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The Chauvet

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I was in Sonoma Valley recently and discovered the most gorgeous luxury vacation rentals!  The historic Chauvet building in downtown Glen Ellen has converted six spacious luxury condominiums into gorgeous vacation rentals for visitors to Sonoma Valley. 

The three-story yellow brick building itself is quite unique, and no detail has been spared in the extensive renovation.  The luxury 2000 square feet condominiums each include three bedrooms, two baths, a chef’s kitchen, a formal dining room,  and a large living room with beautiful brick walls.   Each unit has been exquisitely furnished with antique pieces, artwork from well-known local artists, custom tables, live plants and the latest in electronics, such as I-Home Ipod players, flat screen television sets in each bedroom and the living room, on-demand movies and WiFi.  The linens are luxurious and feature 650-thread count sheets, as well as fine duvet covers and shams.   

I was truly amazed at the level of detailed planning that went into each unit.  The units are available for daily (3-night minimum), weekly or long-term rentals. 

The Chauvet is within walking distance of Zagat-rated restaurants, a gourmet market, a fabulous cheese shop, one of the best chocolate shops in Sonoma Valley, an olive press, and a deli specializing in locally-produced gourmet items.  And, of course, hundreds of wineries are within an easy drive from Glen Ellen. 

The Chauvet Vacation Rentals
(707) 996-6720
www.chauvetvacationrentals.com


Brinata

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Brinata is a pasteurized sheep’s milk cheese from the Tuscany region of Italy. It is moist, creamy and delicious. This cheese has a white mold rind and a soft, creamy texture. It is similar to a cow’s milk brie but with a tangy bite to it. This cheese has been aged for about 30 days.

Brinata sells for about $20 per pound. It can be found at igourmet.com. Look for it, too, at cheese stores near you.

Raspberry Crisp with Creme Fraiche

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Ingredients
4 cups ripe raspberries, rinsed

For the topping:
1/3 cup
(approx. 5 Tablespoons) butter, softened
1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
3/4 cups brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Large pinch salt

For the crème fraiche:
1/2 cup crème fraiche
1/8 cup brown sugar

You will also need:
Pie dish
Utility knife
2 bowls

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400oF.

Place the raspberries into the pie dish.

With hands, mix together the topping ingredients until moist. Sprinkle topping over the raspberries. Bake for about 30 minutes, until golden brown (start checking at 25 minutes – will depend on the oven).

Remove from the oven and let cool.

Mix together crème fraiche and brown sugar. Refrigerate until serving. Spoon over top of crisp

Serves 6.

Le Pigeon, Portland, OR

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I recently visited Le Pigeon with my friends, Linda and Mora. I loved the casual atmosphere of the place, the friendliness of the chef and of the staff, and the delicious and creative dishes they served.

The menu changes each week. Chef Gabriel Rucker visits the local farmers markets several times a week and bases his menu on whatever is fresh and seasonal. When I was there, they were featuring such inventive starters as, Foie Gras with Waffles, Rhubarb and Almonds (my choice), Lobster with Frisee, Corn and Fennel and Lamb B.L.T. Among the main courses were Roasted and Fried Pork with Green Beans, Mushrooms and Cream Fraiche (my choice), Monkfish with Peppers and Olives, Quail with Squash, Marrow and Cherry Tomatoes and Cauliflower with Crepe, Asparagus and Mushrooms. The desserts were creative and delicious, too – Profiteroles with Foie Gras Ice Cream, Southern-style Cornbread with Dried Apricots, Bacon, and Honey (my choice) and a Cauliflower Cherry Clafoutis.

The wine list was extensive and included wines from Oregon, California, France and Italy, among other regions. There was a nice selection of beer, too, from the U.S., Czech Republic, Australia, Belgium, Germany and Poland.

The customers at Le Pigeon were friendly as well, and it was apparent that they make Le Pigeon their choice on a frequent basis. It will be on my list, too, when I return to Portland for another culinary weekend.

Le Pigeon
738 East Burnside Street
Portland, OR 97214
Telephone: 503-546-8796
Website: lepigeon.com

Boot Coffee Consulting

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I recently visited Willem Boot in his coffee lab in Mill Valley, California, for a coffee tasting.  Willem founded Boot Coffee Consulting in 1999.  He has been in the coffee industry since age 14.  He was co-owner of his family’s coffee business in The Netherlands.  Willem has also been managing several coffee development programs in Ethiopia, El Salvador, Columbia, Panama and Papua New Guinea. Boot Coffee Consulting offers consulting services and training to professionals in the coffee industry. 

