The Return of Winter

PlumpJack blogger Jon Grant sends scenes from Squaw Valley...

I like sunshine, I really do. You know, just not until June.

Two weeks of warm weather was thrust aside late Wednesday night when a quick striking Pacific storm the Luftwaffe would have been proud of formed and fomented for two days, leaving Squaw Valley once again draped in its winter white.

"It’s awesome to be riding pow again," said PlumpJack dining room server Andreas Madsen after getting in some turns before work. "I was a little bummed thinking that the there might not be anymore fresh tracks to be had this season."

Dre, we share your feelings. While spring skiing is a super fun party, the real reason why so many people sacrifice so much in order to turn planks down a mountain is the feeling of effortlessness that powder snow gives us. Friction goes way down and fun goes way up. Like most clichés, the cliché of skiing and flight has been used to ad nausea because it communicates the point well! Skiing is to walking as bacon is to oatmeal.

For breakfast, my Australian friend Rob whom I met five months ago in Germany, preferred eggs and toast. He left his homeland at the end of its winter to travel the northern hemisphere during our colder months, and will return home in two weeks to the latter stages of fall.
Truly an endless winter Rob, I just wish you knew how to ski.

Book before March 31, 2010 and take advantage of $155/night through May 27, 2010. Call 800.323.7666 to book.

Pizza Baking Class at Squaw Valley Inn

PlumpJack University at Squaw Valley Inn hosted a pizza baking class for PlumpJack Employees. Squaw Valley Inn Pastry Chef, Jon Howard, led the class... Mamma mia!

Make your reservations at PlumpJack Cafe by calling 530.583.1578 or visiting www.plumpjackcafe.com. Experience the cuisine of our new Executive Chef, Ben "Wyatt" Dufresne.

Squaw: So Seriously Seductive in the Spring Sunshine

Another installation from famed PlumpJack Blogger Jon Grant of Squaw Valley Inn. Photos courtesy of PlumpJack Marketing Director Jen Chism, taken during PlumpJack Employee Ski Day.

The time has come once again -- the time to rummage through the closet in search of your most brightly colored t-shirts, loudest neon green sunglasses, perhaps an old bikini top or venerated high school basketball jersey, to generously apply the SPF, maybe throw a tall boy PBR from Dave's Deli in a pocket and hit the slopes -- for the annual party galore that is spring skiing at Squaw has arrived once more.

To this fiesta del sol even Mr. Edgar Allan Poe wouldn't dare the refrain of "Nevermore..."
And the skiing is still good. Tower 16 and Sun Bowl are soft bump paradises, increased high angle grooming on KT’s Olympic Lady and East Face allow get your Julia Mancuso on, Silverado always corns up, and Granite Chief and Cornice II Bowl somehow always ski like January. Even the tree playgrounds of Red Dog, Far East, and Squaw Creek are skiing great late in the day.
And as Apollo's chariot ride takes him higher and higher in the afternoon sky, park, pipe, and hot-dogging season really take off. The superpipe is in prime condition; people are going huge off of kickers and spreading some serious style on rails in the three parks on the mountain, and who doesn’t like showing off under a lift line shirtless? (Ok, maybe I don’t speak for the entire ski community, but I sure think it’s fun. Hoots and or heckles from the chairs above just make you go faster.)

Things are so good that the U.S. Freestyle Team has made plans to stop by Squaw and throw down. The U.S Freestyle Nationals will be held March 26-28 featuring the best the Stars and Stripes has to offer, some fresh from the Olympics, to compete in moguls, aerials, and halfpipe.

* * * * * *

California in springtime is magic. Beaches, vineyards, Giants games -- all good stuff. But one of the most unique and under-appreciated activities is skiing buttery corn snow on a world class mountain in 60 degree Golden State bliss. And while the mountain could be open until mid-May, we haven't done too much since the Industrial Revolution to help Mother Nature's cold streak, so don't put off turns 'til next week that you could do this week. Because while you can take in Carmel Beach, hike Mount Tamalpais, taste wine in fairytale land, or hit the dimpled little white ball around in the sunshine for the next six months... you can't ski in July!

Spring Ski Specials at PlumpJack Squaw Valley Inn! Book before March 31, 2010 and take advantage of $155/night through May 27, 2010. Call 800.323.7666 to book.

