I remember our very first night ever in our Airstream. We drove all of 15 minutes from our home. We reserved spot #1, at Sea Clliff State Park. We had the best site, the waves could be heard breaking on the beach, great view of the beach and about 20 feet to the beach. We set everything up by the book, the rain began to fall, and we were so proud of ourselves! We took the doggies for a short walk before dinner, set the beef stew simmering on the stove, opened the vents and went through a light rain.
As the rain increased in intensity we rushed back to our silver castle dry and toasty. We began our first meal preparation and settle in for the night. The stew’s aroma, the warmth of our coach and the music on the radio set us up for a romantic triumphant evening. BUT we chose our bottle of wine and . . . . NO BOTTLE OPENER!
So we ask what is the best bottle opener for our trailer? THE ONE YOU HAVE! LOL, well luckily about a half mile away and up a hill was a local liquor store that actually had not only a wine bottle opener but a great selection of wines. Five years after our maiden voyage we have acquired a moderate collection of bottle openers. Guess we like the ones we buy for home use too, then forget to put them back and there we are again, no opener.
Everything we need to open, filter, mix and store our libations!
Yep a filter was sent to us in a shipment from a wine club and we have learned to love it! When we first saw it we did not know what it was. We are such great wine lovers.
This is fancy, it breaks the foil seal, can open wine with a flair and look good too! Also it does not rust.
This lovely little prince, the Venturi, has a big brother but this little guy helps the reds breath more quickly.
After we bought a utilitarian opener on our first night we now have our favs! We did also learn some bottle neck widths are just a little different and the old non screw but “wiggle” ones work wonderfully.
Now let’s open a great bottle of Six Sigma Tempranillo and enjoy a glass.. . . . .Happy Travels
Napa Style did it again! Now you can have the same tubular spice experience with the stackable spice as the 12 spice travel spice tube but now a 9 spice assortment for Italian cooking! Yep now you have your choice. Same price as the larger one but only one spice is in the Italian choices that is not in the larger one. I still like this idea because you can make your own mixes too.
Idaho special for rubs and great new creationsThe major beginning
Theses can actually last for a long time if stored in a dark, cool, dry space! They are so small and fit well in the smallest pantry. Nice go to on the road and you can replenish them with fresh when back home.
A setting to enjoy another restful dinner by the stream at Shaw’s Shady Acres
We were so thankful that our best friends introduced us to the most wonderful Farmer’s market to enhance our traveling kitchen. The Calistoga Farmers Market is always waiting for discovery by new friends. The locals get to enjoy the freshest, most beautiful fish, veggies, flowers, fruits and cooked delicacies ever. We were ready to create with our Mobile Herbs!
The fresh caught white fish was a delicacy with just a little olive oil, fresh thyme and a sprinkling of salt and pepper done in our simple cast iron pan. hmmmm so tasty and flakey. Italian green beans with garlic, butter and olive oil, the local peasant bread and Sauvignon Blanc from Six Sigma made the evening so much more. Relaxing in the evening with friends and food is what life is all about.
The next evening the local market had organic rib eye steaks on sale! Smoked Hickory flavored salt rubbed on the sides with a little olive oil, hot cast iron over the outside grill, fresh salad greens with sliced local green apples and goat cheese was mouth-watering! Add a little Coppola’s table red and you have a meal to enjoy by the stream at the Shaw’s Shady Acres with our stowed treasures to complete the scene. Traveling to eat and enjoy is a nice carrot to get us out the door!
The poor little trailer sat sad and forelorn! Nobody loved her —- yes we do. We forgot what great fun she could be! It is the little 2 day trips that can bring us back to the reason a luxury silver trailer can make you smile.
Our Fall season begins now! We have worked hard all summer and waited for the quiet of the off season. This past weekend was a beautiful start. Serendipity brought us back North. We are wine members of the Six Sigma Winery. The Paella event brought us back to Lake County. This also allowed us to adventure out of our normal campground to a new and interesting place to unwind and relax.
Shaw’s Shady Acres! A blast from the past, the early days of fish camping. It is situated next to a charming creek, Cache Creek and the Anderson Marsh. Unfortunately our severe drought has the level quite low. That being said, the Blue Heron and Kingfishers are still fishing and the sense of calm abounds. The campground also has year round residents. There are kayaks, motor boats and one restored, vintage trailer that may soon be a “cabin” for travelers. This historic resort began its life in the 1950’s and has been open for catfisherman and birders since then. Its charm is what it can be and what is has innately available to travelers. Lisa, the mistress of the grounds has great ideas for making this resort a hub destination opening Clear Lake and Lake County hamlets the exposure they deserve. It is and area that is not as high end as Napa County but has the rustic and warm charm that small towns of California’s past have. We wish Lisa luck and fortune. She is quite accommodating to small groups of vintage trailer buffs to string their trailers covered wagon style too.
