Janet's Profile
Winery with amazing picnic area (and wine)?
Cline Winery is a wonderful place to visit. Great wines, picnic areas, great tours (ours was a private one) Click on visit under winery and it gives info on reserving a picnic table.
http://www.clinecellars.com/#
What to make for themed dinner--"Preserved"
I have no idea how long they would last. My friends and I don't leave any to linger. Well one time we had some that were three days old. The vodka did seem way stronger, so even better.
Wedding in SF Weekend of May 12th - Bride&Groom + 7 guests
I just want to make sure you are legal to marry in CA. I am a marriage commissioner and there are limits of who can perform marriages. What is legal in one state is not legal in another. Prpbably if you are a minister, priest, shaman, rabbi, a religious leader you will be OK. To be safe, call the the County Clerk Recorder's office of where they plan to marry. There are one day commissions, but a class is required and you have to apply in person. It is suggested you apply 2 weeks before the event.
Floridians coming to Cali for the first time.
The link below will help with your Wine Country questions.
http://www.napavintners.com/maps/maps_of_napa_wineries.asp
This is the best site I have ever found.
Dinner for 100 in Walnut Creek
Sorry Melanie to be so long in answering. They order from the English menu.
Turkey Frying Oil
We reuse the peanut oil also, after straining it. You can comibine oils, just understand other oils can't be used at a high temperture as peanut oil can. Canola oil is my husband's second choice. High temps OK, and doesn't add flavor.
Dinner for 100 in Walnut Creek
Call The Norseman at DVC. The prices are very reasonable. I think about $13.00. They are not open all the time. They are closed until Spring, but no date is given. Also they do not take credit cards, only cash and checks.
Dinner for 100 in Walnut Creek
Friends who ate there regularly say Dragon 2000 is no longer good. Food and service is poor.
Any DCS range owners out there?
We have had a 30 inch 5 burner all gas for about 7 years. My husband is the baker and has had no problems with the gas oven.He bakes bread and cakes and they turn out perfectly. I make cookies and no loss of quality. Meat and veggies cook fine.
The main reason we went with all gas, was $1000 more for electric/self cleaning. If money isn't tight, I would go with self cleaning. It was not nice to go back to cleaning an oven. But as for cookiing in the oven, I don't see any difference. The gas does seem to take longer to reach the set point. We are very happy with our DCS.
DCS was bought out after we got our stove. There was a little problem of who to call for repair after that. The new company did honor the warrenty. I would think that would all be worked out by now.
OMG, Andrew Zimmern on Iron Chef!! [SPOILER ALERT]
Perhaps you should have put spoiler alert.
Unexpected guests at a dinner party?
I have had friends show up at a party with kids and dog in tow. Not much I could do at that point. I now always put get a sitter for the kids and dog on invitations. I was called as one party started, we haven't found a sitter, so we are bringing Joey, OK? I told them I was so sorry they wouldn't be able to attend the party. The worse at my big fancy 65th birthday party friends showed up with his mother in tow. The woman had dementia and had to be watched like a hawk. Some of my family had to babysit her while the couple enjoyed the party.
Some people just don't think rules apply to them. In my old age, I have decided they are not what I desire in friends. Life is too short to deal with people who tick you off.
The others have given you great advice. Let the children sit on the floor and eat. Don't feel you have to cook special food. Peanut butter works with kids. Have fun, ignore the rude people. And do let the other guests know how floored you are that the others brought kids instead of wine.
Have a great party!
Help buying Christmas Ham - Smithfield
I am not saying Broadbent's hams aren't salty. But they are not as salty as other Brands of country ham. I love the lighter salty flavor. The texture is not like city ham. It is chewy, but wonderful. Very rich, the texture can burn out a home meat slicer, but who cares. As I said earlier, I buy it cooked and sliced now. This Southern Belle no longer has to prove she can cook a country ham. Been there, done that.
Help buying Christmas Ham - Smithfield
True, cooking a country ham is an art. It takes about a week from start to finish. That is why in my old age I buy them cooked and sliced.
Help buying Christmas Ham - Smithfield
I have bought Broadbent hams for 40 + years. They are KY hams, salt and sugar cured.
I buy center cut cooked and sliced. Item 44 20 servings $53.90 plus shipping
www.broadbenthams.com
phone 1-800-841-2202
It is too late to guarantee delivery by Christmas.
