One of Everything
With a day off and no more errands to run, my sister and I stop off for some lunch in Sonoma County. We pull up to this small diner and park in a gravel lot. As we walk to the front, we pass a large chicken farm. We see the hostess and then are shown to a table under a tent with heat vents. Scanning the paper menu, it hit us that we had discovered gold. From decadent cornbread kissed with local honey, to fried oyster sandwiches with greens, aioli and pressed between a Della Fattoria roll. We both looked at each other and said, “One of everything!”. Boxes to go were definitely necessary. Shown below are a few of the many things we experienced. On the left, collard greens with house smoked bacon, kale salad with pumpkin seeds and cheese, mac n’ cheese with Vella cheddar and asiago, fried brussel sprouts with garlic and rosemary. To sip in between bites, chilled local tap water and 101 North Brewing Co Heroine IPA....
Read MoreHoney
Honey is the only food in the world that does not expire. The terroir, or taste of place, has major role in the flavor. Depending on the flower varietal, the location, and the climate, it can mean drastic differences in taste and viscosity. Crystallization rate relies on those factors as well. If honey does crystalize, it can be used as is or placed in a warm water bath and returned to it’s liquid form. Mieli Thun displays unusual characteristics in their well-made, monofloral honeys. Their intention is to show that honey, while mainly used for sweetening or pairing with cheese, can now be essential tool in the kitchen. Castagno, or Chestnut, is tannic and slightly bitter-a perfect compliment to fried cheese raviolis. Acacia is light with notes of soft vanilla, ideal for glazed chicken, or green beens. Melata d’abete comes from honeydew fir and is smokey, with a hint of caramel that will add complexity to any dish. ...
Read More