Andrew's (Mom's) Kitchen, Salem, Oregon

      One of my favorite parts of the blogging experience is to journal about the different cultures, dining, and meals we've experienced.  Tonight is no exception.  Back in 2011 when my sister Debby and her family came up to undertake the re-roofing of mom's house I played the role of 'camp cook'.  I am sure it is mostly because Jim and their sons didn't want my 'out of shape caboose' up on the roof, but they knew I loved to cook and I did enjoy the challenge.  They seemed to love the meals:  Chicken Enchiladas, Beef Short Rib Lasagna, Cranberry Chicken, etc.  It was fun.     

      This trip, my nephew threw down his own gauntlet.....or spatula if you will.  Andrew Dikih is the Brewmeister at Seven Brides Brewery in Silverton, OR www.sevenbridesbrewing.com/index.php
and I can tell you that his wares are 'top notch'.  When he heard I was visiting he insisted on the role of Chef for the evening.  In fact he has been rehearsing the meal for him mom already.  My shoes may be smelly, but they aren't that big.  Debby invited all her children and spouses to dinner as we so seldom get together. 



      Andrew prepared a meal 'sous vide' method, which is cooking food sealed in airtight plastic bags in a water bath or in a temperature-controlled steam environment for much longer than normal cooking times.  He selected a very nice piece of beef roast.  Once seasoned, it is vacuum sealed and placed in the crockpot.  Only water is added to the nearly full level of the pot. 

 

      Once the initial water temperature is stabilized in the crockpot, a temperature controlled power box is placed inline with the crockpot power plug and the wall socket.  A temperature probe is inserted in the crockpot which monitors the temperature and then controls power to the crockpot as needed.  This was set at 132 degrees.  Andrew started the meal at approximately 7 p.m. the night before.  The idea here is to break down the collagen material within the beef over a long period of time, rendering the meat as tender as can be. 

     Unfortunately, Deb's two daughters were unable to attend.  Kristina and her husband have full lives living in Portland working and attending school.  Anya is living and working for Hurst Magazine Corporation in Los Angeles.  Deb and I sous cheff'd the rest of the meal till Andrew arrived Wednesday evening.  .  He finished up the roast by cutting it from the vacuum seal and searing it in a very hot skillet for several minutes before slicing. 

 

 





 

      When finished with searing and resting it was sliced as thinly as possible.  Andrew also served up a delicious Aus Jus to go with the meat.  The meat was still very pink inside, yet done to perfection, as was Andrew.   

      Our meal consisted of the roast, roasted squash, sweet taters, onions, and Brussels sprouts,  roasted creamy Yukon Gold taters, and salad.  We finished off the evening with some creamy vanilla ice cream over slices of Apple Blueberry Cobbler. 

 

      When served the roast looked very much like a great cut of Prime Rib......pink on the inside, yet firm and warm to the palate.  It was perfect with a side of Horseradish Sauce, delicious!  I could have easily fooled into believing this was perfectly tender Prime Rib.  The texture and flavor were unparalleled.  The entire meal was to die for.  It was certainly very comforting to sit around the table and visit with sister and nephews I hadn't seen in several years.



      Andrew has a degree in Computer Science from Oregon State University, yet works at his first love......brewing.  His love of culinary science has been only recently, but I have to say this young man has a bright future wherever he decides to plant his flag.  Up to 3 days ago I had never heard of Sous Vide, yet this was easily the best piece of beef I have eaten in many years.  Tonight, Andrew was the Master Chef.  I doff my hat to him! 

 

 





The Crazy Norwegian's, Port Orford, Oregon

      Traveling up the Oregon coast looking to set up camp in our latest location, most restaurants don't offer many surprises.  It's always homecooked seafood, fresh seafood, and seafood cooked unusually.....or crappy pizza.  This was one of those days where we traveled and either didn't have anything planned, thawed out, or just plain forgot.  We were camping at Cape Blanco (5 days free as a veteran),  just 8 miles north of Port Orford and there were only three main restaurants online worthy of consideration.  I always put my faith on a good 'internet presence' and even a Facebook page to advertise.  Just sayin'....



