Climbing Half Dome is on many people’s bucket list. I can safely scratch it off of mine. Last month, I was part of a group that set out to climb Half Dome as part of a 50th birthday celebration. Sad thing was (happily, the only sad thing about our climb) is that the birthday girl broke her ankle the DAY BEFORE we left! We had to set out on our adventure without our fearless leader.
As many of you know, a big part of any adventure is about the food and wine! On our way to Yosemite, my roomie and I stopped in at a BBQ place in Manteca, Weber’s BBQ. OMG! I haven’t had pulled pork like that in ages. I wanted to cry with happiness during my meal, the pork and the sauce was that good. Intensely spicy but not too hot, and so tender that it melts in your mouth. The owner extraordinaire is Carissa (who is also a preacher) and her helping hand is her son Myles. They welcome you in like it was their home. If you are ever driving through this area, you MUST STOP and say hi to Carissa and eat some of her BBQ! Camping at the Ahwahnee is the only way I will go camping. The architecture is just breathtaking, it almost doesn’t matter what the food was like. Thankfully, it’s pretty good there at the lodge. I say pretty good, it’s fairly spendy but then, you are paying for the incredible view. The wine list was average, with hits from well-known California wine producers, but you could find some gems in there. We selected a few wines from Tablas Creek. The hike went well and the best part about hiking 16 miles is that you can pretty much toss your diet out the window for that night. On our way back to San Francisco, I shared Weber’s BBQ menu with the girls. Everyone called ahead and picked up their dinners to take back to their families. The only problem is that when my roomie and I called, they had been cleaned out of ribs. Majorly bummed for myself but very happy for Carissa to get such great business. She’s working on getting her wine/beer license and I hope to be helping her out with a few selections. Manteca is no longer a place to drive thought on your way to Yosemite, Weber’s BBQ puts in on the map! Webers BBQ: 823 Mellon Ave, Manteca, CA 95337 Tel: (209) 823-4227 Hours: Tue-Thu 11am–7pm; Fri-Sat 11am–9pm; Sun-Mon Closed The Ahwahnee Hotel
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Some friends of ours recently purchased their “villa” in Healdsburg and we were fortunate enough to be invited up for a fabulous weekend. Our hosts both love good food and wine and both share in culinary talents. We were treated to relaxing glass of wine on the deck upon arrival and followed by a healthy and sumptuous meal.
They have quite a collection of wines and asked me to select some reds (he was specific in requesting red) for dinner. With two seafood dishes, shrimp & chorizo and cod with an herb crust, I was looking for a high acid red. I asked to be directed to the Italian red or European red section. Much to my delight he did have some and they were all Wine Unleashed Selections!!! His wonderful California collection was acquired mostly by him but there still some WU selections in there. The complete stunner of the night was the 2001 VAlle Dell’Asso, Piromáfo, Negramaro IGT Salento Italy. Even better was that the wine neck tag had the maturity date of 2011 and recommended fish stew or herb-roasted pork. I could not have wished for a better pairing. But truly, the wine was just beaming on its own. The next day we went in search of some food but fine dining was not our goal. We we wanted to try the new Mateo's Cocina Latina but it was not open so we happily went to The Wurst. If you love sausage and great beers on tap this is the place for you. They either make them there or have them shipped in as the owner, Charles Bell, is a Detroit native. It all hit the spot—-sunshine, good wine, good food and good friends. Bar Tartine has me humming a new tune. After a year of construction and eating out of necessity, I was inspired again by the wine and food at Bar Tartine. If you are in San Francisco or visiting soon, put it at the top of your dining destinations. The wine and the food are incredibly put together at reasonable prices. When our group sat down, I wanted to order one of everything off both menus. Seriously. Everything looked so interesting and well thought out.
