Santa Fe Chocolate Trail

Todos Santos, in the Casa Sena courtyard was our first stop on the Chocolate Trail, really nothing more than a list of a few chocolate places suggested on a card we picked up at our hotel.  We had already planned to go to Chocolate Smith for our favorite chile chocolates but trying some new places is always fun.  Todas Santos was small, packed with lots of "dark" items with skull themes and Day of The Dead items, from what I could tell.  I just wanted to hurry out of there, so we picked a few chocolates and left! 

Starting in Upper Left--Caramel Toffee, Black Pepper Truffle, Chipotle Orange Cone, Classic Dark, Pumpkin Buttercream

Chocolate Smith

Always my favorite place for spicy chocolate, and still fantastic.  My favorite is the red chile pistachio bark and this time I will try a couple new ones, the spicy caramel and orange chipotle and the unknown one too.

Red and Green Pistachio Bark, Sierra Blanca, Spicy Caramel, Orange Chipotle, and one I can't remember!

Kakawa



Atole hot chocolate, which we tried and loved, and my favorite Chile Caramels with Agave.  We also got a couple chile cherry trufles and a mole truffle.

CG Higgins is known for nuts, brittles, and fudge and chocolates.  We sampled several and selected the pumpkin fudge and some chile brittle.

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Key Lime Pie

I had a request to post my recipe for key lime pie.  I've made this pie many, many times and it always turns out great.  I adapted this recipe from one by Rebecca Rather.

Crust
1 cup Texas pecans
3 cups graham cracker crumbs (the whole box, 3 packages, made into crumbs in the food processor)
1 T sugar
1 cup salted butter, melted  (2 sticks)

Filling
3 large egg yolks
1 1/2 cups key lime juice (I buy a mesh bag of key limes and it takes the entire bag, very labor intensive but worth it.  Don't buy the bottled juice!)
3 1/2 cups sweetened condensed milk (2 cans)

Whipped Cream
2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
limes for garnish

Crust:  Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Coat a 10 by 2 inch tart pan with a removable bottom with cooking spray.  Toast the pecans in the oven for 5-7 minutes.  Place pecans in food processor and process until coarsely chopped.  Combine with the graham cracker crumbs.  Add butter and sugar and mix well.
Press into the greased tart pan. 

Filling
Whisk the egg yolks, lime juice and condensed milk until thoroughly combined.  Let this mixture stand for 30 minutes to thicken.  Pour into the crust and bake for 30-35 minutes until the crust is light brown and the filling is partially set.  (Be sure to set the pan on a baking sheet before putting it in the oven so it won't leak butter all over your oven.)  Let cool, then refrigerate overnight.

Whipped Cream
Beat cream with electric mixer (whisk attachment).  Add the powdered sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
Use a pastry bag to decorate top of pie by makiong large mounds with a star tip.
Garnish with slices of lime.

I've also made this in mini pie pans, 3 inch diameter.  Reduce the cooking time to 20 minutes.

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Farm & Fork: Think Globally, Eat locally Street Food Goes Gourmet

  

 

 
The second Farm & Fork event was held on September 25 at the Lightcatcher Winery. The announcement read:

"Join the winemaker, chefs, farmers, cooking school teachers, bakers and restauranteur for an evening of food, wine and entertainment at Lightcatcher Winery."

The Lightcatcher Winery is a unique, boutique winery owned by Caris and Terry Turpen. Caris is the lead chef and winemaker. They have produced award winning wines and the food created by Chef Caris Turpen and her staff is stellar. I loved the atmosphere--from the tasting room filled with unusual gifts and displays of their wine to the outdoor patio where a nice breeze was blowing and guitarist Adam Hull was playing classical music.

Stations were set up throughout the winery where interpretations of international street foods
were served. After selecting our glasses of wine, 2010 Texas Kiss Rose Merlot, a sweet, crisp and fruity wine, we found a table on the patio. I was excited to see some friends whom I had told about the event waving at us from their table, Jim and Peggy Davis and Jim and Mary Painter. Mindy and Mike Masters joined us later.

