Where in the hell did this year go??? I must apologize for not creating this newsletter since June, the year just got by me & I have certainly flaked! Onward to the newsletter!
Here we are in November just after Thanksgiving & a good one it was. I am thankful for our family & many friends that follow us! The summer gardens at Rose Ranch are in transition to the winter gardens with lots of kale, chard, lettuces, garlic, savoy spinach & the last of tomatoes. Can you believe we actually had awesome tomato salads for Thanksgiving! We are still serving our wonderful heirlooms at the restaurant at this end of November! Here are a few events planned for the next couple of months:
TAPAS & TAP night at the Vineyards Inn featuring a flight of five Lagunitas brews paired with five of our exquisite & authentic Tapas. The evening will be complete with Jason Walters performing on his Flamenco guitar. Mark your calendar for November 29th from 6 until 9. $30 per person for the flight of brews, Tapas & music! This date also coincides with Dining out for Life, a benefit for Food for Thought, the Sonoma county aids food bank. We will donate 25% of all proceeds for the entire day & night to the food bank. Come out, enjoy an evening in Spain & help Food for Thought all at the same time! Reservations please.
Got plans for New Year's Eve? Make them here at the Vineyards Inn Spanish Bar & Grill. I am planning on creating some very typical New Years eve dishes served throughout Spain for Noche Vieja. On the menu will be some slow roasted local goat & lamb, Bacalao (salt cod) with Garbanzos & a few other surprises. We will be featuring many of the great wines & bubbles of Gloria Ferrer that pair so well with our food creations. We work well with the folks at Gloria as we both share our roots in España. If you happen to be a Gloria Ferrer Cuvee Club member you will receive a complimentary dessert & a visit to your table by yours truly! Let's toast in the New Year together! Reservations please.
We have completed our organic hot & sweet pepper harvest & with weather so nice we were able to let all the peppers. hang until they have ripened to bright lipstick reds. These make an incredible fresh! hot sauce we make in house! I am going to actual begin bottling a few sauces under our new labels:
Devil Dog & Lazy Dog with pictures of our Bernese Mountain dog Charlie posing! Here are a few glimpses of the images for Devil Dog & Lazy Dog sauces
Can you guess which is which? I would love your comments in the form of an email of what you think of these labels please.
Work continues on my prospective TV show "The Organic Rose" with a few dates in December to actually complete two full episodes! It really is good fun. If any of you have any strong contacts in the television world I am always ready to pitch my show. I am also working a on another TV show concept with the first episode set to be filmed the first week of January. All I can say is that this is a "Throwdown" format, the rest is a secret for the moment.
Here is a great fall winter recipe for you to try:
Pollo
al Ajillo (Chicken in Garlic sauce) serves 4
from
the Vineyards Inn Spanish Bar & Grill
3 tbl organic whole-wheat flour for dusting
12
cloves of organic garlic minced (the smaller the mince the more intense the
flavor)
2
organic lemons halved for squeezing
2
tbsp Gloria Ferrer extra virgin olive oil
1
tbsp Canola oil
2
tbsp organic Spring Hill unsalted butter (room temp)
1/2
tsp favorite hot pepper chopped (mine is the Thai Hottie)
Kosher
salt to your liking
¼
cup chopped organic Italian Flat leaf parsley
2
glasses of Gloria Ferrer Royal Cuvee Brut 2004 (my favorite bubbles)
note:
I always keep several bottles of this Brut in my fridge for unexpected visits
or just to enjoy another day in paradise!
Add
Gloria Ferrer olive oil to a saute pan with the canola. Mixing in the canola
raises the pan smoking point. Salt the flour & mix. Dust medallions &
shake off excess flour. Set aside. Heat the oil for about 1 minute but do not
allow it to smoke. Add the chicken to the pan. Always laying into the pan AWAY
from you so as not to splatter. Tan the medallions & turn over (not you the
chicken!). Add the minced garlic, butter, hot pepper & 1 glass of the
Gloria Royal Cuvee, reduce a bit then squeeze the lemon halves into the pan
through your fingers to trap the seeds. Sip on the other glass of Gloria Brut.
Once the sauce has thickened (if it gets too thick add a bit more bubbles), add
half the chopped parsley. Plate & serve with the remaining parsley over the
top.
I
suggest enjoying the Ajillo with a bottle of just released 2007 Gloria Ferrer
Carneros Pinot Noir, Jose S. Ferrer Selection!. The long silky finish of this
wine mingles well the richness of the butter, garlic & lemon notes of the
Ajillo. This dish is our flagship entrée at our restaurant & has been a
part of our culinary family for 31 years!
Buen
Provecho means Good Eating!
Green living tip:
Did you know that your garage door electric opener is always drawing amp 24 hrs a day just waiting for you to press the clicker? We avoid this by simply unplugging the motors & open the doors manually. You can also buy a wireless switch that gets plugged in line in the socket for the motor that will only activate that socket when needed by pressing it's remote!
The Culinary Adventures for Spain will be beginning now in 2013. We are also creating what is referred to as "Tailor Made" trips. We custom create Culinary Adventures along with your timeline & budget. Feel free to send me an email with any questions! These trips promise to deliver a total insiders look at the awesome culinary scene of Southern & Northern Spain. Can you imagine being taught Spanish regional cooking by yours truly and a few Michelin starred Chefs as well? The Northern trip into the Basque country will be so unique since my family are so well connected there. Join me for these incredible journeys! Go to our web site for a short video of these trips.
That's all for now! I wish you all a very special & healthy holiday season. If you want some of our new hot sauces (actually they are more of a flavor enhancer) let me know. I'll ship them to you as well as our very popular homemade Balsamic Vinegar blend called Two Dog. You can guess what type of dogs are on that label
Hasta la proxima means until the next time!
Chef Esteban
