When you think of breakfast, it’s likely that the same-old, same-old comes to mind: cereal, fruit and yogurt, eggs and toast, oatmeal. Why is it that we reserve especially yummy breakfasts, such as pancakes, for more celebratory occasions? Granted, not all of our waistlines can accommodate pancakes on a regular basis! However, when you order pancakes for breakfast on a weekend morning, doesn’t it feel a little like being on vacation?

In the spirit of Mother’s Day, I thought I would celebrate one of the most popular but probably least-made breakfasts at home: the pancake. My kids are absolutely hooked on my mom’s unbelievably delicious pancakes, so it’s not uncommon to see a bag of them in my freezer – the product of a batch my mom made over the weekend for quick breakfasts throughout the week.

I’ll admit, I’ve tried to destroy the pancake. I’ve substituted whole grain flour which created a spectacularly flat pancake. I ate them, but my kids would not touch them. “They don’t look right,” they’d tell me. I’ve added wheat germ, flax seed and reduced the amount of sugar (not all at one time!) in an effort to “healthy up” the pancake. Talk about destroying an icon.

Instead, I’ve embraced my mom’s favorite buttermilk pancake recipe and added some in-season fruit. The look of pure joy on the faces of those eating them is worth it!

If you’re hosting brunch at your home for Mother’s Day, consider making these super fluffy buttermilk pancakes – they do not disappoint!

1 ¼ cup flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon. baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons cooking oil
*You can also add 1 cup fresh or frozen fruit, such as blueberries, if desired

In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, combine egg, buttermilk and cooking oil. Add to flour mixture all at once. Stir mixture just until blended but slightly lumpy. (Note: Do not over-mix!)

Pour about ¼ cup batter onto a hot, lightly greased griddle or heavy skillet for each standard-size pancake or about 1 tablespoon batter for each dollar-size pancake.

Cook till pancakes are golden brown, turning to cook second sides when pancakes have bubbly surfaces and slightly dry edges.

Makes 8-10 standard-size pancakes or 36 dollar-size pancakes

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, 1965 edition.

Posted by Maria Chacon Kniestedt

Brittany’s Thoughts on Crush 29:

It’s springtime and love is in the air, which of course means that everyone has a new crush. Even I have one – but this time I’m willing to share!

Crush 29 is the gorgeous wine bar and restaurant in Roseville that everyone’s talking about. Perfect for a dinner date or casual meal with friends, Crush 29 is a taste of Napa with the convenient proximity of Eureka Road and a menu that could make even the driest taste buds water.

The evening at Crush 29 started with a Jalapeño Martini and their signature Crushtini –both of which I highly recommend. It didn’t take long for our hunger to set in, so we dove in head first with the Roasted Garlic Bruschetta and Whole Sesame Glazed Artichoke appetizers. For the main course, I selected the Hawaiian Spiced Ahi on macadamia nut rice with ginger infused coconut plum wine sauce.

Just as I was about to congratulate myself on such a stellar choice, I was offered a bite of the Drunken Brandy Steak and the Coconut Tiger Prawns, which were equally delicious. Apparently no matter what you choose off the menu at Crush 29, congratulations are in order!

Julie’s thoughts on Crush 29:

The purpose of this all girl’s dinner was to celebrate our friend Suzanne’s birthday and there’s no better pairing than good friends and good food.

I have to agree with Brittany, the restaurant’s signature Crushtini was delicious. I’ve never had a cocktail that bubbled, but this was probably one of the best martinis I’ve ever had – and I had two just to be certain.

If I lived in Roseville, I would probably frequent this spot more often, but if the rumors are true – hopefully I won’t have to drive that far when we get our very own crush in Midtown!

See what others are saying about Crush 29:
Sacramento Magazine
Sacramento Business Journal
Sacramento Bee

TwinSoup even divulged a rumor that points to a second Crush 29 opening in Midtown, we can only hope to be so lucky.

Lucques not only made L.A. Magazine’s Top 75 Best Restaurants in 2008: it made number one. Yes, according to the publication, this Melrose Ave hot spot is THE best culinary destination in all of Los Angeles. This report came out just after we secured Lucques as our second location for a Sunsweet-inspired dinner (see my post on TRU for the first).

Now, I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not really L.A.-esque. I mean, I don’t have a teacup Chihauhau dressed in designer doggy-wear; I don’t know the latest B-list celebrity up-and-comers; and you probably won’t find me in line for the latest club openings, or any club opening for that matter. Nope, just not my cup of tea.

That said, Lucques is just the right amount of trendy and substance, centrally located on Melrose Ave. The space is comfortable and relaxed and the food is amazing. I think that anyone would find this restaurant welcoming and delicious.

