Matters of Taste

Food Lovers' Crystal Ball -- The Fancy Food Show

What do single-barrel pickles, skillet bacon spread, and “Yellow-Snow Cupcakes” have in common? They were all on display, along with 80,000 other gourmet foods and beverages at the 38^th annual Winter Fancy Food Show staged recently by the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT) in San Francisco’s Moscone Convention Center. For three days, some 1,300 exhibitors from more than 35 countries strutted their stuff in the hope that their products would be picked up by retail store buyers and become the hot nosh of 2013.

                                       

Leading the trend parade this year were chips made from everything but potatoes – falafel, black beans, kale and lentils (Plentils are terrific); botanical beverages such as Blood Orange Chili Juice from Wild Poppy Juice Company; mountains of blue cheese including Blue Heaven Blue Cheese Powder from Rogue Creamery; and boatloads of bananas as in Vosges Haut-Chocolat’s Wild Ophelia Peanut Butter & Banana Milk Chocolate Bar. Fancy coffees, teas (including tea “infusions” for cocktails), flavored waters and upscale, all-natural sodas like Bruce Cost’s sensational Ginger Ale continued the dominate the nation’s tastebuds. For a complete report on the food and beverage trends in this year’s show, check out the NASFT Website.

In the meantime, here's a taste of the delicious, decadent, unusual, trend-setting, tasteless, tacky, or just plain outrageous food and drink I discovered at this year’s Fancy Food Show.

HUMMUS Move over, chickpeas. Hummus gets an exciting new look and a gimme-more new flavor with three products from Eat Well Enjoy Life. I love the Sweet & Spicy Black Bean Hummus that’s topped with a daub of roasted corn, sweet pineapple and red pepper relish, and the Wasabi Edamame Hummus that is terrific tucked under smoked salmon on a cracker or toast. But my favorite is the Spicy Yellow Lentil Hummus with Sunflower Seeds & Apricot. I get out of bed a lot faster on the mornings I know this stuff is in the fridge.

                                        

UPSCALE KETCHUP and BBQ SAUCE I know it’s un-American to knock Heinz, but I gotta say, Sir Kensington’s Gourmet Scooping Ketchup is so good I may never go back. Made with real pear tomato puree (vs. Heinz’ tomato concentrate), agave, honey and raw brown sugar (vs. high fructose corn syrup), apple cider vinegar, coriander, allspice, lime juice and whole onions, Sir Kensington’s has a lip-smacking flavor and pleasing texture. (The ingredient list also notes green onions, Dijon mustard, chipotle peppers, cilantro and cayenne pepper.)

I also know better than to knock a man’s homemade BBQ sauce, but maybe, just maybe, you want to try the Baby Back Rib Sauce introduced at the show by Stonewall Kitchens of Maine?  With brown sugar to encourage “char,” molasses for smack, soy sauce for pucker, and orange juice concentrate for tang, it’s the whole package --- and your ribs and roasts and filets (and friends) will thank you.

GOOD THINGS COME IN SMALL PACKAGES In my book, the most promising trend in the gourmet food world is the proliferation of MINIS –--- Lilliputian sizes of traditional high-calorie cakes, cookies, candies and even savory items such as potato latkes.

                                     

***I flipped over the elegant Cakebaby line from Ticklebelly Desserts. These two-bite wonders are gorgeous, scrumptious, and satisfy cravings completely without breaking the calorie bank.  The Sea Salt Caramel Cakebaby (pictured here) is vanilla white cake with brown sugar caramel icing, caramel drizzle and French grey sea salt. There are also Southern Red Velvet  and Triple Chocolate Cakebabies.  Tickleberry desserts are available in some Ralphs, Kroger and Target stores.

***Big taste, small size also defines the success of Jer’s Squares, the bite-sized beauties from this award-winning chocolate-peanut-butter candy company. The Squares come in all the original flavors: Cara Mella Dark Chocolate; Milk Chocolate; Pretzo-Change-O; and my favorite, Toffee Break. Made by hand in small batches with no preservatives or fillers. Order on line and they go from chocolate vat to your table in a matter of days.

***And cocktail hour gets a lot more interesting with the coming of bite-sized latkes from Linda’s Gourmet Latkes. In addition to the traditional potato latke, the company offers onion latkes and sweet potato latkes. At the Show, they introduced the new black bean latkes and minced mushroom latkes. All are delicious topped with a tiny dollop of sour cream or crème fraiche and minced chives. The latkes are sold frozen and keep in the freezer for up to a year.

