Eleanor Coppola’s stir-fried earwigs; Three Sonoma wineries make Chronicle Top 100; Bacon scented pillow cases; Travels with Henri Episode No. 13
As Eleanor Coppola began to tell her story at Sonoma Valley Museum of Art of how and why she made her 1996 documentary 'A Visit to Miao Country' on her fabric quest in China, she of her childhood thrill of going to the 'five and dime store' with her mother and loving to walk through the bolts of fabric, smelling and feeling them. That fascination carries through to her life today.
As her travel group ascended into smaller and smaller mountain villages, they became more dependent upon tinier and tinier 'hotels for foreigners' where she said she got 'some of my best bathroom stories.' We can only imagine.
Coppola used a 'regular Sony consumer video camera' to record their travels, and got a little help from her husband's American Zoetrope in the end.
But on the way, the travel group, led by a guide who had paid appropriately at city halls, encountered several village festivals where locals performed traditional portrayals and dances in silver-decorated hand-woven costumes.
Some of those festivals culminated in feasts of local specialties, especially rice liquor. Coppola said she became adept at pretending to drink the potent beverage and letting it drip down her chin behind her camera.
Apparently local culinary tradition includes making 'the best' rice balls, which are exchanged when visiting someone's home. But if a male comes to woo a female of the house, and she doesn't want to see him again, she gives him a rice ball with a pine needle inside. She puts something sweet in the ball if she wants him to come back. Does he wait until he gets home to bite into it?
Coppola's least favorites dishes were 'peach blossom shrimp,' which were actually stir-fried earwigs that fall from the peach trees' blossoms as they turn to fruit, and what Coppola thought was a macaroni pasta that turned out to be duck intestines. Speaking of using every part of the animal!
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Frozen food recall: The USDA has recalled frozen Open Nature Chile Cheese Enchiladas sold at all Safeway stores because the organic cilantro in them may include salmonella. The enchiladas were sold at Safeway until Dec. 1 with the lot number of 141006 and a 'best by' date of Aug. 06, 2015.
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Only three Sonoma Valley wines made the 'San Francisco Chronicle Top 100 Wines 2014.' Wines from Napa Valley, Oregon, Santa Ynez and Santa Barbara areas reigned in this west coast judging.
Those that made the cuts include: Chardonnay – 2012 Hanzell Sonoma Valley Chardonnay, with Chronicle wine editor Jon Bonné's prose including 'salty mineral and dried pineapple accents to intense pear and quince fruit.' Cabernet and Blends – 2011 Dominus Estate Napa Valley Red. Zinfandel and Other Reds – Morgan Twain-Peterson's 2012 Bedrock Heritage Sonoma Valley Red and 2012 Dashe Ancient Vines Bedrock Vineyard Sonoma Valley Red, Michael Dashe's mix of carignane, zin and mourvedre.
In the 60 best wines that cost less than $40, selected only from the top 100, we found NV Bedrock Shebang California Red ($14) and 2013 Hanzell Sebella Chardonnay ($36).
Some of the judges' and editors' descriptions are mind-blowing, such as 'full of robust, lacquered cherry and zingy pomegranate, plus accents of sesame paste and toasted spices' (Marin County pinot noir), and 'intensely spicy and aromatic: chamomile, white pepper, peach pit' (2011 Iota Pelos Sandberg Vineyard Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir). I don't remember eating lacquered cherries or a peach pit, although they may have curative powers.
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Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance just sent out info on their 'Holidays in Sonoma Valley Gingerbread Contest,' which began Nov. 28.
You have now through New Year's Eve to run to participating wineries, check out their gingerbread houses, vote on a paper ballot, or vote online at the Sonoma Valley Wine Facebook page. Every time you vote you enter a contest to win a case of local wine.
Some of the creations are very artistic and historic. Some are made by winery workers and family and others by professional bakers.
The 10 participating wineries include B. R. Cohn, Bryter Esates, Chateau St. Jean, Deerfield Ranch Winery, GlenLyon and Two Amigos, Highway 12 Vineyards & Winery, Larson Family Winery, Meadowcroft and Muscardini and VJB in Kenwood. Pick up a map at any of these tasting rooms.
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Sonoma Valley Democrats' Annual Holiday Party will be at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 15, at the Seven Flags Club House, 300 International Blvd., in the Seven Flags Mobile Home Park. Bring a potluck dish to share. The club will provide appetizers, beverages, paper goods and good company, including newly-elected state Senator Mike McGuire. For more info, contact Beth at bethh@sonic.net.
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