Exploring downtown Napa - one bite at a time

Continuing our practice of learning about a city in a culinary way, we signed up for what was advertised as a "fun foodie tour" with Gourmet Walks.  It was a dark and stormy morning, but that was not going to prevent the tour from taking place. 

The meeting spot and start of the tour was the Oxbow Public Market.  Our guide, Swan, was fantastic!  Personable, humorous, accommodating and organized.  (Let's just say she was a bazillion times better than the tour we had with different company in San Fran.)

The first stop was Ritual Coffee Roasters.  Micha, the owner, explained their process (from procuring the beans to filling the cup) and poured us samples of coffee from three different locations (Costa Rica, Panama, and Columbia).  No need to add any cream and sugar!  These coffees were very smooth.

Each cup of coffee is prepared at the time of request.

 The next stop on the tour was Oxbow Cheese Merchants.  They don't make cheese, but sell a tremendous amount of it.

We were treated to three very different cheeses - from bottom to top: 
 soft brie-like goat's milk cheese; an aged cheddar-like cheese; and a very soft, washed rind, odoriferous cheese.

While learning about the different cheeses, our "educator", Thalassa, pointed out a familiar face.  We were all very surprised to see Kevin (from The Office) enjoying time in the Market.  (He's the one wearing the blue LA hat.)

"Kevin" from The Office.

 After getting over our celebrity sighting, we moved to The Olive Press where we tried many different oils, vinegars and tapenades.  (My favorite - the Peach Balsamic Vinegar!)

We were still inside the market and moved to Hog Island Oysters.

 Wow!  Those oysters were amazingly fresh, cold and delicious!  But what made our sample so tasty was the Hog Wash.   

Skip the cocktail sauce and horseradish, bring on the Hog Wash!

 Our next visit took us outside the Market building, down the street and around the corner to the Fatted Calf Charcuterie.  (You'll notice that it's not raining!)

Tasty salumi, pate, chorizo, bresaola, cornichons and marinated olives.
 (Just might bring a vegetarian back from the dark side.)

 We needed a little walk after all these treats and Swan obliged. On our walk she gave a history the downtown Napa area, affect the rivers and rising flood waters have had as well as pointing out many of the architectural nuances (old and new) and historical buildings.

There are many tasting rooms in downtown Napa, but she led us to THE one named by the French Laundry sommelier as the top choice for Napa tasting rooms - Vintner's Collective!  Vintner's Collective is home to twenty of the most experienced and talented winemakers in the Valley. It's a place where wine lovers can taste the wines of some of the best winemakers in Napa Valley, and where smaller wineries without their own tasting room could showcase their wines and introduce them to consumers

Andy was a wonderful host and turns out he spent some time in Tampa!  We were able to try 4 different wines but because we were such great participants (our humble opinion), he treated us to a most delicious, limited edition cabernet. 

Thanks, Andy!

Some of the local children doing a little Christmas performance in the square.

What better way to follow a wine tasting than with a chocolate tasting at Anette's!  The brother-sister team create chocolate treats, truffles, sauces and syrups.

Where all the chocolate magic happens.

Wall of sauces, many of them made with local wines and artwork from the original building.

Good thing those are all behind glass!

 Our tasting at Anette's here included truffles, homemade ice cream with several different syrups and sauces, and brittle. 

A little more walking and we ended up at Sweetie Pies where we were promised the opportunity to sample a whoopie pie.  (Still no rain.)

Wow!  Rich chocolate cake with a cream cheese-marshmallowy filling.  :o)

As soon as we sat down to try the whoopie pies, the skies opened up and the wind howled!  Oh to be stuck inside a bakery during a storm but we were up for the task!

Frank made arrangements for a cab to take us back to the Market and no sooner than the cab arrived did it stop raining.  (It was ok....would have been a very wet walk.) 

You would have thought with all the sampling we did on our tour we would have been full (and we probably were), but Allison and Andrea spied C Casa, a taqueria, when we were in the market earlier.  And you can't leave California without having had a fish taco! 

Thank you Gourmet Walks and Swan for a terrific tour and introduction to downtown Napa!