On January 31, 2014 Mr Walter Lester died at the age of 88. Who was Mr. Lester and what does he have to do with the Martial Cottle Park, you ask? Well plenty, actually. You see, Mr. Lester was born, grew up, worked and lived a couple of blocks away from our home, here in Blossom Valley, San Jose. His home, but mostly its land, is the site of the future Martial Cottle Park. 287 acres, equivalent to 236 football fields that is being developed to become a park with a visitors' center, picnic areas, historical farming exhibitions, etc.
Mr. Lester was born on July 7, 1925. He never married, nor did he have any children. Mr. Lester could have become just another multi-millionaire of Silicon Valley as the offers for his land kept coming from investors who wanted to turn it into another sub-division or a mall. However, Mr. Lester was steadfast on his plans for this property. Throughout the years he refused to sell and in 2003 he signed over the property in a grant deed to Santa Clara County and California Department of Parks and Recreations but with certain conditions. He wanted the land to stay the way it was, preserved as farmland and open space, with arching old oaks and broad views of the surrounding mountains. He also stated that he wanted no part of the property to be used for high intensity, organized recreational uses such as athletic fields, playgrounds, swimming pools or other similar activities. He wanted the property to be used as a public historical park that would inform and educate the public about the agricultural heritage of Santa Clara Valley. Silicon Valley, a technological area, used to have a topographical vocation. Much of it covered Santa Clara Valley and used to be known as Valley of the Heart's Delight, a region rich with fruit orchards up until the 1960s.
This space is in the south part of San Jose, bordered by Chynoweth Avenue, Snell Avenue, Branham Lane and Highway 85. The project for the park had been almost dormant up until a couple of weeks after we moved into our new home, in October 2013. As I walked my dog in that area every day, I started noticing more and more activity with trucks going in and out and increasing during several weeks with digging and paving and the start of a building going up. Then on February 1st, one day after Mr. Lester's passing, a partial trail was opened and people started walking, with or without a dog, cycling and simply enjoying this wonderful space. Walking this trail, in its infancy, you can almost imagine what the final product will look like. The feeling is magical. The trail is paved but on each side the soil has been worked and sprinkled with seed to grown grass. A few benches have been installed as well as a couple of doggie stations with bags and waste bins. The fields around go on forever and you distinctly get the feeling of wide open spaces in the countryside, although you are in the middle of the third largest city in California, almost completely surrounded by mountains in the distance. The main trail is about halfway done as the rest of the land is surrounded by fences during the completion of the project. This is a wonderful addition to our neighbourhood and will enchant and help educate people on agriculture for a long time to come.
Sadly, I did not know Mr. Lester but I will give a silent thank you each time I walk those trails and look out into the distance to admire the same views as he surely did.
Recipe:
I recently found this recipe in an Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa) cookbook. I love her cookbooks. I have almost all of them. The recipe is from Foolproof.
The combination of salmon and tomato is not usual but trust me, it is outstandingly delicious.
Well worth the effort. This is a version of the recipe. Enjoy !
Salmon with tomato stew
Olive oil
1 cup chopped sweet onion
2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes halved lengthwise
Salt and Pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons basalmic vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves
4 pieces salmon fillet, about 8 ounces each
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Heat 3 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium sauté pan. Add the onion and sauté over medium-low heat for a few minutes until onion is very tender. Add the garlic and sauté for an additional minute. Stir in tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt and half a teaspoon pepper and cook over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring from time to time until liquid is almost gone and sauce has thickened a bit. Off the heat, stir in the vinegar and basil.
Place a large sauté pan (that can go in the oven) over high heat for a couple of minutes. Brush the salmon all over with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and place skin side up in the pan. Do not move the fish for 3-4 minutes until it is browned. Carefully turn the salmon on its skin side and put the pan in the oven for 8 minutes. Carefully remove the pan and put fish on a serving platter, covering it with aluminum foil for 5 minutes to allow it to rest.
Reheat the tomatoes, check seasoning again and serve hot, warm or at room temperature with salmon.
Bon appétit !
