Foodie Friends 60506 Foodie Friends 61306 Foodie Friends 62006
For Those Foodie Friends of Ours
By Tom Luther
Foodie Editor
A taste of Marin County Pinot Noirs to benefit MALT
Do you know about Marin County’s wineries? You have an opportunity to taste Marin Pinot Noir wines on Friday & Saturday, June 9 & 10, from 5-8 PM (with complimentary valet parking) at the oldest winery in Marin County, Escalle Winery. The event will benefit the non-profit Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT). The event will showcase Marin’s newest breed of boutique Pinot Noirs. Escalle was established in 1881 at 771 Magnolia Avenue near downtown Larkspur but no longer produces wine and is rarely open to the public. A complimentary private tasting for credentialed media & trade between 3-5 PM will precede the fundraising celebration.
Marin winegrower Jonathan Pey of Pey-Marin Vineyards noted, “Last year’s event was so well attended that we added an additioanl day to allow more Pinot enthusiasts to enjoy Marin’s wine & food bounty and to support a cause that is critical to Marin County - its agricultural viability.”
The limited production Marin County Pinot Noirs, carefully crafted in the chilly, remote coastal vineyards of western Marin County include marquee names and some of America’s most promising new faces: Corda Winery, Dutton-Goldfield, Pey-Marin Vineyards, Pt. Reyes Vineyard, Stubbs Vineyard, Sean Thackrey and Vision Cellars.
This collaborative effort of Marin winegrowers, North Coast Grape Growers and this leading non-profit organization will also feature a variety of artisan cheeses & other delicious foods – all grown on the family farms of Marin County. Tickets for the fundraiser must be purchased in advance from MALT at www.malt.org or 415.663.1158 ($40 per person, $30 for MALT members) and may be tax deductible. Trade and credentialed media should RSVP to Jonathan Pey at 415.455.9463 or info@marinwines.com
The 30th anniversary of the wine tasting that shook the world of wine
The 30th anniversary of the most famous wine tasting in history, the “Judgment of Paris,” was simultaneously and jubilantly recreated today at COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts and Berry Bros. & Rudd, in association with Steven Spurrier—wine writer, author and creator of the original event.
The Tasting that Changed the Wine World: “The Judgment of Paris” 30th Anniversary brought together two panels of wine aficionados—one at COPIA in California’s renowned Napa Valley, the other at Berry Bros. & Rudd in London. The results from the recreation of the original Judgment of Paris tasting proved that California wines have the ability to age as well as their French counterparts, scoring Ridge California Cabernet Sauvignon 1971 as the unanimous choice for both the US and UK panelists. In addition, the top five scoring wines in the recreation were all from California, with Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 ranking second (winner of the 1976 Judgment of Paris), Heitz Martha’s Vineyard 1970 and Mayacamas 1971 tied for third, and Clos du Val 1972 rounding out the top five.
“It’s absolutely wonderful that California wines have shown that they can age as well as Bordeaux wines,” says Steven Spurrier, who put on the original tasting in honor of the bicentennial of the American Revolution. “Today’s event was most amazing—the link between California and UK has been extraordinary and uplifting.”
“It really felt like a celebration,” says Peter Marks MW, Copia Director of Wines and an official panelist for today’s tasting. “It’s well known that French wines have stood the test of time for centuries, and it’s wonderful to confirm that California wines have the ability to age gracefully, as well.”
At Copia the nine California panelists included Dan Berger, Anthony Dias Blue, Stephen Brook, Wilfred Jaeger, Peter Marks MW, Paul Roberts MS, Andrea Immer Robinson MS, Jean-Michel Valette MW and Christian Vanneque, one of the original judges from the 1976 tasting. Patricia Gastaud-Gallagher served as the USA Panel Chair. Special guest George Taber, author of ‘Judgment of Paris: California vs. France and the 1976 Paris Tasting that Revolutionized Wine’, was also in attendance.
