Welcome Canada

 

I was contacted by a woman in Canada looking for Champagne vinegar because it was unavailable in her country. It was easier than I thought to ship internationally and "Wa La", We now ship to Canada.

I am aspiring to this

2012 Best Food Blog Awards: The Winners This year, the third of the SAVEUR Best Food Blog Awards, as we sorted through nearly 40,000 nominations for blogs, videos, and websites, we found proof again and again that food blogs are a force to be reckoned with. In their infinite variety and extraordinary depth, they're a vital part of not only the internet, but of food journalism overall. It was a hard task to narrow down the entries into 6 finalists for each category, and we can only imagine how much harder it must be to choose just one winner from each group — thankfully, that job was left to you, with the winner in each category receiving a majority of user votes. See the winners »

Pack Your Knives and Go: A Cooking Vacation in Point Reyes, CA

Photograph by Randy Harris

This post came up on my Gourmet Goods To You Facebook page and I had to pass it on.  Now this is how a foodie wants to spend their vacation time.

For those who travel to eat, visits to farmers' markets, butchers, and cheese stores are part of the grand tour. But at a certain point, it's masochistic: You can look, but you can only snack. So after years of envying the residents of San Francisco, Paris, Venice, and even Madison, Wisconsin, who get to actually make things with all that gorgeous stuff I could never put in my carry-on, I was ready to travel to cook.

Rent-to-eat vacations are possible around the world. The right destination offers access not only to great produce, bread, wine, and staples but to terrific restaurants, too. (After all, who wants to cook every meal, every day?) There should be enough daytime activities to entertain friends and family--hiking and antiquing a plus. And, of course, a beautiful house or apartment with a well-equipped kitchen.

Thinking about where you want to cook is easy--Sicily! Provence! Mexico? Finding the right house with a great kitchen requires sleuthing. My mother-in-law once rented a breathtaking place in Big Sur. But when it came time to make her birthday dinner, there were two eager cooks, but just one dull knife and not much else. To make garlic-scape pesto, I had to improvise a mortar and pestle using a mug and a bowl.

The food tasted better for our MacGyver teamwork, but when my husband, Oliver, and I were looking for a place to stay with friends last spring, I scoured the photos on rental sites for signs of cooks' kitchens (a dozen wineglasses is a nice decorating touch, but I'd prefer a dozen stainless-steel bowls) and made a list of essential tools to pack just in case.

The ideal spot and the ideal house came together by chance. Oliver and I love the area around Tomales Bay in Marin County, an hour or so north of San Francisco. After several unforgettable stays (and meals) at Manka's Inverness Lodge, we decided we wanted to grill the meat of the cows that graze on the surrounding hills, and try making our own version of the Marshall Store's oysters Rockefeller using the just-harvested bivalves from Hog Island Oyster Company. Then one day, Quince chef Michael Tusk was in the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen, talking about a weekend he'd spent cooking in a rental house on the bay in Marshall, right next to Hog Island. The phrase "most perfect house in the world" was used. Sold.

To describe Evan Shively and Madeleine Fitzpatrick's house as perfect is underselling it. The views, the light, the extra bedroom hidden in a tiny shed hovering right over the water...and that kitchen! We'd packed a Microplane grater and a chef's knife, but there was no need: The owners are demon cooks. The pots were All-Clad. Oliver found three oyster knives--and a stack of stainless-steel bowls. Best of all, we'd swapped for our apartment. That meant we could spend our money on important things, like renting a beastly Porsche 911 GTS to navigate Marin's hairpin turns (even better in reality than in fantasy) and splurging on the best ingredients. Split with friends, our five delicious days cost far less than staying in a hotel and eating every meal in a restaurant.

How do you get a flat of strawberries into a 911, you ask? Very carefully. We raced from the airport to San Francisco's Ferry Building to buy wild mushrooms from Far West Fungi, charcuterie from Boccalone, spices and exotic grains from Boulettes Larder, Acme bread (I asked for the one with the longest shelf life), June Taylor jam, and granola, coffee, and car cookies from Blue Bottle Coffee. It was exhilarating to finally be able to buy--no, stock up on--the things I'd longed to take home during so many visits. After lunch at Mission Chinese Food, we picked up tortilla chips and salsa at La Palma Mexicatessen, then went a few miles out of our way to Berkeley Bowl for affordable produce, bulk grains, vinegar, and a half-case of our favorite sparkling pear cider. By the time we hit the 580, we couldn't see out the rear window.

