Palmabella's Passions

We had SUCH a great weekend with Shannon, Nancy, Krista and Steve at a very tiny Slow Bowl IV! I have much to blog about this week! Instead of our usual destination of Paso Robles, we visited the Santa Inez Valley.

Brad and I left Friday morning, drove through pounding rain up the coast, and arrived in Solvang around 1:00. After a quick lunch, we settled into our charming room with a fireplace at the Wine Valley Inn.

The hotel and cottages have lovely gardens, outdoor fireplaces, and lots of nooks and crannies with flowers and tables for sipping wine. The rooms are spacious, and have nice amenities and rain shower heads in the bathrooms. I'm sure it is even more charming in sunny weather.

We then drove about 15 minutes up the 101 to Los Alamos, to where Shannon and Nancy were staying at the Skyview Motel. This is a very funky property with a great group "clubhouse" (complete with kitchen) where we settled in for the evening.
We ate cheese, crackers, veggies, buffalo chicken dip, and pecan-fig-bourbon cake.
Wine was consumed. It was a great kickoff to Slow Bowl IV!

Tomorrow...the AMAZING Palmina wine tasting!

Pecan-Fig-Bourbon Cake

Cake

1 lb. dried Black Mission figs, tips discarded
2 c. water
1/2 c. bourbon
1 t. vanilla
3 c. sifted cake flour (sift before measuring)
2 t. baking powder
3/4 t. baking soda
3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1 3/4 c. pecans
2 c. packed light brown sugar
1 c. vegetable oil (I used Canola)
3 large eggs

Combine figs and water in a heavy 2 quart saucepan. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until figs are moist, and most liquid is absorbed (35-40 min.)

In a food processor, combine figs, cooking liquid, bourbon and vanilla and process to a course puree. Let cool to just warm. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350, and butter and flour, or spray a 12-cup bundt pan.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Lightly toast pecans on a baking sheet, 8-10 minutes, leaving oven on. Cool pecans for a few minutes and lightly chop (or do pecans ahead).

Beat together brown sugar, oil and eggs until thick and creamy, about 3 minutes. Stir in fig mixture. At low speed, mix in dry ingredients just until incorporated. Fold in pecans.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 60 to 75 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a rack, then invert onto a plate.

Icing:

2 c. powdered sugar
4 1/2 T. cream
2 T. bourbon
1 t. vanilla

Whisk ingredients together in a bowl, and drizzle over cooled cake.

This cake is even better on day 2 or 3!

What is your daily AVERAGE? One cup?

Two cups?

Here's my AVERAGE:

It is World Nutella Day. This is true, because bloggers, Sara and Michelle from Ms Adventures in Italy, and Bleeding Espresso have declared it to the world. Check out: World Nutella Day!

If you are already familiar with this delicious chocolate-hazelnut spread, I don't need to explain the smooth creaminess that makes this a wonderful ingredient. Even though I am nut a big chocolate fan, I do love this combination in panna cotta, cookies, cakes and tortes.

To celebrate the festivities, I made up a VERY simple way Nutella dessert.

Nutella Mousse

1 t. powdered gelatin
3 T. water
1/2 c. Nutella (I used only 1/4 c. for caloric reasons)
2 oz. cream cheese, softened
8 oz. Cool Whip (I know..., but I was watching calories!)

Put water in a small saucepan, and sprinkle gelatin over it. Let it sit for a minute or two. Heat over medium until gelatin is melted. Remove from heat. Measure Nutella into a medium bowl. Whisk together Nutella and warm gelatin mixture. Add cream cheese and whisk until smooth. Fold in Cool Whip, and stir until combined. Spoon into 4 dessert cups or glasses, and chill for two hours.

HEAVENLY!