German Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream for the Caveman…
This weekend is mah caveman’s special day. His birthday is August 5th, and we are throwing a party for him on August 4th (don’t worry, it’s not a surprise!!). Well, he just loves ice cream. But, ice cream is decidedly NOT Paleo, as it is made with dairy and loads of sugar.
Well, OK then. An ice cream-like substance ye shall have.
I modified this recipe from all recipes.com to make it Paleo friendly. Of course I used a totally Paleolithic blender, food processor, and ice cream maker to make the ice cream happen. Well, ya know. At least it’s all natural. 😉
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups So Delicious (unsweetened) coconut milk
1 cup coconut cream (skim the cream off the top when you open the can of coconut milk, and purchase the full-fat, not “light” variety)
1/3 cup xylitol
2 (1/2 pound) avocados, peeled and pitted
3/4 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup flaked unsweetened coconut
1 cup toasted and chopped pecans
3/4 cup dark chocolate discs
1/4 cup coconut oil
Directions:
Puree milk, coconut cream, xylitol, avocados, and lemon juice in a blender until smooth. Pour into a cold metal bowl, cover, and chill for about an hour. Then pour the mixture into an electric ice cream freezer and process according to the directions on your machine. Once the mixture has thickened, place back into the freezer and allow to harden slightly (keep in mind that you will will want it stirring consistency).
Toast the coconut and pecans at 350 until they are browned. Be careful not to burn either, as they brown quickly. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
For the chocolate chunks, place the chocolate in a bowl and pour the coconut oil over the chocolate and microwave in 10 second pulses to allow the chocolate to melt. Then spread over a piece of wax paper in a thin layer and allow to firm up in the refrigerator. Drag a knife or spoon over the hardened chocolate and break into pieces.
Take the bowl of ice cream out of the freezer and stir in the pecans, chocolate pieces, and the coconut. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator. I am not sure how long it will last there, since the ice cream is so good it is typically gone within a few days!
Happy Birthday, Andy! 🙂
Denio’s in Roseville to Host “Taste of Summer” Event on August 4th, 10am-1pm
Saturday August 4th from 10am-1pm, Denio’s will be hosting its inaugural “Taste of Summer” event, complete with a kids zone and “Salsa Showdown.”
Join Denio’s for a fun-filled day as they celebrate the area’s largest Farmers Market in a whole new way!
The “Salsa Showdown” will be a “Chopped” style competition with local culinary students and judged by some of the area’s top professional chefs.
Receive complimentary produce tastings, salsa-making tips and recipes, and so much more. Plus, the kids will enjoy their own exclusive “Fun Zone.”
Denio’s Farmer’s Market and Swap Meet open at 7am. They are located at 1551 Vineyard Road, Roseville. You can visit them online at Denio’sMarket.com
You can find them on Facebook here and follow them on twitter here. To get an idea of what Denio’s is like, you can check out their You Tube channel here.
Sweet Potato Salad with Bacon
This recipe will serve 6 hungry cavemen/cavewomen. 😉
This recipe is my own concoction 😉
3 to 4 medium-sized white sweet potatoes, peeled cut into 3/4-inch chunks
1 cup Paleo Mayonnaise (recipe to follow)
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 cup thinly sliced fennel bulb
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped (optional)
2 slices bacon
To prepare:
Cook the bacon in the microwave and drain on a paper towel.
Cover potatoes with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and cool slightly.
Combine your the paleo mayonnaise, vinegar, salt and pepper in large bowl. Add potatoes, fennel slices, onion, eggs, then the bacon. If you like a little chill on your potato salad, you can refrigerate for about a 1/2 hour. However, I like mine room temperature so I pretty much eat the salad right after I put it together. 🙂
2 cups light tasting olive oil or walnut oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper
In a blender, add the eggs, vinegar, and mustard and blend together well – leave the blender running and slowly slowly slowly drop by drop or very slow drizzle add the oil. BE PATIENT!! Do not dump all the oil in quickly and give up!! When the mixture begins to emulsify or thicken, only then can you be a bit faster about pouring in the olive oil but still take your time. Turn the blender off once all the olive oil is in and the mayonnaise is thickened to your desired consistency. Add the salt and cayenne pepper and mix well or blend again for another few seconds.
The Eatery Steps Up to Host the First “Grub With Us” Paleo Dinner in Sacramento
Last night, The Eatery hosted a $22 per person all inclusive dinner through the Grubwithus dining site. I have no reservations when I say it was a complete success. First of all, I have to applaud the chef at The Eatery, Jess Milbourn, for accepting our group and welcoming the challenge of making a strict Paleo dinner for 12-15 people. Looking at the final dishes, one would never know that Jess had never cooked a Paleo meal before. In fact, if I didn’t know better, I would think this restaurant specialized in Paleo!
Just imagine being Paleo and having a restaurant you can go to and order a meal and not be worried someone is going to sneak a little wheat or sugar in the sauce or put bread on your table. Maybe The Eatery will develop a special menu that all Paleos/Primals in Sacramento can order from when they come in? Wouldn’t that be something?
There were four courses in the meal and here’s what we had:
Smoked hamachi & avocado “ravioli”, togarashi oil, lemon custard
This dish was such a great start to the meal. It’s very similar to what I order when I eat sushi.
I thought it was an inventive take on what a ravioli is… basically a meat stuffed in a little pouch of something… and in this case it was avocado! 🙂 Of course the oils and the lemon enhanced the fish inside. It was fun to scoop up the hamachi with my fork, grab a little bit of the avocado, and swipe my fork through the oil and the custard.
Lamb neck ragu, zucchini noodles, mushroooms, heirloom tomatoes
I love lamb, so this one was a hit with me. I am always happy then extra vegetables get incorporated into a dish somehow. Zucchini instead of wheat? Yes, please! And thumbs up for the in season heirlooms!! 🙂
Berkshire pork meatballs, roasted cauliflower, celery root puree, smoked red pepper jus
This dish reminded me of meatloaf and mashed potatoes. I just loved the red pepper jus.
It reminded me of a similar sauce I made with Paleo crab cakes for our Christmas dinner. 🙂
Coconut & peach custard, toasted almonds, mango puree
This dish really made me consider the care, time, and thought that the chef put into each course of this dinner. The custard was actually a frozen custard and the toasted almonds gave the dessert such a nice range of texture. The bottom layer was a third creamier texture flavored with vanilla. 🙂
Did I mention all the awesome people who showed up?? It was fun to meet other Paleo folks I had never met before! People who don’t look at me funny when I say I don’t eat wheat or sugar and would never pressure me into eating something I didn’t want to. Kind, like minded fitness folks who know what I mean by “WOD” or “clean and jerk”. Yep, it was a whole slew of people from West Sacramento Crossfit! 🙂 I hope we do another one of these dinners soon and that we will all eat together again!
You can “like” The Eatery on Facebook here and follow them on twitter here.