I visited the Culinary School of Fort Worth station first. They were serving grilled Mediterranean tenderloin kabob and Cowtown Farmers Market vegetable couscous. Chef Brad Waier was nearby. I always enjoy seeing him, but a part of me always gets a little anxious because he was one of my chef instructors when I attended culinary school. I made some pretty awful dishes then and I'm sure he remembers that. Seriously, he is a great guy, and is a gifted teacher. I enjoyed the tenderloin kabob, and by now I had a glass of the Lightcatcher 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, my favorite Lightcatcher wine, to enjoy with it. I especially enjoyed the Israeli couscous with vegetables. I didn't think I liked Israeli couscous because I had been served some that was prepared in a way that resulted in an off texture, however in one of my private cooking classes recently the student bought Israeli couscous instead of the fine ground type. We made the recipe and it was better than it had been when I made it with the other couscous. Now I really prefer the Israeli couscous. The tenderloin was grilled nicely and moist and tender.

I tried the Lightcatcher Winery dish next. Chef Turpen's sous chef was on hand to present a Beggar's Purse of puff pastry filled with abalone and scallops. From a previous dinner at Lightcatcher a few weeks ago I knew I was in for a treat. I tried the abalone appetizer and liked it so well we had it again the next week. The Beggar's Purse was flaky, creamy, rich and left you wanting more. Although tempted to have another one, I had to save room for the other 3 stations.

The Farm & Fork Banh Mi was next. This version of the French-Vietnamese poboy sandwich was made with an Artisan Baking Co. baguette, pate created by Chef Waier, roast pork, salad greens, pickled vegetables and cilantro. I am a big fan of the Banh Mi, having made them on a few occasions myself. I also experienced the Nom Nom food truck Banh Mi when it stopped in Fort Worth during the Food Network food truck race. The Farm & Fork Banh Mi was immediately superior to all other Banh Mi sandwiches because of the bread. Chef Grimes makes the best baguette, hands down. In fact, I plan to order about 40 loaves of it for something I'm making later this month. The pork was tender and the pate was well executed. My overall impression was that it lacked the heat and sharpness I expected, but then I have a taste for very spicy foods and would be the one throwing sliced jalapeños and sriracha all over it if they were available. Not saying that I didn't scarf down the entire sandwich, though.




I was ready for a little ice cream after the Banh Mi so I went over to the Wine Down Bistro stand. Chef Andrea Blair was there with her Savory Lemon-Thyme Buttermilk ice cream in Cracked Pepper Cones. The savory/sweet combination is very different so those who were expecting the usual super sweet ice cream had to adjust their palate. The peppery cone and lemon herb ice cream went together well. Chef Blair's Wine Down Bistro was the setting of the last Farm & Fork event and I can't wait to get over there again and try some of her creations.


The Artisan Baking Co. Interactive Dessert station was last. I watched the culinary students make the crepes and noticed the different fillings, including vanilla custard and lemon curd and then the sauces--a mixed berry fruit sauce made with locally grown strawberries, blueberries and blackberries. There was also a chocolate sauce. I sampled two variations, my husband's vanilla custard with chocolate sauce crepe and mine with vanilla custard, lemon curd and berry sauce. Both were delicious, rich, creamy, and addictive.


Chef Gwin Grimes



The dinner was so relaxing and enjoyable. The cool air and outdoor setting was such a pleasure after our long, hot summer. I loved talking to all the chefs at the various stations and hearing about how they prepared the food. The interactive style of this event was a definite plus. These are some talented, committed, energetic professionals and aspiring chefs. Attention to detail was evident all around, even the signs, hand painted blackboards on stands prominently displayed a detailed description of the dishes. Megan Waier did an outstanding job creating the lovely boards.

