Yes, it's been a busy two weeks!
August 5th, 2008. Tapino hosted its third Locavore Extravaganza! We attended the first of two nights devoted to local farmers, ranchers, winemakers and artisans. Although the reservation for our party of six was mistakenly reduced to two . . . Wendy and crew immediately fixed the problem and had us seated in a jiffy! We joined a table that included Greg and Tina from Grape Escapes. They offer wine tours to Sedona's wine country on a comfortable motorcoach - nicknamed the "Wine-a-bago".
We were also seated at a table next to the featured winemaker for the evening . . . Todd Bostock (with his beautiful wife Kelly and their new baby, Griffin). I'm glad to say that the sound system worked great and it wasn't as difficult to hear the speakers as it had been in the past. Chef James Porter was joined by Guest Chef Payton Curry of Digestif fame. They're partnership created a synergistic effect that amplified the quality of the dinner that night!
We started with an amuse of cheese, basil oil and micro and licorice basil. Both Josh and I noticed the distinct licorice flavor and thought it might be anise - but no, first time for LICORICE BASIL! Yummy.
The first course was a McClendon Farms sweet red campari tomato poached in queen creek olive oil - paired with Dos Cabezas Pink 2007. I told Josh that I could eat this all the time. It was so tasty! I'm also becoming quite a fan of Arizona Roses. Between Pillsbury Rose and DC Pink - I'm getting spoiled!
The second course was, I think, my favorite. Our guest is a Chowhound and knows her food! She had warned us that Chef Payton Curry was a master of charcuterie . . . and she didn't lie! I'm getting more adventurous with my food choices and I have to say that my favorite item on the plate was the head cheese. I know it sounds yucky . . . but it was fabulous! The plate also included a country pate, a stuffed Padron pepper and warm sausage. The two chefs joked about being the "Two Chefs and a Pig". They literally had a whole pig delivered to them and then created our meal! Fresh, fresh, fresh! This was paired with the "DC White" 2006, a nice light wine that paired nicely.
The third course was a chilled lemon cucumber and tomato martini. I have to admit that I wasn't a fan - however, A BIG HOWEVER, everyone else at the table loved it. It's a texture thing for me, I guess. The celery salt rim (I think) was a great feature.
The fourth course, the entree, was an Arizona pecan wood roasted Visser Farm leg of lamb with Ash Creek Ranch beef cannelloni and native tepary bean ragout. A mouthful but very yummy. This was paired with Dos Cabezas "Toscano" - 2006. I think this was our favorite wine pairing of the night. The food brought out the spiciness of the wine. We all loved it!
Lastly, our dessert of Duck Egg and Fossil Creek goat cheese chocolate flan with Sphinx date ranch caramel. This was great, of course, too! This was paired with Dos Cabezas "El Norte" - 2006. I don't know if this pairing worked the best for me but I loved each of the items individually. Fossil Creek goat cheese is becoming one of my favorite dessert ingredients. I think that Chef Porter has showcased this in all of his locavore dinners - and I hope that he doesn't stop!
I can't tell you how great these events are. I really hope that you attend as many of them as you can. I'm going to try to work on getting some of the other restaurants around the state to start producing the Locavore-themed dinners. Helping the local farmers and getting a chance to enjoy incredible food - I can't think of a better cause! If you are interested in attending a Locavore dinner but don't live in the Phoenix area - talk to your favorite restaurant and see if they are interested in producing this type of meal. Chef Porter said he'd be happy to help any restaurant interested in utilizing this concept!
There's another one set for October - you won't want to miss it! We won't!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Sonoita Vineyard AugustFest Weekend
August 2nd & 3rd, 2008.
Josh and I headed down to Sonoita to attend Sonoita Vineyard's annual AugustFest! We arrived Friday night and stayed at the Sonoita Inn at the crossroads of Hwys 82 & 83. I believe it is one of the largest lodging establishments in Sonoita with ten rooms. We stayed in the Babacamari Ranch Room. (An appropriate venue for this venture - Dr. Gordon Dutt established his first experiemental vineyard on the Ignacio de Babocomari Ranch in Southern Arizona back in 1973). This place really has old west charm! You feel like you're staying at a ranch house (without the smell of the horses!). We were happy to find out that our internet worked in the room. I think we would've appreciated a small refrigerator or central A/C but it's quite possible that some of the charm would've been lost. We slept with the windows open and enjoyed the nice cool night air.
