Sunday in Dry Creek Wine Country

This Sunday we drove to Healdsburg, dog in tow. It was spectacularly sunny and warm, the mustard was in bloom, and our spirits were high. It was also the day when one of our favorites (and Frannie's too!) Preston Vineyards & Winery, fills it's famous Guadagni, red table wine in a jug. Yes, a jug.

They limit the stuff to 1 per person, and 1 jug equals about 4 bottles. A more friendly and drinkable jug wine, you will not find. It's only available on Sundays, and yes, they offer refills. We discovered it by happy accident a few years ago, and now we're hooked. A couple of Sunday's a year, we make the trek to Preston. Such a hardship!

Preston is my favorite Dry Creek winery (just outside of Healdsburg). It's an organic farm as well, which you'll surmise from the farm stand on the front porch, where you can pick up apples, peppers, homemade sauerkraut, pickles, greens and rice, and pay on the honor system in a small basket on the table. There are a few picnic tables in the front yard, a bocce ball court, and a ton of cats running around the farm.

I love their wines, especially the Barbera, Syrah and Madame Preston (a white blend). I highly recommend making a stop there, if you happen to be in the area. And on that note, I need a some recommendations for Dry Creek wine country. Anyone have a favorite up there that I should check out?

We were missing a few partners in crime for this (Fledge, Les, Shem, Whit & Bri, next time!) and I wanted them to know that they were missed.

Dry Creek in Pictures

Frannie loves Healdsburg

Frannie loves the car (and Lauren)

Frannie loves open windows

Mid-Century Modern - Old Fashioned Cocktail

Well hello there, Don Drapper. I've missed you so...

We celebrated the beginning of the 4th Season of Mad Men on Sunday at Amber's with a cocktail hour. Old Fashioned's were served. It seemed to be the most appropriate (not to mention delicious) choice. And then the new episode started, and seemed to last all of 10 minutes. It flew by and barely served to whet our appetite. In reality, it was 45 minutes of sheer mid-century modern bliss. Just a glimpse of the gorgeous sets and costumes on that show makes me positively giddy.

Like this:

I would like to own Don Drapper's chair. Come to think of it, I could make do with his entire office, really.

Or this:

Now that is a dress.

I think we all need a little more Joan Holloway in our lives, wouldn't you agree?

And now I'm itching to run down to the Alameda Flea Market to snatch up yet another chair. The mid-century modern addiction is a serious thing. It often results in impulse furniture purchase. I think I'm going to have to move on to lamps.

In the meantime, my recipe for a proper Old Fashioned...

Old Fashioned Cocktail

2 ounces bourbon (I used Makers Mark)

1 sugar cube

3 dashes Angostura bitters

1 orange slice

1 good-quality cocktail cherry (I used Trader Joe's brand)

2 large ice cubes

*club soda (optional)

Place the sugar cube in the bottom of a cocktail glass, and soak it with the bitters. Add the orange slice and the cherry, and muddle together until the sugar has thoroughly absorbed the liquid and melted a bit. Add the bourbon and the ice, and stir well. You can also add a splash of club soda if desired. This is also the point where I add another cherry. Just for fun.

*Tip: If you want to get really fancy with it, try making ice by boiling the water before you place it in the ice tray. This makes the ice cubes turn out perfectly clear. They do this at the restaurant Flora in Oakland, one of my favorites. It's always an impressive trick.

Guest Post by Amy - Gin Shandy

I'm guessing a great many of us attended some sort of function in the past couple of days where meat was grilled, sun was soaked up, and refreshing beverages were served. I was lucky enough to spend Memorial Day doing all of the above. Enter my friend Amy. Amy contributed the cocktail portion of our BBQ yesterday, and I'm very glad she did. Amy's known for coming up with delicious concoctions of all sorts, and her Gin Shandy's were no exception. I asked her to pass on the recipe with a guest post, and she kindly obliged.


Guest Post by Amy -

Memorial Day weekend, you are the devil! It's typically easier if your friends have their barbecues on SUNDAY so you get the full recovery day...but if you're not given that luxury, you've gotta show up with a drink that can pull the triple-duty hangover cure/ sunny day beverage/ I'm not gonna throw up at the office tomorrow. Hello, Gin Shandy. I will wear all kinds of white and drink up your business all day long. I just paid a big vet bill this weekend for my cat who had worms soooo it wasn't exactly the best time to be shopping for party supplies. The good news is that you don't need a top shelf gin for a good shandy. A) Because by the time I show up to the BBQ everyone is slightly tipsy, hot, and thirsty for some non-beer action and B) Because the magic shandy cauldron of awesome masks the taste of any mid-shelf gin, if it bothers you snobs. I went Beefeater- not plastic, not the end of the world, not too spendy. Hendrick's is good, or you can go for the old Tanqueray stand-by. But really, your money is better spent on a top shelf ginger beer and a tart lemonade.

