Today Ben and I have to go to a funeral. I am very sad about the loss today. I will make it through the day and will start tomorrow as if today never happened.
Over the weekend Ben and I were able to make sure that the new issue of Local Happenings Magazine was able to get distributed and we were also able to attend the Benefit Concert for John Seppala at The Empress Theatre in Downtown Vallejo. What a night it was. Fabulous, great, stupendous and breathtaking are some of the adjectives I would use to describe the night – but none would be worthy. You had to be there; enough said.
Meditation, stretches, feed and take Ben on a long walk, and off we go. . .
Apr – May 2013
Holiday time again! The Giants opener at home and that makes it a national holiday for me. Ben and I will be watching the game with the gang and bar-b-queuing and having cocktails. Gotta love it! Let’s go Zito, we need a win.
Stretches, feed and take Ben on a long walk, and off we go. . .
Angels of the Valley, A Multi-Media Concert
You may not know it, but there’s a new type of live musical performance on the horizon, brought about by the digital age, which can provide artists an opportunity to meld gallery viewings and musical concerts into one thing.
They’re called “multimedia performances,” and a group of artists from our neck of the woods are currently working on such an event, which will tell the story of the Napa Valley like it’s never been told (or viewed) before. It’s called Angels of the Valley, hosted by Carmen Policy and Mary Ann Gamble of the Gamble Family Vineyards, and it will play for one day only, April 19th at the Lincoln Theater in Yountville as part of the annual Arts In April Program.
Angels of the Valley will include not only live songs from internationally known musician Mars Lasar; there will also be a three-dimensional slideshow of high-def images, projected all over the auditorium’s walls and ceiling. The music and artwork are designed to complement one another and the performers say this will make the audience feel like they’ve been transported right into the gorgeous scenes in the photographs.
“We’re using lots of compositing techniques to liven up the pictures, make them pop out more,” said Chris McCard, a local 3D visual artist who’s been brought onboard to handle the multimedia component of the show. “Or doing cool stuff like making the whole inside of the theater looking like it’s the inside of a barrel. We’re coming up with all sorts of crazy ideas.”
The two-day performance will largely celebrate the work of multi-talented musician and artist Mars Lasar, who has produced more than two dozen solo albums and has had his music featured on shows like Law & Order, The Bachelor and 24. He has also been awarded platinum plaques on two separate occasions for collaborations with other artists, his first coming from his work on R&B singer Seal’s album Crazy. Lasar is best known as a composer and musician, the realm where he’s had most of his mainstream success. But, he’s been doing oil paintings since his teenage years and has an equally solid background in photography and the digital enhancement of art, which dates as far back as his musical career.
“As I got more involved in music and started producing my own products, I wasn’t really keen on putting other people’s artwork on my CDs, so I learned how to do it, and that’s how it all started,” Lasar said of his professional beginnings in fine art, photography and graphic design.
He might be a seasoned veteran in the performing arts world, but Lasar is also quick to emphasize the collaborative nature of Angels of the Valley. And he’s most excited by the opportunity to include local talent, including student musical organizations, in this multimedia performance.
“I want to build toward bringing all the local talent together, from the youngsters to the retirees who’ve been involved in the community for many years,” Lasar said. “I’m constantly reminded that there are a lot of very fascinating artists and winemakers here in the valley and that’s what this show is all about.”
As a New Age electronic musician, Lasar has always been fascinated by new technology, and with evolving his style over time. So naturally, he’s applied this interest to his visual work as well. For instance, he enhances his photos using sophisticated imaging software to yield a vibrant, textural final product, which is often more beautiful than the actual scenery in the photograph would be to the naked eye. Images are then printed onto canvas and hand painted by Mars to produce the final fine art pieces.
“I’d say it’s definitely 50-50 between art and science, and one doesn’t work without the other,” said Lasar, when asked about his creative process. He added that on a typical day, he often goes back and forth between painting, photography, computer editing and musical projects, and tries hard to keep “all the plates spinning at once.”
Lately, Lasar has been fascinated with the Napa Valley’s scenery, and dedicates much of his time to documenting it with his camera, taking thousands of images, which can be found on his website, www.picsfrommars.com . His landscapes capture the right colors in the right places almost perfectly; some prints, for instance, will show a field of crispy bright orange and yellow leaves surrounded by a deep blue and green hillside with a reddish purple sunset that slowly fades to baby blue in the background.
