New Year’s Workout

By Kristin Ranuio

It is the month for resolutions, and fitness makes it onto most people’s list in one way or another. As a Napa–based, certified personal trainer with over 20 years in the fitness industry, I have tried and/or taught many different forms of exercise and, as everyone else, I have my favorites. And, also like everyone else, I have days when I just don’t want to work out. If you have those days too, but still feel you need to get your exercise in, here’s a set of exercises I use myself and teach my clients, demonstrated in photos by some of our Napa locals. I call it the “commercial workout”, because I usually do it while watching TV. You need no equipment, just the floor, a counter, and maybe a kitchen chair. The final ingredient is you.

For the legs, we start with squats. To get good form, a kitchen chair comes in handy. Sit down in a good, solid chair that has a seat at a height that puts your knees in a 90° angle when seated. Place feet shoulder-width apart, firmly planted on the ground. Pressing heels into the ground, standup, then sit down. That’s one rep (short for repetition).  Once you get the hang of it, try it without letting your behind touch the chair, but just hover above it; you can stretch your arms out in front of you to help balance if needed. Once you have that down, you can eliminate the chair. Start with three sets of 12, taking a break in between sets (I do one set during each commercial break of a one-hour show), working your way up to three sets of 25.

For your core, one of my favorites is the “plank”. Put your body in the same position you would be at in at the top of a push-up (for a modified version use the top of the push-up on your knees), arms straight and lined up under your shoulders. Now, hold that position. Keep your tush down so your body is flat, like a plank. Try to work up to holding it for one minute. You may feel yourself start to shake on this one!

For the upper body, I like the push-up/dip combination. Each set of push-ups is immediately followed by a set of dips; this is where your kitchen counter comes in. Facing away from it, hold onto the counter with both arms just behind you, arms straight. Knees can be bent or, for a little more work, keep legs straight.  To execute a dip, lower yourself by bending your elbows (the arms are the only things that should move, your body and legs stay stationary), straighten arms again, that is one dip.

For push-ups, don’t feel limited to the floor. Hands on the wall or counter, or a great way to modify them if needed, you can also do them on your knees. Your push-up/dips combo goes like this: one set of push-ups immediately followed by one set of dips, then rest. Do it three times, building up to 25 reps of each.

Do the commercial workout on those days when you need it, making sure never to do it two days in a row; muscles always need a rest day in between. Add some walks or hikes through our lovely hills and valleys, or go for a brisk stroll right in your neighborhood or on one of our many available trails. Go dancing, rake leaves, above all, move.

Just remember you don’t always need to go to a gym to get some exercise. There are limitless options available to get your body moving. These you can do in the comfort of your very own home, and you don’t need to buy any fancy home gyms or even dumbbells. Remember to always consult with your doctor before beginning
any new exercise program.

Happy New Year!

Alexis Baking Company – Restaurant Review Jan. 2013

Alexis Baking Company

Where the community comes together for breakfast and lunch.

 

 

By John & Dorothy Salmon

John and I have been regulars at ABC (Alexis Baking Company) for over 20 years. If you want to know what’s going on in Napa, who is making things happen and which great community project is going to blossom soon, hang out at ABC. You will likely see and hear what’s moving and shaking while folks drink their lattes and ice tea. Alexis Handelman has been the genius behind ABC for 28 years, and is the smiling face that greets locals and visitors alike when they dine at her incredible establishment.

Alexis began her adventure as a wholesale baker, supplying restaurants and specialty food purveyors. Over the years, ABC has been the imagination place to hang out as the neighborhood around it became the “West End.” Alexis Handelman pioneered a trend that now encompasses a destination outside of the traditional Main Street mercantile area, with new restaurants, the refurbished, vintage Uptown Theater, cool hotels, funky and pristine Victorian homes, and interesting retail shops.

Alexis’ breakfasts are the best; her lunches are just as great and her holiday dinners are amazing. We have enjoyed many a Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day dinner at ABC with friends.
If you want to be there for a special holiday dinner, we suggest that you make your
reservations early!

ABC is a well-known fixture on Third Street and is packed most of the time. It’s busy every day because the food is so good. Good food makes for happy people who imagine, map-out and create big deals.  Fifteen years ago, the now, almost complete, Flood Control Project was hashed out by many of its volunteers and enthusiastically imagined at ABC over oatmeal in the morning.  We know many great projects that had their origins over breakfast or lunch at ABC. Maybe the vibe for great ideas spreads throughout the place from some magic spores in the walls.

For birthday parties, weddings and special occasions, the cakes at ABC can’t be beat. Our #1 Favorite is the incredible top-shelf Apricot Pistachio Cake. Our family has come to expect that for every birthday and there never seems to be any leftovers, even when everyone talks about “HOW BIG” the cake is! ABC’s version of the Blum’s Coffee Crunch Cake (a nostalgic favorite made famous by a San Francisco restaurant) also made Bon Appetit’s Top Ten Cakes in America!

Everything at ABC is upbeat and attractive, along with being a little funky, whimsical and fun. The art on the walls is joyful, avant-garde and mostly local. The buzz around the Big Community Table next to the salad bar is always interesting as are the local folks who are usually sitting there.

ABC serves breakfast and lunch every day. For those of you who LOVE breakfast, there is good news. The famous Breakfast Sandwich with Scrambled Eggs, Ham and Melted Cheddar Cheese on ABC’s own Potato Bun, and the Mexican Breakfast Sandwich with Scrambled Eggs, Salsa, Jack Cheese and Ortega Chiles on a Cornmeal Bun are served all day.

