Travel Tips for Touring Sonoma County

Before Google Maps and GPS, it was difficult to find the coastal town of Bolinas. No signposts marked the turn off Highway 1 to the tiny coastal town because its reclusive--and often famous--residents tore down any signs as soon as they were installed. Home to dozens of low-key celebrities known for a range of accomplishments from art, literature and music to science and cuisine, the community includes the legendary locavore and proponent of organic produce Alice Waters, along with singer Grace Slick, actress Frances McDormand,  and writer Richard Brautigan. On our family trip, we drove the 2 hours along Highway 1 from San Francisco to Bodega Bay on a gorgeous sunny day, passing Bolinas,  the expansive crescent of sand of Stinson Beach and the 15 mile long Tomales Bay known for its oysters. Sadly, our kids are not fans of the mollusks, so we had to pass the Tomales Bay Oyster Company and Hogg Island Oyster Farm where one can bring a picnic and indulge in buckets of fresh or barbecued oysters.

This was our third time staying at the lovely Bodega Bay Lodge which occupies an enviable piece of real estate--being right on the estuary that fronts the beach. A grove of Monterey cypress shields the property from the road and all other development, so it is serene and quiet, with just the sound of songbirds and occasionally, the faraway sound of the Point Arenas lighthouse fog horn. Fortunately, what fog there was stayed north and the sun beamed on our stay. The kids loved the pool and I loved the hammocks at the edge of the estuary and the wonderful meals at The Duck Club Restaurant where one can watch the orange rays of sunset move across the ocean at dinner and see the morning light brightening the view at breakfast.

Sonoma County is an excellent destination for a family vacation--there is so much to do! In Sebastapol, the sustainable Full House Farm gives tours of their horses, goats, chickens and gardens. We got to help collect eggs and learned some interesting things about chickens. The eggs need to be collected continuously during the day, otherwise if an egg breaks, the hens will eat it, realize it is tasty, then start breaking eggs intentionally. Also, they come in the barn to roost every night, crowding together on horizontal poles strung along one wall. They can easily be moved when asleep, but don't wake one up! Its instinctual response to a threat of a predator will startle it into a a panic, waking the other chickens into a frenzy of flapping and screeching.

Christine, who runs the Full House Farm with her husband, David, milks one of their two goats, getting a gallon to a gallon and a half a day which she uses to make creamy goat cheese. Christine served samples at the end of the tour along with fabulous Pinot Noir and Tangerine Chardonnay  jellies. We stopped by the nearby Wildlflour Bakery for their brick-oven baked bread for a picnic in Armstrong Woods State Park in Guerneville. Towering redwood shade an easy walk to the picnic area and admission is free.

Next door to the Wildflour Bakery, Freestone Winery pours their estate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and the wines of parent company Joseph Phelps.  A couple of years ago, I had a wonderful Freestone Chardonnay redolent of pear, peach and wet stone. I bought a couple of bottles of it -- the 2010 Fogdog Chardonnay which I love for its clean, fresh flavor. Joseph Phelps is known world-wide for his  Rhone and Bordeaux style blends, particularly the highly-rated Insignia.

We intended to take the kids kayaking on the Russian River--several companies will outfit you at the top of the river and shuttle you back at the end of the 3 - 4 hour experience, but our leisurely walk in the woods squeezed out the trip. Instead, we went on the Flamingo Conference Resort and Spa in Santa Rosa and sunned and swam in the large pool that is in the center of the updated mid-century modern hotel. The hotel grounds  are lushly planted and a nice place to unwind. Santa Rosa is conveniently located to visit the 250 wineries of Sonoma County.

Five Essential Tools To Become A Better Cook

To be a good cook, five tools are essential. Use all five of them in your kitchen: your senses of smell, sight, hearing, touch and taste, and you will quickly begin to improve your cooking! Beginning cooks rely on recipes for cooking times, which can be a disaster. The reason for this is that most ovens are mis-calibrated and have hot and cool spots. Also, stoves vary wildly in temperature--a medium low setting on an old range could be 220 degrees, whereas medium low on a 15,000 Btu Wolf range could be over 260 degrees. You can see how using a recipe's cooking time as an absolute can lead to undercooked or overcooked food.

