NEWS
Chicken and Chorizo Paella | Recipe from Sarah Boone
This recipe is one of my weeknight go-tos – you can dress it up, or dress it down! Paella is tradtionally made with Valencian rice, but I know most of us don’t have multiple rice varieties laying around. Any medium to short-grain rice will work. Arborio is my favorite and it’s found at most stores. This version of paella is finished in the oven, which it allows you to walk away to set the table or do the dishes and return to a finished meal. The most important trick to this recipe is to not stir! You want the rice to be tender, but not creamy or risotto-style. A perfectly cooked paella will develop a crisp, caramalized layer on the bottom called socarrat. Let the crispy layer happen. Serve with your favorite grenache or a grenache dominant G-S-M.
Apr 21, 2020 at 11:00 AM
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Moong-Masoor Dal Tadka | Recipe from Varinder's Mom
There are some recipes that just speak of home and this is one of them. Dal is a term in several Indian languages that refers to dried lentils, legumes and beans. It’s as staple as it gets when it comes to the Indian diet. This version uses husked and split yellow and red lentils. The texture of this dish is soupy, but with a creamier texture than that of a straight broth. We sometimes call it peeli dal – meaning yellow dal – for its obvious golden appearance when finished. Moong-masoor dal is a classic Punjabi comfort food and it can be paired with white basmati rice or fresh rotis (Indian flatbread). These lentils would be mild on their own, but with the tadka or tempering with aromatics, makes it anything but.
Apr 14, 2020 at 11:00 AM
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Getting to the root of it
Hi Friends and Copia Family,
It's true. We're addicted to Masterclass. Have you seen the ads for this app creeping around on your social media profile? We succumbed and subscribed. We are Masterclassing. In all fairness, we have always been thirsty for knowledge in any number of topics. This is just another way to get it. Of course we are both binging on the cooking classes. Egg yolk after egg yolk, we made aioli, remoulade and hollandaise in a matter of two days (thanks, Thomas Keller). But there's also classes on economics, writing and film direction. In fact, it was something Mira Nair said in her film direction class that spurred the topic of this email. She said, "You are not a foreigner to yourself. You come from somewhere. Your roots are strong ... I always believe it's my roots, because my roots are strong, that I can fly."
In that spirit, we pay respect to our roots and what allows us to fly. Going through the once-in-a-century type of time that we are experiencing now, we recall that our parents have all seen and done a lot in their lifetimes. Collectively, they have lived through the violent partition of a country, civil war, riots, loss of loved ones en masse, migration, learned new languages, joined a new workforce and all the while, attempting to not completely melt into the melting pot of their existence (another line from Mira Nair's class). They have survived, contributed to the mosaic of cultures in the US and have maintained their identity all the while. What's more is they raised us to be strong and fiercely independent individuals.
Who our parents are has directly contributed to who we are. This week, we honor them - our roots - and share a few of their passions.
Varinder's Mom ~ Recipe for Moong-Masoor Dal Tadka
Varinder's Dad ~ The deeply spiritual poem Bulleya Ki Jaana Main Kaun
Anita's Mom ~ An elegant party playlist
Anita's Dad ~ A wine recommendation from our cellar
Sarah's Mum & Dad ~ Scroll down for their tips to stay physically and mentally active
Drop us a line anytime by replying or calling (805) 835-6094. Enjoy and be safe.
Warmly,
Anita and Varinder Sahi
"Parh parh ilm hazaar kitaaban
qaddi apnay aap nou parhiya naee ..."
"Yes, you have read thousands of books
But you have never tried to read your own self ..." -Baba Bulleh Shah
Apr 14, 2020 at 11:00 AM
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Balance and Nature
Hello everyone,
The buds are breaking on the vineyard because for the vines, the cycle continues as it always does. That's the thing about nature, isn't it? The sun rises each day and the plants soak it in. The birds are especially active. Quails rapidly walk in their funny line formation. The sparrows and finches are singing while they splash in the pool. The hawks feel a little more freedom in the air. But, then again, they always felt that freedom.