Showing posts with label San Jose. Show all posts
Showing posts with label San Jose. Show all posts
Friday, February 28, 2014
Monday, October 21, 2013
Take 30 - House Hunting in San Jose - Part 2 Dream Home
Take 30 - House Hunting in San Jose - Part 2 Dream Home
In my last installment, I explained how our hearts had been broken by being outbid on an Eichler house. We were totally heartbroken but as the fog of heartache lifted,we looked at our wish list. We had this wish list we had put together. A column of "must have", a column of "would be nice" and finally a column of "icing on the cake".
Well after going down the list, it turns out the Eichler had very few of the items on that list. First, it was in the wrong neighbourhood. It's located in our present neighbourhood which we do not like. It had very little storage space. It would have meant a lot of compromise. We would have had to change our furniture too. Living in an Eichler means embracing the lifestyle and our furniture would have been all wrong. There was no garage. There was no pool. The kitchen was small. The noise would have been the same as what we are presently complaining about. There was no space for a microwave. The washer/dryer were mini stacked appliances. And a few more items that were not on our wish list. That would have been settling and we had promised ourselves that we would not settle at any cost and this, just to get out of our present dwelling to buy a house.
Another thing we didn't want was having to compete to buy a house. Price wars are commonplace here in Silicon Valley and it will only get worse due to tech companies that are hiring by the thousands. So, we went back to our list and moved our search a few miles away from the heart of Silicon Valley. Only 6 miles made the difference. Still in San Jose but in Blossom Valley instead of Rose Garden or Willow Glen. We gave up on living in a cool neighbourhood and high walkability for a dormitory area but within a very short drive from many shopping malls, restaurants and cinemas. What we also got in return is everything on our wish list and more, including a pool. Even things we had not thought of. In other words, more bang for our buck. Much more. The house we found is move-in ready and we did not have to promise our first born in order to afford it either. The neighbourhood is also very nice with mature trees and houses about 40-50 years old.
So the lesson we learned here is, know your priorities and try to stick to them. What really matters in your search. The cool area, we can drive to. A house with all we ever want is more important. Now, on to packing and moving. :--)
In my last installment, I explained how our hearts had been broken by being outbid on an Eichler house. We were totally heartbroken but as the fog of heartache lifted,we looked at our wish list. We had this wish list we had put together. A column of "must have", a column of "would be nice" and finally a column of "icing on the cake".
Well after going down the list, it turns out the Eichler had very few of the items on that list. First, it was in the wrong neighbourhood. It's located in our present neighbourhood which we do not like. It had very little storage space. It would have meant a lot of compromise. We would have had to change our furniture too. Living in an Eichler means embracing the lifestyle and our furniture would have been all wrong. There was no garage. There was no pool. The kitchen was small. The noise would have been the same as what we are presently complaining about. There was no space for a microwave. The washer/dryer were mini stacked appliances. And a few more items that were not on our wish list. That would have been settling and we had promised ourselves that we would not settle at any cost and this, just to get out of our present dwelling to buy a house.
Another thing we didn't want was having to compete to buy a house. Price wars are commonplace here in Silicon Valley and it will only get worse due to tech companies that are hiring by the thousands. So, we went back to our list and moved our search a few miles away from the heart of Silicon Valley. Only 6 miles made the difference. Still in San Jose but in Blossom Valley instead of Rose Garden or Willow Glen. We gave up on living in a cool neighbourhood and high walkability for a dormitory area but within a very short drive from many shopping malls, restaurants and cinemas. What we also got in return is everything on our wish list and more, including a pool. Even things we had not thought of. In other words, more bang for our buck. Much more. The house we found is move-in ready and we did not have to promise our first born in order to afford it either. The neighbourhood is also very nice with mature trees and houses about 40-50 years old.
So the lesson we learned here is, know your priorities and try to stick to them. What really matters in your search. The cool area, we can drive to. A house with all we ever want is more important. Now, on to packing and moving. :--)
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Take 29 House hunting in San Jose - Part One
Take 29
House hunting in San Jose - Part One
And so we begin the thrilling, exciting, and sometimes disappointing and frustrating task of finding and buying our next home. When we first moved here, houses were at an all time low and deals were everywhere to be had. It was a buyer's market. But, unfortunately, we weren't ready financially. We still had a property in Canada and many months would have to go by before we could start looking at the possibility of owning a house. Ironically, now that we are free and able to do so, the market has changed and it is now a seller's market. Prices are higher and competition is fierce. Price wars are commonplace and some sellers are more than happy to take advantage of the situation because they have the upper hand. Regardless of all this, we are pushing forward.
