How To Read An American Wine Label

Take the wine labeling quiz below to see how much you know about wine laws in the USA!

1. By law, what is the minimum percentage of this wine that must be from the Chardonnay grape? (There is one exception to this rule).
A. 100%
B. 95%
C. 85%
D. 75%
E. 50%

2. By law, what is the minimum percentage of the grapes that must be from Santa Barbara County?
A. 100%
B. 95%
C. 85%
D. 75%
E. 50%

3. By law, what is the minimum  percentage of the grapes that must come from Klipsum Vineyard?
A. 100%
B. 95%
C. 85%
D. 75%
E. 50%

 4. By law, what is the minimum percentage of the grapes that must be from the 2006 vintage (as named on the label--it's a bit hard to read)?
A. 100%
B. 95%
C. 85%
D. 75%
E. 50%

 5. Can you automatically assume that a wine labeled simply "red wine" instead of a single varietal is a) not as good and b) that the grapes were not sourced from quality vineyards?
A. Yes on both
B. No on both
C. Yes on a), no on b)
D. No on a), yes on b)






Wine law quiz answers:
1. Answer: D. 75%
A varietal labeling, for example "Chardonnay" or "Cabernet Sauvignon" means the wine must contain at least 75% of the varietal, except in Oregon where the percentage is 90% for all wines except Cabernet Sauvignon. Some consumers shy away from blends, thinking that single varietal wines are somehow superior. Though there are individual 100% varietal wines that are superior, one can't make such a vast generalization. Blending can yield better results, for example, Cabernet Sauvignon alone can be quite tannic. The tannins contribute to the aging potential of a wine, but excess tannins can be astringent and harsh. So, there is a pragmatic reason that the French traditionally blended Cab with Merlot, as in the Bordeaux region, because the latter adds rich fruit and sweetness to round out the often brash and angular Cabernet Sauvignon. In any event, some "single varietal consumers" don't realize that they may be drinking a blend--up to 25% of the wine they are drinking could be a grape other than the labeled varietal. Only when the label says "100%" of a varietal can you be guaranteed there are no other grapes added. As a side note, wine made from any Vitis labrusca variety (exclusive of hybrids) may be labeled with the variety name with only 51% Vitis labrusca. These are native American grapes. Nearly all other wine grapes worldwide are of the Vitis vinifera species.

2. Answer: D 75%
If a wine is labeled by county, at least 75% of the grapes must come from that county. If a wine is label by AVA, for example, Howell Mountain, at least 85% of the grapes must come from the labeled AVA, unless the wine is from Washington or Oregon which require 100%.

Some other relevant laws: If the wine is labeled by state, at least 75% must be from that state, except for in California, Oregon and Washington where 100% of the grapes must be from that state or Texas which requires the state to be the source of at least 85% of the grapes So, interestingly, if one label says "California Pinot Noir"  then 100% of the grapes are from California. If another says only "Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir" then conceivably 25% could come from out of state.

3. Answer: B 95%
If the wine is labeled with a specific vineyard, at least 95% of the grapes came from that vineyard.

4. Answer: B 95%
If a vintage appears on a label, at least 95% of the grapes must be from this label.

5. Answer: B
Absolutely not! The "Lady In Red" was sourced from several top vineyards in Yakima and Columbia Valleys including the Kestrel estate vineyards which have some of the oldest (means more flavorful grapes) vines in the state of Washington. Another example is the 2007 Pahlmeyer Napa Valley Proprietary Red which sells for over $100 and received a 95 point rating from Wine Spectator.

What Your Score Means!
5 correct: Congratulations! You get the honorary title of Wine Law Expert!
4 correct: Still excellent! You are knighted Lord or Lady Of The Grape!
3-1 correct: You have obviously been studying--accept your Diploma Of Wine Studies!
0 correct: You are firmly in the majority of Americans. Thanks for taking my quiz!

