On Being Chardonnay

[I saw the film Bottle Shock yesterday. I quite liked it. I'll probably see it again today and take my notebook so I can take notes and say something intelligent about it. It did remind me, however, of this entry I wrote on YukonJen.com a few years ago...On Being Chardonnay.]

A friend and neighbour Paul Brasset has been a winemaker in Sonoma County for over thirty years. Over those thirty years, he has won the Sonoma County Sweepstakes award for his Chardonnay (more than once). He has recently started selling wines from his own cellars (Bluenose Wines), but has started with only Syrah and Zinfandel. I asked him why he doesn’t sell a Chardonnay?

According to Paul, Chardonnay takes more. It takes more to grow the grapes. It takes more to harvest the grapes correctly. It takes more to process the grapes and create the wine. Chardonnay takes more energy. Chardonnay takes more refrigeration. Chardonnay takes more attention. It simply takes more to create a good Chardonnay. His Chardonnay leaves a clean, fresh, crisp palette. Unlike the robust, meaty, lingering palette of a Zinfandel, it takes more to be less.

When I heard this explanation, I decided that I was going to be Chardonnay. I was going to do more. I was going to be more. I was going to ask more (of myself and of other people). I was going to be a good Chardonnay. Clean. Crisp. Now.

When I tried this theory out on a few people, one person mentioned in an email:

>”…I wish you all the best with your quest to become
> chardonnay. When all you drink is fine wine it may
> seem as common as tapwater. Some prefer water to
> kool-aid. Some crave pure glacier water much more
> than kool-aid, or the finest of wines, chardonnay and
> champagne included…”

So, then I started thinking about my experiences with glaciers and glacier water. Now, I’ve been thinking I might aspire to be glacier water instead of Chardonnay. Here is what I think when I think about glacier water (based on specific visuals of the Dyea River, Skagway Alaska, the Yukon River, and the Kluane River in the Yukon Territory): Pure. Natural. Rich in minerals and nutrients (substantial but crystal clear). Earthy. Honest. Firm but fluid. Flexible. Travelling. Moving. Independent. Enduring. Essential. Real.

I tried my glacial water theory out on a few people. Yet another person considered that, effectively, I should be Chardonnay made from glacier water. Who makes wine in the Yukon?

[Picture of a glacier feeding the Dyea River, Skagway Alaska. Originally Published 22 May 2005 on YukonJen.com]

Take a break from your labors at Bella!

Saturday, August 30th and Sunday, August 31st, 11-4:30

We hope to see you this weekend at Bella winery. Quit toiling, come on up to the winery and enjoy the lawn, wine, food and music. In the caves we’ll have a barrel taste, current and new release zinfandel, syrah and petite sirah. Food bites will be paired with our juicy red wines. Homemade macaroni and cheese with a crispy crust goes great with our big red wines and our Late Harvest zin will go up against dark chocolate cupcakes. Yum!

Throw a blanket on the lawn, enjoy the view and listen to the rock-a-boogie sounds of Mitch Woods and his Rocket 88s. Tasting, food pairing and music is on Saturday and Sunday and is $10 per person. Wine club members and up to four friends are free!

You may also view our entire website calendar for the latest information on Bella events and wine club shipments.

See you soon,

The Bella Crew
866.572.3552
www.bellawinery.com

Alex over at the Costeaux Bakery Cafe

I was over at the Costeux Bakery Cafe on Monday afternoon just to get out of the house and have a bite to eat. I’d taken my laptop because I knew Costeaux has an open WiFi connection. I thought I could get caught up on some emails and maybe make a post.

I’d also talked to Abby (the marketing and PR person) last week about their menu and found out that Costeaux offers a full breakfast all day long. And what is the most important meal of the day? I figured if I were only going to eat one meal, it might as well be breakfast. I indulged in their quiche.

Deep-dish quiche designed with Black Forest ham, bacon, mushrooms, onions, zucchini, spinach, bell peppers, Jarlsberg and cheddar cheeses with a side of seasonal fresh fruit.

As I was finishing up my meal, the staff was tidying up their shift. Alex asked if I would like anything else. A coffee? A treat? He was incredibly courteous. He even just said: “I’d recommend the chocolate chip or chocolate crinkle.” (I’m pretty sure he was talking about a sweet treat to go with the coffee).

