Spiceology Tosses in the Pink Peppercorns while California Wine Festivals Invite Influencers to SoCal Coastal Tastings
ApexDrop Instagram Influencers, it’s time to spice up your kitchen and dining room experiences – and aesthetics – with Lloyd Cellars’ luscious and beautifully balanced wines and HexClad’s masterfully engineered HexMill Pepper Grinder. The HexMill Pepper Grinder’s sleek, black aluminum-bodied mill uses a burr grinder (just like the finest coffee grinders) to unlock the superior flavor profile only Spiceology’s fresh ground pepper blend offers. It has an adjustable grind range that takes you instantly from coarse to super fine to match any recipe that calls for the world’s most popular spice!
Winemaker Rob Lloyd is an artist and a cellar technician, utilizing long cold ferments when crafting our Carneros Chardonnay to preserve aromatics, fruit flavors, and color. For our Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir, Rob employs the technique of submersion cap fermentation. Imagine a giant French Press pressing the skins 8″ under the fermenting juice. This technique has many benefits. There are no punch downs and very few pump-overs to extract flavor from the skins – it is an infinitely gentler winemaking process, which creates super silky tannins and aromatic wines. Side-by-side, Lloyd Cellars wines, and HexClad’s HexMill Pepper Grinder look like soul mates. And ironically, they take the grind out of preparing and serving up bold and delicious meals. Additionally, HexClad and Lloyd Cellars will be at select California Wine Festivals this year, so for those who love world-class wine events, we hope to see you there!
Prescription Vineyards sponsored three major events at South Beach Wine & Food Festival to reach consumers and trade in February
Lloyd Cellars and Prescription Vineyards are honored to work with so many great partners across the United States, from our distributors to event producers and through traditional, digital, and social media channels. In 2021, we launched our first national ad campaigns with Wine Spectator, Hemispheres (United Airlines magazine), The Tasting Panel, The Somm Journal, Austin Monthly, Creative Loafing Tampa Bay, iHeartRadio Central Florida, and San Antonio Current. 2022 will see our commitment to market support expand, with advertising and in-market visits that will include 30+ events in 17 cities.
National Advertising Campaigns
Our national ads are strategically placed to time with in-market events to drive awareness and visitation to our tasting positions. The February issue of Hemispheres focused on select Q1 and Q2 events.
Outreach to the On- & Off-Premise Trade
Combined with our traditional print campaign partners, we execute robust digital advertising and promotions with our media partners. To drive trade awareness, our partnerships with The Tasting Panel, The Somm Journal, and Wine Spectator, we utilize dedicated emails, newsletter features, and geo-targeting to create awareness and pull for our distributor partners.
The Drop on ApexDrop!
In addition to ApexDrop’s robust content generation and product sampling, each campaign with the 50 Instagram Influencers averages a following of more than 750,000 followers. Over our last nine campaigns, with more scheduled for 2022, our total reach has surpassed 6 million with our Engagements reaching more than 180,000. We invite you to visit our Instagram accounts with Tags to see the quality and diversity of our content and, of course, follow us!
Our Vivino end-of-February 2022 dashboard shows a 69% surge in scans following the South Beach Wine & Food Festival with the Geodata showing Miami as a center of the action.
Vivino allows millions of consumers to instantly search for ratings and reviews. Its scan technology pulls up any bottle in its app so buyers can receive all the wine facts. From the winery perspective, the platform enables us to market to people scanning bottles of wines in our category, track consumer opinion of our wines through scores and review, while also providing geographical intel. Matching geographical scan numbers to in-market events helps us measure effectiveness. Our average rating for both Lloyd Cellars and Prescription Vineyards is 4.28 out of 5.
