June 2nd, 2010
A few weeks back I tasted some local olive oils in my cooking class. While they were delicious, the highlight of the tasting was a vinegar. It may be the best vinegar I ever tried. It’s called Allure Estates Balsamic Vinegar. Then a light bulb went off in my head. Why do we always discuss olive oils, when vinegars are equally important in a good vinaigrette?
Allure Estates Balsamic Vinegar is made on a family farm on the Central Coast of California. The technology of making balsamic vinegar is very different from that of wine vinegar. Instead of using wine, it is made from must (juice) which is boiled down and reduced in half before being put in barrels with a small amount of vinegar for inoculation. Most of us are familiar with the superb balsamic vinegar made in Modena Italy. Allure Estates does not claim to be a match for this Italian classic. Allure uses the Grenache grape rather than the typical Trebiano grape used in Italy. They also age the vinegar for 3 years rather then 12 as done in Italy. The final product is lighter in color and taste; and is fabulous.
Allure Estates Balsamic Vinegar
I am not an expert on vinegars; but this product woke up my taste buds. It is fresh and vibrant. The acidity is nicely balanced with of myriad of flavors that are complex yet reasonably light.
Allure Estates makes makes a half dozen other vinegars, and two others caught my attention. One is a Blackberry Cabernet which is not sweet or cloying, but has a subtle sweetness that’s nicely balanced with acidity. This variety would be perfect for a salad on a warm afternoon. The other vinegar is Four Thieves, which displays herbal notes. Actually Allure blends Syrah with rosemary, thyme, sage, peppermint, garlic, and a touch of honey. I could not isolate each of these flavors, but I did appreciate the final product. Have you ever made a salad and added a grilled chicken breast to it? Well this vinegar be the perfect start to your vinaigrette. If you would like more information on Allure Estates, click here.
Lastly, I would like to mention a Sherry Vinegar that I have become quite fond of. In the past, I would typically use a Tuscan red wine vinegar when making a vinaigrette. Then I saw Spanish Chef Jose Andres on his TV show singing the praises of Sherry Wine vinegar. So I tried Miguel & Valentino Vinagre de Jerez Reserva and loved it. This vinegar will add a rich distinctive flavor to your salads.
Tasting the vinegars of Allure Estates has opened my eyes to the breadth of flavors available to us, and I think I have only reached the tip of the iceberg. It will be fun experimenting with new vinegars in the future, and tasty too!
Have you found a vinegar you really like?
Posted in Food, Santa Barbara, Wine | 4 Comments »
May 13th, 2010
Springtime is always an exciting time at the Farmer’s Market. Although we are lucky to have an active Farmers Market 12 months of the year in California; Spring always seems particularly exhilarating. I have friends that can’t wait for ramps. Others enjoy the freshness of peas. Artichokes are a huge crop in Santa Barbara from March through May. However, for this household it’s Fava Beans! I buy them twice a week and add them to everything.
Did you ever see a fava bean? It actually has two pods. The big long green pods holds about five fava beans.
Fresh Fava Beans
Each of the beans above still have a second shell that you will want to remove. It’s easy. Just boil a pot of water and toss the beans in for about 45 seconds. Pour into a strainer and cool by running the beans under tap water. Several recipes recommend that you add the hot favas to an ice bath, but I don’t find that step necessary. After about a minute under running water the favas will be sufficiently cooled and are ready to peal. Just pinch off the green stem with your fingernail and then use your thumb and forefinger to squeeze the fava…the inner fava bean will slide right out.
Removing Favas from their Shell
Look at the picture on the right. You will see the final fava bean. It’s bright green and coming out of it’s shell. Remember the fava has cooked in boiling water for 45 seconds, so it only needs to cook for a few minutes more. You can treat favas like peas, and add them to any recipe where you would add peas.
I typically use fava beans three ways: sauted with butter, added to farro pasta with shrimp, or added to a risotto.
