Tapas in Mallorca
2007-03-24 21:38:21
We have arrived in Mallorca
and have settled in. I'll post pictures next week when I can use a laptop, for now the net cafes do not allow me to connect my card reader into their computers. Today we explored the east side of the islands where the hill top towns are. Tired hillsides with groves of lemon, olives and grapes lined up as if the mountain were a gigantic stairway to the sky. We finally found a supermarket to stock our fridge with normal things like coffee, pasta and shampoo. Normally people go to small open air markets around the island for basic essentials like fish, eggs, and produce. Wine here at the shops are deceptively cheap, 2£ for a bottle?? I hope its good.... Wineries on Monday, as they are not open on Saturdays. Several to try in the East through the mountain villages. We stopped in Dias for a simple lunch of toasted brown bread, thick slices of mozzarella, olive oil, Serrano ham and a suggestion of a cold roasted pepper salad with white wine vinegar, all co
Read more: Tapas
Concurring Palma
2007-03-28 19:14:42
After a few failed attempts at finding anything even resembling a non-touristy Tapas bar, The Boy and I finally concurred Palma. We had been avoiding the hotels suggestions of where to eat, assuming that the places would be pricey joints aimed toward German tourists. Well, not so. After exploring the main shopping district yesterday we came across a wonderful , quiet little side street with great tapas possibilities. Noting their opening times we continued on down the cobbled streets. "Cappuccino" is a famous coffee spot and offers an upscale refuge from the bustle outside. With smoking and non smoking sections you can sit in a covered courtyard with a stylish-artsy atmosphere and sip a Cappuccino Italiano (which means it will have milk foam and not whipped cream) or a cool glass of champagne. The Boy out did me with sophistication and choose to order a glass of champagne. This Cava was from Cordenue, the mother winery for Arteza winery in Carnerous Valley near Napa, Californ
Garlic Soup in Chinchon, Spain
2007-04-04 18:56:30
Sooner for such a delay in posts. We rearranged our entire 2nd week of travel. After one night in Barcelona in a sketchy little hotel and my mom's brush with a purse snatcher, we confirmed our suspicions of being country folk. My mother, who is the only Spanish speaker among us, spent an hour on the phone at 11pm last Friday night. She canceled our city hotel reservations between here and Madrid, then made reservations for new hotels in the country. We choose to stay in Paradors. In the early 1900's King Alfonso the 13th implemented the first Spanish Parador, the idea being to spark tourism by taking historical landmarks and converting them into hotels that support the latest ecologically friendly technology as well as gastronomy. Basically tempting you to stay there by offering the best of what Spain
has to offer.
We began be driving to Zaragosa, a bustling town in full swing for Holy week. Not knowing much about Spanish Catholicism, we stood in a chilly town square an
Read more: Garlic
Spain Teaser
2007-04-09 04:28:03
"Two weeks away it feels like the whole world should've changed
But I'm home now
And things still look the same
I think I'll leave it till tomorrow to unpack..."-Dido
Read more: Spain
, Teaser
Pineapple Carpaccio
2007-04-10 23:33:22
In Spain we planned a lot of our hotels stays at Paradors. In 1928 King Alfonso the XIII began the first parador to promote tourism in historical regions with less economic resources. Boasting the finest things Spanish culture has to offer, there are now over 50 Paradors in the country, each with their own gastronomy, history and culture to share. Paradors are also known for their high level of environmentally savvy technology. Being sensitive to the areas local resources by adding motion sensor lights in the hallways, and energy efficient windows, and building materials. In addition, our Parador in Soria had a safe in the closet that operated on a magnetic card. You could use your credit card of drivers license to set up your safe so only that card could open and close the safe, the room lights were maintained by a second magnetic card placed in a slot by the door. When you left you took it out and that turned all the power to the room off.
One evening, after a chilly day of sight
Thinking Blogger!
2007-04-10 22:55:18
(GettyImages)
Thanks! I have been tagged with the Thinking Blogger
Award. An award based on nominations for blogs that inspire you everyday. In turn I should list 5 blogs that inspire me each day and there really are quite a handful. My links on the sidebar are my inspiration. The men and women who are listed their fuel my imagination.
