Sunset on the Bosque

In February, 2022 I traveled to New Mexico for a week, one of my favorite hikes was the Bosque, a preserve that surrounds the Rio Grande, which runs through New Mexico. “Bosque” means ‘woods’. The Sandia Mountains are in the background, color on these photos have not been altered…it really looked like...

Pan Seared Seasoned Salmon with Don’s Noilly Prat Sauce

While we dive into My Wild Atlantic Kitchen once more for this Saturday night’s dinner date, there is one major substitution on my part, as well as a reimagined Noilly Prat sauce, so my apologies to author and chef Maura O’Connel Foley. This week’s recipe is Scallops with Noilly Prat & Mushroom Sauce. But I substituted salmon for the scallops. My dinner partner and pretty girlfriend, Carolyn Flynn stuck with Maura’s recipe and cooked with scallops. This was a virtual/zoom date as we are wont to do on Saturday nights when we can’t be together. I pan-seared the seasoned saalmon on the stove top, deciding not to finish it in the oven, instead opting to cook it hot and fast for a crisp pan sear and a warm pink middle. My favorite pan for this is my 13” cast iron...

Fillet of John Dory or Brill with Pears, Leeks and Noilly Prat Sauce

In the continuing series of Saturday Night Dinner Dates with my pretty girlfriend Carolyn, we drew from our favorite Irish cookbook, My Wild Atlantic Kitchen. A great find from our trip to the Emerald Island earlier this year. Tonight’s meal is Fillet of John Dory or Brill with Pears, Leeks and Noilly Prat Sauce. Of course, John Dory or Brill are not common items at the Colonial Beach Food Lion. But I googled Brill and found a picture of a fish that looked like a flounder. Since I had a Fredericksburg errand to run on Friday (my Rav4 finally has VA plates!) I swung by Publix and picked of some fresh flounder. I  halved the recipe, but below is the full recipe. Ingredients Serves 4 Fish: • 4 John Dory or brill fillets • 2oz Kerrygold butter • 3oz leeks,...

James River Canoe Run

In June 2021 Team Foley/Towler tackled the Upper James River on a multi-day canoe run. We had a great time, and for Don, it was a nice change of pace from his usual calm, flat canoe runs on the Suwannee, Sante Fe, Withlachoochee, Wekiwa, Crystal River canoe treks that he had been doing for years. Don, Savannah, Mike and Dave, ready to start the James River Paddle Savannah and Mike on the paddle Something about a river Mike and Savannah setting camp Dave setting up camp Savannah and Mike Dinner, Don cooked potatoes, corn and rib-eye steaks on the grill. Don can fill up a canoe! Natural Bridge, VA, near our take-out point. A highway actually runs over this bridge. The hotel we stayed at was a short walk away from this natural...

Crumbed Scallops with Garlic Butter

This Saturday night’s dinner once again draws from Maura O’Connell Foley’s My Wild Atlantic Kitchen…Crumbed Scallops with Garlic Butter. This time I actually followed the recipe exactly, but had fun with the sides, grilled carrots and zucchini wedges. https://www.mywildatlantickitchen.com/ I halved the recipe and made two meals of the following IngredientsServes 42oz plain white flour4 eggs, beaten2oz fresh soft white breadcrumbs16 scallops2 tbsp olive or sunflower oil, for frying1 tbsp butterSea salt and cracked black pepper4 tbsp garlic butter at room temperatureFour carrots1 zucchiniVeggie seasoning (I mixed onion power, garlic powder, Toni’s cajun seasoning and…interestingly enough…Everything Bagel seasoning. DirectionsIn a shallow bowl, add the flour and...