Lucky #13, or 14, maybe 15?

Last year for our anniversary, C and I went to Napa for a lovely 5-day weekend. Neither of us had been before and being the oenophiles that we are (or think we are) we were so looking forward to it...wanting the romanticized experience of tasting fabulous wines, but with the authenticity of finding new, unknown vintners to bring home with us.

Our first night, we went to the Oxbow Public Market for "locals night" at Hog Island Oyster Company. We were enjoying a dozen oysters, as were many patrons that night, when we noticed our neighbors at the bar received their order with only TEN (gasp) oysters in their dozen. We noticed them counting, whispering, and looking overall perplexed, so we piped in and said "Yes, there are a few missing" and a friendship was born.

Little did we know, but we were sitting next to Tom Bardessano and Kristi Seitz - both winemakers, both unbelievably generous, both wanting to share their wine with us.

After days of double dates and wine tours, tastings and recommendations, we found ourselves quite smitten with the 13 Appellations label (of which Kristi is a partner). My opinion is that it is a true taste of Napa Valley, composed of the 'best of the best' from each sub-appellation in Napa (ex. Rutherford, Yountville, Carneros, Howell Mountain are all sub-appellations). Literally the best juice from each of the best growing regions in Napa? What a fabulous concept! And...a wonderfully complex wine.

We bought several bottles on the spot, followed up by a half case 2 months later. The best part is that the wine continues to impress us, as do the winemakers - since they've begun production there are now 14 appellations, with the addition of Oak Knoll, so we look forward to trying the next bottle of juice (w/ 15?) in the near future!

Puerto Vallarta - March Mexico Trip

Just returned from a week off in Mexico - was a wonderful, relaxing, sun-filled vacation south of the border. C and I packed up on a cold, snowy Chicago morning and headed to a family vacation in Puerta Vallarta. No one in the family (aside from a college spring break trip for Hil) had visited before - so it was a great place to explore and relax for the 6 of us. We spent the week at the Westin, in the Marina district, and ate our way through the breakfast and lunch menus (go for the Muesli, and the Veggie and Fish sandwiches).

After doing some general restaurant searching, we started with a list...and we ate our way through it and then some. Outlined are the highlights:

Super Green Salad, Salmon Zaradorado, & Dessert Delux @ Cafe Des Artistes

Margaritas, Asparagus salad, Grilled Sea Bass, & Beef Carpaccio @ Trio

Chile-rubbed Sea Bass, Tuna Sashimi, Veggie Symphony, & Pomegranate martinis @ La Palapa

Cuatro salsas, Margaritas, Chipotle-Tequila linguini & to-die-for Chile Relleno's @ Los Xitomates

Fish tacos (grilled and fried), the guacamole, and the authenticity @ Sayulita Fish Taco's

After the week, we still weren't sick of guacamole, tortilla chips, or margaritas...but it was nice to come home to a cheesy, "American" pizza on Saturday night (complete with a cuddly pup). Thanks to my parents for organizing and funding an amazing warm-weather-family-trip. Love you! S&C

Bacon Wrapped Gourmet Club - A night in Spain

The theme for the first Gourmet club meeting was: Tapas! Everyone whole-heartedly embraced the concept and came prepared with lots of wine, garlic, olive oil, and bread. The conversations were fluid and varied, the kitchen a flurry of pans and pots, the table littered with wine bottles - success!

Definitely a meeting of worthy contenders for best dish - everything from simple roasted peppers with capers, to an onslaught of black bean empanadas and proscuitto wrapped asparagus with oozing goat cheese (I'm craving one of those right now, actually), there was garlic shrimp with a heavenly garlickly oil for dipping, our equally garlicky white bean and garbanzo salad, and delightful bites of bacon-wrapped dates. I personally found the albondigas recipe to be "pork-heavy" and would make several alterations...the saffron sauce came out well, however, and they seemed to be eaten (always a good sign).

