Summer Salad

This post is a little aside from the traditional here’s-your-recipe-laden-with-wine post. Instead, I want to review the Pomegranate OrangeVinaigrette I picked up at Willamette Valley Vineyards over Memorial Day weekend. In fact, I owe a lot of my love of wine to WVV. About this time four or five years ago was the first time I had every really participated in tasting wine. I was so lucky to have such an amazing experience at WVV during that tasting. I had walked in quite intimidated by wine and all aspects of wine--drinking wine, wine glasses (so breakable!), opening wine (a man must have invented this corkscrew thing!), simple wine, complex wine (a woman must have invented this!), the legs of wine (Do they wear flats or stilettos?) and so much more. After a few sips and some great conversation with the person behind the counter, I was inspired to see that wine was truly approachable and, in fact, inviting. I’m forever grateful that my mind and taste buds could be opened by this great experience at Willamette Valley Vineyards.

For me, a trip to the Oregon Coast is never complete without a side trip to WVV. Late in May, I was blessed to see, smell and taste WVV again! As I was stacking a few choice bottles next to the register, I noticed a rack of vinaigrettes and other kitchen delicacies. I’m a sucker for anything with pomegranate, so the Pomegranate Orange Vinaigrette was quickly added to my bill. Below is the salad recipe I used it on—DELICIOUS! This is a delicious and light summer salad, perfect for the big holiday tomorrow!

Lime-Honey Glazed Chicken Salad

6 tbsp honey

6 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce

2 tsp freshly grated lime zest

6 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tsp crushed red pepper

4 large chicken breasts

4-6 cups torn romaine lettuce

1 cup dried cranberries

½ cups mandarin oranges

Mix honey, soy sauce, lime zest, lime juice, and crushed red pepper in a large bowl. Add chicken pieces. Stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate 2-24 hours.

Once marinated, grill or cook chicken thoroughly. While chicken cooks, mix lettuce, cranberries and mandarin oranges. Remove from heat and cut chicken into bite sized pieces. You can choose to add it to the salad immediately or cool the chicken and add it to the salad mixture later. Either way, toss with Willamette Valley Vineyards pomegranate orange vinaigrette.

Enjoy!

Chicken recipe adapted from EatingWell.com

Pesto White Wine Chicken

In mid-May, my husband and I visited the Italian Kitchen, a wonderful restaurant in Spokane. He ordered their Tuscan Chicken, a delicious dish with a white wine pesto. I tried a bite and loved it! The next day, I looked online to find a recipe that would be similar to the delicious dinner he had the night before. I found a recipe for Pesto White Wine Chicken, which is listed below.

Last weekend, I took a friend with me to the Arbor Crest Winery in Spokane. It was a beautiful summer day and appeared that many others had the same idea to sneak up to the winery! I highly recommend a stop at Arbor Crest on your next trip through Spokane. The vineyard is located at the top of a hill with a beautiful view of all of Spokane and into Idaho. The Winery has many bistro tables outside as an invitation for guests to buy a bottle and settle in. Feel free to bring up a picnic lunch or just your favorite variety of cheeses to devour with your wine. As a special treat, Arbor Crest's 2006 Sauvignon Blanc was specially priced at $5, down from its normal $12, as they were trying to clear it out to make room for new wine. I love the crisp fruity notes in this wine, and its exceptionally clean finish. In fact, I bought a case! Get there quickly though--it was going fast! I used this wine in the Pesto White Wine Chicken.

Pesto White Wine Chicken

Pesto:
2 cups fresh basil
3 cloves of garlic
1/3 c. fresh grated parmesan
1/4 c. olive oil

Marinade:
1/4 c. chicken broth
1 c. white wine
2 Tbsp. dried basil
2 tsp dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into strips

16 oz pasta (linguine or angel hair)
4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1/2 large white onion, diced
1 Tbsp. white sugar
8 ounces sun dried tomatoes (previously packed in oil), drained
8 ounces canned artichoke hearts, drained
1/3 c. pine nuts, toasted
1/2 c. white wine
1 c. heavy cream
salt
pepper