                                 

FLAVORED VINEGARS Family-owned and –operated Chapparal Gardens, on California’s Central Coast, does a lovely Winter Ambrosia vinegar that tastes like Thanksgiving dinner, with flavors of apples, pears, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. I also liked their Pear-Ginger-Wasabi vinegar which is great in coleslaw and tuna salad.  More recipes on the Website.

FUNCTIONAL FOODS I gave the Kombucha Wonder Drink booth wide berth. I mean, really, the name kombucha isn’t particularly appealing, the concept of a “wonder drink” sounds like pure hocus-pocus, and  “fermented tea” isn’t exactly a yummy come-on in my book. But I gave it a try – the Asian Pear and Ginger Kombucha -- and found it quite palatable.

A mixture of freshly brewed organic teas infused with organic fruit concentrates, the drink is carbonated, and promises to “restore health, promote longevity and bestow mental clarity.” I’m not stocking up on the stuff based on those claims, but it IS a tasty alternative to sodas, and hey, those folks in the Himalayas (from whence this “ancient tradition” comes,) do seem to live to very old ages.

***And, if you’re looking for a novel excuse to indulge in chocolate chip cookies, look no further than the “functional cookies” of The Cookie Department. The Snap Back cookie promises to “detox” your hangover with its blend of ginger, cayenne and blackstrap molasses. The Chocolate Chip Nookie (no, that’s not a typo) promises to boost “vitality” via its superfood ingredient “maca.”  The Tough Cookie contains 10 grams of whey protein along with some peanut butter. The Awaken Baked contains the caffeine of one cup of coffee. Taking your medicine was never so much fun.

 

CHEESE The Spaniards won my heart in this category, with a voluptuously creamy blue cheese called Azul Penacorada from the Extramadura region of Spain. It’s moist and buttery, with ample blue-grey veining and a lovely mellow “blue” flavor. It’s part of The Rogers Collection, a small Maine importer of specialty foods, which also sells the Finca Pascualete Mini Torta, a creamy, nearly liquid cheese that’s hand-made with milk from the Merino sheep who graze on the wild flowers, natural grasses and wild herbs of Extramadura, giving their milk a distinctive flavor.

***From Guffanti, a well-known name in Italy’s Piedmont region, comes a three-year-aged Provolone that’s a little nutty, a little fruity, a little salty and intensely flavorful. According to Giovanni Guffanti, the cheese owes its flavor profile to the mixture of milk taken from cows in the evening and milk taken from cows in the morning. The company also features a gorgeous Gorgonzola Piccante aged 160 days instead of the usual 90. The result: exceptionally robust flavor, more blue marbling, and more aroma. Gorgonzola piccante is firmer than creamy gorgonzola dulce and can be aged substantially longer.

                                         

***From Holland comes the oddest of the bunch: Kokos Coconut Cheese, a Dutch, double-aged Gouda (above) that has coconut cream mixed in with cow’s milk before aging. The result is a soft, fruity cheese with a hint of coconut flavor and an insanely smooth mouthfeel. Apparently wineries LOVE the stuff because it pairs so well with all varieties of wine.

***I also discovered the scrumptious flavor and heart-warming story of Lillé, the Coulommiers-style cheese from Vermont Farmstead. Some years back, a group of neighbors near South Woodstock Vermont, grouped together to buy a failing family farm and its surrounding rural landscape. In short order, the farm turned into an award-wining cheese company producing a new generation of unique farmstead and artisanal cheeses. I fell in love with Lillé, the creamy, dreamy American answer to France’s opulent Coulommiers.  At present, Vermont Farmstead cheeses are available only in New England. Some can be purchased on-line. 

                                              
WHOLE GRAINS  I’ve been a big fan of Village Harvest grains --- rices, farro, quinoa, barley and more.  But I was really thrilled with the new cooked and frozen whole grains they introduced at the show. Now cooks short on time can sprinkle their choice of whole grain into a pot or microwave dish and have a hearty dish in a few seconds flat. The grains are frozen at -300 degrees to maintain their integrity, meaning you can pour out exactly the amount you want – no clumps.  Some of the blends are seasoned with herbs and spices, others flecked with things like dried cranberries and almonds.

CHOCOLATE The aisles of the Moscone were jammed with pure chocolate, liquid chocolate, chocolate-covered you-name-it, and even nonsensical chocolate – consider the Alabamoo Pies and Chocolate Thongs and Pasties (would I lie?) from Tom & Sally’s. 

