Our Test Kitchen ingredient was yellow mustard seed from the last pick. Reader Shari mentioned that she likes to pickle her mustard seed, and we thought that idea was just dandy. After all, it's tasty when had with a charcuterie and cheese plate as well as just on any bread for sandwiches or other types of snacking food. I love the way that the seeds pop in your mouth when you eat them too. We opted to go a more sweet route with our pickled mustard seed and simple ingredients. Feel free to embellish if you see it fit yourself!

Step 1: Ingredients (yields approximately 1/2 cup)

• 2.5 oz yellow mustard seeds
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar + 1/4 cup separated
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
• 1/2 tsp tumeric
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 Tbsp honey

Step 2: Prepping the seeds
The seeds will need time to soak properly to open up and release their bitterness. Combine them with the 1/2 cup of rice vinegar, 1/4 tsp of salt, and 1/4 tsp of pepper in a bowl and soak for 45 minutes or longer.


Step 3: Finishing
After the seeds have soaked, combine all ingredients (including extra vinegar) in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer until most of the liquid has boiled away. Remove from heat and place in appropriate storage containers to put in the fridge; it's better cold! Enjoy yourself!


This week's Test Kitchen ingredient: fresh cranberries
Y'all know the drill - comment on this picture below when it shows up on Facebook with your suggestions or ideas of how you think we should use the Test Kitchen ingredient. Starting in 2014, we're going to be doing this Test Kitchen series post every other week unless there is a higher demand. Thanks for all of everyone's suggestions so far!


Photography by Duc Duong.

The foggy morning made it more difficult to convince ourselves it was safe to be driving so early in the morning but the thought of a vacation weekend away from home was enough to spur us onward. We were heading to Temecula for just about a day and a half (well, two days and one night pretty much), and despite it not being too far in terms of distance and time from good ol' Orange County, it was still a destination with a culture and landscape uncommon to our beach-flavored area. The main deciding factor for this travel was in the form of two tickets to tour the Primal Pastures farm, a small business built on the foundation of raising better meat for a better future. Quickly after we made those plans, other stops made their way onto our itinerary including a stay at the lovely Temecula Creek Inn and dinner at the Cork | Fire Kitchen (previously known as the Farm House Kitchen). The one area, however, that everyone said we just had to explore was Old Town Temecula and well, we're glad we did. It was just about a full day's trip going up and down the street, dropping by into pretty much every store. We took pictures and noted what we thought were the neatest food-oriented small businesses in Old Town that you all ought to visit!


Temecula Olive Oil Company Store
Aside from the positively adorable wooden storefront outside and the carefully organized interior, there were puns inside to fawn over! Granted, they were mainly just playing on how "olive" could replace "all of" but still - plaster the walls with some word play and you will my attention. The first part of the store where most people come in features their attached register area and various products made from using olive oil. Soaps, lotions, shampoos, and so forth dominated a main wall while another showcased utensils, cookware, and other useful gadgets carved from olive tree wood. Thinking of neat gifts? You should be able to find something here.

However, the food lovers reading this want to know about the olive oil itself right? Once you walk through a small doorway from the main room, you'll come into a narrower room that is longer and filled from ceiling to floor with shelving of all of their products. Marinated olives, spices, salts, olive oils, vinegars, spice blends, pastas, and more are arranged in tantalizing fashion with tempting "sampler" jars in front of certain flavors - we did partake of some and had to restrain ourselves from purchasing everything. On the other side is a full-length olive oil tasting bar where helpful and cheery employees pour tasters of their lines of oils and vinegars. What I especially liked about this place was that they grow every part of their product. For example, the honey flavor's source of honey is their own beehive. From what we saw in a guide in our hotel after we returned, tours of their vineyard/farm are available for those visiting Temecula. Next time we'll have to go!


Chile Hedz
I was curious when we nearly passed by the door to this place to see just how crazy about spice it was. I did not expect the level of paraphernalia inside. A corrugated metal wall was the backdrop for a ceiling to floor shelving unit holding more hot sauces than I've ever seen in one place. The rest of the business inside hearkened to brick and California highway motifs while the hanging faux peppers made me think of the Southwest. If you are or know a chili lover, you'll want to stop in here. In addition to sauces, they have other products that use heat as their selling points such as pepper jam, hot pepper chips, pepper barbecue sauce, and more.

