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Tag: Hill Country

Healthy Summer Stuffed Zucchini

This stuffed zucchini recipe is simple and delicious – do you have zucchini coming out your ears this summer?

Over July 4th my man Dan and I spent the weekend on a 100 acre farm that was close to the Outer Banks in our beautiful state of North Carolina. Coast and agriculture all within an hour of each other. Perfect way to spend the long weekend! The farm itself is growing cotton this summer but the owners have a personal garden full of vegetables. As we headed out to the 1920’s front porch and comfy rockers for our final morning coffee we were greeted by large bags full of zucchini, cucumbers, and potatoes. I’m talking zucchini the size of my forearm, purple potatoes and tender Japanese cucumbers. Later the owners invited us to pick as many orange and red cherry tomatoes as we wanted. In hindsight I wish we’d picked three times as many.

I’ve been roasting the little tomatoes every evening and let me tell you, those little maters are like popping a candy bomb in your mouth. They burst with more sweetness than I could imagine – we are hooked! Seriously sweet and juicy- I’ve been saving a couple for the end of my meal because after enjoying those little babies I don’t even need dessert. My sweet tooth has been more than satisfied.

What do you do when you are greeted with an abundance of zucchini? The usual suspects – zucchini bread, grilled zucchini, throw it in a pot of veggie soup (too hot for that), fry it, toss it in a salad or stuff it. The first night I decided to cook with it I chose to make stuffed zucchini. Splitting one in half and serving one half to each of us was perfect with roasted tomatoes on the side. This is so easy and feels healthy – well it IS healthy!

What do you think I’ll do with the remainder of the zucchini? You’ll have to check back – cooking with zucchini has taken over my kitchen in so many delicious ways I can’t wait to share them with you! I invite you to comment below and tell me your favorite way to cook with zucchini!

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July 12, 2017
Southern Living’s Classic Southern Pound Cake

I can’t remember the last time I made a pound cake. It’s not something I’ve done many times before. Maybe once or twice. I’m not sure why because they sure are delicious. Buttery vanilla flavors, the perfect dessert to serve with a scoop of ice cream, whipped cream, or summer berries.

I always look forward to reading each month’s edition of Southern Living, mainly for the recipes. I am a southern girl after all. One of the recipes that caught my eye in the May issue was for Classic Southern Pound Cake. Using all the usual suspects, butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla and an addition I wouldn’t usually think of – cream cheese.

I followed the directions – including the TIP at the top of the page. Here’s the TIP:

Leave the eggs, butter and cream cheese out at room temperature for about an hour before mixing. This is important because adding cold eggs to softened butter and cream cheese will create a lumpy batter.

Okay so I did that. Throwing this cake together is not difficult. My problem was it took way longer to bake than the recipe called for. I picked a poor time to bake the cake as I was working at the spice shop that afternoon and had it timed to bake the cake, give it time to cool and turn it out before I left for work. Not a good idea! I ended up calling my boss and explaining that I had this cake in the oven that would not bake and I’d be late for work. Lucky for me he is easy going and told me it wasn’t a problem. I’m blessed to work for such a man!

I baked the cake for another 15 minutes, waited the allotted 15 minutes for cool-down and to tell you the truth when it came out I thought it was baked. I learned later when I sliced a piece for myself and my man that it wasn’t. It was still a bit doughy in spots. Kitchen disaster? Not really. The outside was nice and crunchy and for the most part it was baked enough to eat.

I covered up my flawed baking job by adding a scoop of vanilla bean or chocolate ice cream to every slice I served. This cake was eaten by me and my hubby. I didn’t share it at all – I’m not a good sharer to begin with because I love food, but I’d planned on giving away a slice or two.

Well, so I’m sharing the recipe with you because I can see the possibilities of getting it right. You probably will. All I can tell you is to be sure and use a cake tester or toothpick before you sit it on the counter to cool. I did do this, but somehow it still wasn’t right. It tasted good and we ate most of it so all was not lost.

I will try this recipe again because I kinda dig the challenges that come with baking and I am determined to get this one right! I’d love to hear any comments you have about this recipe…if you try it – does it come out perfectly at 1 hour and 20 minutes or 1 hour and 30 minutes or what? Please share your pound cake adventures or recipes with me – I’m on a mission now!

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June 27, 2017
Making Kombucha In My Own Kitchen

I’m on a roll when it comes to learning how to make new provisions in my very own kitchen. I like the challenge, it keeps me on my toes and not slack in the kitchen. On a recent visit to my daughter’s home in California we made a sweep through the Kombucha section at her local grocery store. We brought home several different brands and after trying each one agreed that the Health Ade brand was our favorite. Not too much carbonation, not too much mother floating around in the bottle and delicious flavors like Pomegranate, Pink Lady Apple and Lemon-Ginger. Considering my main beverage of choice during the day is water, which isn’t free per se…but pennies per glass, I noticed the cost of a bottle of Kombucha is kinda pricey. The hiccup here is I’d fallen in love with Kombucha. Refreshing and flavorful it makes a nice diversion from my usual glass of water.

