Dear Friends,

March is definitely one of the “cheesiest” months of the year for Ellipses PR and our clients. This weekend’s 8th Annual California’s Artisan Cheese Festival is of course the centerpiece, and Nick’s Cove, Half Moon Bay Brewing Company and La Condesa Napa are participating. We’re also having a great time tasting our way through the incredible cheese display at one of our newest clients, V. Sattui Winery in St. Helena, which very well may have the largest selection in Northern California (in addition to 60 different wines, an amazing deli and gorgeous, pet-friendly picnicking grounds).
 
We’re also thrilled to welcome the legendary Bix to the Ellipses PR family, which is led by Executive Chef Bruce Hill and his talented Chef de Cuisine, Edward Higgins. Founded by Doug “Bix” Beiderbeck in 1988, Bix is an upscale jazz supper club with live (and free) music nightly, and refined cuisine that is market-driven, globally-inspired and pairs perfectly with a Manhattan, shaken tableside. Yes, please!
 
We’re also hiring! Ellipses PR is growing, and we’re looking for a rock star entry level account coordinator to join our team. If you know anyone that may be interested, please send them the job description and have them contact me directly.
 
Here’s to spring and new beginnings! Stay tuned for the April issue of the Triple Dot, when I get to tell you all about our new offices in downtown Oakland!

Cheers,

Diana
Diana G. Haven

Twitter - Instagram

P.S. For the latest news and tips, be sure to follow Ellipses PR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest!

 


client wire

With longer days and warmer temperatures, spring seems to be rapidly approaching! Since there’s never a shortage of things to do and see in the Bay Area, we’ve rounded up the best in EPR client happenings to keep you in the know.

Enjoy the beautiful weather by taking advantage of FOG CITY’s al fresco dining options offered all day along the Embarcadero. Enjoy their new Spring Menu with items like the bright Octopus Salad with Half Moon Bay Butter Beans, Taggiasche Olives, Fennel, Shaved Celery, and Calabrian Chilis, then dive right into desserts such as the decadent Chocolate Glazed Crullers, the instant-classic Frozen Custard with Egg Yolk Caramel or the new Chocolate Crumble Custard, which is chocolate frozen custard with Oreo crumbles mixed in. Yeah.
 
We’re whetting our whistles in preparation for the
8th Annual California Artisan Cheese Festival, taking place March 21-23, 2014 at the Sheraton Sonoma County – Petaluma. The weekend is just what it sounds like, filled with endless cheeses, chef demonstrations, educational sessions by talented chefs, cheese experts, cheesemakers, panel discussions and more. One of our favorite events to kick off the weekend is the Friday night's Meet the Cheesemakers Reception where guests get to schmooze with all of the weekend's cheesemakers and taste their latest and greatest. Tickets are also selling fast to Saturday Night’s Grand Tasting, a roaming feast showcasing top local Bay Area chefs using artisan cheeses in a variety of dishes – get yours today!
 
Not to be outdone in the cheese-appreciation arena, Nick’s Cove and Cottages is not only participating in the Artisan Cheese Festival, but it’s celebrating its 2nd Annual Cheese Appreciation Month with dinner entrees that rotate each week and feature a talented, local cheesemaker. Dishes like Wood-Fired Wagyu Beef, Smoked Oyster Mushrooms, Point Reyes Blue Cheese Soubise, Fried Cipollini Onions and a Port Reduction are sure to pull you right into fromage heaven. Interested in taking your curd-nerd status to the next level? Nick’s Cove is also offering an Artisan Cheese, Please! package that includes an overnight stay in one of their luxurious Cottages and includes a gift basket of hand-picked, local cheeses, along with sourdough bread, homemade Stout Jam and a bottle of Nick’s Cove Merlot – amongst other treats! Reservations are available here.
 
Cheese aficionados will also find salvation alongside their pint of house-brewed beer at the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company with a special Cheese and Beer pairing menu throughout the month. Also in honor of their participation in the Cheese Festival, Chef Gaston Alfaro and Brewmaster James Costa are joining forces to create pairings like Chicken with Cilantro Lime Vodka Cream Sauce, Red Hawk Cheese and Sundried Tomatoes, paired with Princeton-by-the-Sea IPA. Check out each week's mouth-watering pairing here!
 