We brought a Tempranillo to share, but I'm not sure the structure was up to par with some of the pairings we had - c'est la vie, we drank it anyway!

The next meeting is likely at our house - though we'll post more pics and recipes from Tapas night...thoughts, suggestions, let me know!

What's in a name?

Help us name our "gourmet club" - here were some options....
Epicure
CGC (Chicago Gourmet Club)
The Urban Gourmet
Mangia Group
Meet and Mangia
Buongustaio (Gourmet in Italian)
Il Buongustaio Urbano
Club Cucina
Vino e Cibo (Wine and Food in Italian)
Le Bon Vivant (Gourmand in French)

We'd like to have SOMETHING to call our gatherings...leave any additional thoughts in the comments!

The Gourmet Club begins...

Several months ago, on a cold, wintry work day, Erin and I had a lengthy discussion around our desire for a "gourmet club". She has been thinking about this for some time now, found a sounding board (and core member) in me and hence...the club was born.

Here are the details from the original email - this will set the stage for you:
- Meet once a month on a Saturday
- Everyone rotates hosting, and the host picks the theme for the next month (if your place is too small to host, someone else will happily step in while you still are officially the "host")
- We will have a core group of people who are serious about committing to this (criteria = having an interest in food, and genuinely excited to spend time cooking once a month, hosting, etc.) with some wiggle room for guests (i.e., dates, others we extend the invite to on a monthly basis but who may not be up for it EVERY month)

Core Group:
Erin
Sara
Chris
Sarah R.
Bill
Amanda
Tricia
Colleen
Sarah
Orin
Ryan
Mica (and Peter)

So, it's unlikely that all of these people would agree, but say they do... That said, if everyone in agrees, we're at 11. Maybe we just pick an additional person or two. And, as mentioned, we could always invite people on a monthly basis, maybe seeing how the first few months go and what attendance is like.

Possible themes to get excited about:
- Cuisine (Italian, French, etc.)
- Secret ingredient
- On a budget (i.e., less than $10 dishes)
- Cook-off (i.e., chili)
- Inspired by a movie, song or book
- Wine/beer pairings
- Small plates

Oh, the possibilities are endless!

Our first meeting is Friday, March 5 - they're 8, possibly 10 folks attending. Stay tuned for more!

Art Institute - Free Februarys

I think the title mostly explains this blog post, which is to tell anyone (er, all 9 of you) that doesn't already know about the Art Institute's "Free February" promotion! All month you can simply walk in and stroll the halls filled with such wonders as Untitled and Untitled. I understand that you may not know exactly how to explain your art/work/painting/sculpture, but can't you at least ATTEMPT a name? In contrast, every third painting in Italy is Madonna e bambino.

Irregardless of what you see or how long you go, try to make it to the 3rd floor of the modern wing, it's the European Contemporary rooms that make me happy. Lots of color, bold shapes, random sizes... who can resist a Picasso or a Matisse? Enjoy!

Nella Pizzeria

Went to check out the new Nella Pizzeria in LP this past Friday - we were looking for a low-key place to grab a bite, have a glass of wine, and not spend $1MM. Nella fit the bill.

A-Shan and I immediately ordered a glass of Sangiovese, a Friday night special, and launched into our weekly de-brief. After our patient waiter returned to take our order (for the 4th time) we selected two salads (arugula for me, mixed green for her) and the Fiorentina pizza (mozzarella, spinach and ricotta). The salads were a great size - fresh, perfectly dressed, plus a wedge of lemon for mine that was an added bonus. I would have loved some fresh cracked pepper, but I didn't ask...

Our pizza was a great size for two ladies sharing - thinking that if C and I went, we'd need to get another one and/or an additional appetizer - and we ate the entire thing. The crust was nice and chewy, the sauce was a perfect ratio with the cheese. I "dressed" mine with crushed red pepper flakes and it was divine...a great Friday night meal with a great friend.

