Big Things in Small Packages
Things don’t have to be big to be great. Often a small gesture is more appreciated than a more expansive, attention getting one. I relish a magnum of wine with a group of friends but, with a one on one...
View ArticleThe Little Things…
VAM! It lurks underground. It can be abused or nurtured but it is mostly ignored. You can’t see it when you take in the view of Napa Valley, though it benefits all living things. The vines, trees,...
View ArticleThe Slow Act of Fermentation
Baking bread is my zen time; it slows my roll and gives me time to think. When I’m in bread-baking mode it’s hard for me to make just one loaf so, much to Rob’s chagrin, I’ll double or quadruple the...
View ArticleThe Pinot of Our Fathers
A brief history of Pinot Noir It was a mysterious enigma. It could be aloof or sublime, sexy or austere. You didn’t know what you would get or the mood it would be in when you opened the bottle. Its...
View ArticlePickled
Pickled – a loaded word of many meanings. My favorite definition involves harvesting vegetables during the bounty of their season and pickling them so they can be enjoyed throughout the year. The...
View ArticleOrgia Redux
A Trip Through Time Bellies full after a leisurely Florentine lunch of Pici, Polpettine, Pollo Alla Griglia, Insalata, Spinaci, Pane e Olio d’Oliva, and a bottle or two of Ramato Pinot Grigio, the...
View ArticleA Different Stroke
I like to think outside the box when creating a dish for a wine. Seasonality is foremost – I don’t like to force ingredients from another season into the recipe just because they’re a sure match for a...
View ArticleThe Teacher…
the slackers and the school farm! He was imposing for a little guy. His no-nonsense, 1960’s suit filled out with a sturdiness that not only hinted at his powerful physique but revealed his personality....
View ArticleA Not-So-Simple Life!
I remember watching Green Acres on TV when I was very young, which makes me well on my way to being very old. The absurdity of taking a thoroughly citified woman and plunking her down on a farm to...
View ArticleThe Rusty Grape…
and Rusty the Steer! The lumbering bovine was not afraid… and why should he be? After all, he outweighs me by nearly 2,000 pounds. Yet he approached with a gentleness I would expect of a canine...
View ArticleDepth of Flavor
I love to eat simply, and simple to me means two or three main ingredients prepared in a way that brings out the greatest depth of flavor. For a tomato sauce, it is important to choose high-quality...
View ArticleThe Guardians of Wilding…
5,000 years in the making! It was a deceptively quiet morning. Kari, RSVnapa’s farming operations manager, noticed the sheep clustered in the corner of the paddock. They didn’t run over to greet the...
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