Green Salad with Mandarin Oil & White Vinegar dressing

If you are looking for a simple salad that is a little different, this mixed spring greens salad has a zesty salad dressing which is light and refreshing, and an ideal choice after the heavy meals that most of us have eaten over the holiday period.

It takes minutes to make, and was an instant winner at the holiday gala at the Gourmet Fusion store in Solana Beach. Even those who thought that the olive oil pressed with mandarin would be too strong a flavor with the light salad, were delighted at the subtle flavor the oil mixed with white vinegar added to this dish.

To make the salad we used a Spanish oil and vinegar sold in the Gourmet Fusion store.

The oil we used is Mallafre Catalonian extra virgin olive oil pressed with mandarin oranges.

The Sotaroni vinegar is a semi-sweet 12-year reserve white Moscatel vinegar which is made from pure Moscatel grapes that have been aged in American oak barrels. It was the winner of several awards, including the 2007 NASFT Finalist for best vinegar, and when you taste this vinegar you understand why!

To make this delicious salad, all you need is:

1 packet of mixed green salad

1/2 can of small mandarin oranges

2 tablespoons Mallafre mandarin oil

1 tablespoon Sotaroni white Moscatel vinegar

Rinse and pat dry the mixed salad, and place in a salad bowl. Mix together the oil and vinegar and pour over the greens. Toss together to distribute the dressing, and place the mandarins on the top. Serve as a light main course, or as a side dish with crusty bread.

This Spanish oil and vinegar, can be found in the Gourmet Fusion store, inside the Leaping Lotus, 240 S. Cedros, Solana Beach, along with many other Spanish gourmet products.

Gourmet Fusion Frittata (Tortilla)

This recipe is adapted from the recipe for Spanish omelette (tortilla espanola) and the Italian frittata.

The traditional Spanish omelette is probably Spain's most commonly served dish, served in tapas bars throughout the country. The true Spanish omelette contains only three ingredients - potatoes, onions and eggs, plus salt and the oil in which it is cooked.

Frittatas are traditionally served as antipasti, and contain vegetables such as roasted bell peppers, sauteed zucchini, or caramelized onions. Both make great appetizers, and also a good light main meal, served with a mixed green salad, as shown here. In our recipe we have also added chicken and apple sausage, but if you prefer, you can use vegetables only.

Ingredients

• 1/4 red pepper, diced
• 1/4 green pepper, diced
• 5 small potatoes (fingerling, or similar)
• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 chicken apple sausage (optional)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 eggs
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 tablespoon cream
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Recipe

1. Steam the potatoes until just tender, about 8 minutes.
2. Prepare the vegetables - dice the red and green pepper, and the onion, and set aside.
3. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, and cheese until frothy. Season with the salt and pepper and set aside.
4. Slice the sausage into thin slices.
5. Heat the olive oil in saute pan over a medium-high heat until hot, and saute the sliced sausage for 1-2 minutes.
6. Add the diced onion, and peppers and saute for a further for 1-2 minutes, then add the sliced potatoes. Saute for a further minute.
7. Lightly whisk the egg mixture one more time, and add to the pan with the vegetables, and reduce the heat to medium.
8. Cook the egg mixture, occasionally loosening the edges with a spatula to allow the uncooked portion to run underneath, until the bottom of the frittata is set and the top is still runny, 7-8 minutes.
9. While the egg mixture is cooking, heat the broiler to a high temperature.
10. Place the pan under the broiler, and continue to cook until the eggs are set and the top is golden brown, 6-7 minutes.
11. Remove the frittata from the broiler and loosen the bottom with a spatula. Slide the frittata onto a plate, and cut into wedges and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

The frittata can be cooked up to a day in advance, covered and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving, and serve with salad, or as an appetizer with a glass of wine.

Tree Lighting in San Diego's Little Italy

Gourmet Fusion has a busy weekend planned. We will be at San Diego's Little Italy Mercato at 9 am thru 1:30 pm, and then we will be taking part in the Tree Lighting and Christmas Village.

The big event will be when Santa arrives at 4:30 pm on Little Italy's Fire Engine #3, and the lighting of the Christmas Tree at Date & India. The festivities continue right through until 7pm, and we may even see some snow flurries on Date Street.

Gourmet Fusion will be offering all kinds of gift ideas, great for stocking stuffers, or a special treat for yourself. Look out for the Deglingos, Deglingos mini-clips, Cattitude and lots of holiday tree ornaments.

We will also be selling our popular battery operated Light Garden flowers and willow branches, to make your holiday glow.