Note: AVA (American Viticultural Areas) were instigated beginning in 1978 under the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. If you have a head for minutiae, you can read the entire list of labeling laws here. Our AVA system is not analogous to the French system of AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée) whicg strictly controls the geographic boundaries of the vineyards, the allowable wine grape varietals, the maximum yield per acre (lower yield equals more extracted flavor), how the vines can be pruned, the type of trellis allowed, the use of irrigation, the minimum (and sometimes maximum) percentage of alcohol, the practice of specific winemaking techniques (like chapitalization--addition of sugar), the level of quality determined through tasting and chemical analysis, and the information allowed to be printed on the wine label. Check back for a future post on the AOC.

Great Food Follows Great Wine

Last weekend was the Santa Barbara County Vintner's Festival with wine tasting, gourmet food samples from local chefs and live music. Touring & Tasting was there handing out free magazines and flyers for our huge warehouse wine sale this Saturday.

The wine biz in Santa Barbara County generates half a billion dollars a year. Though the region is among the oldest wine growing regions in the country, pre-dating Napa Valley, the explosive growth and world-wide recognition of Santa Barbara County wine has only happened in the last 30 years. Wine production began in the 1700s as Spanish mission builders, like Padre Serra at the Santa Barbara Mission, planted grape cuttings from Mexico to create wine for their own use. Wine continued to be produced just for local consumption for the next three hundred years or so, with at least one exception (from the Santa Barbara County Vintner's Association, along with an historical tidbit): "In 1884, Justinian Caire imported grape slips from France and planted a 150-acre vineyard on Santa Cruz Island. His prize-winning wines were shipped to San Francisco for bottling. A grapevine planted in 1842 on a farm in Carpinteria grew to monstrous proportions. In fifty years, it had a trunk measuring nine feet around, an arbor covering two acres and an annual yield of ten tons of grapes!" (the average wine grape vine produces about 12 lbs.) Though winemakers worked in obscurity, they were constantly refining their techniques and improving their wines. In the 1960s, the esteemed agricultural department at UC Davis tested the terroir of the Central Valley and declared it ideal for viniculture. A primary factor is the Transverse Ranges which run east/west rather than north/south like the Sierra Nevadas. Because the Transverse Ranges (the Santa Ynez Mountains, the San Rafael Mountains and the Sierra Madre in Santa Barbara county) run parallel to the coastal wind, they funnel cooler air and fog from the ocean inland, allowing more "hang time" for the grapes to develop flavor and acidity to balance sweetness. In the hot Central Valley of California, grapes ripen fast and can develop a brix level that is too high, creating excess sweetness or  alcohol content and, in some cases, hindering fermentation due to the excess sugar (die-off of the yeast). Often the flavors don't develop fully, which is why most Central Coast wine production is for the bulk market.

Some of the early vineyards and wineries in Santa Barbara County were Rancho Sisquoc, Edna Valley Vineyards (precursor to Lucas & Lewellen), Brander Vineyard, and Firestone. A turning point came with the Paris tasting of 1976 when two northern California wines unexpectedly won over exalted wines like Château Haut-Brion and Château Mouton Rothschild. Suddenly, California wines were center stage and Santa Barbara wines began to capture the attention they deserved. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sauvignon Blanc are among the varietals that have won international medals, 90+ point scores and "best of class" awards. The majority of the 21,000 acres and 110+ wineries in Santa Barbara County are family owned and operated and their hard work has transformed the Santa Ynez Valley into a bustling international destination, helped in no small part by the 2004 movie "Sideways", and has livened the city of Santa Barbara with great restaurants and high-quality, affordable wine lists. Great food follows great wine! I haven't tried many of the wines poured at the Santa Barbara County Vintner's Festival (see list of wineries), but one finds many recognizable names from the highly acclaimed Sea Smoke Cellars and Jaffurs Wine Cellars to popular by-the-glass local favorites like the Qupé Syrah and Sunstone Merlot.

