Apricot Cardamom Curd + Healdsburg Highlights

A weekend getaway was just what the doctor ordered. Often a long weekend will rejuvenate your mind, body and spirit. Hubby and I whisked away last weekend for my birthday to Healdsburg. We stayed at the luxurious Hotel Les Mars, which had been on both of our bucket lists for quite sometime.

The Hotel Les Mars is a member of the prestigious Relais & Chateaux which brings the anecdote of French living to wine country. Relais & Châteaux is an exclusive collection of 475 of the finest charming hotels and gourmet restaurants in 55 countries. Established in France in 1954, the Association’s mission is to spread its unique way of living across the globe by selecting outstanding properties with a truly unique character. With only 16 well appointed rooms, you feel as if you are staying at a French chateaux with the traditional 17th and 18th century antiques which adds to the old world charm.

The service was impeccable from when the general manager Ramon greeted us upon our arrival to Nicole the assistant manager who checked us in to Colin who brought our bags to the room and shared the amenities of lovely accommodations.

We selected one of their many packages which included a six course dinner at Dry Creek Kitchen at Hotel Healdsburg along with a personal tour at Chalk Hill Winery. An added bonus was our impromptu visit to Lancaster Estate Winery - quite a sublime experience.  In addition, a French breakfast is delivered to your room each morning based on your selection criteria you submit the night prior. One of our favorite amenities was the wine and cheese hour that was served in the gorgeous walnut paneled library.

{ Wine and cheese at Hotel Les Mars }

Ramon hand selects the wine and cheeses from local vendors. A few of the cheeses that really stood out for us were the Andino, a cow’s milk from Ecuador, Pond Hopper, a goat’s milk with Mirror Pond Ale, Valdeen, a sheep’s milk blue cheese, Two Goat Rock, a goat’s milk from Sonoma and Sottecenere al tartufo, a cow’s milk with Truffle imported from Italy. Two wines really stood out for us - the Viognier from Hawley Winery along with the Petite Syrah from Stephen and Walker Winery.

{ Hubby enjoying wine and cheese in the library at Hotel Les Mars }

The true highlight for us was our magnificent dinner at Cyrus. Cyrus has earned numerous accolades including a two Michelin star rating. Michael Bauer from San Francisco Chronicle says "Douglas Keane further enforces he is deserving of a four star rating" and Chef Keane was recognized as the Best Chef Pacific by James Beard Awards.

{ Cyrus }

We opted for the 8 course chef tasting menu and wine pairings. Our vision was to stay at the Hotel Les Mars and eat at Cyrus which is adjoined to the hotel, so we did not have to worry about enjoying the full experience. No driving required. Smile.

{ Our personalized menu for us to take home }
.

Thought I would share the menu and wine pairings with you. Each course was supreme and I could elaborate for hours on how truly delicious the food was and the impeccable service. Each bite and sip of wine during our four hour dinner was simply perfection.

{ Our beautiful room at Hotel Les Mars }
.

The inspiration for the Apricot Cardamom Curd was two fold. Each night we enjoyed a lovely wine and cheese respite at Hotel Les Mars in the library. It was relaxing along with meeting some wonderful people. One of the courses during our long dinner was the cheese course. The presentation was pure decadence with tableside service where the waiter would cut each cheese while explaining the flavors and origin. The accoutrements came moments later which included assorted breads and crackers along with panforte and cardamom butter.

The cardamom butter was simply supreme and fascinated me. I knew I needed to discover a way to make this. After much research, I found this recipe for Apricot Cardamom Curd which I altered slightly. The result was a delicious accompaniment for our Friday appetizer night. We purchased the Two Goat Rock and Sottocenere from The Cheese Shop in Healdsburg. I also added a reserve Dutch Gouda and some marcona almonds to the cheese platter.

My birthday weekend was simply magnificent and the best birthday to date. As they say – "Each year gets better and better."