Not long after I returned home I saw an advertisement for a Kombucha class at a local tea shop. I couldn’t make the class but was lucky enough to set up a private class. I arranged to meet Brittany at her tiny house (yep she for real lives in a tiny house) one morning for a personal Kombucha making class.

Brittany~ young, tiny, smart, energetic, and growing her own food and brewing Kombucha. Living in a tiny house with her hubby and a black cat, my favorite color of feline, living off of the land, happily. She speaks of local, fresh, sustainable, healthy, plant based, etc… all those catch words that truly are valuable to our well being.

Do you know the benefits of drinking Kombucha? Here’s a few…detoxifying, anti inflammatory, aids digestion and gut health and provides some natural energy. I’m always looking for natural solutions for arthritis, aka inflammation in my joints and between drinking Kombucha and using my essential oils I’m definitely noticing a big difference. The swelling and joint pain has decreased remarkably since consistently using both the oils and drinking the Kombucha!

So here’s the deal to make your own Kombucha you have to have a batch of starter tea with a Scoby. Brittany provides this combo with her class – so I came home with a quart size jar of starter tea complete with it’s own Scoby. SCOBY stands for symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. Without this mother lode you cannot brew Kombucha! Other foods and beverages which require a similar “symbiotic culture” in their production include:
Ginger beer
Kefir, both milk kefir and water kefir (tibicos), whose required cultures differ
Jun; a drink similar to kombucha that grows on honey-sweetened green tea;
Vinegar; the production of which requires a mother of vinegar; and
Sourdough; derived from a sourdough “starter,” flour-water mixture exhibiting growth after advantitious contamination with wild yeasts.

My Scoby

I am pretty proud of my Scoby and how lovely it is…I know it’s a little weird looking but it’s working it’s magic on my home-brew Kombucha. Making your own Kombucha requires black, green, white, kukicha, pu-erh or rooibos tea, Cane Sugar, jars and bottles. The process doesn’t take much time but it requires consistent taste testing and making second fermentations.

Brittany’s Scoby

Second fermentations can be flavored with fruits, herbs, spices or veggies. I began by flavoring my second fermentation with a Lemon-Ginger combo, a Lemon-Blueberry Combo and Strawberry. My favorites were the two with lemon infusion. On my second go-round I flavored with Lemon -Blueberry again, Cucumber-Lime and Pineapple. The pineapple was very good but the cucumber lime a little too heavy on the cuke flavor. I am now on my third second-fermentation and I am trying two new flavors – Lemon-Apple and Apple as well as Lemon-Blueberry again.

Brittany prepared mango, strawberry and ginger for her flavor infusions to show me how it’s done. Finding your favorite infusions is part of the fun. I’ll be experimenting with spices and herbs on my next go round. Any great flavor combinations you can suggest for me would be much appreciated! The possibilities seem endless.

I am thoroughly enjoying the experience of brewing my own Kombucha. So far I’ve been successful with keeping my Scoby alive and happy. I do still pick up the occasional bottle of Health Ade at the grocery. My plan is to begin to bottle in larger jars after I finalize all my flavor taste tests. New flavors are able to be made about every two weeks. Are you going to try your hand at home-brew Kombucha? If you do I can’t wait to hear what your fav flavors are and how it’s going for you. Please share your experiences if you find yourself in the brew business!

Interested in learning to brew your own Kombucha? If you live in Greensboro or the Triad area of N.C. you can set up your own class with Brittany Peters or catch her at her next public class. For more info visit her website at purslanegardens.com or email her at purslanegardens@gmail.com.

June 21, 2017
Learning To Make Maneesh – Middle Eastern Flatbread
Recently I learned to make Maneesh, a Middle Eastern Flatbread that makes a perfect edible spoon for dips such as hummus, baba ganoush, tabouleh or for soaking up juices from meats and sauces. I’ve long been intrigued with the spice blend called Za’Atar. Now I know precisely how I like it best!

One bonus of working at the spice shop is meeting wonderful cooks from all walks of life and cultures. Recently I had the pleasure of waiting on a couple of lovely ladies from Jordan and when they stopped to smell the Za’Atar we sell I asked about how they use it in their own kitchens. One of the women replied, “I make this bread and we dip in the Za’Atar with olive oil”. Jokingly I said, “wow I should come to your house and learn about that” and she invited me on the spot. Talk about super cool!

About a week later I went to the beautiful home of Rya for a lesson in bread making. Knowing that it takes the bread quite some time to rise, Rya had prepared a batch of dough before I arrived. This way she was able to show me the steps of making her delicious flatbread and still bake one for us to share. But first, Turkish coffee! I admit, this was the highlight of my morning.

