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Napa wines we all know already: super-cabs and fruit-bomb pinots, rich chardonnays and bright sauvignon blancs. But food in the Napa Valley is equally as notable. On a recent tour of the valley with Canadian chefs and Napa culinary stars Barbara Alexander and Adam Busby, it seemed impossible to stop the car without encountering
some exquisite buratta cheese, or strawberries so pungent you smell them before opening the car door, or, for that matter, wild asparagus and fennel growing rampant along the roadside.
This is Napa’s power-foodie couple: Alexander is executive chef and director at the Napa Valley Cooking School, while Busby is director of education at the Greystone Campus of the Culinary Institute of America (the most prestigious culinary school in North America, or, some would say, the world). They are two of British Columbia’s brightest culinary exports. Busby is the former executive chef
of Bishop’s in Vancouver, and was chef and co-owner of the celebrated Star Anise in the mid-1990s. Alexander apprenticed at Vancouver’s Pan-Pacific Hotel before guiding the legendary Paramount Restaurant in Sydney, Australia, to accolades that included best restaurant in the South Pacific.
I would have happily taken my wife and son to visit Alexander, Busby and their young daughter, Ava, just for the pleasure of having chefs make us dinner in their home. But seeing them in their Napa workplaces also revealed much about the culinary philosophy that has made them stars.
Kitchen Confidential
There is something clandestine about the back-of-house areas of the CIA Greystone, an impressive stone building which once housed the world’s largest winery. “There may even be hidden cellars behind here,” Busby says of 13 passageways that collapsed during the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989. As I walk with him through 17,000 square feet of foodie facilities, I get the sense of trade secrets revealed. Here you have massive banks of gas and induction ranges, a wine appreciation centre with a pressurized air system, and the Flavor Discovery Center, where food companies can test products in a kitchen wired by cameras and other feedback loops to tasting tables in a mock dining room. As he tours us around the CIA’s “edible landscape,” where virtually everything can and will be an ingredient, he casually but knowledgeably discusses everything from phylloxera vine fungus to olive oil to tandoori oven construction.
Over at the Napa Valley Cooking School, we drop in on Alexander in the middle of a 75-person lunch service put on by her students. Alexander plunks us down without fuss at a table in the kitchen to feed us the most exquisite lunch we’d eaten in years. It was eight courses, including chilled pea soup with delicate trace flavours of cardamom, a seared scallop with crispy shallots and a raisin caper sauce, and a brilliant lamb loin with mint yogurt and a Moroccan spiced green harissa. All of this accompanied by a rich cabernet sauvignon from Pride Mountain.
“Someone actually emailed me and said they thought we did a better lunch here than at the French Laundry,” Alexander told us, coming over for a quick hello in the middle of service. Then she laughed. “I don’t know about that, although we’re probably busier than the French Laundry.”
Backyard Gourmet
You might think super-pros like this would eat at home as if they were still at a restaurant. But even though they make sure to cook a family meal every night, the style at Alexander and Busby’s immaculately restored 1950s bungalow is altogether more natural and unaffected. You sense it the second you enter their backyard, with the hand-built clay oven, the low planters of radishes and micro-basil, herbs and heirloom tomatoes, and the heritage-breed chickens squawking at the bottom off the garden.
“Yeah, chickens are kind of ‘in’ right now,” Busby says apologetically, explaining that they were the missing link in the holistic home-gardening cycle of nitrogen-compost-garden-feed they were trying to create here. “You have to try these eggs,” Alexander adds. “They’re like nothing you’ve ever tasted.”
We eat a simple dinner of fish tacos, the recipe for which comes from an old friend whose family has run a restaurant in Baja for years. As with everything we will eat this weekend, the tacos are the product of serious expertise and casual knowledge, the fish shallow-fried perfectly in a pan carefully monitored with an oil thermometer. Cabbages and radishes, not lettuce, in the slaw. Crème fraîche, not sour cream. And a dash of French’s mustard in the fish’s batter, of course.
The next day, after much foodie trolling through the streets of St. Helena and Napa, we settle on a piece of Tamworth wild boar belly from the Fatted Calf. Watching two cooks of this calibre prepare the humble cut is an education in simplicity and smarts. The belly is rubbed with herbs and garlic, and then simply folded on top of a pan of quartered onions before being roasted in the outdoor oven for several hours. It’s then sliced thinly and served on top of a bread salad, tossed with arugula and a dressing made with balsamic vinegar and the pan drippings. Perfection. And indescribably light, given that we’re eating a slab of wild pig with crackling skin.
