Napa Valley, May 2008
From early on I can remember sitting at the kitchen table around Christmas time cracking Dungeness crab with my grandfather. It is one of my earliest food memories. It’s moments like this that are definitive in the molding of a food lover, the instant you realize that food is more than sustenance. It marks the beginning of a long journey in which history, culture and friendships are discovered and celebrated. Every trip is looked at from a different perspective through the eyes of a “foodie.” A business trip is an opportunity to visit someplace new and discover its culinary secrets. It’s no wonder that I work in the Oregon wine business and take great pleasure in the yearly “task” of visiting the Napa Valley to spend a few days with our Southern Counterparts. The Valley boasts one of the highest concentrations of Michelin star restaurants in the United States and I recently found two wonderful experiences ranging from Napa’s approach to fast food to a remarkable slice of France in the heart of the valley.
Taylors Automatic Refresher takes all that was good about fast food in the 50’s and brings it into the modern era. When I was told that we were going to a burger joint for the evening I have to admit that I was les s than impressed with the concept. Not to diss the burger! I would consider myself to be one of its biggest fans but when I am in a food destination such as this the last thing I think to search out is a hamburger. The sleek-modern spin on eat and go dinning is a highlight of the Oxbow Public Market (a destination in itself). Alison Sokol Blosser and I arrive and begin to look over the menu and wine list (yes, wine list) while we are waiting for Alison’s cousin. How about a Western Bacon Blue Ring burger and a $300 bottle of Joseph Phelps Insignia - only in Napa! That being said, when Laurel arrived with a bottle of Hess Sauvignon Blanc ($1 corkage) I quickly sought out the fresh Mahi Mahi Fish and Chips. Sitting in the sun enjoying a leisurely fast food dinner with a bottle of wine and good company I caught a glimpse of what the future of this industry could look like. Just because it comes to you quickly does not mean that it has to have a two story purple play structure attached to it and clown serving you something that is by definition wholly unnatural. A rib sandwich with no bones, does anyone see the problem here? As we left Taylor’s the coup de grace for me was the beautifully organized array of recycling containers for all of their biodegradable utensils and cartons!
The following evening, after spending several hours at what is now my favorite California tasting room, Robert Sinsky Vineyards, we adjourned to Bistro Jeanty for a Francophiles reprieve in the heart of California. Opened in 1998 by Phillipe Jeanty, a native of Champagne and 20 year veteran of Chandon Restaurant in Yountville this classic French Bistro gave me a food experience never to be forgotten. On a busy Friday night there was only room for myself and my two dinner companions at the bar and the man behind the counter made it the best seat in the house. We started with rabbit terrine, mussels steamed in red wine and a goat cheese and caramelized onion tart that we enjoyed with a glass of rare pastis. This French liqueur is consumed slightly diluted with water and makes for a great beginning to any meal. Warming up the insides with its strong anise flavor our starters felt all the more indulgent. Mussels and the slightly sweet licorice aperitif are one of my favorite food and drink pairings that I first experienced when I lived in Scotland 8 years ago. My friend Adam brought a bottle of 1977 Raymond Cabernet Sauvignon and what better to accompany it than “Entrecotes Frites”, grilled rib-eye with fries and béarnaise sauce, another pairing I’ll not soon forget. This 30 year old gem first began its life when Jimmy Carter took office, Fleetwood Mac won a Grammy for Rumors and Star Wars was released in the theaters. I was not the culinary indulgent that I am today, I was three. It is a simple yet humbling experience, sitting at a bar with good friends drinking a bottle of wine and eating simple bistro food but, it is much more than that still. Its 30 years of history in a glass, it’s the craft of a true artisan on a plate and it’s a memory that will last forever. Thanks to Laurel, Adam and Bistro Jeanty!