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Stillwater Grill, The Lodge at Pebble Beach

My last night on the Monterey Peninsula and a dinner at the Stillwater Bar & Grill at the beautiful Lodge at Pebble Beach.  The view outside the window is the famous golf course and ocean view.  I found it hard to concentrate on the menu because I couldn't stop looking outside.

We ordered the Smoked Trout and Fuji Apple Salad with Local Petite Greens, Apple Vinaigrette and Candied Walnuts and from the Live Tank Selection, Monterey Bay Red Abalone with Capellini Pasta, Organic Baby Mache Lettuce, Lemon Truffle Vinaigrette.  We enjoyed glasses of champagne with the appetizers.  The local greens and salad ingredients were fresh but the trout was so finely shredded I could barely detect its presence.  I was, however, wowed by the abalone.  Abalone is a treasure to me, not something found in land-locked Texas (unless it's imported from far away), and growing up we were able to eat giant abalone steaks at local restaurants when anyone could harvest abalone from the rocks around in Monterey.  The abalone could not have been better.  It was cooked perfectly and paired with the lemon truffle vinaigrette the tastes exploded in my mouth.  The pasta and lettuce provided texture and a nice chewiness. 

Monterey Bay Red Abalone



Smoked Trout with Fuji Apple

Our entrees were:  Grilled Center Cut Angus Rib Eye with Stillwater Gratin, Sautéed Beet Greens with Bacon and Shallots & Red Wine Demi-Glace and  Crispy Skin Arctic Char, Fresh Baby Artichokes, Fingerling Potatoes, Petite Carrots, Asparagus & Castroville Artichoke Lemon Emulsion.  The Rombauer Cabernet, 2007, was our wine.  The Arctic Char's crispy skin and the silky texture of the fish, dipped into the lemon emulsion was a bite of heaven.  The vegetables were fresh, cooked until tender crispy.  I sampled of few bites of Yo's steak and enjoyed the rich sauce and tender beef.  I preferred the fish, but as I've said throughout the Monterey Peninsula blog series, I don't have the chance to eat fresh fish very often, but we get lots of great steaks in Texas!

 


Arctic Char

 

Grilled Rib Eye

My last dinner was definitely one I will never forget.  The Lodge at Pebble Beach is a place I will never forget for its spectacular beauty.  Many thanks to my good friend, Yo, for your hospitality, your mutual interest in food and wine, and the great conversation.

We went back to Restaurant 1833 for chocolate mousse cake, after dinner drinks of Amaretto and Hennesey Cognac. 

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Fresh Cream Restaurant, Carmel

Fresh Cream Restuarant is a charming French restaurant in Carmel, California.  The setting is intimate and warm, the menu varied and detailed.  We started with glasses of Louis Roederer Brut Champagne with the
Housemade lobster mousse raviolis, lobster sauce, Riesling beurre blanc, and caviar and the Burrata mozzarella with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic syrup, basil & parsley salad and sourdough crostini.  Both were excellent, but I particularly enjoyed the crostini.  Balsamic syrup brings me back to my dining experiences in Italy earlier this year. 



For entrees we ordered the Premium Angus Beef Filet Mignon, pan seared and sliced, with roasted cippolini onions, potatoes au gratin, sautéed mushrooms, garden vegetables, and sauce béarnaise and Whole Holland Dover sole sautéed, deboned at table, brown butter, lemon, parsley and toasted almonds.  I have always wanted to order the whole sole ever since I read about Julia Child's culinary awakening when she had the dish at a restaurant in France.  The sole was brought on  a cart and the waiter deboned it.  The brown buttery sole with fresh lemon was very nice.  I sampled a few bites of the filet and thought it was a bit heavy.  I prefer the steak to be whole so I can cut it myself.  With the bottle of Opus One, 2003, anything would have tasted good.  The wine, brought to the restaurant from Yo's wine collection, was truly amazing.