In Canada, when you decide to buy a house, you go to your bank or the bank that offers the best conditions. Here, to get the best conditions and rates you go to a Broker. He or she will gather your information and negotiate the best rate with a bank, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac or a private lender. He will speak on your behalf to secure that needed mortgage at the best rate. Unless, happily, you are financially loaded and don't need the help of a bank or a broker. If so, good for you ! As for us, we need a lending hand. The broker we chose was extremely competent at explaining the American Mortgage system to us and informing us of our financial possibilities and realities. We were thankful that he turned out to be a conservative person and not a salesman out to entice us into taking a bigger loan than planned. We had our goal and he agreed with our numbers. So, after his confirmation that all of our information checked out, off we went with our agents, a real estate couple whom we met a few months prior at a garage sale (go figure!) to visit houses through private showings and open houses. When you look in popular and cool neighborhoods open house events can be circus-like. Here in Silicon Valley the demand for houses is greater than great, the inventory is minimal and its about to get worse since several large tech companies are hiring by the thousands. So back to open houses where there are people everywhere, taking measures, opening doors and windows, etc. A time consuming and tiring activity where you see houses in all shapes of disrepair at ridiculously high prices. A daunting task to see the jewel in each of them.
And then a ray of hope. There was an Eichler, in our price range. When we first moved to California, we became aware of Eichler homes. They are mid-century modern houses built between 1956-1970, mostly in California with a few in New York State, by Joseph Eichler. A man with a wonderful philosophy of life which included wanting to design homes for people regardless of religion, race or creed. The houses are generally flat roofed with radiant floor heating and walls of windows looking towards the backyard with minimal windows in front, allowing total privacy while exuding wonderful avant-garde design. If you are curious, Google Eichler homes and you will see the reason for our passion. There is even an association for Eichler homeowners mainly for guidance on resources to renovate the mid-century homes and to inform as to new listings of Eichlers. This particular one had been perfectly renovated respecting each little details of the design right down to the colors of the exterior and even to the civic numbers on the house. Those owners got it perfectly. Every little detail. We were in love! Totally smitten. We could imagine our lives there,Taylor frolicking in the yard, Constance the cat bumping into windows at first. We could see ourselves there. So, we put in our best and largest offer as well as a note (some sellers encourage that to know who they are selling to) explaining in a few words who we were and why we wanted their house. And then we waited. We were on pins and needles. When the answer came, we were devastated. The house had gone to another buyer offering more, but not much more. At least the sellers didn't force a bidding war, like it happens in the more desirable areas; they just considered all the offers they got (and there were a lot) and picked their favorite. After the disappointment, we figured we had learned a valuable lesson and had to regroup. We had to return to the drawing board, to our list of wants in a house, and strive not to compromise. In my next post, you will find out what we did and what we found. Don't miss it !
Here is a wonderful recipe I found in the paper the other day. Add a glass of Chardonnay (or not) and you will have a great meal and maybe leftovers for a sandwich if you double or triple the recipe.
Pancetta Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
1 trimmed pork tenderloin, about 1 pound
Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoon white wine
3-4 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 ounces thinly sliced pancetta
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Season tenderloin on all sides with salt and pepper.
2. In a small bowl, mix the mustard and wine. Using a pastry brush or your hands, cover the tenderloin liberally with the mixture. Sprinkle rosemary evenly over tenderloin.
3. Lay a 10-inch square of parchment or wax paper with pancetta, overlapping slices by about 1/2 inch. Lay the tenderloin 1 inch in from the edge closest to you, parallel to the edge. Fold the bottom inch over the tenderloin, then roll the paper around the tenderloin. The pancetta should be tightly wrapped around the roast. Remove the paper.
4.Place the tenderloin on a rack in the roasting pan. Roast about 20 minutes or until the the pancetta is golden and crisp and a meat thermometer registers 140 degrees. Let rest 10 minutes, then slice into rounds 1-inch thick.
Enjoy !
