2016 Mushroom Foray

This annual event is a big hit. Hiking on a beautiful February day in the woods with a warm lodge awaiting your return with a hearty lunch crackling fireplace and Paul Mathew wines. Nobodies complaining.

Another year of strange weather brought us a strange foraging season. We found a few porcini's in the Fall and then nothing for more than a month. We started seeing small amounts of hedgehogs and chanterelles and then finally some black trumpets. But between little rain all 2015 and serious cold in December, when the rain finally came it was not absorbing into the hard ground.

We still managed to have a great day for our foray. With a full group of 40 eager attendees.

Everyone comes back at their leisure to enjoy the warmth and the wine along with great company.

Once we have every one accounted for ( no search party needed ) David Campbell, mycology specialist and guide, gives a thorough explanation of the findings laid out on the table.

 We like these, black trumpets.

 And these hedgehogs.

 Now it's time for lunch.

 The pastry

 The filling

 Mushroom and Liberty Farms roast Duck Pot Pie.

A lot of love in the room: for mushrooms, wine, good company and most definitely our wonderful co  host Rich Mitchell.

Where would we be without you in our lives. Happy February

January 2016   Food Fun



A lot of people take January off Alcohol and rich foods, we do the opposite. It's a quiet month with minimal work in the cellar, the tasting room is more quiet than other months and Mat & I can have fun with Food and Wine, travel a bit and plan food adventures for the year to share.

We started the with a search for great pairings with our Brut Rose' and continued all month.
Freestone Artisan Cheese shop owner / cheese monger Omar hosted us graciously at the store. We went through about 20 cheeses, pickled chanterelles and more.

Dinner at Seaside Metal in Guerneville, beet salad

 Baked hot wings at home, one of Mat's favorites.

More cheese tasting

 A visit to Anderson Valley and a few nights at the Mendocino Inn & Spa.
This 10 room Inn is a great get away with a hiking path out the back that links directly to Van Dam State park and beach.

Searing Liberty Farm Duck Breast, we moved into some library Pinot's for this.

 Village Inn in Monte Rio has a new Chef and menu of course. My high light was the mushroom soup, in the center was a nice group of crunchy pickled chanterelles.

More sampling of cheese and other bites

 One of our favorite cheese pairing for the brut Rose'. From Anderson Valley, this goat soft cheese is rich and creamy and adheres closer to the classic sparkling pairing of Brie type cheeses. Available to purchase at the Freestone Artisan Cheese shop.

 Next up we started sampling recipes for our Annual February Mushroom Foray. We always serve a mushroom filled lunch and a lot of Paul Mathew Vineyards Pinot's.
This 1st time tried recipe was a hit for us, Mushroom and turkey Pot Pie.
Now we can start making some adjustments from the original recipe, think DUCK!

Next up February filled with mushrooms.

Top food and wine memories from 2015

An evening in San Francisco at Monsieur Benjamin. Best Foie Gras appetizer and Roast Chicken Entree of the year. Frog legs are here.

Lobster and meyer lemon Risotto made at a friends to pair with Chardonnay. The lobster was butter poached using Thomas Keller's recipe then put into the risotto. Spectacular.

Surprise wine, holding by a thread, fun

 Grilling Chicken with

 Frasca Boulder, CO  -  10 course Tasting menu

                         
My first introduction to pineapple guava, WOW

Artisan Cheese Festival, Crab Poutine from Nick's cove

 Car Bomb cupcakes, c/o Fabino Baking

Bink's, Scottsdale, AZ

                    Crab Season which we are missing now.

                             Hog Island BBQ oysters, amazing with PMV Valdiguie or champagne

First course of 12 at The Restaurant at Meadowood, tasting menu. Eel wrapped in seaweed

Chicken Liver Mousse, yes, I'll take two. Village Inn Monte Rio

 Oysters, flash fried, sirachi mayo

                        Home smoked oysters, so incredible!

                                    
Wine Tasting at 9am with Evan Goldstein, Yes

              Start of asparagus season

                                   Canadian memory visited, frozen belini's.

An Okanagan treat, Crab bisque @ Radz

                Devilled eggs are back...

                                                  The BEST wedding cake ever, cheese.

                           
                             Guerneville Spring Fling

 Seaside Metal, Guerneville

Willi's Wine Bar, Foie Gras.

                                                                   A new favorite at home, beer can chicken prawns.

 Mushroom season, finding a pound of black trumpets