And because he offered that recommendation, I asked him what else he’d recommend on the menu. He smiled and immediately replied: “Oh. The chibatta. It’s on the special menu sometimes.” Then he said: “The chicken sandwich.” I’m sure if I’d let him, he would have just rattled off the complete menu.

I’ve been over to Costeaux a number of times lately–because I like their breakfast menu. I’ve been trying something different every time.

It’s all good. And, to top it off, they have baked goods, breads, wedding cakes, catering services, and boxed lunches. Pick up and delivery.

How can you go wrong with any of that?

The Best Poke in Town: A Day in the Life of an Acupuncturist

Healdsburg Integrative Medicine at 637 Healdsburg Avenue is where I ply my trade. I practice Traditional Chinese Medicine using acupuncture and Chinese herbs to treat my patients for almost any human health condition. When I heard about HealdsburgMagazine.com’s “a day in the life” feature, I jumped at the chance to record a day in my clinic.

First, I called all my scheduled patients to make sure they were comfortable being photographed while in my clinic. Everyone said “yes”. My friend, Margie Grant, was kind enough to be my photographer and spend the whole day with me.

My first patient brought in her four week old baby who nursed contentedly while I treated her arm for carpal tunnel. Before I brought out my needles, I questioned her closely about her general health since the birth of her son. Any night sweats or palpitations? Headaches or ringing in the ears? Anxiety or insufficient milk production? These can be signs of depletion that I can treat with acupuncture, herbs and diet. Long term depletion can compromise the immunity and leave her and her baby more vulnerable to contagious diseases or other complications.

My next patient complained of fatigue and insomnia. She had some surgery this spring and lost a lot of blood. Her tongue and pulse reflected this. Depleted blood can cause insomnia because blood anchors the mind at night. If the blood is weak the mind is not anchored and thus cannot be quieted to allow sleep. We talked about good foods for building her blood. I inserted needles into tonifying but calming points in her wrists and legs and let her rest for about a half hour while I entertained her son in the waiting room. He and I looked at my acupuncture doll; a rubber woman with all the points mapped on her body. Then I packaged specific herbs for this patient and send her on her way.

My third patient had a sore knee. He needs to get this diagnosed by an orthopedist but his general practitioner insisted that he try physical therapy before she will refer him. In the meantime it still hurts and is slightly swollen. I suspect a torn meniscus. Acupuncture won’t repair it but I can decrease his pain and swelling. I recommended he take an Omega-3 supplement like a good quality fish oil or flax seed oil to decrease inflammation.

My fourth patient doesn’t really have any complaints today. She has been improving her health very successfully with diet, exercise and a “change in attitude”. She was curious about acupuncture and alternative medicine in general. After talking for awhile about her health history I began to see a pattern. Her tongue and pulse confirmed it. “You have excess liver, just by constitution. Everything you have told me so far fits this pattern and it is a very common one. You are doing all the right things so keep it up.” I used a point combination that is like the reboot button for the body. It finds stuck energy anywhere in the body and helps it flow freely. After her treatment I felt her pulse again. It had changed significantly for the better. She left feeling relaxed and refreshed and I was pleased knowing that I had given her a successful tune-up.

My fifth patient just had three wisdom teeth removed. She is healing well but her jaws ached. “Will you let me use points on your face? If it is too sore to be approached I can just use all distal points on your hands and feet,” I say. She wanted the facial points and the others. I inserted needles in her cheeks. I also used the Master point for the face and head which is on the hands. I finished with a Stomach Channel point on the feet to drain excess energy from the opposite end of the channel, which is where her pain is located. (Acupuncture is so cool.) She told me it felt much better as she was leaving. I cautioned her it might ache more tonight and then feel much better tomorrow.

Now for my sixth and last patient. She is six months pregnant and had back pain that radiated down one leg – sciatica. She has been seeing a chiropractor but so far it has only hurt more. She said she knows this can sometimes happen and wants to continue seeing her chiropractor. Pregnant women can be tricky to treat, as they can’t lie on their back or stomach, so I often treat them lying on their side or sitting up in a comfortable chair. I also must avoid the “forbidden points” during pregnancy – they can stimulate premature labor. No points in the lower back allowed. That’s ok because I have many ways to treat low back pain. “Tell me when you feel something, like maybe a muscle twitch or a little electrical zing,” I said as I inserted a needle in her hand. “No zing but the baby just kicked,” she said with a smile. The baby kicked for each needle I inserted into her hands and feet. Fifteen minutes later she got off the massage table and said, “Wow, it really feels better!” I saw her that night at a barbeque and she said, “Lucy, it really worked, my pain is gone!”

