Gabrielle-isms
As many of you know, last week I had the amazing opportunity to attend a dinner in Larkspur with the chef of my absolute favorite New York City restaurant, Prune. The chef, also a very talented writer, has just released her memoir entitled, “Blood, Bones & Butter.” I was as giddy as a schoolgirl when I looked for my place card and there I was – ah! – sitting with Gabrielle for dinner! I had such an extraordinary evening talking food and discussing restaurants and chefs like two old girlfriends. Not only did I leave with the awesome memory of dining with one of my culinary icons, but I also took home a handful of Gabrielle-isms: little rules for life, dining out and eating from Ms. Hamilton herself. Such fun, I thought I might share them with you. 1) Explore a new restaurant when and only when more than four or five different people recommend you to do so. This theory saves her regularly from mediocre meals. 2) Use good salt and use it copiously. I loved watching her pinch big finger-fuls of the coarse grained salt and sprinkle it on basically everything before taking a bite. 3) Never let the two words “guilt” and “food” exist in the same sentence. That bit of wisdom came from a discussion regarding foie gras. 4) Everything you eat should be comforting, negating the need for “comfort food.” 5) A gnarly piece of meat can be the most delicious thing you’ve eaten all month. 6) Always eat with reckless abandon and joy…no matter what the setting. Even if doing so causes the butter dish to go flying across the table.
Market strategy
I have this girlfriend. She knows who she is. Vegetables stress her out. Oh, and don’t get her started on the farmer’s market. Going there is downright terrifying. When I found this out, I just couldn’t believe my ears. Meandering among the beautifully arranged and lovingly grown products at the market is a mini vacation for my soul. Chatting with the farmers, talking ingredients and cooking preparations is nothing if it isn’t the highlight of my week. Discovering something I have never seen before? That only makes the excursion all the more delightful. This friend goes to the market and gets apples. Maybe broccoli. And not much more because she’s just too afraid to ask what something is, or for a taste or how it should be prepared. So, I decided that this just wouldn’t do. No sir! If you are one of those people who gets freaked out by a teeny head of cabbage, a funky mushroom or a fiddlehead fern, then let’s go to the Friday Farmer’s Market together! Join me on Friday, April 1, as we explore the market together. I will explain to you those things which with you’re not familiar, introduce you to the farmers and offer advice for the simplest and most delicious ways to prepare them. I’ll even bring some printed recipes for the items we find for you to take home! Please email me at kristinviguerie@mac.com or call 939.9065 to let me know you’ll be joining me.
Slab of Happiness
All bacon is not created equal. Of course, you have your applewood-smoked, your brown sugar glazed, your cheap and then your hoity-toity. Your all-natural, nitrate-free, heirloom pig fed on acorns brands, and then…you have the slab. Slab bacon is taken from the side or the delicious belly of a hog, the best part! It’s smoked like regular bacon, but left whole, in one chunk. The skin is left on, which is removed before using and hopefully made into crispy cracklings! Yikes y’all, that was the Southerner in me, who just slipped out. Wonderfully, it’s less expensive than sliced bacon. So you can eat more of it. I just adore cutting slab bacon into big, beautiful cubes, sautéing till crispy, and tossing into salads, for garnishing soups or even – yum! – serving as nibbles with cocktails. The French love them and call them lardons and you know the French know something good when they see it. I always have one on-hand that I’ve picked up in the meat department of Sonoma Market. I cut it into thirds and keep them in the freezer for those times when I’m in need of a little slab of happiness.
On the menu
There is no better time than now to begin preparing your garden for this year and if you’d like help, sign up for Quarter Acre Farm’s “Start Your Edible Garden Now!” workshop on Saturday, March 19, with local farmer, Andrea Davis. The hands-on workshop will teach you how t0o make simple garden beds, how best to use your space, what and when to plant, how to start seeds and how to maintain your garden for the most delicious results. Each participant will go home with a garden plan and a few vegetable starts. Bring seeds to swap, if desired, and the measurements of your potential space. Beginning at 9:30 a.m. at Junipero & Co. on the Plaza at 115 East Napa Street. $15 per person, light snacks will be served. Call 939.9065 to reserve your space.
