Grandma Helen’s Blackberry Pie

With the holidays approaching our featured recipe is a staple at all of our family gatherings. “My mother died when I was a small child, so my father’s mother (Granny) was our substitute mother. She was a wonderful cook and taught me from an early age to make pies, among other things. She said the feather design (to let the heat out) was our “trademark”, so I’ve carried it on. I think of her every time I make one.”
- Helen Bacigalupi

Helen’s Flaky Pastry Dough
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup vegetable shortening
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp ice water

Directions- Combine flour and salt with 1 cup vegetable shortening. Drizzle over the mixture 1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp ice water. Add water sparingly until dough forms into balls. The fat should remain in pea sized pieces or smaller inside the dough. Divide the dough in half and press each half into a round, flat dish and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or preferably for several hours before handling or rolling.

Ingredients for Filling
3 cups fresh or frozen blackberries
1/2 cup raspberries if available
1 cup and 1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup flour

Directions- Remove from refrigerator and roll each half to desired size. Place bott0m half in pie pan and mold. Mix flour and 1/2 cup sugar in the bottom of the uncooked dough. Add all other ingredients. Sprinkle remaining sugar on top of berries and cover with other half of pie dough. Bake for 15 mins at 450 degrees and finish at 350 degrees until juice is bubbling them remove from oven. Cool on a rack.

 

Mom’s Apple Galette

Galette Dough- Makes 2- 8oz pieces

2 cups (10oz) all purpose flour
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
6 oz sweet butter
1/2 cup cold water

Combine first three ingredients and cut in the butter until mixture looks like cornmeal. Stir in ice water until mixture just holds together. Press into a ball, flatten and wrap in plastic wrap, put in refrigerator to relax dough and chill for at least 30 minutes. To make individual galettes, divide dough into four pieces. Press each piece into a small circle and roll into 6″ diameter circle, 1/8 inch thick. Put on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment and place in refrigerator while preparing apples. It is important to keep the dough chilled at all times.

Filling

Approximately 1 lb cooking apples – recommend Gravenstein or Granny Smith
4-5 tbl sugar
1 tbl flour
2 tbl butter, melted

Directions

Peel, quarter and core apples; slice in 1/4″ slices. Divide fruit into four portions approx. 3/4 cup per galette. Bring galette dough from refrigerator and put one teaspoon flour and one teaspoon sugar in the center of your circle, spreading to cover entire round. Put apples in center of circle, leaving approx, 1″ uncovered dough around edge. Sprinkle 1 tbl sugar on top of apples. Add cinnamon also if desired. Adjust sugar depending on the sweetness of the fruit (1 teas) flour added on the bottom of the galette before fruit. Fold uncovered edge of pastry over apples, pleating to make it fit. Brush edge with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 400 degrees, 20-25 minutes. Cool on rack. Serve with vanilla ice cream!

Dijon and Soy Oven Baked Steelhead

Growing up and living so close to the Russian River, fishing was always something I enjoyed doing as a child. Now married to a fisherman, winter time also means steelhead fishing. Steelhead are a species of salmon native to the Pacific region and they are the most common fish caught in the Russian River. We enjoy steelhead for its nice, round texture and it has a more mild fish flavor than regular salmon.

1 1/2 lb fresh Steelhead (or Salmon)
Kosher Salt
Fresh black pepper
2 cloves of garlic minced
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons wholegrain mustard
2 tablespoons honey
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Pat steelhead dry with a paper towel season with salt and pepper. Line baking sheet with foil. Whisk together garlic, soy sauce, mustard and honey in a small bowl. Place salmon on baking sheet. Cover salmon with 1/3 Dijon−Soy mixture. Place salmon in oven for 10 minutes. Baste with remaining mixture and cook additional 10 minutes. Serve with white rice and steamed broccoli along with our 2007 Wente Clone Pinot Noir. BonAppetit!

Pam’s Potato Gratin

Pam’s Potato Gratin with Carmelized Onions and Gruyere Cheese is an excellent dish for all those cold winter nights. Simple and easy you’ll find yourself going back for seconds!

Ingredients
10 medium potatoes
4 yellow onions
1/2 cup flour
1 1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 lb grated Gruyere cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Spray Pam on a 9×13 baking dish
Mix all of the above in a large bowl
Pour in and level mix
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 mins to 1 hour
Serves 12

Clara Auradou’s Turkey Stuffing

With just a few weeks left till Thanksgiving it’s time to break out those old favorite family recipes and start putting together your dinner menu. Here is a classic turkey stuffing recipe from our family to yours!
Clara Auradou is my great, great Aunt. Her family has been farming in the Dry Creek for well over a hundred years. Born Clara Elizabeth Gaddini in 1880 in the town of Sonoma she grew up alongside her sister and brother; Ollie and Ernest. She met and married Jack Auradou and went to live with Jack’s parents who owned a farm in Dry Creek Valley. In those days women didn’t work in the fields but Clara did have a large part in keeping track of the daily activities around the farm. The family grew apples, prunes, cherries and shortly after prohibition ended they planted their first grapevines. When Jack died following WWII Clara and her son ran the farm until her death in 1974.  Quite the gardener and homemaker her turkey dressing is always a staple at our family table during Thanksgiving.

