Fresh, ripe produce abounds at farmer's markets and produce stands across the vineyard region, and now's the time for big, juicy cantaloupes and watermelon, tangy raspberries and blackberries, sweet corn, crunchy cukes, nectarines, peaches, plums, and of course, tomatoes. Find out where to go to fill your trunk with these end-of-summer treats at our new web site,  www.travelwashingtonwinecountry.com.

See below for more information on this great new travel resource!
 

Living Wine Country

Along the Wine Road

The next time you're in Walla Walla, try Pho Sho. Upon opening Saffron Mediterranean Kitchen, Owners Chris and Island Ainsworth made pho so regularly for their staff and friends that they decided to open Pho Sho right next door. Everything is made in-house except the rice noodles (you won't find any MSG here), they use Walla Walla's own Thundering Hooves all natural beef bones for their stock, and their vegetarian options are truly vegetarian.

There's nothing like a steaming bowl of this comforting Vietnamese noodle soup to get you through a day of wine tasting this fall. Choose from a variety of meats or tofu ("faux" pho), and season liberally with the fresh garnishes - jalapeño peppers, bean sprouts, onions, and “love” (according to the menu). Dine in or take it out and pop open any bottle of the great white wines now being bottled in Walla Walla  - Sleight of Hand Cellars The Magician Gewurtztraminer, K Vintners Kung Fu Girl Riesling,  Tranche Cellars Rousanne Viognier - the list goes on.

Get a Taste of the Destination

For dessert, cleanse your palate with a bowl of their house made coconut ice cream. If you're inspired to make some at home, try this recipe. Cold, creamy, and luscious, it provides the perfect base for a topping of late summer fruits - fresh peaches, nectarines, or berries.

Homemade Coconut Ice Cream

Ingredients

1/2 c shredded sweetened coconut
1 c sugar
3 large eggs
1 t cornstarch
1/4 t salt
1 c half-and-half
1 1/2 c unsweetened coconut milk
1 c heavy cream
2 t vanilla extract



Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spread the coconut on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Place in the hot oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the coconut turns a light brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat the sugar into the eggs with a hand held mixer until thickened and pale yellow. Beat in the cornstarch and salt. Set aside.

Combine the half-and-half with the coconut milk in a heavy medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat and slowly beat the hot liquid into the eggs and sugar. Briefly rinse your saucepan and rub dry with paper towel or cloth. Pour the eggs, sugar, etc mixture back into the saucepan and place over low heat. Stir constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon until the custard thickens slightly. Be careful not to let the mixture boil or the eggs will scramble. Remove from the heat and pour the hot custard through a strainer into a large, clean bowl. Allow the custard to cool slightly, about five minutes, then stir in the toasted coconut, heavy cream and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate until cold (about 5 hours) or overnight.

Stir the chilled custard, then freeze in 1 or 2 batches in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When finished, the ice cream will be soft but ready to eat. For firmer ice cream, transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 3 hours.

Source: The Ultimate Ice Cream Book: Over 500 Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, Drinks, and More by Bruce Weinstein.

Washington Wine Country Collection

NEW: The one and only source for detailed travel information on Washington Wine Country

The Washington Wine Country web site's new and improved travel section is chock full of ideas for travelling throughout Washington Wine Country - where to taste great wine and how to get there, where to sleep, what to eat, and all kinds of things to do between tastings from spa visits to horseback riding, bird watching to orchid shopping. This is the only place where you will find detailed itineraries to help you plan your next trip! www.travelwashingtonwinecountry.com

This newly expanded travel section is a product of  Washington Wine Country's Regional Partnership Fund, one of several strategic programs developed and funded with the goal of fostering collaborative partnerships among organizations and businesses throughout Washington’s vineyard region to promote tourism, economic growth and cultural enrichment.

Advertise your business on the only site in Washington dedicated to providing wine and culinary tourists with comprehensive itineraries and information for travel throughout our state's vineyard region. For more information, please contact Janet Leduc at jleduc@winecountrywashington.org.

