BLOGSCHU

Tapa Temptation

Today's Tasty Morsel comes courtesy of the multi-talented Kristina Johnston, part time tasting room host, part time marketing assistant, and full time foodie extraordinaire.

I love yoga as much as the next girl, but when an opportunity for wine, tapas, and good friends presents itself, well… I am just not going to make it to that 7 o’clock yoga class. You see, it was Monday, and I had a yoga date with my friend Shannon, our Gun Bun Tour Coordinator Extraordinare. We’d promised ourselves so many times to make it to a class together, but it just didn’t seem to ever be in the cards. And this night was no exception. We’d decided it would be nice to offer a few tapas recipes here in honor of our Tempranillo promotion, but I wanted to try them out before we published them. So I ever-so-gently coerced Shannon and our Tour Guru Colin into an evening collaborating on recipes that would be easy, fun, and delicious.

Most Spaniards would never dream of drinking a glass of wine without something to eat along with it, and so bars and restaurants all over Spain offer tapas. These small appetizers or snacks usually include a mix of cold items like olives, cheeses, anchovies, or charcuterie as well as hot items featuring shrimp, chorizo, potatoes, peppers, or fish. Traditional tapas pair exceptionally well with spanish wines, and as an added benefit, serve as an excellent preventative measure against tipsyness.  I always like keeping snacks on hand when tempted with a wine as wonderful as our estate vineyard Tempranillo!

Needless to say, we thoroughly enjoyed some Tempranillo (and Tempranillo Rosé) as we came up with the following recipes. Like the wine, they aren't traditionally Spanish, but rather Spanish-inspired. And I swear I’ll make it to yoga… next week.

Please feel free to adjust quantities and ingredients as desired; after all, the fun part about recipes is making them your own!

Jamon Serrano - Wrapped Shrimp
These are delicious with the Spanish-style cured ham called 'Jamon Serrano', but if that proves difficult to find, you can substitute the more readily available Italian-style Prosciutto.

1 lb Medium Shrimp, shelled and de-veined, with tails removed
8 oz Jamon Serrano or Prosciutto

Wrap thin strips of ham around the body of the shrimp. No need to make sure the shrimp is completely covered; just give it a nice “skirt.” Carefully thread wrapped shrimp onto bamboo or metal skewers. Grill over high heat for approximately 4 minutes on each side, just until the shrimp are pink and the ham is slightly crispy. Do not overcook.

Serve with a garlicky aioli or romesco sauce for dipping.

 

Cheese Dip with Chorizo and Peppers
If you’re feeling like a bit of a splurge, use a mixture of hard Spanish cheeses like Manchego, Idiazabal, or the French P’tit Basque. Otherwise Gruyere, Swiss or Fontina cheeses make excellent substitutes. Avoid soft Mexican Chorizo; it has different spices can be a bit too heavy for this already-rich dish. Look for the semi-firm Spanish Chorizo or Portuguese Linguica.

¼ lb Chorizo, diced
1 small jar roasted red bell peppers, drained and diced
1 ½ Tablespoon flour
2 cups milk, gently warmed
¼ cup dry white or rosé wine
4 cups shredded cheese, preferably a mixture of Gruyere and a Spanish-style hard cheese

Sautee the chorizo until most of the fat has been rendered, adding the peppers at the last few minutes to warm through. Remove the chorizo and peppers with a slotted spoon, reserving the fat in the pan. You should have about 1 ¼ tablespoon of fat remaining; if you have more, drain some off, and if you have less, add a bit of oil or butter. Add the flour to the pan; stir and cook until light golden brown. Slowly and gradually add the warm milk, whisking constantly to prevent clumping. Bring the roux and milk to a boil, then simmer until slightly thickened. Add cheese and wine and stir until combined. Return the chorizo and peppers to the pan. Pour into an over-safe dish and bake at 375F for approximately 20 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and slightly browned on top.

Serve with thick slices of grilled bread.

