After much consideration I had my menu set: carnitas tacos, grilled Mexican-style corn on the cob, a Mexican chocolate birthday cake and sangria.

I love the carnitas recipe I found.  The hardest part was putting everything into the crockpot, that’s how easy it was.  Into the pot went a pork shoulder roast, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, olive oil, onion, garlic, 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, a sliced orange and a half can of cola.  I set the cooker on low and forgot about if for 8 hours.

Grilled Mexican-style corn will change the way you eat your corn.  Say goodbye to butter and salt because this is so good you’ll never want your cob any other way again.  Simply grill corn and slather it with a mixture of mayo, garlic, lime juice and cilantro before sprinkling with cheese (see the recipe below). 

When it came to dessert, it had to be a birthday cake and I thought a classic chocolate one with chocolate frosting would be appropriate.  But it just didn’t scream “Cinco de Mayo,” so I improvised.  I took my inspiration from Ibarra chocolate, a childhood favorite of mine.  Ibarra are rounds of tightly formed sugar, chocolate, cocoa nibs and cinnamon which are meant to be dissolved in hot milk to create a creamy, sweet and spicy beverage.  I took my chocolate cake recipe and added ¾ teaspoon of cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper, for a little extra something.   Next time, I’ll try putting in a full teaspoon of cinnamon and a touch more cayenne.

Finally, a festive beverage was in order.  I’d never used Ponte Winery’s classic Sangria recipe, and I liked the fact that it didn’t call for any additional booze like brandy or rum, something many recipes do.  I used a medium bodied Tempranillo and combined it with freshly squeezed orange juice, some sugar, a lemon and an orange and let it all marry overnight.  It came out delicious.  Not too sweet, with the red wine flavor still shining through.

Although it was a busy day for me, it was all worth it to see my husband have a great birthday.  After his fifth taco, third ear of corn and piece of cake, I was pretty sure he was telling me the truth when he said everything was delicious.

Grilled Corn with Garlic-Cilantro Mayonnaise and Cheese

• 4 corns on the cob, husks and silks removed
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• Juice from half a lime
• 1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1 large garlic clove, chopped
• 1 cup cotija cheese, crumbled*

Combine mayonnaise, lime juice, cilantro and garlic in a small bowl and mix until combined.  Taste and adjust flavors to your liking.  For example, you might want a little more garlic or lime juice.  Set aside.

Place corn cobs on a hot grill until they are warmed through and the kernels become browned and slightly charred.  While still hot, spread mayonnaise all over corn and sprinkle with cheese.  Serve with extra lime wedges, if desired.  Serves 4.

*If you can’t find cotija cheese, you can substitute any dry, crumbly, salty cheese such as ricotta salata or feta, or even parmesan.

Well, it’s a spoiler if you haven’t yet picked up your May Wine Club shipment.

If you have, you already know we’ve included a little something extra in your wine box – a Farmer’s Market Tote Bag!

We have two specialty shipments during the year, one in May and one in November and they include Member-exclusive wines (like your Angry Wife Red and White), and occasionally a gift.  It’s just our way of showing our appreciation to you.

Back to the bag: you’ll find a million ways to use this eco-friendly, 100% recycled canvas tote.

Here are just a few ideas:

• Stock up on spring’s freshest offerings at your local farmer’s market. Visit www.localharvest.org to find a market near you and fill your bag with organic strawberries, tomatoes and kale.
• Take Ponte to work with you! Use it as your lunch bag
• Take it to the beach. Grab a good book, some SPF and a towel. You’re good to go.
• Go on a picnic. Celebrate spring and fill your bag with some grapes, various cheeses, crackers and your favorite bottle of Ponte wine. Find a shady tree and relax.
• Take it with you when you go grocery shopping and cut down on the number of paper and plastic bags you use.

–What do you think of the Farmer’s Market Tote?

