Inside Napa Valley

Holiday 2014

Page 3

Lessons That Last A Lifetime…

Not everything is about you. Sometimes it’s about others. Let them have their turn.

Be your own best friend, not your worst enemy.

Surround yourself with beauty. Flowers on the table. Birds at the window. Wind in your hair. Sand beneath your feet. A dog by your side. A song in your head. Food that makes you stronger. Words that feed your soul.

Music that makes you dance. People who lift you up and make you laugh and leave you better.

Smile at everyone -- old people, children and strangers. It might not do much for them, but it will make you feel better!

J ackie’s Consignments

(707) 252-6832 2497 Solano Ave. • Napa

Mon.~Sat. 9:30 am~5:00 pm 2

Holiday Celebrations start at IronHorse Home

A

t IronHorse Home, we believe that stylish home decor can be affordable. We take the time to understand our customer’s needs, and our everyday low prices put style within reach.

Our family is dedicated to helping our clients create the home of their dreams. Visit us today and share your vision for your dream home-we would love to help you make it a reality.

Our showrooms are constantly changing, at IronHorse Home we have furniture and accessories arriving weekly, so there is always something new to discover.

Take a look inside and come visit us to experience our fantastic furniture, amazing selection, incredible prices, great selection, and convenient delivery.

We hope to see you soon and visit us at www.ironhorsehome.com or www.facebook.com/ ironhorsehome

-The lronHorse Home Family BENICIA

990 Grant St. | Benicia, CA 94510 | 707.747.1383

SAN FRANCISCO

151 Vermont Street #8 | San Francisco CA 94103 | 415.525.3725 3

HOLIDAY 2014 41

5 20

36

On

the

Cover

Holiday Table Setting at McClelland Priest B&B Inn

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In this Issue Mr. Downtown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Sue Payne Holiday Extravaganza. . . . . 45 Art in the Napa Valley. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Coffee and Cocktails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 John Shafer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Napa Valley Bistro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Christopher Hill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Holiday Gift Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Calistoga Community Thanksgiving . . . 34

A Taste of Turkey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Memories of Malfatti. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Buoncristiani Winery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Mad Fritz Beer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Napa Valley Holiday Events. . . . . . . . . 36 Thanksgiving Traditions. . . . . . . . . . . . 62 50 Years and Still Going . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Recipes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Photo by Classic Photography Staging by 5-Star Productions 4

To advertise in Inside Napa Valley, please call us at: (707) 256-2228

a publication of the

MR. DOWNTOWN

George Altamura Leaves a Lasting Mark on Napa

G

eorge Altamura Sr. has become nearly synonymous with downtown Napa.

It is hard to name a building he does not own, has not owned at one time or made an effort to buy. His name is so closely associated with the downtown revival of recent years that searching the archives of the Napa Valley Register for information about him is nearly useless – he’s somewhere in every story.

Sean Scully Altamura has become of the city’s largest property owners and, most likely, one of Napa’s richest men.

It didn’t start out that way at all.

Altamura, now 83, comes from a background that makes “humble” sound extravagant. Raised by Italian immigrants in rough-and-tumble Buffalo, New York, Altamura recalls a life of poverty in a close family.

His parents “had no education whatsoever,” he said, “but they were good people … the kids were it – they would go without something for the kids to have something.”

Early on, his parents set their expectations high for young George, the third of four siblings. He would get an education, go to college, become a lawyer, make something of himself.

Through a combination of hard work and support from their church, George made it to St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute, a prestigious, historic Catholic high school in Buffalo. He seemed destined to be the first in his family to head off to college.

In the summer after his junior year, however, something changed. He and three friends pooled their meager money and bought an old truck. They spent the summer driving around the country in search of adventure. What George and his buddies did was beyond their imagining.

“I thought I was in heaven when I came to California,” he recalls of rolling into Los Angeles along historic Route 66 in that summer of 1947. “I thought I had died and gone to heaven.”

Better was to come on their swing north. They hit Napa just at the point where it was still booming from the war years. Altamura said it was the place where servicemen came to blow off steam in their off hours because it was just beyond the patrol range of MPs from Mare Island and Travis.

“It was just wild,” he said. “Dancing, people in the streets ‘till all hours, seven restaurants open 24-hours-a-day.”

Altamura said he wasn’t the best looking guy in town, but he could dance, making him a hit with the local girls.

The 16-year-old reluctantly returned home to complete his high school, but the moment he was able, he turned around and came back. In the summer of 1948, he hopped a ride with a man driving west to Reno to get his third divorce, and never looked back.

He arrived in Napa in August, with $9 in his pocket and no skills to speak of, other than dancing.

George Altamura still sits in the same seat he sat in as a kid at the renovated Uptown Theatre. File photo/Register

In desperation, he begged a job at a the Rough Rider clothing factory on Soscol, where the owner took pity on him and gave him a job as a courier, shuffling piles of fabric pieces between work stations for $35 per week. He slept on the floor of an abandoned rabbit hutch not far from the factory and relied on the charity of his coworkers, mostly women who took the young man under their wings, for food.

“Sometimes I’d cry a little bit … say ‘what am I doing here,” he said. “You start to get doubts when you’re all alone for two or three weeks lying on a floor.”

In a matter of months, however, his hard work ethic had earned him a series of promotions, eventually to a station pressing the finished pants before they were packaged to ship out. That earned him an impressive $120 a week, affording him enough to rent a small room and enjoy the nightlife of stillbustling Napa. To make even more money, he worked shifts at local drycleaners, pressing clothes.

The outbreak of war in Korea saw Altamura enlist in the Navy, where he spent a year on what he recalls as a dull, no-glory assignment on a troop ship plying the Pacific. But in the final months of his 2-year tour, he was assigned to Hunters Point in San Francisco. There he would moonlight at area cleaners, again pressing clothes.

5

George Altamura's renovation of the Uptown Theatre in 2009 finished a two-month restoration of the ceiling mural. File Photo/Register

Through it all, he always had his eye back on Napa. When he learned that the famous Knotty Pine drive-in restaurant was for sale, he gathered his life’s savings - $3,000 – and went into the restaurant business. He describes a hectic life, racing back and forth between Napa and San Francisco, cooking in the evenings and on weekends and serving out his duties at Hunters Point during the weekdays.

The restaurant business, however, was a bust and was over in only a year or so. The restaurant was busy, but the landlords wanted to use the space for something else, so he walked away and lost his entire investment. But he did gain something even more valuable – his wife and lifelong companion, Jackie. George had seen her around the restaurant with her boyfriend, but at a dance in Napa some months later, he wooed her away and they married a short time later.

After he left the Navy and the restaurant closed, he needed a trade. He took a job at Mare Island as a civilian apprentice, working as a carpenter. His plan was to become a contractor after his four-year apprenticeship.

With a wife – and soon a son – to support, Altamura found that the carpenter’s paycheck wasn’t making it. Accounting for all their bills, he said, the young couple usually had just $2 left over every week, even then a paltry sum.

Over the objection of his in-laws, but with the quiet support of his wife, he concocted a plan to trade on his skills and contacts in the laundry business. He begged a shop on Jefferson Street and set up a business collecting laundry, which he would run down to a San Francisco business where he had worked while in the Navy. Every night, he would load the clothes in his battered VW van, drive them to San Francisco and haul back the finished clothes, splitting the proceeds with the cleaner in the city.

Altamura said he started the business with just $300 to his name, but landlord John Lui wanted the first month’s rent, $130, plus a security deposit and the last month’s rent 6

up front, far beyond Altamura’s budget. Lui’s wife took pity on the young businessman and convinced her husband to rent the storefront for just the monthly rent.

To this day, Altamura says, he doesn’t charge his tenants for security or last-month-rent deposits as tribute to the kindness of the Luis.

Soon business was booming. He first added some light tailoring – repairs and alterations – but later hired a talented tailor who could custom sew suits and other clothes. By the early 1960s, he was making good money, though he only had a few thousand dollars in the bank to show for it.

That’s when Altamura found his calling. In the early ‘60s, he bought two lots at the corner of Monte Vista Drive and El Cortez Drive. He spent all of his $3,000 savings for the lots, but within weeks, he was able to resell the lots for $6,000 each.

From that humble beginning, Altamura’s real estate empire grew. By the early 1970s, he had sold the cleaning business and devoted himself full time to real estate.

He won’t say how many properties he owns today, or how much he is worth (“a lot,” he concedes), but his holdings and developments span the entire city. He is, perhaps, most famous for his loving restoration of the Uptown Theater, and he recently bought the city’s oldest building, a structure on Silverado Trail known as the “Old Adobe.”

He has donated freely to good causes as well, including Meals on Wheels and the non-profit Hands Across the Valley, which he founded in 1994 to combat hunger.

“George is a true example of a self-made man; He came here with nothing and has been so very successful,” said longtime friend and Register columnist Jim Ford. “He is also a very generous man and gives to others without fanfare. He loves this community and has invested heavily in it.”

Altamura admits he’s come from nothing, but he doesn’t like the notion that he’s done it all by himself. Every step of the way, he said, he had benefactors; the priest who helped him get into his elite high school, the Napa factory owner who gave the penniless teenager his first job, the women who kept him safe and fed in those perilous early months in Napa. He’s had supporters, foremost among them his wife. And most of all, he said, he has had good employees, who helped his businesses make money.

“There is no such thing as a self-made man,” Altamura said.

“The people around you make you.”

Join us for our annual tree lighting

Join Queen of the Valley Medical Center as we ring in the holiday season with our annual Tree Lighting ceremony. It’s the perfect way to share the spirit of Christmas. We will share the story of the first Christmas and display our lifesize Nativity

Queen of the Valley Medical Center Wednesday, Dec. 4 3 4:30 to 7 P.M.

scene. Santa will arrive to light our majestic tree and greet Napa children with his holiday magic.

1000 Trancas St., Napa

A Ministry founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange 7

An abundance of art in Napa Valley

Lee Youngman Galleries

S

or 707-942-0557.

Ca’Toga Galleria D’Arte Ca’Toga Galleria D’Arte is the exclusive work of Carol Marchiori. His oneof-a-kind works span a wide variety of mediums from painting to ceramics and bone sculptures to painted furniture, all with a sense of humor and whimsy associated with Commedia dell’ Arte.

Marchiori is famous for his murals, like the one painted on the ceiling of the gallery.

His Palladian Villa is also in Calistoga and available for tours. 1206 Cedar St., call 942-3900 or visit catoga.com.

The Calistogan Studio Kokomo represents more than 60 different artists from Northern California and around the world, with many one-of-a-kind, hand-made jewelry, ceramics, glass art both fused and blown, metal works, wood furniture and bowls, wine barrel furniture and original paintings from well- known area artists such as Vicki Asp, Steve Memering, Dierdre Shibano, Carol Rosemond, Greg De Luca and of Studio Kokomo

urrounded by the natural beauty of the Napa Valley, it’s no wonder we find a myriad of art galleries here.

CYNTHIA SWEENEY Beginning at the northern end of the Napa Valley, Calistoga is home to Lee Youngman Galleries, one of the oldest galleries in the Valley.

Lee opened the gallery in 1985, and only carries very traditional and only originals from mostly regional, established artists. Original works from her father, Ralph Love, whose work is in museums throughout the west, also hangs in the gallery at 1316 Lincoln Ave. 707-942-0585 or leeyoungmangalleries.com.

