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 by Jennifer Knoll
In Paso Robles we have at our disposal an abundance of fresh, flavorful, organic local produce and meats, virtually all year long. I've become obsessed with shopping for all my veggies, fruits, and sometimes my entire meal, at Farmer’s Markets. Most of the time I go in blind, seeking inspiration from whatever combinations look freshest. And as we find ourselves in late spring, on the verge of summer, the Farmers' tables are starting to blow-up with possibilities – many items begging to be thrown onto the grill!
So with the grill in the back of my mind – and the anticipation of a warm, breezy evening on the patio under the shade – I walked through Paso's Tuesday Market in the near 90 degree heat thinking of the crisp, clean, chilly bottle of Tablas Creek Grenache Blanc I chose for the night, opting to food shop for this particular bottle. With its crisp acidity, granny smith and citrus that are softened by its vibrant minerality and hints of fennel and dill, I knew that the fresh tarragon in my herb bin was going to make it into this show.
But what else?
Walking through the Tuesday farmer’s market I felt a sense of mild regret in that I was only doing one Pairings in Paso post for the month of May: the amazing spring colors of ridiculously fresh beets, radishes, carrots, lemons, oranges, peas, strawberries were overloading my senses! My mind was whirling with the possibilities and almost endless combos. I tried to be logical, determined to keep it simple. My chilling wine would be perfect for the chicken thawing at home, along with the fresh tarragon from my friends at 3 Kids Farm. In addition, I picked up some Cara Cara oranges, a Meyer lemon, and some crisp English peas and beautiful fennel for a playful salad to complement the chicory and licorice in the Grenache Blanc.
Finally, here is my farmer’s market inspired Spring Tarragon Citrus Chicken with Pea and Fennel Salad.
Spring Tarragon Citrus Chicken , Peas and Fennel
2 chicken breasts, butterflied
1 bunch tarragon leaves
3 juiced Cara Cara oranges
2 juiced Meyer lemons
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 cloves crushed garlic
Pinch of salt & pepper
2 cups blanched English shelling peas
1 thinly sliced fennel bulb
Fennel fronds for garnish
Arrange chicken in single layer in glass casserole or pie plate. Season with salt & pepper. Whisk together orange & lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, garlic and tarragon in small bowl. Reserve ½ a cup for salad. Pour marinade over chicken and turn to coat. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Transfer chicken to barbecue. Grill chicken, about 6 minutes per side. Remove from grill and let rest for 5 minutes. While chicken is resting add peas and fennel to medium size bowl. Pour reserved marinade over peas and gently toss.
Tablas Creek 2010 Grenache Blanc Tasting Notes:
The 2010 Grenache Blanc shows expressive, intensely mineral nose that also includes sweet flavors like marzipan, licorice and chicory root. In the mouth it is rich yet zesty, with flavors of quince, marmalade and granny smith apple. The vibrant acids come out on the finish, suggesting preserved lemon and ending with just a hint of Grenache tannic. Drink now or hold for the two to three years.
Jennifer Knoll is a lifelong resident of Paso Robles. Growing up in the wine business and being surrounded by farmers she developed her serious fetish for wine and food. She is also the Assitant Tasting Room Manager at Tablas Creek Vineyard.
 By Kris Penick
Cuisine has always been part of California’s Central Coast culture. In the mid 1800’s early ranchers hosted large Spanish style feasts for ranch workers featuring oak grilled beef. This special style of barbecue is now a major attraction for visitors in our region. You can still cruise down Spring Street in Paso Robles any holiday or weekend and find smoking oak pits offering up a juicy tri-tip barbecue meal, pinto beans and all.
While agriculture and great food have always been synonymous, it is the recent explosion of the Paso wine industry that has seduced artisan food producers, chefs and restaurateurs to region. Paso Robles’ rolling fertile hills and valleys, nurturing warm climate, coupled with the bountiful nearby ocean and abundant cattle ranches, also contribute to the allure and add to the diverse landscape of premium fresh food products to choose from.