We were directed to the Featherbed Railroad Caboose Bed and Breakfast! Yep there are 9 real cabooses that have been made into creative period retreats!. It is right across the street from Clear Lake, has lots of shade and trees. Railroad themed music is piped through to the large outside porch and a train whistle is sounded everyday at noon. The proprietor, Tony, is a wealth of local knowledge and can direct you to whatever floats your boat. If we ever traveled without our coach we would love to maybe rest there a night or two. The main registration area is an old style train station.
The two really bright stars in our short trip were visiting with old, dear friends, a quiet candle light dinner by the creek and stopping for an hour near a little lake off Pope Valley road. Sitting just watching the birds, listening to the quiet and enjoying the warm breezes remind us . . . less is often more.
Happy birds live here at Six Sigma
Happy traveling!
Lisa, the mistress of Shaw’s Shady Acres. She is a wonderful help to finding fun things to do , or not.Paella !! So wonderful with our favorite wines and hosts
For many of us it is the time of year to prepare the trailer for winter storage and others of us start preparing for winter travel. We like to go places during the fall and early winter, then again in early spring. Why less people and a different beauty to see. It truely the roads less traveled.
We still prepare the silver baby to have its annual check-up, tires evaluated for replacement, all systems evaluated so we can roam without worry. As this begins I start thinking hmmm what else can we do to make our trips even more fun and more comfort.
The newest melmac dishes are so beautiful and light. They look like real dishes but are no where near as heavy and don’t break, only melt! These are so beautiful. I have seen them at Sur La Table and Napa Style stores so you have a real assortment of choices and colors. NICE WAY to make your travel table look elegant and not worry about the buffalo roaming through and breaking them!
I often wander through the local Goodwill stores to find beautiful crystal and special small plates to give us a variety of goodies to suit our moods. These can be stored at home to save weight.
. . . . . . now it is time to travel through California for quick short trip! We chose Marble Quarry! What a cute little town, aside from the dryness due to our drought. The campground was a little walk through a trail to the town. We were hoping to see the newly carved pumpkins! So cute ! PS I am a little late in posting this. Indigeny Apple Cider is a must place to stop on your way home!
Waiting for the next trip or is it planning for the next trip that seems soooo frustrating? This is also of time of restlessness for me. I know where I would love to be going but there is no time yet. There are things I should be trying out, planning, researching and yet I sit.
I know what I want to put next into my grown-up glamping pantry but I procrastinate. I should be taking a photo of the next addition and typing a blurb about what I would add to the experience of our outings but I don’t. So I think alot like a certain bear we all know and dream about the perfect trip.
Yesterday we drove to Pietra Santa winery in the hills south of Hollister, California AGAIN. We learned there was to be “Music in the Vines” event. Driving from our home to the winery is beautiful and alot less treacherous without our silver friend behind us. Our truck was happier.
Thankfully we knew where we were going because there were no signs pointing to the event. We arrived and there indeed was music! The setting was beautiful. Very green with vistas that could have been set in the 1800’s of California’s past. Ohhhh so breathtaking.
We then walked into the winery and were abruptly met with a table with sales people ready to sell bottles of their wine and picnic goodies and water. I asked if we could taste any of the wines first and was told NO. I also asked about their olive oil and was also informed not at this function. Had we arrived during regular tasting hours it was available. We bought a bottle of red and one bottle of white, water and the cheese bundle they were selling. Wine good, the cheese bundle gave me ideas. The cheese etc were from Trader Joes and were tasty enough to compliment the wine. Why not Trader Joe’s for a large group you may meet on the road as we travel the riveted lifestyle? Well because the local cheese we find on our journeys is more of a find and story.
As we left for home we turned right onto the two lane road going south not north toward our home. The ranch lands were vibrant, quiet, glowing with the rays of the setting sun. This vast, vital landscape was worth the disappointment, again with this winery. If you are going to the Thousand Trails campground, now open to the public, or on your way to the Pinnacles, Cienega Rd is a road less traveled and full of beauty. It would take you maybe an hour out of your way but you end up on Airport Hwy and can continue on your journey.
If you are lucky you may actually get to taste some little known wines and taste local olive oil from 100-year-old trees!!! We are planning on actually camping at the newest National Park the Pinnacles. Happy wanderings.
Glorious, wonderful roads take us many places. How we travel them is a choice. We prefer going where others don’t. If hoards of tourists gather we will go in an opposite path. Nuggets of golden information and joy pop-up in unpredictable places.
