This is How We Spend Time In Bodega

The time is now 4:04:59 PM. Donny and Dakota are sitting in the shade of the surf shop patio playing chess. The tourists walk by gazing into a world that they will rarely, if ever, take part in. Perhaps Sarah can interest them in a Northern Lights sweater.

This is how we spend time in Bodega.

If the time were 10:04:59 AM, we would be sitting on the bench drinking coffee and staring at the crossword puzzle. The tourists would walk by, searching for the church or the schoolhouse, both of which were in the 60s Hitchcock classic "The Birds". Last week one fellow asked if everyone did crosswords in Bodega. I answered, "In short, yes. That or Sudoku."

This is how we spend time in Bodega.

We're drinking Beck's and still sitting under the plum tree that's dropping fruit on the chess board. Dakota would like to mention that the board is sticky. Donny tells us a joke from the Gaysford Fraits Encyclopedia of Humor.

A man dies and his wife calls up the newspaper to see about an obituary. She asks the reporter what the minimum word count is to print one. The reporter says five. She says okay.

The next day, the obituary is in the paper. It reads:

"Bill died. Cadillac for sale."

This is how we spend time in Bodega.

There's a familiar looking dog in an unfamiliar truck. I ask Dakota if Peter got a new truck. Turns out it's Natalie's truck that Peter is using because his blue one is dead and she's in Laguna Beach anyway. Blue the dog...who Donny would like to mention just killed a buck, and that he and Louisa almost adopted Blue, but Blue almost killed Louisa ....so ANWAYS Blue doesn't look as good in Natalie's truck, but I suppose it'll do for now.



This is Peter and me. He's a smart one. We took another picture but it was backlit, and he had the bright idea to turn around. Like I said, he's a smart one.

This is how we spend time in Bodega.

When the Becks is gone, we'll probably go over to the Casino for Pizza Night, as it is Wednesday. Pizza Steve used to have a pizza shop in Bodega Bay, but now he makes pizza on Wednesdays only. It's quite delicious, and different every week. People are always asking about the Casino, what the deal is, where the blackjack is. It's a bar and it's called The Casino. There's no blackjack, but oftentimes there are a couple of sharks who'll take some money off you in a pool game. The Casino is a great place. There's a six foot Hamm's bear next to the flatscreen in the Dinning Room (sic). And they take wooden nickels.

This is how we spend time in Bodega.

I work at the coffeeshop in Bodega, across the street from the Casino. We make a mean smoked salmon bagel and a delicious cold-brewed iced coffee, as well as many other tasty things. Dakota comes in every day for the Dakota Special, as I call it.

The Dakota Special

(makes one)

You will need:

a doubleshot of espresso
8 ounces of cold brewed coffee
soymilk
ice
3 packets of raw sugar

Pour the hot doubleshot in a glass and add the raw sugar. Stir til dissolved.

Add half the coffee to cool the sweet espresso.

Add ice.

Add the rest of the coffee.

Add the soymilk.

And presto! The Dakota Special. It's a little sweet for me, but the folks at the Surf Shop seem to like it too.

The time is now 4:33:46 PM. Dakota won the game against Donny and they have commenced again on another game. Two beers left in the sixpack. Pizza's at six. Thanks for reading. Mention this post at Brew in Bodega on a Wednesday or a Sunday (that is, if Charlotte is working) and get a discounted Dakota special.



This is how we spend time in Bodega.

Real Women Eat Quiche

I can see why quiches get such a bad rap. My first encounters with quiches were those dreadful little frozen tidbits popular at so many cocktail and dinner parties. Bland but for the salt, often lukewarm in the center, and with highly questionable ingredients. I mean, how exactly does one get the effect of a flaky rubber crust? Another scientific achievement from the ages of better living through chemistry.

On the subject of the sixties, Julia Child writes of the success of the quiche and opines on its subsequent depopularization in her all-encompassing tome “The Way to Cook”. “The quiche – pronounced keesh - that cheesy, open faced, custard pie much in vogue starting in the mid 1960s, became so ubiquitous and often so badly made, that its popularity waned” (pg 384).

How like the Americans to seize a good European idea, make it their own, and drive it into the ground. The origins of quiche go back several hundred years to the medieval German kingdom of Lothringen, which later became "Lorraine", one of the 26 regions of modern France. The word itself comes from the German word “kuchen” for “cake”.