Temecula Lavender Company
It was the tiniest place and easy to miss if you weren't looking for it because it sat between other stores but I was drawn in by the scent and my own love for lavender. The store was dark and earthen, stocked everywhere in the same fashion as an old grandmother might lovingly place her own collections. Since lavender is such a calming scent to work with, there were understandably plenty of aromatherapy and bath essentials products. Dried stalks of the flower were abundant too, adding to the burlap feel of the store. If you know a lavender fiend, you might want to stop in here. Not only were there oils, lotions, soaps, and more, there were also spice jars of lavender pepper, cookies made with the fragrant flower, and other niche food products.


Temecula Valley Cheese Company
A cheese shop? Hold my wallet please so I don't go buying a cow's weight in delicious dairy. When you come into this cheese shop, you'll first see dried products like pastas and canned goods but make a beeline for the counter where they have rotating cheeses. A board lists what is in for the day and some flavor profiles. Apparently they also make sandwiches for those wishing to sit outside on their small patio and enjoy the day. I also spotted an olive bar for sampling and purchasing as well as an olive oil area. This seems like a great place to stop for a quick bite or even to fill your cheese coffers at home.

Olivedipity
This store was fairly new when we visited and tucked away from the road where a lot of other artisan shops were, it seemed to be in a good location for browsers. Much smaller than the more popular Temecula Olive Oil Company store, Olivedipity is more scant in decor inside but has a variety of oils and vinegars not found at the other spot. I would venture to say that you should come here for more exotic and unique flavors. There is also a tasting bar here so you can get your fill of uncommon tastes such as Prickly Pear and Hibiscus.

Old Town Sweet Shop
Got a sweet tooth? Adults and children alike would like the sweet shop because it has both current and old-fashioned candies. There is a long aisle of bulk candy bins inside that you could spend a long time drooling over (before eventually buying a bag, of course) and a fudge counter with the large chunks prominently displayed behind glass. I wandered for quite some time between displays of familiar and unfamiliar confectionery goods and candy. There was even a tin box area! Around the side, they are connected to an ice cream shop as well with its own psychedelic colors and flavors. Browse for nostalgia or enter to purchase your weight in candy.


Old Town Root Beer Company
Sodas, sodas everywhere! The walls were lined with glass bottles from all over the country, filled to their caps with classic sodas. There were easily some more recognizable kinds but we were more interested in the lesser known varieties. The Old Town Root Beer Company not only carries what seemed like thousands of different bottled sodas but also has its own root beer. Naturally, we purchased one of those and it was pretty darn good. We really liked their bottle cap counter display which was full of purchased soda bottle tops. The sodas here aren't too highly priced either, and we made out with a six-pack of various root beers and sarsaparillas based on recommendation. She knew her stuff!

Temecula Old Town Antique Faire
The first picture in the above series was of a dog we saw that was guarding a boutique clothing store. It had on an absurdly large but appropriate knit bow and definitely was the guard of the entrance. It had to sniff and permit my entrance before I could look at the hanging clothes! Anyhow, there were plenty of boutique clothing stores for the shoppers out there but what we found really interesting was the Antique Faire building which was composed of various "lot" sections with their own wares. If you like to hunt for treasures or just want to take a look at neat collector items, you can easily spend a good half hour or longer in here!


While Temecula has its fill of winery tasting rooms, we only made it out to one. We actually were not too fond of the wines here but wanted to share the pictures so you can get a sense of what one looked like. On the plus side, the marinara here was delicious! As for the rest of the trip, once we had finally finished exploring all that Old Town Temecula had to offer to those walking around (there are certainly other activities such as dining in restaurants or taking wine room tours), we had to head to our hotel. In addition to the places noted above, we also saw a neighborhood grocery store with bulk dried goods, jewelry stores, and art galleries. The one thing I wish we hadn't missed was their weekend farmers' market but alas, the timing was off. Maybe next time. We'll be back Temecula!


Photography by Duc Duong.

We have excitedly been awaiting the opening of solita at Bella Terra in Huntington Beach ever since we first heard word that it was coming. Not only are we fans of Chef Deborah Schneider's food from SOL Cocina, solita would also be nearby to Duc's apartment and we could easily see ourselves wandering not too far for a bite to eat. Funny thing is that it also happened that one of solita's goals in coming into the area was to be that neighborhood Mexican joint. Well, after we got a taste at the media preview prior to their opening, we could see it becoming ours. The warmth of the dark woods and metals inside, the sophistication in the decor capturing the beauty of Mexico, and the high quality of ingredients and attention to cooking techniques are all winning attributes of this restaurant. With an interior area of 3,800 sq ft. and an enclosed 1,500 sq ft. for an indoor/outdoor experience (their outer walls are rolling doors that open to the patio for the bar), solita's seating will allow for multiple people to partake in their culinary treasures.


