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A Taste of AdventureWith a Menu of Scorpions and Rattlesnakes!Would you consider yourself to be an adventurous eater? Then you’ll want to join Redwood Creek wines for its A Taste of Adventure Tour, a series of food and wine events that will challenge your palate. This tour will bring the best of The Explorers Club’s popular weekly public lectures to select cities nationwide. During these events, which are free and open to the public, everyday explorers will have an opportunity to discover North America’s most adventurous foods paired with the wines of Redwood Creek, as well as the chance to meet the greatest living American explorers while they recount their inspirational tales.
At the New York City event, explorer Peter Athans—known in climbing circles as “Mr. Everest” for climbing the world’s tallest mountain more than any other Western climber—will retrace the Tibetan and Nepalese routes from his most adventurous expeditions. In Washington, D.C., Dr. Clyde Roper of the Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History—who has studied mysterious deep sea squids for nearly 40 years, including the elusive giant squid—will speak about his recent expeditions to discover and film the living giant squid in its natural habitat, the frigid blackness of the deep sea. “A Taste of Adventure provides everyday explorers with an opportunity to interact with famed expedition leaders, field researchers and scientists,” says Richard Wiese, president of The Explorers Club. “The Explorers Club and Redwood Creek hope that these events will invigorate people’s desire to seek new experiences and enjoy the splendor of the American outdoors.”
Since 1904, The Explorers Club has served as a gathering place for explorers and field scientists worldwide. Past and present members include many of history’s most distinguished explorers, including the Club’s honorary chairman Sir Edmund Hillary, Jane Goodall and Buzz Aldrin. Meet Richard Wiese, President of The Explorers ClubOn any given day you can find Richard Wiese diving with sharks in the Galapagos Islands, attending a celebration of peace with the King of Morocco or whitewater rafting the Gauley River in West Virginia. Undeniably a true explorer, Wiese became the youngest president in The Explorers Club’s 100-year history in 2002. A television journalist and independent documentary film producer, he most recently spent two years hosting a daily, live, internationally broadcast science show called “Earth and Science” in London. Passionate about ice climbing, mountaineering and scuba diving, Wiese helped lead a “Students On Ice” expedition to Antarctica in 2002, soloed the active volcano Oldonyo Lengai in Tanzania for geological sampling in 2003 and was part of a conservation team that radio-collared jaguars in Mexico. Wiese currently writes a monthly column for Men’s Journal. His past experience includes being an investigative reporter and correspondent on television programs including “Beyond 2000” (Fox), “Extreme Adventure” (Discovery Channel, 1999) and “Now It Can Be Told” (US 1992-93). He conducted field research and filmed documentaries during the eruptions of Mt. Etna in Sicily, Popocatelpetl in Mexico and Pueblo Soufriere Hills in Montserrat. Wiese is also an experienced weather analyst, having been a meteorologist for New York’s WWOR-TV and Fox News. Wiese earned a Bachelor of Science in geology and biology from Brown University, studied applied physiology at Columbia University and completed the USDA graduate program in meteorology. When he can find the time, Wiese enjoys taking courses in photography, seminars on world politics and lessons in international cooking. A Conversation with Redwood Creek Winemaker Cal DennisonCal Dennison, winemaker for Redwood Creek, is a native of the Bay Area who has been making rich, flavorful California wines for more than two decades. A rancher, rodeo organizer and avid outdoorsman, Cal has always been passionate about nature and the amazing foods and wines of his state. His taste for adventure and the best California has to offer is reflected in the outgoing, satisfying wines he creates for Redwood Creek. What follows are excerpts from a brief conversation with Cal about his profession and his passions. Q: Tell us your favorite part of a day in the life of Cal Dennison. A: The drive into work. My job lets me spend every day of my life doing something I really love: making wines that taste exceptional and aren’t expensive so that people can enjoy them as a part of their daily lives. I consider myself one of the lucky ones. Q: What’s the best part about making wine? A: Most definitely the harvest. Nothing compares to getting in there and getting your hands dirty, so to speak. It’s really the culmination of what I love about winemaking; the connection to the earth, the smell of the fall air and the picking of the grapes. This is also the time when