19 Thursday Dec 2013
I just received this information. And it has been a great saeson. I am so glad that they found an indoor venue for the market these past several weeks. We look forward to their return next Spring and maybe, just maybe, they will be able to continue year around. Hope so! Please do support them this last Saturday. Thanks.
04 Thursday Apr 2013
Don’t get me wrong. Robin and I really do like to eat out. And we do! But we also like to prepare our own meals – from scratch. And we do! But there comes a time when we really need to look at what we eat. The amount of processed foods that are consumed is phenomenal. “… Imagine if, just for one day, we all chose to buy only fresh, whole, real, sustainably-raised or harvested food, food that heals both our body and our environment. If we only buy foods without labels, foods that come from nature, and avoid any food made or processed in a factory or altered from its original state [GMO]. Imagine if we cooked and ate all those meals at home with family and friends (or made them at home and brought them with us to work or school)…”. (Mark Hyman, M.D.) Here is a good article on The Power of the Fork.
It is not difficult to prepare a meal as pictured here in these two photos. In 45 minutes, you can be sitting down to a scrumptious, home cooked meal. The photo above is Broiled Lamb Chops (could be Pork Chops), Balsamic Brussels Sprouts and a Green Salad. The photo to the right is Broiled Lime Curd Mahi Mahi, Mango Salsa, Waldorf Salad and Carrot, Asparagus and Onion Medley. Prepare a meal that you control what ingredients to use, like we did here. Not some pre-packaged or pre-prepared boxed food.
Try making your own dinner just one day a week and start with Sunday, April 7. Read the article that is linked above. You may not agree with all of it – I don’t – but the one quoted statement that is used above, makes a lot of sense. To me. probably the most powerful statement in the article is this one: “Imagine if we cooked and ate all those meals at home with family and friends (or made them at home and brought them with us to work or school).” Just imagine. Thanks for listening and think seriously about April 7 and preparing your own meal that one day.
15 Friday Mar 2013
We don’t normally write about a specific product on this blog, but here is one exception. Sun Valley Mustard is an awesome product and well worth the money spent. It is produced right here in Idaho. Sun Valley, Idaho to be exact. This mustard has several different variations. Some sweet. Some spicy. Some so very smooth. Some varieties are: Spicy Sweet, Chardonnay, Amber Ale, Sweet Garlic, Dill Mustard and Hot Jalapeno. These are good with fish, beef, lamb, pork, white meat, sausage meats, dips, sauces, dressings and corned beef to name but a few. There is a more specific listing in the article, linked below. Here is an excerpt of that article.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Gourmet favorite Sun Valley Mustard wins Silver and Gold Medals at the 2012 World-Wide Mustard
Competition!Sun Valley Mustard has won multiple national awards, in blind taste tests judged by specialty food industry experts, chefs and others. They include 1st place, Chili Mustard division for Hot Jalapeno; 1st place, Spirit-based division for Chardonnay; and 1st place, beer division for Amber Ale, from Food Distributor Magazine. Several flavors have also won prizes at the Napa Valley Mustard Festival worldwide competition. Most recently, Sun Valley won a Silver Medal for its signature flavor, Spicy-Sweet and a Gold Medal for its Labels and Packaging at the 2012 World-Wide Mustard Competition. Over 300 mustard brands entered. Sun Valley Mustard is owned by Josh Wells of Ketchum, Idaho and a group of investors. “We couldn’t be more thrilled,” Wells said. “Spicy-Sweet is the original Sun Valley Mustard and in our 28 year history, its never won an award.” (Sun Valley’s other flavors are multiple award winners). “And we’re really proud of our new label. We re-designed it to include an iconic image of Bald Mountain, Sun Valley’s main ski hill, and differentiated our flavors with bright, contrasting backgrounds. The judges loved it!
[Blog Edited]
Here is the rest of the article on Sun Valley Mustard. There are recipes in this article, too. Along with the complete list of the mustard winners and you can read the labels to see the ingredients. A really good and complete article. An interesting read! Cheers and enjoy!
