Carolyn Tillie

Actually they are. There is a HUGE movement in Europe right now on the rights of names that originated from places. The members of the EU are trying to get some agreement established that will keep makers of such products as Cognac, Champagne, Parma cheese (Parmesan) and ham among others items from being thus named if produced outside its area of origin.

Walt, how close are these friends? Going against Katie's recommendation, I would say that you shouldn't have to alter your standard practices. I think there is a huge difference between LDS and Muslims. Were I hosting Muslims, I might abstain, but I've dined with Mormons and simple tea-tottlers and they don't seem to be offended by consumption by others. A similar argument would be made of coffee? Would you refrain from consuming coffee out of a similar fear of offense?

Sounds like we need a bake-off!

Marcel Desaulnier's has coconut and pineapple and is hands-down the best I've ever tasted. You don't really end up tasting either a distinct flavor of coconut OR pineapple, but those ingredients add moisture and texture. I was going to provide an Amazon link but their search engine is seriously broken at the moment.

Here's a different perspective! Shawn and I hopped over to Sonoma this evening to have dinner with our favorite authoress -- on the way to Sonoma Saveur (where else to eat when in Sonoma?), I pulled over to these vines. They are either Ravenswood or Sebastiani owned vineyards, but it will give you an idea of how things are progressing on the valley floor!

I'm not sure if Melkor is the best person in the world to review such an establishment (as he said, he would have never tried it had I not badgered him into it). Yeah, I'm the first to admit it is not a premium-quality sushi joint with a sit-down sushi chef at hand. However, I don't believe the items are at all pre-cut and frozen as I always watched Joe (one of the owners) cut and prepare all our rolls. Hands down the benefit of Yo is the diversity of their menu and incredible prices. Being impoverished while living near Fairfield, it was a joy to get good quality Japanese food for under $10 a person. I hazard to guess that Ms. Melkor and R. Gordo enjoyed the evening far more than Sir Melkor did, as he grumbled through the entire meal! Jschyun, you let me know when next you guys are in the neighborhood! I'll treat and we'll bring along Rancho with us! I love Yo.

From an e-mail sent by the Napa Valley Vintner's Association:

Hey! Would you consider helping me add to my miniature Ganesh collection? Happy to reimburse you plus shipping and I like them around an inch tall so it shouldn't take up too much luggage space?

Sorry -- couldn't help myself. Sadly, the "dives" in Napa are the hideously bad Chinese joints. Will you be here in time for the NoCal Potluck??? Once you get here, we'll show you where to eat. Trust us. Edited to add -- where are you moving to? Napa Valley is big and you might be close and/or far away, depending.

Mark, I imagine these wineries are in the same boat that Ladera is in -- struggling to find distributors because we are all essentially newbies on the block of the wine world. For us, we are only distributed in a little over a dozen states. Most distribution companies claim "their books are full with too many little producers" to want to bother, prefering the Big Boys like Kenwood and Mondavi. I do know you could order directly, or at least contact them directly: Piña Napa Valley O'Shaughnessy Estate Winery Sadly, my favorite (Outpost) does not have a website yet -- however they can be reached at: (707) 965-1718; Frank Dotzler, proprietor. Heck, I'm going to give this guy a call to get some of that Zin!

I'm right there with Squeat on the San Francisco Asian Art Museum -- about a month after it opened and Shawn and I visited, we were pleasantly surprised at the quality of the food. Not only were the bento box lunches quite good, they were served in really beautiful china (at least the soups were -- stunning bowls). Interesting how the Patina Group has a stronghold on many California museums -- they are at Santa Ana's Bowers Museum, Pasadena's Norton Simon, Napa's Copia, La Canada's Descano Gardens, and Los Angeles' Museum of Fine Art AND Museum of Contemporary Art. They bid on the Getty and didn't get that gig! I'll give them credit though -- they do serve pretty decent food and the restaurant at the Bowers is probably my favorite (called Tangata) as it has a lovely setting and acceptable food.

Ganesha temples. I understand that as a god with a sweet tooth, devotees bring offerings to his temples (although I could be completely mistaken on that account). I'm a huge devotee and have over 40 little statues and a few big ones -- and I love the fact that he is often shown holding modakaptra, tila gola, or laddu. Aum Bijapuraphalasaktaya Namah - Adoration to Him who is fond of pomegranates!

