Thursday, May 5, 2011

Browse Gluten-Free Recipes Visually

New Blogger Flipboard interface makes browsing gluten-free recipes a visual treat
Browse Gluten-Free Goddess recipes visually.

Today's post will be short and sweet. A gentle nudge to try the new Snapshot browsing view for Gluten-Free Goddess, linked in the left sidebar. Have you tried it yet? I love it. Here's the low down.

Continue reading

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

Here's a collection of video recipes featuring fantastic food inspired by the cuisines of Central and South America. You never forget your first love, and when it comes to ethnic food it was the foods of Mexico and points south that first captured my imagination some 28 years ago, as I began eating my way across San Francisco. I realize Cinco de Mayo is a bigger deal out here in California, but no matter where you live, I hope you give some of these festive recipes a try. Enjoy!

Mango Lassi Recipe

dooghThe Mango Lassi is a Punjabi drink made with yogurt and mango pulp that is popular throughout India and Pakistan. Lassis are made savory using ground roasted cumin and other spices or they are made sweet (like this version) using fruit and sweeteners such as sugar or honey.

Ingredients:
2 ripe mangoes
2 tbsp honey
1/2 cup milk
1 cup plain yogurt

Preparation:
  1. Peel mango, cut out the seed, and cut the mango into small pieces.
  2. Put the pieces of mango into a food processor and pulse several times.
  3. Place the remaining ingredients into the food processor and mix them together until they are well combined.
  4. Put the mixture in the freezer for about 30 minutes then serve.
Indian Flag India

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Lobster Scrambled Eggs and My Father's Favorite Dinner Table Joke

This post's original title was, " Lobster Scrambled Eggs – I Wonder What the Poor People are Having for Breakfast Today?" Of course I would have explained this socially insensitive query in this first paragraph, but I feared that casual browsers would only read the headline and think I was some kind of major d-bag.

We certainly grew up around a ton of great food, but being of fairly modest means we only enjoyed expensive luxury foods like lobster or Prime Rib once in a great while. Whenever such occasions did present themselves, my father John would always use the same joke. He'd take a bite of whatever, and say to the table with a twinkle in his eye, "I wonder what the poor people are having for dinner tonight?"

We'd all laugh, but it was a more than a simple one-liner to him. The son of immigrants in rough and tumble New York City, he grew up in less than opulent surroundings. You could tell he loved being able to afford splurging on things like lobster once in a while, and I'm sure as we ate he thought back to much leaner times.

Anyway, enough with the selfish shellfish reminiscing. When and if you find yourself in possession of some leftover lobster meat, I suggest you do what I did in this video. By the way, feel free to borrow my dad's joke, but only if you're also from modest means, otherwise it's just not funny. Enjoy!


Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
4 eggs
handful of lobster pieces, cut in large chunks, dusted with cayenne
tarragon leaves, to taste
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Later Today: Lobster Scrambled Eggs

Kentucky Derby Beer Cheese Recipe

Beer CheeseThis Saturday is Derby Day, the first stop on the road to the Triple Crown. It is a perfect excuse to get friends together for a little mid-day party just before Mother's Day. To do it right you will need to include the traditional food and drinks popular in the Bluegrass State.

Your bar should have each of the signature drinks from the Triple Crown on hand. These include the Mint Julep, the Black-eyed Susan, and the Belmont Breeze. Pair these with classic Kentucky dishes like the Hot Brown and Beer Cheese and your party will become an early May tradition.

Ingredients:
3/4 bottle of your favorite beer
1/4 large yellow onion, minced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 tspn ground black pepper
1/2 tspn Tabasco sauce
1/2 tspn Worcestershire sauce
pinch of Kosher salt
1 tspn dry mustard
16 oz. grated cheddar cheese

Recommended Equipment:
food processor
Giacomo

Preparation:
  1. Open a bottle of your favorite beer and let sit for at least 3 hours.
  2. Add all of the ingredients except the beer to a food processor and pulse until all of the ingredients are well mixed.
  3. Turn the food processor on continuously and pour the beer into the food processor.
  4. Transfer the mixture to a sealable container. Place a piece of wax paper directly on the cheese and then put lid on container.
  5. Refrigerate for 2 days.
  6. Serve with your favorite vegetables, crackers, and pretzels.
USA flag United States kentucky flag Kentucky [ print this recipe for Kentucky Derby Beer Cheese ]

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Hello from Healdsburg!

Michele and I just finished our 15th Passport to Dry Creek Valley event at the magnificent Frick Winery, and this may have been our best year yet! We are dead tired and heading out to dinner, but I wanted to share a few shots of the menu and pairings. We got so many wonderful compliments, which really makes all the hard work worthwhile. We have to give a HUGE thanks to our sous chef Elizabeth Howes, from Saffronlane.com. She was truly a delight to work with, and a pros pro.

We'll be back into San Francisco tomorrow afternoon, and things will get back to normal soon. I do have a new video right around the corner, so stay tuned. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the photos!

Green Goddess Seafood Nachos - Dungeness Crab, Shrimp and Lobster Cream Cheese on Green Avocado Chip. Paired with Grenache Blanc and Viognier.


The Classic - Cambozola Cheese on Fig Bread with Fresh Strawberries. Paired with Cinsaut Rose and Cinsaut

Sausage Skewers Deluxe - Italian Sausage Skewered with Luxardo Maraschino Cherry and Fennel Pollen. Paired with Counoise and Grenache.

"Main Line" Philly Cheesesteak - American Kobe Beef with Truffle “Cheez Wiz” and Peppadew and Jalapeno Pepper Relish. Paired with Carignane and C2 North Coast Red Rhone Blend.

Duck ala SFQ - Duck Leg Confit, SFQ Barbeque Sauce and Scallions on Chocolate Tortilla Chips, with Duck Crackling and Orange Gremolata. Paired with Syrah and Cotes Du Dry Creek.


View of the winery from the Kobe grilling station. What a gorgeous morning it was.
For more information about all the great Frick wines mentioned above, check out the winery website. Cheers!