This coffee cake has become a staple at brunch tailgate parties during football season. My friend, Marci Levine brings it and it’s always one of the first dishes in the spread to go – you have to be quick to get a piece!

We’ve been eating it for years and after each tailgater my Dad always says, Lynda, “what would it take for you to make this for your old man?” My response, “get the recipe.” This year he took action.

Rather than just making the coffee cake and giving it to my Dad, I decided it needed a proper premier at an event similar to a tailgate party.

The Lollipop Run in Golden Gate Park was that event. My niece would be running her first 5K and we would all be there cheering as she crossed the finish line.

As the coffee cake was being served, a woman standing next to me sniffed it out. She said she was a connoisseur of coffee cake and this looked like one of the best she’d seen. I asked if she’d like a piece, she said “no, but I would like the recipe.”

Turns out, Liz Hale was that woman, her husband started Backroads, an active travel company that I’ve been a big fan of for several years. Having first hand experience of a couple their trips I know that they have delicious breakfasts!

I can’t help but wonder if Marci’s Coffee Cake will make it onto a Backroads breakfast menu?

Marci’s Coffee Cake

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tbs salt
1 1/3 cups sugar
½ cup butter, softened
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup buttermilk

Topping:
2 tbsp flour
½ cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup pecans, chopped (I use walnuts too)

Preheat over the 325°F and grease a 9”x13” glass baking dish.

In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine sugar and butter until creamy then add eggs and vanilla. Gradually add half of the flour mixture followed by half of the buttermilk and then add the remaining flour and buttermilk. Mix together until smooth.

In a separate bowl, combine the topping until crumbly – I do this with my hands or a fork.

Pour batter in the baking dish and evenly sprinkle the topping over the top.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until golden brown.

I just watched this video by Chad Robertson, bread baker extraordinaire of Tartine Bakery and Bar Tartine and am totally inspired to give bread making a try! And how great is the accordian music? Love it!

The next MKMT Cookbook club will gather on November 7th in Healdsburg at the Hanna Winery.

We will be cooking from Winemaker Cooks by Christine Hanna, president of Hanna Winery and from what I’ve been told, entertainer extraordinaire, wine country style! What a better place to share the recipes we make from the book than surrounded by the vines – they should be beautiful colors that time of year too!

The book is broken down by seasons and then arranged in mouthwatering menus – 17 in all, focusing on the seasonal harvest and bounty of the wine country.

Some of us have already been cooking out of the summer section and have made things like the Ginger and Lime-Grilled Halibut with Nectarine Salsa (I served the salsa over swordfish and it was delicious too). The Honey-Almond Ice Cream is to die for – perhaps some of the best ice cream I’ve ever made.

Since summer produce remains plentiful (at least in California), there’s still time to make the summer menus that are full of stone fruit, tomatoes, corn and squash before the days become shorter and summer turns to autumn and we’re cooking with figs, eggplants and root vegetables.

But that’s the thing about Winemaker Cooks, the recipes and pictures all look so good that it will have you excited about preparing the menus all year round with the best ingredients that the season has to offer.

My Kitchen My Table was invited to participate in the filming of a television pilot of At the Bookstore – a 30 minute show featuring Bay Area book clubs that will premier on Friday, Sept 17th at 11am on KRON.

A couple of regulars from the cookbook club and I spent 3+ hours filming what has been edited into a 7 minute segment of our cookbook club!

We gathered around the table on the set and shared the food that we had made from Winemaker Cooks, the newly released cookbook by Christine Hanna.

We liked the book so much that for our next cookbook club we’re going to do it again with everyone and go to the winery for a picnic.

If you have a chance, tune into or tivo the pilot to check us out. And if you don’t, I hope to have the video here soon to post.

A few weeks ago I attended the launch party for the Domaine Chandon Cookbook featuring recipes from Etoile restaurant, the only fine dining restaurant within a winery in the Napa Valley. It was a joyous occasion and celebration where dishes from the book paired with Domaine Chandon wines took center stage.

Under the command of Chef Perry Hoffman – who grew up in the Napa Valley and is, by the way, adorable, humble and gracious, Etoile earned its first Michelin star in 2010. The restaurant is surrounded by redwood trees and grass and has a bit of an old school country club feel to it. Looking outside the wall of windows and beyond the patio I kept waiting for a rogue golf ball and holler of “fore”, but alas, there is no golf course, just a glorious setting for enjoying innovative and creative wine-inspired cuisine.