Rya pours up two cups of fresh Turkish coffee – much to my delight!

Rya served the strong cardamom flavored coffee steaming hot in demitasse cups on sweet little saucers. On the table she placed a tin of Baklava, a perfect accompaniment to the rich, dark coffee. If I wasn’t awake yet the jolt from this scrumptious coffee sure did the trick.

Fully awake now and ready to learn the in’s and out’s of making Maneesh I stood back and watched as Rya, gracefully and confidently moved about her kitchen blending flour, salt, yeast and sugar in a big bowl. Next she placed the dry mixture into her stand mixer and added oil and warm milk as the blender stirred the ingredients for Maneesh. Adding a little warm water until the dough came together, she explained how in colder weather more yeast is needed.

Once the dough comes together it rests for 30 minutes and is then kneaded in the mixer one more time. After the second kneading it is allowed to rest 2-3 hours in a bowl rubbed with oil. The dough she had prepared earlier was at this stage and ready to be turned out to a baking stone. First a bit of kneading by hand before forming the dough into a ball and placing on a greased stone, then more resting.

Rya’s gorgeous table runner – so exotic and full of color!

Next Rya mixed olive oil and Za’Atar into a thick consistency in order to spread it on the dough before baking. This mixture spread on a dough base and baked as a bread, produces manakeesh, the formal word for this food. Finally, patting out the dough on the stone and poking dents in the dough, as if making focaccia.

The experienced hands of Rya lovingly spreads the dough to the edges of the well used baking stone in preparation for the final touch of – Za’Atar topping. After the Za’Atar is slathered all over the dough it is put into a 400* oven for about 20 minutes. Her instructions are to check it before 20 minutes has passed so as not to over bake.

Before slicing and serving the Maneesh, Rya fills small glass bowls with olive oil and a second set of bowls with Za’Atar, straight from Jordan. The Za’Atar we enjoyed on this day is different from what we sell at the spice shop. More herbs less sumac! The extra oil and spice is for bread dipping . I discovered whether dipping in the additional oil and seasoning or eating it warm from the oven, as is, this bread is divine. I admit I probably did dip more times than not, I can’t get enough of that Za’Atar!

Rya also made fresh cups of Sage Tea for us to drink while chowing down on the Maneesh. Once again she pulled out a bag from her native country of dried sage , added the stalks to hot water with a touch of sugar and steeped it until it the delicate bouquet of sage filled the room. Then she poured it into simple white cups and we sat down to share stories, laughs and Maneesh. A new friendship was formed and I learned quite a bit about Middle Eastern culture, foods and best of all how to make Maneesh. Now if I can recreate it as masterfully as Rya did I am sure to add a new favorite food to my stash of recipes.

Maneesh may be enjoyed as breakfast, or as a delightful snack or appetizer. I came out ahead on this day with a full belly and a blossoming friendship. Thank you Rya, for your friendliness, graciousness and for welcoming me into your beautiful home.

On a subsequent afternoon Rya took me to a Middle Eastern market here in our community and showed me which Turkish coffee to buy and helped me select a little pot ( like the one in the photo above) for brewing my own Turkish coffee. I’ve made the coffee several times and my man, Dan and I have both fallen in love with our tiny cups and the big bolt of caffeine and strong flavor they offer. Next I will try my hand at making my own Maneesh – stay tuned!
Learning To Make Maneesh – Middle Eastern Flatbread
Ingredients

1# all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. yeast

1/2 cup oil

1 cup warm milk

1/2 cup warm water

Za’Atar

Olive Oil

These measurements are approximate as Rya measured with her fingers not a measuring spoon!
Instructions

Mix all dry ingredients together.

Pour dry mixture into bowl of a stand mixer.

Add oil and milk and blend.

Add warm water a little at a time until dough comes together.

Set aside, cover with a towel and allow to rest., 30 minutes.

Knead dough once again for a couple minutes and transfer to a bowl coated in oil and rest 2-3 hours.

Knead dough by hand just a little and form into a ball.

Place dough on a baking stone that has been sprayed with oil, allow to rest again.

(let it rest for a few minutes – maybe 10-15)

Pat dough out on stone to edges and using fingertips. make small dents into top of dough – careful not to poke holes in the dough.

Mix 1/2 cup olive oil with Za’Atar until a thick paste is formed.

Spread Za’Atar mixture over dough by hand – spreading to near the edges of the dough.

Bake for about 20 minutes in a 400* oven – checking for doneness before 20 minutes is up.