Traveling the country expounding on PlumpJack and CADE

Tales from the Road... a blog by PlumpJack Winemaker Tony Biagi

Most people think that after harvest winemakers just sit around and taste wine all day-and there is some truth to that!!! When the weather turns cold and the vines go dormant the winemaker puts on a different hat, the traveling salesman hat and this is the side of the wine business that most consumers are not aware of.

This year I will travel to 7 markets in the first 6 months of the year. Some of the market visits are part catching up with old friends on the distributor level (always good to see the guys at Republic Beverage in Texas and Classic in Colorado), as well as meeting new people in restaurants and retail shops across the United States. It is very enjoyable to chat with fans of PlumpJack and if they do not know yet introduce them to the wines of CADE. We are very lucky to have such a strong group of distributors!!!!!

Part of the market visits are Winemaker dinners. Now we don’t do many winemaker dinners so when one is planned while I am on the road I get very excited to spend an evening with people whom I guess you could call PlumpJack Fanatics. One dinner we do in Houston every year (Pappa’s Brothers) is always sold out and the people are always so much fun. One couple has been to every dinner there that I have hosted. It also allows me to reach out and talk with consumers and find out what they are thinking in regards to our wine style as well as our business. I have learned a lot from our consumers and it has allowed better serve our future customers. One thing that is not in doubt; most customers who have been to the winery all love Josh our tasting room manager. (What does the guy do for all the love?!).

In the end these market visits allow me to get out and see what is going on in the marketplace and who is buying our wine and why. It allows me to meet with Sommielers, wine stewards and retail store managers to hear what they have to say in regards to PlumpJack and CADE. I digest this information and when I get back share it with not only our sales director and sales staff (not the Josh part his head is big enough already- just kidding, love ya Zanow!!!!!) but also my winemaking staff so they can better understand where our wines are going and who is enjoying the fruits of their labor.

Call Josh today and schedule a tasting today- ask when Tony will be in and meet the winemaker!~

Yes, dinner with a side of star-struck, please

Jon Grant of PlumpJack Squaw Valley Inn takes note of a coworker...

PJSVI employee Maria Debari Makes a Name in the Pro Snowboarding Field

There’s a whole lot going on up at the PlumpJack Squaw Valley Inn these days; as if a luxurious night stay at the newly remodeled Granite Chief Suite, a delicious Balboa Burger from the bar menu, and world class skiing at Squaw weren’t enough, you can now get your glass of PlumpJack Reserve served by a pro snowboarder. Seriously.

Back waiter Maria Debari has entered a new level in her riding this year as she took third place at the Mount Baker Banked Slalom February 5-7 and second at The North Face Masters, a big mountain event held at Crystal Mountain a week later. She looks to continue her hot streak this weekend at the renowned free-ride event at Kirkwood.

Maria has been snowboarding most of her life yet only recently moved into the realm of competition. Initially hesitant, she agreed only after sponsors and management from the Mount Baker event basically begged her to enter in hopes her strong reputation would add more drawing power to the women’s field.

“I’m really not much for competition. But they really wanted me and it was pretty cool; there was free beer and hot dogs at the bottom,” said the 23 year old Glacier, Washington native. “I just want people to look up at me riding and say, ‘wow that girl’s having so much fun.”

All clichés and dehumanizing, brand-name marketing slogans aside – Maria truly does embody what PlumpJack is all about – creativity, free spiritedness, and bold, out-loud living. In short, she’s raw.

At the Big Mountain North Face Masters event, she felt a bit awkward doing the mandatory interviews atop the mountain before her run as she intimated that microphones and pre-programmed questioning before something as soulful and creative as a free-ski run was a bit crude. (She really just likes to ride and have a good time and deflects her newly found fame with a refreshing modesty – Hey, I had to randomly run in to her at a Squaw Valley dive bar and buy her a beer to get her to open up at all about her riding. Notes were taken on the back of receipt paper. PBR if I remember correctly.)

“I had my line scouted out with all the features I wanted to hit. But I got a little distracted and as soon as I dropped in I kinda forgot about all that stuff and just went as fast as I could down the hill. I really didn’t even end up in the right place at the finish. Oh well.”

Well, it must have impressed the judging panel of no-nonsense old school riders who awarded her second place out of an impressive field of experienced women who just flat-out shred.

And though on a busy Saturday night she might get a nice pocket-full of tips, the payout for that day’s ‘work’ at Crystal Mountain wasn’t all that bad.

“Yeah it was sweet. I basically got paid two grand for a ‘pow run’.” Last time I checked, I’ve never got a dime for making fresh tracks on KT. Rock on Maria.

