Wow, don't blink, there goes 2013!  Last year passed quickly but we have lots of news for you to begin the New Year.

I want to introduce Jim Leiken, our new Executive Chef at Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen. Jim just moved to the Napa Valley after working for several years for Daniel Boulud. Most recently he was the Executive Chef at Café Boulud in Palm Beach, Florida, and before that at DBGB Kitchen and Bar in New York City. Jim has worked with Floyd Cardoz at Tabla and Michael Anthony of Gramercy Tavern, in addition to Chef Boulud.

Born and raised in New York, Jim says, "you can have the best products and the best cooks, but if you don't have a well-trained palate and understand why some things work together and why some don't, as well as a firm grasp of culinary tradition, it would be impossible to move forward."

Please join me in welcoming Jim and his family to the Napa Valley. I am thrilled to have him join our restaurant team.  We are already working on some exciting new ideas for 2014.

My weekly Supper Club at Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen is evolving! For example, this month we will be getting a pig from Northern California's Stone Valley Farm and cooking from the whole beast. Expect patés, sausage, crispy pork croutons, pork chops, and tenderloins. Vegetarians and others need not worry as we will include foraged wild food and seasonal garden delights in addition to our regular menu. Check out the Supper Club page on our website and our Facebook postings for what's being served each week.

Jim and I are so excited to feature our relationships with small local farmers, ranchers and growers, our sources for the very best in products and ingredients.  Each month we will feature pork, lamb or fowl in appetizers, salads, and main courses to introduce you to some of the artisanal producers we love working with. We continue to support locally raised, healthy animal and game production.

For January, Mustards Pour-Off Pair-Off (Thursdays) is celebrating slow foods and feisty wines. Chef Michael and I had a blast searching for new recipes in my library. Lisa our lead baker and I offer daily dessert specials to complement the menu.

At Wood Grill, Cesar Flores, our dining room manager and wine buyer, is reshaping the wine program. We are very excited for you to try it.

January is Napa Valley Restaurant Month. All 3 restaurants will feature set-price menus to delight your inner culinary adventurer. Check our Facebook pages for daily offerings and come visit.

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