Carolyn Tillie

I'm still looking into buying yeast!!! eGads, at this point, I'll be lucky to get started at the END of September!

I've been catering a 16-course vegetarian Middle Eastern feast for 20 for several years now. However, next month I have been asked to prepare and serve dinner for approximately 40 people. It will be after an evening's lecture at being held a Masonic Lodge, I will have access to a decent kitchen plus service ware. Many of the folks attending have already had my Middle Eastern food and besides, it is mostly a seated dinner, family-style thing anyway. I need to come up with some ideas that I can A) prepare mostly ahead of time, B) stand up to my *usual* fabulous reputation, C) be reasonably economical, and D) not take days and days to prep. Current thoughts -- I REALLY don't want to do platters of Vegetarian Lasagne with a side salad. That has been SO overdone. I will be able to attend the lecture, so I am hoping to come up with things that I can heat-up at the last minute (or start heating up during one of the breaks) vs. having to be in the kitchen for the last hour before service. I am not objecting to Middle Eastern and am considering the Musa Lentil & Eggplant Stew that Paula Wolfert recently published in Food and Wine (it is amazing, if any of you haven't tried it). But I'd like other ideas... Thanks all!

I need to try and describe what is going on the valley right now. It is a palpable energy that exists when one awakes in the morning. My drive to work is a little over 25 miles, up the Silverado Trail. On that drive, I pass through no less than seven different sub-appelations: Oak Knoll, Yountville, Stags Leap, Oakville, Rutherford, St. Helena, and then Howell Mountain. I probably drive pass several dozen wineries and acres and acres of vineyards. To ensure the grapes reach their respetive wineries relatively unharmed, the pickers will start their work as early as 2:00 a.m. Tourists often express their surprise when they don't see field workers at 3:00 in the afternoon until it is explained that grapes picked under the heat of the sun can start to ferment under their own weight. There are very elaborate machines that can be driven through the narrow passageway between vines which suspend a row of lights over the neighboring four rows. While the light structure travels down the center row, the surround four rows have workers with bins frantically picking the grapes during the cool of the night. As I drive to work in the morning, the workers are still there, but work is definitely slowing down -- as most is finished before the heat of the noon day sun sets in. During my drive the past few days, the Trail has been busy with trucks hauling grapes and workers from vineyard to winery. The fields has been frenetic with activity. On my way up this morning, I took this shot at the vineyards next to Robert Sinskey winery because it was close to the roadway and I could get a closer view for you: We here at Ladera are expecting our first load of grapes to arrive from our Lone Canyon Vineyard (down in Yountville) any minute...

If I haven't mentioned it recently, F-Jim, I love reading your tasting notes -- and you shame me in the realizing I rarely post mine.... I'll try to be better, but I did want to thank you for your's!

Arrgh! You caught me -- I didn't think the article was online! Thanks for posting it. Our first batch of grapes are coming in tomorrow morning... The blog will be chock-full tomorrow evening as I show pics of the beginning of crush.

If you don't subscribe to Food and Wine, you might want to pick up a copy. Robert M. Parker, Jr. "the world's foremost wine guru, makes 12 bold predictions about seismic changes that will influence how we'll shop, what we'll buy, and how much we'll pay: Obviously, I can't reprint the article, but I think DoverCanyon will be thrilled by #8 and I'm pretty happy about a few of the others... (#1, #7, and #10 specifically). Read -- so we can discuss more fully!

The Raspberry aren't half bad -- as a raspberry fiend, I'll attest. But the original are still damned fine.

IBRIK! That's the bloody thing's name... Thanks! It was driving me nuts, trying to remember....

Shawn and I make it at home quite often -- what is *special* about it (as far as I know) is that it is specially ground, extra fine - almost powdery. We buy it at Middle Eastern stores. Then there is the *special* brewer. Amazon has one available here. I bought one eBay that looks more authentic. Lastly, there is the brewing. I've always used one heaping teaspoon of coffee to about 4 oz. of water. You have to slowly bring it to a boil. Then let it calm down. And boil it again. And let it settle. And boil it a third time. That is the real trick: Three Boils. Occasionally, I will add a cardomom seed and/or sugar, depending. I've been told it needs to be really sweet to be authentic, but when Musa served us some at the World of Flavors conference last year, it was not sweet. Terribly addictive stuff!

