Schedule 10/1-10/7

Halibut

The Pacific halibut is found on the continental shelf of the North Pacific Ocean and Bering sea. They are demersal, living on or near the bottom. The halibut is among the largest teleost (bony) fish in the world. Halibut are strong swimmers and are able to migrate long distances. Halibut size is age and sex-specific, but also follows a cycle that has been related to halibut and other species abundance.

Pacific halibut have diamond-shaped bodies. Halibut have both eyes on their dark or upper side. The color adaption allows halibut to avoid detection from both prey and predator. Being strong swimmers, halibut are able to eat a large variety of fishes such as cod, turbot, pollock, and some invertebrates such as crab and shrimp. Most spawning takes place off the edge of the continental shelf in deep waters about 200 to 300 fathoms (1,200 to 1,800 ft; 370 to 550 m). At six months of age, the young have their adult form and are about 1.4 inches (3.6 cm) long. Young halibut, up to 10 years of age, are highly migratory. Older, reproductively mature halibut move seasonally across areas and between shallower and deeper waters during and around the winter reproductive season. The oldest halibut on record (both males and females) are 55 years old based on otolith (ear bone) measurements.

There is a thriving commercial fishery for Pacific halibut, mainly in Alaska but also along the western coast of North America south to Oregon. Sport fishing for halibut in Alaska is a very popular activity; it is a strong fighter with an impressive yield and firm, white flesh. Over 65 percent of the effort and harvest occurs in Kachemak Bay, Southeast Alaska, the Kodiak area, and near the mouth of Deep Creek in the Lower Cook Inlet. Most halibut caught weigh 15–20 pounds (6.8–9.1 kg), although individuals weighing more than 150 pounds (68 kg) are regularly caught. The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) manages these fisheries based on large amounts of data taken annually.

Life Cycle

Halibut spawning takes place during the winter months with the peak of activity occurring from December through February. Most spawning takes place in deep waters of 200 to 300 fathoms. Male halibut become sexually mature at 7 or 8 years of age, and females attain sexual maturity at 8 to 12 years. Females lay two to three million eggs annually, depending on the size of the fish.Halibut are the largest of all flatfish. The largest ever recorded for an Alaska halibut was a 495-pound fish caught near Petersburg, Alaska. 

Fertilized eggs hatch after about fifteen days. Free-floating eggs and larvae float for up to six months and are transported up to several hundred miles by currents of the North Pacific. During this stage, many changes take place in the young halibut, which rise to the surface and are carried to shallower waters by prevailing currents. In the shallower waters, young halibut then begin life as bottom dwellers. Most young halibut ultimately spend from five to seven years in rich, shallow nursery grounds as in the Gulf of Alaska and Cook Inlet.

Younger halibut, up to 10 years of age, are highly migratory and generally migrate in a clockwise direction east and south throughout the Gulf of Alaska. Halibut in the older age classes tend to be much less migratory. Older fish often use both shallow and deep waters over the annual cycle, however they have much smaller “home ranges” than younger, more migratory fish.Younger halibut, up to 10 years of age, are highly migratory and generally migrate in a clockwise direction east and south throughout the Gulf of Alaska.

Commercial Fishing

Commercial halibut fishing began in the 1890's with company-owned steamers carrying several small dories (two-man row boats), from which the fishing actually was conducted. Thereafter, smaller 60' to 100' schooner type boats, specifically designed for halibut fishing, were used in the fishery carrying crews of 5 to 8 deckhands. Most halibut boats used today are more versatile and also take part in the salmon and crab fisheries.

Halibut fisheries have changed dramatically over the past several decades. In the 70's, halibut was fished for during a 5 month season. In the late 80's, only two openers of 24 to 48 hour lengths were available. This "derby style" fishing produced huge landings but low quality catch, not to mention, the extraordinary risks fishermen took during these short periods to secure their seasonal income. In 1995, halibut fishing switched to an individual vessel quota system which has increased the availability of fresh halibut to an 8 month annual span, while also increasing the quality of the halibut landed.

