A Beach Home Companion | Food Photography, Recipes and Travels

California Central Coast and Hearst Castle Vacation

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah ) — Sat, 30 Nov 2019 18:36:00 +0000

There is really nothing like spring in California (and by spring I mean February and March, cuz California is wonderful like that). The hills are beautiful, alive with wildflowers, lush with the hope of a new season. Even the ocean is more verdant if that's possible.
So it was great timing when a work trip took Anson and me to one of my favorite places in the world during spring--California Central Coast and Paso Robles.
Paso Robles is about halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, or halfway between Monterey and Santa Barbara. If you ever find yourself remotely within driving distance of this region, you will never regret taking the time to visit.

Over the last 15 years Paso Robles has gained respect as a wine producing region unto it's own, not just a grape- and cattle-growing town. So jump on Hwy 1 from the north or the south and take in the car-commercial views, one vista more beautiful than the next.

You would also want to book tickets for Hearst Castle, which has long been on my bucket list. (If you're not familiar with the legacy of William Randolph Hearst, it's worth it to read the Wikipedia article on him and his estate, also known as San Simeon.)

So we bought the tickets and took a long bus ride from the visitor's center to the castle at the top of the hill. It's worth it just for the view, and you can see why Hearst's guests made the long trek to what was, at the time, a very remote locale.

You will not be surprised that from the tours offered I chose the "Cottages and Kitchens" tour, which was immensely fascinating. Without giving away the whole tour, the kitchen is set up as if it's in use in the 1930s and 1940s. This is just one small section of the full commercial kitchen.

No expense was spared in the almost 30 years it took to finish the estate, which is evident in the details and amenities at the property.

When you've had your fill of seeing how the other half live, head east on Highway 46 towards Paso Robles. This, and I am not exaggerating, might be the most beautiful drive of your life. Just see for yourself in these photos. Off in the distance, you can see Morro Bay.

Spring wildflowers blanket the slopes.

The coastal hills are upholstered in a lush, velvet green.

California Poppies...well, they are just happiness in the form of a flower.

And when you've gone far enough, the wild flowers will make way for grapes and you'll unexpectedly turn off at a tasting room to sample some really fun red wines, which is only one of the great parts of visiting Paso Robles.

Hopefully you'll take a wrong turn on purpose and find yourself driving through one more paso robles before the sun sets. That would be a perfect way to get lost in Paso Robles.

Honeymoon in Italy: Lucca and Boveglio

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah ) — Sun, 10 Apr 2016 23:46:00 +0000

Though we could have stayed another month, our week in Florence was up and it was time to pick up our Fiat Panda and hit the road. We were headed for the Lucca area, about an hour west of Florence, and the house we rented in the little town of Boveglio, in the ominous mountains north of Lucca.

The mountains being ominous, our little Casa Pietra (Stone House) was anything but. This cozy little casa vacanza was on the bottom floor of a 3-level house, carved into the side of the mountain.

To find it, we wound our way waaaaay up to the top of the mountain through miles of hairpin turns, parked our car, and then wound our way down a series of switch back steps and walkways. We called out to our host, Luca, and heard his voice answer from somewhere off in the trees. We were home.

And what a home it was! We couldn't believe our luck finding a house straight out of a fairy tale.

This was our kitchen, living room, and dining room.

The kitchen itself, a true mix of rustic and modern.

Cooking dinner our first night--pasta, of course!

The expansive view out the kitchen window, with a church down below that Anson swears must be haunted.

When we arrived, I walked in to find a table full of birthday cards from my friends and family, and a bottle of wine waiting on the table. Wait, what?

We scheduled our trip to coincide with my 40th (!) birthday, and my very excellent mother-in-law organized a card brigade for me, which our hosts received and set up for our arrival. The thoughtfulness and effort was so moving. I am so lucky.

As if the kitchen wasn't enough, we had our own private hot tub at the other end of the long house.

Did I mention the spa room with the sauna?

Our first full day we woke up to punishing rain, so we set our sights on driving northwest to a brewery, Birrificio La Petrognola, that makes beer out of farro, a widely used grain in the area.

It was a bit of a pain, and when we finally got to the brewery, we discovered we couldn't actually buy or taste beer there. We were directed to the little town of Petrognola up the hill where we could buy the beer at a small market.

I'm not sure it was worth the journey, but we loved the beer, and I got this great shot of a little Ape under a flower canopy.

On our second morning, we decided to take a tour of this inscrutable town we were staying in, which only has a few photos on Google Images. It's an old town obviously, and there was a in-depth book on it's history in the house, but since it was in Italian I didn't get very far.

I'm certain Boveglio is much cheerier in the summer, when, I assume, there are more inhabitants. We saw a few people and evidence of life around (mostly cats), but I'm guessing that Boveglio is where you might go in the summer to get out of the heat of the city.

Though most of the town was nicely kept, quite a few buildings were abandoned. I guess the 'kids these days' don't want to live at the top of a lonely mountain.

But now it was time to go explore the rest of the Lucca area. That long winding mountain road to the house led us through miles of paper manufacturing plants, some old, some new.

Back at the foot of our mountain, we headed to Monte Carlo to visit a winery (surprise!)...

...and check out the old hilltop town. It was pretty similar to most of the medieval hilltop towns we've seen--charming, old, heavy with history. Also mostly closed, like every small historic town we went to on this trip.

So, the benefit of traveling in October (lower prices, less crowded, cooler weather) also meant that the tourist towns had pretty much wrapped it up for the season. We did, however, find a friendly restaurant for a good meal, and had lunch with the locals.

Our fruitless search for another nearby winery brought us to the famous walled city of Lucca, so we figured we might as well make the most of the break in the rain to check it out.

The 36-foot-high walls have done their job and prevented invasion since the 16th century, keeping the historic center in original condition. Anson, my own personal perimeter security expert, took stock of the situation.

The oval-shaped historic center of Lucca has just a half dozen or so entrances, and can be a bit confusing to navigate, as we learned the hard way. Bring comfortable shoes and a very detailed map.

I mentioned earlier that we were in Italy for my 40th birthday, and on the day of my birthday I couldn't think of anything else I'd rather do than tour an artisan pasta factory.

We got a personal tour of the 90-year-old Martelli pasta factory in Lari (on Via dei Pastifici!) from friendly Lorenzo, then we went around the corner to a bottega to buy a kilo of spaghetti in the bright yellow paper packaging to take home...

...and back down the street to Antica Osteria al Castello to have truffle linguine (with Martelli pasta, of course) for lunch. My birthday was starting out as perfect as I could imagine.

As with all the ancient towns in the area, Lari is set at the top of a hill, surrounded by a tall stone wall. The castle in the center of town is set up even higher, bolstered by another impossibly tall brick wall. They were not taking any chances.

Or maybe they just really wanted an amazing view?

We had some time before our dinner in Lucca, and decided to swing by Pisa. It was definitely not on our list of places we wanted to see, but since it was on the way we thought we might as well. I imagined it to be a crowded tourist trap, and figured it would be an annoying disappointment.

Thankfully I was wrong. The tower was actually really beautiful and so worth seeing in person.

Not only the tower, but the cathedral and baptistry were also outstanding.

I was right about the annoying tourist-holding-up-the-tower photo situation. But you know, not everyone can be as cool as Anson and me.

My big birthday dinner restaurant was hand-picked by Anson, Ristorante Antica Locanda dell'Angelo in Lucca. The restaurant has a long history, starting as a convent in either the 8th or 10th century, then becoming an inn and restaurant in 1414.

We had a wonderful dinner starting with this charcuterie plate, and a bottle of local wine, followed by a typical Lucchese rice dish with a hearty mushroom sauce for me, and steak for Anson. A couple artistically plated desserts rounded out our night. Professional, personal service from the owner's son and delicious food, cooked by Mamma in the kitchen, made it a memorable, fun birthday.

We had one more day, and Anson and I both had the urge to go back to Tavernelle Val di Pesa, where we stayed on our last trip to Tuscany. We had a nostalgic lunch at Ristorante La Fattoria, and even visited Beatrice at Poggio Alle Lame, the agriturismo where we stayed.

Honeymoon in Italy: Florence, Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah ) — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 02:11:00 +0000

Part two of our time in Florence begins with rain. Fortunately, Florence is just as beautiful in the rain as it is in the sun. It even seems a bit more historic and somber, like you've stepped into a period movie. The street vendors switch from selling selfie sticks to umbrellas, and the crowds thin out substantially. So if you've got good rain boots, it's really the best time to get out.

Since we weren't sure about the rain schedule, we thought we might as well go ahead and see Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Gardens on the other side of the Arno River (Oltrarno).

We took a cab to the very top of the property, Forte di Belvedere, which we found to be closed for the season. Anson always likes a good military fort, so that was unfortunate, but that allowed us to take a nice, long downhill stroll through the acres of gardens to Palazzo Pitti below.

Anson facing off with Igor Mitoraj's modern sculpture.

You'll find numerous paths, pools, sculptures and smaller gardens within the many acres of the Boboli Gardens, which Lonely Planet says are a "prime example of a formal Tuscan garden."

The palazzo itself, while incredibly large, is not very moving--more like a fortress, and for good reason. Palazzo Pitti became the Medici family home after they moved out of Palazzo Vecchio (see Florence, Part 1 post). The enormous grounds allowed them to have a "back yard" and quick access to the Forte Belvedere up the hill in case things went sideways and the townspeople came for their heads.

Inside the main house are several different galleries, comprised of the salons in the house. A far cry from the military fort, an exhibit in the Costume Gallery on clothing designed or worn by prominent women of the 20th century ended up being quite interesting (and much drier).

After slogging around in the rain, it was time for some restoration. Fortunately, we were right near our favorite bar, Signorvino, and they had just what we needed to bring us back to life--french fries, cheese, bread....

....and a bottle of rosato with a view of the Arno.

And back out into the sea of umbrellas.

Our street on a rainy night. Even in the rain, a long line at All'Antico Vinaio for their famously generous panini.

The next day was bright and sunny, and perfect for spending the morning at the Santo Spirito market, perusing the aisles of antiques, second hand goods, food, and crafts.

Walking around the central historic district, you'll come across this elevated passageway several times. The Medici had their architect, Giorgio Vasari, build a passage from their home starting at the Grotto del Buontalenti, down the street, over the river on top of the Ponte Vecchio shops, back up the river a few blocks, through the Uffizi, and ending at the Palazzo Vecchio.

This Vasarian Passage allowed them to travel to their offices without coming in contact with the common people on the street, and more importantly, to help them avoid assassination attempts. Here, it takes a detour around the Torre dei Manelli on the south side of the Ponte Vecchio.

It would be criminal not to address the legendary Ponte Vecchio, lined with windows full of necklaces, watches, rings, bracelets...and lots and lots of people.

The long view of the Ponte Vecchio. Interestingly, this was the only bridge in Florence that was spared by the retreating Nazis at the end of World War II.

This is a cool perspective on the Arno river, taken from a window in the Uffizi. You can see the way the Vasarian Passage crosses on top of the shops, jogs up the river, and turns left into the Uffizi. Florence's less-celebrated bridges (all rebuilt) line up in the distance.

You will have to find time to gaze at the Ponte Vecchio at night as well. Bring a bottle of wine, and boost yourself up on the stone wall along the river.