The place really filled up after I got there (about 6:45pm) but there were always seats at the bar. Good energy, good food, reasonable prices and walking distance are a winning recipe for me!

A "non" dish for everyone

Several years ago, I joined various colleagues in Boston in completing a 14 day cleanse - this was not the "master" cleanse w/ cayenne pepper, maple syrup madness - but one focusing on clean foods. Clean foods are defined as non-wheat, non-meat, non-caffeinated, non-dairy, non-alcoholic, food-from-the-earth type foods. Needless to say, C quit after 4 days and was miserable* when I did it a second time...I liked the overall premise, but it was REALLY hard to stick to when I went to NYC for a friend's birthday, but I digress.

While in Beaver Creek a week ago, I stole the most recent issue of Bon Appetit and perused the magazine this past weekend. It's a slim issue, but packed with great recipes that I truly see us incorporating into our mealtimes. One such recipe was for quinoa risotto with mushrooms - a very cleanse-friendly food, that I highly recommend. Quinoa is great for cleansing AND vegetarians as it is a great source of protein, high in fiber, and is gluten-free and easy to digest.

Since my brother and his girlfriend often make vegetarian meals, I'm posting this especially for them to try - it's hard to pronounce, but once you have quinoa I think you're a convert:
1 cup quinoa (rinsed)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow or white onion
1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
1 8 oz pckg crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced
6 oz of shiitake mushrooms, sliced
3-4 strands of fresh thyme, de-stemmed
1 cup dry white wine (sauvignon blanc/chablis or the like)
Some shredded parmegiano cheese, if preferred

Bring 2 cups of salted water to boil - add the quinoa and cover, simmering over medium-low. Let this cook until there is no water, approx 10-12 minutes.

While quinoa is cooking, heat olive oil in a large saute pan. Add the onion, cook until translucent and soft, approx 5 minutes. Add the garlic, mixing it into the onions, cook for about 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and the thyme, mixing everything together. Cook until mushrooms are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the wine; let the wine cook off and stir occasionally until mixture thickens and liquids are reduced (about 3 minutes).

Add the quinoa to the mushroom mixture, stirring to mix thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper and serve! We both put about a tbsp of shredded parm/asiago blend on ours for added saltiness :)

This should make 4 entree servings, or 6 side servings. We served it with a fennel tomato salad and it was a lovely, earthy, vege-friendly meal! Highly recommended.

*not the entire time, but pretty much against all future cleanses

Vineyard to visit, Turnbull

While in Napa this past fall, C and I spent a lot of time "commuting" and whiling away the hours on the lovely St. Helena highway (Rte 29). We tried to plan around the must-dos and restaurants on our list, therefore creating a circle of wineries and vineyards per diem. What strikes me as funny now is that we passed Turnbull every day - it was far enough south on the east side of the road, has an easily identifiable sign, and is close to the Silverado turn-off. Plus, we visited the neighboring vineyards of Cakebread, Grgich and Rubicon.

The point is - we didn't make any attempt to go there, though we thought about it, and now I'd like to return. Turnbull has a simple menu: Sauv blanc, "old Bull" (meritage), Merlot and Cabernet Sauv. The last of which they also make a Reserve. Recently, at a Wine Spectator award winning restaurant, we sampled our first taste of the Turnbull Cabernet (2005). While this isn't the most-insane-Cab-I've-ever-had sort of wine, it's a solid choice, consistent from bottle to bottle, great with food, and a decent option for those friends in the bunch who 'only drink white wine'. I guess I was happy and wanted to share - especially because @ $40/bottle at retail and under $90 on premise, it's a decent deal (yes, I do think that).

In Chicago, you can find it at Binny's and likely on a few select menus.

