We Duck for Lloyd Cellars Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir!

Gastronaut Bob Blumer's Liberty Duck Breast
Jim Reichardt and daughter Jennifer of Sonoma County Poultry. Click the FeedPeopleDuck.com logo above to see a list of featured restaurants! (photo: radiomisfits.com)

In the fifth and final installment of our Blumer Recipe Series, we champion small ranchers like our friends at Liberty Duck

Throughout the United States, there are local ranchers and farmers whose specialty is raising ethically produced foods. Many of these folks had created such a demand for their quality products that they only had enough to sell exclusively to restaurants. Then the pandemic hit, and again the word for 2020 pivot became a necessity with these producers having to open up direct-to-consumer channels immediately. Not an easy task.

A great example of this is the San Francisco Bay Area’s Sonoma County Poultry, producers of Liberty Duck, some of the finest duck raised in the nation. Sonoma County Poultry was founded in 1992 by Jim Reichardt, a fourth-generation duck farmer, in response to chefs’ demands for a larger, meatier, more flavorful duck. Their Liberty Ducks are a strain of Pekin Duck that was developed in Denmark and is suited to a slower, less stressful style of rearing. Of note, the Reichardt family has been raising ducks since the early 1900s in the Bay Area.

Currently, in addition to supplying the finer Bay Area Restaurants with their fresh duck needs, Sonoma County Poultry ships Liberty Ducks directly to restaurants and individuals across the United States. In the western United States, shipping is accomplished economically by using Golden State Overnight. Further east, they use UPS Next Day Air Saver or Two Day Air service (source: libertyducks.com).

We have been extreme fans of Liberty Duck for decades, and can certainly remember the days when we could only taste it at our favorite Bay Area restaurants – direct ordering was about impossible. In celebration of Gastronaut and Author Bob Blumer’s new cookbook, Flavorbomb, he has paired his Pan-seared Liberty Duck Breast recipe below with our Lloyd Cellars 2017 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention that Jim Reichardt’s daughter, Jennifer Reichardt, has become an integral partner in Sonoma County Poultry over the years. She is also an accomplished winemaker and launched her own label in 2016, Raft Wines. She produces classic varietals such as Syrah, Grenache, and Sangiovese, yet more rare varieties for Califonia such as Primitivo and Grenache Blanc!

Check out Eatwild.com to find quality regional products throughout the United States and Canada!

Gastronaut Bob Blumer's Liberty Duck Breast

Pan-Seared Liberty Duck Breast

Duck has the texture of a fine cut of steak, but a flavor that is deeper and far more distinctive. That’s why it’s a perennial favorite of French chefs. Cooking a whole duck can be an unwieldy experience because of the thick layer of fat that insulates it. Fortunately for those of us whose kitchens don’t come equipped with six-burner stoves and an army of sous chefs, duck breasts deliver all the flavor without the fuss.
~ Pair with Lloyd Cellars 2017 Sta. Rita Hills Pinto Noir
Cook Time 20 days
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 2 People

Ingredients
  

  • 2 6 – 8-ounce Liberty boneless duck breasts
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper divided
  • 2 shallots diced finely
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 4 tablespoons black currant jam ideally unsweetened, black cherry, or similar preserve
  • 2 tablespoons Crème de Cassis

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and set out a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil
  • Use a paper towel to pat dry duck. Using a sharp knife, score four ¼-inch-deep cuts across the duck skin at a 45-degree angle. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper over the meat side of each duck breast.
  • Heat a heavy pan over high heat. When pan is hot, add duck breasts to the dry pan, skin side down, and cook for approximately 5 minutes, or until skin is brown and crispy. Flip and cook for 2 more minutes.
  • Remove pan from heat, reserve the drippings in pan, and transfer duck breasts, skin side up, to cookie sheet. Bake on the top rack of the oven for about 7 minutes for medium rare, or to your desired degree of doneness.
  • While duck is roasting, carefully discard all but two tablespoons of duck drippings from the pan. Return pan to medium heat and add shallot. Stir occasionally for 3 minutes, or until shallot begins to turn golden. Remove from heat, Add vinegar to the pan and stir with a wooden spoon to loosen up the browned bits left by the duck. Add jam, Cassis, and remaining teaspoon of black pepper. Return to heat and stir occasionally for 3 minutes. Reserve.
  • Remove duck from the oven, cover with aluminum foil, and let rest, for 5 minutes. Slice each breast at a 45-degree angle into ¼-inch-thick strips (properly cooked duck should resemble medium-rare steak). Arrange in a fanlike pattern on a warmed plate and spoon cassis compote overtop. Serve immediately.

Notes

Advance Work
Duck and sauce can be prepared an hour in advance. In this case, duck should be slightly undercooked and left uncut. Reheat in a 425°F oven for 3 – 4 minutes just before slicing and serving. Sauce should be rewarmed just before serving.
Liquidity
Lloyd Cellars 2017 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
Keyword Bob Blumer, Liberty Duck, Lloyd Cellars, Pinot Noir

Down to Earth – Blumer Mushroom Cupcakes Paired with Our Pinot!

