Happily, Healthy Wine Tasting

10 Wednesday Dec 2014

Posted by Bob and Robin in Carrots, Chicken, Dill, Ginger, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipes, Salads, Soup, Special Events, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food, Wine Dinners

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lentils, the Buzz, The Buzz Coffee and Wine, wine club dinner, Wine Dinners

Cristi, in her Queen of Wine Crown, led us through a wonderfully different Wine Club Dinner last night at The Buzz here in Boise. (Her recipes for these dinners can be found at Buzz Wine Blog.) Several interesting points that she made. (1) “Superfood is a marketing term used to describe foods with supposed health benefits. [The term ‘superfood’ is] not commonly used by dieticians.” She also pointed out that there is no evidence to support that 8 – 8oz glasses of water a day is beneficial. However, soaking in water relaxes us; cleanses us; sounds of running water are soothing and swimming is good exercise to name a few. Best rule of thumb for water consumption is thirst! The amount of water intake varies on size and activity and general overall health.
As for wine: There is a 16 year Harvard study showing that drinking wine reduces heart attack. That does not mean a gallon a day of wine – 2 oz a day would be a better target. A French study showed that wine reduces the risk of heart disease. A 12 year study in Amsterdam shows that limited amounts of wine reduces the risk of Type 2 diabetes.
And to balance out the wine, here is what we had for dinner. Enjoy the photos; check out the link above for recipes from some of the wine dinners and Left-Click any of the photos to see them larger. Cheers!

Some of the 7 wines we had.

Chicken Satay with Kale Chips 2011 Tapiz Chardonnay 13.9% alc. well rounded and went very well with the kale and the yogurt sauce. [18] $20.00

Chicken Satay with Kale Chips and Yogurt and Honey Mustard Sauce
2011 Tapiz Chardonnay
13.9% alc. well rounded and went very well with the kale and the yogurt sauce. [18] $20.00

Ginger Lentil Soup (delicious!) 2012 Revelry Merlot 13.6% alc. this was a superb match with the spiciness of the ginger in the soup. perfect paring! [18] $17.00

Ginger Lentil Soup
(delicious! Robin enjoyed this.)
2012 Revelry Merlot
13.6% alc. this was a superb match with the spiciness of the ginger in the soup. perfect paring! [18] $17.00

Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing
(Delicious!)
2012 Tangent Albarino
13.5% alc super paring. went especially well with the dressing and the oxalic acid of the spinach. another great paring! [19] $16.00

Beef Stroganoff Dill Carrots Cauliflower with Peas 2012 Vistalba 14.0% alc it was surprising how well this plate went with the wine. even the fresh dill pared well. [18] $22.00

Beef Stroganoff and Noodles
Dill Carrots
Cauliflower with Peas
2012 Vistalba
14.0% alc it was surprising how well this plate went with the wine. even the fresh dill pared well. [18] $22.00

Chess Pie with Raspberries
Henkell Brut
11.5% alc. good paring with the pie, even for this non-sparkling wine enthusiast. it did go well with the berries. (We purchased 2 bottles.) [17] $16.00

A good – great healthy meal! Great wine parings. Overall a great food preparation. Cheers and hope to see you at the Wine Dinner in January.

Skillet Chicken and Dumplings and Crab Fritters

02 Tuesday Dec 2014

Posted by Bob and Robin in Acme Bake Shop, Acme Bake Shop Holiday Breads, Acme Bake Shop Sourdough, Boise Farmers Market, Captain's Shack, Carrots, Cast Iron, Chicken, Chicken and Dumplings, Comfort Food, Crab, Crab Fritters, Dinner At The Captains Shack, Dinner With Robin, Heirloom Tomatoes, Housemade Tartar Sauce, Local Markets, Main Dish, Oak Knoll Winery, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe by: Robin and Bob Young, Salad, Salmon, Seafood, Special Dinners, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food, Wines - NW

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chicken and dumplings, crab, crab fritters, Oak Knoll Winery, Skillet Chicken and Dumplings

Ah! Two really delicious, although somewhat different, dinners. A differently delicious chicken and dumpling dinner all done in a skillet by Chef Ron Lock, Skillet and Chicken Dumplings and a delicious variation to crab cakes, crab fritters! Crab Fritters. Both recipes and dinners are well worth a try. If you don’t like crab, try using salmon. Here are the photos from the meals. Enjoy!

Skillet Chicken and Dumplings cooking!

