Fresno State Enology Society Presentation

I last presented to the Fresno State Enology Society a couple years ago; so it was great to be invited back to share some new wines. The Spring Semester is usually filled with wine makers showing a broad line-up of offerings, from whites to reds. I designed the tasting to focus on exclusively 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Dry Creek Valley. Here was the lineup (sort of a mini vertical):

2011 Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon
2012 Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon (unreleased)
2011 1TL, D. Rafanelli Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
2012 1TL, D. Rafanelli Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (limited release)
2011 Signature Cabernet Sauvignon
2012 Signature Cabernet Sauvignon (unreleased)

Six Cabernet Sauvignon's presented at Fresno State Enology Society

The purpose was to show the crowd the differences a year and Mother Nature can make in a wine. Lean and mean 2011s versus plush and fruity 2012s.

Photo Courtesy of Vince Kennedy - Winemaker David Scheidt at Fresno State Enology Presentation

As I've stated before, I appreciate the 2011 vintage because it's unique for Dry Creek Valley, with low alcohol and structured tannins and a style that will develop over a very long period. It would be impossible to craft the wines of 2011 in the drought conditions we've experienced the last two seasons. I'm equally enthusiastic about my 2012 wines for the amount of full-bodied fruit, full-palate structure and elegance the wines have have so early in their life.

The crowd favorite was the 2012 1TL, D. Rafanelli Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. The enology student favorite was the 2011 Signature Cabernet Sauvignon; remarkable contrasts between these two wines, which as the winemaker, is music to my ears. I've made something for everyone in the crowd to enjoy.

Thanks to the Enology Society for inviting me back and Go Dogs!

Sunday Funday in June Lake

The combined Valentine's Day and President's Day weekend on the East Side was a great couple days away.

After the all-day prep session and cooking marathon for a full house of guests on Saturday night, Sunday started slowly but not without a plan. I did have an objective: Find the Ohanas395 food truck and drink some beer. Fortunately, both could be accomplished in June Lake.

I'd eaten from Ohanas395 before, during Burger Battle 2014 at the Mammoth Food and Wine Experience. The Ohanas395 burger incorporated exactly what they set themselves out as, Hawaiian inspired cuisine, not a standard ketchup, lettuce, mayo, mustard profile. Personally, I loved the burger. It reminded me of Burger Battle 2013, when Chef Bruce Kalman used pork belly and Kim-Chee on his burger.  

Ohanas395 burger at the Mammoth Food and Wine Experience 2014

However, since Burger Battle, I haven't been at the right place, right time to catch Ohanas395, until now.

I drove over to the June Lake Brewery where Ohanas395 is parked for the winter season. The Ohanas trailer is easily spotted, painted orange and all alone in the parking lot. Some would argue that ordering one of the specials, the ahi poke salad with rice, would have been a risk so far away from the ocean. Not so. The ahi had great color, looking to be center cut and of high quality. June Lake Brewery allows Ohanas395 patrons to bring their food inside and order up some beer; the Alpers Trout Pale Ale seemed the natural pairing with my ahi poke.

For dessert, there was only one thing to get. Doughnut holes. Fantastic. An absolutely great piece of fried bread (and some great beer).

Fried goodness from Ohanas395

Relaxed after the weekend festivities, I headed out the following morning for Healdsburg. See you again soon, East Side.

Valentine's Dinner and Sunday Funday

It's been at least a month, so I must be traveling to Mammoth Lakes and the East Side (and then back up to Healdsburg...deja vu all over again)

Valentine's Dinner is usually one of the busiest nights in the restaurant trade and the East Side is no exception. The wrinkle is that the crowd at Crowley Lake is not just couples coming for dinner, rather, whole families are coming in for dinner and listening to bluegrass. 

