Riveted

Mud and Wine

Today we went on a long and very muddy hike. (According to the Fitbit it was 3.46 miles, 7922 steps, and 50 floors.) Sounds about right. We took the road down to the Banks-Vernonia Trail (paved), turned left, and then took the Hare's Canyon Trail up (and I do mean UP) to the hilltop day use area. It was super muddy, but it was more interesting than just turning around and taking the paved trail back the same way we came in...so we stuck with it.

It hasn't rained all day today so far, but you wouldn't know it from the state of the trails. :)

After our hike we had some lunch and then headed out to the Tualtatin Valley Estate Vineyard of the Willamette Valley Vineyards. I'm glad we're getting to know some of our local spots a little better. This one is one we'll definitely revisit. So are the two we discovered yesterday, really...no duds.

We tasted several good wines today...a pinot gris, several pinot noirs, a malbec, a merlot, a frizzante style muscat (very good). Especially memorable was the 2008 Pinot Noir Style Port. Amazing. Get some. Even if you're not big into port...it's very different and very good.

We are now grilling some chicken, making a caesar salad and sipping a glass of David Hill Farmhouse Red. Happy Sunday!

(Posted by Laura)

Apolloni Vineyards

This went great with salmon, asparagus, and a butter lettuce salad.

(Posted by Laura)

Valentine's Day in the Airstream

We don't have champagne glasses in the Airstream, so we had to drink fast so the bubbles didn't disappear. (Kidding).

We had a nice mellow evening last night. Poured some champagne, snacked on some delicious french cheese with crackers and marinated artichoke hearts, and made Shrimp Longhi for dinner. The original comes from Longhi's in Maui, but if you can't get to Maui, you can find the recipe here (click to enlarge):

It's delicious, and fairly simple.

We made some dark chocolate mousse for dessert, topped with whipped cream and strawberries. Super rich and delicious. I took some photos (with the iphone) but they weren't that great so I'm not going to post them. You'll have to imagine it all. 

(Posted by Laura)

Martinitime

We tried a new local vodka recently that's quite good: DL Franklin from Dogwood Distilling in Forest Grove, Oregon. DL Franklin is represented as a “snake oil salesman” that would ride into town sell his “good” and be gone by morning. Dogwood Distilling is scheduled to launch a series of fine liquor in 2012.

(We're trying it again, right now. Still good.)

(Posted by Laura)

Go This Way

A friend of ours came out and had lunch with us at the Airstream yesterday. I made my favorite sandwiches: chicken and fennel salad on crusty bread (recipe below).  

We all went for a nice long brisk walk in the drizzle after lunch, and saw quite a few of these little guys wandering around on the path.

Salamanders?

It was a nice day.

Here's the recipe:

Chicken And Fennel Salad Sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 roasted chicken (I cheat often and buy the already roasted organic chicken from the market, then just piece it into small bits, but you an also roast your own if you want)
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1/2 cup nonfat greek yogurt 
1/4 tsp finely grated fresh lemon zest
4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1 cup thinly sliced fennel bulb (I do mine on the very thin setting on a mandoline) 

Mix the mayo, yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and basil in a bowl. Pour over the pieced chicken and thinly sliced fennel and blend well. Sometimes I add a little more lemon juice (depends how lemony you like it)...or if it seems dry, a bit more mayo and/or yogurt. 

I use toasted or grilled crusty bread (today I used Roasted Garlic bread from La Brea Bakery). Put a generous amount of chicken salad between two pieces of toasted crusty bread and enjoy.

(Posted by Laura)

Retro Breakfast

I think this looks like it would go perfectly in a vintage trailer, don't you?

Available here, but currently out of stock.

Ice on the Water

We woke up this morning and there was (and still is) ice on the lake. I thought the heater was running a bit more than usual last night. (The hose did not freeze this time, however. Bonus.)

I cooked us a warm breakfast of mushroom, bacon, spinach and black bean hash with scrambled eggs, topped with fresh tomato and diced avocado. We're on our second cappuccino and I may actually go for a third today. Doing some usual Monday morning work before we head home around mid-day.

(Posted by Laura)

The Herbfarm and Woodinville Wine Country, Part 2

As I mentioned before, we've got the Airstream parked here at Lake Pleasant RV Park, right on the edge of the lake. There are geese, ducks, heron, and otter that hang out in and around the lake. It's very pretty. Here's a shot of the Airstream from the other side of the lake:

On Saturday morning I made Kevin a birthday breakfast of poached eggs, fresh local tomatoes, smoked salmon, wilted spinach, asparagus, sliced avocado:

We went for a nice hike on the trails around here, then showered and after a light lunch headed into Woodinville and over to The Library and tasted some wine.

