Hwy 49 California Gold Country: Nevada City Part I

One of many historical homes in Nevada City

A sense of excitement overwhelmed me as I began preparation for a road trip along Highway 49 in Northern California. Although I had visited many of the towns along the way, this would be my most extensive journey along the Mother lode trail.

Today we start in Nevada City in the north, and hope to reach Oakhurst near Yosemite Valley in Central California in late May (that's when the waterfalls in Yosemite are at their maximum flow). Our travels will take us through 15 towns and cities over approximately 235 miles along highway 49.

Gold Country. For those unfamiliar with the history of our state, the discovery of gold in 1848 by John Marshall was a watershed event that forever changed the dynamics of California.

Before the discovery of gold there were less than 1,000 non-indigenous settlers in the entire state. Herds of elk and antelope filled the Central Valley with numerous mountain lions and grizzle bears who feasted upon them.

Otters filled the untamed streams and rivers that flowed from the snow-packed Sierra Madre mountain range to the east into the delta region and into the San Francisco bay.  The birds and waterfowl inhabiting the delta region were said to number in the millions.

The rush of mostly European immigrants in search of riches peaked in 1852 and is now part of California history. After the gold rush, many of these men and their families moved on to other parts of the state, some to farm the fertile soil, others took to ranching, raising cattle or sheep.

Many others moved into the urban centers of San Francisco, Sacramento or, further south to Los Angeles.

As I turned onto Broad St. off of Hwy. 49, the sense of having stepped back in time hit me as I look at the 19th century buildings lining the street.

Broad St. in downtown Nevada City. The Nevada Theatre, built in 1865 is on the near right.

Nevada City is a pearl nestled in the Sierra foothills. In his new guide book, "The Great Towns of America", David Vokac calls Nevada City, "One of the best getaways for a vacation or a lifetime".

The National Hotel

 

Our first stop is at the historical National Hotel. It is said to be the oldest continuously operating hotel in California built in stages between 1854-1857. Its more recent claim to fame was being featured on an episode of "Ghost Adventures" on the Travel Channel. Old safe and cash register.   The founders of Pacific, Gas & Electric Co. allegedly formed their company while sitting at the bar inside the National Hotel.

Daniel at Broad Street Bistro

Broad St. Bistro, featuring fair-trade coffee, organic coffees, teas and made-to-order bagels, eggs, sandwiches, and salads. Did I mention free wi-fi?

Broad St. Inn

 Built in 1870, the Broad St. Inn is a small, family-owned green business that prides itself on providing clean, comfortable accommodations at affordable rates. It is located in the heart of historic downtown and offers six contemporary rooms.  And while they don't offer meals, Broad Street Bistro is just down the street for organic coffee and wonderful pastries. www.broadstreetinn.com

Sitting Room, Broad St. Inn

  

One of six bedrooms. Each comes with private bathroom.

 

Friendly staff help make the Broad Street Inn an excellent choice for your stay in Nevada City.

Go to http://norcallifestyle.blogspot.com for part 2 of this article.

Akebono

My first impression of Akebono Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar was not good. It is located on the South side of Sacramento in a strip mall next to Rite Aid on Freeport Blvd.

Having recently moved to the Capitol City from the Bay Area (where there are a number of fine Japanese restaurants), I confess to having a bias towards the Sacramento dining scene.

Entering the restaurant, I  began to forget I was dining in a strip mall, for two reasons. The place was packed with customers. The place was packed with Japanese customers.

Another busy dinner service at Akebono

My perception of the world is often wrong, but in regards to food, me thinks people of any culture will go to the restaurant of their heritage that represents said culture the best. Ergo, I was in the right place.

I like my sushi like my emotions...raw. That means it has to be ultra fresh. That's the litmus test. Flavor, presentation and creativity should soon follow.

Sitting down at the Sushi Bar, I ordered Uni, a pile of Sea Urchin sitting on a pillow of rice, wrapped in seaweed. For my pallet, Uni captures the essence of the sea with its briny flavor. It was perfect!

Sea Urchin left, BBQ Eel on the right.

Next I ordered off the Specials Menu hanging on the wall. Sashimi (raw) cuts of blue fin tuna and king salmon, perfectly sliced, perfectly fresh.

Bright Vue of Akebono

The chef behind the counter informed me they have live Scallops. I love scallops but have never had raw scallops before so I decided to give it a try.

