Rombauer Vineyards

2003 Cabernet Sauvignon

"All wine drinkers are always on the hunt for a new wine discovery"

And many years ago a glass of Rombauer Chardonnay found its way into my hand and the rest is history. Rombauer wines are produced and bottled in upper Napa valley, California. They produce many varietals, but I think they are known for its Chardonnay. A huge release party is held every summer when the new vintage of Chardonnay is ready to hit the streets. The winery is a family business overseen by Koerner Rombauer who is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet. I can not sip a glass of Rombauer without thanking about the rolling hillsides, green vines and all the people who put it all together. Its allot like someone cooking for you, instead its a glass of wine. I love it. Visit them, drink there wine! Note: If the name Rombauer sounds familiar? look at your copy of the Joy of Cooking on your shelf, Rombaer is the same family who authored the book.


Rombauer winery, info@rombauervineyards.com

Roast chicken, my way!

"They say a sign of a good cook is how well he or she can perfectly cook
a chicken"

This is how I do it, first get a fresh local free range organic bird, wash well inside and out(please don't use soap), dry with paper towels, season with salt and fresh cracked pepper inside and out. I stuff a whole lemon that has been pricked with a fork into the cavity along with crushed garlic and fresh rosemary. place in a pan on top of a pile of chopped onions, drizzle olive oil over and place sprigs of rosemary around bird. Potatoes cooked along side the chicken are a good idea because of the flavor that the garlic, rosemary and the chicken fat will give them and also one less pan to clean. Chicken will roast more evenly if allowed to come to room temperture, about an hour. In this time the oven will reach 350 F, cook the chicken for about one hour or till the internal temperture reads 160 degrees, let rest for about 15 minutes till you carve it. This will keep all the juices from running out when cut. Save the carcass and freeze for making chicken stock.

Note: be carefull when handling raw chicken, wash hands and all sufaces well after touching.

East bay road trip for the best Indian food

Top: Cold potato dumplings in cilantro yogurt sauce, Middle: spicy ground lamb in crisp pastry, Bottom: assorted Indian pastries

This is Vic's Indian restaurant in Berkeley California. It has my vote for the best Indian in the bay area! On one side of the building is a Indian grocery store and the other side is the restaurant. The open kitchen is filled with up to 20 people prepping and cooking, there are young kids and maybe someones grandmother at the stove. They seem to put all their effort in food, not the warehouse style seating, but that's OK because its clean and there is enough room for the huge crowds that come on weekends. The menu is written on a huge blackboard on a wall in the kitchen. Its divided into cold, hot and vegetarian items. Most items are priced between $4.00-$7.00 dollars. The food is serving as it is cooked, so after you order and take a seat the little cardboard plates will come every few minutes (you pick up at the counter) Go with a group of people and try a lot of the different foods. Viks restaurant 726 Allston street between 4th and 5th streets, Berkeley California 510 644 4412

Homemade Fresh Pasta Ravioli

Homemade sausage filled Ravioli

are fast and easy to make!

These were made with a basic dough of flour, water, salt, egg and olive oil. Rolled out in to a long wide sheet*, tablespoon sized dots of a filling made with raw sweet Italion sausage, garlic and parmeasan cheese. The pasta sheet is folded over sealed and all air bubbles are pressed out, cut into two inch squares and into boiling salted water, done in only about two minutes. To finish drain, plate and top with sauce or just butter and gratted cheese. Ravioli can be made all year long, just use fresh seasonal ingredients for the fillings. The pasta texture is so soft and light you will have a hard time using the dry store bought kind.

*(You will need to have a pasta rolling machine which can be bought at any good cooking supply store)

Weeknight curried cauliflower

I am sure that I will get tired of eating this curry, but for now any given weekday night its simmering on the stove. its just Cauliflower, onions, ginger, garlic, curry powder, peas and cilantro.

Sake time!

Back in the old days it was cheap hot sake at the sushi bar

Now a good sushi bar can have anywhere from 10 to 40 different variety's on the Sake list. I have really got into cold unfiltered sake and one of the favorites is Momokawa Pearl, it has a milky pearl color and is dry to slightly sweet. Great with Asian foods, grilled meats and fish.

Southeast Asian Vinaigrette

I made this today at the restaurant for a Asian rice noodle salad. Its been awhile since I have done it and I forgot how good it is, all the Asian flavors of sour, sweet, spicy and cool. You are going to love it!