At Berry Bros. & Rudd, the pre-eminent European contingent included France’s Michel Bettane, Britain’s Michael Broadbent MW, Michel Dovaz, Hugh Johnson, Matthew Jukes, Jane MacQuitty, Jasper Morris MW, Jancis Robinson OBE MW and Brian St. Pierre at Berry Bros. & Rudd. Steven Spurrier served as the UK Panel Chair.
The panelists simultaneously swirled, sniffed, sipped and spat their way through a blind tasting of the original reds sampled at the legendary tasting in Paris, then worked their way through a comparative tasting of younger vintages of red and white wines from the same and similar estates.
The Real Dirt on Farmer John (the movie)
My Slow Foodie friend Gibson Thomas tells me that there is a must see foodie movie out called ‘The Real Dirt on Farmer John.’ This is an epic tale of a maverick Midwestern farmer who is an outcast in his community. Farmer John bravely stands amidst a failing economy, vicious rumors, and violence. By melding the traditions of family farming with the power of art and free expression, this powerful story of transformation and renewal heralds a resurrection of farming in America. Screenings nightly at 7:15 and 9:35 pm Please join Farmer John in person for post-screening Q & A and book signing for these special screenings of the 20-time award-winning documentary Monday, June 5th – Tuesday, June 6th, at the Red Vic Movie House on Haight St. in San Francisco.
Here are what some of the notable film critics say in their reviews: “3.5 out of 4 stars. A loving, moving, inspiring, quirky documentary,” Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times; "The Real Dirt on Farmer John" examines 50-odd years in the life of its eponymous subject -- a most compelling character. Suffused with a soulful optimism as vast as the fruited plains,” Scott Foundas, Variety; “One of the Top Ten Films of the Year. As funny, heart stirring and hopeful in turns as any fictional feature.” Shawn Levy, The Oregonian. “HHHH Lives up to the salaciousness of its title, packing ‘60s radicalism, free love and suspicions of Satanic worship (seriously) into its plight-of-the-working-man narrative… feels natural, yet surprises at every turn,” Adam Nayman, Toronto Eye Weekly. “HHHH An inspiring resurrection story,” Stefan Gruenwedel, SFStation.com. “A beguiling combination of agrarian ode and the Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test.” J.R. Jones, Chicago Reader. "I loved this outrageous film! Engaging, moving and highly entertaining,” Audrey Philpot, Malibu Chronicle. “An inexplicably compelling portrait of a low-key Midwestern eccentric. It may not sound like much, but the film’s oddball charm can melt a die-hard hippie-haters heart,” Cliff Doerksen, Time Out (Chicago). “HHHH An enjoyable look at an unconventional American,” Walter Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle. “Full of curious triumphs and outlandish redemptions,” Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune. “A touching, humorous portrait of an eccentric farmer…giddy, heartfelt work,” Ray Pride, New City. “A film rich with sadness, joy and a renewed love of life,” Joshua Tanzer, OffOffOff.com. “Unbelievably special…a real and gripping story with insight and humor,” Al Gore, former Vice-President. “A Charming, wonderful and important movie,” Alice Waters, Chef and Advocate. “I love this film and have found myself talking about it almost daily since I saw it. Farmer John is a compelling and complex character whose story will open your heart, break it, and then fill it with a redemptive vision. Along the way, you’ll get an education about the joys and curses of farm life and the issues farmers are grappling with,” Nina Utne, Utne Reader. “The film evolves into a deeply moving metaphor for the struggles of an entire generation. His triumphant story is essential for all us city folk who have found ourselves despairing for the earth and what has seemed like our inevitable alienation from it.” Mark Achbar, director, The Corporation
Awards And Honors: International Documentary Festival of Amsterdam (IDFA) – Third Place in Audience Award (out of 165 films). Slow Food on Film – Golden Snail Jury Award. San Francisco International Film Festival – Golden Gate Jury Award
Slamdance Film Festival – Audience Award. Newport International Film Festival – Grand Jury Award. Chicago Int'l Documentary Festival – Audience Award Nashville Film Festival – Grand Jury Award Nashville Film Festival – Reel Current Award (selected by Al Gore) Santa Cruz Film Festival – Festival Director’s Award
Wisconsin Film Festival – Grand Jury Award.
