Walrus & The Carpenter No. 3

Today, a foodie friend of mine in Virginia sent me a link to bon appetit's Top 10 Best New Restaurants. It's an exciting new list of places to visit and of course, try. What impresses me most about this list is its variety. From urban to elegant and low country to open country, the list is truly an eclectic mix of kitchens that doesn't skew to one type of dining experience or another.
Of course, it comes as no surprise that Seattle's own Walrus & The Carpenter ranked No. 3. One of own favorites! Below is the complete list:

No. 1 - Husk; Charleston, SC
No. 2 - Mission Chinese Food; San Francisco
No. 3 - Walrus & The Carpenter; Seattle
No. 4 - Travail Kitchen and Amusements; Robbinsdale, MN.
No. 5 - Ruxbin; Chicago
No. 6 - Talula's Garden; Philadelphia
No. 7 - Son of a Gun; Los Angeles
No. 8 - M Wells; Long Island City, NY.
No. 9 - Congress; Austin, TX.
No. 10 - Bondir; Cambridge, MA.

Summer Camps for Foodies!

Send your kids to summer camp, but treat yourself to one of these decadent foodie camps this fall!

2011 Fall Camp Schramsberg, Sept.11-13

According to the agenda, Camp Schramsberg is a three-day sparkling wine adventure, led by Schramsberg's President and winemaker Hugh Davies and Chef/Enologist Holly Peterson. The Camp Schramsberg experience uncovers the mystery of how sparkling wines are born. Of course, meeting new friends and having fun is a part of it as well.

On Sunday Night, you will enjoy a sparkling wine reception and dinner in the historic J. Davies Vineyards, prepared by one of the Napa Valley's fine chefs. This is your Camp orientation and will prepare you for the two days ahead. On Monday, you will start with breakfast at Meadowood Napa Valley. Then it is off to the vineyards with Winemakers Hugh Davies, Keith Hock, and Sean Thompson, where you will harvest grapes that are literally "ripe for the picking". Learn how vineyard location, soil content, viticultural practices, and clonal selection play a critical part in creating the complex flavors in Schramsberg wines. You will also receive hands-on experience as you obtain an overview of the sparkling winemaking process - from harvest through bottling. For lunch, delicacies prepared by Meadowood Valley's chefs, will be used to illustrate how ingredients can complement and contrast wine flavors. A full afternoon of food and sparkling wine pairings follow, under the direction of Holly Peterson. Holly will guide you through basic to advanced component tastings, and will teach campers the art of sabering open a bottle of sparkling wine. Finish the day with an optional dinner at a local restaurant gem ($95 per person in addition to the camp fee). Tuesday starts with breakfast at Meadowood Napa Valley and is followed by a tour of Schramsberg's historic caves, a riddling demonstration, and working with the winemakers to create a personalized dosage for your own bottle of bubbly. Lunch, prepared by the Meadowood Napa Valley's culinary team, leads into a group sparkling wine menu creation contest. The program finishes with awards for the best menus and a chance to mingle with your fellow graduates. The fee for Camp Schramsberg is $1,200 per person (15% discount for wine club members). Lodging and travel to/from Napa is not included. A recommended lodging list is available by request and packages through Meadowood Napa Valley are available.



The Wine Harvest Camp, Oct., 17 - 21


Perfect for the person who loves food as much as wine. This four-day intensive camp offers a two-progned education. You'll spend part of your time in master cooking classes with master chefs, then head to nearby wineries like Scribe and Opus one to learn about growing grapes and pairing wines. The trip will culminate wiht a private dinner at renwoned French Laundry.