Sonoita Inn offers traditional continental breakfast fare with fresh fruit, various bread items, yogurt and fresh juice and coffee. From here we headed to Sonoita Vineyards. At the end of the "Wine Trail", it is really a beautiful setting. Rolling hills, blue skies and green grass. Gorgeous! A highlight of my morning was meeting Dr. Gordon Dutt. I guess you could say he's Arizona's "Robert Mondavi". At the forefront of the wine industry, Dr. Dutt, a retired soil scientist from the University of Arizona, and A Blake Brophy planted an experimental vineyard in 1973 and found that Arizona soils can produce wines "with brilliant color and acidity". The elevation of Sonoita along with the terra rosa soil (the red dirt) produces a similar climate to Burgundy, France. With the experimental success, Dr. Dutt planted Arizona's first commercial vineyard in 1979 and opened the winery in 1983. He considers the many wineries that dot the countryside throughout Arizona "his babies". He is a very passionate man and shows great pleasure in talking about his success. Thanks Dr. Dutt for getting things started!
This two day event featured vineyard tours on a tractor-trailer that was full from open to close! Megan and Mike shared how the grapes are grown at Sonoita Vineyards as we ventured into the vineyard. If you're interested - Sonoita is always looking for extra help at harvest time. Megan explained that the different varietals are harvested at different times so it's not as daunting of a task as it appears! Fran Lightly, Sonoita Vineyard's winemaker, was also giving winery tours, sharing how the the grape goes through it's transition from mere fruit to beautiful nectar. I think one of the highlights of the day, though, was the Grape Stomp. At 1:30 (both days) everyone got involved in stomping grapes. Don't worry, some guy's toe nail won't be in your wine . . . it's purely for fun, Sonoita Vineyards invites its guests to stomp grapes and gives a prize to the crowd favorite! From all the hootin' and hollerin' there was no doubt that everyone was having fun. Of course, there was wine to taste as well as some nice food to eat. SteakOut Restaurant served BBQ right off the grill. Cafe Sonoita and Gathering Grounds also served some tasty morsels to the hungry revelers.
Although it got a bit windy at the end of the day, everyone really enjoyed hanging out in the sun, drinking a glass of wine on the grass and spending the day with loved ones. Although the gang working the event couldn't have all been biological family, they sure came together as a social family. They really ensured that everyone had a great time and received anything they needed! With the economy and gas prices the crowd wasn't as large as previous years, however, we all sure had a great time and I'll definitely be back again!
The Steakout Restaurant served us a great dinner on Saturday night. One of few restaurants in Sonoita, they were busy as could be! We waited for an hour for our table but it was worth the wait. Everyone was so nice that was working that night (although they were completely slammed!). We enjoyed a beer at the bar while we waited and then mosied out to the patio to enjoy the monsoon storms passing us by. We had two filets that were cooked perfectly (as always) and enjoyed a bottle of Callaghan Buena Suerte. This is a "no frills" experience - but the food quality has been top notch every time we've dined here. Although they were out by the time we were seated, Josh's favorite prime rib dinner is served at the SteakOut. Don't miss it on your next visit to Sonoita!
Josh and I headed down to Sonoita to attend Sonoita Vineyard's annual AugustFest! We arrived Friday night and stayed at the Sonoita Inn at the crossroads of Hwys 82 & 83. I believe it is one of the largest lodging establishments in Sonoita with ten rooms. We stayed in the Babacamari Ranch Room. (An appropriate venue for this venture - Dr. Gordon Dutt established his first experiemental vineyard on the Ignacio de Babocomari Ranch in Southern Arizona back in 1973). This place really has old west charm! You feel like you're staying at a ranch house (without the smell of the horses!). We were happy to find out that our internet worked in the room. I think we would've appreciated a small refrigerator or central A/C but it's quite possible that some of the charm would've been lost. We slept with the windows open and enjoyed the nice cool night air.
Sonoita Inn offers traditional continental breakfast fare with fresh fruit, various bread items, yogurt and fresh juice and coffee. From here we headed to Sonoita Vineyards. At the end of the "Wine Trail", it is really a beautiful setting. Rolling hills, blue skies and green grass. Gorgeous! A highlight of my morning was meeting Dr. Gordon Dutt. I guess you could say he's Arizona's "Robert Mondavi". At the forefront of the wine industry, Dr. Dutt, a retired soil scientist from the University of Arizona, and A Blake Brophy planted an experimental vineyard in 1973 and found that Arizona soils can produce wines "with brilliant color and acidity". The elevation of Sonoita along with the terra rosa soil (the red dirt) produces a similar climate to Burgundy, France. With the experimental success, Dr. Dutt planted Arizona's first commercial vineyard in 1979 and opened the winery in 1983. He considers the many wineries that dot the countryside throughout Arizona "his babies". He is a very passionate man and shows great pleasure in talking about his success. Thanks Dr. Dutt for getting things started!
