Vintage Eve Circa Dec 2018: Scotland Part Two – Grantown-on-Spey

October 20, 2020 by evebushman

Being honest, I had never heard of the town of Grantown-on-Spey in Cairngorms National Park, known as the “gateway to the whisky trail”, until the tour company, Rabbie’s, planned for us to spend two nights there. But by the time we checked out…we had also checked out the local real estate office…there was something magical about this quaint Scottish town.

One of the many photos I shot…I’ll never forget this view.

The comfy and inviting B and B we stayed in was the Garden Park Guest House that I’ve learned was built in 1863. We had a lovely room for two upstairs, a welcoming host, a menu with traditional UK foods for our breakfasts, and it was a short walking distance past small homes to restaurants, shops, a market and ATM.

When we took our evening walks we also noticed a very grand hotel with a stone front and an expansive dining room that looked even older than our B and B. This may be one to check out in the future: The Grant Arms Hotel.

Even though it was very chilly and windy we walked alongside with many locals not concerned with the weather at all, and we found ourselves quite comfortable. The two dinners we had there were the best I had in Scotland, even after a couple of great dinners in Edinburgh, the food and the charm of Grantown-on-Spey ruled out all others.

When we entered The Wee Puffin, a wee small restaurant by most standards, we didn’t have any high hopes. It wasn’t very busy, we thought, until we noticed that almost every table had a “Reserved” sign. A large party of local ladies, in to celebrate a retirement, took over the entire back section. I thought we better order before they did and I quickly asked for Bangers and Mash. (This is something I’ve enjoyed locally at Rose and Crown.)

However, the owner wouldn’t let me get off so easily. He chatted with us for a bit, wanted to know where we were from, wanted to talk me into trying haggis (no) and then order a split bottle of single malt whisky (never bought a half bottle at a restaurant before, so that was a definite yes) and then we waited…for about two minutes. He came back with the chilled whisky, a new brand, the local Spey Tenne Single Malt that had been finished in tawny port casks. It was delightful. (We later took the near-empty bottle home to our room to enjoy one last dram before bed.)

When my food came I made swift work of it; lots of yummy flavors in both the potatoes and the sausages. While enjoying my dinner with the whisky, people that were in our tour had come in and chatted with us for a bit, while even more others had to be satisfied with just a look from the outside. It just left me with a very satisfied feeling. When I got back home and went online to “like” their Facebook page I learned that they recently added The Wee Birdie as a business inside the restaurant, for whisky purchases. More reasons to return.

The other people in our tour, and our guide Al, went on and on about some old place in town and their “Pies and Chips” only menu: The Craig Bar. Finally, when one rated their pies a 9.5 put of 10 we thought we’d give it a try. (I was afraid of “pies” as I had one in England decades ago and I was sick immediately afterwards.)

The Craig Bar looked like a hangout for old airplane fighter pilots with lots of military memorabilia, though the non-descript look of the building on the outside gave no hint to the warm and antique-y interior. The owner, I presumed this as she sat on a couch near a fireplace on one side of the two-roomed restaurant, took me behind the bar to select that night’s dram. I was smitten with her attentiveness and ease. The menu, all of about eight choices, and I still had difficulty. I chose a vegetarian option with local cheese and vegetables, and it was the most delicious savory pie I had ever had. We lingered, talking to locals, listening to locals, learning from locals…why this was also a place to linger and to want to return to.

Stay tuned for Part 3, the WHISKY, next week right here. Here’s your teaser:

From Rabbie’s

Speyside Whisky Trail – 3 day tour

Highlights:

~ Dunkeld and the Hermitage

~ Cairngorms National Park

~ The River Spey

~ Elgin

~ Speyside Cooperage

(Wednesday tour only)

~ 4 whisky distilleries

~ Royal Deeside

A warm welcome awaits you in Speyside, home to around half of Scotland’s malt whisky distilleries. Your three day adventure allows you to sit back and

let us do the driving whilst you visit some of the finest whisky distilleries in Scotland and enjoy the magnificent scenery of the Cairngorms, Speyside and

Royal Deeside.

Stay 2 nights in Grantown-on-Spey in the Cairngorms National Park.

