Annie's Blog :: Annieglass

The Menu For My Platemaker Dinner

AnnieM — Fri, 17 May 2013 10:04:09 +0000

We just got the finalized menu for our first Platemaker Dinner in the Watsonville warehouse on May 23 (next week!) with Outstanding in the Field www.outstandinginthefield.com. I’m so excited I wanted to share it with you all right away.

Passed Apps:

Ricotta w/ Meyer Lemon, Sorrel, & Sea Salt on Crostini

El Salchichero Sausage & Crudite of Fresh and Pickled vegetables

Menu:

Bread & Butter

First course:
Grilled Little Gem Lettuce & Asparagus Salad, Pickled Eggs, Black Pepper Dressing, Parmesan Cheese

Second course:
Chilled Beet and Strawberry Soup, Yogurt, Beet Shoots, Mint and Almonds

Third course:
Grilled Lemonade Springs Farm Chicken, Arugula, Roasted Cauliflower, Pine Nuts and Poached Golden Raisins

Dessert:
Cooked and Raw Stonefruits and Berries, Mint, and Oat & Honey Crumble

Doesn’t it sound delicious? So much great local products and produce. There are still a few more seats left, for more information, go here.

Spring Suppers: Tatsoi Salad

AnnieM — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:10:33 +0000

One of the best parts of Spring is all of the new fruits and vegetables coming into season. It makes it easy and exciting to throw together a quick and healthful meal. This salad uses tatsoi — an Asian green which is in the large brassica family, which means it’s related to broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and mustard. The leaves are tender, sweet and mild. You can cook it like any other green, but it also makes a great simple salad. And even the flowers are edible, so if you find some in your farmer’s market give it a try. Or you can use any new green that you find, or a combination. Just wash and dry your leaves. For the dressing take 1 crushed garlic clove and 2 tablespoons of fresh-squeezed lemon juice and stir them together in a small bowl. Then whisk in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until it is well-emulsified and add salt or pepper to taste. Toss the leaves with the dressing and then divide onto your plates and top with the flowers! Easy, pretty, healthy and tasty.

Platemaker Dinner And Storrs Winery

AnnieM — Wed, 15 May 2013 12:49:16 +0000

Pamela and Steve Storrs firmly believe that the Santa Cruz Mountains hold a tremendous potential for making great wines. They first made a splash in the wine world with their very first release —an excellent Riesling in 1988, which captured a gold medal at the prestigious San Francisco National Wine Competition.

At UC Davis, Steve studied viticulture, while Pamela studied enology and food microbiology. Together, they have developed their own style of utilizing the best of their education and their own experiences with their vintages, which is more like letting the wine become what it is, more of a Burgundian approach to winemaking. Their first vintage, total case production was 1,200 cases. Now, they have grown to a comfortable 12,000 cases, just right for two winemakers. In 2001, Steve and Pamela realized their long-held dream when they purchased 50 acres in the Pleasant Valley district of Corralitos on the southwestern slopes of Mount Madonna. Since that day, they have slowly been converting the farm to sustainable/organic practices. In the spring and early summer of 2007, they planted their first 10 acres into selected Pinot Noir and Chardonnay clones and in time will expand their plantings to over 15 acres. In this endeavor, they are working to preserve wildlife corridors and habitat for the numerous animals that call Pleasant Valley their home.

Dinner starts at 6 with a reception, tours of our studio followed by a 4 course sit down dinner with accompanying wines. Served on a variety of Annieglass with Annie, Steve & Pamela Storrs and chefs from Outstanding in the Field.

Click here for more info. And please come to what promises to be an AMAZING night!

My Trip To Jazz Fest, Part 2

AnnieM — Tue, 14 May 2013 18:27:44 +0000

I got to hear all kinds of music at Jazz Fest. The Tuxedo Band was traditional New Orleans….and pretty sweet too. The bandleader stood up when I took this picture.

My Trip To Jazz Fest in New Orleans

AnnieM — Mon, 13 May 2013 12:14:39 +0000

I was so glad that my trunk show took me through New Orleans the same weekend as Jazz Fest 2013. The official name is the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and it’s always an incredible event, with crafts, food culture and of course music! Here are some picture from the event, including one of my friend Thomas Mann at his booth, above.

The weather made it a little bit of a mudfest, but we had a great time anyway!