      The Crazy Norwegian has a reputation for the best 'Fish n Chips' on the Oregon Coast and so it gets our nod.  This was only a 90 mile travel day so after setting up we relaxed, enjoyed 'Cocktail Hour' and then set out to feast.  The restaurant also gets 'high marks' from the locals even after it was taken over by new management.  We arrived just at the dinner hour and found plenty of room. 



      We were greeted by our server who presented us with several menus:  the regular menu, the new menu items the new owner wants to try out, and the Valentine's Day menu.  We opted for the regular as we already pretty much knew what we wanted.  They have a large selection of fresh local seafood meals, including chowder, steamer clams, crab, fish n chips, shrimp n chips, and many more.  I was a bit surprised to find that the fish n chips used Alaskan Cod rather than fresh caught local, but went with it anyway.  Good Cod is good fish.  I ordered the fish and chips while Barb (did not) stretch the limits of her palate and ordered a bacon cheeseburger.  (sorry, NO picture)

 

      The portions are generous and it was served piping hot.  The price for this dish:  $7.95  I do have to admit I don't know if it was the substitution of Alaskan Cod or the new owners recipe or what,  but good as it was......it was only average.  In fact it was a bit dry and the breading lacked much seasoning.  The coleslaw and fries were very tasty.  I like crunchy coleslaw with some, but not drowning in, sauce.  The new owner did stop by our table several times once she saw me photographing.  We discussed our love of 'Food Porn' and 'Food-gasms'.  I was polite, complimented her, and told her I would post some pictures on her webpage for her. 

       On the owner's recommendation I did order a slice of fresh Oregon Marionberry Pie.  It was 'to die for'!  I get this every time I come home.  It would have been perfect accompanied by some Tillamook Marionberry Pie Ice Cream, but there was none to be found.  It was the perfect end to our experience.  At our age this is the 'Height of Romance'.......one slice of pie, two forks.  I picked up the check. 



      Don't get me wrong, the food wasn't bad, it just wasn't what I expected.  I have had fish n chips many times and for a place rated #1 in Oregon....these were just 'ok'.  Barb did love her burger and our server was very good, we tipped her well regardless.  Part of the job of reviewing restaurants for this blog is honesty.  I am hoping that the next person comes along and finds this is the best damn fish they've ever had!  They were nice people and I wish them the best. 



   

Shaky Town.....how to do it in 2 days!

     This is another one of those destinations we were always curious to visit.  Not that we like big cities AT ALL mind you, but just to experience a unique culture in a setting all it's own.  Researching the camping opportunities for this proved to be a bit mind boggling.  Many of the camping spots very near or in the city itself were 'tent only'.  Those others that were close and catered to RVs were somewhere in the neighborhood of $80 or had such ridiculous rules I couldn't believe it.  For example, one park specifically stated that if you parked your trailer there, you COULD NOT REMOVE YOUR TOW VEHICLE FROM THE PREMISES.  Worried about 'drop offs' I guess.  Although I am not a huge fan, we booked our stay at KOA in Petaluma, CA, about 39 freeway miles north of San Francisco.  $49 a night with all the family-type amenities that go with 'suburban pretend' camping.  I did like having cable TV for the Super Bowl though. 



     Our first day consisted simply of traveling to Napa in the morning to do some sightseeing.  It is nowhere near grape season, but it was fun to take a drive through the Sonoma and Napa Valley Wine Country.



We ran a few other errands and then returned home in the afternoon to begin making snacks and enjoy the 458 hour Super Bowl Pregame Show. 
      Day #2 we headed into San Francisco to knock off some our sightseeing list as well as meet with a high school buddy of mine and his fiancé for dinner.  As I said earlier it is a straight 39 mile shot down the freeway to the big city so the commute was pretty easy.  The scenery wasn't bad either. 

     I found San Francisco pretty easy to get around in even with my truck.  The entire city of over 825,000 is only 49 square miles (of mostly hills) and if you have a good map it is just a matter of finding well located, reasonable parking to begin your day.  Now when I say reasonable parking I mean the cheapest we found was $35 for an entire day.  Once parked we toured the waterfront and got a good shot of Alcatraz Island and perhaps it's next likely inhabitant, Pier 39, Fisherman's Wharf, and saw some of San Francisco's most famous mode of transportation.  We topped off our day meeting an old high school buddy and his fiancé for dinner. 

