Brick 29 Bacon Feast


I received this from the Brick 29 in Nampa this morning. If you have never been to this restaurant, you really should go. Well worth it.

Hi Bob and Robin,

I wanted to let you know about the Blue Ribbon Bacon Tour that is coming to I’m Treasure Valley on August 1 at Brick 29 Restaurant. The event is making a stop in Nampa to celebrate local blogger Bacon Unwrapped and author of Bacon: A Love Story, Heather Lauer.

There will be lots of bacon themed food and drinks featuring bacon prepared by celebrated local chef Dustan Bristol. The event will also feature a bacon eating contest.

Representatives from Bacon Salt and Bakon Vodka will also be in attendance and serving samples of their products.

There will be lots of fun, eating and drinking. We would love to have you at the event and if you could mention the event on your blog linking to Bacon Nation.

Please let me know if you have any questions, would like to speak to Heather or need more information.

Thank you!

Sincerely,
Nina Simmons

So there you have it. I guess it really is a “pork fat thing!” Cheers.

26th Anniversary Menu


Yes, it really is a celebration! Here is the menu from Cafe de Paris on 9th Street in Boise. Anyone who would like to join us for dinner must make a reservation. We are also bringing a 1983 Chateau de Sales Pomerol to share. Auction price $162.00. Did I mention this is a magnum? Well, it is! Here is the menu:

First Course
Foie Gras
brioche crouton, pickled cherries

Butter Poached Lobster Tail
local field greens, tarragon vinaigrette

Two Course Dinner
Champagne Aperitif
Main Course
choice between
First Course or Dessert
$29/person

Three Course Dinner
Champagne Aperitif
First Course
Main Course
Dessert
$35/person

Main Course
Filet Mignon
potato puree, haricot verts,
truffle compound butter

Halibut Papillotte
roasted mushroom consomme,
saffron potatoes, petits pois
Dessert

Chocolate Soufflé
berry jus, white
chocolate sauce

For Reservations
Call 208-336-0889

Hope to see you there and to share some fantastic wine with you! Let’s celebrate!! Cheers.

Rhubarb Custard Pie


Here is a good recipe for a rhubarb pie. Not made with strawberries as are most rhubarb pies, but rather with apple – Pink Lady apples, to be exact. Robin makes an awesome Whole Wheat Pastry Flour crust with cinnamon that simply goes extremely well with the filling. You can find the recipe at AFMom’s Rhubarb Custard Pie. We got this recipe from an acquaintance of ours from American Falls, Idaho, thus the name of the recipe. Enjoy this rhubarb pie. Cheers!

Food Watch



Ah! Many thanks to Paul and Helen (Kate) for bringing us these beautiful kokanee! Awesome and just look how they prep out? A nice brine with tarragon, basil and English thyme.

And then after smoking at 225 degrees F for 4 hours over hickory with some alder added in ….. fit for a King!

But wait, can’t have these delicious morsels without some fresh bread and Strawberry/Rhubarb Jam! Such a treat!!

A dinner such as this makes one dream of rich, blue skies with whipped cream clouds and a sprig of mint or basil.

So there you have an awesome meal! So much fun to do. So many thanks to friends Kate and Paul! Cheers!

Silver City Wine Weekend



So you say you need some time away from the big city? You need to see the part of the world where the deer and the antelope play? You need peace! You need quiet! Don’t want to answer the telephone? Or watch the TV? Or listen to the radio? You want to see how laid back Idaho really can be? Then here is where you need to be —

Silver City Wine Weekend
July 10 & 11, 2009
Where: The Idaho Hotel in Silver City, Idaho

Friday Evening– Wine Tasting at 7 PM:

Bring two bottles of wine – same or similar varietals, different vintner or a different year vintage & food bite to pair with and share with all!

6 PM – Happiness Hour (a little surprise for those who make early!) Please “BYODG” bring your own decorated glass!

– You must be 21 years old to attend –

–
Saturday – Wine Dinner and special tour.
A special dinner paired with wines to compliment each entree.
$30 – includes tax and gratuity.
Dinner starts at 7 PM.

Saturday & Sunday
Breakfast Buffet 8:30 – 10:00 AM. $8.50.

Hotel rooms start at $75 per night, stay for two nights only $125 (regular room) – Wine weekend only.

Hotel and Dinner Reservations are required.

