We're hot on the tail of our first Outlook University wine weekend with Willamette Valley producers Adelsheim, Coeur de Terre, and Raptor Ridge and we are excited to bring you the next unique experience.  We're traveling across the globe to what wine experts call "a rising star" of the wine world, Spain.  Executive Chef Steve Debaste is creating a pairing menu of tapas that reflect Spanish roots and New Leaf sensibilities.

  

What makes Gonzalez-Byass so unique is the breadth of wines that they offer.  Spain has many wine regions and Gonzalez-Byass seems to have a foot hold in almost all of them.  Over the weekend we will explore the family's estates that cover five different regions.  Does anyone else feel like visiting Spain?

• The Penedes region is located an hour south of Barcelona.  The influence of the sun and the Mediterranean sea make the Penedès a privileged territory for wine making.  We will be tasting two Cavas from Vilarnau. 
•  Somontano is the wine region that lies in teh shadow of the Pyrenees Mountain range boarding France.  We will be tasting three wines from Vinas del Vero during our tour to learn about this distinct place. 
•  Rioja, the classic Spanish wine region north of Madrid, is home to Bodegas Beronia.  Rioja wines bear distinct aging requirements producing unique characteristics and we will have the opportunity to taste and learn about including a Gran Reserva, Reserva, and Crianza. 
• Finca Constancia in Madrid is one of the newest estates developed by the family.  We will taste two wines from this winery.  
• Jerez in southern Spain is where Gonzalez Byass began with it's sherry production.  It's rich history includes the inspiration for the archetectue of the Eifel Tower and hosting kings, queens, and dignitaries in it's grand bodega...not to mention helping the world to rediscover the delight of bone dry sherry with Tio Pepe.  

Taste of Spain Wine Pairing Dinner:

Saturday, April 21, Reception at 5:30, Dinner at 6:00  $120 per person *tax & gratuity included 

Nibble and nosh your way through five courses of Spanish tapas and award winning Spanish wines.  Family style seating and a relaxed convival atmosphere make our wine tastings a fun way for visitors to get to know the locals and locals to mix with friends new and old.

** Space for both events are extremely limited and prepayment is required to reserve space in the seminar and dinner.    

 

Spanish Wine and "Not Your Grandma's Sherry" Seminar:

Friday, April 20, 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm, $30 per person

Join us for a wine tasting featuring 12 unique wines and sherries with Felipe Gonzalez-Gordon.  This is a unique opportunity to learn about Spanish wine and sherry from a man whose family is steeped in the tradition.  The seminar will include 3 flights of 4 wines ranging from a bubbly Cava, Spanish whites and reds, and the sexiest sherries you've ever tasted.  These are Felipe's grandma's sherries, and she was drinking the finest of her time.  Believe me, you will be delighted and surprised by this rare treat.

 **For reservations or more information call the Inn at 1-888-OUTLOOK or 360-376-2200.  Special room pricing is available for attendees.

 

Lisa shared her recipe for Cinderella Pumpkin Soup, the perfect thing to warm your belly as the chill of fall starts to fill our dwindling evening light.

Cinderella Pumpkin Soup

Cinderella Pumpkin Soup with Homemade Ricotta and Pickled Apples

For the soup

Makes eight portions

2 lbs Cinderella pumpkin (these pumpkins can be around 20 lbs when mature, so see if your grocer will
cut them into sections for you), skinned, seeded and cut into 1 inch chunks

1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 sprig thyme

2 leaves sage

1 bay leaf

1 stick of cinnamon

1 cup white wine

1 T brown sugar

2 cups cream

Salt and pepper to taste

1 T butter

In a large heavy non-reactive pot, melt the butter. Add the onion slices and cook them slowly with the
thyme, sage and bay leaves until translucent. (This step is key in producing good soup, it helps coax out
more flavors.)

Add the pumpkin and white wine (use a dry white table wine for cooking, save your fancy white wine for
drinking) and cook until the wine has evaporated. Add enough water to cover the pieces of pumpkin
and season with salt and pepper. When the pumpkin pieces are tender, add the cream and the sugar.
Bring up the boil, remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaf, and then carefully puree in a blender until
smooth. Strain the soup though a fine sieve. Correct the seasoning as needed.

