Sonoma County Bounty

Let the bidding begin ....

2011-06-01T23:32:00.000-07:00

Click here for a piece of wine country action - oh, actually wine country auction. This Saturday, June 5th at Thomas George Estates - Single Vineyard Night. See you there!

Blame it on Facebook not the Sonoma Coma

2011-06-01T09:28:00.000-07:00

No posts for six months!! Well, ok, I can't blame all of it on Facebook. There has been a series of whirlwind sales trips followed by catch-up, catch-up, catch-up. Grandfather memorial at Lake Powell. Then prep for my Art Show that opened a few days ago. Oh, and the "keeping my brother from becoming homeless" episodes ... well, you get the picture - generally, life sometimes gets busy.
However, I must say that this crack-head addiction to Facebook is stupid. You log on thinking "I'll just take a glance at the news feed and check my messages" - which then turns into "I'll just see what my pals that won't have anything to do with me are up to" - followed by "what does his girlfriend look like?" click, then "she knows him too!?" click, to "I didn't get an invite to that event!?" to "who else went?" click, to "maybe my cousin has posted some more baby pictures" click, to "who haven't I friended from work yet?" ... and on and on .... Two hours later, you could have written a nice blog post instead. DOH! (oh, and now it's hard to get to sleep)
Well I'm not going to write six months worth of missed blogging here now, but I do have to give you a weather update. It's weird. Again. At this moment, it is chilly and raining heavily like a typical day in January ... only it's June 1st. Hey!! It's like we've transported ourselves back to the last blog post! How ironic!
Anyway, the grapes have been going through bloom for the last week and a half and are trying to finish in between bouts of rain. This is not good farming weather unless you have your spring veggie starts in the ground and are a lazy boob that doesn't remember to water the garden.
I've never seen a summer start out so wet. The locals are calling it "ridiculous" - we are so spoiled. I'll insert a picture for you here that shows what we are usually doing about this time of year.
Now to be fair, that picture was actually taken on May 13th, so it hasn't been all gloom and doom. We've actually had some pretty glorious days - we're just spoiled, so we can't wait to express outrage that someone is raining on our perfect little Sonoma County Parade.
Let's just recap and be thankful for the past few days of idyllic wine country living.
The weekend began with a cooking class taught by Vanessa Barrington at the next door neighbor's house where we learned how to clean a squid (and why it is a sustainable food source) - make homemade yogurt and butter, properly disassemble a raw artichoke, make fish stock and much more. We sat down to a lunch of Spring Salad of peas, asparagus, artichoke, favas and ricotta - followed by a fabulous Fish Stew of fennel, calamari, mussels and clams. We washed it down with a Sauvignon Blanc made by Merry Edwards. All local goodness!
After the cooking class, I motored down the hill in a hurry to prepare the cheese plates and dessert trays for my art show. A five minute change of clothes and viola! About 60 guests came over to view my photos - it was a lovely evening of friends, family and new acquaintances - a few art sales as well!
The next day was mellow - a bit of cleanup and wine deliveries, then off to the home of one of our winemaking friends and his wife. They invited us to an intimate blind tasting gathering featuring Petite Sirah. Everyone brought a dish to share and the food was stellar! Mediterranean Lamb stew and polenta, Mushroom, leek, rice and cheese tart, vegetarian Bourgogne. A few older wines were brought out of the cellar - the highlight being a 1975 Dehlinger Petite Sirah! Still kickin'!
Monday was Memorial Day and although I had intended to get some work done, fate conspired against it. Another pal invited Rick and I over for a vegan brunch and suggested that I take some photos of her garden which was blooming in abundance. After a lovely meal and a bit of Iron Horses' latest Wedding Cuvee' sparkler, we went outside for a photo shoot and a hike through the forest across the creek and behind their house. Lovely!
After returning home, there was little time to do much - although Rick got in a few rows of vineyard mowing before we left for our next social engagement - a blind Pinot Noir tasting and BBQ at a local grape grower's ranch. Oh darn! Lots of our friends were there, several winemakers and folks in the business as well as new friends to make. Rick's '09 Pinot Noir - Halo's Hill and Terry's 2009 Pinot Noir - Russian River Valley (Castalia wines) both took the winning slots in the tasting. Two tables of seven wines, one winner at each table. It was amazing! The setting was beyond idyllic. Perhaps I should show you here:

That's the view from the patio. Not bad huh?
Another friend had come up from San Jose to visit us. He joined us that evening at the tasting and BBQ, then he explored some wineries the next day and came back with goodies to make for dinner. Locavore experience #28: Preston wine, olive oil, bread and fresh veggies plucked from the dirt only an hour before. Our friend commented a few times while nibbling the oil-drizzled bread (that Preston grows the grain for too), "I could get used to living here."
Yes, you can.

Home again, home again, jiggity jig ...

2011-01-30T08:34:00.000-08:00

A full riot of narcissus was waiting to greet me the day after we arrived home - I picked a large bunch right away to freshen the house. My winter lettuces plumped up while we were gone and the slugs were closing in ... oh my!
Unfortunately, I did manage to catch a cold just before we left the east coast - just like last year. Doh! My sweetie kept the house warm with a cozy fire and made me lots of tea - we slept until noon on Saturday - much needed and I must say that it worked wonders - today, Sunday, I feel much better, though I'm still not quite out of the woods.

Dinner last night was home-made chicken soup and a nice salad. The cats are oh so happy to have us back and hanging around the house to adore them. Rick and I spent a few hours planning our vacation in June, it is coming together so well - we'll be drenched in purple wine on my birthday in Haro, Spain at the "Battala de Vino." All that after a week in Burgundy - the epicenter of Pinot Noir. As much as we love being home, it's a bit disconcerting that we will be away for a good portion of the next year. The vacation doesn't count as the the "disconcerting" part - we will have earned that time off once we've completed our business trips to Las Vegas, Texas, Florida, Los Angeles, etc. It will be so nice to get this brand high in the air and not have to pound the pavement so hard to expose folks to this yummy wine. Come on economy, let's get a move on!!
Cheers!

Life on the Farm

2011-01-25T12:16:00.000-08:00

Not my farm mind you ... ours is not really that farm-like. I'm at Crow Farm in the tiny burg of Kennedyville, Maryland. Over three hundred hundred acres of land with cattle, pigs, chickens, barn cats, miniature horses and lots of geese flying overhead.

Like a cat, I've found my perch inside the glass enclosed alcove that lets me hear the birds, enjoy the last bit of sun and see the calves frolicking in the browned pasture. My beloved is upstairs in our room at this lovely B&B - he is resting from a rather frenetic work week that began 7 days ago, and now we have a break. Ahhhh.... a much needed break. Each day, we worked with sales reps, Rick with one, I with another in various towns here on the Eastern Shore - Annapolis, Baltimore, Washington DC, Wilmington, etc. At the end of the week we took part in a winemaker dinner, then a pouring/bottle signing the next day, then another pouring/bottle signing the next day followed by a long drive to the coast for another winemaker dinner which we arrived at just in time to haul our suitcases up the stairs, breathlessly change clothes then hurry downstairs to mingle and promote our product.