So come see us tomorrow Saturday, December 5th at the Mercato between 9 am and 1 pm, at Date and Union Street, San Diego, or the Holiday Village between 3:30 pm and 7:pm, on Date Street between India and Columbia.

Preserved Flowers at Gourmet Fusion

Gourmet Fusion has recently introduced a new range of preserved flowers into its Leaping Lotus store for the holiday season.

Designed and hand crafted by Mia of M & C Floral Design, these beautiful works of art are a wonderful gift idea that will continue to delight long after the holidays are over.

If you are not familiar with preserved flowers, they are fresh flowers from different parts of the world that have been preserved with a special processing technique, and then made into beautiful arrangements.

The wonderful thing about these arrangements and floral displays is that although they are real flowers, the method of preserving allows you to keep them looking fresh for several years with minimal attention.

They should be kept indoors in normal lighting (not direct sunlight), and away from humidity, and carefully dusted from time to time. Unlike air plants, they do not require any water or misting.

We have a variety of arrangements, from the smaller arrangements such as the one shown at the top, great for wedding favors, or special gifts, to the larger free standing arrangements which make ideal center pieces.

They can also be arranged in frames and on plates which can wall mounted, or placed on a center table as a beautiful focal point in any room.

You can find more arrangements by M&C Floral Design at the Gourmet Fusion store, 2nd Floor, Leaping Lotus, Solana Beach.

Tasty Sofrito Sauce Potatoes

This recipe was inspired by one of the newer sauces that we carry in the Gourmet Fusion store - our Rustic Spanish Sofrito Sauce. It makes a great side dish with steak, or fish, and is a simple appetizer or tapas.

Sofrito sauce is a tomato sauce that is often used as the base sauce in traditional paella. It is different to an Italian tomato sauce as it contains almonds which give it a subtle sweetness. Our recipe is simplicity itself, and tastes delicious.

Ingredients

• 1lb small potatoes (fingerling, or similar)
• 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons spanish sofrito sauce (to cover)
• parsley for garnish

Method

1. Steam the potatoes until just cooked, approximately 8-10 minutes.
2. Remove from steamer and set aside to cool slightly.
3. Cut the potatoes in half or quarters, depending on their size, to make bite sized pieces.
4. Heat the olive oil in a saute pan for 2-3 minutes, then add the cooked potatoes.
5. Saute the potatoes for 2-3 minutes, and season with the salt and pepper.
6. Add the sofrito sauce to the potatoes, and gently heat.
7. When the sauce has heated through, serve in ramekins or cazuela dishes, and garnish with a sprig of parsley.

Sofrito Sauce can be found in the Gourmet Fusion store at the Leaping Lotus, or in our online store.

This versatile sauce is also good as a base for pizza. Stop by the store for our gala on Thursday December 3rd and try some for yourself.

Carnivale on Cedros

Can you believe it is time for the fourth and final gala of the year at the Leaping Lotus in Solana Beach? The theme for this event is Carnivale on Cedros, featuring stilt performers, acrobats, jugglers and living statues stationed in different locations along the main street of the Design District.

All of the major stores will be open, and there will be a great Carnivale atmosphere all the way down Cedros.

So mark your calendars for December 3rd, and come ready for a fun shopping party starting at 5:00 pm right through until 9 pm.

Leaping Lotus is always a great place to go for gifts, and beautiful items for your home, and there are items to suit every pocket.

Gourmet Fusion has a full range of great gift ideas. For the pet lover, take a look at our pet water bottles, cat and dog dish towels, and cattitude ceramics. We also have a great range of teas and teapots, gourmet food items, and many kitchen products that are both practical and fun.

Leaping Lotus will have live music from “Third Coast Jazz,” near the front entrance, and throughout the store vendors will be serving cookies and appetizers.

Leaping Lotus is also making donations this year to Carol’s House, the domestic violence shelter for women and children in Encinitas.

So ring in the holiday season by joining Leaping Lotus and Gourmet Fusion for the most fun shopping party of the year. You can find Gourmet Fusion on the 2nd Floor of the Leaping Lotus, 240 S. Cedros, Solana Beach.

Chicken & Mushroom Pasta with Avocado Lemon Oil

One of the great things about being part of the farmers' market is that you get to try some amazing food. Not only are the fruits and vegetables the freshest, and tastiest you can buy, there are also many other products available, such as the avocado lemon oil, featured in this pasta dish.

This recipe conjures up everything about living here in Southern California. The chicken in this recipe is first grilled, a year round activity here, and the olive oil is made from locally grown avocados and lemons. The final dish is delicious, with a subtle balance of avocado, lemon and chicken flavors.

This oil is also great for dipping, or to make a simple vegetarian pasta by sauteing cooked pasta for 2-3 minutes in olive oil combined with crushed garlic.

