The Wydown Hotel’s highly anticipated Second Annual Spring Fling promises an unforgettable afternoon of St. Helena’s most delectable bites and sinful sips on Wednesday, May 7, from 4:30 – 7 p.m. Guests will have a chance to explore the entire stunning property at this fabulous open-house style soiree. Enjoy complimentary bites, sips and other samples from premier local businesses including Ellipses PR clients PRESS St. Helena, V. Sattui Winery and La Condesa Napa Valley, as well as Orin Swift Cellars, Olivier and more! 
  V. Sattui Winery, the award-winning, family-owned Napa Valley estate, is inviting dogs and their two-legged friends to enjoy a day of fun and sun at the inaugural “Pamper Your Pooch Day" on Sunday, May 4, from 10:30 am - 4:30 pm. Fun-filled activities include a Cutest Dog Contest, Frisbee games, gourmet doggie treats provided by Fideaux, and swag bags with goodies and special offerings. Also in attendance will be Kelly E. Carter, author of the just-released National Geographic guidebook, “The Dog Lover’s Guide to Travel,” and Diane Costello of Fog Dog Studios, who will be offering professional pet portraits! The first 100 guests to check-in to the event through Yelp! will receive a special doggie bandana, and a new line of V. Sattui-branded doggie wear will be available for purchase in the winery’s Marketplace. Also available for purchase will be barbequed tri-tip, prawns, ribs, and made-to-order wood-fired pizzas. As always, guests are invited to savor V. Sattui’s 60+ highly rated wine offerings, deli salads and 200+ cheeses.  A portion of all sales from the day will be donated to Napa Humane.
 
Memorial Day Weekend at Little River Inn 
Memorial Day Weekend finds us on the gorgeous Mendocino Coast at Little River Inn, to celebrate their milestone 75th anniversary! A property-wide celebration on May 23-26 is packed with fun and festive activities for people of all ages, including an Old Fashioned Family Fun Day celebration on Saturday, May 24, with tasty food, live music, games, contests and a 20 piece big-band concert.
 
 


 

On March 24, Ellipses was lucky enough to snag a couple of seats at the BAY Cuisine & Cocktails pop up dinner at Corner Store. Led by Chef Jonnatan Leiva, each course was bright and succulent, starting with an unforgettable local oyster amuse bouche with fresh seaweed and a blood orange granita. There were fantastic drinks served with every course, including our favorite of the night – a combination of Macchu Pisco, tarragon, chervil and lemon -- which was then paired with Monterey Black Cod, roasted asparagus and harissa (photo at right). Suffice it to say, we are pretty excited for BAY Cuisine & Cocktails to open this summer!

 

Grilled King Oyster Mushrooms
with Pimento-Paprika Stew and Dill-scented Greek Yogurt 

This month's featured recipe comes to us from Chef Bruce Hill at Fog City. Though it may seem lengthy, the results are worth it-- trust us! This hearty vegetarian dish is a meatless take on Hungarian goulash and a great way to keep warm during SF's notoriously cold summers. The recipe calls for Gochugaru (an essential ingredient in Korean dishes like Kim Chee) which is made from sun-dried and coarsely-ground chile peppers that have an earthy, complex, and slightly sweet flavor. The grilled king mushrooms are meaty and delicious when cooked using Chef Bruce Hill's patented Chef's Press which helps the 'shrooms cook more quickly and evenly.

Ancho Chile Paste (makes about 2 cups): 
10 dried ancho chile peppers
1 small red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Pimento-Paprika Stew:
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup peeled and diced red bell pepper (about 1 large bell pepper)
½ cup peeled and diced carrot (1 large carrot)
1 cup peeled and diced onion (1 large onion)
3/4 pound red-heart pimento peppers, roasted, peeled, and seeded (roasting instructions below)
1½  ounces ancho chile paste (recipe below)
2 tablespoons mild Hungarian paprika
1½ teaspoons Korean chile flakes (gochugaru)
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1½ teaspoons smoked sweet paprika
½ cup carrot juice
½ cup tomato puree
1 bay leaf
2 cups water
Kosher salt, to taste

Grilled Mushrooms:
1 pound King Oyster mushrooms (or any meaty mushroom), cut in half
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Dill-Scented Greek Yogurt:
1 tablespoon dill seeds, untoasted
¾ cup Greek yogurt
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1½ teaspoons aged sherry vinegar

Fresh dill, for garnish
 
For the ancho chili paste: Soak the chiles overnight in water to soften, then drain (reserving the water) and remove the stems and seeds. Puree all ingredients except the olive oil together, adding a little of the chili-soaking water, if necessary. Mix in the olive oil and pass the paste through a fine-mesh sieve.

For the bell peppers: Toss peppers in a little olive oil and roast in a 500-degree oven until skin appears dark and blistered, about 15 minutes. Transfer the hot peppers to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap (this will steam the peppers and the skin will lift off). Peel the skin off the peppers and remove the seeds and core.

For the stew: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, then add the bell peppers, carrots, and onions and sauté just until softened, about 10 minutes. In a food processor or blender, puree the roasted peppers, chili paste, Hungarian paprika, chili flakes, salt and smoked sweet paprika until blended well. Transfer to the saucepan with the softened vegetables and. Add the tomato puree, carrot juice, bay leaf, and water and simmer over low heat for 1 hour. Season with salt to taste.

For the mushrooms: Toss the mushrooms with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Grill over medium-high heat until they are soft and have golden-brown grill marks. Chef Hill’s patented Chef’s Press is recommended to use on top of the mushrooms to help them grill more quickly and evenly, but the mushrooms may also be grilled on their own.

For the yogurt: Grind the dill seeds in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle; mix together with yogurt, salt, and vinegar. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve.

To serve: Distribute the stew evenly among shallow bowls, top with pieces of grilled mushrooms, then garnish each serving with a dollop of the dill-scented yogurt and a few sprigs of fresh dill.

 

 

We're known for our obsession with cats here at Ellipses PR, but we adore dogs, too. Facebook is of course the world's repository for pet videos, and we couldn't resist sharing some Friday fun featuring the silly antics of man's best friend. First off: the magic of the laborador retriever. Second: catch as catch can.