04 Saturday May 2013
Green Salad
pickled beets and hard cooked eggs
2012 Sawtooth Winery (ID) Gewurtztraminer
Such a good dinner last night. It was yummy! Left-Click the photo to see enlarged. Enjoy. Cheers!
28 Sunday Apr 2013
We went to the Wild West Bakery and Espresso in Eagle today for brunch. And as Robin says, “Today, April 28, we met Marnie and Mac at the Wild West Bakery and Espresso shop in Eagle – just 10 miles west of Boise – for brunch – When Bob worked with ‘The Sprinkler Guy’ – his boss Bob Scrivner and Donna Scrivner almost always sent home a bunch of baked treats made by Donna as she ‘manned’ the office at home – making appointments and communicating with the guys out in the field who were installing and fixing sprinklers. She found her dream job as a baker for Wild West and still loves it – and she sent us home with a box of assorted goodies she baked.” A scrumptious home cooked brunch and pastries! Yum. Look at these photos and decide for yourselves. Personally, we’d go back for brunch and may have to try their regular menu. This is easily a 4-Star restaurant for home style cooking. Enjoy these photos – Left Click to see an enlarged view – and please VOTE above. Thanks.
Pansys greet you at the front door. They are beautiful.
Miss Donna, Baker, presents some of her creations. Yum!
Miss Donna’s Blueberry Muffin.
Or how about an M&M Cupcake.
Or maybe a Chocolate Mint Bar. All are her creations.
Robin had Eggs Benedict.
Miss Donna said to try the omelet that the Chef makes a good one. Yes he does. Just look at this one and make one from many fillings. You choose.
This was really a good brunch. You really should try it. But go early as it fills up quickly. The patio is open now and a welcome relief to eat outside. Check the link above for menus and times that they are open. Cheers and I hope you enjoy the Wild West Bakery and Espresso!
24 Wednesday Apr 2013
Finally. After all this waiting, 10 Barrel Brewery in Boise opened! The photo here is of the front of the pub on Bannock Street at 9th, across from the Chinese restaurant, Yen Ching.
The restaurant space inside iss large and open. The noise level is tolerable. It is busy noise, not loud music or TV. That will work for us. And when the weather changes, they will probably open some very large doors and have an area where one can site on the sidewalk, but be served inside. Left-Click the photo on the left to enlarge and look at the right side of the photo. You will be able to see the stools.
And yes, they serve Apocalypse IPA. In my not so humble opinion (IMNSHO) one of the best, if not The Best, Ipa’s made. We had a Caesar Salad and a 10 Barrel Burger and the IPA went very well with both. Good beer, like good wine, is meant to be consumed with food. It might be made with barley and other grains, but it still needs food. It is nice to report too, that they try their best to use local products, i.e., the Acme Bakery for their buns and rolls. Enjoy the photos posted here that I took on our First Visit. There will be a Second Visit and probably more. Hope to see you there. Well worth the trip. The food is good and the beer is …………. well ………. Super! Cheers and Enjoy!
Inside the brewery in a portion of the dining area. The chairs are very heavy, so be careful moving them.
The “Brewing Center”.
“Reflections”
Caesar Salad
romaine, Siberian kale, cherry tomato, shaved Parmesean cheese, croutons $6.00
10 Barrel Burger
custom ground beef patty, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickle, mayo, bacon. Served on Beer Bun by Acme Bakery, Boise $11.00
A really super burger and a great bun. The French Fries, though, were a little salty and came close to over powering the burger. I let the Wait Staff know. The beer in the background is an Apocalypse IPA $4.50
Overall, a good experience. Out of 5 Stars, probably one of the better pubs in Boise so I rate it a 4 Star pub. Great job, 10 Barrel! They have a complete menu of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, pizza and sweets. Stop in and say Hello for us and let them know you saw this article here. Thanks and please VOTE above. Cheers.
22 Monday Apr 2013
Yea! It’s finally opening here in Boise. It seems like it has been forever since we first heard that they were coming. It looks like this will be a great week to visit them as they are having many specials. Here is from their Facebook page. “The day is upon us!!! Opening for lunch at 11! We’re kicking things off with a bang. Everyone who shares this status will be entered to win a $100 gift card that will be ready at four o’clock today, just in time for some after work drinks! Get to sharing, and stay tuned for more give-a-ways all week!!” And I did share the status . Maybe ….. Just maybe. I plan to go tomorrow while the motorhome is being looked at. Hope to see you there! Cheers! And please VOTE above. Thanks.
20 Saturday Apr 2013
Robin wrote this good review of the Wine Meet-Up Group Party at Le Cafe de Paris in Boise yesterday. The photo here is of some of the appetizers we had. (Here’s a link to a good Slide Show.)
“Christian presented some diverse and reasonably priced wines from Mediterranean France – new to many. From the refreshing 2011 Picpoul Blanc- a perfect wine for oysters and other shellfish to an oak aged white with great body – Doria 2009 from Luberon in the Languedoc, great with the artichoke dip. A beautiful 2012 100% Aramon Rose’ paired nicely with pate’ and will satisfy many summer culinary creations. The 2004 La Mascaronne from Provence shows the new blending styles of a Cabernet mixed with Rhone grapes – all the rage now for a serious lamb dinner wine and finishing the tasting with the huge 2008 Orca from old vines in Ventoux is a great match for BBQ’s yet to come.