Recent The Tasting Panel & The Somm Journal Scores for Our New Releases
Enhanced by notes of chervil, oregano, and chamomile, a luscious lemon meringue eeks out at mid-palate. Crushed stone, white pepper and vibrant minerality – plus that spark of acidity – is just the right Rx for its great food-pairing abilities. 92
>>> Publisher’s Picks
Lloyd Cellars 2020 Chardonnay, Carneros ($40)
Creamy notes of toasted vanilla, with a surge of cookie dough, ripe melon, kiwi, and peanut brittle. The wine caresses with a sumptuous touch. 94
>>> Down the Aisle
Prescription Cellars 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County ($30)
Grainy tannins fulfill a mission to coat the teeth with blueberry compote. The gushing, dynamo of a wine features plump plums, powdered cocoa, and blooming lavender. This Prescription is really an over-the-counter cure for disbelievers of Alexander Valley’s side effect of textural lushness. Winemaker Rob Lloyd over-delivers on some amazing medicine for the soul. 93
>>> Publisher’s Picks Section
Lloyd Cellars by Robert Lloyd 2019 Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Barbara County ($50)
Its carmine hue is deep and inviting, and scents of heather and a woodsy forest are sensual. Full and generous with a lather of huckleberry and dark chocolate coffee bean. Layers of tilled soil and dried flowers keep it exciting and complex. The brown-sugared cinnamon finish goes deep on the finish. 94
We Invite Our Partners to Follow the Action on Facebook & Instagram!
VIVINO Scan data illustrates 71% growth since the launch of our 2021 marketing and communications campaigns. Prescription Vineyardsin-market programming continues with its exclusive ‘Friday-Eve Live’ wine and music showcases through the end of 2021 – both virtual and live.
In our Lloyd Cellars Market Update, we always share recent scores and links to promotional assets such as Shelf-Talkers, Line Cards, Data Sheets, and Bottle Shots.
~ Please read on for more marketing activities and links to our recent blog features! ~
Joel Quigley, Director of Marketing Communications | Joel@LloydCellars.com | (707) 495-0831
The Somm Journal & Nat Geo Webinars
The launch of the highly anticipatedNew Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia by National Geographic Books is the catalyst for the innovative approach and synergies among industry leaders in their categories. The SOMM Journal — in association with National Geographicand SommCon — invites you to participate in these complimentary, one-of-a-kind wine-tasting webinar series entitled Geographical Digest.
July 29th 2021 @ 11am PT Buyer’s Forum: In association with the Somm Foundation, Prescription Vineyards tastes along with 40 qualified wine buyers featuring the upcoming release of our 2019 Clarksburg Chardonnay Winemaker Rob Lloyd & Director of Sales Greg Moore Lead Our Discussion
September 14th 2021 @ 9:00am PT National Geographic “Balancing Act: Chardonnay at its Best’ Webinar in association with the Somm Foundation Winemaker Rob Lloyd to Speak to Carneros Chardonnay
Note: These webinars are part of a year-long marketing campaign that includes advertising, editorial, and social media
The Somm Journal and Nat Geo’s Post-Coverage of the Pinot Noir Webinar Featuring Rob Lloyd with Six Int’l Winemakers
‘Friday-Eve Live’ Goes Virtual for Our ‘Wine & Music to Rock Your World’ August Promotion
‘Friday-Eve Live’ is a production of Lloyd Cellars and Prescription Vineyards, in partnership with A&R Worldwide and Passport Approved Radio and our family of musical artists.
Lloyd Cellars & Prescription announce sponsorship of Hispanic Heritage Month, partnership with two-time Grammy Award-winning Latin artist, Marlow Rosado!
In support of Hispanic Heritage Month, Prescription is underwriting Marlow’s Colorful Sounds concert at Ramkat in Winston-Salem on September 30th in partnership with the Hispanic League. The North Carolina market visit also includes in-store consumer tasting in Winston-Salem and Charlotte.
Texas November In-Market Visit Fouces on Austin Food & Wine, with Promotional Partnerships and Events with Austin Monthly and San Antonio Current
Our November Texas in-market campaign, combining events, print and digital promotions, media lunches and dinners, and ApexDrop Instagram Influencer Holiday Campaign, is expected to generate several million impressions.
One-on-one consumer tastings at exclusive venues in Austin and San Antonio will create demand for our wines at retailers and restaurants throughout the Lone Star state!