But Blanxart was one of the true shining stars, with exquisite discs, bonbons, brics, bars and pralines that tasted as good as they looked. The company’s extraordinary treats include Williams Pear Mascarpone Truffles, Pine Nut Nougatine, Dulce de Leche Praline, dark chocolate discs with crystallized orange, and white chocolate bonbons with lemon that taste far better than any white chocolate has a right to taste. Created in Barcelona in 1954, the product line features handsome packaging with logos designed in conjunction with the Arts and Professions Museum of Barcelona.

                                      


SAY WHAT? This category is always my favorite, a compendium of the good, the bad, the tacky and the totally inedible.

***Real Beanz is an iced coffee beverage that promises to “get you through the day” and “enhance your lifestyle” by allowing you to “power up with energy-infused herbs or slow down with relaxing floral extracts.” I admit these are admirable goals. But after a few sips I realized the best way to enhance my lifestyle was to stay clear of this gross-tasting drink.  

***“Feeling your oats” is a lot more fun than drinking your oats, trust me. The Simpli Oat Shake comes in Chocolate, Tropical Fruit and Coffee flavors. It consists of “simply ground” oats, water, flavor powder and gums for texture. At the company’s booth I tasted the product made with plain water. It was plain disgusting. If you can come up with a good reason to drink oatmeal instead of eating it, knock yourself out, but DO at least opt for the coffee-flavored Oat Shake which is passably palatable. 

                                        

 

***BRINGING HOME THE BACON Of the scores of bacon-blessed products at the Show, one stood out: Skillet Bacon Spread is a blend of Nueske bacon cooked slowly with onions, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and spices until it has the consistency of a marmalade or chutney. It’s great on turkey burgers, grilled cheese, baked potatoes and hash-browns, and English muffin fried egg sandwiches. 

***Egoiste coffee was introduced Hors’ a Moscow-based company that produces a half dozen types of coffee. Made at plants in Switzerland and Germany, Egoistr uses a new technology called In-Fi to produce instant coffee that contains natural ground roasted coffee in each soluble crystal. (The proportion, I was told, is 70 percent freeze-dried coffee, 30 percent freshly ground.) The claim is that the “instant” coffee retains it’s original aroma and taste far longer than regular instant coffee. I can’t attest to how it tasted a few days after it was opened, but the cup of coffee I tasted at the show was fragrant, smooth and satisfying.

***Yellow Snow Cupcakes. White cupcake. White frosting with a puddle of yellow frosting in the middle. For the life of me, I can’t figure out why anyone would want such a thing. But if you do, check out Brand Castle, the packaged mix line that also includes the “Brains! Cupcake Kit,” "NInjabread Cookie Mix" and an "Ugly Sweater Cookie Kit."

                                          
***AN IDEA WHOSE TIME SHOULD NEVER COME   “Stack Wine. Take It With You.” That’s what they call it. I call it the ultimate in laziness, and a boon to binge drinking, by the way. I mean, jeez, you don’t even have to refill your glass. Just grab an unopened one: “Unzip” the plastic packaging; “unsnap” one of the four heavy plastic tumblers that are filled with wine; and party on. 

Together the four glasses contain 750 ml, or a bottle of wine. The wines available are Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and Merlot, but there’s not a peep on the labels or Website about where the wine comes from or what it might have going for it.  The hype says Stack Wines by-pass the hassle of a bottle, corkscrew and stemware. So does a quality “box” wine, such as Black Box Sauvignon Blanc. Or a screw-top bottle, if glass isn’t an issue. And plastic cups? Heard of them?  (Oh, did I mention the impact on landfill of a new “glass” each time you need a re-fill?)

 

***And then there was the product that totally stopped me in my tracks. Holy Crap is a gluten free cereal that is high-fiber, organic, salt- and sugar-free, made with chia seeds, buckwheat, hemp hearts and dried fruit. The British Columbia export bills itself as “the world’s most amazing breakfast cereal” and the company had a couple of effervescent cheerleaders in its booth talking up the virtues of the product.

I looked. I listened. I tasted. And, about all I could say was, well, "Holy Crap, that tastes awful." But don’t take my word for it. Check it out for yourself at HolyCrap.

                                        

How Do I Love Thee, Gary Danko

Let me count the ways.

For starters, there’s the astonishing Crispy Farm Egg you do at your award-winning restaurant near San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf. Gently cracking the golden orb was like opening a Fabergé egg to discover its treasures. In this case, a bright runny yolk that mixed and mingled deliciously with the creamy white polenta, Royal Trumpet mushrooms, wisps of frisee and pancetta on the plate.