Ingredient's:
1/2 c lime juice
1/2 c rice wine vinegar
3 T Thai fish sauce
1 T soy sauce
1 c vegetable oil
3 T sugar
1/2 jalapeno
1 bunch mint
1 bunch cilantro
1 small knob ginger
3 clove garlic

Blend all ingredient's well, check seasonings, you won't need salt, the fish sauce is salty enough.

New years eve won tons

My daughter and I spent new years eve together and came up with the idea to making something like pot stickers.

We had a recent trip to San Francisco's other Chinatown which is on Clement street in "the avenues". We always go to her favorite noodle restaurant and the pot stickers are the first of many things that hit the table. We made won tons and cooked them like pot stickers.

Ingredients:

1 pack won ton wrappers

1/2 pound ground pork

1/4 head green cabbage, sliced

1/4 yellow onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic

small knob ginger, sliced

vegetable oil

Method:

1. Saute ginger, garlic, onion and cabbage.

2. In food processor, blend pork with cooked vegetables.

3. Spoon a teaspoon of filling in the middle of each won ton wrappers.

4. Wet edge of wrapper with water and fold over into a triangle.

5. fold the two corners together.

6. Steam covered for five minutes covered and enjoy with the dipping sauce of your choice.

For me I always grab the hot chili sauce!

Chilled shellfish platter

If you have access to fresh seafood then its real easy to put a big platter together. It just has to very fresh. I go see my local wholesale fish guys at the wharf in San Francisco, half the products have come off boats that morning! You can use cooked peeled prawns, cracked lobster, crab, mussels, clams and local oysters on the half shell. To assemble mound a big bed of crushed ice on a strong platter then arrange the chilled shelfish on top and serve. I like it clean and basic with lemon wedges. You can use other dipping sauces if you like such as the american standard, horseradish cocktail or rice wine vinegar based asian style green onion-ginger, thai chilli pepper and cilantro, hot sauce,etc. Serve before dinner or as the main course with crusty bread and chilled white wine. If you have any thing left it can be made into paella or a seafood soup.

Seasoning salt

A lot of people use a wide varity of premade seasoning salts. I find them a poor way to add flavor to what you are eating, stale and tasting like chemicals. So if you have to use them, make your own. Start with fresh herbs,chili peppers,spices and citrus peels then dry in a low oven around 150-200F, when dry grind in a spice (coffee) grinder and mix with a pure salt like kosher. Store in small air tight jars. Remember things are always going to be better when you make it yourself.

Basic chicken broth

This is just a basic chicken stock to use in any recipe that calls for a liquid, its a big flavor booster and increases the nutrition of the recipe.

There can be alot of ingredients or just a few, the basic stock is chicken on the bone, carrots, celery, onions and cold water, these three vegetables together is known as a mire poix. To cook just bring to a simmer and its ready in an hour. Any stock can be made like this, chicken, beef or fish. Save the chicken meat for another use (I will use it for chicken hash at breakfast)

A craving for pork tacos!

This is it!, slow brasied pork with smoky chipoltes




This is the chunky avocado, cilantro and lime salsa



ready to eat on a warm tortilla! I'll take five with a icy Tecate

Curried cauliflower and chick peas

This is a easy, healthy dish with just a few items. Cauliflower, chick peas, onion, peas, curry powder, garlic, tomato and for me the ever present chili peppers.

Fast prawn paella

Paella does not have to be hard to make, you just need the rice and what ever ingredients you want to put in.



This verison is arborio (risotto rice) prawns, smoked paprica, onion, garlic and peas. Saute the onion, garlic in a oil and butter mixture, add rice and paprica, after stirring for a minute, add the rest of the ingredents and 3 parts water or stock to the 1 part rice, simmer till liquid is done, don't stir, enjoy

Christmas Yule Log

I was watching cooking shows on TV with the kids and we decided to make this Yule log.  A fun and easy project to do with the kids!

First make a thin yellow sponge cake sheet spread, then when cool spread with chocolate frosting, roll it up and put more frosting on the outside. Drag a fork across the log to make the rough bark effect.
For the "mushrooms" put some chocolate Kiss's with mini marshmallows on a toothpick and place on log then dust with powdered sugar snow and it's all done!