I’ll see you foodies there.
For Those Foodie Friends of Ours
By Tom Luther
Foodie Editor
Foodie thought to ponder: If a food processor slices and dices food, what does a word processor do? Do viruses ever get sick? Can you tell that spring and summer fever has hit me all at once? The number and diversity of foodie events is overwhelming. The whole world is into foodie things. So with spring comes new restaurants. We are fortunate that restaurateurs from around the world are attracted to Marin.
An authentic taste of the Middle East at Falafel Hut in San Rafael
The newest restaurant in Marin is in San Rafael, on restaurant row on Fourth St. across from the Rafael Film Center. Falafel Hut opened on May 26, the creation of Salem Shawa, a veteran restaurateur from San Francisco. He has owned and operated Green Pepper on Gough St and Black Tea in the Broadway St. area of San Francisco. His chef is from Turkey and is also from San Francisco. Salem’s heritage is Egytian and Palestinian. Their knowledge and experience gives us another choice of Middle Eastern food in addition to Westside Café and Market just a few doors up the street. Falafel Hut is a welcome addition to the Marin culinary scene as well.
Everything is authentic starting with their falafel, tabouli salad, baba ganoush, eggplant salad, yogurt (with mint), chicken and spinach pies (in two shapes: round and square). But this is not just a sandwich place – their specialty is Shawerma – one of my favorite foodie things. Traditional Shawerma is lamb or beef or chicken cooked on a vertical rotisserie so that the meat is slow cooked and is actually brought to your table and sliced right in your presence and then returned to the cooking process. Presently their Shawerma is thin marinated slices of lamb and beef served with tomatoes, parsley, seasoned onions and tahini sauce on lavash bread. The permit for the traditional shawerma rotisserie is in the final stages. Chicken shawerma is now on the menu. They also make another one of my favorites-kebabs –ground lamb, beef and chicken. They are different - you’ll have to try them to see what I mean.
The dessert menu is tempting if you love the taste of honey. Among my favorite pastries are baklava and kataif – the perfect combination with Turkish coffee, another one of their specialties. Or perhaps you’re into fresh juices – try their fresh carrot or orange juice or their ginger beer.
Falafel Hut is quaint and the setting couldn’t be more inviting if you like small, intimate spaces either inside or on the sidewalk-café style tables outside. You can’t just gulp a Turkish coffee like a Starbucks, so it’s perfect for people watching. They’re located at 1109 Fourth St. (the former Orange Julius/Dairy Queen) and are open seven days. Their number is 259-0440.
First Wine, Now Olive Oil: California Rockets to World’s “Top 10”
California wine ranks among the best in the world. Now California premium olive oil does, too. Competing against 750 high-end oils produced primarily in France, Italy, Spain and Greece, Apollo Olive Oil from Yuba earned a coveted spot in the world’s “top ten” during a prestigious international olive oil competition.
Results of the third annual OLIO 2006, sponsored by Der Feinschmecker (a leading food and wine publication in Europe) and conducted by the celebrated Italian tasting panel I Mastri Oleari. were announced at a special awards ceremony in Munich, Germany on May 13, 2006.
“Apollo Olive Oil received recognition in this extremely important – and somewhat severe – worldwide olive oil tasting competition,” said Darrell Corti, president of Corti Brothers, who serves as chairman of the highly regarded Los Angeles County Fair olive oil tasting competition. “The entire experience is reminiscent of 1976 in Paris when California’s young wine industry stunned the world by finishing ahead of French wines. Now, olive oil from California has given the world a new reason to try it and take notice.”
Like the great olive oil producers based in the Mediterranean, the producers of Apollo Olive Oil grow their own trees, hand-pick the fruit, process the oil, and bottle it on-site at their mill in Northern California’s Yuba County. Along with a steadfast focus on quality, it is a highly sophisticated vacuum milling system that really sets Apollo Olive Oil apart.
