Culinary Adventures with Camilla

I love pumpkins. No, I don't mean love as in a casual crush. I mean love as in full-blown-lusty-obsession love. I love pumpkins. I once ate so many pumpkins one season that I had an allergic reaction to it. Dead serious. So, I've curtailed my pumpkin creations in recent years. Here are few of my personal favorites: Riley's Pumpkin Pie Pumpkin-Cacao Nib Polvorónes Pumpkin-Potato Gnocchi What would you say are your favorite pumpkin creations? Link up to three of your favorites!

Back in August I signed a (modified) pledge for October #Unprocessed . While I would love to be able to go a month without anything processed, that's just not a reality. So, instead of setting myself up to fail, I pledged to serve - at least - one unprocessed meal to my family every day. You can read more about the challenge put out by Andrew at Eating Rules : here . And here are some of Andrew's posts that have really helped me decide what I'm including in my family's meals in October and what is verboten! About Sugars and Sweeteners... click here . Molasses is out; last year I was misguided by molasses ! About Flours and Grains... click here . Not that we buy white rice frequently - almost never, in fact - but I was surprised that it passes as an unprocessed food. About Chocolate... click here . For the most part, I don't eat processed foods. At least I don't think that I eat processed foods; I buy ingredients and make - from scratch - just about...

Bacon S'mores  launched this month. And I sent them a three-part post, pairing cheese with (wait for it, no, it's not wine!)...BEER! Click to see the final post of the trio: Stilton and a Trappist . And, if you missed them, here's the 2nd post of the trio:  Creamy Burrata and a Pear Cider ...and the first post, here it is:  bleu and a smokebeer . Beer and Cheese. Yes, Please! Would love to know if you try this. Comment below...or email me at constantmotioncamilla[at]gmail[dot]com.

Bacon S'mores  launched this month. I shared a recipe for my absolute favorite rich chocolate dessert. I serve them in espresso cups because they are so, so strong. Enjoy! Click to see my post: Decadent Chocolate Mousse.   Use whatever liqueur you have on-hand. Would love to know if you try this. Comment below...or email me at constantmotioncamilla[at]gmail[dot]com.

Bacon S'mores  launched this month. And I sent them a three-part post, pairing cheese with (wait for it, no, it's not wine!)...BEER! Click to see the second post of the trio: Creamy Burrata and a Pear Cider . And, if you missed the first post, here it is:  bleu and a smokebeer . Beer and Cheese. Yes, Please! Would love to know if you try this. Comment below...or email me at constantmotioncamilla[at]gmail[dot]com.

I remember reading something about scallops once: cook quickly, sauce lightly. Makes sense since scallops are so succulent and delicate. So, I usually follow that advice though I have no idea where I read that. Tonight I sauced a little heavier than usual to create a flavor-rich amuse bouche to kick off our Sunday dinner. This is what I served for our first course: seared scallops with pepper purée and caviar limes. butter Scallops, rinsed and dried (one or two per person) 1 T citrus pepper purée per scallop 1/2 caviar lime per scallop  freshly ground sea salt freshly ground pepper In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet melt some butter. Press the scallops into the pan to sear them quickly on each side, probably two minutes per side. Leaving them on there longer produces a thicker crust and nice color. To serve, place a tablespoon of pepper purée on a serving plate. Gently lay a scallop on the purée. Squeeze the caviar lime pulp on top of the scallop. Garnish...

I whipped up this pepper purée for both our amuse bouche course and the main dish this evening. So easy. So flavorful. 1 C roasted bell peppers, puréed (click here for how to easily roast and peel peppers ) 2 T freshly squeezed orange juice 1 T olive oil 1/2 t smoked paprika freshly ground sea salt freshly ground pepper Whisk all of the ingredients together in a mixing bowl till well-combined. The image, above, is a pan-seared scallop on top of the pepper purée topped with caviar lime and another sprinkling of freshly ground sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

Roasting peppers is a cinch! Here's what you need to do...you're four, easy steps away from having freshly roasted, peeled bell peppers for whatever you choose. (1) Place your washed and dried bell peppers on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. (2) Roast for 25 minutes until the skin is beginning to char. (3) Flip over and roast for another 25 minutes. Your peppers should begin to look deflated and softened. (4) Now to steam them...Place your peppers in a sealed bag or covered glass dish. The steam helps loosen the skins so you can peel them easily. Leave them sealed until they are completely cool. That's it! Enjoy.

