUL LINKS:
RibStock, Lake Cameron Park, Cameron Park, CA http://rib-stock.com/

KCBS (Kansas City Barbecue Society) -- Events Calendar http://www.kcbs.us/events.php

BALL Jelly Jars http://www.freshpreserving.com/home.aspx

SUNSET Magazine – Blackberry Lime Jam recipe http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/blackberry-lime-jam-50400000113864/

My other blog “The Traveling Cook at Home with the Kids” on El Dorado Guide website http://eldoradoguide.com/blps/blog.cfm?weblog=18

FOOD MEMORIES... A Specialty from Nova Scotia

Tonight the hubby and I took the kids to a Middle Eastern cafe. Once we were home and eveyone else was tucked in bed, I got to thinking about our trip to Nova Scotia in July & August of 2003...

A few days after camping in Debert (Nova Scotia) with friends and enjoying many a "2-4" of Keith's (or Molson or Labatts), our host drove us around Halifax & Dartmouth to show us the sights. Our last stop of the evening was at "King Donair!!" (I can hear Gary saying it now!!!) :)

We ordered our slices and while we waited, a young guy stumbled in (a jammin' music festival was wrapping up down the block)... I remember watching this fella's face as he bit into his donair pizza -- never have I witnessed such an appreciative display of LOVE!!

DONAIR PIZZA??!?!??

Describe it? You won't believe it!! Envision a pizza with gyro-esque meat and then a drizzling of a sweet garlic milk sauce on top... (Thank goodness my sweet-&-salty-loving-self did NOT discover this epicurean curiosity while in college in Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia!)

If you've ever been lucky enough to taste a Donair Pizza -- you may get a CRAZY hankering to make one at home! ;) http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/donair/detail.aspx

On a side note, we have also enjoyed hot pots of TIM's (aka Timmy's or Tim Horton's brand coffee) this week! (I think it beasts *bucks hands down!!)

WOW! Hope you've enjoyed my Random Memories of Food and Adventures....
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Top photo: corner pizzaria in Nova Scotia - King of Donair (taken Monday, July 21, 2003, 12:05:58 AM)

Photo below: Cairns with bridge btween Dartmouth & Halifax (taken Monday, July 23, 2003)



Alexander Keith's - "Made to Share"
Brewery tours:
http://maps.google.com/maps/place?rls=com.microsoft:*&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1&rlz=1I7ADRA_en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=Alexander+Keith%27s+Brewery&fb=1&gl=us&hq=Alexander+Keith%27s+Brewery&cid=13577061421262977310

FAUX MI... my take on a Vietnamese classic -- Banh Mi Sandwich

FAUX MI Serves 4

Tonight I was pondering what to make for dinner. I had the following items on hand: rotisserie chicken; hoagie style rolls; shredded cabbage; garlic; and fresh mint. Hmmmmm... then it came to me: I'll make a fake American-style Banh Mi sandwich!!

Reviving rotisserie chicken with a lightly sweetened, garlic-infused soy sauce, then topping it with crunchy cabbage and the refreshing fresh mint pleased all of the palettes in our house!!

1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed, picked & shredded into bite-sized pieces
1/3 cup Less Sodium soy sauce
1 to 2 tsp oil (vegetable, olive or safflower)
1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil, optional
1 clove garlic, minced or grated on a microplane (about 1 tsp)
1 to 2 tsp sugar
4 hoagie rolls or one fresh baguette, split but not cut all the way through
mayonnaise , optional
Ginger-Sesame Dressing
1 fresh limes, cut into lime wedges, optional
shredded cabbage, as needed
seedless cucumber, sliced thin *will add next time --TC
fresh herbs - mint and cilantro

Preheat a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the soy and oils, bring to a simmer. Add garlic and sugar, simmer until sugar is dissolved. Add chicken and toss to coat, take off heat.

Lightly toast the rolls (I use my toaster oven) and lightly dress with the dressing and mayonnaise. Fill bread with chicken, top with shredded cabbage and fresh herb leaves. Squeeze fresh lime over sandwich. Serve with fresh fruit and enjoy!! --Courtesy of the Traveling Culinarian at home -- May 20, 2011.