Every once in a while a family adventure and experience comes along that creates memories that last a lifetime. Our family recently had a wonderful weekend together in Winters, CA, of all places, that made our family bond even stronger.
Our family celebrated Raymond’s birthday at the the beautiful and welcoming home and cooking school of, renowned cookbook author, Georgeanne Brennan (www.GeorgeanneBrennan.com).
Ross and Kristen creating delicious tastes
Our weekend started when we met Georgeanne at the Davis, CA Farmers Market. She distributed Farmers Bucks, a slip of paper with the special ingredient for our purchases and directions to meet her back at her inviting, bright and comforting French kitchen. Thus began the first of two days of preparation, wonderful conversation and cooking that culminated in some of the most wonderful tastes we ’ve experienced. To complete and compliment the palate of ingredients from the market we walked through Georgeanne’s gardens and picked a basketful of fresh herbs, blood oranges, asparagus and Meyer lemons.
Once the menu was reviewed we began chopping, slicing, boiling, baking and stuffing under the forever kind, gentle and watchful eye of Georgeanne as she provided guidance. Much gratitude to the ever vigilant assistance of Sophie and Melissa, the lovely “helper bees” that made the process move along ever so smoothly.
Rustic Apple Tart
A partial list of the memorable dishes we prepared and enjoyed at the long, inviting, beautifully set dining table were herb and citrus stuffed pork roast, winter vegetables with homemade aioli sauce and rustic apple tart with goat cheese cream, Chicken Provencal, pizza made from homemade dough, cooked in the outdoor pizza oven with a variety of toppings from the garden, finished with the delectable garden picked orange and rosemary sorbet.
Erickson Ranch extends our heartfelt thanks to Georgeanne Brennen, her lovely husband Jim and of course the ever energetic and fetching pup, Louis, for creating a memory for our family that will fill several pages of our family album for generations to come.