Saturday was such a time. Traveling on a day trip with friends and without my silver coach we tasted wines from a barrel, savored great small plates of food paired for us in the 92 degree heat. So what was so unusual? The chef. We sat and spoke with Chef Mark Linback who works with Six Sigma Ranch and Winery, gave us his recommendations of the “must haves” for our Airstream Galley! His suggestions: 1 lb of flour, regular salt, salted and unsalted butter, olive oil-either EVOO or VOO, your favorite spices and baking power. Why? To make pastry, scones, coat fish or chicken, be able to fry anything and add the spices you like to make new finds your kind of yummy.
I have often wondered how long you can keep spices before they loose their taste or get yukkie. Here is what I found walking about in Los Gatos California’s Napa Style store! A cardboard cylinder with stacked small containers with screw lids on them! Not only is it small, about 1 inch in diameter, the containers have spices in them. The label states these will stay useable for up to 4 years if stowed in the cardboard tube in a cool place. It was $29 plus tax and I really am liking that is does not take up precious space in my galley and I have lots of choices to add to local food finds in our travels. Wow! This fits nicely into my galley pantry and is a first must for cooking or grilling as we travel. I like the fact it can be stored for a long time . The portion sizes help keep thing fresh and we can replace spices with our favorites if needed.
On the way up to Six Sigma Ranch we stopped at the St. Helena Olive Oil Company to pick up our favorite rosemary infused oil. We asked the sales person how long we can store our olive oil? Her answer was for up to 2 years from the press date! So now we know how long we can store our spices and olive oil and the sizes we use fit nicely in our galley.
The following Monday we hooked up our Airstream for a day trip to Pietro Santo Winery just south of Hollister California and on the way to the Pinnacles National Park. We were to meet one of the marketing staff to discuss a nice place to visit on our way to the new beautiful national park. This is not a well traveled “wine trail” so it may be a nice side stop on our travels. It was an overcast day but balmy and comfortable. The directions from the winery took us south and away from the main roads to Hollister and Tres Pinos, California. The Cienega Road is a lovely, quiet ranch road. It is a paved 2 lane road. The scenery is breath taking. It is like being dropped into the 1800’s. The time when cattle was king and hard working cowboys may appear on horseback at any moment. It is a winding quiet road, occasionally bumpy but no one is behind you honking, because you are slow. Occasionally vehicles just passed by and people waved.
The wine trail is home to approximately 6 wineries, all closed on Mondays or have tastings by appointment only. The tasting rooms all seem to be about a mile off the main road and there is very little signage to direct you. Our appointment never materialized but the winery grounds are beautiful, clean, green and bottling was in progress. They have an olive press in the tasting room building. This is what I wanted to see. Although the interview never came together the journey was beautiful. Taking a wrong turn almost got us to the Pinnacles instead of homeward bound. Airport Hwy is quiet and as we turned around we approached Tres Pinos, Balado Park and a small, good Mexican restaurant for a homey lunch. This little community of 500 is very reminiscent of the old California I new growing up. Had I not had my appointment on a new trail I would have missed the scenery we often dream about and it is nearby in the Gabilan Hills.
What do you think of as luxury trailer travelling? I thought about that a long time. I know where to go to find good food but it is how we live while we venture out; ‘are we able to sleep cozy and warm, is there a beautiful little touch to have my morning coffee and toast seem as though we are in a B & B, or are we camping?
We get so caught up in the prep, stowing, time frame and destination we forget why we have such a nice trailer. We decided on an Airstream to learn to enjoy the journey, explore the little off the busy tourist trail places we missed as we served our country all over the world AND be very comfortable. We need to have the means to make the adventure a cut above and EAT VERY WELL as we learn to savor the journey not just the destination. With this in mind. . . . I love great foods, great wine, comfy cozy evenings and the knowledge we have the tools to take advantage of yummy things we come across as we “press on” in a fun way! We are always on the hunt to bring these items to you and let you know how to get them.
I have changed my focus. I will look for the items we can use on our travels that make it that much more luxurious yet are beautiful, lightweight and have multi-uses! The easy part was choosing the Airstream! It has clean lines and lots of well thought out storage spaces. I will start with the empty coach and then add the “things” that will help us be able to relax and really feel pampered while we travel into the hidden surprises of our quests and adventures.
T
Here is where we start! This is the place to store the special ingredients that will enrich any foodie finds on the journey. I have measured the diameter of the adjustable shelves and use a guide to see if bottles of yummy fit, store well so we can enhance dishes, beverages and ” ?” while entertaining ourselves and friends on the road less traveled.