Today, commercial Pacific halibut fishing is regulated by the International Pacific Halibut Commission. Members from the U.S. and Canada meet yearly to review research, check progress of commercial fishery, and make new regulations. This management is intended to allow maximum sustained yield of halibut.

The largest concentration of pacific halibut is in the Gulf of Alaska, with most in the Kodiak Island area. A smaller amount exist in the Bering Sea.

Both Alaska and British Columbia halibut fisheries now operate under an Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ) system. Under the ITQ system, fishermen "own" their quota and can fish for it anytime from March 15th through November 15th.

Halibut is also fished for in Russia and Japan. Generally the U.S. and Canada's halibut is superior in quality to Russian halibut, but Russian technology is making improvements that will allow them to be more comparable in quality. Russia and Japan halibut are smaller, averaging 10 to 30 pounds, but have higher oil content.

Alaska halibut accounts for 80% of the North America harvest of Pacific halibut. Annual  quotas now average about 25,000 tons. The U.S imports more than 8,000 tons from both Russia and Japan.

   Halibut are caught using the "long-line" method. This fishing gear consists of units of leaded ground lines in lengths of 100 fathoms which are referred to as "skates". Each skate has approximately 100 hooks spread out along its length. A "set" consist of one or more baited skates tied together and laid on the ocean bottom with anchors at each end. Each end has a float line with a buoy reaching the surface. Hooks are baited with frozen herring or other fresh fish. A skate set could cover several miles of ocean floor. Depending on the fishing grounds, time of year, and bait used, a set is fished 2 to 20 hours before being pulled by a hydraulic puller.

Culinary Uses

Halibut is one of the mildest and most pleasant-tasting fish on the market. It’s white and flaky, contains little oil, and never has an overpowering taste or smell (unless it’s going bad). It can be used in just about any recipe that calls for a mild white fish and can be substituted for other types such as tilapia or flounder.

Depending on where you live, you may cook your halibut differently than others. Nonetheless, halibut is one of the most versatile types of fish available and can prepared in several ways and used in many innovative recipes.

• Grilling – In warm weather locations or during the comfortable summer months, many amateur chefs turn to their outdoor grills to prepare their halibut. It’s best to start with a specially-designed fish basket or other grill basket when grilling halibut fillets. Because this fish is very low in oil, it tends to stick to surfaces, so even with a basket, it’s necessary to keep it oiled. If you wish to enhance the flavor (though it’s certainly not necessary!), choose a dry rub or a very mild marinade that won’t overpower the fish. Because halibut is generally thin – an inch or less in thickness – it shouldn’t take more than 6-10 minutes to grill it over medium heat. Watch it carefully as halibut can dry out quickly.

• Baking – Like grilling, baking can also dry out your halibut. If you’re cooking it in the oven, choose a temperature setting of 325 – 350 degrees and bake for about 20 minutes for a 1 inch thick piece. Brush it with butter or a mild marinade before cooking.

• Broiling – Again, dryness is an issue with broiling but it can certainly produce a good end result if you watch the halibut carefully. Broil the fish about 3-4 inches from the element and brush often with butter, oil, or marinade. A one inch thick piece should take no more than 10 to 15 minutes to cook through and the result is a nice crispy outer layer. You can also take small halibut pieces, about an inch in size, wrap them in bacon and broil them to make a delicious appetizer.

• Pan Frying – Not unlike fried chicken, halibut tastes good when it’s breaded and fried, though this cooking method isn’t quite as healthy as others. It’s best to cut the filet into smaller serving-size pieces before you begin. Heat a frying pan containing oil, butter, or solid shortening. Dip the pieces in egg or milk and coat with flour. Fry a few minutes of each side until crispy and golden brown. Drain excess oil before eating.

