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The 2011 Harvest is in the barrel and it's time to wait. I'm happy with the results so far in what was a challenging harvest. I've got more wine to work with in 2011 because of quality farming practices.
Patience has its advantages in the wine business. We won't be bottling this 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon from Doug Rafanelli's Vineyard for a couple years. Continue to develop and age gracefully please.
Mix all ingredients together until smooth and the dough is soft. That basically means you’re going to knead the dough for a solid 10 minutes. Then set the dough aside for 30 minutes before you begin to roll out your particular pasta shape.
Depending upon your skill level, the equipment used, and the pasta shape desired, forming shapes could take between another 10-30 minutes. Hand cut 6” long, 3/4” wide papparadelle strips for the Bolognese Sauce.
Photos Courtesy of James Collier and Taste Fresno
Heat up a 3 quart pot on medium heat and add olive oil and all of your ground beef and lamb. Once all of the beef and lamb are browned, remove from the pot and add the onions, lowering the temperature to Low and sweat the onions for about 5 minutes.
Return all of the beef and lamb to the pot. Add tomato sauce and allow to cook on medium to low heat for 5-8 minutes, reducing the tomato sauce in order to concentrate the flavors. Don’t scorch the bottom of the pan, as the sugars in the tomato sauce can begin to caramelize quickly. If there is a crust on the bottom of the pan from all of the sautéing, you may add a little of your vegetable stock to prevent it from burning. Scrape the bits of caramelized meat, onions and tomato from the bottom of the pan.
Turn the heat back up to high and pour all of the vegetable stock 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. Serve.
Photo: Courtesy of James Collier and Taste Fresno
Fresno and Healdsburg have slightly different weather patterns. Fresno is a little ahead in terms of grape and olive harvesting. Cousin Marco was hard at work in Fresno curing olives; an annual tradition. Meanwhile, Cousin David was harvesting grapes in Healdsburg for the 2011 Cabernet Vintage. Lots of harvesting going on.
I've posted Marco's pictures of his olive curing in the Gallery and Facebook.
An exciting two days in the vineyard above Dry Creek Valley with Doug Rafanelli. Tons and tons of grapes were picked, sorted and hauled for processing down in the Valley.
I was fortunate enough to take part in the entire two-day process. I learned a tremendous amount and was actively driving a pickup with a gondola attached to it most of the day. It's too bad it takes at least 24 more months for these wine grapes to be released into a finished product some time in 2014.
Here's to more patience and looking to the future.
I’ve already talked about how good I think Chiaroscuro is on The Cured Ham a couple of times. I'm amazed how little coverage Chiaroscuro gets from the Bay Area food scene, especially for how authentic and consistent it is. I have a special place in my heart for pasta and I feel confident that Chef Alessandro will cook better pasta than I can most nights. I’m sure Chef has off nights, but my birthday dinner was not one of them. And considering Chef's Mother was also in the kitchen, everything had to be good.
I’ve attached the meal as presented that evening. On the cheese plate, a cherry leaf wrapped goat cheese from Basilicata was the standout. A house cured lamb prosciutto had a punch of pepper to it that was unexpected. The desserts that evening were a raisin gelato (that had absolutely no chewy raisins in it), strawberry shortcake, and profiteroles. The profiteroles a.k.a. cream puffs, had nearly the same density, texture, and softness as my Italian Grandmother’s. And yes, both pasta dishes were outstanding. The rigatoni was challenging to the palate with one secret ingredient (which we had to ask Chef about. He was being sneaky about that addition and no I'm not divulging it here).
What I didn’t plan for that evening was a special look inside La Folie. One of my cousins is close to Chef Passot. I was allowed to view kitchen operations at the height of service. Basically a step away from the pass, as I watched Chef inspect and arrange nearly every dish. The kitchen is small, efficient, and very busy. No room for idle chit chat, only communication about their stations and timing. What a delight to watch.
After service was over, Chef sat with my cousin, a good friend, and me for nearly 45 minutes. We talked about food of course, but also family, travel, and living in the Bay Area. Chef suddenly became another friend at the table. Way cool. Chef Passot was extremely generous with his time.
