【納帕谷】世外桃源- FARM The Carneros Inn

我常常被問同樣的問題，你不喝酒，你一天到晚跑Napa valley幹嗎？誰說一定要喝酒才能去呢，要知道西岸兩家拿到米其林3顆星的餐廳都藏在Napa valley, 此外這個地區臥虎藏龍的頂級resort 加好餐廳不計其數，周末的農夫市場更常常可以買到一般market 買不到的新鮮蔬菜，連wholefood market 都是灣區最大，東西也最齊全的，Napa valley像一塊吸鐵石一樣，惹得我們動不動就跑過去，只是就像10個紐約人中9個都沒有去過帝國大廈一樣，許多灣區的朋友竟然住了10幾年沒有來過Napa 的也為數不少，其实，何必要大費周折去歐洲呢，原來度假天堂就在咫尺之際.

母親節的前一晚我們造訪的FARM 簡直就是世外桃源，農莊感覺的餐廳被花草果樹包围在占地27英畝的The  Carneros  Inn 內，周圍是一望無際的葡萄園，遼闊開朗，餐廳內有挑高的天窗，我們到的那刻陽光正西斜灑落入餐廳，映得開心果綠的墻壁格外柔和， 延續的原木地板，雪白的餐布，配上深咖啡色的皮餐椅，簡約摩登，頭上的橘紅色長圓形的吊燈是唯一的亮色，餐廳和廚房有一排白色窗戶相隔，可以清楚看到廚房裏的忙碌。

餐廳提供的 是 Napa Cuisine ，我們挑選了Farm Tasting Menu，並且在 第三和第四道之間加添了 一道 他們出名的 Carnaroli Risotto ，從而我們今晚會吃到 8道料理，實在是令人期待。

 

一個晚上3個半小時 8道接近完美的料理終於在最後的甜點後畫下句號，為什麼是接近完美呢， 因為主廚Andrew Budnyj 的功力真的讓我們折服，他在服務FARM 之前曾經在舊金山著名的海鮮餐廳 Aqua和 Michael Mina 共事， 這也就很容易解釋為什麼當晚所有的海鮮料理都完美的呈現， 但是2道肉的料理反而讓人失望 ，但是總體來說 FARM的水準已是上上之選， 特別是一流的服務讓人舒服不拘謹， 我們要求加的 Butter在不知覺的情況下出現在桌子上， 完全沒有打擾到我們一點點， 菜出的慢了一些馬上有專人過來打招呼， 我們加點的Carnaroli  Risotto第一次上來的時候偏咸， 我們的waitress 馬上道歉並替換了新的一盤給我們，這種種的一切都會讓我們期待下一次的拜訪 。

離開的時候夜涼如水， 暗藍的天空中一道細細的月牙，教人讚歎如此良辰美景， 多幾次也無妨.

FARM at The Carneros Inn
The Carneros Inn
4048 Sonoma Hwy
Napa, CA 94559
(707) 299-4880
thecarnerosinn.com 

{米其林二星Manresa + 世界最佳餐廳Noma合作的饕宴} Los Gatos, CA

Clock is ticking , the wait will soon be over as the list of the World's 50 Best Restaurants 2012 is announced on the evening of April 30th, I am putting all my bet on Noma , as I had this very rare opportunity to experience a taste of the new Nordic cuisine, and to meet the chef who is receiving international acclaim for helping to invent it, on top of it, it was a join cooking with one of my favoriate chef, David Kinch , at his Los Gatos restaurant : Manresa

Manresa Restaurant
320 Village Ln
Los Gatos, CA 95030
(408) 354-4330
manresarestaurant.com

【私房料理】French Macarons

I never saw or tasted French macarons until my first trip to Paris and I remember seeing colorful pyramids in many patisserie windows. My 1st macaron was from the pionner of Macaron : Pierre Herme, as you can forgive me , from that day, high standard was set .

As much as I love these delicate tiny things, what I love the most is how temperamental they are. Yes, temperamental. It is almost like they are testing my baking and science skills. They are challenging and intimidating if you have never made them before. This is also one of those recipes that you cannot just read about, you really have to look at your ingredients, the humidity in your kitchen, your oven… many factors involved here. One success may follow by a failure next, yes, it’s also testing my patient indeed . more like French phrase: C’est la vie

I was naive enough to think that I can save money by making my own macaron, again I was wrong, the investment of tools, ingredients, time… is just the beginging of a path I cannot turn around …. Do I regret ? Never ! The joy it has brought to me is priceless…