House hunting in San Jose - Part One
And so we begin the thrilling, exciting, and sometimes disappointing and frustrating task of finding and buying our next home. When we first moved here, houses were at an all time low and deals were everywhere to be had. It was a buyer's market. But, unfortunately, we weren't ready financially. We still had a property in Canada and many months would have to go by before we could start looking at the possibility of owning a house. Ironically, now that we are free and able to do so, the market has changed and it is now a seller's market. Prices are higher and competition is fierce. Price wars are commonplace and some sellers are more than happy to take advantage of the situation because they have the upper hand. Regardless of all this, we are pushing forward.
In Canada, when you decide to buy a house, you go to your bank or the bank that offers the best conditions. Here, to get the best conditions and rates you go to a Broker. He or she will gather your information and negotiate the best rate with a bank, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac or a private lender. He will speak on your behalf to secure that needed mortgage at the best rate. Unless, happily, you are financially loaded and don't need the help of a bank or a broker. If so, good for you ! As for us, we need a lending hand. The broker we chose was extremely competent at explaining the American Mortgage system to us and informing us of our financial possibilities and realities. We were thankful that he turned out to be a conservative person and not a salesman out to entice us into taking a bigger loan than planned. We had our goal and he agreed with our numbers. So, after his confirmation that all of our information checked out, off we went with our agents, a real estate couple whom we met a few months prior at a garage sale (go figure!) to visit houses through private showings and open houses. When you look in popular and cool neighborhoods open house events can be circus-like. Here in Silicon Valley the demand for houses is greater than great, the inventory is minimal and its about to get worse since several large tech companies are hiring by the thousands. So back to open houses where there are people everywhere, taking measures, opening doors and windows, etc. A time consuming and tiring activity where you see houses in all shapes of disrepair at ridiculously high prices. A daunting task to see the jewel in each of them.
And then a ray of hope. There was an Eichler, in our price range. When we first moved to California, we became aware of Eichler homes. They are mid-century modern houses built between 1956-1970, mostly in California with a few in New York State, by Joseph Eichler. A man with a wonderful philosophy of life which included wanting to design homes for people regardless of religion, race or creed. The houses are generally flat roofed with radiant floor heating and walls of windows looking towards the backyard with minimal windows in front, allowing total privacy while exuding wonderful avant-garde design. If you are curious, Google Eichler homes and you will see the reason for our passion. There is even an association for Eichler homeowners mainly for guidance on resources to renovate the mid-century homes and to inform as to new listings of Eichlers. This particular one had been perfectly renovated respecting each little details of the design right down to the colors of the exterior and even to the civic numbers on the house. Those owners got it perfectly. Every little detail. We were in love! Totally smitten. We could imagine our lives there,Taylor frolicking in the yard, Constance the cat bumping into windows at first. We could see ourselves there. So, we put in our best and largest offer as well as a note (some sellers encourage that to know who they are selling to) explaining in a few words who we were and why we wanted their house. And then we waited. We were on pins and needles. When the answer came, we were devastated. The house had gone to another buyer offering more, but not much more. At least the sellers didn't force a bidding war, like it happens in the more desirable areas; they just considered all the offers they got (and there were a lot) and picked their favorite. After the disappointment, we figured we had learned a valuable lesson and had to regroup. We had to return to the drawing board, to our list of wants in a house, and strive not to compromise. In my next post, you will find out what we did and what we found. Don't miss it !
Here is a wonderful recipe I found in the paper the other day. Add a glass of Chardonnay (or not) and you will have a great meal and maybe leftovers for a sandwich if you double or triple the recipe.
Pancetta Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
1 trimmed pork tenderloin, about 1 pound
Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoon white wine
3-4 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 ounces thinly sliced pancetta
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Season tenderloin on all sides with salt and pepper.
2. In a small bowl, mix the mustard and wine. Using a pastry brush or your hands, cover the tenderloin liberally with the mixture. Sprinkle rosemary evenly over tenderloin.
3. Lay a 10-inch square of parchment or wax paper with pancetta, overlapping slices by about 1/2 inch. Lay the tenderloin 1 inch in from the edge closest to you, parallel to the edge. Fold the bottom inch over the tenderloin, then roll the paper around the tenderloin. The pancetta should be tightly wrapped around the roast. Remove the paper.
4.Place the tenderloin on a rack in the roasting pan. Roast about 20 minutes or until the the pancetta is golden and crisp and a meat thermometer registers 140 degrees. Let rest 10 minutes, then slice into rounds 1-inch thick.
