Seafood Almondine

12 Sunday Sep 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Beans, Cod, Party Time, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Seafood, What's For Dinner?

This Seafood Almondine actually was quite good. And besides, my Doctor would be pleased that I am eating so well – I did loose 21 pounds since my last appointment with him this past Spring – while he is eating his Rib-Eye and French Fries. It’s not that we eat less – we eat smarter! Heres what we had.

Le Menu

Seafood Almondine
Cod and Shrimp

Spicy African Beans in Onion, Tomato and Pomegranate Molasses

2009 Horton Vineyards (VA) The Tower Series, Viognier

The wine was really extremely good with this dinner. Almost as good as an Estencia Pinot Grigio. It went quite well with the spiciness of the beans but did not cover the light cod and almonds. I would have this again. Except this time, I would remove the bean from the pods, although the pods were good. Full of fiber. Cheers and Goot Essen!

Exciting Events at "The Buzz"

11 Saturday Sep 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food, Wine Dinners

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You say you need a night out? You say you want a different wine dinner experience? I say, check out these events at The Buzz this month! Good food! Good wine! Good company! Great price! I don’t know where in Boise you can beat this night out. See you there! Look for their logo in the sidbar and a hot link. You must be 21 to attend these functions!

September Wine Club

It may seem a little late this month due to the first being a Wednesday, but we are all ready for our feature wines this month of Chenin Blanc and Shiraz (Syrah). So join us on September 14th or 15th at 6:30 for our Wine Club Dinner. Reservations required. The cost is $15.00 per person with 10% off all featured wines after the dinner.

Quarterly Dinner

Our next Quarterly Dinner is September 26th at either 5 or 7:30. If you have not had the opportunity to join us for this event, please try to attend. This is a fun filled evening, you will be served a five course dinner (this quarter’s theme is Classics with a Twist), with each course you will be served two different wines. After each course we vote on which wine was paired better with the food. The cost for the dinner and wine tasting is $30 per person with featured wines being 10% off after dinner. This is a fun event to bring a group to and discuss wine. Reservations are required and seating is limited.

Reservations for any of our events may be made online at Buzz Wine or at (208) 344-4321. Also follow us on Facebook and watch for information on Twittertasting…coming soon.

Cristy and Tom

Buzz Coffee and Wine
2999 N Lakeharbor Lane
Boise ID 83703

Alley Tomatoes

08 Wednesday Sep 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Alley Gardens, Party Time, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Thought For The Day, Tomatoes

≈ 4 Comments

There is an old song called Home Grown Tomatoes by Guy Clark. These tomatoes are some of our Alley Tomatoes and they are soooo good! But even more than that, there is a line – the chorus – in the song that says,

“Home grown tomatoes, home grown tomatoes,
What’d life be without home grown Tomatoes,
There’s only two things that money can’t buy:
True love and home grown tomatoes.”

And just for kicks, here are the rest of the lyrics.

“1. There’s nothin’ in the world that I like better than
Bacon, lettuce and home grown tomatoes
Up in the morning and out in the garden
Pick you a ripe one, don’t get a hard ‘un.
Plant ’em in the springtime eat ’em in the summer,
All winter without ’em’s a culinary bummer.
I forget all about the sweatin and the diggin
Every time I go out and pick me a big’un.

CHORUS

2.
You can go out and eat’em that’s for sure,
But there’s nothin a home grown tomato won’t cure
You can put em in a salad, put em in a stew
You can make your own, your very own tomato juice
You can eat em with eggs, you can eat em with gravy
You can eat em with beans, pinto or navy
Put em on the side, put em on the middle
Home grown tomatoes on a hot cake griddle

CHORUS

3.
If I could change this life I lead,
You could call me Johnny Tomato Seed
I know what this country needs,
It’s home grown tomatoes in every yard you see
When I die don’t bury me
In a box in a cold dark cemetery
Out in the garden would be much better
Where I could be pushin up those home grown tomatoes.

CHORUS
Home grown tomatoes, home grown tomatoes,
What’d life be without home grown Tomatoes,
There’s only two things that money can’t buy:
True love and home grown tomatoes.“

And I feel so very lucky! I’ve got both!!! And if you look hard, you can probably find a copy of the song. Neat song and so appropriate! Cheers.

