Cook to Ride

As part of our fundraiser, Taste of Spring, I auctioned off a gourmet dinner, and last night, the winners of that auction item cashed in, so to speak.

The dinner was the highest bid on auction item, so I wanted to do a really great job. The hostess decided upon salmon, which is something I have cooked a lot of, so I felt pretty confident I could pull off a good meal.

I started my prep earlier in the week, starting with making a fresh pea soup. It was a recipe I had not tried before, so I wanted to make sure it was good. The recipe was simple, though time consuming. It was a simple soup of sauteed shallots, water, a potato and peas. I decided to change the water to chicken stock, for starters, and I added a bit more potato. I simmered it, and then it was time to get out the immersion blender to puree it. I probably would have been better off letting it cool and running it through the food mill, and if I make it again that will be my plan of action. But even after a food mill, I'd run it through a sieve, as I did this time, to make sure I get all the "solids" out. I also added just a touch of lemon zest to boost the flavor. It was light, but it was good.

On to hors d'oeuvre prep. I inadvertently bought black olives with pits, so before I could tackle the tapenade, I pitted olives. Glad to have a pitter-- made the job pretty simple.

I make a very simple but flavorful tapenade with black olives, sun dried tomatoes, garlic and a little olive oil. I whipped that up in the Cuisinart in a flash. Delicious. I served that with a goat cheese spread, and it was a hit.

One hors d'oeuvre had to be made at the event, but I think it was worth it. I made little phyllo cups and then filled them with chopped pears, Camemzola cheese, topped with a pecan. They were lovely and I thought delicious. (Yes, I tried one-- quality control.)
I also served some really good aged Gouda, and that constituted the hors d'oeuvres.

As I wrote earlier, first course was the soup. That was followed by a simple salad with Balsamic vinaigrette. I did put a little truffle salt in the dressing, and it added just a hint of a little more depth of flavor. Probably not identifiable to the diners, but I think it added a nice taste.

Dinner was salmon, roasted potatoes and roasted asparagus. I oven poached the salmon. I cut 6-8 ounce servings and wrapped them in foil, topped with some dill, lemon slices and a scallion, and sprinkled them with white wine. I also made a lovely sour cream dill sauce. I ladled a bit of that on the fish after it was plated.

I found the smallest potatoes I could find and initially roasted them in a moderate oven, then turned up the heat. They were crisp on the outside, tender on the inside. Perfect.

Since the oven was small, I roasted the asparagus first, sprinkled with olive oil, a little butter and lemon, and served them cold. Not my first choice, but since this was a home oven, not commercial, it was what had to be done.

My friend Rene contributed the dessert. She made lovely individual lemon pots de creme and lavender creme brulees.

Jerry was my sous chef and waiter, and we worked beautifully together. Since the dinner was for eight, it was relatively low stress and our timing was impeccable. As the guests finished dessert and sipped port, we cleaned up the kitchen, said our good nights, and headed home.

We will see this couple again, as they were also the high bidders on Jerry's aerial tour of the Bay.

Cold toes and Morning Buns

On our ride out to Pt. Reyes Station yesterday, Jerry and I spent much of the time thinking about the clothes we wished we were wearing-- vests, wind pants, toe condoms...
At least we had worn caps under our helmets and I even opted for an ear-warmer headband.

But it was cold. Grey and cold. My fingers and toes were like blocks of ice. At one point I gave Jerry a real shock by putting one of my hands under his jersey. I am a mean wife, I know. But my God, the warmth of his back felt so good!

Not wanting to ride the bridge, we started our ride in Marin, figuring we'd meet up with riders in Fairfax, at the Coffee Roastery.

And indeed, we found lots of ALC'ers there. I really wanted something warm, but uncharacteristically for me, I did not want coffee. I was having some mild heartburn so I ordered some ginger peach tea. It was vile, but it was hot, so I drank it.

Next was climbing White's Hill. We both looked forward to it in hopes of warming us up. It did, a bit, but the ride down brought the chill back. The ride through Samuel P. Taylor Park was cool, but the trees sheltered us from the wind, and that was a relief.