Selfie from the next bridge over, Ponte di Santa Trinita.

Even while you're caught up in all the historic art, you'll still find a little modern art around town.

We left Florence just as a big storm system was coming in. On our way out, we stopped at Piazzale Michelangelo to see the last of Florence's three statues of David, and take in the dramatic view of Florence in the distance. Had it not been raining, we could have enjoyed a coffee on the patio and stretched out in the sun. I guess we'll have to get back to Florence again after all!

We wished Florence well, and then we were off, headed out to western Tuscany to see San Miniato, Lucca, Pisa, Lari, Montecarlo, and our fairy tale mountain top house in Boveglio.

Honeymoon in Italy: Florence, Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah ) — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 01:15:00 +0000

Three years ago we went to Italy, and despite our plans, we spent only a couple hours in Florence, choosing to avoid the heat of the city and drive the country roads of Tuscany instead. So we decided on this trip that we would really dig in to Florence and put our roots down, if only for a short time, in this storied city.
We watched every travel show we could find on Florence, did our research on restaurants and bars, and read not one, but two guidebooks. We were prepared to see everything that Florence has to offer, and also had ideal fall weather to boot.
I think I can say that we really did right by Florence this time, seeing the major landmarks as well as lesser-known attractions, and spending plenty of time wandering the streets, lingering over indulgent dinners, and really getting to know our way around this city of splendor.
So we left Venice behind and two hours later, began our week in Florence. Seeing how it was as such a consuming city, I've split up the Florence leg of our trip into two posts. Let's start at the beginning.

Every introduction to Florence begins here, in Piazza della Signoria, where the Palazzo Vecchio, the Uffizi, and the Loggia dei Lanzi intersect. We chose our apartment so that we were a walk from all the action, on a quiet street off of Via dei Neri.

On our first night, we found one of the only (maybe the only?) craft beer bars in Florence, Brew Dog, and the bartender recommended Museo Stibbert as a place that not many tourists get to on their visits. Swords and armor? Just as with the Musée de l'Armée in Paris, you know Anson had to see it.

Perched on a hill outside of the tourist zone, the museum was once the home of wealthy antiquities collector, Frederick Stibbert, and contains room after room of suits of armor, swords, paintings, tapestries, even some Egyptian artifacts.

Stibbert's wealth was inherited from his grandfather, who was a commander in chief of the British East India company and governor of Begal.

The house itself is quite a work of art, with lavish tiling, elaborate Murano glass chandeliers, and stained glass windows.

For lunch we headed to the second floor of the Mercato Centrale which has been renovated into a stylish and delicious food court of sorts, complete with a grafitti-ed statue of David. Don't worry, you can still pick up cheese, pasta, fish, meat, vegetables, etc. on the ground floor.

We both watched as our spaghetti carbonara and mushroom gnocchi were made in front of us, and served up on these impressive paper plates. You'll even get real glasses for your water and champagne, which a server will deliver to you on request.

Revived after lunch, we had strength for one more tour, the Medici Chapels, where 49 members of the family are buried.

The impressive dome of the Princes' Chapel.

Apparently I bear a striking resemblance to Anna Maria Luisa De'Medici....so much so that an older gentleman walked by while we were taking the picture, studied my face, studied her face, nodded, looked back at me, looked at her, nodded, continued to look back and nod as he walked away. Ah, the fun of being a tourist.

Michelangelo's Dusk and Dawn in the New Sacristy, which was his first architectural work.

The next day we scheduled a guided tour of the Uffizi, which was really helpful in hitting the highlights of the museum (like Botticelli's well-photographed Birth of Venus). Afterwards, we were free to explore the museum at our own pace.

The Uffizi itself was once the offices of the government, commissioned by the Medici family, and eventually given to Florence, along with their vast art collection, particularly Renaissance art, that had taken over the top floor. Like so much of Florence, every part of the building is a work of art.

It's hard to find an empty room or hallway, but if you're patient...

It was time for some real food, and we were near a place that was recommended both by our guidebook and our friends. Plus, it had "brewery" in the name, so we had to check it out. Birreria Centrale turned out to be in our Top 3 of all the meals we had in Italy on this trip. As you see in the the photo I had my usual--pappardelle with wild boar ragu--but Anson had the most remarkable dish of gnocchi with a creamy truffle sauce that I've ever had. I'm not much for gnocchi and/or heavy cream sauce, but there was something about this one that made me open my eyes wide at the first taste, and kept me reaching for "just one more bite."

Our late lunch meant we were up for a glass of wine and maybe a snack later in the evening, so we took this night to wander across the famed Ponte Vecchio (more in the next post), to the Oltrarno district (other side of the Arno River) and find a nice wine bar. At Signorvino, the warm reception, reasonable prices, and great location over looking the Ponte Vecchio made us feel like we found a little treasure in the middle Florence.

My favorite part of bar culture in Florence is the new tradition of apericena, a mash-up of aperitivo (before-dinner drink) and cena (dinner). Most bars you visit will offer you a small buffet of snacks included with the price of your drink, and in the case of Signorvino they'll bring you this adorable tray of olives, mozzarella balls, crostini, prosciutto, carrots, and crackers.

The warm fall night required a walk back to Piazza della Signoria to see the Loggia dei Lanzi, an outdoor gallery of some of Florence's most well-known statues, adjacent to the Palazzo Vecchio.

One of the Medici lions, a symbol of Florence.

For you other art majors out there, The Rape of the Sabine Women by Jean de Boulogne.

Gelateria dei Neri is on every Top 10 Best Gelaterie in Florence, and we were lucky that it was a two blocks from our apartment. The gelato was incredibly rich, true to it's flavor (I got chocolate hazelnut and caramel) and the scoopers were quite friendly for being so busy.

The next day we spent a few hours at the Museo Galileo, Florence's history of science museum, where you'll find early clocks, chemistry tools, astrolabes, compasses, anatomical models, etc...and this impressive armillary sphere, depicting the earth and heavens.

Before our tour of the Palazzo Vecchio, we squeezed in a short hike up the 416 stairs of the bell tower, which is the highest point in Florence. We had been using this tower as a landmark to get our bearings around the city, and we could even see the top of it from our kitchen window, so it was fun to get the perspective from on top.

Looking northwest along the length of the Arno River.

Looking north, the best view of the Duomo, with Fiesole in the distance.

Looking east from the bell tower, Santa Croce in the distance on the left. There's our apartment right down there!

An angle on the palazzo, where our "Secret Passages" tour started. The tour was themed around Dan Brown's Inferno, which is partially set in Florence and which both Anson and I read feverishly before our trip.

Inside the impressive and lavishly decorated Salone dei Cinquecento, the Hall of 500, where Florence's 500 council members met. The palazzo was the city's town hall and housed the Medici family at one point.

Anson's selfie from the balcony, with the glowing gold ceiling and Vasari's massive paintings in the background.

This room was called the Map Room for obvious reasons, but what isn't obvious is that this was really just big closet, and behind all those maps were cupboards for storing the family's belongings.

And there was another trick--the map of Armenia opens to a passageway which leads to the living quarters of one of the Medici's mistresses.

More gorgeous ceilings.

My love of cocktail history made a stop at Caffe Giacosa a requirement, as this is the bar where the Negroni was invented.

Don't believe me? It's right on the glass--invented in 1919...or...1920. Something like that. Don't bother them with details.

Another really memorable meal, at Franceso Vini, a relatively large restaurant tucked away in a small piazza near the basilica of Santa Croce and set in the footprint of an ancient Roman amphitheater.

We loved Franceso Vini because it was a a bit more interesting than the somewhat interchangeable menus at most of the restaurants. Sure, they had the usual suspects, but they also had maltagliati with rabbit ragu, lardo and lemon zest, risotto with caramelized pear and truffle sauce, and this beauty, Uovo Benedetto alla Fiorentina--poached eggs with pecorino cream, spinach and a generous shaving of truffles.

If there's one thing I can say for sure about our time in Florence, it is that we ate well.

But wait! There's more! This was only the first half of our time in Florence. Part two is coming up.

Honeymoon in Italy: Venice

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah ) — Fri, 18 Dec 2015 04:11:00 +0000

It was a long time coming, but last May Anson and I finally made it official, and after over ten years together we got married. So, it made sense that our Europe trip planned for the fall would become our honeymoon.

We became enamored with Italy on our last trip, but felt that we had only scratched the surface, so the itinerary worked itself out: Venice, Florence and the countryside around Lucca. Let's start with Venice!

We planned this trip the same as any other vacation, with one exception...in Venice we splurged for a hotel and a balcony room overlooking the canal at La Palazzina Venezia. What really made it amazing was when we arrived, after a long day of air travel, bus travel, and dragging our suitcases from the train station, we schlepped up 4 flights to the very top floor and were informed that we had been upgraded to the patio room! If you look closely, you'll see Anson up there in the picture. We had a gondola stop right outside, a good restaurant below, and...

...the best view in Venice.

Three steps and a quaint little door led out to our private patio.

Day one started with a tour of the Doge's Palace--basically the governor's home and seat of government for Venice), which included the prison in the basement and more prison rooms on the top floor, as well as the offices and courtrooms in between.

Even the tour of the prison cells was claustrophobic.

This is where you would insert a note to rat out your friends and family for misdeeds.

A view of the famous Bridge of Sighs from inside the Doge's Palace.

At the end of the land where Piazza San Marco meets the lagoon. This is me saying, "Tell me when you're going to take the picture."

How about another view from our patio with dramatic rain clouds overhead?

The next day was sunny and blue, perfect for exploring the different neighborhoods on foot.

And, of course, our tour of the sestieri had to include a craft beer bar on San Polo. Look at that head!

A dead end alley invited us to sit and watch the gondolas go by.

Gondola traffic jam!

My favorite part of our stay in Venice was hiring a private boat (arranged by our wonderful hosts at La Palazzina Veneziana), getting picked up at our hotel, and taking a personalized tour of Venice.

We started by touring the full length of the Grand Canal, where the richest families built their palazzi, as displays of their wealth.

A little video of riding down the Grand Canal...

Gondola regatta.

At the end of the serpentine Grand Canal, you can stop and get out to see St. Mark's Square and the Doge's Palace (on the right).

Right behind you is the Punta della Dogana (customs building) and Santa Maria della Salute.

And if you look off towards the open sea, you'll see San Giorgio.

We headed into the smaller canals to see a different side of Venice.

Wine delivery!

We came out on the north side of the island, across from San Michele, which is solely a cemetery.

And out into the open water at rush hour.

A final dinner, canalside.

A final drink at a neighborhood bar.

Our farewell from Venice--a seagull slapping a fish fin on our skylight in the morning.

Next, we'll drag our bags over the bridges and cobblestone streets back to the train station and arrive in Florence in a few hours.

Oeufs en Meurette: Eggs Poached in Red Wine Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah ) — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 21:22:00 +0000

It was Sunday night of Halloween weekend, and the little town of Auxerre, France was virtually deserted due to the All Saint's Day holiday. Stephanie, Ben, and I had seen the numerous Gothic cathedrals, walked along the river, walked through the town, walked up and down the hills. I was hungry, tired and verging on très crabby.

