dkenworthy's Profile
Need rec in Somona, surounding areas and Bodega Bay. Lunch and Dinner
We stay in Bodega fairly often, and I agree with the previous poster that most of the restaurants are pretty pedestrian. Last year we had a nice meal at the Terrapin. I hear the Duck Club is good, but haven't eaten there.
Personally, I wouldn't drive all the way to Sonoma for a meal if I am staying at Bodega, but then I live in Sonoma. If you want to drive a little, I would suggest Oysters Rockerfeller which is fairly close. Or drive a little farther and go to Stormy's Tavern for Sunday dinner, it is a real blast from the past. Or go north and try River's End, very nice view of the Russian River opening out into the ocean, and pretty good food.
One of my favorite lunch places is Spud Point for good (for Sonoma) clam chowder,and great crab sandwiches. If you are staying someplace with a kitchen, you should go down to one of the boats at Spud Point and get live Dungeness crabs to cook at home. If you don't have a kitchen, Spud Point will also sell cooked crabs to go. A trip inland to Wild Flour Bakery for some crusty bread, a nice bottle of bubbles, and what else do you need? While you are at Wild Flour, have some coffee and one of their amazing sticky buns (best to share with at least one other person, they are huge).
The weather is often pretty nice in January, so you can also stock up with picnic supplies and find a nice cove to enjoy lunch.
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River's End
11048 Highway 1, Jenner, CA 95450
Duck Club Restaurant
103 Highway 1, Bodega Bay, CA
REVIEW (w/Foodie Porn Pix and Flix!): Fremont Diner - a Gem in Sonoma
We just had breakfast there yesterday, and it was delicious. I had the baked egg, grits, and chile verde, my husband had the "kitchen sink" (eggs, fried chicken breast, gravy, biscuits, ham). He loved it, it was a little over the top for my taste. But my chile verde was excellent, as were the grits (an old favorite that they do really well here). They were out of drip coffee (no filters), so I had iced tea. My only beef with the place is that their tap water is well-nigh undrinkable (very salty), and I hate to buy bottled water (which they sell). Even the iced tea was noticeably salty. If only they would invest in a reverse osmosis treatment, it would be a perfect spot.
Leftover ham
I adore leftover ham, never seem to have enough, and would second all the suggestions on this board, including freezing. There are 3 things I always have to have after Easter -- scalloped potatoes and ham, red beans and rice (from the bone),and jambalaya. The last 2 years I have made an egg dish from Penzey's catalog (just had it last night). Very light and good, and not too fattening. Here is a slightly modified and paraphrased recipe:
Ham and Asparagus Bake (Penzey's)
2 c. fresh asparagus, cut into 1/2-1" pieces
1/2 c. chopped green onion
1 T. butter
2 cups ham, diced into 1/2" pieces
1/2 cup flour
2 cups milk
8 eggs
1/4 c. grated Parmesan Cheese
1/3 t. Kosher salt
3/4 t. dried thyme (or about 1 T fresh)
3/4 t. fresh rosemary, snipped
1 small clove garlic, pressed
1 t. fresh ground black pepper
1/2 c. shredded cheddar (optional)
Preheat oven to 425 F.
Lightly butter 9X13" pyrex baking dish.
Cook asparagus and green onion in butter in a skillet until asparagus is slightly tender.
Put the cubed ham and asparagus mixture into the prepared baking dish.
In a medium large bowl, whisk a small amount of milk into the flour to form a smooth paste. Whisk in the remaining milk, eggs, Parmesan cheese, salt, herbs, garlic, and pepper.
Carefully pour into the baking dish, distributing the seasoning evenly.
Bake uncovered for 30 -35 minutes until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. It will puff up like a souffle. Top with the shredded cheddar if desired, return to the oven for 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted. Let set a few minutes before cutting and serving.
Looking for excellent "Californian" menu ideas
Given that it is spring, I would have to include either roasted or grilled asparagus! Maybe a Zuni roasted chicken as well along with fingerling potatoes? Beautiful farmer's market greens dressed with local olive oil to go along with Cowgirl Creamery cheese. Strawberry shortcake for dessert--using James Beard's (or Marion Cunningham's) cream biscuits. Yum!
Sonoma Valley Happy Hour
The Lodge at Carneros has a nice upscale bar (Sonoma), you can order small plates and they have some nice wines by the glass, but I don't think they have happy hour per se.
Best Bakeries in Napa/Sonoma/Healdsburg? Votes Please!
