L'Affaire de la Bière

Wednesday hubby and I went to pick up the Community Supported Agriculture.  I spent a long time when we arrived home chopping peppers, tomatoes, tomatillo, (grated carrots) and cilantro from our CSA to make salsa.  My husband went to New Leaf Market to pick up an onion to complete the salsa.  He made eggs for us to eat with our salsa dinner.

Saturday we visited with friends in San Francisco.  The four of us attended one of the last weekends of special pre-Impressionist exhibits at the de Young and Palace of the Legion of Honor museums.  Dinner from the Beach Chalet was by the San Francisco coastline.

Today we purchased specially priced Summit Lake wines for friends.  Mark and Heather Griffin were sweet enough to give us a flat of pears from their tree and eggs from their chickens.  I watched as Mark’s four large containers of beer fermented.

This evening we ended our eleventh anniversary weekend at Ad Hoc restaurant in Yountville, CA.  There was a sweet couple from Long Island, NY sitting next to us.  Nathan showed us an empty Blue Apron beer bottle after hubby asked what the 100 bottles on the wall were about.  The bottle looked cool, so I set it down beside me.  After all, with my back to the wall, I though it had come from the recycle bin.  Little did I know it was an important part of the decor.

Ad Hoc was very kind to us:

 Melon and smoked salmon amuse bouche

Yellow and green bean salad with fennel, frisee, olives, walnuts and cream

An appetizer of prosciutto-wrapped sea bass with corn and mushrooms.  I'm a big fan of yellow corn.

Chicken (butchered Thursday) and Italian sausage with polenta

Tome des Recollets with Asian pear and candied peanuts

Peach cobbler with ice cream

My husband and I joked that the staff was trying to determine the best way to get the bottle back from me.  In the end, they had us sign the bottle to put back on the wall.  They gave us a full, fully signed bottle to take home.  The beer affair ended this way:  the bottle now graces our wine room.

The ale from Brooklyn Brewery was used at the NYC opening of Per Se restaurant.  Restaurant group owner Thomas Keller liked it so much that Brooklyn Brewery bottles it now with special "Blue Apron" labels in honor of Keller's chefs.

'02-'04-'06-Ate . . . Who Do We Appreciate?

As my husband's 40th birthday approached, I asked him what he wanted to do for his birthday. He replied, a party at Summit Lake Vineyards with a whole roasted pig. That would’ve been too much food, so I said no whole pig. He asked Heather at Summit Lake if we could hold his birthday party there.

Hired Erika Tauriello Catering Rio Del Mar, CA to make the food, basically heavy appetizers. She met up to hand me the food in two neatly packed coolers. Ideally we'd have two hours to set up for the party, however we arrived at Summit Lake only 30 minutes before hand. Kara and Mike from neighboring Dunn Vineyard / Retro Cellars, were the first to arrive. The Dunns were kind enough to help me finish decorating by fluffing tissue paper flowers and hanging Mexican paper flags.

In all, twenty great people joined up on the hill in Northeast Napa Valley. My husband had fun; felt loved, and enjoyed wonderful food and wine. We began with appetizers at 4:40 pm: vegan red bell pepper terrine with crackers, sausage and fennel-stuffed mushrooms, a cheese platter with bread (including Kara's herb rolls), rosemary cashews, vegetable crudités with ranch sour cream dip . . . another guest brought home-smoked ahi tuna. We purchased wine from Summit Lake, and Mike hauled over 18 bottles (Sierra Nevada Summerfest Lager, flavored San Pellegrino, and a lot of water were available).

Dinner was mini twice-baked potatoes, cold cuts, antipasti, and beef skewers. Our friend Tanya at Original Sin Bakery in Santa Cruz, CA made his 12" square coconut cake. Donnelly Chocolate in Santa Cruz, CA made 40 chocolate Port balls from Summit Lake Port.

Most of our friends left to drive to their respective homes, or to nearby hotels, though three friends camped out on the Summit Lake lawn, the two of us stayed in the converted barn. Before sunrise the sky was brilliant, Cody the dog was exhausted from playing fetch all night, and the chickens were beginning to make their morning music. I reflected on the pure blessings in our lives.

Sound asleep I realized with a start that we needed to get moving! I'd promised Heather that we'd all be out by 9 am, plus we had 10 am Ad Hoc brunch reservations. As best I could, we managed to get eleven friends in one place, at one time, for Ad Hoc's fried chicken and waffles. The ending lemon yogurt mousse with berries left us all desiring nothing.

Mike was kind enough to give 8 of us a tour and tasting at Dunn Vineyards. The group went wild about the Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 1997, 2002, 2004 and 2006 from Dunn Vineyards. I'd never seen pale brand new French oak barrels; I'd only ever seen used dark wine-stained barrels.