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits

Rocky Pond Estate Winery Is Opening a New Tasting Room in Woodinville

October 7, 2020 by evebushman

WOODINVILLE, Wash./PRNewswire/ — Rocky Pond Estate Winery, the Washington producer crafting wines from their breathtaking sustainably farmed riverside vineyards in the Columbia River Valley, has opened a new tasting room in the heart of downtown Woodinville at the Woodin Creek project. The Rocky Pond team will be raising the bar by adding new and exciting culinary and wine experiences.

Double D Vineyard at Rock Pond Estate Winery, Washington.

“The new Rocky Pond Tasting Room in Woodinville will take our King County offering to the next level,” stated Owners and Founders David and Michelle Dufenhorst. “Our experienced team is focused on elevating the current offerings in the region by creating exclusive wine and food pairing experiences and intimate wine dinners in a sophisticated, yet casual, setting like no other.”

The Dufenhorsts have been actively compiling quite the all-star team of wine and service professionals at Rocky Pond and have again added regional super stars to create an unparalleled wine and hospitality experience in Woodinville.

To lead the culinary program, Rocky Pond has hand-selected a veteran of the industry in Chef Douglas Setniker to be the new Director of Culinary Experiences. Chef Doug has been involved in the high-touch catering industry for nearly thirty years. Doug graduated first in his class from the American Culinary Institute in Hyde Park, NY. From there, his career included eight years as the Director of Catering at Microsoft and fourteen years at Guckenheimer as the Executive Chef for the Pacific Northwest.

Chef Doug will be creating a locally sourced menu to accentuate and elevate each Rocky Pond wine. Guests can expect a menu of rotating small bites, weekly chef specials, and regularly scheduled multi-course wine dinners.

Holly La Porta-Jones, no stranger to the world of fine wine, recently joined the team as the Tasting Room Manager and will be creating a welcoming, world-class hospitality experience. Holly is a graduate of the University of Hawaii and worked as a Restaurant Manager at the Four Seasons Hualalai before joining Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits as a Fine Wine Specialist. Holly holds her Level 2 Certified Sommelier Certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers as well as her WSET Level 2 Certification from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust.

The new tasting room was thoughtfully designed with comfort and elegance in mind. The Dufenhorsts took cues from their popular downtown Chelan Tasting Room and have combined upscale touches with a beautiful mix of leather, metals, and stone textures throughout. Boasting a variety of comfortable seating options for private and members-only wine flights, the main room is anchored by a gorgeous custom-built bar that is perfect for walk-up tastings, bottle service, and wines by the glass. Two large outdoor patios are located on either side of the main room and offer a variety of relaxing options for wine enthusiasts looking for an intimate al fresco experience.

A large private room – perfect for small to medium sized private events – was created to host corporate functions, birthdays, wedding showers and more. This beautifully designed private space will be available for rent throughout the year with catering options.

Reserve a table today at: www.rockypondwinery.com.

Chef Celestino Drago Officially Welcomes Legendary Restaurateur Piero Selvaggio as Managing Partner at Drago Centro!

September 5, 2020 by evebushman

Downtown Los Angeles, CA – For over forty years, Restaurateur Piero Selvaggio (Valentino, Valentino Restaurant Group) and Restaurateur/Chef Celestino Drago of the famed Drago Brothers have been close friends, colleagues, and competitors in the thriving Los Angeles dining scene. Now, their longstanding relationship transcends to a proprietary level as Chef Celestino Drago officially welcomes Piero Selvaggio to Drago Centro as New Managing Partner!

Piero Selvaggio (left) with Chef Celestino Drago (right). Photo Credit: Courtesy of Drago Centro

Originally from Sicily, both Piero and Celestino met over forty years ago in Los Angeles when Celestino first came to the states. Piero opened the renowned Valentino, the flagship restaurant in his Valentino Restaurant Group in Santa Monica in 1972. Valentino was widely regarded as one of the finest Italian restaurants in the U.S. and credited with introducing Angelenos to true Italian food, fresh ingredients and new products. Also, introducing a new wave of Italian Chefs that in time built world-wide reputations on the their own. Piero went on to build a multimillion-dollar restaurant empire garnering numerous James Beard Foundation awards for its wine list and service, along with critical acclaim for its food, wine, and service by top national publications including Wine Spectator, Bon Appétit, Gourmet, Food & Wine, local Los Angeles press. with more along the way. In 2018, after forty-five plus years, he decided to retire and close Valentino to look for new challenges. Piero met again with Celestino and started considering Drago Centro as the perfect venue for a new chapter.

