Merriam Vineyards Lobster Boil

Tonight I got invited to a traditional New England lobster boil over at Merriam Vineyards.

The winery is near Healdsburg, right off of 101, and I was pretty excited to head over there because I’d never been nor tasted any of their wines.

I was also pretty excited to see that they had Cab Franc, which is my very favorite varietal but can be hard to find. If you like Cabernet Sauvignon, try Cabernet Franc next time. To me, it has a little bit more spunk to it. It tastes like Grapes of Wrath….the book, that is. I don’t really know what I mean or where I’m going with that, but just roll with it. Think sweat and leather. In a good way. Mmm yes.

Everything was so delicious tonight and I pretty much ate my body weight in lobster, corn, bread, potato salad, regular salad and blueberry pie. Yes, BLUEBERRY PIE! Gosh, I haven’t had that in ages. Worth every single calorie, I tell you.

Yes, I ate that lobster. His name was Spike. He tasted delicious.

Especially when dunked in buttahhhhhhh

The grand finale….(prepare to swoon)

I ate all my pie AND finished the boyfriend’s. I was eyeing the woman’s crust from across the table but tried to keep my manners.

Blueberry pie. Seriously underrated. I have the fruit dessert itch now…perhaps I shall bake a cobbler next week!

….rolling into bed with elastic waist pants. Ohhhh yeahhhhh

events

July 10, 2010 By jenna

Pancake Photography Sights and Tastes of Berkeley, Part II

Anna

July 11, 2010 at 12:17 am

This post just made me so hungry. Unfortunately, I have neither lobster nor blueberry pie in my kitchen :(. Everything looks delicious!!! Also, I am a huge fan of cab francs!!! They are my favorite red. Good choice.

Suzanne de Cornelia

July 11, 2010 at 12:39 am

So delicious–the pix and the food!! Love fruit pies.

Speaking of wine, am reading ‘The Widow Clicquot’ (‘Veuve’ means ‘widow). The story of the woman who ruled the champagne empire. Loved time spent in Champagne, Epernay, Reims (and the cathedral there where Joan of Arc made history)–and visiting Veuve Clicquot, Dom Perignon, Moet wineries. This page-turner gives all of it greater depth and sparkle. The author, Tilar Mazzeo started research on what would become her bestseller/winner of Gourmand Cookbook Award for best wine literature book as a Mid-West transplant in Healdsburg!

Suzanne de Cornelia
July 11, 2010 at 12:46 am
PS–Wow, nice winery website–love the slideshows from Media Dinner and opening.

Nora@LifeLifeEatRight

July 11, 2010 at 12:41 am

I think I just drooled on my computer screen!!! What a fantastic evening…GREAT food and Great company!! I have been loving on blueberries lately. My parent’s and I just went to the Farmers Market and got BUCKETS (I kid you not they are like $15 each…huge buckets.) I have been topping everything with them and I believe she has some big plans for a blueberry buckle. I have to say I’m pretty excited for it!! Home cookin’ is the best.

Anne

July 11, 2010 at 1:55 am

That. looks. so. great. I want to read the grapes of wrath again soon now, and OBVIOUSLY try the wine. I’ll pay attention to the winecard next time… I love the before/after lobster shots – lobster, and lobster disassembled. I have a hard time even cooking a whole fish so prying the meat from a grown lobster is really a level of gourmet-erie that I can only aspire to 😉

Sarah (Running to Slow Things Down)

July 11, 2010 at 3:53 am

I love your description of the wine. Sounds so lovely. 😀

And blueberry pie is a great way to end a New England-styled meal. It’s definitely one of my favorites (although I think I say this about a lot of things 😉 .)

M.

July 11, 2010 at 4:38 am

Homemade Blueberry Pie made by my Mum,from her fresh picked
WILD blueberries (so tastier than farmed berries!) at our cottage…that is my most favorite dessert in the world.
Amazing and lipsmacking…with blue tongues/teeth and all!

