Showing posts with label napa restaurants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label napa restaurants. Show all posts

Thursday, November 10, 2011

cocktails in wine country? mutineer magazine's red carpet gala

when you live in the napa valley of california you drink wine...often.  you know people in the business, you attend events celebrating wine, you contrubute to fundraisers  including wine in the silent auction, you have friends who spend countless hours discussing terroir...you get my point; in napa, wine rules.

so it was exciting to be invited to mutineer magazine's 3rd annual 'red carpet party' and king's ginger cocktail competition this past sunday.  finally...a night celebrating cocktails and food pairing...in a "dress to impress" environment....(and all of my book club girls in attendance!) it was held at the napa valley opera house in downtown napa.  what a blast!  a cocktail competition and the opportunity to sample the contest entries along with bubbles, beer, water and appetizers.

the official press release for the event describes it this way:
"Beverage influencers from across the country came together to celebrate drink culture and the exciting cocktail renaissance in Napa Valley, with some of the top local bartenders on hand to showcase their skill. The partnership for the event was with two iconic spirits brands on the event: Luxardo, the legendary Italian distillery now in its sixth generation of production, and Chinaco Tequila, which introduced the United States to ultra-premium Tequila in 1983.  In addition, three inspired Napa Valley voices were officially announced in partnership with No.3 Gin."
"best book club ever"  photo courtesy julie dalrymple

i am not sure i would describe myself as a beverage influencer...maybe student?  i love reading about interesting cocktails and about the very cool bartenders creating different and delicious sounding combinations.  i think that is why i am such a fan of mutineer magazine.  every issue is chock full of stories and interviews from restaurants and bars around the world spotlighting top bartenders.  walking around the red carpet event last weekend, i finally figured out why these articles resonant with me...the successful bartenders all share the same characteristic; an emphasis on fresh, best-quality-possible ingredients .  but it wasn't until i watched eight bartenders from some of napa's best restaurants compete in the king's ginger cocktail competition, that i truly understood the care and craftsmanship that goes into each drink. truly works of art and no machines in sight.  lots of muddling lovely looking fruit, vegetables and herbs; eye droppers dispensing precise measurements, homemade syrups, hand blended tinctures...each drink made one at a time.   the cocktails served to the guests were made the same way...no easy task...handmade drinks for a huge crowd...each delicious. 


congratulations to the contest winner: michael jack pazdon from solbar at the solage resort -calistoga, ca.  his submission, named the king’s waes hail, is pictured in the next 3 images and was my favorite of the night. want the recipe?...it is included at the end of this post.  (and please let me know if you make it at home).  check out the november/december 2011 edition of mutineer magazine for all eight cocktail recipes.

Photo by Phil Jimcosky of Mutineer Magazine



Photo by Phil Jimcosky of Mutineer Magazine



Photo by Phil Jimcosky of Mutineer Magazine

have i mentioned the food?  created specifically to pair with the cocktails served, the menu included both savory and sweet treats...really interesting and very, very good....with the same attention to detail and quality ingredients adopted by the bartenders.  a dish called spherification of margarita with chinaco tequila was delicious and weird at the same time.  picture a thin gel membrane encasing a shot of margarita....not sure why this technique has become so trendy...but hey, a margarita is a margarita. (thanks ronda, for convincing me to try it!).  my favorite bite was the "aerated" milk chocolate treat...light as a cloud but packed with flavor...really excellent. 

so...what's not to love about a night filled with great friends, delicious cocktails, good food and a beautiful setting. thank you ash and alan for the invitation. what fun! looking forward to next year...


Photo by Phil Jimcosky of Mutineer Magazine

FOOD MENU
Savory, Chef Gary Penir:

-Poached Scallop, Agadashi, Instant Sesame Tofu Noodles with King's Ginger Froth
-Local Albacore Tuna Tartare, Tempura Nori, Wasabi Tobiko Aioli with No.3 Gin
-Pork Belly Yakitori, Sangue Morlacco, Avocado
-Spherification of Margarita with Chinaco Tequila

Sweet, Pastry Chef Sara Wurst:
-Aerated milk chocolate with Luxardo Amaretto di Saschiro and Freeze Dried Cherries
-Luxardo Limoncello Mousse with Basil and Juniper Berry Butter Cookies, Micro Basil