While the kids play in the garden, we sip a bottle of Dare cabernet franc from Viader and listen to Busby’s harrowing tales of how he earned the extremely rare Certified Master Chef designation (which, despite the 85 percent fail rate, would likely have been Alexander’s too if she hadn’t had the “minor” distraction of having a baby during their training). Describing the ordeal, Busby says: “There were guys that came with sous-chefs, with special knife racks, with drugs to keep them awake. I just brought my knives and a picture of Barb and Eva to put up at my station.”
And as if to punctuate the natural harmony of family and food, Alexander sends us away with three eggs from their chickens out back and a ramekin of fleur de sel (just in case the insanely luxurious Calistoga Ranch where we’re staying doesn’t have any). My wife and son and I eat the eggs the next morning, looking down into the quiet ravine behind our cabana. It’s a perfectly natural and unaffected breakfast. And a reminder of how the real pros do it. wl
SIDEBAR
Stay
Solage Calistoga (755 Silverado Trail, 866 942 7442, solagecalistoga.com), located on 22 acres in the heart of Northern California’s Napa Valley, touts itself as an eco-luxury hotel. The 89 loft-like studios were created using reclaimed local wood products from the Northern California region, with the interiors furnished with natural fibres and materials. Take advantage of Solage’s full-service spa, yoga classes, bathhouse and even complimentary bikes to explore neighbouring wineries and downtown Calistoga. Solage’s restaurant and cocktail lounge, Solbar, provides local and organic fare with menus that change seasonally.
The exclusive luxury resort Calistoga Ranch (580 Lommel Road, 707-254-2800, calistogaranch.com) is hidden away in a private canyon located in the Upper Napa Valley region. The 46 free standing lodges have all been constructed using the indigenous cedar that grows nearby. What sets this resort apart is its private vineyard: explore all there is to know about wine with tours of the vineyard and wine caves or partake in the daily seminars and classes. Executive chef Aaron Wright brings his “land to table” concept to Calistoga Ranch’s restaurant, the Lakehouse, with each dish being served alongside renowned wines from the Napa Valley and the resort’s own private label.
For trip planning, consult Tourism California (877-225-4367, visitcalifornia.com) and Napa Valley (napavalley.com).
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RECIPES
Chilled Pea Soup with Avocado and Crab Timbale
 3 tbsp butter
1 medium leek (white and pale green parts only), coarsely sliced
2 lbs fresh peas, shelled (or 2 cups frozen peas)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 bunch spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
1 lemon, juiced
Salt and pepper
1 ripe avocado
1 cup crab meat
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tsp madras curry powder
1 tbsp chives
2 pappadums, cooked as directed on package and broken into pieces
In a large heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and sauté leeks until soft but not browned. Add garlic and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook until vegetables are completely soft. Add spinach and peas and cover, simmering until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes.
Working in batches, puree soup in a blender, then strain through a fine strainer. Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. Cool and refrigerate for a few hours. When ready to serve, mash avocado with a little lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Mix crabmeat with mayonnaise, curry powder, chives, a squeeze of lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
In shallow serving bowls place a ring mold, round cookie cutter (or, use a clean tomato paste tin with ends cut out) in center of bowl. Spread a half-inch layer of avocado in ring mold to form the bottom of the timbale, smoothing top with a spoon. Place 1/6 of crab mixture on top of avocado and press lightly into mold. Very carefully remove mold. Pour chilled soup around timbale and garnish pieces of pappadum. Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings.
BLT Pizza
6 oz ball of pizza dough (recipe follows)
3/4 cup spicy tomato pizza sauce (recipe follows)
6 oz sliced fontina cheese
8 strips of applewood-smoked bacon
1 cup small “grape” cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 large handful wild arugula, washed
Sea salt and black pepper
Preheat oven to 475°F. Put bacon strips on cookie sheet and bake until cooked but not crispy. Set aside.
Cut cherry tomatoes in half and toss with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and black pepper. Allow to marinate while you prepare pizza.
Roll out pizza dough. Spread tomato sauce to within 1/2 inch of edge. Place fontina slices on sauce and top with bacon. Bake 7–12 minutes. Toss arugula with tomatoes and scatter over hot pizza just before serving. Serves 4. Pizza Dough
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup water, barely warm
2 tsp dry yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
In bowl of a mixer (or in a large mixing bowl if preparing by hand), mix warm water with yeast. Add flour, by handfuls until you have a thin, runny batter (using only about 1/4 of total flour). Cover bowl with a towel or piece of plastic wrap and let it stand for about 15 minutes. Then add rest of flour, salt and olive oil. Remove dough towards end of mixing and knead by hand until you have a smooth, elastic dough. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl allow to rise at room temperature for about 1 hour.