Skillet Chicken and Dumplings
Acme Bake Shop Cranberry Sourdough Bread
Housemade Cranberry Relish

Crab Fritters Fresh Salad Greens Heirloom Tomatoes Housemade Tartar Sauce 2013 Oak Knoll Muller Thurgau

Crab Fritters
Fresh Salad Greens
Heirloom Tomato Wedges
Housemade Tartar Sauce
2013 Oak Knoll Muller Thurgau

New Restaurant Visited: Blaze Pizza

26 Wednesday Nov 2014

Posted by Bob and Robin in Acme Bake Shop, Acme Bake Shop Holiday Breads, Acme Bakery, Beer and Food, Blaze Pizza, Boise Adventures, Boise Artisan Bakery's, Bread, Comfort Food, Herbs and Spices, Local Markets, New Restaurant Trial, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, Pizza, Pizza and Brew, Restaurant Reviews, Restaurants To Try, Vegetables, What's For Dinner?

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Acme Bake Shop, Blaze pizza, speciality pizza

One joy of writing and publishing these ideas, is that we get asked to go to new restaurants and and report on their fare. So today, since it is not snowing or raining but rather 61 degrees, we went to the Acme Bake Shop physical bakery – we have never been there – to pick up our Thanksgiving bread order. Then we went to a new pizza restaurant in Meridian, Idaho, Blaze Pizza. They are located at 2206 N. Eagle Rd., Meridian, ID 83646 (208) 855-9139. You can order online! Here are some photos of our visits. Enjoy!

Like I said above, we started off by visiting Acme Bake Shop in 221 W 37th Street, Suite B, Garden City, Idaho. (208) 284-5580. And we are still convinced that this is the best bread in the Boise area. That’s a bold statement but one we stand by. Their breads are baked daily and from local products. Their Rye is the old world style, full of caraway and not a swirl rye, which is a rye “wanna be”. Look at these photos of the bakery and of some of the breads we bought today. Enjoy!!

Acme Bake Shop entrance.

Soraya works on the orders.

The breads we bought – Pull Apart Dinner Rolls, Michael’s Sourdough, Rye, Hot Cross Buns and Cranberry Sourdough. Still warm! Sooooooooooo fresh! You can also find them at the Boise Farmers Market and at the Boise COOP.

Now off to Blaze Pizza, located at 2206 N Eagle Road, Meridian, Idaho. (208) 855-9139. A good selection of 11″ pizzas, from a Build Your Own to their Signature Pizzas. Here is a link to Blaze Pizza Menu. (You can download the menu, too.) See these photos of this new Meridian area restaurant. If you are in the area shopping, this makes for a great break. Stop in and have a speciality pizza and a cool drink.

Some of the dining area with the pizza making area in the background. My one critisism of the dining area is that it is very "noisey". The sounds echo off of flat, hard surfaces which amplifies the sounds. They need some sound buffers.

Some of the dining area with the pizza making area in the background. My one criticism of the dining area is that it is very “noisey”. The sounds echo off of flat, hard surfaces which amplifies the sounds. They need some sound buffers. It is distracting.

The hot oven works fine and gives the pizza crust a unique, fire-roasted flavor. I like that, especially on a thin crust. The Baker must be aware that this process can cause the crust to go to "cracker" consistency.

The hot oven works fine and gives the pizza crust a unique, fire-roasted flavor. I like that, especially on a thin crust. However, the Baker must be aware that this process can cause the crust to go to “cracker” consistency.

The Staff building the pizzas are really great with the customers – friendly and helpful. They smile!

Pizza assembly by skilled hands.

Our pizza, a Signature Meat Lovers. The lady constructing this pizza asked if I wanted some herbs – oregano. I said yes and she put about a pinch on this 11″ pizza. Also, I count 12 pieces of onion – there could really be more. And some garlic. There could also be more pepperoni and more sausage. I’m not saying cups more, but a small handful more. No space between the pepperoni. (Robin says you will probably need a bib – the pizzas are some what juicy.)

The Bottom Line: Great service people. Friendly, helpful and cheerful. Great to see. They seem to like their work. Very noisy environment – noises echo. Increase the amount of toppings, slightly. Cost of the product is good. Robin and I come from 20 miles south of South Philly! The Italian section. We grew up on pizza, subs, steak sandwiches and Bob Horn’s Bandstand. Our benchmark pizzas are Angie’s, Newark, DE. (No longer in existence.), Grotto Pizza, Rehoboth Beach, DE and Pittsburg, PA. PizzalChik, Boise, ID and Flying Pie Pizza in Boise. Blaze Pizza has big shoes to fill – a great challenge.