Pastry chef, Francisco Enriquez is one of the pillars who has graced the kitchen from the beginning. Since 1979 Francisco has been the force behind creating seasonal desserts often inspired by his Mexican grandmother’s cooking. During a toast he boasted that he has volumes of hand written recipes of all the desserts he has made over the years – that would be an interesting book in itself!

Several years ago he planted a Chinese Bitter Orange Tree on the Domaine Chandon property and the oranges it yields have been featured in Etoile’s signature dessert – Bitter Orange Crème Brûlée – a must have dessert on the menu – ever since.

Bitter Orange Crème Brûlée
serves 6

The simple addition of orange zest adds a delightful dimension to this French classic, with subtle, tangy citrus notes enhancing the creamy-sweet custard. Home cooks who don’t have a chef’s blowtorch can easily use their broiler to caramelize the sugar topping. But remember to leave the oven door slightly open and keep watch. A golden sugar crust can quickly turn black if left too long under the flame.

This dessert was born of a collaboration between the cellar and the kitchen. Some years ago during the creation of Chandon Riche—our “off-dry” sparkling wine, which has a hint of sweetness—our winemaker recalled the aromatics issuing from the orange tree that grew not far from the wine cellar. He ran to the kitchen with a bottle of the new wine and asked if the chefs could produce a dessert that evoked the same citrus impression. Bitter Orange Crème Brûlée is now a signature dish at the restaurant.

For a nice pairing with this dessert, add the classic ladyfinger sugar cookies, if you like; they bring a crisp element to join the silky custard and the crunch of the sugar. Make them in advance of the crème brûlée. (The recipe for the ladyfingers is included in the book)

2 cups/480 ml heavy (whipping) cream/double cream
1 cup/240 ml whole milk
5 tbsp grated orange zest
12 large egg yolks
1/2 cup/100 g sugar, plus 6 tbsp/75 g

Preheat the oven to 300°F/150°C/gas 2.

In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, milk, and orange zest and heat until steam begins to rise. Do not let boil. Remove from the heat and nestle the pot in an ice bath. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until the cream mixture cools to room temperature, 5–10 minutes.

While the cream mixture is cooling, in a large bowl, combine the egg yolks and the 1/2 cup/100 g sugar. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved and thoroughly blended with the yolks. Gently whisk in the cream mixture.

Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve set over a large glass measuring pitcher or bowl with a pouring lip to strain out any solids. Divide the custard evenly among six 4-oz/120-ml ramekins. Place in a roasting pan and add water to come 1 in/2.5 cm up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until the custards are firm, 35–40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in the water bath to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.

To serve, remove the plastic wrap and gently lay a paper towel/absorbent paper on top of each custard. Gently press down on the towel to remove any moisture buildup, being careful not to dent the custard. Sprinkle 1 tbsp sugar evenly over each custard. Using a blowtorch, pass the flame above the sugar until it melts and turns golden brown. Alternatively, preheat the broiler/grill and slip the custards under the broiler 4–6 in/10–15 cm from the heat source to melt the sugar; leave the oven door open slightly and watch closely, as the sugar can scorch suddenly. Let the crème brûlée stand at room temperature until the sugar hardens, 1–2 minutes.

If serving with the sugar cookies, lay 2 cookies over each custard, leaning them on the edge of the ramekins. Serve at once. Enjoy any extra cookies the following day or with a sweet, dessert wine.

The way the story goes, the two meet in the morning and over breakfast tell stories of what they cooked for their families the night before. Then they spend the day cooking together and talking about food. Sign me up for that existence, can I be a guest visitor some day?

I first discovered Canal House Cooking Vol.2 last fall at Terrain. The authors were there the week before for a signing. Something about the shiny bronze cover caught my eye so I picked it up and it was love. From the stunning photography to the simple design, to the recipes; all seasonal and completely approachable. I snapped one up and read it cover to cover on the flight home dreaming up grocery lists and dinner party menus. I even made Sister Frances’ Potatoes for Christmas Eve dinner.

Vol. 3 is just as wonderful and when I saw Vol.4 had recently come out I knew it was the perfect cookbook for our next cookbook club. I am already counting the days when the first of my tomatoes will be ready to make the Tomato Tart and plan to get a box of apricots towards the end of the season to make some of Patty Curtain’s Apricot Jam.

