Robin’s Birthday Lunch

18 Wednesday Sep 2019

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5-Stars, Bacquet's Restaurant, Basmati rice, Birthdays, Brunch, Brunch with Robin, Capers, Carrots, Chef Bacquet, Classic Herb Blends, Copper River Salmon, Dinner at Bacquet's Restaurant, Dinner For Robin, Dinner with Marnie, Ethnic Foods, Food - French, Food Photos, French - Bacquet's Restaurant, French Foods, French Wines, Green Salad, Greens, Housemade Pasta, Housemade Salad Dressing, Housemade Sauces, Housemade Soup, Pasta, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Salads, Salmon, Seafood, Special Dinners, Special Events, What's For Dinner?, Whats For Lunch?, Wines - French

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Bacquet's Restaurant

Bacquet’s Restaurant, Address: 1117 E Winding Creek Dr #150, Eagle, ID 83616, Hours: 11:30am – 10PM. Phone: (208) 577-6238. Easily a 5-Star French (the best in the area and the only one) restaurant and well worth the trip. Suggest you call for reservations, though. Here is some of what we had. Enjoy. We did.

House Salad
organic greens, tomatoes, shallots, parmesan cheese house balsamic dressing

Delicious!

French Onion Soup

Traditional Flatbread
bacon, shallots, Swiss cheese, cream on a cracker-like crust

Salmon with Pasta and Capers

Salmon Champenoise
fresh salmon filet baked in white wine, cream, pesto and crusted with Parmesan cheese and served over vegetable basmati rice

Birthday Lemon Cheesecake

Chocolate Mousse

An awesome, 5-Star late lunch. Thanks Chef for a great Birthday meal. Thanks Marnie for treating us.

Cloud 9 Brewery Pub

18 Thursday Oct 2018

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5-Stars, Basil, Beef, Beer and Ale, Beer and Food, Big River Bread, Bistro/Pub - Cloud 9 Nano Brewery, Boise Restaurants, Brunch with Robin, Burger and Brew, Buy Idaho, Cheese, Idaho Beef, Idaho Greens, Lunch With Robin, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, What's For Dinner?

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Oh yes! Another delightful visit to the Cloud 9 Nano Brewery and Pub at 1750 W State St, Boise, ID 83702, Hours: Open 11am, Closes 9pm. Phone: (208) 336-0681. From their website Cloud 9 Nano Brewery and Pub, “Founded in 2012, Cloud 9 Brewery is a nanopub concept featuring locally sourced and organic components in both the brewery and restaurant.
With an emphasis on creative brewing, Cloud 9 is situated in a unique place in the market. Instead of having the exact same line-up from month to month, the beers on-tap at Cloud 9 change as soon as the last drop from the previous batch has been poured. With so many taps, and only 6 year-round beers, the variety is truly amazing.
Cloud 9 also features a unique feedback process by which we judge what beer-drinkers actually think. We collate and analyze the input and use that to shape the direction of the next batch. In this way the community is involved in the brewing process from concept to the final foamy pint.
A commitment to quality, service and genuine interest in our community make Cloud 9 Brewery the place for beer aficionados, foodies, and everyone who enjoys fresh and unique culinary creations.” Their menu is local and diverse.” We use Natural Idaho meats from local ranches, free of antibiotics, hormones and stimulants. Our produce is locally sourced from small farms in Idaho, when possible, and we strive to use only spray free and/or organic ingredients.
For our current menu, Cloud 9 Current Menu. Updated August 8th, 2018.
The service is very good and very helpful. I asked for fries without salt, and our Waitress made sure they came that way. She was friendly and helpful and exacting. Cloud 9 is definitely a 5-Star pub/bistro. Here is what we had. Left-Click any of these photos to see them enlarged.

Today’s beer menu. I had a Fallen IPA and Robin had a Honey Basil Ale. Both were superb!

(L) Fallen IPA, (R) Honey Basil Ale (A Cloud 9 favorite!)