Instead, use your senses to determine when something is cooked properly. While baking bread, notice the aromas that emanate from the oven. With practice, you can smell when your bread is ready. Cultivate this ability by using the traditional methods to determine when bread is finished (a golden brown crust, an internal thermometer temperature of 190 - 200 degrees, or a hollow sound when the bread is thumped) along with your sensory experience during the cooking process. Remember the aroma of perfectly cooked bread--and next time you will know when the bread is done.

Your sense of hearing can be a powerful tool. Have you ever cooked meat that stuck to the pan, even though it was greased? Chances are, you did not hear a sizzle when the meat hit the pan, because the pan wasn't hot enough. Heating a pan correctly for a sear, whether meat or fish, relies on your senses of sight and touch. Hold your hand an inch above the surface of the oiled pan when it first goes on the stove. Notice there is just a bit of warmth. Tilt the pan and notice that the oil runs smoothly across the bottom. As the pan heats, continue to feel the heat above it. At some point, when you tilt the pan, the oil will run across the bottom in waves, so the surface looks dimpled instead of smooth--this is the sign the pan is hot enough. Hold your hand an inch above the pan again and remember the sensation of heat--you can use this memory the next time you cook. Lay the meat or fish on the hot pan and hear that satisfying sizzle!

Your sense of touch will tell you when a steak is cooked, without needing to cut into it (though you can--just to check!). Make a fist, with your thumb inside your palm and squeeze tight. Touch the area shown in the photo--that is the feeling of a well done steak. Release all the fingers except the index and thumb. Touch again--this is medium rare. Relax the hand apart--touch and feel the softness of raw meat. Try this next time you cook steak--touch the steak, then touch your hand in the appropriate configuration and see if this simple sensory guide works!

Your sense of taste is obviously the most important tool in the kitchen. Pity the unfortunate ones who "eat everything" and are just as satisfied with bland food as spiced, with junk food as gourmet cuisine--they will never be great cooks! If you want to be a good cook, be a discriminating eater--notice the difference between food you eat that is ok versus fabulous and use your senses to decide why you like something so much. Is it the herbs in the dish? The smell of the food? A crunchy sound? The way it looks on the plate? Use vision, smell, taste, touch and hearing to experience what you eat--then use those memories to recreate the experience in your own kitchen. Come to your senses and delicious food will follow!

Focaccia With Pesto and Fresh Tomatoes:

Ingredients For the Pesto:

2 cups packed fresh basil leaves, stems removed

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano        

1/4 cup pine nuts

3 tablespoons minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Ingredients For the Focaccia Dough

4 1/2  cups unbleached bread flour

1 1/4  teaspoons instant yeast

2  teaspoons salt

2  cups cold water

2 tablespoons olive oil

Other Ingredients:

spray olive oil

2 medium tomatoes, sliced thinly and drained on paper towels

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano

Directions For the  Pesto:

1 Pulse the basil and pine nuts together in a food processor for a few seconds. Add the garlic, and pulse a few more.

Add the olive oil and process for a few minutes--you would like the pesto to remain a bit chunky and not be pureed smooth. Add the grated cheese, salt and pepper and pulse until just blended.

Directions For the Dough:

The day before, put all the ingredients, except the olive oil, in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix with the paddle attachment on slow speed for a couple of minutes. Add the olive oil and mix for a minute. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes. Mix for one minute more.  The dough will be soft and shaggy. Use a spatula or bowl scraper dipped in water to scrape the wet dough in an oiled bowl that is more than twice as tall as the level of the dough. Cover the top with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator.

The next day, take the dough out 4 hours before you want to bake the bread. (The dough can be in the refrigerator 12 - 18 hours.) The dough will have doubled overnight. Spread a sheet of baking parchment on a large baking sheet and spray it all over with olive oil. Scrape the dough onto the baking sheet using moistened tools and gently spread into a rectangular shape. Spray a bit of olive oil on your fingers and on the top of the dough. and dimple the bread--start in the middle and press your fingers into the dough, then pull them out a bit to the side. In this way, you will stretch out the dough in the pan as you dimple it. Don't' worry yet if it is not fitting in the pan exactly or is not symmetrical--further steps will start to even it out. Let the dough rest for 20 minutes.