1. Place all of the marinade ingredients into a bag. Set aside while you prepare other items.
2. Put basil, garlic, and parmesan cheese into a food processor or blender. Gradually add oil until blended and smooth. If pesto is not getting smooth, slowly add more oil. You can also add a small amount of water if needed.
3. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add some salt to the water. Add pasta and cook just until done, as listed on the box. Remove from heat and rinse with cold water to stop cooking process. Toss with 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
4. Heat 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in onions and sprinkle with sugar. Cook until onions are soft and translucent. Stir in sun dried tomatoes and pine nuts. Cook 4-5 minutes longer. Add artichokes and cook 2 more minutes.
5. Stir in chicken and all of marinade. Add another 1/2 c. of white wine. Simmer 10-12 minutes longer, stirring as needed.
6. Add pesto to the pan. Stir in cream and cook until sauce thickens. If sauce isn't thickening, you can add flour 1 Tbsp at a time to help thicken it.
7. Once sauce thickens to your liking, add pasta. Salt and pepper to taste. Continue cooking until pasta is heated thoroughly.
8. Top with freshly grated parmesan and serve.

Notes: You can also sub in fat free half and half to reduce the fat in this recipe significantly. Sun dried tomatoes can be extremely expensive. At one store, it was over $4 for a 8 ounce jar. Costco had a 32 ounce jar for around $8. Pine nuts can also be very pricey! If you live near a Winco, the bulk section is the way to go- only buy what you will need at a very reasonable price!

Raspberry Wine Cake

It's as sweet and delicious as it sounds! I made it last weekend when a friend came over for lunch. We had it with a creamy gorgonzola fettuccine with asparagus (also delicious). For this recipe, I used a bottle of raspberry wine from the Flying Dutchmen Winery located on Oregon's coast in Otter Rock, next to Devil's Punch Bowl State Park. This is a SWEET wine. If you are a sweet tooth, by all means, dive in! For me, it was too sweet to drink, so it was perfect for dessert type dishes.

Raspberry Wine Cake

1 box moist white cake mix
1 3-oz package of raspberry flavored gelatin
4 eggs 1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 1/2 c. raspberry wine
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. white sugar

1. Preheat over to 325 degrees.
2. Spray a 10 inch bundt pan with cooking spray. Dump 1/4 c. white sugar into the pan and shake around the pan until coated with sugar. Dump excess sugar.
3. In a bowl, stir together cake mix and gelatin. Add eggs, oil and 1 c. blackberry wine. Beat 3-5 minutes until well blended.
4. Pour batter into pan.
5. Bake for 40-45 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
6. While the cake bakes, mix remained 1/2 c. wine with 1 1/2 c. powdered sugar. Have this ready BEFORE the cake comes out of the oven.
7. When cake comes out of oven, leave in pan. Immediately pour half of the sugar/wine mixture into the cake. Let stand for 10 minutes.
8. After the 10 minutes, turn cake onto rack and let cool.
9. Once completed cooled, pour the rest of the sugar/wine mixture over the cake.

Please tell me someone else was thinking of My Big Fat Greek Wedding and the bundt cake scene!

You will likely have wine left over after this recipe. I recommend reducing it in a saucepan for a while until it becomes like a syrup. It is great drizzled over warm brownie and garnished with fresh mint and berries! Delicious!!!

The World Needs Pinot: The International Pinot Noir Celebration

There was a song that I remember from, well, from a long time ago, and the lyrics are "what the world needs now is love, sweet love, that's the only thing that there's just too little of" and how love might cure all the world's ills. I like to think of myself as an optimist, but in this case I think the singer got it all wrong. Certainly, the world could use some more love, but I think the world would wildly benefit from more delicious earthy, complex and delicate Oregon Pinot Noir. Hell, we all could.

To that end witness the 24th Annual International Pinot Noir Celebration July 23 through the 25th 2010, billed as "Three days of Revelery in Oregon Wine Country." The person responsible for this phraseology is obviously highly talented in the art of the understatement. McMinnville, Oregon is going to be host to a proverbial orgy of the palate. (I am in no way implying that there will be an orgy, so get your mind out of the gutter. However, I am looking forward to seeing the blog's keyword search results spike in new and interesting ways.) There will be no shortage of incredible eats (50 NW chefs) as the weekend progresses through an array of amazing food and Pinot pairings(65 local and international wine makers). The Grand Dinner will highlight Northwest cuisine sourced from local farmers and up and coming culinary talent. A series of courses will be paired with specially selected Pinot Noir. The Northwest Salmon Bake will be a feast the likes of which you will not ever see again, unless you come back, or you get a White House invite. The visually dramatic Northwest tradition will be accompanied by what is described as "an extravagant" buffet that will include cellared Pinot Noirs from around the world. This event will take place on July 24th. That day, the world will be getting a lot of what it needs, and by my estimation we should see some swings in world peace, political turmoil and maybe even my Pittsburgh Pirates be on a winning streak.