In fact, Apollo is the only producer in the United States currently using this particular method that significantly limits exposure to oxygen during the milling process – which is the key to producing oil extraordinarily high in antioxidants and quality. The system is so specialized that only a handful of them are in use in the entire world. With this system and an ideal climate for cultivating olive trees, a tightly-knit group of artisans create a high-quality oil that has a high level of polyphenols, which both enhances its intense flavors and elevates its healthy attributes.
“We are striving to be consummate craftsmen, connected to the soil and what it brings forth, and committed to extracting every last ounce of essence at the mill. Our mission is to create oils absolutely true to the terroir, and at the highest quality level possible,” said Steven Dambeck, Apollo grower/miller/owner. “This recent commendation is a true honor and a powerful validation that our oil--crafted in a tiny corner of the Sierra Foothills--is the nation’s industry leader when it comes to premium olive oil.”
The Apollo estate is comprised of 3,000 older trees dating back to 1878, plus more than 4,000 younger trees imported from the great oil-producing regions of the Mediterranean. The large number of olive varieties (44) provides an extraordinary range of flavors, and all of the resultant oils--100 percent cold-extracted under vacuum--have deep varietal character.
In addition to its success at the world tasting competition in Europe, Apollo Olive Oil was also recently honored closer to home during the 67th Annual L.A. County Fair “Wines of the World” Competition. The Sierra blend was recognized with a Gold Medal while the Mistral, a blend of Provencal varieties, was awarded Gold Medal, “Best of Class.”
Wine events website for the dedicated wineophile
How many times have you found yourself looking for a really cool local wine event, wine education class, boutique wine shop or friendly wine club in your area? Or searched for wine events in destinations you plan on traveling to? After spending needless time searching inefficiently, you find very little or, worse, nothing more fun than visiting the local grocery store’s wine department. Or you could type www.LocalWineEvents.com into your browser and find it all at your fingertips.
LocalWineEvents.com was created in 2000 by wine industry veteran Eric Orange. The idea for the website had occurred to Eric when he was working as a wholesale wine representative. “I would show up to do a wine dinner with the restaurant and no one would be there. This happened in every city I would travel to! Restaurants and wine purveyors did not know how to get the word out,” states Orange.
Today the website receives over 9 million hits a month, and it ranks as one of the top search engine results for wine-related searches. Also featured are almost 2,000 web links to various wine, spirits, food and wine education websites. Over 55,000 events have been posted to date with new events being added daily. “There are exciting events going on all of the time,” says Orange.
Users browse the site for free and no registration is required. LocalWineEvents.com offers a user-friendly city search feature in the state or country of your choice, making it easy to find out what’s going on in your part of the world. Once you have selected the specific city, you simply choose those events of interest or select the subject pages such as “Wine & Food Educators,” “BYOB Restaurants” or “Food, Wine and Lodging” located at the top of the city webpage. LocalWineEvents.com users may also sign up to receive “The Juice” newsletter and e-mails about local wine events happening in their area.
Zinposium at the new Meritage Hotel
The second Zinposium will take place at The Meritage Hotel in Napa. The evening of July 7 will be a “refresher” course on the uniqueness of Zinfandel, in a walk-around format with wines presented by appellation. The session on Saturday will include a number of seminars, breakout sessions and speakers, like “Zin Takes the Heat: Debunking the Myths,” moderated by Karen MacNeil, during which Paul Draper (Winemaker, Ridge Vineyards) and Joel Peterson (Winemaker, Ravenswood) will discuss the ageability of Zinfandel, while presenting mini-verticals of their own wines to illustrate their points. Attendees will choose amongst a number of different wineries as the host venues for “Zinmaker Dinners.” On Sunday, they will visit vineyards in the morning in small groups and then join together for a closing ‘Zinday’ at The Heritage Vineyard in Oakville. Tickets are $295 per person for members of the trade and $375 for ZAP Advocates (the Saturday dinner is $85 extra for both). A consumer can join ZAP (The Association of Zinfandel Advocates & Producers) at the time they purchase tickets. Call 530-274-4900 for more information or visit Zinfandel.org. The Meritage Hotel, 875 Bordeaux Way, Napa, 707-259-0633.
