Taste of Americana

Billy’s French DressingFrom the Kitchen of Ballymaloe Potato Salad

From the Kitchen ofBallymaloe Potato SaladBilly’s French Dressing

Barbie Butz

Some years ago, I acquired a beautiful cookbook titled Myrtle Allen’s Cooking at Ballymaloe House. It has been one of my “go-to” books when I want a traditional Irish recipe. Ballymaloe is a legendary countryside inn in County Cork, Ireland. Myrtle Allen and her husband bought the guest house in 1947, and in 1964, she opened the Ballymaloe House restaurant where she began to serve seasonal food using locally grown ingredients, just as so many of our restaurants do today. If you’re wanting to change your St. Patrick’s Day dinner menu Directions: Red Cabbage and Apples from corned beef and cabbage to Combine the cabbage, vinegar, sugar, salt, and ½ cup something different, try one of the water in a non-reactive saucepan or skillet and bring Ingredients: following recipes I’m sharing from the liquid to a boil. Peel, core, and quarter the apples lay 1 1-pound head of red cabbage, cored and shredded Chef Myrtle Allen’s cookbook. You them over the cabbage, and simmer the mixture gently, 2 tablespoons cider vinegar will be glad you did. covered, for about 30 minutes, or until the apples and 6 tablespoons sugar cabbage are tender. (The apples will break down into a 1 teaspoon salt May the Leprechauns be near pulp.) Check after about 20 minutes and, if there is a lot 1 pound McIntosh apples you. of liquid, partially uncover the pan to allow most of the To spread Luck along your way. liquid to evaporate. Stir the mixture together just before And may all the Irish Angels, serving. Makes 4 to 6 servings. Smile on you, St. Patrick’s Day!

Barbie Butz Ingredients: Ingredients:

¼ cup mild wine vinegar 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard 1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 large garlic clove, minced 1 scallion, chopped coarseSome years ago, I acquired a beautiful cookbook titled Myrtle Allen’s Cooking at Bally2½ pounds potatoes (unpeeled), quartered ½ cup Billy’s French Dressing 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves 2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives or chopped scallions ½ cup mayonnaise (I use Best Foods) maloe House. It has been one of 1 sprig of parsley Directions for potato salad: my “go-to” books when I want a 1 sprig of watercress Cook potatoes in boiling salted water for 15 to 20 ¾ cup vegetable or olive oil or a combinationtraditional Irish recipe. minutes, or until tender but not falling apart. Drain well.

Ballymaloe is a legendary As soon as the potatoes can be comfortably handled, Directions for dressing:countryside inn in County Cork, peel and cut into ½-inch dice. Toss warm potatoes with In a food processor or blender, purée all ingredients. Ireland. Myrtle Allen and her dressing, parsley, and chives. Let salad cool slightly and The dressing will keep covered and chilled for 24 hours. husband bought the guest house toss with mayonnaise—season with salt and pepper. Let Return to room temperature before using.in 1947, and in 1964, she opened salad stand at least 1 hour before serving to allow dressing This dressing is used for Ballymaloe House potato the Ballymaloe House restaurant to be absorbed. Yield: 6 servings salad and should be added when the potatoes are still hot. where she began to serve seasonal food using locally grown ingredients, just as so many of our restaurants do today.

If you’re wanting to change your St. Patrick’s Day dinner menu from corned beef and cabbage to something different, try one of the following recipes I’m sharing from Chef Myrtle Allen’s cookbook. You will be glad you did.

May the Leprechauns be near you.To spread Luck along your way.And may all the Irish Angels, Smile on you, St. Patrick’s Day!

Cheers! Red Cabbage and Apples

Ingredients:

1 1-pound head of red cabbage, cored and shredded 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 6 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 pound McIntosh apples

Ingredients:

2½ pounds potatoes (unpeeled), quartered ½ cup Billy’s French Dressing 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves 2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives or chopped scallions ½ cup mayonnaise (I use Best Foods)

Directions for potato salad:

Cook potatoes in boiling salted water for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender but not falling apart. Drain well. As soon as the potatoes can be comfortably handled, peel and cut into ½-inch dice. Toss warm potatoes with dressing, parsley, and chives. Let salad cool slightly and toss with mayonnaise—season with salt and pepper. Let salad stand at least 1 hour before serving to allow dressing to be absorbed. Yield: 6 servings

Directions:

Combine the cabbage, vinegar, sugar, salt, and ½ cup water in a non-reactive saucepan or skillet and bring the liquid to a boil. Peel, core, and quarter the apples lay them over the cabbage, and simmer the mixture gently, covered, for about 30 minutes, or until the apples and cabbage are tender. (The apples will break down into a pulp.) Check after about 20 minutes and, if there is a lot of liquid, partially uncover the pan to allow most of the liquid to evaporate. Stir the mixture together just before serving. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Ingredients:

¼ cup mild wine vinegar 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard 1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 large garlic clove, minced 1 scallion, chopped coarse 1 sprig of parsley 1 sprig of watercress ¾ cup vegetable or olive oil or a combination

Directions for dressing:

In a food processor or blender, purée all ingredients. The dressing will keep covered and chilled for 24 hours. Return to room temperature before using. This dressing is used for Ballymaloe House potato salad and should be added when the potatoes are still hot.

Cheers!