{ My cheese platter for Friday appetizer night. Cheeses from top to bottom: Two Goat Rock, Reserve Dutch Gouda and Sottosenere }

Apricot Cardamom Curd

4 Large apricots
1 Lemon (zest and juice)
3 eggs
1 C. Sugar
1 t. Cardamom, ground

Wash apricots and cut in half and remove the pits. Cut into small cubes. Add to a medium pan with about 1 tablespoon of water. Simmer for about 10 minutes or longer until really soft. Set aside.

In a large bowl add the eggs and whisk gently. Add the juice of the lemon along with all of the zest from the lemon and whisk gently. Place the bowl on top of simmering water and continue to whisk in the sugar.

Use an emulsion blender to puree the apricots and then add to the mixture and continue to whisk quickly. Cook gently until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Feel free to strain through a sieve to remove any random particles. Makes about 2 pint jars. Refrigerate.

{ Roasted Spring Carrots with Cumin Scented Pistachios }

Hubby and I celebrated my birthday in wine country this weekend. We had the most marvelous time. Full of drinking great wine, eating divine food, shopping at darling boutiques and relaxing at the most magnificent hotel we have ever stayed at. A perfect birthday weekend for sure. I am excited to share some wonderful details and photos of our wine country adventures in upcoming posts.

I actually created this little gem of a recipe last weekend after a visit to our local farmers market. These colorful carrots just stood out at the one of the booths – the vibrant purple and orange is just stunning. I certainly wish they were available year round, but on that note, they are not, so I must take advantage of them now – carpe diem!

Roasting alone with a bit of salt and pepper and great quality olive oil is actually quite perfect by itself. However, adding some additional flavor and texture just raises the flavor profiles and brings it to the next level of wonderful-ness!

Pistachios are one of my favorite nuts and often under used in my house. Often I will snack on these beauties yet rarely cooking with them. The flavor and texture just blended so well with the roasted carrots and the marriage of these items occurred. Hubby is not the biggest fan of pistachios and he loved this dish. Enjoy!!

Roasted Spring Carrots with Cumin Scented Pistachios

Serves four

12 to 16 Carrots
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Peel and trim carrots. Slice or dice into bite size pieces. Place onto a large baking dish or pan. Drizzle with olive oil to well coat all carrots. Season with salt and pepper and toss well. Roast for 35 to 45 minutes at 350 degrees or until tender.

Cumin Scented Pistachios

½ Cup Pistachios, shelled
1 T. Butter
1 t. Cumin
1 pinch cayenne pepper
½ t. Salt
2 t. Brown sugar

Over medium heat, add butter to a medium skillet and melt. Then add the brown sugar, cumin, cayenne and salt and mix. Toss in the pistachios and stir until all are coated. Stirring frequently, cook until they begin to caramelize slightly for about 5 minutes or less. Remove from heat and let cool, then rough chop and sprinkle over the carrots.

Roasted Golden Beet Salad

What is your relationship with beets? Love them or leave them? I happen to absolutely love them. Since being a kid, I have had adoration for these root vegetables. Whether they are purple, yellow or the Chioggia version – simply doesn’t matter.

Speaking of being a kid, I recently browsed through an old photo album that had a photo of me when I was probably 3 or 4 years old, eating purple beets. My face and hands were covered in purple dye and I am sure it took days to completely rid myself of the purple stain.

Luckily my hubby adores beets as much as I do. Last weekend we took a jaunt over to the farmers market that is near our house and saw these beautiful golden beets just calling out to us. Hubby mentioned that I had not made the beet salad in a while, so the beets were quickly added to my ever growing bag of goodies. Not too mention, the bag was getting quite heavy by now. Smile.

This salad is simple yet the flavors are fresh, vibrant and delicious. You can certainly use fresh dill and I would suggest using less since the flavor is so strong. Adding other components to this salad could really kick it up. Perhaps crumbled blue cheese, cherry tomatoes or toasted pecans - what would you add?