“Some people, when they look at my catalogue, they say ‘that’s very dreamy,’ and when they hear my music, they say the same thing,” Lasar said. “I’ve always been someone who goes in that dreamy and modern direction. But Angels of the Valley will be the first time I get to fuse the music and art together in a live environment, and that’s very exciting.”
The 3D multimedia aspect of the show is perhaps the most cutting-edge and, not surprisingly, the logistics of setting it up have been challenging. But McCard has been working hard throughout February and March to make sure everything goes smoothly. He’s even constructed miniature sculptures of the Lincoln Theater and its interior to help ensure that everyone in attendance will have a good view and be able to feel like they’re a part of the imagery.
McCard and his crew have set up five projectors throughout the theater and he says they’ve worked to make sure all available space is precisely filled with color and light. Done properly, the auditorium will look phenomenal, McCard says.
“It’s a completely immersive experience; you have this 360-degree panorama of the valley, with HD quality that contains things your eye wouldn’t be able to see,” McCard said. “It’s a really lifelike quality.”
There will be a second visual component to the show as well, separate from the multimedia performance: an exhibition of Lasar’s fine art canvases will be displayed at the Napa Valley Museum from April 9-30th, and at the Andretti Winery, where he is resident artist this year, with a reception and signing on April 26th. So if you’ve heard Lasar’s music but haven’t seen his visual work in person, there’s an available avenue open 10 days prior to the Angels of the Valley performance.
In keeping with Lasar’s desire to include a diverse group of artists from the local community, he has invited the Napa Valley Youth Symphony, as well as the Napa High School Chamber and local Jazz, Blues and R&B singer Kellie Fuller (Host of “Kellie In The Morning” KVYN The Vine), to join him in the performance, which will mostly be of music from Lasar’s catalogue. Also, Mary Ann Gamble of the Gamble Family Vineyards has agreed to read and perform spoken word poetry at the performance.
“There’s definitely a cohesive community of artists here [in the Napa Valley],” Lasar said. “It’s an actual community, and I haven’t seen that in other cities I’ve lived in, in the past.”
Yountville is credited as the birthplace of the wine industry in the Napa Valley (see our last issue), so no event there would be complete without at least a little wine. That’s why three local vintners—Gamble Family Vineyards, Casa Piena, and the Keever Vineyards & Winery—will be on hand, adding yet another sensory component to the multimedia show.
Despite having so many different contributors and a groundbreaking medium, Lasar is still looking ahead, hoping to take this concept in a new direction if the show turns out to be success.
“We are hoping this will be a prototype for an annual event, and that we’ll come together to teach different ‘angels,’ local artists each year,” Lasar said.
April 19th, is a Friday evening performance with the reception starting at 7 pm. This evening will be hosted by former 49ers front office executive Carmen Policy, with Yountville wines (of course!) and appetizers. Yountville Arts will also be hosting a Sip & Savor event with the artists and Yountville vintners featured at their Art Walk from 11 am to 4pm
Tickets for Friday’s performance range from $15-$50. To buy them, visit the Lincoln Theater Box Office 100 California Drive, Yountville 94599, (707) 944-9900, or you can purchase them online at www.lincolntheater.org
Nate Gartrell grew up in Benicia, studied journalism in college, and has written for a handful of media outlets since age 15. He aspires to visit all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums and to hit the trifecta at the horse track.
A Festive Fair and Fair Fiesta
W.H. Auden said, “Stop all the Clocks,” in his magnificent and dreary poem of that name. But he was from Britain, where it rains all the time. Here in California, we have just recently moved our clocks forward, signifying the approach of spring. And there is a lot to spring into as the days grow longer and the warm breezes tickle your fancy. So let’s spring ahead, even if Mr. Auden might disapprove, into a couple of fun events: the Dixon May Fair and Vacaville Fiesta Days.
The Dixon May Fair, running from May 9-12, has the distinction of being the oldest continuously running fair of its kind in California. And it’s held on the oldest fairgrounds in the state to boot. Seems like those folks in Dixon have been working at perfecting the art of rural fun and festivities for a total of 138 years.
The theme for this year’s May Fair is: Delta Breeze, a charming theme which evokes thoughts of the warm days and cool nights of the season. This sort of thing would likely drive Mr. Auden into a fit of depression, but not the readers of Local Happenings, who are a hearty breed not immune to sun and fun!