Alex Fox is the general manager and sommelier for the restaurant. This gentleman has a handle on pairings, great producers, great prices and interesting varietals. The average person may view the list and not recognize one producer’s name but his easy manner and well-trained staff are there to help you through to the path of enjoyment and enlightenment. The chef, Nicolaus Balla, takes inspiration from Hungary and Eastern Europe. All his dishes have a modern twist and fills a void in SF culinary scene. Our table started out the night with a selection of house-made pickles; langos (fried potato bread, garlic, onion & sour cream) and blistered Padron peppers and goat cheese and whey—all paired nicely with a 2009 Müller Thurgau from Abbazia di Novacella, Alto Adige, Italy. The next wave of shared plates were duck paté; romano beans, fingerling potatoes, corn, basil flower buds and fried chicken livers, aioli, lemon, chopped endive, washed down with a 2010 Massican, Tocai/Ribolla Gialla Blend from Napa. I still can’t believe that wine was from Napa such restraint and minerality with a strong acid backbone. The next course (we did finally order one of the entrées) was the chicken paprikas and the kohlrabi salad. With this course Alex recommend the 2009 Diochon “Moulin-à-Vent”, Cru Beaujolais. Perfect companion. Even though we all agreed we couldn’t eat one more bite nor drink another drop, we ordered the Turo cheese tart, buckwheat, strawberry & caraway honey and the fried peach pierogies. Alex selected one glass of the 2008 Roccolo Grassi, La Broi, Recioto di Soave. All of our palates were in heaven, humming a lovely tune. I can’t wait for my next visit to to Bar Tartine and dive into Alex’s wine menu and Chef Balla’s unique cuisine. One trip will nourish you in more ways than one. Michael Pollan, the author of Food Rules, In Defense of Food, The Omnivore’s Dilemma and many other books about the natural world and our place in it, was honored by the Institute of Health and Healing in San Francisco this month when he received the 2011 Pioneer of Integrative Medicine award. Michael, through his writing and lectures, focuses on the industrial way most people find their food and how it is at odds with the natural world. On this special night, Michael sat down for a discussion about his food philosophy "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." A seemingly simple statement, but when put into practice takes a great deal of thought and effort. This was a riveting discussion that touched on wide ranging topics, from the cost of health care to farm subsidies and policy change headed by the military, because now there are too many recruits who fail the fitness exam. Inspired from Michael’s words, I would like to present my wine philosophy: “Drink wine. Not too much. Mostly from small vintners." In the wine world you have similar choices as with food. I vote with my selections and support the smaller vintners and focus especially on the organic producers. After all, wine is an agricultural product, first and foremost. Not all small vintners make exceptional wine, so you do have to be selective, but I do feel a connection to where the wine comes from. From the first time I tasted the wines from Montenidoli, I knew I had to meet the person who made the wine. When I did finally get to meet the incredible Elisabetta, the complexity and essence of the wine made perfect sense for me, on the palate and in my mind. Her soul and approach to the land is reflected in the wine. A truly impressive statement. As a consumer, you have many options when making your food and wine choices. I would urge you to use your power as a consumer to cast your vote. Yes, you can buy Two-Buck-Chuck but maybe you can drink a little less and buy a $10 bottle from a small producer. I suspect your enjoyment level will be much higher. If you are interested in the incredible ways the Institute of Health and Healing are helping people through alternative medicine please visit www.myhealthandhealling.org. Maybe you will be inspired to donate an incredibly worthy cause. If you are not already familiar with Michael’s work, visit his website michaelpollan.com. I just finished reading his book on gardening Second Nature. It gave me many things to think about as I am about to landscape my front and back yards. Three years have passed, but it seems like just yesterday when I met the amazing Elisabetta Fagioli of Montenidoli. In 2008, my daughter and I went to San Gimignano, where she hosted us for a glorious lunch, an equally amazing dinner that night, Sunday morning church the next day and then an off-road expedition of her estate and vineyards. It was a visit to remember! After our trip, the economy went south and her wines haven't been available on the West Coast until now. We will be featuring some of her wines this month and also next month. The doyenne of Tuscany is “back in the house!" If you want to taste a white wine from Tuscany that has presence, you must reach for one of Elisabetta’s wines. They universally have depth and complexity and truly reflect the land and woman behind the curtain. This year one of my colleagues went to NY for the Vino2011 and was able to present to Elisabetta a painting my daughter made for her after our trip. Alex did an oil painting of Elisabetta’s wondrous vernaccia grapes at age 11. I feel so blessed to have met such a life force and talented winemaker. She is one of those people that you know is so exceptional that you are fortunate if you meet just one person like her in your lifetime—truly inspirational. Yes, I am still under her spell. Here is the link to the previous post with pictures: We survived the holidays in our MAJOR construction zone, thanks to great friends and family. Let’s just say it was a Charlie Brown kind of Christmas, complete with a pathetic fake tree.
