Apple Honey Challah

From Martha Stewart Living, September 2009, page 176, we get an awesome challah, the Jewish celebration bread! This is not extremely hard to do, let's just say moderately difficult. But it does take time. You might want to look at Apple Honey Challah for the slightly modified recipe. In the article, we learn that, "Apples and honey, Rosh Hashanah's symbols of a sweet new year, are perfect additions to a loaf of challah." I have made several challah's before, but not one with apples in it. I am using Pink Lady's - that's what I have - but the recipe calls for "... tart green apples, preferably Granny Smith ...". The sweetness of the Pink Lady and the red blush should be an interesting colorful streak of red.

Be adventuresome and try this bread. It is a real treat for the family and definitely a celebration bread. If anyone wants to comment on this bread and the tradition(s) behind it, please do. Can you add anything about the tradition of challah? I'd love to hear it. Cheers!

Mango Peach Reduction

Mango Peach Reduction

If you look at the previous post - or at the photo to the left - , you will see that I made Robin Scallops with a Mango Peach Reduction. This is not difficult to make and the recipe can be found at Click Here. We had it with seafood, but try it with anything that may need or call for a fruity and naturally sweet sauce. You can probably use any herb you want, but we like tarragon with most seafoods and with pork. But use your imagination. Have fun with this recipe and get inventive with it. If you come up with anything, please let us know. Cheers!!

Robin's First Dinner

Robin's First Real Dinner after her surgery, was fun to make. No Chef Boy-R-D here! Starting at the top - Sliced Tomato with Basil, Rice and Peas and then Braised Scallops in a Mango-Peach Reduction. And to help smooth it out, homemade Sourdough Bread. I think better than Denny's. Cheers!

Bacon Fest, Nampa, Idaho

I know, we have too much time on our hands!!

Yup! There really is a Bacon Fest! This one was held at Brick 29 in Nampa, Idaho. (If you have never eaten here, absolutely don't miss it!!) But this was a special event and I think sponsored by Vande Rose Farms, Iowa Duroc Heritage Breed Pork. You can reach them, and order products, from their website, Vande Rose Farms. Bacon, bacon, bacon! A bacon lovers event. You can try bacon any way you can think of it.

Eggs and Bacon on Bread Triangles
Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms
Bacon Dip
Bacon Wrapped Mushrooms
Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno
Bread stuffed with Swiss Cheese and Wrapped in Bacon
Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato Sandwiches (BLT)
Chocolate Covered Bacon

And then there is Bakon Vodka. Yup! You have not read it wrong ... Bakon Vodka. This vodka is from New West Spirits. The original spelling of bacon came from the "... Old German (bakkon) and Old French (bako). "Bacon" or "bacoun" first appeared in the English language around the twelfth century, initially to describe pork in general". (2009 Lauer, pg 20) So, what do you do with Bakon Vodka besides mix it with eggs and then scramble them? Try one of these:

1. Bakon Apple Martini
(Apple, Bakon and Rum)
2. Luau Martini
(Bakon, Pineapple and Butterscotch)
3. Irish Boar Martini
(Bakon, Kahlua, Baileys, Hazelnut and a splash of Cream)
4. Bakon Mary
(Killer Bloody Mary with Bakon)
5. Pemican Martini
(Bakon and Huckleberry Vodka. Robin came up with this one!)

It was nice to meet Heather Lauer author of Bacon: A Love Story and to have her sign her book. And there are some really nice looking recipes in the book like Bacon Frittata, page 116, and Hana Beach Breakfast Sandwich, page 118. But the book is not all recipes. There is really some delightful discussions of bacon folklore. And some lyrics from Bacon Love Songs, like in chapter 5, page 88. "A little bit of bacon, A little bit of life." Or, "Beer and bacon waitin' for my friends, They ain't comin' over, but I'm not stayin sober." But I know, you're waiting for a recipe. Well try this and it too, is a song lyric. "Bacon, lettuce and tomato ... Try it with some Mayo ... Fry it up, put the oil in a cup. Bacon." And, as Ms Lauer states in the header of her first chapter in Bacon: A Love Story, let us not forget that "On the eigth day, God created bacon." Hmmmm. Now where is the corn?