It’s hard to imagine, actually.  Me not being in the kitchen for a day.  Between feeding my family and standing over the seemingly never-ending pile of dishes, I think I spend most of my day in this room of the house.  For the most part, I enjoy it (maybe not the dish part), but still, the thought of lounging outside in the sun on Sunday while my husband preps, cooks and cleans up is wonderful.  I could start a novel, or paint my nails…now I’m getting ahead of myself; I do still have an 8-month old to tend to.

Since I’m deep in fantasy here, I’ll share my ideal husband-prepared Mother’s Day breakfast.  I would love a stack of buttermilk waffles with strawberries and freshly whipped cream.  A Rose Supmante or Moscato mimosa and a French press coffee on the side would make it perfect.  Why waffles?  Well, I never make them.  On the weekends, breakfast is always a big deal, whether it’s bacon, eggs and hash browns or banana pancakes, or biscuits and gravy, but never waffles.  Honey, if you’re reading this (and I really hope you do!), this recipe sounds good:

Buttermilk Waffles

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs, separated
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk
• 8 Tbs. (1 stick) butter, melted
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 3 Tbs. sugar

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.  Preheat a waffle maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks.  Whisk in the buttermilk, butter and vanilla.  Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar into a bowl.  Add flour mixture to the yolk mixture and whisk until smooth.

In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Using a rubber spatula, fold half of the egg whites into the batter, then fold in the remaining whites.  Cook the waffles according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Transfer cooked waffles to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven.

Serve the waffles with lots of fresh, sliced strawberries and dollops of freshly whipped cream.

Dinner is up to you, dear husband.

–What is the best Mother’s Day gift you’ve given or received?

Did you know that May is Bicycle Month?  And that the second week of May is Bicycle Week?  That makes today the first day of Bike Week!  Don’t worry, if you drove your car into work today you have 6 more days to celebrate this national movement (and you don’t just have to bike to work.  Bike to the store, to the bank…you get the picture).

Bicycle Week originated in Europe in 1923 and advocates bicycling as a mode of transportation.  It only recently started being observed in the U.S..  Bike Week serves two purposes: to promote exercise in a fun way and to benefit the environment.

Biking is exercise.  And it’s fun!  We know that because we, our parents, our grandparents and so on, loved to hop on two wheels and zip around the neighborhood all summer long.  It by no means felt like exercise, even though we were burning mad calories.  Ok, so we’re older now and our adolescent energy is gone, but who can argue that the wind in our hair and face still feels darn good?

Biking is great for the environment.  Think about it:

1. No pollutants released, like carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide
2. No oil or gas consumed
3. The energy and materials used to make a bike is a mere fraction of what it takes to build a car

*Bonuses*

1. No parking fees, no tolls to pay
2. No traffic jams
3. No gas tanks to fill!

Give it a try, even for a day.  You just might grow to prefer biking as your main mode of getting from here to there.  Plus, the more people that participate in Bike Week, the more cities are likely to notice.  In some cities where the number of bike riders grew substantially after Bicycle Week, the demand for smoother bike lanes and better bicycle laws were met by city planners.

–How often do you use a bicycle?

If you were to ask 10 people what they are doing this weekend, my guess is that at least 5 would be doing something to celebrate Cinco de Mayo.  Yes, May 5^th has become synonymous with Mexican food, Mexican beer and lots of margaritas.  It is certainly what I thought of when planning out today’s blog.  But after a few minutes Googling “events in May” I discovered another exciting occasion is happening the very same day: The Kentucky Derby.  Big hats, fancy dresses, fast horses and mint juleps.  Herein lies my dilemma: what to blog about?  A short game of eeny-meeny-miney-mo solved my problem: Derby Day, here I come.

Recipes that originated in Kentucky are many.  I found no shortage of desserts made with bourbon and pecans like Derby Pie, and there were fascinating dishes such as Burgoo (a thick meat and vegetable stew), Benedictine (a sandwich spread made with mayonnaise, cream cheese and cucumber), and one recipe that caught my eye as both easy and tasty: the Hot Brown.

