Dave Matthews Band at Outside Lands Festival August 29th

August 29th at Golden Gate Park.
Get your tickets at http://sfoutsidelands.com

Here is the lineup for the day.

Dave Matthews Band
Black Eyed Peas
The Mars Volta
Jason Mraz
TV on the Radio
Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band
Mastodon
Raphael Saadiq
Os Mutantes
Street Sweeper Social Club
JJ Grey & Mofro
Deerhunter
Lila Downs
Zion I
Bat For Lashes
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
Groundation
Dengue Fever
The Dirtbombs
Portugal. The Man
Ryan Bingham
Extra Golden
Infantree

Back from the break !!!!

Thanks to all of you have emailed or asked what happend to the blog. I was suffering from a lack in insporation, and lack of good wines, and recipes to write about. I have a bunch of new ideas, and new things to write about now. As always many thanks to the Alpha and Beta testers.

Todd K.

1997 Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

In a few words "This is the mother of all nineties Cabs". I stole this line from the wine maker Bo Barret (see the movie Bottle Shock if you don't know who he is). It is big, bold, nice mouth feel, lots of fruit, long lingering finish. Of all the 1997 cabs I have, and have tasted this is my favorite to date. The perfect pairing is grilled pineapple and foie gras.

Grilled Pineapple

This is good with most anything, it is a hit around our house.

Core, peel, and slice a ripe pineapple into half inch slices. In a 9x13 glass baking dish add 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 cup of dark rum, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and 2 table spoons of cinnamon. Stir until mostly dissolved. Marinade the pineapple slices for 30 minutes to one hour. Throw them on the grill at medium head (~350) for about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Happy Holidays From Us To You

Lisa, Alexa and I would like to wish you, your family, and friends a happy, healthy, peaceful and prosperous holiday season.

Dave Koz Christmas Tour

If you are long time reader of the blog you know Lisa and I are big fans of Dave Koz, he is doing a short christmas tour this year to support a his new CD of original music and jazzed up christmas standards. For those of us who are not big on christmas music Dave's interpretation of the standards will change your mind. If you like up beat jazz, you owe it to yourself to check him out.

12/12 Oakland, Paramount Theatre
12/13 Los Angeles, Wilshire Theatre
12/16 Santa Rosa, Fargo Center
12/17 Mesa, AZ , Mesa Arts Center/Ikeda Theater
12/18 Santa Ynez, Chumash Casino
12/i9 & 12/20 Cerritos, Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts

Todd's Cosmopolitan

To do this really right you need some wedge martini glasses that you place in the freezer for a couple of hours prior to making the cocktail.

1.0 part Grey Goose L'Orange Vodka
0.5 part Cointreau
0.5 part Fresh Lime Juice
1.0 part Cranberry Juice

Shake the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice, then carefully pour into a martini glass. What you have is a very colorful and tasty cocktail.