If you are in the Meridian area shopping, this will make a great stop. Out of 5-Stars, we rate Blaze Pizza 3-Stars for the reasons stated. We will return at some point in time. 3-Stars is not a bad rating, but we can see where they could use some improvement. Go and enjoy the pizza and be sure to let us know what you think. Cheers!

Tailgating With Chili Con Carne

22 Saturday Nov 2014

Posted by Bob and Robin in Beef, Bronco Nation, BSU, Captain's Shack, Comfort Food, Corn Bread, Crockpot, Dinner At The Captains Shack, Dinner With Robin, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe by: Robin and Bob Young, Slow Cooking, Tailgate At The Captains Shack, Tailgate Party, Traditional Food, What's For Dinner?

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chili, chili con carne, Guatemalan Corn Bread

Rainy all day. Temperature in the mid 40’s. Snow is mostly gone. Ground is soaking wet!! But this Mom’s Chili Con Carne, I modified it slightly as Robin can not eat green peppers and I added black beans too, was absolutely as I remember it. I think delicious! Then add to the chili some Guatemalan Corn Bread and we had a great Tailgate Meal. (BSU plays Wyoming tonight on ESPN). Look at this plate. Enjoy!

Mom’s Chili Con Carne
Guatemalan Corn Bread

Awesome Braised Salmon

15 Saturday Nov 2014

Posted by Bob and Robin in Captain's Shack, Comfort Food, Cream Sauces, Dinner At The Captains Shack, Dinner With Robin, Green Peas, Heirloom Tomatoes, Photos By: Bob Young, Rice, Salmon, Vegetables, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food, Wines - Idaho

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copper river salmon

After an incredible two days of snow, we got close to 10″ here at the house (BSU will play San Diego State tonight in football. 21 degrees at game time; 12 degrees by the final bell. Hope San Diego can handle the cold! Game starts 8:15 MST on DirecTV 208, ESPNU.), it was time to make a super good Copper River salmon dish. Simple, but, I think, elegant. Quick and easy; a 30 minute meal. Left-Click to see the photos enlarged. Cheers!

Braised Copper River Salmon
with
Pan Sauce
Steamed Rice and Peas
Quartered Heirloom Tomatoes
2012 Frenchman’s Gulch Chardonnay

Holiday Season Wine Dinner

12 Wednesday Nov 2014

Posted by Bob and Robin in Beef, Buy Idaho, Cheese, Coffee, Dinner With Friends, Friends, Green Beans, Hamburger, Koenig Vineyards, Meatloaf, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe By: Food Network, Recipes, Soup, What's For Dinner?, Wine Dinners

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Baked Alaska Meatloaf, Dill Pickle Soup, Mediterranean Green Olive Soup, recipe meatloaf, recipes

The Holiday Season was started last night at The Buzz and their monthly wine dinner. Many seasonal ideas were presented: Wrapping, fun gifts, culturally correct gift giving: Brazil – avoid giving gifts of black or purple or in South Korea – never anything made in Japan or North Korea. Just a few of the suggestions.
Good job in paring the wines with the dinner. The dinner was a surprise. Things we have never thought of or tried before, Dill Pickle Soup for instance. Actually, it was surprisingly good. (Here is but one recipe for Dill Pickle Soup.) Much like a Mediterranean Green Olive Soup, which is very good, but a Dill Pickle Soup is more of a Polish soup! And the Baked Alaska Meatloaf was a surprise. (Meatloaf baked, then cooled and mashed potatoes all over then broiled. Here is a Recipe for one variation. There are several.) Here is what we had and the wines to accompany the meal. Enjoy!

Wrapped Meatballs Quick Crackers A strange appetizer. I don't know what the cheese was. 2012 Koenig Cabernet Sauvignon 15.7% alc. high alcohol sometimes is a distraction. this is not. great with the main course and the meatballs. [19]

Wrapped Meatballs
Quick Crackers
2012 Koenig Cabernet Sauvignon
15.7% alc. high alcohol sometimes is a distraction. this is not. great with the main course and the meatballs. [19]
A strange appetizer. I don’t know what the cheese was.

Dill Pickle Soup 2010 Bastile use de Beauvert 13.5% alc. good sparkling wine and pared well with the soup. [17] This is a strange soup, but surprisingly good.