CLASSIC BURGER
(Grass fed organic ground beef, lettuce, tomato and pickles,
choice of Ballard cheeses: Swiss, Pepper Jack, Cheddar or
Blue. Served on a BigWood bun with choice of side.)

Menu Special
Cloud 9 Cheese Steak
(These are the French Fries I asked for No Salt.)

Cloud 9 Cheese Steak cut.

Great Shellfish Boil

09 Sunday Sep 2018

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5-Stars, Braising, Brunch with Robin, BSU, Captain's Shack, Clams, Comfort Food, Cooking Styles, Corn, Dinner For Robin, Dinner With Robin, Food Photos, Food Prep, Gameday, Garlic, Herbs and Spices, Idaho Potatoes, Kitchen Adventures, Lobster, Made From Scratch, Main Dish, Mussels, Pasta, Photos By: Bob Young, Potatoes, Recipe By: Bob Young, Recipe By: Captain's Shack, Recipe by: Robin and Bob Young, Recipes - Dinner, Recipes - Pasta, Recipes - Seafood, Scallops, Sea Scallops, Seafood, Shell Fish, Special Dinners, What's For Dinner?

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Since Boise State was playing the University of Connecticut, (BSU 62, UConn 7) we thought it would be fitting to have a shell-fish boil. Just did not have any sea water to boil the packs in nor any sea weed. Nonetheless, it was good. No! It was fantastic!
Per package, we used 1 lobster tail, 9 clams, 6 mussels, 1/2 ear corn and 8 small potatoes that we left whole. That was plenty per person. Wrapped the articles in cheese cloth, tied it into a package and placed it in sea salted boiling water for 20 minutes. Made some brown butter for dipping and some good wine and had a feast. Here are some photos. Left Click them to see enlarged. Enjoy!

Making the cheese cloth packages.

After cooking and plated.

Earlier this week, we had an awesome Scallops and Peas with Garlic Pasta. Here it is. Easy to do – Sear the sea scallops (the large ones), 4 per person, in butter with a little minced garlic. In the meantime, make about 1/4 pound angel hair pasta until adente. Add frozen peas and cook until peas are soft, if using frozen ones. Add to the seared scallops and mix well. Plate and top with chopped Italian parsley. Eat slowly and enjoy!

Scallops and Peas with Garlic Pasta

And then tonight, we had an awesome Baked Salmon with Green Beans, Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Israeli Melon. Simply delicious and quick and simple.

Baked Salmon with Green Beans, Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Israeli Melon

Types of French Breads

08 Wednesday Aug 2018

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5-Stars, Acme Bake Shop, Acme Bake Shop Breads, Boise Farmers Market, Boise Food Adventures, Bread, Brunch with Robin, Captain's Shack, Chicken, Classic Cuisines, Classis Sauces, Dinner At The Captains Shack, Dinner For Robin, Homemade Pasta, Homemade Sauce, Idaho Vegetables, Idaho's Bounty, Photos By: Bob Young, What's For Dinner?

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carbonara, pasta

I have had several questions on what is the difference between the types of French bread. Here is a good graphic from Cooks Country. Hope it helps. Left-Click the graphic to see it enlarged.

And then why not have some of the bread with garlic and butter and a good Spaghetti Carbonaro.

Spaghetti Carbonaro

Or actually with any of these dishes!

Shrimp with Pasta

Chicken Devine

Zucchini and Beets in Brown Butter over Pasta

Two Good Meals We Made – Idaho Trout and Eggs Benedict

10 Friday Nov 2017

Posted by Bob and Robin in Asparagus, Atlantic Salmon, Bearnaise Sauce, Breakfast, Breakfast At The Captains Shack, Breakfast With Robin, Brunch, Brunch with Robin, Buy Idaho, Chicken, Classic Sauces, Cod, Comfort Food, Cooking Styles, Copper River Salmon, Crab, Eggs, Eggs Benedict, en Papillote, Food Photos, Halibut, Ham, heirloom vegetables, Herbs, Hollandaise Sauce, Homemade Sauce, Housemade Béarnaise, Housemade Hollandaise Sauce, Huffington Post, Idaho Beef, Idaho Chicken, Idaho Eggs, Idaho Greens, Idaho Pork, Idaho Trout, Idaho Vegetables, Local Markets, Made From Scratch, Mushrooms, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipes, Recipes - Breakfast, Recipes - Dinner, Recipes - Sauces, Red Snapper, Salmon, What's For Dinner?

