Al Dente

Dishing Up Oregon with 145 Inspired Farm-to-Table Recipes

There's nothing I like better than a good cookbook on Pacific Northwest cuisine. Heck, I've written several of them myself including Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining: The People, Places, Food, and Drink of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia. 

And happy to report that Portland-based author Ashley Gartland has made a very valuable contribution to the Northwest-cuisine repertoire with her new book, Dishing Up Oregon: 145 Recipes That Celebrate Farm-to-Table Flavors.

Gartland solicited recipes from her state's leading chefs, farmers, fishers, winegrowers, cheese makers, brewers, and just about anybody else of import on the Oregon food-and-beverage scene. 

In addition to recipes, the book includes heartfelt profiles and photos (by John Valls) of many of these dedicated people (not to mention enticing plate shots), to create a complete portrait of farm-to-table dining Oregon-style.

I'll be trying my hand at recipes including Oregon Shrimp Napoleons, artistic towers of cucumber, bay shrimp, avocado, and microgreens that hail from The Painted Lady Restaurant in the Willlamette Valley. 

Or Abacela Paella from my friends Hilda and Earl Jones, owners of Abacela Vineyard & Winery in southern Oregon. 

Vin Glacé Cake from chef Tobi Sobak of King Estate Winery incorporates both butter and olive-oil, along with the sweet white dessert wine Vin Glacé, to produce a tender, satisfying cake that would be perfect served with Northwest berries or stone fruits in season, plus a dollop of crème fraîche.

But perhaps no other recipe featured in "Dishing Up Oregon" typifies the elegant simplicity of Northwest cuisine as perfectly as Hazelnut-Crusted Salmon with Brown Butter and Balsamic Vinegar, a recipe from chef Aaron Bedard of The Stephanie Inn & Dining Room in Cannon Beach. 

Even the balsamic vinegar called for in the recipe--Apicio--is Oregon-made. It comes from Cooper Mountain Vineyards, a biodynamic winery in the Willamette Valley. This time of year when fresh-caught wild salmon is scarce, try the recipe using flash-frozen-at-sea fish. 

Hazelnut-Crusted Salmon with Brown Butter and Balsamic Vinegar

Serves 4

1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts, skinned

One 1-pound wild salmon fillet

Kosher salt 

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons unsalted butter 

1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar, preferably Cooper Mountain Vineyards Apicio

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with foil. 

2. Pulse the hazelnuts in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade attachment until finely ground. Spread the ground hazelnuts on a large plate.

3. Lightly season the salmon fillet with salt and pepper. Roll the top of the fillet in the ground hazelnuts to form a crust. Transfer the fillet to the prepared baking sheet and patch up any holes in the crust. Bake the salmon until the fish is pale pink and just cooked through and the hazelnut crust is golden brown, about 10 minutes. 

4. While the salmon cooks, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking the butter, swirling the pan occasionally, until it becomes golden brown and has a nutty aroma, about 5 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

5. Remove the salmon from the oven and transfer it to a serving plate. Drizzle the brown butter and balsamic vinegar over the top of the fillet and serve immediately. 

Excerpted from 'Dishing Up Oregon" (c) by Ashley Gartland, photography (c) by John Valls, used with permission from Storey Publishing.

Bourbon Balls and Sweet Auburn Desserts for the Holidays

In early November, while attending a culinary conference in Atlanta, I met up with Sonya Jones, founder of The Sweet Auburn Bread Company, and author of "Sweet Auburn Desserts: Atlanta's Little Bakery That Could."

A graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, Jones has been named one of America's top black pastry chefs by Ebony magazine, her wares have been featured on CNN, and she's served her famous Sweet Potato Cheesecake (with a poundcake crust) to the likes of former president Bill Clinton and television personality Rachael Ray. 

Her bakery is located in the Sweet Auburn District of downtown Atlanta, just steps from the Martin Luther King Center and the Sweet Auburn Curb Market. It's a popular stop for locals and tourists alike who flock there for breakfast or lunch or to pick up their favorite baked goods such as Jones's famous Naked Hummingbird Muffins, Sweet Cream Biscuits, or a pecan pie for the office. 

"Sweet Auburn Desserts" was literally hot off the presses (or fresh out of the oven, so to speak). And, it was Jones's first published cookbook, so she was justly proud to show off the new arrival. 

And a welcome arrival "Sweet Auburn Desserts" is for anyone who loves Southern cooking, heritage dessert recipes (recipes that have been passed down through the generations but updated here for the modern home cook), and photos of luscious stack cakes, their multi layers oozing icing; pies with mile-high meringue toppings; and baskets of fruit-and-nut-studded muffins that border on food porn they are so enticing. 

Chef Sonya's heritage recipes keep alive a part of my past I thought was long gone, with classics such as Cream Cheese Poundcake, Lemon Ice Box Pie, and Lane Cake (its filling composed of with raisins, candied fruit, pecans, and a splash of brandy, just the way my southern grandmother used to make it). 

Old-Fashioned Pork Cake calls for a pound of fresh pork sausage, brown sugar, raisins, and nuts. While it may be somewhat of an acquired taste, I enjoyed reading the recipe and fantasizing about it anyway. 

This time of year, we're all baking something special for the holiday table or to give for gifts. You'll want to check out Chef Sonya's recipes for Caramel Banana Nut Muffins, Sweet Potato Butter, or Bourbon Balls, a family favorite around our house. 

Bourbon Balls

Yields 3 dozen

1 (12-ounce) package fine vanilla wafer cookies, crushed

1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped

1 cup powdered sugar, plus more to coat

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more to coat

1/4 cup bourbon

3 tablespoons light corn syrup

Coconut flakes, to coat

1. Combine the crushed vanilla wafers, chopped nuts, powdered sugar, and the cocoa powder in a mixing bowl.

2. In a separate bowl, combine the bourbon and light corn syrup. Add the bourbon mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well. Cover the mixture and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

3. Once chilled, form the dough into 1-inch balls. To coat, shift about 1 cup of powdered sugar onto a cookie sheet and roll the balls in the sugar until coated all over. Follow the same procedure to coat with cocoa powder, or the coconut flakes. 

4. Store bourbon balls in a sealed container until ready to serve. Bourbon balls will keep, refrigerated, for two weeks.

Recipe reprinted from "Sweet Auburn Desserts," by Chef Sonya Jones, © Sonya Jones, used by permission of the publisher, Pelican Publishing Company, Inc. 

 Photo by Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn

 

Going Vegan for the Holidays

I don't live in New York City and I'm not a vegetarian.

But next time I visit the Big Apple, I'll make a beeline for Candle 79, a vegan restaurant that brings elegance and great taste to the table for vegetable-based eaters and omnivores alike.

Celebrity fans of the top-rated restaurant include Dr. Mehmet Oz, Tracey and Michael J. Fox, and Woody Harrelson and his family. 

Cruising through the restaurant's just-released "Candle 79 Cookbook: Modern Vegan Classics From New York's Premier Sustainable Restaurant," I was taken by the fresh and healthy recipes, lovely plate shots, and useful Glossary and Sources listings.