Chicken and Mushroom Pasta with Avocado Lemon Olive Oil

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 2 skinless chicken breasts
• lemon pepper
• 4 tablespoons Avocado Lemon Olive Oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 6 oz dried penne or rigatoni
• Several sprigs of flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

Method

1. Prepare the chicken for grilling. Wash and pat dry the skinless chicken breasts and brush with some of the avocado lemon oil, then sprinkle with lemon pepper.
2. Grill the chicken with the pepper facing down on a pre-heated medium hot grill for 7 minutes, turn and brush the second side with oil and pepper and grill for a further 5-6 minutes. Continue grilling, until no pink remains. The temperature of the chicken should be at least 165° F. Do not be tempted to turn the temperature to very high, as this causes the chicken to dry out, it stays moist if cooked more slowly.
3. When the chicken is cooked, remove from the heat, slice, set aside, and keep warm.
4. Boil the water for the pasta, then add the pasta. Cook the pasta according to the timing on the instructions (usually between 10-12 minutes for al dente pasta)
5. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the other ingredients. First crush the garlic, then roughly chop the Italian parsley, saving a few sprigs for garnish, and slice the mushrooms.
6. When the pasta is almost ready, heat the remaining avocado lemon olive oil in a saute pan.
7. Saute the fresh garlic in the oil for 1-2 minutes, then add the sliced mushrooms.
8. Add the sliced chicken to the oil mixture and coat.
9. Add the pasta to the oil, and mix in the Italian parsley, salt and pepper.
10. Cook for a further 1-2 minutes until the pasta is completely coated with the oil and garlic mixture.
11. Garnish with parsley sprigs, and serve with additional black pepper and Parmesan cheese.

This meal can be served with a green salad, and is great with a dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc, or San Pellegrino water with a slice of lemon.

Bella Vado Avocado oils can be found at the Little Italy Mercato in San Diego. Their website, bellavado.com, also gives you more information about this natural oil.

Deglingos at Gourmet Fusion

The Gourmet Fusion store really is a fusion of fun and entertaining products, and not all of our products are kitchen related - we carry some products because they are popular, and our customers enjoy the unexpected variety of items they find in our store.

If you are not familiar with the Deglingos, they are funky, quirky animals each with their own unique personality and design. BigBos The Wolf is shown here, and he comes dressed in a pinstripe suit, with red and white spotted tie, pink herringbone vest, and beige checked socks.

Deglingos have been manufactured with the highest quality and finishing in mind. They have been tested in one of the most recognized laboratories in the world and comply with EN71 European regulations which guarantee a high level of safety. As such they are suitable for all ages except for Original Pikos and Chikos which are recommended for 3+ year olds.

We also now carry the new mini-clip Deglingos, which are just as quirky, and just as much fun as the full sized Deglingos, but you can take them anywhere - clip them on your bag, belt or use them as a key chain. A great gift idea!

You can find the Deglingos family, together with the mini-Deglingos at Gourmet Fusion inside the Leaping Lotus, 240 S. Cedros, Solana Beach, California, or at Gourmet Fusion online.

Gourmet Fusion Spicy Shrimp Cazuelas

At the Gourmet Fusion store we sell three different types of Spanish Paprika, and many customers often ask us what type of dishes you can use paprika for, so here is the recipe for Spicy Shrimp Cazuelas.

You can buy the Spanish Paprika, Olive Oil and terra cotta (lead free ceramic) Cazuelas in our store, but we don't sell the shrimp!

Ingredients

12 raw unpeeled jumbo or extra large shrimp

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (Dintel Spanish)

Lemon pepper

Freshly ground black pepper

Salt

Hot Paprika (Chiquilin Pimenton Picante)

2 cloves garlic crushed

1 tablespoon dry sherry

Parsley for garnish

Recipe

1. Preheat the broiler to 450 degrees F.
2. Brush the Cazeulas with a little olive oil, and place the shrimp in the dish or dishes.
3. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the shrimp.
4. Pepper the shrimp to cover, using black and lemon pepper.
5. Add Paprika, salt, garlic, dry sherry and lemon juice to Cazeulas.
6. Broil for about 10 minutes, until shrimp turns pink, and flesh is firm.
7. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately in the sizzling Cazuelas, accompanied by crusty French bread, and your favorite cold beer or white wine.

In this recipe we have used the Chiquilin Pimenton Picante, to give our shrimp the hot, and spicy flavor, but this recipe works equally well with either the Pimenton Dulce (mild), or the Pimenton Ahumado (smoked).

