Inside Napa Valley - Winter 2016 by Napa Register

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napa valley WINTER 2016

Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day: love lasts a lifetime! 1

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inside

napa valley 4

Committed to service

Recipes to warm your winter

Sweet times at Anette’s

Married—31 years later

Friendship to last a lifetime

A little Valentine’s Day history

Ancient houses made modern

Little Ladies brings the party

Local tradesmen prosper in Napa

RLS: A little known gem

Where in the Valley?

Winter dining in wine country

Favorite Napa Valley things N O R M A KO S T E C K A Ad ve r ti s i ng Di re ctor

Norma Kostecka is the advertising director for the Napa Valley Register.

ith Valentine’s Day racing season, which opens this around the corner, month, and learn ways to get this is the season in on the increasingly popular for Love. sport of disc golf. We’ll feature In this edition of Inside Napa some local-serving craftsmen Valley magazine, we’ll celebrate who persist in our big-box-store love, both the romantic kind economy. We will spend some and the sort that creates lifelong time with a guy who is bringing friendships. an old technology—compacted We’ll visit with a couple that earth—into the 21st century to got married—31 years after their make modern, energy-efficient wedding ceremony—and we’ll homes, and take a trip to one talk to a pair of friends whose of the county’s little-known love just seemed destined to be. gems, the Robert Louis StevenAnd we’ll highlight some of the son Museum. best friendships in the Valley. And we’ll bring back one But there’s lots more to do of our favorite features from this time of year. We’ll look the Napa Valley Register, a at the high points of the foot “Where in the Valley” photo

spread, testing your ability to identify quirky places in our community. On top of that, we’ll bring you some of our favorite recent pieces from our Napa Valley Publishing family of newspapers, including in-depth coverage of the Valley’s thriving wine and food scene. So grab your best friend and share this edition of Inside Napa Valley magazine. On the cover: Hot-air balloons have become icons of Napa Valley, with a dozen or more in the skies on beautiful mornings. Photo courtesy Bob McClenahan. 3

Tim Carl/Inside Napa Valley magazine‌

Napa Valley Jewelry owner Kent Gardella, right, with Bob Porter, a longtime employee who suffered a heart attack during an attempted armed robbery in 2015. Gardella fought off the attackers, who appeared to be attempting to stab Porter, with a metal rod.

TIM CARL

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hen it comes to taking care of the Napa community, Kent Gardella is an expert. “Over the past 22 years I’ve seen a ton of changes in the downtown region, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the sense of community in Napa — it’s really something else,” Gardella said. “I think it was fate that we moved here in the first place because as soon as we did my wife and I fell in love with both the place and the people of Napa. We thought we’d moved to paradise.” “I’ve been in the jewelry business for over 40 years and I’ve owned our shop here in Napa since 1994,” he said during an interview. Gardella was referring to his Napa Valley Jewelry, located at 1317 Napa Town Center. The store is bright and spacious with eye-catching window displays. Soon after opening his shop, Gardella became an active member of the Napa community. “Before we moved here people had warned me that Napans might be a little leery of strangers, but that was not our experience at all,” he said. “As soon as we got here we were welcomed right away and I joined the local Rotary.” Through Gardella’s membership in the Rotary and his interest in helping other people, he’s been involved in a host of philanthropic activities throughout the valley. “Kent is not only one of the sharpest retailers in the business, he’s also a great guy with an excellent sense of humor and has a huge heart,” said Craig Smith, executive director of the Napa Downtown Association. “I’ve known Kent for 20 years, and we’ve worked together when he was the president of the association. He’s the kind of guy who gets things done, but he has a real passion for helping those in need.” 4

Committed to service Jewelry store owner combines business with generosity Smith was referring to the many community activities with which Gardella has been involved over the years, from being president of the Makea-Wish Foundation to helping veterans and at-risk youth. “When I was a lieutenant in Vietnam I saw a lot of our soldiers really struggling with drug addiction and post-traumatic stress. Ever since I’ve felt a real need to assist when I can,” Gardella said. “It really makes me feel great when I am able to help other people. If you ever feel a void in your life or are feeling a little down, I suggest that you just go out and help someone else feel better.” Among the causes he has donated to is the “Vintage Legacy” program, at Vintage High School, intended to help at-risk youth. He has donated custom-engraged watches to graduates of the program to remind them of their achievement. “Kent has always been so supportive of our work helping kids at the margins in Napa County,” said Omar Salem, a Napa police officer and founder of the Legacy Youth Project. “Since the inception of the program he’s given each of our kids watches as a graduation gift, but it’s his support and encouragement that has really made the difference. Beyond his giving back to the community, some

consider Gardella a hero. In 2015 two assailants entered his shop at just after 5 p.m. The men wore masks, and one stood watch as the other attacked one of Gardella’s employees, Robert “Bob” Porter. “I looked up from my office and saw these two guys with masks on,” Gardella said. “I thought it might be a joke, but when one of them attacked Bob I hit the alarm button and jumped up to help.” Gardella ran to assist Porter, who had by that time collapsed to the floor. “It looked like the guy was stabbing Bob, who was lying on the floor, not breathing,” explained Gardella. “So I picked up the heaviest thing I could see and started hitting the masked guy on the legs as hard as I could, yelling at him to get off Bob or I’d break his legs.” Eventually the assailant gave up and fled. Porter had not been stabbed but instead had suffered a massive heart attack and subsequently lost consciousness. Gardella performed CPR until the medics arrived. “We were so worried about Bob. They had to induce a coma in him, and it was touch and go for weeks,” Gardella said. “Luckily he’s OK now, and I’m happy to say he’s still working at our shop.” When asked if he agrees with many in the community that refer to him as a hero, he’s quick to respond. “No, I don’t think I am a hero,” he said. “I did what anyone would have done. I mean, when someone is in trouble people help. That’s just what you do. Right?” Helping, it seems, is in Gardella’s blood. “When people come into the shop our goal is to help them find the perfect jewelry for their special occasion,” he said. “We believe that we provide our customers an honest and committed service. These are people in our community, and community matters,” he said with emphasis.

Hearty recipes to W warm your winter

hether it’s cooking for your love on Valentine’s Day or just seeking some comfort food on a lazy rainy day, winter is the perfect time for cooking. Here are some favorite recipes from area restaurants for you to try at home.

Rabbit Cacciatore with Creamy Polenta I L P O S TO T R AT TO R I A (Serves 6-8 people) 6ea Rabbit legs 2 C Onions, Diced 1 C Carrots, Diced 1 C Celery, Diced 2 T garlic Chopped 2 C Mushrooms, Sautéed (any mushroom of your choice) 1 ½ C White wine, Dry 2 Cans (28oz) Tomatoes- San Marzano diced 2 T Salt (about, to taste) Preheat oven to 350 degrees In a large sauté pan sear the rabbit legs, and then place in a baking pan. In the same sauté pan add onions and cook half way, them add the carrot, celery, garlic and sautéed mushrooms. Cook 3-5 minutes then add white wine. Reduce wine by 75 percent then add crushed tomatoes and salt. Bring sauce to a boil and pour over rabbit legs in a baking dish.

Place in oven for 2-2 ½ hours until meat is tender and falls off the bone. Remove from oven and let stand for 10-15 min before serving. Creamy Polenta 1 ½ C Yellow Polenta 9 C Water or Chicken stock ¼ lb. Butter ½ C Mascarpone 1 C Parmesan, Grated 2 T Salt (about, to taste) Bring water to a boil; slowly whisk in the polenta and turn heat down to low. Cook for 20-30 min on low. Add butter and mascarpone and cook till incorporated. Turn off heat and add Parmesan and salt Serve polenta in a bowl with a rabbit leg and sauce over top. Grate Parmesan on top to finish plate. Bon appetite! You can substitute 8 chicken thighs for rabbit legs for Chicken Cacciatore.

Dungeness Crab Skillet N A PA VA L L E Y B I S T RO 4oz Dungeness Crab meat 1oz of Jack Cheese 1oz of Manchego cheese 2 eggs any style 4oz of fingerling potatoes 1oz of wild mushrooms ½ red onion 1 red bell pepper A couple of leaves of baby spinach 4 or 5 Asparagus tips Sa l t / Pe p p e r a n d s m o k e d paprika to taste 2oz of Meyer Lemon Hollandaise sauce Garnish- leg of crab meat and parsley leaves

Blanch the potatoes until done then set aside Sautee bell pepper, onion, mushrooms, and asparagus tips add spinach, salt/pepper and paprika Put mixture in a skillet pan or cassoulet dish, add cheeses and crab meat and bake for 6 minutes at 450 degrees While cassoulet is oven, cook eggs to your taste When cassoulet is done put your eggs on top, add a drizzle of Meyer Lemon Hollandaise sauce and garnish with fresh crab meat and parsley leaves.

Tiramisu L A S T R A D A I TA L I A N For the whipped cream: 3 egg yolks, 1/4 gallon of heavy whipping cream 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 oz of brandy 1 oz of grand marnier (optional) 1/2 pound of mascarpone cheesew 1 soup spoon of vanilla extract Makes 1/2 tray, about eight servings Mix egg yolks, heavy whipping cream, and sugar until whipped. Layer whipped cream on pan, then add lady fingers dipped in espresso coffee. Layer soaked lady fingers and add another layer the whipped cream and add another layer of soaked lady fingers and another layer whipped cream. Add chocolate powder on top. Let it sit in refrigerator for 24 hours.

Buttermilk Biscuits JAX WHITE MULE DINER Makes 18 biscuits 1.5C butter, cubed and cold 1.5C buttermilk 1.5C sour cream 6C all purpose flour 3Tbs baking powder 1Tbs salt 1tsp baking soda Whisk buttermilk and sour cream until combined. Set aside. In a food processor combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter to the flour mixture in the food processor and pulse until the butter is the size of large peas. Dump the flour butter mixture into a large bowl and add the butter milk and sour cream mixture. Using a spatula combine the mixture just until it comes together. Scrape dough into a floured surface and work it with your hands just until it starts to come together. Do not over work it. Roll out the dough to a thickness of 3/4 inch. Cut dough using a one and a half inch round cutter. Place biscuits on a sheet tray lined with parchment and bake for 12-15 minutes at 400 degrees. 6

New year, new exciting changes at Anette’s

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nette Madsen and her brother, Brent, have owned Anette’s Chocolates at 1321 First Street for over 23 years, and their shop inside Oxbow Public Market for more than five. The siblings still remember their first Valentine’s Day as owners of the business. They hand cut all the hearts and prepared them for a luscious coating of milk and dark chocolates. It takes several days to make just one heart and a few more to wrap and decorate it. It was an exciting time and still is today. “We very much enjoy the creative process and pride ourselves on using fabulous ingredients in all of our chocolates, brittles and sauces.” Some exciting changes are in the works in 2016 for Anette’s Chocolates Oxbow location. The store is undergoing a complete remodel. Not to worry though – in the interim, they opened up a pop-up shop inside the Market that has a wonderful selection of their brittles, chocolate boxes, sauces and Valentine items. The newly remodeled store will be open for business in time for Valentines Day. Anette’s Chocolates has earned 20 “SOFI’s” (Specialty Outstanding Food Innovation), considered to be the Oscars in the world of specialty foods. The honors have been for an assortment of Anette’s brittles, chocolates, as well as their dessert toppings. Heady stuff for a business that prides itself on producing hand crafted products in small batches. A few years into the business, the Anette’s owners reached out to wineries, gourmet and artisan shops, and discovered that many of them had a strong interest in carrying Anette’s creations in their retail specialty shops. “We are fortunate to be working with amazing accounts such as Dean and DeLuca, Williams-Sonoma, Napa Farms, and numerous wineries across the United States,” said Mary Stornetta, who handles all outside sales for Anette’s Chocolates. Each holiday season, Anette, Brent and Mary work together and create fabulous Valentines, Easter, and Christmas chocolates and confections. Stop by both the Oxbow Market store and the shop at 1321 First St., seven days a week, and enjoy a complimentary sample of brittle, sauce and other specialties. Happy Valentine’s Day!

1317 Napa Town Center • 707-224-0997 Visit napavalleyjewelers.com

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ome say the first year of marriage is the most difficult, but for David and Lynne Adams, it was the 30th year. In 2015, David lost both his parents, and Lynne was helping take care of her ailing mother before she suffered a severe concussion and found herself in the hospital and being the one in need of care. It seemed like a year where nothing was going right, so when they learned that their nearly 31-year union was not a legal union after all, the two found that laughter was the best medicine. It started with a bit of bureaucracy. Following so many personal trials, the couple decided it was time to update their insurance policies. They were asked to submit many documents as part of the renewal process, one of which was a copy of their marriage certificate. “I got a call from our insurance company saying that we didn’t send in the marriage certificate,” Lynne said. “Turns out what I thought was our marriage certificate all these years wasn’t a legal document at all.” The Napa couple figured this was only a minor setback. Lynne’s mother, who still lives in Stanislaus County where the couple obtained their marriage license, went down to the county clerk’s office to get a copy of the real certificate – only there was no certificate to be found. “Those clerks looked high and low, but they couldn’t find a copy of our marriage certificate anywhere,” Lynne said. “So in the eyes of the government, Davy and I weren’t legally married, and we had to fix that right away.”