photo by Andrea Johnson

Peppered throughout this culinary decadence will be seminars by winemakers and chefs, vineyard tours and luncheons, an opportunity to speak with and about wine media, and barrel making demonstrations. The weekend will wrap up with a more public event, and the one I'll be attending, the Passport to Pinot. Passport to Pinot is described as a "pocket version of the three day weekend" wherein you'll get to sample some 60 of the Pinot Noirs that have been poured throughout the weekend, as well as food prepared by some of the chefs that have been highlighted throughout the event, 12 of them, to be exact. The $125 price tag gives you the more approachable opportunity to sample what the $975 Full Weekend experience might have been like. Tickets for both are available here.

Besides the fact that you are essentially given an IV of Pinot Noir and some tasty treats from Oregon's best culinary talent, you're also contributing to a great cause. Salud, is an organization that works to provide health care for the vineyard workers who do a tough job for all this Pinot Noir that we get to enjoy. Proceeds from the event, as well as other auction and donation opportunities will go to assist the organization that works closely with the Oregon medical community to get care to the vineyard workers and their families. So buy your tickets, support a great cause, and enjoy some of the best Pinot Noir in the world.

Pairing & Preparing: Eat & Drink in the Northwest Cookbook Review

I came across the Eat & Drink in the Northwest cookbooks at Village Wines in Woodinville when my sister-in-law, Jen, pointed them out. The books were created by Marcus Pape and Melissa Peterman. Melissa crafts the recipes, which are then paired with wine by Marcus. Marcus has a background in visual marketing but is a self-proclaimed vinophile. Marcus and Melissa sent me all four books that were available at the time to take a test drive.

The Eat & Drink Northwest cookbooks is a series of books that come out approximately 3 times annually. They are small format, and come at a very reasonable $8.95 per volume. Each book contains about 20 recipes, and while the first in the series also included 20 wines, the wine pairing suggestions have tripled in later volumes. I love the way they approach the wine pairing. Not only do the suggest a varietal, but they typically offer two to three Northwest wines to choose from. Each recipe has a photo of one or two of the ingredients and a few bottles of wine, some of which are smaller local labels.

The cookbooks were made in a smaller format so that you could take them to the grocery store or the wine shop, which I like. We would have preferred if the books had page numbers and either a Table of Contents or an index. While the books are small, I think it would make them even easier to use - particularly when you have more than one of the books.

All in all, we made close to ten of these recipes, and there wasn't one that we won't make again. Volume 1 makes a point of saying that "these recipes are not meant to be thrown together in 20 minutes around the hustle and bustle of your daily routine. Instead, they are intended for a time when you can slow down, relax, and share the event of cooking with family and friends." I appreciate that and I think the food benefits from this approach. I think too many books are jumping on the bandwagon of 'quick and easy and under 20 minutes.' That's not to say there's not a place for that type of cooking - there definitely is - but there's something to be said for spending time with food as you cook it. It brings a greater appreciation to the table. I also liked that the books don't shy away from including sauces. A perfect example is the stuffed poblanos in (Vol. 2 Ed. 1), which were spicy but had a good flavor profile. The spice was not overwhelming and the roasted yellow pepper sauce did a really good job of balancing the spice from the poblanos. We paired the dish with Delille's Doyenne Rose and it was a great compliment. We found, however, that one pepper apiece wasn't quite enough for a meal in and of itself; when we make this again, we'll very likely add rice to the stuffing mixture to make it heartier.

The Prosciutto Wrapped White Fish with Roasted Vegetables was paired with a Horse Heaven Hills Grenache we went with Maison Bleue though it's not in the book. The fish is a roulade with a sun-dried tomato puree. The sun-dried tomatoes give the fish a rich Mediterranean taste that speaks of a long and deep marinade. The reality, though, is the cook time on this dish was more than reasonable. The Grenache was a good choice as the wine stood up well to the rich layered flavors of the fish as well as the simplicity of the vegetables.