• Deep Frying – Chunks or strips of halibut can be deep fried in a pan or a specially designed “fryer”. Dip all pieces in your favorite batter (try a tasty beer batter if you don’t have a favorite yet) and deep fry them a few at a time in hot oil. (Trying to fry all the pieces at once brings down the temperature of the oil and results in poor frying and soggy halibut.) Cook until the chunks are deep brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels before eating and consider serving the halibut with dipping sauces like honey mustard, sweet and sour, or BBQ sauce.

Schedule 9/24-9/30

Eberle Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Winemaker's notes:

The colors and aromatics from the 2009 vintage are exceptional and the result of a stellar growing and ripening season. Remarkably well-balanced, displaying concentrated fruit, intense flavor profiles and vivid color extraction. Approachable and enjoyable in its youth, lush with flavors of wild berries, cassis and moderate tannins. One of the best vintages from the Paso Robles Appellation yet!

Paso Robles

California’s Central Coast is geologically different from other California wine growing regions. Unlike others with deep, rich fertile valley soils, there are four general soil types in the Paso Robles AVA primarily formed from weathering granite, serpentine, shale and limestone, with shale and limestone being the most predominant bedrock types. Soil diversity is the norm and a vineyard block may commonly contain several different soil types.

One distinguishing factor of the Paso Robles AVA is the abundance of highly desirable limestone and calcareous-rich soils found throughout the region. Due to geologic uplift, chalky limestone shale is plentiful in Paso Robles’ west-side hills, where dense clay-based soils combine with relatively plentiful rainfall to make it possible for some vines to be dry-farmed without supplemental irrigation. East of the Salinas River, gently rolling hills, many of which are also rich in limestone, are covered with sandy, loamy soils. In the watershed areas, particularly the Estrella River plain, loam and clay are overlain with sand.

The western boundary is just six miles from the Pacific Ocean. The appellation lies on the inland side of the Santa Lucia coastal mountains in San Luis Obispo County, and roughly forms a rectangle 35 miles from east to west, and 25 miles from north to south. It extends from the Monterey County border to the north, to the Cuesta Grade below Santa Margarita to the south, and from the Santa Lucia Mountains to the west, to the Cholame Hills to the east.

The Paso Robles appellation comprises 614,000 acres of which more than 26,000 acres are in wine grape vines. It is the fastest growing and largest by far of three AVAs in San Luis Obispo County, and the main reason that the county ranks behind only Napa, Sonoma and Monterey counties in planted acreage among the state’s coastal growing areas.

DeLoach Pinot Noir 2008

Winemaker’s notes

Enticing red berry fruit aromas blend with rhubarb and cola. Delicate notes of anise and baking spices lace the fruit to unfold a rich palate of black cherries supported by medium fine-grain tannins. The finish lingers with attractive subtle toasty undertones, fine acid, and excellent balance.

Russian River Valley

Climate

With parts of the AVA located less than 10 miles (16 kilometers) from the Pacific, the climate of the Russian River AVA is characterized by cool morning fog that comes in from the ocean through the Petaluma Gap and burns off during the day. This natural air-conditioning allows the grapes to develop full flavor maturity over an extended growing season — often 15 to 20 percent longer than neighboring areas — while retaining their life-giving natural acidity. The cooling influence of the fog is responsible for the large diurnal temperature variation with nighttime temperatures dropping as much as 35 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit (about 20 °C) from daytime high. The Russian River is a rain-fed waterway that swells in the wintertime and provides vital irrigation to the region's vineyards during the dry season in late spring. In the summertime, the warmth of the season is tempered by the maritime influence of fog that facilitates a long, slow ripening period and limits the risk of over ripeness or "baked" flavors in the grapes. Harvest in the Russian River Area often take place at later dates than in its neighboring regions. The central and western reaches of the AVA are the coolest and tend to be most extensively planted with Pinot noir and Chardonnay.

