Author Archives: Bob and Robin

Parma Ridge Vineyards Wine Maker Series

17 Thursday Sep 2009

Posted by in Food, Party Time, Things To Do, Wine and Food, Wine Dinners

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Here is another Wine Dinner event by Parma Ridge Vineyards and the The Orchard House Restaurant .

Orchard House Restaurant in Sunny Slope


Sunday, September 20, 6:30pm-9:00pm
Meet the Wine Maker, Dick Dickstein, and taste the Wines of Parma Ridge Vineyards Paired with a Gourmet Meal prepared by guest Chef, Jered Couch.
Limited seating. $65 per person. Click Here for Reservations or call (208) 459-8200 for reservations.

MENU:

Appetizer
Smoked trout potato skins with horseradish crème
Leek and corn veloute with prawns
Wine Pairing: Chardonnay

First Course
Ham and pear salad with parmesan, pine nuts, arugula and honey-apple cider vinaigrette
Wine Pairing: Gewurztraminer

Second Course
Crispy chicken with roasted grape relish and potato pancakes
Wine Pairing: Merlot

Entrée
Grilled lamb patties with fried green tomatoes, Feta yogurt and mint-tomato salsa
Wine Pairing: Syrah

Dessert
Pineapple Carpaccio with fennel and chive goat cheese
Honey-bacon-apricot corn bread with maple ice cream and syrup
Wine Pairing: Idaho Sweet Blush

Try not to miss this one. Call or E-Mail now for reservations. This will be an exciting night of wine and food! Cheers!

Lamb with Currant Mint Sauce

14 Monday Sep 2009

Posted by in Food, Lamb, Main Dish, Recipe By: Bob Young

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WE Like lamb – almost any way you prepare it. Thanks to Afrimoo (Caroline on http://www.wildearth.tv), we received this recipe. I have left the Metric measurements on for those who use that system and have only adjusted it slightly.

Lamb with Currant Mint Sauce

Ingredients:
1/4 cup (50 mL) red wine vinegar
3 tbsp (50 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
1 T Lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh rosemary (or 1 T thyme) (or 1 tsp/5 mL dried)
1 butterflied boneless leg of lamb (about 3 lb/1.5 kg)
1/2 tsp (2 mL) each salt and pepper

Red Currant Mint Sauce:
1/2 cup (125 mL) red currant jelly
1/3 cup (75 mL) chopped packed fresh mint leaves
2 tbsp (25 mL) port wine (optional)
2 tbsp (25 mL) red wine vinegar
Pinch each sea salt and fresh cracked pepper

Procedure:
In large glass bowl, combine vinegar, oil, lemon juice, garlic and rosemary, or thyme; add lamb, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Or freeze in freezer bag for up to 2 weeks; thaw in refrigerator.)

Red Currant Mint Sauce:
In food processor, blend jelly, mint, port (if using), vinegar, salt and pepper. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 3 days; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.)

Remove lamb from marinade, discarding any excess; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on greased grill over medium-high heat; close lid and grill, turning once, until meat thermometer registers 145°C (63°C) for medium-rare, 25 to 35 minutes, or until desired doneness.

Transfer to cutting board; tent with foil and let stand for 10 minutes before slicing thinly across the grain. Serve with sauce.

And this really looks good!!! I have not tried it, but will soon. If anyone tries this, please let u know what you thing. I suppose too, that you could use some Lamb Shanks instead of the Butterflied Leg of Lamb. Just some thoughts.

Corn Pie

14 Monday Sep 2009

Posted by in Food, Food Prep, Recipe By: Bob Young

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This is an old, old family recipe for using the “last of the season” corn. That “old” corn is made into an awesome pie. Try it!

Corn Pie

6 med Ears Corn, corn removed from the ear
2 Pie Crusts, 9″
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 pinch Cinnamon
1 t Nutmeg
1/2 c Cream
4 T Butter
1/4 c All-Purpose Flour

Pre-Heat oven to 375F

Bake off one of the pie crusts in the pie pan. Let cool.

In a separate bowl, combine corn, cinnamon, nutmeg, cream, flour, butter and salt and pepper. Pour into baked off pie crust. Cover the top with the 2nd pie crust. Poke small holes in top to release steam.

Place in 375F oven and bake for about 60 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and the corn mixture is bubbly. Remove from heat and let cool. Serve with sliced fresh tomatoes. Enjoy!

Boeuf Bourguignon

12 Saturday Sep 2009

Posted by in Food, Food Prep, Recipe By: Bob Young

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Ah ha! Try this on for size. It’s a Julia Child wanna-be!

