My Dinners w/ Richard & other musings

GO FISH IN A STRIP MALL - Two Fishermen

2012-02-07T10:11:00.000-08:00

GO FISH IN A STRIP MALL

Two Fishermen

OK, let’s be real, dining at a strip mall isn’t my idea of fine dining. It’s not that I’m a food snob (well, I kind of am) – I love funky clam shacks, diners, dives and hot dog stands. I’d eat cheeseburgers and corned beef on rye w/ Swiss everyday if this were a perfect world… but going to a restaurant in a strip mall just doesn’t ring my bell, tickle my toes or float my boat… but life is full of surprises, and Two Fisherman was definitely a surprise.

First, I’ve never been to Santa Ana, but we were meeting up with our friend Roger who suggested the restaurant for lunch. Santa Ana is miles from my home in Studio City and to get there it’s miles of driving on construction riddled freeways. Not an auspicious beginning… but I’m always up for a fresh fish food adventure… so Richard and I braved the cranes and traffic and arrived just in time to join the lunch crowd at Two Fishermen.

Owned by Don Kim and Chase Oh (hence the “Two” Fishermen)

Chase Oh

the little restaurant is bright (lots of window) w/ a simple, modern cafeteria-style design

with a wall-sized mural of – what else? A fish. (Well, there is that chef and lovely pier, but the fish rules.)

Chase is one of the chefs, along with the restaurant’s manager, Daniel Cahauntzi.


Chase Oh

Daniel Cahauntzi

Together with their sous chefs, they offer a variety of starters, salads, power “bowls” tacos, burrito wraps, gyros, special rolls (ie: Calif. roll, spicy tuna roll, etc.) and “fryer” dishes (served w/ pita bread and 2 sides) and grill entrees (served w/ pita bread, 2 sides, various sauce choices or tarragon garlic butter).

There are ahi tuna, Mahi Mahi, salmon, tilapia, catfish, haddock, shrimp, wahoo, crab, and calamari dishes – and for the non-fish lovers there are also chicken, lamb, tofu, and even Korean barbeque selections. And don’t forget the “sides” which include a mint peanut slaw, a hummus veggie dip, grilled veggies, French and sweet potato fries.

What to order? Roger helped us navigate the menu. Richard zeroed in on the crab cakes…

Roger the salmon gyro… and I opted for the grilled shrimp gyro (it was lunch, after all, and I love “sandwiches” at lunch)…

We chose the sweet potato fries and the mint peanut slaw as our sides.

We got our number and grabbed a table.

The food arrived and, of course, I had to taste Richard and Roger’s choices, then I dove into mine… The crab cakes were served with a chipotle aioli sauce – soooo good! The sweet potato fries were crisp on the outside and yummy soft on the inside. The gyros were filled with perfectly cooked, “just off the boat” fresh fish, crisp lettuce, ripe tomatoes, cucumber, olives, red onion, feta cheese, with a citrus creamy sauce (or a fat free yogurt sauce) on a sweet wheat bun (or you can choose a white bun) -- all, and I mean ALL, of my prejudices against eating in a strip mall vanished – well, at least at Two Fishermen.

The food was so good we had to try one more thing… deep fried shrimp, coated in panko. Another winner.

Of course, no meal is complete without dessert… and Chase’s tiramisu was the perfect choice to end a perfect lunch.

So, if you’re in the Santa Ana ‘hood and are in the mood for some delicious fresh fish fare, have your car speed over to the Two Fishermen mini-mall – you won’t be disappointed. And, it’s kind to the pocketbook, too. I didn’t see one thing priced over $12.95 – and most dishes were in the $7 - $10 range.

If you go for dinner, be warned, the restaurant doesn’t serve wine, beer or hard liquor. But don’t let that let that stop you. Have a nightcap when you get home.

Two Fishermen Grill & Rolls

2321 East 4 St. Suite G

Santa Ana, California 92705

714-648-0695

STUCK IN LODI, AGAIN - Pt. 3 - Berghold Vineyards

2012-01-22T14:11:00.000-08:00

STUCK IN LODI, AGAIN

Pt. 3

Berghold Vineyards

Yup. Still stuck in Lodi sipping some delicious wine. Tough job I know, but you know what they say (whoever “they” are): “Someone’s gotta do it.”

And, remember… this was Thanksgiving week. Richard and I have a “tradition” when going north to Sacramento and the Bay Area for the turkey holiday. No Christmas music on the drive up… but, once that turkey’s been carved and eaten, Christmas music in the car prevails. However, even though we’d devoured the turkey two days prior, I wasn’t getting into the Christmas spirit. Well, that was about to change.

When we walked into the tasting room (actually two large rooms) of the Berghold winery, “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas” streamed through my head. Owner Joseph Berghold and his wife (and winery manager) Julia...

...had decorated every corner and tabletop in the rooms with a holiday visual wonderland.

Transplanted from Pennsylvania, the Bergholds have been farming grapes since 1986 and opened their winery and tasting room in 2005. Their son Miles is their winemaker, keeping it all in the family.

The winery’s décor is Victorian and filled with marvelous American antiques (circa 1800s) the Bergholds have been collecting since their antique business days back in Pennsylvania. The winery is filled with one of the largest collections of fine American antiques in the country including a clock from Amish country

stained glass windows, one from a Mainline Pa. mansion

banjos, guitars, accordions, cymbals

armoirs galore (including one turned into a wine refrigerator and another into a cigar humidor)

and a carved, mahogany bar that began its life in New York, but was moved to a bordello in a coal mining town in Pennsylvania (love this provenance) and now graces the winery where tasters can sidle up and sip to their hearts’content.

But above all, this is still a winery and, as Joseph gave us a tour of his collection, we sipped wine made from grapes on the surrounding 85 acres. And, what an early Christmas present these wines turned out to be.

The 2008 viognier ($19.99) with its rich fruit and spice flavors and buttery aftertaste was my favorite white.

And three reds topped my list: The 2007 Foot Stomp Zinfandel ($22.99), the 2007 Merlot ($22.99) and the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon ($29.99).

Well, four. Can’t forget the non vintage 2009 Crankcase red ($34.99), a secret blend of four varietals - big, bold, bawdy and bursting with fruit. Perfect for sipping at a bar with a bordello in its past.

We marveled at the antique collection, sipped wonderful wines, then bid farewell to the Bergholds. Our tasting adventure was over, but I do hope to be stuck in Lodi again.

Berghold Vineyards

17343 N. Cherry Road

Lodi, Calif. 95240

209-333-9291

info@bergholdvineyards.com

www.bergholdvineyards.com

Note: As is customary, wines are discounted for wine club members.

STUCK IN LODI, AGAIN - Pt. 2 - Harney Lane Wines

2012-01-15T12:16:00.000-08:00

STUCK IN LODI, AGAIN

Pt. 2

Harney Lane Wines

With our trusty Lodi wine-country map in hand (and make no mistake about it, this is “country”) Bob, Nguyen, Richard and I jumped back into the comfy Forrester happy to still be stuck in Lodi.

After driving down country roads, we pulled onto Harney Lane with high hopes that more fine wine awaited us. Within a nanosecond we were parked and walking past a lovely garden...

an outdoor patio, fire pit and all...

and up to a simple, tasteful modern structure of stucco and flagstone bricks.

Simple, clean lines with a beige and brown color palate prevailed inside the tasting room. We sidled up to the honey and brown-hued granite bar to start some serious sipping.

Brindy and Courtney were our baristas.

Their names suited them. Warm, welcoming, and outgoing, they were perfect ambassadors for the winery that adds “love, laughter and family” to every bottle of wine. I don’t know how you bottle love, laughter and family, but Harney Lane is a family owned and operated winery (and vineyards) headed by George Mettler who, like his ancestors, has been growing grapes his whole life (the first family vineyard was planted in 1907).

Brindy and Courtney offered to serve us in the lounge area that boasted comfortable woven rattan and leather chairs in front of a cement fireplace, and surrounding an old luggage train depot cart serving as a coffee table.

But I like standing at the bar – it’s more conducive for conversation with the baristas and for asking questions about the wine… so at the bar we stayed.

One of the first things I noticed was a proudly displayed autographed bottle of wine. The girls told me that it was from the winery’s very first vintage in 2006 signed, in celebration, by its wine club members.

Though I liked the Harney Lane’s whites, especially it’s crisp and citrus-y 2010 Albarino ($19) that would be a perfect match for some spicy Thai food, it’s the winery’s red wines that are the stars.

The 2008 Lodi Zinfandel ($22) a gold 2011 Orange County Wine competition winner was just that – a winner. And the “just released” 2009 old vine Lizzy James Vineyard Zinfandel ($33) was velvety smooth, rich and delicious.

Three other favorites were the 2009 Tempranillo ($25), the 2008 Petite Sirah ($24) and the “I could sip this all day” Old Vine Zinfandel Port ($35), dessert in a bottle.

All wines are discounted for Wine Club members – a club definitely worth joining if you’re not able to visit Harney Lane. It’s out in the country and far from the fast lane, but if you find you’re stuck in Lodi, again, don’t kick into the passing lane for this one. Stop and smell the bouquets.

Harney Lane

9010 E. Harney Lane

Lodi, Calif. 95240

209-365-1900

www.harneylane.com

The tasting room is open Thursday through Monday 12-5pm.

STUCK IN LODI, AGAIN = Pt. 1

2012-01-10T12:20:00.000-08:00

STUCK IN LODI, AGAIN

Pt. 1

OK – I’d actually never been to Lodi until this past Thanksgiving week when we visited brother Bob and sister-in-law, Nguyen, in Sacramento. Always up for discovering new wines, we piled into their comfy refrigerator white Forrester, popped Creedence Clearwater Revival into the CD player and headed out to Lodi wine country, an area Richard and I were anxious to explore.

Our first stop… the Lodi Wine & Visitor Center for a map of the local wineries with tasting rooms and, lo and behold, we discovered the center had it’s very own tasting room: “Wines of Lodi.” Let the “games” begin!

James was our barista, a fun, knowledgeable young guy who loved talking wine. He told us that Wines of Lodi represented about sixty wineries and that a panel of judges, in a blind tasting, pick the best wines for the room’s wine club.

First up - the 2009 Peirano Estate The Other ($14) white blend of 65% chardonnay, 25% sauvignon blanc, and 10% viognier. Just scrumptious. Fruity, but with some vanilla keeping the wine from being “thin.”

On to the reds. My favorites included the 2009 Twisted Roots Cabernet Sauvignon ($23), the 2008 Ripken Vineyards Petite Sirah ($25), and two fabulous “old vine” wines… the 2009 Van Ruiten “Old Vine” Zinfandel ($23) and the 2008 Mettler Family Vineyard “Old Vine” very smoky zinfandel.

We could have tasted there all day, but it was time to get the map we came for and plan a winery root with James’ help.

Next stop: Harney Lane.

Lodi Wine & Visitor

2545 W. Turner Road

Lodi, Calif. 95242

209-365-0621

NGUYEN'S CARROT SOUP

2012-01-02T07:56:00.000-08:00

NGUYEN’S CARROT SOUP

It’s the dawn of 2012 and both Richard and I are trying to regroup after we crashed and burned the day after Christmas. It’s a good thing we had a selection of comfy flannel pjs and flannel sheets as we recovered from whatever ailed us.

But, a diet of white toast, white rice, and plain white spaghetti with cans of Campbell’s chicken noodle soup to "go with" only encouraged visions of real food to float in my head like sugar plums… so much so my that New Year’s Eve opinion piece for The Patch was all about The Holiday Binge. Food, glorious food!

http://studiocity.patch.com/articles/the-holiday-binge

But that’s not all… memories of warm, sumptuous, delicious, creamy carrot soup also danced around in my head… specifically my sister-in-law, Nguyen’s, carrot soup. Well, it’s not really “Nguyen’s” carrot soup, though she did tweak it here and there, but the carrot soup from the 1977 edition of Moosewood Cookbook.

It was so good, I thought I’d share.

Happy New Year everyone!!! May you all have a wonderful food, wine, and travelicious 2012!!

CARROT SOUP

1977 Moosewood Cookbook

Ingredients:

2 lbs peeled or scrubbed, chopped carrots

4 cups stock or water

1-1/2 teaspoon salt

1 medium potato, chopped (optional, for heartier soup)

3-4 tablespoons butter

1 cup chopped onion

1-2 small cloves crushed garlic

1/3 cup chopped cashews or almonds

Choose one:

1 cup milk

1 cup yogurt or buttermilk plus a little honey

½ pint heavy cream

¾ cup sour cream

Seasoning choices:

2 pinches of nutmeg, ½ teaspoon dried mint, dash of cinnamon

1 teaspoon each of thyme, marjoram and basil

1 teaspoon grated ginger

Directions:

Place carrots, liquid and salt (and potato if you’re using it) into a medium sized soup pot and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes. Let it cool to room temp.

Sautee the onion, garlic and nuts in the butter until the onions are clear. You can sprinkle in a little salt to help draw the moisture out of the onions. Towards the end of cooking, stir in the seasoning combo of your choice.

Puree everything together in a blender until smooth. You can deviate from the recipe at this stage and dump the sautéed onions, garlic and nuts into the pot w/ the cooked carrots and use an immersion blender to puree. It saves on dishes and energy.

Whisk in the dairy product of your choosing. If you want, you can leave this step out until you’re just about to eat a bowl of soup. Stir in a little milk, a spoonful of yogurt or some cottage cheese just before serving.

Garnish w/ toasted nuts, some toasted bread crumbs or eat just as it is.

OVER THE RIVER & THRU THE WOODS... Pan-roasted Sunchokes

2011-12-19T09:57:00.000-08:00

OVER THE RIVER & THRU THE WOODS…

Pan-roasted Sunchokes

“Over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house we go…”

Well, actually we go over the Grapevine and up the I-5 to cousin’s house, but you get the picture.

http://mydinnerswithrichard.blogspot.com/2009/08/picnicking-on-i-5.html

As some of you may remember, Richard and I travel north to colder California climes and foliage for the Thanksgiving holiday. We first hit brother Bob and wife Nguyen’s house for a yummy “pre-turkey day” rib roast dinner and sleepover, then traveled west to the lovely East Bay area outside of San Francisco for a few days of cousins, golf and great food.

Last year I posted about some of the goodies we had on Thanksgiving (a few replicated again this year), but this Thanksgiving dinner introduced me to a food I’d never heard of, never mind eaten: the sunchoke.

I’m still not sure what a sunchoke is other than it’s not a meat and may be related to the artichoke. They’re both “chokes,” after all. Perhaps, they’re half-siblings w/ the same mother or father… or perhaps, like Michele who made this dish and is my cousin (actually second cousin, but think of as a niece), the two chokes are cousins, but I digress…

When I queried her (yeh, “queried” – I like the word) about the dish, she told me it was an “acquired taste.” So, ever the food taster adventurer (unless snake or eel are involved), I was looking forward to tasting it and to see if it was something I’d want to “acquire.”

It was. And, if you’re looking for something new and different to serve at your Christmas/Holiday dinner, I definitely recommend this dish (though, as you’ll see from Michele’s note at the end, in moderation).

Below is the recipe she “borrowed” from the Feb./Mar. 2010 Fine Cooking magazine. They called it pan-roasted sunchokes and artichoke hearts with lemon herb butter. It serves 4-6, but she embellished a lot and made enough for our large crew.