All have a slightly different flavor and aroma, but all taste delicious. They can be found in the Gourmet Fusion store, 2nd Floor, Leaping Lotus, Cedros Design District, Solana Beach, or online.

Popular Poachpods at Gourmet Fusion

We keep selling out of our popular Poachpods at the Gourmet Fusion store, but they are back once again ready for the fall season.

These ingenious little egg poachers by Fusionbrands take the pain out of poaching an egg, and with these floating silicone cups you can have perfectly poached eggs in 4-6 minutes, with no watery egg white, and no messy clean up!

Poachpods by Fusionbrands are a modern silicone egg cooking tool. These flexible silicone molds float in the water during cooking and are ideal for poaching eggs, baking and molding.

How to Poach an Egg in a PoachPod

Evenly oil the PoachPod, crack an egg into it, and float in boiling water. Cover the pan with a lid and cook in boiling water for 4 to 6 minutes or to desired firmness. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pad from the water. To remove the egg from the Poachpod, run a spoon around egg edge, then flip pod inside out and gently push egg out.

How to Bake Flan, Frittata or Cakes in a PoachPod

Fill the PoachPod with your favorite batter and place on a pan for support and cook as directed in your recipe.

How to Mold Foods in a PoachPod

Fill PoachPod with food to be molded, chill if needed, and flip PoachPod inside out to remove food.

PoachPods are ideal for a quick breakfast or supper snack, and the possibilities are endless!

Fusionbrands has won numerous design awards for this great little gadget that has been approved by the FDA. You can find Poachpods online at the Gourmet Fusion store, 2nd Floor, Leaping Lotus, Solana Beach, and at our Farmers Markets in San Diego's Little Italy (Saturday mornings), and La Jolla (Sunday mornings).

Start shopping for the holidays!

Gourmet Fusion has just received a new shipment of beautiful cast iron teapots, great gifts for the upcoming holiday season.

All the designs are handcrafted in cast iron, with a food-safe enameled interior, and due to the strength of their construction, they can be used as a teapot, or placed on a stove top as a kettle to boil water. They all have a removable stainless steel infuser that fits just under the lid, so you can easily use whole leaf tea (or tea bags) in just the same way as you would use our ceramic infuser pots (i-pots).

The cast iron teapot has its origins in China, and later became popular in Japan in the 17th century, where it became known as "Tetsubin" ("Tetsu" and "bin", meaning iron and vessel).

We also carry a cast iron trivet, featuring a hobnail design, to use with our cast iron teapots, so you can enjoy your pot of tea without damaging your table.

All of our cast iron pots can be found, together with our range of teas, at the Gourmet Fusion store in the Leaping Lotus, 240 S. Cedros, Solana Beach, and at our online store.

We also carry a small range for sale at our popular Farmers Markets in San Diego's Little Italy on Saturday mornings, and at La Jolla's Open Aire Market on Sunday mornings.

Loose Leaf Tea at Gourmet Fusion Store

The Gourmet Fusion store has recently introduced three types of loose leaf tea by Two Leaves and Bud, two green teas and one black tea. All have been available for some time in biodegradable sachets, 15 to a box, but are now available in these great eco-friendly tea cylinders. Great for gift giving, just in time for the holidays.

Jasmine Petal

Classic Chinese Green Tea dried with Jasmine Petals

The first is our most popular tea, the Jasmine Petal, in the lavender colored cylinder. This classic green tea is the most consumed in China, and is traditional green tea which has been dried with jasmine petals. However, as many of my customers have commented, it produces a very light, subtle flavor, and the slight floral fragrance of jasmine, known to relax the nervous system, pairs well with Asian food. It is grown in the Fujian Province, where the teas exhibit a depth and complexity not found in lesser teas.

Orange Sencha

Organic Green Tea with Italian Orange

Our second green tea is Organic Sencha Green Tea, in the lively lime green cylinder.

This Japanese green tea blend has the flavor of Italian red oranges added, giving a slight tanginess to this Japanese classic. Sencha is the most consumed tea in Japan. This long leafed tea, finished in the sun, also includes sunflowers, orange peel, and just a hint of Italian red orange flavor to add just a hint of sweet and spicy to this classic green tea. This smooth tea, with slight citrus flavor, makes a great daytime tea to sip while you are at work, or studying.

Assam

Organic Breakfast Tea

Our third loose leaf tea in the crimson red cylinder is the classic Assam tea, often known as English Breakfast Tea.

This tea is produced in the oldest tea growing region of Assam in north east India that has low, rolling hills creating a great environment for rich tea. Assam is one of the most popular teas in England, and although this full bodied, deep gold tea is ideal for breakfast, it is still one of the most widely served teas for all day in England. This traditional, full leaf tea produces a rich multi-layered malty flavor.