Don’t miss them at this year’s Sacramento Burger Battle. They’ll be one of the competing restaurants. There are only 6 days left to purchase your tickets at the early bird discount!!
Thanks to Ms. Munchie of Munchie Musings for some of the pics and for setting up this dinner.
Peach Chipotle Ketchup
This recipe is featured in the Sacramento Bee Taste section today. Wanted to show you what it looks like. We used the ketchup on top of some grass-fed bun less burgers and on these parsnip chips. The ketchup is a flavorful punch of smoky and sweet and can double as a BBQ sauce. I hope you’ll try it in your kitchen! 🙂
Peach-Chipotle Ketchup
5-6 peaches
1 Onion
1 Tbs molasses
1 Tbs honey
4 yellow tomatoes
1 roma tomato
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 Tbs crushed garlic
1 Tbs olive oil
1.5 Tbs tomato paste
2 chipotle peppers, seeded
1 tsp salt
Heat 1 Tbs olive oil in a skillet and slice the onion. Sauté the onion
and then add the salt when the onion becomes translucent.
When the onion begins to caramelize, add the apple cider vinegar and
cook the onion down until it is brown and fully caramelized.
Peel and slice the peaches and place the fruit in a food processor.
Pulse until the peaches are a thick liquid. Add the molasses and honey
to the mixture and set aside.
When the onion is fully cooked, put it into the food processor with
the crushed garlic, and pulse until it is a paste. Seed and remove the
membrane from the chipotle peppers, and place them into the food
processor with the onion paste. Pulse until well blended. Set this
mixture aside.
Core and cut tomatoes into medium sized chunks and place in a saucepot
with the peach pureé. Cook them down with the peach purée until the
tomatoes break down and the mixture starts to thicken. This will take
20-30 minutes. Then add the onion mixture to the saucepot, along with
the tomato paste. Incorporate completely and continue to cook on low
to medium heat until desired thickness is reached (about 10-20 more
minutes).
Keep in refrigerator for up to a week, or you can freeze for later use.
Hot off the Grill: 2012 Sacramento Burger Battle is September 18th at Raley Field
If you haven’t heard about the 2012 Sacramento Burger Battle by now, you’re probably living under a huge chunk of charcoal!! Sacramento’s first charity burger cook-off and tasting event, the Sacramento Burger Battle, will be held on National Cheeseburger Day, Sept. 18, 2012 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Raley Field.
Of course, the organizer of the event is a friend of mine, so I have had the privilege of knowing all about the event for a few months now. I was particularly interested in helping promote this event because all of the ticket sales benefit the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America. I was diagnosed with Crohn’s in 2001. Though my Crohn’s is in remission and it rarely bothers be (due to my diet and exercise regime), I know there are many people who are hospitalized and operated on every year (and even die) from Crohn’s Disease.
The Battle Details:
Up to 15 Sacramento-area restaurants will create their best burgers in the hope of being named the Best Burger in Sacramento.
The Challengers:
- de Vere’s Irish Pub
- The Porch
- The Eatery
- Restaurant Thir13en
- Kupros Bistro
- Scott’s Seafood Grill & Bar
- Michelangelo’s
- Delta King
- The Chef’s Table
- Squeeze Inn
- The Golden Bear
The Judges:
Guest judges include food writers Rick Kushman and Erin Jackson, local chef Bret Bohlmann, and Rick Mindermann of Corti Brothers.
The Beverages:
Beer and wine tastings feature samples of regional brands, including Crispin Cider and Sierra Nevada.
Audience Participation!
Attendees can sample burgers from participating restaurants and vote for their favorite burger to receive the People’s Choice Award.
Not Just Burgers!!
Featured entertainment includes a live art installation by the nationally acclaimed Tekstartist from Carlsbad, California. The final piece will be auctioned off during the event to raise additional funds for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America.
Fine Print:
Admission to the event is limited to adults 21 and over.
About the 2012 Sacramento Burger Battle
Conceived by Rodney Blackwell, a nationally ranked burger blogger based in Sacramento, California, Sacramento Burger Battle’s purpose is two-fold: to showcase the local dining scene, and to raise money for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America. Blackwell’s commitment to helping find a cure for Crohn’s and colitis started four years ago, when his daughter was diagnosed with Crohn’s.
You can “like” the Sacramento Burger Battle on Facebook here and for all the latest burgery gossip on the event, you can follow them on twitter here.
Ready to buy tickets? You can get them online here!
Miner’s Leap Winery Summer Jazz Series Continues Saturday, July 28th
The concert features ANALYSIS with A.D.and special guests Cynthia Douglas and Taylor the “Donn” Burrise.
Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 @ the door. The first 50 guests receive a FREE glass of wine.
Wine Club Members: $15 plus a FREE glass of wine.
A down-home BBQ is available for purchase by Sacramento’s very own Sandra Dee’s BBQ & Seafood.
Space is limited. Call (916) 813-6909 or email miners leap at gmail.com
The Miners Leap tasting room is open:
Friday 1 to 6 p.m.
Happy Hour 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
54250 South River Road, Clarksburg, CA 95612
They also have a concert planned at the winery on September 8th, 2012 with Levi Huffman and ANALYSIS. For more information, go to their website here.
You can “like” Miner’s Leap on Facebook here.
Berbere Spiced Chicken
So I am reading listening to Marcus Samuelsson’s autobiography right now… during long runs and my ultra boring work commutes to Auburn everyday. It’s called Yes, Chef, and it’s a really fascinating book, especially if you are into food/cooking, or have ever worked in the industry. And I just love being able to listen to the book, actually read by the author in his Swedish accent. 🙂
Anyway, Samuelsson’s staple spice is called berbere (originating from Ethiopia). I have enjoyed this spice in a dish called doro wat at Queen Sheba on Broadway here in Sacramento, and wanted to present the chef’s bebere spice recipe used in a Paleo setting.
So, I decided to make the spice mix and coat chicken breasts with it, then grill them. The flavor is a delicious mix of savory and sweet and can go on almost any meat.
Berbere Spice Mix
(by Chef Marcus Samuelsson)
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1/2 cup ground dried Serrano chilies or other ground dried chilies
1/2 cup paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon ground cardamom, preferably freshly ground
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Finely grind the fenugreek seeds with a mortar and pestle or an electric spice or coffee grinder. Stir together with the remaining ingredients in a small bowl until well combined.
Toast the spices in a non-stick pan on low heat until the oils and aromatics are released. Remove from heat.
You’ll have enough spice to make about 6 chicken breasts (we use Mary’s organic chicken from Taylor’s Market), or you can make 2 breasts and save the rest of the spice for up to 3 months.
Place the chicken breasts in a medium sized bowl and cover them with 1 Tbs olive oil. Then coat the chicken breasts with the berbere and allow to marinate for 20-30 minutes in the refrigerator while your grill is preheating. If you can, buy the chicken breasts attached. This will help retain moisture during the cooking/grilling process. If you don’t have a grill, you can bake the chicken in the oven on a foil covered sheet or roasting pan.