A long time ago I remember discovering the wonders of champagne! Today is for the savoring of the newer offerings of an old friend. Domaine Chandon! The tasting room and restaurant are in Yountville, California, the gateway to one of the best known wine a regions of California. It is a great first stop on the way to Clear Lake or other points north.
A visit to an old friend!
Today it is a hot early summer’s data, 90 degrees. There is a slight breeze that is gentle and comforting. So we drive under the arched entry to taste bubbly and eat oysters. We discover that there is indeed parking for the truck and trailer as well as a large RV. Very easy to drive to and no switchy curves or steep mountains.
The entrance has a beautiful arched sign high in the trees. The road is well maintained and cooling in appearance. You do not see an overwhelming structure or a psuedo italian or french chateau. It sits quietly in the hills and trees.
You walk into a darkened shop area with the registers and a concierge’s podium to get directions to the tasting room and restaurant. There were no signs that I could see, very subdued environment. When I entered a large glassed area I was not sure if this was the tasting area, take out ordering or entry into an outdoor restaurant. Finally a young woman at another podium told me I had just left the tasting room.
Back to the glass and windows area and then waved a staff person down to help. The menu outside stated there was a special of a bottle of champagne with dozen oysters! My friend and I decided wow lets order a dozen each because the price was so reasonable. The staff person was funny, intense and directed us to the patio area to await our bucket of champagne and goodies. We were not sure if we were supposed to wait for our bucket and take it outside or if they were to be served to us.
Again a section with a waterfall and linen table cloths was on one side with reserved signs and a lot of regular tables and chairs in a beautiful spacious patio area. The area was so comfortable with a warm breeze and music playing from the speakers. Not too loud and somewhat comfortable. The champagne was etoile Brut!!! so crisp, new to me and worked wonderfully with the oysters. The oysters were very fresh, no foam! We ate 3 and half-dozen oysters each with our bottle of champagne. It was an enjoyable 2 hours on a lazy, warm afternoon. But we did not get a “taste” of the many new sparkling wines available here.
As we left the patio and were on the way out of the establishment we did learn many things about champagne. Here at Domain Chandon they have sooo many sizes of bottle of their Classic Brut and Rose that are perfect for packing in the Airstream. Single serving size, split or 1/2 bottle and regular liter size. The single serve size is one serving and fits in the pantry shelf in the Flying Cloud, the other bottle sizes are too wide. The 2 serving size is just a tiny bit smaller than the split and fits easily into the refrigerator door.
We did ask questions of the very helpful sales associate Janice Beland:
Q. Can/should you freeze champagne?
A. No, keep refrigerated for a few hours before serving. Store in a cool dark place, less than 60 degrees. Same for their still wines.
Q. What is the best way to open the champagne?
A. Use a bar towel, grab the cork after removing the wire cage, slowly twist the bottle, not the cork, slowly so you do not loose control of the cork and you do not loose the bubbly.
Q. How to serve the bubbles?
A. A chilled glass is a personal preference, slant the flute and pour down the side of the glass. This gives less foam on the top and allows the bubbles to get smaller. When the fine bubbles appear it is ready to sip.
Q. How long can champagne be stored?
A. Double the age of the bubbly and that is the gage for the length you store it. For example if etoile Brut is aged for 5+years it can be stored for 10 years ; Reserve Blanc de Blancs is aged 18 months so it can be stored for 3 years (36 months)! SOMETHING NEW I LEARNED!!!
The winery shop had many very glass looking plastic stemless glasses with their logo on them but really looked like glass. If you joined their wine club on the day we were there (Monday) we recived a 50% discount on stuff, champagne and still wines! That was great to learn after our first round of oysters!
There are only 2 RV parks in Napa and we could not find them to review. You can park your trailers and RVs while you are enjoying their treats but no overnight. There are two large parking areas that are an easy wondering to the bubbles.
where shall we wander to next? You never know what we will find….
After many years of tiresome crowded wine tours and tastings it is refreshing to find great wines in hidden valleys. Lake County California boasts many small gems. This Monday we rolled into a bucolic, picturesque setting that held a reward. A jewel in the search for great California wines that offers you great vistas, warm friendly care and flavors that match the newer tastes in wine is SIX SIGMA Winery and Ranch!
We pulled our little silver bullet from Scotts Valley California over 150 miles to Lake County California. We traversed the Santa Cruz mountains to get to the Lake County wine region. Our little 6 cylinder engine was truly the little engine that could. We drove along the Silverado Trail up the winding St. Helena mountain road that would scare anyone pulling a trailer. Crawling up the mountainside at 20 miles an hour we finally found Middletown and got a sandwich to get us the rest of the way to our destination. . . . . Six Sigma Winery and Ranch (only 20-30 minutes later).