Celestino has also created a restaurant empire of his own featuring IL Pastaio, Celestino Ristorante, Drago Bakery, Drago Ristorante, Drago Catering & Special Events, and for the past eleven years, Drago Centro has been Downtown L.A.’s premier dining destination for fans of an authentic Italian experience with a modern and innovative edge. “When I first arrived in Los Angeles there was nothing else like Valentino in Santa Monica (and Rex Il Ristorante in Downtown L.A.), and I always looked up to Piero as a mentor,” says Celestino. “Piero helped me out with many of my early ventures and being that we are both from Sicily, we have always had a special respect for one another.”

Over the years Piero and Celestino have remained very close and have done many events together. Both men have also dedicated their legacies to promoting modern Italian cooking with fine ingredients, so it is no surprise that these to celebrated restaurateurs would finally come together. Says Celestino, “When Piero decided to retire, we just kept talking. You can never really retire from this business, so the conversation just kept going.” And, the timing could not be more serendipitous as Celestino just Reopened Drago Centro while introducing a stunning New Outdoor Dining Patio, New Summer Menu, Takeout, Delivery, Curbside Pickup, and now the exciting celebratory new partnership between Chef Celestino Drago and the maestro himself, Piero Selvaggio!

These two new partners are today’s most exclusive package. Says Piero, “I am very excited to bring Drago Centro to the next level in time. Celestino and I understand each other completely and we are focusing on the future of dining in Los Angeles. I feel the stamina of this new project and I am excited for all of the new things we are going to do together now and in the future.”

As Angelenos are able to take advantage of L.A.’s great summer weather, Piero and Celestino have created a magical al fresco dining experience featuring a New Summer Menu on their New Outdoor Dining Patio. The tables for dining are spaciously and safely placed all throughout this stunning outdoor atrium surrounded by luscious greenery, verdant olive trees, and a resplendently calming water feature, where the pair await to take each guest on an extraordinary journey as they sip and savor under the stars.

Both Piero and Celestino know all too well that a memorable dining experience must be perfectly paired, so guests can expect great wine experiences featuring Drago Centro’s award-winning Wine List, and much more. “I am very excited to welcome Piero to Drago Centro. He is a longtime friend and we are going to have fun together,” states Celestino.

Benvenuti!

Drago Centro will be open for Outdoor Patio Dining, Takeout, Delivery, and Curbside Pickup every Monday through Saturday from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm. For more information or to make a reservation, please visit www.DragoCentro.com or call Drago Centro directly at 213.228.8998.

Social Media: Please follow Drago Centro on Facebook @DragoCentro and Instagram @DragoCentro

Drago Centro

525 South Flower Street

Los Angeles, CA 90071

T: 213.228.8998

www.DragoCentro.com

New Cookbook Says Let’s Brunch – Celebrate the Best Meal of the Week

August 30, 2020 by evebushman

We are becoming a “brunch culture.” Be it brunch à deux, a brunch buffet, or a group of friends hanging out on the patio via Zoom eating frittatas and drinking Bellini’s, it is a concept that is here to stay! Chef Belinda Smith-Sullivan brings all these flavors and feelings together in her new cookbook, LET’S BRUNCH: 100 Recipes for the Best Meal of the Week. Lend a little Southern hospitality to your brunch menu with Chef Belinda’s flavor-packed recipes for breakfast and brunch, including front porch-worthy libations.

Photo from Chef Belinda’s Facebook page.

Brunch, a meal designed for leisure and good times spent with family and friends, is the perfect target for Chef Belinda’s southern flavors and hospitality. Smith-Sullivan grew up at her grandmother’s elbow, learning how to cook from scratch long before she had any professional training. This down-home connection to food is the base for her more sophisticated ingredient and spice combinations.

“In my opinion, brunch is the most creative meal because there are no rules—as menu offerings can range from a full array of breakfast items to steak and potatoes and everything in between,” Chef Belinda states.

