Heart of Ireland Beats In Davis

Davis, CA -- The day I went to visit my son Jordan at his university in Davis, it was overcast and rainy.  Our first stop was a one-hour philosophy class deconstructing the skepticism associated with the writings of 16^th century philosopher René Descartes.  I don’t believe the professor understood when he wrote Cartesian Demon on the blackboard, it meant the demon Facebook because that’s what students were viewing on their laptops instead of listening to his lecture. 

 

After class, Jordan and I wanted some comfort food so we walked in a gentle rain from his frat house to de Vere’s Irish Pub in downtown Davis.   We sat in the library room on a plush red leather couch surrounded by antique fixtures, stained glass windows, polished wood, and yes, books.  If American Free Bird wasn’t blasting from the speakers, I would have sworn I was in Ireland. 

Our order of Bangers and Mash was clearly the comfort food we were seeking, wanting to sink deeper into Irish culture within this jewelry box of a restaurant.  The creamy mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy were worth the price of admission alone.  I asked our waiter Josh to bring us some gnarly mustard and he laughed.  A few moments later with the gnarly addition, the meal took on new heights as I dipped the housemade sausage into a zesty brew of brown seed mustard with a horseradish kick—my whole mouth zigging and zagging resounding with Zing!  My only regret was not ordering a pint of Guinness to balance the zig and zag.

Sadly, our time together was coming to an end.  Jordan and I walked back to his frat house and hugged goodbye.  He would pull an all-nighter to complete a term paper.  My heart was heavy for the parting once again, but made lighter by the memory of our precious time together.  I got in my car, turned on  the XM satellite radio to the 70s station hoping that Free Bird would float through the speakers, sending me back to the happy place once again, at de Vere's, with Jordan by my side. 

Noe Valley: Rin’s Thai Restaurant

San Francisco, CA – Noe Valley’s 24^th Street is a sweet spot in the city with charm to spare—Victorian row houses, flower shops, antique stores and an overlooked Thai restaurant: Rin’s.  This Zen themed eatery is a sanctuary of grace and relaxation tucked away at the corner of 24^th and Douglass.  Low-lighting, soft terra cotta-colored walls, and photographs of Buddhist monks add to the serenity of this fairly priced restaurant. 

Kim, my friend from Humboldt State and I marveled at the diversity of their hand-picked wine selection—she chose a 2008 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, and I stayed true to California, selecting a 2007 Taz Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara which was soft and silky with a floral undertone and a red-fruit finish. 

            “Tonight I want it to be about you,” Kim said to me, “you’ve been through a lot and I want to listen.”  She was right.  My mom suffered a stroke in early September and I’d been away from Basecamp for over five weeks.  Still, I was grateful for the gift of a true friend, and a flavorful meal in a lemon-grass, ginger-scented restaurant with low-key jazz playing in the background.

            Over a green papaya salad with egg, grilled pork, mint and peanuts I told her about hiring two caregivers to support my mom around the clock.  Soothing my frazzled nerves was an aromatic dose of chicken soup and mushrooms in coconut broth.  A healthy serving of chicken satay with cucumber salad, peanut sauce and brown rice strengthened my resolve to continue caring for an aging parent. 

            The evening ended too quickly, but the memory of a loving friend and a gentle meal at Rin’s remained in my heart. 

In A Daze at Pinot Days

Pinot Days in San Francisco

San Francisco, CA – When it comes to drinking I have the heart of an alcoholic, but sadly not the stomach for it—after two drinks, I’m quickly done-in.  Luckily, wine is meant for sipping and Pinot, the delightful thin-skinned grape is one to savor, so my heart and stomach were in communion for Pinot Days, a wine festival held at Fort Mason on June 16.   

This event calls itself the largest gathering of Pinot Noir producers in the world and I believe it—the place was packed.  My college roommate from 30 years ago invited me to go with her and our goal was to find the best wine of the event, a huge challenge considering there were over 140 exhibitors there.  Still, we were up to the task and here’s our unscientific strategy.  First: we only tasted California wines; second: we isolated two geographic areas including the Central Coast and the Napa Valley; and third: we asked random people, mostly cute single guys, whom they recommended. 

