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The Chef’s Spring Break; A few days of Adventure, R & D in the Golden State

The Chef’s Spring Break; A few days of Adventure, R & D in the Golden State

We recently took a few days to see what was happening with our neighbors in California. A shoestring budget got us deserted campsites, hikes, free museums, gardens, parks, a movie (about food), history lessons and a full force burger tour in LA. In between we…

The Tomahawk

The Tomahawk

We talked to our butcher about cutting some big steaks for us. Asked to create a menu to pair with an iconic Napa Valley Cabernet, we met the challenge by offering a dry-aged, prime beef bone-in ribeye steak for 4 grilled over mesquite wood. The…

The Winners Circle

The Winners Circle

We were extremely pleased to prepare hors d’oeuvre and dinner for a small group of wine aficionados in early March ’16 at Winner’s Circle at Vine Hill Ranch. The house and grounds are stunning and the views are a great example of what makes people from all over the world want to come and visit Sonoma County, Ca. What an incredible place to hire Bay Laurel Culinary as your private chef outfit to come and create a unique, multi-course food and wine experience after a day of exploring the Russian River Valley.

Winner’s Circle at Vine Hill Ranch sits on 60 private acres in the midst of Wine Country. This hilltop estate provides 360 degree panoramic views of vineyards, woods, mountains, and the Russian River Valley.

The Winner's Circle with Sun Setting in Background
The Winner’s Circle with Sun Setting in Background

We make a concerted effort to keep the BLC Machine out of site wherever we work and our staff is trained to make the load-in and load-out as quiet and efficient as possible.

The BLC Machine out back with Pruned Sycamores
The BLC Machine out back with Pruned Sycamores

Look beyond the owl box. The view looking north-east at sunset bathes the vineyard, the Mayacama Mountains and Mt. St. Helena in gorgeous light bringing out the vivid green, rust and blue hues that can only be fully appreciated from Western Sonoma County. To be surrounded by such beauty is what inspires us and we hope that we pass along those feelings to our clients though our work.

Mt. St. Helena from the Winner's Circle at Vine Hill Ranch
Mt. St. Helena from the Winner’s Circle at Vine Hill Ranch

One of our classic hors d’oeuvre that we constantly change to match the seasons is our deviled egg. Here we added rich Cowgirl Creamery Fromage Blanc and sweet and sour pickled mustard seeds to play off one another with beautiful fava bean blossoms we grabbed from the vineyard to garnish.

BLC Deviled Eggs with Fromage Blanc, Pickled Mustard Seeds & Fava Flowers
BLC Deviled Eggs with Fromage Blanc, Pickled Mustard Seeds & Fava Flowers

Cast iron roasted butternut squash sits atop creme fraiche in an endive spear for a new take on a classic. Sweet, savory, crunchy and refreshing; this bite had a surprising finish of young green basil sprouts and toasted sesame seeds.

Warm Winter Squash & Sesame Salad with Endive, Creme Fraiche & Micro Basil
Warm Winter Squash & Sesame Salad with Endive, Creme Fraiche & Micro Basil

Twilight appears in the vineyards at Vine Hill Ranch, a Sonoma-Cutrer Property.

Sonoma-Cutrer at Vine Hill Ranch
Sonoma-Cutrer at Vine Hill Ranch
A couple of Cabernet Pairings

A couple of Cabernet Pairings

No better time to pull out that stash of Cabernet Sauvignon than mid-winter. The days are chilly and short, the nights can be perfect with a warm fire and a culinary spread of braised meats and potatoes, mineral rich greens and savory mushrooms. Here are a…

New Bay Laurel Kitchen Under Construction 

New Bay Laurel Kitchen Under Construction 

Please excuse our dust but we wanted to share the exciting news that we will be moving into our new digs sometime in February 2016. Stay tuned for more details ……