We've been invited to this quaint little bit of quietude in the country by our hosts Judy and Roy. They have a newly planted vineyard and are currently planning a winery for the property. Rick is a wealth of knowledge and has already given them a pretty good pruning lesson. We'll chat later about more of the winery plans and how they began the project that is Crow Farm. In the meantime, I'm soaking up every bit of country solitude that I can. Work begins again tomorrow.
The top photo was taken the day we arrived, the one here is the next morning.

The Crab is Back!

2010-12-01T22:33:00.000-08:00

That is the new name of the former "Crab and Fennel Festival" and it summed up the evening pretty succinctly. The day began with a local seafood wholesaler stopping by the winery with a giant cooler full of steamed crab that had been caught that morning. This guy loves our wine and wanted to trade wine for crab. Shit yeah!!! How much crab? Rick takes a look (and a sniff) in the cooler and says "I'll take it all." 13 crabs for six bottles of wine. Every member of our staff working that day got to take home a fresh crab for dinner.
THIS IS WHY WE LIVE HERE.
Later that night we are at a winery-related business function with neighbors and fellow winemakers and growers. Beautiful wines abound to taste: William Selyem, Rafanelli, J Winery, Joeseph Swan, LaFollette, George Wine Co., Ramey ... too many to mention. Locally made St. George cheese is sitting nearby in a huge wheel for nibbles plus other goodies.
After the meeting, we invited one of our friends to join us for a crab feed at the house. Lots of chardonnay, some fresh bread from our local wood-fired bakery and a lovely salad. As we're cracking, peeling, sipping and and exclaiming .. somebody has to mention, "those folks sitting in Ohio or wherever haven't got anything on us - if they were here eating freshly caught crab and wild mushrooms ..."
"... and great wine!" I have to add.
I've recently heard about what some people think of California - and thier opinion is rather disparaging. But the locals, the folks that actually live here have a different view - or at least the ones in Northern California do. (Coming from Southern Cal. I don't remember anyone ever showing up with fresh crab, abalone or porcinins and chantrelles and saying "hey guys! Let's feast!) Anyway, the consensus at our table while we were eating some of the sweetest dungeness and washing it down with premium Chardonnay, is that we are pretty friggin' lucky and we know it. December 1st and the "Crab is Back!"

The wierdest Summer ever!

2010-09-20T17:41:00.000-07:00

We all waited anxiously for the heat. Anyone with bragging rights to the first ripe garden tomato was pegged as "living in a unique micro-climate." It was like a bratty taunt to say "I'm enjoying a melon from the garden." So many fog-filled mornings and temperate afternoons. I kept thinking "this is great for growing Pinot!" - except that if you don't get at least SOME warm weather, nothing will ripen. Many growers finally pulled more leaves than they usually would, hoping to expose the chilly clusters to some sunshine. Then, BAM! Mother Nature unleashes three days of 100-plus degree weather overnight, top temp was 106 in Healdsburg. Well, needless to say that most plants and their fruit were a bit ill-prepared for such an extreme change and so now we have grapes with sunburn. Hmmmm.... what happens to a sunburned bunch of grapes? It shuts down and turns to raisins - but without the increase in sugar, so you really do have "sour grapes." If that wasn't enough, a nice little mild rain spell came along with some lovely warm humidity and presto! ... perfect conditions for bunch rot.
But do not despair ... the damage is not everywhere and we've harvested some nice stuff that has very promising flavors.
Jump to the present, October 3rd, 2010. Nine solid days of crushing fruit that has all started ripening within the last week. Here's where everyone involved in CRUSH gets crispy around the edges, loads and loads of grapes continuously arriving with no end in sight. Rick worked a solid 16 hour day yesterday and began again at 6:00am this morning - he didn't eat until 1:00pm and his half a bagel with salmon still sits on the table waiting for him to come back and finish for "lunch?" Today probably will be the same amount of hours and tomorrow too. We are in the thick of it now, but Rick still manages to put on a smile. (see picture took yesterday)

2010-08-26T00:49:00.000-07:00

This shot was taken several weeks ago. Not a bad morning harvest. I do have to take note of the unusual weather we have had this summer. It all began with rains that lasted into late spring (effectively making it impossible for the yellow jackets to get their nests established - ha!) The remainder of the summer up until August 25th was a constant fog pattern - cool and foggy till noon, mild sunshine, then fog returning in the evening. There was a joke going around about everyone having to eat green tomatoes all summer. Anyway, yesterday the heat blasts in at over 100 degrees in several neighboring cities and BAM! The tomatoes are softening like butter, the beets are wilting, the peppers have burns and the melons are cracking. Good grief!! I've got to make roma tomato sauce NOW or never! The grape harvest has been pushed out about 2 weeks. (would normally be under way by now)
But hey, the CL camping trip was ideal so what the heck. Checkin' in later...

happy bug in the vineyard

2010-04-14T20:20:00.000-07:00

oh how excited I was to see lady bugs hanging out in the vineyard for the first time. They finally figured out that they are safe here - no pesticide fumes coming soon. This little bud of pinot is in the "home - yet to be named" vineyard. Geez.
I love spring and this one has been exceptionally green and lush. I want to spend the rest of my days capturing it all - image after image. But alas, I am here in Texas looking longingly at the wildflowers in abundance along the highway as we buzz from one 3-hour away city to the next introducing folks to our lovely wines. Not too bad a life.

March into 2010 with a KICK!

2010-03-04T22:44:00.000-08:00

And we enter the wine weekend to end all wine weekends - Barrel Tasting 2010.

18500 plus. That's how many wine-lovin' folks are going to descend upon West Sonoma County - specifically the Dry Creek, Russian River and Alexander Valley appellations - for sips from the barrel, maybe some nibble and music, generally good fun. We will feature our favorite Barrel Tasting band - The Bucky Walters. They will be crashing here at our humble abode Friday night, then be hosted by Julia's sister on Saturday. Veggie Chili is our food of the day and we are ready to rock and roll ... let's sell some wine!

Happiest place in California | | PressDemocrat.com

2010-02-19T12:03:00.000-08:00

I think I've been saying this all along ...
Happiest place in California PressDemocrat.com

Back from Sales Trip #2

2010-02-17T20:19:00.000-08:00

Rick and I rolled over the Marin hillsides on Hwy. 101 and glimpsed the green slopes of Sonoma County and I had to sigh ... home at last! We have now completed two of our yearly wine sales trips - ten days on the East Coast and a week in Colorado. We've attended five winemaker dinners and four winemaker pouring events and met with countless wine buyers for retail and restaurants.
Today was a fantastic day to be outside - 70 degrees and fragrant - I could detect the "change" in the air - winter is over!

Back from sales excursion number one ... happy to be home!

2010-02-02T00:26:00.000-08:00

I came back to a foggy and damp Sonoma county to find these lovely flowers greeting us up the driveway. Such a welcome after our chilly little adventure on the east coast. The redwoods dripped around me and I reveled in just being home, mountains of laundry and all.

