Smoked Steelhead For Dinner

22 Friday Feb 2013

Posted by Bob and Robin in Bradley Smoker, Captain's Shack, Main Dish, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, Salmon, Seafood, Special Dinners, Steel Head, Things To Do, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food

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costco, dinner, food, savory spice, spice shops, Steelhead

Costco had a great buy on steelhead this afternoon. So we just had to get some. We really do try to go meatless on Mondays and Fridays. Salads. Vegetable dinners. Pasta. And seafood. This is the first time since last fall that I have fired up the Bradley – pictured here on the left. And right on cue, it was running. (Thanks Bob and Donna, again. After 5 1/2 years, it is still going strong. Just like me!) So our dinner was awesome. And I used some rub on the steelhead that my sister sent us for Christmas, Savory Spice Shops Park Hill Maple and Spice Pepper that I sprinkled over the fish. Patted it in slightly and let it sit for about 30 minutes before putting in the smoker for 1 hour at 240 degrees. It was great! Here is our dinner plated. Cheers!

Smoked Steel Head
Baked Potato
Braised Green Beans with Fennel Slices and Roasted Garlic
2008 Papapietro Perry Russian River Pinot Noir

March At The “Buzz”

22 Friday Feb 2013

Posted by Bob and Robin in Comfort Food, Local Markets, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Restaurants, Special Dinners, Special Events, Things To Do, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food, Wine Dinners, Wine Tasting

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entertainment, food, oscars, restaurants

March is quickly moving into Boise and with the March winds, comes some fantastic programs from Cristi and Tommy at The Buzz. Here is the March schedule. Call for reservations because these events sell out quickly!! There is a link in the sidebar. See you there. Cheers!

Hope everyone is enjoying this wonderful time of the year, as we get ready to try to move from winter to spring and all the excitement that mother nature has in store for us. We have some awesome activities planned at the Buzz so join us, reservations may be made at 344-4321 or buzzwine@cableone.net. Please let us know of any diet restrictions with your reservation. Hope everyone has a great March, lets hope it comes and goes like a lamb and we avoid the whole lion thing this year.

Quarterly Dinner
March 3 at 6:30 PM $30.00 per person
An amazing 5 course meal; each course paired with 2 wines. This is your chance to determine which wine goes better with the food. Reservations required.

Wine Club
We will feature Italy at this month’s wine club. March 12 or 13 at 6:30. $15.00 per person. Reservations required.

Music for March

Join us for music from 7-9. No Reservations required.
Wine tasting each night.
Feb 22 Wendy Mattson
March 1 Blaze and Kelly
March 2 Classical Jam Night
March 8 Johnny Shoes
15th Tomorrow Never Knows
March 16 Leta Neustaedter
March 22 John Cazaan
March 29 Pat Folkner

Grabyourgroceries.com is up and going; grab an extra hour or two a week by letting us do the shopping for you, feel free to email with any questions about this service.
We look forward to seeing everyone this month. February 22 and 23 we will have an Oscar contest pair the wine with the movie and receive a small prize both nights beginning at 5 PM.

Thanks for your patronage and we will see you soon. Stay safe.

Sincerely,
Cristi and Tom Takeda
Buzz Coffee and Wine

Save 25% – Order any case of wine now through the end of March and we will take 25% off the case order. This can be a full case of wine or mix and match. Most orders take 24 hours to fill. Let us know what you are in the mood for and we will help you find it.

Offer Expires: March 31, 2013

Good Soup for Dinner

19 Tuesday Feb 2013

Posted by Bob and Robin in Captain's Shack, Comfort Food, Food, Food Prep, Main Dish, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe: Bob and Robin Young, Rice, Soup, Squash, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food

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butternut squash soup, dinner, food, garlic clove, vegetarian

Last night Robin found this recipe for an awesome squash soup. Don’t stop reading! I am not particularly fond of squash either. But this is a really good soup. Easy to make and can be made ahead of time. I added the garlic clove to the recipe. We also added just a little rice that had been sauteed in the sage butter to the bottom of the bowl before ladling in the soup. A surprisingly good addition. Try this soup, you will probably like it. Cheers!