BSU vs VT Dinner

06 Monday Sep 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in BSU, Celebrations, Party Time, Photo By: MJ Shaner, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Things To Do, Thought For The Day, What's For Dinner?

≈ 2 Comments

OK. So here is the BSU Game Dinner. Go Broncos!

Bob and Robin

Robin and Margaret

Marnie and Mac

Virginia Wine on the left and Idaho Wine on the right

Margaret’s BSU Potato Salad

BSU Mesquite Smoked Corn

The Dinner plated.

Pulled Pork

BSU Corn

BSU Potato Salad

Baked Beans

BSU MJ’s Cake

It was a great dinner. We are still watching the Pre-Game hype! Cheers and Good Luck!

Labor Day Festivities #1

06 Monday Sep 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Celebrations, MJ's Cakes, Party Time, Photo By: MJ Shaner

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I guess a picture is worth a 1000 words. MJ’s contribution to the big party this afternoon – BSU Victory Cake! Thanks MJ … I know it will be good! 3:00pm Dinner is Served!

Le Menu

Marinated Pulled Pork

House BBQ Sauce

Baked Beans

Margaret’s Potato Salad

MJ’s BSU Victory Cake

Robin’s Buttered Pecan Ice Cream

Robin’s Strawberry Ice Cream

What’s For Dinner?

05 Sunday Sep 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Boise Adventures, Chicken, Curry, Food, Party Time, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe: Bob and Robin Young, What's For Dinner?

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So this morning, while I was contemplating the Bronco victory in Virginia, Boise’s hot air balloons were taking off over Julia Davis Park in the center of town. There is also the question of What’s For Dinner? I asked Robin if she wanted chicken. She said yes with some curried rice. Her wish is my command!

Le Menu

Braised Chicken in White Wine and Pomegranate Molasses
with
Sauteed Leeks and Garlic in Orange Infused Olive Oil

Curried Rice
with
Red and Green Tomatoes and Summer Squash

Serve all of this with a wonderful 2008 Casablanca Valley Chile Root:1 Chardonnay and you have a wonderful Saturday evening meal. Cheers and

GO BRONCOS!!

Tillamook Baby Loaf Tour In Boise!

02 Thursday Sep 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Classics, Party Time, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Things To Do, What's For Dinner?

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Yea! The Tillamook Baby Loaf Van at Albertson’s at 16th and State in Boise – the site of the original Albertson’s – the bank is on the actual location now. Even though it was 7:00pm and they were closing down the display, I did get to tell the Tillamook representative that I am the one who blogged their trip to Boise, see Tillamook Cheese Baby Loaf In Boise. I’m not so sure that they were prepared for me to show up, but they did give me some coupons, and I did use them. It would be nice to see where they will be tomorrow. Maybe I will show up again. Anyway, it was fun to see the Baby Loaf van and to visit, albeit a short time. Cheers and hope I can catch them again. Thanks Mac for stopping by and telling me that they were at Albertson’s – only a block away. And Geno and Debra, it was really great to see and talk to you two again. (How was the frozen yogurt?) I didn’t know you knew how to sail, Geno. Cheers!

The Buzz – Chardonnay and Petite Sirah Dinner

12 Thursday Aug 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Party Time, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, What's For Dinner?

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11 August 2010 – Another wonderful Wine Dinner at the Buzz! Tonight we had Petite Sirah and Chardonnay. All of the wines were within the $10.00 to $15.00 range and most being $10.00. My scores were consistently pretty high. The scores are in (20) with 20 being the highest. Look at what we had to go with these wines. What a way to spend an evening.

Shrimp Chardonnay
2008 Root 1 Chardonnay. 13.5% alcohol. (19) Grown on original root stock. Fruity and grass.

Baked Boursin and Tomato Appetizer
2008 Santa Alicia Chardonnay. 13.5% Alcohol. (18). Very pale color. Taste not there.

North African Meatballs
2008 Girasole Chardonnay. 13.9% alcohol. (18). Grassy with vanilla. Excellent choice with the meatballs.