Among the very limited choices was La Tour D'Orbandelle, a large, touristy, multi-concept restaurant in the middle of the main town square, and we decided it was better than starving. The large menu featured les burgers, les pizzas and les cocktails, as well as French classics--fois gras, croque-monsieur, and beef tartare.

But what caught my eye was something I had never heard of, oeufs en muerette, described as "eggs poached in red wine sauce." That sounded like just the thing to warm me up and take the edge off my crabbiness while I waited for my pasta.

When you are a food-loving person, it's hard to find dishes that really surprise you, but what arrived before me was a revelation. A rich, deep red Burgundy wine sauce full of earthy mushrooms, pearl onions and chunks of hearty bacon, topped with two soft poached eggs and crunchy, rustic croutons. This is a simple, classic Bourguignon dish, nothing fancy, but everything I needed. I imagine it as a hearty lunch for a farmer, with all the ingredients coming straight from the kitchen garden and the oven.

The dish not only set me straight, but set me on a quest to make it for myself at home. I found a few recipes, but they didn't really describe what I had. The closest recipe was this one, from the French website 750g.com. I am not a proponent of simply copying a recipe and adding it to one's food blog, but since it's in French, I thought the translation might be helpful.

Oeufs en Meurette
by Chef Damien
(I reduced the proportions for four eggs instead of twelve, and also rounded some of the measurements for simplicity.)

4 fresh eggs
1 750 ml bottle red wine (I used a Côtes du Rhone Villages from Costco)
1/2 c. shallots
1/2 c. thick bacon or lardons
1/2 c. to 3/4 c. portobello mushrooms
1/2 c. pearl onions
1 bouquet garni (parsley, thyme and bay leaf tied together in a bundle)
2 slices white bread (I used a baguette)
5 tbsp butter, softened
2 tbsp flour
Sugar (no measurement in recipe, and I left it out)

1. Cut the bread in small cubes and sauté in butter until they are crunchy.
2. Cut up the bacon and sauté. Set aside.
3. Wash and cut up the mushrooms. Saute in 1 tbsp. butter, or in the remaining bacon fat. Add onions and sauté until lightly brown.
4. Make the wine sauce by adding the wine, shallots, bouquet garni, salt, pepper and sugar to a sauce pan. Boil briskly until liquid is reduced by half. Adjust salt & pepper. Strain, or skim out the ingredients to leave just the liquid.
*5. Poach the eggs in the wine sauce and set aside, keeping warm.
6. Mix 2 tbsp. butter with 2 tbsp. flour in a small dish. Whisk mixture into the wine sauce to combine well. Let boil for a few minutes to thicken.
7. Whisk in the remaining 2 tbsp. butter to the sauce off the heat.
8. Divide the sauce, vegetables and bacon between two shallow bowls. Place two eggs in each dish, top with croutons and sprinkle with fresh herbs.

*This is where I diverged from the recipe. I poached the eggs in water because I didn't want purple eggs.

France: Nimes, Carcassonne, and Toulouse

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah ) — Sun, 03 May 2015 17:48:00 +0000

After Lyon, Stephanie, Ben and I didn't really have a plan. We had a couple days before we had to drop Stephanie off at school, so we consulted Lonely Planet, and headed south to Nîmes, just west of Avignon. Nîmes is famous for producing the rough, indigo-dyed cloth that the farm workers wore, known as serge de Nîmes, which we now know as denim.

Roman soldiers who fought for Julius Ceasar in Egypt were given land here, which you'll see reflected in the emblem of the city, and in the sidewalks all around town. The crocodile represents Egypt and he is tied to a palm tree, which represents victory. The main town square has a deceptively realistic sculpture of said crocodile in front of city hall.

Nimes also has some of the best preserved Roman structures in France, the most impressive being the Maison Carré (square), which has functioned as a temple, city hall, archives, art gallery, and stable since it was built over 2000 years ago.

And, of course, there's gotta be an amphitheater!

It's still used today for concerts and bullfights.

The amphitheater was closed at the time, but you could peek in through the fence and imagine the Gallic Romans filing in for a gory gladiator battle.

Lonely Planet described the medieval fortress town of Carcassonne as "something out of a children's storybook" and that was enough for us, we were on our way.

Our timing was perfect, we arrived at the end of the day as the tour groups were leaving, and we had a run of the place without too many people.

A view of the lower town from the outer rampart wall.

Postcard perfect photo, if I do say so myself.

We had a field day taking photos all over the ancient town.

Interestingly, the town was saved from two centuries of neglect by French architect, Eugene Viollet-le-Duc, who, in the 19th century, added the characteristic pointed slate roofs which gives the town it's fairy-tale look.

Not one, but two sets of walls to keep out trouble.

The cemetery, typically outside the town walls.

And before we knew it, we were in Toulouse at Marché Victor Hugo.

It's fascinating to see whole intact dead animals, when we are used to our sanitized American meat counters.

Here are cow's heads that would be used for tête de veau, and sheep's heads for...I don't know what.

If you are paying attention, you'll see this sign hanging in certain restaurants to indicate that they've made their food from scratch. This is part of a controversial initiative to try to help preserve the cooking traditions in France, which are slowly being given over to convenience and industrialization. Anson pointed out something I didn't notice--it's a cooking pan on the bottom.

All around Toulouse you'll see street signs in French and Occitan--a language spoken in the Languedoc region that is related to Spanish and Catalan.

Just as in Spain, I was entrance by the wall of rosé wine.

This is one of those miscellaneous picture I wanted to share because it's such a nice touch. As you drive along the autoroutes in France, the towns of interest are indicated by a sign, with a description of what they are known for, and in case you don't speak French, there is an illustration too.

All photos made using iPhone 6.

France Road Trip: Auxerre, Noyers Sur Serein, Chablis and Lyon

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah ) — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 02:45:00 +0000

Stephanie, Ben, and I wrapped up our whirlwind visit of London and Paris, and took off on the autoroutes of France. The plan was to head southeast to Burgundy, south to the Rhone Valley, southwest through the Languedoc and west to Toulouse. Then we'd drop off Stephanie at school and Ben and I would head back to Paris. Could we do it? We would find out.

We picked up a rental car in Paris (not as simple as it sounds, I might add), and headed three hours southeast to the small, riverside town of Auxerre, which dates from Roman times, and has not one, not even two, but four major cathedrals. It was here that I had one of the most delicious, satisfying dishes I've had in a long time--oeufs en meurette (poached eggs in savory red wine sauce). More on this dish in a later post.

The parlor of our charming hotel, Hotel Normandie.

The next day we were on to Noyers-sur-Surein, which is on an official list of the most picturesque villages in France.

It was certainly picturesque, if completely void of human life. Turns out our time in France so far had landed on the long holiday weekend of Halloween (which was not eminently celebrated) and All Saints Day, and included Monday. So it seemed that everyone in Auxerre and Noyers was either somewhere else, or in their houses with the lights off.

Now this was what I went to Burgundy for--the wine! I insisted we stop in Chablis for some wine tasting. Again, almost nothing was open, but Signe Chablis was more than welcoming, and our host led us through a tasting of four cru of Chablis.

Our next stop was Dijon, where the cold, wind, and rain (not to mention the bewildering maze of one-way streets) made it hard to do much sight-seeing, but this boeuf bourguignon hit the spot that night.

And on to Lyon we went, where Ben's colleague recommended a quintessential Lyonnaise bouchon, Restaurant L'Amphitryon. In my research before the trip I learned that a bouchon, rather that being a pricey Thomas Keller restaurant, is actually a home-cooking restaurant with hearty, traditional dishes of the area, centering around a lot of pork. That explains the pig portraits all over the walls.

A rainy night on the cobblestone streets of Vieux Lyon.

I was really fascinated with Lyon's history as the center of silk-weaving in Europe in the 19th century, so I dragged Stephanie and Ben up what seems like a million steps (sorry guys!) to the hilltop Croix Rousse neighborhood and the Maison des Canuts (House of the Silk Weavers) to learn more. At one time, Lyon had 100,000 looms and 40% of its workers were silk weavers. The silk industry has mostly faded, but it shaped Lyon in many ways.

I don't know either, but I feel like I need to go back to Lyon just to go to this bar.

Ben on the looooong decent from Croix Rousse to Lyon.

We slogged our way back through the rain for lunch at a bouchon called Resto Halle, in the gourmet food market, Les Halles Paul Bocuse, named after the famed chef from the area. You'll find all the classics--escargot, pied de porc, boeuf tartare, andouillettes, tête de veau, and ravioli (yes, apparently a classic in this area).

I normally try to be very under-the-radar in other countries, but I couldn't resist getting this shot of the restaurant and the regulars. Classic! What a great life!

A stop at the striking Basilica de Notre-Dame de Fourvière before leaving Lyon.

It is even more beautiful at night, when viewed from old Lyon.

Back on the road once again, and while the rest stops in France were indeed a step above those in the U.S., I wasn't jumping for joy like these two.

Fascinating McCafé--with a true espresso machine, offering a café and macaron combo. Why can't our McDonald's be this refined?

I always spend an inordinate amount of time in grocery stores of other countries. I'm like a junk food anthropologist. Among the flavors of potato chips on offer: pickles and mustard, carbonara, grilled steak, kebab (?), goat cheese and piment d'Espelette. Not pictured: wood fired oven pizza, curry chicken soup, bolognese, and chorizo and peppers. I wanted to try them all, but limited myself to just four flavors.

Next up--Nîmes, Carcassonne, and Toulouse.

All photos made using iPhone 6.

Paris and London: The Cliffs Notes Version

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah ) — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 02:16:00 +0000

Life is funny.

As you are making your way through the world, just trying to get by, you can't believe that life will ever be good and fun, the way you imagined it would be when you were a kid. One day, you stop and take stock of your current situation, and you see that slowly but surely, through sheer force of will and hard work, your life is actually good and fun. It happened! You have a great job, a loving fiancé, fleeting moments of serenity, and you've been on not one, not two, but three great vacations this year. You finally feel like that slippery thing they call "the good life" is in your grasp. Yes, life is funny.

***********

So what about these three vacations? To review, you may remember Brush Creek Ranch back in June, then shortly after that was Sao Paolo and Florianopolis. Then Stephanie mentioned that she would be attending butchery school in the south of France in the fall, and I casually said I might like to join her for a pre-school trip around France. Before I knew it, the ticket was booked and I was on my way to meet her and another friend, Ben, in London where our exploits would begin.

I have to start with a really obnoxious brag, but one I feel is well-deserved considering the amount of budget travel I've done in the last...well, my whole life. I cashed in some United Airlines Frequent Flyer Miles and upgraded myself to Business Class. This one relatively small expense made all the difference in enjoying the first half of my trip without crippling jet lag. I ate dinner, watched a movie, went to sleep, and woke up to morning in London. Tada! No jet lag. I highly recommend it.

Westmister Abbey--no photographs were allowed inside, but I got this interesting window detail in the halls outside.

I've seen Big Ben before, but not from this perspective...

Waiting for dinner at Fergus Henderson's famed St. John restaurant in London.

One chunnel ride later, and we were in Paris! We stayed on Rue Cler, a quintessential Parisian market street...

...and breakfasted at L'Eclair.

We walked to the Champs de Mars in the evening and saw the Eiffel Tower in a whole new light (heh heh heh). At the end of the field, the Wall for Peace in inscribed with the word "peace" in 32 languages. Ironically, it's across the street from the military college.