Knock air out of dough, reshaping into a tight ball and refrigerate 7-12 hours. Shape into 3, 6-oz balls and oil all sides, place on sheet pan and wrap in plastic. Leave at room temperature for an hour or so before rolling out. Yield 3 medium pizza crusts. Spicy Tomato Sauce for Pizza
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves minced garlic
1 medium yellow onion, finely minced
1 bay leaf
1 sprig thyme, leaves picked and stem discarded
4 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
1 tsp dried chili flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Put olive oil in medium saucepan over medium heat and warm. Add garlic, minced onion, bay leaf and thyme. Stir and cook until onions have begun to soften but not browned. Add remaining ingredients and allow to cook on a simmer until flavors have melted together and sauce is slightly thickened, about 45 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 5 cups.
Fish Tacos
Canola oil, for frying
2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 cup French’s mustard
1 tsp Mexican oregano
2 cups Dos Equis or Modelo beer
1 1/2 lbs wild, white firm fleshed fish, such as halibut or rock cod
12 small corn tortillas
In a deep saucepan heat oil for frying to 375°F. Combine all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add beer and mustard, mixing just long enough to form a batter of creamy consistency.
Heat a cast iron skillet or grill to high heat and toast tortillas for 1 minute each side. Keep warm in a foil pouch until ready to serve.
Slice fish into small pieces as thick as a pencil. Dip each slice into batter and deep-fry until crisp. Remove to a tray covered with paper towels and allow to drain. Season with salt and serve immediately with warm tortillas and traditional accompaniments, including: hussong salsa (recipe follows), pickled vegetables (recipe follows), fresh cilantro, sour cream, grated queso anejo (substitute: Monterey jack) cheese, lime wedges, thinly sliced red radishes, thinly slices cabbage and avocado mashed with lime, salt and pepper. Makes 12 servings. Hussong Salsa
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 dried arbol chilis
3 whole garlic cloves, peeled
1–15 oz tin crushed tomatoes
Salt, to taste
Heat vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium heat with chili and garlic cloves until garlic begins to sizzle. Reduce heat to low. Remove chili when mahogany brown in color and set aside. Cook garlic until mahogany brown in color. Remove and set aside.
Place garlic and chilies with 3/4 of tomato puree in a blender. Puree on high speed until smooth. Taste and adjust salt.
Pickled Vegetables
4 cups water
2 red onions, julienned
2 white onions, juliennned
1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup cider vinegar
Salt, to taste
1/2 tbsp ground allspice
1 tbsp dried oregano
4 fresh bay leaves
4 fresh thyme sprigs (or 1/4 tsp dried)
1 jalapeno, sliced
Bring water to a boil. Add red onions, white onions and carrots and boil for 3 minutes. Drain well and put in a bowl. Mix vinegar, salt, spices and jalepeno. Pour over onions. Let sit for one hour at room temperature, then refrigerate.
Slow Roasted Boar Belly with Panzanella Salad
3 pounds wild boar belly (or, substitute pork belly), skin on
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp kosher salt
6 fresh bay leaves, cut in 1/2 lengthwise
1 bunch thyme
2 sprigs rosemary
4 whole garlic cloves, lightly crushed
1/2 cup water
1 large onion, thickly sliced
1 medium carrot, peeled and thickly sliced
1 small bulb fennel, thickly sliced
Panzanella salad (recipe follows)
Preheat oven to 400°F. Score skin on pork belly at quarter-inch intervals, being careful to cut through only skin. Pat dry with paper towels. Rub skin-side of belly with olive oil and sprinkle generously with kosher salt, rubbing into skin. Tuck fresh bay leaves into every third score mark so that edge of bay leaves remain visible. Place thyme, rosemary, garlic and thickly sliced vegetables in bottom of a baking dish. Pour in 1/2 cup of water over vegetables and place boar belly on top. Place in hot oven and immediately reduce heat to 350°F. Roast for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Do not baste, and add additional water only if bottom of pan becomes dry. When pork is done it will pull apart easily with a fork. Let it rest on vegetables, uncovered for 15 minutes, allowing juices to collect in bottom of baking dish.
Pour all fat and juices through a fine mesh strainer into a deep small container. Allow it to sit so fat separates from drippings. Remove and discard fat and set aside drippings (for panzanella salad, see below).