In LET’S BRUNCH Chef Belinda offers up some of her tastiest dishes yet. With 100 satisfying recipes, the cookbook is divided up into chapters that focus on starters, soups, and salads; eggs dishes; casseroles; breakfast meats; pastas; grits; sandwiches; breads; jams and syrups; desserts; and beverages that include hot drinks, juices, and alcohol libations. Explore some of her tastiest dishes yet with brunch menu ideas like:

–   Collard Green and Rice Casserole served with Honey Pepper Bacon
–   Ramp Biscuits
–   Panettone Grand Marnier French Toast
–   Bacon Deviled Eggs
–   Salmon-Asparagus Quiche
–   Grit Cake, Collard, and Pulled Pork Sammie
–   Breakfast Macaroni and Cheese
–   Seafood and Chicken Paella
–   Red Velvet and Pecan Waffles with Fried Chicken
–   Black Walnut-Cardamom Pound Cake
–   Croissant, Pear, and Chocolate Bread Pudding
–   Pomegranate Mimosa
–   Chef Belinda’s Creole Mary

There is no end to where this “brunch culture” is taking us! Whether it’s to honor Mother’s Day, a cooking break during the holidays, or to sweep away the cobwebs of a long week during a pandemic, brunch just might become the new party. Celebrate it!

BELINDA SMITH-SULLIVAN is a chef, author of Just Peachy, food writer, spice blends entrepreneur, and a commercially rated pilot. She has a culinary arts degree from Johnson & Wales University and writes a monthly column for South Carolina Living. She also is featured on South Carolina Living’s website with monthly how-to videos. Smith-Sullivan is an active member of the Southern Foodways Alliance, International Association of Culinary Professionals, American Culinary Federation, and Les Dames d’Escoffier. She lives in Trenton, South Carolina.

These recipes can be reprinted with the following credit:
RECIPES FROM LET’S BRUNCH BY BELINDA SMITH-SULLIVAN

Brie, Fig, and Walnut Crostini
Serves 6-10

Good but not complicated—this is the perfect appetizer for a brunch or party. Substitute goat or blue cheese instead of brie or make a combination of the three.

1 French baguette, sliced
1⁄2 inch thick diagonally
1⁄4 cup Garlic-Infused Olive Oil (see recipe below)
1⁄2 pound wedge brie cheese,
room temperature
1⁄2 cup fig preserves
1⁄2 cup coarsely chopped
toasted walnuts
Honey, for drizzling

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Place bread slices on baking sheet and brush with olive oil on both sides. Toast in the oven until brown on both sides, about 5 minutes per side.

Spread each crostini with brie, followed with a dollop of fig preserves and sprinkling of walnuts. Arrange on a serving tray and drizzle with honey.

Breakfast Steak and Eggs on Asparagus Spears
Serves 2

Whether its slices of leftover steak from the night before or a special 5-ounce breakfast cut from the butcher, steak and eggs is a hearty breakfast choice that will get you through the day. And the bonus is that you only need to use one skillet for the entire meal.

2 tablespoons Garlic-Infused Olive Oil, divided (see recipe below)
10 to 12 asparagus spears (about 1 pound), trimmed
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 (5-ounce) steaks, of choice
Freshly ground grains of paradise or favorite steak seasoning, to taste
4 large eggs
1⁄2 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
Dash of Tabasco sauce
1⁄2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1⁄4 cup grated cheddar cheese
Sliced heirloom tomatoes, for garnish
Chopped fresh chives, for garnish

In a cast iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Season asparagus with salt and pepper and cook until tender, turning occasionally, 8–10 minutes. Remove to a platter and keep warm. Add remaining olive oil to the same skillet. Season steak with seasoning and cook for approximately 2 minutes on each side to desired doneness. Remove from pan, tent with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare eggs. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, chives, Tabasco, salt, and pepper. Wipe out the same skillet and melt the butter over medium heat. Gently scramble eggs to just under the desired doneness and remove skillet from heat. Fold in cheese. It is better to undercook the eggs than overcook, as they will continue to cook from the heat of the skillet.

To serve, arrange half the asparagus spears on 2 individual plates. Place steaks on top of asparagus, followed by eggs on top of the steak. Fan tomato slices on each side of plates and garnish with chives.