We leave in a week for Colorado - it's wintry brown layer a stark contrast to our lush green grass and bright mustard and daffodils that will be glowing as we drive toward the airport.

This last trip was successful, and so the next one will be as well. But I will still sigh a sigh of contentment when I shift down into the covers of my own bed and hear the rumble of our tortie cat at my feet - and I know that the newspaper, my hubby and a nice breakfast in the country will be awaiting me in the morning.

So, like, ... what happened with the Art show?

2010-02-02T00:05:00.000-08:00

It was like a mini-wedding day ... a coming out of sorts. Over 70 people came out in support of my first showing of my photographs. Most of them were close friends and family, but the best thing was seeing each and every one of these precious souls come thru the door just to see what I had created. Truly gratifying and delicious! It was one of the highlights of my life. My husband was such a monument of encouragement and help. (he built the frames and kept me on my toes as the big night approached.) I sold some pieces, a few prints and lots of cards. Since the show, I've been visited by Sonoma County photographer icon, Robert Janover and I've found a home for the art in three more venues. What more could I have wished for?

Yes Virginia, there is such a thing as too much bubbly.

2010-01-07T23:22:00.000-08:00

So this is me (on the right) - perhaps my last memory before losing conciousness that night/morning. Luckily, my home was only a 25 yard walk from where I am standing now - though how I got there, I'm not sure. The night was so much fun - everyone seemed to have a great time, but that glass never left my hand and it was never empty. Bottles, magnums and double magnums of bubbly kept being popped open. We had Roederer, Iron Horse, J, Korbel, Piper Heidsick, Gloria Ferrer, Toad Hollow, some Prosecco and on and on ...My darling husband (the one with the hat) poured me into my jammies around 3:30am and made me ginger tea with aspirin dissolved in it the next day. I didn't leave the bed until 4:00pm New Year's Day and here we are eight days later and I'm still hesitant to imbibe more bubbles. This too shall pass ... as did the Mother of All Hangover's. I discovered this appropriate website regarding a hangover remedy.

2009-12-08T12:50:00.000-08:00

BbbRRRRrrrrrrrrrrr!! Ok, so I grew up in Southern Cal. and we didn't get days like this! Mittens, scarves and boots a must!? Time to make soup, drink tea, build a fire and watch the grateful cat curl up in front of it. Last night the pipes burst in the garden, so the irrigation needs fixing. Doh!! However, we did remember to cover the orange tree - that little dwarf that we bought two years ago and it gave us three large and lovely oranges this week. I worked like a fiend yesterday to get caught up and today it looks like I'll make something with the Chantrelles and bake a banana bread loaf while doing laundry. Sometimes it's good to be at home.

'tis the season ...

2009-11-30T23:38:00.000-08:00

to eat crab! Oh sweet dungeness, how I covet thy claws, Your tender appendages give me reason to pause, Between sips of Chardonnay and nibbles of crusty bread, an evening of aromatics that goes straight to my head. Many thanks to our dear hosts that shared their secret recipe of fresh cooked live crab - we can never go back to day-old crustaceans.

Northern California crab season begins around late November and continues for a couple of months with fundraising crab feeds around the area. The avid crab eater travels with wet-naps, a nut cracker, and a tea lighted butter melting ramekin. Oohhh so decadent!

The BEST use for Sauvignon Blanc

2009-11-01T14:21:00.000-08:00

... is to wash down that lovely brineyness of fresh oysters. October 30th we went to the coast for the now annual oyster collecting mission. We bought 300, then ate two dozen on the lovely sunny bay with only the Pellegrino brothers, a happy Japanese family and a solo caterer for company. The usual bakery that we stopped at on our way to the coast had the usual warm fougasse bread waiting - but they also had apple-lavender marzipan scones - oh, so up my alley!!

I also had to ask myself why we do not come to the coast more often in October - the weather is divine!

First Storm of the Season!

2009-10-13T09:01:00.000-07:00

... and boy is it a doozie!! I awoke to water, frenetic water, energized water flowing, running, gushing, trickling down window panes. The soft bed was never more cozy, the cats never more snuggly, the dim gray light never more soothing. That was at 7:30am, it's now 9:00am and I'm up, hot coffee steaming next to the computer.
I was half tempted to put on rain gear and try to rescue the last of the roma tomato crop and make hot soup - but ... it's cold and windy and still dumping buckets out there. We still have an acre of merlot to harvest and I wonder what this insane amount of water is going to do to the sugar levels and berries. Hmmm...
The first fire in the fireplace will be lit and it may be a good day to pack away all of the shorts and tank tops and bring out the fuzzy sweaters. Today is Tuesday but it feels like a Sunday - like a day that nobody could possibly have to go to work. But alas, 'tis a Tuesday, a wet one, we'll see what tomorrow brings

2009-10-03T22:03:00.000-07:00

It's a cool blustery October evening - the official "summer is so over" indicator. Full moon lighting the leaves dancing across the black-blue road. As you can see in this photo, the winter squashes and gourds are aplenty. I have a small hill of acorn, butternut and spaghetti squash all awaiting the cool nights to be roasted in the oven. I'm ready for the cozy early evenings spent with my sweetie and a good movie. It's the fifth week now that he's worked seven days straight from 6:00am till 7:30 or 8:00pm. Maybe that's why we kinda hibernate through most of November.

sonoma county bounty personified

2009-09-05T23:39:00.000-07:00

At the Saturday Farmer's Market in Healdsburg ... the visitor from out of town says... "wow, what are those?"
Farmer: "smell them ... yes, they are different,"
Visitor: "hmmm...yes ...
Onlooker: "they smell fragrant, but the flesh is delicate, yealding a kind of sweetness, subtlely floral but fruity, very good."
Visitor: "really? ... I've never seen a melon like this."
Farmer: "that's because you can only get them in Sonoma County." (Crane Melons)

At the market we bought "Huevos Rancheros" and "Agua Fresca" from Mateo while shopping for Dry Creek Peaches, artisinal butter, torpedo onions, huge lettuce heads and georgeous flowers. Now we can go home. But not before observing the chef in his chefs whites choosing bunches of gourmet radishes and such. Hmmm... sexy, yes.

Home now, to make pasta salad with items from the garden such as baby sun gold tomatoes, banana peppers, fresh parsley and basil and shallots - tossed with olive oil and aged balsamic.

At the BBQ next door, we began with two kinds of fresh figs - stuffed with chevre and topped with a candied pecan, then figs roasted in the oven with blue cheese. Then triple cream brie and aged gouda cheese.

A Williem-Selyem '07 Zinfandel popped out to accompany the slow roasted peppered pork ribs. Prior to that it had been two Oregon Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs - Lange and Belle Pente, both 2001. Not bad! We also had a Roederer sparkling, a homebrew Rose' and an interesting Red blend from David Caffaro and a Pinot Noir from George Wine, circa 2006.
Later we went backward for a Chardonnay from Napa and a Moshin RRV Chardonnay that was very
"Viognier"-like.
I forgot to mention those oh, so Southern - fried green tomatoes that we savored during the rosy sunset - fried in the bacon fat from that afternoon's BLT lunch. Damn! Wow, so good!
The last course was the Dry Creek peaches, fresh raspberries and fresh whipped cream.
A Sonoma County bounty dinner- as most everything was home-grown or grown here within ten miles. Now that's a harvest party!