Stay at Squaw Valley Inn and talk to Maria about her mountain adventures. Call 530.583.1576 for reservations.

Archbishop Riordan High School Newspaper Reviews Balboa Burger

High School newspaper reporters from Archbishop Riordan visited the best burger spots in San Francisco last month- and they put the Balboa Burger on the top of their list!

Carlos Rocha ’10
& Brendan Herger ’10

Three friends wait for a bus at a little past eleven. Their stomachs are growling, though by day’s end they will never want to imbibe another greasy morsel. One of them, Crusader editor Carlos Rocha has contacted various establishments around San Francisco and arranged for burger tasting, unwittingly opening himself and his friends to an unexpected complexity of cuisine. This is the tale of three friends, four burgers, and and a day full of greasy, delicious delights.

Balboa Cafe

3199 Fillmore Street
San Francisco, CA

Balboa Burger: $10.50

Enter the Balboa Burger: a thick, juicy, 8 oz. burger served on a lightly toasted baguette. The patty, a hearty delight in itself, is further complemented by house made pickles, which offer only more flavor. Presented with a range of condiments, available cheeses and sauces, this burger allows the freedom of personalization because who really knows what tastes good better than you? Accompanied by thinly sliced French fries, this is the kind of burger you enjoy when you go out to eat yet want something with a familiar comfort food feel. The Balboa Burger is our favorite burger because it is packed with flavor, is well-portioned, and has an array of condiments such as sautéed onions and mushrooms to add that extra explosion of flavor that many other burgers lack.

Burger Bar
251 Geary Street
San Francisco, CA

Hubert Keller Burger: $22.00

Named after the famous chef Hubert Keller, this burger captures the essence of what a burger can be. The succulent burger is decorated with caramelized onions, baby spinach, and blue cheese served on lightly toasted ciabatta bread. These ingredients blend together to create an exceptional, unexpected flavor, complete with an almost buttery texture. The buttery spinach completes the burger, adding an unexpected yet sensational twist that sets this burger apart. This burger is well-sized, so bring a date or come hungry!

Extra: For those with room left to spare, try a dessert burger.

Taylor’s Automatic Refresher
Building #6
1 Ferry, San Francisco, CA

Wisconsin Sourdough: $8.99

An almost antiquated simplicity, in a matching nostalgic feeling 1950’s setting, takes this burger a step ahead of most others. Mushrooms, bacon, cheddar, tomatoes, and mayo served on toasted sourdough: these are the makings of the Wisconsin sourdough and it’s one messy burger. This burger’s focal point is the patty, not the condiments. While other burgers get their size from mounds of vegetables, the patty makes up this burger. To further the emphasis on the meat, the burger adds crispy bacon, giving an added crunch. The secret behind the success of the burger is the BBQ sauce. Distinctive and yet not over the top, the Wisconsin Sourdough is definitely a classic man’s burger.

Johnny Rockets
2201 Chestnut St.
San Francisco, CA

The Original: $5.60

The Original is your classic American burger: cheddar cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, onions, mustard, and mayo served with fries. The fact that it is classic and yet tastes so good is why it works. The thinner patty allows the condiments to give off a variety of tastes that are held together by a soft bun. The meal is well portioned and leaves you feeling satisfied. The Original proves that burgers don’t have to be fancy to taste great.

Stop into Balboa Cafe on Fillmore and Greenwich or visit us in Mill Valley at 38 Miller Avenue for your next Balboa Burger!

PlumpJack Employees Tasting Wine in Tahoe

PlumpJack Squaw Valley Inn employee, Jay Sawczak, tells PlumpJack Blog readers about his tough day at work... tasting wine!

Being a part of the Plumpjack family, you'd never guess to be so fortunate as to have supervisors that insist you drink wine while working...regularly. In fact, it's such an integral part of the restaurant life here that the managers will peer pressure you into the trainings. Sounds crazy, right?

This past week the crew was invited to sign up for a training that involved taking different cabernets and blending them together to get a more balanced and friendly wine for the palate. Differences such as soil quality, altitude, slope aspect, climate, and vineyard. The wines ranged from very tannoned to deep dark fruit to flavors of olive. Some similar, others very different, and unique in their own way.