’TILL PAPERWORK DO US PART Couple discovers they’re not married — 31 years later

Once Upon A Time David and Lynne met at a Christian conference held at the Cow Palace in the summer of 1984. In between events, David and a group of friends introduced themselves to Lynne and her group of friends, and the rest is history. “He was a nice wholesome guy,” Lynne said. “We hit it off right away. I dated enough before that, so I could see he was genuine. It’s cheesy, but he had me at hello and I didn’t look back. I just adored him. I still do.” “I remember she was really friendly and very pretty,” David said. “I just liked being around her.” For their first date, David and Lynne were accompanied by a chaperon, despite being in their early 20s, to the waterslides. David was studying to be a chef at the time and brought steak and prawns to barbecue, which tickled Lynne. For their second date, David took Lynne to Carmel to go snorkeling. “I wanted nothing to do with it,” Lynne recalled. “I love the water, but snorkeling in the ocean seemed scary. But I couldn’t resist his charms. He said he’d hold my hand the whole time, and he did.” Today the couple travels the world to go snorkeling and scuba diving. “I was nervous about getting my scuba license, so he said he’d take the class with me. He was already certified, but he went with me to every class with me. He’s just amazing that way.” After three month of dating, David proposed and they were “married” three months after that in front of an audience of nearly 400 guests. “It did happen really fast,” Lynne said of their six-month courtship, “but it felt so right.” Somehow or another, however, the paperwork to seal the marriage never got filed with the clerk’s office. How the marriage certificate never got properly filed will remain a mystery. Either the minister failed to file the documents with the county or the county misplaced the paperwork. Lynne said the Stanislaus County clerk’s office was exceedingly apologetic for not being able to locate the certificate and said the paperwork could have been lost when the office relocated just weeks after the wedding. “We are very spiritual people,” Lynne said, “so being married was 10

SAMIE HARTLEY

Lynne and David Adams of Napa were married in December of 1984, but the paperwork was never filed, so the couple wasn’t declared legally married until November of last year.

Submitted‌

Lynne and David Adams met and married in 1984 ... or so they thought

very important to us, but to find out we weren’t legally married (pauses) I was devastated initially. But after the year we’d had, we found a way to laugh it off. What else could go wrong at that point, right?” Married At Last David and Lynne went to the Napa County clerk’s office to get a reissued marriage license, but you can’t just walk in and say you thought you were married 31 years ago. “They wanted to see our marriage announcement from the newspaper, our wedding photo album, and we had to find two witnesses who attended the ceremony,” Lynne said. “Most of our friends have moved around the country in the course

of three decades, but thankfully, we have two friends who live in the area and they had signed our guest book, so that was all the proof we needed.” The couple was legally married on Nov. 19, 2015, nearly 31 years after they’d exchanged vows. Once the couple had all the official paperwork, the Adamses took the two members of their new wedding party across the street to Allegria in downtown Napa for a celebratory lunch. Lynne said the couple’s friends have had a good laugh over the marriage certificate snafu, and have taken the news with an open heart. “As people are finding out, they’re sending us cards to congratulate us,” she said. “A few people even sent gifts.” But the laughter is always met with a moment of reflection. “There has been a lot of shock and disbelief,” Lynne said, “but everyone we tell immediately feels the need to go check their own records to make sure they have the right paperwork, too. “Finding out two people aren’t legally married after 30 years seems like the plot of a movie, but it can really happen. We’re proof of that.” Lasting Love If Lynne and David weren’t as in love as they are, news of their lack of marriage documentation could have gone differently. “I guess we could have made a

clean break,” David said. “We don’t have kids. We could have just walked away, but she’s my best friend. I can’t imagine my life without her and I wouldn’t want to.” At first glance, Lynne and David seem like opposites. David comes off as quiet and thoughtful, while Lynne’s effervescent personality lights up any room. “I think we are a bit ‘Green Acres,’” Lynne said. “You know how the song goes: ‘Fresh Air! Times Square!’ Davy is kinda quiet. He likes to be outdoors building something whereas I’m a girly girl. I like a little extra sparkle in my life, but I wouldn’t say we’re opposites. I think we complement each other.” Lynne and David pair well together in all aspects of life. Together they’ve run a roofing business for 28 years. But no matter how hectic life and work gets, the two always make time for a weekly date night – a tradition they’ve maintained for 15 years. “Our faith is the bones of our marriage; it keeps us strong,” Lynne said. “But what it comes down to is a pure respect for each other. 2015 was a really rough year on so many levels, but I’m hopeful for this year. Being with Davy is an adventure, so I don’t know what to expect, and I’m OK with that, as long as he’s by my side.”

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Liz Kelly, above right, and Alecia Moser have been best friends since meeting in kindergarten in Napa.

A tribute to

lifelong friendship ‌O

ne of the best parts of growing up in Napa is the relationships our close knit community fosters. When I left Napa for college, I was surprised to find out that most people don’t have the same best friend from when they were in kindergarten. The best part of my first day at Bel Air Park Elementary School back in 1992 was meeting Alecia Moser. Some say friends are the family you choose, and I couldn’t have picked a better best friend. In 23 years, we have had our share of ups and downs. Whether our softball teams were playing against each other at Kiwanis or a game of Monopoly got a little too competitive, the next day was always full of new adventures.

L I Z K E L LY

One of the hardest things I faced growing up was not having a relationship with my father. Alecia’s dad lived far away and being able to bond over being raised by single moms was just one more thing that brought us even closer together. Thankfully, that brought our moms close together and we had two strong and supportive women to look up to. Alecia always reassured me that my dad would be proud of me and that it was his loss to not know me. I could always share my daydreams with her that he lived on some remote island I could visit or he would show up and take me to Disneyworld one day.

When I met my dad during our teenage years, Alecia was by my side like always. I couldn’t imagine facing change without her. She dropped me off at college in Los Angeles, drove the majority of the way to Denver when I moved because I was afraid of black ice, and stood next to me as my maid of honor the day I vowed to spend the rest of my life with the man of my dreams. She was on a plane the moment I gave birth to my son, and I know that I can count on her to be there no matter what. A best friend pushes you to be the best version of yourself. Whenever I was struggling with typical teenage

Friends forever near and far ‌“Rare as is true love, true friendship is rarer.” – Jean de La Fontaine French poet Jean de La Fontaine lived in the 17th century, but his musings about friendship remain true. Friends come and go throughout out lives, but a true friendship is not something we are all privileged to know. Sometimes you meet these best friends early in life through school or family, but other times you encounter your friend soulmate serendipitously as an adult. But no matter how you find these friends, the bond that is forged is unbreakable over time and distance. Perhaps you’ve found this friend, or maybe that perfect partner in crime is still out there in search of a person who will love unconditionally as if you’ve known each other all your lives. Inspired by the love-filled month of February, we asked Napa Valley residents to share photos of their best friends and explain why their friendships are the greatest of all.

Nic Halsted and Blair Giambastiani, both from Napa, met eight years ago while working at the same restaurant. “I was pretty shy and she was very outgoing,” Giambastiani said. “Soon enough our little jokes at the register turned into inside jokes, and we were hanging out off the clock in no time. “My favorite part of our friendship would definitely be our humor and the support we get from each other. I know I can always trust her and be myself completely, which is an awesome feeling when you’re around someone. Plus she’ll never judge me for eating an entire pizza to my face.”

(continued from previous page) drama, got a bad grade on a college essay, or was eating frozen lasagna for my first Christmas away from family, Alecia has always been able to put a smile on my face. She always reminded me that I am better than anyone that put me down, smarter than I let myself believe, and that the sacrifices I made moving away from home would make me a stronger, more independent woman. Whether we were two hours away from each other in college, a time zone away when I ventured to Colorado for my first grown up job and to pursue my master’s degree, or now on opposite coasts as she finishes her Ph.D. in New York while I raise my family back in Napa, we are still us. When I have good or bad news, a rough day at work, or one of our songs comes on the radio, she is only a phone call away. The highlight of my week is when we can Facetime and my 3-year-old can see his favorite aunt and godmother. A good friend helps you dig through your closet for the perfect first date outfit. A best friend brings over half her closet just in case. A good friend takes you for ice cream after a breakup. A best friend shows up with a pint of ice cream and chick flicks so you don’t have to get out of your pajamas. A good friend is there

when you ask, but a best friend is there without asking. Alecia has always been everything I need in a best friend and more. My only hope is that she knows how much she means to me and that I am I everything she needs in a best friend. I am incredibly grateful for the memories we have together. The first day of every grade, getting ready for dances together, and walking the stage at Vintage High School graduation in 2005 would never have been the same without her. Growing up is often about learning from your mistakes, but we were lucky enough to learn from each other’s mistakes as well. Leaving for college and embarking on a new chapter of my life was one of the hardest changes I have ever faced, but it was even scarier not being able to do it with Alecia by my side. We planned on being college roommates, moving to a big city together, and raising our kids next door to each other. I was able to mature and grow during college because of the confidence and support she gave me growing up. I was able to become a friend to new people because she showed me what it meant to be a friend. I can be that shoulder to cry on, midnight coffee date, and advice giver because I was lucky enough to have that whenever I needed it. To this day, Alecia is still the one person that

Kaylee Defreitas-Lavrar of Napa has been friends with Gemma Parmenter since meeting in the third grade at Shearer Elementary in Napa. Parmenter and her family moved to Redding, but their friendship remained strong. “No matter where we have been in life, we have always found a way to stay the best of friends.” They even got friendship tattoos the day before Defreitas-Lavrar’s wedding. Defreitas-Lavrar’s says “Together forever, never apart” and Parmenter’s reads “Maybe in distance, but never in heart.” “My mom even said I looked at her (Gemma) with more love in my eyes than my husband” on my wedding day, Defreitas-Lavrar said.

can count on to turn a bad day good. While I enjoy reminiscing about learning the entire “Bring It On“ opening cheer, screaming softball chants during a championship game, and remembering inside jokes that are still funny a decade later, I am more excited about what is to come. I have my dream job working for the Napa County Office of Education, I am married to an amazing man (with Alecia’s stamp of approval, of course), and I get to raise the most wonderful little man, Colton. Alecia fills me in on all of her exciting adventures in New York, and I’m only a few months away from being able to say that my best friend is a doctor. We have so many exciting milestones ahead and memories to create together. They say the only thing that is constant is change, but I have to disagree. Alecia will be a constant in my life, and I am a better person because of her friendship. We all know that Napa is a small town, and that can be considered a good or bad thing depending on how much you enjoy running into five people you know on a trip to Target. Lucky for me, it means that my best friend will soon become part of my family. Both of our families are thrilled that her mom is going to be marrying my uncle. I’ve always considered Alecia as a part of my family, and it is even more exciting that it is becoming official. 13

Johnathan Cestnik and Haylee Smith were destined to be best friends just like their mothers. “I feel they were born to be best friends,” said Heather Smith of Napa. “They love spending time together, always exchanging hugs and loves with the occasional fighting and bickering similar to siblings. When they are together, their friendship and love for each other will melt anyone’s heart. Haylee calls John ‘moose’ and he calls her ‘buggy.’ It’s the sweetest little friendship, and I know it will last forever!”

Omar Salem and Carlos Hagedorn, both from Napa, met seven years ago when Hagedorn invited Salem, a City of Napa police officer, to speak at a youth group meeting. Their shared love for the community and desire to help at-risk youth inspired them to create the Legacy Youth Project. “We have shared so many memories together,” Salem said. “Traveling to South America, developing and creating the LEGACY Youth Project, and being together for each other. We have gone beyond friendship and have become brothers. Our relationship has strengthened by the common hopes and aspirations we have for our community.”

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Minta Zlomke and Summer Heartt have been best friends since 1979. The two grew up in Oakland and both relocated to Napa with their families in the 1980s. “We only were in school together for two years at Silverado Middle School, and then Minta went to Napa High and I went to Vintage. College years were also spent apart as well as international trips, but we have always found each other again.”

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Jean Han, Ciera Honsey, Devin Hawkins, and Bailee Larson became a foursome nearly three years ago. “I moved to Napa about two and a half years ago from Seattle, and I didn’t know anybody,” said Honsey. “I decided to take a serving position at Rutherford Grill to make some new friends. That’s how I met Jean Han. We immediately became the best of friends. Then her best friend from high school Devon Hawkins moved home, and she and I became very close immediately. My friend of 10 years Bailee still lives in Seattle, but she comes to visit here often and has become close with my girlfriends here. “I think the reason we all get along so well is we are easy going, fun loving, overall happy individuals with a similar love for life and laughter. We don’t feel the need to impress each other; we can lounge around in pajamas and watch movies all day or get dressed up for a night out. I feel very lucky to have met and befriended these amazing women and I can’t imagine my life in Napa without them! And all because I took a serving job at a restaurant.”

Linda Ozores, Marlene Gallwitz, Phyllis Branco, Tami Steuck and Sandy Rosenthal met in Napa in the 1980s and have enjoyed a special bond for 30 years. “We enjoy traveling together,” Rosenthal said. “We get together frequently for parties, exercise, movies and game nights. We like and respect each other, but the key ingredient that makes our friendship so special is that we have lots of laughs together. It’s a given that your face might hurt from laughter after we spend time together.”

Melissa Gonzalez and Rita Ortegavida, both from Napa, are so close, they occasionally show up to work dressed alike without even planning it. “What makes us the best of friends is that we’re always on the same page,” Gonzalez said. “We never judge each other and always have each other’s backs. It’s important to have a friend who can support you and love you unconditionally like family. We enjoy each other’s company and love to have fun and laugh.”

Lisa Petrini and Micki Leija grew up on Little Street in Napa. “We grew up playing outside with the many different forts, tire swings, and race tracks our dads built for us,” Petrini said. “We were always finding our own entertainment. When my family moved across town, we would then spend weekends together. As we got older, I moved away to college and not having my best friend there all the time was hard; however when we got back together, it was like nothing changed. When I move back to Cali, we did a road trip of a lifetime. We started in Indiana and ended up in Cali. We will have stories for a lifetime. We felt like Themla and Louise!”

