The Mystery of Decanting

I'll tell you a secret if you promise not to judge me. Decanting has always been a bit of a mystery to me. When, why, how it works...in the past I just nodded and smiled when someone brought a decanter out. I bet I'm not alone, so check out this short video with my friend -and enormous pool of wine knowledge- Vijay that set me straight. Note that as Vijay says, there is some debate in the wine community about when to decant and what to use. Alder Yarrow, one of the biggest wine bloggers out there throws his two cents into the ring here.

Facebook Chefs

I had an amazing day at Facebook with the chefs there. Chef Josef Desimone is incredibly gracious and I felt really inspired to be around someone who loves what he does so much. Big news is we're planning a wine dinner with the Facebook chefs if I get the Murphy Goode job!!

Murphy Goode Responds...

Love, love, love the Murphy Goode response to the Martin Sargent drama. Check it out here.

Final 50 for Murphy Goode!

I'm so thankful to be in the final 50 for the Murphy Goode Lifestyle Correspondent job! Here's why I think I'm the right person for the job (and I promise you this is the most you'll ever see me write in one post! I'm a video gal!):

This will not be an essay about Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Digg, VinCellar or the next new “it” social media tool that everyone will soon be using. While these are all critical tools to leverage in a dynamic marketplace, tools which harness a collaborative state of mind and a tech-oriented skill set that I have demonstrated, one’s ability to employ them successfully is not ultimately what differentiates merely goode candidates from the ideal Murphy Goode lifestyle correspondent. Successful social media comes down to the integration of three things – heart, quality content, and first-rate business experience – and I bring the rare combination of all three.

My passion for wine and food is essentially about the ways they foster connections among people. The memories that I have surrounding a shared meal or a memorable wine are precious to me; casual and special food and wine moments – Sunday night Pinot Noir and roast chicken with my friends, barrel tasting at Wente Vineyards, or hugging my grandfather in his kitchen – are when I feel most alive, most myself. This connection, a love affair really, between wine and food and the people in my life, has long fascinated me and shaped my social experiences, and I am now focused on integrating it with my professional goals. Much like face-to-face interactions, absent of heart, social media is insignificant. For a company like Murphy Goode, founded on tradition, family and fun, doing anything without sincere emotion would be unthinkable.

I have extensive experience with wine and food, beginning with a childhood spent in my grandparent’s restaurant, and later working at a winery, enrolling in food and wine classes, living all over the world, and savoring cooking, eating and drinking at every opportunity. This, combined with my contagious energy and drive for excellence, enables me to create high quality, compelling content like the video entry that ultimately led to my co-hosting a cooking show with Rocco DiSpirito out of thousands of entrants. My web content and links to other compelling sources I find make people laugh and want to share similar experiences, a key to effective social media.

Rather than following a direct path to my passion, I’ve had the opportunity to gather a set of diverse business experiences that are integral to achieving Murphy Goode’s goals. Heart and quality content alone may mean that Murphy Goode builds a buzz, but turning buzz into value for the organization requires a strategic perspective and a holistic marketing plan, of which social media is one component. My experience consulting Fortune 500 companies and receiving my MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business, home to many of the most important technological and social media innovations, puts me in a unique position. I have direct experience with what drives companies to create value as well as strong connections and a history of experience with social media. I believe merging these elements for Murphy Goode is absolutely essential, not to mention exciting.

I have achieved noteworthy educational and professional goals, but never before have I sought something professionally that engaged my true passion this way. If given the opportunity to work with Murphy Goode, I would bring not only the extensive business experience and penchant for quality content that I have developed and delivered elsewhere, but for this position I would also bring my heart. This opportunity to work in a position where I can combine all three is absolutely thrilling.

Food and Wine Pairings with the Sommelier at Absinthe

I had a great lunch at South Food and Wine with Aaron Wasserman, the sommelier at Absinthe the other day. There's no better way to spend an afternoon than 3.5 hours at lunch, great food and lots of wine talk (and drink!) I dare you to find a cuter, more fun sommelier in SF. Seriously, I dare you and then I want to meet him or her. If you've got a candidate post it in the comments!