I didn't get to see the tower at night on my last trip to Paris, so I was delighted to find that there is a blinking light show at the top of every hour.

The view from below.

Another highlight I missed on my last trip--the Arc du Triomphe. I didn't expect it to be so huge!

My comrades on the trip--Stephanie and Ben.

You can get an idea of the size of the arch by noticing the tiny little people at the base.

The obligatory "Paris cafe" picture.

The Eiffel Tower again, with the fall leaves.

A Laduree still life.

King Charlemagne at the end of a full day.

All photos made using an iPhone 6.

Six Things to Know About Visiting Brazil

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah ) — Thu, 13 Nov 2014 15:05:00 +0000

Six Things to Know About Visiting Brazil

Anson and I visited Sao Paolo and Florianopolis in our time in Brazil, and learned a few things I thought might be helpful if you are planning to visit Brazil someday (as so many of our acquaintances told us they were).

1. Learn some Portuguese or download a Portuguese dictionary. In keeping with our experiences in other major foreign cities (and contrary to what uniformed people who have never been there say), most people do not speak English, or they speak very little.
Your friends will tell you, "Oh, don't worry, everyone speaks English there." They will tell you this about every place you plan to visit. Do not, under any circumstances, believe they know what they are talking about. This is not true of anywhere except the U.S., and even here it's questionable in some places.
Portuguese has some words in common with Spanish, but the pronunciation is totally different. Download a dictionary on your smartphone that works offline and gives you pronunciation. I used the one from iThinkdiff.net in the App store and it was quite helpful.

2. Prepare to take a cab everywhere in Sao Paolo. It is a massive city, and unless you want to walk all day, you will need to take some form of motorized transportation. Have your destination written on a piece of paper (unless you've mastered Portuguese), and show it to the cab driver. If you can also point to it on a map, even better.
Though we didn't have any problems, we were warned to be very careful of crime, and we thought it best not to take the subway. So, it was taxis everywhere.

3. Brazil is home to large communities of people of Japanese, African, Italian, German, Portuguese, and Lebanese descent (not to mention the native Brazilians), and you'll find their influence everywhere. In terms of a multi-cultural experience, Brazil is unrivaled.

4. We were warned by many people we met about the crime in Brazil, so we were careful in restaurants and public to watch our stuff. That being said, don't be so worried about theft that you don't enjoy yourself.
We had an amazing experience at the Sunday market at Praça da Republica. We ordered a couple pork sandwiches and drinks from a vendor, who kindly gave us his chairs to sit on at the nearby table. As we walked away, we heard him arguing with his wife, and he shortly came over to return the money he had accidentally overcharged us with a polite, "Mi desculpe." (I'm sorry.)

5. Sao Paulo is not really a vacation destination, but if you happen to find yourself there, you'll be able to pursue your interests, no matter how specific they are. While we waited for Speranza to open, we accidentally found ourselves at a bar next door that caters to people playing board games. So, if your interest is food, you will have no trouble keeping yourself busy in Sao Paolo. But if you want the legendary parties, beaches, and bikinis, head to a resort on the water.

6. The people are really nice! We did not come across a single unfriendly or impolite person in our 10 days in Brazil. They were disarmingly friendly actually. I remember being confused when a nice man in a lanchonete offered me one of his pao de queijo--more than once! He almost insisted. (Taking food from a stranger?? Never!!) I politely declined, but later thought I should have been more open.

Brazil: What To Do and Eat in Florianopolis

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah ) — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 23:46:00 +0000

After our long week in Sao Paolo, we got on a plane for an hour and landed in Florianopolis, a beachy, laid-back, touristy island known for it's beaches and seafood.

We picked up our car, and asked the rental agent how to get to our house. We were a little unsure when she said, "Just go this way," and vaguely pointed northwest on the map. "Don't worry, you won't get lost." Turns out, she was right. As in Sao Paolo, the signs pointed the way at every turn.

We quickly dropped our bags and headed across the street to the beach entrance. This being winter, there were only a handful of people on the beach. The beachside bars were just opening, and we found a couple chairs to finally relax and start our vacation.

A beer with a view.

Do you see the sleeping dragon?

And our home in Floripa for the two days? One of the nicest houses we've rented, directly across from the beach path to Praia Mole.

The master suite of our 2-bedroom, 2-bath modern beach home. From the back patio, you can see the sleeping dragon and the surfer statue.

But we couldn't sit on the beach all day, so back to town we went on Avenida Rendeiras, with a parade of hotels, bars and restaurants on our left, and the Lagoa da Conceiçao on our right.

This is not a Gilligan's Island kind of lagoon, more of an enormous salt-water lake, big enough for white caps and kite surfing.

At Nosso Bar, we took our waiter's suggestion and enjoyed a full-bodied, unpasteurized pilsner from Brazilian brewery, Coruja, with our lagoon-side view. Brazil has a history of making German-style beer, dating back to the early 1800s when Germans first began to arrive in southern Brazil.

And we had to stop at the market in town for supplies. Yes, we were only there for two days, but browsing grocery stores is one of my favorite activities in foreign countries. Some of my interesting finds: super wavy Ruffles with ridges (ribs); bacon-flavored ramen (lamen) noodles); fiery hot sauce that Anson almost died eating the night before; tiny packs of Nucita, a sweet snack spread; pasta sauce in a bag; bacon flavored microwave popcorn; dark beer; Brazilian wine made from the Tannat grape.

Great mural.

Our new friend, Fernando, who sets up shop each day at the entrance to the beach path and sells jewelry he makes from wire, stones, seeds, and leather. A true free spirit, Fernando, told us how he wasn't interested in money, just living a good life. I wonder if there's enough room for another table there...?

Day Two was Anson's surf day with Ernie from Nexus Surf, who brought us to the best place to catch waves nearby. No lifeguards on duty!

Ernie led us on a narrow path through the thick vegetation, from Praia Mole to the Galheta nature preserve nearby.

No doubt we never would have found this place on our own.

I beached myself on a well-worn rock while they paddled out.

Check out the video of Anson's first wave in Brazil.

A triumphant Anson!

Postcard-perfect natural beauty.

We spotted Books & Beers, a bookstore themed bar (!) and knew there was a seat for us on the patio.

The menu was literally a novel, with chapters such as "The Compatible Lightness of Being" and "Eat, Harmonise, Love."

We had a drink and watched the town go by from our perch above the boat harbor.

We said tchau (good bye) to Fernando and boa noite (good night) to The Surfer for the last time, and before we knew it, our vacation was over. Amazing how much we packed into just two days.

Brazil: What To Do and Eat in Sao Paolo

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah ) — Wed, 01 Oct 2014 04:31:00 +0000

When I told people I was going to Brazil, without exception, they had one response: a breathless, "Really?!? I've always wanted to go there!"
Brazil? Really? Brazil was not anywhere near the top of my list of places I planned to visit someday, really not even in the top twenty. So I felt a little ungrateful that I was not as excited as everyone else.
But, as so many of these adventures do, Brazil just landed in my lap. I was invited to help with Anson's trade show in Sao Paolo, and hey, I've never been to Brazil before. Why not?
So we flew and flew, past Central America, over the equator, through the Amazon rain forest, all the way down to Sao Paulo, the second largest city in the western hemisphere. (A very close second to Mexico City and only slightly ahead of New York City.) We woke up on the other side of the world. What a miracle flight is.

We stood at the window of our wonderful hotel, Luz Plaza, and looked out at Sao Paulo, which stretches as far as you can see. Sao Paulo is HUGE. A few facts: there are 20 million people in the greater Sao Paulo area, which initially flourished in the late 1800s with the growth of the coffee trade, then with industry and construction in the 20th century, and has since become the economic and cultural center of Brazil. Here we were, in the middle of the hive.

After an afternoon of lunch at the trendy and delicious Ramona, and a nap to shake off our jet lag at our hotel in the aptly name Bom Retiro ("good rest") neighborhood, we were ready to explore our neighborhood on foot and grab a snack. There was a friendly little lanchonete a few blocks away where we tried our first Brazilian snack food. There are a few lanchonetes on every block, serving bread filled with meat or cheese, kibe, hamburgers, juice, soda, beer, wine, etc. Think of it as the equivalent of an American fast-food restaurant. You can grab some ready-made food and go, or sit at the counter and chat with the owner, who you invariably know because you buy cigarettes/soda/breakfast from him every day.

The next day we got a cab to Praça da Republica in central Sao Paulo, for the weekend arts and crafts market. Apparently, the park is usually kinda sketchy, but on the weekend artists, craft vendors, and food purveyors fill the park and the city comes out to see it. The police also come out to patrol and make sure that the street people don't overrun the potential customers. Maybe a little too much. We witnessed a customer giving his extra food to a homeless guy walking through the food area, and a couple of policeman, not realizing the situation, were on top of him immediately, shooing him off.

The market is organized by category--coins, clothing, jewelry, books, paintings, etc. The vendors were helpful, but not overly aggressive, and their wares seemed fairly priced.
We found this focus on order repeated throughout our experience in Brazil. Like most Southern Californians, the majority of my south-of-the-border experiences were with Mexico, and I expected that same sort of laissez-faire, inscrutable, abstract bureaucracy from Brazil. Not so at all. In fact, our experience of Brazil was very organized, very ordered, very orderly. I loved it.
That's not to say that Sao Paulo was not a big, dirty, crowded metropolis. It was all those things. But I've been to cities in Europe that were much less friendly and completely unfathomable. If you want to do something or get somewhere, Sao Paulo will help you. There will be a sign.

If you take some time to walk around the park you'll find a few huge banyan trees, which remind you that you are in a city that was once a rainforest. For scale, compare it to the man sitting on the sidewalk.

Later that day, after a failed attempt to visit an artisanal beer bar in the fancy Jardins neighborhood, we set off on foot towards the Museu de Arte de Sao Paulo, and whaddya know, came across another artisanal beer bar.

We spent a few hours at Aconchego Carioca, tasting Brazilian beers we've never had before, and will likely never have again, such as a collaboration with Brazilian brewery Bodebrown and our own Southern California brewery, Stone Brewing Company, called Cacau IPA. We both agreed this $12 bottle of beer was among the best we've ever had. We brought the bottle back and had it made into a glass.

Our path to the museum also brought us through the Parque Siqueira Campos, a large park surrounded by the skyscrapers of the Paulista district that is designed to recreate the Atlantic rainforest it replaced.

Continuing north through the park to Avenida Paulista we found ourselves in the middle of another craft market, where we picked up a hand-woven rug, a beautiful necklace, and a hand-carved wooden spoon, all for less than $20. Across the street is the imposing Museum of Art of Sao Paulo. Underneath that was a hundred or so antique vendors selling, well, antiques.

Our goal for the day was to eventually end up at Speranza, a famous pizzeria in the old Italian neighborhood. We had to try their house specialty, the pao de linguica, soft bread baked with thinly slice sausage and chunks of cheese, which would have been a perfect meal in itself. We followed with Spaghetti Bolognese for me (of course), and a very convoluted pizza for Anson, which I can't even remember. We were stuffed and exhausted.