This open faced sandwich was originally created at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky in 1926.  It consists of turkey, bacon and a Mornay sauce over toast, broiled in the oven until browned.  Sometimes pimentos or tomatoes are added.  There were a lot of recipes to choose from for this sandwich, but fortunately, the Brown Hotel itself offers the original recipe on its website.  After reading it, I knew exactly why the Hot Brown has withstood the test of time: it calls for 2 cups of heavy cream to make the cheese sauce!  Two things I knew for sure: this dish would be incredibly indulgent and delicious, and it would probably be smart to make it no more than once a year.

It is really an easy meal to put together.  The cheese sauce is just butter and flour cooked into a thick paste called roux.  The healthy dose of cream is then whisked in and cooked for a few minutes before Pecorino cheese is added.  To assemble the sandwiches, take toast, top it with slices of turkey breast, sliced tomato and your cheese sauce.  (I strayed from the recipe here.  I put my tomato slices on after it was broiled).  Broil.  Remove from the oven and top with crispy bacon.

Now, if I’d have had bourbon in the house, I’m sure I would have mixed myself up a cold Kentucky cocktail, but since I didn’t, I poured a glass of Chardonnay to drink with dinner.  A meal like this needed something to cut through the rich sauce and bacon, and while the wine did this, it also had nice buttery, woody tones to compliment the richness.

You know, if you’re celebrating The Kentucky Derby and you’re already indulging in Juleps and Chocolate Bourbon Pie, you might as well go for broke and try this recipe.  It’s outrageously delicious and oh-so-southern.

The Original Hot Brown Recipe

Adapted from The Brown Hotel

Ingredients (Makes Two Hot Browns):

• 2 oz. Whole Butter
• 2 oz. All Purpose Flour
• 16 oz. Heavy Cream
• 1/2 Cup Pecorino Romano Cheese, Plus 1 Tablespoon for Garnish
• Salt & Pepper to Taste
• 14 oz. Sliced Roasted Turkey Breast
• 2 Slices of Texas Toast (Crust Trimmed)
• 4 slices of Crispy Bacon
• 2 Roma Tomatoes, Sliced in Half
• Paprika
• Parsley

In a two-quart saucepan, melt butter and slowly whisk in flour until combined and forms a thick paste (roux). Continue to cook roux for two minutes over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Whisk heavy cream into the roux and cook over medium heat until the cream begins to simmer, about 2-3 minutes. Remove sauce from heat and slowly whisk in Pecorino Romano cheese until the Mornay sauce is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

For each Hot Brown, place one slice of toast in an oven safe dish and cover with 7 ounces of turkey. Take the two halves of Roma tomato and set them alongside the base of turkey and toast. Next, pour one half of the Mornay sauce to completely cover the dish. Sprinkle with additional Pecorino Romano cheese. Place entire dish under a broiler until cheese begins to brown and bubble. Remove from broiler, cross two pieces of crispy bacon on top, sprinkle with paprika and parsley, and serve immediately.

–How are you celebrating Derby Day or Cinco de Mayo?

We know lots of you have visited Temecula wine country and Ponte for the day, and might be wondering what could keep you busy here for, say, a weekend.  More than you think!  We think this sample itinerary will help give you an idea:

Sample itinerary

Day 1

Check in – Check in to your room at the newly opened Ponte Vineyard Inn and unwind on your private balcony overlooking the vineyards.  If you’ve booked a Romantic Getaway Package, enjoy your artisan cheese tray and bottle of Rose Spumante.

5:00 pm – Mosey down to The Cellar Lounge and enjoy a top-shelf martini or your favorite drink before dinner.

6:00 pm – Take a short stroll over the The Restaurant at Ponte for a fresh, seasonal dinner alfresco, masterfully paired with Ponte wine.

8:00 pm – Relax by The Pond, a 1-acre, wind-powered body of water directly behind The Inn.

