My time in Napa is coming to an end. It has been a dream (literally) living here for the past 5-months, however; I miss my friends, family and school terribly. I can’t wait to be reunited with my CIA “family” in June.

Watermelon Radish and Goat Cheese Toast

When I wasn’t cooking at work, I was either cooking at home, eating out or exploring the area. Looking back, I did a lot of cooking at home. At first, I was timid to use my shared kitchen. All of the equipment belongs to my land lady and the other housemates. I didn’t want to step on toes and get in their way.  I quickly overcame my shyness and made a few quick bites using the oven and a single pan. My first “cooking” endeavors were inspired by my cravings for good, crusty sourdough, goat cheese and eggs.

Purple Barley & Mushroom Salad

And then I got bored. Things got fancy. I played with some food.

Hibiscus Glazed Sea Scallop

Because you are never too old to play with your food.

Fennel-Citrus Salad

I can’t paint to save my life, but I like to think I inherited a small amount of my mom’s artsy side.

Fennel-Sausage Rigatoni

When the rain came, my need for comfort was evident. I became obsessed with Cal-Ital cuisine and found myself a few Farmer’s Markets. Pasta is the perfect canvas for proteins, fats and produce to marry.

Oxtail Ragu with Pappardelle

I am sentimental (and hungry…my stomach is growling.) looking through my “Napa-Cooking”. Every dish has a rhyme and reason. An inspiration and intensive. I learned about food and culture in a way I’ve never experienced before.

Spaghetti with Broccoli Di Cicco, Sun-Dried Tomato and Meyer Lemon

…I ate pasta…a lot of pasta…

Warm Lentil-Chicory Salad, Ras El Hanout Roasted Vegetables,Bellweather Farms Creme Fraiche with Sumac Powder, Whole Grain Sourdough

But I tried to find balance by embracing my inner vegetarian. Bread and Grains! (and wine of course.)

Farro with Za’tatar Roasted Vegetables

I loved new flavors and ideas. Education is endless.

Farro, Fava Leaves & Beans, Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Ricotta, Speck Marash-Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

I went to A LOT of Farmer’s Markets. Those who grow it, know it! My best educators and my biggest inspirations are farmers. The respect & dedication they have for their products are incentive to treat them with the highest respect when cooking.

Spicy Sausage, Kale and Christmas Bean Stew

The simpler the better. Can you think of anything better than a toasted piece of REALLY good sourdough? You know…the kind with the crunchy exterior, doughy insides and slightly sweet/tangy taste? *Swoon* I didn’t think so.

Orecchiette with Fava Leaf & Walnut Pesto

I sacrificed a lot of time, money and sleep for my food…and a finger in the process! It is all worth it in my eyes and will one day be a foundation for something bigger.

SIDE NOTE: A month later, my finger is still super sensitive but healing. I suspect that it will be okay in another 1-months time when I’m headed back to school!

Fava Leaf & Roasted Spring Vegetable Salad

I. Heart. Fava Leaf.They are hearty and nutty and oh so delicious! I have “discovered” so many new products out in California.

Stinging Nettle Ravioli

I can’t say I’ve ever seen a nettle before, but I now have some idea of how they are used. NOTE: DO NOT TOUCH BEFORE COOKING…like their name states, THEY STING!

Chilled Spaghetti with White Anchovy and Meyer Lemon

God…I ate A TON of pasta. There are some dishes that I can’t wait to refine and bring home to make for my parents. I imagine we will be eating this one hot summer night after a long day working in the yard with. Paired with a glass of crisp wine, it is all you need–hearty to satisfy an appetite, light enough to make you feel good and easy enough to make without slaving over a hot stove.

Hot Coppa, Sourdough Baguette, Citrus Salad, Truffle Cheese

Although, my faviorite “no-cook” will forever be bread, cheese and wine. With a salad for acidity and freshness. Hot coppa is my favorite.

I’ve done this on multiple occassions. This plate features Mt. Tam (favorite) from Cowgirl Creamery and Minuet Goat Cheese from Adante.

Paired with an “Antipasti” salad with marinated mushrooms, red peppers, artichokes, pickled carrots and white anchovy. This meal was simple satisfaction at it’s finest on a hot summer night.

I’ll miss Napa, but can’t wait for what is next. Perhaps Italy?

