Going "whole hog" with snout-to-tail cooking

Article excerpt from NorthBay Biz magazine
By: Christina Julian

I may be one of the few meat-eating Americans yet to be seduced by pork’s rise beyond “other white meat” status. And now the “snout-to-tail,” whole animal utilization craze has made pork all the more popular. Who better to tackle the topic with an objective viewpoint than one not so easily swayed by the succulent scent of bacon? The preponderance of pork is hard to deny. It receives primo placement on restaurant menus and on the supper plate, and at wine-centric events like ZAP’s (Zinfandel Advocates & Producers) Good Eats tasting in San Francisco, where pork dishes threatened to outweigh Zinfandel pours. Pair that with national pig-out celebrations like Cochon—putting pork at the forefront in exciting and competitive ways. Pork has become a gourmet mainstay.

A name isn’t just a name
Heritage breed pigs are perched at the front of the snout-to-tail movement. These animals descend from bloodlines that date back centuries, to a time when livestock was raised on multiuse, open-pasture farms, and breeds yielded distinct characteristics—from signature marbling and fats to rich and hearty tastes.

Flash forward to the current day, and these same breeds are in danger of being lost forever, because they can’t compete with large-scale, commercial operations. “In the past 40 to 50 years, pigs have been bred to be leaner and leaner,” says Marie Nguyen, one of the owners of Suisun Valley Farm (just east of Napa) that specializes in Mangalitsa, heritage breed pigs.

Luckily, a movement is under foot…er, hoof…with organizations like Cochon 555, a series of annual events with a chief mission to heighten awareness of these breeds on a national level. The initiative started as a way to promote breed diversity among communities through a coast-to-coast competition that connects ranchers raising heritage breed pigs with top chefs known for whole animal utilization. The 555 moniker speaks to the structure of the event that features five chefs, five pigs and five winemakers, each fueled by the mantra: “Eating them to preserve them.” Founder and creator Brady Lowe, also principal and creative director of Taste Network, speaks to the evolution of the touring competition, now in its third year, “When the events started, there weren’t a lot of options in some cities when making chef selections [for the event]. Now everybody is using whole animals.”

Lowe hand selects five competing chefs in each city of the competition (10 total) with an eye on three key ingredients. “First we look for what people are doing in terms of whole animal utilization and if they’re naming farms and breeds on the menu,” he says. “Second, are they a ‘porky’ chef [menus showing dynamic approaches and whole animal utilization]? And third, how do they fit into the food scene? Are they a component of the good food movement, promoting local farms, putting on events and educating? Basically, are they a local ambassador?”

The events continue to escalate in popularity and reach and are receiving widespread, national notoriety while never straying from the initial purpose...Click here to continue reading

Molten lava that's hot in all the right places

While lava can be a beaut to stare at, especially at Hawaii's Volcanoes national park, I typically like to keep my distance, though I found myself making an exception when it came to Brannan's chocolate lava torte. To say this dessert is a flavorful explosion just scratches the surface of this scribe's food wheel. There are a lot of similarities between the real stuff and this confectionary delight. For starters, they booth ooze, Brannan's with deep, dark chocolate, thankfully. Then there is the ducle de leche ice cream that sits on the sideline, begging to be scooped. I vacillate between the two in a chocolate-cream coma wondering why anybody would ever give up desserts. If you, like me, have decided that sugar is the new pork, sidle up to the bar at Brannan's and get yourself a slap of this stuff. You and your soon to be flabby abs will thank me all the way to the gym. Wacky WineSense rating: 4.9 grapes

A Hunter that Bounds to be Better - Bounty Hunter

NOTHING COULD BE BETTER THAN A PIT STOP AT THIS SPOT. BOUNTY HUNTER IS BOUND FOR GREATNESS WHETHER YOU'RE PARKING FOR DINNER OR JUST SIPPING VINO AFTER A TOUGH DAY ON THE TASTING TRAIL. THIS IS ONE HECK OF A WINE BAR AND RESTAURANT WITH OVER 400 BOTTLES OF WINE, 40 AVAILABLE BY THE GLASS. THE BOUNTY OF WINE ASIDE, THE BISTRO FARE AND ARTISAN BEERS WILL KEEP YOU GOING LONG AFTER YOUR BODY POOPS OUT. DESPERATE FOR FUEL? HERE'S A BIRD THAT DEFIES THE NORMS – THE BEER CAN CHICKEN. A FULL CLUCKER PLOPS TO YOUR TABLE ON A NEST OF TECATE BEER, PRIMED FOR A CHOW DOWN. OH HOW SWEET THE WORLD OF WINE AND FOOD CAN BE IN THIS NAPA WINE COUNTRY WONDERLAND.

