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It has long been rumored that the few rows of vines at the entrance to Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville, Wash., were required so the winery could be called a "chateau."
PROSSER -- Construction is expected to start soon on the next phase of what backers say will be the state's premier educational and promotional center for Washington's wines and food products.
As the cool days of autumn arrive, Northwest cooks return to their kitchens to celebrate the season with regional favorites such as oysters and shellfish, pumpkins and root vegetables, rich meat and game dishes, cranberries and new-crop nuts.
Our abundant autumn feast begins with Oysters with Easy Aïoli, a recipe adapted from Short Cuts to Great Cuisine (The Crossing Press, $12.95). To begin, with the motor running, drop eight garlic cloves through the feed tube of a food processor. Add two eggs and one-quarter cup of fresh lemon juice and blend. Drizzle in one-and-one-half cups of good-quality extra virgin olive oil, drop by drop, until the sauce starts to thicken. Pour in the remaining oil in a thin stream. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Transfer to a small bowl, cover and chill.
Shuck 24 oysters and arrange on a serving platter along with the sauce. Pair the oysters with a well-chilled bottle of San Juan Vineyards 2007 Madeleine Angevine (Puget Sound, $17). This estate-grown sipper is the perfect oyster wine. Rife with green apple and citrus (grapefruit) aromas and flavors and welcome minerality, its resounding finish is crisp, dry and pleasantly astringent.
Our first course, Sherry Pumpkin Soup, comes from Mike Wallace, winemaker/owner of The Vintner's Inn and Hinzerling Winery, in Prosser, Wash.
To make the soup, melt one tablespoon of unsalted butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add one-half cup of finely chopped onions, one clove of minced garlic and one-half pound of white (button) mushrooms (sliced). Cook until softened, stirring occasionally, eight to 10 minutes. Stir in two tablespoons of all-purpose flour and one teaspoon of curry powder and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for one minute.
Gradually add two cups of chicken stock, whisking until smooth. Stir in two cups of cooked fresh pumpkin (pureed) or one (14-ounce) can pumpkin, one tablespoon honey and one-half cup of Hinzerling Cream Sherry. Season with freshly grated nutmeg.
Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Add two cups milk, stir and warm through. Pair the soup with Hinzerling Winery 2006 Semillon (Yakima Valley, $18). With several years of bottle age under its cap, this refreshing wine's aromas and flavors have evolved from peach and melon to an elegant Sherry-like character that contrasts nicely with the creaminess and spice in the soup.
Our autumn entree, Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Relish, comes from Chateau Ste. Michelle (CSM) culinary director John Sarich. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place two teaspoons each fennel seed and kosher salt, plus one teaspoon black peppercorns, in a spice grinder and pulse until finely ground. Pat one (one-pound) pork tenderloin evenly with the spices and allow to rest for 30 minutes. Roast until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, toss four large shallots and six cloves of garlic (unpeeled) with three tablespoons of olive oil and roast until very soft, about 40 minutes. In a saucepan, combine two cups of Merlot, one cup of dried cherries, one-half cup sugar, one-quarter teaspoon of ground cloves and a pinch of nutmeg. Bring to a boil, then simmer until most of the liquid has reduced. Transfer to a blender along with the roasted vegetables (peeled) and pulse until smooth. Cool. Slice the pork and serve with the cherry relish.
Chef Sarich suggests pairing the pork with CSM's 2006 Ethos Syrah (Columbia Valley, $28) or 2006 Artist Series Meritage (Columbia Valley, $48). Winemaker Bob Bertheau describes the Syrah as "a rich mouthful of jammy blackberry fruit with layers of complexity and depth." The Meritage, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and a touch of Petit Verdot, is "a complex wine with seamless tannins." Take your pick!
We conclude our abundant autumnal feast with the Holiday Tart from the Macrina Bakery & Cafe Cookbook (Sasquatch Books, 2003, $29.95) by Seattle pastry chef and Macrina owner Leslie Mackie. Begin by preheating the oven to 350°F. Spread one cup of chopped pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and toast 5 to 10 minutes, until golden brown. Cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
In a medium bowl, whisk together three eggs with two-thirds cup each light brown sugar and light corn syrup, plus four tablespoons of unsalted butter (melted and cooled to room temperature), one-half teaspoon salt, one tablespoon Brandy and two teaspoons freshly grated orange zest.
Position one pre-baked, 10-inch tart shell (such as the Flaky Pie Dough Tart Shell found in Mackie's book) on a rimmed baking sheet. Scatter the pecans and one-and-one-quarter cups of fresh cranberries in the tart shell, then pour in the custard mixture. Place the baking sheet on the center rack of the oven and bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then remove the sides of the pan.
Dust the tart with powdered sugar just before serving it with Bridgeview Vineyard & Winery 2007 Semi-Sparkling Muscat (Southern Oregon, $12), a semi-sweet spritzer that serves double duty as aperitif or dessert wine. Rife with tropical-fruit and sweet-blossom aromas and flavors, it's a winning way to celebrate autumn's arrival.
Braiden Rex-Johnson has been writing about Pacific Northwest food and wine for 18 years. She is the author of seven books, including Pacific Northwest Wining and Dining (Wiley, 2007). Read her blog, Northwest Notes, online at NorthwestWiningandDining.com or follow her on Twitter at BraidenRJ.
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