Ciao Bella,

Nora

]]> http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2012/05/14/cooking-in-napa/feed/ 0 http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2012/05/11/strawberry-shortcake/ http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2012/05/11/strawberry-shortcake/#comments Fri, 11 May 2012 17:52:03 +0000 Nora http://www.livelifeeatright.com/?p=10674 Sweet Summer Time.

A Memory: My mom’s Summer garden was always full of herbs and flowers. She religiously watered her precious treasures throughout the day and had a “t-shirt tan” to prove it. I admired her dedication, however; I never understood why she was outside during the hottest hours of the day slaving over plants. Did it really matter what the outside of the house looked like? My childish-self certainly did not care about flowers, or take notice. As far as I was concerned “watering the garden” seemed like a chore–a waste of water and time.

I was content spending my Summer at swim practice in the morning and in our air-conditioned house in the afternoon. Every now and then boredom would strike and I needed to find something to occupy my curiosity. One afternoon I decided to leave the comfort of the cool air and television. I put on my bathing suit to play in the sprinkler outside and explore the fluffy purple chives and mint plants in “mom territory”. (I had a keen interest in herbs at an early age and was constantly smelling, eating and monitoring my mom’s herb boxes.)

Tiny white flowers caught my eye. I took a closer look. A small…minuscule… green berry was attached. “Mom is growing strawberries?!” I thought to myself. I took an interest in her garden. Beyond the flowers, we had food. Delicious, sweet, dessert-like food.

I went back day after day, patiently waiting until the berries transformed into brilliant red drops. When the time was right I harvested my findings. They were much smaller than the berries we purchased at the grocery store and the color was deeper. I was excited to devour them.

The flavor was unlike any I had ever experienced. “So THIS is what a strawberry is supposed to taste like?” I thought to myself. My berries were juicy and red through-out. They were so sweet that I could not even fathom adding sugar to the bowl.

 At that point I realized that I was a creature of culture, constantly relying on my grocery store to provide the best produce. I was always looking for the biggest strawberries with minimal bruises. The strawberries I knew had white centers and slightly pink skins. When eating, a dusting sugar was necessary to draw out some of the juice, and add sweetness.

I felt ignorant. Food is a gift. It is a privilege. It is the product of labor and dedication to the land.

Thank you mom for teaching me a lesson. The time, patience and dedication farmer’s have for their crops is not spent in vain. The result is the best food I’ve ever tasted.

Slow Food,

Nora

I had big plans to attend a few of these markets this weekend. Unfortunately, the produce is still young and sparse.

My day off started with a cup of love from Ritual Coffee Roasters. I love caffeine and caffeine loves me. Let’s get married?

My spirit was high as I sailed through the early morning Oxbow Public Market….and it all went down hill from there. I left with only a small bag of red walnuts and some slightly wilted mustard greens. I went to a second Farmer’s Market to try again, and left empty handed.

My dream of making a Farmer’s Market dinner was uninspired at this point. All I really wanted was something light, satisfying and easy.

After a mid-afternoon nap, (inspired by my early morning & disappointment) I decided that I needed to get out of the house and make moves. I did not want to eat yogurt and peanut butter for dinner, and those were the only staples I had on hand.

When you can’t cook (or don’t want to cook), COPPA!

I bought some hot coppa, a small wedge of good-gooey-truffle-laden-cow’s milk-triple-cream, an ACME sourdough baguette, salad greens and a tangerine.

Bread. Cheese. Wine. Satisfaction guaranteed. It was a bit of a deconstructed sandwich and I loved every fatty unctuous bite. A treat to myself and the best “no-cook” meal I could have created for comfort.

In other news: In a past life I was an Italian grandmother.

Ciao!

Nora

]]> http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2012/05/07/no-cook-summer-comfort/feed/ 0 http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2012/05/03/work-favorites/ http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2012/05/03/work-favorites/#comments Thu, 03 May 2012 18:35:21 +0000 Nora http://www.livelifeeatright.com/?p=10641 As my time in California is coming to a close (for now), I find myself busier than ever. Between writing my Externship Manual for school and trying to absorb the area, I’ve had little time to pause.

