3 Delicious Meals

05 Thursday Jan 2023

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5-Stars, Appetizers, Bacon, Blue Crab, Buy Local, Captain's Shack, Celebrations, Classic Cuisines, Comfort Food, Cooking Styles, Corn Bread, Crab, Ethnic Foods, Food - Jewish, Food Photos, Food Trivia, Ham, Hanukkah, Healthy Eating, History of Food, Housemade Soup, Idaho Potatoes, Jewish Food, Main Dish, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe - Jewish, Recipe - Soup, Recipe By: Captain's Shack, Recipe: Bob and Robin Young, Recipes, recipes appetizers, Rice, Special Information, What's For Dinner?

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Blue Crab, chard, Crab Dip, hoppin' John, Latkes

captains-shack-pipe-signed-Walkway-LMP Over the past several weeks, we have made some really good meals. Potato Latkes for one (https://www.rockinrs.com/CS-Latkes.pdf), Hopping John, aka Hoppin’ John, (http://www.rockinrs.com/CS-Hopping-John.pdf) and an East Coast style Crab Dip (http://www.rockinrs.com/Marges-Crab-Dip.pdf). Potato latkes are a traditional Chanukah dish,Hoppin’ John is a traditional southern, New Year’s Day meal with ham hocks and black eyed peas (cow peas) and a superb East coast style crab dip. I do hope you enjoy these.

30Dec2022_1_Captains Shack_Latkes Frying

From Chabad.com we learn that,

“Latke (pronounced LOT-keh, LOT-kah or LOT-kee) is Yiddish for “pancake.” On Chanukah, it is traditional to serve latkes (most often potato) fried in oil to celebrate the Chanukah miracle, which involved the oil of the Temple menorah lasting for eight days instead of just one. Those of the Jewish faith, eat foods that reflect the significance of a holiday—such as matzah on Passover and apples dipped in honey on Rosh Hashanah and Chanukah is no exception. For at least the last thousand years, Jews have traditionally eaten oily foods on Chanukah.” In other words, it’s tradition.

5Jan2023_1_Captains Shack_Hoppin John Cooks

Hoppin’ John, on the other hand, is a traditional southern United States dish that is usually eaten on New Year’s Day to bring good luck. The recipe, although not totally like this one, dates back to the early 1800s and is made with ham, or ham hocks, black eyed peas (cow peas), rice, bacon and collard greens, or if you want spinach or rainbow chard. The first written recipe appeared in “the Carolina Housewife” in 1847. It was written by Charlestonian Sarah Rutledge.

5Jan2023_1b_Captains Shack_Marge Crab Dip

This third dish is actually an appetizer. We originally had it at the home of my brother and his wife. I love it! Full of blue crab and I have added the salad shrimp and green onion. It is probably best to make it and then refrigerate it for a while so as to let all the flavors “marry”. Chilling after making, brings out the sweetness and flavor of the blue crab. Chilling brings out the Taste of The Sea, Goût de la mer.

I hope you try some, or all, of these recipes. All are good and fun to prepare, even though the Hoppin’ John is a little involved to make, but not impossible.

To Chew or not to Chew? To Peel or not to Peel? Those are the questions.

30 Friday Dec 2022

Posted by Bob and Robin in Carrots, Cooking Styles, Food Prep, Food Trivia, Fruits, Healthy Eating, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Pickles, Plums, Potatoes, Sauces, Special Information, Squash, Tomatoes, Vegetables, What's For Dinner?

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Carrots, chewing, garden tomatoes, green tomatoes, Healthy Eating, potatoes

So now I am confronted with a dilemma. First, how many times do I chew a bite before I swallow? 5 times? 10 times? 20 times? 30 times?

And the second part of the dilemma is do I peel potatoes, carrots and tomatoes before I use them in a recipe?

My sources for this article are varied and it has taken a while to research the questions. My sources include, but are limited to thekitchn, healthline, intestinal.com and others. Most of the many resources reiterate

the answers, so I have chosen and condensed the articles to create this post. I do hope you find the information helpful and healthy.

Let’s start with chewing.Chewing creates more digestive enzymes in the saliva and are helpful in breaking down food further and to aid in digestion. Chewing also triggers the stomach to produce more hydrochloric acid and regulating the pH to assist in food breakdown. When you chew your food properly, the food gets broken down into smaller pieces and mixes with saliva to extract the greatest amount of nutrients,

If you are not chewing your food thoroughly, you are likely eating to quickly which can lead to over eating. The metabolic syndrome is marked by obesity, high cholesterol levels, blood pressure problems and glucose levels to high. Metabolic Syndrome can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and certain cancers. (Dr. Supriya Rao, MD, Gastroenterology Consultants)

If you don’t chew your food enough, it could lead to bloating, diarrhea, heartburn, acid reflux, cramps, nausea, headaches, skin problems, irritability, malnutrition and a over production of gas. Eating more fermented foods, sauerkraut and pickles for instance, will produce more digestive enzymes and beneficial bacteria. They can reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, gluten intolerance, allergies and asthma.

It is strongly that you chew your foods a minimum of 32 times! When I site in restaurants and around our table at meal time, I count my chews and everyone else. Mine, and my wifes, are right around 30+ chews before we swallow. I can’t say that for the people I am watching. 5 times, 10 times and swallow. So my question is: How can they possibly say they enjoyed their meal? They can’t! It’s your choice. Choose wisely.