Here's where the toil and trouble happens:

Gin Shandy

Equal parts (easy!)

- Ginger Beer (Bundaberg or Reed's)

- Gin!

- Lemonade (Santa Cruz is good, but a bit sweet for me. Newman's Own, Odwalla, or fresh-made are all good options if you're making a last-minute major grocery store stop, depending on your tastes.)

Ice it all up in a cute lookin' pitcher and call it a day (though you have to keep an eye on it because the ginger beer will go flat pretty fast. Feel free to splash in some club soda to bubble it up occasionally.) Best enjoyed out of a mason jar. A lot of recipes will recommend approximately 3/4 of a cup of gin, 12 ounces of ginger beer and 1 cup of lemonade, but I don't really understand math or conversions. Especially when math involves putting less booze in a thing or measuring liquor in cups. How many jiggers go in a shandy? Who knows. A damn tasty amount is what I know.

Garnish with a lemon wedge or a strawberry slice. I prefer a tarter drink, so I'd suggest squeezing some fresh lemon into each serving.

Be careful. Our soldiers didn't give their lives so that you could have a day off to sit outside and drink a strong ass cocktail that tastes like a Capri Sun.

USA!

Fly Me to the Moon - Amaretto Squeeze

It's raining cats and dogs. It's cold, it's windy, I mean, it's just plain nasty out. The last thing I want to do is go off to work. And now Frank Sinatra has made an appearance on my ipod, and all I really want to do is put on a flouncy cocktail dress, head to the Starlight Room at the top of the Francis Drake Hotel and be whirled around the dance floor to Frank Sinatra. I'd need a partner though. This could be a problem.

Yep, I'm in need of an old-school night. Cocktails, a good steak, heels, and dancing while dressed up. Very Mad Men.

That would be so much better than work.

Sinatra is one of the reasons I love weddings. People like to dance to Sinatra. It's just the thing to do. And you can do it shamelessly at weddings. Everyone joins in!

But, seeing as I most likely won't be ending up at the Starlight Room tonight, I should probably come up with a back-up plan. That plan will most likely involve my favorite cocktail of all time. Happy Hour anyone?

My sister introduced this cocktail to me years ago. She'd discovered it at one of the McMienamins pubs in Oregon. It's called an Amaretto Squeeze, and it is the most delicious thing. It just makes me happy. It may sound like strange combination, but I'm telling you, it's magic in a glass. The almondy, sweet taste of the Amaretto mixed with the bright sour citrus. It's divine. And it's so pretty! We make them all the time now, especially over the holiday's. It's a pre-dinner requirement. I make a pitcher of freshly squeezed juice, throw it over some ice cubes and top it off with Amaretto. It makes me happy. Maybe I'll put on Sinatra tonight while I drink it. I live in a studio. There's no one else to catch me dancing away!

Amaretto Squeeze

makes 2

1 large grapefruit

1 large orange

1 lime
2 shots Amaretto

ice cubes

rosemary for garnish

Squeeze the grapefruit, orange and lime. Remove the seeds. Pour in a highball glass over ice, add the Amaretto and stir. Serve and repeat!

Homework - Northwood #2

Rain has been pouring down all day. It's in the 30's outside, and a blanket of fog has wrapped itself around everything. Thankfully there's a fire going here, I'm on the couch with a blanket wrapped around me and my laptop screen glowing. I'm looking forward to the hour when I can close the computer and head into the kitchen.

Working from home has it's benefits. There's the working fireplace and the couch, for instance, and the glow of the fire beats the overhead florescents any day. It also doesn't hurt that when cocktail hour rolls around experimentation tends to be pretty easy. The holiday season lends itself to some great cocktails and I've had this one from Bon Appetit bookmarked for awhile. I'm a sucker for anything with apple cider in it. This Thanksgiving I even brined and basted the turkey in it.

Brandy and apple cider in the evening is a staple around this time of year, but this is a great way to mix it up a bit. Tis the season of the holiday cocktail party! Cheers!

