Farmer's Market Season Opener

On Tuesday June 5, 2012 in South Lake Tahoe, Taste This! By Tahoe Private Chef, made its farmer's market debut. Can you believe it snowed?! Chilly temperatures made for a sparse crowd but those who braved the weather were in for some delicious surprises.

South Lake Tahoe Farmer's Market at the American Legion

 

On the menu:

The Salads:

• Quinoa with edamame and ginger vinaigrette
• Snap pea and mozzarella salad
• Green peppercorn chicken salad.

The Sauces

• Sicilian pistachio sauce
• Rosemary pistou
• Vegan pesto
• Thai peanut sauce
• Indian riata
• Free range chicken stock

 The Grains:

• Wild rice
• Wild rice blend
• Long grain brown rice
• Lentils
• Polenta
• Organic quinoa

Folks happily bought up my prepared dishes and sauces and I promise to deliver new surprises every week.

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Adventures in Culinary Classes 101

My spring has been filled with new projects starting with a teaching position in the Culinary Department of the Lake Tahoe Community College.  Doing new things at an age beyond twenty-something is definitely challenging. We all grow confident and comfortable in our vocations but when a decision to do something new and different is made the anxiety level can be surprising. I taught cookery courses in Italy to wealthy Europeans who had had a glass or two of Prosecco but teaching career minded students who need knowledge and grades is something quite different.

The first course I taught was an overview of Vegan cooking. I have always been able to design and produce delicious dishes for my Vegan clients but Vegan-ism from a scientific and nutritional point of view is far more complex. My students learned protein and flavor combining techniques and I learned about B12 deficiencies and how to make wheat meat!

I never understood why Vegans would want to eat ‘not dogs’ and Vegan nuggets. The idea in my mind is repulsive to someone who doesn’t want to exploit animals. However, many contemporary Vegans are Vegans for health rather than ethical reasons and miss the texture and flavor of meat dishes. These types of food are made from manipulated wheat protein. Enter the wheat meat or Seitan, very cool concept, very easy to make, and very satisfying texture.

I did have students from the culinary program but also others from town who were interested in learning more about the healthful technique and benefits of a Vegan diet.  Thank you to Daniel Zuhlke for taking such great pictures of the final Vegan dishes!

I am starting a course in Middle Eastern cuisine next week. Stay tuned for reports.

Chalet Style Menus

Three course menus to satisfy the active vacationer

Here are some sample menus I can prepare and serve in your condo or home for your special occasion, celebration or family get-together.




Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
Sweet Chili Tilapia over Sesame Noodles with Steamed Vegetables (Pictured above!)
Ginger Roasted Peaches with Vanilla Ice Cream

French Onion Soup with Parmesan Crouton
Beef Bourguignon, Mashed Potatoes and Seasonal Vegetables
Hot Chocolate Soufflé

Assorted Crostini with Tomato, Tapenade and Hummus
Chicken Piccata, Rosemary Linguini and Ratatouille
Tiramisu

Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Turkey Breast with Dressing, Roast Potatoes, Green Beans and Gravy
Apple Pie with Ice Cream

Spring Roll Salad
Green Thai Chicken and Vegetable Curry, Basmati Rice
Lemon Curd Tart with Berries

Salad of Crispy Artichoke, Goat Cheese and Kalamata Olives
Rosemary Garlic Pork Loin with Sweet Potato Puree and Roasted Vegetables
Chocolate Almond Tart

Tomato Leek Tart
Lemon and Herb Oven Poached Salmon, Crushed New Potatoes and Steamed Broccoli
Crème Brûlée

These menus are priced at $33 per person for parties of 7 or more and $39 per person for parties of 1 to 6 people. The price is all inclusive of shopping, preparation, serving and clean up!

48 hours notice preferred.

Sayulita - January 2012

Spent New Year’s in Saulita Mexico, one of my favorite places. Enjoyed buckets of fresh shrimp from the local market and even roasted a whole red snapper. The tomatoes broccoli cucumbers and green beans had flavor matched only by my mother’s Kentucky garden vegetables.

Sayulita had been our preferred vacation spot for 10 years with chickens running in the streets and horses wondering the beaches with the surfers and sunbathers. We enjoyed homemade tamales delivered to our door as well as ceviche and margaritas in the restaurants.

Anna, my 6 year old surprised us by making the hour long hike to the next town of San Pancho without complaint. We had Coconut ice cream and cerveza at the end of the journey.

Mexico is really exciting for many reasons but I prefer the constant availability of fresh RIPE fruit and veg. Guacamole never tastes so good as when you buy the avocados just right and mush them into onions , tomato, chili and lime.

I hate to reveal our favorite places but in the interest of good business I will tell you our favorite place to stay is Mar Amor and we love Don Pedro’s for dinner and Rollie’s for breakfast. There’s a wonderful new pizza guy on the North beach road that has been frying mini calzone while he waits for his pizza oven and it looks like Medusa is doing beach service from the access road by Las Gemelas.

Oh and the weather? 80’s and dry. Perrrrrrrfect!

Merry Christmas from Lake Tahoe!

So, finally settling into life back in Lake Tahoe. The kids are settling well into their new school and the house is starting to look like home.

I have been busy with writing and executing a new menu at the Blue Angel Cafe and now have found a wonderful executive chef, Glen Simpson, to take over my post.

I am looking forward to a nice week long stay in Sayulita at New Year and then will be back with a full force effort to launch my Lake Tahoe Private Chef Project. There are also possibilities of teaching in the Lake Tahoe Community College culinary program.

It's so great when you get to make your living doing the things you love, for me it's creating, and cooking enticing food for friends, family and of course wonderful customers and clients.


Please come check out my fabulous new menu at the Blue Angel Cafe, 1132 Ski Run Blvd., South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150. (530) 544-6544. www.theblueangelcafe.com

Merry Christmas!