Next, we conjured a strategy.  One of us would sit at a table and take notes, while the other would go to a booth and ask the winemaker to “pour me the best stuff you have—you’re in a contest to win winemaker of Pinot Days.”  We’d taste the wine at the table and use the Robert Parker 100 point rating system. 

Bob Wait, Grand Prize Winner

Luckily for our grand prize winner, I immediately violated our unscientific strategy and asked a big, burly, bearded guy who had a camera around his neck and a spiral notepad in his hand what his favorite wine was and he told me to try Wait Cellars and he was right. Owner and winemaker Bob Wait’s 2009 Green Valley Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent hand-picked and hand-sorted fruit from the Russian River Valley in Sonoma County.  Plus, he melted our heart by pouring his prize-winning wine from his grandmother’s decanter. At $36 a bottle, it’s a steal.  We gave him 99 points. 

Kevin Deschamp (l) and winemaker
Gary Brookman (r) First Place Winner

Our first place winner was Miner Family Winery, the very first wine that my roommate tried at the event, even before we devised our scheme to run the unofficial event contest.  I was busy eating French bread and Kerrygold white cheddar cheese at the time—starving as usual.  Winemaker Gary Brookman’s 2010 Rosella’s 777 is made from grapes grown along the southwest facing slopes of the Santa Lucia Mountain Range on the Central Coast.  At $75 a bottle, it’s an investment that will last until 2018—if you can wait that long!  We gave him 97 points.   

Honorable mention goes to Manzoni EstateVineyard, mostly because my roommate is good friends with the owner, Mark Manzoni.  But we do recommend their 2010 Manzoni Home Vineyard Pinot Noir.  

At the conclusion of the event, both of us had a good buzz going, but we were ready to pay the piper.  We went to the volunteer booth, put on our day-glo orange vests, and began our jobs as closing logistic technicians.  This was the price to pay for a free entrance to the event—picking up used wine glasses, breaking down tables and collecting garbage.  Still, we had a blast and look forward to doing it again next year. Cheers.

Pessagno Winery: Salinas Valley Gem

Salinas, CA -- I’m always enchanted when I discover a new part of California.  So when my college roommate whom I’ve known for 30 years said, “I’m taking you on the River Road Wine Trail in the Salinas Valley—John Steinbeck country,” I happily agreed to go.  The spring day was 68 degrees as we drove by agricultural fields that stretched for miles.  Farmworkers were harvesting broccoli and cauliflower in front of a stunning backdrop of the low-lying Santa Lucia Mountains. It looked like our fairy godmother had sprinkled ice plant blooms with a wand, just in time for us to gasp at the display of vibrant pink and purple blossoms.

We spent the afternoon at PessagnoWinery where owner Steve Pessagno joined us for a glass of wine, engaging us in conversation ranging from the benefits of owning a winery, “great lifestyle, good friends, wonderful wines,” to the downside of abundance, “it’s a challenge to maintain a slim waistline,” to the way of the universe. 

I said we were made of the same stuff as the stars—carbon atoms.  He of course knew better.  After all, to be a winemaker of his caliber he understood chemistry.  He corrected me with some gobbledygook about the alchemical process of transformation that involved helium, hydrogen and free neutrons that even now I can’t recall.  Still, we were in agreement.  We are the universe and the universe is us.  Cheers!

Keep On Truckin: Venice Food On The Go

Venice, CA --  The new way to eat in Venice is from the mobile lunch trucks. These cheap and hip, controversial trucks line trendy Abbot Kinney Boulevard offering nouvelle cuisine twist to old favorites like hot dogs, tacos, and cheese steaks. Much to the chagrin of brick and mortar business owners, there’s only one regulation in place that controls the trucks—they must have an agreement with a permanent business to provide a bathroom. Locals claim these trucks take away precious business and leave a lot of trash behind.