We served the chicken with a chilled, white wine from Nichelini Winery, (they’re located outside of Napa Valley in the Chiles Valley region). The wine is called Muscadelle, and it was the perfect match for the berebere spice, because of it’s crispness and higher sugar content.
We had sautéed vegetables: eggplant, squash, and broccoli, and also a salad on the side.
Another fun weekend in the record books. 🙂
We Conquered the Big Rib at the California State Fair!!
OMG! We conquered the big-*ss Rib Steak!! It was soooo good. We were able to order it right off the grill & medium rare without extra sauce! It costs about $16 and it feeds 2 people. It was perfect for the caveman and the cavegrrl… I am pretty sure we were the happiest couple at the fair sharing that big old hunk of meat! 🙂
And we landed in the wine garden (big surprise! ;)) with a mini picnic sponsored by one of my favorite food booths at the fair (conveniently located within the Wine Garden) Pignotti’s!! This year, they’re serving up my favorites again… the fruit plate, the salami plate, and the cheese plate. There’s also a meatball with pesto sauce that you should try.
Of course, we didn’t eat the bread on the plates, but I am showing you what you will get on the plate when you order. You can probably ask them to leave it off your plate entirely if you want. 🙂 Here’s a little slide show of the must haves (especially when you are sipping those California State Fair Medal winners!!):
BY THE WAY!!!!!
Come out and see me tomorrow, (Friday, July 20th from 5-7pm!) In the California Food Building (where the permanent exhibit buildings are located).
I will be making bacon wrapped dates and a cocoa hazelnut spread served with bananas! And you will get to taste test them for FREE!! And maybe by tomorrow I will have figured out a catchy name for the hazelnut spread!
You’ll also get to meet my partner in crime, The Running Bum aka Andy aka caveman, and we’ll talk about Paleo, what we eat, our staple kitchen ingredients, and other fun recipes!!
And since we’re talking about food, here’s the latest press release with the 2012 Cooking Competition Results:
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (July 19) – The California State Fair announces winners of its California’s Kitchen challenges and competitions for adults, children and professional chefs.
Best of Show:
Jams & Jellies Show: Claudine Kelly of Orangevale, for Blueberry Pomegranate Jelly
Kidz Jams & Jellies Show: Ashley Olson of Kingsburg, for Strawberry Balsamic Thyme Jam
Soft Spreads & Fruit Show: David Conrad of Stinson Beach, for Bearss Lime Curd
Pickles, Relish, Sauce & Salsa Show: Joan Edelsohn of Moraga, for Blackberry Barbecue Sauce
Kidz Soft Spread, Fruit, Pickle & Sauce Show: Matthew Silvera of Sutter, for Pickled Green Beans
King Arthur Flour Cookie Contest in Kidz Kitchen:
First place: Lincoln Marks of Rancho Cordova, for Kettlecorn Cookies
Second place: Catherine Gallagher of Sacramento, for Almond Strawberry Tea Time Cookies
Third place: Kaitlyn Ripley of Carmichael, for King Arthur’s Cookies
Poppy’s Baby Cake Contest in Kidz Kitchen, sponsored by C&H Sugar:
First place: Lindsey Abernathy of Sacramento, for Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes
Second place: Madilyn Ripley of Carmichael, for Poppy’s Baby Cakes
Third place: Jamie Grgich of Elk Grove, for Marzipan Ladybug Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Awards of Merit – Aysia Seals of Citrus Heights, for Aysia’s Rainbow Vanilla Cupcakes;
Demetrius Marshall of Sacramento, for Demetrius’ Out of this World Triple Chocolate Cupcakes;
Esther Ambrose of Galt, for Flower Power Poppy Baby Cakes, and
Evangeline Gardiner of Loomis, for Rainbow Cupcakes
Professional Chef Challenge
Preliminary rounds winners, who will compete in the finals 4-6 p.m. July 29:
Chef F.J. Villalobos, of 58 Degrees & Holding Co.
Chef Evan Elsberry, of Evan’s Kitchen
Chef Cecil Rhodes II, of Bella Bru Café Carmichael
Placer County Vintners Association Presents the Grape Days of Summer on August 4th and 5th!
The Grape Days of Summer on August 4 & 5, 2012 is Placer County Wine Trail open-house event hosted by Placer County Vintners Association (PCVA).
Enjoy wine tasting and small plates of food at participating wineries along with music and educational experiences along the trail. In addition to each general wine tasting line-up, wineries will provide an educational experience that takes you “From Vine to Wine.” This is something this region has never offered before. Join in on the fun, and taste some great award winning, small production wines, while you learn something from the winemakers themselves.
WHEN: Saturday & Sunday, August 4 & 5
TIME: 11am to 5pm both days
WHERE: Placer County Wine Trail – Auburn, Lincoln, Loomis & Newcastle
COST: $30 advance / $40 door, $10 Designated Driver
PARTICIPATING WINERIES: Bonitata, Casque, Ciotti, Cristaldi, Dono dal Cielo, Fawnridge, Lone Buffalo, Mt. Vernon, Pescatore, Popie, Rancho Roble, Secret Ravine, Vina Castellano and Wise Villa.
ACTIVITIES SUMMARY: Food or music at each winery. Special activities include Vineyard Tours; Cork Presentations; Oak Flavors in Wine; Blending Seminars; Harvest Equipment, Solar Energy, and Sheep in the Vineyard; Placer County Wine History; Vertical Tastings; and Barrel Aging and Sampling.
Purchase tickets by clicking here!
Mark S Allen, The Most Paleo of ’em All? Wins Big Beef Rib Eat-Off at the California State Fair!!
And now, an important press release from my friends at the California State Fair!
Bad to the bone: Allen wins Big Beef Rib competition
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (July 13) – Mark S. Allen, anchor/reporter for CW31’s “Good Day, Sacramento,” on Thursday easily won the first-ever celebrity invitational Big Beef Rib Eat-Off at the California State Fair.
Allen – decked out in a suit, tie and sunglasses in 99-degree midday heat – consumed a rib in 3:37:90, beating out Fox40 News reporter Andria Borba, Sacramento Bee food and wine writer Chris Macias, News Talk 1530 KFBK sports anchor Pat Walsh and News10 sports anchor Ryan Yamamoto.
Walsh came in a slow second, finally finishing his beef rib about five minutes later than Allen.
News10 reporter Kate Larsen and Big Beef Rib creator Dominic Palmieri emceed the heated competition.
The Big Beef Rib, new to the 2012 California State Fair, is 24 ounces of seasoned prime beef that is seasoned and slow-cooked onto a 17-inch rib bone. (Oh yeaahhh)
It sells for $16.95, available only at Teri’s BBQ on the Coca-Cola Main Promenade.
Congratulations to KD Partak! She won the tickets and the parking pass right here on cavegrrl.com!! Hope you enjoy your time at the fair! 🙂
You can like the California State Fair on Facebook here and follow them on twitter here.