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Ah yes. These were fun meals. Idaho Trout Papillote with Candy Heirloom Carrots and Mashed Potatoes. Served with a delicious 2006 Alves de Sousa Douro Estação (Portugal). From Wikipedia, an En papillote is –

En papillote (French pronunciation: [ɑ̃ papijɔt]; French for “in parchment”), or al cartoccio in Italian, is a method of cooking in which the food is put into a folded pouch or parcel and then baked. The parcel is typically made from folded parchment paper, but other material, such as a paper bag or aluminium foil, may be used. The parcel holds in moisture to steam the food. The pocket is created by overlapping circles of aluminum foil and parchment paper and then folding them tightly around the food to create a seal. A papillote should be opened at the table to allow people to smell the aroma when it opens.
The moisture may be from the food itself or from an added moisture source, such as water, wine, or stock. This method is most often used to cook fish or vegetables, but lamb and poultry can also be cooked en papillote. Choice of herbs, seasonings and spices depend on the particular recipe being prepared. The pouch should be sealed with careful folding.

We used Apple Brandy for moisture.

Idaho Trout en Papillote with Mashed Potatoes and Candy Carrots.

To serve the papillote, Melissa d’Arabian says,

To serve, cut open the packets and serve directly in the parchment on a plate or remove the fish to the plate using a spatula, being sure you don’t leave the juices behind.

A good recipe can be found here – by Melissa d’Arabian. If you want to add vegetables, you can use almost anything. zucchini, Bok choy, sliced carrots, sweet onion, green beans and mushrooms to name a few. You can also use chicken, beef, pork, salmon, red snapper or sea bass to name a few. Here are some recipes: Sesame Ginger Salmon, by Kelsey Nixon; Salmon and Vegetables, by Jessica Gavin; Chicken en Papillote; Chicken and Summer Vegetables; Pork en Papillote; Pork Papillote with Apples and Onions.
So there are a few recipes. Use your imagination. You can google “Type of en Papillote” and find many, many more. Be creative. Have fun. Serve with a good wine.

And for breakfast, Try a

Klondike Waffles Benedict with Turkey and Fresh Fruit.

and to start here are several different kinds of Eggs Benedict – 17 Twists on Eggs Benedict Recipes, Huffington Post; Here is an awesome twist 13 Eggs Benedict Recipes, Chowhound and Top Eggs Benedict Recipes, Fine Cooking.

To go with the benedict, you need Hollandaise Sauce or Béarnaise Sauce. Here is an easy Hollandaise Sauce from Allrecipes – Microwave Hollandaise Sauce. And here is an easy Foolproof Béarnaise Sauce Recipe.

OK. There you go. Head for the kitchen and have fun. And remember, a Béarnaise Sauce or a Hollandaise Sauce is great on asparagus. Just sayin’.

Wonderful Brunch at Parma Ridge Winery Bistro

22 Monday May 2017

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5-Stars, Asian - Spices, Asian Food, BBQ Chicken, BBQ Sauce, Biscuits and Gravy, Bistro, Bistro - Parma Ridge Winery, Brunch, Brunch at Parma Ridge Winery, Brunch with Friends, Brunch with Robin, Chef Storm Hodge, Coconut Rice, Comfort Food, Dinner At Parma Ridge Restaurant, Dinner With Friends, Dinner With Robin, Dinner With The Winemaker, Green Salad, Korean BBQ, Photos By: Bob Young, Photos By: Parma Ridge Winery, Pizza, Sausage, Shrimp, Snake River AVA, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food, Wines - Idaho