 





 

 

 

 



      Day #3 found us once again in the city this time to ride the trolleys and visit China Town and sample the wares at Ghirardelli Square.  We visited Golden Gate Park and the Presidio just to get a better look at the bridge and town and then headed back to the waterfront.  This time we parked right down from Ghirardelli Square and next to the Trolley Car Switch Station at a metered spot.  A spark of brilliance?

 

 



 

      At first we walked up to Ghirardelli Square and did some shopping, to include several bars of delicious chocolate and sample their famous Chocolate Sundaes.  This brand of San Francisco chocolate is to die for and at the showroom if you buy 4 bars you get the 5th one free, plus Barb had a 10% off coupon as well.  The sundae?  It was not the best I have ever had, but it was pretty good nonetheless.  I did pick up several very nice hard to find spices at a local shop for future meals of lamb and buffalo.  Barb is smiling below cause her sundae cost less than my spices....

 

      We journeyed back down to the Trolley Car Switch Station where we rechecked the meter and made a decision.  We decided to put the maximum $ we were allowed for 4 additional hours and decided that this $10.95 spent on a parking meter was a much better deal than what we paid the day before.  Lesson learned?  The Trolley Car Switch is the end of the line at the bottom of Hyde Street where all the trolleys finish their route, but it is in effect a dead end.  They drive the car onto to a moveable turntable and then the car is manually rotated 180 degrees and sent back out on it's next run.  It may be a bit antiquated, but entertaining to watch.

 

      There are only 3 routes, but they take you to, or within a short walking distance of, any of the major sights you wish to see.  The cost to ride is $6 one way or $17 for an all day ticket.  They accept cash only and the conductor seldom has change.  This mode of transportation is strictly ambience and not made for comfort.  The journey from Fisherman's Wharf to Chinatown took about 15 minutes and took us up and down several STEEP hills.  Runaways?  No, but several eyebrows were raised!  Trolleys always have the right of way and they know it.   

 

 

      The conductor on our trolley was very entertaining and provided us with several useful travel tips as well as information about the San Francisco area.  For instance nearly all of the housing in the downtown San Francisco area is either apartments or houses that are two story and 'stacked' side by side. 

 

      Although this architecture may appear quaint, the costs will baffle you!  These houses often cost from 1 to 2+ million dollars and if you choose to rent the monthly costs run from $5,000 to $18,000 per month!  He showed us a pretty small 3 bedroom 2 story on our route that recently sold for $2 million! 

 

 

 

      Once we ended up in Chinatown with our mouths still agape, we headed out in search of new adventures.  What we found was unexpected.......complete high speed confusion. 

 





      This is the largest such 'Chinese American' community in the world outside of Asia and so it becomes a world all it's own.  There are literally dozens of blocks of open air markets, grocery stores, produce markets, mini-malls, butcher shops, and souvenir shops.  This combined with literally tens of thousands of locals and a few of us tourists made simply walking the sidewalks interesting.  There is little politeness, but with such a dense population I would imagine this is just part of the culture.  You have to pretend you're Marshawn Lynch behind your blockers and go 'Beast Mode' to get from here to......anywhere. 



      Where we went after about 30 minutes was the New Asian Restaurant, recommended for it's authentic cuisine at reasonable prices.  Once we were seated the experience heightened quickly.  We were handed a picture type menu and quickly bombarded by one cart after another of menu items already prepared and ready to serve us.  After our heads became 'swivel ready' switching from the menu to the current server & cart we made our selections.   You are actually eating within 5 minutes after you walk in the door.  The noodle selection, the shrimp/pork dumplings, and the spring rolls were delicious!  We both had water with our meals, but I enjoyed the hot herbal tea afterwards while I relaxed.  Cost for lunch:  $17.50

 

 

      Afterwards we did a bit more traversing the crowds before we searched for the nearest trolley stop where we could catch the return trip to Fisherman's Wharf.  Yeah, Chinatown is exhausting.  By the time we returned to the truck we were both pretty tuckered out.  The drive back to the RV was much earlier today, but we did spend some time in 'getting the hell outta town' traffic.  Still it was good to get back and do some prepacking.  We head out to the coast and north beginning tomorrow, just in time to hunker down and ride out a pretty good winter storm coming in off the Pacific for the next 4-5 days.  We thoroughly enjoyed the bay area and glad we did it.  The food and culture are wonderful.  I gained a whole new respect for the folks who live here cause I don't know how the hell they afford it, and are yet so very friendly.