Blumer's Mushroom Cupcake

We’ve certainly been having a lot much fun partnering with Gastronaut and Author Bob Blumer on his new cookbook, Flavorbomb! A few years back, we also teamed up for one of Blumer’s Surreal Dinners in the Napa Valley. On the menu were Blumer’s deceptive and delicious Lamb Cupcakes (recipe in Blumer’s previous cookbook, Glutton for Pleasure).

Considering Blumer was pairing his dishes with wines made by Rob Lloyd, a pescatarian, he pivoted. Our favorite Gastronaut came down to earth and made Rob a variation, Mushroom Cupcakes with Sweet Potato Icing, to pair with the Pinot Noir. As a call back to this tasty memory, Blumer has formalized the recipe as the fourth post in our five-part recipe series.

Pinot gets 91 Points from Wine Enthusiast

The artistry of Blumer’s dishes blew me away at that Surreal Dinner – and then I took a bite of his mushroom cupcake. I’ve been a fan ever since!

~ Winemaker Rob Lloyd

Purchase our Lloyd Cellars 2017 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

Blumer's Mushroom Cupcake

Mushroom Cupcakes with Sweet Potato Icing

Gastronaut Bob Blumer
These Pinot Noir-friendly mushroom cupcakes never fail to confuse and amuse.
~ Paired with Lloyd Cellars 2017 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 People

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Sweet potatoes aka yams
  • 4 Tablespoons butter divided
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 Cloves garlic minced
  • 3 Green onions trimmed and sliced finely
  • ½ pound Assorted mushrooms the more exotic the better, stemmed and cleaned of any dirt, then sliced
  • 1/4 Red bell pepper diced finely
  • 4 Sprigs fresh thyme stems discarded
  • 1 oz Brandy or cognac optional
  • ¼ cup Panko or bread crumbs
  • 1 Egg beaten
  • 1 Lemon for zesting
  • 2 ounces Goat’s cheese log form, crumbled
  • Salt and pepper To Taste
  • Vegetable oil spray
  • 4 Cupcake liners
  • 1 Muffin tin

Instructions
 

  • In a preheated 400F° oven, bake sweet potatoes for 1 hour. Reserve
  • In a sauté pan over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons butter and olive oil. When butter is bubbling, add garlic, green onions, mushrooms, bell pepper and thyme. Sauté for 10 minutes, or until mushrooms are well browned.
  • Add Cognac to pan, let sit for five seconds and then light a match to it. Flame should burn out after approximately 10 seconds. (Note: keep your distance. If you have a gas stove, be aware that spattering particles will likely cause the alcohol to ignite prematurely as soon as it is poured in the pan. And if you have big hair, keep it under wraps! If flame continues to burn, put it out by placing a lid on the pan).
  • Transfer contents to a bowl and let cool.
  • Add panko, egg, zest of the lemon, goat cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly with a fork.
  • TO FINISH & SERVE
  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Line a muffin tin with 4 foil or paper liners. Generously spray interior of liners with spray oil. Spoon mushroom mixture into liners. Gently press mixture down and flatten level with the top of the tin.
  • Just before putting mushroom cupcakes in the oven, spoon sweet potatoes out of their skin, transfer to a mixing bowl, cover with aluminum foil and place it over a pot of boiling water for 5 – 10 minutes. When potatoes are steaming hot, add 2 tablespoons butter and a pinch of salt. Blend thoroughly with a fork.
  • Bake cupcakes for 8 minutes, or until cakes are fully set, yet still moist. Remove cakes from tin immediately so that they do not continue to cook.
  • Use a piping bag with a star tip, or a table knife to ice the cupcakes with the sweet potato icing.

Notes

Uncommon Goods
Vegetable oil spray; cupcake liners; muffin tin (not uncommon, but crucial); piping bag with a star tip (ideal, but not necessary)
Advance Work
The mushroom mixture can be prepared earlier in the day, to the point that the cakes are ready to be baked. Bake and ice just before serving; Sweet potatoes can be made earlier in the day then reheated over a double boiler just before serving.
Liquidity
Lloyd Cellars Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
Keyword Bob Blumer, Lloyd Cellars, Mushrooms, Pinot Noir, Sweet Potatos, Vegetarian

We’re Celebrating 91 Point Pinot Noir Score from Wine Enthusiast w/New Blumer Recipe!

Gastronaut Bob Blumer’s Cream of Nostalgia Soup with Bacon & Grilled Cheese

Our recent 91 Point score from Wine Enthusiast for our 2017 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir truly warms our hearts during these chilly days. So it feels appropriate to celebrate the news with a heart-warming recipe from gastronaut and author Bob Blumer – the third installment of our blog series, as we raise a toast to his new cookbook, Flavorbomb!

Pinot gets 91 Points from Wine Enthusiast

Read installment one. Read installment two.

Pinot Noir is a classic holiday meal pairing as it’s so versatile the many holiday dishes that can land on one table. We also have a lot of nostalgic memories of sipping our Pinot Noir with family and friends during the holidays. This is why we thought a classic recipe like Blumer’s Cream of Nostalgia Soup with Bacon & Grilled Cheese was the perfect pairing to celebrate with.