Across the street, photographers Elizabeth and Olaf Carmel showcase their mainly landscape and nature photography from Napa, Tuscany, France and Mexico in a gallery they built themselves. At Carmel Gallery, they also print their own photos as well as custom frame their works, and feature eclectic/organic home decor that brings elements of nature indoors. 1329 Lincoln Ave., TheCarmelGallery.com

1120 First St, Downtown Napa 707-258-1347

Live the le Sty

Womens

Contemporary Carmel Gallery 8

Apparel

course, Kokomo. 1421 Lincoln Ave., 707-341-3130 or studiokokomo.com Stix & Stones, also in downtown Calistoga, is dedicated to the American artist and craftsman, with a variety of handcrafted wood rocking chairs, bowls, fine art, jewelry and pottery. Many of the artists are from the Napa Valley and draw their inspiration from nature. 1409 Lincoln Ave. 707-942-6002 or stixandstonesgallery.com.

A little further down the Valley, The Christopher Hill Gallery has been owned Stix & Stones by the same proprietor for 12 years, the longest in St. Helena. The gallery is urban with European curation, focusing on German and Austrian artists, as this is where Christopher Hill has spent considerable time.

Different, unique, and unexpected without being shocking or perverse, Hill said he only carries originals. He is interested in artists who have a unique technique or subject matter, with content that viewers can relate to. 1235 Main St., 707-963-0272 chgalleries.com.

Oliver Caldwell and Susan Snyder opened Caldwell Snyder Gallery in San Francisco in 1983. They started out specializing in artists who were well-known in their own home countries, but relatively unknown in the United States. They opened their location in St. Helena at 1328 Main St. in 2007, in the Star building, which is on the National Registry of Historical Places.

The collection changes each month, featuring contemporary American Christopher Hill Gallery and European paintings and sculpture.

707-200-5050 or caldwellsnyder.com.

Across the street, Dennis Rae Fine Art, 1359 Main St., concentrates on innovative artists who are doing things that no one else is doing. They also Caldwell Snyder carry renowned artists like Salvador Dali and Dennis Rae Fine Art Renoir, “people who have an edge to them,” said Director Michael McLaughlin. Dr. Seuss prints sit in the front window and are popular with tourists and locals.

707-963-3350 or dennisraefineart.com.

I. Wolk Gallery, 1354 Main St., is soon to be renamed ÆRENA. The

gallery showcases a wide variety Erin Martin Designs of emerging, mid-career and established artists, with a wide range of styles and media. Many of the artists are featured in recognized museum, corporate and private collections and were chosen because of a proven commitment to their medium, their integrity, craftsmanship and professionalism 707-963-8800 and aerenagalleries.com.

Not an art gallery per se, a few doors down, Martin Showroom, 1350 Main St., is an interior design showroom with unique, different and interesting art, vintage, repurposed and new sculptures and paintings in an ever-changing, eclectic collection. 707-967-8787 and martinshowroom.com.

Further down the Valley, V-Marketplace, 6525 Washington St., Yountville, is a shopping destination and home to several distinct galleries. Gallery 1870 I. Wolk Gallery carries a diverse selection of art, from abstract metal to original oils of master quality to contemporary realism. It’s fun. “We try not to come across as too snooty. You can come in and just enjoy,” said Director Kassia Kilgore. The gallery also showcases the work of renown wine country artist Eric Christiansen. 707-944-9670 and Gallery 1870 Gallery1870.com.

North Bay Gallery features hand-crafted American art work.

Hand-blown glass, fine and fashion jewelry, bronze sculptures and original wall art and prints. 707-945-0145 or northbaygallery.net.

Upstairs, The Blue Heron Gallery is owned by photographer Dennis Hogan and long-time Calistoga painter Betty Jo March. The gallery prominently features Hogan’s dramatic and sublime wine country photography complimented

by March’s mostly landscape watercolors. 707-280-7707 or dennishogan.com or bettyjomarch.com.

North Bay Gallery (Editor’s Note: We tried to reach two other Calistoga galleries, but got no response from Chloe Fine Arts Gallery American, contemporary and fine art. 947-7072, chloefinearts. com. or Indian Springs, which is an emerging and very high end gallery. Owned by avid collector Robert Casterline. 1506 Lincoln Ave. Indianspringsargallery.com.)

9

яВо

10

JOHN HARDY Special Holiday Trunk Show December 5th & 6th

Be dazzled by exquisite pieces from your favorite designer direct from his studio in Bali.

Exclusive event pricing and an expanded collection during this event only.

JOHN HARDY ~ One of a kind.

One piece at a time. Each by hand.

RSVP to info@creationsfinejewelers.com and receive a $25 gift card.

11

14

th ANNUAL

Come Celebrate the Season with

Napa Regional Dance Company’s

Fourteenth Annual Nutcracker Production Napa Valley Performing Arts Center at Lincoln Theater in Yountville, CA December 20 – 2:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.

December 21 – 2:00 p.m.

Tickets: $25-$35 TICKETS ON SALE NOW! Lincoln Theater Box Office 707.944.9900 Online at: www.lincolntheater.org

w w w . napar e g i o nal danc e . c o m

Never Pay Full Retail for the Finest Furniture!

20% OFF our already discounted prices until the end of the year!

• Full Service Design Center Custom House Furniture • Fine Home Furnishings • Window Fashions • Floor Coverings • Home Accessories 12

“Our Family Serving Your Family Since 1958” www.customhousefurniture.com

706 Trancas Street, Napa 707-224-5544 Hours: M-F 9 - 5:30pm • Sat 10 - 3pm

Classic Photography

Home for the Holidays Cherish family memories this holiday season and gather loved ones for a family photo Celebrating ten years of capturing classic moments in Napa Valley.

Families • Sports Teams • Weddings Graduations • Children • Businesses Melissa Peterson Darla Aaron 707-322-3224 707-328-1059 www.photosbyclassicphotography.com 13

Friends, family and fans celebrate John Shafer's lifetime of giving Napa Valley Vintners Health L. PIERCE CARSON When he turned 21, John Center. For the last 30 years, Shafer had no idea that one he’s devoted himself to day he’d launch a wine brand helping the underprivileged of that would tempt palates Napa County ... no one has around the world. done as much. He’s made a Yet, now at 90, Shafer can lasting impression on the lives take heart knowing that’s what of others.” he did.

In an emotional tribute Recently, the valley’s old to the evening’s honoree, guard — along with some winemaker Elias Fernandez of the new — turned up at said he’d “had the pleasure Shafer Vineyards to pay tribute to work with John Shafer for to a man whose wine helped more than 30 years. How cool establish the Stags Leap is that? That a young Hispanic District as a world-renowned guy who went to college could viticultural area for cabernet become the winemaker at sauvignon. They came to Shafer Vineyards.”

Shafer Vineyards founder John Shafer celebrated his 90th birthday in August. Russ acknowledge a man who Noting that the cellar team Widstrand photo spent more than four decades at Shafer was quite small at crafting incredible wines the start, Fernandez said work days were long and tiring. He as well as offering a helping hand to countless wine country said he would come into work some days already fatigued. “But neighbors. knowing the leader of the company had already been at work for And he was able to make his mark in wine, as he likes to say, an hour or two motivated us.” “without any outside board of directors — because we didn’t Fernandez also addressed the honoree’s giving nature — “his need ‘em.” giving started with giving me a job.” He noted that Shafer also Not only is this the year of the family patriarch’s 90th birthday, 2014 also marks the 30th anniversary of the partnership of John mentored numerous children of winery employees over the Shafer, son Doug Shafer and winemaker Elias Fernandez. years.

It’s a great family story that Doug Shafer chronicled in a In the mid-1990s, John turned the reins of the business recently published book, “A Vineyard in Napa.” over to his son, Doug Shafer, in order to pursue his interests In it, Doug tells readers that his father left a 20-year career in philanthropy. In addition to Clinic Ole, John has been deeply in publishing in Chicago and purchased a 209-acre site in involved in Auction Napa Valley, chairing the event in 1999. He the Stags Leap District in 1973. After learning the business of spearheaded the effort to design and raise money for the Napa growing grapes, he established Shafer Vineyards winery with his Valley Vintners Community Health Center and more recently has first vintage of cabernet sauvignon in 1978. In the mid-1980s, been a leading backer and fundraiser for VOICES, a growing John led the effort to establish the Stags Leap District as an American Viticultural Area (AVA), which was finally approved in 1989.

Stony Hill vintner Peter McCrea told the 150 dinner celebration guests that the book about the Shafer family reveals the “sense of joy and can-do attitude of what John felt when he arrived here. John loaded his family into a station wagon and headed West like pioneers.”

Son Doug gave the move added perspective: “We went from a country club to a funky farmhouse with no heat, no air conditioning. Yet, 41 years later, here we are.”

McCrea said that within two decades, John Shafer had built his new business into “a success story ... one of the premier wineries in the Napa Valley.

“But he wasn’t ready to go on Medicare. So, in 1990 he went on the board of Clinic Ole instead. He helped mold Clinic Ole into what it is today — reportedly the second largest medical Friends, family and members of the local wine industry gathered at Shafer provider in the county behind Kaiser.

Vineyards in August to help winery founder John Shafer, center, celebrate his 90th “He doesn’t like to raise money ... but he raised funds for the birthday. Meg Smith photo 14

nonprofit which supports youth who are emancipating out of the foster care system, helping them toward successful adulthood.

Leslie Medine of VOICES told celebration attendees that she appreciated John Shafer’s belief that “change happens one person at a time ... quietly, with no hoopla.”

She said he offered “exceptional leadership ... (exhibiting) clarity and urgency ... when you roll up your sleeves you make things happen.”

“He’s a driving force — a busy guy who doesn’t sit still long,” noted son Doug. “I bet you didn’t know that he’s an artist ... he’ll take a sketch pad and disappear for a few hours. He took up sculpting ...he’s a musician, he plays guitar and ukelele. Now, he’s an opera buff, thanks to (wife) Barbara.

He and Barbara travel — they’ve been known to tango in Argentina.

“The year 1924 must have been a great vintage because look what it produced,” he added, referring to the year of John Shafer’s birth. “Everyone at Shafer feels fortunate to have worked with dad, to have benefited from his vision, and learned from his humanity, generosity and wisdom.”

“I am wowed and lucky to have the family I have,” said the honoree in response to the outpouring of love, affection and appreciation. “But 90 isn’t a big deal any more. I have two loves — winemaking and education.”

He addressed both, getting a laugh from the crowd when he

With one of their Stags Leap District vineyards serving as backdrop, Shafer Vineyards three amigos are, left to right, Elias Fernandez, Doug Shafer and John Shafer. Russ Widstrand photo

talked about pulling electric blankets off family beds to wrap around fermentation tanks to make sure some of his earliest reds went through malolactic fermentation. It wasn’t long before Shafer’s rudimentary cellar techniques led the winery’s three amigos to develop Shafer’s signature wine, Hillside Select, a wine that helped establish Stags Leap District as a world-class AVA for cabernet sauvignon.

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Napa Valley Bistro's comfort food has its roots in Michoacan

A

rmando Ayala and his brother, Alejandro, grew up in their mother’s kitchen.

In addition, both young natives of Michoacan, Mexico, kept busy tending a wealth of farm animals — some hundred chickens, half as many turkeys and a hutch full of rabbits.

The brothers also kept watch over the family’s crops, ranging from watermelon to sweet potatoes, cilantro, onions, squash, beans and “lots of corn.”

They are but two of the four Ayala brothers. Their siblings didn’t share Bernardo and Alejandro’s culinary ken, feeling rather that cooking was woman’s work. They were not easily persuaded to help mom in the kitchen and that suited Bernardo and Alejandro just fine.