Crispy Basque Potatoes
8 medium-sized yellow potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, diced in 1-inch cubes
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 cup milk
Salt, pepper, paprika (preferably smoked, but regular works too)
Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 400F. Blanch the potatoes in salted boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain the potatoes and let dry. In a cast-iron skillet, sauté the onions in the oil until soft; add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the potatoes and ½ cup of the milk; season with salt, pepper, and paprika to taste. Place the potatoes in the preheated oven, and stir every 10-15 minutes. The goal is to develop a crusty exterior on all sides of the potatoes. When all the milk has been absorbed, add the remaining ½ cup. Keep baking, stirring, and scraping until potatoes are fully cooked with a deep golden brown exterior, about 45 minutes. Garnish with parsley or chives and serve. These are fantastic for breakfast the next day with some eggs and leftover chorizo!

If you've read this far, you've clearly succumbed to the Tapa Temptation, like me. Get yourself some Tempranillo and these awesome plates and get cooking!

 

Don't try this at home

It's been ages since my last tasty morsel post, but I just have to tell you about the incredible dish I had last night at SPQR in San Francisco. 

Generally speaking, my favorite foods are simple, clean dishes made using the freshest ingredients. But when I go out, I don't want to order something I can make at home, which is why as much as I love pasta, it is not something I often order in a restaurant. Perhaps that is why it took me so long to get to this place, even though I've long heard great things about the handmade pasta and list of unique Italian wines.

Not to worry, there wasn't a single thing on this menu I'd dare attempt at home. Or have ever thought of making in the first place.

In an impulsive moment, I chose, and I quote, "Fettuccini smoked pasta, mendocino sea urchin, smoked bacon, quail egg."

I have no idea how you smoke pasta. And I am not a particularly huge fan of sea urchin. I've only had it once previously as uni nigiri at the insistence of friends who love the stuff. I remember thinking the flavor was nice and briny, but the visual and texture got me imagining it to be the tongue of some sea creature. So that was the end of that.

But for some reason this combination sounded so intriguing, and I figured the texture wouldn't be a problem in such a varied dish, so I went for it.

The dish was beautifully presented; the pasta wound into a tall, narrow beehive in a deep white bowl, with the tiny poached egg perched on top.  Slicing the tower in half to spread the yolk revealed a cache of diced bacon and sea urchin in the center. The combination of flavors was incredibly rich but somehow not overwhelming. 

It was absolutely delicious, and something completely new which made it even more exciting.

What was the last new thing you've eaten that has surprised you?

Majestic Memphis

It happens every time I tell someone I'm traveling to Memphis for work.

'Memphis? Why Memphis?' my friends all ask. Often there is a follow-up question with further incredulity. 'Didn't you just go there last year?' They are almost always surprised when I tell them how much I love Memphis, and urge them to go visit (and skip Graceland).

I first fell for Memphis when fresh out of college, I put all my possessions in a truck and drove from North Carolina to San Francisco with a friend. We spent a night in the most gorgeous youth hostel in an antebellum mansion, and without a dime to spare, kicked around Beale Street listening to sidewalk musicians and just chatting with the most easygoing, friendly people you could imagine.

When I first returned some fifteen years later with the winery, my first impressions were confirmed. Memphis is a city full of independent, creative, and uncomparably friendly people. The place has soul. And it has great food! I am not just talking BBQ or Gus' Chicken here people (much as I love me some fried pickles. really). I am talking about dozens of restaurants serving creative, inspired fine cuisine made by passionate chef-owners and shared in an unpretentious, welcoming, and, for a San Francisco girl, relatively inexpensive fashion. 

One of my favorite places in Memphis is run by two of my favorite people in town: Deni & Patrick Reilly, owners of The Majestic Grille. A gorgeous beaux-art building in the heart of downtown, the Majestic was originally a silent-picture house, and Deni & Patrick have restored it to a stunning restaurant that reflects their passion for food, art and hospitality. Deni is an unstoppable force of nature, with a huge heart, an even bigger smile, and a curatorial eye that inspired her to turn a private dining room into a revolving art gallery. Patrick is a charming Irishman with an obsessive creativity and culinary talent that has resulted in some of the most inspired food & wine pairings I've tasted.