Six Sigma is located on Spruce Grove Rd. just off Cal Hwy 29. The road winds around dry hills and homes to the turn off to the wine tasting “room”. Our little Airstream was going bumpity bump down a dusty, gravelly road. It was in the 90’s, the wheels stirred up dusty puffs, cattle and sheep were grazing freely in the fields and the vines were green and well cared for. At the end of a 2 mile slow crawl we came upon the Six Sigma Winery tasting room.
I had arranged an interview with one of the winery’s owners, Christian Ahlman, to have him walk through the Airstream and give us his ideas on how to properly store wine while we travel about. We don’t have space to put a built in wine refrigerator so we had learn some basics.
Q- What is the best temperature to store wines?
A- Wine should be stored at a minimum of 60 degrees F or less. He suggested whites be stored in the frig and if unsure of a potential raise in the inside temp, put a couple of reds in the frig too.. Take the reds out about one hour before opening to get to room temperature before serving.
Q- Is a wooden wine box any better than the cardboard case boxes for storing?
A- Christian felt both were good. The separations in case boxes keep the bottles from rattling and possibly breaking in transit. We find that the under bed storage area in our Flying Cloud is the coolest spot in the trailer.
Q- Do you really need to decant or aerate wine to help it quickly mature for a better taste?
A- The oxygen is what helps its flavor and a simple trick is to open the bottle, pour a glass, then re-cork the bottle and gently shake the bottle. The air in the bottle helps it mature and smooth. Hmmmm one less gadget to stow but an effective action to make your wine more enjoyable.
We found the history of the 4,300 acre ranch lands, the Six Sigma philosophy of always searching for the best quality in all they do on this sustainable ranch and winery impressive but the real find is the wine and the staff. If you like your reds smooth but not in your face, rich and flavorful the Tempranillo is my favorite. You know you want a great steak or lamp chop to compliment your glass or is that the other way around? The real challenge is Pinot Noir vs Cabernet vs Diamond Cuvee! With so many great choices just have a bottle of each to take on your travels.
A wow is their Sauvignon Blanc and Marianne’s Blush, both refreshing with a great crisp flavor just right for hot summer evenings and picnics. We chilled ours in our ice bucket and sat outside the silver suite to enjoy our favorite summer wine.
We thought how wonderful to be able to pull our Airstream to the winery and park it under a great wonderful oak without a problem. Of course we are only 20 feet long! We appreciate the time Christian and his staff spent with us at Six Sigma and plan on returning often. For a real treat take the time to experience old California hospitality and outstanding wines.
NOTE: Did you know they were growing more wine grapes in Lake County than Napa County before prohibition?! The vines were torn out and the famous California Bartlett Pears were grown and shipped all over the world. Now Lake County is producing great wines again.
Sooooo where do we go next to find more fantastic people, wine, and tastey tidbits to make the trailer travels even more luxurious?
The learning curve to get the galley ready for your travel experience is steep. I obsessed about the how to, flow, ease of use, what to use and the permanence of tools and staples (spices etc.).
My military experience taught me heavy stuff makes it harder for the truck/car to pull the trailer. Also I did not want lots of stuff but multipurpose items/tools/plates. The trailer moves along behind me and things can get thrown around, breaks and makes messes. Don’t like those kinds of surprises!
I know what my research lead me to for my galley and now I am going to have some fun with it. I love to eat good food, drink yummy wine and experience nature’s beautiful scenery. Now let’s see what the great California chefs say is a must have for your little cooking area and what/how to store precious wines, spices and serving dishes.
You can spend hundreds of, ok thousands of dollars, on stuff but it may be too big, too heavy and you find out it doesn’t work for you or your travels. I planned for dinnerware etc for four. This is easily expanded with all the friends you meet but remember, your galley is your pivotal launch for entertaining and luxury. But less is truly more!
I find inspiration everywhere especially stores like Napa Style, Williams and Sonoma and Sur Le Table! No I don’t get money from these guys but they sure have nice stuff that really meets the needs of traveling light!
Whew that is how this blog got started! The Silver Suite will be posting the interviews and lists of the “stuff” the chefs recommend!
collection of bottle openers. Guess we like the ones we buy for home use too, then forget to put them back and there we are again, no opener.
This is fancy, it breaks the foil seal, can open wine with a flair and look good too! Also it does not rust.
This lovely little prince, the Venturi, has a big brother but this little guy helps the reds breath more quickly.
Canned Comfort 