Oakland Fires Up the Burners

Being a Bay Area resident, one learns quickly that more than any other cultural obsession be it music, fashion, politics, San Francisco is a food town first and foremost. And while San Francisco certainly can claim the title of one of the leading culinary towns in the country, nearby Oakland across the bay has recently come on the scene with exciting restaurants popping up like porcini after a fall rain. Ever since my New York days when I'd take a subway two hours out of Manhattan for killer Moroccan food, or my college days in Washington DC when I got to know all four quadrants of the city in my culinary quests, I've always been eager to venture afar in the name of gastronomy. Recently, I met up with my friend super star (literally) chef Rick Corbo who is laying out plans for his restaurant Pizzeria Zanna Bianca in Jack London Square, opening next year, and decided that it was time to see for myself what all the fuss is about. Like movie reviews, if enough friends tell me to see a certain flick, then it's a go. In the case of Oaktown, which is its local nickname, there were far too many signs telling me to head east young woman.

One Friday recently I rounded up the food-obsessed team at Charles Communications and after taking polls with my foodie friends, we drew up a short list. Ably guided by Oakland resident expert and green guru Anna Hartman, we set off for a culinary treasure hunt. First on the list was Bocanova, a pan Latin restaurant right on Jack London Square that serves a menu inspired by the heritage of the kitchen crew featuring dishes from Mexico to Argentina, infused with California accents. Although the interior beckoned with its warm colors and rustically elegant decor, we opted to sit outside on a cloudless day, and enjoyed halibut ceviche, roasted sunchokes, plantains stuffed with queso fresco, and Huarache with pumpkin, bacon and sage. Huaraches have become one of my favorite Mexican dishes since I moved to San Francisco, it's a fried masa base with a variety of toppings and is so called as it resembles the shape of a sandal aka huarache in Mexico. The fairly priced wine list with mainly Spanish and South American offerings gave us tempting choices to pair.

Flora was our next stop, formerly the Oakland Floral Depot building, an Art Deco landmark located on Broadway across the street from the newly renovated Fox Theater, another great Deco building in its own right, another of my favorite features about this town. There's an old world glamour about Oakland which has a more human scale with its architecture, and the spirit of creativity is alive and vibrant. It reminds me of the way New York was in the mid 80s when the restaurants were packed with creative people of diverse backgrounds all sharing great food in a convivial way. Flora in particular reminds me of New York's Odeon back in the day, both design and vibe wise. We tried the Yellow Tailed sashimi with hot chili oil, seabeans, sesame seeds, scallions and radishes, the arugula, dried Calimyrna figs, fennel, and toasted almond salad, a killer sandwich of seasonal grilled persimmon, Explorateur brie, swiss cheese on a French baguette and a glass of Bandol rose, pretty heavenly.

The next stop given the gorgeous weather, and our need for a break from sampling so much good eats, was a stop at the newly renovated Lake Chalet, right on Lake Merritt which is a unique given that it is the largest lake within an urban area in the U.S., 3.4 miles around, covering 155 acres in downtown Oakland. It's ringed with lights giving it a holiday and European atmosphere year round. The same folks who renovated the Park and Beach Chalets in San Francisco are behind this project housed in the old municipal boathouse and there are a number of choices from casual to fine dining within the complex. Much like the other Chalets in the group, they brew their own beers on premise and have a solid but unadventurous menu. I wasn't overly impressed with our service which was less than attentive, as the outside bar area was geared to those who wanted to see and be seen, but it's probably a fun place for big groups.

Our last stop was Zza's Trattoria also on Lake Merritt, right on Bellevue Avenue. Zza's is a nickname for Morezza's and to my surprise, it's been around for 20 years: ¦it looks like it's new and hip to me. We knew we'd love it right away when the waiter brought over a margherita pizza, put it on the table and said, it was a mistaken order at another table and it was on the house, nice! I was duly impressed by the wines by the glass list which was truly global, Hungarian, Slovenian, Italian, you name it, very well chosen and fascinating wines. I enjoyed a dry Furmint from Hungary and couldn't have been happier. We tried the Sputini Tre olives/almonds/pickled vegetables, the salumi plate and several pizzas that truly satisfied. Hard to believe we still had room after all day dining but as they say, we have only one stomach to give!

