October 1, 2012 · 5:45 am

A Tale of Two Trips


The temperatures are moderating (finally!).  The breeze has just a hint of chill contained within it.  The Mesilla Valley remains in full bloom with green in evidence everywhere.

It must be roadster time.  And indeed it is.  A couple of weeks ago I put the roadster into the shop for some long overdo maintenance, and a couple of Fridays ago I was informed that it was roadworthy once again.  Thus, that Sunday, we washed off the grime and dust and jumped into the cockpit for one of our favorite drives — the back roads from El Paso to Old Mesilla just south of Las Cruces, New Mexico.

And what an exhilarating drive it was through fields of cotton and corn, vineyards, and beneath the outstretched shading canopies of countless pecan orchards.

Having reached our destination, we were disappointed to learn that one of our favorite eating establishments had closed.  Fortunately, there are some very delicious alternatives in and around Old Mesilla, so our backup plan became Andele’s for some pork tacos (a plate for two that would easily feed four if stretched with just one appetizer).  We were not disappointed, and that one plate served us well with leftovers a couple of days later.  The guacamole was made with rich, well-ripened avocado, and the salsa bar offered myriad choices to accompany our tacos.  And then there are those great, freshly made corn tortillas served up in a hot, foil-wrapped stack that will singe your fingers if you’re not careful.

On the way back to El Paso we dropped by the Sierra Vista Growers to peruse the flowers on hand.

All in all it was quite a day and quite a drive.  But one good roadster trip calls for yet another, which we’ll see later this week and next.  Meanwhile:

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September 28, 2012 · 5:35 am

Fun Photo Friday


This Friday the pictures will have to speak for themselves:

Yachts at Sunset

Hit the Showers

The Lone Beaver

Seattle Reflections

Victoria Twilight

 

 

 

 

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September 26, 2012 · 12:00 am

Thank You, Bill, Whoever You Are — Great Blue Cheese Dressing


Do a web search for blue cheese dressing and you’ll come across this incredible offering from some guy named Bill.  It’s posted over at AllRecipies.com, and it is quite simply the most delicious salad dressing I have ever tried.  I’ve modified the recipe slightly to try to mitigate the fat content without sacrificing the flavor.

What you’ll need:

Not a Lot Going In, but Oh So Much Coming Out

  • ¾ cup light sour cream
  • 1 ⅓ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 Tsp Worchestershire
  • ½ Tsp dry mustard powder
  • ½ Tsp granulated garlic or garlic powder (prefer the former to the later)
  • ½ Tsp salt
  • ½ to 1 Tsp fresh, finely ground black pepper
  • ⅓ cup finely crumbled, good-quality blue cheese
  • Skim milk

Place into a bowl the first seven ingredients.

Combine the Basic Ingredients

Whisk together until smooth.

Whisky Business — But It’ll All Smooth Out in the End

Even if your blue cheese comes crumbled, get out the chef’s knife and crumble it even more.

Before . . .

. . . and After the Great Crumble

Put aside the whisk and get out a spatula.  Blend in the blue cheese.

Here Comes the Big Blue

Here’s what you get in the end:

Let the Flavors Meld Awhile

You’ll best be served by making this at least one day before use to allow the blue cheese flavor to better permeate throughout the dressing.  Also note that this is an incredibly thick dressing, especially after it’s sat in the refrigerator overnight.  So, if you like your dressing thinner, mix in a little skim milk.  But go easy.  Thicker means richer when it comes to this dressing.  That’s especially true if you’re thinking of using this as a dip with your favorite Buffalo chicken wings, or as a vegetarian party dip for raw broccoli and carrot and celery sticks.

I especially enjoy this blue cheese delight on spinach with cranraisins, bacon bits, and coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts.  It’s also great on sliced tomato and fresh basil, or as the star attraction in a Wedge Salad.

Today’s wine pairing lesson — A good blue cheese is both salty and tangy.  It assaults the tongue with an explosion of flavor.  It is, in other words, the perfect compliment to the typically bland salad ingredients.  But that salty tanginess means that you’ll have to find a wine that tones it done considerable.  What counteracts spiciness?  Sweetness.  But don’t overdo it, especially if you’ll be serving hearty reds after the salad course.  That leaves out the dessert wines such as Sauternes or a honey-sweet Muscato.  So, moving down the sweetness scale toward dry we arrive at the semi-sweet Rieslings.  If, on the other hand, this salad is your main course, then by all means go with a super-sweet dessert wine.

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