Remove belly to a carving board. Cut into thin slices and serve over panzanella salad. Makes 6 servings.
Panzanella Salad
1 small round loaf rustic bread
6 shallots, whole, peeled
1 head garlic, cloves peeled and whole
1 tbsp butter
1 pinch sugar
Salt and black pepper
1 bunch green onions
1 small red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise and pickled in equal amounts of rice vinegar and sugar
1/2 pint small “grape” cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2 cups chicken stock, simmered to reduce down to 3/4
pan drippings from roasted boar belly (see above)
1/4 cup banyuls vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Wild arugula
Rip rustic bread into large chunks, toss in olive oil and bake in a 400°F until edges are deep golden brown and crispy. Set aside. On a double layer of aluminum foil, place shallots, garlic cloves, butter, sugar, salt and pepper. Fold foil over shallots and crimp to create an enclosed package. Place package on a baking sheet in oven until shallots and garlic are soft (insert a skewer through foil to check), leaving in oven for an additional 10 minutes after they’re soft. (Will look caramelized when you open package.)
Place green onions on a baking sheet, dress with olive oil, salt and pepper and place in hot oven until soft and slightly charred.
When ready to serve, place bread chunks, shallots, garlic, grape tomatoes, green onions and arugula in a large salad bowl. Mix vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar to make vinaigrette dressing. Warm reserved pan juices from boar belly with reduced chicken stock and whisk into vinaigrette. Immediately pour over salad and toss.
Chilaquiles, Chorizo
and Farm Eggs
1 dried chipotle chili
1 dried Anaheim chili
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 batch Hussong salsa (see above)
2 tbsp vegetable oil or lard
1 large onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, sliced
2 whole Anaheim or ancho Chilies (optional)
6 oz chorizo, sliced (optional)
12 corn tortillas, cut into 1/2-cm strips and deep fried until crispy (or substitute crushed corn tortilla chips)
6 free-range organic eggs
1/2 smalll red onion, pickled in equal amounts of rice vinegar and sugar
1/4 bunch cilantro
1 cup grated queso anejo cheese (or substitute jack cheese)
Preheat an oven to 400°F. Pour boiling water over dried Anaheim and chipotle chiles and soak for 1 hour. Place chilies, soaking water and hussong salsa in a blender and blend until very smooth. Season to taste with salt.
Over medium heat, put vegetable oil or lard in a large skillet. Saute onions, garlic and optional chilies and chorizo over high heat until they begin to caramelize. Add sauce (it will splutter violently at first) then tortillas. Stir to coat tortillas. Crack eggs onto tortillas and sauce and place skillet in hot oven. Bake for 4–5 minutes, removing when eggs are set. Sprinkle with pickled onions, cilantro and cheese. Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings.
Strawberry Salad with Brown Sugar Meringues
3 large organic egg whites
1 pinch cream of tartar
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 pound organic strawberries, sliced
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, scraped
Splash Cognac, kirsch or rum
1 cup superfine sugar
1/4 cup water
1 cup strawberry puree or juice (see recipe below)
2 tsp freshly cracked black peppercorns
Crème fraiche ice cream (recipe follows)
One day before serving, make meringues and ice cream. Preheat oven to 250°F. Whip egg whites with pinch of cream of tartar in a clean bowl and whisk until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, a sprinkle at a time, whisking vigorously until mixture is glossy. Spoon soft piles of meringue onto an 11 x 16 baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a nonstick silicone mat. Make a divot in centre of each one. Place baking sheet on center shelf in oven. Allow meringue to cook for one hour then turn oven off and leave meringues overnight to dry.
One to three hours before serving, sprinkle strawberries with sugar, splash of liquor and vanilla bean. Wrap with plastic wrap. Allow to sit for one hour at room temperature or in the sun. Strain collected juices from berries and reserve.
To make strawberry mignonette, stir superfine sugar and water toger until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and boil until sugar syrup becomes a gold color. Remove from stove and add strawberry juice all at once to cool mixture. Bring back to a boil with black pepper until all seized sugar has dissolved. Cool to room temperature and season to taste with pepper.
To serve, place a meringue and scoop of ice cream in each serving. Top with sliced strawberries and drizzle mignonette over everything. Makes 6 servings.
Crème Fraiche Ice Cream
1 pint crème fraiche
3/4 cup superfine sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, scraped
In a mixing bowl, whisk toger crème fraiche, sugar and vanilla bean. Place mixture in a loaf pan and wrap with plastic wrap. Freeze overnight.
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