Category: <span>SIP</span>
I’m a Fan of Hahn Family Wines
A little belated on the Cooking for Solutions blog post, but the whole weekend is worth more than just a mention. Of course the main event was fabulous as usual; great wine, incredible seafood, wonderful crowd. But this year SIP got in the driver's seat (literally) with a weekend food and wine adventure hosted at Hahn Winery. Our sustainability adventure began at the estate with a four-wheel ATV vineyard tour. Director of Vineyard Operations, Andy Mitchell, shared insights about how climate, soils, and sustainable farming practices contribute to Hahn's award-winning wines. [caption id="attachment_829" align="aligncenter" width="300"]... [Read more...]
Veggilicious
It never fails to amaze me how much better fresh produce tastes! I have done my share of gardening but my current residence is, to say the least, less than hospitable to edible plant production. Now I do love farmers' markets, but never seem to execute a trip before a desperate run to the grocery store is made. So, I have turned to the CSA box. For me this is the best of both worlds; farmers market freshness on a schedule plus a little forced variety. Recently I was turned on to Rutiz Family Farms,... [Read more...]
Pull Me a Draft … Wine?!
Those of a certain age -- and yes, I’ll admit to being one of them -- can remember the days of home milk delivery. It was very cool! You’d put your empty bottles out on the porch (or in an insulated metal box about as big as a milk crate with the dairy logo on it) at night and by the time you got up in the morning, there would be full fresh bottles of milk waiting. You know, kinda like trash pickup, but in reverse and a whole lot more appetizing. Well, turns out,... [Read more...]
Count the Corks and Win!
Thank you to all those who participated in our "Count the Corks" contest at Sunset's Savor the Central Coast this past weekend! [caption id="attachment_727" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="How many would you guess?"][/caption] The guesses are in and the corks have been counted! The final count was 465 corks in our vase with the winning guess very close at 468. Congrats to our winner who won two tickets to our Earth Day Food & Wine Festival on April 16, 2010 at Pomar Junction Vineyard & Winery! Our runner up, with a guess of 460, won a bottle... [Read more...]
Feelin’ Like Fall Dinner
I love to try out new recipes from my bimonthly Cuisine at Home. The magazine is so fabulous that I have bought it for friends, who have bought it for friends, who have (you guessed it) bought it for friends. One of my cooking comrades always receives her in the mail before me. On delivery day, I get a slew of texts from her talking about the latest recipes that she wants to try which leaves me nothing short of antsy to get my hands on my own copy. This week I was feeling the... [Read more...]
CCVT’s O’Connor Honored with Prestigious Industry Award
Get your earplugs ready – we are about to toot our own horn, loudly! CCVT Executive Director Kris O’Connor was recently named the 2010 San Luis Obispo County Wine Industry Person of the Year. Woot! Woot! The peer-driven award was chosen by members of Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance, Independent Grape Growers of Paso Robles, Central Coast Vineyard Team (no comments from the peanut gallery -- we played fair!), San Luis Obispo Vintners Association and past award recipients. Clay Brock of Wild Horse Winery and Vineyards in Templeton won Winemaker of the Year and Winegrape... [Read more...]
SIP Wines Shine at Atascadero Wine Festival
It was fun to visit the SIP-certified wineries pouring at the Atascadero Wine Festival – a relaxing, lakeside event that’s now held from 4-8 p.m. to avoid the heat and take advantage of lovely North County summer nights. Local artists and restaurants also participate (we enjoyed paella from 10th Street Basque Café in San Miguel), and it’s always fun to listen to the Mighty Croon Dogs! Here are some SIP wine tasting highlights … Ancient Peaks: ’09 Sauvignon Blanc (which just won Best of Sauvignon Blanc at the Mid State Wine Competition) had honeydew notes... [Read more...]
Baileyana/Tangent Serve Tasty Treats at the SLO Wine & Grill Affair
A good time was had by all for a great cause at the 3rd Annual SLO Wine & Grill Affair on June 5. Held at the historic Filipponi Ranch in San Luis Obispo, the event featured nine wineries pairing their wines with tasty treats right off the grill, and proceeds benefited the non-profit Transitions Mental Health Association. Among the wineries pouring was SIP-certified Baileyana/Tangent, matching their 2008 Tangent Albariño with seared ahi. The 2007 Baileyana Grand Firepeak Cuvée Reserve Pinot Noir was also available, but the staff (rightly) recommended the Albariño as the best pairing... [Read more...]
Get Ready to Please Your Palate at Earth Day Food & Wine Festival!
There’s usually good food to be had at wine tasting events, but have you checked out who’s going to be at this year’s Earth Day Food & Wine Festival? Just the list of restaurants alone reads like a Who’s Who of the Central Coast’s stellar spots for pleasing your palate! Here’s a look at just some of the highlights in the lineup … Artisan has been featured in the San Francisco Chronicle, Chicago Sun-Times and Bon Appétit and Chef Chris Kobayashi was one of 20 semi-finalists in the 2009 “Best Chef: Pacific” category of the... [Read more...]
Sustainability at the Forefront at Monterey Bay Aquarium
I visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium recently, after far too much time away. The visit was prompted by the juvenile great white shark they have on exhibit for a limited time – a stunning creature, but the jellies were no less fascinating, and the seahorses were just downright mesmerizing. One other thing that struck me, however, was the depth and breadth of information throughout the entire facility about sustainable seafood. Read More >> [Read more...]