Enjoy !
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Take 12 - Day trips around the Bay Area
Day Trips around the Bay Area
In order to get to know our adoptive State and take advantage of everything California has to offer, we take Day Trips. Usually Saturdays or Sundays, with or without the pooch. San Jose is a great location to start from since it is situated about 1 hour, more or less (depending on traffic) from places like San Francisco, Berkeley, Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz and lots more. Now, David is not a natural born driver and neither am I a very comfortable rider. He drives very well but is not one of those rugged drivers who dive into traffic without a care in the world. So that makes him a careful driver (Thank Goodness !) while I sit nervously by his side. Terrified, not of his driving, but of the multitude of cars (and there are so many in California) and I do not often relax on a freeway. Nothing new, I have always been this way. I just breathe deeply and try to think of the place we are going to visit....... So let's get started.Half Moon Bay
After our lunch, we drove on to Bean Hollow, another beach 17 miles South of Poplar. The South end is a typical beach but the Northern end is the interesting part and again dogs are welcome but this time on a leash. This is a different kind of beach made of pebbles. No towels here and no walk along the shore. Instead, a collection of Tide Pools and old rock formations creating small islands populated by seals. This place is unique and makes for an unusual panorama. Well worth the visit. Then it was time to get back on the road towards Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz
Another 30 miles South on a beautiful scenic Coast road and we arrive in Santa Cruz. Just the name brings to mind images of hippies and Love and Peace era and some areas of the town still have that feel. Santa Cruz also has a section of beach reserved for dog frolicking. However, by the time we got there (about 3:00 in the afternoon) the temperature had dipped down and the wind was so fierce, we decided to let other people brave the sand storms and the waves and headed back to San Jose to warm up. On a warmer day, Santa Cruz is great to visit, go to the beach and work on your tan (if that is your thing), take a stroll on the Boardwalk and perhaps have a bite to eat. There are lots of great small restaurants and cafés to cater to every taste and budget. As we were making our way out of town, we stumbled upon a little hidden loft mall, made of mom and pop shops, at the corner of Swift and Ingalls, a stone`s throw from the freeway, where you can enjoy some bread, pastries and coffee at Kelly's Bakery and find some more gifts to send the family back East in other quaint shops, including a French importer.
San Francisco
This was our first time ever in SF with our dog. There again we headed for a beach (are we ever good parents,or what?), Ocean Beach - La Playa, and we let him run after a ball to his heart's content or rather until we could no longer feel our fingers from cold (yes, on the 5th of July) because here again, we had over estimated the temperature due to the sweltering heat of San Jose. San Francisco can be quite tricky in the summertime and have beach weather days in the wintertime so you have to be prepared for everything. Next we found Point Lobos, half a mile North, where we stopped at the Cliff House (http://www.nps.gov/goga/upload/sb-clho-2008.pdf) and found more nifty little gifts (for the family again) from a California State Park Gift Shop and walked up a hill to Sutro Heights Park where you have the highest point around overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the Coast. Quite a lovely spot, again to picnic, if one chooses or simply to walk around and admire the view. Taylor on a leash was also welcome.
Next we drove to the SF pier and after ditching our car in an indoor garage (needless to try and park on the streets of San Francisco when for a few dollars you can park your car indoors, secure and without all of the frustration of parking in a big town) we walked along with the thousands of tourists in town for the July 4th weekend. We had been to SF several times in the past but this was different. This was new. No need to rush or to go buy a thing or two to keep the memory alive. We were not tourists, we were not staying in a hotel that night. SF was our neighbour. Our dog Taylor took to walking the sidewalks with huge crowds quite naturally and we even found a place to have lunch in the sun where he could sit under our table. Lots of dog lovers in San Francisco. This was a perfect day, strolling the streets, in the warm sunshine (Thank you very much) and later taking the long way home to check off our list a few of the smaller towns.
