Cannellini Beans with Rosemary, Thyme, and Lavender

Man, it's hard for me to come here to post lately.  I can't even claim insane busy-ness...or a family tragedy...or anything remotely close to anything earth-rocking.  So where have I been?  Well, I find when I'm online, I immediately go to Pinterest.  I pull up to my boards, take a seat, get comfy, and I don't seem to move for ages.  Seriously, I'm addicted.  So if you're missing me here (ha!), then do head over there and say hi!

But I've finally broken free for a bit to stop by and share this gorgeous recipe with you: Cannellini Beans with Rosemary, Thyme, and Lavender.  Cannellini beans are one of my favorites: they're creamy, rich, and ridiculously versatile.  I love that you can mash them up with roasted garlic and olive oil and - bingo! - you have a satisfying crostini topping.  White beans with bacon?  Sublime.  White beans with thyme?  Perfect pairing.  A little sprinkling of crushed red pepper?  Even better.  In a soup?  Of course.  Pureed?  Yep.  I've even been known to eat them with breakfast.  I'm beginning to sound like Bubba in Forrest Gump, aren't I? 

And the best thing?  For me?  Is that they come in a can!  I know purists and cooks more advanced (or snobby) than I am will sniff at how easy it is to soak dried beans overnight, etc, and blah, blah.  But, you know, some things are just quicker from a can.  Easy as that.  If I can take this shortcut, then I'm taking it.  There are many, many other places where I don't cut corners when I'm cooking; opening a can of cannellini beans is practically a gift to myself.

I thought I'd tried damn-near every preparation - it seemed that way - so I was particularly excited when I read this one in one of my new favorite cookbooks, The Improvisational Cook by Sally Schneider.  I have to confess that I've never used lavender in a recipe before so I was completely intrigued.  Sally Schneider has a note before the recipe that has some serving suggestions: "[these beans] make a fine little meal on their own, with some shavings of Parmigiano, aged goat cheese, or ricotta salata [...] They are also a classic accompaniment to grilled or roasted lamb."  I'm not a big lamb fan so we just served the beans on their own, but feel free to give the pairing a try yourself!

And - bonus! - this is a one-pan recipe!

CANNELLINI BEANS WITH ROSEMARY, THYME, AND LAVENDER
Inspired by Sally Schneider's The Improvisational Cook


Serves 4-6


2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1/2 cup shallots, thinly sliced
1 1/4 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced
1 1/4 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
Pinch of dried lavender
4 cups cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (about 2 cans)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice


1. Combine olive oil and shallots in a large (12-inch) heavy skillet.  Cook, covered, over moderate heat until the shallots are soft and golden, about 5 minutes.  


2. Stir in rosemary, thyme, and a pinch of dried lavender (note: careful on that pinch - lavender is very potent!).  Saute, stirring, for 1 minute.


3. Add beans and 1/3 cup water to the pan.  Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 5 minutes.  Add lemon juice.  Adjust the seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed.  Spoon the beans into 4 bowls.  Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over each serving.  If desired, serve with grilled baguette slices.


LAVENDER NOTE: Dried lavender wasn't easy to find. I ultimately found it at the Union Square Greenmarket.  You can order it online at Lavender By The Bay (the same sellers at Union Square).


WINE NOTE: I paired this with the Cupcake Pinot Noir, which you can get at Trader Joe's.  The beans brought out all the berry in the Pinot Noir - very nice.


NOTE ON KID-FRIENDLINESS: I know, I know.  I haven't made many kid-friendly meals lately.  This was served on an "Adult Dinner"night after Bug had gone to bed.  She won't touch cannellini beans.  


Eat, drink, and look for new ways to dress up old favorites.

Thanksgiving

As you may have guessed from my previous post, I was not looking forward to Thanksgiving in Orlando.  Thanks to my publishing job, I had already been to Orlando for conferences twice in the last year, and one of the last places on Earth I wanted to go was back to that land of manufactured reality.

It turns out that all my self-indulgent whining was just that: self-indulgent and whiny.  We had a fantastic time at Harry Potter World.  And the Thanksgiving buffet?  Well, all-you-can-eat crab legs and dessert don't suck at all.

And did I mention the bottomless Champagne?  I might be coming around to buffets after all...

That said, we had lots of amusement park food: soft pretzels, hot dogs, fries.  So, by our last night, I was more than ready for some real food: we made reservations at Emeril's Orlando.  I was skeptical...but it was everything I had hoped for: delicious food, gorgeous list of wines by the glass, and attentive service (but not overly so).

