Tip of the Hat to Craft Beer

I know I generally focus on wine, but I've been feeling the urge to branch out. And here in wine country we are surrounded by brewpubs and breweries. So I went back to my (college) roots and asked my buddies to bring me to speed with Craft Beer, which by the way, is a great way to meet outspoken, clever people (my favorite).

Here are some beer-makers with stories that I uncovered, both in my backyard and across the country.

Jesus loves beer – and Twitter.

Monday Night Brewing in Atlanta (photo above) started as a hobby for a Bible-study group of coat-and tie-office types who used to met after work on Mondays. It went from 12 barrels a month in mid-2011 to 170 barrels a month this year, thanks mainly to Twitter. Folks on Twitter helped pick the logo and suggest names for new beers. 

The brand’s slogan “Weekends are overrated,” is backed with a label showing a man in a suit and tap handles shaped like neckties. 

How Small is Nano?

You thought micro was small, but now nano-breweries are popping up around the country. Take Old Redwood Brewing, in Windsor, CA. Four partners opened the tiny brewery and tasting room in August 2012 and within four hours they sold almost a quarter of their first-month’s production. As with most nanos. Old Redwood Brewing depends on word of mouth, Facebook banter, limited hours and small batches to draw in the curious. If they have any extra beer, they pour it at local fundraisers. 

For my big Craft Beer story about the indies battle with the big boys, you can find it here.

cheers.

Joan

 

Weekend at the Del

Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego.
I strongly recommend you visit this place, because they make a killer Manhattan in the downstairs bar. Plus they have done an impressive job in bringing the grand dame back to a new modern life -- despite the wear and tear from the sea air.
(It 's also home to the set of Billy Wilder’s Some Like It Hot in the fall of 1958. See more in this cool slideshow.)

Yet another reason. My mother loved it.
Cheers,
Joan

Breakfast for Dinner, Oh Joy

Okay admit it, sometimes we work night and day. Big project, big deadline. We all know the drill. That's the time when one of my all-time favorite meals comes in handy--good, ole Breakfast For Dinner. Because, after all, who says if it's the beginning or end of the day when the hours are all running together as we toil at our desks.
I got the Breakfast-For-Dinner bug in Europe, with those midnight suppers in the moonlight at the corner cafe. Way more romantic than foraging through the fridge for a few eggs because, really, who had time to go to the market?
But the BFD routine works either way -- Deadline Day or moonlight supper. For me, the meal usually means eggs and whatever veggies, onions, beans, potatoes etc. that I can scrounge up. I cook them in a little olive oil and roll 'em up in a wheat tortilla. Maybe salsa or chutney on top, if I can find it.

But what wine to drink with our eggs? Because gawd knows, we deserve a glass or two after the crazy hours we're putting in. My fave is a sparkling white or rose from a local winery. I've also heard that Barbera, a light red, works very well.
And the best part of the BFD habit is yet to come.  Put on your sweater, take the last swallow of wine and go out for a stroll under the stars before calling it a night. Loosen your knotted shoulders as you look upward. Even deadlines can't steal the stars from us.

Happy dreams,
Joan

Bringing the Farmers Market to Our Desks

So there is this new interesting idea afoot. It is a way to order food -- such as winter squash --  from local farmers and then have it delivered weekly to the place were we are working (or working out).
Farmigo is trying to bring this to Northern California  and New York City.
In the south, Silo is doing it in South Carolina.
I think it has promise--since there is less waste and transport, it seems more convenient and less costly for farmers as well as us buyers.
My local pals and I already swap fresh veggies/fruit that we grow during harvest-time when we meet for Wednesday coffee. This would open that up to our local farmers, and bring a lot more variety into the mix.
I wonder if other folks will join up. Would you? If the idea grabs your fancy, get more info at
Farmigo and at SILO. For an inside look, Farmigo also has a friendly Facebook page.