                                      

Loveworthy, too, is the precious medallion of pink, a point salmon that you top with a paper-thin horseradish crisp, creating a delicious textural counterpoint.

Way #3: The off-the-charts yummy Herb Crusted Lamb Loin -- scarlet-hearted, glistening with natural juices, and with a delicate rim of crushed herbs adding flavor and texture. (Photo from TasteTests.com.)

                                     

Way #4: The equally off-the-charts Hazelnut Crusted Pork Tenderloin, with a little puddle of braised pork cheeks on the side. Totally swoon-worthy. (Squash puree, apples, chestnuts and Brussels sprouts on the side make this the quintessential autumn/winter stunner.)

And, oh, yes, that pickled beet salad of yours. Anyone can toss a few beets into garden greenery and anoint it all with walnut vinaigrette. But only you nestle a quivering goat cheese panna cotta into the scene and scatter watercress clusters for a peppery punch.

                                        

But what do I love most about Gary Danko? The attitude.

The guy has won the James Beard Award for Best Chef California and been nominated by that organization for Outstanding Chef of the Year. His restaurant won the James Beard Best New Restaurant Award the year after its opening. He captured Esquire’s Best New Restaurant Award for an earlier restaurant.

Yet he remains a down-to-earth gentleman, devoted to being in his kitchen, and giving his guests the best possible dining experience every evening.  That means maximum flavors in stunningly simple presentations.  An elegant but unfussy setting.  Flawless service -- professional yet accessible. And remarkable value -- $73 for three courses, $107 for five courses. (Photo from BonAppetit magazine.)

                                    

Call me crazy. But I like to walk out of a restaurant gushing about the delicious food and the fun of dining in a comfy place with people I like, not bragging about how much money I just spent and how stuffed I am after 12 or 14 courses.

I guess that’s another reason I love thee, Gary Danko. You get it. 

 

The Rest of the Best

Everybody loves a list.

Especially when it involves food. On Thursday I highlighted two of 2012's most scrumptious cocktails. This week I’ll start a run-down of the best food and drink, dynamite destinations, and dining extravaganzas that I encountered in 2012. That means Appetizing Appetizers like the crispy skinned potato chunks at Jamonera (Philadelphia). Sprinkled with coarse salt and drizzled with a bracing, wood-smoked garlic aioli, they delivered a rapid-fire volley of flavors and textures. 

                                  

And Divine Desserts, like the voluptuous Chocolate Bread & Butter Pudding at The Hungry Cat (Santa Barbara) that performs magic with crusty cubes of bread, silken ganache and a bumpy brulée crust.

                                   

And Pasta dishes that'll make you weep. Case in point: Thomas McNaughton's Flour + Water (San Francisco) Raviolo Doppio of Pork & Pea.

                                    

Hungry yet?

Come back and check out the Highlights of 2012.

Justice (and Soup!) Served

I had Jury Duty yesterday. After four hours of sitting in the Juror Lounge, reading newspapers (fresh and stale) and hoping against hope that my name wouldn’t be called for a trial, I was sent packing with my fellow “potential jurors” for a two-hour “lunch.”

I wandered the streets of downtown San Diego for a while, shopped a bit and finally ended up in the café at Nordstrom where I ordered the soup of the day, Chicken Watercress. It was sensational – a lightly thickened tangle of tangy watercress “ribbons” and tender nubbins of chicken that looked and tasted like they had been hand-shredded from the bird by Grandma herself (as opposed to hard, dense cubes hacked by machines). Very simple, very classic, very delicious.

                                   

The recipe isn’t in any of the Nordstrom cookbooks. However, in perusing the "Nordstrom Family and Friends Cookbook," I came upon a soup that sounds even better. And, given the frigid temperatures we’re experiencing this week, Nordstrom's Chicken Pot Pie Soup (above) is an ideal dinner solution. I plan to make it tonight. Here’s the recipe. (Photo from Foodspotting.com.)

 

NORDSTROM CHICKEN POT PIE SOUP

(slightly adapted)

 5 cups reduced sodium chicken broth

2  chicken breast halves with skin on and bone in

1 medium onion, sliced

2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns (or 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper)

1 stick butter, divided

1 medium onion, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice

2 celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch dice

6 mushrooms, quartered

2 unpeeled red-skinned potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 cups heavy cream

3/4 cup thawed frozen peas

Combine broth, 1 cup water, chicken breasts, onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large saucepan. Bring to boil and turn down to simmer. Add parsley, thyme and peppercorns; partially cover and cook slowly until chicken is tender and cooked through (approx.. 30 minutes).

