Living, Loving Healdsburg

Recession … Are you sure?

2010-01-04T19:52:00.000-08:00

After a long trip away for the holidays, I returned to California with some mad shopping to take care of.

My fridge was empty, cupboards were bare, and I was even out of toothpaste.

This past Saturday, I spent my entire day navigating the crowds at Trader Joe’s, Target and Safeway stocking up.

I spent the better part of the day in these retail establishments stopping only for coffee at Starbucks.

What stood out to me most as I traveled up and down the isles loading my cart was the number of people doing the exact same thing.

The weekend after Christmas everyone was out. It was absolute retail mayhem: lines 4 –5 shoppers deep, carts overfilled with crap, displays that were sold out of merchandise.

Who are these people? Where is this recession I keep hearing about?

Fat as a pig in cinnamon heaven

2010-01-04T19:31:00.000-08:00

Lord have mercy on me and my hips.

Have you ever seen the episode of Sex in the City where Miranda can’t stop eating the chocolate cake? She’s alone in her amazing NYC apartment and she has a piece, just one piece, of this totally luscious chocolate cake.

After her first bite she can’t stop – she just keeps eating it. In a sheer moment of desperation to stop the madness she throws the cake in the kitchen trash. Later, hours later, she comes back to the trash and eats the cake right out of the can.

The episode is too funny and I know some of us have had this moment.

Cinnamon roles are my chocolate cake.

Once I start, I can’t stop.

I promise you, if you make this recipe, you won’t be able to stop your self either. It’s so good it’s crazy.

Here’s the recipe, in 3 parts. Trust me when I tell you it’s worth the effort.

Ingredients
Dough: (step one)
1 c milk
3 tb butter
3 ½ c flour
½ c sugar
1 egg
1 envelope yeast
1 tsp kosher salt

Filling: (step two)
1 c brown sugar
2 ½ tb cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
½ stick of butter (softened to spread)

Icing: (the best part) (step three)
4 oz cream cheese (soft)
1 cup powder sugar
¼ c butter (soft)
½ tsp vanilla

1.
Melt butter with milk
Mix warm butter / milk combo w/ 1 c flour with sugar, egg, yeast and salt – mix low 3 minutes
Switch kitchen aid to a dough hook and add 2 ½ c flour – mix until well combined dough forms
Remove from mixer on to floured surface and kneed dough for few minutes until smooth
Put dough in greased (non-stick) bowl covered in plastic wrap and a towel – let it rise for 2 hours.

2.
Mix brown sugar and spices
Punch dough – roll it out into a long, wide rectangle
Spread butter on to dough and sprinkle sugar / cinnamon mix
Roll dough into a log
Seam side down slice rolls
Place into a square cake pan
Cover, let rise 45 minutes

Bake these babies 375 for 20 minutes

3. Icing:

Cream butter, cream cheese - get the lumps out
Add powder sugar and vanilla
Mix well

When the rolls are done, let them cool for 5 minutes and then ice.

Good luck stopping at one.

New Year, New Start

2010-01-01T18:52:00.000-08:00

New Years is one of, if not, my favorite holiday. The beginning of each New Year seems like a fresh start.

As the clock strikes midnight each year on 12/31, I feel like I have been totally cleansed.

The opportunity to set and achieve new goals always seems so in reach, like planting crops in the most perfect, fresh soil.

This year I am keeping it simple, but at the same time, hoping to achieve a few very important things.

Let me digress before I move forward …

For a few years, actually a lot of years now, I feel like a rat running on a treadmill. I am moving so fast in so many directions but never crossing the finishing line.

I am accomplishing a lot by conventional standards but what do these standards mean to me? Am I living up to my full potential?

No, I know I am not.

Am I contributing to society the gifts and talents that I have to offer, that happen to be unique to me? I know that I am not.

This year I going to stop beating myself up over this – not knowing if I am on the right path. I am going to let my journey unfold without interfering, and focus on doing things to get to know myself a little better, on a deeper level.

I think that once I have a better idea about who I am, I will in turn have more direction.

This year I want to achieve the following:

1. Personal health – go to the gym! I am a member, I pay fees, and I never go. I want to start running again – nothing serious – just a couple miles a few times a week with ease.

I also want to start lifting weights – again, nothing serious – just tone and muscle strength.

2. Meditation – I am a naturally intuitive person. I have been since childhood. I make all of life’s big decisions based on my intuition and I want to further develop this side of myself and see where it goes.

