Christmas

SacFoodies Take K Street

December 18, 2015 by SacFoodies

By: Sara Ortega and Brittany Gillmor
‘Tis the season for holiday gatherings, and as you would imagine, the annual SacFoodies holiday celebration isn’t just your average potluck. We like to spice things up a notch (often literally), and this year was no different. Last week, the SacFoodies crew paraded down K Street with our Local Roots Food Tours guide, in search of all the best bites and sips we could find. If you haven’t experienced a Local Roots Food tour, we highly recommend it! It’s a great way to get a quality sampling of the hottest spots in Sacramento. Check out their different offerings here.
Here’s the low down on our tour of K Street:
Stop #1: Mayahuel

Known for its impressive selection of over 180 tequilas, Mayahuel’s food also speaks for itself. We sampled their signature soup—Crema de Chile Poblano—and let’s just say if you can’t handle the heat, maybe this isn’t the choice for you. For all of you spice-lovers out there, however—your taste buds will be in heaven! To wash it down, we sipped their refreshing Así sabe México, with fresh watermelon, cucumber, lime, chile and tequila. Delicioso!
Stop #2: Andy’s Candy Apothecary

Filled to the brim with a wide and ever-changing array of fine candy, Andy’s Candy Apothecary is a treat for both the eyes and palate. We had a chance to chat with Andy and taste some locally made caramels, chocolates and more—and boy, were the SacFoodies on a sugar high! Not only does Andy’s have some of the best treats in town, but they also have adorable gifts—Andy credits this aspect of the store to his lovely wife.
Stop #3: Empress Tavern

Only having opened a few months ago, Empress Tavern is still the new kid on the block. We were lucky enough to get a quick surprise walk-through, thanks to the awesome Local Roots Food Tours crew. The underground carvery is located in the basement of the historic Crest Theatre. The arching brick ceilings and soft, feminine accents create a dazzling ambiance. While we didn’t get a chance to sample the menu, we’ll definitely be returning to get a taste of Empress’ selection of rotisserie meats, cocktails and beers.
Stop #4: Mother

Mother has quickly made a name for itself with its vegetarian offerings that are in no way in lack of flavor. We sampled their Chicken Fried Mushrooms and Garlic Potatoes with Paprika Garbanzos. Trust us, meat lovers, you won’t be disappointed! Just thinking about the mushrooms makes us swoon. If you love calamari you’re likely going to love the Chicken Fried Mushrooms. Can’t wait to go back and have another bowl—one for each of us.
Stop #5: Cornflower Creamery

Located across from the State Capitol, Cornflower Creamery produces hand-crafted artisan ice cream using fresh, locally sourced, all-natural ingredients. This, as they call it, is the ‘Farm-to-Scoop’ experience. Some of our favorite flavors were Mayan Chocolate (with chile powder and cinnamon), Mocha Almond Fudge Swirl (with Temple espresso) and Panetone (with Marsala wine and candied fruits). We also got the behind-the-scenes scoop from Cynthia Broughton on how she chooses new flavor combinations—so inspiring!
Stop #6: Hock Farm Craft & Provisions

A celebration of the Sacramento region’s rich history and bountiful terrain, the restaurant is named after John Sutter’s Hock Farm. The menu constantly changes with the season and availability of local produce, paying homage to the region’s rich history of agriculture. We noshed on the Roasted Beet Salad (with baby & Tuscan kale, endive, pistachio, pear, Shaft’s bleu cheese vinaigrette), Pizza Margherita and Fanta Pork Sliders (orange soda-braised Beeler Farms pork, apple-cabbage slaw). As if our experience couldn’t get any better, we topped it off with Hock Farm’s “Daily Smash” cocktail and Heretic Chocolate Hazelnut Porter Beer.

Nana’s Eggnog

December 17, 2015 by SacFoodies

I was feeling a little festive last week, finally getting into the swing of the season, and decided to tackle an eggnog recipe in advance of the SacFoodies holiday party. I stumbled upon Nana’s Eggnog recipe, courtesy of Nugget Markets, which seemed fabulously festive and easy on the prep and cook time.
First things first, I needed to stock the bar with some serious alcohol to brew up this homemade nog – rum, whiskey and brandy – go, Nana, go! I also purchased two glass bottles (33.75 oz each) with an easy-to-latch swing top – each simple enough to fill and dress up for a hostess gift or to add to any holiday bar.

Nana’s Eggnog
Yield 1.5 gallons
Prep Time 20-25 minutes
Cook Time 8-10 minutes
Ingredients
1 dozen eggs
I cup sugar
5 cups whole milk
12 ounces (1 can) evaporated milk
1 fifth of whiskey (3.2 cups)
1 cup rum (dark)
1 cup brandy
Sprinkle and mix in Nutmeg before chilling
Directions
Beat eggs and sugar in a mixer at high speed about 4-6 minutes, until thickened, light and frothy. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat whole milk and evaporated milk to 200°F (use a candy thermometer). Put mixer on low speed and slowly add hot milk. Transfer mixture to a double boiler and heat, whisking slowly, to 165°F or until thick. Remove from heat. Finish by adding whiskey, rum and brandy slowly, one at a time. Chill and then transfer to glass bottles.
A few notes: I made a last-minute decision to cut back on the whiskey only adding 1 cup versus more than 3 cups, because (wow) it was getting very strong. While the flavor was more pleasing to my palate, it changed the consistency after cooling, making it a bit thicker than one would want their eggnog to be … but mixed with a little milk once chilled, it was back on track. Lastly, the directions seemed easy at the onset, but I wish I would have made sure I had all the items I needed on hand before starting the process: a candy/oil thermometer, double boiler and several mixing bowls. With simultaneous mixing and heating to the perfect temperatures, it would have been helpful to have everything out on the countertop in advance. Don’t be afraid. Try it!