Strain into a heatproof bowl, reserving the broth. Place chicken on carving board and set aside to cool.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large Dutch oven. Place the remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a heatproof medium bowl and let stand at room temperature to soften. Add chopped onion, carrots, celery and mushrooms to heated Duth oven and cook, stirring until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes and stir well. Stir in 4 cups reserved broth and bring to a simmer. (Reserve the remaining broth for another recipe. Can be frozen.) Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add flour to softened butter and mash with a fork or rubber spatula to make a smooth paste. Whisk in about 2 cups of cooking liquid from the Dutch oven to make a thin paste. Whisk this mixture back into the Dutch oven along with cream. Simmer until the soup is velvety smooth and lightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken and peas and cook until heated through. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

 

 

 

 

Ringing in the New Year - With Justin Isosceles Reserve

About a year ago a friend gave us a bottle of Justin 2007 Isosceles Reserve. I’ve been waiting – and salivating – for just the right occasion to open it, and found that occasion last week on New Year’s Eve.

                                         

The wine, a Bordeaux-style blend from Central Coast California, the Paso Robles region, was one of the most delicious I’ve ever tasted. The intense aroma of cassis and black plums (and whiff of vanilla) met me more than halfway, that is, the minute I opened the bottle. The concentrated flavors of blackberries and currants were almost chew-able. Though extremely fruit-forward, the wine was balanced and refined.

Fans of French Bordeaux may scoff at my enthusiasm, preferring more reserved, austere wines as they do. But I’m not ashamed to say I flipped over this bold, extraordinarily rich, self-confident wine and can't wait to taste it again. (Justin Isosceles Reserve 2007 received 94 points from Wine Enthusiast. It sells for about $100. Though I've heard that it is only available to the winery’s Wine Society members, I did find a few bottles for sale on-line.)

Before planning the New Years Eve dinner, I read the tasting notes on the wine and wondered what the heck one eats with a wine that’s called “tremendous,” “impressive,” “powerful,” “brilliant” and “gorgeous?” We decided on our family’s traditional Christmas Day turkey dinner, which we didn’t have on Christmas Day this year, and readied an organic nine-pound bird, for the outdoor Ducane rotisserie. I was looking for pure, hearty flavors but nothing rich or fussy to compete with the wine. The crackly, well-burnished bird, with mashed potatoes and shaved Brussels sprouts sauteed with shallots, bacon and toasted hazelnuts, was a deliciously satisfying choice.

                                          

However, the logistics of the adventure proved a little dicey. Since the thermometer registered below zero that night, my husband had to pile on ski clothes each time he ventured out to baste the bird. As it happens, the Wall Street Journal picked the same day to do a feature on winter barbecuing. "The Life of the Party: Your Grill" offers tips, recipes and anecdotes about dinner parties in Fargo, ND.  

You CAN Go Home Again -- Coffee Mallow

When I was little my favorite dessert was the Coffee Mallow that my grandmother made.  I got the very important job of snipping marshmallows into a bowl, using a pair of big-people scissors. Nana then poured hot brewed coffee over the heap and I stirred until most of the sticky bits were melted but some chunks remained. Then we whipped cream with a rotary whisk, and folded it into the mix. Not haute, but undeniably happy cuisine. (This photo, from Taste of Home, shows the dessert dusted with crushed Oreos, a step my grandmother skipped.)

                                       

Last week I attempted to “upgrade” the concoction using artisanal marshmallows instead of Kraft, and Illy Caffe espresso instead of the inexpensive A&P blend my grandmother used.

Handmade marshmallows are the rage these days, with countless recipes on-line and in cookbooks, and dozens of small-batch companies making the cloud-like nuggets. (Plush Puffs is one of the best.)

Unfortunately, my local Whole Foods had only their own brand of Peppy Peppermint Handcrafted Marshmallows in stock, and the idea of a peppermint-espresso  marriage didn’t thrill me.  So I substituted Ghirardelli hot chocolate for the coffee and snipped, whipped and folded my way straight back to my grandmother’s kitchen.

The result was as luscious as ever. Much sweeter than the original coffee version, but a perfect blend of fluff and lump, and a great catalyst for reminiscing, and sharing those memories with my own kids.