Below are the recipe and her comments:

PAN-ROASTED SUNCHOKES & ARTICHOKE

w/ LEMON HERB BUTTER

Ingredients:

2 T of extra virgin olive oil... or more
1 lb sunchokes scrubbed and cut into 1/4 inch wedges.. “I ignored this and sliced thinly.” Keep the skins on. (“They cook much more quickly the thinner they are, and you do not want to overcook.”)
8 oz frozen quartered artichoke hearts, thawed
2 T finely chopped shallot...”I used regular yellow onion and about 1/2 cup or more”
3 T dry vermouth or dry white wine. “I had neither so used beer =)”
1 T fresh lemon juice....”I just squirted a bunch from the "bottled" stuff”
2 T cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 T fresh parsley, chopped...

2 t fresh tarragon, chopped...
pepper and salt
”and I used fresh sage from my garden also”

Directions:

”I used a Dutch oven (or you can use an ovenproof skillet) to heat oil and brown the sunchokes with 1/4 t salt until browned on both sides...don't over cook. 2-3 minutes.”

Add the artichoke hearts and more salt. cook till browned.

Move the mixture to the oven at 400 for about 20 minutes. Sunchokes should be tender.

Transfer the veggies to bowl to keep warm.

Set the skillet (or dutch oven) over med heat, add shallot and cook stirring with wooden spoon till soft and lightly browned. Add the vermouth and cook stirring and scraping to loosen any brown bits. Reduce heat to low, add lemon and butter, one piece at a time, swirling pan to melt. Stir in herbs, return veggies to pan and toss to reheat and coat with butter.

Salt and pepper to taste.

”Just a note...some blogs warn that sunchokes can cause gastrointestinal distress! They contain inulin that gets things moving. I ate the leftovers day after Thanksgiving and had more than I should have, and yes. What they blogged is true. So, just keep in mind to enjoy in moderation! Like our w

LAVENDER - FROM FIELDS TO TABLE - Part 4 - Lavender Walnut Cake

2011-12-11T07:46:00.000-08:00

LAVENDER – FROM FIELDS TO TABLE

Part 4

Lavender Walnut Cake

Remember our friend Kyle who’s working on a second lavender cookbook for the annual Ojai Lavender Festival? The cookbook Richard’s been trying out and adapting recipes for? Well Kyle and her husband, Stuart, came for dinner the other night and Richard decided to surprise her with his own lavender dessert concoction.

Years ago I found a walnut cake recipe in a magazine that I’ve baked often with great success. I know, I know – me? Well, yeh! You know I really do cook, right? And often. I’m just not the cook Richard is. Anyway, Richard always loved this cake and thought it would be even better with a hint of lavender.

He was right.

Check it out.

LAVENDER WALNUT CAKE

Ingredients:

Cake:

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Dry bread crumbs

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1-1/4 cups walnuts, ground

1-3/4 cups sugar

8 eggs, separated

2 teaspoons ground culinary lavender buds

½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Syrup:

1cup water

¾ cup sugar

½ cup brandy

1 tablespoon culinary lavender buds

Directions:

Cake:

Preheat over to 350 degrees.

Using 1 tablespoon of butter, grease a 9-inch round cake pan and dust it w/ bread crumbs, shaking out the excess. Set aside.

Stir together flour, baking power and ground walnuts; reserve.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter, the sugar, egg yolks and lavender until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is very smooth.

In another bowl, whip the whites until firm. Fold them into the butter mixture. Little by little, add the flour mixture to the batter.

Turn the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle w/ chopped nuts.

Bake for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean. (Richard suggests you start testing after 45 minutes.)

Syrup:

While the cake is baking, bring 1 cup of water, lavender buds and sugar to a boil in a small sauce pan. Turn off heat and let steep for 15-20 minutes. Strain and discard lavender.

When the cake is baked, turn it out onto a rack, invert, and place, right side up, on another rack. Position the rack over a baking pan or plate w/ raised sides.

Re-warm the syrup. Add the brandy.

Prick the cake deeply all over w/ a skewer or toothpick. Brush the syrup over the hot cake. Work slowly so that the cake has time to absorb the syrup.

Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Serves 6 to 8

Check out Volume 1 of the lavender cookbook.

http://www.ojaivalleylavenderfestival.org/pages/cookbook.html

LAVENDER - FROM FIELDS TO TABLE - Part 3 - Lavender Scones

2011-12-01T13:31:00.000-08:00

LAVENDER – FROM FIELDS TO TABLE

Part 3

Lavender Scones

So, the last time we “spoke” Richard was improvising and testing recipes for a new lavender cookbook. Then we broke for a week of thanksgiving with family in northern California, including wine tasting in Lodi (but more on that in future blogs)…

Now that we’re back in L.A., it’s time to tell you about his most recent kitchen foray. Lavender scones! A recipe submitted by Sandy Messori for cookbook consideration. Can I just say, skoal to these scones. Whether you serve them at tea time with your favorite jams or have them as a midnight snack while dressed in your jammies, they are absolutely delicious. I think this is a winner for the new cookbook.

No need to say anything else except here’s the recipe.

LAVENDER SCONES

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender flower buds

1-1/3 cup heavy cream

2-1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking power

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon sugar

¼ lb (1 stick) unsalted butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Combine lavender and 1 cup cream and bring to a boil.

Let steep until cool, then refrigerate for several hours. Strain cream. Discard lavender.

Sift flour w/ baking powder, soda and sugar and put in a food processor.

Cut up the butter and add it to the flour mix in the food processor. Pulse until little balls form. Stir in the cup of cream and mix until dough holds together.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill well.

On a lightly floured board, roll out the dough, ½ inch thick for tiny scones, ¾ inch for larger scones.

Cut out 1-1/2 inch circles for small scones, or 3 inch circles for larger scones w/ a cookie or biscuit cutter. Gather scraps and repeat.

Arrange ‘rounds’ on a greased cookie sheet or a silpat. Place close together, brush tops w/ remaining 1/3 cup of cream for a glazed finish...

...and bake until puffed and golden brown… 20-25 minutes.

I especially love them when they’re still warm from the oven and dripping w/ butter.

Enjoy!

Volume One of the Ojai Lavender Cookbook

http://www.ojaivalleylavenderfestival.org/pages/cookbook.html

LAVENDER - FROM FIELDS TO TABLE - Part 2 - Lavender/Walnut/Cheese Sandies

2011-11-21T09:34:00.000-08:00

LAVENDER – FROM FIELDS TO TABLE

Part 2

Lavender-Walnut-Cheese Sandies

Hi, my name is Ilona, and I’m a cheeseaholic… so when Richard told me that he was going to make lavender-walnut-cheese cookies, I perched on a kitchen stool while they baked just waiting for them to come out of the oven. I mean really, baking CHEESE!

I know – there’s lavender AND walnuts… but, for me, it’s the cheese. The blend of these three ingredients give these cookies a most marvelous and distinct cheese taste.

Richard, however, tells me these delicious morsels are not cookies. They’re biscuits “in the British sense.” Gotta say that even though I consider myself an Anglophile, biscuits to me are warm and plump and smothered with melting butter. Not these lavender-walnut-cheese cookies.

Remember those pecan sandies you loved as a child (maybe still do), well these cookies (biscuits) have the same “sandies” texture… Call them what you will, I could eat dozens.

And, did I mention they have cheese, probably one of my favorite, if not favorite, food groups?!?!

As far as I’m concerned, Richard can stop testing lavender recipes now. I don’t know how he’s going to top this one. I’ll have to wait and see… or should I say “taste.”

Savory Lavender Walnut-Cheese Sandies (Biscuits)

Makes 2 dozen

Ingredients

1 3/4 Cups All Purpose Flour
3/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese (plus more for topping cookies)
1/2 Cup Finely Ground Toasted Walnuts
1 Teaspoon Ground Culinary Lavender Buds
1 Cup Butter Cubed (2 sticks)
Black Hawaiian Smoked Salt (or large crystal smoked salt)(optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.

Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Or use a silpat.

Mix flour, Parmesan cheese, lavender and walnuts into bowl of food processor.

Add butter, in small pieces, and pulse on and off until dough starts to come together.

Bring the dough together to form a ball. Divide the ball in half and roll into two 12″ logs. Roll each log in plastic wrap or wax paper and chill for 1 hour.

Remove dough from refrigerator and break into pieces and form balls.

Arrange balls on lined baking sheet about 1 1/2″ apart. Flatten each ball into a 2″ circle.

Sprinkle tops of shortbreads with Parmesan cheese and smoked salt.

Bake shortbread until tops are dry and edges begin to turn golden brown (20-30 minutes).

Remove cookies from baking sheet and cool on racks. Richard’s were done in 20 minutes.

http://www.ojaivalleylavenderfestival.org/pages/cookbook.html

LAVENDER - FROM FIELDS TO TABLE - Part 1 - Poached Pears

2011-11-16T09:43:00.000-08:00

LAVENDER – FROM FIELDS TO TABLE

Part 1

Poached Pears

This is way cool. Our friend Kyle is working on a second lavender cookbook for the annual Ojai Lavender Festival and, like last year, she has asked Richard to try out and adapt recipes using lavender… and I get to taste everything!!!

While growing up, my knowledge of lavender was two-fold. It was a pretty pastel color and smelled wonderfully. I knew it smelled wonderfully because my mom always bought Yardley’s lavender soap bars and, to this day, I love that scent. I know I abandoned Yardley when I was seduced by those Neiman Marcus tuberose bars, but my heart still belongs to my mom’s lavender soap.

As I grew older, I learned that lavender actually grew in vast fields and how beautiful dried lavender smelled in sachets. I filled my dresser drawers with them. But eat lavender? Why?

Well, over the years I found out why. A hint of lavender in pana cotta comes to mind. Delicious. Lavender infused vodka. Tres smooth.

But now that Richard has been experimenting w/ lavender, I thought I’d share w/ you the ones that trip the light fantastic on my tongue.

His first foray… lavender-poached pears. I love poached pears. I love them even more w/ a hint of lavender. Give it a try, you won’t be disappointed.

Lavender-Poached Pears

Ingredients:

3 fresh Bosc or other firm pears

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons dried culinary lavender

½ cup sugar

½ cup water

2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest

Directions:

Halve, peel, and core the pears. Toss the pear halves w/ lemon juice to prevent browning.

Tie lavender in a small piece of cheese cloth (or enclose in a mesh ball).

Place the pears in a microwave-safe dish and sprinkle w/ sugar. Add the water and lavender.

Cover and cook at full power for 6 minutes, or until pears are fork tender.

Squeeze the cheesecloth when removing the lavender, catching the juice, and add lemon the lemon zest. Spoon syrup over pears, cover and let stand at least 30 minutes, or refrigerate overnight before servicing.

Richard says that if you feel the sauce is too thin, set pears aside, pour sauce into a small “sauce” pan and reduce it for a bit.

Note: Only culinary lavender can be used for cooking.

Serves: 6

Check out Volume 1 of the lavender cookbook.

http://www.ojaivalleylavenderfestival.org/pages/cookbook.html

ANOTHER PORK IN THE ROAD (Pork Tenderloin a la Richard)

2011-10-25T13:30:00.000-07:00

ANOTHER PORK IN THE ROAD

(Pork Tenderloin a la Richard)

I miss my mom’s pork chops. Richard claims they were the best pork chops on the planet. And, if you ever had a bite, you wouldn’t need convincing. Sadly, I don’t have the recipe and neither one of us has ever been able to recreate those smothered in stuffing, succulent chops… Then there was her Christmas fall off the bone crown pork roast w/ all those roasted around the roast crunchy, golden brown on the outside, white, mushy on the inside potatoes. I don’t have her recipe for that, either.

When I would make pork for my mom, she always told me it was delicious. Well, she was my mom, after all. And my pork is good, but it wasn’t good like her pork was good. The only time she ever criticized one of my pork dinners was when I’d forgotten to buy applesauce and made up a sautéed canned peaches w/ a little reduced balsamic side dish ‘thing’ to add the sweet fruit flavor she always loved w/ pork. But, my improvisation was a no go. It’s not a fruit flavor ‘thing’ I learned that night, but an applesauce ‘thing’ - homemade or ‘jarred’ - you just can’t serve pork without it.

Lamenting the fact that I never wrangled her pork recipes from her, I’ve lived w/ good but not as good as hers pork dishes. But not any longer. I now have a “to die for” pork recipe of my own. Well, it’s Richard’s – but he shares. I wonder, though, what mom would say about his new pork recipe? No applesauce. No apple anything… but, definitely a pork recipe to write home about.

Just with one Trader Joe’s inexpensive, boneless pork tenderloin and a little experimentation, he came up w/ a pork dish that rivals my mom’s. I’m not Jewish and most of my Jewish friends don’t eat pork – but to steal a Yiddish phrase, when I bit into this tenderloin, I kvelled.

Richard's Pork Tenderloin with Marnalade & Balsamic Vinegar

Ingredients:

1 pork tenderloin about a pound
1 onion, sliced
Orange juice
Olive oil

More Olive Oil
Balsamic vinegar
Red Wine
Half a jar of orange marmalade.

Directions: Copied verbatim from Richard.

Note: He likes to have fun when he cooks.

Put tenderloin in plastic bag with the sliced onion. Mix olive oil and OJ and put in bag as well...
Let marinate in fridge for however long you remembered to do this before cooking it.

Remove from fridge. Pat the tenderloin dry, salt & pepper it.
Heat a pan over high heat, add a little olive oil... sear the pork til it browns on all sides. Do not blacken. This isn't a Cajun thing.
Put in a roasting pan lined with tin foil unless you really want to scrape and wash the pan after it's done which is a pain, so trust me.
Roast at 425 for about 18 minutes per pound. Since this is a one pound tenderloin, 18 minutes should do it.

Meanwhile, add a little olive oil to a pan and caramelize the onion slices from the bag. When they're nice and caramelized, add the OJ and olive oil from the bag. Also add some balsamic vinegar and red wine. Maybe half a cup. Reduce this a bit. Then add half a jar of orange marmalade. If it gets too thick add more wine. If it gets too thin, keep reducing. Eventually you'll have a nice sauce.

Remove the pork and let sit because standing is only for rib roasts.

Slice pork into medallions and slather the sauce over it. Slathering is optional. You can spoon it daintily on if you wish.

Eat it.

GOOD CARR-MA - (Carr Vineyards & Winery)

2011-09-29T14:26:00.000-07:00

GOOD CARR-MA

(Carr Vineyards & Winery)

Doncha just love it when you explore an unfamiliar town and find a shop or gallery or restaurant that you love? And when you find a new winery – well, that’s nirvana! You know me there isn’t a tasting room too remote, too tiny or too rustic… I need a bumper sticker “I brake for tasting rooms.” The Carr Vineyards & Winery tasting room, however, is far from too remote, too tiny OR too rustic. Nope, it’s right there in the heart of beautiful downtown Santa Barbara, only a little over an hour north of Los Angeles, and has an artistic, industrial “décor.” Translation: It’s young, hip and a very cool place to hang out, with the added plus of being named the Best Winery in Santa Barbara by the Santa Barbara Independent newspaper.

This is no surprise, since the winery’s owner, grape grower and winemaker is thirty-something Ryan Carr who, after majoring in graphic design in college, moved to Santa Ynez to learn the wine business. Starting from the ground floor (in his case the dirt floor of a vineyard where he worked in the fields), he learned how to farm and care for grapes and worked his way up to making his first 10 cases of wine in his garage which he gave to friends and family.

As his farming skills grew, he started a vineyard management and development company and began producing more and more wine from the grapes that were grown under his supervision and exact specifications. Soon he was designing labels and moved his operation to Salsipuedes Street, where he also designed the winery and the tasting room, and was one of the first, if not the first, winery on the Santa Barbara Urban wine trail… (a wine tasting tour that provides an alternative to “Sideways” Santa Ynez).

