Minestrone Soup Version 384

There are so many versions of Minestrone, there is no definitive one. All that matters is that you have something in the pantry and refrigerator to make it from. This is what I had that day.

Minestrone Soup (one version of many variations)

Bulk Italian style sausage, medium hot

2 Carrots, rough chop

½ large Yellow Onion, more finely chopped

2 Celery stalks, rough chop

2 Garlic cloves, finely minced

1 Potato, I prefer Yukon Gold, rough chop

1 can of diced, stewed tomatoes

Kale of Choice, ribs and all, cut up good so it breaks down

Chopped Parsley

2 cups of Broth of Choice or Water (I used half chicken broth and half water)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Break up the bulk sausage into smaller pieces and brown it in a 3qt sauce pot on medium heat. When the sausage is browned (and make sure there is enough fat to do a little sauté), add the garlic and onion and slowly cook for about 5-8 minutes. When that’s done add all of your other ingredients to the pot and turn the heat up to high and bring this pot to a boil. Once it reached a boil, turn the heat down to a simmer and cook the soup until it gets some flavor, say 30 minutes or so. Taste for salt, pepper and flavor (it shouldn’t taste like water or tomato juice). If you want it “brothy” (if that’s a word) add some chicken/beef stock to the desired consistency.

Wine of choice, Mastro Scheidt 2017 Cuvee. It’s the all-weather, all-purpose wine.

Pasta with Artichokes and Bacon recipe

As many of us are experiencing during the time of crisis around the world of the global pandemic of Covid-19, we are reminded that we can actually cook at home. To that end, I’m a fan of pasta.

Pasta with Artichokes and Bacon recipe

Pasta, enough for two people, the shape should pick up stuff, like Fusilli, Bowties, Big Shells

2 strips of bacon, rough chopped (not a sweet style)

1 can of artichokes, with artichokes cut in half and drained of any excess water/oil

1 garlic clove, minced

3 solid pinches of a generalized dry Italian seasoning

3 pinches of rough cut parsley

1 tablespoon of butter (to finish)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Grated Parmigiano Reggiano to taste

Cook the bacon in a hot sauté pan until almost fully cooked. Pour off any excess bacon fat (don’t worry, you’ll use it for another dish) Add your artichokes flat side down and slow cook with the remaining bacon in the pan until artichokes develop a caramelization on the bottom. Turn the pan heat down to mid-low and add the garlic, pepper, Italian seasoning, parsley and toss everything through.

When your pasta is done, drain it and add all the pasta to the sauté pan and the extra butter and toss all the items over and over to incorporate all the flavors together. Check for salt and pepper and make additions as necessary. Add some of the grated Parmigiano and serve.

I recommend the 2019 Mastro Scheidt Hunter Bordeaux inspired white wine blend.

New York, New York Steak

I just ate 10 steaks in one hour!

Recently, I was asked to evaluate 10 different cuts of steak from two different beef suppliers for an upcoming restaurant opening. All of the beef was Certified Angus or Prime and all the steaks were prepared the same way (salt and pepper over a flame grill) by chef Tommy Chavez. I paired each steak with three of my wines, 2014 Cab Franc, 2014 Superstrada (Sangiovese/Cab Sav) and 2015 RWSC (Bordeaux Blend).

What did I learn?

First, that I consumed about 3 pounds of beef! More importantly, not all steaks are created equally and no two steaks paired equally well with the same wine. All the steaks were delicious, as it’s difficult to go wrong with prime steaks expertly cooked, but there were differences in texture, density, ‘meaty’ flavor, chew, tenderness, and fat content.

The most dramatic difference in flavor, texture and wine pairing was a prime bone-in New York strip (Club steak) versus the prime boneless NY strip.

My 2014 Cabernet Franc and 2014 Superstrada paired nicely with the boneless NY strip. Complimentary flavors, the steak was lean and well textured, my wines integrated well with this classic restaurant cut.

Change gears to a longer cooked bone-in NY strip a.k.a. Club steak and suddenly the integration of the wine with the steak changed. The bone itself was flat and nearly 2 inches wide and covered the length of the strip, which effected cooking time. Whatever the bone and cooking time did to change the flavor profile of the steak was dramatic enough to favor a more tannic and heavy-weight wine. The Cab Franc didn’t have enough heft or tannin to hold up to the Club steak. Superstrada was good, but showed better with other steaks.

Enter the 2015 RWSC.

The 2015 RWSC is my 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc from Dry Creek and Alexander Valley, with a 50% new Minnesota 36 month medium toast water bent oak and 50% neutral oak profile. Yes, I’m being very specific about my oak. Simply calling it “American oak” is an inadequate generalization.