I began blogging a year and and a half ago, not knowing any other bloggers but wanting an outlet for my thoughts, rants and photos. From that point I have built up many rewarding friendships with people across the world who enrich my life.
Thank you again to my readers who inspire me to carry on with my passions.
Read more: Thinking Blogger
Loot & Goodies
2007-04-12 17:11:47
Could this lot be for you? Possibly! This is the pile of gifts we snuck back for our friends. From left to right:
Tohersa PORCINI mushrooms, dried. I've been simmering them in my "Damage Control" Vegetable soup. (Something designed for individuals who spend 2 weeks eating nothing but cheese and lamb.) The porcini had a dark earthy background flavor to an otherwise boring low cal dish. I would urge you to use them for something much more exciting and leaded, like risotto or lamb shoulder stew.
Trufu Extra These truffles are two to a jar and sealed in brine, not oil. I am fretting the flavor. Olives are OK in brine, but truffles? Plus I wonder how light sensitive these babies are... they've been sitting in clear glass for god knows how long. At 2 Euro's a jar, for TRUFFLES, I guess I don't care.
I'm ruining it aren't I? OK, these should be added to that amazing risotto you're making me.
Liqueurs, homemade from a nameless and forgotten winery. These are very herb
Read more: Goodies
The Honeymoon
2007-04-11 20:00:20
Our trip to Spain began, after three plane connections and 27 hours, on the island of Mallorca Spain. We stayed in a charming little Villa time share at a golf resort in Son Antem. Not being golfers, we occupied our selves with sightseeing all over the island.
On the eastern side of the island was the town of Deia. natives would carve out their hillsides to plants olive and lemon groves or their own personal mini vineyard.
In downtown Palma, the major city on the island we stumbled upon an indoor market. Freshly caught seafood in one expansive room and produce, breads and spices in another. The floor above had a Super Mercado with escalators for your carts, if you didn't find what you needed at the food stalls them up you went for shampoo and bobbiepins or wine! Wine in the Super Mercados was frugal. You could pick up a bottle for as little as 1 euro. But, pretty soon we learned that lesson was too good to be true and would shell out 5 or 7 euros for a rich and jammy Te
Read more: Honeymoon
Sanctuary
2007-04-14 17:35:00
I've packed up my Singer and I'm sewing at San Damiano, in Danville, California today. (I grew up in Danville!) My Mother has planned a quilting retreat for our quilting friends and my aunts and we are all enjoying a restful and merry weekend. San Damiano is the perfect location for us as it lends natural beauty, a peaceful environment, (no cell phones allowed!) sleeping accommodations, as well as a large room to set our quilting space up for the weekend. The friars at San Daniamo are proud of their cooking abilities and part of the cost of our stay includes three square meals a day in the on-site restaurant. Though we do not plan to take part on any of the religious aspects San Damiano has to offer, I think the serenity of the atmosphere, the gathering of friends and our laughter will be restorative to the soul.
My fabrics above are from the Moda line, Sanctuary
. Quite fitting don't you think?
Honeymoon Fairies
2007-04-13 18:34:00
Happy Friday the 13th! What are Honeymoon
Fairies
you ask? Well, I shall tell you. Long ago, back at the dawn of time, like the late1970's or so, the Shyne family sisters and cousins began a tradition. Their beloved Sister and new brother in law would return from a blissful relaxing vacation where thoughts of family and stress were wiped clean from their thoughts. Upon return to their charming little homes they'd find the house had gone under a series of practical jokes while they had been out. (Isn't that th last time you ask your sister, Kate, to take in your mail!)
It is rumored that short changed (short sheeted?) beds, plastic wrap over toilets and macaroni filled luggage in the closets were pranks you came home to. Painfully reminding you of your family who missed you while you were away.
Hurumph. Yes, terribly funny. For how ever much I can complain out what happened to The Villa, it does seem like The Boy and I got off easy this time. Wet Paint banners we
Spanish Linens
2007-04-15 18:19:00
Madrid had wonderful shops full of inexpensive handmade linens, so affordable that 70 Euros later ($100) I was telling my self that three stops into the same store over the course of 2 hours was probably excessive. Probably... My mother and I poured over table runners of linen, while The Boy scooped up myriad silk ties for his friends. Below are the three I picked for CrispySoft. (One is the one I think looks best on him, the second is the one I think his girl, Smooth, will think looks best on him and the third is the one I think CrispySoft will think he looks best in.)