A bit crowded, but just the right mix of interesting people at our end of the table. The appetizers were creative crostini with a fresh tomato and basil mix, wonderful bread from Gaston’s Bakery in the basement with a hot cheesy artichoke and spinach dip, I enjoyed a slice of Mathieu’s especially flavorful pate’ with cornichons and mustard and who stole my cheese? By the time the cheese plate arrived at our end of the table, there were a few craisins and nuts and only two skinny slices of Brie!
We ordered a salmon plate and a roast stuffed pheasant for dinner, but it took such a long time to arrive, that our seats had become nearly numb from the very uncomfortable chairs. We had out meals boxed ‘to go’. We love Mathieu and his concept of fine French dining, however he needs to buy some more comfortable chairs and stabilize the rocking tables.”
18 Thursday Apr 2013
We went to Chandler’s Steak House this past Wednesday to a Wine Meet-Up Group party. The food was good, although I think over-priced. We did not get it, but the seafood appetizer platter was $90.00. We did get the crab cakes though, and they were good. Not over filled with bread crumbs. It’s just hard to beat a good, Eastern Shore, Blue Crab crab cake. That’s my real benchmark. Robin and I each decided on a tuna appetizer. Great presentations and both dishes tasted good, although I liked the Tower of Tuna the best. Left-Click the photos to see enlarged and enjoy the photos. Please VOTE above. Thanks.
Black Orchid Tuna
Sashimi grade ahi tuna seared rare; sliced and served with the signature “Black Orchid” mustard sauce. $18.00
Tower of Tuna
Fresh ahi and hamachi tuna, diced and towered with avocado, tomato, red onion, red chili, ginger, and sesame seed vinaigrette with Asian sesame crisps. $14.50
16 Tuesday Apr 2013
Asparagus is coming into season. It is time for a delicious Asparagus Soup.And these were fresh Idaho asparagus from the New Boise Farmer’s Market. Look at this one that we had last night. It was yummy! Here is the recipe that Robin found from La Cucina Italiana Magazine. Give it a try. Left-Click the photos to see enlarged. Please cast Your Vote above. Thank-You.
4 Servings
Though this soup is easy to make, it looks simply stunning: a fried egg, sunny side up, floats atop a gorgeously green puree for a dish that practically screams spring.
1 Mini Baguette
2 1/2 Pounds Asparagus, Trimmed
1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Onion
1 Garlic Clove, Smashed and Peeled
Fine Sea Salt
2 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil plus More for Drizzling
Freshly Ground White Peppercorns
4 Large Eggs
Instructions
Cut 4 (1/3-inch-thick) slices from baguette and lightly toast. Save remaining baguette for another use.
Cut all but 8 asparagus into 1-inch lengths. In a medium saucepan bring 3 1/3 cups water, onion, garlic and pinch salt to a boil; add chopped asparagus and cook until tender, about 8 minutes.
In batches, carefully purée soup until creamy and smooth. Return soup to pot and cover to keep warm.
Cut remaining asparagus in half, lengthwise, then cut in half crosswise; place in a large skillet. Add water to come halfway up sides of pan, 1 tablespoon oil and pinch salt and pepper. Simmer until tender, about 3 minutes, then drain. In a large nonstick skillet, fry eggs in remaining tablespoon oil; sprinkle with salt. Gently warm soup, stirring, then ladle into bowls. Top with asparagus, fried eggs and toasts. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with pepper. Serve hot.
And then to go with the soup, we had these delicious Shrimp Stuffed Sweet Roasted Peppers. We first had these stuffed peppers at The Buzz at the Quarterly Dinner. These make really great appetizers. Here is Cristie’s recipe from that Quarterly Dinner as she made them. I added a little Ricotta Cheese to mine and did not caramelize the onion. I use fresh green onion with the tops.
Source: Cristi Takeda, The Buzz, Boise, ID
Ingredients:
2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
8 oz bay shrimp (salad shrimp thawed)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 plum tomato
1/2 small onion, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons sherry
1/3 cup mayonnaise
12 colored small sweet peppers
olive oil cooking spray
Directions:
Cut off the tops of the peppers and clean them out (remember they are not hot peppers so don’t get too obsessed). Place them on a cookie sheet, spray with cooking spray and place in the oven at 350 until they are slightly blistered. Remove from oven and let cool until they are comfortable to touch.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion until translucent, finely chop the tomato (remember the pepper openings are small) and add to the onion long enough to bring out a little of the juices. Add the garlic.
Drain the onion/tomato mixture place into a bowl, add the sherry, and shrimp stir well. Stir in mayonnaise (If the mixture looks runny hand squeeze so that it is not too ‘drippy’. Fill a ziploc-style bag, cut the corner off and fill the prepared peppers
Refrigerate until just before serving. I had a lot of shrimp salad left over and used it on beds of green for salad the next day.