Sauteing favas is very easy. Add a little butter to a saute pan then add your favas. Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 3 minutes. Add to your plate and voila. A nice way to finish the dish is to grate a little Parmigiano Reggiano over the top.
To add the favas to a pasta dish or a risotto is the same concept; add the favas about three minutes before the dish is done. So, for my pasta dish, I add the pasta to the saute pan where the shrimp has been cooking with a bit of the pasta water. I then add red pepper flakes and the juice of two lemons. Then add the favas. If the pasta looks too dry, add a little more pasta water. Finish with a tablespoon of butter. Season with salt and pepper.
Risotto typically takes 20 to 25 minutes to cook. When you’re ready to add the last half cup of broth to the risotto you can then add the favas. Cook the risotto for a couple more minutes, remove from the heat and add butter and cheese.
The season for favas and many other Spring vegetables is short, so enjoy them while you can.
Posted in Food, Recipes, Santa Barbara | 6 Comments »
May 4th, 2010
Syrah is my favorite varietal in Santa Barbara County, and I found another winner. It’s easy to find great wines that cost over $40 a bottle; but when you find a delicious wine at $21 that’s a home run.
Kenneth Crawford Syrah
This wine is a big meaty Syrah with plenty of fruit and a strong backbone. This deep ruby red wine is rather young, so decanting can help open the wine and reveal its complexities. No need for fancy decanters, just pour the wine into a water pitcher. The wine exhibits some typical Syrah flavors…dark berries counterbalanced with earthy spices and pepper. It is a big wine with some tannins that will help it age for many years; but the tannins are well integrated making it drinkable today. The rich fruit and spices are nicely balanced with a vibrant acidity making this wine robust yet very smooth. In other words, this wine rocks and I’m buying more!
Posted in Santa Barbara, Wine | No Comments »
April 12th, 2010
I think Paris is a spectacular city. Every time I walk along the Seine I am awestruck by its beauty. I have been to Paris numerous times, yet each time I return I always manage to find something amazing that I haven’t seen before. Well I was lucky again last week. I discovered two gems: a church and a museum.
Right near the Pantheon, in the Latin Quarter, is a magnificent little church: St. Etienne-du-Mont. This church houses the shrine to Sainte Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris. The church is mostly Gothic in style featuring huge columns and a high vaulted ceiling. The large stained glass windows that line bothsides of the church fill the room with light even on a cloudy day. As I walked down the right aisle of the the church, my eye was drawn to an intricately carved spiral staircase. The workmanship was incredible.
St. Etienne du Mont
In fact there are two staircases which are part of a fabulous rood-screen, an early Catholic device used to separate the choir where the monks and canons sat, and the congregation during the service. The church also has a spectacular carved wooden pulpit that dates back to 1651. I found this church very moving; the intricate detail was just amazing.
Paris is known for its museums. Musee du Louvre and Musee d’Orsay are the two most popular, and they are world renown. Until last week, my favorite museum in Paris was the MuseeRodin which comprises an excellent collection of sculptures housed in a beautiful mansion with an equally beautiful garden. Now I have a second second gem - Musee Marmottan Monet in the 16th Arrondissiment. This museum is housed in the 19th century mansion of art historian Paul Marmottan. In 1971 Michael Monet, son of famed Impressionist painter Claude Monet, donated 65 of his father’s paintings to this museum. Many of the works were his father’s paintings from Giverny, including Water-lilies and the Japanese bridge over the water-lily pond. It was fascinating to see multiple versions of the same paintings. Monet would paint the same subject at different times of the day; and he would interpret the light by using drastically different colors. In addition, part of Claude Monet’s personal collection of paintings by Pissarro, Manet, and Renoir were also donated.
Musee Marmottan Monet
If you are a fan of Monet then this museum is a must.
I hope that you get to visit Paris soon. Au revoir and Bon Voyage.
Posted in Travel | 2 Comments »