Fresh Fava Beans - Nothing Better!

For me, there's nothing that speaks more to seasonal cooking than fresh fava beans. They are a little bit of a pain, but they're absolutely worth it. They're in season now, so go get them at your local farmer's market and try some of these great recipes. My friend Ana made a great fava bean crostini the other night that I'm still thinking about.

Spanish Tapas Night at Ana and Marcelo's

I've been trying to schedule my life less and it paid off as I was free Saturday night when Ana and Marcelo invited my friend Vijay and I over at the last minute for Spanish Tapas Night. Check out the Serrano Ham they just happened to have for the occasion! For more recipes that use Serrano Ham, check out my favorite food blog, Smitten Kitchen (the blog is as great as the name!)

Lobsters in Greenport Long Island

So I love to cook...but I don't love to cook lobsters...I had a big glass of Long Island Chardonnay after this...

Vote For Me For Murphy Goode!

This endorsement for my Murphy Goode candidacy for "A Really Goode Job" was filmed at 54 Mint, a lovely new Italian restaurant in SOMA. The pasta was modern but still hearty the way I like it, they were really helpful with the largely Italian wine list, and I got a hug from one of the owners as I left. Loved, loved it.

P.S. Can you name all the languages in the video?

Terroir - A Natural SF Wine Bar

Terroir is the best wine bar I've been to in SF, I think, because it's not like all the other wine bars. It's a combination of cozy and hip, something really hard to pull off, but they do it well. The cute owners (yes, all three of them are crushable) clearly love great wine, focusing only on all natural wines that really shine. I'm an admitted cheese snob and they didn't disappoint there either. There's something about the owner's passion, taste and attention to detail and quality that really makes this place special. If you live in SF and love wine, you're missing out if you haven't checked this place out yet.

I had my first oyster about two years ago and fell in love. I think they are perfect - raw, salty, tasty and they go perfectly with a variety of white wines, beers and crisp afternoons. I usually get my oysters at Hyde Street Seafood and Oyster House in SF, which has a killer happy hour special. And Marshall's Store, up in Pt Reyes is the perfect out of town spot for them.

Last week I was on Long Island with college friends though and we shucked some oysters from their neighbor's oyster farm! Some might say that I was so terrible at shucking that I don't deserve to eat them, but I'll beg for forgiveness and happily pay or plead to have them shucked for me. Does that make me an oyster amateur?

Some people have asked me why I focus on video blogging. For me, I communicate best and really come alive when connecting with other people real time. Video blogging, with the people, food and wine that make me happy and make me laugh makes me feel most myself.

I've got a few really fun videos coming up - oyster shucking on Long Island, a funny lobster dinner, chatting with the owner of a bio dynamic wine bar in SF and a day at Facebook hanging out in the kitchen with the chefs. Be sure to check them out!

Point Reyes Picnic

One of the reasons Northern California is so amazing. A few bottles of wine from Sonoma county, cheese from Cowgirl Creamery and chacuterie from Boccalone. We saddled up to The Marshall Store for oysters and a view and enjoyed the day. It doesn't get much better than this!

Last Night's Dinner: Random Turkey Mix

Random weeknight dinner: Ground turkey with onions, garlic, salt, pepper and ground cilantro. Add a can of black beans with the sauce, then top with a little bit of goat cheese, kalamata olives and fresh cilantro. Serve with white rice (my comfort food) and avocado. Pulled this one out of nowhere, so if you have suggestions be sure to comment!

My Mom's Empanadas! Part I

Learn how to make my mom’s empanadas from my mom! For the filling: onions, garlic, green peppers, ground beef, cheddar cheese and olives, in that order. Stay tuned for how to fill and cook the dough!

Greenport Produce

The north fork of Long Island is amazing - vineyards, oysters, amazing produce and a laid-back attitude that's not to miss.

Big Wine!

Had a big tempranillo from Spain the other night. Big wine needs big, rich food!

NY Italian Food - Straightforward and Delicious!

A "Love" Ostrich Egg

Check out my ostrich egg chatter with Caitlin from Love Farms. Who knew ostriches only lay about 12 eggs a year?!