The quiche came to the centerfold of American popular media again in the 1980s in the form of a satirical work called “Real Men Don’t Eat Quiche”, and gave us the term “quiche eater – a man who is effeminate or lacks masculine virtues” (wikipedia.org). The term lives on in computer programming circles as a person who deals only with the academic and theoretical aspects in life, and is unwilling to “get their hands dirty”. Hmm. Perhaps those who used the term have never had a quiche in its true and glorified form. After all, it’s essentially an omelet in a pie crust. What could be more masculine than an omelet, and what less American than a pie? What’s not manly about eggs, butter, cheese, and flour?

If anything, a stereotypical woman would be unlikely to eat quiche simply due to the overwhelming caloric allowance necessary to partake in a slice. However, only a stereotypical woman so completely overwhelmed with cholesterol, waistlines, and fake sugar would be so inclined to not occasionally indulge in something so delicious. How can you go wrong with eggs, cream, bacon, and cheese? SERIOUSLY! A little goes a long way, anyway.

The classic Quiche Lorraine contains only eggs, cream, bacon, and a smattering of spices. Some dairy enthusiasts (including this one) see fit to add cheese as well. However, once you’ve got the egg custard and pie crust down, the possibilities are endless. How about a Quiche Florentine, with tomatoes, spinach, and feta cheese? Or one with chard and shallots? The only conditions seem to be that the ingredients be briefly cooked beforehand, as the baking serves to only solidify the egg custard and brown the top.

Tonight I’m making the Cheese and Bacon Quiche from “The Way to Cook”. If I were making it for anyone other than my father, and were this any occasion other than his birthday, I would probably skip the bacon and add a sautéed leafy green (I guess I am one of those stereotypical chicks after all), but I think a little bacon every now and then is good for the soul anyway. Just ask any vegetarian. Ha ha ha….

Cheese and Bacon Quiche

From Julia Child’s “The Way to Cook” (pg 385)

(This recipe presupposes a pre-baked pie shell. I made one, but the frozen ones should do just fine too.)

For a 9-inch quiche, serving six.

6 crisp strips of cooked bacon
One 9-inch prebaked shell
½ cup coarsely grated Swiss cheese
Salt Pepper, and Nutmeg
The Custard: 3 large eggs blended with enough cream (or milk) to make 1 ½ cups.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Break up the pieces of bacon and strew them in the bottom of the shell. Sprinkle on all but a spoonful of the cheese.

Season the custard with the spices and pour it to within 1/8 inch of the rim; then sprinkle on the rest of the cheese.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until puffed and browned.

My good friend MLE has been on a quiche making kick for the last few weeks, and unless you have a hoard of angry friends or at least cocktail party guests at your beck and call, that can be a lot of quiche to eat! You can freeze quiche beautifully if you cut it into individual pieces and wrap them well. To use, just defrost them and crisp them in a warm oven (maybe 350 or so) for 10-12 minutes.



So here’s my quiche! It turned out quite deliciously. Unfortunately, someone helped themselves to a big bite of it when I wasn’t looking.



Fucking quiche eaters.

Quincetastique

There is a tree next to my garden that bears little, pear-apple like fruits known as quince. Quince! Too tart to be eaten raw, these little darlings must be coaxed into palatability through contact with heat. Heat, and lots and lots of sugar. However, with both of these things incorporated they transform from a dull yellow to a lovely pink. This difficult fruit's sweet interior thus been exposed, they blush from revelation. How adorable.

I tried two quince recipes today. One for poached quince with cinnamon and vanilla, and one for quince paste, which will be dried, sugared, and cut into squares for use with fancy cheese courses. The former is done, and has turned a lovely shade of pink, though the pieces of fruit themselves have deteriorated, much unlike the photo provided on The Wednesday Chef's lovely blog, where I got the recipe. The paste has yet to be scrutinized, as it's unfair to judge it while it's still cooling. The bits on the spoon were quite lovely, though.

