Best Local Wineries for Tasting, Picnics and Views

There’s nothing wrong with Napa but there are many appealing wineries with magical picnic spots right in our own backyard.

(Published by South Bay Accent in April, 2013.)

One of the many perks of Bay Area living is being able to motor up to the Napa or Sonoma wine countries for a dreamy day of tasting and picnicking while the grapevines rustle nearby in the breeze. But imagine all of this and more without the need to drive a few hours and elbow aside the mobs from the giant tour buses at the tasting bar.  Close to the Silicon Valley are some lovely “wine countries” fully deserving of the designation that offer good wine, friendly tasting facilities, enchanting picnic spots and, often, spectacular views that few Napa or Sonoma wineries can match.

This Table Cooks It Right

Located in downtown Willow Glen, Jim Stump’s newest eatery offers good food in a casual spot geared toward locals.

(Published by South Bay Accent in May, 2013)

In great eating-focused locales like San Francisco and Berkeley/Oakland, diners can get sublime grub while underdressed in low-key neighborhood joints.  You’ll find many a modern gastropub — casual eateries with serious menus and top-shelf cocktails — dotting trendy areas like San Francisco’s Mission and Oakland’s Uptown district.  Now, add San Jose’s Willow Glen neighborhood to the list.

Die-and-Go-to-Heaven Pasta in San Mateo

Osteria Coppa executive chef Channan Kamen must have a secret Italian grandmother.

(Published by South Bay Accent in April, 2013.)

Noodles traipse through various world cuisines but soar to a higher plane across Italy. The heartbreaker for South Bay pasta fans is that it’s available on many menus but rarely achieves greatness here.  That changed in the summer of 2010 with the opening of Osteria Coppa in San Mateo, helmed by chef Channan Kamen, who has extraordinary pasta chops from running the noodle show at San Francisco’s stellar Quince and working at a handful of Michelin-starred restaurants in various regions of Italy.

Winery Interview: BoaVentura de Caires

A rustic red barn, kid’s toys, wandering chickens and a pretty spot looking up into the rolling, grapevine-covered hills are some of the features of the small, friendly BoaVentura de Caires Winery in Eastern Livermore.  Winemaker Brett Caires is entertaining and outspoken about the wine business in his region.

(Published by the Bay Area News Group on March 18, 2013.)

A big, friendly dog nips at a roaming chicken while four-year-old Venture hauls around his toddler sister Indio like a small sack of laundry. Dad Brett Caires runs over to rescue both the chicken and the baby with a “no biggie” shrug. Welcome to Livermore’s BoaVentura de Caires Winery, the region’s most funky, convivial and charming wine operation.

Unusual Wine Touring in the Livermore Valley

The Livermore Valley wine region doesn’t get the attention of Napa and Sonoma but it’s closer, lovely and presents fun options for getting around.

(Published by the Bay Area News Group on March 18, 2013.)

The “getting there” part of a wine tour is typically the least-fun aspect as you sniff auto exhaust for miles on end.  But things are different in the Livermore Valley.  This compact, close-by wine region’s unique layout features clusters of wineries and encourages a new definition of wine touring: by horse, by bike, by foot, by train, even by BART.

Knock-’em-Dead Appetizer, Knocked off from French Laundry

If you’ve been to the French Laundry, this ubiquitous starter is one of Thomas Keller’s best-known creations. Tiny seed-flecked cones are filled with salmon tartare and minced onion with some caviar (naturally) crowning the top along with a microscopic sprig of dill. Called salmon cornets, they require a regiment of prep cooks, special holders and all the usual rigamarole of this temple of refined cuisine.

The recipe has long been available and self-flagellating home cooks can certainly make them at home with great effort.  But why would you want to when the flavor profile can be captured in a waaaaay easier-to-make version that you can throw together fast and serve to happy guests?

Salmon’s Best Friend

Given the amount of salmon consumed in my health-conscious household (particularly by my spouse), I’ve tried or invented countless sauces, glazes and marinades while experimenting with cooking methods like steaming, pan roasting, sauteeing, grilling, smoking, cooking in our beloved combi-steam oven and serving raw in a crudo treatment.   Several of these recipes are posted on this blog. (Look under fish/seafood.) While all of them have been enjoyable, there’s one recipe that soars above the rest in terms of ease, fewer calories and — particularly — unbeatable flavor: a miso marinade/glaze/sauce that marries with salmon as happily as Barak does with Michelle.