Anthology: Behind the Scenes

A Preview of Chef Todd Allison’s Valentine’s Day Menu

by: Casey Pukl

There are few things in this world more romantic than a good meal. Add a Sinatra tribute show by the one and only John Vincent, a chance to have your message of love read on stage, and the warm ambiance of our dining room, and you’ve got a winning Valentine’s Day that you’ll share for years to come.

Chef Todd Allison has prepared an absolutely stunning three course dinner menu for this special event.

For the first course…

Diners can choose from two classic options— the soup or the salad. But these aren’t just any old soup and salad. Chef Allison has designed these options to be flavorful, yet light. The first option is a classic Baby Romaine Greek Salad.. This salad contains olives, tomato, Feta cheese, Pequillo pepper, cucumber, and is topped with a champagne vinaigrette. This is a great light start to a meal that progressively turns to deeper flavors.

The second option is a Braised Tomato Soup served with grilled Baja prawns and a cilantro aioli. The cilantro keeps this soup feeling light, and doesn’t over power the palate for the rest of the meal.

For the second course…

These three entrees were designed with romance in mind. Light, yet rich, each entree is savory and delicious, but not too filling or intense. Pair these with a glass of red (and be aware that not only does the alcohol relax you faster than a foot rub, but the resveratrol also stimulates blood flow), and try and resist the urge to make out with Chef Allison. You think I’m kidding now, but wait until you try them.

The first option (and recent star of the show here) is one of our most popular menu additions, Pan Roasted Sea Bass served with baby carrots, English pea quinoa, and sherry butter. Did I mention that the Omega 3′s in the fish help stimulate the production of libido enhancing hormones?

For the vegetarians, we have a Butternut Squash Ravioli served in a sage brown butter sauce with wilted spinach and turnips. These raviolis will melt in your mouth, and leave you perfectly satiated.

For the meat lovers, our Grilled Tenderloin of Beef is a must-have. Served with white asparagus (which by the way, is an aphrodisiac), shallot and potato hash, and a Bordelaise sauce, this one is a home run.

For the third couse…

Who doesn’t love dessert? I hope you left room for these two winners.

Red Velvet Cake. If there’s one day out of the year to splurge and have this, what better day than Valentine’s Day? Chef Allison is serving ours with a vanilla creme anglaise and farmer’s market fresh berries. Vanilla has been shown to stimulate the nerves of the body, so this one will gear you up for cashing in on that back rub!

The final, and probably one of my favorite options, is the classic Old Fashioned Cheesecake. This smooth and creamy delight is served with toasted mixed nuts (also a great aprodisiac!) and a caramel sauce.

Tickets are still available for this fantastic meal, and please note that several sections of our seating will offer an a la carte menu of these items. More information (and a romantic Sinatra Spotify playlist) can be found below!

Sinatra Favorites

WHAT: Love is in the Air: A Valentine’s Day Tribute to Frank Sinatra
WHEN: Tuesday, February 14, 2012, 7:30 & 9:30pm
TICKETS: $10-$118 Buy Tickets
MORE INFO: Artist Profile

An Interview with Teitur Lassen

by: Casey Pukl

When John Mayer talks about an album like this: “…it may be one of the best albums to come around in the last five years…Music like this is jet fuel on the fire of a broken heart. Even if you think the flame has died, there’s at least one lyric that’ll hit that last hot spot, and then you’ll find yourself as fucked as you were the day you lied and said you never wanted to see her again. Enjoy.” it’s tough not to take notice and do a little research. Meet Teitur— singer,songwriter, guitarist, producer, composer, and overall evil genius that continues to break and re-break every last piece of my heart.