French Laundry: Holy Experience

Yountville, CA --  Dining at the Laundry was like being in the center of the most exquisite stained glass chapel in the world, Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, all refracted light—a holy experience. The angels were singing songs of exhalation transporting me to a higher realm of existence. I wanted to stay there forever.

Maître d'Hôtel Larry Nadeau came by to say hello. He was suave, sophisticated and charming. “You look wonderful tonight,” he said in a semi-whisper. Swoon. He then asked if there was anything more he could do for us. I couldn’t resist. I asked him if they had any ketchup in the back. His eyes grew big, and then they crinkled at the creases, revealing a soft spot in a reserved exterior. “I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that,” he said.

V. Sattui Winery: Napa Valley Treasure

St. Helena, CA -- Dario Sattui is the great-grandson of Vittorio who single-handedly took up the torch in 1975 and revived V. Sattui Winery in St. Helena along Highway 29. His rag to riches story is one of youthful drive and unwavering dedication to a vision. For six or seven years, he worked long hours, seven days a week. To save money he slept in a sleeping bag on the tasting room floor, taking cold showers from the winery hose, rolling up the bag in the daytime, hiding it behind the wine barrels and telling no one about his dire straits. His goal was to craft fine wines to make his great-grandfather Vittorio proud. The result of Dario’s effort is a winery that’s able to sell 70,000 cases per year of wine direct to the consumer, a successful, against-the-grain business model that eliminates distribution through stores or restaurants


I was introduced to Dario who at six foot four is a commanding presence. He is in his 70s—tall, rugged, handsome and still virile. We were at V. Sattui’s annual Crush Party, an event that allowed the public to step behind the scenes of a working winery to watch grapes being crushed; meet the winemakers; measure acid, sugar, pH and sulfurs; see the bottle line in operation; dip Madeira bottles in hot sealing wax; and of course eat and drink to our heart’s delight.

“This is Ingrid, she’s writing a book on California,” said Claudette Shatto, the public relations woman for the winery. I brought along my 19-year-old son Jordan, who attends nearby U.C. Davis, world-renown for its viticulture school that has produced some of the best vintners in the Napa Valley.

“You don’t look old enough to have a son this age,” he said with a twinkle in his eye—a charmer. “I have a little place up the road called Castilo di Amaraso, if you want to tour it, let me know.” He reached into his wallet and pulled out an odd-sized business card and handed it to me. “Have a great time at the Crush party.”

Later I would learn that Dario’s “little place up the road” was a recreation of a medieval castle with 200 acres of prime real estate in St. Helena that Dario completed in 2007 after fourteen years of laborious construction.

Syd's Bagelry: Tahoe City Wi-Fi Hotspot

Love the toasted bagel with cream cheese and strawberry jam. Simple, yet decadent. Try the hot chocolate, not as rich as Angelina’s in Paris, but oh-so-good on a chilly Tahoe day.

Guest Chef: Cooking From The Heart

Guest Chef Vera R. Ciammetti

Oakland, CA – Here’s a novel idea for all you foodies out there: a restaurant that features a new chef every two weeks. The folks at Guest Chef on College Avenue in Oakland are on to something.  Last night I had a simple, yet flavorful meal cooked by Chef Vera R. Ciammeti: salad greens with butternut squash; hot spaghetti aglio e olio con pepperoncini; and a glass of red wine.  The dining room is intimate with seats for only 16 – 20 guests, creating an inviting family-style experience.  Chef Vera came by with samples of lasagna and to check on our dining experience.  Heck, even Pablo Voitzuk, who pimps Pacific Sun Olive Oil, the extra virgin olive oil that Chef Vera uses exclusively, came by to say hi.  At about $9 per plate, this is the best deal in town.  Don’t wait too long—Chef Vera’s run at Guest Chef finishes on December 4.  