Grace’s Table - Hands down! The Best Hand Formed Hamburger Around

Let me get this rant-party started. You can feed your food fix morning, noon, and night at the open air eatery, Grace's Table. If you enjoy the great outdoors, snag an outside café table or sneak a seat next to the floor to ceiling window. This family-owned gem has “global comfort food” written all over it. From the gooey-delicious cornbread with lavender butter and grandma’s style pasta and meatballs, to the, wait I am supposed to waxing on about the burger. Sorry, it's hard not to get sidetracked with all the glutonous food that abounds at this glam yet casual joint. The hand-formed burger (made with oh-so-much-care) is a heart breaker. I fell in love all over again with classy, classic, premium red meat. The bun and homemade mustard will wake your palate up as will the not-too pickled fresh-made pickles. And if all the quality cow and cooked to perfection patty aren't good enough for your insatiable tastes, pile on some primo toppings like the Portobello mushrooms and blue cheese. Yum, yum and yum. Top this tower off right with some gigantic O-rings as the icing on top of this divinely delicious meat-cake. The variety and fresh ease of air at this little sweetheart-of-a-spot won’t ever disappoint. Wacky WineSense Rating: 4.9 Grapes!

Swanson’s Sip Shoppe Feeds the Adult Candy Store Fix

At the risk of sounding redundant I will repeat myself for this very good cause. Wine should be fun. Life is serious, wine doesn’t need to be, or so speaks this low-brow wine junkie that will remain nameless (ok it’s me, Ms. Wacksense). Enter Swanson Vineyard’s Sip Shoppe, answering my call for a care-free, unique take on a tasting room. For those high-brow readers in the crowd, defer to Swanson’s formal tasting salon, this "shoppe" is gonna be way too footloose for your tastes. Low-brow readers, here is a wake up call for your peeps and palate. The Sip Shoppe is a wine spin off from the classic soda shop and jerks era (soda jerks, not dating ones), but lucky for us, the “candy” of choice is vino instead of soda pop floats and suckers. The décor is eye candy if I ever saw it with red pinstripe walls and intriguing wall adornments. A delightful outdoor sipping spot. The jovial food and snack pairings conjoined with your wine are downright dizzying (my personal favorite – the Dizzy Lizzy snowball whose garnish is some damn fine Pinot Grigio drizzle) if not bizarre in some instances, but for us here at Wacky WineSense, we thrive at the school of slightly off center, so we felt right at home here. Each wine taste (different tracks available depending on your taste buds) is paired with a tasty morsel of some sort (caviar, snow cones, candy, and more). Another favorite concoction – The 06 Petite Syrah with a slab of Clark’s Bark (a smash up of dark chocolate and toffee, and who knows what else). These folks realize that a day on the tasting trail can be hard work in these parts so don’t forget to ask for a “Rhodie” before you hit the road, and no we are not encouraging drinking and driving, we are talking about a New Orleans style iced coffee delight that’s made up of cold pressed coffee, 2% organic cow juice, and god help us, a dollop of brown sugar. But let us not forget about the real business at hand, the stuff behind the pinstripes, what Swanson has become infamous for – the wines. The Sauvignon Blanc, layered, fruity, crisp – a sheer delight. The Petite Syrah, rich, daunting, and for lack of a better word, dreamy in all of its intensity. The Alexis Cabernet and its drop dead deep fruit intentions will leave you and your loved ones screaming for more. So if it is fine wine you crave, make it point to slip slide into the Sip Shoppe or drop in “announced” to the Salon for a more formal tasting. Wacky WineSense Rating: 4.8 Grapes!

Crying for cookies is a sweet deal with Annie the Baker

St. Helena’s weekly Farmer’s Market (Fridays 7:30-12) bears many fruits, but you know that all ready. I'm here to talk about a treat of a less plucky variety, but a much sweeter deal, brought to you by one Annie the Baker, the mind and spatula behind the cookies that taste more like the dough than the finished deal, which is what makes them a steal. Not to be confused with the Steelers football team (easy to do since Annie's booth at the market pays homage to the team in color scheme, the life-sized mascot and flaming yellow VW Beetle (her bakery mobile!), reminding us of her pigskined roots). Annie entertains you at the moment you step into her delicious domain. But all arrows point elsewhere once she slips one of her magical cookies into your eagerly awaiting paw. With one bite of the peanut butter with milk chocolate chip cookie I shed my first tear, and by the time I finished up my taste test I was weeping like a colicky baby. All of her cookies strike a unique balance between sumptuous chewy cookie dough and dense flavorful baked cookie punch. Her newest weep-worthy incarnations are the tuxedo (dark and white chocolate with macadamea nuts) and the newest of all, and another favorite is the Cocoa Loco which is perfect if you are gonzo for the gooey goodness (cocoa powder, milk and dark chocolate and other mysterious but addictive delights). Damn this cookie, adding another notch to my already overstuffed to-do list, as I am now all but forced to make weekly pitstops at the market and Locals' Night at the Oxbow Public Market, in order to snatch up her cookies. I guess it's a good enough cause as any. Better actually as the payoff of these bites is as consistent as they come. Check out her Facebook page (ANNIETHEBAKER) so you won't be left in the sugar dust. Wacky WineSense Rating: 5 Grapes! (must eat)