It was pricey for an Italian meal, but the service was really great--they are very attentive, pouring your wine, and plating your pasta and pizza for you--and it was quite an experience. We had a great time at our window seat, watching the characters on the street outside, the cars buzzing by on the freeway ramp, the streams of people heading to nearby restaurants.
It's interesting that Sao Paulo has the largest population of Italians outside of Italy, so you'll find a lot of great Italian food. (There is also the largest population of Japanese and Lebanese immigrants.)

As fun as Speranza was, nothing could top Figueira Rubaiyat. This is a restaurant like no other I've been to and probably ranks among my Top 5 restaurant experiences.

The photo above shows the namesake 150-year-old fig tree, whose branches reach all the way across the street and form the architecture of the dining room.

From inside, an elaborate glass roof encases the branches, which step their way from the base of the tree up through the openings in the glass, to the sky. This is one of those places you can't help but gaze all around you and point like a common tourist the whole time. But don't worry, you won't be the only one pointing, and who cares anyway?

Another perspective on the fig tree's branches and supports they rest on.

The food? It was great. My dinner companions all had steak, which they agreed was exceptional. I had an Amazon lake fish with grilled hearts of palm, also great. Above is the plate of appetizers each table starts with--sausage, thinly sliced zucchini with parmesan, olives, chopped crudités-type thing, and little pao de queijo (cheese bread rolls).

You will pay a lot for dinner at Figueira Rubaiyat, but it is worth the splurge. Your food will be delicious, and all the little details of fine dining (like the trio of copper pans with different sauces that they deliver with your entree), make it a complete dining experience.

The most entertaining part, outside of the restaurant itself, was when I turned around and the waiter had zip-tied my purse to the chair. I guess even a restaurant in the best part of Sao Paulo has to be aware of reality.

Our last great dinner was at another famous Italian restaurant, Pizzaria Famiglia Mancini, which one of our cab drivers recommended. There are exactly five restaurants by the Mancini family on possibly the most charming street in all of Sao Paulo, Rua Avanhandava, which is only about three blocks long, strung across with lights, and is comprised of beautiful brick streets, sidewalk bistros, and a few specialty shops. I got the impression you can't go wrong with any of their restaurants.

To get to your table, you'll walk past the valet, up the stairs to the host stand, up another short flight of stairs past the bakery while peeking into adjacent dining rooms, around a corner, past the wood-fired pizza ovens, past the live band, then out to the enclosed patio dining room. Again, your head will be on a swivel, trying to take in all that's going on around you.

We opted for a smaller meal this night, after the excesses of the previous days--a mixed green salad, a pizza with prosciutto and goat cheese, and a creamy ham & pea pasta to split between the four of us. Just right.

So, the whole purpose of the trip was a trade show for Anson's company, and I soon learned that trade shows in Sao Paulo are waaaaaay better than those in America. For instance, you'll get a caipirinha at the end of the day! Actually, these were compliments of the German pavilion, in which we were exhibiting.

But really, the food is quite surprising. First of all, this is the "concession stand" at the Expo Center Norte. To eat, you'll sit down at a table and a waiter (who you'll get to know over the course of your four days) will take your order and bring your food and anything else you need. Again, even at a trade show, the service is without equal in Brazil. Each day we had the same thing--a juicy sauteed chicken breast with rice and french fries and an orange Fanta. Now, I'm not a big soda drinker, but the Fanta in Brazil is made with orange juice and sugar (rather than high fructose corn syrup) and it's delicious! Be aware, you won't get an American-style coffee there. It's espresso or nothing.

As interesting as Sao Paulo was, after a week in the big city, we were ready for a slower pace and some crashing waves, so it was on to Florianopolis.

Brush Creek Ranch

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah ) — Tue, 22 Jul 2014 14:59:00 +0000

I am so very lucky to work for a company that sent Anson, me, and my co-workers on a trip to an unbelievable dude ranch in Wyoming called Brush Creek Ranch.

Many of our friends and family asked about our trip, and, in answering them, it was really hard to know where to start, because it was all so superlative: the idyllic western prairie, the world-class hospitality, the gourmet food, the exhilarating activities...

There's so much to express about this place and our experience, but I think it's best to just show you.

(Warning: Grab a glass of wine and settle in, because this post is lengthy to say the least.)

To start at home base, here we are in front of the saloon where we wrapped up each day having a drink, playing games, and chatting with my co-workers and the staff.

Brush Creek Ranch comprises 15 acres in southern Wyoming. From the gate all the way back to the boundaries with Medicine Bow National Forest, you'll run the gamut of the landscapes of the western prairies.

The main lodge and dining hall.

The long view from the front of the saloon.

Try out a rocking chair and stare off into the distance...

...try out a deer antler chair...

...or grab a local beer and relax in the main lodge.

The main dining room was a spectacle in itself, with antler chandeliers, rustic wooden tables, and chairs upholstered in fur.

And these were not meals of pork 'n beans either--we're talking freshly squeezed juice and homemade biscuits for breakfast, grilled vegetable salads, buffalo burgers for lunch, beef from the property, a whole pig roast, local lamb and trout for dinner. I can't remember ever being hungry, but I definitely filled up at each meal.

The wine cellar was open for you to help yourself. Anson and I were like kids in a candy store.

No detail, even the napkins, was too small.

The view from the chuck wagon, where we had lunch each day.

Our cozy room with a view of the sunrise each morning. No phone, no TV and no room key--just close the door when you leave and don't worry about it.

We found little chocolates from a local chocolatier on our bed each night when we returned to our room.

Decisions, decisions, decisions...do you want to fly fish or do sunrise yoga? Paintball or ropes course?

Our first activity was mountain bike riding, and we got our own custom tour of the back trails from our favorite guide, Dan.

Anson on the swing bridge.

Anson was amazing at the shooting range! His shotgun skills with the clay targets were without equal.

I was not too shabby with the handguns and the AR-15 rifle as well.

I haven't been horseback riding since I was a teenager, but it turns out, it's just like riding a bike--you never forget. There was no better way to see the property than from the back of a horse.

Chaps, anyone?

These were lucky horses, by anyone's estimate.

One of our wranglers, Clint, is a real cowboy when he's not taking us city yahoos on trail rides.

Our night of square dancing brought me back to winter gym class in elementary school.

Just one of the unbelievable sunsets.

Antelope making their way across the fields.

The wildflowers had bloomed the week before we got there. Great timing for us!

One of the original settlers' homes from the late 1800s. The current owner has been careful to preserve as many original structures on the property as possible, and that contributes to a real sense of history.

One can only imagine the rugged pioneering spirit that was required to homestead in a place like this.

The cabin had certainly seen better days, but it's degradation gave us some interesting insight into the construction of these primitive structures.

Standing where they stood 130 years ago...what were they thinking when they looked out this door?

We got a tour of the property in Polaris Rangers with a cooler full of beer. Now that's luxury.

Big Sky Country: Wyoming

Uihlein was the brand for one of the original families that settled the land. It's still represented on one of the original barns near the main house.

A horse corral near the main lodge.

Another original structure in the back country.

The previous winter brought higher than normal snow pack, resulting in high river levels.

This handsome guy was found wandering the property and I took him home.

The "Snowy Pass" (in June!) that we drove through on the way to and from the airport.

Grain Free "Rye" Bread: A Healthy Fake-Out for Bread Lovers

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah ) — Tue, 24 Jun 2014 03:38:00 +0000

I remember it well. It was 1999 and I was waiting tables at Wolfgang Puck Grand Cafe. For the first time, a customer refused the complimentary bread plate--fresh focaccia, rich kalamata olive loaf, and Parmesan-shallot flatbread. With a pained look, she explained, "You have no idea how much I want to eat this, but I'm on a low-carb diet. Can you take it away?"

Low-carb diet? I laughed inside at her folly. She sounded like a sucker. What was next? Low-oxygen breathing? I knew that carbs were your friend, not something to be shunned. After all, why else would we have spaghetti dinners to "carbo-load" before big swim meets when I was a kid? The more carbs the better, right?

What else was there to eat anyway? My newly emerging cooking canon consisted almost entirely of carbohydrates: pasta, white rice, pizza, pasta, chow mein noodles, bread, pasta. I was doing just fine with my diet of carbs and vegetables, thank you very much.

Fast forward 15 years, and much more is known about the effect of simple carbohydrates on a person's health. I've reluctantly traded my daily pasta for (almost) daily salad, and figured out how to make it satisfying and craveable. I actually prefer brown rice to white rice now, and I've even started to substitute cauliflower "rice" sometimes.

But there's still one favorite breakfast that I need bread for--my over-hard fried egg with Parmesan on toast. What was I supposed to do, eat a plain old fried egg on a plate? Pssshhh. Puh-leaze. Luckily, the exploding paleo movement has precipitated more than a few blogs on baking without wheat, and breakfast has been saved for me.

I've been making this easy, low-carb, wheat-free bread recipe from Elana's Pantry for months now and I don't miss the real bread at all. Just look at it--it even looks like real bread! Anson loves it, I love it, it's healthy. What more do you need?

Grain Free Dark "Rye" Bread from Elana's Pantry

1 cup blanched almond flour

3/4 cup ground flax meal

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

3 eggs

2 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon honey

1-2 tablespoons caraway seeds

1.In a large bowl, combine almond flour, flax, salt, baking soda and cream of tartar.

2. In a small bowl combine eggs, oil, water and honey.

3. Stir wet ingredients into dry, then mix in caraway seeds.

4. Allow batter to sit for 2 minutes to thicken.

5. Grease a 6.5 x 4 inch baby loaf pan and add batter.

6. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.

All the ingredients are available at Trader Joe's and/or Whole Foods depending on where you live. Actually, I think you can even find everything at Big Lots as well.

Easy Vegan Mushroom Bolognese

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah ) — Sun, 18 May 2014 21:05:00 +0000

Costco got me again.

I had just read about how important vitamin D is for brain health and how mushrooms are a good source of vitamin D, and there it was--a 24 ounce package of crimini mushrooms. Three times the amount a normal human can use in a recipe. As usual, I threw it in the basket and told myself I would figure out what to do with it all later.

Luckily, considering the shelf life of mushrooms, inspiration came quickly and I thought of my all-time favorite meal, Spaghetti Bolognese, with mushrooms standing in for the ground turkey or chicken I usually use.

My recipe is pretty simple, using your standard mirepoix and garlic, a little rosemary to play off the mushroom's earthiness, and some pinot noir, a classic wine pairing with mushrooms. The hardest part is waiting the hour or so to eat this hearty sauce.

I have to say, it's not the most beautiful sauce, but the French have a term, jolie laide, literally "pretty ugly," which translates into "a woman who is pretty in an unusual way." I'd put this sauce in the jolie laide category.

Sautéed veggies, before adding tomatoes and wine.

So why am I calling this "Almost Vegan Mushroom Bolognese"? Well, I feel few pasta dishes are complete without a good sprinkling of parmesan cheese. Also, bolognese traditionally calls for milk in the recipe. I've left it out simply because I don't typically have milk, but I may add a dash of half-&-half at the end to give the sauce a little more body. Or not. Just know that the recipe is equally satisfying without the dairy. Or with.

