chef missy's wine & food news
I've been in
the wonderful Washington wine area of Woodinville for two
years now, but every so often you get the desire to get outside
your "sacred space" and explore other areas. You probably know
the Louis Armstrong song, "What A Wonderful World." I really
heard the lyrics speaking to me -- "I see trees of green, red
roses too, I see them bloom for me and you, And I think to
myself, What a Wonderful World".
So I embarked on a journey - my second in 2010 - to the Napa
Valley, with its beautiful Mediterranean climate, geography of
open spaces and rising hills, and its wine-making, which began
with earnest in the mid-1930s and attained an international
reputation in the 1976 Paris Wine Tasting when a Napa Valley
cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay surpassed French labels in a
blind tasting test.
Driving through Napa, breathing in the fresh air of its climate,
awakened in me a desire to expand my wine-making adventure - a
journey that began in Woodinville two years ago.
And even when it rained, the song lyrics came to mind again -
"The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky, Are also on
the faces, of people going by, I see friends shakin' hands,
saying how do you do?, They're really saving I Love You".
Yes, I fell in love with Napa - and although one always returns
home - I want to share what I did there - and why I am going
back again in September....
My time with Hugh Carpenter
One of the most popular and entertaining cooking teachers in
America,
Hugh Carpenter recently received the "Cooking Teacher of
the Year" award from the International Association of Culinary
Professionals. In 35 years of teaching, more than 100,000
students have attended his classes in cooking schools across
America and in his vacation cooking schools in California's Napa
Valley and San Miguel de Allende in Mexico.
Learn more about Hugh
I am attending one of Hugh's Camp Napa events in mid-September.
The theme is still a surprise. We will cook each morning at Cake
Bread Cellars, in their beautiful commercial kitchen. Wine
tastings are every afternoon at different off the map wineries.
Dinners are at different restaurants each evening. I will report
back to you in October about my daily adventures and findings.
If you have questions or any of you will be at Camp Napa between
Sept. 18 and 25th, please let me know via e-mail.
A NEW CHARDONNAY?
I am looking forward to tasting some new exciting Chardonnays
coming out of this wine country. According to July’s Wine
Spectator, it may even be a “WOMAN” behind some the greatest
wines coming out of the area, Helen Turley. Let’s not forget,
there is still time to finish our Rose wines. They are not wines
to lay down for any length of time. I never keep mine longer
than one year, if even that long. Those of you that have a true
professional wine cellar, that is a different story. Lucky
you!!!
ON THE WINE JOURNEY........
I was humming the Armstrong tune, last week when I was
driving north on the 101, to Geyserville to visit Silver Oak
Winery. I tasted their new 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, and WOW, if
you have not tasted it, please do yourself a huge favor. It is
the first cab that I would drink now AND lay down. It is so
alive with black currant, spice and bitter chocolate. A really
Happy wine. It is 100% cabernet with different blends of their
cabernet grapes. The 2005 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is an
amazing blend, and what I tasted was a hint of soy, black pepper
and berry notes. It is a blend. And like they say, Life is a
Cabernet!!! For more information visit
Silver Oak
Cellars
My next stop was
Stag’s Leap
Winery. I tasted their wines under the direction of
Michael, my wine pourer. Not only did he know his wines, but he
knew the history of Napa Valley wines and its wine making.
I bought the book by George M. Taber, "Judgment of Paris,
California vs. France.". The foreword was written by Robert G.
Mondavi. This book gives you everything about the area, the wine
makers and so much of the history that had been lost for the
last 100 years. I did fall in love with the
2006
Cabernet Sauvignon, ARTEMIS. I have to admit, I am
sipping on it while I write to you. The velvet texture is a
classic of their wines. It is named after the Greek Goddess of
the hunt.
I had lunch with Mary Harris, from Harris
Ranch. They grow their grapes for
Girard
Winery. Girard has a wine tasting room in Yountville. I
mentioned Mary’s name and they rolled out the red carpet for me.
She is known for her Zinfandel grapes . WOW I thought the
Central Coast made great Zin, not so, the Harris Ranch has a
great growth record in this area.
As with all adventures, the sun must set, and as I began the return trip to Woodinville, I glowed with the memories of meeting so many nice people and tasting many excellent wines. And I came full circle to the Armstrong song and said quietly to myself, yes, "What a Wonderful World".
Meeting Woody the new Labradoodle. Yappie hour at the Woodmark
Chef Missy and her Sous Chef Zoey with Norma Whitt, Chef of The Beach Café, downstairs on the Woodmark Hotel property. Every Wednesday evening is Yappie Hour from 5 to 7. The Woodmark at Carillon Point on Lake Washington in Kirkland, WA. This was the Yappie hour to meet Woody the new Labradoodle who lives in the lobby of the Woodmark. Hotel employees take care of him and the guests give him lots of love and attention. He ran off during this picture, during an interview with "Evening Magazine," a nightly television program in the Seattle area.
Member Spotlight: Women For Wine Sense Summer Newsletter
Meet Missy Will of Missy Will Food For Wine Catering Events
WWS member Missy Will has turned her 25 years of planning
dinners and events as a corporate wife into an exciting career.
Her dedication to pairing wine and food for her clients sets her
apart, allowing her to offer both catering services and expert
wine guidance for dinners, events, cooking classes, team
building programs, and much more.
Your love of food and wine has such a positive energy about
it. Where does that come from?
It comes from my inner passion for both food and wine. Each day,
when I arise, I bless my mind and body with thoughts of perfect
health, and I believe divine wisdom guides my thoughts as I
freely choose the best course for my well-being. My mind stays
centered on Spirit, or as I often tell people when doing an
event, be it wine or food, I am "in the zone" because I am
focusing on those things in my life that nourish the soul and
spirit as well as the palate of food and wine.
Many people in food and wine businesses had other careers
before they followed
their hearts and made the change. Was that the case for you?
Yes, I had other careers, ranging from law enforcement to
producing animal-friendly television programming, but you know
what they say - it is the journey, not the destination, and my
most recent role as a corporate wife planning large and small
events for his company was, in its own way, sowing the seeds of
faith that I could do more in this area, so I began pursuing the
wine and culinary career interests that have led me to where I
am today.
What is your most memorable "wow" food and wine moment?
I was asked by Seattle Wine Society and Alma Terra Winery to
pair some food with their wine. They had such amazing wines that
allowed you to taste the soil and the true terroir, with one of
their signature cab's its main perfume was that of blueberries,
so I slow roasted Lamb in their wine and two pounds of fresh
organic blueberries. We made slow roasted pulled lamb tacos. I
infused some aioli with their wine also and finished with white
pepper and French sea salt. A true marriage of Wine and Food.
Do you have a favorite red and a favorite white wine?
This question needs to be asked which state I am in - or
country. My only solo go to white when I miss CA is Sanford
Chardonnay. That was the first winery that started my journey on
the wine trails. My go to red that is a favorite is Bauer, from
WA. Lisa Bauer is very inspiring and she knows her wine.
What do you enjoy most about being a member of Women For
WineSense?
The combination of social and business networking, both on a
professional and personal level, and to "bond" with so many who
feel the same way I do.
If you weren't Missy Will, Food For Wine and Catering Events,
who would you be?
I would see myself producing and hosting my own wine and cooking
show, and using the TV medium to reach out and educate people
about the joys of wine and cooking. I think there is a little
Julia Child in all of us. Bon appétit!