Lindsay @ Summit Sandwiches

July 11, 2010 at 4:47 am

Your meal reminds me of the lobster bake my school (located in Maine, of course) kicked off the semester with every year. It was a thing of beauty and bounty. Lobsters and blueberry pie for everyone! I always loved it. I’m glad you enjoyed the meal. 🙂

Rebecca

July 11, 2010 at 4:51 am

I love all of your pictures. I also love blueberry pie and the one you had looks amazing. Your comparison of Cabernet Franc to Grapes of Wrath made me laugh.

Nicole

July 11, 2010 at 4:54 am

I’m with you on the fruit desserts, and with a good crust…ahh words cannot express!

Liz

July 11, 2010 at 5:15 am

Oh man, I’m originally from Maine and I loooove lobster bakes and blueberry pie! What I do NOT love, though, is lobsters! I am actually afraid of them (traumatic experience as a child, almost falling into a pot of lobsters sitting on the floor… seriously…) and don’t like the taste, either. But everything else is good. I know, I’m not a good Mainer.

Heather @ Side of Sneakers

July 11, 2010 at 5:26 am

Lobster & vineyard in the same sentence?! Yes please!

Allie

July 11, 2010 at 5:30 am

the colors in that meal are just fantastic.

Bridget

July 11, 2010 at 5:36 am

Lobster, blueberries, and red wine from the Russian River Valley! Seriously, three of my favorite things in this world! Glad that you had a great time!

Jessica @ How Sweet It Is

July 11, 2010 at 5:37 am

The blueberries and lobster? That is my heaven.

Morgan @ Life After Bagels

July 11, 2010 at 5:46 am

I heart cab Franc too. Especially some of the local to me Niagara wines

Cara

July 11, 2010 at 5:59 am

I have never actually eaten lobster…I know, crazy eh?
I have had bits of lobster in random dishes, but I have never cracked into a fresh one myself…Must be done soon I think.

Stacie @ Imperfectly Healthy

July 11, 2010 at 5:59 am

HA! I love this post – mmm blueberry pie! 🙂

Liz @ Tip Top Shape

July 11, 2010 at 6:07 am

haha, don’t you love nights where you eat so much that you acquire a lovely food baby?? Those lobsters looked divine. As did that blueberry pie. I don’t usualy like fruit based pies but even I was getting excited over that 😀

Kristin (Cook, Bake and Nibble)

July 11, 2010 at 6:07 am

What a delicious, fun event! I love Cab Franc 😀

Jess @ MTL Veggie

July 11, 2010 at 6:10 am

Blueberry pie is one of my all-time favs. My b/f’s mom makes the absolute best with freshly picked berries 🙂

Megan @ The Oatmeal Diaries

July 11, 2010 at 6:12 am

This looks like such a beautiful evening! I love fruit crisps in the summer… if I could keep fresh blueberries in my house for more than two days then maybe I could make one!

The Wife of a Dairyman

July 11, 2010 at 7:18 am

That pie looked GOOD! Love pie! What a fun party to be invited to:)

A Teenage Gourmet (Sami)

July 11, 2010 at 7:33 am

Are you going to participate in the FoodBuzz gulf-inspired project? This post fits the theme!

jenna
July 11, 2010 at 8:59 am
I honestly haven’t heard of that…I’ll look into it!

Staceyhttp://stacey-healthylife.blogspot.com/

July 11, 2010 at 8:05 am

That looks like an awesome party.

Rachael

July 11, 2010 at 8:11 am

Looks like you had the traditional Maine dinner that has evaded me, even as I write and blog from Portland, Maine!
Never had lobster – I’m working my way up to it. I can’t help but wonder who, thousands of years ago, first saw a lobster in all it’s shelled, crustacean glory and thought, hey, I could eat that…
Blueberry pie. Pretty and tasty. As a kid I used to salivate whenever my mom read the book “Blueberries for Sal”. I think I had visions of pie.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Alyssa @ BrideToBeFit

July 11, 2010 at 8:15 am

Such a perfect summertime meal! Looks delicious!