Tomatoes, Carrots and Potatoes. To peel or not to peel?

By leaving the peels on the listed vegetables, and there are others too, The peels contain soluble and insoluble fiber, and both are important components of a healthy diet and add to the flavor of most dishes. Those vegetables that should be peeled, the peels are tough and hard to eat, are kabocha ( a sweet squash variety in the Cucurbitaceae family, related to gourds and pumpkins). Professional and home chefs cherish Kabocha for its exceptionally sweet flavor. Kabocha is considered to be even sweeter than butternut squash), red kuri (Red kuri squash is a small or medium sized winter squash with a hard, orange skin that can be used in all kinds of sweet and savory recipes), celery root and kohlrabi. Generally, unpeeled produce contains higher amounts of vitamins, minerals and other useful compounds, whereas peeled vegetables have had these compounds removed. Interesting to know that potatoes that are boiled or cooked with the skin on contain 332% more vitamin K, 142% more potassium, 111% more folate and 110% more magnesium and phosphorus than peeled potatoes. And fruits can contain 328 times more antioxidants in the peels than in the pulp. The peels can increase your intake of these nutrients when eaten with the pulp.

Tomato peels contain flavanols, a plant-based antioxidant and are linked to age related complications, i.e., lower risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Lycopene, a major source of antioxidants, is found in the tomato skins. If the skins of tomatoes are offensive to you, that is bitter, use a submersible hand blender to completely grind the skins into fine “bits”. The liquid will then be like a passata.

So there you have some information on fruits and vegetables. Use the information as you wish. If you question anything related to this article, please contact me and I will answer your questions. Thanks.

How to Make Sourdough Starter

14 Tuesday Apr 2020

Posted by Bob and Robin in Recipe - Sourdough, Sourdough, Sourdough Bread, sourdough directions, Special Information, What's For Dinner?

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Sourdough, sourdough instructions

Always great information from the FoodNetwork. This is no exception if you want to make your own sourdough!! Here is the original recipe From the Foodnetwork. Robin sent me this link.

Ingredients:
1 cup (4 ounces) whole-wheat or rye flour
Warm water between 65 to 80 degrees F (see notes below)
Unbleached all-purpose or bread flour, for feeding (see notes below)
Supplies:
One 1-quart glass jar, very clean (see notes below)
Rubber spatula
Kitchen scale or dry and liquid measuring cups (see notes below)
Notes:
Water: If you know your tap water to be high in chlorine, fill a vessel and let it sit uncovered overnight to release the chlorine before using to mix a starter. Alternately, you may use filtered water. Aim to keep your starter at 75 degrees F. If your environment is much colder, you might want to start with warmer water.
Flour: After the initial mix, you will feed your starter white flour — both all-purpose and bread flour work — just make sure it is unbleached and look for one that has a protein content between 11 to 12 percent for best results.
Jar: To ensure you don’t bring unwanted mold or bacteria into your starter, sterilize your jar by running it though a hot dishwasher wash cycle, or for canning jars, boil for 10 minutes.
Scale: A kitchen scale is optional but if you plan on keeping up your sourdough starter for a long period of time, it will make the feedings a bit easier, less messy and faster.
Day 1: Initial Mix
Add 1 cup (4 ounces) whole-wheat or rye flour into a very clean 1-quart jar along with 1/2 cup (4 ounces) warm tap or filtered water between 65 to 80 degrees F. Stir well until all the flour is moistened and the dough resembles a thick paste. Cover loosely with the lid or plastic wrap. Set out at warm room temperature (75 to 80 degrees F) for 24 hours.
Day 2: First Feeding
You will not likely notice much of a difference in appearance in the starter after the first 24 hours other than some condensation and a wheat-like aroma. You will need to begin feeding it to encourage growth. Use a rubber spatula to measure out 2/3 cup (5.5 ounces) of the starter and add it to a stainless steel or glass mixing bowl; discard any remaining starter. Add 1 cup (4 ounces) all-purpose or bread flour along with 1/2 cup (4 ounces) warm tap or filtered water between 65 to 80 degrees F to a stainless steel or glass mixing bowl. Stir well to combine all ingredients, making sure all the flour has been incorporated and the starter is well mixed. Return the starter to the jar. Cover again loosely with the lid or plastic wrap. Set out at warm room temperature (75 to 80 degrees F) for 24 hours.
Days 3 to 5: Two Feedings Per Day
On day 3 you should notice some activity in your starter. The mixture should look bubbly and it will probably have risen some. It will have a fresh, slightly tangy aroma. Now you’ll feed the starter twice a day. It’s best to arrange the times to conveniently work with your schedule. Keep them as evenly spaced apart as possible — every 12 hours is the goal. To feed the starter, give it a couple of good stirs to release any bubbles. Measure out a heaping 1/2 cup (4 ounces) starter and place it into a stainless steel or glass mixing bowl; discard any remaining starter. Add 1 cup (4 ounces) all-purpose or bread flour along with 1/2 cup (4 ounces) warm tap or filtered water between 65 to 80 degrees F to a stainless steel or glass mixing bowl. Stir well to combine all the ingredients, making sure all the dry flour has been incorporated and the starter is well mixed. Return the starter to the jar. Cover again loosely with the lid or plastic wrap. Set out at warm room temperature (75 to 80 degrees F). Repeat the process 12 hours later and every 12 hours for the next 2 days.
Days 4 and 5: Checking In
You may notice the activity in your starter will vary between feedings over the next 2 days. It should consistently look bubbly and sometimes foamy before each feeding. By day 5 it will have nearly doubled in size before you feed it. The aroma should be pleasantly sour and slightly yeasty.
Day 5 or 6: Ready to Go!
By day 5 or 6 your sourdough starter should be strong enough to use in your first loaf of bread. Check the signs: The starter should be nearly doubling in volume between feedings and look very bubbly and slightly foamy at the surface. It should also have a strong, but pleasant acidic aroma. If you don’t feel your starter is ready, continue feeding it in 12-hour increments for another day or two.
Maintenance and Storage:
For frequent bakers: If you are baking with your starter more than once a week, keep it at cool room temperature (65 to 50 degrees F) and feed it once a day as instructed above.
For occasional bakers: If you are baking once a week or less, you want to slow the starter’s growth by storing it in the refrigerator. To prep your starter for cold storage, give it a regular feeding then let it ripen at warm room temperature until you see a good amount of activity, 3 to 4 hours. Then store in the refrigerator. Check the starter at least every other day and feed it weekly as instructed above, making sure to let it ripen at warm room temperature before you refrigerate it again. A refrigerated starter should smell pleasant and sour and you’ll see some bubbles on the surface. You should NOT see watery liquid on the surface or smell alcohol. If you do see liquid, try feeding it more frequently.
With time, you’ll get to know your starter and the environments and temperatures in which it will thrive best.