Mark Your Calendar

Please submit upcoming events to events@winecountrywashington.org.

August/September Events

8/28 - Live at Sapolil - The Crawfords. Walla Walla’s very own master of music Pete Crawford will be performing with his two sons (both talented musicians in their own right) providing acoustic folk rock, classics, and some lively originals. 8-11pm, no cover.  Visit www.sapolilcellars.com.

8/28 - Movie Night at Airfield Estates - Join us for a fun-filled movie night. We plan on showing The Memphis Belle, a story about the 25th and last mission of an American B17 bomber, nicknamed the Memphis Belle. Wine will be available for purchase by the glass or bottle in addition to delicious treats in the concession stand. No admission fee. Visit www.airfieldestates.com.

9/5 - Dinner & A Movie at Two Mountain Winery - We welcome wine lovers to bring their favorite lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy our outdoor Dinner and a Movie series at Two Mountain Winery. You’ll enjoy a catered dinner and fabulous Two Mountain wines followed by a private screening of some of our favorite films on the cool, soft grass outside our winery. Dinner begins at 7:30 p.m. and we start the movies at dusk. At $25 per person, our Dinner and a Movie events are the perfect way to unwind after a day touring Yakima Valley’s wine country. Visit www.twomountainwinery.com.

9/5 - Harvest Party at Silver Lake Winery - The Party of the Year! Join us in celebrating our 7th annual kick off to our Harvest season with this fun-filled event. Live music all afternoon from The Blue Tropics, Grape Stomping and Limbo Contests, lunch and delicious ice cold Vinoritas! Enjoy our tropical retreat in the vineyard! Visit www.silverlakewinery.com.

9/12 - Chateau Champoux 4th Annual Grape Stomp - Chateau Champoux's 5th annual Grape Stomp & BBQ. Come join the fun. Bring your three person team, your enthusiasm, your bare feet and stomp for prizes, trophies & bragging rights! $45 stomp tickets include entry into the stomp contest, complimentary Stomp T-Shirt, BBQ lunch and wine tasting. Non-Stompers: $35 includes BBQ lunch, wine tasting, and cheering privileges. There will be a raffle drawing for a framed, signed print by renowned artist Dixie Rogerson-Bill (Proceeds go to the American Heart Association). Teams must be signed up by September 7th. There will be 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place trophy winners, and prizes for longest distance traveled and best stomping technique. Visit www.chateauchampoux.com.

9/12 - Dunham Cellars Winemaker Dinner Series - Toast the fall harvest with exclusive bottles of reserve wines from the Dunham Cellars library that will be paired with an elegant five-course meal. Dinner is at 6:00 pm and costs $125 per person. Visit www.dunhamcellars.com.

9/26-9/27 - Catch the Crush - Join the Columbia Valley wineries in celebrating harvest and crush at the 23rd annual "Catch the Crush" event in the heart of Washington's wine country. Each of the wineries offers its own celebratory events including grape stomps, harvest and crush activities, winery tours, free run juice, hors d’oeuvres, live music, and of course – wine tasting! Don’t miss out on the beauty of the Indian Summer in the Columbia Valley vineyards and our great wines on special this weekend. Visit www.columbiavalleywine.com.

View a complete wine country calendar at www.winecountrywashington.org/eventCalendar.aspx.

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Founded in 2003, Washington Wine Country is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting wine-related tourism and economic vitality by fostering collaborative regional partnerships throughout the celebrated wine growing region of Eastern Washington, where 99 percent of Washington State’s wine grapes are grown. The region includes the Yakima Valley, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley, Red Mountain and the newer appellations of the Columbia Gorge, Horse Heaven Hills, Rattlesnake Hills, Wahluke Slope, Snipes Mountain, and Lake Chelan. For more information on Washington Wine Country, please visit www.winecountrywashington.org.