Speaking of fun, one of the major attractions of the May Fair is the Wine Pavilion, which will feature more than 50 wines from a dozen Solano County wineries, specifically: Blacksmith Cellars, Ledgewood Creek Winery, Mangles Vineyards, Sunset Cellars, Vezer Family Vineyards, Winterhawk Winery, Wooden Valley Winery and Tenbrink Vineyards, all of Suisun Valley; Jess Jones Vineyard and Purple Pearl Vineyards of Dixon; GV Cellars of Green Valley; and Quercus Wines of Vacaville. Wines are available at a cost of $4 per glass or tasting starting at $8. All the proceeds from the Wine Pavilion go to Friends of Dixon May Fair, a non-profit volunteer group which is focused on running the fair, making improvements and making scholarships and awards for agricultural exhibitors and organizations. In fact, the Friends of the Dixon May Fair volunteers who run the fair will be awarding a total of $12,500 in college scholarships to seven Solano County college students who are majoring in agriculture or agriculturally related studies.
And, of course, there are the agricultural exhibitors and critters and such. Expect the requisite assortment of animals and animal husbandry on display. Why hell, those goats can be downright amusing after the fifth or sixth pass at the wine pavilion (but don’t overdo it!). And, of course, there will be old-style fun like a “hog hollering” contest—a true rural tradition, the challenge being the development of a distinctive call with which to address your hogs, while not riling the neighbor’s livestock. And that’s not all! There will be bull riding and the Extreme K-9s dog show as well as a chance to visit the animal barns.
When you’ve had enough fun with four-legged animals, check out fine examples of strange behavior by two-legged critters: The Hot Rod Truck & Tractor Pull on Saturday night or the Demolition Derby scheduled for Sunday night. Cranking out horsepower with four-wheeled machines and belching smoke and flinging dirt and chaos in all directions is just about as much fun as some folks can take. But if a face full of dirt and diesel is not your thing and you might prefer to swing to the rhythm as opposed to screaming over the destruction, be sure and check out some of the musical acts at the fair. This year’s talent will be more locally focused than in previous years, with regional acts such as Country-Western recording artist Jon Pardi, who will grace the main stage on Friday night. Pardi, a Dixon hometown boy, has opened for talents such as Alan Jackson, Dierks Bently and Dwight Yokum. Since arriving in Nashville in 2009, Pardi’s career seems to be on a rapid upward trajectory. This is your opportunity to be able to say, “I saw him way back when!” Sunday will feature Latin-themed music from numerous bands.
There will be plenty of food and entertainment at the Dixon May Fair with lots of activities for the kids, including rides. On Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 12, the first two-thousand moms who attend the affair will receive a complementary rose, so bring mom!
• The Dixon Fairgrounds are located at
655 1st St, Dixon, CA.
• The May Fair runs from May 9-12.
• Admission is $12 for adults (if you purchase them in advance they are only $7), $8 for seniors and military and $7 for children ages 5 to 12 and under 4 free.
• Plus they have a promotion for Thursday called “Thrifty Thursday” where all tickets are only $5!!
• Online: www.dixonmayfair.com
Vacaville Fiesta Days
And if the fun at the Dixon May Fair doesn’t wear you out, the 56th Annual Vacaville Fiesta Days follows one week later from May 20-27. Each year, the volunteers with the Fiesta Days (non-profit) that runs the event transforms Andrews Park in Vacaville into a fun-filled hometown event. It kicks off with a steak barbecue on the 20th from 5-9 PM and continues all week with tons of fun, entertainment and music. The theme for this year’s event is A Place Where Family Counts and there is certain to be a lot for the whole family.
The Vacaville Fiesta Days began in July 1957 as The Western Fiesta. Back then it was more focused on cowboy and rodeo events, but that has changed over the years and it is now more focused on the expansion of the region’s Spanish and Mexican roots. The kickoff barbecue is one tradition that has endured as well as the parade. One past tradition is the Jail and Beard Growing Contest. Back in the early days, all the male residents in town were encouraged to grow a beard for the event. Any who were caught clean shaven were promptly thrown in jail! I suspect there were a lot of fuzzy varmints roaming the streets right around Fiesta time in the early days. Wonder what the penalty was for sporting clip on? Today, the Whiskerino Event, in which contestants compete to win in categories for the most unique, most neat and trim, most patriotic or longest beard carries on the tradition.
