Articles
From Sunset Books, Lane Publishing
Menu Barbecued Lamb in Pocket Bread Chutney Sliced Cucumbers Romaine Spears Tomato Wedges Yogurt with Chopped Fresh Mint and Cucumbers Fresh Fruit Your Favorite Cookies Napa Valley Merlot Sparkling Cider
Recipes
Barbecued Lamb in Pocket Bread ½ c lemon juice ¼ c olive oil 1 t. each chopped fres coriander (cilantro) and ground cumin ½ t. each black pepper and turmeric ¼ t. crushed red pepper 2 lbs. lean boneless lamb (shoulder or leg), cut into ¾ inch cubes 2 large onions sliced and separated into rings 6 pocket breads ½ pt. unflavored yogurt 2 T. each chopped fresh mint and cucumber 12 to 24 small romaine spears 3 medium-size tomatoes, cut into thin wedges 2 medium-size cucumbers thinly sliced Chutney (optional) Combine lemon juice, oil, and spices. Place the lamb and onions in separate containers with lids; pour half of the marinade over meat; pour half the marinade over the onions. Cover and refrigerate for about 3 hours. Transport in a cooler. Lift meat from the marinade and drain briefly, reserving marinade. Thread meat on the sturdy metal skewers. Place on a lightly greased grill 4 to 6 inches above the coals. Cook, turning and basting frequently with reserved marinade for 12 to 16 minutes. Lamb should be well browned on the outside and still a little pink inside. Drain marinated onions. Wrap pocket breads in heavy tin foil and warm on the barbecue. Tear or cut pocket breads in half and serve with lamb and condiments.
Packing the Picnic Carefully set the bottles of cider in the bottom of the cooler. On top, arrange individual containers filled with the tomato wedges, romaine spears, cucumber slices and onion rings. Take the yogurt separately from the chopped mint and cucumbers; combine them just before serving. Add to the cooler any fruit you want to keep cold, and the chutney. If you’re not grilling the lamb at home, pack the container of marinating lamb in the cooler. For barbecuing you’ll need charcoal, charcoal starter, potholders, tongs, fireplace matches, sturdy metal skewers-and if there are no cooking facilities at the site, a portable barbecue.
In a roomy basket put the wine, any unbreakable items, serving spoons and forks for the condiments, a multipurpose bottle opener, and serving platter for the lamb, table cloth and a corkscrew. Since the sandwiches are handheld, include plenty of napkins and moistened towelettes. Last of all, pack the fragile items, including the pocket bread.
At the Site To barbecue, light the coals about half an hour before cooking. Add the skewers of lamb when the coals are gray; warm the pocket bread for about 10 minutes. When you are almost ready to serve, combine the yogurt with the mint and the cucumbers, tear or cut the bread rounds in half, and set out the condiments. Offer the fruit and cookies for a sweet ending.
Protecting Foods From Spoilage It is extremely important to observ the safety precautions outlined below, especially with food paticularly vulnerable to spoilage. These include, in general, foods that are high in protein or that contain eggs or dairy products-meat, poultry, fish shellfish, custards, milk cream, and mayonnaise, for example. 1. Choose your picnic foods according to the weather and the distance you're traveling; avoid high-risk foods on long excursions or in very hot climate. 2. Be meticulous about hygiene. When handling food, be sure your hands, untensils, and cutting surfaces are clean; always wash everything well with hot, soapy water after handling raw meat, poultry, or fish. 3. Avoid preparing food far on advance, unless the recipe specifically permits it. The fresher the food, the less chance there is of bacterial growth. 4. Dont keep foods at room temperature either before the picnic or in route, if they are likely to spoil. Thaw frozen meat in the refrigerator, not on the kitchen counter. Foods that are cooling after being cooked should sit only very briefly at room temperature and all perishable foods should be carefully insulated when they're packed for travel. 5. Cold foods must be thoroughly chilled and hot foods heated trrough before packing. Don't put foods into a cooler and expect them to chill on the way to the picnic. And never pack hot and cold foods together. 6. Don't leave food that may spoil out on the picnic table while you play football or walk on the beach. Keep the food in the cooler or other insulated container until just before serving time, both to preserve freshness and to prevent contact with flies. 7. Plan picnic quantities so you won't have left-overs. But if you do have food left, throw it away if it is susceptible to spoilage. Even if it doesn't look or smell spoiled, it has probably been kept out too long to be safe to eat.