While the 15 RWSC paired well with nearly every steak in the line-up (except perhaps the filet mignon where the wine overwhelmed the lean cut), it shined with the Club steak. This is where some combination of alchemy, meat sweats, and badly needing a plate of fries might be affecting my palate, but it was an enlightening moment in the tasting. How could one wine and one steak pair so well together? Why is this pairing so outstanding? This isn’t just me bragging about my wine. I’m sure other wines would have paired wonderfully, but in that moment, with those selections, the RWSC shined bright.

Next time I’m asked to evaluate steaks, I’m bringing more wine.

Fast Meals and Home Meals

A few pictures of travel meals, quick breakfast items, and the use of cold cuts that needed to be cleared out of the refrigerator before leaving the apartment. It's amazing what you can do with three different salumi and dry pasta.

It is now TRADITION since my first visit overseas, to eat exactly one McDonald’s hamburger.  I thoroughly enjoyed it for 1eu while transitioning through Florence.

Florence Train Station...1 McDonald's Hamburger please.

Pathetic Chicken Sandwich. I needed a fix frankly. Something quick, something to remind me of the gas station complex in Ripon off Highway 99 in California. The picture below was from one of the bar places in Lucca on the way to the train station. I wouldn’t do it again, go find Caffe Monica for a take-away.

Caffe Monica in Lucca just inside the gate wins for best sandwiches so far. Bread was outstanding and the meat and cheese quality were high. 2.50eu (look for the darker bread sandwich from the train station)

Truffled Eggs, Truffled mortadella. My mortadella sandwich aka bologna sandwich for my 8+ hour train ride to Puglia was all I needed.

Fusilli with truffle butter, sage and prosciutto. Nearing the end of what's in the refrigerator things get more simple. Version 2.0 was Fusilli with artichokes and sage. I think more representative of what might be seen in a restaurant.

Lots of prosciutto, cheese, and bread for dinner at the apartment in Bologna. Breakfast tended to be eggs, toast, juice, coffee. Although my eggs with truffle butter took top marks in Lucca.

December Feasting

Fresh sea urchin in Santa Barbara, right off the boat. Whole roasted, bone in rib-eye cooked by yours truly only to be followed up by braising the bones and pulling the meat for Bolognese the following night. Lobster tails on Christmas Eve. Hand-made pasta at Cousin Vince's house paired with one of the first wines I ever made, a 2007 Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon. Freshly made cannoli by Mom.

I lost track of how many times I had rib-eye over the month of December. House to house, night to night, city by city it seemed rib-eye was being served. The only break in the rib-eye action was on Christmas Day when Cousin Jeff brought over some antelope (outstanding) and wild duck breasts from three different types of ducks, canvasback being one of them. Delicious (please ignore the unceremonious plating job). Wild ducks are not what most people are used to being served in restaurants, there isn't much fat on these, but the breast meat has a depth of flavor that rivals almost any beef. Cabernet is still too harsh for duck, but Pinot shines with duck, and I've always got some Pinot on hand.

From the Cellar a 2007 Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

It was a fantastic December of family, friends, food and drink. A great way to end 2016.

Pasta Party (with wine)

Gnocchi and Linguine were on the menu Saturday night. Fresh, hand-made and demonstrated by the bald guy in the center picture (me).

The gnocchi were sauced two different ways:

Gnocchi #1 - browned butter with sage and black pepper
Gnocchi #2 - crispy pancetta with basil and garlic topped with fresh Parmigiano Reggiano

The Linguine was sauced with a Bolognese of lamb, beef and pork.

Wines poured that evening:

2014 Mastro Scheidt Sangiovese
2013 Mastro Scheidt Bordeaux Blend
2013 Denner Syrah
2012 Mastro Scheidt Superstrada
La Marca Prosecco

Most of the photos are courtesy of our hosts, John and Falina Marihart. Thanks for letting everyone get flour on your floor!

David rolls out the pasta dough with friend Trisha

The Maestro...

Baked potato for gnocchi

Farm eggs and the Pasta well

Gnocchi in the pan with butter and sage

Gnocchi version 1.0

Gnocchi version 2.0

Freshly made potato gnocchi

Linguine Bolognese

Recipe for Italian Salsa Verde

As with Mexican style salsa, there really are no rules when it comes to Italian salsa. I’ve seen plenty of recipes that incorporate anchovies and capers, while others avoid them. Bread is another ingredient that is sometimes used and other times not. Salsa is a condiment and depending upon the application, the stronger, more contrasting flavors of salty, sour, or spicy could be used to offset or compliment another flavor in the dish.