3. Better relationships – I want to actively participate in healthy, meaningful relationships with my family and friends. I want stop participating in negative, unhealthy relationships that have the potential to bring out the worst in me and others.

4. Creativity – take two classes to fulfill some credits, keep journaling, and do something new, like create a new bikini line or something fun.

5. Simplicity – I am tired of consuming. I am tired of stuff that creates clutter in my life. I am going to clean up my space – get rid of the clutter and stop buying unnecessary crap.

6. Therapy – I am going to give therapy an honest shot and in reality give myself an honest shot – and commit 2010 to uncovering who I am.

7. Family – Be more present in my relationship with the two people who are the center of my world – my husband and daughter.

Jewish Sonoma ... Chabad comes to Healdsburg, Menorah and all!

2009-12-13T19:34:00.000-08:00

What better way to celebrate the festival of lights than to attend a group menorah lighting ceremony?

Tonight Jewish Sonoma (Chabad) led by Rabbi Mendel Wolvovsky and his wife Altie (and six kids!) hosted menorah lighting in front of the Oakville Grocery store in Healdsburg.

Live music, lots of children, candles, latkes, dreidels, gelt. It was great to see my husband lighting the candles on the HUGE menorah and my daughter passing dreidels out to the crowd.

Did I mention the best part? The fact that a Jewish community does exist in Healdsburg!

Latkes, Latkes, Latkes

2009-12-13T19:27:00.000-08:00

I love Latkes. They are one of my favorite holiday foods!

I love them so much, once I start eating them, I can't stop. Last night I made Latkes for dinner. Today I am 2 pds heavier.

Here's the recipe. Make at your own risk and enjoy!

5 russet potatoes
2 yellow onions
3 eggs
salt and pepper
1/4 or more of flour
Oil

Shred potatoes and onions in food processor.

Mix well with hands in large bowl. Add beaten eggs and salt and pepper.

Add flour until mixture holds.

Add oil (one or two knuckles deep) to pan and heat med – high.

Fry until crispy brown.

Serve with apple sauce or if you’re like me, eat them with a bit of kosher salt.

The Sands of Time

2009-12-07T19:31:00.000-08:00

Aging & the art of growing old gracefully

When I was little, under the age of thirteen, I remember noticing my mom getting older.

She had this cool trench coat and when she wore it she sort of morphed into this sophisticated, young woman who I was no longer embarrassed to be seen in public with.

When she slid into her trench coat, wrapping the sleek belt around her slim middle, claiming back her pre-baby waist, I thought she was cool & totally un-mom minivan like.

Now I am a mom (without the minivan)and as I fight the sands of time and the gradual toll they are taking on my youth, I realize not every woman ages the same.

We all do it differently.

This past week I accompanied a friend to her Botox appointment. Yes, friends … Botox.

She’s young - early, early thirties. If you met her you'd never think she needs Botox but she’s taking a very aggressive & proactive stance on aging. Her logic is that if she starts young, she will circumvent the wrinkles, never giving them the chance to develop.

She’s basically keeping her face in a constant state of paralysis.

I am a voyeur so I insisted on joining her in the doctor’s office to watch the process. This was actually my second visit.

Surprisingly, what I witnessed was relatively uneventful.

The dermatologist came in, cleaned the delicate skin around her eyes, and injected a couple of syringes into her “barely there” creases.

As the doc slid the short needle in and around the shallow skin she didn’t move a muscle, literally. It appeared to be painless. I thought I'd see a foot jerk or something - nothing.

She was done within a few minutes and we headed over to Whole Foods for lunch… no one the wiser.

Top Chef season finale ... Season 6

2009-12-07T16:35:00.000-08:00

In case you're a fan of Top Chef and you were wondering were the upcoming season finale was shot ....

It was shot at Cyrus restaurant (in Healdsburg!) and features one of our own local talents as guest judge - Chef Douglas Keane!

http://www.biteclubeats.com/2009/12/confirmed-top-chef-finale-at-cyrus.html

Smart Idea Sonoma

2009-12-07T11:57:00.001-08:00

Exciting: http://www.sonomamarintrain.org/

Resturant Files: Monti's

2009-12-07T09:52:00.001-08:00

Restaurant Files: Monti’s
Location: Santa Rosa
http://www.starkrestaurants.com/montis_rotisserie.html

Early last week, in the midst of holiday shopping at Montgomery Village, my friend and I were overcome with hunger. We decided to grab lunch at Monti’s.