Serve warm from the oven or room temperature.
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The recipe above is as clear as I can make it – Rya didn’t measure anything precisely except for the flour. After I try my hand at this I’ll repost and make any changes necessary – if needed.
June 16, 2017
The Most Effective Golden Milk Recipe
Oil & Honey Edition – Golden milk is all the rage! Apparently it is has been for quite some time but seems to be making a resurgence in the natural health world. Have you tried it yet? I decided to give it a whirl but put a new spin on the ingredients. Considering it calls for both ginger and cinnamon, I added those two elements in both the powdered and the essential oil form. Totally elevates the flavor and the benefits! Are you ready?
The Most Effective Golden Milk Recipe
Ingredients

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup Turmeric

2 cups coconut, almond or milk of your choice

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. coconut oil

1 tsp – 1 tbsp. Turmeric paste

1 tbsp. honey

1 tsp. chopped ginger or powdered ginger

4-6 whole peppercorns

2-3 drops cinnamon essential oil

2-3 drops ginger essential oil
Instructions

Turmeric Paste:

Stir together turmeric and water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer until it turns to a paste. Add more water if necessary to get the right consistency.

It should be like paste!

Milk:

Blend all ingredients together in a medium saucepan and whisk together until well blended.

Allow mixture to simmer for about 5 minutes.

Cool and refrigerate.
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I found that the golden milk tastes great warm, cool or room temperature. Drinking a cupful at bed time gives some relaxing benefits and fortifies our bodies as we rest. Golden Milk or Turmeric Tea, as it is often times described has wide-ranging anti-inflammatory effects. There is extensive evidence that turmeric reduces inflammation and supports brain and joint health. It’s the curcumin in turmeric that is believed to halt an enzyme that may be responsible for turning environmental toxins into carcinogens in the body.

Using ginger in two forms gives an added boost to it’s benefits. A natural anti-inflammatory that can help relieve symptoms of arthritis, bursitis and other musculoskeletal ailments. The black peppercorns enhance the absorption of the turmeric and interesting enough are calming to our digestive systems!

Cinnamon, besides tasting so delicious also gives us the following benefits. Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-microbial, immunity-boosting, cancer and heart disease-protection all from this spice we think of when it comes to baking! Again, using cinnamon in both the powdered and essential oil form up the flavor and health rewards.

If you are pregnant or nursing please check with your doctor or mid-wife before beginning a Golden Milk regimen. The biggest drawback to using turmeric is that it stains – terribly. I use gloves when working with turmeric as I prefer my nails to look natural not yellow! Over time it will fade but be careful not to get it on your counters or let it sit in a light colored sink. Store the paste in a glass container for best results.

Got a different recipe for Golden Milk? Please share it! I’m curious to know if you’ve tried it and what results you’ve seen, if any! I’m definitely noticing a decrease in the inflammation in my arthritic fingers. This is a good thing – I’m all in on this one – how about you?

Here is a link to Dr. Axe’s Turmeric Latte recipe if you’d like to further explore the benefits and different ways in which to make it! Drink up!
May 28, 2017
New Bees At Greensboro Science Center

The Greensboro Science Center has new bees! I have been holding off telling the story about how the hives were invaded by the nasty varroa mite and met their demise, until now. I made the discovery in February and it was one sad day for me and still disturbs me. On a happier note – I recently installed new bees.

Upon the realization that my bees were gone or deceased, I called in the bee expert for my area of N.C., Mr. Don Hopkins and asked him to come and confirm why I’d lost all my bees. It didn’t take him long to access the situation, as he told me he’s been seeing this often. He tried to make me feel better by informing me that I was about the 100th person who he’d already seen with this problem this year.

I want to share this story with you as varroa mite is one of the reasons why our world is experiencing “Colony Collapse Disorder”. I did a sugar shake test and didn’t see the mite so I didn’t treat for it. I’ve been keeping bees for over 6 years and have never been met with this pest. Going forward you can bet I will do diligence to prevent a disaster such as this from happening again!

This year I will check my new colonies by investigating the brood for mites where they are easier to see. I’ll keep you up to date on how all of that plays out but now let me introduce you to the new bees at the GSO! The link below will take you to a video of the girls in their bee bus. The bee bus is how they are transported from bee breeder to beekeepers. You will see they are very active and ready to move into their new digs where they will have plenty of room to settle down.

Bee Bus – New Bees

The queen arrives in a queen cage and is attended by a few bees inside with her. There is a plug of candy on one end that the bees eat through to release the queen. This year bees have lime green crowns to denote the year they were born. You will see one of the new queens in her cage in the photo below prior to being inserted into the hive.

After getting the queen situated at the bottom of the hive body the colony is dumped into their new home. There are always a few stragglers who eventually find their way inside. After the majority of bees have ventured into the hive I close off the top and wait a few days until opening the hive again. Look closely in the top right corner of the box floor and you can see the queen cage – already surrounded by the bees. Do you know how the girls know to go inside this hive?

Did you guess? They are attune to the pheromones of this particular queen and follow their intuition, going into the hive. It’s truly amazing to watch an entire colony of bees walk or fly right into the hive where their queen resides!

