Harvest Time

It has been a cool summer here in the redwoods. Rarely hit 80 and the mornings were foggy and evenings chilly. The environment is reflecting that shortened warmth with smaller yields. The huge blackberry stand that winds itself from my fence in an L shape into the backyard has tons of berries on it, but they are smaller than last year's crop. I finally got around to picking them and baking a pie today. Used a Mario Batali recipe and loved his final instruction "Let it cool and devour." That is a definite with a homemade berry pie, eat it warm with cream and savor life's blessings.

This year I planted broccoli, onions, cabbage and cauliflower. The seeds from last years eggplant and tomatoes decided they wanted in on the action and are coming up in the bed as surprise and welcome guests. The tomatoes I planted in a container went in too early and the long rainy season drowned them, although they have made a slight comeback too against all the odds. But we'll see if they can get enough sun as the fall moves in and the sunlight takes a more slanted angle to the earth.

Since it was the first time I have grown broccoli, I had no idea what to expect. What I ended up with isn't what you see in the grocery store. I got a long stalk, really long, with a spindly looking flower end. The end that is supposed to be the edible part. So that was an experiment that didn't quite work out. The cabbage is coming along nicely if slowly, adding leaves and building a nice purple head. The great success is the onions. Easy to grow but my first attempt as well. I planted several kinds, red, yellow, and an Italian onion. They all grew and I now have several wonderful and delicious onions. I took one and just ate it on the spot raw, it was incredible. Can't wait to get them into a nice fresh salad with the sweet rich taste of a fresh, ripe tomato. 

The days are getting shorter. Right now it is only 7 pm and it is starting to get dark outside. But this year, I made a conscious effort to take full advantage of the long days and take those dog-initiated walks after work as late as 8 pm. So Penny and I got the most we could out of the summer's long days. My genius dog brings me socks and tosses them at me as I recoup from the commute on the couch. Gentle hint. Winter is coming, she wants to get in as much fun as possible before the rain limits our evening constitutionals.

Delle Venezia

Just ask my dog, Penelope, salmon is good. And smoked salmon is really good. Well worth the extra effort of mesquite on the grill and a slow fire. So this week in the hills, it is smoked salmon, grilled veggies, green, red, and yellow bell peppers, onions, and asparagus, so good! Marinated with a soy sauce-based marinade. And to go with it, a nice Pinot Grigio, Kris delle Venezie. Yes, it is good, yes, it is cheap, yes, it is perfect with grilled salmon and veggies. Of course, I marinated them in balsamic vinegar and olive oil and then just plain threw them on the hot grill. Salute!

Viva Espana!

Hello, fellow foodies! I have been busy with that thing they call "life". And I also started another blog that provides reviews of restaurants in Palo Alto specifically focused on lunch fare. Please check it out at hungryinpa.drupalgardens.com.

It is an odd spring season in my redwood forest and all over California. Lots of rain that never seems to end. But on the bright side, I don't have to water my little garden for now. I planted broccoli, 3 types of onions, and cabbage. The broccoli is for health (superfood, people), the cabbage a homemade coleslaw habit that my son started, and the onions... All veggies I have never grown before. I am especially excited about the onions, they are a key ingredient in so many of my favorite recipes and I know that the type of onion makes a huge difference in the flavor of a dish. My culinarily-gifted son and I were just talking about how leeks and shallots can alter the taste of a dish with their subtle essence.

So, things are quiet on the western front but the sun is coming and the earth is ready to bloom. My wild blackberry bushes are flowering their prediction of delicious berries to come. And the bistro table on the deck beckons. I am hosting my first bbq this weekend. Definitely chicken, steaks, and peppers with eggplant drenched in balsamic vinegar going on the grill.

Here is a great steak recipe you can use on a grill or on the stove. Skirt steak marinated in olive oil with minced garlic, onions, and bell peppers. The marinade is olive oil, Worchestershire sauce, soy sauce, a little sugar. You can also add red wine. Salt, so good, but I am cutting back on it, so I use it sparingly, especially since soy sauce already has sodium. And black pepper, of course.