I couldn’t have had a better birthday. Welcome to 40 years on Planet Earth.
Dinner for 12. I wanted to highlight a dinner I coordinated along with friends, John and Falina Marihart. We were discussing whether or not we should pass out Lipitor for dessert, but we passed on that idea. Here's the night in food:
I was up at two of the ranches this morning, tasting fruit, talking with the vineyard managers, and snapping photos. Here's a picture that encapsulates a lot of what people are dealing with. A big fat grape, a little tiny grape, and a green grape. And we'd still like a little more heat.
Pizza dough, simple enough right? Roughly:
4 cups Flour
2 cups warm Water
2 tablespoons Yeast
4 tablespoons Olive Oil and a little salt, mix it together and let it rise.
Then take that dough and FRY IT!
Till it's Golden Brown...
And top it with a little sugar or honey. And Old School Italian Classic!
September 1 is the opening day of Dove Season in California and has been a long tradition in our family. This year was no exception. We captured a few of the scenes of the day and naturally paired our birds with some Double Barrel Cabernet.
I was fortunate enough to spend a little time in the vineyard with long-time family friends and two men dedicated to the vineyard and wine business, Frank and Mike Saviez. The Saviez Family has been managing vineyards and making wine for several generations in Napa Valley and the San Joaquin Valley. I was able to hook up with them in Fresno while they harvested some Albarino, Pinot Grigio, and a hot weather clone of Pinot Noir they're working with.
The pictures below are of Frank and a scene that sums up the less glamourous side of winemaking; a small truck (that kicks up tons of dust), some brightly colored trays, a new clone to taste, clear skies and 88 degree heat at 8:30am. Of course, all just another day to Frank Saviez, the sage of the San Joaquin.
What a busy week for us at Mastro Scheidt Wines!
We are all very pleased with how things turned out on Monday for our first bottling. Everyone was armed with a camera to get pictures of the first bottling line we've run. Total evolvement too, from Marco pressing prototype labels onto the bottles for the line, Tom (T.L.) working the hand-corking machine for magnums, to John showing the "Feats of Strength" tossing used barrels into the pickup (and making a much needed lunch of sandwiches).
This day was also a reminder to the generations before us, both Italian and German that tradition is all around us and binds the galaxy together (wait that's The Force). Seriously, tradition is what keeps us in touch with those around us, both young and old; and allows a common thread for us to each weave into our daily lives. Days like today each of us will carry for the rest of our lives and hopefully on to another generation.
Lots of emotion, time, expense, and manpower went into yesterday's bottling efforts. When we arrived on site, one of the first things everyone noticed was our stack of Claret bottles, a couple palates worth. On top of the palates we were shocked to see a new winery name, Maestro Schietz.
Scheidt. Right, I get it. My Dad gets it. My brother gets it. Scheidt is not an easy name to say or spell and is often shouted in vain. But Mastro? Maybe it's the old Seinfeld reference to "The Maestro", who knows, but I thought Mastro was 10 times easier to spell than Scheidt.
This one spelling error was the only glitch in yesterday's bottling. We'd personally like to thank the bottling crew at Mill Creek and of course, David and Fabian for their help (and driving the forklift)
The whole gang will be in Healdsburg on Monday to bottle all of the 2007 Cabernet. Everything is ready for a official release of the wines Labor Day Weekend in Fresno. We have a few details to work out as to venue and food, but rest assured, Mastro-Scheidt Double Barrel Cabernet will be poured September 1 during dinner on opening day of Dove season.
While I've been doing several dinners in Healdsburg lately, I had the opportunity to cook in Fresno with some good friends. John and Falina Marihart opened their home and Chef Tommy Chavez worked with me to create a wonderful evening with food, wine, and friends.
As we look to Harvest 2011, I was out inspecting several other vineyards today, all Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon. Looking at a couple different blocks of Clone 15 and 337 here in the hills.
A few of the guys got together to see what the rains had done to a small vineyard of Garnacha and to make some guesses about what the harvest might yield on this younger set of vines.