Once again go through the dimpling process again, starting in the middle and moving outwards. Let rest 20 minutes and repeat. During the dimpling process, even and shape the dough so it almost fills the pan and is rectangular. Let rise for 2 hours. During this time, preheat the oven to 425 degrees (375 with convection).

Bake the focaccia in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and dot chunks of pesto over it, then top with the tomato slices. (Do not put the pesto or tomatoes on at the beginning or they will burn.) Rotate the pan and put it back in the oven for another 10 minutes until it is starting to be golden brown. Remove and sprinkle with the Parmesan, then bake until the cheese is melted, just a minute or two. Let cool a few minutes before slicing into squares.

Touring & Tasting and Santa Barbara Wine Festival

Touring and Tasting's latest magazine issue is the  largest and most comprehensive yet! President Paul Arganbright was giving away free copies at the Santa Barbara Wine Festival, held at oak-shaded, creekside grounds of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. Also, a free wine gift basket was the prize for the person who could correctly guess the number of corks on a glass jar.

I was in the neighboring booth with my catering friend Lila helping serve Via Maestra 42's fragrant, hand-made Porcini Mushroom Ravioli With Black Truffle Sauce. The aromas were intoxicating and we had a long line of people waiting for samples. Via Maestra 42 is a Santa Barbara locals favorite restaurant, plus they cater many events and parties around town. I became infused with the delightful smell of truffles and carried it around with me when the next team of volunteers came to take our place and we had a chance to try some of the food and wine of the festival.

Short on time, we hit a few of the booths where we knew the wine would be excellent: Palmina Winery for my favorite Barbera and their delightful Malvasia Bianca, Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards where the legendary Richard Sandford was pouring his Sta Rita Hills Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays, and Au Bon Climat with another legendary winemaker, Jim Clendenen with his highly-acclaimed wines. CORE Wine Company, with the hand-made wines of Dave Corey was a new discovery for me, though he and his wife have been making wine in Santa Maria for 11 years.

Besides the amazing ravioli, top foodie discoveries included the passion fruit dessert by Renaud's Patisserie and Bistro--no surprise. Executive pastry chef Renaud Gonthier makes elegant desserts int he French tradition and makes the best croissants in town--crisp and flaky on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. Freezer Monkeys are pastry chef Tiffany Buchanan's creations--handmade natural-flavored popsicles with great taste combinations like Raspberry Thai Chili and Caramelized Pineapple. A beautiful day--and proceeds benefited the Museums exhibits and science education for school children!

I Left My Heart In San Francisco--But Took Home A Few Pounds--A Family Vacation

Mark Twain said, "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco."  Usually, those words ring true. The fog lays over the "City By the Bay" and cold winds blow off the Pacific. But, this weekend we thumbed our noses at Mark Twain and enjoyed two days of glorious sunshine. When the sun shines on San Francisco,  the city, the bay and Pacific sparkle and the views are breathtaking.

We chose the Galleria Park Hotel, one of Touring & Tasting's featured accommodations, which lives up to its high ratings in Yelp for being a "cute trendy stylish spot very convenient", "hip",  "well kept and has a nice artsy vibe". We liked the rooftop park and jogging track, the organic soaps and lotions, and its well-placed location in the Financial District just blocks from Union Square and the Moscone Center. The lobby was buzzing with conviviality when we checked in during happy hour with a complimentary wine tasting. The staff was extra friendly and helpful, giving us a map of the city and suggestions for dinner. Tired from our drive, we were happy to discover the Belden Taverna was just a block from the hotel. On a short street reminiscent of the old town of Barcelona, where the narrow streets are filled with music and crowded with tables, the Taverna had a food-friendly and inexpensive house Rioja that went well with the handmade ravioli.

The next morning, we went next door to the hotel and had a tasty, breakfast sandwich at Bread and Cocoa which boasts: "We prepare all of our offerings the old fashioned way, handmade in our cafe with fresh all-natural and organic ingredients that are sourced from local purveyors and farms." Fortified, we walked to the one of the biggest farmer's markets in the country. They say 21,000 visitors attend the Saturday market which sounds like an overwhelming crush of people. But, the Ferry Building that houses it is enormous, plus the food booths spill out to the front street and cover the pier in the back. Enjoying the view of the Bay Bridge, we nibbled on samples of honey roasted almonds, goat cheese, peaches, strawberries, nectarines and wildflower honey.