Slice the steak in 1" slices against the grain. Mix the meat into the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and leave it in the marinade for an hour or more.

Saute the marinated meat (with the marinade) first in olive oil for about 10 minutes while stirring regularly. Remove the meat to rest. Add a little more olive oil then saute the veggies: sliced red peppers first, slightly blacken these, then add the onions (yellow or chopped green onions, or try a new one, shallots perhaps) and sliced garlic. I added sliced fresh jalapeno peppers. Fresh ones are not extremely hot but they add a nice crunch and just a little heat. I mixed a little flour and water together to make a paste and added it to the sauce to thicken it (3 tbsp flour with water to make a soft paste). Let it thicken on low heat constantly stirring.Then put the meat back in and cook it in the sauce for awhile, 5 minutes on low heat.

For wine pairing, try a Spanish red. There are a lot of good ones but I recently tried Sierra Cantabria Rioja. It is very easy on the palate but substantial enough to stand up to the teriyaki steak and veggies. The delicious sauce can be soaked up by a bed of white rice.

Salud, amigos!

View from the mountains

The winter has started to give hints of its approach here in the redwoods of Northern California. There have been rain clouds on the horizon and evenings get cool before dinner is done. In the garden, tomatoes are ripening in the low sun and wait to be devoured off the vine. Wine on the deck in the sultry evening is giving way to red wines that warm the soul as the fog rolls in. And there is the ubiquitous humungous zucchini.

For that last hurrah of summer, I have a delicious and unusual white to recommend and try to describe. It is from the Drylands winery, a "Marlborough Winery of Nobilo Wine Group", imported from New Zealand. Marlborough is an area of New Zealand that is known for the Wairau River and plains dominated by rich, silty soils and river beds.

The Sauvignon Blanc is remarkable for the fresh herbal and citrus flavors. The nose alone wakes up the senses. And the taste is not like any other SB that I have tasted. It is not too sweet and has the lightness of a typical Blanc, but the distinct flavor brings more to the palate. It has a lemony brightness and tingle to it, reminiscent of a sparkling wine.

I tried it with fish off the barby, polenta and grilled vegetables with a red pepper sauce, brilliantly executed by my culinarily-gifted son. And I think it could hold up with other dishes, expecially when they are complimentary to citrus, such as lamb, pork, or seafood salads. Why not pair calamari on a bed of greens and a light parmesan/garlic/olive oil dressed pasta?

This is a true winner of a white. Drylands also produces a Pinot Noir and a Dry Riesling. You can be sure these are on my list of wines to try.

Savor the tastes of the harvest

The turning of the sun towards fall changes the angle of light. And the air begins to cool earlier in the day. The plants in my garden are doing much the same, even the redwoods are beginning to store their energy and branches turn brown.

My garden consists of a rather large and prolific zucchini plant, a pepper that seems intimidated next to the "beast", arugula, a robust rosemary plant, and my sweet humble tomato plant. The tomatoes are almost ripe, turning a bright red, and a nice size, not too big -not too small. Just right for a snack of raw tomato slices with olive oil, sprinkle of salt, olives, fresh mozzarella and basil, with a splash or two of balsamic vinegar. For fun, maybe some cold beans: fava, canneloni, garbonzo. Simply delicious.

There are so many good wines to highlight such delicate flavors, which to choose?

I think Pinot Noir offers a nice accompaniment to the mix. Light, fruity, not too sweet to compete with the tomatoes and basil. For instance, Santa Barbara and the Russian River area have several wineries, including Byron Wines, David Bruce, and Woodenhead known for their quality varietals.

For an Italian wine, find a quality Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris, the former being Italian the latter French but the same grape. A wine I have reviewed previously, one of the most popular imports in the US, Santa Margharita, is consistently delicious. But there are some being produced closer to home that stand out. For easier to find Pinots, try Acacia or Cambria Wineries.

