Geyserville Grapevine by deTraci Regula - April 2018
I am told spring is here in Geyserville now—but that must just be a rumor. When I looked up to the mountain a little while before sunset a few days ago, I was stunned by the sight of a huge white object in the sky. Gleaming in the sun was the normally-brown Geyser Peak, covered with a fresh layer of snow that lasted well into the next day. At 3,458 feet, snow on Geyser Peak is an unusual sight. But earlier in the afternoon I had noticed the mountain completely obscured by a very dark cloud. When that cloud lifted, the gleaming white peak appeared. The irony was that it was definitely springtime sunshine making the snow glow so brightly against the sky.
The snow in the sky was not the only unusual phenomenon I saw this month. The rainy days have produced many rainbows. For the Geyserville Chamber of Commerce St. Patrick’s Day themed dinner, a beautiful rainbow appeared to end right at the Oriental Hall (aka Grange Hall) where the dinner was held. It was an accurate harbinger—the corned beef and cabbage dinner was delicious, and the auction of green pistachio cakes after the dinner was fierce. The next Chamber of Commerce dinner will be held April 10th.
A couple of days later, after another rainstorm, I saw a second rainbow which also seemed to end at the same spot. Here’s hoping that bodes well for Geyserville! We really may be the (s)pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
Foodie Moment of the Month
This one is easy but very unexpected—the African-spiced pork ribs with quinoa at Catelli’s. This dish was on the specials menu and I was lucky enough to get the last plate available. I don’t know if that made it a much bigger portion than might be usual, but the plate was massive—and delicious. I’m not used to finding African flavors in downtown Geyserville but this blew me away. In my once-native San Diego I used to enjoy eating at the many local Ethiopian restaurants, especially at the Mujata Bistro on Park Boulevard, but Catelli’s version stood up well to anything I had down there. It went perfectly with a glass of Pedroncelli’s Zinfandel Mother Clone.
Coming Up in Geyserville: I’ll be touching on this next month too, but it’s always a good idea to prepare in advance for something this good! Mark on your calendars Sunday, May 6th, 2018. It’s the family-friendly, local-focused May Day Celebration. This cherished tradition includes the Kiwanis barbecued rib competition usually pitting several local firehouses against each other, Geyserville Elementary’s 3rd-graders tangling together in the Maypole Dance around a classic Geyserville May Pole dating back to 1925, folkloric dancing from Ballet de Folklorico, Geyserville History Display, and listening to the upbeat music of local pastor Hillary Marckx.
Like all of Geyserville’s hometown celebrations, it’s a heartwarming event. Admission is free. There will be wine and beer booths and food booths as well. The event runs from 12pm - 4pm and once again it is held at the Hoffman Grove Picnic Grounds at 21900 Geyserville Avenue. More information is available through the Geyserville Chamber of Commerce at 707-857-1728.
For wine aficionados—we do have some in this county - April 28-29th offers the nearby Passport to Dry Creek Valley. Pedroncelli’s will be participating along with over forty other wineries. And here is a secret tip—there is the “Prelude to Passport to Dry Creek Valley” on the 27th, an extra taste of the event on that Friday. For tickets and more information, go to event website at drycreekvalley.org. For the Friday, April 27th prelude, check its special web page at drycreekvalley.org/events.