 Known as agri-tourism, foodies are now discovering that Paso Robles offers an inside look at the local farms, ranches and vineyards that shape the flavors of the region, and Paso Robles seems to be able to maintain its approachable goodness. Many locals enjoy sharing stories and history about families who have farmed for generations. Welcoming new producers who have discovered Paso Robles also contribute to the flavor of the region with their passion and craft.
Imagine eating just picked ollieberries warm from the vine, or customizing fresh made goat cheese with local herbs, or sipping different varieties of local olive oil, or dining on farm tables under the warm sun shaded by oak trees after a day of harvesting grapes. When back from a day on the farm or vineyard, picture yourself taking a stroll around the City Park for a do it yourself Downtown Foodie tour. Start at We Olive on Park Street for olive oil, tapenade  and vinegar tasting, step into the courtyard at Thomas Hill Organics for a farm to table snack, and continue to Estrella or Fenomenal eateries for tapas and beer. Stop by Clayhouse or Orchid Hill tasting rooms for an urban wine tasting experience. Then, linger a little longer with a gelato from Powell’s Sweet Shop or enjoy the patio at Vivant Fine Cheese for a wine and cheese pairing.
Satisfy your culinary appetite in charming Paso Robles, California. Friendly farmers, regional food purveyors, chefs  and winemakers will all welcome you. Now is the time to discover why Paso Robles on California’s Central Coast is becoming a favorite culinary destination.
What to look for now?
Artisan cheeses, organic and sustainably grown produce, heirloom vegetables, olive oil, lavender, honey, sustainably grown meat and poultry, locally caught fish, and world-renowned wine!
Central Coast Lavender Farm ~ Seasonal farm stand, U pick, events and tours by appointment. www.centralcoastlavendar.com
Happy Acres Family Farms ~ Goat cheese farm and farm stand. Tours by appointment. www.HappyAcresFamilyFarm.net
Jack Creek Farms ~ Seasonal U Pick garden, tours, events, picnic ground and pumpkins.  www.jackcreekfarms.com
Natures Touch ~ Local produce and products, nursery, and natural food products. www.naturestouchnurseryandharvest.com
Olivas de Oro Olive Company ~ Olive Oil and olive products, olive orchard, tasting room, events. Open weekends & by appointment. www. Olivasdeoro.com
Pasolivo Olive Oil ~ Olive mill, tasting room, events. www.pasolivo.com
Windrose Farms ~Biodynamic farming for professional and recreational chefs. Seasonal Saturday tours. www.windrosefarm.org
Mt. Olive Organic Farm ~ Sustainable & organic produce, olive oil, bakery, lunch, tours by  appointment. www.mtoliveco.com/farm/
Indian Valley U Pick Farm ~ Northeast of San Miguel bring your own container for seasonal heirloom fruits & vegetables. Call pager before coming, 805.227.5660
Stillwater Vineyard ~ boutique winery with seasonal farm stand herbs and vegetables grown on the winery estate. www.stillwatersvineyards.com
First Crush Winemaking ~ offers wine making and blending seminars, and seasonal harvest experiences
Reserve Events & Destinations is a Destination Management Company that specializes in wine and culinary experiences on the Central Coast of California. Groups of all sizes enjoy unique experiences, customized activities and connections to the region provided by their services.
This week's Friday Giveaway comes to you from Vivant Fine Cheese in downtown Paso Robles.
 Answer the trivia question below and receive a wedge of delicious Central Coast Creamery Seascape, which just won Best Hard Mixed Milk Cheese at the World Cheese Competition.
Q: How many times per year does the Vivant Fine Cheese Club shipment go out?
Simply submit an answer on our blog, Facebook page or via Twitter to be entered. Winner will be drawn Friday afternoon. Good luck!
Seascape is an original hand-crafted artisan cheese made from blended goat and cow milk.
It is a semi-soft cheese with a smooth, creamy texture and a complex tanginess.