Monti’s, located in Montgomery Village in Santa Rosa, is one of a couple restaurants owned and operated by the Stark restaurant empire.

In addition to Montie’s they also operate Willi’s Wine Bar, Willi’s Raw Bar in Healdsburg, and a steakhouse in Railroad Square.

Willi’s (in Healdsburg ) is one of my local favorites.

I also like Montgomery Village. If I need to shop in Santa Rosa, this is where I go.

The village is an assemblage of specialty shops including purveyors like Sur La Table (so fun to get lost in this gem of foodie fabulousness), home décor boutiques, clothing shops, patisseries.

After lugging our bags to the car, we settled in at a bistro table on the outdoor patio.

We ordered the following:

• House Made French Fries Tossed with Gorgonzola & Rosemary $6

• Monti’s Cristo, Westphalian Ham, Gruyere & Sweet Onion Jam
on Toasted Brioche $12

• The special sandwich of the day – a rotisserie turkey sandwich on brioche with tomato chutney.

The Monti Cristo, enjoyed by my lunch companion, was purported to be “sooo soo good” andworth its weight in every delicious calorie consumed. She likened the taste to a warm French toast with a savory twist.

I had the special sandwich. It, too, was good. I requested it on ciabatta bread and it arrived with thinly sliced rotisserie turkey, red onion and the chutney. It was understated but good.

Both sandwiches came with (what I assume were house-made) pickles and olives. They were a bit spicy and a nice twist

The fries were great: crispy, salty, layered with gorgonzola cheese and rosemary. A perfect addition to the sandwiches.

What’s happening in Healdsburg?

http://www.healdsburg.com/PDFs/HolidayCalendar2009.pdf

Sick

2009-12-03T10:29:00.000-08:00

I've been sick. I'll be back. Stay well.

Healdsburg for the Holidays ...

2009-11-29T20:51:00.000-08:00

Healdsburg is a charming little town during the holiday season.

The fun began this past Friday night at Healdsburg's Downtown Holiday Party.

This event is quickly becoming a tradition.

Local merchants opened their doors to welcome us all with hot cider, sweet treats, and holiday merchandise. The plaza’s candle lit streets were packed with locals; I love seeing people I know out and about on the town, lots of tourist, singing choirs of small children and groups decked out in Dickens-esque costumes singing tunes from the past.

Santa set-up shop outside the Oakville Grocery and there was even a group protesting fur.

You know you’ve made it big as a small town when Peta shows up.

Mark your calendar for the December 13, Menorah Lighting with Rabbi Wolvovsky!

December 13, Menorah Lighting, at Oakville Grocery, 124 Matheson Street, Healdsburg. Oakville Grocery will host the lighting of the Menorah with Rabbi Mendel Wolvovsky at 5:30 pm. For more information please call 707-433-3200

What you get for the money ...

2009-11-29T20:41:00.000-08:00

Ever wondered what $135,000.00 will get you in Sonoma County?

A cottage of sorts ... located in Santa Rosa to be exact.

"Rustic" workshop or if you're from the "City", an artist's loft.

Plenty of space to plant that English garden you've been dreaming of ...

And last but not least .... a fun set of neighbors.

restaurant files: Rosso Pizzeria

2009-11-28T17:42:00.001-08:00

restaurant files
name: rosso pizzeria
location: santa rosa, ca
http://www.rossopizzeria.com/

I’ve been looking forward to a repeat performance @ Rosso for a while now.

Today, after stopping in Santa Rosa for a quick shopping trip, we stopped at Rossa Pizzeria for lunch.

My hubbie (Y) and I shared the Mista salad (Rafter Ranch blend, mixed as picked, shaved fennel, toasted pine nuts, shaved parmesan and balsamic vinaigrette)

The salad was good, light, almost like a palate cleanser. It wasn’t amazing but it was good. They say the best salads are made of a mix of wonderful ingredients that stand out all on their own. In this salad there was one ingredient that really stood out: the shaved Parmesan. It was delicious and really made this salad worth its weight.

Next we ordered the Beppo Pizza (red base, Hobbs pepperoni, black olives, red onion and house made mozzarella) made in the wood fired oven.

I have come to believe that anyone who operates a wood fire oven must be a master. There is an art; I am sure, to cooking in an oven that runs at such a high temperature. Rosso cooks exclusively in a wood oven. Have they mastered the art of wood fire cooking? I am not sure: the jury is still out after today's visit.