Pantry Recipe: Spanish Spaghetti with Olives

I'm not like the majority of Americans who can easily cook out of their pantries. We don't buy a lot of dry goods, canned goods, or much of anything good that is stored in the pantry (except chocolate, mmm). Cooking magazines and shows always seem to come up with these "quick and easy" recipes using all sorts of things found in the average pantry - I would have to stock up to make such dishes. Hence my surprise, when I had everything on hand for the following recipe...PLUS (big plus) it is pasta, which I like to incorporate into the weekly menu!

Here are the details, adapted slightly from the original here:

Ingredients:
8 oz thin spaghetti
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups chopped onion (I used sweet yellow)
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp crushed saffron threads
1/2 tsp oregano (optional)
1/2 pound lean ground beef (I used sirloin)
1/2 cup sliced green olives (we bought them from a local olive bar, but jarred will do0
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 heaping tbsp capers
1 2/3 cups marinara sauce (we bought the most basic WF brand)
1/4 cup parsley, divided and to taste

Start by putting your water on to boil.

Heat the olive oil in the pan over medium high heat - adding the onions and cooking for about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, cook for 1 minute. Stir in the spices and add the beef to the pan. Brown the beef, approximately 5 minutes, stir to crumble as it browns.

Stir in the marinara sauce, sherry, olives, capers and about 1/2 of the parsley. Let the sauce come to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes. Once your pasta is al dente, strain and add to the sauce mixture. If the pasta is done first, add to the sauce at the very end and let the pasta warm up, approximately 2-3 minutes. Garnish with remaining parsley and a touch of cheese (the cheese adds a nice saltiness).

Technically, this is for 4 servings, however ours was more like 3 1/4. My suggestion would be to serve alongside a salad or another vegetable if you need/want to feed four. Calories are minimal for this dish at 445 per serving (based on 4) so I think - eat up!

Armenian Rice Pilaf - by request

After last week's Armenian Saturday Night, I have been talking about pilaf a lot and have had requests for the recipe. So, with no further ado, here we have it:

1 cup long grain rice
1/4 cup thin egg noodles (or broken vermicelli)
1 stick unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups chicken broth, spiced with black pepper and garlic
Salt and Pepper to taste

Using a medium size sauce pan, heat the butter over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, put your chicken stock/broth on low to heat.

As the butter foams, add the egg noodles, stirring frequently with a fork as they brown. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the rice until all kernels are covered in butter and the two are well mixed. Rice will look translucent at this point.

Put the saucepan back on the burner on low, add chicken stock/broth and cover. Usually takes a good 25 minutes to absorb all the liquid, but I would check it and turn it down if you see rice after 10 minutes.

When the liquid is absorbed, remove from heat and fluff with a fork - voila, it's Armenian night! If you are looking for garnishes, a parsley/onion combo is my favorite, pine nuts and mint are also traditional garnishes in Armenian cuisine. Buon Appetito!

The Publican - Sunday Dinner

For C's birthday this year, (a cold, windy Sunday) we ventured to the west and to The Publican. We've been here several times before and frequent the other establishments in this small restaurant group. The three things you need to know about The Publican are: oysters, pork, and beer. If you said "check, check, check" then you are in good shape!

Our menu was a bit different - Sunday's are low-key, 4-course prix fixe menus, with the option to pair complementary beers. We went with the beer pairing and had a really interesting (and quite delicious) menu:

Oyster & Celery Root soup

- with leeks and grilled sourdough

Grilled Sturgeon

- on top of lentils, Brussels sprouts, and yogurt

Braised Oxtails

- with fingerling potatoes and celery salad

Dessert was an Almond Macaroon with lemon(?) filling, a white chocolate ganache flavored with white pepper and rosemary - sounds strange, but was nice and light and complex!

We were less than impressed with the beer pairings, would have preferred to get our own and drink leisurely (plus, no weird "sweet and sour" beer) but it was a good experience and new for us. They did forget the celebratory reason we were there, but that is a recurring issue for us these past few years. Maybe we like birthday's too much...