“My mother is a great cook,” Bernardo enthusiastically volunteers as he recalls the wood-burning stove where pots of savory beans and meat dishes, along with the family staple, tortillas, were prepared in Indaparapeo, a village of less than 7,000 named for a fierce battle won by the indigenous Tarascos centuries ago.

Without a doubt, the family matriarch’s cooking talents inspired both Bernardo and his brother to seek careers in the hospitality industry. Both have been cooking at valley venues for decades — Alejandro is the respected banquet chef at Meadowood Resort and Bernardo is chef/partner in Napa Valley Bistro in downtown Napa.

The four Ayala brothers came to the United States in 1989, settling in the Napa Valley as friends had before them. Bernardo Ayala was only 17. “I’m a farmer at heart,” the local chef says today. At the time, he decided to seek employment in the food business. Yountville chef Bob Hurley took him on as a line cook and eventually Ayala became the well known Napa Valley restaurateur’s executive sous chef, a post he held for four years.

Over the years, Ayala studied at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, trading work in the restaurant and banquet operations for tuition.

In 2001, Ayala teamed up with Michael Fradelizio, owner of Silverado Brewing Company in St. Helena. He served as restaurant chef until the business closed in 2012.

In May of 2013, Ayala and Market owner Ernesto Martinez launched Napa Valley Bistro in downtown Napa. “At the beginning, it’s very scary,” Ayala says of opening one’s own eatery. “But this is the perfect size,” he says of the 72-seat restaurant. The bar area accommodates 18 and on weekends Ayala sets up a chef’s table for eight overlooking the kitchen, something his regulars enjoy.

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Bernardo Ayala, chef/partner of Napa Valley Bistro in downtown Napa, dresses his spicy Cajun prawns before sending the dish to a hungry diner. Sean Scully/Register

Ayala and his wife, Anita — who admits to being a Napa Valley foodie (“she loves to eat what I cook”) — have a sevenyear-old daughter, Jade Zahira, who already has informed her parents she intends to be a chef. “Dad, I’m your little chef,” is how she speaks of her duties when she helps her father prepare empanadas at home. She’s also a lover of animals and farming, says her proud father.

A Latin twist Ask chef Bernardo Ayala to describe his restaurant and he’ll tell you it’s “an American bistro with a Latin twist.” He adds that the diner can also find Asian and Italian influences in a few dishes as he tries to accommodate the American melting pot palate.

His mix of American and Mexican comfort food include fish tacos (served at lunch every Wednesday and Thursday with in-house prepared masa), addictive blackened chicken empanadas, mac ‘n’ cheese tossed with English peas and bacon, a popular lamb burger with feta cheese, black Mission fig and pear flatbread and, if you arrive on the right day, corundas — a variety of salty tamale with pork chile verde style found in Michoacan, a specialty of his mother.

Ayala features a number of daily specials each week, ranging from wild king salmon and Dungeness crab in season to Sonoma rack of lamb. Wednesday night is prime rib night at Napa Valley Bistro and a wild game week is planned in November, featuring ostrich and buffalo as main dish items.

Dinner begins with a selection of small plates ranging from a tiny dice of papaya, avocado and asparagus wrapped in rice paper, a refreshing way to hang onto summer. Napped with cucumber sauce and surrounded by peppery watercress, these vegetarian rolls will set you back $9. Other plates ($11-$14) range from halibut and bay shrimp ceviche on blue corn tortilla chips to sea bass and corn cakes served with a red and yellow

pepper salad. Sesame crusted ahi cozies up to Asian slaw, while braised pork belly shares the plate with roasted marble potatoes and an apple bacon compote.

The salads at Napa Valley Bistro are hearty fare ($7-$15), including a toss of freshly picked greens with creamy ranch dressing, roasted organic red and gold beets with feta cheese and red onions, Chinese chicken salad, a classic Caesar and a chopped salad with broccoli, carrots, goat cheese, egg, bacon, avocado, garbnzo beans — everything but the kitchen sink. The kitchen also offers Dungeness crab louie in two sizes ($14, $23).

Main courses range from $13 for the Painted Hills grass fed beef burger to $29 for the grass fed filet mignon served with lemon herb risotto and caramelized shallots. One of the kitchen’s specialities is fried organic chicken with mashed potatoes; another is the crumbled blue corn tortilla crusted halibut over a corn, leek and shiitake succotash. A heritage pork chop comes with a yummy buttermilk leek gratin and apple bacon compote, hanger steak with roasted marble potatoes and wild mushrooms, smoky molasses St. Louis ribs with sweet potato fries and citrus thyme risotto with English peas, asparagus, cherry tomatoes and crispy carrots.

The lunch menu features small plates, salads and a range of sandwiches ($12-$15), including the savory lamb burger, barbecued pork, veggie burger, grilled Reuben, chicken wrap. turkey burger club and bistro burger. Beer battered fish and chips ($15) and garden vegetable farfalle ($17) also also midday options.

Sunday brunch specialties ($12-$17) include smoked salmon Benedict, huevos rancheros, buttermilk pancakes, spinach and Fontina cheese omelette, Dungeness crab cakes with poached eggs, plus chilaquiles and chorizo.

For those with a sweet tooth, chef Ayala and his culinary team offer a variety of desserts ($7-$9) — tres leches and vanilla bean natilla with blueberry and guava compote and cinnamon/nutmeg churros; warm Scharffenbergeer chocolate fudge cake with vanilla ice cream; pear, apple and dried cranberry crumble with vanilla ice cream; and butterscotch pudding with a chocolate wafer and vanilla whipped cream.

The substantial wine list leans heavily on producers from Napa and Sonoma counties. By-the-glass wine Putting the finishing touches on one of his restaurant's popular desserts. Sean options are limited. Local chef Scully/Register Gerry Castro is a member of Ayala’s front of the house team, helping diners with questions about food and wine pairings several days a week and on Sundays.

Napa Valley Bistro opens at 11:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday, serving dinner until 9 p.m., until 9:30 on Friday and Saturday. Brunch is offered Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with the dinner menu avaiable until 9.

The restaurant is located at 975 Clinton St., Napa. For reservations and additional information, call 707-666-2383.

Prager Winery & Port Works

Family Owned & Operated Since 1979

Open Daily 10:30 to 4:30 Tours by Appointment 1281 Lewelling Lane, St. Helena www.PragerPort.com

800-969-PORT • 707-963-PORT 17

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14

Napa Valley Expo • 575 3rd St. in Napa Saturday December

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18

Open 7 Days: M-F 8am-10pm, Sat 8am-8pm, Sun 10am-8pm

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Art, parenthood & community are St. Helena art dealer’s mantra

C

hristopher Hill is an art dealer in St. Helena and a California native. After living and studying in Berkeley, Germany, and Austria, he opened his studio in St. Helena 12 years ago. Now, with four art studios in the Napa Valley and two in Sonoma County, he wants to contribute some of his time to the town that gave him his success.

JOHN INTARDONATO Living in St. Helena as a single parent, and with his daughter, Alexandra, attending St. Helena Elementary, Hill wants to be a bigger part of the community. “I want to give back, now, and help to preserve what we have in this unique town. I would like it to be more than just another repetitive, tourist town,” he said.

Hill said he wants to see St. Helena as a living community, one where the people who own their businesses here, or own homes here, will also make their home address here. “We have a lot of vacant, part time homes,” He said.

“We need to change that.

I’d like to see these people have more than a business interest in the town. They could be an important part of the city and make meaningful contributions if they were fulltime residents.”

His interest, he admits, is personal – to preserve a sense of place for his daughter, now 10.

“Fatherhood always comes first,” Hill said. “But I also cherish the small-town atmosphere we have in St. Helena and its historical sites. I want to keep our buildings as visual references to the past to make our young people relate to their town. Destroying architecture that has been a visual reference for over 10 decades is not positive.”

Hill has become personally involved in the preservation of St. Helena’s historical past. He was involved with the Downtown Renaissance group, and is now a member of the St. Helena Star editorial board, where he hopes to make his positions known.

He also stays busy with his daughter, who he said is an accomplished equestrian.

“We make frequent visits to Rianda House (Senior Activity Center) to keep her involved in good causes. She’s working now to develop a recycling program at her school and contribute the proceeds to the Rianda House fund.” Hill also sponsors a girl’s softball team, called “The Crushers.”

He is fluent in German, and communicates with his daughter in that language when they are at home. “It’s important that she keep 20

Gallery owner Christopher Hill said he and his employees are "very informal -- no suits or ties. We’re what I describe as ‘casually edgy.’" John Intardonato

her second language,” Hill said. “I also try to use good examples every day to show her the results of cause and effect; that is, if you do X then Y will happen. I try to make her understand that results can be positive or negative, depending on what you do, and how you apply them.”

Hill said he is trying to set a positive example by showing his daughter that he also has a commitment to his community. “I live here, I work here, and I should participate here,” he said emphatically. “I think it’s my responsibility as a resident.”

He admits that keeping St. Helena as a heritage site is a challenge. “The Chamber of Commerce here has named me ‘The Opinionator,’ and I suppose I am. Hopefully my work is educational.”

Three problems facing St. Helena, he said, are redundancy, traffic, and too many vacant homes, all of which are negatives on the community and future generations.

“Even if we are a tourist based economy, there is no reason why we can’t keep our traditions. People come here for our uniqueness.

Why do we want to make ourselves like Laguna Beach, Carmel,

or Healdsburg? We need to maintain our own identity, not just be a repetition.” Hill wants to keep the charm that has kept people visiting St. Helena. “Attempting to redirect the town’s style like so many other towns are doing will make us redundant, not unique.”

While Hill knows you cannot force people to live in a home they own, one answer he proposes is to apply a real estate transfer tax on all home purchases within the city. The tax would remain if the property is kept as a seasonal home or a rental. “It would be like a tax credit that the owners would get back if they move permanently to the property.”

He wants to do more about the traffic issue, but Hill admits that many of these problems are controlled by Napa County and Caltrans. “When new winery projects are approved by the county and outside the city’s limits we are always affected but have no vote, and can’t do anything about it,” he said.

He proposes that St. Helena make a greater attempt to be involved in planning done outside the city on issues that will affect city residents. “We’re limited to what we can do to private land. I’m personally a big fan of round-a-bouts. With many more rooms being built in south valley, mostly for tourists who plan to drive up here, I would like to see passenger trains on the Wine Train tracks to carry those visitors. That would save a lot of car traffic and (solve) parking problems, and make the visitors’ time here more enjoyable.”

Hill moved to St. Helena in 2002 to open the Christopher Hill Gallery on Main Street. Now he has a total of six galleries in wine country, including venues at three wineries, Peju Province Winery in Rutherford, Frank Family Vineyards in Calistoga and the Gary Farrell

Winery in Healdsburg. He also maintains studio space in Yountville and Healdsburg.

Hill said he opened his second-floor studio in St. Helena in September, 2002. “I had just turned 31, and we were still in a recession because of the events of 911 the year before and the tech fall out,” he said. “Most of my friends gave me six months at best.

And that was it. They said I was just a young whippersnapper and times were tough. And then they added that the tourists just won’t come to an upstairs location.”

But Hill not only made it through that terrible period, but survived the 2008 meltdown, as well, which was on a global scale. “By then a lot of our clients had lost their disposable income to buy art, but I still managed. So my mantra is if I can survive and expand during those tough times, I can make it anytime.”