The Drop on ApexDrop!
In addition to ApexDrop’s robust content generation and product sampling, each campaign with the 50 Instagram Influencers has had a total following of more than 750,000 followers. Over our last three campaigns, our total reach has surpassed 1.5 million with our Engagements reaching more than 60,000. We invite you to visit our Instagram accounts with Tags to see the quality and diversity of our content and, of course, follow us!
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist, short story writer, poet, teacher, and literary critic. He contributed to the modernist avant-garde movement and is regarded as one of the most influential and important writers of the 20th century.
Our Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir is a Classic Pairing with Roast Chicken and a Good Read
June 16th is National Bloomsday, commemorating the life and legend of Irish writer James Joyce. The significance of June 16 is taken from his 1922 novel, “Ulysses,” which takes place on June 16, 1904, and follows a day in the life of the story’s protagonist Leopold Bloom. (Coincidently, “Ulysses” was published just after the end of the Spanish Flu Pandemic.)
Throughout Ulysses, food plays an important role in revealing the characters’ personalities. Food and its consumption receive a complex and subtle significance reflecting social class, temperament, and offers opportunities for interaction.
Lloyd Cellars is all about the role food plays in our lives, and over the past year-and-a-half, the impact it’s had on the hospitality world and especially restaurants. We’re celebrating the resilience of restaurateurs, chefs, servers, and front- and back-of-house folk with our ‘Back to Fine Dining’ campaign to inspire people to get out and support!
We’re also sharing recipes from our friend Chef Robert Bleifer to inspire families to once again gather around the table with friends to break bread and toast to better times. We thought Chef’s Herb-Roasted Chicken recipe was a good fit for the day, though we’re sure Joyce would have requested the bird’s livers fried.
Enjoy and remember to follow Chef Bleifer on Instagram at @chef_robear!
Chef Bleifer is all about the spatchcock technique – the chicken cooks more evenly as it's on a level surface, so the breast and thigh meat are done at the same time. It's all about balance, just like our Lloyd Cellars Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir, a blend from the Rio Vista and La Viña vineyards.
If you choose, you can marinate the chicken at room temperature for 2 hours before cooking, or just go straight into the oven.
Spatchcock the chicken, aka remove the backbone, so that the chicken can lay flat for cooking.
The easiest way to remove the backbone is to cut along each side of the backbone with kitchen shears, starting next to the tail and working your way down towards the neck.
Once the backbone is removed, either press hard on the middle of the breast to help flatten the chicken or make a slight cut on the underside by the keel bone to make this easier.
Once the chicken is spatchcocked, gently slide your fingers under the skin and place half of the chopped herbs and garlic under the skin.
Rub the chicken all over with olive oil.
Season liberally with salt and pepper and season the underside with the remaining chopped herbs and garlic.
Heat oven to 400.
Place the chicken on a large sheet pan or shallow roasting pan and place in oven with the legs towards the back of the oven. Roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes, rotating the chicken after 45 minutes. An instant-read thermometer should register 160 in the breast and 180 in the thighs.
If you had marinated the chicken at room temperature, cooking time should be somewhat shorter. Begin checking the internal temperature after 60 minutes.
When the chicken is cooked, remove from the oven and place on a carving board and let cool for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
Serve with rice or potatoes and your favorite seasonal vegetable.
Lloyd Cellars Partners with Former Food Network Executive Rob Bleifer for Instagram Influencer Awareness Campaign, Recipe Blog Series
Prescription Vineyards Sponsors Tampa Bay Restaurant Week June 17 – 27, Launching New Wine & Music Showcase Event ‘Friday-Eve Live’ on Opening Night at Epicurean
(June 2nd, 2021, Napa Valley, CA) –Lloyd Cellars and Prescription Vineyards are returning to in-market work after fourteen months of sheltering in place. Lloyd Cellars, founded in 2008 by Rob and Bonnie Lloyd, felt that an important mission when getting back to market work is to bring awareness and support to restaurants as the nation begins to reopen.