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BBQ, bistro, Parma Ridge

Thank you so much Artist Stephanie and Chef Storm Hodge for another delightful brunch! These brunches are superb! 5-Star! (Bistro Weekend Menu – subject to change – or Parma Ridge Winery and Bistro) And many thanks to Garry and Donna for meeting us at the bistro for lunch, despite the highway detours! Here is what we had along with our 2016 Parma Ridge Winery Tre Bianchi and a 2015 Parma Ridge Winery Carmenere. Cheers! Left-Click any of these photos to see them enlarged.

Coconut Breaded Deep-Fried Shrimp
over
Coconut Lime Rice
with
Korean Barbeque and Sweet Chili Dipping Sauces
They were that good! Started out with 6 shrimp.

Korean Barbeque Chicken Skewers
with
Coconut Lime Rice and a Korean Barbeque Sauce

Grilled Flat-Bread
with
Italian Sausage, Pepperoni and Mushroom with Homemade Red Sauce

Parma Ridge Pear Salad
Mixed greens with apple cider vinaigrette, Bleu Cheese and Poached Pear with Grilled Bread

Parma Ridge Cream of Mushroom Soup

Brunch Burger – Quarter-Pound Black Angus Burger
with
Melted Double Cream Brie, Apple-wood Smoked Bacon, and Sunny-side up Egg
with
Lemon-Tarragon Aioli and Rosemary Garlic Truffle Fries

Best Ever Biscuits and Gravy
Sausage Gravy
over
Fresh Bacon Cheddar Biscuit topped with a Sunny Side Up Egg

And to follow-up from the Parma Ridge Winery web page,

Savor the Flavor
Offering both an in-house menu in the Tasting Room and custom menus for your scheduled event, Storm is looking forward to making your day special. From appetizers to full course meals, Parma Ridge offers both the taste and the view. Come by during tasting room hours to enjoy one of his delicious menu items, or contact us today to plan your special event!

I did mention to Stephanie that Robin and I have probably had close to all of the items offered on the menu. We have never had a bad selection, but there are some we prefer! The Parma Ridge Bistro is definitely a 5-Star winery bistro in the Snake River AVA.

Love this photo by Stephanie Hodge! So dramatic!

Good Meal at the Sandbar, Cafe with a Cause in Marsing, Idaho

19 Sunday Mar 2017

Posted by Bob and Robin in 4-Stars, BBQ Pork, Brunch with Robin, Eggs, What's For Dinner?

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Sandbar Riverhouse

A really good, substantial, down home meal at the Sandbar, Cafe with a Cause in Marsing, Idaho on the Snake River. Definitely worth the trip from Boise or Nampa or Caldwell. Here is the link to their website and menus – Sandbar, Cafe with a Cause located at 18 Sandbar Ave, Marsing, ID. (208) 896-4124. Here is what we had for brunch. They serve breakfast all day and if you have something special, you may get the Chef to make it for you. Just ask. Left-Click any of these photos to see them enlarged. We will be back to the Sandbar! Everything is cooked fresh and they use local products as much as possible.

Main dining room

The Snake River from our table.

Over Easy Eggs

Texas Omelet with Pulled Pork

Christmas Eve Brunch

24 Saturday Dec 2016

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5-Stars, Acme Bake Shop Baguette, Baguette, Beef, Brunch, Brunch with Robin, Captain's Shack, Desert Mountai Grass Fed Beef, Dinner At The Captains Shack, Eggs, Eggs Sunnyside Up, Grilled Beef, Herbs and Spices, Housemade Rubs, Housemade Sauces, Idaho Beef, Idaho Eggs, Idaho Wine, Local Markets, Meadowlark Farms, Mushrooms, Mushrooms - Porcini, Parma Ridge Winery, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe by: Robin and Bob Young, Snake River AVA, What's For Dinner?, Wines - Idaho

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porcini mushroom, ribeye

Desert Mopuntain Ribeye Toasted Bruchetta with Rubbed Garlic Sunnyside Up Eggs

Porcini Crusted Desert Mountain Ribeye
Toasted Acme Bakeshop Bruchetta with Rubbed Garlic
Sunnyside Up Meadowlark Farms Eggs
2016 Parma Ridge Tre Bianchi

Now how good is this? Looks difficult to do, but surprisingly easy. Guess you want the recfipe. Here it is; Long but easy.