From naked pagans to courtly love: How Valentine’s Day has changed through the ages M I C H A E L WAT E R S O N ‌In ancient Rome in the middle of February naked young men smeared with the blood of a sacrificial goat and dog, ran through the streets striking women with goatskin lashes as part of Lupercalia, an annual spring festival of health and fertility dedicated to Faunus, the Roman equivalent to the Greek god Pan. At the end of the festival eligible young women put their names in an urn for a drawing by local bachelors. The bachelor and bachelorette were then paired for a year and, it is said, often wound up marrying. According to historians, Lupercalia was the successor to an even early spring cleansing festival, Februa, from which we get the month’s name. Today another Roman god is closely associated with the middle of February: Cupid (See sidebar). Today the holiday is Valentine’s Day and most of us celebrate not with nudity and whips, but with flowers, chocolates, jewelry and, of course, the valentine card. Little is known about the historical Saint Valentine and there is speculation that the Catholic Church’s feast day figure is a conflation of two or more individuals. The general belief is Valentine was a priest (possibly a bishop) and martyr in 269 AD. Legend says he was executed for performing the rites of marriage for Christians and/or Roman soldiers in defiance of an edict of Emperor Claudius II. One anecdote says while imprisoned he miraculously restored the sight of his jailer’s daughter and on the day of his execution left her a note signed “Your Valentine.” Geoffrey Chaucer (c 1343-1400) provided the first written link between St. Valentine’s Day and romantic love. According to Chaucer’s poem, “A Parliament of Fowls,” birds selected their mates on Valentine’s Day. Charles, Duke of Orleans is usually credited with sending the first Valentine to his wife, a melancholy poem entitled “A Farewell to Love,” while he was held prisoner in the Tower of London in 1415 after being captured in the Battle of Agincourt. Translated to English, the rondeau begins: 18

I am already sick of love, My very gentle Valentine, Since for me you were born too late, And I for you was born too soon. The language of love doesn’t seem to have changed much in the ensuing 600 years. Charles was a product of the courtly love tradition, begun around the time of the first Crusade (1099 AD) in the castles of France by troubadours, court bards who were the rock stars of their time. Troubadours would compose ballads swearing undying love and self-sacrifice to the lady of their affections, often the powerful lady of the castle whose lord would be conveniently Dreamstime.com‌ away on a crusade. Using the language of feudalism, a man would swear fealty to a lady and declare himself her “vassal.” Courtly love, along with the story of Saint Valentine, helped shift the emphasis of the holiday from the pagan focus on fertility to the more Christian virtues of self-sacrifice and plutonic love. Americans have Esther Howland (1828-1904) to thank for the popularity of valentines. Dubbed “Mother of the American Valentine,” Howland was an early female entrepreneur who turned the tradition of giving valentines into a business. Howland’s prestigious family ran a book and stationary store in Worcester, Mass. After receiving an elaborate English valentine from one of her father’s business associates in the late 1840s, she was inspired to create her own and made a few prototypes to display in the family store. An overwhelming response made her scramble to hire workers for

an assembly line and led to a $100,000 per year business. Howland popularized lace trim on valentines. Despite all the romance she helped create, however, Howland died without ever marrying. Valentine’s Day chocolate assortments are a mid-19th century innovation as well, thanks to the Cadbury brothers of Birmingham, England who improved the quality of “eating chocolates” and began packaging them in elaborately decorated heart-shaped boxes. The fact that chocolate was, according to legend, an aphrodisiac only added to the marketability. The old truism that money can’t buy love doesn’t stop the smitten from spending scads of legal tender on their object of affection. All those bright red hearts have lots of merchants seeing black on St. Valentine’s Day. According to the National Retailers Association, the love-struck spent just under $20 billion for the holiday last year, with men spending almost twice as much as women: $142 versus $77 on average. Restauranteurs especially love lovers, since almost half that revenue ($9.5 billion) comes from romantic dinners. Other beneficiaries of the holiday include innkeepers ($2.5 billion was spent on romantic getaways in 2015); florists and confectioners ($3.8 billion worth of flowers and candy) and jewelers ($1.5 billion in baubles). And don’t forget $1.3 billion spent on clothing, much of it lingerie. With numbers like these, one can see how to some retailers, Dan Cupid looks a lot like Santa Claus. As for valentines – the cards – sales came in at a relatively modest $190 million. This year Valentine’s Day falls on a Sunday and since it is leap year “ladies privilege” applies, a tradition that goes back at least 400 years which turns the old rules of wooing upside down by encouraging women to propose marriage. Traditionally a young man who refuses a young woman’s proposal must pay her a substantial financial penalty. That should make another group of merchants happy this Valentine’s Day: wedding planners.

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‌L

TIM CARL

ongtime Napa resident David Easton has been making rammed-earth structures since the 1970s. Using his innovative techniques, he’s built structures for the ultra-rich but also for poverty-stricken communities, always with one thing in mind: Show that earthen buildings can be economic, leave a low carbon footprint and be both functional and exceptionally beautiful.

Nepal. We also built the walls for the River Ranch Farmworker Housing Center in St. Helena.” Easton explained that to finish up the St. Helena Farmworker housing, he and his wife had to put in more than $100,000 of their own money. “I might not be the best businessman in the world, but I have enjoyed promoting the use of earth as a legitimate building material and watch it

Watershed Moment — Making a difference with Rammed-Earth Works “People have been building structures using the earth for thousands of years,” Easton said as we toured his workshop just south of the city of Napa. “Using wood for structures is fine, but compacted — or rammed — earth can last for hundreds or thousands of years, and it can have a low impact on the environment.” As we toured the site, Easton talked about how he’s used his

techniques to help poor communities build needed shelters. “Our company, Rammed Earth Works, has been busy,” Easton said, “I’ve written a few books on the topic, and we’ve run training programs and built a grammar school in Nicaragua, an orphanage in Brazil, a women’s sewing factory in Kenya, a preschool in Mexico, and we went to Japan to train architects to work in

gain traction over the last 40 years,” he said proudly. “Our system is now being used on six continents.” Earthen structures have always been of interest to Easton. He was born in Orange County, where his family grew citrus fruits. On family outings his father often took them to explore the various Spanish missions in the area. “As a kid we spent our vacations

at state parks or at the missions that had been built using adobe bricks made of clay and earth,” he said. “Even back then I really loved those buildings. I remember being inspired by them — their thick, textured walls made a wonderful quality to the sound, and even the air felt different when you stood in their rooms.” But it wasn’t until after college that the idea of building earthen structures came to him. “I graduated Stanford with an engineering degree in 1970, but I wasn’t exactly sure what I was going to do,” he said. “My father had passed and my mother gave me $5,000. She intended me to go tour Europe for a year or so before I came back and got a normal job. But instead, I took the money and bought a few cabins in the woods above Stanford, fixed them up and then sold them. After a few years I had earned $100,000.” By then a movement referred to as the “back to the landers” had gripped Easton’s imagination. “I had some money but I still wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to do, so I took my profits and purchase 140 acres in the Sierra Nevada mountains,” he said. “ A few friends and I moved up there, intending to live off the land, building and growing everything from scratch.”

Tim Carl‌

Longtime Napa resident David Easton has been making rammedearth structures since the 1970s. His earthen homes can now be found around the globe, and his newest company — Watershed Materials — is seeking to reduce the negative impact of high-carbon cement use by replacing it with low-carbon alternatives.

It is said that chance favors the prepared mind, and that was certainly true in Easton’s case. “I was living out on the land, and we had lots of trees that could be milled and used to build structures, but one day I was checking out the book rack at our local health-food store and I came across a book called, ‘Build Your House of Earth’ by George F Middleton, and that’s when it hit me and the engineer in me took over — it was a watershed moment.” “I loved everything about using earth as a material to build — the texture, colors, native elements, everything,” he said. “We built one structure and then another. Eventually we were building them around the state. Tim Carl‌ One of the first homes we built was The first book that influenced David Easton to build rammed-earth homes was “Build Your House of Earth” by George F Middleton. He’d come across the book at a health-food store while he as in his mid 20s. Forty years later right here in the Napa Valley.” Since then Easton and his com- he’s also written a few of his own books on the topic and continues to make earthen homes for both the poor and pany have built hundreds of struc- the rich around the globe. tures, including homes for local winemakers, high-tech millionaires As to why they chose Beyond building homes that peoand winery owners. He has also building their home with ple seem to love to live in, Easton is worked on projects with famous artearth, Bill explained. now on another mission: Develop ists such as Andy Goldsworthy. “We had known a a technology to make a low-carbon “We’ve been plugging away at this woman that had lived in replacement for concrete blocks for years, and most people find the an adobe house,” he said. through his newest company, Waterstructures beautiful, but now there is “That had really made an shed Materials. a new interest in having a low-carimpact on us. Just entering “We won a Phase I and Phase bon lifestyle,” Easton said while he that home had brought II National Science Foundation displayed an example of one of the on a certain level of peace, grant to support our work,” he said. rammed-earth walls. and we wanted something “Concrete is the second most leading The autumnal colors of the wall similar. And after living contributor of greenhouse gases, and were full of flowing textures and in our earthen home our technology is poised to reduce shapes, like looking at a precious for nearly 20 years we that significantly, but also be useful stone that had been sliced in half. couldn’t be more happy at the local level. We’ve even recently “We build lots of types of homes, with our decision.” donated some of these blocks to a but lately we’ve been building a few “Every time we walk fire victim in Calaveras County and for what I like to call our patrons,” into our house we feel like hope to be involved in a countywide Easton said. “These projects allow we can finally take a deep rebuilding effort that is being spearus to then build homes for those breath,” added Dawnine. headed by our daughter, Terra.” in need. Without their support we “It’s our oasis, quiet, peaceEaston talked enthusiastically couldn’t help as many people as ful and it feels secure. It’s about plans to make positive impacts we do.” even resistant to fire, which around the globe, substituting Two of the first to use Easton’s is an important consider- low-carbon earthen blocks for stantechnology in the valley were ation around here.” dard cement blocks and wood. At the Dawnine Dyer and her husband Bill, Bill nodded and looked end of the tour he paused and looked both of whom are longtime Napa around the room. around the Watershed Material plant. Valley winemakers who have made “We also wanted some- The sounds of activity echoed through Tim Carl‌ wine for such prominent wineries Dawnine Dyer and her husband, Bill, both of thing that had a low impact the large building. such as Domaine Chandon, Frogs’ whom are longtime Napa Valley winemakers, on the environment — all “Growing up I wanted to Leap and their own wine brand, lean against one of the earthen walls of their the material for these walls accomplish something significant Dyer Straits Wine Co. came directly from this with my life. I’m not sure I’ve home above Calistoga. Nearly 20 years ago “We absolutely love our house,” they designed and built their home with the mountain range,” he said. accomplished my goal quite yet, Dawnine said while touring their Easton’s help. “With David as our guide, but give me another five years,” he home in the hills above Calistoga. we achieved our goal and said, his smile hopeful, his expres“We built it without an architect, built something that feels sion earnest. instead just spending time with still close friends with him and his to us like home – beautiful, comTo learn more about Easton’s David talking about how we live. wife, which really says something,” fortable, functional but also tranquil various projects visit: rammedearthAnd even after nearly 20 years we’re she said and then laughed. and peaceful.” works.com and watershedmaterials. 22

It a l l a wa i t s

Better Beckons

Little Ladies Tea Parties brings the fun to you M A RY V I AU ‌After leaving a career of 17 years in the dental field to stay home when I had my first daughter, I really wanted to try something with my creative side. I had always been someone who likes to throw a party and a girlfriend asked me to help plan her daughter’s birthday party. She wanted a tea party and could not find anywhere in the Bay Area that offered that. The party was a big hit and it started my initial thoughts of Little Ladies. I wanted to still have the time to be with my then 6-monthold but knew I had something to offer that wasn’t available. I thought a mobile aspect that focused mostly on the weekends was a good place to start. I did a lot of research and put together a business plan. With the help of a small business adviser, I was able to find a small start-up loan to help fund this passion. It has been an amazing whirlwind since. My poor husband, being a man, couldn’t quite grasp the excitement of a tea party. He thought this would be more of a hobby than a really busy little business. My home was filled with tulle and satin as I was going to make all the costumes. I did not want any type of store-bought look. I wanted a “real” tea party effect for the girls. I wanted them to feel like a true lady

at tea with her friends. I use real linen and china, silver spoons and glass wear. They get to pick the dress they want to wear with matching headband and gloves. Dance with parasols, ribbons and play games. Make their own fans at craft time as well as learn the proper way of sipping tea. They are served ﬂower shaped sandwiches, fruit and of course cookies. The birthday girl sits at the head of the table in her pink throne. I love to see the look on not only the kids but on the parents when they walk in the door and see one of my parties. I get many a request for mom-sized dresses and tea. The best part for parents is that not only do I come to any location but my staff and I do it all for you. My parties are an all-inclusive option from invitations, decor, furniture, food, hostess, costumes, cupcakes, goodie bags and thank you cards. I am now offering different themed tea parties and am very excited to say I will be opening a location this spring in Napa for parties and weekday playdates. I truly enjoy what I do and as a mother love being able to bring the memories to those that have a Little Ladies Tea Party. www.littleladiesteaparties.com (707) 398-1529

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J.L. Sousa/Register‌

David Mitchell has owned Napa Valley Vacuum & Sewing for more than 25 years and has worked at the longtime local business since 1973. They specialize in the sales and service of vacuum cleaners and sewing machines and also offer knife and scissor sharpening services.

‌W

MARK G. EPSTEIN

ith the heralded and presumed eventual arrival of a Costco south of Napa, we’ll soon have more shopping options. Choice is always a good thing, but it can work against the interests of long established local serving stores. Indeed, some chores and challenges we simply cannot outsource to national chain stores. Before I moved west, I struggled to find a reasonable solution to a problem with a family heirloom—a 50 year old fine Swiss watch. It so happened that the “western hemisphere” headquarters of this Swiss brand was located near Washington, D.C., where I had been living. I had them look at the watch and they said they would be delighted to freshen it up for around three thousand bucks. I declined their offer. After moving to St. Helena I was referred to watchmaker Shig Kita on First Street here in downtown Napa. His worktable and shelves indicated he was the real deal. He fixed the timepiece for a slightly more modest charge, around $200. It works fine 15 years later, after one additional tune-up by him. Alas, Shig Kita lost his store after the earthquake. But the good news is that he’s still doing watch repairs. Now, he’s working out of his home and reachable at his old business number (2552606). I spoke with him and am delighted to confirm that he’s welcoming watch repair work.