Boeuf Bourguignon III

Ingredients:
1 T Olive Oil
¼ lbs Bacon cut in small strips
2¼ lbs Rump steak cut into 1” cubes
1 T Butter
1 med Red Onion, diced
1 c Baby Carrots
1 T All-Purpose Flour
½ Bottle good Red Wine
2 c Beef stock
1 Bouquet garni (parsley, 1 Bay Leaf, 1 T Thyme)
Salt and freshly ground
½ lbs Button Mushrooms, sliced
1 T Chopped Flat-Leaf Parsley

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Heat oil in an ovenproof casserole dish and sauté the bacon until slightly crisp. Transfer bacon to a plate then brown the meat in the same oil.

Remove any excess oil then add butter and diced onion and sauté a little. Add carrots. Sprinkle flour over the meat and mix in. Pour in the red wine and bring to a simmer. Add the beef stock to cover the meat and add the bouquet garni. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and leave at a simmer. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove any surface scum and cover pan. Cook in the preheated oven for at least 1½ hours. The meat is cooked when it falls apart easily.

When the meat is tender, remove the dish from the oven and place on top of the stove over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and bacon and simmer until the mushrooms are cooked. Remove the bouquet garni, check the seasoning and serve sprinkled with freshly chopped parsley. Serve with steamed rice or boiled new potatoes. Bon appetit!

Per serving:
1136 Calories (kcal) 100g Total Fat; (78% calories from fat)
50g Protein 10g Carbohydrate
159mg Cholesterol 2521mg Sodium

Have fun with this. Serve with a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Syrah. Cheers!

Idaho Salmon and Steelhead Days

11 Friday Sep 2009

Posted by in Celebrations, Food, Main Dish, Party Time, Photos, Things To Do

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OK, so really, it’s not all wine and wine parties. Idaho is so lucky – we have Salmon! Fresh, wonderful, succulent salmon. Twice a year in the Boise area, there is a salmon feast: One in Meridian to support the Burn-Out Fund and then this one to help with the costs of the MK Nature Center. A beautiful natural center in the middle of Boise. Well, you be the judge. Look at these photos. And don’t be afraid to go full screen at the prompt.

See what you missed? Good salmon! Cheers!

Cafe Vincino Tasting and Dinner

10 Thursday Sep 2009

Posted by in Dessert, Food, Wine and Food, Wine Dinners

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The latest from Cafe Vicino –

Café Vicino & Belle Vallée Cellars Wine Dinner
5 fabulous Oregon wines along with 5 delicious, paired courses.
Presentation by Brad Potter of Belle Vallée Cellars
Wed. Sept. 16 – 6:30 pm
$60/person + gratuity

Belle Vallée Pinot Gris 2006
Goat Cheese crostini topped with grilled Idaho Peaches. Mixed olives with citrus and rosemary

Belle Vallée Whole Cluster Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2007
Fresh local heirloom tomatoes topped Wild Alaskan King Salmon Cakes and herb crème fraiche

Belle Vallée Reserve Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2007
Quail rubbed with cinnamon, cumin, coriander and paprika served with a Mediterranean Succotash

Belle Vallée Cabernet Sauvignon Rogue Valley Oregon 2004
New Zealand Lamb Chop on yellow beet and saffron risotto with demi glaze sauce

Belle Vallée Reserve Port
Italian Plum tort with almond cream anglaise

Space is limited and reservations are required (phone: (208) 472-1463).
Corner of 8th & Fort – Boise Cafe Vicino

If this evening is like the ones in the past, this will be an exceptional experience for all of those attending. Cheers!

"The Buzz" – French Wines Part II

09 Wednesday Sep 2009

Posted by in Appetizers, Classic Sauces, Dessert, Food, Main Dish, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, Wine and Food, Wine Dinners

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Once again, we were treated to some fantastic food and wines at The Buzz! On 8 September they presented their French Wines part II, and, as usual, it was an awesome presentation. And this bears repeating: If you have never been to one of their tastings/dinners, you really do need to go!! For $10.00 per person, it is one of the best deals going in Boise. Here is a link to their web site, The Buzz. They are located at 2999 N Lakeharbor Lane, Boise, ID 83702. (208) 344-4321. (Next to Idaho Fitness on West State Street) I can not do much more, except maybe pay your way – but that probably won’t happen.
OK, so what did we have. The numbers in parenthesis () are my scores out of 20. For wines, we started with a 2008 Collula Pinot Greigo Blanco (16). Not French. To me, it had an Ivory Flakes taste. Not good. We also had a 2007 Chateau de LaRoach Touraine, a sparkling wine (18). Sparkling wines are not my favorites. Sorry. But the Cucumber Salad, made with white wine vinegar, cucumber slices, sugar and dill was extremely good and went well with the Chateau de LaRoach.
Now, the Main Event! Boeuf Bourguignon in a Sourdough Bread Bowl. WOW! This was totally awesome! Rich. Tender. Juicy. Delicious! And the wines. A Gassier Sables D’Azur Rose that was pretty good – a (17). A 2007 Scarlet of Paris Vin de Pays (19), a Lurton Les Fumes Blanches (17). And then the heavy hitters! a 2004 Chateau Greysac Modoc (20) that was so well balanced, it was amazing. But really not to out done by a Cotes du Reussillon (20). These two wines took the show – Best of Show, Best Red, Best French, Best Wine of the Night. You name the award!