Photo by Phil Jimcosky of Mutineer Magazine

The King’s Waes Hail

by Michael Jack Pazdon, SolBar

1 oz. Christian Drouin VSOP Calvados
3/4 oz. The King’s Ginger Liqueur
3/4 oz. lemon juice
1/2 oz. Carpano Antica Formula
1/2 oz. egg white
dash house-made grenadine*
dash Maraschino Orginale Luxardo
5 drops gingersnap spice tincture**
5 drops Genevieve Genever-style Gin

Combine all ingredients, aside from the genever, in a mixing glass, dry shake for 10 seconds, add ice, shake hard and double strain into a chilled coupe. Float dehydrated apple chip, fresh grated nutmeg, rosemary flowers, 5 drops gingerbread spice tincture and 5 drops Genevieve on top of foam.

*Bring 1 part fresh pomegranate juice to just below a simmer then add 1.2 parts granulated sugar, stir until dissolved. Let cool then add rose water to taste. Bottle and refrigerate.

**Grind 2 tsp. cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks, 9 black peppercorns. Grate 2 whole nutmegs. Toast gently in a pan, remove and combine with 1 oz. grated ginger and 1 c. over-proof rum in an airtight container. Steep for 2 weeks, shaking daily. Strain and bottle in a medicine dropper.

best,
diane

diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885
"live a green life of style™ "

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Saturday, October 23, 2010

what else is there to do in napa besides wine tasting?

when you blog about living in the napa valley of california, potential visitors assume you are an expert on all things napa. i often receive emails, comments on posts, facebook and/or twitter messages all asking the same question. what else can we do except go wine tasting? a few years ago i would have suggested favorite restaurants, offered "secret" tips for nature drives, walks and hikes...maybe talked about an upcoming show at the opera house...but, to be honest, there was not a lot to talk about. fast forward to 2010 and i am thrilled to announce a change is coming...especially in the town of napa.

napa is now home to some pretty cool hotels....a number of amazing restaurants...an ever growing music scene with venues like the aforementioned opera house and the newly renovated uptown theater. we still have a ways to go regarding shopping....but i think i am most excited about the arts scene. yes...there is art in napa...really, really good art...and it is becoming increasingly easier to stay abreast of all the happenings in the valley. in my opinion, the best way is to view the arts council napa valley's website. currently, the website is promoting "napa valley arts 2010".
per the site:
"Arts Council Napa Valley and the Napa Valley Arts Coalition present, "Napa Valley ARTS 2010", a month-long, county-wide celebration of arts and culture from Friday, October 15 through Sunday, November 14, 2010. You are invited to "Celebrate Creativity" with Napa Valley arts organizations, venues, galleries, wineries and schools at over 100 arts and culture events."

i was honored to be invited to attend and blog about the kick off event, "meet the makers". the official description is as follows:

"this invitational exhibition features over 60 portraits of inspirational "makers" in Napa Valley, photographed by four artists: Suzanne Becker Bronk, Dona Kopol Bonick, Kristine Cummins, and Chick Harrity. The photographers were asked to shoot people whom they considered to be important, influential, master or emerging 'makers' in our community. They chose painters, musicians, actors, and beyond, including: Oscar Aguilar Olea; Layla Fanucci; Jakey Lee; and Robilee Frederick and many others. The exhibition will be on display at Mumm Napa from October 6th through 31st."
the photographers and the "makers" are all extremely creative individuals. i am privileged to be friends with many of the people involved and was curious as to what it felt like being chosen as a "maker". my friend ann trinca (fellow book club member) is a very talented photographer and craft artist. she was the curator and founder of napa nest and has been active in the napa arts scene as an editor of pearl necklace zine and a member of the fruit stand collective...she currently works at the di rosa preserve in napa. ann is probably the most creative person i know. when i asked her what it felt like to be recognized as a maker she replied, "i have long admired the photographers and the other makers...it is such an honor to be included. the whole thing seems a bit surreal...being chosen as a maker is a bit humbling. i am particularly happy to see the number of young people included...it is rewarding to see a new generation in napa being passionate about the arts"
speaking of the next generation, i was thrilled olivia everett was chosen to be a maker. olivia is in her early twenties and is a very talented graphic designer. she serves on the board of directors for arts council napa valley. most impressive, she is co-founder of wandering rose, an organization which encourages/promotes independent, experimental and pop art in napa. (check out their facebook page for more info). olivia told me that being asked to be a maker was "cool. i have always wanted to be an artist. the napa arts community is very strong and getting to know each other is so important. plus, having my mom and dad here to share this experience with me is very cool".
i could write glowing bios of each maker...and each photographer...but, instead of reading, i suggest you hurry and view the meet the makers exhibit yourself...ends 10.31.10. check out the napa valley arts website for the calendar of all events...as of today 117 arts & culture events are planned for the four week period. so yes, there are a lot of things to do in napa in addition to wine tasting...enjoy!
best,
diane

diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style™ " do you like us? really like us? then please join our facebook fan page & follow us on twitter