We checked into our room at the Willows Lodge and it was fabulous. Large soaking tub, fireplace, balcony...lovely. This is a view of the fireplace from the soaking tub:

Looking into the room from the door to the balcony (fireplace is on the left). These aren't the greatest photos...but you get the idea. (Note Kevin's feet there as he kicks back on the bed before dinner).

I gave Kevin a reversible "smoking jacket" from BetaBrand (olive velvet on one side, silvery luciousness on the other side) and he wore it well (and, I'm happy to report, he wore it to dinner "party side out"):

We headed over to The Herbfarm a little early to get the introduction and tour of the wine cellar, etc. The dining room, from above:

We were seated at a cozy, romantic side-by-side table on the edge of the room with a view of the kitchen and all the other tables, with a personalized birthday bit for Kevin:

The food was amazing. The environment and the service and the staff were amazing. A superb experience overall that we will definitely repeat (in January, for the truffle dinner, woohoo!) Nine food courses with five wine courses, and great explanations and information from the knowledgable and friendly staff. (We had a glass of Domaine Bory Rivesaltes--kind of a Tawny Port, only French-- from 1927. Yes, 1927. Paired with a delicious stinky sheep and goat milk cheese that was SO GOOD (and stinky).

We left so happy, slept very well. We had some delicious french press coffee in the morning and a soak in the huge tub, then went for brunch at the Barking Frog.

The Herbfarm from outside this morning, before we headed back to the Airstream for one more night:

All-in-all a very successful birthday weekend.

(Oh yeah, on Friday evening we had dinner at Italianissimo Ristorianti --this place is great, and not too much $$. Before that we tasted some delicious wines at DeLille and at Januik...both quite good.)

(Posted by Laura)

Someone needs this mod set of 50s barware, don't they?

Etsy ($50)

(Posted by Laura)

Skillet Bacon Jam

I found some of this skillet bacon spread at Zupan's in Portland, and so far have tried it in two dishes: (1) I stirred a spoonful in with some butter and cream, then added diced crabmeat and diced tomatoes for a rich sauce to spoon over some grilled halibut (amazing), and (2) this morning I put a tablespoon or so in a frying pan with a pat of butter and then made a couple over easy eggs for breakfast (served on top of a small pile of steamed spinach). It's quite good and I can see many uses for it. Plus, created in Airstreams! Bonus!

From the Skillet website:

In 2007, Chef Josh Henderson created Skillet Street Food in Seattle, one of the first food experiences of what has since become a prototype for the national street food movement that has swept the country. Out of a vintage Airstream trailer, he created innovative lunch menus based on American-inspired food prepared with classic technique and seasonal ingredients. The reception from Seattle'ites was immediate and passionate. They were drawn to the chef driven food, the excitement of being a part of a new, energetic, urban experience, and to the intimate involvement through the use of social media channels that intensified the connection with the Skillet brand. 

Definitely recommended.

Photo: Madame Fromage

(Posted by Laura)

Dining out in Jackson, Wyoming

Tonight we had a fantastic dinner at Snake River Grill. We had for starters: a caesar salad, hamachi tartare (with crispy wontons, yuzu, serrano chile, and green apple...amazing!) For entrees: seared rare ahi tuna with basil, butter lettuce, heirloom tomatoes, and a garlic aioli, and a crispy pork shank with red chili barbecue sauce, corn and black bean salsa, and crispy tortilla chips. Our guy at our hotel (George!) told us we MUST order the eskimo bars for dessert, and he was right. Sugar allotment for the month? Check! 

Last night we had a fantastic dinner at Trio. For appetizers we had the mussels (sautéed prince edward island mussels, white wine, cherry tomatoes, garlic, lemon, thyme, parsley and grilled bread), and one of the specials, a spinach salad with duck breast and some other stuff I forgot, but it was so good. For entrees: Pan Seared Wild King Salmon (potato and horseradish encrusted salmon, heirloom tomato gazpacho and horseradish crème fraiche) and a Grilled Buffalo Kansas City Steak (dry aged, bone-in montana buffalo, chimichurri sauce and roasted fingerling potatoes). Everything was fabulous.

Other spots we tried for lunch and breakfast were also great. The Bunnery for breakfast, and The Merry Piglets for Mexican food. (I know. Odd name, but good food.)

(Posted by Laura)

Camping with the Moms

Kevin's mom is visiting from Texas for a week and we decided to take her out with us in the Airstream. My mom is joining us in her RV with her three white shepherds, and right now we're at Detroit Lake, OR. It's warm and sunny and we've got waterfront spots next to each other here. We launched the boat late yesterday and Kevin took his mom for a sunset sail (okay, not so much of a sail...not much wind but very pretty).

And dusk with ducks right in front of our campsite:

We cooked some tenderloins with truffle butter, asparagus, and black beans with homemade tomatillo salsa for dinner last night.

(Posted by Laura)