I bought hankies for myself and for my auntie Andrea. Trouble is, Andrea has a perfectly reasonable phobia of moths and all other winged insects. Every damned handkerchief in Madrid had a bug sew into the motif. Ack! What was I to do?? I managed to find a couple for her, and the rest I'll have to tuck away for friends.
In the shop window on our way OUT, my Mother noticed a exquisite Holiday table cloth with 4 m
Read more: Spanish
, Linens
Urban Chick!
2007-04-17 22:44:02
We returned from our Quilting retreat this weekend at San Damiano. What an amazing group of talented quilters I was with. The facilities were quiet, complete with lush gardens full of roses. The Friars were made us feel as though they were genuinely pleased to have us stay with them. Now... I can't say much for the cooking, I felt like I was reenacting that Jamie's Italy episode where he travels to a monastery in Farfa, legendary for its self sustaining garden and ancient cookbook of traditional recipes and when he arrives they serve him canned soup and the garden is dead. But, I must stress how charming everyone was during out stay.
The top picture is of the quilt top I complete, it off to Prairie Queens for top quilting as we speak. I'm opening an Etsy shop this weekend with quilt kits to sell, but we'll talk more about that later. Stay tuned. Below is a shot of my sewing machine and the treat bags I made for the guests. My mom went to so much trouble, expense and
Read more: Urban
Meat on a stick
2007-04-19 20:28:30
The Villa hosted a Rioja tasting this Tuesday. Five friends gathered around our kitchen table to sniff and swirl the best of Rioja, at least what was available on California shelves. Marques de Caceres, 2003, available at BevMo for $10 (red labeled bottle on the far right) was the groups top pick. This is the same bottle I have mentioned in previous posts, and even brought home as gifts for friends. Ripe, bold, oaky, jammy, a perfect slice of raspberry tart! This wine dominated the tasting as well as the wine lists of most restaurants in Mallorca.
Farley made a quick black olive tapenade which was salty, earthy and hit the spot, with it she brought a sausage from Trader Joes that was marbled with fatty layers that melted on your tougne. Paired with the tapenade it cut the briny flavor and made your eyes twinkle with each bite. Bryon made a shitaki mushroom sauteed to serve with baguette slices, the smokiness of the shitakis paired well with the tempranillo grapes in all of
Giada's Sunglasses
2007-04-20 17:41:40
Giada
De Giada De Laurentiis will be at Books Inc. in Palo Alto today to sign copies of her new Pasta book. You had better get in line by 10am if you want to see her at 2pm. My brother may go to see her, but it sounds as though she'll get mobbed. Not much fun for anyone. But still, I'd love to see my brother get to the table, hand her a pre-purchased copy, and say "HI GIADA! I'm Ahren and my little sister wants to be just like you when she grows up." And Giada will flash her famous mouth full of perfect teeth at him and say "Awww how sweet, how old is she? Should I make this out to her?" And Ahren will say "Yes Please! Her name is Sara and she'll be 27 in 2 weeks."
But what I really want is for him to go, have her sign a book to me and then have him ask what sunglasses she wears. I totally need to know that.
EDIT--->
Eeep! Ahren says she wears Celine, a lovely French Couture line.
Read more: Sunglasses
My Baby Loves Me
2007-04-29 01:50:39
An hour or so till my Birthday party begins! A gigantic Hello Kitty Fairy balloon is floating around my living room amongst pink and red balloons, and the lanterns have been hung under over the dinning table outside for our patio dinner. Tonight there will be nothing but friends, lanterns and maybe a Mojito or two!
Hello Janome
2007-04-28 18:06:00
Now, I know Janome's are cool. Mom dropped a lot of moola at the Pacific International Quilt Festival this Fall for her Janome Jem. I couldn't really understand it, she allready has a Bernina that checks your blood preassure and temperature, and has a wine coolr attachment. So when I dared to ask why she really wanted a Janome, she simply muttered "Best machine ever" and ran as fast as she could to the Janome booth waving her credit card. We also have Featherweight's. Who can resist the charm of a Singer that runs better then my old Honda? But then I stumbld upon a blue Hello
Kitty machine at Target!