I installed the bees on April 6 and when I went back a few days later to be certain the queen was out of her cage and all was well I panicked because I didn’t see a queen in either hive. There was no sign of brood but the bees that were in residence seemed happy and busy. I noticed plenty of pollen and honey already in the hives. Holy smoke – when I say panic I mean I freaked! Once again I made a phone call. This time to the supply company where I’d acquired these bees. The gentleman on the phone said the same thing had happened to him. WHAT? I kept thinking about how Mr. F always told me “bee keeping ain’t nothin’ but problem solvin’”. Amen to that!

After a bit of discussion he told me that he is suspicious that we had received unfertilized queens. We weren’t supposed to receive unfertilized queens but it seemed we probably had. So that meant that there was a very good chance that the queens had flown out of the hive – made their way to the mating grounds – and would return in a couple of days. Time to pull the patience card and wait another few days.

When I went back one week later this is what I found! Here is a frame full of the sweet new bees and if you look closely in the cells you will see eggs. Hint – they look like tiny grains of rice! So…if there are eggs there must be a queen! Voila – I was greeted by both queens on this day and even watched as one queen went about her business of laying eggs as if I wasn’t even there. Below is the link to this phenomenal act – one she does around 1200 times a day. Exhausting to think about – right?

You will see the queen checking out the cells to be sure they are empty and ready for an egg before she backs into one and does her stuff. You will also notice the attendant bees form a circle around her and groom and love on her the entire time. This my friends is nature right before your very eyes. It’s not often that I see events as remarkable as this – and my day was made! I think it unlikely that you have seen a queen bee lay an egg before so I am happy to share this with you!

Queen Laying An Egg

I was elated and closed up the hives happy that on this day I wouldn’t be solving any problems. I believe my queens were unfertilized and sure was glad they were back from their virgin mating flights! On my subsequent visits I continue to see my queens and happy bees. There is plenty of brood, pollen and honey in both hives. Crossing my fingers that we are successful with these new bees. I will be checking for mites in the next week or so. I’ll also check to see if pulling honey this year is a good idea or possibly leaving it for my girls to have this winter. The tan covering in the photo below is where the brood grows to maturity. After the eggs have been fed and the larvae reach a certain size the bees cover the babies with this capping and when mature the new bees eat away the cover and climb out to join their sisters.

This is only the beginning of another new bee adventure. Here is a link to the Varroa Mite if you’re interested in learning more about this destructor. Remember – do your part! Plant bee friendly flowers and stay away from pesticides in the gardens! Here is why – every third bite of food we eat is pollinated by a bee!

May 19, 2017
Metamucil Contains Ingredients That Aren’t Good For You – I’ve Got A Healthy Alternative

I recently discovered that Metamucil – a popular colon cleanse had aspartame and yellow food coloring as ingredients. Several years ago when I had my first colonoscopy the doc told me, “drink a glass of Metamucil every day and you should never have any problems”. I didn’t have problems anyway but I figured if drinking a colon cleanse product daily would prevent any future issues – why not! I wish I had read the ingredients list closer from day one – I purchased “sugar free” and it didn’t occur to me they were replacing sugar with aspartame – YUCK! My bad for not “thinking”! It also lists “natural and artificial orange flavor. What? Why do I need artificial orange flavor?

Right then and there I decided I didn’t want to use that product any longer. I was actually in California with LuLu when the discovery was made and we quickly headed to the closest health food shop a few doors down from the grocery store. There is where I found that I can purchase a colon cleanse that is 100% whole psyllium husk – NO OTHER INGREDIENTS! No artificial anything! But here’s the deal…it’s a little hard to swallow. I’m sure you can imagine!

I suspect many of you already are hip to this concept – it’s new for me. I admit the taste of the Metamucil was pleasant and not hard to swallow, but I needed to doctor up my new product. At first I tried adding a drop or two of lemon, orange or grapefruit essential oil. This did help by adding a taste to the otherwise bland husks – but I needed something more.

I brought home a jar of honey powder from the spice shop where I work a few hours a week. This is simply honey in powder form and is a fantastic way to add sweetener to cold beverages. Honey simply does not mix well into a cold beverage, but the powder form is ideal. Now I have solved my problem by adding a 1/2 teaspoon of honey powder and a couple drops of essential oil to the water before stirring in the husks. Not only is it delicious now, but good for me with the added benefit of honey and essential oils.

Some essential oils that would work well for a bit of flavor and a health boost are ginger, peppermint, cinnamon, cardamom, lemon, grapefruit, lime, and spearmint. If you suffer with constipation – I know, I know, not a pleasant subject…but if you do try my recipe and find your way back to normal! Completely natural and full of healthy benefits.