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Monday, August 23, 2010

the best tomato sauce in the world? and gott's gazpacho recipe

at long last it is tomato week at summer fest 2010! every year i write about my passion for in-season tomatoes and list a number of recipes. this time i decided to start with a not-really-recipe recipe...and tell you about a couple of tomato experiences that i am still dreaming about...(yes, i do get a bit passionate about tomatoes)

let's start with the "best tomato sauce in the world" story. my husband peter is not one to succumb to hyperbole and "red sauces" for pasta are not his favorite thing. he will eat them...but does not rave about them. last week i was given a huge bowl of cherry tomatoes that were so ripe they had actually split. i was helping a friend cater an event...we were making tomato, buffalo mozzarella and basil on skewers appetizers...and 1/2 of the tomatoes were unusable for this dish. score for me. that day was packed with projects and i needed an easy, effortless way to use my unexpected gift. the result? slow roasted tomato sauce...pure magic.


the key to the sauce...and there is no point in making it if you ignore this point...is to use the best, freshest, organically grown tomatoes and best quality ingredients (the ingredients really do make the difference). slow roasting concentrates the flavors and enriches the sweetness. plus, it takes 5 minutes to assemble and then you can pop in the oven and forget about it for hours. there really isn't a recipe...just a very flexible technique. you can use whatever quantity of ingredients you like. here is what i did:

the best tomato sauce in the world
ripe, organically grown, in-season extra sweet cherry tomatoes
sweet onions
garlic
extra virgin olive oil
good quality pure balsamic vinegar
sea salt
black pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes
fresh basil, torn into pieces

preheat oven to 275 degrees. add tomatoes to a rimmed baking sheet. with a sharp knife, pierce each tomato. ( this will ensure they deflate while roasting as you do not want hot tomato juice exploding in your mouth. since my tomatoes were split, this step was completed for me by mother nature). chop onion and mince garlic and add to the baking sheet. drizzle the e.v.o.o. over the tomatoes...about 6 passes of the bottle. drizzle the balsamic over the vegetables...about 3 passes of the bottle. sprinkle a pinch each of the salt and pepper over the vegetables and place in preheated oven for 2-4 hours. the longer you roast, the sweeter the final result.

prepare pasta according to package directions. when ready to serve, place cooked pasta in a serving dish. pour in the roasted tomato mixture, ensuring you get every drop of the juice. stir into the pasta. add the fresh basil, adjust seasonings if desired and serve with freshly grated parmigiano reggiano.


so back to peter. he took one bite and said..."wow, this is really good". another bite and said "honey...this really, really is delicious". next thing i knew, he was mopping up every bit of sauce with bread. he finished dinner and proclaimed..."that is the best tomato sauce in the world". and the name was born.

my second tomato story of the summer happened last night. i was invited to a "bloggers' dinner" at gott's roadside restaurant. gott's...formally known as taylor's refresher...is a napa institution...serving the best burgers, fries, sandwiches and salads possible. gott's has three locations...two in napa and one at the ferry building in san francisco. this is their story:

all gott's photos courtesy ashley teplin
"since 1999, joel and duncan gott have kept alive a tradition of classic handmade american food. born on a roadside, raised in a ferry building, our family-run kitchen serves up mighty fine eats that draw people from all over. artisanal ingredients in traditional recipes combine for a refreshing take on old favorites. surprising menu special keep hungry customers coming back to see what's next. and carefully chosen beers and wines make eating this good even better. bring your family, friends, or just your big appetite. whether there's two people or twenty ahead of you in line, we'll make it worth your while".
as someone who has stood in line there many, many times...i was thrilled to be invited to the dinner. gott's has taken 2 acres of their st helena property and planted, as garden manager christopher landercasper (landy) told me "over two miles of vegetables if you lined them up in a row". their objective is to exclusively use their own organically farmed produce in their food. this summer they are featuring daily specials with fresh-from-their-garden produce...offerings such as fried zucchini with ranch dip (all herbs from the garden), pesto potato fries and fried green tomatoes.
garden manager christopher landercasper, "landy" photo courtesy ashley teplin
but last night's dinner was all about tomatoes...gott's has over 700 tomato plants and they harvest daily. they are anticipating over a ton a week starting in september! and executive chef rick robinson has been playing around with tomato recipes all summer and created a "round the world tour of bread & tomato" dishes for us. we started with pa amb tomaquet (grilled bread rubbed with garlic & tomatoes and moved on to gazpacho, panzanella, tomato, zucchini & chevre tart, scalloped tomatoes and ended with "southern tomato sandwiches"...chef rick's homage to his north carolina roots...white wonder bread spread with "duke's" a brand of mayo he had shipped from the south for the occasion, thickly cut beefsteak tomatoes, salt and pepper. you know what? it was delicious!

gott's executive chef rick robinson, photo courtesy ashley teplin
if that wasn't enough (it was, but what the heck?) we moved on to burgers...because it is not really gott's without burgers...so beef and vegetarian options were offered...and we ended with fresh-from-the-garden (of course) melons topped with locally made vanilla ice cream. the wine served was spot on (we live in napa after all) and...probably the best touch...the other bloggers are good friends...so perfect weather, terrific friends and delicious, locally grown food....a perfect night all around.

every dish was wonderful...and i have enough notes from the garden tour for numerous stories...so eventually i will post each recipe. today i am starting with the gazpacho because it was my favorite. it was so amazingly good that i urge each of you to go out...gather the ingredients...and begin making this today. i am a gazpacho fan but...as chef rick says "there are a lot of insipid gazpachos out there) ha! my favorite quote of the night....this one is perfect and...if i may be so bold...the best gazpacho in the world...



gott's gazpacho chef rick reports that this "classic cold soup of andalusia features tomatoes and cucumbers from gott's garden, and is thickened with bread in the classic style".
yield- approx 1 gallon

7 lbs ripe, in season tomatoes
1 lb red onion, peeled & chopped
1 lb green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 lb cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
1.5 lbs ripe, in season tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 tbsp chopped garlic
2 tbsp kosher salt
1/2 t cayenne
1/8 c + 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
1/8 cup + 1 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 good quality baguette, two days old, crusts removed and cut into 1" cubes
method-prep work day before:
1. finely chop 7 lbs of tomatoes in cuisinart, mix with 1 tbsp salt and refrigerate overnight in non reactive container (do not use a metal bowl).
2. mix remaining ingredients, and refrigerate overnight in non reactive container.
3. the next day, strain all liquid out of the reserved tomatoes with a sieve or china cap (a conical sieve with an extremely fine mesh) that will allow some pulp, but no seeds and skins through. work to get all juice, then discard pulp, skins and seeds.

4. combine strained tomato liquid with other vegetables and seasonings and blend. (a blender will give better texture than a cuisinart, but either is acceptable.)
5. garnish with some sliced green onions, if you like, or taking it a step further, a little chopped salsa of tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, bell pepper garnished with croutons.
ok...there is my tomato fest post for 2010...hyperbole? maybe...but i think not...try the recipes and let me know what you think in the comments section of this post.

now it is your turn to participate in summer fest. simply leave your tomato tip or recipe or favorite links in the comments below, and then go visit the collaborators listed on the blog away to garden and do the same...be sure to check out the comments because all of my fellow tomato dinner bloggers will be posting links to their blogs with their gott's story...check them out...i am fortunate to be friends with some amazing writers...

the cross-blog event idea works best when you leave your recipe or favorite links (whether to your own blog or someone else’s) at all the host blogs. yes, copy and paste them everywhere! that way, they are likely to be seen by the widest audience. everyone benefits, and some pretty great dialog starts simmering.

always...much thanks to margaret roach
and deb puchalla for coordinating summer fest 2010. as always...its been a blast...

best and happy cooking!
diane

diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style™ "
do you like us? really like us? then please join our facebook fan page
& follow me on twitter

to receive special offers only available to our preferred customers, please sign up for the mailing list on the right hand side of this post...

