Fall Root Soup

07 Wednesday Oct 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food, Food Prep, Main Dish, Recipes, Things To Do

Lots of fall root crops are in now – carrots, rutabaga, parsnips, leeks, etc. And from The Splendid Table and Lynne Rossetto Kasper, we get the following statement –

“A trio of fall root vegetables — carrots, leeks, and a rutabaga — forms the savory foundation of this soup. Puréed and enriched with Crème Fraîche, this potage, with its velvety, smooth texture and glorious orange hue, is always a hit — whether it’s a first course or the main attraction.

Rutabaga is an often-overlooked root vegetable member of the cabbage family. Its pale yellow flesh is slightly sweet. Choose ones with smooth skin and firm flesh that are heavy for their size.”

Fall Root Soup

Makes 8 servings
Adapted From: The Splendid Table

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2½ c Leeks, chopped, white and light green parts only (3 to 4 medium leeks)
1½ lbs Carrots, peeled and diced
1 lg Rutabaga, peeled and diced
2 lg Parsnips. Peeled and diced
10 c Chicken Stock
Kosher salt
1¼ c Crème Fraîche
3 T Flat-Leaf Parsley, fresh and finely chopped

Procedure:
1. Toss the chopped vegetables with a little olive oil, spread them out on a shallow pan and roast at 425 degrees F until they begin to soften and caramelize. Flavors will be more intense. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
2. Heat butter in a large, heavy pot (with a lid) over medium-high heat. When melted and hot, add roasted vegetables and mix until the veggies are warmed through. Add stock and bring mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until vegetables are very tender, for about 30 minutes.
3. Purée the soup in batches in a food processor, blender, or food mill, and return soup to the pot. (Or use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the pot.) Whisk in ¾ cup of the Crème Fraîche. Taste soup and season with salt, as needed. (The soup can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cool, cover, and refrigerate. Reheat over medium heat.)
4. To serve, ladle soup into shallow soup bowls. Garnish each serving with a generous dollop of the remaining ½ cup Crème Fraîche and a sprinkling of parsley.

We have a pot going now. It should go good with a Sauerbraten I am making. Cheers!

Old Wine – Is It Drinkable?

06 Tuesday Oct 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Wine and Food, Wine Dinners, Wine Tasting

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If you are wondering if that bottle of 1945 Bordeaux in your cellar will go with the dinner you are preparing, then you need to read this from the latest issue of The Juice. It is interesting and essential information for those who cellar wine.

Question:
My parents have several bottles of wine that have been around for years. Is there a source I can consult as to the quality of these wines given the passage of time? I am looking for some sort of resource that gives the average life span for specific years, types of wines, and brands. Thanks!

Answer From Expert Roger C. Bohmrich, MW:
Many people have suggested that wine labels should have an expiration date, but while I sympathize with the desire to know if a wine is past its best drinking date, the circumstances are not analogous to food products. With jam, ketchup, or cereal, and certainly highly perishable packaged items (seafood, meat, eggs, etc.), a guideline has been established to provide consumers with a date after which the product may no longer be healthy or safe to consume. In other words, past that expiration date, the foodstuff may have seriously deteriorated or even spoiled.

With wine, it is far more complicated. While the overwhelming majority of wine is intended for near-term consumption (within a few years of release), a certain number may actually improve with lengthy cellaring. A wine that is decades old may be even more desirable than a young vintage! Unfortunately, there is no truly reliable guide or chart which predicts the evolution of all wines since this depends on a myriad of factors including the specific wine/producer, vintage and storage conditions. However, for the world’s classic wines (Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone, Piedmont, Tuscany, Vintage Port and some others) you can consult the websites of well-known reviewers who usually give their personal opinions regarding “ready to drink by” dates.

So there you have it. Cheers!