The dinner menu at the McGee Creek Lodge Valentine's Day:

Starter
Cream of Mushroom Soup
Wedge Salad with Bleu Cheese Dressing with bacon and croutons
Main
Roasted Chicken with Quinoa salad of yams, dried apricots and dates in a Meyers lemon vinaigrette
Pot Roast, Potato and Root Vegetables with pan gravy
Dessert
Chocolate Mousse
Bread Pudding

Prep for dinner started on Friday night when I arrived, trimming and seasoning my chicken and pot roast. The pot roast needed to be perfectly fork tender, so an early morning start in the oven was essential. Seasoning was basic, salt, pepper, carrots, onions, celery, bay leaf, water and Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Pot Roast is the perfect pairing for Cabernet Sauvignon

As much as I'm a fan of meaty proteins and plenty of gluten, not everyone else shares my enthusiasm. Therefore, I often create at least one dish that is vegetarian, vegan and/or gluten free. Taking a page out of a recent trip to Santa Barbara, I reinvented my quinoa and butternut squash dish and used it as both a side to my roasted chicken entree and as a stand-alone meal for any vegans that walked in.

Quinoa with yams, dried apricots, dates and chives in a Meyers lemon vinagrette

Finishing the evening were a couple desserts, Chocolate Mousse and Bread Pudding. I used sourdough bread as my base for the bread pudding. Just good old fashioned sourdough bread. Then I soaked it in cream, eggs, vanilla, sugar and maple syrup before I baked it in the oven.

Bread Pudding and Chocolate Mousse for dessert

Part two of the blog post title, Sunday Funday is up next. I check out Ohanas Food Truck in June Lake at the June Lake Brewery.

Pinot Noir and Food

I love Cabernet Sauvignon; which makes sense, I make a lot of it. But Cabernet doesn't pair well with everything. Call me traditional, but I'm NOT a huge fan of the philosophy of "drink what you like with whatever you like." Ian Fleming's James Bond taught us that you can often catch the villain at the table by just monitoring his wine choices.

While Cabernet doesn't pair with everything, Pinot Noir pairs with lots of different foods and lots of people are in LOVE with Pinot Noir.

I recently released a single-barrel of 2013 Pinot Noir and paired it with a wide variety of foods for an event I attended and served for in Visalia. I'll admit, my Pinot Noir paired well with mixed green salad and CAB sliders. Even the deep fried calamari paired up with Pinot, the salty, deep-fried breading and the acid of the Pinot balance themselves out. 

I managed to snap a few pictures of what I considered solid pairings of my Pinot Noir with some of the foods offered that night. However, Pinot Noir does NOT pair with bread pudding! Bread Pudding stands on its own! If someone is drinking Cabernet or Pinot with bread pudding, don't trust them, they may work for an evil global organization.

Pinot Noir pairs well with fried calamari

Pinot Noir pairs well with Mixed Green Salad

Pinot Noir pairs with CAB sliders and caramelized onions

Pinot Noir does NOT pair with Bread Pudding

Football, Food and Wine

Sitting around on the final Sunday of football season has become a tradition with some close friends.

Winemaker, David Scheidt slicing up BBQ pork ribs

Always a pot-luck event, there is no real theme to the day, other than perhaps excess and quality. Guests are welcome to bring anything they'd like. There have been a few coordinated efforts over the years to not cook "one too many tri-tips", which seems to occur at many events in Fresno.

However, 'one too many ribs', 'too much sashimi' and plenty of wine is not a problem. Below are a few pics from the evening.

Pork Ribs

Grape vines for firewood

Oak staves for firewood

The Wine Predator's Birthday Meal and Recipe

We had a special birthday guest at the McGee Creek Lodge on my last trip to the East Side...The Wine Predator. She requested the fettuccini alfredo that evening, so I thought it to be only appropriate that I offer up the recipe for her birthday meal. Gwendolyn has also written a rather favorable blog post about my wines (and my cooking) that I would encourage you all to read. 

Thanks so much Gwendolyn!

ALFREDO SAUCE

2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1 clove of garlic
3/4 cup Heavy Cream
1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
Pinch of black pepper
Pinch of salt
A dash of Nutmeg and parley for garnish
1 Egg yolk (optional)
4 ounces fettuccine

Crush the clove of garlic and set in a pan with all of the heavy cream to render the garlic flavor while the cream heats up, roughly 5 minutes on medium heat. Discard the garlic. Add your black pepper and salt to the pan. When the fettuccine is not quite al dente, add all of your pasta to the cream and turn up the heat and begin incorporating the pasta and the cream sauce together, about 1-2 minutes.