My favorites:
Downtown Bakery in Healdsburg for bread, breakfast goodies (and ice cream)
Della Fattoria in Petaluma -- have only had bread, not pastries
Artisan Bakery in Sonoma -- breakfast goodies, bread is okay
Corn tortillas...soften in oil or not?
When I am not concerned about calories or mess, I soften in oil. When I am concerned about calories and mess, I griddle briefly on each side (dry cast iron pan or a griddle, depending on how many I am making). I prefer the flavor of dry heat to the microwave "steaminess". I think that the fried in oil is superior in terms of flavor and authenticity, but any enchilada is better than no enchilada!
Flexitarian Table - cookbook report
Thanks for the links, I don't do so well navigating through past posts. Cheers, dk
Fifteen and a Half Pints of Grapefruit Marmalade, Baby
I can't claim credit, I used Molly Watson's recipe from the SF Chronicle. Here is the link. I liked it a lot!
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/18/FDABVHBGJ.DTL
Flexitarian Table - cookbook report
I'd like to resurrect this thread, since I just got this cookbook. I am looking forward to trying all the recipes recommended here, especially the tofu with lemon and wine. About the only other way I eat tofu is in green curry, so this will broaden my horizons.
I have tried 2 recipes so far (it is too hard for me to do an entire menu of new recipes on weeknights). I made the brown rice risotto style with greens. It is a great dish, very simple, and had a great way to cook brown rice that worked way better than other methods I have used (he soaks the rice in a measured amount of water for 4-12 hours in the fridge before cooking). I used brown jasmine because that is what I had on hand, and served it with grilled halibut and a really nice Semillon/Sauvingnon blanc blend. Great Sunday dinner, and the leftover rice was a good lunch a few days later. I will certainly make this again.
Last night, I tried the millet/cauliflower polenta as a side for some oven baked fish filets coated in pistachio crumbs. It was okay, but I didn't love it, I would probably stick to corn polenta (which I love) and leave millet for the birds!
Good butcher in Northern Sonoma County?
What were your bad experiences at Martindales? I don't go there often since I moved down to Glen Ellen, but was planning on getting my Easter ham there. Thanks!
Fifteen and a Half Pints of Grapefruit Marmalade, Baby
I made some crazy good Meyer Lemon marmalade last year. My husband doesn't like any marmalade (too bitter for him), so I have eaten the whole batch, less what I could give away. One of my favorites is to mix about 2 teaspoons into about a half a cup of plain whole milk yogurt (Brown Cow is my preferred brand). The combination of tart, sweet, creamy, chewy, and slightly bitter is great, imo.
new slow cooker
I have had mixed results with the slow cooker I got XMas before last. One big success was Anna Michele Jordan's polenta recipe -- it makes it very easy to serve polenta, which is great because I like it a lot. Another was a red lentil soup with coconut milk recipe that I think I found here on Chowhound. The last time I made Boston Baked Beans, I used the slow cooker, which came out great -- much better for serving in the summertime so the oven isn't on for hours and hours.
Recs for food shopping between Santa Rosa and Sea Ranch
If you want a "one-stop" supermarket type experience, I would recommend G&G Supermarket on West College (which is more or less on your way to Sea Ranch). They often have really good produce, and they do have a full-service butcher/fish market. They probably focus more on value than upscale quality, but move enough food that often it is fresher (and hence, better, imo) than the upscale places.
New restaurant next to Juanita Juanita in Sonoma
I live in the neighborhood, and used to stop at Follini & Eichenbaum regularly for coffee, and maybe a sandwich or cup of soup or salad, their quality was high on all these items, but I think a little expensive for the locals and too off the beaten track for the tourists.
Stopped at the new Picazo the other week (soon after opening) for lunch. Nice family-run cafe, nothing destination worthy. Had a cup of broccoli soup that actually was a bowl, chockablock with large chunks of broccoli, obviously house-made. Made it impossible to eat the Reuben sandwich, but it kept pretty well for lunch the next day. Husband had a Cajun turkey sandwich which he liked and house-made potato salad which he loved (but, he loves most potato salads, to be honest). Meats are advertised to be Boars Head, which, imo is fine but not exciting. Lunch came to about $20. Haven't tried the coffee drinks, but for commuters they are opening at 5:00 am, so they will probably get a loyal following if the coffee is at all acceptable.
help me make a pot roast in a clay pot
No problem, addicted. I LOVE the clay pot for winter cooking, because preparation is simple (no splatters from browning meat!), and I don't mind warming up the house using the oven when it is cold anyway. Even though it takes some time, it is time I can be doing something else (like put my feet up and read the paper). I often add vegies part way through cooking for longer cooking meat, but always wait at least an hour so that the oven is at temp, and the meat has had a chance to get really going. If I am cooking something like chicken that will only take an hour to an hour and a half, I just throw everything in at the beginning.
