Growing up, summer time meant spending time on Balboa Island. Some summers, we would rent a house. Sometimes with another family, yet most summer’s we just rented our own home. We participated in many daily activities; fishing in the bay, riding around the island in a small motor boat, and riding our bikes until the moon was our only light source.
The most important daily activity was eating a “bal bar”. A bal bar is basically a brick of ice cream with a stick in it. Then it is dipped in the most amazing chocolate sauce and covered in either nuts or jimmies. I always went for the nuts (see original ice cream here).
This dessert reminds me of my childhood. For me, it’s all about the nuts. The original bal bar didn’t have cake in it. However, topping this dessert off with roasted, salted peanuts brought back some darn good memories!
One of the most classic dishes of French cuisine is coq au vin, that famous stew of rooster braised in red Burgundy wine. Really it does not have to be made from rooster, capon or chicken are just as much called
for in traditional recipes. The practice of stewing meat in wine is
very much ancient. Coq au vin traces its history back to Roman times
when France was a part of Gaul, which combined most of western Europe.
This dish doesn't rely on one type of wine. It can be made with any
wine, and regions throughout France do make it with their local wines.
The two best-known versions are made with Pinot Noir or Riesling.
Little Gracie had been feeling under the weather all day Wednesday. She had no interest in running and playing, choosing to curl up and sleep for most of the day. And, she was coughing.
Let start by saying that the flavor in this breakfast bake is absolutely fantastic. We couldn't stop eating it. My husband came out of his cave (office) four times while I was making this. The aromas were just so hearty and comfort-food-smelling, he couldn't stay away.
The Squeeze Inn in Tracy, CA claims to have pioneered the cheese skirt, which I first experienced in at Nobby’s in Chico. The owner, Dean Davis, told me that the Nobby’s founder had learned the technique when he worked at Squeeze Inn before starting Nobby’s. Having gone to the source, I could not wait to try it.