John usually orders Huevos a la Mexicana; Fried Eggs on Soft Corn Tortillas, topped with Cheddar Cheese, Onions, Pasilla Peppers, Ricotta Salata, Pinto Beans and Tomatillo Sauce ($12.95). Dorothy’s favorite is the Smoked Salmon Sandwich, with Eggs, Cream Cheese, Red Onions and Capers on a Potato Bun ($10.95). Other specials for breakfast include:
Poached or Scrambled Eggs with Potatoes and your choice of Toast ($10.95); Huevos Rancheros with Eggs any Way, Black Beans, Salsa, Cheddar Cheese on Crispy Corn Tortillas ($12.95)
A Bowl of Oatmeal or Cream of Wheat or Cream of Rice with butter and brown sugar ($6.95).
Lunch at ABC is equally terrific. The favorite for many of our friends, who work for local nonprofit organizations, is the Chinese chicken salad with fresh roasted cashews and sesame seeds ($13.95); followed by the equally incredible ABC Burger, also on that delicious Potato Bun ($12.95). The Chicken Palooza Menu includes the Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich, along with the ABC Grilled Chicken Sandwich ($12.95). A staple of the menu is the Focaccia “Sandwich of the day”, with your choice of the daily side salad ($8.95) or have it as a 1/2 sandwich with soup and salad ($10.95). If you like your Caesar Salad plain with house made croutons ($9.95), you can get it that way, or with Grilled Chicken ($11.95) or with Grilled Salmon ($14.95). ABC has wonderful soups, such as the creamy tomato soup ($4.50 or $6.50). You can top lunch off with a delectable Chocolate Chip Cookie, made with French chocolate chips ($2.25) or a tangy Lemon Bar ($2.50.

Dorothy almost NEVER gets out of ABC without buying baked goods for our grandchildren, who have come to expect that Grandma will always show up with a bag of ABC goodies … and we all know that grandparents, regardless of what their parents may say, give grandkids as much sugar as we want! Here are just a few of the tempting treats behind the counter:

Muffins: Blueberry • Carrot Apple • Bran-Prune-Walnut • Pumpkin Spice • Sour Cream Coffeecake • Blackberry • Orange Buttermilk • Apple Cinnamon • Apricot Ginger (low fat) • Lemon Poppyseed. All ABC’s muffins can be pre-ordered in a MINI
format, perfect for catering. Scones and other Treats: If you are from the Northwest and grew up on scones, THIS is the place for you, with Currant Cream Scones • Cherry Oat Scones • Heart Shaped Shortcakes • Bear Claws • Brioche Morning Buns
• Pecan Sticky Buns.

Cakes: In addition to the Apricot Pistachio Cake and the Blum’s Coffee that you already know about, we suggest that you try ABC’s Lemon Crunch Cake and their signature Chocolate Caramel Cake. For a special party, pre-order your cake and choose from a 6” or 9” round, or even square or rectangular cakes!

We often run into a bride and her mother choosing a wedding cake. If you want your wedding guests to REALLY love the cake, get it from ABC. ABC works with several wedding coordinators, photographers and floral designers in the Napa Valley.  If you are in that mode, think about hanging out at ABC to get a great meal and pick out your wedding cake. This might just be one-stop shopping that takes the stress out of wedding planning!

Many nonprofits and businesses in town serve ABC’s wonderful box lunches. You can also have breakfast, lunch or dinner catered and, for a small fee, they will deliver it to you. ABC offers full service catering as well; everything from small, intimate dinners to weddings for 100+!

At ABC, January is a time to hunker down, snuggle up and make those New Year’s resolutions a reality. To ease that stress, Alexis concentrates on offering lots of comfort foods, such as their homemade soups- to-go with their luscious Grilled Cheese Sandwiches or other winter lunch selections, including Chicken Pot Pie, Beef Chili, or Eggplant Parmigianino and Garlic Bread!

One of ABC’s 2013 New Year’s Resolutions is to offer more live music and to continue their quest to broaden the audience for Live Jazz! In January, the delightful Max Bonick will be back, playing with his group The Jazz Delinquents. The first of these Pop Up Performances with be Friday, January 11, from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. Come see which favorite local chefs show up for a Pop Up Appearance and serve up some brews, some wine, and some very tasty food to go along with this very talented set of musicians. It’s the perfect antidote to chilly weather, and the right note for taking care of your soul. Hang out at ABC for a Jumpin Jazzy January!

Alexis Baking Company is THE place to be any month of the year; to see and hear real Napans at work, creating community and magic year round.

 

RECIPE:

Beef Daube -

Yield:  Serves 6

3 1/2 lbs. of beef stew meat
1 1/2 cups red or white wine
1/4 cup brandy or gin
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Teaspoons salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp thyme or sage
1 crumbled bay leaf
2 cloves smashed garlic
2 cups sliced onions
2 cups thinly sliced carrots
(the above are all the ingredients for the marinade)
1/2 pound bacon – uncooked
(cut the strips of bacon in pieces about 2 inches long)
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 1/2 cups chopped canned Marzano tomatoes

Place the beef pieces in a bowl with all the marinade ingredients and cover for at least 3 hours (we do this overnight)

In the morning take the beef out of the marinade and drain it (SAVE the marinade!)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

In a 5 to 6 quart fireproof casserole line the bottom with 3-4 strips of bacon. Strew a handful of the marinade vegetables, mushrooms and tomatoes over them. Piece by piece roll the beef in flour and shake off excess. Place closely together in a layer over the vegetables. Cover with a few strips of bacon, and continue with layers of vegetables, beef, and bacon. End with a layer of vegetables and two or three strips of bacon.