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1st Annual Idaho Truffle Dinner

24 Sunday Feb 2019

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5-Stars, Chardonnay, Chateau des Fleurs, Chicken, Classic Cuisines, Cooking Styles, Crème fraîche, Dinner at Chateau des Fleurs, Dinner With Robin, Food Photos, Idaho Truffles, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Potatoes, Restaurant Reviews, Restaurants To Try, Scallops, Sea Scallops, Special Dinners, Special Events, Special Information, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food, Wines - Idaho

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This was a fantastic event and I do hope we are able to enjoy it next year. It was hosted by the Idaho Truffle Association and you can get more information about Idaho truffles by clicking Here. The event was located at the Chateau des Fleurs located at 176 S. Rosebud Lane, Eagle, Idaho 83616, Phone 208-947-2840. And yes, this is a high-end, 5-Star restaurant. But worth every penny. Here is the exquisite Menu. Enjoy your meal. You can Left-Click any of these photos to see them enlarged.

The menu for this event.

One of the wines we had. 2014 Roghani Vineyards Chardonnay

Pan Seared Chicken Breast
Cipollini and Shimengi Mushroom Risotto
Shaved Black Perigord Truffles
2014 Roghani Vineyards Chardonnay

Confit Idaho Yukon Potato
Truffle Pommes Puree
Infused Crème Fraîche
Shaved Bianchetti Truffle
2014 Roghani Vineyards Un-Oaked Chardonnay

Chef Jimenez Inspired Truffle Ravioli
Ravioli Filled with Brie and Parmesan
Binachetti Truffle and Moral Mushrooms
Bianchetti Nage and Beurre Noisette Bread Crumbs
2014 Roghani Vineyards Chardonnay

Truffle Infused Sweet Breads
Sweet Breads with Seared Scallop
Foie and Celeriac Puree
Celery Gelee
Parmesan Truffle Essence
Fresh Shaved Bianchetti Truffle and Shimengi Mushroom
Petit Herbs
2013 Roghani Vineyards Riesling

Truffle Almond Bread Pudding
Bianchetti Infused Ice Cream
Truffle Crème Anglaise
2014 Roghani Vineyards Late Harvest Riesling

And then for breakfast on Sunday morning, I made us Potato Benedict using Air Fried potato slices for the English muffin. Really good.

Potato Benedict

Because Inquiring Minds Need to Know

23 Saturday Feb 2019

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food - Japanese, Japanese Food, Recipes, Recipes - Japanese, Sake, Salmon, Seafood, Soup, Special Events, Special Information, Sushi, What's For Dinner?

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Hina Matsuri, Japanese recipes

I found this to be interesting. That’s probably because of my Cultural Anthropology background.

Hina Matsuri in Japan

Source: https://matcha-jp.com/en/753
Although it is not a national holiday, March 3rd is a special day for girls. Families who don’t have young daughters might not do anything special on this day.
March 3rd is Japanese Girls’ Day or Hinamatsuri. Ornate dolls are displayed in the family home to mark the beginning of spring and to wish good health and good fortune for all of the girls in the family.
However, a tradition of this festival is still passed down until now. Actually, how people celebrate Hina Matsuri is different from place to place. We will introduce here what the Japanese people usually do on this day.
Hina Dolls represent what the imperial family was like in the ancient times. The dolls on the top tire of the platforms represent the emperor and the empress. The rest of the dolls are three court ladies, five musicians and the minister of the Right and Left who used to support the government in the old days. There are some decorations such as Gissha (oxcarts), small cupboards, Japanese paper lamps called “Bonbori”, and orange and peach tree branches displayed on the tire of platforms.
The facial expressions and costumes of each doll are also different depending on their personality and position.
The special meals for Hina Matsuri are Amazake (sweet drink), Chirashizushi (a style of sushi) and Hina Arare (sweet colorful rice crackers).
Amazake is a traditional Japanese sweet and thick drink made from fermented glutinous rice. Amazake literally means “sweet alcohol” but it has less than 1 percent of Shirozake alcohol in it. So children are also able to drink it.

