Risi e Bisi

I agree ! Highway 116/sebastapol area wineries, is another great choice. I just talked to someone who just went to Lynmar Estates for "Pinot and Pizza Fridays" They loved it. They have a large estate garden, a beautiful wood burning pizza oven, and use local artisan cheeses. Along with outstanding Pinots.

I would suggest all of the wineries on East side road/ Old redwood highway in the heart of the Russian River Valley. This area reminds me of the Silverado trail thirty years ago. The Russian river valley winery association web site will help with your planning. Russian River Valley Wine Growers

I would suggest all of the wineries on East side road/ Old redwood highway in the heart of the Russian River Valley. This area reminds me of the Silverado trail thirty years ago. The Russian river valley winery association web site will help with your planning.

You May find Curried Goat on a certain nights buffet, at your resort. Most of the do it. They usually have a lobster night as well.

If you like Curried Goat, Try Curried Conch at Cosmos Seafood Restaurant in Negril.

I have seen fresh Oregon truffles thru the S.F. produce terminal, but I can't get alot of information about them. Pretty weak in comparison to their european cousins, but sell for about $40 an ounce.

For casual, fun, informal and less expensive. Try- Zuzu- Downtown Napa -Bounty Hunter- DownTown Napa -Uva- (Italian)Downtown Napa You will find these places are a bit more local.

Bonito Beach Bar- Sorry

Katie, I will be in Venice next week. Thank You for all the advise.

If you want a nice Rum Shop experience, try Marshals on Holders Hill, good Bajan cooking. The lunch truck behind Super Center in Holetown, is a great place for food on the go, Fried or steamed flying fish, peas and rice, breadfruit, chicken etc. La Bonita or Edgewater on the east coast is good on sundays. Try Crain beach hotel for a rum punch and a view. My favorite beach for a picnic is ginger beach, north of crane beach. Good Luck

Sounds like you have a fabulous vacation planned. A cook and a housekeeper usually accompanies those west side villas, and I would reccomend you to have the cook make Bajan food. The holiday time is quite busy in Barbados. The villas and Hotels are usually full, and alot of buzz on the island. I lived down the road in Porters for three years, and frequently visit. There are fish stall very close to you, in an area called Six Men Bay, a good place to buy your fish for dinner, I would try the King fish or Dophin(mahi-mahi) and ofcourse Flying Fish (Have your cook prepare Flying fish and Cou -Cou). They also have a fish fry on friday night, like Oistin. Oistins is over an hours drive, but worth seeing. I use to live in the Lone Star villas, before they opened. Great Place! Paul Owens at the Cliff does a great job, he has been there since they open, around 13 years. Don, forget the Royal Pavillion for dinner.

Burrata and Gorgonzola Dolce

I am a large Sysco account, using them for restuarant product across the board. Ecolab is exclusive thru Sysco, I use them for paper products, Plastic wrap, foil Smallwares and equipment etc. I mostly don't use them for the center of the plate items, but I do buy alot of food items. The stapels like flour, salt, canola oil, baking supplies, tomato products, condiments etc. They also have a program called Chef-ex, where I can get quality artisan product, like white marble farms pork and black forbidden rice. I am not pitching Sysco, because most of my protien still goes to the speciality venders. If the purchasing was with my money, I could have all the opinions I want. Otherwise I need to make the best decision for my boss.

craig001 got it right. Before I would consider help finance my son's culinary education I required him to work in the industry. After some months, cutting himself, burning himself and proclaiming that he enjoyed taking out the garbage I thought he was ready. He went to France for two years and got an excellent education. So, craig001 got it right. Work in the industry, learn spanish, don't expect to make big bucks - put in the years -- and then maybe. Jmahl ← I wish you and your son the best of luck.

From time to time, I have taken on culinary externs, Even offering full time employment after the externship. The reality of the kitchen can be a real eye opener, but it has worked. Learning to integrate with the spanish influenced kitchen culture can be challenging for them, but necessary in the California restaurant scene. The work ethic and stamina, and keeping up with a highly productive staff is the other challange. They do have the advantage of their culinary knowage from school, and that is a big plus. All they need is the work experience. I really value and enjoy the employment of a new graduate, and I will do what I can to help mentor them to succeed in the kitchen, but it really depends on that individual. It's getting harder and harder to find that person. The cost of a culinary school education and the beginning pay is completely upside down, but with the right atitude and perseverence, they are bound to complete their goals very fast. I do have a pay scale that would be desirable for them, but it does require skills, responsibility and leadership. Getting started without a culinary education, would be extremely difficult. A community collage culinary program with an AA degree, and a combination of work experience can be just as useful as a $50,000 culinary school, with the right person.

You should be concerned, Or I guess I should be concerned since I live in California. All my culinary externs and stage workers go on the payroll, at minimum wage. They are expected to be productive.

Thanks, dvs. I do have Cindy's Back Street on the 'lunch list' as well as Martini House. Is COOK also in St. Helena? ← Cooks, is on main st St Helena, Very tight seating small restaurant and with good italian style food. Jude is the hard working chef owner, and is on hand cooking in the open kitchen. The chef has worked in the valley for a number of years, (as a sous chef), including with Chiarello. A great late hangout for restaurant people getting off their shifts. Brix is a very busy restaurant, cranking out big numbers. Second to Rutherford Grill. I do understand why some people are not fans, but I,ve never had a bad meal(but,not insperational) and the patio dining draws me back. I must admit, I do like Sattui as well. Can't beat a picnic.

I agree with you on Brix Restaurant, The Patio dining, in the garden during the warmer weather is hard to beat. The food and wine list is very good, no problem with service. It's my first choice in Napa Valley, when I am showing visiting guest.

Don,t overlook the Healdsburg farmers market on tuesdays. Great Street food and Jazz. Windsor has a great one as well on thursdays evenings, Good tri- tip, Thai and some awesome corndogs.

I found out, they are only open Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

Ravenette Restaurant, Healdsburg A very small restaurant, related to Ravenious Restaurant. I am going again tomorrow night. They are only open 4 nights a week, with no reservations. One chef and one waiter,and catering to a loyal local group, that dine there regularly. Not very well known and that's the way they like it. Although the chef can get bunched up during the peak time, the food is always spot on, and reasonable, but you may wait for the food at times. Nobody seems to mind. You will not be disappointed.

Stevarino, Thank You for that lampascione demo. I guess I will need to grow them to try them. Everybody in the produce world I have talk with, does'nt have a clue what I am talking about. I too, have always cooked my brocolli rabe twice. I made orecchiette with rabe on monday, cooking the pasta with the rabe together with great results. I would have par- cooked the risotto in the the Tiella alla Barese dish as well. It's amazing how we tend to over engineer the simplest proceedures. I love the calzone pan, It was added to my shopping list, for my trip to puglia in October. Thanks again

Stevarino, I am perusing thru your awesome pix's and enjoying them. I have yet to work with Lampascione . I am planning to try to locate some thru the San Francisco produce market. Has anybody grown them with success ?

The city of Santa Rosa has its fair share of decent family owned restaurants with lower guest check averages, catering mostly to their local frequently visiting clienteles. One that I frequently visit is Riveria. Owned by a young Italian couple (Rita & Lucca). Both are chefs and trained in Italy. They switch cooking shifts with watching their young children. One of them is always there. The food is basic Italian and very well executed and consistant. Otherwise-try pressdemocrat.com , to see what Jeff Cox, the local food critic has to say.

Fire away, Looking forward to it.