“In our small way, we want to inspire people to get back to fine dining,” said winemaker Rob Lloyd. “If all the small, medium, and large wineries made this a priority, the wine industry could have a positive impact on a segment of our business that was the hardest hit.”
Lloyd Cellars has partnered with former Food Network Executive Chef Robert Bleifer to create delicious content for its June’ Back to Fine Dining’ Instagram Influencer campaign with Social Media agency, ApexDrop. In his 24-years at Food Network, Chef Bleifer was responsible for everything from managing the kitchen of 18 food stylists and recipe developers to coordinating with production teams, chefs and hosts, guest chefs, and much more. He was also an on-air presence, judging numerous Food Network Challenges, catering the three Food Network Wedding specials, and many other ‘cameo’ appearances. He’s now in the development stage of several new projects, including a book. Chef Bleifer can be followed on Instagram: @chef_robear.
In 2015, Rob and Bonnie founded their second label, Prescription Vineyards. Primarily focused on retail, Prescription Vineyards is presenting the opportunity for restaurants to feature its Clarksburg Chardonnay and Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon on wine-by-the-glass menus. “We saw Tampa Bay Restaurant Week as a way present our wine-by-the-glass program in a high-profile way,” said Director of Sales, Greg Moore, “while also supporting and bringing awareness to restaurants and getting people back to the table. We’re excited to be the first exclusive wine sponsor in the 15-years that Creative Loafing Tampa has produced the event.”
As part of the in-market efforts, Prescription Vineyards is also launching a new consumer event, ‘Friday-Eve Live.’ Playing off the pop-culture phenomenon of people jump-starting their weekend by calling Thursday nights’ Friday Eve’, the event is part wine tasting, part musical showcase. ‘Friday-Eve Live’ will launch on the opening night of Tampa Bay Restaurant Week on Thursday, June 17th, in partnership with Creative Loafing Tampa and iHeartRadio/Central Florida, and hosted by Epicurean and Élevage SoHo Kitchen & Bar in Tampa, Florida. Tickets are $25 advance, $35 at door if available.
“iHeartMedia is excited to be a part of and attend ‘Friday-Eve Live’ on June 17 at Epicurean,” said April Easterly, Promotions Director at Rumba 106.5 and US 103.5. “As the kick-off to Tampa Bay
Restaurant Week, our very own Tampa Talents can’t wait to experience the great food and sips from the Bay. Katie Sommers on middays with 93.3 FLZ, and Ian Beckles, who is on evenings as Co-Host of Beckles and Recher on 95.3 WDAE, will be attending.”
Musical guest Carl Wockner was named the first and only Australian artist to win Top Honors at the International Acoustic Music Award’s 2015 (USA). He also scored in the top of the AAA category for the release of his album Crayon Days with producer Michael Flanders in Nashville, Tennessee. He was recently awarded “Musician of the Year 20/21” by Western Australia Prestige Awards. “Bonnie and I love music,” said Rob Lloyd, “and helping artists get back to work just feels right.”
A portion of Tampa Bay Restaurant Week proceeds benefit Feeding Tampa Bay!
Chef Rob Bleifer teases his Lloyd Cellars ‘Back to Fine Dining’ six-part recipe series with his Savory Biscotti
As part of our June 2021 celebration of getting ‘Back to fine dining’ (yes!), we’re excited to announce our partnership with Chef Robert Bleifer, who most recently served as Executive Chef & Vice President of Culinary Production for Food Network for 24-years. Chef Rob has created six recipe pairings to share with our Members and fans, which we’ll dole out in a six-part blog series now through June!
Chef Rob was responsible for everything from managing the kitchen of 18 Food Stylists and Recipe Developers to coordinating with Production teams, Chefs/Hosts, Guest Chefs, and much more. He was also an on-air presence, judging numerous Food Network Challenges, catering the three Food Network Wedding specials, and many other “cameo” appearances.
We invite you to follow Chef Rob on Instagram @chef_robear! He’s got a lot of new projects in works and you’re going to want to be the first to know!
