A press release bandied the arrival of the Oregon State American Viticultural Area Maps from The Map Store. “These maps, a first for the Oregon wine industry, provide topographical details of Oregon vineyards as well as pinpoint winery and tasting room locations,” the release states. “Technical in content but artfully illustrated, these map images are ideal for wine consumers and the wine trade.

 “These technologically advanced maps are an expression of fundamental improvements in both the way maps are constructed and depicted. Created using a new system developed by The Map Store, in which wine-industry vineyard, winery, and tasting room coordinates and outlines are submitted electronically and plotted by the Map Store staff, allows the wine industry to control exactly what is published.

 “Wine enthusiasts and members of the wine trade can customize maps for personal printing and use. The Map Store introduced new technology to print maps on demand, in smaller, less expensive quantities. This technology, combined with the ability for wineries and vineyards to update their information in real time at The Map Store, allows revised editions of the maps to be printed on a regular basis.

Since our recent condo crisis (see my post of July 10 for details), friends from around the country have been sending me Internet jokes in an effort to cheer me up (thanks to all of you!).

Here’s one from my buddy Laurie Halladay in Sarasota, Florida, that will resonate with wine drinkers of a certain age. Although, I must admit, it isn’t too far afield from some of the strange real e-releases I get for new wines (wines for Christians, wines for dog lovers, etc.). 

 <<California Vintners in the Napa Valley who produce Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Grigio wines, have developed a new hybrid grape that acts as an anti-diuretic. It is expected to reduce the number of trips older people have to make to the bathroom during the night. The new wine will be marketed as: Pinot More.>>

Meanwhile, news of our condo crisis is much brighter than last week. We are down to just two wind blowers and the dehumidifier in our bathroom and foyer/entryway to our kitchen. Estimates are that the two pads and blower in the bathroom will be out by tomorrow afternoon, and the kitchen pad and blower the next day.

After that, the “reclamation phase” will begin, during which the baseboards will be reattached and the crew will do its final clean-up. Whether or not we re-sand and resurface the maple floors after that is still in question, but at least we may be back to some semblance of “normalcy” by end of the week. We are making progress a lot more quickly than originally predicted, I’m happy to report. 

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. Tom Douglas’s Dungeness Crab Salad, which he serves at Etta’s Seafood, is one of the best dishes around town. A generous mound of the freshest, sweetest Dungie crab meat sits regally above pristine baby lettuces along with sliced avocado, ruby-red grapefruit segments, blanched haricots verts, and housemade flatbread. I always get the Lime Vinaigrette on the side so I can sauce as desired.

We know that spring has sprung and summer isn’t far behind each year when we sit outside at the Pink Door’s dandy deck and order the stupendous Everything Green Salad. It’s a perfectly placed pile of Bibb lettuce adorned with fava beans, asparagus tips, avocado, and English peas. The dressing? GREEN Goddess, of course!

Oregon now has 393 wineries and 16 winegrowing regions in the state. And it was through a press release that I learned about a great new resource to help plan your summer wine tour (of course, in addition to a copy of Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining!). The release says, “Prompted by the continued growth of Oregon wine country as a travel destination, the Oregon Wine Board has created an online portal to access all of the tools necessary to plan a memorable trip.  The Oregon Wine Explorer(TM) is an invaluable online destination that makes it easy to plan a trip to Oregon wine country by providing a virtual tour with turn-by-turn directions of the state’s wine regions. The Wine Finder Tool, which links with the Explorer, allows Oregon wine enthusiasts the ability to search and order Oregon wines to enjoy at home.

 In addition, the Oregon Wine Board has partnered with eight regional wine organizations to create the new “Discover Oregon Wine Country” tool kit.  This comprehensive package includes an overview brochure of the state, plus regional maps with winery/vineyard listings, and provides visitors with everything needed to plan a discovery trip. 

 “Green-focused” travelers might want to consider picking up a hybrid rental at Enterprise Rent-a-Car locations around the state and at all major Oregon airports and heading out to wine country to check out the many Oregon wineries and vineyards that have adopted green building practices, sustainable winemaking and agriculture and pursued certification.  To learn more check out the Green Getaways package in the Portland-metro area, a partnership with the Oregon Wine Board and Travel Portland.

I was the speaker at the Women for WineSense April meeting at Steelhead Diner in the heart of the Pike Place Market, and my slide-show presentation, reception, and dinner went swimmingly. Chef Kevin Davis pulled out ALL the stops, serving his famous Wild King Salmon with Macerated Cherries and Smoked Almond Beurre Noisette (a recipe from Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining), oysters on the half shell, Heirloom Beet Tartare, Sticky Chicken Skewers (another recipe from my book), House-Cured Bresaola with Hand-Stretched Mozzarella, among a long parade of incredibly tasty items.