Take you pan with your pasta and cream off heat and add the Parmigiano cheese, continue to toss the pasta in the pan...then add your cold butter and your nutmeg and continue to toss the pasta until the butter is melted and incorporated.

The Final Step...adding the egg yolk. The egg yolk must be tempered and not simply dropped in the middle of the hot pasta. Add the yolk to a space cleared of pasta in the pan and begin to vigorously stir the yolk in with the cream sauce; you'll know instantly if the egg is too hot, it will look like scrambled eggs...if not, it will look like creamy custard. If the yolk looks like creamy custard, begin tossing the pasta in the egg yolk mixture for a silky smooth and super rich fettuccini alfredo. Serve in a bowl immediately and garnish with parsley and more Parmigiano.

From the East Side to Healdsburg and Back Again

While I started 2015 going from Fresno to Santa Barbara to Mammoth, my journey did not end in Mammoth with a simple return to Fresno.

I found myself driving another 6+ hours to Healdsburg to finish up some details on an upcoming bottling, picking up some inventory, saying hello to some local chefs, my dentist, other winemakers and a wine grower.

Diavola Restaurant, Geyserville...Sonoma County Lamb Chop

Lunch was spectacular as usual at Diavola (the massive lamb chop above) I managed to get my usual Chicken Paillard for dinner on my first evening in Healdsburg at Bistro Ralph. However, somewhere in all this traveling I picked up a nasty chest cold and opted for grocery store sushi on night two and a pre-purchased (but tasty) pie slice for breakfast from Noble Folk so I didn't have to think about breakfast on day three and my 6+ hour drive (along with several over-the-counter products to make my drive slightly more bearable)...back to Mammoth.

And within 60 or so hours, I returned to Mammoth and the East Side for another Saturday of cooking. 

Winemaker David Scheidt's driving slippers...for road trips over 4 hours

Without any snow or rain in the forecast, the drive was easy. Dry roads, little traffic, satellite radio, and great scenery once you're on the East Side, makes the lonely drive a bit more bearable. But it's still 6+ hours of riding in the car alone without much body movement.

Once I was back in the kitchen, the creative side can release again (nothing creative about driving, simply mind-dulling efficiency). How about cheddar bacon biscuits with homemade country gravy!

While my favorite creation that evening was the biscuits and gravy, a customer decided that a bigger Gut Bomb could be created that evening...the Spaghetti and Meatball Sandwich!

All American Gut Bomb...Spaghetti and Meatball Sandwich

All-in-all, a wonderful start to the new year. Sure, there's lots of drive time in the job (there was lots of fly time in the old job; so the truth is, not much has changed with life on the road) but my boss is way more flexible (me) about my attitude and choice of footwear.

Christmas Feast Part 2

While I tend to believe that Christmas starts and ends with eating only ravioli and meatballs with a glass of Cabernet, there are others in the family that may not be as enthusiastic or set in their ways as I am.

So, several dishes for Christmas are made for the other 30 or so people that come over for dinner. A long-time favorite at Thanksgiving and Christmas is our grilled and sherry braised turkey. Now, don't get me wrong, I love our grilled turkey. I love using my cast iron Dutch oven to cook the whole 20 pound bird in, basically a version of Poulet en Cocotte. But turkey speaks Thanksgiving to me, not Christmas. 

Anyway, cooking the turkey on Christmas is just a good excuse to burn a lot of oak staves, sit outside, drink Sangiovese (which pairs well with turkey, I do pick at the bird when I'm carving it) and utilize my Dutch oven. 

There is a vegan option (no one in my family is vegan, but my family does seem to like this gross blob of jelly): Canned Cranberry. I have no wine recommendations for canned cranberry and never will.

There is a gluten-free option (no one in my family is gluten-free, we are more like Gluten Plus): Potatoes and Yams.