Green Tomato Relish

04 Sunday Oct 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food Prep, Recipe: Bob and Robin Young, Side Dishes, Things To Do

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So it is 41 degrees outside. It’s been raining all day. Mac brought us green tomatoes – lots of ’em! And by the way, he has an excellent recipe for, of all things, Green Tomato Pie. Here’s what we did with them. Green Tomato Relish, if you want a better copy of the recipe. (There are two Green Tomato Relish recipes there. This is the best one.) Otherwise, here it is:

Green Tomato Relish

Author: Bob and Robin Young

Author Notes: This is a great way to use up all of those green tomatoes that you have at the end of the season. Sweet, yet with a touch of tartness.

Degree of Difficulty: Easy
Yield: 12 Pints

Ingredients:

4 qt Green tomatoes, diced fine or Green Zebra Tomatoes
6 lg Onions, diced fine
8 c Sweet Red Peppers, diced fine
1 bn Celery, diced fine
2 c Apple Cider Vinegar
1 c White Vinegar
1 c Brown Sugar
2 c Sugar
1½ c Water
1 t Turmeric
1 t Salt
1 T Mustard, ground
1 t Cinnamon
1 T Allspice
2 t Mustard Seeds
1 t Whole Cloves, ground

Procedure:

1. Dice all vegetables. Place all ingredients in a 12 quart pot and simmer for 20 minutes.

2. Place in sterilized canning jars and hot pack for 20 minutes.

Preparation Time: 2 hours
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours and 40 minutes

This really is not hard to do. It just takes some time and patience. Hope you enjoy it. Cheers!

Snake River AVA Saturday Events

03 Saturday Oct 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Local Markets, Things To Do, Wine Tasting

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I am truly sorry for the lateness of this post! For events like this a good practice is 3 – 5 days in advance. For wine dinners I would say at least 7 – 10 days. But here are the articles. Hope you make them before the BSU Football game. Maybe pick up some wine to help UC Davis make it through the evening? Oh well!!

3-Horse Ranch Vineyards
Invites you to join us at
“HarvestFest”
this Saturday Oct. 3rd

Location: 1065 Winding Creek Road (Old State St.), Eagle, ID
Time and Date: Saturday, October 3rd, 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
What to Bring: $20 along with a healthy thirst! (for adults over the age of 21, kids are free)
Attire: Seriously? It’s Idaho need I say more? (although it is outdoors so layer it up)
For More Information: 208.938.3010 or zach@willowcreekgrill.com

Willowcreek Grill and Eagle Magazine bring a signature event to Eagle. Bag Pipers will kick off the festivities, and the event will feature local food, beer, wine, music and fashion until 9:00 p.m. Some of the area’s favorite bands including Audio Moonshine, Tina and the Big Belt Buckle Band and Matt Hopper and the Roman Candles will get the crowd rocking to their own brands of blue grass, rock and folk.

There will be a fall feast of Brats, grilled onions, grinders, and of course Willowcreek’s signature Sweet Potato Fries with Chipotle Mayonnaise. The “Fest” food will be as fresh and local as they can make it. Seven breweries will be on hand pouring their signature fall brews and 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards will serve a selection of their finest wines.

A special twist that HarvestFest will bring is an element of fashion–models for local boutiques Coco Couture, Mimi Marie, Club and Ruby Lou will present the latest styles for fall in fashion shows that will run throughout the day and into the night.

Tickets are $20 and include tasting of each one of the featured beers and wines. Additional beverages are available for $3.00 each and food items range from $3.00 to $5.00. Raffle tickets for a variety of prizes will also be available for purchase.

And we also received this from Cinder Wines.

Harvest is here!
Come visit
Cinder Winery!

Don’t miss
the most exciting time of the year
to observe winemaking
with Cinder…

We’re right in the middle of harvest and would love for you to stop by and see the grapes being transformed into wine. Over the next 2-3 weeks there will be a lot to see as we bring grapes into the Urban Winemakers Cooperative. We have our tasting room open every Saturday from Noon-5pm, so please drop by and bring a friend. You can sample the wines of Cinder, Vale and Syringa….plus get a glimpse of the harvest or “Crush” activities. One of the coolest things to see are the red wines fermenting and it will only last a few weeks.

Here is a Map To Our Winery, The Urban Winemakers Cooperative

We hope to see you on a Saturday soon and enjoy some great wines from the Snake River Valley with you!

