8.27.2009

LA CUCINA VIGNETO ....... SUMMER FARE

Between work and travel, I haven't been able to spend any time in blog land lately. Not much time in the kitchen either. We eat fairly light - so I can get by with putting together a plate of some wonderful Tuscan Melon, Prosciutto, Figs from my fig tree, grapes and some nice cheese and crackers. Pair it with a crisp glass of wine and we are good to go.
Dessert might be one of these Tortas de Aceite from Spain. Does anyone have a recipe (Lala maybe) for these? They are made with olive oil and anise.
Last night I made a salad that is a standby for me.
Fresh Greens, Bosc Pear, Dried Cranberries, Dulce Gorgonzola, Toasted Walnuts and either grilled steak or chicken.
We like to have a cheese course for dessert more often than not. Le Délice De Bourgongne triple créme from France, figs drizzled with local honey, french bread, paired with a Sauternes.
Here's to sweet summertime .................................................
Cheers!
Ry

Photography By: Ryannan Bryer de Hickman
Sotto Il Monte Vineyards

8.17.2009

TRAVELING SHOES .... ALAMOS, MEXICO

Set back into the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains, among the Tropical Deciduous Forest, you will find one of the most pristine Spanish Colonial Villages in all of Mexico. Alamos is over three hundred and seventy years old . The colonial mansions were built by prospering silver barons as it was once a mining town. - These days it is a lovely and perfectly preserved retreat for those who are fortunate enough to live there.
It's a place that always draws us back - I've lost count of how many times we have been.
Sometimes we go alone. Twice we have taken Jasmine. One year our friends Michael and Diane joined us there.................................
They arrived in the evening and tracked us down at the cantina in the Hotel Casa De Los Tersoro. (below)
Vines and flowers cover the walls that surround the courtyards........................


We have stayed at a few different hotels and B&B's. Our favorite is Solipaso, owned by the McKay's.
They rent out three rooms and have a casita that we are particularly fond of.
Operated by David and Jen McKay it has a small cafe on the premises. David and Jen also give Eco tours and have a retreat a few miles out of town called - El Pedregal Nature Lodge and Retreat Center.
You can usually find Jim in the courtyard of the Casita catching up on his reading.
The Casita and courtyard are so beautiful - sometimes it's hard to leave.
The main house - Solipaso - used to be the armory where all of the silver was kept and guarded.
The three rooms in the main house have private bathrooms and open out onto the courtyard.

Michael and Jim try their hand at bargaining with a street vendor............


You know I love it when Diane is along on a trip - she is very photogenic and has a fantastic collection of vintage clothes which she wears beautifully - usually with her cowboy boots or sometimes, high top sneakers.

Alamos is a great place to go when you truly want to get away from it all. Serene and quiet during the day and more active in the evenings when people come out from behind the walls of these colonial casas to socialize. The plaza comes alive with music and food vendors. Music is quite important to the village of Alamos and festivals are held throughout the year. Jim and Jasmine had a great time one evening following the "La Estudiantina" procession. Students dressed in the clothing of Spain of the 11th to 13th centuries join to sing and play instruments while leading processions through the winding cobblestone streets. Much to my regret, I don't have a photo of the procession. I stayed in that evening. Maybe next time........................................


Michael and Diane in front of La Puerta Roja Inn owned and operated by Teri Arnold. A wonderful B&B not far from the main plaza.
IF YOU GO: Alamos is off the beaten path. We usually drive down through Tucson, Arizona, south through the border town of Nogales and then wind our way down along the coastline of the Sea of Cortez to Navojoa. Alamos is 35 miles east of Navojoa. Michael and Diane flew down to Guymas, rented a car and drove the rest of the way to Alamos. After spending several days in Alamos - we usually head further south to Mazatlan for a little beach time.
WHERE TO STAY: I would recommend any of the three places listed above and also:

Photography By: Ryannan Bryer de Hickman
Sotto Il Monte Vineyards

8.08.2009

APPLE - MELA - POMME - MANZANA

The apple orchard near our country house is ready for harvest. I usually find myself with more apples than I know what to do with. I can't resist buying local fruit in season.
I associate apples with cooler temps and the coming of Fall. Butternut Squash and Apple soup, etc. The temperatures here in the south are still in the 90's to 100's. In order to take advantage of the fresh apples, I've pulled out a couple of recipes that are appealing even in record heat.
This recipe for: Striped Bass with Garlic Granny-Smith Mashed Potatoes is from the restaurant:
Fuego at La Posada - Santa Fe, New Mexico