Gourmet Round Up #1 We had the pleasure of dining at RN74 and Michael Mina’s new space (at his old space of Aqua). While RN74 left us wanting more, Michael Mina’s was solid. So much so, that despite the price tag, I can’t wait to return and have the lobster pot pie. With the first course we had Marisa Cuomo Falanghina Ravello, Costa D’Amalfi 2009 from Italy and it carried the appetizers with ease and paired well with the crab tortellini with lobster sauce. Next, the sommelier, Jenna Boyer, steered us to the Can Blau, Montsant 2008 from Spain. This workhorse of a wine paired well with the lobster pot pie, the rack of lamb and the crispy fish two ways. It just goes to show you that you don’t need to reach for the most expensive wines on the list nor are you limited to white with fish. Jenna then poured us a Royal Tokaji le Puttonyos “Betsek” 2000 from Hungary. The citrus butterscotch notes with pleasant acidity worked with the lighter desserts but not the chocolates. None the less, the dessert wine had amazing complexity and could have been dessert itself. Gourmet Round Up #2 My lovely husband knows me well. While our remodel should have been a present itself, he surprised me on Christmas Eve with a white truffle. I quickly whipped up an upscale mac and cheese (fettuccine with Robliatta cheese) and shaved the truffles atop for our first course that night. Our white Côtes du Rhônes paired marvelously with the whole dish. If you ever have a chance to indulge in white truffles, here is my approach for a wine pairing. You need a wine that doesn’t mind playing second fiddle and being a backdrop. So first off, an aromatic wine is out... so no Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, or Gewürztraminer on its own. Second, you want some body to fully give the truffle support. In our case the Marsanne & Roussane was perfect amount of body and acid level. Next time, I might try a Bordeaux Blanc or white Burgundy. Gourmet Round Up #3 We enjoyed many meals at close friends: A tequila/tamale feast, a crab dinner and an elegant Christmas dinner. We are so blessed to have so many great friends and even more blessed to have friends who love to entertain and know how to cook! So, 2011 will be a great year (once we are past the remodel) and I look forward to sharing more wine and culinary moments with you. Don’t forget to friend us on Facebook and share some of your wine and culinary moments on our wall! Cheers, Angela Camacho Hello, I bet you've been wondering where I've been. With the holidays, high school applications and a major remodel, my blog unfortunately had to take a back burner. I'll be back soon with more of my adventures in wine and food. In the mean time, here are some photos from my recent trip up to Napa! Inspiration can come in many forms. Yes, wine has some hedonistic values and you can seem to be inspired under its influence, but that's not what this story is about. This is about an amazing man named Vince Mulroy who has left us but still inspires me and many others. I met Vince Mulroy about 10 years ago over a project when we consulted for several months about which wines to give an amazing and talented mutual friend for her 50th birthday. Over time, my husband and I became much better acquainted with Vince and his equally gracious wife, Anne. I was given the opportunity to help manage his personal wine cellar and grow our friendship. Vince was always there to make you laugh, mentor you if needed or just be present with you. You knew you were blessed when you received a random email from him where he was checking in with you. He had an incredible gift with the written word where his wit and intellect came off with ease and humbleness—a rare combination. Vince worked tirelessly with a start-up non-profit group called Mama Hope. Mama Hope is an organization that's helping communities in Africa under the leadership of the Nyla Rogers (another amazing force of nature). As their website states: "We have a unique approach to development where we work directly with communities and take a consultative approach to help these organizations to implement sustainable projects which are then built, managed and maintained by the communities they serve. The rest of the