Born in Berkeley, Hill lived in Germany when his father was in the service. He returned as an adult, and began his career in Graz, Austria at age 27. “We like to think we’re more of a European gallery. We’re eclectic, not cliché,” he said. “We offer much more than vineyard scenes. And we’re very informal – no suits or ties.

We’re what I describe as ‘casually edgy.’

His exhibits have featured as many as 35 to 40 different artists, mostly from California, Austria and Germany. His link with wineries, he said, is an arrangement to allow people to enjoy great art while enjoying great wine. “I think it gives our visitors a greater experience.

I think keeping our town’s unique past, also gives them that special experience.

The Gallery in St. Helena.

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Special Advertising Section

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Gift Guide — 22

MASSAGE ENVY SPA 3365 Solano Ave, Napa 707 / 255-8000 www.massageenvy.com

Special Advertising Section

Holiday Gift Ideas

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Custom House Furniture 706 Trancas Street, Napa 707 / 224-5544 www.customhousefurniture.com

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PoPe Valley Winery 6613 Pope Valley Rd – Pope Valley 707-965-1246 www.popevalleywinery.com

Mario’s Napa Valley 1223 Main St St. Helena 707-963‐1603 www.mariosnapavalley.com

Gift Guide — 23

Special Advertising Section

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Studio Phyzz 1115 Jordan Lane Napa 707-224-8033 www.StudioPhyzz.com

Carneros Premium Wines

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Santa’S HelperS Holiday Gift faire Napa Valley Expo, 575 3rd Street, Napa December 13th & 14th SantasHelpersNapa.com

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BOUCHAINE

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Gift Guide — 24

Napa School of MuSic 4032 Maher Street Napa 707-252-4040 www.schoolofmusic.com

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Copperfield’s Books Napa 3740 Bel Aire Plaza 707-252-8002 www.copperfieldsbooks.com

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Anette’s ChoColAtes 1321 First St. & inside Oxbow Public Market 707-252-4228 ext. 1 www.anettes.com

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Gift Guide — 25

Special Advertising Section

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Chardonnay Hall - Napa Valley Expo 707-252-4050 www.SueFPayneJewelryDesign.com

Napa’s largest selection of cigars

Prager Winery & Port Works 1281 Lewelling Lane St Helena 963‐7678 www.pragerport.com

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Israel Valencia - Infinity Visuals

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Napa Cigars

1147 1st Street, Downtown Napa 707-251-1513 www.napacigars.net

Gift Guide — 26

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DowNtowN Joe’S 920 Main St., Napa 707-258-2337 DowntownJoes.com

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IronHorse Home

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1537 W. Imola Ave., Napa 707-255-5544 www.sweeneyssports.com

Stay Warm with Regency Fireplaces

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NAPA WOODSTOVES 1527 Silverado Trail, Napa 707 / 255-6854 www.napawoodstoves.com

Surface MaSterS, INc. 595 Soscol Ave, Napa 707-257-2711 www.surfacemastersinc.com

Gift Guide — 27

Special Advertising Section

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Frati Gelato CaFe 670 Main Street., Napa 707-265-0265 FratiGelatoCafe.com

Cookie Jars

We have a huge selection!

Shackford’S NAPA’S KITCHEN STORE 1350 Main St., Napa 707-226-2132

Gift Guide — 28

Model Bakery Napa & St. Helena 707-259-1128/ 963-8192 www.modelbakery.com

Gift Certificates make it possible

to find the perfect treasure!

Tews Treasures ConsignmenT 1774 Industrial Way, Ste. D, Napa Near Trancas Street 707-226-8397

Special Advertising Section

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Lainey’s Furniture For Living 395-A East Monte Vista Ave, Vacaville 707-449-6385 www.laineysfurniture.com

Napa’s Bullion Dealer Napa’

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Buck Factory outlet 4680 East Second Street, Ste. C Benicia 707 745-5933 Lic. #880285 www.calcomfort.com

Your Holiday Sporting Store

Collectible Coins

Wine Country Coin Gold & Silver 1455 West Imola Ave. Napa 707-265-6500 Lic#28021052

Gift Certificates Available

29 OutdOOr Gear 3421 Broadway E-3 American Canyon 707-647-5211 www.29outdoorgear.com

Gift Guide — 29

Special Advertising Section

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RistoRante La stRada 6240 Napa-Vallejo Hwy. 29 American Cyn 707-226-3027 www.lastradanapa.com

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OldTOwn FurniTure Vacaville 707-449-9710 Santa Rosa 707-575-8287 www.oldtownfurnitures.com

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HIRED HANDS INC. HOMECARE 1754 2nd St. Napa 707-265-6400 www.HiredHandsHomecare.com

Gift Guide — 30

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Romeo VineyaRds & CellaR 1224 Lincoln Ave Calistoga 707-942-8239 www.romeovineyards.com

Special Advertising Section

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JACKIE’S CONSIGNMENTS 2497 Solano Avenue, Napa 707 / 252-6832 www.jackiesconsignments.com

5” Random Orbit Palm Sander

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Foster Lumber Yards

Napa: 707-253-1333 Vallejo: 707-557-3000 • Fairfield: 707-425-3400 www.fosterlumber.com

AngellAsh BeAuty nAil sAlon 3479 Broadway St. American Canyon 707-400-9005

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ABC MusiC 739 First Street Benicia 707-746-7565 www.ABCMusicstores.com

Gift Guide — 31

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Volunteers serve up free Thanksgiving dinner in Calistoga TOM STOCKWELL Kerri Hammond Abreu has been organizing Thanksgiving dinner for hundreds of Calistogans for the past eight years.

The free dinner – complete with turkey, cranberries, potatoes and pie – has been a gift that she and her loyal group of volunteers have been hosting each year at the Butler Building at the Napa County Fairgrounds.

But the tradition of holding Thanksgiving at the Butler Building may be in jeopardy this year as the fairgrounds has tripled the rent of the venue. “We’re going to do it,” Abreu said. “But we’re still figuring out how to make it work financially.” She said she’s considering moving the event to the new high school cafeteria.

She’s also accepting donations to defray the cost of holding the feast. “It’s difficult this year,” she said. “I completely understand why the fairgrounds needs to increase the rent. It just makes the financial aspects of holding Thanksgiving there difficult. I’m investigating all options.”

Abreu said that volunteers are always needed. “We need people to help set up and decorate,” she said. “And people to serve, and people to clean up. It’s not that hard if everyone chips in.”

Asked how she initially began organizing the event Abreu said she remembers the day that Silvia Marciano came into Abreu’s hair salon and told her the Marciano tradition of holding

34

Kerri Hammond-Abreu, who runs 'Kerri's Ultimate Cuts' salon in Calistoga, has been orchestrating the community Thanksgiving dinner for the last eight years. Tom Stockwell/St. Helena Star

the event was in jeopardy. “She said that Pete was too ill,” Abreu recalled. “And she was upset because she hadn’t found someone to carry on the tradition.” For Abreu, who had grown up in Calistoga, it was a sad state of affairs. She said she started wondering if maybe she could take it over. “The more I thought about it, the more I started to like the idea that I could do this.”

Abreu called up her mother, Elizabeth Hammond and got her take on the logistics. “You can do it,” Abreu remembered her mom saying, and Abreu got a lot of advice about what needed to be done. She called up her sister, too, and asked if she might be able to help.

She even went home and asked her children. “Well, maybe,” she remembered her kids saying. With that encouragement, Abreu held her first Thanksgiving dinner in 2006. The food was donated, and volunteers decorated, cooked, served and then cleaned up.

It was a rousing event, and over 100 free dinners were served to whomever signed up. About 20 dinners were sent out to those who could not come to the Butler Building. Now it’s a tradition for Calistoga – a tradition started by Silvia Marciano, but carried on by Abreu and volunteers: A free Thanksgiving feast.

For Abreu, the idea of a community feast is pretty simple.

“Calistoga has three mobile home parks,” she said. “And there’s a significant population of older people that don’t get out much.”

But why did she think a community event at Thanksgiving was important?

She thought for a moment and then said, “I think there’s no greater gift than not being alone for Thanksgiving. When I see everyone show up, greeting each other, and then sitting down to a Thanksgiving meal, it just seems right.”

Graham ("Jonesy") Jones and Tony McBeardsley prepared the newly arrived turkeys at the Napa County Fairgrounds last year in the Butler Pavilion on Thanksgiving. Tom Stockwell/St. Helena Star

If you wish to volunteer or to donate food you can call Abreu at 942-9230. If you wish to make a donation, send a check made out to Calistoga Community Thanksgiving Dinner and send it to P.O. Box 1210, Calistoga, CA 94515.

Custom Framing • Prints • Framed art

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1518 Trancas St., Napa • (707) 257-6072 Locally Owned & Operated

Mon-Fri 10:00 to 6:00, Sat 10:00 to 4:00 www.framesforlessnapa.com 35

Napa Valley Holiday Events Christmas is a season of traditions, filling each of us with special memories that warm our hearts and bring us closer to friends and relatives. For some, it means a turkey dinner and all the trimmings, with the whole family together at Grandma’s. For others, it’s taking the kids to pick out the Christmas tree that will be the highlight of the house; a repository of gifts that will be the focus of discussion and anticipation for weeks to come. Maybe it’s the immediate family and special friends, sharing hot chocolate with cookies around the fireplace on Christmas Eve, with permission granted to pick out and open just one gift.

As a community, Downtown Napa has riches of traditions, some new, some older, all that the whole family can enjoy. As you start making Holiday plans, consider adding some or all of the following.

And Happy Holidays from your neighbors, the downtown merchants.

May you make only good memories this Holiday season.

Ice Skating Second and Coombs Streets From Nov. 8 to Jan. 11, children of all ages and those young at heart will be able to ice skate in downtown Napa. The 6,300-squarefoot outdoor rink has stainless steel railings, a quality ice surface, a real Zamboni, hot chocolate, and your favorite Christmas music.

Situated in the parking lot at the north east corner of Coombs and Second streets, the rink will be open until 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and until 8 p.m. on Sundays. It opens at noon when school is out, 2 p.m. when students are in class. Skating is only $12 per person, which includes skate rentals. More information is available at Napaonice.com.

Napa’s Christmas Tree Lighting Wednesday, Nov. 26, 6 p.m.

Veterans Park, NE corner of Third and Main The kids are home from school and the family is in town to spend Thanksgiving at your house. Join your neighbors the night before in Veterans Park, when Mayor Jill Techel lights the 29-foot-tall Christmas tree. Free hot chocolate from Downtown Joe’s and cookies from Sweetie Pies Bakery are a perfect accompaniment as you enjoy children performing holiday singing and dancing. Of course, it’s free and open to the public. Bring your skates, and enjoy the rink before or after the tree lighting.

The annual Christmas tree lighting downtown, right after Thanksgiving, marks the start of the season in Napa.

Napa’s Christmas Parade Saturday, Nov. 29, 5 p.m.

First and Second Streets between Franklin and Main Streets

The theme of the 52nd Annual Christmas parade is “Tis the Season,” which lends itself to all kinds of creative interpretations. Napans build floats, decorate cars, animals and children, and march down the street. Participants are encouraged to decorate using lights, with a prize of $500 going to the entry that the judges think does that better than anyone else.

A second $500 prize goes to the entry that best follows the parade Christmas parade entrants are encouraged to decorate their cars and theme.

