green tea sponge cake

Christmas Gingerbread House 2006
Joanne has added many new 2008 Gingerbread House kits to our incredibly detailed page on Gingerbread Houses. Check it out!

  • Apple & Fennel Dressing for Thanksgiving great with Turkey!
    This apple fennel dressing had the perfect amount of lightness and crunch to compliment turkey on our holiday table last year but it would also be lovely with pork or ham.
  • Persimmon Bread Pudding with Roasted Persimmons & Honey and Challah Bread and Levain
    Enjoy persimmons at the peak of season in this easy to make ahead dessert, which will win you raves at Thanksgiving and beyond.
  • Roasted Bone Marrow at Restaurant Eloise in Sebastopol

    Restaurant Eloise, Sebastopol's newest fine dining spot, lured us with the promise of house made charcuterie and an appetizer of bone marrow. We were enthralled and will be back soon.

    Pan Roasted Veal Chop with Creamed Spinach & Sorrel and crispy potato at Restaurant Eloise in Sebastopol
  • Cora Tumin Del Dian
    Tumin del Dian is a small round of cow and sheep's milk cheese. It's seasoned with pepper and wrapped in a chestnut leaf.
  • Bellingham Blue Irish Farmhouse Cheese
    After visiting Ireland last year and, tasting many of its great cheeses, Joanne decided to compile this directory of Irish Farmstead Artisan cheeses.

    Ireland is famous for its milk, cream and butter – and also lately for its cheese. She’s added tasting notes and photos for a few of the cheeses we encountered on the trip, some of which were bought at Sheridan’s Cheesemongers in Galway, Co. Clare, some at On the Pig’s Back, in the English Market in Cork City, Co. Cork and still others at Trevor Irvine’s stall at St. George’s Market in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

    Many of the cheeses listed in the directory are available in the US, but a number of them you will have to go to Ireland to taste.
  • Beaujolais Benedict, Shaved Apple Wood Ham, Rye Toast with Poached Eggs and Cayenne Mornay at Cafe Beaujolais in Mendocino, CA
    During a two-day visit to the Mendocino coast we visited Café Beaujolais (Mendocino), Le Rendezvous (Ft. Bragg) and the Mosswood Cafe (Boonville). We particularly enjoyed Café Beaujolais.
    Pan Roasted Wild Gulf Prawns, Crispy Root Vegetable Nest, Truffled, Sweet Corn Remoulade at Cafe Beaujolais in Mendocino, CA
  • Pork Tenderloin with Dukkah, Saffron Rice & Seasonal Vegetables
    Joanne's pork tenderloin recipe is easy to prepare and makes for a delicious main course.
  • Thai Marinated Lobster with Avocado, Hearts of Palm and Mango at Cyrus
    We return to Cyrus after a couple of years and have a truly great meal. Prices are up but our recent experience definitely justified the Michelin two stars. The food sets the highest mark in Sonoma county, but we'd still like to see more focus on local purveyors. If elaborate dining is what you seek in Sonoma, Cyrus is the perfect destination for indulgence.

    You must not miss the excellent cheese cart... The Cheese Cart at Cyrus in Healdsburg, CA
  • Cold Smoked Toro and Osetra Caviar with Crème Fraiche, Spring Onion, warm brioche at Meadowood
    Our dinner at The Restaurant at Meadowood was lovely. The restaurant has a pleasant, relaxed décor which is still elegant. This casual elegance is reflected in the food from Chef Christopher Kostow. The meal was very enjoyable and we would happily return.
    The Restaurant at Meadowood, St. Helena, CA

  • Yes, monks can make great cheese. Abbaye de Tamie is such an example. It's a washed rind raw cow's milk cheese. It's not so easy to find, but worth the hunt.
    Abbaye de Tamie label
  • Fast Lasagna Recipe - The finished lasagna made with pre-made sauce and no-boil noodles
    Joanne's recipe makes great lasagna fast, cutting some corners to make it quicker and easier, but no less delicious.