Renting Rocks

I don’t own 100 Reidel wine glasses, a really big pink tablecloth, two 11 foot market umbrellas or a large coffee urn.  Yet, I have used all of these things at parties over the years. I guess I could have borrowed these things from friends but they are pretty specialized items, so I chose to rent.

I am a big fan of renting things for parties.  It’s a great solution when you need something really specific like 100 Riedel glasses for a wine tasting and purchasing is not a great option due to either outright cost or knowing the item is going to be truly a one-use item such as the big pink table cloth I rented for a baby shower for a friend having a girl baby.  It’s surprising what you can rent and it’s really not as expensive as you might think. If you find yourself needing something special for your next party, check the rental companies in your area (in Santa Rosa I use GrapevineParty Rentals).

Ice Cream Bar Bonanza

I love to bake and my parties usually feature some sort of baked creation or perhaps homemade ice cream in the summer.  But there are occasions when I am planning  a party and I am short on time or there are too many other moving parts to that particular party and making a homemade dessert just is not going to work. My summer fall back for those situations is the ice cream bar bonanza.

I was introduced to the ice cream bar bonanza at a book club that I was in years ago.  At one of the meetings, for dessert, the hostess opened a bunch (and I mean bunch!) of ice cream bar boxes, dumped them on the table and let the group go at it.  We all felt like kids again, almost as if we were gathered around the ice cream man’s truck, money in-hand, waiting to get our favorite treat.

We recently had a barbeque and it was one of those “fall back dessert situations.” It also turned out to be one of the hottest days of the year thus far.  I got a big cooler and dumped in a bunch of ice and a big assortment of popsicles, ice cream bars, you name it! The key is to go for variety and quantity.  Go for a mix of retro (Otter Pops anyone?), favorites (for me that’s Its Its and drumsticks) and something new that you have been wanting to try.  Get more than you think you need, step back and let your guests dig in.

How to Learn More About Cheese

For the uninitiated, cheese can be a bit intimidating. The good stuff can be expensive and buying it is a commitment. What if you don't like it? Isn't it easier to buy a triangle of generic brie or that herbed cream cheese stuff and be done with it? You could do that but you would be missing out. Here are two easy ways to learn more about cheese.

Order the cheese course at a restaurant.  Hopefully, this cheese course comes with a person to describe the cheeses to you or, barring that, good written descriptions. Pick out some interesting ones that sound good to you. And, here is the really, really, really important thing ... write down the names of the ones that you like.  Just scratch it on the back of the receipt and transfer it somewhere more permanent later. Or just throw the receipts with cheese ideas in a little box on your desk.  Figure out a system for it, it's worth it.

Go to a grocery store with a good cheese selection and hopefully someone to make a recommendation (try Whole Foods). Try a few cheeses, buy one you like, take it home and enjoy it. Write down the name.

Over time you will find that you probably have some fairly clear likes and dislikes. This does not take long. I am a fan of washed rind cow's milk cheese, the stinkier the better (the photo for this post was taken in Epoisses, France where Epoisses - a stinky cow's milk cheese - is made). I would never say no to a regular old triple cream cheese either (try Mt. Tam from Cowgirl Creamery.) I also like smoked cheddar and really most cheddars now that I think about it.  Goat cheese, on the other hand, does not do much for me. That said, I am always open to learning more!

What are some of your favorite cheeses?

Entertaining Is My Sport

In an Editor's Letter in Martha Stewart Living Magazine* Gael Towey declared that "entertaining is my sport." I loved that line! It got me to thinking about how entertaining and sports - in my case running - have a lot in common.

Training - I recently trained for a half marathon (and have just started training for another). Prior to running 13.1 miles, I did a number of training runs that got increasingly longer. They prepared me for the race physically and mentally - which, it turns out, are equally important. The same holds true for recipes. Try a recipe out before serving it to company. Not only will you be able to make sure the recipe actually works and do any tweaking, you will be less stressed about serving it because you have practiced. A calm host is happy host.

Equipment - running does not require much in the way of special equipment but there are a few must-haves such as professionally-fitted running shoes and (for women) a running bra. Equipment for entertaining can vary and each party will have its own set of requirements. Dinner parties need napkins for example. Think through what sort of party you are having and gather up your necessary equipment well in advance.

Nothing new on race day - any runner who has run a race has heard this advice. That means broken-in shoes, clothes you have run in before, pre-tested race snacks, etc. For entertaining I'd soften this advice to "very little new." And what's new should not be very important - for example, trying a new cheese as part of an hors d'oeuvre platter or trying a new vegetable side dish. Trying a new main dish is probably more stress than you need.

Pacing - pacing is huge in a race. If you go out too fast you risk burning out before the end. Pace is also really important for entertaining. A two hour cocktail hour is great for a cocktail party, not so great for a dinner party. Take some time before the party to think through what you are making and what needs to happen at the last minute for each dish. Consider logistics such as oven and stove space. Sketch out a timeline. Do as much in advance as possible.