Cardamom, ginger, spearmint and peppermint oils all promote healthy digestion. Grapefruit and cinnamon support healthy metabolic function, lemon and lime aid in digestion and help to cleanse the body. Honey has been proven to soothe our tummies and offers anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, it also regulates blood sugar.

I am much happier and feeling abundantly healthy with my new version of that nasty Metamucil. Sure it takes an extra second to mix in the honey powder and oil – but what’s an extra second for a life time of feeling good?

May 7, 2017
Yountville Food Tour

The Yountville Food Tour took me to an establishment I’ve fancied going to for quite some time. Ever been to the French Laundry? I have a great story about the wine from Thomas Keller’s 3*** Michelin restaurant in Yountville, California. It’s about that time when someone stole 76 bottles of wine – valued at around 3-5 hundred thousand dollars and it turned up in a private wine cellar in Greensboro N.C. – where I reside! Not in the location where the wine was discovered, but Greensboro….Crazy! I’d sure like to know who that wine collector is!

In the past I have driven by and walked by, but I have never graced the threshold until I went on my latest food tour – hosted by Gourmet Food and Wine Tours. You know, recently Thomas Keller executed a killer 10 million dollar renovation on the famed French Laundry. He created a new kitchen, a 16,000-bottle wine cellar (I’m guessing under heavy duty lock and key), installed extensive solar paneling, a new office annex and 9,000 square feet of new landscape design. The renovation took more than two years and was not stress-free. One can only imagine! Below is a photo of the complete on the inside, but not yet on the outside – new kitchen and some of the landscaping!

We did peek our heads inside the lobby and visited the gardens – which I’ll tell you about later in this post. Sadly at this time, that is as close as I’ve come to more than a drive by. One day…one day…

It was a rainy – like a pouring down rain kind of day in NoCal, but it didn’t wreck the delightful time I had on the Yountville food tour. I have never been happier to have my rain boots, rain parka and umbrella, as this was a walking food tour. It was arranged for the 4 of us on tour to meet Vivian, our knowledgeable and frisky tour guide at Hurley’s restaurant in the center of Yountville. A white table cloth establishment in a sleek yet warm and inviting setting.

Meet owner and chef Bob Hurley (pictured below), who joined us for a short time to see how were were enjoying our fresh baked ciabatta served with, of course, oil and vinegar for dipping. We nibbled on this delicious bread as we awaited our Eastern Rock Crab Cake served with grapefruit and orange. We were served a glass of clean, crisp, lovely JCB No.21 sparkling wine from – not California but France! What’s important to know about Hurley’s is that chef Bob offers vegetarian and gluten free meals, all looking equally as delicious as the regular menu. When the tender, sweet crab cake, served alongside a jicama, grapefruit, orange and fresh herb relish arrived the conversation halted. Between bites of the flavorful crab cake and sips of bubbly we were certainly off to a great start.





Throwing on our rain jackets and grabbing our umbrellas we trekked over to Bistro Jeanty. Phillipe Jeanty opened the doors to Bistro Jeanty in 1998 and has a loyal group of patrons from around the world! After tasting the Crême de Tomate en Croute I too have become a loyal customer. This tomato soup in puff pastry, to put it in layman’s terms, was without a doubt the best tomato soup ever. Creamy, steamy and bursting with fresh tomato and herb flavor. The puff pastry is the perfect accompaniment to this soup and no bread basket is needed. Served with a refreshing Salade Mâraichère, which translates to, green bean salad with warm goat cheese, oven roasted tomatoes, and honey vinaigrette. On my next visit to Napa Valley rest assured I will visit Bistro Jeanty for a piping hot bowl of tomato soup! Don’t you know it was the perfect dish for this dreary, wet day?





At Bistro Jeanty we sipped on glasses of chilled Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc much to my delight as Sav Blanc is a favorite of mine. Notes of apricot, grass and citrus gave a clean taste and paired perfectly with the soup.

The relentless rain didn’t keep us from our next stop where we peeked into the eccentric, outlandish and beautiful JCB tasting salon. After enjoying the JCB No.21, Viv told us we simply must see what all the fuss is about. One foot in the door and it was clear that Jean-Charles Boisset is one flamboyant gentleman who is proprietor of more than 20 prestigious wineries in the world’s preeminent terriors. Gilded mirrors on the ceiling, Baccarat crystal, luxurious animal-print seating and Christofle silver are but a few of the niceties that caught my attention.

Next door is Atelier Fine Foods, also owned by Mr. Boisset. An epicurean boutique stocked with salts, peppers, spices, mustards, caviar, anchovies, truffles, foie gras, terrines, prosciutto, local and international cheeses, dry crackers, chips, sparkling waters, juices, and specialty teas, honey, marmalades, dry pastas and a variety of olive oils. Everything needed for a Napa Valley style picnic!