The 2012 California State Fair runs July 12th-29th at 1600 Exposition Blvd., Sacramento
Fair hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Sunday.
Admission: $12 general, $10 ages 62-plus, $8 children 5-12. Children under 4 free.
(Discount tickets on sale until July 11.)
Parking: $10. For more information: www.bigfun.org
California State Fair Kicks Off Tomorrow! Win 2 tickets and FREE Parking!
The California State Fair is here again, and this time I will be doing a cooking demo at the fair on July 20th, from 5-7pm! I will be there to discuss the Paleo diet and to make a dish for audience sampling!! Come out and say hello and see what the Paleo thing is all about.
In celebration of my appearance at the Fair, I am giving away a pair of tickets, complete with a parking pass to one of my readers. To win, please comment below and tell me what you are most looking forward to at the fair! (If you’re anything like me, it’s the wine garden and the Mick Martin concerts!) I’ll also be heading to Pignotti’s booth (located in the wine garden) for my cheese and fruit plate! 🙂
The person with the best entry wins (you have to be local to win)…Giveaway ends tomorrow at noon! Ready…. GO!!!
Also, read below and check out some of the new attractions at the fair this year (via a press release from the California State Fair Media Department), or you can read my State Fair review from last year. I found some really healthy options at the fair:
Better hours and a slew of new attractions are among the highlights of the 2012 California State Fair, which runs July 12-29 at Cal Expo.
The fairgrounds will be open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
Magical Midway hours are 2-11 p.m. Monday and Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Tuesday, noon-11 p.m. Wednesday, and 11 a.m.-midnight Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Kids Park will be operational 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Thursday and 11 a.m.-midnight Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
In keeping with the theme “Fun That Moves You,” the 2012 State Fair introduces an array of entertaining, challenging, educational and thoroughly enjoyable activities and experiences for all ages. Most of them are free with fair admission:
“Wizard’s Challenge” (in front of Bldg A) – Explore the magic and wonder of science in a 9,600-square-foot, Medieval-themed, mostly interactive exhibit. Morph your face with someone else’s in the Morphing Mirror. Try to identify mysterious smells in Common Scents. Dare to walk through the Dragon’s Lair. Make beautiful music with the Enchanted Organ and Steel Drums. Take on all-comers at the Giant Chess Set. There are 20 activities in all. And don’t miss the Magic of Science stage show with three performances daily. “Wizard’s Challenge” is sponsored by SMUD.
“Sun-Maid Celebrating 100 Years of Fruit and Sunshine” (Expo Center, Bldg 3) – The Kingsburg-based company, a cooperative owned by nearly 1,000 families who grow raisin grapes, celebrates 100 years of a thriving enterprise by displaying from its collection two paintings and a chromo lithograph by the celebrated America artist Norman Rockwell. The Sun-Maid celebration also includes an interactive exhibit that tells the story of dried-fruit production in California and the history of the iconic Sun-Maid Girl. The Sun-Maid chef will cook up heritage recipes in the Sun-Maid Kitchen.
“Girl Scouts Zone”(Bldg A-B) – Celebrating 100 years of scouting, Girl Scouts Heart of Central California worked with Randy Roberts, deputy director of the Crocker Art Museum, and museum consultant Rachel Tooker to create an interactive exhibit that shows how Girl Scouts discover, connect and take action to make the world a better place.
“Toytopia 2.0” (Expo Center, Bldg 5) – Sacramento’s Stage Nine Entertainment returns with an interactive exhibit for folks of all ages. Doodle on the world’s largest Etch-a-Sketch and pretend that you live in a giant dollhouse. Build something with Legos and other construction toys. Visit the stuffed animal Toytopia Zoo. Check out model planes, trains and automobiles, and play the day away at a retro game arcade. Don’t forget to visit the official Toytopia store inside the exhibit.
“Birds in Paradise”(Floriculture) – Wander deep into the “jungle” where macaws, Amazon and cockatoos inhabit the “parrot tree.” Marvel at colorful peacocks, along with a charm of finches, a colony of canaries, along with kookaburra, amazons, curassow and other “singers.” Experts will be on hand to talk about the feathered flock. And look for exotic plants, many of which were propagated and nurtured in the State Fair’s Landscape Yard: vanilla orchid, sugar cane, cocoa, coffee, banana, papaya and pineapple. Free California poppy-seed packs will be given away while supplies last.
“Wet ‘n’ Wild” (Bldg B)– The California Department of Water Resources and California Department of Fish and Game team up on a water and wildlife exhibit designed to educate the public about native animals and how water impacts their habitats. See raccoon, bobcat, bald eagle, rattlesnake and amphibians in enclosures similar to their native habitats. Watch educational and entertaining presentations with a beaver, turkey vulture, North American porcupine, desert tortoise and hawk at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. daily.
“We Stand on Their Shoulders”(Bldg A) – Sacramento State professor emeritus Felicenne Ramey created a documentary–style exhibit in which photographs of elderly African-American men and women are paired with their musings on life. Ramey began working on the project in 2009. The exhibit comes to the State Fair after making its debut earlier this year at the Sacramento State library.
“ ‘The Flying Marbellos’ & Friends” (Expo Center, Bldg 7) – Vallejo dentist and artist Victor Chaney creates wacky and hypnotic kinetic sculptures, including the circus-themed “The Flying Marbellos” and “H2-Opus,” a musical fountain. See six of his unique works in the Fine Art building.
Guinness World Record attempts– Be a part of history at the California State Fair as not one, but two, world records are challenged. The world’s largest cocktail, a Margarita, will be built starting at 10 a.m. July 13 in an enormous stainless steel shaker on Palm Avenue. A Roseville woman will attempt the longest continuous Ferris wheel ride. She’s set to begin her quest at 5 a.m. July 23 in the Magical Midway. She’ll have to outlast the Los Angeles police detective who set the current record of 25 hours in June 2012.
My First Ride (Cavalcade of Horses arena) – Never been on a horse before? Now cowboys and cowgirls of all ages can saddle up for a jaunt around the arena. Rides will be given at noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. on July 15, 17, 24, 27 and 28. At 3 p.m. every day, kids can participate in stick-horse games and pony painting.
On the Magical Midway – Butler Amusements amps up the fun with old favorites and some new attractions, including White Water Log Flume, Mega Drop Tower and Circle of Champions. The Zillerator Coaster makes its return to the 2012 State Fair.
High Fly’n Zip Line (behind Expo Center, Bldg 5) – Also debuting at the 2012 State Fair, brought in by Butler Amusements, is a 600-foot-long zip line on which up to four riders will fly along at 35 mph. The highest elevation is 60 feet. Riders must weigh between 30 and 250 pounds. Zip line tickets are $20 and do not include State Fair admission. Carnival wristband and carnival tickets cannot be used for this ride.
