The Cured Ham

Gumbo Throwdown in Fresno

The Gumbo Throwdown at the Vineyard Farmer's Market today, was fun (albeit loud). For me, the easy winner was Trelio. Lovely color and flavor, real depth and I'm looking forward to trying some of your wine as well (since we talked about it today) Dusty Buns certainly gets Best Presentation, but I wish the sample had more pop in the mouth. Spiciest had to be the Culinary Academy with their late entry, kudos for a solid showing. Cracked Pepper had a round mouth feel, almost like a beef gravy rather than a spicey cajun edge. Max's reminded me instantly of a thick chicken soup that was enriched with Old Bay and cajun seasonings. 

To my fellow bloggers, my alter ego had to catch a flight, so I got there early and left in a hurry, unexpected business. Another time. Goodbye Fresno, time to catch that plane.

Three Home-Cooked Meals

While I've recently had a flurry of restaurant dining experiences, I've also had four remarkable home-cooked experiences that match any night out. While I rarely detail the experiences or the food of friends and relatives (I like be invited over for dinner as a friend, not a critic), I want to recognize great cooks, great meals, and great friends.

Dinner on The East Side: My friends and climbing partners, Lyra and Dave, hosted me for Dave’s birthday party. The menu included salmon, braised kale, various cheeses, salad and included a homemade Hollandaise and homemade vanilla ice cream. I haven’t had homemade Hollandaise in years and it’s not an easy sauce to make. Even though Lyra is a full time rock climber, she was joking about being “gripped” after using the whisk to make the sauce. Pretty funny to hear from someone who can pull herself up a rock wall with her fingertips. Bravo. I think I was a little selfish with the braised kale and the salmon that the Hollandaise paired with. And who can resist homemade ice cream? Check David and Lyra out at California Alpine Guides.

Dinner in The City: I was down in San Francisco recently with long-time friends, Emi, Bob, and Lee for a casual dinner party over several bottles of wine. Emi was in charge of the kitchen this round and put together a simple and delicious caldo starter and braised chicken. Well incorporated and complimentary flavors typical of the region where Emi was born, Acapulco. This is the continuation of the dining roundtable I hosted a couple months ago. Looks like we're coming to your house next Lee!

Dinner in Wine Country: A little closer to home, the famous crab feed, hosted by Ray Lewand of The Camellia Inn, was served along with butternut squash soup and bacon wrapped asparagus. An all-star meal to be sure. But rewind to the start of the evening; three simple but remarkable focaccias were introduced when guests arrived. Prepared by Christina, Ray’s daughter, these herb and seeded focaccias were brilliant. I could have easily eaten focaccia, cheese, and wine for the entire night.  I think I’ve got an idea for my next dinner party: Christina’s Focaccia and Red Wine.

Dinner at The Super Bowl: My childhood friend John hosts an annual Super Bowl party in Fresno. It’s a chance to catch up with old friends, drink some beer, and collaborate on food.  There is usually a heavy food and beverage industry crowd at John’s house, so there is also a little friendly competition. I think there were three secret family recipes for salsa available that day, a quarter wheel of Parmesan, two grilled tenderloins of beef, bacon wrapped prawns, a killer 7-Layer dip, a pizza bread with bacon, fresh fried chicken, and probably 8 different craft and premium beers. Even better, there was leftover tenderloin for sandwiches the following night.

Thanks to everyone over the last several weeks. I appreciate the meals, the conversation, and the friendships.

Jack's Cafe, Cuzco, Peru

An unexpected guidebook treat, Jack’s Café in Cuzco for breakfast.

How can you screw up breakfast even when it comes with the room? By serving 3 day old bread, stinky cheese, and barely enough other items to choose from to get my day started, hence my trip down the block to Jack’s.

I’d probably walked by Jack’s 10 times while in Cuzco. It’s on the corner of the main drag in the San Blas neighborhood. I’d actually stopped in briefly on my first day for some coca tea. Over-rated that coca tea. Anyway, Jack’s seemed like a decent place. Jack’s has an espresso machine and Guinness and serves breakfast all day.

Absolutely some of the fluffiest pancakes around, no doubt. Along with crispy bacon and a solid café latte, Jack’s was worth every penny walking off hotel for breakfast. They offered me plenty of extra butter and syrup as well. It was too early for me to think about food pictures, so instead I’ll throw in a picture of one of the main churches in Cuzco.

Freaky Peruvian Bread

If someone can explain this, I would appreciate it. I found these breads being sold at the Arequipa Terminal Terreste before dawn. Why would I want to eat bread with the faces of a Ken Doll and Speed Racer on it? Why?

Cornbread Peruvian Style

The Cured Ham loves cornbread. Hunk o'Cornbread pictured below was from a vendor in the Terminal Terrestre in Arequipa, Peru at 5:30am for $1. Chunks of real corn too. The terminal was busy at 05:30. Lots of breakfast choices including standard white bread served everywhere, Chifa (Chinese food), caldo, fried animal parts, you name it. SFO has a single vendor open at 05:30am, yet the Arequipa Bus Terminal was completely open. So much for American Capitalism. Two things SFO does have that Arequipa TT doesn't...a clean restroom and toilet paper.

The Cured Ham visits Peru

The Cured Ham was lucky enough to stamp his passport one time in 2010 for vacation. Peru was a new destination, although not the first time to South America.

Peru was a delightful experience. Wonderfully hospitable and dramatically beautiful, I felt at ease through the entire trip. I'll have a series of posts to get through over the next couple of weeks both here and the Facebook Fan site. I'm trying to vary the content between the two sites so you don't get the same post twice for those of you who are fans and subscribers.

One of the many highlights, Machu Picchu, late in the afternoon during a brief period of sunshine.

The Cured Ham in Peru

I have been distracted with other attentions lately (most of December actually), but The Cured Ham is back before Christmas with a quick Buenas Noches from Peru. 

Ceviche has been the standout so far. The oxtail stuffed peppers were also delightful. Wine consumption is down, but Pisco consumption is up (Pisco is in many ways like grappa). I have been in the kitchen cooking with a 24 year old chef, youngest chef in the Orient Express Hotel Group. Cool guy. Picking up a thing or two along the way.

I am trying to upload pictures via Flickr and Facebook as I can, but connections are not as fast as I would like them.

Merry Christmas from The Cured Ham. I will try to post again before the New Year!! 

I am the Great Cornholio

I need tee-pee for bunghole!

 

And for the clueless: Beavis and Butthead reference.

What winemakers drink

It's an often discussed topic, what do some of the top winemakers in Dry Creek Valley drink? Well, The Cured Ham knows what some of them drink at 10am on a Saturday...Bloody Mary's. I prefer mine with a mix of Spicy V8, regular tomato juice and a good slug of horseradish.

Camellia Cellars and The Cured Ham make Cabernet!

It's harvest time in Sonoma County and The Cured Ham teamed up with Bruce Snyder of Camellia Cellars in Healdsburg to crush some Lencioni Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon today. We're talking hand-sorted and picked in small lots. Exciting stuff. The Cured Ham has been drinking Camellia Cellars for years and likes the winemaking style that Bruce presents with his wines. You can find Camellia Cellars wines at:

 http://www.camelliacellars.com/