Pour the wine from the marinade and enough stock (beef stock or bouillon) almost to cover the contents of the casserole. Bring to a simmer on the top of the stove, cover and set in the lower third of your oven. Let it simmer slowly in the oven for 3-4 hours until the meat is tender….when a fork pierces it easily it’s done!

You can prepare this ahead a day or so…which if you do, you can then skim the fat off before you reheat it to serve.

And, you can serve it with mashed potatoes or noodles or rice or whatever.

 

Food Truckin – Napa Style

The food truck phenomenon has become oh so trendy in cities across the U.S., including Napa.

By Evy Warshawski

 

For a few shekels, varieties of satisfying fare – served from made-to-order, moveable kitchens –provide quick, healthy and on-the-go alternatives to sit-down restaurant.  Best of all, the food is conceived and delivered by health-conscious entrepreneurs, as individual and innovative as the food itself.

Recently, I made a pilgrimage to four trucks, over four days, for lunch – my favorite meal of the day!

Crossroad Chicken
Crossroad Chicken is a family affair run by partners (and brothers), Kevin and Colin Simonson.
At age 13, Kevin read the Joy of Cooking and began washing dishes in restaurants during high school.  Fast
forward through 30 years of acquiring gastronomical expertise working in various catering positions and wineries, and you’ll now find him in what he calls his “midlife crisis vehicle,” complete with a wood-fired oven – cozily situated inside the truck!

The always-changing, eclectic menu reflects the Simonson’s philosophy of using seasonal, healthy ingredients.  I chose one of their most popular menu items – a hot chicken mozzarella sandwich on French roll, with a side of basil-lemon aioli and greens.   Big enough to share, my lunch was fresh and tasty, plus, I couldn’t resist trying one of the bite-sized, chocolate cheesecakes – smooth, creamy and sinfully delicious –made by Sandy Hausser (Kevin’s wife).

“I like food,” said Kevin, who has operated the truck for two years.  I’ve pretty much put everything I have into this, but I’m doing what I love.  That’s the most important thing to me.”

Crossroad Chicken is open weekdays for lunch and is parked in the former JV’s lot, facing First Street.  Check the website daily for times, menu updates and catering
information at crossroadchix.com.

Tacos La Esperanza
For super low prices, quick service, and an impressive variety of “lo real”  authentic Mexican plates, visit Tacos La Esperanza; most often parked on Soscol between McKinstry and Vallejo during lunch and dinner hours.
Fish tacos are a specialty, but other protein choices include steak, spicy or fried pork, tripe, shrimp, chicken, chorizo and, for the more adventurous (with stronger stomachs), beef head, pork stomach and tongue.

I ate a perfect-for-me sized, soft shell, steak taco, made spicy with onions and cilantro, wrapped in two corn tortillas.  My partner enjoyed the tongue burrito with avocado (instead of guacamole), rice, cheese, and salsa.   Fresh lime slices accompanied our steaming hot, take-out dinners.
It’s best to call before you go (707-246-4908) to confirm hours of operation and location.  TLE has received consistently favorable online reviews from Yelp, Chowhound and Dishtip, where you’ll find color photos of classic Esperanza dishes to whet your appetite.

Phat Salads & Wraps
You really won’t get fat at Phat Salads and Wraps, where fresh and healthy are the key ingredients in breakfast/lunch offerings served Mondays -Saturdays. The colorfully decorated truck is most often found on N. California Blvd. (near Healthquest Fitness Center), but call ahead to make sure Phat’s is open on the day/time you choose to go (707-363-9658).  Menus can be previewed  at http://www.phatsalads.com.

Proprietor and chef, Gia Sempronio,  began Phat’s , complete with customized mobile kitchen, in 2007 with the goal of providing a more nutritious alternative to the traditional catering truck that stopped at offices and construction sites.

On Tuesdays, Phat’s parks at Napa Valley College for lunch, and the line was long with students and staff when I visited.  Service is friendly and reasonably phast.  “Toss it” or “Wrap it” is Phat’s slogan, so I ordered “The New Yorker” salad, tossed.  Mixed in light gorgonzola- vinaigrette dressing, this lunchtime treat included a chopped mixture of avocado, crispy fried onions and romaine lettuce, plus cubed chicken.  Portions are generous and yes, fresh!

“The best thing about running the truck,” said Sempronio, “is that it’s mine – from concept to service, it has been all my own vision, and I am proud and grateful at the end of each day.”  Her least favorite:   “Repairs and maintenance on the mechanical side ; they are never ending.”

Pastranomy
The newest truck on the block, Pastranomy, parks in the lot on the corner of Clinton and Main, weekdays, 11:30pm – 3:30pm.   It’s a veritable “meals on wheels” for authentic and traditional deli fare, with a large (and fun) menu for its small, portable kitchen!

A sampling includes:  chicken matzo ball soup;  pastrami, lean brisket corned beef, Reuben and turkey sandwiches on your choice of breads;  all-beef, Kosher-style hot dogs; and a variety of tempting desserts (brownies and cheesecake to name a few).  And, of course, you’ll find the traditional sides of salads and that infamous dill pickle.

My personal favorite is the corned beef sandwich, piled high – and hot – on the best rye to be found in Napa.  I can get freshly-made mayonnaise with my order, sans snickers from the counter staff (contrary to New York delis where this is considered blasphemy).