What do Winemakers do on their nights off?

2009-08-31T22:05:00.000-07:00

Have some sparkling wine of course! Bubble night was a blind tasting of eight different sparkling wines with a potluck to follow. Well, really it was seven different sparkling wines as wine number 4 and wine number 8 were the two bottles of the same wine - which also happened to place in first and 3rd place. Hmmm... must be a winner! It was a nonvintage Anderson Valley Sparkling Rose' by Roederer. Darn tootin! Rick and I will have to get some more on our next Mendocino outing as now we only have one bottle left. Notes: Great acidity, just a hint of appealing yeast, dry but nice fruit quality, fresh clean finish.

What to eat? Roast beef and goat cheese crostinis with tomato olive tapenade, quiche lorraine, home grown vegetable ratatouille, tomato caprese salad, mixed seafood cakes on grilled portabello mushrooms and grilled duck breast. All made by the foodies that participated. What we did not do is decide on the next tasting date and varietal. There was talk of doing "Grenache" and it would most likely be after Crush in November. But ... there is that Halloween party we were all talking about: the "Exotic and Erotic Ball" taking place at a little community hall in Healdsburg. Cool! Wigs, coats, fishnets ... Yeah baby!!

The last concert on the Square

2009-08-25T22:27:00.000-07:00

It was crowded, but not necessarily in a bad way. The showing of how we live in this are was wickedly good. Each grouping of picnicking enthusiasts was impressive - the table set ups, the fresh flowers, the passing of appetizers - smoked salmon on puff pastry with creme fraiche and chives, poached shrimp on glass noodles and fresh basil - oh, with so many wines to choose from!
This is wine country living - a Tuesday night outside on the grassy square listening to blues by Roy Rodgers and the Delta Rythm Kings surrounded by friends all toting foods and beverages.
Then there is the farmers market that preceeds all of this decadence. The most beautiful produce you have ever seen.

Add to that orange scones, rock cod fish tacos, paella, watermelon mint agua fresca, fresh flower buckets - the sensory gamut is abundant! I can't believe that I live here sometimes.

Breakfast on a Saturday morning ...

2009-08-22T21:53:00.000-07:00

Maybe the last blossoms of the season ... but oh, so yummy!

The rest of the day was spent working at the winery in the tasting room and office. Dinner at our neighbor's house with tri-tip, broccoli from the garden, fresh sourdough bread and assorted cheeses. Then a jaunt up to the top of the vineyard for a lesson in grapepicking for tomorrow's early AM harvest. (with three bottles of Moshin Pinot to enjoy - 05 Lot 4, 06 Lost Ranch and 07 Russian River)

Raid the Vineyard and put it on the BBQ

2009-08-20T23:01:00.000-07:00

It wasn't a joke. 100 gophers in the freezer - six of them ended up on the BBQ on a beautiful August evening. The bane of the winegrowers' farming efforts - gophers can kill multiple vines by eating the roots. Here's one winegrower's solution to the problem.

Grape Harvest Pending - Tomato harvest ongoing!

2009-08-17T23:27:00.000-07:00

But first a moment from our sponsors ... well, uh ... maybe a sponsor for our moment. And that sponsor is a fine chocolate producer whose chocolate bar I am enjoying right now. Here is how the wrapper defines this bar: "gently scented ylang ylang essences from Madagascar in a mild cream ganache in dark chocolate." Sometimes it pays off to browse the shops in the airport terminals in Europe. My God! - this is one shamelessly sexy piece of chocolate!

Whew! ... ok, back to the post at hand. We will be harvesting grapes the day after tomorrow! The first ones in this crush and from our little 2 acres right next to the house. They were planted when the winery was built in the spring of 2005 and this will be the first official harvest from this vineyard. Rick is gleefull and will look much like this photo in a day and a half. (taken during Crush of 07)

Meanwhile, the tomatoes continue to ripen faster than we can eat them. Last night we had probably our fifth Caprese salad with heirlooms and fresh mozzerella. For brunch we had BLT's, and as we speak, we are drying the first batch of romas in the dehydrator. The sungolds have overwhelmed me with their sugarplum sweetness and abundance.

Camping before the Storm 2009

2009-08-10T23:06:00.000-07:00

We were rained on after six days of gloriously perfect weather and lots of swimming, squirrel watching, hammock napping, reading, photographing, wood gathering, gin & tonic drinking and eventually coming to the conclusion that co-habitation with the jellow jackets is really just a microcosm of human existence: "they'll only get your lunch if there are more of them than you."

Holy Moley ... where did the summer go?

2009-07-25T01:49:00.000-07:00

... probably by the way of the many zucchini blossoms which we ate with abandon this season. Really, any of you that have grown zucchini plants must ask yourself - "have I ever run out of zucchini?" No? ... then eat those blossoms while they are here. I figured out a nice mixture of goat cheese, cottage cheese, some diced chives and a little bit of grated manchego to stuff them with. We like the panko bread crumbs to roll them in after they are stuffed with the cheese mixture and dipped into egg. Then fried in grapeseed oil till lightly browned and served with some fresh fruit for breakfast. YUM!

3 day dinner streak plus weather update

2009-05-04T21:55:00.000-07:00

It's May. But we are experiencing February ... well, sort of. It's not as cold as February, but it's wet - and February this year was not wet ... which is unusual. The rain has been coming down now for three days. I'm glad because everything will stay green for awhile and I have not had to water my vegetable garden.

Now then, the three day dinner streak. Yeah, we lead a quiet country life sometimes. But here it is Monday and we have another dinner party. Saturday it was guests from Florida and San Jose with Wild Boar Rack of ribs, spaghetti squash from the fall garden, foccacia bread and spinach salad with orange-shallot dressing and almonds. We had rose, chardonnay and pinot noir. They asked: "do you drink wine every day?"

Sunday was Scotty's Birthday. I wanted to make him an all American delicious meal that he would enjoy. We bought the biggest blackest shiniest dense chocolate cake we could find, then slow roasted three big racks of baby back ribs for 3 and a half hours, made fresh cornbread and iceberg wedge salads with bleu cheese dressing and diced tomatoes. We polished off a bottle of Iron Horse bubbly for the toast, then a magnum of zinfandel. He loved it!

Monday. Our pal George was blessed with a surprise box of beef steaks from Kansas - good corn fed beef! He brought that over with a magnum of Roederer sparkling wine and we had a lovely meal of grilled steaks with baked potatoes, sauteed mushrooms, carmelized onions, fresh broccoli from the garden and an assortment of cabernets. (one petite sirah thrown in for good measure).

My hubby poured me a shot of Maker's Mark before heading over to the winery with the bottle to refinish the tasting room bar after everyone went home. Work is never done, but who says you can't have a good time doing it. Even on a school night.

Wine ... whooaa.... nelly!