 

      We end this chapter of our blog with a simple, yet very informative quiz about visiting the San Francisco bay area. 

 

What is the SFMTA policy regarding vehicles that are longer than the currently painted metered curb spaces?

1)  Nothing, after all not everyone is driving a Toyota Prius

2)  Nothing as long as you don't hit the car in front of or behind you

3)  They leave you a warning ticket informing you that next time you should seek alternative parking options.  After all, you paid the meter properly and still had 1 hour 11 minutes of time left. 

4)  They write you a ticket for $103 for obstructing parking perhaps because they spotted your out of state plates realizing the perfect opportunity to help balance their out of control budget or are still sore that the 49ers Coach Harbaugh left SF for Michigan. 

 

(Answer:  Barb is currently writing the check...)  Lesson learned? 

 

WiFi provided by the Petaluma, CA KOA Campground.

 

 

 

 



 



     

 

Cioppiono's: San Francisco, California

      In the bay area this might be considered a 'no brainer'.  There are literally hundreds of very good dining establishments to eat at in the City by the Bay, but we met a high school friend of mine for dinner on his recommendation so it is what it is.  Located near Fisherman's Wharf it was pretty easy to locate and park.  Main downtown San Francisco is only about 49 square miles and as such is easier than others to navigate. 



      Cioppino's is all about the seafood, Italian Style.  As the menu says, "it's a Fisherman's Wharf tradition".  Serving a myriad of dishes from Calimari, Crab Cakes, Mussels, Crabs, Prawns, Chowder, Swordfish, Mahi Mahi, Salmon, and many more Italian combinations this place has a little bit of everything.  http://www.letseat.at/Cioppinos/menu  This would not make it easy for me except for my never ending labor of love. 
      We met Jim and his fiancé Karen at the restaurant and picked a very nice table by the front.  The waiter was friendly and helpful.  After drinks and some catching up we ordered.  I chose the Shellfish Medley which was loaded with Seasoned Dungeness Crab, Mussels, Jumbo Shrimp, and Red Potatoes.  It is served with garlic bread and a bowl of melted butter to help contribute to your mess.  I was given a plastic bib just in case.  I needed it. 



 

      Barb ordered the Linguine with Freshly Steamed Clams.  It was topped with a rich, creamy sauce, fresh parsley and served with garlic bread.  The food was delicious and I can say that I will taste the garlic from this meal for a day or two.  All the ingredients were either made from scratch or caught fresh right from the San Francisco harbor.  The meal was incredibly delicious, the portions were very large, and the service was excellent.  San Francisco is not a cheap town to visit and as such the meal for two with drinks came to $70.  What the heck....it's not like you can take all this retirement money with you! 

Land Yachting Nevada....

      Leaving Quartzsite we set our compass north along the Colorado River and into Nevada.  Passing through Parker, Lake Havasu, and associated communities was a never ending parade of RV parks, Condos, and retirement communities. Beautiful, but very crowded.  There was little privacy without the $$$ attached.  London Bridge is overrated.  This picture courtesy of the Lake Havasu website. 

     

      We were not planning on stopping in Las Vegas so we stopped short to boondock at the Railroad Pass Casino, about 15 miles south of town.  They have an upper lot dedicated to no more than 3 nights stay for RVs, but we did talk to one gentleman who had been there 5 weeks without interruption.  Cost......zero.  The area is famous for a large herd of Desert Bighorn Sheep in the nearby rocky cliffs, but after several hours of surveying I found none.  Barb, however, did come out $136 ahead in the casino.  That always makes us both happy. 
 