Northwood #2

from Bon Appetit

serves 2

3 tbsp gold rum

2 tbsp brandy

1 1/2 tbsp Grade B maple syrup

3/4 tsp lemon juice

ice cubes

2 thin apple slices

Combine rum, brandy, syrup, lemon juice and ice cubes in a cocktails shaker and shake until cold. Strain into two cocktail glasses, garnish with apple slices.

Good Intentions - Mediterranean Cocktail

I've had the same hand-me-down coffee maker since my Junior Year of college. It's a Mr. Coffee, and it's served me well throughout the years. It has one of those timers that you can set, so that lo and behold, your coffee is your alarm-clock. I love that coffee maker. It has been a trusty and true companion.

Now, admittedly, it's been a little neglected lately. I hadn't given it a good and thorough cleaning in quite awhile, and recently someone mentioned that it might be time to do that.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Where have I heard that before?

I cleaned it. Thoroughly. It is now thoroughly broken.

I am now making my morning coffee with teapot and sieve.

I wish I hadn't cleaned the damn thing so "thoroughly".

You know which saying I like better than the "road to hell one?" The one that goes, "it's cocktail hour somewhere in the world." I say, it's high time for cocktail hour.

When I lived in Ashland, my favorite restaurant was called Pilaf. It was a colorful place with a Mediterranean menu, oilcloth tablecloths and brightly painted walls. It had the best polenta fries, the best falafel, baba ganosh and mango mousse I'd ever had. It was the first place friends would mention when the came to visit, "Can we eat at Pilaf today?" And I was always happy to oblige. They even provided the feast for my graduation party (complete with individual mango mousse's.) One of my favorite things on the menu was the Mediterranean Cooler, a drink made of lemon, lime, sour cherry syrup and rosewater. I'd stop at Pilaf on the way to the Park in the afternoon on a hot day to pick one up and take it with me. It's such a refreshing and delicious drink. And I thought to myself, as I often do, this would go quite well with gin.

So here's my take on a Mediterranean Cocktail. And oh man, is it good! Careful with the rosewater, it's very floral and full of perfume, so just start with a drop or two. To find rosewater and sour cherry syrup, check your local Middle Eastern Market.

The Mediterranean Cocktail
serves 2

juice of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lime
2 shots sparkling water (you can use still if you like)
2 shots Hendricks Gin (or whatever gin you prefer)
2 tsp sour cherry syrup
2 tsp sugar
1/8 - 1/4 tsp. rosewater (start with just a little and add more if you like)
4-5 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients (except for the sparkling water if you use sparkling instead of still!) in a cocktail shaker. Shake till cold. Pour into two chilled glasses, top off with sparking water (again, if you used it) and serve!

Whiskey Smash Feature on TheKitchn

Now that's a nice way to start a Monday! My Whiskey Smash Cocktail recipe is featured on one of my favorite blogs thekitchn today. Take a look and leave a comment if you wish!

The Whiskey Smash on The Kitchn

Thanks to The Kitchn crew!

Whiskey Smash! - Whiskey Smash Cocktail

I don't know about you, but July nearly did me in. What we need here is a cocktail. Tonight, at 6pm, stop what you're doing. Stop everything, and make. this. drink. This, my friends, is the Whiskey Smash. I stumbled upon this drink at the Oakland restaurant Flora, and have since recreated it many times. If you like cocktails, you simply must make your way to Flora. I will stake my reputation on their drinks. Quite possibly the best in the Bay Area. I haven't found anything better in San Francisco. And the food at Flora is fantastic. I can think of nothing better than starting a Friday night with a proper cocktail and appetizer at their beautiful bar. In fact, I think I'll have to make that a plan this week.

This drink is best made for a catching up session for friends. Perfect on a warm summer night.

The maple syrup in place of simple syrup may sound a bit strange, but it's a complete revelation. Maple syrup + cocktails forever! Don't knock it till you try it. Also, I believe this might be called a Trailer Smash at Flora, not positive about that. It's a damn good name though. Since I lack the mixology skills (and perfect cubed and clear ice cubes (I am forever in search of perfect ice cubes and long to be able to recreate them in my own kitchen!)) of those who work their magic at the Flora Bar, I can't in good conscience use that drink name. Not until I've had a few bar lessons at the very least. For the record, I am an excellent student.

Whiskey Smash

serves 1

1 shot Maker's Mark (or whatever whiskey you prefer)
juice of 1 lemon

1 tbsp maple syrup

6 mint leaves (reserve 2 for garnish)

Muddle the mint, lemon juice and maple syrup in your cocktail shaker. Add ice and liquor. Shake until cold. Serve on the rocks and garnish with mint.