I guess others were as well, since the book was chosen 2011 Cookbook of the Year by VegNews. 

This time of the year, when many of us overindulge on food and drink, the "Candle 79 Cookbook" offers fresh, creative, vegan choices such as Spinach-Mushroom Paté, Wild Mushroom and Cipollini Salad with Fresh Horseradish Dressing, and Saffron Ravioli with Wild Mushrooms and Cashew Cheese.

I was particularly taken with this Beet Salad gussied up with figs, fennel, and pecans. The recipe for Cranberry-Sage Dressing sounds like something you'd want to make throughout the holidays to grace this salad and other festive dishes.

Beet, Fennel, and Fig Salad with Cranberry-Sage Dressing

Serves 6

For the Dressing: 

¹⁄₂ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¹⁄₂ cup finely chopped shallots

1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, thawed if frozen

¹⁄₄ cup balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1 fresh sage leaf, chopped

¹⁄₃ cup water

1 tablespoon maple syrup

¹⁄₂ teaspoon sea salt

For the Salad:

1 pound fresh beets

1 fennel bulb, trimmed and halved

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

¹⁄₂ cup pecans

¹⁄₂ pound baby arugula

1 pear, cored and thinly sliced (optional)

6 fresh figs, cut into wedges 

To make the dressing, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the cranberries and cook, stirring, until they are softened and begin to pop, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool, then transfer to a blender. Add the vinegar, rosemary, sage, water, maple syrup, salt, and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and process until smooth. 

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Wrap the beets in aluminum foil and put them on a baking sheet. Put the fennel on a separate baking sheet, cut side up, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Put the beets and fennel in the oven and roast until fork-tender, about 30 minutes for the fennel, and 50 to 60 minutes for the beets. When cool enough to handle, peel the beets and cut into thin slices, and cut the fennel into very thin slices.

Meanwhile, spread the pecans on a baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted, about 5 to 8 minutes. 

Put the arugula in a large bowl, add the beets, fennel, pecans, and optional pear, and gently toss together. Drizzle with the dressing and scatter the figs over the salad. Alternatively, divide the arugula evenly among salad plates, placing it to one side of the plate. Drizzle with the dressing and scatter the pecans on top. Arrange the beets, fennel, figs, and optional pear alongside the arugula and serve at once.

Reprinted with permission from "Candle 79 Cookbook: Modern Vegan Classics from New York’s Premier Sustainable Restaurant." Copyright © 2011 by Joy Pierson, Angel Ramos, and Jorge Pineda. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, Berkeley, CA. 

Photo credit: Rita Maas

Learning a Lot About Luscious Liqueurs

I always love reading a cookbook, or cocktail book, or really, just about any kind of book that teaches me something.

Thumbing through Seattle-based master mixologist A.J. Rathbun's latest book, "Ginger Bliss and the Violet Fizz: A Cocktail Lover's Guide to Mixing Drinks Using New and Classic Liqueurs," I learned a lot.

The stylish tome--Rathbun's 10th--includes recipes for 200 liqueur-based drinks, from classics such as El Postre and the Violet Fizz, to ultra-contemporary creations including Ginger Bliss and the Temporary Getaway. 

The recipes are interspersed with glorious four-color photos, illuminating Liqueur Spotlight sidebars, and chatty recipe introductions.

It's as if Rathbun is sitting on the bar stool beside you, talking to you like a long-lost drinking buddy, as he takes you by the hand through the wonderful world of luscious liqueurs.

I was thrilled to see an entire sidebar devoted to one of my favorite liqueurs--Lillet Blanc. Rathbun describes it as "the French apéritif made from a mix of wine, citrus liqueurs, and undisclosed formulas."

He goes on to say that Lillet Blanc is "an aromatized wine (a cousin to vermouth, you might say) with a light orange lilt. It was first made in 1887 by Paul and Raymond Lillet and sold within the Bordeaux region of France starting in 1895."

You might have heard of Lillet if you're a James Bond fan. In both the book and the film "Casino Royale," the British super spy asks for a Kina Lillet Martini. (Kina Lillet was the liqueur's original name, when the secret formula included lots of quinine sourced from Peruvian kina kina tree bark, according to Rathbun.)

Bond's drink of choice was composed of “three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, and half a measure of Kina Lillet.” 

Of course, you've probably already guessed that the "great secret" ingredient in the recipe below is none other than one of the world's most luscious liqueurs--Lillet Blanc.

Great Secret 

Cracked ice

2 ounces gin

1 ounce Lillet Blanc

Dash of Angostura bitters

Orange twist, for garnish

Orange slice, for garnish (optional, used instead of above twist)

1. Fill a mixing glass or cocktail shaker with cracked ice. Add the gin, Lillet, and bitters. Stir well.

2. Strain into a cocktail glass. Twist the twist over the glass and then drop it in. Shhhhh.

Recipe reprinted from "Ginger Bliss and the Violet Fizz: A Cocktail Lover's Guide to Mixing Drinks Using New and Classic Liqueurs," by A.J. Rathbun (Harvard Common Press, 2011, $19.95)

Photo Credit: Jerry Errico

Kitchen Simple Is Kitchen Brilliant

Want to cook like a pro in a minimum of prep time (no more than 30 minutes), with nearly every recipe on the table in under an hour?

Then turn to seven-time James Beard award-winning chef James Peterson's latest tome: "Kitchen Simple: Essential Recipes for Everyday Cooking."

Designed for everyone from kitchen novice to sophisticated cook, this book highlights Peterson's artful approach to cooking and is designed "to remind home cooks of the infinite possibilities of simple recipes."

As I thumbed through the 246-page book, illustrated with Peterson's pretty photographs, I marked page after page of recipes I want to try and kitchen tips I plan to implement. 

The recipe for Salmon en Papillote with Tarragon highlights a basic and versatile cooking technique (cooking in parchment paper) and just also happens to showcase one of my all-time favorite herbs.

Goat Cheese Soufflés are as easy to make (four ingredients, one of which is pepper!) as they are airy and delectable.

The recipe for Microwaved Artichokes will save any cook a bunch of time and trouble, as will the Mock Coq au Vin.  

But this time of the year, with everyone back to school and work and time at a premium, I immediately glommed onto Peterson's recipe for Fusilli with Cherry Tomatoes and Fresh Tuna. This brillianty simple recipe calls for just eight ingredients, and literally takes as long to make as it does to boil a pot of water and cook the pasta.

Fusilli with Cherry Tomatoes and Fresh Tuna

Makes 4 main-course servings

4 cups baby arugula, optional

1 pint cherry tomatoes

Salt

1 pound fusilli (spirals)

2/3 cup pitted black olives, not out of a can 

1 pound fresh tuna, cut into 1/2-inch dice

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons wine vinegar

1. Wash the arugula and spin dry. Chop very coarsely. Halve the cherry tomatoes.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fusilli and cook according to the package directions, until soft, with the slightest resistance to the tooth. Drain in a colander. 