On Thursday, things roar into high gear with the opening of the Fiesta Garden in Andrews Park. There will be a Family Fun Zone with face painting for the kids as well as carnival rides and, naturally, food and merchandise for sale. And there is a Beer Garden. Oh joy!
Music is a big part of Fiesta Days. There will be music every day for the entire week. Headliners include local favorites such as Push Back and Time Bandits and country music from Terry Sheets. There will also be Latin and Mexican music.
The annual Fiesta Days Parade starts on Saturday at 10 AM under the auspices of Grand Marshalls Jim Kellogg and Wendy Wasserman with the park staying open until 9PM.
• The Vacaville Fiesta Days run from May 20-27, 2013 in Andrews Park, E. Monte Vista Av & School St. Vacaville, CA
• Admission is $20 for an all-day-pass.
• Online: www.fiestadays.org
Marc Garman is a watch repairer and videographer who lives in Vallejo, CA. He grew up crewing on and racing sailboats in upstate New York, mostly on the Hudson River.
W.H. Auden said, “Stop all the Clocks,” in his magnificent and dreary poem of that name. But he was from Britain, where it rains all the time. Here in California, we have just recently moved our clocks forward, signifying the approach of spring. And there is a lot to spring into as the days grow longer and the warm breezes tickle your fancy. So let’s spring ahead, even if Mr. Auden might disapprove, into a couple of fun events: the Dixon May Fair and Vacaville Fiesta Days.
The Dixon May Fair, running from May 9-12, has the distinction of being the oldest continuously running fair of its kind in California. And it’s held on the oldest fairgrounds in the state to boot. Seems like those folks in Dixon have been working at perfecting the art of rural fun and festivities for a total of 138 years.
The theme for this year’s May Fair is: Delta Breeze, a charming theme which evokes thoughts of the warm days and cool nights of the season. This sort of thing would likely drive Mr. Auden into a fit of depression, but not the readers of Local Happenings, who are a hearty breed not immune to sun and fun!
Speaking of fun, one of the major attractions of the May Fair is the Wine Pavilion, which will feature more than 50 wines from a dozen Solano County wineries, specifically: Blacksmith Cellars, Ledgewood Creek Winery, Mangles Vineyards, Sunset Cellars, Vezer Family Vineyards, Winterhawk Winery, Wooden Valley Winery and Tenbrink Vineyards, all of Suisun Valley; Jess Jones Vineyard and Purple Pearl Vineyards of Dixon; GV Cellars of Green Valley; and Quercus Wines of Vacaville. Wines are available at a cost of $4 per glass or tasting starting at $8. All the proceeds from the Wine Pavilion go to Friends of Dixon May Fair, a non-profit volunteer group which is focused on running the fair, making improvements and making scholarships and awards for agricultural exhibitors and organizations. In fact, the Friends of the Dixon May Fair volunteers who run the fair will be awarding a total of $12,500 in college scholarships to seven Solano County college students who are majoring in agriculture or agriculturally related studies.
And, of course, there are the agricultural exhibitors and critters and such. Expect the requisite assortment of animals and animal husbandry on display. Why hell, those goats can be downright amusing after the fifth or sixth pass at the wine pavilion (but don’t overdo it!). And, of course, there will be old-style fun like a “hog hollering” contest—a true rural tradition, the challenge being the development of a distinctive call with which to address your hogs, while not riling the neighbor’s livestock. And that’s not all! There will be bull riding and the Extreme K-9s dog show as well as a chance to visit the animal barns.
When you’ve had enough fun with four-legged animals, check out fine examples of strange behavior by two-legged critters: The Hot Rod Truck & Tractor Pull on Saturday night or the Demolition Derby scheduled for Sunday night. Cranking out horsepower with four-wheeled machines and belching smoke and flinging dirt and chaos in all directions is just about as much fun as some folks can take. But if a face full of dirt and diesel is not your thing and you might prefer to swing to the rhythm as opposed to screaming over the destruction, be sure and check out some of the musical acts at the fair. This year’s talent will be more locally focused than in previous years, with regional acts such as Country-Western recording artist Jon Pardi, who will grace the main stage on Friday night. Pardi, a Dixon hometown boy, has opened for talents such as Alan Jackson, Dierks Bently and Dwight Yokum. Since arriving in Nashville in 2009, Pardi’s career seems to be on a rapid upward trajectory. This is your opportunity to be able to say, “I saw him way back when!” Sunday will feature Latin-themed music from numerous bands.