As any functional alcoholic, my interest in the poached quince inevitably turned to the possibilities in a martini glass. Since the syrup in which the poached quince floats is nothing more than simple syrup with fruit flavoring, it can be incorporated into several alluring cocktails, the once most recently sampled being "The Quimlet", which is nothing more than a Gimlet with quince syrup instead of Rose's Lime Juice. Quite optimal, as far as girly drinks go.

The syrup itself is relatively easy, as long as you can locate the quince, which should be available in any reputable autumnal farmer's market, or in my backyard. If you're in the area, come help yourself!

Quince Syrup

Makes quite a bit.

[Adapted from the Wednesday Chef's Poached Quince with Vanilla and Cinnamon]

3 or 4 large quinces

2 cups sugar

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 vanilla bean, split

4 cups filtered water

1. Peel, core, and quarter the quinces. This may prove more time consuming than you think, they're tough little buggers. Meanwhile, combine sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and water in a large pot. Heat gently til sugar dissolves, then bring to a boil.

2. Add quince to sugar solution and bring to just below a boil. Then, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for about 45 minutes, until the fruit can be easily stabbed with a knife. The syrup should have turned a lovely pink color.

3. Remove mixture from heat and let cool. Pass liquid through a strainer lined with cheesecloth to remove the bits from the syrup. Pour syrup into a clean, sealable, container and store in fridge. The syrup should keep for at least two weeks.

With your delectable quince syrup, you can make a batch of Quimlets!

The QUIMLET

Makes one quimlet.

You will need:

A chilled martini glass

3 ounces gin

1.5 ounces quince syrup

splash of soda

ice cubes

1. Combine gin, syrup, soda, and ice cubes in a shaker (or a glass, whichever) and mix vigorously.

2. Pour into chilled martini glass and enjoy with intelligent conversation and applicable cheese.

Woo! I also considered a Quin and Tonic, but haven't explored that. Maybe next drink.

Cheers!

Pilgrim's Progress

A while ago, before embarking on my journey across the country, I decided that once I got to my destination, instead of directly looking for work, I'd spruce up all the beautiful raised beds that adorn the far side of the driveway at my father's beautiful Northern California home. Being excited at the prospect, I started telling everyone I encountered of my plans for the future.

"Oh yeah, my dad's got these great raised beds that'd be perfect for vegetables. I think he has five or six of them, maybe 4 feet by 8 feet each, and they haven't been touched for years. I'll spend a few weeks doing that and then I'll apply for jobs."

Hoo boy. I drastically overestimated the depth perception in my own memory. The beds are definitely 4 feet by 8 feet, but there are approximately 14 of them in various stages of overgrowth.

But, hey! That just means more room for delicious vegetables and beautiful flowers!

So I got some new shit-kickers.....

and started off. By the end of the first day, I was moving right along. The two little beds next to the grape arbor were to be sacrificed: the soil to other beds, the wood to a compost box, and the space to perhaps cultivate a nice spot for sitting under the grape leaves, on some sunny, far-off afternoon.

I'm glad I started out small. Getting two done in one day felt like a major accomplishment!

Before and after!

Woo! Fast forward to a week later: three of the 4x8 foot monsters had been cleared, tilled, and covered in newspaper, waiting to be planted with nature's bounty. A quick trip to the Harmony Farm Supply and Nursery in Sebastopol and I was all ready to go with mustard, kale, cabbage, spinach, broccoli, two types of garlic, shallots, and onions. After a long and exciting day of experimentation and planting, here was the result.


My fantastic handyman dad helped me out by making the lovely hogwire fence for keepin' out the critters. I wish it kept out slugs too, I understand they really like cabbage and broccoli. By the way, those two box-like things in the background were the little beds cleared out on the first day. Can't wait to get compostin'!

So here we go again! I have almost no prior gardening experience, so this should be a glorious experiment. I can already smell the shallots sizzling in olive oil, waiting to be paired with mustard, spinach, and garlic and served over polenta cakes fried in brown butter. Remind me to plant some sage. And some tomatoes. And some chardonnay.

The adventure continues! Even after this extremely satisfying day, more overgrown possibility looms on the horizon. And I just can't wait to get back!!!!

Sarah's Focaccia

Tuesday afternoon! The most cosmic time of the week, when everything gets done, according to Dan O'Neill.

