Eating Our Way Thru Napa

I enjoy reading cookbooks.  Better yet I enjoy “cooking” them.  I’ve started many cookbooks with every intention of cooking my way from beginning to end only to get sidetracked a few pages in (kinda reminds me of the way I tend to “read” books too).  I think it’s because I find too many other recipes that catch my eye and distract me.  They are my “shiny” moments as my husband likes to say. 

So I decided to give it a go and again and went about the selection process from my stash of 100+ cookbooks.  After perusing one entitled Seasons in the Wine Country by Cate Conniff I decided I had met my match.  Why?  Well because there were recipes and ingredients with which I had never worked, and some, quite possibly, had never even heard of.  The book was a gift from my company two years ago while attending a conference at the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) in Napa where I earned a cooking class in the CIA kitchens.  So each time I pick up that book I’m reminded of the amazing job I now have and that wonderful trip to Napa.

A few days ago, I began my culinary excursion (and education) thru Napa.  The very first recipe in the book was quite simple actually-Prosciutto, Parmesan and Honey Mustard Palmiers.  It was basically puff pastry filled with mustard, prosciutto and parmesan cheese.  Nothing new here.  But, had I appeared on Jeopardy and been given the answer, “Thought to have originated in France, this is a rolled pastry that resembles an elephant ear”, my first reply would not have been, “What is a palmier?”  So first lesson learned was how to make palmiers.  The next time I make anything rolled in puff pastry, even if it is plain old ham and cheese, I won’t simply make pinwheels.  I will make palmiers!    

As we typically do when I make new dishes, we rated the recipe.  I use a simple scale of 1-4 as follows:

1-really bad and would need work to even be palatable

2-could have potential with a couple changes

3-good recipe and likely to be made again but just needed a little “jazz”

4-it’s good enough for dinner guests and I can’t wait to make it again

My husband and I collectively agreed (and we never collectively agree) the palmiers were a 3.  They were good.  You really can’t go wrong with pastry, meat and cheese.

I’m already looking forward to the next recipe which uses chickpea flour.  Who knew there was such a thing?  It’s not something readily stocked on the shelves at Kroger but luckily, I found some online with quick shipping.  As soon as my chickpea flour arrives, it’s on to lesson number two!