Happy Times

Easter is one of the happiest times of the year. There's a sense of anticipation in the balmy air, the feeling of renewal, of hope and faith and the simple joy of being alive. Trees bud out and flowers display their faces to the warming sun and the first vegetable sprouts begin to pop up in kitchen gardens. Happy Spring!

How To Empty Eggs To Decorate Them For Easter

Straighten one end of a paper clip. On the small end of the egg, poke a small hole. Put a finger over this hole while you turn the egg over.	Poke a larger hole on the large end. Make sure you pierce the inner membrane.	Point the large end toward the bowl and blow into the small hole until all the egg is emptied.	Rinse the inside and drain the egg. Decorate with crayon, then dip in egg dye. You can stuff confetti into the large hole and seal with invisible tape.	During Fiesta Days in Santa Barbara, the streets are lined with vendors selling cascarones and everyone has confetti in their hair!

Easter is around the corner! If you empty your eggshells before decorating them, you need recipes that utilize mixed yolks and whites. Pair this lovely dish with a glass of the 2008 Alma Rosa Chardonnay.


FENNEL, CRIMINI AND BABY POTATO FRITTATA:

3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. basil
1 tsp. savory
1 fennel bulb
2 cups chopped crimini mushrooms
2 baby potatoes (or new potatoes)
* splash of passito or cooking sherry, optional
4 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. oregano
fresh ground pepper
Save a few sprigs of the fennel leaves for garnish and topping the frittata. Peel the fennel bulb and slice. The best way to do this is often to cut the bulb into 2" sections and put the cut end on the cutting board, then carefully slice down the sides to remove the tough outer part of the stalk. You will be using the pale center for cooking. Cut the potatoes in half, then put the cut half on the cutting board, then slice into the thinnest slices possible. In a large frying pan (cast iron works very well), cook the garlic in the olive oil for a few minutes over low heat. Add the basil, savory, fennel, crimini, potato and stir well. Cover and let cook over low heat about ten minutes, stirring often to separate the potato slices and cook them evenly. If you have passito or cooking sherry at hand, splash just a bit (a few tablespoons) over the vegetables and stir in for extra flavor. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and oregano until thoroughly mixed. When the potatoes are tender, pour the eggs over the vegetables evenly. Top with a few sprigs of fennel leaves and fresh ground black pepper. Cook over low heat until the edges bubble. Brown the top of the frittata by putting the pan in the oven under the broiler until golden brown. Serves 2.

Santa Barbara locals!

Wine Warehouse SALE 
 Saturday, April 23--save up to 70% off retail. Read more here.

If you can take advantage of this sale, make sure you get some sweet potato fries from the Burger Bus!

Thoughts On Japan -- Tsunami Wreckage

Like a shadow on my heart, sadness for the victims of the tsunami in Japan stays with me. I worked on the following bit of writing in the writing workshop I took a couple of weeks ago:



Nearly a month has passed since the catastrophic tsunami swept over coastal Japan creating a churning stew of destroyed ships, wrecked homes, smashed cars and unfortunate victims, but I still can't seem to stay away from the news. It's like a drug you hate but can't stay away from, this need to know the latest developments. Haunted by the specter of those swept to sea, I sleep fitfully, tortured with nightmares of black water. My father was Japanese and I feel a visceral connection to the tragic events unfolding across the Pacific. I grew up in Boulder, Colorado at a time when it was still a ranch town populated with Caucasian faces. My sister and I were the only kids of color until we reached junior high. Then, scientists from Japan arrived to work at NCAR and the Bureau of Standards, bringing their wives and children that shared part of my heritage, but none who were mixed race like me. My father's Japanese features stood out, and to this day, when I see images of Japanese men above a certain age, I think of my dad.

Now, I see his likeness on YouTube every night, trying to make miso over a campfire or looking stoic in a fireman's uniform as he searches for survivors. I see him in the face of the man crying "I'm sorry" over and over because his mother is under the rubble and he could not save her, in the man who lost his wife, his son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren. A band of steel seizes me around the middle and squeezes hard bringing the dual pain of empathy for the country and the reminder of my father's passing. He was my Rock of Gibralter, his arms a safe haven from schoolyard taunts and snubs.