Shirozake

Drinking Shirozake, which is a traditional sweet sake, was one of the customs to get rid of bad things out from your body. But Shirozake is an alcoholic drink, so Amazake was made with the children in mind.
Hina Arare are colorful and cute small rice crackers. The colors of these rice crackers have meanings. White represents the earth of the winter, pink and red represent life, while green represents the green shoots in the spring. Hina Arare is a snack showing our expectations toward the arrival of spring after the long cold winter. People also say that you will live healthy for this coming year if you eat each color of Hina Arare.
Chirashizushi is a type of Sushi which has lotus roots, shrimp and thinly shredded egg omelet on the top of vinegar rice. It has been a dish enjoyed widely at celebrations.
The ingredients in Chirashizushi have meanings as well. The lotus root is said to give one the power to see what will happen in the future, shrimps are a symbol of longevity and so on.

Source: https://www.thespruceeats.com/japanese-girls-day-hinamatsuri-party-dishes-2031057
As with almost all holidays, food and drink play a role on Girls’ Day, with rice wine and rice cakes taking center stage, along with flower blossoms. Hinamatsuri is also called Momo no Sekku, which means a festival of peach blossoms. Peach blossoms, shiro-zake (white fermented rice wine) and hishi-mochi (diamond-shaped rice cakes) are placed on the stand with the hina dolls. Hishi-mochi are colored pink representing peach flowers, white representing snow, and green representing new growth.
Traditionally, girls in Japan invited their friends to a home party to celebrate this festival. Many people prepare a special meal for girls on this day, including savory dishes such as chirashi, which is sugar-flavored, vinegared sushi rice with raw fish on top; clam soup served in the shell; and edamame maze-gohan, mixed rice usually consisting of brown rice and soybeans.
Other popular dishes to serve at a Girl’s Day celebration are inari sushi—rice-stuffed tofu pockets—with miso grilled salmon and cabbage ramen salad. Sweets are on the menu as well, incorporating a feminine shade of pink, like chi chi dango, which are pink pillows of mochi (glutinous rice flour and coconut milk), a favorite among children, and sakura-mochi, a pink, sweet rice cake. Some families include an impressive edible centerpiece, such as the layered chirashi sushi cake.

Some recipes for Hina Matsuri
(The recipes listed below can be found at the link above.)

Chirashizuchi

Easy Seafood Chirashizushi: Use a shortcut of packaged sushi seasoning to quickly season steamed rice and add pre-cooked gomoku vegetables for this delectable dish. Add your favorite toppings of choice.
Edamame Maze-Gohan (Mixed Rice): Is easy to prepare, especially for large crowds. Steamed rice is mixed with furikake seasoning, bottled nametake (seasoned mushrooms), and shelled edamame for a delicious rice dish.
Inari Sushi: Preparing a dish for a large crowd doesn’t need to be complicated. Find out the secrets of making quick inari sushi with impressive results.
Cabbage Ramen Salad: This spin on the traditional Chinese chicken salad recipe uses crunchy dried ramen noodles, cabbage, and shredded chicken to create a zesty Japanese-fusion salad.
Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken Wings: Let your slow cooker do all the work to whip-up a batch of delicious teriyaki chicken wings with just a few ingredients, and use the free time to prepare a few other dishes.

Miso Ginger Marinated Grilled Salmon

Miso Grilled Salmon: Miso-grilled salmon can easily be prepared by making the marinade ahead of time and then letting the salmon marinade for a few days in the fridge. All you need is an oven or a grill to cook up delicious fillets in under 40 minutes.
Clam Soup: A traditional soup that is often enjoyed on Hinamatsuri is clam soup. This clear style soup is known as sumashijiru and is simply seasoned from the broth of the clams.
Chi Chi Dango: These pillowy soft bites of mochi are made of glutinous rice flour and coconut milk. These pink, soft mochi are an absolute favorite among children.
Sakura Mochi: Sakura mochi is a glutinous rice dish that is often enjoyed during Hinamatsuri. This slightly sweetened, pink mochi is filled with sweet red beans (koshian) and wrapped in a salted sakura (young cherry blossom) leaf.

What’s the Difference Between Stock and Broth?

24 Wednesday Jan 2018

Posted by Bob and Robin in Beef, Captain's Shack, Classic Sauces, Food Prep, Herbs, Homemade Stock, Idaho Beef, Photos By: Bob Young, Special Information, Stocks and Soups, What's For Dinner?

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broth, making stock or broth, stock

Roasted Beef Bone Stock with fresh grated Turmeric and Ginger, sea salt and fresh ground pepper.

This has been a question that I get quite often. It’s time to post a response. From Emma Christensen at thekitchn.com our answer seems to be quite clear. And non-complicated.

For years I assumed that “stock” and “broth” were interchangeable terms for the same thing: liquid flavored with vegetables, meat scraps, and bones, used as the base for soups, sauces, and other dishes.
But is this actually the case? It turns out there is a slight but significant difference between stock and broth.

