Last Friday I watched one of many busy forklifts in the immediate vicinity of Kelly’s, gently placing its load of pinot gris grapes down at the front door of Pelican Ranch Winery.
Offered a taste, I savored the robust sweetness of this future 2010 vintage, grapes freshly picked out at vineyards near the Mission San Antonio. One of the best flavors of fall in our next of the woods. Freshly-harvested wine grapes.
And that means a chance to check out the paintings by Charles Prentiss, Sat & Sun, October 16 & 17 from 10am until 5pm.
To find out details and directions to Prentiss’ oceanview studio, go here.
For six years the source of astounding eggs, pastured pork and an organic paradise for happily and humanely-raised livestock, TLC Ranch has become a casualty of the economy.
Jim Dunlop and Rebecca Thistlethwaite, TLC owners, explained in a long newsletter narrative that they couldn’t fight the high cost of property and farm help, and the dwindling availability of meat processing stations. Consumer reluctance to pay what it took to create handmade, free-range, pastured foods finished them off, and a multi-year dream was taken off life support.
Yes it was expensive food. (more…)
Considered one of the top American pinot noirs under $30, Windy Oaks Estate Terra Narro, vintage 2007 is lovely beyond belief. Soft without ever becoming ephemeral, the 13.9% alc. creation exudes depth, spice, bottom notes of cola and a long suspension of minerals all showcasing the grape’s mother lode of plum, tamarind and licorice. Look for it on every civilized wine shelf.
Thanks to winemaker Jim Schultze for providing the next best thing to a trip to Burgundy.
Whoa! Where did the time go? Back in the late 70s Scott Roseman was your basic UCSC student. Then he got involved in the Food Co-op located on the Westside of Santa Cruz. Next thing you know, there’s the Westside Community Market which in turn morphed into the mighty New Leaf community Market on Mission Street in 1990.
One thing led to another and now Scott and his New Leaf partner Rex Stewart lead a mini-empire of New Leafs (New Leaves?) – and to help them celebrate, the entire county (more…)
A book of sensory adventure: The rituals, passions and discoveries of an engaged life.