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Gardens
Provencal Picnic From Sunset Books, Lane Publishing
Menu Tomatoe Tarts Nicoise Green Bean & Red Pepper Salad Variety of French Cheeses & Baguette Fruit, Wine & Bakery Mini Fruit Tarts
Recipes
Tomatoe Tarts Nicoise Cheese Pastry ( recipe follows) ¼ c olive oil 2 lg onions minced 1 lg can of tomatoes (28oz) 1/2 t. each rosemary and sugar 1/8 t. each cayenne and black pepper 2 cloves of garlic minced 2 cans flat anchovy fillets (2oz. each) 32 Nocoise olives or medium side ripe olives. Prepare Cheese Pastry and divide into 8 equal portions; roll each out into a circle to fit 4-inch tart pans 3/4 to 1 inch deep. Line pans with pastry, trimming edges even with pan. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a larg3e frying pan over medium heat; add onions and cook, stirring occasionallly, until soft and light brown. Spoon onions evenlkyt into pastry-lined pans. In pan, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil slightly; add tomatoes9break up with a spoon) and theri liquid, sugar, rosemary, red pepper, black pepper, and garlic. Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thikened and redcuced to about 2 cups. Spoon tomato mixture evenly into tart pans. Crisscross 2 anchoby fillets and arrange 4 olives on top of each tart. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until well browned. Let stand for about 10 minutes; th, protecting ytour hands, tip each tart out of its pan into you habd and palace, filling side up, on a rack to cool completely. Cover and refrigerate untilll well chilled. Makes 8 tarts.
Cheese Pastry. In a large bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 t. salt, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. With a pastry blender cut 4 tablespoons each firm butter or margarine, and lard until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. With a fork stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons cold water until mixture begins to cling together. Use hands to press pastry into a small flat ball.
Green Bean and Red Pepper Salad
1 pound of green beans Basil Mustard Dressing (recipe follows) 1 medium red bell pepper seeded and cut into slivers
Cut and discard ends from beans; leave beans whole. Pour water into a 3 qt. pan to a depth of about 2 inches. Bring to a boil; add beans. Coo, uncovered, just until tender-crisp(about 5 minutes). Drain, rinse,under cold wanter and drain again. Place in a bowl, cover, and refigerate. Prepare Basil-Mustard dressing. In a large container with a lid, combine recd pepper with dressing; cover and refrigerate. Transport beans and peppers separately in a cooler. To serve, all beans to peppers; stir gently until beans ar thoroughly coated with dressing. With a slotted spoon, lift out vegetables and serve on a bed of lettuce.
Basil-Mustard Dressing 3T red wine vinegar 1T Dijon mustard 1 clove minced garlic 1/2 t. each sugar, salt, dry basil Using a fork or wisk, gradually add 1/3 cup of olive oil until well blended.
Besides the Food What else Should We Take...
