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| porcini tagliatelle |
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| lamb in porcini wine sauce |
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| poached pear soup |
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| chef & forager |
I have had some great food and wine experiences lately.
Saltwater is in Inverness, very close to where I live. Next door is Blackbird, the sweet little coffee shop where I do my web design and internet work.
I always stop to look at the menu of Saltwater when I am headed to the cafe. The ambience, the local foods, the ever changing menu pulled me in. I kept waiting for an opportunity to go and was about to just go by myself but when J, my mushroom foraging friend, said that he had supplied them with mushrooms and we could go, I waited to experience Saltwater with one of its purveyors.
We walked in and immediately felt special. Chef Anthony had created a mushroom focused menu just for us. He played with and tried new recipes on us like a curry sauce on top of local oysters (so good), porcini sauce on tagliatelle, lamb in a porcini-wine reduction, red wine poached pear soup. Unbelievable.
When I worked the wine harvest, I always noticed that they took great care of fellow industry workers when going on tastings. This is because, it is exciting to share your passion with those who feel the same way and perhaps, this was the same. The two of us were floored with what Chef Anthony did with the mushrooms and everything.
I now only recommend Saltwater to our guests. Sure, everyone thinks to go to Point Reyes Station but I say this is well worth the detour. Chef Anthony is so thoughtful and kind and puts so much care and attention into what he is doing, it's inspiring.
I also have *finally* had the chance to purchase and meet Selection Massale. When I worked harvest in Napa, I learned first hand of all the crap that goes into many wines. I was super disappointed as I thought wine was pure, fermented grapes. And somehow, I became facebook friends with these guys who started an import company, importing natural wine. Yea! I love what they are doing and have wanted to buy from them for forever and now, living in the area and having no good wine options up in West Marin other than some way too intense, jammy Napa wines, I ordered some bottles which I picked up from Corey last week. And that Beaujolais really does go down like water, simple goodness. Their bottles are super affordable, they ship, and it's natural wine! You should just buy your wine from them, period.
What a week. California might just be as satisfying as France is to me. Have I mentioned yet that where I live, there is nothing but cows at pasture? Not so typical in the midwest where it is mostly CAFOs. Oh, progressive California, I love you.
*sorry pics aren't so hot, it was dark and I was giddy.