-Joe & Melanie

Our mailing address is: Cinder Wines 907 E. Washington St. Boise, Idaho 83712
Newsletter: Subscribe to Cinder Wines Newsletter.
Our telephone: (208) 433-9813

So there you have two Fall events that you can attend! Support Idaho Products!! Cheers!

Little German Donuts – Schmalzkuchen

29 Tuesday Sep 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Dessert, Food, Food Prep, Party Time

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Oh yes!! So much food to try and so little time. “I get to soondt olt and to late schmart!” Try these!

Walk through any of the street fairs in Germany and you will be accompanied by the smell of these delightful donuts. Yeast dough flavored with lemon and vanilla, then fried into golden puffs. Because the dough is not sweet, the vendors liberally sprinkle powdered sugar on the donuts.

These donuts are traditional at wintertime festivals, especially in Northern Germany. Now you can make them at home for the family. Eat them within a few hours of frying because, like most homemade donuts, they quickly become stale.

Little German Donuts – Schmalzkuchen

Makes 48 little donuts, about 4 servings.

Ingredients:
1 5/8 c. all purpose flour (250 grams) plus extra
1 tsp. dried yeast
1/2 c. (125 ml.) warm milk
2 T. sugar (40 grams)
1 egg
1 T. vanilla sugar (or another tablespoon sugar)
2 T. butter
1 1/2 tsp. lemon zest
1/4 tsp. salt
Powdered sugar
Oil for deep fat frying

Procedure:
Place all the flour in a bowl and make a well in the middle. Pour the warm milk in the well, sprinkle the yeast on top and add a pinch of sugar. Stir the milk a little, then cover with a clean kitchen towel and leave it for 10 minutes.

When the milk mixture begins to foam, add the egg, the rest of the sugars, butter, lemon zest and salt. Mix with a large spoon or on the mixer with a dough hook, until the dough comes together to form a ball. Add a little more flour, if needed.

Knead the dough until a soft, smooth ball can be formed. Grease or oil the ball, place in a small container and let rise, covered, for 20 minutes or so. The dough will not be appreciably risen.

Flour a cutting board lightly and pat the dough into a rectangle. Roll out to 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick. Using a pizza cutter or bench knife, if possible, cut the dough into rectangles (or diamonds) roughly 1 inch by 1 1/2 inches large (2 by 3 centimeters).

Heat 2 inches of oil in a stock pan or other large, deep saucepan. There should be another 2 inches of clearance over that.

If you are using a deep fat fryer, follow manufacturer’s instructions. The oil should be heated to 365°F.

Fry the donuts in 4 – 5 batches for about 3 minutes. Turn them once half way, when the underside turns golden brown. Remove from hot fat and drain on paper towels or brown paper (grocery bag paper).

Sift powdered sugar over the top and eat while still warm.

Try these “poppers” at the next BSU (Boise State University) Football game with a good lager. YUM-O!

Beer-Simmered Bratwurst with Onions and Red Cabbage Sauerkraut

28 Monday Sep 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Celebrations, Food, Main Dish, Party Time

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OK, I know I said I would not add any more Oktoberfest recipes, but this one from Bobby Flay and the FoodNetwork, looks intriguing. There’s even a recipe for Sauerkraut and German Potato Salad. Cheers and enjoy!!

Bobby serves up a traditional German meal of beer and brats. With recipes for Beer-Simmered Bratwurst with Onions and Red Cabbage Sauerkraut, German Potato Salad & pickles of all kinds.

Beer-Simmered Bratwurst with Onions and Red Cabbage Sauerkraut

Ingredients:
3 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, smashed
3 pounds precooked bratwurst, pricked with a fork
6 bottles dark beer
2 cups water
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 (1-inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
Hot dog buns, brown bread, or hoagie buns
Sweet and hot German mustard, optional, for garnish
Spicy brown mustard, optional, for garnish
Red Cabbage Sauerkraut, recipe follows
Pickles, optional, for garnish
Pickled beets, optional, for garnish
Pickled eggs, optional, for garnish

Directions:Preheat the grill to high. Arrange the onion slices and garlic along the bottom of a medium stockpot. Place the bratwurst on top and then add the beer, water, coriander, caraway, mustard seeds, and ginger. Bring to a simmer over the grill grates or on a burner. Simmer the sausages in the mixture for about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the bratwurst sit in the liquid for 10 minutes.