2009-03-30T08:08:00.000-07:00

I'll try and recap before my memory fails me. Rick and I had an opportunity to have some amazing wines over the last two days - thanks to our gracious hosts in Florida opening their cellar to us. WOW! ... what a ride!

'02 Chardonnay - Kistler, Catherine's Cuvee'

'05 Pinot Noir - Dehlinger Russian River Estate

'05 Syrah - Dehlinger

'04 Pinot Noir - Dehlinger Russian River Reserve (tasted against '04 Pinot Noir, Moshin - Family Reserve) - nice, both were drop dead georgeous, the Dehlinger having just a tad more acidity and alchohol, beautiful red fruit aromas.

'07 Chardonnay - Moshin, Russian River

'99 Sassicaia

'98 Cabernet - Schafer Hillside Select, Stags Leap

'94 Cabernet - Schafer Hillside Select, Stags Leap

'97 Cabernet - Pahlmeyer

'94 Cabernet - Pahlmeyer

And a second growth Bordeaux that I cannot remember the name of ... a shame since it was so good, but after 8 bottles of wine ... well, would you remember?

Oh Dear! How long has it been...

2009-03-26T21:05:00.000-07:00

... since my last blog entry! WAY too long!

I recently saw a facebook entry from a friend regarding her own facebook activity.

It said: "facebook is killing my blog!"

I have to agree. But, it's not just facebook's fault. I have been on the road schlepping wine for almost four weeks now - up early, meeting with wine buyers during an insane recessionary business climate, then driving with my hubby to the next city where we fall into bed in a new hotel and start over again the next day to do the same. Please buy our wine!

Our wineclub fans are our saving grace - god bless' em, every one!

I'll put up a picture here from one of our rare recreational outings. Can you figure out where it came from? A special prize awaits the individual that can figure it out.

At home - I am not there but I know that spring is doling out a few lovely fair days where one would love to stroll amongst the vibrant yellow mustard fields before taking an afternoon nap in the soft spring sunshine. The grasses are almost waist-high and succulent green - cows and sheep couldn't be more satisfied. Where is my hammock?

I tried to find a photo of a haggis, because I did not take one ...

2009-01-25T21:37:00.000-08:00

However, the evening was great anyway. There was lots o' scotch - maybe ten different single malts. This was my first haggis dining experience - in the wine country - with about sixty other folks, some of them in kilts. Wow, and the dancing ...
The best t-shirt of the evening was worn by our gracious hostess, which read: "If it's not Scottish, it's crap!"
http://www.worldburnsclub.com/begin/address_to_a_haggis.htm

Ahhh... tranquility.

2009-01-15T13:42:00.000-08:00

In Oahu, I visited this Bhuddist temple.
Very relaxing.
Breathe ...
The koi are very happy here, well fed and surrounded by beauty. I picked up a music CD of tranquil Japanese music to take home the experience.
While I was here, Rick was 20 miles out on the ocean catching a mahi mahi for dinner. It was yummy.

Wassail the Apple Trees

2009-01-09T22:40:00.000-08:00

A lovely winter eve for this activity. Totally new to me, we wassailed the apple trees with neighbors. First we all enjoyed a potluck feast, then bundled up, took our hot cup of spiced cider from the hearth and headed out to the orchard - crisp, full moonlit and sparkling winter night. A bit of cider is sprinkled around the heartiest and oldest tree (a Gravenstein said to have been brought here from Fort Ross), then an apple cake is placed in the boughs as an offering. We chanted the following song:
"Here's to thee, old apple tree!
Whence thou may'st bud, and whence thou may'st blow
And whence thou may'st bear apples enow! -
Hats full! Caps full!
Bushel - Bushel and sacks full!
And my pockets full too! Huzzah!

A bonfire was lit as we finished our cider and listened to Joe tell stories. Terry mentioned that there is a group of farmers that are propagating heirloom fruit trees - they use the tree we are wassailing for the budwood. We sang a song about Hobos - what a beautiful evening.

Ideas for New Year's Eve Menu

2008-11-09T16:50:00.000-08:00

Proposed 2008 New Year’s Eve Menu

Amuse Bouche
Wine: Nicolas Fuillette Sparkling Rosé

Salmon Tartare w/ Roasted Red Bell Pepper in Wonton cups
Dungeness Crab w/ Lemongrass Puffs

Salade
Wine: Dutton Goldfield Pinot Blanc

Toasted Hazelnut encrusted Goat Cheese on Butter Lettuce
with Herbs de Provence Vinaigrette

Entrée
Wine: 2006 Moshin Vineyards Pinot Noir – Sonoma Coast

Wild Mushroom, Shallot & Gruyere Tartlette

Plat
Wine: 2006 Perpetual Moshin – Bordeaux Blend

Prime Rib w/ Horseradish Mousse and Thyme Jus
Truffled Quatro Formaggio Mac’n’ Cheese

Fromage
Wine: 2006 Harvest Moon Sparkling Gewurztraminer

Assorted Domestic and Imported Cheeses with Panforte & Local Honey

Dessert
Wine: Moshin Potion No. 6 Late Harvest Semillon / Sauvignon Blanc

Lavender scented Cremé Bruleé
Cardamom & Clove Pumpkin Tartlette

Brunch at Home not at Mo's Cafe off Hwy 98

2008-11-09T15:55:00.000-08:00

We did comment on how fortunate we were to live in this area. This place where culinary indulgences are abundant. On this day that was MFK Fisher's Birthday, reading an excerpt from a book titled: "Gluttony." A sin?? Oh, we do not think so.
However, the day did begin lazily late, toasting the Sunday with a bottle of Iron Horse Wedding Cuvee' at noon with a nibble of warm home-made banana bread.
On this November 9th afternoon - the sun did shine wholly but more gently on the veranda where we took up residence for two hours. A plate of two quiches - a classic Lorraine and a pretty Artichoke with cheese, roasted potatoes, and slices of bacon-wrapped lavendar brushed pork tenderloin. A cool bowl of crane melon and watermelon cubes accompanied the savory goodies, and we washed it all down with hot english tea with milk and honey.
Not enough - we had to end the afternoon with a bite of Chef D' Love's fudgy silky brownies and a bottle of Harvest Moon Sparkling Dry Gewurtztraminer.
A toast to Sundays! A toast to Sonoma County! A toast for friends to share it with!

Post Harvest - Survived!

2008-10-28T14:22:00.000-07:00

Can't complain about the weather. Although it's been all over the map - much like the emotions and activities of this last harvest - this photo was taken at Tomales Bay at the end of October and the temperature was about 71 degrees with no wind - ideal coastal climate. Rick has created a new tradition - at the end of each Crush season, he takes a random winery intern out to the coast to pick up the oysters for a post-harvest winery celebration for the staff. The outing begins in the late morning with a stop at Wildflour Bakery in Freestone for a couple of loaves of Fougasse - the warm loaf with herbs, olives and two cheeses baked inside. Aromatic, savory, soft and delectable! Two bottles of Sauvignon Blanc are in a cooler on ice awaiting the company of several dozen fresh Kumamoto and Tamales Bay 0ysters.
Fresh lemons and hot sauce, towels, two shucking knives, wine glasses and an opener - viola! - the trip is complete.
... and necessary, as this Harvest season was the most challenging and emotional of any. The weather delivered all that she could shout out - early frost, extended heat spells and early rain. A microcosm that ultimately echoed all that was going on in our human lives - chilly divisiveness, hot tempers and cooling economies that required immediate action.
Somehow we made it through, but as the landscape is forever changed by intense weather, so are our souls. Harvest 2008 - one for the books.