 Vivant Fine Cheese carries over 150 cheeses at their tasting room in Paso Robles, California.
If you cannot find the cheese you are looking for on our website, please don't hesitate to call or email them a question.
They will work with you to find the cheese of your choice.
Dear Hospice du Rhône,
 I can’t stop thinking about you. Ever since we met last year, all I ever do is brag about you to my friends, family and colleagues. And now that we had the chance to spend even more time together last weekend at your 20th anniversary, I’m more in love with you than ever.
Your seminars gave me first hand exposure to the international world of Rhône winemakers, buyers, collectors, importers and exporters, which left me dizzy. Your amazing lunches and grand wine tastings gave way to your passionate knowledge of this world of Rhône along with your entertaining approach to sharing that knowledge with the masses. All of this has left me intrigued and I can’t get enough.
You played hard to get at first and I wasn’t fast enough to snatch an opening night ticket to the speedily sold out Châteauneuf du Pape seminar and dinner at Bistro Laurent, featuring Author Harry Karis, Sommelier Kelly McAuliffe and vigneron Philippe Cambie, showcasing Châteauneuf du Pape wines hailing from as far back as vintages from the 1950s.
 However, you could not elude me, as I was able to commandeer a weekend pass to all of your other events, at which, you changed my life. As a self-taught Rhône wine lover, the Why Spain (still) Rocks seminar, well, it completed me. Discovering that Garnacha and Monastrell varietals hailed from Spain prior to becoming the Rhône staples Grenache and Mourvedre gave me the chills. The Spanish hamlets of Priorat, Jumilla, and Mentrida have now been added to my wine adventures bucket list thanks to Importer Eric Soloman and his band of merry Spanish winemakers who journeyed us through eight Garnachas, Monastrells, and Syrahs. The funky and fascinating Chester Osborn of d’Arenberg, McLaren Vale, South Australia took us down under on a virtual tour of his Rhône focused vineyard using maps and photos, all while discussing his soils and winemaking techniques as we tasted about 15 of the 60 wines he produces. My heart went a-flutter.
 Having lunch with you both Friday and Saturday was like two first dates. I loved the casual buffet set up, amazing gourmet fare and linen covered picnic tables that offered endless featured wines, waters and palette cleansers at each table. At Friday’s Rosé Lunch, hosted by Chef John Toulze of the girl & the fig from Sonoma, California, I’ll never forget that you introduced me to several memorable folk as we tasted five different chilled Rhône rosés. Two gentlemen who sat at our table, a father and son duo visiting from Dallas, Texas, were true collectors that love Paso Robles, have been here time and again, and were looking to add to their cellar back home. Also at our table was the lovely and fascinating Matthew Trevisan, Paso winemaker and owner of Linne Calodo, his wife and a friend of theirs from Templeton’s historic Epoch Vineyards.
Turns out our Texas friends had been trying to get a tasting appointment at Linne Calado while they were in town, and as luck would have it, Matthew was headed over to the winery right after lunch to give a winery tour to a few folk. So, what did he do? He invited the whole table! I, of course, blushed and felt my heart swell with happiness and gratitude for the amazing relationship we are building. Oh, Hospice du Rhone, you are just so money to me, you don’t even know.
 My cohort in wine-crime and I snatched up the offer and headed out to Linne Calodo. Gate code in hand, we punched those numbers and drove up the oak covered driveway into breathtaking beauty. There we met Brandi Stansbury, Linne Calodo's Director of Communications, who poured us four amazing tastings, and then took us out to the barrel room where Matthew, our Texas friends and the rest of the group were vertical barrel tasting. Our host was generous and a wealth of knowledge; his passion for his craft abundant and inventive. This is where we met Mitch from Chicago, a super nice restaurant and wine bar owner attending Hospice du Rhône to check out potenitial wine purchases to add to his menus back home. Love was in the air.