Raw Scallops

As you can see from the above picture, the presentation wasn't great (a black plate would have helped), but what it lacked in eye appeal was made up for in flavor, very sweet and buttery.

The atmosphere at Akebono is very relaxed and comfortable, even when packed, with people lining up out the door. Both the waitstaff and chefs are very friendly and helpful.

    Champon Ramen w/pork, shrimp, squid, fish cake & vegetable

Nabeyaki Udon w/shrimp tempura,egg, fish cake, chicken, napa cabbage, shitake musrooms & green onion.

Tuna two ways, sahimi & rolls

Akebono: 4960 Freeport Blvd, Sacramento, CA (916) 731-8288 http:/akebonojapaneserestaurant.com.

Akebono has become my go-to restaurant in South Sacramento. Ciao for now!

Orale Mole Food Truck...a love story.

Orale (What's Up!) Mole Food Truck Sacramento/Elk Grove

It was the brilliant red & green color scheme that first got my attention. Like a fish chasing an attractive fishing lure, I whipped my van around and headed for the food truck.

I grew up "back-in-the-day" when food trucks were not so affectionately called "roach coaches", or worse, "garbage trucks". You could find them buzzing around isolated work locations where workers had few options for lunch. Been there done that.

If there was a food truck to be found worth visiting, chances were it was dishing out burritos and small tacos. I loved the little tacos served with carne asada or carnitas with a bits of chopped onion and cilantro, a splash of lime juice served with fresh salsa, pickled jalapeno or, better yet, both!

Today, food truck dining is a national sensation! From New York to San Francisco, twitter to facebook, pinterest to tumbler, the e-world is alive with noise of this burgeoning business. And for good reason, there are some really talented people opening new and inventive food venues that blaze a new trail for the American diner.

So when I walked up to this red & green kitchen on wheels I had high hopes. Then I saw the "key word". Mole! Having traveled to Oaxaca, the "Land of Mole"  many times, I have a real love affair with mole. There are many different moles made in many different ways depending on which  Oaxacan mother has made it.

They are rich, often complex sauces that are unique in my culinary experience. So the stage was set. What I didn't know at the time was the wonderful story behind the man manning the Orale Mole food truck window, Roel Olivares Jr.

Fortunately for me, I had picked the perfect time to chat with Roel as he was just setting up for the evening. Looking at his menu I asked him about his food and it didn't take long to discover the inspiration behind his business.

The idea of owing a food truck was the dream of Roel and his wife Nancy Olivares. While putting together their plans to start a food truck business, Nancy was diagnosed with breast cancer. Unfortunately, Nancy eventually lost her battle with cancer. After a period of grieving, Roel decided to finish what they had started, dedicating the business to his late wife.

"The recipes are from my two grandmothers (Olivares and Serrano)."

Chicken Mole plate

"Nancy and I loved cooking together. Funny Story, before we met Nancy never had Pico de Gallo (salsa) or anything hot, but halfway through our marriage, she was keeping up with me eating Habanero Salsa."

On Roel's truck you will find the letters "831" and a pink ribbon with Nancy's name attached. "The 831 is, eight letters, three words, one meaning (I love you). This is how we always closed our letters and texts to each other for 26 years."

The pink ribbon is in honor of her memory." Roel also formed the Nancy L. Foundation which is supportive services for breast cancer survivors and their spouses.

Also on the website, Roel has a special page of tribute for Nancy. "Keep your head up. God gives his hardest battles to his strongest soldiers."

Carne Asada Tacos with Raspberry-Chipotle Sauce

If you're in the Elk Grove-Sacramento area look up the Orale Mole Food Truck. Click on 'Schedule' to find Orale Mole's upcoming locations.

Orale (What's Up!) Mole Food Truck: oralemole.mx. 
1-855-67-ORALE. Twitter: http://twitter.com/ORALEmole


Ciao for now!

One day, one city...Napa, CA

Leland "Lee" Mitchell -  Napa Firefighters Museum

Thursday we explored the Oxbow Public Market in downtown Napa. Today we'll be looking at other things to do in the city of Napa.

The Napa Firefighters Museum: www.napafirefightersmuseum.org.  contains a collection of artifacts that spans Napa's firefighting history. It is open free to the public and has been at it's current location, 1201 Main Street in the city of Napa for over 16 years.

Unfortunately, it appears the museums day are numbered having lost their lease. The Napa Community Redevelopment Agency, which had been leasing the historic sight, was eliminated by the State of California and all their assets are being liquidated.

For now the museum remains open free to the public  from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays.