Last Tuesday night, I headed to the Majestic with little clue of what Deni & Patrick had cooked up for the evening's event, a public wine tasting of Gundlach Bundschu to celebrate the opening of a new show of work by Memphis artist Betsy Bird.

Inside, there were four tables set up, each with a single wine and appetizer plate. Upon closer inspection, I saw the signs.

 A Gun.  A Lock.  A Bun.  A Shoe.

They had taken the images we use to teach people to pronounce Gundlach Bundschu and turned it into a food pairing.

The Gun Table?
Smoked Moularde Duck pizza, with fig relish, carmelized onions & maytag blue cheese. Paired with pinot noir, perfectly.

The Lock table?
House cured Gravlax. With Belgian endive and dill mustard. With Gewurztraminer, of course.

The Bun table?
Korean pork belly buns & Mountain Cuvee. Yum.

But oh the Shoe table!
Chocolate-dipped Choux pastry with bourbon & brown sugar creme. With spun sugar! Tossed back the Cabernet Sauvignon before diving into these beauties.

 
I was amazed by the level of cleverness and the committment to doing something special. (And apparent fearlessness too - Patrick admitted he'd never made a pork bun before. Having eaten many in my day, I can tell you that was hard for me to believe, it was so good.) And it wasn't just concept, the pairings were incredible. The guests in the room absolutely raved about the food and the pairings - apparently the duck and pinot was the winner, that positively disappeared.

When they weren't raving about the food, I enjoyed hearing the guests' stories - how they came to live in Memphis, and to know and love the Majestic Grille, how they knew local artist Betsy Bird and in some cases, how they first discovered Gundlach Bundschu. 

This was just one night of a trip full of great experiences, and once again, I left Memphis convinced it is full of some of the most delightful people I've ever met.  Huge thanks to Deni & Patrick for a special night, to Michael of Joe's Wines for bringing our wines to the people of Memphis, to Betsy for her delightful artwork, which I hope to soon have hanging in my home, and to the team at United Liquors who have flown the Gun Bun flag high over Memphis for about twenty years and always take good care of me. Looking forward to coming back to see you all again soon.

Say Cheese

Cheese. Of course that is the word people say to make you smile. It's the best food ever invented. I could live on the stuff, and practically do, but one thing I have never attempted before is to make it.

A recent thread on our Facebook page took place in a hail storm, inspiring Jim Young to post a photo of a far nicer day he had recently enjoyed at the winery:

 

How good does that look? I commented that much cheese for two looks like my kind of picnic, and Jim replied that he MADE the fresh mozzarella in olive oil! Now why the heck have I never tried that? Good fresh mozzarella is expensive, and during tomato season, I go through the stuff like crazy.

So thanks to Jim, a few of us from the winery are going to get together and attempt to use the recipe he sent me to make our own mozz packed in Rhinefarm olive oil. Jim has apparently graduated to camembert, but let's see how we do with the mozz first!

Here is the recipe if you want to play along:

http://www.cheesemaking.com/howtomakemozzarellacheese.html

Stay tuned, we'll let you know how it turns out! 

Palate Cleanser

About a week ago, I walked in my apartment after work, and my husband looked up from his laptop. His apologetic face bathed in the blue glow, he explained he'd been trying to find a reservation for Valentine's Day but there was nothing available.

'Forget it,' I told him, 'I'd rather eat in.' As much as I love eating out, I hate Valentine dinners. Nearly  everyone marks up a mediocre and inflexible chef's menu for the night, and the combination of moony couples and miserable waiters usually makes for a creepy, forced vibe that is not my idea of romantic. On a Monday, our options would be even worse.

I promised I'd make us a special dinner at home, but didn't think about it again until around 5:30 on Valentine's Day when I walked into a local gourmet market without an idea what to make.

And as I was inspired by their gorgeous fresh fish, meats and house-made stocks and sauces, it occured to me that it has been two months since I last posted a 'weekly' morsel! December was a whirlwind of eating and drinking that left little time to reflect. January was penance time, lots of salads and water. Call it a month-long palate cleanser, and now I am feeling refreshed and hungry. It is time for us to catch up!