Hailing from the Faroe Islands, Teitur has come a long way since he first opened for John Mayer. His latest record, Let the Dog Drive Home, is perhaps his most adventurous and charming to date. I had the opportunity to chat with Teitur about recording this latest effort, how he continues to challenge himself as a writer, and just what the heck that awesome monster noise is on his latest track, “Stormy Weather”. Read the rest of this entry »

An Interview with Steve Perry of the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies

by: Casey Pukl

It’s hard to find a person who doesn’t enjoy, “Zoot Suit Riot”. Seriously. Have you ever met a person that doesn’t hear that song and either sing along, dance, or both? The Cherry Poppin’ Daddies are now in their 23rd year as a group, and frontman, Steve Perry, is still as original and innovative as ever. From his dark and stirring lyrics to his unique blend of swing, ska, and rockabilly, there’s no telling what genre he’ll be venturing into next! I had the chance to chat with Steve about his upcoming show at Anthology on Sunday, as well as what inspires him, and what’s next for the Daddies!

CP: I saw on your blog that you’re currently working on a new album! Let’s dive right into that! Read the rest of this entry »

More Additions to the Anthology Wine Menu

by: Casey Pukl

You know you’re in for a good day when Warren announces that there are new wines that absolutely have to be featured on the blog. It’s a good day to be blogging for Anthology!

As I mentioned in last week’s post, we were expecting a few additions to our wine list. They’re finally here, and there’s something for everyone. From deep, rich, ruby reds to crisp, light, and refreshing whites, there’s no shortage of options.

On the red side, we have two fantastic additions:

 Pinot Noir, Samsara, Santa Rita Hills, 2010

The first thing you’ll notice about this one is its exquisite ruby red color. I’m tempted to take a glass straight to Benjamin Moore and turn it into the perfect color for my bedroom walls. But unfortunately, paint doesn’t have the subtle nose of jasmine and and stone fruit. This wine has a very velvety and soft texture, with notes of raspberry, black tea, orange zest, and cardamom.

Bordeaux Style Blend, Conn Creek, “Anthology”, Napa Valley, 2006

Though I wish this wine was specially made for us, unfortunately the name is just a coincidence. This red blend is a combination of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. There are notes of cherry and cassis fruit flavors with accents of cedar and vanilla spice. The finish on this one is endless, and it’s one your sure to wish would never end.

On the white side, here are two more great additions:

Chardonnay, Lioco, Sonoma County, 2010

This Chardonnay has a little bit of a snap to it. Lioco ages their wines in steel barrels instead of oak casks, so the flavor profile is a little different than your typical Chardonnay, but it’s still delicious. The nose is rich in vanilla, caramel, and light pepper. The texture of this wine is silky and supple. There are notes of apple and caramel, but there’s also a bit of tartness that keeps it balanced.

Sauvignon Blanc, Ferrari-Carano, Fumé Blanc, Sonoma County, 2010

What’s interesting about this Sauvignon Blanc is that is utilizes both stainless steel and oak barrels. When the grapes are harvested, they all spend 48 hours inside of the stainless steel tanks, and then half of the batch is aged in oak barrels for one month. Following that, the two batches are blended to create this signature bottle. The floral bouquet is supported with hints of fresh grass and light spice. On the palate, notes of grapefruit, lychee, and melon are all detected. There is also a great acidity to this wine. The finish is crisp, light, yet lingering.

Be sure to check out our upcoming calendar to see when you’d like to come in and enjoy our fine wines, and always lovely and incredibly talented acts!

Calendar

An Interview with Eric Bibb

by: Casey Pukl

Modern day troubadour Eric Bibb has certainly had a great 2011. His last release, a live album titled Troubadour, brought him significant exposure in the US, and also earned him a nomination from the Blues Foundation. But never one to stay still, Bibb is hard at work on his upcoming release, and fortunately he gave me the scoop, as well as a preview of one of the tracks! Take a read to see what’s next for one of blues’ finest singer/songwriters and guitarists.

CP: What have you been up to this year?

EB: I’m actually release a new CD in March that was recorded in Louisiana with some wonderful musicians. It’s called “Deeper in the Well”, and I’m really looking forward to sharing that for sure. I had a chance to work with some wonderful musicians some from Louisiana, and a few from other parts. Information about it that will be posted to my website soon, but it will be released in North America on Stony Plain Records.

