Adventures in Baking - January 2011

Historically yeast breads have not been my friend. I have attempted white bread, wheat bread, potato bread, beer bread and many, many more. Typically they don't rise like they should and often become dense. I keep trying though because I love to bake. 

I bake when I am bored, I bake when I am anxious, I bake when I am happy, I bake to relax or to celebrate or to vent. Unfortunately the things that are the easiest (and often most fulfilling) to bake are sweets; Cakes, cookies, brownies, muffins, etc, This is not only a problem for my waistline but quite honestly my family doesn't really eat sweets. So I can bake an entire batch of brownies only to throw half of them away. If I could master bread though I could bake to my hearts content and there might actually be a chance that my family would eat it. So the showdown with the yeast continues. 

Last week I made a wheat bread that was ok (Facebook Pic). This week I took a crack at French Bread. I used 1/2 white and 1/2 wheat flour and I must say in came out quite good (yay me!)

There are a few things I have changed in my yeast bread making endeavors that may have contributed to my recent success: 1. I keep any eye on the expiration date of my yeast. It does go bad. 2. I changed brands and now use the active dray yeast in a jar rather than the one that comes in a packet. The packet isn't quite a tablespoon and I am finding it is better to measure your own. 3. I add a couple of tablespoons of local honey in with the warm water before I add the yeast.

Today's french bread was fun. I did take a lot of attention though. During the first rising process you have to beat it down every 10 minutes or so. This is done for about an hour. Then it is separated into balls and rests. Then it is rolled out (like a pie crust) into a rectangle which is rolled up like a jelly role and set to rise again. Finally it goes into the oven where it fills the house with that beautiful just-like-mama aroma.

Now what will it be next week?

Adventures in baking is brought to you this week by St. Donatus Estate Balatonboglari Merlot. A rather sweet red with lots of berry and a soft finish. Not bad considering it is $5.99 at Trader Joe's.

Obrigado

Obrigado is Portuguese for 'Thank You'. It is also a lovely little restaurant in Louisa, VA (Obrigado). My husband, a detective for the Louisa County Sheriff's office is a frequent patron and has said great things about their food, particularly the fresh homemade potato chips which are usually still warm from the fryer when they arrive at your table. 

Sufficed to say there aren't too many decent places to eat in Louisa. Which is why I am very surprised that this past Saturday evening Obrigado wasn't more crowded. We had made reservations because there were seven of us and even though we got there fairly early (6:30 pm) I was expecting more of the tables to be occupied. I would put this lovely little place in a category far above "decent". The owner's name is Jade and she is also the chef. She cooks with fresh, local food whenever possible. The wine selection also highlights VA wineries which I truly believe are under-represented at most of the Richmond area restaurants. What I would give to see a Horton Vineyard Cab Franc or better yet a Norton on more local wine lists. 

Well the seven of us arrived right on time for our reservation and commandeered a large round table in the corner. The atmosphere is a little rustic in that the floors are worn hardwood and the furnishings have an antique yet artistic flair. The art is provided by local artists which is in keeping with Jade's desire to support the local community. There is a full bar which is probably the most inviting spot in the place. 

On this particular evening the service was adequate and almost amusing (more on that later). We ordered drinks; a few soda's, one glass of house white and a bottle of the house red. A basket of bread arrived. There was I admit, a bit of a wait for the bread but it was warm and fantastic. Homemade, I am certain and served with both olive oil and butter. 

We decided to skip appetizers and go straight for the main course. Now, since there were seven of us there is a lot of food to cover here so I will just hit the highlights. Our youngest son got chicken fingers off the kids menu (yes this place is a rare breed in its ability to mix upscale dining with a kid friendly atmosphere. That right there brings it up a notch in my book). The french fries were french fries but the chicken fingers, I must say were some of the best I have had. They were real white meat chicken that looked like it was just carved off the bird. The breading was light and they weren't the least bit greasy. When I took a bite (much to my son's chagrin) I tasted....wait for it......CHICKEN and not breading and oil which is often so prevalent in chicken tenders ordered off the kids menu. 