Holiday breakfast hit, 2009

Well, the last major holiday of 2009 is upon us - tomorrow, to be exact, or obvious. I'm watching the year end countdown on VH-1 and various people are outlining Britney lyrics as metaphors and such...SO, I'm writing down a recent hit at my family's house this year: Baked Apple French Toast/Bread Pudding. This recipe definitely deserves a 'slash' as it is super dense and moist a la Bread Pudding, but it is light and hits the spot for all French toast lovers...like my mom.

Here's the recipe - subtly revised from Gale Gand's original note here - make ahead for a wonderful New Year's Day brunch:

Baked Cinnamon-Apple French Toast/Bread Pudding
2 tbsp unsalted butter
6 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4" slices (I used Gala, they're my favorite)
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground or fresh grated nutmeg
8 slices Challah bread, toasted
8 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 1/2 cups whole milk
1 tbsp vanilla

Heat the butter in a medium sized skillet over medium heat until it foams; add the apples and cook until tender, about 12 minutes. Off the heat, stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg.

While the apples are cooking, slice 1 inch pieces of Challah bread and toast in the toaster or oven (350' for 6-8 minutes, turning once). Arrange bread overlapping in the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch buttered baking dish.

Beat eggs in a separate bowl, gradually whisk in sugar, milk and vanilla. Pour over toasted bread, covering all pieces. Add the apples to the top; cover and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, heat oven to 350'; bake uncovered until custard is set (might be slightly jiggly, but the custard is mostly firm). It will puff up and brown slightly. We baked ours for 55 minutes (50-60) and then let it sit for 10 minutes - if you can stand it. Serve with maple syrup and/or powdered sugar if you like!

Enjoy - Happy New Year!

Fall, foliage, and 'leaf peeping'

Moving to Chicago last year meant experiencing all of the seasons from a fresh perspective. I had a new winter, new spring, new summer and a new fall. Despite the comparisons to other places I've lived (which I often do), I was actually quite pleased with the overall aesthetic of the "Chicago Fall".

Lately, it has been quite lovely - please don't misunderstand me, October weather was awful - with gorgeous, vibrant color. The trees are all on their own schedules, with some just starting to lose their leaves and turn deep scarlet and blazing orange. It's like a palette of adjectives.

I took this picture in our proverbial "front yard" this weekend - it's funny to me because all of the neighboring sister trees seem to have lost their leaves. But this, this gal is holding strong!

Final note - it seems that way out here in the mid-west, the term "leaf peeping" is not standard autumnal verbiage. I mentioned going leaf peeping in MA and NH and was met with blank looks and then smirks at my choice of words. Honestly, there are LEAF PEEPERS in the northeast, leaf peeping packages in VT, signs directing peepers to certain areas, I think you can even buy a map of optimal leaf peeping sites...too funny. I know it's a real phrase, I guess that is all that matters, right?

Fashion flix, take one

So, given my love of dresses and addiction to Netflix (it's just so EASY), a friend of mine alerted me to this new site, courtesy of the NYT.

I am not one of those people that has 15+ weddings each year, nor do I balk at spending (read: investing) in special occasion dresses. HOWEVER, C and my credit card do. Hence, the interest in this site - obviously there are a thousand things that might go awry (wrong size, late delivery, snow storm, etc) but the idea of "renting" a dress for an event for $50 and looking like $1,000,000 is pretty enticing.

Ladies, I hope you succeed. And, invite me.

Banana bread (finally)

Every time we have a mushy, ripe banana I declare "wait, don't throw it out - I'll make banana bread." I now get knowing glances and raised eyebrows from C since I have yet to make it. It's going on 5 years...This weekend, complete with 3 perfectly mushy, ripe bananas, the bread was finally made. Here's the recipe (modified from the original here)

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 very ripe medium bananas, mashed (about 1 1/4 cups)

1/2 cup sour cream

¼ cup chopped walnuts

Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Coat a 10 inch loaf pan with butter and dust it with flour, tapping out the excess. Whisk together 2 cups flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a large bowl to aerate. Set aside.

