It isn’t often that I write about a new restaurant and the By Invite Only dinner – pre opening – to “show off” their menu. But Coa Del-Mar, 2121 E Riverside Dr, Eagle, Idaho is one that I feel compelled to write about. It is well worth it. From their website, “… The nearly 10,000-square-foot restaurant includes a large patio that overlooks a pond.The restaurant will welcome customers on Monday, April 15. It has started to accept reservations on the Resy platform… The Latin and seafood-inspired restaurant will share similarities to both Barbacoa and co-owner Nikolai Castoro’s other r ..read more

I do like pork! But I really need to change my preparation of the meat. If not the preparation, then the plating of it. What to serve with it? Sauerkraut is a pretty standard plating. But I wanted to change that, And o I came up with this. I used red cabbage, snow peas and carrot rounds, to sweeten it a little, and a little balsamic glaze to soften the cabbage flavor. I brazed it with just a little Aleppo pepper. The combination worked well and folks enjoyed it. Then I took parsnips and chunk diced them and braised them also. The pork. Braised it over medium heat so not to burn it. Initially ..read more

I love a good Shepard’s (Shepherd’s) Pie! Much better than a Cottage Pie. Maybe that’s because I do like good lamb. And as a side point, lamb is one year old or younger, while mutton is older than a year, just in case you were wondering. But also, it intrigues me as to the origin of these dishes. I always thought it originated in the Basque country of Spain. But after researching for this article, I am wrong! Shepherd’s Pie: This dish is believed to have originated in Scotland or northern England (Ireland) during the late 1700s to early 1800s. It was initially made with leftover roasted lamb ..read more

The flowers here are some I bought Robin (my wife) a few days ago. They are springy, and we all know we can’t wait until Spring! I hate to throw away food with a passion. And if there is anything Robin has taught me over the past 40 years, is to use the leftovers, She was a magician with les restes, leftovers. So, a week ago I made a Tarragon Roasted Chicken (https://www.rockinrs.com/CS-Tarragon-Roasted-Chicken.pdf) that was awesome. We had some left over, so I thought about what to make. How about a Chicken Salad? And I’m glad I did. It was differently good with the addition of the tarragon ..read more

About a week ago while watching the Today Show, they made a spatchcocked chicken dish with tarragon. Spatchcocking is defined as a  chicken or other type of bird that has been cut open down the backbone from tail to neck, pressed flat, and cooked, either in the oven, stove top or grilled. An interesting process that takes some skill, either by kitchen shears or a chef’s knife. So I took their process and recipe and altered it to our liking. I added some sliced button mushrooms and a little more wine. I also used Celtic sea salt and fresh ground Telliche ..read more

I keep getting questions about what are the differences between sauteing braising. It’s not that they are difficult to do, just different techniques and different foods for different cooking styles. Here3 is some information that I found that maybe, I hope, answer your questions. Difference between Sautéing and Braising Sautéing and braising are two different cooking methods. Sautéing involves cooking food quickly in a small amount of oil or fat over high heat. On the other hand, braising involves cooking food slowly in a covered pot with some liquid. Sautéing is used for cooking small pieces ..read more

I have been wanting to try this pasta for quite a while now and finally got up the nerve to try and make some. I think it came out very well. Originally, the sauce does not include any vegetables or protein. I changed that and used some large dice zucchini, shrimp, scallops and quartered crimini mushrooms. I like those additional items as it gives the pasta a good texture and mouth feel. Vodka Sauce is a popular Italian-American pasta sauce known for its rich and creamy texture. The exact origins of vodka sauce are unclear. One popular belief is that vodka sauce originated in Italian-American ..read more

I have had several questions on what is a mirepoix. I found this explanation and several variations of mirepoix. I hope this discussion helps. Just don’t forget the ratio of the 3 or so ingredients. 2:1:1. Basically, it is from French cuisine with variations for different cultures, adjusted to their particular needs, availibilty of product and wants. Here is how you prep and cook the mireepoiox. Gather and Prepare Ingredients: Dice the carrots, leave the peel on. Peel and dice the onions. The size of the dice depends on your preference and the intended use of the mirepoix. dice the car ..read more

One of my favorite herbs is tarragon. Thyme and basil come in as a close second. I love it for it’s anise, licorice flavor that goes extremely well with fish, especially salmon, in soups and stews and in sauces. Here is some information on tarragon. I hope you find it useful and interesting. Tarragon, scientifically known as Artemisia dracunculus, is a perennial herb that has been used for culinary and medicinal purposes for centuries. Its history is rich and diverse, with various mentions in different cultures around the world. Here’s a history of tarragon: Ancient Roots: Tarragon’s history ..read more

It isn’t often that I use information directly from a Facebook post, but this one deserves such a post. Thank you Kevin Newton (New Zealand) for this information. DID YOU KNOW? Cream of tartar is one of those mystery ingredients you might have seen in your grandma’s pantry without knowing what it’s used for. After all, its name doesn’t give you a clue—not like baking powder or baking soda. Yet just a touch of it makes a big difference in your baking and cooking. Here’s what it is and how to use it in recipes, and even around the house. What is cream of tartar? First of all, it’s not creamy. I ..read more