Couldn't be simpler. Trust me. You'll love it.

Toulouse - An Anderson Valley Winery

I snuck away to Mendocino County this weekend to a campground in the Anderson Valley, which is overflowing with wineries along Highway 128. We did our share by tasting our way through more than a few of them over Saturday and Sunday. A task I certainly couldn't describe as being in any way arduous. It was hot, truth be told, and we were sweaty and sunburned, but still we pressed on! Here's where we stopped:

• Maple Creek Winery


• Lazy Creek Vineyards


• Navarro Vineyards


• Husch Vineyards


• Toulouse Vineyards


• Phillips Hill Estates


• Scharffenberger Cellars
  

Tasting in the Anderson Valley is a very different experience than a Napa or Sonoma trip. In comparison, the wineries in Anderson Valley feel practically undiscovered. You never have to wait for a spot to taste, and in two occasions, we were the only people tasting at the time. No fighting traffic, and we hardly ever encountered a tasting fee. It's a bit further to go, but it's well worth it.

Our favorite visit was Toulouse Vineyards. Every wine we tasted there was fantastic, but their 2007 Pinot Noir was truly exceptional. We were in heaven with the first sip, but then the tasting rep gave us each a piece of mild black licorice, then asked us to taste again. The combination was incredible, bringing out even more flavors and notes in the wine. It was a spontaneous find for us, and truly the best part of our trip. I highly recommend doing a tasting at Toulouse, or ordering a bottle.

More on cooking over a campfire adventures later!

So Fast - Kaffir Lime Gin & Tonic's

Lately, more and more, I feel a kind of panic to remember everything. I'm crushed when others forget; where we were, what we said and did, what it was we ate and heard. I tell myself, I have to be the one to remember it all, because if these things are forgotten, it's as if it never happened, and I'll exist just a little bit less. Disappearing little by little everyday. So I burn the places and details into my memory, willing myself to remember it all. I'm a map, comprised of the people, places and things I love.

Because it moves so fast. Time seems to speed immeasurably as we grow older. It's a breathless, frenzied weight to hold onto it all.

I wonder how other people handle these thoughts. Do they struggle to hold on and remember? Do they keep physical reminders? Do they return again and again to the places they hold dear in a kind of gravitational pull? I always say that the old places feel somewhat haunted by the events of the past. It's such a bittersweet feeling. I wonder if it feels better or worse to not remember at all?

I'm thankful there are so many good memories to hold onto, and for the friends who hold onto them as well. I don't want to lose any of them.



Kaffir Lime Gin & Tonics (in honor of Ilsa's 30th)

For the Kaffir Lime Symple Syrup:

1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups water
7 kaffir lime leaves, sliced into thin strips
1/2 cup lime juice

Boil the syrup ingredients together, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil for 10 minutes, then turn the heat down and simmer for 10 minutes more. The syrup will be very fragrent. Remove from heat and strain into a glass container. Put the mixture into the refrigerator to cool

For the Gin & Tonics

3 ounces gin
5 ounces tonic
2 tbsp kaffir lime symple syrup
1 slice lime
2 mint leaves

Pour over ice and serve.

What. Is. That.- Kombucha

What. Is. That????

THAT, my friends, is a SCOBY. A Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria Yeast. It's what you need to make a delicious batch of kombucha. And yes, it does look like some kind of crazy alien life form, but not to fear.

This is a project I've been dying to try for quite awhile. I am not the world's most patient person. I am in fact a fan of instant gratification. Waiting for things can be so difficult. And that was true of the homemade kombucha now hanging out happily in my fridge. I waited 10 whole days for it to be ready, and I could have waited even more!

Day 3

Kombucha is a fermented tea. It has a ton of amino acids and vitamins, and it's widely claimed to be healthfully beneficial. It has a sweet, tart and vinegary taste to it and I find it to be extremely refreshing. I also feel like I have a lot more energy when I drink it regularly in the morning. In fact, it's almost replaced my morning cup of coffee. I said almost.

My friend Sonya has been making her own kombucha, and she offered to start a first batch for me. She kindly gave me a SCOBY which is necessary for the fermenting process. Sonya boiled water, steeped some gunpowder tea and dissolved a cup of sugar into it. We poured the tea into two 2 liter jars and let it cool, then added the scoby, which we cut in half. One for each jar. Then, I waited. I waited and waited and waited.