So many other places are on the short list for Oakland, Commis, Pican, Dona Tomas, Cafe Van Cleef, Mua and one place that intrigued which was truly an old Oakland landmark would be a stop by Heinold's First and Last Chance bar at Jack London Square built there in 1883 from the timbers of a whaling ship. Appetite whetted!

Raw, Local & Organic Eggnog: Delicious and Easy to Make!

Once Thanksgiving Day is over, I always get excited about two things, holiday decorations and eggnog. Normally I would buy a carton of eggnog from the market, but this year as I reached for the store bought brand it occurred to me... I have never had homemade eggnog! I started to look up recipes and was disappointed with what I found. I wanted eggnog that would be remarkably different from processed store brands.

What I found was that many recipes use raw eggs but that is as far as they go. With this in mind I decided to make my eggnog as raw, fresh and local as it could get. I used raw eggs of course, but I also used raw sweetener, and my favorite ingredients of all raw dairy products (milk and cream). The only thing that could not be raw was the bourbon. After researching a number of recipes, I decided to make my own concoction. In the end, my eggnog turned out just as I had hoped and was a big hit with my family.

My ingredient list was as follows:

4 egg yolks

4 egg whites (make sure there is absolutely no egg yolks in the whites)

2 cups whole raw milk

1 cup heavy raw cream

6 oz bourbon

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/3 cup agave plus 1 tablespoon agave

For the eggs, I choose a local and organic brand. The more locally produced the eggs are, the fresher the eggs will probably be, which will most likely result in better tasting eggnog. I would also like to add that the safety of consuming raw eggs is highly debatable. I don't claim that they wont give you salmonella, but I was raised in a family that consumes raw eggs occasionally and has never had a problem. If you have a compromised immune system, or you are a very young or very elderly person, you should not eat raw eggs. I am not a scientist, so I won't claim that they wont make you sick, but for many others and myself, eating raw eggs works fine.

When it comes to dairy ingredients, I absolutely love raw organic dairy products. They taste amazing and also maintain a high amount of the good bacteria your body needs to absorb the protein and lactose. Lucky for us living in the Bay Area, it is easy to find raw organic dairy products in many natural food stores in Northern California.

For a sweetener, I used Agave nectar. Unlike honey, agave nectar is flavorless, which makes it great to add to your drinks when you don't want that honey taste to overpower the other ingredients. Agave also absorbs in cold liquids and is a low-glycemic sweetener. Currently there are no regulations for labeling sweeteners as raw, which causes all kinds of debates. Most agave nectar brands are labeled as raw, but some people consider agave nectar to be a processed sweetener since it is brought up to a temperature of anywhere between 118-140 degrees. As far as options for sweetening your eggnog go, agave is pretty minimally processed compared to most sweeteners.

My eggnog preparation went something like this:

Whisk the egg yolks until they start to thicken and lighten in color. Then gradually add in the 1/3 cups of agave while still whisking. Once the sugar is completely dissolved gradually add the milk, cream, bourbon and nutmeg.

In a separate bowl and with a different whisk start by whipping the egg whites slowly for a minute and then gradually work up to a faster speed until you start to see soft peaks. Then slowly add the tablespoon of agave and whisk at a high speed until the consistency produces stiff peaks.

Then whisk the egg whites into the mixture.

Chill and serve!

Tales from the Dining Table: Let the Entertaining Season Begin!

I've always loved entertaining, regardless of the time of year. However, late fall and the Holiday season inevitably brings out the party spirit in everyone. For about four (long) years now, I've wanted to host a "Harvest Party". After pouring over the glossy food and wine magazines portraying great friends gathered around a 20 person table in the middle of a vineyard, toasting the good life, I thought: "I want one!" I like to think we all deserve to celebrate harvest, whether our fingernails are stained purple or not. Lucky for my conscience, I had a winemaker friend who had just finished harvest. So I decided instead of Thanksgiving this year, I would host a harvest dinner. That way, I could braise lamb instead of roast a turkey. I invited 10 friends and told them we would celebrate by eating a grandiose, food magazine-enviable meal, while drinking the bounty of the season. Plus, I always like a good kitchen challenge.

