Food & Wine. Art & Food History at Abi's Farmhouse Kitchen
PESTO: Pine Nuts can be silly expensive. And traditional pesto is tons of pine nuts and tons of fresh basil. But basil isn’t in season yet. Confession: We grow almost an entire bed of basil just so I can make fresh pesto all summer and freeze countless single-dinner-size containers. But as the weather warms, I […]
We are enjoying what feels like the last proper rain here in Sonoma Valley. Hunkered down in old favorite sweatshirts with a big fire going and watching “Little Einstein” with the kids for the umpteenth friggin’ time. And having a total craving for Kumquat Tea… Probably because I just finished a study of my mom’s little […]
As every growing family knows, the more little people you create, the less time there is for savoring some of life’s most beautiful fundamentals – taking in a sunset, browsing the season’s new lipsticks in person, and a languid afternoon of any kind… When Dean and I first started dating, we cooked together most every […]
Continuing from yesterday’s New York Times “coup de grace” on the Mediterranean Diet, I thought I’d shuffle through my notebooks to see what bits I’ve jotted down on Olive Oil. * Yes, I am that much of a nerd that I write down neat tidbits from reading stacks of food rags, books, wine magazines, and […]
The New York Times just published a great Front Page article today in Health. I have to tell you about it. You know I love how we eat here at Annadel and overall in Sonoma Wine Country. Selfishly, I am a HUGE advocate of REAL foods, REAL fats, and REAL wine — a.k.a. the Mediterranean Diet — because […]
Artichokes comprise perhaps the single most complete, sensuously pleasing meal. Leaves softened by steam torn from the flower bulb and dipped into homemade, garlicky aioli before the tender fleshy base of each leaf is skinned clean by teeth. Initially painted with some vague aphrodisiac quality, the artichoke caught on because of its hearty vegetable stalk, […]
This is a delicious call to all of us fine foodies and wine lovers to eat more vegetables. Granted, I supe my veggies up with healthy amounts of butter and olive oil — then serve them with a lovely, rather large glass of wine but to each his own. This is a recipe for a […]
We have just returned from our annual pilgrimage to get warm on an island — our big annual treat! Our first orders of business upon return this weekend was to 1.) turn the old 1939 steam heating up FULL blast, 2.) have a bottle of really great wine (ours), and 3.) make dinner. There is […]
Those of who who know me well understand that I have this crush on my old stove. Circa 1941, my Occidental Electric last lived in a dusty old Barn here at Annadel before we rescued her. Only two burners work regularly, sometimes only one on really cold days and gas has trouble reaching the house. […]
Finale! We did it! Sort of. Anni and I seized the day! And tackled the final stage of our Gingerbread House Castle: the Assembly and Decoration. We pulled up the “Royal Icing” recipe and measured out our ingredients: 3 & 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 2 eggs, and 1 tspn vanilla extract. Disclaimer: The recipe actually […]