                                            

No sooner did I lap and smack the last of the “mallow” in my bowl than I serendipitously stumbled upon a months-old Wall Street Journal article about the lowly but “universally loved” marshmallow. Reporter Jennifer Levitz claims that marshmallow products are found in the pantries of 46 percent of U.S. households. Her fascinating article focuses on Marshmallow Fluff, the snowy white marshmallow cream that’s been made in Lynn, Mass. since the 1920s.

                                      

I loved the article because I've been a Fluff fan since birth (in Lynn, Mass., by the way). But what really grabbed me was a factoid about the origin of the marshmallow. After 25-plus years as Food Editor and Columnist of the Union-Tribune, I thought I had heard it all. But learning that the marshmallow was originally made in Egypt from the mallow plants that grew in marshes there was a jaw-dropping “You’ve got to be kidding!” moment. Read more here.

 

Hog Wild -- Christmas Week at Our House

Charles Dickens may have considered a fat goose to be the de rigueur Christmas feast. But at our house last week it was all pork, all the time.

Bauernschmaus headlined the menu for Christmas Eve. Known as Choucroute Alsacienne in France, this Tyrolean specialty is a heaping mound of apple- and bacon-flecked sauerkraut hiding a treasure trove of pork sausages and smoked pork chops. It’s topped with fat, fluffy dumplings known as knödeln.

                                 

My husband and I have enjoyed Bauernschmaus on Christmas Eve (and other wintery nights) since 1977 when we discovered the “farmer’s feast” while living in Innsbruck, Austria.The impressive one-pot wonder is remarkably easy to make. First, sauté a chopped large onion or two until caramelized. Add large jar of (drained) sauerkraut to the pan; mix in two thinly sliced green apple (skin left on) and top it all with two or three strips of bacon. Cover the pan and cook over low heat for about 40 minutes, discard the bacon, and add all the goodies.

This year I used fresh bratwurst, frankfurters and knockwurst, and several smoked pork chops, all from Tip Top Meats in Carlsbad, CA. The semolina dumplings were ready-made, in a bag that I just dropped into boiling water. I hope my Austrian friends don’t read this; it’s just too embarrassing. But making the dumplings from scratch is a challenging operation and Christmas Eve isn’t the time for challenging operations. I serve the hearty feast with a half dozen different types of mustard -- Bavarian sweet, stone-ground, honey, and Dijon among them; as well as horseradish sauce.

 Our Christmas Night Dinner was another porkathon, enjoyed on December 26th since the skiing on December 25 was too good to pass up and left no time for complicated dinner preparations. Our crisp, oversized Beggar’s Purses were filled with chunks of pork tenderloin, slow-braised with Anderson Valley Brewing Company Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale, onions and dried cranberries. Each slice of pork was topped with my cousin Wendy’s Red Onion Marmalade (recipe follows), then wrapped in butter-sloshed phyllo dough. It wasn’t the prettiest package at the party (I do not recommend the Athens brand's skimpy phyllo sheets), but it was festive (with broccoli puree and mashed Yukon Golds on the side) and delicious. 

                               

A couple day’s later, son Ben volunteered an exotic menu of Pork Vindaloo with basmati rice, mango chutney and naan. He made the fragrant stew in the pressure cooker (far more efficient at 9,000 feet), adapting Lorna Sass’ recipe from “The Pressured Cook.” Made with coarse-grained mustard, fresh ginger, toasted cumin seeds, dried red chiles, coconut milk, Yukon Golds and frozen peas, it was a colorful and lively antidote to the rich food of earlier nights.

Not to be outdone, son Nicholas whipped up Tacos Al Pastor for the final pork party of the week. No tacky taco shells for this guy. No quick-grilled tenderloin, or packaged seasoning mix. This labor of love involved a hunk of pork shoulder, painstakingly trimmed and sliced into fat slabs that spent the night in a marinade of dried guajillo, ancho and chipotle chiles, fresh lime and orange juices, Mexican oregano, cumin seeds, garlic and a splash of Coca-Cola. (The recipe is from Food & Wine.)

                                       

At showtime, Nicholas grilled the meat on the Ducane, along with fat slices of onion and fresh pineapple, then chopped and piled the succulent pork atop tiny warm corn tortillas from La Tortilla Ria in nearby Telluride, CO. Chopped grilled onion and pineapple added the finishing touches, along with a last-minute flurry of chopped red onion and cilantro.

All in all, a week-long pig-out to remember.

Here's Wendy Neal's recipe for Red Onion Marmalade. It makes about 2 1/2 cups.

