Day 2 in Wine Country

So after all the glooorious food at Bouchon and the CIA Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant, we weren’t done, and headed out early the next morning for the 15th Annual Taste of Yountville event right on Washington Street. A whole street lined with delicious food and wine booths – this was the perfect event for the hungry foodie.

After purchasing our tasting tickets and souvenir glass, we browsed the stalls before committing to any of them – well, except Bouchon – which we needed to try right away before the crowds arrived. Bouchon  served a meat terrine on thin slices of baguette, in addition to their famous chocolate bouchons (brownies + chocolate morsels), and a variety of cookies from the bakery. Delicious.

From the Cantinetta Pierro (located at the Hotel Luca), we sampled the delicious Maiale, or braised pork cheek with toscanelli bean salad, with Gianduja Budino for dessert. This was the showstopper of the day I think. I absolutely looved the chocolate-hazelnut creamy pudding (like a French pot de creme) topped with little chocolate and toffee bits. Delicious. Sooo sensual as the velvety chocolate hazelnut cream coats the tongue… absolutely divine. David (obviously) preferred the braised pork cheek – falling apart and wonderfully flavored. It paired very well with the toscanelli bean salad – tart from the light vinaigrette, but buttery and nutty from the white beans. What a fun burst of different flavors.

Michael Chiarello’s Bottega presented an Olive Oil and Meyer Lemon Braised Artichoke Puree with Fresh Burrata on Crostini. It was to say the least… interesting… and not in a bad way either.  Though I hesitate to give more positive ratings as I’m not much of a cheese fan (I know, I know – tar and feather me).

Hurley’s, a local favorite, offered a delicious Rabbit Pot Pie that I devoured in a heartbeat. I was soo surprised that it was soo good!! Who knew RABBIT would be so good??!?

The Compadres Rio Grille served up carnitas on a corn tortilla. There was also really good homemade Potato Chips and dip, a Sonoma Chicken Salad Sandwich, and Asparagus Risotto that we tasted as well.

We stood at the Papa Veterano’s Pizza booth the longest I think. Two good friends opened a traveling pizza stand, complete with transportable wood-fire oven. They brought over 600 pies to the festival, and the line to try some of their fresh homemade pizza was loooong. After much anticipation and after watching the dough being formed and garnished and topped, I FINALLY got a slice of their pesto pizza. Nice thin crust, excellent pesto, aromatic Italian herbs, and just enough smokiness to give the pizza some character.

So all in all, I spent like $30 for all that food and wine, which isn’t bad considering all the variety. We wandered around for a bit, took in the sites, and took off for our lunch destination – Sonoma.

Sonoma is slightly off the beaten path, and only a 25 min drive (or so) from Napa. Also sprawling with vineyards and wineries, Sonoma is a hermit and wine taster’s paradise. The small downtown Sonoma Plaza is small and quaint with rustic charm – old buildings dating back to the days of the missions (1850s) still stand, next to the numerous little shops, boutiques, and tasting rooms. Lunch was at the girl & the fig, on a recommendation from DW (thanks!).

the girl & the fig
110 West Spain Street
Sonoma, CA 95476
707.938.3634

Located on the ground floor of the Sonoma Hotel, right on the edge of the historic Sonoma Plaza, the girl & the fig boasts country style food with French passion. The menu features typical French bistro fare, quiche, croque madame, matchstick frites, various cheeses and wine pairings, but the general ambiance is homey and comfortable.

After the food from the Taste of Yountville, I wasn’t particularly hungry, and so went with a seasonal salad. Nothing too spectacular. David, however, ordered the navarin of lamb – ground lamb meat braised in red wine, with various sweet vegetables such as leeks and baby carrots. The overall effect was quite pleasing, as the red wine did not over power or dilute the distinctive lamb taste. Rather, it was a sweet undercurrent that ran throughout the dish, and concentrated the flavors of the lamb and vegetables. The preparation of the dishes was very distinctly French, but the dining room echoed vintage country character, much like the rest of Sonoma actually…

We paired the meal with a flight of red wines – a first for us!! I think we are finally moving up on the wine tasting ladder!!!