“It’s so much fun to see lots of smiles and grins as our regular customers, and new ones too, bite into those juicy pastrami and Reuben sandwiches,” said Michael Dellar, one of three co-owners. “And, we’re spreading out with more catered events and parties, bringing the Pastranomy experience throughout the Valley.”

Receive 10% off your order with a 2012 Napa Valley Film Festival, day-of-show, ticket stub.  For information and all things deli, visit pastranomy.com.

 

How to Choose the Best Toys for Children This Holiday Season

By Anne M. Schramm,  Napa Valley Sylvan Learning Center

It’s that time of year again, and many parents will soon find themselves in the same dilemma – do they buy their children the most popular toys or the toys that can help their children learn?  Fortunately, the wide variety of toys available creates a number of options that enable parents to buy their children toys that are both fun and educational.

When selecting toys, parents should look for those that are challenging, but allow for success, and also leave room for a variety of play.  Good toys nurture a child’s ideas and imagination, while growing with a child’s changing interests.
Sylvan Learning, the leading provider of tutoring to students of all ages, grades and skill levels, offers parents the following suggestions to keep in mind when shopping for toys that are fun and educational:

Building Toys…
To most parents, LEGO’s® Bionicle and Bob the Builder were the must-have toys of last year’s holiday season.  Popular building toys like these can actually help children more quickly acquire the reasoning skills necessary for mathematics.

Computer Games…
Last year, Sony’s Playstation 3 and Nintendo’s Wii were the hot games with older kids.  While video games are not often thought of as educational, they do help build reasoning skills and logic as children navigate the different levels of each game.

Games…
Games can be a fun way to encourage math discovery in children.  In fact, many popular board games, such as Monopoly®, reinforce basic math skills.  While children roll the dice and buy real estate, they also develop number sense and practice their basic math skills (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division).  Even classic games like Connect Four® and Yahtzee® help with problem solving skills and computation speed and accuracy.

Projects…  Project-based toys such as model airplanes, cars, ships and rockets are good for older children (ages 9-14).  They help children build motor skills and teach them how to follow directions as well.  Science kits, chemistry sets and ant farms also enhance reading comprehension (instructions) and critical thinking skills.  While popular Harry Potter Snape’s Potion Lab® looks like just another toy, in order to make the potion, children practice following directions, measuring, mixing and analyzing the results through taste and consistency.

Pretend Games….  Young children love to pretend, especially with child-sized versions of everyday adult objects.  Pretending can be both fun and informative for your child.  For example, the ever-popular Easy Bake® Oven introduces children to basic food preparation skills, how to follow a recipe and may help ease them into helping with kitchen chores.  A toy cash register helps children understand math and making change with money.

For more educational resources for children in grades pre-K through 12, please visit http://www.SylvanLearning.com/napa or call 707-258-9000.

Anne Schramm is the Center Director at the Napa Valley Sylvan Learning, the leading provider of tutoring to students of all ages, grades and skill levels. With 30 years of experience and more than 900 centers located throughout North America, Sylvan’s proven process and personalized methods have inspired more than 2 million students to discover the joy of learning.  Sylvan’s trained and Sylvan-certified personal instructors provide individual instruction in reading, writing, mathematics, study skills and test-prep for college entrance and state exams.  Sylvan helps transform kids into inspired learners with the skills to do better in school and the confidence to do better in everything else.  Visit http://www.DrRickBlog.com to share your personal academic experiences and comment on academic trends.

Shahin Rug Gallery – Business Review

Shahin Rug Gallery

Shortly after moving to Santa Rosa, a woman went on-line, trying to find Cyrus Shahin and the Shahin Rug Gallery.   She had purchased two rugs from him when they both lived in Wisconsin, where he owned a rug store.  Her new home in California wasn’t as big as the one in Wisconsin, and the rugs she loved wouldn’t fit.  She hoped to exchange them – even though she’d purchased them eleven years earlier.  She found Shahin, and walked into his Napa store with her original sales receipt and the two rugs under her arms.  “When I bought these, you said you’d exchange them at any time.  Will you still honor that?” Shahin looked at the rugs and the receipt, smiled and said, “Of course.  Let’s find something that will work for you.”

That kind of customer service is unheard of anymore, but it’s the way Shahin has been operating since opening his first rug store in Wisconsin in 1995, and it’s still the way he does business.  “If a rug is clean with normal wear and tear and the customer has the receipt, of course I’ll exchange it.”   For Shahin, it’s not so much a business policy; it’s just the right thing to do.  No wonder he’s been successful all these years.

Shahin moved to the United States and Wisconsin when he was twenty-four.  He had been stationed in that area for training when he was in the Iranian Navy.  He finished his training and, shortly afterwards, the revolution broke out in Iran.  It was no longer the peaceful country he’d known, and he had no desire to return.  Plus, having been in the States for several years, this was home.

To say that he started from scratch is an understatement.  Shahin had a suitcase full of clothes, no place to live, and $230 in his pocket.  He found an apartment, but was evicted when the Hostage Crisis occurred in 1979.  Even though he had no ties to Iran, political or otherwise, his landlord didn’t want somebody from “that country” in his building.  Shahin took it in stride, as he does everything.

“The apartment owner wasn’t a bad man and it wasn’t about me.  Besides, it wasn’t going to do me any good to be angry with him,” said Shahin, brushing the whole thing off.

Having been trained as an electrician, he eventually went to work for Wisconsin Power and Light, specializing in turbine engines.  It was work he enjoyed, but when his brother talked about opening a rug store, Shahin wanted in.  The two opened that first store and began a wholesaling business, which is still in operation.