My father modeled the Japanese way: honesty above all, honor paramount, always be civil and never angry, never show your feelings. In the 86 years of his life, I don't think he ever started a sentence with "I feel...". I can’t recall one instance. I knew he loved me by the way he treated me: strict but loving, always ready to listen, to share a pot of green tea, never angry or dismissive. He never voluntarily expressed his love for me, not until three years of a brutal and excruciating battle against cancer left him plagued with continual pain and infernal itching of the skin. Broken down by the relentless progress of the disease, he would take my hand when I went to see him in the hospital and tell me he loved me. When I see the Japanese on TV crying, sobbing even, I know. The impenetrable social mask of the Japanese has been broken by feelings just too devastating to contain.

Several years ago, the only relative in Japan who spoke English passed away. When the tragedy hit, I wrote to my two cousins in Tokyo hoping that they could translate my offer of assistance. Today, one of the letters was returned undeliverable. I turn it over in my hands then look out at the steely blue Pacific. Outside is a postcard view of cerulean skies and glossy foliage bursting with blossoms. I have hot water and food; life is good. A month ago my counterpart might have been looking east. Now, while I enjoy this perfect environment, an ocean away she starts digging out from the mud, one shovelful at a time.

Korean BBQ -- A Place Of Plenty In The Torrential Rain

En route to our adventure described in the last post to the Artisan Cheese Festival, we had to endure a 9 1/2 hour drive through torrential rain. The usual travel time is about 5 hours from Santa Barbara to the Bay Area, but that Friday was filled with National Weather Service Flash Flood warnings. The 101 Freeway around Gilroy was crawling at 40 mph with buckets of water pouring from the skies, flooding the roadway and splashing up from the tires creating limited visibility. The sinuous 17, scary on even a sunny day, was worse in the rain with insane drivers determined to plow through its curves at high speed despite the slick conditions.

We had our sights on dinner at a Mongolian BBQ that my daughter knew about in San Jose, but it was impossible to navigate when street signs weren't visible through the diagonal sheets of rain. So, we found the most promising exit for restaurants and turned off, finding the Korea B.B.Q. Buffet (1783 W. San Carlos). Korean food is based on rice, meat, vegetables, tofu and kimchi--a fermented cabbage dish laced with pepper that is either heaven or hell depending on your view. My father loved kimchi, but my mother made him keep it on the porch saying it stunk up the refrigerator and always made a big show of holding her nose when it came into the house. It is odiferous! I love it--crunchy, salty, sour and full of red chili pepper, it goes particularly well with chasuke--rice and green tea mixed together in a bowl. This particular Korean bbq was a meat lover's paradise--I haven't seen so much meat piled onto customers' plates since I was last in a churrascaria! Two long buffet tables of food bisected the restaurant, one of which was laden with meat of every description. Customers had piled their trays with what looked like a week's worth of meat. Each table was built around a grill where one cooked their selections. My daughter took a modest portion, but the waitress didn't approve. She was already miffed that I refused any meat, so she was determined that at least one person at the table had their money's worth. She fussed over my daughter--bringing extra plates of meat and turning each piece over for her until it was suitably cooked. I was happy--I had two servings of glass noodles which I love to make at home (see recipe below) plus some difficult to eat tiny crab legs and shrimp. A novelty was kelp deep fried for just a second, then sprinkled with sugar. The glass noodle recipe below is easily tailored to whatever you have in the frig at the moment--other vegetables and meat can be cooked and sesame seeds or nuts sprinkled on top.