The problem was, I didn't know where to start and I had very little guidance besides my imagination. I envisioned an absurdly long, beautiful wooden table filled with fresh cut flowers. And not just any flowers, but the rustic, charming ones that you feel horrible cutting from the garden but look so good. Another problem was, I didn't have a proper dining room, let alone a 30 foot wooden dining table and November is not wild flower season. So I went back to basics. I used the Rules of Entertaining 101- which I am excited to share with you in hopes that your next big dinner party is seamless.

I created a menu that was both comforting and autumnal, including ingredients of the season, but avoided Thanksgiving classics. I chose both local and exotic ingredients to keep it interesting and made a braising sauce with my friend's Syrah. I wanted to take advantage of our perfect little place on Earth called San Francisco, where persimmons and fresh goat cheese are readily available. I went in blindly with a ton of enthusiasm, and I came out with a huge ego and a stuffed belly. The very least I can do now, is offer you some tips I learned:

Part 1: Cocktails, Cheese, Appetizers and First Course.

Rule 1: Have a signature drink ready when guests arrive.

Not only does this ensure guests are immediately happy, but allows you, as a host to finish your last minute preparations in peace. It gives the illusion that everything is under control and you're 'thrilled' they were on time. (Which, as a side note, never happens with my friends, thankfully.) Plus, people feel sexy holding a classic cocktail. I went with a Blackberry & Cabernet Mojito. This drink was inspired by a cocktail that is on Cantina's drink menu made with cachasa. I happened to have a bottle of Bacardi (why does Bacardi always appear in my liquor cabinet, but I never buy it?) and a ton of mint left over from another dish- so Rule 1.5: use what you have in the house! The cocktail has a dramatic purple-red color that is festive without being a "pink drink" AND you can make it ahead of time and not have to worry about shaking each drink separately.

Rule 2: Put out cold appetizers to keep guests busy and happy while you're fretting over the fact that the main dish is still two hours away from being done.

Remember, appetizers don't have to be elaborate, they just have to taste good. I love cheese (perhaps this diatribe should be a separate post.) I like to serve it before the meal because, although I love the French, I never have room for cheese at the end of a meal. We are so lucky in San Francisco to have a truly amazing selection of artisanal cheeses. For this meal I went to Rainbow Grocery. Ahhh Rainbow, such a happy, happy place. I personally like to select three choices, each varying in texture and flavor. I went with a goat's milk aged gouda that was bright white and firm textured, a medium creamy, salty, local blue from Pt. Reyes and a very creamy, cow's milk triple cream from Australia. The triple cream was hands down, the favorite (and the one that is not in the picture...) It was a Seal Bay Triple Cream from King Island Dairy and it was sooo rich and gooey and true to its triple cream name. I am drooling. It tasted so good that you kind of felt you shouldn't be eating it.

Rule 3: Offer something unique, rare or out-of-the-ordinary to your guests. If people feel like they are getting something special, they'll inevitably be drawn to the dinner. The first time I had Chez Panisse's nettle souffle I was hooked. I had never had anything like it, and to this day, haven't been able to reproduce it at my house. My great French friends Pascal & Lilie, brought a "jar" of foie gras from their recent trip back to Paris to see the family. The darling little jar had one of those rustic pop tops like the old sealing bottles. There is simply no time for moral discussion when it is sitting on your table staring at you in all its creamy goodness. Some guests had never had foie gras at home. It was really special, and really delicious. It was paired with a perfect sweet wine from the Loire. This was the first wine to stump the group in its brown bag. It had beautiful acidity like a great Sauternes, but we were assured it was not. It had apricot and orange blossom bursting out of the glass, like a Muscat or Tokaji, but to no avail. The rich, oily texture belied the mineral backbone... of course, the Loire. How could I be so daft? It was a really pretty Coteaux du Layon made from botrytised Chenin Blanc.

Rule 4: Serve GREAT BREAD. There are plenty of bakeries that sell good fresh baguettes. Ask one of your guests to bring a couple over if you can't run out to get some. It is so worth it.

Rule 5: Make something that smells really good while guests are grazing.

