Dave Matthews Band at the Shoreline

It has been a long time since I have been to the Shoreline in Mountain View for a big time rock & roll show. As I am fond of saying, "When you take a trip down memory lane, you usually end up in the ditch on fire". This was not quite that bad, but the Shoreline is not the same as it used to be. I am sure the reserved seats are still as good as ever, but the lawn has sunk to the point that you can not see the stage. I know this is true because after I filled out the "Customer Service Survey" that they sent me after the show, I received a very apologetic email from Shorelines manager. He told me that the "land fill" that Shoreline is built on has settled quite a bit in the last few years, and that they had installed big screen video systems to insure everyone would have an unobstructed view of the performance. To quote a lovely young lady who was standing next to me at the show, "if I wanted to watch TV I would have stayed home". I could not agree more. The other thing that blows my mind is that I got a customer service survey from a rock concert, I remember when good customer service at a rock concert was that nobody died (anybody remember the Who concert on my 18th birthday). Even with the poor view, the evening was great, the sights, sounds and smells of a big time rock and roll show are still mostly the same. The younger folks have added a few new twists, cell phones have replaced lighters as a way to applaud the band, and no one gets separated from their friends for very long, again thanks to cell phones. All in all I had a great time, Dave and the boys sounded great, the crowd was great, and everyone danced like no one was looking. The evening also made it very clear that I am not as hip as I once was, it was nice of the new cool kids to let us hang out with them for a while. If you are going to go to the Shoreline understand that the venue needs some work, also don't eat the food (take your own) or drink the wine (I advise switching to beer for the evening), pay for the VIP parking, and get reserved seats if you can. Here is a view from the cheap seats.

Momo's Andouille Gumbo

This is one of those recipes that I only fix when the girls are out of town. I am the only one who likes it around our house. With cool crisp fall evenings coming, its the perfect treat. The recipe is from Momo’s in San Francisco.

5 red bell peppers diced
5 green bell peppers diced
4 cups yellow onion diced
2 cups celery, diced
3 pounds okra, cut in small rings
2.5 pounds Andouille sausage
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch of thyme
3 cups chopped canned tomatoes
1 lbs butter
1 lbs flour
2 gallons chicken stock

Seasoning mixed from equal parts Cayenne, Paprika, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder and Oregano. I usually make up about a 1/4 to 1/3 of a cup of this. It really depends on how spicy you like it.

Melt butter, add flour and cook slowly until golden brown, it will look a lot like natural peanut butter.Sautee the Onions, celery, peppers and garlic in enough olive oil to keep them from sticking. Cook until everything is nice and soft.Add the sausage, okra, and cook for 5-7 minutes, add thymeAdd the stock, tomatoes, bring to a boil. Once boiling add the flour/butter mixture (roux) a tablespoon or so at a time. Stir it in good, this acts as a thickener. Keep doing this until it gets to a texture/thickness that you like. If you dump the whole thing in you may get a solid blob.Add the seasoning until if fits your taste, I tend to like things a bit on the spicy side. So add, stir, taste, repeat as required.Reduce the heat and simmer for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours. This is one of those things that gets better each time you re-warm it.

Loring Wine Company, 2004 Gary's Vineyard Pinot Noir

There are three things that make this wine quite unique. First, it doesn't have a cork, it has a screw top. Second, unlike other high end, small production Pinots you can actually find this one. Third, if you buy it and don't like it the Loring's will give you a free one next year. Each year when I get my allocation letter from Loring I am stunned to see the words, "If you have purchased a bad bottle of our wine, just let us know and we will send you a replacement. Do not worry about sending us the bottle back, we trust you". The screw top is a result of several years of cork problems that the Loring's have had. The wine is outstanding, a somewhat typical Gary's vineyard Pinot, rich, lush and as smooth as glass. The flavor is black cherry and plum. Good solid mouth feel, with a long smooth finish. And at one third the price of Kistler what else can I say. If you see it, buy it, you will love it.

Landmark Vineyards, 2004 Damaris Reserve Chardonnay

The 2004 Damaris Reserve is a blend of grapes from a number of different growers. The idea is to pick the best of the best and make a classic. They don't quite make the jump to "Classic" but they have produced a very lush offering. Creamy vanilla and oak are the primary flavors which are very forward. The texture is slightly viscous which gives it a very appealing feel in your mouth. You should drink this wine at very close to room temperature, if you get it too cold it gets bitter. This is a typical high end Sonoma chardonnay. It is not the best I have ever had, but If you have a few extra bucks go for it.