I'll start with the ridiculously quick and, if I do say so, successful, three course dinner I threw together on Monday thanks to the great ingredients available at Bryan's Fine Foods:

First Course: A spectacularly beautiful piece of fresh yellowtail begged me to slice it and serve it raw.  Sashimi at home, a first for me. Yep, even used those little envelopes of soy sauce that have been sitting in the butter compartment since...? It doesn't get easier than that.

Second Course: Handmade fresh dungeness crabcakes topped with spicy radish sprouts. All I had to do was pan fry these panko-crusted beauties and throw a pinch of greens on top.

Third Course: Little neck clams and andouille sausage in a spicy broth, with a crusty loaf of bread. Sauteed some shallots, added a cup of fish stock, half a teaspoon of curry powder, a bit of lemon juice, one diced sausage and a dozen clams, steam 5 minutes.

A minimal amount of time cooking and cleaning makes the ideal romantic dinner at home! Perfect wine for the night - Raventos i Blanc "L'Hereu de Nit" Brut Reserva Rosé Cava.  Pink bubbles, what could be better for the occasion?

Hope you all enjoyed some tasty valentine treats this year! Would love to hear about them!

Let the Baking Season Begin

Every eight (or twelve, or sixteen) weeks, we send each of our wine club members a box filled with tasty delights, made with care and love. Last week, one of our wine club members returned the favor.

I was holding a team meeting in the old family house on the hill, six of us gathered over morning coffee to discuss our plans for the new year ahead. Tito came in with a box addressed to me, fresh from the early UPS truck. The return address was from Rougie, one of our East Coast WOMers. We'd received a similar box from Rougie once before, so all five of my colleagues were grinning broadly when I pulled out the box cutter.

Rougie has never been to the winery, or even in Sonoma, and we've never met.  She found our wines out there in the big wide world, found us online, and we've been bonded ever since by our shared love of all things delicious, chiefly our wines and her cookies.

Inside this box were two zip lock bags of the best cookies in the world. Seriously, they are really that good. Huge chips of really good quality chocolate in thick cookies that seem to be made with tons of butter, though the crumbly texture made us suspect Crisco plays a role. But the thing that I love most is that they are slightly salty and not particularly sweet.  Not that I have any idea how she actually makes them, as Rougie says, she guards her recipe more closely than the Colonel guards his sacred blend of 13 herbs and spices.

There was a perfect cookie for each of us, and not one person was fool enough to 'be good;' we dove in and devoured them before we even made it to #2 on the agenda. When the meeting ended an hour later, we were still singing the praises of the cookies and their maker when there was a knock at the door.

In walked Colin, our newest tour guide, smiling broadly and holding a large tupperware. "Anyone want one of my mom's ginger snaps?"  

Guess it is officially that time of year when the holiday baking instinct kicks in. No point in fighting it, 'tis the season to pig out, so what the hell, we all took a cookie, feeling slightly guilty that we hadn't saved one of Rougie's masterpieces for Colin.

Ginger snaps are sometimes hard, flat dry things albeit with great flavor, but Colin's mom knows what she is doing. Hers are super chewy and soft, baked in balls of dough rather than flat cookies. As different from Rougie's as two delicious cookies can be, but giving her a run for the money in the best cookie in the world contest. And in this case, I got the recipe.  Yep, there it is, the much maligned but delicious dirty little secret of foodies everywhere. Crisco.

Huge thanks to Rougie for the much appreciated box of love, and to Mrs. MacLauchlan (and her son Colin!) for sharing her secrets.

Molasses Ginger Snaps:

3/4 c. margarine or shortening (butter makes these too crunchy, so I use butter-flavored Crisco)

1 c. sugar

1/4 c. molasses

1 egg

2 c. flour

1 t. salt

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. cloves

1 t. ginger

Mix all ingredients together at one time with your hands. Form into balls and roll in sugar.  Place 2 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheets.  Bake at 375* for 8--10 min.  For a chewy cookie, bake the minimum amount of time.  

Makes 3--4 dozen.  

