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 Nov 2009  
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Events in Season

Fabulous Food Festival
San Francisco  .  CA
Nov 7 - 8

Mendocino Wine & Mushroom Festival
Mendocino  .  CA
Nov 6 - 16


Worlds of Flavor Conference
Culinary Institute of America
at Greystone
St. Helena  .  CA
Nov 12 - 14


Celebrity Chef Classic
Ojai Valley Inn . Ojai . CA
Nov 13 - 15


San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival
San Diego  .  CA
Nov 18 - 22

It's Squash Season!

Squash - varietyYou know it is fall when the display of reds, oranges and yellows show their elegance on the trees and on your dining tables. These colors always seem to comfort me, as we enter my favorite time of year with crisp mornings and evenings and the warm afternoon sun in between.  Shown in a colorful display of shape and size, squash now appears more bountiful in our farmer's markets and on our holiday menus.

Squash is a member of the gourd family.  Although technically a fruit with seeds inside, most consider it a vegetable in our kitchens and in our gardens.  Further grouped into two categories, summer and winter, most squash is available virtually year-round.  Summer squash, including zucchini and yellow crookneck squash, is harvested just before seasonal maturity, while still high in water content, and eaten while the skin is still thin and soft.   Winter squash, such as pumpkin, butternut, acorn,  is harvested at full maturity, having longevity on its side with the skin hardened to be stored for use later.

For you gardeners out there, did you know that SquashNative Americans planted their three farming staples - corn, beans and squash - together?  The cornstalk supported the climbing beans, with the leaves served as shade for the growing squash underneath. Speaking of dual usage, while available 'in season' in a range of vibrant colors, use squash now in your holiday table decorating, or atop your mantle for a beautiful fall display.  Enjoy later as you work them into your harvest and holiday feasts.

Setting aside its prevalent use in pies, but did you know that every part of the squash plant can be eaten?  Even the leaves can be cooked as greens in omelets or tossed in soup; the flower blossom is often stuffed and used as a delicate outer encasement for a favorite goat cheese appetizer.  Squash seeds can be eaten as a nutritious snack, (See Chef Maggie Pond's toasted Marcona almonds and try squash seeds), or they can always be pressed to create vegetable oil.

Serve squash in a first course soup, in a side dish risotto or toss roasted cubes into pasta or stews -  this versatile fruit can be used in almost any culinary delight.   Serve freshly cut with dips, grill on skewers, fry zucchini, serve baked or pur�ed.  But of course, don't forget Thanksgiving olive oil pumpkin pie.  Now is the time to enjoy this comfort food in an assortment of your seasonal dishes.  So go ahead, and serve it up.   You'll be 'thankful' you did.
 Featured Recipes
Squash and CA Olive Ranch EVOO

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
Courtesy of Chef Maggie Pond, Ce'sar
Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
Delicata Squash Rings wi Arugula, Persimmon, Cranberries & Feta
Courtesy of Lou Seibert Pappas
"Harvest of Pumpkins & Squash"


Butternut Risotto with Sage
Courtesy of Bon Appetit Recipe Box

Spice Crusted Scallops on Butternut Squash Risotto with Bacon
Courtesy of Chef Jamie West, Ojai Valley Inn & Spa
(Don't miss Chef West in Jan issue of "In Season")


Maple Roasted Acorn Squash with Cornbread Stuffing
Courtesy of Karina's Kitchen: Gluten-Free Goddess

Bon Appetit!

 Featured Chef
Executive Chef Maggie Pond

C�sar
http://www.barc�sar.com

Fresh out of cooking school, Chef Maggie Pond began her career with an internship at a Spanish Chef Maggie Pond 3restaurant in the San Francisco Bay Area.  This is where she was first introduced to the bold, flavorful cuisine from the Spanish region.  "At the time, no one was really interested in exploring that type of cuisine.  There just wasn't a lot of awareness or curiosity."  Although she later broadened her experience at other fine establishments, including San Francisco's China Moon and the prestigious BayWolf, Spain had already captured her attention.