Wine grows better with age

Why is the age of wine so important? Is it always best to let wine age? What is the ideal time to age wine? How do I store my wine collection to get the best results?

From experience, I know that some wines reach a pinnacle while others don't do so well after a certain age. There seems to be a turning point when wine passes that golden hour and begins to degrade, lose flavor, and taste like vinegar. So that bottle you have been saving for a special occasion may end up being an epiphany or a disappointment.

In researching the subject, I found some good answers for the reasons behind the aging process. The list below, taken from Wikipedia, gives general ranges for wines that benefit from aging and another list of wines that don't need to be aged at all. Although there are many factors that go into the specific prime age for a particular wine, here are some of the key factors to consider:

"The ratio of sugars, acids and phenolics to water is a key determination of how well a wine can age." In other words, the less water in the wine prior to harvest the more flavor in the wine, and the more likely the resulting wine has aging potential. So start with a good wine.

Another factor is storage. Optimal conditions include little movement, no direct sunlight, controlled temperature fluctuations, and avoiding excessive heat, especially in white wines. In general, a wine has a greater potential to develop complexity and a more aromatic bouquet if it is allowed to age slowly in a relatively cool environment.

"As red wine ages, the harsh tannins of its youth gradually give way to a softer mouthfeel. As a wine starts to mature, its bouquet will become more developed and multi-layered. The lingering finish of a wine will lengthen." Sounds like a win-win to me. My taste is definitely not fond of harsh tannins or acidity which can overwhelm food; and I love a complex bouquet and flavor, soft feel on my palette, and a long finish.

Salute! Ching ching!

General aging times
Riesling (2–30 yrs)
Loire Valley Chenin blanc (4–30 yrs)
Cabernet Sauvignon (4–20 yrs)
Merlot (2–10 yrs)
Nebbiolo (4–20 yrs)
Pinot noir (2–8 yrs)
Sangiovese (2–8 yrs)
Syrah (4–16 yrs)
Zinfandel (2–6 yrs)
Classified Bordeaux (8–25 yrs)
Grand Cru Burgundy (8–25 yrs)
Spanish Tempranillo (2–8 yrs)

Wines that don't benefit from aging
Asti and Moscato, Spumante
Rosé and blush wines like White Zinfandel
Branded wines like Yellow Tail, Mouton Cadet, etc.
European table wine
American jug & box wine
Inexpensive varietals (with the possible exception of Cabernet Sauvignon)
All Nouveau wines
Basic Sherry, Ports, Vermouth

Salmon Delicioso

I recently discovered a great recipe for poached salmon. Salmon is a preferred food for those of us with high cholesteral as it has the good kind of cholesteral and protein and, of course, is so tasty.

The recipe uses a bed of lemon slices with parsley and tarragon stems to prop up the fish off the bottom of the saute pan as it poaches. Thus the fish does not overcook on one side and absorbs the fragrance of the lemon and herbs as it cooks. The fillet should be very fresh and should be cooked with the skin on the bottom. The skin can be removed before poaching. And needless to say, tarragon is great herb to use for many types of fish.

In addition to the bed of lemons and herb stems, you use a simple stock of shallots and 1/2 cup of white wine with equal measure of water to poach it. When the fish is done, a sauce made from the reduced stock, capers, honey, and olive oil completes this delicious dish. I didn't have honey, so I used a bit of maple syrup. The leaves of the parsley and tarragon are used in the sauce as well.

It is absolutely fabulous! And so easy to prepare.

Pair it with a delicate white. I have an interest in Italian whites lately, so perhaps a Pinot Grigio from Santa Margharita (already recommended) or a Soave Classico from Pieropan, and a green salad for a light, healthy meal on a special night. One of the best green salads I have tasted recently came from a friend who shared her recipe with me (thank you, Holly). It is baby spinach and mesclun greens tossed with green onions, pecans, and mandarin oranges with a simple balsamic oil and vinegar dressing drizzled over all.

Magnifico!