GLASS NOODLES (see bottom of plate in photo at right):
1 (14 ounce) package glass noodles*

1/4 cup sesame oil
1/2 onion, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1" of ginger root, peeled and minced or 2 Tbsp. canned minced ginger
6 Chinese cabbage leaves, sliced into 1/2"
1 carrot, peeled then shaved into long slices
1 4 oz. can shitake mushrooms, rinsed and sliced
*optional: 1 cake extra firm tofu, cut into 1/2" cubes
1/4 cup soy sauce, approximate
2 Tbsp. sugar
Bring a large pot of water to boil and add the glass noodles, turn off heat and stir noodles so they are completely immersed. Let sit and they will soften in the hot water. In a large frying pan or wok, heat the sesame oil over medium heat and cook the garlic, ginger and onion until softened. Do not let the garlic burn--adjust the heat if necessary. Add the Chinese cabbage, mushrooms, carrot and tofu and cook for a few more minutes, stirring often, until the carrot is cooked but still crunchy. Drain the noodles and add to the pan along with the sugar and half of the soy sauce. The soy sauce measurement is approximate because soy sauce varies in saltiness according to type and brand. You want to find the balance of sweet and salty--so start with half the soy sauce, mix well, taste, then add more soy sauce as needed. Serve warm or cold. Serves 2 as main dish or 4 for a side dish. Pair this recipe with a chilled oaken Chardonnay.
*Glass noodles are also called cellophane noodles, Chinese vermicelli, bean threads, bean thread noodles, or saifun. They are made from mung bean or yam starch and look like plastic threads uncooked and turn clear or "glassy" when cooked.

This week's Online Grapevine special is a sampler of four big, bold red wines, including a Shiraz rated 94 points by Wine Spectator.
Spice up tortilla soup with bold flavors of green chili, onion and tomato. Tortilla chips and melting cheddar cheese top this satisfying soup that can be made meatless for vegetarians or with ground turkey. Pair with the fruit-forward Cedar Knoll 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley. I devised this recipe when I came home late and wanted something fast and nutritious that would use up salsa I had in the refrigerator. I had the leftover soup the next day without the chips and cheese--adding cooked baby potatoes. It's an easy and fast recipe either way. Makes 2 servings.

GREEN CHILI TORTILLA SOUP:
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 lb. ground turkey or tofurkey (tofu-based turkey)
10 oz. can green chili, drained and minced or 5 fresh chilis, roasted, seeded, peeled and minced
1 cup fresh salsa (Salsa Fresca--with tomato and onion)
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
fresh ground pepper
salt to taste
2 cups tortilla chips
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Heat the oil in a pot over low heat and add the garlic, oregano and ground turkey or tofurkey. Stir and cook until until for 3-4 minutes, separating the ground turkey or tofurkey into chunks. Add the minced green chili, salsa, broth and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Cover and cook for one minute. Remove the bay leaf. Season with a few grinds of black pepper and salt (if needed--I used none). Ladle the hot soup into wide bowls and crumble the tortilla chips on top. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

Make me cheese, please!

"You can't make good cheese out of bad milk," says Collette at the "Brie and Bubbly" seminar at the Artisan Cheese Festival in Petaluma last weekend. We knew this already, since the day before, we were on a farm tour of Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese near Tomales Bay. Their herd manager explained how the flavor and quality of feed creates flavor and quality in the milk. The best feed for cows is grass pasture; Point Reyes Farmstead is nestled among acres of lush verdant fields which are organically and sustainably farmed. The fresh pure milk comes right from the milk barn into the creamery where it is made into award-winning Point Reyes Blue cheese and Toma, a buttery semi hard table cheese with a texture like Havarti.

"Farmstead" means one farm raises the dairy cows, milks them and makes the cheese. In this way, the cheesemaker can be assured that the cows and milk are are handled properly. Point Reyes Farmstead's 300 cows munch happily on the rolling emerald hills most of the time, but were in the barn while we were there due to rain. Each cow has a name, a tag, and a detailed computer record of every facet of her life, from the carefully mixed supplemental feed formulated by a nutritionist, to her milk production and health history. One can see that Point Reyes takes extra care in their procedures as all the facilities are immaculate. I was impressed with their commitment to organics and sustainability. For example, manure creates methane that is captured and burned in a generator to supply 60% of the creamery's electricity needs. Also, the Giacomini family signed over development rights to the Marin Agricultural Land Trust, which will ensure the land will remain farmland in perpetuity.
 