Dill Pickle Soup
2010 Bastille use de Beauvert
13.5% alc. good sparkling wine and pared well with the soup. [17]
This is a strange soup, but surprisingly good.

Orzo Squash Salad
NV Cruzat nu Brut Classico
12.5% alc. good, refreshing wine. went well with the salad. [19]

Baked Alaska Meatloaf
Green Beans
Twice Baked Potatoes
2012 Pinnacoli Primitivo
14% alc. good paring but the Koenig Cabernet Sauvignon went much better. [19]
We found the green beans under cooked and the potato was slightly under cooked, too. The meatloaf was strange.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Loaf
2008 Quinta Do Noval Port
19.5% alc. went well with the chocolate [18]
Good dessert.

And then there is always a good cup of coffee, if you so desire!

And here are some events that are coming to the Buzz. December 19 and 20: Buzz Wine Dinners – New Year’s Resolutions (get your reservations in!). Then on January 9, 2015, the return of Classical Jam Night! Do you play a string or wind instrument? Bring it and join in. This is always an awesome evening of some really great music. Order dinner at the counter – they usually have something special. Cheers and see you there at The Buzz, 2999 N Lakeharbor Ln., Boise (208) 344-4321!

3 Awesome Plates at The Captain’s Shack

11 Tuesday Nov 2014

Posted by Bob and Robin in Acme Bake Shop, Acme Bake Shop Breads, Acme Bakery, Buy Idaho, Captain's Shack, Chicken, Dinner With Robin, Photos By: Bob Young, Quinoa and Grains, Salads, Scallops, Seafood, Talapia, Vegetables, What's For Dinner?

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braised, eggplant, Frencmans Gulch Winery, talapia

Really had fun preparing these three dinners. Some were better than others, but all were good. The quinoa in the Eggplant/Quinoa side dish, was under cooked and therefore still crunchy. Never did fluff.
The braise scallops and the braised tilapia were both very good. And the asparagus and onions were super. Here, take a look at these. No recipes available as these were put together “on the spot”. As the show says, open your baskets and make something from the ingredients. Really fun to work in the kitchen this way. Cheers!

Stuffed Chicken Breasts spinach, mushrooms and onion Acme Bake Shop Rye toast Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

Stuffed Chicken Breasts
spinach, mushrooms and onion
Acme Bake Shop Rye Toast
Mashed Potatoes and Chicken Gravy

Chicken cut to show the stuffing.

Braised Talapia and Salsa Braised Eggplant and Onion with Quinoa

Braised Talapia and Pico de Gallo
Braised Eggplant and Onion with Quinoa
2012 Frenchman’s Gulch Chardonnay

Orange Braised Scallops Sweet Potatoes Green Salad with Bean Sprouts and Cucumber Asparagus 2013 Bedrock Winery Abrente

Orange Braised Scallops
Sweet Potatoes
Green Salad with Bean Sprouts, Heirloom Tomato Wedges and Cucumber
Asparagus with Orange Zest
2013 Bedrock Winery Abrente

From Scratch Meals with Local Products

29 Wednesday Oct 2014

Posted by Bob and Robin in Acme Bake Shop, Acme Bake Shop Breads, Boise Artisan Bakery's, Boise Farmers Market, Breakfast At The Captains Shack, Breakfast With Robin, Buy Idaho, Canning, Captain's Shack, Classic Cuisines, Comfort Food, Heirloom Tomatoes, Idaho Beef, Local Farmers Markets, Local Harvests, Local Markets, Main Dish, Meadowlark Farms, Meatloaf, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe by: Robin and Bob Young, Recipes, Recipes - Sauces, Relish, Rice Family Farms, Tomatoes, What's For Dinner?

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Boise Farmers Market, eat local, herbs and spices, Local products, Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Really not difficult to do and sooooo much more tasty! Beats any pre-packaged meal – I control what is in the dish: Salt, sugar, herbs and spices. You say you don’t have the time to make a “from scratch” meal? These two meals took about 30 minutes and they were on the table. Local products whenever possible – beef, potatoes, tomatoes, bread, gravy (made from scratch) and onions. And the Tomatillo Salsa Verde was definitely all local and made from scratch. 12 half pints made and canned! The end of the tomato season is upon us, so what better use than to make salsa. In this case, from tomatillos. Check with your local farmers market – that includes local produce stands – for locally grown and produced beef, potatoes, tomatillos, onions, peppers and herbs. It’s just so much better than commercially produced produce. The Boise Farmers Market moves indoors this week and runs through mid December. Then it closes until next Spring. Can and freeze those products and have “fresh” all winter. Here is what you can make for dinner and breakfast. Enjoy!