Co-owners Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne have operated Lucques for more than 10 years. In 2006 Suzanne (whose resume includes a stint at Chez Panisse) received the James Beard Foundation’s Award of Excellence for Best Chef in California. Last month a group of us got to taste for ourselves. Here’s a sampling of some of the menu items that hit my palate that night:

Our first course started us off with a Blood Orange Salad with Arugula, Dates, Almonds and Parmesan. Unfortunately, my picture for this course didn’t turn out, but let’s just say that any salad with blood oranges is okay by me. Our second source was grilled Hawaiian tuna with farro, black rice and pickled raisins.

Next up we had liberty duck breast with turnip-parsnip gratin and sweet-and-sour prunes.

And for dessert we were treated to a walnut galette with candied orange zest and prune-armagnac ice cream. Yummmmmmmm.

By Christine Moravec

Just because Cinco de Mayo falls on a Monday this year, doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate with a fiesta or two! Looking for mariachi and margaritas? Craving tacos and tequila? Pick your poison, because the Sacramento area is the place to be this Cinco de Mayo!

Azul Mexican Food and Tequila Bar

1050 20^th Street, Ste 140, (916) 447-4040

Cinco de Mayo Fiesta!

May 3rd, 4th AND 5th

Mariachi and Live Music

Daily Drink Specials

See what others have to say about Azul:

• TwinSoup
• SacBee
• Sacramento Magazine

Centro Cocina Mexicana

2730 J Street, (916) 442-2552

Monday, May 5

Live Music

Margarita Bar

Taco Bar

Maria’s Mexican Restaurant

226 East Main Street, Grass Valley, (530) 274-2040

Saturday, May 3 at 6:00 PM

Live Music by Levi Thomas

Zocalo

1801 Capitol Ave, (916) 441-0303

Got Cinco?

Saturday, May 3 at 6:00 PM

Live Mariachi

Drink Specials

$2 Tacos

If you’re planning to stay in, celebrate with this tasty Margarita Slush from Rachael Ray. Fellow SacFoodie Jenna Kirkwood has tried it and reports that it’s “tangy and sweet because of the lime sherbet and lemon sorbet, which also gives it a refreshing frothiness.”

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

If you happen to find yourself in Napa and are in need of a foodie-fix, definitely hit up Oxbow Public Market. Located right next to COPIA, it is on First Street, just a few blocks from downtown Napa, and centrally located for a nice pit stop while wine tasting in Napa Valley.

If you love San Francisco’s Ferry Building Marketplace and the Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market (and who doesn’t?!), then you’ll love Oxbow Public Market, which has the feel of a mini-Ferry Building Marketplace. When I visited Oxbow a few months ago I thought it was wonderful then, but I’ve heard there’s even more to see now. Plus, the produce stands open tomorrow!

Shops in the market sell everything from olive oil to spices, and of course, my personal favorite … CHEESE. Each shop has the incredible selection and variety that market-going foodies have come to expect, and the home-grown and hand-made feeling that we appreciate. The staff are friendly, and above all, knowledgeable about their food. Ask the gentleman at the cheese counter anything cheesy (about cheese, that is), and he’ll have an answer! He was able to tell us the differences between the various 3 to 12 month aged Manchego cheeses, so when we got our slice of 6 month Manchego home, it was exactly what we were looking for.

Check out today’s Daily Candy San Francisco to read their Oxbow Public Market recommendation. 

 By Jenna Kirkwood 

I’m totally loving the new whole grains movement. I’m an ingredient label reader, and have been doing so on bread labels for the past couple years. However, as an avid baker and cookie maker, I’ve been resistant to adopt whole grains simply because I was afraid they wouldn’t be quite the same as “regular” cookies. So I set out on a mission…make a whole grain, nutrient-rich cookie that even my picky husband would enjoy. Part of this was taking the core of a good cookie recipe and including tasty, yet healthful, ingredients to make a cookie. I also made my first purchase of whole wheat flour, which I’d been resisting only for the fact that I was afraid of changing a formula I’d worked years at perfecting. So instead, I threw all the old recipes out and started anew with a recipe I made up on the spot, and it actually turned out pretty good. If it’s a little too “wheaty” for you, you may want to use 1 cup whole wheat flour and 3/4 cup white flour.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Oat Cookies

1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup dried whole blueberries
1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, blend together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; set aside. Cream together butter, brown sugar, 1/4 cup sugar, eggs and vanilla. Add dry mixture to creamed butter. Stir in oats. After oats are fully incorporated, fold in blueberries and white chocolate chips. Blend together well.