Remove the sausages with a pair of tongs onto a platter. Remove the onions with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl. Grill the sausages until the casings are crisp and golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Serve the bratwurst on the buns with the onions, mustard and sauerkraut, if desired. Garnish with pickles, pickled beets, and pickled eggs, if desired.

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Red Cabbage Sauerkraut

1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups red wine vinegar
1 cup water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon whole mustard seeds
2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large head red cabbage, thinly shredded
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat grill to high. In a medium saucepan, combine the oil, vinegar, water, and sugar over medium heat, and cook until the sugar has melted. Add the mustard seeds, garlic, and cabbage, and cook until the cabbage is soft, about 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

————————

German Potato Salad

Ingredients:
3 pounds new potatoes
1 yellow onion, quartered
1/2 pound bacon, diced
1 large red onion, diced
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1/4 cup canola oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
8 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions:
Preheat the grill to high. Place potatoes in a large pot with the onion and cover with cold water. Cook, on the grates of the grill, or on a burner, until tender. Drain, discard the onion, and cut the potatoes into cubes when cool enough to handle. Place the potatoes in a large bowl and cover to keep warm.

Place a large saute pan on the grates of the grill. Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Add the onions to the rendered bacon fat and cook until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully add the vinegar and mustard seeds and cook for 2 more minutes. Whisk in the canola oil and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Add the hot dressing to the potatoes and toss gently to coat. Fold in the green onions and parsley. Season again with salt and pepper, to taste.

One of the Last Boise Farmer’s Markets of 2009

28 Monday Sep 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Bike Cam, Food, Local Farmers Markets, Things To Do

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I have been using Microsoft’s Movie Maker and I really don’t think it has kept pace with technology. It is very slow to make the movie after editing it and you are very limited on the available formats. I guess you get what you pay for. I found another video maker/editer called Pinnacle Studuo 12. This is my first attempt at Pinnacle, so let’s see what I did. I am also putting a copy on my FaceBook account.

Enjoy!! Let me know if this is any better. Video taken on the “Tryke Cam” (That’s an adult tricycle with a camera mounted on it).
Update:
OK. So snow is forcast for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week. But, thanks that Boise is in the Banana Belt, so the snow will stay in the mountains where it belongs. Snow level: 5000 feet. So this video may be the last for the Farmer’s Market this year. We’ll see!
Cheers!

More Oktoberfest Recipes

26 Saturday Sep 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Celebrations, Food, Food Prep, Party Time

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And continuing with our Oktoberfest theme and recipes from allrecipes.com, here are some more. Enjoy these.

Leeks and potatoes are simmered with a ham bone, then pureed before cream is added to this subtle soup.

German Leek and Potato Soup

Serves: 6
Ingredients:
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup butter
1 cup chopped leeks
8 potatoes, peeled and sliced
6 cups water
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 ham bone
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In a large pot over medium heat, cook onions in butter until translucent. Stir in leeks, potatoes, water, thyme and the ham bone. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

Remove ham bone and puree soup with a blender or food processor. Return to pot, stir in cream, salt and pepper, heat through and serve.

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And here is the Grand Daddy of them all –

Sauerbraten

Serves: 6
Ingredients:
4 pounds rump roast
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup red wine
1 cup red wine vinegar
2 cups water
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup sliced onion
2 bay leaves
10 black peppercorns
1/4 cup white sugar
5 whole cloves

Beef Prep:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons bacon grease

Gravy:
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 cups sour cream

Directions:
Rub the roast with salt and pepper and place in a large non-metal bowl. In a medium saucepan, combine wine, vinegar and 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Stir in garlic, onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, sugar and cloves and pour the marinade over the beef. Cover and refrigerate 12 hours or overnight.