12 Monday Mar 2012
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| (From http://bloggingerika.hubpages.com) |
Have you ever wondered why some chicken eggs are green or blue or pink or brown? Do pink eggs come from lightly colored red chickens? Does chocolate milk come from brown cows? Actually … NO! Gretchen Anderson, author of The Backyard Chicken Fight (Mill Park Publishing/2011), states that, “The egg shell colors run the spectrum from white to dark brown (as dark as a Hershey chocolate bar). And, there are the chickens (Ameraucanas and Araucanas) that are the so-called “Easter Egg-er” chickens because they lay green, blue and pink eggs. The eggs all taste the same despite the different color shells.” And then there are those that say that the color of the ear lobe determines egg color. Chickens have ear lobes? I didn’t know that. “If you carefully push back the feathers on the sides of a hen’s head, you will see the hen’s ears. White ears correspond to white eggs. Reddish brown ears correspond with brown eggs. This correlation supposedly holds up for light green and bluish eggs, as well”, says Shirley Corriher (internationally renowned culinary expert) writes in her book CookWise.
Really? Most of the sources that I came across, said that the color of the chicken feathers or skin or ear lobes may have some correlation with eggshell color but they do not determine color. OK. So where does the color come from, then? The biological answer from Yahoo Answers, Backyardchickens.com and Wisegeek, among others, all agree that, “It’s all about genetics. Eggshell color is in genes inherited from the chicken’s parents. Egg shell color ranges from white, cream, pink, brown, blue, green to even dark brown chocolate colored. It has to do with pigments called porphyrins that are deposited along the hen’s reproductive system as the egg passes along the tract and the shell forms. Different porphyrins cause different shell colors. For example, brown eggs are the result of the pigment protoporphyrin. Auracauna chickens lay green eggs becuase they posses the pigment oocyanin, which causes the green/blue eggs.”
Barbara Joan Myhre, the Chicken Lady, agrees with this statement when she says, “Thus sayeth the chicken lady: The Aruacana is is the breed which lays the colored eggs. Usually, we get blue, green or blue/green ones, but occasionally get pink ones. We were always told that the earlobe color is indicative of the egg color. However, Aruacanas have no earlobes. They have lovely feathers which look like outward facing sideburns. If they have earlobes, we’ve not seen them. We also have some precious varieties, with great feather patterns. Silkies, have lovely, soft feathers.” And Victoria Williams adds to this when she says, “Well supposedly color of ear lobes….and breed, of course. Our Barred Plymouth Rock (Tootsie) lays the proper light brown colored egg she’s supposed to, as does our Silver Laced Wyandotte, Jelly Bean. Our Araucana, or Easter Egger, Ginger, on the other hand, is supposed to be laying blue or green eggs but all we get from her is light brown which also may be considered pink. We’re planning on adding to our flock next spring and I’d love to find a couple of French Maran chickens which lay dark chocolate colored eggs.” Can you tell all of these folk love to work with their chickens?
Which finally leads us to the last question: Which specific breeds of chickens lay the most varied colored eggs? “White eggs = the ancestors of chickens that lay these originated in the Mediterranean. One of the most Ancient breeds is the Dorking that came from Rome during the time of the Roman empire.
Brown eggs = the ancestors of chickens that lay these came from Asia, primarily China. The Cochin is a very old breed from China.
Blue eggs = the ancestors of chickens that lay these came from South America. The Araucana is best known for laying blue eggs. A true Araucana is rumpless, having no tail at all (not even the fleshy part). A modern breed that lays blue eggs is the Ameraucana which does have a tail. All other egg colors come from blended genetics. For example, breed an Ameraucana (blue eggs) to a White Rock (brown eggs) and the pullets will usually lay greenish eggs.” (Backyardchickens.com)
Interesting information! From the evidence that I have read, the color of a chicken eggs is determined by genetics and that the color of the feathers or ear lobes may have a correlation to the egg colors. Specific breeds of chickens may also lay different colors of eggs. Further investigation and reading will reveal that there are three main colors for chicken eggs. Most eggs in the store come in white or shades of brown. It is also possible to find blue to green chicken eggs which come from the Aracuana, a breed of chicken developed in Chile. Araucanas have also been crossed with other breeds to produce the Americauna, sometimes called the “Easter Egg” chicken in a reference to its multicolored eggs.