everyone works together in the field, the winemaker, the viticulturists, the cellar masters...That sense of community is really unique to the wine business, I think. Q: What do you like to do when you’re not making wine? A: It’s funny because I don’t see that much separation between my work and the rest of my life. In fact, it sounds strange to me to even make that differentiation because I feel like the two complement each other so well. What I mean is, I draw a lot on my real-life experience to inspire me to create Redwood Creek. I really believe in pursuing life to the fullest. I raise Paint horses on my ranch with my wife and son. I’m something of a cowboy, too, and I organize rodeos in my hometown of Oakdale, CA – we call it the “Cowboy Capital of the World.” I like to get out there and whitewater raft whenever I can and I also love mountain biking in the Sierra Nevadas. I just basically love the outdoors; and here in California we have access to so much of it, it’s amazing. I think wine fits really nicely into all of that, whether it’s at a campfire cookout at the end of a day of mountain biking or at the dinner table with my wife. It’s all about pursuing those rich, flavorful moments for me and I’m glad if I can help other people do that too in a small way by making Redwood Creek. Q: Which is your favorite of the Redwood Creek wines? A: Well, now that’s a real tough one! I think they all have their perfect times and places. How’s that for a diplomatic answer! I’ll tell you, my favorite thing about all of them is that we’ve made great, quality wines that are affordable. Something that’s accessible, that you can have on your table everyday that will add a little something extra to life. Dennison joined the winemaking industry in 1983 as a UC Davis graduate with a degree in Viticulture and Enology. Having worked with grapes from some of the finest vines of the Coastal, Central and Southern regions of California, Dennison brings a comprehensive and intimate understanding of the subtle gradations of climate and soil throughout the state to create these award-winning, single varietal wines. Adventurous Appetizers by Gene Rurka
Rurka says, “Entomophagy, the eating of insects by humans, has been practiced since the appearance of man on earth. In the past, all levels of society consumed various insects. Today, insects remain an important nutritional food source in many parts of the world. Low in carbohydrates and high in protein, insects provide essential survival needs for the world’s explorers.” Succulent Scorpion on Endive with Herb CheeseIngredients Preparation Transfer scorpions to baking sheet and slightly dry in oven at 250 degrees for 3 to 5 minutes (smaller scorpions will require shorter drying time). Be careful not to bake or over dry. The scorpions should remain supple. Remove from baking tray. Allow to cool. Wash and dry endive leaves. Mix basil into crème fraiche. Add a dollop of cheese mixture to each endive leaf and gently place a scorpion on the bed of herb cheese. Suggested Wine Sautéed Rosemary Rattlesnake CakesIngredients Preparation In heavy sauté pan, heat remaining olive oil on medium-high heat and sauté rattlesnake cakes on each side until lightly browned. Serve with side of tartar or cocktail sauce. Note: Be extremely careful when handling the anterior region (the head), as fangs can cause severe injury if skin is scratched or punctured. Remove head and carefully discard. Suggested Wine InformationFor up to date information and locations of the Taste of Adventures events, log onto www.Redwoodcreek.com. A Taste of Adventure is free of charge and open to members of the general public over 21 years of age. Attendees can RSVP and learn more about event details by calling 1-888-281-8502. Reservations are required and space is limited. Edited by Erika Wright |
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Cal
Dennison, Redwood Creek’s winemaker, and Gene Rurka, exotics chairman for The
Explorers Club, will guide attendees through a unique culinary landscape,
featuring foods from the farthest frontiers of North American cuisine. These
unusual dishes, such as Sautéed Rosemary Rattlesnake and Scorpions with Endive
and Herb Cheese (for both recipes, see below), are perfectly paired with a
selection of Redwood Creek Wines.
“We
share The Explorers Club’s passionate spirit and commitment to the ideal of
exploration” says Dennison, a true outdoorsman himself. “These fundamental
beliefs are reflected in our wines and that’s what makes them such a
complementary pairing to the adventurous foods we’ll be tasting.”
Since
its inception in 1904, The Explorers Club has welcomed its members to gather
annually in New York City to review the previous year in exploration and to
honor the world’s top explorers. A special feature of each year’s festivities is
the famed “exotics,” the unusual foods that have been prepared by Exotics
Chairman Gene Rurka for the past six years.