Life was good, but winters were cold.  “I’m not complaining, but as you get older, it gets harder shoveling all that snow!”  He promised himself he would leave Wisconsin when he turned fifty-five, and did just that, relocating to Southern California, where he opened a Greek Restaurant.  Once again, he was successful, but the hours were long and the time off, limited.  Plus, he wanted to get back into the
rug business.

For him and many others, Oriental Rugs are an art form, dating back 2,500 years.  There are several different styles, made in eight different countries, but all are hand–woven, knotted pile rugs, made from wool or Silk.  A pile rug, which may take months or years to complete, differs from other hand -made floor coverings, in that the knots are individually inserted into the foundation, and cut one at a time.  There are many factors that determine the quality and value of an Oriental Rug, such as, if the piles are stain-free and without holes, whether or not the fringe is original and in good shape, if the piles are even, and what the overall “lay” of the rug is.  Being able to check these factors is a learned skill.  For many, it’s intimidating, but Shahin is an expert, and enjoys teaching people how to evaluate and chose a rug.  It’s what he loves.  Which is why he decided, after a year of owning his Greek restaurant, to close it and get back in the business he is so passionate about.

Shahin drove north from southern California looking for a town that he liked and one that needed a quality rug store.  When he came to Napa, he found both. “I love it here.  The climate is great and the people are friendly.  This is paradise.”

The Shahin Rug Gallery recently relocated to 1320 Second Street, directly across from the Post Office.  For Shahin, business and life are good.  His store is successful, and three years ago he got married.  An honest, straightforward and hardworking man, He deserves the happiness he has.

Visit Shahin Rug Gallery at the store or online, at
http://www.shahinrug.com. Open until 5:30 everyday but Tuesday.

Il Posto Trattoria – … a place to celebrate family, friends and life

We asked Richard and Susan Walton to join us for what we knew would be a delightful dinner at Il Posto. We have known and admired Justin Graffigna for years, and watched as his career in Napa evolved. We kept hearing more and more folks talking about how amazing the food is at Il Posto, so we decided to see for ourselves if Justin had realized his dream of opening up his own restaurant.  Without a doubt, we believe that Justin has succeeded!

Il Posto is homey and was full of people we often see in town. This is definitely a “hometown boy makes good” place to hang out, with terrific Italian food. There were lots of families that night, which says that this is a great place to take your kids and Grandma. Converting a paint store into a restaurant is not an easy task, but Justin Graffigna and his long-time friend, Arik Housley, have done it well. The restaurant is easy to find. It’s, just off Highway 29, at the corner of Wine Country Ave. and Solano Ave., next to Osprey Seafood, about a mile north of the Marriott Hotel. The decor is very Italian and the service is friendly and fast. Il Posto has nightly specials, such as Italian sausage with peppers and onions; chicken marsala; lasagna with spinach and papa sauce; veal osso buco; crab cioppino; oven-roasted porchetta and, on Sunday, you can enjoy the 3 course, “Chef’s Supper.” Il Posto also has a great kids’ menu, with all meals priced at $8, and wonderful side dishes, such as garlic bread; cranberry bean ragu; broccoli di cecco; sauteed zucchini; and pan roasted polenta, to name a few.

The pizzas looked great, but we decided to try almost everything on the menu other than the pizza. Jennifer was our server. She was lots of fun and very informative. Michael, the Assistant Manager, made sure that we were having a good time because that evening, Justin was enjoying a night of camping with his kids. If you are a local, you will recognize Justin from his stints at Fume, Don Giovanni and Celadon, to name just a few places where he has honed his skills.

Il Posto has a small, but interesting, wine list of Napa Valley wines and a few interesting ones from Italy, Argentina and Lodi. If you really want to go Italian, you can order a glass of Spumante from Italy for $8.50 or a bottle for $32. Our friend, Richard, brought a great bottle of Richard Williams Cabernet (RW)2 that we loved. Richard is a gourmet cook and a member of a group of guys who have met monthly to cook together for years So, he was excited to try Justin and Arik’s food.
We started our evening by sharing the crispy calamari, with lemon romesco sauce ($10). Our favorite calamari is what Greg Cole serves at Celadon. Il Posto’s calamari comes in a close second. I am sure that is because Justin wants to let Greg keep that honor! The chef sent us some remarkable, fresh-herb arancini, lightly breaded risotto balls, with fontina and marinara sauce ($8), which disappeared in seconds. Then, we shared some terrific grilled bruschetta with toy box tomatoes, house-made herb ricotta and basil and saba ($8), followed by zucca- summer squash, olive oil croutons, watercress, burrata, and tomato water vinaigrette salad ($11).

Finding room on our table for all the shared dishes wasn’t easy, but Jennifer figured out how to keep things going for us so that there was no delay in the next remarkable dish. Remember, this is an Italian restaurant and we were only JUST at the beginning antipasti and salads!

We chatted with some friends sitting at a table next to us who told us to be sure to try to the gnocchi. So, when we made our shared decisions for dinner, the first thing that we ordered was the sauteed ricotta gnocchi with fresh herbs and the family-secret papa sauce ($18), which was fabulous! We also shared the tortellini ala carbonara, with bacon marmalade filling and black pepper ($18).  According to Richard, this was the best tortellini ala carbonara he had ever had.  That’s a great recommendation from a guy who really knows how to cook!

