PAGE 52 NEIGHBORS NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 2010
CICCHETTI BAR at Wilson Creek Winery
restaurants in Venice, Italy. “The idea is
cheeses, meats or veggies. Chef Clay’s
light meal. The added adventure of trying
Venetian, and they serve small plates like
Persian version uses a warm pita as the
something new, even pronouncing a new
this called ‘Cicchetti’,” Clay says. “It’s
base, covered with a blend of cucumber,
word, cicchetti, made the Cicchetti Bar
pronounced chi-KET-tee, which is kind of
cherry tomato, radish, red pepper, scal-
a fun experience. With a few more cic-
difficult for some people to say but I hope
lion, pomegranate, garlic, dill, mint, and
chetti left to sample from the menu, we’ll
it will catch on.”
crumbled goat cheese. The Piadine was a
be back soon for a repeat of our afternoon
As with Spanish tapas, Italian cic-
beautiful combination of colors and deli-
delight.
chetti can be ordered individually or com-
cious flavors.
Located in Temecula’s Wine Country, at
bined to make a full meal. Cicchetti are
At this point in our afternoon, Bill
35960 Rancho California Road, Wilson
best paired with a small glass of wine,
Wilson, General Manager of the winery,
Creek Winery hosts the Cicchetti Bar ev-
which Venetians call an ombra, mean-
happened by and told us that we had to try
ery afternoon. Chef Clay is also planning
ing shade or shadow. This dates back to
the Drunken Figs…but only if we paired
a romantic Valentines Day weekend, of-
the old days of Venice, when there were
them with their 2007 estate Zinfandel. So
fering special four-course dinners on Sat-
wine sellers in Piazza San Marco. In the
we did. We watched as Clay sautéed the
urday, Feb. 13th and Sunday, Feb. 14th.
hot months of the year, the wine sellers
bacon-wrapped figs and explained how
For more information or reservations,
By Bill Dull
in the square set their tables in the shade
they were prepared. “We poach pears,
contact Wilson Creek at (951) 699-WINE
Sometimes a Date Night starts with a
of the Campanile bell tower. As the shade
and into that goes Zinfandel and some of
(9463) or visit www.wilsoncreekwinery.
little afternoon delight. No, not the kind
moved around the square during the day,
our Sherry,” Clay said. “We re-hydrate
com.
from the popular 70’s song…I mean the
the wine sellers kept moving also, so they
these figs (Calimyrna brown figs from
If you have a restaurant you’d like to
kind of afternoon delight that they’re
would always have their stands in the
Northern California) with this Sherry-
recommend, send an email to Bill at date-
serving up at Wilson Creek Winery in
shade.
Zinfandel-Pear mix, then cull that down
nightdining@neighborsnewspaper.com.
their new Cicchetti Bar.
When we asked Chef Clay which
to a nice little base.” The resulting reduc-
And when you visit local restaurants for
The Cicchetti Bar opened in Decem-
cicchetti he recommended, he first asked
tion sauce was rich and sweet, but the salt
your Date Night, tell them you read about
ber to fill that gap between lunch and din-
what wine we were having. We started
from the bacon gave it just the right bal-
them in Neighbors!
ner when you’re a little peckish after wine
with a couple glasses of white: Wilson
ance. Bill’s recommendation was a good
tasting, or want to grab a snack before
Creek’s Quartet Blanc, a dry white blend
one; this was my wife’s favorite dish of
a movie, but it’s still too early for a full
with just a touch of sweetness, and their
the day. FUN WITH
meal. The Bar is open every weekday af-
2007 Sauvignon Blanc. Clay prepared
When another Wilson family mem-
CHOCOLATE AT THE
ternoon from 3 – 5pm and on Saturdays
the Albacore Escabeche to pair with our
ber, Libby Wilson Johns, came in to order
from 1 – 4pm. My wife and I stopped in
wines. A Spanish-style dish, the albacore
her favorite cicchetti, the Grilled Cheese MURRIETA
for a bite late on a Tuesday afternoon.
was marinated in a spicy sauce made with
Uncrustables, we decided we’d better try
PUBLIC LIBRARY
After the Creekside Grille restaurant
pickled Jalapenos, then served cold over a
these too. “I get this almost every day,”
finishes its daily lunch service, Wilson
bed of greens. It was presented with some
she said. “They are so simple and deli- MURRIETA, CA – Chef Wendy
Creek takes the chefs out of the kitchen
crostini on the side to scoop up a dollop
cious!” The dish consisted of two mini Newton from Murrieta Cooks! will
and brings them out in public to prepare
of tuna. The albacore had just the right
toasted cheese sandwiches: blue cheese demonstrate fun and creative ways to
small plates of food to order at a manned
amount of spice to get your attention, and
on sourdough, and provolone on marbled work with chocolate on Feb. 4, at 4
cook’s station. The Cicchetti Bar is mov-
my slightly sweet wine cooled it down be-
rye with tomato and basil. We washed p.m. in the Murrieta Public Library’s
able, so on a beautiful sunny day you
fore the jalapenos overwhelmed.
down our bites with the last of our Zin- Community Room.
may find it out on the vineyard patio; on
Learning about ombras, cicchetti,
fandel, completely happy with our snacks After Newton’s demonstration,
a rainy day the Bar may be indoors with a
and escabeche were just the first parts of
and good to go until our planned dinner participants, ages 14 and older, will
view of the Barrel Room.
our culinary education at the Bar. Clay’s
later that night. have an opportunity to dip strawber-
Executive Chef Clay Blake created
next selection was the Persian Piadine.
We enjoyed interacting with our Chef ries, pretzels and more in chocolate
the Cicchetti menu, modeled after the
The Italian version of a piadina is a thin
as he prepared the dishes right in front of to design delicious creations just in
small snacks that are served in bars and
flatbread topped with a wide array of
us, and the portion sizes were perfect for a time for Valentine’s Day. Ingredients
and utensils will be provided for this
event.
This event is free and open to
WE WINE H
V
ERE
the public and is sponsored by the
Friends of the Murrieta Library and
Murrieta Cooks! The Murrieta Pub-
lic Library is located at Eight Town
Square (Adams Avenue and Kalmia
and
Street). For more information about
the program call (951) 304-BOOK
(2665) or visit the Library’s web site
D
i
s
c
o
v
e
r
DINE at
www.murrieta.org/services/library.
D
’
C
a
n
t
e
r
s
LUNCH - DINNER
7 DAYS
American Cuisine
Awarding Winning
with Flavors of New Orleans
Voted best Chef & Best Restaurant
Inland Valley Magazine
Most
Call For Your Reservations Today
Unique
951.678.2828
Breakfast
32100 Clinton Keith Road
Wildomar, CA 92595
In The Valley
www.d-canters.com Sundays 9-12
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