And, now let us turn our attention once again to the topic of hamburgers.

This weekend we were at our favorite diner in the area, the Putah Creek Café in Winters. It had been a while since we visited, but when we showed up it was just like walking around in old shoes – comfortable, relaxing and oh-so-welcoming. There was a grizzled old cowboy at the coffee bar enjoying a mug of suds, Davis cyclists on their way through to Berryessa, and a whole other host of after-church sinners and saints.

We took our place at a perfect booth in front of a sunny window, and I instantly decided on the Portobello mushroom burger with goat cheese and herbs. He - and you know who I mean - ordered the burger. When our orders came, he was shocked that my Portobello burger was just that. “No meat?” he inquired with the wistfulness of someone who had been betrayed by one they only thought they knew. My response: “No farm boy. No meat. Just mushroom.”

A taste test ensued. It quickly became clear that it was the farm girl – and not the farm boy - who had ordered wrong that day. Again.

By Shelly Kessen

The sunny Lodi winegrowing region is known for its production of Old Vine Zinfandel – a jammy wine that pairs well with spicy, grilled summer meats and vegetables.  This year’s annual ZinFest Wine Festival featured 50 Lodi wineries, 100 degree temperatures and a relaxed atmosphere.

Two of our favorites wineries were most certainly pouring – D’Art and Macchia.  Dave and Helen Dart make one of our favorite Lodi wines – an award-winning rich and full-flavored Tempranillo, and Macchia’s Zins never let us down.

Wine lovers had the opportunity to sample many Lodi wines, enjoy live music and even attend a wine and cooking school.

The heat didn’t keep the crowds away, but it sure was nice to kick back and enjoy a ride around the lake back to the parking lot.

If you’ve never been, mark your calendars for next year’s Lodi ZinFest and just maybe it won’t be quite as hot.

By Alison Liebich

There are a few local events happening this weekend.  Please see below for beer, wine, food and fun!

Lodi Zin Fest 
Come back next week for an event review post from our very own Ali Liebich!
May 16-18 (main event is on Saturday, May 17 from noon to 7pm)
Local restaurants providing food
Wine and cooking courses
Local entertainment
Tickets:  $35 in advance, $45 at the door

9th Annual West Coast Brew Fest
Saturday, May 17
Miller Field Sacramento
Unlimited Microbrew Tasting from 1:00 to 5:00pm
Local food booths
Bands providing entertainment
Tickets: $30 (sells out every year)

I’ve been hearing all about G. V. Hurley’s ever since their grand opening at the end of March, but hadn’t yet been to experience it first hand until a few good friends and a highly-anticipated San Jose Sharks game drew me in. TwinSoup called the new midtown restaurant “a masculine bar & restaurant that feels warm and inviting,” so I knew I was in for a treat before even setting foot inside.

Let’s just say I could have devoured the entire bread plate alone, ordered nothing at all, and still raved about the place on SacFoodies the next day. From the first bite, I was sold. The bread plate included heavenly rolls and a modern variation on corn bread that was to die for.

For our main course, I chose the Grilled Hamburger Steak with smoked Gouda, chipotle, caramelized onions and house salad. Are you hungry yet? The dish arrived, with meat cooked medium-rare just as I’d requested, and it did not disappoint. Each bite of steak melted in my mouth and the salad was fresh and light – a perfect accompaniment. Others at my table were equally pleased with their selections – we sampled everything from the Wild Salmon & Beet Salad to the GVH Slider Trio.

Unfortunately, I was too full for dessert, but next time I’ll have to try the Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding. I have a feeling it might be decadent.

For a complete listing of the G. V. Hurley’s sample menu items, click here. Or better yet, visit them yourself! G.V. Hurley’s is located at 2718 J Street here in Sacramento.

By Brittany Mohr

With everything that’s going on today surrounding the race for the White House, fellow SacFoodie Julie Ficker and I were thrilled to learn about a new campaign in town – the Champagne Campaign!

Thanks to BiteClub.com, we heard that R15 hosts the Champagne Campaign every Tuesday night starting at 9:00 PM at which time bottles of champagne are only $5 with a group of three or more.

The evening turned out to be a success – with delicious and affordable champagne, great company and a competitive game of pool to boot.

The Champagne Campaign definitely gets my vote!

Posted by Brittany Mohr

Since I moved out of my parents’ house about 10 years ago, I have regularly called home to Mom for many, many reasons. Some have been “bad” calls: I got my first C in a class, my heart was broken by a stupid boy, I needed more money, my roommates were insane, and the list goes on. On the other hand, many of the calls were good: I got my first “real” job, I no longer needed financial support, I made it back from a Tijuana trip alive, etc., etc. Sprinkled in between all of these calls to home, one in particular has remained a constant: “What’s the recipe for <fill in the blank for about a million dishes here>?”

Through the troughs and crests of growing up, I have learned to cook many family recipes. In honor of Mother’s Day, I called home yet again last week and got the recipe below, for Bürgermeister Kuchen, which I’m pretty sure directly translates to little bars of almond heaven.

The best part? I got to share it with my Mom and Oma in my new home, on Mother’s Day. Here’s to three generations of family recipes!

Bürgermeister Kuchen

Cake Ingredients:
1 cup sour cream
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder

Topping Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup butter
1 1/2 cup sliced almonds
3 tablespoons milk
1 beaten egg
1 tablespoon flour

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix all of the cake ingredients together and spread on a well greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. While the cake is baking, combine all of the topping ingredients into a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Remove cake from oven and spread topping to cover entire cake. Bake for additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely before slicing into bars.

Posted by Christine Moravec

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!