Help please ... lunch in Sonoma or Napa
Depending on your route, there are lots of choices. If you are going "around the horn" (Highway 80 to Hwy 12) you could stop at the Boon Fly cafe on the Carneros highway. Lots of other restaurants on Sonoma plaza beyond the Girl and the Fig, but it is one of my favorites. If you continue up hwy 12 through Kenwood, in addition to the Kenwood Rest (upscale) there is Cafe Citti (casual).
Personally, I would take hwy 128 (past Berryessa) from the Sacto airport. It is windy but scenic, and much more direct to Healdsburg. It drops down mid Napa Valley, so lots of options from the Rutherford Grill to Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen in St. Helena.
help me make a pot roast in a clay pot
I have had a clay pot for many years, and there used to be a great (paperback, large format) cookbook put out by Consumer Reports. It is out of print now, and my copy is falling apart, but I still use it all the time. It had a bunch of international recipes modified for the clay pot, and many were great with little or no tweaking. The following recipe is one that I modified pretty heavily to match my family's taste. Try the parsnips, even if you think you don't like them, they add great flavor to the pot roast.
Clay Pot Roast
3.5 to 4 lb. Blade Roast (Chuck)
4 ribs celery, chopped
4 large carrots, chopped
4 medium onions, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, peeled, smashed
2 t. dried thyme or 2 large sprigs fresh thyme and 10 stalks fresh parsley
2 bay leaves
About 2 c. red wine
6 boiling potatoes, cut in half or quarters, or left whole, depending on size
2 parsnips, peeled, cut lenghtwise in half or quarters, depending on size
1 lb. small carrots, peeled
Salt and pepper
Submerge Clay Pot, both parts, in water for 15 min. (1 hr. first time).
Trim excess fat from meat. Dry well. Salt and pepper generously, dredge with flour.
Place chopped onion, celery, carrots, and garlic in bottom of soaked clay pot. Scatter herbs over. Salt and pepper generously. Place meat on top. Pour red wine around edge, enough to cover vegetables, but not meat.
Place covered clay cooker in cold oven, set to 425°. Cook for 1 1/2 hours. Add carrots, potatoes, parsnips around edge of meat. Continue cooking about 1 hour, until vegetables and meat are tender. Remove meat, carrots, potatoes, parsnips (the vegies added for the last hour of cooking) to a serving platter, keep warm. Mash chopped vegetables into juices in a skillet over high heat to reduce and thicken. Strain, then defat juices, and taste for salt and pepper. Serve over meat, potatoes, carrots, and parsnips.
Which ham is better?
I buy a whole cured ham if I have the whole family over for Easter, so there are plenty of leftovers, since I like to send some home with folks, and I adore all things made with ham, from scalloped potatoes to beans cooked with the bone. If it is a smaller group, I tend to buy the shank end of the ham, since it is a little easier to carve.
Condiment for corned beef?
I like sour cream (pref Knudsen's) mixed with a tiny bit of Dijon mustard (about 1/2 t. per 1/2 c. sour cream), fresh ground white pepper, and a generous quantity of horseradish (I like Tule Lake, in the fridge section at grocery). This is also good leftover on sandwiches and hash.
starting a diet tomorrow (well today now actually)
I recently discovered Chia seeds (Salvia hispanica) -- yes, the same seed those of us of a certain age remember growing as Chia pets. I add 2 level T. to my morning cereal, yogurt, or cottage cheese. They are ultra satisfying (essentially tasteless), and get me through the morning with lots of energy for only additional 45 calories. I don't know if it is the high fiber (4 grams) or the fatty acid (they are a good source of omega-3 and -6) or the fact that they swell up in my tummy 7-fold, or some combo of all the above, but I am finding them a great addition to "mindful eating" (I am don't have the patience to go on a "diet" anymore). If you add them into your diet, remember to drink an extra glass or 2 of water!