The pizza was good – the crust was chewy and tender. The sauce was very good. It was spicy and hovering in the sauce were pieces of shaved garlic. Delicious … I love shaved garlic in red sauce.

The standout in this dish was unquestionably the red onion. Surprising! I always order red onion on my pizza and normally the flavor is “cooked down.” This time the red onion held its flavor and essence with each bite. This pizza reminded me of what red onion should taste like on a pizza.

The “house made” mozzarella was good, although a little sparse. It was almost as if all of the toppings had pooled to the middle of pizza, away from the yummy, dense crust.

Overall, this pizza was very good.

Back to the art of wood fired pizza … the past couple pizzas I’ve had cooked in this culinary method have been crisp, dry at the crust and wet & soggy with a pool of soupy sauce in the middle.

Next visit: Calamari Fritti & Funghi Pizza

Cranberries

2009-11-27T16:39:00.001-08:00

Wondering what to do with all that extra cranberry sauce …

If you are feeling a little guilty about yesterday, this is the muffin recipe for you; it’s low-fat.

Fresh, whole cranberries (as many as you want)
Cranberry sauce
1 ½ c flour
1 tbl spoon baking powder
½ c whole-wheat flour
½ c oatmeal
½ c white sugar
½ c applesauce
1 egg
¾ c milk
2 tbl spoons of oil

Mix the dry ingredients
Toss the whole cranberries in the dry ingredients
Mix the egg, milk, sugar, oil and cranberry sauce

Pour the wet into the dry, and stir until just blended.
Divide into 12 muffin cups (muffin pan)
Sprinkle each muffin top with sugar
Bake at 400 for 15 – 18 minutes

2009-11-27T10:50:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving was delicious!

I am still full and weigh a solid pound more today than I did yesterday.

Here’s what made it from the oven (s) to the table:

Dinner:

§ Roasted Turkey
§ Traditional Sourdough Stuffing
§ Gravy
§ Parker house Rolls
§ Homemade cranberry sauce
§ Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic
§ Brown Sugar & Buttered Sweet Potatoes Mashed
§ Spinach Gratin with Gruyere Cheese
§ Pan roasted balsamic baby pearl onions

Wine:

2003 Goldeneye Pinot (Anderson Valley)
2007 La Crema Chardonnay

Dessert:

Pumpkin pie & whipped cream

My favorite item on the menu this year was the balsamic baby pearls.

Here’s the recipe:

Peal a pound of baby pearl onions (I used tri-color: red, white, yellow)

In a large sauté pan on med low heat add:

Baby pearls
3 tbl butter
2 tbl honey
1 tbl kosher salt
1 c water

Let onions cook down until they are soft and brown – ½ hour

Add 2 tbl spoons balsamic vinegar – continue to cook for ½ hour until caramelized to perfection.

This dish, albeit small, is a powerhouse. You don’t need many of these babies on your plate. They really add another dimension of delicious delight with every bite.

This would work well with any meat dish and I am sure it will become a regular dish, in my kitchen, throughout the year.

2009-11-24T21:05:00.000-08:00

Fresh, real cranberry sauce

12 oz whole, fresh cranberries
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 cup of water
1 lemon
1 orange

Cook on med-low until the berries start to pop
Take off the heat, zest a lemon and orange & add the juice into the cranberries

Let cool, refrigerate

One task down, 100 to go.

Adopt Someone

2009-11-23T20:11:00.001-08:00

My good friend, who also happens to be my business partner & neighbor, is breaking me into the mortgage business. We are about to mark the end of our fourth month of partnership.

She’s busting my chops regularly with constant market updates, mortgage calculations, rate pricing, underwriting guidelines, ambush product quizzes in the little girls’ room, mobile marketing, appraisal deal killers …

It’s like mortgage boot camp and trust me when I tell you that you’ve never experienced the drill sergeant from Newport Beach that I deal with hourly.

We even have walkie-talkies for the office, which we use pretty regularly. She seriously has a beat on me every hour of the day.

She takes her job very seriously, and she’s very ethical. I have no doubt we are going to kill this business ... in a great way.

There’s something else she’s been taking really serious over the years, which I’ve finally had the opportunity to be a part of on a much deeper level this year: charity.

Last week we attended an event at Century 21 in Cloverdale sponsored by the realtors. The ladies in this office do so much for their local community: a turkey drive for needy families, a coat / gift drive for children for Christmas, and a man auction to raise money for cancer in the spring.

