I love springtime with its fresh air, warm temperatures and lengthy days. Spring rolls are the perfect treat during this time of year. They are light, healthy, adaptable; and best of all they accompany the year’s newest bottlings of Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc and Rose of Pinot Noir. INGREDIENTS: 8 rice papers 4 large …
For some reason I associate mussels with springtime. Maybe it’s the thought of eating outdoors, or maybe it’s an excuse to sip the new vintage of Taft Street Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc. Maybe both! INGREDIENTS: 1 leek, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded 1 cup Taft Street Russian …
We were all set for our 4oth Anniversary Celebration on April Fools’ Day. Even the weather was cooperating – predictions called for blue skies with temperatures in the mic 70’s. Our smoker was ready to be fired up, and the RSVPs ensured a good crowd. Then several staff members tested positive on their home Covid …
Much can be said about the wine business – but being dull is not one of them. The usual vagaries – fickle weather, soil fertility, pestilence, changing consumer tastes – are all expected parts of the game. Add to these a pandemic along with its severe economic consequences, catastrophic climate threats, (e.g. Western US drought), …
Last week in our picnic grove we hosted a tasting/ luncheon for our new NorCal sales team. Pulled pork tacos with a tomatillo/avocado sauce was the headliner. Over the weekend I used the sauce again; one time over scrambled eggs, and again as the base for a salad dressing. It’s a handy thing to have …
I am writing this on a day with brilliant blue skies and temperatures in the mid-sixties. Unfortunately, it has been this way for the past month, and there is no rain in sight. After a very soggy October and December it seems the drought has returned. On top of that, we have just received a …
Yesterday the 49ers played the Rams for the Western Conference final. The good guys did not win. We had a few people over to watch the game, and it turned out the best part of the afternoon was the food – specifically BBQ chicken wings. Went really well with our newly released GOLD MEDAL winning …
The year 2021 was certainly memorable. It started with restaurant closures, curbside pickups for food and beverages, vaccinations, blue skies, GOLD MEDALS and reservations for wine tasting. As the year went by the blue skies were no longer smiled upon as drought loomed all over the west, more GOLD MEDALS accrued, reservations for tastings became …
In Northern California we usually call crab and shellfish stew Cioppino. However, most recipes don’t call for a pinch of saffron, which I find an important element. Whatever you call it, the dish is the traditional Christmas Eve meal around our house. We were happy to see crabs available this year, even though they came …
Kathy and I are riding the train from Paris to Lyon, after a week’s visit with family in Paris, our first trip in almost two years. Paris was wonderful (if cold), aglow with holiday lights and inviting restaurants every few feet. We managed to import a bottle of 2021 Taft Street Pinot Noir Nouveau to …
