MISSING MY COMFORT FOOD IN NYC

Hi everyone, Martha here. I hope you are all just as excited for the return of fall just as much as I am! I know we’ve still had a couple of warm days, but it’s no denying that fall has arrived and so has my inspiration for writing up some new content.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with me and my place at The Wine Country,  I am The Wine Country’s Food Buyer and Gift Basket Designer. Last week was my first week back from my trip to New York City and, boy, did I come back with the same buzzing energy and inspiration you feel the minute you step onto that turf.

Upon arriving in Manhattan, I was a little jet-lagged and undergoing sensory overload that when dinner came around, I was overwhelmed by the various foods from many cultures because I’d only have five days to try to get to everything. Five days to try to get to everything in the Big Apple!

But after five days, I wasn’t craving apples, I was craving tacos and beans!

My partner and I stayed near Times Square and as we settled in and started looking around for the comfort food I was craving.  In doing so I realized how underrepresented Mexican Cuisine is in NYC.

My light bulb went “ARRIBA!” in Mariachi. Which in slang means, “Lets Goooo!” 

I knew once I got back home I would dive into our rich selection of Rancho Gordo beans and enjoy a plate of my favorite comfort food.  And while I was at it, I thought why not share these with our customers?  

So that's what I'll do!

Ladies and gentlemen, the next two Fridays, October 20 and 27 from 3 to 7 p.m., will be the debut of Frijole Fridays. I will get recipes from my family's cookbook and other authentic Mexican sources that revolve around beans. I also plan to feature special guest recipes that will highlight the creativity of the bean.  The star of the show, of course, will be our gourmet Rancho Gordo beans.

Through this journey I encourage you to get creative with Rancho Gordo beans. Maybe your recipe can be featured on our special guest portion of this journey. I will also be seeking the expertise of our Wine Specialists to pair each delicious bean-based meal with a wine best suitable to the palate and dish. I’ll be using the finest beans from Rancho Gordo from Napa, CA and ingredients found at The Wine Country. Anything used outside The Wine Country will be mentioned in the recipe.

For this month, I will have two Friday posts. This Friday I will be serving Frijoladas from noon to 7 p.m., a very simple dish that highlights the pinto bean. The following Friday we will follow a recipe created by one of our customers whom I’ll mention in that week's post.

The world of food has changed around me, and I want to thank The Wine Country for allowing me to explore my passion for food innovation. I'd also like to thank New York City for being the catalyst of what I’ll be calling my bean craze.

Welcome to Frijole Fridays, everyone.  Our journey awaits!