Wines for Humanity

Wines for Humanity is a great company to be involved with, full of warm and sharing people who want to give back to their communities.

We just had a leadership conference in Chicago and I took my new Nikon D90 camera with me. I know that I irritated all my cohorts with all my "practice" shots, but some actually came out really good. Here they are!


Anton




Sabina

Jose & Gina

Frank

Jennifer

Cafe 222's Peanut Butter & Banana French Toast

What a shame to have to stay in San Diego for two nights longer than planned! I should be so lucky again! That is just what we were forced to do when our red eye flight out was cancelled on Thursday night last week. Since airlines have reduced the number of flights, the next flight that we could get on was Saturday morning. Neither of us was too disappointed; we checked into the beautiful Marriott in the Gaslamp Quarter and gratefully crawled into our luxurious bed for a good night's sleep.

In the morning I found Bob working at his laptop (it was a workday for him, after all) and so I went through my usual morning routine and then went downstairs to get some advice from the concierge. First on my list was to find a good place for us to have breakfast, and without hesitation the concierge suggested Cafe 222!


Cafe 222 is only open for breakfast and lunch. It feels really small because its seating for 75 is at small tables for 2 - 4 that are scattered throughout two levels of outdoor patios and a few tables inside. Nothing fancy here, but I loved the artful touches that always make me happy with these kinds of charming eateries. How perfect was this arrangement of artificial flowers stuffed into box graters and arranged on one of the two solid walls inside. (The other two walls are windows.)

Isn't this chandolier darling?

This was my breakfast. I know, not a very healthful breakfast, but this is what I usually get when I go out. I don't make Eggs Benedict for myself at home so it's ok to splurge. That is my rationalization. It also is a pretty good way to judge a breakfast place. There is, after all, an art to poaching eggs perfectly and making hollandaise sauce that has that perfect balance of lemon to offset all the butter and egg yolks in the sauce. This was delicious!

Peanut Butter & Banana Stuffed French Toast? They serve a lot of that here at Cafe 222. In fact, Bobby Flay came here and challenged the owner to a Throw Down with this signature breakfast. I heard that he lost, but then he usually does. He might be an Iron Chef, but how can he compete with someone who has made thousands of servings of Peanut Butter Banana Stuffed French Toast???

Here's the recipe by Cafe 222 owner Terryl Gavre. You can watch her make this here.

Peanut Butter & Banana Stuffed French Toast

Makes 3 servings

6 slices day-old white or wheat bread
1 to 2 ripe bananas
8 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
Honey, for drizzling
4 eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon dark rum
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Dash salt
Butter or oil, for frying
Powdered sugar, for topping
Maple Syrup, for topping

Remove crust from bread. Lay bread out on counter and spread a thin layer of peanut butter on each slice. Peel banana and slice enough to cover every other piece of bread. (You will be making 3 complete sandwiches). Drizzle a small amount of honey on each piece of bread that does not have banana on it. (These are the tops). Place honey drizzled piece of bread on top of a piece with bananas on it to make a sandwich. Repeat until you have made 3 sandwiches.

In a shallow medium sized bowl, gently whip, by hand, the eggs, cream, vanilla, rum, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

Heat skillet to medium heat, around 350 to 375 degrees F, or until butter melts and begins to sizzle. Dip 1 sandwich at a time into rum batter and place into skillet. Cook until golden brown (about 3 to 4 minutes before turning) on each side. Remove from skillet and cut in 1/2 diagonally. Top with powdered sugar, butter and maple syrup.

Bon Appétit!
Chef Debbie

A Bitter Tasting at Fess Parker

Bob and I were excited about visiting the Fess Parker Winery. Our destination manager had arranged for our tasting there and we'd enjoyed the chardonnay back home. We were right in the middle of wine country and wishing we'd had more than one day to explore!

This winery is one of the most beautiful we'd seen so far. It was nothing like the Italianate pretentious structures of other wineries we'd visited. This was more like a ranch house and something that looked right at home in the rolling hills and ranches of the area.

Bob and I both grew up watching Fess Parker play Daniel Boone and Davey Crockett on TV, so it was great fun to see his picture in the tasting room. Even more fun were the little coonskin cap cork-toppers for sale!

It's hard to imagine being in a more beautiful setting and having such a terrible tasting experience. Our hostess was rude, snobby, and unwilling to volunteer any information about the wines or the ranch unless we asked pointed questions. And followed up with pointed questions. She really was irritated, I believe, that she was in such a demeaning job as a sales person for this winery.

I am absolutely sure that the performance of this hostess had a great impact on our opinion of the wines. We tasted the chardonnays and pinot noirs for which they are famous, and found all to be overpriced for their quality. That equals not a good value. This was the first winery we visited where we didn't purchase a thing, not even those cute little coonskin caps. We couldn't wait to leave, as a matter of fact.

