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Fresh Hummus
This is my first time making hummus with fresh garbanzo beans and, I have to say, the results are delicious. I made it the same way you would if you were using dried or canned garbanzo beans using garlic, sesame tahini, sesame oil, lemon juice, sea salt, and the fresh garbanzo beans.
It’s a little more time consuming to shell and blanch the garbanzo beans but well worth the trouble. The flavor is a little more vegetal then the hummus we all know and would make a great dip, or spread for crostini, or a drizzle for a lamb dish.
Eating Out at Corners Tavern
I normally never try out a new restuarant on opening night, but I was in downtown Walnut Creek at the same time the new restaurant from the Rosenthal and Doug Washington team of Town Hall, Salt House and Anchor & Hope fame was debuting, so I thought I’d check out the new Corners Tavern.
The decor in the dining room seems forced and cold and is industrial- western- cow punk- chic, if that is possible, and looks like a new line of trendy furniture that might come from Restoration Hardware. The food and service I won’t critique until they’ve been open for a while.
I tried the Pork Belly, Arbol, Chilies, Pineapple, Cabbage/ Radish Salad; House Made Lamb Sausages, Soffrito, Fava Beans; Shellfish Stew, Clams, Shrimp, Tomato-Tarragon Broth. Everything we had was good and the menu played it safe and will probably cater well to the Walnut Creek crowd.
I’m rooting for this restaurant to succeed because Walnut Creek could use a good, trendy, SF equivalent spot.
Artisan Cheese Festival
Today I’m at the 6th annual Artisan Cheese Festival in Petaluma. This is my third trip to the festival (I was at the 1st & 5th annual festivals) that highlights local artisan food producers and mostly western cheese makers.
I was happy to taste some of my usual favorites like Capricious from Achadinha Cheese Company and selections from Cow Girl Creamery as well as some new favorites like Junipero Salinas Valley Swiss from Schoch Family Farmstead in Monterey County and Strawberry Peak from Snowy Mountain Creamery in Utah.
Overall it was a good event that has unfortunately grown out of its cramped space. Hopefully they’ll have a larger space next year with more local venders.
Spring Produce Starting To Arrive
Spring equinox has begun and the spring produce is starting to show up here in the Bay Area. In the markets now: spring garlic, spring onions, English peas, fava beans, fresh garbanzo beans, asparagus and strawberries.