3. Transfer the pasta to a bowl. Add the tomatoes, olives, tuna, olive oil, and vinegar. Toss. Serve hot or cold—let cool at room temperature and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Reprinted with permission from Kitchen Simple: Essential Recipes for Everyday Cooking by James Peterson, copyright © 2011. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.

Photo credit: James Peterson © 2011

 

Good News for Downtown Seattle Food Lovers

I'd like to add my voice to the chorus singing the praises of Seattle food blogger Keren Brown's marvelous new book, "Food Lover's Guide to Seattle: Best Local Specialties, Markets, Recipes, Restaurants & Events." 

As outlined in my friend and colleague Kathy Casey's Al Dente blog post earlier this month, this book is truly an insider's exhaustive look at our fair city's complex, and ever-evolving, culinary scene. 

I loved reading through the entire book, discovering new places to eat, drink, and shop at every turn.

But I took particular interest in Brown's coverage of the downtown section of Seattle.

My husband and I have lived a salmon toss from the Pike Place Market for 21 years, long before living downtown was considered chic and trendy. We are considered among the original "urban pioneers."

And I've written several books on the Pike Place Market. So downtown, and the Market in particular, are places that are very near and dear to our hearts. 

Happy to report, Brown's handy little book (in a square, paperback format that would fit easily into a small purse or backpack) devotes almost 60 pages of its 248 to the downtown core. 

The "Made Here" section covers such favorites as Chukar Cherries, Dry Soda, and Le Panier. Who knew that The Confectional in the Market serves up Columbian hot chocolate "made of dark chocolate, organic whole milk, and Columbian coffee and spices" in addition to its delectable mini cheesecakes?

Or that the favorite flavor at Bottega Italiano, the über-popular gelato store along First Avenue, is salted caramel chocolate chip?

The book's shorter, alphabetized entries are interspersed with full-page descriptions including Salumi Artisan Cured Meats, Beecher's Handmade Cheese, and chef Tom Douglas's restaurant empire. 

The "Road Trip" sidebar, which outlines foodie favorites on nearby Bainbridge Island including Blackbird Bakery, Mora Ice Cream, and Hitchcock Restaurant, made me want to run down to the waterfront and hop a ferry.

There are even recipes! I was particularly intrigued by Brown's recipe inspired from ingredients she bought at The Souk in the Pike Place Market. Spread labneh (thick yogurt cheese) on a round plate, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with generous amounts of za'atar spice (a blend of herbs made of dried sumac, sesame seeds, and other spices). Serve with sliced baguette or pita wedges.

A couple of quibbles. What was going on with the proofreader who allowed "Elliott Bay" to be printed as "Elliot Bay" throughout? A simple check of a map would have solved that problem.

And I wish there had been room for some of my favorite beverage options in the Pike Place Market. These include The Perennial Tea Room (with its wide selection of teas and teapots) and the venerable The Tasting Room: Wines of Washington. Both are along Post Alley in the same block as Kell's and The Pink Door. Tasting rooms for Patterson Cellars and Pike Place Market Cellar Winery are located along Western Avenue near The Spanish Table and World Spice Merchants.

Brown told me the book contains more than 400 entries (!) so not everything she loves and that was worthy could be included.

Oh, well. With the unquestionable success of this encyclopedic new guidebook, the publisher should consider expanding and increasing page count in the second edition of the "Food Lover's Guide to Seattle."

Photo of Keren Brown courtesy of Ronald Holden 

A Cool Adult Popsicle for Hot Summer Days

With 75-plus recipes and enticing food shots, Karen Solomon's latest book, "Can It, Bottle It, Smoke It: And Other Kitchen Projects" will inspire everyone from beginning to seasoned home cooks to get into their kitchens to tackle such interesting culinary projects as producing their own quince paste, bagels, and rice milk. Heck, even hotdogs!

But as summer hits with a vengeance, with temperatures topping 100 degrees  in many parts of the country, my eye went directly to her recipe for homemade popsicles: Berry Cabernet Pops.

These easy-to-make adult treats contain only four ingredients including the season's best berries and fruity red wine.

Mix them up in a blender or food processor, let freeze until solid (about six hours), and you're ready for a tempting taste of summer. 

Berry Cabernet Pops

Makes six 4-ounce pops

Time commitment, about 6 hours

3 1/2 cups frozen raspberries, strawberries, or blueberries, or a combination

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup medium-bodied fruity red wine 

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

1. Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend for about 2 minutes, until completely liquefied. 

2. Pour into six 4-ounce frozen pop molds, leaving about 1/2 inch headspace for the liquid’s expansion. Freeze until solid, at least 6 hours.

3. To release an individual pop, rotate it under a stream of running warm tap water for about 30 seconds. Never tug on the stick! Keep running it under water until the pop can be pulled out gently. (Should this fail, eat your pop from the mold with a spoon.)

Storage Hint: Kept frozen and completely covered, these will last for up to 4 months.

Reprinted with permission from "Can It, Bottle It, Smoke It And Other Kitchen Projects" by Karen Solomon, copyright © 2011. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.

Photo credit: Angie Cao © 2011

Going "Super Natural Every Day"

Heidi Swanson, the creative force behind 101 Cookbooks (the award-winning culinary blog and recipe journal) as well as "Cook 1.0" and the James Beard-nominated cookbook, "Super Natural Cooking," has just come out with her third book and it's a keeper. 

"Super Natural Every Day: Well-Loved Recipes from My Natural Foods Kitchen" is chock-full of 100 recipes, engaging headnotes, a boatload of handy cooking tips, and 100 atmospheric shots that will appeal to both health-conscious and average eaters alike. 

I learned a lot about cooking whole, natural foods by leafing through the tome's 250 gorgeous pages, and was enticed by recipes such as Baked Oatmeal, Miso-Curry Delicate Squash, Tutti-Frutti Crumble, and even Roasted Strawberries. 

But I was particularly taken with Swanson's recipe for Buttermilk Cake, a not-too-sweet "stunner" that calls for whatever fruit is in season. This time of year, go for plums or stone fruit; come winter, Swanson suggests substituting dates and walnuts. You'll love her hint for cutting fresh plums, too!

 

Buttermilk Cake

Serves 10 to 12

2 1/2 cups / 11 oz / 310 g whole wheat pastry flour

1 tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder 

1/2 cup / 2.5 oz / 70 g fine-grain natural cane sugar

1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

2 large eggs  

11/2 cups / 355 ml buttermilk  

1/4 cup / 2 oz / 60 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled a little 

Grated zest of 3 lemons 

8 to 10 plums (ripe, but not overly ripe), thinly sliced

3 tablespoons large-grain raw sugar or turbinado sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F / 205°C with a rack in the top third of the oven. 

2. Butter and flour an 11-inch (28cm) round tart/quiche pan, or line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Alternatively, you can make this cake in a 9 by 13-inch (23 by 33cm) rectangular baking dish; just keep a close eye on it near the end of the baking time.

3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, fine-grain sugar, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together the eggs and buttermilk. Whisk in the melted (but not hot) butter and the lemon zest. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and stir briefly, until just combined.

4. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, pushing it out toward the edges a bit. Scatter the plums across the top, then sprinkle with the large-grain sugar. 

5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cake has set. A toothpick to the center should come out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

The Perfect Summer Picnic Food-and-Wine Pairing

Riveting Rosé! Also known around the world as Rosato, Rosado, Vin Gris, Blush wine, White Zinfandel, White Grenache, and White Merlot, Rosé is the perfect wine for the lighter, simpler foods of summer. 

And recently, it's been getting a lot more respect, according to Jill Silverman Hough, a Napa Valley-based cookbook author, teacher, and the author of "100 Perfect Pairings: Main Dishes to Enjoy with Wines You Love."

"Perhaps you think Rosé passé--too faddy, too soda pop-y, too sweet, too yesterday," she says. "But Rosé is in fact quite de rigueur. These days, it's showing up everywhere, from the wine lists of trendy restaurants to the picnic tables of master sommeliers."

And there's a good reason why. 

"These new Rosés are more in the European style and generally drier than those popular in the U.S. a few years ago," Hough opines. "All in all, they're beautifully crafted wines that deliciously combine mild red wine flavors with a refreshing, best-served-cold lightness."

Hough is a knowledgeable friend and colleague whose first book in this series--"100 Perfect Pairings: Small Plates to Enjoy with Wines You Love"-was featured in an Al Dente blog post I wrote last August. She describes Rosé as dry to off-dry, with medium acidity, crispness, and brightness. It contains no or very low tannins, and possesses a light to medium weight and intensity.

You'll enjoying preparing Hough's recipe for Roasted Vegetable and Goat Cheese Sandwiches. Pack them in a pretty picnic basket along with a bottle (or three!) of your favorite Rosé, and enjoy some laid-back supping and sipping in the summer sunshine.

Roasted Vegetable and Goat Cheese Sandwiches

Serves 6

2 pounds eggplant, cut into ½-inch dice (you should have about 9 cups)
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into ½-inch dice
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1½ cups chèvre (spreadable goat cheese) (about 12 ounces)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram (see the Cook's Hint, below)
¼ teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
6 crusty seeded sandwich rolls, split horizontally

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2. In a large bowl, combine the eggplant, bell peppers, olive oil, salt, and black pepper, tossing to coat. Arrange the mixture in a single layer on 2 rimmed baking sheets and roast until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the cheese, lemon juice, marjoram, and red pepper flakes. (You can prepare the eggplant and cheese mixtures up to 2 days in advance, storing them covered in the refrigerator. Return them to room temperature before proceeding.)

4. Remove the soft bread from the bottom halves of the rolls, making a cavity in each half for the eggplant mixture. Fill the cavities with the eggplant mixture, dividing it evenly, pressing it in and mounding it over the cavities. Spread the cheese mixture on the bready side of the top halves of the rolls, dividing it evenly. Place the top halves of the rolls on the bottom halves. Serve warm or room temperature.

Cook’s Hint: Fresh marjoram is available in the produce section of many supermarkets. Besides using it in this recipe, you can use it in soups, stews, salad dressings, and almost any place that you’d use fresh oregano. If you can’t find fresh marjoram, substitute equal parts fresh oregano and fresh sage.

 

 

Grilled Cheese, Please!

Who knew that April was National Grilled Cheese Month? Or that the Grilled Cheese Invitational in Los Angeles attracts upwards of 8,000 avid fans of the cheesy sandwich each year?

Undoubtedly, award-winning cookbook author Laura Werlin, a.k.a., "The Queen of Cheese," was among those in the know, since she's just come out with her fifth tome: "Grilled Cheese, Please: 50 Scrumptiously Cheesy Recipes." 

This cute little book (in a more or less square, six-inch format) packs a lot of useful information, 50 enticing recipes, and a bevy of mouth-watering, full-color photos into its 160 pages. 

In the "Now You're Cookin'" section, Werlin offers 10 tips on how to make the "best" grilled cheese, as outlined in my colleague Rebekah Denn's post in March.  

Werlin's creative recipes run the gamut from basic to exotic, nostalgic to modern, all-American to ethnic, and savory to sweet. Tempting titles include the Ultimate Childhood Flashback, Camembert and Comté with Mushrooms, and Smoky Kim-Cheese. 

The Queen of Cheese even includes recipes from popular grilled-cheese restaurants and food trucks. Not to mention a handful of Modern Sides recipes--appealing accompaniments to grilled-cheese sandwiches, such as Deep-Fried Pickles and Grilled Tomato Soup. 

All of which makes me want to join the Grilled Cheese Revolution!

Hog Island Grilled Cheese

This sandwich is a favorite among San Franciscans. Never mind that it comes to hungry diners by way of an oyster bar. At Hog Island Oyster Bar, people line up for oysters as well as for this sandwich, the restaurant’s one concession to the fruits of the land. There, they use a northern California cheese called St. George, but because that’s not widely available I’ve substituted cheddar and Havarti, which together taste very similar to St. George. A word of caution: Keep plenty of napkins on hand for this!

2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

8 sandwich-size slices pain au levain (or use sourdough bread)

4 ounces fromage blanc 

4 ounces Gruyère cheese, coarsely grated (or use Comté or Swiss)

4 ounces cheddar cheese, coarsely grated

4 ounces Havarti cheese, coarsely grated

To assemble: Butter one side of each slice of bread. Place 4 slices, buttered side down, on your work surface. Spread the fromage blanc on each slice. Layer with the Gruyère, cheddar, and Havarti cheeses. You may need to use your hand to compress the cheese. Top with the remaining bread slices, buttered side up. 

For stovetop method: Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes. Put the sandwiches into the pan, cover, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the undersides are golden brown. Turn the sandwiches, pressing each one firmly with a spatula to flatten slightly. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the undersides are well browned. Remove the cover, turn the sandwiches once more, and press firmly with the spatula once again. Cook for 1 minute, or until the cheese has melted completely. (You may need to peek inside to make sure.) Remove from the pan and let cool for 5 minutes. Cut in half and serve.

For sandwich maker method: Preheat the sandwich maker. Follow directions for assembly above. Cook according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Makes 4 sandwiches

—From Grilled Cheese, Please! 50 Scrumptiously Cheesy Recipes by Laura Werlin/Andrews McMeel Publishing

Photos by Maren Caruso

 

“Fried Chicken & Champagne” and Two IACP Nominations

Like the beloved children’s book, “The Little Engine That Could,” Seattle chef and caterer Lisa Dupar’s self-published first book “Fried Chicken & Champagne: A Romp Through the Kitchen at Pomegranate Bistro” beat out books from big-name publishers to garner not one, but two prestigious award nominations from the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP). The book is up for awards in both the American and First Book categories. 

Dupar, who spent her formative years in Charleston, South Carolina, describes her book as a mix of “hometown and haute, down-home and high-end."

Within its 260 pages, she takes full advantage of her southern roots as she spins stories of her childhood, bigger-than-life southern relatives, her culinary training, and growing up to be the preferred chef and caterer to many of the Northwest’s most powerful movers and shakers. 