The Primary Difference Between Stock & Broth
Often stocks and broths both start off the same way: scraps of vegetable, meat, and bone are slowly simmered to extract as much flavor as possible. But there is technically a difference between the two.

Broth: Technically speaking, broth is any liquid that has had meat cooked in it. Of course, now broth really is a catch-all for any flavored cooking liquid, including broths made by simmering fish, vegetables, or even legumes.
Stock: Stock, however, always involves bones, simmered for a long time to extract their gelatin and flavor. The thick, often-gelatinous nature of stocks is only possible when bones are present. Roasting the bones makes for a richer, more deeply colored stock, but it’s not essential to the process.
Seasoning Makes a Difference
There are other differences as well; chief among them is seasoning. Stock is a liquid that is left unseasoned for cooking with. But broth is usually seasoned and can be drunk or eaten on its own.

For the most part, a stock should be an unseasoned liquid. Broths, on the other hand, get some seasoning. We add salt; some other spices, like black pepper; and perhaps a splash of wine — all for the purpose of making this neutral stock taste delicious and drinkable on its own.

So, a more technical definition for broth would actually be “seasoned stock.” Now that the salt and other seasonings are added in, broth is tasty and satisfying.

It might seem like stock will always end up salted and seasoned once it’s used, and therefore saying there’s a difference between the two is really just splitting hairs, but the point of stock is that you have control over how it gets salted and seasoned from dish to dish. Maybe the stock will be used for poaching fish, so you only want a little or no salt. Maybe you’ll be reducing it down to a sauce, so starting off with a salted broth will make the reduction taste too salty. The point is that stock is a blank slate, while an already seasoned broth is not.

(Image credit: Emma Christensen)
A New Way of Doing It
Culinary schools and passed-down kitchen wisdom say that broth is made from meat and stock is made from bones. Meat gives flavor, which is why it is necessary in a broth that can be eaten alone. Bones, cartilage, and skin have collagen, which when heated, turns into gelatin that gives a stock body and a thicker, richer texture in the mouth.

However, whether you’re making a meat-based stock or broth, it’s always best to include as much raw material as possible. While you can skew the proportions in either direction, depending on what scraps you have or what flavor and body you’re going for, having both will ensure that your stock or broth is flavorful yet has body and isn’t thin. And if your liquid is cloudy, don’t sweat it — flavor is the important thing here.

Are Store-bought Stock and Broth the Same?
All of this said, this difference between stock and broth is fairly confined to the restaurant and professional culinary world. In our home kitchens, the terms are generally interchangeable.

I also see “stock” and “broth” both used to describe the same product in the grocery store, sometimes salted and sometimes not. Personally, if I’m not making my own, I prefer to buy brands with the least amount of sodium (salt) since that gives me the most control with my own seasoning.

What do you think? In your everyday cooking, is this a technical difference, or do stocks and broths both have a place in your cooking?

Robert Burns Night Coming Up!

08 Monday Jan 2018

Posted by Bob and Robin in Beef, Birthdays, Bobby Burns, Cooking Styles, Ethnic Foods, Food of Scotland, Haddock, Haggis, Hard To Find Recipes, Interesting Information, Lamb, Potatoes, Special Dinners, Special Events, Special Information, Turnips, What's For Dinner?

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Bobby Burns, Haggis

The Bobby Burns Supper Night is coming up on the anniversary of his birthday on January 25. He was born on January 25, 1759. The supper night is celebration of his poetry and songs.
“Robert Burns was born on 25 January 1759 in the village of Alloway, two miles south of Ayr. His parents, Willian Burnes[s] and Agnes Broun, were tenant farmers but they ensured their son received a relatively good education and he began to read avidly. The works of Alexander Pope, Henry Mackenzie and Laurence Sterne fired Burns’s poetic impulse and relationships with the opposite sex provided his inspiration. Handsome Nell, for Nellie Kilpatrick, was his first song. [robertburns.org]”
According to Wikipedia,

Robert Burns (25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796), also known as Rabbie Burns, the Bard of Ayrshire, Ploughman Poet and various other names and epithets, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who have written in the Scots language, although much of his writing is also in English and a light Scots dialect, accessible to an audience beyond Scotland. He also wrote in standard English, and in these writings his political or civil commentary is often at its bluntest.[robertburns.org]

He died July 25, 1796 at the age of 37. So why is he so famous?
“The Ploughman poet. Poems Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect – The Kilmarnock Edition. The main reason Burns is so popular today is because of the themes and language of everyday life that he used. His poems were humorous and he used small subjects to express big ideas. [robertburns.org]
So, you say, what prose or poetry did he write that I might know? Try Auld Lang Syne But the poetry that I like best is,

A Red, Red Rose (1794)
O my Luve’s like a red, red rose,
That’s newly sprung in June:
O my Luve’s like the melodie,
That’s sweetly play’d in tune.

As fair art thou, my bonie lass,
So deep in luve am I;
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
Till a’ the seas gang dry.

Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi’ the sun;
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
While the sands o’ life shall run.

And fare-thee-weel, my only Luve!
And fare-thee-weel, a while!
And I will come again, my Luve,
Tho’ ’twere ten thousand mile!”

You can find a list and links to his works at Robert Burns Works.