If we weren't feeling how lucky we were with our friends by now, our dinner with two other friends sealed the sweet life-affirming weekend. Ad Hoc hosted us for a very special dinner on Sunday, hubby's 40th birthday proper.

1. Gazpacho soup that smelled of fresh garden tomatoes.

2.  Salad of beans, endive, stuffed fried squash blossoms

3. Chicken mar i muntanya (like paella), with the most succulent spiced chicken

4. Cheese treats including cheese stuffed pepper, iberico ham, two types of salami, lardo over caramelized onion on paladin toast, cornishon and seeded mustard (Four of us agreed we would have been deeply satisfied if this was our dinner.)

5. Berry sorbet with coconut cookies, compressed honeydew and watermelon, and a crispy chocolate peanut butter bar.


We absolutely appreciate everyone we came into contact with this past weekend. It was an unbelievably comfortable, refreshing and enjoyable time. I think we all felt grateful and happy in every cell.

Camping in Mammoth Lakes, California

At the end of December 2009 I thought it would be easy to make camping reservations.  It wasn't.  After two hours of searching, finally went with the only reservation I could get:  a group campsite.  Chalk it up to the 2008 recession; camping reservations were, and continue to be, challenging to come by.

The ten campers (and two locals) ended up having a great time.  June Lake is the warmest of the lakes in the area, and we spent time swimming and soaking up sunrays (and some Summer rain) in the picture-perfect setting.  

My childhood friend lives near Mammoth Lakes, so she gives us great advice.  She mentioned a place to get ideal pies at Rock Creek Resort.  The must-order-ahead fresh nectarine pie and a fresh strawberry pie were served in large slices per couple.  Nearly everyone said they couldn't possibly eat the pie, but only scraped-clean plates returned.  I had a bite of nectarine and it was juicy, sweet, fragrant and luscious.  Sweetened cream and a crisp, flaky crust only added to our enjoyment.

Couples took turns making a breakfast and dinner each, the food outstanding.  We all pitched in and helped create marvelous meals.  One night we had South Carolina BBQ chicken sandwiches, and another night we ate salad nicoise, etc.  Big gourmet breakfasts started our violet vacation days (yogurt with berries and granola, pictured above).

With friends, we sat in Wild Willie's Hot Spring and cooled off in Convict Lake.  Four of the guys hiked up around Horseshoe Lake, got lost when they didn't see the proper signs, and ended up walking 15 miles without enough water.  We said that they really should have brought along a girl as we would have complained before they became lost, or would have navigated correctly.  

Hubby and I woke extremely early one morning to see the sunrise and to take a photo at Little Lakes Valley.  On the trail, a woman suggested McGee Creek in late June for wonderful wildflowers.  The heavy rain season caused wondrous wildflowers.

It was a treat driving back and forth through Yosemite National Park.  We purchased a park pass, and plan to visit Hetch-Hetchy and Tuolumne Meadows again, soon.  

Next year's camping trip:  Lassen Volcanic National Park.

Fourth of July

My husband's cousin, cousin's wife and their three children came to stay the holiday weekend with us.  It's a full house.  This morning the cousin and his youngest daughter took a walk up our creek.  She spied what she thought was a plastic lobster toy and asked her father about it.  Cousin chased after the "lobster" and with much effort caught the crawdad.  It was the largest/oldest crawdad I'd ever seen, perhaps six to seven inches long.  He put the crawdad back in the creek, but it gets me wondering, should we put a crawdad trap in the creek?  These "fresh-water lobsters" may taste really good.

Today we were invited over to our wine club friend's house for a Fourth of July barbeque.  As usual, she went all out:  balsamic glazed pork ribs, Santa Maria tri-tip, bratwurst, spicy lamb sausage, chipotle-buttered corn on the cob, etc.  Plus, the over twenty guests brought fruit salad, cheese and crackers, humus and pita, rosemary cashews, salsas and chips, chocolate cake, turtle brownies, etc.  The company was great.  We tried to put a dent into our host's extensive wine collection.

I brought a watermelon, kiwi, CSA strawberry, blueberry and handpicked backyard peaches fruit salad; and turtle brownies.

 G.G.’s Turtle Brownies:

1 box (1 lb 2.75 oz) Ghirardelli® Chocolate Supreme brownie mix (with chocolate syrup pouch)

Water, vegetable oil and egg called for on brownie mix box

1 jar Richard Donnelly fresh caramel (or caramel sauce for apples in a tub)

1 bag (11.5 oz) semisweet chocolate chunks (2 cups)

1.5 cups coarsely chopped walnuts

1. Heat oven to 325°F. Butter bottom of 13x9-inch pan. In medium bowl, stir brownie mix, pouch of chocolate syrup, water, oil and egg until blended according to the package directions. Spread 1/2 of batter in pan. Bake 15 minutes.