Berkeley
This time, on our own, thanks to our friends Jill and Steve who took on Taylor for the day. We had been to Berkeley in 2005 and had loved it. People here in the Bay Area call it Bezerkeley ! No one has a real explanation for the nickname except that, as one guy told David, ..... there are lots of crazies there. Heck, has anyone ever been on Main Street and Pender in Vancouver, British Columbia or on Sainte-Catherine street in Montreal, Quebec ? :-) Nowadays, there are crazies everywhere. Berkeley is a university town so there are lots of little shops, great inexpensive restaurants and several book stores worth visiting. The architecture is wonderful, with many streets that are hilly and winding with huge trees creating canopies of shade. Lovely ! We parked our car asap and walked all over, including the Berkeley Campus. For lunch, we went to our old favorite La Burrita, 1832 Euclid Ave (http://laburritaberkeley.com/zgrid/proc/site/sitep.jsp) for some great burritos as we had done 7 years ago. They are still wonderful and although more expensive than in 2005 but still a great bargain.We have more town in mind for day-trips, so more of this in another post. Now, on to food.
Do you happen to love bananas ? Well,here is the easiest dessert you will ever make and requiring only one ingredient: bananas.
Banana Ice Cream
Plan for one banana per personPeel and cut bananas in two inch pieces. Put in plastic bag and into the freezer for at least 3 hours.
Put frozen bananas in food processor and process for about five minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula. At first the mixture appears grainy but suddenly turns into the creamiest dessert you will ever taste. Your guests will go Bananas and won't believe it's just Bananas. Trust me on that one. You could sprinkle it with nuts or chocolate bits, if you so desire but it is perfect on its own.
Enjoy !
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Take 3
Most Silicon Valley companies are known for their excellent benefits and work conditions and some would even qualify as truly generous towards their employees. Wel,l the Big Cahuna has got to be at the top of that list. This became more evident when the Big Cahuna sprung a surprise on its employees. A very pleasant surprise ...... I might add. It scored 13,000 tickets to a private showing of Cirque du Soleil's tribute to Michael Jackson - The Immortal World Tour. The tickets were available on a first come, first serve basis, two tickets for any employee (one for the employee and one for a guest) ,totally free of charge and including transportation from the Big Cahuna campus (all large companies in Silicon Valley use the term campus to describe the space they occupy which can sometimes be a few dozen buildings in one area) to the venue in Oakland. Thankfully, my husband was one of the lucky ones who responded early to the invitation and got two great tickets. Unfortunately, hundreds of employees were disappointed when tickets ran out and let's just say they missed a fantastic show. Imagine 13,000 people all converging to one venue and most of them from the same site. Huge luxury coaches were hired for the event and everything was so well organized that transportation went very smoothly. The show is what you can usually expect from Cirque du Soleil, namely unmatched quality and great talents but this time with the added bonus of Michael Jackson's songs and the scenarios created around those wonderful hits. I have had the pleasure to see several Cirque du Soleil shows including some at their very beginning in Montreal, where you sat on benches to watch and under a big top. Back breaking for sure, but in line with tradition of the circuses of the world. This time it was quite comfortable and our seats were very good at Oracle Arena in Oakland. Many thanks to the Big Cahuna for a wonderful time.
Bay Area Air Quality Management District has an environmental program here called Spare The Air and this program is set up to determine whether people should be burning materials such as wood logs, Duraflame or pellets in their fireplaces or wood burning stoves. Each time there is a ban, it is announced on the newscast on tv or the radio and if you miss those, you can go check the status of the air online at sparetheair.org/. The only people allowed to burn something on those days are the people who's sole source of heat is through burning wood, etc.. Should you miss the warning and burn despite the ban and someone complains, you will first get a warning in the mail. Should you sin again, it'll cost you upwards of $400.00. So, each time we plan to light a fire in our chimney, we go online and check. Recently on tv, there was a piece about that group often getting it wrong by banning when they shouldn't and not banning when they should be doing it. One group against another. Who is right? Who knows! At least, it appears someone is on the lookout for clean air.
I must mention a wonderful place we have discovered in San José and that is Bijan. This is a pastry shop + cafe, etc. (two locations in San José) we came across it on our first visit here before moving to the USA. If you want to eat the best croissants available without shelling out a large amount of money for a ticket to Paris, this is the place and at a very low cost. They have the best croissants we have eaten outside of France and also the best pains au chocolat (chocolate croissants). Although we are not big fancy cake eaters, we have also indulged, each to celebrate our birthday, in one of their single portion confections. OMG. Well worth the visit to Bijan, either downtown ( next to the Fairmont Hotel) or their Saratoga + Kiely location and at both locations, the personnel is extremely nice and helpful.