Local Experts, Serving Locals 24

J.L. Sousa/Register‌

Watchmaker Shig Kita works on a watch in his new location on Brown Street, across from the Historic Courthouse. He had previously had a shop on First Street for 23 years and has been in Napa since 1957.

business. Ray Rios of Drapinski found the precisely appropriate television set to fit my living room armoire and then when it broke down, saved my entertainment bacon during the holidays a few years ago. He’s refused to sell me a new set, saying the audio quality of the current one can’t be matched. Family heirlooms come in many J.L. Sousa/Register‌ guises. I inherited a Swedish-made Electrolux vacuum cleaner that’s Lee Joiner has owned Joe’s Auto Top for 45 years, the last 13 years have been at its current location at 105 Silverado Trail, across the street from the Old Adobe. given decades of reliable service. Recently, it needed a tune up. Once again, luck rolled my way; I was referred to—of course!—Napa Valley Vacuum, where owner David Mitchell was single-handedly manning the shop the day after Christmas. Once more, here was an expert who appreciated a quality product that needed help. On a sunny and crisp winter’s day, with my newly-repaired top down on my roadster, I drove back to Napa Valley Vacuum and picked up the quickly fixed Electrolux. Shig Kita, Javier Cendejas, Lee Joiner, David Mitchell. We’re lucky to have connoisseurs like them still in our midst. Beyond having quality repair work done by these experts, workJ.L. Sousa/Register‌ ing with them allows us to have a A watch awaits repair on Shig Kita’s workbench. He recently moved connection with craftsmen that we to a new location on Brown Street after 23 years on First Street. He might have thought had disappeared has been in Napa since 1957. after Victorian England. Their devotion to their crafts is both remarkable The classic “local serving” for what I thought were and priceless. J.L. Sousa/Register‌ request is shoe repair. Last summer, intractable problems. Loyalty must go both ways. we lost Tip Top shoe repair after 45 If you have a unique A display of vacuum cleaner accessories are When it comes time to buy a new seen at Napa Valley Vacuum & Sewing. The years of service in downtown Napa. need, there’s an abundant longtime, local business specializes in the tv and a new vacuum cleaner, I’ll But we still have two shops on Jef- presence of resourceful sales and service of vacuum cleaners and return to Ray and David. Sure, I ferson, Napa Shoe Repair and assistance here in Napa. sewing machines and also offers knife and might spend a few dollars more Tony’s Shoe Repair. A few years My aging roadster required scissor sharpening services. than at our new Costco, but I’ll ago, a friend had a dilapidated pair some help with its troublebe dealing with long established of breathtakingly expensive Italian some convertible top. So locals whose expertise I can trust. loafers totally renewed at Napa Shoe. where was I referred to? Joe’s Auto more expensive replacement parts. I’ll call that “value added.” I’ve had great service from Javier Top on Soscol, of course. The owner, Your hi-tech expensive television Mark G. Epstein lives in St. Cendejas, the proprietor of Tony’s; Lee Joiner, even saved me money by on the fritz? Call up Drapinski TV, Helena and is a columnist for the he’s come up with creative solutions handcrafting a fix instead of buying about to celebrate its 90th year in St. Helena Star. 25

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There are many hand-written manuscripts by the author of “Treasure Island” and “Kidnapped” housed in the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum in St. Helena.

Discovering Robert Louis Stevenson Museum TO M S TO C K W E L L t stoc kwel l @sthel ena sta r.c om‌

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rom Library Lane, where the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum sits kitty-corner to the St. Helena Library, one can get a clear view up to Mount St. Helena at the north end of the Napa Valley. Yet few visitors to the valley are familiar with the connection of the author of “Treasure Island,” “Kidnapped” and “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” with the Napa Valley. It’s an unfamiliarity that the RLS Museum intends to remedy. Robert Louis Stevenson and his new wife Fanny came to the valley to honeymoon in 1880. He was still an unknown author of travelogues with very little money and few prospects. They had come as tourists to honeymoon

in a deserted miner’s bunkhouse on the side of Mount St. Helena. This visit became the subject of his travelogue “Silverado Squatters.” It is this connection that, today, has been consummated in the Robert Louis Stevenson State Park on the mountain, and the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum, founded by Norman and Charlotte Strouse. When the museum opened with the Strouse collection in 1969, it contained, according to Executive Director Marissa Schleicher, about 800 items from the personal collection of the museum’s founders. It largely consisted of various editions of Stevenson’s works, books and articles about Stevenson, part of Stevenson’s personal library, original letters and

Tom Stockwell/Star‌

Robert Louis Stevenson and his new wife Fanny Osbourne honeymooned on the side of Mount St. Helena in a deserted miner’s bunkhouse in 1880. The adventure was documented by Stevenson in his travelogue “Silverado Squatters”published in 1883 after the author had achieved fame with his adventure novel “Treasure Island.”

If you go Robert Louis Stevenson Museum 1490 Library Lane in St. Helena Hours: Noon to 4 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays Admission is free, but donations are gladly accepted. For more information call 963-3757.

manuscripts by Stevenson and his family and friends, with a limited amount of memorabilia. Today that collection has been expanded tenfold, to include more than 8,000 objects: a large volume of papers, family scrapbooks created by Fanny’s daughter, hundreds of photographs, artwork, letters, manuscripts and many personal belongings from Stevenson’s household, including bookcases, a writing desk, paintings, sculptures, vases, his family silver, his childhood toys and much more. Many of these items are still being inventoried and evaluated as they continue to arrive. This vast array of priceless objects has come with its own set of challenges: How does one inventory, archive, protect, and curate such a large collection

when the museum’s space is so limited? This has been an ongoing challenge of the collection. However, Schleicher said, recently the museum has transformed its limited storage space with an archival storage system that enables the staff to better organize the collection while it continues the task of establishing a comprehensive inventory. This system helps the museum staff protect and archive the precious papers and documents left by Stevenson and his family so they may be used as research materials by scholars. But for the general public, a visit to the museum offers a fascinating opportunity to enter into the imaginative world of Stevenson through the many personal objects the museum curates. For instance, Stevenson’s writing desk, the wedding rings worn by the couple, and even his toy soldiers and tea set from Scottish childhood are on display. There is also small woodwind instrument – called a flageolet — that Stevenson is said to have delighted in playing. There is even a small model of the bunkhouse where he and Fanny honeymooned on Mount St. Helena. 37

Where in the Valley? â&#x20AC;&#x152;How keen is your eye for Napa landmarks? Our photographer J.L. Sousa travels a lot of miles in pursuit of his images and along the way heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s taken some shots of interesting, quirky, and unusual objects, many of them in plain sight

from major roads. But it can be surprisingly hard to identify these places when you zoom in just on the details, even if you pass by the spots every day. How many of these Napa County places can you identify? Answers are on Page 39.

Treasury Wine Estates, located on Airpark Road in south Napa. The Napa Valley Opera House. The Napa 9/11 Memorial in downtown Napa.

The sundial outside the Napa Valley Unified School District Administration building on Jefferson Street.

Bicycle Works, located at 3335 Solano Avenue in Napa.

Slow Cooker

The entrance to Oxbow Preserve Park along Silverado Trail.

The answers

Napa’s Kitchen Store Hand Blender

Rice Cooker/Steamer electric tea kettle

PROUDLY CARRYING Belgium Waffle Maker

1350 Main Street, Downtown Napa • (707) 226-2132 • Mon. – Sat. 9:30am – 5:30pm 39

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Running season offers races for all tastes JESS LANDER Before you let your new fitness resolutions fall away this year, hold yourself accountable by registering for an upcoming race. No matter the distance—5k, 10k, half marathon or full marathon—these local favorites will give you a running start to your goals. Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half Marathon and 5k Sunday, Feb. 14, Golden Gate Park getfitkpsf.com/race For this year only, one of the most popular and scenic half marathons in the Bay Area has been moved from its usual Super Bowl Sunday slot (due to San Francisco hosting the game) to Valentine’s Day. Whether you want to pre-burn the chocolates and candy hearts, give back to others in the spirit of love or distract yourself from being dateless, you’ll feel good knowing proceeds go to charities like Meals on Wheels, the Harbor Light Center for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse and Support for Families of Children with Disabilities. The course winds through Golden Gate Park and is worth the trip into San Francisco, especially if you make reservations in the city for dinner. Kaiser Permanente Napa Valley Marathon Sunday, March 6, Napa Valley napavalleymarathon.org One of the premier running events in the West happens right in our own backyard. For the 38th year, runners from all over the world 42

will come to hoof it down Silverado Trail from Calistoga to Napa—and you can participate sans travel expenses. This event always sells out, so register now. For non-marathoners experiencing FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), sign up for the Running Madness 5k Run, put on by the Greater Kiwanis Club of Napa. The course starts at Vintage High and actually lets you cross the same finish line as the marathoners before they arrive. Afterwards, you can stick around to cheer them through. Proceeds benefit local schools and community charities. Napa Valley Trail Marathon, Half Marathon and 10k Saturday, March 19, Bothe-Napa Valley State Park raceroster.com/events/2016/5238/2016-napavalley-trail-marathon-half-marathon-10k If you prefer the path less traveled, and a challenge, sign up for this nature-fueled trail run through Bothe-Napa Valley State Park. Choose from marathon, half marathon or 10k distances and trek through the woods over streams, rocky terrain and up some pretty steep hills. This race is limited to 300 participants and sells out every year, so don’t hesitate. TIP: Schedule some training runs through the park before race day to get yourself off-road ready. Annadel Half Marathon & 5k Saturday, April 2, Santa Rosa annadelhalf.com

Raphael Kluzniok/Register

Experienced trail runners can challenge themselves on this scenic-yet-grueling course, which winds through Spring Lake Park and up into Annadel State Park. Half-marathon runners will climb more than 1,500 ft. in elevation over rocky, hilly terrain. The race, limited to 400 participants, is also a non-profit fundraising event that helps build and maintain the trails. Proceeds from the 5k will help build new trails at Taylor Mountain Regional Park. Napa Valley Silverado Half Marathon, 10k, 5k Sunday, April 17, Calistoga raceroster.com/events/2016/5241/2016-napa-valley-silverado-half-marathon-10k-5k If you’re not quite up for the full 26.2, register for the mini, less-crowded version of the Napa Valley Marathon. Like the March event, this outand-back course starts in Calistoga and runs along Silverado Trail. Mostly flat with just two minor hills, April 17 could be a great day to set a new PR. Registration is limited to 1,000 participants. Bonus: Ragnar Relay SoCal Friday April 1-Saturday, April 2, Huntington Beach, CA ragnarrelay.com/race/southerncalifornia If you’re already planning on running Ragnar Napa Valley in the fall, you can use this event as a warm-up and get the Ragnar Republic double medal. You and your team of 12 will race overnight to cover 200 miles of the coast from Huntington Beach to San Diego.

DISC GOLF

A great way to get active

f you harbor any fond childhood memories off tossing around a Frisbee®, it might be fun to wax nostalgic with a round of disc golf. Disc golf (also known as Frisbee golf, grisbee, frolf or folf) has been around since the 1970s and even has a professional association, the PDGA, but it is growing in popularity among amateurs as well. There are many similarities to the traditional game of golf, but its differences make disc golf both more affordable and accessible to players of all ages and abilities. No golf cart is needed since balls and heavy clubs are replaced simply with a flying disc. Points are marked in throws instead of strokes and there’s a target—often a basket on a pole, surrounded by chains, called a Pole Hole®—instead of a hole in the ground. When the disc hits the chains, it falls into the basket. Disc golfers do have to navigate challenging terrain and pesky trees on the course, which features 18 targets, just like in “ball golf.” The objective is also the same: Get the disc into the basket with the least number of throws. This sport is a great way to get active, but at the same time can be played by people of all fitness levels and has a short learning curve. Disc Golf in Napa Valley If you want to play disc golf in Napa Valley, head to Skyline Wilderness Park. Not only one of Napa’s best kept secrets, this unique course is also known as the best-kept disc golf secret in the whole Bay Area, where golfers never have to wait to play. Half-a-mile down the Manzanita Trail from the parking lot is a 17-acre, 18-hole course, established in 1995. It’s shorter than most disc golf courses, but also quite hilly in comparison, adding both a technical and physical challenge you won’t find elsewhere. Players can get in quite a workout over a Jorgen Gulliksen

Chris Caudle of Lake County aims to salvage par on the 16th during round one of Napa Disc Golf Club’s 17th Annual Vintage Cup at Skyline Park in 2011.

couple hours. Marvin Paul, who led the charge to build the course more than two decades ago, says he easily burns upwards of 900 calories each time he plays. But if you’ve never played disc golf, don’t let the demands of the course scare you off. Within the last year a 9-hole course in the lower part of the park was built, creating a great place for newbies to practice and try their hand at the sport. It’s flat with longer holes for throwing practice. The best part: Golfers on the 9-hole course don’t have to chase rolling discs down hills, a notorious consequence of the 18-holer. “The 9-hole course is designed for people who’ve never played the game before to get out there and do it,” said Paul. “I’ve seen people out there in wheelchairs, so it’s totally accessible.” Paul also suggests getting a user-friendly disc, as there are hundreds of models and some are harder to throw than others. The kiosk at Skyline has a drawer full of lost discs, and players can borrow those for the day too. Napa Disc Golf Club Anyone who wants to play the sport more regularly or competitively can join t h e Na p a Disc Golf Club, which has grown to about 50 members. The club gets together for weekly rounds: Saturday’s during the winter and Thursday’s following the time change. Players each put $5 into a pot and the top players split the winnings. The club also puts on an annual Vintage Cup, which will take place at the end of February. Paul’s favorite part of the sport is the camaraderie among the club members, or even traveling golfers just passing through. “I like to think of this group as my extended Frisbee family. There’s something about having this activity that bonds you with people you’ve never even met,” said Paul. “It’s not uncommon to go out to the course and meet someone new that’s traveling, and what’s unusual is that nobody asks you what you do for work. It’s all about the game, the sport and your experiences in it. It’s a super special thing.” 43