Cheers, fellow foodies.
For Those Foodie Friends of Ours
By Tom Luther
Foodie Editor
New Finnegan’s: old Americana ambiance in Novato
So where do you go to hang out in Novato? This was the question many people asked. There was no there, there. (Remember that old quote about Oakland?). Now there is a there in Novato. Finnegan’s the name and hangin’ out is the game.
Opened just in time for the Novato Art, Wine, Food and Music Festival June 10th and 11th, the new Finnegan’s was a welcome sight for the cool folks of Novato needing a social diversion. It was so successful that the overflow crowd spilled onto the street, thereby attracting the attention of the local gendarmes. They knew the place only too well as the old Bit O’ Honey, another kind of hangout – for the biker folks – and the source of much unwanted attention. This time it was the local social set and they wanted no part of a riot. So everyone agreed to a peaceful solution and the place was closed at 7.
Such an infamous opening is the setting for a Hemingway novel – maybe Tom Wolfe? Or a song by Chris Isaack. How about Jimmy Buffet’s tune Margaritaville? This is a Jules Broussard kind of place. This place has Cheers written all over it. Or a melodramatic scene in Sex and the City? The place could easily be a setting for a boy meets girl chic flick.
The room is so visually stimulating once you’re past the bland, blend in with the rest of the street exterior that you get the feeling that you’ve just entered the twilight zone. It reminds me of so many bars from my college days back East from way back when – but this place is only a few days old – so where am I? Penn State? Michigan? Notre Dame? Villanova?
Novato? How can this be? My mind has a hard time with this so I go back outside to get reoriented. Looking in the big window next to the door I see lots of people at the long bar along one side of the room and in the booths along the other side of the room. Walking back inside the noise of the voices drowns out my thoughts and I decide to sit and have a drink and ponder what this place reminds me of.
The prodigious wood – the floor, the bar, the back bar, the booths reminds me of so many bars all over the country that will stimulate all those who enter. “This is the intent of Finnegan’s design,” says Henry Hautau, co-owner of Finnigan’s and Kitchen across the street. “My grandfather and uncle owned a bar in Burgen County, New Jersey called P J Finnegan’s, which is just across the George Washington Bridge from New York City. I grew up there and went to college at Villanova. I wound up in the stocks and bonds business and always wanted to have a small bar like the one my grandfather had – so here I am. My son is named Finnegan as well.”
The menu is California casual American grill meets Irish pub including appetizers, salads, sandwiches, pasta, fish, steak and desserts. A few of their specialties include ‘Smoke House Wings’ (Remember Buffaloes don’t fly) says the appetizers menu; BBQ Pork Po’Boy on the sandwiches menu; Fish and Chips (Guinness Beer battered Atlantic Cod) on the entrée menu and IPA Ice Cream on the dessert menu.
“Our wine list will feature wines by the glass and be a mix of local Marin and Sonoma and Napa wines as well as other California regions,” adds Mark Edwards, gm and managing partner. “We will have unique wines on our list such as Heslip, a local Novato winemaker who makes excellent Sangiovese, Syrah and a blend of the two known as ‘Melange a Trois’ on the label. Our wine prices will be very reasonable, in the $6 - $12 range.”
“Our team of restaurant industry experts is led by Lance Taylor, Executive Chef,” says Edwards. “Lance is from Byram, New Jersey and worked at the famous Grafton Inn in Vermont and the Boarshead Inn, Virginia, one of the only four star and four diamond establishments in the U.S. He also contributed to a cooking team at the famous James Beard House. He was working in the catering business with Sylvia Andrews of Delicious Catering in San Rafael when we met him,” Edwards tells me. “Front of the House Manager is Gerlinde Durakovic whose background includes Insalata’s, Left Bank and Seafood Peddler in Marin and Waterfront and Chaya Brasserie in SF.”
