Bourbon Sweet Potato Pecan and Quinoa Stuffed Mushrooms

It started with a Facebook post... When the offer from Four Roses Bourbon popped up on our Atlanta Food Bloggers page, I knew there was bourbon in my future.

If you check out my profile and discover that I'm an Ole Miss alum, I don't have to tell you I'm a bourbon fan. Every tailgate in the Grove, (some say the original site of tailgating), came with a side of bourbon. Straight up, on the rocks, with ginger ale, club soda or Coke, it didn't matter how you "took" your drink, you always had bourbon in your glass.

Fast forward, and I am still a bourbon lover. Now, I prefer to drink bourbon in a mixed drink, or a special cocktail like a mint julep. But bourbon's more than just for drinking, I love to cook with it too. With the promise of a bottle arriving in the mail, I started thinking about how to incorporate Four Roses in a "Healthy Chef Partyologist" recipe.

I quickly discarded ideas that were tried and true, I needed to give this recipe a special twist. We are heading into the holidays, so I wanted it to be yummy, versatile and healthy for both family and friends. One of my favorite ways to make a delicious side for Thanksgiving dinner uses bourbon, butter, orange juice and orange zest that I stir into a batch of creamy baked sweet potatoes.

Why couldn't I take that same idea and make it into an ancient grains pilaf. Stuff it into mushrooms as an appetizer? Scoop it onto portabellas for my veggie friends - or just pile into a big bowl and slice up a lot of roasted mushrooms as a topper. I headed into the kitchen, and the results are awesome.

You can make a double batch and munch on it all week. Make it portable by spooning it into a whole wheat pita pocket, adding some shredded kale and you have a filling lunch, full of protein and flavor!

Bourbon Sweet Potato Pecan and Quinoa Stuffed Mushrooms

24 Baby Bella Mushrooms, or 12 Portabella Mushrooms
3 TB Soy Sauce or Tamari
1 TB Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 Cups Prepared Quinoa
2 TBs Unsalted Butter
2 TBs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Cup Finely Chopped Red Onion
1 Tsp Sea Salt and 1/2 Tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
3 Cups Finely Chopped Sweet Potato
1/4 Cup Four Roses Bourbon
2 TB Water
1 Cup Roasted Chopped Pecans
2 TB Fresh Thyme Leaves
2 TB Chopped Fresh Sage
2 TB Chopped Parsley

Step One
Remove the stems and gills from the mushrooms. Don't throw them out - use them for veggie stock!
Ten Tips to Make Veg Stock on the Taste and Savor Blog, Friday January 9, 2015 (I use a melon baller to scoop out the stem and gills.)

Step Two
Put the soy sauce and oil together in a bowl large enough to hold the mushrooms. Put the mushrooms in the bowl, and coat them with the mixture. Remove and place them "hole side up" on a sheet tray that has been lined with parchment or aluminum foil. Place in a 400F oven for 15 - 20 min or until they are nice and brown.

They will have released a great deal of liquid, turn them over to drain.

Step Three
While the mushrooms are roasting, melt the butter with the olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add the red onion and season with the salt and pepper. Over medium high heat, cook the onions until very soft, about 7-8 minutes. Add in the sweet potatoes and cook and stir for another 5 minutes or until the potatoes are starting to soften and acquire a little deeper color.

Step Four
Remove the pan from the heat and add the bourbon and water. Return to the stove and cook until the potatoes are soft and the bourbon and water have evaporated, about 6-8 minutes.

Step Five
Turn off the heat and add in the quinoa, pecans, thyme and sage. Stuff into your prepared roasted mushrooms and garnish with a sprinkle of parsley. (If you are serving it as a side dish, simply mound the quinoa mixture into your bowl, slice your mushrooms and top with the mushrooms and parsley.)