Porcini Rubbed Ribeye and Eggs

Adapted from: Chef Mario Batali
Ingredients – Porcini Rubbed Ribeye:
2 T Sugar
1 T Celtic Sea Salt
1 t freshly ground Tellicherry Black Pepper
1 t Red Pepper Flakes
¼ c Porcini Mushroom Powder
5 cloves Garlic, peeled and minced
¼ c Olive Oil
2 Ribeye Steaks, bone-in, 2-inches thick

Ingredients – Bruschetta and Eggs:
2-3 T Olive Oil
4 lg Eggs
1 loaf crusty Italian bread, sliced ½-inch thick
3 cloves Garlic, peeled
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, to drizzle
large crystal Celtic Sea Salt, to garnish

Directions – For the Porcini-Rubbed Ribeyes:
In a small bowl add the sugar, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, mushroom powder, garlic and 1/4 cup olive oil and stir well to form a thick paste that is the consistency of wet sand.
Rub the paste all over the steaks, coating them evenly. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or overnight.
About 1 hour before grilling, remove the steak from the refrigerator and brush off the excess marinade with a paper towel. Remove to a plate and allow to come to room temperature.
Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Place the steaks on the grill, cover and cook, turning every 6 to 8 minutes for 10-15 minutes for medium-rare, the internal temperature with a meat thermometer should be 125ºF. Transfer to a carving board and let rest for 15 minutes. After the meat has rested, thinly slice against the grain.

Directions – For the Eggs and Bruschetta:
In a large nonstick pan, add a couple tablespoons of olive oil and place over medium heat. Add the eggs and cook until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with the steak.
Reduce the grill to medium heat and place the bread on top. Allow to cook until toasted and lightly grilled on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Remove and rub with a clove of garlic, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Serve with the steak and eggs.

Tip: Use your favorite herb rub if you can’t find dried porcini or porcini powder or grind your own dried porcinis.

Wonderful Brunch at Parma Ridge Vineyards Bistro

11 Sunday Dec 2016

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5-Stars, Alaskan Salmon, Appetizers, Beef, Beer and Ale, Beer and Food, Bistro, Bistro - Parma Ridge Winery, Breakfast With Robin, Brocolli, Brunch, Brunch at Parma Ridge Winery, Brunch with Robin, Buy Idaho, Chef Storm Hodge, Chowder, Comfort Food, Dinner At Parma Ridge Restaurant, Dinner With Family, Food Photos, Grilled Vegetables, Parma Ridge Specials, Parma Ridge Winery Bistro, Photos By: Bob Young, What's For Dinner?

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Parma Ridge Bistro, Parma Ridge Restaurant, Parma Ridge Winery

“Foggy Vineyard“

I do not generally add articles to this blog that concerns a winery – there are specific blogs for that, i.e. AVA Happenings in Idaho or Treasure Valley Wine Society or the Treasure Valley Food and Wine Blog. But this was a special visit to the Parma Ridge Winery and Restaurant. A 5-Star winery and restaurant, and well worth this post. And it won’t break the bank. You will have an outstanding meal, whether it is a Friday night Happy Hour visit, a Saturday evening dinner or a Sunday Brunch. And the kids are welcome also! The weather was foggy and slightly wet. The roads were wet, but not icy, until you drove on the “back” roads.
Here is what we had. Go to the winery. Eat there. And say “Hi” to Stephanie, that’s her artwork and to Chef Storm, who comes up with the fantastic epicurean treats. You won’t be sorry you went. Some of these treats are new to the menu. The servings are very adequate and border on being large. Four of us shared the following dishes. We also had some awesome wines to go with the brunch.