By the late afternoon with tummies satisfied and minds well-rested, we meandered home along highway 1 and stopped in Half Moon Bay to enjoy the sunset at the Ritz-Carlton. While the sun prepared to sink into the Pacific Ocean, I reflected a bit on our mini vacation. Only 36 hours in Wine Country, but it felt absolutely wonderful. And after all that good food and wine, I felt recharged and ready to tackle work and reality again. Typically speaking, most of us work 8 hour days, are discontent, under appreciated and under recognized. Our palates are jaded, our minds are weary. Somewhere along the way, we lost a purpose, a vision, a reason to LIVE. We lost all that youthful idealism and passion that we once clung onto. We go about our days much like the shadows in Plato’s Allegory. We merely exist. Well folks – I am not content to merely exist. I want to live. And this weekend in Napa, I did. Afterall, I’m young, in love, and idealistic. The world still holds so much promise and hope. So if you’ve forgotten that, please go out, and rediscover it. Perhaps in Wine Country…

Young, in love, and idealistic,
anhD.

PS. Bouchon cookbook arrived and I’ve already recreated the steamed mussels and saffron; snapper meuniere; pomme frites; and carmelized cauliflower. An incredible book. I really am in love!

Review: Bouchon Bistro & Bakery

Bouchon Bistro
6534 Washington Street
Yountville, CA 94599-1397
(707) 944-8037

Honestly, what can I say about Bouchon that has not already been said before? Located right in the heart of Yountville, Bouchon brings to mind those lovely French bistros along the Seine in Paris, with its deep red awning, those tall French windows, and the bounty of potted plants. Unlike its sister restaurant French Laundry, Bouchon is much more relaxed and casual. The ambiance encourages long hours of socializing over glasses of local wine, while munching on pommes frites. Bouchon embodies the young, chic Parisian, while Ad Hoc recalls rustic family meals of long ago. Thomas Keller truly did a magnificent job in distinguishing each restaurant, making sure each had its own charm and personality.

The menu really reflects this, as Bouchon features the best of French bistro cuisine – croque madame, quiche, plates of fromage and plenty of warm bread and butter to go around. I was actually really surprised to see how humble (for lack of better word?), and easy going the restaurant was. I was expecting stuffiness and coldness (as is typical in many famous restaurants), but instead, we received a warm welcome from our gracious server for the evening (God bless her, though I can’t remember her name).

We began our meal with crostini and vines of warm bread from Bouchon Bakery, served alongside a bean puree dip and sweet butter. The cute little braid of bread was absolutely delicious – already buttery and flaky on its own, and just so gooood with the butter. I’d come here just for the bread if I could…

David and I shared a saucer of a warm ginger carrot puree with creme fraiche. I personally love carrot soup. If done correctly, the carrot is sweet and peppered with warm spices like ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon. The creme fraiche soothes the spices just enough to allow only a whisper of it hit your tongue. Bouchon’s carrot soup was delicious, and we cleaned our saucer by unceremoniously dunking the bread in the soup. To die for.

At the insistent encouragement of our server, David ordered the Moules au Safran, or mussels steamed with white wine, mustard and saffron. The buttery, garlicky, white wine sauce was good enough to drink, and we actually ended up using moore bread to sop up the juices. The mussels, though small, took on the fragrant sauce very well and were sweet and aromatic. The white wine lightened up the buttery sauce, while the saffron resonated throughout the dish. A cone of pommes frites were served alongside the mussels, and they truly were to die for. Cut small and thin, the frites were crispy and evenly salted. How could you possibly go wrong with Bouchon fries? The entire dish was sooo satisfying, and David even suggested coming back the next day for a round 2.