Christmas Feast

Tradition is the theme for Christmas at Mastro Scheidt, with emphasis on the MASTRO (Translation:Italian Tradition). 

Ravioli are traditionally made each year specifically for Christmas. Sure ravioli could be made any time of year, but the holiday requires that a very specific type of ravioli be made...the little ones. The filling (pictured below) is a combination of veal, beef, and spinach with onions pulsed separately in the Cuisinart and then blended together by hand.

Most ravioli you see in restaurants these days are larger, one ravioli can be roughly half the size of a new iPhone. But to my Southern Italian relatives, "those big ravioli have too much dough and not enough filling". 

Without question, the smaller ravioli are a little more difficult to make, using only a rolling pin, a ravioli form roller, and traditional cutter, every step of the process is hand-made. No machines, no fancy pasta roller, nothing but shoulder and tricep power rolling.

The results?

Merry Christmas! Yes, I was drinking my Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon with my Christmas meal.

2015 Starts at the Beach then heads to the Mountains

After driving just around 40,000 road miles in the state of California in 2014 (unfortunately there is no 1K Club for driving), I've already started logging the miles in 2015; ringing in the New Year in Santa Barbara and then heading to the East Side and Mammoth Lakes to round out my first weekend in 2015.

New Years Eve Menu 2014...Tuna / Twice Baked Potato / Whole Loin of Beef

A totally relaxed evening with friends over dinner and Cards Against Humanity for NYE. A real pleasure to drink several wines that night reinforcing a wine can taste great, age gracefully and use AMERICAN oak...Silver Oak Napa Valley 1997 and 2004 both tasted spot on (there's a reason Silver Oak is the #1 selling wine in American steak houses and it's a lesson learned).

And yes, I drink every wine I come across, not just mine. We also had a terrific Blair Fox Syrah (Los Olivos) and Stoller Pinot Noir (Oregon).

The East Side

It was off to Mammoth Lakes and the East Side to cook and take in the final performance of the Winter Wonderettes at The Edison Theatre...and maybe, just maybe catch some snow (not ice).

Had a full house for Saturday night dinner at the East Side Bake Shop, knocking out one El Super Burrito after another. As usual, the Saturday Night Bluegrass Jam was in full effect, with a solid group of players, elements of Bodie 601 and Sweetwater String Band and lots of familiar faces I'm getting to know.

More music on Sunday, with the final show of the season of The Winter Wonderettes at The Edison Theater. Friends from Bluegrass Night and the Mammoth Lakes Foundation (Juliana and Shira I'm talking about you!!!) kept encouraging me to take a front row seat for the performance, which made me slightly suspicious. I admit, I'm happy to take a great seat, but the coaxing led me to believe something was up.

Sure enough, Wonderette Missy (a.k.a. Kristin Reese from Bodie 601) points to me in the crowd as "Bill...her husband" and we did a short dance number in Act 1. 

However, Act 2 of the performance required "Bill" to step up on stage, wear a Santa hat and sit in The Big Chair (think Santa and The Big Chair). The Wonderette's surround me and sing a rather entertaining "Santa Baby"...but wait there's more! The Wonderettes then wheel the chair under the mistletoe...and well...

Welcome to 2015! 

T.L. and The Workshop

1-T-L Custom

We get a lot of questions at Mastro Scheidt about the custom work T.L. does in the workshop. Custom includes everything from welding to leather work, so the specifics are important. 

What happens to all those old wine barrels you use?

They get up-cycled into custom creations of course!

Live Beyond at Hope Ranch

It was truly a privilege to meet Dr. David Vanderpool and his wife, Laurie Stallings Vanderpool of LiveBeyond.Org in Santa Barbara last week.

Dr. Vanderpool surrounded by children (Photo from Livebeyond.org website)

Dr. Vanderpool and Laurie founded #LiveBeyond Mobile Medical Disaster Relief and established a 60+ acre, long-term base in Thomazeau, Haiti continuing their relief efforts and building independent infrastructure and long-term care for the citizens of Haiti after the devastating earthquake in 2010.