Garlic-Infused Olive Oil
MAKES 1 PINT (2 CUPS)

Garlic-Infused Olive Oil is a timesaver in the kitchen and so easy to make. No more bits of minced garlic to bite into in your homemade salad dressings or on your roasted veggies. Basically, use in any recipe requiring both garlic and olive oil—which there are many. This will become a staple in your kitchen!

large head garlic, peeled
1 pint extra virgin olive oil

In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, add garlic and oil. Let simmer slowly for 20–30 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

In the meantime, sterilize storage jar in a 275-degree oven for 20 minutes. When olive oil is cool, strain into jar and seal. Oil will last 2–3 months in the refrigerator. Be sure to properly label and date before storing.

Vintage Eve Circa Jan 2018, “Wine 101: The Demise of the Dinner Party”

August 25, 2020 by evebushman

Cruising a foodie group on Facebook one member’s query kind of stuck out in my mind. It was something like, “Does anyone do dinner parties anymore?” About half of the comments, if not more, said no. Due to pets, small dining spaces, children, busy schedules and a lack of ideas.

Bushman Kitchen – overlooking our Napa Valley vineyard (We wish!)

That lack of ideas on what to do for a dinner party got my mind racing. I never run out of ideas. Granted we have a kitchen made for entertaining, and a home that has managed events for up to 75 people, but the size of our kitchen isn’t where our dinner party ideas stem from.

It stems from our interests not only in food preparation and presentation, but also with the wine and/or spirits we want to serve to complement our meals.

If we go back a few decades we began as young married couples often do: experimenting in the kitchen. I happened to share my kitchen with a firefighter that was used to cooking for a dozen or more crew members. Hence, we always had too much. (Truth be told this is still a problem!) We had pals that lived close by that were more than willing to come up for a ready made meal, bring wine, and our Thursday Night Dinners began.

Every other week we walked over to see the Andrews, and they came over to our house on the weeks when it was our turn. Eventually other friends got wind of our dinners and they grew – with more couples and more wine than we really wanted to partake in on a week night.

Fast forward to our third home in Awesometown. Our kitchen prep area is probably four or five times greater than the kitchen was in our starter home was. And now we knew that the kitchen was where the action was. Ed had become an excellent cook, as most fire fighters are, and I was happy to be his sous chef.

Now we plan monthly dinner parties, with a rotating set of pals (as we are all so busy everyone is not always free) and still enjoy the menu planning as well as pulling wines from our cellar to pair. Over the years I have also enjoyed hosting meetings for the different events I’m working on, as well as a monthly Brainstormer’s Group – and these are mostly potluck with some kind of wine or spirit tasting I throw in for fun.

These are the different ideas we’ve tried over the years:

We did a large wine event with five different tasting stations where guests moved from room to room, outside to inside, and returned to the kitchen for the final pairing.

Hosted a jam-making class!

The “Buck Bar” idea borrowed from Lesley and David Solmonson’s book “The Twelve Bottle Bar” where guests are prompted to replace the vodka in a Moscow Mule with rye, bourbon or scotch, and the lime with orange or lemon. Just crafting your own cocktail with all the bartender tools is fun!

Pot lucks with everyone bringing one of their prized homemade dishes – can’t ever go wrong with that.

Gin or vodka tastings – those are not so usual – after dining.

After dinner put on a movie like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off that you can talk over.

I’ve done chocolate tastings where I’ve guided guests to go from dark to light, with some wine and port as well, to see how the chocolate flavors develop and change when we study them.

An adult Pinata with tiny plastic booze bottles.

Make friends with restaurant owners – they make you want to up your game!

Play Apples to Apples, or any easy to play game for families, after dinner.

Single malt scotch tastings, with minor pairings like grilled sausage and Snicker bars!

Wine and Junk Food pairing. We like popcorn and sparkling wine and chocolate candy with Zinfandel – with a lot in between. You have to do some experimenting before you plan this one.

After a dinner: blind wine tastings, single varietal tastings, aroma lessons…

So if you were on the fence about planning a fun dinner party I hope this article helped to get your creative juices working. And if you need more assistance, or a really fun guest, you know where to find me!