I had a medium-rare seared salmon steak over a perky vinaigrette that cut through the fattiness of the salmon. And with the addition of the sweet peas and carrots, as well as earthy mushrooms and briny artichoke hearts, all my taste buds were sufficiently tickled. Now, salmon is a temperamental fish in the sense that even a few extra seconds on heat will overcook the fish, but Bouchon did a good job of keeping the fish moist and flaky. Overall, the dish was well done, but (just my luck), I liked David’s mussels more, and ended up eating waaay too much bread with the mussel juice.

Our bellies completely stuffed, we could not even entertain the thought of dessert, and we left satisfied and content…. but not before stopping at the Bouchon Bakery first

Bouchon Bakery
6528 Washington Street
Yountville, CA 94599-1397
(707) 944-2253

Ahh, Bouchon. Coming a bit late in the day, the bakery was quite depleted in baked goods, but we managed to finagle an espresso macaron and citrus panna cotta tart for a pre-bedtime snack. The espresso macaron was good, though to be fair, I’ve had better. Crisp exterior, tender interior, sweet and rich espresso buttercream. Yes, it was good, but not inspired. The citrus panna cotta tart, however, was absolutely delicious. Infused with the winter grapefruit flavors and topped with citrus pieces, the panna cotta itself was the perfect marriage of sweet and tangy. The sweet tartshell lent some texture to the panna cotta, and the overall dessert was outstanding. I am quite inspired to make it at home now… now, if only I could procure a Bouchon cookbook… hhhm….

Bouchon is now officially my favorite restaurant. It was such an enjoyable experience and I will be coming back to Bouchon before the end of the summer for a special anniversary (!!!). The alluring atmosphere, the delicious food, and the beautiful Napa Valley backdrop will keep us returning again and again.

anhD

ps. I just bought the Bouchon cookbook off Amazon for $30. It arrives in 2 days!!!

Wine Country in 36 Hours

I have drawn one important lesson from my trip to Wine Country…

And let me emphasize glooorious, because in Napa, that is the way of life, the
philosophy to live by, and the reason to be living amongst the grape vines and under the great California sunshine. Welcome, friends, to Napa Valley.

Located just 40 minutes northeast of San Francisco, Napa Valley is home to one of the world’s most ideal locations for wine making. With just enough fog and dew to temper the valley sunshine, Napa Valley grapes are full of complex flavors, reflecting the earthy and fruity tones from which they were borne. Hints of licorice and berry, at times tobacco and allspice, with others that mimic citrus and flower – here the grapes are specifically cultivated to produce world class wine.

But in addition to the wine, Napa Valley is also home to more than a dozen Michelin rated restaurants, most notably, the Thomas Keller Collection, which includes French Laundry, Bouchon Bistro (review in progress), and Ad Hoc. Cuisine in Napa is more than just food – here, it is a living art form.

Within just 36 hours, I was able to partake in the Napa lifestyle. We begin our day at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) Greystone Restaurant in St. Helena, California.

Review: CIA Greystone Restaurant
The CIA castle settles right into the side of a gentle hill, while the surrounding picturesque landscape is thriving with lush greenery. From the gift shop, you can see classes in session and taste-test chocolate and wine at the same time. The restaurant faces the north part of campus, and the open terrace is both inviting and warm. Once inside the doors, you are welcomed by a large display of wine bottles and the bustle of the kitchen counter. David specifically requested a table with view of the open kitchen, and our seats were front row. We settled in, and enjoyed the performance.

As is customary in Wine Country, we had to try a sample of wines – and being nothing more than dilettantes in wine tasting, I went with the Aromatic Artistry flight of fancy – a sampling of typically sweet and not too dry wines. The first was a 2008 Freemark Abbey Viognier, followed by a 2007 Zmor Gewurztraminer, and finished with a 2008 Vision Cellars Riesling. As wine novices, we were advised by the friendly gentleman from Ventana Vineyards (Monterey) to try out Rieslings and Gewurtraminers to start off. And I have stuck to that rule ever since. We both disliked the viognier, finding it too flat and sour. David really appreciated the Gerwurtraminer, which was aromatic and fruity, and much less sweet than typical Gewurtraminers. I preferred the Riesling, which was sweeter, much more aromatic, and crisp. It’s a preference thing I guess. The white wines paired really well with our fish and vegetarian dishes.

