Underground dinners for September!

Hello Everyone! I hope you are enjoying your summer and all its wonderful local bounty! I am taking a break all of September from teaching classes and will be featuring a couple underground dinners. So this information is only privy to those who are on my email list (and please, yes you can pass on the word!) Also, please mark your calendars for our in store event FUN FRIDAY! The store will be open for extended hours 6-8 pm. Featured wine tasting with Indian Peak Winery, an “Easy Pot stickers” cooking demo, sampling pot stickers with several types of dipping sauces, door prizes and more. Also, please save the date for our FUN FRIDAY on September 23 6-8 p.m. We will have Auburn Barbeque Company as a vendor wonderful finger licking ribs, pulled pork sandwiches, and more. There will also be other vendors for the night and the information will be available in the beginning of September. For those of you who want to sign up for cooking classes for the fall/winter will get first pick that night before it goes out through the store and emails! There will also be a chance to win a cooking class for two that evening as well!

Underground Dinners!!!

September 9, 2011 @ 6:30

Summer Harvest Dinner

Cucumber-Mint Lime Spritzers

Shrimp, Cantaloupe, and Fresh Herb Skewers

Heirloom Tomato Tartlets with Fromage Blanc

Caprese Salad with Fresh Mozzarella

Ratatouille, Zucchini Pasta, with Spiced Crusted Grilled Hanger Steak

Cheese Coarse

Meyer Lemon Brown Sugar Meringue Pie

Local Wines will be paired with each course!

Enjoy the end of this summer’s bounty with all the wonderful local vegetable and fruits.

September 17, 2011 @ 6:30

Summer Wood-fired Pizza

Bruschetta

Caesar Salad with homemade croutons

Pizzas:

Thai Chicken

Classic Margherita

Pesto e Pancetta

Tiramisu

Local wines will be paired with each course!

Have some of the best pizza you ever tasted right out of a wood-fired oven! Perfect crispy crust and the freshest ingredients.

September 24, 2011 @ 6:30

Thai Street Food

Coconut Shrimp, Thai Crab Cakes, Thai Lettuce wraps

Thai Rice Rolls with a Sweet Chili Sauce

Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

Pad Thai

Mey’s Bamboo & Chicken with

Cilantro & Mint

Curry Chicken Bamboo with Coconut and Thai Basil

Coconut Ice Cream with a Mango Sauce and a Thai Cookie

Wines from Mt. Vernon Winery, Local Beer, and Thai Tea.

Wanting to try something exotic such as bamboo, curry, or try authentic Thai dishes?

Underground Dinners are not held at Newcastle Produce!

Okay so now I have your mouth watering you want to know how to sign up? Right?! You can check it out on facebook: The Underground Muse and write a message to me to reserve your seats or send me an email at chelseafederwitz@hotmail.com . (YOU CAN NOT SIGN UP FOR THESE DINNERS THROUGH NEWCASTLE PRODUCE OR ANYWHERE ON LINE.) In return I will email you back with directions. Also, the dinner is based on a minimum cash donation of $45 per person. You don’t have to pay ahead of time to reserve your seat but if you do have to cancel please gives us at least a 24 hours notice. The seating is limited so sign up soon as possible to reserve your seat today! Also, If you have any question please don’t hesitate to email me!

If you are interested in hosting a dinner in your own private home with your friends and/or family send me an email and together we can create a wonderful seasonal menu for your dinner. The minimum requirement is 8 people. If you prefer to have it somewhere else we can make some other arrangements!

Fun Friday!!!!

Join us for FUN FRIDAY, August 26 from 6 to 8 pm. Featured are wine tasting with Indian Peak Winery, an “Easy Potstickers” cooking demo with Chef Chelsea, sampling potstickers with several types of dipping sauces, door prizes and more.

Also save the date for our September Fun Friday on the 23rd. Be the first to view the Fall and Holiday Cooking Classes and get first pick that night! More info to come later!

On September 24....I will also be putting on another underground dinner. Thai Street Food! More info will be posted next week! If you are interested in this dinner please contact me ASAP!

Parmesan Garlic Herb Twists

Water= 3 ¾ cup

Active dry yeast= 5 tsp.

EVOO= 5 Tbsp.

Salt= 3 ¾ tsp.

All purpose flour= 8 cups

Thyme, dried= 1 tsp.

Basil, dried= 1 tsp

Oregano, dried= 1 tsp.

Garlic powder= 2 tsp.

1. In a small bowl add ¾ cup lukewarm water to the 5 tsp. of active dry yeast. Gently stir together for a few seconds and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.

2. In your electric mixing bowl add 3 cups of lukewarm water, evoo, salt, flour, thyme, basil, oregano, and garlic powder.

3. When the yeast mixture has set for about 5 minutes and has started to produce bubbles add to the flour mixture.

4. Turn the mixer onto medium speed with the dough hook attachment and mix for about a total of 5 minutes. You want the dough to start developing the gluten and to have a smooth surface. The dough will pull away from the sides and form a ball.

