Late winter and spring in the Napa Valley finds vineyards knee deep in healthy grasses, clovers and cover crops, but none of them take your breath away like vineyards filled with the vibrant blooms of yellow mustard, peeking up between the gnarled bark of the dormant vines. Legend has it that mustard seeds were spread…
Herb likes to flaunt the fact that no other place in the world can produce the “Three Winter A’s” like California – he may be wrong, but he still likes to boast. In winter, he says, California has the best of the best – Avocados, Artichokes, and Asparagus. Avocados, like bananas, are fruits which are…
The local catch on the Pacific coast is the Dungeness crab, available in waters right off shore from November until June. Herb spends hours re-working his 6 crab traps, adding special bait bags, tying floats to the 100+ feet of nylon rope used to haul them in and making sure the doors will hinge open…
A Perfect Match – Dungeness Crab and Asian Pear Salad with Sauvignon BlancBy Chef Mark Dommen of One Market Restaurant in San Francisco Serves: 4 Ingredients: 2 each Asian pears 1 each sprig mint, about 10 leaves 1 each scallion 1 ½ tablespoons lemon olive oil 1 each lemon, juiced to taste sea salt pinch…
Crab Cake Ingredients1 pound crab lump meat – pick out all shells! 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 3-4 finely chopped green onions – white and green parts added 2 cups homemade, seasoned bread crumbs or panko 3 tablespoons lemon juice Zest from one lemon ½ cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard ½ teaspoon red pepper…
Every season in the Napa Valley, even winter, seems to be a wonderful opportunity for food & wine pairing. We are always amazed how nature’s plants and animals know when to ripen at the right time to pair with some other food group! Take Herb’s favorite time of year – Dungeness crab season in the…