OK. But what about the party? The dinner or supper?
“The annual celebratory tribute to the life, works and spirit of the great Scottish poet, Robert Burns (1759-1796). Celebrated on, or about, the Bard’s birthday, January 25th, Burns Suppers range from stentoriously formal gatherings of esthetes and scholars to uproariously informal rave-ups of drunkards and louts. Most Burns Suppers fall in the middle of this range, and adhere, more or less, to some sort of time honoured form which includes the eating of a traditional Scottish meal, the drinking of Scotch whisky, and the recitation of works by, about, and in the spirit of the Bard.

Every Burns Supper has its own special form and flavour, though there are probably more similarities than differences among these gastro-literary affairs. Individual tastes and talents will determine the character of your Burns Supper. Some celebrants may contribute the composition of original songs or poems; some may excel at giving toasts or reciting verse; while others may be captivating storytellers. A particular group of celebrants will, over time, develop a unique group character which will distinguish their Burns Supper celebration from every other.” [robertburns.org]
Let’s start here –

A Bottle And Friend (1787)
There’s nane that’s blest of human kind,
But the cheerful and the gay, man,
Fal, la, la, &c.

Here’s a bottle and an honest friend!
What wad ye wish for mair, man?
Wha kens, before his life may end,
What his share may be o’ care, man?

Then catch the moments as they fly,
And use them as ye ought, man:
Believe me, happiness is shy,
And comes not aye when sought, man.
__________
from Burns Night: My Supper With Rabbie

Is there that o’re his French ragout,
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi’ perfect sconner,
Looks down wi’ sneering, scronful’ view
On sic a dinner? [robertburns.org]

Here is one recipe for the traditional supper.

BRIDIES

Pastry
2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/3 c. butter
1/3 c. shortening
5-6 T. ice water

Meat Filling
1 and 1/2 lean steak (flank or round)
4 tsp. butter (or suet)
1 onion- finely diced
1 carrot- finely diced
salt and pepper

1. Sauté vegetables in the butter until soft
2. Slice meat into very long thin slices, on the diagonal. Cut into pieces 1 inch long. Mix with sautéed veggies. Salt and pepper to taste.
3. Roll out pastry and cut into 4″-5″ circles. Arrange meat on top, brush edges with egg wash, fold over and crimp together. Slit a hole in each pie. Egg wash tops if desired. Bake 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Makes 10-12 small pies.

For the rest of the Bobby Burns Supper Menu, including Cullen Skink (haddock), Bridies (recipe above), The (Bagless) Haggis and Neeps and Tatties (turnips and potatoes), follow this like – Burns Supper Recipes [robertburns.org].

Question – What is sriracha?

20 Tuesday Sep 2016

Posted by Bob and Robin in Chef Michael Symon, Chicken, Condiments, Special Information, Spice Blends, Spices, Spices of Thailand, Spicy Food, Sriracha Chili Sauce, What's For Dinner?

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Michael Symon, sriracha, sriracha chicken

Actually, a very good question and I thank Wendy Haight Scribner, on FaceBook, for asking, “What is “sriracha” and how do you use it when you cook??I just saw a video for pork chops and I’m wondering what this is made of?”
Well, Wendy and others, generally speaking sriracha is a red, spicy sauce a lot like hot sauce, but not as hot as jalapeno or tobasco sauce, at least in my opinion. It really is a good one and we keep a jar in the refrigerator all the time. I’ll get you a better definition. Inquiring minds need to know, so from Wikipedia we learn,

Sriracha (Thai: ศรีราชา, Thai pronunciation: [sǐː rāː.t͡ɕʰāː]; English /sᵻˈrɑːtʃə/) is a type of hot sauce or chili sauce made from a paste of chili peppers, distilled vinegar, garlic, sugar, and salt. It is named after the coastal city of Si Racha, in Chonburi Province of eastern Thailand, where it may have been first produced for dishes served at local seafood restaurants.
Sriraja Paniche
Sriracha “Rooster Sauce”
Sriraja Panich chili sauce by Thai Theparos Food Products and Tương Ớt Sriracha (“Rooster Sauce”) by Huy Fong Foods.
In Thailand, sriracha is frequently used as a dipping sauce, particularly for seafood. In Vietnamese cuisine, sriracha appears as a condiment for phở, fried noodles, a topping for spring rolls (chả giò), and in sauces.
Sriracha is also eaten in soup, on eggs and burgers. Jams, lollipops, and cocktails have all been made using the sauce. and sriracha-flavored potato chips have been marketed.

Matt Bush, on FaceBook, tells us,

Amazing story of a Vietnamese refugee who fled South Vietnam when the communist took over. Became one of the boat people. Was rescued and picked up buy a Chinese ship named Huy Fong…He named his company after the ship that saved him. He and his family eventually made their way towards LA and started making his sauce for the local Asian market. He established a factory near Bakersfield. A truly great success story. I love the sauce, although spicy, it is really flavorful.

