Holiday Traditions

We asked Firehouse staff, “What is your favorite holiday tradition?”  Here are some of the responses we received.

Duncan (special events server) ~ The family football game every Thanksgiving.  Everybody plays … there is no quitting in the Adams’ family.

Cody (special events server/host) ~ Crab legs on New Year’s Eve.  Everyone has at it!  They are delicious and great to be enjoyed with the entire family.

Gita (special events lead server) ~ On Christmas Eve, we all have to recite a favorite poem before we open gifts.  It is memorable since we all take the time to find the perfect traditional poem each year.

Kevin Bowes (cook) ~ Holidays with Beringer White Zinfandel.  As kids, my family would prepare roast pork and drink white zinfandel.  Even now, my sister sends me a small bottle of white zinfandel for the holidays.

Oscar (dishwasher/prep) ~ Christmas with my family.  Everyone gets together and shares in the memorable times.

Jill (pastry cook) ~ Making doughnuts with my mom for Hanukkah.

Stacy (special events server/lunch server) ~ Reading Night Before Christmas each Christmas with the entire family.

Richard (bartender) ~ One of my sons and I are both in the restaurant business, so it is difficult to get the family together for the holidays.  We celebrate Christmas together, just sometimes on a different day than the holiday.  The best times are celebrated with my family.

Shane (special events lead server) ~ Cooking and being “merry” with the family on the holidays.

Megan (director of operations) ~ Every Christmas, we prepare a roasted rack of lamb and a traditional Bouche de Noel cake.  As an Irish family, there is an abundance of Irish Mist as well.

Tycee (host) ~ We used to go to Lake Tahoe every year for Christmas.  It was a family tradition and a winter wonderland.

Laura (Special Events Director) ~ My mom buys 10 pounds of Tiger Prawns every year for Christmas and cooks them up, throws them on top of newspaper on the dining table, and we all dive in to peal and eat shrimp until we cannot eat any more.

Owen (dining room manager) ~ Christmas “crackers.”  You know those little wrapped items that pop when you break them open and there is a little prize inside.

Brian Mayer (bartender) ~ Christmas Eve with the family, especially as a child.  Many appetizers and Santa.  Opening up all the gifts with the children.

 Happy Holidays!

The Best Champagne in the World is here…..

Recently Armand de Brignac Brut Gold “Ace of Spades” was voted as the best Champagne in the World by a panel of Sommeliers in a blind tasting with 1000 others. We have a commitment to bring the best wines to you here at The Firehouse and these have arrived in time for the Holidays. Now through New Years we will be pouring this hard to find beauty by the glass and a special price by the bottle. Made by the Cattier Family in Reims in the Champagne region in France, this Prestige Cuvée has chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier vinted in the traditional method. So if you are visiting The Firehouse this Holiday season, ask for Mario or Paul for a peek at the shiny gold bottle. Maybe a glass or two?

The Foothills Wine Tasting on Tuesday

Happy Holidays. This Tuesday we will explore a few more wines from our neighbors towards the Hills. Zinfandel is often associated as “The King” out there , but there are other gems that are always taking the back seat. We will try four outstanding wines I have hiding in our cellars including barbera, viognier, black muscat, and a syrah that the Screaming Eagle winemakers have under their own label that is the best kept secret out there. I hope to see some new friends and “classmates” around 5:30 on Tuesday and I promise that you will go into the family holiday gatherings telling stories of what we tasted on Tuesday.

$10, 4 wines, lots of knowledge. -p

Christmas Eve Specials

Firehouse Chef Deneb has created some specials to serve on Christmas Eve.  Bon Appétit! 