Years ago, we made the kids walk the mile and a half from the Ferry Building to Fisherman's Wharf and had to endure a lot of complaining. This weekend, seeing the line of pedicab drivers out front, we sprung for the $20 for a fun ride in the sun along the ocean. Fisherman's Wharf was busy with street musicians and artists and throngs of tourists from around the world--stand in one spot and you will hear a dozen different languages being spoken. We looked through the 13,000 square foot gallery of nature photographer Rodney Lough, Jr. who documents Yellowstone, Banff, Death Valley and other photo-worthy landscapes, then shared fish and chips at Sally's Famous Fishwich--a tiny take-out next to the mammoth Franciscan Crab Restaurant. For only $8, we got a meaty piece of fish with minimal breading and pungent and delectable garlic fries. Next door is Boudin Bakery with an overhead conveyer belt of bread baskets weaving through the store from the glass-walled kitchen where one can see the baking team wheel racks of bread into the enormous ovens, portion dough and form loaves into braids and turtle shapes.

That night, we had a short walk to the Moscone Center to have sushi and udon at the Japanese restaurant Sanraku. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Fountain in the Center is closed for repair--it's a must-see when it re-opens in the fall--a 50 foot tall waterfall that one can walk underneath, that cascades over rough hewn granite inscribed with quotations from Dr. King. Two movie theaters are nearby--the Metreon and the Century, where we enjoyed Pixar's newest release "Brave" at the Century Theater. The Galleria Park Hotel offers an earth-friendly option: decline the daily room cleaning and receive $5 off in their Hecho restaurant which serves Japanese food for lunch and dinner and American food for breakfast. We had a nice bowl of oatmeal with pineapple--a new favorite flavor combination!

Before Google Maps and GPS, it was difficult to find the coastal town of Bolinas. No signposts marked the turn off Highway 1 to the tiny coastal town because its reclusive--and often famous--residents tore down any signs as soon as they were installed. Home to dozens of low-key celebrities known for a range of accomplishments from art, literature and music to science and cuisine, the community includes the legendary locavore and proponent of organic produce Alice Waters, along with singer Grace Slick, actress Frances McDormand,  and writer Richard Brautigan. On our family trip, we drove the 2 hours along Highway 1 from San Francisco to Bodega Bay on a gorgeous sunny day, passing Bolinas,  the expansive crescent of sand of Stinson Beach and the 15 mile long Tomales Bay known for its oysters. Sadly, our kids are not fans of the mollusks, so we had to pass the Tomales Bay Oyster Company and Hogg Island Oyster Farm where one can bring a picnic and indulge in buckets of fresh or barbecued oysters.

This was our third time staying at the lovely Bodega Bay Lodge which occupies an enviable piece of real estate--being right on the estuary that fronts the beach. A grove of Monterey cypress shields the property from the road and all other development, so it is serene and quiet, with just the sound of songbirds and occasionally, the faraway sound of the Point Arenas lighthouse fog horn. Fortunately, what fog there was stayed north and the sun beamed on our stay. The kids loved the pool and I loved the hammocks at the edge of the estuary and the wonderful meals at The Duck Club Restaurant where one can watch the orange rays of sunset move across the ocean at dinner and see the morning light brightening the view at breakfast.

Sonoma County is an excellent destination for a family vacation--there is so much to do! In Sebastapol, the sustainable Full House Farm gives tours of their horses, goats, chickens and gardens. We got to help collect eggs and learned some interesting things about chickens. The eggs need to be collected continuously during the day, otherwise if an egg breaks, the hens will eat it, realize it is tasty, then start breaking eggs intentionally. Also, they come in the barn to roost every night, crowding together on horizontal poles strung along one wall. They can easily be moved when asleep, but don't wake one up! Its instinctual response to a threat of a predator will startle it into a a panic, waking the other chickens into a frenzy of flapping and screeching.

Christine, who runs the Full House Farm with her husband, David, milks one of their two goats, getting a gallon to a gallon and a half a day which she uses to make creamy goat cheese. Christine served samples at the end of the tour along with fabulous Pinot Noir and Tangerine Chardonnay  jellies. We stopped by the nearby Wildlflour Bakery for their brick-oven baked bread for a picnic in Armstrong Woods State Park in Guerneville. Towering redwood shade an easy walk to the picnic area and admission is free.