Loose Caboose Hobbies: www.loosecaboose.com. 820-A Third St. is a complete model train and hobby shop.

They carry a complete line of model trains, railroad accessories, and supplies to build your dream layout. They also have all the popular scales (G 1/22.5, O 1/48, HO 1/87, and N 1/160) as well as popular brands such as; Athearn, Walthers, Atlas, Bachmann, LifeLike, Proto2000, MTH Rail King, Lionel, LGB, Accucraft, AristoCraft, Kato, and Micro-Trains. For the kids, they have a complete Wooden Thomas the Tank Engine section with a Thomas play table.

The Loose Caboose carries several other things to satisfy your hobby desire. They have an extensive assortment of hobby needs including plastic models, rockets, slot cars, strategic tapletop games, wood, landscaping materials, radio control planes, tools, science experiments, rock polishing equipment and more. 
Store hours: Tues-Sat 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sun 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Mark Harold Wines: www.Heroldwines.com. 710 First St. 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. closed Wednesdays. So what does one do with two PhD's in Biology? Why, become a winemaker of course! After a stint at Joseph Phelps as an Research Enologist, Mark produced his own label Merus in the garage of his downtown home in Napa in 1998. It was good enough to receive 93 points from Robert Parker! 

Dean Williams, director at Mark Herold Wine Tasting Room.

On our recent visit, we sampled some of Mark's current lables, including Acha, Flux, Collide and Mark Harold. These are all small batch wines that are well worth investigating. We also tasted from a wineries he is currently consulting for. One of our favorites was the 2009 Maze Cabernet Sauvignon. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Coombsville, Pritchard Hill and Oakville is an outstanding value at $60 per bottle.

Among our other favorites that we sampled were the 2011 Acha Blanca which is made from 100% Albarino grapes, the 2011 Flux Blanc which is a Grenache Blanc dominated white blend, and the 2012 Flux Rose, a blush made from Grenache, Carignane and Syrah grapes.

Zuzu Tapas & Paella: www.zuzunapa.com. 829 Main St. Mon to Thurs 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Fri 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., Sat 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., Sun 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Zuzu is a marvelous tapas bar that I visited for the first time. Tapas are small plates. The restaurant offers a modern, California version of tapas along with some traditional offerings based on the cuisines of Spain, Portugal and the Mediterranean.

Wild Mushroom Empanada

Are favorite dish was an Empanada filled with roasted local wild mushrooms & herbed chevre and came with a Guajillo Sauce & Micro green salad with a Honey-Sherry & Apple Cider Vinaigrette. Both the empanada & salad were way good.

Gambas al ajillo

Gambas al ajillo, fresh Gulf Shrimp with Garlic, Piquin Chili and Pimenton was a close second. Although the Mrs. complained about burning her fingers peeling the hot shrimp...I got it. Sometimes a little pain is necessary to attain pleasure (Socrates). Cooking the gambas in the shell equals succulent, flavorful shrimp and these were cooked perfectly in a very good sauce. Naturally you need slice baguette to polish off the sauce. A traditional Spanish dish executed perfectly. A glass of their house-made Sangria made this a perfect lunch. Almost perfect.

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Artichoke Hearts and Onions with Ancho chile sauce.

 A third dish left me frustrated over what might have been. Our final dish, Roasted fingerling potatoes, artichoke hearts and spring onions had my mouth watering in anticipation. The individual ingredients were cooked perfectly. Unfortunately, the kitchen forgot to season this dish. Just a little sea salt away from perfection; woe is me! Perhaps a drizzle of olive oil as well. Anyway, two out of three ain't bad!

Giovanni Scala, proprietor Bistro Don Giovanni

Finally, we end our day in Napa at my "go-to" restaurant, Bistro Don Giovanni:
www.bistrodongiovanni.com. Very few restaurants attained the "triple crown" of dining. Excellent food, service and setting. Bistro Don Giovanni attains all three, and they've been providing it since 1993.

Lindsay preparing my favorite salad.

Beet, Hericot Vert, Fennel & Avocado Salad w/Roquefort Vinaigrette. Awesome!

As a former chef who worked with and for Italians from Italy, Donna Scala is my hero. Her French technique and California sensibilities with traditional Italian dishes is a thing of beauty. Salads, appetizers, pizzas, pasta and main dishes all reach a high level. You really can't go wrong with whatever you choose. I'm a pasta-risotto fiend so that's usually where I hang out on the menu.