Zucchini Pie

Once a month, our tasting room and hospitality team has a dinner meeting after hours, to taste new releases, learn about upcoming events, train on new procedures but most of all to catch up and break bread together. Marina Meyer, the team's manager, was born a chef, and often indulges us by cooking dinner for the 20+ people at these meetings.

Back in July, she did just that, announcing that she'd made a zucchini pie. Normally I am beyond delighted anytime I hear Marina is cooking, but as you dear readers might recall, zucchini is on the short list of foods that do not get me particularly excited. I took a polite, tiny piece much to my eventual disappointment.  It was spectacular, and when I went back for seconds, the other jackals had already polished off the carcass.

Several of us have been hounding Marina for the recipe for weeks, and FINALLY last week I get the email below. Is there even any fresh zucchini left? If not, save this for next year, because it will be worth the wait!

Good Morning!!! Here is the recipe:

2 cups all purpose baking mix
4 cups of zucchini, sliced thin
1 med onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup of parmesan, grated
5-6 eggs
1/2 cup oil
oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Combined all ingredients. Bake at 375.

Enjoy!!!

Marina

the sweet taste of victory

November 1, 2010 started off as sweetly as it ended.

I got in my car around 8am, enormous coffee mug in hand, to find a the entire cache of Halloween candy collected by my nephews in a bag on the passenger seat.  They had left the bag out for the 'Halloween Fairy', a health-conscious pixie who replaces their sugar with toys.  A brilliant idea by my sister, but apparently she's less concerned about my willingness to eat Snickers for breakfast.

I worked through lunch that day in order to leave early and get home to San Francisco to watch Game 5 of the world series with friends. Lunch therefore consisted of two packs of skittles, a nestle crunch bar and a milky way.

By four o'clock, I was on my way home, my hands shaking slightly on the steering wheel. Sure, I was excited about the ball game, but that wasn't it. I was amped up on sugar and ravenously hungry. So I called the friend hosting our watching party and told her I'd pick up some take out for the group - otherwise I feared we'd be waiting hours for pizza to be delivered.

I stopped at SOL in San Rafael - a small Puerto Rican place with a handful of bar stools and a booming take out business. They do baked chicken thighs that I dream about, they are so good - garlic marinated with a spicy vinegar-based dressing, served with beans & rice and your choice of sweet fried plantains or 'tostones'; green plaintains smashed flat and fried with unholy quantities of garlic. The drive home was indeed sweet torture, the delicious smells were so overwhelming.

I made it home just in time for the first of Tim Lincecum's many perfect pitches of the evening, somehow with all the boxes still intact, and was soon engrossed in the game and up to my elbows in delicious sol food.

Some of you might remember my post back in April after the Giants' home opener, wishing them better luck at hitting than spelling this season (they certainly did that!) and proclaiming my love for the cha cha bowl at the park. The Giants, as well as my typical baseball & puerto rican food pairing, went to a whole new level by season's end.  

photo taken by a friend from her office window high above the parade route.  I was, alas, working in Sonoma, but somewhere in that crazy crowd are Jeff, Liz, Gracie & Eva Bundschu

Happy Hour in San Francisco

Hospitality Manager Megan Cassady shares this week's tasty morsel.

Last Tuesday night, the country mice decided to go and play with the city mice. In wine-country-speak, that means that a girl from Napa and a boy from Sonoma go to San Francisco to change things up a bit and discover some new places.

The trip started in the Marina district, thirsty for a happy hour cocktail.  While meandering (in my case, in a poor choice of wedge sandles for the steep streets), we stumbled upon Umami. We'd never heard of it, and from the looks of the front entrance, thought it could be fun and hip or super stuffy. The menu posted outside it was mostly sushi; a fave for the boy, kind of scary for the girl. But the sign said they had a happy hour, so I was game.

Now I love living in wine country, believe you me, however, for some odd reason, the concept of a good Happy Hour is few and far between. Give me a cheap menu and drinks and I’ll be there, but for some reason the concept hasn’t come around to the country.

Upon walking in, the din was nice and quiet with a beautiful interior. Soft light highlighted the thick, dark wood & slate bar and floors, bamboo and lovely tapestries. A beautiful blend of using natural elements with the usual restaurant/bar seating.

