Celebrating Jacques Pépin’s 80th Birthday Today!

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Jacques Pépin, one of the world’s most famous and skilled Chef’s, celebrates his 80th birthday. Here is some information about him from Wikipedia.

Jacques Pépin (born December 18, 1935)[1] is an internationally recognized French chef, television personality, and author working in the United States. Since the late 1980s, he has appeared on French and American television and written an array of cookbooks that have become best sellers. In addition to the Daytime Emmy Award won with Julia Child, Pépin has received two of the French government’s highest honors: He is a Chevalier de L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (1997) and a Chevalier de L’Ordre du Mérite Agricole (1992). In October 2004, he received France’s ultimate civilian recognition, the Légion d’honneur.

Jacques PepinOn May 13, 2010, Pépin, along with other chefs from The French Culinary Institute (known as The International Culinary Center), Alain Sailhac, Jacques Torres and André Soltner, prepared a $30,000-per-couple dinner for President Barack Obama’s fund-raiser for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee at Manhattan’s St. Regis Hotel.
On February 5, 2010, during the christening of MS Marina, Pépin was named an honorary commodore of the Oceania Cruises fleet,[7] for which he serves as Executive Culinary Director.
He received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Boston University on May 22, 2011. In October 2011, Pépin was the recipient of the first-ever tribute dinner at the New York Food and Wine Festival. Cooking for Pépin at the event, hosted by Martha Stewart, were some of America’s best-known French chefs including Alain Ducasse, Daniel Boulud, and others.

James Beard Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award
James Beard Foundation, Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America
Chevalier de L’Ordre du Mérite Agricole
Chevalier de L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
Daytime Emmy, Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home
James Beard Foundation’s Cookbook Hall of Fame, La Technique
James Beard Foundation’s Cookbook Hall of Fame, La Méthode
James Beard Foundation Award for Best National TV Cooking Show, Jacques Pépin’s Kitchen: Encore with Claudine
James Beard Foundation Award for Best National Cooking Segment, Jacques Pépin’s Kitchen: Cooking with Claudine
James Beard Foundation Outstanding Culinary Video, Today’s Gourmet
Co-founder of the American Institute of Wine and Food

Scrambled Eggs with Chives, Lumpfish Caviar, Sour Cream and Herring Red Row. Fresh Idaho Cantaloupe and Toasted English Muffin

Scrambled Meadowlark Farms Eggs
with
Garden Fresh Chives, Lumpfish Caviar, Sour Cream and Herring Red Row
Fresh Idaho Cantaloupe and Toasted English Muffin

Chanterelle Omelet, Seafood Stir Fry and Scrumptious Chicken Wings

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17Sept2015_2a_Alavita_Happy-RobinSuch a good meal combination. No! Not all at once but over three days. The recipe for the chicken wings and the stir fry are listed permanently in the recipe file. The link to that file is at the top of this page. But for now, here is the link to the Shrimp, Scallop and Pineapple Stir Fry recipe and the recipe for the Robin’s Chicken Wings, that would be great at a Tailgate Party! Here is some information about chanterelle mushrooms –

Cantharellus cibarius, commonly known as the chanterelle, golden chanterelle or girolle, is a fungus. It is probably the best known species of the genus Cantharellus, if not the entire family of Cantharellaceae. It is orange or yellow, meaty and funnel-shaped. On the lower surface, underneath the smooth cap, it has gill-like ridges that run almost all the way down its stipe, which tapers down seamlessly from the cap. It emits a fruity aroma, reminiscent of apricots and a mildly peppery taste (hence its German name, Pfifferling) and is considered an excellent edible mushroom. Though records of chanterelles being eaten date back to the 16th century, they first gained widespread recognition as a culinary delicacy with the spreading influence of French cuisine in the 18th century, where they began appearing in palace kitchens. For many years, they remained notable for being served at the tables of nobility. Nowadays, the usage of chanterelles in the kitchen is common throughout Europe and North America. In 1836, the Swedish mycologist Elias Fries considered the chanterelle “as one of the most important and best edible mushrooms.”
Chanterelles as a group are generally described as being rich in flavor, with a distinctive taste and aroma difficult to characterize. Some species have a fruity odor, others a more woody, earthy fragrance, and still others can even be considered spicy. The golden chanterelle is perhaps the most sought-after and flavorful chanterelle, and many chefs consider it on the same short list of gourmet fungi as truffles and morels. It therefore tends to command a high price in both restaurants and specialty stores.
There are many ways to cook chanterelles. Most of the flavorful compounds in chanterelles are fat-soluble, making them good mushrooms to sauté in butter, oil or cream. They also contain smaller amounts of water- and alcohol-soluble flavorings, which lend the mushrooms well to recipes involving wine or other cooking alcohols. Many popular methods of cooking chanterelles include them in sautés, soufflés, cream sauces, and soups. They are not typically eaten raw, as their rich and complex flavor is best released when cooked.

