Carolyn Tillie

I was given a bottle of Pearl and, not being a huge vodka fanatic, gave it to a friend who has an appreciation for the liquor. I guess I am now damned for ever. She can't get it where she lives and claims it to be the finest vodka she's ever tasted. Sorry I didn't keep it for myself - or at least try it when I gave it to her!

One can also acquire Turtle Meat (and other equally exotic meats) through Polarica. I've also been anxious to try and make a turtle soup (a la Babette's Feast). Can't wait to hear about your exploits, RM!

Freeze stock in various sized zip-loc baggies, lying them flat in the freezer when you first put them in. For starters, by squeezing out all the air, they will last longer (than 'ice cubes' as some people make). Secondly, by freezing them flat, they can then stack nicely as verticals, saving room in your freezer. The various sizes will guarantee that you always have the amount you need.

Inquiring minds want to know.... Are you saving the marshmallows for the end? Or not eating them at all (god forbid!)?

Very good point -- when I saw Gundlach Bundschu's shattered Merlot last year, it was remarkably more shot than what I photographed here at Ladera. We've been getting the heat, but it is still that dichotomy of not getting as much as those on the valley floor. We also get the early morning fog that takes longer to lift 'up here' than 'down there.' All-in-all, it will be interesting to see how the year develops.

I don't think you will see a noticeable difference in the vine from here on out (at least until it is either suckered or it starts turning colors): However, I am noticing a difference in the grapes. On the same vine, there are some suffering a bit from the erratic heat. Karen called this 'chicks & hens' and is not necessarily bad -- it is just that some of the grapes are not fully forming: Yet, a few inches away, is a perfectly formed cluster: Of a different note, at this point clusters have been pulled from all the vines for weighing. They are starting to calculate the amount of wine that will be projected from this year's harvest. Interestingly, apparently this year's odd weather HAS been causing some problems, as is indicated in an article in today's Napa News.

You are a braver man than I, Gunga Din.

Reminds me of the time when dining at a Greek restaurant owned by a famous San Diego celebrity at Seaport Village. The place was completely overrun by "water bugs" -- you know, the cockroach varietal that are bigger than a large man's thumb. Now I understand that they are by the sea and it may be difficult to eradicate them. But when I complained about the proliferation of them and the one that was making a bee-line for my salad on our table, the OWNER shrugged his shoulders saying, "what can we do? We're by the water and they are everywhere..." Now up until that point, I had lived by the beach almost my entire life and never saw as many as I did in that restaurant that night. I never, ever ate there again.

I add lemon juice... I learned it from a 90+year-old Japanese man... I always have sweet onions!

I've known Walt from another wine-related site and I'm sure the best part of his blog will come to be the WINE he will undoubtedly drink (oui, mon ami?) Just remember, "Zinfandel is Not Just for Corn Flakes Anymore!" Cheers, Walt.

Thanks for trying the GB Gwtz, Brad. You never know 'bout another shipment - depends on how many bottles I have left at the end of the season. "The Season" -- BTW -- is referring to the heat. From now until fall, we shut down on shipping wine anywhere, not wanting to risk it sitting in a hot truck or warehouse for too long. I'm sorry I didn't save an '02 Gewurtz for a side-by-side comparison with the '03. I'm curious if one could really tell the difference between a .50 rs and a .63... Glad you liked it, but totally get the 'less-integrated' thought.

I've tasted an' 82 Petrus but would give my eye-teeth for a '21 Yquem... <dreaming> Ah... to live in the Queen's country.... </dreaming>

I was going to call you on this one, because I SWORE it was a Trekkism (seriously, a Klingong Proverb). However, an interesting search of the phrase proves a number of things: From Word Wizard:

Damn... I wished I lived in New York. I have an antique Hamilton Beach Shake Maker that makes 3 shakes at a time.

I have -- and pictures with comments are located in the thread Northern California Potluck as it was shared by many... Edited for correction -- the first thread is the planning, the second thread Northern California Potluck #2 has the pictures!

From The Fellowship of the Ring. <I mostly slept throught he film, but I adore this quote AND the concept:>

It came from the link in Exotic Mushroom's post (three above this one). Are you disputing its factuality? I'm no PETA fan (carnivore that I am) but "inhumane" seems fair to me. I'm not disputing its factuality at all -- it is just that usually, when a quote appears, there are parenthesis above it indicating from whence it came. Since your's did not and I had not remembered reading the original link, I questioned its origin. That's all. But I am in the camp that disagrees with you -- like others, I do not think that the practice is inhumane. Exotic Mushroom, some people ARE doing things about it. I have been writing and calling my state representatives on a frequent basis (hence my earlier posting as such). I have also been doing what I can to support restaurants that continue to serve foie gras and I tell them so when I dine there. I also give Sonoma Saveur business two- to three-times a month (and am dining there tonight, as-a-matter-of-fact).

Pickles quoted this one two pages ago... Pay attention, people! We're getting too many duplicates here.

So much for the arguments about the ban putting small family farms out of business. Gary, you don't indicate where your quote came from. I'm assuming it is one of the PETA-friendly places by the "inhumane" reference.

My favorite food film The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover has so many:

Kate and Leopold, 2001.

Serge Gorodish, Diva, 1981.

BTW, speaking of It's It -- did you guys outside of California realize they make different flavors? Living in SoCal, I had only ever had the vanilla, but now that I live in NoCal, I have discovered they are also filled with Chocolate and Coffee ice creams! No kidding! Also, before I moved into Napa, I lived in Suisun which is a culinary wasteland that can only boast its proximity to the Jelly Belly factor and a Beer Manufacturer. But tucked into the corner of downtown Suisun is the factory that produces the COOKIES for It's It! That is all they do -- they then send the cookies to another locale for assembly with the ice cream, but when driving through downtown (a whopping mile-long stretch!), one could SMELL the aroma of the baked cookies wafting through the air.

And if you are in the area, it IS a damned good place to stop for pastries.

I just bought some of those for the first time for a Japanese dinner party I had and was surprisingly impressed! I've only had the Mango and Green Tea but will be trying the Strawberry and Chocolate soon. Yes, very cheap at TJs. So far, Green Tea is the favorite.