8:30 pm – Head back to your room or suite where you can enjoy a bottle of wine, enjoy in-room coffee or tea service, watch a movie on your HDTV flat screen, or turn in on your pillow topped mattress.

Day 2

Morning – Wake and enjoy a breakfast basket and coffee in the privacy of your room or private balcony.  Or, visit Bouquet Restaurant for continental breakfast during the week and sit-down breakfast on the weekend.

10:00 am – Start the day with a round of golf at a local course at a discounted rate.  If you prefer to stay indoors, book a luxurious facial or body treatment next door at The Grapeseed Spa.

1:00 pm – Refuel with a wine-paired lunch at The Restaurant at Ponte or Bouquet.

2:00 pm – It’s wine tasting time!  Hit up three wineries, all within walking distance: Ponte Winery (where you can also take a winery tour), Wiens Family Cellars and Southcoast Winery.  If you prefer to also visit other tasting rooms in the Valley our front desk can arrange a bus tour of multiple stops.

5:00 pm – Freshen up in your room or suite with complimentary bath amenities.

6:30 pm – Enjoy dinner at The Cellar Lounge, Bouquet or The Restaurant at Ponte.

8:00 pm – Drive a short distance to Old Town Temecula for strolling, shopping, dessert, or dancing on this charming, historical street.

9:30 pm – Relax with a nightcap at The Cellar Lounge before calling it a night.

Day 3

Morning – Head out to your pre-booked sunrise hot air balloon ride over the valley of Temecula.  A truly breathtaking experience that includes breakfast.

Late morning – You can’t leave Temecula without checking out the incredible gift, home decor and gourmet food items in Ponte Winery’s Marketplace.  Don’t forget to pick up a bottle or two of your favorite wine!

Afternoon – Enjoy lunch at The Restaurant at Ponte or Bouquet before heading home.

Are you as excited as we are yet?  Book your getaway today!

–Where is your favorite place for a weekend getaway?

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.

Some things never go out of style when it comes to weddings.  And some things do (just take a look at your aunt’s wedding photos from 1985).  That’s why we call them “wedding trends” and 2012 has some fabulous ones so far.  Perhaps in 30 years we’ll all look back at 2012 wedding portraits and ponder, “What on earth were we thinking?” but for now let’s enjoy all the fun.  Some trends we have our eyes on this year are:

• Rustic chic weddings – this theme is still going strong.  Think old barns transformed by soft lighting, and colorful peonies in pitchers and mason jars.
• Dresses with long sleeves and lace – we can thank Kate Middleton for this timeless look.
• Mis-matched bridesmaids dresses – your bridal party in dresses of different lengths, colors and styles.   They actually might wear them again!
• Jewel tones – amethyst, turquoise, fuchsia, tangerine.  Gorgeous!
• Seasonal food – Move over, strawberry spinach salad in the wintertime.  Make room for figs and squash.  Summer wedding?  Think lots of tomatoes, corn and peaches.
• Multiple centerpieces – Forget one huge bouquet of flowers on your tables and go for a collection of vases, all different sizes with a variety of blooms.  Also hot on the table are bunches of herbs.
• Unconventional music – guitar players and string quartets are always good.  But do you want it to be great?  Consider a gospel choir!

Lucky for you there is a time and place where you can explore all kinds of wedding trends: it’s at the Festival of Brides at Ponte Winery this coming Sunday, May 6^th.  From 11:00 am to 4:00 pm explore tons of wedding specialists and services for anything you need for the big day: invitations, flowers, music, food, photography, dresses and everything in between!

We know your wedding is going to be one of the most important days of your life, and we also know that planning it can be overwhelming.  At the Festival you can literally hire all your vendors in one day!

Check out more details here and pre-register.  We hope to see you there!

–What is your favorite wedding trend this year? 

Somewhere, somehow, someway along the road, Pasta Primavera became any kind of pasta mixed with any kind of vegetables. But before this happened, pasta primavera was synonymous with the season it’s named after: Spring.   I’m sure that, way back when, an Italian farmer threw together some spaghetti, fava beans and artichokes on a cool April evening, topped it with Pecorino and, voila, a timeless dish was born.