Roasted Golden Beet Salad

3 Large Golden Beets
Olive oil
Sea Salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Wash each beet and trim the leaves. Cut in half lengthwise and lay flat the 6 halves onto a baking dish with sides. Drizzle with olive oil and lift each beet to coat the bottom of each. Sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until tender. Let cool and then with a knife and your fingers remove the skin and any other portions you desire. Cut into small dices and let completely cool before adding the vinaigrette. Add some finely cut fresh chives to the salad.

Spring Onion and Dill Vinaigrette

3 T. Olive Oil
2 T. Champagne Vinegar
1 T. Sugar
2 t. Dried dill
2 T. Spring onion, minced

Add all ingredients to a mason jar and shake well. Let sit for one hour to develop the flavors before tossing with the beets.

Salted Caramel Corn Cookies

The long holiday weekend is quickly coming to a close. With the true meaning of this Memorial Day weekend being focused on the soldiers who have fallen and our thoughts going out to their families for their loss and the sacrifice they made for all of us. Sometimes, with little time to slow down and really think about things, holiday weekends like this are gentle reminders to enjoy each moment, each interaction and each person who is in our lives that we care about.

Wrapping up our weekend, hubby and I spent a few hours washing our cars. They are normally black in color, but a grey hue was more present. The wheels were blackened versus a semi shiny silver color. The weather was perfect and just a hint of wind. With a soapy bucket and all of our car wash accruements by our side, we began the task at hand.

During our little adventure, hubby took a minute to enjoy one of my Salted Caramel Corn Cookies that I made a few hours earlier. He let me know that this had to be one of the BEST cookies I have ever made. Knowing that he is my ultimate critic, this was huge praise. I now know I have a true winner on my hands.

The caramel corn recipe is an adaptation from Martha Stewart and the basic cookie recipe is from my great Aunt Midge. She would add sugar pop cereal to the recipe where I thought to give it an refresh with adding the salted caramel corn. The end result is a crispy, well seasoned cookie that will leave you wanting a second and probably a third one. Beware – they are addictive – in a good way.

Salted Caramel Corn

1 C. (2 sticks) butter
3/4 C. White corn kernels
3 T. canola oil
2 C. packed light-brown sugar
1/2 C. Corn syrup
2 t. Vanilla
2 t. Grey salt
1/2 t. Baking soda

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Use large non-stick baking pans with sides. Place corn kernels and oil in a large pot over medium-high heat; cover. Once kernels begin to pop, shake pot frequently; when popping slows to about 3 seconds between pops, remove from heat and uncover. Transfer to a large bowl.

Cook sugar, butter, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring, until it reaches 255 degrees. Use a candy thermometer to check to see when you reach 255 degrees.

Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla, grey salt, and baking soda. Place popcorn in a very large bowl and pour caramel over popcorn; toss to coat. Divide between baking sheets. Bake, stirring occasionally, 1 hour 20 minutes. Let cool.

Note:  You will have enough caramel corn to enjoy beyond what is inside the cookies.

Salted Caramel Corn Cookies

½ C. Shortening, butter flavored
1 C. Sugar
1 Egg
1 T. Vanilla
½ t. Salt
½ t. Baking Soda
1 ¼ C. Flour
3 C. Caramel Corn

Using a stand mixer, cream together the shortening, sugar and salt. Add the egg and whip quickly. Then add the vanilla and baking soda until incorporated. Slowly add the flour until well mixed. Remove the mixing bowl and gently mix in the caramel corn with a spoon being careful to over mix or break up the caramel corn. Stir until all caramel corn is covered.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Using a cookie or ice cream scoop, make one inch balls and be careful to leave plenty of room between, since they will spread. Cook for 9 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for one minute, then remove with a spatula onto a wire rack to cool.

