Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen  

Mustards Grill
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Dear Friends,

 

Did you know...last year Americans ate over 4 billion tacos?  Saturday, October 4 is National Taco Day and we're excited to celebrate the dish at each of our restaurants.  Mustards is featuring Crispy Passmore Ranch Catfish tacos; Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen is serving tacos made with delicious California Halibut and Tikka Masala with crispy papadum, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium will be showcasing True Cod tacos.

 

Now is a great time to visit; October is just so full of energy in the Napa Valley.  The winemakers are finishing harvest with much anticipation of another successful vintage.  It's like the opening of a new restaurant every year for them!

 

I love this season with the aroma of fermenting wine, beautiful white clouds, and bright skies.  Fall brings to mind some of my favorite flavors; pumpkin pie, pears, pecorino and dishes like fall squash risotto. For the recipe this month, I offer a variation of my Mom's baked apples with cinnamon, sugar and butter. A perfect dessert for this time of year, an Apple-Pecan Crumble Cake. The cake is wonderful as a dessert with a cup of tea or coffee, or a glass of Prager port. Leftovers make for a yummy breakfast.

 

At Mustards Grill for Thursday Pair-Off Pour-Off, we feature "Pumpkins, Pumpkins, Pumpkins" using recipes from around the world. Nick, our gardener is growing wart-like green pumpkins with the most delicious flesh. Look for East Craftsbury pumpkin soup with bacon and mozzarella, grilled salmon with pumpkin and tomato curry, and brown butter pumpkin pie.

 

For the fall menu, Michael added a Paradigm quail appetizer made with Paradigm Winery Muscat grapes. There is a new smoked duck with fall fruit chutney, and a Sonoma rabbit with Pinot Noir braise, and more. Check out the menu!

 

At Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen, Jim will be all about lamb for the monthly Whole Beast Cooking series. Among the dishes to be added will be a lamb tagine with dried fruits and couscous, Hog Island mussels with Pernod and wood oven tomatoes with grilled focaccia, and a Petrale sole al Papillote.

 

For those of you who missed it, Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen has waived the corkage fee for locals on the first two bottles of wine, per reservation.  So, break out those special bottles from your cellar, choose from our extensive list, or both.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium was voted the #1 Aquarium in the world on Trip Advisor. I wonder what that says about Cindy's Waterfront at the Aquarium? Where else can you dine with a front row seat watching the humpback whales in the bay?  It's truly incredible.

 

It's that time of year to start thinking about the holidays. Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen has two private rooms that are perfect for your end-of-year holiday celebrations.  Remember that Cindy's and Mustards are available to book exclusively for your event.  Contact Christine at 707-536-6606 to reserve the date for your friends, family or company soiree.

 

See you soon!

 

 
  

 

 

 Cindy Pawlcyn Napa Valley
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