For more Information & Reservations call
Jerri at: 208-863-4768 or at the Idaho Hotel: 208-583-4104.
email: Jerri-nelson@hotmail.com

Sooooo, Cheers! And see you there! Always a great weekend!

Zorba’s Grilled Sandwich


To make this Grilled Sandwich correctly, one must start witn Zorba’s No Knead Bread. An awesome bread, even though it does take some time to make.

The bread has wonderful crumb, open and fresh. Chewy, but not tough. A crunchy crust.


And the star of this show is Zorba’s Grilled Sandwich. Made with Zorba’s No Knead Bread, fresh tomato slice, Yarlsberg cheese and Brie. Then a small amount of anchovie. Grill this. Awesome!! Jut a great Comfort Food! Better than Mac ‘N Cheese! Cheers!

Left-Over Danish


And while the action has slowed (watching the Boise Peregrine chicks in downtown Boise.), Robin came up with these Left-Over Danish – I told you she is fantastic with the left-overs. Basically it’s left-over doughnut dough flattened out. 1 Tablespoon of cream cheese and homemade strawberry jam. Fold over and bake at 350 degrees F until browned. Not difficult at all and just wonderful with a cup of El Pico, Cuban Espresso! Cheers!

Duck l’Orange



So, what’s for dinner on a rainy, muggy Boise, Idaho Sunday afternoon? Not your conventional “Old Peoples” dinner – Chicken Mashed Potatoes and Gravy and Peas. Nope! None of that. Try a great Duck l’Orange with Smashed Turnips on a bed of Greens and a Watercress and Orange Salad with a Balsamic Dressing. Ahhhh! So good! Cheers!

Zorba’s "No Knead Bread"


This is some really awesome bread. It does, however, take a while to make. Thanks Kyle Yost for the recipe. Here is a link for a Printable Recipe for the bread.

Zorba’s No Knead Bread

3 Cups flour – any kind is fine, but I like King Arthur brand – I like 1 cup whole wheat and 2 cups unbleached. Sometimes when I like it lighter, I just use all unbleached and no whole wheat.
½ teaspoon yeast – instant is fine
Almost a tablespoon of salt
1.5 cups warm water

Mix ingredients with a butter knife or your hands, and then cover the dough with plastic wrap. I get better results mixing the water, salt and yeast before adding flour. Maybe put a note on it to remind you of when you started it. Let sit in (preferably) a 70+ degree environment for 12 – 24 hours.

Peel the dough out of the bowl onto a floured board. Flour your hands, and pat the dough gently. Fold sides and ends, and flip dough over, folded side down. Using a cotton towel, cover the towel with cornmeal, flour, or wheat bran. Drop the folded side of the dough onto the cornmeal (or otherwise) covered towel. Put more cornmeal (or otherwise) across the top of the dough. Fold the towel over on itself. Let rise for another 2 -3 hours or so. Don’t touch it, or even look at it. Don’t even THINK about looking at it.

Preheat oven and a Dutch oven to 500 degrees. Flip bread, folded side up, from the towel into the hot Dutch oven. Shake slightly in the pot. Put the lid on the pot and return it to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove lid, return Dutch oven to oven. Bake for another 15 minutes. Remove bread from pot and let cool on a baker’s rack for 30 minutes. Slice and enjoy.

Note: I (Bob) adjusted this just a tad: I used 1/2 c Whole Wheat Flour and about 2 Tablespoons of honey. I added the honey to the warm water and then bloomed the yeast. I then added this to the dry ingredients.

"The Buzz" – California Wines


A great night at The Buzz on 09 June and tasting California wines. Once again, they did a fantastic job on the dinner and matching the wines. Here are some photos of the dinner. The wines are listed below. Enjoy! We did!

The Wine List
7 Daughters, White Blend 13.5% alcohol $15.00 (16)
Jade Mountain Provencale 14.5% alcohol $18.00 (17)
Bennet Chardonnay 13.9% alcohol $18.00 (17)
Louis Martini Sonoma Select Cabernet Sauvignon 13.9% alcohol $12.00 (15)
Dry Creek Heritage Zinfandel 14.5% alcohol $20.00 (16)
Forre Petit Syrah 14.6% alcohol $15.00 (18)

And the winner is? The envelope please …………….. Forre Petit Syrah!!! We saved a little to try with the Cheesecake along with the Zin. The Petit Syrah went far better with this cheesecake. Cheers!