This year’s parade Grand Marshal floats with Christmas lights; the best example can earn a $500 prize. is Anette Yazidi, owner of Anette’s 36

Chocolates. And if all Napans have been good girls and boys, there is a chance that Santa Claus himself will show up. It’s all free and all fun.

Carriage Rides Thursdays, Dec. 4, 11, and 18, 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Outside the Napa River Inn, at the NW corner of First & Coombs Enjoy free horse drawn carriage rides through downtown Napa. It’s one of the best ways to enjoy the Holiday lights on all the buildings, see what the Christmas windows look like in the stores, and just snuggle with the family. One carriage leaves the Historic Napa Mill on each of the scheduled nights; a second one departs from Coombs Plaza at First and Coombs Street during the same time. Ride either or both – there are two separate routes, with each route lasting about twenty minutes. Spend the time between rides shopping and dining in beautiful downtown Napa. If you enjoy it, come back the following week with your neighbors.

Holiday Trolley Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, Dec. 5-21, 3 to 6 p.m.

Stops at Main and Pearl, Napa River Inn, Coombs at Second (across from the ice rink) and First at Randolph.

Everyone can enjoy a free trolley ride downtown. Bring the family, friends or anybody else you’d like. The Christmas-decorated trolley will be playing music of the season as it travels between four regular stops: at the Oxbow Public Market, Historic Napa Mill, First and School Streets near the Andaz Hotel, and at Main and Pearl Streets.

Signage will show you exactly where to get off and on. Enjoy the whole loop at one time, or get on and off as you wish.

Santa’s Helpers Holiday Gift Faire Sat., Dec. 13 10a.m. - 5p.m. and Sun., Dec. 14, 11a.m. - 4p.m.

Napa Valley Expo, 575 Third Street, Napa Terrific shopping awaits at the 23rd Annual Holiday Gift Faire at the Napa Valley Expo, 575 Third St. in Napa. Visit more than 90 booths, dine on delicious food and enjoy the carolers while sipping on hot apple cider. Free admission and free parking. Additional information is available at santashelpersnapa.com.

Reception Kicks Off Photo Exhibit “Jerry’s Eye,” an exhibit featuring the photos of Jerry Peil, will begin with a reception at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13, at the St. Helena Library. A member of the Calistoga Camera Club, Peil’s eye became discerning from years of making short films. Free. For details: SHPL. org or 962-5244.

Symphonic Wind Concert at PUC Arist-in-Residence Asher Raboy, the longtime conductor of the Napa Valley Symphony, will conduct the Pacific Union College Symphonic Wind Ensemble in its fall concert at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, at Paulin Hall Auditorium on the PUC campus in Angwin. Free.

For details: puc.edu/calendar.

Firefighters Bingo & Raffle in Calistoga The Calistoga Firefighters Association is holding their 76th Annual Bingo and Raffle Night on Saturday, Nov. 15 at the Napa County Fairgrounds. The fundraising event is held every year to collect money to assist the Calistoga Fire Department with funding for some of the needed emergency equipment around the fire station. The

money also supports community scholarship funds, cancer fundraisers and other youth programs.

The Art of Calligraphy Part two of Victoria Johnson’s calligraphy workshop will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19, at Rianda House Senior Activity Center, 1475 Main St. in St. Helena. Johnson’s “who’s who” of celebrity clients proves that the art of personalizing your wedding invitations, table settings, poems and other written work is still in style. Samples of her work are available at InkwellCalligraphy. com. Admission is free, with a suggested donation of $5. RSVP to 963-8555.

From Bach to Glass and Back Symphony Napa Valley, featuring the return of Belgian vocalist and conductor Michael Guttman, will present “From Bach to Glass and Back” at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 23, at the Napa Valley Performing Arts Center at Lincoln Theater. The program will include string orchestra pieces by Bach, Mozart, Mendelssohn and Glass. Tickets are $25$55 and you can get more information at LincolnTheater.com.

Latino Artists in California “Inherit: Latino Artists in California,” featuring Latino artists whose work portrays Latino culture, history and influence on American culture, continues through Nov. 30 at the Napa Valley Museum, 55 Presidents Circle in Yountville. The exhibit is presented in partnership with Latino Heritage Month and Somos Napa. Featured artists include Dionisio, Frances Ortiz Chavez, Israel Valencia, Joann Ortega Snowden, Jose Hernandez, Juan Diaz, Lewis de Soto, Malaquias Montoya, Oscar Aguilar Olea, Rupert Garcia and Susann Ortega. For details call 944-0500 or go to NapaValleyMuseum.org.

Pink Martini Goes to the Symphony Pink Martini will bring its cross-genre brand of classical/Latin/jazz/ pop to a Holiday Pops performance with Symphony Napa Valley at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, at the Napa Valley Performing Arts Center and Lincoln Theater. For details go to LincolnTheater.com.

Pacific Union College’s music ensembles will perform a Christmas concert at 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, at the PUC Church in Angwin.

The concert will feature the PUC Chorale and “I Cantori” under the direction of Bruce Rasmussen. Admission is free. See puc.edu/ calendar for more information.

Vineyard Valley Singers Perform The Vineyard Valley Singers, led by Maggie O’Fallon, will perform holiday tunes and lead and sing-along on the afternoon of Wednesday, Dec. 10, at the Carnegie Building, 1360 Oak Ave. in St. Helena. Refreshments will be provided. Admission is free. Please RSVP to 963-8555.

‘Amadeus’ at Lincoln Theater Celebrate the 30th anniversary of the film “Amadeus” with a Merry Mozart party featuring live music, seasonal drinks and appetizers at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, at the Napa Valley Performing Arts Center at Lincoln Theater, 100 California Drive in Yountville. Sir Neville Marriner, the founder of the famed Academy of St. Martins in the Fields Orchestra who was credited as music supervisor for the film, will share the backstory of the Oscar-winning movie. A screening of the film will follow.

The celebration will continue with Marriner conducting Symphony Napa Valley and internationally renowned violinist Dmitry Sitkovetsky in a performance of music from the film and other Mozart masterworks at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14. For more details visit LincolnTheater.com.

Photos on Display at Rianda House The photography of Linda Williamson will be on display through Dec. 31 at Rianda House Senior Activity Center, 1475 Main St. in St. Helena. The center is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Admission is free. Go to RiandaHouse.org or call 963-8555 for more information.

New Year’s Eve Bash in Calistoga Celebrate! Napa Valley’s all-inclusive New Year’s Eve Bash will be held Wednesday, Dec. 31, at the Napa County Fairgrounds.

Experience a night of fine dining in downtown Calistoga, then hop on the courtesy shuttle to the Fairgrounds Events Center where guests will enjoy a premium open bar, over-the-top dessert bar, late-night munchies, and dancing to classic party tunes performed by Night Fever. Count down to midnight with friends, family and Schramsberg sparkling wines.

And at the conclusion of the evening, let the complimentary shuttle safely deliver you to your Calistoga destination.

‘King Lear’ at Lincoln Theater The Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre Production of “King Lear” will be performed at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, at the Napa Valley Performing Arts Center at Lincoln Theater. The show features eight actors playing multiple roles, and stars Joseph Marcell of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” as the betrayed king, more sinned against than sinning. Tickets are $25-$65. For more information go to NapaShakes.org.

Bootleggers Ball Benefits Museum Celebrate the 81st anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition with a Bootleggers Ball at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, at the Napa Valley Museum, 55 Presidents Circle in Yountville. There will be live music, cocktails and 1920s-inspired food, with proceeds benefiting the museum. Tickets are $45, or $35 for museum members. Please RSVP to georgene@napavalleymuseum.org or 944-0500.

Community Band Plans Concerts The Saint Helena Community Band will perform Christmas concerts at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, in the Heritage Room at the Yountville Community Center, and at the Inglenook Winery open house on Dec. 7 in Rutherford.

Christmas Concert At Puc 37

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40

50+ Years and Still Going Strong SEAN SCULLY If you have picked up a printed edition of the Napa Valley Register anytime since the Eisenhower Administration, Mrs. Nalley has been a part of your life.

Nearly every edition of the Register since July 22, 1957 has featured Mrs. Nalley’s work, though you’d be hard-pressed to find her name anywhere in print.

On that first day, a 24-year-old Geraldine “Gerri” Nalley walked into the old Register building on First Street and secured a job helping prepare ads for the paper. She later went on to sketch out the daily layout of ads, meaning most editions of the Register in the past 50 years have, in some sense, been designed by her hand.

Now, at 81, Mrs. Nalley is the longest-serving Register employee, a living link to another era in journalism, perhaps even another era in American culture. And she has no desire to quit what she’s doing.

“I don’t like sitting at home,” she said recently, designing the next day’s edition at her desk in the Register’s temporary offices, which substitute for the building damaged in the August earthquake.

“Here I can talk to my friends and everything. It’s interesting and it keeps me going – I’d rather not be at home twiddling my thumbs.”

Mrs. Nalley – the only employee of the Register who is routinely addressed with an honorific rather than a first name – started in an era that is almost incomprehensible to today’s journalists.

In those days, articles and advertisements were assembled by hand. She and a team of advertising reps and clerks had to design and type up ads themselves. Among her first tasks was combing through huge books and folders full of stock art to illustrate the ads – pulling out tiny pictures of common items from clothing to furniture and automobiles. Those tiny pictures were sent back to the “composing room,” where another team would assemble the words and pictures into an ad. Mrs. Nalley and others on the ad team would then hand carry copies of those ads to the store owners for their approval before the next day’s paper went to press.

She later went on to laying out the ads on the page, handdrawing mockups on a piece of paper known as a “dummy.”

Those dummies show page designers the space they have available for stories and photos.

The dummies are prepared on computer these days, but Mrs. Nalley still hand-draws a daily cover sheet that describes the layout of the paper, just as she has done for decades.

While Mrs. Nalley appreciates the speed and versatility of the computer, she says she misses the camaraderie of that manual era.

Gerry “Mrs.” Nalley has been working in the advertising office for over 50 years.

Sean Scully/Register

“It was really hard work back then,” she said. “I really enjoyed the closeness with the sales people; they were really involved.”

In the old building, Mrs. Nalley’s second-floor office looked out on the intersection of First and Coombs, right at the heart of downtown, where she could watch the pulse of the town. But, she recalls, there was no air conditioning, making it intolerably hot during the summers.

When the new building on Second Street opened in the late ‘60s, the building came with air conditioning, and a new-fangled conveyer belt to carry the ads back to the composing room, the first of a long line of technological conveniences that have revolutionized the business.

Mrs. Nalley has been through dozens of publishers, editors, and sales representatives. She’s seen the Register at its best and at its worst, including power outages, near disastrous floods, and the devastation of the Aug. 24 earthquake.

“If Mrs. Nalley were to share all her Register secrets, we could sell an extra thousand copies,” said City Editor Kevin Courtney, a relative youngster at the paper with just 41 years of service.

41

Today, ads are no longer pieced together by hand, but rather drawn on computer. The dummies, too, are built electronically and distributed to editors and page designers by email. And there is no more smoking and drinking in the newsroom either.

Mrs. Nalley has seen the creation and rise of the Internet.

She seems resigned to the shift from the printed page to the electronic screen.

“That’s just the way it is; that’s the way things are going now,” she said with a shrug. “It’s all moving to technology.”

Register Publisher Brenda Speth, pays tribute to Mrs. Nalley’s longevity in such a rapidly changing business.

“I admire Mrs. Nalley's commitment to the newspaper,” she said. “What is really impressive is how she's kept pace with all of the changes to our business as far as technology.”