I tidy up my office and go home. I saw a nice variety of patients today. I hope this piece can give readers a glimpse into the wide variety of health conditions that acupuncture can treat. I also hope it conveys how comfortable and relaxing an acupuncture treatment can be.

View more pictures of my day in the flickr stream.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Already known as an alternative remedy for alleviating backaches and migraines, acupuncture has found a niche in treating the side effects of cancer treatment, diabetes, eating disorders, infertility, nausea associated with pregnancy, skin disorders, emotional disorders like depression and even smoking and alcohol addictions. Relief can also be found for respiratory, circulatory, digestive and gynecological problems.

I am Lucinda Kotter, a Licensed Acupuncturist. I have a Masters degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine from Five Branches Institute. I also hold California and national certifications in acupuncture and herbology. My family practice is at Healdsburg Integrative Medicine at 637 Healdsburg Ave. Lucinda may be reached at (707)239-1687 for appointments or questions.

Julia’s Lemonade at the Farmer’s Market

Julia is selling lemonade at the Healdsburg Farmer’s Markets to save for college. I see her on Saturdays, but the last time I talked to her, she was also planning to be on the Plaza on Tuesdays.

I also happen to know that she’s looking for lemons. So, if you have a fat old lemon tree in your yard, and you simply have too many lemons, bring ‘em on down to Julia. I know she will appreciate them.

I believe that Julia (and her parents) squeeze the lemons by hand to make the lemonade. It is quite the process. I’ll have to find out how many lemons it takes for one huge jug of lemonade.

I took this picture as part of the Day-in-the-Life event.

What a Day!

Wow. What a day. I only have a few moments, but to summarize so far:

Up at 5AM.

One audio recording of the birds in my neighborhood.

2.5 hours helping start the Healsburg Century Bike Tour.

• Five brown thermos containers of coffee
• Two trays of cinnamon bread
• Too many Odwalla juices to count
• 1500 or so bikers (will have to get the exact number from Briana over at the Chamber)

Back home to regroup and refresh a bit.

Update the A Day in the Life column on this website. Shana IMs me to say she’s started a twitter stream: #hburgmag.

Out to meet Julie at Cousteax (missed her but met her later at the Farmer’s Market).

Quick stop at Fideaux to make sure the girls there take a picture (I took one–just to be sure).

Farmer’s Market (lots of people there today, including Shana and another Healdsburg local: oenophilus).

Met Laurel Cook and some other Literary Guild members who were serendipitously releasing a BOOK entitled: A Day in the Life of Healdsburg.

It was the 30th anniversary of the Farmer’s Market this week. Think I’ll be getting some more interesting photos from Mike Haran later.

Up and down the street to a few shops (will have to wait until I sort out my pictures).

Through the Plaza.

Over to Oakville Grocery, Rosenblum, and Selby tasting room.

Back through square to meet Shana for lunch.

Lunch at Willi’s Seafood. Bartender was Carl. Have to write up his drinks for the Two-Drink Minimum column. Oysters (delectable).

Back through to ParkPoint Health Club to ask about their memberships for out-of-town visitors. Have a summary I can post later.

I’m exhausted.

Head home for a snooze.

Head out to run an errand, but was just too exhausted to stay out.

Back home. Check email (four unexpected submissions for event — Thank You!!! I’m expecting more though. I know they’ll come in as the week progresses).

Check the twitter stream (two new friends on Twitter–(hi Rob and macgenie). Special shout out to Shana Ray for starting that off this morning–an unexpected social media contribution.

Call my new friend Randy over at Mateo Granados Catering to make sure he sends in his perspective. He sends it from his iPhone (will link later when I’ve got the pictures sorted).

Check the Flickr group. One new member: local photographer Craig Clemment-hope to that you’re going to submit a photo or two Craig. I’d be honored.

Quote of the day from Shana, “It made me happy!” for almost every picture she took and posted to twitpic.

It’s 11:33 right now. I have to get up early again tomorrow.

Thanks for everything everybody who participated. I look forward to your submissions.

Stay tuned!!

