“CRABBY STEVE’S” AWARD-WINNING FAMOUS CRABCAKES Ingredients: 1 pound local rock crab meat * ½ cup dry bread- crumbs 1 egg, beat- en 1 Tbsp mayon- naise 1 tsp Dijon mus- tard 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 Tbsp lemon zest RECIPE Our Assistant Winemaker, Brett Reeves, submitted the recipe for this May selection. “Throughout my life, I’ve had the good fortune of 1 Tbsp Old Bay season- ing ¼ cup green onion, finely chopped growing up in and around my family’s small cattle operation east of Salinas, CA in the Gabilan Mountain Range. True Steinbeck country. 2 more eggs, beat- en It’s always been a cow/calf operation, always grass fed, and of course now and then we’ll harvest a beef to allow the family to fill their ½ cup Panko (Japanese bread- crumbs) freezers for the year. For as proud as we are that we are a truly grass-fed operation, and for as much as I believe in the practice, the truth 2 cups oil for frying is, cows finished on grass don’t exactly have the ‘traditional’ beef flavor most Americans are accustomed to. Some love it, some don’t, and I’ve always played around with recipes that work with the grass-fed Directions: flavor in order to create something truly delicious. I teamed up with In medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the 1 beaten egg, mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon a chef buddy of mine to create this amazing Fennel Meatball & Sugo zest, Old Bay seasoning and green onions. Mix well, then add crab meat and breadcrumbs – be careful not to recipe. Whether you use grass-fed beef or not, I know you’ll love it, overwork the crab meat. Form into 8 flat crab cakes and place in refrigerator for 30 minutes. and it will go great with your Hibbits Ranch Pinot Noir. Enjoy!” *If you can’t get delicious rock crab, other crabs will work. In a pinch, you can use canned crab! Fennel & Parmesan Place 2 beaten eggs in one bowl, and the Panko in a second bowl. Dip the crab cakes in the egg and then the Panko. Place the coated cakes in hot oil (approximately 350°) until golden brown on all sides. Serve hot with Meatballs the dipping sauce drizzled over the top. with Sugo (“Sauce” in Italian) Serves 4. Ingredients: For the Meatballs For the Sugo 1 lb. ground meat (beef, pork, lamb, turkey – your choice!) 1 small onion, diced 6 cloves garlic, minced 10 cloves garlic, sliced ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese 2 small carrots, diced ¼ cup coarsely chopped parmesan cheese 2 small ribs celery, diced ½ cup diced stale bread 3 Tbs tomato paste ¼ cup heavy cream 1 bottle (!) red wine 1 egg 2 cups good quality chicken stock FROM THE CELLAR · SUMMER 2021 1 Tbs toasted fennel seed 1 20-oz can San Marzano tomatoes “Flowers are natural fireworks in extreme slow motion.” I feel It includes wine from our Buttonwood family connection with 1 Tbs chopped thyme 2 Tbs olive oil that we all think of fireworks as celebratory, and what better Art Hibbits and his vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA, which 3 Tbs chopped parsley Salt & pepper to taste indication that everything is looking up than our abundance is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. We include two of 2 Tbs chopped oregano A piece of parmesan rind of wildflowers this year! We’re all getting vaccinated and can our “Imbibers Wines” — small production bottlings from the finally hug our family and friends, we’re persevering against estate that pair beautifully with the grilled fare and salads of 1 tsp chopped rosemary 2 Tbs heavy cream the pandemic, we’re able to dine at our favorite restaurants the season. Here’s to Summer! 1 tsp salt Chopped oregano & parsley (please do!) and attend small events. Our 40,000 vines are Preheat oven to 400º growing by leaps and bounds. As are peaches, pears, row crops And we can’t say it enough — thank you for sticking with us THE MEATBALLS Mix bread, cream and egg until bread is saturated and pasty. … and those celebratory flowers reminding us each day to be over the past year. We hope our wines have helped a little bit Mix bread mixture with all other meatball ingredients and incorporate well with your (clean) hands. joyful. There is so much energy and excitement in the air! during quarantines, lockdowns, and restrictions. We do hope to Roll into golf ball sized meatballs and arrange on sheet pan. see you in person, and on Zoom too, in the very near future. Bake at 400º for 15 minutes or so, or until meatballs are cooked. This Imbibers Club selection includes those lighter bodied wines THE SUGO In a large Dutch oven, fry garlic slices in olive oil until golden. Add onion, celery, carrot and