Pack the "Essentials" and be prepared for minor injuries, sudden weather changes or delays. The following are items you should include in your pack: Bring your picnic basket it is the 24th Annual Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival will be held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 1st, 2nd and 3rd, 2007 at Lake Skinner. Lake Skinner is a Riverside County Park and is located at 37701 Warren Rd., Winchester, CA 92596. There is an admission fee to the Festival which includes the entertainment but not food or beverages. The Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival offers top-name entertainment, wine tasting in the Wine Gardens, Kids Faire, Arts & Crafts and Commercial exhibits and the Food Court. Wine tasting features different premium wines from numerous Temecula Valley wineries as well as others from Southern California. This is a perfect opportunity to use one our wine and cheese totes. Sample some good wine and purchase one that you like, throw down your picnic blanket and sip away.Enjoy a memorable experience and book a hot air balloon flight. Your journey will begin having coffee at sunrise as the balloon lifts gently into the sapphire skies above Lake Skinner. Activities go on all day. For more info about the festival Fourth of July PicnicMenu Strawberry and Stilton Salad Smothered Burgers Grilled Vegetables with Ranch Dressing Apple Pie
Source: © Cooking Light MagazineYield: 8 servings Live fire brings out the flavors in vegetables in a way that will make this technique a permanent part of your cooking repertoire. Other necessary recipes: Ranch Dressing
Prepare grill. Brush first 6 ingredients with oil; sprinkle evenly with black pepper and salt. Place bell peppers on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes. Add eggplant; grill 5 minutes. Add asparagus; grill 5 minutes. Add zucchini; grill 5 minutes. Add tomatoes; grill 5 minutes or until all vegetables are tender, turning vegetables as needed. Remove vegetables from grill. Cut each bell pepper into quarters; cut eggplant halves and zucchini halves each into 4 equal pieces. Serve vegetables with Ranch Dressing. (Serving size: 2 bell pepper quarters, 1 eggplant piece, 2 asparagus spears, 1 zucchini piece, 1 tomato, and 2 tablespoons dressing.) NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION: (Serving size: 2 bell pepper quarters, 1 eggplant piece, 2 asparagus spears, 1 zucchini piece, 1 tomato, and 2 tablespoons dressing.) Calories 105 (39% from fat) Fat 4.6g (sat 0.8g, mono 2.7g, poly 0.6g) Protein 4.6g Carb 13.9g Fiber 3.5g Apple Pie Source: © Cooking Light Magazine10 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. FOR THE CRUST: Lightly spoon 2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 1/2 cup flour, ice water, and vinegar, stirring with a whisk until well blended to form a slurry. Combine remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, powdered sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; cut in shortening with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add slurry; toss with a fork until flour mixture is moist. Divide dough in half. Gently press each half into a 4-inch circle on 2 sheets of overlapping heavy-duty plastic wrap; cover with 2 additional sheets of overlapping plastic wrap. Roll 1 dough half, still covered, into a 12-inch circle. Roll other dough half, still covered, into an 11-inch circle. Chill dough 10 minutes or until plastic wrap can be easily removed. FOR THE FILLING: Combine the apples and lemon juice in a large bowl. Combine 2/3 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle sugar mixture over apples; toss well to coat. Remove top 2 sheets of plastic wrap from 12-inch dough circle; fit dough, plastic wrap side up, into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate coated with cooking spray, allowing dough to extend over edge. Remove remaining plastic wrap. Spoon filling into dough; brush edges of dough lightly with water. Remove top 2 sheets of plastic wrap from 11-inch dough circle; place, plastic wrap side up, overfilling. Remove remaining plastic wrap. Press edges of dough together. Fold edges under, and flute. Cut 4 (1-inch) slits into top of pastry using a sharp knife. Brush top and edges of pie with egg white; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Place pie on a baking sheet; bake at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (do not remove pie from oven), and bake an additional 40 minutes or until golden. Cool on a wire rack. Fireworks Safety