CLICK HERE to order our 2017 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir or gift our Flavorbomb Your Holidays Collection!
Gastronaut Bob Blumer’s Cream of Nostalgia Soup with Bacon & Grilled Cheese

Cream of Nostalgia Soup with Bacon & Grilled Cheese

Gastronaut Bob Blumer
Few things in life that can compete with the nostalgia of cream of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. But if anything can, it’s this deeply satisfying, modern-day version. Add a grilled cheese sandwich with a complex, aromatic cheese and an extra crispy crust, and you will be flooded with memories of your youth—as channeled through the sophisticated tastes of your adult life. Cream of nostalgia soup with bacon
~ Pair with Lloyd Cellars 2017 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 6 People

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Head garlic
  • 12 Strips best-available bacon about ½ pound
  • 2 tablespoons Butter
  • 1 Small yellow onion diced
  • ½ Fennel bulb cored and chopped, or 3 celery stalks
  • 1 Carrot chopped
  • 3 tablespoons Flour
  • 1 – 28 ounce Can tomatoes whole or chopped
  • 5 cups Best-available chicken stock
  • 1 Bouquet garnis with 6 sprigs fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried thyme and 2 bay leaves, broken.
  • 2 teaspoons Harissa
  • Salt and pepper
  • ¼ – ½ cup Heavy cream optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat toaster oven or oven to 400°F.
  • Slice the pointy top off garlic to expose each of the cloves. Set on a piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil and wrap in the foil. Roast until cloves are lightly browned and tender, about 50 minutes. Reserve.
  • In a large pot, cook bacon until crispy. Remove bacon and all but roughly 1 tablespoon bacon fat. Reserve bacon.
  • To the pot, over medium-high heat, add butter, onion, fennel and carrot. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until vegetables start to brown. Add flour and stir constantly for 1 minute, allowing the flour to brown slightly (this thickens the soup in the same way that a roux is used to thicken gumbo). Add tomatoes along with all the juices, stock, 10 strips of bacon, and bouquet garnis.
    Simmer for 30 minutes.
    Let soup cool, remove bouquet garnis and squeeze out remaining juices back into the pot. Squeeze roasted garlic cloves directly into the pot and add harissa.
    Purée soup in a blender until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The soup is plenty rich and creamy as is, but if you really want to go for the gusto, finish with cream or drizzle a bit over top before serving.
    Serve in warmed soup bowls. Crumble remaining bacon over top.
    For the grilled cheese sandwich (per sandwich)
    2 slices sourdough loaf
    2 slices cave-aged Gruyere cheese, or any Gruyere, or emmental
    2 tablespoons mayonnaise
    Make a cheese sandwich, then spread the outside of each side with mayonnaise. Grill in a panini makeror a frying pan until well-browned and crispy.
Keyword Bacon, Bob Blumer, Grilled Cheese, Lloyd Cellars, Pinot Noir, Soup

Flavorbomb Your Holidays with Our Exclusive Gift Collection with Celeb Chef Bob Blumer!

Flavorbomb Your Holidays Collection
Our Flavorbomb Holiday Collection includes four wines with Blumer's new cookbook.
Our Flavorbomb Holiday Collection includes four wines with Blumer’s new cookbook. Read on…

From our family to yours, we hope you remain safe and healthy. Certainly, the holidays will be like nothing any of us have experienced before. During shelter-in-place, we’ve found ourselves cooking as a family more than ever. This is why we share a holiday gift collection that includes each of our four wines and the new cookbook, Flavorbomb by Gastronaut and Author Bob Blumer.

Blumer is also an eight-time Guinness World Record holder, creator and host of the television series Surreal Gourmet and Glutton for Punishment, and a producer and host of World’s Weirdest Restaurants. If you’re like us and not dining out like you used to, then this is the cookbook for you. It’s loaded with insider tips and recipes to achieve the widely addictive flavors served up by your favorite chefs and restaurants!

CLICK HERE to Order Your Flavorbomb Holiday Collection!

  • 1 bottle – 2018 Prescription Chardonnay, Clarksburg
  • 1 bottle – 2018 Prescription Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley (Inaugural release!)
  • 1 bottle – 2019 Lloyd Cellars Chardonnay, Carneros
  • 1 bottle – 2017 Lloyd Cellars Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills
  • 1 book – FlavorBomb by Bob Blumer

Exclusive Gift Package: $170 with shipping included!

(WINE CLUB MEMBER DISCOUNTS APPLY / CANNOT BE COMBINED WITH OTHER OFFERS)
Holiday shipping deadlines. NOTE: Due to Covid, UPS has no guarantees this year, so order early!
Shipping SelectionChristmas DeadlineNew Year’s Eve Deadline
GroundDecember 16December 21
2-Day AirDecember 20December 23
Next Day AirDecember 21December 28

Or Visit Our Online Store to Stock Up on Your Favorite Wines for the Holidays!