A rare chance to enjoy a day on the farm
Because my job distributing local food is so demanding, I rarely
get to enjoy a day reveling in the beauty of where it all comes
from.
A rare chance to enjoy a day on the farm
Because my job distributing local food is so demanding, I rarely get to enjoy a day reveling in the beauty of where it all comes from. So, when the opportunity to spend an afternoon celebrating friends’ birthdays in the area came up, I jumped at the chance to enjoy a day in Hollister to the fullest.
Our celebration started at Jardines in San Juan Bautista, always the perfect place to enjoy some Mexican food and the warmth of the sun on their patio. I was excited to see apricot margaritas as the drink special of the day and ordered one before I even asked for a glass of water. The combination of fresh apricots blended with ice and a little tequila, of course, was the perfect refreshment paired with some chips and salsa on this warm Sunday afternoon.
After lunch we headed to Pietra Santa, which produces some of the most flavorful wines around. What a beautiful place! Why had we not come here before, I wondered? As we ventured towards the tasting room, we found ourselves on the second floor of the main building overlooking the vineyard. Though only on the second floor, the view was breathtaking.
We were served several special blends of pinot grigio, chardonnay, pinot noir, merlot, and more. We chatted with our gracious server and lingered on the patio that overlooked the lush rows of grape vines. If the complimentary tasting – with its delicious flavors, friendly hostess, and bread and olive oil on the side – couldn’t convince you to take home a bottle or two of your favorites, the quiet beauty outside could in a heart beat.
After a couple of snap shots on the patio, we made our purchases – I couldn’t resist the two-for-one extra virgin olive oil deal plus a bottle of chardonnay to share with Dad and a pinot noir to take home – we were off to find another winery to taste their offerings.
Unfortunately, we weren’t able to find any more tasting rooms open – it being a late Sunday afternoon and all – so we headed back to one of my friends’ homes to sample some wines she had just bought on a wine tour in Mexico, which was certainly not disappointing!
Our day ended by venturing to another friend’s house so her daughter could join in our fun and we broke open a bottle of the chardonnay from Pietra Santa and began to wrap up our day. My friend’s fiance’s grandmother stopped by and our conversation was the perfect way to end the evening. Not only was she enjoyable to chat with, but Genevieve Stevens (and her husband, Roscoe) just happen to grow organic walnuts – a commodity long yearned for by me and my customers, and after the heat last year having wiped out a lot of them in the county, they have been hard to come by.
It was interesting to hear their story while enjoying a sampling of their delicious walnuts. What flavor! What punch! These need to be baked in some cookies, tossed in a spinach salad, and most definitely pureed in to some pesto I thought to myself.
The Stevens’ have been raising walnuts since the 1940’s and became organic eight years ago. The cost of pesticides made operating the orchard a challenge financially, but since they worried about the codling moth ruining their crop, they found themselves in a bind. “Farming is a gamble,” she said. “You’ve got to love it to go on.” Having parents of my own who hold the same belief, I knew exactly what she meant. Luckily, they were able to go without using pesticides for three years, and so after that they became certified organic by CCOF. They have been ever since. I came away with a recipe that sounds delicious:
Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies
3 ½ c. flour
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
1 ½ c. butter
1 c. packed brown sugar
¼ c. sugar
1 package of vanilla instant pudding
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
Mix all ingredients together. Add 3 eggs to mix. Once combined, add one small bag of chocolate chips and one cup of chopped walnuts.
Use a teaspoon to drop on to baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 8 to 10 minutes.
We have been spoiled with fresh green and purple basil from Phil Foster’s the last couple of weeks, and I have thrown a little in every dish I have prepared. Unless you grow basil in your own garden, it is next to impossible to find such a fresh bunch of this herb anywhere – particularly with the roots attached even! Here is my favorite way to feature it in a dish:
Lemon Basil Cream Sauce with Linguine and Shrimp
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. half-and-half
½ c. vegetable broth
½ c. dry white wine (or more if you want more of a wine flavor to your meal)
¼ c. lemon juice
2 tbsp. cornstarch
½ tsp. pepper
3 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat; add garlic, and saute 1 to 2 minutes. Add half-and-half, wine and vegetable broth; bring to a boil, and cook 8 minutes or until reduced by half.
Whisk together lemon juice and cornstarch until smooth. Whisk lemon juice and ½ tsp pepper into olive oil mixture, and cook, whisking constantly, 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. When ready to serve, add basil.
Combine with linguine cooked separately according to package directions, and warmed shrimp.