Summer Swings at Oxbow’s Public Market

It’s about time that us locals (and tourists posing as locals can apply) got a break and the Oxbow Public Market was just the place to provide it. One-stop shopping for all your indulgent food and drink needs. Locals' night (every Tuesday night) serves up a bounty of food, frolic, and slurp-worthy beverages. Too much to cover in one quick swoop, but here are some shenanigans that I suggest you partake in. While I love to slurp wine as much as the next, this Tuesday I found something almost as enticing. Sucking down cheap Hog Island oysters and brew skies. And I don’t mean cheap in the sense that you will spend the night in the emergency room spewing out sullied seafood and PBRs, no siree. Cheap as in succulent oysters ($1 pop – I kid you not) and Class A beer (3.50 a pint) all on the cheap from 5-7PM. And you even get to be entertained as you slurp and suck. Live music (6-8PM) hums in the background ranging from jazz, standards, blues, techno (well, not really) and beyond. I followed up with killer, knock-you-off-your-diet-for-life cupcakes at Kara’s. I thought about eating one of everything she had to offer but opted instead for a Sweet Vanilla (inside and out) and Fleur De Sel. Each made me cry tears of food joy for different reasons. The butter cream frosting was just the right balance by not being overpowered with butter and not so sweet as to make you go into sugar shock. For local's night you can get cupcake minis for $1 (one per/person minimum – so augment with the reg. size). I have it on good accord that the banana caramel one could convert even the most devout non-sugar fiends. Cheese, cheese and more cheese at the Oxbow Cheese Market. Belly up to the cheese bar and order yourself a slice of the Caveman. And I don’t mean that strapping young gent that’s eye chickies from the wine bar, it is a cheese my friends and a damn tart/tangy/tongue defying blue one at that. I had to be peeled off the cheese fridge. Finally when my belly and liver could take no more I slid out to the terrace and planted my butt in a chair and enjoyed the sites of new friends and old dancing in some of the delights that bring this fair city to night – a night where food and drink finds are friendly to the locals that help make this joint and town hop. Wacky WineSense Rating: 4.5

Ca'Momi - get me some of that pumping prosecco

Last month as I bopped around Harmony Fest, catching up with Lauryn Hill from afar, as makeup melted off my face, I decided a reward was in order. Mine came in the form of an oasis of a wine tent, brought to me by Ca'Momi Wines. And boy what a jackpot I hit. The perfect quench to the summer swelter. Winemaker Dario, who hails from the grand "Boot" of Italy, could teach us Californians a thing or two about sparkling. And don't get me wrong, I love my Mumms and Chandons and the like, but his Ca'Secco prosecco was a little slurp of heaven. Crisp, dry, not too sweet but oh so succulent. A dandy delight that left me, dancing for more. I'm not certain if my "moves" were working for or against my cause of earning more wine, or if they just wanted me to stop, but regardless, I was poured another refill, thankfully. But don't fret if you missed the vino at the festival, you can scoot on down to their Napa tasting room, a pitstop that is well worth the trip. And if all this wasn't reason enough, this Italian friendly bunch will soon be showing off their wares at the Oxbox market. Those wares (housed in an enoteca style wine bar) include homemade Italian pastries, and Neapolitan style pizza. This all made me cry, and start spinning, immediately, so that I can drop pounds to put on more pounds with this fantastic food and fabulous vino. Wacky WineSense Rating: 4.8 Grapes!

Slurpin Sandwiches (Icy ones) before noon!

Summer is officially here, whether the weather chooses to acknowledge its arrival or not! A wise young tween once told me, when the seasons change so does your wardrobe, no if, ands, buts or bad weather about it. I indulged by wearing my most spring-like togs and hot pink shades to the St. Helena’s Farmers market (Fridays 7:30-12). I continued to screw conventional norms, by skipping all the healthy fruity veggie stands and going straight to the sweets. Partying like a tween seemed appropriate since I was dressed like one. One stop off at The Farmers Market Pantry (corrie@thefarmersmarketpantry.com) fed my sugar-frenzied fix. This particular pantry was stuffed with nothing but cookies and ice cream. After sampling one too many offerings (including a pecan-bacon number, bizarrely delectable!) I went for the Big Kahuna and got a made-to-order ice cream sandwich. I dare you to relive your youth by mixing and matching ice cream and cookie concoctions. This delight was sheer summer time bliss with cookies that were lightly crisp on the outside, with a pinch of chewy dough goodness on the inside. I opted for the cappuccino chocolate chunk cookie, which was laced with gabobs of dark chocolate chunks and espresso. The vanilla bean ice cream ensconced within only made this treat all the sweeter. Some classics are worth their status of ‘simplicity is swell’. Despite being served in the great outdoors, owner/head scooper, Corrie, delivered like only a good ice cream man/woman can, with cream that was as firm as it was tasty. I reached my sugartime coma before high noon. What a way to start the day! You can catch a cookie of your own weekly at the St. Helena Farmers Market (7:30-12PM on Fridays) or at the Thursday Chef’s Market in Napa. Just don’t be left screamin for this dreamy, creamy sensation. Wacky WineSense Rating: 4.5 Grapes!