 Soil

The geologic history of the Russian River Valley is both active and recent. The collision between the North American and Pacific tectonic plates caused the uplift of ancient bedrock, which then eroded. Within the last few million years the eruption of volcanic vents immediately to the east resulted in the deposition of volcanic ash on the shallow ocean bottom. The resulting sandstone gave us our famous Goldridge loam soil.

Water flowing off of the Sonoma Mountain range carried with it eroded volcanic material, creating soils with large amounts of clay in the central portion of the appellation. Then, in what remains a major mystery to geologists, the Russian River, which once flowed south to what is now San Francisco Bay, changed course and headed west through the coastal foothills. Along its course it deposited large amounts of alluvial materials that are now river benchlands. Each of these different soils has a profound effect on wine produced from grapes grown in this soil.

Domaine Arlaud Bourgogne 2008

Winemaker’s Notes

Roncevie  is truly an insider Burgundy secret and a top value for those in the know. The vineyard sits surrounded by Gevrey village vineyards, and neighbors grand cru Mazoyeres-Chambertin. Imagine the spring-sweet flavors of cold cherry soup and wild strawberries, brightened by a hint of lemon zest. The nose is floral and fresh, with suggestions of lavender and a good shake of black pepper. Aromas are unmistakably Chambolle-inspired, with spring blossoms and purple fruits. Always a blockbuster and a wine that delivers far above its "simple" status.

The Winery

With a new, modernized cellar in Morey-St.-Denis and an organic focus in the fields, Domaine Arlaud has established itself as one of the leading family wineries in the Côte d'Or. We've partnered with Domaine Arlaud for more than a decade, yet today we believe the quality at this great family domaine has never been higher.

This is a impressive winemaking “dream” team: Cyprien Arlaud, now in his 30s, was well-taught by his father, Herve, and has worked for years side-by-side with him in the family fields in Morey-St.-Denis and elsewhere in the Côte de Nuits. Cyprien too has trained at wineries abroad, and today as he effectively runs the domaine, there is a palatable energy and renewed focus on higher quality Burgundy with each vintage. Their vineyards are organically tended—and even plowed by horse by sister Bertille, rather than by tractor. Roman Arlaud, Cyprien's talented brother, works full-time in the cellar and has assumed many winemaking duties with incredible success.

Wines from this domaine are always pure and utterly natural, thanks to the family's dedication to organic viticulture and overall smart, diligent work in the fields. Hand pruning and green harvests are the norm here; while walking through the fields with Roman during a recent visit, we could barely keep a conversation as he would pull a leaf here, tug an errant weed there. This is a hands-on domaine, and certainly the quality, purity and harmony of their world-class cuvées are testament to this.

Included in the Arlaud lineup is one of the better Bourgogne Rouge vineyards and certainly one of our favorites, “Roncevie.” This village vineyard, while classified as Bourgogne, is surrounded by fields classified as Gevrey-Chambertin village and is undoubtedly one of the finest Bourgognes for the price. The family's premier and grand crus, which include outstanding bottlings of Clos de la Roche, Clos Saint Denis, Charmes-Chambertin and Bonnes Mares, have earned serious accolades from the wine press, both domestically and abroad.  Wines are generally bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Like many parts of the 'Old World,' Burgundy is undergoing something of a revolution. For the first time, as members of the next generation take control of family wineries, they are armed with techniques and production know-how gleaned from other wine regions. They have traveled far beyond the walls of their respective villages and observed how wine is made across the world, and the results are proving to be very exciting. Hervé Arlaud, the family patriarch, has watched with pride and awe as his son Cyprien and daughter Bertille have taken the family’s winery in Morey-St.-Denis to a new level. Cyprien’s passion for clean, modern cellar techniques stands in stark contrast to his sister’s throwback approach to farming. In an effort to remove fumes and oil from their precious earth, she literally plows their vineyards by hand behind a draft horse. Taste for yourself what happens when the best of time-honored tradition meets modern know-how.