When I walked into the winery/tasting room, every one of my senses was stimulated. The aroma of the grapes crushed, fermented and turned into wine right there in that vast room lingered in the air and sent sipping thoughts tripping across my brain.


the crusher


the fermenter

My eyes alit on the airplane hangar-like ceiling which Ryan covered in a cave-like “texture”...

that triggered memories of the chalk caves in Reims, France, where Richard produced a Food Network segment on Ruinart champagne. Ryan’s antique Riddler wine rack which is displayed amid new Riddler racks up on the winery’s second floor loft also brought back memories of Reims.

Note: this is not the “Batman” Riddler, but a man whose sole job is to stand in front of these racks and periodically turn the champagne bottles an eighth to a quarter of an inch each time so that the sediment from the wine’s second fermentation slowly makes its way to the neck of the bottle and eventually expelled before the final corking. Talk about your carpel tunnel occupation!

As I wandered around the room, I admired the art exhibition which changes regularly as Ryan highlights various local artists.

I also fell in love with the wine-stained backgammon and chess/checker board tables crafted by Rob Davis, another local artist.

But my favorite art piece was a fun, whimsical robot sculpture in wood done by Ryan’s younger brother, Jonathan.

Of course a winery rises and falls on its wines, so it was time to taste. The bar was crowded, so Richard and I joined friends at one of the bistro-style tables.

Jaime Heer, the tasting room manager, was our knowledgeable and gracious barista.

We started with the 2010 Pinot Gris, Turner Vineyard ($20) – I’m not usually a pinot gris lover, but this wine has a crisp apples and tea taste, but with some heft. I loved it and can see it paired with one of Richard’s fabulous fish entrees. My taste buds perked up.

“Off the tasting menu” we were treated to the 2010 Santa Ynez Sparkler ($25), a sparkling rose filled with crisp berry flavors and a hint of kiwi and jasmine – Yum. This wine would be paired beautifully with a ripe, runny (or baked) brie.

The 2009 Carr Pinot Noir, Turner Vineyard ($45) was next. Aged 12 months in French oak, this wine had a wonderful nose of mushrooms and black cherries and a rich dark fruit and spice flavor.

Next was the 2008 Carr Pinot Noir, Three Vineyards ($38) – The wine’s taste was as deeply satisfying as its beautiful garnet color. I loved this wine. I wanted to grab a bottle, put in a straw and just drink. No wonder it got a 93 point rating from the Pinot Report.

The 2008 Carr Cabernet Franc, Santa Ynez Valley was filled with scents of herbs, vanilla and berries and dark chocolate. Rich in taste, I want Richard to serve this wine the next time he makes his mustard and garlic encrusted rack of lamb.

My favorite wine of the day was the 2009 Carr Morehouse Syrah, Santa Ynez Valley ($50) - This is a truly fine, full-bodied wine, lush and delicious with all those great nose and tasting notes of berries, plums, earth and spices. No sharps or flats for those notes… this melody was definitely on key.

We finished our tasting flight with the 2009 Carr Late harvest Pinot Gris, Turner Vineyard ($20) – a dessert wine that was fermented in stainless steel and aged 12 months in neutral French oak and had flavors of honey and caramel. Poached pears, you’ve found your pear-ing.

Another cool thing about Carr wines is that many of the bottles are ‘recyclable’ – finish with your wine, bring the bottle back and the winery will refill it at a big discount. A few wines are even Carr on tap. We got to taste the last of a delicious rose on tap, and were disappointed that we couldn’t buy a bottle. No surprise… it was sold out. Wine on tap is also a great feature for some of the wines Ryan sells to restaurants. A green approach to selling wine. No bottle or wine waste for the restaurant owner.

The next time you’re in Santa Barbara or anywhere near it, take a little Carr trip. You won’t regret it. Otherwise, check out your local wine store or restaurant wine list – or let your fingers do the walking (typing) and go to the website. Instant Carr-ma.

Carr Vineyards & Winery

414 N. Salsipuedes Street

Santa Barbara, Calif. 93103

805-965-7985

info@carrwinery.com

http://www.carrwinery.com/

THE DAYS OF WINE & SOAPS - Standing Sun Wines

2011-08-30T07:53:00.000-07:00

THE DAYS OF WINE & SOAPS

Standing Sun Wines

OK, I admit it, I love soaps (the television serial kind) and I love wine… and did I find the perfect place to mix them both – from soapland’s Port Charles, NY to real life’s Santa Ynez Valley.

The soap part:

My addiction to ‘love in the afternoon’ dramas started in college with the character-driven, New York produced “Another World.” This was a jewel of a show and when it was canceled, my heart was broken.

I needed a replacement. A soap ‘fix! (Well, I did say I was an addict, right?) I soon found one when I was mentored by Doris Silverton (who also became my surrogate mom when Richard and I moved to LA). Doris wrote for “General Hospital” (GH as it’s affectionately referred to) and soon I was involved (even writing a bit) in the lives and loves of the citizens of Port Charles.

It was in Port Charles that I met Carly (Benson, Spencer, Quartermaine, Corinthos, Jax), a complex “bad” girl created by the wonderful Sarah Brown and who is now played by the sublime Laura Wright, both Emmy winners for the role. So, what has that got to do with wine? Well, when you spend so much time with soap characters (5 days a week, 52 weeks a year, year in and year out), they become family. So, like a lot of family members I follow on Twitter, I follow a few favorites and Laura/Carly is one of them.

Now the wine part:

While reading Laura’s tweets, I discovered that she and her husband, John, own and operate a winery in the “Sideways” Santa Ynez region. I began following the winery and learned that John grows the grapes, blends...

...bottles and sells the wine. Since I write about wine it was a match made in heaven. So, when I knew Richard and I were going to be in the neighborhood, I tweeted John to see if we could visit Standing Sun’s new winery and tasting room even though it was still under construction.

Graciously, he said yes.

When we arrived mid-afternoon, John was knee-deep in hammering and sawing, but stopped and warmly welcomed us into a small room with a plywood bar set up for wandering tasters.

As he uncorked the wines, he told us how the winery’s name and label came into being. The label is a photograph of his and his son’s shadows as they stood side-by-side in the setting sun. John, who’s also an architect, designer, artist and cook (a true renaissance man), used that photograph to design the wine’s label. A sun was born.

We tasted five of Standing Sun’s wine and all five were truly scrumptious.

The first was the 2010 Blanc ($24) – I’m not usually a ‘blanc’ lover in the sharp sauvignon blanc sense (I’m more of a buttery chardonnay girl), but this wine was an interesting complex blend of 34% Grenache blanc, 33% Rousanne and 33% Viognier that I’d never had before. I fell in love in the afternoon.

Next was the 2010 Pinot Noir Rose ($20). It was Richard’s turn to fall in love at first blush (I know, I know – I couldn’t help myself), and I joined him (I’m just a fickle wine lover). Delightful, slightly fruity (but not sweet), we loved this rose so much, Richard paired it w/ an entree of sea scallops in an orange-mustard-basil sauce served w/ a citrus couscous that he made last night. A perfect marriage of delicious food and wine.

The 2010 Pinot Noir ($20) is a marvel for the price - filled w/ tastes of berries and spices and aromas that brought back childhood memories of the rich tobacco blend that my father tamped into his pipe.

Time for the 2009 Grenache ($28) – I had been reading the Twitter love letters to this wine and have joined them in their love affair. I told you, I’m fickle.

Last – and my very favorite Standing Sun wine (well, at that moment anyway), was the 2009 GSM which is 30% Grenache, 40% syrah and 30% Mourvedre. 100% delicious!

Laura tasting the 2010 GSM blends - I'm jealous

John then took us inside and shared his plans and his vision for the soon to be finished winery and tasting room he’s designed as a mix of cozy comfort and industrial chic.

He projects that it will all be completed mid-September and Richard and I hope to be standing at the bar for another tasting in Standing Sun’s new winery as the sun is setting. Or rising. Or at high noon. I'm easy!

So, if you find yourself on the 101 approaching the town of Buellton and looking for a little liquid love in the afternoon, take the next exit and head to Standing Sun.

Standing Sun Wines
(Rhone Variety wines)

P.O. Box 1944

Santa Ynez, Calif. 93460

805-904-8072

866-851-2927

www.standingsunwines.com

john@standingsunwines.com

Discounts for Wine Club member

TASTING IN ARROYO GRANDE - Laetitia Vineyard & Winery

2011-08-21T11:09:00.000-07:00

TASTING IN ARROYO GRANDE

Laetitia Vineyard & Winery

Before heading back to LA, Richard and I had one more winery stop in Arroyo Grande...

Laetitia Vineyard & Winery has been making wines since 1982… and its brochure promises: “The Land Is Ours – The Grapes Are Ours – The Wine… Is Yours.” OK, we’d bite. Well, “sip” anyway.

Selim Zilkha, the founder of a successful wind power development company and champion of environmental sustainability, is the winery’s current owner and has insured that all Laetitia wines are “sustainably-produced.” He’s also done a fine job to insure that they taste good, too!

The tasting room amid the sprawling vineyard is in a large modern structure with a manicured front lawn adorned w/ Adirondack chairs and yellow and white striped umbrellas, allowing tasters to sip wine as they enjoy the gorgeous vineyard view.

Inside, the room has a barn-like feeling with its beams, pitched ceilings, and wooden barrel tasting tables.

We opted for the tasting bar. Bob, w/ a welcoming twinkle in his eye, was our barista.

One of the first things we noticed was a very large bottle on the fireplace mantel behind the bar w/ the mask of the Phantom of Opera as its label.

As Bob poured our flight, he told us that Laetitia was chosen to supply wine for the Phantom movie’s opening night party. To honor the occasion, the winery commissioned an artist to etch the Phantom logo into the glass of the magnum. When the party was over and the clean-up underway, the winery crew found the bottle in the trash. Aware of the work and creativity that went into designing that bottle they rescued it and brought it home to the winery, where it proudly sits, perched on that mantel like the treasured art piece it is. Oh, those movie people! What do they know? At least they didn’t try to sell it on eBay.

Our tasting started with a couple of whites: the 2010 chardonnay ($18) and the Nadia White, a blend of 56% viognier, 33% Grenache blanc and 11% Roussanne ($30) – Both wines, simply stated, were sublime, especially the Nadia White!

Laetitia is famous for its pinot noirs (434 acres of pinot noir grapes), so we were anxious to move from blanc to noir…

We tasted four: The 2009 Estate Pinot Noir ($25), the 2009 Reserve DuDomaine ($40), the 2007 Single Vineyard La Solline ($60) and the 2007 Single Vineyard Les Galets (The Rocks) ($60). Even before “Sideways” pinot noir was Richard’s favorite red wine grape and would be happy serving and sipping any of these wines paired w/ salmon, or roast turkey, or a crown roast pork or just w/ nothing but a glass to pour it in. I agree. All these wines deserved their over 90 pt. ratings from Wine Enthusiast.

Time to move from the pinot noirs to the more earthy full-bodied reds.

First up was the 2009 Barnwood Grenache ($22) - Laetitia’s Barnwood label, as Bob explained, is dedicated to Bordeaux and Rhone wines, and are made from grapes from the highest vineyard in Santa Barbara. And this wine lived up to that heritage… smooth to the taste w/ hints of cherry and tobacco.

Our next taste was the 2008 Laetitia Syrah ($25) – w/ a deep plum color, I tasted berry pie and spices as my nose was filled w/ aromas cedar and rose. A garden of earthly delights in a bottle.

Last but not least, Bob poured the 2006 Barnwood Port ($30) – a cab/cab franc blend – this is a spectacular, full-bodied wine w/ all the dark cocoa and citrus notes you want in a good port w/ a little graham cracker to conjure up thoughts of s’mores and more.

Our tasting done, Bob had one more thing he wanted to share w/ us. A silver saddle. We were intrigued. Why would a winery display a saddle… silver or otherwise? Well, as he told it, Laetitia had entered a Houston Rodeo Wine competition and became Grand Champion for red and was awarded the silver saddle. And, like the Phantom bottle, the saddle was displayed proudly. And that’s a saddle tale if I ever heard one.

So, if you saddle up and ride into Arroyo Grande, you won’t be sorry if you sidle up to the Laetitia Vineyard and Winery. (I know, I know... my fingers made my type that...)

Laetitia Vineyard & Winery

453 Laetitia Vineyard Drive

Arroyo Grande, Calif. 93420

888-809-VINE

http://www.laetitiawine.com/

TASTING IN ARROYO GRANDE - Kynsi Vineyards & Winery

2011-08-09T07:11:00.000-07:00

TASTING IN ARROYO GRANDE

Kynsi Vineyards & Winery

As we drove through the “Tuscany-lite” landscape, our next ‘tasting’ stop was Kynsi Vineyards & Winery. The winery itself is in a renovated 1940’s dairy farm.

The cozy tasting room is located in the old milk processing room, but tall barrels are set up just outside the room for outdoor tasting.

Richard, Candace and I opted for the tasting room where the charming sisters, Allyson and Brittni, were our baristas.

As we sipped wine, we learned that the winery was started by a Finnish family 17 years ago. I burst w/ Finnish pride since all my grandparents came from Finland (there’s not a double “a” in my last name for nothing), but then I thought: Finns make wine?

When I asked about the winery’s name and owl logo, the girls told us that when the winery was set up in the neglected old dairy, they had a gopher plague of “historic proportions.” Because owls are gophers’ #1 predator, owls were moved into the barn at the same time the family was figuring out a name and label for their wines. The gophers disappeared, so since the owl represents wisdom and is a good omen, the family chose the Finnish word “Kynsi,” meaning “talon” to honor their owls and to pay homage to their family heritage… and the owl label? According to the winery’s website, “the female in her preening pose was chosen to represent our brand, a pedestal duly earned.” I liked that!

Allyson and Brittni started our flight w/ the 2009 Edna Valley Chardonnay ($18). Dreamy creamy dance of honeydew, macadamia nut, honey and mango. A mango tango!

The 2009 Barn Owl Blush ($18), a central coast pinot noir rose is a blend of fruit and vanilla aromas w/ tastes of fruit and almonds. A portion of all proceeds from the sale of this pink wine is fittingly donated to breast cancer research and awareness. This wine is also very delicious and when Candace came for dinner last night, she surprised us by bringing a bottle that we served w/ salmon stuffed w/ roasted peppers, spinach and walnuts.

OK, enough gushing about the blush.

We then sipped three pinot noirs: A 2007 Edna Valley pinot ($32) w/ hints of raspberries, cola, a bit of pepper and maple syrup. A divine wine – just don’t pour it on your pancakes!

Next up was the 2008 Bien Nacido Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley pinot ($39) which had a silky texture w/ aromas of cherry and violets and tastes of black raspberries and a hint of tea – giving new meaning to “high” tea.

The third pinot was the Estate Pinot – Stone Corral Vineyard, Edna Valley ($48)...

...that balanced berries and oranges and hints of allspice that made this a truly lovely wine.

Next up was Hutash (Harvest Celebration) – Harvest Cuvee, Central Coast ($28) – a 50% grenache, 25% syrah, 25% pinot noir blend that had scents of plums and mulberry, pepper and flowers and tastes of cherries, bay leaves and strawberry jam. I loved this wine.

The Merrah – San Luis Obispo County ($22) – 65% merlot, 35% syrah was a rich red wine w/ a nose of dark plums, blueberries, allspice and vanilla that you could also taste, along w/ a bit of cola and cherries. The merrah the merrier.

Another favorite of mine was the 2006 Syrah – Edna Ranch Vineyard, Edna Valley ($28) – rich fruit and ‘earthy’ aromas w/ fruit, herbs and even chocolate tastes.