Still, Mrs. Nalley misses the old ways. Work was much, much harder then, she said, and more fun too.

“It was just what we had to do and we did it, you know,” she said. “And at the end of the day, we’d all leave and go across the street to the bar.”

There is one major change in journalism that gets Mrs. Nalley’s hearty approval: the increasing participation of women. In 1957, there were no women in the top ranks of the paper other than a “society editor.” Today, more than half of the Register’s editors and top managers are women, including Speth.

“I think it’s great,” Mrs. Nalley said. “They can do the same thing as a man can do – and some can do it better.”

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19 Years of Sharing Nineteen years ago, Sue Payne’s friend, Lorraine Harck asked her if she would host a party in her home, so she could sell her hand-designed Christmas decorations and gift items to all of Sue’s friends. Sue agreed and included some other artists to participate and show their work. It ended up being a very successful, enjoyable evening and the following year, when Sue started designing jewelry, she became one of the participating artists herself. Over the next few years it evolved into an annual event that had become increasingly popular to the point that Sue’s husband asked if she could please move it outside their home as they were attracting a few hundred people each year.

Lorraine and Sue realized they had given birth to an exciting idea and now it was time to get serious about letting it take wings and fly. Sue searched for an affordable location to hold her event, which ended up being the Welcome Grange Hall on Hagen Road in Napa. Lorraine came up with the name “Holiday Shopping Extravaganza” and they put the word out to a variety of artists that focused on quality work. They knew they wanted to offer a unique art/craft show. Sue made sure all the participants made their own creations and they had to be of a finer quality.

As the show progressed, Sue wanted to give back to the community, so in 2005 she invited Napa Valley Hospice and Adult Day Services to have a booth in her event. She asked all the artists to donate a gift item and created a wonderful raffle that allowed anyone a chance to win the selected prize of their choice for a $5 ticket. They could win something that was valued anywhere from $100 up to $2,500, depending on which raffle selection they chose. Through this raffle they raised over $2,000 for Hospice each year.

Every year they had no problem attracting new participants to fill the hall and show their creative talents. There were so many visitors, the parking lot was always full and the customers eventually complained there wasn’t enough room to park. Sue even hired her nephew to help direct cars to find a parking spot.

The hall was so busy with people buying gifts, it was obvious this little show had become an annual favorite.

Artists were calling to be put on a wait list because they had heard it was the best show around. Sue invested endless hours promoting and advertising her event. She didn’t want to just make money on selling booths, she sincerely wanted everyone to be successful. She also wanted her customers to be thrilled with the quality and selection of art and crafts offered. After 14 years of successful shows, it became obvious they had outgrown the Grange Hall. Everyone loved that funky place with all its charm, but it was time to move on, allowing more artists to participate and providing ample parking space for the customers. The Holiday Shopping Extravaganza moved to the Napa Valley Expo in the Cabernet Hall. It wasn’t the largest hall, but it was the perfect size for a quality show that allowed every artist to be seen and have sufficient room to show their exquisite designs.

Being a window displayer for over 32 years, it is important to Sue that her show is decorated in a tasteful, elegant manner.

This new larger hall provided the opportunity for that to happen.

Hand-painted silk banners and icicle lights dazzle above from the rafters. The smell of free hot apple cider and treats, permeates the room. Along with Christmas songs in the background, all of this creates a delightfully irresistible holiday experience.

Even bigger and better now, the show had acquired quite a

following and each year customers come back to shop with their favorite artists and see which new ones have been added.

Sue said she’s always delighted to see the surprise on the faces of new customers that have never attended her show before.

They have no idea it’s not going to be the normal craft show and that there is such an amazing selection of exciting artists to experience.

“Every year people stop at my booth just to thank me for having such a wonderful event,” she said. “That makes it all worthwhile.”

With all the artists in place for the upcoming 19th Annual Holiday Extravaganza, sadly the August 24 earthquake took its toll on the well-loved Cabernet Hall. The Napa Valley Expo generously offered the Chardonnay Hall to house the 2014 event. Sue didn’t even skip a beat and went right back into show-mode, knowing they will still be able to have the same quality event.

“There’s no way we’re not going to have this show,” Sue said.

“I feel we’re offering the best and most unique artists we’ve ever had in the past 18 years. The show will absolutely go on! Both the artists and our customers would be disappointed if it didn’t.”

For this year’s show, Sue is including some youth singing groups to participate in the festivities. The Holiday Shopping Extravaganza dates are Friday, Dec. 5, noon to 7 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 6, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. She invites all of you to come and experience this uniquely joyous event and be sure to bring your family and friends.

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Coffee and cocktails: Firelit adds a 'third-wave' coffee liqueur to the world of spirits

S

avoring a cocktail made with Firelit coffee liquor, one might not realize the long road it traveled to the glass.

Firelit is a coffee liqueur developed by Jeff Kessinger of Firelit Spirits, and produced in Napa. Kessinger utilizes local roasters to provide the cold-brewed base, most recently Charlie Sange of Napa Valley Coffee Roasting Company. Several local restaurants use Firelit to create signature cocktails, including Fagiani's. File Photo/Register

SASHA PAULSEN Jeff Kessinger had been working 14 years for a Bay Area wine distributor when he noticed “a hole in the market place” — a coffee liqueur that would appeal to the growing ranks of coffee aficionados.

“People are really into coffee,” he said, “but most of what was out there, in coffee liquors, was like syrup — made with instant coffee,” he said.

This was hardly something to appeal to the prevailing “third-wave” of coffee connoisseurs. “The first wave was what your mother made,” Kessinger said. That would be the stuff from a can of Yuban.

The second wave came in with vendors like Peet’s, which originated in Berkeley and launched a revolution of coffee conscientiousness.

The third wave travels beyond the once-trendsetting Peet’s, with coffee-drinkers seeking out products where the details of the beans, the roasting and brewing elevate the morning cup of joe experience to an “artisinal experience” right up there with wine, cheese, bread and salumi.

“People are trying to be the first with something new,” Kessinger reflected. But with the popularity of cocktails on the rise, the absence of a premium coffee liqueur called for a response, he said.

He had one drawback. “I had no money but I had an idea,” he said.

On the other hand, he also realized he had an advantage in the customer base he had built throughout the Bay Area from his years as a distributor. If he could create the product, he would have a network of contacts and possible places to sell it.

He began to experiment. From James Freeman, the owner of the trendy, third-wave Blue Bottle Coffee, he learned the art of cold-brewing, a time-consuming process that produces a different, slightly sweeter flavored coffee because the different chemical reaction that occurs as compared to the standard brewing method that uses boiling water.

Kessinger used this cold-brewed coffee as the basis for his liqueur. He decided he would make his product in small batches, with beans from one origin. As he got good reviews from tasters, he 47

became satisfied that he had, indeed, hit upon a premium, distinctive product. Now, he just had to get it out to the world.

“I calculated that I needed $8,000,” Kessinger said. He found unexpected support from a friend, Marcus Urani, a musician, who plays keyboard in the reggae band, Groundation. Urani offered to front the money, telling Kessinger, ‘It drives me nuts when people have ideas and don’t pursue them.’ It drives me nuts, too,” Kessinger noted.

“I’ve had a lot of people help me along the way,” he added. This, he said, includes Napa Valley Coffee Roasting Company, which roasts his small batch coffee to his specifications and cold-brews his coffee.

He also includes Casey Escher, his current landlord of his manufacturing space, Phez Park, in south Napa. “He is so cool and understanding, and he went way over and above in being patient and accommodating,” Kessinger said.

His business partner and childhood friend Tyler Warrender designed a website and a hand-stamped label describing the origins of the coffee for that particular batch, and Firelit Coffee Liqueur was ready to be introduced to the world.

The first reviews were strong and positive. “Coffee geeks will go bananas for this coffee liqueur,” wrote Wine Enthusiast as it named Firelit to its list of the top 50 spirits of 2011. Firelit “retains all the nuance and glory of fine coffee,” Virginia Miller wrote in the San Francisco Bay Guardian.

Praise came in from European tasters, as well. “We think they say it tastes good,” Kessinger commented of a lengthy review in German in Lecker Food Magazine.

Locally, bartenders joined the praise and added Firelit to their stocks. In Napa, The Thomas at Fagianis is making a “Stinger& Buzz” drink with Firelit, while at the Napkins bar, bartender Nick

Jeff Kessinger of Firelit Spirits, left, has worked with Charlie Sange of Napa Valley Coffee Roasting Company, right, to create his most recent batch of Firelit. File photo/Register

Petrakis created a “Morning Margarita.” (Napkins, currently closed by earthquake damage, reports that it is working as quickly as possible to reopen). In St. Helena, Goose and Gander’s Vincent Lee serves up “Cafe Fumado.”

If you want to mix your own cocktails, Firelit is available locally at Dean and Deluca in St. Helena and Val's Liquors in Napa.

The 60-proof liqueur “goes down real smooth,” Kessinger said.

“You can shoot it in the morning. But don’t drink it late at night.”

More information about Firelit coffee liqueur can be found on the website, FirelitSpirits.com.

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Couple bring a taste of Turkey to Napa

I

f Naciye Torun had grown up with stores nearby she might never have become the magician with food that she is today.

ROSEMARIE KEMPTON Fortunately, for anyone who is lucky enough to taste her mouth-watering Mesopotamian dishes, she grew up in a small village in Turkey where she learned cooking skills from her Kurdish mother.

At the age of 12, Torun was at her mother’s side helping prepare the meals. Her mother taught her the names of ingredients and passed along the recipes that had been handed down from mother to daughter for generations. An older sister also helped Torun with her hands-on culinary education.

Without buying their food from stores, the women created all their meals from what was available locally and processed food was a foreign concept.

“There were no stores to go to. I grew up not seeing cars.

When the bulldozers came to make a road we all went out to look – men, women, children. Now it is different there. People have electricity and phones,” said Naciye Torun, who, along with her husband, M. Sid Torun, owns and operates M.S. Winery and Olive Oil plus a bed and breakfast on their 42-acre property in Napa.

In Xasko, the village she grew up in, women cooked over fire. Nun sele, a type of bread, was the first thing a young girl was taught to make.

“Kurdish cooks don’t use lots of spices. People go out to the mountains and grab herbs from the mountain. They dry the herbs or use them fresh,” said Torun.

“Every season has its own dishes. In spring, people climb the mountains and pick ‘gullik.’ It comes up in March and April. It is close to asparagus.”

“They pick ‘garri’ when the snow has almost melted.

Mushrooms come underneath a large herb. They are out of this world delicious. This time of year, we eat out of the garden.”

Those who have eaten her food while visiting the couple’s M.S. Torun Family Vineyard Bed and Breakfast in Napa compare her meals favorably to the famous French Laundry restaurant. They tell their

Naciye (right) with her husband, Sid.

friends to eat at “the Kurdish Laundry” where they can enjoy her 22-course breakfasts or 12-course dinners.

“I love to cook. I recommend cooking everything from scratch.

It gives food more flavor. It is fresh and healthy,” said Torun.

Last week, her husband, who grew up in Conag, a village that was 15 minutes walking distance from Naciye’s village, helped prepare the 10-course afternoon meal.

He gathered fresh eggs from the barn, brought vegetables from the garden and helped his wife in other ways.

“I do what she tells me,” Torun said. “The old Kurdish people respect the ladies in the home. Kurdish culture places women in high regard. I will give you an example.

“In Kurdish regions, political positions are held by both sexes:

Naciye and her family keep bees to provide fresh homey for her recipes.

