Friday, June 17, 2011
Real Men Eat Quiche and Drink Wine: Traveling 2 Northern California - Food & Wine
Real Men Eat Quiche and Drink Wine: Traveling 2 Northern California - Food & Wine: "I have a number of events on my radar that I have to complete by the end of next week. A few of these tasks include food and wine. I am li..."
Traveling 2 Northern California - Food & Wine
I have a number of events on my radar that I have to complete by the end of next week. A few of these tasks include food and wine.
I am listing 5 of my favorite restaurants, 5 wineries, and 2 places to shop. All of the businesses are located in Northern California around the Napa region.
So, if you are in the Bay area or plan on traveling to Northern California, this may be what you are looking for: great wineries, higher priced yet *** to ***** restaurants, ( yes that's 3 - 5 star restaurants ) and 2 cool places to shop after you had your fill of Yountville appellations and fine cuisine.
I am listing 5 of my favorite restaurants, 5 wineries, and 2 places to shop. All of the businesses are located in Northern California around the Napa region.
So, if you are in the Bay area or plan on traveling to Northern California, this may be what you are looking for: great wineries, higher priced yet *** to ***** restaurants, ( yes that's 3 - 5 star restaurants ) and 2 cool places to shop after you had your fill of Yountville appellations and fine cuisine.
Restaurants:
6525 Washington Street
Yountville CA 94599
Phone: 707-945-1050
6540 Washington Street
Yountville CA 94599
Phone: 707-944-8037
6476 Washington Street
Yountville CA 94599
Phone: 707-944-2487
6480 Washington Street
Yountville CA 94599
Phone: 707-944-2222
6510 Washington Street
Yountville CA 94599
Phone: 707-944-0103
Love the French bistro music on the website !
Wineries:
Cakebread Cellars
8300 St. Helena Hwy
Rutherford, CA 94573
Phone: 800-588-0298
Miner family Vineyards
7850 Silverado Trail
Oakville, CA 94562
Phone: 800-366-WINE (9463)
Chimney Rock Winery
5350 Silverado Trail
Napa, CA 94558
Phone: 800-257-2641
Domain Chandon
1 California Drive
Yountville, CA 94599
Phone: 888-242-6366
Conn Creek Winery
8711 Silverado Trail S
St. Helena, CA 94574
Phone: 800-793-7960 x 210
Our favorite family winery !
Shopping:
Oakville Grocery.
I love this place! It's on my way to the restaurants and wineries. A great place to visit and pick up gourmet cheese, meats, olive oil or a gift basket.
Of course, we could not forget the lovely ladies in our lives. Take them shopping at Napa Premium Outlets. Great gifts and nice clothes for your significant other and the kids.
Here's to good food, great wines and shopping.
Steven
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Chicken Wings
Chicken Wings.
There are various marinades for wings and usually one way to make them: DEEP FRYING.
Typically when you make chicken wings, you will deep fry them in vegetable oil for about 10 minutes until they are cooked on the inside. The chicken juices run clear and it is moist and tender on the inside and evenly brown and crunchy on the outside. Then when the chicken wings are cool, toss the wings in your favorite dipping sauce.
My method is to coat the chicken wing with a marinade and bake it in an oven.
Hot Hot Wings:
1dozen mini chicken wingettes
2 cups of Vietnamese, Chinese Hot Sauce ( my favorite: Tuong Ot Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce)
from Huy Fong Foods.
http://www.huyfong.com/frames/index.htm
1 tbsp. of Paprika
1 tbsp. of Red Pepper Flakes
1 tbsp. of McIlhenny Tabasco Pepper Sauce
http://www.tabasco.com/main.cfm
Mix all the the ingredients throughly in a bowl. Brush the hot sauce on the wingettes and place them on a baking tray. Cook in a preheated oven at 375-400 Degrees. I cook them until them are fully cooked - about 30 minutes. Repeated brushing of the wingettes with the sauce every 10 minutes.