 

Olive Oil (3/4 - 1 cup)

3 1/2 lbs red onion (sliced thin)

Red pepper to taste

1 cup brown brown sugar (packed)

3/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup Sherry

1 - 2 tbs grated ginger

Heat olive oil in large saute pan. Add onions and red pepper and cook over low heat until tender, at least 40 minutes. Add sugar, vinegar, Sherry and ginger. Cook until onions are really tender (I cooked them another 30-40 minutes) and begin to caramelize. They should become thick and dark.

 

When Mom's Little Helper Isn't Little Anymore

Last week I wrote about the cooking techniques, recipes, math, and basic life lessons that I learned while cooking with my son Nicholas on Thanksgiving Day. (Click here to see Gravy 101: What I Learned on Thanksgiving Day. 

This week I’m a guest blogger on Mothering21, the blog of New York University professor Mary Quigley, who regales readers with posts about the joys and challenges of “mothering” adult children.

Quigley asked me to elaborate on the scene in our Thanksgiving kitchen, which meant stretching my original post to include my son Ben (pictured here) who minced corvina and squeezed limes for a smashing cocktail-hour ceviche, my husband who grappled with the 25-pound-plus bird, and my 90-year-old mother who swirled whipped cream and candy confetti onto her contribution to the feast: the Chocolate Icebox Cake of my youth.

                                              

Quigley was also intrigued by how some twenty-somethings struggle to open a bag of ramen, while others clearly know their way around a kitchen. Check out Mothering21 to read about how one family got from Cheerios-on-the-highchair-tray to cutting-edge cuisine.

#1 Turkey Day Task: Work Up An Appetite

Every year on Thanksgiving Day, we invite our guests to arrive an hour before the first Cosmo is shaken, with old sneakers in hand, and we all set off on a mile-plus walk on the beach. The sunset is usually fabulous this time of year; it’s a great chance to schmooze; our black lab Geena is in heaven; and we all work off a few of the calories  to come.

This year my husband and I went one better. We spent the week before Thanksgiving at Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Mexico. The first spa in North America (founded in 1940), it’s a vast, unspoiled property, offering delicious vegetarian fare and a staggering array of exercise, fitness and wellness classes.

                                     

I was a visiting speaker for the week, giving a presentation called “Feats & Eats: How a Food Writer Ate Her Way Around the World for 30 Years Without Gaining Pounds or Inches.” (The talk touches on great food at great restaurants over the globe and appealing, accessible exercise options in the vicinity of each.)

At the Ranch, every day is one big, movin’-and-groovin’ adventure. The morning starts at 6:15 am with a rigorous 3.5- or 5.5-mile hike up Mt. Kuchumaa which frames the resorts 3,000 acres. A typical day’s “class schedule” includes Mountain Hike, Stretch and Relax, Pilates Matwork, Cardio Hip-Hop, Tennis Clinic, Sand Volleyball, Cardio Kickboxing, Latin Dance, and Trekking: Treadmill Workout.

                                     

And, the food is fabulous. Unlike the bland, uninspired fare at many spas, Ranch food is creative, delicious, beautifully presented, and satisfying. The menu is mostly vegetable based (though there is a seafood option a couple times a week), with all herbs and many fruits and veggies coming from the Ranch’s own extensive gardens.  Grilled Polenta with Sautéed Spinach, Lentil Medley, Roasted Carrots & Red Bell Pepper Sauce was one of the entrees that struck my fancy last week.

But, to me, the most impressive part of every meal is the salad, and the salad dressing in particular. I’ve been a guest for at least 20 days over several years, and I don’t remember ever seeing the same salad twice.  Every one has been a beautiful still-life, and every dressing has offered unique flavors and supremely satisfying mouthfeel, with minimal fat and calories.(In the photo: Roasted Pear & Arugula Salad with Pomegranate-Chipotle Vinaigrette.)

                                              

Last week I discovered my all-time favorite: Mint Salad Dressing, made with one of the many types of mint grown on the property. It was so good, I went back to the buffet for extra steamed and raw vegetables, just so I’d have something to dip in the luscious nectar.

We left Rancho La Puerta feeling fit, healthy, and well-rested, ready for the Thanksgiving week onslaught of food and drink, family, friends and fun.

I also left with the recipe for the mint dressing.

(For more info about Rancho La Puerta, check out its Website or read my blog posts about the experience.)