Chanterelle Omelet with Fresh Chives, Sausage and Local Cantelope

Chanterelle Omelet
with
Fresh Chives, Sausage and Local Cantaloupe

Next meal, wonderful Seafood Stir Fry. Look at this!

Scallops, shrimp, celery, broccoli and pineapple in a wonderful stir fry. Here it is cooking.

Scallops, shrimp, celery, broccoli and pineapple in a wonderful stir fry. See the recipe and enjoy. Here it is cooking.

Shrimp, Scallop and Pineapple Stir Fry Coconut Rice and Chow Mein Noodles

Shrimp, Scallop and Pineapple Stir Fry
Coconut Rice and Chow Mein Noodles

And finally, awesome tailgate fare with these chicken wings. (Recipe above) Don’t bypass marinating the wings for the 2 hours or so. Enjoy!

Chicken wings getting happy!

Chicken wings getting happy!

Sticky Marinated Chicken Wings Fresh Vegetable Mixture

Robin’s Chicken Wings
Fresh Raw Vegetable Mixture

Birthday Dinner at Alavita in Boise

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17Sept2015_2_Alavita_Menu-CoverSeptember 17th will always be a special day – It is Robin’s Birthday. This year we celebrated the 43rd anniversary of her 29th birthday at Alavita, a good Italian restaurant. Actually a solid 4-Star Italian restaurant. On their webpage, they say, “ALAVITA is all about fresh pasta and local ingredients—from Agnolotti to Tortellini to Garganelli, Linguini to Pappardelle—created freshly every day. A restaurant whose name means “to life,” (Well actually two words– ‘alla’ ‘vita’ –that we put together to create one) ÀLAVITA is a great place for celebrating life with good friends and family alike.
What we believe: great food need not be too convoluted or overwrought, but rather fresh, uncomplicated, relatable and well executed in order to get out of the way of the local ingredients and find the pleasure in their innate flavors and qualities. In the vein of a traditional Italian osteria as a casual, local gathering place (An Italian Joint) to discover food, friends, wine, and creative libations, our menu reflects a new twist on Italian fare that is inspired by local, regional ingredients. As we do at Fork (Our big brother concept located next door by same creators), we firmly subscribe to our mantra of being ‘Loyal To Local.’” And they adhere to these words, rigorously. Enjoy these photos of our visit. We will return.

Robin enjoys her Birthday Dinner!

Robin enjoys her Birthday Dinner!

We have known Kerry, the Floor Manager, for many years - we go back to the Andrae days - and it is good to "find" her again.

We have known Kerry, the Floor Manager, for many years – we go back to the Andrae days – and it is good to “find” her again.

The open kitchen area.

The open kitchen area.

How about an "Alavita"? Yummers, but drink it slow!

How about a

Barrel Aged ÀLAVITA
Crater Lake gin + St. Germain + sweet vermouth + bitters (aged for six weeks in charred oak bourbon barrels). Salute To Life!

Yummers, but drink it slow!

A good white wine goes with seafood.

A good white wine goes with seafood.

Alois Lageder Riff Pinot Grigio (12.5%)… Veneto, Italy

Potato, Leek and Fennel Soup

Potato, Leek and Fennel Soup

Robin had this really very good soup as an appetizer.

