I have been AWOL from Rainbeau Ridge for 12 days—the first time all season and the first extended mid-season trip I’ve taken in a very long time. Thanks to the able bodied team on the ground, I don’t think they missed a beat and seems like the precedent has been set for me doing this again!
The Japan saga, the first part of my journey, is written about elsewhere—this is the story of my CIA/Greystone adventure—a wonderfully stimulating week in what may be the culinary incubator of the US.
I left Kyoto by noon time Tuesday, knowing that this would be my last trip here for quite some time—maybe until I have grandchildren that I can drag along for some T&T (temples and torture). Headed for Kansai International Airport, I had plenty of drive time to reflect on the short but memorable trip to one of my favorite cities.
Fortunately for me, this was not the end of a vacation but the mid-point in my hiatus from farm life. I headed to California’s Napa Valley, west coast home of the CIA for a 4 day cooking experience. My plane companion was Barbara Kingsolver’s latest book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle—a must read! I only wish I had written it first…
Labeled the Sophisticated Palate, the CIA course I was joining was one of intensive cooking, eating and drinking—not too hard to take—but by the end we were all exhausted and sated.
While not a frequent visitor, I’ve been to Napa enough times before to feel like I was ‘returning’…The drive up from SFO was quick and scenic and I arrived in time for that day’s lunch preparation—two hours earlier than when I left Kyoto, but 12 sleepless hours elapsed time.
My classmates & I were in the very capable and experienced hands of Chef John Ash of Sonoma. Cookbook author, restaurateur, CIA instructor and all around interesting guy, John shepherded us though concepts, ingredients and recipes. His very helpful and lovely sidekick was Chef Andy Wild, a delightful member of the professional team.
The support team included Laura Pickover, Patricia Landis and several others who made our stay wonderful and attended to our needs—nothing was too much trouble and they made us feel at home.
The flavor theme for the week was Asian – it was like a culinary adventure to Thailand, Vietnam and Japan without getting back on the plane. We learned about the various taste components and had a chance to put them into play when we prepped our lunch. After sampling the various dishes and curry pastes, we headed to Villa Mille Rose, a private estate where they grow olives and make their own oil (something to think about for RR). The setting was right out of Umbria and the tasting was lots of fun.
Later that afternoon, I managed to get checked into my hotel and shower, pushing through the encroaching jet lag. After all, there was a CIA prepared dinner at the Wine Spectator Restaurant that I had to attend. I could see that the careful eating during the first half of my farm hiatus (which was carefully balanced with the miles I walked on the streets of Japan – notwithstanding the chocolate covered almonds) was a thing of the past and I would be staring down the barrel of an incremental 5 pounds for the CIA week—at least!
Dinner was delicious and the companionship interesting as I got to chat with some CIA folks and listen to John Buechsenstein (Instructor, CIA Adjunct Faculty - Professional Wine Studies) talk about the wines that accompanied each course. In an uncharacteristic manner, I passed on dessert and excused myself at a reasonable hour to head to sleep—Didn’t matter – I stayed up well past midnight and was up by 6am on my own.
Raring to go, I indulged in a CIA breakfast, followed by another morning of cooking. Lunch was yummy and more wine, of course. I passed on the visit to the Schramsberg Caves although all reports were glowing. Had to check out the town of St. Helena which was charming.
Dinner that night was a true highlight…At the Hess Estate—complete with wines, vineyards, gardens, art and food! It does not get better than that.
Instead of cooking in the AM for lunch, we began the day with a tasting—Identifying the flavors within a wine—This was held at the Rudd Center for Wine Studies—a great facility and a very interesting exercise. Admittedly doctored but forcing us to articulate in a common vocabulary, the wines were laced with a distinct flavor that we had to discern with smell and taste. Then it was onto pairings—a very useful tool – foods with similarities with and contrasts to the wines—Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonay, Cab & Merlot. I found out some interesting things…we all know the power of smell (olfactory senses) but I found out that the indication it sent to my brain was not always a predicator of whether I’d like the wine. For example, certain reds whose flavor profile based on my sense of smell I had decided I would not like I in fact did once I tasted it…And I learned that I like ‘similar food’ tastes with my white wines whereas with reds I preferred contrasting flavors.