Next door to the Wildflour Bakery, Freestone Winery pours their estate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and the wines of parent company Joseph Phelps.  A couple of years ago, I had a wonderful Freestone Chardonnay redolent of pear, peach and wet stone. I bought a couple of bottles of it -- the 2010 Fogdog Chardonnay which I love for its clean, fresh flavor. Joseph Phelps is known world-wide for his  Rhone and Bordeaux style blends, particularly the highly-rated Insignia.

We intended to take the kids kayaking on the Russian River--several companies will outfit you at the top of the river and shuttle you back at the end of the 3 - 4 hour experience, but our leisurely walk in the woods squeezed out the trip. Instead, we went on the Flamingo Conference Resort and Spa in Santa Rosa and sunned and swam in the large pool that is in the center of the updated mid-century modern hotel. The hotel grounds  are lushly planted and a nice place to unwind. Santa Rosa is conveniently located to visit the 250 wineries of Sonoma County.

We had one more day in SF before the drive home, so had a creamy pureed parsnip and kale soup at the chic Oolah near the Moscone Center. They use local, sustainable produce and the salmon on a bed of ratatouille was perfectly cooked. We had a very short turn through the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit at the de Young Museum--I wish we'd had another couple of hours. The haute couture outfits are all made by hand--taking hundreds of hours of work each. It's a ridiculously decadent world the designer lives in. But, seen as pieces of art, it's fascinating to see what a creative mind can do to stretch the idea of clothing to the extreme, when given unlimited funding.

Chef Marcel Vigneron's Dragon Breath

Chef Marcel Vigneron has dragon's breath! Not BAD breath, dragon's breath: a white stream of smoke is streaming from his nostrils and mouth. The occasion is the first Guest Chef Dinner at JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery in Paso Robles. Chef Vigneron, who wowed us with his molecular gastronomy on Bravo's cooking show Top Chef is proving to me that my mouth won't be "burned" by eating the crispy wild rice and sugar appetizers rolled in liquid nitrogen. Instead I experienced a light shock of coldness, the crisp taste of sugar, then "smoke" streamed from my nose.

Molecular gastronomy is fun! It is the marriage of science and food creating novel forms and textures, such as beet foam, spherical noodles, or powdered olive oil. You can trace its origins to the Hungarian physicist Nicholas Kurti and French physical chemist Harvé This who held "Molecular and Physical Gastronomy" meetings with chefs to demonstrate new techniques like making meringue in a vacuum chamber. Ferran Adrià gained worldwide fame from his molecular gastronomy at El Bulli, said to be the best restaurant in the world before it closed in 2011.

After appetizers that included mini "ice cream cones" filled with goat cheese and grapes, bitty potatoes that looked liked rocks with dill crème fraiche, oysters with foam and the aromatic 2011 JUSTIN Chardonnay, JUSTIN founder Justin Baldwin invited the guests into the cavernous 30,000 sq. ft. barrel room, made intimate and romantic with candles, for the gourmet meal. He introduced each course with an explanation of the pairing, saying "what we are striving to make here are food friendly wines."  JUSTIN brought worldwide recognition to the Paso Robles viticultural region in 2000 when their Bordeaux blend ISOSCELES was named one of the top 10 wines in the world by Wine Spectator. They have consistently garnered top ratings and praise for their wines, including Wine Enthusiast's "Top Cabernet and Blended Wine Producers List" for seven years running and their tasting room has been my favorite in Paso Robles, both for their terrific wines and for the friendly staff.

The dinner benefited Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution Day.

Jamie Oliver is the intrepid Brit leading the charge to change school lunch programs and how we cook in our kitchens, saying "For the first time in history, being overweight is killing more people than being underweight, and at least 2.8 million adults around the world die each year as a result of being overweight or obese…We need to become a conscious community and understand the food choices we make on a daily basis, which includes making food fresh from scratch and avoiding junk food." Food Revolution events were held in 660 cities in 63 countries on May 19th to improve the way we eat and combat obesity. Learn how to cook seasonally with locally sourced organic food! It's better for you and your family and better for our planet.