51

a male incumbent and a female co-incumbent. This is done so women can actively have a voice in the community and policy making. I believe Kurds are the only group of people in the world that have this requirement.”

The Toruns and their three children were forced to leave Turkey for their safety.

“It was an uncomfortable time for Kurds in Turkey, “said Turon, referring to 1989-92.

He had run an unsuccessful campaign for mayor of Kartal, a suburb of Istanbul with a population of 2.5 million at the time. Becoming well-known was “not an asset for a Kurdish businessmen.” Of the 120 successful Kurdish businessmen killed in their area during that time, four were his close friends.

After arriving in America, the family initially lived in Atlanta, Georgia, where he worked for Home Depot’s Expo Design and she became an executive chef for Kroger’s.

Using Kroger’s recipes, designed for American taste buds, she quickly distinguished herself when her kitchen, one of 5,000 in the company’s stores, was ranked eighth in popularity. After leaving Atlanta, she was executive chef for Andronico’s in Palo Alto.

These days, she prepares ample breakfasts and dinners for guests at the couple’s bed and breakfast as well as for people

Naciye preparing a dish.

52

who call to make reservations.

Visitors enjoy tasting the homemade cheeses, olives, jams and wines in addition to her dishes made from secret family recipes, the couple said, adding that more than 90 percent of the ingredients in her food come from their own property.

“Everything in the meal came from our property except the quinoa and chickpeas. Only the poor people planted ‘garis,’ (quinoa) in our village. We were the poorest so we ate it,” said Torun, recalling his childhood poverty, before becoming a successful businessman as an adult.

Naciye makes special jams and other treats from the fruit the couple picks from their trees.

So far, the Toruns have 6,000 grapevines, plus the following trees: 7,000 olive, 400 mulberry, 120 walnut, eight pomegranate, 25 apricot, three pear, four apple, three orange, three lemon, one grapefruit, one quince, three loquat, two pecan, two chestnut, three pistachio, eight fig and many almonds.

In addition, they have their own honey, milk, cheeses and eggs, along with eight goats, two sheep, 13 chickens, two roosters and six partridge.

Their organic garden is filled with seasonal produce as well as herbs such as bay leaf, rosemary, mint, sage and oregano.

Shortly before the meal was served, Naciye made nun sele outside. “I love cooking outdoors,” she said.

Hands flying, she expertly shaped the nun dough, put a little flour underneath and rolled it with a long rolling pin she brought from Turkey. She slapped each piece back and forth between her hands before putting it into a heated, non-oiled pan.

The couple, who became grandparents Sept. 9 to twin boys – Mardan and Avan—treat guests like members of their own family.

Each intricate dish was delicate, leaving a guest feeling light rather than weighed down.

The ‘must u xiyar’ was refreshing with cucumber, yogurt, dill and garlic.

Her husband’s favorite dish was Kheske, made with yellow squash, egg yolk plus other ingredients. “Kids use it like peanut butter to spread on things,” said Torun.

Other dishes included chekiri (with spinach and goat cheese), miseqe (with eggplant, peppers, mushrooms and more), garis (quinoa), sewze (vegetables), Fasilia ter (salad), Xumis (humus), Seleta shivan (Shepherd’s salad), Incir u guz (a fig and walnut desert with honey and cream).

When told that a dish was flavorful and asked for the secret, Naciye laughed and replied that if she told, it wouldn’t be her secret anymore.

Memories of

malfatti

Jim Cronin I was sad to see pictures of the recent earthquake damage to some its beautiful old buildings in Napa. Born in Napa, I spent many an hour in the old Goodman Library as a child on long summer visits with my Italian immigrant grandmother, Luisa (Frugoli Lippi) Gattavara.

Born Luisa Frugoli in poverty in the rocky village of Diecimo, near Lucca in Tuscany, she immigrated to the Bay Area with her husband and three brothers, and raised six sons and daughters in Napa — all of whom I remember with great fondness for the love and attention they showered upon my brothers and me.

While in Napa, we ate more American dishes than Italian ones, but one of Nonna’s recipes was truly spectacular. So to cheer Napans up, post-earthquake, I decided to share some of that love, in the form of Nonna Luisa’s recipe for a legendary dish Napa is known for: malfatti.

Mind you, I’ve wolfed down many malfatti from The Depot Hotel and Lawler’s Deli over the years, and will again the next time I visit, but I have to say that my Nonna’s recipe is superior — by far. So is her two-day sugo that accompanied the malfatti, but any good recipe for sugo or Bolognese sauce will do. No store-bought pasta sauces, please!

We made malfatti and sugo only on special occasions, as they take a lot of time to prepare. I remember sitting with my two aunts and being shown how to delicately shape the malfatti between the palms. One had to use a careful touch to make them airy and light. Too dense, and they hit the stomach like

lead fishing weights. My aunts made fun out of their preparation, so it’s a great dish for involving children, and of course, more hands shorten the time needed for mixing and shaping the malfatti.

While local legend holds that malfatti originated in a Napa restaurant when the fillings of badly made ravioli separated from the pasta in cooking, they are actually a form of gnocchi di spinaci, various forms of which can be found in Italy. During a stay in Merano in South Tyrol/Alto Adige, I found restaurants serving gnochetti di spinaci (small gnocchi of spinach), a more delicate dish than the more robust malfatti recipe here.

So, Napans, on page 65 there’s a traditional dish sure to console.

53

Four Brothers, One Winery:

From left, brothers Nate, Aaron, Jay and Matt Buoncristiani are the owner/ partners of Buoncristiani Family Winery at The Caves at Soda Canyon. J.L. Sousa/Register

The Buoncristianis work together in happy harmony PAUL FRANSON The wine industry contains many colorful, and sometimes contentious, siblings, but few wineries can boast four brothers as owners working together to build the brand. Buoncristiani Family Winery, however, does.

“We’re great friends and work together well,” said the eldest brother, Matt Buoncristiani. All, however, have experience at other wine companies, and only Matt and Nate work at the winery full time.

The company started started in 1999, but the brothers hit a major milestone in early September last year when they started making wine in the Caves at Soda Canyon, a collective winery in caves overlooking Stags Leap District. They are minority owners of that project started and managed by Ryan and Crystal Waugh along with Henry and Olga Patland and Rany and Krys Wulff of Lobo wines.

“Our first sauvignon blanc grapes and first visitors both arrived on Sept. 3,” said Jay. The four brothers were born into a wine-loving Italian-American family in Browns Valley. Their father was a school principal and his family came from near Lucca in Tuscany, their mother a teacher; her family was from Genoa in Liguria.

Every harvest when they were young, the brothers worked alongside their dad in the small vineyard in their back yard. “We learned how to 54

tend the vineyard.” said Matt. “We started making wine in our garage at home for our family and friends to share.”

“It was our way of life,” added Aaron. “Dad never made wine commercially, so it’s great that we can.”

These early hands-on experiences reinforced in each of the brothers a desire to pursue educational and professional opportunities that would enable them to one day make premier wines.

The Four Brothers Matt Buoncristiani, 42 is the managing partner. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in health sciences from St. Mary’s College in Moraga, and a Masters of Science at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania in 1995 in pursuit of a career in cardiac rehabilitation.

While living in San Francisco and working in the medical field, he returned to Napa on the weekends to make wine during the harvest season. After three years working in cardiac rehabilitation, Matt moved to Florence, Italy, where he studied language, wine and “la dolce vita.”

“I sold leather jackets,” he laughed.

When he returned to Napa Valley in 1999, the four brothers established Buoncristiani Family Winery and began managing small vineyards in Napa.

Originally, they both tended vineyards and made wine, but decided

to focus on winemaking and buy grapes except for the three-acre vineyard at Villagio Estates they planted in 1999. “We planted it with some friends. Everyone was trying to figure out what all these gringos were doing planting a vineyard,” said Jay. They now get grapes from growers from Hyde in Carneros to Fisher Vineyard in Calistoga as well as St. Helena, Oak Knoll, Stagecoach on Atlas Peak and other vineyards in the Vaca range, but are also big fans of Coombsville.

Matt worked in wine production at Rudd Estate in Oakville for more than five years before becoming cellar master at Caldwell Winery. He became managing partner in 2009.

Jay Buoncristiani, 40, is the winery’s winemaker, though with their extensive experience, the other brothers are involved. He attended Santa Clara University and received a Bachelor of Science degree in the combined disciplines of chemistry, biology and physics. After graduation in 1996, he returned home to Napa Valley where home winemaking coupled with his job as an enologist at the Hess Collection Winery fueled a passion for the art and science of wine.

By 1999 at 24, Jay and Matt started Buoncristiani Family Winery while remaining at Hess. He was promoted to winemaker in 2001 and stayed until the spring of 2005.

Starting in 2005, he focused on his role as winemaker at Buoncristiani as well as being the consulting winemaker for a few additional wineries, including Krupp Brothers, JKL, Remridg and Patland here as well as Hollywood Classic from a vineyard under the famous sign in southern California.

He was named “Rising Star of Napa Cabernet” by the Wine Spectator.

Jay and his wife have a 5-acre plot in Coombsville, and plan to plant a few acres of grapevines there. They also have 39 130-year-old olive trees, the source of the brands olive oil.

Aaron Buoncristiani, 36, received his Bachelor of Arts degree in film studies at UC Santa Barbara. “I was fascinated with art,” he said. Still, he went into the wine business like his brothers. Working under consulting winemaker Philippe Melka, he started making wines for the Caldwell label in 2002.

In the following year, he was promoted to assistant winemaker. After three years with Caldwell, Aaron joined Melka in a new project to craft ultra premium wines in Napa, including Roy Estate wines. “Philippe makes huge wines, but that’s not necessarily the Buoncristiani styles,” said Aaron. He added, “Roy is my day job.”

Beside wine, Aaron’s passion in life remains the arts. The labels for the Artistico wines feature his art.

Nate Buoncristiani, 34, graduated from Chico State University where he completed his Bachelor of Science degree in business marketing.

The brothers got their bond when Nate was in his second semester of college, but he worked the wine business into many of his studies and projects, like creating a wine business plan for one course. He also studied in northern Italy, where he experienced the origins of the family’s culture and traditions.

He has collaborated on many ideas regarding marketing implications, wine production, sales, product placement and website design. Nate was also assistant cellar supervisor at Black Stallion Winery until he joined the family winery full time in 2013.

Nate does most of the traveling to sell the wine. “He’s the only bachelor,” said Jay. The Caves at Soda Canyon The brothers agreed that the Caves are an exceptional places to make wine and host visitors.

The entrance is via a long drive up Soda Canyon, then up a winding road to the winery in a cave. All operations, including crushing, occur inside the cave. Only part is finished, and Waugh plans to dig out and

Products of the Buoncristiani Family Winery at The Caves at Soda Canyon. J.L. Sousa/Register finish additional space in the future.

Walking out the back portal of the cave, however, is the biggest surprise, for it provides a panoramic view of lower Napa Valley. The operation is almost directly above Regusci Winery, but you would have to be a bobcat or coyote to make the journey.

Above it, on a hill covered with rugged boulders, there’s a small pavilion and space for events. The operation plans a larger pavilion and outdoor kitchen to make the space even more compelling.

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59

Mad Fritz:

Local winemakers make beer

T

here is an old saying in the wine business: “It takes a lot of beer to make great wine.”

PAUL FRANSON For most wine workers, drinking the beer during harvest is enough but after many years of making beer at home, husbandand-wife winemakers Nile Zacherle and Whitney Fisher decided to go into the beer business, too.