2. Pour caramel over partially baked brownie; spread to edges. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the chocolate chunks and 1 cup of the walnuts. Drop remaining brownie batter by small spoonfuls onto caramel layer. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup chocolate chunks and 1/2 cup walnuts.

4. Bake 33 to 36 minutes longer or until center is almost set. Cool 1 hour at room temperature. Cover; refrigerate 1 hour before serving and cutting. Store covered at room temperature.

We could hear periodic personal fireworks go off in Menlo Park, and thought about the thousands of personal fireworks going off in Santa Cruz.  The cousins headed there to the beach to watch the spectacle.  After dropping off a friend at home, we arrived back home before turning into summer squash.  What a joyful Independence Day!

Ad Hoc's Pork and Peay

After walking a moderately strenuous 3.5 miles in dry, hot heat without drinking enough water, and in a warm outfit; I was in no condition to enjoy Pork and Peay wines at Ad Hoc.  I'd looked forward to it, and was sad that I missed the special treat.  My husband however, stayed alone and thoroughly enjoyed the evening (especially after hearing the Lakers won the NBA Championship!)

Appetizers started from the head and jowls of the pig.  Ad Hoc created assorted salami (charcuterie), pickled vegetables and stuffed chicken legs.  This was served with a 2009 Rose wine (grapes bought from Cep Vineyards and made by Peay Vineyards).

Salad of endive and watercress came with crisp pig ear lardons and a sea urchin crostini with pork back fat.  Peay Roussane/Marsanne 2007.  Hubby loved the pig ear and the urchin.

"Heart and Soul" was pig heart pastrami and petrale sole.  Two chardonnays were served:  Peay Vineyards Estate 2007 and Peay Hirsch Vineyard 2006.  The heart was marinated in brine for 2 days, and then cooked sous vide (vacuum sealed in plastic and gently cooked in a water bath) for 24 hours.  Part of this dish was brought back for me to try the next day.  The heart tasted like good pastrami.  Hubby thought this was the best fish he's ever had, and really enjoyed the pig heart.

Pork feet (removed from the hoof) came out with smoked wild mushrooms, green and yellow beans, Ranch Gordo yellow eye beans.  Two pinot noirs:  Peay Vineyards Estate 2004 and Peay Scallop Shelf Estate 2006.

For the main course a stuffed pork chop with yellow corn, black rice and crisp belly.  Peay Vineyards La Bruma Estate syrah 2007 and PV Les Titans Estate syrah 2007 accompanied the main.  When I tasted this the next day, it tasted like it was stuffed with liver--the pork chop meat was divine.

Dessert of waffles with crisp candied bacon and buttermilk sorbet ended the meal sweetly.  (Photo is greatly cropped because it would not upload otherwise.)

My husband loved the meal and felt the wines a treat.  Peay Vineyards is at Sea Ranch on the Mendocino Coast. 

Animal innards (offal) are not really my thing, so I would have loved half the meal.  I at least taste the offal and give it a chance; after all it's better for the planet not to waste.  Hear it's the mark of a great chef:  turning offal into something delicious.  Andrew Zimmern from the Travel Channel would commentate well on the meal.

Restaurant Alex @ the Wynn

Our second day of relaxing was much like the first, though we both went to the pool and we both gambled together.  I met the couples he met the day before at the pool.  Two male cousins from Venezuela had their outrageously beautiful girlfriends with them.  All the guys at the pool stared at the girlfriends.  The two males dealt in diamonds and were in town for a gem convention.

We ordered the 1.5 pound pastrami sandwich from Zoozacrackers deli at 3 pm, which made our 6 pm Alex reservations impossible.  The dinner reservations were moved back to 8:30 pm.  It was the perfect time for us to go.

The long meal began with an amuse bouche assortment from the chef:  pork with corn, risotto ball, cauliflower soup, prawn and "cheese and cracker."

A stuffed tomato appeared to whet my appetite.

A prawn appetizer was ordered, which featured a perfectly cooked prawn.

My main course was lamb with peas, lettuce and pasta balls.  I put the darker triangle on my fork, thinking it was a vegetable, and ate it.  Immediately I thought, this is not a vegetable, it's lamb offal.  When questioned further, the chef told the server the triangle was in fact lamb tongue.  I knew what the second item was:  sweetbread--i.e. thymus glands (which immediately went to my husband, who's not nearly as squeamish as I am about offal).  The lamb dish was delicious (though I enjoy vegetables much more than animal innards).  Ecologically it's better to consume, and not waste, the whole animal.