10 Wednesday Apr 2013
Another exciting and great wine dinner at The Buzz on Tuesday evening, April 9! (The same wines and dinner will also be presented Wednesday, April 10.) Cristi and crew did another good job. Robin wanted to expose some of her Nurse friends to The Buzz and the program that Cristi presents for wine dinners. She invited 22; 18 came. It was a great time and Cristi and Tommy placed us altogether. There are some photos of the nurses below. But first ….. Let’s eat! Wine scores are listed as [20]. Please cast your Vote above!
Robin brought a Rollingstone Chevre for everyone to try.
Albondigas and Sherried Mushroom Empanada
2009 Mercedes Eguren
14% alc. great food paring with the appetizers. little citrus on the finish. [17] $14.00
Sopa de Pastor Manchego
(Such a good soup!)
2010 Layer Cake Garnacha
14.5% alc. this was the best wine of the night, in my opinion. light chocolate on the nose and a long finish. [19] $18.00
Ensalada Sevillana
2011 Raimat Albarnio
12.5% alc. a hint of pear on the nose. fruity. did not pair well with the salad dressing. [18] $14.00
Paella
(If you have never had paella, you really should try it. It’s like a stew – there are many, many variations. But most have seafood and rice with some type of meat.)
2007 Lan Rioja
13.5% alc. good paring with the spiciness of the paella. black cherry on the nose. [18] $22.00
Torrijas and Flan
NV Cava Coderniu
11.5% alc. I’m just not a fan of sparkling wines or Champagnes. this one was OK but not much more. [15] $13.00
And here are some photos of the St. Luke’s folks that Robin invited. I did not get photos of everyone. Enjoy!
Barb Herrick and Sherry Grabowski
Diane Ross, Roli Martin Parker, Carol Fountain, Leslie Thomason, Kathy Kimmel
Sherry Grabowski, Connie Merrill, Di McDonough, Diane Ross, Susan Van Houten
Those not pictured: Marti Downey, Pat Hutchison, Sue Montgomery, Joe Levitch, Marti Monk, Joe Murray, Gayle Ogle Weatherby, Wendy Weatherby Johnson and Ron Dunagan. Thank-You one and all for a great evening. Hope to see you again at The Buzz! Cheers.
06 Saturday Apr 2013
In spite of, not because of the threat of rain, the Boise Farmer’s Market opened today in the parking lot at 11th Street and Grove Street. Many more vendors were there than I expected. Food, wine, beef, buffalo, lamb, eggs, vegetables, fresh herbs and art items were some of the products represented. (To see a complete list of vendors Click Here) It was good to see all of the vendors. After the opening bell sounded, at 9 am sharp, the crowds descended on the market and people were generally happy to see the fresh produce and Idaho products.
Parking is available on site starting at $2.00 for 2 hours, or on street parking, where there is no metered parking charge on Saturday, Sunday and Holidays in Boise. I saw many people walking and pushing strollers heading to the market when I left. Look at the photos that I took this morning of some of the shop keepers and their products. Maybe I’ll see you there next week. Hope so! Cheers and enjoy the photos. Left-Click to see the photos enlarged. Please Vote above.
Boise Farmer’s Market location in downtown Boise.
Setting up the booths before the opening bell at 9:00 am.
Ballard Family Cheese
Gaston’s Bakery. Awesome baked goods. The bakery is part of Le Cafe de Paris.
Guru Donuts. Have a doughnut and a cup of coffee. I don’t know where you’ll get the coffee, though.
It looks like a good start to a great idea. Thanks to all of the vendors who are participating and a huge Thank-You to the folks who stepped up to organize this market. I salute you! Well done.
05 Friday Apr 2013
Great news! The all new Boise Farmers Market will be opening this Saturday, April 6 at 11th between Front and Grove in Boise. The market will be open from 9:00am – 1:00pm. In the Idaho Statesman article New Boise Farmer’s Market Finds A Home, “… You’ll find produce grown within 200 miles of Boise and local specialty foods. Each vendor is required to have at least one product that contains one locally grown ingredient. For example, Cucina di Paolo lasagna will be made with local spinach.
The market will open with about 25 vendors – though growers with late-season produce will be coming on board later. The lineup includes Meadowlark Farms, Homestead Natural Foods, Triangle C Ranch, The Jelly Lady, Cucina di Paollo, Rice Family Farms and Malheur Meats.”
Janie Burns, Board President and owner of Meadowlark Farms in Nampa, says that there will be a some artisan products available, but they must reflect the local agriculture. Artisan tempera paints will be produced from local eggs and sweaters and wool products will be spun from local wool.
From the The Boise Farmer’s Market web site, Janie Burns goes on to say that the market “… will focus on local food, cultivating new farmers, incubating new food ideas, and creating a community space to learn about food and sustainability. The vendors who have committed to supporting this market have over 200 years of farmers’ market experience and are dedicated to a vision of authenticity, education, and renewal of our agricultural economy.”
Let’s all try to support this new source for locally grown and fresh produce. Hope to see you there. Below is a map to the Boise Farmer’s Market! Left-Click to see the graphic enlarged. Then, if you want to print a copy: Ctrl+Shift+P.
Boise Farmer’s Market
Boise Foodie Guild 