MINT-JALAPENO DRESSING

Makes 2 cups

3 large shallots, peeled and roughly chopped

1 cup fresh mint leaves or combination of mint and basil

1 jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, roughly chopped

1 cup water

½ cup red wine vinegar

¼ cup agave syrup or honey

1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste

1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

In a blender, combine all the ingredients, pulsing until smooth.

GRAVY 101: What I Learned on Thanksgiving Day

Little did I know when we gave our son the "molecular gastronomy" masterpiece, “Modernist Cuisine,” for his birthday, that our Thanksgiving kitchen would be converted into a chemistry lab.

                                         

With unbridled enthusiasm, Nicholas planned his “additions” to the traditional menu: Creamed spinach, polenta, mac 'n cheese, and two extra gravies, all made with the help of “molecular” ingredients such as xanthan gum, sodium citrate, liquid soy lecithin and Ultra Sperse-3 (your guess is as good as mine).

Knowing how crazed the kitchen was likely to be with 20 exuberant guests and a menu of more than 15 items, I talked him into focusing on the gravies that day and making the other dishes later.

The adventure turned out to be delicious and highly educational.

In addition to the basic gravy I always make – de-glazed pan juices and beurre-manié-thickened stock from turkey trimmings  – our glossy 25-pound bird was accompanied by two “modern” gravies. (Photo from FineDiningLovers.com.) 

                                    

One, “Simplified Jus Gras” (literally, “fat juice”) was a blend of Belgian wheat beer and chicken stock (he used a high-quality frozen product), powdered gelatin, xanthan gum, liquid soy lecithin and rendered duck fat, basically one cup of chicken stock/beer to ½ cup of duck fat. Somehow, the duck fat lent the rich, roasted flavor and aroma of a just-cooked bird. And the dusting of gelatin and xanthan gum created a remarkably smooth, velvety texture

Gravy #2 started with chicken stock (we used Kirkland Organic Chicken Stock in a box for this one), that was substantially reduced and blended with a puree of garlic confit and a sprinkle of Ultra-Sperse 3. (On the "Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking" website, Ultra-Sperse 3 is described as “all-natural cold water swelling starch derived from tapioca.”) Again, the texture and mouth feel of this gravy was sensational. And, with the last-minute addition of minced dried cranberries, fresh sage leaves and cracked black pepper, it was the hit of the gravy train.

                                               

But, I’m here to tell you that being “cutting edge” on turkey day requires time, energy, patience, and, most importantly, an inquisitive nature.

A week or so before his arrival from Philly, Nicholas emailed me his “modernist thanksgiving ingredients” shopping list, which included 4 pounds of corn on the cob, “lots and lots of parmesan rinds,” white chicken stock, brown chicken stock, liquid soy lecithin, and rendered duck fat, among other foodstuffs. (The trickier stuff he ordered on-line from Modernist Pantry.)

His list also included a pressure cooker, “a digital metric scale, accuracy to .1g. this is really imperative for all of these recipes,” an immersion blender, cheesecloth, potato ricer, and a juicer. Fortunately, I have a pressure cooker that I love and use all the time. My husband gave me a potato ricer for Christmas a few years ago (doesn’t every Irish lass need a potato ricer?). And I managed to find an immersion blender, that I didn’t know I had, tucked away in a cabinet.

And now, thanks to Amazon.com, I am the proud owner of a Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Juice Extractor (to be used on the polenta-less polenta over Christmas vacation!) and a Blade Digital Pocket Scale.  

The whole operation proved to be a steep learning curve for me. Even after 20 years of answering Union-Tribune readers’ questions on “where to buy,” I had no idea where to find rendered duck fat. It took me far longer than it should have to figure out the relationship between .1g and .01g. And I had no idea that if you wipe up powdered xanthan gum spilled on a tile floor with a wet towel you will create an “oil slick” that would make BP blush. (We had to cover part of the floor with a beach towel and declare it off limits.)

                                 

Gravy 101 was just part of a grand evening that included a sunset walk on the beach (to burn off the calories ahead of time!), ceviche of ultra-fresh corvina, warm crabmeat dip, shrimp cocktail, a golden bird, cooked and uncooked cranberry relishes, butternut squash gratin, yams pureed with poached pears and tangerine juice, mashed potatoes, picture-perfect roasted vegetables, Brussels sprouts sauteed with hazelnuts and bacon, fall fruit crumble, marble cheesecake, chocolate icebox cake, Cosmopolitans, Veuve Cliquot Champagne, artisan beers, and great Pinot Noirs (French and Californian), all of which resulted in this very happy crowd.