In the meantime, winter squash are great for post-holiday meals and to heat the kitchen. Here's a simple way to do 'em. It uses the fresh rosemary that grows like a weed around here.

Rosemary Roasted Squash 

1. Peel and cube one large butternut squash or 2 smaller squash.

2. Mix cubes with 2 cloves of minced garlic, 2 springs of chopped fresh rosemary, 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Plus a sprinkle of back pepper.

3. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for about 50 minutes until squash is caramelized and light brown.

Enjoy with a nice Pinot Noir and Roasted Chicken or Pork.
You're welcome.
Joan

How Cold Are We?

While it's dim outside and rain is dripping all afternoon,  it's easy to get bummed out about the cold.
But this isn't really cold, not even close. I have to keep telling myself that.
Here's some pictures to remind us all of what cold really is. And to point out -- once again -- that cold is beautiful and that it is a big reason I love to go skiing. Real cold is actually amazing to someone who grew up in the dry valleys of Southern California.
So please join me: Let's enjoy these pictures, then go make some soup. And maybe have a little Port before bed.
Cheers, Joan

Locavores Are No Longer Weirdos?

It's harvest season here in Wine Country so the air smells like squished grapes.  Local garden tomatoes and squash, local bread and trees full of oranges are everywhere. But how about the rest of the year? How big of a deal is local food, really?
Turns out it is a really big deal, even after your favorite farmers markets have shut down for the winter. Fresh local food has gone mainstream year round. Yep, we locavores are no longer weirdos. (foodies can still be kinda ridiculous, what with the one-asparagus-on-a-plate for $10 thing)  Here's a bunch of stats proving how local has grown.

Like you perhaps, I fall in love with a local produce market in every town I visit--beautiful food and good prices. But the granddaddy has to be  Wegmans Markets in the East, partly because it is in places where the alternative is Walmart. Plus it snows there a lot, so forget winter gardens. Lately I learned that Wegmans even has its own research farm, now open to the public.This is a chain that is trying to teach customers raised on pizza, buffalo wings and donuts how to grill veggies and try whole gains. I've got to give them credit. Curious? Here's the deal on Wegmans.

Now, go make yourself a Harvest snack:
A slab of sourdough brushed with herb- flavored olive oil. Add a slice of newly picked tomato and basil leaves. Finish your computer work and go sit on the porch. Add wine.

Smile, sip and enjoy.

Holy Guacamole, Pour Me Some Sangria

New flash: Beware of regular old TV, the kind that comes with commercials. 
You probably know there are a lot of tantalizing TV ads for junky food, but this stat hit me over the head: 
A 2,000 calorie diet of foods advertised on TV would contain 25 times the recommended daily servings of sugar and 20 times the recommended servings of fat.
Eating just one of the advertised food items would give you at least  2.5 times the recommended servings of sugar and fat for the entire day. 
So says the American Dietetic Association Journal, as reported in Adweek.
Holy Guacamole!
So I guess I'll stick with movies and my (ad-free) Netflix offerings. Who needs the unhealthy persuasion?

On the other side of the coin, what food and drink do you think we regularly search for on Google during the summer? Well it's not burgers and pizza, according to Adweek.  Google says the most popular searches are for chicken, salmon, margaritas and sangria. Yes, yes, yes, and YES.

Well, everybody around here craves margaritas, (check out the famous Margarita Quest). But poor Sangria is often forgotten when the menu is made. 
So, to save you a search, here's a great Sangria recipe to serve with that spicy guacamole, grilled chicken and poached salmon. You can make margaritas at the next BBQ.

PORCH SANGRIA

1/2 cup brandy
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup frozen lemonade concentrate
1/3 cup orange juice

• 1 bottle red table wine from a small local winery
• 1/2 cup triple sec
• 1 lemon, sliced into rounds
• 1 orange, sliced into rounds
• 1 lime, sliced into rounds
• 8 maraschino cherries
• ! cup sparkling water 

Turn off the TV and enjoy!