I saw that thread on Chowhound as well but was surprised as the Napa TJs is fully stocked. It is also carried at The Cheesemaker's Daughter in Sonoma. I've been buying the small, single-serving versions with honey... Great for breakfast!

Not too surprisingly, it DOES taste somewhat like a Concord. Truthfully the varietals don't taste too much like the wine they make -- meaning, if you tasted a Merlot grape next to a Cabernet grape, all you would taste is *grape* and not those qualities within the varietal. The exception (I believe, but have not experienced) is the Muscat grape, which apparently has that orange hint to it. The juice itself, however is a slightly different experience. I think if the Welch's Grapejuice company wanted to do something really exceptional, it would bottle Pinot Noir juice. While I have not tasted it, I know that Navarro Winery sells their Gewürztraminer and Pinot juice, unfermented. Might be worth a try! Thanks for the encouragement, everyone! I'm going to be showing you some amazing things in the next few days. This will become a very busy thread throughout the next month!

What kind of wine? White or red?

The buzz is palpable. The arrival of some new equipment (a sorting table) and the washing of all the old barrels and stainless tanks marks the inevitable -- grapes will be arriving shortly! You can see the grapes, dripping down below the leaves... ...to be picked very soon!

I checked with our new assistant winemaker, Tress -- he thinks that the lees is probably mostly dead. There are a number of yeasts that ARE available to me, other than the one indicated. Should I just go with something else? Has anyone heard from Brooks?

Ianeccleston, I think you have a new Avatar!!! Pig Kissing - a classic!

Brooks, did you ever find anything out about the yeast? I'm still ready to start, albeit way behind, but I don't have the proper yeast....

Stemmed from Squeat's thread, As long as we're having fun, what's next?, What's on your list to try? thread, Samgiovese and his lovely wife, MerLot came to the Napa Valley this weekend and met up with me, first at Ladera, the following day at Gundlach Bundschu, and lastly at the newly-opened Wine Garden at 6476 Washington Street, Yountville. Nicely decorated in subtle sage tones (similar to Pilar's interestingly enough...) The Wine Garden is following in the latest of popular trends -- small plates, although their twist is a slightly Southern feel, with dishes like "Hoppin'John," White Corn and Okra Succotash, and Macaroni Gratin with Vermont Cheddar, Tasso Ham and Cherry Tomatoes: Their version of a "B.L.T. Salad" with Heirloom Tomatoes and Point Reyes Blue Cheese. Despite my raw-tomato allergy, I had a taste and thoroughly enjoyed the flavor and presentation: Also ordered was (bottom) Florida Rock Shrimp Hush Puppies with Spicy Remoulade and (above) Maine Crab Ravioli with Braised Lobster Mushrooms and Baby Fennel (outstanding with bits of tarragon hightening the concoction): Grilled Organic Hanger Steak with Red Onion Marmalade and Bacon Chive Smashers: And another clear winner, Grilled Stuffed Quail with Bourbon Barbeque Sauce with Hoppin'John: The accompanying wine list is slightly limited to wineries that obtain grapes from the Nord family -- I suppose in the long run, it will either force frequent diners to bring in their own wine and pay the $15.00 corkage, or suffice with the 50-ish or so wines offered (with varietals limited to Sparkling Wine by Mumm, Chardonnay, only two Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and a few blends, Syrah, and two Dessert Wines). On this particular visit, however, serendipity was with me... During Samgiovese's and MerLot's visit the prior day to GunBun, they recommend I look for a Ryan Pinot at a local store. Have a few minutes before our lunch appointment, I dashed into a local proprietor to hunt down their suggestion. This store being currently sold out, the salesman remembered some water-damaged bottles of an older vintage lying around his back room. He gave me the bottle, believing a '97 would probably have already turned. I promised to report back the findings and while the initial smell of the cork feared a turned vintage, we were all pleasantly surprised at how well it had stood up! It had obvious age, but the way a good French Pinot will age, not like I have ever found a New World Pinot to do so... Almost Rhone-like, there was a light raspberry to the nose and faint mint (dare I say tarragon?) to the nose. It was rich and still had some complexity left. I did report back to the saleman after lunch, who sent me home with two more bottles... Fabulous lunch, fabulous wine, fabulous new friends... Life is good!