We tasted 11 different coffees and talked about the attributes of each - the aroma, the taste, the body, the acidity, etc. We analyzed each of the 11 beans to see the extent to which they were roasted. I learned that I could detect the most aroma and taste in the beans that had been roasted to medium darkness. It makes sense that if the roast is too dark, it can destroy some of the taste and aroma of the beans. My favorite picks were two different beans from Kenya and a bean from Ethiopia. I had so much fun that I now want to figure out food and coffee pairings.

If you know of anyone in the coffee industry who would like to enhance their knowledge and skills, please pass on the information on Boot Coffee Consulting.

Le Garage in Sausalito

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My husband and I have been to Le Garage a number of times since it opened.  This casual, hip restaurant is located in an industrial area in a former garage space.   It is positioned beside the water with a great view of the beautiful sailboats and yachts in Sausalito.   I was a big fan of Bruno Denis’ food when he was at Chez Papa in San Francisco, and I was thrilled when I heard he was opening this bistro in Sausalito. 

The menu features a number of tasty items and changes with the seasons.  On a recent trip, I ordered the black mission figs stuffed with Forme d’Ambert cheese, arugula, dried cherries, pistachios and pomegranate vinaigrette.  That was followed by the duck confit with Sausalito watercress, roasted fingerling potatoes, wild chanterelles and a cider sauce.  (Their duck confit is always extremely tender and delicious.  I order it almost every time I go there.)  My husband had the salad of Belgian endives, Roquefort, butter pears, walnuts and black truffle vinaigrette.  That was followed by the Alaskan halibut encrusted with chorizo, yellow wax and romano beans, dandelion greens and a tomato confit vinaigrette.  We finished the meal with a tasty French prune tart with Grand Marnier mousseline. 

Le Garage features a nice wine list, too, with offerings from both France and California. 

Le Garage is open for lunch Monday-Friday, for brunch on Saturday and Sunday and for dinner Monday-Saturday. 

Le Garage
85 Liberty Ship Way, Suite 109
Sausalito, CA  94965
415-332-5625
www.legaragesausalito.com/

2004 Chateau de la Gardine Vieilles Vignes (Blanc)

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I tasted this wine recently at my friend’s wine cave in Chateauneuf du Pape, and it just blew me away!  This wine is 100% Roussanne and the grapes are from 80 year old vines.  It has been aged in oak.  It tasted like a beautiful vanilla caramel, and I wanted to savor it for hours.  I bought a bottle and paired it with a sea bass with fennel.  It was luscious!  It sells for about $36 Euros per bottle and is available from http://www.caveduverger.com/ .

Roasting Chestnuts

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One of my favorite Autumn treats is chestnuts.  I was recently in the Ardeche region of France for a mushroom hunt and was thrilled to see all of the chestnut trees lining the roads. 

In some regions, chestnuts are used as substitutes for potatoes, as they are quite starchy.  They taste great in both sweet and savory dishes. 

Roasting chestnuts is actually very easy.  Just take a knife and make an “x” cut in the rounded side of the chestnut.  Then roast them for about 20 minutes in a 425 degrees F (218 degrees C) oven.  Pour them out onto a kitchen towel, wrap them up in the towel and let them cool for a few minutes.  Then peel off the outer shell. 

Eat them on the spot or save them for your favorite soup or stuffing recipe (or maybe for Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes with Chestnuts).  Chestnuts will keep for several months in airtight containers in the freezer, too.


Meyer Lemon Olive Oil Torte

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This torte is crispy and chewy and filled with delicious Meyer-lemon flavor.  It looks a bit like an ugly duckling, but you can dress it up nicely with candied lemon slices and fresh mint.

Ingredients
2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
Pinch of salt
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cup olive oil
Zest of 3 Meyer lemons
Powdered sugar
Mint (optional)
Candied lemon slices (optional)

Candied lemon slices (optional):
2 Meyer lemons, sliced thinly
1 cup water
1 1/2 cup sugar

You will also need:
Two medium-sized mixing bowls
Roux whisk or spoon for mixing
10″ springform cake pan
Parchment paper
Spray oil or butter for the pan
Small saucepan

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

Prepare the springform pan by lining the bottom with parchment paper.  Spray the sides very lightly with oil or rub lightly with butter.  Set aside. 

Mix together the flour, baking powder, soda and salt and set aside. 

Beat the eggs and sugar together by hand until they are fluffy and smooth (about 30 seconds).  Add the olive oil and mix well to combine.  Add the lemon zest. 

Add about 1/3 of the dry ingredients and stir just to combine.  Add the rest, stirring just to combine.   Pour the ingredients into the prepared pan.  Bake for about about an hour.  The top will be crusty and the inside will still be very moist. 

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.  Slide a knife around the sides of the pan to loosen the torte.  Invert onto a platter to cool. 

Meanwhile, put the sliced lemons, water and remaining sugar into a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about an hour until the lemon slices have candied.  Remove the slices gently from the liquid and spread them out to cool.  (Note that the liquid will set like jelly and you can use it for other purposes – like to spread on toast!). 

