I always like to go to brunch in the springtime. Something about the sunshine makes me want to get out earlier and often the mid-morning meal is a great time to get together and chat with friends, before my day gets stolen away with errands and other not-so-fun but necessary chores.  But often some of the best places for brunch have a long wait and so we end up going somewhere that serves an ordinary lunch menu instead. So I’ve taken to serving brunch at home on my patio on occasion, and I’ve recently come across a recipe that is easy but sophisticated and tastes like something you would order at your neighborhood bistro.
Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Crepes
1 ½ cups whole milk
½ cup water
6 tbs. butter, melted
3 large eggs
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 tbs. butter, softened
2 tbs. lemon zest
1 medium shallot, minced
¼ cup capers, rinsed and chopped
1 tbs. minced dill
Freshly ground pepper
3 cups baby spinach
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
½ lb. sliced smoked salmon
2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced

1. In a bowl, whisk the milk, water, melted butter and eggs. Mix flour and salt in another bowl. Whisk the milk mixture into flour mixture. Strain the batter into a measuring cup and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2.  In a bowl., blend cream cheese with butter, lemon zest, shallot, capers and dill and season with pepper.
3. Spray a 12 inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat. Pour 1/3 cup of the crepe batter into the skillet and swirl the pan to coat it evenly. Cook the crepe until lightly golden on the bottom, around 1 minute. Flip the crepe and cook for about 30 seconds longer. Transfer the crepe to a plate and repeat with remaining batter.
4. In a medium bowl, toss spinach with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Fold each crepe in half. Spread about 2 tbs. of the cream cheese mixture down the center of each crepe. Lay the salmon over the cream cheese and top with spinach salad and tomatoes and season with pepper. Fold one side of the crepe over the filling, roll to close and serve.

*And if you like to have mimosas at brunch, try using pomegranate juice instead of orange for a little twist.

In Food & Wine Magazine’s April edition Idaho is recognized for having our first AVA, or American Viticultural Area, near the Snake River. An AVA is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States distinguishable by unique geographic features conducive to growing grapes. Our AVA was just recently petitioned for by the Idaho Grape Growers and Wine Producers Commission and was approved in 2007. This designation basically means that the Snake River AVA has certain growing conditions such as soil, climate and elevation that make for unique winemaking. It also gives credibility to the wines that are produced in the region.
The Snake River AVA is home to 15 wineries and 46 vineyards. Most of our state’s vineyards are located in southwest Idaho and grow white grapes, but a lot of them also bottle reds very well. Look for the AVA designation on the labels of Idaho produced wine – it means that at least 85% of the grapes used to make that particular wine were grown in that region.   

Spring is not yet here, and the produce at my grocery store is pretty lackluster. It may look good, but when you get it home the fruit just doesn’t seem to have the depth of flavor that makes it worth buying. A co-worker of mine gets her fruit fix from halegroves.com. The folks at Hale Groves grow high quality citrus and ship it all over the country. One of the popular items on their website is the Honeybell, a hybrid that is a cross between the Duncan Grapefruit and the Dancy Tangerine. The Honeybell gets its name from its honey-like sweetness and unique shape. Although the variety of citrus they sell is their claim to fame, they also sell jellies, candies, snacks and other specialty items. If you’re craving a taste of summer, click on www.halegroves.com and check it out. 

Throwing a St. Patty’s Day party? If green ale isn’t your thing, opt for unique martinis instead. To make your party different (and arguably tastier), serve one of these:
Emerald Martini
1 ½ oz. Gin or Vodka
½ oz. Dry Vermouth
1/8 oz. Green Chartreuse
Lemon twist
Add the first three ingredients into a shaker with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled glass. Float the lemon twist on top.
Irish Raspberry Martini
1 oz. Irish Cream
1 oz. Kahlua
1 oz. Raspberry Vodka
Fresh raspberries & mint sprig
Add the first three ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into a glass. Garnish with raspberry and mint sprig.
Recipes courtesy of Dining Decisions magazine.