John wanted to try the fettuccini frutta di mare; clams, mussels, prawns, scallops cooked with basil mine pesto cream sauce and sprinkled with pine nuts ($19), which everyone tried and really liked. We were all having a hard time eating one more thing when chef sent out the orecchiette; Italian sausage, cauliflower, red cabbage, spicy calabrian chili, fontina cheese, and garnished with fried capers ($10). We took a break, and then tried the eggplant parmigiana; sautéed with spinach, marinara and green garlic puree ($17) and the pan roasted polenta with spicy Italian sausage ragu and broccoli di cecco ($18) and, finally, the chicken ala picatta, with lemon, caper, butter sauce, pepperonata ($18). All the dishes were terrific; very authentic Italian and VERY filling. If we were not writing a restaurant review, we would not be ordering all this food, but, that being said, we managed to eat almost all of it!

To top it all off, chef insisted that we try the lemon and olive oil cake with plum agrodolce and stone fruit ($8) and their panna cotta with strawberries and dark micro basil ($7). We ate every bite! We waddled out of Il Posto knowing it was going to become a family favorite. The “little Italian restaurant around the corner” that locals would find as home and lucky visitors would rave about..

Give Il Posto a try … you won’t be disappointed!

 

RECIPE

Orrechiette

Yield:  Serves 6

Approx. 24 ounces of dried orrechiette pasta
1 pound of bulk Italian sausage
1 cauliflower
1/2 head of cabbage
1 pound fontina cheese
½ ounce calabrian chilies, chopped
1 bunch chives, finely sliced
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Prep ahead:
Take cabbage and chop into fine strands.
Cook sausage and break apart into small pieces
Cut cauliflower into small florets
Grate fontina cheese

Get a large pot of boiling water

In a large sauté pan heat grapeseed oil and
add cauliflower, cauliflower and cabbage.

Meanwhile, cook orrechiette according to package instructions. When pasta is ready and al dente, add
to sauté pan, reserving a little of the pasta water.
Add chopped chilies and fontina cheese. Stir vigorously until the pasta water and cheese form an emulsified sauce, add more pasta water if needed. When sauce is formed, add chives and season. Serve warm.

Trick or Treating & Coffin Races Come to Downtown Napa

By Craig Smith

Trick or Treating in downtown Napa started eight years ago when a couple of merchants were talking about how the practice has changed from when they were kids.  “Back in the day,” one said, “No one worried when kids went door-to-door at night. Now, a safe place to trick or treat is a good idea.”  One of them suggested that kids be invited to come downtown, during the day, and everyone loved the idea.  (Plus, it gives merchants a great excuse to see all the kids in costumes!)  Now in its eighth year, trick or treating downtown has become a well-received tradition.

This year, a new tradition begins. The Napa City Firefighters Association is hosting the first annual Coffin Races.   Think part go-cart, part bath tub races – this one will be fun. Different groups will bring their entries, all ghoul and/or goblin powered, in an attempt to be the fastest alive (or, dead…)

Umpqua Bank gets the credit for the trick or treating portion of the day, as they have since that started.  Every year, staff members from their stores build displays that work as backdrops for photos.   One includes the cast from the Wizard of Oz, another, the crew from Flintstones, and a third, the characters in Nightmare Before Christmas.  While many of the pictures end up on Facebook, some of the photos of kids posed with the characters become those families’ Christmas cards.
Businesses with black and orange balloons displayed at their door are inviting children to come in and trick or treat.  It gives everyone involved, the children and their parents as well as the merchants, the chance to enjoy the day.  Trick or treating is from Noon to 3 PM on Saturday, Oct. 27th.

There is no charge to participate, and the activity is open to the public. A list of participating stores will be posted on donapa.com.  The Coffin Races will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Beer, wine and soft drinks will be available.

Local Legends

By Kristin Ranuio

Every town has a story. Our valley has many tales to tell. When we asked locals what their favorite Napa legend was, most had a hard time choosing just one. A favorite we heard time and again was about the downtown Cinedome theater, in particular, theater 4, towards the back. Former theater employee, Amanda Rogers, said everyone that worked there knew about it. Legend has it that a man hung himself in the space and, that if you went to the last showing of the night in theater 4 and looked up, sometimes you could see him hanging from the rafters. Employees also noticed the lights often flickered, but only in that theater, not the others. Again, it was attributed to the ghost.

“It was a freaky story everyone knew about,” said Adriana Delgillo. “I would never sit in the back row. People said they felt people, or something, touching them if they sat back there.”

Another theater came to mind for Tom Fuller, the Uptown, also located downtown. Once again, the back row was mentioned. This time, the story goes that there was a gentleman who went to the Uptown every day, always sitting in the same seat in the back row. On occasion, he would fall asleep, and one day when a theater employee went to wake him, he had passed away. People are said to still see or smell him on occasion.

He is considered the cranky guy that haunts the place, but he is not alone. There is a young woman there as well However, legend has it she is not cranky, but confused. Some wonder if she knows she is dead. As the story goes, she was a performer, on stage in the beautiful old theater in the thirties or forties. During a performance she fell off of the stage and died instantly. She is said to still be there today.

Luis Uribe remembers hearing a lot of stories, especially when he was in middle school and high school, about the slaughterhouse that once stood on Old Sonoma Highway. Rumor had it they had hung people there, and their ghosts remained. Many students headed over to see if they could catch a glimpse on clear dark nights.

Another legend in the Carneros region was recalled by Amanda Rogers, at what she and other kids who grew up in the area called “the IRA house”, so named because someone had spray-painted IRA on the side. Standing on the corner of Las Amigas and Duhig Road, the house stood abandoned and falling apart. Legend says that robbers hid out there and hid their treasure in the floorboards. Many a Napa kid has gone searching for said treasure, but it has yet to be found.