Bourbon Sweet Potato Pecan and Quinoa Stuffed Mushrooms

24 Baby Bella Mushrooms, or 12 Portabella Mushrooms
3 TB Soy Sauce or Tamari
1 TB Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 Cups Prepared Quinoa
2 TBs Unsalted Butter
2 TBs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Cup Finely Chopped Red Onion
1 Tsp Sea Salt and 1/2 Tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
3 Cups Finely Chopped Sweet Potato
1/4 Cup Four Roses Bourbon
2 TB Water
1 Cup Roasted Chopped Pecans
2 TB Fresh Thyme Leaves
2 TB Chopped Fresh Sage
2 TB Chopped Parsley

Step One
Remove the stems and gills from the mushrooms. Don't throw them out - use them for veggie stock!
Ten Tips to Make Veg Stock on the Taste and Savor Blog, Friday January 9, 2015 (I use a melon baller to scoop out the stem and gills.)

Step Two
Put the soy sauce and oil together in a bowl large enough to hold the mushrooms. Put the mushrooms in the bowl, and coat them with the mixture. Remove and place them "hole side up" on a sheet tray that has been lined with parchment or aluminum foil. Place in a 400F oven for 15 - 20 min or until they are nice and brown. They will have released a great deal of liquid, turn them over to drain.

Step Three
While the mushrooms are roasting, melt the butter with the olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add the red onion and season with the salt and pepper. Over medium high heat, cook the onions until very soft, about 7-8 minutes. Add in the sweet potatoes and cook and stir for another 5 minutes or until the potatoes are starting to soften and acquire a little deeper color.

Step Four
Remove the pan from the heat and add the bourbon and water. Return to the stove and cook until the potatoes are soft and the bourbon and water have evaporated, about 6-8 minutes.

Step Five
Turn off the heat and add in the quinoa, pecans, thyme and sage. Stuff into your prepared roasted mushrooms and garnish with a sprinkle of parsley. (If you are serving it as a side dish, simply mound the quinoa mixture into your bowl, slice your mushrooms and top with the mushrooms and parsley.)

Seven Things You Don't Know About Serbia

ONE

Serbia is beautiful, with a continental climate that means warm sunny summers and lots of sun in the winter. So much sun that there are places like these in the pictures below - right in the middle of Belgrade, Serbia’s largest city.

And ski resorts like Kopaonik in Southwest Serbia, the country’s winter playground, are only a five or six hour drive from Belgrade.

 TWO

It’s very European-feeling. If you are comfortable walking the streets of any major city in Europe, you will be fine strolling in Serbia’s largest city center in Belgrade. Another bonus? Many people speak English. Well… not fluently. And not everyone speaks up quickly. But you will be surprised at how many can help you find your way in the busy area of shops and restaurants. You’ll hear music you can sing along to - American pop songs - in all the “trendier” places in town.

If you want a coffee or a glass of wine, you can pause at any number of cute cafes or bistros, with a décor that feels international, hip and clean. Don’t be surprised to see celebrities enjoying their drink, too. Belgrade is a popular spot to shoot films and TV shows.

I WAS the only person taking pictures of my plate before diving in. Do make sure that you ask before taking pictures. With Serbia’s past still looming large in many people’s minds, they often don’t want their pictures taken. But to my delight - I found they love the pictures of their culinary efforts.

THREE

The traditional food is irresistible. Yes, it’s a little heavy on the meat-centric side. But if you are a fan of Mediterranean cooking, you’re going to find a lot of delicious med-style dishes full of peppers, onions and garlic.

And OH! The cheese!

I could find my way right around the grocery store, its similar to our familiar layout. Just like my local Kroger, the good stuff was pretty much on the perimeter of the store. The produce section was large, and the meat section big, too. And the dairy section was huge, with lots of different cheeses and yogurts. I wanted to try them all.

Of course, one of my first stops upon arrival was a large green market in Belgrade. Local farmers sell their wares every day, with especially large participation on the weekends. Their food was gorgeous and displayed beautifully.