If the soup is still too thick, thin it out with a little more water and adjust the seasonings as needed.

You may also use chicken or vegetable stock in place of water. I find it changes the taste a little, and
takes away some of the pumpkin flavor intensity. If you use store-bought stock, make sure to purchase
the low sodium version and watch how much salt you add as you cook the soup.

Homemade Ricotta

Make four cups ricotta

½ gallon whole milk

½ gallon cream

1/3 cup + 1 t distilled vinegar

¼ t salt

Instant read thermometer

cheesecloth

In a clean non-reactive pot, heat the milk and cream together until it reaches 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Stir in the salt and vinegar and bring the combination to 175 degrees (just under the boiling point). Let
the mixture stand undisturbed for ten minutes. Carefully strain the curds into a cheesecloth-lined
colander over the sink or a large bowl to catch the whey. Cover the curds and let them continue to
drain in the colander overnight.

The next day, scrape the curds away from the cheesecloth and store in an air-tight container.

You may use this ricotta in savory or sweet applications.

Many recipes call for just whole milk. I like to use cream and milk, as it results in a richer finished
product.

Pickled Apples

Yields approximately two cups

Use tart firm apples, such as Granny Smith, cut into 1’4 inch dice

1 cup rice wine vinegar

¾ cup sugar

2 T salt

½ vanilla bean

1 sprig of thyme

In a non-reactive pot, bring the vinegar, sugar, and salt to a boil. Stir until all the sugar is dissolved.
Remove from the heat and add the vanilla bean and thyme sprig. Cool to room temperature. Add the
apple dice. Let the apples marinate in the pickling liquid at least overnight.

All recipes copyright by Lisa K Nakamura, Allium Restaurant

Outlook Mama:  Sara  Farish.  That's me!  I married into this business in 2000 and have been working here since 2001.  I coddle, prod, (but never cattle prod), encourage, and learn from this constantly changing and evolving team.  I'm the softie of the bunch...and can often be found wiping tears and giving pep talks.  I have also been known to invoke the "No Asshole Policy" when pushed too far (more on this another time).

The Head Honcho: Adam Farish.  That's my husband.  He's been working and living in this business since he was a child.  Officiando of detail, financial seer, and the guy who created our incredible signature cocktails while repainting the buiding, producing an album, and being an all around fantastic husband and father.  Bravo!

Gramcracker: That's my mom.  She can be found in the dining room greeting our guests, scolding the bussers, and generally running a tip top ship.  She also makes sure that the plants don't dry up and die and helps Adam and I care for our daughter.  She can also make a mean latte.  This is a busy woman!

The GM:  Jon Kobayashi.  My brother-in-law, married to my older sister Adina.  They have three children, Sophia 9, and the twins Sachiko and Josh 5.  Jon can be found all around.  In retro Nike sneackers and jeans, the only man on the island under 50 who owns a collared shirt (and it's ironed) and actually wears it, he used to be a litigator and joined our team 3 years ago.  He's the guy who books our weddings and events, oversees day to day operations, and obsesses about food, art, and jazz music.

Grandpabello:  John Cunningham.  My dad.  Night watchman, maintenace engineer, non-violent communication specialist.  Sometimes night maintenance engineer who is practicing the art of non-violent communication. 

Air service to the island is provided by San Juan Airlines and Kenmore Air.  San Juan Airlines departs from both Bellingham Airport and Boeing Field in Seattle and provides a transfer shuttle from Sea-Tac Airport.  Kenmore Air provides daily flights between Seattle and seven locations in the three locations on Orcas Island on both seaplanes and wheeled aircraft.   

Orcas Island is a horseshoe shaped island of fertile verdant valleys, narrow fjord like harbors, and steep emerald mountains the highest, Mount Constitution in Moran State Park, reaching at 2409 feet above sea level.  Dotted along the shoreline and tucked amongst the trees are the varied dwellings, hotels, homesteads, and experiements in island archetechure that house the approximately 5500 residents.

Curious?  Come see for yourself!  We'd love to have you.

But a photo is just a photo, is just a photo...you must see this for yourself!

Bossy Feltworks, Orcas Island

Basil plants from Black Dog Farm

Island Thyme Soaps made on Orcas Islan

Seriously the most intoxicating roses from Black Dog Farm