Other than that, I’ve actually just returned from a trip to Bali in Bamako, where I had the chance to record some music with a lovely musician from there named Habib Koite, who is very well known in world music circles.

CP: That sounds like a very exciting time.

EB: Yes, it was eight days of an amazing experience. I’ve never been to [inaudible] before, so I felt at home in some ways.

CP: I know you tour all over the world. Do you have any particular favorite place to play? Read the rest of this entry »

An Interview with Storm Large

by: Casey Pukl

I’ll be the first to admit that I was more than a little nervous when I realized I was 15 minutes late for my call-in time with Storm Large. I stumbled into the conference room, set up my recorder, and as her phone was ringing, I rehearsed my apology. She answered, and I immediately began apologizing for my tardiness. Storm’s response?

“Well, you ruined my life, and when I see you, I’m going to headbutt you straight in the bridge of your nose. But other than that, I think you sound like a really nice person.”

And with that sentence, I was instantly comfortable, and Storm and I were off and running.

Storm Large is one of the most genuinely unapologetic and candid artists I’ve ever had the pleasure of interviewing. I won’t spoil it for you below, but by the time you’re done reading, I’m pretty sure you’ll too feel like she’s your newest best friend. Upon hanging up the phone, I immediately turned on my Kindle and purchased the full copy of her memoir, “Crazy Enough”. In the last two days, I’ve read the entire thing, and can only hope that there’s more coming from her in the near future. Read on to learn more about Storm’s entrance to the music world, who inspires her most, and what you can look forward to at her upcoming show!

CP: I have to say, I’m super excited for your show. I remember watching you on Rock Star Supernova, and I’ve been really stoked to find out what you’ve been up to! Read the rest of this entry »

An Interview with Albert Lee

By: Casey Pukl

Albert Lee is one of the most accomplished guitarists of our time, yet also one of the least recognized. Eric Clapton called him, “The greatest guitarist in the world.” Emmylou Harris once declared Lee, “a brilliant guitar player. His sound is unmistakable—often emulated, never equalled. When Saint Peter asks me to chronicle my time down here on earth, I’ll be able to say (with pride if that’s allowed) that for a while I played rhythm guitar in a band with Albert Lee.” 

But the guitar legend remains as humble as ever. I had the chance to speak with him about his upcoming show here at Anthology tomorrow night, as well as his grueling upcoming tour schedule for 2012. This 69 year old is still hitting the road hard, and wait until you hear what’s next!

CP: What’s in store for 2012?

AL: Well, it’s more of the same, really. I work a lot in Europe with my own band, and I also work with Bill Wyman’s band in Europe. When I get back here to California, I do what I can, but this particular stint at home has been great! I’m actually home for two months this time, which is quite unusual. I’ve got a lot of gigs and sessions and all kinds of things going on, which is exactly what I wanted. I have to stay around California more. But after about a month, I’ll be going back to Europe again, and I’ll be working all over Europe with my band. I’m doing more work now than I’ve ever done.

CP: Certainly sounds like you’re keeping busy! Read the rest of this entry »

Anthology Continues to Keep It Fresh

by: Casey Pukl

Because of Executive Chef Todd Allison’s farm to table philosophy, our menu changes often.

This week, Chef Allison added a few new dishes to the menu, and I’d love to introduce you to them.

In our “small bites” category, Chef Allison has added a dish of Grilled Sausages & Mustard. This classic combo contains spicy Italian sausage, Spanish chorizo, and Allison’s housemade Sauerkraut.

In our “starters” category, we have three new noteworthy additions. The first is our Octopus Carpaccio served with shaved cucumber, radish salad, and topped with a yuzu vinaigrette. Next is an incredible dish of Sake Steamed Black Mussels cooked with ginger, mint, basil, and hearts of palm. Words cannot express how much I love this Asian inspired dish. Our third addition to the starters category is a spicy Harissa Marinated Swordfish Skewer. These skewers are topped with a balsamic glaze, and served with a traditional Sicilian relish, also known as Eggplant Caponata. The relish is made with eggplant, capers, olives, anchovies, and tomato.

