The Sacramento Scene: Spanish Gazpacho
I found summer in full blown simmer here in Sacramento. Tuesday's adventure: take the local light rail downtown to the Crocker Art Museum. Getting to the Folsom/Zinfandel station, a toasty 8 block walk from the hotel, involved a harrowing stretch along the freeway and two quick dashes across busy exit ramps.
Once I got on the right side of the tracks it was easy breezy. Missed the 11:00 train which made me an easy target for Roy, a rail-pass scalper who wanted to sell me his version of a $6 day pass for $3. He hasn't had an address for three years but gets by as an ad-hoc ticket agent and unofficial Gold Line adviser.
Just like Roy said, the 11:15 train arrived and, with his persistent help, I boarded without incident. The ride zipped along framed by malls, light industrial parks, chain restaurants, residential areas, and vacant lots. An hour and nineteen stops later, we screeched into 8th & O. Taking Sacramento's mass transit s not easy, cheap, or convenient so anyone with a choice travels by car. Pedestrians are not catered to and you seldom see anyone on a bike. I'm missin' Portland now!
Unlike Portland, Sacramento mass transit riders seem more resigned than enthused about "Getting out of your car and onto the rail." Different lives, I think. I overheard a man behind me speaking to his female seatmate. Although I didn't turn around to look, her speech had that unmistakeable sound of someone with missing teeth. In response to her obligatory, "So how's is going?", he replied, "Well, I don't have to show up at jail for another week, so it's all good!" Martha would agree, that's a good thing.
It was a ten-block trek to the museum, this time a pleasant stroll in the shade. Sacramento is 1800s-historic-gold rush-state capital California, not 1950s-Marilyn Monroe-palm tree-Hollywood California with century-old deciduous trees, shady sidewalks, big California frame houses, and small parks interspersed among individual businesses, residences, and retail areas.
The Crocker Art Museum consists of the original Crocker family mansion and the modern Teel Family Pavilion. Their collections include early California art, American Impressionists, European Art, International Ceramics, African and Oceanic Art, and Asian Art. After about two hours, I couldn't stand any more beauty and had to eat. The museum cafe was predictably confusing (where do I go and what do I do) with predictably uninspired food. But who's to complain? I had mediocre gazpacho and include a much better recipe that Feniger/Milliken used at the old Border Grill.
Chunky Spanish Gazpacho
1 slice bread, crust removed
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 tomatoes; peeled, seeded, and diced
3 tomatillos; husks removed, and diced
6 pickling cucumbers; peeled, seeded, and diced
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
3 cups good quality tomato juice; more if needed
2 tablespoons lime juice, or more to taste
2 peeled cloves garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon Tabasco
Place the bread on a plate, sprinkle it with the vinegar, and let it sit until thoroughly moistened, 5 minutes.
Combine the tomatoes, tomatillos, cucumbers, scallions, red pepper, and jalapenos in a large bowl. Remove about 1/4 of the vegetables and place in a blender along with the tomato juice, garlic, lime juice, olive oil, and moistened bread. Blend until smooth.
Return the puree to the bowl with the reserved chopped vegetables. Add more tomato juice to thin, if needed. Add the salt, pepper, and a dash of Tabasco. Chill for at least 2 hours. This recipe yields 4 to 6 servings
Girls on the Gold Line
Boys on the Gold Line
Gentleman on the Gold Line
Crocker Mansion American Impressionist gallery entrance
Franz Bishoff, Capistrano Mission
John Bankston, Into the Rainbow
Thai Buddha
Robert Hudson, Outrigger
Bean Finneran, 10,000 Turquoise Curves
Once I got on the right side of the tracks it was easy breezy. Missed the 11:00 train which made me an easy target for Roy, a rail-pass scalper who wanted to sell me his version of a $6 day pass for $3. He hasn't had an address for three years but gets by as an ad-hoc ticket agent and unofficial Gold Line adviser.
Just like Roy said, the 11:15 train arrived and, with his persistent help, I boarded without incident. The ride zipped along framed by malls, light industrial parks, chain restaurants, residential areas, and vacant lots. An hour and nineteen stops later, we screeched into 8th & O. Taking Sacramento's mass transit s not easy, cheap, or convenient so anyone with a choice travels by car. Pedestrians are not catered to and you seldom see anyone on a bike. I'm missin' Portland now!
Unlike Portland, Sacramento mass transit riders seem more resigned than enthused about "Getting out of your car and onto the rail." Different lives, I think. I overheard a man behind me speaking to his female seatmate. Although I didn't turn around to look, her speech had that unmistakeable sound of someone with missing teeth. In response to her obligatory, "So how's is going?", he replied, "Well, I don't have to show up at jail for another week, so it's all good!" Martha would agree, that's a good thing.
It was a ten-block trek to the museum, this time a pleasant stroll in the shade. Sacramento is 1800s-historic-gold rush-state capital California, not 1950s-Marilyn Monroe-palm tree-Hollywood California with century-old deciduous trees, shady sidewalks, big California frame houses, and small parks interspersed among individual businesses, residences, and retail areas.
The Crocker Art Museum consists of the original Crocker family mansion and the modern Teel Family Pavilion. Their collections include early California art, American Impressionists, European Art, International Ceramics, African and Oceanic Art, and Asian Art. After about two hours, I couldn't stand any more beauty and had to eat. The museum cafe was predictably confusing (where do I go and what do I do) with predictably uninspired food. But who's to complain? I had mediocre gazpacho and include a much better recipe that Feniger/Milliken used at the old Border Grill.
Chunky Spanish Gazpacho
1 slice bread, crust removed
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 tomatoes; peeled, seeded, and diced
3 tomatillos; husks removed, and diced
6 pickling cucumbers; peeled, seeded, and diced
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
3 cups good quality tomato juice; more if needed
2 tablespoons lime juice, or more to taste
2 peeled cloves garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon Tabasco
Place the bread on a plate, sprinkle it with the vinegar, and let it sit until thoroughly moistened, 5 minutes.
Combine the tomatoes, tomatillos, cucumbers, scallions, red pepper, and jalapenos in a large bowl. Remove about 1/4 of the vegetables and place in a blender along with the tomato juice, garlic, lime juice, olive oil, and moistened bread. Blend until smooth.
Return the puree to the bowl with the reserved chopped vegetables. Add more tomato juice to thin, if needed. Add the salt, pepper, and a dash of Tabasco. Chill for at least 2 hours. This recipe yields 4 to 6 servings
Girls on the Gold Line
Boys on the Gold Line
Gentleman on the Gold Line
Crocker Mansion American Impressionist gallery entrance
Franz Bishoff, Capistrano Mission
John Bankston, Into the Rainbow
Thai Buddha
Robert Hudson, Outrigger
Bean Finneran, 10,000 Turquoise Curves
Posted by Marla Nichols at 7/31/2011 7:37 AM 
Categories: Vegetarian, Appetizers, Milliken Feniger, Soup, Border Grill, Celebrity Chefs
Tags: Sacramento Crocker Art Museum Border Grill Susan Feniger Mary Sue Milliken Spanish gazpacho gazpacho Sacramento regional transit
Categories: Vegetarian, Appetizers, Milliken Feniger, Soup, Border Grill, Celebrity Chefs
Tags: Sacramento Crocker Art Museum Border Grill Susan Feniger Mary Sue Milliken Spanish gazpacho gazpacho Sacramento regional transit
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