I chose NOT to use anchovies, capers, or spicy peppers in my salsa verde. Instead, I favored citrus, copious amounts of oil, and a rustic style bread for substance. I was using the salsa verde as a spread for my confit of thigh and slow braised pork sliders, instead of barbeque sauce, aioli or pesto.

3 thick slices rustic bread, crusts left on
3 tablespoons Rice wine vinegar
1 cup Olive oil
1 clove Garlic
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
1 whole bunch of Parsley
3 branches Tarragon
3 branches Marjoram

Cut your bread into small chunks and soak with the vinegar and olive oil in a shallow bowl for about 5 minutes. Mix and fold the bread so that it is completely saturated in the liquid and easy to pulverize in the food processor.

Take all the rest of your ingredients and the soaked bread mixture and place in a food processor. Pulse the mixture several times until all the ingredients are mixed well together and form loose paste.

Taste the salsa verde for seasoning and salt and pepper to taste.

Comfort food dinner in Healdsburg

Now that Fall has dropped in, the timing was perfect for me to stop being a winemaker for the night and put on the apron to cook a comfort food meal among friends. Warm, hearty, rich foods with copious amounts of Mastro Scheidt red wines, pair perfectly with the Fall season; and yes, I slipped in a barrel sample of Rose, because I can (Rose pairs nicely with the sliders...)

Duo of Brioche Sliders

Italian Salsa Verde

Delicata Squash

Toasted and Seasoned Nuts and Seeds

Sugo di Funghi

Fregula

Rigitoni Bolognese

Skirt steak

Skirt Steak

Mastro Scheidt Dinner

A Hot Dog Wine Pairing

I'm a traditionalist; white wine doesn't pair with rib-eye and Cab doesn't pair with shrimp, period. However, when an opportunity presents itself to pair my wines with hot dogs, I don't see much downside. It's a hot dog, I can drop the pretense.

The pairings were done on a working crush pad at the winery and I chilled my wines before eating the hot dogs (it's 100 degrees up in Healdsburg).

The first dog incorporated a Southwest or Tex-Mex flavor profile; the second is a spin on a banh mi Vietnamese sandwich.

Tex-Mex Hot Dog with the 2014 Mastro Scheidt Il Bruno Sangiovese

The Tex-Mex style dog used a Niman Ranch uncured hot dog, a smear of paprika honey mustard on each side of a normal hot dog bun, some pickled jalapeno pineapple salsa, corn cotija salsa and finally a few pieces of fried chorizo on top. The acid and heat from the jalapeno pineapple salsa combined with the cotija cheese are what bring this hot dog to the next level. Sweet, savory, hot, pickled, cool and fat from the chorizo and hot dog for some reason all work with my Sangiovese. I'm not just saying it, it works, but I wouldn't have ever thought to pair all this stuff together with a Sangiovese.

Corn and cotija salsa

Banh Mi Hot Dog with the 2015 Mastro Scheidt Hunter White Wine

The minute I heard "banh mi" I thought of my white wine blend. Since the first vintage, my white wine, The Hunter, has always had citrus flavors which allow generally solid pairings with Thai and Vietnamese foods. With the addition of Muscadelle to The Hunter in 2015, a wider range of spicy flavors have begun to pair well with my white wine.

The Banh Mi hot dog had some lightly pickled hot red chili which added zing and heat to the hot dog and paired off with The Hunter well. Add the richness of a peanut sauce and the fat from the Niman hot dog, and the citrus flavors in the wine cut through, again harmoniously. The hot dog itself was fun because it plays on textures, heat, Thai/Vietnamese flavors that is so far away from a ballpark hot dog, I'm surprised more people don't demand more condiments at the ball game.

Chili and peanuts for my hot dog

Gazpacho or the original juice cleanse?

There isn't a day that goes by where I'm forced to hear about another person that's on some kinda cleanse. 3-day cleanse, 5-day detox, juice cleanse. 

I've got a suggestion, have a classic "cleanse" for dinner and make fresh gazpacho. It involves going "old school" with your mother's blender or modern day with a Nutri-Bullet or Ninja mixer. You'll get all the same satisfaction of telling your friends that you're on a cleanse, but this will actual taste good.

Tomato Gazpacho

3 garden fresh tomatoes, de-seeded
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup red onion
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
A few cracks of black pepper
Fresh Thyme and olive oil to garnish

Put everything but the thyme in the blender and blend until smooth. Done. Pour into a bowl and garnish. Eat.

If you're still inclined to tell people you're on a cleanse, put the gazpacho in a glass and take a selfie.

Tomato Gazpacho