On day 3, the scobys rose to the top of the jars. So far so good. I checked on the mixture everyday to ensure that things were on track. I smelled the jar to make sure it smelled like vinegar, if it doesn't, you should be worried about contamination in your jar and throw it out. So far so good. The scobys grew to the width of the jar opening. On day 10 I couldn't take it anymore. I removed the scobys and saved them in a glass jar with a bit of the kombucha liquid for my next batch. I strained the kombucha into another jar and put it into the fridge to chill.

Day 10

And it's fantastic! Thanks be to Sonya! I can't wait to start my next batch...which I'd better do quite soon as I'm tearing through the stuff. Perfect on a hot summer day!

Kombucha

You'll need a scoby, try kombucha.org. Or ask around and see if any of your friends are secretly brewing their own. Once your kombucha has fermented, a brand new scoby will form on top of the old one. You can use the new one for the next batch, or give it to a friend. It's the gift that keeps on giving.

1 scoby (if you're filling two jars, cut the scoby in half, one half for each jar)
a clean 5 liter jar (or two 2 liter jars)
3 liters boiled filtered water
6-8 tea bags or the equivalent of loose tea; green, black, or white only
1 cup white sugar

Boil 3 liters of water. Steep the tea for about 10 minutes. Add the sugar and stir with a metal spoon to dissolve. Strain the liquid over your kombucha jar. Fill the rest of the jar with filtered water and add your scoby. Cover the jar with a clean cloth or a paper towel. Your scoby should rise to the top of the jar around day 3. Start checking each day to be sure it smells like vinegar. If it doesn't, throw it out. Taste on day 5, it should be vinegary and slightly sweet. Keep tasting on the following days. You can drink around day 8 and let it steep up to 14 days. It will seem slightly carbonated due to the fermentation. As I said, around day 10 I thought mine was perfect. Strain the kombucha and reserve your scoby. A new one will have formed on top. You can discard the old one and save the new one in a glass jar with a bit of the kombucha liquid to preserve it.

Hold Time - Raspberry Thyme Smash

My music habits have been decidedly repetitive as of late. I alternate throughout the day between the Dark Was the Night album (if you like things that are good then you will enjoy this album) Neko Case's Middle Cyclone, and M. Ward's Hold Time (the aforementioned current soundtrack to my life.)

Some of those I care for are quite sick of M. Ward on repeat, but some, some request another round of it! Oh what a thrill it is to hear the words "More M. Ward!" from your friends around a campfire! And luckily, the drive home from camping was solo, so I was able to sing along at the top of my lungs to my hearts content. What I did before this album came around, I cannot tell. It's a mystery.

In other news, this week is so far filled with birthdays, cheese and kombucha making and the start of the outdoor movie season. More to come on all. In the meantime, I am formally requesting camping invitations from all my friends. If you plan to camp within the next few months, I shall be an excellent companion! I come with homemade kombucha, marshmallows and an unparalleled sense of direction. I am not one to get lost. My inner compass is almost infallible. I may, however, have to borrow a tent...

In the meantime:

Raspberry Thyme Smash
from Bon Appetit, July 2008
serves 1

2 fresh thyme sprigs, divided
7 fresh raspberries, divided
ice cubes
1/4 cup Hendricks Gin (or your choice)
2 tbsp simple syrup
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
(I added a splash of club soda, which can be added or omitted as you wish)

For the syrup-
stir 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil, cool and chill.

Remove the leaves from 1 thyme sprig. Place in the cocktail shaker with raspberries, mash with a muddler or wooden spoon. Fill the cocktail shaker with ice and add gin, syrup and ice cubes. Cover and shake until cold. Strain into glass. Thread the raspberry onto the remaining sprig of thyme, place on the rim of the glass. Serve.

Leap!

This weekend brought a embarrassment of Bay Area riches. We ate our way through this county and several neighboring ones with oysters, wine and champagne, dinner at Pizzaiolo, Cowgirl Creamery cheese and homemade pickles, Pork Belly, dumplings and cocktails at Heaven's Dog, Zeitgeist burgers and beer, tamales from The Tamale Lady, eggs and toast at Rick and Ann's, Cole Coffee and of course, the best part, the guest of honor, Beth. Safely arrived from D.C. and, as of now, back in Oregon to prepare for her wedding on Sunday!