Gran Jaripeo con Ezequiel Pena y Mucho Mas– The action includes a bull-riders-only rodeo, renowned Mexican entertainer Ezequiel Pena who will perform as he rides around the arena on horseback, and much more. (4-10 p.m. July 29, Horse Show and Rodeo Arena)
In addition to the new attractions, these are among the old favorites back at the 2012 California State Fair:
Live thoroughbred horse racing in the Miller Lite Grandstand (July 12-15 and July 19-22), big-name entertainment on the Golden1 Stage, the Livestock Nursery, Children’s Dairy Center, Dianne Olds Rossi and her Magical Dancing Horses, Metal Mayhem Destruction Derby (cars and RVs), Counties Exhibit, Fine Arts, cooking competitions in California’s Kitchen and The Farm, Operation Postcard, Friends of the California State Fair’s Brewfest, Youth Art & Design Expo, Gospel Festival and the Sacramento Mile.
In addition, California’s Grape & Gourmet returns to Cal Expo on Aug. 18. Tickets are for sale now at www.bigfun.org and www.calexpo.org
You can like the California State Fair on Facebook here and follow them on twitter here.
The 2012 California State Fair runs July 12th-29th at 1600 Exposition Blvd., Sacramento
Fair hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Sunday.
Admission: $12 general, $10 ages 62-plus, $8 children 5-12. Children under 4 free.
(Discount tickets on sale until July 11.)
Parking: $10. For more information: www.bigfun.org
Roseville Fountains Summer Art and Wine Stroll featuring Placer Wines on July 21st!
If you follow my site at all, you are well aware of how much I love Placer County wines. I find many of them comparable to Napa Valley wines without the high price tag. RB and I celebrated 4th of July with this 2009 Proprietor’s Blend from Fawnridge Winery.
Also, my current favorite wine, a 2008 Rousanne, is also made in Placer County by Casque Wines. So, if you love wine and haven’t made it up to the Placer/Loomis/Auburn area, you’ll have the opportunity to taste in Roseville at the Fountains on July 21st! Hope to see you there. Details are below:
Placer County Vintners Association and Fountains at Roseville present “Summer Wine Stroll.”
WHAT: This summer wine tasting event features the wineries of the Placer County Wine Trail, local artisans and munchies from Fountains Restaurants. Stroll the beautiful outdoor setting of the Fountains, taste local wines and listen to the rockin’ & jumpin’ blues music of Johhny O, the Blue F.O.’s featuring Connor James as part of the Fountains Summer Concert Series.
WHEN: July 21, 2012
Vintners Tasting: 6-8:30pm.
Concert & Wine Bar: 8-10pm.
WHERE: The Fountains at Roseville, 1013 Galleria Blvd, Roseville, CA.
PARTICIPATING WINERIES: Bonitata, Cante ao Vinho, Casque, Ciotti, Cristaldi, Dono dal Cielo, Fawnridge, Fortezza, Green Family, Lone Buffalo, Mt. Vernon, PaZa, Pescatore, Popie, Secret Ravine, Rancho Roble, Vina Castellano and Wise Villa.
TICKETS: Concert is Free. Wine Tasting is $25 in advance / $30 at the door. All tickets include wine tasting from 6-8:30, munchies and a souvenir wine glass. $35 VIP Ticket includes the addition of “preferred concert seating.”
PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE: www.placerwine.com
AT THE DOOR: Cash or Check Only
For more information, contact placer(nospace)vintners at gmail.com
Tickets can be purchased online here.
Summer White Wines at 40% Off this Weekend at Casque in Loomis
Currently one of my favorite things to do is pack a picnic (Paleo, naturally) and head up to Casque Wines for live music. That’s just what we did last weekend. We grilled up a grass-fed ribeye sent to me by Rocky Mountain Organic Meats (chilled it) and put it on top of a salad. I also made salsa and guacamole to go on the side as a sort of dipping sauce. Lime, cilantro, strawberries, then melon for dessert–and a glass of Casque’s newly released Vin Gris rose. Good times!
Stop by the winery this weekend to pick-up a mixed case of 2008 and 2009 summer white wines at 40% off the case. Wine Club Members get a whopping 50% off. This deal is available for a limited time so don’t miss out. All of the wines for sale are award winners!
Quinn Hedges is in the house TONIGHT from 6-9! Feel free to bring your own food or appetizers or pick-up some tasty yet affordable food from the Gourmet Garage next door and listen to some great live music. I have heard Quinn play before at The Chef’s Table, so I can tell you he’s great!
Casque is Open: Thursday – Saturday 12noon – 9pm, Sunday 12noon – 5pm at 3273 Swetzer Road in Loomis. Just 5 minutes from the Horseshoe Bar Exit at I-80. www.casquewines.com or 916-660-9671.
You can find Casque on Facebook here. You can find Rocky Mountain Organic Meats on Facebook here and follow them on twitter here.
I NEED YOUR VOTE BY JULY 8th!
Pretty please! If you have a Facebook account, you can help me win the California Avocado Commission’s avocado recipe contest.
This week, submitted my recipe for Hard Boiled Eggs with Avocado, Cumin, and Curry.
Of all the entries submitted, the CA Avocado Commission will choose the top 5 vote recipients, prepare those recipes and then determine the top 3 winners.
You can vote for me every 24 hours until July 8th! 🙂
To vote, please follow the link here. Don’t forget to share the link. There are a few entries with over 100 votes, so I really need some help on this one!
Thank you in advance!!
Cauliflower “Steaks”
So, this recipe is proof that cooking doesn’t have to be complicated, messy, time consuming, or expensive. We all like that, don’t we? 🙂
Also, it’s a great crowd pleaser because it’s Paleo, vegan and vegetarian, gluten free, sugar free, soy free, and dairy free!
And I like it because it doesn’t take much to explain how to make it!
I got the idea from listening to the Good Food Podcast with Evan Kleiman. She described her favorite preparation of cauliflower (this way), and I was sold. Last time I was at the market, I bought two heads of cauliflower so I could experiment, and this is what I did:
Preheat oven to 375°
Do NOT core the cauliflower. Instead, cut the cauliflower straight down (vertically) so that you have 2 or 3 large pieces (steaks) with the florets still attached to the core.
Lay flat on a baking sheet and drizzle liberally with olive oil. Then sprinkle with your favorite sea salt. I have a fancy grey salt I got as a gift on my birthday from The Meritage Resort and Spa in Napa that I have been using in everything! 🙂
Place in oven and allow the cauliflower to roast… it will almost fry in the oil. After about 25 minutes, remove from the oven and flip the steaks with a spatula. Then return the pan to the oven and roast again for 20-25 more minutes, or until steaks are golden brown.
And that’s it! It’s that easy. And, that thing you have always been throwing in the trash… you know, the core? It’s the most delicious part!! 🙂
Spicy Fourth of July Burgers and Fun Holiday Wines
KABOOM!!!!