We were fortunate to taste the result of their attention to detail with a seven course cheese dinner created by chef and author John Ash (named "Father of Wine Country Cuisine") assisted by three of the Giacomini family's four daughters. We had meaty fried green olives stuffed with Point Reyes blue cheese, fluffy potato croquettes with Point Reyes Toma and Romesco sauce, bitter and sweet radicchio soup with a melty spoonful of Point Reyes Mozzarella, a salad with grilled beef, fried capers and sliced garlic with shaved Point Reyes Toma, a delectable cheese plate with all their selections--including a taste of a yet-to-be released blue cheese and ice cream made with their top quality milk.

Saturday was seminar day with choices like "California's Rare Beauties", "The Wonderful World Of Mold" and "A Day In The Life Of A Cheesemaker". Among other opportunities, we were able to taste some cheese normally not available to the public--like Andante Dairy's Tim's Cheese, a ripe semi-soft cheese made only for the exclusive (and out of my price range) French Laundry, recipient of a coveted 3 star rating from the Michelin Guide.

Compiled from information from the the Artisan Cheese Festival and all the speakers, especially the lively and knowledgable Colette Hatch (named "Madame de Fromage"), below is a guide explaining the different types of cheese. Cheese can be grouped by texture: fresh, soft ripened, semi-soft and hard or how they are made: with penicillium roqueforti, by stretching the curd, by washing the rind or by adding other ingredients. Cheeses in the last five categories of method or ingredients could also be categorized under the first four texture categories. Click the name of any artisanal cheese that interests you for the website--you can order most cheeses online from the producer.

TYPES OF CHEESE:
Fresh, Farmer Or Pot Cheese:
Milk is curdled through acidification and/or addition of rennet or bacteria and usually aged to develop flavor. If it is not aged, it has a soft texture and a fresh cream flavor. Fresh cheese is highly perishable, so it should be eaten with in two to three days.  If you have never tried cottage cheese fresh from a creamery, rather than packaged and from your grocery store you are in for a big treat! The difference is like the difference between a juicy, flavorful homegrown tomato and a hard, unripe one from a chain produce store. This category includes cottage cheese, mascarpone, ricotta (once again a completely different taste experience when it is direct from creamery), chevre, feta, paneer and cream cheese. Artisanal cheese at the Festival included the light and fluffy Foggy Morning from Nicasio Valley.

Soft-Ripened Cheese:
This cheese is ripened from the outside in and usually has an edible, bumpy exterior that is created by spraying the surface of the cheese with penicillium candid, a type of mold. The "blooming rind" is usually white but can have red, brown or orange flecks. The interior is gooey at room temperature.  The most common soft-ripened cheeses have a white, bloomy rind that is sometimes flecked with red or brown.  This category includes brie, camembert, and triple crèmes (so called because they contain at least 72% butterfat. Artisanal cheese at the Festival included the fabulous Marin Rouge et Noir Brie which was the first American brie to win over the French in the 2005 World Cheese Awards, one of my all-time favorite cheeses Mt. Tam from Cowgirl Creamery, and the elegantly perfect Humboldt Fog from Cypress Grove Chevre.

Semi-soft or Semi-hard Cheese:
Usually called “semi-soft”, this cheese is smooth and creamy with little or no rind. The texture is like pasta--both firm and soft--but the flavor can range from mild to strong. This category includes Monterey Jack (an American original), blue cheese, colby, fontina, havarti and tomme. Some have washed rinds (see below). Artisanal cheese at the Festival included Point Reyes Farmstead Toma and Pennyroyal Farm Tomme washed with Anderson Valley Boont Amber Ale which is not yet available to the public. The cheesemaker is working with Navarro Vineyards in establishing a creamery in conjunction with a new 7.5 acre vineyard and winery being built in Boonville.