One of our favorites, and one that will definitely be making future appearances in our house, was the Slow Cooked Tomato and Duck Ragu with Bowtie Pasta.

Slow Cooked Tomato and Duck Ragu with Bowtie Pasta (shared with permission)
Make a little extra time for this one. The sauce simmers for two hours, but trust me when I say that it's well worth it.
2 duck breasts
4 slices bacon
1/2 c small diced carrot
1/2 c small diced celery
1 1/2 c small diced sweet onion
coarse salt and cracked black pepper
2 garlic cloves
3 T sherry vinegar
2 T tomato paste
1 c red wine
1 (28 oz) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 1/2 c chicken stock
1 tsp cinnamon
2 dried bay leaves
1 rosemary stem
1 package bowtie pasta

1. Trim off excess fat from each duck breast and discard. Chop duck breasts into medium dice and saute in a large, dry pot over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook for five minutes, stirring constantly. Remove duck and bacon and all but 2 tablespoons of liquid from the pot and into another bowl.
   
2. Add carrot, celery and onion to the pot over medium-high heat and stir. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. cook for 5 minutes, add garlic and cook another 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
   
3. Reduce heat to medium and deglaze with sherry vinegar and stir. Add tomato paste, stir, and cook for another 3 minutes.
   
4. Add wine, stir and cook for a few more minutes. Adjust to medium-high heat. Add the can of whole tomatoes, chicken stock, bay leaves, rosemary stem, and stir (If you have a Parmesan rind you have been saving for sauce, this would be a great time to add it).
   
5. Bring up sauce to a low simmer and cook for 2 hours uncovered. Every 20 minutes, skim the fat off the surface and discard. Taste for seasoning and adjust with sale and pepper and sherry vinegar.
   
6. Cook pasta according to package directions.
   
7. Serve Slow Cooked Tomato and Duck Ragu over bowtie pasta.

I paired the food with wines I had on hand, what I love about these books however is that they recommend specific Northwest wines from smaller producers, like Buty, Pend Oreille and Amavi. And because of the books size, you could take it to a well stocked grocery and pick out the particular wines they recommend should you choose. I also want to acknowledge my lovely wife Gwynne and her help with working on this post with me. Her blog, Look What I Made You is a great stop for food and craft folks.

Picazo 7Seventeen Part 2: Food, Wine, and Fullness

On Friday, we shared the first in this two-part series on our experience at Picazo 7Seventeen,  a casual fine dining wine bar and restaurant in Prosser, Washington.  See that article to read all about how our wagon got hitched to the Picazo post, Chef/Owner Frank Magana, and the philosophy of the restaurant.  Now it's time for the food and wine, yo.  As a refresher, or for those who didn't read Part 1, the orgasmic experience that will soon be described consisted of a 7-course meal presented by Chef Magana for the staff of The Oregon Wine Blog, each course paired perfectly with a local wine by General Manager Trina Cortez.

Josh Gana (that's me) from The Oregon Wine Blog (this very publication), described dinner at Picazo in a unique way:

...[a] grab on to the headboard and hang on for the ride type of culinary experience.

Come along for the ride!  Oh, and I fully acknowledge that  I may fall into that snobby, food and wine writer tone.  Sorry if that's the case.  We really aren't snooty, I promise.

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First Course

After we had been seated, Trina and Frank approached our table and inquired as to whether there were any food dislikes or allergies, as they had "prepared a little bit of everything to put on the table." Luckily, we're an easy group in that respect and love a chef's surprise. They had prepared 7 courses, and hoped we didn't mind. No, indeed, we didn't mind at all.

The Wine:  2008 Alexandria Nicole Cellars Horse Heaven Hills Marsanne (pre-release)

The Food:  Sweet onion and squash stuffed calimari on a bed of greens with a tarragon balsamic vinaigrette made from a chardonnay/vanilla pressed oil and a grilled pepper.

The Assessment:  This course was our preview of greatness to come.  We found that the puree literally melted in our mouths and the produce was fresh and vibrant.  The tarragon added a wonderful complexity, and the simple unassuming pepper was to die for.  On the wine, we found a hint of residual sugar and were lucky that Trina had shared the pre-release wine with us.  It was simply an outstanding pairing, with the Marsanne perfectly complementing the calimari.  As Gwynn put it,

Would it be in poor taste to lick the plate?