      The next day we gassed up, had breakfast, and got the truck/RV washed at Blue Beacon Truck/RV Wash in North Las Vegas, before heading north.  Although Blue Beacon is designed to handle large commercial trucks we have used them twice on this trip with incredibly good results.  $39 for a complete wash/treatment of both truck and RV.  They do a very nice job getting rid of all the road grime no matter how bad.  These are located across the US along interstate highways. www.bluebeacon.com
 



 

      We headed up I-15 and then north along US 93 towards Ely, Nevada.  This is about 300 miles of straight, flat, nothingness.  I know for a fact that I watched some of these desert views for nearly an hour before finally arriving at the next hill!  Unfortunately, we also constantly gained in altitude and the addition of a pretty good headwind helped cut our fuel mileage to 9.8 mpg.  So much for the 16 mpg + numbers we accrued coming across New Mexico and Arizona.  The 2nd night we camped at the Prospector Hotel & Casino in Ely, NV who had full hookups for $15 a night....can't pass up a bargain!  The casino/restaurant/bar were pretty busy due to a big local fishing tournament so after Barb contributed to the local economy we enjoyed a good salad in the RV.  I do have to 'pimp' Guy Fieri's Mozzarella Parmesan Pork Sausage as it was a delicious addition to our salad.  Some of the best I have ever had.  



      The next day we completed our dry land voyage to Battle Mountain, NV.  U.S. Highway 50 is nicknamed "The loneliest highway in America", with good reason.  After some initial road ice on the first hills out of town we were able to set the cruise control.  The route was much more scenic as we climbed 5 different mountain passes, 4 of which were over 7000 feet.  It did still have it's long, flat stretches, but didn't seem as mind-numbing as the day before.  We did much better this day as we averaged 14.1 mpg over 235 miles even with the mountains.



      I haven't seen my cousin Tom, but once since high school and although we were fairly close 'way back when' lost touch over the years.  He lives in the country outside of town so we were able to park next to his house and 'mooch-dock' for two nights.  Cost...(insert smiley face here).  In fact he had smoked Cornish Game Hens and some Chili waiting for us when we arrived.  After a bonfire and a couple of cold ones the family was once again intact.                                             

       I did have some repairs to make to the solar harness as a fitting I had just disconnected fried when it fell and arched against the wrong address on the battery bank.  I got a new SAE connector and patched it up the next day.  Barb and I really enjoyed seeing Tom again, but next time might be in Northern Idaho as he has purchased property to build a cabin on once he retires in a year or so.  To top things off Barb found several agates in Tom's driveway gravel.  Suffice it to say our rig is getting heavier. 

      The next day we arrived in Reno to some rain.  We made reservations at the Grand Sierra Hotel/Casino RV Park figuring it would give us access to all the major downtown stuff we wanted to do.  Total price for a very nice back in spot with extra room for the truck was $25/night with a 25% discount for retired military.  Total price for 4 nights:  $85 with tax.  The next morning we were treated with a much less rainy view. 

 

      We visited the Grand Sierra Casino our first night, but did venture downtown and around the area for a bit the next day.  Alcohol is very expensive in Reno.....I found $4-$6 beers to be common, but was informed that better deals exist @ The Cal Nev Casino among others.  I will be in search of them.  Barb did much better with the economy, profiting $324 for her first two nights. 

 

      Day 3 we ventured south to Carson City, Lake Tahoe and the little village of Gardnerville, Nevada.  The trip to Lake Tahoe was uneventful and without much snow either.  The pass going across from just south of Carson City had very little on it as did the pass out into Minden on our way back. 

 

 



      The lake itself is beautiful with some of the clearest water I have ever seen.  We stopped in Stateline, NV for a couple of hours to do some sightseeing and so Barb could overcome her 'One Arm Bandit Withdrawal' sickness at Harrah's.  There was snow up there in the Sierras somewhere as we saw multitudes of skiers and snowboarders coming back into town late afternoon.  One of the locals told us they are in the middle of a 4 year drought which has eliminated much of the snowpack necessary to keep Lake Tahoe full enough to support summer boat docks.  On the way back we sidestepped into the small town of Gardnerville to dine at the area's premier Basque Restaurants, J.T. Basque's Bar & Grill.  The ambience, food, and service were incredible. 