Daughter Marnie, cousin Dorothy from Portland and an awesome wife, Robin.

Caprice Bites
Fresh Baked Baguette with Roma Tomatoes, Italian Basil, Buffalo Mozzarella and Balsamic Reduction $5.95

Walnut Crusted Warm Brie
with
Grand Marnier Brown Butter, Honey and a Balsamic Glaze $6.95

Cream of Mushroom Soup (Vegetarian) $4.95 cup, $6.95 bowl
(They also offer an awesome Creamy Northwest Clam Chowder Same prices as Mushroom Soup)

Brunch Burger
Quarter-Pound Black Angus Burger with Melted Double Cream Brie, Apple-wood Smoked Bacon, and Sunny-side up Egg with a lemon-tarragon aioli and Rosemary Garlic Truffle Fries $9.95

Storm’s Famous Salmon - $16.95 Brined, Lightly Smoked and Pan Fried with Rosemary Truffle Butter and Rosemary Truffle Mashed Potatoes accompanied by Grilled Asparagus Storm's Homemade Grilled Bread

Storm’s Famous Salmon
Brined, Lightly Smoked and Pan Fried with Rosemary Truffle Butter and Rosemary Truffle Mashed Potatoes accompanied today by Grilled Broccolini Storm’s Homemade Grilled Bread $16.95

And to finish dinner – wonderful chocolates!

2015 Storm Red – Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Carmenere (Wine Club Members Only) went extremely well with the salmon, burger and cheeses

2015 Parma Ridge Vineyards Storm Red
Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Carmenere
(Wine Club Members Only)
went extremely well with the salmon, burger and cheeses
(I’m rating this [19] out of [20]. Almost as good as the 2014 Parma Ridge Vineyards Estate Grown Syrah …. almost!)

5-Hour Duck Creamed Spinach with Grand Marnier Cream Baked Sweet Potato with Duck Gravy

5-Hour Roasted Duck
Creamed Spinach with Grand Marnier
Cream Baked Sweet Potato with Duck Gravy

And as we were leaving, I told Chef Storm that tomorrow night (Monday) I am making a 5 Hour Roasted Duck.

The cherry, cranberry, rosemary sauce for the duck.

I will probably also serve a 5 Hour Duck Sauce to go with it.
Chef Storm said he has never had a 5 hour roasted duck. And he asked me to
post photos – I will – and save him some. That may be more difficult as there are 4 of us eating it. I may have to make him one. That’ll be fun! Hmmmm!

St Lawrence Gridiron Visit

23 Monday May 2016

Posted by Bob and Robin in 4-Stars, Beef, Beer and Food, Bistro, Bistro - St Lawrence Gridiron, Boise, Boise Area Food Adventures, Boise Artisan Bakery's, Boise Food Adventures, Boise Restaurants, Brunch with Robin, Burger and Brew, Buy Idaho, Grilling, Idaho Chefs, Lunch With Robin, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, St Lawrence Gridiron Bistro, What's For Dinner?

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bistro, St Lawrence Gridiron

Really a good visit. Good burgers, some of the best succotash I have ever eaten, some of the best shrimp and grits and good selection of beers and wines. Nice interior – different but friendly. Great interior design and artwork, including the lighting. Ww would definitely go back. Here is their inportant information – St Lawrence Gridiron Boise Website, Downtown Boise, ID, 705 W Bannock St,(208) 433-5598. Monday – Thursday, 11 – 11, Friday 11 – Midnight, Saturday 9:30am – 12am, Sunday, 9:30am – 9pm, Brunch On Weekends 9:30am-2pm. A great patio area weather permitting. They do their own smoking of brisket and turkey and I hear it is outstanding. They also try very hard to source their products locally. Definitely a really good bistro in downtown Boise. 4-Stars and well wworth the trip. Here are some photos of our visit. Enjoy!