Most of my time at work has been spent working and running the Garde Manger (hot & cold apps) and Pastry Station. I’ve been going through photos and experiences I have written about in my Externship Manual and wanted to share a few food favorites:

#1 Banana-Rum Napoleon with Coconut Sorbet and Salted Caramel Sauce

#2 House-made Ice Creams: Chai (Chef’s Blend), Mint Chocolate Chip and Espresso Ice Cream with House-Made Chocolate Covered Espresso Bean

#3 “Spring Salad”- Julianne Baby Bok Choy, Shaved Radish, Sweet Peas, Mint, Toasted Cashew & Rhubarb Vinagrette.

More Adventures (and food) to come!

Nora

]]> http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2012/05/03/work-favorites/feed/ 0 http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2012/04/28/the-not-so-college-freezer/ http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2012/04/28/the-not-so-college-freezer/#comments Sun, 29 Apr 2012 03:34:21 +0000 Nora http://www.livelifeeatright.com/?p=10637 Stinging Nettle-Spring Onion Ravioli with Tomato-Garlic Oil

I am poor. I spend every day working ridiculously hard, and during my off time I need to “unwine-d”. The majority of my meager budget goes towards food and wine. Research and development, if you will.

At the end of the month I face the reality of paying rent and the terrifying status of my bank account. I rapidly start searching for scholarship opportunities to fund the last part of my education and track every penny in my possession.

Spinach Salad with Leftover Spicy Sausage, Kale & Christmas Bean Stew

My meals during the end of the month  are less creative, however; I find joy in my freezer. It contains a world of leftover-heaven. Cooking for one has benefits that way.

I do not have Lean-Cuisine or frozen-pizza in my freezer. I have the past. I have a story of restaurant leftovers, kitchen successes and filling artisan breads. I have heart-warming oatmeal-raisin cookies and homemade ice creams.

My freezer is a clear indication that my status as a “poor college student” has officially been updated to “poor cook”. Even my beer is better. (Favorite: Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA)

But lets be real. I didn’t have beer with dinner. The IPA was a palate cleanser while cooking. Something about the bitterness goes so well with the salty tomatoes and garlic I was tasting though.

I opened a bottle of wine (that I bought outside of my means). Savoring every sip and tucking it away for a few more meals to get my money’s worth.

Life As I Know It,

Nora

Little do you know that this “innocent” dessert is a bully.

A devoted, particular, perfectionist pastry chef in the back of the restaurant was taunted by ingredients and beaten with a whisk during Lemon Meringue’s production. Or, rather, I should say mentally and physically broken down by way of whisk. Allow me to explain.

The Crust: “A simple task.” You think to yourself. Only a few ingredients–butter, sugar, eggs, flour, salt. It shouldn’t take long to collect, measure, portion and chill, right?

But then you remember that making 6-times the recipe requires more flour and sugar than you have at your station and you run back to the dry-storage area more times than you care to admit.

Once everything is finally in order you make your way to the mixer, dump in the ingredients and *POOF*! Someone left the mixer on the highest setting and you forgot to change it. Flour. EVERYWHERE! Maybe white is your new color? As you add the eggs, you notice that your typical beige dough is almost neon yellow.  Maybe organic was not the best choice for this recipe? Maybe this just isn’t your day?

You clean your flour mess and prepare to carry the yellow mass to the prep table. You feel as if you are going to break your back lifting the industrial size mixer and upon your return, you discover that someone has used the table in your absence. Now you must clean, sanitize and dry the table AGAIN before rolling out the dough. You take a deep breath. *Sigh*. And gather cleaning supplies.

Roll. Cut. Plastic wrap every portion. Search the kitchen for a hotel pan to fit your perfectly shaped disks in. Refrigerate. Clean. Take a sip of water and move on to the next task.

When the dough is chilled you retaliate with a French rolling pin and a tub of flour. You violently throw flour around the kitchen (to prevent the dough from sticking) and strike the dough over and over (to make it easier to roll so the butter doesn’t get too warm–a better formed crust.). Your co-workers are terrified as they pass by you, wondering if the wooden pin will withstand the force, and assuming insanity. Despite their judgments, rolling tart shells is a great way to dissipate rage.