I must thank Gretchen Anderson, author of Backyard Chicken Fight (Mill Park Publishing/2011), Barbara Joan Myhre, the Chicken Lady and Victoria Williams, backyard chicken raiser, for the information they provided for this post. Other sources include Yahoo Answers, Backyardchickens.com, Funtrivia, Wisegeek, Murry McMurry Hatchery in Webster City, Iowa and Backyard Poultry Magazine, March 12, 2012 article “Ameraucanas” by John W Blehm, Pres Ameraucana Breeders Club.
01 Thursday Dec 2011
Posted in German Recipes, Special Information, Things To Do, Thought For The Day, Yeast
Here is an interesting study of yeast and a great resource link. I got this information at one of the food blogs I read, My Best German Recipes. (Sign-Up for their weekly posts.) The complete article can be found by following this link: All About Yeast. There is a good recipe for making a sponge starter, poolish, or levain.
Yeast Dictionary
German Baking is using a lot of yeast and some recipes require fresh yeast. In any case you should have questions about yeast, this post will clarify it.
Source: Leaven Yeast, the Cooks Thesaurus. (This link will give you the same information as the link above, just a different site.)Yeast Notes: Yeast is a one-celled fungus that converts sugar and starch into carbon dioxide bubbles and alcohol. This has made it a useful ally in the production of bread, beer, and wine. There are many varieties of yeast. Bread is made with baker’s yeast, which creates lots of bubbles that become trapped in the dough, making the bread rise so it’s light and airy when baked. A small amount of alcohol is also produced, but this burns off as the bread bakes. Beer yeast and wine yeast are used to convert sugar into alcohol and, in the case of beer and champagne, bubbles. You should never eat raw active yeast, since it will continue to grow in your intestine and rob your body of valuable nutrients. But once deactivated through pasteurization, yeast is a good source of nutrients. Brewer’s yeast and nutritional yeast, for example, are sold as nutritional supplements, and Australians are fond of yeast extracts–like Vegemite, Marmite, and Promite–which they spread like peanut butter on bread.
Read the complete article by following this link: All About Yeast. Enjoy!
08 Thursday Sep 2011
Posted in Party Time, Seasons Bistro, Things To Do, Thought For The Day
I thought some of you might be interested in this and have some great appetizers at the Season’s Bistro in Eagle. This event will help support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Thursday September 8, 6:30pm – 9:00pm. Here is a PDF Flyer for you to look at or to have. I am all wrapped up in a wedding this weekend and will not make this, but do go and support this worthy cause! Cheers!
04 Sunday Sep 2011
Go Broncos!! 34-21 over the Georgia Bulldogs, Woof! And to celebrate I made these
And such a treat. The Hollandaise Sauce was made from scratch and the eggs were from a local farmer.
And Buddy says, “That’s my job!” And my Mother, looking down, says, “What do you think you are doing?”
And then Robin asks, “What is the origin of Eggs Benedict? Benedict Arnold?” Good question. Here is at least one answer from History of Eggs Benedict
The History of Eggs BenedictWill the real Benedict stand up.
There have been severalCharles Ranhofer
Eggs Benedict” – 1860s -Credit is given to Delmonico’s Restaurant, the very first restaurant or public dining room ever opened in the United States. In the 1860’s, a regular patron of the restaurant, Mrs. LeGrand Benedict, finding nothing to her liking and wanting something new to eat for lunch, discussed this with Delmonico’s Chef Charles Ranhofer (1836-1899),Chef Charles Ranhofer
Ranhofer came up with Eggs Benedict. He has a recipe called Eggs a’ la Benedick (Eufa a’ la Benedick) in his cookbook called The Epicurean published in 1894.:Eggs à la Benedick – Cut some muffins in halves crosswise, toast them without allowing to brown, then place a round of cooked ham an eighth of an inch thick and of the same diameter as the muffins one each half. Heat in a moderate oven and put a poached egg on each toast. Cover the whole with Hollandaise sauce.