• “Savor Sonoma Valley” is this weekend! In it’s twenty-first year, the wonderful, two-day event is organized by the Heart of Sonoma Valley Association and is a truly special weekend of delicious foods paired with the amazing variety of wines produced in our Valley. Meet winemakers, mingle with wine lovers in caves and on crush pads, peruse art from local artists while listening to live music, while touring wineries and vineyards. Admission is $55 per person, in advance, for a Weekend Pass, which includes a souvenir wine glass and access to event tastings at all participating wineries. Tickets and detailed information may be obtained online at heartofsonomavalley.com or by calling 866.794.9463.
• In celebration of Girlfriends Getaway Month, Estate, Protocol Professionals and Cline Cellars are teaming up next Saturday, March 26, for an informative seminar entitled, “Secrets of a Savvy Hostess.” The seminar will be lead by Joyce Millet of Cultural Savvy, while Estate Chef John Toulze will be preparing tasty nibbles and a three-course lunch, all paired with Cline wines. The cost for this fun and educational event is $150 per person, inclusive of lunch, wine, the seminar, festive prizes and Protocol Professionals “little black protocol book.” Make your reservations at protocolprofessionals.com by March 18.
• Get into the swing of spring with Sonoma Garden Park’s “Spring Garden Bouquet Workshop” with accomplished local floral designer, Tasha Drengson. On Saturday, April 2 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., you’ll work with Tasha as she demonstrates how to create a gorgeous arrangement with local and natural materials, and then you will get to take home your bouquet. Natasha’s work can be viewed at natashadesigns.com. The workshop is $25 for non-members and all proceeds benefit the Sonoma Ecology Center. For more information or to register contact Sandi Funke before April 1 at 996.0712 ext. 110.
• The “14th Annual Sonoma International Film Festival” is quickly approaching and promises to be a lively celebration of film, food and wine. Word is that festival representatives are working hard to highlight local restaurants, food businesses, breweries and wineries this year in the swanky Backlot Tent, a Beer Garden and a street food festival in the Plaza horseshoe. The Festival is the weekend of April 6-10 and tickets are now on sale. They can be purchased by calling 933.2600 or by visiting sonomafilmfest.org.
Foodie find of the week
It’s the little things in life. This, I’ve realized, is the path to true contentment. Grandma’s berry jam on your English muffin, good salt, thick Greek yogurt or just a little bite of dark chocolate. I suppose you’ve guessed that the little things in my life that leave me happiest, tend to have something to do with food. That’s why when I randomly chose a hand soap while shopping at Target recently, I had no idea that it would soon become one of those little, happy things in my life. The Caldrea line of all-natural soaps and cleaning products have the most heavenly scents that could easily have been procured from the kitchen. Tangerine blossoms, saffron, white thyme, bitter orange oil, cardamon & sea salt. Each time I wash my hands I love to just take a moment and inhale, mmmm. Find Caldrea products here in Sonoma at the Corner Store, 498 First Street East or at the Sign of the Bear, 435 First Street West.
Frisée Salad with Lardons and Poached Eggs
Serves 4
1/2 pound frisée (French curly endive) washed and spun dry
6 ounces slab bacon
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
4 large poached eggs, yolk preferably runny
2 tablespoons diced shallot
3 tablespoons best quality red wine vinegar
Tear frisée into bite-size pieces and put in a large bowl. Cut slab bacon lengthwise into 1/4 inch cubes (lardons). In a heavy skillet cook bacon over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden. Add shallot and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add red wine vinegar and boil 5 seconds. Immediately pour hot dressing over frisée and toss with good salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Divide salad among 4 plates and top with warm poached eggs. Season eggs with salt and pepper and serve salad immediately.
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