We started with the New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp, which came with a diminutive but delicious rosemary biscuit.  The sauce added a touch of heat but it didn't make me scramble for my water glass (which is a good thing).  We also started with oysters in a creamy sauce with frisée and bacon.  It was okay...but I realized that I really love my oysters raw and adorned with only a squeeze of lemon; with all the other goings-on, I could hardly taste the oyster.  I drank a glass of Champagne, which held up to the barbecue shrimp surprisingly well.

Adam and I shared the duck duo for the main dish, which included a perfectly seared duck breast and duck confit.  Brussels sprouts and steamed potatoes were served with it.  And because we were having duck, I naturally drank Pinot Noir with it, specifically Foris Pinot Noir which is from the Rogue Valley in Oregon.  It was one of the rare times that Adam admitted my wine paired with the dish waaaay better than his beer.  I won, I won!

For dessert, we shared a vanilla crème brûlée which...I have to say...might be the best crème brûlée I have ever had.  How they got that thick sugary crust caramelized so perfect, I will never know.  It was outstanding.  The server recommended a glass of sweet bubbly for a pairing, which was lovely, but I was sort of jonesing for the espresso Adam ordered - it covered our table in a fragrant cloud.

It was an amazing meal with my amazing family, and it reminded me that my attitude can be such utter crap sometimes.  Orlando isn't that bad.  I'll never forget the trip and I'm so glad that we went.

I hope you all had a lovely holiday (you USians, anyway) with loved ones!

Eat, drink, and celebrate family.

Oregon Food and Wine: Cubanisimo Vineyards

The rain continues here in Oregon and I don't know why I'm surprised.  Bug asked Adam, "Dad, do you ever want to move back to Oregon?"  Adam answered no and, when Bug asked why, he said, "Have you looked outside today?  That's why."

But before this gray gloom descended on us, we had some glorious moments in the sun while visiting Cubanisimo Vineyards, which is located west of Salem.  I first heard about Cubanisimo Vineyards during our visit here last summer: MC's husband's daughter told me about their incredible Pinot Noir.  I found a bottle at a local shop and adored it.  During that same visit, I had a glass of their Rosado at The Wild Pear (this post) and loved that too.

So this summer it was time to go out to the vineyard, which is only about 30 minutes from MC's house; despite the rain, I'm kind of thinking that the proximity of Cubanisimo to my in-laws' place is worth moving here for!  Here is what we tasted:

• 2010 Rosado de Pinot Noir - This is one of my favorites, as I think it's an ideal summer sipper; I bought a bottle to take home.  It's bright, dry, and acidic but has enough herbal tones that it's well-balanced. 
• 2010 Pinot Gris - MC really loved this one and we bought a bottle to sip on Cubanisimo's gorgeous patio.  It had the same balance as the Rosado but with some floral notes, and the citrus bite isn't as pronounced.  It would pair well with light salads and fish, but it's also perfect for drinking by itself on a warm day.
• 2008 Pinot Noir - Such a friendly, unassuming wine!  I think this is perfect for a summer red.  I got strawberry flavors and a dry finish.  This was also a favorite of MC's - she bought a bottle.
• Pinot Noir Rumba (sadly, I didn't mark the year) - MC and I immediately turned this one down.  It didn't have the balance: the spice sort of thumped us over the head.  MC said it was "harsh".  Adam suggested that it would probably benefit from a few years in the cellar. 
• 2008 Pinot Noir Estate - My other favorite.  It was the 2008 Pinot Noir...but better quality.  It had the bright flavor of the 2008 Pinot Noir, but there was some spice and warmth to give it a more well-rounded quality.  The mouthfeel was richer and weightier too, which I considered a plus.  I bought a bottle of this for our friends, Amy and Lisa, who we'll see tomorrow.  Amy is a certified sommelier; I like to bring her a bottle of something every time I see her, and I think this will fit the bill.

