Inside Sonoma

Today, as Director of Culinary Development for another legendary Bay Area food company, Laura Chenel’s Chèvre, Jacquelyn’s enduring interest in the art of fine cheesemaking overlays her sensibility when it comes to educating others about artisan cheese. “I let the cheese dictate what should be done with it,” she says. “I remember discovering Laura Chenel’s Chef’s Chèvre early in my career and falling love with it. Chèvre is incredibly versatile in addition to having many health benefits. Sonoma County has such a bounty of local, seasonal, and artisan foods, and I’m excited to work with a company that helped to pioneer that movement.”

The Annual Taste of Alexander Valley offered the perfect weekend of pairing great chefs preparing food with the quality wines made in the Alexander Valley. See what you missed in 2010 and makes plans to taste your way through Alexander Valley in 2011.

****UPDATE**** – Congrats to Jolene Cortright on winning the tickets.  Thanks for all your comments!  I have enjoyed finding new songs from all your favorites!  Stay tuned for giveaways for other Rodney Strong Concerts. The smooth jazz sounds of Boney James have wooed and romanced listeners since his first debut album in 1992.  His latest [...]

The 2008 Russian River Valley, Kiamberell’s Pinot Noir ($45) is a medium-dark hue, and the aroma is between floral and fruity, with woodsmoke, rose potpourri drifting over dried cherries, cranberries and plum. Sourced from a diminutive vineyard of “Dijon clones” in the Sebastopol hills, this is an A-list example of contemporary Pinots from this area, full of sharply focused dark, woodsy berries, glycerin smoothing out the initial, tingly tongue, and a lengthy finish that’s silky yet firm.

Given that the Bay Area has an abundance of fresh, locally-grown produce and artisan food products available, Mark passionately changes his menus regularly to showcase seasonal foods. Some of Caldwell’s favorite dishes paired with J wines have included Dungeness Crab with Curry Crème Fraîche atop a Green Onion Basmati Rice Cake paired with Russian River Valley Pinot Gris, Braised Painted Hills Beef Short Ribs with a Coffee and Pinot Noir Reduction topped with a Horseradish Cream matched with a Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, and Saigon Pumpkin Pottage with Pork, Chicken and Shrimp paired with a crisp Russian River Valley Chardonnay. At an early age, Mark knew he was destined to become a chef.

Thanks for playing!  Congrats to Kandice for winning.  Look for future ticket giveaways to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Summer Concert series at Rodney Strong Vineyards all summer long. In celebration of 20 years pairing fine wine with amazing music at the Rodney Strong Vineyards Summer Concert Series, Omega Events gave me 2 tickets [...]

Josh credits his father, Don Silvers, for launching his interest in restaurants. Don Silvers, a former Chef, renowned author and professor of kitchen design at UCLA encouraged his son to begin his professional apprenticeship when he turned seventeen by arranging for him to train under Chef Barry Marcillac at the City Hotel in Columbia, a 3-star restaurant. It was there that Josh found his passion for all aspects of the culinary arts.

A group of Sonoma County’s finest wineries, winegrowers, and chefs is headed to Los Angeles May 4-6 for a series of wine seminars, dinners and tastings for Los Angeles wine trade and consumers.  The “Sonoma in the City: Los Angeles” tour is presented by Sonoma County Vintners, Sonoma County Winegrape Commission, Alexander Valley Winegrowers, Russian [...]

Jill Nussinow, aka The Veggie Queen™, is a cookbook author, Registered Dietitian, recipe developer and lover of Sonoma County food and wine. She has been teaching cooking based on seasonal ingredients for more than 20 years.