French Cheese Straws + Peju Wines

A girls day in Napa was just what the doctor ordered last weekend. We planned it rather last minute, but sometimes that is simply the best. I jumped on OpenTable and booked an 11:30 reservation for Morimoto Napa. Since it takes only about an hour to get up to Napa from where we live, we left early to stop by Peju Province Winery for my friend Helen to pick up her favorite wine – provence. { BTW - Morimoto was a simply divine lunch experience - highly encourage you to go }

{ Elizabeth and Helen in front of the tower at Peju }

I have been to a good number of wineries in the valley, but Peju had for some reason been missed. Glad that we made a stop there – the wines were delicious. It was a bit early for wine, but as the romans say – when in Rome do what the romans do. The Provence along with the Cabernet Sauvignon were stands outs for me. So much that with the generous case discount, I purchased 5 Provence and 7 Cabernet Sauvignon.

Provence is a blend of red and white wines. I know you are thinking rose or white zinfandel – no way. It is actually made up of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Chardonnay and French Colombard. It is meant to be served cold and especially decadent with BBQ and spicy foods. It has fragrant notes of vivid cherry and raspberry along with floral notes and a slight cranberry essence. The fruit is fresh and ripe and quite a pleasant finish – perfect for summer.

Peju’s Cabernet Sauvignon is actually sourced from two estate vineyards and aged for 18 months in new french and american oak barrels. The oak aging comes through and is very pleasing on the palate and nose. It has aromatic summer berries, cherry and cocoa powder. Behind the scenes in the back of your nose, you can sense a ting of caramel. The berry flavors come through along with rich bing cherries and a slight toffee undertone that is quite memorable on the palate.

One of the distinguishing architectural delights is the tower. It is a 50 foot tower that was designed by Calvin Straub and each wine label embodies the picturesque tower. It resembles a French Provincial tower. With the French influence, I thought these French Cheese Straws from Martha Stewart would be a perfect pairing for this delightful wine.  They are crunchy, savory, cheesy and spicy - just perfect with a glass of wine.

French Cheese Straws
(slightly adapted from Martha Stewart)

1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup finely grated Gruyere cheese
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound store-bought puff pastry
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Line two baking sheets with nonstick baking mats; set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together both cheeses and cayenne pepper and black pepper. Sprinkle cheese mixture on work surface; top with puff pastry and roll out to a 10-by-13-inch rectangle, pressing dough into cheese to adhere. Sprinkle top of dough with poppy seeds, if desired; press gently with a rolling pin to adhere.

Using a pastry cutter, trim sides to form a 9-by-12-inch rectangle. Cut puff pastry into 3/4-inch-thick strips. Grab each end of a dough strip with your fingers and carefully stretch and twist strip in opposite directions; arrange 1 1/2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Transfer to refrigerator to chill, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Transfer baking sheets to oven and bake until golden and puffed, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Tomato Jam + Appetizer Ideas | Secret Recipe Club

Time flies. It seems like I was just writing my last post for The Secret Recipe Club. You don’t know what The Secret Recipe Club is? Let me share a quick synopsis with you. Each month you are given a link to a member’s blog and you browse through the “secret” blog to determine which wonderful recipe you are going to create. The club is divided into four groups with each one having a “reveal” day during the month. Once the reveal takes place you are also able to see who received your blog and what recipe they chose. It is a lot of fun - I encourage you to check it out.

For May, I received Cathy’s blog Wives with Knives. Cathy lives in the beautiful Willamette Valley in Oregon for her entire life. Her love of food came from growing up on a farm on the Columbia River and learning how to cook from her grandmother. Her recipes come from family favorites along with local farmers’ market vendors and other spectacular collected recipes.

Cathy herself is a vendor at the local farmers market and sells roasted and glazed nuts, granola and trail mixes. She went on a trip to Germany years ago and fell in love with the Christmas markets along with the smell of roasting almonds. She loved it so much, that she purchased two of the roasting machines and sells her delights at the farmers market in Beaverton, Oregon. { Note to self: need to make a trip to Beaverton and stop by Cathy’s booth at the market.}

Cathy has an incredible selection of tasty recipes, that it was quite difficult to select which one I wanted to make. I have bookmarked many to create in the future. Like Cathy, I am a self professed condiment junkie. I am drawn to them at small grocery stores, farmers markets, specialty food stores and anywhere else I may spy them. So when I saw that she made Tomato Jam – I was sold on that recipe.