Combine sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla in a separate bowl and beat on low until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Add bananas and sour cream and mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add dry mixture, and stir until just combined.

Turn batter into the prepared loaf pan, topping with the chopped walnuts along the center of the pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean-ish, the top is golden brown, and the bread is pulling away from the sides of the pan, about 50 minutes to 1 hour (to keep it moist/dense, I would pull it at the 50 minute mark)

Place the pan on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the bread and cool completely on the wire rack before serving. Ecco la colazione!

As you can see, ours is already nearly gone... This is super easy, a definite add to the list and delicious with all sorts of modifications - like chocolate chips, hazelnut spread or toasted pecans. Make it very fall with some cranberries and a cup of cider...I'm going to have my breakfast piece now, thank you very much!

Tuna Tuna Salmon = Love Love Lust

Went to Japonais this weekend because it's good, I love it, and our friends Mica and Peter hadn't been there in forever. Who are we to say no to raw fish? We started the night in the subterranean lounge and it was packed...like people have been hibernating and were just LET LOOSE on the city's best indoor bars. Yes, it was that packed. We were relegated to the corner of the corner near the service station (the bartender actually came all the way out and around the bar to return our tab because people were 3 deep at the bar - crazy).

After a glass of my favorite sauv blanc we were seated upstairs in a comfy banquette. Immediately we ordered the Rock and the Kani Nigiri - surf and turf, if you will. I elected myself Chief of the Rock and made everyone seared, salty slices of beef. We ordered a variety of warm dishes to appease Peter, but ultimately the main event was the (two orders of) Tuna Tuna Salmon. Honestly, it's so good - it's like my personal brand of fish candy. Here's the equation, if you're not familiar:

Sushi rice+salmon tartar+avocado+perfectly sliced tuna+wasabi tobiko sauce = deliciousness!

I am mildly obsessed and have been reminded of said obsession - now have to plan my next meal of wine and Tuna Tuna Salmon, any takers?

the girl & the fig

As far as challenging meals go, we've had our fair share: bad servers, messy menus, incorrect orders, allergies (eggplant is my "allergy"), strange table placement, aggressive food runners, out of stock wine orders, late mise en place. You name it. We can now add "food poisoning" to the list...NOT from The Girl & the Fig, but from the restaurant the evening before. The challenge for us was that we had been so looking forward to this vacation, this specific town, this specific meal, that one of us having food poisoning was quite possibly the worst dining challenge yet.

How can you visit an acclaimed, adorable, farm-to-table restaurant in the midst of your food-and-wine-centric vacation and not order anything? Let me tell you - you eat a lot of bread. Thankfully the bread is lovely.

C is a wonderful companion and dolefully accompanied me in his time of pain - my mother called it heroism - and we called ahead to ask about the daily menu and the more bland possibilities for his recovering stomach (Side note: asking a hostess for bland items at a renowned restaurant is not a call I'd like to make, but I digress). We were seated on their gorgeous, plant and ivy covered patio, between a fire pit and glowing lanterns. Totally cozy, neighborhood vibe, shiny, happy people.

With a French focus on wine (Rhone-alone) and cheese, it was a tough restaurant to have a man down. I ended up ordering the Arugula and Fig salad (how could you not?) followed by the Pan Roasted Black Cod. Both were well-executed, light and summery, incredibly fresh dishes - I truly could eat the black cod time and time again, especially in warm weather, as it was the essence of an Indian Summer: fresh corn, crunchy cabbage, tender fingerlings, made more earthy with black truffle oil and the hearty skin on fillet of the fish. Sigh...so good.

Highly recommend it, whether for lunch or dinner. Try to keep your dinner company healthy, though, the fromage looks divine...

Coopers - town 101

I'm going to go ahead and NOT mention the fact that I haven't written anything all summer. I figure that it's obvious (hello, sidebar) and after the long, not-so-summer that we've had here in Chicago, I'd like to just move on. Okay?