For each serving:
2 (3 ounce) portions striped bass
3 ounces Garlic-Granny Smith Mashed Potatoes
2 ounces roasted fennel
1 ounce nicoise olives
1 ounce fresh tomatoes, peeled and seeded
4 ounces fish stock
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar

Sauté fish, skin side down, until the skin is crispy and the fish is cooked through. place a hot portion of garlic-Granny Smith Potatoes on plate and top with fish. Place fennel, olives, tomatoes, fish stock and butter in pan in which fish was cooked. Simmer until sauce is thick and pour over fish.

Garlic-Granny Smith Mashed Potatoes
Serves 4

12 potatoes, well scrubbed
3 cups heavy cream
3 heads garlic, cut in half
1/4 pound unsalted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup Granny Smith apples, diced fine

Boil potatoes in salted water until soft. In saucepan, combine cream, garlic and butter. Reduce until thick - a little less than half. Remove garlic. Put cooked potatoes through a food mill into a mixing bowl. Add as much cream mixture as needed to reach desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in Granny Smith Apples.


Another recipe that I love is the Apple Crostata from Barefoot Contessa
Apple Crostata

Pastry (2 tarts)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated or superfine sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 pound very cold unsalted butter, diced


Filling (1 Tart)

11/2 pounds McIntosh, Macon, or Empire apples
1/4 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated or superfine sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (1/2 stick), diced

For the pastry, place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and toss quickly with your fingers to coat each cube of butter with the flour. Pulse 12 to 15 times, or until the butter is the size of peas. with the motor running, add the 1/4 cup ice water all at once through the feed tube. Keep hitting the pulse button to combine, but stop the machine just before the dough comes together. turn the dough out onto a well-floured board and form into 2 disks. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate one of the disks for at least an hour. Freeze the rest of the pastry.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees

Roll the pastry into an 11 inch circle on a lightly floured surface.
Transfer it to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

For the filling, peel, core, and quarter the apples. cut each quarter into 3 chunks. toss the chunks with the orange zest. Cover the tart dough with the apple chunks, leaving a 1 12/ inch border.

Combine the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and allspice in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Pour into a bowl and rub it with your fingers until it starts holding together. Sprinkle evenly on the apples. Gently fold the border over the apples, pleating it to make a circle.

Bake the crostata for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the apples are tender. Let the tart cool for 5 minutes, then use 2 large spatulas to transfer it to a wire rack.

Photography By: Ryannan Bryer de Hickman
Sotto Il Monte Vineyards

8.02.2009

A TYPICAL SATURDAY

A typical Saturday - when we are not at the beach - consists of visiting some of our favorite spots in Houston. Starting with the Farmers Market. It is pretty small - not nearly the size of the Farmers Market that we were used to in Santa Barbara - but it has everything we need.
Fresh flowers..................................................................Grass fed beef, fresh seafood from the Gulf of Mexico, tasty Indian food.......................................................
Freshly baked breads...............................................
Locally grown fruits and vegetables..........................................After that, we went a few short blocks over to Chateau Dominque to look for inspiration for the casa...........................................

Plenty to be found here..............................................
I would love both of these tall, marble topped tables .... great for rolling out pastry....
And this one too.............................................................
Still looking for the perfect front doors for the casa - they have plenty to choose from.............
I'll take this set of Limoges............................(Wishful thinking)


Jim was interested in this pair of Olive Oil pots ..... He was decidedly less enthusiastic when I told him they were $12,000.00 for the pair.

Beautiful stone urns, columns and caps.............................................
Fireplaces of all shapes and sizes..............some so large you would need a castle......................Rich patina and detail..................................................
After spending considerable time in Chateau Dominque we went across the street and had lunch at Tiny Boxwood's Cafe.......................................
Which is connected to my favorite plant store Thompson & Hanson, so I had to take a little walk through..............................................................






Then over to Indulge - right next door. Indulge deserves a blog post all it's own - so I'll save for later.
Hope you had a beautiful weekend too...................................Cheers!
Photography By: Ryannan Bryer de Hickman
Sotto Il Monte Vineyards