The most brilliant part of Canal House Cooking is the publishing. Three volumes are published each year. In addition to being able to buy the books individually, an annual subscription is available. It is genius from managing print runs and costs as well as inventory. Vol.1 is no longer available so I suspect they publish for what they have subscriptions for plus early commitments from key retailers and a few extra then they are sold out which would instantly place a premium on volumes once they are no longer available.

Leave it to the founder of Saveur magazine to implement the magazine subscription model with cookbooks. But enough of the business behind the book… I’m off to find a blood roange to make that Pink Lemonade Granita.

This Warm Goat Cheese Bruschetta recipe is my favorite new appetizer. Also from the Insalata cookbook, it is quick and easy and the spread can be made ahead – perfect for weeknight entertaining. The combination of herbs (now all growing in the garden) and lemon zest will have party guests asking “what are these interesting flavor combinations?”

1 lb Laura Chenel goat cheese, or use your favorite fresh goat cheese, at room temperature for 30 minutes
2 tbsp chopped sweet herbs – chives, chervil, tarragon and Italian parsley
2 oz extra virgin olive oil
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Artisan bread, ciabatta or even a walnut bread.

Place softened goat cheese in a mixing bowl. Add herbs, oil, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Slice bread into 1/4 inch slices. If the loaf is large, cut slice in half. Brush slice with olive oil. Either on a grill with medium fire, or in a 375 oven, toast each slice until lightly brown.

Smear 1-2 tablespoons of goat cheese on to each slice.

There is no mistaking that for the past couple of days it has been summer in the city! Everyone is out and about soaking in the sun. Finding myself not particularly motivated to cook when it is 85 degrees in the loft, I decided that the Fattoush Salad I had recently made would be a good call for dinner.

Recently I was invited to be the special guest at a friend’s cookbook club. Her group was cooking from Insalata’s Mediterranean Table cookbook by Heidi Insalata Krahling whose eponymous restaurant in San Anselmo has become a staple in the Marin restaurant world for the past 14 years for both residents and visitors alike.

The cookbook is only available at the restaurant which is unfortunate, and inconvenient (I had to drive to the restaurant to pick mine up – but hey, I was the special guest visitor, it was necessary) as it is a wonderful book.

This is the recipe from the book. Heidi is very passionate about ingredients and flavors and throughout the book weighs in with tips and suggestions about how to make each recipe the absolute best it can be. A few additional recipes can be found on the Insalata’s website. I would encourage you to take a look and give some a try.

Use only the hearts of the romaine–don’t be tempted to use the tough outer leaves. Also, tear off the top of the heart if it seems limp and leathery.

Traditionally, Italian parsley is used in place of cilantro, but I like the flavor balance of the mint and the cilantro. The size of a bunch of cilantro or mint in the summer months is double the size than in the winter. So, if you have big bunches in the summer, use 1/4 of a bunch, instead of 1/2 of a bunch.

Splurge on French sheep’s feta or a good quality imported feta cheese. It’s rich with a nice salt and acidity balance. Don’t skimp!

Use fresh lemon juice, cumin seed and real Kalamata olives. Remember that the taste of the lemon juice varies through the year so use your buds and adjust accordingly. Adding a pinch of sumac to boost up the flavors of the lemons is one trick.

Use fresh cumin seed, and not the pre-ground powder. There is a big difference in flavor when you toast the seeds to coax out their oils.

And finally, don’t buy canned, pitted olives. Take the extra time to pit real Kalamatas yourself. I promise that you’ll be happy with the results!

Salad
3/4 cup vine-ripened cherry tomatoes, halved
3/4 cup English cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced in 1/4 inch cubes
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onions (about 1/2 of a small red onion)
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro (about 1/2 a bunch)
1/4 cup finely chopped mint (about 1/2 a bunch)
6 cups hearts of romaine lettuce (about 3 hearts), torn roughly by hand
2 pieces of pita bread
2/3 cup sheep’s milk feta cheese
1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives (about 12 olives)

Lemon Vinaigrette
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic (about 1-2 cloves)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon toasted and freshly ground cumin (see below)
2 ounces olive oil
5 ounces extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Serves 6 as a side dish

To make the pita chips, preheat oven to 350. Trim edges off of the pita, keeping a circle shape, so that the pita can be split into two halves. Cut each half into 6 triangles and arrange on a baking sheet. Toast for approximately 12 minutes, or until the pita chips crisp up and are golden brown. Turn baking sheet halfway through baking. Set aside and cool. Break the chips into large pieces.

