The results are in. After more than a month of cooking, tasting and testing, we’ve put on several pounds and horrified our dentists while loving every minute of grading Sonoma County’s BEST Holiday cookies for 2010.
Cookies by the Number: Biteclub kept track, and here’s how the numbers for 2010’s cookie bake-off went…
– 18 pounds of butter
– 8 dozen eggs
– 5 pounds of chocolate chips
– 6 oranges
– 1 bag of fresh cranberries
– 9 pounds of sugar
– 7 pounds of flour
– 9 trips to the grocery store
– 29 recipes to the semi-finals
– 35 recipes tested
– 48 recipes submitted
– 5 pounds gained (roughly)
Finalists: (See recipes below) Real Ginger Ginger Snaps, Pecan Crunch (Potato Chip) Cookies, Cashew Crusted Guava Cream Cookies, Cookie Brownies, Saltine Cracker Toffee Bark, Mint Truffles, Date Balls, Ginger Cookies with Togarishi, Cranberry Orange Almond Cookies, Raspberry Ribbons, Bourbon Balls, Graham Crackers with Dulce de Leche
Winner: Cranberry Orange Almond Cookies
Tasters went around and around over their favorites, but ultimately these cookies took the prize for their use of fresh cranberries, a delicious citrus glaze, and holiday perfection. Congratulations Celeste!
Celeste receives a $100 gift certificate to Lucky’s Supermarkets and a $25 gift certificate to Savory Spice Shop.
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Real Ginger Ginger Snaps | Holiday Cookies
Sheana Davis is a ringer…as a professional caterer, I knew these would be amazing, but hands down, these are the best ginger snaps I’ve made to date. The mix of butter and shortening makes for a rich, soft cookie. The fresh ginger adds a special zing you just can’t get in powdered ginger.
Davis Family Ginger Snaps
Submitted by Sheana Davis
1/2 c. Sonoma County butter, room temperature
1/2 c. shortening
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. dark molasses
2 whole farm fresh eggs
3 1/2 to 4 c. flour, sifter
2 1/4 t. baking soda, sifted
1/2 t. salt
2 t. fresh ginger, grated fine
1 1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. cloves
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer cream butter, shortening and sugar. Add in molasses and eggs, thoroughly mixing. Fold and them mix the dry ingredients a cup at a time, mixing as you go. Roll dough into 1″ balls and then roll balls in a bowl of sugar. Bake on a non stick pan or parchment paper Place balls two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 8- 10 minutes, careful not to over-bake. Enjoy fresh an hot out of the oven! Store cookies by storing them in an air tight container.
Yields approximately 3-4 dozen cookies.
*Dough may be made up to 24 hours in advance, formed into balls and then baked off when ready to enjoy!
Pecan Crunch Cookies | Holiday Cookie Contest
I love, love, love these cookies. They’ve got a shortbread base with the extra salty, crunchy flavor of the potato chips. Tasters loved these cookies as well. The bonus is that they’re amazingly easy to make.
Pecan Crunch Cookies
“Crushed potato chips are the secret for that special crunch,” Dorothy Fitarapravich.
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup crushed potato chips (Lay’s or similar)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter sugar and vanilla. Add crushed potato chips and pecans. Stir in flour. Batter will be dry.
Form dough into small balls, using about 1 tsp. dough for each. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Press balls flat with bottom of a tumbler dipped in sugar. Bake 16-18 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Makes 3.5 dozen.
Citrus Shortbread Cups | Holiday Cookies
There’s a lot going on in these little cookie cups — shortbread, nuts and chocolate chips. Tasters were mixed on their affinity toward them, but if you’re a shortbread fan, it’s worth trying these intriguing little treats.
Citrus Shortbread Cups
Submitted by Laurie Figone
Shortbread
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 orange, zested
1 cup cold butter
4 tbsp. walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
4 tbsp. sour cream
In large bowl combine flour, sugar, salt and orange zest; cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in walnuts. Add sour cream 1 tbsp. at a time until dough forms a ball.
Refrigerate wrapped in plastic for 30 minutes.
Filling
2 eggs
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 tbsp. fresh orange juice
1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
While dough is chilling, make filling. In small bowl mix together eggs, brown sugar, orange juice and chocolate chips.
Topping
1/2 cup white chocolate melted
zest from 1/2 an orange
Stir together and place in a piping bag, do this right before you are ready to use in the last step.
Preheat oven to 375′.
Using a greased mini muffin pan, put 1 tbsp. of dough into each hole and push down gently to form a mini cup.
Add 1/2 tsp. filling to each.
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until nicely browned.
Cool in pan 15 to 20 minutes, then gently remove from pan and drizzle with topping
Cashew Crusted Guava Cream Cookies | Holiday Cookies
I love the island feel to these cookies with exotic guava jelly and cashews. The cream cheese filling makes these a special treat.
Cashew Crusted Guava Cream Cookies
Submitted by Karen Crosby
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Crust:
1/2 cup cashews finely chopped (lightly salted)
Filling:
4 oz. cream cheese,
1/4 cup guava jelly
1 egg yolk
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine all purpose flour and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat unsalted butter and brown sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Mix in egg and vanilla extract. Mix in dry ingredients.
Form dough into 1-inch balls and roll edges in chopped cashews. Arrange on ungreased baking sheet, spacing 1 1/2 inches apart. Make depression in center of each using thumb or handle of wooden spoon. Fill depressions with 1 teaspoon cream cheese filling. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on rack.
