Winter Citrus Panna Cotta
January Recipe:
 
 
Cindy's Supper Club
This month:



Brassica Mediterranean Kitchen & Wine Bar 
Vintner Splash!
 
Jan. 7: El Molino 
Jan. 21: Hudson Vyds


 

Mustards Grill

Brassica's Eggplant Fries
Have you tried the Eggplant Fries at Brassica?
 
Napa Valley Winter January Getaway
 
Details here
 

Dear Friends, 

Happy New Year from all of us at Mustards, Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen, Brassica Mediterranean Kitchen & Wine Bar, and Cindy Pawlcyn Catering. We're expecting lots of excitement in 2012 - a Leap Year and the Year of the Dragon!

I had surgery on my thumb in December, a procedure I classify under "Chef Repair and Maintenance." While I'm temporarily out of service, my husband John has come up with a great solution: Take out. Pork chops from Mustards, duck burgers from Cindy's, Tunisian halibut from Brassica... I love savoring my favorites in the comfort of my own home. (Need a little TLC? Check the menus on our restaurant websites, call in your order and we'll get it ready to go.)

It's also the perfect time for me to do restaurant research (eating out) here and abroad on a trip to England and France. I'll let you know my findings, and don't be surprised if some tasty inspirations find their way into my menus.

            I hope 2012 is healthy, prosperous and joyful for you, your family and friends. I look forward to sharing the bounty with you throughout the seasons.

Cindy's signature

P.S. This month's recipe is John's favorite Panna Cotta. Enjoy!

So many of you have asked us to feature fresh oysters we couldn't resist. Our baker's half-dozen features seven gems on the half-shell with French mignonette or tangy citrus sauce for just $18. 
 
Pair your briny beauties with a half-bottle of Schramsberg Blanc de Blanc ($45 for the pairing). Or, with 75 wines available as 2 oz. pours, try a different wine with each oyster!
Celebrate Napa Valley Restaurant Month! Each of our restaurants is featuring 3-course menus for $31 through January. The menus are different at each restaurant and change daily, so plan to visit often. (Look for seasonal specialties featuring Meyer lemons and other delicious citrus.) 
 
Find out what's cookin' on our Facebook pages where the special menus are posted daily.
  • Restaurant critic Michael Bauer praised Brassica's "lusty food" saying it has a "backbone that goes well with the red wine that defines the [Napa] valley." He added, "few places do grilled fish better."
  • Brassica's Eggplant Fries are "a must," according to Bauer, who included the recipe in a later column. (Have you tried the fries?!)
  • Brassica's wine program was featured in another of Bauer's columns: "another brilliant idea." The restaurant's Saturday night Vintner Splash is "an experience not to be missed," he says.  
  • In November, he named Brassica's Tunisian Halibut one of his favorite dishes.
  • Meatloaf Lovers Unite! Paulo Lucchesi highlighted the Mighty Meatloaf at Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen in an article about 2012 food trends.

Thank you, Mr. Bauer and Mr. Lucchesi!

Whether you live in the 'hood or far, far away, everyone needs a wine country getaway now and then. We've partnered with some St. Helena friends to bring you a sweet deal for January. 
 
Imagine a deluxe king room in a boutique hotel (complete with fireplace, balcony and bottle of Cab), savings on a spa treatment and luxury fitness facilities next door, complimentary glass of wine and appetizer at Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen or Brassica Mediterranean Kitchen. Ahhh... Details here.
   Like us on FacebookFollow me on Facebook!         Previous Editions of CINDY'S KITCHEN            CONTACT ME