I, having been on a diet was craving a burger. So I ordered the 8 oz. Bistro Burger featuring all natural Angus beef, cheddar, lettuce, tomato and garlic mayo. I ordered the burger medium rare and it was cooked perfectly. The flavor of the beef was amazing and I'd be willing to bet the cheese was local. It was however really thick and I found myself wishing they offered a 4 oz. version at dinner like they apparently to at lunch. I substituted the fresh chips for the fries (at my husband's suggestion) and was SO happy that I did. They were still warm and really do put anything you can buy in a bag to absolute shame. I may have developed a new addiction. 

Hubby ordered the Portuguese Style Shrimp which are sauteed with chorizo, red peppers, smoked paprika, white wine, cream and herbs and served over pasta. It was amazingly flavorful (I stole a taste) and very filling. We brought at least a lunch serving home. The shrimp was cooked well and the sauce is a great marriage of the pasta and chirzo. Everything is always served piping hot and this particular dish is a welcome standard on the menu and great choice even considering the enticing specials.

Speaking of Specials, my sister-in-law ordered the Spanish Paella. The presentation was beautiful with an abundance of mussels, clams, oysters and shrimp on a bed of saffron rice. Being from Maryland I am not sure she was stopped in her tracks by this dish but she appeared to enjoy it and it certainly smelled wonderful. 

My husband and I shared vanilla creme brulee for dessert. It was a little on the thick side but very tasty. 

Now, I mentioned earlier in this little diatribe that I would have more regarding the service. Well, as I said the service we received that night was fair. Even if the bread was late and the waitress did almost serve us food that was meant for the table of two next to us. I think we lucked out that the place wasn't more crowded because rumor has it you play a sort of waiter roulette when you visit Obrigado. Most of the staff is fantastic. There is one waitress however who is not. This is the waitress we were 'lucky' to have that evening. Although very sweet she quite flighty and would forget her own head if it wasn't attached. If you get her on your first visit please don't let it stop you from coming back. Just pray you spin a different color on our next trip to the wheel.

Overall this is a gem tucked away in a little out-of-the-way town. So the next time you are on your way to the Shenandoah valley for the weekend, stop in for lunch. And make sure to order the chips. 

Brought to you by Obrigado's house red which is Garnacha de Fuego. It pairs fantastically with food and has a velvety finish with just the right amounts of fruit and pepper. Here are the thoughts of a fellow blogger on this particular bottle of red - Wine Weekly

Comedy

My husband and I were watching a comedy montage on pay-per-view the other night and I was struck by the demographics of the audiences. The audience tended to primarily be made up of people of the same ethnicity as the comedian. The Tommy Tiernan audience was pale and freckled, Paul Rodriguez was surrounded by a darker set who laughed loudest at words I didn't understand being in Spanish and all, and Louis Ramey's audience was primarily black. Why is that? Do we gravitate towards comedians who are more like us because we 'get' the humor? Is it because it gives us permission to laugh at ourselves? Or could it be that we want to be part of an inside joke somehow? I must admit that the funniest of Tommy's bits is when he ranks on the English. Perhaps it is because I am by my heritage one of those 'Brits" that I find it so funny. Would I find it as funny if he were picking on the Italians or if I was Spanish? Probably not, because I would have no personal link there. I wouldn't "get" the joke.

Anyway, I don't know what any of that means..... I just thought it was interesting. 

Tonight's pontification was brought to you by Philip Carter Cabernet Franc (2009). So yummy I can't even tell you. http://www.pcwinery.com/wines.html

My Bucket List (in it's entirety)

I have updated my bucket list.The ones in bold are done.