“As far back as I can remember, my memories have been mostly of food and the people who have influenced cooking in my life,” she says in the introduction to her temptingly titled tome. 

An enticing variety of recipes, vintage family photos, handwritten snippets of text, creative use of color and sidebars, and food porn-worthy plate shots make for a complete and enticing package.

“In the end, I’m simply a Southern gal who can’t resist a glass of champagne with a plate of fried chicken." 

Lisa’s Southern Fried Chicken

Serves 4 to 6 people

Lisa Dupar has been making this fried chicken recipe since her high-school years, and it’s still her favorite. She suggests packing it for a picnic with mashed potatoes and cole slaw or serving it for brunch with waffles and syrup. And don’t forget a glass (or two) of Champagne. 

1 whole fryer chicken, cut into 8 pieces

Seasoning salt or salt and pepper

1 cup buttermilk mixed with 2 eggs

All-purpose flour

2 to 3 sleeves of saltine crackers, crushed by hand so your have coarse crumbs (not super fine)

Peanut oil for frying

1. Season chicken meat well with seasoning salt. 

2. Dust with flour. 

3. Dip into buttermilk-egg mixture. 

4. Press chicken into saltine-cracker crumbs. Set aside before frying.

5. Heat fryer oil (1-inch deep) in a large skillet to 350°F. 

6. The chicken “fries” and browns too quickly to cook the chicken all the way. The oil is really just browning the saltines. Fry until golden brown.  This happens very quickly. 

7. Pull the chicken from the oil and drain. Place on a baking sheet placed over a rack and bake in a 350°F oven for 40 minutes more, or until done.

 

 

Mexican Drinking Chocolate for Your Lover

As a gift for your loved one on Valentine's Day, candy is dandy and liquor is quicker. 

But a gift from the heart--made by your own hands--is the most special gift of all.

The idea of making something for my sweet husband this year came to mind when I read a December post written by my fellow Al Dente scribe, Tracy Schneider. Tracy had taken a cooking class given by award-winning Portland-based cookbook author and culinary instructor Diane Morgan when Morgan was in Seattle promoting her latest tome: "Gifts Cooks Love: Recipes for Giving." 

In her post, Tracy suggested that "Gifts Cooks Love" would not only be useful for holiday gift-giving, but for Valentine's Day, too. And boy, was she right!

"GIfts Cooks Love" (Morgan's fourteenth title), is a glorious compendium of gift ideas from sweet to savory and everything in between. You'll discover homemade jams and marmalades, lemon curd, and chutneys in the Sweet Preserved Gifts chapter. 

Savory Preserved Gifts include Butter-Braised Onions, Pickled Cherries, and Arrabbiata Sauce. 

As you might expect, you'll find all sorts of baked goodies for gifting such as Double Fudge Brownie Pops, Cinnamon-Coated Graham Crackers, and even Panforte. Yum! 

The chapter on Confections & Chocolate Gifts is particularly decadent. 

There are even chapters featuring No-Cook Gifts and Drink Gifts. The final chapter shows readers how to pull it all together in Make-a-Gift Kits that include a S'Mores Kit, Pasta Kit, and Retro Popcorn Kit!

Throughout, Diane's book abounds with gorgeous four-color photos and recipe headnotes and instructions oozing with her warm and encouraging voice, like a good friend guiding you through the gift-making (and packaging) process.

Mexican Drinking Chocolate

Ingredients

1¼ pounds (20 ounces) bittersweet chocolate (61 to 66 percent cacao), finely chopped
2¼ cups heavy (whipping) cream
2 soft, plump whole vanilla beans, split and scraped
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground chipotle chile powder
¼ cup light corn syrup
½ teaspoon almond extract

Implements
Four (½-Pint) Decorative Glass Jars with Tight-Fitting Lids, Kitchen Scale, Cutting Board, Chef’s Knife, Large Heatproof Glass or Stainless-Steel Bowl, Measuring Cups and Spoons, Paring Knife, Medium Saucepan, Silicone Spatula

Irresistible, especially on a cold winter’s day, this hot chocolate drink is deeply rich, vanilla-perfumed, and chile-charged—an ideal gift for friends who ski, snowboard, or ice skate. You make the decadent base, pour it into jars, and refrigerate until it sets like a firm ganache. Tie the decorative jars with ribbon and attach a recipe card. Spooned from the jar into a warm mug, the chocolate is stirred with hot or steamed milk for an indulgent, après-ski treat by the fire—a cozy, delicious gift.

Prep Time: 20 minutes  |  Cook Time: 5 minutes  |  Makes four (½-pint) jars of drinking chocolate

Wash the jars, including the lids, in hot, soapy water and dry thoroughly. Alternatively, run the jars through the regular cycle of your dishwasher; wash the lids by hand.

Place the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan over low heat, bring the cream, vanilla beans (seeds and pods), cinnamon, and chipotle chile to a boil, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat. Using a silicone spatula, press the vanilla pods against the side of the pan to remove any remaining seeds and cream. Discard the pods.

Immediately pour the cream mixture over the chocolate, stirring constantly until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Add the corn syrup and almond extract, stirring until incorporated.

Pour the chocolate ganache into the prepared jars, dividing it evenly and leaving ½ inch headspace. Wipe the rims clean and secure the lids. Label and refrigerate.

Storing: Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Gift-Giving Tips: Tie each jar with raffia or ribbon and attach a recipe card. To turn this into a gift basket, consider including small mugs or even cappuccino cups and saucers, along with a fine-mesh shaker filled with a specialty cocoa powder for dusting the top of the drinks.

Recipe Card: Create a card to package with gift

Mexican Hot Chocolate

This homemade Mexican Drinking Chocolate was made on [give date] and can be enjoyed for up to 2 weeks. To make a cup of drinking chocolate, use a spoon that has been warmed under hot water to scoop and measure ¼ cup of the chocolate into a preheated mug. Add ½ cup of hot or steamed milk and stir until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle a little cocoa powder over the top. Serve immediately.

—From Gifts Cooks Love: Recipes for Giving by Sur La Table and Diane Morgan/Andrews McMeel Publishing

 

A "Double Take" on Munchy Cheddar Bites

With the Super Bowl fast approaching, many people are beginning to think about what to serve during the year’s most important game day.

Barbecued ribs and chicken drummettes are de rigueur for Super Bowl parties. 

But what about those in your party crowd who don’t eat meat? Why not serve up something a little more ambitious this year. . .and something that will appeal to every palate? 

To the rescue comes the new book “Double Take: One Fabulous Recipe, Two Finished Dishes, Feeding Vegetarians and Omnivores Together.” Co-authored by my buddy A.J. Rathbun (a renowned Seattle mixologist and prolific, award-winning author) and his friend and meat-loving chef, Jeremy Holt, “Double Take” is an engaging way of looking at life from both sides of the culinary fence.  

“‘Double Take’ came out of having meals with family and friends, or being invited to meals, where the vegetarians and the omnivores would have different dishes—meals that didn’t seem to reflect the communal nature of dining,” Rathbun (who has been a vegetarian for 23 years) says. “Eating with family and friends should be something that brings people together, not drives them apart.”