There will be plenty of food and entertainment at the Dixon May Fair with lots of activities for the kids, including rides. On Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 12, the first two-thousand moms who attend the affair will receive a complementary rose, so bring mom!
• The Dixon Fairgrounds are located at
655 1st St, Dixon, CA.
• The May Fair runs from May 9-12.
• Admission is $12 for adults (if you purchase them in advance they are only $7), $8 for seniors and military and $7 for children ages 5 to 12 and under 4 free.
• Plus they have a promotion for Thursday called “Thrifty Thursday” where all tickets are only $5!!
• Online: www.dixonmayfair.com
Vacaville Fiesta Days
And if the fun at the Dixon May Fair doesn’t wear you out, the 56th Annual Vacaville Fiesta Days follows one week later from May 20-27. Each year, the volunteers with the Fiesta Days (non-profit) that runs the event transforms Andrews Park in Vacaville into a fun-filled hometown event. It kicks off with a steak barbecue on the 20th from 5-9 PM and continues all week with tons of fun, entertainment and music. The theme for this year’s event is A Place Where Family Counts and there is certain to be a lot for the whole family.
The Vacaville Fiesta Days began in July 1957 as The Western Fiesta. Back then it was more focused on cowboy and rodeo events, but that has changed over the years and it is now more focused on the expansion of the region’s Spanish and Mexican roots. The kickoff barbecue is one tradition that has endured as well as the parade. One past tradition is the Jail and Beard Growing Contest. Back in the early days, all the male residents in town were encouraged to grow a beard for the event. Any who were caught clean shaven were promptly thrown in jail! I suspect there were a lot of fuzzy varmints roaming the streets right around Fiesta time in the early days. Wonder what the penalty was for sporting clip on? Today, the Whiskerino Event, in which contestants compete to win in categories for the most unique, most neat and trim, most patriotic or longest beard carries on the tradition.
On Thursday, things roar into high gear with the opening of the Fiesta Garden in Andrews Park. There will be a Family Fun Zone with face painting for the kids as well as carnival rides and, naturally, food and merchandise for sale. And there is a Beer Garden. Oh joy!
Music is a big part of Fiesta Days. There will be music every day for the entire week. Headliners include local favorites such as Push Back and Time Bandits and country music from Terry Sheets. There will also be Latin and Mexican music.
The annual Fiesta Days Parade starts on Saturday at 10 AM under the auspices of Grand Marshalls Jim Kellogg and Wendy Wasserman with the park staying open until 9PM.
• The Vacaville Fiesta Days run from May 20-27, 2013 in Andrews Park, E. Monte Vista Av & School St. Vacaville, CA
• Admission is $20 for an all-day-pass.
• Online: www.fiestadays.org
Marc Garman is a watch repairer and videographer who lives in Vallejo, CA. He grew up crewing on and racing sailboats in upstate New York, mostly on the Hudson River.
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Tales of the Kitchen
Herbs, a simple story
It appears we are to have an early spring, and with daylight savings already here, it seems spring is in the air, and summer is just around the corner. So what is a person to do? With my rose bushes already sprouting and my poppies in my front yard just about to show color, I think it is Mother Nature’s way of telling me it is time to plant the herb garden. I personally plant all my herbs in pots, but with those lucky enough to have the time and space should plant a little garden of herbs. I strongly recommend planting at least one of my three favorite scents: basil, cilantro and spearmint. During the summer you can never have enough of these three.
If you don’t have the time or space to plant, we are lucky enough to have supermarkets and farmers markets that carry a wide variety of herbs. Supermarkets package fresh herbs in various ways, loose in small plastic boxes, fastened in bunches or sometimes still growing in a pot. If you buy your herbs, look for herbs with vibrant color and aroma, no limp, yellowing or black spots. You will find field-grown herbs more fragrant to those grown in a green house. You can recognize field-grown herbs by their larger, hardier stalks and leaves.