Smoked Duck
house cured and cold smoked over hickory wood
duck confit–melted leek bread pudding
dried cranberry demi-glacé
$16
~~~~~~~~

Gorganzola-Stuffed Pear Salad
mulled wine-poached pear-blue cheese mousseline
hearty greens and toasted-hazelnut vinaigrette
$12
~~~~~~~~

Cervena Osso Buco
slowly braised venison shank, gingersnap demi-glacé
caramelized leek–bacon mashed potatoes
roasted garlic-winter squash purée
$36
~~~~~~~~

Wood-Roasted New Zealand Sea Bass
pan seared then oven roasted on cedar planks
chèvre-tarragon polenta and seasonal vegetables
Provençal tomato-beurre fondue
$32
~~~~~~~~

Stuffed Acorn Squash
roasted root vegetables and fresh herbs
saffron couscous with fried chickpeas
sheep’s milk feta-carrot kohlrabi purée
$22
~~~~~~~~

Tres Leches Buttercream Torte
dried fruit compote and candied hazelnuts
honey-mascarpone cream sauce
$8.50

ZD Winery on the Silverado Trail and the Firehouse Somms

"Can we knock that out in twenty?" Hmmmnnnn....

ZD History

ZD was started in 1969 as a part time business making Chardonnay and Pinot Noir by a few Rocket Scientists. Literally.  40 years later Brian and I visited to learn more of the history and nuances of the wines. Emily gave us a great tour and better understanding of what the original owner Norm had in mind and how it came to fruition. Small production wines done meticulously with care and passion. The winemaker Chris Pisani was awesome to talk to about the wines as well as a “Mario” story from the past. We have the Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Abacus, and a small budding vertical of the great Cabernet Sauvignon here at the Firehouse. Along with those, a great story and history to tell now. Here are a few more pics and the link for ZD. Great wine.http://www.zdwines.com/main.php

Paul and Brian in the barrel room at ZD

 

 

Banfi Wine Dinner Friday Night at 6:30

There is still a few seats left for the Wine Dinner with Castello Banfi on Friday night. Treat yourself to a great night before the ghouls and goblins show up on Saturday night for Halloween! Here is a look at the pairings. Hope to see a few new faces. Rsvp to Paul-  pmarsh@firehouseoldsac.com or call 916-442-4772 Castello Banfi Wine Dinner

October 30, 2009

 

~First Course~

Aperitivo

Roasted garlic-eggplant bruschetta

Fegato grasso crocchettas with fig syrup

Grilled pancetta-wrapped lamb sausage

Maschio Prosecco Brut

 

~Second Course~

Insalata

roasted beets with quick-pickled apples and watercress

ricotta salata, pistachios and pomegranate vinaigrette

San Angelo Pinot Grigio 2007

 

~Third Course~

Dungeness Crab “Lasagna”

artisanal ricotta, fresh herbs and spinach

roasted sweet pepper-lemon cream

Centine Bianco 2008

 

~Entremets~

Pomegranate-Ginger Sorbetto

 

~Fourth Course~

Tuscan-Braised Rabbit

whole-grain mustard, roasted garlic and San Marzano tomatoes

wild mushroom, white corn and mascarpone polenta

 BelnerO 2005

 

~Fifth Course~

Balsamic-Roasted Filet Mignon

marinated in garlic, citrus and aged balsamic, slow roasted then hand carved

house-cured pork belly, cavolo nero and spicy potato hash

 ExcelsuS 2003

 

~Sixth Course~

Dark Cherry-Almond Torte

chocolate mousse and brandied cherry torte

dark chocolate gelato and florentine tuile

 Banfi Rosa Regale 2008

 

~Seventh Course~

Artisanal Cheeses

served in the wine cellar

Sartori Amarone 2005

 

$145 per person

 

Deneb Williams ~ Executive Chef	Paul Marsh ~ Sommelier
Mark Pettyjohn ~ Chef de Cuisine	Brian Mayer ~ Sommelier
Mario Ortiz ~ Wine Director and Sommelier

 

As a courtesy to other guests, please turn off electronic devices.

Price includes wine pairings, but does not include tax and gratuity.

Gratuity of 20% will be added to parties of eight or more.

Tuesday’s Wine Tasting brings you Santa Barbara

This Tuesday we will have 4 great wines from Santa Barbara. Rhone Style white blend and Chardonnay will lead into two great reds from some “Big Boys” in that area. Hope to see you there. -p

Tasting Tuesday Lines Up with…