So today, for your Super Bowl dining pleasure, we offer up a recipe straight from the pages of “Double Take:” Munchy Cheddar Bites. The vegetarian version is similar to buttery Cheddar straws. The meat-lovers option includes what else? Crisp-cooked bacon crumbles!

A.J. suggests serving these cheese-y bites with warm apple cider, either virgin or spiked. For the spiked version, add rum and cinnamon schnapps to taste and garnish with cinnamon sticks and a few whole cloves. 

Sounds like the perfect food-and-beverage pairing for this year’s Super Bowl extravaganza. 

Munchy Cheddar Bites

Makes 30 bites: 15 for vegetarians and 15 for meat eaters

4 cups all-purpose flour

5 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) cold unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese (6 ounces)

1 3/4 cups milk

3 bacon slices, cooked until crisp 

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and mustard. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender (or, if you don’t have one, use two knives). Keep working with the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Add the cheese to the bowl, and stir until the cheese is combined with the other ingredients. Add the milk and stir with a spoon until it is completely mixed into the dough.

3. Split the dough into equal parts, and transfer one part to a new bowl.Crumble the bacon and add it to the dough in one of the bowls. Using a spoon, mix the bacon into the dough.

4. Wash your hands, if necessary, to remove any bacon, and lightly grease two baking sheets. Starting with the bacon-free dough, form the dough into small rounds using a spoon or your hands, then place the rounds on one of the baking sheets. Repeat the process using the dough with bacon and the second baking sheet.

5. Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. If you had the sheets on different racks in the oven, carefully switch the position of the sheets. Bake for 10 more minutes, until the bites are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into one of the bites.

Serve warm.

Make It All Vegetarian: Omit the bacon, and skip step 3. Form the dough into rounds and bake as directed.

Make It All Meat: Increase the amount of bacon to 6 slices. In step 3 don’t divide the dough before adding the bacon. Form the dough into rounds and bake as directed.

 

Perfect Table Settings for the Holidays

With Christmas just days away (yikes!), many cooks have their menu and wine selections in place (here's hopin'), but most probably haven't given a lot of thought to the holiday table itself, as in tablecloths and napkins, centerpieces and party favors.

Luckily for us, Los Angeles-based Denise Vivaldo, a caterer and food stylist, cookbook author and recipe developer who has catered more than 10,000 parties (including the Academy Awards), has pulled together a definitive 350-page primer that contains all this information and much, much more. 

"Perfect Table Settings: Hundreds of Easy and Elegant Ideas for Napkin Folds and Table Arrangements," includes more than 250 full-color photographs that illustrate the fine art of napkin folding and place-setting ideas.

Perfect napkin folds for the holidays are the Fir Tree (with a shiny silver Christmas ornament or star placed on its top!), the elegant black-and-white Tuxedo (a natural for New Year's Eve celebrations), or the whimsical Elf Boot (below).

Also useful for this time of the year, there's a section on 10 Holiday Favors, with suggestions for tea towels, gingerbread or pumpkin bread loaves, or a Holiday DVD or Blu-ray.

I loved the section on Do-It-Yourself Flower Arranging (along with a handy Flower Seasonality Chart). The chapter entitled, "Table Setting 101" is worth the price of admission alone. 

And don't forget your hostess gift! Vivaldo's list offers up the usual suspects (wine, chocolate, cheese) along with more unique possibilities (a potted plant versus cut flowers, elegant guest soaps monogrammed with the host's initial, or breakfast treats for your host to wake up to the morning after the big party).

In the introduction to "Perfect Table Settings," Vivaldo says, "My life's work as a caterer and food stylist has been all about attention to the details. Setting a pretty table for friends, for family, or even just for yourself is an easy way to brighten up your everyday life."

Or the holidays! Happy, happy, and merry, merry to all. . .

 

Low-Calorie Libations for Diet-Conscious Revelers

You're pregnant or nursing , taking antibiotics or have a compromised immune system, are a designated driver or simply don't want to drink alcoholic beverages during the holiday season.

Yet you want to join in the fun and celebrate with a beverage (or three) that's appropriately tasty and festive.

What do you do? What do you do?

A sophisticated drink called DRY Soda comes to the rescue with a complete line-up of six savory sodas that pair perfectly with the foods we associate with Thanksgiving, such as roasted turkey, stuffing, creamed oysters, pumpkin pie.

“DRY Soda is made of only four all-natural ingredients, is less sweet, and makes a great alternative to alcohol beverages during the holidays,” Sharelle Klaus, founder and CEO of DRY, told me.

Klaus launched her Seattle-based company in 2005 with four flavors--Lemongrass, Lavender, Kumquat, and Rhubarb--and has since come out with three others--Juniper Berry, Vanilla Bean, and Blood Orange.

Klaus’s suggestions for pairing holiday foods with DRY Soda?

*For turkey and cranberry, try Rhubarb DRY. Enhance the flavor by using rhubarb in the cranberry-sauce recipe.

*If duck is your bird of choice, sip Kumquat DRY, and use kumquat in the duck marinade.

*Prefer red meat? Pair your prime rib with Juniper Berry DRY.

*To satisfy that sweet tooth, enjoy Vanilla Bean DRY with pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and sweet potatoes.

Another favorite of mine is either regular or diet tonic water. Serve over rocks with a slice of lemon, lime, or--my preference--Meyer lemon for a refreshing, non-alcoholic sipper that pairs well with food.

For a special treat, mix half diet tonic water and Blonde Lillet (a French aperitif made with a secret and intriguing-tasting combination of herbs). Serve over ice with a twist or wedge of citrus.

The wine spritzer--equal parts white or red wine and sparkling water over ice--is a classy and classic way to cut calories. 

Cranberry juice cut with sparkling water and decorated with a slice of lime is both refreshing, healthy, and color-appropriate for the holiday season (red and green!). 

Dessert drinks commonly associated with the holidays pose particular threats to the diet-conscious reveler. 

Trim the calories in a Black Russian by substituting low-fat milk for the half-and-half. Use diet ginger ale in place of regular in your highball. Have Diet Coke in place of regular Coke in your Rum & Coke. 

By saving a few calories in your holiday cocktail, you can hit the buffet table with a little more leeway and a lot less guilt!

A Bevy of Bartending Books

Craft cocktails are the hot new trend among food and beverage fashionistas. It's fun to watch your local bartender (now often referred to as "mixologists") as he or she merrily mixes dibs of this and dabs of that like an old-timey mad scientist. 

Such artistry spurs on the rest of us to want to make the perfect Pisco Sour or stock the best bottles in our own home bars. But where to begin?

To the rescue come two new books just out from the venerable Hoboken, New Jersey-based publisher, John Wiley & Sons.

In the fourth edition of "Bartending for Dummies" (Wiley, 2010, $16.99), author Ray Foley (founder and publisher of Bartender Magazine) opens with basic chapters entitled, The Right Tools and Glasses and Setting Up Your Home Bar.

Part II includes 16 chapters on everything from American Whiskey to Tequila and Mezcal (a personal favorite) to Wine.