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Second Course

As Trina was pouring our second glass of wine for the evening, she nonchalantly pointed to a family two tables away, stating "oh, there's the winemaker of this wine."  That kind of camaraderie part of the magic of Picazo.

The Wine: 2008 Cooper Pinot Gris

The Food:  Firecracker prawns with red chili flakes and harissa (a North African hot chili sauce).

The Assessment:  Umm, so you could remove the word "fire" and the "er" from the name of these prawns and you'd end up with their true nature:  crack.  They are amazing.  The flavor complexity of the spice profile was transformative, and the pinot gris was a perfect wine to cut the heat of the harissa.  It was a well-balanced pairing, and we used the bread to soak up the delicious sauce when the prawns were gone.  Cooper wine is tasting-room only at this point, but watch out because their doing great things on Red Mountain.  This was our favorite course.

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Third Course


Immediately prior to dinner, we had done a tasting at Airfield Estates a few blocks away.  We knew Picazo was featuring some of their wines, so were excited to dig in to a glass.  Oh, and yea, this is sort of a crappy photo. I was so excited that I started eating and then remembered to take the picture -- so the presentation was shot.

The Wine:  2008 Airfield Estates Thunderbolt (95% Sauvignon Blac, 5% Semillon)

The Food:  Seafood pasta puttanesca with scallops, salmon, clams, and mussels laid on fresh squid ink noodles.

The Assessment:  The delicateness of the seafood was complemented by the hearty noodles -- which our group described as amazing and interesting.  In fact, Micheal commented that the noodles tasted like an ink pen, "in the best possible way."  The wine was delicious and perfect with the seafood, but didn't stand up to the strength of the noodles.  According to Clive:

This is the greatest pasta sauce to ever walk the face of the Earth.

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Fourth Course

At this point in the dinner, my notes started to become a bit illegible and I believe I was in the restroom when the wine was poured.  Just another day's work for a wine blogger.  Neil Cooper, the winemaker from Cooper Wine Company, also stopped by during this course and we had a great chat.

The Wine:  2008 Airfield Estates Dolcetto

The Food:  Pork tenderloin encrusted with coffee and chili powder, paired with a romesco sauce, marconi almonds, and grilled green onions.

The Assessment:  The wine was smoky and sweet, pairs well with any grilled meat.  The biggest pleasant surprise was the coffee encrustation -- it was spicy and bold, but the nutty romesco sauce mellowed it out.  Micheal had some trouble finding that balance, but the rest of us loved the combination of coffee flavor and sauce, and the dolcetto was amazing with the onion.  Quote of the course:

I want to live in that sauce.

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Fifth Course


When the chef brought this course out, he acknowledged the quantity of wonderful food to grace our table thus far, and noted that they had tried to keep this course small.  They broke down a whole tenderloin, though, so it small just wasn't in the cards.  Darn.

The Wine:  2007 Cooper L'inizio (9 vineyard, 4 varietal Bordeaux blend)

The Food:   Maple bacon wrapped beef tenderloin with a kumquat demi glaze bbq sauce reduction, laying on a pastini.

The Assessment:  A communal "holy shit" emerged around the table upon tasting the tenderloin with the wine.  The kumquat was all over the delicious sauce, and the knife cut the beef like hot butter.  It was amazing.  A perfect pairing, we noted that the bread under the beef had even been carefully prepared, even though one may never see the grill marks, signaling the sheer attention to detail on the meal.  I'll be honest that there are a number of other comments I wrote down about this wonderful course; I just can't read the "5-glasses down" handwriting.

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Sixth Course


Honestly, we couldn't believe there was more amazing food coming.  There was.

The Wine:  2007 Cooper Cabernet Sauvignon (decanted for 1.5 hours)

The Food:  Dijon encrusted rack of lamb with a local chukar cherry peach salsa and an artichoke risotto cake stuffed with manchego cheese.

The Assessment:  Micheal was clearly making googly eyes at the wine from the initial pour.  He rated it as one of his top 10 cabs ever.  He also noted that he wanted to buy Neil a bottle of wine, it was so good.  We found the lamb to be wonderfully prepared, with the tart dijon balancing the wine.  Clive summed this dish up by saying,

This is comfort food if your mom is Jesus.