Vercelli – St. Helena’s Savory Sidekick

Hailing from Manhattan where casual, affordable (yes, you heard me!) Italian food haunts are as plentiful as subway rats, you can imagine how shocked I was to find no such establishments (Italian, not rat-filled) in the Up Valley. When I would ask friends, foes and anybody that would listen, where such places were hidden I typically got back blank-faced stares in return. Or, I would be given a rundown of places that serve good homemade pasta (Cook!), and while I certainly love such places, I wanted a truly all-Italian experience – red checkered table cloths, Chiantis, and all! When left to my own devices I finally stumbled into Vercelli Ristorante Cafe on St. Helena’s main strip. I had lowered my expectations considerably since I hadn’t heard much about this joint, though I had walked by it countless times, rubbernecking on the outside looking in, and sometimes lingering around the outdoor cafe. The few tiny tables squished on the sidewalk had Manhattan written all over it. It was then that I decided to give it a taste-test drive. Outdoor, streetside dining is arguably the best way to eat and imbibe in the warm weather months. The ambience at Vercelli was everything I’d come to expect from my east coast dining counterparts. Inside, very cozy, Sinatra and his Rat Pack buzzing in the background, an Italian maitre d buzzing about, and the sweet scent of garlic overtaking the airwaves in the best possible way. The outside section of the restaurant is the closest I’ve come to experiencing true alfresco dining in these parts. If you don’t know what that means, now is your chance to live and learn. Because everything from the service (very friendly, attentive, lacking of all pretense) to the ambience was winning rave reviews, my cynical side expected the food to fall short. Note to self: the times they are changing baby! After a ravishingly good meal I decided to kick my cynicism to the curb, for good maybe. I fell in love, mad, fleeting, food love with the pillow pasta (gnocchi) in gorgonzola cream sauce. As a fellow Italian with a granny that made pitch perfect gnocchi, she also schooled me in all the ways that this type of pasta is done horribly wrong. I did my part over the years by tasting one too many of these “soggy” carb blobs posing as pasta, the type that give pillow pasta a bad name. I can honestly say that my dearly departed granny would give her stamp of approval on Vercelli’s version. They’ve perfected the perfect pillow in consistency, taste, and well, what else is there? The Cesar salad was also a winner. I was weeping by this point so it’s hard to pinpoint what made it so special other than the obvious, superb dressing, gaggles of fresh grated cheese and homemade gigantic croutons. Unfortunately I've started salivating and am at risk for destroying my already aging keyboard, so enough said. If you’ve been craving the perfect pasta in a low-key, casual, and arms wide open setting, do yourself a favor and drop in for some alfresco dining. If you’re lucky Juana will be your server, and serve she will, with a broad smile, all night long until she rolls you out the door in a food coma. Wacky WineSense Rating: 4.7 Grapes!

Brussels Sprouts Aren’t Just for Babies!

I’ve always been a broccoli and green beans kind of gal, but as time passes the more whimsical I find myself. As such I started dabbling with sprouts. Alfalfa, Brussels, more Brussels. Damn those things are tasty boiled up in the comforts of my own home, where nobody would mock me for eating such an unglamorous veggie. Then as I frolicked about town, trying to be the taste of my town I noticed an odd movement in the restaurant world. One that involved (gasp!) Brussels sprouts. These went well beyond your average bake and boil varieties that I had been toying with. These were sexy and saucy sprouts. Buttery and basking in bacon in some instances. I am no longer a closeted sprout fan. I figure if they’re a semi-regular menu offering at such St. Helena culinary hot spots like Cook and Press I am safe to admit my addiction and I suggest you do the same. While you can find these delightful mini-heads of lettuce looking vegetables all over, these two varieties are my favorites. Cook is in the number one position with Press coming in as a close second. I don’t know what the heck they are actually doing in the kitchen with this stuff, I just pray it’s legal. Here’s what I taste. Cook’s variety: sliced and sautéed in butter and lots of garlic, then grilled in some type of contraption so that they are lightly crisp and toasty on the outside while not being mushy or overdone on the inside. Surely there are other spices and secrets rolling around in there, but I get so lost in the explosion in my mouth I loose my train of thought while eating. Press’s variety: almost as equally buttery, toasty brown, though not crisp like Cook’s. There are big chunks of bacon (sans all the fat, heavy on the pork) laced within, likely scored fresh off the bacon bar. I will tangent for a moment. I never thought I would live somewhere that ups the standard oyster and cheese bar ante for something like a bar full of piggy delights, who knew! Anyhow, either place you sample this oft overlooked veggie you’re in for a treat. I suggest you shovel some gushy spouts in the toddlers' mouths and get out there and score some of your own. Wacky WineSense Ratings: Cook: 4.9, Press: 4.7

