wine

Sonoma and the East Bay

My California trip continues. We hit the road fairly early and took the Richmond bridge again across the bay. This time we stayed on the highway all the way to Healdsburg. Downtown Healdsburg centers around a pretty park. We were entertained by a lone guitar player who knew all the songs from the 60’s. We were impressed when he did a perfect growl while signing Pretty Woman. Small boutiques selling high end clothing surround the park.

We brought a picnic lunch and needed to find a place with tables. Following our Google god, we discovered an out of the way picnic area on the Russian River. It was delightful.

From there we went in search of wine. We got lost on the way and ended up detouring on the 258 acre grounds of the Montage Healdsburg resort and spa. It was very inviting. We looked it up, it was over $1600 per night. Apparently they have several restaurants open to the public.

Back on the road, we stopped briefly at Hanna Winery so my friend could pick up a bottle of her latest favorite. Then it was on to Alexander Valley Vineyards for a tour. They give free tours twice a day and do not charge for tasting. Plus their wine is excellent. They have been in business since the 1960’s and are serious about their Green initiatives.

The following day it was off to Oakland and the East Bay. We had our mandatory stop at the alma mater and an old watering hole we used to frequent.

Our final stop was the Mountain View Cemetery in Piedmont. I went mainly for the views but there were some nice mausoleums as well. Some of the notables were Domingo Ghirardelli, Chocolate King; James Folger, Coffee Pioneer; and Anna Head, founder of the Head-Royce School in Oakland where a couple of my friends attended.

Dinner on Lake Como

 

IMG_0980

I recently spent a week in a villa on Lake Como in the Italian Alps. On our last night we had a local chef come in to cook us dinner. He was the brother of the villa’s owner and worked for a restaurant in Bellagio. He suggested a menu made up of local foods and, with a few adjustments to our group, we eagerly agreed.

IMG_1879

Lake Como is in the Lombardy region of Italy and is known for its risottos and polentas. They boast a wide variety of cheeses and the fish in the lake is abundant. We watched people fishing just outside our villa and it took them less than a minute to catch something. Normally fish would have been on our menu but some in our group couldn’t eat it.

IMG_1892

We started with a typical Antipasto of meats and cheeses including mortadella, salami, mushroom pate and local cheeses accompanied by a local white wine “Le Calderine” from the Angelinetta Winery in Domaso.

 

 

IMG_1912

 

 

The next course, we were told, was a local peasant dish called Pizzocheri. It was a pasta made with buckwheat flour. The chef and his sister hand rolled it into fat wormlike noodles. These were boiled and finished with cream, herbs, walnuts, and cheese. This was the dish we all liked the least. It was heavy and a bit sour. We all thought it might have been better if it was cooked a bit longer but having nothing to compare it to, we couldn’t be sure. Most of us could not finish it.

IMG_1913

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our main course was roast pork shank with porcini mushrooms and a polenta cake. The pork was magnificent. It fell off the bone and melted in your mouth and the mushrooms were the perfect accent to the dish. We asked if the mushrooms were fresh, they were so delicious, but were told they were not in season. They had been preserved locally in jars. A “ca del Mot” red wine from the same local winery accompanied this dish.

IMG_1920

For dessert we had frittelle stuffed with apples and raisins. These are deep fat fried yeast risen pancakes similar to a doughnut and sometimes called Venetian Doughnuts. The frittelle were served hot, dusted with sugar and cocoa and drizzled with honey. They were quite good but kind of heavy on top of a heavy dinner.

 

 

 

IMG_1924

 

The grand finale was the Grolla. It originated in a region to the west of Lombardy also on the Swiss border, the Valle d’Aosta. It is a drink that requires a special container, or Grolla, the cup of friendship. It is carved out of one piece of wood and has openings for each person at the table to drink out of. The saying goes that the people who drink from the same Grolla will be united in eternal friendship but everybody must drink from their own opening and the entire contents must be finished.

The traditional recipe is one cup coffee and one cup hot grappa and a spoonful of sugar per person, add an orange peel, a lemon peel and light. When the flame burns out, let it cool a bit and start drinking.  I’m not sure this recipe was followed exactly but the drink was delicious and we enjoyed it very much.

