rolling hills around the RANCH
When planning these teaching trips, I start more then 6 months out to try to schedule teaching at schools and then fit in some other things to do. Now that I have my book out, I can also speak at events, do book-signing which is also really fun.
Through Facebook, I re-connected with a chef I worked with when I was a pastry chef at the Stanford Court Hotel in San Francisco. He asked me to come and do a book-signing at one of George Lucas’ Ranches for the staff lunch, they would cook from my book and I would be a guest. GREAT- he picked April 19th as the date, my birthday, but heck— why not?
I then planned to over night with one of my best friends in Sebastapol- fun all the way around.
I was told where to go and that my name would be with the guys at the gate to be let in. I arrived and no one knew I was coming. They were expecting me Wednesday! OOPS!
Somewhere along the line in the planning I assumed we were still talking about the same day.
No big deal- I took my extra time and headed over to Sonoma first to meet Ash of BRAM, the fabulous clay pot shop.
They are promoting my event with Rancho Gordo on May 1, I am the last of the four women chosen for the GREAT WOMEN OF THE KITCHEN SERIES.The selection of clay pots at BRAM is fabulous- I adore cooking in clay and always buy pots where ever I go.
Paula Wolfert is going to be at Rancho Gordo this Saturday with her new book on Cooking in Clay from her 40 years of traveling and collecting clay pots. She is the Grande Dame of Clay!
I am so looking forward to cooking with my beans from Rancho Gordo for the event!!!
Just like being home in Tuscany, where the Florentines are called Mangia-Fagioli; bean-eaters!
So I headed over to Napa to the New Rancho Gordo shop to pick up my beans so I can prep for the May 1 event when I get back from teaching in Eugene, Oregon.
Steve has an incredible selection of fabulous beans and also clay pots, some great herbs and salt!
And don’t forget Steve’s cookbook for beans on sale at the shop too-