Firm or Hard Cheese:
The largest number of cheeses are firm. Their flavor range is vast, from mild as fresh cheese to very stinky. In general, they can be grated and melted. This category of cheese includes the majority of cheddars, gouda, Swiss cheese, Gruyere, some tome and Parmesan. Artisanal cheese at the Festival included the unique Beehive Cheese Barely Buzzed which is rubbed with Turkish coffee and lavendar and Fiscalini's bandage-wrapped Cheddar.


Blue Cheeses
Penicillium roqueforti mold grows on cheese and creates blue/gray veins throughout.  Blue cheese can be mild or extremely pungent and/or salty. The texture can vary from soft to hard. In France, the original Roquefort is made from sheep's milk and the mold naturally occurs in the local caves where the cheese is aged. The strongly flavored English Stilton is made with cow's milk and the saltier Italian Gorgonzola from cow and/or goat milk. California's only blue cheese producer Point Reyes Farmstead makes their cheese from the milk of their Holstein cows. Artisanal cheese at the Festival included Point Reyes Farmstead Blue and the sweet and fruity Caveman Blue from Rogue Creamery.

Pasta Filata Cheese:
"Pasta filata”cheese is made from cooked and kneaded or stretched curd.  This category of cheese can range from very soft to hard and includes Mozzarella, Provolone, and Scamorza. There was a seminar on hand-pulling Mozzarella that we could not attend.

Natural Rind Cheese:
Often made from raw milk, natural rind cheese rind develops without molds, bacteria or washing (though bacteria and mold may attach to the outside air). This cheese category encompasses Tomme, the English blue cheese Stilton, and English Lancashire. Artisanal cheese at the Festival included the dreamy Pluvius from Willapa Hills Farmstead Cheese.

Washed Rind Cheeses
Washing a cheese with brine, wine, ale or local spirits breaks down the curd on the outside. The rind becomes thick and part of the cheese rather than a skin on the outside of it. The thick rind helps keep moisture and flavor inside. These cheeses often have a mild, smooth interior that contrasts with the pungent rind. This category includes some Tomme, Raclette, Taleggio and Manchester. Artisanal cheese at the Festival included the pungent crowd-pleasing Red Hawk from Cowgirl Creamery (all thier cheeses are outstanding) and Garden Variety Cheese's Basque-style Moonflower.

Processed Cheeses
Many American commercial cheeses are “processed” by adding stabilizers, emulsifiers, and flavors (sometimes chemical) to create inexpensive cheese that lasts a long time. Processed cheese includes American Cheese, the orange-colored gunk they pour on fast food nachos, and “cheese flavored” spreads. These are the antithesis of homestead, artisanal cheeses.

Read here about the Artisanal Cheese Festival 2009.

A Day Of Food And Sharing

Redolent of star anise, cinnamon, clove, fennel and Schezuan peppercorn, Chef Skip's Master Sauce simmered in its dark orange cast iron pot. The liquid is opaque brown, thick with flavor, skimmed with a sheen of oil, intended to please the palate and nose and satisfy the soul.  Master Sauce is the basis of "red cooking" in Chinese cuisine: the technique of braising meats in this complex sauce for many hours to imbue the meat with seasoning while lending some of the flavor of the meat to the sauce. After cooking, the sauce is cooled, strained then stored (up to five days in the refrigerator or frozen in the freezer) to be used again and again. As the sauce ages, it becomes more complex from the ingredients it has cooked. Master Sauces can be decades in the making--Chef Skip's is around 30 years old! He used the sauce as a base for barbecue basting of chicken and pork for Friday's cocktail hour nibbles. He slow-cooked tri-tip in it until the meat was flaking apart, then stuffed it into Chinese-style burritos along with a vinegary red cabbage slaw and simple pinquinto beans (an heirloom pinto bean from Santa Maria, CA) and sliced grilled vegetables for our lunch on Saturday.  He marinated beef skewers in Master Sauce, sesame oil and cilantro for one of the many dishes in our Saturday night feast.