Happy Birthday America! To celebrate, here’s a burger recipe I’d like to share with you that will really blow up your Fourth of July celebration!!
Spicy Fourth of July Burgers
Ingredients:
1 pound grass fed beef
(The meat we used was a 1 pound package of Certified Organic grass-fed beef from Rocky Mountain Organic Meats.)
2 chipotle peppers
1 Tbs crushed garlic
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp Hungarian paprika
1 tsp chili powder
salt to taste
To prepare, seed and remove the membrane from the chipotle peppers. Put them in a food processor with the garlic and all the other spices.
Mix the processed chipotle mixture with the beef in a medium-sized bowl. Make sure the mixture is well incorporated. Form into patties based on the size you want. We made three out of the pound, and they were the perfect size.
We sampled three different wines with our dinner last night. The distributor sent a bottle of Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages, [yellow tail] Sweet Red Roo, and a bottle of Hob Nob Cabernet Sauvignon (from Languedoc-Roussillon, France)
Of the three wines, I thought the Beaujolais-Villages worked best. It was fruity and acidic enough to stand up to the spiciness of the burgers.
The [yellow tail] Sweet Red Roo reminded me of some sweeter Amador wines I have tried, but without the high alcohol. It would be best served with a little chill or used in a sangria.
The Hob Nob was a nice end to the meal because it had a nice tobacco and chocolate finish. It’s a dry wine, but it served very well as dessert. Unless you count the glass of Rockwall Chardonnay that I went back to after that. Hey, it’s summer… gotta drink those whites!! 😛
I also made a Peach and Chipotle Ketchup (from scratch, naturally) to top these burgers. Stay tuned for the recipe. Peaches are really coming into season, and you’ll definitely want to try this out. The ketchup is both sweet and spicy and tasted great on the burger as well as on top of the eggplant and sweet potato fries we made last night.
About Rocky Mountain Organic Meats
Rocky Mountain Organic Meats offers Certified Organic grass-fed beef along with a large selection of other organic foods such as fruits, vegetables and poultry. All of their meats are 100% grass-fed and grass-finished. Their livestock is raised the old-fashioned way; no steroids or growth hormones, no antibiotics and no grain.
The only ingredients are clean water, grasses and fresh air. They also process the meat according to stringent USDA regulations. The meat can be ordered cut according to your specifications. You can order a quarter, half or full side of meat to fill you freezer.
You can find them on Facebook here and follow them on twitter here.
Robert Cray Plays Uptown Theatre in Napa, September 8th
Five-time Grammy Award winner Robert Cray will be making a stop in Napa at the Uptown Theatre on September 8th, 2012.
Recently inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame (at 57 years, the youngest living inductee) Cray is considered “one of the greatest guitarists of his generation.” Rolling Stone Magazine (April 2011) credits Cray’s Strong Persuader with reinventing the blues with his “distinct razor sharp guitar playing” that “introduced a new generation of mainstream rock fans to the language and form of the blues.”
Cray has recorded fifteen Billboard charting studio albums, performed thousands of sold out shows, and has written or played with everyone from Eric Clapton to Stevie Ray Vaughan, from Bonnie Raitt to John Lee Hooker.
With over 12 million records sold and his own line of Fender guitars, Cray has established himself as a genre defining artist- breaking through the pop ceiling with his gate crashing/blues-edged trademark sound and distinct style that has become a signature blend of r&b, pop, rock, soul and traditional blues. The New York Times says, “his voice, alternately smooth and craggy, is often richer and more emotive than Mr. Clapton’s, and he knows the best ways to use it,” while Guitar Player Magazine noted, “Robert Cray is not only making great music he’s making history…”
Gluten and Sugar Free Baking in Sacramento
OK, I know how that sounds. To anyone on a standard American diet, sugar free and gluten free sound like flavor free. I am here to change your mind! 🙂
On Sunday, I retired my old website, cakegrrl.com. I didn’t see the point of maintaining the blog because the name alone is 180° degrees from the lifestyle I now lead. The site contained hundreds of recipes containing processed food, wheat, sugar, etc. and I just didn’t want to tie myself to any of that anymore.
So now, here it is… I have redirected the cakegrrl.com traffic to this site, and I am hoping my long time readers will embrace the change. One thing I decided I would do over the weekend, is make myself available for hire again as a baker. The only catch is that the treats I make will be gluten and sugar free, as well as entirely from scratch and made from organic ingredients whenever possible.
Last year, I had high aspirations of being on the Food Network show Cupcake Wars, and my pals Ryan Donahue and Moriah Piper helped me make an audition video. Though I didn’t make it on the show, this video shows some of what I can do, why I believe in gluten/sugar free, and it still makes me smile when I watch it. 🙂
Is a cake made from almond flour Paleo? Hmm… not exactly, but the desserts I make are far more healthy and nutrient dense than a cake made with vegetable shortening, flour, and sugar (not to mention soy, soybean oil and artificial colors/flavors). Everything you see in the slideshow above is gluten and free of refined sugar. The chocolate I use for my truffles, cookies, cakes etc. is 70% cacao content or higher.
If you have a gluten allergy, or have adopted a gluten-free or Paleo lifestyle for whatever reason, and you are looking for someone to cater dessert or a cake for your event, you can contact me at misscavegrrl at gmail. I am especially interested in working with gluten free or Paleo brides-to-be! Cheers!
Picture of me was taken by Debbie Cunningham. Check out her Facebook page here!
Paleo Picnic: Lamb Burgers with Curry Ketchup
This past weekend turned out to be pretty good weather, so RB and I decided we would pack a picnic and head over to Music in the Park at Curtis Park. It was a great time, and enjoyed by people of all ages.
We sat on a blanket made up of squares of old polyester pants sewn together by RB’s Yia, Yia. In our picnic basket, we brought lamb burgers wrapped in napa cabbage and topped with rings of red onion, avocado, feta cheese, and curry ketchup that I made just before we packed the basket. We also brought a broccoli, cauliflower, and bacon sauté with toasted almonds and our favorite snack, parsnip chips.
Suggested wine pairing is the Shenandoah Vineyards Zingiovese, which is a 54% Sangiovese, 48% Zinfandel blend*. A beautiful elixir from our friends at Sobon Estate that stands up to the spicy and sweet of the curry ketchup and the meatiness of the lamb.
*The percentages do not add up to 100%, but I took the blend info straight from their informational PDF here. *shrugs* 😉
And now… the recipes!
Lamb Burgers
1 lb ground lamb (we used Superior Farms)
1 tsp cumin
1 Tbs oregano
1 tsp coriander
1 1/2 Tbs crushed garlic
pinch salt
Mix all ingredients together with your hands in a medium-sized bowl until well incorporated. Form into 3 or 4 patties (3 for best results). Refrigerate until you are ready to grill.