The year in wine, food, and frolic

Favorite wines….I once stated that Venge wines are Vi-vi-licious, and I stand by my words and then some. These folks make some damn fine wine. If my word isn’t good enough for you, if you must, then at least trust Robert Parker. He and I apparently see eye to eye on this one, especially when it comes to the Family Reserve Cab (a big winner of our blind wine tasting). Not sure which to try? Try and buy them all as I for one can’t begin to pick a favorite because they are all so damn slurp-worthy. Good news is coming to a town near year as 2010 breaks ground on the Venge’s Calistoga winery. Cavus, the 2004 and 2005 Cab. This wine was so hefty, heady and downright delicious they had to peel me off the walls of the tasting room of Acme Fine Wines (a great spot for Friday happy wine hour, pouring new vineyards each week). These folks enjoy a wineward way of life and it shows with each and every sip of their wine that you slurp. There is a god in Zinfandel heaven and his/her name is Chase Vineyards. Their Zins are as good as they get as is their home town hospitality. The fact that they throw a damn good party (July Fest, harvest and beyond) is just icing on top of an already death-defying cake. Best event of the season, this should come as no surprise – CHEERS! St. Helena. I have sung their praises so many times I am making myself sick, but I’ll do it again because good deeds should go noticed. Each and every first Friday of the season (May-Oct) these folks topped themselves time and time again by bringing together the community, entertaining the visitors, and giving just about everybody a reason to celebrate, what with all the wine (60+vineyards), street food, bang up bands and so much more. I can’t wait to get me some more of this action come spring time. Best restaurant desert – Jolie’s coconut cream pie. Dark chocolate, twirled with caramel, fresh vanilla cream, hand shaved coconut, and crust created with care make this desert a weekly staple. Best side dish – Press’s truffle macaroni and cheese, paired with the creamed spinach. This mac n cheese melts in your mouth all night long, cooked to perfection and coated in only the finest cheese. To die for, and well worth it to score this savory delight. Best cookie in the Valley, Annie the Baker’s peanut butter drop cookie. It made me cry on my first weekend in Napa, and every time I have the pleasure of sucking down one of these blissfully decadent delights I slobber all over myself. More “best ofs” to follow, I need to give my fingers a break. But get busying on the list so far if you missed out on any or all of the above. I dare anybody to top this stuff in 2010, go ahead, make my year!

Proud to Be Picky About My Pizza

While I cringe at the thought of being called a wine snob (not very likely since I so often talk about slurping wine), I am not at all bashful about labeling myself a pizza snob and with good reason. Nothing against the West Coast, this coastline is arguably much prettier than the nameless coast that I grew up on (east – keep this hush) but when it comes to pizza pie this side of the country could stand to learn a thing or two from the Right coast. I don’t have time to get into a pizza smack down with everyone, but one of my assignments as a food columnist in New York City was to troll the streets of the city for an entire year looking for the best slice in town, so as far as credibility, I know of what I type/speak. I have been pretty unimpressed as far as slices go, especially in Southern California, none down there are really worth mentioning, though I do remain ever-hopeful. As far Napa goes, I’ve mentioned numerous times that the food here rules! I kept my nose held high and snobby for just a few short weeks when I moved here, trying to scrounge up some good pizza, until I tumbled into Pizzeria Tra Vigne. It doesn’t really count as NYC style pizza, not much does, but TV’s is a variety all its own, a damn good one. Knowing that I’m quite biased when it comes to traditional standards like cheese and pepperoni pizza, I went in a different tasting direction and tried the Vespa. Let’s start with the crust, as that is at the heart of any good pizza. This one is doughy, dense and crisp, all essential qualities. I can’t tell you how many soggy crusts I have sunk into, it is embarrassing for everyone involved, and downright disturbing when you are the taster. Note to all pizza makers - when the crust is floppy you can’t call it crust and you most certainly can't call it pizza! Period. So, thank you Tra Vigne for getting the consistency balance right, no easy feat. As far stacking a flavor punch, you get an A in that department too. Fancy and flip topping combos are oft over done and downright stupid most of the time, but not the case here. The Vespa’s chicken apple sausage, smoked mozzarella, oven roasted onions and spinach concoction is a dandy one. A delectable mix that’s fresh, flavorful and admittedly just a tad fabulous. The cheese-to-sauce-to-toppings ratio is right on the mark. There is a secret nameless ingredient that makes this pie dance down my throat, to me it tastes like nutmeg or cinnamon or a bit of both, but it brings the pie all together. Thankfully, this pizza has tided me over, week after week, and month after month, until I finally make my way back home to good ole NYC. Until then, keep up the good work TV, this gal’s pizza palate is hard to please and right now, I am very, very, pleased. If anybody out there in the blogsphere knows of a pizza pie that you deem worthy of a taste, please email me ASAP. I challenge you to find one that will make me cry tears of food joy. This is one smack down that I would kill to be a part of. May all the good pizzas in town rise to my occasion and attention. Wacky WineSense Rating: 4.7 Grapes!

