Savvy Trip to CA

Savvy Sonoma, here we come

Seems like vacations are few and far between for savvistas, so we took advantage of the chance to spend some time in Northern California. We had a chance to spend some time with our good friend, Chef Sheana Davis of Sonoma's Epicurean Connection. Sheana took a rare day off, and arranged an insider's tour of Sonoma. Eric of Vintage Wine Tours provided the stylish ride, and we were off.

We started the day with a stop at Vella Cheese Company of California. Sheana arranged a visit with the legendary Ig Vella who allowed us a sneak peak into his 76 year-old business. Famous for their Monterey Jack, Mezzo Secco, Cheddar, and Italian Style Cheese, Vella Cheese Co. is a Sonoma institution. Here is a shot of the dry jack which they coat in a pepper and cocoa mixture. The smell in this aging room was amazing.

It was then off to Nicholson Ranch for a quick tasting and tour of the grounds and wine caves. This is where I had the opportunity to learn the true meaning of "bung hole." Seriously, the hole on the side of a wine barrel for tasting during the aging process is called the bung hole. All these years I had been using the term incorrectly. We sell the Nicholson Pinot and Syrah at Savvy and were familiar with the wines, but it was great to see the operation.

Next it was on to Wellington Estate Vineyards where we sampled some of their unbelievable white Port. These wines are not available in New Orleans, so I bought up as much as I could carry. We ended up the day at Moon Mountain Mountain Vineyard where we had a great picnic lunch of pasta salad, heirloom tomato salad, Willie Bird Smoked Turkey, and Sheana's famous chocolate olive oil cake. We took a tour of the winery and got a ride up to the top of the mountain to survey the property. A wildfire destroyed about 60% of the property in 1996, and in response, neighboring vineyards donated grapes so that Moon Mountain could produce wines that season. We like Moon Mountain because it is certified organic by the California Certified Organic Farmers. Incidentally, it is the most beautiful location we visited, and I urge you to come by and check out their Chardonnay we have at Savvy.

Stay tuned for tales of our trip to Knoll Farms.

Gelato...fantastico!

The free gelato class taught by Carmelo Turillo, artisan "gelataio" from La Divina Gelateria, was a HUGE success. We expected 20-25 people to attend, and more like 50-60 showed up. Carmelo and his wife Katrina gave a thorough explanation of the intricate process of creating the perfect gelato recipe. With less fat than American ice creams, gelato allows for more creativity with ingredients and flavors. We will be having another class on July 21st, so make sure you sign up early. The class is free, but we ask that you "buy" your seats through our online calendar so we know you are coming!

Chef Corbin is preparing for a much needed vacation to Maine, and we will be closed Sunday through Wednesday for 4th of July celebrations. As much as we would like to invite everyone, the Savvy 4th of July BBQ is being held at an undisclosed location in the name of public safety. I will however say two words...BBQ and spacewalk. 'Nuff said. Have a great fourth!

Savvy in New Orleans Magazine

Check out our mention in this issue of New Orleans magazine. We have actually been spending quite a bit of time beefing up our wedding registry and other offerings for the happy couple. We can do a private class for the bride and her friends, a larger class for out of town visitors, handle the gift registry for cookware, even host the rehearsal dinner. Check out our registry page for more ideas.

Poppy makes it "Legal"

We have noticed that many of the corporate groups we have met at Savvy have been incorporating some component of volunteer work into their trips to New Orleans. Poppy Tooker likes to call this phenomenon "culinary voluntourism" when the volunteer event involves food. To my knowledge, we were the first organization to formally offer a culinary voluntourism event with the Windsor Court Hotel. One group that we really enjoyed working with was the executive team from Legal Seafoods restaurants. Savvy hosted the executive chefs from 30 or so restaurants earlier this year. The chefs participated in a cooking class with Poppy, prepared several dishes, and then brought the food out to their colleagues who were volunteering at a Habitat for Humanity site. Legal Sea Foods enjoyed the experience so much, the invited Poppy to do a benefit at their Boca Raton restaurant to benefit New Orleans Restaurant Renewal Fund. The fund, started by our friends at Viking Range Corporation, is dedicated to supporting New Orleans restaurant workers in the form of grants and other assistance.

Poppy tells me that Legal Sea Foods raised $10,000.00 from the event! Click here to see a television promo she did for the dinner.

Crawfishin with Mr. Joey

May is Louisiana seafood month at Savvy, and there is not anyone more qualified to school us on the precious crawfish than Joey Fonseca. Dubbed "the wildman," Joey brought us Belle River crawfish that he caught himself and did us the pleasure of boiling 'em up outside of
Savvy. Joey is well known for supplying many of New Orleans' finer restaurants with wild caught catfish, and has become a Jazz Fest favorite demonstrating his fried catfish fillets.

Joey and his wife Jeanne are regular vendors at the New Orleans Crescent City Farmers' Market, and we encourage you to get out and buy some crab meat or other delights.

Sheana Davis is in the house!

The world's a little brighter when Sheana Davis is in town. Sheana is our newest friend who has brought a whole new level of savviness to an already savvy existence. Sheana independently owns and operates The Epicurean Connection, a culinary marketing and education company focused on sustainable top-quality cheeses, brewing, and wine making. With 20 years in the industry and a culinary degree from Santa Rosa Junior College (1986), Sheana’s passion for regionally based and sustainably grown foods radiates into every detail of her work. She sounds pretty Savvy now, doesn’t she??

In town to participate in the NOWFE festival over Memorial Day weekend, Sheana took us through a brief albeit delicious tour of Sonoma wines and cheeses. Click here to see the menu and order. Helping her was our own Jim Yonkus, who spends about one week per month in Sonoma helping Sheana with her popular catering business. We are trying to arrange a savvy trip out to Sonoma to get the behind-the-scenes tour. Keep your eyes out for more information..