Tips for a Fun, Festive & Safe 4th of July from The National Council on Fireworks Safety (NCFS) urges you to put safety first when celebrating this Fourth of July. Legal fireworks are safer than ever, in part because of stringent federal safety standards enacted by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in 1976. The incidence of fireworks-related injuries has dropped dramatically during the past 10 years, according to Ann Crampton, executive director of the NCFS. But she says it can be cut further by following a few simple guidelines. "Only use legal fireworks," she says. "The key, of course, is being able to recognize what's legal and what's not. Legal fireworks conform to the standards. Illegal ones often don't." The Consumer Product Safety Commission requires that legal fireworks show the name of the item, the name of the manufacturer or distributor and easy-to-read cautionary labeling and instructions for proper use. Currently, 32 states, plus the District of Columbia, allow the use of some or all types of consumer fireworks. "Commonly used fireworks include cones, fountains, and sparklers," Ms. Crampton says. "Before setting off any fireworks, contact your local police or fire department to make sure fireworks are allowed in your area." Illegal devices include M80s, M100s and silver salutes. They have been federally banned since 1966 because of the large amounts of illegal explosives they contain. "Don't confuse these items with legal, consumer fireworks. Illegal devices will usually be unlabeled, will not bear a caution statement and will not list the manufacturer's name," cautioned Ms. Crampton. "Illegal explosive devices are extremely dangerous and can cause serious injuries. If you find any illegal items, or know of anyone selling them, contact the police immediately." If you choose to use consumer fireworks to celebrate this year's Fourth of July festivities, remember the following safety tips from the National Council on Fireworks Safety:
For more information on Fireworks safety, visit the National Council on Fireworks Safety web site. Hit the Beach Oceanside's not just a military town anymore, although on any given summer day you might be sharing this beach with Marines from nearby Camp Pendleton. And crowds of families from all over North County. The beach stretches about four miles, with the best spots near Oceanside Pier -- ground zero for beach activities -- and the harbor. Sand coverage varies from relatively narrow strips to a wide, pristine 500 feet, a total of about 16 acres. Harbor Beach -- close to the harbor, of course -- has possibly the best sand in all of North County. And towering palm trees mark the shoreline for miles. This is a great beach for sunbathing, surfing and swimming. Surf fishing's good from the pier which stretches 1,942 feet into the Pacific. Perennially popular Ruby's Diner at pier's end is always worth the walk. Go upstairs for drinks at the casual Surf Lounge - it has a great view. The main street along the shore is called, simply, The Strand. This concrete strip welcomes cars, bikes and pedestrians. Oceanside Harbor's yacht basin, the only one in coastal North County, has easy access to the Pacific. Buccaneer Beach, a bit farther south, is a cozy enclave among the condos. Parking: There are two public parking lots on either side of the pier. Fees are $5 for day parking and $10 for overnight. There's also a dollar lot nearby, on the east side of the railroad tracks. Free on-street parking is a short distance from the shore. The rules: No alcohol. No dogs allowed on the beach. Fires in fire rings. The crowd: This is one of the most popular spots in North County for families. Friendly pickup volleyball games draw crowds, too. Picnics: There are shaded picnic areas with barbecue grills. East of The Strand are a series of parks -- Rotary, Pacific Linear, and Tyson Street -- outfitted with restrooms and picnic tables. Recreation: Several playgrounds. Volleyball setups are available. Surfers love this beach year-round. Facilities: Lifeguards, harbor patrol. Restrooms. The pier is well-lighted after dark and open 24 hours. Disability access: Three lightweight "sand chairs" are available at the lifeguard station. To reserve a sand chair call (760) 435-4018.
Menu Antipasto Tray Curried Chicken Spread Assorted Crackers or Baguette Guacamole & Chips
Recipes
Antipasto Cheeses & Grapes Cold Cuts Colorful cut vegetables and ranch dip Olives, tear drop tomatoes, and smoked almonds sprinkled throughout
On a large platter arrange ingredients for serving. Serve with bread or crackers.
Curried Chicken Salad 12.5 oz can chunk white chicken 1/2c mayonnaise 1/2c chopped celery 1/3c chopped red onion 1/3c chopped red apple ¼ tsp. curry powder
Combine all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate. Transport in a cooler. Spread on bread or crackers.
Avocado Dip 2 fresh avocados mashed 1T lemon juice 1 8oz container sour cream 3 cloves minced fresh garlic ½ tsp Beau Monde seasoning
Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Transport in cooler. Serve with tortilla chips.
ADMISSIONS and the PASSPORT TO BALBOA PARK
The admission prices vary by institution. Memberships are
also available for purchase from the museums and performing arts organizations,
offering an opportunity for visitors to support these San
Diego cultural treasures on an annual basis. Admittance
to the Park grounds is free. The Botanical
Building, outdoor gardens and some
additional attractions are also offered free of charge.
For more info http://www.balboapark.org/
Insect repellents
Menu
Fresh Bagels with cream cheese and lox Pastrami and Swiss cheese on rye bread Coleslaw & pickles Ginger cookies with raspberries
Smother fresh bagels in cream cheese and top with thin slices of smoked salmon: layer New York-style corn rye bread with sliced pastrami and Swiss cheese. For crunch, take along kosher dill pickles and coleslaw. Cream cheese doubles as a dessert spread on crisp ginger cookies: each wafer is then topped with a few perfect raspberries.
Picnic Etiquette
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