I picked her up from the airport where she was waiting, wedding dress in tow. With the dress safely secured in my apartment, we were off! Starting with cocktails at Pizzaiolo and sitting down to a dinner of grilled squid, fried fava beans and squash blossoms stuffed with fresh ricotta, lemon and basil, rigatoni with pork ragu and a pizza of nettles and Pecorino fresh out of the oven, blackened and blistered crust...oh so good! From there it was on to The Avenue for a few nostalgic games of Ms. Pacman, and I am happy to say, my skills at that game still reign supreme. I beat both Beth and a fellow bar patron who wanted in on the action. I am accepting all challenges, if you dare!

The next morning we headed up to Napa, stopping first at Mumm's to walk through the photography gallery there and have a flight of celebratory champagne. It was cold and cloudy in Berkeley, but the sun broke gloriously through the clouds in Napa. The vineyards were bright green and the yellow mustard was blooming everywhere. After Mumm's we went to one of my favorite's, Vincent Arroyo for Petite Sirah, barrel tastings of port and futures and a picture with Vince, the winemaker, who was graciously handling a tasting for customers himself. If you haven't tried their wine or been up there, it's truly one of the best wine tasting experiences I've ever had.

Our final stop was Frog's Leap. We did a tasting and a self-guided tour. Most of the pictures below are from that stop. This is one of the most beautiful wineries I have ever seen. Someday I'd like to do the guided tour, but we were happy to have a flight and then walk the organic garden's, exploring the beautiful grounds and gorgeous buildings.

There was so much more to the weekend, the oysters at Hog Island in the San Francisco Ferry Building being a true highlight, but I can't possibly recount it all. Suffice it to say, it was truly a perfect weekend. I love having visitors in the Bay Area, it helps me to explore and share everything I love about this little corner of the world. Every time I do, I fall more in love with this part of California. I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate Beth's last "single days".

I dropped her at the airport this morning, and tomorrow I'll fly up to Portland as well to begin the wedding festivities. I can't wait! Congratulations, Beth and Daniel, I love you both!

Beth at Mumm's

Final note, posting will be a bit sparse this week, as I'll be visiting with family and friends in Oregon. Hopefully I'll come back next week with tons of new recipes!

Bottled Up - Rhubarb Syrup

Sometimes a recipe jumps up off the page, crying out to be made, or in this case, bottled.



Have I mentioned my rhubarb obsession? I think I have. Several times in fact. If something on the menu has rhubarb in it I will order it. Not only that, I'll probably remember it and talk about it incessantly. There was the rhubarb crisp with buttermilk ice cream at Flora, the rhubarb tart tatin at Beast in Portland, and the rhubarb soda made by Dry Creek Soda Company. It's true. I'm obsessed.

Here's the evidence to prove it, in syrup form. Accomplished in 30 minutes after a six hour road trip home. I mixed it with soda water and plan to make rhubarb mojito's tomorrow. I'm guessing it will be delicious on pancakes as well. And not only does it taste fantastic, it looks incredible in the bottle, the most beautiful fuchsia color. I'm in love with rhubarb.

Rhubarb Syrup

4 cups chopped rhubarb
1 cup of water
1 cup sugar
1/2 orange, juiced
1/2 lemon, juiced

Combine ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil. Let simmer for half and hour. Put through a fine strainer over a bowl to remove the pulp and catch the liquid. Pour through a funnel into a bottle or jar.

You can use the pulp as jam, just put it into a separate container

Rock, Paper, Scissors

My dominance at movie trivia, trivial pursuit, Ms. Pacman and Monopoly are well known, and documented, but some of you might not be aware of my skills at the ever popular game of Rock, Paper, Scissors (also known as roshambo) honed in my high school years, where it was used as the deciding factor to see who got to ride shotgun. I'm not going to reveal my secrets on such a public forum, especially not when there is a major competition to be won at one of my favorite wineries, with a grand prize of 1000k! That's not chump change my friends! So buy your ticket and let's drink some wine and duke it out!

WHAT: 7th Annual Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament - Saturday, June 6, 2009

WHEN: Saturday, June 6, 2009high noon - 5pm

WHERE: Roshambo Tasting Room @ Cornerstone Sonoma 23568 Hwy 121 (Arnold Drive) Sonoma, CA 95476

TICKETS: $20 Competitors$10 Spectators (FREE for Wine Club Members)This years tourney will be held at our swanky tasting room in Carneros at Cornerstone Sonoma where the champion will take home the $1,000 grand prize.

We are pleased to announce that the Space Cowboys Unimog will be spinning some tunes. Come one come all, enjoy wine country the roshambo way. Tickets are available online or at the tasting room. Competitor tickets are limited and are sure to sell out! Get them while you can! Click here for tickets!