Becki @ HikeBikeEat

July 11, 2010 at 8:20 am

You took all these pics on manual mode, didn’t you? I love the difference in quality in the last few posts!

jenna
July 11, 2010 at 8:59 am
yep—thank you!!

Stacey @ Tipping the (Kitchen!) Scales

July 11, 2010 at 8:38 am

Looks like a fun night – and glad it finished on a high with the pie!!

Amber K

July 11, 2010 at 8:53 am

I’m like that with apple pie. DELISH!

Jessica @ The Process of Healing

July 11, 2010 at 9:56 am

oh YUM! The pie looks sooo good…

Camille

July 11, 2010 at 10:45 am

Hahaha, I love that you named your lobster 🙂

diana@mymarblerye

July 11, 2010 at 11:05 am

warm cobbler and cold icecream makes me cry….like…ugly cry.

ShutupandRun

July 11, 2010 at 11:38 am

That looks so amazing I cannot even tell you. Being landlocked in CO, we just don’t get great seafood. Lots of time on New Year’s we will have lobsters Fedexed in, but that’s the only time I get them.

Anya @ Fitness & Sunshine

July 11, 2010 at 12:25 pm

Hahaha sometimes the same happens to me… when there’s delicious food, I go at it! I hope you enjoyed yourself 🙂 sometimes things like that are very much worth it.

Monique@She's Going The Distance

July 11, 2010 at 12:41 pm

Lobster and blueberry pie, how Maine of you guys 🙂 Looked awesome!!

Liz

July 11, 2010 at 1:39 pm

Hey Rachael (doubt you’ll see this, but….) you should read the book “The Lobster Coast.” It’s a fascinating read, with lots of Maine history.

Cynthia (It All Changes)

July 11, 2010 at 2:45 pm

Lobstah!!! I’m so glad Hunni just pulled up with my dinner or I might have to lick the screen 🙂

Lisa (bakebikeblog)

July 11, 2010 at 3:01 pm

oh wow – what an amazing meal!

Jenn (Jenn's Menu and Lifestyle Blog)

July 11, 2010 at 3:45 pm

Oh gosh, I’m swooning for sure! Everything in this post looks amazing. Now I want a piece of pie… and a lobster. In no particular order. 🙂

Jenn

Katherine

July 11, 2010 at 4:08 pm

that is way too up-close with lobster handling for me! grabbing them from a pot?

Salah@myhealthiestlifestyle

July 11, 2010 at 5:01 pm

I now have a massive craving for blueberry pie!!! hahaha

Salah@myhealthiestlifestyle

July 11, 2010 at 5:02 pm

I now have a massive craving for blueberry pie!!! hahaha

Jess- The Semi Abnormal Gal

July 11, 2010 at 5:15 pm

Grapes of Wrath is one of my favorite books….so I TOTALLY understand where you were going with that, Jenna! <3

That blueberry pie looks/ed divine! I have a ton of fresh blueberries right now and have been craving a cobbler myself….thanks for the inspiration to get in the kitchen, even if it seems to hot to run the oven! Oh FLA summers!

Faith @ LovelyAsCharged

July 11, 2010 at 5:49 pm

Ooh, so indulgent and divine. I’d give my right arm for a blueberry cobbler after reading this post!

Kelly

July 11, 2010 at 6:51 pm

Oh geez I love lobster and all shellfish for that matter. You know, I’ve never had blueberry pie. But, my mother-in-law (to-be) makes a mean blueberry cobbler. I had some last weekend and it was to die for twice.

Allison

July 11, 2010 at 7:29 pm

Oh man… I haven’t had blueberry pie since Thanksgiving of 1994. I’m not actually certain about that date, but it was around then. Suffice to say, it’s been a WHILE. Apple pie is all over the place – same with pumpkin – but BLUEBERRY.

I gotta think about making that one this November.