a pinch of salt. Sauté that take us into the summer season of reunions, Mother’s until onions are translucent. Day, Father’s Day, graduations and (finally!) small gatherings. Add tomato paste, coat all vegetables and sauté for 3-5 minutes. Pour the entire bottle of wine (no sipping!) in to deglaze. Scrape that brown goodness off the bottom of the pan. Cook on medium heat until the wine is reduced by half (important!). Once reduced by half, add tomatoes, stock, THIS MONTH’S SELECTIONS and parmesan rind. Simmer for 20 minutes. Remove parmesan rind, add cream and blend sauce until smooth. (Note from chef: “probably in batches unless you MIXED WINE SELECTION WHITE WINE SELECTION have a mega big blender or a death wish.”) Season with salt and pepper, herbs and additional cream to taste. 2020 Grenache Blanc 2020 Grenache Blanc x2 Put meatballs into finished sugo and keep warm until you want to eat! 2019 Chardonnay, Hibbits Ranch 2019 Chardonnay, Hibbits Ranch x2 2018 Grenache-Syrah 2016 Pinot Noir, Hibbits Ranch WINEMAKER’S SELECTION To order Buttonwood wines please scan 2016 Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills Blend the QR code or visit our website RED WINE SELECTION 2018 Chardonnay, Sta. Rita Hills Blend www.buttonwoodwinery.com 2018 Grenache-Syrah x2 Order by phone call 805.688.3032 2016 Pinot Noir, Hibbits Ranch x2 1500 Alamo Pintado Road Solvang CA 93463 www.buttonwoodwinery.com REORDERS! until May 25th, UPCOMING Wines in this % National Wine Day selection are Deservedly so, since wine has Events been around for about 8,000 Imbibers do get first notice, but you do need to act quickly because once off years. Cheers to Wine! events are open to the public, they’re available to all. Please do make sure we have your correct email address. 30 SIP, SIP, HURRAH! Details and ticket links can be found at WINE CLUB SELECTION www.buttonwoodwinery.com As we move into the “new normal,” we will continue to embrace 2020 Grenache Blanc some of the lessons learned over the past year. We’ll keep our tasting room by appointment, continue with seated tastings WALK ON THE WILD SIDE WITH WINE & LUNCH Retail $22, Imbibers Price $17.60 and extend tastings and specials over the website for Imbibers Saturday, May 15th Ah, our “Summertime in a glass” wine! A bouquet of white flowers and a reminder of “pixie stix” candy on across the country. One of these places to continue to visit is We are big fans of Santa Barbara’s Museum of Natural History and are the Imbibers’ Current Wines category in the online store. There thrilled that two of their naturalists/scientists will be leading a walk the nose then leads to summer fruits of clementine, fresh nectarine and baked apples. Crisp and refreshing, you’ll continue to find special “#SIP” deals, end of vintage around the vineyard and riparian corridors. We’ll have a few wine stops wine calls and jewels that we find in our cellar library. Just with a reminder of grapefruit on the finish. Grab it while you can, as we only bottled enough for Imbibers. along the way and then retire to the vineyard pond for lunch. for Imbibers, you’ll only be able to access that online store ‘department’ with your Imbiber member login. SUMMERTIME WINE DOWNS 2019 Chardonnay, Hibbits Ranch Then, also stay in touch via our social platforms! Fridays at the Tasting Room Retail $32, Imbibers Price $25.60 We’ll have extended hours and some fun wine cocktails as we move into the summer months, along with food available for purchase from our Fermented in a combination of once-used, stainless and neutral barrels, there is a toasty, popcorn-like Blog buttonwoodwinery.com/blog catering and food truck colleagues. Watch the website for details! aromatic with a swirl. Expecting something buttery, the palate is surprised then by green apple, just-ripe facebook.com/ButtonwoodFarm pear and lemon curd, along with a bit of honeycomb before a finish that is clean and bright with a reminder Instagram.com/buttonwoodwinery HOP TO IT! of seashells and wet pebbles. youtube.com – search on Buttonwood Farm Winery, Via Zoom on June 4th then subscribe! Take a virtual walk through the hopyard to see how our Chinook, 2018 Grenache-Syrah Cascade and Crystal hops are growing, and then taste and discuss our current release. Make sure to grab a few bottles ahead of time to taste Retail $28, Imbibers price $22.40 along with Karen. Our “Côtes du Buttonwood” Rhône blend — a harmonious marriage of estate Grenache and Syrah. Red berry BIRDING AND BUTTONWOOD and floral on the nose, and bright and fruitful on the palate with bursts of red plum, boysenberry jam with ☛ Saturday, June 26th a hint of cassis.