Monday, July 27, 2009

how about balsamic wild mushroom ragu' with polenta?

i have written many times about my love of recreating recipes...i adore eating a delicious meal in a restaurant and then trying to make the dish at home. now i never actually request the recipe from the chef...where's the fun in that?...rather i imagine the tastes...textures...flavors and then "make it up". if it turns out excellent...i serve it to family & friends...and then blog about it, of course giving the inspiration credit to the restaurant's chef.
today i want to tell you a bit about bottega, chef michael chiarello's restaurant in yountville here in the napa valley of california. bottega opened last winter but, for unknown reasons, i did not go until a couple of months ago...not sure why except i seem to be spending much more time entertaining at home where i can cook...instead of going out to restaurants. maybe it is because i spent so many years traveling for business. let me tell you something...traveling gets old...especially travelling on business... even very cool hotels and fantastic restaurants can't make up for the fact that you are not home...at least that became my experience. anyway, bottega opened to terrific reviews. i loved michael's first restaurant, tra vigne, when he was chef/owner there....and i am a big fan of his style of italian cooking...so i just had to try his newest restaurant...
first of all, the experience was perfect and the food was amazing. i am not a restaurant critic and rarely write about restaurants...but this was such a perfect evening that i almost decided to write this entire post about bottega. notice i said "almost". here's the deal.... we went to dinner with a couple of good friends. one of them used to work for chef chiarello years ago. he is also a life long napan...knows everyone...so going out with him is always an experience. our friend knew everyone at bottega...the entire wait staff...all the busboys...the cooks...bartenders...you name it...he knew them. so, of course, the service was fantastic... people stopped by our table all night...constantly checking in to ensure we had everything we needed. the food was flawless. now...maybe this is true for everyone...and the restaurant is just that good. but before i actually recommend it to all of you, i think the fair thing to do is go back...with just my husband...and compare the two experiences....if the second time measures up to the first, we really have a winner here...
but...until then....there was one dish that was so amazingly good, i had to try and recreate it at home. it is listed as an appetizer at the restaurant and called "polenta under glass, caramelized wild mushrooms, balsamic game sauce". we ordered a number of dishes to share...this was one of them...and it was love at first sight. dramatic i know, but the dish comes served in a mason jar...and, if you know anything about my company, mason jars are one of my favorite things....i package many of my products in mason jars, so i loved the whole presentation...it was really unexpected. then, the taste....creamy polenta, mushrooms, balsamic....this stuff won rave reviews from all of us....definitely on my list of dishes to recreate...

a couple of weeks later i saw dried porcini mushrooms at a produce stand...and polenta style cornmeal. i always have many types of best quality extra virgin olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar on hand...so...here goes!

the dish at bottega was really rich...i wanted to lighten it up just a touch....and eliminating the "game" in game sauce seemed like a good place to start. i love mushroom ragu...so i thought ragu with balsamic...and creamy polenta with e.v.o.o. and parmesan...could be really good. you know what? i made it and it was delicious!...made a big platter of my version...which i named balsamic wild mushroom ragu with polenta...served it with grilled steak and a big salad....invited some friends over and they proclaimed it...bloggable!! (the highest compliment you can pay me these days.) so, here it is....please let me know what you think...

balsamic wild mushroom ragu with polenta
8 oz fresh baby bella mushrooms, sliced
3/4 oz pack dried porcini mushrooms
best quality extra virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 small carrot, finely chopped
1 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar di modena
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tsp dried lavender flowers
grey salt
freshly cracked black pepper
best quality extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
best quality aged (min 19 yrs) balsamic vinegar di modena for drizzling (if you can't splurge on this type of balsamic vinegar, no worries...use our recipe for balsamic reduction)
2 small sprigs fresh rosemary
parmigiano reggiano, freshly grated
soft polenta (recipe follows)

place dried mushrooms in a small bowl. cover with 1 cup very hot water and allow to soak for 10 minutes. pour softened mushrooms through cheesecloth lined fine mesh strainer placed over a small bowl, reserving mushroom liquid. rinse mushrooms and rough chop. set aside mushroom liquid for use later in recipe.

add 2 tbsp olive oil to large skillet over med high heat. add the fresh and dried mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are very tender and begin to caramelize...15-20 minutes. add onion and carrot, cook an additional 5 minutes. add garlic, stir well, cook another 5 minutes....mushrooms should be very caramelized..do not let garlic burn. add wine and cook until skillet is almost dry. add balsamic vinegar, reserved mushroom liquid, rosemary and lavender. cook until liquid is thick and reduced by half. taste and add salt and pepper to taste.