The interior design is very much influenced by Chef Deborah Schneider's travels through Mexico as well as all other ventures by the team. Everywhere we looked, there were elements that spoke of the culture and history. Their large wooden chandeliers were inspired by the large stones used to crush agave fibers for food and drink. The glass metal chandeliers were akin to the presses used during distillation of the agave fibers. Each of the chairs that every person sat in was handcrafted in Mexico itself and brought to solita, and the spanning brick wall was in reaction to a home in Guadalajara they saw. To enter this well thought-out space, guests will pass through double doors made of wormwood before eating dishes rooted in Baja cooking. As the chef explained to us, her 30+ years on the line and in the kitchen with others in the restaurant industry has exposed her to the conversations about what everyone ate while growing up and piqued her interest to explore those flavors. To whet our throats after they dried out looking at the decor with mouths agape, cocktails by their bar manager Colin Pflugradt were aplenty from classic margaritas to frozen ones to even riffs such as the horchata cocktail (my favorite of the evening). Aiming to offer high class drinks without the high class prices, he has put together marvelous libations that will quench guests' throats while not hurting their pockets. Cheers to their bar program's upcoming success that we know they'll have with masterpieces like those glasses we drank of. Pictured are sampler sizes of the solita House Margarita (100% blue agave Agavales blanco shaken with housemade sweet & sour, splash of fresh orange juice, and triple sec), a frozen El Hombre (smoky with touch of dried chipotle peppers, chipotle infused Agavales blanco, lime juice, and agave nectar), the Horchata Cocktail (housemade horchata on the rocks with Agavales blanco tequila, 1921 Crema, and cinnamon), and a frozen Kiwi-Strawberry Margarita ( fresh kiwi & strawberry with Agavales blanco tequila, fresh lime juice, agave nectar, and soda water).


But onto the food! As mentioned, the entire restaurant is inspired by the travels in Mexico that the team has done and one key part of what they have observed in the cooking is wood. It is ubiquitous to cooking. Their custom wood grill is practically the center of the entire space, adding more emphasis to their dogma that "wood is the heart and soul of the concept." There is also use of open charcoal in the cooking and an attention to how particular woods affect particular meats and dishes. For example, they will be smoking their shredded beef and whole chickens with oak. Not only is Mexico present in the food but so is Baja Calfornia so expect to see tropical and fun salads and well as homestyle soups. We sampled a variety of their antojitos first which are modeled after street vendor food. Pictured are their Sweet Potato Fries (with cotixa cheese and chipotle dipping sauce), Grilled Corn "Elote" (roasted and grilled sweet corn with butter, chipotle salsa, California chiles, cotixa, and green onion), Copa de Frutas (cucumber, jicama, seasonal fruit, lime, and chile con limon), Tequila Shrmp & Avocado Sundae (lightly cooked shrimp with blanco tequila, salsa fresca, lime juice, and chipotles layered with Marta's creamy avocado sauce), Yellowtail Ceviche Tropicale (diced fresh Gulf of California yellowtail tossed with fresh-squeezed lime juice, serrano chiles, cucumber, tropical fruit, avocado, and salsa fresca), and Nachitos Perfectos (with refried beans, red chile borracho sauce, cheese, jalapenos, salsa fresca, guacamole, chipotle sauce, and sour cream).


The dishes were certainly not completely out of the ordinary in terms of name when you looked at them but the quality ingredients made a difference. They are around to do Mexican food well. Considering the location in Huntington Beach at Bella Terra, I can see where the demand is necessary. If you are looking out for the restaurant, they are near the Corner Bakery and sits on the first floor of the residences on the property grounds. It's actually quite the smart location as I am sure that regulars will come from those apartments. Plans include having a separate walk up counter for take out as well so don't worry if you can't stay long to enjoy a margarita. You can still get your solita fix! Pictured above are Oak-Roasted Chipotle Chicken,  Quesadilla, Lazy Enchiladas, a variety of their Taco Plates (like Cadillac tacos, the 'Just Tacos' sampler, and 'El Primo' sampler), Skirt Steak Asada with Toreados, and Burrito "El Flag" from all entree parts of the menu. Our thanks to to everyone for having us that night (Rich, Matt, Colin , Jose, John, Zack, Eric, and Chef Deb); we're looking forward to you being our neighborhood Mexican restaurant!

Photography by Duc Duong. More photos available on Facebook here.