OR ……………..Commodore E.C. Benedict
Craig Claiborne, in September 1967, wrote a column in The New York Times Magazine about a letter he had received from Edward P. Montgomery, an American then residing in France. In it, Montgomery related that the dish was created by Commodore E.C. Benedict, a banker and yachtsman, who died in 1920 at the age of 86. Montgomery also included a recipe for eggs Benedict, stating that the recipe had been given to him by his mother, who had received it from her brother, who was a friend of the Commodore.[3]Elizabeth David
Another origin of the dish is suggested in Elizabeth David’s, French Provincial Cooking, where she describes a traditional French dish named œufs bénédictine, consisting of brandade (a puree of refreshed salt cod and potatoes), spread on triangles of fried bread. A poached egg is then set on top and napped with hollandaise. This story would also explain the distinctly French syntax, where the adjective follows, rather than precedes, the noun (although Oysters Rockefeller has the same syntax without needing a Romance-language origin). No one knows how this dish got to America but If Charles Ranhofer could have known of the œufs bénédictine and thought of the coincidence of the LeGrande’s request and merged the two. Brilliant! The Canadian bacon or ham is probably preferred to the Salt Cod by MOST!Mrs. Isabella Beeton
Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management (Oxford World’s Classics) had recipes in the first edition (1861) for “Dutch sauce, for benedict” (p. 405) and its variant on the following page, “Green sauce, or Hollandaise verte”, This gives me the idea that this belonged to the salt cod, That Mrs. David writes about. This would have been the perfect Lent or Friday Catholic dish as well so would have been popular.
Interesting information. Then there is always the question on how to make the sauce that goes over the eggs. It is called Hollandaise Sauce, which in The Sauce Bible by David Paul Larousse, is also called a Dutch Sauce. Here is one recipe by Tyler Florence, the one we use, Hollandaise Sauce.
Hollandaise SauceIngredients
4 egg yolks
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)
Pinch cayenne
Pinch salt
Directions
Vigorously whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice together in a stainless steel bowl and until the mixture is thickened and doubled in volume. Place the bowl over a saucepan containing barely simmering water (or use a double boiler,) the water should not touch the bottom of the bowl.
Continue to whisk rapidly. Be careful not to let the eggs get too hot or they will scramble. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter and continue to whisk until the sauce is thickened and doubled in volume.
Remove from heat, whisk in cayenne and salt. Cover and place in a warm spot until ready to use for the eggs benedict. If the sauce gets too thick, whisk in a few drops of warm water before serving.
There is one recipe. If one Googles “recipe for classic dutch sauce” you will get this, among many others. Dutch Food – Hollandaise Sauce.
Hollandaise SauceHollandaise sauce was made famous by the French, but some historians believe that it was, in fact, a Dutch creation, which was taken back to France by the Huguenots. It goes exceedingly well with asparagus, but is also excellent with delicate flavors like fish.
Ingredients:
4 egg yolks
4 tbsp dry white wine (e.g. Pinot Blanc d’ Alsace)
1 cup melted butter (100 g)
Pinch of nutmeg
1/2 tsp lemon juice
Pinch of salt and white pepper
Preparation:
In a small saucepan, beat egg yolks and wine until foamy. Place on a low heat and beat continuously until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and add melted butter in a thin trickle, while continuing to whisk. Add nutmeg, lemon juice, salt and white pepper. Whisk again before serving.
Have fun with these. Both of these sauces are classics and should be in every ones, who likes to work in a kitchen, recipe file. Enjoy!
There is one sauce that is related to the Hollandaise Sauce and the is the Béarnaise Sauce. Here is some information on Béarnaise Sauce.
Béarnaise sauce (French: Sauce béarnaise) is a sauce made of clarified butter emulsified in egg yolks and flavored with herbs. It is considered to be a ‘child’ of the mother Hollandaise sauce, one of the five sauces in the French haute cuisine mother sauce repertoire. The difference is only in their flavoring: Béarnaise uses shallot, chervil, peppercorn, and tarragon, while Hollandaise uses lemon juice. Its name is related to the province of Béarn, France.
In appearance it is light yellow and opaque, smooth and creamy. Béarnaise is a traditional sauce for steak.
History
The sauce was likely first created by the chef Collinet, the inventor of puffed potatoes (pommes de terre soufflées), and served at the 1836 opening of Le Pavillon Henri IV, a restaurant at Saint-Germain-en-Laye, not far from Paris. Evidence for this is reinforced by the fact that the restaurant was named for Henry IV of France, a gourmet himself, who was born in the former province of Béarn.
And here is a recipe for the Béarnaise Sauce.
