Champagne & Cheese

Who knew you could pair cheese with champagne?...ummm my dear friend Chef and Winemaker Gia Passalacqua, she's legit. Gia was written up in the December issue of Wine Enthusiast Magazine, A California Holiday Feast - Wine Enthusiast Magazine - Web 2010,  because of her mad skills in the kitchen and her wine-making expertise. Lucky for you, she's sharing the love. Below Gia has listed out her choices for Sparklings (Proseccos, a wonderful substitute for champagne, they're dry and sweeter to the palette. I love Proseccos!) and the perfect cheese to pair with it.

Gia's Bubbly Suggestions:

• Ruggeri Proseccos, a brut, which will be fairly dry to dry
• Nino Franco "Rustico" Prosecco Brut
• Spanish Cava, a sparkling, its easy to drink and gaining in popularity

 Gia's Choice for Cheeses:

• Cave aged Gruyere
• Truffle Cheeses, Truffle Tremor
• Triple Creme Cheses, Mt. Tam
• Stinky Washed Rind, Red Hawk or Epoisse
• Beautiful Fiscalini Cheddar, 24 Months if possible

Gia, thank you thank you thank you. The world has so much to learn from your wealth of knowledge in food and wine but also how to live a loving, generous, beautiful life.

If you would like to get a bottle of Gia's amazing 100 year old vine zinfindel go to www.dancingladywines.com. (2007 scored 91 in wine spectator) I have to say it is my favorite wine of all times, each vintage different yet so beautiful.

Happy New Years folks, enjoy the bubbly and cheese!

kjoy

Hog's Island to the Rescue

this logo is where its at

My good friend Gia decided to take me to Hogs Island for a leisure afternoon away from the berg (healdsburg, ca). Hog's Island is pretty much a shack, picnic tables, and glorified outhouses where guests can get a cafeteria tray of oysters to shuck while enjoying a bottle of bubbles and good company. Its a must on a visit to this area!

i heart picnics

I enjoyed a plethora of small oysters smothered in hot sauce, lemon & hogwash. What is hogwash? its amazingness in every bite of oyster.

fresh from the bay

Oh you mean whats in it, well, its a little bit of season rice vinegar and regular, with a couple jalapenos, a shallot & a healthy amount of cilantro...i will forever have my oysters with that and my favorite bottle of white, a kermit lynch sancerre. Its crisp and clean with all kinds of love in each bottle. If life couldn't get better, Hog's Island is smack dab next to Tomelas bay (why yes it is the breeding ground of Jaws/Great Whites...yikes!) where the view encaptures you into a world set far far away, in a land of scrumptious bites & snuggley weather.

Learn how to shuck these bad boys here. And if you can't get down to Tomales bay no fret they have one at the Ferry Bldg in San Francisco.

San Francisco location

Get 'er done cause thats how its done.

kjoy