Gevrey-Chambertin

Gevrey-Chambertin wine is produced in the communes of Gevrey-Chambertin and Brochon in the Côte de Nuits subregion of Burgundy. The Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) Gevrey-Chambertin may be used only for red wine with Pinot Noir as the main grape variety. There are nine Grand Cru vineyards within the commune of Gevrey-Chambertin, Chambertin and eight others called Chambertin in combination with something else, such as Chapelle-Chambertin. While Gevrey-Chambertin also has several highly regarded Premier Cru vineyards, it has a particularly large amount of vineyards at the village level for a Côte de Nuits appellation. This is because the vineyards of the AOC stretch further to the east (beyond the N74 road) than in most neighboring AOCs.

Gevrey-Chambertin wines are highly colourful and potent for being Burgundies, with intense aromas and flavours evoking blackcurrant, cherry, musk and liquorice, among others. The potency of Gevrey-Chambertin wines makes it a suitable accompaniment to stews and strong-flavoured cooking, such as grilled red meat, leg of mutton, beef Bourguignon, rabbit stew, coq au vin, coq au Chambertin, and strong cheeses, including Époisses de Bourgogne.

Schedule 9/17-9/22

Date	Saturday	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday
	17-Sep	18-Sep	19-Sep	20-Sep	21-Sep	22-Sep
SERVER	SERVER	SERVER	SERVER	SERVER	SERVER	SERVER
Norma	REQ OFF	OFF	OFF	OFF	10a-830p H	9:30a-830p H
Gerardo	REQ OFF	REQ OFF	REQ OFF	REQ OFF	4pm-10pm	10am-10pm
Carlos	4:30p-10p	10am-4pm  4pm-10pm	OFF	11:30a-6p	10am-4pm	10am-10pm
Dominic	10am-4pm	N/A	N/A	N/A	10am-10pm	N/A
Blake	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	10am-10pm	N/A
Jenn	10am-4pm  4pm-10pm	9am-10pm	10am-4pm	OFF	4pm-10pm	4:30p-10p
Chloe	10am-10pm	4:30p-10p	OFF	10am-4pm	4pm-10pm	4:30p-10p
Morgan	BEV CT 9-3 4pm-10pm	BEV CT 9-3 4pm-10pm	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
BUSSER	BUSSER	BUSSER	BUSSER	BUSSER	BUSSER	BUSSER
Arturo	REQ OFF	REQ OFF	OFF	OFF	4:30p-10p	4:30p-10p
Lupita	OFF	9am-4pm	OFF	OFF	10am-4pm	10am-4pm
Horacio	4:30p-10p	4:30p-10p	OFF	OFF	4:30p-10p	4:30p-10p
Erika	4:30p-10p	10am-10pm	OFF	OFF	4:30p-10p	4:30p-10p
Graciela	10am-10pm	4:30p-10p	OFF	OFF	10am-10pm	4:30p-10p
RUNNER	RUNNER	RUNNER	RUNNER	RUNNER	RUNNER	RUNNER
Fidel	4:30p-10p	10am-10pm	OFF	OFF	4:30p-10p	4:30p-10p
Luis	4:30p-10p	4:30p-10p	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
BAR	BAR	BAR	BAR	BAR	BAR	BAR
Mary	REQ OFF	REQ OFF	REQ OFF	REQ OFF	REQ OFF	REQ OFF
Laura	4-10pm  S	4-10pm  S	OFF	OFF	1pm-4pm      4-10pm  S	4pm-10pm
Stephen	10am-10pm	9am-4pm     4-10pm S	OFF	OFF	4pm-10pm	OFF
Marissa	4-10pm  S	9am-4p  S   4pm-10pm	11:30a-6p	OFF	OFF	10am-4pm     4-10pm S
INTERN	INTERN	INTERN	INTERN	INTERN	INTERN	INTERN
Charlie	11am-4pm	11am-4pm
OFF	Bev Cart	Mixed Grill	Torreon	REQ OFF