Over the years I have always supported Jennifer as she's built her professional relationships, buying toys for tots and attending events, but this year is different. I have become a part of the fabric that connects her to the community in which she’s been building relationships and doing business with before I arrived in the partnership.

I also see an office full of people who still, in the toughest of economies and most uncertain of times, find a way to collect turkeys, coats, toys, and money for cancer when many people are cutting out extras because they simply must.

As I reflect on all I have to be thankful this year, my husband’s health and my child, I know there are so many people who are having a really rough time this year, right now.

I also know, because I have seen it first hand, that each one of us can make a difference, no matter how small. A few donated cans of food, in Jennifer’s case over 100 pounds of donated turkey, or a coat for a child who otherwise would go without.

When it comes down to it, in good times and tough times, all we have is each other and without each other we have nothing.

To swine flu or not too …

2009-11-23T16:07:00.000-08:00

The cries can be heard across Sonoma County: the supply of h1n1 vaccine, otherwise known as the swine flu vaccine, is running low or in the case of some medical care providers, it is out.

That’s right folks some of us less fortunate people are going to have to brave 2009 flu season without a vaccine in, perhaps, the most talked about flu season since the plague.

Is it the media? Is it reality? Are hospitals in Sonoma County, hospitals all over the US for that matter, accurately releasing true facts and figures as to the number of patients admitted for swine flu?

Is there a cover-up … are more people effected by this crazy strand of pandemic virus than we know?

I don’t know. But here are my facts as they relate to my people:

o I did vaccinate my daughter. She’s five and lives in a world full of vicious germlets.

o I got her on the “list” early (this feels reminiscent of preschool posturing.)

o I treated the flu clinic like Black Friday following turkey day. I was there the moment they opened the doors to the clinic, with my daughter and my friend’s son in tow, to make sure they both received the mist of vaccine before the clinic ran out.

(The clinic did run out, btw.)

I wasn’t really thinking about myself, just the children.

Then my friend, with said son above, got the vaccine, in Sonoma County. I have to admit that I did feel a pang of jealously akin to being left behind like a chubby redheaded checker in 4th grade recess with no friends to play with.

Then, 24 hours later, my friend got really sick, super, stay at home, hand the children off to the husband and starve yourself to sleep, by yourself, in your isolated sick room sick.

The flu vaccine, culpable for her illness or not, was looking less desirable.

I got my seasonal, gold standard, flu shot at the end of October and here’s what I am doing to stay well:

o Using lots of hand sanitizer

o Staying out of super crowded venues. You will not find me shopping on black Friday this year

o Gargling with salt water at night (tip from a doctor friend) and swiping sinuses

o Getting my full eight hours or more of beauty sleep every night

o Keep my abode really clean – which is habit anyway – but I am running bleach wipes over door handles once a week

o Taking a daily vitamin and vitamin C supplement

And … when I board my flight to Michigan this holiday season with my daughter X and Hubby Y in tow, I will have disposable masks handy just in case the person behind me is coughing and sneezing.

If the shot does become available for me, after the all the children, elderly and already chronically sick people are taken care of (no guilt said friend who got the shot and doesn’t fit that criteria), you will find me in line to get my prick, too.

Santi: A mouthful of Mussels

2009-11-22T17:25:00.000-08:00

Restaurant: Santi

Location: Geyserville, CA

Last night I took my husband to Santi, a restaurant that we have frequented since it opened it doors, in the small ghostlike town of Geyserville.

This town is a gem, wedged between Healdsburg and Cloverdale, and about one block long.

You can take the long road back to Healdsburg (Hwy 128) and it is the sweetest drive dotted with old country homes, Victorians and cottages and a bridge that brings you back across the valley in to Healdsburg.

Geyserville is what brought us to Santi in the first place. It was a perfect excuse to visit this tiny town after hours. (After house in wine country = after 4pm when all the tasting rooms close down.)

We fell in love, hard and fast, with Santi. It was undiscovered, local and hidden.

Last night we were excited to revisit one of our old familiars; it’s been over a year since our last visit with our sudden departure back to San Francisco.

I’m sad to say that while we've been away some things have changed about a place we’ve loved so much from its inception.

We were well received at reception and taken right to our table.

A few small things revealed themselves right away - my missing bread plate, the candle in the center of our table that lost its flame only to regain it towards the end of a bittersweet meal.

Service is one of the standards that set Santi aside for so long.

We ordered wine and Cozze Marinara – steamed mussels, tomato, oregano, garlic, white wine and a (yes, singular) crostini drenched in olive oil.

