CAV Wine Bar & Kitchen
My husband recently took me to dinner at CAV Wine Bar & Kitchen in San Francisco. CAV started out as a wine bar but has developed into both a wine bar and a noted kitchen. The concept behind the...
View ArticleFARM at The Carneros Inn
FARM Restaurant at the Carneros Inn in Napa Valley is worth a visit. I recently had occasion to dine there with some of my guests from Canada. When we stepped out of the car, I was immediately drawn...
View ArticleLamb Shanks with Root Vegetables
Ingredients 6 lamb shanks, split in half cross-wise Olive oil Fresh herbs – parsley, thyme, tarragon, etc., chopped Coarse sea salt Freshly ground pepper 1 cup white or red wine 1 large sweet onion,...
View ArticleJean Grogne
I recently discovered this luscious triple cream pasteurized cow’s milk cheese from the Ile-de France region. It is a subtle cheese with a gentle mushroom flavor. It pairs well with a sparkling wine....
View ArticleValencay
Valencay is a raw goat’s milk cheese from central France. It is in the shape of a pyramid without its top. (Legend has it that Napoleon took his sword and cut off the top because it reminded him of...
View ArticleSumi
Sumi is a goat’s milk cheese from Goat’s Leap Dairy in St. Helena. It is shaped like a truncated pyramid and coated with ash. Inside it is firm and tangy with a long rich finish. It is aged for only...
View ArticleSalad of Mache, Beets and Walnuts in Walnut Vinaigrette Dressing
Ingredients 6-8 medium beets, washed and tops removed 1 ½ T lemon juice or nice vinegar (such as Vinaigre de Banyuls 4 T walnut oil Sea salt to taste 6 cups mache 1/3 cup walnuts, roughly chopped...
View ArticlePotato Gratin
Ingredients 3 pounds potatoes (You can use russets or a yellow waxy potato, such as Yukon Gold). 1 quart whole milk Freshly grated nutmeg Sea salt to taste 2 T butter 1 c heavy cream 2 c freshly grated...
View ArticleBeef Bourguignon
Ingredients 4 oz. (250g) thick bacon, cut into strips 4 lbs (2kg) stewing beef, cut in 2-inch cubes 2 onions, sliced 2 carrots, sliced 3 T flour 1 bottle Burgundy wine (Pinot Noir can be substituted,...
View Article2002 Falcor Le Bizou
We recently enjoyed another wine discovery brought to us by Marcy Roth of Bacchus and Venus Wine Shop in Sausalito. This time it was 2002 Le Bizou from Falcor Winery in Napa Valley. This wine is a...
View ArticleVegetable Paella
There are a couple of tricks to making paella. One is the rice. For beginners, I would highly recommend using Bomba rice from Spain. It has a shorter grain and is more “foolproof”. The other is to...
View ArticleCoconut Lentil Soup
I adore the taste of coconut in savory dishes. This recipe uses coconut oil to add that rich coconutty goodness. You can use any kind of lentils. I typically use either green petite French lentils or...
View Article