Shameless Plugs: Boyd Family Vineyards and The Smoked Olive

Hey all! I'm checking out for a week of vacation (hopefully with lots of downtime to devote to whipping up new recipes), but before I go MIA, just wanted to pass along a couple of shameless plugs - things or places you should know about!

1. Boyd Family Vineyards: This is my friends Joan and Stan's gorgeous estate winery in the heart of Napa's Oak Knoll District (pictured above). I went to their 09 release party today (live Zydeco! Wine/food pairings up the wazoo! Gorgeous views! Beautiful people!) - and really enjoyed bellying up to the many bars and sipping the wares. My fave of the day: 2006 Big Ranch Cuvee. A blend of all estate-grown grapes (Cab, Cab Franc, Merlot and Syrah). I enjoyed my glass paired with a grilled lamb burger slider, topped with feta and arugula. Delish! Check out their website - join their mailing list - order their wines!
2. The Smoked Olive: You're going to get sick of seeing recipes on this blog featuring my latest find, but what can I say? I'm obsessed. The Smoked Olive is a brand of wood-smoked premium California extra-virgin olive oils. The oils haven't been simply injected with smoke flavors, the oils themselves have actually been smoked. Like over real wood. Not sure how they do it (patent pending!), but man, the result is out of this world. Imagine a smoky BBQ flavor permeating the oil, with different nuances depending on the wood (my favorite: pecan wood). The Smoked Olive is the only smoked olive oil being made in the U.S., and they've only been in business for 7 months (keep an eye out - they won't be a secret for long). You can find them at the Napa Farmers Market (and others in the Bay Area), or order their products online. But do it - this stuff is crazy good! And like I said - recipes forthcoming...