If you want to see a truly beautiful winery and vinyard in the California style, you can visit Fess Parker at 6200 Foxen Canyon Rd. Los Olivos, CA 93441. Call them at (805) 688-1545, (800) 841-1104 if you have any questions. If you visit for a tasting, be sure to request someone other than the gal from New Zealand.

Bon Appétit!
Chef Debbie

Tasting at Firestone Vinyards

Firestone Vinyard was the first estate winery in Santa Barbara County, CA. It was started by the son of the Firestone of tire fame back in 1972.

Our hostess told us that some of these vines had been planted more than 30 years ago, making these the oldest vines we have seen thus far in CA.

My friend Shannon Brunet of Global Restaurant in Charlotte told me that if I present my business card, tasting fees would be waived for those of us in the business. This was true and a real money-saver for us, allowing us to spend our money on the wine and not the tasting and glasses!

I've mentioned before how important the tasting room hostess is, and Susan Pratt at Firestone Vinyards was the best we've ever had. She was friendly, enthusiastic, and passionate about her wine knowledge. We spent almost three hours with her, joined the wine club and also will have a case or so of Firestone wines waiting for us when we get home. (Susan is the one who recommended Mattei's Tavern & Brothers Restaurant for our dinner.)

Later that evening, after our wonderful experience at the tavern in Los Olivos, we strolled through the small village. Who should drive up to us but Susan, who was visiting her church to refresh a flower arrangement! She took us into her church to show us its beauty and then spent another 30 minutes or so telling us about the area and its residents. She said that lots of past stars from Hollywood have retired to Santa Barbara County. I can see why. It is a beautiful place, full of rolling hills, woods, pastures, and history.

You can visit Firestone Vinyards at 5000 Zaca Station RoadLos Olivos CA 93441. Call them at(805) 688-3940 ext. 31 to join the wine club or ask questions. These wines are delicious and affordable for everyday drinking.

Bon Appétit!
Chef Debbie

An Evening at Mattei's Tavern & Brothers' Restaurant in Los Olivos

We love historical places, so when we passed this tavern on our way to the vinyards, we just knew we had to come back for supper. Imagine our delight when the hostess at Firestone Vinyards recommended this restaurant to us!

Chef brothers Matt and Jeff Nichols moved into this historical building and restored it to its stage coach days splendor. It's surrounded by pretty green lawns and gardens, and an original wooden water tower at the edge of its large back lawn. I can imagine hosting an evening of dining with friends on that lawn!

They definitely need some old-fashioned southern rocking chairs on this porch, don't you think? I can just imagine all the people waiting for the stage to arrive!

It wasn't easy or comfortable for folks to travel back in those days! We're definitely spoiled by our luxury cars and air conditioning!

This is the lobby of the tavern and restaurant. Back during temperance times, the tavern was moved to a small building unconnected to the stage office, but it's back now. The fireplace and beams in the ceilings are all original. I just had to ask about ghosts, and the receptionist told me that she'd heard others talk of glasses falling off shelves for no reason, and women feeling their hair being pulled. Probably just stories to tantalize the tourists, but I would have been disappointed if there hadn't been any to tell!

Our bartender was great fun and made the best dirty martinis! What a perfect good will embassador, and he set the stage for a wonderful evening!

I would say that Bob is relaxed after a full day of wine tasting and touring. Wouldn't you agree?

I think the general public never gives food servers the credit they deserve. Our waitress was fantastic. She helped my poor memory out, too, because I recognized Cheryl Ladd at the table next to ours (one of Charlie's Angels...she's the blonde cutie), but I couldn't place one of her companions. Our waitress wrote a note on her pad that the handsome gentleman with the full shock of white hair was Efrem Zimbalist Jr. Remember him from the old FBI show on TV back in the late '60s & early '70s?

What a beautiful rack of lamb! The exquisite 2007 Estate Pinot we had from Melville Vinyards in the Santa Maria Valley was the perfect pairing for Bob's lamb and my salmon. The next time we come out here we are going to do the wineries in the Santa Maria Valley and Melville will be our first stop!

You can visit Mattei's Tavern & Brothers Restaurant at 2350 Railway Avenue in Los Olivos, California 93441. Call them at (805) 688-4820 for reservations or questions.

Bon Appétit!
Chef Debbie

Wine Tasting at Eos Winery in Paso Robles

I know that we at Wines for Humanity source many of our California wines from the Paso Robles area, so I was thrilled to visit the beautiful Eos Estate Winery. This is one of those places where the view is spectacular from so many vantage points, that we lingered outside for a while enjoying the scenery before we went inside.

If you visit wineries, you already know that the wine-tasting experience is totally dependent on the host or hostess you have. Colleen (below) was a real gem. We spent a lot of time enjoying her warm personality and extensive knowledge of the winery and wine-making there. The wine was delicious, and Bob joined their wine club and then had them ship some of his favorites home.