And last, but absolutely not least, was the delicious 2007 Syrah – Kalanna, Edna Valley ($44) – a truly smooth, rich, velvety wine w/ a bouquet of blackberries, nutmeg and violets w/richly layered tastes of berries, pepper and cocoa.

So, to answer my own question: “Finns make wine?” Yup. Evidently not all of us live in climes of terminal winter milking cows. A few make very good wine. Kippis!!!! That’s Finnish for skoal.

Kynsi Vineyards & Winery

2212 Corbett Canyon Road

Arroyo Grande, CA 93420

805-544-8461

info@kynsi.com

www.kynsi.com

TASTING IN ARROYO GRANDE - Talley Vineyards

2011-08-04T14:31:00.000-07:00

TASTING IN ARROYO GRANDE

Talley Vineyards

Day two in Arroyo Grande had us leaving Craig & Candace’s charming cottage above the creek for a long walk along the Pacific coast...

all the way to Pismo Beach.

That would have been a great walk, but noooooo, we then had to walk back. Candace is in way better shape (as is Richard) than I am, so by the time we returned to the car two hours later, every old knee, hip and joint injury I ever suffered from dance or cheerleading or volleyball or tennis or softball decided to make an unwelcomed appearance. A few Advil later and a fabulous cheeseburger lunch (my not so NuAtkins reward – hey, I burned a lot of calories, right?!) made it all worthwhile.

It was now time for wine tasting. First on our itinerary was Talley Vineyards – so it was tally ho and go (I know, I know – my hound, if I had a hound, made me write that).

The tasting room, a lovely Spanish structure w/ a manicured courtyard...

is surrounded by acres of grapevines. The setting definitely set the mood.

Anna, our lovely and knowledgeable barista set wine glasses in front of us and began the pour.

Private Tasting Room

Our first taste was the 2010 Bishop’s Peak Riesling ($16) – Estate grown, this was one of the closest Rieslings for me to the really good, dry Rieslings we had when Richard and I were in Germany. Fruity aromas w/ hints of honeysuckle and vanilla and fresh tastes of citrus w/ only a slight sweet finish. Delikat!

Next we tried the 2009 Talley Vineyards Edna Valley Chardonnay ($19.20) – a nice, medium-bodied, oak-y wine w/ citrus flavors that made me think how much I’d love to be sipping this as I cracked the shell of a steamed lobster and dipped the meat in warm clarified butter.

The 2009 Talley Vineyards Estate Chardonnay ($26) aged 30% in new French oak had all the fruit aroma bells and whistles, but w/ a little roasted almonds thrown in. Smelled good – tasted even better. A good wine paired w/ cheese, fish or chicken.

Our last white was 2009 Oliver’s Vineyard Chardonnay ($32) aged 16 months in 30% French oak. It had that creamy finish I love in a chardonnay.

Our first red was the 2009 Bishop’s Peak Pinot Noir ($20) – a really nice silky wine w/ cherry notes and a hint of anise for the nose. Notes and nose. I think there’s a song there somewhere. Cole Porter where are you when we need you? It’s delightful, it’s delicious, it’s de-lovely…

2009 Talley Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir ($36) – this is an earthy, lush, but not heavy, red that has aromas of cherries and figs – even a hint of lavender. Lavender festivals of the world, take note of this nose.

The 2007 Bishop’s Peak Rock Solid Red ($14) is a blend of 60% syrah, 20% cab franc, 10% cabernet sauvignon, and 10% petite syrah – this is a delicious, “big” red table wine. Want to have it w/ your grilled steak or burger? Perfect. And what a pairing it would make w/ pizza or lasagna. It’s a yum from me.

Last but not least was my favorite of the Talley wines – the 2008 Bishop’s Peak Petite Sirah ($25) – a deep royal purple-y red in color, it was a wine fit for the royals. Breathing in the wine like Paul Giamatti in “Sideways” I smelled the cedar and dates and maple syrup and strong dark fruits. I don’t know which was more satisfying – the aroma or the rich fruit taste w/ soft tannins. It was the finest wine among fine wines.

After 25 years in the wine making business, Talley Vineyards has definitely learned its craft and can be found nationally or ordered online through its wine club.

It was time to say good bye to Anna… but Talley Vineyards was a great way to start the day’s wine tasting adventure.

TASTING IN ARROYO GRANDE - Phantom Rivers Wine

2011-07-30T15:00:00.000-07:00

TASTING IN ARROYO GRANDE

Phantom Rivers Wine

Our friends, Candace and Craig, own a beautiful, “weekend” cottage in Arroyo Grande (translation: large creek) California, complete with a crackling creek (un poco not grande) running through the back of their property.

Recently, Candace invited us there for the weekend (hence the “weekend” cottage moniker).

In the evening, sitting on the deck sipping wine many feet above the crackling creek, is like sitting in a beautifully landscaped tree house.

Amid the tall trees, sloping hillside and lower decks...

...Craig has created a little Garden of Eden. I definitely could live there.

When we did leave the cottage, we strolled Branch Street (Arroyo Grande’s charming “Main Street”), walked the trails to Pismo beach and winery hopped, sipping the wines fantastic. Yup, the area’s filled w/ some great wineries. I told you I could live there.

Our first winery stop was Phantom Rivers Wine right on Branch and a stone’s throw from the cottage.

It was cool early in the early evening so we grabbed sweaters and walked to town.

The tasting room is a charming blue bungalow that was built in 1905 w/ a front porch, a small back deck and three rooms to sit and sip.

We opted for the front room and sidled up to the bar. Our barista, Debbie Rau, the tasting room manager, told us that the winery was created in 2004 by The Nipomo Wine Group, four couples who love wine and love living in California’s central coast. They named their winery Phantom Rivers after the rivers of fog that fill the central coast valleys, keeping the vineyards cool at night and early morning, then evaporating into the air like a… phantom.

We started w/ the 2008 Chardonnay, Edna Ranch ($22). I’m a chardonnay fan, and I loved this wine which was aged in a combination of French oak and stainless steel. Crisp, yet those hints of vanilla and spices were there to tantalize my tongue.

Next was the 2009 Luna Rosa, a Paso Robles blush wine ($14) made from 100% zinfandel grapes. Yes, the winery calls it “blush,” not rose, but it’s a fine rose to me (a rose by any other name…) and the perfect wine to sip on a summer’s evening while sitting on Candace & Craig’s deck musing over the flora and fauna and that crackling creek.

One of my favorite Phantom Rivers wines was the 2009 Grenache, Santa Barbara Highlands ($24), aged for 16 months in light American oak. It had the aroma of a candied apple and tastes of vanilla and butterscotch. I kid you not. I could smell and drink this wine in a closet and be totally happy in the dark. Does this make me a closet Grenache lover?

The 2007 Pinot Noir, Wolff Vineyard ($26) was aged in a combination of new and neutral oak barrels for 15 months. A bit of cherry, strawberry and spice – I wondered if it was the new oak or the old that added the spice? Did the new add the cherry or was that the old? What about that strawberry? I may never understand the complexities of winemaking – but I know what I like and I liked this pinot.

Onto the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Still Waters Vineyard ($22), a full-bodied wine. Aged for 15 months in American oak, this wine w/ its hints of currants and cherries made me think grilled sirloin. Of course, almost any full-bodied red makes me think of steak. Red meat, red wine – no blushing here!

Another favorite of mine was the 2006 Syrah, Central Coast ($20). This wine was aged in American and French oak barrels for 18 months and its flavors of rich red fruit, pepper and spice make this a great wine for the price. Again which country’s barrels did what – I didn’t care, I just wanted to keep sipping…

The 2006 Paso del Sol – 65% syrah, 20% cab & 15% mourvedre ($30) was created as a tribute to the local Santa Maria style tri-tip. I’ve never had this particular tri-tip, but this wine is certainly worth trying w/ tri-tips from anywhere.

You know how fashion shows always end w/ a bridal gown? The crème de la crème of the runway? Well, most good wine tastings end w/ the dessert wine and the Paso Robles 2009 Zin Port put the crème in the de la crème. So deelish, in fact, that Candace bought two bottles.

So if you’re passing through town, park your car and walk up the front porch steps and into a fine wine experience.

Or go online and check out the wine club. You’ll be happy you did.

Phantom Rivers Wine

211 E. Branch Street

Arroyo Grande, CA 93420

805-481-9463

http://www.phantomrivers.com/

TASTING IN ARROYO GRANDE - Phantom Rivers Wine

2011-07-30T14:41:00.000-07:00

TASTING IN ARROYO GRANDE

Phantom Rivers Wine

In the evening, sitting on the deck sipping wine many feet above the crackling creek, is like sitting in a beautifully landscaped tree house. Amid the tall trees, sloping hillside and lower decks, Craig has created a little Garden of Eden. I definitely could live there.

Our first winery stop was Phantom Rivers Wine right on Branch and a stone’s throw from the cottage.

It was cool early in the early evening so we grabbed sweaters and walked to town.

The tasting room is a charming blue bungalow that was built in 1905...

...w/ a front porch, a small back deck and three rooms to sit and sip. We opted for the front room and sidled up to the bar. Our barista, Debbie Rau, the tasting room manager, told us that the winery was created in 2004 by The Nipomo Wine Group, four couples who love wine and love living in California’s central coast. They named their winery Phantom Rivers after the rivers of fog that fill the central coast valleys, keeping the vineyards cool at night and early morning, then evaporating into the air like a… phantom.

So if you’re passing through town, park your car and walk up the front porch steps and into a fine wine experience.

Or go online and check out the wine club. You’ll be happy you did.

Phantom Rivers Wine

211 E. Branch Street

Arroyo Grande, CA 93420

805-481-9463

http://www.phantomrivers.com/

ATKINS - RAW PESTO "PASTA"

2011-07-11T10:27:00.000-07:00

ATKINS - RAW PESTO “PASTA”

Does anyone like to diet? I mean really, what’s to like about depriving yourself of some of your favorite foods…the very foods that caused you to have to go on a diet in the first place? Well, I’m dieting and I’m bitching about it everyday even though I find Atkins a ‘livable’ diet (I’m a protein girl)…

The other night, however, I stopped bitching. Richard grilled some salmon and made pasta. Raw pesto pasta. I know. I know. No pasta on Atkins. But like South Beach Diet’s mashed cauliflower recipe to dim the craving for mashed potatoes – this dish was conceived to dim the craving for spaghetti… or linguini… or … you get the picture. It’s actually zucchini cut into julienne strips that “impersonate” noodles. It’s a visual.

Does this dish taste like pasta? No. But, since we eat w/ our eyes as well as our mouths – your eyes can trick you into believing it does. I don’t know if my eyes fooled me or not, but I loved this raw pesto pasta “invented” by vegan chef Mark Reinfeld, the founding chef of Blossoming Lotus in Portland, Oregon. Not being a vegan (not even close) this dish was perfect w/ the salmon and would be perfect w/ a steak off the grill.

RAW PESTO PASTA

Ingredients:

2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced into ‘noodles’ (approximately 4 cups)

Pesto sauce ingredients:

2 cups fresh basil, firmly packed

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons pine nuts

1 medium/large clove garlic

2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice

¾ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

pinch cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, optional

1 teaspoon seeded and diced jalapeno pepper, optional

Garnish:

12 cherry tomatoes, quartered

8 Kalamata olives, pitted and halved

4 teaspoons pine nuts, optional

Directions:

To make the ‘noodles,’ cut the zucchini into ¼-inch-thick slices, and then lay each slice on its side and cut into ¼-inch-thick julienne strips. Place in a mixing bowl. Alternatively, use a mandolin

on the small julienne setting.

To make the pesto, in a blender or food processor, combine the basil, olive oil, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, nutritional yeast (if using – Richard didn’t) and jalapeno (if using – Richard didn’t) and blend until smooth. Be careful not to over blend. Depending upon the strength of the blender motor, you may need to add a little more olive oil to process smoothly.

Add the pesto to the zucchini ‘noodles’ and toss gently but thoroughly. Let sit for 10 minutes so the zucchini softens.

To serve, divide the mixture into four bowls or plates, and top each serving w/ 6 cherry tomato quarters, 2 olive halves and 1 teaspoon of pine nuts, if desired.

Variations: pesto made w/ walnuts or macadamia nuts instead of pine nuts.

4 servings

9g total carbs – 7g net carbs – 2g fiber – 4 g protein – 21g fat --- 220 calories

AN ODE TO THE TOMATO - Provencal Tomatoes

2011-07-02T13:24:00.000-07:00

AN ODE TO THE TOMATO

Provencal Tomatoes

Growing up on Long Island, one of my many summer food ‘joys’ (besides sweet corn, fried clams, crab cakes, steamers, homemade ice cream cones, watermelon...) was ripe, juicy, freshly picked tomatoes. Not just any tomato – but sweet New Jersey tomatoes. I’d slice them in half, sprinkle w/ a little salt and eat them as I would an apple. Didn’t want them in a salad – why would anyone want to mix this delectable flavor w/ greens or a dressing? Certainly not I.

Living in Los Angeles a zillion years later, I miss those tomatoes of my youth… LA has great heirloom tomatoes and friends have grown some pretty tasty ‘regular’ ones… but a delicious, big, bright red, beefy beefsteak just isn’t happening in Southern California (can’t speak for the north). To me, those California impostors are tasteless. So I’m always looking for a new way to serve them when Richard brings them home… I’ve cut them up, salted them and tossed them w/ a balsamic vinegar dressing… I’ve diced and sautéed them to toss in pasta… and I’ve even roasted them. All delicious dishes, but still not the same as biting into a slightly salted, ripe, New Jersey tomato.

I still haven’t found that elusive tomato here on the left coast, but I recently discovered a really wonderful tomato dish while flipping through the TV channels on route to HGTV and accidentally landing on the Food Network. That itself made Richard laugh. Me watching the Food Network! I love to write about food, but he knows I don’t like to watch people actually prepare the food… but Ina Garten (the Barefoot Contessa) was talking tomatoes. Provencal tomatoes. I stopped. I listened. I copied down the recipe (for Richard, of course). So, the next time he bought those big, ripe, California tomatoes, he made the dish. Was it as good as my tomato memory? Well, no. But really, not much can compete w/ a beloved, childhood memory. Have to admit, though, Ina’s tomatoes were definitely tomato-licious.

PROVENCAL TOMATOES

(Inspired by Julia Child –

Barefoot Contessa Family Style)

Ingredients:

6 ripe tomatoes (2-1/2 to 3-inches in diameter)

1-1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed)

¼ cup minced scallions, white and green parts (2 scallions)

¼ cup minced fresh basil leaves

2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)

½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

½ cup grated Gruyere cheese

Good olive oil

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

Cut the cores from the tomatoes, removing as little as possible. Cut them in half crosswise and, w/ your fingers, remove the seeds and juice. Place the tomato halves in a baking dish.

In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs, scallions, basil, parsley, garlic, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle the tomato halves generously w/ salt and pepper. With you hands, fill the cavities and cover the tops of the tomatoes w/ the bread crumb mixture. Bake the tomatoes for 15 minutes or until they’re tender. Sprinkle w/ the cheese, drizzle w/ olive oil, and bake for 30 seconds more.

Serve hot or at room temperature.

Serves 8

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/provencal-tomatoes-recipe/index.html

ON THE ROAD TO MOROCCO - Moroccan Chicken That Is

2011-06-24T09:04:00.000-07:00

ON THE ROAD TO

MOROCCO –

Moroccan Chicken That Is

My love affair w/ chicken continued the other night when Richard made chicken, Moroccan style.