After the cheese and foie gras course, I served bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with chorizo. This is a classic tapa in Spain and a perfect hot appetizer course. It makes your house smell like bacon, and you know how people are with bacon. You can stuff and roll them ahead of time and they look so irresistible on the plate. I've found in my trials that it can be tricky to get all sides crispy when you have long toothpicks holding them together. My brilliant sous chef came up with a great idea: use long kebab sticks to hold about 5 together and then just snip the wood in between each one... voila- perfect sized toothpicks.

Rule 6: If you are going to attempt to do a soup course, make the soup the night before. The soup will not only have better flavor, but you'll save yourself two hours prep time and a ton of dishes that day. I chose to make a carrot and roasted red pepper soup. Go the distance and pour the soup through the sieve. Yes, it takes extra time and it is messy, but the velvety, silky texture is what differentiates your dinner party soup from the hearty, chunky lunch version. Add a bit of creme fraiche or whipped heavy cream with cilantro on top for the final touch. I found these really cute edible flowers that I was so excited to add to the presentation. In the end, I forgot of course. I found the bright flavors of carrot and red pepper to be a really nice starter course.

Rule 7: This is just a personal rule, but I ask everyone to bring one fascinating or delicious bottle of wine, but they must bring it in a brown bag. I love brown-bagging. To taste a wine without already having a preconceived notion or bias really allows you and your guests to enjoy it. It's fun and playful to guess the wines. I asked each person to recommend which course their bottle be paired with. It was a smashing success. I couldn't have arranged a better pairing. Note the brown bag in the photo to the right ---> that was a Priorat. More details on the pairing in Part 2. And as for the beautiful gardenia in my hair? That was a gift from the nice flower shop man who said a hostess needed a flower in her hair if she was going to have such a big party. I wouldn't say I needed it, but it definitely made my night. I blamed any wrong brown-bag guesses on the fragrance from my flower...

Read Part 2: The main course, the wine pairings, the battles of the brown bag, the abandoned salad and the dessert.

- Kendall

The Importance of Cause-Related Marketing in the Wine Industry

Note: This is an updated version of a chapter I wrote in 2003 for the Wine Public Relations book called "Spinning the Bottle" the premise of cause-related marketing in the wine industry still holds true now more than ever and is a tenet of Charles Communications Associates to this day.

-Kimberly Charles

In my 20 plus years in the wine industry, working in both the imported and domestic wine arenas on both the East and West coasts, I have been witness to the largesse of the industry be it charitable associations, educational institutions, health related issues, and cultural endeavors among many other great causes. The Business for Social Responsibility organization defines social responsibility as "achieving commercial success in ways that honor ethical values and respect people, communities and the natural environment." The wine industry's connection to nature coupled with the diversity of backgrounds of people working within the business naturally attracts people who are generous of spirit and who celebrate friendship, sharing and giving. Philanthropy is an organic extension of this philosophy and it has been and will continue to be a great platform from which to launch wine marketing programs.

It is important to note at this point that creating a cause around a brand is not an end in itself. If a cause-related program does not help impact sales, it has failed. Oftentimes, public relations and marketing professionals become self-congratulatory over the merits of a really creatively designed program, but unless it helps sell cases, it will be difficult to justify the investment in public relations. When a program is carefully crafted with both rational and emotional drivers, it can have more impact on sales than price incentives, advertising and other common tricks of the trade.

When executed well, these programs have resonance and impact when they truly connect with a brand's essence. Two such programs are illustrated here representing a successful integration of either the brand's name and identity, the personalities behind the winemaking or the vision of the principals who owned the winery.

The Environment

Perhaps one of the biggest challenges the wine industry is facing in the 21st century is how to manage its role as a vital, growing agricultural business that inherently wrestles with environmental issues everyday in light of its water use, erosion control, herbicide/pesticide use, labor issues among many other elements that have an impact on the environment. Recognizing this early on, Sequoia Grove Winery in Rutherford, Napa Valley realized that raising the consciousness of consumers of wine about the need to preserve and protect our environment was of utmost importance. In the early 1990s, long before the sustainability movement had gained momentum within the wine industry, Sequoia Grove, together with its partner and marketer Kobrand Corporation, devised a program that targeted the restoration of trails in the Sequoia Kings-Canyon National Park in Northern California.