Have you even had a mouthful of mussels?

Upon first bite the oregano came into focus, immediately. It was overpowering and inappropriate.

The size of the mussels sent my husband off on an inappropriate rant about topic I will not regress into out of respect for my fellow female comrades.

The sauce left much to be desired, what that was to desire I don’t know because there was only ONE crostini.

Who serves a bowl of mussels with one crostini?

Dipping crostini in steamed mussel sauce is like a cigarette after sex, if you smoke – I don’t and frankly smoking disgusts me but I get the nuance and feel that it’s most appropriate in this context.

You and your date devour a delish pot of sinuous mussels and then dredge crusty crostini back through the sauce revisiting the slow creep of melding flavors.

Unfortunately, we were unable to have this experience last night. But, those big, fleshy mussels that looked like they’d been raised on steroids in a bucket back in the kitchen were delicious.

Perhaps the one crostini, sitting precariously on the edge of the bowl like an afterthought, was a blessing in disguise because I was not in love with the combination of flavors melding beneath my mussels.

From the “antipasti” assortments we ordered two salads – we weren’t playing. Santi used to make the most incredible Caesar salad. I distinctly remember suffering through dinner at Santi in 2004, 8 months pregnant, and unable to eat this Caesar due to the raw egg.

It was not on the menu, so we ordered two salads: Insalata di Mele – greens, apple, medjool dates, Gorgonzola, sherry shallot vinaigrette and Insalata di Funghi: local, roasted wind mushrooms, prosciutto, radicchio, frisee and an J&O egg.

The di Mele was delicious – the Gorgonzola and vinaigrette were wonderful in symphony. Everything included in this salad was just enough.

The di Funghi, clearly the more glamorous looking of the two, left so much to be desired I am still mad that I wasted my precious taste buds, calorie budget and gastric span on such a pile of tasteless morsels.

That said, the presentation was impressive.

On top of a stack of radicchio and frisee sat a pyle of mushrooms, crowned with a fried egg. The mushrooms were tough and cold and they were not woody, as one would expect. Chewing through this salad felt like a marathon effort.

The dressing was boring; I kept stealing Gorgonzola from the di mele to flavor each bite.

The egg was cold, just like its friends the mushrooms.

For dinner we ordered the Galletto sotto Mattone con Zucca and Tagliatelle con Funghi Selvatica.

The first “secondi” the Galletto sotto Mattone con Zucca – known at my house as chicken under a brick wrapped in foil – was wonderful. It always has been, as we’ve ordered this on almost every visit. The chicken was cooked to perfection, crispy skin, delish. Perfect. Don’t mess with perfection.

The problem was the squash puree pooling underneath the crisp, golden chicken.

Why are you serving this perfect specimen of culinary excellence on squash puree that belongs in a soup bowl or a nursing home cafeteria? Whatever happened to potatoes? That’s how it used to be back in the day.

Moving on, the shaved Brussels sprouts with crispy pancetta was wonderful. It was almost akin to a Brussels sprout hash, seasoned perfectly – wonderful, almost competing with the star, the chicken.

The Tagliatelle con Funghi Selvatica was essentially house made pasta, wild mushrooms (yes, it was like a curse – I thought I was screwed as I sat and ate the salad anticipating the pasta) herbs and parmigiano.

The house made pasta was ok. I’ve had better at Big Johns.

I think it was a little too al denti – and I like my pasta firm.

The sauce was ok – it was buttery but not white but with a nice consistency. The mushrooms were MUCH better in the pasta because they were warm as opposed to roasted and then left out in the cold to fend for themselves under an even colder egg – I digress, I am still upset about the salad.

I requested salt, two bites in, from the kitchen and was presented with a black Hawaiian salt and sea salt. This helped but it was still sad and not as satisfying as I had hoped.

Again, I found myself stealing from my husband’s plate (the crispy pancetta this time) to add that little bit, little bite of complexity, that I so wanted to experience in my dish.

And that, my friends, sums up my experience at Santi last night – it was off; that little bit of extra that makes a dish a home run, an experience, a mouthful of pure pleasure, was out of reach.

I won’t go into coffee and dessert – they were both ok.

The best part of the meal was the company.

All this said, I would try again, sometime in the future.

Feast

2009-11-22T14:09:00.000-08:00

Suddenly, I am hosting Thanksgiving. Not that I mind … just the opposite if fact, I like a full house.