 The Saturday lunch, catered by Chef Rick Manson of the Far Western Tavern from Guadalupe California, included amazing food, wine and company like Friday, however there was an added live auction that really got my ears perking and heart pounding. Professional auctioneers were selling off Rhône wine lots from all over the world, private dinners, and trips to Blackberry Farms in Tennessee that went for up to $25,000. For you self-taught wine drinkers out there, it was a site to behold. The weekend also included grand tastings on Friday and Saturday afternoon that were over the top with producers offering exclusive vintages and varietals from all over the world, and delicious delectables from Blackberry Farms and Specialty Food Purveyors. My favorite part, aside from everything, was the French section, which I aptly dubbed Château Boulevard. French wineries, standing side by side by the dozens, including several from Châteauneuf du Pape, were pouring some of the best Grenaches I’ve ever imbibed. It was a two day love affair I will never forget, that ended with a Fiesta BBQ served by Chef Maegen Loring of The Neon Carrot from San Luis Obispo, California, and lots of laughs. Oh, parting is such sweet sorrow.
Well, Hospice du Rhône, as I wrap up my love letter, I just want to say that I now appreciate why sommeliers, buyers, and wine industry professionals taste wine, but don’t swallow. I entered the world of no return right after the second seminar and began spitting and dumping some of the best wine I’ve EVER tasted, or will ever taste. And, I will love you always for that. Until we meet again right here in Paso Robles, California...
Yours Eternally, Maryann Stansfield, Travel Paso Robles Alliance
Captions: Hospice du Rhône 20th Anniversary logo; Glasses lined up for tasting at the Spain (still) Rocks Seminar; Blackberry Farm cured meats hanging from the drying rack, along with cheeses, cured meats, okra and pickled beets at the Friday Grand Tasting; Approaching Linne Calodo wine tasting room and winery; A maze of wine and pourings at Friday's BIG Rhône Rendevous Grand Tasting event. Photo Credit: Maryann Stansfield
Maryann Stansfield is the Marketing Director for the Travel Paso Robles Alliance and Mental Marketing. Maryann loves to drink wine, learn about wine, discover new wines, eat food paired with wine, fall in love with wine and, on occasion, an unforgettable wine event. Cheers!
by Danika Reed, Vivant Fine Cheese
 Hello Cheese Lovers!
We are excited to announce our summer 2012 wine and cheese pairing series. Every month during the summer, we host a wine and cheese seminar with a local winery (or brewery!) on our beautiful patio. Over about an hour and a half, and Cheesemonger Danika guides attendees through the pairing along with the winemaker of the featured winery. There is PLENTY of wine, cheese, bread, crackers, and charcuterie for all.
Continue reading "Cheese'n in Up in Paso Robles: Wine and Cheese Pairing on the Patio" »
 It's FRIDAY GIVEAWAY time! Who wants 2 passes to the Earth Day Food and Wine Festival happening this weekend? Just answer the following question:
How many pounds of trash were generated at the 2011 Earth Day Food and Wine Festival?
a) 180 lbs.
b) 18 lbs.
c) 1.8 lbs.
We'll choose a random winner this afternoon. Good luck!
About: The 6th annual Earth Day Food & Wine Festival is a weekend celebration of all that's best here on the Central Coast.
The main event is Saturday's Earth Day Food & Wine Tasting at Pomar Junction Vineyard & Winery. Over 200 purveyors of sustainably produced foods and wine will be on hand for a truly unique event: growers, vintners, and chefs coming together to serve out-of-this-world pairings of award-winning wines with one-of-a-kind dishes made with locally-sourced fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, olive oils, chocolates, and more. Trust us, you won't go hungry! Tickets are $75 for regular and $40 for designated driver.
by Tina Swithin
Braised short ribs. Just thinking about them makes my mouth water. Generally, I am not a “rib” kind of girl. If you really think about it, it’s a lot of work for a little payoff. I’m also not a huge fan of using my fingers to eat- just a bit barbaric for my taste. Speaking of my taste, there is one type of ribs which I will  indulge in and those are short ribs. Short ribs are generally larger, meatier and more tender than their pork equivalent, pork spare ribs.