Our guide was a local wine buyer named Kevin who gave us samples and a "map" to show us the area where each grape was grown and harvested. The map would highlight the major points of each sample while Kevin would help us to pick out the finer points of each. It gets fun when your guide says, "there's no wrong answer" and the crew starts throwing out their own perspectives. Younger, less experienced members of the crew, such as myself, are trying to rememeber what Kevin told us about the climate and characteristics of each wine and use more official descriptions like tasting "mocha, volcanic hints, petroclor, blah blah blah." The more experienced crew members are throwing out tastes they've had a million times...Coca Cola and cookie dough were two of the favorites of the day.

The training ended with the blending. Who would've thought a cabernet with an olive and mineral taste to it could be mixed with deep dark fruits and chocolate to make something super tasty? All the while Kevin is chiming in that the next time we get to the last of a bottle we'd do ourselves a favor to pour it on top of a different wine freshly poured from a different bottle.

A truly eye opening experience and just one of the reasons why the Plumpjack ship has a very dedicated, happy, and observant crew.

Cheers, Jay Sawczak

Ready to visit PlumpJack Cafe at Squaw Valley Inn? Make a reservation for our next Winemaker Dinner with Nicholson Ranch on March 25. Your reservation will also give you 20% off of your night stay at Squaw Valley Inn. Ramona Nicholson will be in attendance and has just been selected as Woman of the Year for the 6th Assembly District of California. Congratulations Ramona! Call 530.583.1578 or visit www.plumpjackcafe.com for your reservation.

PlumpJack Employees Tour No.209 Gin Distillery

PlumpJack Employees were invited to Pier 50 last week for a private tour of No. 209 Gin Distillery.

Arne Hillesland, Master Distiller (aka Ginerator) guided us on the tour- from the beginning stages of the botanicals to the final stages of distilling. In the photo above, Chris from the PlumpJack Wines Store on Fillmore Street samples aromas from Hilleslands Botanical Room. (We like to call it the Spice Shack though...).

This nifty contraption allows Hillesdale to be a one-man Ginerator. (Except for bottling, that is).

And this is where the magic happens. Hillesland closely monitors the temperature inside the copper distiller.

PlumpJack Employees discussing the Art of Gin.

HUGE thanks to No. 209 Gin for this extra special tour of your facility. You've converted at least one vodka drinker to a gin drinker! (Don't tell Grey Goose.)

Ready to get your own bottle of No. 209 Gin? Call Chris at the PlumpJack Wines store on Fillmore and Greenwich (415.346.9870) or Josh at the PlumpJack Wines in Noe Valley (415.282.3841). Or stop in to Balboa Cafe and ask for Kevin or Brian- they went on the tour and are ready to make you an extra-special No.209 Cocktail!

Go Red for Women! PlumpJack Supports the American Heart Association

PlumpJack Employees are supporting the Go Red for Women movement by signing up for these free recipes, tips and latest heart news. As part of the restaurant and hospitality industry we support healthy living. So sign up today! Here is a note from Jill Diaforli from the Greater Bay Area chapter of the American Heart Association.

The American Heart Association needs your help. The Greater Bay Area chapter is hard at work to register over 4,000 women (and men) for the Go Red For Women movement (http://www.goredforwomen.org/). Receive free recipes, tips and the latest heart news.
Too many women die each year because they are unaware that heart disease is their No. 1 killer. One in three women suffers in silence, and almost one woman dies every minutes of this largely preventable disease.

All you have to do is simply reply to Jill Diaforli jill.diaforli@heart.org let her know you are interested. If you would like to receive a free GRFW Dress Pin please include your mailing address when you reply.
Thank you for your support!

Check out the PlumpJack Philanthropy Page for more opportunties to promote Healthy Living.

Stoli Winter Cocktails at PlumpJack Bar in Squaw Valley

On February 4th Stoli Vodka and 7x7 magazine celebrated the Stoli Winter Cocktail Menu at PlumpJack Bar in Squaw Valley. Patrons from San Francisco, Reno and locals from Squaw Valley all flocked to PlumpJack to sample the ski-inspired cocktails on the Stoli List.


PlumpJack Chef Tim Crockett in the Stoli Photo Booth

Stoli Cocktails ready to warm-up skiers fresh off of the slopes!



Bartender BP loves 7x7 and Stoli Vodka

Stoli Ski Bunnies with PlumpJack Bar Patrons

Ready to visit PlumpJack Squaw Valley Inn? Don't miss the opportunity to get out of town and onto the slopes before the ski season is over. Book 2 nights at PlumpJack Squaw Valley Inn and receive the 3rd night for free beginning March 7th. Click here to book your reservation today.