To put the program in context, it is important to note some of the challenges the winery was facing at the time. Its delicious estate and Napa designated Cabernets and Chardonnays were receiving great accolades, however, the winery was competing with more established "big gun" names in the Rutherford district and needed a creative program to gain entree into top accounts. Taking inspiration from the grove of majestic 100-year old Sequoia trees that graced the property, we designed a program that partnered with the National Parks and Conservation Program. The NPCA works on local, regional and national levels to help preserve and restore the national park system.

The name association of the park and the wine made it a clear connection with the brand, and consumers were asked to send in their Sequoia Grove corks to help restore the trails in the park. The program consisted of a campaign both on and off premise that described Sequoia Grove's involvement in the NPCA through shelf talkers, bottle-neckers, posters, menu cards and a full court press program. It was such a "natural" fit that it caught the eye of the Hyatt Hotel group, who decided to make the program part of its national hotel restaurant campaign. The only hitch to the program was that the winery was inundated with corks coming back in the recycled envelopes provided.such a headache to have!

Health & Wellness

Ehler's Estate is a winery founded in Napa by Sylviane Leducq and the late Jean Leducq who first purchased vineyard land in Napa in 1987. In 2001 they reunited the original 1886 Ehler's Estate vineyard and winery property by buying the remaining 30-acre parcel comprising the estate. The Leducq's had sold their commercial businesses in 1997 and created a trust to benefit the Leducq Foundation, which supports cardiovascular research. Today it is the third largest medical research foundation in the world and the largest dedicated to one cause. Jean and Sylviane chose cardiovascular research as the focus as they knew it to be the leading cause of death worldwide and they wanted to help fund ground-breaking research to seek answers and solutions to this endemic problem.

A portion of the proceeds of the sales of Ehler's Estate wines go towards the foundation. The story is told simply on the back label of the wines and the design on the front label subtly reflects a heart symbol integrated into the "E" of Ehler's Estate. A dedicated holistic communications and sales campaign has been developed to educate both trade and consumers and the winery will launch in the summer of 2003. The integration and integrity of the Leducq's philosophy and compassion into the winery's branding provides a great opportunity for a strong dialogue with the socially aware consumer.

A number of other great programs too detailed to elaborate upon here have met with success in the areas of scholarship, the arts and the welfare of those who support the wine community such as the farmworkers who are the backbone of the wine industry. Particularly in this time of corporate governance coming under great scrutiny, it is all the more important for wineries to demonstrate to their customers a sense of consciousness, integrity and connectivity to a larger picture. "A 2001 Hill & Knowlton/Harris Interactive poll showed that 79% of Americans take corporate citizenship into account when deciding whether to buy a particular company's product; 36% of Americans consider corporate citizenship an important factor when making purchasing decisions."

The future looks bright for the wine industry leading the way towards a more socially conscious enlightenment. Continued and generous charitable support together with programs such as the Wine Institute's recent launch of the Sustainability Code wherein wineries have an opportunity to adopt and grow with a sustainable business model for both the vineyard and winery, are indicators that the wine industry has an opportunity to create a business model that other industries can emulate.

Footnote: Since the writing of this chapter six years ago, the California Sustainabile Winegrowing Alliance is now moving towards certification in 2010. CCA is happy to be a part of the communications campaign to share that great evolution with the press and public.

Biking Through the Bay

No one wants to look like a tourist in their own backyard.

For my good friend Katie's recent birthday, we decided to rent bikes and bike from Pier 39 to Tiburon. A hearty brunch would await us at Sam's, and we would take the ferry back to San Francisco. The bike ride is advertised as a leisurely weekend activity that anyone can partake in! From the Blazing Saddles website

"It's easy pedaling on the new and scenic National Park Bike Path from Fisherman's Wharf to the Golden Gate Bridge. You'll cross the bridge on the sidewalk, then coast downhill into Sausalito for fabulous seaside dining before catching the ferry back to San Francisco. But if you haven't had enough fun, the ride only gets better from there! Visit some of the world's tallest trees in Old Mill Park and continue along the Bay to the picturesque town of Tiburon from where you can also relax on the ferry back to San Francisco."