Toast Wine Lounge: Ambiance to Spare

Oakland, CA – Dining outdoors on a crisp November evening under a heat lamp at a bistro table while drinking a glass of wine is my idea of California dreamin’.  Toast Wine Lounge on College Avenue offers hand-selected wines, small plates and ambiance to spare.   I recommend the Seam Wines 2008 Barbera from Calaveras County:  a bold berry with a strong finish.  Cheers to Toast.   

Wolfdale's: Tahoe City Restaurant

Tahoe City, CA -- Chef Douglas Wolfdale has been at work in his vibrant, progressive Tahoe City restaurant for 30 years. Try the sashimi of Ahi Tuna and Hamachi with ginger, arame and wasabi—divine.
Wolfdale’s

Michelangelo's: Good Food, Right Price

San Francisco, CA – It’s hard to select an Italian restaurant in the heart of North Beach when there are so many bright jewels on Columbus Avenue. My childhood friend Shirley and I were searching for just the right spot to celebrate my 49th birthday. We chose Michelangelo, not so much because of the menu, but because of the charming invitation of the owner—tall, gallant and uber-handsome Michelangelo Marcantonio.

Michelangelo’s promise of free wine and a Bruscetta appetizer helped seal the deal. It was Shirley’s birthday treat to me under the guise of "I just got paid." Our table gave us a view of Coit Tower and the gothic cathedral Sts. Peter and Paul Church. Before our dinner, we snacked on marinated Italian olives while drinking red wine. We split an order of Chicken Milanese, which is a delicate wafer thin breaded breast of chicken in white wine lemon sauce, served with broccoli and home-style potatoes and their house Lasagna. The combination of these entrees together was complimentary. Alone, the simplicity of each dish may not have wielded the rich texture I was seeking for maximum birthday taste bud explosion.

The homemade Tiramisu was the evening’s Coupe de Gras. The house lights were lowered and the wait staff brought me the liquor soaked concoction with a birthday candle on top. Singing Happy Birthday to me in Italian felt original, until we heard it two more times that evening. Michelangelo told me his birthday count was seven that night—he doesn’t require birth date identification to provide this gratis gift. If you’re looking for an authentic Italian meal with a warm, charming staff to serve you, I recommend Michelangelo’s. The price is right; the food is good, and the positive energy, priceless. Bon Appetit.

Bistro Jeanty: Enchanting French Cuisine

Yountville, CA – There is every reason to visit France, but if your cash-flow limits your real-world travel, treat yourself instead to a bona fide French meal at Napa Valley’s Bistro Jeanty. You’ll be enchanted by the authentic, old-world feel—you might even visualize yourself sporting a beret, black turtleneck, and colorful scarf; researching a recipe for cassoulet; and greeting visitors with the charming word for “pleased to meet you,” Enchanté.

“If you read old French books and see classic French recipes, they’re all on our menu,” says Chef de Cuisine, Joel Ehrlich. “People come here because, in my humble opinion, our restaurant is the most classic French bistro in America.” D’accord. Agreed. This classic French bistro decorated with vintage 19th century Parisian posters, hanging fryer copper pans, and a roaring hearth is more than just atmosphere—the food is first-rate.

I sample appetizers of escargot with garlic butter, foie gras pâté served with a port-poached pear, and Miyagi oysters—which, coming from nearby Pt. Reyes, don’t really seem like classic bistro fare until I dab a French-style mignonette potion of vinegar, chili, parsley, and onion on the freshly shucked oysters and voilá—another French star is born, California-style.

At the helm of Bistro Jeanty is owner and chef Phillipe Jeanty, who grew up in the Champagne region of France and opened his 100-seat restaurant in Yountville nearly 12 years ago, adding another coveted Michelin star to the epicurean capital of California—Yountville. “I wanted to recreate all my favorite childhood dishes and opening up a bistro was one way to do it,” says Jeanty. Bravo, Phillipe—bien fait; well done.