I know. Waaaay too much fun! But then good food, good drink and warm friends make it that way. Cheers all! (Oh. I almost forgot. I do have some photos coming after a while. My camera is in the shop - too many falcon photos - so one of the waiters at Brick 29 who was taking photos said he would send some.)

Lamb Shanks - Osso Buco

OK, so you say you like lamb and you don't really know what to do with the shanks? (You could use pork for this, too.) Shanks are just a big hunk of fat and bone? Not exactly if your butcher has cut the leg correctly. Look here for a recipe for Lamb Shanks - Osso Buco. This recipe is a little Middle Eastern and Italian; A blend of the two. It does take a while to prepare: 30 minutes plus for the prep and 2-3 hours at a low simmer to cook. But well worth the wait. Serve with a good red wine (Dusted Valley [WA] Cabernet Sauvignon is suggested) and a mix of steamed Green Beans and Yellow Wax Beans. The preparation has a multitude of other things in it including tomatoes, onion, fennel bulb and herbs and spices. Try it and let us know how you like it. Cheers!

Kokanee Fishing

What a great day! On 22 July 2009, I went Kokanee fishing at Lucky Peak Reservoir - outside of Boise - with Helen and Paul Sudmeier. Slow fishing, but a great time. And no, we did not get "skunked"! We caught 5 and 7 got away. (Bob - 3 [the first]; Paul - 2 [the largest]; Kate - 0) Helen (Kate) says the reason that so many got away is because the fish have "thin lips". We talked to some folks on shore and they came home with empty ice chests. Oh well, we feel good about this one. Enjoy the photos.

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A Little Food Trivia

And from this weeks newsletter from Rudy's, in Twin Falls, Idaho, we have these wee bits of trivia! Enjoy them.

This Week in the History of Food & Drink:

July 21: Today is national Junk Food Day… This could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on what you deem as junk food.

July 22, 1993: Rudy’s own Christmas Cheese Elf was born. A title many aspire to but rarely attain. Happy 16th birthday Audrey!

July 23, 1894: Arthur Treacher, actor, announcer was born. He played the quitessentail English butler in many a movie and later founded Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips restaurant franchise.

July 24, 1938: Nestle introduced Nescafe Instant Coffee in Switzerland.

July 25, 2008: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation that will ban trans fats in restaurants and retail food establishments. The ban goes into effect on January 1, 2010. California is the first state to ban trans fats in restaurants. There are several cities that have banned them, and California and Oregon have previously banned trans fats in school meals.

July 26, 1926: Roquefort cheese is the first cheese designated with an appellation d'origine controlee. Only cheese that is processed in Roquefort, France and aged in the caves there may be called 'Roquefort Cheese.'

July 27: National Scotch Day… Get your kilt on!

Just some interesting tidbits!

Bird Sushi

This morning - 19 July - at around 12:15pm and after breakfast at Hotel 43, we were sitting on the porch and the falcons began flying on the south side of the One Capital Center. Screaming! Diving! Practicing their hunting skills! Such fun to watch. At about 1:20pm I was on the Eastman Garage and saw this exchange between Wall-E and Columbia. Columbia got the kill! Here are the photos. Enjoy!

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Good exchange to see. Cheers!

The Wanderer

Early shift this morning watching the falcons - 0630. But a beautiful morning. Clear, moderately cool, no breeze and the falcons doing some flying. I took some really good photos of Wall-E flying, so do enjoy them.

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Cheers!

Our 26th Anniversary Dinner

For our 26th Wedding Anniversary, we went to Le Cafe de Paris in Boise and, as usual, it was fantastic. For starters, the Foie Gras with Brioche Croutons and Pickled Cherries was fantastic as was the Buttered Poached Lobster Tail with Local Field Greens and a Tarragon Vinaigrette. The 1983 Chateau de Sales bordeaux, from our cellar was big, dark and hot - high alcohol. Good acidity but the fruit was fading somewhat. Dark cherry with mushroom and tobacco overtones. It went quite well with the Halibut Papillotte with Roasted Morrel Mushroom Consomme, Saffron Potatoes and Petit Pois. It also went extremely well with the Filet Mignon with Potato Puree, Haricut Verts and Truffle Compound Butter. Well, you be the judge. Watch the slides. Cheers!

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