Dining in Napa Valley A look whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cooking for winter

Ninebark‌, a take on

‘Upscale casual’ L . P I E RC E C A R S O N

Midwest native rebrands landmark Napa restaurant

att Lightner has come a long way since his teen years washing dishes and flipping burgers in “the land of mom-and-pop cafes” outside Omaha, Nebraska. He’s worked alongside culinary royalty in Spain, turned foodie heads in Portland, Oregon, and earned two Michelin stars at his own restaurant in the Big Apple. Now, at 35, he’s making his mark in downtown Napa, serving “fun, casual, seasonal food” in a Main Street landmark he and his partners have re-branded Ninebark. Changing both name and concept of what was Fagiani’s Bar and The Thomas Restaurant, Lightner and New York-based AvroKo Hospitality Group are inviting locals and visitors alike to check out their distinct take on what the industry

calls the “upscale casual” eatery. Often, the culinary director says, restaurateurs resort to “cookie cutter” menus, designs and concepts when putting together an upscale casual restaurant. “Real, honest cooking (that’s) familiar and modern” is the foundation on which Ninebark was conceived. “Our focus is on quality … (and) we want people to have a good time.” Lightner quips about the new name for the Main Street dining and drinking emporium: “It’s easier to name a child than a restaurant.” As the use of native shrubs and J.L. Sousa/Register‌

Coming to Napa after earning two Michelin stars for his New York restaurant, Atera, Matt Lightner is culinary director for Ninebark, the rebranded space at 813 Main St. that opened three years ago as Fagiani’s Bar and The Thomas.

Re-branded by New York-based AvroKo Hospitality Group as Ninebark, the former Fagiani’s bar has been remodeled. The first floor space, now offering classic cocktails and bar bites, opens daily at 4 p.m. and serves brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.

‌

Garrett Rowland photo

smoking techniques are essential elements in the Ninebark concept, Lightner said it was important to incorporate a name that “symbolizes what this place is. And that is layered.” All three floors of the business have a distinct business model, and the dishes Lightner and his team offer diners boast layered flavors. Since smoking over native shrubs is one of the methods Lightner employs in preparing some of the menu’s offerings, the chef wanted to focus on that element in re-branding the downtown restaurant and bar. As the shrub ninebark is widely found on the West Coast and its bark peels away in layers, Lightner and his partners thought it was appropriate for the restaurant’s new name. He admitted that he has yet, however, to incorporate ninebark into the woods he employs to smoke fish, meat and veggies. CURE. SMOKE. ROAST. ENJOY.‌‌ The menu at Ninebark tempts diners with flavor combinations and cooking methods both familiar and cutting edge. Lightner loves vegetables, and he wants diners to enjoy them prepared in creative ways. For example, he’s fond of the spicy, radish-like tang of raw turnips, as well as the flavor of this root vegetable when roasted. One of the restaurant’s most unusual appetizers is a curry of baby turnips topped with pungent trout roe, crunchy 46

Marcona almonds and peppery breadcrumbs. The curry — made with turnip cooking broth — is relatively mild, allowing that rich, earthy flavor of turnip to dominate — the other ingredients serving as condiments and textural diversity. On a separate “Provisions” menu, one discovers an addictive carrot pimento spread, given added complexity by the addition of bacon and Parmesan cheese.

walnuts, as well as grilled broccoli with smoked cheddar cheese and green goddess dressing. Appetizers range from chicken and shrimp dumplings with roasted chicken gravy ($13) to aged beef tartare and grilled lobster tail with ahi tuna and pickles ($25), plus poke with braised kombu ($16) and the curry of turnips ($14) the other choices. Lightner is offering customers another option as starter — a quartet of skewers that include grilled Mt. Lassen trout belly, roasted sturgeon belly and grilled blue mussels ($13-$14) as well as smoked foie gras with fermented truffle ($25). Main dishes ($28$44) include a market fish with cornmeal J.L. Sousa/Register‌ crust and Savoy cabGrilled broccoli salad with green goddess bage, Petrale sole with dressing and smoked cheddar cheese is one roasted potatoes and of the seasonal salads created by Ninebark Delicata squash, charculinary director Matt Lightner. coal-roasted duck with tart-sweet Valencia House-cured and -smoked fish orange and heirloom spinach, are a hallmark of all Ninebark roasted pork neck and rib with menus, pointing to the chef’s pen- country gravy, plus aged rib-eye chant for adding flavor to dishes by with cornbread pudding. smoking or cooking over an open The creative dessert options ($9) fire that uses all manner of shrubs tempt even those without a sweet and woods as fuel. Take the dinner tooth — Japanese-style cheesecake menu, for example. with persimmon and cream cheese In the salad category ($12-$13), ice cream, a thousand layers of choices include grilled avocado chocolate s’mores, chocolate cake with heirloom citrus dressing and with orange blossom and spice ice

cream, soft serve local cream and fig leaves with a dried fig wafer, as well as raspberry and verbena sorbet with black licorice and angel food cake. Offered 5:30-9 p.m. weekdays and Sunday, and until 10 Friday and Saturday, dinner is served on the second floor of the Main Street venue. A new design opens up the kitchen to the dining room and includes a countertop covered with herbs and other garden ingredients used by Lightner and his team for the evening meal. While staff was always on its toes at The Thomas, there seems to be more emphasis on service today as a well choreographed team dances to a new tune played by General Manager Phil Abram and associates. Entering the building today, one finds the first floor has been given a welcoming remodel as all hands want this to be the friendly neighborhood bar one drops by on a regular basis for draft beer, cider, cocktails and a simple light bite, from cheeseburger to salt cod beignets, oysters to a bowl of pasta, or if you’re really hungry, a steak or half a chicken. The downstairs bar opens at 4 daily. The third floor — with its open deck for nice weather noshing and drinking — is also an option for cold weather dining. It’s also the spot where the Ninebark team gets a little more creative with the craft cocktails. Ninebark is also serving brunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Main dishes range from smoked avocado and scrambled egg tartine ($12) to steak and eggs ($26), and includes such items as smoked local seafood Benedict, fried oyster po’ boy, fried chicken and biscuit sandwich, plus salt cod beignets, gravy fries and bread pudding. Located at 813 Main St., Napa, the restaurant can be reached at 707-226-7821 for dining reservations.

 An American Restaurant  Join us for sundAy Brunch Weekly, 10 AM to 2 PM Enjoy a bottomless Mimosa,

Just $15

Join us for Brunch every Sunday morning from 10am – 3pm Freshly squeezed Orange Juice, Mimosas and Bloody Mary’s.

We’re open for lunch Tuesday – Saturday 11:30 – 4:00

Try our famous lamb burger! It’s a simple neighborhood restaurant. Utilizing the freshest seasonal produce from our local farms and growers, Market’s cuisine is flavor forward, visually stunning, and simply delicious.

And don’t forget, nApA VAlley Bistro cAters, too!

Whether you are planning your next wine release party, hosting a small elite gathering, entertaining your best clients, or planning a destination wedding, we look forward to collaborating with you to create a truly exquisite dining experience.

975 Clinton St. Napa, CA. 94559 (707)-666-2383 | Fax (707)-666-2384

1347 Main St Saint Helena CA 94574 (707)-963-3799 | Fax (707)-963-3889

napavalleybistro.com

Marketsthelena.com

Dining developments 2015 saw a lot of restaurant openings and closings PAU L F R A N S O N ‌Restaurants are among the most volatile businesses around, and most new ones close within a year. Things are probably better in Napa Valley because of the abundant local chefs and restaurateurs who start new restaurants, but we still see many restaurants close and others open each year. Here’s a look at the restaurants that closed during 2015, the ones that opened (and replaced those that closed) and some of the openings we can expect in coming months (and in one case, in 2017). RESTAURANTS THAT CLOSED IN 2015‌‌ Napa Bene Gusto in Browns Valley closed and was replaced by Hop Creek Pub. City Winery closed, with a Blue Note club planned to replace it. Firewood closed, replaced by Heritage Eats. Fish Story closed, with a plan to be replaced by an American Brasserie. Méthode Bubble Bar on First Street closed. Oventi on Highway 29 closed. Pearl closed; Kenzo will replace it. Shiro replaced Zinsvalley and was succeeded by Don Perico.

Smoakville take-out went to catering only. The Thomas closed, replaced by Ninebark from the same company with a new chef. Yountville and Rutherford Alex restaurant in Rancho Caymus Inn was sold and closed. Dabba Food Truck came to Yountville, but has left. Étoile at Domaine Chandon closed. St. Helena La Contesa upscale Mexican food closed. Tra Vigne closed, to be replaced by a Christopher Kostow restaurant. RESTAURANTS THAT OPENED IN 2015‌‌ Napa Ad Hoc’s Addendum opened for the summer, then closed for the winter. Aroma Indian restaurant opened on Jefferson Street. Atlas Social replaced Bistro Sabor. Ben & Jerry’s replaced Grand Hand Gallery. Ca’ Momi Enoteca at Oxbow Public Market reverted to pizzeria and take-out food, and Ca’ Momi Osteria opened on First Street. Carpe Diem reopened after

Raphael Kluzniok/Register‌

Popular downtown restaurant Pearl was one of several eateries that closed in 2015.

earthquake damage had shut it down. The Coles sold Celadon to their general manager. Don Perico replaced Shiro on First Street. Dutch Bros. coffee opened on Jefferson Street. El Pollo Loco opened at the South Napa center. Foodshed Take Away moved from the airport to Old California Boulevard in Napa. A second Habit Burger opened on Soscol Avenue. Hudson Greens & Goods moved and was renamed at the Oxbow Public Market. Keller’s Ad Lib opened temporarily at Silverado Resort, and closed as planned in October. Heritage Eats replaced Firewood. Hop Creek Pub replaced closed Bene Gusto in Browns Valley. Napa Roots replaced Foodshed at Airport. Palisades brewpub replaced Dante’s and Bellissimo Pasta Prego replaced Biscuits on Main Street. RaeSet Asian Grill opened on Jefferson Street. Sac’s Tasty Hot Dogs opened at the River Park Shopping Center. Shed BBQ at Stanly Lane opened. Yountville and Rutherford

Inglenook’s Bistro opened. St. Helena CIA Greystone Restaurant reborn after a period as strictly a classroom closed on Sundays and holidays. Harvest Table at Charlie Palmer’s Harvest Inn opened. Calistoga Evangeline in Calistoga replaced Wappo and 1226. S a m’s G r i l l a t I n d i a n Springs opened. Sushi Mambo replaced Kitana. RESTAURANTS EXPECTED TO OPEN IN 2016‌‌ Napa An “American brasserie” from Moana Group to replace Fish Story. Blue Note Club in Opera House Cate & Company Café at Oxbow Public Market A restaurant and café at CIA/ Copia building Corner Napa in the Riverfront Cu r t i s d i Fe d e’s M i m inashi izakaya Kenzo Restaurant replacing Pearl. Restaurant in the Borreo Building from Moana Group Silverado Market and Bakery at the resort Steam Coffee shop on Old Sonoma Road Tannery Bend Beer Works

J.L. Sousa/Register‌

The Napa Valley Opera House is finalizing a deal with the owners of New York’s famous Blue Note jazz club, replacing the unsuccessful City Winery.

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J.L. Sousa/Register‌

Sommelier Victoria Kulinich, spends considerable time in the wine cellar of The Restaurant at Meadowood. A native of St. Petersburg, Russia, she has held the position for more than two years at the Michelin three-starred Napa Valley dining destination.