After so much traveling and "sourcing," dinner at home sounded like the right plan. So I found a box of linguine and Oliver went next door to Hog Island, returning with a $10 bag of pristine Manila clams. Finished with a sprinkling of wild fennel pollen from Boulettes Larder, it was a fantastic 20-minute meal.

The rest of the shopping would be done in nearby Point Reyes Station, which has a solid Saturday market, a world-class butcher, and the famous Cowgirl Creamery, where we could also buy picnic food, ice cream, and local wine from the likes of Sean Thackrey. We had easy access to the freshest possible milk, butter, eggs, olive oil, and cream.

I'd always thought I couldn't cook without a recipe. But spontaneously creating dishes around right-here, right-now ingredients was as rewarding as the hikes we took during the day, backpacks heavy with Cowgirl cheeses. And we developed a few "rules" that you might find useful when you find your dream rental: (1) Figure out in advance how you'll split expenses (preferably before you arrive at the farmers' market the first day); (2) for breakfast, just set out bread, granola, fruit, and yogurt and let people do their own thing; (3) don't sweat dessert--you'll be too full; (4) rotate people through cooking and chores; and (5) for God's sake, leave room for leftovers in your suitcase. --Christine Muhlke

Read More  Bon Appetit

Porto Vinegar from O Olive Oil

 

A sweet finish

 

“Sweet vinegar has become a must in every pantry. But instead of cheap balsamic vinegars, which are often harsh and one-dimensional, cooks can now opt for better sweet vinegars, including Porto, a dark, grapey port wine vinegar made by O Olive Oil in San Rafael, Calif.  Drizzle this smooth new barrel-aged condiment on the last of the heirloom tomatoes, us it to punch up an autumn beef stew, or add a little to the glaze for a seasonal prune or plum tart.”

—Florence Fabricant, Food Editor,

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New York Times
 

Citrus Champagne on Good Morning America

love it!

“...my two favorite vinegars, the Cabernet and Citrus Champagne from a company named “O”. Very refreshing...lots of depth of flavor. Love it!”

—Sara Moulton, Food Editor  
Good Morning America, ABC

STICKY FINGERS BAKERIES

A specialty of Sticky Fingers Bakery is their scrumptious scones.  Their quick and easy premium mixes guarantee bliss with every bite, and a perfect batch every time. Scones are the perfect baked treat with their light crumbly texture, subtly sweet taste, and appeal to the health conscious baker. The mixes contain no saturated fats, and are filled with all-natural ingredients. You will not find any artificial flavors or preservatives in their well-loved products. They are brimming with fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices. Scones go beyond the average dessert. They make a quick breakfast, and pair perfectly with coffee or tea.

Sticky Fingers Bakery has gone beyond expectation by coming up with some of the most creative, and mouth-watering flavor combinations. Regular favorites include palate pleasing flavors:  apricot, tart cherry,  raspberry, strawberry, blueberry, lemon poppy seed, and even more. Mixes are perfect for gift giving, parties or as a snack around the house.  Scones are the perfect treat for any occasion, whether large and festive, or small and intimate.

CALAMARI STEAKS WITH HERBES DE PROVENCE

3                Calamari Steaks
1/2 cup       Breadcrumbs or Panko crumbs
1Tbls          Herbes de Provence
1/2 cup       Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1                Egg
                  Pepper to taste

Rinse and pat dry Calamari Steaks.  Beat egg in shallow pan or plate.  Mix crumbs in  shallow pan or plate with Herbes de Provence and pepper to taste.  Dredge 1 steak at a time in egg first then, in crumb mixture and coat both sides.  Heat oil in a pan at medium high heat.  Once oil has heated cook 1 or 2 steaks at a time for about 2-3 minutes per side depending on thickness.  Place on paper towel and pat to remove excess oil.  Enjoy immediately.