Heirloom Beet Salad rainbow beets, shavel fennel, arugula, Rolling Stone goat cheese feta, toasted pistachios and champagne vinaigrette

I had a very good –

Heirloom Beet Salad
rainbow beets, shavel fennel, arugula, Rolling Stone goat cheese feta, toasted pistachios and champagne vinaigrette

Tuxedo’ Linguine {gf}... squid ink & orange zest infused linguine, ÀLAVITA clam sauce, chili flake & Manila clams

Tuxedo Linguine
squid ink and orange zest infused linguine, ÀLAVITA clam sauce, chili flake and Manila clams

Robin had this and the clams were so very fresh – gout la mer!

Black Ravioli... stuffed with West coast lobster & fontina, butter poached shrimp & lemon-fennel-thyme infused local Cloverleaf cream sauce

Black Ravioli
stuffed with West coast lobster and fontina, butter poached shrimp and lemon-fennel-thyme infused local Cloverleaf cream sauce

I had this and basically, I would get it agin. But I did not get much lobster flavor.

Robin's Birthday Cake - ÀLAVITA Tiramisu... espresso lady fingers, Grand Marnier and orange zest

Robin’s Birthday Cake. Kerry had this done for her.

ÀLAVITA Tiramisu
espresso lady fingers, Grand Marnier and orange zest

I finished with a Dark Chocolate Mousse  hazelnut cream + crushed vanilla-maple spiced hazelnuts

I finished with a

Dark Chocolate Mousse
hazelnut cream + crushed vanilla-maple spiced hazelnuts

Sinful!

Janjou Pâtisserie Revisited


17Sept2015_1d_Janjou_Janjou-CoffeeToday is Robin’s 43rd anniversary of her 29th birthday so when I asked her what she wanted for breakfast, she said a quiche from Janjou Pâtisserie. That sounded good, so off we went. (It’s only 2 blocks away from us!) If anything, it has gotten better. The Quiche Lorraine we had was delicious. The coffee is still excellent – we bought a pound – and the fruit tart we had was scrumptious. You must try it when you are in Boise. Make a special trip. You’ll love it. 5-Stars all the way. Enjoy these photos!

Wonderful fresh made and house made cookies!

Wonderful fresh made and house made cookies!

Chocolate tarts

Chocolate tarts

Fruit tarts

Fruit tarts

Raspberry Tart. We had one. Delicious!

Raspberry Tart. We had one. Delicious!

Quiche Lorraine. Fresh made and scrumptious.

Quiche Lorraine. Fresh made and scrumptious.

Robin enjoys her quiche!

Robin enjoys her quiche!

Dharma Sushi and Thai

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15Sept2015_1_Dharma_FrontNot bad and somewhat “common” sushi. Don’t get me wrong – It’s a good sushi, just not spectacular. 3-Stars. You can find their complete menu at Dharma Sushi and Thai. Their menu in the restaurant is a kiosk. You go to a screen – there are two of them – pick out what you want, then complete the transaction with a credit card or cash. If you have a question about a certain dish, you can see what is in it just by pushing a button on the kiosk. We did find the sushi at Sushi Joy and at Shige’s Japanese Cuisine to be a slightly higher quality and better taste. We will have to go back to Dharma and try their Thai food. Here are some photos of our visit.

Dining area, you can see the menu kiosk in the background.

Dining area, you can see the menu kiosk in the background.

We sat in a corner where we could see all around us.

We sat in a corner where we could see all around us.

Robin had the Apocalypse Roll.

Robin had the Apocalypse Roll.

Cross section of the Apocalypse Roll.

Cross section of the Apocalypse Roll.

I had the Bangkok Roll. A little spicy and the addition of some fresh mint made a tasty sushi roll.

I had the Bangkok Roll. A little spicy and the addition of some fresh mint made a tasty sushi roll.

Cross section of the Bangkok Roll.

Cross section of the Bangkok Roll.

We did enjoy ourselves. And we will probably return. Get a group together and go here for some sushi. Might be a good place for the Boise Foodie Meet-Up group. They do have take-out if you wish.

