17 Oct Please The Palate October 2017 Newsletter

Summer has passed and here we are in the fall of 2017. Another year is flying by! At Please The Palate we are going nonstop with events and writing. I continue to enjoy writing a weekly column for the Napa Valley Register, as well as contribute regularly to California Winery Advisor, ATOD Magazine and Wine Industry Advisor I also recently became a contributor at Drizly.com. And of course, there is always the Please The Palate blog. As we enter the final quarter of the year, it is also the end of monthly dining outings to Curtis Stone’s Maude Restaurant. Since 2014, Maude has offered a monthly tasting menu featuring one seasonal ingredient. It has been a quest of mine to eat there (almost) every month and I enjoyed 37 meals out of 46! After four years, Maude is changing their format and will no longer change the menu every month. I am sad that they are changing but am eagerly anticipating the announcement of what they plan to do next. One thing I am looking forward over the coming months is a long-awaited culinary trip to Cuba! Follow along on Instagram! Upcoming Events Pioneers of Santa Barbara County Saturday, November 11, 2017 Solvang Veterens Hall, Solvang, CA The Pioneers of Santa Barbara County will be kicking off its’ inaugural tasting on Saturday, November, 11 2017 at the Solvang Veterans Hall. This focused tasting will feature 20 plus wineries (Foxen, Au Bon Climat, and Sanford, just to name a few) that have shaped the wine industry of Santa Barbara County. Taste not only the tried and true, but some of the newer projects of these pioneering winemakers. The event will be from 2-5pm with a champagne VIP after-party, offering participants the opportunity to mingle with winemakers and sip some palate-cleansing bubbles. Tickets for the tasting are $45 at the door or $38 in advance. Tickets for the VIP champagne after-party are $35.  For more information and tickets, visit pioneersofsantabarbaracounty.com. 2018 Zinfandel Experience Thursday, January 18 – Saturday, January 20, 2018 San Francisco, CA Dine, Learn, Enjoy and Taste with legends and emerging rock stars of Zinfandel. ZinEX is a three-day wine and culinary extravaganza attracting wine lovers from around the world. Experience the classic character of Zinfandel at four extraordinary events featuring a diverse selection of wines and styles. The weekend includes a Welcome Reception, Farm-to-Table dinner, Flights seminar, Winemakers Auction & Dinner, and Grand Tasting. ZinEX 2018 features access to winemaker celebrities at three impressive venues, showcasing the talents of winemakers, chefs, and artisanal food purveyors. For more information, visit www.zinfandel.org. Read the full October 2017 Newsletter.