A popular ghost in the the Valley seems to be one of its founding fathers, George C. Yount. He is said to roam the streets at night, and his most popular legend is that of his gravesite. If you drive by the Yountville cemetery late at night and pay attention as your headlights skim across the graveyard, you will see Mr. Yount keeping a watchful eye out.

The most popular legend of the Napa Valley has to be that of the Rebobs. Almost every single person we spoke to about this story mentioned them. Some even spoke of being told the story by school teachers that had grown up here.

As it is told, at the very end of Partrick Road, a long, lonely, winding road in Browns Valley, lived a scientist. He was no ordinary scientist though, but a mad scientist. For one of his experiments he decided to sew wings on to the backs of monkeys (think Wizard of Oz). His experiment was a success and, after he passed away, the flying monkeys, called Rebobs, continued to breed and their numbers grew to be many. To see the Rebobs, one needed to go all the way to the end of the road at midnight (a very popular time for Napa legends), and wait. There are two popular versions; one says you wait in your car and they will jump on top of it, screeching and trying to attack, the other says that they hide up in the trees and that you need to search for them. If you are lucky if you get to see one.

Whichever local legends you believe, one thing rings true. The stories of the Napa Valley live on and are passed down from one generation to the next. Look around, especially at midnight, and you
never know what you might see.

Dinner at Lucy Restaurant and Bar

By John & Dorothy Salmon

The other night, John and I had a wonderful dinner at Lucy with Todd Zapolski, the new owner of The Shops at Napa Center. It was a celebratory dinner for Todd’s new adventure to enhance the look and feel of shopping in downtown Napa. The dramatic look of Lucy, named after the Bardessono matriarch, is a perfect example of elegance in a natural setting, complete with an organic garden of amazing veggies that will show up on your plate minutes after they come out of the ground.

Lucy has gorgeous glass tables, inventive lighting, and large white art on the walls.. The setting is beautiful, and the bathrooms are unique, with Japanese toilets that are out of Star Trek. We love Executive Chef, Victor Scargle, and have followed him from Copia to Go Fish, Jardiniere, Grand Café, Aqua, The CIA at Greystone and now, to Lucy. Chef, Victor Scargle, offers a menu that is billed as “embodying the hotel’s modern aesthetic and eco-conscious spirit.”

Not only does Chef Scargle use the freshest picked vegetables, herbs and fruits from Lucy’s garden, he also has the best of the best from Ubuntu’s garden, lovingly tended by Peter Jacobsen. Victor and Peter worked together at Copia, so Copia’s gift to Napa Valley lives on to include Lucy and Ubuntu’s gardens … more examples of the gift that Bob and Margrit Mondavi and so many others made possible.

Walking into Lucy is relaxing and the service is impeccable. Caesar and Christina were our very professional and home-grown servers. Caesar was born in Guadalajara and moved to Napa when he was eight, graduated from Napa High, and is a certified Sommelier. Christina is also a local product of the continually emerging food and wine industry in Napa County.

We began our evening with Lucy’s bar drinks to see what exotic treats they had in store for us. Todd ordered a Tanqueray gin straight up with olives ($10), Dorothy ordered a Redrum, which has flor de cana rum, blood orange, lemon, vanilla and egg white ($12). John pretended that we were on Cape Cod and ordered a Dark and Stormy, made with Goslings dark rum, ginger syrup, lime, and cock-n-bull ginger beer ($14). All of our cocktails were great. With our cocktails, we were served sourdough Acme bread that was delicious, along with remarkable, cranberry-walnut bread and a starter, Lucy’s green salad, that was amazing.

John ordered the Chicory Salad, made with Rogue River Smokey blue cheese, walnut citrus vinaigrette, spiced candied walnuts, and k&j orchards pear ($12); Dorothy had the Carrot Salad made with freshly dug Thumbelina carrots, served with the stem end still on, with lighter yellow carrots and carrot chips served with a curry shallot dressing ($12).  She said it was the BEST salad ever. Todd enjoyed the David Little Potato and Marche Truffle Salad, with roasted quail, watercress and Mache ($15). The salads at Lucy are fresh, unique and delicious, as are the fruit deserts that come right from the garden or picked from the adjacent fruit tree.

We thought that a bottle of the 2010, Cliff Lede Sauvignon Blanc was the perfect complement for our dinners. The wine list at Lucy is large, outstanding and unique. Note that there is a corkage fee of $20 if you bring your own bottle of wine. For an additional appetizer, we shared the Maine Diver Scallops with peach soubise, caramelized onion jus and onions ($15).  For dinner, Todd ordered the Crispy Skin Black Bass with vegetables a la grecque, with banyuls vinegar and torn herbs ($25); Dorothy enjoyed the Maine Lobster Risotto with summer squash, crème fraiche, tarragon and sorre ($19), John stayed true to his Midwestern roots and had Mary’s Chicken, with Yukon potato, sun choke gratin with yuzu kosho, garden choy, broccoli, and Lucy rau ram jus ($27).

The ingredient-driven farm/ocean/field to fork cuisine is what chef Victor Scargle is known for, and Lucy makes Bardessono shine like it has never shone before. Since we were writing the restaurant review, we figured we needed to try the desserts.  So, Victor brought out the Lemon Tart, made with huckleberries, crème fraiche sherbet, and green tea cake ($11) which was amazing. Of course, we had to try Victor’s famous S’Mores, which are definitely not like anything you have had on a family camping trip.  These S’Mores are made with a chocolate torte, toasted marshmallow ice cream, graham cracker and a dusting of peanut butter powder ($11).