And so it starts … Hot cross bun tour 2009
If you get up to Healdsburg, I love the buns at the Downtown Bakery, even though I am not as knowledgeable as you obviously are. When I lived in H-burg, I used to beg Kathleen to keep them all year long as they were the perfect breakfast, not too sweet, very satisfying. She claimed that I appreciated them more when they only came once a year. I'm still not convinced!
Santa rosa Moderate priced Dinner Choices for NYC visator
How moderate is moderate to you in terms of $$$? I like Willi's Wine Bar (up the Old Redwood Highway from downtown SR. Depending on how you order and how big your appetite, it can be pretty moderate for a "nice" restaurant. For less money, you can go down to Kenwood to Cafe Citti for comfort Cal-Ital at a very moderate price ($12-15) for a pasta dish. Great roast chicken as well.
I am not a huge fan of Hank's Creekside for breakfast, although others rave about it. I prefer Dierk's Parkside for a classic American breakfast (beware it is in a pretty ratty part of town).
Chloe's French Cafe in Santa Rosa
I finally got to Chloe's after a meeting that ended early enough to get there before their 5:00 closing. The plat du jour was crepes, which I didn't think would survive the hour plus wait for me to get other errands done and home to Glen Ellen, so I order 2 sandwiches and a salad to share with my husband. Had the Mediterranean sandwich (on a baguette), the special pastrami (on rye) and the quinoa/roasted carrot salad. More than enough food for the 2 of us, everything was tasty, and fairly "healthy". House made pickles were especially good. Everything had a slightly "sweet" taste which surprised me for a place billing itself as French, but not so much as to be offensive to my taste. Would def. go back when I am in the neighborhood.
Trader Joe's Challenge...
I also love the wild dried blueberries, great in pancakes, or just on cereal. I have had good luck buying a Niman ham slice for a quick dinner, or to chop up and put in recipes. Also good luck with the various "new" potatoes, the bell peppers, the bananas, and the baby persian cucumbers (in season, only). I like their raw Italian sausage, the "Hot" is really hot, though, so beware. Our TJ's also has Berkeley Farms buttermilk, which is good. Addicted to the roasted, salted, shell-less pistachios as well. Frozen tamales aren't bad, and the mac n cheese is good (neither are low-cal, though).
Making chile powder from dried chiles
I almost always toast the chiles lightly, either in a dry cast iron pan or at about 350 F. in a good toaster oven. Be careful that they don't burn, but this step adds a lot of flavor. I also think it makes the house smell great, unlike another poster. Let the chiles cool down to room temperature, pop the tops off and shake out the seeds. If you have a large number of chiles, use the blender to grind them to a powder, if it is only 1 or 2 you can use a clean coffee grinder. I like cascabels in a chile mix, they don't have much heat but add some richness to the mixture.
Herbs worth buying dried?
I can't live without Penzey's dried thyme, Mexican oregano, Greek oregano, and dill. Even though I sometimes use fresh versions of these herbs, I feel that many recipes were developed to use dried herbs rather than fresh, and these get me through the winter. Here in northern California I can usually keep parsley and sage alive in pots on my deck through the winter (although it can't be harvested very aggressively). My chives, tarragon and mint usually freeze back to the ground but come back in the spring. Rosemary is easy to keep alive, and is so vigorous that I can harvest it all year long. Thyme stays alive, but isn't as flavorful in the winter, IMO. I buy cilantro year round because it aggravates me with bolting just when I want a lot. Basil, of course, is only a summertime treat from the garden, and along with Tarragon is the only herb I will bother to freeze for winter use. I find store bought fresh herbs (except cilantro) expensive and often low quality (quickly turn to slime, little flavor) so I never buy them. If the recipe calls for something out of season I either wait for the season or substitute something that is available (I often put Rosemary in winter dishes that call for basil, for example), or use Penzey's dried.
A use for leftover pan-roasted potatoes
I like to cube leftover potatoes (about 1/2 inch) and use them with other vegies in a fritatta. Makes a nice, easy, quick dinner.
What to do with 3+# Meyer lemons?
Thank you, milklady, for posting this. My mother has a very productive tree, and we are always looking for new ideas!
turnips, eek?!?
The Greens cookbook has a substantial salad that I love with fennel. It is white beans, tossed while slightly warm with a mustard vinaigrette, then you stir in slice fennel (raw) and strips of gruyere cut in pieces about the same size as the fennel, serve it on a bed of a substantial green like escarole. Yummy, and fairly healthy, as well. I eat it as a main dish with good crusty bread.