Today’s the Day

Today is the day folks. We’re recording what’s going on in Healdsburg today. Take a few (or as many) pictures as you can. Or record a video or blog about something from your perspective. Then send us a link to your Flickr, YouTube, blog, etc. or email us your submission.

Email your submission to jen@HealdsburgMagazine.com.

Tweet with #hburgmag.

Join the Flickr group: adayinthelifeofhealdsburg.

A Day in the Life of Healdsburg: 19 July 2008

A few weeks ago, I was talking to Stephen about promoting the magazine. He immediately had a great idea: Choose a day and have everybody take a picture on that day (anytime during the 24-hour period of the day) and send it in. Then, do a-day-in-the-life-of series.

Isn’t that a great idea? I am so excited. Except, since I’m trying to work with more media, I’m going to ask that people use any form of media for this project. The day is going to be 19 July 2008.

That’s right: 19 July 2008. Mark it on your calendar folks. This is the day that I’m going to ask everybody and anybody who is in Healdsburg, California to record it. Just record being in Healdsburg. Record it how you want to record it. Video it. Photograph it. Blog it. Record it. Voice mail it. Text it. Email it. However you want to do it, just do it.

Here are some guidelines:

If you are in Healdburg on the 19 July 2008 with any form of media, record it.

• If you video it, create a short video of your experience.
• If you photograph it, send in the photograph with details about who, where, when, and how.
• If you blog it, just blog it and send the link to your blog.
• If you use audio, send in your audio clips.
• Or, just call and leave a voice mail. 707-477-2528.

Anytime during that 24-hour period on the 19 July 2008, just record who, what, when, and where.

Then, send in your submissions (contact).

That’s it. That’s all I’m asking for. I’m expecting that it will be a great day.

I’d like to use all the submissions to re-create 24 hours in Healdsburg. How exciting is that going to be?

Let’s see how it turns out.

The Situation Opened for Langhorne Slim

Shana asks me last Wednesday evening if I’m going over to the Ravenous to hear local KC Mosso’s band play. I look at her sideways and ask how does she know something is happening at the Ravenous tonight? She grins and tells me, “It was advertised all over town.”

“The Situation is opening for another guy who’s been getting a LOT of attention lately. You should go on over. It’ll be great!”

When I get home, I try to find out who’s playing at the Ravenous that night (so I can add it to the What’s Happening Calendar). Langhorne Slim.

I don’t know KC Mosso. I don’t know The Situation. I don’t know Langhorne Slim, but I do know I like live music. And, I’m excited that there’s actually some action in town.

Ravenous is crowded. Shana looks over at me and says: “Wow. It’s never usually like this. It’s Wednesday night!”

It’s hot. And crowded. We sit outside until the music starts. I meet some new people and we talk about this magazine and I’m encouraged people think it’s a good idea.

The music starts and we all make our way back inside. I remember why I like live music. I like the energy in a small venue: the anticipation of being up-close-and-personal with the musicians themselves. Every person in the crowd has that energy and expectation of the evening. I realize it’s the energy that makes small venues and live music so awesome.

Langhorne Slim’s performance blew me away. I could hear something in his voice. Another reviewer called it: soul, grit, hard work, and passion. I like that. I would never have figured out what to call it. I think I’ll just stick with that. His voice had soul, grit, hard work, and passion.

Here’s a video of Longhorne Slim’s YouTube video: “In the Midnight”

The best part of the night was when he was finished his set and went outside but somebody convinced him to come back in. He played a few songs for us solo. How can you get more up-close-and-personal than that?

Here are some more pictures from this fabulous, rather memorable evening.

Here is a link to Langhorne Slim’s MySpace page. I’m lovin’ it…

Pairing: Bear Republic and Dessert

[This article is courtesy of Mario at Brewed for Thought, a blog dedicated to home and craft brewing across the country. Originally published 12 April 2008.]

As a beer snob/junkie/aficionado, I like to help introduce my friends to an assortment of fine ales. Mostly this involves forcing my wife to sample whatever it is I’m drinking that night. When we’re out with friends, I extend this privilege to them. One of my favorite activities though, is to host a beer pairing, where I select a theme and pair it with food. Tonight, we featured local brewery Bear Republic and paired their selection of bottled beers with various desserts.

I got this idea a while back, shortly after my Anderson Valley cheese pairing. During that evening, I learned a few things. First, cap the tastings to 5 or 6 beers, because after that, it begins to blur together. Second, don’t take it so seriously. I kind of drug the party down by trying to turn the group into beer snobs like me, instead of just enjoying the beer and cheese.