David ordered the sole menuiere, which is essentially a dredged fillet of fish that is pan-fried and served in a rich brown butter sauce. This particular sauce also featured brights bursts of flavor from the briny capers, and was served alongside sweet carmelized cauliflower. Divine. The flaky white fish and that menuiere sauce were perfect. Not overcooked, perfectly balanced in tastes and textures.

I had the earthy pappardelle pesto pasta that included little baby artichoke hearts, sunchokes (like potato but much crisper, even when cooked), sweet green peas, black trumpet mushrooms, and a minty-pistachio pesto sauce. A very greeen dish, that I would have appreciated more had I not already taken a bite of David’s fish, which was heaven. I have to admit that I initially thought my sunchokes were undercooked, as they weren’t quite fork-tender, but it turns out that sunchokes are more crisp and nutty than potatoes. Knowing that, my dish was beautifully done, again, rich in tastes and texture.

We rounded out the meal with the dessert sampler. From left-to-right: Lemon curd tart; Dried fruit & walnut tart; Vanilla ice cream in ginger tuile cone; Chai panna cotta with butter cookie spoon; Chocolate mousse covered in ganache.

My only comments: lemon curd was too eggy, and slightly sickening; I’ve made lemon curd before, but usually manage to kill off the egg smell with extra citrus or even some vanilla extract; vanilla ice cream was not up to par, and certainly would not be up to Ici standards. Other than that, loved the chai panna cotta and the cute little cookie spoon. Chocolate mousse and fruit/walnut tart were delicious as well.

My overall sentiments on the Greystone restaurant… it is worth a try at least once. In all fairness, I realize that the restaurant is staffed by the CIA students. Service is outstanding, food was wonderful but with room for improvement. That’s not a bad thing in my book.

Next stop on the 29 heading south is the Robert Mondavi Winery in Oakville, followed by the Domaine Chandon in Yountville.

My family drinks Robert Mondavi regularly at home, so I don’t want to talk too much about it. But Domaine Chandon is new to me, despite being mothered by Moet et Chandon, maker of Louis Vuitton and Hennessy, to name a few brands.

Domain Chandon
The grounds of Domain Chandon are stunning. I can imagine a beautiful wedding reception on the grassy lawns, catered by the Michelin rated étoile restaurant. It’s just a shame that David and I just don’t seem to like bubbly – well, not the ones we tried anyway. The Classic tasting showcases the Chandon Brut, Blanc de Noirs, Rosé, and Riche. We found that these bubblies (aka sparking wines, but you can’t call it Champagne) lingered too much, and most had a strong kickback. We did enjoy the Riche the most with its full-bodied honey and peachy flavors. And it was a perk that we got to take the Chandon flute home with us.

So after a days worth of wine tasting, I will admit that I may have been slightly tipsy and very rosy. I began to see life through a unique glass lens (no, not alcohol/beer goggles) that I would not have otherwise – the Napa lifestyle is laid back and designed to force the appreciation of every day life. You swirl your glass of wine and appreciate the rich red velvet color of your cabernet; you then inhale the aroma from your glass, and take in the bounty of the soil and the fruits of the earth; then you sip, letting the wine caress and linger on your tongue, before it tapers off as is in its ephemeral nature. Such is the sweet life you learn to appreciate – and the fast-paced frivolity of daily life abandons you, and you are suddenly set free. Liberation is sweet.

At last, we checked into our resort (Silverado Resort, Napa) and got dressed for dinner at Bouchon. But that is another entry for another day Please stay tuned for the upcoming reviews of Bouchon, the Yountville food festival, our detour through Sonoma Valley, and my many revelations during the trip. It is all drool worthy, I promise. And remember, all things in moderation with a few gloooooorious exceptions.

Always yours,
anhD.

ps. in case you were wondering, our pictures were shot from a Nikon D90