The occasion was "Kitchen, Notebook, Memory: A Writing Retreat Inspired by the Five Senses" that Chef Skip hosted with Chris deLorenzo our writing coach trained in the Amherst writer's method. Held at Chef Skip's lovely home with an awesome chef's kitchen, the workshop was built around the interface between writing and food. Not only did we have the chance to pitch in and help in the kitchen with dinner prep under the Chef's tutelage, but Chris had prepared some food experiences to inspire our writing. Since this was my first participation in a writing workshop, I was apprehensive about feeling inadequate or unprepared. But the Amherst method is based on the group and leader providing only affirmative feedback. All references to the writer and writings are framed as comments on the "narrator's voice" and "the work" rather than judging the individual. Chris is a nurturing and supportive guide and the participants were congenial, so there was nothing intimidating about the situation. With numerous published authors, fiction writers, cookbook writers and editors attending, it was a treat to listen to the wide range of writing styles in the group. Chris would give us a prompt, then give us 20 minutes or so to write. We'd rejoin the circle to read our creations and share what we liked about particular aspects of "the work".
One prompt was the 5 tastes: bitter, salty, sweet, sour and spicy. We were each given a small cup containing a sample of each taste: bitter--cilantro, salty--salt, sweet--sugar, sour--Chinese black vinegar, spicy--Szechuan black pepper. We were instructed to taste each with utmost concentration on all our 5 senses, then use the experience to inform our writing. Later, at the blissful Shiatsu Rincon, I was describing the retreat to my acupuncturist, John Hickey, one of the founders of the Santa Barbara College of Oriental Medicine (SBCOM), where he taught and served as the academic vice president from 1985 until 2001. He explained the connection between the 5 tastes and the 5 elements in Chinese cosmology:
Fire -- Bitter
Water -- Salty
Earth -- Sweet
Wood  -- Sour
Metal -- Pungent (spicy)

The Saturday night dinner was an explosion of flavors. We had delectable pad thai cooked by two of our cooking experts, including Asian-food chef Joyce Jue who has written numerous cookbooks and leads international culinary tours), a panang-style curry, crispy fusion slaw filled with fresh fruit chunks that serveds as the perfect foil for a hot and spicy jalapeno/garlic/poppyseed dressing, marinated beef skewers (as described above), crunchy almond cookies and to-die-for Cheremoya sorbet from a recipe Chef Skip developed for a friend and client. Chef Skip was a friend of Julia Child's and inherited her cat, who meowed pitifully to be let out, then meowed pitifully to be let back in and delighted us by poking her nose into our gift bags.

There are probably thousands of Master Sauce recipes and each will change over time as different ingredients are used. If you are fortunate enough to take a cooking class with Chef Skip, you will come away replete with delicious food and with a packet of recipes in your hand. I found one recipe published online from TV personality Andrew Zimmern that can get yours started (no bugs or worms in his recipe, thank goodness).

One-Pot Chinese Chicken Wings with Master Sauce:
By Andrew Zimmern on Mon, 02/04/2008 - 17:33 "This is a quick and easy wing recipe. Perfect for any sort of party, but I like it for a Chinese New Year celebration! Try it out with my Black Bean Spareribs with Green Onions [see photo] or Floating Dragon Dumplings recipes."
* 32 very large chicken drummies, or 2-joint segments work well
* 1⁄2 c sake
* 1⁄3 c water
* 6 large thin slices fresh ginger
* 1⁄3 c soy sauce
* 1⁄4 c Chinese yellow rock sugar
* 2 dried hot chiles
* 2 T oyster sauce
* 2 T hoisin sauce
* 2 clv star anise
* 1 cinnamon stick
Place a 14 inch no stick saute pan over high heat. Add the chicken and dry-sear to lightly brown the chicken. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer,
Cook, covered, for about 10 minutes. Uncover, and simmer until pan is almost “dry”, tossing frequently to coat wings. Skim off fat if you like…and serve, garnishing with scallion shavings and sesame seeds.