Millie Armato’s Christmas Eve-and-After Steak Soup

December 17, 2015 by SacFoodies

When I was in high school, as the Christmas break was winding down and just before we had to get back to our normal schedules, the last act of the season was the removal of the Christmas tree. This always involved my friend Mike coming over to help me take it out. Mom would give him a big bowl of her Steak Soup, left over from our Christmas Eve tree-trimming party. Then Mike and I would go to a movie. I miss the days when you could bribe a friend with soup.
Mom got the recipe from a restaurant in my hometown of Kansas City, Missouri, called 100 West, which was in KC’s famous shopping district, The Plaza. Mom was accompanied by three girlfriends. The soup was accompanied by slaw, sourdough rolls and cold beer. (Mom keeps meticulous notes on such things.)
Steak Soup became a family favorite, in part because it keeps so well and the leftovers taste even better than the fresh servings. It’s quick and easy and tastes fantastic. The recipe is vintage 70s, including the reference to “oleo.” Does anyone call margarine that anymore? I say go ahead, use butter anyway …
Millie Armato’s Christmas Eve-and-After Steak Soup
Ingredients
1 stick oleo
1 cup flour
2 quarts hot water
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup cubed celery
1 cup cubed carrots
1 package (10 ounce to 2 cups) frozen mixed vegetables
1 can tomatoes, squished (yeah, mom’s recipe says “squished”)
2 pounds ground beef, browned and drained
2 tablespoons beef flavor base
1 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
Cook oleo and flour in large soup pot on a slow fire until the paste becomes almost a liquid. Add hot water, slowly stirring with a wire whisk to make a smooth gravy. Add onion, celery, carrots, mixed frozen veggies, tomatoes, ground beef, beef flavor base, and black pepper. Cook slowly until vegetables are tender. (If you use liquid flavor base you may need more; adjust to taste.)
Now, go see if you can bribe a friend with this.

Wishing You A Merry, Cherry Christmas

December 15, 2015 by SacFoodies

My sweet tooth and I just love this time of year. One of our family’s favorite treats is homemade chocolate-covered cherries. Like the jolly old elf himself, they show up just once a year – making them extra sweet and special. Here’s a tip…they are tasty the day they are dipped, but the longer they chill the better they become. The recipe officially suggests up to two weeks of chill time. They never make it that long in our house, but they would probably be amazing by that time. Let me know, will ya?

Chocolate-Covered Cherries
Yield: 3 dozen
Ingredients
2-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 jars (8 ounces each) maraschino cherries with stems, well drained
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening
Directions
In a small bowl, combine the sugar, butter, milk and extract. Knead until smooth and pliable. Shape into 1-in. balls and flatten each into a 2-in. circle.
Wrap one circle around each cherry and lightly roll in hands. Place with stems up on waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Cover loosely and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
In a microwave, melt chocolate and shortening; stir until smooth. Holding on to the stems, dip cherries into chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper until set. Store in a covered container. Refrigerate one to two weeks before serving.

Originally published as Chocolate Covered Cherries in Country Woman November/December 1995.

Foodie-Inspired Stocking Stuffers

December 14, 2015 by SacFoodies

Looking for stocking stuffers/hostess gifts for that foodie friend in your life? Check out this short list of ideas. All of these have been tested, approved and highly recommended.

Joseph Joseph Garlic Rocker
Admittedly, I originally bought this because it looks cool. BUT THEN I discovered it’s by far the easiest to use, easiest to clean, garlic press around. I get them for everyone I know these days. They have fun colors in hard plastic, but I used mine so much that the plastic broke. I recommend going straight to the metal version. $10.00 – $18.00, depending on plastic vs metal.

Sponge Holder
Say goodbye to gross, water-logged sponges. Not only does everyone need one of these, but the cool factor is that you can shop for one at your local farmer’s market and get one to match anyone’s style and décor. If your farmer’s market doesn’t have a local artist, check out Etsy. They typically run $10.00- $20.00

A Great Can Opener
It’s one of those tools that you use enough that it’s worth the spurge. This one in particular changed my life. The clutch: it has a little magnetic clamp to pull the lid off, so you don’t even have to touch it. I discovered mine at Sur La Table a few years back. $20.00

Thin Silicone Spatula
Eggs, pancakes, cookies… all flip easier with a thin, silicone spatula. And it never hurts to have a few of these. There are many on the market, and fun colors, too! Check your local cooking store, or Amazon has a decent selection as well. $6.00-12.00.

Misto
The gourmet olive oil sprayer. Fine mist, easy pump, eco-friendly. Fun colors. Do people even use Pam anymore? Available pretty much everywhere.

Old Fashioned Ice Cream Scooper
Shopping for a foodie that “has everything”? Go with an old fashioned ice cream scooper. For two reasons: it’s unique and fun to pick out (there are a ton on Etsy, all different and vintage-y). And, in my opinion, this is one kitchen tool that they just don’t make like they used to. Typically $10.00 -$25.00

The Cheese Knife
Yes, great for cheese (people rave about it as the best cutter for soft and hard cheeses). However, it made my list this year for my budding foodie daughter (alright, that’s pushing it; I should say typical 4-year-old that likes to help mess up my kitchen while I cook). It cuts cheese, plus a lot of other things with its patented blade that is somehow super sharp yet made of some sort of silicone (or nylon?) so it does not cut little fingers. It’s amazing. Plus, a kid chef would feel very “grown up” getting something like this in their stocking 😉 $15.00-$20.00