I loved the way the palate cleanser came in Bodum cups that made the custards look like they were floating.  My husband's was tropical tapioca and coconut, while mine was berry-based.

The cherries have been so nice in Northern California, that this dessert on the menu appealed to me.  I let the chocolate melt on my tongue, then tried the crisp pistachio on sugar with the pistachio ice cream.  The quartered cherries went in my mouth piece-by-piece.  Finally a layer of pistachio cake, layered with tempered chocolate and pistachio cream went down bite-by-bite.

Petit fours and freshly baked brown-butter Madelines were to be enjoyed as long as we wished.  We were sent home with a peach "Alex" box of macaroons.

Hearing Alex was the best restaurant at the Wynn, we wished to try it while we were there.  Restaurant Alex delighted our senses and added to our very pleasant time in Las Vegas.

Sumptuous Strawberries

Woke up early, checked email, online banking and Facebook.  Made breakfast of oranges, CSA eggs, Li’l Bites no-nitrate smoked sausages, and toast.  It had to be hearty, as I volunteered at San Francisco International Airport from 11 am to 3 pm.  There were three babies being adopted from Korea.  Four of us ladies cared for the babies while they were on layover.

Stopped by a hospital to check out the employment board, found two jobs that sounded promising.  However, perhaps mom's advice of finding a job really close to home is better? 

At a Menlo Park shoe repair shop, a pair of designer shoes received a few inches of new holes.  Husband asked for shoehorns, shoetrees, shoelaces and shoes polished.  At least REI will have a super sale on Keen shoes Friday!

Picked up our weekly Community Supported Agriculture.  Reading the list of items for the week on email, thought it would be a lot of greens with two baskets of strawberries.  It was much more colorful than that!  Dinner consisted of strawberries for the first course, and ham pineapple pizza for the second.

Stopped to re-photograph the beautiful batch of bachelor buttons.  The weather's been weird:  raining, sprinkling and sunny.  Glad that the BBs held up!

The Way We Eat Now

Tonight's The New York Times "TimesTalks" topic was all about food, specifically about what three Northern California chefs think.  Thomas Keller talked about how high quality ingredients matter, not as much that the ingredients are organic.  Stating that:  some of these farms have been operating organically for generations, so they are not always going to go through the process of becoming certified organic.  Michael Mina spoke about being asked by his 9 and 12 year-old to get rice started early so that they could make sushi for themselves for their school lunches.  And Traci Des Jardins mentioned that providing full healthcare coverage for her San Francisco restaurant employees puts a huge strain on the profit and loss statements (not to mention having to pay minimum wage to servers making a lot of money in tips, which also causes a huge discrepancy in pay between the back and front of the house).  Overall it was a good talk, and enjoyable to hear and watch.

Afterward, all five participants sign our Ad Hoc cookbook, including Kim Severson and Frank Bruni.  It is a one of a kind.  The view from the Kabuki theatre this evening reflected our vibe of the night.

The talk ended at 8 pm, so we ate at a nearby sushi restaurant in Japan Town in San Francisco before heading home.  

Last night I took my 92 year-old great-aunt to a double feature of classic movies in downtown Palo Alto.  We saw "Trouble in Paradise" (funny movie about two jewelry thieves) and "Love Me Tonight" (romantic musical) from 1932.  Lucky for us, Jeffery's served us hamburgers shortly after their 9 pm closing time.  It's about our quality of life, and we are living!

Wrapping up Wine Bottling

The second day would be a full day, if all the bottling happened as planned.  We started at 8 am on the dot.  I worked second bottling position all morning, my husband worked the empty glass bottle unloading station, and our friend worked the end of the line case labeling station (my husband's coworker worked the bottle unloading station, while his wife worked the wine label on the case station).

A productive day, the filled bottles came at us at the rate of 95 bottles per minute.  With bottles coming at one that fast, there is hardly time for a passing thought.  We helped fill and load (with the help of machines) 5,000 cases of wine.  After working the inserting the bottles in case boxes station for six hours, I was ready for a slightly less busy job.  The last couple of hours of the day I folded box tops to put through the tape machine and labeled the cases with an ID sticker.

We walked away with new prize wine possessions.  Looking beat, we headed to Silverado Brewing Company for dinner.  They refreshed us with fish and chips, ribs and a shrimp and crab Louis salad.  Our friend was dropped off exhausted at 11 pm (he'd also run 10 miles down to Pope Valley and up Ink Grade before the 8 am bottling call!).  We arrived home before we turned into pumpkins, happily satisfied with our glass wine bottling experience.  It fit perfectly.