to serve: place prepared soft polenta in rimmed serving dish. top with mushroom ragu. generously drizzle with the aged balsamic (or balsamic reduction)...about 1/2 cup total. drizzle with a small amount of extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with a handful of the parmigiano-reggiano. top with the sprigs of rosemary and serve immediately.


soft polenta
6 cups water
1 1/2 cups polenta type cornmeal
2 tbsp best quality extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano, freshly grated
grey salt

bring water to a soft boil in medium saucepan. add 1 tsp. salt. reduce heat to medium and gradually add polenta to pot, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until totally incorporated into the water. continue stirring until mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. stir in olive oil and parmigiano reggiano. taste and add additional salt if needed... serve immediately

do you recreate dishes? tell me about your successes...and non-successes in the comments section of this post....and please tell us about any of your new favorite restaurants....

best,
diane
diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885(tm)
"live a green life of style(tm)

to learn about our company...and receive special offers only available to our private list...please sign up to receive our emails...on the form located on the sidebar of this blog...thank you

Thursday, July 3, 2008

have you been to uva trattoria & bar?

in downtown napa? uva is one of those places that makes you feel comfortable, happy and relaxed...sounds like an odd description for a restaurant doesn't it? what about the food? here is what i mean..the food is really, really good, the service..knowledgeable and friendly...the bar..terrific..they have live jazz wednesday through sunday..and there is a good mix of locals and tourists...many tourists i have talked to have commented that they enjoy feeling "like they belong here"..or "this is what it must be like to live here"...uva is that kind of place.



i went there for lunch wednesday with my good friend richard. we had loads to talk about..but i was a bit distracted because i knew i wanted to write about the restaurant in this blog..richard got into it..he even snapped the photos..and the waitstaff was so accommodating they actually brought some of the daily specials to our table just so we could photograph them...i had grand visions of writing a really cool review..i can dream can't i..but i did not want to do the typical.."here is what i ate..and here is what i thought" kind of review... i thought it would be more interesting to have everyone's imagination come into play..you see, i found myself totally immersed in just reading the weekly specials menu..the names, the combinations and the ingredients used.... i have written many times about my passion for really good quality ingredients... i was reading in a magazine once about a woman who shared this passion. she said something like.."i would rather invest in quality ingredients than expensive shoes"..i totally understood where she was coming from. anyway, the descriptions of the menu items were so compelling..i thought i would just list them for you. trust me..everything we ate was delicious...but here is a tip..read these dishes..and imagine what each dish would taste like...imagine each vegetable tasting like it was just picked at a local organic farm that morning, everything else..the highest quality ingredient possible...if you are like me, a logical next step would be to buy the ingredients and try to recreate the recipes for yourselves.. and maybe even add your own special twist...if you do..please let me know how they turn out..i will do the same...

oh..and the chef/owner is giovanni guerrera...giovanni..if you happen to read this..and want to share any of the recipes in the comments section..we would be very, very happy.

zuppa-red pepper puree' w/eggplant garnish (i had this..is was fantastic..the eggplant garnish was an eggplant tapenade spread on crostini floating on top...so, so good)
antipasto-flash fried squash blossoms stuffed w/teleme cheese w/zucchini relish and tomato sauce.
pasta-spinach tagliatelle w/grilled portobello mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, toasted garlic, pecorino romano.
risotto-seared gulf of mexico scallops w/roasted shallot puree', asparagus & prosciutto risotto
pesce-alaskan halibut w/brentwood sweet corn & morel mushrooms, garlic whipped potatoes, zucchini salad garnish.
carne-5-dot ranch skirt steak w/roasted shallot sauce, flash fried fingerling potatoes, torpedo onions, broccolini, gorgonzola aioli.
pizza-fontina cheese, fresh mozzarella, mushrooms, arugula.
dolce-frog hollow peach cobbler w/vanilla gelato
visit their website to learn more about uva and their own commitment to quality ingredients..they even own their own organic farm where most of their produce comes from...and read the stories of the two owners giovanni guerrera and sean pramuk..oh..and, please visit uva next time you are in napa...


uva trattoria & bar
1040 clinton st
napa, ca 94559
707.255.6646


best,
napa farmhouse 1885
"live a green life of style"™