Pappa al Pomodoro – Our try at making this traditional Tuscan soup

Pappa al Pomodoro

I took loads of photographs at the demo and also watched a YouTube video that one of the follow bloggers made, but I had to do some guesswork on the exact amounts of all ingredients. Here is my take on how to prepare and cook this wonderful soup, perfecto for these cold winter months.

Recipes from Wine County – Sonoma

Last time we highlighted recipes and wine pairings from the Napa Valley. Now it’s time for recipes from Napa Valley’s neighbor, the great Sonoma Wine Country. The wine towns of Healdsburg and Sonoma are culinary centers, and their respect is worldwide. Sonoma is a big County with wineries in many different wine appellations. From the … Read more

Recipes from Wine Country – Napa Valley

Many of us are cooking at home. We are learning, creating, and wine pairing. One of our favorite ways to discover recipes and match with a bottle of wine are recipes from wine country. Many wineries provide fantastic recipes on their Websites. We will start with the Napa Valley and see which dishes are worthy … Read more

Verjus and Kokomo

Verjus made by Kokomo

These are two words you most likely do not have in your wine vocabulary. So what exactly are Verjus and Kokomo? Verjus is a French term that translates into “green juice.” It is a product of wine grapes that are not fully ripe. The grapes are also not fermented. Verjus is acidic and, therefore, a … Read more

In Search of the Perfect Fig Pizza

oat cheese and pistachio pesto.

This is fig season so why not try making a perfect fig pizza in your oven or on the BBQ grill. I got this recipe for fig pizza thanks to Chef Matt Paille, who created this pizza during his stint at the Manzinata Restaurant in Healdsburg. It really is a fabulous and delicious pizza even … Read more

Santa Barbara Fisherwoman Stephanie Mutz

fisher woman stpehanie

At the recent Wine Bloggers Conference in the Santa Barbara Wine Country, a small group of bloggers enjoyed a wonderful visit to the Bridlewood Estate Winery in the Santa Ynez AVA.  The entrance to the winery is impressive, with its Spanish Mission style of architecture.  Our Apple Basket lunch of local sandwiches and salads was … Read more

Happy Thanksgiving and How to Carve a Turkey

But for me, the most difficult task on this day is carving the turkey. I do two things to get this right. I have my two knives sharpened at our local hardware store and I watch this video on Thursday morning.

In Search of the Perfect Paella — Gerard the Paella Guy

Soon after returning from a visit to Spain in the Spring of 1994 I began my trials and tribulations of attempting to cook the perfect Paella dish. Here we are some 15 years later and even though I think I make a seriously good Paella, I am still trying to master this famous Spanish meal. This past Saturday I learned interesting tips and tricks from one of the best-known Paella celebrities around, chef Gerard Nebesky. Every weekend, he and his crew cook up huge Paella dishes for events throughout Sonoma and Napa Counties and even beyond. Gerard was cooking at the annual Vendemmia party at Montemaggiore Winery in the Dry Creek Valley and I was lucky to be one of the invited guests. Lise and Vince Ciolino, owners of Montemaggiore, had about 120 guests at their home to celebrate the harvest with their wines and Gerard’s delicious Paella.

Read more

In Search of the Perfect Barbecue Pizza

A couple of years ago I took at BBQ cooking class from Jamie Purviance, the author of several Weber cookbooks. Jamie showed us how to cook up a pizza on the grill, something I never thought was possible. Since then I have been hooked and now prefer a BBQ pizza to one made in the … Read more