Annual Mushroom Foray


2019 Mushroom Season is a huge success although a little wet. Mushrooms don't grow outdoors without rain.

Mushroom season starts in the Fall with Porcini's. Followed by the Chanterelle Family - Black Trumpets, Hedgehogs, gold and white's and even Matsutaki's and lions mane. Outside of these, we don't really pay much attention.

   Porcini

 Chanterelle Family

The goal of our Mushroom Foray is for people to have a fun educational introduction to the Mycological world. Our friends 180 acre property is a perfect place for us to hold this sell out event.

2019 was a wet one. It did not rain all day but it came down in spirts. Nobody complained, everyone was happy and a lot of mushrooms were found. Many unedible ( compost ) but many edibles were picked!

The morning of, as we drove into Caz after a night of non stop rain, the clouds dispersed and small opening of blue sky peaked through. It was full on sunny in Duncans Mill for my coffee run.

By 11:30 when our Mushroom specialist started guiding people out into the woods, it was cloudy.
The group, about 50% repeat guests and 50% newbies, headed out prepared for rain and mushrooms.

Everyone is welcome back to the lodge at their leisure. A few arrive back within a 15 minutes, the majority about 1 1/2 hours and then the three stragglers that enjoy foraging with no cares or worries arrive a little later. It is such a pleasure to see people happily drenched! We always recommend back up shoes, slippers, clothing...and almost all are prepared.

A large table is set up for the display of the foraged findings.

At this time, everyone has a glass of wine in hand and David explains the discoveries.
We have to limit this time as he is very entertaining plus a wealth of Mushroom info!

Next up, lunch is served and a little wine!

Lunch - salad of classic Caesar then locally sourced Liberty Duck confit, one of Mat's favorite foray food's. The duck is prepared ahead of time, goes great with mushrooms and of course great with Pinot Noir too.

With the main course, wild mushroom potato gratin, recipe from 'The Wild Table'. Filled with trumpets, hedgehogs and chanterelles and oh so good!

We toasted and thanked our one wine club member that has attended every single year of our Foray + many other events with a magnum. Mat spoke about his dedication to natural winemaking. And everyone enjoyed this rainy Saturday afternoon with wine, food and great company.

It doesn't get much better than that!
cheers to next years

    CRAB Season In Sonoma County    January 2019

                     

36 crabs - 30 people - 2 nights of fun

   Crab season is so popular in Sonoma County, everyone has their own traditions. Ours is to enjoy this local ocean treat as soon as the season opens, as often as possible and share with friends and wine club members. Try new recipes, old recipes and pair it all with Paul Mathew's selection of wine.

Our Crab night has become so popular, it's sells out quickly with enough interest for us to do two nights. This gives us the opportunity to tweek some details to hopefully better a great night.

We offer all our guests three glasses lined up to taste with each course and take a vote on what 's the favorite pairing.

The line up of wines for both evenings - 2017 Gewurz     2014 Chardonnay    2014 RRV Pinot

 

A lot of freshly picked crab is the key to everything direct from the boats in Bodega Bay.

 

 First course - Crab avocado salad served with mixed greens tossed in a local meyer lemon vinaigrette. Both nights the Chardonnay was the clear winning wine pair. I always say that Chardonnay is great with the perfect food otherwise, I rarely drink Chardonnay.

The first evening the crab salad had some tomato, which can be tough with wine. The second evening we substituted with pomegranate seeds, much better!

Crab cakes, blood orange sauce. The first evening group hands down picked the Chardonnay as the best paired wine. But, the second group preferred the Gewurz and Pinot but no votes for Chard.

My very 1st meal Mat prepared for me was this recipe, so popular, it's changes peoples mind about how to cook crab. Mat does it on the grill at the Tasting Room. At home it's quickly roasted in the oven. A very Pinot friendly dish, in fact Pinot won both evenings by 90% or more. This recipe calls for fresh thyme, fennel, chili flakes + + +, makes it a great Pinot food.

 

Had to end on a sweet treat to finish the evening. Crab shaped cookies...

 

And thus our January season of Foodie events is done! Another fab season of crab, happy customers with full bellies and a high five to surviving the beginning of a new year.
Next up, Mushroom time, YAY!

        Vacation Days / New Orleans in January



It seems like 2018 went on forever, we booked a six day trip to New Orleans and it felt like a light was on at the end of the tunnel. A fun get away of food and wine during our slow season and a chance to inspire us for the start of 2019.

We started with a late arrival and off for a taste of Bourbon street and quickly ventured off to Effervescence Wine Bar. Gumbo, Muffuletta, fries, cocktails, absinthe and Bubbles.

 
 

Day 2 - Sunshine on our shoulders with alot of walking up and down Magazine street. Looking at so many cool shops, menu's and art. We also walked off the lunch, crab Beignets, shrimp and grits and bubbles.

Blue crab Beignets....

Day 3 - Another glorious day of weather. Mimosa brunch with Boudin Balls, Frog legs, gulf shrimp fritters and lots of Bubbles...

Royal street strolling, billiards in the Irish bar, saszerac, french 75's and more strolling. The art is amazing, every nook and cranny seems to be covered. A Sunday off is rare, we enjoyed it and got our steps exceeded and our bellies full. I cannot remember having a day like this, fulfilled all the senses.

Continuing on later this day to see the Joan of Arc parade and more food and wine and oysters.

 

 

Day 4 - Traditional Beignets and coffee with views of the French Market, the river and crowds of tourists, not really our thing. We did it and left. Walking miles across town to a highly rated Brewery. The wall was loaded with taps and the ambience minimal. We chose from the all locally made line up and sat in the sun in pretty much a junk yard feel court yard and took the 'to go delivery' menu with us. A call in for our 1st Lobster Po'Boy which was walked over from a neighboring business. Now this was a treat: perfectly cooked and crunchy lobster in a spicy sauce, not so pretty but oh so good. Now to walk it off.

Late happy hour with oysters, pork belly and liver with biscuits and jelly, Oh my.

 

 

 

Day 5 by foot through the warehouse district,

Alligator, fried chicken livers and Rabbit with dumplings.

 

Our last evening walk to Frenchmen Street. Happy Hour, some music and bites and back.

 

Our final lunch with the last of PMV wine that we brought, great service and a farewell to city walking, drinking, eating and fun all in flip flops in January.

 

Great ceviche of gulf shrimp, fish with pepitas. Mushroom and lamb lasagna, couldn't resist this.

 

So many too choose from, we missed many but made a dent in our selection - Restaurants....

Plus ART, hot sauce, the street views and the lights......

What a city! Worth the days, the blisters on my feet, the sore tummy from too much food and the reawakening of my soul - fresh for a NEW YEAR.