5. When the dough is finished mixing place it in a medium oiled bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Allow the dough to rise for 45 minutes. Punch down when it has doubled in size. Allow the dough to sit for another 20 minutes.

To assemble the twist

Butter, melted= 3 Tbsp

Parmesan, shredded= 2 cups

1. Scoop the dough out of the bowl and place on a floured surface. With a rolling pin roll the whole entire dough into a rectangle. Keep the dough floured and moving. You don’t want it to stick to your work surface.

2. When you have achieved a rectangle, brush the butter on the whole entire surface.

3. Sprinkle the Parmesan on the whole entire surface. Gently press the Parmesan into the buttered dough.

4. Fold the dough in half.

5. Begin slicing into strips about 2 inches wide. Twist the cut strips and place on a prepared baking sheet with parchment.

6. Place the twists into the oven at 350°F for about 25 minutes. The twists should just start to brown a little bit.

Candied Kumquats

1 cup Sugar

1 cup Water

20 Kumquats

1. Prepare the kumquats by slicing them into quarters creating rings. Flick away any visible seeds.

2. In a small sauce pan add the sugar and water. Turn heat on to medium and let the sugar dissolve. Increase to a boil.

3. Add the kumquats and return to a boil.

4. Reduce to a medium simmer for 45 minutes. You want the kumquats to be translucent and the liquid to be like syrup.

5. Cool to room temperature. Cover and chill. Candied kumquats will last 2 weeks.

In Season: Kumquats

I remember seeing kumquats for the first time on Food Network. They were dipping them in hot sugar with long skewers and letting the sugar form long strands off of the kumquat to create a garnish. I fell in love with them, and couldn't wait to get my hands on them.

My family has always loved citrus. Enough to have a lemon tree as our Christmas tree one year that could be replanted and produce zesty gifts each year after. Sometimes our presents from our parents were citrus. A Beares lime tree, Ringpur lime, and a Kumquat tree. Unlike regular Christmas presents, which you only have to wait a couple of weeks to open, I had to wait 2 years before I could even get a sample of my Christmas Kumquats. Waiting for them to ripen was torture. But I am telling you, the reward was greater in the end and I know I will get the same present every year.

These little golden beauties have been native to Japan and long cultivated since the 12th century in Japan, Taiwan, Philippines and South East Asia. Kumquats were discovered in 1846 by Robert Fortune, who was a collector for the London Horticulture. Soon after their discovery, Kumquats were brought to North America. The kumquats are classified in the genus “Fortunella”, named after Robert Fortune, and are part of the orange, lemon, and grapefruit family.

With their irresistible, edible, sweet skin and prettiness, kumquats can add a new level of sophistication to your dish. Use them as a garnish, infused, or eaten raw. They make a perfect Martini garnish. Replace the olive with a kumquat and the oils will infuse into the alcohol. You can make your own infused sugar or salt easily by dropping a couple of kumquats into a jar of either. The oils will seep out and infuse the sugar or salt. Check in about a week. Once the fruit is brown or dried up, you can toss it out. Your infused sugar or salt will last for a very long time. Fresh kumquats are a great addition to any salad. They brighten up the dish and add a little zing to your palate.

I recently started thinking about kumquats again when they were in my CSA (Consumer Supported Agriculture) box from Del Rio Botanical in West Sacramento. These boxes of edible treasure and endless possibilities are harvested in the morning for same day delivery once a week. The box comes with a wonderful letter updating us on the farm and providing great tips and information on using the produce. The letter this week suggested making a jam or spread out of the kumquats, however, wanting to make something a little more versatile for myself, I candied them. I will probably use my candied kumquats as an ice cream topping, in my scone mix, added to my muffin batter, or as a glaze on baked wild salmon. I encourage you to give kumquats a place in your kitchen, so you can fall in love with them too.

Valentines Day Cupcake!!!!

Okay, so there has been a lot of talk about bacon lately in the store! I recently made peanut brittle with bacon in it...which was amazing! But to make it again I am going to need to get a candy thermometer, because last time I made it I was using a a digital one. When the peanut brittle hit about 220 F the digital thermometer died on me. There for it left me guessing the right temperature to pull it off but that didn't work so well. So until I get a new thermometer that project is going to have to get put back on hold. In the meanwhile, I started experimenting with cupcake batters to get a certain texture that I wanted. I started out with creating a recipe that is between a pound cake and a yellow cake. It turned out great and was satisfied by its cake texture. So for valentines day I used the recipe and changed a couple ingredients in it and came up with a Bacon Maple Cupcake. You know when you cook for yourself you sample almost every step of making it and by the time you have finished it you don't care to much to eat the whole product. Not everyone is like that but I find myself feeling that way most of the time. But this time, this cupcake was absolutely amazing and I couldn't stop my self from over indulging . I think I ended up eating like 6! I made 36 and gave some to the girls at work and some to my brothers. I had 8 left in my refrigerator at home and had to give them away to some one, so I thought of my uncle. Feeling kind of guilty for eating as many as I did, I hit the gym!