Cabin Fever

If you know me then you know that I am what is termed a pesco vegetarian, meaning that the only type of meat that I eat is fish (although I cannot lie - once in a blue moon I do have the occasional "relapse" and indulge in a few strips of bacon at breakfast). In being a non-turkey eater, I am automatically eliminated from one of the great American past times - getting stuffed on turkey and gravy for Thanksgiving.

But that doesn't mean that you should feel sorry for me. I more then make up for the lack of turkey each year by making rich, hearty, non meat containing dishes. This year was no exception. A close friend of ours has a cabin at Grizzly Gulch up at Alta ski resort and since he was in Manhattan for the weekend to visit his sister, he generously agreed to let us use it. Although we were hoping to ski, there is as yet little snow and only a few runs are open up at Alta, so we decided to pass on the skiing. But nevertheless, there was a enough snow to make for a beautiful view and the perfect environment for a warm fire and a rich, hearty fondue accompanied by one of my favorite salads over which I was able to think about all of the things that I am thankful for. The past year has been a tough and bittersweet one and I have lost a lot of the people who were once close to me (family and friends), but I still have so very much to be thankful for - not least of which are the good friends and loved ones who have remained a part of my life. I am so thankful for you each and everyday and I hope that you know it!

Swiss Fondue

1 clove garlic
1 cup white wine (or champagne)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 pound grated gruyere
1/2 pound grated emmentaler
3 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp Kirsch
Pepper
Nutmeg

Rub inside of fondue pot with garlic clove. Throw garlic away. Heat wine and lemon juice to a simmer over medium heat. Toss gruyere and emmentaler with cornstarch to coat. Add cheese to heated wine and lemon juice mixture one handful at a time, making sure all cheese is melted before adding the next handful. Once all cheese has been incorporated, season to taste with nutmeg and pepper. Stir in Kirsch and serve with crusty bread and/or sliced apples.


The dressing I used.



The finished product.


Spinach Salad

9 oz. bag of spinach
2 - 3 oz crumbled goat cheese
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 packages fresh blackberries (I have also used raspberries or chopped strawberries)
1 bottle raspberry vinagrette salad dressing

Toss all ingradients together and enjoy!

Risotto, How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count the Ways . . .

In my mind fall can only mean one thing - comfort food. And in my opinion there is truly no greater comfort food on this planet than risotto. I have always suspected that I must have been Italian in a past life - a culture that combines wine and cheese and butter into it's dishes is definitely my kind of culture. And even though all risottos are delicious to me, there is one that stands far superior to all others in my mind: porcini mushroom risotto. My father-in-law, who went to high school in Italy and makes amazing Italian food, judges each Italian restaurant he eats at by the porcini mushroom risotto - if the risotto is not up to par, he does not return.

I too have fallen in love with a restaurant solely because of their porcini mushroom risotto. As I child I was a very picky eater and the very mention of mushrooms was enough to send me screaming and running away from a meal to hide in my room. But on a trip to Boston in 2002 I had a mushroom conversion. My mother-in-law, a native Bostonian, insisted that we head to the North End (Boston's Italian section) and dine at Villa Francesca no matter how long the wait. We settled in and I ordered the Lobster Ravioli, which was delicious, but Paul ordered the porcini mushroom risotto to follow along in his father's footsteps. I was hesitant to try it at first due to my dislike for mushrooms but I decided that I was on vacation, so why not throw caution to the wind and try some. I took a bite. The rich, creamy risotto melted in my mouth. I wanted another. I had never had anything like it. I wanted to lick the bowl clean. Boy had I been missing out during all of those years of mushroom avoidance. What had I been thinking?

For years I became a woman obsessed. I wanted to make up for all of the time I had wasted not eating mushrooms. I have never lived anywhere near Boston and I had to find a way to make it myself. So I got to work, tried tons of different recipes, and took the parts I liked from each one and combined them to make my own, which I am now sharing with you. Now that I can make it in the privacy of my own home, I can lick the bowl clean - and it's even father-in-law approved.

5 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 ounce dried porcini muchrooms (if porcini are out of season, substitute dried shiitake mushrooms)

2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 large white onion, diced
8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, finely chopped
8 ounces crimini mushrooms, finely chopped (you can substitute different mushrooms based on your taste preference or what you have on hand)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried marjarom
1 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine (I like to use a South African Chenin Blanc, particularly the one from Mann Vintners)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus extra to be used as a garnish

Bring chicken broth to a boil in large stockpot. Add dried porcini (or shiitake) mushrooms and simmer until just tender. Remove mushroom and allow to cool before chopping finely. Reduce heat to as low as possible and cover broth to keep warm.

In a separate large pot, melt butter with oil over medium-low heat. Saute onions until tender, approximately 10 minutes. Add crimini and baby bella mushrooms and saute until tender, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, porcini, marjarom, and thyme. Stir to incorporate and cook for about 4 minutes. Add rice and stir constantly for 2 minutes. Add wine and cook until absorbed. (Reduce heat a little if wine absorbs in less than a minute). Add one cup warm mushroom-infused chicken broth to the rice mixture. Stir often and cook until broth is absorbed. Continue to add broth by the cupful, allowing broth to be completely absorbed each time before adding more. Stir often. After all broth has been incorporated, add parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Plate and shave parmesan on top to garnish.

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

To say that I am a fan of the New Belgium Brewery is like saying that ice is kinda cold - a vast understatement. I love their beer. A few months ago I went to a conference in Denver and rented a car solely so that I could drive to Fort Collins, CO and tour the brewery (I would include photos here but sadly my laptop was stolen and so I don't have them anymore). Now you may think that is crazy, but if that story alone does not convince you of my devotion, perhaps this next one will. I live in Utah. You can't buy New Belgium beer in Utah. Not anywhere in the state. So last weekend I drove 85 miles one way (and another 85 miles back) to Evanston, Wyoming JUST to buy New Belgium beer. If that is not a show of devotion to a beer, then I don't know what is.

But this post isn't devoted to the trials and tribulations of life in the great state of Utah or how bootleg beer just tastes better. This post is in honor of two New Belgium beers I had not tried before: Biere de Mars and Le Fleur Misseur. These beers belong to New Belgium's Lips of Faith line of limited release experimental beers. These two particular beers are brewed in the Belgian style using Brettanomyces yeast. If you're not familiar with this yeast, it is the wild ale yeast that has been used for thousands of years by monks in Belgian monasteries to brew beer and it imparts Belgian beers with their characteristic sour flavor notes.


I have to say that of the two beers, I much preferred the Biere de Mars. Not only was Le Fleur Misseur very sour (almost bitter), but it also tasted as though the flavors weren't perfectly melded - there were several dominant flavor profiles and the beer lacked balance overall. The Biere de Mars, on the other hand, had a nice golden color, a subtle, balanced hop profile, and a much smoother finish than the Le Fleur Misseur. But don't take my word for it - take a trip to Evanston (or your local grocery store if you live somewhere normal) and try these out for yourself! In the meantime, I think I'll enjoy a bootleg Fat Tire.