Let’s face it though, herbs are fragile and need to be handled with TLC. Rosemary, marjoram and sage are hardy and will stay green and fragrant for a week or two, as long as you keep them dry and in the refrigerator. The tender herbs, like basil, dill, cilantro, tarragon and chervil need special care so they will not blacken or freeze in the refrigerator. You should remove any rubber bands or fasteners. You should trim off the lower end of the stems to prevent the tops from wilting. Loosely wrap the trimmed, but unwashed herbs in a damp paper towel. Put them in a heavy duty Ziploc bag, leaving in a little air, which then acts like a pillow. The next trick is not to forget about them, since their life span is probably just a short week. Unfortunately, freezing herbs will most likely turn them black, but if you surround them with fat they should be fine. You can make them into a pesto and or a compound butter for those steaks you most likely will be grilling this spring. Always remember to keep yours pestos green, be sure your food processor blade is sharp so it will not crush the herb. Add the ingredients in the proper order: fat first, herbs last. Start with the oil, and then add garlic and pine nuts, pureeing them completely. Add the basil last, processing them for a short time so they maintain their color. Pesto does not always need to made with basil (pesto is just an Italian word meaning paste). You can make a southwest pesto with cilantro, pumpkin seeds, garlic and aged jack or asiago cheese and a little fresh green chili.
You may have guessed by now, but you only wash the herbs when you are ready to use them, or not at all depending if you bought them or picked them from your garden. Make sure you wash the herbs in cool water and swish them to release the grit. Spin them dry in a salad spinner or blot them dry by rolling them up in a dry towel.
A dull knife will bruise the herbs, which will cause them to blacken, so be sure your knife is sharp. Sometimes I simply just trim off the herb with a pair of scissors. It depends on both the herb and the effect you want. If you’re looking for a blended flavor, add a sprig at the beginning of cooking. Strong herbs like marjoram and thyme do best when they are allowed to mellow during the cooking process.
Cilantro, with its distinct aroma, will dissipate quickly so you need to add it directly after cooking so it will keep its bright, green color. Which reminds me, when I was in culinary school, one of my chefs told me that another name for cilantro was coriander. I have since found out that yes, they are the same, but coriander refers to the entire plant (which includes seeds, leaves, flowers, stems and roots)—all of which are edible. The leaves and stems are what we know as cilantro, while the seeds sold whole and/or powdered are called coriander.
With basil, on the other hand, you can get away with adding during the cooking process and then doing a quick chiffonade at the end of the process.
I like to use Parsley to finish; it adds nice color and great flavor, not too overpowering to change the taste of your dish. It makes the dish look very professional, presentation wise just by adding a little green.
Bay leaves: most cooks will tell you a Mediterranean bay leaf is a better choice than California bay, but whichever one you use just remember to always remove the leaf before you serve. You can thread fresh bay leaves (soak them in cold water to soften) on beef or chicken brochettes before grilling.
Chopped dill is great for adding to your mayonnaise-based salads or cooked vegetables dressed in vinaigrette.
One little trick you can use with sage when cooking with it, right before you plate, you can do a quick fry in olive oil with the sage leaves, either bare or with simple flour and water batter, which is called a pastella. Serve it on top of your protein for a crunchy garnish.
I could go on, but I am going to end with a great herb-salad recipe. It is one of my favorites because it is has a great flavor and it is easy. It could be easily served as an entree. All you need is:
Baby arugula (also known as rocket), this herb has a peppery taste so, like cilantro, either you like it or you don’t.
Mocetta Bresaola (beef salami). You can find it in delis that carry numerous charcuterie meats. You won’t need much, let’s say for 4 servings of a 1/4 of a pound, thinly sliced, cut into thin strips (julienne).
Lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil for the dressing is known as a temporary emulsion so you can whip it up as you need.
Toss with parmesan cheese and enjoy!
By Chef K. Marie Paulk
Herbs, a simple story
It appears we are to have an early spring, and with daylight savings already here, it seems spring is in the air, and summer is just around the corner. So what is a person to do? With my rose bushes already sprouting and my poppies in my front yard just about to show color, I think it is Mother Nature’s way of telling me it is time to plant the herb garden. I personally plant all my herbs in pots, but with those lucky enough to have the time and space should plant a little garden of herbs. I strongly recommend planting at least one of my three favorite scents: basil, cilantro and spearmint. During the summer you can never have enough of these three.