So, take two: C and I went to Napa and San Francisco last month. We have been trying to get out there for the past few years and finally it worked out. I have a LOT of food and vino stories, but think this one is appropriate for this time of year, namely, harvest time.

Any wine drinker (and most common folk) know that wine is generally aged in barrels. C and I understand the intricacies of the different types of barrels to an extent - we know we like a little oak in our pinot noir, a stainless steel barreled, crisp sauvingnon. What we did not know was manipulating the barrel was a) an uncommon practice or that b) it would have such an amazing output. We learned all about barrels, coopers, the forests of France and more at Del Dotto Vineyard. We elected to kick off our vacation here and splurged on the Cave and Barrel Tasting at their St Helena estate. We ended up with a private tour and a very informative and well-sipped tour guide (I spit/poured more than he did and I was quite tipsy). After an hour of thief poured wine and some of the best cabernets I've ever tasted, we got to this barrel (pic above): 2007 St Helena Block 1, 6 oaks French Selection Cabernet Sauvignon.

Commonly, all oak barrels are either French or domestic (Missouri/Ozarks) and are better known for being "lightly, medium, or heavily" toasted, with each level lending certain characteristics to the wine. Wine makers don't usually disclose the type of oak, though more modern vineyards will let you know since the flavor profiles can so vastly differ. I know this is a lot of info, but bear with me... Del Dotto, not only tells you the type of oak used for aging, they can tell you the forest and the location WITHIN the forest where these trees were pulled from. That was impressive - for instance, "Troncais, center" and you the consumer will know that the center trees are the purest and will affect your wine in a very subtle way. To take it even further, they have petitioned their individual cooper to experiment with alternate woods, grooves in the barrel staves, different forest ranges, etc. All at the price of nearly $2500 each, plus the risk of the wine in that barrel (approximately 30 cases) - all in all, it's an expensive experiment. I applaud their innovation and Mr. Del Dotto's quest to do something different and "mix it up" in Napa and the industry.

The barrel pictured was a patented mix of SIX types of French Oak, one from each of the major harvest areas. The wine was a bold cabernet, medium tannins and very, very smooth finish. Priced @ $125 we could hardly escape with the barrel....although we wanted to try. Sadly, our tour guide wasn't as inebriated as we'd hoped.

Highly recommend a visit to the vineyard - it's small, family owned, accommodating and the cave tour is one-of-a-kind.

Toast-y Brunch

Well, we survived Mother's Day brunch this past Sunday. We wanted to get something to eat and since I'm a "new mom" of a puppy, I got to choose. I picked Toast since we've lived in LP for 8 months and have never been...it's a super popular nabe spot with 1-2 hour waits as the norm. Not happening for a girl like me who needs to eat once she starts thinking about it - especially on Sundays!

C obliged and put our name in an hour before we thought we'd be hungry, which really worked out for us and we were seated on schedule at a cozy banquette table near the kitchen. The menu is awesome, a great selection of super sweet breakfast items, savory sandwiches, eggs and omelets run the gamut from crazy to Denver...the most outlandish, yet ultimately satisfying menu item was the French Toast Orgy. I can't even tell you how strange it sounds on the menu - but it was SO good. It's 3 rectangular pieces of stuffed, soaked French toast (mascarpone and strawberry, for us) topped with vanilla yogurt, granola, and fresh fruit. It's an enormous mess of goodness.

The other item we tried was the Lump Crab Benedict - the eggs were cooked perfectly and the truffle hollandaise was amazing. The crab vs crabCAKE is up for debate, though this is a healthier option, likely. Toast makes great homefries and the potatoes are caramelized and crispy - the onions are hard to resist/share (sorry).

Julies Meinl coffee was a great addition to the meal and helped perk us up after a late Saturday night. Both effective and tasty, I plan on many future Sundays at Toast...as long as C is up to the task of putting our name in early :)