Sadly, we didn’t eat this divine dish at Rick’s Place in Casablanca… but, sitting outside by our pool on a warm summer’s eve, we clicked our glasses and toasted “Here’s looking at you, kid.”

MOROCCAN CHICKEN

With Preserved Lemons

And Green Olives

(from Ruth Reichl’s “The Gourmet Cookbook”)

Ingredients:

4 small skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/2 lbs), rinsed & patted dry

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 medium onions, sliced ¼ inch thick

2 garlic cloves thinly sliced

½ teaspoon turmeric

8 pieces Moroccan-style preserved lemon

½ cup chicken stock or store-bought low-sodium broth

¼ cup dry white wine

16 green olives, pitted and halved

Garnish: 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Season chicken w/ salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot, but not smoking. Brown chicken, turning over once, about 6 minutes total. Transfer chicken to a plate and keep warm, covered.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet, reduce heat to moderate, and add onions and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned, 8-10 minutes. Add turmeric and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Meanwhile, scrape pulp from preserved lemon (reserve for another use, if desired). Cut rind into thin strips.

Add preserved lemon rind to onions, along w/ stock, wine, and olives. Return chicken, with any juices accumulated on plate, to skillet. Simmer, covered, until chicken is cooked through, about 12 minutes.

Serve sprinkled w/ cilantro.

Serves 4

MOROCCAN-STYLE

Preserved Lemons

(from Ruth Reichl’s “The Gourmet Cookbook”)

Ingredients:

2-1/2 – 3 lbs lemons (10-12) – Meyer lemons if you have them

2/3 cup kosher salt

¼ cup olive oil

Special Equipment: a 6-cup jar w/ a tight-fitting lid

Directions:

Blanch 6 lemons in boiling water for 5 minutes; drain. When cool enough to handle, cut each lemon into 8 wedges and discard seeds. Toss w/ kosher salt in a bowl, then pack, along w/ salt, into jar.

Squeeze enough juice from remaining lemons to measure 1 cup. Add enough juice to jar to cover lemons and screw on lid tightly. Let lemons stand at room temperature, shaking gently once a day, for 5 days.

Add oil to lemons and refrigerate.

Cookbook’s note: Preserved lemons keep, refrigerated, for up to one year.

Or, if you’re lucky, you’ll have Kyle as a friend who’ll give you a jar of preserved lemons she made.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN IN SONOMA-Pt. 9-Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards-The Final Chaper

2011-06-13T12:11:00.000-07:00

ON THE ROAD AGAIN IN SONOMA

Part Nine

Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards

The Final Chapter

You know that old saying: All good things must come to an end? Well, I hate that it’s true. Our Sonoma winery road adventure was over and waking up in our condo on our final morning was bittersweet. Richard and I love the beauty of the towns and the landscape of valley as much as we love venturing from tasting to tasting at winery after winery. We could live there… really. So, before we left the region, we decided to have one last ‘hurrah.’

We followed a long, rural, winding back road in Windsor past cows grazing in pastures and bees buzzing in grapevines to Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards. The winery’s modern structure...

...is nestled on beautiful acreage which includes a pond...

...and a ‘front lawn’ world-class croquet court – so world class, in fact, the world croquet championships are played there on that very lawn.

Sonoma-Cutrer was established as a vineyard in 1973, and Richard and I have often enjoyed their chardonnays at home or at a restaurant so we were looking forward to sipping them ‘on-site.’

The tasting room, opened only last July, is a modern glass and stone room w/ simple wine displays...

...a cork wreath...

...blond furniture and a ‘modern-art’ wine barrel sculpture...

...giving it a cool (as in temperature), sophisticated feel… but the service was old-world warm and friendly.

Scott Mansfield was our knowledgeable barista, who told us that when the winery began the owners decided to focus on one wine: chardonnay (the reigning queen of California whites) produced exclusively from its own vineyards, all of which are fermented and aged in French oak and crafted using traditional Burgundian methods.

Our first pour was the 2009 Russian River Ranches Chardonnay ($23) – a taste of honey w/ a touch of caramel… those vineyard bees would have swarmed to this honey of a wine.

Next came the 2006 “The Cutrer” Chardonnay ($35) – crisp, yet creamy and full-bodied. I liked the aroma of honeysuckle and the slight fig and nut taste.

The 2006 Les Pierres Chardonnay ($32) was like biting into fermented fruit mixed w/ a bit of butterscotch and nuts. A nut and butterscotch candied apple of a wine.

A limited release, the 2006 Founders Reserve Chardonnay ($50) had a gorgeous golden color and offered flavors of lemon custard, apples and honey. Unfortunately, it’s sold out. So why did Scott give us a taste? Perhaps, so I could let you know how delicious it was – or maybe he just needed to finish up the last bottle and we were happy to oblige.

Our last taste was the vineyard’s first step into ‘red’ country w/ its 2007 Pinot Noir-Russian River Valley ($34) – a nice wine w/ scents of berries accented w/ cinnamon and sweet pipe tobacco. Yup, pipe tobacco that I remember from my youth when my dad sat in a big easy chair in our living room and packed the sweet, fragrant tobacco into his pipe as he readied to read the evening newspaper. I think he’d like sipping this wine as he checked out the front page.

Our tasting was done and it was only 11:30 in the morning! But, no more – we had miles to go before we sipped… Yes, miles to go before we sipped.

Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards

4401 Slusser Road

Windsor CA 95492

707-237-3489

http://www.sonomacutrer.com/

ON THE ROAD AGAIN IN SONOMA-Pt. 8-The Last Supper-Barndiva

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

ON THE ROAD AGAIN IN SONOMA

Part Eight

Barndiva

The Last Supper

The first thing that comes to my mind when someone mentions a last supper is the painting by DiVinci depicting Jesus sitting at the center of a long dinner table celebrating Passover w/ his disciples. Putting the whole wafer and wine thing aside, have you ever wondered what they had at that last supper? Matzo ball soup? Brisket?

Well, our last supper in Sonoma was at Barndiva. There were no wafers (though some very tasty, crusty bread w/ tart raspberry jam)...

...no matzo ball soup and no brisket… but it was an absolutely religious experience.

The ‘backstory:’

Barndiva – barn*diva – proper noun - is a nickname that legend says was invented to commemorate the restaurant’s owner Jil Hales’ love of dancing to music in her family barn, but Jil, along w/ her husband and co-owner Geoffrey, chose the name because of their desire to elevate the farmer to “diva” status. A ‘sustainable’ restaurant, Barndiva uses only ingredients from local farms within a 30 mile radius. This, of course, also reduces its carbon footprint, always a good thing. To further help the environment, used cooking oil is recycled to run farm tractors, and organic trims from the kitchen feed the chickens who lay the restaurant’s eggs. Barndiva is also a member of the Fork & Shovel, a farmers’ collaborative including 30 restaurants that support each other in this quest to deliver great food using local produce, meats and products. Barndiva even dry-farms apples, figs and chestnuts. That’s very cool, especially since being environmentally conscious doesn’t keep them from serving incredibly good food.

The ambience:

To get to Barndiva’s front door, we walked past an outdoor patio

down a lush hedge-covered arched nave alongside the barn-like building.

After entering the restaurant...

...the first thing I noticed was a room divider made up of old wooden cobbler shoe molds separating the long dining room.

The high ceilings gave the space a cathedral-like feeling, as the cream colored walls w/ wainscoting and the dark wood bar w/ its interesting art deco-ish back wall beckoned us in.

Adorning the walls were wire fish/animal sculptures that cast web-like shadows as the sun set and the lights were turned on.

One whole wall consisted of banquette seating w/ black pinstriped seat cushions and light gray back pillows fronted by bare wood tables. And then there was the back-lit wine wall that faced our table which looked like a stained glass window...

...enhancing our feeling that this was going to be a divine evening.

The food:

Head chef Ryan Fancher worked w/ Thomas Keller (the Pope of American cuisine) at the French Laundry, then helped him open up Per Se in New York before coming to Barndiva. Richard and I had one of our most memorable meals EVAH at the French Laundry so we truly were looking forward to this last supper in Sonoma.

As we sipped our drinks (a martini for me), the evening’s service began with…

tomato goat cheese puffs w/ lavender honey…

brie w/ honeycomb & sliced radishes…

heirloom beet & endive, avocado, apple, candied walnuts & warm chevre…

and crispy pork belly, w/ a quail egg, arugula pesto & kumquat (my favorite!).

All directly from the gods! Hallelujah!

Then came the entrees – a veritable communion of flavors…

Bob and Richard had the caramelized sea scallops w/ peas, bacon, roasted romaine, Kendal Farms crème fraiche, and sorrel nage. I’m not sure what ‘nage’ is, but after tasting this dish, I’m very sure it was heavenly.

Nguyen opted for the seared Alaskan halibut, artichoke ravioli, spring onion soubise, avocado and fennel. I had a bite. The blend of flavors – divine…

I had the Creekstone Farms’ beef ribeye w/ marble potatoes, pearl onion, carrot, garlic confit and horseradish bavoroise. Wow! This was the rapture for me!

So, my final judgment on this last supper? Manna from heaven!

As I said, a religious experience.

Barndiva Restaurant & Lounge

231 Center Street

Healdsburg CA

7170431-0100

barndiva.com

info.barndiva.com

Open table

ON THE ROAD AGAIN IN SONOMA-Pt.7-Fritz Underground Winery

2011-05-31T07:24:00.000-07:00

ON THE ROAD AGAIN IN SONOMA

Part Seven

Fritz Underground Winery

Before I write about our last meal in Sonoma, I want to back-up a couple of days and tell you about Fritz, a sustainable winery carved right into a mountain… literally.

The view was stunning.

The picnic area lovely.

But it was the massive white facade on the side of the mountain that intrigued me. Built in the late 70’s by founder Jay Fritz, the “Gaudi-style” underground winery and tasting room from the outside is made of what appears to be white stucco w/ stunning, modern glass doors leading into its tasting room.

The entrance to the underground winery and caves is separate, w/ the winery insignia proudly displayed high on the door.

Because this winery is underground, it maintains a constant temperature of 58 degrees, so there’s no need for air-conditioning. How cool is that?! Refrigeration is required only to cool the fermentation tanks.

Much to our disappointment, however, we were too late to tour the caves, but there was the tasting room to cheer us up.

Bob Cuozzo, the Director of Retail Operations, was our barista and, as we chatted, I detected a New York accent. Naturally, I asked and, not only was he from New York, he was from Woodside, Queens – right next door to my very own hometown of Bayside. So we played Queens geography as we sipped these princely wines.

Our first pour on the $10 Estate Flight was the 2009 Vino Valpredo Bianca Mia ($14) – 50% sauvignon blanc and 50% chardonnay. This was a refreshing, crisp, fruity wine (a bit of grapefruit along w/ some apple) that had a little lemon custard to its finish. Stu, my ‘sauvignon blanc lover’ friend would like this wine (and its price).

Next up was the 2008 Estate Zinfindel ($25) w/ all the color, aroma and taste bells and whistles of berries and spices that really rang true.

The 2007 Dry Creek Valley Syrah ($30) had bold flavors w/ that hint of chocolate and cocoa powder. This, of course, is not a dessert wine – but hints of chocolate and cocoa powder in anything are always welcome.

And, tasting the 2008 Late Harvest Estate Zin ($35) made me think of red meat and blue cheese… Translation: I liked it.

However, my favorite wine in this flight was the 2007 Estate Reserve cab ($50) aged for 20 months in French oak barrels. The aromas of cherries, plums and cola filled my nose as the flavors of fruit and spices w/ soft tannins filled my taste buds. This was a wine I wanted to revisit again and again.

Moving onto the $15.00 Reserve Flight, we began w/ a lovely 2008 Reserve Chardonnay ($50) aged in both new and old French oak. Oaky. Buttery. Yet, fruity. Definitely my kind of chardonnay.

The 2007 Reserve Pinot Noir ($50) is naturally fermented in open tanks then aged for 11 months in 80% new French oak. Again, not a dessert wine, but I felt I was drinking chocolate covered cherries in a wine glass.

Our next taste was the 2008 Estate Reserve Zin ($50) – my favorite Fritz red. Aged for nine months in 40% new French oak barrels, this is a wine you can drink now or save in your cellar for a rainy day or a sunny day or a cloudy day or any day!

We ended the flight w/ the 2007 Estate Reserve Cab ($50) – aged for 20 months in French barrels – this is a lovely wine that opens up w/ scents of flowers and plums and tastes of red fruit and spices.

I had an Aunt Fritzie I often called Fritz – she was like a second mother to me and I still miss her...

me & Fritzie

...this wine did her name proud.

Fritz Underground Winery

24691 Dutcher Creek Road

Cloverdale, CA 95425

707-894-3389

800-418-9463

http://www.fritzwinery.com/

Cave tours are by appointment

ON THE ROAD AGAIN IN SONOMA-Pt. 6- Truett-Hurst Winery

2011-05-27T12:32:00.000-07:00

ON THE ROAD AGAIN IN SONOMA

Part Six

Truett-Hurst Winery

Woman (or man) cannot live by wine alone – or so said my growling stomach! So, when our merry wine-tasting band (my brother Bob, his wife Nguyen, Richard and I) pulled into the Truett-Hurst Winery, we found a spectacular place for a pre-tasting picnic. Nguyen had packed a picnic lunch and I couldn’t wait to unpack it. We quickly made our way thru the beautiful flower garden

to the winery’s picturesque picnic area alongside a babbling brook

and staked out our site at a grouping of red Adirondack chairs.

We ate. We mused. We listened to that babbling water. We ate. We soaked up nature.

This is one of the joys of tasting in Sonoma. The natural surroundings are so breathtaking, yet so soothing, providing more than just a series of tasting rooms. And the Truett-Hurst tasting room was built to fit into its lovely setting.

The first things I noticed upon entering the large, airy room, much of it made from eco friendly materials, were the drum chandeliers.

I don’t know how eco friendly they are (the ceiling was), but I just loved them. One red wall had an interesting display of art, aged wood (carrying that recycle wood theme down from the ceiling) and wine bottles…

and then there was a birdhouse made of wine corks.

OK, I have friends who collect wine corks – Richard even collected wine corks for a while. And, I’m the first one to admit I collect things – McCoy pottery, bone china, Wallace Nutting hand-painted photographs… but corks? And, I’m all for recycling… but corks? I finally gave Richard’s cork collection to dear friend Kyle, who cleverly ‘recycled’ them into a fabulous cork wreath I display at Christmas. Thankfully, that put a cork in Richard’s cork collecting. But, when I saw that birdhouse, I said a silent prayer… Dear Lord please don’t let this be a sign from the heavens that Richard should start collecting corks again… but I digress…

As Nguyen explored the winery, Bob, Richard and I saddled up to the bar and our tasting began… in wine glasses made to tilt ‘just so,’ allowing you to savor every last drop. That’s a considerate winery!

Sal Curreri, our knowledgeable barista told us that the winery’s founders, Messrs. Truett and Hurst, met and worked together at the Fetzer winery before forming their partnership for the Truett-Hurst Winery in 2007 which consists of 26 acres of zinfandel and petite syrah vineyards, five acres of gardens and that creek where we just picnicked which has Coho salmon and steelhead trout swimming free. Did I mention the sheep? Yup, there are sheep grazing in a nearby pastoral pasture… just like in one of those Wallace Nuttings I love to collect.

Our first pour was the 2010 Swallowtail chardonnay ($20) aged in new oak for two months and stainless for three. Nothing recycled about this wine w/ its fresh apples and pears taste. You might not be able to compare apples to pears – but mix the two tastes together and you get a lovely balanced white wine.