This two day event featured vineyard tours on a tractor-trailer that was full from open to close! Megan and Mike shared how the grapes are grown at Sonoita Vineyards as we ventured into the vineyard. If you're interested - Sonoita is always looking for extra help at harvest time. Megan explained that the different varietals are harvested at different times so it's not as daunting of a task as it appears! Fran Lightly, Sonoita Vineyard's winemaker, was also giving winery tours, sharing how the the grape goes through it's transition from mere fruit to beautiful nectar. I think one of the highlights of the day, though, was the Grape Stomp. At 1:30 (both days) everyone got involved in stomping grapes. Don't worry, some guy's toe nail won't be in your wine . . . it's purely for fun, Sonoita Vineyards invites its guests to stomp grapes and gives a prize to the crowd favorite! From all the hootin' and hollerin' there was no doubt that everyone was having fun. Of course, there was wine to taste as well as some nice food to eat. SteakOut Restaurant served BBQ right off the grill. Cafe Sonoita and Gathering Grounds also served some tasty morsels to the hungry revelers.
Although it got a bit windy at the end of the day, everyone really enjoyed hanging out in the sun, drinking a glass of wine on the grass and spending the day with loved ones. Although the gang working the event couldn't have all been biological family, they sure came together as a social family. They really ensured that everyone had a great time and received anything they needed! With the economy and gas prices the crowd wasn't as large as previous years, however, we all sure had a great time and I'll definitely be back again!
The Steakout Restaurant served us a great dinner on Saturday night. One of few restaurants in Sonoita, they were busy as could be! We waited for an hour for our table but it was worth the wait. Everyone was so nice that was working that night (although they were completely slammed!). We enjoyed a beer at the bar while we waited and then mosied out to the patio to enjoy the monsoon storms passing us by. We had two filets that were cooked perfectly (as always) and enjoyed a bottle of Callaghan Buena Suerte. This is a "no frills" experience - but the food quality has been top notch every time we've dined here. Although they were out by the time we were seated, Josh's favorite prime rib dinner is served at the SteakOut. Don't miss it on your next visit to Sonoita!
Kokopelli Wine Maker Dinner at Whole Foods Chandler
July 31st, 2008 - Whole Foods in Chandler hosted a Wine Maker Dinner featuring Kokopelli wines. The cost was $49.99 and included five courses with five wine pairings.
Although I've had Kokopelli wines in the past I was looking forward to enjoying some wines that I hadn't tried before and finding out how they paired with the food. We arrived promptly at 6:30 and found about ten to fifteen guests had already arrived. We joined another couple that we had not met before. They were great! Chris and Dionne (sorry if I mispell names) were great conversationalists and we enjoyed discussing wine with them. Jim, Whole Food's Cellar Master, is always a delight and his knowledge is always appreciated!
Our first course was a Proscuitto wrapped sea scallop with Kokopelli Pinot Grigio bur blanc - paired with (not surprisingly) Kokopelli Pinot Grigio. The plate consisted of two sea scallops that were prepared perfectly! Lately it seems that the scallops I'm served are overcooked and tough. Not these!!! Wow! Cooked perfectly and the flavor was fabulous - just the right amount of caramelization! The wine was paired appropriately, although I found the Pinot Grigio to be a bit sweet for my taste.
The salad course featured organic mixed greens pesto vinaigrette featuring local Black Mesa goat cheese produced in Arizona's White Mountains. Josh and I have enjoyed the Black Mesa cheese before and this time didn't disappoint. I'm going to have to attempt to make a pesto vinaigrette now! The chardonnay was also paired accordingly. The Kokopelli Private Reserve Chardonnay seemed to almost have a "tropical" flavor. I would enjoy this wine on a hot summer day while lounging out by the pool. Especially if I was trying to pretend I was in the Caribbean!
We had an enjoyable intermezzo - Ciao Bella raspberry sorbet with Kokopelli Imperial Kir Sparkling Wine. Normally an intermezzo is a really small "bite" of sorbet - well, this was a "super"mezzo! The bottom of the martini glass had two frozen raspberries and it was topped with two to three large balls of the fabulous sorbet! The sparkling wine was paired PERFECTLY with this. The sorbet really played off the bubbles in the wine and Chris said it tasted like "Pop Rocks". Josh whole heartedly agreed! I don't normally like raspberries that much but this was wonderful - very light on the seeds!