A lifelong friend of mine Dr. Joe Aragon, along with fellow doctors Jason Boyatt and Toni Meyers, asked me to cook for the 40+ people who were invited to listen to Dr. Vanderpool and his wife discuss their ongoing mission and relief efforts in Haiti. Drs. Boyatt and Meyers volunteered in Haiti at the Live Beyond Basecamp and shared their experiences with invited guests.

I invite you to click on any of the links above to find out more about the efforts of Dr. Vanderpool and Laurie's efforts in Haiti.

Personally, I'd like to thank Dr. Aragon for helping me in the kitchen that evening, specifically, "Grill Man" and Drs Boyatt and Meyers preparing their home and sharing their personal experiences while at the Live Beyond Basecamp in Haiti.

Dr. Aragon "Grill Man"

One recipe that I was asked for that evening was my Quinoa and Butternut squash salad:

1 cup Black and Red Quinoa
1/4 cup small cubed Butternut Squash
Dash of Clove
1/2 cup of dried black cherries
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup Lemon juice
1/2 cup Olive Oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
10 leaves of Mint, chopped finely
Small handful of Parsley, chopped finely
Salt and Pepper to taste

Prepare the quinoa:
Thoroughly wash the quinoa in water before you cook it.
Then add the quinoa to to a pot with 2 cups of water in it. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
Cook the quinoa for 15-20 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Set off heat with and uncover
Add all of your lemon juice to the pot with the quinoa in it and fluff quinoa

Prepare the squash:
Take your butternut squash and blanch it in boiling, salted water for 3 minutes.
Strain the squash and add it to a saute pan with a little olive oil, black pepper and salt
Saute the squash until tender, so that you can easily poke a fork through it and add a dash of cloves

Prepare the candied pecans:
Add brown sugar to a non-stick saute pan and turn heat to medium. Allow brown sugar to melt
Add all of your pecans, a pinch of salt and a healthy amount of cracked black pepper
Stir everything together in the saute pan to coat the pecans, be careful not to burn your brown sugar
Once the pecans are coated evenly with the brown sugar caramel, remove from the heat and pour in a bowl
Once the pecans and caramel have cooled, they will harden into a brittle, break up the brittle before mixing into the salad

In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, butternut squash, olive oil, dried cherries, a handful of candied pecans, mint and parsley and stir to combine. Serve in a large bowl and top with the remainder of the candied pecans

An evening cooking in Chalk Hill

I love cooking Italian-themed meals. Acquiring the last heirloom tomatoes of the season, scouting the Bay Area for the best Ahi tuna, making fresh pasta, and quickly searing a skirt steak over a hot fire are some of my favorite things.

Each of the courses I prepared have a suggested wine to pair with each dish, from our crisp proprietary white wine with Caprese salad to our elegant mouth-filling 1-T-L Cabernet Sauvignon.

It was a pleasure to cook for my friends from Charleston, South Carolina Bill and Margaret and to make some new friends that evening around the table. Thanks to everyone that night and I look forward to seeing you all again very soon. Cheers!

Pappardelle Bolognese

Paired with 2012 Superstrada. Accented with basil microgreens. Pasta dough was made with a combination of duck and chicken eggs and only semolina

Skirt steak over arugula

Paired with 2012 I-T-L Cabernet Sauvignon. Finished with fresh grana and olive oil.

Seared Ahi over salad of fennel and carrots

Paired with our Proprietary White Wine and Sangiovese. The fennel and carrot salad was marinated in olive oil and Meyers lemon and accented with chervil and basil microgreens

Heirloom Tomato Caprese

Paired with 2013 Proprietary White Wine. Last of the season heirloom tomatoes with fresh mozzarella, with basil microgreens, a hint of Parmigiano, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Porcini

I soaked the porcini twice to release more broth for the the Bolognese sauce and then used the porcini in the Bolognese

Deviled Duck Eggs

I used a smoked paprika aioli as my base for the egg yolk filling

A Table of Friends

Friends from North and South Carolina and Michigan gathered together in Healdsburg for a great weekend.