Butternut Squash Soup with Parmesan and Fried Sage Leaves

Source: Epicurious Butternut Soup with Parmesan and Fried Sage Leaves
Note: Fried sage leaves make a crispy garnish. Try them also crumbled on mashed potatoes and sautéed vegetables.

Ingredients:
3 T Butter
1 Onion, coarsely chopped
1 clove Garlic, chopped
1 T chopped Fresh Sage
1 – 2¾ lbs Butternut Squash, halved, peeled, seeded, chopped (about 5 cups)
5 cups canned low-salt Chicken broth (We used fresh made duck broth)
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
24 fresh Sage Leaves

Directions:
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion; cover and cook until soft, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Add chopped garlic and chopped sage; stir 1 minute. Add squash and broth.
Increase heat to high and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until squash is tender, about 25 minutes. Cool slightly. Puree soup in batches in blender until smooth. Return soup to pot. Mix in cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate.)
Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add sage leaves and sauté until brown and toasted, about 2 minutes. Bring soup to simmer. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with fried sage leaves and serve with a good Pinot Noir like a 2008 Papapietro Perry Russian River Pinot Noir.

Valentines Wine Dinner at the Buzz

13 Wednesday Feb 2013

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

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chocolate dessert, chocolate mousse, food, pear salad, wine dinner

Another adventuresome Wine Dinner at the Buzz in Boise with Cristi, pictured here, doing the presentation. Great job, Cristie. Chocolates to celebrate Valentines Day! The theme? Zinfandel and Chocolate! Yum-O! The wines were on the most part well matched to the food. The one exception was the 2010 Layer Cake Primitivo which actually accentuated the spiciness of the chipotle in the soup. Here are some photos of the dinner and the wines that were served. Cheers!
Eggplant Caponata and Brie Chocolate
2011 Renwood Zinfandel
14.5% alc a good match with the appetizer. [18] $13.00

Pumpkin Chipotle Soup with Chocolate
2010 Layer Cake Primitivo
13.5% alc. As stated above, I did not like this paring. but that’s my opinion. the primitivo over emphasized the spiciness of the soup. it distracted from the soup, which by itself, was very good. [16] $17.00

Spinach and Pear Salad with Chocolate Vinaigrette
2009 Leese Fitch Zinfandel
13.9% alc. Great paring with the salad. (I did like this salad!) [18] $12.00

Spanish Pork Roast
Chocolate Risotto
Chocolate Roasted Vegetables
2009 Carol Shelton Wild Thing
14.9% alc. Another great paring with the main course. (I really liked the way the pork was prepared. It was great! And the risotto was superb.)[18] $12.00

Brownie Cookie and Chocolate Mousse
2009 Dry Creek Heritage
13.5% alc. never have had a bad Dry Creek wine. this one went extremely well with the chocolate dessert. Needed more wine. [19] $17.00

Once again, a great evening and Wine Dinner. If you missed this one, well ………….. It was sold out and I believe tonight, Wednesday, is also sold out. So I suppose we will have to see you next month. You can always call them and try to have a seat. (See their logo in the sidebar.) And keep tuned in here on the blog because the Buzz has some awesome programs during the month. Cheers!

Super Super Bowl Party!

04 Monday Feb 2013

Posted by Bob and Robin in Appetizers, Beer and Ale, Brats, Cajun Food, Comfort Food, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, Seafood, Shrimp, Side Dishes, Special Events, Things To Do, Traditional Food, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food

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corn chips, cottage cheese dip, Crab Dip, food, Pico de Gallo, Super Bowl Party

A great party and game! Good food! Good friends! Great family gathering. Thank-You Mac, Marnie and Maggie for joining us and partaking in some awesome treats! Great wines, as pictured here. Great beer for those non-wine drinkers. I had a beer or two also. Enjoy theses photos of the Party Fare! Cheers!

The Table

Robin’s Gumbo. The game was played in New Orleans.

Vegies and Fresh Pico de Gallo

Mac’s Brats

Maggie’s Cottage Cheese Dip. YUM-O!

Steamed Shrimp and Fresh Dipping Sauce

Marge’s Eastern Shore Crab Dip. Marge is my sister-in-law. This is an awesome dip. We added some artichoke hearts to it and used Blue Corn Chips.

