Past Events: ...And What a Year it Has Been!

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By Kimberly Wright

06/05/2003

We started off with the best of intentions; after every Convivium event, one of us would write up a piece for the website. We did pretty well at first, and you will find separate stories from the early days in 2002 on the June Pizza Event, the July Monterey Bay-Style Grand Aioli (our first 'official' event as a new Convivium), and the August Salsa-Tasting and Rancho Barbecue.

I'm going to give a brief summary of our other events so far, so that you'll have an idea of what we've been up to since then. We started with the target of one event per month, which may have been a bit over-ambitious. Time will tell what we can really maintain.

In September '02 we held a Monterey-Bay Style Beach Picnic. Member Carolyn Braun grew up near Sunset State Beach, and suggested the event and the venue. We enjoyed hamburgers made with Morris Grassfed Beef, Corralitos hot dogs, and homemade veggie burgers, all on homemade buns with homemade condiments. Joe Braun served as grillmaster. Other attendees brought salads and other side dishes. It was a relaxed and wonderful farewell to summer.

In October '02 we presented a feast to celebrate the Autumn Harvest. This was held at our home. After an informal tasting of salts, we sat down to a relatively formal four-course feast featuring the finest local produce: Salad of Heirloom Tomatoes with Homemade Fresh Cheese and Herbed Olive Oil, Soup of Marina di Chioggia Winter Squash and Roasted Shallots, Roast Niman Ranch Pork or Fresh Scarlet Runner Bean and Vegetable Gratin, wrapping up with Apple Walnut Raisin Spice Cake or Pear Almond Ginger Cake with Homemade Buttermilk Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce accompanied by BV Muscat.

November is a busy month, but we squeezed in a Bread and Soup event. Several members brought soups, and we ran the wood-fired oven for anyone wishing to bake a loaf of bread. A couple of spreads for bread, wines, and dessert, and everything was convivial.

Another event suggestion from Carolyn, in December we learned to make Tamales. Julia Wiley's friend Isabel is from Michoacan and an accomplished cook. Julia, Isabel and I started by going to Tropicana Foods in Watsonville for the ingredients for the masa, including the dried corn and powdered lime, which I soaked the night before. On the day of the event, Isabel's son Jerry came along to translate and help with the preparations. We ground the masa, made the chili sauce, prepared the fillings (pork, cheese and vegetable, and sweet), shaped the tamales, and steamed them. Isabel also made atole, a beverage of dry masa and tamarind which is the traditional accompaniment to tamales. Finally, Isabel showed us her method for great refried beans (start with cranberry beans, not pintos). We added a salad and vegetables to round out the feast. Not surprisingly, only a few people had any room left for the flan!

In January we held our first Annual Meeting. Andrea Mugnaini graciously offered the use of the Kitchen at Mugnaini Ovens, so we had three professional-sized wood-burning ovens to play with for our potluck before we got down to business. We confirmed and elected officers as needed; I continue as convivium leader, my husband George Fred (GF) is co-leader, Joe Braun is treasurer, and we talked Peggy McNutt into becoming secretary. We also drummed up an Education Committee, and discussed our hopes for educational outreach to local schools. I'll leave details for a separate missive from GF, the committee chair.

February was the time for Reds for the Heart, and winemaker's dinner with J.P. of River Run. We matched his wonderful wines with a four course feast, beginning with a terrine of blue cheese and candied walnuts matched with the Malbec, Muscovy duck legs (or exotic mushrooms) braised in red wine with the Duse Vineyard Zinfandel, and a salad with a red wine and citrus dressing with the Carignane rose. We ended with a divine selection of chocolate desserts brought by members and matched with J.P.'s wonderful Late-Harvest Zinfandel.

The olive oil tasting in March was led by Chris Banthien, who makes le Colline di Santa Cruz olive oil. We tasted an assortment of extra virgin California olive oils from small (and not-quite-so-small) producers, including McEvoy Traditional Blend from Northern Marin County; Lodestar, Olive Branch Ranch, Oroville; Le Colline di Santa Cruz, Watsonville; Stella Cadente, Boonville; Pietra Santa Primo, San Benito County; DaVero 2002 Dry Creek Estate, Healdsburg; and Willow Creek Pasolivo, Paso Robles. After the tasting, we enjoyed pot-luck tapas with Spanish-inspired cakes for dessert.

May brought the promise and gift of good weather, so we ventured outdoors again. Members Donna and Lee Bradford hosted a bring-a-filling taco party on their beautiful new patio overlooking the Pajaro Valley. Members brought wonderful home-cooked goodies to fill tortillas, and we found some more good Monterey County wines (the Hahn Meritage was a hit!).

As in the past, on June 8 a group of volunteers will gather to plan events through the end of the year. We'll let you know what we come up with, and we hope there will be something of Slow interest to everyone.