Teriyaki Wings:
1dozen mini chicken wingettes
2 cups of Soy Sauce
http://www.kikkomanusa.com/homecooks/products/index.php
1 tbsp. of finely grated ginger
1 tbsp. of finely chopped garlic
1 tsp. of sesame oil
1 tsp. of honey
1 tsp. of fresh lemon juice
Mix all the the ingredients thoroughly in a bowl. Brush the teriyaki marinade on the wingettes and place them on a baking tray. Cook in a preheated oven at 375-400 Degrees. I cook them until them are fully cooked - about 30 minutes. Repeated brushing of the wingettes with the marinade every 10 minutes.
You may have noticed that I did not include in my recipe any pepper or salt. Soy sauce has a lot of salt unless you use a lower sodium soy sauce. Also, the hot sauce has enough heat without the pepper.
My wine of the day that I like with spicy or hot chicken wings:
2006 Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel
http://www.seghesio.com/WineShop/tabid/199/CategoryID/220/Default.aspx
The Zin will bring out the peppery goodness of the wings.
Wing It !
Steven
There are various marinades for wings and usually one way to make them: DEEP FRYING.
Typically when you make chicken wings, you will deep fry them in vegetable oil for about 10 minutes until they are cooked on the inside. The chicken juices run clear and it is moist and tender on the inside and evenly brown and crunchy on the outside. Then when the chicken wings are cool, toss the wings in your favorite dipping sauce.
My method is to coat the chicken wing with a marinade and bake it in an oven.
Hot Hot Wings:
1dozen mini chicken wingettes
2 cups of Vietnamese, Chinese Hot Sauce ( my favorite: Tuong Ot Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce)
from Huy Fong Foods.
http://www.huyfong.com/frames/index.htm
1 tbsp. of Paprika
1 tbsp. of Red Pepper Flakes
1 tbsp. of McIlhenny Tabasco Pepper Sauce
http://www.tabasco.com/main.cfm
Mix all the the ingredients throughly in a bowl. Brush the hot sauce on the wingettes and place them on a baking tray. Cook in a preheated oven at 375-400 Degrees. I cook them until them are fully cooked - about 30 minutes. Repeated brushing of the wingettes with the sauce every 10 minutes.
Teriyaki Wings:
1dozen mini chicken wingettes
2 cups of Soy Sauce
http://www.kikkomanusa.com/homecooks/products/index.php
1 tbsp. of finely grated ginger
1 tbsp. of finely chopped garlic
1 tsp. of sesame oil
1 tsp. of honey
1 tsp. of fresh lemon juice
Mix all the the ingredients thoroughly in a bowl. Brush the teriyaki marinade on the wingettes and place them on a baking tray. Cook in a preheated oven at 375-400 Degrees. I cook them until them are fully cooked - about 30 minutes. Repeated brushing of the wingettes with the marinade every 10 minutes.
You may have noticed that I did not include in my recipe any pepper or salt. Soy sauce has a lot of salt unless you use a lower sodium soy sauce. Also, the hot sauce has enough heat without the pepper.
My wine of the day that I like with spicy or hot chicken wings:
2006 Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel
http://www.seghesio.com/WineShop/tabid/199/CategoryID/220/Default.aspx
The Zin will bring out the peppery goodness of the wings.
Wing It !
Steven
Friday, June 10, 2011
Real Men Eat Quiche and Drink Wine: Real Men Eat Quiche and Drink Wine: Tri Tip
Real Men Eat Quiche and Drink Wine: Real Men Eat Quiche and Drink Wine: Tri Tip: "Real Men Eat Quiche and Drink Wine: Tri Tip : 'Recently, my wife mentioned to me that she was going to purchase a tri-tip for dinner. A few ..."
2nd Posting on Stocks
Here is my 2nd posting on my 3 part series on stocks.