We sidled up to the bar and were handed a Happy Hour menu. There was edamame, pot stickers and six different sushi rolls all for a bargain $5. This made us quite skeptical about the quality, however we were very happily surprised with the chicken potstickers and shrimp roll. The ingredients were very fresh (I think we all know what a frozen potsticker tastes like – this was not it) and very flavorful. The potsticker had the thin, shiny wrapper that held all sorts of vegetable and chicken goodness. The boy loved the beet salad that accompanied the appetizers and I could attest, I could smell the fresh “dirt” smell of beets from my seat. The sushi, which I’m a bit apprehensive on, was lovely. Once again, very fresh ingredients that made us want more!! It went well with my vodka gimlet, but would have been even better with GunBun Gewurztraminer. Two thumbs up for a place we took a chance on – definitely go for a scrumptious happy hour.

Next we were onto Bocadillos in the Financial District which is a tapas bar. (When you say this out loud to people, 1 in 3 think that you are saying “topless bar,” which makes me laugh every time.) Tapas are great for 2-4 people because you order a bunch of things, they come at random times and everybody shares.

My dinner date surprised me by giving me free rein to order whatever I’d like, which never happens. I came to find out later in the evening, he had no idea what anything was, either because the names were in Spanish or the ingredients & preparations were unfamiliar. Not going to lie, the portion entitled “Innard Circle” gave me some pause as well. No problem for me, my cooking is OK but when it comes to ordering – I’m a champion!!

We started with a glass of crisp albarino, fresh corn salad and lamb & almond albondigas (meatballs) – both dishes were quite nice. Also a side of wild mushrooms that were light and buttery.  The two tapas that stole the show were the Niman Ranch flat iron steak with chimichuri and black pepper and the patatas bravas with romesco sauce. By then we had a yummy tempranillo/grenache blend.  Starting with the flat iron steak, which I am still dreaming about, the chef nailed the searing on the steak. Slightly crunchy from the sear, salt and pepper, just a medium rare temperature on the steak – holy moly – it was like going to heaven. The steak had an amazing flavor and the chimichurri sauce and just the right amount of spice with the black pepper. Honestly folks, probably the best flat iron I’ve ever had.

The papas bravas were great because they were fried, like steak fries, in the perfect way so it was crisp on the outside and nice and mushy on the inside. The romesco sauce was all tomato-herb deliciousness and a perfect dipping condiment for the fries. Might seem typical (French fries and ketchup), but Bocadillos did it with a Spanish flair and executed it so it was a tasty, exciting dish! Great way to enjoy a casual night in the city!

really? Whipahol?

Spent the last few weeks on the road, during which I enjoyed lots of outstanding food at the fine accounts that support Gundlach Bundschu wines on their menus. But I also suffered through a few major food crimes, and came home with renewed sympathy for all you regular business travelers out there. The horrible airport food, the late dinners in front of the tv in the Holiday Inn bar, and worst of all, those 'coffee ravioli' brew packets they have in all the hotels now. How can you be expected to hit the ground running after a late flight and a cup of coffee-scented water?

As a marketing geek, I do love getting out of California and seeing what is hot in wine shops and restaurants around the country. And with all due respect to my friends in the spirits industry, I'm always amused to see what crazy new ideas/fads the liquor business is putting out for the holidays. But this one is just downright frightening to me.

In liquor stores across the midwest, I was introduced to something called whipahol. As the name implies, it is alcohol-infused whipped cream in a can. I can't even bring myself to link it up for you.

At first I wasn't sure whether to find it revolting or ingenius. Tasting it confirmed the initial impression. I was immediately reminded of the disasterous grain-alcohol beverages that were popular in college, and shuddered to think how this stuff would be consumed in dorm rooms. And oh the opportunities for tasteless marketing.  

It got me shaking my head about how this stuff is regulated. I mean, there is a bill in the US Congress that would limit your ability to purchase fine wine for shipping across state lines, the proponents of which argue that direct shipping encourages underage drinking. But its ok to sell alcoholic whipped cream at corner convenience stores? I'm just sayin'...