I was going to wait until it actually opened before blogging about it, but I just can’t help myself. Sephora of Boise (in the Towne Square Mall) is opening its doors on Friday, February 29^th. Ladies, if you’ve never been to Sephora before, prepare to be amazed. Did you ever play dress-up with your mom and stare at her makeup case with awe and wonder? After you walk through the front doors of Sephora you’ll get that giddy feeling all over again. It’s a makeup mecca that is designed to make women throw our beauty budgets out the window. Sephora carries every brand of cosmetic, fragrance, and skin care line you could possibly imagine, and some you never knew existed. As if that wasn’t enough, you can try every single one before you buy. So rather than being intimidated by the perfectly painted ladies at your department store makeup counters, you can shop at your leisure and pick the products that are right for you. No pressure, but if you need assistance they always have people to help. One part of the Sephora shopping euphoria is the samples – you always get to walk away with a couple of them, even when you shop online. I hope you all enjoy shopping there as much as I do…I’ll be there on Friday with bells on. See more about Sephora at www.sephora.com. 

It’s a given that anything Oprah reads for her book club will become wildly popular and get rave reviews. So it should come as no surprise that I completely immersed myself in one of her recent picks, “The Pillars of the Earth� by Ken Follett. Although it’s a lengthy novel, every page is interesting and makes you want to turn to the next one. It is set in the middle of the 12^th century and is centered on the fictional town of Kingsbridge.  Follett’s fascination with medieval cathedrals is what inspired this work and so it is largely about one prior’s dream to turn his meek church into a grand cathedral. Of course like any epic drama it includes love, hate, war and various other sub-plots and they are woven together beautifully. A sequel, “World Without End� was recently published and I’m anxious to get started on it. I hope it is as good as the original.

Historically, fashion trends haven’t really affected men as much as they have women. This year, however, a few small changes based on evolving fashion trends can be easy ways to update the working man’s wardrobe.  Since men typically don’t pay attention to fashion (yes, I know I’m making a hasty generalization here but I believe it’s founded) I have outlined a couple of subtle ways to keep up with the times without being too trendy.

1. First, buy a narrower tie. Your 3 ¾ inch tie should now measure closer to 3 inches.
2. Wear brighter colored shirts. Tone it down in the winter, of course, but don’t be afraid of a little bit of color.
3. If you’re shopping for a suit jacket, look for one with two buttons as opposed to three. You’ll probably also notice that the designers are making them slimmer (perhaps in conjunction with the slimmer tie?).

If you’re really into updating your wardrobe you can get more tips from a recent article that was published on Seattlepi.com: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/lifestyle/346393_mensfash08.html

I was sifting through Food & Wine magazine and came across the Silhouette wine glass. It has a hand-forged notch that creates a crystal wall to gently wrap around the nose to capture the aroma of the wine. Aesthetically, the glass looks beautiful and would make an exceptional conversation piece. Functionally, it is supposed to deliver a multi-sensory wine experience by capturing the true essence of the wine since 90% of taste and flavor comes from the sense of smell. It’s truly a unique gift idea for any wine lover. Go to www.greatestwineglass.com for more information. 

Tamarack offers a shuttle service from Boise up to the mountain. It’s a great way to get up to the resort without having to drive on the wintry roads. The cost is just $10 per person and free for season pass holders. It includes round trip transportation, coffee and breakfast snacks. The bus departs from the Eagle Home Depot on the corner of Highway 55 and State Street every Saturday and Sunday at 7:45 am and leaves the resort at 4:45 pm, returning to Boise at 6:45 pm. You can register online or over the phone. This link will give you all of the pertinent details: 

http://www.tamarackidaho.com/vacation_planning/getting_here/index.php#Boise-Shuttle   

 

White wine with white meat, right? Not always. For those of us who prefer red over white wine, Thanksgiving can be a challenge. It’s tough to find a red wine that pairs well with turkey and mashed potatoes. Thankfully, one does exist, Amarone del Valpolicella. It is produced around the lush green hills of Verona. The grapes are harvested a bit early and then left to dry before they are fermented. This process is called appassimento and it’s what gives Amarone its singularity. The wine is finished dry, but picks up a raisiny quality during the process which gives the impression of sweetness. It goes very well with poultry, and as luck would have it, with pumpkin too.
You can find Amarone at wine shops all over the Treasure Valley, including the Boise Co-Op, which sells a variety of Amarone at several price points.