Post race relaxation and recouping - I always take a few days (well, sometimes a week) off from running after a race. The same goes for entertaining. Make it a point to relax after your party and don't have another one too soon!

*I believe it appeared in the July, 2009 issue

Wine Tasting Tips

Living in California, I have had lots of opportunities to go wine tasting. When I first started going tasting we'd get in the car, drive to Napa, hit wineries randomly (easy to do along Highway 29), drink what was served to us and drink all of it. This was an OK experience, pretty fun but not very memorable. I don't think I learned much about wine or tasted anything terrific.

As I learned more about wine and later moved to Sonoma County, I began to focus my tastings a bit more (example - today we are just going to taste Pinot Noir) and even (gasp!) plan in advance where I wanted to taste and (gasp, again!) make an appointment or two.

Regardless of how you go about selecting your wineries and planning your tasting agenda (and there is no right or wrong way), here are some tips to make it more productive and enjoyable:

- Spit. Yes, spit. I used to never want to spit at a winery because the idea of spitting into a shared spittoon was - and still is - gross. Also, how do you spit without getting wine all over yourself? Enter the personal spit cup. It can be as simple as a disposable cup or as fancy as the Italian ceramic ones that we sometimes cart around (see photo above). With your personal spit cup you can spit into it and then just dump into the spittoon.

- Share a taste. Since you are spitting, volume matters less. You can save some money by sharing a taste with a companion or maybe spring for one taste of a higher level of wine.

- Eat food, drink water. If you are drinking wine, even if you are spitting, you need to eat food and drink water.

- Know your limit for the number of wineries you can do in one day. Even with shared tastes and spitting, I top out at about five wineries. At that point, I get palette fatigue.

My Top 10 List of Sonoma County Wineries

I am often asked for my list of must-visit wineries in Sonoma County. It's not that easy to put the list together. First, there are so many wineries. Second, not all wineries are open to the public. And third, everyone's priorities are different. Some people are OK with a lot of structure and don't mind making tasting appointments. Others want to be footloose and fancy free and want no appointments. And others might be looking to mix wine tasting with other things such as art collections, pretty gardens or a game of bocce ball. I have divided my top 10 Sonoma County winery list to address the three types of tasters. It's not an exhaustive winery list by any means, but it's a list I would give to any friend.

Experiences
J Winery: make a reservation in the Bubble Room for the wine and food pairings. A bit pricey but worth it. You can also walk in and taste in the tasting room. Cool building and good art.
Matanzas Creek: Go there less for the wine, more for the lavender. In June it looks like the south of France. They sell lots of lavender products in the tasting room year round.
De La Montanya: You can buy a bottle of their wine and have a picnic and game of bocce ball in the pretty garden.

Need an appointment
Siduri: Siduri makes a range of wines and their tasting room is a warehouse! Not your typical 'winery' experience but well worth a visit.
Talty: Good zinfandel, family run winery where the owner is likely to do your wine tasting.
A. Rafanelli: Good zinfandel.

Don't need an appointment
Lynmar: Very good (but a bit expensive) pinot noir. Nice tasting room and nice patio for tasting outstide.
Bella: Bella's wine caves are neat and they make good zinfandel.
Seghesio: Good zinfandel, bocce is available there too.
Rochioli: Most of their high-end wines are sold to their mailing list only. However, they do have a tasting room so it's a good opportunity to try their wines. They may only have a few wines to taste, but the tasting room is pretty, especially when the roses are in bloom.

Next up, some tips for wine tasting!

Food Epiphany: Meyer Lemons

My favorite citrus of all is the Meyer lemon. A Meyer lemon is a cross between a lemon and an orange (possibly a mandarin). They are relatively thin-skinned, very fragrant and have a sweetness that almost seems to make the lemon lemonier.

I "discovered" Meyer lemons about eight years ago. The neighbor of one of my friends has a large tree that seems to have a bumper crop year round. My friend started sending a few lemons home with me whenever I would visit. Then I started seeking them out at the grocery store - hint, they are usually in the organic section and always fairly pricey. I even found them at Costco once. Then, I decided to grow them.

I now have two dwarf Meyer lemon trees in the back yard. They are in their third winter. I count the years by winter because my goal is to get them through the winter without frost damage. It's been cold this year so the trees are draped in a double layer of frost cloth. The trees were full of lemons when I put the frost cloth on in late November and I was very happy because it was a good crop. It was not time to harvest yet, so I left the lemons on the trees under the cloth. And there was a freeze. I lost about 60-70% of my crop. Live and learn.

I harvested the rest of the crop - regardless of ripeness. Now, I have Meyer lemon decor with bowls of lemons finishing their ripening process indoors (I don't think they will be as good, but no way was I going to throw them out!). As the lemons ripen I am enjoying Meyer lemon juice in water (as I write this), in salad dressings, on vegetables, etc.

In addition to fresh lemons, I always keep some Meyer olive oil on hand. I really like the one by O Olive Oil which is based in Sonoma County. It's a great addition to your pantry.