Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Tacos + Tequila

So there I was, wandering lost in the hard alcohol section of the adult beverage market, and I find myself in front of the Tequila selection. I stare. I know nothing. I wonder to myself what the heck all of the various terms on the labels mean: reposado, gold, silver, anejo. It's a mystery. I move along. Someday I'll learn, I tell myself. Someday.

Well wouldn't you know it. That someday has come.

Literally, within a day of my market musings, an inviting invite arrived in my email inbox, subject line: Tacos + Tequila. I knew before I even clicked it open that I would accept said invite.

Turns out that the invitation was from Tout Suite Social Club, a fresh take on social networking/lifestyle branding/technology and just plain fun interactivity based here in Napa Valley. I'd been hearing the buzz about Tout Suite for a bit, and had been hoping to check them out in person before I fell sorely behind the times. Finally, Tacos + Tequila gave me a real excuse to go and meet some new people, indulge my inner social networking geek, grub on some good food, and inform myself on all things tequila. Sign me up!

I won't go on and on about Tout Suite, but I will say this: check them out. Become a member. Enjoy all of the content that they are creating for folks just like you. It's a really cool platform to introduce you to todays influential tastemakers. In a nutshell, they host casual, irreverent, funny events at their St. Helena studio (Meet Your Maker, Tasting in the Dark, Tout Socials and others); get a variety of guests to come meet, mingle and nosh; and stream it all online for your viewing pleasure (and archive everything for future viewing in case you can't catch it live). It's like an interactive dinner party with some educational (and, let's admit it - marketing) elements. But I love it, and think even if you're not in the room for the party, the episodes are entertaining enough that you'll want to investigate.

My marketing geekiness aside, I really truly was there for the Tacos + Tequila. A girl's gotta eat, right? The evening did not disappoint.

Tout Suite's in-house chef, Paul Wiggins, dished up huge platters of taco makins, including grilled albacore, repollo picoso (a spicy cabbage slaw with tomato, lime and oregano), an Argentine chimichurri, and a sweet bay scallop ceviche that was my favorite (made with agave nectar, zucchini, jalapeno, avocado, red onion, tomato, cilantro and loads of citrus... delish).

The food was meant to be paired with the Los Osuna 100% blue agave spirits, brought by Jesus Padilla whose family has been making the libation in Mexico since 1876. I learned that this particular brand can't technically be called a Tequila, since like a true Champagne or Port, the name Tequila is reserved for those spirits actually made within a specific region. See? Learned one thing new right there, before I even took a sip.

Jesus walked us through a tasting, teaching us that like wine, Tequila has legs. Also like wine, there are nuances and flavors on the nose and on the palette. And all of those descriptors? They mostly indicate aging and the time that the Tequila has spent in whiskey barrels. The longer the aging, the deeper the color, and I suppose, the more complex the flavors. And those Tequilas marked Gold? Turns out Gold is code word for "filler." No wonder those college margarita-slash-shots-on-a-dare days hurt. Bottom line: spend the money for the good stuff.



Since it was a Tout Social, there were many new people to meet, many new Twitter accounts to follow, many new blogs to explore. In short: my people! I had a great time, learned lots, and hopefully made some new friends. Mission accomplished Tout Suite!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

A Photo Ode to Summer

Summer, oh Summer. I guess it's officially over, no? With school back in session, Labor Day right around the corner, and Halloween displays already going up in the supermarkets, I suppose I can wax nostalgic about my so-called Summer. Cool temperatures may have mocked me, but despite working entirely too hard at my day job (as my lack of blogging will attest), I managed to play hard too. So here's my look back at some carefree days of Summer, of course spent in true Fare to Remember fashion: in the company of wonderful friends and family, and with good eats at every turn. So, in no particular order, I present my Summer of 2011...

Beaches... boogie boarding...
Camping, with pancakes for breakfast made on the griddle over the fire....
Surrounded by the kids that I love (that big kid in the middle there especially)...
Quiet moments... solitaire... books...

Cocktails...
Grilling... ribs!
Boating... wakeboarding... waterskiing...
Cocktails...
Dogs...
Wet dogs...
Exhausted dogs...
Beer can chicken...
Fresh heirloom tomatoes...
...made into fresh caprese salad...
A little cabin in the woods...
...with this view of Lake Tahoe...
...and this cozy fire when the sun goes down...
...and fun details giving away its 1932 roots like these vintage spice boxes...
...and these badges of honor from its most recent ursine visitor......where mornings start with coffee on the deck...
... and end with what else? Cocktails! (Or as in this pic, wine!)
Ice cream...
Sand castles...
Games of tug-o-war...
Fireside singalongs...
And s'mores!
Sayonara Summer - see you next year! (Full disclosure: Fall is actually my favorite season, so I'm not too sad...)

Friday, August 19, 2011

Going Mobile: Gas Station Gourmet

If you ever find yourself on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada, say, after a couple of days of rock climbing in Yosemite's Tuolumne Meadows, there really is only one place to head for grub: the Mobile gas station in Lee Vining. I'm sure there are other places, but whenever I find myself in this neck of the woods, I never make it anywhere else. Neither does anyone else, apparently. The line is always out the door at the famous "Whoa Nelllie Deli" tucked inside the gas station's convenience store.

Tucked behind the racks of t-shirts and postcards, next to the beer coolers and the stacks of firewood for sale, the deli churns out amazing fare that not only satisfies ravenous outdoor adventurers, but gourmands alike. Their food goes beyond the expected burgers and sandwiches (all of which look incredible), but the menu includes the likes of veal osso bucco, elk chops, slow-roasted pork ribs with huckleberry barbecue sauce (enjoyed by my climbing partner Matt, top), fish tacos (enjoyed by yours truly, below) and more.

There's not much more to say, really - except "go there now." They've got live music several nights a week in the summer on their packed outdoor seating area, ever-changing menu specials, and gas for your car and a dumping station for your RV. Seriously genius.




Some views of the climbing...
(I'm not a very good climber, and usually I'm scared out of my wits on exposed multi-pitch routes, but there's just something about it that keeps me coming back. Mostly it's thanks to Matt, my longtime friend and climbing partner who keeps me safe and knows and respects my limits. But then there are also the views... ahhh.)





Saturday, August 13, 2011

Summer On a Plate: Grilled Veggie Salad

You want quick, easy and healthy? This one's for you! I had a dozen or so beautiful little summer squash on my hands, thanks to my bi-weekly CSA delivery, and knew that unless I used them up in one fell swoop, a few might not make it. So to the grill I went, and charred them until they were blistered and just this side of al dente (that would be the toothsome side - not the mushy side). They were joined on said grill by some asparagus as well, and if I'd had had other goodies to toss on there (peppers, eggplant) - I woulda done them too. I didn't dress them up for grilling with anything but a light coating of olive oil, since I knew that their destiny was in this salad which gets beaucoup flavor from a simple dressing and fresh herbs.

Once grilled, I left the squash and asparagus in the fridge to chill, went about my day, and assembled the salad in about five minutes before serving. The chopped up grilled veg went into a big bowl with some stunning diced tomatoes (also from the CSA), a sprinkling of feta cheese, and a whole snarl of chopped basil. By a snarl, I mean a lot (I love fresh basil!). Separately, I mixed up a quick lemon vinaigrette (1 clove crushed garlic, the juice of one lemon, ample kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper)- poured, tossed, and voila. Instant summer veggie heaven.

It was so good that I'm not dreading the onslaught of squash I'm bound to get delivered in the coming weeks as farms find themselves with the inevitable bounty. To that I say bring it on, CSA. Bring it on.