Gewürztraminer Baby...

Ooh! A wine grape with an umlaut! 

Found some charming, blushing Gewürztraminer grapes while hiking around the vineyards the other day. Which got me to thinking, does Gewürztraminer pair well with anything besides fish? I've rarely had the wine, as I'm just not too much of a fish/seafood person.

What? It pairs with Asian foods? What? Pairs with a ham and gruyere tart? Whoa nelly. Well, I guess I have a new wine to explore!

Food &Wine has all the deets right here.

Summer Figs

Fig season is here! Woo hoo!!! One of my favorite times of the year.

Time for some luscious, lightly sweet figs served on a plate with a nice soft cheese. Such an elegant appetizer.

And if you are so inspired... check out this recipe for Drunken Fig Jam from Epicurious - http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Drunken-Fig-Jam-350120

 It is really something special!

Fresh Orchard Apricots

"Perfectly imperfect" is one of my favorite sayings recently. Case in point, take a look at this just-picked apricot. Notice the dents, scars and divets peppering it's delicate skin. Tiny little battle wounds. But bite open the fruit, and the darned thing is ripe and juicy and tastes freaking delicious. Mmmm... perfect.

Passion Fruit Dessert

Today I had the amazing good fortune to join my dear friends at the French Laundry in Yountville, CA. This was the first of, oh, six desserts or so. So beautiful, so delicious. I may never recover!

Cabernet on the Vine

Oh, it is GO time for the grapes up in Napa and Sonoma! Found at one of my favorite vineyards - Plumpjack Winery - http://www.plumpjackwinery.com/

Can I just say that I love Sonoma? So down to earth compared to the Napa area. It's a place where you can walk into a restaurant and get invited over to a local vintner's house for a nice glass of wine. It's where food and wine go hand and hand, with a little wide open space on the side.

And my favorite new restaurant - The Girl and the Fig - is on the corner of the main square. And even the fact that it has a cool main square is just so awesome. I wonder if they need any food photographers up there? : )

0911SauvignonBlancGrapes_3380 copy

0911SauvignonBlancGrapes_3380 copy
Originally uploaded by pixelish

Beautiful stormy day last Saturday in the Santa Ynez valley. Led to some awesome light for these Sauvignon Blanc grapes.