As everyone starts looking back on all that they have done in the past year, we must follow suit and take a gander at where Much Ado About Fooding has gone. The recipes have definitely heightened in complexity and grown in frequency so we wanted to pass that along as you start thinking about upcoming gatherings. Christmas is just a few days away but after that and all the processes of shopping (or returns), you will have New Year's parties to visit. Cheese and wine might do at most places but why not take it another step forward? Here are five tasty appetizers from 2013 that can serve as perfect bites for your guests and friends as you prepare for New Year's Eve parties!


Arugula Asiago Crostini
This is quite possibly the simplest of all the appetizers listed in this post. It involves the ingredients of a baguette, olive oil, shredded Asiago cheese, arugula, and balsamic vinegar (optional last piece). We like this for how all of the ingredients well very well together between salty, bitter, and savory. You only need to layer them on each other and pop the pieces into the oven for the finished dish. Trust me when I say that these will go FAST!


Quick Chicken Salad
Costco is my friend, and I have been making this chicken salad for years and years. It was a staple to eat during college and then afterward as a quick potluck-worthy dish. Using the Kirkland Signature canned chicken breast, celery, a small bit of mayonnaise, and spices, you can make a chicken salad everyone will love. There is a secret ingredient involved too that makes this a crowd pleaser - check out the recipe to find out!


Mini Spinach Sriracha Quiche
Do you have a little more time on your hands? Maybe you're the one who is hosting the party after all. Think about putting together these miniature quiches to satisfy those looking for savory bites. The addition of sriracha gives it a friendly kick when you eat each piece, and the display is just gorgeous. The recipe will make you a nice handful of these mini quiches which are perfect to pass around (or have on a table) during the New Year's Eve party.


Ghost Pepper Salted Guinness Pretzels
Do not attempt to work on these pretzels unless you know you will have ample time to deal with them. While the recipe and directions do focus on making these look and feel like pretzels, feel free to cut them up into appetizer/bite-sized pieces before serving. The dough is slightly sweeter because of the Guinness but then the ghost pepper kicks in to keep one at bay. Be careful of the heat in these bad boys.


Asparagus Pancetta Flatbread
Who doesn't love a nice flatbread? It's like the grown up and generally healthier version of a pizza. This asparagus pancetta flatbread is obviously going to be a crowd pleaser because of the pancetta. It's like fancy bacon. This appetizer recipe contains directions on how to make the base dough in order to top everything with exactly what you want/need! Think about doing flatbread for your new year's party because of its convenient size and just overall tastiness.

Photography by Duc Duong and Minerva Thai.

[UPDATED: Farm House Kitchen has had a name change. It is now Cork | Fire Kitchen.] A trip from Orange County to Temecula, southern California's "wine country," is not too far but distanced enough to be considered a relaxing getaway. We spent a short weekend out in the area and were gratefully hosted at the Temecula Creek Inn, the premier location for travelers in Temecula complete with on-grounds restaurant and expansive 27-hole championship golf course. Nestled just a short drive away from all the wineries, the resort is definitely a beauty that lets you wind down while on vacation. We heard from locals and saw from walking around that they are also quite known for the special events that many host there, particularly weddings. Why not? The greens are gorgeous, the location is perfect and the accommodations are so comfortable.


Our check-in was for the King Executive, a  room keen on catering to golf lovers as each came with a patio view of the gorgeous golf course. After we walked in, we noticed that the backside of the front door looked like a wooden barn door and that there was a bench to the side for comfortably sitting down to remove shoes. Adorned with wall and floor accents that evoked an organic feel, the entire room took advantage of dark browns, deep reds and oranges, and tans with the occasional stark contrast of black via electronics (modern tech call out?) such as the iPod dock, TV, phone, and alarm clock. There was dark brown rattan branches in the corners as well as netted on the wall and as a round side table out on the patio. The walls had a stucco look to put one in the wine country mood as if in a villa but the textured, woven design of the carpet made walking around comfortable and feel like home rather than a hotel. However, as with all hotels, there were paintings on the wall and the ones in our room were complementary to each other, a gentle two-painting image of the wine country landscape. Functional decor pieces were coppery in color such as the desk lamp with its glass squares or the decorative large glass plate on the TV stand with its silver leaf wash and dark red veins.