But wait! There is more! More you say? What ever could top this? Try a Creme de Menthe Bar. And which of the above listed wines went with this heavenly delight? I would have to say the Cotes du Reussillon. So perfectly balanced with the chocolate and the mint. Sooooooo lucious! An organoleptic delight!

If you are lucky and you want to try one of these tastings, you have the opportunity in October. On 4 October you will be treated to an evening with BRJ Distributors and a special dinner. And on 13 October, you will be treated to an All Idaho Wine evening and we are told that the dinner will be fabulous with Idaho products. But, and there is always a “but”, you must make reservations and soon. These tastings/dinners sell out quickly. The telephone and web link are listed above. Call now!!

I just have to mention this. If you make a reservation – and the staff of The Buzz hopes you do – please have the courtesy to cancel if you find you will not be able to be there. How would you feel if you had a big dinner and party planned for 40 guests and they all said they would be there and then no one showed up? You would have a lot of left-overs! Great for Hunters and Gatherers, but not especially for everyone else. Pretty wasteful and inconsiderate.

Hope to see you at the next event here at The Buzz! Cheers!

"Rudy’s" Recipe of the Week

09 Wednesday Sep 2009

Posted by in Dessert, Recipe By: Bob Young, Recipes, Rudy's Twin Falls, Things To Do

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Rudy’s: A Cooks Paradies not only has interesting trivia and kitchen supplies, they also have some very interesting Recipes of the Week. Here is one.

Mango Matrimony De Luxe
by Levi Root of Britain’s “Caribbean Foods Made Easy”

Ingredients
1 ripe mango, peeled, stone removed, flesh chopped
2 kiwi fruit, peeled, cut into quarters, cores removed, flesh finely sliced
2 ripe passionfruit, pulp and seeds
1 large piece preserved ginger (from a jar), finely chopped
1½ tbsp ginger syrup (from the jar of preserved ginger)
½ lime, juice only
double cream or ice cream, to serve

Method
1. Mix the chopped mango, sliced kiwi and passion fruit pulp and seeds together in a large serving bowl.
2. Sprinkle over the chopped stem ginger and mix well.
3. Drizzle over the ginger syrup and squeeze over the lime juice. Mix carefully until the fruit is coated in the ginger and lime juice.
4. To serve, spoon the matrimony de luxe into four shallow serving bowls. Drizzle over double cream or add a scoop of ice cream.

If you like dessert or mango, you just gotta try this one. It sounds soooo refreshing! Do you want more recipes like this? Look at Rudy’s: Cooks Paradise. Cheers!

Trivia From "Rudy’s" In Twin Falls

09 Wednesday Sep 2009

Posted by in Rudy's Twin Falls, Trivia

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Another week of interesting food related facts. Enjoy:

This Week in the History of Food & Drink

September 8, 1621: Prince Louis II de Condé, known as the Great Condé, was born. He was a French general who loved to hunt and had a passion for rice. Several dishes have been named for him, including Consommé Condé and Creme Condé.

September 9, 1890: France introduces the first metric weight, the kilogram.

September 10: National Hot Dog Day

September 11, 2001: World Trade Center and Pentagon Terrorist Attack. Among those who perished, due to these heinous attacks, were many food workers who worked in the restaurants of the 2 Towers, including Windows on the World.

September 12: National Chocolate MilkShake Day…Happy Birthday Candy!

September 13, 1916: Roald Dahl was born. British author, one of his most popular books was ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,’ the film version was titled ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.’ Some of his other books are ‘A Piece of Cake,’ ‘Pig,’ ‘Royal Jelly,’ ‘Smell’ and ‘Lamb to the Slaughter.’

September 14: Feast of Notburga of Eben, patron of waiters, waitresses and farmers.

September 15, 1981: The USDA announced that ketchup could be counted as a vegetable in the school lunch program. (Really?!)

Interesting, huh? Cheers!

Labor Day Dinner

07 Monday Sep 2009

Posted by in Dessert, Food, Main Dish, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe By: Robin Young

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The recipe for the Broccoli Bacon Salad is listed below. But here is the Rib-Eye steaks that I made with a super special marinade.

Super Special Marinade
1/4 c Grapeseed Oil
1/2 c Olive Oil
2 T Balsamic Vinegar
2 Lg Garlic cloves minced
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 c Huckleberry Vodka

Mix all thoroughly to emulsify. Pour over the Rib-Eyes and marinate for 2 hours, turning twice. Grill over low heat. Remove from heat and let set for 15 minutes. Serve with the Broccoli Bacon Salad and for dessert try Frozen Lemonade Squares. Try this dinner with a fabulous 2008 Dry Rose of Pinot Noir by Indian Creek Winery. You won’t be disappointed! Cheers!