Easy Almost Vegan Mushroom Bolognese
I chop all the vegetables in a food processor, but you can leave them chunkier for a more rustic sauce. Either way, you should finely chop the mushrooms to give the sauce it's meaty texture.
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 celery stalks, diced
2 carrots, diced
4 cloves of garlic, diced
1 tbsp. rosemary, finely chopped
1 tbsp. red pepper flakes
1.5 lbs crimini mushrooms, finely diced
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 c. pinot noir (or another earthy red wine such as Cabernet Franc)
28 oz can crushed or diced tomatoes
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
salt & pepper to taste

Soften onion in olive oil over medium-low heat for five minutes.
Increase heat to medium and add carrots, celery, garlic, rosemary, salt and red pepper. Cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add mushrooms and cook for another five minutes until all vegetables are soft.
Incorporate tomato paste into the vegetables.
Add pinot noir and cook until liquid is evaporated.
Add tomatoes and sugar, simmer for at least an hour, or up to 3 hours over very low heat.*
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle with parmesan cheese (if desired) and

*You can cool it after a half hour of simmering and store it in the fridge to eat the next day. As with all sauces, this is better after the flavors mingle overnight.

Eating My Way Through Portland

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah ) — Sun, 09 Mar 2014 22:26:00 +0000

I had the opportunity to visit Portland, Oregon for the first time last month, and as excited as I was for the training I was doing, I was even more excited to hit up a dining scene I had been hearing about for years. Fortunately, so much has been written about Portland (especially since the debut of one of my favorite TV shows, Portlandia) that I had no trouble making a list longer than my arm of all the places I wanted to eat.

But first, I had to decide on a hotel and I made the right choice with Hotel Lucia. The staff was incredibly helpful, the rooms were modern, stylish, and comfortable...

...and the hallways featured the largest permanent collection of work by photographer David Hume Kennerly.

A cozy living room features more art...

...that continues into the lobby, which is worth visiting just to browse the collection.

And you have to see the tight-whities made out of silver Crayola crayons. Interestingly, even though it was in a case, you could smell the waxy crayons if you got close enough.

Another great thing about the hotel was right next door to Imperial by Vitaly Paley. I didn't stop in until my last night, and only had a drink, but what a drink it was! The "Chef's Breakfast" had aged rum, falernum, becherovka and cinnamon.

The staff was friendly, and I was entertained watching the bartender chop ice from a huge block (on the red tray), and talking to the nice couple next to me who were about to move to Hawaii.

My second favorite dinner of the trip was Tasty & Alder, which took two attempts and getting there early in order to get a seat at the bar. A delicious dinner of cavatelli with a rich, slow-cooked meat sauce, a glass of a fantastic red blend from Ransom winery in Oregon, and a chocolate potato donut with creme anglaise for dessert. Now that was a proper meal!

That being said, my meal at Nostrana was the best of my trip. It shared a lot of qualities with Pizzeria Mozza, but without the urgency and claustrophobia. I loved everything about this cozy, sophisticated place--the bread and fresh California olive oil, the wide-ranging Italian wine selection that included a dry sparkling rose, the polpettone pizza with lemony meatballs and delicate house-made mozzarella which is served with a pair of scissors to cut it...

...the house-made pappardelle with goat cheese and beets, and the "Pizzeria Mozza Butterscotch Budino." Yep, they actually called it that. And I don't blame them for having it on the menu, it's the best dessert ever. Nostrana will be on the list again for next time I visit Portland.

I had to get to the famous Pok Pok on my visit, after reading so many hyperbolic descriptions of the food, in particular Ike's Vietnamese Fish Sauce Wings. I have to say, they really were as good as everyone says. Now to try the recipe at home...

And considering my work, I had to try the Som drinking vinegar. The bartender mixed up a cucumber version of the sweet & sour soda flavoring. I was expecting something a little more bracing and less sweet, but I could see how these drinks could be interesting.

Hair of the Dog Brewery was next door to my training location, and I stopped in to have a small glass of one of their "from the wood beers"--a barrel-aged Fred (Golden Strong Ale) with currants.

My last night I decided I had to sample the storied food cart cuisine of Portland. I found a pod at 4th & Stark with a cart called Chez Dodo that featured Mauritian cuisine, which, according to the sign, is a blend of African, French, Chinese and Indian flavors. When would I ever have a chance to try Mauritian cuisine again? The owner, Shyam, was incredibly sweet and he fixed me up a huge plate of pan-fried noodles, with a garlicky curry sauce and fall-apart tender chicken topped with a mint-cilantro pesto.

So what was I doing in Portland anyway? I was there to learn everything there is to know about coffee, espresso, steaming milk, and opening a coffee shop from American Barista & Coffee School.

Did I learn everything there is to know? Maybe not, but I think I'm off to a good start. And now I can work as a barista if things at my day job don't work out!

Sichuan Fragrant Duck, Duck, Goose from Hank Shaw

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah ) — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 02:26:00 +0000

Sichuan Fragrant Duck from Duck, Duck, Goose

Remember when I wrote that I don't do cookbook reviews? Well, after almost five years of writing A Beach Home Companion, I recently got a chance to write about Melt: The Art of Macaroni and Cheese for my friends Stephanie and Garrett. Now I have the chance to write about another friend, Hank Shaw, from Hunter Angler Gardener Cook.

His second book, Duck, Duck, Goose, arrived at my door just before Thanksgiving, but it wasn't until a couple weeks ago that I finally got to cook a recipe from it. It was a bit of a hunt, even here in Orange County, to find duck breast for the recipe. I found plenty of frozen whole duck, but the recipe for Sichuan Fragrant Duck called for just the breast. So, if you are trying to find it yourself, Bristol Farms has fresh Muscovy duck breasts from Grimaud Farms.
Anyway, back to the book itself. Duck, Duck, Goose is a book that someone who has never seen a duck before could pick up and easily become a proficient butcher and cook of duck. He'll walk you through duck varieties (including photos), how they taste, their use in recipes, how to pluck them, and how to break them down (with photos as well).

You'll start with recipes for the whole duck or goose, beginning with a simple Slow-Roasted Duck all the way to Peking Duck--"the Mother of All Duck Recipes." Then it's on to "Pieces," where you'll try your hand at Duck Jagerschnitzel, Goose Meatballs, and Mexican Duck with Green Mole.
Though I haven't cooked any of the recipes in the "Extras" section yet, I particularly enjoyed this section, which makes use of the giblets (heart, liver and gizzard) and fat to make Duck Liver Ravioli, Ganseklein, Smoked Goose Sausages, and Duck Fat Saffron Aioli. Hank relates how he was not a big fan of the innards before he became a hunter, but came to see the necessity of using all parts of the animal he killed. Now they are among his favorite parts of the bird, having learned how to cook them to bring out their unique flavor. I can personally attest to Hank's love of the "extras," having tried bone marrow and lamb fries (testicles) for my first time with him a few years ago. While they weren't the best things I've ever eaten, Hank was gleeful as he ate them, and I was glad I had the opportunity to try something I normally wouldn't have tried.
Before Hank started writing about well, hunting, fishing, gardening and cooking, he was a political journalist, and you'll recognize that in his precise and intelligent writing style, which leaves you with no doubts about how exactly to wet pluck a duck with paraffin wax. But his friendly, personal side comes through in his stories about hunting with friends, his loving notes on the recipes, and historical and informational sidebars.
If you are anything like me, you'll love the photographs by Hank's long-time girlfriend and hunting partner, Holly Heyser. I think it's important for many of these unfamiliar recipes (like Red-Cooked Duck or Salmis of Duck) to be illustrated, and Holly's photos are not only instructive, but beautiful as well.
So, after finally scoring some duck breast, I tried my hand at the recipe that I thought I would enjoy the most--Sichuan Fragrant Duck. It has some specialty ingredients such as chile bean paste and Chinese Black vinegar, but if you do any amount of Asian cooking you'll have them, and even if you don't, they are common staples at any Asian market. I also picked this recipe because it calls for "velveting" the meat, a process of marinating it and passing it through oil quickly, then stir-frying it a second time. It keeps the meat exceptionally tender, and I've been using this method with chicken since I first read about it on Hank's blog.
I loved this dish because the combination of onion, sesame oil, vinegar, chiles and ginger was assertive enough to stand up to the earthy duck. You got a little of everything in each bite--sweet, sour, salty, spicy. As Hank puts it, "a spicy umami bomb."
I'm looking forward to getting outside my comfort zone and working on more of these recipes. I'm not sure I'll get around to shooting and plucking my own duck, but a girl can dream.

Palm Springs and the San Jacinto Mountains

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah ) — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 23:26:00 +0000

There comes a point for some people when making big plans for New Year's Eve is about as attractive as scrubbing out the bathtub. Sure, there was a time when I wanted to go to a club, stay up all night, and not recall what happened the next day. But that period ended for me when I was about 25. Nowadays, if I have a couple days off I want to go to a good restaurant, shop for vintage stuff, and share a nice bottle of wine with Anson. Yes, I am old, but I'm okay with that.

So this past NYE, Anson and I carried on our new tradition of a local road trip and returned to Palm Springs.

I can't go to Palm Springs without doing a little vintage shopping, so our first stop was Victoria's Attic Antique Mall in Cathedral City, a few miles southeast of Palm Springs. Sure, there are really pricey, mid-century stores all along Hwy. 111 (Palm Canyon Drive) leading into Palm Springs, but this was a true vintage shop, with great prices and enough merchandise to keep someone like me busy for hours. I bought two beautiful Japanese cork-topped ceramic storage jars for the kitchen for $18.

We moved on to downtown Palm Springs, which was bustling with people on this summery winter day. The main drag through downtown is Palm Canyon Drive, where you'll find dozens of independent restaurants, fudge stores, "resort wear," galleries, and bars. We had a relaxing lunch at Kaiser Grille, where we sat on the patio and had a front-row view of the busy sidewalk.

The biggest draw in downtown Palm Springs seems to be this three-story statue of Marilyn Monroe, which was installed last summer in honor of the 50th anniversary of her death. It was fun to watch the crowd of people patiently wait their turn, and then step up to be photographed between her legs. Full disclosure--had it not been so crowded, we probably would have done the same.

By late afternoon, it was time to move on to our destination--The Mojave Resort. We found this hotel several years ago and have returned a couple times since to take advantage of the great location just off the El Paseo shopping district in Palm Desert (about 15 miles southeast of Palm Springs), the really reasonable room rates, and it's mid-century modern charm.

The fireplace was really the clincher for us. But the large, comfortable bed, mid-century furnishings, friendly staff and a generous continental breakfast with delicious coffee certainly don't hurt.

No matter how cold (and yes, it gets cold in the desert), we always spend some time in the little hot tub. The front desk will happily provide you with plastic cups enjoy a glass of wine tub-side.

The Mojave Resort, like many in the area, is a remodeled classic motel, and as a result the oversized rooms include a private patio that opens onto a center courtyard. No shoebox rooms with a view of the rooftop air conditioning unit here.

And in the center of the courtyard is a trapezoidal pool for cooling off, if you happen to be there any time other than the winter.

We dined at Matchbox that night to celebrate our ninth(!) anniversary. Good thing we made reservations because the restaurant was packed with the panicked-people-desperately-feeding-toddlers crowd. Luckily, we were seated on the balcony, where we scarfed down a delicious meatball pizza and spicy sausage pasta.

After a cozy night watching Kathy Griffin and Anderson Cooper in Times Square, warmed by our fireplace and red wine, we decided to take the long way home--south through the San Jacinto mountains.
First, we made the steep climb on the "Pines to Palms" Highway 74 where we looked back on Palm Desert and the San Gabriel Mountains in the north. In most years, you'll see snow-topped peaks up there.