‌I

f you have an opportunity to chat with Victoria Kulinich over a glass of wine, you’ll discover a confident young woman comfortable in her own skin. Her personal journey — which led to the Napa Valley and a job as lead sommelier at The Restaurant at Meadowood — has had many twists and turns, bringing to mind songwriter Leon Russell’s lyric: “I’ve been so many places in my life and time” that she, like the composer of “A Song for You,” had acted out life on many “stages” with lots of people watching. Two important people were not only watching but guiding Victoria through her pre-teen years in Russia and assimilation into the culture of a new home in America — her creative, indefatigable mother and a wise, wonderful, arts-savvy grandmother. Her mother married twice — her father was mostly absent; the second union ended in divorce. For all intents and purposes, Victoria grew up in Russia, then went through a like process starting at age 13 in a residential area of New York populated by immigrants. She loves her hometown of St. Petersburg,

labeled “the Venice of the North because everywhere are canals. I return there at least every couple of years.” Life in St. Petersburg is improving for its residents, Victoria said. A survivor of the World War II siege, her grandmother told her

She said programs initiated by Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev are working. “(Putin) has a lot of resources and talent (working for him) … as well as ambition,” she added. All are “working through what we lost during 80 years of communism … with the

St. Petersburg to St. Helena

Victoria Kulinich found her niche in wine

L . P I E RC E C A R S O N there are more meaningful programs today for the city’s elderly and, in general, “the city looks better. “There was a need to implement some controls … I believe people do better when a strict controlling system is in place.”

idea of making Russia a power again.” Fond memories of growing up in Russia include being “dragged as a kid to all kinds of ballets and theater productions. My grandmother took me to summer palaces, the opera, the philharmonic at 7 years old. I appreciate 53

now what I didn’t as a kid. “My grandmother and mother wanted to make sure I understood my own culture and appreciated the art of expression. As a result, I painted, sketched — even sculpted.” Order in life was introduced to Victoria at a very young age. “My mother took me out of the house as an infant three times a day,” she recounts. “That meant I had a routine, plus a definite meal schedule, and, as a result, I slept through the night and never cried.” In order to improve family finances, Victoria’s mother came to the United States on a couple of occasions to work, both as a teacher and a nanny. A self-taught English speaker, “my mother had a couple of master’s degrees … she taught English as a second language and she’s an accomplished athlete,” she said. “She’s been a teacher for more than 30 years.” Mother and daughter relocated to Brooklyn when Victoria was 13. She was enrolled in the eighth grade. “But I didn’t speak English,” she vividly recalls. “I had attended the

French Academy (in St. Petersburg), so I did speak French, which I had studied since I was 5. For about six months, I didn’t speak or understand much English, even though my mother was tutoring me. It took about six months for me to understand more and more, and I began speaking back. “We arrived on Feb. 26, 1999, and that July my mother sent me to camp. My English was not good. A camp counselor asked me to go to the kitchen and bring back something yellow. I didn’t know what that something word was, but I thought I could just look for something yellow and take it to her. Well, I discovered there were 17 things in that kitchen that were yellow … so I brought them all to her.” At first, school was a bit confusing as well, she said. In Russia, her studies played out in the same classroom. In Brooklyn, students changed classrooms for each course. “But I was happy, content. I wasn’t bullied. Language was an issue, but I was in an ESL class with other kids who were Russian,

Mexican and Indian.” Nevertheless, Victoria forged ahead. “I’m not afraid of things … that’s part of my personality. I’m a do-it-get-it-over-with type of person. I’m spontaneous, impulsive. Even if I didn’t understand what people were telling me, I did something. It was much easier when I got to high school. “I grew up in New York, just like I grew up in Russia. But I’m still very much Russian.” At age 15, Victoria took a receptionist’s job at a nearby veterinarian’s office. A pet lover and dog owner, she remained on the veterinarian’s staff for seven years. When it came time to make college plans, Victoria wasn’t sure how to harness her artistic talents. She enrolled in a college of architecture. Even though she felt that was a mistake — “I like to use my hands, not a computer” — she stuck with it. At the end of five years of studies, she took a job with a prominent architect “even though my heart wasn’t in it. I knew I shouldn’t be doing this because there were

interns who were better at it and enjoyed it more.” Victoria’s father was in charge of feeding the troops during his days in the Russian Army. Subsequently, he cured meats and made charcuterie and today sells equipment for producing charcuterie. She said she believes her interest in food and its preparation might well have been inherited from her dad. “I’d been watching cooking shows on TV,” she said. “I started cooking at home. It became an antidote to my day job. Unbeknownst to my mother, I quit my (architectural) job and enrolled in culinary school. I took out a loan and got a job at a Guess store. When my mother found some aprons and jackets, I told her that I was just taking a class.” After completing culinary school, Victoria cooked at a few New York restaurants, including Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bakery & Cafe. “Then I took a service job, waiting tables. Besides money, I like talking to people and found the front of the house to be more rewarding.”

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‌C hristopher Kostow and Nathaniel Dorn, respective chef and director of Michelin three-starred The Restaurant at Meadowood, intend to open a new project together next year in the Highway 29 location that has housed Tra Vigne for the past 28 years. Although they are teaming up to open a new restaurant, both Kostow and Dorn wil remain at Meadowood, a spokesman for the resort indicated Monday afternoon. “We are inheriting a space whose legacy and history we are acutely aware of,” Kostow pointed out. “We will do our best to make this town proud.” “I am looking forward to

“

We are inheriting a space whose legacy and history we are acutely aware of. We will do our best to make this town proud.” Christopher Kostow

building a gathering place where friendships will be fostered and conversations will continue for decades to come,” Dorn added. While the concept for the ne w restaurant is currently under development, it will be centered on a celebrator y and casual dining

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experience, a Meadowood news released indicated. “St. Helena is our home,” Kostow continued. “My wife (Martina) and I are active members of this community and we are raising our daughters here. We operate our gardens here and we will continue our work here, unabated, at The

Restaurant at Meadowood. We are looking at this new project first and foremost through the lens of St. Helena and then through that of the Napa Valley as a whole.” The new project, which is currently unnamed, is slated to debut sometime this year. A spokesman at Meadowood indicated more information will be offered “as details are confirmed in the coming months.” Opened with great fanfare by restaurateurs Bill Higgins and Bill Upson, along with chef Michael Chiarello, in 1987, Tra Vigne — with its neo-Italian dining room and shaded Tuscan courtyard — closed late last year.

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Sunburst to revive Calistoga restaurant, spa Updated colors, landscaping and bike path part of plan A N N E WA R D E R N S T ‌C ALISTOGA — The new owners of the Sunburst hotel have gotten go-ahead from the city planning commission to make improvements to the restaurant, spa and landscaping. “We feel it’s needed. It’s going to beautify one of the entry corridors into town,” said Erik Lundquist, senior planner. “Staff believes it will be a shot in the arm to that part of town.” Plans include: — reactivating the restaurant and spa; — adding landscaping and a path to connect with the Vine Trail; — adding outdoor furniture, awnings and a new color scheme, plus enhancements to the property’s water management that include hopes of connecting with the reclaimed water line nearby; — reworking the existing pool system to substantially reduce and re-use geothermal water to the point of zero or close-to-zero geothermal water reaching the wastewater system. “Geothermal use historically has been very inefficient,” Lundquist said. All the wells will be metered and charged appropriately for any discharge, he said. The hotel was renovated between 2011 and 2013, but never seemed fully finished, said Scott Cooper, planning commissioner. “It always felt like it needed some finishing brush strokes,” he said, adding that he especially appreciated the addition

of the path and connection to the Vine Trail. Christian Strobel, one of the owners of the property, said they are going after people who want to be outdoors and take advantage of the hotel’s proximity to hiking trails and bike and pedestrian paths. Renovations to the former spa building will include an outdoor relaxation and outdoor treatment cabanas. The restaurant will add a patio for outdoor dining. The new color scheme will better connect with Calistoga, Strobel said. “The previous owner did a tremendous job of improving the inside of the building. We feel it left a little short in terms of making it have some curb appeal and some interest on the outside of the building,” Strobel said. “So really what we’re focusing on now is making sure this gateway project to the city has a little bit more curb appeal and a little bit more in keeping with Calistoga. Looking at it currently, it might look like it might fit with Orlando a little bit better with the bright green doors.” Connecting up to the reclaimed water line at the neighboring property is desirable, Strobel said, as it would help with the water shortage on the property. But the decision is up to the neighboring property owners, he said. “We’re not fully in our control. If it were, it would be a no-brainer,” Strobel said.

Tim Carl photo‌

Prior to joining Archetype, Ryder Zetts was chef de cuisine at Calistoga’s Michelin-star-rated Solbar. Earlier, he worked at the Inn at Little Washington, in Washington, Virginia, and at Bouchon Bistro in Yountville.

Archetype craftsman

Chef Ryder Zetts talks about restaurant trends for 2016 TIM CARL

rtistic 12-course meals may always have a place in the Napa Valley, but there seems to be a growing desire for alternatives, and Ryder Zetts is happy to accommodate. “I consider myself mostly a craftsman,” said Zetts, who is the chef at Archetype in St. Helena. “Some people call chefs artists, but I like to take what is already great — our local produce, for example — and work to make it the best it can be. I call that craft.” Zetts talked as he and his crew straightened up the kitchen after a busy Sunday brunch. He seemed at home among the clinking of dishes mixed with smells of smoke from the wood-burning oven and a spicy, sweet aroma emanating from an oven. “Often artists work in isolation, but craftspeople work together, advancing a shared goal,” he said. “So, I’m a craftsman. Just think about all the amazing farmers who provide us with what they’ve each poured their lives into. I take their work and hopefully advance it with mine, providing our guests with a meal that is both real and an enjoyable experience.” And Zetts knows something about making food into an enjoyable experience. Prior to Archetype he was chef de cuisine at Calistoga’s Michelin-star-rated Solbar. Earlier, he worked at the Inn at Little Washington, in Washington, Virginia, and at Bouchon Bistro in Yountville. By “real,” Zetts explained that he means to showcase produce that comes from local farmers, is naturally raised and is minimally micromanaged. “Back in the ’90s we’d spend a lot of time fussing with all sorts of things that I now just consider wasteful,” he said. “I mean, we used to peel a carrot and then punch out a few small circles, the rest being discarded. What people expect today — what I expect — is that restaurants actually live by their core values. In our case that means serving food that is not only delicious but that is also produced sustainably, prepared in a manner that highlights the natural goodness of each product but also limits wasteful practices. It also means that the food was prepared by cooks and presented by waitstaff who

believe in their craft.” Zetts’ sentiments seem to reflect the general zeitgeist of the American food movement where some of the biggest expected trends of 2016 include “Root-to-Stalk” vegetarian dishes that, like its predecessor, “Tailto-Snout,” attempts to use all parts of each product. Or the “Values vs. Value” trend, which is becoming a means for customers to find out more about how the food on their plate was grown and prepared. Another national movement to eliminate tipping for wait service is not yet being talked about seriously in the valley, but is already being tried in some of New York City’s biggest and most well-known restaurants. “I’m not sure about where tipping will go here in the valley, but starting Jan. 1, 2016, the minimum wage for servers will increase to $10 an hour,” Zetts said. “I’m all for everyone in the restaurant business making more money, but people have to understand that there is no way for a restaurant to absorb such an increase without passing some of it on to customers.” Although eliminating tipping might not be on the slate of issues for Napa Valley in 2016, another trend that is brewing across the country is already growing strong here. Fermented products, including such items as pickled vegetables and Kombucha, a lightly effervescent black or green tea drink, are gaining popularity. “We’re not making Kombucha at the restaurant yet, but my wife makes it at home and I love it,” Zetts said. “But I’ve always liked pickling and we use it often here at Archetype. One of my favorite methods is to ferment cabbage in a 4 percent salt solution for two weeks in the dark. Of course the other name for this is sauerkraut.” “I don’t really think too much about trends,” Zetts said as he prepared a side dish of oven-roasted cauliflower. “There are chefs that are out there looking to stroke their egos by jumping to the newest trend. And that’s fine, but I prefer to craft tasty food that has a positive impact on both the people who eat it and also for those that grew it and even prepared it. For me that’s the only trend I need.” 57

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Food company casts wide net PAU L F R A N S O N

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ll of us have most likely bought familiar Mezzetta peppers, olives and other products at our local supermarkets, but few people might realize that they’re made here in Napa County. Yes, Italian-sounding (for good reason) Mezzetta products are packaged and, in some cases, produced in American Canyon, although half the ingredients are imported from the Mediterranean and Latin America. The company actually started in San Francisco 80 years ago, but moved here in 1997.

restaurants at first. Their attention to quality, value and service earned the trust and loyalty of their customers while providing a modest but comfortable living for the owners and their employees. In 1973, Daniel’s son, Ron Mezzetta, became general manager. The company was still primarily supplying bars and restaurants ROOTS IN EMILIA-ROMAGNA‌‌ in bulk, but Giuseppe Luigi Mezzetta, the founder of Ron was an G. L. Mezzetta, immigrated to America in imaginative 1911 from Emilentrepreneur ia-Romagna, the who underculinary capital of stood the Italy, to start a new importance life in America. of creating an Working as a identity for window cleaner i n Ne w Yo rk their products. City, he saved He decided enough money to package their to bring his new olives and pepwife, Columba, pers under the to San Francisco family name, where their son, and the MezDaniel, was born zetta brand was in 1918. born. He also Giuseppe coined the slogan continued to “Don’t Forgetta work hard, and Mezzetta” as a soon became a way to remind janitor for two consumers not large impor t/ to overlook Mezexport firms in zetta products downtown San when they filled Francisco. He up their grocery learned well. carts. The catchy In 1935, the slogan crept into father and son consumer conopened a small sciousness and store in San helped make Francisco’s ItalMezzetta a houseian North Beach hold name on the district. They west coast. imported Italian As business peppers, olives grew, it moved and other staples to a larger proof the Mediterduction facility ranean table and in Sonoma. sold them priIn t h e e a r l y marily to bars and 1 9 9 0 s , Ro n a l s o

noticed the interest in Asian and Pacific flavors and the company bought Kona Coast Sauces & Marinades to capture a piece of that market. THE FOURTH GENERATION JOINS‌‌ Ron’s son, Jeff Mezzetta, who had grown up in the family business, joined the company officially in 1993, working alongside his father. Jeff brought a new generation of vision, passion and skills to the company. While Ron preferred to stay close to operations, Jeff spent much of his time traveling. He visited markets across the United States and came to realize that there was potential for the company to grow well beyond any previous expectations. He also visited dozens of production facilities, farms and orchards of every shape and size in Italy, France, Greece, Spain, Morocco, Latin America and beyond, talking to producers and building relationships with suppliers. This experience gave him invaluable perspective and sparked creative new ideas. Sales and volumes exploded nationally and the company moved production to a stateof-the-art facility in American Canyon in 1997. In 2004, Ron Mezzetta appointed Jeff Mezzetta president. Under his leadership, sales and volumes have doubled in size. A COLLECTION OF IMPORTS AND DOMESTIC PRODUCTS‌‌ The company produces more than 200 different products. In addition to importing and packing specialty food products, Mezzetta sources a variety of fresh vegetables from local California farms. Many of the products are ingredients in preparing dishes like peppers and capers, but the year he took the reins, Jeff created the Napa Valley Bistro brand, featuring the only specialty pasta sauces and olives made with premium Napa Valley appellation wine. This expanded the Mezzetta presence in the gourmet marketplace and it is now one of the top three specialty pasta sauces in the country. Specialty peppers are the heart of Mezzetta’s business, and the company is the No. 1 producer of peppers and olives in the United States It also distributes in Canada, the United Kingdom and the Pacific Rim. 59