Harvest Begins!

2008-09-02T13:29:00.000-07:00

Harvest Begins!
Or rather, began a week before this shot was taken. Here we are at the Molinari Pinot vineyard where we got a whopping 8 bins of grapes (should have been 40!) The early frost did an incredible amount of damage and the poor vines did the best they could putting out new fruit and trying to ripen it. The merlot was not badly damaged and is still hanging. Fruit is pouring into the winery faster than students into the bookstore on the first day of school. Tank space is becoming as scarce as parking and tempers are getting short. Good news: it will be fast and furious and done before the rains show up - in theory.

Later ... Sept. 12
Keeping Rick fed and hydrated was a challenge the first two weeks, but things have slowed a bit to a less frenetic pace. Last weekend was the last weekend of Summer, not officially or by calendar, but by that change in the atmosphere that you can smell and feel. We had two weeks of blistering hot (hot for us) weather, temps at 100 or above in succession with no sign of fog. Then BAM!! Next day, fog ALL day, followed by fog the next day. Everyone was glad for the cool-down, but strange how there was no transition ... summer was here, now it is gone. Done. Hope you had a good time.

Sept. 13th - Rick gets a day off. :-)

This is it!

2008-08-23T13:36:00.000-07:00

My God it's here! ... the whole reason for being here - the inspiration for this blog. The last 48 hours have been full of it, no make it the last week or two, or month ... whatever.
Let me recap for a moment.
Aside from the booming wild blackberry harvest which led to my now renowned blackberry pie, (the best compliment coming from a rather reserved winemaker - "I'll bring the zinfandel, we'll drink the wine, ... heck, I'll bring the blackberries, just show me how you make this pie!") ... ok, like I said, aside from the blackberry harvest - the decadence began with the sunsets.
My hubby had never been to the top of Armstrong woods to see the sunset from Bullfrog Pond - the BEST place to see the sunset in Sonoma County. So quiet, so secluded, just you and seven valleys of horizon to look out upon as the sun sinks with a whisper into the mountains. On a whim, I decided we should go there for dinner - I braised some bockwurst in beer with turnips from the garden, assembled a lemon cucumber and tomato salad (also from the garden) and picked a fresh melon. A bottle of chardonnay completed our picnic and we arrived just in time for the show. Awesome.
Next day at the park for an outdoor concert - our favorite Tamale-guy, Mateo was serving up Oregon bay shrimp ceviche tostadas. The perfect dinner on a hot summer night with a cold bottle of Rose'.
Two days later we are at another outdoor winery venue with our favorite "Bucky Walters" boys playing to an enthusiastic, but modest-sized crowd. Some cold smoked chicken, cheese, fresh fruit and Gewerztraminer shared with friends among a vineyard setting - old waterwheel turning slowly as dusk approached. Delightful. So much so that we ended up letting the band crash at our place on the living room floor after they played for us until two in the morning.

Fast forward two more days and we are entertaining guests from out of town with a drive to the coast. We stopped at Wildflour Bakery in Freestone for a couple of hot loaves of artisan baked bread. (the Fougasse is a 'don't miss' - savory goodies like olives and cheeses baked right in!) Driving along the golden coastline we stop at two different oyster purveyors to get fresh Kumamotos and Tamales Bay oysters before settling in at a picnic table along the bay water and popping open cold Sauvignon Blanc and shucking away. A little lemon or tabasco ... slurp, tear off some bread, then wash it down with the wine. OH so GOOD!
Next day ... a lot of work and a little play as we hosted two tasting panels at the winery during the day, then bolted off to Grape to Glass to pour wine and network with our peers.
Some labels we tasted throughout Saturday: Hartford Court, Delingher, Siduri, Kosta Browne, Paul Matthew, Dutton-Goldfield, Inman, Joseph Swan, Lynmar, William-Selyem, Eric Ross and many more. That day ended with a casual dinner in the oak grove as the sky turned electric orange.
Ok, scoot past the next few days of classes at the JC and a flurry of wine deliveries to our First Day of Crush!
But wait! I can't forget to mention the lovely dinner that our friend George treated us to at Madrona Manor. Eight courses of delectable goodness that began with a caviar sampler and William-Selyem Blanc de Noir. The wines that followed: Peter Micheal's Mon Plasir, Rochioli East Block Pinot Noir, Kistler Catherine's Cuvee Pinot Noir and a Martinelli Late Harvest white wine. The maitre'd was dear Joseph and he gushed, the owner of the inn came out for a courteous hello and the chef visited the tables on the picturesque veranda on an absolutely perfect evening for alfresco dining. A very nice evening!

Ok, now back to the Crush. We had enthusiastic volunteers come out and pick the first crop off of the Silver Hill vineyard (not officially named yet). Cute pinot noir clusters were gathered between 7:00am and 9:15am followed by coffee and lox and bagels. That evening we hosted a Crush party for our custom crush clients and crush crew. I spent most of the afternoon cooking mostly food from the garden - two squash gratins, lemon cucumber and cherry tomato salad, and a gravenstein apple/blueberry crisp. Rick smoked a whole lotta meats with his favorite pinot grapewood chips and wine. (Chicken, salmon and Italian sausages) They gobbled it all up! In fact, it's the first time we ran out of food. (four late-comers unfortunately got only the crumbs)
Oh! That afternoon our guests from last week sent us a thank you gift of goodies from France!
Truffled pate', sausage and a selection of French cheeses. Mondieu!
Whew! Almost done ... next day ... dear Elizabeth comes by with a basket of perfectly ripe peaches from her garden. (just finished a small bowl of them with a dollop of creme fraiche and a sprinkling of brown sugar - my favorite dessert right now) Reynaldo drops off a bag chock full of delectably sweet and crisp asian pears. Forgot to mention in the A.M. Rick and I make the best hash browns we've ever tasted from our second potato harvest. AND ... the mysterious vineyard worker that sold Rick KILLER authentic tamales two weeks ago returns. Yes! We'll buy a dozen - and let's get a phone number too so we can order more.
The pink amaryllis (naked ladies) are almost done with their sweet summer song and our tomato harvest is in full swing - roma tomato sauce and BLT's and fresh mozzerella with sliced heirlooms. Did I mention the melons? They are almost done but wow! We will plant them again - especially crane and cantelope - the sweetest, juiciest things you've ever eaten chilled.
I will stop here - no, wait, I did not mention the squash blossoms - we've had them for breakfast at least three times now. Just stuff with a mixture of goat cheese, cottage cheese, fresh herbs, maybe some parmesan, roll in raw egg mixture, coat with bread crumbs and saute' in oil. OK, I think I've run out of gourmandise rattlings for now... till next time. Pictures to come soon.