I've been meaning to write this post for a while, but what with relocating, gardening, cooking, and watching TV, it's been tough, let me tell you. Since my last posting, much has happened! I've moved back to California and am living with my dad once again, back in the land of cuisine, farmers' markets, and lots and lots of good ingredaments. So much to do! So much to see! So much to eat!

On my first weekend back in Bodega, I was invited to cater a party for dinner and breakfast. 17 for dinner and 14 for breakfast. All in all, it took 20 hours of prep work, 12 of which were on the day of the party. On the menu was barbecued lamb, greek style, focaccia with red skinned potatoes, rosemary, and onion, wild rice pilaf with carmelized onion broth, salad with lemon dressing, lemon chevre, and cranberries, with apple and pecan pie for dessert topped with real whipped cream. I didn't take care of the lamb, I left that honor to my father the grillmaster, but the rest was all me! Well, me and the avid volunteers at the party who were a great help.

Everyone was fed and no one complained. I'd say it was a great success!

The focaccia is quickly becoming one of my favorite party foods. It debuted at Sarah's birthday party/my going away party in Highland Park and was based on a delightful concoction that Sarah experienced on her trip to Italy. Here, for those of you who have been asking for it, is the recipe.



SARAH'S FOCACCIA (or, Focaccia with Red Skinned Potatoes, Rosemary, and Onion)
Base dough recipe taken from "Bread" by Eric Treuille and Ursula Ferrigno, page 107, there named "Focaccia con Olive"



Ingredients

For Dough:
2 tsp dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water
pinch sugar

3 3/4 cups flour (any combination of wheat and white, although the more white, the tastier)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup olive oil, plus more
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or rosemary)

For the Top:
5 red skinned potatoes
1 red onion
fresh rosemary
salt
freshly ground pepper
olive oil

1. Sprinkle the yeast into 1/2 cup of the water in a bowl, adding a bit of sugar on top. Let stand for 5 minutes; stir to dissolve. Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the dissolved yeast.

2. Use a wooden spoon to draw enough of the flour into the dissolved yeast to form a soft paste. Cover the bowl with a dish towel and let "sponge" til frothy and risen, about 20 minutes. (After the 20 minutes, the mixed portion at the center of the flour should appear spongy and will have increased in size).

3. Add the olive oil and the white wine to the well. Mix in the flour. Stir in the remaining water, as needed, to form a soft, sticky dough.

4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes (or, use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, kneading on low speed til smooth and elastic, while adding flour every so often). Work in the thyme or rosemary into the dough towards the end of kneading.

5. Put the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with a dish towel. Let rise in a warm and relatively undisturbed spot until doubled in size, 1.5 - 2 hours.

6. Punch down and "chafe" dough: form the dough into a ball by cupping your hands gently around it. Apply a light downward pressure to the sides, while simultaneously rotating the dough continuously in a steady clockwise motion. Continue until the dough is formed into an even, round shape, for about 5 minutes, then let rest for 10 minutes.

7. Roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface to form a circle or a rectangle, whichever your preference (I usually do a rectangle, but a circle might be quite striking), to 1/2 inch thickness. Place dough on an oiled baking sheet and cover with a dish towel. Proof until doubled in size, about 1 hour. (In my understanding, proofing is a second rise). About halfway through, preheat oven to 400 degrees.

8. Lovingly massage some olive oil onto the surface of the bread, and add thinly sliced potatoes and onion to the surface, leaving about 1-2 inches of clearance on all edges. Incorporate rosemary as desired, and drizzle the lot with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

9. Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Serves 6-10, depending on how hungry you are.

Couch Party

A few weeks ago we added a new member to our household. Namely, we purchased a couch at Ikea and now it really ties the room together. To celebrate, we gave a party. The first party that I have hosted since I lived in Santa Cruz! It was a long overdue, well attended, dessert and booze party, not unlike the wine and cheese parties long ago in a petit chateau by the sea. I wanted to design a menu that would be all inclusive, so we served sticky rice, pretzels, and vegan chocolate cake. As Ina Garten says (and I paraphrase) why emphasize dietary differences? Why not incorporate all tastes when giving a party?