If you don’t have the time or space to plant, we are lucky enough to have supermarkets and farmers markets that carry a wide variety of herbs. Supermarkets package fresh herbs in various ways, loose in small plastic boxes, fastened in bunches or sometimes still growing in a pot. If you buy your herbs, look for herbs with vibrant color and aroma, no limp, yellowing or black spots. You will find field-grown herbs more fragrant to those grown in a green house. You can recognize field-grown herbs by their larger, hardier stalks and leaves.
Let’s face it though, herbs are fragile and need to be handled with TLC. Rosemary, marjoram and sage are hardy and will stay green and fragrant for a week or two, as long as you keep them dry and in the refrigerator. The tender herbs, like basil, dill, cilantro, tarragon and chervil need special care so they will not blacken or freeze in the refrigerator. You should remove any rubber bands or fasteners. You should trim off the lower end of the stems to prevent the tops from wilting. Loosely wrap the trimmed, but unwashed herbs in a damp paper towel. Put them in a heavy duty Ziploc bag, leaving in a little air, which then acts like a pillow. The next trick is not to forget about them, since their life span is probably just a short week. Unfortunately, freezing herbs will most likely turn them black, but if you surround them with fat they should be fine. You can make them into a pesto and or a compound butter for those steaks you most likely will be grilling this spring. Always remember to keep yours pestos green, be sure your food processor blade is sharp so it will not crush the herb. Add the ingredients in the proper order: fat first, herbs last. Start with the oil, and then add garlic and pine nuts, pureeing them completely. Add the basil last, processing them for a short time so they maintain their color. Pesto does not always need to made with basil (pesto is just an Italian word meaning paste). You can make a southwest pesto with cilantro, pumpkin seeds, garlic and aged jack or asiago cheese and a little fresh green chili.
You may have guessed by now, but you only wash the herbs when you are ready to use them, or not at all depending if you bought them or picked them from your garden. Make sure you wash the herbs in cool water and swish them to release the grit. Spin them dry in a salad spinner or blot them dry by rolling them up in a dry towel.
A dull knife will bruise the herbs, which will cause them to blacken, so be sure your knife is sharp. Sometimes I simply just trim off the herb with a pair of scissors. It depends on both the herb and the effect you want. If you’re looking for a blended flavor, add a sprig at the beginning of cooking. Strong herbs like marjoram and thyme do best when they are allowed to mellow during the cooking process.
Cilantro, with its distinct aroma, will dissipate quickly so you need to add it directly after cooking so it will keep its bright, green color. Which reminds me, when I was in culinary school, one of my chefs told me that another name for cilantro was coriander. I have since found out that yes, they are the same, but coriander refers to the entire plant (which includes seeds, leaves, flowers, stems and roots)—all of which are edible. The leaves and stems are what we know as cilantro, while the seeds sold whole and/or powdered are called coriander.
With basil, on the other hand, you can get away with adding during the cooking process and then doing a quick chiffonade at the end of the process.
I like to use Parsley to finish; it adds nice color and great flavor, not too overpowering to change the taste of your dish. It makes the dish look very professional, presentation wise just by adding a little green.
Bay leaves: most cooks will tell you a Mediterranean bay leaf is a better choice than California bay, but whichever one you use just remember to always remove the leaf before you serve. You can thread fresh bay leaves (soak them in cold water to soften) on beef or chicken brochettes before grilling.
Chopped dill is great for adding to your mayonnaise-based salads or cooked vegetables dressed in vinaigrette.
One little trick you can use with sage when cooking with it, right before you plate, you can do a quick fry in olive oil with the sage leaves, either bare or with simple flour and water batter, which is called a pastella. Serve it on top of your protein for a crunchy garnish.
I could go on, but I am going to end with a great herb-salad recipe. It is one of my favorites because it is has a great flavor and it is easy. It could be easily served as an entree. All you need is:
Baby arugula (also known as rocket), this herb has a peppery taste so, like cilantro, either you like it or you don’t.
Mocetta Bresaola (beef salami). You can find it in delis that carry numerous charcuterie meats. You won’t need much, let’s say for 4 servings of a 1/4 of a pound, thinly sliced, cut into thin strips (julienne).
Lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil for the dressing is known as a temporary emulsion so you can whip it up as you need.
Toss with parmesan cheese and enjoy!
By Chef K. Marie Paulk