1. Ride on a gondola in Venice

2. Take a trip in a hot air balloon

3. See my children succeed in something that brings them joy

4. Write a book

5. Make a gingerbread house

6. Learn to cook risotto

7. Kiss my grandchildren

8. Remodel the kitchen

9. Drink coffee in Seattle

10. Stand at the base of a California redwood and look up

11. Visit the Saychelles islands

12. Watch a family of robins hatch and grow and fly away

13. Own a pair of Louboutins

14. Relax on a beach in Hawaii

15. Hike the Inca Trail in Machu Picchi

16. Drink in an pub in Ireland

17. Learn about and visit the birthplace of my Swedish ancestors

18. Get a physic reading (just for fun)

19. Mentor someone

20. Own the perfect piece of art

21. Take a picture of the world’s largest frying pan (Longbeach, WA), the worlds largest ball of sting (Darwin, Minnesota) and the world’s largest Shoe (Hallam, Pennsylvania).

22. Drive a Ferrari

23.Perfect a signature dish

24. Host an exchange student

25. Shop in Paris

26. Protest something I care passionately about

27. Wear a hat…..and look good in it

28. Celebrate Mardi Gras in New Orleans

29. Own and run a bed and breakfast

30. See the Grand Canyon

31. Ride a mechanical bull

32. Square dance in a red-neck bar

33.Take the kids to Toys-R-Us in NYC

34. See Billy Joel in concert (I wouldn't mind doing this again)

35. Take a ride on the London Eye

36. Spend a week at a Dude Ranch in Arizona

37. Learn a second language

38. Plant a vegetable garden

39. Join a CSA

40. See an opera at the Met

41. Have a picnic lunch in Central Park

42. Make love on the beach

43. Take a road trip with no destination in mind

44. Hike the Appalachian Trail

45. Ski – just once

46. Drive a Jet Ski

47. Take a cruise

48. Learn to play tennis

Bucket List 2011

I'd like to check at least two things off my bucket list this year. It's totally doable but it is so easy to let the year slip on by and all of a sudden it's Christmas again. So this year I will remind myself to make a plan, pay attention and LIVE (with a bottle or two of red along for the ride of course). 

So the question is, on which two things should I put my focus? Well there are a few things that are out entirely. A big budget trip to Ireland is probably not in the cards. And although I would LOVE to remodel the kitchen this year, it is going to require knocking out a wall and there are more pressing household improvements that need to be done first. 

Watching a family of robins hatch and grow and fly away is sort of out of my control. Last time I tried this a neighborhood crow picked off the baby birds one by one. I could buy some chicken wire and make a safe place for them to nest though. This would at least tip the scales in my favor. 

Owning a pair of Louboutins would be fanTASic. But considering one of the pairs I want is almost $600, this might have to wait a year or two (Louboutin You Yous)

There are three that are sort of related. It think these should all be done in one trip. 

1. Take the kids to Toys-R-Us in NYC
2. Have a picnic lunch in Central Park
3. See an opera at the Met 

These could all be done in one long weekend trip to NYC. Maybe we'll plan that for next year. We could take the nanny with us too and she could spend some time with family since she is from that area. 

The following are the true contenders:

1. Take a trip in a hot air balloon ( U of R sponsors an excursion out to the Charlottesville area every year for a food and win festival at which I know there are hot air balloon rides. This is a definite possibility)
2. Make a ginger bread house (we'll sneak this in around Christmas if I haven't met my goal)
3. Get a psychic reading (this would be relatively easy. I might need a friend to go with though.....for moral support)
4. Drive a Ferrari (wanna go car shopping anyone???)
5. Perfect a signature dish (ok so maybe I can't perfect it in a year but I could decide what it will be)
6. Take a road trip with no destination in mind (I haven't decided if this would be fun or a nightmare with two kids)
7. Ski (hmmmm why is this on my list again?)
8. Drive a jet ski (time to get friendly with Major Lowe I think :))
9. Take a cruise (Faith was mentioning a girls cruise the other day. That would be fun

So what do you think? Maybe I could knock out 4 or 5. What happens when you have done all the things on your bucket list? If anyone is interested the next post contains the entire list. 

Tonight's contemplation is brought to you courtesy of Gascon Malbec. It's soft and velvety with lots of berry and a hint of chocolate. Completely affordable it goes for less than $12 at Kroger. 

Happy New Year my good friends.