Category: Food & Cooking

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Making a Better Salad

For some time we’ve been making our salads with simple oil and vinegar dressings. The basic recipe is 1 part vinegar, 2 parts oil, add some herb (fresh or dried), and mix in the bottom of a large bowl. You then add a mix of greens and toss. It makes for a tasty and simple salad with any meal.

About a year ago we stopped at our favorite Bend kitchen store (Ginger’s Kitchenware) and discovered a wall of flavored oil and vinegar.

Olivelle, a company based in Bozeman, MT, markets under the motto ‘The Art of Flavor.’ Ginger’s had installed in one corner of the store a shelf with jugs of olive oils and balsamic vinegars.

Of course they set up an area featuring freshly baked bread and all the necessary bits to encourage people to taste the variety.

The variety wasn’t just in age or district, but oils and vinegars had been infused with flavors. From fruit to nuts (cocoa bean), the selection was amazing.

The beauty of these infused vinegars is how easy it is to make a delicious salad … we’ve actually cut the oil back or out of the basic recipe and just use the vinegar to impart flavor.

Check out their website,  you might find a local dealer nearby. We’ve been back several times and are currently enjoying the spiced raspberry balsamic.

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Strong Drink

This summer, on the northern edge of Yellowstone National Park, as we set up camp along the Gallatin River, a significant addition was made to our camping / fishing kit …

The Flask or more to the point, a flask of whiskey.

And so the evening cocktail hour was initiated and has now become a cherished tradition.

The term ‘whiskey’ can encompass a diverse number of spirits. Bourbon, Scotch, Rye, Canadian, and Irish are all types of whiskey and each has its own taste. What they share is a mash build much like our other favorite beverage (beer). The variations come in how the beverage is treated in the distillation and aging process.

Bourbon, the most american whiskey, has a mash build primarily of corn (50% or more) and it is aged in charred aged oak barrels. This tends to be our spirit of choice, though we’ve found some variations on that theme that are equally tasty.

Want a deep dive check out the Whiskey Tribe on YouTube they have some over the top videos but great information.

A recommendation? Try “Oregon Spirit” which is not just a good bourbon but also distilled in Bend, Oregon. Anything out of the Michtner’s Distillery is great … the American Whiskey (though technically not a bourbon) is excellent. However, you really need to do some tasting because there are so many variations. There are also a lot of craft distillers, one just might be near you.

There is no right way to drink whiskey. That said your first taste really should be un-adulterated, followed by the addition of a splash of water or a cube of ice. The taste will change … you’ll be amazed.

As for cocktail? Might we suggest a classic, “the Manhatten” … our version of the classic drink.

      1. Drop a cube of sugar (20g) in a glass then add three shakes of bitters.
        Muddle these to combine.
      2. Cut a strip of orange peel and expell the oils over the muddled sugar.
      3. At this point I like to add 2 ounces of sparkling soda (dry soda) but you can skip that part.
      4. Add 2 ounces of bourbon and a small handful of ice.

Stir and enjoy!

 

 

 

 

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Going Green … Tea

We’ll never give up the morning coffee routine. However, as part of an overall healthier lifestyle we’ve started to substitute green tea for those extra mugs of coffee in the afternoon. Not to worry, most green teas have caffeine.

Tea isn’t new to the pantry. On the contrary, there are numerous bottles of loose leaves and mesh bags. Green tea is just a better choice, loaded with antioxidants its a healthy alternative.

The compounds in green tea can have powerful effects on your health. Among them … boosted metabolism, increased fat burning, and lowered blood sugar levels.

Our green tea of choice is Long Jing Dragonwell. A well known tea from China, it has a sweet, rounded flavor … full, nutty, buttery texture … and dry finish. We order from a great online shop with a huge selection and great prices. ‘The Cozy Tea Cart’ is one of the few places that stocks another favorite, Evening in Missoula.

BREWING

You don’t use boilng water as green teas should be brewed around 85ºF. Let the water cool a bit. Use that hot water to preheat your mug or pot. If you’re using loose leaf measure, use a scant teaspoon per cup of brewing water. And if brewing in a teapot, always add a teaspoon for the pot.

Allow tea leaves to steep for two minutes and enjoy.

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Simple Vegetable Soup

January is national soup month and one of our favorites is this broth-based vegetable soup. Its packed with vegetables, freezes beautifully, and is low in calories.

This recipe makes a big pot of soup. We have several meals during the week and always freeze some for those days you “just want to have soup,” or need something for a last minute meal.

Print Recipe

Simple Vegetable Soup

A healthy, filling soup full of vegetables, but low in calories. 1 1/2 cups is only 225 calories.
Course: Soup

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 med onion chopped
  • 2 med carrots chopped
  • 12 oz fresh green beans cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 8 cups chicken (or vegetable) stock low sodium
  • 2 cans cannellini beans 15 oz cans
  • 4 cups kale chopped
  • 2 medium zucchini chopped
  • 4 Roma tomatoes seeded and chopped
  • 2 tsps red wine vinegar

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, green beans and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes more.
  • Add white beans, kale, zucchini, tomatoes, vinegar, salt and pepper. Increase heat to return to a simmer; cook until the zucchini and kale have softened, about 10 minutes.

Notes

This recipe should make a dozen or more servings depending on your serving size. We ladle 14 oz of soup into deli cups, cool in fridge, and then freeze. Stored this way the soup can keep for months and is very easy to thaw and re-heat for a quick dinner.

 

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Monkless Brew

There are 30 plus brew pubs in the city of Bend and more than half of these places are craft brewing operations. There is even a pilgrimage mapped out, guidebook and passport stamps included.

So there is never a problem finding a pint around here. The issue, for us anyway, has been the overabundance of IPAs filling brewers’ taps.

At least one of the Bend brewers has broken out of the rut.

Monkless Brewing, Belgium style beer (without the monks) has quickly become a favorite stop. Then this Fall they opened a new riverfront brasserie to pair food with their delicious ales. We stopped in for lunch and the food is as good as the brews.

Jack had the Moules pot (fresh steamed mussels), JQ had the Panzanella Salad (tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and pickled onions, and we shared a cone of Belgium Frites served with three dipping sauces. Twice fried in duck fat, the Frites were amazing!

We’ll be back … to try out their outdoor patio seating (furry friends welcomed) and enjoy pint and a cone of Pommes Frites.