The 2010 zinfandel rose ($15) had ‘lively’ fruit tastes… perfect for a hot mid-summer night’s dream.

Moving on to the reds, we started w/ the 2009 Rattler Rock zin ($29) – I didn’t ask Sal to explain the ‘rattler’ handle and what rock it crawled under because I didn’t want to spoil the luscious jammy, clove-y, strawberry-y tasting experience. I really hate snakes!

The next zin was the 2008 Red Rooster ($29) – now there’s a handle and living creature I can crow about, just as I can about this deliciously decadent wine w/ hints of boysenberries, plums, tea and spices.

It was time for the 2009 Luci zin ($29) – spicy w/ flavors of black cherry and pomegranate thrown in… it’s a Luci in the sky w/ diamonds.

Still in a zin frame of mind, we sipped the 2009 Southdown ($29) – north, south, east or west you won’t find a better zin for the price. Layers of blackberry and cassis w/ some cracked pepper and vanilla wafers. I really could taste the wafers. Honest.

Following the zins was the 2008 Burning Man (I can only imagine) petite syrah ($33) – I gave this wine a bunch of stars in my notes… Figs (I love figs) and dark chocolate gave this wine a wonderful confectionary flavor.

Last, but definitely not least, was the 2009 Dark Horse Vineyard red ($40) – a Grenache blend that I rated a 5 star wine. It was just plain delicious.

Grazing sheep in green pastures, fish swimming in a babbling brook, beautiful gardens, lovely picnic area, fine wines … I could live there. Well, at least hang out for a few days. I think you’d agree.

Truett-Hurst Winery

5610 Dry Creek Road

Healdsburg CA 95448

707-433-6913

http://www.truetthurst.com/

ON THE ROAD AGAIN IN SONOMA-Pt.5-Wine & Olive Oil

2011-05-24T10:47:00.000-07:00

ON THE ROAD AGAIN IN SONOMA

Part Five

Rodney Strong & Kokomo Wines

w/ a bit of Olive Oil

After our amazing wine/food pairing at Kendall-Jackson the day we arrived, Bob, Nguyen, Richard and I (w/ friend Paul) went to the beautiful Rodney Strong Vineyards winery.

As Ray, our friendly barista (and keeper of the bottle) told us...

... Founder Rodney, and his wife, Charlotte, were Broadway dancers during their 1950’s first incarnation. As an ex-dancer myself, I thought that was cool. Since 1989, however, Tom Klein has been this “carbon neutral, all sustainable” winery’s owner. All 1,000 acres are Sonoma County vineyards which take great care of the ecosystem in ways that preserve and replenish resources, a la drip irrigation, covered crops, composting, etc.

Unfortunately, a good number of the wines were disappointing after that Kendall-Jackson experience. However, I did like the 2007 cabernet sauvignon reserve ($45) and the 2007 Symmetry, red Meritage (California’s version of Bordeaux) ($55) which received 94 points from Wine Enthusiast. Also good was the 2007 Brothers Ridge cab ($75) made w/ grapes grown at high elevation which received 93 pts. from Wine Spectator. High marks from highly regarded arbiters – proving, once again, that taste (and tasting) is subjective.

On our last day, we four wine musketeers found ourselves once again driving on Dry Creek Road (Healdsburg’s ‘winery row’) where we discovered the Kokomo Winery, founded in 2004 by Eric Miller of Kokomo, Indiana…. not the Beach Boys' Kokomo off the Florida Keys - but, of course, that didn’t keep the song at bay… If I could have blasted out a fanfare, I would have, because we were soon to learn that we had hit the grape mother lode, but the Beach Boys musical vibrations were still ringing in my head.

Inside, the fun and funky tasting room....

...delightful Becky was our barista. She started us with the 2008 Sonoma Coast pinot noir, reserve, Gopher Hill ($38). The wine sang us a Kokomo tune of rose petals and red apple-skin. The wine got 92 pts.in the Pinot Report… Lovely to look at… delightful to hold (sing it!).

Sipping the 2007 Dry Creek Valley zin, Timber Crest Vineyard ($32) w/ its jammy raspberry flavor and hints of cherry, pepper and vanilla again made me want to break out in song, but I didn’t want to scare the little dog that guarded the door!

Next up was the 2007 Dry Creek Valley merlot, Pauline’s Vineyard ($28) – great aroma. I love merlot and this was so good it could sing its own praises.

The 2008 Dry Creek Valley petite syrah ($27) was not petite at all, but filled w/ big, syrupy wild berry flavors, w/ smooth, ripe tannins. An aria of a wine.

All in all… very nice wines for a mere $5.00 tasting fee that’ll put your taste buds in Kokomotion…

As we were leaving, we noticed a little shop next door called Dry Creek Olive Co.

We all love olives so we thought we’d check it out. Dry Creek Olive Co. we soon discovered makes olive oil. Entering the fresh and pretty ‘shop,’ we were engulfed in wonderful aromatic scents from the company’s on-site mill and tasting room.

Yup. The ‘shop’ had a tasting room. So, why not? Can’t have wine all the time, right?

After a peek at the mill...

... we settled in for a little 'extra virgin' tasting.

Chris, our Dry Creek Olive Co. host, told us that all their olive oil is made from their own trees.

We dipped pieces of bread into vanilla olive oil… then soaked up the Meyer lemon, the tangerine (my favorite) and the lime flavored EVOOs as well as the Tuscan blends tempered w/ Spanish Arbequina. All delicious w/ that fresh, clean taste that good olive oils have. But I “revisited” the tangerine oil so many times, Chris was running out of bread. Told you it was my favorite!

Oh, did I mentioned the vinegar? More bread dipping into Barrel-Aged California Balsamic. Oh, my – it was like tasting port… And then there was the Pomegranate – white wine vinegar made w/ California pomegranates bursting w/ sweet, fruity, delicious flavor.

Though there was no Dry Creek Olive Oil Co. song to play in our heads, we left singing its praises. But that delicious olive oil and vinegar soaked bread awakened all our hunger pangs.

It was time for a picnic.

Rodney Strong Vineyards

11453 Old Redwood Highway

Healdsburg CA 95448

707-431-1533

www.rodneystrong.com

Kokomo Winery

4791 Dry Creek Road

Healdsburg CA 95448

707-433-0200

www.KokomoWinery.com

Dry Creek Olive Co.

4791 Dry Creek Road

Healdsburg CA 95448

707-431-7200

www.drycreekolivecompany.com

ON THE ROAD AGAIN IN SONOMA-Pt. 4-Amista Vineyards

2011-05-22T09:40:00.000-07:00

ON THE ROAD AGAIN IN SONOMA

Part Four

Amista Vineyards

Making Friends

As Bob, Nguyen, Richard and I continued our wine tasting road trip just outside of Healdsburg town proper, we discovered a winery that became one of my favorites: Amista Vineyards. “Amista” loosely translates to “making friends” – and, that’s not only the slogan for this relatively new winery, but what proprietors Vicky and Mike Farrow practice. They’ve made friends with the people of Healdsburg, its customers, animal lovers, the ‘earth,’ and they made friends with us. And to top it off, their wines are user-friendly..

The winery itself is a big barn affair w/ welcoming rustic charm

that includes over-stuffed leather furniture, and walls covered w/ vibrant art hung in gallery fashion by Sonoma artist Carole Rae Watanabe.

One of Amista’s proudest achievements has nothing to do w/ wine. It’s the 2010 Amista Dog Day which raised money for CCI, Canine Companions for Independence (assisted living). A book to commemorate the event is on display in the tasting room. The winery has stayed committed to this worthy organization and so has artist Watanabe who donates part of the money she makes from each painting to CCI.

As we began our tasting flight, Clayton, our adorable barista, told us that all Amista wines are made from grapes grown “in the neighborhood” making it, like many wineries in Sonoma, a sustainable one - always important to the local economy and the environment as it decreases its carbon imprint.

We lounged. We admired the art. We took pictures.

I took notes. And, of course, we tasted.

Our first pour was a 2008 chardonnay from Morningsong Vineyards ($25). This was a crisp, fruity chardonnay. No oak. No butter. Think green apples and Meyer lemons, but w/ a soft mineral finish. Our friend Stu is not a chardonnay lover, but he would love this wine. The suggested pairing on the tasting menu: sautéed shrimp in lemon butter and shallot sauce over linguine. You listening Richard???

The 2009 “Rose of Syrah,” also from Morningsong grapes ($17), had a hint of rhubarb giving the wine a tangy acidity. This wine, the menu told us, goes well w/ steamed mussels, grilled oysters, BBQ shrimp or a Thanksgiving turkey. Chill it and bring on the mussels and oysters! Shucks!

Next was the 2007 zinfandel from Saini Farms-Gene’s Block ($34). This is an elegant wine w/ rich, full-bodied fruit flavors and a subtle white pepper finish. Yum. Food suggestion: fresh seafood cioppino or braised beef over polenta. A win-zin situation.

On to the 2005 syrah, again from Morningsong Vineyard grapes. A silver medal winner at the Harvest Fair ($30), it’s described as a “muscular” wine. I agree. It was robust and smoky and would go well w/ grilled lamb or beef bourguignon, as stated on the tasting menu. Where’s my plate?

Then came the tasting of the 2006 cabernet sauvignon, from Francesca’s Terrace ($42)… this was a gold medal winner at the San Francisco International wine event… a classic cab w/ a deep red color and hints of black cherry and exotic spices. Start grilling that filet mignon and, as suggested, serve w/ a crumbled Point Reyes blue cheese. Oh, my… be still my heart. Loved the wine – loved the food pairing suggestion.

Clayton then offered us two “off the tasting menu” tastes.

The first was a 2010 sparkling syrah ($30) – loved it. He didn’t make any food pairing suggestions – but I’d definitely serve this bubbly on a warm summer evening, sitting out by the pool w/ Richard as the sun sets, sharing a few light appetizers or a crisp green salad.

The second off the menu taste was my favorite Amista wine… the 2007 syrah ($28) – it was so good, I’d drink it w/ any food or no food at all.

By this time, Bob was so taken by the wines that he joined the Amista wine club right there on the spot. That’s what friends are for!

Back to the tasting menu… our last pour was Illusion, a non-vintage wine, and the only blend that the winery makes. It’s a port style wine made from half syrah and half zin grapes ($24) and a silver medal winner at the San Francisco Chronicle. The pairing suggestion: a flourless chocolate torte… or all by itself as a way to end the perfect meal. Sweet!

Amista Vineyards

3320 Dry Creek Road

Healdsburg CA 95448

707-431-9200

www.amistavineyards.com

Carole Rae Watanabe

www.artfully.com

ON THE ROAD AGAIN IN SONOMA-Pt. 3- Sbragia Family Vineyards

2011-05-19T08:43:00.000-07:00

ON THE ROAD AGAIN IN SONOMA

Part Three

Sbragia Family Vineyards

You know that old joke – How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice! Well, my goal is to practice my way to the Carnegie Hall for wine tasters… So right after Richard and I left the delightful tastes and tasting room of Thumbprint Cellars, we made our way up Dry Creek Road to the Sbragia Family Vineyards winery and tasting room to continue my practice.

The large modern winery structure sat near the top of the mountain...

... w/ imposing views from the terrace of the vineyards and rolling hills below.

Inside, the tasting room was bright and airy, with colorful art on the walls. My taste buds were ready.

As Sally, our wine specialist, poured our flights she told us a little bit about this family owned vineyard. Ed Sbragia is a third generation vintner. His grandfather immigrated from Tuscany in 1904 and worked at the Italian Swiss Colony winery. But, Ed earned his bones as the wine master for Beringer Vineyards in Napa. Then, in 2001, he decided to create his own label. The family winery facility and tasting room opened in 2006. So, Sbragia is a relatively new arrival on the block.

Our first flight started with a white…

A 2009 Schmidt Ranch sauvignon blanc – Dry Creek Valley ($24). Rated 91 by Robert Parker and 89 by Stephen Tanzer, I’d split the difference and give it a 90. It had a great beat and was easy to dance to!

The 2008 Home Ranch chardonnay, also from Dry Creek Valley vineyards ($26) is aged for ten months - half in new oak barrels and half in old (once used) barrels. Another 89 from Stephen Tanzer and the Wine Spectator, this wine did not race to the finish, but lingered pleasantly, like the end of a satisfying first date when you’re waiting at the door for that good night kiss.

My favorite Sbragia chardonnay was the 2008 Gamble Ranch wine from Napa Valley vineyards ($40). Aged in all new French oak, this was a luscious oak-y wine w/ hints of apples and vanilla. And that oak flavor? Like a French kiss.

Time for the reds in this flight…

We started off w/ the 2008 Home Ranch merlot – Dry Creek Valley ($25) which won the silver medal at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair. I like merlot. I liked this wine w/ its subtle tastes of black cheery and brown spices… dark, but not too dark. Call it dusk.

Next up was one of Richard’s favorites at Sbragia, the 2008 Gino’s Vineyard zinfandel – Dry Creek Valley ($30). This wine was rich and husky w/ strong aromas of blackberry and cherries. The ‘husk’ came from a hint of pepper which turned this into a real pepper upper.

The 2008 La Promessa zin – Dry Creek Valley ($32) was rated 90 by Robert Parker and its taste of ripe raspberries had a soft, smooth finish that conjured up visions of sinking into a goose down, velvet duvet, glass of wine in hand.

The second, higher-end flight consisted only of cabernet sauvignons…

First up, the 2008 Andolsen Vineyard cab – Dry Creek Valley ($38)… deep in color, it smelled of ripe fruits, cassis w/ some roses and herbs thrown in, giving us our first taste of a day of wine & roses...

The 2007 Monte Rosso cab from Sonoma Valley ($50) rated 92 by Tanzer and 91 by Parker had delicious flavors of berries and cherries and spices… Oh my!

A high mountain grapes wine, the 2007 Ranch Del Oso cab from the Howell Mountain in Napa ($75) was rated even higher… 94 from Parker and 92 from Tanzer. Rich w/ flavors of black fruits and cherries, this was the winery favorite for both Richard and me.

The 2007 Cimarossa cab, again from Howell Mountain/Napa Valley ($75) also received high marks… 92+ from Parker and 91 from Tanzer… Filled w/ aromas of dark fruit and exotic spices, I closed my eyes and imagined sipping this wine on a galleon in the high seas... perhaps with Jack Sparrow… though Richard might’ve chosen Penelope Cruz... just to discuss the wines, of course!

Last, but not least, we sipped the 2007 Wall Vineyard cab made from grapes from Mt. Veeder, Napa Valley ($75) w/ almost off-the-chart ratings of 96 from Robert Parker, 93 from Stephen Tanzer and 93 from J. Laube of the Wine Spectator. It had a lot to live up to and it did. Another truly delicious wine that left a hint of cocoa powder lingering in my mouth.

Sbragia Family Vineyards may be one of the new kids on the block, but they’re definitely a great neighbor.

My practice over for the day, I looked forward to continuing my journey to the wine tasters’ Carnegie Hall.

www.sbragia.com

9990 Dry Creek Road

Geyserville, CA 95441

707-473-2992

Tasting Room open daily: 11am – 5pm

Tasting fee: $5.00, and $10.00 for the cabs

ON THE ROAD AGAIN IN SONOMA - Part 2 - Healdsburg & Thumbprint Cellars

2011-05-15T15:20:00.000-07:00

ON THE ROAD AGAIN IN SONOMA –

Part Two

Healdsburg and

Thumbprint Cellars Artisan Winery

Fortified by a “to die for” cheeseburger (made w/ Fiscalini raw milk cheddar, no less) at the Healdsburg Bar & Grill, Richard and I decided to explore the picturesque little hamlet of Healdsburg. You know those places you visit and say “I could live here?” Well, I really could live here! Really!