We are bearing witness to a time that forces reflection and makes you take notice: There is life out there that is seemingly unaffected by the ongoing crisis. Our vineyard tells us that spring is here. As a living, breathing space, it has its own pulse and we feel it. There is an inherent spiritual connection to nature. We breathe in its energy and breathe out gratitude for being allowed to take care of it.
We'll ask you again: How are all of you? Please feel free to drop us a line about anything at all.
Nature's balance and our connection to it has been our muse this past week. Here's what we cooked, drank, listened to and read to each other.
Cooking and Drinking
Varinder's recipe for Halibut with Saffron Beurre Blanc and Copia's White Blend
Listening
Indian Classical/Western Fusion Playlist
Reading
"Daffodils" by William Wordsworth
As always, if there is anything that you need, please reach out by replying or calling (805) 835-6094.
Warmly,
Anita and Varinder Sahi
"In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks." - John Muir
COPIA STORE SPECIAL
PROMO: COPIA20
20% off, an extra 5% for club members, $1 shipping on 3 bottles or more
Apr 7, 2020 at 10:00 AM
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Halibut with Saffron Beurre Blanc | Recipe from Varinder Sahi
As a winemaker, he is always striving to strike a balance in wine acidity, alcohol, fruit concentration and tannins. When everything is in harmony, we’re all well-fed happy campers. A more classic version of beurre blanc uses white wine vinegar and cream with shallots at its base. We like a racy version that uses fresh lemon juice as the acid and rich grass-fed butter as the fat. These ingredients along with a dry white wine and aromatic saffron threads create an emulsification that is both luxurious and flavor-packed. We choose to bathe an oven-roasted halibut in this delicious sauce. Try it and you won’t regret it!
Apr 7, 2020 at 10:00 AM
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Comfort
Finding comfort in the things we love, like sampling our 2019 Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay
Apr 6, 2020 at 5:11 PM
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Grenache loves Pizza!
Grenache loves pizza! It's been tried, tested and we completely agree. We're down to the last few cases of our 2016 The Pope (100% grenache), and pizza is a great shelter-at-home dinner!
Apr 3, 2020 at 5:07 PM
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Beet Salad | Recipe from Anita Sahi
Recently, Sarah, our hospitality manager ventured out to templeton, where our prized local farmer’s market takes place every week. There was something so comforting about knowing that, while we are all sheltering in place during the corona virus outbreak, that we still have access to fresh and healthy produce. What’s more is that we can support our local farmers during this time when industry has all but halted. Sarah picked us up some delicious red and golden beets. I went to work immediately on a refreshing, crunchy salad that would end up being an accompaniment to a roasted sockeye salmon.
Mar 31, 2020 at 10:00 AM
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How's it going?
Hi friends,
We wanted to take a moment to thank you for all of your positive notes, emails and calls this week. It means so much to us and we could not continue to do what we do without you.
How are all of you? We hope you are staying safe and keeping in touch with all the people that matter to you. That's what we are doing. Our week is full of quality conversation -- in person at home and virtual. We stay busy, concocting comfort in the form of food and wine. This week we are sharing a recipe for beautifully simple raw beet salad, linking you to a funky music playlist to get you going and suggesting an apt read by NY Times Wine Columnist Eric Asimov who says, "In times of fear and anxiety, we find solace in foods that conjure up memories and emotions. Why not wine?" Why not, indeed.
We're also continuing our super special on the entire Copia store, which gives you 20% off everything and $1 shipping on 3 or more bottles (extra benefits for club members). If there is anything that you need, please reach out by replying or calling (805) 835-6094.
STAY HOME, BE SAFE. ENJOY SOME FOOD AND WINE WITH THE ONES YOU LOVE.
Warmly,
Anita and Varinder Sahi
COPIA STORE SPECIAL
PROMO: COPIA20
20% off, an extra 5% for club members, $1 shipping on 3 bottles or more
Mar 31, 2020 at 10:00 AM
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