Second Annual Big Sur Camping

This last weekend was the second annual camping trip to Big Sur. Due to the huge fire last year we had to pick a new campground that wasn't burnt down and settled on the lovely Plaskett Creek. (I say this like I had anything to do with it, when in fact I had nothing to do with the planning.)

The group is about 20 people with the most thing in common being that we all like to eat good food and drink lots of booze. With every couple having a weekend assignment everybody ends up well fed and super hydrated.



We purchased a new tent this year, since I was sick of having to sleep on top of my bags as well as The Husband. Behold, the new castle:

We arrive in the early afternoon and begin to set up camp, while the first crew prepares dinner. What's great about this group is that cooking for 20 people always turns out great, in part because of every ones planning, but also because our neighbors take grilling very seriously and we always show up to the campsite with a full tow-behind pit. Yeah, professional. This is only one side of it:
Every time we go camping we end up with people walking by telling us they want to come with our group the next time. The Grill is impressive and shows people that we mean business, we've now got a good showing of very large tents, and always a plethora of games. The glow in the dark bocce ball didn't make it out this year, but we did have Cornhole and some ball throwing game that I was horrible at.
My favorite part of the weekend had to be our Booze Guy. After setting camp up we start drinking, and when The Booze Guy gets there he slams a large container of margaritas down. The next 24 hours was a bit of a fast-paced blur, but I did manage to take pictures and label them for every ones convenience:

Somehow a few of us started talking about gin, and when I mentioned the Bombay Sapphire was the best, The Booze Guy stood up from his camping chair, spiked his open beer into the fire and stormed away, only to return with a fabulous Costco bottle of liquid deliciousness.

We didn't tap into it the first night, but instead drank the rest of the margaritas, beer, and Crown. I woke up still under the influence at 6AM to start preparing for breakfast, and The Booze Man showed up at 7 and began making his magic Gin Fizzes. We finished the bottle well before noon, and after breakfast a nap was in order.

In the afternoon we walked to the beach- one of the nicest on the central coast in my opinion.

This was our sunset:

*Sigh* Gotta love California.

I have no good excuse for a blogging absence. I think about it in fleeting moments during the day, but for some reason playing a game of spider solitaire takes precedence.

Harvest is slowly approaching and I'm sure three months from now if I have a lapse in blogs I will actually have a reason for it. I love the look of the vineyards this time of the year- it seems they go from their dormant state to buds in a week’s span- gotta love chemicals.

This past weekend was Fab's birthday. We had planned to go camping, however FabRic decided to come to Monterey for the night instead.

Naturally, The Hubby and I wanted to meet them and make the most of the beautiful coast, and-of course- when presented with the options for the day they chose wine tasting (somehow it never gets old). The plan was to cruise by Cannery Row since Fab has never been there before, followed by a drive to Carmel Valley to continue wine tastings. Yeah...Lets just say we didn't make it out of Monterey.

Cannery Row wasn't as busy as I thought it'd be, and our first stop was Baywood Cellars. I've never heard of them but they had a nice tasting room and a great guy and his dog working there. One of the best things about working in the wine industry is that at most places I don't pay for tastings (if they charge) and I often get about 30% off. Why would I not buy something if it's delicious?!
The guy had a heavy hand. Not to mention that we hadn't eaten lunch yet. I had to get the 2007 Termpranillo because its hints of smokiness demanded that I serve it with something that had bacon in it. Don't ask.

Our next stop was Scheid. I can't even count how many times I've been there since it is the closest tasting room to our house- and we are surrounded by their vineyards. They just opened up a tasting room on Cannery Row- and if you're in the area you have to stop by at least to check out their bathroom. They guys sure didn't care about it, but Fab and I were impressed. Of course we get to talking, the tasting room guy gets to pouring, we get to drinking. We leave happy.

I think we realized that we weren't moving on to Carmel Valley- so we improvised and we to A Taste of Monterey. This is the view from the tasting counter:

More wine was of course purchased- I'm not sure what they tasted like, but apparently we thought they were good. I was disappointed because they weren't pouring any Pianetta winewhich is one of my favorites (plug for Caitlin and her fam.), but none the less we were content.

