Paella Party

Paella is a saffron infused rice dish, studded with various seafood or meat. It’s the perfect entertaining food; the aromatic seasonings and fresh ingredients create a stunning visual presentation as well as a sumptuous feast. The ingredients are variable. Beyond the necessary saffron, rice, garlic, and sweet pepper, you can use any combination of seafood (think shrimp, clams and scallops), sausage (chorizo links are traditional) and fowl that you like. The specifics change with each region of Spain (and with each cook!).

It’s a great idea for a party-make a huge pan of paella, loaded with seafood and fragrant with saffron. You can start it when the guests arrive and invite them to join you in the kitchen as it cooks. The smell alone will draw them in. Set out bowls of almonds, pieces of sliced bread with Manchengo cheese , and make a pitcher of sangria to tide you over until the paella is ready. Since it’s an all-in-one dish, you don’t need to serve much alongside. A light salad with dried figs and Cabrales, a tangy Spanish blue cheese, and you’re set to go. Oh, and don’t forget the Crème Catalan- the traditional Spanish custard with a caramel topping is well worth the extra work. But, if you’re not quite up to creating your own paella party tonight, or you’d like some more tips on how to create this mouthwatering dish, join Nancy Forrest in her Paella Party Class tonight. She’ll give you all the insider tips on creating a Spanish style fiesta, plus shopping tips on Spanish ingredients. See you there!

-Josie

Labor Day

It’s the last summer holiday; the kick- off for fall. Labor Day is synonymous with “back to school” for many, but for me, it means one more chance to dine al fresco while savoring summer flavors. Realistically, “summer” produce stars like corn, tomatoes and basil will be here for a few more weeks. It still feels like fall is creeping in though (especially with today’s weather!). If the rain and clouds haven’t dampened your spirits, fire up the barbecue and start cooking!I’ll be having the Greek Burger, topped with a creamy-cucumber yogurt sauce, orzo pasta salad, sliced tomatoes with olive oil and balsamic, and an almond-scented cake topped with crunchy toasted almonds. But if your heart is set on hot dogs, that sounds good too. Set out plenty of condiments, like spicy mustard, chopped onions, and, for a twist on the usual sauerkraut, try serving a sweet onion confit.
Enjoy your Labor Day, no matter what you decide to make.

-Josie

Tomatoes on the Brain

I guess I've got tomatoes on the brain. (It is the season for it!). I'm not the only one, however. Yesterday, I had the pleasure of enjoying lots of tomatoes with other Tomato Fans at the Farmington Gardens tomato festival. There were samples of dozens of types of heirloom tomatoes, lectures on how to cook with tomatoes, and how to grow the best varieties there are. Red Ridge Farms did an olive oil tasting as well.

Even after all of these tomato festivals and recipes and tastings, I'm still not tired of the red gems. If, like me, you're still tempted by tomatoes, you can't miss Dan Brophy's Totally Tomato Dinner. In this class, you’ll taste twelve plus varieties of locally grown tomatoes - picked at the peak of ripeness. The menu features delicacies such as cherry tomatoes stuffed with crab salad, Heirloom tomato salad with fresh mozzarella and lettuce leaf basil, Seabass Vera Cruz with tomatoes, capers and bell peppers, and a mysterious (but delicious) Chocolate tomato cake. See you there!
-Josie

La Tomatina

For thousands of people in Buñol, Spain, today marks the day that they will take part in the annual throwing festival, la Tomatina. While this celebration of the fruit is one of the more unusual, there are lots of other interesting ways to enjoy tomatoes. Here are some alternative tomato celebration ideas that are slightly more….grown up (than throwing food). They'll give you all the satisfaction, without a mess to clean up afterwards- plus you can enjoy a "flavor festival" in the comfort of your own kitchen.

-crostini topped with oven roasted tomatoes and gorgonzola
- stuffed tomatoes with ricotta, lemon zest and garden herbs
-creamy tomato sauce spooned over grilled fish
-sliced tomatoes drizzled with balsamic syrup and topped with shaved parmesan

With such delicious possibilities in the kitchen, you won’t want to waste any juicy tomatoes by throwing them!
-Josie

Fantastic Figs

It’s fig season! For a mere minute, the luscious fruit will be available in the Northwest. The naturally sweet fruit, with its chewy texture are a rare treat. Over the weekend, my close friends visited from just outside San Francisco. They were thoughtful enough to bring me what they knew to be one of my weaknesses- fresh figs. I was amazed that the figs survived the drive- the secret to transporting figs I learned is to use an empty egg carton. How clever!

Figs are gown throughout the warm central valley of California. There are a couple of varieties available, in both Oregon and our neighboring state to the south. Calimyrna figs have a golden brown color and a nutty flavor. You can use them like you would any stone fruit or dried fruit when making artisan breads, muffins, tarts and salads. Mission figs are dark purple, with a sweeter flavor and a softer texture. These are the figs to add to savory dishes, like to pork and chicken entrees. Because they are a little sweeter and softer, they work well when chopped in treats like chocolate chunk cookies. Fresh figs of both varieties marry well with assertive flavors, like blue or goat cheeses or cured meats. For a great modification to an appetizer plate, arrange an array of fresh figs stuffed with cheese (blue or goat, your choice), charcuterie (Serrano ham and prosciutto are particularly nice because of their saltiness), and Ciabatta bread.
I’m off to savor the last of these tasty little gems. You should too- they’ll be gone before you know it!
-Josie

The Last of This Season's Bounty

Sadly, summer is just about over. It's disappointing to think that I won’t have fresh tomatoes, fragrant basil, and juicy stone fruit in great abundance. The true summer tomatoes is impossible to resist- their flavor is so much deeper than out of season tomatoes. I’ve said it before- fresh tomatoes need nothing more than a drizzle of good olive oil and some fleur de sel and fresh ground pepper. Yum. But, if you’re looking for more than just a quick snack, make a meal with tomatoes as the stars of the show. It’s a good way to savor the last of this season’s bounty.

Our website has lots of recipes featuring tomatoes, which would work for any time of day. Try adding chopped tomatoes to omelets, or top a piece of thick toast with a fried egg, a slice of tomatoes and shredded Tillamook cheddar for an upscale egg sandwich. For lunch, try a tasty “antipasto” bread salad, with lots of fresh vegetables, herbs and Italian cured meats. You can toss cooked pasta with corn, tomatoes, herbs and vinaigrette for the perfect lunch (it’s even better with a generous amount of parmesan cheese…) for lunch or a light dinner.

No matter how you choose to enjoy the summer tomatoes, make sure you get them while they last!
-Josie

The whey of a good meal

It seems like every day, there’s a new food-related reason to celebrate. Tonight, Lisa Shara Hall will be here to teach of one her amazing wine classes. Tomorrow night, a local chef shows that there’s nothing as satisfying as making your own cheese. Michele Knaus will be here to unlock the mystery behind cheese making. Making your own cheese is fun, interesting, and delicious. Michele will walk us through all of the basics, from purchasing the necessary ingredients to pressing the cheese.
The class you will make three classic Italian soft cheeses; mozzarella, ricotta, and mascarpone. Class will conclude with a light meal of an antipasto platter with your homemade mozzarella and ricotta, paired with wine. Even better than a meal based on cheese- you will have samples of all three cheeses to take home. And, it's just about the perfect time, since August is National Goat Cheese Month. Who knew?
-Josie