Domaine Chandon: Sparkling Wine Comes Alive

Yountville, CA – The French describe champagne like the laugh of a pretty girl. At 48-years-old, I’m past the pretty girl phase, but boy do I love me some champagne! Or should I correctly say sparkling wine—the elixir of life. At Napa Valley’s Domaine Chandon’s tasting salon, it’s always New Year’s Eve as bottles of their signature war horse Brut Classic are uncorked and poured to a thirsty, wine tasting crowd—me at the front of the line. Let the celebration begin.

Kristin Brott, our purveyor of the liquid nectar, has been with Chandon as a wine educator for three years. She moved to this fertile valley from Southern California on a whim. I ask her what it’s like working there, and she quickly tells me it’s the best job in the world. “Everyone’s in a good mood. I love to talk about food and wine.” This reminds me of the 30’s Gershwin song "…nice work if you can get it…"

My favorite tasting is the more exclusive 90 point etoile—French for star, Brut. It’s a lighter, more delicate sparkling wine with a bouquet of Fuji apple, Meyers lemon, and toasted almonds. The tiny bubbles give me an instant lift—as if I need it; I’m already filled to the brim with mirth and merry-making. Being at this first French-owned sparkling wine venture in the United States, established in 1973, makes me feel giddy—so much bouncy history. Plus, I’m right next to an advertisement that makes me giggle. It’s for Saavy Sippers, a gadget you place inside a champagne bottle that allows you to “drink out of the bottle in a classy way.” Kristin, our hookup, tells me “You never know when you need an emergency bit of bubbly, like at the movies.” I believe she’s on to something, so I buy one.

The coup de grâce of the tasting is a sensual cocktail called the Hibiscus Royale—a combination of Blanc de Noir sparkling wine, wild hibiscus flower in syrup, and rose water. The flower sits in the bottom of the champagne flute and slowly opens up over three to four minutes, creating a piece of art I can both admire and drink. Along for this adventure is my pleasure-seeking friend Charlene, a connoisseur of all things hedonistic, who just got back from her honeymoon in Bermuda and indulged in this almost immoral love potion and claimed it as “an aphrodisiac; you eat the flower and it’s got lots of Vitamin C.” Indeed. Decadent, divine and oh-so-Napa classy, just like our Domaine Chandon experience. Cheers!

Crab Season: Dining Santa Cruz Style

Santa Cruz, CA – There are some meals that taste better when eaten at home. Last night I feasted on the first-of the season Dungeness Crab with my good friends Bob and Laurie. Why the home-cooked meal? First of all, you have to consider where my generous friends live, in the mountains of Santa Cruz, in a little berg called Bonny Doon. Picture yourself surrounded by mist hanging on redwood trees, smelling the Earth after a rainstorm, and then reveling in that clean air. Their artisan’s home reflects 20 years of loving care. On their grounds is a hand made yurt that Bob built, a herb garden that Laurie tends, and a Japanese Maple in it’s full autumn glory – red and gold.

Once inside their home, I never wanted to leave. The wood burning stove warmed my bones. Books everywhere I looked. Their furniture is the color of liquid peace and tranquility; a Turkish rug framing the hardwood floors. And then the sweet aroma of Laurie’s Cinderella Pumpkin Soup brought me to the kitchen table. Earthenware style plates fired in a Finnish kiln were waiting to service our meal.

We cracked and ate fresh crab, caught that day off the Santa Cruz coast. Complimenting the star crustacean attraction was an aromatic Arugula green salad picked that evening from the garden, and corn muffins topped with Bob’s homegrown dark honey, thanks to his productive beehive. I shared the story of my first-ever crab-eating epiphany at the virginal age of 22 as a college student at Humboldt State University in Arcata. Laurie talked about her San Francisco roots including her family’s tradition of eating crab, complete with the now non-PC Campbell’s tomato soup with cheese melted at the bottom in a cup. Gentle conversation, warm feelings and a simple, Epicurean meal made this Santa Cruz evening a night to treasure. Thanks Bob and Laurie, for opening up your home and heart to this grateful soul.

