The Heirloom Harvest Dinner: Part 2

I said I'd be back again tomorrow. Are you surprised I actually followed through?

The Decor
As I mentioned yesterday, Sunday was spent decorating the barn in prep for the dinner that evening. Because I attended the dinner, I only got a couple photos of the main event, but I did have an amazing opportunity to photograph the pre-dinner transformation.

The Food
Ten local chefs paired up (two chefs per course) to produce five unique courses made from locally-sourced foods with a focus on heirloom varieties.

The five-course dinner started behind the barn under a tent where guests were served a selection of hors d'oeuvres paired with local aperitifs including Throwback Brewery's Raspberry Wit made from Jean and Josh's raspberries.

We then moved into the barn were we were served the remaining four courses which ranged from Grilled Maine Sea Scallops to Muskmelon Gooseberry Gazpacho Shooters. The main course consisted of lamb prepared four different ways. My favorite of which was braised with, what I think was, some sort of red wine reduction. Throughout the meal, we enjoyed Flint Cornbread and Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread with Peach Butter and Herb-whipped Cultured Butter, both from Vermont Butter and Cheese. We ended the evening with a selection of small desserts including a Poached Reliance Peach with Mascarpone Sabayon. It was an amazing spread. As I type this, I know I'm not even beginning to do it justice.

We spent the joyful evening stuffing our faces and chatting it up with friends. Even now, it brings a big smile to my face. I feel really blessed to have been a part of the day.

You can learn more about the annual Heirloom Harvest Dinner here. You can see all my photos on the Seacoast Eat Local Flickr stream here. You can read Part 1 of this post here.

The Heirloom Harvest Dinner: Part 1

I've been wanting to write this post for about a month now. I'm not sure if it was the idea of blogging about such a monumental experience or just laziness that has caused me to put it off until now. Probably a little of both. But I really wanted to give this experience the props it deserved, and I knew that was gonna take time.

It all began with a quick trip Zach and I took to NH in mid September for the third annual Heirloom Harvest Dinner at Josh and Jean's (Zach's brother and sister-in-law) farm in Stratham, NH. We drove up on a Friday afternoon and home again the following Monday morning. It was a whirlwind trip, to say the least. But what an amazing weekend full of new experiences, gorgeous weather, delightful people, and delicious food. Because the dinner was in the barn of the house Jean and Josh live in, my camera and I were able to get a behind-the-scenes look at everything that goes into making this dinner possible.

Rumor has it Saturday morning a bunch of volunteers showed up to clean out the main part of the barn in preparation for setting up tables for the dinner Sunday evening. Zach and I had work to do, so we headed off to Panera Bread in the morning to work on our laptops. When we got back later in the afternoon, the barn was spotless. These volunteers are amazing! And fast! You can see the barn is ready for tables here...

Speaking of volunteers, they were coming out of the woodwork all weekend. People were scurrying about all day Sunday setting up tables and decorating the space to the nines. Then more volunteers showed up late Sunday afternoon to serve the five-course dinner to all us lazy, non-volunteering folk. In fact, this event is so popular, they actually have a waiting list for volunteers! What a fabulous "problem" to have. It's really encouraging to see how passionate people are about local food.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. So, as I said, Zach and I got back to the farm in the afternoon to find the barn clean and ready for decor the next day. Since everything was done for the day, we all decided to go check out the pigs. Here's Jean and Josh with their happy-as-a-clam pigs.

Then we went for a walk in the woods down to the pond. The light was beautiful.

That evening, we had dinner with some of Jean and Josh's neighbors and friends. Since we had already set up the tables on the second level of the barn, Jean suggested we eat dinner there. So all fourteen of us gathered around and enjoyed a delicious spread of homemade casserole, roasted eggplant, mixed greens salad and a decadant desert from a bakery in Boston. And lots of wine and beer too, of course. Everyone was so generous and lovely.

After dinner one friend brought out his stash of paper lanterns. I had never seen anything like them before and grabbed my camera as we headed out across the street and into the dark field. By now it was around 11PM - perfect for lighting things on fire. Everyone got a lantern and we passed around a lighter to light them. Then, one by one, we released them into the sky. It was a magical evening.

Stop by tomorrow for the second installment of our barn dinner weekend experience, where I'll share lots more photos.

Chillin' on Cape Cod

Zach and I spent the long holiday weekend relaxing on Cape Cod at his parents' vacation home. Zach's dad met us there, and we were able to spend a couple days visiting with him before he had to head home. While we were there, Jean and Josh (Zach's bro and sis-in-law) also popped down for a short visit. Of course, no visit to the cape is complete without taking a gander at what's kicking around in the basement. The house was built in the 60s so there's lots of cool vintage stuff interspersed amongst some not-so-cool vintage stuff. But it's all waiting to be rediscovered. This trip we found (Josh found, to be exact) a cool blow up raft designed for lounging on the water with your best pair of oversized, white-rimmed sunglasses (think Jackie O) and a cool beverage at your disposal. What? there's no cup holder for said beverage? Well this cannot be allowed! Don't panic. Jean took care of this gross over site by the raft-building people.