Here is another wonderful recipe borrowed from one of my favorite food bloggers if not my top favorite. His name is David Lebovitz and you can find his website and blog at www.davidlebovitz.com Mr. Lebovitz is an American who lives in Paris. He worked for 13 years as a dessert maker and professional baker at the renowned Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California. He is also the author or several books of fantastic desserts. I own two of his books and although they both contain great recipes and tips, the one entitled The sweet life in Paris is hilarious. Mr. Lebovitz captures brilliantly the oddities and quirks of living in the city of lights and of its native and adopted sons and daughters.
Chocolate Cake
9oz (250g) bittersweet chocolate chopped
8 tablespoons (120g) unsalted butter
1/3 cup (65g) sugar
4 large eggs at room temperature, separated
2 tablespoons flour
Pinch of salt
-Preheat oven to 350F. Butter a 9 inch loaf pan and line bottom with parchment.
-In a large bowl set over simmering water, heat chocolate and butter until smooth.
-Remove from heat, stir in half the sugar, egg yolks and flour.
-Beat egg whites and salt until they form soft peaks. Gradually add remaining sugar and beat until stiff peaks.
-Using a rubber spatula, fold 1/3 of egg whites into chocolate mixture, then fold in remaining egg whItes. Scrape into pan and smooth top.
-Bake 35 minutes until center feels almost firm. Cool in pan.
Enjoy,
Lori
Bay Area Air Quality Management District has an environmental program here called Spare The Air and this program is set up to determine whether people should be burning materials such as wood logs, Duraflame or pellets in their fireplaces or wood burning stoves. Each time there is a ban, it is announced on the newscast on tv or the radio and if you miss those, you can go check the status of the air online at sparetheair.org/. The only people allowed to burn something on those days are the people who's sole source of heat is through burning wood, etc.. Should you miss the warning and burn despite the ban and someone complains, you will first get a warning in the mail. Should you sin again, it'll cost you upwards of $400.00. So, each time we plan to light a fire in our chimney, we go online and check. Recently on tv, there was a piece about that group often getting it wrong by banning when they shouldn't and not banning when they should be doing it. One group against another. Who is right? Who knows! At least, it appears someone is on the lookout for clean air.
I must mention a wonderful place we have discovered in San José and that is Bijan. This is a pastry shop + cafe, etc. (two locations in San José) we came across it on our first visit here before moving to the USA. If you want to eat the best croissants available without shelling out a large amount of money for a ticket to Paris, this is the place and at a very low cost. They have the best croissants we have eaten outside of France and also the best pains au chocolat (chocolate croissants). Although we are not big fancy cake eaters, we have also indulged, each to celebrate our birthday, in one of their single portion confections. OMG. Well worth the visit to Bijan, either downtown ( next to the Fairmont Hotel) or their Saratoga + Kiely location and at both locations, the personnel is extremely nice and helpful.
Here is another wonderful recipe borrowed from one of my favorite food bloggers if not my top favorite. His name is David Lebovitz and you can find his website and blog at www.davidlebovitz.com Mr. Lebovitz is an American who lives in Paris. He worked for 13 years as a dessert maker and professional baker at the renowned Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California. He is also the author or several books of fantastic desserts. I own two of his books and although they both contain great recipes and tips, the one entitled The sweet life in Paris is hilarious. Mr. Lebovitz captures brilliantly the oddities and quirks of living in the city of lights and of its native and adopted sons and daughters.
Chocolate Cake
9oz (250g) bittersweet chocolate chopped
8 tablespoons (120g) unsalted butter
1/3 cup (65g) sugar
4 large eggs at room temperature, separated
2 tablespoons flour
Pinch of salt
-Preheat oven to 350F. Butter a 9 inch loaf pan and line bottom with parchment.
-In a large bowl set over simmering water, heat chocolate and butter until smooth.
-Remove from heat, stir in half the sugar, egg yolks and flour.
-Beat egg whites and salt until they form soft peaks. Gradually add remaining sugar and beat until stiff peaks.
-Using a rubber spatula, fold 1/3 of egg whites into chocolate mixture, then fold in remaining egg whItes. Scrape into pan and smooth top.
-Bake 35 minutes until center feels almost firm. Cool in pan.
Enjoy,
Lori
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