To make the vinaigrette, in a small saucepan over medium-heat, toast cumin until aromatic and light brown, approximately 3 minutes. Toss occasionally to prevent burning. Let cool and set aside. Grind in a spice grinder until cumin becomes almost like powder. In a medium bowl, whisk together the garlic, lemon juice, rice wine vinegar, cumin, extra virgin olive oil and olive oil. Season to taste with generous amount of salt and black pepper. Set aside.

To serve, toss romaine hearts, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, mint, cilantro, red onions and olives with the vinaigrette in a large bowl, making sure that the leaves are well coated with the vinaigrette. Divide the salad among 6 chilled salad plates. Serve immediately.

Sidebar
Sheep are the most important dairy animal in the Mediterranean. In much of the Middle East, the sheep’s milk cheese of choice is feta. Look for imported sheep’s milk feta cheese which has been barrel aged. To feta aficionados, there is no comparison between artisanal-barrel aged feta and the feta produced in huge automated factories. However, given the expense and in some areas the unavailability of barrel-aged feta, feta cheese imported from Greece, France and Bulgaria are your next best bet.

Serves 8

For tomato sherry confit
8 large garlic cloves, peeled
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 teaspoon thyme, chopped
1/2 teaspoon rosemary, chopped
1/2 California bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 cup dry sherry, divided
1/4 cup water

For the beef tenderloin
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/3 cup shallot, chopped
3 tablespoons thyme, chopped
2 teaspoons rosemary, chopped
2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 (6- pound) trimmed beef tenderloin roast, tied

Make the confit:
Two to three days before roasting, make the confit. Cook garlic in oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-low heat, turning occasionally, until golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Add tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, sugar, and 1/2 cup sherry and briskly simmer, stirring frequently and crushing tomatoes with a silicone spatula, until tomatoes start to break down and oil separates slightly, about 1 hour.
Mash garlic into tomatoes with spatula, then stir in 1/4 cup sherry. Discard bay leaf. Pour into an airtight container and refrigerate.

Marinate the beef:
Combine garlic, shallot, herbs, olive oil, salt, and pepper, then rub thoroughly all over the beef. Place in a large bag or wrap in saran wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.
One hour before roasting, remove from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature.

Roast the beef:
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

Place beef in a 17- by 11-inch shallow heavy baking pan and roast until meat thermometer inserted into center of thickest part of meat registers 120°F, 45 to 50 minutes.
Transfer to a cutting board and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 15 to 20 minutes (temperature of meat will rise to about 130°F, for medium-rare).

While beef is roasting, remove confit from the refrigerator and pour into a sauce pan. Bring to a soft simmer until beef comes out of the oven. Once beef is removed, add water and remaining 1/4 cup sherry to the baking pan and deglaze over medium-low heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 1 minute. Once deglazed, stir into tomato confit and continue to simmer until beef is ready to slice.
Remove and discard string from beef, then cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Serve with confit on the side.

Some of the cookbooks included…
Baking From my Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten
Cranberry Harvest Muffins
Homemade Granola
Fruit Salad with Limoncello

Bruce Aidell’s Complete Sausage Book
several homemade sausage recipes

The Bacon Cookbook
Savory Griddle Cakes with Maple Syrup and Molasses Maple Syrup

Chocolate for Breakfast by Barbara Passino
Breakfast Budin (a.k.a. Mexican Green Lasagne)
Chocolate Brownie Macadamia Nut Waffles with Bellini Peaches
Ricotta Ice Cream

A Table in the Tarn by Orlando Murrin
The Raynaud Smoothie “lipstick-pink goodness”

Tuesday Recipe by Tori Ritchie
Roasted Tomatoes
Ham & Cheese Strata

And what a better way to start the brunch than with Bloody Mary’s and smoothies.

The Bloody Mary’s were some of the best ever. Here is the foundation to Pat’s secret recipe. You will need to tinker with the last 5 ingredients to find your own perfect balance, but that’s part of the fun, right?

1 46oz can V-8 juice
1 ½ cups Vodka
1 cup lime juice
Worcestershire Sauce
Hot Sauce
Pepper
Dill
Celery Stalks

Pour the first three ingredients into a pitcher. Add remaining ingredients to desired taste and serve with a celery stalk or two.