Story
In Southern Italy, specifically Puglia where my mother’s family originated, frittata are regularly made as a main course or showcase dish; as eggs are precious in the South and never used in the production of pasta. Frittata usually feature vegetables such as squash, rapini, and turnip tops, all staples of the Puglian diet. Mint, oregano, and chili flakes are often used to brighten the flavors of the frittata. Sticking with the Italian tradition of buying and using local products, I outlined the California suppliers, many of which I know personally. I have “Americanized” this classic by adding Parmigiano Reggiano a cheese not native to Southern Italy or the United States. I could have easily used Fiscalini Cheese from Modesto as a substitute.
David Scheidt's Fritatta featured at TasteBuds Dining Club, Fresno
2 pieces Gleason Ranch Bacon, Bodega, CA (chopped into bits) http://www.gleasonranch.com/
6 Wyeth Acres Farm Eggs, Healdsburg, CA (beaten) http://wyethacres.com/home
2 small Italian Squash from T&D Farms of Madera, CA (sliced into rounds) http://www.tdwilleyfarms.com/
¼ Red Onion from T&D Farms of Madera, CA (minced)
Parmigiano-Reggiano grated with a plane grater (roughly a fluffy cup with enough left over for garnish) A personal note: There is a huge difference using a plane grater on a fresh wheel of Parmigiano and parmesean cheese purchased from a store pre-grated (yes there is a difference in spelling, flavor, and texture). If using pre-grated parmesean, roughly 1/3 of a cup should suffice as a substitute.
Pinch of Red Chili Flake
Salt (about a teaspoon)
Bari olive oil, Reedley, CA (any local oil will do, but Bari still sells in bulk and it’s of good quality to cook with) http://www.barioliveoil.com/
Rendered bacon fat
Two 8 Inch non-stick sauté pans
Directions:
Chop bacon into small slices prior to frying, along the width of the bacon. Cook until crispy. Remove fried bacon pieces and reserve remaining fat.
Place a combination of bacon fat and olive oil (1 tablespoon total), into a non-stick fry pan and allow to heat. Add a pinch of chili flakes to the oil. Add the minced red onion and sauté for 3 minutes on medium heat. (You may add additional olive oil to the pan if the pan becomes dry.) Take the sliced rounds of squash and add them to the sauté pan and toss through the pan to coat the squash with oil, chili flakes and onions. Cook for about 3 minutes on medium heat stirring or tossing occasionally for even cooking.
Combine roughly one cup of freshly grated Parmigiano and the beaten farm eggs to the sauté pan that includes all the other ingredients.
As the eggs begin to set around the circumference of the sauté pan, begin pulling it away from the sides with a rubber spatula to allow the liquid to come in contact with the pan, constantly working around the circumference lifting the edge to allow liquid egg to come in contact with the pan. This requires patience and diligence, but you’re almost finished.
Now the tricky part…it’s time to flip the frittata in order to cook the remaining liquid egg on top. Have the second 8-inch sauté preheated on your stove. Since you are using a non-stick pan, the bottom of your frittata should have become loose, such that you can shake the frittata loose from the pan. In one quick movement, flip the frittata over into the other pre-heated 8-inch sauté pan to complete the cooking process, no more than 2-3 minutes on medium-low heat.
Whichever side looks better, is the side you should place up on the serving plate. Garnish with the remaining cheese and serve either hot or slightly cooled.
A wonderful experience with some great people and hosted by Medlock Ames Winery. It was a real pleasure to participate in breaking down and cooking such a beautiful animal.
Nancy Prebilich of Gleason Ranch supplied the pigs, Dino Bugica of Diavola and Rian Wyeth of Wyeth Acres supplied the technique for butchering.
There was even an after-party, starting at the Alexander Valley Bar with a shot of Rendevous Whiskey and then later at Diavola for some of Dino's cooking and a little more wine. A great day in Healdsburg and Geyserville.
It's been a long road to get to this point, but we're coming down to finalizing a few things. Here's a recent session on the 07 Cabernet. Decisions, decisions.