Now time for a little something sweet. Kollar Chocolate, named one of the top 10 chocolatiers in the U.S.! I wish I could capture the fragrance coming out of this fine chocolate shop and share it with you because it’s indescribable. Chris Kollar, has traveled extensively in Europe studying the technique used for producing classic chocolates. We were treated to a dark chocolate and Zinfandel truffle that was creamy and delicate and delicious with a hint of Zin. Each of us were allowed to choose one other piece of chocolate to enjoy at our leisure – can you guess what I picked? I chose the gold medal winner from the international chocolate salon – Fennel Pollen with milk chocolate ganache. I’ll just say it was pretty much to die for! Some of his creations like the chocolate sushi pictured below are simply too much fun.

Walking in the rain through Yountville made for a decidedly delightful dreary day as the town is full of art. Check out this adorable mushroom garden, inviting a pause, unhampered by the continual rain.

Our next stop you may be familiar with – Bouchon Bakery. Owned by Thomas Keller (the French Laundry dude), Bouchon Bakery was conceived to provide Keller’s one-of-a-kind breads and pastries not only to the French Laundry but Bouchon Bistro, his other well-known eatery as well. The bakery quickly blossomed into it’s own entity and standing in line to get inside is customary. You’ll notice the umbrellas as folks crowded outside in the pouring rain to get their chance at a flaky croissant or one of many macarons offered in the bakery cases. Thanks to Viv’s back door pass, we snuck in through the side door and picked up a bag of chocolate macarons “to go” and headed to our next destination – Bardessono Hotel and Spa, home of restaurant Lucy.



About this chocolate macaron…droolworthy to say the least. Light and meringue like with a rich, dark chocolate cream filling. I think it is safe to say that Bouchon Bakery nailed the macaron! Truth be told we saved the little treats until the end of our last stop, where we enjoyed them for dessert. I was only able to eat a couple of bites after the entire food tour as my tummy was full. I carried the remainder home and thoroughly enjoyed it the next day as I reminisced about my excellent rainy day food tour.

After acquiring our macarons we headed to Bardessono Hotel & Spa. Now, I could have holed up in these green, luxurious accommodations for a few days but alas, we ventured on to Lucy, Bardessono’s signature restaurant. After checking out the very hip ladies room ( check out the flushing panel in the photo below), we ventured into and were seated in the dining room. Here we were greeted by executive chef Nate Lindsey, a young and innovative addition to Lucy. Serving inventive dishes through artful presentations with the use of the highest quality seasonal ingredients, we were treated to Tuscan kale flatbread with prosciutto, roasted garlic and fromage blanc as a starter. A bit later we were served a dish of handrolled Gnocchi tossed with Italian tartufata and sun-dried tomatoes and adorable enochi mushrooms. Both dishes paired perfectly with a glass of Hill Family Cabernet, offering a nose of jam and dark berries as age worthy tannins give structure to the dark juicy finish.





You can imagine by now we were stuffed and needed to walk a bit. The end of this delightful tour took us on a stroll to the gardens of the French Laundry. A spectacular vista enhanced by the low lying clouds and green hills, I was thrilled when I discovered the resident bee hive. Vegetables and herbs beginning to sprout and looking lush and healthy thanks to the recent rains and with their own personal pollinators – it doesn’t get any better than that.



Food tours don’t get any better than those offered by Gourmet Food and Wine Tours either. Next time you find yourself in the Napa Valley give them a call and set up your tour. Tours are also offered in Sonoma, Sausalito and Tiburon, of course I recommend the Yountville Food Tour! You can reach Gourmet Food and Wine tours at 415-250-2273. Renee ReBell the creator and owner of Gourmet Food Tours was a delight to work with as was our knowledgeable tour guide Vivian! You can read about them here but better yet put it on your calendar and see for yourself – you will NOT be sorry!

Note*** on the website this particular tour is listed as Napa Food and Wine Tour

Yountville Food Tours

May 2, 2017
N.C. Blogger Network Featuring The Orange Bee

It is always nice to be recognized. It’s even nicer to be recognized in your own community – within your tribe. I was honored to be showcased on the N.C. Blogger Network this week and wanted to share the article with you. I’m not usually one to toot my own horn but hey….check it out! Here is the link: http://bit.ly/2oQG4Rl.

Since becoming a member I’ve found out more info about other local bloggers, bloggers from around the entire state and learned more about everything going on in N.C. I’m looking forward to the next meet up for bloggers so I can put a face with a name and get to know some of my peers! If you happen to be one of my fellow bloggers please leave me a comment and say “hi” – I’d love to connect.



You can find them here –  N.C. Blogger Network – if you are in the beautiful state of N.C. check it out – they’ll want to meet you too! If we’ve never met you can learn more about me on the “about” page of The Orange Bee. To help you know more about me I’ve posted some random photos of me loving life. If you don’t subscribe to The Orange Bee why don’t you give it a try – I’d love to see you join in the fun!



