October Giveaway -- Limerock Orchards Walnut Oil

Do you love finding interesting ingredients or new to you produce? Me too!  Like a brain teaser, I pick up something new and find out what I can cook with it. Is it a one trick pony or versatile, does it spark some creativity? I also like to support these special, small producers whether at farmer's markets or online.

You might have seen this walnut oil as an ingredient in past posts.  Small orchard, family dry farmed and soon to be certified organic. I discovered this richly roasted walnut oil last year and after using it in various recipes I am pretty sure you will love it too.  We caught up with Olivia from Limerock Orchards at Savor the Central Coast last weekend. There, we chatted about the differences between their California dry farmed walnuts and the imports from France. Yes, like other fine foods, methods and terrior create the conditions of flavor. Walnut oil also has numerous health benefits, rich in antioxidents, copper, magesium and omega 3, 6 and 9 oils. Olivia said that they are also involved in a huge effort to certify their orchard as organic. This is one dedicated family!  I couldn't leave their booth without a couple of packages of their pocket-sized bottles paired with gourmet popping corn.  One is just for you!

Limerock Orchards Walnut Oil and Popping Corn

My Recipes using Limerock Walnut Oil

Brussels Spouts, Toasted Walnuts and Bacon

 Harvest Walnuts and Kale

Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna with walnuts

I've also used it to make a great dressing or added to pound cake for a flavor boost. The Limerock Orchard website as recipes too!

Here's the scoop: Giveaway will be open until October 17, 2011 and I will pick the winner from a random drawing on October 18, 2011 and announce the winner. Up to 2 chances to win!  Open to US entries only, sorry no international entries this time.  You must provide an email address either in your Google profile or in your comments. No email, no prize.

To enter you must do the following:
1. Post a comment to this post below and say whether you've used walnut oil before. (Entry 1)
2. Follow my blog and post another comment on this post. If you're already a follower - just say so. (Entry 2)
3. Open October 10, 2011 to October 17, 2011

Good Luck!

Note: This is not a paid endorsement or review. Info about Limerock Orchards found on their website: www.limerockorchards.com

From Medical Daily, Seven great benefits of Walnut Oil 

Adventure Awaits -- Plate to Page Tuscany

In just days I will be winging away to Tuscany. Breathtaking, intoxicating, old world and vibrant. Not just carefree vacation, but serious work on creativity, writing and photography at the Plate to Page workshop at a villa called Il Salicone just outside of Pistoia. Open to only ten participants (I was number 52 on the waitlist...) we will be coached and mentored by four highly acclaimed writers, photographers and yes, bloggers.  Jamie Schler (Life's a Feast),  Ilva Beretta (Lucullian Delights), Jeanne Horak-Druiff (CookSister!), and Meeta Khurana-Wolff (What's for Lunch Honey?) have worked this last year to create an intensive program that takes aim at fine tuning and helping food bloggers improve their work. 

I'm all in.

Links

Plate to Page

Life's a Feast

Lucullian Delights

CookSister!

What's for Lunch Honey?

The ones that got away this month

Grape Arbor

  The transition from September to October is a blur and somehow I have misplaced about ten days or so. Home-life and work-life whirling full tilt in their own universes that collide when my car pulls into the driveway. Here it is, six am and I am playing with photos and thinking how much of a slacker I've been. Then, in the quiet moments I reflect on what I've been doing and where I've been recently,  just to realize that I am living life fully.

On September 24 we got to visit Heart O' The Mountain Winery and tour the former Alfred Hitchcock estate while sipping luscious 2008 Pinot Noirs. A beautiful crisp autumn day, blue sky with massive cumulus clouds sailing across the sun and vineyard views from the mountain to the ocean below us. Soft guitar resonated through the mighty oaks and redwoods, a life is good moment. Breath in, close your eyes and picture it again.

Flickr Set for Heart 'O The Mountain click here

During the week that followed I must of had some kind of crazy seafood cravings. Pulled out a Dad memory and made Clam Fritters that captured the essence of our early morning clam digs. I will have to tell you the story of this one soon.  Have you ever been haunted by a recipe? No, well I have. This one seen in La Cucina Italiana, July/August 2011 has been visiting my brain all summer.  Finally Spiedini di seppie e finnocchi (Squid and Fennel Skewers) made its way to the dinner table. So worth the hour of squid cleaning.

Grilled Squid and Fennel Skewers  -- Clam Fritters

Before I knew it, my darling and I were off to San Luis Obisbo County for Sunset Magazines's Savor the Central Coast. This is a humdinger of an event with 140 wineries, Cat Cora, test driving Infinities on a crazy slalom race track, divine food nibbles and visiting with friends from Limerock Orchards and Jack Creek Farms. A late lunch at Artisan in Paso Robles was the perfect kick-off for this food and wine adventure. Afterwards we visited Dark Star Cellars, West Hwy 46 and grabbed a couple of bottles of 2008 Ricondati, 2007 Chain Reaction, and 2007 Soft Shoulder. We also took a scenic ride on Vineyard Drive with a late stop at Opolo Vineyards (by the way, the 2009 Viognier was delightful!) The light was so warm on the vines. On the way home we concentrated on the Hwy 46 East wineries with stops at Steinbeck Cellers and Pasoport where we picked up a lovely 2007 Violeta Ruby Port (thinking poached pears soon, real soon.) There is so much more to tell about this road trip.

Salmon Tartar @ Artisan, Paso Robles -- Grapes at Opolo Vineyard

In the meantime, I have become all clumsy and discombobulated in the photo department. I have an exciting opportunity coming up and my darling dear and I decided to upgrade our camera.  I have been using my sweet little Canon Powershot 770 and have been pretty happy with the results. Retraining my brain for a Canon 7D and assorted lenses is one more production complication in the panic to get a photo of the food before it all goes cold and inedible for dinner. My blog, my life is a real time event. Rarely is there time to prep, cook, then play with the food styling with layout and lighting for the ideal shot. It is usually a quick pic right before "Come and get it!" I am going to try and work on that aspect and time management more as I stretch my creative muscles.

May you take time pause,  to breath and revel in the memory of the many small moments 
that flash by so quickly. 

Links you might enjoy
Heart 'O The Mountain: http://www.heartothemountain.com
Artisan Restaurant: http://artisanpasorobles.com/
Dark Star Cellars: http://darkstarcellars.com/
Opolo Vineyards: https://www.opolo.com/
PasoPort Wine: http://www.pasoportwine.com/
Limerock Orchards: http://www.limerockorchards.com/
Jack Creek Farms: http://jackcreekfarms.com/
Savor the Central Coast: http://www.savorcentralcoast.com/