Airstream – Page 3 – Canned Comfort

The inbetween time . . . . .

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.

A Foodie Must

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 is luxury trailering?

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.

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.

Meandering thru the new old wine region of Lake County California

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 Silver Suite

A small bundle of potential that will follow you anywhere. It’s up to you, let’s explore the possibilities together.