Then we moved outside to enjoy our bottle of the Pinot Gris.  Jenelle Ford, who is the Operations Manager according to the website, helped us during our tasting and she was so sweet and enthusiastic.  You can just tell, while talking to her, that she loves what she does.  She told us all about the owners of the vineyard and how down-to-earth and incredible they are; we also shared stories about raising pre-teens.  As if we weren't already thrilled by the wine, the location, and the conversation, we then had the tremendous honor of meeting the owner, Mauricio Collado, Jr. MD.  In a word, charming.  As it turns out, Mr. Collado's son is an attorney in New York so we talked a lot about working insane hours and wanting to slow down and cut back.  I also told Mr. Collado that I saw his gorgeous wife in The Wild Pear last year but explained that I didn't introduce myself because I got a little starstruck.  Being the down-to-earth guy he is, Mr. Collado dismissed his celebrity status, to which I responded, "Have you even tasted your wine?!"

The perfect end to the day was that Ms. Ford gave me a list of local places in New York that have stocked Cubanisimo in the past: World Wine and Spirits (right next to my apartment!), Sussex Wines and Spirits, 86th Street Wine and Liquor, Adriatic Wines and Liquors, A Voce, Manley's Wine and Spirits, Mini Bar/MHLC.  You bet I'll be scouring the city when I get home!

It was a truly amazing experience.  I don't mean to be corny - though I tend to be a corny person - but I just felt welcomed into the arms of the vineyard and found myself not wanting to leave.  And thanks to Mr. Collado and Ms. Ford for making our visit a memorable one.

Eat, drink, and celebrate Cubanisimo time!

NOTE: Follow Cubanisimo Vineyards on Twitter and "like" them on Facebook.  And if you're in the area, join them for salsa lessons and wine in the summer!  They also do weddings and Bug already declared that she's getting married there - and, for heaven's sake, I hope she does!

Vacation, Part II: Oregon

So the second part of our vacation was a trip to Oregon to visit my in-laws. Again, I found myself wondering why - why - did I ever leave...until Adam reminded me - again - how much I loathe the constant gray. Nevertheless, here are a few of the things we did:

• Mexican and Salvadoran cuisine at Los Dos Hermanos in Keizer. I haven't had a lot of Salvadoran* food, but I do credit myself with knowing good food when I taste it...and this is gooooood. I am a HUGE fan of their pupusas (here is a recipe that I've used to try to imitate them), and we went through two pitchers of their margaritas. Good times, good times. It's a great local family-run joint and, even though I can't imagine you'd ever be there, I can't recommend it highly enough the next time you're in Keizer.

• I drank a ridiculous amount of local wines: Cubanisimo 2006 Pinot Noir (major spice), King Estate Pinot Gris, King Estate 2007 "Next" Pinot Noir (light and fruity, perfect summer red), and Firesteed Pinot Noir. And that was only the local wines...there were others...
  
  
• As usual, we stocked up on all our local produce at EZ Orchards. The photo below is a meal mostly bought from them: local Willamette Valley Cheese Co. cheeses, caramelized local Walla Walla onions, local raspberries and marionberries, Great Harvest bread, and non-local salami bought at Whole Foods. To top it off, this lovely lunch was eaten while fishing along the Santiam River.
  
  
• And no trip to Oregon is complete without a trip to McMenamins. The BEST tater tots, great burgers, and fantastic local beers: I splurged and drank TWO pints of their Wheat beer. I love the atmosphere too - dark wood, jukebox, mismatched tables and chairs. Not to mention that the servers will let you sit forever, if you want. It's about the closest thing we have to pubs in the U.S.
  
  
  
  
• We also went to Great Harvest Bread Co. and bought one of the biggest ice cream sandwiches EVER. Also bought some fresh bread to go with all our meals.
  
  
  
  
  
• The Ram is a microbrewery across the street from my alma mater, and I drank waaaaay too many Long Island Ice Teas there in my youth (they were only $2!!!). I made up for it this time by drinking an excellent microbrew: Big Horn Blonde. You don't need to know that it was a 24 ouncer...see, I can still put 'em away!
  
  
• Last but not least, we scored a tour at the "we don't give tours to the public" Kettle Chips processing plant. I'll be writing an entire post dedicated to the tour, but let me tell you now that it was truly a pinnacle for me. Absolutely fascinating.

The food scene in Oregon is everything it is rumored to be: focus on fresh, local ingredients with a natural, relaxed, laid-back vibe. I ate well, my friends, and it was wonderful.

Eat, drink, and cheers to the West Coast, my homeland.

* So Los Dos Hermanos spells it "Salvadoran" but I keep reading it "Salvadorian" other places. I can't tell definitively which it is.