Then, slowly, the road leveled off, and we found ourselves in a totally different landscape of pine trees, tall grass, horse farms, and...

...Lake Hemet! We never would have guessed there is a lake at the top of the mountains. As I was reading up on the area after, I learned that the San Jacinto mountains are considered a "sky island" because of the vast difference between the ecosystem in the mountains and that of the valley floor. Now you know too.

Hippie tree hugger.

And after a brief detour through the charming town of Idyllwild, we came out on the south end, overlooking the San Jacinto Valley. From there we descended to the valley floor, ending up in Hemet. A quick stop at our favorite winery, Hart Winery in Temecula, with Anson's parents and we were on our way home from a whirlwind trip to the desert.
After living in Southern California for 20 years it's nice to know there is still more to explore.

The Wedding That Made Milwaukee Famous

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah ) — Sun, 01 Dec 2013 05:41:00 +0000

Anson and I were lucky enough to have a reason to travel to Milwaukee last month--one of my dearest, oldest friends, Zoki, got married to a wonderful man, Michael. Both were originally from Milwaukee, and since neither Anson nor I had ever been to Milwaukee, we were excited, not only for the wedding, but to see one of the meccas of traditional American brewing culture.

The wedding was held at The Best Place, the former offices and entertaining facility at the Pabst brewery. The Best Place references Jacob Best Sr. who established the original brewery.

Captain Frederick Pabst, who gave the brewery it's name, and brought it to prominence.

Anson took the tour of the brewery and was told the style of architecture is called "German-Victorian".

We stayed next door at the Brew House Inn & Suites, the former brewing facility that has been turned into a eco-chic, steam-punk hotel.

The adjacent, empty buildings from the large brewing complex have yet to be restored, still retaining the patina of over 150 years.

We happened to travel on my birthday, so I brought one of those bottles of wine you save for your birthday. I had to laugh as I unpacked the wine and set it down next to the Pabst Blue Ribbon ice bucket.

We had dinner at Distil Milwaukee, and I was delighted at their creative take on my favorite salad--the Cobb. Where is the egg you ask? It's that battered, deep-fried ball on the bottom right. Curiously, the yolk was still liquid.

Zoki and Michael did not miss a detail in their planning of the wedding, right down to the welcome bags that greeted out-of-town guests--New Glarus beer, Ellsworth cheese curds, and Usinger's sausage. And that half-eaten monster you see there? That was a home-made pretzel at Jackson's Blue Ribbon Pub, the restaurant attached to the hotel. It's worth visiting Milwaukee just for that pretzel.

We ventured outside the Pabst complex to Lakefront Brewery, and came across some local characters.

The beautiful bride, right before walking down the aisle.

Anson and I looking our best, at The Best Place.

Drooling Over "Melt: The Art of Macaroni and Cheese"

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah ) — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 05:18:00 +0000

Penne with Garrotxa, Serrano Ham, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Book reviews are not something I usually write on my blog. In fact, I've never written one ever. I typically stick to photo-heavy posts about our vacations, food photography and my connections to the recipes. You know, personal stuff.

But this book review actually falls into that "personal stuff" category, as the authors of "Melt: The Art of Macaroni and Cheese,"Stephanie Stiavetti and Garrett McCord, happen to be personal friends of mine. (Here we are with the fourth corner of our square, Casey Barber, author of "Classic Snacks Made From Scratch.") Not only do these three all have a special place in my heart since we met at Food Blog Camp, but macaroni and cheese also has a very special place in my heart. So, here goes with my first cookbook post!

Photo: Matt Armendariz

First off, it must be said that this is no regular mac 'n cheese cookbook, unless "regular" in your world is having a selection of Redwood Hill Smoked Goat Cheddar, kefalotyri and aged Mahon on hand to whip up a quick weeknight dinner for your kids. You will find recipes in this book, like Brillat-Savarin with Pears, Fennel & Torn Croissant Topping and La Tur with Conchiglie, Nectarines & Apricot Jam that will make you rethink the whole idea of "macaroni and cheese" and what it means. As much as I love the blue box, this book plays in a whole different league.

Besides the out-of-the-box interpretations of a classic comfort food, the depth of information about cheese and pasta and the resulting magic that happens when they're combined is astonishing. Every single recipe begins with a description of the cheese and the key ingredients in the dish. This is one element I hope for in every recipe I read, and is evidence of both authors' blogging backgrounds.

You'll find sidebars about raw milk cheese, terroir, crusts and much more. There's even a cheese quick reference guide in the back! If you never cook a single recipe from this book, you'll walk away from it knowing more than you ever imagined you'd know about cheese.

But what I like most about this book is the warm, conversational prose. I hear both of their voices variously as I read through the book. (You can experience a little bit of their personalities in this cookbook trailer.) Their explanations are authoritative yet friendly, high-brow yet humble. I keep paging through the book, randomly turning to pages, just to read the recipe introductions.

So free your fancy cheese from it's prison on that cheese plate next to the water crackers, pick up a copy of "Melt: The Art of Macaroni and Cheese," and call your friends for a dinner party. Just be prepared to have them invite themselves back over!

To win a set of Le Crueset cookware, check out this giveaway celebrating the release of "Melt"!

Barcelona: What To Do In Barcelona

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah ) — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 22:59:00 +0000

As small and walkable as Barcelona is, we didn't get to everything we wanted to see in the eight days we were there. Despite that, upon reflection, we felt that we really got a good feel for Barcelona. We took our time and planned one thing to do each day. After that, we walked around, looked for bars or restaurants we wanted to try, and let the winding gothic alleys take us where they may.

That being said, it wasn't as all as aimless as I make it sound. I spent hours pouring over Lonely Planet Barcelona, marking pages, and making notations on two sets of maps (which other people we met added to) beforehand. That way, when we started wandering, I could take out the map and say, "Hey there's a market/museum/bar I read about around here. Let's check it out." Another lesson learned from missing important sights on previous trips.

The center of our time in Barcelona, and the main artery of the old city, was La Rambla, a broad, tree-lined pedestrian walkway, which runs north from Port Vell to Placa Catalunya. From here, you can branch off into any of the many distinct neighborhoods that have developed over the years.

I was continually impressed with the old/new dichotomy everywhere in Barcelona, that showed up most evidently in the architecture. Here's another ancient Roman stone wall, and the more modern building that was constructed into it, like Legos.

This is the modern restaurant and office complex at Port Vell that also houses the Museu d'Historia de Catalunya, a fascinating trip through the history of Catalonia, and ancient Europe as a whole.

I think this was Carrer del Carme, or another nearby street that led to the Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona. There is no shortage of public art from all ages in Barcelona.

A moody street adjacent to La Catedral.

We spent a half day in the Maritime Museum, which had replica of of Don Juan of Austria's flagship. You could stick your head in through the bottom for a peek into life below the deck.

The museum was in the former royal shipyards, where the original flagship was built in 1571.

We also spent a long time in an extensive exhibit about the life and history of Charles Darwin. Naturally, of all the specimens, I was interested in the cat skeleton.

La Pedrera, one of Gaudi's most famous residences, was really worth visiting.

This work of art, an apartment building built in the early 1900s, was stunning from every angle. Here is a panorama of the roof.

One of the columns holding up the roof, seen from the attic.

So much to smile at in Barcelona. A dozen gelato places line La Rambla and serve up flavors you've never thought of until now.

One day, after being in Spain for a week, we were craving some good old fashioned drip coffee. At the Dunkin' Donuts outside of La Boqueria we managed to talk our way into two large drip coffees and two pastries---for a total of about $14.

One of my favorite experiences of traveling is trying food I couldn't get at home--like ham flavored Ruffles.

We loved working our way through some Basque-style tapas at Txapela, named for the black beret worn in the Basque country. Anson tried his hand at pouring the txakoli from on high, as the waiters do.

You may remember Marc, Anson's childhood friend, from the Mallorca blog. Well, we met up with his parents, Salvador and Francesca, for dinner one night and were treated to traditional and squid ink paella.

This was a touching reunion for Anson, as the Barbera family was very influential in Anson's life.

Bar Marsella, the oldest bar still operating in Barcelona, is famous for absenta (absinthe) and for being a haunt for Hemingway. Who could leave without giving it a try? We looked around at the well-worn bar, and imagined all the stories those walls could tell.

We ate not once, but twice, at Wok to Walk. Pick your noodle or rice, pick your veggies, pick your sauce, and watch them wok it right in front of you over the hottest flame you've ever seen.

Vila Viniteca had all the gourmet cheese, meat, chocolate, spices, oils and wines a traveler could ever want for. Next door is the related wine store, with an huge selection of wine and helpful, very knowledgable staff.

Stopping for a glass of rosé at a little cafe outside the Esglesia de Santa Maria del Mar we watched a wedding party and guests pose for photographs, while grandmothers minded small children and pretty girls checked their make-up. It was a scene of daily life we could have observed anywhere, except we were in Barcelona. That's really the magic of travel.

We went to La Cerveteca, one of the few craft beer bars in Barcelona, three times before it was actually open. Judging by the crowds that appeared within minutes of opening, they only need to be open a few hours a day to pay the bills. As we experienced in Rome, craft beer is just beginning to emerge in Spain, and we love to see the similarities and differences in beer culture. For the most part, this friendly pub could have been interchangeable with any in the U.S., with the exception of the beers, of course.

What else did we consume? Lots of cava sangria, a uniquely Catalan, and much more refreshing, version of sangia.

Another thing to love about Barcelona--it is very affordable compared to the other big cities in Europe. The bill for a glass of cava, a glass of wine, and a 1/2 liter of sangria? About $16.

Saving the best for last--Anson asked me to marry him on the rooftop bar of the beautiful Hotel Espana. Of course, I said yes! Now we just have to figure out where to get married...

Barcelona: Ancient Charm, Modern Mindset

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah ) — Sun, 01 Sep 2013 18:34:00 +0000

Part two of our trip to Spain brought us to Barcelona, a city from which we were expecting BIG things based on the feedback we got from friends and research we did online. Apparently, Barcelona ranks as the favorite city in all of Europe for many, many people.

Indeed, there is a lot to love about this city that straddles the fence between ancient and modern, from the newly renovated port to the timeworn passages of the Gothic Quarter. Above is the perfect example--the newer (15th century) Casa de l'Ardiaca was built upon and incorporated the oldest existing part of Barcelona, the Roman walls from the fourth century. The houses attached to the walls were torn down in 1962 and replaced with the modern facade you see now. So much for preservation!

There seems to be a comfort with progress in Barcelona, an ease about maintaining a very old city while still moving forward with the rest of the world. For me, the best evidence of this was in the attitude of the city towards tourism. Instead of the scorn and impatience that often greet tourists in popular cities, we were, without exception, welcomed and treated kindly by everyone we interacted with. The tourist attractions were well maintained, staffed, and organized, and tickets could be purchased online. Transportation to and from the airport was a cinch using Aerobus, and the Metro system was incredibly easy to navigate, but mostly unnecessary to use because almost everything was in easy walking distance. The streets were clean, prices were fair and the food was great. I can't think of anything else a tourist could want (except maybe some foot massage kiosks, but I might be asking too much).