When the entrees arrived we were speechless! For starters we were told that the chef was transferring to Hawaii and that this would be his last event for Whole Foods in Chandler. Well, Hawaii watch out . . . your gain is our loss! The chef really went out with a bang. Our crab and truffle encrusted New York strip was HUGE!!!! I'm talking 14-16 oz of perfectly marbled meat! I really wished I could've eaten it all but it was just too much! The flavor was spectacular. Again, the chef combined the wine with the meal by making a Meritage demi-glaze and served it with whipped chive mashed potatoes and rapini with roasted garlic (big, fat roasted garlic cloves!). I cannot tell you how much we enjoyed the meal. I tried to save it for the next day but we were heading out of town. If this meal was any indication of Whole Foods events, they really give you your money's worth - in quantity and quality! The Meritaqe was light which paired nicely with the crust of the steak and it didn't overpower the sides.
Now, we had no room left but you know how it goes . . . somehow there's always room for dessert. The Chocolate Lava Cake was served with a Kokopelli dessert wine - Kokopelli Ratafia. This was a white port style wine that was showcased nicely by the Lava Cake - which I could only eat a couple of bites of!
I, without reservation, give a BIG OL' SHOUT OUT to Whole Foods for a great meal! Jim, great job on wine pairing, and chef, you are leaving a gaping hole in your wake - but I have confidence that Whole Foods has a great replacement for you! We'll definitely be back for another event!
Although I've had Kokopelli wines in the past I was looking forward to enjoying some wines that I hadn't tried before and finding out how they paired with the food. We arrived promptly at 6:30 and found about ten to fifteen guests had already arrived. We joined another couple that we had not met before. They were great! Chris and Dionne (sorry if I mispell names) were great conversationalists and we enjoyed discussing wine with them. Jim, Whole Food's Cellar Master, is always a delight and his knowledge is always appreciated!
Our first course was a Proscuitto wrapped sea scallop with Kokopelli Pinot Grigio bur blanc - paired with (not surprisingly) Kokopelli Pinot Grigio. The plate consisted of two sea scallops that were prepared perfectly! Lately it seems that the scallops I'm served are overcooked and tough. Not these!!! Wow! Cooked perfectly and the flavor was fabulous - just the right amount of caramelization! The wine was paired appropriately, although I found the Pinot Grigio to be a bit sweet for my taste.
The salad course featured organic mixed greens pesto vinaigrette featuring local Black Mesa goat cheese produced in Arizona's White Mountains. Josh and I have enjoyed the Black Mesa cheese before and this time didn't disappoint. I'm going to have to attempt to make a pesto vinaigrette now! The chardonnay was also paired accordingly. The Kokopelli Private Reserve Chardonnay seemed to almost have a "tropical" flavor. I would enjoy this wine on a hot summer day while lounging out by the pool. Especially if I was trying to pretend I was in the Caribbean!
We had an enjoyable intermezzo - Ciao Bella raspberry sorbet with Kokopelli Imperial Kir Sparkling Wine. Normally an intermezzo is a really small "bite" of sorbet - well, this was a "super"mezzo! The bottom of the martini glass had two frozen raspberries and it was topped with two to three large balls of the fabulous sorbet! The sparkling wine was paired PERFECTLY with this. The sorbet really played off the bubbles in the wine and Chris said it tasted like "Pop Rocks". Josh whole heartedly agreed! I don't normally like raspberries that much but this was wonderful - very light on the seeds!
When the entrees arrived we were speechless! For starters we were told that the chef was transferring to Hawaii and that this would be his last event for Whole Foods in Chandler. Well, Hawaii watch out . . . your gain is our loss! The chef really went out with a bang. Our crab and truffle encrusted New York strip was HUGE!!!! I'm talking 14-16 oz of perfectly marbled meat! I really wished I could've eaten it all but it was just too much! The flavor was spectacular. Again, the chef combined the wine with the meal by making a Meritage demi-glaze and served it with whipped chive mashed potatoes and rapini with roasted garlic (big, fat roasted garlic cloves!). I cannot tell you how much we enjoyed the meal. I tried to save it for the next day but we were heading out of town. If this meal was any indication of Whole Foods events, they really give you your money's worth - in quantity and quality! The Meritaqe was light which paired nicely with the crust of the steak and it didn't overpower the sides.
Now, we had no room left but you know how it goes . . . somehow there's always room for dessert. The Chocolate Lava Cake was served with a Kokopelli dessert wine - Kokopelli Ratafia. This was a white port style wine that was showcased nicely by the Lava Cake - which I could only eat a couple of bites of!
I, without reservation, give a BIG OL' SHOUT OUT to Whole Foods for a great meal! Jim, great job on wine pairing, and chef, you are leaving a gaping hole in your wake - but I have confidence that Whole Foods has a great replacement for you! We'll definitely be back for another event!
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