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Seventh Course


Dessert, need I say more?  I suppose I do, this is a blog after all.  So with this course, both Frank and Trina joined us again and informed us that they couldn't agree on a wine pairing, so I'll be damned if they weren't going to have to serve us both selections.

The Wine:  2007 DavenLore Winery Syrah Forte (Port Style) & 2008 Alexandria Nicole Cellars Syrah Ice Wine

The Food:  Strawberry creme brulee layered on chocolate ganache.

The Assessment:  Rick immediately noted that this was the first ice wine that he has enjoyed.  The ice wine paired perfectly with the creme brulee, and we found the forte a wonderful partner to the chocolate ganache.  In a way, you could say the ice wine enhanced a delicious flavor, and the forte complemented the chocolate.  We were left nearly speechless with the fresh strawberry essence.

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Thanks for sticking with us through this journey. Hands down, it was a wonderful dinner with perfectly paired wines. On the drive back to Yakima, we were debating as to what the most favorite / least favorite dishes were - and we just couldn't decide. They were all amazing and the wines were spectacular. The entire experience was really special. Please, check out Picazo...and Cooper Wine Company, Alexandria Nicole Cellars, Airfield Estates, and Daven Lore Winery...it will be the best decision you ever made.

Picazo 7Seventeen: A Slice of Culinary Heaven, Part 1

Have you ever had one of those "grab on to the headboard and hang on for the ride" types of culinary experiences? You know...the kind where you wake up the next morning, still in a coma of epicurean delight, and your body is almost worn out from digesting so much amazing food?  The staff of The Oregon Wine Blog had precisely that experience last week at a classy joint in the heart of Yakima Valley wine country:  Picazo 7Seventeen in Prosser, Washington.  I can't possibly do our experience justice in one post, therefore this will be the first in a 2-part series.  First up, the story behind the story -- the chef, the restaurant, and the philosophy.

The Story

It all started one gorgeous August day on top of Red Mountain.  Rick, Chris, and I had just completed a wonderful tour and tasting at Col Solare, and even though I grew up in Richland, it has been years since I have lived there so I was wholly incompetent in making a dinner recommendation for our group.  We asked Wendi Warner, the Tasting Room Manager, for a few suggestions and the first words out of her mouth were "Picazo 7Seventeen in Prosser".  For a variety of reasons, Prosser was not in the cards for that trip, although we filed the suggestion away for future reference.

Frequent readers of the Blog know that our day jobs involve student services work at colleges and universities throughout the Northwest, and a conference in Yakima brought Rick, Clive, Micheal, and myself together in the same place at the same time, for the first time in Blog history.  We were excited to spend some post-conference time exploring the Yakima Valley wine region.  Knowing that "the company" was covering finances for the non-wine portion of the trip prompted a desire for a nice dinner at the end of the trip; we need to pay attention to those things as the Blog doesn't come with an expense account!  While driving past fields of grazing sheep on OR34, Picazo popped into my head so Rick tweeted Trina Cortez, Picazo's General Manager and Wine Goddess, and a few tweets later we were on with a reservation for the following Wednesday. For the record, the sheep were adorable.

After the conference ended, Clive's wife Gwynne joined us, and after some tasting in Rattlesnake Hills and Airfield in Prosser (who happened to be the featured winery at Picazo this month), we arrived at the restaurant hungry, thirsty, and not quite sure what to expect - in a good way, though, like when you are opening a gift from your best friend.  We walked in to find Picazo in the midst of industry night, so wine makers, families, and friends were abound.  We were quickly shown to our table, and out came Trina and Executive Chef/Owner Frank Magana to introduce themselves.  Pleasantries out of the way, turns out Frank and Trina had developed a special menu paired with local wines for our staff, and we were about to engage in culinary warfare with the winner being our stomachs.  More on the food, later.  We promise.

The Chef


Chef Frank Magana.  Haven't heard of him?  You will.  We've collectively eaten a lot of great food in our days as Bloggers, and never have I met a young chef with such a dynamic combination of vision, talent, personality, and humbleness.  Trained at the culinary school of South Seattle College, Chef Magana has over 17 years of industry experience in high end restaurants and catering establishments.  His dream and passion come through in his cooking and the realization of his vision -- Picazo 7Seventeen.