Lucy’s bar and lounge features a full-bar with an array of artisanal spirits. Their very large and extensive wine list offers renowned small producers from around the world, and many organic, sustainable and biodynamic vintners. If you want to get away, even if you live in Napa County, consider staying at Bardessono.  They have 62 luxurious guest rooms to choose from, and each room is designed with its own private in-room spa where you can order the spa service of your dreams, or swim in their rooftop pool, ride around town on a carbon-fiber bicycle, or simply relax in a lovely, sustainable, elegant setting that is LEED Platinum certified. Whatever you decide; stay for a weekend, dine for breakfast, lunch or dinner, Lucy is a must on your list of things you shouldn’t pass up in the Napa Valley.

RECIPE:

Sweet Corn Soup

4oz     Leeks, split in half sliced thin and washed

4oz    Fennel    split, core removed,
sliced thin & washed

2oz     Celery, sliced thin and washed

2oz    Kennenbec potatoes peeled and rough chop

1ea    Garlic cloves, smashed

1 ½    Corn kernels

¼  C    Pastis

½ C    White wine

2    Vegetable stock

12ea    Corn cobs tied

1qt    Heavy cream

Kosher Salt

Black pepper

Grapeseed Oil

Garnish
4 ea    Padron peppers sliced on a bias

1 C     Buttermilk

1 C    Cornmeal

1 C    Corn kernels lightly pan roasted
with grapeseed oil salt and pepper

Place vegetables in a rondoux with a little grape seed oil on low heat.  Add salt to draw out flavor and moisture.  Once vegetables become translucent add pastis and white wine and reduce by half.  Add vegetable stock and bring to a simmer for 30 minutes with corn cobs.  Add cream bring to a simmer again for 15 minutes.  Taste soup throughout the cooking process and adjust seasoning as needed.

Remove from heat.  Take cobs out.  Blend in blender and strain through wood handle strainer.  Refrigerate immediately or serve.  To garnish slice padron peppers on an angle and dip in buttermilk, shake off excess buttermilk and coat with corn meal and fry till golden brown.

Garnish the soup with padron peppers, roasted corn kernels, and fino verde basil leaves.

Chick-Lit, Move over Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Google.

By Evy Warshawski

Make way for http://www.backyardchickens.com, a social networking site with everything you ever needed to know about clucks and coops!

According to the environmental research organization, Worldwatch Institute, “Raising chickens is an extension of an urban farming movement that has gathered popularity nationwide.  Home-based agriculture … avoids the energy usage and carbon emissions typically associated with transporting food.”

“Raising chickens is more popular now,” said Tim Wilson, owner of Wilson’s Feed & Supply, and purveyor of hen houses and peeps (baby chicks). “It is our own way of being green and knowing the eggs are fresh.”

Chickens rule at Wilsons.  Check out the plump, white, fiberglass (cocky) rooster (strutting next to the giant Hereford cow) that has guarded the entrance for more than 30 years.

When Michelle and Scott Carmichael moved into their new Napa house a dozen years ago, the former owners left an intact coop on the property.

Three kids, one large Bernese mountain dog and seven hyper chickens later, the Carmichael’s spacious backyard, a mix of lush vegetable gardens and dirt sandbox, has evolved into a veritable playground where “the girls” rule the roost!

The Carmichael family is part of a growing trend of Napa Valley backyard poultry farmers who reap – and savor — the benefits of maintaining a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle.

“Raising chickens has become a family affair,” said Michelle.  “They’re fairly easy to manage; though one recently got out and ended up at a neighbor’s front door.”

Watching Jackson (age 9), Tanner (age 6) and Sawyer (age 4) chase, and be chased by, this lively, cackling flock, it’s comforting to know that the wood-slatted hen house – artfully re-designed by the family’s construction business — provides the brood with a safe and solid refuge in which to eat, sleep, avoid the occasional fox, and lay those golden eggs.

What is the “scoop” on the coop?  Contrary to popular belief, these birds are very particular about their housing needs.   They require protection from inclement weather, potential predators, and their own

“itchy feet” (they love to wander).    They thrive on tight confinement (there is a pecking order) and have night blindness.  At sunset, their slowing metabolism makes them vulnerable to predators such as owls, snakes and raccoons.

It was only a matter of time before the word “designer” became attached to cage innovations fit for a princess.  Local landscape architect, Jo Goodwin’s “Hen Haven” is made of recycled materials and combines coop, shed and sitting area, where, she admits, she often lounges with her young peeps and listens to Giants games!

“It turned out so cute,” she said, “complete with a Queen Anne upholstered chair and crystal chandelier cleaned from the dump.”  Because she lives in a rural area, fraught with nature’s pillagers, Goodwin describes her “fancy shed” as a Fort Knox, complete with automatic doors, beacon lights and fully screened throughout.

“It’s the Coop de Ville,” she said.

Be careful when you start a conversation with Napa-based poultry mavens.  Next thing you know, they’ll be sharing photos, inviting you to tour their fashionable coops or gifting organic eggs for tomorrow’s breakfast.  All agree that the rewarding benefits of raising chemical-free chickens, as growing an organic vegetable garden or harvesting backyard fruit trees, far outweigh the liabilities.

“Although their eggs are bigger than their brains,” said Michelle Carmichael, “our chickens not only provide eggs and garden fertilizer, but eat much of what would otherwise be thrown away from the family’s table.  They are our very special backyard pets.”

If you are interested in joining the ranks of urban poultry farmers, be sure to first read the rules and regulations provided by Napa County’s Local Food Advisory Council at http://www.countyofnapa.org/LFAC.