Steelhead wine whiz Jessica Skye Bolt spared no expense by offering an array of 12 (count ‘em!) of the Northwest’s best and brightest wines, including Charles Smith Kung Fu Girl Riesling, Sleight of Hand “The Magician” Gewürztraminer, McCrea Sirocco Blanc, Syncline Rosé, Abacela Albariño and Port (!), Jigsaw Pinot Noir, and Sineann CJ (Zinfandel) Port. Here’s Chef Kevin talking up the crowd along with WWS Seattle Chapter President Terese Flaherty-Vaniman (standing, left) and Jessica Skye Bolt (center).

Speaking of Steelhead, we had a bang-up Fourth of July dinner there, which started with perfectly fried Crispy Little Eureka California Surf Smelt (with a yummy hot/sweet mustard vinaigrette) and half a dozen beautifully shucked Totten Inlet Virginica Oysters on the half shell with Frozen Mignonette (refreshing!). I opted for a half portion of the Red & Black Alaskan Troll-Caught Salmon with Roasted Corn, Sweet-Onion Salad, and Piquillo Pepper Salsa, while Spencer opted for the daily special of Spice-Rubbed Pork Ribs. 

Here’s our dessert: the perfect red, white and blue Buttermilk Pound Cake, a scrumptious composition of white chocolate pudding; real, old-fashioned (eggy, with perhaps a touch of cornmeal?!?!) pound cake, summer berries, all drizzled with Snoqualmie Farms Fireweed Honey. A bottle of Westrey 2006 “Oracle Vineyard” Pinot Noir, a berry-rich, lush, yet earthy Willamette Valley Pinot, paired perfectly with both entrées.

Speaking of wine (and you know I love to do that!), I get a kick the way the wine list (which is all Northwest) is printed on the back of the paper menu/placemats. But if you don’t see something you like there (hard to believe), ask for the “a” list (yes, it has a small “a” printed on the front). Among the choices? DeLille Cellars “Doyenne” Metier Blanc ($67), a vineyard-designate Beaux Freres Pinot Noir ($155), and àMaurice Cellars Malbec ($70). 

A gorgeous salad of asparagus, baby greens and wild-mushroom flan lightly dressed and lavishly garnished with shavings of Parmesan cheese was the perfect pre-dinner bar bite at the ever-elegant and fun Whitehouse-Crawford restaurant in Walla Walla. Chef Jamie Guerin was kind enough to give me his recipe for Organic Greens with Goat Cheese, Walnuts, and Pickled Cherries for Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining. It’s the perfect salad for right now, when fresh Northwest cherries are in their prime.

Meanwhile, the Marc restaurant at the Marcus Whitman Hotel hit the mark thanks to Chef Hank, a.k.a. “Bear” Ullman’s inventive menu, not to mention the gorgeous hand-turned bowls he creates to showcase his cuisine. Here’s the Grilled Shrimp and Avocado Salad, cozily tucked into its sourdough shell along with fresh tomatoes, avocado, and cucumber, all napped with orange-coriander vinaigrette. My Alaskan Halibut with Sauce Vert (Green Sauce) was the essence of springtime on a plate. The meat eater in the family enjoyed a Double R Ranch Bone-In Ribeye steak and Blue-Cheese Mashers. The wine list is a Northwest delight, with very generous pours of wines by the glass and inventive wine flights. Perfect for the couple (like us)—one who orders red meat and the other who sticks with fish.

Part of our reason for attending Vintage Walla Walla was so I could sign books at the Pavilion Tasting. Here I am in my element.

Another reason for the trip was to attend the annual wine-blending class, during which some of the Valley’s top winemakers showed us their craft. The “students” were divided into several groups and our mission was to blend a Super Tuscan (heavy Italian wine) using juice from Walla Walla-grown grapes. Interestingly enough, several groups came up with similar blends, and, in any case, a good time was had by all!

My first-time wine blending occurred at Urban Wineworks in Portland, an experience I recounted in Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining. I’m hoping to reprise my most recent wine-blending encounter in a future article for The Seattle Times Pacific Northwest magazine, so please stay tuned!

The beautiful Suncadia Lodge opened a few months ago and we were lucky enough to be among the VIPs to experience its first moments. Done in a Grand-Lodge-meets-Whistler Village-(British Columbia)-Alpine style, the soaring fireplaces, high ceilings, massive wooden columns, and expansive windows sing of the Northwest and invite in picture-postcard views of snow-capped mountains, lush green golf courses, walking paths, and well-manicured resort homes.