Finally, in 1993, fueled by unbridled interest and intrigue, Chef Pond traveled to Spain, her first of many visits to follow, exploring firsthand her captivated passion for the flavorful and savory cuisine.  Visiting both large cities and small towns across the countryside, she was captivated by the colorful culture, the warm people and quality ingredients for which Spain is known - excellent seafood, vibrant chilies and peppers, and of course, the profound use of olive oils.  Over the course of several years, Chef Pond toured the Spanish countryside, cooking in some of Spain's finest eateries - Arzak, Akelare & La Cuchara in the Basque region, Roig Robi & Restaurante Blau Mar in Barcelona, and Viridiana in Madrid.   

Soon after returning to California in 1997, our featured chef joined C�sar, a Mediterranean-style restaurant located next to acclaimed Chez Panisse in Berkeley's 'Gourmet Ghetto'.  C�sar offered a bountiful selection of world class wines and spirits, with small food plates to compliment.  For Pond, it was a natural fit. 

Since Pond has taken rein of the kitchen, these innovative small plates, or 'tapas' as they're called in Spain, have become central to C�sar's business success, having recently opened a second eatery in neighboring Piedmont.  Tapas themselves offer a traditional pairing of food with drink, tasting and sharing a variety of regional offerings over great conversations with friends - "the ideal party food" as they are known.  Replenished plates of tapas are seemingly endless in her restaurant, and thankfully so.

Pond brings to life traditional Spanish items, like bocadillos ("little sandwiches"), air-cured meats, robust gazpacho, and the crunchy taste of Marcona almonds lightly friend in extra virgin olive oil.  "We fry them in California Olive Ranch Arbequina until they're lightly golden, and toss them in kosher salt. Serve and enjoy!" Chef Pond explains.

Win Chef Pond's cookbook - See below!


In fact, "olive oil is the foundation for all our restaurant's cooking.  We don't use butter at all. It is literally the underlying flavor to all our dishes. In fact, when a guest asks for bread and butter? Sorry. Don't have it." Authentically Spain, that's all.

The combination of genuine Spanish ingredients and the bounty of the San Francisco Bay Area remain utterly impressive.  Try the Chef Maggie Pond 2traditional salted cod, chorizo, or the patatas bravas.  Or better yet, try the Paella C�sar, empanadillas, or the buttery jam�n serrano.  The gambas a la gallega (extra large shrimp) is served in a warm drizzled bed of extra virgin olive oil with gallega spice.  But do save room for Chef Pond's famous bread pudding, or the rich and velvety arbequina (extra virgin olive oil) ice cream.

Each year, Chef Pond travels extensively through Spain seeking out authentically interesting dishes and identifying new trends from the country's diverse regions.  "I enjoy taking traditional dishes, and embellishing them with California-flavors.  I also like mixing different regions, so I may cross borders  - dip into Portugal, include some Moroccan influences," she admits.  

Every year since they opened, Pond's C�sar has been in the San Francisco Chronicle's "Best 100 Restaurants of the Bay Area". It's also been lauded by Food & Wine, Gourmet and featured in Zagats, and rightfully so. One visit alone will never be enough to taste all the incredible tapas on the seasonal menu at C�sar.  But it is well worth the try.


Cesar

1515 Shattuck Avenue  |  Berkeley  CA  |  510.883.0222
4039 Piedmont Avenue  |  Oakland  CA  |  510.985.1202
http://www.barcesar.com

Chef Maggie Pond Cookbook Giveaway

Cesar CookbookWin a copy of
"Cesar:  Recipes from a Tapas Bar"

Click to email reply with 'Cesar' in the subject line.

Reader chosen randomly on Nov 16, just in time for Thanksgiving!



Order an autographed copy signed by Chef Pond. 
A gift to a foodie friend - with a bottle of CA Olive Ranch EVOO!
 Thank You

We appreciate & welcome your comments to [email protected].

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