Category Archives: New Products

The Napa Valley’s Newest Patisserie Is A Stunner

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The beautiful pastries at Under-study.
The beautiful pastries at Under-study.

As if the Napa Valley didn’t already boast an overabundance of fine eats, along comes the new Under-study patisserie and cafe, which opened with a splash in St. Helena at the end of May in the former Dean & DeLuca building.

It’s from the team behind Michelin-starred Press restaurant just a few yards away, which includes its Chef-Partner Philip Tessier, former executive sous chef at The French Laundry and the first American chef to ascend to the podium of the prestigious international Bocuse d’Or Competition; and acclaimed Executive Pastry Chef Frank Vollkommer, a former pastry instructor at the Culinary Institute of America. So, you know this isn’t your run-of-the-mill bakery, but one with some of the most exquisite pastries around.

Executive Chef-Partner Philip Tessier (left) and Executive Pastry Chef Frank Vollkommer (right).
Executive Chef-Partner Philip Tessier (left) and Executive Pastry Chef Frank Vollkommer (right).

I finally had an opportunity to visit a few weeks ago, when I was traveling through the valley. Under-study is right off St. Helena Highway, though, it’s not easily spotted from the road. When you see Press, you know you’ve landed in the right place. To the restaurant’s left is the new MAC, the Napa Valley Museum of Art & Culture, with its very thoughtful and creative Julia Child exhibit that shouldn’t be missed. Head around the left-hand side of the MAC, and you’ll find the entrance to Under-study.

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Marin French Cheese Co. Celebrates 160 Years With New Products

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The new Petit Breakfast Everything from Marin French Cheese Co.
The new Petit Breakfast Everything from Marin French Cheese Co.

America’s oldest cheese company, Marin French, marks its 160th anniversary this year in a big way — with new cheese offerings.

The West Marin company has expanded its “Breakfast Range,” its fresh brie that is rindless and not aged. I had the opportunity to try samples of the new products.

I’ve long been a fan of its Petit Breakfast ($7.99), its 4-ounce wheel that is soft, creamy, tangy yet mild that I often enjoy with jam on an English muffin for breakfast. So, I couldn’t be happier that it now comes in a size that’s twice as large.

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A Different Kind of Baklava

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Dar Baklava's Cashew Bird's Nest Baklava made with more nuts and less sugar than most baklava.
Dar Baklava’s Cashew Bird’s Nest Baklava made with more nuts and less sugar than most baklava.

In theory, I love baklava.

But in practice, sometimes not so much.

After all, I can’t resist crisp, buttery phyllo pastry layers with crunchy nuts. However, more times than not, it’s just too darn sweet for me.

Sherif Badawy thought the same when he immigrated to the United States from Egypt in 2011, and found what passed for baklava here too doughy and too drenched in syrup for his taste.

So, the pediatrician and marathon runner set out to create a baklava that was less saccharine yet still delicious and satisfying.

Single-serve packages.
Single-serve packages.

The result is Dar Baklava, his Chicago company that makes baklava packaged in bite-size pieces that boasts more nuts and less syrup.

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Summer Was Made For Dandelion Chocolate Single-Origin S’mores Kit

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Dandelion Chocolate debuts a kit to make gourmet s'mores.
Dandelion Chocolate debuts a kit to make gourmet s’mores.

Level up your s’mores game — big-time — with the new Dandelion Chocolate Single-Origin S’mores Kit.

The San Francisco bean-to-bar chocolate company has come up with its own gourmet version of the campfire favorite that’s available for summer.

I had a chance to try a sample of the $68 kit that comes with everything you need to make nine s’mores. That includes 70 percent large, square-shaped, single-origin chocolate chips from cacao beans grown in three different parts of the world: Indonesia, Belize, and Uganda.

The s'mores kit box.
The s’mores kit box.

Also enclosed are Dandelion Chocolate Chef Lisa Vega’s house-made graham crackers and marshmallows, along with napkins, matchbooks, instructions for making the s’mores (using a campfire, barbecue, broiler or gas stovetop), and two telescoping metal skewers.

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Summer Sips

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A Chardonnay that drinks light with plenty of acidity.
A Chardonnay that drinks light with plenty of acidity.

2022 Bouchaine Estate Chardonnay

When the weather heats up, all thoughts turn to refreshing white wines, preferably sipped al fresco swinging in a hammock or at least basking in the comfort of A/C.

Napa’s Bouchaine Vineyards has got you covered with its 2022 Estate Chardonnay ($40).

This blend, of which I received a sample, is actually crafted from more than a dozen different Chardonnay wines produced from the winery’s estate blocks that were originally planted in 1984. As such, the final wine is the culmination of the marriage of different yeasts, along with fermentation in stainless steel tanks, as well as French oak barrels of different ages and toasts.

If you’re not the biggest fan of buttery, oaky or heavy-bodied Chardonnays, this one is for you. A golden straw color, it opens up on the nose with lime and apple aromas, and then fills the palate with green apple and lemon curd. It has an unexpected through line of acidity that makes it quite refreshing.

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