Throughout the evening, one of the burning questions on my mind was "Why Prosser?"  After all, we were having a world class dining experience in rural Eastern Washington - who would have expected it?  I posed that question to Chef after he served one of our courses (I know, you're interested in the food...but that will just have to wait).  His answer was simple and indicative of the attitude that has driven him to success.  A Seattle transplant, Frank shared his story of coming to Prosser one weekend to enjoy the wine scene, and looking for a good place to eat.  Tumbleweeds....there wasn't anything.  In his mind the answer was simple, so to Prosser he moved with his wife and from that came Picazo 7Seventeen.


The Restaurant and Philosophy

As you walk through the doors and enter the restaurant, you're immediately struck by a gorgeous yet somewhat trendy bar area, with a wine rack to die for.  Eclectic art and vibrant colors adorn the walls, and the restaurant is large enough to serve groups but small enough to keep an intimate setting.  A comfortable feel conveys an unpretentious attitude, and as we looked around we noticed very pleased patrons and quite attentive service.  Again, you'll ask yourself, "I'm in Prosser, right?"  All kidding aside, the wine industry is booming there and we're glad to see the culinary world catch up.

Awarded "Outstanding Wine List" by Wine Press Northwest, the essence of Picazo is truly the bounty of the local land.  Frank focuses on local, fresh ingredients at a reasonable price point...meeting the needs of both locals and tourists alike.  A rotating seasonal menu with unassuming food and a local winery of emphasis each month, seafood is prominent and Frank spent ample time describing the farm fresh philosophy that drives their sourcing partnerships.  In fact, 90% of the ingredients are sourced from the Valley.  Monthly winemakers dinners feature wineries from the Yakima Valley in a prix fixe fashion. Franks mission with Picazo is to showcase the fruit of the valley, where at one dinner you can eat produce grown across the street from the winery that produced the beverage in your glass.

The End?

Not yet.  Fortunately for you and us, this is only half of what we have to say about Picazo 7Seventeen.  Picazo is one of those few places in the industry where you see a true connection between passion, vision, wine and plate - and we want to spend the time to do it right.

Next up, we'll bring you a review of our dinner specifically:  7 courses of heaven with 8 amazing local wines.  Pictures and all.  In the meantime, if you are within driving distance of Prosser, get over to Picazo while you still can.  We predict at some point in the future  if you don't have a reservation, you're out of luck.

Terzo: West Coast Italian

My birthday recently passed, and this year due to a variety of circumstances the celebration spanned a few weeks. This has been great for me, of course, and the various festivities have highlighted the fact that my friends and family are really nothing more than a bunch of enophiles, foodies, and rock stars. Oh, the horror!

The final component of the Celebration of Josh was a Saturday night out on the town in Corvallis. The cornerstone of this evening was dinner at a new restaurant, Terzo, that opened March 17 in the old Sahalie space in the Waterstreet Market. I'll admit that when Sahalie shut down, I was skeptical that the void would be successfully filled given the current economic struggles. After all, Sahalie was just one in the line of previously successful shops in town shuttering their doors including Gables, Michaels Landing, Fox & Firkin, and Strega. Industry rumors quickly surfaced indicating that Corvallis restauranteur Iain Duncan had his eyes on the space, ergo, the birth of Terzo.

Duncan has a history of outstanding culinary establishments in town including Le Bistro and Aqua, both which have excellent and menu-driven wine lists. After months of hearing about the new "family appropriate italian" place he was working on, March 17 emerged as the opening night for Terzo -- billed as West Coast Italian, traditional italian cuisine with west coast flavor twists. When we entered the space, it was obvious to me that a lot of work had been done since the exodus of Sahalie -- a number of structural, aesthetic, and safety-driven upgrades had taken place and we were greeted with a rustic, european courtyard and wine cellar theme. The space felt very comfortable and cozy, and we were greeted by none other than Iain himself serving as host.

Upon browsing the beverage menu, I noticed the one piece of criticism I had about the whole experience - the wine list was very intimidating. While our entire group is well versed in wine, we weren't familiar with many of the solely-Italian wines on the menu. The lack of tasting notes, pairing suggestions, or a discernible order forced us to ask the server for suggestions. She made some outstanding recommendations, so not all was lost, and in talking to the bar manager we found out that they will soon be creating a separate and expanded cocktail menu book and wine menu book, which should quickly solve this concern.