Grilled Avocado for Breakfast; Icelandic Flounder Papillote for Dinner

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21sept2013_2_robins-bday-captains-shack_gumbo_getting-happyGrilled avocado seems like a weird way to prepare the fruit. But really, for a non-avocado lover, this was pretty good. Leave the peel on and lightly caramelize the pulp to a golden brown. Left-Click any of these photos to see them enlarged. Enjoy!
But first, just what is a papillote?

En papillote (French for “in parchment”), or al cartoccio in Italian, is a method of cooking in which the food is put into a folded pouch or parcel and then baked. The parcel is typically made from folded parchment paper, but other material, such as a paper bag or aluminium foil, may be used. [Wikipedia]

In the culinary arts, the term en papillote (pronounced “ON poppy-YOTE”) refers to a moist-heat cooking method where the food is enclosed in a packet of parchment paper or foil and then cooked in the oven.
When cooking en papillote, there are usually some vegetables, herbs and seasonings included in the packet along with the main item. These additional ingredients, along with the main item, give off steam, which is what actually cooks the food. Therefore, en papillote cooking is basically a technique for cooking with steam.
Because it is delicate and cooks quickly, fish is a good choice for cooking in this way. Salmon en papillote is a popular dish.
When serving a recipe prepared en papillote, it is traditional to present the dish by slicing open the paper in front of the guest. [Culinary Arts]

But breakfast comes first! Here is the Grilled Avocado I made.

Grilled Avocado with Poached Egg, Micro Greens, Pink Grapefruit Wedges and Toasted Acme Bake Shop Sourdough

Grilled Avocado
with
Poached Egg, Micro Greens, Pink Grapefruit Wedges and Toasted Acme Bake Shop Sourdough

And now Icelandic Flounder en Papillote.

The flounder is set in the parchment with lemonn slices, limoncello, Texas tarragon (which has a slight bite to it compared to the French tarragon) and salt and pepper.

The flounder is set in the parchment with lemonn slices, limoncello, Texas tarragon (which has a slight bite to it compared to the French tarragon) and salt and pepper.

Flounder en Papillote Fresh Idaho Honeydew Melon Slices Potato Croquettes Fresh Green Beans with Brown Butter

Flounder en Papillote
Fresh Idaho Honeydew Melon Slices
Potato Croquettes
Fresh Green Beans with Brown Butter

An awesome and fun day in the kitchen!

Enriques Mexican Restaurant in Kuna.

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Enrique's-Logo300x269Enrique’s Mexican Restaurant,482 W Main Street, Kuna, ID is by far one of the best, if not The Best, Mexican restaurant in the Boise/Kuna area. The name has changed from El Gallo Giro. Same people are operating the restaurant, just a name change. And I think the food has gotten better! Every bit of a 5-Star restaurant! A great place for the entire family. But be aware – They get very, very busy, so it might be best to call for reservations, especially if you are going to be there on Friday or Saturday or Sunday around 4:00 in the afternoon and later. (208) 922-5169. Look at what we had. Enjoy! Left-Click any of these photos to see them enlarged.

The change-over explained

The change-over explained

If you are lucky, you just might hear and enjoy a Mariachi Band. This one was awesome!

If you are lucky, you just might hear and enjoy a Mariachi Band. This one was awesome!

Some of the Mariachi players.

Some of the Mariachi players.

Maybe you would like some fresh guacamole made right at your table. This young man had great knife skills!

Maybe you would like some fresh guacamole made right at your table. This young man has great knife skills!

27August2015_1h_Enriques_Tableside-Guacomole_2

Start dinner with a good Watermelon Cosmojito

Start dinner with a good Watermelon Cosmojito

or maybe a Corona!

or maybe a Corona!

Awesome House Salad with an Olive Oil and Honey Dressing. The salad had walnuts, and other nuts in it.  Super good salad!

Awesome House Salad with an Olive Oil and Honey Dressing. The salad had walnuts, and other nuts in it. Super good salad! These salads change periodically.

An appetizer of Cabeza Pork Taco.

