Fenaughty Apricots

Visiting vineyard manager, Ron Mansfield, during the summer season is a delicious occasion. Many of the ranches that he manages have stone fruit planted beside the vineyards which fill his packing shed during July through September. I've eaten the best plums, peaches, and pears straight from the vineyard while rattling back to the barn in Ron's truck,  leaving a trail of red dust behind. The Fenaughty ranch has two rogue trees that don't get pruned or sprayed. The broad and broody branches were covered with bright apricots this week. The upside of many of them were marked by the evidence of the hail storm in early May. The fruit was firm, tangy, and full of flavors that mimic those found in Viognier grapes. We grabbed a couple bags and began picking. The experience of tasting fruit with Farmer Ron is grounding. His dedication to ripening tree fruit with perfect balance is admirable to a winemaker. I couldn't wait to get the fruit back to my kitchen and create a meal paired with Viognier.

Fenaughty Apricot Dinner

Chicken apricot skewers on the BBQ

Fennel and apricot slaw

Saffron Rice

Apricot crumble

Selection of Viognier

Grilled chicken and apricot skewers. The cilantro leads flavors
from Viognier to Grenache.

Fennel Apricot Slaw

This is a simple and delicious way to bring wine friendly flavors together in summer months.

Additions:

1/2 head of red cabbage, thinly sliced

2 fennel bulbs, fronds removed, thinly sliced

1 C. diced apricots

4 pieces of cooked bacon, crumbled

Dressing:

1/2 C Mayonaise

1/4 C Red wine vinegar

Fennel Fronds, chopped

2 t sugar

Salt and Pepper to taste

Protocol:

Mix the first four ingredients thoroughly. Then, whisk the dressing in a separate bowl. Toss the dressing over the fennel mixture and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

This salad is delicious with Viognier and also could transition to Grenache with the fennel and bacon flavors.

Summer Begins: Outdoor cooking and eating

To be honest, I haven't been cooking much in the last couple weeks. A lot of time on the road at wine competitions and new client development has left me eating out and drinking beer. Funny how that works. At a recent wine competition we tasted over 90 wines per day for 3 days and all I wanted at the end of the day was a cold beer.

This week we settled back into our home after a week of family vacation greeted by the summer routine-early and eager mornings followed by long slow evenings. My herb garden is bursting with great flavors and the tomatoes are setting. We picked the first figs from our tree this week too-I'm ecstatic that they are only an arms reach from my outdoor claw foot tub. The vineyards have set too and now time to let the California sunshine do it's job to ripen the fruit. I've dusted off the outdoor table to make regular, rather than occasional use. It's time to get out of the house and enjoy the outdoor living. And, yes, even girls can grill. I think I've always loved grilling because it frees up a dish that I didn't have to clean and cleaning the grill consists of turning it on and rubbing it with a brush-not too hard. Winemakers do enough cleaning that sometimes you need a break. We don't even clean until it just LOOKS clean. We clean the stuff you can't see. Pretty neurotic! So, back to the grill...

My dad is in town- a good excuse to fire up the grill with burgers, a family favorite.  Of course, my dad and I came up with some variations too. I also recently posted my nut burger recipe which adds variety to summer entertaining if you wish.

Winemaker's Burger

Additions:

1 lb. grass fed beef
1 lb. ground turkey (you could substitute lamb or pork here)
1/2 C shredded cheddar (with lamb, I would add feta. Often, I add blue cheese or parmesan)
1 T Garlic powder
1 T Onion powder
1 T garlic paste (or minced garlic)
1 egg
1 t Tamari or Braggs Aminos
1 t Worcestershire sauce
1t Wheat germ
1 t oregano
1 t parsley
1 t basil

Protocol:

Mix all ingredients thoroughly with your hands and let marinate for 1 hour. Then, form desired patty.
Turn grill to high heat, place burgers on hot grill for 3-5 minutes on each side. Top with cheese if desired. Add as many fresh grilled veggies, pickles, and other desired veggies to the top.

Some suggestions: grilled peppers, zucchini, onion, sautéed mushrooms, bacon, avocado, kale, and hummus or tahini, fresh mint, and olive tapenade. Special sauce of equal parts mayo, ketchup, and mustard.

Wines:

I'm not picky about my red wines with burgers, but I do love a glass of wine to accompany my time tending the grill and diving into this juicy morsel.  Depending on the meat variations, you can get really creative. Barbera is one of my go to reds for burgers and I also enjoy Zinfandel with the herbs in the lamb burger variation. Whatever your wine of choice, chill it down to cellar temperature, about 55-60 degrees, before taking it outside to enjoy a warm summer night.

I didn't grab a photo before these were downed by the boys, but I think you get the idea. You've seen a picture of a burger, right?

Cheers!