After The BIG Game – Goldy’s!



Question is, what do we do for breakfast after BSU wipes out Nevada, 44-33, for the WAC Championship. It was a late night! Let’s go to Goldy’s Breakfast Bistro for breakfast, a real traditional treat here in Boise. An awesome breakfast, and, we might even meet some BSU players!! Go Broncos! Look for Goldy’s on Facebook and their support of the Broncos!

An awesome breakfast. Top Row – Left to Right: Standard Breakfast, Scrambled Eggs, Red Hash browns and Toast; Eggs Benedict with Black Beans.

Bottom Row – Left to Right: Breakfast Burrito with Pico de Gallo and Croissant French Toast. (Left Click any of these photos to see in Full Screen.)

So there you have our After Thanksgiving and After BSU Triumph Breakfast!! If you get to Boise, you must try Goldy’s Breakfast Bistro!! See their Web Site. Cheers!

Post Thanksgiving – Now What?


And don’t tell me, “Black Friday”! I bet in the last 15 years, I have not been to the Boise Mall more than 2 or 3 times. And go to some store at mid-night in the cold and rain and suffer through the indignities of some people in line waiting for the store to open at 5:00am. I don’t think that’s going to happen – it didn’t! I did find out that my eyelids do not have any holes in them!

Or I can stay home and watch “Regis and Kelley”. As Bill Cosby said, “Yea! Right!” Or maybe watch the Rutgers and Louisville game – Rutgers 28, Louisville 14, late in the 3rd quarter. But there really is a light at the end of the tunnel. Boise State University (WAC 6-0; Overall 11-0) plays tonight at 8:08pm (MST) on ESPN2 for the WAC championship against Nevada (WAC 7-0; Overall 8-3). Prediction: BSU 25, Nevada 20; There is a wine tasting at a winery we have not been to yet (yes there really is!), Snake River Winery that we will meet our friend Geno and Debra and go together; And there is turkey ready to be made into a sandwich … right now … great cranberry relish … butternut lettuce … fresh dilly bread. YUM-O!

It’s a cold and overcast day in Boise. But the left-over turkey will satisfy the need for nourishment and probably forget the hotdogs and other football stand-bys. It won’t hurt once in a while. Oh well, there are my mental wanderings. Cheers!

A Boise Thanksgiving!


Yes, it was a wonderful day starting at 10:00am when Chris – our Grandson – arrived to start making bread. He made the “Dilly Bread”; Sophia made the “Green Bean Casserole”, Jerri, of “Jerri’s Old Fashioned Pie Shop and Bakery” made the awesomely , sinful “Chocolate Truffle Pie”; Le Cafe de Paris surprised us yesterday with an “Apple Torte”; Robin and Marnie had the table all set and the dining room beautiful and Mac was here for moral support. Not much for me to do but sit back and enjoy the day …… and I did. We hope that everyone who reads this had a great day and I will think about you at “Black Friday”. I will be checking my eyelids for holes! Cheers and Happy Holidays!

Pre-Thanksgiving – Les Fruits de Mer


On Wednesday night, Robin, Christopher and Mac and I all went to Le Cafe de Paris for Les Fruits de Mer, a treat of shellfish.

It all started with a delightful salad of Stone Crab Fritters on a bed of field greens and a remoulade sauce. Followed by Fanny Bay Oysters with cucumber mignonette, King Crab Legs with beurre blanc, Clams Casino with bacon, white wine, herbs and butter. But we’re not done yet! we also had Pernod Steamed Mussels and Creole Poached Prawns with chorizo and potatoes. The wine that we had with this delightful dinner was a Chateauvieux Vouvray that was the perfect paring.

Owner Mathieu Choux and I had a discussion on the East Coast Shellfish versus the West Coast Shellfish, noticing that the East coast shellfish has more natural salt and iodine than the West Coast. We both decided that a comparison dinner would be fun to do. He may do so in the future. In the meantime, look at these photos.

Our Thanksgiving Plate


Several people have asked what we are making for Thanksgiving Dinner. Folks from Idaho, Michigan, California and South Africa. And no, that is not our house. It is one across the street from us and this is about the first year that they have gone so “all out”. I just thought it would be nice to have it here to “introduce” the Holiday Season! It certainly does light up the neighborhood. Here is our Thanksgiving menu (The pie was just delivered and it says “Keep Refrigerated”, so I guess I can not sample it. You know, The Queens Taster?) Enjoy – we will!

Wine Opener:
Ogni Giorno Lambrusco Amabile

Dinner Wine:

2005 Westerland Gewurztraminer (South African)

Spatchcocked 70 Minute Turkey
(Recipe found on the Boise Foodie Blog)
with
Madeira Turkey Gravy

Brussels Sprouts in Balsamic Reduction

Dried Corn

Dilly Casserole Bread

Dessert Wine:

2006 Bitner Vineyards Reserve Red Dessert Wine

Chocolate Truffle Pie
(Jerri’s Old Fashioned Pie Shop and Bakery – Listed on this blog)

We do hope that everyone who celebrates Thanksgiving, has a wonderful holiday. Cheers!

Madeira Turkey Gravy


Just in time for the Holidays! Madeira Turkey Gravy “… is particularly fitting for Thanksgiving because Madeira, a fortified wine from the Portuguese island of the same name, flowed like water through the Colonies, having arrived here as ballast in ships. Sweet and mellow, reminiscent of sherry, Madeira beautifully enhances a turkey gravy.” (Real Age) Here is the recipe that Robin found to enhance that Thanksgiving dinner. Enjoy!