As we strolled...

...around the green grass town square (yup, it has a town square!)...

peeking into shop and restaurant windows to see what wonders we might discover, we made this wonderful discovery: Thumbprint Cellars Artisan Winery Tasting Room & Art Gallery.

Thumbprint is a “boutique” winery. Its owner, Scott Lindstrom-Dake, started making wines in his garage some years ago. He and his wife, Erica, loved fine wines, but like many of us, they had champagne taste and a beer pocketbook. As the inventory of his garage-made wine increased, he decided to give some bottles to friends. To make these gifts personal, Erica gave him a special gold paint pen so he could autograph each bottle. But as he was signing… you guessed it… the gold paint began running down the side of the bottle. Scott quickly used his thumb to stop the flow and inadvertently pressed his thumb in the paint, leaving a perfect gold thumbprint. A “eureka” light bulb flashed over Scott’s head and a wine name and logo were born.

Word of mouth spread creating a demand for that thumbprint wine, so in 2000, Scott decided to put his thumbprint (literally and figuratively) on the market and went commercial.

The winery’s tasting room (one of the first to open its doors in Healdsburg) is unlike any other Richard and I have visited. More than a room to taste wine, this one had a Manhattan nightclub/lounge feel w/ rich fabrics, deep colors, custom-made furniture and colorful art.

But taste wine we did. And the tasting flight was free! An appreciated added bonus... that beer pocketbook again.

Dan Weber was our barista. Charming and knowledgeable, he made us feel right at home in the ‘lounge.’

First up was the 2009 Arousal (why “Arousal?” – I haven’t a clue as I was afraid to ask), a white wine blend (60% Reisling-40% viognier) from Dry Creek Valley ($49 – Wine Club $39.50). I could smell the honeysuckle and taste the honey. Dan told us it pairs well w/ Thai food which immediately triggered a craving for chicken satay.

Our next pour was the 2009 viognier, Janice & Brian Schmidt Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley ($32 – Wine Club $25.60) aged in French oak for one year. This wine had nice body w/ a peachy, vanilla flavor.

Our tastes turned to reds…

Dan started us off w/ the 2008 pinot noir, Schneider Vineyard, Russian River Valley ($49 – Wine Club $39.20), made from dry-farmed grapes from the Pommard Clone vineyard. Dry-farming, Dan told us, allows the grapes to find their ‘natural balance.’ More and more California vineyards are becoming pesticide and chemical fertilizer free, but dry farmed vineyards go even further. The land is not irrigated and is consistently tilled, allowing the roots to grow deep down into the soil, making them more resistant to disease that irrigated vines might get, thus making the grape richer in flavor. I liked the water conservation principle and I liked this wine which had a nice, smooth, shall I say “rich” finish.

Our next taste was the 2007 syrah, Ramazzotti Vineyard, Alexander Valley ($45 – Wine Club $36), a bold wine w/ a rich finish (there’s that “rich” word again – but it was rich!) and would definitely hold its own w/ any “rich” food.

The 2006 cabernet sauvignon, Gallaway Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley ($45 – Wine Club $36) had a lovely cherry flavor w/ a hint of cedar and blueberry (really, I could taste the blueberry). I liked this wine and I liked that Brian Gallaway is using sustainable practices in farming his grapes… something that’s becoming more and more important for small, local farmers and businesses to survive.

Dan then gave us a pour off the tasting menu of Thumbprints’ 2007 cab-franc ($41), my favorite wine of the day so far. Smooth as silk.

Last, but not least, we sipped the 2006 petite syrah port, Russian River Valley ($59). This is definitely a find for port lovers. Dense as fog and velvety smooth. Mel Torme in a bottle.

Our Thumbprint tasting was over. And how did we rate the wines? Definitely two thumbs up.

www.thumbprintcellars.com

ON THE ROAD AGAIN IN SONOMA - Pt.1 - Kendall-Jackson

2011-05-08T14:25:00.000-07:00

ON THE ROAD AGAIN
IN SONOMA...
GRAPE EXPECTATIONS

Part One

Kendall-Jackson Wine Center

Last year, Richard and I, along w/ my brother Bob and his wife Nguyen, enjoyed a ‘long and wine-ing road’ tour in Sonoma. In fact, we enjoyed it so much, we decided to do it again this year. So many wineries, so little time. Our first stop was the beautiful Kendall-Jackson Wine Center estate - a lovely villa w/ its beautifully appointed tasting room enveloped in butter yellow walls, slate floor and white-washed beamed ceiling w/ huge brass chandeliers.

Paul & Richard at the tasting bar

A stove fireplace was crackling (it was a cool, rainy day) and people were gathered along the long wooden tasting bar or sitting at individual tables enjoying the wine or a wine pairing. A romantic table for two on a balcony above overlooked the room…

As we stood at the bar sipping the wine and chatting w/ our tasting barista, we were asked if we’d like to take part in a private food/wine pairing in a VIP room “upstairs.” We were all over this idea like ‘just-popped’ champagne fizzing from the bottle.

Kendall-Jackson’s Executive Chef Justin Wangler, Chef Matt Lowe, and Wine Educator Dale Cullins offered two pairing choices: cheese or food. Bob’s friend Paul (visiting from Connecticut) and I chose the cheese – Richard and Bob, the food. Nguyen, our designated driver, didn’t take part in the wine half of the pairing, but took photos and had a few of the culinary ‘tastes’ as Dale and Matt told us about each wine and the food that Matt had prepared and I took notes.

Me taking notes, Matt s'plaining & Paul listening

Bob sipping

cheese pairing close-up

Paul and I started w/ the 2009 Grand Reserve Sauvignon Blanc ($20) paired w/ Delice de la Vallee from the Epicurean Connection - a soft and creamy cow and goat’s milk blend cheese (sort of a fromage blanc). I’m not a white wine ‘blanc’ kind of girl, but this wine was lovely. Not too ‘thin.’ And it really went well w/ the ‘fromage blanc.’

Next up for us was a 2008 Jackson Hills Chardonnary ($25) made from 100% new and old French oak barrels. The cheese? California Crottin from Redwood Hill Farm, a dense goat’s milk cheese w/ a wonderful ‘husky’ aroma. An adult cheese that went beautifully w/ this delicious ‘adult’ wine.

Then it was time for the 2009 Vintner’s Reserve Riesling ($12) w/ a residual sugar level of 2.1- making it a nice 'dry' wine. This time we had Carmody, a Jersey cow’s milk cheese from Bellwether Farms w/ a hint of caramel and a strong milk flavor. Yum.

For our next ‘tasting’ Dale had poured a smooth 2006 Grand Reserve Syrah ($25) served w/ Estero Gold, a raw cow’s milk cheese from the Valley Ford Cheese Company which was aged for 3 months in its natural rind to enhance its buttery flavor. I fell in love at first bite… and sip.

And I continued to fall truly, madly, deeply in love sipping the velvety 2005 Highland Estates Trace Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon ($70), a gem of a wine (if it really were a gem, it definitely would be a multi-carat rich, red ruby) was paired w/ Capricious, a semi-firm, toasty-flavored goat’s milk cheese w/ a slight crumbly texture and a wonderful pungent, cheesy aroma from the Achadinha Cheese Company. Now this was a pairing! A little ‘label’ note: Trace Ridge got its name from the ‘trace’ animals leave on a path… or is that too much information? ;o)

Last, but not least was the winery’s 2006 Late Harvest Chardonnay ($25), a sweet dessert wine that went beautifully w/ Point Reyes Blue from Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company. This cheese boasted a slight salty flavor that some claim comes from coastal fog and was aged for 6 months for the blue ‘veins’ to deepen in color and flavor.

A little ‘sustainable’ food note: All the cheeses served to us came from a 20-30 miles radius from the winery.

To ‘cleanse our palate,’ Paul and I were given Kendall-Jackson Pinot noir Verjus Jello and a side of nuts & honey. Not your supermarket My-T-Fine, but definitely mighty fine.

For the first two ‘food’ and wine pairing, Richard and Bob began w/ the 2009 Avant Chardonnay, served w/ a perfectly cooked Jerusalem artichoke latke (not your everyday Passover latke) w/ that Delice de laVallee cheese and a smidgen of salmon gravlax. The wine was crisp and clean, yet had “gravitas” (well, something had to go w/ “gravlax”). I, of course, had a sip and loved it.

Next they had that same 2008 Jackson Hills Chardonnay that Paul and I had savored, but theirs was paired w/ a dreamy, creamy spring green garlic soup. I was green w/ envy.

Two more pairings followed.

1. The 2006 Highland Estates Alisos Hills Syrah along w/ a Neiman Ranch pork belly slider brined in sweet tea and served w/ a syrah BBQ sauce. Both boys fell in love w/ this wine and this slider.

2. It was now their turn for the high elevation, 2005 Highland Estates Trace Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon which went perfectly w/ the cabernet-braised oxtail and creamy grits (stone-ground grits from the Old Mill of Guilford in North Carolina). Tasting doesn’t get any better than that. And how do I know? Because Richard shared a small bite… a very small bite.

Time for dessert. First, a pairing of 2007 Late Harvest Riesling w/ a buttermilk pecan tart w/ Ruthie’s Meyer Lemon Curd… a southern-style buttermilk pie filling baked w/ pecans in a brown butter tart. A sweet feast, and a sweet feat because the Meyer lemon curd and dried apricots in white verjus perfectly complemented the citrus in the wine, and…

…Second - they, too, had the “dessert” 2006 Late Harvest Chardonnay whimsically served w/ Mama Frischkorn’s Caramel Corn from an old family recipe… More sweets for the sweet.

To finish the tale of wine and food, Matt and Dale told us that Kendall-Jackson would soon be making grapeseed oil and offered a taste. The oil had a rich, nutty taste and a beautiful, dark green color… and still we weren’t finished! Before we left for the day, Matt wanted us to try the winery’s non-vintage port w/ a piece of dark chocolate. Who were we to say no?

Sated and happy, we thank Matt and Dale

Matt, Richard, Dale

then left 'singing in the rain' as we danced around the lawn to our car.

So, if you ever find yourself in Sonoma run, don’t walk, to the Kendall-Jackson Wine Center estate for one of their incredible pairings. The wines – delicious. The food – divine. The expectations fulfilled!

For more info & wine prices, contact:

Kendall-Jackson Winery

5007 Fulton Road

Fulton CA 95439

707-571-7500

http://www.kj.com/visit/wine-center/

Sadly, the morning after our tasting, the winery's founder, Jess Jackson, passed away. We thank him for his wonderful legacy.

A BLOOMING HILL VINEYARD & WINERY

2011-04-29T07:30:00.000-07:00

A BLOOMING HILL VINEYARD

& WINERY

You know that commercial where the guy is talking about recommended retirement investments and says incredulously: “Come on – a vineyard!?” Well, Jim Witte did just that. He packed up his suitcase, left LA and the “glamour” of “showbiz,” moved to Oregon and bought a vineyard outside of Portland. There, as in a fairytale for “the young at heart,” he re-met Holly, a woman he’d known for 40 years, when a mutual friend urged them to “do lunch.” They fell in love, married, moved into their ‘castle’ and have cats, dogs, horses and pigeons – oh, and a winery.

Just before Richard and I left for our recent winery adventure in Sonoma (yes, I’ll be blogging all about it), Jim and Holly came to LA and reunited some of his old TVbiz workmates for a tasting… Of course we went. What a perfect way to see old friends and to kick-off our own wine adventure.

The tasting started w/ a lovely dry 2009 Riesling ($15) and segued into a 2009 chardonnay ($12) which has a nice crisp, fruity taste. The 2009 pinot gris is a perfect summer wine w/ salads or hors d’oeuvres. The 2008 Mingle ($12) is a refreshing blend of pinot gris, chardonnay and Riesling and was a bronze star winner at the NW Wine Summit.

Next was a smooth 2008 pinot noir ($20) - a silver award – NW Wine Summit winner, and a 2008 Oregon Wine Awards Outstanding Award winner. The new 2009 pinot noir ($15) is the youngest of their wines and leaves you w/ a hint of chocolate. This was my personal favorite.

What I also liked about Jim and Holly’s wines was that no wine had more than a 13.5% alcohol content and no bottle cost more than $20.00.

So cheers to Jim & Holly. Who says fairy tales don’t come true?

*****

A Blooming Hill wines can be bought in some selected stores, online and at the winery’s

tasting room.

A Blooming Hill Vineyard & Winery

5195 SW Hergert Road

Cornelius, Oregon

Phone: 503-992-1196

www.abloominghillvineyard.com

GRILLED CHEESE FROM A TRUCK (Really!)

2011-04-27T13:34:00.000-07:00

GRILLED CHEESE

FROM A TRUCK

(Really!)

One of my favorite lunches as a kid was my mom’s “cheese dreams” – a grilled cheese sandwich made w/ Velveeta and wonderfully wonderful white Wonder Bread. She’d slab butter on the outside of the bread and ‘grill’ it in the frying pan, pushing down on the sandwich w/ her trusty spatula, squashing it so the cheese would begin to ooze out of the edges.

I’ve never forgotten those lunches and have never stopped loving grilled cheese whether my mom’s way or a ‘gourmet’ way…

My friend Michael knows this - so, this year for my birthday, he took me to LA’s popular grilled cheese truck for lunch. Yup – a truck…a truck that travels to different locations around town each day. This day it was in my ‘hood.’ Now, you’ve probably read about the latest trend of food trucks in various cities, but I had yet to eat at one… so I put on my best baggie linen trousers, All-Star sneakers and white tee and off we went.

Parked on a Toluca Lake side street adjacent to a main ‘business’ drag – we arrived shortly after noon to find that a long line had already formed…

I’m not a “wait-on-line-for-anything” kind of person, but it was a beautiful, sunny day and we were determined to keep on truckin’ - so we got in line and did the "wait" thing til it was our turn to order… a half-hour later we were at the truck’s window pondering our choices on the “Melty Menu:”

Plain and Simple Melts made w/ your choice of cheese from American to brie to cheddar to Habanero Jack (prices ranging from $3.00 to $5.50 depending on the cheese)… or

a Cheesy Mac Melt on French bread - mac & cheese w/ sharp cheddar, or the truck’s “signature” sandwich – mac & cheese w/ the addition of BBQ smoked pork & caramelized onions… $5.50 and $7.50 respectively… or

what about a Brie Melt on black pepper potato bread w/ fig paste and smokehouse almonds for $6.50? (Add turkey or bacon for $7.75) … or

a Veggie Melt on 6-grain bread w/ gruyere, shaved fresh fennel, smoked tomatoes, fresh arugula and balsamic syrup for $6.50… and

of course, there are the Dessert Melts on sweet brioche bread – a S’more Melt w/ marshmallow cream, nutella and crumbled graham crackers on brioche for $5.00 or Mom’s Apple Pie Melt w/ sharp cheddar, caramelized cinnamon apples and candied walnuts for $6.50… then

there’s your customized melt w/ a list of ingredients (and breads) to build your own sandwich (even peanut butter)…

And they didn’t forget the sides: homemade tomato soup (how many moms used to give their children grilled cheeses AND Campbell’s tomato soup? Mine did), mac & cheese, homemade chili, tater tots, dipping sauces and homemade B&B pickles…

My mouth was watering. Michael decided on the Veggie Melt w/ fennel (he loves fennel) – but I opted to ‘customize’ mine… sharp cheddar w/ arugula and smoked tomatoes on rosemary potato bread.

Let the sandwich making begin...

