If your wanderings find you in Historic Folsom, and you have a hankering for an authentic old-school tavern atmosphere – complete with a great selection of American craft beers and delicious, meaty fare – head to Samuel Horne’s Tavern on Sutter Street.
It’s what we did over the Christmas break one evening with my sister and brother-in-law. The tavern is tucked away, and when you walk in, don’t be intimidated by the fact that every table and booth is filled (this is always a good sign!). Head to the back where the bar is located, place your drink order, and enjoy the conversation while you wait for a table to open up – or buy a group a round of beers in exchange for their table, which is what we did!
The menu is carefully edited, which is another good sign, focusing on a wide selection of beers, burgers, sausages and salads. We started with the bleu cheese bacon fries and beer – for me, it was Red Nectar and for my dinner companions, it was Allagash White (for a list of the latest beers on tap, which changes frequently, check their website). We studied the menu and decided on the Blue Plate Special (Hawaiian burger), the Johnny Cash Burger (a house bestseller), the Sausage Sampler Plate and the Spinach Salad. Everything was fresh and delicious, and we inhaled our dinners, a sure indication of how good the food was.
The tavern itself is beautiful, as are most of the buildings in Historic Folsom. The dark wood and embossed tin ceiling transport you to a different place and time. The tavern atmosphere is casual; in fact, you place your dinner order at the bar, receive a number and then your food is brought to you.
If you’re looking for a great selection of craft beers and good food in a warm atmosphere, head to Sam Horne’s. Cheers!
Samuel Horne’s Tavern
719 Sutter Street
Folsom, CA 95630
(916) 293-8207
Simply the Best Warm Spinach Salad
How far would you travel for food? You know, to sample a really special entrée or dessert that makes you think, “This is the best I’ve ever tasted!”
As it turns out, I know quite a few people who are crazy like that. My friend Robin thinks nothing of traveling 30 miles to Auburn for a slice of what she calls “the best cherry pie” she’s ever tasted. I know several people who have hamburger neuroses and will travel great distances for the best burger. Donna, for example, will hit the road to San Francisco for a Joe’s Cable Car burger any day of the week. And Kelly will drive an hour to Pietros in Vacaville just for a bowl of their minestrone soup.
I think I have you all beat, though. I would gladly travel the 1,000 or so miles it takes to return to the Purgatory Lodge at Durango Mountain Resort in Durango, Colo., to enjoy Executive Chef Charley Curtis’ Warm Spinach Salad. Frankly, anything Charley decides to dish up, I’d enjoy! But, if you’re looking for simply the best spinach salad you’ve ever tasted – a recipe he inherited and has adapted from his mother and grandmother – this one is really special.
“You can endlessly and easily re-invent this salad without much work,” Charley said. “I’ve added grilled chicken, pan-seared Ahi tuna, just about any imaginable sort of nut (I recommend toasted hazelnuts), sundried tomatoes, brined European olives, grilled Andouille sausage, all kinds of sliced fresh apples and pretty much anything else I’ve had laying around in my refrigerator or pantry.”
Lucky for you, Charley has shared his recipe with us (you can all thank me later!), but I would still highly recommend a jaunt to southwestern Colorado where you can enjoy this and many other culinary delights at the Durango Mountain Resort’s seven restaurants.
Warm Spinach Salad
Ingredients
1 pound thick-cut peppered bacon, cut into ½ inch cubes
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup unfiltered apple cider
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
¾ to 1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 pound cleaned baby spinach
1 pint fresh grape tomatoes
¼ small red onion, thin julienned
Directions
Render bacon in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Remove bacon and reserve. Add shallots and garlic to rendered bacon fat and stir until translucent. Add brown sugar and whisk until bubbly. Add apple cider and turn heat to high. Whisk in Dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar. Remove from heat. In a large bowl, toss together spinach, tomatoes, julienned onions and warm dressing. Garnish with reserved bacon bits. Serve immediately.