Heart attack inducing food that is worth the risk – Press’s Truffle Mac’n Cheese

Sure, aside from all the wine I slurp, I usually strive to keep my diet heart healthy, at least on the weekdays. But by the week’s end I grant myself permission to give into my vein clogging food tendencies. A girl has gotta have some fun, especially when we’re talking about the heart pounding side dish delights at St. Helena’s Press. Comfort food never felt more sexy than at this joint. I’m not sure if it is the angular glass vaulted ceilings, the sleek outdoor fireside patio or merely the heart pounding food that ignites my engine, but it doesn't really matter, it’s all good. I have sampled mac’n cheese up and down this coastline, across the country, and from Manhattan to the Florida panhandle. Not many are worth their weight in raw cheese poundage, but as far as mac-y cheese attacks waiting to happen in the Napa Valley, Press’s takes home the prize. Their truffle mac side dish isn’t fooling anybody, it eats like a meal, a big, fat, gourmet gooey cheesy one. I’m not sure what else they slip into this dish but I don’t much care. This mac sings its way all the way down my food tube. While rich in taste and texture it isn’t overpowering, quite the opposite – obnoxiously satisfying when eaten as I recommend, in its entirety, in one sitting. Since I’m jolting my heart already I take advantage of the situation by sucking down the creamed spinach too. Equally dizzying and rich, but healthy, as only a vitamin chocked cream soaked veggie can be. I prefer to belly up to the bar for my relaxing feast, ordering a great glass of vino to coat my stomach and accompany this veg-friendly culinary duo. It is a match made in food heaven, one that is so damn good, it’s worth the heart clogging risk. Wacky WineSense Rating: 5 Grapes!

Forget Pie-in-the Sky at JoLe – their pie is knocking on heaven’s gates

Exemplary deserts on the California Coast are a lot harder to find than one might think. I hate to be a NYC snob, but until recently I had been hard-pressed to find a sweet delight (aside from Annie the Baker’s peanut butter bomb cookie) that was worth texting my food friend in the middle of the night about, but then JoLe’s dream-inducing coconut cream pie slipped magically onto my plate. The desert sky parted and my tongue melted well into the thick of the night. This is hands down the best desert I have tasted to date since moving to the Napa Valley this spring. I go to the restaurant regularly just to eat this pie. I get out of my fuzzy flannel pjs to get me a slice of this thing when late night cravings knock me out of a deep winter’s sleep. Follow me into this whipped cloud of sweet creamy delight. Macadamia crust - fresh, flaky, flavorful, crisp. This same crust is layered with a thin swath of bittersweet dark chocolate which drips beyond the pie and on to the plate which is drizzled with the same plus some caramel. Then a secret blend of coconut and cream and I can’t imagine what else short of fairy dust makes up the guts of the pie but it is light and sweet and flavorful and, well, magical. If all of that isn’t enough to bring you into pleasant sugary convulsions the pie is topped with vanilla bean fresh cream and then topped even further (this part literally flipped me off my stool and onto the ground where I laid squealing in pie bliss), with candied fresh coconut. While my waistline will never forgive me and 24 Hour Fitness will love me forever because I have added two extra spinning classes so that I can continue to feed my addiction, it is all worth it to get me a slab of this stuff. I have sampled my way up and down the desert menu of this joint and all of them are remarkable, but this one stands as my favorite. I may never eat real food ever again so I can keep an open space in my belly for this baby. This pie far exceeds the sky and shoots right up to desert heaven. Wacky WineSense Rating: 5.0 Grapes!

Slipping and Sliding Around the Olive Tree Maypole

Sure, I enjoy slathering my best breads in olive oil. And yes, I have been known to double dunk. I also revel in bathing my lips in slippery stuff. That being said you could understand why I stampeded into the Wine Country Inn to partake in their “Ode to the Olive” last week. Sounded like my kind of party. I imagined that I would be dunking my fingers and bread into smooth and scented oils all day long. Not a bad way to spend a fall day. I was shocked to learn that bread with your olive oil can actually be offensive in some parts (Italy!). When I heard that the best way to taste the essence of a good olive oil is to slurp it, I knew I had found a new home at the Inn, since we, at Wacky WineSense, are all about slurping, though typically good wine. I gave myself free liberties to slurp the oil when invited. I soon realized that there are a lot of similarities between growing grapes and growing olives. There is a harvest time for both and olives need to be nurtured in the same ways as grapes. You need to pick and pluck when the fruit has hit its prime. Much like fine wine, acidity levels play a heavy handed role in the quality and taste of good oil. Heat, air and humidity also play vital roles. Unfortunately, the olive counter part is not regulated like wine so you need to be careful when you buy under the guise of true virgin olive oil. It, like vino can get corked. This means that your coveted bottle of extra virgin oil from Italy that you’ve been saving for the last ten years hoping to hang onto to those heady memories of your romps in the Tuscan sun, may not be fit for table time. Nobody wants stanky olive oil at their holiday gatherings so avoid such a fate by ensuring that you make use of your oil within two years of the harvest date. Oil can oxidize like vino so slurp it down soon after opening (2 weeks is ideal). Diane De Filipi of Ask Diane Hospitality was our hostess for the day and this gal knew her stuff. Screw boring Tupperware and Pampered Chef parties in favor of a slipping sliding good time. Who knew olive oil could be such a hoot! The question that everyone wanted to know and that she soon answered was, what makes one oil virgin and another dead-end used baggage? The answer - acidity level. To reach “virgin” status look no further than the label. Your virgin goods should not exceed an acidity level of .08%. If your slippery sack shows more, you’ve got tainted, less than honorable and pure goods. So, buyer beware when it comes to those over-priced, teases. While scents are nice when slathered all over your main squeeze, the same cannot be said for virgin oils. Lets say you buy one of those gourmet pups infused with lemon. Sounds savory yes, but what that tartly fruit is doing is actually robbing your oil of its acid. Diane says to skip the infused varieties and go "pure" all the way, baby. I choked down some damn good stuff at my party full of virgins, and according to our divine hostess, if you slurp a good olive oil it should make you cough, which I did, all day long. The best oils will also give your taste buds and nostrils a wake up call in the form of a bounty of flavorful scents and spices. But, if you’re slurping a virgin hack (those dastardly finds often seen in the clear bottles at your supermarkets), your sniffer will stay on snooze and you’ll get nothing but a greasy finish. I now know that I want my olive oil just like my men - pure and untainted but aged and harvested to perfection. Wacky WineSense Rating: 4.7 Grapes!