Monica at The Happy Zombie has been posting about her Janome Hello Kitty. Apprenetly, "Mimi" has pulled a Traveling Knome on her and is traveling the world.
Hmm, adorable, sweet, cherries all over and well traveld? I'm sold. You can be too, find your Hello Kitty Janome at Target. I wonder if my Singer will understand...
Dueling Cabs
2007-04-27 21:24:03
Saturday my Father and Brother drove an hour and a half to Paso Robles from Monterrey County. Our dear friends Bruce Hansen, the wine maker of Hansen Winery, has been ill for sometime now. July was our last visit, so we were about due! Dad and Ahren found Bruce in high spirits, always the entertainer, Bruce opened every single bottle of wine he had on hand! Needless to say this was their only winery visit that day. Wheew.
Dad brought home a 2002 Estate Bottled Cabernet Sauvignon and then rummaged around in his wine closet for a 2001 of the same estate bottling. The 2001 was vastly superior, more intensity, more velvet and clearly a good year for the grapes. While the 2002 needed more time to come of age, it was quieter, softer but just as lovely as its older brother. What was amazing about the experience was how well it went with the pork we had for dinner. The meat balanced the earthiness of the wine, but did not over shadow it.
Hansen doesn't have a website, but if you ever g
Read more: Dueling
James Brown would have loved it
2007-04-26 21:00:36
This craziness here is the Oreo dessert from The Los Altos Grill. And... Yes, that is a ginormous soup bowl filled with chocolate sauce. I quote James
Brown
to describe this wonderfulness "Good God Y'all!"
Saturday my mother and I decided to treat our selves to a ladies lunch. I have a birthday tea party planned for myself so all the ladies in my life have tea party fever. Each guest has been asked to arrive with one wrapped tea cup, which will be swapped with another guest at random. (I am trying to promote scrappy collections of china.) The Tuck Box was a tea house that was transformed from an office into a "cottage" in the late 1940's. Purchased by two lovely old Scottish sisters.
My mom explains what a "tuck-box" is on her blog. Cozied up at a booth by the fireplace, we shared a pot of tea and Scottish scones which resembled and tasted very similar to cornbread. I'm not sure how authentic that is, and I have tried my hand at res
Read more: loved
, James Brown
I don't sleep, I dream.
2007-04-24 18:00:16
Monday night we took my parents out to the Los Altos Grill for dinner , celebrating their 38th anniversary. Los Altos Grill is managed by the Houston Group and have placed "sister restaurants" all over the country. A bit like an upscale 1960's ski lodge, the grill is a noisy place. Locals pack into the bar which plays center stage in a U shaped configuration. Monday through Sunday you'll have to wait fora table unless you can squeeze yourself through the wall of locals and hover close to score an empty stool. Some flock for the almond wood roasted chicken, and some for the martini's.
We had a grilled artichoke, a bottle of Turley White Coat, steamed clams in wine and butter with toasts to mop your plate. We had French Dips, Tomato and Beet mache salad, Hacked Chicken salad with a cilantro, lime peanut dressing, a bottle of 2003 Brochelle Zin. An Oreo ice cram sand which split 4 ways capped off our evening and we waddled home.
Well, I am just terribly ranty today
May Day
2007-05-01 23:56:45
Moda Charm packs! Roman Holiday, Christmas Past and Peas & Carrots are a few of my favorites. Mom gave me a few new charm pack patterns to use with these guys.
Soaps from Ahren from the Monterrey Farmers Market, Oatmeal, Milk and Honey, Rose and Lavender scented.
May 1st always reminds me of memories when I was in pre-school and my mother still worked as a teacher there. We would tie ribbons around the top of the pole then we'd each duck and swirl in circles, holding our ribbons tight, and lace them around the pole.
I'm so releaved it is May now, sunny weather from here on out.
The End of April!
2007-04-30 22:59:24
Violet on top of my Chocolate Peanut butter cup cake for Sunday night dinner at Grandpa Jack's.
Unfortunately I forgot my Mom was making Berry Cobbler, so we had two desserts to choose from! Her Berry Cobbler was so refreshing.