development effort comes from the community itself - not a government, an agency, or a bureaucracy." So what does Vince and Mama Hope have to do with wine? The answer comes from a new wine series called Rarecat Lionheart Sauvignon Blanc. John and Sharon Harris, owners of Rarecat Wines in Napa, were friends of Vince's and decided to start a new line that would benefit charities. As their website desribes the line: “Our Lionheart series is dedicated each year to a true rare cat, an individual who touches the lives of others, and supports the charity of their choice. Our inspiration and first honoree is Vincent Mulroy who was a great supporter of Mama Hope. A percentage of the profits from sales of this wine and from the release event will be donated to Mama Hope with the goal of raising $20,000 for a boarding school in rural Tanzania and for funding a new mentoring program.” I know it sounds corny, but it's an amazing thing to see how one man’s spirit has impacted and moved people to make this world a better place. Of course, if Vince was here, he would be ever so humble and not want any credit. He would probably mutter something about why on earth would people listen to someone as deranged as him, but all the while everyone around him was the wiser. I won’t be selling the Lionheart series on my website, as the profits need to go to Mama Hope. So if the spirit moves\ you, visit Rarecat’s website and just buy one bottle or donate directly to Mama Hope. The wine is stunning and of inspired complexity. Mama Hope Rarecat Wines: Lionheart Series Okay, I'm busted. I haven’t blogged in a bit, and that's because I've been, well, preoccupied with things than food and wine. Like the major construction project on our home, which lead to us having to abruptly move out. Apparently, the house was not connected to the sewer line. Thankfully, our very generous friends let us stay at their place in Santa Rosa while they were on vacation. The home was calm, spacious and very relaxing, but the 2 weeks of an 3 hour round-trip commute started wear on me.
I’ll spare you the details of the dreaded commute, but basically it did me in. At the end of our stay in Santa Rosa, one of my husband’s good friends very generously hand carried two LIVE lobsters back from Vancouver for us. So there I was driving back and forth from Santa Rosa and San Francisco with two live lobsters in the back of my car, trying to figure out where and when we were going to eat them. A lobster tip: if you ever need to keep a lobster alive for a few days, layer wet newspapers above and below them in the crate, and of course, store them in the refrigerator. So picture this...there I was driving back to San Francisco the last time. The car was packed up with our laundry, groceries, my dog Frank in a crate and of course...the two LIVE lobsters, scratching and clicking in their box, which lead to Frank barking like crazy, all while driving down Highway 101. I just had to laugh at the absurdity of it all. I thought, only I would be caught in this ridiculous situation. We ended at a friend’s home that night for Mexican food and lobster, since the sewer problems at home were still not fixed. Our host had the honor of killing the lobsters and grilling them. With the sacrifice of my lobster traveling companions, our sewer problems were all solved the next day. So, next time you see me, you can call me, “The Sewerless Lobster Killer” or SLK for short. Pairing info: Lobster pairing: You want a white wine that has enough body to support the richness of lobster and also has minerality to it. I would reach for a White Burgundy (especially if grilled), Chablis, or a White Bordeaux. Alternatively, for those people who want to cut the richness, reach for a Sancerre. In this month's selections, try the 2008 Adegas Eidos Albarino Eidos de Padrinan Rias Baixas, Spain. House remodeling pairing: Gallons of inexpensive country wine from the south of France or try some hard booze of your choice.
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AuthorAngela Camacho, a certified sommelier and author of a best selling wine tool, The Wine Wheel®, shares her obsession with wine and food. Archives
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