When I signed up to bring a meat dish for a potluck baby shower, I couldn't decide between roasted chicken, grilled lamb, or braised beef. So, I asked the mamma-to-be; she chose Lemon Lavender Chicken . Since she's watching her sugars, I halved the honey and put Dylan to work juicing the lemons for me. But - just for fun - I decided to do the lamb lollipops as well. They were a hit! I've made lots of version of this, including a  garlic-sea salt version . To dress it up, I decided to add some rose petals and top it with a cherry glaze. Make the sauce first, so you can brush it on the lamb while it's grilling. For the Sauce... I started with the leftover juice from the Morello cherries I used in my  Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte  - from my  Cook the Books  project this month. 3 C cherry juice 1 C organic granulated sugar 3 T balsamic vinegar Place the cherry juice and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer....

When I interviewed a (fairly) local farmer who is growing coffee - yes, in California! - I took a look at some of his other products and ordered the one that was new to me: caviar limes. My box from Good Land Organics  arrived yesterday and they are fantastic! Also called 'finger limes' these are a micro-citrus native to Australia. They are referred to as vegan caviar because the flesh is similar in texture but has a distinct lime flavor. Like caviar, the tiny beads burst in your mouth; unlike caviar, the sensation is bright and citrusy versus dark and salty. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy caviar, too. But these limes are phenomenal. Think lime but multiply its intensity by fifty and add an herbaceous aroma. It reminds me of a Makrut lime. Sort of. If you can get your hands on any, try it and tell me what you think. So far, I've used them in a cocktail. You'll see that recipe soon. And I'm hoarding the rest...until I can come up with a unique way to featu...

Friday, 27 September 2013. At the end of July,  Hashi Hotto  hosted its first Asian-inspired pop-up dinner at  Carmel Belle  in the Doud Arcade. We missed it because we were already off on our annual 10-day camping trip around northern California. But I heard rave reviews. So, when I saw that  Chef de Cuisine  Elizabeth Murray and Pastry Chef Yolanda Santos, both of Sierra Mar, were at it again, I put it on my calendar immediately. The pop-up dinner runs from 7pm to midnight; you still have an hour or so! We got there at 6:30pm and were first in line. By the time they unchained the opening, there was a line out the door. While we waited, we perused the side dishes. For $15 you get the karaage plus three sides. Between the four of us, we meant tried them all: Umami Whipped Sweet Potatoes, Edamame Salad with Citrus, Okana-Onigiri with Bonito, Salad with Kale, Lettuce, and Seaweed in a Red Yuzu Vinaigrette, and Tomatoes in an Anchovy Oil. Actually,...

It's  Pass the Cookbook  time again...this was all started by Kita, the culinary force  Pass the Sushi blog . This month we had the option of cooking one of three recipes from  Seoultown Kitchen: Korean Pub Grub to Share with Friends and Family  by Debbie Lee  - Ginger Soy Beef with Chile Tomatoes, Chile Chicken Wings, and Spam and Eggs. All three looked delicious and flavorful. But, in the end, I opted to do a twist on the Spam and Eggs; sorry, folks, I don't do Spam and I don't - typically - eat white rice. So, my version is made with Madagascar pink rice, Canadian bacon, poached eggs and a chile-ginger syrup. Enjoy...we surely did! This recipe serves 4. 8 eggs 8 slices of nitrite-free Canadian bacon 4 C cooked Madagascar pink rice black sesame seeds for garnish     Chile-Ginger Syrup   (makes about ½ c) ½ c ginger syrup 2 t finely ground chile powder ½ t cinnamon 1 t smoked paprika First, make the chile-...