Bolognese Sauce Recipe

---

Ingredients
1 pound ground pork
½ pound ground beef
1 medium white or yellow onion, finely minced
1 large carrot, finely minced
1 Handful of dried porcini mushrooms
8 Cups liquid from soaking the dried porcinis 
10-15 leaves of fresh sage
¼ stick of unsalted butter
¼  cup of olive oil for finishing
Salt and pepper to taste
Parsley or Basil, finely chopped for garnish
Parmigiano Reggiano to finish, Freshly grated or ribbon sliced

Instructions
Soak you dried porcini mushrooms in about 8 cups of water for 30 minutes. Make sure porcinis are free of sand/dirt. Use a coffee filter to strain the liquid for use in the bolognese.

Heat up a 3 quart pot on medium heat and add butter and all of your ground beef and pork. Once all of the beef and pork are broken up (no chunks) add the onions and carrots, lowering the temperature to Low or Simmer and cook the onions and carrots for about 10 minutes.

If there is a crust on the bottom of the pan from all of the sautéing, you may add a little of your porcini liquid to prevent it from burning. Scrape the bits of caramelized meat, onions and carrot from the bottom of the pan.

Turn the heat back up to high and pour all of the porcini liquid into the pot and bring up to a boil. When boil is reached, turn the heat down to low. You may add the sage leaves. Partially cover the pot and allow the sauce to reduce until nearly all of the liquid had been evaporated. If one thinks of this dish as a slow braise, rather than a rapidly made sauce, the cooking time of 2 hours makes more sense, which is how long it will take on Low Heat to reduce all of the liquid.

Test for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. When the taste is satisfactory and liquid has been almost completely reduced, turn off the burner and add the remaining olive oil to the pot.

Scoop a moderate portion of Bolognese Sauce over your Pappardelle (do not over sauce) into a warm bowl. 

Add a dusting or several ribbons of Parmigiano to the top of the pasta along with a garnish of basil and a drizzle of olive oil. 

Serve.

2014 Harvest Report

The 2014 Harvest has almost come to a close for Mastro Scheidt Cellars. A few loose ends to tie off and we'll have barreled down another season. A wide variety of grapes picked again this season, with Cabernet Sauvignon the leading varietal by tonnage picked.

Many people ask us, "Do you pick your own grapes?"

The answer is...ABSOLUTELY!

Chiquita Road Zinfandel Vineyard

Zinfandel Cluster

Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley

Mill Creek Rd. Cabernet Sauvignon Cluster

John arrives for the harvest

You see these bins...?

Tools of the Trade

One last harvest

TL positioning the truck

1TL in Dry Creek Valley

Picking Mill Creek

John picking Lencioni

John picking Cabernet

TL picking Cabernet

Under the canopy

Jason picking grapes

David at Mill Creek

David and Cabernet

David empties grape tray

David in the vineyard picking

You see these grapes???

David Scheidt at Lencioni

John Scheidt sorting MOG

TL discussing with John

Cabernet Sauvignon in bin

Sorting Cabernet

Cabernet Close up

Jason and John over a Macro Bin

1TL of Grapes

John, Jason and TL sorting

The Zen of Sorting

All Three Sorting

Jason...close up

Jason working a punchdown

Punchdown device

Sea Creature or Punchdown?

Press

Press Tank

The first results of 2014

Grape to Glass Winemaking

Our proprietor and winemaker, David Scheidt personally hauled and picked over 3 tons this year from 3 different vineyards sites, including our 7th Vine Cabernet Sauvignon. He was helped in the vineyard on numerous occasions by his father T.L. and his brother John. We even recruited one of our close friends, Jason, to assist in the vineyard this season. Thanks to everyone who helped with harvest this year.

A series of pictures detailing the process of the 2014 Harvest are included in the Gallery: 2014 Harvest

Dove Day and Dinner

Opening Day

12 gauge shotgun shell

It has been two full seasons since I've hunted dove on opening day with my family and friends. It's a tradition that spans nearly 30 years for me and longer for others. 

