Earthquakes, biscuits, and bourbon

I think it was the frantic sound of wine bottles angrily rattling against each other, the clank-clank-clank of glass, so insistent that I braced myself for the inevitable crash, the shattering that would surely follow, that yanked me from my sleep.  A terrifying heat washed over me as I jumped from bed, the whole world turning to a queasy liquid-ness, strangely Jello-like.  It was my first earthquake and in those seconds of horror, my mind could not believe that the world was not coming to an end.  In those mere seconds, as the thunderous sound of pool water sloshed and as I ran around the house like a chicken with my head cut off, my mind reeled thinking about all the things I still needed to eat, all the places I had yet to travel.  And, then it was over, and I staggered around not understanding that we were still alive, but super bummed there was no electricity to grind the coffee beans.

We faired pretty well, thankfully.  The day amazingly dawned bright and blue and I rushed to Crisp for coffee and joined other wide-eyed, coffee-starved locals for much needed caffeine and sweet goodies.  With only a few hours of electricity, Andrea and her team managed to pull together a case full of gorgeous scones and egg-filled biscuits, but most importantly, plenty of perfectly crafted coffees.

Everywhere around town people looked exactly how I felt: shell shocked.  Edgy.  Scared.  Some fun was required and quick.  A little food, wine, and some foot stomping live music would heal our battered brains, surely.  So we did exactly what the news said not to do and headed to Napa.  St. Helena’s Farmstead Restaurant and Long Meadow Ranch were hosting their summer concert series on their soft green lawn.  I was confident that Chef Stephen Barber’s Southern inflected Wine Country fare and their creative, summery cocktails would be just the thing to cheer the gang and me up.  I have had quite the love affair with Chef Barber since he presided over his eponymous Napa spot, BarbersQ.

As the car bounced over the many just patched, earthquake-created cracks along Highway 29, windows open, music blasting, giggling with my friends, I began to sink back into my seat with what was finally a sense of relief and utter gratefulness.  Gratefulness was the almost tangible feeling in the air as we stepped into Farmstead’s bustling dining room.  The staff obviously rallied, the restaurant was immaculate, the kitchen cranking out food for the filled dining room, even after the scary morning with no power and plenty of breakage to clean up.

There is no Wine Country spot that embodies my restaurant ideal than Farmstead.  The Southern gal in me simply cannot get enough of the heavenly, teeny, ham biscuits; all perfectly crumbly and crunchy on the outside, soft pillows of sweet-salty dough inside.  Split open, paper-thin slices of La Quercia prosciutto with its cream colored ribbons of fat melting into the warm biscuit, and a tangy-hot pepper jelly squishing out the sides.  They were easily one of the most scrumptious things to pass between my lips in weeks.  We gobbled them ferociously and ordered more.  I sipped my perfect cocktail and nibbled my teeny biscuits, feeling the Southern love wrapping itself around me like a crocheted shall on my grandma’s front porch.  I was obviously feeling the bourbon in my Peach Tea cocktail, a dangerously good combination of bourbon, mint, and juicy peaches.  The morning’s feeling of terror quickly dissipating into a glow of ham and booze.

More miniature food arrived, perfect for sharing.  Petite sliders of ground lamb graced puffy, golden-topped buns, salty feta and a mint-filled herb salad were ideal toppings.  The crunchy, fresh herbs brightened the drippy, wonderfully lamb-y burgers.  This was my new favorite bite of the day.  It was difficult not to order more, but I placated my belly by digging into the little cast iron skillet of meatballs.  The sticky tomato concoction melting over each little ball, caramelizing around the edges was a swoon-inducing combination.

As more gorgeous dishes arrived, my favorite Napa wine – a flowery combination of white grapes, the enchanting Arbe Garbe – the horrors of that morning began to feel like a bad dream.  I sipped my wine, took a forkful of the Frog’s Leap peach and ricotta salad, and smiled really big, grateful that I have many more food-filled days before me.

Farmstead’s Bourbon Peach Tea

Serves 1

•  2 ounces Bourbon
• 1 ounce simple syrup
• 1/2 a ripe peach, pitted and sliced
• Fresh mint leaves
• Ice

In a cocktail shaker: place mint, peach, and simple syrup and muddle briefly until mint is crushed.  Add the bourbon and ice and shake well.  Serve in a highball glass and enjoy immediately.

