New bakery opens in Ben Lomond, plus Randall Grahm’s quest to grow 10,000 new grape varieties, and Mexican cooking classes
The hard-working cuisine artists behind Casa Nostra restaurant have recently unveiled a bakery across Highway 9. Ben Lomond Baking Company—housed in a rustic former antique store just before the road bends left toward Henflings—opens early and provides pasticcini, espresso and lots of savory items to grateful locals. I took a slice of the house gluten-free orange ricotta cheesecake to my very picky aunt in Felton, and she approved. Also wonderful were the miniature palmiers (two for $1), and a bite-sized almond cookie $2. The pastry case is filled with tempting, authentic Italian pastries, and the young staff couldn’t be more helpful and friendly. Stop by, sample some calzone or cannoli, and say “Ciao!” 9280 Highway 9, Ben Lomond.
Speaking of baking, you might want to give the Croissant Basics class at Companion Bakeshop a whirl. 5-7 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 23. Your $65 puts you in touch with the basics of this celebrated pastry—from mixing and shaping, to proofing and baking. Oh, and eating!
Grape New World
Never at a loss for self-promotional schema, winemaker Randall Grahm has launched a campaign to fund a dream. His. And ultimately, if it works, ours too. Would you like to participate in building a vineyard? Want a grape variety named for you or your sweetheart? Of course you do. Well, Randall Grahm, the ever-entrepreneurial maverick behind the Bonny Doon Vineyard brand, is about to make an offer—via Indiegogo—that will be hard to refuse. He’s done everything else wine-making-wise, so he figures he has nothing to lose. Grahm wants your partnership in his legacy-building effort to grow no fewer than 10,000 new (never in existence ever) grape varieties. Why? Because he and fellow wizards at UC Davis are betting that if you produce enough new grapes on a hitherto unplowed field (that’s a metaphor) you might come up with some “genius grape varieties” that fully express New World bio-systems. What we’ve been planting and crushing and bottling thus far, Grahm explains, are Old World grape varietals. He wants to discover some grapes uniquely suited to our terroir—“to change the way we grow grapes, to change the way we think about vineyards, to perhaps discover an entirely new vinous expression,” he says. Yes, it is a very cool concept, and it’s destined to take place—should you choose to accept his Indiegogo offer—on his fertile Popelouchum Estate acres in San Juan Bautista. Biodynamic? You bet. Dry-farmed? Ahem, this is California. The grand experiment is scheduled to take place over the next 10 years, during which seedlings and the cross-breeds of seedlings (my degree is in philosophy, not in agricultural genetics) will grow, flourish (or not) and show what they can do. At the very least, this sounds like delicious fun. Who is so curmudgeonly that they wouldn’t want to kick in for such a wildly future-forward project? So go quickly to the New World Grand Cru Indigogo campaign, and let the planting begin! At the very least, watch the video of Randall Grahm articulating his vision for this Grape New World.
Cocina Mexicana
Melissa’s Mexican Made Easy is at it again. This time, she’s teaching how to make enchiladas verdes, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 1, in the Market Classroom of New Leaf on Fair Avenue. For $45 you’ll finally figure out how to create authentic chicken enchiladas smothered in homemade roasted tomatillo sauce, accompanied by a roasted beet and avocado salad with queso fresco and citrus dressing. The price includes your lunch, supplies, aprons and recipe packet. Children over 12 welcome. For details call Melissa Palacios at 251-5640.
PASTICCINI IN THE TREES Tessie Murphy, head baker and manager of Ben Lomond Baking Company, with an array of sweet treats. PHOTO: CHIP SCHEUER