Marnie’s Tiramisu

So you can see we had a great party! And all of the great food! Almost like Thanksgiving. Or Derby Day. Wonderful!

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Birthday at the Buzz

29 Tuesday Jan 2013

Posted by Bob and Robin in Appetizers, Birthdays, Celebrations, Interesting Information, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, Special Events, Special Information, Things To Do, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food

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entertainment, little serenade, wolfgang amadeus mozart

Happy 257th Birthday Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Jan 27, 1756 – Dec 5, 1791)!! We celebrated your party at the Buzz in Boise and it was a great time – it was snowing! A group of 25+ musicians from the Boise Philharmonic and others who just like to jam, were there playing your music all night long. Well, from at least 6:00pm to 8:30pm when we left. I think the party was still going on. Such fantastic talent we have here in Boise. Thank-You everyone who participated and to Tommy and Cristi for opening the Buzz for this fantastic event. Can we do it once a month? That would be great!! The highlight of the evening and to celebrate the birthday, the entire ensemble got together and played “Eine kleine Nachtmusik (Serenade No. 13 for strings in G major), K. 525, is a 1787 composition for a chamber ensemble by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The German title means “a little serenade,” though it is often rendered more literally but less accurately as “a little night music.” The work is written for an ensemble of two violins, viola, and cello with optional double bass, but is often performed by string orchestras.” [Wikipedia] The group tonight consisted of many violins, cello, oboe, bassoon, bass and French horn. Superb! It brought the house down! Great acoustics! Here is a small, 16 sec sample of the music. Video provided by Sue O’Rourke –

(If you would like to hear the entire Eine kleine Nachtmusik, about 5:45, Click Here.)

Here are some photos of the artists and musicians who were playing tonight. Enjoy!
NOTE: Just in from Cristi at the Buzz – “Next jam is scheduled for April 8. Looking for a Saturday night earlier as well, hope to host them every other month. It was amazing!”

Violin Trio

Quartet

The group performs!

Jen Drake, Violin

Jan Van Atta Beckwith, Violin

Nicole Golay, Oboe

Patty Katucki, Bassoon

And then there were some appetizers and wine. Who could ask for more? Great music! Great food! A superb night.

Appetizer Plate by Cristi

Gooey Cake

Happy Birthday Bobby Burns!

26 Saturday Jan 2013

Posted by Bob and Robin in Birthdays, Bobby Burns, Bread, Captain's Shack, Chicken, Cooking Styles, Focaccia, Main Dish, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, Römertopf Cooking, Salad, Traminer Riesling, Vegetables, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food

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quiche lorraine, roasted root vegetables, scotch whisky

Well, there was no Haggis! (If it’s made well, it’s really pretty good!) So instead, we Raised Our Glasses with Whisky and Saluted the poet! Probably not an acceptable party in Scotland, but the best we could do here in Boise, at least at our house. (As I write this, Robin is baking a Quiche Lorraine and it smells soooooo good!) But now for our menu for this party. And don’t forget to Left-Click any of these photos to see them enlarged. Check the label on the Buchannan’s Scotch Whisky. Cheers!

Focaccia rising. Olive Oil, Meyer Lemon, Rosemary, Red Onion, Salt and Pepper

Römertopf Roasted Chicken and Roasted Root Vegetables

Green Salad with Fresh Baked Focaccia

Römertopf Roasted Chicken
Fresh Roasted Root Vegetables
(turnip, carrot, parsnip, onion, garlic, apple)
Meyer Lemon Focaccia
2012 Rosemont Estate Traminer Riesling

Boise Crockpot Pot Roast

14 Monday Jan 2013

Posted by Bob and Robin in Beef, Captain's Shack, Comfort Food, Crockpot, Cuts of Beef, Main Dish, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe By: Bob Young, Recipes, Stew, Vegetables, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food

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crockpot pot roast, food, pinot noir wine, pot roasts

Personally, I think this was one of the best Pot Roasts I have ever tasted. The Demi-Glace Sauce hit the spot and makes a wonderful gravy that the roast and the vegetables cook in. The sauce thickens as the roast cooks. The original recipe came from Whole Foods here in Boise, but we changed it somewhat. Here is a link to the recipe. You might be surprised as to what we have added. Enjoy! Boise Crockpot Pot Roast. Serve this dinner with a good Pinot Noir wine, such as a 2010 Castle Rock Sonoma County Pinot Noir. That is only a suggestion as there are some other very good Pinots that will go just as well with this dinner.

