Guest post by Maria Kniestedt
If you’re looking for an old-fashioned holiday tradition that has a little something for both big and little kids alike, head to Historic Sutter Street in Folsom tomorrow, December 7 from 6-9 p.m. for the annual Christmas tree lighting.
This year’s event will include free train rides and photo opps with Santa (bring your camera!). In addition to singing from local groups and an ice rink just waiting for you to glide across, Snooks Chocolate Factory will host a hot cocoa booth where you can purchase a steaming cup of holiday tradition. Or head down to their store—only one block from the festivities—and experience a mug of traditional hot chocolate, made from steamed milk and gourmet chocolate.
And, since you’re there, why not make a night of it? Enjoy dinner at any one of the fabulous restaurants along Sutter Street, such as Sutter Street Steakhouse, Chicago Fire, Samuel Horne’s Tavern, or two new restaurants – Hampton’s on Sutter and the Fat Rabbit Public House.
Celebrate the holidays with food, family and some good old-fashioned fun!
Archives for 2012
Café Roma, Sacramento
By Liz Conant, Sallie Poggi and Kris Caputo
When the SacFoodies received an invitation to come try a meal at Café Roma, the three of us jumped at the chance to take a lunch “field trip” to Italy. We arrived at the bustling café and were promptly greeted by owner Abe Saadeh who told us a bit about his restaurant, including their recent expansion and new wine bar addition.
After studying the menu, we decided to share a handful of items and placed our order at the counter: a cup of the Italian Wedding Soup, the house-made hummus, the mushroom pizza, the house lasagna and a Tuscan chicken Panini.
“My personal favorite was the hummus. I love a good house-made hummus and this one did not disappoint – plenty of lemon and a huge serving perfect for sharing.” – Liz Conant
“Due to popular demand, what used to be a weekly special is now a daily special – the lasagna is a delicious treat when you need the warmth and comfort of a traditional Italian meal.” – Kris Caputo
“The chicken panini was delicious and the star of the show was the homemade focaccia that reminded me exactly of what comes out of a nonna’s kitchen – fluffy, salty and crispy.” – Sallie Poggi
P.S. Café Roma delivers and caters too!
Find Café Roma on Facebook and Twitter.
Café Roma
1013 L Street
Sacramento, CA
(916) 594-7292
Grasshoppers
No, this is not a recipe for eating insects (I’m not that adventurous!).
Instead, it’s how to make a frothy, mint chocolate (and alcoholic!) delight that’s tasty and easy. My family and I enjoyed these as an apéritif on Thanksgiving, but they make for a refreshing dessert as well.
They not only taste great, but they have a wonderful color.
Ingredients
Ice
1 shot of Crème de Menthe
1 shot of White Crème de Cacao (I recommend adding a splash more than a shot to give it a chocolate after taste)
1 shot of half and half
Directions
Fill your blender half full of ice. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour and enjoy! Makes approximately 6 servings.
What are some of your favorite liqueur recipes?
Pour House
Not only is Sacramento lucky to have a bustling food scene, we are also fortunate to have a thriving artisanal cocktail scene as well.
Admittedly, my idea of an adult beverage during my college days consisted of dollar beers and cheap mixed drinks. But with those days a thing of the past, I much prefer a microbrew, the flavors of a good glass of wine and of course a custom cocktail.
One place to enjoy a refreshing beverage is the Pour House, an eclectic space filled with dark woods, specialty liquor bottles and fantastic light fixtures throughout – the place just feels cool (I won’t even get into the great music).
But the best thing about the Pour House is the Bloody Mary. So good in fact, that it was voted the No. 1 Bloody Mary in California.
Crafted with care from the bartender, the Sriracha salt-lined mason jar was filled with a specialty Bloody Mary mix and blend of selected vodkas, including Absolut Peppar. This little number packs a flavorful punch! Bloody Marys might be a bar standard, but this one tastes truly handcrafted.