2008-08-13T18:04:00.000-07:00

Cherry Lake '08 took place the last ten days of July. While some might consider camping without access to plumbing, power or phones -"roughing it," obviously we did not suffer for good food and beverage. After a tough hike along granite faces and bucolic creeks, an ice-cold gin and tonic really hits the spot! - two of them makes for an interesting segue way into dinner.

Special Occasion Brunch Dish

2008-05-30T23:00:00.000-07:00

"When you wake up in the morning , Pooh,' said Piglet at last,
'what's the first thing you say to yourself?'
'What's for breakfast? said Pooh.
'What do you say, Piglet?'
'I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?' said Piglet.
Pooh nodded thoughtfully.
'It's the same thing,' he said"

Certainly there is an occasion where you may want to prepare an over-the-top ultra indulgent dish for brunch. I am going to share with you one of my favorites that continues to please. It's not for the weekly or even monthly splurge as you do not want to know the calorie content of this delectable plate of energy!

Inspired by the Monte Christo famous at Willowwood Market Cafe in Graton, this is similar but without the Haagen Daz vanilla ice cream.

Take a fresh loaf of challah bread, slice into 2 inch thick slices.
Cut a slit in each slice and stuff with gruyere cheese and black forest ham.
Dip each stuffed slice into a mixture of whole milk, vanilla, egg and cinnamon.
Pan fry each slice in butter until golden brown on both sides.
Serve on a warm plate and top with sliced strawberries, chopped macadamia nuts and drizzle with hot maple syrup.
Uhmmmmmm!!!!!
Don't eat again until dinner time... maybe.

Earlier, locally ...

2008-05-14T22:27:00.000-07:00

May 12, 2008

It’s 6:45 pm in Sonoma County, California – just west of the 101 freeway that runs north from San Francisco up thru the wine country. We are standing on fresh strewn hay looking at the organic garden of fava beans, fresh herbs, chard, onions, beans and strawberries – sucking on tiny ice cream cones of freshly made gelato and sorbetto.
The raspberry sorbetto is infused with a bit of Russian River Pinot Noir and the gelato is made from goat’s milk yoghurt with a touch of lavender. House-made salumi, cheeses and olives sit on the redwood picnic bench accented with a bottle of local Primitivo and a bottle of Chardonnay. The chef scoops up the soft gelato and beams at the guests enjoying the filtered dusky sunlight with a backdrop of retro music spun by a DJ that only employs vinyl 45’s for his repertoire. Her name is Duske, she owns this roadhouse with her talented chef husband John – who just left to pick up the kids.
And us? We are guests, but we are not from Manhattan, or Miami, or Chicago, or any wealthy suburb filled with subscribers that might have read about this place in the Wine Spectator.
We are just locals. We talk about restaurants like this. We eat here sometimes. And on the drive home through the vineyards basking in golden light, after a couple of glasses of the juice that fuels our economy, we are thankful, for everyday that we live here.

May 12, 2008
7:50pm – at home – sitting on the small veranda out front. I can hear Scotty singing along outside with the classic rock radio station. Many birds occupying the tremendously tall eucalyptus and redwoods compete for my ear. Tom, the handsome feral tabby sits at one end of the stucco wall looking back at me every couple of moments. He knows his name and finally saunters over to rub his neck and tail on the bottom of my chair. He was wild at one time, so much so that I never saw anything but the base of his tail for months. But love overcame him. Now he takes walks with us in the vineyard and drools if you rub the back of his head long enough. He shows off for visitors by running up the fig tree to the top, looking around, then scampering back down. He’s a good-looking big cat – silver/black tabby stripes, white muzzle, pink nose and yellow/green glowing slanted eyes. A broad nose and large paws belie his timid and skittish personality. Like the cat, right now I am in love with what is near me.

Cinco de Mayo

2008-05-05T23:34:00.000-07:00

Returned from So. Cal. today. Got up early to leave for the North - just like I used to ten years ago, those that know me know that I do not get up early for much of anything.
My visit with family and friends was good. The best part was meeting a little girl under foster care. Her name is Emma and she is the closest I've been to an angel. Hmmm... went to the city of Angels and actually found one. :-)

Child

The blanket she clutches is worn through
Hair whisp held back with a bubble gum pink barrette
Her innocence is a breath of breeze
In this stale surrounding of adult meanderings

A book read slowly
Punctuated by picture points and giggles
Her rose petal cheek
Touches the bottom of her sky blue eyes
When she grins at you and says.
When will you be back?

Oh Emma!
To adopt and own you would be such foolery
This purity is so fleeting, but no less enchanting
Your jewel-tone words about dippy eggs and turtles named George
Make me tear up with their senseless beauty

God bless you and take you harmless.

Spring Rites

2008-04-28T13:37:00.001-07:00

" April twentysomething '08 - All these sales trips have melded into a
blur as we leave on the last one, pulling me away from my lovely Sonoma on a day that taunts me for my departure with one of the warmest of spring days, brilliant sun flashing the wings of yellow monarchs feeding joyfully on the fuschia flowers. The birds this morning seemed to sing louder than ever, as if I might forget them and the blue sea of irises - which waved a melancholy goodbye, as they will most likely be gone when we return."

July Summer preview

2008-04-11T22:25:00.001-07:00

Ahhhh ... the sun! Not just pleasant spring sun, but "warm you to your bones" sun! Today was it. Every spring we get this tasteful yummy summer-type day where you "dig out your sandals and paint your toenails just for this day" weather.
At four-o-clock Rick and I went out to enjoy it. By four-twenty we were sipping rose' looking over the vineyards of Toad Hollow and munching on pulled pork sandwiches surrounded by other wine industry folk talking about all kinds of wine industry talk - but mostly talking about the weather. It was a georgeous day to be driving around in our "post card surroundings." We later drove along the river to Duncan's Mills to visit our friend Prairie and chat with more interesting people. The last stop was at our local Pub - simply called "Russian River Pub" for a late bite to eat. For "pub grub", it doesn't get much better than this. The "Famous" chicken wings are called that for a reason - once you eat them here, they are famous! A delectable spicy aroma that will entice you out of your vegan fantasies for one savory lip-burning bite! Cool it off with a thick celery stick dipped in the ranch dressing that comes with each basket of saucy goodness. For the guilt-ridden, there is a wonderful house salad - fresh mixed greens with carrot, cabbage, red onion, cucumber and tomatoes - and a nice selection of dressings. I had the "chicken tenders" basket to go with my salad. The kitchen had run out of the regular chicken breast tenders, so the chef improvised and sliced up some fresh chicken breast, rolled them in panko crumbs and fried them perfectly golden and crisp, yet tender and succulent on the inside. Score!! They come with fries - also perfectly cooked, I had Rick take the basket away before I could do too much damage.
Also today, we rescued a turtle that was trying to cross Westside Road. Try holding a flailing peeing turtle and a napkin on your lap! I haven't seen a turtle like this since I was a little girl in my Grandmother's back yard. We will try to find his home or find him a new turtle-friendly place to live.