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

Glamorous New Seaside Al Fresco Cafe Unveiled At Los Angeles’ Iconic Art Deco Hotel Shangri-La

August 16, 2020 by evebushman

SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (PRWEB) – Los Angeles’ Art Deco Hotel Shangri-La has further elevated its culinary excellence with the launch of its chic al fresco dining space. Boasting panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and Santa Monica’s city skyline, The Sidewalk Cafe is the latest addition to the iconic LA destination, a continental style café tucked alongside the glorious coast.

Vibrant white Tulip chairs lined up in a Parisian fashion on the hotel’s VIP roped off pavement outside among the palm trees – where guests can enjoy timeless rituals such as the morning parfait and croissants, lunchtime pizzas made in Santa Monica’s only wood-fired oven shaded by umbrellas, or a leisurely dinner with a Pacific Ocean view while taking in the extraordinarily intense sunsets. Offering internationally inspired, Californian-infused cuisine, everything on the menu is locally sourced, organic seasonal ingredients, from Santa Monica Farmers Market.

Santa Monica’s chic new Parisian style café has been designed for the ultimate outdoor dining experience with dedicated attention from the hotel’s talented team, on hand to create unmissable dishes. The concept has been inspired by CEO Tamie Adaya and GM Armond Khosrovyan, with a varied menu fizzing with flavours, and a design that features space age tables and chairs that were originally designed by Eero Saarinen, of the famed TWA Flight Centre.

Ms Adaya said: “People coming together – dining outside – eating and drinking immediately makes any city come alive again. The Hotel Shangri-La is bringing summer to the streets with a degree of improvisation, vibrancy and spontaneity. Our Sidewalk Café gives our iconic hotel a continental sheen – a bit of Paris on the Pacific that visitors, residents and regulars alike will enjoy surrounded by palm trees and spellbinding ocean views.

“It’s an enticing and intimate space. When you feel like gazing at the ocean on a balmy summers day while sipping your coffee, a glass of Chablis or Shangri-La cocktail, The Sidewalk Café is the ultimate seaside dining spot in Santa Monica for an eclectic alfresco experience.”

Entrees include Whole Branzino accompanied by sautéed baby squash, zucchini and heirloom fingerling potatoes drizzled with a citrus butter sauce, Whole Red Snapper, roasted beets, turnips and heirloom fingerling potatoes, and a 12oz. New York Steak with a purple potato purée and a mushroom cognac sauce. For dessert, groups can tuck into the signature Shangri-La Knickerbocker Glory – the only place in the USA that offers this unique and delicious dish which features Vanilla and strawberry ice cream topped with strawberry compote, pineapple chunks, pop rocks, whipped cream and meringue.

A series of safety features has been put in place to protect both staff and customers, and the space will have a limited capacity in compliance with guidelines set by the State of California, the City of Los Angeles and the City of Santa Monica.

Offering lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, The Sidewalk Café is open every day 7am – 9pm Reservations can be made online at OpenTable

Rates at Hotel Shangri-La start at $286 for a timeless luxury room per night. To experience more visit Hotel Shangri-La

Vintage Eve Circa Jan 2018: Call it What Happy Hour Really Is…A Precursor For Dining in Our Old Age (With new photo of courtyard at Salt Creek Grille!)

July 14, 2020 by evebushman

I was at one of my regular Happy Hour haunts, The Social in Newhall, when I noticed that the bar was completely packed at 5pm, much like it is at Olive Terrace Bar and Grill and Salt Creek Grille when we venture over to the other side of the valley and Le Chene when we want to go even further.

And then I noticed that the people that were packing these bars weren’t 20 somethings…not even 30 somethings…they were people that have “cultivated” their palates for a couple of decades longer than that.

There are lots of great Happy Hours all over Awesometown and we used to do a round-up of their menus annually just to share what they offer. (The last one is our 2016 version you can read here.) The four that I mentioned just happen to be the ones we have been going to of late…at least the past 10 years or so.

So why do we prefer these bars over others? They aren’t particularly loud or noisy, have comfortable seating and, as drinking at 5pm is a precursor to dining at 6 or 7, it seems to work for our seasoned age group.