A Taste of Ireland: In San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- Mary Gleeson, an Irish proprietor on business in San Francisco, is giddy with excitement. She's waiting for a group of 136 neighbors and friends to fly in from her rural hometown of Roscommon, Ireland (population 5,000) -- 61 one of which are dancers ages 6 - 20, competing in the North American Irish Dancers Championship in downtown San Francisco. Her townhouse and restaurant Gleeson's is a sponsor for
this event. "We are so happy to offer this experience to the youngsters," said the ebullient hostess, "it's an adventure they'll always remember."

Gleeson's is part of a culinary revolution putting Ireland on the foodie map by offering local, seasonal and organic faire. The burgeoning Good Food Ireland campaign promotes artisan food producers. Mary is quick to point out that people associate Ireland with a certain he-who-must-not be-named meal, "we don't eat corned beef at all," she said laughing at the idea. Instead, her specialty is a traditional Irish Lamb Stew. At the Flavor of Ireland event sponsored by Tourism Ireland in San Francisco, I sampled Gleeson’s Irish Whiskey Marmalade with homemade soda bread and white cheddar cheese – authentic and hearty. Here’s to Mary’s group of Irish dancers, Erin Go Bragh!

Duarte's Tavern -- Stepping Back In Time

PESCADERO – The locals call it “Doo-ertz.” I call it “Doo-ar-taze.” We all call it rockin’ good-cookin’. I am at the historic, one-of-a-kind, 1890’s Duarte’s Tavern with my friend Shirish for lunch. This award-winning James Beard Foundation “American Classic” restaurant is the ideal place to take a break if you are traveling the California coast between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz. It’s two miles inland through fertile farmlands and unspoiled wetlands.

We sat in the back where the nostalgic original bar from 1894 offers a more authentic old-world experience. We tried the house specialty—artichoke soup, in deference to the thistle-like plant that grows in volume on the coast. I sampled the sautéed halibut—right out of nearby Monterey Bay, served with mushrooms, green and red peppers, and onion. Shirish noshed on the grilled shrimp and cheese sandwich, rich and decadent. The wine d’jour is a School House Cabernet 2006 from the Paso Robles region. If you can, try and make it on a weekday, otherwise expect to wait, this place is hoppin.’

Farm to Fork: Dining at the Ahwahnee

YOSEMITE, CA -- The first meal I ever ate in Yosemite National Park was lentil soup cooked on a wood burning stove by my college roommate Elida, a seasonal employee in the summer of 1983. The earthy, heart-warming concoction was divine after a full-day’s hike near Yosemite’s iconic Half-Dome. Yet we still dreamed of a time when our cash flow would allow us a full-course meal at the historic Ahwahnee Hotel. Twenty-five years later, we dined on halibut, hand-harvested scallops and organic greens in the jewelry box-like dining room, framed by Yosemite Falls and Glacier Point with head of the restaurant Chef Percy. (l to r: Ingrid, Elida and Chef Percy)

The element of surprise in this long-awaited dining experience is that almost all menu items come from within a 150 mile radius of Yosemite National Park: call it the “farm-to-fork” concept. “Sustainable agriculture is cornerstone to the slow food movement,” said Executive Chef Percy Whatley, a 20-year cooking veteran of Yosemite. “We live near the San Joaquin Valley, California’s breadbasket. We are committed to local resources for organic produce, free-range chickens, and grains. In Yosemite, it’s easier to think about the environment. We are on the cutting edge of this movement.”

Chappell Vineyard and Winery

MARIPOSA, CA -- If you are looking for an earthy, premium blend of wines that are homegrown and family owned, look no further than Mariposa's Chappell Vineyard and Winery. Owners Dave and Kathy Chappell, former schoolteachers, maintain all aspects of production ‘cept for prunin’ and pickin.’ I recommend the 2005 Kylie’s Syrah, named after their 22-year-old daughter Kylie. The rich and full berry flavor will have you wishing you were a bon vivant in the Sierra Foothills, soaking up that glorious sunshine and breathing in that wholesome clean air. Charming.