Lunch was prepared for us in the board room, a lovely space inside the main building of the winery. There we heard from Lynn Devereux about cheeses and sampled several. It turns out that among the books that Lynn brought was the newly released cheesemakers almanac in which . . . YES, Rainbeau Ridge is featured—so I got to sign my first book! What a giggle!!!
Afternoon siesta instead of another winery—this one Swanson—but I was frankly wined out…Spent some time scoping out the campus bookstore, checking out the new edible landscape and catching up on email and calls back east—still no sleep.
We resumed our kitchen duties by 5pm and had dinner on the table in no time. Our attention focused on ideas for our own creations which would follow for Friday’s lunch. That evening’s dinner’s guest was Mike Chelini of Stony Hill Vineyards (and his wife) very lovely and informative people.
By now, my car was on automatic pilot between Greystone and the El Bonita which helped considerably but I found myself not taking advantage of the ETB opportunities—instead staying up until at least midnight and then getting up as though still on morning chores.
The final morning’s wake up was well worth the early start—we had a lovely picnic breakfast under the trees at the St Helena Farmer’s Market where we would source the ingredients for our lunch creations. Mistaken for the real deal, (because we were wearing chef’s coats) I was asked to answer questions ranging from my favorite brands of butter to advice on herbs. Vendors were particularly thrilled when (we) chefs bought their products—and as a farmer I so get it. It was very stimulating to be in a marketplace and got me thinking even more about RR.
Back in the kitchen without a roadmap, we managed our way through a couple of creations—the group’s efforts were very impressive. But Chef Ash has nothing to worry about!
Final parting words, lovely mementos and we were on our way. A very stimulating and delicious 4 days in Napa.
With my flight not leaving until midnight from SFO, I ambled my way down Highway 29 with a stop here and there, over to Sonoma in search of Cornerstone Gallery and a wonderful antique dealer which I eventually found—not until after the official closing time but fortunately, having been a patron and finding the shop’s owner still there, I was able to hunt around for some treasures. Had it not been for the already overstuffed suitcase and hassle factor, I could have bought several things but I managed to resist temptation.
I wandered back south on Highway 101 figuring that a drive through the city of San Francisco, even on a Friday night, was worth any traffic, just to take in the view—who knows when I’ll pass this way again…The mountainsides of vineyards, the hills of Marin and that wonderful view of the Golden Gate Bridge as you emerge form the tunnel were stunning. Then it was like a scene out of Carl Sandburg’s poem as the fog rolled in and through the bridge, enveloping the city mysteriously. As quickly as it rolled in, it move out and in and out and in – well you get the idea! I managed to get a good glimpse of some favorite spots before completing my journey back the airport.
In one of the all time idiotic moves of the current and maybe future centuries, I actually walked into security with my CIA knives in my carry on bags—what was I thinking? Clearly I wasn’t! I had stuffed every other non-conforming good into my suitcase, in compliance with current TSA regulations. The strange and scary part of this story was, though, that it was not the knives that set off my detention but causes unknown…Only then did they discover the knives. Aside from the sheer embarrassment and delay, no harm was done. My picture was not posted in the FBI files—or at least to my knowledge—although I’m probably on some government watch list!
Returning to the check in counter, my checked bag was retrieved, the knives secured inside, and the luggage resumed its journey to the East Coast via cargo while I trucked through security for the second (but finally uneventful) time to wait out the midnight Jet Blue red eye home. The airport pizza was not Greystone gourmet by any means but after a week of a sophisticated palate, this girl was ready for some simple American junk food and a good night’s sleep—and returning to the place I love!
-Lisa
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