They created Mad Fritz Brewery in St. Helena, naming it after their two children Madeleine (Maddie) and Frederick (Fritz).

The process began in 2012, when they decided to take

Mad Fritz offers three kinds of beer right now.

Submitted photo 60

the leap and began by collecting the equipment and finding suppliers. They designed a custom brewing system from winery equipment, and it was fabricated by master metal worker Wayne Burgstahler at Burgstahler Machine Works.

“We use the tools of winemaking to make beer,” Zacherlie said.

In 2014, they found a small space in an industrial park in St. Helena and received a use permit from the city to go with their Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) and state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) permits. They began brewing beers in July.

These aren’t your usual beers, even your usual artisanal beers.

“Most breweries strive to make consistent beers. We like to try new things,” said Zacherlie.

The brews are aged in wood barrels; undergo secondary and even tertiary fermentation rather than being injected with carbon dioxide from a cylinder as is common, and some incorporate unusual ingredients.

The Zacherlies get water from artesian springs and aquifers here in Napa Valley, use single-variety barleys that are micromalted to their specifications and incorporate locally grown hops that are farmed using organic and biodynamic principles.

The hops now come from Lake County. He uses fresh hops when they’re in season as well as frozen hops plus conventional dried pellets.

They even plan to plant barley at Fisher’s family vineyard property, and Zacherlie admits that he’s thinking about doing his own mashing, though that takes some special equipment. That is the process of letting grain sprout to convert starch to sugar, then roasted to stop the growth and impart flavor..

The Zacherlies aren’t alone in their dual passions. Elaine St. Clair at St. Clair Brown Winery in Napa is also a beer-making winemaker; she plans to introduce her beers soon.

Trained to the Job Both partners have long experience in the world of fermented beverages. When he was 18, Nile Zacherle and his father brewed their first batch of beer at home in 1990. Soon he changed his focus from a art and design studying fermentation science at UC Davis. While there, Zacherlie completed the Master Brewers program and passed the two-day exam issued by the Institute of Brewing and Distilling in 1996.

After an internship at a Napa winery doing small lot winemaking and research, he returned to UC Davis to finish his degree. He subsequently worked in wineries in Australia, France and Napa Valley.

He met Whitney when they worked at the same winery, and they have been making wine since 2000. Zacherlie makes wine for David Arthur Vineyards and Montagna Napa Valley on Pritchard Hill in the Napa Valley.

He was also hired to assist Dr. Michael Lewis in teaching the brewing classes at UC Davis, and interned at several small pub breweries. He graduated in 1997 and brewed at Anderson

Valley Brewing Company in Boonville for a year and a half.

“Brewing lost some of its appeal,” he said. “The object was to be consistent.”

Whitney Fisher’s family, heirs to the General Motors’ Body

by Fisher legacy, owns Fisher Vineyards in the Mayacamas Mountains, which they started in 1973. Fisher was raised sipping grape juice while viewing sugar readings through a refractometer.

That led her to study molecular biology at Princeton, though she graduated with a degree in American history, then returned to her family’s winery in 1999.

She now manages 75 acres of vineyards in Napa and Sonoma Counties as well as managing winemaking from harvest to bottle.

The couple also make Zacherlie and Unity Wines.

The Brews All of the beers are named after Aesop’s fables, and all have some interesting twists.

The Fool and the Cart is an India Pale Ale. It’s one of the brewers’ favorite styles, but they said they wanted something different.

“We tossed our old recipes out the window after working with an heirloom variety of hop that was resurrected by our local hop grower in Lake County,” Zacherlie said. “It has some crystal malt although is mainly single malt Copeland variety. We bumped the bitterness up and hit the wort hard with hops at cooling. After primary the beer was aged in third-use cabernet barrels for 1 to 2 months.”

The Larks in the Corn is an unusual pale ale made from 30 percent micro-malted blue corn milled at Bale Grist Mill and Whitney Fisher and Nile Zacherle. Submitted Photo using locally grown Cascade hops. The barrel aging is limited with another hop addition prior to racking for bottling. The blue corn doesn’t seem to add any color, but the beer is refreshing.

The Wind and Sun Golden Ale is Zacherlie’s version of a Belgium Strong Ale with Saison styling offers spicy notes derived from the yeast without late hop additions. “We use a straight 2 row Rebel micro malted Copeland barley,” he said. “This beer is fermented in stainless steel and is aged in third-use French oak chardonnay barrels for about 1 to 2 months which gives the beer a subtle vinous character and oak tones.”

The Viper and File, a Belgian-style brown ale, is actually a more classic American brown ale using Belgium yeasts and a new chestnut barrel for aging.

Home for The Holidays just got a little better…..

Getting the Beers Because the beers are made in small quantities, Mad Fritz sells basically only to members who have to sign up for a year’s worth of beer, 12 to 48 750 ml bottles. They don’t ship the beers, but they do have a release party four times a year.

Anyone excited to buy the beers will have to get on a waiting list because memberships are currently closed. To do this, email Nile@MadFritz.com.

You can taste the beer, however, as it is on tap at Farmstead and Press restaurants in St. Helena. It’s the only beer on tap at Press.

It will be featured at the Mangia! Mangia! party at Solage Calistoga.

Mad Fritz is at 393 La Fata St. in St. Helena. Call 968-5058 or madfritz.com for more information.

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Thanksgiving traditions Tom Stockwell The tradition of community Thanksgiving is uniquely American, and stretches back to many different harvest feasts that were held in Florida, Texas, Maine, and Virginia. But those feasts,

for the most part, were forgotten by history except to scholars until the 19th century. What became the Thanksgiving event we commonly associate with pilgrims of Plymouth Plantation wasn’t really codified until about 1820 when a letter written in 1621 by Edward Winslow was discovered by author Alexander Young.

Young included the entire text in his “Chronicles of the Pilgrim Fathers” (1841). The letter describes the feast held at Plymouth Plantation at which native Americans joined the Pilgrims to celebrate the harvest. That letter set the stage for our historical reference of a pilgrim’s feast that today we call “Thanksgiving.” It’s the same feast, individually celebrated today by families, that identifies the serving of turkey, pie, and cranberry sauce.

In 1863 Thanksgiving became a national holiday when Sarah Josepha Hale convinced President Abraham Lincoln that a national Thanksgiving might serve to unite a war-torn country. Lincoln declared two Thanksgivings that year: one on Aug. 6 to celebrate the victory at Gettysburg and a second on the last Thursday in November.

Plastic grocery bags are already history at Vallerga’s Market Vallerga’s Market recently stopped using plastic grocery bags ahead of the January 1, 2015 ban on their use in the city of Napa. Paper bags are still available, but after January 1 we will be required to charge 10¢ each for them. Of course, the best answer—which many of you long ago adopted—is reusable bags. We sell both regular and insulated bags (left) at our checkout stands. Smaller plastic bags used to keep produce fresh will still be available.

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Don’t miss our giant wine aisle — right next to our deli

RECIPES Spicy Cajun Prawns Bernardo Ayala, Executive chef, Napa Valley Bistro

1 ½ cups unsalted butter 6 garlic cloves, minced 1 Tbsp. fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried basil 1 tsp. ancho chile powder ½ tsp. dried oregano 1 cup chicken stock 4 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce ½ tsp. paprika 2 tsp. dry mustard 1 tsp. red pepper flakes 1 ½ lbs unshelled shrimp (size 16/21)

Melt 1 cup of butter in a saute pan. Add garlic and all dry ingredients to melted butter. Allow mixture to sweat for 1-2 minutes.

Add all wet ingredients (not the shrimp!) and let simmer for about 3 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Add shrimp and cook for 3-4 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp.

Remove from heat and add the extra half cup of butter.

Serve immediately once all of the butter is melted.

8 Cup Food Processor

Tres Leches Vanilla Bean Natilla with Blueberry & Guava Compote and Cinnamon Churros Bernardo Ayala, Executive chef, Napa Valley Bistro

For Natilla This recipe makes 8 servings 2 cups heavy cream 1 cup whole milk 1 cup condensed milk 1 cup buttermilk

¾ cup organic sugar 2 tsp. gelatin 2 vanilla beans (split and scraped)

Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of water over the gelatin and let stand for 5 minutes In a 4 quart sauce pan over a low-medium heat, combine heavy cream, whole milk, condensed milk, sugar and vanilla bean scrapings.

Simmer for five minutes, or until the sugar is dissolved, stirring frequently.

Add gelatin and buttermilk and stir.

Remove the vanilla bean pods and any formed solids.

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RECIPES For Compote

For Churros

Bernardo Ayala, Executive chef, Napa Valley Bistro 5 guavas, julienned 1 cup blueberries 4 ounces sugar 2 ounces apple cider vinegar 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Bernardo Ayala, Executive chef, Napa Valley Bistro 2 ½ cups water 4 ounces butter 1 tsp. salt ¼ cup brown sugar ¼ cup corn oil 1 tsp. vanilla extract ¼ tsp. nutmeg

Combine water, butter, salt, brown sugar, oil, vanilla extract, and nutmeg in a sauce pan and bring to a rolling boil.

Mix flour and baking powder together; stir vigorously into water mixture over low heat until the mixture forms a ball (about one minute). Remove from heat. Beat the eggs in all at once and continue beating until smooth. Let the dough cool and place in a dough piping bag with a large star tip.

In a large frying pan, pour about 2 inches oil and heat to 375 degrees F. Pipe the churros in long rods directly into the hot oil. Fry in 2-3 batches until golden brown on all sides, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from oil and drain on paper towel. Dust with cinnamon-sugar mixture.

To Serve: Place the natilla in a large martini glass, top with compote and add a couple of churros.

In a 2-quart sauce pan combine vinegar and sugar. Cook and reduce this mixture by half. Add guavas and vanilla extract and simmer for two minutes. Add blueberries and remove from heat.

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RECIPES Malfatti

Stinger & Buzz

Jim Cronin’s Nonna Three large bunches of 3-4 eggs fresh spinach, or chard, or a 1/4 cup parsley chopped fine mixture of both with 2-3 cloves garlic 2 1/2 cups grated, fresh, 2 cups finely chopped bread crumbs. Dried bread chicken crumbs will make the malfatti 1 tsp. salt too dense.

1/2 tsp. pepper.

1 to 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Flour for coating the malfatti parmeggiano Sugo (tomato sauce) Cook the spinach, chop it fine, and squeeze out most of the moisture Mix carefully in this order: spinach, bread crumbs, meat, cheese, salt and pepper, and beaten eggs. Be careful how much egg one uses, the mixture should remain as light and airy as possible.

Carefully form the mixture between the palms into finger-shapes about 1/2 inch by 2 inches, being careful not to compress them.

Roll them carefully on a generously floured surface to coat them.

Bring 3-4 quarts water to a gentle boil.

Boil the malfatti a few at a time until their floured surface becomes translucent. Lift them out with a slotted spoon, letting them drain well as you do.

Make alternate layers of malfatti with a prepared sugo in a shallow dish, dust with parmeggiano, and serve. They may be kept warm in the oven prior to serving.

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Morning Margarita From Nick Petrakis at Napkins 1.5 ounces Herradra Repo 1 ounce Firelit .5 ounce espresso .5 ounce Aperol .5 ounce agave Orange bitters

Cafe Fumado From Vincent Lee Goose & Gander 1.5 oz. Mezcal 1 oz. Firelit 1.25 oz. Cointreau orange Dash Cinnamon bitters Orange peel Mix and serve.

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