Beef with Stout Directions: Beef with Stout Heat half the butter over moderate heat in a kettle or large ovenproof skillet and brown the beef in batches (watch that the butter does not burn), Ingredients: Ingredients: transferring the meat to a plate with a slotted spoon as it is done. Cook the ½ stick (¼ cup) unsalted butter ½ stick (¼ cup) unsalted butter onion in the hot fat for 3 minutes, or until it is just softened. Return the 1 pound boneless beef chuck, brisket, or rump, cut into 1-by2-inch pieces 1 pound boneless beef chuck, brisket, or rump, cut into 1-by2-inch pieces meat to the kettle, and add the bouquet garni, salt (omit if using canned 1 large onion, sliced thin 1 large onion, sliced thin broth), pepper, stock or canned broth, and stout, and bring the mixture, A bouquet garni, made by tying together 1 large sprig each of thyme, sage, A bouquet garni, made by tying together 1 large sprig each of thyme, sage, and parsley, and 1 bay leaf covered, just to a boil. and parsley, and 1 bay leaf Cook the stew, covered, in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 1 hour. ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon salt Add the potatoes and bake the stew for 45 minutes, or until the meat and ¼ teaspoon black pepper ¼ teaspoon black pepper potatoes are tender. Taste and add salt and pepper if desired. Discard the 1 cup beef stock or canned beef broth 1 cup beef stock or canned beef broth bouquet garni. Enrich the sauce by swirling in the remaining 2 tablespoons ¼ cup stout or dark ale ¼ cup stout or dark ale butter. Serve the stew sprinkled with the parsley. Makes 4 servings 4 medium potatoes (¾ to 1 pound total), peeled 4 medium potatoes (¾ to 1 pound total), peeled 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves Serve the stew with a side dish of red cabbage and apples using the above recipe.

Directions:

Heat half the butter over moderate heat in a kettle or large ovenproof skillet and brown the beef in batches (watch that the butter does not burn), transferring the meat to a plate with a slotted spoon as it is done. Cook the onion in the hot fat for 3 minutes, or until it is just softened. Return the meat to the kettle, and add the bouquet garni, salt (omit if using canned broth), pepper, stock or canned broth, and stout, and bring the mixture, covered, just to a boil. Cook the stew, covered, in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 1 hour. Add the potatoes and bake the stew for 45 minutes, or until the meat and potatoes are tender. Taste and add salt and pepper if desired. Discard the bouquet garni. Enrich the sauce by swirling in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Serve the stew sprinkled with the parsley. Makes 4 servings Serve the stew with a side dish of red cabbage and apples using the above recipe.

Supporting Local Farms

By Christianna Marks

Six years ago, Wilson Orchard Supply opened in Paso Robles, and then in 2018, the Orchard Supply store merged with Oregon's Oregon Vineyard Supply. "[We] became one company-OVS [Orchard & Vineyard Supply]," said Sales Manager for California, Sean Graham.

The local Paso Robles store is one of many up and down the West Coast. Orchard & Vineyard Supply stores span California, Oregon, and Washington states. "We saw the potential that Paso Robles and surrounding areas offer! It's an area that continues to grow with vineyards, orchards, and other crops. We are really enjoying getting more involved in the community and watching it continue to develop with different crops," continued Sean.

As the leader in Orchard, Vineyard, and Hops supplies, OVS, takes pride in teaming up with local farmers and companies to give them a one-of-akind experience. "We love supporting our local farmers. It's great to be an active member of our community and the wine and vineyard industry in Paso. We are so happy to be a part of the growth in the industry in this area. Our goal is to continue partnering with locals to help grow our presence and make their lives easier through product and service," Sean added. "We partner with many farming operations up and down the coast and throughout central California. We supply growing supplies for vineyards and orchards throughout California with two storefront locations and a distribution center."

With a team of experts, who together have over 50 years of combined experience, the team at Orchard & Vineyard Supply has not only the supplies you're looking for but also the advice you need to go along with them. "Our team of experts partner with the growers and crop managers to identify each individual growers' needs and find exactly what they are looking to get out of their vineyard or orchard. We then come up with a collaborative solution for their needs—including how they will be planting, trellising, pruning, harvesting, etc. From there, we make suggestions and provide products based on the grower's preferences for their crop," said Sean of the process.

Orchard & Vineyard Supply has also teamed up with Cascade Water Systems and Davis Pump & Electric Motors, which has been instrumental in growing their pump and irrigation capabilities up and down the West Coast. And that's just on top of everything else they provide. "At OVS, we provide everything you need for planting, tying & training, trellising, irrigation, harvesting, pruning, and more. We are a distributor for Pellenc mechanical tools and offer demos to local farms. We also rent wine tanks to the Paso region! This year we are launching a new, revolutionary vineyard stake, as well," Sean said with excitement.

The OVS team takes pride in their availability and would love to come out to the farms and vineyards in the North County to provide their services and give product quotes.

Orchard & Vineyard Supply is located at 77 Marquita Avenue in Paso Robles near Tin City. Visit them to see some of their product offerings, or contact their local reps for any questions.

Dallan — Central Coast (805) 260-6637

Brandon — Greater Bakersfield Area (559) 788-9385

Sean — Greater Fresno Area (559) 907-9358

Paso Robles Store — (805) 434-9488

You can also find Orchard & Vineyard Supply on the web at: ovs.com. 