I used the tomato jam to make Mini Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.  Simply cut a baguette on the diagonal and buttered each side.  Added a bit of jarlsburg swiss cheese and a generous spoonful of the tomato jam.  Grilled until golden brown on each side.  Absolutely delish!

Making jam is one of my favorite things to do. I enjoy creating unique flavor profiles and then sharing with friends and family. Tomato Jam has been on my list for several years to make, but just have not found the perfect recipe – until NOW. This jam is rich, spicy, hearty, unique and tasty. This might just be the ultimate tomato jam.

Another quick appetizer - Tomato Jam and Chevre Costini.  Simply slice a sourdough baguette thinly and brush each side with a bit of olive oil.  Lay onto a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for about 10 minutes until golden brown on each side. Best to rotate at the 5 minute mark to brown evenly.  Remove from the oven and let cool.  Spread chevre (goat cheese) on top of each one and add a generous spoonful of the delicious tomato jam to the top of each one.  Perfect with a glass of sauvignon blanc.

Tomato Jam

1 ½ lb.Ripe Roma tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 cup sugar
2 T. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 T. minced crystallized ginger
1 t. ground cumin
¼ t. ground cinnamon
¼ t. ground cloves
1 t. salt
½ t. red pepper flakes, or to taste

To peel the tomatoes easily, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Cut a slight X on the top of each tomato. Place into the boiling water for about one minute and remove to cool for a few minutes. Once they are cool enough to handle, the skin will peel away easily. Continue to dice into small pieces and remove any end portions of where the tomato was attached to the vine.

Combine all ingredients in a heavy medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture has consistency of a thick jam, about 1 to 1 ½ hours. Watch carefully so the jam doesn’t burn. Taste and adjust seasonings, then cool and refrigerate. Will keep, refrigerated, for two weeks. Makes approximately one cup of jam.

Fava Bean Salad with Honey Garlic Vinaigrette

Quite often I get a craving for the crunch and taste of really wonderful vegetables. With spring here, I am taking advantage of the abundance of fava beans at the farmers market and whole foods. I adore their bright green color and delicate flavors. Despite being a labor intensive process with their preparation, they are worth every minute of manual labor.

I ordered a Benriner Japanese Mandolin several months ago from One Kings Lane that were highly recommended by Alice Waters. If Alice says it is one of the best, I am not going to question her. While at the farmers market, I picked up the most amazing radishes and spring onions. Knowing that these would be perfect sliced incredibly thin, I dug up the newly purchased mandolin and extracted it from the box.

I adore the green color and the simplicity of use. After sifting through the instructions, I was off to slicing my market finds. It was nearing near lunchtime and my veggie craving was at the top of the charts. One of my childhood favorites are garbonzo beans or others may name them chickpeas. They are satisfying and heartily.

My salad was now being formed for a quick lunch. Now onto the dressing – I like a lighter dressing that is flavorful. I enjoy making dressings in a mason jar and with a simple few shakes, letting it sit for a bit, I now have a perfect dressing. This vinaigrette has now become a staple for me and I just vary the ingredients each time to mix it up.

Now is the time to enjoy the bounties that spring offers and I hope this salad cures any veggie craving you might have!

Spring Salad

2 C. Fava Beans, shelled*
1 Can, Garbonzo beans, rinsed
6 Radishes, thinly sliced
1 large spring onion, thinly sliced
Parmesan Cheese

Add the ingredients to a large bowl and dress with the amount you desire and toss. You can double the ingredients for the salad to serve four. This recipe is perfect for two.

Vinaigrette

½ shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 T. honey
1 t. Dijon mustard
3 T. Rice wine vinegar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Pour and place all ingredients into a mason jar and shake well. Let the dressing sit at least one hour for flavors to develop.