So the lineup tonight featured all 6 of the readily available Bear Republic family. This was a good choice because one of the people in our small group had mentioned a fondness for Racer 5. Since Bear Republic favors strong brews, and hoppy ones at that, I had a tough time deciding where in the sampling a few beers should go, but in the end, I figured the order would go as such: XP Pale Ale, Red Rocket, Racer 5, Hop Rod Rye, Pete Brown Tribute, and Big Bear Stout.

We started with the XP Pale Ale. My wife’s friend Kayla was delighted by the color of this beer. We paired this with a green apple pie from Marie Calenders. The flavors blended well with the tartness of the green apples shining through. This was an excellent way to start the pairings, very accessible flavors that were familiar to everyone.

Next was the Red Rocket paired with flan (Mexican custard, for the uninitiated) made from scratch by my wonderful wife. The Red Rocket and flan were both very rich, with the vanilla from the flan standing out. It was this richness of the two that made them match so well. All involved loved this pairing as well, except Johnny, who just doesn’t like flan. Too bad, his loss.

Third we went to my favorite beer and dessert pairing, IPA and carrot cake. We chose a carrot cake from the local Safeway (we picked the gourmet slice, because that’s how we roll). The intense sweetness of the carrot cake and the frosting was amplified by the bold malt and hop flavors of the Racer 5. When making this pairing, if using a different IPA, be sure to chose one with strong, floral hops flavors and a very sweet malt character. To me, Racer 5 reminds me of a biting a fresh hop dipped in honey, that’s the kind of IPA you want. Also, if you’ve ever bitten a fresh hop, with or without honey, you’d know this is not a pleasurable experience, and I would not recommend actually trying this. As for the pairing, this was the most popular of the evening.

Making the turn, we went on to the Hop Rod Rye paired with a dark chocolate torte from Whole Foods. This one was hit and miss. The group was split on the Hop Rod Rye. Johnny, Kayla and I really liked it, while my wife and Tommy were not fans. It’s a very aggressive beer, and asking newcomers to enjoy it is a bit much. Not only that, the torte was too dry, and while it looked fantastic (no picture, sorry), the taste didn’t back it up. What I can say is the two did compliment each other, with the beer really bringing out the flavors of the cake.

As we headed into the homestretch it was time for the “dark beers.” Pete Brown’s Tribute Ale was paired with Häagen-Dazs coffee ice cream. For me, this was the highlight of the evening. Ironically, Kayla commented the beer looked like root beer as it poured. Paired with the ice cream, the sensation of eating a root beer float came to mind. I actually took a large spoonful of the ice cream and dropped it in the last half of my beer. The two mixed together extremely well. Not everyone was a fan though, with one dissenting vote, costing this amazing pairing the “Best in Show” ribbon.

The finale for our evening was the Big Bear Stout and chocolate mousse from a local Italian restaurant. Our group of friends knows this restaurant for their mousse, so when we saw this as an option to be paired, we knew exactly what we would be getting. The mouse was fantastic, and brought out the roasted malt flavors of stout. Not as inspiring as the Brown and ice cream, this was a nice way to finish the evening. Aside from Johnny and I, no one else cared for the beer though, and we had the duty of finishing the last of the stout on very full stomachs.

In the end, the evening went well. I relaxed and let everyone have fun, simply asking for impressions after each sampling, then letting the conversation flow where ever it went. When it comes to desserts, I will probably buy less next time, as we were all a bit stuffed by the time the evening ended.

A big thank you goes to Jayne Allegra of Bear Republic. She came up with the pairings we had. Initially she gave us this list of pairings that we chose from. Maybe you can use it in the future to plan your own pairing.

• Red Rocket – Strawberry Rhubarb Pie or Flan
• Special XP Pale Ale – Apple Pie or Cobbler (Green Apple)
• Racer 5 IPA – Carrot Cake
• Hop Rod Rye – Dark Chocolate Torte or Tiramisu
• Pete Brown’s Tribute Ale – Coffee Ice Cream
• Big Bear Stout Ale – Milk Chocolate Mousse or Champagne Cake

Update: The wife was picking through the leftovers this afternoon and noticed the box for the chocolate torte. Turns out this was a vegan chocolate torte, which would explain why it sucked.

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