All of our teas can be found at Gourmet Fusion in the Leaping Lotus store at 240 S. Cedros, Solana Beach, CA, together with a great selection of teapots, and of course, online.

Olive Oil Could Help Alzheimer Sufferers

Gourmet Fusion recently had a special promotion on our extra virgin olive oils in the Leaping Lotus store at Solana Beach. Most people are aware that the "Mediterranean diet" which includes fish, lean meat, vegetables and fruit, and an abundance of olive oil is considered one of the healthiest in the world. Olive oil is an essential part of the Mediterranean lifestyle, and its diversity lends itself to most cooking methods and many dishes, including salad dressing, pasta making, and baking.

It is, therefore, good to learn that new findings published in the journal, Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, have just shown that a compound found in extra virgin olive oil could deter proteins from disrupting the nerve cell function that causes Alzheimer's disease. Scientists have discovered that the compound, oleocanthal, beneficially alters the structure of highly toxic proteins known as ADDLs. ADDLs are believed to directly disrupt nerve cell function, eventually leading to memory loss. The scientists are optimistic that with further research these findings could help identify effective preventive measures to help combat Alzheimer's disease.

So, if you are looking for a quick appetizer or snack, pour a little olive oil in a ramekin or olive oil dish, add some chopped garlic, or balsamic vinegar (or both) to make a healthy dip. Chop up a crusty loaf of bread for dipping, and invite your friends over for a glass of wine. Perfect!

Gourmet Fusion has extra virgin olive oils available online, and in the Leaping Lotus either natural flavor, or pressed with lemon, orange, or rosemary.

The source of the above research on Alzheimer's: Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, Volume 240, Issue 2, October 2009.

Fun at Little Italy Festa

So how was the 15th Annual Italian Festa in Little Italy, San Diego? Well, we got up early and set off in the dark, but when we arrived at about 6:30 am, the buzz and anticipation of the day ahead could already be felt. Some tents were already up - in fact, some vendors, were almost set up, even though Festa didn't begin until 10 am. The restaurants were starting to put out their ovens and grills for the day, and the smell of coffee filled the air.

People began arriving early, and locals walked their dogs, went to church, or breakfast. They didn't seem to mind that many of us had not finished setting up properly, in fact, half the fun was in seeing what we would set out next. We made our first sale long before the opening of Festa at 10, and continued to talk to customers for the rest of the day, learning many new things, including that San Diego's Little Italy has the largest dog population per residence in the US! It certainly seemed that way when you looked around.

Our dog water bottles, and silk screen printed dog dish towels were very popular, as well as our fun spreaders with every kind of theme, and our teapots and cast iron tetsubin teapots.

Talking to our customers is a great way for us to get to know what products are the most popular, and what other items people might like. If you didn't get a chance to go the Festa, stop by at one of our Farmers' Markets - Mercato at Date and Union on Saturday, and The La Jolla Open Aire Market, Girard Avenue, on Sunday.

I am expecting new holiday products to arrive this week, so the coming weeks at Gourmet Fusion will be fun.

Gourmet Fusion at Little Italy Festa

Gourmet Fusion has been very busy over the last few weeks in the store at Solana Beach, and at our two farmers' markets in San Diego's Little Italy on Saturday morning, and La Jolla on Sunday morning.

This weekend is no exception, as we will be at the Columbus Day Festa on Sunday October 11th, with all of our new items for fall. So, if you are in the area stop by and see us.

We will be showcasing a full range of espresso cups, and teapots. New fall flowers in shades of amber and plum that light up to make a beautiful table decoration, kitchen gadgets, dish towels, and, of course, Cattitude.

Little Italy is always fun and food is definitely a central theme - just take a look at the picture shown here - it is the longest Caprese Salad - I believe it was 40 feet long!!

Some of the events taking place are Italian street painting using chalk on India between Fir and Grape, a stickball tournament, beer and wine garden, street performers and a Little Italy Scooter raffle at the end of the day.

Gourmet Fusion Expands

We have been very busy over the last few weeks at the Gourmet Fusion store, and have now extended our store on the second floor of the Leaping Lotus, Solana Beach.

We finished adding our new stock just in time for the Labor Day weekend, and are looking forward to the Fall Affair Gala Event which will take place on Thursday, September 17th, from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm, at the Cedros Design District (more details to follow).

Everyone loves our new layout and additional space and we can't wait to add our new products ready for the fall season. So, if you are in the area, why not stop by and check out the new look of the Gourmet Fusion store. You can find us on the second floor at the Leaping Lotus, 240 S. Cedros, Solana Beach.