Source: Bearnaise Sauce
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
7 ounces Unsalted Butter, melted
¼ c very finely chopped Shallots
2 T finely chopped fresh Tarragon
¼ c White Wine Vinegar
¼ c White Wine
3 Egg Yolks
Salt and Pepper
Directions:
To clarify butter, melt it over low heat without stirring. Once it has melted remove from heat and skim off the solids floating on top.
Place shallots, tarragon, vinegar and wine on medium heat and boil for about 5 minutes. Strain the reduction – you should end up with about 2 tablespoons of liquid.
Set up a double boiler arrangement with a Pyrex bowl and a saucepan. Place the egg yolks in the bowl and whisk in the reduced vinegar. Place bowl in pan of simmering water and cook, whisking continually, until mixture thickens – about five minutes.
Remove from heat and very slowly whisk in clarified butter. Whisk in salt and pepper to taste.
10 Wednesday Aug 2011
Posted in Photos By: Bob Young, Thought For The Day
The Buzz Coffee and Wine in Boise, lost a dear friend this month, Debbie Haydon. We offer this short entry in her memory. Rest in Peace, Debbie and thanks for the many, many wonderful meals. We saluted her with a glass of light pink Rose wine last night and the following words were offered about her.
Pink roses carry a connotation of grace and elegance, as well as sweetness and poetic romance. Pink roses are symbolic of gratitude and appreciation and are a traditional way to send a message of thanks. Light pink roses are associated with gentleness and admiration and can also be used as an expression of sympathy. How fitting that tonight we should toast to our dear friend Debbie with a wine of pink hue to express our gratitude and appreciation of her life, say thanks for all she brought to all of us, and say this with a sadness for ourselves in our hearts and a gentleness and admiration for her joining her beloved Don in a land not too far away. Salute and God bless.
There will be a memorial gathering for Debbie at the Buzz on State Street, Boise, Sunday August 14 from 5:00pm – 8:00pm. Please bring finger foods to share.
26 Tuesday Jul 2011
Posted in Special Information, Thought For The Day
I received this in my email the other day and thought some of you may like this. Have fun with it, and no, we have not tried all of these. Cheers!
Discounts for Seniors:
Applebee’s: 15% off with Golden Apple Card (60+)
Arby’s: 10% off (55+)
Ben & Jerry’s: 10% off (60+)
Bennigan’s: discount varies by location
Bob’s Big Boy: discount varies by location (60+)
Boston Market: 10% off (65+)
Burger King: 10% off (60+)
Captain D’s Seafood: discount varies on location (62+)
Chick-Fil-A: 10% off or free small drink or coffee (55+)
Chili’s: 10% off (55+)
CiCi’s Pizza: 10% off (60+)
Culver’s: 10% off (60+)
Denny’s: 10% off, 20% off for AARP members (55+)
Dunkin’ Donuts: 10% off or free coffee (55+)
Einstein’s Bagels: 10% off baker’s dozen of bagels (60+)
Fuddrucker’s: 10% off any senior platter (55+)
Gatti’s Pizza: 10% off (60+)
Golden Corral: 10% off (60+)
Hardee’s: $0.33 beverages everyday (65+)
IHOP: 10% off (55+)
Jack in the Box: up to 20% off (55+)
KFC: free small drink with any meal (55+)
Krispy Kreme: 10% off (50+)
Long John Silver’s: various discounts at participating locations (55+)
McDonald’s: discounts on coffee everyday (55+)
Mrs. Fields: 10% off at participating locations (60+)
Shoney’s: 10% off
Sonic: 10% off or free beverage (60+)
Steak ‘n Shake: 10% off every Monday & Tuesday (50+)
Subway: 10% off (60+)
Sweet Tomatoes 10% off (62+)
Taco Bell: 5% off; free beverages for seniors (65+)
TCBY: 10% off (55+)
Tea Room Cafe: 10% off (50+)
Village Inn: 10% off (60+)
Waffle House: 10% off every Monday (60+)
Wendy’s: 10% off (55+)
White Castle: 10% off (62+)
Grocery
Albertson’s: 10% off first Wednesday of each month (55+)
American Discount Stores: 10% off every Monday (50+)
Compare Foods Supermarket: 10% off every Wednesday (60+)
DeCicco Family Markets: 5% off every Wednesday (60+)
Food Lion: 6% off every Monday (60+)
Fry’s Supermarket: free Fry’s VIP Club Membership & 10% off every Monday (55+)
Great Valu Food Store: 5% off every Tuesday (60+)
Gristedes Supermarket: 10% off every Tuesday (60+)
Harris Teeter: 5% off every Tuesday (60+)
Hy-Vee: 5% off one day a week (date varies by location)
Kroger: 10% off (date varies by location)
Morton Williams Supermarket: 5% off every Tuesday (60+)
The Plant Shed: 10% off every Tuesday (50+)
Publix: 5% off every Wednesday (55+)
Rogers Marketplace: 5% off every Thursday (60+)
Uncle Guiseppe’s Marketplace: 5% off (62+)
Cell Phone Discounts
AT&T: Special Senior Nation 200 Plan $29.99/month (65+)
Jitterbug: $10/month cell phone service (50+)
Verizon Wireless: Verizon Nationwide 65 Plus Plan $29.99/month (65+)
*Check out our Secret Cell Phone Discounts to view all cell phone discounts available to you!
