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Earth Day Food & Wine Weekend
Celebrating with Farmers, Chefs, and Winemakers grown for the greater good ~ april 17-19, 2015 ~ california's central coast It’s been 9 years since our first Earth Day Food & Wine event. A few people teased us, others were perplexed. Many asked, what does Earth Day have to do with food and wine? It’s our core belief that there’s nothing more earthy than a farmer. Our little party has evolved to be one of the premiere events of the season and continues to gain momentum from eaters, farmers, chefs and winemakers alike. This event reflects our... [Read more...]
Falconry Beyond the Renaissance Faire
Thought Renaissance Faires were the only place to see falconry in action? Well, falcons are use in agriculture as a means of sustainable pest control. As winegrapes ripen, birds like Starlings and finches come out for the feast. SIP Certified Laetitia Vineyard & Winery has been utilizing these natural predators in their vineyards. Read all about it on their blog. And now you have a cool piece of trivia to share at the next cocktail party! [Read more...]
Happy 4th of July from SIP
The 4th of July gives each of us something different to celebrate. Here at SIP we are celebrating the many farmers committed to protecting both natural and human resources. The comprehensive rules for SIP Certification (known as Standards) address many interrelated elements of the whole farm system. Habitat conservation, energy efficiency, pest management, water conservation, economic stability, and human resources are some of the key elements of the program. In order to qualify for certification, farmers must have their practices verified through in-depth records and on-site audits by accredited independent inspectors. The farmers and wineries... [Read more...]
Laetitia & Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
You hear a lot of talk about Integrated Pest Management (IMP) in vineyards. So what is IPM? The University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu) defines IPM as: Integrated pest management (IPM) is an ecosystem-based strategy that focuses on long-term prevention of pests or their damage through a combination of techniques such as biological control, habitat manipulation, modification of cultural practices, and use of resistant varieties. Pesticides are used only after monitoring indicates they are needed according to established guidelines, and treatments are made with the goal of removing only the target... [Read more...]
SIPping Sustainably at Cooking for Solutions
SIP Certified Sustainable will join the Monterey Bay Aquarium for its thirteenth annual Cooking for Solutions celebration on May 16-18, 2014 in scenic Monterey, California. It’s a grand culinary celebration with more than 20 celebrity chefs from across The Americas, including live cooking demonstrations, intimate salons, culinary adventures and a grand Gala event. You’ll discover how SIP Certified sustainably farmed wines & vineyards and some of the nation’s top chefs are finding delicious ways to protect our land, water and ocean wildlife. The weekend of festivities willfeature live events with special guests and celebrity chefs... [Read more...]
Szechuan Spicy Fish & Carmel Road Riesling
Lately I have been exploring Asian cuisine with the help of a friendly expert who provided this recipe! This is a great dish with a completely different flavor profile from what I typically cook. It is pretty simple but it will require a trip to an Asian market for a couple ingredients. Try pairing the Szechuan Spicy Fish with a Carmel Road Riesling. Szechuan Spicy Fish For the Fish: 2 fillets of cat fish, about 1 lb., cut into slices 1 small Napa cabbage, cut into pieces For the marinade: 1 tbsp cornstarch ½ tsp... [Read more...]
Mango Sticky Rice with Claiborne & Churchill Gewurztraminer
I went to Thailand a few years ago and could not get enough mango sticky rice. The fruit was incredible matched with slightly sweet, gooey rice...YUM! Returning home I needed to make this recipe a staple of my own. Many online recipes call for rice steamers and a surprising number of cooking steps for a five ingredient dish. Eventually I found a simpler version and adapted it to make an easy, mango sticky rice dessert recipe. Although I am not typically a microwave cook, this recipe uses one of the fastest cooking tools in the... [Read more...]
Green Dip with Niner Wine Estates Grenache Rose
This is one of my all time favorite holiday recipe memories. My mom made her delicious Green Dip for every winter party. It is a simple, delicious snack to have out when your guests arrive and you will want to make extra to snack on yourself after the party. But, bare in mind that everyone will have a little green in their teeth! Rinse that green away with a nice dry Grenache Rose from Niner Wine Estates. Spinach and Herb Green Dip 2 packages frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed (I use a dish towel) 1... [Read more...]
Mulled Wine
Tis' the season for holiday drinks and what better than mulled wine to warm you up on a chilly evening! Thanks to Laura at Riverbench Vineyard & Winery for this recipe. Mulled Wine 2 tsp. allspice 1 cinnamon stick 8 whole cloves 2 strips orange rind 1/3 cup sugar ¼ cup bourbon 1 bottle dry red wine Juice of half an orange Mix all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer lightly for 20-30 minutes, then strain and serve. Anything left over can be stored in the fridge. [Read more...]
Pumpkin Pasta with Riverbench Pinot Noir
Another delicious recipe from the Riverbench Vineyard & Winery blog. Grab a bottle of their 2011 Estate Pinot enjoy this fall inspired dish. Pumpkin Pasta with 2011 Estate Pinot Noir Fall means it’s time for anything pumpkin! This pasta is easy to make and absolutely delicious. And bacon makes everything better. • 8 ounces fettucine • 3 slices of bacon, chopped • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 3 tbsp. chopped fresh sage • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree • ¼ cup white wine • ¾ cup parmesan cheese, grated • Salt • Pepper • 1... [Read more...]