Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen
1327 Railroad Avenue St. Helena, CA 707-963-1200 www.cindysbackstreetkitchen.com The rustic roasted artichokes with roasted Meyer lemons at Cindy’s are to die for! The mushroom tamales are a must-have...
View ArticleVillage Market
One Ferry Building Plaza, #29 San Francisco, CA 415-989-9200 www.villagemarketsf.com This shop inside the San Francisco Ferry Building offers a broad selection of gourmet food products from around the...
View ArticleChocolate Confections from Michael Recchiuti
One Ferry Building Plaza, #30 San Francisco, CA 415-834-9494 www.recchiuticonfections.com I simply love the chocolate confections made by chocolatier, Michael Recchiuti. The flavors are intense and...
View ArticleGoosecross Cellars
Check out the beautiful selection of wines offered by Goosecross Cellars in Napa Valley. Their wines pair so well with the Culinary Getaways recipes. I especially like their Syrah, Viognier and Napa...
View ArticleSilverado Vineyards in Napa Valley
Another favorite partner of ours is Silverado Vineyards in Napa Valley. Their wines are excellent and the views from the terrace outside their wine tasting room are just amazing! Try their Solo and...
View ArticleSpicy Hot Pecans
Ingredients 2 T melted butter ½ t. cayenne pepper 1 ½ c. pecan halves About ½ t. fleur de sel for finishing You will also need: Baking sheet or pan Instructions Preheat oven to 350oF. Mix together...
View ArticleRoasted Olives
I enjoy all varieties of olives and typically eat them cold. However, in cold weather, I enjoy roasted olives. Ingredients 2 cups of your favorite olives in oil (from a gourmet shop or grocery store)...
View ArticleFrench Prunes with Foie Gras and Prosciutto
The foie gras used in this dish should be very soft and should be kept cold at all times. To stuff the prunes, use a small spoon, a plastic bag with the corner cut out or else a pastry bag....
View ArticleCrostini of Eggplant and Red Pepper “Caviar”
Ingredients 2 medium-sized Japanese or Chinese eggplants 3T olive oil + ¼ cup olive oil 1/2 clove minced garlic 1 T lemon juice 1 T chopped basil, plus more basil for garnish 1 roasted red pepper,...
View ArticleUmbrian Lentil Soup
Ingredients 1/3 cup olive oil ½ cup chopped red onion 1 cup lean ham or chicken apple sausage, chopped up (optional) 2 large carrots, chopped 1 cup crimini mushrooms, chopped ½ cup dried porcini...
View ArticleSweet Corn Soup with Basil Oil and Creme Fraiche
Ingredients ½ cup sweet onions (I prefer the sweetness of Vidalia onions for this recipe, if you can find them.) 1 T olive oil 2 cups fresh corn, kernels cut from the cob and the cobs scraped 1 ½ cup...
View ArticleSpiced Pumpkin Soup with Creme Fraiche
Ingredients 1 T. olive oil, plus more for roasting the pumpkin 1 small-medium pumpkin (sugar pie variety, if possible), to yield 3 cups mashed pumpkin 1/2 large red onion, chopped 4 cups chicken stock...
View ArticleRoasted Pumpkin Soup with Chioptle Creme Fraiche
Ingredients 1 T olive oil 1 small-medium pumpkin (sugar pie variety, if possible), to yield 3 cups mashed pumpkin 1 tablespoon butter 2 slices bacon, diced 1 large yellow onion, chopped 6 cups chicken...
View ArticleProvencal Tomato Soup
Ingredients 6-8 lbs. ripe tomatoes ½ cup olive oil Sea salt Pepper 2 teaspoons sugar 1 head garlic 1 ½ cup crème fraiche You will also need: Large roasting pan Food processor Tasting spoons Large soup...
View ArticleTurkey, Brown Rice and Swiss Chard Soup
Ingredients 1/2 cup diced onions 2 T olive oil 1 cup brown rice 6 cups turkey stock 1/4 cup dried Porcini mushrooms 1/2 cup hot water 1 bunch fresh Swiss chard, washed, de-stemmed and chopped 1 1/2 cup...
View ArticleTurkey Stock
I love having Thanksgiving leftovers. I never throw away the turkey carcass – it makes great stock for my Turkey Soup with Brown Rice and Swiss Chard and my Risotto with Turkey, Mushrooms and Roasted...
View ArticleChilled Heirloom Tomato Soup
This soup gets its freshness from a hint of lemon verbena. Be sure to choose the sweetest tomatoes you can find. I like to serve this soup over a piece of poached salmon. Ingredients 1/2 cup olive...
View ArticleCurried Butternut Squash Soup with Jalapeno Pepper and Pumpkin Seeds
This soup is a great way to warm up a chilly Autumn day. It is also a good starter for a Thanksgiving holiday meal. Ingredients 2 shallots, peeled and chopped 4 T olive oil 4 cups butternut squash,...
View ArticleNew Year’s Day Good Luck Soup
I grew up in Southeast Georgia, and our tradition for good luck for the New Year was eating Hoppin’ John. To us, Hoppin’ John was a big pot of dried black-eyed peas cooked with hog jowl or ham shank....
View ArticleCoconut Lentil Soup
I adore the taste of coconut in savory dishes. This recipe uses coconut oil to add that rich coconutty goodness. You can use any kind of lentils. I typically use either green petite French lentils or...
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