It was a lovely weekend filled with birthday cake (for Zach's b-day), micro brew (for everyone), a brewery tour of Cape Cod Beer, some night-time beach walking, a bit of fishing, and lots of kayaking and eating (plus some yard work thrown in for good measure.).

I'll leave you with this lovely shot of the water taken from the back deck. It looks like it was taken in the middle of autumn but those golden tones are actually salt-damaged leaves caused by hurricane Irene when she got all pissy and flung a bunch of salt water around. I still think it looks lovely though.

Did anyone do anything fun this Labor Day weekend? I'd love to hear about it.

The Last Sunset

Today was our last full day in California. We fly out tomorrow morning at 11:50 am. As odd as it seems, I'm ready to go home. Don't get me wrong, I definitely enjoyed my time here, but I feel like we've been blessed and now it's time to leave before we get greedy. Zach and I have a special place in our hearts for California. We'll miss the perfect weather with it's not-too-humid-not-too-dry sunny days. We'll miss the palm trees and the plethora of vineyards. We'll miss the freedom and excitement of the winding road and the beauty of the scenery around it. Never-the-less, we're ready to go home. Ready to sleep in our own comfy bed. Ready to see our friends and family on the east coast and tell them all about our experiences. Ready to get back to regular life so we can plan our next trip to The Golden State. Goodbye California, hopefully we'll see you again soon.

Are We There Yet?

Today we decided to drive to the coast for one last excursion in the Vette. During our travels, we saw a sign referencing the location of a local lighthouse. Zach suggested it would be fun to check it out. Sounded good to me, so off we went. We followed the winding road through small towns and water-front homes and boat docks (even one that looked like the Taj Mahal) until we came to yet another sign spurring us on toward the elusive lighthouse. We drove and drove and drove, and then we drove some more. Just when I was about to kill Zach for suggesting this detour, we saw another sign assuring us the lighthouse was just around the bend. It wasn't. But we soldiered on, driving through historic farms high up in the hills by the ocean. It was all very picturesque - and chilly since we had taken off the roof of the Corvette. Finally, we made it to Point Reyes National Seashore parking area. But where was the lighthouse? I'll tell you where it was. It was another half a mile up the hill and around the bend, but now I was determined! We grabbed our cameras and headed down the paved trail filled with more foreigners than Americans. Resolute in our goal to see this lighthouse, we walked past wind blown trees sharply angled against the mountain in a fruitless attempt to shield themselves from the relentless gusts. We walked past public restrooms and the apartment building that was home to the park rangers in charge of the national seashore. No lighthouse. We walked past the visitor center. Where was the lighthouse? We continued around the corner (and some extremely large bones of a whale's jaw on display). Still no lighthouse. Just then we spied a set of stairs descending 300 feet down to a small out cropping of flattened rock, and at the bottom was, you guessed it, the lighthouse.

Kuleto Estate Vineyards

Sunday afternoon was reserved for Kuleto Estate Vineyards - one of the most amazing vineyards I've ever seen. Our fabulous guide, Rick, gave us an extensive tour of the gorgeous estate and surrounding vineyards. All the while, refilling glass after glass of wine for everyone to enjoy. After the tour, it was back to the veranda for more wine and a selection of specialty cheeses and crackers. There were ten of us in the group - a fantastic collection of people with fascinating backgrounds including an architect, a nurse, and a package designer who's lovely Cuban mother was visiting him from New Jersey. He told me she was preparing a fantastic meal of traditional Cuban food for him and his friends the next day. He even invited me to the party (possibly because he feared I might have a heart attack because of my excitement over the thought of traditional Cuban food) - so generous and kind of him. I wish I could have gone.

I also had a lovely chat with the nurse in our group. She told me stories of other tastings she and her boyfriend had experienced during their vacation. At one tasting they learned the three levels of smelling your wine:
1. Wave the glass gently under your nose - these are the flowers and the fruits.
2. Take a slightly deeper smell - these are the vegetables and minerals.
3. Plunge your nose into the glass and take a deep breath - this is the alcohol and the wood.

After glass number three or four, I couldn't keep up. I had to start drinking water because my head was spinning. Never-the-less, I was still able to enjoy a lovely conversation with the architect about Frank Lloyd Wright (one of my favorite architects) as well as his favorites, whom I'd never heard of, and don't remember, because I didn't write them down. Everyone was so friendly. There's nothing like a bit of wine to loosen up even the most nervous introvert. After I had consumed those three or four glasses of wine, I noticed Zach had left the table with Rick, our tour guide. About a half an hour later, they returned with the ever allusive Pinot Noir. Let me explain....
Zach took this tour with some friends on a guys' road trip several months back, but he was never able to taste the Pinot Noir because it wasn't part of the wine selection on the tour. This time he was determined, so he bought a bottle of 2004 Pinot Noir (the stuff is so good that the 2006 was already gone.) and shared it with our group. Everyone said it was the best Pinot they'd tasted. What a nice guy.