Scrambled Eggs
Tomatillo Salsa Verde
Sausage
Acme Bake Shop Toast

The eggs come from Meadowlark Farms and the other products from various local farmers.

Housemade Meatloaf
Mashed Potatoes
Gravy
Peas
Sliced Heirloom Tomato

The beef was local beef; potatoes local; peas were frozen; tomato was local. Gravy made from Idaho products.

Take the time to Eat Local! Support your local farmer!

Certified Master Chef Exam

26 Sunday Oct 2014

Posted by Bob and Robin in Awards, Classic Cuisines, Classic Sauces, Cooking Styles, Ethnic Foods, Food Prep, Photos By: Bob Young, Special Events, Special Information, What's For Dinner?

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ACF, American Culinary Federation, Certified Master Chef, CMC

Bonet alla Piemontese Chocolate-Coffee Amaretti Terrine

Ever dream of joining the ranks of such notable Certified Master Chefs as Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver, Anthony Bourdain, Paul Boluse, Rocco DiSpirito, Wolfgang Puck, Emeril Lagasse, Todd English or Charlie Trotter? Well, this just might be your chance. An 8 day Chef exam, very similar to the exam for Master Sommelier in the wine industry. The American Culinary Federation is holding the exam this year. In 2012, out of seven starters of the 8 day ordeal, only one succeeded in finishing, Chef Jason Hall, CMC from the Hammock Dunes Club in Florida. It is a grueling 8 day experience and one that is loaded with high stress. But the rewards in the cooking industry are tremendous. Here is some more information that Robin found from the ACF. Enjoy!

The title of Certified Master Chef (CMC), presented solely by the American Culinary Federation (ACF) in the U.S., is the highest level of certification a chef can receive. It represents the pinnacle of professionalism and skill. Today, there are only 67 CMCs and 11 Certified Master Pastry Chefs® (CMPC) in the nation. The last CMC exam was held in 2012 at The Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, New York. Jason Hall, CMC®, executive chef at Hammock Dunes Club, Palm Coast, Florida, was the only candidate out of seven to pass the exam.

Eleven chefs from across the nation will soon vie for the chance to join the ranks of Hall and the other 66 CMCs during an eight-day exam held Oct. 26–Nov. 2, at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Los Angeles, Pasadena, California. Candidates for the CMC exam must possess proficiency in a broad range of styles and techniques, and have the ability to perform for eight days under extreme pressure.

To apply for the CMC exam, a candidate must be a Certified Executive Chef® or Certified Culinary Educator®, provide two letters of recommendation from current CMCs or CMPCs, and have completed education courses on sanitation and food safety, cost management, management and wine. The candidate must also secure funding for the cost of the exam process including the exam fee, travel expenses and practice materials.

During the eight-day exam, candidates must maintain an average score of 75 out of 100 points to be eligible to continue. Scores are tallied based on kitchen skills, plate presentation and taste. Candidates are tested on the following subjects by ACF-certified chefs:

Healthy cooking
Buffet catering
Classical cuisine
Freestyle cooking
Global cuisine
Baking and pastry
Continental and Northern Europe cuisines
Market basket

This credential is considered the highest and most demanding achievement level of ACF certification and successful candidates will join an elite group of only 67 chefs in the United States.

Did you notice that they consider wine as part of the testing curricula and therefore a part of the exam and the candidates for the Certification must have “… completed education courses on … wine”. Wine and food – The perfect Match.

Two Great Cookie Recipes

23 Thursday Oct 2014

Posted by Bob and Robin in Captain's Shack, Cookies, Dessert, Local Farmers Markets, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe by: Robin and Bob Young, Recipes, What's For Dessert?, What's For Dinner?

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Basil Lime Cookies, cookie recipes, Pistachio Cookies

Robin found two really great and surprisingly different and good cookie recipes. These are really so very easy to make that you must give them a try. I ate one of the Basil Lime Cookies and immediately thought of a lamb dinner. Hmmmm. Oh well, make them and let us know what you think. Like them? Don’t like them? The recipe links are highlighted under the photos. I’m thinking that you might be able to get the herbs and maybe the flour too, from your local farmers market.