Boise Crockpot Pot Roast

Bouillabaisse Party

12 Saturday Jan 2013

Posted by Bob and Robin in Boise Adventures, Classics, Comfort Food, French Foods, Main Dish, Party Time, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Seafood, Sourdough Bread, Special Dinners, Special Events, Stew, Traditional Food, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food, Wine Dinners

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Bouillabaisse, cayenne pepper, fish soups, food, French, silver hake, Traditional Foods

Such a great Bouillabaisse Party on this cold and wintry night in Emmett, Idaho. Thank-You Victoria and Jeff for opening your home to this event. Victoria is pictured here. They have done a fantastic job on remodeling their home. There were about 15 people that enjoyed the Bouillabaisse, the wine and the crepes! Here are some photos of the evening. You can Left-Click any of the photos to enlarge. Cheers!

A novel way to construct a pot rack. From a Stop sign post.

Jalapeno Dip

Bouillabaisse is a traditional Provençal fish stew originating from the port city of Marseille. The French and English form bouillabaisse comes from the ProvençalOccitan word bolhabaissa, a compound that consists of the two verbs bolhir , to boil) and abaissar , to reduce heat, i.e., simmer.
There are at least three kinds of fish in a traditional bouillabaisse, typically scorpionfish (fr: rascasse); sea robin (fr: grondin); and European conger (fr: congre); and it can also include gilt-head bream (fr: dorade); turbot; monkfish (fr: lotte orbaudroie); mullet; or silver hake (fr: merlan) It also usually includes shellfish and other seafood such as sea urchins (fr: oursins), mussels (fr: moules); velvet crabs (fr: étrilles); spider crab (fr: araignées de mer) or octopus. More expensive versions may add langoustine (European lobster). Vegetables such as leeks, onions, tomatoes, celery and potatoes are simmered together with the broth and served with the fish. The broth is traditionally served with a rouille, a mayonnaisemade of olive oil, garlic, saffron and cayenne pepper on grilled slices of bread.
What makes a bouillabaisse different from other fish soups is the selection of Provençal herbs and spices in the broth; the use of bony local Mediterranean fish; the way the fish are added one at a time, in a certain order, and brought to a boil; and the method of serving. In Marseille, the broth is served first in a bowl containing the bread and rouille, with the seafood and vegetables served separately in another bowl or on a platter.

Bouillabaisse Plated with Homemade Sourdough Bread

Some wine and some of the 15 people who were there.

Buzz Wine Club Dinner – Argentina Wines

09 Wednesday Jan 2013

Posted by Bob and Robin in Bistro, Ethnic Foods, Party Time, Pasta, Photos By: Bob Young, Restaurants, South American Fare, Special Dinners, Special Events, Things To Do, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food, Wine Dinners

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Argentina Wines, food, navy bean, pasta frola, restaurants, sorrentinos

Wow! It was great to see a Full House last night. The first in a while. This year, Cristi’s theme for the Wine Club Dinners is “Wines From Around the World” and she started out with the wines from Argentina. Awesome wines. Awesome dinner. Great job, Cristi!! And I would be remiss if I did not mention the coupons that are available for these dinners. It’s like buying 6 dinners and getting one free! Robin and I have the year covered!! A great buy, if you so desire. Just ask Tommy or Cristi for the details.
Below are some photos of the night and the wines we had to accompany the food. A top score is [20]. Enjoy and Cheers!

Faina and Provoleta
(Nutty, peppery flatbread made with chickpea flour.)
2012 Fabre Montmayou Rose
13.0% alc. Great with these appetizers. Best wine of the night. [19] $13.00

Locro
(Navy bean and corn soup. Superb.)
2008 Duriguti Bonarda
13.9% alc. Went well with the spiciness of the soup. [18] $14.00

Sorrentinos and Fugazzeta de Verdura
(Round ravioli with ham sauce)
2010 Martino Old Vine Malbec
14.0% alc. Good old vine wine. Smooth and supple [19] $16.00