FOUR

The wine has been getting lots of international attention. Serbia has more than a few indigenous varieties of both red and white, but many international varieties are grown. Wines are made from grapes like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Here’s a short and good intro to Serbian wines

Wine and spirits are sold everywhere! And there are big wine departments in the grocery stores. Great sections of Serbian wine, of course, but the rest of Europe was well represented, too. Wines from the “good old USA”? Not so much. I did find Woodbridge Zinfandel and Chardonnay in a couple of stores.

And speaking of spirits, the national drink of Serbia is rakia (ROCK-e-ah). (I am convinced that is the Serbian word for jet fuel!) Although it's a popular alcoholic drink in the Balkans, Serbia is the world's largest rakia producer and drinks more rakia per capita than any other country. If you’ve ever tasted a French eau-de-vie or a Grappa from Italy, you have an idea of the flavor of rakia.

The 40% alcohol drink is made from the whole fruit, the flesh and seeds, instead of just pits and pomace like grappa. This means it has more fruit flavor. I enjoyed apricot, quince, plum, wild pear, and grape rakia. At a very upscale restaurant, I was even served a chamomile tea Rakia – made with grapes and tea!

Rakia is served as an aperitif, throughout the meal and as a “digestif”. I loved the different presentations of the drink, from the traditional small bottle in a glass of ice to a shot glass, or even in a pretty little after dinner drink glass.

Hey, I bet you didn’t know that there’s even a Serbian Wine Route!

FIVE

There’s lots of fun activities and sports in Serbia. Biking is BIG! The Danube Bike Trail (DBT) passes through Serbia and bears the designation EuroVelo-Route 6 which means that it lies on the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) Atlantic – Black Sea route.

For exploring, Serbia has five national parks that are members of European EUROPARC national parks federation.  Serbia also has a great tradition of spas and wellness, with a large number of health resorts located near cold and warm mineral springs. I experienced a relaxing facial, mask and mani-pedi. AHHHH…

There are lots to see and do. The people of Serbia are SO proud of their country. They are happy to see tourists and anxious to guide you to their favorite spots.

Beautiful old buildings surround you in Belgrade, along with poignant reminders of the turmoil Belgraders have experienced in the past 100 years. For site seeing - there are UNESCO World Heritage Sites to visit like the Studenica monastery, Stari Ras and Sopoćani, and the Mediaeval Monuments in Kosovo and Gamzigrad – Romuliana.

SIX

You’ll find everything familiar in hotels and houses. The kitchens are equipped much like ours in the USA. I found the refrigerators to be almost full size, although not everyone has a dishwasher. Coffee makers, (Nespresso machines most often), toasters, waffle makers and microwaves are all used. You will often find a washer and/or dryer or combo in the kitchen or bathroom - they don’t usually have separate laundry rooms. Many people even in the swankiest neighborhoods still hang their clothes and linens to dry. I’d forgotten how divine it feels to fall into a bed with air-dried sheets. Wow…I am all for a comeback of that tradition! Bathrooms are big and spacious with showers and very euro-centric showerheads and nozzles.

SEVEN

It’s inexpensive! I was wowed by the quality of food and service for the cost. You can count on prices for most tourist activities to be a third to a half of the cost of other European countries or the US. The currency is the Dinar, and Euros or Dollars are easy to exchange in the major cities. I used my Visa card, (with a chip), almost everywhere in Belgrade.

And did I mention, I did a little dental work while I was there? Oh yes. I even got my American dentist on board before I went. She was encouraging – and sent my xrays to me – I took them with me and was extremely pleased with the results! When I arrived in Serbia on a Saturday, I had my first appointment with the dentist. He even called in the technician that made my three new porcelain crowns. ON Saturday! I left the following Saturday with three beautiful new teeth and two new fillings. All that dental work for less that the cost of a single crown in the USA. Needless to say, I’m now a fan of “Dental Tourism”!

And the bonus is...

