pigs & pinot

A few years ago, my friend Judy, brought me to the town of Healdsburg, CA when we were out visiting her family in San Francisco. I've always loved Napa, which surely stems from my mom's love of Napa. But Healdsburg is a hidden gem of wine country (although maybe not for too much longer as they were just named the No 2 small town to visit in Smithsonian Magazine). It's a small walking town filled with great food and wine but with an undertone of community that I find magnetic. The people are friendly, and the dogs are happy. The food is vibrant. The wine is some of the best. Everyone seems to be trying to make everything there enjoyable.

When I was there with Judy and her family, we stayed at the Hotel Healdsburg and ate at Charlie Palmer’s restaurant – Dry Creek Kitchen. I remember like it was yesterday how creamy the risotto was. I talked about it for weeks—it had an egg in it too. It was a dining experience to remember. When I got back home I did what any person obsessed with food does, I googled Charlie. I had seen him on TV before but I didn’t know that much about him. His food provoked me to want to know more. When researching I read about an event he puts on every year called Pigs & Pinot. Just from the name it sounded wonderful. The few years that followed I was too sick and waiting for new lungs to try and attend this event. But as soon as I got my second lungs and was able to travel I knew one of the first things I needed to do! The first year tickets went on sale, I couldn’t believe it, but the event sold out before I hit purchase! I ended up spending a week in Healdsburg in December for my 30^th birthday, that held me over, but I knew when Pigs & Pinot came around the following year I was not missing out! And thankfully I didn’t. 

We arrived on Friday night at The Healdsburg Hotel. And a few hours later we were engorging ourselves with everything pork. Each bite of pork (I think there were 60 participants) that entered my mouth was heaven. I didn’t even care about the pinot—food supersedes everything to me. I wanted nothing to distract my taste buds!

 

The next day we attended The Ultimate Pinot Smackdown where 16 wines and 4 sommeliers competed for the winning title of best pinot. This was an amazing concept (think basketball and the sweet 16) and event.  Each sommelier stood up and defended the wines they chose against each other. It was brilliant. And so much fun! In the end Soliste, which was fantastic, ending up winning. 

Our last event was A Gala Dinner in Dry Creek Kitchen with five courses, each accompanied by different two wines. My favorite course—Macaroni alla Norcini with pork sausage, black truffle, and parmigiano made by Frank Crispo of Crispo in New York was literally some of the best pasta I’ve ever tasted my entire life. This was a pretty fancy event, so I didn't break out the IPhone to snap any pictures. Regretfully!

We stayed an extra day just so we could enjoy dinner at Chalkboard—one of my favorite restaurants of all time. They make a pork belly biscuit that is not of this world! They are based on small bites, so you can have the chance to taste a lot. The food is incredible while the atmosphere is just easy and simple. My favorite.     

 

 

I can't wait to return next year! 

Taste of South End

Last night Laura and I went to my favorite foodie event: The Taste of the South End.  It's expensive but it has the best food ever! We started off with a mini disaster when I forgot my license in my car (that was valeted) because you need your ID.  But it ended up not being necessary when I told the check in person I accidentally left it in my car that was parked who knows where!

There were a lot of people there this year.  Last year I don't remember there being that many people, I didn't really have to get through a crowd to get samples.  This year we did.  But it was well worth it.  We had a definite favorite: the pork belly from Union (in the south end) I went back for more, it was so yummy! I also really loved the steak tartare from both The Butcher Shop and Gaslight.  And B&G Oysters had a really great fried oyster! I have never been to POPS but they had a yummy mini little chicken pot pie which had a really great flavor! Mistral had a really great foi gras (but they had the same exact thing last year, which seemed like lack of creativity to me) and someone also had ceviche on a little chip that was really good, but I can't remember who and someone had a really great mini little crab cake too.....And for dessert The South End Buttery had cupcakes with literally the most amazing butter cream frosting I've ever had.  We ate A LOT of food and it hit us both by the end, we were feeling a little queezy! But it was well worth it.  We'll be back next year for sure, maybe in a suit or a dress (people here were seriously dressed up!)    

me seriously waiting for steak tartare from The Butcher Shop (see the piggie drawing)

oysters

 

cupcakes

a very blurry Joanne Chang from Flour and Myers + Chang

us with very full tummys

Beer and Bacon Fest 2010

I really like food festivals, but am leery of them when they ticket price is reasonable, because generally this equals long lines.  I went to a Phantom Gourmet food fest once, that was in this giant grey blob of a warehouse (someone else had bought a group of us tickets) and let me tell you there were thousands of people at this event and the lines to taste anything were about an hour long.  I'll go buy a whole pizza at upper crust instead of waiting in a mile long long for a sample, thanks.  This is one of the reasons The Taste of the South End works so well, ticket price is a little higher, so you don't have lines, and the food is above and beyond.  But who doesn't love Bacon and the south end, so 4 of us gave it a try! 

When we first arrive, before it started, the line was so massive to get in I kind of thought we were going to have to skip this and go over to Rocca or Gaslight for a meal! But come to find out they just had not let people in yet and this was the reason for the long line.  We waited for a little bit before we go in, which wasn't bad.  The crowd was mostly 20 something hipsters I would say, and people that love pig obviously!  There were a lot of pig themed t-shirts here!

We finally got inside and headed straight for the beer.  But then I threw my cup out, I was only concerned with bacon.  The first thing we had was a cupcake topped with bacon from South End Buttery. It was very yummy! 

Then we had scallops from Turner Fisheries which was also good.  But what we tried third was really awesome.  It was pork belly and it was from a restaurant I've never even heard of - Stoddard's! But now will have to try! 

Next we had a fried oyster from Rialto.  I don't like oysters...next....We had candied bacon from Rocca which was excellent! Next to Rocca was B Good and they were serving a bacon chocolate milkshake, which was literally to die for.  I am going to try and replicate this at home! It was so perfectly chocolaty and had little pieces of salty bacon swirling about!

One of the other things I loved was a sort of dumpling kind of dough thing with candied maple bacon glaze on it filled with egg, bacon and cheese and it was INCREDIBLE.  I had two! I loved loved loved loved it. It was from Atwood's.... I didn't even take a picture, it went in my mouth too fast!

The Franklin Cafe was serving a tiny little pretzel like thing with bacon and mustard.  I liked that you could just pop it in your mouth, but I wasn't crazy about it.  It seemed over cooked to me.  Next we had cheesecake that had bacon and chicken and other stuff in it, and I had one bite and threw it away.  Sorry.  I did not like it one bit.  I would have liked it if were the regular sweet kind with bacon bits I think.  Bacon seems to work well with sweet! 

We stopped at The Myers and Chang table were they had like a bacon sandwich which had a good flavor to it.

Next I wandered over to get the bacon wrapped date, but they were out! I love dates :( So we grabbed some bacon laced Chex mix instead which was pretty good.  Then we headed over to Gaslight's table were they were serving begets.

Someone was serving what looked like a great brownie and bourbon sundae but I just couldn't put another thing like that in my mouth.   My stomach was done! What a great event!