Good for the table, good for the ground

Daylight savings time change confirms we are now officially 

on the other side of summer, and even "early"fall. 

It's the time of year we want to burrow into a favorite sweater 

and are happy to have the aroma of a long 
simmering soup or stew throughout the house. 

Our chefs are also tweaking the menu at the girl & the fig.

A new chicken dish on the menu is this 

pan-roasted half chicken, fall panzanella, butternut squash, 
currants, walnuts, pancetta vinaigrette, which certainly makes 
good use of our prolific crop of winter squash at the farm.

.

It seems to fit the feeling of the season that 

much of what we are growing at the farm burrows underground, 

just the way we are inclined to do under a throw blanket with a book by the hearth.

Even though radishes, carrots, onions and leeks are 

part of the spring bounty at the farm, we also grow them at this time of year as well.

"Plants like onions, garlic, and other members of the allium family confuse bugs 

with their strong scent and just encourage them to fly away," 

so having them in our rotation is a core part of our biodynamic farming plan. 

We've talked about "companion planting" here before. 

Here are some other tips on companion planting and 

which good tasting vegetable plants are also good for your soil.

Baby tri-colored carrots a few weeks ago

carrots growing fast

good for the soil

Not only do the alliums replenish the soil and provide nutrients so 

the beds can thrive throughout the year, these vegetables are 

important ingredients for so many of our Chefs' inspirations.

onions cooking at the fig

Alliums appear in almost every recipe since they are so versatile and 

pretty much essential as flavoring component. 

So, of course we would grow them all year round! 

Shallots are considered a "cousin" to onions and garlic, but they have a milder flavor. 

They are just as "flexible" but chefs use them differently 

than they do their stronger cousins. 

Food writer Michele Anna Jordan describes her relationship with shallots this way: 

"A shallot can insinuate itself into a wide variety of dishes 

without overwhelming other ingredients.

It is suave and elegant, with an appealing subtlety. 

When it is used with other alliums, any dish blossoms with a full spectrum of flavors, 

which is why I always add shallots of my French onion soup."

She considers them indispensable for vinaigrettes, as do our chefs at "the fig." 

And a must-have in your kitchen are our "Pickled Shallots," courtesy of

 Plats du Jour: the girl & the fig's Journey Through the Seasons in Wine Country:

Pickled Shallots
2 cups shallots, sliced
11⁄2 cups red wine vinegar 1⁄2 cup sugar
1⁄2 tablespoon salt
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf

In a saucepan, combine the wine vinegar, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the thyme, bay leaf and shallots and stir to coat evenly. Cook briskly for exactly 1 minute over high heat and remove from the heat. Allow the mixture to stand until it cools to room temperature. Transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Makes 11⁄2 cups 

 How do you like to use alliums?

And what vegetables are simmering 
in that stew on your stovetop these autumn days?

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A sense of place in our food

photo by Steven Krause

"I feel as if we are transporting the land to our guests," 

is one of the ways John describes why the farm project is so important to him. 

He muses on what a natural evolution it is to be growing so many of our ingredients: 

"The guiding philosophy for us has always been 

serving simple food that reflects a sense of place." 

This idea of "sense of place" is also referenced 

when talking about the concept of Terroir and in fact, 

that phrase is the loose translation for the word. 

Terroir comes from the French word terre "land" 

and was often incorporated into descriptions of wine, coffee or tea—used to denote the special characteristics that the geography or climate characteristics 

of a certain place bestowed upon particular produce. 

The idea being that agricultural sites in the same region 

share similar soil, weather conditions, and farming techniques, 

which all contribute to the distinctive qualities of the crop. 

photo by Steven Krause

Certainly there is a particular Terroir at our farm on Imagery Estate Winery 

enhanced by the Biodynamic properties of the land there. 

In a recent blog post, Mike Benziger talks about the Terroir 

of the Biodynamic property they have created 

and which we are fortunate enough to share as part of our farm project. 

You know how amazing it is to eat tomatoes 

picked from the vine rather than 

ones purchased in a supermarket—understanding that 

where (and how) something is grown contributes even more 

to your taste experience, keeps us toiling at the farm and in our kitchens. 

 A recent article in The Atlantic about the mood-boosting properties 

of bacteria found in dirt (maybe that's why we like farming so much?) 

noted this as well: "Cooks have their own word for it. 

 Terroir is what makes a loaf of sourdough from San Francisco 

taste so different from its cousin in Bordeaux. 

 The regional microbes, in the soil and air, impart their particular notes to the bread. 

 You can taste terroir in your wine, your cheese, and even your chocolate—all of which are produced with the help of specialized bacterias that can vary from town to town." 

So, indeed John is able to transport the land to our guests 

bringing our very own distinctive taste to the food we create for you.

photo by Steven Krausse

carrot soup photo by Steven Krause

At the Imagery farm, we are currently growing 

beets, radishes, carrots, potatoes along with the leeks, garlic and onions. 

see this small sprout of a beet from one of the beds at the farm?

soon it will be part of this luscious beet salad

and this row of Chinese Red meat radishes

will ultimately look like this. What will the chefs create?

These will likely have their own specific Terroir, 

different from what we are growing behind the girl & the fig or at ESTATE. 

John and Chef Ashley behind the fig

herb beds above and below lemon tree at ESTATE

Next time you are eating at one of our three restaurants—

the girl & the fig and ESTATE in Sonoma or the fig café and winebar in Glen Ellen—

pay particular attention to the depth of the flavors of the food, 

knowing it is a reflection of the Terroir of where it was grown.