The more the merrier as long as said company is happy, and thankful, and festive. That’s the only rule at my abode during the holidays and especially on Thanksgiving, which is especially special in our home since we have so much to be thankful for: be in the holiday spirit.

That said, here’s the planned menu: (everything is homemade, nothing from a can or a box except for the chicken stock)

Dinner:
§ Roasted Turkey (made in a special roasting pan from the 1950’s that makes this turkey so moist it is literally falling off the bone.)
§ Traditional Sourdough Stuffing, both in the turkey & on the side
§ Gravy, and lots of it
§ Parkerhouse Rolls
§ Homemade cranberry sauce
§ Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic
§ Brown Sugar & Buttered Sweet Potatoes Mashed
§ Spinach Gratin with Gruyere Cheese (I make this every year and it’s so good)
§ Roasted Brussels with salt (olive oil, salt & pepper and Brussels)
§ Pan roasted balsamic baby pearl onions

Dessert:

The usual suspects: Pumpkin Pie, traditional served with lots of whipped cream.

If I can find the time, I am going to make a pumpkin roll, which is pumpkin cake with fresh whipped cream and toffee, sliced with powdered sugar. So yummy.

Inspiration: Ina Garten, otherwise known as the Barefoot Contessa: Read Full Bio.
She is my modern day kitchen inspiration for the holidays and my day-to-day go to.

Plan of Execution:

Tuesday November 24:
Assemble grocery lists and Recipes
Complete grocery shopping
Cranberry Sauce – done
Peel baby pearls

Wednesday November 25: (Hubbie (X) birthday! (Also, 3 year of remission from cancer, like I said we have a lot to be thankful for & that’s why this is so special!)
Make Pumpkin Roll
Make Spinach Gratin (don’t bake off, just assemble & store in fridge)
Make Mirepoix for stuffing (celery, carrots, onion)
Peel & Dice sweet potatoes
Clean and chop Brussels Sprouts
Clean my house
Set dinner table

Thursday, November 26:
Make the rest of the meal.
Celebrate with friends and family!

Palate Adjustment

2009-11-19T20:45:00.000-08:00

One of the consequences of leaving the City is leaving behind the amazing variety of cuisine.

Variety is the spice of life and sometimes when you leave one thing in search of something more meaningful, there are consequences.

The things one takes for granted when living urban become painfully obvious once out of reach.

Take dim sum for example. Most days around 11: 45am I’d rush from my office on 2nd & New Montgomery to grab dim sum at this chop shop deli / Chinese buffet. You had to get there early, otherwise you’d miss out.

There is no dim sum where I live now; however, it’s easy to find mounds of fried chicken swimming in a sea of catsup masquerading as sweet and sour.

I could go on and I will in another post where I will list my top 20 City stops. But for now lets get back to options north. I need to reconnect and find my Sonoma Top 20.

I am going to be visiting lots of places in Healdsburg, Geyserville, Santa Rosa and other North Bay destinations in the coming months.

My plan is to retune my taste buds and awaken my palate to enjoy what Sonoma County’s bounty has to offer.

No more crock pots people.

So that brings me to Costeaux French Bakery Cafe off the Healdsburg Plaza.

My first experiences at Costeaux, albeit in the early past of 2001, were not impressive. In fact, when my girls Jennifer and Sarah suggested it last weekend I was not super excited but I was hungry.

The first thing I noticed was the ambience. Costeaux’s restaurant has amazing natural light. We were seated, the gal waiting our table was nice, the café was busy. Lots of ladies lunching, us included.

We all ordered French Onion Soup and the Fromage Board to share, which included a variety of French cheeses – Port Salut, St. Andre, Roquefort, Gruyere. Also, front and center dried fruit, grapes, panforte (a dense cake of fruit and nuts), caramelized nuts and baguette.

This starter, while totally predictable in both a French café and the California Wine Country, was actually perfect. The cheese was delicious, served at the perfect temperature, the Roquefort holding its own as the best on the board. The caramelized walnuts were just right, crusty and sweet on the surface, soft to the bite. They were also the right size. Just enough. It seems like too often, nuts served as a companion to chesse are either a little too big or too small. Nut size is important and these nuts were just right.

What impressed me the most; however, and how boring, was the baguette. The simple French baguette was very tasty. This, perhaps, is the ultimate testament to Costeaux. It was crusty but not rough or chewy. The inside was soft, almost moist and dense - a perfect, tasty addition to the cheese.

2009-11-18T20:47:00.000-08:00

The perils of modern motherhood & the crock-pot caper.