We also have added two new entrees that beverage manager, Marc Canzoneri, recommends pairing with some of our latest additions to the wine cellar.

Our Pan Roasted Sea Bass is served with baby carrots, English pea quinoa, and topped with Sherry butter. Marc recommends pairing this dish with our Conundrum White Blend. Conundrum is made with five different grapes; Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat Canelli, Viognier, and Semillon. This unique blend has elements of a buttery chardonnay, fruity notes of pineapple, peach, melon, and grapefruit, and aromas of vanilla and honeysuckle. What more could one ask for?

Lamb Chops? How about some Grilled New Zealand Lamb Chops served with sauteed fennel, fingerling potatoes, parsnip puree, and topped with a bing cherry demi-glace. Marc recommends pairing this dish with our latest Zinfandel addition— Tobin James “Ballistic” Zinfandel. This red is very fruit forward with subtle notes of cola and tobacco on the finish.

Stay tuned here for more updates, as we’ve got a ton of new wines and dishes coming your way in the next few weeks! While you’re salivating over the menu features, how about heading over to our calendar to pick out which shows you’ll come in for! We’ve also got an awesome playlist to preview some of our upcoming singer/songwriters, and as always, remember that Spotify is free!

Anthology’s Upcoming Shows

Spotify Preview of Upcoming Singer/Songwriters

An Interview with Richie Furay

by: Casey Pukl

It’s tough not to like Richie Furay. He’s super easy to talk to, upbeat, and has had a pretty interesting journey in music. While he found success with Buffalo Springfield and Poco early in his career, he later took a hiatus from his music to focus on his family and himself. Wondering whether or not he’d ever find his way back to music, he eventually returned with a new passion for his family, religion, and the guitar. Furay is now fresh off of a Buffalo Springfield reunion tour, and he’s gearing up for another set of dates with his latest project, The Richie Furay Band. Not only is the band fun for the great music they play, but the band also includes Furay’s daughter, Jesse, as well as his partner Scott Sellen’s son. Furay is extremely proud of his latest venture, and I hope you enjoy hearing about is as much as I did.

CP: I’ve been listening to your latest record, Alive, and I’ve got to say, it’s a super fun album.

RF: Thank you! It covers almost forty years of music! (Laughs)

CP: That’s so awesome. I can’t wait to dig into all of that, but I’d love to start off with what you’ve been up to recently. I know you just wrapped up a Buffalo Springfield reunion tour. What was that like for you? Read the rest of this entry »

An Interview with Geoff Tate of Queensrÿche

by: Casey Pukl

If you’re anything like me, you’ll understand why today’s interview is barely edited (except for the part where I bared my sister’s Queensrÿche-loving soul to Geoff Tate). Some people are just interesting. They are the people that you can listen to for days and never get bored. Geoff Tate is one of those people. If you’ve ever listened to Queensrÿche, you could probably predict that Tate is someone with a lot of ideas, opinions, and knowledge; but listening to him speak about wine, writing, staying current, and what inspires him is just plain interesting.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Geoff last week to close out my Friday. Immediately following, I headed home and spent no less than three hours researching winemaking and all of the regions on the west coast that I need to visit while listening to Operation: Mindcrime II and American Soldier with new ears. I hope that this interview inspires you all to do the same.

CP: Thanks so much for taking some time out to talk to me this morning! I was just poking around your website, and you have a ton of stuff going on lately!

GT: Sure! Yeah, I usually have a pretty crazy schedule with events and shows and things like that.

CP: Yeah, it seems like you’ve been up to quite a bit these days!

GT: Yes, I’ve definitely had a lot of things in the works. Before we dig into this though, I have to ask how you pronounce your last name? [I’ve get asked this question in 9/10 interviews, and figured some of our loyal blog readers might be curious]. Read the rest of this entry »