Sticky Rice with Mango

Serves 2-4 for a sit down dinner, or 8-10 for a cocktail party
As seen on thaifood.about.com

1 cup sticky rice (I used sushi rice, seemed to turn out fine)
1 3/4 cups water
1 ripe mango, sliced
1/4 cup + 1 T brown sugar (I used white, seemed to turn out fine)
1 can coconut milk (don't use low fat, it's not the same!)
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder dissolved in water

1. Soak the rice in 1 cup water for 20 minutes to an hour in the pot you intend to cook with.

2. When done soaking, add 3/4 cup (more) water plus 1/4 can coconut milk, and 1 Tbsp. brown sugar. Stir this into the rice, lifting any rice grains that have stuck to the bottom of the pot. Gradually bring to a gentle boil, then partially cover with a lid (leaving some room for steam to escape). Turn the heat down to medium-low.

3. Allow to cook for 10-20 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed by the rice. Remove the pot from the heat, place the lid on tight, and leave to "steam" cook for 5-10 minutes. The heat within the rice pot will finish cooking the rice.

4. Make sauce and serve the dessert right away, or store the rice (covered) in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it.
[To make the sauce, warm the rest of the can of coconut milk together with 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla flavoring over medium heat (~5 minutes)]

5. Add cornstarch or arrowroot powder (dissolved in the water) to the sauce and stir to thicken it slightly. As it thickens, turn down heat to low. When thickened, remove from heat (this should only take a couple of minutes).

6. Before serving, taste-test the sauce for sweetness, adding more sugar if desired. If too sweet for your taste, add a little more coconut milk. If not sweet enough, add some more sugar.



The chocolate cake was modeled after the ecstasy cake that we used to serve at Chocolate, the most uppity bistro in Santa Cruz. It was a dark chocolate cake, soaked in chocolate syrup (the kind they make mochas with at Starbucks, not Hersheys). I was unable to find plain chocolate syrup, so I used mint chocolate syrup instead! No one complained.

Mint Chocolate Ecstasy Cake

Serves 4-12, depending on how hungry you are
Based on a recipe as seem on http://www.ecochildsplay.com/

1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup + 2 Tbs sifted unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbs white vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup soymilk

1/3 cup mint chocolate syrup, plus more for serving
Fresh mint leaves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8-inch square pan (or a comparably sized springform pan or pie plate). Combine in the pan (not a separate bowl) the flour, cugar, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Shake around to combine.

Make three holes in the mixed dry ingredients. Pour the oil in one hole, the vinegar in another, and the vanilla in the third. Pour the soymilk over the whole shebang and mix well. If you scrape some of the grease and flour off the pan, it's not the end of the world.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before removing from the pan. When cake is cool, pour the chocolate syrup onto the serving plate and set the cake on top. Dust the top of the cake with the remaining chocolate powder.

To serve, pour about a tablespoon of syrup onto plate and set the slice on top. Garnish with fresh mint.



I made the mistake of garnishing my cake with powdered sugar instead of chocolate powder. It just made it look moldy, so I don't recommend it.

Ahhhh. A good time was had by all and now we have a couch! It's so wonderful. Too bad it only sits two people so most of us had to stand for most of the party. I'd say the dancing was all the better for that fact!



Silly hats only!

Lessons (Learned) in Crepemaking - Or - How to Make Two Delicious Breakfasts from One Disastrous Dinner

Let me just say up front that I used to make crepes for a living. Crepes and bubble tea, day in, day out for almost a year. I could make a crepe with one hand behind my back. Or rather, one hand hanging in a sling in front, as for the first two months of my tenure at the Ambrosia Cafe I was nursing a fractured elbow. People used to comment with wonder about it, although the tips never matched their enthusiasm.

Until last week, I hadn't made a crepe since I left that establishment. Some strange passing fancy convinced me that it might be fun to make an asparagus mushroom sauce as a crepe filling, as suggested by Ms. Katzen in the Moosewood Cookbook. I made the sauce, which was a disappointing color, but tasted delicious nonetheless. The filling thus complete, I started on the crepes. The batter is very simple: flour, milk, egg, and salt. I used a combination of white and wheat flours to create a cross between the savory and sweet crepe. My first try was an egg, asiago, and prosciutto crepe to use up the half an egg leftover from the crepe batter. It turned out pretty deliciously, if a little burnt. The rest were rather a disaster. The pan was too hot, and I lacked the proper equipment so most of the crepes came out broken and a little smoky. In the old crepemaking days, we had crepe irons and proper long thin spatulas that were easy to shove under a crepe in progress to flip it over. Alas, with my clunky thick spatula and frying pan, I definitely needed to practice more. But no matter. Once they were filled, they'd no doubt look stunning as they had in my crepe fantasy, right?