T.L. Opening Day

Dove hunting is an early morning affair, starting with a 4:30am wake-up call with the last shot fired at sundown. Sundown marks the end of shooting, but not the end of the day. After the drive home, cleaning the dove and getting dinner started for several hungry hunters is of primary importance.

Results of the hunt

My family has been cooking dove three different ways for as long as I can remember:

1. Doves in Red Tomato Sauce

2. Doves in a Stew Pot with carrots, celery and herbs

3. Doves wrapped in Bacon and grilled on the BBQ

Dove Stew...a.k.a Dove recipe #2

This season, I took matters into my own hands and asked Chef Chris Shackelford to prepare dove recipe for me in a more refined, restaurant style. No rules. No guidelines. Just Chef following his desires. Oh, and I dropped the dove off earlier that morning and said I'd be back for dinner later. 

Chef Chris has prepared quail, antelope, elk, venison, and wild boar so dove was just one more 'exotic' to play with.

Please excuse the picture as it's overexposed, but what you see is the result of dove as prepared by Chris ... Roulade of Dove. Fun. Technical. Totally Different.

My first bites of dove instantly brought me back to southern Italy, to a One Star Michelin restaurant in Puglia, Al Fornello da Ricci.  (dish pictured below) Why? The infusion of flavor directly into the meat. Bay leaf and sage elements were present, but not overpowering. A sweetness was also present, rather than a gamey quality. Dove is a gamey meat. Dove eat seeds in all forms that translate into dense grassy, earthy flavors. Chef Shackelford crafted a dish that turned gamey into sweet herb infusion and I thank him for it.

Al Fornello da Ricci duo of rabbit and lamb

I thank Chris not just for transporting me back to Italy, I thank Chef Shackelford for thinking out-of-the-box about game and fowl and presenting a dish with elegance and flavor befit for a Michelin starred restaurant.

THANKS AGAIN CHRIS!

East Side Produce

Why I keep going back to the East Side...because it's fun

Another trip to the East Side of California, a.k.a. Mammoth Lakes.

McGee Creek Garden, Crowley Lake, CA

The last time I was in Mammoth, the garden that McGee Creek Lodge caretaker (and guitarist for the Sweetwater String Band and Bodie 601) Jeff Meadway planted was just starting to show signs of growth. When I returned last weekend, the raised bed garden had exploded to life with lettuce, onions, tomato, squash, mint and even some corn.

McGee Creek Garden Lettuce

With the addition of Sierra Bounty Produce CSA, I had plenty of produce to use for our East Side Dinners (and a special staff lunch salad).

Shishito Peppers from Sierra Bounty Produce

Dinners took the theme of Mexican food, with lots of tacos and chile verde (although side projects of kid friendly Mac N'Cheese and adult friendly seared shishito peppers are encouraged). The Mexican-American El Super Burrito made it's way on to the East Side Bake Shop menu as well, packed with meat, meat, meat...starch, starch, starch...and cheese, cheese, cheese.

Lettuce from the Garden at McGee Creek Lodge

Bodie 601 played on Friday night, while Fiddlin' Pete played on Saturday night for a group of dinner guests dining on the patio.

Jeff plans on expanding the garden for the 2015 growing season, basically more of everything he planted this season, with the addition of an herb garden.

McGree Creek Lodge Garden 2014

As always, I look forward to another trip to the East Side just after the 2014 wine grape harvest.

Paparazzi at the Mastro Scheidt Beach House

It's true, there is a huge migration of friends and family from Fresno to all points between Manresa Beach to Santa Cruz each summer.

Pictures are rarely taken of senior family members, in favor of cameras directed at young nephews and nieces making their first sand castles.

However, we were lucky enough to have the paparazzi snap exclusive photos of Mama Judy safely tucked away at her private retreat. 

It doesn't get more Italian than Paparazzi, a Beach House, and my Italian mother hiding from the camera!

Loud and Clear

The first of its kind Craft Wine Growler Dinner in Fresno was performed with unique flair and precision (and a little fun).