     Day 4 consisted of picking up some lamb we ordered cut up and getting the truck serviced as Barb battled the laundry including all the bedding.  Friday night we toured Virginia Street for the last time this trip.  Barb finished up $40 tonight.  Thank you, Reno.  I'm sure we'll see each other again. 

 

WiFi courtesy of our Verizon MiFi Hotspot 

J.T. Basque Bar & Dining Room: Gardnerville, Nevada

      Northern Nevada is known for it's large population of Basque communities, largely composed of sheep ranchers.  They originally hail from the northern regions of Spain bordering France on the Bay of Biscay.  They are renown for their cuisine which often centers around lamb and is best served family style.  My cousin had recommended several fine Basque restaurants in his neighboring communities of Winnemucca and Elko, but our time ran short and we had heard of a very famous one south of Reno in the village of Gardnerville.

 

      J.T. Basque (http://www.jtbasquenv.com/index.html) has been serving the area for over 50 years.  They are located in the village of Gardnerville, about 40 miles south of Reno.  They have been voted Best Basque Restaurant in the Carson Valley including Reno for more than a decade running.  Their food contains only local grass fed beef, chicken, lamb and vegetables.  Everything is, of course, homemade.



       It all started in 1896 when an early Gardnerville entrepreneur named Hans Nelson bought and moved the building from its original location in the Virginia City, Nevada area. Since then, the authentic Victorian building has served as a hotel, saloon and dining hall throughout its more than 100 year history in downtown Gardnerville. With the exception of the hitching post and horse outside, the Lekumberry family has restored the building's façade to look as it did over 100 years ago. 



      The menu specializes in traditional Basque Cuisine:  top sirloin steak, lamb shoulder, lamb chops, chicken, rabbit, pigs feet with tripe, and an assortment of sweetbreads and stews.  Everything is served 'family style'.  All, that is except the Picon Punch.....you're on your own with that one!



       Barb and I timed our visit to arrive a bit early for dinner as there is often a 30-40 minute wait for a table.  There are no reservations.  We had visited Carson City and Lake Tahoe earlier so our appetites were primed and ready when we arrived.  Their definition of 'family style' is each course is served individually with plates swapped each time the next course arrives.  Before your order is taken the waitress offers you a glass of traditional Picon Punch, which consists of Amer Picon Orange Bitters, Grenadine, Soda, and Brandy.  Since I already had a pint of Sierra Lager from the bar, I passed, it sounded awfully tart anyways.  We both ordered the Lamb Chops.  The first 3 courses come as 'all you can eat'.  Want more?  They'll bring more at no charge. 



 Course #1:  Cabbage Vegetable Soup, Bread, Butter, & Red Wine

 

Course #2:  Simple Lettuce Salad w/Oil & Vinegar

 

Course #3:  Ox Tail Stew & Beans

 

Course #4:  4 each Garlic Sautéed Lamb Chops & Fries



 

      I asked as to the authenticity of French Fries as Basque culture and the waitress just smiled the replying the Basque do eat lots of traditional potatoes,  but Americans seem to prefer fries.  NOTE:  Later I was informed by a friend of mine who hiked the Camino Trail throughout the Basque Region that French fries are actually a Basque creation and a part of their normal diet.  As you can tell from this picture I had already laid waste to one lamb chop before I remembered to take the picture.  There was plenty of fresh roasted garlic on each chop which gave it the most remarkable flavor.  We did intentionally skip Course #5:  Ice Cream.....there just wasn't any room left. 

      The entire meal was delicious.  We did not order seconds on the first 3 courses as we were saving ourselves for the lamb chops, which filled us more than sufficiently.   The waitress was incredibly helpful with everything including all our questions.  Tab for the meal was a bit more than average, $60, but well worth the experience.  I even picked up a souvenir bumper sticker:  NEVADA:  So many sheep, so little time. 

      I have a rack of lamb and some lamb loin on order with a local butcher which I will pick up tomorrow for our freezer.  Have to experiment with some of this Basque Cuisine myself!