Is Blogging an off-shoot of Reality TV?

2008-04-04T22:30:00.000-07:00

Is blogging a tendril, appendage or kindred spirit of "reality TV?" Is it tempting to reveal the most intense parts of the day onto to an electronic soapbox? My worry, is what will happen to the sanctity of the diary or journal when there isn't enough time to write into the private, tangible and archiveable part of our existence? If it is broadcast to the public sector, then what mystery is really unvieled when it is read decades later?

I'll continue to write about food, it's my entertainment ...

Today was not orchestrated with balance in mind. Dinner was cheese and crackers, some grocery store sushi and a tortilla filled with rice and cheese. Not ideal, not normal, but I didn't much care.

For some people, it might be Cheez Whiz and Chicken-in-a-Biscuit crackers, or those little shrimp cocktail things in the glass, or plain pepperoni slices and Peanut Butter Captain Crunch.

Lunch made much more sense. Soup and salad. But oh, what a salad! Ceasar Salad made with baby lettuces and housemade rockin' dressing and warm polenta croutons. Soup was Celeriac-Leek drizzled with white truffle oil. Nice! At the Starlight Wine Bar - always a treat!

Please join us for Dinner! (click on menu to enlarge)

2008-03-28T14:40:00.001-07:00

It's the little things ...

2008-03-28T00:06:00.000-07:00

Like when the last three bananas in the basket have reached "perfect for banana bread" ripeness.
Or,
when you are having an absolutely fantastic meal (at Odyssey in Windsor) and the manager says, "save room, I've got something special for you for dessert, ...my treat!" Oh that's a warm fuzzy feeling! Baba au Rhum was the dessert, paired with a lovely Italian late harvest Malvasia. Yhum!

Going back to "it's the little things," the simple dish that began the evening was a marvelous omen of things to come. Simply delicious housemade rosemary flatbread served with a small bowl of imported Italian olives. Crispy, drizzled in olive oil and plentiful. A little thing that added alot! I'll leave the rest of the meal a mystery, you'll just have to take that trip yourself! The menu adjusts according to premium ingredient seasonality and the whim of the creative force that is the owner/chef Rudy Mihal.

West County Dining Deals

2008-03-25T17:12:00.000-07:00

“It’s A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood…”
- Culinary Bargains Aimed at Local Residents

Living in Sonoma County is a pleasure, a blessing and a reason to celebrate on many levels. For those of you that thank your lucky stars for residing near some of the top restaurants in the nation, here is another reason to be grateful. Several dining destinations are offering the oh- so- enticing “prix fixe” menu or specially priced menu options for locals. For the adventurous, this is a great opportunity to expand your culinary horizons, for the frugal, it’s a chance to indulge in a full dinner with dessert more than once a month.

Below is a list of several exciting dining options at West Sonoma County restaurants.

Forestville: Beautifully tasteful and inviting Mosaic features a Wednesday night locals prix fixe menu for $39.00 Tai Olesky’s innovative cuisine keeps the palate entertained and the tummy satisfied. On a recent night I enjoyed an amuse bouche of lobster foam with sautéed prawn followed by the “house” salad (which by the way, I could eat every night!) – mixed greens with toasted almonds, bleu cheese, diced pear and celery tossed in a secret savory dressing. I chose the fish entrée’ – locally caught black cod atop quinoa, broccoli rabe and baby shitake mushrooms. Dessert was a dreamy chocolate pot de crème flavored with orange flower water and topped with whole hazelnuts rolled in cardamom and Chinese five spice.

Healdsburg: Charlie Palmer gives a gracious thanks to the locals with his “Neighbor Menu” at the Dry Creek Kitchen - served Monday through Thursday. Three delectable courses for $34.00 change seasonally – the winter menu featured Annabelle’s Minestrone: Parmesan-Tomato Broth, Tubetti Pasta, Apple Wood Smoked Bacon and Winter Vegetables followed by Winter Truffle Roasted Petaluma Chicken, Pressed Potato Gratin and Creamed Organic Spinach with Thyme Jus. Dessert was Brown Sugar and Spice Crème Brulee with Warm Pear Cake, Pear Cloud. An extra $15.00 gets you wine pairings with your meal.

Valley Ford: Back to the entertainment packages, another cozy place of gourmet respite is the Valley Ford Hotel’s Rocker Oysterfellers. Thursday nights you can experience Chef Brandon Guenther’s Asian inspired prix fixe menu and Shona Campbell’s hospitality. (The restaurant’s regular menu has Southern slant to it, but on Thursdays, the Chef gets to stretch out and mix it up a bit – could be Thai, could be Japanese.) “Kung Fu” Thursdays are what they are known as and a three-course meal with Bruce Lee ranges between $25 to $30.

Occidental: Vive la France! Bistro des Copains is a heartwarming delight seven days a week, but on Mondays you can enjoy three courses of traditional bistro fare for $30.00. The selected entrée’ changes weekly and can be viewed on their website. Past dishes have featured: Boef Bourguignon with Mashed Potatoes, Lamb and Artichoke Stew, Pot au Feu with Noodles and Coq au Vin.

Guerneville: Classically elegant Applewood Inn and Restaurant features a “Community Bistro Night” menu on Tues, Wed. and Thurs. Starters run from $8.00 - $12.00 with all entrée’s below $20.00. Recent items included “Slow Roasted Beets and Pickled Pear Salad with Mache, Ricotta Salata and Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette” and “Orange and Garden Fig Braised Pork with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potato, Rainbow Chard and Pine Nuts.”

Geyserville: With a kitchen filled with dedicated culinary talent, Santi indulges the locals each Wednesday night with a different entrée that includes a house salad for $18.00 Entrée’s have included Roasted Pork Shoulder with balsamic and onions and polenta, or Moroccan lamb spiedino with cous cous, roasted root vegetables and a spicy harrisa sauce. Ask about the Santi Supper Club that takes place on the last Sunday of each month!

Monte Rio: Now for the bargain that will have you saying “no way!” faster than a 1984 San Fernando Valley High School graduate: The Highland Dell offers a three course prix fixe for locals on Monday and Thursday nights for $9.95! Ok, it’s not as fancy as some of the offerings previously listed, but it’s good food and the setting will delight you. Owners Herb and Ingrid Loos have done an incredible job remodeling this Inn and Restaurant - their German influence can be found in the décor as well as in the savory dishes offered on the menu. Past prix fixe entrée’s have included: Sautéed Pork Medallions or Swedish Meatballs, Soup or Salad and a small dessert round out the meal.

Bon Appetit!

Dive on in, the water's fine.

2008-03-25T16:35:00.000-07:00

...been wondering how to get some words out there for awhile. Photos also. So, here goes nothin'! It's springtime in Sonoma and inspiration begins to sprout as fast as the daffodils and calla lilies. I think I will take my cue from my wonderful husband - if you want to do something, just do it!
As Margrit Mondavi told me two decades ago when I told her that I envied her lifestyle: "there's plenty of room here!"