Climbing Olema Hill did help the circulation a bit, then we cruised into Pt. Reyes Station. I ordered a Chai and a morning bun at Bovine Bakery. I love Morning Buns, but it, like creme brulee, is something I never make at home. It would take the specialness away. And morning buns, to me, are special. The dough is similar to a brioche dough-- yeasty and buttery, and the sprinkling of sugar and cinnamon makes it just about perfect. The counter person handed me a warm bun, and that, with their exceptional chai made me forget about the cold. Jerry had a cup of tea and an Alonzo roll. It looked like a cinnamon roll you'd get from one of those stands at the mall, but since it came from Bovine, I suspect it was far superior.

We sat on the curb and had our snacks, and I was parked next to a guy who is going to do his first ALC. He had not been going on group training rides, and I encouraged him to do so. I also encouraged him to go on the Jon Pon ride, the first weekend in May, to get a taste for the ride and to also meet some of the most wonderful people he could ever know.

After talking about the Jon Pon ride, it got my mind on the menu. Everyone really loved the chicken I did last year, so I'm thinking of a repeat performance, though no doubt with some little tweaks and changes. And if asparagus is still plentiful, I'll serve that as well.

Heading back from Pt. Reyes, a miracle happened. The sun came out and we actually started to thaw out. Not enough to remove our caps, but enough to start to have feeling once again in our fingers and toes. Bliss!

The ride back to the car was oh so much more pleasant. We headed home, did a quick change and went out to lunch.

From there, we checked in on the big sale at the Recyclery at Trips for Kids. They seemed to be doing brisk business, and we had a chat with Marilyn and a few of the other workers and volunteers. Jerry puts high-end items on E-Bay for them, and they had some sure winners waiting in the wings. One is one of Robin Williams's old bikes, but I told Marilyn she really ought to get Robin to autograph the frame and get a picture of him with it; it would surely increase its value. She's shy about asking him for favors, but he's a Trips for Kids fan, so I think he'd have no problem filling the request.

Today is another gray day which is too bad since it's Easter, but my hope is lots of folks in their pastels and florals will brighten the day

Pre-season Potato Chips

Most people know the only reason I do AIDS Lifecycle is for the potato chips. And most people know I'm kidding.

But in reality, despite my love of French food and smelly cheese, it is almost impossible for me to pass up potato chips. But I know that if I ate them as often as I wanted, I'd need a forklift to get out of bed in the morning. So I save my potato chip eating for lunchtime during the ride.

Except for the last couple of weeks. It all started in Norway. My friend Arna introduced me to Norwegian potato chips, and though her potato chip obsession pales in comparison to mine, even she can't resist them. They truly were wonderful. Exceptionally crisp with just the right amount of salt, which is to say, a bit too much. We went through two bags while I was there, and it must have woken up my potato chip urge, because on my last two cycling rides, I succumbed.

This past weekend was another trip around Tiburon Loop, and as usual, we stopped at Shark's Deli. I'm usually not hungry after what is really not that long a ride, but this Saturday, I was. I'm not really enticed by most of what they have at the Deli, but there they were-- salt and pepper potato chips. I bought a small bag, and no, I did not share them. That and a Luna bar and I was ready for the rest of the ride back to the Presidio and the AIDS Lifecycle Expo.

The Expo is a yearly event with various bike stores selling their wares, Roadie training and a San Francisco AIDS Foundation and Positive Pedaler Booths.

At the Pos Ped Booth I saw my friends and met the newest member-- a young woman who is about to do her first ride. I'm looking forward to spending more time with her and hearing her story.

After a bit we headed north to get to Comfort Food Cafe before it closed. I had breakfast for lunch and lots of coffee.

This coming week we'll ride up to Point Reyes and stop at another Deli for lunch. Jerry and I will split a turkey sandwich and I will use as much willpower as I can muster to stay away from the potato chips.

Unless I'm really hungry.

White's Hill and Truffle Salt

Yesterday, Jerry and I rode with the Sunday Cat 2 series to Lagunitas.
It was a gorgeous day, though it did start out chilly. My cap fit snugly over my newly shorn hair under my helmet, and it did much to keep me warm on that first mile out of Mike's Bikes in Sausalito, where we picked up the ride.

But what got me warm in a hurry was the ride up Camino Alto. I was actually looking forward to that climb to get the blood flowing. It worked. We climbed at our usually not-record-breaking speeds, but caught up with lots of folks on the descent. That is where tandems shine-- with all our weight we can take a downhill with the best of them. Jerry has been cautious of late on those downhills, but we still move pretty fast. Ever since his crash he's a tad more timid, but I do see the old confidence returning.