We enjoyed the 2011 JUSTIN Sauvignon Blanc with a light, slightly foamed, chilled pea soup with vanilla cured salmon and a tangy pickled radish. Compressed cucumber gave he dish texture and Meyer Lemon Puree added a bright note. The luscious 2009 JUSTIN Reserve Tempranillo was paired with steamed halibut and Portuguese sausage cooked in "Crazy Water": an Italian broth. "Acqua Pazza" is traditionally made from cherry tomatoes, water (sometimes seawater), salt, olive oil and sometimes the seeds, stems and pomace left after pressing grapes for wine.

JUSTIN's flagship wine, the ISOSCELES was paired with slow roasted veal, not something I normally eat, but it was fantastic. The au jus, made with ISOSCELES, was irresistible, deep, rich and complex. The flavor-infused morels were out-of-this-world fantastic. Dessert, served with the 2010 JUSTIN OBTUSE, was a flourless hazelnut chocolate cake with a coconut espuma. Espuma is a molecular gastronomy technique where a natural ingredient (like coconut milk) is mixed with a stabilizing agent such as agar or lecithin, then extruded through a whipped cream canister charged with nitrous oxide. The result was a purely flavored foam of coconut with a slight crust. The creamy pudding of roasted banana and peanut butter had a wonderful texture and pronounced flavor of ripe banana.

My friend who accompanied me to the dinner is a vegetarian and she was accommodated by the chefs with a special vegetarian option. Her second course was a delicious risotto that had a foam incorporated into it and had baby carrots as a side. Her third course was a riff on the classic Northern Italian dish of asparagus and egg that had the warm morels that were also part of our veal dish. The egg was obviously farm-fresh with a deep orange yolk cooked au point.

Not only were the food and wine top-notch, but JUSTIN accomplished something that is not easy to do: to create an evening that was elegant and sophisticated, yet warm and familial. The fabulous food and wine, the personal touch of the founder, the friendliness of the staff, and the impressive setting created a magical evening. As we walked away from the convivial lights of the winery, the night sky was inky black and thick with stars. Our only regret after a perfect evening was that we were not one of the fortunate guests who had booked a stay in one of JUSTIN's luxury suites and would not be having breakfast there as the morning sun brightened the surrounding vineyards.

JUSTIN is the only winery in the Central Coast to have a full-time chef creating in-house wine pairing recipes. Executive Chef Will Torres creates locally sourced cuisine in the Restaurant at JUSTIN and works with guest chefs in the winery's series of dinners. Past celebrity chefs include the “Iron Chef America” winner Chef Kent Rathbun and James Beard Award-winner Chef Barbara Lynch.

Fresh Local and Sustainable

As a child, I coveted the processed foods other kids had at their homes. I wanted the boxed macaroni and cheese, the Koolaid, the canned Campbell's soups. My mother bought fresh produce and meats and cooked--and expected us to cook--from scratch. Now, of course, I'm grateful for the good start she gave us toward a lifetime of healthy eating. Society has caught up with the philosophy of eating local, sustainable and organic (when possible) food made from fresh, seasonal ingredients with even golf courses--the last bastion of traditional grill food like burgers--starting to offer veggie burgers and salads with nary a trace of iceberg lettuce.

Touring and Tasting and Buttonwood Farm Winery were among the many local businesses donating products (in our case--wine!) and time to the Santa Barbara Culinary dinner last night benefiting the Julia Child Scholarship for students at the SBCC School of Culinary Arts. Santa Barbara Culinary is a group of culinary professionals--caterers, restauranteurs, farmers, etc. and food afficionados who meet monthly for a wonderful dinner created around a theme. This month's theme was local bounty sourced from local and sustainable food producers. Bonnie Crouse has the monumental job of overseeing all procurement of food, equipment and supplies and budget management for the University of California at Santa Barbara, so last night's gala event must have been a walk in the park! More than a decade ago, Bonnie started bringing the locavore philosophy to the University--working to support local farmers, ranchers and fishermen (and women) by buying locally, with the added benefit of improving the freshness of the ingredients used for student and faculty.