Call them and maybe they can get a ham to you. check out the hams on line. You do not want the city ham. Good but not the great country ham taste. Grandma's sausage is great too. Well everything they sell is great. Hope you can get a ham to you in time.
The Long Lost Colonel Sanders Cookbook
I am sure the recipes will be wonderful, as his chicken was before he sold the business. Col Sanders was a family friend and I grew up eating at Sanders' Court. His food was always very good. He and his wife put out great meals. It is a shame people are not getting to eat food like I grew up eating.
Holiday traditions?
We do a lots of things: On Christmas we go to Union Square and surrounding area and look at all the store windows(macey's puppies and kittens are a must) and inside decorations. Every hotel we pass we go in and have a drink. We do a lot of walking and you can hold a lot of booze.
The hotels also have decorations, huge gingerbread castles, gingerbread house contests, train exhibits. We sometimes have dinner somewhere in the city with a view.
We do the Berkely Bowl Chirstmas week. And we go to Oakland Chinatown for crab and veggies. Or we go to 99 Ranch for veggies, crab and other seafood.
We have found it is better to go to Grace Cathedral early while the choir is practicing. It is a much quieter time than during the service. But either is good.
Don't be afraid to be a tourist. We have lived here off and on 30 years. We still do tourist things. Our tradtition is to do what feels fun at that time. One year,before it became a huge deal, we sat on rocks and watched the Maverick contest.
We also have gone to Muir Woods on Christmas Eve. You can't get much closer to a church feel than that. We ate in the little cafe they have. Not great food, but a great time.
Trust me when you live in the Bay Area, you have no problem with family coming to visit.
Thanksgiving Day meal and your first bite
Usually my first bite is corn pudding. But sometimes it is giblet gravy on dressing.
Kate Aitken Canadian Cookbook - Shortbread Cookies
Amazon.com has her cookbooks. I looked at the preview of the index and it has shortbread cookies.
http://www.amazon.com/Kate-Aitkens-Canadian-Classic-Cookbook/dp/1552855910
What Food were you forced to eat and hatted has a child ? [Moved from NAF]
Brains, brussel sprouts,fish, but the worst burned fried eggs. If you didn't eat them they were there for the next meal. Sometimes if you didn't eat the food you sat there until it was gone.
What does giblet gravy taste like? Or maybe add them to the stuffing?
We make the gravy and then add the giblets and neck meat. We cook the neck and all the giblets except the liver together to make the broth. The liver goes in the last 15 minutes. We also use the broth from the roasting turkey. The giblets are chopped into small pieces. No way would I eat giblets alone. But cut small and added to the gravy, then poured over the dressing, turkey, and mashed potatoes, heaven. I don't think giblets add a lot to the flavor. But it is a richer floavor. We also put sliced boiled eggs in giblet gravy. Yes that is a southern thing.
Any Hidden Gems in LaMorinda?
Orinda is very close to Oakland. We have lots of good eats. Chu, B,Flora, do a search, great places.
Southern Thanksgiving Dessert suggestions?
Pecan pie, Chess pie, Derby pie, Jeff Davis pie,Black Bottom pie, Jam Cake
Help! I need your best turkey leftover recipes!
Hot Browns are wonderful. An open faced sandwich with a cheese sauce. Goggle them, a KY tradtition.
My assistant says my "impressive" gift ISN'T. Help, please?
Not sure where you are from. Some of your posts are from the South, KY and Tenn. And you have posted on a Louisville post. If you are in that area, I would buy some Pappy Van Winkle and a couple of pounds of Bourbon Balls. And Yes I love Dom Perigonon. But Pappy wins every time.
Or play tickets and a gift certificate for a lovely dinner.
What is "American food"?
To me American food depends on what part of the country you are in. Southern, we might do pies, fried chicken , corn pudding spoon bread. I go up North and they have just as traditional foods that are just as good. Kansas, steaks and Bar B Q, CA, fresh veggies seafood with an Asian influence.
America is a melting pot and our food reflects that. No one region of the country screams American food. Since the country was founded we have had other cultures blend our food. American food reflects the world.
Colonel Sander's cole slaw
I have made this recipe many times. It is spot on, as you said.
Pearl in Napa What's good?
We had a nice meal there. I had chicken verde, which was good. The polenta was bland. My nephew and husband had the meat loaf and they loved it. The oysters were very good, salads good and the corn was great. I agee, some flavor are muddled. More spice needed on the chicken. We enjoyed the meal, good service, but not a great place. If we lived in Napa we probable would go back every now and then.
Thanks for the info.