Instead of sitting around and discussing my "rib snobbery", I recommend that we head to the kitchen and cook up a scrumptious recipe that I received from Adelaida Cellars this week. This recipe is something that you will find me serving to guests all summer long. After trying the recipe out last night, you won’t find me hesitating one bit to roll up my sleeves and dig in.
Adelaida Cellars Braised Short Ribs
Ingredients:
6 pounds short ribs, cut into 2” pieces
¼ cup olive oil
6 cups red wine
6 cups beef stock
6 sprigs fresh thyme
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 sprigs fresh oregano
2 heads fresh garlic cloves peeled
3 medium onions, chopped 
3 medium carrots, chopped
3 T. all-purpose flour
1 T. tomato paste
Sea Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
Preheat oven to 350°F
Season short ribs with salt, pepper and a dust of flour. Heat olive oil in a skillet and brown short ribs for three minutes on each side. Place the short ribs in a deep roasting pan. Add onions and carrots to skillet and cook until brown. Add tomato paste, wine, herbs and stock and stir until mixed. Pour over short ribs. Cook until short ribs are tender, two hours. Transfer short ribs to a platter. Strain sauce from pan, removing fat from surface. Season sauce with salt and pepper and serve short ribs over mashed potatoes. Drizzle with sauce.
Recommended Pairing:
2009 Adelaida Cellars Version Red ( Rhône Blend.) This is a blend of 44% Mourvedre, 20% Grenache, 23% Syrah, and 13% Cinsaut.
Wine Maker's Notes: Inspired by the blends of France’s Chateauneuf du Pape region, this wine shows the savory, cedar-cigar box flavors of the leading player, Mourvedre. With a bit of time in the glass the wine begins revealing its full personality, a cross between blue and black berries, cracked pepper, sagebrush, fine Italian espresso beans and the indefinable minerality of its indigenous limestone soils.
Tina Swithin is the Marketing Coordinator and Blog Manager for TravelPaso.com where she writes Pairings in Paso and other blog-a-licious Paso Robles articles. Follow the Paso Robles Insider to get the inside scoop on all the haps in Paso Robles Wine Country.
It's just about time for this week's Friday Giveaway. Submit an answer to the following question for a chance to win TWO HEARST CASTLE TOUR PASSES*.
 Q: What is the name of the guest cottage at Hearst Castle, location for the upcoming Twilight on the Terrace event that will allow the public to stroll around Hearst Castle at their leisure while sampling sumptuous tastes from some of the Central Coasts finest wineries and gourmet caterers, pictured at right?
Continue reading "Friday Giveaway - Enter Now to Win Hearst Castle Tickets! " »
 by Lisa Pretty-Smith
Easter is a special time and for many people that means a time to enjoy food with family and friends. Whether you are planning a lingering Easter brunch, a traditional Easter dinner or just wondering what to have with all the chocolates the Easter Bunny delivered, you can find the perfect wine to pair in Paso Robles.
Let’s start with what to have with Easter brunch.
While it could be coffee or a Bloody Mary, my pick in Paso Robles is a sparkling wine to make the meal extra special. Derby Wine Estates makes a delightful pink sparkling wine from their estate-grown Pinot Noir. The wine is made Mèthode Champenoise to produce a high quality sparkling wine. It has a pretty pink hue with flavors of wild raspberry, grapefruit, marzipan, blood orange zest and almond skins. Sparkling wine is likely the easiest wine to pair with food – it goes with pretty much everything and is the perfect wine for Easter Brunch. Their 2007 Sparkling Brut Rosé of  Pinot Noir retails for $54.