In terms of amenities, we spotted vanity, sewing, and dental kits which worked out well because I forgot my toothbrusth, whoops! The bathroom was enormous with two sinks and a separate toilet room. Oddly enough, most of the room's outlets were located in the bathroom so keep that in mind if you're in need of charging anything. The side closet housed an in-room safe, hangers, iron with ironing board, fluffy white bathrobes, extra sheets, and even a blanket for sitting outside on the patio. When we had come in first, our bed had a lovely long runner draped over it upon which sat a woven basket with a copy of Wine Spectator; the nightstands held Bigelow tea and Intazza coffee for making in the room; a Cuisinart coffeemaker; ice bucket; and two wine glasses. We were definitely in wine country. As for the lounging about, I loved the pattern lounge chair with its ample space and accompanying ottoman. The bed was comfortable enough for our night's sleep though the pillows a little flat, save for the dark orange accent ones that came with a ridge knit cover - those were too crinkly and dense to be slept on. If you do stay at the Temecula Creek Inn, the front desk has loads of information and guides to help you along in Temecula during your stay!


Another perk of their property and the main reason we were around is their extraordinary restaurant, Farm House Kitchen. We had actually dined there the night before right after we had checked in and absolutely enjoyed the dinner. Helmed by Executive Chef Igor Krichmar, CIA graduate and a chef who has worked with the likes of Thomas Keller and Alex Strada all over the country, the restaurant is "committed to utilizing local produce, meat and fish wherever possible. Local purveyors we use include Nikolau Family Farms, La Bahn Farms, Old Town Baking Company, Temecula Olive Oil Company, Cros Pass Farms, Heavenly Produce, Sage Mountain Farms and Vintage Natural Beef." On less faithful days, they say their stock of ingredients is only about 60% local but they strive for the 70:30 ratio or higher; after all, it is difficult sometimes for small-time farmers to supply enough crop for a full restaurant's coffers. For the bonafide food and the glorious morning view, we opted to grab breakfast here as well.


A 3 million dollar renovation of the restaurant to transform from the old Temet Grill has done the place well. The farmhouse-inspired establishment built upon a dedication to sourcing as local as possible had some of the neatest farm-to-table decor. Wrought iron, wood, and distressed metal all hung around and above us as we looked out over the championship gold course. It was easily packed in the main dining room for breakfast/brunch and aside from the view, the atmosphere was stellar as well. Every table was treated with a board of warm, freshly made biscuits upon which a slather of housemade jams was welcome. Ours was Blueberry Lemon but the chef had told us other flavors existed based on season such as their Strawberry Basil and Raspberry Cocoa. These biscuits did not need the help of any extra butter on the board either - they were fluffy and just perfect enough. I was tempted to get a breakfast cocktail that morning we dined due to how balanced and well-executed our night's cocktail had been but opted for juice instead. We weren't fond of the juices though but moved on to browse the menu that was split up into sections labeled, "The Health Nut, From the Griddle, What's Not to Like?, The Benny's, and Right Hand." The manager suggested their buttermilk pancakes but we wanted something more savory.


Cue in our choices of the 'Huevos' Benedict ($13 - grilled Spanish chorizo, cornbread muffin, poached farm eggs, chipotle hollandaise), Eagle Omelet ($13 - farm eggs, local Cheddar cheese, spinach, green onions, roasted wild mushrooms, salsa verde), and a side of Breakfast Sausage ($4 - changes weekly). Each entree also came with a side of their cheesy potato hash that was too smothered and soft for our liking. The benedict was an instant hit, using the inherent saltiness of authentic Spanish chorizo to highlight the fresh poached eggs. I enjoyed the chipotle hollandaise too as it brought the whole theme together. The cornbread muffin was a pleasant surprise, sweet and crumbly. My omelet was definitely chock-full of spinach and mushrooms but nothing too out of the box. After all, breakfast has a fairly standard taste profile so it all suited the morning munching needs.


After we filled up on the local eats, we walked around the property once again to see their outdoor pool and sauna (great for swimming when on vacation) that overlooked the golf course as well and their event space. Tucked away with a border of trees that looked purposefully planted around to create seclusion, this event area had the right set-up for a ceremony, reception, and lounging area for cocktails. Since both Duc and I have worked with weddings (he on the photography side, I on the planning and coordination side), it was happily obvious to us where exactly all parts would seamlessly happen during the special days of. A lovely spot and apparently popular too! Beneath the restaurant was the entrance to the golf course with golf cart rentals and patio furniture to sit about and chat. It certainly all seemed well thought out here at the Temecula Creek Inn, and we're looking forward to returning on our visits to Temecula. You can find them at 44501 Rainbow Canyon Rd., Temecula, California 92592 if you're looking to visit. Check out more on their website too at www.temeculacreekinn.com!

Photography by Duc Duong. More photos available on Facebook here.