This wonky image was taken after everyone had a slice. I dirtied every pan in the kitchen to make Peanut Butter Chocolate layered Mousse cake for my party on Saturday night, then forget to take a glamor shot of it. Ug. Very tasty but I needed Oreo cookies for the crust and used Nilla wafers instead. Mistake. They got mushy. Amazing recipe, with no baking, found at Alpineberry's website. This woman knows her stuff!
Same problem with my Mojito cupcakes, also from Alpineberry, I served them with out taking a proper shot. These were easy to make and really did taste like mojitos... Or was it because we nibbled them while drinking Mojitos.... Hmmm...
Here is the patio before guests arrived.
A close up of the sourdough crab that Bryon brought m
Read more: April
He likes to mix
2007-05-04 21:19:03
Detail of the Japanese Graduation Quilt Mom made me in 2003. I was tucked under this last night while The Boy made me sample blend after blend of his Zinfandel. He has 2 separate Zins that have different yeasts used to ferment them, each imparting a different taste, on top of that we add wine number 3 into the mix, that I am not aloud to talk about, and well, 3 wines, to make one blend, there are a lot of percentage possibilities here. 73% Zin A with 13% Zin B and 14% Secret Wine for example...
He thinks its ready to bottle, and I am not so sure it is ready...
Sparkle, Sizzle, Shine
2007-05-03 17:46:00
I have got to share with you about the goodies I've purchased from a few of my favorite web sites. As my aunt always says "It is my birthday month, you know." From Glamscience I bought a lovely glitter dot necklace, the size of a nickel, on a ball chain necklace. With so many colors it was hard to choose, but I ended up with pink, a small off centered circle of baby pink in the middle and a suggestion of mad red glitter gleaming, off center from that.
The moment I stumbled onto Clotilde's Chocolate & Zucchini food blog, I have wanted to be her. What is wonderful about her recipes is that I trust her. She encourages me to try cooking with different cuts of meat and in a multitude of cooking techniques, braised, broiled, sauteed, and the meal comes out flawless, every time. With a deep respect for jams and jarred sauces, I have found a kindred kitchen spirit. Clotilde's book tour is about to launch, I wonder if I can get to Berkley on the day she'll a
Read more: Sparkle
, Shine
May & April
2007-05-02 19:43:36
Bec sent me an antique Postcard for my birthday, it seems to be one in a Halloween series for each of the 12 months of the year. There is little on the bottom description that is accurate except maybe my birthstone. Sheesh, I have enough trouble remembering last Tuesday. CrispySoft took my Geometry quiz for me, senior year of high school, because if I flunked I wouldn't graduate!
Have you ever met someone and thought they were a clone for someone else you knew? My first day of college, a Monday, 7:55am and I walk into my improvisation class and saw my cousin Lizz! (Hey, it was art school, I took a lot of wonky classes and still managed to get a degree for it. I'll tell you about the nude ballet dancers we had for figure sculpting class another time.)
There she was, except not Lizz at all. A blonder, more petite pixie version but the same wild taste in clothes. I introduced myself immediately and found out that April
was a fashion major. Over the next 5 years we had the s
The Heat Is On
2007-05-09 18:31:17
So many choices! Thank you all for your suggestions in our Name That Wine Competition! The Boy is blown away by the creativity and thought that you are putting into this. As mentioned earlier, we will post the Top Pick and the runners up this Friday. We are getting so many ideas that The Boy would like to use a few names for other wines he has in bottle and without labels. Those commentators will receive a bottle of the wine they named as well, which means a port or a Zin may be coming your way.
OK, many of you have commented on the missing 1% in the 33% X 3 Best of Show blend. What is it? It is nothing. The blend is exactly 1/3 of Cab, Merlot and Cab Franc, the competition decided to print the percentages of the wine to be consistent with the other competitors. Nothing radical like hansen Winery that top with 1% Viogneir to all their wines.
Looking forward to the results on Friday!!
Relaxation 101
2007-05-08 18:00:00
Start with an Open House, at Your Villa, with a local taqueria catering.Park your new BMW 650i in the driveway.Claim a chair under the umbrella, and help your self to the "Build your own Burrito bar".Oh! Mind the monkeys. (Yes, we have them in California, they're attracted to Carne Asada.) Just clap loudly and they'll run away. Tsk, Bad Monkeys!!!