If you are planning a ham for Easter dinner and worried about pairing a wine with this salty meat, worry no more. Typically served with a sweet sauce, the best wines to pair that hold up to the salt and complement the sauce would be a Riesling or Gewurztraminer. Basically you need a wine that has a good acidity and some nice fruit flavors. I selected the J. Lohr Riesling as the perfect wine with an Easter ham. The wine has a round palate feel, fruit aromas of pear, grapefruit and rose petal spice, balanced with refreshing fruit-flavored acidity and finishes with a slight palate spritz. 2010 J. Lohr Estates Bay Mist White Riesling retails for a lovely $10!
Leg of lamb is my favorite for Easter Dinner. There are so many choices of wine that work well that you can find something from almost every Paso Robles producer. The key is to find a wine with a good level of fruit flavor and solid tannins. In Paso Robles there is a fabulous selection of Rhônes, Bordeauxs and Spanish varietals that would all pair well. You really can’t go wrong but my pick this year is the JUSTIN Reserve Tempranillo. Deep ruby in color with spiced red fruit, dense red and black fruit flavors of currant, black cherry, a generous mouthfeel, medium-high tannins and a long finish make this wine ideally suited to a leg of lamb. 2009 Reserve Tempranillo sells for $45.
As we all know, the Easter Bunny is likely to bring you a stash of chocolate. At the end of the evening I like to enjoy a nice port-style wine while nibbling on chocolate. My selection this year is Pear Valley Belle Fin. A spicy nose of nutmeg, clove and ginger couple with wild berry and plum to give this elegant dessert wine its enticing aromatics. Smoky cherry and vanilla flavors with hints of blueberry cobbler persist through a long spicy finish. This fortified wine is delightfully decadent. $16
 Orange-Rosemary Lamb Roast
1 leg of lamb roast
1 cup fresh orange juice
¼ soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
Salt & pepper to taste
Place lamb in a large ziplock bag. Mix together orange juice, soy sauce, garlic and rosemary. Pour marinade over lamb, remove air from bag and seal. Place lamb in refrigerator for 3 hours to marinate.
Place lamb in a roasting pan, pour marinade over top then add salt & pepper. Roast in oven pre-heated to 400F for 20 minutes to seal in the juice. Reduce heat to 300 and continue to slow cook for tender meat. Spoon juice over the roast every 30 minutes until lamb reaches 145F (use a meat thermometer to check temperature). Allow the roast to rest for 10 minutes prior to slicing.
Note: Lamb is best served medium rare, with a light pink center. The size of the roast will determine the amount of time required in the oven (approximately 20-25 minutes per pound).
Lisa Pretty is owner/winemaker at Pretty-Smith Vineyards & Winery and author of the Eat This With Paso Robles wine recipe book.
by Danika Reed, Vivant Fine Cheese
One of the most common questions we get here at the cheese shop is whether or not the rind (or "outside") of a brie or similar cheese should be eaten. Our answer is always an enthusiastic YES!
The white, bloomy rind found on Brillat-Savarin, Mt. Tam, Fromager D'Affinois, Brie, Camembert, and similar cheeses is not only edible, but is crucial to the entire flavor profile of the cheese.
A little science lesson: Mold-ripened cheeses such as Brie are inoculated or sprayed with specific types of fungus or yeast that soften the paste of the cheese and encourage growth of the soft, white, sometimes fuzzy rind. This style of cheese begins to ripen from the outside, and the center is the last to become creamy. It may sound crazy, but we know how hard cheesemakers work to achieve the perfect bloomy rind, and it always breaks our heart a little to see that someone has dug the insides out of a beautiful round of Camembert.
One of our favorite snacks is a smear of triple-cream cheese on a slice of fresh baguette; at Vivant Fine Cheese, we are particularly partial to this style of cheese, so we are always trying out new varieties. Please come visit us for a taste of our best, and make sure to follow all our latest cheese updates on Facebook and Twitter.
 Danika Reed is the Cheese Monger at Vivant Fine Cheese, located in historic downtown Paso Robles. The Central Coast's premier cheese tasting room features premium, local and imported handcrafted artisan cheeses paired with the finest Central Coast wine and beer. Danika is our monthly guest blogger for Cheese'n it Up!
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