Vineyard Kitchen..... Jain's Spring Fling

Spring is all about being outside for me. It is where I am the happiest. Jim is lucky to get any kind of food at all during this time of the year. There is so much to be done! I've been nursing 70 little babies. Grape vine babies to put in a nursery row on my sister's property. They are a varietal, Blanc du Bois, that will do well in her sandy Texas coastal soil. The garden also needs constant attention. I did cook a little bit this week for the Spring Fling at Jain's...................
Mixed greens with smoked salmon and crispy won ton's. Roasted chicken with a red pepper sauce. For dessert ~ creme brulee.
And back to the garden.................................................


Cheers!

Ry

Photography by: Ryannan Bryer de Hickman

Copyright: Sotto Il Monte Vineyards

Thanks Ralph!

I was recently in Scottsdale, Arizona to work on some photo shoots and found myself with a free afternoon so I headed over to my favorite store at the Biltmore Center - The Ralph Lauren store. I love this store because they have a furniture showroom and it feels like an elegant private club. Unfortunately - the day that I went they were taking down the old display to put up a new one. I had to content myself with browsing the spring couture line.
The new spring line was - fabulous! Not because it is groundbreaking - but because -

I already have this look! Ralph Lauren from about nine years ago. I bought some nice pieces back then and they have held up well. And like the Sartorialist said in his March 17 blog post -

"Someone commented yesterday that "shopping your own closet" is already a cliche. Maybe that's true, but it is a truth we are all living with right now. "

I'm sure I have this shirt - maybe not the pants - I can live without the pants.........

Surely I have some similar belts in the closet..........................
I definitely have this white silk skirt. The blouse that goes with mine has long sleeves - better for me anyway.................................................

I would love to have the shoes ...................................
This look is a little - well lets see - survival fashion maybe - what a great dress.
Love this dress. Not wild about the pants on the right - and the headgear - thanks but no thanks..........................................

So Ralph ~ I'll shop the closet ~ maybe add a few accessories. Thanks to you ~ at least I won't feel so last year!

TRAVELING SHOES .... MONTICIANO, ITALY

I had the good fortune to do some Graduate Studies in the Tuscany region of Italy.

I stayed at Il Podernovo - Monticiano, Italy. Podernovo is a beautiful Tuscan farmhouse divided up into several apartments.
This was the view from my window. The rural village ~ Monticiano was a five minute walk away.
Grape vines hanging over the doorways. Could it get any better?
The lovelies downstairs...............................................
A field of smiling sunflowers.....................................
The details............Ahhhh, the details.......................................
The cucina at Il Podernovo. We had breakfast in here a few times. Lunches were on location and dinners were always out under the grape arbor (where else?). One night the Monticiano firemen came over and made pizza for us in the outdoor oven. A quintessential Italian experience.
More details................



The lane leading to Monticiano......................................
Now, to get to the real point of this post - Italian Vintner Carlo Cignozzi. The villa that I stayed in, Il Podernovo, is owned by Diana Grandi & Carlo Cignozzi. Carlo was just starting his vineyard/winery Il Paradiso di Frassina at that time (1997). He would bring bottles of wine for us to sample and enjoy with dinner. It was incredible - some of the best wine I've ever tasted ~ Brunello di Montalcino. I wish that I had purchased cases of it ~ because now ~ it is $160.00 per bottle at Damien's Cucina Houston. Brunello di Montalcino is a little hard to find here in the states but can be ordered through Small Vineyards Imports. Carlo is also trying a technique that I'm very interested in. Music for the vines. He is employing a technique that he is convinced helps his vines thrive and keeps animals and pests away from the vineyard. I love this idea.................

I'm trying to grow vines as pesticide free as I can and am inundated by deer, raccoon and birds.

Carlo has speakers all through his vineyard and plays Mozart, Haydn, Handel, Mahler and Vivaldi. According to Stefano Mancuso, a professor of agriculture at the University of Florence, "Sound exposure has some positive effects on vine growth in the vineyard, especially shoot growth." The effect of sound on plants apparently depends on frequency, intensity and exposure time. In 2001, Chinese researchers found that low-frequency sound does not damage cell structure but instead activates enzymes, increases cell membrane fluidity and promotes DNA replication and cell cycling. Sources: http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2007/06/music_and_wine#

http://www.benemag.com/articles/food_wine/do_grapes_have_ears.html

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=1165678

Photography By: Ryannan Bryer de Hickman

Copyright: Sotto Il Monte Vineyards

Illustration of Carlo Cignozzi by: Tim Tomkinson

Foodie Friday ....... Crawfish Boil

Last Friday we were invited to a Crawfish Boil by the CEO of the hospital.

I've never been one to shy away from any culinary experience. My philosophy has always been "When in Rome......................". Our host is from New Orleans and the Crawfish Boil is a tradition in his family. Not being from the south myself - I didn't have a clue what to expect.

Crawfish are freshwater creatures and you cook them much the same way that you do lobsters - live! I didn't arrive soon enough to witness that part - just as well. At any rate, you boil the craw fish in a big pot of water with Cajun spices, potatoes, lemons and corn. The traditional way to serve it is to put down some newspapers on a large table, drain the water off the craw fish, potatoes and corn and pour it all out onto the table. Everyone steps up to the table and digs in - no plates or utensils required. Don't wear nice clothes though - this is a fun but messy process.

Photo - Kyle LeBlanc Crawfish Farms

VINEYARD KITCHEN ....... WEE BIT O' GREEN

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!!!!!!

Guess we will go with the green food today............Cream of Asparagus Soup

followed by Pork Medallions on a bed of Arugula...............................

Can't forget the Irish Linens............or the Irish Champ ~ Mashed potatoes with scallions and a knob of butter..........................................
I'll serve it on the Royal Worchester Balmoral China with the Shannon Irish Crystal ..............
Pair it with a Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. You have to try this wine!

It was rated in the top 100 wines of 2008 by Wine Spectator. A great bargain at around $14.00-$19.00 a bottle with melon and peaches on the nose and a lovely mid range.............................
Now all I need is a wee cottage in the Irish Countryside and a few sheep..............
Photography By: Ryannan Bryer de Hickman

Copyright: Sotto Il Monte Vineyards

GARDENING BOOTS.......RAISING NELUMBO

Hindu Lotus - This one surprised me ~ I thought it was going to be pink!
I grow my Lotus plants in containers as they can quickly take over a small pond.
Lotus blossoms do not last very long ~ this one lasted about two days.


Even when they are not blooming ~ the giant leaves are beautiful............

I keep a few fish in the containers to keep mosquito's from breeding...........

The end of the day................................................................

Growing Nelumbo from Seed

You can buy established plants at water gardens - but they can be quite expensive.

It is fairly easy to grow Lotus plants from seed. You can order seed or buy dried lotus seed pods at the craft store and start plants from them. Just make sure that you buy a pod that has seed rattling around in it and one that has not been painted. Lotus seed have a very hard coating that has to be abraded before water can penetrate. I use a small file and sand away at the outer coating until just a tiny bit of white shows through. Then I put them in a container with a little soil and gravel - fill it with water and keep it wet until the seed germinates.
Photography by: Ryannan Bryer de Hickman

Copyright: Sotto Il Monte Vineyards