Around five o'clock, we all rolled into our cars, thankfully everyone had selected a designated driver or had hired one, and Zach, who has the alcohol tollerence of an Irish Rugby player, had been drinking water for about an hour. The afternoon was full of great wine and conversation. It was a fabulous experience I will always remember with affection.

Robert Sinskey Vineyards

We started our Sunday morning with a drive to Robert Sinskey Vineyards. I drove the Vette for the first (and only) time through winding roads and tried to imagine I was on the Top Gear test track with the Stig guiding me through the turns. RSV was a picturesque vineyard complete with koi pond. After our tasting, we enjoyed a small bottle Pinot Blanc on the back patio. A lovely morning.

More Wine Tasting

We went to Seghesio Tasting Room in the morning and then on to Guilliams Vineyards in the afternoon. Run by husband and wife team, John and Shawn Guilliams, the vineyard is a relaxing environment in which to taste their wine. Located on Spring Mountain in Napa Valley, this is yet another special place full of casual grace and friendly hospitality. Upon arriving, we were welcomed by John Guilliams and guided down around the back of the tasting room where we relaxed in lawn chairs overlooking the lush vineyards while sipping the most delicious Merlot we've ever tasted. I've never been a fan of Merlot, but this one was superb. It was a relaxing afternoon and a lovely addition to our wine-tasting tour.

Dinner in the Park

We headed into downtown Healdsburg for a visit to Rosenblum Cellars Tasting Room and then on to Riverfront Regional Park, bottle of Reserve Syrah in tow, for a lovely picnic dinner under the Redwoods.

Visiting Medlock Ames Vineyard

Our wine-tasting tour started in the northern part of Sonoma County at Medlock Ames. It could have ended here, and I would have been completely satisfied, because it goes down on my list of favorite places.

We drove up to the sturdy wooden carport with its solar-paneled roof and parked the Vette in one of the few available spaces. After wandering around for a few minutes photographing the woodland surroundings, we decided to venture up to a small house in the distance. I scheduled a vineyard tour and tasting with Shane for Friday at noon. Since there wasn't a single sign declaring this to be Medlock Ames, we could only hope we had followed the directions correctly and made it to the right place. As soon as we neared the house, Shane came out to greet us; welcoming us as if we were family.

The front porch of the ranch-style house sheltered a sizable wooden table just waiting to accommodate a large group of wine-loving tourists. But there was no large group of tourists, just Zach and me. And that is how they do things here at Medlock Ames - relaxed and personable. Shane brought out a bottle of white (cue Billy Joel) and two glasses from the kitchen where several people were canning fruits and vegetables from the organic garden. They all looked like they were having so much fun, I was ready to roll up my sleeves and go help them as they hovered over steaming pots of boiling water and produce. Before I knew it, I had a glass of white wine in my hand, and we were off on our tour.

Shane walked us through the grounds, explaining the origin of the vineyard's namesake - a combination of the middle names of the two men who started the vineyard. Medlock, if I remember correctly, is Shane's brother-in-law and he and Ames were long-time friends who decided to start the vineyard together after leaving other careers. Shane pointed out the organic methods used in the vineyard, including four ponds used to collect rain water for irrigation and the introduction of barn owls as a natural method of reducing a gopher problem. We sampled some of the grapes and learned that around harvest time they know when the grapes are ready, in part, based on how the seeds give way between their teeth. We meandered around organic gardens and talked about the importance of using sustainable growing methods. Growing a garden with nature in mind often works better than "traditional" methods, which aren't really that "traditional" since farmers haven't always had synthetic fertilizer, but they have always had manure.

The tour was casual and informative as well as inspirational. We learned so many interesting facts about the process and the place. We even got to meet Ames! Through it all, we always had a glass of wine to enjoy. After we finished the Sauvignon blanc, we sampled a rose. The best rose I've ever had. We sipped it while touring the gravity flow system used to make the wine. Selected for its gentle processing, gravity flow helps retain all the subtle flavors as the grapes move through the stages that advance them from juice to wine. We saw the large metal vats that hold the delicious liquid as well as the barrels housed below that nurse it on its journey to become some of the best wine Zach and I have tasted. Every decision from the addition of natural predators (barn owls) to the inclusion of a large window in the winery so the workers are exposed to healthful natural light is made with the highest regard for the environment and the well-being of Medlock Ames' employees. It's a remarkable place.

Upon completion of our tour, we sat out on the front porch around that large table (joined by the vineyard dog - whose name I unfortunately can't remember) and talked with Shane about wine, photography, the environment. We were hooked. We loved the wine. We loved the vineyard. We loved the tour (thanks to the best tour guide ever!). I know I'm gushing, but I seriously can't say enough about this place. As if the day couldn't get any more perfect, Shane showed us where the picnic table was so we could enjoy the picnic lunch we had packed. He then sent us on our way (but not without filling our glasses with more Rose first), and we strolled over to the picnic area. Truly a perfect day.