I have to disagree about both Cooks Illustrated and Wine X as periodicals for professionals. Regarding Cooks Illustarted, while it offers reasonable suggestions for the home cook, I believe most professionals would quickly be bored by its analysis and overview, which tend to be for home cooks. Besides, if one subscribes for much more than 12 months, a pattern of repetition will be noticed as they begin to re-analyze the basics of roasting a turkey, making a flaky pie crust, and baking the perfect cheesecake. Regarding Wine X, I again feel that any professional would gain little from this publication. Its executive publisher (whatever he is called) is Justin Timberlake of boy-band fame. It has less than no substance and is nothing more than an excuse for glam photography shots of 20-somethings with too much money. It does not elucidate anything regarding the industry or the product of wine as a beverage. I would. however, recommend Sante as a magazine for restaurant professional that looks at business practices, beverages (more mixed than unmixed) as well as food trends. For pure vision of food trends around the world, I recommend Saveur, Gastronomica, and Slow Food's The Snail.

When I was managing catering at the Music Center in the Los Angeles, we used to get a lot of business from pharmaceutical companies who would give doctors a fancy, three-course meal and tickets to a show. All the doctors had to do was sit through a slide show presentation of the latest drug said pharmaceutical company was trying to peddle. Before I had my set staff of knowledgable waiters, I hired whomever was available. On one particular night, with a newbie waitress in tow, the pharmaceutical company in question was showing slides for the care or prevention of some form of VD. The slides were quite graphic with shots of lesions and boils and festering wounds on both male and female private parts. While the doctors and their guests had no difficulty consuming starter, entree, and dessert during the projection of these images, my poor newbie waitress was puking her guts out so that I had to fill in as a server. Fortunately, I have a strong stomach.

Not really. Higher RS just means they are exponentially sweeter. Sweeter doesn't necessarily mean it combats heat more. Some wines that are 4% or 5% RS are downright syrupy and are dessert wines. It is ones that are less than 1% RS that seem to work better with the spicy cuisine, IMHO.

I'm not offended -- I use the roasted garlic when I'm making it for wimps, but I also have raw garlic in it as well. I think I started doing the roasted garlic thing when garlic-mashed potatoes became the rage and roasting garlic was getting added to EVERYTHING. I completely agree with you and when I'm making it for myself, I only use raw garlic.... lots and lots of raw garlic.

Hey, Sam! When/what time? I'll be heading there on Sunday... Places I've been wanting to try: Aziza (Moroccan in SF) Manresa (Los Gatos) French Laundry (with those prices, it ain't gonna happen any time soon...) More realistically, the places that have been on the back burner but will happen sooner than those above: Wine Garden (Yountville) - this Sunday La Toque (Napa) - next Sunday Mirepoix (Windsor) - the Sunday after that.... But tonight is Sonoma Saveurs!!!!!!

I'm beating a dead horse as well as siding with Adamello... An Alsatian-style Gewurtz is the most amazing wine with ANYTHING remotely spicy. The barest hint of a residual sugar (not the sickly sweet Gewurtzs or Rieslings) in a wine complements and counters the heat in Thai, Indian, Asian and even Mexican foods. I also enjoy these styles of German wines (and the few California wines made in this style) with Gumbo, Jambalaya, and spicy New Orleans-style cuisine. It surprises me when even the most upscale of Indian and/or Chinese restaurants don't promote this amazing pairing...

It has got to be Melt! And you have to get a really good artist come up with a great conceptual logo that will incorporate both the melted grilled cheese and the melting milkshake. Melt is too cool!

I add roasted garlic -- lots and lots of roasted garlic. No yogurt though... that just sounds weird!