We stopped with everyone in Fairfax for snacks and picture-taking for an article about the Positive Pedalers, which will be published in April. It will be in a magazine about living with HIV -- HIV Plus Magazine. Looking forward to reading the article.

After the stop in Fairfax it was time to climb White's Hill, something we had not done in months. As usual, we weren't going to break any speed records, but considering we had not made the climb in a while we rode it well. Then the speedy downhill and cruise into Lagunitas.

In Lagunitas I once again turned into a huckster for our fundraiser, A Taste of Spring, which happens in Petaluma next Saturday evening. I think I convinced a few people to come, and I asked two other riders to volunteer for the event. They are both unemployed and knew they couldn't buy tickets, but I couldn't imagine the event without Gabo and Stephan, so they will come and volunteer and add to the event's success.

We didn't eat lunch in Lagunitas, decided we would hold off until after we got home, where we went to our usual spot-- Comfort Food Cafe. Leslie, the owner, had some perfectly ripe pears which she gave us to have for dessert, although we ate so much for lunch we decided to take them home to have later.

Because of the big lunch, I didn't really want a real dinner, so I decided popcorn was just the thing.

I love popcorn, but I love it even more with truffle salt. I sprinkled white truffle salt all over the popcorn and accompanied it with a glass of Malbec.

After the wine and the day's exercise, I managed to stay up until 10 pm, and then had one of the best night's of sleep I've had in a long time.

This week will be finishing up work on the fundraiser-- buying ingredients for the hors d'oeuvres, and working with friends who have graciously agreed to help me with prep. I know all the hard work will pay off in a lot of fun and funds raised for HIV and AIDS services.

Scaredy Cars and Roast Chicken

Jerry and I once again pedaled around Tiburon Loop yesterday. It was an absolutely beautiful day. The sun was shining and it was even verging on warm. Delightful.

Maybe it's just us -- we are on a tandem so it's a bit bigger than a half bike-- but cars seem not only afraid to pass us, but they seem afraid of getting anywhere near us. They stay way back, crawling along until they finally get up the nerve to pass. True, the road around Tiburon is one lane each way and the visibility is not always great, but the cars there-- most of them giant Range Rovers or some other pricey huge SUVs, seem particularly timid.

I suppose that's better than them trying to run us off the road, but it does seem strangely amusing that they seem afraid of us.

Riding the tandem felt wonderful. I had begged off on Saturday, still feeling a bit jet lagged and tired, but the wait was worth it. We rode strong and were not exhausted at the end of the ride.

Once we got home, Jerry headed off to Petaluma to play with his airplane, and I headed to Goodwill. I have a friend in need of jerseys so I went to take a look-see. He's a small, and there was only one jersey that seemed to fit the bill, but I decided to hold off on it. I think I can do better for him, so I'll keep my eyes open for more bargains that are sure to come.

Having not cooked in a while, I decided it was a night for a simple roast chicken, potatoes and broccoli.

I cut red potatoes up small and drizzled olive oil and salt and pepper on them. Yes, I was making "camp potatoes," but with a twist. They went into a pan that held my vertical roaster with the chicken perched on it, so the potatoes got good chicken fat dripped on them, making them even more crisp and delicious. I lightly steamed the broccoli in the microwave, carved the chicken, which I had also seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper, and that was it.

Sometimes a meal so simple can be so delicious. We had a nice red wine with it-- something I had picked up at Trader Joe's-- and ate dinner while watching the Academy Awards. A simple dinner; a pleasant evening after a delightful ride.

Land of the Midnight Sun. And Cheese

Just back from a week in Norway. In reality, too late in the season for midnight sun-- there were, in fact quite a few hours of daylight though many of the days I was there were overcast, grey and snowy. I thoroughly enjoyed the snow. It had been many years since I trudged around in snow. The last time was most likely in St. Petersburg, Russia, or maybe a January trip to New York. But in any case, I loved it. I had a thinsulate jacket and my ears were covered, so the cold was not too bad. Also, my friend Arna had me buy a pair of feetless wool tights. Absolutely wonderful and I'm considering wearing them for cold weather cycling.