Serbia is easy to fly to from the United States. I took Lufthansa to Frankfurt Germany, and then on to Belgrade. The Belgrade airport was easy to maneuver and easy to find my friend, Biljana, who was there to greet me when I arrived.

I was so lucky to have a fabulous hostess for my first visit to Serbia. (If you read this Biljana – I can’t wait to host you in the states.) But, I’m ready right now for a return trip to explore more of your fascinating country, its culinary and wine traditions and lovely and warm people.

Stealth Health in Frankfurt

A view along the street where I am staying in Frankfurt.

We've dotted every i, crossed every t and prepared as much as possible for the first ever Culinary and Wine Journey to Alsace and Germany. My partners "in crime" on this trip, Annemarie and Tina have done a yeoman's job of scheduling. I've hosted the trip tasting and cooked up all kinds of info for our participants...

And now the trip is here! Tina and her husband Tal have been touring Spain and France for the past week, Annemarie and Rolf arrived earlier this week and are visiting old friends.

I chose to arrive early in Frankfurt to scope out a city I haven't seen for - oh - too many years to remember. What I have found is that Germany is beautiful, really interesting and full of the food, wine and the healthy culture that I love. In the USA we get a stereotype. Sausage, beer, wurst and um-pa-pa. Octoberfest and schnitzel. Big dogs and brews. Sure, you can see that here. A wurst and a draft is not bad every once in awhile. But what I've found, and I LOVE, is an incredible food culture that values local, organic and fresh. Lets face it friends, I am in foodie heaven.

So, I've spent a couple of days ferreting out food and nature, markets and flowers, gardens and people that are all yummy and healthy - much more than the info we get at home. I booked an Airbnb, (my first and a wonderful experience.) I am staying in a small flat, next to the German couple who own it, right in the middle of Frankfurt. Its been so much fun, living like a local.

Here are just a few of my pictures of my stay in Frankfurt. I hope you can tell that I am "Tasting and Savoring Life"!

First off, coffee. My internal clock is more than a little bit off. Coffee is the first thing I looked for when I reached my neighborhood. As I walked and stopped and enjoyed a cup or two, I laughed. See why, below:

Believe it or not, I haven't seen a single Starbucks! So, here's the kind of coffee I have been enjoying...

 I've chosen to enjoy a big lunch and just a little snack for dinner. Take a look at lunch...

Luscious fish and shrimp. Lot of veggies. And speaking of veggies, I walked and walked today until I found a street market. SO much fun!

One of the things that I have found interesting is that the food at the street market, the organic markets and the supermarkets all have attribution to where the food is from.

Yup - its apple season here, too!

And the grapes are labeled, as to their variety. Can you imagine going into Whole Foods and asking for Chardonnay grapes?

And for my "Cheese-atarian" friends, (you know who you are), there is GORGEOUS cheese in Germany!

The flowers are incredible. One of the things I loved about my Airbnb were the gorgeous sunflowers greeting me as I walked in the door. Flowers are lining the streets, in shops and in every restaurant. I had to hold my hands together when I saw them - I wanted to buy every bunch!

I am thrilled that I've had a couple of days to wonder around and enjoy Frankfurt. Tomorrow, I meet the group at the airport, and we are off for the week! Can't wait for more adventures.

I have to close this post with some napkins I found along the high street today. I think they say it all:

Lunch and Learn with Round Pond Winery

I had the pleasure of lunch with Miles McDonald, one of the owners of Round Pond Vineyards recently at the always-delicious Local Three restaurant. He and his delightful sales director Diane Cline hosted a group of food bloggers, wine buyers and restaurant folks for a show and tell of Round Pond wines, oils, and vinegar.

It's no secret that I love Round Pond wines. I was lucky enough to have been given a personal tour with Miles a couple of years ago when I was in San Francisco for the International Association of Culinary Professionals Conference. The winery is just breathtaking; the organic gardens, the kitchens and the tasting rooms are beyond wonderful. As always on a good tour with a knowledgeable guide, I learned more about how wine is made and why some wines taste so good.