BBQ that Boogies!

Eat.Drink.Boogie. That’s the tagline for the newest BBQ catering company to hit the brix of Napa Valley. Having partaken in a pork-filled extravaganza at one of the last BBQs of the summer/fall season, I can honestly say that CROOKED PORCH BBQ gave me something to boogie about. They have earned the right to keep on keeping on with that oh so accurate catch phrase. I’m striving to simplify my life and my write ups so I’m cornering a new phrase to sum up the fine eats that resident Pit Master/Owner Nick Heinrich (707-256-9226, nickheinrich@gmail.com) had to offer – smoky with a side of sass. That’s what came to mind as I slurped down his pulled pork and beans. I can’t quite place my paw on the root source of the flavors I tasted, other than the food left me feeling much more sassy than how I felt prior to the pig fest. The side dishes reigned in my opinion. Finally, some not so typical takes on otherwise standard fare picnic and bbq eats. The chicken yellow crunch cole slaw was downright crackly – crisp, flavorful and nutty. Those pining for the mayo-dripped soggy type slaw would be better off making a pit stop at KFC because the Pit Master’s version is so far off that varietal it may as well be on Jupiter. Heinrich’s take reminded me why slaw, if done right, is the perfect compliment to a forkful of tangy, sauce-slathered meat. The potato salad won me over too. Also sans mayo which almost made this entire meal heart-healthy. The spuds were farm fresh and cooked to non-picnic perfection. They were firm without being undercooked and packed a walloping flavor twist with a sweet nip of spice. If you yearn for gooshy near-mashed mayo soaked spud salad and overcooked meat, you should avoid Crooked Porch all together because all you’re going to find is a whole lot of high quality BBQ and home spun sides that are crooked in the best possible way - guaranteed to get your arse off the couch and onto the dance floor. Wacky WineSense Rating: 4.5 Grapes!

Random Bits I Learned from a Cheese Monger

I have called myself a cheese whore one too many times than I wanted to admit, until I met John Raymond, the Cheese Monger. In a short afternoon spent nibbling large hunks of mind-altering cheese, I decided to embrace my inner cheese hound. There is nothing to be ashamed about in loving a mound of cheese. It, unlike my parental unit, doesn’t talk back or judge me for my indiscretions. Some interesting things I learned from The Monger….

• A “cheddar man” talks only about acid (either he had an awesome trip on LSD back in the day, or cheddar contains a fair amount of acid)
• All cheeses are “He/Male”
• The “rind” of a cheese tells you what is going on in the mind of the cheese
• Cheeses have “eyes” and their peeps, just like ours, tell you all you ever wanted to know about those tasty slabs of melted madness
• In hosting a party, if you put more than (5) types of cheeses on a plate, you have “insulted” the cheese
• Blue cheese needs to be needled - just what you would think, jabbing a selected needle (sewing, knitting, etc.), into the cheese repeatedly, it opens up the cheese for maximum flavor
• Natural cheese rinds are gentle, not aggressive

In closing, I hope I don’t screw up this quote from The Monger, “Finding a cheese that you deem worthy to 'sleep with' is almost as tough as finding a loved one worth sleeping with, but once you do, you'll know why it was worth the wait.” On my cheese tasting day at Venge Vineyard, with The Cheese Monger (John Raymond), I found way too many cheeses that I wanted to sleep with (I guess that is why I am a self-dubbed cheese whore) - bed space was limited, so I just ate them all. Wacky WineSense Rating: 4.5 Grapes!

Not all wine, all the time – especially with October beers abounding!