*Fava Bean Preparation:

To shuck the beans, simply break off one end of the pod and use your thumb to pry it open. Pop the beans into a bowl and make a pile of pods. The easiest way to peel the beans is to parboil them first. To do so, bring a large stockpot filled with water to a rolling boil. Add the beans and let them cook until they turn bright green. About one minute. Then remove the pan from the stove and drain the beans into a colander. Run the beans under cold water for a minute or so to stop them from cooking any further.

Next, you need to remove the skin surrounding each bean. Use a knife or your fingernail to make a slit in the seam at one end of the bean and then squeeze the bean out. It should pop right out of the skin. Once you've peeled the beans, they are ready to use in any recipe.

Fava Bean and Parmesan Crostini

Hump day. It means we are winding down for the weekend. I have a good friend on Facebook who every Wednesday, he posts a wonderful reminder that today is Wednesday and the weekend is now not far away.

Weekends for me often include good food, wine and time with my hubby and friends. Last weekend we celebrated Mother’s Day with my family which was simply wonderful. I have four darling nephews who could not be more different – each one has their own unique personality, which makes them special.

They range from 2 years old to 11 years old. The 2 and 4 year old are simply happy with playing with cars and trains, while the 9 and 11 year old could not be happier playing on the iphone or ipad.

Just a little back story on the 11 year old – at Easter I showed him the Draw Something game on my iphone with him and he quickly became obsessed. While out at brunch for Easter, I sat next to the 11 year old and left to get my plate of brunch goodies, while he stayed behind. When I returned, I noticed that he was playing on my iphone, which had been in my handbag. I quickly realized that he is one smart little guy and he remember me inputting my code and unlocked the phone while I was selecting brunch items.

When I asked him, he denied it, but quickly realized that I was not going to back down and he confessed. The code has since been changed. Over Mother’s Day, I heard – “Auntie Lisa, can I play Draw Something?”

Since hubby and I only have one 4 legged furry child, I am the type of Auntie who wants to play and have fun. Of course, I said to the 11 year old – “Sure you can play a few Draw Something games”. He is actually a very talented little artist and I think he learned from the Easter incident to ask first. Smart kid. { Smile }

This appetizer is one I have been making for years and is simply divine. I actually learned this recipe, which has been slightly altered over the years, from Tori Ritchie at her cooking class I took at Tante Marie in San Francisco. It has been a favorite ever since. Enjoy!

Fava Bean and Parmesan Crostini

2 Cup Shelled Fava Beans
2/3 Cup Parmesan Cheese, small cubes
¼ Cup Olive Oil
Zest of one lemon
2 Tablespoons Fresh Thyme Leaves (not dried)
Salt and Pepper
Chiabatta or Sour Dough Crostini (Grilled)

In a large bowl, add the prepared fava beans, parmesan cheese, lemon zest, thyme leaves and olive oil. Mix well and add salt and pepper. Adjust seasonings to your desired level of taste.

Slice approximately 12 to 16 slices of your choice of bread and brush with olive oil. Grill until crispy on each side. Use an outdoor or indoor grill. Rotate the bread often to prevent burning however the charred flavor is quite delicious.

Top each grilled Crostini with the fava bean mixture and enjoy!

Fava Bean Preparation:


To shuck the beans, simply break off one end of the pod and use your thumb to pry it open. Pop the beans into a bowl and make a pile of pods. The easiest way to peel the beans is to parboil them first. To do so, bring a large stockpot filled with water to a rolling boil. Add the beans and let them cook until they turn bright green. About one minute. Then remove the pan from the stove and drain the beans into a colander. Run the beans under cold water for a minute or so to stop them from cooking any further.

Next, you need to remove the skin surrounding each bean. Use a knife or your fingernail to make a slit in the seam at one end of the bean and then squeeze the bean out. It should pop right out of the skin. Once you've peeled the beans, they are ready to use in any recipe.