An appetizer of Cabeza Pork Taco. Superb pork.

Coconut Shrimp appetizer. Delicious and just what you would expect.

Coconut Shrimp appetizer. Delicious and just what you would expect.

Robin had Idaho Trout for dinner and all the trimmings for sides - fresh vegetables, pico de gallo, tortillas and sour cream.

Robin had Idaho Trout for dinner and all the trimmings for sides – fresh vegetables, pico de gallo, tortillas and sour cream.

I had this spot on, out of this world, shut the front door Mojarra Doreda - Tilapia! I'd drive the 12 or so miles from Boise and fight the I-84 construction - or find a "country route" - just for this entree! Absolutely loved it.

I had this spot on, out of this world, shut the front door Mojarra Dorada – Whole Tilapia! I’d drive the 12 or so miles from Boise and fight the I-84 construction – or find a “country route” – just for this entree! Absolutely loved it.

Churros for dessert with an good coffee.

Churros for dessert with an good cup of strong coffee.

Will we go back? Absolutely! The quality of the food is far better than it was. Well worth the trip, folks! Let us know when you are going and we’ll try to join you.

Great Visit to Capitol Cellars

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Capitol-Cellars-Logan-Smyser_CardReally a good visit tonight to the newly opened – March 2015 – of Capitol Cellars at 5th and Main Streets in Boise in the Belgravia Building. (There is also an AirBNB in the building, Belgravia AirBNB.) The ambiance is like entering a “wine cave”. Dim lights; cool air and wonderful Waite Staff. In certain sections of the restaurant, it is like sitting in a wine cellar – because you really are! I have placed a permanent link in the sidebar of this blog so you can contact them, make reservations or check their manu. Definitely a 4-Star (out of 5-Stars) restaurant. My only comments about the food is that the risotto seemed to be a little gummy – undercooked. The crispy fries were not really as crispy as I had expected. I expected more of a twice fried Belgium style potato. Here are some photos from our visit. Enjoy! It is great to see that they use Idaho products and produce as much as possible. This would be a great Date Night restaurant or Special Occasion.

The entrance at 5th and Main in the Belgrade Building.

The entrance at 5th and Main in the Belgravia Building.

Part of the main dining room.

Part of the main dining room.

The wine cellar.

The wine cellar.

Wine cellar ambiance.

Wine cellar ambiance.

Shoup Pernod Shrimp - garlic, shallot, basil, Pernod cream sauce

Shoup Pernod Shrimp
garlic, shallot, basil, Pernod cream sauce

heese plate- specialty artisan and local cheeses, fruit, spiced nuts, port-fig jam, imported olives, baguette & crackers

Cheese plate
specialty artisan and local cheeses, fruit, spiced nuts, port-fig jam, imported olives, baguette & crackers

Borah Burger - Idaho Kobe beef, fresh mozzarella, basil, tomato, balsamic reduction, roasted garlic aioli, brioche bun

Borah Burger
Idaho Kobe beef, fresh mozzarella, basil, tomato, balsamic reduction, roasted garlic aioli, brioche bun

Risotto

Risotto

Rib-Eye

The Senator’s Prime Rib
Idaho-northwest raised beef, Idaho bake potato, warm horseradish sauce, au jus

Lamb

Pete’s Idaho Lamb Shank
Lava Lake Lamb. goat cheese polenta, seasonal vegetable, natural jus

Logan Smyser

Logan Smyser, Director of Operations, shows us how to use a sabre to remove the top of a champagne bottle.

Good Eats!

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16July2015_1_State-And-Lemp_Robin A couple days of some really good eats – good food! The weather is not 100+, it is 58 degrees at night and in the mid 80’s during the day. I’ll take that. The Soda Fire is 90% contained and rehab has started for the grasslands – it’ll take two to three years for it to totally come back. Grazing will be at a premium. Wild horses are being cared for and watched for injuries. All seems as well as it can be under the circumstances. Back to the kitchen!