Of the Happy Hours we go to – the ones that specifically were full very early in the evening – they also offer small bites for free or nominal prices, and some larger plates culled from the main menu. The libations extend from beer and wine to excellently crafted cocktails; one even doesn’t offer any kind of price deal on the drinks at all, just a Happy Hour menu of food. (And that one just happens to be our favorite. Why? Well we can walk there – we’ve said this many times, and yet we never actually have walked there! It’s the neighborhood bar and we often run into people we know. The owner gives us a welcome hug, maybe a peck on the cheek, and we know some of the servers and bartenders. Maybe at a certain age we just like to feel welcome…)

So, as we dined on dishes from appetizers to pastas we noticed how nice it is to dine early, have a well-made cocktail, linger a bit, then go home and…be asleep by 9pm. (And well on our way before the young’uns took over the bars.) However many younger people do go out to Happy Hour – when we were younger these were places with deep discounts, we could get a little rowdy with pals and we would end up staying for dinner as well. (Many were/are family friendly – we weren’t really hip on the idea of bringing our daughter to a bar or winery, but to each his own.) Back in the day that meant the party was to be found at places like TGI Fridays and El Torito. (The latter, if you stayed long enough even offered dancing in the bar. Anyone else remember the Discos of SCV? LOL.)

I feel like the next step for us will be the early bird dinners at iHop, and no cocktail at all…? I hope not. I do know that older friends of mine have pulled back from wine club memberships – at least from wines that are meant to sit in our cellars for 10 years or more – because my pals in their 70s are buying more splits (half bottles), trying to drink through what they already do have and/or are looking for wine brokers to sell their wines to. They do go out…or at least join us for wine on the porch sometimes!

Life is an every changing highway. I’m hoping by the time we start dining at 4pm we’ll be in a place like Atria assisted living, where my mother has happily camped for nearly a year now, and be having cocktails by 2pm and up to two glasses of wine with dinner…now that doesn’t sound too bad does it?

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

Los Angeles Philharmonic and Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine Introduce Hollywood Bowl Supper To Go

June 21, 2020 by evebushman

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Philharmonic and Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine has announced the launch of Hollywood Bowl Supper To Go, that began Thursday, June 11, 2020. This offering allows Bowl fans to bring the Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine experience into their own homes with James Beard Award-winners Caroline Styne and Suzanne Goin presenting delicious meals prepared daily in the on-site kitchen and wine pairings from the Bowl’s extensive list.

Customers can order their favorite Hollywood Bowl Supper to Go meal and wine online and select a 45-minute window as their pickup time. After customers arrive in the Hollywood Bowl’s main parking lot, the meal will be brought to their vehicle and placed in the trunk. Payment is made in advance for a completely safe, contactless pickup. To ensure availability, ordering the day before is encouraged, but limited options may be available up to 3pm for same-day ordering.

Menu options feature six different three-course meals, a family-style barbecue meal for two, and á la carte selections such as Spanish fried chicken, summer squash gratin, Alaskan halibut, and more. The wine list, hand-selected by Caroline Styne, offers Old and New World varietals and a wine package of four bottles.

“We are beyond thrilled to be able to provide a little bit of the Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine experience to our guests in the comfort of their own home and to keep that connection with them until we can all be together again next summer,” states Caroline Styne.

“The experience provided by Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine is an integral part of the Bowl tradition,” said Gail Samuel, Hollywood Bowl President and LA Phil COO. “Though the 2020 season has been cancelled, we’re delighted that we can bring back a part of the joy for Bowl fans who are missing their summer nights and allow our guests to recreate this piece of being at the Bowl.”

Hollywood Bowl Supper to Go begins Thursday, June 11, with pickups from 4 to 7pm. Customers can begin placing orders beginning Tuesday, June 9.

For more information, and to browse the complete menu, click the following link: HollywoodBowl.com/togo

Salt Creek Grille Valencia: BRINGING BACK COCKTAILS AND DINNER PARTIES

June 14, 2020 by evebushman

When ‘Sheltering-at-Home” becomes “Small Gatherings” at your home, backyard or office… Salt Creek Grille Catering is ready!

Treat guests to the same decadent meals and event details you have come to expect – featuring customized menus with Themes, Ethnic Options & Fresh-Local Ingredients!

Catering Services include:

Full-service event catering with On-site Covid-19 Safe Staffing available.
Meals options that are individually packaged or in disposable tins.
Hand sanitizers at every food & beverage stations and when appropriate, modifying buffets to reduce communal access, and transitioning to individual servings where possible.
In addition to our daily cleaning procedures in our facilities, we’ve dedicated resources to make our routines even more rigorous, and we’ve added hand sanitizers and sanitizing wipes to all communal areas and workstations.

