What Does a Marimbist Do for the Holidays?

Happy New Year!

Did you know that I love to cook? I’m a big foodie! I love to cook and I love to eat! Today’s blog is going to be about food and the holidays! So you might be asking yourself, what does a marimbist do for the holidays?

Growing up, my family always had special places that they like to visit regularly for holidays.  My mom’s side of the family always went to Santa Cruz, where us kids lived on the beach and boardwalk for a few weeks each summer.  With my Dad, we used to go to the California central coast, to a very special small town called Cambria.  Some people know of this place because it is very near San Simeon, which is where Hearst Castle is. We wouldn’t go to Hearst Castle or anything, but we would relax and watch the ocean from the deck and go to dinner at fancy restaurants.

So, now as an adult, I have really enjoyed taking road trips while I was living in California, many of which have gone through that charming Cambria.  Each time I make one of these trips, I make a pilgrimage of sorts to this one restaurant that has had a few names, but I know of as Ian’s.  They make this famous, yummy, thick, luscious, rich, incredible salmon bisque there that every time I went I tried to catch different flavors and re-create the recipe once I got home.  I would write down ideas for what the flavors were on napkins and adjust my home-pirated version each time.  Well, as fate would have it, on the last road trip I took there, I landed at Ian’s once again, and they had a book called “Soup’s On” which is all famous restaurant soups including Ian’s Salmon Bisque!  So, now I can make it to my heart’s content, and every time I do, there are rave reviews.  I think its the rich creamy-ness with lots of leeks and chunky pieces of salmon that make it so good…or it could just be the stick of butter!  Haha!

Try it – if you like salmon, you will love it!

Ian’s Salmon Bisque
As seen in “Soups on” by Hobbs & Carter

1 stick butter
2 cups sliced leeks
1/2 pound sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
46 ounces clam juice
4 cups crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 teaspoons dill weed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 cups salmon (bones removed) cut into 1/2 inch cubes
4 cups cream
1/2 cup flour
fresh dill sprigs for garnish.

Melt butter in a large pot. Add leeks, mushrooms and garlic. Sautee for approx 5 min.  Add clam juice, tomato, parsley, dill, salt and pepper. Heat broth to almost boiling and add salmon.  Cook salmon for approx 3 – 5 min. Stir in cream and whisk in flour. Reheat.  Garnish with dill to serve.

For Christmas this year, I spent about 5 – 6 days in Los Angeles visiting family and having some coveted relaxation time!  I always love visiting my family in LA because I get real Mexican cooking!  This year I enjoyed the following dishes – all home made of course!  I had Chicken Mole (very choclately and yummy), lengua in a tomatillo sauce (yes, that is tongue – it is do good!), chilaquiles, huevos rancheros, sopes, carne asada and of course tortillas! YUMMY!  I had several people’s tamales, and I love them all.  Many were pork with red sauce, which is very common, but also cheese and chiles, and the unusual sweet kind that combines the masa with little pineapple chunks!

My niece!

After LA, it was off to Fresno, but let me tell you I nearly had a meltdown going from LA to Fresno.

 Near Tehachapi, CA

Living in Utah, I am totally spoiled with no traffic, so any traffic bugs me,  But this was ridiculous!  Leaving LA on Dec 26th, well, it took 2 hours just to get from Pasadena to Castaic Lake…..something that normally would take like 30 minutes.  I was very grumpy, but happy that I was in my new car!  I just love the Honda Fit!  It is fantastic!  My sweet pups like it too and I can’t believe how much I can put in that little car.  It’s like Mary Poppins’ purse – an endless cavern!  In Fresno, its all about the Armenian food!  Sooberag is my favorite – which is like a cheese lasagna type thing that I love so much that I can eat it hot, cold, or any which way!  Its my absolute favorite.

 Sooberag!

Also in Fresno, my Mom has a very cool wet bar in her house that my sister keeps totally stocked, so we like to come up with fun holiday drinks together!  The hit for the moment is vanilla vodka with Peppermint Schnapps and seltzer water! Yum!  We also had a nice lunch with my aunt at Max’s which is a fun restaurant that is famous for their sweet potato fries!  Those who know me well know I can’t refuse fries!  haha!

 Lunch at Max’s in Fresno

I do like to listen to Christmas music during the holidays!  This Christmas some of my favorites were Al Di Mieola’s Winter Nights, and the Sara McLaughlin Christmas Album,  I also kinda like Low’s Christmas album, but everyone says its too mellow when I put it on.  I also really like all the “Very Special Christmas” samplers!  Oh, and I had a great afternoon watching the Rush Time Machine DVD – its was awesome and I love the look of that album and tour – kinda “steam punk!” I love that look!

To finish off my California vacation, I spent New Year’s Eve at my mom’s house some champagne and had munchies by the fire. Very cozy!

Today I’m heading back to Utah. I had a wonderful and relaxing time in California! I look forward to the excitement this year will bring!

A little late, but I hope you like my Christmas cards with my pups!

Once again, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Always, Lynn

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