Seared Salmon w/buttermilk mashed potatoes, tomato-chive butter. 

Garganelli Bolognese: Wild Boar Ragu, sage & aged Provolone

I hope you enjoyed our day in Napa. It hardly covers everything. We didn't have time to mention the great shopping at the downtown mall or the factory outlets. A Bose factory outlet, who knew! Or mention such great dining spots as Morimoto Napa, Oenotri (where my favorite pizza in all Northern California is made). That means we will have to make another trip to Napa soon!

Ciao for now!

Oxbow Public Market - Napa, CA

Oxbow Market was established with a mind toward providing the convenience of one stop shopping with the quality, freshness, and character of a local farmers' market. For a complete list of vendor's, visit their website at: www.oxbowmarket.com.

Gott's Roadside:  www.gott.com. This family run business has two other locations in St. Helena and at the Ferry Building in San Francisco.

Their daily changing menu features produce from their own garden in St. Helena. I recommend the "Ahi burger" that comes with 5 oz. of sushi grade Ahi tuna which is seared rare and served with ginger-wasabi mayo & Asian slaw on a toasted egg bun. 

The Fatted Calf Charcuterie

Fatted Calf Charcuterie: www.fattedcalf.com. 
The Fatted Calf is an artisanal charcuterie and butcher shop, producing a wide range of hand-crafted products using only the best available organic and hormone-free meats, superior seasonings and salts, organic herbs and produce.

They offer a variety of charcuterie such as pates, salami, prosciutti, and confits, along with a large selection of fresh sausages and cured meats. All of their fresh products are made on site in small batches to guarantee quality. The Fatted Calf also features a daily menu of sandwiches and charcuterie platters to go.

Want to make Penne Al Amatricana? They make their own Guanciale (which I prefer over pancetta). Looking for Duck Confit? They make theirs using all-natural raised ducks from nearby Liberty Farms in Sonoma.

Planning a picnic in Napa? Try their Pork Rillettes (pork spread) or maybe the Wild Mushrooms Terrine. Yeah baby! They also have a location in Hayes Valley in San Francisco.

Whole Spice: www.wholespice.com.
So where do people in the know go for their herbs and spices? This is the place. Not planning a visit to Napa in the near future?  No problem, Ronit & Shuli Madmone will be happy to ship.

They offer over 300 different spices and over 50 blends. For a complete list, visit their website. 

Model Bakery: www.themodelbakery.com.
The Model Bakery is certainly no stranger to the Napa Valley as their original location in St. Helena has been open for over 80 years.

Karen Mitchell has been the owner for over 20 years with her daughter Sarah. They specialize in artisan breads made with organic stone ground flours and the highest quality ingredients as well as a complete line of pastry products. 

Model Bakery goodies

So after you've picked up your pork spread, mushroom terrine and assorted salamis from the Fatted Calf you can find your bread and cookies at Model Bakery.

Oxbow Cheese & Wine Merchant:
www.winemerchant.com.
Since you're going on a picnic, you might as well pick up wine & cheese! They also have a second location at the Ferry building in San Francisco.

Hog Island Oyster: www.hogislandoysters.com
Hog Island oysters, oh how I love thee! Hog Island grows their own Pacific, Kumamoto and Atlantic oysters (along with Manila clams & mussels) in the pristine Tomales Bay estuary.

Pristine is the optimum word as the oysters are the best to be found in Northern California. Besides raw oysters, you can order them off the grill (Rockefeller or Casino), along with such favorites as excellent salads, (local) Rancho Gordo baked beans, chowder and rustic seafood stew among other things.

Pica Pica Maize Kitchen: www.picapica.com.
Featuring the cuisine of Venezuela and introducing the arepa to American palates. Arepa 
(ah-ray-pay) is a corn flour cake (similar to the Mexican gordita) that is made fresh daily, grilled, cut open lengthwise and stuffed with various meat and vegetable fillings. Make sure you ask for some of the Guasacaca sauce.

Kitchen Door: www.kitchendoor.com.
Chef and co-owner Todd Humphries has been wowing  
Northern California diners since arriving from New York and taking over the helm of the Campton Place Hotel in San Francisco.

His current endeavor features comfort food taken to the next level. Menu favorites include the Roast Chicken Banh-mi with duck liver mousse, Korean style Short Ribs and the 1/2 lb. Grilled Kobe style Beef Burger.

Saturday, March 30th: We'll be exploring some of the other interesting places around the city of Napa. Ciao for now!