  


Dessert was the Grand Marnier Souffle and the Carmel Lava Cake.  The Carmel Lava cake was a chocolate cake with a molten caramel flow, Hawaiian black lava salt, and housemade vanilla ice cream.  This was my favorite dessert so far.  I've had molten chocolate cake many times, but never molten caramel cake.  The souflle was light and airy but I am much fonder of chocolate and caramel desserts. 

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Wine Dinner, The C Restaurant and Bar, Cannery Row

The C restaurant + bar in the Intercontinental Hotel, Cannery Row, is clean, classy, and a place to be seen, judging by the crowd attending the wine dinner. The restaurant has a wide open view of the Monterey Bay and is in a word, elegant. What a lovely setting for the wine dinner, hosted by John Jordan, owner of Jordan Winery. 
The menu read, "Tonight you will have the opportunity to try these fantastic wines that have made Jordan Winery and Vineyard a well known brand worldwide."
The majority of the wines featured were Cabernet Sauvignon, which happens to be my favorite wine, and the Jordan wines did not disappoint.  I would have any of them again, and in fact, saw some of these wines recently on a wine list in Washington DC.  Had I not been the only wine drinker, I would have ordered a bottle.




1st Course

Heirloom Tomato & Watermelon Gazpacho
Tomatoes and Dungeness Crab
J. Cuvee, Russian River Valley, N.V.



The Gazpacho was fresh, bright and sensational.  It was the inspiration for a dish Yo prepared later at one of his events.  The J Cuvee sparkling wine's clean flavors were the perfect compliment.


2nd Course

Lightly Smoked Alaskan Salmon
Grilled Local Corn, Toasted Farro, Pancetta
Brown Butter & Cured Lemon

Jordan, Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, 2009


The toasted farro was nutty, with a nice texture, combined with the sweet corn, salty pancetta, rich butter and the added touch of citrus, topped with a melt in your mouth lightly smoked salmon.  I could not stop thinking about this dish and have made a version of it in Texas, my first time to prepare farro.
My version was very similar and I thoroughly enjoyed every bite, but not as much as I did in the lovely setting of the C restaurant with my gracious dining companion.

3rd Course

Trio of Cabernet Sauvignons Paired with Seasonal Presentations

Pan Seared Natural Rib Eye
Bintje Potato Puree, Summer Beans
Cocoa Infused Cabernet Sauce

Jordan, Cabernet Sauvignon
Alexander Valley, 2006

Slow Roasted Lamb Chop
Goat Cheese Polenta
Ratatouille & Fennel Jus

Jordan, Cabernet Sauvignon
Alexander Valley, 2007

Thyme Roasted Duck Breast
Cherry & Prune Stuffed Ricotta Gnochhi
Foie Gras Sauce

Jordan, Cabernet Sauvignon
Alexander Valley, 2008


The meat dishes were cooked to the right temperature and I enjoyed a taste of each of them but I had favorite components of each dish.  The Goat Cheese Polenta, the Gnocchi, and the Ratatouille, with the lamb chop were my favorites.  We both loved the 2008 Cabernet, a yet to be released wine.

Cheese Course

Rouge et Noir Camembert
Plums, Star Anise Gastrique & Toasted Walnut Bread

Jordan, Cabernet Sauvignon
Alexander Valley, 2004







A rich cheese, tart fruit but sweet fruit with the nutty bread  was a nice ending.  Too full to have more than a taste, it was extemely enjoyable with the 2004 Cabernet.

A trip to the way too "cool" bar for an after dinner glass of Frangelico and a fun visit with the bartender, Louis, made me wish I could have the C restaurant and bar in Fort Worth, Texas.




Cannery Row brings back fond memories.  It was a place I visited on special occasions with my family when I was young.  The best restaurants were always on Cannery Row, including Neil De Vaughn's, and The Outrigger.  My parents would bring me to The Outrigger to celebrate birthdays and special occasions.
I look forward to my return trip to the Monterey Peninsula. 

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