Touring at Eos is self-guided. We had places to go so just quickly peeked into the wine cave below.

In this photo is just a sampling of the more than 10,000 barrels of wine being stored, mostly in French oak with some American and other European. I wish you could smell the heady aromas of all the wines aging there.

Below is one of my favorite views of the vinyards, which stretch into the distance and seem to go on forever.

Eos Estate Vinyard is the largest winery on California’s Central Coast to run completely on alternative energy. It has a solar farm that is more than 2 acres large. Bob was impressed!

Eos Estate Vinyards is located at 5625 Highway 46 East Paso Robles, CA 93446.

Call the winery at 805.239.2562 if you have any questions about their wine, joining their wine club, or just having a delightful visit.

Bon Appétit!
Chef Debbie

The Best Dim Sum in San Francisco

Dim Sum or Deem Sum is the Chinese tradition of small helpings served along side tea. Kind of like tapas, actually, where you can go to a restaurant with a group of friends and each of you orders a variety of selections, then you share and get to taste lots of different dishes. It's a really fun way that Bob and I like to eat rather than just having a mega-size entree of one thing. So, one of my goals while in San Francisco was to go to a really great Chinese restaurant that served dim sum style.

It would have been great if Bob could have joined me, but he had to make some business calls. I was on my own and ready to conquer China Town! But how to find "the best" dim sum restaurant there? I turned to our hotel concierge, who assured me that Yank Sing served the best dim sum in SF (and repeatedly voted so by local diners) and had moved out of China Town and into the upscale and bustling Rincon Business Center. An easy walk from the Ferry Building, he assured me. So off I went on my adventure!

Now, if you've never been to a dim sum restaurant you really must go and give it a try. This way of eating is perfectly suited for all of us who have a bit of trouble making up our mind when we peruse a menu. It's the solution for all who fear commitment. The servers pass by your table with rolling carts laden with steam baskets full of steamed vegetables, stuffed and beautifully formed dumplings, fried seafood and meat of all kinds, and finally desserts. You choose as the meal progresses and it's really great fun to have such variety.

This cold red cabbage slaw was the first dish offered to me and I accepted it to last throughout the meal. It was delicious, with a citrusy-sweet light dressing and sweet walnut halves. What a healthy way to start the meal (and fill up so I wouldn't be too tempted by the fried foods later!).

The very beauty of the Chinese dumplings makes it hard to resist them. These little perfectly-formed and steamed packages of dough were stuffed with succulent shrimp and crab meat. Easy to pick up with chopsticks (always a plus for me!), two bites each, and were tender and delicious.

One of the most interesting dishes I tried was this little bundle of sticky rice that was wrapped in lotus leaves and steamed. The server used scissors to cut it open for me. The delightful surprise inside was barbecued pork and shrimp!

Just when I decided that I was filled to the brim, along came a server with Peking Duck. She offered me a tiny plate on which sat a precious little clam-shaped steamed roll, a small shingle of duck with the crispy skin attached, a stack of slivered scallion, and a tiny spoonful of sauce; the goal being to create my own delightful little sandwich. It was too much for me to resist! Another two bites and that really was all I could consume for lunch. I can't wait to seek out a good dim sum restaurant in Charlotte when I get home!

Bon Appétit!
Chef Debbie

A Trip to the Ferry Building Market

Once the terminus for all travelers from the East to San Francisco, the Ferry Building is now a market place and famous landmark for residents and visitors. And the latter was yours truly earlier in the week when I was on my own to explore this bustling city. Are you surprised that I arrived at the Ferry Building by trolley? What fun! And then the beautiful interior full of delightful food aromas and light!

The Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture's mission is to promote a sustainable food system through the operation of the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market and its educational programs. Visit them at www.cuesa.org.

If Bob had been with me, we would have planted ourselves on stools at the

Hog Island Oyster Company and waited for them to open for lunch! Since I had so much to see,

I settled for taking some photos of the bushels of fresh oysters sitting on ice and

waiting for hungry crowds just an hour away.

I love pig parts. It is one of my favorite food groups.

I wanted to spend more time tasting at the Boccalone shop.
You can order their tasty salted pig parts online from their website.

Wow...at $8.99 per pound I think I have about $27 worth of rendered duck fat in my freezer right now. I'd better put a lock on that door.

I'm a sucker for the "last chance!" sales.

Wouldn't you love to have a market near you where you could get fresh crabs?

Outside on the sidewalk is where the local growers set up their farmers market. Lots of early cool-weather crops and citrus were offered on this day, as well as two stalls that were filled with dried fruits of all kinds. That is what is packaged in this picture below.

Greens, greens, beautiful greens!

"Cosmetically challenged" organic carrots and parsnips.

Fresh asparagus is in season here and people were walking away

with bags full of it. I bet it is good!

A sunny day at the market! What a great experience!

Bon Appétit!
Chef Debbie