As you well remember, my last posting on stocks gave information on the various stocks that you can make whether it be fish, chicken, vegetable, beef, veal, lamb, pork or whatever you desire.
The 1st posting was a basic stock recipe with vegetables.
Important factors would include using fresh whole ingredients such as bones from your local butcher, fresh vegetables, and fresh herbs.
There are 2 methods for making a basic chicken stock.
Roasting chicken parts in the oven and transferring to a stock pot or cooking all of the ingredients in a stock pot.
Chicken stock (Oven Prep Method):
As you well remember, my last posting on stocks gave information on the various stocks that you can make whether it be fish, chicken, vegetable, beef, veal, lamb, pork or whatever you desire.
The 1st posting was a basic stock recipe with vegetables.
Important factors would include using fresh whole ingredients such as bones from your local butcher, fresh vegetables, and fresh herbs.
There are 2 methods for making a basic chicken stock.
Roasting chicken parts in the oven and transferring to a stock pot or cooking all of the ingredients in a stock pot.
Chicken stock (Oven Prep Method):
5lbs. of chicken parts: necks, wings, backs
3 tbsp. of canola oil
2 medium yellow onions quartered
2 stalks of celery coarsely chopped
2 large coarsely chopped carrots
2 tsp. of peppercorns
8 sprigs of fresh thyme
12 sprigs of flat leafed parsley
2 bay leaves
2 cloves of garlic crushed
1-2 cloves
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place chicken parts in a roasting pan and toss with oil.
Cook in oven until deep golden brown for 25-30 minutes.
Transfer pieces to large stockpot and add carrots, celery, onions, peppercorns, thyme, parsley, bay leaf, garlic, cloves and add 3 1/2 quarts of cold water.
Bring mixture to a boil over high heat.
Reduce to medium high heat and then reduce to simmer uncovered for 3 hours.
Strain and discard solids.
Boil remaining stock until it reduces down about 6 cups for 35-40 minutes.
Cool to room temperature.
Refrigerate covered stock for 2 days or freeze stock up to 3 months.
Chicken Stock (Stove Top Method):
Skip the roasting of chicken parts as mentioned above. You can use bones purchased from your local butcher if you prefer over the chicken parts. If you use this method add roughly 2 more quarts of water. Note: chicken skin retains water.
Place all the ingredients in a stock pot with water and cook over medium high heat and then reduce to simmer for 3 hours.
Boil remaining stock until it reduces down about 6 cups for 35-40 minutes.
Cool to room temperature.
Refrigerate covered stock for 2 days or freeze stock up to 3 months.
A word on kitchen prepping. To cook vegetables evenly and to prepare basic meals and recipes you need necessary and basic cutting techniques and skills.
Kitchen on Fire, a culinary school in Berkeley, California, operated by Chef Mike C. and restauranteur Oliver Said
(see link to school and owners)
offer up a great video on cutting techniques to help you in the kitchen and make you look like a master chef.
The On Demand Video is available on Amazon for only $3.95 ! Its 46 minutes of fun and learning. You can watch a quick preview before purchasing.
So make that stock. Save $$$$$ and eat healthy !
Steven
Monday, June 6, 2011
Real Men Eat Quiche and Drink Wine: Tri Tip
Real Men Eat Quiche and Drink Wine: Tri Tip: "Recently, my wife mentioned to me that she was going to purchase a tri-tip for dinner. A few friends at work told her that there was a meat ..."
Tri Tip
Recently, my wife mentioned to me that she was going to purchase a tri-tip for dinner. A few friends at work told her that there was a meat and poultry establishment in Palo Alto that had a steak that was " to die for."
My first experience with tri-tip was back in the day around 1996 when I moved to Cali.
A local bar in Hayward had a barbecue out back and they would serve barbecued tri-tip for lunch.
Well, I never was crazy about tri-tip. My favorite cut of meat has always been the filet mignon.
I think times have changed.