Recipes from A (the Irish Mist-based A Tinker Tall) to Z (the potent Zorbatini, made of Vodka and Ouzo) comprise Part III--a whopping 200 pages of this 366-page tome.

Towards the end, there are short chapters on Nonalcoholic Drinks, Ten Drinks to Try and Ten Drinks to Let Someone Else Try, and At Least Ten Cures and Lores. (Not sure I'll be rubbing half a lemon under each of my armpits as a hangover cure anytime too soon!)

The book concludes with extensive indexes of the recipes and topics, so it's easy to search for anything and everything related to the subject of bartending.

As with all the publisher's Dummies titles, the book is paperback with distinctive yellow, black and white graphics on the cover. Printed on newspaper-like stock, it's peppered with a plethora of helpful icons, lists, and bullet points throughout. 

 

The second edition of "The Bartender's Best Friend" (Wiley, 2010, $19.95) is a more formal, dressed-up book than "Dummies." Its tough waterproof cover, illustrated with a color photo of an enticingly iced martini, is designed for instant clean-ups on the job or in the kitchen.

The book begins with sections on Bartending Basics and The Home Bar. The 850 recipes in the Drinks A to Z section are indexed alphabetically and run longer and lusher than those in the Dummies book, with step-by-step instructions and problem-solving tips.

There's a mini-course on professional bartending for those just getting their hand in the (cocktail) mix, or more experienced mixologists who need a dash of honing and toning. A Bartender's Glossary and handy Bibliography bring up the rear of the book. 

I especially liked the long black ribbon bookmark, a handy way to remember the cocktail you just finished shakin' or the one you want to try next. 

Author Mardee Haidin Regan, president of Reganomics, Inc. (a wine and spirits editorial and consulting company) and the producer of the Ardent Spirits eLetter and Ardentspirits.com Web site, is also the co-author of five books, including a Julia Child Cookbook Award nominee. 

 

Wine Touring Around the Pacific Northwest

October is one of the most beautiful months in the Pacific Northwest. While the leaves are busy turning delicious shades of gold, copper, and crimson, the cool air turns crisp with a nice bracing nip.  

What better time, then, to consider wine touring around the region?

And there's no better book to have in hand than "Essential Wines and Wineries of the Pacific Northwest: A Guide to the Wine Countries of Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, and Idaho."

This beautiful new tome was released in August and written by Cole Danehower, a James Beard Foundation Journalism Award winner, copublisher of Northwest Palate magazine, and frequent judge at regional wine competitions.

Even though he's Portland-based and I'm in Seattle, we often see each other at media events, culinary conferences, and winemaker dinners. He cuts quite a dapper figure with his neatly trimmed, snow-white hair; English country-gentleman garb; studious demeanor; and quietly inquisitive nature. 

His book reflects his vast knowledge of the subject matter, while Andrea Johnson's photographs help bring home the vastness, diversity, and sheer beauty of the Pacific Northwest. There are instructive and often amusing sidebars with evocative titles ("It's Will-am-it, Damn It!") and even maps to make plotting a journey to the Northwest wine regions that much easier.

The book begins with the region's climates and geology, and Danehower is brave enough to tackle the elusive topic of Northwest "terroir."

You'll appreciate the winery profiles--160 of them ranging from the old-time legacy wineries to prestige wineries to under-the-radar artisan options to promising newcomers--as you decide which ones merit a visit. Profiles list the winery's signature, premium, value, and estate wines as applicable--helpful when you head to the winery tasting room or local wine shop.

Danehower concludes the book's preface by saying, "If I've done my job properly, in these pages you'll find Northwest wine places you're inspired to visit and wines you can't wait to taste. And I hope this book will start you on a lifelong love affair with the wine countries of the Pacific Northwest."

As I read about winemakers I know and vineyards I've visited while peering at photos of many of my favorite places in the great Northwest, I can only say, "Bravo, and mission accomplished."

Photo of the tasting room at Januik Winery in Woodinville, Washington, by Andrea Johnson

100 Perfect Pairings and Cold Peach Shooters

 Ever wonder what appetizer to pair with your favorite bottle of Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir? Tired of giving up in frustration and settling for the same old run-of-the-mill cheese plate or bowl of olives?

Then pick up a copy of food writer and recipe developer Jill Silver
man Hough’s new book, “100 Perfect Pairings: Small Plates to Enjoy With Wine You Love” (Wiley, 2010, $16.95). This lovely hardcover tome, handily packaged in a small format so it’s easy to tote along to the wine shop or grocery store, is organized by the 12 most common wine varietals.

You’ll find everything from Chardonnay to Zinfandel paired with 100 sophisticated, yet easy-to-make appetizers—small plates such as Lobster Claw Slaw (paired with Viognier), Green Apple Caesar Salad (Pinot Grigio), or Peppercorn-Crusted Tuna (Syrah).

Hough begins each chapter with a broad-brush description of the varietal followed by the recipes for that section. The recipes often include more detailed food- and wine-pairing tips, such as “If you want a wine to work with a recipe, it always helps to put the wine in the recipe.” The book also includes 40 luscious color plate shots for inspiration.

Hough’s Cold Peach and Mango Soup Shooters pair perfectly with  the fruity, floral, often spicy notes in a good Gewürztraminer. The cool, sweet gulps are sublime for simple summer sipping at a cocktail party, on the patio, or by the pool. They also make a creative alternative to sorbet as an amuse-bouche between courses.

Hough also suggests serving the soup as a first course for a summer-time dinner party. If that’s your plan, double the recipe to make six one-cup servings.

Cold Peach and Mango Soup Shooters

Wine Varietal: Gewürztraminer

Makes 12 Shooters (1⁄4 cup each)

Ingredients:
2 limes
1 ripe freestone (the flesh doesn’t cling to the pit) yellow peach, pitted and cut into chunks
1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into chunks
3⁄4 cup buttermilk
1⁄2 cup orange juice
1⁄2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, or more to taste
Pinch cayenne pepper
12 fresh cilantro leaves

Directions:

1. Zest the limes. Set the zest aside. Juice the limes to yield 3 tablespoons of juice. In a blender or food processor, combine the lime juice, peach, mango, buttermilk, orange juice, salt, and cayenne and process until very smooth, scraping down the jar or bowl as necessary (you may have to do this in batches).

2. Transfer the soup to a container and chill for at least 2 hours. (You can prepare the soup up to 3 days in advance, storing it covered in the refrigerator.)

3. Taste, ideally with your wine, and add more lime juice and/or salt if you like. Serve the soup chilled, each serving garnished with a cilantro leaf and some of the lime zest.

Cook’s Hint: For best results, make the shooters in the summer when fresh peaches are in season. In a pinch, you can use frozen fruit, but make sure it’s unsweetened.

Food and Wine Tip: If your fruit is particularly sweet, you might notice that the soup makes your wine seem a little sour. To fix this, just add more lime juice, a teaspoon or two at a time, until the soup and the wine nicely complement each other.

