Jacobsen Orchard Dinner 9/21/09

As you may (or may not) know, restaurant cooks are paid very little for working long, taxing hours. Thus, we cannot afford to dine at the fancy restaurants in the area. We create our own meals that we feel are just as good, if not better, than what you would eat while fine-dining in the valley.

Though this goes against the norm of "Dinner at Steve's", dinners are sometimes held at off-site locations. We were very fortunate to cook a dinner at the very famous Jacobsen Orchard in Yountville, CA. Peter & Gwenny are an amazing, gracious couple, and I am very lucky to have met them. They lead a double life: During the week they spend their time in San Francisco, as Dr. Peter Jacobsen, widely-known in the dental community, spends time working on teeth at their dental practice. They then switch gears on the weekends and spend time working on their 1.3 acre orchard. Their property is the mecca for juicy figs, crisp pears and an endless list of certified organic produce. I became interested in gardening after moving to the valley and learned a great deal of what I know from Peter & Gwenny, while helping out on their land. It has been enlightening seeing the whole growth process from seeding, trans-planting, fertilizing, growing and harvesting for a whole host of vegetables and delicious fruit (with over 100 different fruit trees!). During my time on their property we often ate "Farm Lunch" which was always a delight. The majority of the meal would come straight from the property...and tasted phenomenal. From these experiences, I knew a multi-course dinner at their outside kitchen would make for an unforgettable night. This one was epic...

Fresh, organic produce picked straight from the land (13 items): Quince, Figs, Shallots, Kakai Pumpkins, Laratt Potatoes, Leeks, Mangel Greens, Mixed Lettuce, Paul Robeson Tomatoes, Moonglow Pears, Chocolate Mint, Lemon Verbena, Fig Leaves

Freshly hunted game: Wild boar, Cottontail Rabbit

I must note here that Steve gets a good array of fresh game from his hunting friend. The Cottontail was acquired the week before the meal, and the wild boar was dropped off at Steve's just 2 days prior to the dinner. Steve, Miah and the butcher from the restaurant Farm stayed up from midnight to 4am butchering the boar and making a variety of products like prosciutto (currently curing in salt), chorizo & sausage. This boar will continue to add components to future dishes in the weeks to come. It was a 150 beast that will make for some tasty eats.

Monday, Septemper 21, 2009
Jacobsen Farm

Cheese Plate
Petite Syrah, Hall Rose of Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc

Torchon of Foie Gras, Pickled Figs, Quince Jelly, Shallot Bread Pudding
Sauternes

Cottontail Rabbit Agnolotti, Pipian
Dornfelder, Alianca

Roasted Loin and Tenderloin of Wild Boar, Creamed Laratte Potatoes,
Braised Leeks, Mangel Greens
Gigondas

Mixed Lettuce, Heirloom Tomato, Blue Cheese, Smoked Honey and Balsamic Dressing,
served on home-made Lavash

Moonglow Pear and Brown Butter Tartlet, Dulce de Leche Ice Cream,
Pear Butter
Robert Craig Riesling

Truffles of Chocolate Mint, Lemon Verbena and Fig Leaf

Let the blogging begin!

I am finally documenting the incredible dinners I partake in (almost) every week at my buddy, Steve's, house. Myself, Steve, and our other culinary friend, Jeremiah (known here on out as Miah) have been cooking these amazing, seasonal meals for over a year now. We all met in the kitchen of a certain (to remain unnamed) restaurant in the heart of the Napa Valley. Though we don't work together anymore, we still rock out unforgettable flavors and food combinations in Steve's very tiny kitchen.

My plan is for this blog to document the dishes created each week, and possibly some of the drunken conversation that takes place while we cook and eat. All of the menus are VERY seasonal as I am a also farmer and pick the majority of our produce from a certified organic farm the same day it is cooked. A great deal of the protein is also procured nearby, and often hunted by one of Steve's friends. This is true, seasonal cooking.