And from thrillist.com, more lessons on sriracha to contemplate,

1. You’re pronouncing it wrong
See-rotch-ah. Sriracha
2. Sriracha is the type of sauce; Huy Fong is the brand name
Accept no substitutes, even if they’re emblazoned with dragons.
3. It’s actually significantly less hot than a jalapeño
According to the benchmark of all things spicy, the Scoville scale, Sriracha scores 2,200 points. The red jalapeño peppers used in the sauce lose nearly half of their spiciness in processing, which puts the sauce on par with Fresno and Anaheim peppers — both of which are about as hot as their namesake cities.
4. They’re not just cocky
The rooster is the Chinese zodiac sign of the sauce’s founder.
5. Some dumbass drank 3lbs of the stuff
Spoiler alert: this video ends in a bathroom.
5a. Spice stack: Sriracha Pringles do not disappoint
6. The brand name comes from the ship that carried Huy Fong’s founder to the US
The founder, who was of Chinese descent, made the original version of Sriracha in Gerber baby food jars before immigrating to the US aboard the Huy Fong and restarting the business. (Yes, there is a Sriracha Cookbook!)
7. You can cook really good food with it. Bon Appetit came up with 25 delicious recipes, including Sriracha fried chicken. And there’s also a cookbook dedicated entirely to the condiment.
8. They produce over a ton of it every hour
The assembly line cranks out 3,000 bottles an hour, 24 hours a day, six days a week. That’s roughly 200 tons per week. They sell about 20 million bottles a year.
9. It totally got Lay’d
The rooster took an honorable mention in a Lay’s flavor design contest. Pringles and Kettle chips have also rolled out their own Sriracha flavors, and you can grab a Sriracha Quesarito from Taco Bell.
9a. Taste-Test: Sriracha Kettle chips
10. There is a documentary. No thanks to you. But luckily, 1,315 other people shelled out the money for a film via Kickstarter.
11. A hot sauce by any other name would smell as sweet
The name comes from the small coastal Thailand town Si Racha, population 19,221.
12. It is ranked the #1 hot sauce in the entire universe!

So after reading all of this, would you like to try Chef Michael Symon’s (The Chew) recipe for Twice Fried Chicken with Sriracha Honey? Aw be brave. The link is highlighted.

Happy Hour at Parma Ridge Winery and Restaurant

23 Saturday Jul 2016

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5-Stars, Beef, Bistro - Parma Ridge Winery, Boise Adventures, Boise Area Food Adventures, Buy Idaho, Chardonnay, Chef Storm Hodge, Chicken, Comfort Food, Dinner At Parma Ridge Restaurant, Dinner With Friends, Dinner With Robin, Dinner With The Winemaker, Green Salad, Idaho Chefs, Idaho Chicken, Idaho Greens, Idaho Wine, Locavore, Parma Ridge Specials, Parma Ridge Winery Bistro, Photos By: Bob Young, Restaurants, Restaurants To Try, Rib-Eye, Salmon, Snake River AVA, Special Dinners, Special Information, What's For Dinner?

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Parma Ridge Restaurant, Parma Ridge Winery

We’ve not been out to Parma Ridge Winery and Restaurant for their Friday Happy Hour until last night. Glad we went. They are very busy, so if you have a crowd of more than four, it’s best to call ahead. The patio is open and a large part of it is covered.The menu may also be somewhat different than the Saturday or Sunday Brunch menus. Check the link above for the available menus or look at This Weekend at Parma Ridge to see the menu varieties for at least one of the weekends. Whenever you go, and I highly suggest this 5-Star winery and restaurant, you will be treated to some awesome wines and definitely some awesome food as prepared by Chef Storm and Sous Chef Megan. The Staff in the restaurant has grown! They have added Sous Chef Megan and service Staff. Our server Tammy was excellent. Thank-You! Here is some of the Happy Hour food that was at our table. We did not eat all of this as Fred and Dottie Christensen joined us. Good to see friends there. Enjoy! We did.

Chicken Pesto Sandwich – $9.95
Grilled Chicken and Homemade Pesto with Prosciutto and melted Swiss Cheese on a Toasted Ciabatta Bun with Fresh Cut Truffle Fries

Fred had this.

Parma Ridge Pear Salad – $8.95, with Grilled Chicken $11.95
Mixed greens with apple cider vinaigrette, Bleu Cheese and Poached Pear with Grilled Bread

Dottie had this. The salad is huge!

One-Inch Cut Char-Grilled Ribeye Steak – $16.95
Topped with Bleu Cheese Butter and accompanied by Rosemary Truffle Mashed Potatoes with Cabernet Beef Demi-Glace, Grilled Asparagus and Storm’s Homemade Grilled Bread

Robin had this and took half of it home! It is a large portion.

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

This is what I had. Delicious and moist!

We did have wine. A wonderful blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot that paired wonderfully with asparagus. (Robin tried the newest rage of vanilla ice cream in red wine. She tried it with this blend. Wasn’t bad! If you like Guinness and Ice Cream you will probably like this.) And then we had some –

2015 Chardonnay, $16.50
Fargo Farms – Snake River Valley
Everything you would expect from the terroir of the area, this dry Chardonnay is made with Chardonnay grapes from Fargo Farms and a touch of Gewürztraminer from Parma Ridge Vineyards. This wine has been created to preserve the intense flavors and aromas without any manipulation. Hints of grapefruit and rosemary compliment the tart finish to be enjoyed any time of the year.

2015 Dry Riesling, $16.50
Fargo Farms – Snake River Valley
Made with 100% Riesling, this dry wine features melon with citrus notes and touches of honey crisp apple. This smooth wine is a perfect complement creamy pasta and sharp cheeses. This also pared very well with asparagus. Hard to find a wine that pares well with asparagus or artichoke and maybe avocado.

Such a great evening at the winery and restaurant. Definitely 5-Stars!!!