Spinach Salad with Cranberries
2008 Peirona Estate Petite Sirah. 14.2% alcohol. (18). High alcohol. Smoky.

Grilled Chicken with Ginger Vinaigrette
Italian Cucumber Salad
Ginger Orange Squash
Parsleyed Rice Pilaf
2008 Pedroncelli Family Vineyards Petite Sirah. 13.9% alcohol. (19). Pepper, big cherry, smoke. Pepper on the palate.

Frozen Mousse Brownie Sandwich and Crispy Chocolate Mounds
2007 Parduchi Petite Sirah. 13.5% alcohol. (20). One of my few – very few – scores of 20. But this deserved it. Smoke and charcoal on the palate. Smooth. Good balance.

So there you have another great Buzz Wine Dinner. Remember – Each 2nd Tuesday and Wednesday nights (two seatings, one each night). Please call for reservations. An awesome event and food and company. And this time we came home with two bottles – 2008 Root 1 Chardonnay and a 2007 Parduchi Petite Sirah. They were really that good. Cheers!

PizzalChik Entertainment

11 Wednesday Aug 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Party Time, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Things To Do, What's For Dinner?

≈ 1 Comment

Once again, Robin and I were treated to a delightful evening out – Dutch Treat, of course. This time to hear the Alder St. All-Stars and The Harmed Brothers. Here are some pretty good photos of the two groups and Pizzal Chik.

Robin and Jan Beckwith – Mother to Jake Beckwith, Lead Violin of the Alder St. All-Stars.

Jan’s daughter Molly, center, and Jan. Sorry, I don’t remember the lady’s name on the left.

The Alder St All-Stars. Jake is on violin.

The fourth member of the group. Actually, if you get the chance to hear the group, they are on tour! It would be a good treat for you to hear them. A good selection of Bluegrass music and what I might classify as “Modified Bluegrass”.

And The Harmed Brothers. Their music? Light Bluegrass music with a twist of modern thrown in. Something different that seems to be appealing to all age groups, as is witnessed by the folks who were there.

Again, if you get a chance to hear this group, do so. Both groups have CD’s available.

Here is some of the crowd that was there. And of course, with good music, a good crowd and the makings of good food, we all just had to eat!

How about some fresh baked pizza?

Or a great Chicken Salad with Pickle Carrots.

Maybe a fresh House Salad.

And then as Willie would say, “Turn out the lights, The partys over …” It was a good night.

Sunday Dinner? How About Lamb?

08 Sunday Aug 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Local Harvests, Party Time, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Things To Do, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food, Wine Dinners

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Every once in a while, I say, “Let’s not have chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy and peas for Sunday dinner.” And Robin will usually say, “OK. What do you want?” So today – actually yesterday I said, “How about a leg of lamb, some Swiss chard, fresh bread and a fresh salad?” “OK”, says, Robin. Marnie and Mac are away for the weekend, so I asked Robin if we could ask Chris and Maddie for dinner. They accepted!! Maddie has never eaten lamb, though. I let her know that it is OK to say you don’t like something …. You just have to say what it is you don’t like and why. So now I have to make sure that there is no “wild and gamey” taste in the lamb, but still not cooked to death! 160 degrees off the grill will be fine. Hmmmm. “Off the grill.” Maddie said she liked it and took another slice. So here we go! Enjoy the dinner … Chris and Maddie did! But then, so did we!

Grandson Chris and Maddie.

Grilled Lamb
Marinated 24 hours in
Olive oil, Crushed Mint, Whole Grain Mustard, Gin and Herbs

Nasturtium Salad with Fresh Greens, Tomato and Nasturtium Blossom
with
Nasturtium Infused Vinaigrette

Fresh Grain Bread
Oat Flour and Organic Oregon Whole Wheat Flour

Fresh Swiss Chard with Onion, Garlic, Basil and Young Turnip

Grilled Lamb with Mustard Gravy Reduction

Parsley Potatoes

So there you have our not-so-traditional Sunday Dinner. Serve this with a lucious 2004 Koenig Vineyards Couvée Amelia and you have an awesome dinner! Sorry you missed it! Cheers.