Category: San Luis Obispo

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Cooking Veggies is Better for you!

Aaaaah... could you ever imagine Paella not fried?

Don’t you love it when you spend so much of your life being told that cooking vegetables destroys the ‘goodness’ and that raw veggies are best?

Now, we are seeing studies that are showing that many of the nutrient qualities of veggies are actually being ‘released’ and eating cooked vegetables is actually better for you!

Frankly, I am not surprised!

“They” did give ‘frying’ vegetables a bum rap… but I am sure the data will show that the ‘missing’ healthful qualities of vegetables were merely released into the sauce rather than being ‘destroyed’ in the frying process. If in fact this is the case… then frying may actually be a preferred method of extracting nutritional elements from vegetables… besides the side benefit of improved taste!

Roger Freberg

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Laura’s wonderful Cinnamon Rolls!

Laura's Wonderful Rolls in the oven!

Some of my favorite recipes are intertwined with personal memories of great times, events or emotional occasions!

Looking back, Laura always prepared this very unusual cinnamon roll for times she wanted to surprise me with something truly delicious. I was always suspicious…. but sometimes… it was just another way to show affection.

I remembered it containing a collection of unusual ingredients for a roll: mashed potatoes, cardamon … along with more familiar… walnuts, bluberries, white raisins… it was and is timeless and mouth watering!

For Christmas breakfast and New Years… with a little coaxing… here is her recipe!

Drizzling with a little Amarula frosting… and it is perfect!

Roger Freberg

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Eat your veggies, I mean Mirepoix!

the perfect Mirepoix
I remember the time when one could go to a local store and buy ‘Mirepoix’ already prepared. However, somewhere in time, many folks forgot the joys of cooking and the pleasure of making something extraordinary! As everyone knows, making something really special takes some time.

Although my ‘Mirepoix’ might seem like a recipe for ‘Mantignon’ (meaning that I add some pork fat and cooked down)… it’s the results that count! As a good ol pirate might say: here’s a few ‘guidelines:’

1) Mirepoix imparts a wonderful flavor to certain dishes… but it is an ‘extender’ as well… a kind of renaissance man’s ‘hamburger helper’.

2) The general proportions of Mirepoix are : 2 parts Onion, 1 part Celery and 1 part Carrots.

3) I like to dice my veggies incredibly small. This allows them to cook faster, give off more flavor and be less intrusive in the final product. I also add finely crushed garlic about 1/2 part (many folks protest garlic, but cooked in this manner they hardly know it’s there… except that everything tastes really good!).
4) In a sauce, Mirepoix needs to be precooked ( until the onions are clear). I may help it along by microwaving the mixture before I saute it!
5) MY PREFERENCE: Normally, I sneak a little bacon in many of my recipes ( just as one might use a chicken stock in a soup) and this leaves me with a pan of hot bacon fat. Into the hot fat, I introduce my Mirepoix which glistens as it cooks beautifully and quickly!

Hope this helps!

Roger Freberg

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Christmas in San Luis Obispo & Boston!

fun at Christmas!
Every neighborhood I have ever lived in always did somethng fun for the holidays. When we lived in Kingwood, Texas , folks would put up an extra lighted Christmas Tree by the curb.

In our little neighborhood in San Luis Obispo, California we have put up ‘Luminarias.’

Sometimes I miss the white Christmas experience of living in the east ( Laura thinks I am crazy) … but I have always loved the snow. My cousin Ingrid sent me the following pictures that make me feel so much better.

let's go ice fishing!
Let’s go Ice Fishing!

Roger Freberg