Skip to main content

Delicious Whimsy at The Cork & Plough with Herman Story and Desparada Wines

Whimsy: whim·sy / wimzē (noun)
playfully quaint or fanciful behavior or humor; a whim; a thing that is fanciful or odd

You know it's going to be an interesting evening when there is a Buddha's Hand citron soaking in clear booze on the counter of the bar!


Back in the 2015, my piece "Bringing the Farm to Table to King City" appeared in the Fall issue of Edible Monterey Bay. Read it there. And I have seen Chef Travis at different events since, but I hadn't been back to The Cork & Plough since that interview.

So, when they extended an invitation to one of the EMB team to attend their wine dinner - featuring Herman Story Wines and Desparada Wines - last weekend, I happily accepted and immediately snagged a ticket for a friend to join me.


The moment Susana and I entered the doors, we were each handed a glass of Desparada 'Fragment' Sauvignon Blanc and a server made sure we tried their two amuse bouche: grilled shrimp with pickled apple with mango coriander sauce and pear crab cakes with orange blossom aioli.


Fragment is an unusually weighty Sauvignon Blanc. The citrus and herb notes paired well with Chef Travis' seafood bites. And, I'll be honest, the fact that its final aging is done in terra cotta amphorae made my history-loving heart soar. Besides, I just love that word: amphorae. It conjures up memories of wandering the cobbled streets of Pompeii when I lived in Italy.

Russell, of Herman Story, introduced the Desparada wine which is made by his wife, Vailia. He said that the 'her' of their his-and-her-wineries couldn't make it to the event because she was home with their 20-month old child. So, we raised a glass in her honor and enjoyed the pairing.


After mingling with other diners for a little while, we were ushered into a back dining room. Susana and I took seats at the table with both the chef's parents and the winemaker's parents. Throughout the evening they regaled us with tales of their travels and most memorable meals from around the world. Russell's dad told a story about a lobster dinner in France where the waiter released the ice-encased crustacean from its crystal coffin with the mere tap of a bell. Travis' dad shared stories about his twenty-three trips from Seattle to Anchorage - by car! - and a $1000 meal in Amsterdam. What a crew!


We were wined and dined with a parade of pairings that were deliciously whimsical. And, by that, I mean that there was always some surprising detail in the dish.

The 'first plate' was a Warm Cauliflower and Beet Salad with Bleu Cream Sauce and Toasted Walnut. I knew there wasn't any bacon in the salad, so I couldn't figure out from where I was getting the smokiness. Then, Chef Travis mentioned that he had smoked the arugula leaf for a little bit of intrigue.


With this first plate, we tried Herman Story's 2013 On the Road Grenache. Silky and balanced, the wine brought a tinge of sweetness to the smokiness of the dish.


Next up was an 'intermezzo' that Chef Travis introduced as a solid, a liquid, and a gas: Blood Orange Sphere (solid), Buddha's Hand Lemonade (liquid), and Mandarin Foam on a Cucumber Slice (gas).


Later, I asked Chef Travis to explain the sphere. He said, "Molecular gastronomy and mixology can be cool, but I try not to overuse those techniques." He described that the sphere was made through a process called reverse spherification. He and bartender Rob added calcium lactate to blood orange juice and froze them in molds. Then they dropped them in a bath of distilled water and sodium alginate. The chemical reaction creates a thin membrane to form so, as the juice thaws, the liquid is trapped inside. But it was a finicky process. He shared, "We started with 48 pieces and had about 8 of them break during prep, then lost a couple more during plating, but the result is such an unusual experience that it was worth all the trouble."


Here's a closer shot of that Mandarin Foam. It was like eating a cloud, a wonderfully, citrusy cloud.



Chef Travis' entrée was another surprise. The "grains" were melon seeds. What?!? I think the entire table was abuzz, "Did he say melon seeds?" Yes! Braised Oxtail, Melon Seed, Roasted Mushrooms, Brandied Carrots.


Chef Travis said that he found them at a Mexican market in town, labelled as 'Semilla de Melon.' He shared, "I like to pick up ingredients I'm not familiar with and try them out whenever possible." For this dish, he prepared them in a fashion similar to rice, but the cooking time was only about 15 minutes. Then he added white cheddar at the end to try and give it a risotto-like quality.