Easy Hunter’s Chicken

IMG_0449

Easy Hunter’s Chicken

1 lb chicken breasts

½ cup flour seasoned with salt and pepper

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 tsp basil (or use fresh if you have it)

1 tsp thyme

2 cloves garlic, diced

1 bay leaf

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup red wine

1 cup crushed tomatoes

1 – 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

IMG_0448

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dredge the chicken in seasoned flower and cook in olive oil.

Add rosemary and garlic

Add chicken broth, wine, and crushed tomatoes

Let simmer for about 30-45 minutes, until chicken is very tender.

Add frozen veggies and cook until hot.

IMG_0451

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I served this with mashed potatoes but it is good rice or noodles.

 

 

 

Food Friday: Chicken in Honey-Wine

foodlogo

 

 

 

IMG_1967

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a nice dish to share with company. I sautéed some mushrooms in butter and added them to the chicken at the last minute.

IMG_1952

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chicken in Honey-Wine

1 cup dry white wine

4 Tbsp soy sauce

¼ tsp garlic powder

4 chicken breasts, skinned, boned and cut into pieces

4 Tbsp veg. oil

½ cup honey

½ cup flour

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

In a large bowl, mix the wine, soy sauce and garlic powder.

IMG_1953

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add the chicken pieces, stir to coat, and marinate for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

IMG_1954

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drain chicken, reserving marinade.  In a shallow dish, mix the flour, salt and pepper.

IMG_1962

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lightly dredge chicken, one piece at a time, in the flour.  In a large frying pan, heat the oil until moderately hot.

IMG_1964

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add chicken and cook, turning until brown on all sides.  Add honey to reserved marinade and pour over chicken.  Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until tender.

IMG_1965

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Serve over buttered noodles.

Food Friday: Potato Lamb Casserole

FoodLogo

 

 

 

 

IMG_1254

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Potato Lamb Casserole

I originally set out to make Moussaka but since I didn’t have any eggplant on hand, I decided to substitute potatoes for the eggplant.  It turned out pretty good. After doing a little research, I discovered that this dish is made in Eastern Europe with potatoes and it can have either eggplant or potatoes or both.  I love flexibility!

 

IMG_1240

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

4-5 large potatoes (1.5 lbs)

1.5 lbs. ground lamb (you can use beef but it’s not the same)

1 large onion, finely diced

1 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup red wine

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

0.25 tsp. ground allspice

1.5 cup tomato puree (or crushed tomatoes)

2 tbsp. tomato paste

Salt and pepper to taste

1.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese (or more, sometimes I use a mixture of different cheese I have on hand)

 

IMG_1241

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

White Sauce:

6 Tbsp salted butter

6 Tbsp flour

2 cups milk, warmed

4 egg yolks, lightly beaten

Pinch of ground nutmeg

IMG_1245

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peel the potatoes and cut them in half so they cook faster.  Boil them in water for about 15-20 minutes – they should be just barely done (still firm).

Drain, cool and slice them in 1/4 inch slices. Set aside.

 

IMG_1244

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Make the Meat Filling:

Add about a tablespoon of olive oil to a large sauté pan.  Add onion, garlic and meat.  Meat should be cooked through with no pink.

Add wine to pan and allow it to simmer and reduce a bit before adding cinnamon, allspice, tomato paste, and crushed tomatoes.

Allow the sauce to simmer uncovered for approximately 30 minutes so that excess liquid can evaporate.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

IMG_0687

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

White Sauce:

Melt butter over low heat. Using a whisk, add flour to melted butter whisking continuously to make a smooth paste. Allow the flour to cook for a minute but do not allow it to brown.

Add warmed milk to mixture in a steady stream, whisking continuously.

Simmer over low heat until it thickens a bit but does not boil.

Add a little to the egg yolks and whisk to mix.

Add the mixture back into the sauce and mix well.

Add a pinch of nutmeg.

Stir until sauce thickens.

Set aside.

IMG_1247

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lightly grease large casserole dish.

Place a layer of potatoes on the bottom.

Top with a layer of meat sauce.

Spoon over 1/3 of the sauce.

Sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese.

Repeat.

Top with remaining cheese.

IMG_1249

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bake in a 350-degree oven for 40-45 minutes or until cheese is a nice golden brown color.

IMG_1251

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Allow to cool for 15 – 20 minutes before serving.