FYI, sister winery Prescription Vineyards is also celebrating ‘Back to Fine Dining’ by being the exclusive wine sponsor for Tampa Bay Restaurant Week this June 17 through 27. Click here to learn more…
We’re going to jump-start Chef Rob’s series with something we’ve never seen before, a Savory Biscotti recipe to pair with our Lloyd Cellars Carneros Chardonnay. This certainly redefines the idea of ‘breakfast for dinner.’
Happy home cheffing!
Chef Bleifer Savory Biscotti
Sure, you love biscotti with your coffee in the morning, but now it's wine-thirty and you're still craving pastry. Chef Robert Bleifer comes to the rescue with his Savory Biscotti to pair with our Lloyd Cellars Carneros Chardonnay!
In the spirit of continuing education for beverage professionals and consumers, The SOMM Journal — in association with National Geographicand SommCon — invites our members and trade partners to participate in a complimentary, one-of-a-kind wine-tasting webinar series entitled Geographical Digest. The events are hosted virtually by winemakers from across the globe and broadcast live. Videos of the webinars are available on-demand soon after airing.
Winemaker Rob Lloyd will be featured in two of the eight webinars for 2021. For the May 11th webinar, Rob will be speaking to Sta. Rita Hills AVA where we source our Pinot Noir. In the fall, on September 14th, he’ll speak to the Carneros Region and our Chardonnay. We’ll be sharing registration details in the coming weeks!
To get on our mailing list for notifications for all news, recipes, and offers, scroll to the bottom of this page for our registration form.
May 11th 2021 @ 9:00am PT National Geographic “Pinot Noir: Aspects from Delicacy to Durability“ Webinar, moderated by Master of Wine Andrea Robinson, in association with the Somm Foundation Winemaker Rob Lloyd to Speak to Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
September 14th 2021 @ 9:00amPT National Geographic “Balancing Act: Chardonnay at its Best’ Webinar in association with the Somm Foundation Winemaker Rob Lloyd to Speak to Carneros Chardonnay
For the first time since 2011, National Geographic Books has fully updated The New Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia, the comprehensive guide for enophiles now in its sixth edition. The launch of the highly anticipated New Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia by National Geographic Books was the catalyst for the innovative approach and synergies among industry leaders in their categories.
This essential reference—long used as the go-to text for the prestigious Master Sommelier examination—is the most comprehensive guide to the world of wine, featuring authoritative information on related history, culture, geography, and more. (Source: Tasting Panel Magazine)
‘Favorite Wines We Drank in 2020’ Article Scores Lloyd Cellars 2019 Carneros Chardonnay 94 Points
Cheers magazine wrote: We asked our panel of independent wine professionals to recall their favorite bottles they drank in the past year. As always, these selections include brief tasting notes, a grade and the wine’s retail price (which can vary from store to store and market to market). Unless noted otherwise, prices reflect 750-ml. bottles. Tasting notes: Ripe pear, apple and tropical fruits are potent, elegant and all over the nose and palate. Structure and balance are provided by rich vanilla notes, and the finish is powerful and luscious. Read more…
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!
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
4tablespoonsblack currant jamideally unsweetened, black cherry, or similar preserve
2tablespoonsCrème 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 WorkDuck 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.LiquidityLloyd Cellars 2017 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
Keyword Bob Blumer, Liberty Duck, Lloyd Cellars, Pinot Noir
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.
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!
½poundAssorted mushroomsthe more exotic the better, stemmed and cleaned of any dirt, then sliced
1/4Red bell pepperdiced finely
4Sprigs fresh thymestems discarded
1ozBrandy or cognacoptional
¼cupPanko or bread crumbs
1Eggbeaten
1Lemon for zesting
2ouncesGoat’s cheeselog form, crumbled
Salt and pepperTo Taste
Vegetable oil spray
4Cupcake liners
1Muffin 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 GoodsVegetable oil spray; cupcake liners; muffin tin (not uncommon, but crucial); piping bag with a star tip (ideal, but not necessary)Advance WorkThe 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.LiquidityLloyd Cellars Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