Recipe courtesy of Charley Curtis, Executive Chef, Durango Mountain Resort
Tell us, what’s the best food you’ve ever tasted, and how far do you travel to enjoy it?
The Lost Dog and the Alana Palmer
Recently, I met family and friends at The Lost Dog Bar & Lounge in Durango, Colo., where I sampled a truly unique and delicious take on the Arnold Palmer, a drink that is traditionally a mix of iced tea and lemonade. The Lost Dog version includes lavender lemonade vodka. The lavender notes in this drink were so unique, I asked if we could share the recipe with our readers.
A great big thank you to mix-master Eric, who so kindly recommended this drink and then shared his secret recipe with us:
The “Alana” Palmer
Ingredients
4 oz. lemonade
4 oz. iced tea
4 oz. Rain Organics Lavender Lemonade Vodka
ice
soda water
Directions
In a pint glass filled with ice, mix equal parts lemonade, iced tea and lavender lemonade vodka. Add a splash of soda water and enjoy!
If your travels take you to beautiful Durango, Colo., make sure you swing by The Lost Dog and sample this unique beverage.
The Lost Dog Bar & Lounge
1150 B Main Avenue
Durango, Colorado
970-259-0430
Lostdogbar.buzztown.com
Back Wine Bar, Folsom
Fellow SacFoodie Shelly and I found yet another gem of a wine bar – this time in Folsom, where we enjoyed wine, port, appetizers and dessert on a beautiful summer evening. Definitely pencil in the Back Wine Bar on your “to do” list, where you can choose from more than thirty wines, many from small production wineries not open to the public – all chosen by Jeff Back, owner and a certified sommelier. Go, too, because the food is delicious, the setting picturesque and the service top-notch (thanks, Shawn!).
The weather was warm, but we still opted to sit al fresco. The patio overlooks a nature preserve and was the perfect setting for us to sample some chilled whites.
I sampled a German Riesling and an Australian Pinot Gris, both refreshing and light and the perfect accompaniment to the cheese plate we ordered. Cheese plate simply does not do it justice, though! Imagine a Sierra Nevada chevre, Tasmanian bleu, French triple cream, Spanish basque, tart apple slices, mixed herbed nuts, dried fruit compote and slices of a fresh baguette. Truly. Heavenly.
We also indulged in dessert at the urging of my sister, who insisted we should not leave before trying the Triple Pot de Crème. Glad we heeded! Vanilla custard layered with caramel, dark chocolate ganache and sea salt. Seriously.
Be sure to make a reservation, unless you plan to sit at the bar or on the patio (and both are quite nice!). Take advantage of the prix fixe dinner menu on Tuesdays, 25% off appetizers on Wednesdays and live music on Thursdays. We’ll definitely be “back!”
Back Wine Bar
25075 Blue Ravine Road, Ste. 160
Folsom, CA 95630
916.986.9100
Tuesday – Saturday, 3:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Historic Folsom’s Farmers Market
On a recent Sunday morning while most of my family slept, my daughter, sister, aunt and I headed over to the Farmers Market at 900 Sutter Street in historic Folsom. With the sun shining and a giant cup of coffee in hand, we parked on a side street and traipsed across the cobblestones to peek into the more than two dozen stalls that make up this Sunday morning market.
From 8 AM to noon you can taste and purchase locally grown fruit and honey, a variety of fresh vegetables and beautiful flowers, as well as baked goods and homemade sauces. We sampled sweet white nectarines, as well as locally procured honey infused with a hint of blackberry. We saw pomegranate grilling sauces, fresh green beans, eggplant, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, beets – you name it.
Since my sister’s baby shower was only a few hours away, we spent a lot of time at the flower stall, where for $6 I was able to purchase a beautiful bouquet of summer flowers. (I loved them so much I ended up buying two!)
As we left, we noticed scores of people enjoying breakfast at various Sutter Street cafes and vowed that our next trip to this picturesque market would include breakfast!
Folsom Farmers Market
900 Sutter Street in historic Folsom
Sundays, 8 AM – Noon
June -October
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