With the last hurrahs of summer upon us, you might want to head up to Laytonville for their annual Cajun food and community shindig this Sunday, the 11th Annual Laytonville Crawfish Boil. These are the same folks involved in the Schoolyard Beef Project (covered in the Fall issue of Word of Mouth, out September 1st), and they put on a deliciously good time.
Also in this issue: Frey honors the eclipse with their first sparkling wine, Aquarelle celebrates mermaids and tacos, Hopland Tap House is back in business after a truck plowed through their storefront, and a chance to put your garden's bounty to good use with a knockout gazpacho recipe from the Secrets of Salsa cookbook.
Yums & Love,
Holly & Torrey
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Laytonville's Annual Crawfish Boil: THIS SUNDAY!
Attending this event in Laytonville feels like a casual party at a friend's house, where all your buddies just happen to be amazing chefs. Matt, Clay, and Troy, of the Big Chief Restaurant, put on this Cajun feast and they know how to do it right. What started as a fundraiser for hurricane Katrina torn Louisiana (where they have family), has evolved into a culinary benefit for area non-profits like emergency responders and local schools. The trio pulls out all the stops and gathers friends from far and wide to cook all the food. Giant pots of crawfish simmer with half lemons, garlic and spices. A fire pit holding a whole goat rotates all day, occasionally getting brushed by a fresh rosemary branch dipped in marinade. More than a dozen chickens smoke slowly over coals until they are perfectly tender and flavorful.
"Crawfish in Laytonville?" you might ask, and the crew is used to this question. While there are native crayfish in the streams and rivers of Mendocino County, it would not be enough for a feast of this size. All these water critters are purchased fresh in the Sacramento Valley and brought over just for the event. They are purged of any silty water or grit. They toss the cooked crawfish out on the tables old-school style. Louisiana natives will feel right at home.
Troy opens up “Mutts Saloon” just for this occasion and serves up craft beer, kombucha, and other refreshments. The whole vibe is one of relaxed fun as bands play and neighbors catch up between dances. Tickets to this party are not cheap but it is well worth it for all the effort and love put forward by this group of friends. The event benefits the Hardwood Park Association. You can grab tickets at Long Valley Feed or the Big Chief Restaurant in Laytonville. Don’t miss it or you will have to wait another whole year!
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Frey Wine Honors the Eclipse
The Frey Vineyards family have been longtime eclipse-chasers. Their penchant for gazing upward was instilled at an early age by Paul Frey Sr. Two of his twelve children, Jonathan and Paul Frey, studied physics and astrophysics at University of California Santa Cruz and went on to become winemakers for the winery. Jonathan and his wife Katrina traveled with brother Nathan Frey to Baja in 1990 to see their first total solar eclipse, and the glory of the eclipse chasing began.
In 2016, Katrina and Jonathan’s eclipse trip was on a Sky and Telescope cruise to Indonesia to see the solar eclipse over the Indian Ocean. On board they met Polly White and Michael Zeiler of The Great American Eclipse, who were getting fellow travelers excited about the August 21st, 2017 eclipse that will streak coast to coast across North America. One day on the deck of the ship, Polly and Katrina hatched a plan to craft an exclusive wine to honor this extraordinary event. What started out as just one wine quickly become three when the opportunity arose to debut Frey Vineyard’s first-ever organic non-sulfited sparkling wine.
In celebration of the 2017 Great American Eclipse, Frey Vineyards in collaboration with GreatAmericanEclipse.com are proud to bring you Umbra Organic Zinfandel, Umbra Organic Chardonnay, and Totality, our first organic sparkling wine. These wines are in very limited supply, not available in stores and can be purchased at the winery or online at www.freywine.com.
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Restaurant Highlight: Aquarelle in Boonville
“mermaids love tacos”
Aquarelle Café & Winebar is beautiful. Billowing fabric covers the ceiling and the space is filled with light. On the lively patio, locals and visitors enjoy the good weather. I had the good fortune to visit on Taco Tuesday where the hardest part is choosing the toppings for your hand pressed tortillas. Carne Asada tacos, Smoked Pork Machaca tacos, or fresh Baja Pescado—how do you choose? Our group also had to get a basket of hand cut French fries with truffle aioli. Out of this world! We actually had to order a second round of those fries, they are so addictive. Our service was friendly and attentive, and the owners' children play amongst the tables. Aquarelle is certainly worth the drive to Anderson Valley if you don’t already live there.
aquarellecafe.com
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Hopland Tap House is Open for Business!
One could be excused for slowing down after being hit by a truck, literally. The Hopland Tap House, the go-to place in Hopland for deliciously local pub food, had a semi-truck crash into the building in the early morning hours of St. Patrick's Day. Owner Jennifer Sullivan explained that reopening process as challenging, but the community has rallied behind them, and the seats have been full since re-opening on August 5th, 2017.
Hopland is bustling with construction. The Tap House reopened and the former Thatcher Inn is getting restored into a new incarnation. The new ‘Sip & Savor at the Golden Pig’ is serving up some fast casual dining and cocktails. The whole town feels refreshed and lively. Make sure to stop next time you're passing through, grab a beer at the Tap House and relax on their patio while you watch the hustle and bustle.
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Salsita Time! with the Secrets of Salsa cookbook
If the tomatoes in your garden are overflowing, it's a great time to make salsa. Check out the Secrets of Salsa cookbook, a project that grew out of an adult school English conversation class, attended by women who gathered to learn English, but also to find mutual support. What began as sharing meals and recipes evolved into a fundraising project and a nationally recognized book. Over 27,000 copies have been sold worldwide, with the proceeds providing support for the Anderson Valley Adult School. Find out more and buy the book at www.secretsofsalsa.com.
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Garden Gazpacho
MEDIUM HOT
by Pilar Echeverria, proprietor of Mosswood Cafe in Boonville
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 10 cherry tomatoes, diced
- 1 jalapeño chili, deseeded
- 3 mangoes, peeled and diced
- 2 cups cantaloupe
- 3 cucumbers, peeled, diced
- 1 cup + 2 Tbs. green onions
- 3 Tbs.+ 2 Tbs. cilantro
- 1 avocado
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- ½ cup fresh lime juice & pulp
- ½ tsp turmeric (optional)
- ½ tsp salt
- pepper
- 2 cups orange juice
- 2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
Add 5 of the cherry tomatoes, ½ jalapeño, lime juice, turmeric, salt, orange juice, one mango, and 2 cups of melon to vegetable broth and blend for about 30 seconds. Put this mixture into a large serving bowl and add the rest of the ingredients (except 1 cup green onions and 3 Tbs. cilantro). Salt and pepper to taste. Chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Garnish with remaining cilantro, green onions and sliced avocado cut into squares.
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This issue of Small Bites sponsored by Redwood Credit Union.
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Out September 1st ~
Word of Mouth Fall Issue!
Pick up your copy today or subscribe and have it mailed to your door for $25/year.
P.O. Box 277, Willits CA 95490
- or -
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Word of Mouth Farm Stay Booklet
Mendocino County has a growing agri-tourism sector and Word of Mouth wants to, well, spread the word! Our Art Director Torrey Douglass has designed a beautiful booklet sharing a handful of the great places to stay in Mendocino County. These are all working farms and ranches that include accommodations.
If you want a copy for a $5 fee, email wordofmouthmendo@gmail.com or view online.
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