Madeira Turkey Gravy

Ingredients:
1½ t Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Onion, coarsely chopped
2 Carrots, chopped
2 stalk(s) Celery, chopped
3 c Chicken Stock
½ c Madeira
1½ T Cornstarch, mixed with 2 tablespoons water

Directions:
To Prepare Giblet Stock:
Heat 1½ teaspoons oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion, carrots, celery and the turkey neck and giblets. Cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, about 15 minutes. Pour in chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Strain the giblet stock through a fine sieve (you should have about 2 cups). Chill until ready to use.

To Prepare Gravy: While the turkey is resting, pour the drippings from the roasting pan through a strainer into a small bowl, then place the bowl in the freezer for 20 minutes to solidify the fat.

Add Madeira to the roasting pan and cook, stirring and scraping up any brown bits, for about 1 minute; strain into a medium saucepan. Skim the fat from the giblet stock and add the stock to the pan. Skim the fat from the chilled pan juices and add the juices to the pan as well. Bring to a simmer. Add the cornstarch mixture to the simmering sauce, whisking until the gravy has thickened slightly. Season with pepper.

Robin’s Different Salads


Here is a Rainbow Chard Mediterranean Style Salad. Rainbow chard, pine nuts and raisins. Serve this salad warm

The Bok Choy and Pomegranate Salad is full of bok choy, avocado, pomegranate seeds and with a pink grapefruit dressing. Serve this one cold. Of the two, I preferred this one.

Food Trivia For Thanksgiving Week


Rudy's Cooks ParadiseIt is great to get these food trivia articles from Rudy’s. Here is the latest one for Thanksgiving week. Enjoy!

This Week in the History of Food & Drink

November 23, 1921: President Harding signs the Willis Campell Act, which prohibits doctors from prescribing beer or liquor.

November 24, 1762: The first written record of the word ‘sandwich’. Edward Gibbons Journal, 11/24/1762: ‘I dined at the Cocoa Tree… Twenty or thirty of the first men in the kingdom…supping at little tables…upon a bit of cold meat, or a Sandwich.’- I’ll give a toast to Mr. Gibbons when I snack on a turkey sandwich this Friday.

November 25, 1884: John Mayenberg, of St. Louis, Missouri, patented evaporated milk.

November 26, 2009: Happy Thanksgiving!

November 27, 1924: The first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It was originally called a Christmas Parade.

November 28, 1863: Thanksgiving was first celebrated as a regular American Holiday.

November 29: National Chocolate Day

Everyone have a Happy Thanksgiving!!

Lamb – Where To Buy


Buy Idaho
There seems to be a lot of traffic on this blog looking at the Lamb recipes. Also, several weeks ago, I had some folks asking where to buy lamb in the Boise area. Here are three suggestions.

Meadowlark Farms

Here is the first local business that specializes in lamb and lamb products. Before Robin and I started to buy our lamb from a 4-H student we know, we bought it from Meadowlark Farms. This is very good lamb.

Bluesage Farms

We have had some of their lamb and, from what I remember, it was good. Actually, I think that either of these suppliers will give you an excellent product. It will probably be personal choice from here.

If you live out of the area, you will probably have to contact them directly and I think they will do you well. But for now, let’s clear something up. If you notice, at each card description I stated that the lamb was “good”.
By “good” I mean that there is No gamey taste. No old mutton taste. I do believe that if you say you don’t like lamb, it is because what you have eaten in the past was mutton. Yes, mutton is strong flavored. No doubt about it. But like goat and wine, “It’s a matter of time”. (There’s a strange comparison) The older the lamb or goat, the stronger the flavor of the meat and it does change over time.

Another good source of food information is Guy Hand’s NPR program NW Food News. Check out his web site.

Behind The Menu

And finally, another source right here on the Internet is Michael Boss’ Behind The Menu site. Michael is trying very hard to bring the consumer an educated choice on where to eat and general information about food, food products and food producers. Both he and Guy Hand are also firm believers in the Buy Idaho program. Look at the Behind The Menu web site by clicking the link. You can also find it on Facebook. Hope some of this information helps. Have a great lamb meal and don’t forget the wine!! Cheers!

——————————

Lava Lake Ranch LogoThanks to Susan Ettesvold for sending another link for Idaho Lamb. This link is for Lava Lake Lamb, just a little South East of Sun Valley. There are some wonderful photos of the ranch on their web site and ways to contact them and order lamb.

Le Cafe de Paris Shellfish Dinner


When it rains, it pours! Oh how2 I love this “job”!

Le Fruits de Mer
Fresh Shellfish Dinner

Hope all is well with you and yours. Our much awaited Shellfish Dinner is days away. To reserve a spot, reservations need to be made by Monday, November 23rd to ensure the freshest seafood order. Dinner is $39/person and includes a fresh salad, five seafood entrees, and a fabulous dessert surprise! Live Music by the Frim Fram Fellas and some great wines to pair with these fabulous dishes.

For those who have been to our previous shellfish dinners, there are a few changes to the menu, which I am sure you will enjoy! We hope to see you all here for this delicious event. Bon Appetit!

A Bientot!
Mathieu

Le Menu

La Salade

Stone Crab Claw Fritters field greens, rémoulade sauce


Fruits de Mer

Fanny Bay Oysters cucumber mignonette
•
King Crab Legs buerre blanc
•
Clams Casino bacon, white wine, herbs, butter
•
Pernod Steamed Mussels
•
Creole Poached Prawns chorizo, baby potatoes

Maybe we’ll see you there? Cheers!