Here, we look leisurely:

Then came the inclines....

What they don't tell you is that the "easy pedaling" to get on the GGB is in fact difficult, uphill, and alongside traffic! Fortunately, the GGB was lovely. It was not too windy and it was a gorgeous day. I think if I was driving on the GGB and watching myself slowly pedal my way to the other end, with the real cyclists blowing by screaming "LEFT", I would have had a great laugh.

Sausalito was also gorgeous and could not have been more cheery. I badly wanted to stop at Horizons and take the ferry back from Sausalito to Pier 39. But it was not going to be me, the girl with Britney Spears blasting via Blackberry from the fannypack of the bike, to throw up the white flag.

We finally arrived in Tiburon, pedaling up and down hills in residential Tiburon, not knowing if we were going to end up at San Quentin or at Sam's, which I was convinced was simply a mirage.

Shout out to Blazing Saddles for taking care of our bike rental needs. But don't count on them to tell you what you are getting yourself into. Why they give you a choice to wear a helmet or not is beyond me.

Another shout out to Emily for the great photos. If not for her apathy to appearing like a tourist, we would not have proof that we survived this feat!

Our amazing view from the Ferry....

Passion for Pinot Fireside Chat with Jordan Mackay

On April 8, 2009 Charles Communications team worked in conjunction with the staff at DeLoach to host a Passion for Pinot Fireside Chat to commemorate the release of Jordan Mackay's book, Passion for Pinot, A Journey Through America's Pinot Noir Country and to solidify DeLoach as a preeminent pinot producer in the Russian River.

The event was a great success with attendance from both the wine trade media, sommeliers and growers. As the event was away from San Francisco, many invitees had expressed their sincerest apologies for their inability to attend the event. The event featured a panel discussion, in which Jordan asked a series of questions regarding pinot noir and winemaking to a group of panelists consisting of Brian Maloney of DeLoach, Dan Goldfield of Dutton-Goldfield Winery, Adam Lee of Siduri Wines and Michael Browne of Kosta Browne Winery. The layout of the event consisted of causal sofa seating, but with a formal tasting mat to highlight each wine, and was very much conducive to encouraging audience participation.

Prior to the discussion, Jean-Charles welcomed everyone to DeLoach and introduced the concept of the afternoon. Jordan introduced the panelists and a freeform discussion followed on: trends of single clone production, changing styles of pinot noir in California, reactions to critics and writers on the trends of pinot noir, site specific challenges and accomplishments in growing pinot noir and the solidarity of the panelists love for the grape.

Six different wines were tasted during the course of the event. As guests arrived at the DeLoach guesthouse at 3 p.m., they were offered four different wines from the Russian River Valley from the wineries participating at the event. Once the discussion was underway, the guests were poured wines from four different appellations, and the winemakers were given a chance to discuss the select wines being poured. We purposely requested that each winemaker bring a wine from different and unique AVAs to showcase not only Russian River, but also the nuances of terroir and how it affects this varietal.

Wines poured at the event:

Kosta Browne Winery

1. 2007 Koplen Vineyard, Russian River Valley

2. 2007 Rosella's Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands

Dutton-Goldfield Winery

1. 2007 Dutton Ranch Freestone Hill Vineyard, Russian River Valley

2. 2007 Devil's Gulch, Marin County

Siduri Wines

1. 2007 Keefer Ranch, Russian River Valley

2. 2006 Arbre Vert, Willamette Valley, OR

DeLoach Vineyards

1. 2007 Green Valley, Russian River Valley

2. 2007 Mast Vineyard, Redwood Valley

Overall, the event went very well. We received numerous comments on the appealing layout and style of the event. Attendees appreciated the casual fireside set up and earnestness of the winemakers' discussions. We also received a number of comments on how nice the DeLoach Guesthouse was and the hospitality that they received while there. Press was interested and happy to familiarize themselves with the DeLoach pinots, and we were told by some press that they were not familiar with the extensive pinot noir program that was in place at DeLoach. The wines showed very well and allowed attendees to catch a glimpse of the talent of the winemaking team at DeLoach.

Thanks to everyone at DeLoach who helped on this project. We really appreciate it!