Blazing a New Trail...All Natural & Organic Beef

As mentioned in a previous blog, I really love going to farmer's markets. It is a convenient way to purchase fresh produce directly from the farmers. You will now find produce sellers at farmer's markets sharing space with ranchers. Niche cattle ranchers who specialize in all natural and organic beef have found a new venue to sell their meat.

Most of these local ranchers are too small to compete with large rancher's who get the lion's share of business at super market chains. Some specialty stores do direct business with the small rancher and now farmer's markets have become a meeting place for the natural and organic conscious consumer. What's the difference between "organic" and "natural"? I'm glad you asked!

Lucky Dog Ranch at the Sunday Farmer's Market in Sacramento. 

Certified Organic Beef:

Organic certification is not an easy thing to come by. First the rancher must maintain a fully verifiable production system that collects information on the history of every animal in the program, including its breed history, veterinary care and feed.   

The animal must be born and raised on pastureland that has been certified to be free of synthetic pesticides, fertilizers and other amendments. All the feed that the animal receives must also be certified as organically grown grasses and grains. The feed also cannot contain any animal by-products.

For the rancher and the consumer, the payoff for organic practices means livestock are kept strong, healthy and productive through good nutrition, less stress and humane living conditions, rather than through antibiotics or injections of artificial growth hormones.  

All Natural Beef:

Here's where it gets tricky. According to the USDA, "all natural" beef can be fed growth hormones, antibiotics, animal by-products, treated with chemical pesticides and implanted with steroids. As long as the final product does not have anything added to it and is "minimally processed" it can be call "all natural".

So it's important to know if the "all natural" beef you are purchasing eschews these practices. Why? Here's an example: A recent study by Danish scientists suggested that hormone residues in U.S. beef may be linked to high rates of breast and prostate cancer, as well as to early-onset puberty in girls.  

Grass-fed Beef:

"Grass-fed beef" is often mistaken to be synonymous with "organic beef".  As a general rule, cattle are grain fed before butchering to fatten them up. Thus you will find cuts of beef at market that are lean in the center with marbling towards the outer portion of the beef. 

My Preferance:

I have had many people tell me they prefer the flavor of grass fed beef. Here comes that word again..."flavor". There's no way a 100% grass fed piece of beef taste better than  a well marbled cut. So what's the answer for those of use looking for a healthy steak that has flavor? My choice is Lucky Dog Ranch from Dixon.

Ron & Terri Gillaland owners of Lucky Dog
 Ranch with "Lucky", their McNab herding dog

The Lucky Dog Ranch herd runs on an open pasture from birth to harvest, always maintaining the natural group dynamic. The cattle is handled in the most humane way possible. They are never given antibiotics or hormone laden feed. When it comes to finishing the cattle, the only change in their routine is the introduction of a free choice bunk of grain and hay; custom mixed. This mix is brewers’ grain (from Sudwerk brewery in Davis), almond hulls, oat hay, alfalfa and molasses. 

Below is a list of some Northern California Organic and Natural Cattle Ranchers. If you can find it at your farmer's market that probably means its local and local adds up to sustainable.


Organic:

Eel River Organic Beef:  www.certified-organic-beef.com. You can find their beef at Golden Gate Meats which is inside the Ferry building in San Francisco. The Ferry building is home to a farmer's market every Tuesday and Saturday and is the creme-de-la-creme of farmer's markets in Northern California. 

Prather Ranch:  www.pratherranch.com. Prather Ranch raises Organic and Natural herds on their ranch near Mt. Shasta. They have a retail outlet at the Ferry building, store #32 in San Francisco. For a complete list of places to find their product check out their website. Purchase online.

Prather Ranch sells dry-aged beef, my favorite!

All Natural Beef:

Lucky Dog Ranch:  www.luckydogranchbeef.com. Their beef is dry-aged 21 days. Check their website for retail locations or ordering online.

Five Dot Ranch:  www.fivedotranch.com. The Swickard family  has been in the business of producing grain and livestock in California. 

Five Dot Ranch retail store inside the Oxbow Public Market in Napa.

Lazy 69 Ranch: www.lazy69ranch.com.   100% grass fed beef. Order online.

***

Visit NorCal Lifestyle on Thursday, March 28th, as we explore the city of Napa. Most people who come to the Napa Valley  drive straight through on their way to destinations further up the valley. All that has changed as Napa has now become the new destination in Napa Valley. Ciao for now!