We were not too intoxicated to come to the conclusion that we had some of the best calamari. Ever.
Unfortunately, that coincided with this:

On one hand I was smart enough to forgo the temptation of a delicious dirt sapphire martini, on the other I will concede that the pink sugary booze thingy I got in lieu of a martini was not a smart idea either. I cannot be sure, but I think we had a bottle of wine during dinner also. Why don't I learn?
The next event I was about to mention, bay in fact not have been the next event. In writing this it has occurred to me that I can't recall if the bar came before or after dinner. Either way it was another bad idea. I don't know WHY THE HELL this would happen:

Even worse, The Hubby claims that I am the one that got Fab the birthday shot- which I ended up drinking part of. What I am also failing to understand is why these next to pictures occurs, but here they are for your enjoyment:

I didn't even have to crop them. Somehow, Jaeger=boobs. Things get fuzzier from there, as we headed to the hotel where FabRic were staying so we could hit up there classy bar. (Why are people still serving us?!) I am told martinis were in order (WHY?).

Next thing I know, I'm on a dance floor. The Hubby is pissed off.

From what I gather I had gone to the bathroom at the hotel, which happens to be in front of the entrance to the ballroom...Where an event is going on. Yeah, I crashed it. I was dancing like I belonged, and still have no idea what group the party was for. I may have been the youngest of the group, the only one in casual clothes with tattoos showing, but I'm sure I had fun, if not at least provided some of the guests with something to talk about amongst themselves. The Hubby said we went back to the bar and FabRic were nowhere to be found.

We hit up the Jack in the Box drive-thru, and then rented a hotel room down the street from where we used to live. I was up and at'em at 7AM with a raging headache- but quite happy we had a hotel room and weren't stupid enough to drive.

Well, Happy Birthday Fab! At least we got some cute pics before things got sloppy.

Haven't blogged in awhile. With the FIL in and out of the hospital and celebrating my first 29th birthday, it's been a busy few weeks.

Speaking of hospital, one of the days we were visiting we happened to be there when they brought in a "meal". This delicious item was included:

If I am ever admitted into the hospital I hope my friends and family will bring me food. WTF is that?? A "gel-type treat"? I wish now that I got a good look at the ingredients.

My birthday consisted of dinner on the actual night, lunch with my closest girlfriends, and a BBQ party in my home town with some friends and family. I got a bottle of Italian wine I've never heard of (which makes me excited to try it- I don't venture out of California for my vino often), an A-M-A-Z-I-N-G bottle of Far Niente Dolce from The Hubby: Some adorable shoes from one of my BF's:And a Starbucks card with $52.50 on it. My dad thinks he's funny.

Who said Hockey is White Trash??

I almost forgot! The Hubby and I went to our first professional hockey game this last Thursday with our neighbors; Sharks v. Coyotes.

Not only did we have a free parking pass, but our sets were in row ten in the club level. We got there when the doors opened and went straight for the club bar (of course). I couldn't decide on what I wanted to drink until I had my first sip of beer and knew immediately I wanted a gin & tonic. I asked my new buddy Rich, who looked like he's been a bartender in the conspicuous bar that sits on the corner of every town and has no windows since about 1967. Complete with missing teeth and husky voice. Talk about a heavy hand. I've had bartenders before who would pour a bit beyond the shot being full, but good ol' Rich not only over-flowed that, but kept pouring into the teeny-tiny plastic cup...With a *dash* of tonic. Holy Sweet Jesus, there is a gin god.

(I should note here that I have learned, as has The Hubby, to not try and keep pace with the neighbor, who is about 250 and drinks like a fish. He has 2.5 Crown and 7's to my one G & T.)

Since the game was about to start I decided that it was a good idea to get a double so I could save myself a trip and focus on the game. By this time the bar was packed, with two thirty-something guys next to me, then two 60 somethings next to them curving around the bar. I ordered my double Sapphire & tonic. The young guys said that there was nothing quite like a little blond girl ordering a double. The older guys not only told me that I was amazing for having a taste for Sapphire, since that's what they were drinking, but that I was a "keeper" due to the fact that I ordered a double. I didn't mention that I was just lazy and wanted a nice gin buzz. Rich asked if I wanted a small or large cup, then proceeded to pour what was more like three and a half shots into my double. I walked to our seats as a happy small blond girl. Here's my only picture of the night:

Bless crazy Rich and his heavy hand. It makes me not as mad to pay $16 for a drink. I don't remember logistics of the game (I had one more single G&T), except that it was amazingly fun and exciting. I even jumped out of my seat a few times.