My Last 12 Hours in NYC

Adam over at Amateur Gourmet started this: what would you do in your last 12 hours of whatever city you’re living in?  In his case, he posted about his last 12 hours in NYC if he had to leave it and never come back.  Clotilde posted about her last 12 hours in Paris.  While the very idea of leaving NYC and never coming back fills me with sadness, I still think this is a fun way to appreciate the place you live.  So here are my last 12 hours in NYC:

9:00 a.m. Coffee and a lemon poppy seed muffin at Guy & Gallard, the one on Lexington and 34^th.  It’s certainly not the best place in the city by any means, but it has enormous sentimental value for me – Adam and I went there on our very first trip to NYC and believed it to be quintessentially New York.  Now I understand that isn’t necessarily the case…but still…

10:00 a.m.  Because in my version I have an endless capacity to eat and enjoy, I would head over to Chelsea Market and grab an Americano at Ninth Street…now that is real coffee.  Then I’ll take my coffee into 202 for breakfast (where the wait staff always makes you pour it into one of their coffee cups so you’re not advertising someone else’s coffee in their restaurant).  I’ll order their French toast with bacon and syrup…some of the best I’ve had.  I’ll spend some time after breakfast browsing the ridiculously beautiful, expensive clothes.  Before I leave that neighborhood, I’ll stock up on some cupcakes at Billy’s Bakery to have with my lunch.

11:30 a.m.  After walking all the way down to the NYU area, I’ll be prepared to try on some clothes.  My last 12 hours would not be complete (for me, anyway) without a stop to Purdy Girl, one of my favorite clothing boutiques in the city.  While in that neighborhood, I’ll collect the fixings for a picnic lunch: a stop at Murray’s Cheese and Amy’s Bread.  Some olive oil at O & Co.  I’ll bypass Magnolia (you would be wise to do so as well) since I stocked up on Billy’s earlier (the only cupcakes worth having).  I don’t have a favorite wine shop in that part of the city so I’ll just pop into any old place and get a pinot noir (of course!) to have with lunch.

1:00 p.m.  Picnic in Central Park, one of my favorite things to do ever, in any city.  I like to position myself near a walking path so I can people-watch while I nibble and sip.  And lots of the musicians set up near the paths – last time I picnicked in the Park, there was a young woman playing the violin beautifully while we dined.  There really isn’t anything more perfect in the world, I think.

3:00 p.m.  Strolling through the park until dinner.  Bethesda Fountain, the Mall, Sheep’s Meadow.  I’d walk and enjoy all my favorite places.

4:00 p.m. Before dinner I’d head to Ginger Man, my favorite place in the city to have a beer (or two).  I’d have the Franziskaner Hefe, like I always do, along with their stellar soft pretzel accompanied with spicy honey mustard. 

5:00 p.m. Four hours left!  This is a tough one: do I pick a restaurant I’ve been dying to go to but have never been?  Or a tried-and-true?  I think I’d have to go to either Union Square Café or Gramercy Tavern – I’ve never been to either, and I don’t know if I could feel complete leaving the city without at least eating at one of them.  So I think I’d pick Union Square Café because Ina Garten says in one of her cookbooks that it’s her favorite restaurant in the city…and we all know she has impeccable taste.

8:00 p.m. Post-dinner drinks at The Campbell Apartment.  Naturally, I’d walk through Grand Central to get there, one of the most beautiful buildings in the city.  I’d have their Prohibition Punch – it’s wicked….and so delicious.

9:00 p.m. I’d leave the city via the ferry so that I could get one last look at one of, if not the, most famous skylines in the world.  And oh, how I would cry!

Eat, drink, and love where you live

Note: I picked up the picture from Google images (www.nyctrip.com, according to Google)

NYT Dining and the food crisis in America

So it’s beginning to feel like I'm beating a dead horse (isn’t that how the horrible saying goes?). However, the issue keeps coming up over and over again, signaling to me that the “food crisis” in our country is relevant and important.

First, check out Nicole’s response to my posts: this brings the contrast between cultures into sharp relief. I was actually surprised by how many of the food displays included soda: U.S., Egypt, Mexico, Italy, Germany, Poland. I was particularly struck by Mexico – so much beautiful produce on display…and soooo much soda. Alas.

