This recipe and wine pairing comes from The Fishy Chips.
Loyalty and betrayal quickly become conflicts
in The Fishy Chips, set in the Silicon Valley of California where
many of the titans of the computer world have research and development
operations and manufacturing facilities. Educators, under the control of
Chinese agents are using students from the Mission Community College’s
Semiconductor Manufacturing Program to obtain a top-secret computer chip being
manufactured by Intel for use in the United States Military's anti--ballistic
missile system. Rick has to reconcile his loyalty to his students with loyalty
to his country as he works with his friend from the FBI to recover the stolen
component.
Also telling the story is George Yuan, a
nineteen-year-old alienated Chinese-American. Through the help of a beautiful
female spy, George discovers his love and loyalty to China. He agrees to help
steal the computer chip. In the process of recovering the stolen computer chip,
the FBI captures the members of the spying ring, and two others are murdered.
"Conflicting Loyalties: An Excerpt from
The Fishy Chips." was a winning entry in the 17th Annual Mendocino Coast
Writer's Contest, Summer 2006. It was published in the Todd Point
Review.
Rick's Potato Pierogi with Fernwood Mirepoix
A plate of pierogi fried in butter and topped with sour cream puts
Rick in heaven. Pierogi are inexpensive and very easy to make. The Fernwood
Mirepoix is light and fruity.
Serves 4-6
1 cup white flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 egg separated
1/8 cup warm water
4 tablespoons butter
1 large yellow onion, diced
Salt and pepper (to taste)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup mashed potatoes
2 egg whites
Pour the flour, egg yolks and salt into a food processor and blend.
While blending, slowly pour the water into the flour. Mix until the dough forms
a ball. If more water is needed, add 1 teaspoon at a time.
Remove the ball of dough from the processor and place on a floured
surface. Cover with a damp cloth and allow to rest for about an hour. Knead the
dough into a ball and roll it into a 1/16th of an inch thick sheet. Cut the
dough into 2-3 inch circles using the top of a glass. Combine any excess dough
together and repeat the kneading/rolling process. You should get approximately
25 circles.
Place a large skillet over medium heat, and place 2 tablespoons of
butter in the pan. When the butter has melted, add the onions, salt and pepper.
Add the garlic, cover, and cook until the onions are just starting to turn
brown.
In a mixing bowl, combine the mashed potatoes with the onions and mix well. Place the dough cutouts on a floured surface.
From the mixing bowl, take 1 teaspoon of the potato/onion mixture
and place it in the center of the pierogi. Take a brush and dip it into the egg
whites, and the brush the edges. Fold in half and seal with the tines of a
fork. Set aside. Repeat until all the pierogi are filled.
To cook, place the pierogi in boiling water. Cook until they float
for approximately a minute or so.
They can be served at this point, or you can
fry them in butter as Rick does. Top with sour cream and enjoy.
.
Fernwood Cellars
The land at Fernwood Cellars, located at the base of Mt.
Madonna, has been in the family for six generations since 1863. In 1891 people
came by stagecoach to spend time in the countryside at a twenty-room Victorian
Hotel, which included tennis courts, bocce ball and the first outdoor pool in
Santa Clara County. The resort was very popular until it burned down in 1908
and was immediately replaced by a lodge style building and ten cabins, which
were in use from 1908 until they were forced to close during the depression.
The buildings fell into disrepair and in the 1960s trespassers burned down the
cabins. The lodge was restored in 1991 and the vineyards were planted. In 1999,
the winery was built and Fernwood Cellars was established.
Matt Oetinger is the owner and winemaker and along with his
wife and two children. They operate the winery as a family business. Their
award winning wines include: Chardonnay, Riesling, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and
Cabernet Sauvignon. The winery produces about 3,000 cases per year.
Rick really likes their Zinfandel and their Mirepoix. The
Zinfandel won a gold medal at the 2009 Santa Cruz Mountains Commercial Wine
Competition and their Merlot, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon won silver
medals in the same competition.