Flashing back a few weeks now to an early spring tea party at Sarah Anderson, of Chateau Sonoma‘s gorgeous home… that may hopefully inspire your Easter Sunday plans! Sarah owns a beautifully curated shop in Sonoma, Chateau Sonoma, that is more than a store, it’s a quest for a new way of life—a slice of French living in Wine Country–and has evolved into a highly-edited home decor and accessory collection that celebrates the art of purposeful living and decorating.
Sarah and I hadn’t met before this particular day but instantly clicked after realizing we were both from Chico (small world!). And not to mention, one step in the front door of her home and you can’t help but feel the incredible energy that surrounds her entire property. It was one of those magical days with close and new friends–everyone bringing their talents together effortlessly from morning until evening and I can’t wait to share everything we worked on together with you. During my drive home from Sonoma to Sacramento I was just reflecting on how lucky I am to get to call days like this “work.”
Our morning began in Sarah’s kitchen–watching my dear friend Kevin O’Connor, Chef at Large for Cobram Estate Olive Oil, food prep and do what he does best! Kevin always puts together a delicious menu and came up with the following for the occasion:
Sesame and Extra Virgin Olive Oil Crackers with Aioli and Radishes
Ingredients:
For the crackers • 5 egg whites • 1⁄2 cup powdered sugar • 1⁄2 Cobram Estate EVOO • 1 teaspoon salt • 1/3 cup all purpose flour • 1.5 cups raw sesame seeds
For the aioli • 3 egg yolks • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice • ~1.5 cups Cobram Estate EVOO • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard • 3 garlic cloves • some salt
To Finish • fresh radishes, shaved thin on a mandolin • sprouts and herbs, picked and washed
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Whisk the egg whites until thickened slightly and frothy. Stir in the powdered sugar until dissolved. Mix in the flour and salt and stir well. Stir in the sesame seeds and let the batter sit for twenty minutes.
2. Spread the sesame batter in a thin layer on a silicon baking sheet lined baking tray. Bake in the oven for twenty minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully flip the entire cracker to bake on the reverse side. Bake for another fifteen to twenty minutes. Remove from the baking sheet and allow to cool before breaking in to smaller crackers.
- For the aioli:
– Start by whisking the egg yolks together with the lemon juice and mustard in a glass bowl. Slowly whisk in small drizzles of the EVOO until you see an emulsion start to form. Continue, steadily and slowly, whisking in the EVOO, cutting it with a few small splashed of cold water if it gets too thick.
– Finish it with some pinches of salt and three peeled and smashed garlic cloves, stirred in. Leave the garlic whole, you’re going to fish it out later. Let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour to let the garlic flavor inoculate the aioli and allow it to set up a bit.
4. To assemble, break the crackers in to manageable pieces and add small dollops of aioli. Adorn aioli and crackers with slices of radishes and herbs.
Crunchy, seedy and a hint of sweet–seriously so good I wish he sold these somewhere local!
Blood Orange Honeycomb Cake
I always dream about Kevin’s olive oil cakes that he makes and almost squealed when he said it was on the menu–but this time with a citrus twist.
Wasn’t she a beauty with that fresh honeycomb on top? I added the sprig of citrus on the side for the final presentation.
Wearing | Ulla Johnson Dress. Goop Cardigan.
Location | Sarah Anderson (of Chateau Sonoma)’s Home
Food | Kevin O’Connor of Cobram Estate
Styling | Myself and Sarah
Photography | Stephanie Russo