Shake things up, dine downtown Napa

I never need an excuse to scoot over the hill to indulge in the insanely good grub popping up all over downtown Napa, although, what a delicious way for us Sonomans to show our support for the businesses downtown that may have experienced losses during the recent earthquake.  Now is a great time to get out of town, sidle up to that bar, sip a glass of Napa-produced wine, and dig into an extraordinary meal.  Here is my short list of favorite downtown spots:

Oenotri: There is never a time when I slide into my wooden barstool at this beautiful, cozy downtown Italian spot that my senses do not proceed straight into the realm of total, delicious, sensory overload.  The dim, golden lit dining room is always super romantic, the ideal amount of buzz-iness; my fellow diners simply, quietly, chatting joyously between nibbles of the county’s most gorgeous blistered crust pizzas and tender, handmade bowls of pasta.  Antipasti are thoughtful, pretty salads and handcrafted salumi.  Secondi, or main courses, feature interesting meats and beautifully prepared fish.  Nowhere in Wine Country are the vegetables and other locally sourced ingredients treated with such reverence, the resulting dishes more stunning.  1425 First Street, 252.1022 or oenotri.com for reservations and more information.

The Thomas: This hipster hot spot located in a very cool, very old, historic building along the Napa River that has sadly sat empty since the early seventies.  There is a creepy story that hints at a haunting, but the wine chugging, skinny jean wearing crowd doesn’t seem to mind.  The building has been fabulously restored and decorated in simply the most fashionable style around.  The best part of the atmospheric, three-story dining room is the gorgeous, open air, rooftop space dotted with tables and a long wooden bar all glowing beneath strings of twinkling lights.  The menu reads like a birthday wish list.  Think bone marrow on toast and classic French bistro seafood plateaus.  Everything about The Thomas feels festive and, since their opening, the food has never been prettier.  Sunday brunch is a particularly fun time to dine here, although no matter when you’re dining, it’s best to make reservations before heading over the hill.  Call The Thomas at 226.7821 to do so.

Norman Rose Tavern: I am always a strange mix of happy and sad each time I visit downtown’s Norman Rose Tavern.  Happy, because I love it so much and sad, because I wish we had our very own Norman Rose right in our very own town.  If so, this is totally the spot that I would find myself frequenting religiously, burrowing into a big bowl of homemade soup or maybe one of their super fresh, super interesting salads.  The menu at Norman Rose is exactly what every neighborhood spot should be.  Beautifully presented things to share with a big glass of wine or a handcrafted cocktail, include a bubbly crock of cheesy-garlicky-spinach dip, homemade pickled veggies, über fresh Prince Edward Island mussels steamed in dark beer and aromatics, or pretty smoked salmon which arrives tenderly folded a top a generous portion of herb-flecked egg salad crostini.  If you’re feeling particularly cozy, definitely go for the all-natural Tavern burger.  About the best burger around, it is griddled to a nice, greasy goodness, decked out with the freshest of trimmings, all on a killer ABC Baking company potato bun.  I could go on and on about all the heavenly dishes here; casual, friendly, and fun, but prepared with the utter skill and care.  But, just go.  And eat.  A lot.  Just don’t be too sad we don’t have a Norman Rose here.  Norman Rose Tavern is located at 1401 First Street.  Visit normanrosenapa.com to drool over their menus.

Bounty Hunter Wine Bar: This is easily one of the coolest Napa spots.  Imagine the most perfect Wine Country watering hole that you could possibly dream up and you’d have the Bounty Hunter.  This cozy saloon sports brick walls and high ceilings, rustic and comfy, deer mounts on the walls, and plush leather booths; a spot you’d want to linger in, to huddle romantically in the winter rains or escape the heat of a summer afternoon.  The crowd is always interesting and jovial.  Here, you could easily sidle up to an off-duty server from that fancy joint down the street or possibly a famous Napa winemaker sipping a cold brew.  The yummy wine choices are dizzying, with more than 400 wines by the bottle and 40 by the glass and the food always feels just right.  It is simple, comforting, and not too fussy.  Find a perfect little selection of wine snacks like olives and cheese and super fun dinners – some served family style! – like a whole beer can chicken and heavenly smoked and pulled pork.  The most amazing part is their magnificent daily deals on food and wine!  Find Bounty Hunter at 975 First Street or visit bountyhunterwinebar.com for menus and more.

Morimoto: I can’t think of a more ‘Napa’ spot than the fancy bar here.  The flashy Japanese spot downtown is best known for their Iron Chef owner and stunning selection of raw fish.  Here, I occasionally indulge in a few pieces of their glistening sashimi or a creative sushi roll of some sort, but typically I go gaga for their crazy-good sides.  My ideal dinner could possibly consist of their duck fried rice, a hearty concoction of jasmine rice studded with tender shredded duck, petite peas and a tiny dice of carrot.  The whole beautiful bowl arrives crowned with the most magnificent, oozing, fried egg for a mere $6.  Chinese broccoli is absolute perfection, steamed to an ideal state and finished with a light, sweet-soy glaze.  At Morimoto, the food is as pretty as the out of town diners. 610 Main Street, call 252.1600 for essential reservations.