WRONG. I lined each broken crepe with prosciutto and asiago and filled them with the sauce and stuck them in the oven to heat and melt together. They looked OK in the dish when they came out. When I put them on the plate, they just looked awful. They tasted OK, but it was very hard to hide my disappointment in them from my dining companion, who tried to assure me of their merit in taste, but to no avail. How pathetic.



Two mornings later, we still had a bunch of asparagus mushroom sauce left over. Matt, who has still been experimenting with omelettes, suggested that we try to put some in an omelette. We ended up going a scramble instead, and it was just divine. Yep, scrambled eggs with asparagus mushroom sauce, asiago cheese, and prosciutto (and ketchup of course) with some homemade bread and coffee. The next day we made breakfast tacos, with the same variation of eggs and sauce, but with added chopped tomatoes, swiss cheese, and salsa on top. Had the tortillas been bigger, they would have been burritos.

The two great breakfasts definitely outweighed the horrible dinner. However, if you'd like to try crepemaking, I'd suggest using a seasoned cast iron skillet that's been well oiled on medium high heat. You can put almost anything in them, but I'd recommend starting with ham and cheese variations, chocolate and fruit, nutella and whipped cream (add the whipped cream after you cook it!), ibarra and nuts, peanut butter and jelly, or anything else you feel like!

Basic Crepe Batter Adapted from "The New Moosewood Cookbook"
Makes 8-10 7 inch crepes

You will need:
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups milk
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
Oil for the pan (spray works fine!)

If you're making savory crepes, try substituting half the white flour with whole wheat flour. If you're making sweet crepes, use all white flour, omit the salt and add 1 Tbs. sugar.)

1) Place egg, milk, flour, and salt in a blender of food processor and whip until smooth (or just whisk).

2) Heat your pan. After a few minutes, lightly brush (or spray) its entire surface with oil. When the pan is hot enough to sizzle a drop of water instantly on contact, pour in approximately 1/4 cup batter. Slowly tilt the pan in all directions until the batter thoroughly coats the bottom. Pour off any excess batter (the crepe should be thin!). Cook on one side over medium heat until set (about 20 seconds), then flip over and cook for just another second or two on the other side.

3) At this point, put any filling on top of the crepe and wait for it to melt (or set, or get hot). Fold the crepe in half and remove from the pan. At this point, serve whole or in slices. Repeat as many times as it takes to satisfy! If you're left with extra batter you can't finish, cook crepes and put them aside on a clean, dry, dinner plate. They will safely stack, and not stick.

4) Cover any unused crepes with plastic wrap and refrigerate until use. They should keep well for several days.

-to reheat, fill as desired and warm in a 325 degree oven-


If asparagus mushroom omelettes sounded great to you too, here is the recipe for the sauce, also from Miss Mollie. If you prefer to do your savory cooking in the evening, it's great for pasta.

Miss Mollie's Asparagus Mushroom Sauce (also from "The New Moosewood Cookbook")

Makes 4-5 servings, or 2 dinners and 2 breakfasts for 2 people

You will need:

1 1/2 lbs. fresh asparagus
2 Tbs butter
1 1/2 cups sliced onion
1 tsp salt
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
1/2 tsp tarragon
black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups dry white wine (I used 2/3 cup of vermouth instead. tasted fine)
1 cup water
1 to 2 Tbs. flour (depending on how thick you like it!)
6 to 8 cloves garlic, minced

1) Steam the asparagus until just tender. Transfew to a colander over a sink and refresh under cold running water. Drain well and set aside.

2) Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add onion and salt and saute for about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, tarragon, and pepper. Cover and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3) Add booze and water. Turn up heat until the liquid boils. Sprinkle in the flour, whisking constantly until it completely dissolves. Lower heat, cover, and simmer about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic and cook about 5 minutes more. Set aside until serving time.

4) Add asparagus at the last minute and enjoy in the manner of your choosing.