Pours & Tours This Weekend

AnnieM — Fri, 10 May 2013 20:48:52 +0000

Now that Spring has fully sprung, we are back to our Friday, Saturday AND Sunday schedule for Pours & Tours. If you are in the Santa Cruz area, please join us at our Watsonville studios for our Tours & Pours, where you can see how Annieglass is crafted and also taste some amazing local wines. And if you like what you see — and/or taste — you can bring some home with you.

Each Friday, Saturday and Sunday we have free tours of the Annieglass studio at 11:30am and 2pm. It’s really fun to share the process of Annieglass with our friends and fans. We welcome walk-ins or you can reserve in advance by calling (831)761-2041 x21 or online: tours@annieglass.com. Take a tour and receive 10% off your same-day purchase of Annieglass.

And on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00 pm to 4:30 pm we will be pouring tastes of Santa Cruz and Monterey County wines. You can sample 3 wines for $6 , or 6 wines for $9. If you buy a bottle to take home, the tasting fee is waived.

Our wine program is curated by Annieglass’ own wine expert, Jacqueline Knight. This week we will be pouring some lovely local wines, including:

Graham Beck Estate Brut NV
Graff Family Vineyards July Muscat 2009
Malvasia del Fiore (White Hart Winery)
Joullian Chardonnay
Joullian Zinfandel Sias Cuvee
Joullian Cabernet

On The Road: Some More Trunk Shows And Events

AnnieM — Thu, 09 May 2013 17:34:40 +0000

I’ve got a few more trunk show and 30th Anniversary Celebration dates scheduled. All day today, until 5pm, The Fisherman’s Wife in Wilmington, North Carolina is celebrating our 30th Anniversary! There is also a 30th Anniversary celebration at Babcock Gifts in Memphis on May 16th from 11am to 4pm. And on June 27th I’ll be making a personal appearance at the Butter Paddle in Los Gatos, CA for an evening event, from 4pm to 7pm.

Wine Wednesdays — Alternative Uses for Annieglass Wine Coasters

AnnieM — Wed, 08 May 2013 19:22:52 +0000

This week for Wine Wednesdays I’m thinking about my wine accessories rather than actual wine. I designed my wine coasters because I think they add a really elegant touch to the table, they make the wine a little more special and they also protect your table and tablecloth from any spills or errant drips.

But there is no reason to not use your coasters for other non-vino reasons as well.

Other uses for my wine coasters include:

Serve nuts or other small snacks during cocktail hour
As a vessel for whipped cream or berries during dessert
To hold toppings for either a dessert or savory dinner item — the silver rimmed bowls look especially nice filled with chopped chives or other herbs.
As a soap holder in your guest bathroom
To store rings or earrings on your vanity.

What are some of your favorite alternate uses for Annieglass?

Heavenly Deviled Eggs

AnnieM — Tue, 07 May 2013 03:21:34 +0000

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Will you be hosting a brunch this weekend for Mother’s Day? Deviled eggs are always popular. And delicious! Here is the basic recipe, one you have it mastered, you can add your own spin. Try adding hot sauce, capers, crabmeat, bacon, or swap out the mayo for mashed avocado. To duplicate the serving idea above, line one of my serving trays with long chives or garlic scapes and place the egg halves on top of the greenery.

Basic Deviled Eggs

4 hard-cooked eggs
Salt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon mustard, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
Paprika or fresh parsley leaves or chives for garnish

Peel the eggs, cut them in half lengthwise, and carefully scoop out the yolks.

Mash the yolks with a sprinkle of salt and the mayonnaise, mustard, and cayenne. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Spoon the filling back into the whites.

Sprinkle with paprika, parsley or chives and serve.

Platemaker Dinner, Outstanding In The Field, and the Amazing Jim Denevan

AnnieM — Mon, 06 May 2013 14:23:10 +0000

I’m so excited about our first Platemaker Dinner in the Watsonville warehouse on May 23 with Outstanding in the Field www.outstandinginthefield.com. Especially about working with my good friend, Santa Cruz’s very own, Jim Denevan, is an artist and chef who started offering full course meals in the fields of farms years before anyone else did, offering food raised on the farm or nearby, evolving into working with other chefs and venues around the U.S. It is such an amazing program! I was happy to be a part of the early dinners when Jim was just starting…I was so enamored with what he was doing that I donated dishware for 50 to be used at the dinners.

Jim is also an incredible — and incredibly creative — artist. He creates colossal temporary land art, like these sand pieces shown here. Jim swoops in when the tide is low and leaves behind intricate and gorgeous patterns and designs that can only be truly appreciated from a bird’s eye view. The temporary nature of these works are a large part of the appeal.

Click here for more info. And please come to what promises to be an AMAZING night!