We feasted on olives and cheeses from Olivos Del Mar, beef sliders and BBQ organic chicken from DeyDey's Best Beef Ever, halibut with miso ginger marinade and black cod with arugula pesto from Santa Barbara Fish Market, grilled asparagus and legume and fresh vegetable salad from Farmer Direct Produce, organic salad from Shepherd Farms, and luscious berries with Champagne-honey sabayon from The Berry Man who also donated this amazing gift basket won by raffle. UCSB Executive Chef Jaime Herrera and his team created a culinary tour de force with the fresh produce, meat and seafood.

Touring and Tasting poured Rack & Riddle Brut sparkling wine for a starter and Becky, the new marketing manager at Buttonwood Farm Winery, brought four of their lovely wines: two Sauvignon Blanc, a Malbec and a Cabernet Franc. I loved the 2010 Zingy--100% Sauvignon Blanc that was hand-harvested and slow, cold fermented, yielding a crisp, bright wine with citrus and peach flavors. The 2010 Signature Blend Sauvignon Blanc was blended with aromatic Semillon. Malo-lactic fermentation gives it a creamy texture and, though the citrus is still evident, tropical flavors of guava and passionfruit are predominant. Anyone who finds Argentinian Malbec too rugged will love the Buttonwood 2009 Malbec which has a velvety texture. It's still a bold wine with structure and jammy flavors, but without any rough edges. My favorite was the 2008 Cabernet Franc. The vintage notes remind us that 2008 was an odd year for weather with the coldest spring in 25 years. Their crop was less than half the normal volume, but the smaller quantity was carefully hand-harvested and field sorted. Cabernet Franc is one of the grapes used to blend traditional Bordeaux and has a medium body and aromatic nose. The Buttonwood Cabernet Franc was well-balanced with a minerally touch to the mix of fruit flavors.

Buttonwood Farm Winery fit perfectly into the evening's theme of local and sustainable as the founder, Betty Williams, was a proponent of organic farming long before it became fashionable. Buttonwood continues to be a careful steward of their land, using organic techniques and tending the vineyards by hand. Buttonwood also produces more than wine: peach salsa, Cabernet chocolate sauce, olive oil, Sauvignon Blanc jelly and other delectable items. The Buttonwood Farm is a destination--not just a tasting room. I missed their farm tours during April's Earth Month On the Farm, but I see they have a Crawfish Boil coming up on May 19th -- crawfish + Buttonwood wines = a winning combination!

Hot and Tasty

As the Culinary Institute of America's wine book Exploring Wine states, "The dedicated farmers and producers of Santa Barbara County set a high benchmark for California wines". Indeed they do! The comedy "Sideways" may have helped bring recognition to the area, but it has been the quality of the wines that have piqued the interest of the wine writers, like Robert Parker, Jr. who said, "No viticultural region in America has demonstrated as much progress in quality and potential for greatness as the Central Coast, with its Rhône varietals, and the Santa Barbara region, where the Burgundian varietals Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are planted in its cooler climates." He predicts our wine "will rule America". Wow. But, our wineries weren't polishing up their "I am king of the world" speeches over the weekend, they were pouring wine at the Santa Barbara County Vintner's Association Festival--the highlight of their four-day spring celebration of Santa Barbara wines.


Unfortunately, the capricious weather gave us a mini-heat wave and the gorgeous blue sky drove the sunlight unrelentingly on our heads. So, I ended up drinking water rather than wine as my baked tongue couldn't evaluate the wines and everything tasted "cooked" to my overheated palate. The exception was Palmina's Barbera. I have my own theory (unsubstantiated other than personal observation) that while other reds start to turn the day after being opened, Barbera stays fresh and sometimes even gets better after three days in an open bottle. Once again, the sturdy Italian varietal showed its mettle by holding up and tasting delicious, even in oven-like conditions. Summation: the next time I'm invited to a BYOB in the desert--I'll bring a Barbera.

I spent the afternoon stuffing myself with all the tasty tidbits being given out by local restaurants, like the calamari salad from Root 246 and luscious meatballs from Trattoria Grappolo and people-watching, which is always a fun activity at any wine tasting. There are some who come to sip wines, some who come to guzzle, some dressed to the nines and looking for singles, some just to have a nice day outdoors with friends, then this group looking like lions in a National Geographic photo, draped on the oak tree seeking shade.