Yes we’re called WINE Sense, but that doesn’t prevent us from talking about other things. Especially when it’s beer time! October marks the coming of fall and all the foods and drinks that come with the season. Namely all things pumpkin in my book (pie, cheesecake, scones, cupcakes, seeds, cider rum punch - I’ll stop before I embarrass myself by salivating right out of my office). I don’t want to be remiss in mentioning another one of my favorite passions of the season - Silverado Brewing Company’s Octoberfest beer. This joint is known for cranking out some of the best brew in the valley, but I am partial to the seasonal Octoberfest one. It speaks to me on so many levels, and I wouldn’t even call myself a beer fan, though I do jump onto this 'hopy' team during this candy-fueled month. Don’t let the deep amber color of this boo-full delight fool you. I typically shy away from beers that look too heady for me to handle and spank of bitterness. While this beer looks the part, it certainly doesn’t taste that talk. It’s hearty, substantive and light all on one swing, but not wimpy; it is a mouthful of flavor despite the sense of being light. I realize that this description is a long-winded contradiction, but it fits the bill of this tasty delight. The brewski is also crispy like the leaves that are dropping from our trees and vines, just in time for winter. The ribs aren’t too shabby either, they’re actually a fabulous complement to all of their beers (my second fav being the blonde, the ale, not that strapping fella I saw swilling beer at the other end of the bar). The ribs are a meaty tangy sweet and sweaty delight. Good right down to the bone. So come on in and grab the Octoberfest brew while you can, it won’t last long! Wacky WineSense Rating: 4.70 Grapes!

The end of a very good year - bon voyage CHEERS! St. Helena

The fat lady has sang her last tune. The CHEERS! season has left the building. What do we have to show for our months of support? We will always have the memories. Blocked streets, streets with meat and treats. Bopping bands, lovers holding hands. More wine in a two block radius than one man or woman slurp in a year. But most of all we will be able to look back on a time where the oft quiet and sometimes stuffy streets of St. Helena opened up her arms to embrace the community that supports her. I regretfully write the last of my event wrap-ups for the 2009 season. With a pilot season like this, we can be sure that the CHEERS! show will be renewed for next year (or lets sure as hello hope so). Woodhouse Chocolates. We all know how good they are. Christ, people come to St. Helena just to score some of that magical gooey sweetness, not the mention the bonafide chocolate themed art sculptures that rival the Sax 5th Avenue windows during holiday season in NYC. But just because we know, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t remind everyone how truly delicious they are. As a confirmed choco-holic I can confidently say that the rock-salt milk and dark chocolate caramels that they have served up for free, yes free, each and every CHEERS! social are almost orgasmic. Not almost, they are. Slick, smooth, crunchy, chocolate with a sultry kick. Sweetness that just keeps on giving long after the taffy has been sucked down your food tube. I guess it is safe for me to come clean. Each month I would eat my ration – one milk, one dark. Then I would wait an hour or so, and despite being at the other end of the strip, I would haul it back to Woodhouse to slip another helping of those chocolate pillows down my throat. Two more of the dark chocolates. Then I would get some of my party people to give me their ration. My waistline might never forgive me, but my belly will forever thank me. The boy scouts of our fair city served up birds, lots of bbq birds. Protein that I was in dire need of, to soak up all the wine I was feverishly tasting. It was the last night of CHEERS! 2009, somebody had to do it. Yay Scouts! Service with a suited up smile. On to the wine! I never see or get enough Meritage. But I found a spanking good one from the folks at Ehlers. A light yet bold bowl of fruit comes to mind. Also, a little tweet of tang. Their Meritage made me merry! The Eagle Eye wine, dubbed Voluptuous, that's its name, and it was a voluptuous red blend both dry and sweet-tart, plus the bottles themselves were a work of art, yest art on a bottle. A husband and wife team, he masterminds the wine, and her the art that paints each and every bottle. Tom Scott Vineyard’s Barn Burner Cab. This baby went so well with my dark-choco bites (Woodhouse), at $125 not an economic stimulus wine, but worth every penny. The fact they were giving away this stuff for free was downright dandy. Smooth with a kick. It was as pretty in color as it was in taste. A workhorse of a wine! Five Vintners Zin. A roll off the tongue fruity tootie pie delight! I don’t even fully understand what that means, other than damn good wine. Orin Sift Cellars never cease to surpise my each and every social. Their wine is like young love, every day you discover something new to adore. One month I love Prisoners, then another I salivate for the Papillon, which was my love this CHEERS! I fell under the spell of this blueberry-dipped chocolate of a wine. I was so under its magic, I think I might have started kissing radom people to the left and right of me at the tasting counter. Or maybe I was just tongue kissing the glass and the wine that it was holding. Who cares, it was love at first slurp. I want to cuddle up with this vino on crisp fall and winter nights. Divine to the last drop. And last but not least Turley’s Howell Mt. Zin, a wine that I am no stranger to, but it never ceases to amaze me in its brilliance. Spicy, slick and smooth, just like I enjoy my m_n, well you don’t need to know that. So in the end, as sad as I am to see my CHEERS! social scene draw to a close, it was time. Just like my former home of New York, it is always good to leave people loving you as opposed to remembering you in a less appealing light, because you didn’t say goodbye soon enough (Sorry Seinfeld, as much as adored you I wished you said “when” just one episode sooner). So I raise a glass to good times past. Until next year, 3 cheers for CHEERS! Wacky WineSense rating: 5 grapes x 5 grapes x 5 grapes, forget it - good times all season long!