Front of House Ink...Loud and Clear

The entire staff, both front and back-of-house were ready for the end of a jam-packed Restaurant Week. The staff were encouraged to "dress down" from their more formal dress code, to something that resembled backyard BBQ attire (the Hawaiian shirt above, show off some personal ink and the shoes at the bottom). To fit the more relaxed theme of the evening, a special menu of small bites were prepared to pair perfectly with our craft wine growler...lovingly referred to by Mastro Scheidt fans as "The Jug".

For all the pictures, click on our Craft Growler BBQ gallery. I've got some shots of personal ink, the shoes all the staff wore and the various hats worn by all the kitchen staff that evening. A fun look inside the restaurant business and the characters that work in it.

BBQ Ribs

The Jug is 100% Sonoma County Red Wine composed of Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon hand-blended and hand-bottled. Each and every guest in the sold out restaurant received their own craft growler at the conclusion of dinner to take home.

Blade

Thanks to each and every guest for their participation and enthusiasm.

The Best Shoes I've ever seen in the Front of House

Mastro Scheidt Cellars wine dinner with Chef Tommy Chavez

Chef Tommy Chavez is back in Visalia! 

A personal note from winemaker and proprietor David Scheidt

Chef Tommy Chavez and I have collaborated many times over the years, from casual, backyard events to intimate private dinners. 

A SOLD OUT dinner on August 7,  2014 was proof Tommy was ready for the big game. Always leading with his strengths, Chef prepared a four course menu of his signature items, Italian inspired duo of Salad and Pasta alla Gricia followed up by two American classics, Porcini rubbed Rib-Eye and Tommy's Bread Pudding. Click on Chef Tommy's left arm below for a brief re-cap of the night in pictures.

I personally paired each of the courses to match Chef Tommy's Italian-American inspired cuisine, including two allocated wines from my personal library, my 2013 white wine and my 2012 Sangiovese. I lead off with my proprietary white wine, a crisp match to Chef's salad, followed by a Dry Creek Valley Sangiovese, the perfect pair with Chef Tommy's pasta. Only full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon was appropriate for Chef's porcini rib-eye, my 2010 single-vineyard Cabernet and my 2011 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon dominate blend.

I would like to personally thank everyone who attended, with a personal thanks to Chef Tommy and Vanessa for their support and confidence in my wines for their first wine dinner.

A culinary star has returned to Visalia

...Chef Tommy Chavez.

Chef Tommy's Ink

Broccolini

Pasta Course

Pancetta and Chili

A rare moment...

Front of House

Porcini Rib-Eye

Mise en Place

Sunday Dinner at Lake Mary, Mammoth Lakes

Cooking for two people is fun and easy. Cooking for 12 people is a challenge. Cooking for 40+ people and then transporting the food to a remote location is like running a mini-restaurant for the night.

On the last evening of the 2014 Mammoth Food and Wine Experience, T.L., Brother John and I cooked for 40 people at the Pokonobe Resort on Lake Mary.

For our last night in Mammoth, we went with our strength...Italian food...which translates into Pizza, Pasta and Grilled Veggies.

John cooked his specialty, a Spring/Summer fusilli pasta dish complete with pancetta, finely minced and slowly cooked in butter garlic, onion, and red peppers and finished with fine herbs. In addition, my brother really enjoyed his new toy, the flat top grill.

T.L. who has worked several dinners with me before, cooked nearly 20 pounds of pasta that night, roasted about 30 pounds of vegetables, and was our utility player for the day working different prep and finishing stations.

I worked on the various sauces, doughs, pizza, dessert, seasonings and final tasting, along with logistics with our culinary liason, Dan Molnar from the Mammoth Lakes Foundation. A special thanks to Dan for his help in coordinating the evening with the Foundation and Marci Satterfield of the Pokonobe Resort at Lake Mary.

In addition to the cooking that T.L., my brother John and I did that evening, I asked a couple other locals to lend their creative talents, baking talents specifically, to the evening. Elizabeth McGuire of The East Side Bake Shop (who I cook with regularly) and duo from Mountain Cakery, Cora Coleman and Lauren Jenks. Thanks to all of you for your help in adding a sweet finishing touch to the evening.