Today around 5:30 we will have 4 wines to play with from Italy and Greece. A savatiano from Greece to start things off and then to Italy. We will do a Valpolicella,  a Sicilian blend, and finish off with a Super Tuscan from Gaja. As always, only ten bucks and four very cool wines.  -P

Harvest Hits Napa

I had the distinct pleasure of visiting a few wineries on Monday and noticed a bit of running around by everyone at the wineries.  Harvest! This is the best time to visit Napa. Grapes being clipped, trucked, crushed, all hands on deck! Oh, did I mention the push to get ahead of our first BIG rain in Cali?

Merlot from the Stagecoach Vineyard at Miner FamilyMe and Jaime from Miner Family Winery

 

 I stopped into Minery Family Winery on the Silverado Trail to check out some new releases and they were in full harvest mode as well. Luckily Jaime took time out to give tour of the facility and the incoming fruit for this years wines. Great tour and wines. The Oracle was incredible. It is the Bordeaux blend and flagship wine. They are also doing a great Tempranillo from the Sierra Foothills, and the Wild Yeast Chardonnay was a showstopper! Great staff and wines here, if you are out on the trail, stop by and see them.  info at minerwines.com

Next stop was Nickel & Nickel. Single varietal wines from single vineyards that show off what the terrior can give to the fruit. 100% solar powered. 100% hand sorted berries, not bunches. 110% rockin’ wines. Even though they too were in full harvest mode, they made us feel like family. We tried the 2006 Darrien Vineyard RRV Syrah (btg here at the FH!), 2006 Sullenger Cab from the Estate, 2006 Vogt Cab from Howell Mountain, and the 2006 CC Ranch Cab which is off of the Silverado Trail in Rutherford. It was my first crack at the ‘06 Cabs and they seem to be a little more well rounded than the ’05’s. Exciting to see and wait until they arrive at the Firehouse.

Hand sorting at Nickel & Nickel Harvest ‘09

Next up was Far Niente. My first visit as well. Mario has told me of the beauty and history there, but what I experienced there was way beyond what I expected. Full tilt into harvest as well before the rains hit, they winery and vineyards were buzzing. 2007 Far Niente Chardonnay, 2006 Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon, and the 2005 Dolce were all exquisite. The tour of the caves and the car collection was an incredible time as well. see the cars at farniente.com

The Caves at Far niente

Lastly, the final hurrah was meeting up with Jessica Palmaz and doing the tour of Palmaz Vineyards. Hi tech, incredible gravity flow winery that covers about the same height as an 18 story building. Did I mention underground? Too cool for words. We tasted the wines that Jessica had prepared for us and my favorite was in the mix. The 2005 Palmaz Gaston Cabernet Sauvignon. Liquid velvet. Music played, birds sang, and I melted. This is one of the top Cabs that I have ever tasted. If you can find this wine, treasure it. more at palmazvineyards.com

Modus Operandi Wine Dinner Rocks

Friday Sept 25.-

24 Guests were entertained and and delighted by winemaker Jason Moore with his Modus Operandi wines. The seven course dinner was a great adventure paired with his wines. This was also a first look for us on the new vintages. The 2008 Sauvignon Blanc was paired withe a Dungeoness Crab Croquette, 2008 Vicarious Rosé danced on the table with a Smoked Duck Salad highlighted with Chef Williams’ Huckleberry vinagrette. The 2007 Vicarious Red went side by side with Pacific Swordfish prepared to perfection. The 2006 Modus Operandi Cabernet Sauvignon was delightful with the local lamb as the main course. My personal favorite of the night was the Petite Sirah that Jason and Rob brought along. This limited production wine is by far the best “Pet” I have had in a loooong time. Powerful on the nose and on the pallate with great tannin, balance, fruit, earth, spice, and on and on I can go about this wine. It is awesome.  Small, Boutique and on the rise and radar of the big wine guys out there, the guys and Jason at Modus Operandi are ones to watch.

 

moduswines.com

Modus Operandi 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon

The Cellar awaits 24 for an adventure