Twenty minutes later our sandwiches were ready. We had planned to eat our delicacies in the car, but all the outdoor tables for a restaurant across the street were empty, so we hijacked one of them… and

as I bit into my oozy, melty “cheese dream,” I asked myself was it worth the wait.

Say cheese!!!

Thanks, Michael.

*****

"Chef driven grilled cheese. 'cause that's how we roll..."

Michele Grant, Cheese Executive Officer

michele@thegrilledcheesetruck.com

www.thegrilledcheesetruck.com

Twitter: @grlldcheesetruk

MY LOVE AFFAIR w/ CHICKEN CONTINUES - Chicken Parmesan

2011-04-17T07:32:00.000-07:00

MY LOVE AFFAIR w/ CHICKEN CONTINUES

Chicken Parmesan

How do I love, thee? Let me count the ways…

I love you roasted, broiled, stir-fried, picatta’d, marsala’d, stuffed, stewed, fricassee’d – in salads, sandwiches, pastas and soups – and a million other ways… The other night, I loved you parmesan’d.

After searching through our library of cookbooks and finding no recipe for this dish so common in Italian restaurants, Richard decided to make the veal parmesan recipe in our newest cookbook – “Williams Sonoma Cooking At Home” – substituting the veal w/ boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

I can’t imagine the dish being any better.

CHICKEN PARMESAN

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

¾ cup all-purpose flour

salt & ground pepper

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

8-12 thin slices fresh mozzarella

1 cup all-purpose tomato sauce

(either homemade or your favorite bottled red sauce)

Directions:

One at a time, place the chicken breasts between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and flatten w/ a meat pounder til an even ¼ inch thick. Put the flour in a shallow bowl and season w/ salt and pepper and a few tablespoons of the Parmesan. Coat the chicken w/ the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess.

In a large frying pan (or two) over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding, add the chicken and brown lightly on the first sides, about 2 minutes.

Turn the chicken, brown the second sides for 1 minute, and top with the mozzarella slices. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the cheese softens, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, warm the tomato sauce over medium-high heat.

Divide the veal among warmed individual plates and spoon the sauce evenly over the top. Sprinkle w/ the remaining Parmesan and serve. Richard chose to complement the chicken w/ sauteed lemon and garlic spinach.

Makes 4 servings

If you wish to make this veal parmesan – you need 1-1/2 lb. of veal scallops, about a ½ inch thick – the rest of the recipe remains the same and also makes 4 servings.

ONE-PAN CHICKEN & SAUSAGE - Not One-Note

2011-04-13T13:48:00.000-07:00

ONE-PAN CHICKEN & SAUSAGE

Not One-Note

It’s almost the end of tax season (yay!) which means summer’s approaching. Long hot days at the beach or just playing outdoors, Dodger dogs, barbequing in the backyard, sipping tall, iced drinks, wearing flip flops, and driving w/ the top down…

Well, before that mindset takes over completely, I wanted one more ‘winter’ meal. I wanted Nigella Lawson’s one-pan chicken, sausage and sage dinner. Since Richard loves it as much as I do and there’s always plenty leftover for another meal or two, he made it one last time before the weather retires the dish till the leaves start to change color.

Oh, and to go with? The best roasted Brussels sprouts EVAH from the Barefoot Contessa.

Nigella Lawson’s

One-Pan Chicken, Sausage

& Sage Bake

Active: 15 min; Total: 1 hr., 45 mins

PLUS: overnight marinating

Ingredients:

1 lemon, halved

2 small onions, peeled and quartered through the root ends

½ cup pure olive oil

2 teaspoons dry mustard

1 tablespoon dried sage

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

freshly ground pepper

one 4-pound chicken, cut into 10 pieces

Kosher salt

12 sweet Italian sausages (Richard used chicken sweet Italian sauages)

2 tablespoons fresh sage

Directions:

Squeeze the lemon halves into a large, resealable plastic bag. Cut each lemon half into 4 pieces and add to the bag along w/ the onions, olive oil, mustard, dried sage and Worcestershire sauce; season w/ pepper. Seal the bag and squish the ingredients together until well mixed. Add the chicken pieces to the bag and coat thoroughly. Refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Let the chicken stand at room temperature in the marinade for 30 minutes. Pour the contents of the bag into a large roasting pan. Turn the chicken pieces skin side up and season w/ salt.

Arrange the sausages around the chicken and sprinkle all over w/ the fresh sage.

Bake for 1 hour, until the chicken and sausage are browned; turn the sausages halfway through cooking.

Transfer the chicken, sausages, onions and lemons to a platter, drizzle w/ some of the pan juices and serve.

BAREFOOT CONTESSA’S

Perfect Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Slice off the end tips then toss in extra virgin olive oil and lots of salt.

Put in a 400 degree oven and bake/roast for 40 minutes.

That’s it.

Note: Because Richard was baking the chicken at 425 degrees, that was the temperature he roasted the Brussels sprouts at, but took them out a bit sooner than 40 minutes.

The Contessa was right when she said that roasted this way, eating these Brussels sprouts is almost like eating French fries… crispy on the outside and soft and tender on the inside.

I loved them!!!

THE SHACK & STRAWBERRY GELATO

2011-04-11T16:06:00.000-07:00

THE SHACK

STRAWBERRY GELATO

Remember the days before Baskin Robbins and Ben & Jerry’s? The days when ice cream stands and parlors dotted the American landscape? No? Well, I do. I remember summers spent on a lake in rural Connecticut and my parents taking me for homemade peppermint ice cream at a little stand that was nothing more than a shack on an old country road.

Not far from my house in Bayside, Queens, Long Island, New York was another shack. It sold newspapers and comic books, cigarettes, tall “2 cent” pretzels and loose (not hard) ice cream. Everyone called it “The Shack.” My dad bought his daily Herald Tribune there. I bought my love comic books there. And we all bought our ice cream there. Big scoops of soft creamy vanilla or rich chocolate, fresh peach or strawberry ice cream plopped on top a crunchy sugar cone then dipped in chocolate sprinkles. No “store-bought” or “pre-packaged” ice cream has ever replicated the taste.

Not until a recent Sunday brunch.

Friends were dropping by on their way home to Ojai and we decided to ‘do’ a brunch. Of course, we could have done lunch (maybe make fancy ‘Nancy Silverton’ grilled cheese sandwiches, or a grilled chicken Caesar salad), but since they were to arrive before noon, but after ten, we did brunch.

Richard planned his menu that started w/ a thick chunk of smoked salmon (not lox) w/ butter and crackers and bloody Marys. Then came a baked bread, sausage, red pepper and asparagus egg strata, served w/ a chilled 2006 House of Nobilo Icon sauvignon blanc, followed by some French pressed coffee or tea and his homemade lavender cookies and homemade gelato. I pulled out my 4 Limoge luncheon plates (bruncheon plates?), polished the sterling luncheon (bruncheon) silverware, put linen napkins in silver rings and set our old pine farm table.

Brunch was a hit – but nothing prepared us for just how delicious homemade strawberry gelato is. The creaminess coupled w/ the amazing taste of fresh strawberries. Not since I licked a strawberry cone at The Shack have strawberries tasted better.

STRAWBERRY GELATO

(From Italy’s Carpigiani Gelato University

as reported by Sherri Jennings in the LA Times)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups milk
2 T. skim milk powder
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
2 -3 cups cleaned strawberries
1 1/2 pounds ice
1 pound ice cream salt

Directions:
In medium saucepan, combine milk, milk powder, cream and 1 cup sugar.
Heat over medium heat, stirring, until it reaches a strong simmer (7-8 mins.)
Remove from heat, store in fridge at least 3 hours, up to 2 days.

In blender, combine the cooled milk base with strawberries and remaining 3/4 cup sugar.
blend until smooth.

Place mixture in small metal bowl over a larger bowl containing ice and salt.
Whip w/hand mixer ten minutes or so to lighten texture.

Freeze for about 1-1/2 hours before serving. (Per Richard, it never freezes well enough in that short a time... four hours maybe – but gelato should have a soft consistency – just like that ‘loose’ creamy homemade ice cream)

DEFUND THE NEA? THE ART OF THE MATTER - A Musing

2011-04-07T11:29:00.000-07:00

DEFUND THE NEA?

THE ART OF THE MATTER

A Musing

“ONE MILLION PEOPLE FIRED!”

What if you saw that headline tomorrow? Unemployment would skyrocket, people would lose their homes and homeless families would flood the streets, the economy would falter and life as we know it would be over. Oh, right – that’s already happened because of the greed emanating out of Wall Street and corporate America.

But what if, during this year’s Federal budget debacle, that headline really did appear in the news media around the country. Anarchy? I know, I know, if anarchy couldn’t take hold in the ‘60s, it certainly couldn’t happen in today’s climate. Right? Wrong.

Times are hard for those not in the top 2% of income earners, and unemployment is higher than it’s been in decades. Anger at government has become a national pastime. So no one’s going to throw more than a million people out of work! Right? Wrong! Just ask some members of Congress.

More than one million Americans work for the “not-for-profit” arts industry and Congress wants to fire them as it stubbornly clings to that tax break for the wealthiest Americans. Why? Because the arts don’t help the economy, they say. The arts don’t create jobs. Rich people create jobs. Wrong! History has proven over and over (and again during the last ten years of the Bush tax cuts) that the rich really just want to get richer. They don’t relish the idea of ‘sharing’ with the workers who made them rich. If they did we wouldn’t have needed child labor laws, labor unions, work place safety laws, minimum wage laws… the EPA, the FDA, the SEC, etc., etc. And the rich don’t believe they should share their riches with the country whose principles allowed them to get rich in the first place. Just ask G.E. They claim that living under the tax rate they had during the Reagan or Clinton administration would be a hardship. Ha! But, I digress…

The truth is our deficit has ballooned and we do need serious budget cutting… So why care if the NEA is shut down? NEA opponents state that they’re not taking away ‘life threatening’ services here. It’s only some music, a little dancing, maybe paint. Wrong! Besides the more than one million people who would make unemployment skyrocket, making more families lose their homes, adding to the legions of homeless, that music, that dance, that paint helps create a person’s soul. Without a soul, we aren’t human. If we aren’t human, we won’t behave as humans. If we don’t behave as humans… anarchy!

Critics say we’ll get all that stuff on TV or in school. I don’t know where these critics live, but it’s not in the United States of America. After the NEA is eliminated, PBS, the only non-cable network that consistently highlights the arts, would soon be unable to fund those programs even if they managed to stay on the air. And forget about school arts programs unless you're in that favored 2% and can afford to send your kid to a private school. Since most Congressmen/women graduated high school, art and music programs have all but disappeared from our public school system. Budget cuts.

So what’s the bottom line? If we cut off funding to the arts, then art will truly become the property of the elite – not the cultural elite or the intellectual elite, but the money elite – those men and women wealthy enough to buy subscriptions to the opera or the symphony or who can afford expensive theater and ballet tickets. Those with that big tax break.

The chasm between the haves and have nots, already escalating, will grow even wider and deeper. With more and more children not being uplifted by the arts, challenged to think about the arts or soothed by the arts, crime will rise, membership in militias and gangs will go through the roof and the need to escape into a drugged stupor will become an American way of life. More and more money will be needed for more and more police and more and more jails. But we won’t have the money and if we don’t have the money… anarchy.

Ah, but that’s what this budget cut will give us, right – more money? Wrong!

The NEA’s yearly budget is less that 2/100^th of 1% of the Federal budget (about 54 - 64 cents per American every year, depending on the spin). Putting over a million people out of work will cost the tax payer a helluva lot more in unemployment benefits, tax revenue and healthcare, and will stifle economic recovery. Frankly, 64 cents a year is a cheap price to save our country and our souls.

WAIT 'TIL NEXT YEAR - An Ode to Gil Hodges

2011-04-01T13:32:00.000-07:00

WAIT ‘TIL NEXT YEAR

An Ode to Gil Hodges

Yesterday was opening day and baseball is again on my TV screen. Spring is in the air (well, summer here in LA – it was 90 degrees!), but it was cold and damp in New York and, as the Yankees played the Tigers, you could see the pitchers’ breath…

Ah, baseball in New York. The game’s not the same for me since I moved to LA. I no longer live minutes away from Shea (yeh, I know, Shea’s gone… but NuShea is right next door) and it’s harder to walk down memory lane and cling to the Mets as a substitute for Brooklyn in a town where baseball fans leave the stadium in the 7^th inning to ‘beat the traffic’...even if it’s a tie game!!! Really!!! The LA Dodgers just don’t cut it for me. I know the Dodger players didn’t betray me – the owners did – but it ain’t Dodger blue unless it’s Dodger blue in Brooklyn.

If you grew up in NY in the ‘50s and rooted for Brooklyn, “Wait ‘til next year” was your mantra. It was a heartbreaking agony as I sat on my father's lap while he read aloud the sports pages … the pain of being a fan relived through the vivid prose of the sportswriter, back when sports writers still dabbled in “vivid.”

Finally, in l955, we were vindicated. A miracle had happened! “Next year” had come. The aging Bums, led by Robinson, Snider Campanella, Reese and Hodges beat the Bronx Bombers. My father’s Bums – my Bums – were champions of the world! We Brooklyn fans went nuts. We danced in the streets (literally), threw block parties (literally) and swam in ticker tape (not literally). The sportswriters around the country vividly captured the glory and I was so enraptured by their writing, I didn’t know if I wanted to be a Dodger or write about them. I wanted to run like Jackie and write like Red Smith.

Years later, after my father died, I thought how proud he would be to know that his beloved Duke, Pee Wee, Jackie, Roy and Gil were immortalized in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Wait. No Gil!!! How frustrated he’d be that the quiet, talented, steady, solid, loyal Gil Hodges – the player who was NEVER booed in Ebbets Field – wasn’t with his teammates in the ‘Hall.’ I can still hear him whispering in my ear, “Don’t worry about first, honey, Gil’s there. Like Coop in 'High Noon,' he’ll stand tall and never let you down.”

Now, I was a mere child when the Bums abandoned its fans for palm trees, but my love for the team has never subsided. The Boys of Summer were my heroes. I had all their baseball cards. They were living legends – and every year after he was eligible, I waited for Gil to enter Cooperstown but, like so many baseball seasons of my childhood (except ’55), I re-entered a “wait ‘til next year” existence. Am I ever going to see a ‘55 miracle again?

A couple of years ago my hopes were heightened when Roger Kahn wrote about this injustice… but, as a Nathan’s hot dog was steaming on my stove that year, its spicy Coney Island smell making my mouth water as the new inductees’ names were announced, it became apparent that not even Kahn could convince the voters to let Gil in the “Hall.” I was so heartbroken, I lost my appetite.

And here we are in 2011 and Gil is still forgotten. Where was the man who revolutionized play at first base and, during his 18 year career, averaged 30 home runs and 100 RBIs for TEN consecutive years, had a lifetime batting average of .273, w/ 370 home runs-- the man who turned the “Amazin’ Mets” into world champions… the man who has schools named after him – even a bridge!!! Where was Gil Hodges?! It’s not fair! How often does a girl have to say, “Wait ‘til next year?”

The Baseball Hall of Fame rules state that “voting shall be based upon the player’s record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played.” Gil Hodges had all those qualities. He was a man of character who exemplified what’s good about America – what’s good about us. How can a player w/ so much ability to inspire such faith NOT be in the Hall? As debates over Peter Rose still wage and debates that I’m sure will arise when all the ‘steroid-ed up’ home-run record breakers become eligible, I can only hope that next year’s voting panel remembers how much talent, class and integrity Gil Hodges brought to the game of baseball as a man and as a player.

Wait ‘til next year!