So while I can't say that Barcelona is my favorite city in Europe (I haven't seen enough yet), I will say that it was my favorite city to be a tourist. I will even go so far as to say I would highly recommend it for anyone who wants to visit Europe, but is apprehensive about going to a foreign country. As long as you do some research beforehand, you will feel comfortable and have a good time in Barcelona.

We left the rustic simplicity of Mallorca and touched down in a modern apartment in Barcelona. This well-equipped, sparkling-clean, air-conditioned, newly-renovated studio was our home for over a week. We learned the hard way from previous trips that the location of your home base can make all the difference in your enjoyment of your vacation, and we really credit this apartment for much of the good time we had in Barcelona. Our host, Agustin, who manages Rambla 102 Apartments was professional and responsive to every inquiry from us, and we were so lucky to have this haven to return to every day.

We started each day with a coffee from the Nespresso machine (my favorite coffee), and cooked egg sandwiches with our provisions from the Carrefour a couple blocks away. On this trip we didn't end up making dinner at home even once, but every afternoon when jet lag, wine, and the heat made us drowsy we returned to our cool, silent retreat and rested before heading back out into the streets for the evening.

We chose the apartment specifically for it's location in the heart of the Gothic Quarter, and for it's location directly across the street from the famous Mercat de la Boqueria, which we dove into at least once every day.

In addition to stacks upon stacks of fresh produce, you'll find jewel-like candy, fresh meat and fish, gourmet cheese, olives, wine, prepared food, stalls serving tapas...

...and, of course, plenty of jamon.

On a friend’s suggestion, we went to La Biblioteca Gourmande on our first night. It was a perfect modern, seasonal restaurant on the artsier side of La Rambla.

The server tried to talk us into tiny, spaghetti-like eel for our first course, but we went with impossibly thin eggplant chips drizzled with honey instead.

Without question, we had to try leche frita amb canyella (fried cream with cinnamon)—a traditional Catalan dessert.

The next day was the big one--our lunch at the much-lauded Alkimia. I had read that this was the place to go in Barcelona for food lovers and we weren't disappointed.

A multi-course lunch began with Champagne and an amuse bouche of a liquid pa amb tomaquet, the ubiquitous Catalan side of bread rubbed with fresh tomato and garlic, then drizzled with olive oil. Alkimia’s version was tomato water in a shot glass, with a float of olive oil and sprinkling of breadcrumbs. I was trying to be very low-key in the high-end atmosphere and didn’t take pictures of the first dish. I’ve been kicking myself ever since.

Various well-produced dishes followed the amuse, such as seared white fish with radishes, cucumber gelée and sunflower seeds...

...and finally a dessert of crème and mini strawberries , garnished with mini edible flowers. Alkimia was as indulgent and delicious as we were led to believe; it was truly a first-class meal.

We headed a few blocks down the street to our second destination of the day, La Sagrada Familia, the unfinished masterpiece of Antoni Gaudí, the unofficial patron saint of Barcelona architecture. Construction began in 1882, carries on today, and is expected to take at least another 30 years.

You all know the Nativity façade of the structure, but I really loved the sculptures on the Passion facade, which were designed by Josep Maria Subirachs after Gaudí's death.

The columns on the inside of the church were reminiscent of palm trees, reflecting Gaudí's interest in the connection between nature and architecture. Various organic motifs repeat throughout the church and in his complete body of work.

We signed up for tower tour on the Nativity façade, which brought us to the top in an elevator.

We wound our way down, a different view at every turn. In the far distance is the harbor and Montjuic.

If you only do one "touristy" thing in Barcelona, La Sagrada Familia should be it. Even non church-going people like Anson and I were in awe of the beauty of the structure and the amount of care and devotion that went into it, and will continue to go into it for many years.

Mallorca: Majorly Beautiful

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah ) — Sun, 21 Jul 2013 20:49:00 +0000

It has been almost three months since my last post, definitely the longest I've ever gone between posts. So what have I been doing with all this time? From what I can remember, I:

Vacationed in Mallorca and Barcelona
Got engaged in Barcelona
Started a new job
Purged all my old work stuff
Found my sanity again
Organized and cleaned
Caught up on sleep
Visited my family
Checked a lot of things off my long to-do list

And I think I'm missing a few things in there.

(Map from Lonely Planet, whose books I recommend for any traveling you plan to do.)

In any case, I'm long overdue for a post, so let's just go right to the most photographed part of the recent past--our vacation to Spain!

We started out in Mallorca, an island off the coast of Spain, where one of Anson's childhood friends, Marc, lives in a centuries-old stone farmhouse.

Driving onto their land and stepping into their home is entering a different world. Their house is surrounded by almond trees and all the land a dog could dream of. The only sounds you'll hear are the birds and animals and other mysterious noises of nature.

Sharing his life in this rustic land are his wife, Marta, and daughter, Nina.

Why yes, in case you were asking yourself, that is the cutest, sweetest baby you've ever seen in your life. If only I had more room in my carry-on...

And on the right is their dog, Barabbas, playing with his offspring at their friends' house. Why yes, he is the chillest, coolest dog you've ever met. I know you are also wondering what kind of dog he is. He is an Ibizan Hound, or Podenco Ibicenco.

Here is the window in the room we stayed in. These thick stone walls help keep the inside a good ten degrees cooler than the outside.

Marc is a 3-D artist, and his incredible work in wood, stone and metal can be seen all around the house. His work can also be seen from the courtyard outside the Museum of Contemporary Art in Barcelona.

One of my favorite things to do in any city is hit the local grocery stores. I can browse for hours looking at all the different products. Check out the local cheese display at this cool market.

I stopped in my tracks when I rounded the corner and saw a full section of rosé at the local grocery store. I think I heard angels singing somewhere.

We headed to the mountainous interior of the island and had lunch at a restaurant for the winery called Bodegues Jaume Bennassar Vallcaneras. What a view from our table!

We ate our way through a traditional Mallorcan lunch, but I think my favorite part was the little taza of espresso at the end of the meal, and the bottle of ron (rum) they gave you to add to it as you wish. Deeelicious! Also, the sugar packets in Spain are huge.

We walked up the hill to the house of Marc and Marta's friends, stopping to check out the donkeys with Oriol.

They too lived in an old stone homestead, that also served as a processing facility for olive oil at one time.

The view out the window from their living quarters was postcard perfect.

Later on we headed back to Palma to check out the historic center of town. This was a really cool spot, called Sifoneria Palma, which offered refillable bottles (sifons), and casks of wine sold by the glass. Grab a seat on the plastic crates along the walkway and sip glasses of wine for a couple euro.

We were excited that the craft beer scene is alive and well in at Guirigall Cafe.

To the beach for our last day in Mallorca. And what a way to end this leg of our trip. Anson and Marc got to surf together once again and I got to gaze at this beautiful turquoise water for the day. Can't complain about that!

No color correction need here!

A final meal in Mallorca, a meal that would repeat again and again throughout our trip--bread, ham, cheese and wine. What else do you need really?

We had to say goodbye to Marc, Marta, Nina and Oriol the next day, but we'll never be able to thank them enough for their hospitality and for showing us the real Mallorca.

Rhubarb Slush: The Grown-Up Snow Cone

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah ) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 04:29:00 +0000

When I was a kid, there was nothing I looked forward to more than our trips to my Grandma's cabin in Cross Lake, Minnesota. (It is just north of Brainerd, and if you are an American folklore buff, you will know Brainerd as the home of Paul Bunyan Land.) Everyone who grew up in Minnesota either had a cabin on a lake, was related to someone with a cabin on a lake, or lived on a lake. It's pretty unavoidable in those areas.

Me, with my Grandma.

The best part of our vacation was the long lazy days we spent playing in the lake, jumping off the dock, and sitting in floating chairs with a glass of Rhubarb Slush. This sweet and tangy alcoholic slush, much like the Glop-Topped Cookies at Christmas, was, curiously, not off-limits to us as children. I can clearly remember scooping great spoonfuls of it from the Kemp's gallon ice cream bucket in which my mom kept it in the freezer. It was the perfect treat for a hot day: fruity, sweet, sour, and tooth-achingly cold.

Neither of my parents recall the genesis of this recipe, only that it was probably "from the '70s." I'm guessing it came from a Lutheran church cookbook, newspaper story, swingers party, or something like that.

Rhubarb is about to come into season in many parts of the country, and if you get tired of making Rhubarb Pie, Rhubarb Cake, Rhubarb Crisp, Rhubarb Jam, Rhubarb Tart, etc., and your rhubarb plant still giveth, give this one a try.

Whether you let your kids try it is your business, but I suggest you at least have it ready for the inevitable heat waves this summer. Just when you can't take the heat anymore, invite your friends over, fill up the kiddie pool, and pass around plastic cups of Rhubarb Slush. Close your eyes and feel yourself floating in the water, the warm Midwest sun on your face; hear the sounds of kids playing in the water and motor boats passing by with water skiers in tow.

Rhubarb Slush Recipe
3 cups rhubarb, chopped
2 cups sugar
8 cups water
12 oz cranberry juice
12 oz lemonade
1 quart vodka
1 quart club soda (optional)

Bring rhubarb, sugar and water to a simmer in a large saucepan and cooke until rhubarb is very tender. Cool mixture.

Add cranberry juice, lemonade and vodka. Freeze in an ice cream bucket (or other freezer-safe container) overnight. Mixture will not become hard frozen.

When ready to serve, scoop out the mixture into glasses and, if desired, top with club soda. Serve with a spoon or stir stick.

Sauce Gribiche: Hardboiled Eggs All Grown Up

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah ) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 01:12:00 +0000

So, you've eaten the ears off the chocolate rabbits, filled your cheeks with jelly beans, and polished off several boxes of marshmallow Peeps. But what to do with all those painstakingly dyed hardboiled eggs still staring at you from your Easter basket? There's egg salad sandwiches, Cobb salad, Casey's Ham Salad recipe, perhaps some ramen noodle soup. And then what?

Might I suggest a savory sauce gribiche to really make the most out of those leftover hardboiled eggs? Before you dismiss it as sounding a little too fancy, just know that it's basically vinaigrette with chopped hardboiled eggs and capers mixed in. Easy! If you do any cooking at all, you will have all the ingredients on hand already.

You can spoon it over beautiful spring vegetables, spread it on broiled white fish, and toss warm new potatoes in it. You will typically see this sauce served with asparagus, but I paired it with blanched green beans and thought they were a really great foil for the briny, rich sauce. Trust me, if you can look beyond the inelegant name ("Ermahgerd, Green Beans Gribiche!"), this sauce will become a regular in your cooking repertoire.

Green Beans Gribiche
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon shallot or onion, finely chopped
4 cornichon or other mild pickle, finely chopped
1 tablespoon capers, drained and chopped
handful of fresh herbs (whatever you like), chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 hardboiled eggs, peeled and chopped finely

1 pound green beans, blanched

Combine first seven ingredients in a bowl. Drizzle in olive oil while whisking. Add hardboiled eggs and combine. Adjust consistency with more olive oil if you wish. Taste for salt and add if needed. That's it!

I could see adding a dash of Tabasco sauce, chopped olives, lemon zest, sundried tomatoes, or any other flavor that you think might complement the food you are serving it on. Give it a try!