The Dining section of the New York Times has an article this week, “Good News About Rising Food Prices,” which discusses how the cost of food in the U.S. (is it happening elsewhere too?) is skyrocketing as a result of the rising cost of fossil fuels and ethanol. It’s costing a whole lot more to transport our food from Mexico to New York, from Holland to Chicago. Is this a blessing in disguise? Given the rising costs, will people really forsake their sodas? Will people turn to local produce and local purveyors of meat and dairy? Naturally, the article mentions Alice Waters, who has reportedly been a vocal advocate of higher food prices. I see her point: with food being more expensive, people will need to make smarter, healthier choices. If food costs more, people might eat less of it. On the other hand, lots of people argue her opinion is elitist and/or classist. Rising food costs makes me a little glad, I admit it. But what about the lower-middle class? People who are “on the fringe”? I honestly don’t believe they’ll suddenly see the light and start eating local, organic fruits and vegetables. It’s not as simple as that, as anyone will argue, I’m sure. You don’t have a paradigm shift in a single month or a single quarter. Heck, when we’re talking about an entire revolution in the way we think and we eat, that can’t even happen over the course of a single year. Eating is too emotional, too personal, too culturally entrenched. So do I think rising food costs are the magical solution? Absolutely not. But they just might be the impetus and, for that, I’m excited to see where we’re heading.

If you’ve read The Omnivore’s Dilemma, you know how Michael Pollan feels about corn. And he converted me to his way of thinking as well. So I read the Boston Globe’s headline, “Food Prices Might Increase as Farmers Plant Less Corn”, with a bit of warmth in my heart. Yay, less environmental impact! Yay, less high fructose corn syrup! Because that’s the kind of gal I am: I react first, think later. Which gets me in trouble sometimes. It was later that I realized this wasn’t going to magically cause meat producers to allow the cows to roam free and eat the grass they’re designed to eat. Nope, ain’t happening. And then two-thirds of the way through the article, the bomb is dropped: soybean planting is up 18 percent. Which, again, if you’ve read Omnivore’s Dilemma, you know this is still perpetuating the unhealthy, environmentally unsound monoculture issue. Where in the world are we heading?

Okay, this is getting depressing. Less doom and gloom, I think:

Since we’re sort of on the topic of healthy, seasonal food, let me take this moment to share with you an article from the San Francisco Chronicle, “Asparagus Fans Support the Delta’s Stalk Market” by Melissa Swanson. As a California native who grew up in the Sacramento valley, I got all warm and fuzzy reading this. Not to mention that I also felt bitter living in NYC where root vegetables are still the stars on parade at Union Square.

Lastly, given the name of my blog, it’s appropriate that I link to the NYT Dining section’s article on California Pinot Noir. I applauded the article because he’s right: California Pinots are so hit-or-miss and tend to be too big and fruit-forward for my tastes. I much prefer the Oregon Pinot Noirs, particularly King Estate. Nevertheless, Asimov includes a list of wines so feel free to have your own taste test on a beautiful spring afternoon!

The One About Wines Under $15

Go check out the latest issue of Food and Wine (April). Among many interesting things, there was an article about the 67 Best American Wines under $15. I'm a big believer in wines under $20. I'm not cheap, it's just that I have tasted so many fresh, delightful, pleasant wines at such affordable prices that I just don't feel motivated to regularly drink more expensive wines. I do have more expensive bottles - in the $60 - $80 range - that I keep in a separate wine cooler to age a couple years. Not to mention that Adam and I did indulge in a bottle of Veuve Cliquot's La Grande Dame to celebrate our move to NYC. But that was a rarity - you won't see me pretentiously sipping $500 bottles anytime soon.

What pleased me enormously was reading about Oregon's wines. As a longtime resident of the Pacific Northwest, I always enjoy reading positive articles about the area that don't center on the amount of rain. Food and Wine had an article focusing on the Pinot Noirs alone.

I've tried 19 wines listed in the top 67, which isn't too bad. And I actually have a couple of them sitting in my wine rack and in my wine fridge right now. I can highly recommend the 2005 Bogle California Petite Sirah. We actually drank it with braised duck legs, which wasn't a good pairing. You need a big-flavored, super rich steak to go with this wine. The flavor is complex and bold. I also love the 2006 A to Z Wineworks Oregon Chardonnay. It's unoaked, and I normally like the flavor of oak in my wine. Nevertheless, this wine is light and creamy; it's rich and earthy enough that it doesn't need oak in the background.

I'll actually search out some of the 48 bottles I haven't tried - finding an affordable, interesting gem of a wine always thrills me!

Eat, drink, and be merry!