Photo Credit: Lucy Schaeffer

Gourmet Game Night and Watermelon-Rosé Sangria

Popular legend has it that today’s modern-day sandwich was named after John Montagu, the Fourth Earl of Sandwich, who created his eponymous portable treat because he didn’t want to leave the gambling table (although his biographer said it was really so he didn’t have to leave his desk while working).

Whatever the real story, my friend and fellow Seattle-based cookbook author and food writer Cynthia Nims has bested the Earl in her latest book: Gourmet Game Night: Bite-Sized, Mess-Free Eating for Board-Game Parties, Bridge Clubs, Poker Nights, Book Groups, and More (Ten Speed Press, 2010).

Now Cynthia is no stranger to cooking or the written word, having studied at the legendary La Varenne in Burgundy, France, and assisted owner (and culinary icon) Anne Willan with cookbook projects. Not to mention the dozen books Cynthia has authored or coauthored herself including the popular Seattle and Northwest Best Places and Northwest Homegrown Cookbook series.

But after perusing her latest tome, I detected a truly personal, excitingly exuberant tone that hadn’t come through nearly as strongly in some of her previous work. A quick call to the author herself confirmed my suspicions.

“In many ways I consider this book to be more personal than any I've written to date because it does reflect on memories and values established while I was a kid, and what makes me most happy when work is done and I'm just unwinding with friends and family,” Cynthia says. “When I'm off the clock, I love playing games and enjoying great food. And having a pitcher of martinis in the fridge!”

You’ll enjoy Cynthia’s recipe for Watermelon-Rosé Sangria, the perfect summertime quencher whether playing indoor games or lolling at the pool. She recommends pairing the sangria with Swordfish and Fennel Skewers, another inspired recipe from Gourmet Game Nights and a great reason to pick up a copy of this innovative new book that would make the Earl proud.

Watermelon-Rosé Sangria
Makes 8 sangrias

Cynthia Nims says you can double or triple all the ingredients, refrigerating the extra to refill the pitcher as needed, or halve all the ingredients for a smaller batch. You can also assemble the sangria up to 8 hours ahead and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Ingredients:
3-1⁄2 cups fresh watermelon juice (see Cook’s Note, below)
1 (750 ml) bottle dry rosé wine
1⁄4 cup brandy
1⁄2 orange, halved and cut across into 1⁄4-inch slices
1 lime, halved and cut across into 1⁄4-inch slices
8 (1-inch) cubes watermelon, for serving

Directions:
1. Pour 1-1⁄2 cups of the watermelon juice into an ice cube tray and freeze.

2. Combine the remaining juice with the wine, brandy, orange slices, and lime slices in a large pitcher, stir to mix, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

3. To serve, put the watermelon ice cubes in 8 stemless wine glasses or tumblers. Stir the sangria and pour it over the ice cubes, adding a slice or two of the orange and lime to each glass. Skewer the watermelon cubes at the end of small skewers or long cocktail picks and add them to the glasses.

Cook’s Note: To make the watermelon juice, if you have a juicer, make the juice according to manufacturer’s instructions. If not, it’s easy to make nonetheless. For the amount of juice needed in this recipe, start with about 7 cups of coarsely chopped watermelon (roughly half of a small round watermelon). Remove all the seeds you can find. Purée the melon in batches in a food processor or blender until quite juicy, then pour it into a fine sieve set over a bowl and let sit to drain. You can stir the pulp a bit to help drain off the juice, but don’t press on the pulp so the juice will remain as clear as possible.

Reprinted with permission from Gourmet Game Night: Bite-Sized, Mess-Free Eating for Board-Game Parties, Bridge Clubs, Poker Nights, Book Groups, and More by Cynthia Nims, copyright © 2010. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.

Photo credit: Sheri Giblin © 2010

--Braiden Rex-Johnson

Photo of Braiden by Ingrid Pape-Sheldon.

Swirl, Sip & Savor (and Snack on Sweet Hot Glazed Hazelnuts)

I’m thrilled to be one of the first journalists to write about Swirl, Sip & Savor: Northwest Wine and Small Plate Pairings a just-released food-and-wine-pairing cookbook/guidebook that showcases Northwest wines and cuisine.

A bit of a disclaimer right up front: I know the key players responsible for this smart, stylish tome. The book’s author, Carol Frieberg, and I are fellow cookbook authors and long-time friends. Both of us have published books with Seattle-based Sasquatch Books, publisher of Swirl, Sip & Savor. And Andy Perdue, the talented writer and wine expert who contributed the book’s wine-pairing and winery-sidebar information, is my long-time editor at Wine Press Northwest and also a dear friend.

But even if I wasn’t already acquainted with the masterminds behind Swirl, Sip & Savor, I would be drawn to this 224-page, four-color book because it so brilliantly showcases simple-to-prepare, yet elegantly gourmet recipes from nearly 100 wineries across Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia. AND it tells you what’s best to drink with them.

Take, for example (and who wouldn’t?), Egg and Caviar Pie. This six-ingredient recipe is paired with Long Shadows Vintners Poet’s Leap Riesling, one of the Northwest’s great wines. Produced from Washington grapes, the wine is made in partnership with Armin Diel, one of Germany’s most respected winemakers. Or Flatbread with Caramelized Onions and Butternut Squash paired with Camaraderie Cellars Syrah. The wine is made on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula (moody and mystical home of the “Twilight” series of books) and is described as “a juicy example of what Syrah can be in the state of Washington.”

One of the book’s most beguiling recipes features Oregon hazelnuts and honey, along with sugar, butter, cinnamon, cayenne, and salt in a crunchy, munch-y, nutty, sweet-salty bite that pairs perfectly with a luscious Oregon-produced dessert wine. Yummy-yum!

Sweet and Hot Glazed Hazelnuts

Wine Pairing: Winter’s Hill White Gold Dessert Wine
Winter’s Hill Vineyard: Lafayette, Oregon

This strong and flavorful wine has intense flavors of honey, pears, and apples. An underlying spiciness leads to a crisp and refreshing finish. The nose has floral notes of white narcissus.

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons Oregon honey
1 tablespoon butter, melted
11/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups shelled unsalted Oregon hazelnuts, skins removed (See  Cook’s Note, below)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together the honey, butter, sugar, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and salt. Stir in the hazelnuts until evenly coated. Transfer the mixture to a baking sheet or a 9- by 13-inch baking pan. Spread the hazelnuts out evenly.

3. Bake on the center rack in the oven for 30 to 45 minutes, jostling the baking sheet frequently, until all the hazelnuts are golden brown.

4. Remove the hazelnuts from the oven and place on a piece of aluminum foil. Let them cool for about 15 minutes, then break apart.

5. Serve right away or store in an airtight container for up to three days. If storing longer than that, reheat in the oven at 300°F for 5 minutes to crisp.

Cook’s Note: To remove hazelnut skins, toast nuts in the oven at 375°F for 10 minutes. Remove nuts, wrap them in a tea towel, and let them sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Vigorously rub the nuts against each other to remove most of their skins.

--Braiden Rex-Johnson

Photo of Braiden by Ingrid Pape-Sheldon.