My boss has been instrumental in kicking up a new Howell Mountain AVA Association. Consequently, whenever there are meetings at our winery, other members bring up bottles to share and I am the lucky recipient of the left-overs! 2000 Piña Howell Mountain Cabernet - Estate Grown - Full, lush, plummy nose that had no finish. Almost acidic in its tannins. Felt great in the mouth and after swallowing, I wondered where it went. 5/10 2001 O'Shaughnessy Howell Mountain Cabernet - I'm curious how much Petit Verdot was blended into this Cab because of how inky dark it was. Rich, spicy and full of fig and plum. 7/10 2002 Outpost Howell Mountain Zinfandel - This wine blew my mind. Incredible and overwhelming herbs on the nose filling the mouth with complex layers of fruit and more herbs. I haven't been this excited about a zin in ages and look forward to purchasing more. 10/10

What state are you in? Ever state has different distributors in many cases. There may be a head distribution company that represents the product, but a different one may be working on the product in your state.

Hmmmm.. thanks for the thread -- interesting that when I did a search for it, that thread was not mentioned.

I did a quick search beforehand and only saw a few comments on this chocolatier -- anyone with firsthand knowledge? Apparently Vosges Haut Chocolat hails from Chicago. At the Napa, California Dean & Deluca, I was drawn to a bar of chocolate called the Naga Bar - which has sweet Indian curry powder, coconut flakes and milk chocolate (40% cacao). It was amazing and a great combination of flavors (but hardly cheap at $7.25 for a 3.3oz. bar!). Today I bought the Black Pearl Bar which has Japanese ginger, wasabi, black sesame seeds and dark chocolate. (60% cacao). The other ones immediatley available to me include the Gianduja Bar, a seemingly standard smooth French praline made of hazelnuts and almonds melted with Belgian milk chocolate (30% cacao) and the Red Fire Bar, another interesting concoction of Mexican, ancho y chipotle chili peppers, Cassia cinnamon and dark chocolate (60% cacao). What has me extremely curious are their offerings which I can't get locally. Should I pay to have Australian Aboriginal Collection sent to me which include flavors Riberry, Wattleseed, Forest Berry, and Quandong? Now how exciting is that? I can't believe I found such an adventurous chocolatier and that it hasn't been discussed ad nauseum here! What about The Green Collection with flavors that include Kaffir lime leaves, Indian green cardamom, Thai pandan leaves, Japanese green tea and cherry blossoms? Not since Recchiutti had I heard of such interesting flavors being done into confections. I'll probably wait until fall -- just so as not to risk melting -- but am looking forward to having something shipped!

Sorry to have missed the opportunity last Friday! Thanks for thinking of us though! I realized, in my running around, there is a truck that continually sits in front of Central Valley Hardware on Soscol. My vineyards manager, Gabriel, assures me it is THE place for vineyard workers to shop -- so why not eat? I'm sorry I don't recall the name on the side of the truck. Game?

Don't tease me like that! I just want to be right so that I can re-awaken this thread a year from now and gloat in being such the psychic!

Here's the scoop, boys and girls: This is the annual Restaurant Issue of Wine Spectator -- the one where they announce who has good wine lists. It is a list of hundreds and hundreds of restaurants, listed by state. Every year their cover of this issue has a chef. Last year it was Wolfgang Puck. This year it was Emeril. No biggie -- next year it will probably be Thomas Keller (because he'll finally qualify for the James Beard Restaurant of the Year award and Per Se will have proven itself.)

Curious what "reasonably priced" means -- I've tasted most of these wines and don't really care for them...

I lived in San Diego for almost a dozen years. Back when we had the Jeffrey Steingarten discussion, I asked him why there was no real haute cuisine in San Diego. Here is that discussion.

Absinthe... (but I think that is only available in the Czech Republic...)

Carolyn: Have you tried Green Valley Cafe in St. Helena? For simple walk-in-in-jeans-and-boots Italian, we really like it! YES! I always forget their name but adore their pasta -- so amazingly thinly rolled! They have one of the finest lasagnes and while I have only sat there once, I often buy "to go" out of shear laziness of not wanting to cook at night. But is it "authentic"??? While I enjoy it, I'm afraid I got spoiled on Boston's North End for Italian and all else has seemed wanting for me...

I have never used a teppan, I alwyas make it in a frying pan, I usually have two going at once! From my experience of flipping pancakes (mostly crepes) in frying pans, I think it would be easier to turn over an okonomiyaki on something completely flat without deep sides, like a teppan. Especially since the okonomiyaki is thicker than a crepe. I used a frying pan as well -- many of us down't have a teppan and can work it okay. I use the method of sliding it onto a plate and then flipping the plate with components, upside down. Yeah, I usually lose stuff, but it works.

Autumn is coming -- as can be seen by the color of the leaves on the vines: I'll be keeping a close eye on the grapes -- there are small, dark dots on the individual grapes and I have a feeling we'll be seeing color by the end of the week ('cuz there is some a few rows over):