We proudly offer convenient delivery and pick-up options so you can enjoy our cuisine in the comfort and safety of your home and/or office.

Vintage Eve Circa 9/2017: 75th Anniversary of Vina Ardanza

June 9, 2020 by evebushman

In the elegant framework of the restaurant Wolfgang Puck at the Bel-Air Hotel, several somms, restaurant owners and wine buyers, as well as a few wine writers, were invited to learn about Vina Ardanza, celebrate in their 75^th anniversary, taste vintages dating back to 1989 and enjoy a multi-course luncheon. (Hyperlink to photos from the event can be seen here.)

La Rioja Alta Celebrates Vina Ardanza

Mr. Guillermo de Aranzabal Agudo of La Rioja Alta and others shared some of the history of Vina Ardanza with guests at the event:

They “follow trends, not fashion” which is why their wines are aged for eight years before release.

Their price point has been reasonable year after year.

Grapes are hand picked, barrels are from American oak and constructed by the winery.

They are now on the third generation of employees.

They only work with select distributors.

1970 was the first of many highlighted vintages to come.

Ninety percent of the profits stay in the winery.

Learn more about Vina Ardanza here.

Tasting

Though I was a wee bit distracted seeing Chef Wolfgang Puck and Valentino Santa Monica owner Piero Selvaggio, I was able to give full attention to the wines that were shared.

Aromas and Flavors separated by ;

Mystery Wine

We had one sample that didn’t have a description. It turned out to be a 2012 Riserva not yet released. I got aromas of earth, mushroom, dried dark cherry and cigar; the mouth was a bit tart but still earthy with that same dried red fruit.

Vina Ardanza 1989

70% Tempranillo, 25% Garnacha, 5% blend of Mazuelo and Graciano

13.5% alcohol

What a treat to have an older vintage. Both the 1989 and 1994 (tasted below) were browner in color, indicative of age and nothing else. Aromas of plum, raisin, dried leaves, stewed fruit and pipe smoke; yummy red to blue fruit on the palate as well as bolder fruits – some tart – that provided a very long finish.

Vina Ardanza 1994

75% Tempranillo, 25% Garnacha

13% alcohol

Stewed plum, forest floor, mushroom and a gamey quality; then came dark fruit, but brighter than I expected it to be for its age, and many layered.

Vina Ardanza 2000

75% Tempranillo, 25% Garnacha

13-14% alcohol

This newer vintage had the same stewed fruits, a hint of raspberry, cherry and white pepper; on the palate the fruit was bright, mostly red fruit and a bit milder of the wines I had sampled so far.

Vina Ardanza 2001 Reserva Especial

80% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha

13.5% alcohol

Both red and black cherry greeted my on the nose, followed by stewed vegetables, rich and velvety; the flavor was full bodied, more blue to black fruit and youthful.

Vina Ardanza 2004

80% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha

13.6% alcohol

Lush red fruit on the nose as well as cigar, dark chocolate and a pungency that hinted at a bold taste; it was bright on the palate, with lovely vanilla notes, balanced.

Vina Ardanza 2008

80% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha

13.5% alcohol

Rich blackberry, fragrant – almost as if someone had lit an incense stick in the room – and a bit of mint followed; though young the fruit was black and dark, and also with hints of dried red berry.

Menu

Beginning with beautifully plated hors d’oeuvres while we visited with other guests, we knew then we were in for something extraordinary. The menu at each place setting didn’t disappoint when they were served: Our first course was Sorpressine Tortelloni Pasta made with Maine Lobster, Chanterelle Mushrooms, Brown Butter, “Vina Ardanza” reduction, Australian Black Truffles. The second course was Oakwood Grilled Sonoma Lamb with Ragout of Summer Shelling Beans and Natural Jus. Third up was the Composed Plate of Queso and Wolfgang Puck Bon Bons. The final was titled “Concord Grape” that included Dulce De Leche Custard and Frozen Pavlova.

Thanks to Mike Miller of Golden State Wine, a 30+ year old company that imports these and other select European fine wines.

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.