Schaub's Meat, Fish & Poultry has a black rub tri-tip that is the BEST. It looks like a burned steak. I am still trying to figure out the recipe. Onion salt? Garlic? Salt? Pepper? I can not taste any marinade like soy, honey, molasses. It seems to be a thick dry rub.
Taste amazing....
For a 2 lb. tri-tip, you can barbecue it for 30 minutes. I cooked mine on a roasting pan in the oven at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes. I cut it on a bias. The inside was warm and juicy. The outside a nice spicy black thin crust. The roasting pan collected juices from the steak which I poured over the top of each piece of steak.
Leftovers for a steak salad, chopped steak and scrambled eggs, steak sandwich, or just top off my ramen soup with a few pieces of steak.
Time for a road trip to go back for more... Tri-tip.
Schaub's Meat, Fish & Poultry
395 Stanford Shopping Center
Palo Alto, CA. 94034
Phone: 650-325-MEAT
Also, on my way to the Sierras to visit the wineries in Amador, I found this meat and sausage market.
A very small store with a line of people waiting outside to get in. I wondered why there was a line outside a meat market. I wandered in to find a treasure trove of teriyaki beef jerky, smoked bacon, tri-tip, NY sirloin, and a boatload of homemade sausages and bratwurst.
Dakota smoked sausages, apple sausages, cajun andouille, Okie breakfast links, jalepeno sausages, maple sausages, spicy Italian sausages, luau Hawaiian sausages, bangers, kielbasa, Chorizo sausages, Polish potato sausages, ham, and Bavarian sausages.
Yelp had 47 glowing reviews on this place. So good even vegetarians were being converted to meat eaters.
Lockeford Meat & Sausages Services
19775 N Cotton Street
Lockeford, CA. 95237
209-727-5584
Sometimes there's more to eat than quiche. Meat.
Steven
My first experience with tri-tip was back in the day around 1996 when I moved to Cali.
A local bar in Hayward had a barbecue out back and they would serve barbecued tri-tip for lunch.
Well, I never was crazy about tri-tip. My favorite cut of meat has always been the filet mignon.
I think times have changed.
Schaub's Meat, Fish & Poultry has a black rub tri-tip that is the BEST. It looks like a burned steak. I am still trying to figure out the recipe. Onion salt? Garlic? Salt? Pepper? I can not taste any marinade like soy, honey, molasses. It seems to be a thick dry rub.
Taste amazing....
For a 2 lb. tri-tip, you can barbecue it for 30 minutes. I cooked mine on a roasting pan in the oven at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes. I cut it on a bias. The inside was warm and juicy. The outside a nice spicy black thin crust. The roasting pan collected juices from the steak which I poured over the top of each piece of steak.
Leftovers for a steak salad, chopped steak and scrambled eggs, steak sandwich, or just top off my ramen soup with a few pieces of steak.
Time for a road trip to go back for more... Tri-tip.
Schaub's Meat, Fish & Poultry
395 Stanford Shopping Center
Palo Alto, CA. 94034
Phone: 650-325-MEAT
Also, on my way to the Sierras to visit the wineries in Amador, I found this meat and sausage market.
A very small store with a line of people waiting outside to get in. I wondered why there was a line outside a meat market. I wandered in to find a treasure trove of teriyaki beef jerky, smoked bacon, tri-tip, NY sirloin, and a boatload of homemade sausages and bratwurst.
Dakota smoked sausages, apple sausages, cajun andouille, Okie breakfast links, jalepeno sausages, maple sausages, spicy Italian sausages, luau Hawaiian sausages, bangers, kielbasa, Chorizo sausages, Polish potato sausages, ham, and Bavarian sausages.
Yelp had 47 glowing reviews on this place. So good even vegetarians were being converted to meat eaters.
Lockeford Meat & Sausages Services
19775 N Cotton Street
Lockeford, CA. 95237
209-727-5584
Sometimes there's more to eat than quiche. Meat.
Steven
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