The Curd: The curd is a chore. You have to prepare yourself for mental turmoil before you embark on this tedious task. Every time you make curd you look back and remember your first attempt and the way the curd burned on the bottom of the pan because your dominate arm muscle wasn’t in “Whisking Condition” and you forgot to scrape the sides as the curd thickened.

Ratios matter.

The restaurant has a prep team in the morning that prepares fresh-squeezed juices for the bar. You have some Meyer Lemon juice available to you from that, however; if you are going forward with this time consuming task, you decide you want to make a larger quantity. You get out your hand-juicer and over 2-dozen tiny lemons and pray to get another 1-quart out of them.

Once you have your juice measured, it is time to calculate the other ingredients. Hmm…40 oz egg yolks at .5-.75 oz a piece…great. GET CRACKING!

When all of the ingredients are measured the next step is easy. Everything can be combined in the same pot at this point. It looks like pure liquid, and you know it is supposed to be super thick, almost buttery. With the heat over medium, you whisk as fast as you can to avoid burning. As the minutes pass, you secretly wonder if it will ever thicken. Is it possible that the flour and cornstarch wont work this time? Just when your arm is about to give out, you see a glimmer of hope. Your face is red from standing over the stove for nearly 20-minutes and your eyes have a crazed look from staring into the lemon-curd vortex created from your rapid whisking.

A mad scientist at work.

FINALLY THE EXPERIMENT IS FINISHED! You feel proud. Crazy, but proud. You finish with egg yolks and butter. Cool. Store Clean. And move on to the next task with a numb feeling in your dominate arm.

The Meringue: The meringue is the easiest part of the dessert, yet you dread making it. It is always made-to-order and takes some time to form. You like to have your desserts out to customers as soon as possible and hate the wait. You also realize that someone will inevitably order a tart when you have a dozen other orders on your ticket line and no room on your station to even think about egg whites and sugar.

When the egg whites and sugar are in a happy frenzy in your mixer, you ignore it for a few minutes and let it form. When you return you find that it is less than perfect. It looks like marshmallow fluff. Too soupy for the dessert.

You turn the mixer back on, anxious to finish the dessert and the other tickets in front of you. You hear the ticket machine ring in another dessert…and another…you are in “the weeds”.

Returning to the mixer after tending to the other tickets, you realize that you may have left the mixer on a bit too long now. Just when you thought it was impossible to over-whip meringue, you somehow managed to do so.

Let the meringue settle for a moment and fluff it into a beautiful peak. Torch. Send to the front. Move on to the next ticket.

A day in the life of a Lemon Meringue Tart.

Tart-tastic,

Nora

So….. I really like pasta. It is the perfect canvas for fresh ingredients. I love that it can be light and refreshing like my Chilled Spaghetti with Meyer Lemon and Anchovy or hearty and comforting like my Oxtail Ragu with Pappardelle.

On my day off from work this week, I found myself for the second time at Tra Vigne with friends. (My first time here was in March).

Before we even opened our menus we ordered the “Mozzarella Cheese Al Minuto”. Made-To-Order cheese with succulent olive oil & crispy baguette, cut and served table side. We debated ordering 2, but were sent a salad and asparagus from our friend who works at the restaurant, and that curbed our hunger before dinner.

I had such wonderful pictures of our meal and when I came home to plug in my phone,  I UPDATED MY SOFTWARE AND THEY WERE DELETED!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !

Words will have to take the place of pictures for this post. Post-Mozzarella bliss, I had a small salad of organic greens, pears, blue cheese and candied nuts. Followed by grilled delta asparagus with a hazelnut/garlic crumb and herbs. Our friend sent us these dishes to share to, “get our greens on.”

For my main course, (featured above), I ordered the most interesting dish I could find on the menu. I wasn’t very hungry but it sounded delicious and fresh: Tagliatelle Nero “Trio Di Tonno”–Squid Ink Pasta with olive oil poached tuna, tuna tartare, bottarga, crushed chiles, meyer lemon.

I’m not embarassed to say I ate the entire dish and almost licked the plate. It was a good sized portion but did not feel too heavy. Every bite was dynamic my only complaint would be I would have liked more lemon/chile.

