Creatively speaking

A natural lover of living subjects and apprentice of many trades- my occupation is winemaker and my inspiration comes from an array of disciplines. I am currently working on some label art which has led me to explore textures and textiles, food and photography, and illustrations. Here at my workshop, I have multiple mediums available to create and experiment...and I might have a glass of wine too.

The rain is abundant today and I love to sit next to the window with the drips dripping to an irregular, but constant beat. Perfect rhythm for humming along on a project.

My herb gardens are getting some spring rains and many of my seeds have emerged.

Fueling the creative fire, it's time to get cozy. Tonight I'm cooking something fresh with the seasons ingredients. I'm experimenting with the flavors of thyme growing in my edible flower pots. I need a delicious structured and dry Zinfandel to match the flavors of the herbs. My family is going to LOVE this meal after a busy week back at school, work, and play.

Thyme has aromas of lemon, licorice, and flowers. Sounds delicious with a wine full of berries, licorice, pepper and violets.

Friday night dinner

fresh lemony asparagus with sea salt 

potato stacks with thyme

turkey and grain burgers with herbs

saffron yogurt dip

spring greens and tellicherry pepper dressing 

Zinfandel

My grandparents descended from Yugoslavia, where Zinfandel was grown most prolifically in the Mediterranean.  Here in the Sierra Foothills, Zinfandel is one of the regions most historic and acclaimed grapes. A sun loving berry that develops beautiful complex flavors during the growing season and delicious with herbs like Thyme and Oregano.

Easter Menu

Of course, I start with my favorite springtime wines to set the stage for our Easter holiday meal. I like to base the menu around what's in season and delicious springtime wines. Let's see... there's sparkling wine for sipping during the egg hunt, Rose for transition from lawn bowling into the main course, and Mourvedre-Grenache blends for the leg of lamb. My favorite! Springtime is so fresh and full of delicious flavors. I love using the fresh herbs of the season to bring out the most in the wines.

Easter at The Winemaker's Table

Fruit kabobs

Deviled eggs with smoked paprika

Prosciutto wrapped lemon asparagus

Roasted red potatoes with crushed pink peppercorns

Arugula salad with a farewell to citrus blood orange, avocado, and sunflower seeds

Boneless leg of lamb stuffed with herb paste served with mint pesto

Carrot cupcakes

Kid deco sugar cookies

and a touch of chocolate for the Easter Bunny!

Mint Pesto Recipe

Inspired by my love for mint with GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre) and the desperate need to replace the kiwi tradition of mint jelly with something more savory, I set out to create this pesto that I had in a local restaurant. While mint never ceases to be plentiful, it's also a fresh take on summer's endless basil pesto.

Use a processor or muddle this mix yourself using a mortar and pestle. You can create a chunky pesto that's perfect on the lamb.

1 clove garlic, minced

3 C loose mint leaves

1/2 C pine nuts

1/2 C parmesan cheese

EVOO to desired consistency

1 T Dijon mustard

Sea salt to taste

pinch of fresh cracked pepper

Muddle the pine nuts, mint leaves, and garlic. Then add remaining ingredients. Make fresh or refrigerate for 2 hours or all day and serve a dollop on top of the lamb.

Having Ham? I love a full bodied white like Roussanne or Viognier. The saltiness of the ham is also delicious with Mourvedre. I guess I just love Rhone wines with holiday meals. They really unfold over a long meal and are so rewarding after a long day of preparations.

Upcycling eggshells

Upcycling eggshells for seedlings

With just under 5 weeks to Mother's Day (my garden green light indicator) I am starting herbs from seed. We have lots of eggs from our chickens and I saw this cute idea for planting seedlings on pinterest. Save your egg shells and poke a tiny hole in the bottom for drainage. Use a teaspoon to fill the eggshells with soil and plant the seeds. These can grow in your window until the threat of frost has passed. My husband often does the planting in the garden as a preface to strategically installing the irrigation system. I love him for it! He likes these tiny eggshell seedlings because you just drop in the garden. The delicate seedlings can be difficult to transplant to the garden while wearing big garden gloves. Instead, the eggshells will compost in your garden and make planting easy!

Keep an empty egg carton in your kitchen with your seeds and a ceramic container of soil. As you use your eggs, you can continue more seeds to keep your herb garden abundant all spring. I like to use a spray bottle to keep the seedlings moist and induce germination.

I have lots of cilantro, basil, and chives that are beginning to sprout. I had to plant some nasturtiums too! They are so beautiful and aromatic in salads.

Once my seeds are planted, I'm going to grab a glass of cold Grenache Blanc. Feels like Spring!