Roll into 1 1/2-inch balls of dough, place on prepared cookie sheet and gently smash down. Sprinkle tops of unbaked cookies with white sugar. Bake for 13-14 minutes. Cool on rack.

By Kim Bedwell

Never heard of it, you say? Well, neither had I until my husband brought it home after a trip to the Swingle Meat Company in Jackson. My dad, who is an old-time Missouri farmer, was in town for a few days and the allure of Swingle’s farm fresh beef was just too much. They stopped in and found beef bacon in the butcher’s freezer. Dad recalled his dad - who was also an old-time Missouri farmer - talking about beef bacon, and my dad just had to try it. I’m glad he did, because it tastes just like pork bacon, was a little less expensive, and was wider and more thickly cut - ideal for some premo BLTs, which I consider a major food group in the summertime. So, next time you are looking for bacon, be sure to ask: “Where’s the beef?”

By Shelly Kessen

“Tastes like roast beef,” they told me, as I held the thinly sliced piece of pickled tongue up on my fork.

While visiting my boyfriend’s family in Bakersfield, California last weekend, I had a few notable firsts … my first visit to a Basque restaurant, and my first taste of beef tongue.

First, the Basque restaurant: I had no idea places like this exist! The restaurant felt like a Moose Lodge, but was actually an old historic hotel, with a small bar area up front and two thick wooden doors leading into the dining room, where three long wooden tables sat with place settings for over 100 people. As our party of 20 was seated at 7:00 p.m. sharp, along with the other hundred or so guests, I had the feeling we were traveling back into the Middle Ages.

Enter, beef tongue. Along with soup, salad, bleu cheese, bread and red wine, a platter of pickled beef tongue was placed on the table. Oh yes, I sampled it all. I had an audience as I made a big deal about eating the pickled tongue – it was my first time, after all. And, yes, it did, in fact, taste just like roast beef.

Then the dinner courses began arriving: oxtail with roasted root vegetables, spaghetti with marinara sauce, French fries, fried chicken; all served family-style and passed up and down the long straight tables. The meal was topped off with a scoop of strawberry ice cream. It was definitely the most random combination of food I’ve ever eaten in one sitting. It may have been the free-flowing wine, or the terrific company, but the meal was absolutely delicious, and certainly memorable.

I don’t know of any Basque restaurants in Sacramento, but if you do, please leave a recommendation.

By Jenna Kirkwood

Oh, the world wide web. Classic case of ‘the more you know, the more there is to learn.’

While perusing the internet the other day on a never-ending hunt for more fantastic, local foodie blogs and Web sites – I stumbled across a new gem that not only has local flare, but immense global potential. If you’re a foodie with a passion for social networks and all things culinary, you are sure to LOVE BiteClub!

BiteClub provides an authentic, inside-out look at the restaurant and bar industry and the culture that defines it – and it’s easy to use too! BiteClub appeals to four distinct audiences that share a similar passion for food and beverage: restaurant and bar workers; food service vendors; culinary students and foodies.

If you’re a foodie like myself, it’s a great place to meet other foodies, borrow recipes, post local culinary events and link to foodie news that you’re interested in. Think of it as your own mini food blog, with insta-supporters!

And the best part? Sonny Mayugba, CEO and Co-Founder of BiteClub, is a Sacramento Native! Now if that’s not delicious, I don’t know what is.

Create your own BiteClub profile here, and let us know what you think by leaving a comment below!

Stay tuned to SacFoodies for an upcoming review on the Champagne Campaign – a champagne event hosted by R15/Cafe Bernardo and featured on Biteclub.

By Brittany Mohr

In anticipation of my culinary adventure to New Orleans, I created a checklist of foods that I must experience in my five days here. The list includes:

1. Savoring a cup of chicory coffee

2. Noshing on a hot, finger-licking beignet

3. Cracking open and eating some Cajun crawfish (bonus points for sucking the head)

4. Enjoying either gumbo or jambalaya

5. Sipping a sweet, refreshing hurricane

I’m proud to say that not only did I accomplish all my gastronomical goals, I did so with vigor. It did help that the International Association of Culinary Professionals conference’s opening night reception offered opportunities to sample most of this delicious, authentic New Orleans cuisine. And yes, I did suck the crawfish head!

After indulging in beignets with chicory coffee (as good as anticipated!), gumbo, jambalaya and crawfish, Kris and I headed over to Pat O’Brien’s to sample their world-famous hurricanes. Sitting out on the patio of this iconic institution, we recounted all the amazing foods we tried on the first day of the conference and reveled in the significance of this historic foodie city that has been through so much these past few years.

By Kim Bedwell