For dessert we split (I had 2 bites plus a small cookie–so full at this point!) The simply irresistible Butterscotch Pannacotta.  I DO NOT CARE HOW FULL YOU ARE THIS IS THE BEST DESSERT IN NAPA. Yes, I feel strongly about it. The Pannacotta is topped with salt caramel, crème fraiche, and served with rosemary- hazelnut cookies. I’m beyond sad this photo was deleted from my phone.

An indulgent “splurdge” day, but well worth it!

Nora

Yum. I made this pasta on Saturday, and was SO incredibly pleased that I briefly wrote about it in a state of pure satisfaction and bliss.

 Topped with Pecorino Ginepro, Toasted Pine Nuts and Herbs, this was the ULTIMATE refreshing/hearty food for a warm summer night.

I fell in love with white anchovies earlier in the week, and bought about 2 oz from Dean and Deluca. They are tender, salty and acidic. Reserve 1-2 for garnish and chop the rest into oblivion.

I bought spring onion at the Farmer’s Market, chopped it up with garlic and slightly melted it over low heat in some tasty olive oil.

After the onion/garlic/olive oil mix has cooled, combine with the anchovies and the zest and juice of 1 meyer lemon.

Yum.

Mix with herbs (tarragon, parsley and chives finely chopped), chilled pasta (cooked 1-2 minutes shy of cooking time on the box, drained and rinsed with cold water.) and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Mix well to combine, add more olive oil as needed to coat the pasta. Cover and chill in the refrigerator 1-2 hours before serving.

Garnish with pecorino ginepro, toasted pine nuts and more herbs. It’s almost like a make-shift pesto….although after recent events, I might not be making pesto for a while.

Cold, fresh pasta with sauvignon blanc = simple summer satisfaction.

Refreshing,

Nora

I…I…I have no words.

You know that you’ve “done good” in the kitchen when you are at a loss for words.

When my car temperature gauge read “95″, I knew I needed to make something simple and satisfying for dinner.

Earlier this week one of my co-workers introduced me to the White Anchovies from Dean and Deluca. They are slightly acidic (marinated in vinegar?), tender, flavorful and packed with nutrition. I loved them.

I’ve always had a thing for hearty salads in summer and I knew I wanted to mash them into a cold-noodle salad recipe, similar to the tuna-noodle salads I enjoyed growing up.

Finished with pine nuts, black pepper and pecorino ginepro.

Recipe to come.

Bon Vivant,

Nora

Baby Purple Carrots are colorful and fun to eat!

My knees go weak and I stop dead in my tracks when I see the bounty and variety of fresh, seasonal produce at the Farmer’s Market. My trips are often centered around the vegetable stand…and it is only second to the bread/baked goods stands (my downfall).

Oyster Mushrooms–Remove petals, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Ras El Hanout spice. Roast in the oven until just browned. MEATY and delicious!

I sometimes can’t help myself, and come home with armfuls of goodies that I’m not even sure of how or more importantly WHEN I will use. I usually eat at work so I only have 1 or 2 nights a week to make dinner for myself.

Pecorino Ginepro (Juniper)

I had dreams of making a vegetable packed side dish this weekend with my Orecchiette with Fava Leaf & Walnut Pesto until all hell broke loose in my kitchen and a trip to the Emergency Room was in order.

SIDE NOTE: My mom sent me this link yesterday…3-days after my incident Miley Cyrus did the same thing to the SAME finger. I mean, what are the odds?

Fearing vegetable decay in my refrigerator, I made a point to make myself an extra special lunch at home before heading to work. Usually I find myself eating toast, leftovers, spoonfuls of peanut butter, handfuls of candied pistachios, granola bars. etc…basically I snack a lot between breakfast and my early-bird 4pm staff meal at work. But on this special day I shelled fresh fava beans, roasted carrots and oyster mushrooms in Ras El Hanout, washed fava leaves and peeled fresh pecorino cheese.

I simply dressed my salad with olive oil and meyer lemon juice. Served with toasted 9-grain sourdough bread, this was the PERFECT light and fresh lunch.

I loved the combination of nutty fava leaves with the toasted walnuts; salty, flavorful pecorino ginepro, a juniper sheep’s milk cheese; meaty roasted oyster mushrooms and sweet carrots coated in Ras El Hanout that has a distinct savory-cinnamon fragrance. The squeeze of lightly acidic and fruity meyer lemon sealed the deal.

Celebrate The Market,

Nora