Frankly it was difficult to select a dinner entree -- they all looked so delicious! Spanning starters, salads, soups, pasta, and plate entrees with a price point ranging from $10 - $27, we settled on an Antipasto Platter as an appetizer and I selected a Panchetta & Seafood Carbonara entree. Consisting of clams, shrimp, dungeness crab with local herbs, aromatics, manchego cheese, and pappardelle pasta, my mouth exploded with flavor with every bite. Other entrees at our table included a Roasted Half Chicke, Flatiron Seared Ahi & Seafood Ceviche, and Pistachio-Honey Crusted Lamb "Lollipops". All were simply outstanding, but if you go you really must try the lollipops. Really.

After dinner we went to see a musical at The Majestic, returning to Terzo afterwards for dessert and cocktails. They were just winding down for the evening, but we saw a steady stream of customers come in to inquire as to whether they were still open. Highlights of the dessert menu include a Tiramisu, a Lemon Drop Cheesecake, and Tuaca Coffee. Terzo is a welcome addition to the Corvallis food scene and we had an amazing experience and will be back. The price point is a little high to make it a regular staple, but I suspect it will remain popular. To have the kitchen putting out that level of quality, with excellent service, and a full seating at 6:00 PM one week after opening is testament to Iain's hard work and high standards.

Terzo is located at 151 NW Monroe and is highly recommended by The Oregon Wine Blog as a place for dinner, dessert, or just a glass of wine or cocktail at the bar.

When in Rome...or Anchorage...or Dallas

For the past two weeks, I’ve been traveling for work – the job that pays me, that is, giving me the resources to enjoy my prolific wine hobby. The first half of the journey took me to Anchorage, Alaska followed by a 5-day jaunt to Dallas, Texas. When I travel, I’m a huge proponent of the “when in Rome…” philosophy. Unfortunately for me, neither “when in Alaska…” or “when in Texas…” experiences involve great wine. Nonetheless, I have some great culinary experiences to highlight for you in lieu of a wine review.

When it comes to beverage selection in Alaska, craft brewing is the name of the game. The first place I enjoyed some excellent beer was Moose’s Tooth Pizza in Anchorage. With a broad selection of standards brewed in house and the best pizza in Anchorage, there was a line out the door both times I went. Price = moderate. For great seafood, Simon and Seaforts was the next stop in the dinner journey. Their wine list was mostly Californian, but their mojitos are to die for. I had a delicious (albeit a bit undercooked) cedar plank salmon, but the real winner here was dessert. When I saw ice cream sandwiches listed on the menu, it seemed a bit simplistic. The product was far from that – house-made cherry brandy ice cream sandwiched between 2 chocolate-chipotle brownies. I’d go back just for that. Price = expensive. The final stop was the Glacier Brewhouse where I had fresh-caught halibut with some wonderful beer. An Oktoberfest lager aged for a year in Jim Beam bourbon barrels hit the spot with salad, followed by an Imperial Blonde – both brewed on the property. Price = expensive.

By time I hit Dallas, I was tired of traveling and also disappointed to find uninspired wine selections at most of the restaurants I went to AND bad beer. Yep, we’re talking a city with a penchant for Bud Light. By Thursday, 8 days into the trip, I decided it was time to treat myself and I did what any red-blooded American would do in Texas – find some good steak. Located in Addison, a city with the highest per-capita restaurant to resident ratio, Chamberlain’s Steak and Chop House was the winner. It was hands-down an outstanding experience from the moment I walked through the doors. As I was dining solo, sometimes service can be lacking or the experience awkward – not the case here. My server was always there at the right times, with a friendly demeanor and great recommendations. I started off with bread and a hazelnut encrusted goat cheese salad paired with Chateau St. Michelle Riesling, followed with the main course: a 22-ounce prime bone-in ribeye steak, prepared perfectly, complimented with sea scallops and grilled asparagus with hollandaise sauce. Paired with Chateau St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon, the meal was nearly orgasmic. I wasn’t going to do dessert, but the staff knew it was my first time in and offered a complimentary glass of port (King Estate), so I said why not. With the port I had a crème brulee with fresh berries. At the end of the meal I literally waddled back to my hotel and fell asleep, satiated by fabulous food, great service, and adequate wine. Price = very expensive.

So – if you ever find yourself in Anchorage or Dallas, I hope you know have some ideas about how to best enjoy the food and drink like the locals do. Oh yea, there are moose in Alaska and cowboys in Texas. Yee haw!