Eminent Eats

With the collaboration of farmers, chefs and culinary artisans, Outstanding in the Field keeps a consistent theme for their farm style dinners in honoring the people who work hard to bring superb ingredients, and therefore meals, to the table. Touring the nation from coast to coast once a year in their big red and white bus, these culinary dinner dates are designed to re-connect diners to the land and the origins of the food on their plate. Setting up table at a bounty of diverse locations, dinner scenes include farms, gardens, ranches, mountain tops and sea caves, to name a few. Founder Jim Denevan's idea to expand the farm-to-table dinners farther afield and go on tour every season has taken off, quite literally. The anticipated 2011 tour kicks off in May, with two stops in Petaluma. McEvoy Ranch and its beautiful 80 acres of olive trees will play dinner host on May 8 with guest chefs Beth Wells and Nathan Alderman from Chez Panisse Cafe in Berkeley. At the end of the month, Outstanding in the Field will be passing through Sonoma County for a second round but this time at County Line Harvest where culinary extraordinaire Charlie Parker and crew will be cooking up a sure-to-please spread on May 30. Tickets include a reception with wine and passed appetizers, four seated courses with wine pairings, producer discussions and a tour of the farm. Outstandinginthefield.com.

 Photos: Outstanding in the Field events. Credit: Jeremy Fenske

Wine Down

This Spring, winery locales of Healdsburg and Geyserville, in the Russian River region of Sonoma County, participate in the 22nd annual "Passport to Dry Creek Valley." The event kicks off with "Gateway to Passport," an elegant evening at celebrity chef Charlie Palmer's Dry Creek Kitchen at Hotel Healdsburg, followed by a weekend of wine in Dry Creek Valley's provincial setting. More than forty-five wineries and vineyards will showcase new wine releases to be paired with an array of rich, bountiful fare from top wine country chefs. Stephen & Walker Winery will offer handmade pizzas from their wood fired oven to accompany their newly released 2008 Zin and 2009 Petite Sirah while Chef John Franchetti of Rosso will serve up truffled sausage sliders and mac & cheese with arugula and prosciutto at Amista Vineyards. Enjoy a walking tour of Florence Ranch or partake in a game of bocce ball at Seghesio Winery. Other highlights from the weekend, exclusively for Passport ticket holders, include meeting the winemakers and owners, barrel tasting and live entertainment. April 29, 30 and May 1, 2011. Gateway to Passport on Friday, 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m., $150 per person. Saturday and Sunday 2-day Passport Tickets, 11a.m. - 4:30 p.m., $120 per person. Sunday Only Tickets, $70 per person; http://www.wdcv.com.

Photo credit: Winegrowers of Dry Creek Valley

Two-in-One

 

B.R. Cohn Winery, one of the top producers of ultra-premium extra virgin olive oil in California, combines red wine and dark chocolate to create a delectable, velvety chocolate wine sauce. With soils warmed by underground natural hot springs and gentle ocean breezes, the Vineyard’s micro-climate experience allows for ideal growing conditions for its Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. The Chocolate Cabernet Wine Sauce will catch the eye, and taste buds, of any sane person who indulges in a piece of chocolate and a glass of wine from time to time. B.R. Cohn enhances that affair by marrying the two beloveds to bring a concoction in the form of a sauce to be used in a multitude of ways – atop brownies or cheesecake, over ice cream or strawberries, in coffee – to suit your liking. 15000 Sonoma Hwy., Glen Ellen, 707-938-4064; brcohn.com.

Photo credit: B.R. Cohn Winery & Olive Oil Company