Category: Napa

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Eat Drink 2013

Sheesh.
I normally do this “look back” post in January. It’s been a little nutty in the newsroom.
I’m sorry.

2013: The year of meat. That’s what it feels like since I gave up red meat, chicken and alcohol for Lent this year.

Last year, I had one of the most decadent meals of my life at Restaurant au Pied de Cochon in Montreal.
stuffed au pied de cochon with foie gras @ Restaurant au Pied de Cochon
My entrée: stuffed au pied de cochon with foie gras. It felt like the fatty duck meat left my heart racing.

In wine country, we got messy with a lobster boil at St. Supery.
#kvpinmybelly : #Lobster fan in #Napa. Also, new profile photo?!? What do you think?

In Pacifica, I went crabbing for the first time. We got lucky. I named our crabby friend “Lunch.”
Dungeness Crab @ Daisy City

In Daly City, we hosted our first Thanksgiving Dinner.
#kvpkitchen - Turkey ready for the oven. Celebrating #thanksgiving early because I have to work on Thursday

In Calistoga, we celebrated the New Year with newlyweds, Nancy and Justin, and plenty of hearty pork dishes.

I posted more food and drink photos on Flickr.

In My Tummy | 2013

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Crush Pad

The one thing that will motivate us to visit Napa in the middle of 105 degree weather: our wine club pick-up. It felt like Vegas when we parked at St. Supery yesterday.

Thank heavens for an air-conditioned tasting room. Crisp and slightly fruity glasses of Veritu and Sauvignon Blanc also cooled us down.

It looked like the winery was wrapping up its harvest season. One of the workers inside the tasting room said we should check out the crush pad.
Chardonnay grapes on the crush pad
We wandered back into the heat and watched workers dump huge batches of Chardonnay grapes into the crusher.


I sipped a glass of the Dollarhide Chardonnay as the giant metal corkscrew drilled into the grapes. Workers added dry yeast to kick start the fermentation. We may have been watching the beginning of a great bottle of wine. We’ll have to come back and sample it!

Cabernet Franc grapes
Inside the tasting room, we also sampled these Cabernet Franc grapes. The fruit tasted rich and sweet.

What is your favorite wine?

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In My Belly for 2010

This time last year, I got a Fortunate You necklace from Tea Stain clothing in Sacramento. The fortune said: “You will step on the soil of many countries.”

A combination of wanderlust, luck and professional opportunity made that fortune come true in 2010.

I sampled fresh fish and explored new flavors in Russia as a guest lecturer for St. Petersburg State University.
Salmon fricassee

We celebrated my birthday with ceviche on the beach in Ensenada.
Ceviches de Camaron from Los Primos #fb

Finally, I left my Sacramento newsroom behind and became the Newark Patch editor. In this Alameda County city, I cover news, politics, crime and other issues that matter to Newark residents. Plus, I have a chance to profile all the amazing food spots in Newark.
Mexico Tortilla Factory

You can find rest of my album, “In My Tummy: 2010,” on Flickr.
What do you think? What should I try next?

In My Tummy | 2010