Food-Pairing Friday: Broiled Leeks with Apple Vinaigrette

Photo by White on Rice CoupleFor transplants to the West Coast, fall can be a difficult season. The leaves don't change color and neither does the weather, really. In odd years like this, where summer seems to have waited until the end of September to arrive, faux fall can be downright depressing. Fortunately I've found a way to combat California's own "Seasonal Affective Discorder" -- apples

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Food-Pairing Friday: Tomato Tarts

Gorgeous two-bite-sized tomato tarts. Photo courtesy of White on Rice Couple.

Back in my poetry-writing days I wanted to start a literary journal called celoso, the Spanish word for jealousy. The journal would only publish poetry that was so good that it pissed me off, not for what it said, but for the fact that I had not written it myself. While these days I prefer my poetry bottled ("Day-colored wine, night-colored wine, wine with purple feet or wine with topaz blood, wine, starry child of earth") I still love the concept of celoso. Todd Porter and Diane Cu, better known as White on Rice Couple, have that kind of blog. And if the stories, recipes and mouthwatering photos weren't enough to bring out your little green-eyed monster, their garden will.

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Pinot Noir-Lavender Sorbeto

The 2010 grape harvest is officially underway. In some cases two to three weeks late. According to the Press Democrat, Hunter Vineyards near Glen Ellen was on schedule to start picking Pinot Noir yesterday, and Mumm in Napa reported starting to pick in the cool, pre-dawn hours this morning. 

But not all of the grapes being harvested across the state in the next few months will wind up in wine...

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