Curry Ketchup
2 containers of organic tomatoes
(I used small, cherry sized yellow tomatoes)
1 small can of tomato sauce
1/3 cup water
2-3 Tbs tomato paste
1 Tbs pomegranate molasses (if you don’t have pomegranate molasses,
you can use regular molasses, or honey)
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp curry
2 tsp crushed garlic
Rinse the tomatoes then put them in a pot with the tomato sauce and the water. Bring to a simmer and cook the tomatoes and allow them to burst open. This is what you want. The tomatoes will cook and break down and get thick this way. Keep the mixture on a simmer until the liquid content reduces by half. Then, add the rest of the ingredients (all the spices and the molasses, then the tomato paste). At this point, the mixture will resemble ketchup, so continue to reduce until it gets to your desired thickness.
This recipe makes about 1 1-2 to 2 cups, so you can bottle the unused portion and refrigerate for a week. The funny thing is, is that on a picnic with RB, the ketchup didn’t make it through the night. When we got home, he piled some more of the vegetables on a plate and on top of them went the rest of the ketchup. 😉 At least I know he loved it, so that’s why I decided to share the recipe with you.
The “bun” for our burgers were leaves of napa cabbage. The leaves of the cabbage are durable enough to conveyor belt the meat to your mouth, but tender enough to bite into. We sliced the red onion very thin, and naturally, feta was the cheese of choice.
Thanks again to Superior Farms for providing such a nice variety of lamb. We really enjoyed all the cuts. You can see how we prepared the rack here and the boneless leg here.
Fantastic Memories at the Meritage Resort and Spa
I am still daydreaming about the party I attended with RB and my media/journalist friends a few weeks ago. It was the Re-Grand Opening Celebration at the Meritage Resort and Spa.
I can only describe my experience there as “living the dream”. I know it’s cliche, but I truly felt like royalty that evening. The Meritage Resort and Spa cut no corners on the evening, as guests were treated to champagne and caviar, salami and cheese trays, grilled foie gras, pork sliders, and an entire room full of desserts ranging from cakes and pastries to tall jars of M&Ms.
I was so impressed with the expansion and all the new amenities at The Meritage, that I asked RB if he would bring me back there for my birthday a few weeks later. And he did. 🙂 We spent my 35th birthday at my favorite place in the world, the Napa Valley. We stayed in one of the new rooms at the Meritage, and the next day I worked out in the expanded fitness studio. The view from my treadmill looked out onto their private vineyards. The fitness studio also has Wieland doors that open and close with the season.
Reasons to stay at The Meritage:
- 322 guestrooms and suites, including nine suites, plus access to 180 vacation rental rooms at the adjacent Vino Bello Resort for a total of 502 guestrooms and suites
- Guestrooms and suites are designed to be a “home away from home” with high ceilings, open spaces and sumptuous bathrooms
- Tuscan inspired décor with rich woods, comfortable seating, premium bedding, Gilchrist and Soames amenities, and many rooms with private balconies or patios
- Wireless and wired high-speed Internet access, executive work desks, local calls and voicemail, complimentary morning newspapers and in-room safes
- 32-inch plasma screen televisions, DVD and CD players, with access to the hotel’s library of DVDs and complimentary premium channels and iPod-charging clock radios
- Spacious baths with marble-topped vanities, extendable magnifying mirrors and en-bath telephones
- Plush bathrobes and designer toiletries
- Mini refrigerators and bars, complimentary bottled water, coffee/tea makers with a selection of premium coffees and teas, ice buckets and corkscrews
Meeting and Event Space:
- More than 50,000 square feet of indoor and covered outdoor meeting and event space, the largest meeting venue north of San Francisco and west of Sacramento
- The two largest ballrooms in the Napa Valley both divisible up to 10 salons
- Meritage Ballroom: 10,490 square feet, with two pre-function foyers totaling 4,300 square feet. Carneros Ballroom: 7,358 square feet, plus 1,564 square feet pre-function
- Each ballroom opens up to a four-season covered terrace perfect for meals and receptions for up to 250
- Luxurious entertainment Estate Cave: 3,992 square feet for events up to 200
- Two boardrooms with fixed tables and two meeting rooms ranging from 250 square feet to 461 square feet
- Multiple outdoor courtyards and piazzas for weddings, receptions and dining
- Our Lady of Grapes Chapel for wedding ceremonies of up to 60 🙂
- Member of Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI), a worldwide portfolio of distinctive meeting hotels and resorts
More Goodies:
- Siena: Gourmet restaurant with Napa Terroir-influenced menu sourcing the best local, seasonal meats, fish and produce designed by award-winning executive chef to complement area wines
- Crush Ultra Lounge: Sports themed entertainment space and bar with six luxury bowling lanes, a pool table, shuffle board, fireplace and dining
- Blend: Café and bistro with gourmet coffees, à la carte breakfast and lunch offerings, pastries, gelato, retail with indoor and al fresco seating
- Lobby Bar: Featuring some of Napa’s finest wines by the glass, unique cocktails and appetizers
- Spa Terra: A unique underground luxury spa experience situated in the Estate Cave, Spa Terra offers a variety of treatments in 12 treatment rooms and features tranquil walls of water, whirlpools, steam grottos and a relaxation lounge to unwind and rejuvenate
- Trinitas Cellars Tasting Room: Enjoy wine tasting in the Estate Cave with Trinitas Cellars’ award winning wines. Tastings include latest releases and multiple varietals. Wine-centric gifts and mementoes are also available in the tasting room or sign up for the Trinitas Wine Society
- Two swimming pools and three hot tubs, with cabanas, fountains and outdoor fire places for mingling and enjoying beautiful Napa weather
- Recreational amenities include a new 1,650 square foot fitness studio, bocce ball court, croquet lawn and hiking trails through the nine acres of hillside vineyards
- Business center, high-speed wireless Internet access throughout public spaces, meeting rooms, full service AV, presentation and production management, conference and banquet rooms, concierge
- Evening 28-passenger shuttle delivers guests to Downtown Napa’s restaurants, tasting rooms and theaters and the Napa Outlets
- 525 parking spaces including some designated for hybrid vehicles and a Level II electric vehicle charging station
California Love Truck Launches to Offer a Restaurant on Wheels Featuring Local Produce and Meats
Just received this press release from my friends at Casque Wines in Loomis. (That’s the home of my favorite wine, a 2008 Roussanne. :)) Come up to the winery on June 30th (next Saturday) and check out the wines and the brand new California Love Truck! —cg
MoFo Truck will offer Distinctive Ethnic and Comfort Foods to Sacramento and parts of Placer County
The California Love Truck today announces the launch of their mobile food business to focus on distinctive ethnic and comfort food focused on local produce and meat products. The California Love Truck is the dream of Johnny Breedlove, Jr. who gained his experience in the kitchens of a number of local high end restaurants. His goal is to take his unique mix of comfort and ethnic foods and provide a different twist to offer a restaurant flavor on wheels.