(If you’d like to see some stunning photography as well as a fun story of my last visit to Round Pond, take a look at the link to the wonderful blog from friend and rock-star-photographer Tina Case.)

The story of Round Pond is as interesting as its many wines. What started as a Sunday breakfast location for his father, Miles and his three sisters ended up as the Round Pond winery, gardens, tasting room and olive oil mill.

Tractor Shed Red was the first Cabernet Sauvignon from the Round Pound farm’s grapes. Miles said his  Dad made it so he could taste the result of his hard work in the vineyard. Others agreed that it tasted great, and today over 25,000 bottles are enjoyed by happy wine drinkers.

Beginning with 20 rows of vines in 1986, the first grapes from the property were sold to Mike Grgich in 1986. Fast-forward 20 years and in 2002, in a quest to grow better grapes for the (20 plus) wineries buying their grapes, Round Pond began making wine. In 2007, the gorgeous tasting room opened, and they haven’t stopped making luscious wine yet.

But, don’t think this is one of the mega monolithic wineries dotting the Napa and Sonoma valleys. Round Pond could make 100, 000 cases but make 25,000 cases. Although they make a number of wines, from the incredible reserves to propriety and Rutherford wines, (I love them all), my two favorites are the Sauvignon Blanc and the Kith and Kin Cabernet Sauvignon.

Green apples, peaches, and citrus are three descriptors that immediately come to mind when thinking about the luscious taste of 2014 Sauvignon Blanc. The harvest was unique; picking the grapes three different times a week apart, with each harvest the flavors of the grapes getting riper and juicier. The multiple passes created complexity, aging in stainless creates the wines crisp and clean flavors. The 2013 vintage is the only American Sav Blanc listed on Wine Spectators Top 100 list. I think the 2014 is destined for laurels as well.

Kith and Kin retails for only about $40, and if you are looking for a quintessential California Cabernet Sauvignon, it delivers. When Wine Spectator recognized their Rutherford Cab six years consecutively as over 90 points, that same Cab was included in last year's round up of “brick house” Napa Cabs. And, Round Pond was the least expensive of the group!

Although I could see the olive trees around the property, my previous trip did not include the olive oil mill, tasting of the delicious vinegar or syrup sold on the farm. To our delight, Miles had brought a great selection, allowing us to sample and review.

Milling of the olives is a propriety practice at the farm, combining traditional stone mill techniques with state-of-the-art technology. One of only two olive mills in Napa, their bottling is done in small lots only, ensuring each customer of getting only the best quality oil from the hand-harvested olives.

Their process works well, reflected in the spicy, zesty, pungent oils that I tried at lunch. How fun to be able to taste and compare the differences and how the olives from different countries reflected their heritage.

My favorites and some of the most unusual were the blood orange and Meyer lemon olive oils. Rich with the authentic flavor of the fruits, intensely fragrant, adding the entire rind while crushing the olives makes them unique and incredibly intense. Thinking about finishing a white fish from the grill with one of these oils made me want to grab a bottle and run to the kitchen!

Both the Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend and the Sangiovese/Petit Verdot blend of vinegars we tasted were piquant and perfect. The bottles start with red wine from the winery. They add a "mother" to transform the wine to vinegar and use the artisanal Orleans method of aging in oak barrels for ten months. This time-consuming process creates small lots of vinegar that are flavorful enough to stand on their own or partner with olive oil.

If I’ve piqued your interest in the wonderful wines, oils and vinegars of Round Pond, its time to plan a trip! Until then, you can check out their wines, order and indulge in the mouthwatering oils, vinegars and syrups at www.roundpond.com.  And don’t miss The Feed by Round Pond with yummy recipes, behind the scenes scoop and special offers. You can sign up at The Feed by Round Pond