On my next visit I will be sampling the seemingly delicious food menu from Coast to Coast Sandwiches. I’m bummed I ate lunch before my weekend visit, but I certainly won’t make that mistake twice!
Pour House
1910 Q St.
Sacramento
Ten22’s Fall Menu
By Jon Schuller and Tracy Tierney
Tracy: As someone who has shared her past Ten22 dining experience on SacFoodies, I knew I was in for a night of fabulous fare and superb customer service. While I have previously sampled the winter menu as well as lunch items, the restaurant’s fall menu was new to me. It’s equally delicious and featured locally grown items to boot.
Jon: As the casual-dining cousin to Old Sacramento’s venerable Firehouse Restaurant, Ten22 offers a similar commitment to upscale dining with a more down-home approach. Executive Chef Jay Vergge leads a team of chefs serving up a commitment to seasonal fare with organic, sustainable and local ingredients whenever possible. A common tune in Sacramento these days, and one recognized in the city’s recent proclamation as the Farm-to-Fork Capital of America. The restaurant’s fall menu touts some adventurous and well-executed dishes that, to this diner, appear rooted in comfort with an elevated touch.
Drinks
Tracy: I started my evening off right—with beer on tap from one of my favorite breweries, Stone. Their dark, flavorful smoked porter warmed my soul on this chilly evening.
Jon: I went with Chardonnay and, trusting my server’s familiarity with the house wines, sipped through a sampling of three, before settling on the Wente Reserve. It was her first recommendation and my eventual choice, after asking for something balanced between buttery and fruit-forward. Perfect.
Appetizers
Warm truffled mushroom salad
Jon: Oh, truffle oil. My old nemesis. Blending perfectly with this salad’s casked wine vinegar, the dressing lent a beautiful, mouthy earthiness to every bite. Spinach leaves, velvety mushroom caps, twisted strips of thick, crispy bacon—this is definitely a salad for fall. I have to say my biggest surprise came from the fried turnips, delicately positioned atop the textured bed. A great starter and very well executed.
Gorgonzola and baked apple
Tracy: Next up was a unique appetizer, the Gorgonzola Baked Apple, which included three individual squares of cheese, baked apple and a honey comb. Who would have thought to put all three together? It didn’t take long for me to find out why—the three flavors together were unexpected yet superb.
Entrées
Lamb “shortribs” with organic polenta
Tracy: For my entrée, our server recommended her favorite: the lamb atop a healthy portion of polenta. The tender, juicy short ribs and their accompanying sauce melted in my mouth, and they were flawlessly complemented by the polenta. The serving size was quintessentially comfort food-esque—I finished about half of my dinner and brought the rest home for round two!
Grilled elk bavette steak
Jon: I’ve had bison. I’ve had venison. But never elk. So when I saw this cut on the menu (bavette = a French term for, essentially, flank steak), I figured I’d give it a try. Leaner and higher in protein than beef, I was expecting the usual gaminess, but was surprised that the Colorado-raised organic meat tasted rather tender on the palate. The peppery plum au jus added a sweet quality to the bite, too. And while the cauliflower-gold potato side was described as a galette on the menu, it appeared more as a gratin to my eye (our knowledgeable server also referred to it as such). Whatever you call it, it was divine. Perfectly textured, not too buttery, and with just the right amount of creaminess, I have half a mind to walk into Ten22 and boldly order an entire plate of this next time. Combined with the creamed spinach (also local), it’s no wonder why I nearly licked my plate clean and had zero room for dessert.
Tracy: Overall, our server put it perfectly when we arrived—Ten22 features a menu full of “warm, comforting goodness!” I will have to go back come spring and summer to round out my full seasonal experience at this excellent Old Sac staple.
Jon: “Warm, comforting goodness” is right. The shortribs and the steak were just a couple of the comfort-inspired offerings at Ten22 this season. Other bright spots, like the pork and beans (house-made smoked pork, tenderloin, sausage, and bacon), sweet potato gnocchi, and organic chicken pot pie carry the siren call. The restaurant’s just-launched fall cocktail menu also beckons.
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