California Love Truck will be supported by Johnny Breedlove and two close friends who are all use to working in tight quarters from their kitchen experience. They will bring their new cuisine primarily to the streets of Sacramento with an occasional trip to Placer County for special events such as their launch party at Casque Wines in Loomis California on June 30th, 2012. The truck will pull into the patio of this urban winery to introduce people from around the region to their amazing cuisine on wheels paired with some of the region’s top award winning wines from Casque Wines.
- Breedlove gained his experience working in the kitchens of the Brewster’s Bar & Grill, Café Bernardo, Shady Lady and One Speed Pizza where he mastered the skills of butchering meats, seafood, poultry while prepping vegetables and food items in all mediums of ovens, grills and fryers. He acquired hands on experience in all methods of broiling, grilling frying, sautéing, with the added skills of portioning, battering, breading, seasoning and marinating. Additionally he has a background in pizza dough and sauces. In some of those stints he learned the art of maintaining inventory to ensure a smooth service period in an impeccably sanitary work area, which will aid in running his own business.
- California Love Truck has a close knit team to prepare and then complete and cook the food in tight quarters while bringing the varied ethnic offerings with a twist. To assist Breedlove with the food prep, cooking, and service include Eddie Torres, a graduate of the Art Institute, with a focus on refining the art in the food and a background in food and wine pairing will bring significant experience and presentation skills to ensure the food looks as good as it tastes. Cordell Herrera has served as a line cook gaining his experience to keep it fast with high quality while dealing with the pressures of delivering a quality product.
- Local produce and what is currently available will drive the menu which will change with the seasons. Items such as Pork Belly Tacos and Meatball Sandwiches will feature Bledsoe Pork, Blood Orange Salad and Chicken Wings with an Asian Sauce that will capture the attention of any Ranch Dressing fan but open their world to bright, new and fresh flavors.
- The California Love Truck Launch Party will be held on the back patio at Casque Wines on Saturday, June 30th from 6:00 – 9:00 pm. Singer/Songwriter Jon Dufour will play a variety of original and well known songs from decades past, with some sing along to provide something for everyone. The winery is located at 3273 Swetzer Road in Loomis California, just 3 minutes off of I-80 at the Horseshoe Bar exit.. It is located next to Loomis Basin Brewery so beer patrons will also be able to pick up food at the winery and take it to the patio at the Brewery to enjoy. Click here for event details.
- California Love Truck has lined up several locations including the Thursday night Sactomofo Roundup, Norcal Food Truck events all over Sacramento, and Wednesday Lunch at CalPers from 11-1. They are still securing additional locations and recommend you follow them on Facebook and Twitter to hear about their current locations. www.calilfornialovetruck.comFacebook: CaliLoveTruck
Twitter: @CaliLoveTruck
ABOUT CALIFORNIA LOVE TRUCK
Lack of time shouldn’t mean sacrificing a quality meal in today’s fast paced environment where taking the full hour or longer lunch is hard to come by. California Love Truck’s goal is to provide locals a pre- lunch, lunch, and late afternoon unique food experience. Their focus is on serving the best of local produce and meat products offering a distinctive flair with ethnic and comfort foods. The California Love Truck team strives to provide the quality of a fine restaurant in a eat-on-the-run approach.
Tahoe Dinner Party and Lemon Garlic Salad Dressing Recipe
Last weekend, RB and I traveled to his house in Incline Village and hosted a small dinner party. This time, we served up a boneless leg of lamb from Superior Farms, as well as some of our favorite Paleo dishes. You can click here to find the recipe for the marinade we used on the lamb as well as on the chicken.
We also put my parsnip chips (recipe here), sautéed vegetables with dukkah (recipe here) a huge salad, a fruit salad with strawberries, blueberries, watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew, and bacon wrapped dates on the menu. Maybe I’ll get RB to let me film a video demo for the bacon wrapped dates someday, and I will feature it here. 🙂
But in this post, I will give you a simple recipe for our favorite salad dressing so with all the pictures of dishes you might have seen on this site before, at least you’ll have something new to make. The dressing is also a great dipping sauce for grilled chicken or ahi tuna.
PS: The wine we served was a magnum of Scribner Bend’s Black Hat Tempranillo Lot 56 Reserve. Cheers!
And now the recipe… 🙂
Lemon & Garlic Dressing
Ingredients:
2 Tbs crushed garlic
1/4 cup lemon juice
1.5 to 2 Tbs olive oil
dash of salt (to taste)
cracked pepper (optional)
Directions:
Combine the ingredients in order, in a small bowl. I know it seems like a lot of garlic,
but it makes the dressing thick, and that is a very desirable thing! 🙂 After you have all
the ingredients together, you’re done, but make sure you give the dressing another stir
or two before you top your salad.
Tips:
1. Use the crushed garlic that comes in a jar, or make your own with a
food processor. You want the garlic to be pulverized for the best results.
2. Use the best olive oil you can find! Preferably Kotinos.
Blueberry Pork Meatballs with Blueberry Sauce
Hey! In case you didn’t see it, I am in the Sacramento Bee today, as part of a round-up of blueberry recipes.
I am posting it again here because I wanted to explain my inspiration for my recipe. I wanted to contribute a dish to the Bee that wasn’t a dessert, or a breakfast item. Something original that used blueberries (which in their original state are very good for you), and didn’t candy them up. Most of all, I wanted to make a Paleo recipe! 🙂
So, if you’re invited to a potluck, or you are throwing a little party this season, this is the perfect dish to share. It might sound a little strange at first, but think of the classic turkey and cranberry combination, and you might see where I am coming from! 🙂
INGREDIENTS
4 dried figs
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons minced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 egg, room temperature
1 tablespoon rosemary (grind in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle)
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Blueberry sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 shallots, finely diced
1 cup red wine
1/4 cup water
1 cup blueberries
1/4 cup lemon juice plus 1 tablespoon zest
4 tablespoons unsalted grass-fed butter
Dash salt
2 tablespoons honey
INSTRUCTIONS
Pulse the figs, blueberries and cinnamon together in a food processor; set aside.
Mix the ground pork, ground beef, minced onion, garlic, parsley, egg, ground rosemary, salt and olive oil together until well combined.
Then add the fig and blueberry mixture to the meat mixture. Mix well, leaving small chunks of the fruit intact. (Think chocolate-chip cookie dough.) Form the meat and fruit mixture into ping pong-size balls. Line a baking sheet with foil.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees while you prepare the sauce.
For sauce: Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium high heat.
Sauté the shallots until they are translucent. Add the wine, followed by the water, and reduce for about 3-5 minutes. Add the blueberries. As the skins burst open, add the lemon juice and zest. Let the sauce continue to boil and thicken (5 minutes).
Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in butter until it is completely melted. Salt to season.
Cool the sauce slightly, and add the honey to sweeten and help thicken the sauce a little more.
Pour the sauce over the meatballs and bake them at 350 degrees until the meatballs are slightly browned and before meat is cooked through.
Remove from the oven and allow to rest. (The meatballs will be cooked through with the residual heat.)
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