Meadowlark Farms Eggs Benedict Fresh Williamson Orchards Fruit

Meadowlark Farms Eggs Benedict
Fresh Williamson Orchards Fruit

Home Stead Foods Rib Steak Asparagus with Bearnaise Sauce True Roots Heirloom Tomatoes with Purple Sage Basil Threads

Homestead Foods Rib Steak
True Roots Asparagus with Meadowlark Farms Eggs for Bearnaise Sauce
True Roots Heirloom Tomatoes with Purple Sage Basil Threads

Braised Scallops Shaved Zucchini Salad with Tomatoes Basil and Cheese

Braised Scallops
Shaved Zucchini Salad with Tomatoes, Basil Treads and Cheese

Ratatouille Toasted Baguette with Garlic

Ratatouille
Toasted Baguette with Garlic

Here is the Ratatouille recipe.

Scrambled Eggs Grits and Shrimp

Meadowlark Farms Scrambled Eggs
Grits and Shrimp

I asked Robin what she wanted for breakfast. Without even blinking an eye, she said, “Shrimp and Grits.” I asked her if she wanted some scrambled eggs with that. She said, “Just one egg.” I had some, too!

Such a yum couple of merals. Such a great time in the kitchen!

“Eggs Baked in Tomatoes” For Breakfast

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04Mar2015_1_Ciottonwood-Grille_Robin-at-Arid-Club_GoodReally a super flavor. A great idea that Robin found. But, we find that certain changes should be made – use cupcake tins (pans) for one thing. Basically, the recipe comes from PowWow recipes, Eggs Baked in Tomatoes. We found that the tomatoes have a lot of liquid in them for this recipe. We used Beefsteak, which are super tomatoes. We need a more pulpy tomato, but not a San Marzano or Roma. Wrong shape. I will check at the Boise Farmers Market tomorrow to see what I can find. Here are some photos that I took of our breakfast. Enjoy. I will post the recipe as we used it at the end of this post. Cheers! The tomatoes and the eggs are from the Boise Farmers Market. The herbs are from our garden.

The tomatoes are scooped out and have a large pinch of herbs and salt and pepper in them. We used a cupcake pan so the tomatoes would keep their shape. Take care when you remove them from the pan. Let them cool first.

The tomatoes are scooped out and have a large pinch of herbs and salt and pepper in them. We used a cupcake pan so the tomatoes would keep their shape. Take care when you remove them from the pan. They have a tendency to want to collapse and fall apart. Let them cool first.

Even being careful while removing them from the pan, they tended to "fall apart". But still deliciously different for breakfast.

Even being careful while removing them from the pan, they tended to “fall apart”. But still deliciously different for breakfast.

Here is the recipe –

Eggs Baked in Tomatoes

Adapted From: Eggs Baked in Tomatoes | Recipes – PureWow
Robin Young, Boise, ID Servings: 3 Start to Finish: 45 minutes Prep: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
2 T Olive Oil
6 med Tomatoes
6 lg Eggs
¼ c Whole Milk
¼ c grated Parmesan Cheese
Sea Salt and freshly ground Tellicherry Black Pepper
2 T chopped fresh Chives
1 T fresh Thyme leaves
2 t chiffonade fresh Basil
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a large, oven-safe skillet with the olive oil, or a muffin tin.
2. Using a small paring knife, cut around the stems of the tomatoes and remove them. Use a spoon to scoop out all the insides of the tomatoes, including the liquid. (Reserve the insides and liquid and use them to make tomato sauce or salsa.) Be careful not to split the sides of the tomatoes.
3. Blend together the chopped chives, fresh thyme leaves and basil. Sprinkle the inside of the tomatoes with a large pinch of the herb blend and salt and pepper.
4. Arrange the tomato shells snugly in the prepared skillet or in a muffin tin. Again, be careful not to split the sides of the tomatoes. Crack an egg into each tomato. Top each egg with 1 tablespoon milk and 1 tablespoon Parmesan. Season each egg with salt and pepper.
5. Bake until the tomatoes are tender, the egg whites are set and the yolks are still a little jiggly, 18 to 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes and then garnish with a little more of the fresh herbs. Serve immediately.