Yield: 2 dozen
Glen Ellen Inn still very much open
The difference between a capital “I” and a lower case “i” is turning into a capital case of mistaken identity for the Glen Ellen Inn. Recently the Glen Elly Inn Bed and Breakfast in Glen Ellen closed for business. It was reportedly seized for back bed taxes. The Press Democrat reported on Sunday that a “Glen Ellen inn” was seized, ushering in the confusion.
However, Karen & Chris Bertrand, owners of the Glen Ellen Inn Oyster Grill & Martini Bar want folks to know they’re still very much in business and are not affiliated with the Glen Elly folks.
“We woke up this morning with the phone ringing and it has been ringing all day!” said the owners, who fear that friends and customers may think they’re the ones throwing in the towel.
So be assured, their restaurant and secret cottages are still around and they’re eager to see you.
Glen Ellen Inn, Oyster & Martini Bar 13670 Arnold Drive | Glen Ellen, Sonoma, Ca | 95442
Restaurant: (707) 996-6409 | Secret Cottages: (707) 996-1174
Local Sweeties on TV
A certain Sonoma County cupcake empire we’re all come to know (and, uh, carry around the results of on our thighs) is preparing for battle. Sift Dessert Bar (formerly Cupcakery) puts up their buttercream frosted dukes on Food Network’s Cupcake Wars on January 11. They’re not giving away any details — like whether they crumble the competition — but we’re pretty confident they’ll put up a good fight regardless. Stay tuned next week for some sweet details on their new dessert bar menu (hint: it includes some pretty sweet new goodies we’ve gotten a first bite on) and plans for world domination.
Meanwhile the amazing Lisa Marie Kincaid of Fleur de Lisa Wedding Cakes in Santa Rosa will be featured on TLC’s Fabulous Cakes on December 20. The show features a behind-the-scenes look at some of the country’s top pastry chefs. Lisa is one of three Bay Area chefs featured on the episode and is is well known for her wedding cakes.
Just in: We also hear the gals from Patisserie Angelica are getting their moment in the spotlight on Foodcrafters on the Cooking Channel on January 4 at 8:30pm!
Liza Hinman leaving Santi
It’s a bittersweet departure for Chef Liza Hinman, who will leave Fountaingrove’s popular Santi Restaurant after New Year’s.
The mom-to-be is expecting a child in March and will turn over her toque in January to Sous Chef Doug Richey. Hinman has been with the restaurant for years, taking over the role as exec chef after Chef Dino Bugica transitioned to Santi’s sister restaurant, Diavola.
Hinman is not anticipated to return to the restaurant’s kitchens, though Santi owner Doug Swett says, “Never say never.”
“Doug is our sous chef from the Geyserville days and the food won’t miss a beat,” Swett said. “There will be different roles for everyone, but I have every faith in him.”
Hinman, however, is going out with a bang. Santi’s New Year’s Eve menu is a whopper, with plenty for the whole kitchen to take on, including brown butter crepes with Dungeness crab; foie gras terrine; cauliflower soup with sea urchin; tortellini with black truffles; calves liver; linguini with lemon cream and salmon caviar; osso buco; whole branzino; braised guinea hen and meyer lemon tart. $85 to $100 per person. (707) 528 1549. The restaurant has also recently started serving weekend brunch.
Impromptu “This Land” Video at Whole Foods Petaluma
Unsuspecting shoppers at the Petaluma Whole Foods get a surprise in the produce aisle on December 15, 2010 when several disguised singers erupt into a sing-a-long version of Woodie Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land.” Watch for the bass player to come out of the back. It’s funny.
The “Random Act of Culture” was dreamed up by the Heritage Music Theatre and Cinnabar Theater Cinnabar Theater will present Woody Guthrie’s American Song December 31 through January 23. More details at the Cinnabar website.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huSdqL1XlPQ[/youtube]
Munch Monday 2011: Mobile food fleet hits SR
UPDATE: 
Wooooohhhh! That was fun!
Crowds were huge at the first event and there was tons of great food, including steamed bbq pork buns, agedashi, hot dogs, whoopie pies, burritos, New Orleans pasta (which looked so good), burgers, crab sandwiches and carne asada fries! Can’t wait for next week. (PS. The Karma bistro truck got sideswiped, so wasn’t there, but will hopefully be there next week after a few repairs!)
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Here come the trucks!
Beginning Monday, January 10, 2011 from 11:30am until 2pm, six gourmet mobile vendors will pull into the E Street parking lot between the downtown post office and public library for lunch.
In the starting lineup: Street-eatz Mobile Kitchen, La Texanita Truck (from La Texanita Restaurant), Chicago Style Hot Dogs, Karma Bistro, Fork Catering and Napa’s Dim Sum Charlie’s. Plans are to rotate and introduce other local vendors over the coming months. The lineup is currently managed by Jillian Dorman (Street-eatz) and Jeff Tyler (Chicago Style Hot Dogs). All of the trucks must be fully permitted and carry insurance to participate.
“Since last March with the launch of the Street-eatz truck doing lunches each day, the number of trucks, carts and/or trailers is growing nicely. Several times a week I am contacted by some one who wants to give it a shot. We’re on our way, building a terrific reputation for great quality, Sonoma style mobile eats and standing out in this huge trend,”said Dorman, who has mentored several newcomers to the local food truck business.
Although some brick and mortars have already expressed concern over increased competition, Eat Fleeters plan to talk to local business owners to explain their plans and discuss ways for everyone to benefit from the excitement and potential increased foot traffic to downtown.
The event will be weekly through at least the end of February.
Several of the Sonoma trucks in the Munch Monday fleet also participate in Food Truck Friday, a weekly round-up in Napa (near the Oxbow Market) that also includes Marks the Spot,Cochon Volant BBQ (the former La Poste chef), Phat Salads and Karas Cupcakes.