~Katey Bacigalupi, Wine Club Manager

Ingredients for 12-15 lb Turkey
1 1/2 loaves sliced sweet French bread (put out on trays a day ahead to dry) cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 large onions, finely chopped
2 cups celery chopped fine
3 eggs
1/2 lb bulk sausage (we use Jimmy Dean Sage Sausage)
1/4 lb butter
1/2 cup fresh parsley
2 tsp Poultry seasoning
2 teaspoons powdered oregano
Salt and pepper

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees
Sauté onions, celery, sausage, butter and parsley till onions are clear.
Add bread cubes, Poultry seasoning, salt, pepper, and oregano. Mix together.
After mixture cools and just before stuffing turkey beat up 3 eggs and add to mixture along with salt and pepper. Then stuff turkey, put extra stuffing in buttered casserole dish and cook for 45 minutes.
Cook turkey with stuffing as directed according to weight. Enjoy!

Check out more family recipes!

Introducing Tomesto!

A great twist on an Italian favorite!

1/4 cup pine nuts almonds
12 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes (2 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1 small pepperoncini
1 teaspoon salt
pinch of red pepper flakes
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lb pasta, linguine or spaghetti
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1. Toast pine nuts in small skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently (about 2-4 minutes)
2. Combine tomatoes, basil, garlic, pepperoncini, 1 teaspoon salt and red pepper flakes in food processor until smooth, about 1 minute. Add oil and mix again, about 30 seconds.
3. Meanwhile bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and salt and cook until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water; drain pasta and transfer back to cooking pot.
4. Add pesto and 1/2 cup Parmesan to cooked pasta, adjusting consistency with reserved pasta cooking water so that pesto coats the pasta. Serve immediately and with the 2006 John Tyler Pinot Noir!

Amazing Prawn Marinade

Springtime Noodles; Tagliarini Primavera

As an Italian family, we love pasta! Rumor has it that Tagliarini Primavera is the dish Botticelli’s models dined on after posing for his famous portrait of spring, “Primavera”. Thin strands of tagliarini combined with delicious vegetables, cream and of course, Parmesan; truly a springtime celebration!
- Katey Bacigalupi

INGREDIENTS
1/2 lb asparagus
1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced 1/2 cup frozen tiny peas, thawed
1/4 cup slivered prosciutto 1 teaspoon dry basil
1/4 cup butter or margarine 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 medium-size carrot, thinly sliced Dash each– ground nutmeg and white pepper
1 medium-size zucchini, diced 1 cup whipping cream
1 lb Tagliarini noodles 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 green onions (with tops) sliced Chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS
Snap off and discard white fibrous ends of asparagus. Cut spears diagonally into 1– inch lengths but leave tips whole.
In a wide frying pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add mushrooms, prosciutto, asparagus, carrot and zucchini; cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Cover pan and cook for 1 more min.
Add 8 cups water to large pot, add salt and bring to boil. Cook noodles until al dente and drain.
To vegetable mixture add green onions, peas, basil, salt, nutmeg, pepper, and cream. Increase heat to high and cool until liquid boils. Return drained noodles to large pot, pour vegetable sauce over noodles, lift and mix gently so noodles are thoroughly coated. Add the 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, sprinkle with parsley, mix again and serve.
Pairs excellent with the 2006 John Tyler Pinot Noir!

Fall Recipe ~ Pollo alla Bacigalupi

Pollo alla Bacigalupi
One whiff of this chicken simmering in its robust sauce and you’ll know it’s Italy’s famous chicken cacciatore, with a few twists from the Bacigalupi family.

-Katey Bacigalupi

INGREDIENTS
6 chicken thighs 1 can (1 lb) tomatoes chopped
2 tablespoons each butter and olive oil 1/3 cup John Tyler Zinfandel
1 med size onion, chopped 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed 1/2 teaspoon dry rosemary
1 large celery stalk, finely chopped 1/4 teaspoon dry basil
1 med carrot, shredded 1/4 teaspoon oregano leaves
1/4 lb mushrooms, quartered

DIRECTIONS: Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper . In a wide frying pan over medium high heat place butter and oil and brown chicken on all sides. Remove chicken and set aside. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons pan drippings. To the pan add onion, garlic, celery, carrot and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally (10 mins). Return chicken to pan and add tomatoes and their liquid, wine, parsley, rosemary, basil and oregano, stir well. Cover and simmer gently for 45 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Serve over rice or pasta.

John Tyler Wines in Food and Wine Magazine

When you think of food and wine and the combination of the two, for me only one publication comes to mind: Food and Wine Magazine. With a circulation of over 375,000 readers it is one of the most popular magazines for food and wine. Covering everything from restaurants, hotels, travel, wine, and recipes on an international level F&W has a little something for everyone.

Recently the Russian River Valley Winegrowers and Food and Wine teamed up to showcase some of the beautiful scenery and fantastic wines that the Russian River has to offer. The most recent promotion is in May’s issue and captures the breathtaking vistas of Westside Rd.

One of the wineries featured is us! John Tyler Wines is in good company with the names of Davis Bynum and La Crema along with other notable Pinot Noir producers.  RRVG is an important partner in promoting the valley and its growers and helps to bring consumers and wineries together. Like they say “You can’t imagine a more beautiful place to grow great wine.”

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