I'll never watch hockey on TV, but I'll be dammed if I ever turn down a ticket to actually go to the game.

Not only have I run 3x this week (and soon to be fourth), but my hydrangea is doing so-so. A week to kill, a year to bring back?

Considering that at one point it only had three leaves, I think it's doing well.

The lemon tree would be planted by now, but there's been a bit of a debate with The Hubby on where to plant it.

Last night I made shrimp scampi- the real way, not just with the marinade they give you at the seafood counter. I think it turned out well- except that since I mistakenly used table salt instead of kosher or sea salt, it was a little sodium rich. Next time not only am I using the correct salt, but I'm still cutting the amount back, as well as reduce the amount of lemon too. I guess I can't have two amazing dishes in a row.

Now that I look at it too- the picture doesn't make it look too appetizing. It sure did make all the beer I drank last night hit me hard though.

Tomorrow is Booty's 28Th birthday. What are we doing? Well, we're doing what we always default to having grown up in Sonoma County: Wine Tasting. Turns out it's Winter Wineland this weekend, which can be seen as both a good and bad thing.

A Thursday Night in Nowhere

I'm trying to get us to eat more fish lately.

Not only do I love beef, but my favorite fish tend to be the ones you shouldn't eat more than once or twice a month due to stupid mercury levels. That being said, I realize that salmon is one of the best fish to eat (omega3-blah-blah-blah), but I really really hate that fish. Because it's so good for you though, I keep my eye open for recipes that look like they may mask the taste pretty well.

Salmon in lemon brodetto with pea puree.

Why I would pick this I have no idea. Not only do I not care for salmon, but I hate peas with a passion- they actually activate my gag reflex (which caused me to almost puke on my grandma when I was little).

When I told Innocent M about it she immediately said she would leave the mint out of the recipe, but I figure that since I'm making a dish that already has things I don't like in it, I might as well include the ingredient that makes me think of delicious adult beverages too.

Perhaps one of the things I was drawn to was the fact that it had garlic in it. I like to put garlic in anything I can, and in this case it called for one clove so naturally I put two. After the peas, mint, garlic, salt & pepper, and EVOO we pureed together I mixed it with dry jack (it called for Parmesan, but close enough). Interesting, isn't it? It was at this point that I realized that you don't cook it. Or heat it up. Huh. So raw peas. Riiiight.

The brodetto was easy, and when I tasted it it was on the lemony side, but after trying the two separately you could tell that they would marry well. As seen here before the salmon was on top:

It was a recipe for four, so not only were our salmon fillets too big, and I added too much brodetto to each bowl, but the puree was a little on the not-so-stiff side. I'm not sure if this is due to the change in cheese, or if I pureed it too long.

The salmon made the puree smoosh into the brodetto, which irritated me since I was trying o get a pretty picture, but when we tried it- yeah, amazing. Not only did is not have a huge salmon taste, but the peas didn't taste like peas, and you couldn't even tell there was a crap-load of mint in there. I would probably tweak a few things, but nothing much- and I am definitely cooking this for guests at some point or another.

Now I just have to get a delicious wine to pair with it.

Yum Me...

I mean yummy...


My neighbor brought over a large bag of apples- wonderful organic apples from a friend's farm.
I'm finding it's quite nice to have friends in the produce industry. She also let me use a nifty gadget that suctions down and peels and cores things. I wasn't worried about getting them ready to cook, but this seriously was so easy that it made me want to have an apple peeling and coring party. With vino.




I decided to try my first apple crisp, because a) I didn't have any pie shells, and really making a pie shell from scratch isn't my thing, and b) it sounded easy.




Doesn't it look kind of like a pineapple?



I made the topping, tossed it all in a pyrex pan, and cooked it for 30 minutes.


Before:




Yeah baby, those are oats in there.

After:

I impress myself...but I also only used 3 apples.

Tomorrow will be an apple extravaganza.

P.S. Just because, here's my amazing salad which went amazing with the home made amazing pesto I put on whole grain pasta and amazing organic chicken breasts. There was a whole lot of fresh basil going on...(I'd post the salad recipe, but that's an amazing secret I'm keeping- but I will tell you that the stuff on top is all fresh garlic.)