Jeff Mezzetta says 10 percent of American households use its products, which are now distributed all over the country. He wants to increase that percentage. UPSCALE ADDITIONS TO THE LINE‌‌ Me zzetta recently introduced a line of premium sauces to supplement its popular Napa Valley Homemade pasta sauces in a rare case of Napa being on the less-expensive line. The premium sauces are in smaller jars and cost more. The new sauces don’t contain sugar or preser vatives, and must be consumed soon after opening. Aside from a fresh-tasting marinara (Italian plum tomato) sauce, they offer caramelized onion and butter, whole garlic and sweet basil, creamy Parmigiano-Reggiano, spicy Calabrian chili and garlic and truffle, porcini and cream. They also added upscale olives packed in oil instead of brine. They’re ideal for appetizers and the oil has many tasty uses, too. Flavors include kalamata with orange zest, artisan blend, petite blend and blue cheese-stuffed The company also introduced some premium olive oil, and it’s from California. “We discovered that the California oil is fresher than beloved Italian oil. The modern ways to harvest get to the mill faster.” He considers it best for finishing, not cooking. It comes in two varieties, extra-virgin and intense, the latter very green and peppery J e f f M e z z e t t a’s g o a l i s to teach Americans how to improve their lives with his c o m p a n y’s p r o d u c t s . “ We want to get people back in the kitchen,” he vows. “We want them to use our product to spend minimal time making food that it looks like took a long time to produce.” In its fourth generation as a family-owned and -operated company, the full potential of Mezzetta as a top specialty 60

Baked Artichoke & Parmesan Marinara Dip with Crostini S‌ erves: 4 to 6 2 jars (6.5 oz.) Mezzetta Marinated Artichoke Hearts, drained and chopped One-half jar (16.25 oz.) Mezzetta Parmigiano Reggiano Sauce, about 1 cup 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 2 tsp. chopped fresh parsley 1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest 1 clove garlic, minced Pinch each of salt and freshly ground pepper 16 slices baguette, about 1/4-inch thick 2 tsp. Mezzetta Intense Ca l i f o rn i a E x t r a V i r g i n Olive Oil

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine artichokes, sauce, 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan, 1 teaspoon of the parsley, lemon zest, garlic, salt and pepper. Transfer to 2-cup glass baking dish; sprinkle remaining cheese evenly over top. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through and bubbling. Broil for 1 minute or until cheese on top is melted and golden brown. Remove from oven; let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with remaining parsley. Meanwhile, brush baguette slices with olive oil. Place on parchment paper–lined baking tray; bake for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until golden and crispy. Serve with dip.

Tomato Basil Cannelloni ‌ cups ricotta cheese 5 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese Salt and pepper, to taste 1/2 tsp. crushed garlic 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil 10 oz. spinach 2 eggs 16 manicotti shells 2 jars Mezzetta Napa Valley Homemade Tomato & Sweet Basil sauce Mozzarella cheese, shredded or sliced

foods brand is just beginning to be realized. The mission that launched the company — to produce the best quality products from the finest available ingredients and make them available

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place the spinach in a pot of boiling water. Blanche the spinach and wring out any excess water with some paper towels and set aside to cool. In a mixing bowl combine the ricotta, Parmesan, spices and garlic. Add the eggs, salt, pepper and basil. Chop the spinach and thoroughly mix all of the ingredients. Cook the manicotti shells according to the directions on the box. Once the shells have cooked, fill them with the cheese mixture. Top with tomato-basil pasta sauce, mozzarella cheese and bake for 45 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

at an affordable price — re ma ins t he s ame . Bu t the focus is sharper than ever, and as it matches a market of discerning consumers seeking the next exciting food experience, Mezzetta’s opportunities

Super Simple Chicken Cacciatore ‌Serves 6 6 large or 12 small skin-on, bone-in chicken pieces 2 Tbsp. Mezzetta Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 medium yellow onion, sliced thinly 1 cup Mezzetta Pitted Kalamata Olives, drained 1 cup Mezzetta R o a s t e d B e l l Pe p pers, drained and roughly chopped 1/4 cup red wine 1/2 cup unsalted chicken stock 1 jar (16 oz.) Mezzetta Napa Valley Homemade Marinara Pasta Sauce 2 Tbsp. minced fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Place the chicken in the pan and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the olives, peppers, wine, chicken stock and pasta sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the juices run clear when the chicken is pierced with a knife, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer chicken to plates and sprinkle with the parsley.

continue to grow. I’ve included several recipes using Mezzetta products. The Mezzetta website (Mezzetta.com) contains many more for all sorts of foods using its products.

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Valentina Guolo-Migotto is chef and co-owner of the newly opened Ca’ Momi Osteria in downtown Napa.

Ca’ Momi Osteria’s

‘Cucina povera’ ‌‌W is the real deal

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This is tortellini in brodo by Valentina Guolo-Migotto, chef and co-owner of Ca’Momi Osteria in Napa.

L . P I E RC E C A R S O N

‌ en it comes to Stefano Migotto. h tradition and culi“All of the recipes (for the nary authenticity, dishes at the newly opened OsteValentina Guolo-Migotto takes ria) involve research ... even the the prize.‌ simple ones,” Valentina noted as Valentina is one of three part- she and her culinary team preners for the Ca’ Momi enterprise pared for dinner service recently. in Napa, which began with a “The focus of our menu is mainly winemaking venture here nine northern Italy because those are years ago. the flavors I grew up with. Overseeing the new Ca’ “There are (culinary) treasures Momi Osteria that opened in in every city, in every region (of downtown Napa in mid-Octo- Italy),” she added. “I see it more ber, she’s not comfortable when from here now than when I diners refer to her as restaurant lived there.” chef. In fact, she’ll quickly tell In putting together the menu you her title is “un-chef.” for the new Osteria, Valentina That’s because Valentina dotes did serious recipe research. For on research and “a memory filled example, she spent considerable with tastes of great food” from time looking for a certified recipe her home in Padova, the north- for tortellini Bolognese. She disern Italian city that served as covered an authentic recipe for setting for Shakespeare’s “The tortellini in brodo (broth), and Taming of the Shrew” and is now that soup is one of three home as well to Ca’Momi wine- served daily. maker and business partner, Valentina is focused on what

Italians call “cucina povera,” literally translated as cuisine of the poor. But it means more than that. It’s simple fare made with quality ingredients, dishes one would find in the average home. Her native region of the Veneto is well represented with a grilled rock octopus salad, a hearty bone broth-based pasta e fagioli, braised tripe, grilled cuttlefish and a selection of pasta dishes that include rigatoni with butternut squash and radicchio, tagliatelle with a toothsome, creamy wild mushroom sauce and bigoli with a chicken ragu that includes everything but the cluck. Valentina isn’t the only partner in the kitchen. Winemaker and pizzaiolo Dario De Conti — a native of Treviso, a city close to the Alps that’s home to both Prosecco and tiramisu — is a stickler for the real deal when it comes to pizza. Recipes and oven came from Naples, allowing pizza master De Conti to offer authentic Napoletana pizza. In fact, De Conti invites guests to choose from more than a dozen pizza offerings, ranging from organic margherita to the Montanara, with crispy fried dough credited to renowned Naples pizzaiolo Don Antonio Starita. De Conti fries the dough first, then tops it with smoked mozzarella, garlic, tomato sauce and basil, and puts it in the 900-degree wood-burning oven for 90 seconds to finish. Any oil left on the crust evaporates in the process. For his pizza menu, De Conti has taken recipes from all regions of Italy, including one

from his northern home area that includes speck. A most unusual option features a topping of mortadella with pistachio cream and smoked buffalo mozzarella. Ca’ Momi Osteria pizzas range in price from $16 to $22. POLPO TO POLENTA‌‌ Osteria’s dinner menu includes a variety of antipasti ($13-$20) and zuppe ($12-$17). The insalata di polpo features tender grilled rock octopus with fingerling potatoes and a parsley lemon vinaigrette, while the Lazio-styled sweetbreads are cooked in a buttery Marsala sauce. Burrata and roasted vegetables, plates of formaggi and salumi as well as bresaola topped arugula with shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano are also first course options. For something really different, order the marinated beef tendons and onions. In addition to tortellini in brodo and pasta e fagioli, ribollita, a classic Tuscan soup that is thickened with bread, is a tasty way to begin the meal. At present, the “primi” offerings ($16-$20) include a half-dozen pastas — the ever popular lasagne alla Bolognese, spinach and ricotta gnudi, spaghetti alla bottarga, plus the Veneto dishes, tagliatelle wiht wild mushrooms, rigatoni with chunks of squash and radicchio and bigoli tossed with a ragu of chicken livers, gizzards and such. Options for “secondi” ($18-$32) include a pair of favorites from the Veneto — braised tripe and grilled cuttlefish — plus a couple of dishes that have their origins in Lazio, the area around Rome — braised oxtail stew with polenta and J.L. Sousa/Register‌

This is tagliatelle al ragu bolognese as prepared by chef and co-owner Valentina Guolo-Migotto of Ca’Momi Osteria in downtown Napa.

an herb-roasted two- to-three-pound game hen with Calabrian chiles. There’s also the rib-sticking pork shank — braised in pinot grigio with rosemary, sage and juniper berries — with accompanying roasted fingerling potatoes. Valentina pays as much attention to the meal-ending sweets as she does the savory. The restaurant’s “dolci” list ($7-$9) includes the specialty of the Veneto, tiramisu, as well as a delicious apple strudel prepared from a treasured Alto Adige recipe that has Nonna written all over it. There’s also an espresso chocolate semifreddo, millefoglie with chocolate cream, gelato and angioletti with hazelnut cream. Valentina also offers the favorite of Sicilians, cannolo, prepared with Bellwether Farms sheep ricotta. It’s worth a visit on its own. The barmen are serving up a tempting selection of wine-based cocktails as well as all manner of spirits and beer brewed on premise. Wines by the bottle and glass include a half-dozen offerings from the Ca’ Momi cellars as well as selections from both Old and New World producers. A limited number of items from the dinner menu, along with a selection of piadina, are offered at lunch daily between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. The restaurant’s happy hours — which the staff prefers to call “l’aperitivo” — from 3 to 5 p.m. daily feature a selection of cicchetti at half-price ($5), including sweet and sour sardines, polenta fritta, crispy meatballs, baccala manecato and crispy arancini. House wines and pints of Ca’ Momi are also offered at $5. Dinner is served at Ca’ Momi Osteria from 5 to 10 p.m. daily, with a late-night menu of pizzas and appetizers served until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Patrons have the option of dining at the long bar, the smaller pizza counter or the comfy banquettes. In addition to the 120 indoor seats, there’s also outdoor tables that accommodate 10. Vintage Italian movies are screened on a wall near the bar, adding to the venue’s bona fides. Ca’ Momi Osteria is at 1141 First St., Napa. For reservations, call (707) 224-MOMI. T h e C a’ M o m i Enoteca is open daily at Napa’s Oxbow Market where patrons can find Ca’ Momi wines, pizza, piadina, salads and Valentina’s popular beignets. 65

Calistoga Olive Oil branches out to St. Helena Name changes to Napa Valley Extra Virgin A N N E WA R D E R N S T ‌Jamie Anzalone wasn’t planning on opening a second store and changing the name of his Calistoga Olive Oil business, but when he drove down Main Street in St. Helena those plans quickly came into view. The St. Helena Olive Oil store at 1351 Main St. had a “For Lease” sign in the window. The owner of that store closed the brick-andmortar portion of the business at the end of July after a car accident – the store still has a website for purchases. It was serendipity for Anzalone. The space that once held olive oils, vinegars and salts would

again house the same, just under a different name. He signed the lease on the St. Helena store on Oct. 15. To simplify things, both the Calistoga and St. Helena stores will be renamed Napa Valley Extra Virgin. A bonus came with the new location. “I can sell wine here,” Anzalone said. He will sell the wine of partner wineries where he gets his olives, he said. That includes such names as Spottswoode, Clif Lede, Paraduxx, Groth, and Robert Biale. “I work with some really great brands,” he said.

Anne Ward Ernst photos/Weekly Calistogan.com‌

Now called Napa Valley Extra Virgin, the old St. Helena Olive Oil store on Main Street got a fresh coat of paint, but was otherwise “turnkey,” said owner Jamie Anzalone, who also owns an olive oil store in Calistoga.

The interior of the St. Helena store is pretty much the same. “The store was turnkey,” he said. The high-ceiling stone walls are set off by fresh soft green paint on the drywall walls, and the ceiling was painted white to brighten up the dark space. It’s a “cookie cutter” setup to the Calistoga store with just a little more space, he said.

In addition to the lineup of regular olive oil and flavored olive oil, Anzalone offers an Italian balsamic vinegar made by a family in Italy that has been making it for a century, and specialty salts. The Calistoga store is at 1441 Lincoln Ave., and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The St. Helena store is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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Upcoming Events! Spring Workshops

SAVE THE DATE!

Saturday, April 23

Home Vineyards February 27

Tomato Sale

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and Education Day NG YOUNG PLAN RO TS T S

February 27

Garden Forum February 28

Spring & Summer Veggies March 12, March 13

Growing Tomatoes April 10, April 16

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Oaks & Native Plants May 7

Flowers & Ornamentals May 21

For details, times and locations:

http://ucanr.edu/2016TomatoSale http://ucanr.edu/2016Workshops (707) 253-4221

CELEBRATING AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH

UNEARTHING YOUR ROOTS

Head of Research Librarian Alexandria Brown (Napa County Historical Society) discusses the importance of researching your heritage and how it can prepare you to meet the future.