Miscellaneous
Great Clips: $3 off hair cuts (60+)
Super Cuts: $2 off haircuts (60+)
Since many senior discounts are not advertised to the public, our advice to men and women over 55 is to ALWAYS ask a sales associate if that store provides a senior discount
Thanks Robin and Nancy for forwarding this information.
03 Tuesday May 2011
Posted in Rudy's Twin Falls, Special Information, Thought For The Day, Trivia
May is by no means a dull month. We have flowers blooming! Trees are in bud! Gardens are being planted! And from Rudy’s in Twin Falls, we get this information. Enjoy!
May is:
National Artisan Gelato Month
National Asparagus Month
National Barbecue Month
National Chocolate Custard Month
National Egg Month
National Hamburger Month
National Home Brew Day (1st Saturday)
National Salad Month
National Salsa Month
And…
National Strawberry Month
What’s not to love about May?!
And then, for the more daring folks, here is a recipe from Rudy’s (There is a hot link to Rudy’s in the sidebar. Give them a visit!) on how to make a Jamaican Jerk Sauce. Just remember, the sauce is as different from kitchen to kitchen as Beef Stew. The varieties are endless. But with that in mind, here is the recipe. This can be quite spicy hot. Enjoy!
Jamaican Jerk Sauce“Jerking” is actually a method of cooking in Jamaica. Typically chicken, pork roast, or cuts of goat are marinated in jerk seasoning-either dry spices or a wet marinade like this recipe-then roasted in a pit or grilled slowly over wood planks from the pimento tree. Scotch Bonnet peppers are some of the hottest chili peppers in the world. You may substitute jalapenos instead if you can’t handle the heat. The best flavor for this jerk recipe is from whole allspice berries, which are also called pimientos in Jamaica. Whole allspice berries may be ground in a coffee mill or you may use ground allspice powder.
· 1 Scotch bonnet or jalapeno pepper, halved and seeded
· 4 scallions, sliced into 2-inch lengths
· 3 cloves garlic, peeled (1 1/2 teaspoons)
· 3 tablespoons freshly grated ginger (1 2-inch piece)
· 4 sprigs fresh thyme, minced
· 1 tablespoon whole allspice berries, ground in a coffee mill, or 2 teaspoons dried
· Juice of 2 limes
· 1/2 cup ketchup
· 1/2 cup pineapple juice or tomato juice
In the bowl of a food processor or in a blender, process the Scotch Bonnet pepper, scallions, garlic, ginger, and thyme leaves until finely ground. Add the allspice, lime juice, ketchup, and pineapple juice and puree the mixture for 30 seconds, until well combined.
Recipe Bonus: Keep a batch of jerk sauce in your refrigerator; it will keep for up to a month. You may use it to baste everything from tofu chunks to poultry, seafood, or red meat while roasting or barbecuing. It’s especially good when you marinate chicken, roast pork, or thick slices of tofu overnight. Grill, roast, or broil the following day. Serve with additional sauce for dipping.
*Grab some Red Stripe Beer to go with this!
Boise Foodie Guild 