With the advent of autumn comes a whole new set of foodie fun. Come September every year, apples abound, plump pumpkins are ripening on the vines, grapes are plucked in area vineyards, and – for my family – we always love hot chocolate and homemade marshmallows. This weekend I had poached some quince to slice on top of yogurt in the mornings and I decided to use that poaching liquid to make some quince marshmallows. Though these didn't retain the rosy hue of the poaching liquid, the scent was unmistakable and wonderful. And marshmallows are so easy to make; you can use any sugar, any syrup, any liquid. Just keep the proportions the same. The only thing I do recommend is a good candy thermometer. Then, it really is a cinch! butter powdered sugar 1 C poaching liquid from quince, divided 3, 1/4-ounce envelopes unflavored gelatin 2 C organic raw sugar 1/3 C ginger syrup 1/3 C raw organic honey Prepare a 9×13 inch pan by oiling it with or butter. Dust powdered sugar ...

I just received a forwarded email. Edible magazines have been chronicling the honey bee crisis in their own communities. Out of the 80 Edible publications around the country, Edible Monterey Bay - and my beekeeper article - was highlighted in the national newsletter. Sweet! EDIBLE EMERGENCY: The Plight of the Pollinators From Edible Boston.. . They Need Us and We Need Them By Leigh Belanger Photo by Michael Piazza Styling by Catrine Kelty From Edible Allegheny... The Plight of the Bees By Abby Dudley, with research by Elsa Hellberg Illustrations by Sasha Henry + Allie Wist Photographs by Cayla Zahora From Edible Sarasota... Close to the Hive: Eat Local Honey, It’s Better for You and the Bees By Megan Greenberg Photo by Jenny Acheson From Edible Monterey Bay... Bee Yourself: Honey, anarchy, and saving the world, one hive at a time By Camilla M. Mann Photo by Camilla Mann And from Edible Santa Barbar...

After our  ATV tour of the vineyard , Colleen whisked us into a private room for a wine tasting. Before yesterday, I think I'd only been to Hahn twice before. Once was for a wreath-making event when I was pregnant with Riley, so I didn't try the wine. And about 5 years after that - and 5 years ago - we stopped there during the River Road Valentine's Passport event. So, I would say that I'm fairly unfamiliar with the Hahn wines. We told Colleen that we were typically red wine drinkers. But she wanted us to try a pair of their whites: the 2012 Pinot Gris and the 2011 Viognier. I'm glad she didn't listen to us; we really enjoyed both of those wines. The Pinot Gris was surprising. It was colored like hay and crystal clear. It reminded me of Fall fruits - Asian pears and green apples. And unlike other Pinot Gris, this one was rich and velvety. I envisioned sipping this with a Roasted Lobster or Olive Oil-Poached Salmon . The Viognier is one of the mo...

I had a Living Social coupon for an ATV tour of Hahn Vineyards for awhile. It just never fit into our schedule...until this weekend. My parents said that they wanted to take the boys to the Salinas Airshow. As soon as I heard that, I hopped on the phone and booked the tour. So glad we did.  Colleen was our driver and vineyard guide. We stopped at various locations throughout the property, looked at different vines, and enjoyed the day. At one point, rain began to dump from the clouds. Colleen quickly steered us beneath the canopy of a tree, near the avocados, and we waited out the rain. Thankfully it only lasted a few minutes. Afterwards the skies were dramatic and gorgeous. The sun came out and warmed us quickly. Oh, this picture [ see right ] is me holding on to the O.S. bar. I think I held onto that darn thing the entire ride. The ATV tour was quite an adventure!

Yesterday when Jake and I went to the new French bakery in town - Lafayette - we tried lots of different things. This was my savory-loving palate's favorite thing: a tartine. I knew that Tartine was a bakery in San Francisco; I've perused the cookbook, but I didn't really know what a tartine was...until yesterday. I am definitely going to add this to my rotation! A tartine is essentially an open-face sandwich. This version had a smear of "white gravy" - I'm guessing that's a beciamel sauce -; slices of ham, melted gruyere, and topped with shredded bacon. Oh, my! I loved hearing the sharp staccato of French carrying through the store as all of the family members behind the counter conversed about what they were doing and what they needed next. It made me realize just how rusty my French is. Je suis désolé, Monsieur Pucci!  We will definitely put this on our list of places to go when I don't feel like making breakfast! Lafayette is f...