THE MCBRIDE SISTERS: A STORY OF FINDING EACH OTHER AND WINE

Tuesday, February 23 at 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Though continents apart, the McBride Sisters were both raised in developing wine regions—each independently fostering their own appreciation for the craft of winemaking and each unaware of the other for nearly half their lives. They would eventually find their way to each other in 1999. The McBride sisters will be pouring their wines at this event and there will be complimentary hors’ d’oeuvre.

Tuesday, February 16 at 7 p.m.

NAPA COUNTY: An African American Historical Perspective

Local author Sharon McGriffPayne will be talking about the African American presence in Napa. The author will be giving away copies of her book for the first ten visitors. Wednesday, February 3, 2016 at 7 p.m.

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Chef Gary Penir’s Pabomba prepares the popular Bay Area seafood dish cioppino, for parties small and large throughout the Bay Area.

Private chef broadens his culinary horizons L . P I E RC E C A R S O N

h e only thing Gar y Penir ever wanted to do was cook. The Napa native’s family has a treasured photo of him in diapers whisking eggs at grandma’s house. “It was my grandmother who got me interested in cooking,” the energetic Napa Valley culinary entrepreneur recalls. “My mother’s a good cook as well. “Even before and all during high school, cooking shows on TV were popular on a large scale ... and I was watching.” Penir notes that “food was important” as well on his father’s branch of the family tree. “And I love to eat, as most chefs do,” he hastily adds. During his undergrad years at Vintage High School, he kept busy working various and sundry

shifts at a local Baskin-Robbins ice cream shop. Not long after he was handed a Crusher diploma, Penir signed up for a business-focused college program at Sonoma State University as he was intent on having his own restaurant. He went on to complete his California-based studies as a food science and nutrition grad at San Diego State University. But Gary knew he needed formal culinary training, so he enrolled in the intense two-year program offered by the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. A nice stroke of luck found him back in the valley for his CIA internship, working with executive chef Robert Curry at CIA Greystone’s Wine Spectator Restaurant. While at CIA Greystone, Penir

also got to know chef Polly Lappetito. “I told her I wanted to return (to CIA Greystone) and she held a job for me,” he said. “I wound up spending 3ƒ years with chef Lappetito, working my way up to restaurant sous chef.” Penir picked up a few catering jobs in the area while working in St. Helena. But when a culinary school roommate offered him a job at the former Cyrus dining venture in Healdsburg, Penir accepted. “I felt the Cyrus job could really help my career,” he said. “I spent a year there.” But Penir couldn’t wait to be his own boss, launching his catering company — Cuisine Gary Penir — in 2009. “It was boom for a while ... then the slow season set in and eventually I was down to having only enough to pay for

one more month’s rent.” A young chef who welcomed challenges, Penir decided it was time to see how the rest of the globe cooked. So he spent a couple of years traveling and cooking all over the world, including the restaurant Vendôme, near Cologne, headed by three-star chef Joachim Wissler, and Michelin three-star chef Harald Wohlfahrt’s Schwarzwaldstube in the Black Forest’s Traube Tonbach, two of the top restaurants in Germany. Penir has been collaborating with area wineries in recent years, along with some private clients. “I’d say about 95 percent of my business comes from wineries,” he said of his catering operation. His mission is providing innovative wine and food pairings for invited guests of winery clients, whether it’s events scheduled as part of valley visits, wine club promotions or the annual Auction Napa Valley. “I build menus specific to 69

the wines they are making ... (and) I can do that for private clients who want to build a dinner around specific wines,” he notes. “I enrolled in a wine program at CIA Greystone ... I’m a level one sommelier. If I hadn’t wanted to work as a chef, I’d be in

to mention having to wait for a table. “Lunchbox Napa also allows you to enjoy your lunch in a beautiful winery setting. Orders are placed at least 24 hours in advance on the website (lunchboxnapa.com) and delivered to you at your specified place and time. Simple as that.” The lunchboxes provide diners with a main course, a seasonal side and a sandwich cookie, the chef said. There’s usually the chef ’s recommendation and five more combinations listed on the web site. A minimum of eight orders is required f o r d e l i v e r y, o r smaller orders can be picked up at the south Napa kitchen. As if Penir isn’t busy enough, he’s also launched Pabomba.com, “created to deliver the unique experience of wood-fired dishes to clients all over California. Currently, we offer s e ve r a l d i f f e re n t types of paella as well as cioppino and bouillabaisse.” “During an educational food and wine trip to Europe I explored many different techniques and cultural methSubmitted photo‌ ods of cooking traVintage High School graduate Gary ditional wood-fired Penir is the owner of Cuisine Gary culinary preparaPenir, a catering company. t i o n s ,” h e a d d s . “After obser ving, cooking, and tasting the wine business.” food prepared in this method I knew there Typically, Penir puts together dinners for was no substitute.” groups ranging from 8 to 100. “I can do During one of his culinary trips to larger groups ... it just depends on the size Europe, he traveled with friend/restauraof the venue.” teur Mick Salyer (ZuZu and La Taberna Not all that long ago, he added another in downtown Napa) and consulted with option to his culinary enterprise. Salyer’s team in designing the menu for “Lunchbox Napa is an easy solution to a La Taberna. busy day of wine tasting with a group,” said Lately, out of respect to his friend, he’s Penir. “Although there are great places all been referring requests for paella dinners over Napa to eat, sometimes you don’t have to Salyer. “I just don’t want to compete the time for a long lunch at a restaurant, not with him at something he’s been doing for 70

Watercress Soup with Poached Egg, Salmon Tartare and Salmon Roe‌ ‌ erves 4 S 12 ounces watercress soup 4 poached organic eggs 4 ounces salmon tartare 2 ounces fresh salmon roe To serve: Pour soup into bowl, place egg in center showing the top of the egg. Quenelle salmon tartare and lean against the back of the egg yolk. Place the roe on top of the tartare. For watercress soup: 2 bunches watercress 1/2 avocado 1/4 cup cream 2 ounces extra virgin olive oil 1 ounce butter Salt and pepper, to taste Lemon juice, to taste Blanch watercress in salted boiling water for 10 seconds. Melt butter, add olive oil and cream. Place all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Adjust consistency with cream; season with salt and pepper and lemon juice. For salmon tartare: 4 ounces salmon, small dice 1/2 lemon, juice and zest Extra virgin olive oil, to taste Snipped chives, to taste Salt and pepper, to taste Mix all ingredients in a bowl, adjust seasoning. For poached eggs: 4 organic eggs 1 gallon water, just below boiling 2 ounces white wine vinegar Add vinegar and then stir the water vigorously, then add each egg individually. Cook until white is set but yolk is still runny, about 5 minutes Drain on a towel and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. some time now. But we’re ready to take on the cioppino parties any time of the year, and our format is such that we can accommodate larger groups — even those who would like us to roast whole animals over an open fire.” Information, menus and backgrounders can be found at all Penir websites — cuisinegp.com, lunchboxnapa. com and pabomba.com.

The best prices for the best meat in Napa

Thanksgiving is two weeks away

It’s all fresh Tim Carl photo‌

Calistoga residents Nile Zacherle and Whitney Fisher are joined by their children, Madeleine (Maddie) and Frederick (Fritz), the namesakes of their craft-beer brewing company, Mad Fritz.

FarmtoFoam ‘Real beer’ on tap at Mad Fritz TIM CARL ‌For decades, people have visited the Napa Valley in search of high-quality wines paired with exceptional food enjoyed in spectacular natural surroundings — and that is not likely to change anytime soon. However, there is a new breed of consumer who is looking for something just a little different. “You’re starting to see a new generation of consumers who appreciate a diversity of products made using only naturally and locally obtained ingredients,” said Whitney Fisher, co-owner of Mad Fritz Brewing Co. Calistoga residents Fisher and her husband, Nile Zacherle, own one of Napa Valley’s newest craft beer breweries, but neither of them is new to the science of fermentation: Fisher is director of viticulture and winemaking at her family’s Fisher Vineyard, and Zacherle is director of viticulture and winemaking at David Arthur Vineyards on Pritchard Hill in the Napa Valley. The couple also make their own Zacherle and Unity Wines. They met in 2007 while Zacherle was working with winemaker Bo Barrett at Chateau Montelena just outside of Calistoga. “This beautiful valley can

produce some of the most amazing wines on the planet,” Zacherle said, “but it can make some pretty spectacular beer, too.” Beyond his expertise in winemaking, Zacherle knows something about making beer: Besides studying fermentation science at UC Davis, he also completed a Master Brewers program through the Institute of Brewing and Distilling, interned at several small pub breweries and for a year and a half brewed at Anderson Valley Brewing Co. in Boonville. But his beer-making roots go even deeper than that. “When I was 18, my dad and I made our first batch of beer in our garage,” he said. “Since then, I’ve made beer either professionally or at home, always looking for ways to integrate a winemaker’s sensibility into creating special beers of integrity and purity.” So in 2014, Zacherle and Fisher combined their passions and set out to create the Mad Fritz brewery. “The name of our brewery came from blending our two children’s names, Madeleine (Maddie) and Frederick (Fritz),” Zacherle said. “We brew more than 20 different beers a year,

ou don’t need to stand in front of the Vallerga’s Market packaged meat case and wonder, “Is this meat as fresh as in the glass case?” “It’s absolutely as fresh,” say co-managers Randy Erickson and Ron Orta (left and right in photo). “We know, because we trim and package it all ourselves.” It’s all Black Canyon Black Angus meat (Select and Choice) from Kansas City, except for the Prime beef from Niman Ranch. And all those trimmings, from steaks to roasts, are ground up into Vallerga’s own hamburger. “That’s why it’s so good,” says Erickson. “It doesn’t come in a log. We know what the meat is, and it’s the best.” And that

hamburger is never reground later with newer meat. It is always fresh.

Pricing is right in there with Lucky’s and Safeway’s. Both men visit the other stores and watch the ads and know exactly what is being charged for what. “We are usually very close to the price—five or ten cents more,” says Orta, “and the meat at Vallerga’s is so much better.”

Vallerga’s meaty matters: 1. The meat is just as fresh whether it’s in the full-service glass case or the display case of packaged meat. So grab-andgo and feel good about it. 2. Nothing arrives prepackaged. All fresh meat is trimmed and packaged behind the counter, all of it. 3. There’s some steak in those burgers: the fresh trimmings from that preparation goes to make our house hamburger— the best in town.

4. If you don’t see it or not enough of it, just ask—there is always more in the back. 5. Meat is delivered 4 days a week: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. 6. Seafood is delivered fresh every day except Sunday. 7. There is no minimum order for seafood, so order that two dozen clams for chowder or a beautfiul sea bass for dinner. 8. Have a big dinner coming up? We love special orders and cuts and are here to help.

Open 6 a.m. – 9 p.m. Daily • (707) 253-2621 • Deli (707) 253-8780 Located in Redwood Plaza – Solano Ave. at Redwood Road • www.vallergas.com

Submitted photo‌

Barley is harvested at the Fisher Vineyard just south of Calistoga, off the Silverado Trail. The barley will be used to make one of the “farm to foam”-inspired beers crafted by Mad Fritz Brewing Co.

and most of it is sold to our club members, but we also sell direct from our brewery in St. Helena. Beyond that, a few places around the valley sell it, like Auberge du Soleil, the Rutherford Grill and even the Cameo Cinema in St. Helena. We were also featured at The Restaurant at Meadowood for their ‘12 Days of Christmas’ event.” Why have they entered the world of craft-beer brewing at this time? They look at each other and smile. “Nile has a real passion for brewing beer, and it just felt like the natural thing to do,” Fisher said. “The beer we can make from this place is really unique,” Zacherle added. “This year, we grew our own barley on one of the Fishers’ fallowed vineyards here in Calistoga and were able to mill some of our wheat at the Old Bale Mill. Even the water we use comes from a local artesian spring, and the beer is aged in oak barrels that were used to

Tim Carl photo‌

Co-owner of Mad Fritz brewing company Nile Zacherle, shown here at his brewery in St. Helena, enjoys a bottle of his “The Fox & the Stork,” a weizenbock-styled ale made with Sonora white wheat that was grown in the Culinary Institute of America’s “farm to table” agriculture program at Charles Krug Winery. The wheat and blue corn used in its production were milled at the Old Bale Mill just south of Calistoga.

make our wines — and just like the wines we make, the beers we craft really express this place.” Although Mad Fritz has been operating only since early 2014, brewing craft beer is not exactly new in the Napa Valley. Among others, the Calistoga Inn has been doing it for years as did the Silverado Brewing Co. until closing its doors in 2012. However, until just recently, craft brewing was a relatively low-profile business. But the growth of craft beers has skyrocketed in the past few years, with production up nearly 20 percent in 2014 across the United States, according to Forbes. Looking to our neighbors to the east, there are now at least 25 craft breweries in Sonoma County, with more slated to open soon. “People are coming to this place looking for something new,” Fisher said. “They don’t want something overly slick and processed. They want to meet the people who grew and made the products. They want something real.” Nile nods in agreement. “At the end of the day, people really want to understand how all the ingredients of what

“

They don’t want something overly slick and processed. They want to meet the people who grew and made the products. They want something real.” Co-owner Whitney Fisher

they are consuming came to be. They want something with integrity, something made from real people and from a real place. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase ‘farm to table,’ but what we’re trying to do is more like ‘farm to foam,’” he said with a grin. Mad Fritz beers are typically sold in 785-milliliter bottles ($25 per bottle) and can be purchased directly through the brewery, but first you’ll want to email nile@madfritz.com or call 968-5058 to set up an appointment. Mad Fritz is at 393 La Fata St. in St. Helena and can be visited online at MadFritz.com. Tim Carl is a freelance writer, who lives in Calistoga. Contact him at tfcarl@gmail.com.

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