Meal Variations and Other Things

01 Tuesday Mar 2016

Posted by Bob and Robin in Apricots, Baking, Biscuits and Gravy, Breakfast, Breakfast At The Captains Shack, Breakfast With Robin, Captain's Shack, Chicken, Chutney, Comfort Food, Cooking Styles, Copper River Salmon, Crème fraîche, Cultural Differences, Curry, Dinner At The Captains Shack, Dinner For Robin, Eggs, Eggs Benedict, Eggs Poached, Ethnic Foods, Food of India, Ham, Hard To Find Recipes, Housemade Hollandaise Sauce, Housemade Sauces, Housemade Soup, Idaho Eggs, Idaho Pork, Idaho's Bounty, Indian Food, Mirepoix, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe by: Robin and Bob Young, Recipes - Sauces, Salmon, Sausage, Seafood, Sofritto, Soup, Special Information, What's For Dinner?

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biscuits, country gravy, Hollandaise Sauce, recipes

Such a great weekend again working in the kitchen. Warm enough outside to keep the kitchen door open. We can still find fresh, as such, asparagus but watch the prices. I saw prices vary here in Boise from $2.99 a pound for medium sized spears – which I bought – to $8.99 a pound for the skinny little spears, which I did not buy. It’s either $8.99 a pound for skinny little asparagus spears or my meds for this month. I chose my meds. (This is week #6 past open heart surgery for me. Go Team!) So with that introduction, here are some photos, and recipes, for our culinary endeavors for this past weekend. Enjoy!

Cream of Asparagus Soup

Such a good and rather easy soup to make. Here is the Recipe. Enjoy! It is really a good soup.

Homemade, absolutely superb biscuits! And bake them in a waffle iron for different effects. Just don’t cut them much thicker than about 1/2″. They will rise!

Waffle Biscuits

Here is the recipe for these Angel Biscuits. The original recipe came from Trisha Yearwood.

Salmon Benedict on Waffle Biscuits and Country Sausage Patty

Salmon and Ham Benedict on Waffle Biscuit and Country Sausage Patty

Cut those biscuits out. These are thicker – about 3/4″ – than the waffle biscuits.

Sausage Gravy and Biscuits
Scrambled Eggs with Hollandaise Sauce

Oh yes! The easiest Hollandaise ever. 5 minutes to make and no double boiler. Here is the Recipe – It is also in the recipe file above. And do you need a basic white gravy recipe? Here is my variation – White Gravy. Just add crumbled sausage for Sausage Gravy or sauteed dried beef for Creamed Dried Beef. Or try it over steamed asparagus. There’s a hundred thousand uses for this gravy. Be inventive. And daring.

I don’t have any photos for these recipes, but the plates were delicious. We made a chicken and then prepared a Chicken Curry Salad with some of the left-overs. (The rest are used in chicken stock!) But for the dressing we used this recipe, and it is superb! Chicken Curry Salad Dressing The curry dressing calls for a chutney. We don’t have any in the house. Don’t fret! Here is our own recipe for the Apricot and Cranberry Chutney.

Chutneys, by nature are, “Chutney (Hindi/ Nepali – “चटनी” also transliterated chatney or chatni, Sindhi: چٽڻي‎) is a side dish in the cuisines of the Indian subcontinent that can vary from a tomato relish to a ground peanut garnish or a yoghurt, cucumber and mint dip…Major Grey’s Chutney is a type of sweet and spicy chutney popular in the United Kingdom and the United States. The recipe was reportedly created by a 19th-century British Army officer of the same name (likely apocryphal) who presumably lived in Colonial India. Its characteristic ingredients are mango, raisins, vinegar, lime juice, onion, tamarind extract, sweetening and spices. Several companies produce a Major Grey’s Chutney, in India, the UK and the US…The word “chutney” is derived from the Hindi word chatṭnī, meaning to lick. It is written differently in North and South Indian languages (Nepali: चटनी, Gujarati: ચટણી, Bengali: চাটনি, Marathi: चटणी, Punjabi: ਚਟਣੀ, Tamil: சட்டினி chaṭṭiṉi, காரத் துவையல் karathuvaiyal, Kannada: ಚಟ್ನಿ, Hindi: चटनी, Urdu: چٹنی‎, Sindhi: چٽڻي‎, Malayalam: ചട്ടിണി, chattin̩i, ചമ്മന്തി, Telugu: పచ్చడి). Pacchadi, as written in Telugu script, refers specifically to pickled fruits, whilst chutney refers to minced foods, usually made out of coconuts.
In India, “chutney” refers to fresh and pickled preparations indiscriminately. Several Indian languages use the word for fresh preparations only. A different word achār (Hindi: अचार) applies to pickles that often contain oil and are rarely sweet.” [Wikipedia]

Our chutney, is but one of many variations of chutney. Ours is not cooked. Think of chutney as jerk sauce or sofrito, “…Italian soffritto, the Spanish sofrito, from Portuguese-speaking nations refogado (braised onions, garlic and tomato), the German Suppengrün (leeks, carrots and celeriac), the Polish włoszczyzna (leeks, carrots, celery root and parsley root), the U.S. Cajun and Creole holy trinity (onions, celery and bell peppers), and the French duxelles (onions, shallots, and mushrooms, sauteed in butter). Or Cajun Trinity – they can all vary from kitchen to kitchen. Fun stuff!