Over in Wine Country, get thee to St. Helena’s Wydown Hotel to take advantage of two very hands-on packages available this spring. For those who’ve always dreamed of blending their own wine, the two-night Tricks of the Trade package will not only allow you to do just that, but you will also be able to bring home a bottle (or a case if you so desire) of your own personal blend from The Blending Room at Raymond Vineyards. This package also includes a custom cooking lesson with a professional chef at the Napa Valley Cooking School, so you can really impress your friends and family when you return home.  Or, for those who would rather engage with some good ol’ fashion R&R, the two-night Springtime Rejuvenation package offers the perfect opportunity to unwind and refresh with a Swedish massage, a spa lunch from Pizzeria Tra Vigne and in-room tea service upon check-in. See here for more details.
 

. . .

sweet spot
This month we had an almost out-of-body experience in yumminess at the newly-renovated and recently-relocated (and even more amazing) Loló on Valencia Street in SF. The Taco Tropical, made with succulent panko and spice-dusted shrimp topped with sweet and tangy “tropical relish” and spicy aioli, is taken to the next level by a crispy, juicy jicama shell that makes the taco explosively flavorful. We can’t figure out how they made it so we’ll just have to go back for more! Many, many more. (974 Valencia St., San Francisco)
 
We’ve never picked two Sweet Spots in one month, but given the theme of this Triple Dot, we couldn’t resist mentioning the cheese course at Nico - a gorgeous, modern bistro from Nicolas and Andrea Delaroque that opened in late 2013 on Sacramento Street in San Francisco. After a recent, stellar three-course meal, we made room for a healthy helping of Comté, Pave de L’Aveyron and Saint-Estèphe cheese, accompanied with a delicate apple puree and toasted bread. It was the best composed cheese plate we’ve had outside of France, and at a great price ($15 for all three). (3228 Sacramento St., San Francisco)

 

. . .

recipe card

Not straying too far from everything cheese-centric, we’re sharing a favorite recipe for the stuffed Poblano Chile from La Condesa Napa's Executive Chef Chris Mortenson, which incorporates butternut squash, quinoa and Oaxaca and Manchego cheese – yum!
 
Ingredients
(serves 5)
 
5 poblano chiles
2 cups dry quinoa
1 ½ cups water
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded Oaxaca cheese
2 cups shredded Manchego cheese
1 cup oven roasted butternut squash
1 cup butternut squash
2 teaspoons chopped chives
1 tablespoon thyme
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
8 cups maseca powder 
6 eggs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Mexican crema to garnish
 
Chiles
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Roast poblano chiles for 15 minutes. Remove skin. Slice chiles open on one side from top to bottom. Remove seeds. Set aside. Do not cover.
 
Quinoa
Place quinoa and water in a covered pot. Simmer on low for 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Cool to room temperature.
 
Squash
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Peel squash. Cut off top and bottom, then cut in half. Remove seeds from the inside. Cut squash into ½ inch cubes. Toss with oil, thyme, salt and pepper. Place all in a roasting pan. Cover with foil. Roast in oven for 45 minutes.
 
To Assemble
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mash quinoa, butternut squash, cheese and chives together and separate into 5 balls. Press each ball of filling into the inside of the poblano chiles. Press each chile shut; re-form with hands to give shape of a chile again. Set aside.
 
Line up four pans, from left to right. In the first pan, put half of the maseca powder. In the second, break open the eggs and whip with a fork. In the third, put the other half of the maseca. The fourth pan is for placing the finished chiles.
 
Working from left to right, place a chile in the first pan and roll around until it’s well-coated in maseca powder. Place in second pan until well-coated with egg liquid. Place in third pan in maseca powder. Press the powder firmly onto chile, working to retain shape of the chile. Place in the fourth pan. Repeat with all chiles. Let sit for 2-3 minutes.
 
Roast chiles in a pan with oil on medium high, turning each chile until browned all over. Place on a cookie sheet and cook in oven for 5-8 minutes to complete cooking process. Garnish with Mexican crema. 
 

. . .
 

the funny papers

It’s all about first impressions with these 18 Funny Restaurant Signs. The good, the bad, the ugly.

 

. . .

think tank

Just so you’re extra prepared for all things cheese-related this month and are able to brag that you know how to build a proper cheese plate, here’s a handy guide to American, French and Italian cheeses.


 
. . .


Interested in seeing how we can impact your bottom line?  Drop us a line at diana@ellipsespr.com.  Mention The Triple Dot and receive a complimentary one-hour consultation. 

Ellipses Public Relations is a boutique firm based in Oakland specializing in travel, restaurant, food, beverage and special event publicity.  We believe in personalized service, targeted media campaigns and building long-term relationships with our clients that help them achieve their goals.  www.ellipsespr.com