Place the torte onto a decorative dish and dust it with powdered sugar.  Decorate with the candied lemon slices and fresh mint, if desired.

Serves 12.

Pumpkin Flan

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Note:  This delightful Pumpkin Flan has a nice rustic consistency and a wonderful Autumn flavor.  It will keep in the refrigerator (covered) for several days.

Ingredients

For the caramel:
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water

For the custard:
1 small fresh pumpkin
Olive oil
Pinch of cinnamon
Zest from 1 large or 2 small oranges (Note: I use a microplane zester for this.)
1 1/3 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream

Hot water

You will also need:
Baking sheet
Small saucepan
10-12 small (3″ or 4″) ramekins
Large baking dish (for water bath)
2 medium-large mixing bowl
Roux whisk or large spoon

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

To cook the pumpkin, slice it in half, remove the seeds and the stringy material in the center.   Rub it (inside and out) with olive oil.  Place it cut-side down on the baking sheet and bake it for about 40 minutes until the pumpkin flesh is mushy.  Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.  (As an alternative, you can saute the pumpkin flesh in olive oil until it is mushy.)

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

Meanwhile, place the ramekins into the large baking dish and set aside.

Make the caramel by heating the sugar (3/4 cup) and the water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.  Cook it until the mixture turns a golden color, watching to make sure it doesn’t burn.

Pour the hot caramel carefully into the ramekins, distributing evenly.  Set aside. (This mixture will get hard as it cools so don’t worry when you see that happen.)

Scrape out about 1 1/2 cups of cooked pumpkin and place it into one of the mixing bowls.  Mash it so that most of the lumps are gone.  Add the cinnamon and the orange zest.  Stir and set aside.

In the other mixing bowl, combine the sugar and eggs and beat well by hand to combine.  Add the flour and mix well.  Stir in the cream.

Add the pumpkin mixture to the egg mixture and stir well to combine.  Pour the mixture into the prepared ramekins, filling to about 3/4 full.

Add hot water to the baking dish until it comes about 2/3 of the way up the sides of the ramekins, being careful not to get any water into the ramekins.

Bake at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes until the flan is set.  Remove from the oven and cool for about 5 minutes.  Take a knife and run it around the inside of each ramekin to loosen the flan.  Let the flan cool for about a half hour on the countertop.  Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

To serve, invert the flan into a small dish.  The caramel should flow out of the ramekin to make a delicious sauce.  Serve with a nice garnish of nasturtiums, mint, fruit, candied oranges or something of your choice.

Serves 10-12.

Note:  Contact me if you would like the metric conversions for this recipe.

Shelburne Farms’ Clothbound Farmhouse Cheddar

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I recently enjoyed a taste of Clothbound Farmhouse Cheddar from Shelburne Farms in Shelburne, Vermont. This cheddar is made in the traditional method from raw milk of the purebred Brown Swiss cows raised on the Shelburne Farm (giving it “farmhouse” distinction). The Clothbound Farmhouse Cheddar has been hand-wrapped and aged for more than a year in cheesecloth. It has a sharp flavor and a lovely pale gold color. It sells for about $24 per pound. This cheese can be ordered directly from the Shelburne Farms General Store at shelburnefarms.org/ or from igourmet.com/.

LMR Rutherford Gardens in Napa Valley

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One of my favorite places for produce in Napa Valley is LMR Rutherford Gardens.  Not only can you buy excellent organic produce right from the farm but they also encourage you to walk around the farm and stay for a while.  The produce is fresh and seasonal, of course, but they also have a great selection of grass-fed beef from their farm.  As well, they sell amazing olive oils from their own olive trees.  My favorite for finishing soups, crostini and salads is their Prato Lungo extra-virgin olive oil.  It has a fresh, grassy, citrusy aroma and a smooth, peppery taste.  They sell fresh eggs from the chickens on their farm, as well. 

When visiting LMR Rutherford Gardens, be sure to check out their huge fig tree – you can’t miss it, really.  It has a wonderful picnic table underneath and the most amazing figs you’ve ever tasted (in season, of course)!  Also walk around and see what farm animals are close by.  You’ll likely see some activity going on, too as this is a working farm. 

This farm is owned by the folks at Long Meadow Ranch.  They re-open for the season on May 2nd.  Their hours are Wednesdays-Fridays in the afternoon from 1pm-6pm and on Saturdays from 9am-5pm.  They also sell at the St. Helena Farmers Market on Fridays from May-October. 

LMR Rutherford Gardens
1796 S. St. Helena Highway (Highway 29)
Rutherford, CA  
http://www.longmeadowranch.com/RutherfordGardens/index.rutherfordgardens.htm

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