With this course, Russell poured his 2014 Larner Vineyard. A Grenache-Syrah blend, this is a wine for the Napa Cab fans, he said. Robust and unique, this wine was a perfect blend of fruit and spice. Distinct herbaceous notes merged with nutty coffee to perfectly complement the beef.


And, for dessert, Chef Travis presented Raspberry Pomegranate Panna Cotta on top of a Flourless Chocolate Cake. A small ribbon of pomegranate molasses lined the plate and a white chocolate rose was placed on top.


Surprisingly - or maybe not surprisingly - Russell did not opt for a soft wine to round out the evening. His 2014 Bolt Cutter is big, brash, and fleshy. It's a powerful yet smooth blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah, and Syrah.

With every course, and every pairing, Chef Travis Childers and winemaker Russell P. From kept our palates entertained with their surprising details. From smoked arugula leaves to melon seeds and wines that just got bigger as the courses continued, the Herman Story-Desparada Wine Dinner at the Cork & Plough was delightful.

I know I'll definitely make a point to stop by Herman Story next time I find myself in Paso Robles. Chef Travis' dishes are always a pleasure! And, until I get back down there, I'll be scouring the markets for semilla de melon.

Find Cork & Plough on the web

Find Herman Story on the web


Find Desparada on the web

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Meyer Lemon Custard-Filled Matcha Turtles #BreadBakers

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our of lovely bread by following our  Pinterest board  right here. Links are also updated after each event on the  Bread Bakers home page .  We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. This month Stacy of Food Lust People Love  is hosting and she wrote: "Your bread can be large, as in one big animal, or small - animal-shaped rolls. Use your imagination! Points for flavor and shape!" If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send an email with your blog URL to Stacy at foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com. Here's the animal-shaped bread basket from the #BreadBakers... Beef and Sweet Onion Dim Sum Pandas from Karen's Kitchen Stories Bird Bread Rolls from Ambrosia Easter Bunny Buns from Cook with Renu Ham and Cheese Elephant Rolls from Food Lust People Love Hedgehog Bread from Making Mir

Connecticut Lobster Rolls, Canned Lobster Bisque, and a 2019 Henry Fessy 'Maître Bonhome' Viré-Clessé #Winophiles

This month the French Winophiles group is looking at affordable wines from Burgundy.  Host Cindy of Grape Experiences wrote: "Burgundy, or Bourgogne, is known for its wines of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir... as well as Aligote, Gamay, Sauvignon, César, Pinot Beurot, Sacy, Melon in lesser quantities. Many of the well-known wines are quite expensive, but there are plenty of values to be found." Read her invitation here. And there won't be a Twitter chat for this event, so you will have to dive into the articles themselves to read about our pairings and findings. Here's the line-up... Wendy Klik from A Day in the Life on the Farm enjoys Domaine Chevillon Chezeaux Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits, 2018 Paired with a Maple Pecan Chicken . Camilla Mann from Culinary Adventures with Camilla shares her love of Connecticut Lobster Rolls, Canned Lobster Bisque, and a 2019 Henry Fessy 'Maître Bonhome' Viré-Clessé. Jeff Burrows of FoodWineClick! explains why we should Look t

Quick Pickled Red Onions and Radishes

If you've been reading my blog for even a short amount of time, you probably know how much I love to pickle things. I was just telling a friend you can pickle - with vinegar - or you can ferment - with salt - for similar delicious effect. The latter has digestive benefits and I love to do that, but when I need that pop of sour flavor quickly, I whip up quick pickles that are ready in as little as a day or two. I've Pickled Blueberries , Pickled Asparagus , Pickled Cranberries , Pickled Pumpkin , and even Pickled Chard Stems ! This I did last night for an upcoming recipe challenge that requires I include radishes. Ummmm...of course I'm pickling them! Ingredients  makes 1 quart jar radishes, trimmed and sliced organic red onions, peeled and thinly sliced (I used a mandolin slicer) 3/4 C vinegar (I used white distilled vinegar) 3/4 C water 3 T organic granulated sugar 1 T salt (I used some grey sea salt) 6 to 8 grinds of black pepper Proce