Feel free to take a nap on the couch if you gt tired of driving with CrispySoft in his 650.It's all abot aesthetics, so make sure you have beautiful scenery to surround you.But most important of all, is to sip a "Oratini" with your feet in the kiddie pool, your bare arms in the sun. Then watch the sun fade into stars as you enjoy the friends around you.
Oratiniserves 2
4 shots raspberry vodkajuice of one limesimple syrup, 1/3 shotorange juice for color, splash.
Shake and stain! Add a bruised (to let the oils flow) orange peel as garnish.
p.s. Jeff- Do not touch my camera ever again. Its my fault for lea
Read more: Relaxation
Best of Show
2007-05-07 22:42:24
http://winemakermag.com/feature/697.html
The Boy won Best of Show Red in the 2007 Wine Maker magazine International Amateur Competition,for his Red Blend of 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Cabernet Franc, 33% Merlot.
2 years ago, on my birthday, The Boy got a call as we were walking through the main gates of Disneyland. (truly a magical place) Michael Martella of Thomas Fogarty winery was calling to offer The Boy a job working in the cellar. At the time, he had been unemployed for 4 days and we were stressed over where he could find work, then he was offered his dream job. Just like Farley, Ryan has come along way. I'm very proud. I suppose we should name the red blend now and put a label on it!
He placed Gold in the Cabernet Sauvignon Category for his "The Match Reserve"
Silver for his 2004 "Fuel" Barbera
So here is my challenge for you:
NAME THAT WINE!
Comment with your best ideas for a name for his Best of Show winner. His wine label is Bonfire V
From Tokyo with Love
2007-05-07 18:31:56
What is this?
A wedding Invitation for Shige and Tomoko! I made Becca's wedding invitations and my own. While I thought mine we're pretty clever, Tomoko beats me. She has pop ups for goodness sake!? Who makes their own pop up wedding invitations?
__________________________________
This mornings bike ride to work reminded me of middle school. When I would walk across the park to my school and be slightly sticky before I even got there. You knew you were in for a hot spring day if your deodorant was working before 8am. As I peddled this morning under the shadows of westardly pointing trees I noted the jasmine is beginning to bloom, I smelled the eucalyptus bark peeling and felt the suns heat on the back of neck when it caught me between trees. My basket today is heavy with my "Monday Lunch". Monday lunches are best thanks to leftovers from Sunday night dinner at Grandpa Jacks. Day dreaming about my lunch reminded me of doing the same as I'd walk to school con
Read more: Tokyo
and so, we begin at the beginning
2007-05-11 18:20:16
(image courtesy of gettyimages)
Can you hardly stand it? Welcome to Friday! Today we announce the winner of the Name That Wine Contest. As you recall, we have had all week to come up with our best ideas and The Boy has finally made his decision. (I also want to remind you that I am just the messenger. He chose alone.)
We have 3 runners up. These people chose names that were simplistic, but evocative of the concept that Bonfire Vineyards tries to inspire. (Quality of life, appreciating the moment, great wine, better friends and good food.)
Peter for Firefly.
Patricia for Smolder.
Andrea for Blaze.
Each runner up will receive a bottle of our favorite Bonfire Vineyards wine, the 2004 Cab Franc, TNT.
Winner of the Bonfire Vineyards 2000 Port:
Sandi for Slow Burn.
Winner of the Bonfire Vineyards 2005 Zinfandel:
Becca for Wildfire.
And the winner for the 2004 Best of Show Red , the 1/3 equal blend of Cab, Cab Franc and Merlot is:
Bryon for Lodestar.
"(American Herit
Read more: begin
It's here It's here It's here It's here
2007-05-10 23:29:18
I'm about as happy as this little guy. Aparently pigs fly now, becuase I finally own a laptop. My very first one. Becca had one in highschool and I just thought she was so sophisticated (and that her parents really loved her). We finally got a computer in the hosue when I was 17, but up untill then I typed all my reports on the type writer or on a computer at my grandparents house. Since college I have had a G4 and a G5 and now, my Macbook. I finally caught up to you Bec, after 11 years!
Happy happy happy. Joy joy joy.
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