Beef Prep – Remove the meat from the marinade and thoroughly pat dry. Dredge in 1 cup flour (may use more or less if necessary). Heat bacon grease in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown roast in drippings on all sides. Pour in half the marinade, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until tender, 3 hours.

Gravy – Remove meat to serving platter. Increase heat to medium-high; mix 2 tablespoons flour with 2 tablespoons water and add to pan, stirring until gravy thickens. Stir in sour cream. Pour sauce over sliced meat.

What to Drink? – Zinfandel or a lager that is on the sweet side.

———————–

Black Forest Cake

Serves: 12
Ingredients:
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup kirschwasser
1/2 cup butter
3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon strong brewed coffee
2 (14 ounce) cans pitted Bing cherries, drained

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon kirschwasser
1 (1 ounce) square semisweet chocolate

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line the bottoms of two 8 inch round pans with parchment paper circles. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt. Set aside.

Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk, until combined. Pour into 2 round 8 inch pans.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool completely. Remove paper from the cakes. Cut each layer in half, horizontally, making 4 layers total. Sprinkle layers with the 1/2 cup kirshwasser.

In a medium bowl, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add confectioners sugar, pinch of salt, and coffee; beat until smooth. If the consistency is too thick, add a couple teaspoons of cherry juice or milk. Spread first layer of cake with 1/3 of the filling. Top with 1/3 of the cherries. Repeat with the remaining layers.

In a separate bowl, whip the cream to stiff peaks. Beat in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1 tablespoon kirshwasser. Frost top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with chocolate curls made by using a potato peeler on semisweet baking chocolate.

What to Drink? – Port or a good TBA (I’d take the TBA) or a good Riesling Ice Wine

1st Course – German Leek and Potato Soup
2nd Course – Sauerbraten
Dessert – Black Forest Cake

There’s a whole dinner for your Sweetheart during Oktoberfest when you were at the Beer Hall! Cheers!!

Boise Farmer’s Market

26 Saturday Sep 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food, Local Farmers Markets, Things To Do

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The Farmer’s Market will be closed soon. I will miss the fresh produce and guess I will have to go back to that “cardboard” stuff they pass off as “fresh”. Go figure!! Enjoy the video and dream about the produce pictured here this winter.

Cheers!

German Spaetzle

25 Friday Sep 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Celebrations, Food Prep, Recipe By: Bob Young, Recipes, Things To Do

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Here is another recipe from allrecipes.com. This one is German Spaetzle.

Traditional German dumplings. You can also mince a few pieces of bacon in a pan, and heat the cooked spaetzle in the bacon drippings-only omit the butter, if preparing recipe with bacon.

German Spaetzle Dumplings

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pinch freshly ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 gallon hot water
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Procedure:
Mix together flour, salt, white pepper, and nutmeg. Beat eggs well, and add alternately with the milk to the dry ingredients. Mix until smooth.

Press dough through spaetzle maker, or a large holed sieve or metal grater.
Drop a few at a time into simmering liquid. Cook 5 to 8 minutes. Drain well.
Saute cooked spaetzle in butter or margarine. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley on top, and serve.

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Here is a recipe for German Currywurst. Great for football Saturday and a good beer!

Currywurst is a popular ‘fast food’ in Germany. It’s quick and simple and everyone loves it!

German Currywurst

Ingredients:
3 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 pound kielbasa
2 tablespoons chili sauce
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pinch paprika
Curry powder to taste

Procedure:
Preheat oven to Broil/Grill.

Pour tomato sauce into a large saucepan, then stir in the chili sauce, onion salt, sugar and pepper. Let simmer over medium heat, occasionally stirring; bring to a gentle boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer another 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, broil/grill kielbasa sausage for 3 to 4 minutes each side, or until cooked through. Slice into pieces 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick.

Pour tomato sauce mixture over sausage, then sprinkle all with paprika and curry powder and serve.

Yields: 4 servings

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Cheers and enjoy Football Saturday!!