“Jason Hoffman, Executive Chef at Kitchen, our restaurant across the street, also contributes his expertise to our team,” reveals Edwards. “Jason’s background includes La Folie, Waterfront, Cliff House, Azie, in SF and Insalata’s in San Anselmo.
Hoffman tells me that when he became the chef at Kitchen he felt like he was at home. “I realized my ideal is this size restaurant – about 45-50 seats in an intimate room that is not ostentatious. I enjoy being creative and making our customers happy. We have regular customers, so it must be working. Some of our more popular menu items are the scallops, Carolina prawns, calamari and the rib eye steak,” he adds.
This makes Grant Ave. and old town Novato the new scene for people watching in Marin. Not to mention dining from casual chic to elegant including some of the best coffee and breakfast places around the county. I’ll see you foodies there.
A new award winning Marin wine
At the ‘Taste of Sausalito’ event during the Caledonia St. Festival I discovered a new winemaker who calls Marin home. His name is Steve Marsh and Bridgeway Cellars is his soon to be famous label. His Sonoma County Zinfandel won a Gold Medal (94 points), at the prestigious California State Fair. His Bridgeway Napa Valley 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon won a Gold Medal at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.
“I established Bridgeway Cellars three years ago to produce and market “Fine wines at affordable prices,” explains Steve Marsh. “With all of the wines, I attempt to achieve true varietal and regional character, overall balance, and a moderate price point – around the $20 range.”
Bridgeway Cellars is operating under a negociant model, purchasing bulk wine and blending to achieve the desired characteristics. Blending, final cellar treatment, and bottling is completed at the Laird Family Estate winery in Napa. Consulting winemaker is Alison Green Doran, who first learned winemaking as a teenage apprentice to Andre Tschelicheff. She served as winemaker at Firestone Winery for many years, before returning to her native North Coast and establishing her consulting practice. Her other clients include Jade Mountain, Acorn, Crane Family, Hill Estate, Romeo, Nelson Estate, and Levendi.
“I have been a wine consumer, wine collector, and home wine maker for 30 years,” says Steve Marsh. “Although my first job out of college was as a tour guide at the old Inglenook Winery and I was accepted to a masters program at UC Davis to study winemaking (after a degree in Biology from UC Santa Cruz), I decided that a career in the wine industry was not particularly attractive. For most of the last 20 years I worked in finance related occupations, the last twelve as a business appraiser. (I have an MBA from UCLA with an emphasis in finance.) Although I considered opportunities in the wine industry at several points in my career, I was always scared off by the daunting economics of the industry – it’s very capital intensive with relatively low returns. Eventually I reached a decision that it was time to follow my passion and Bridgeway Cellars was born.”
He also makes a 2003 Syrah Central Coast that is 70% Syrah, Paso Robles 15% Syrah, Santa Barbara County 11% Syrah, Sonoma Valley 4% Viognier, Napa Valley. The Cabernet Sauvignon is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, 9% Petit Verdot, Napa Valley, 6.5% Merlot, Napa Valley, 6.5% Cabernet Franc, Bennett Valley. The Zinfandel is 100% Zinfandel, from a selection of Sonoma County vineyards, all over 80 years old. The vines are dry farmed and head pruned, with very low yields.
Contact him at 339-1300 or look him up at his website www.Bridgewaycellars.com
The dirt on Zinfandel
Zinfandel was for many years somewhat of a mystery grape, as far as its origins are concerned. Recent research in Croatia and at the University of California at Davis, using DNA profiling, has proved Zinfandel is a clone of the Croatian variety Crljenak. While it had been theorized that Zinfandel's genetic twin, the Italian Primitivo, was the source, this grape also originally mutated from Crljenak. Further research may indicate the very first plantings migrated from Albania or Greece.
The foodie world is a mysterious world.