Coming up soon I’ll be sharing some posts on the latest bee adventures – all the hives at the GSC (Greensboro science center) were lost this year to Varroa mites, I acquired 2 new hives, thought the queens were missing and then…..well…you’ll have to come back and read all about it. Did I or did I not find the queens?



Also coming up soon will be the best, most tasty and good for you recipe for “Golden Milk” – the latest rage for arthritis issues! You definitely do not want to miss this post. So I’ll see you soon – meantime check out the article on N.C. Blogger Network





April 30, 2017
The Most Mispronounced Food Words – Are You Guilty?

Mispronounced food words – do you suffer from this phenomenon? Occasionally I get stumped with food words. Here’s one I have to think about every time I see it – Acai (ah-SAH-ee). How about Gyro (Yee-roh)? I’ve heard that one butchered a million ways Hero – Jiro – Geero – Jeero. How about Coq au Vin (kohk-oh-VAHN)? This word begs to be spoken with a French spin on it – right? I mean, I took a couple years of French in high school – it was taught by a Spanish speaking teacher though, so I’m pretty sure she put her own spin on the pronunciation of the French language. Mispronounced food words are common among American’s particularly because so many of the foods we eat aren’t American!

Acai – A berry grown in South America touted for its high levels of antioxidants. It tastes similar to a blackberry with a mild dark chocolate aftertaste. YUM!

Coq au Vin – A French dish of braised chicken, lardons, mushrooms and wine. – I hate to say I’ve never even made this but I want to try!

Gyro – A pita bread sandwich usually made with spit-roasted lamb or beef and served with tzatziki sauce. My hubby does not like cucumbers so no tzatziki sauce – it’s okay I’ll eat his!

Here is a list of several others that we may all find perplexing when it comes to the proper pronunciation. Let’s start with a couple of other French words that we Americans are good at screwing up!

Haricot Vert (ah-ree-koh VEHR) – From the French, usually refers to a thinner, smaller variety of green bean. Love these and they are one of my man, Dan’s favorites! Win-Win.

Croissant (kwah-SAH; kruh-SAHNT)-A French pastry made with a buttery, flaky dough rolled into a crescent shape. Bread perfection – I love to eat these with a pat of soft butter and homemade jam! Ooh la la!

Macaron (mak-uh-RUHN) – A French meringue and almond flour sandwich cookie that is typically filled with buttercream or preserves. Have you perfected making these yet? I haven’t even began to try and master this one – I’ll just wait till I’m in Paris later this year and stock up!

Now on to some that are not French – sorry France you aren’t the only country with yummy foods we like to mispronounce.

Boudin (boo-DAHN) – A kind of sausage. In the U.S., the term typically refers to a Cajun version called boudin blanc, made with pork and rice in a pork casing. In Europe, boudin noir is a kind of blood sausage. I grew up eating a ton of the Cajun version – maybe not the healthiest food but it’s so yummy! We always have a few links to enjoy with our Christmas morning omelets.

Coulis (koo-lee) – Any sauce made from uncooked, pureed and strained fruits or vegetables. You know I love sweets and this looks like a healthier way to top cheesecake, pound cake or ice cream.

Lychee (lee-chee) – The outside of the fruit is pink-red, roughly textured and inedible, covering sweet flesh eaten in many different dessert dishes. I always have trouble peeling these – do you have a secret?

Mozzarella (maht-suh-REHL-lah) – A fresh Italian cheese traditionally made with buffalo milk. Think – Caprese salad – it’s one of my absolute favorites! These mini Caprese stacks are a party hit!

Paella (pi-AY-yuh) – A Valencian dish made with pork, chicken, seafood and saffron-scented rice. I am planning a party where this dish will steal the show. I just need to invite a crowd!

Pho (fuh) – Vietnamese soup made with broth, noodles, herbs and thinly sliced meat. I love to eat this if I’m not feeling well. That hot steamy broth always does the trick! I think it’s safe to say this is a word that totally gets mangled when we order it in a restaurant. Pretend you’re saying “DUH” and change the D to an F – you got it!

Worcestershire (WOOS-tuhr-shuhr; WOOS-tuhr-sheer) – A condiment similar to fish sauce typically made of fermented anchovies, vinegars and sugars. I keep a bottle of this – I grew up with Worcestershire and I’m pretty sure we weren’t pronouncing it correctly but we loved it on our hamburgers.

You’ve heard this before – “practice makes perfect”. If you stumble over any of these words just practice saying them a few times – you’ll get them right – eventually!

Are there specific food words you find puzzling when trying pronounce them? I’m dying to hear which ones they are – if I haven’t covered them in this article I’ll be sure to cover them in a subsequent post! Leave me a comment here on FB – I love to research stuff like this!

April 25, 2017