Aside from the snow, there was, the cheese. Part of the extreme cheese eating was due to the fact that my friend is kosher, and she can't get kosher chicken in Oslo. She did have some chicken she had brought from the states (thank you, Trader Joe's) and we partook of that and some kosher lamb she had also imported. And, we ate a lot of cheese.

I absolutely love cheese but eat it very sparingly at home, mostly due to its monumental fat content, but hey, I was on vacation.
We ate hard cheese, soft cheese, goat cheese, cream cheese. We had it on wonderful thin flatbread flavored with rosemary. We had it on hearty whole grain crackers and wonderful crusty bread.

We also had good Indian food in Oslo and decent Chinese food in Kongsberg. Norway is legendarily expensive, but while these restaurants were pricey by American standards, they were quite reasonable for Norway.

Being a huge cluckaholic, I had chicken at both restaurants. I was relieved that the chicken at the Chinese restaurant was not sweet, as is so often the case. Anyone who knows me knows I have a thing about sweet food. Sweets are for dessert. Not for main course. Do not put orange sauce on my duck; no sweet ginger sauce on my salmon, thank you very much.

And speaking of salmon, we also had lovely salmon one night for dinner. It was not sauced at all and was moist and flavorful.

I drank my share of coffee in Norway, and a lot of it was good. That's partly because I brought a can of Trader Joe's French roast with me and we made coffee in an Aero-Press. In addition, Arna's office had an industrial-sized Nespresso machine, which churned out great cups. But "regular" coffee in Norway is not to my liking. It tends to be not dark roast enough and a bit bitter to my taste. I had vague memories from my last trip there, which was all the more reason to bring some coffee.

In addition to coffee, I brought three or four Aeropresses with me. Arna had one, but wanted another for her office, and being the envy of many friends who loved hers, I brought some more for friends and coworkers. How such a simple little coffee maker can make one of the absolutely best cups of coffee is amazing. By far the most portable coffee maker I've ever had, and in my opinion, far better and neater than French press.

And then there were the Norwegian potato chips. Normally, I reserve potato chip eating for the AIDS ride, but again, I was on vacation. And the potato chips were outrageously crisp and crunchy. We went through two bags while I was there, and if there had been another bag sitting around, it would not have sat around for long. Yum.

What I didn't eat a lot of were sweets. Chocolate gives me migraines and we also had to deal with the meat/milk aspects of meals at Arna's. We did have ice cream one night, but by and large, it was not a dessert-laden week.

Home now, I'm back to a refrigerator with some feta, but no other kinds of cheese, and it will stay that way.

And most definitely no potato chips in the cupboard.

Has it really been that long? and fries

Jerry and I rode yesterday for the first time since Dec. 6. Between bad weather and traveling, our poor tandem has just been hanging in the garage along with the single bikes and the unicycle.

We took off with just a bit of trepidation yesterday. Could we really climb Camino Alto? Could we get around Tiburon Loop without a nap?

Yes and yes. We actually had a lovely ride, though were more tired than usual after not a very long time on the bike. But it felt great to get out there. My right knee had been achy and it feels so much better today.

Despite it being gray, overcast and a little chilly, there were a lot of ALC'ers out, and we saw quite a few of them.

At Shark's, the stop in Tiburon, I took time to hand out flyers for our March 20 fundraiser. What started out as a crab feed is now wine tasting, hors d'oeuvres and lots of wonderful auction items. You can read all about it at: www.alctasteofspring.org

Working on the fundraiser has consumed an inordinate amount of time, but ultimately, I hope it's worth it. I'm pleased at the generosity of some of our local businesses.

I'm a tad nervous that I won't be able to devote time next week to working on the fundraiser. I'm off to Norway for a week to visit my friend Arna and to maybe do a little cross country skiing and some dancing. While I really can't wait I am a tad apprehensive about not having the week to work on getting more items for A Taste of Spring, but I have a feeling once I get to Oslo, I'll be able to let go a little.

After our ride yesterday, we went to the usual-- Johnny and Theresa's Comfort Food Cafe in San Rafael. and yes, we always have fries with that.

We then headed over to Trips for Kids where Jerry picked up a Trek carbon time trial frame to put on EBay for them. I hope it brings them a bundle of cash!