Today, to see pasta primavera on a menu could mean anything at all: bowtie pasta with carrots, peas and corn, perhaps.  Or fettuccine with sausage, tomatoes and spinach.  You find it in spring, summer, winter and fall.  Primavera has become a staple.  Not that there’s anything wrong with that; even I’m guilty of the faux pas: my “primavera” is spaghetti with roasted peppers, cherry tomatoes, zucchini and lemon.

Well, at least The Restaurant is doing it right.  Included on the new spring menu is Fettuccine Verdura: locally farmed vegetables (aka, seasonal springtime veggies) in an herbed white wine butter sauce with parmesan shavings.  Can you just imagine what this tastes like with a glass of Vermentino?!  And, in case you didn’t yet know, The Restaurant is now open for dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings until 8 pm.  Make your reservation and try Fettuccine Verdura or one of the Chef’s many other newly inspired dishes.  See the menus here.

I like my pepper and zucchini primavera with Fume Blanc.  How do you do Primavera and what do you like to drink with it?

Red sparkling wine.  That’s what you get when you uncork a bottle of this lovely wine that is sold exclusively to Ponte Wine Club Members.  Ruby red in color with subtle bubbles, Vernaccia Nera isn’t just for celebrations; with flavors of jam and juicy berries, it is surprisingly well matched with a variety of foods.  It brings out the sweetness in mature cheeses, enhances the flavor of smoked salmon, compliments chocolate and cuts through the creaminess of cheesecake, just to name a few.

Not to be confused with the Tuscan white wine, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Vernaccia Nera is in a class of its own.  Not a Wine Club Member?  Join today!  See what it’s all about here.

–What would you pair with a red sparkling wine?

Straight from the hills of Tuscany, Michele is one of the newest members of the Ponte team and will be blogging once a month.  We can’t wait to hear the perspective of Temecula wine country from someone who was practically destined to be a wine lover from birth.

In his first entry, Michele tells us a little about what brought him to Ponte…and about his first American meal.

Hello,

I am Michele, I am 26, and I am from Tuscany. I joined Ponte on February 13^th, and a lot of you ask, “What are you doing here?”

Today I will write a little about my history, and about my first month in Southern California and at Ponte Winery.

I was serving wine in my family cellar in Tuscany when I met my girlfriend, Renee.  We spent so much nice time together in Italy that she decided to stay in my family home. But, this had to finish because she had to come back to California for school. So, I started to send resumes to some wineries in Temecula, to stay close her, and to have an opportunity to see and work in this very young wine country.

Claudio Ponte answered my e-mail and, after a Skype interview, he told me, “You are in.” You can’t imagine how happy I was!  So, after a long procedure for my visa, I booked my flight and arrived in LAX the first week of February.  When I arrived, my girlfriend let me experience the California life style by bringing me to In And Out Burgers…ahhh that was my first real American burger of my life!! Nice way to start.

The next Monday I drove to Ponte Winery; I was very excited to start. The first day was super busy so I came back home very tired but also super excited to go back the next day. During this month I worked also with Mark the winemaker, a very cool guy. I spend 2 days a week working in the cellar with Cuva, our cellar assistant, to see how wine is made. In my opinion, this is the most creative part of the wine business.

What I really like about Ponte Winery is the feeling of being at your home, the respect for each other, and that everybody is ready to help a friend (here, associates are all friends). I like also that the guest is at the center of everything.  We love people and we want them to spend a wonderful day in the country.

I have goals that I am working for while I am here:  I want to someday be able to manage a winery, but I also want to bring to Italy all that I am learning during this year.

Finally, I want to say thank you to all the people working with me. Thank you for your patience and for letting me feel at home.

–Michele

–I’ve now been to In And Out.  What other California restaurants should I try while I’m here?