In Portals, the dining room in the Lodge, Chef Andrew Wilson is already winning rave reviews for his Northwest specialties, which include Swift River Trout, a butter-flied whole fish that is perfectly pan seared and simply served with Almond Brown Butter and Haricots Verts. The Tuna Poke Tower was headed in the right direction, but needed a good dash of soy or shoyu and a couple of gratings of fresh ginger to really make it sing. Sweet Corn and Clam Chowder sounded like a seasonal goodie, composed of local corn, sweet bell pepper, tarragon, and Manila clams. www.suncadiaresort.com

Rover’s ever-ebullient and über-generous chef and owner Thierry Rautureau threw a gala dinner to celebrate the debut of a “must-see” new documentary on sustainable agriculture entitled, “Good Food.” Filmmakers Mark Dworkin and Melissa Young were on hand, along with a handful of farmers, fishers, and ranchers who appeared in the movie, and the wines were all from local wineries we know and love such as Snoqualmie Vineyards 2007 Naked Gewürztraminer, DeLille Cellars 2005 “Doyenne” Syrah, and Ponzi Vineyards 2006 Pinot Noir.

It was a delight and an honor to watch Chef Thierry weave the producers’ fare into his French/Northwest cuisine in dishes such as Radish and Bamboo Shoot Salad with Dungeness Crab and White Sturgeon Caviar Dressing. This appetizer featured the radishes and fresh bamboo shoots from long-time Rockport, Washington, farmer Anne Schwartz.

Above please note the beautiful Baked Halibut with Morel Farro Risotto and Sorrel Sauce, which featured the farro (a highly nutritious and ancient grain) from Blue Bird Grain Farm in the Methow Valley and halibut from Seattle’s Wilson Fish.

Attendees went home with a DVD of “Good Food,” and I really enjoyed watching all 72 minutes of its heartfelt goodness, brimming with big stories of our region’s family farmers, their daily struggles interspersed with their long-term dreams.

On July Fourth, my husband Spencer and I celebrated in our usual way—out to dinner and with a good bottle of wine. You’ll be reading about that amazing evening at Steelhead Diner in a future post.

After dinner, we found a special spot to watch the Fourth of Jul-Ivar’s firework display along the Waterfront. When we got back to our condo, we noticed water coming in around our washer/dryer and figured the washer hose had sprung a leak. After mopping up the mess, we went to bed.

The next morning, our elderly next-door neighbor called to say he had left the plug in his kitchen sink, turned the water on to do the dishes, forgotten about the water, and gone to see the fireworks display.

Two hours of gushing water later, the damage was done to our condo, his condo, and two other condos below us. The Servpro reclamation team (experts in water damage who did a lot of work during Hurricane Katrina) arrived early Saturday morning to assess the damage and put up their equipment–huge wind blowers and a dehumidifier that now dominate our bathroom and bedroom. Spencer left Saturday afternoon for a week in the Middle East, and so for the past several days I’ve been living with the blowers and dehumidifier to try to dry out and save our maple floors and drywall.

I have been alternatively angry and depressed by this total turning upside down of my life, especially since I not only live here, but work out of my home office.

Yesterday, I just had to escape from the (very nice and concerned) workers and from the fans for a few hours, so I went to work out at the gym and run a few downtown errands, then took a stroll through the Pike Place Market. Living the bachelorette life for the past four days, I had let my larder grow empty, about as empty as my drooping spirits.

And, for once in my life, I didn’t even really want to go to my beloved Market.

But once I got there and picked out my fresh produce (including Oh My God! peaches), and shared my saga with produce monger and food-and-wine photographer Mark at Sosio’s Produce, I began to feel better. Side note, and please don’t tell his boss, Susie Manzo: Mark, dear man that he is, gave me a box of local strawberries—my favorite fruit—for free, he felt so sorry for my plight.

After I bought a loaf of Grand Central Campagnolo Bread—still my favorite artisan loaf about town—at Three Girls Bakery from the happy guy who looks like Groucho Marx, treated myself to some Plugra European Butter at The Creamery, and chatted it up with Walt and the boys at Pure Food Fish, I realized yet again that this little slice of heaven, our very own farmers’ market in the heart of downtown Seattle, is a special place not only for the fine fish, produce, dairy products and cheese, specialty-food shops, and plethora of interesting restos, but for the very special people who work along the cobblestones.

For my solo dinner last night I steamed thick asparagus and slathered it with low-fat mayo, chopped a yellow heirloom tomato and sprinkled it with Australian Sea Salt, and sautéed a quartet of fist-sized, super-succulent sea scallops seasoned with nothing more than Al’aea Hawaiian Pink Sea Salt and Shichimi Togarashi (Japanese Seven Spice) to soothe my senses. For dessert? Some of those baby strawberries with whipped cream and brown sugar, of course. 

My simple summer supper made me smile, filled my belly, and sent my spirits soaring. A coupla glasses of winemaker extraordinaire Virginie Bourgue’s SBS–Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon from Cadaretta, a brand-new winery in Walla Walla, helped dull some of the pain. 

The pretty bouquet of pristine white sweet peas I purchased from my favorite flower farmer in the Market, Carlita (Lita) Mendez, of John & Lita’s Produce & Flowers, sent me off to sweetly scented dreams on the living-room couch. 

And I awoke early this morning, refreshed and restored, ready and eager to face a new day.