Ok, so moving to Healdsburg, job and all, has shaved an hour or more off my usual morning commute. No longer do I roll to work on the 5 Fulton Muni bus with some of San Francisco’s finest.

Instead, I ride in the comfort of my own car, with my own music, without Muni’s infamous background noises, smells, or talented performers. I am totally on autopilot, by myself. After relying on public transportation for so long, my car is akin to a shrine. The luxury of driving to work in a car is paradise.

Some mornings I don’t even remember driving to work. It’s great… as long as you’re not the one driving parallel to me on the 101.

One would think that with all this extra time I’d be able to balance things a little better at home.

It seems that just the opposite is the case. I often find myself wondering how working moms with more than one kid and a job survive?

Anyway, in preparation for my busy day today I made a crock-pot last night: cuban black bean and turkey soup – a recipe from Sunset Magazine. I turned in on at 8am and after clocking my 8 at the office, I rushed back onto the 101 to meet my hubbie at school for teacher’s conferences. My little one is in kindergarten. After reviews ( I still can't believe I have a real, live child who attends kindergarten, by the way) we rushed to gymnastics, 25 minutes late.

By the time I got home, after 7pm, we were all starving. The house smelled good, then I lifted the lid of my crock-pot only to discover dinner that looked like a mid-evil mess fit for the Flintstones.

Really, I am a great cook. Never trust a crock pot.

2009-11-17T20:16:00.000-08:00

Closing time for the Healdsburg Farmers Market …

I joined my friends Jennifer and Sarah this past Saturday for a trip to the Healdsburg Farmer’s market. After a long week at the office logging hours and energy, I need a break from the mundane and the Farmer’s Market always feels like the perfect transition into the weekend.

It amazes me when I visit the Healdsburg Square these days how limited parking is. It seems like not so long ago parking was plentiful. These days it’s like trying squeeze in to a spot on Fillmore Street in San Francisco.

I guess this is what happens as one ages … time flies by at lightning speed and the years start to feel like passing days. I guess parking has been tight for a while now, a few years. Anyway, I digress … the Farmer’s Market.

Our farmers market is really full of farmers and their trucks and their fresh, seasonal, and sustainably grown produce from farms mostly within a few miles of the Plaza. Walking the few isles, one can find fresh flowers, honey, different varieties of cheese and olive oil, meats, sausages, breads, fresh eggs, chocolates, pastries and of course, fruits and veggies.

I have to say this past visit revealed that the seasons are changing and that the market is winding down as old father winter descends upon us.

Perhaps this is how a Californian marks a season change … no snow or ice storms. No chains for the car or winter screens for the windows. Instead, our farmers go home, our roses are pruned back and our Farmer’s Markets close down.

That said Sarah was able to find her dinner staples … yes, we were really there to purchase food to prepare a meal.

Well, Sarah was anyway.

Jennifer and I were more into the flowers.

2009-11-17T13:33:00.000-08:00

Living the Dream: Healdsburg, California.

A quant little town located in Sonoma County, California, USA. Population: 10,000+. Healdsburg is a hidden gem, not big like Napa, but special in so many ways and for more reasons than just wine.

Healdsburg is one of Northern California's wine capitals: three of Sonoma's most important wine-producing regions (the Russian River Valley, Dry Creek Valley, and the Alexander Valley) meet in Healdsburg.
Our town is anchored and centered by our historic square, the Healdsburg Square. Everyone local knows about the square – it’s the center of town. It’s a source of entertainment during the summer months (music on the square), a stage for my favorite vintage and antique fair, which is held twice a year, and a place for other events throughout the year, including the annual dog parade. Surrounding the square are a mix of special, one of a kind retail and luxury shops, antique shops, wine shops and tasting rooms, unique culinary destinations, like the popular Downtown Bakery and Creamery, the Cheese Shop, restaurants, a theater, both movie and performance, and of course, a few coffee shops.

Surrounding the square are a mix of vintage cottages, turn of the century Victorians, (turrets and all) and bed and breakfasts. Drive a little further from town, maybe less than a couple miles west and you’re well on your way to some of the valley’s premier wineries and wine estates. Drive east and you begin to climb Fitch Mountain.

When we decided to plant roots in Healdsburg in 2000, I thought Healdsburg was akin to Mayberry.

These days Healdsburg feels like Beverly Hills north of the Golden Gate with a wholesome, grounded twist.

It’s all good.

The land, the sites, the people are beautiful up here. Healdsburg is a lifestyle.