Never in my life have I uncorked an $80 bottle of wine, much less a wine costing $150, which is exactly why I was so excited that I was able to clear my schedule to be at Food & Wine Magazine’s American Wine Awards earlier this month.

These kinds of parties are always fun, but I often decline since it means being out late on a work night. But this lovely bash at the posh new De Young Museum in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park proved to be well worth the time.

First off, the nibbles were incredible, prepared by some of the top San Francisco area chefs discovered by Food & Wine. Among the chefs was Melissa Perello from Fifth Floor in San Francisco, who served up an inspired dish of roasted winter squash and tiny Maine lobsters.

Mark Sullivan of The Village Pub in Woodside served oxtail on a slice of roasted apple. The apple peels were a bit tough to deal with, but the flavors were interesting and fun.

More fun bites coming from the kitchen were crab tacos, cones filled with goat cheese and blackened prawns.

Still, the highlight of the evening were the 15 wines up for awards. They included two versions of seven different wines; one under $20, one over $20. Wines taking the awards were largely from Napa and Sonoma, but one came from Washington State and one from Santa Maria Valley.

At the start of my tasting adventure, I went straight for my favorite varietal, cabernet. I tried both the lower priced cab, Twenty Rows ($20), then the higher priced cab, 2003 Merus ($160) made by Herold and Erika Gottl. Wow. Yes, there was a big difference. The Merus is so dark that it’s almost black. The flavor matches the color. It’s spicy, fruity and smooth; a seamless example of what cabernet sauvignon can and should be.

After the cabernet tastings, I decided this would be a rare opportunity to try what many consider to be the best made wines of other grape varieties. I loved both the $18 Cliff Lede sauvignon blanc, and the $24 Rochioli. Both were aromatic, pretty and refreshing. I was even charmed by the 2003 Hendry Block 7, a zinfandel that may never make my favorites list, but is certainly a pure, well-made wine. More to my liking — because I have a fondness for pinot noir — was the 2003 Etude Hierloom ($80) a silky rich wine from Carneros in Napa.

Just before I hit my tasting limit, I wandered over to a lineup of posters and started reading the fine print. I laughed out loud. I do not know so much about wine. I know what I like, and I know a little about what some critics look for in a nice white, and in a nice red. But I am quite sure I could easily be tricked into thinking a pinot noir wine was a merlot; or an unoaked chardonnay was a sauvignon blanc. Nonetheless, three of my favorite wines of the evening happened to be the most expensive wines being served that night.

Reading the poster also revealed I had missed out on trying a 2002 Bordeaux blend from Joseph Phelps that has critics in awe. Since garnering my own personal bottle of this wine would cost $150, enough to feed my family for a month (we don’t eat that much), there was no question. I had to wade my way back through the crowd and elbow my way to the tasting table to have a sip. The wine was so stellar, so memorable that I can almost taste it.

At the close of the evening, the wine award winners closed in on a table filled with Riedel decanters inscribed with the names of the winemakers and their winning wines. As the winemakers wrestled their glass treasures into boxes, I headed for the parking lot, a giant underground maze that requires a stiff cup or two of coffee — and a tour guide — to negotiate. My instructions, for example: You go straight to the ramp, down the ramp until the walls turn green. Make a left, then another left, head for the blue tunnel at the end, then make a left. Eeek. For the return trip, I had to recall each instruction — in reverse.

No worries, I emerged intact, and thankful that I was able to try some of the best wines being made in the country — most of which happen to be made right here in the Bay Area. More details about the American Wine Awards can be found in the October issue of Food & Wine or online at foodandwine.com.

– Jolene Thym

I had always wanted to attend one of those farm dinners, long tables set up smack in the middle of a field, where you get to eat what was growing around you that very day. When I heard Cetrella was hosting a Local Farm Dinner at Daylight Farms in Half Moon Bay last month, I jumped at the opportunity.

With heavy fog socking in the coast that night, though, the dinner transformed into a fascinating tour of the pumpkin patch led by Farmer John, followed by a lavish meal inside the invitingly warm and cozy restaurant. Best of both worlds.

After a round of delectable appetizers, we celebrated the harvest with Heirloom Tomatoes with Squash Blossoms, Genovese Basil and Mozzarella, Quail with Shaved Pumpkin, Field Greens and Pumpkin Honey Vinaigrette, and a lovely Lamb Noisette served alongside grilled zucchini and sweet peas. Chef Lewis Rossman outdid himself. Each course was expertly paired with wines from Varner Winery and Banyan Wines, with a few words from the winemakers.

But, with my sweet tooth, it was the autumnal dessert that stood out most. I begged the chef for the recipe for his Pumpkin Panna Cotta with Fresh Mission Figs. And I wasn?t the only one in the room with the same request.

If you’ve never made panna cotta, which means cooked cream in Italian, you will be amazed at what a simple and sexy dessert it is. If you’d rather have someone make it for you, it’s on Cetrella’s menu the rest of the month as part of their Pumpkin Prix Fixe dinners.
– Jodie Chase

Pumpkin Panna Cotta
Recipe created by Cetrella Chef Lewis Rossman.

1 cup pumpkin puree (see below)
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
2 leaves gelatin
Maple syrup to taste (up to 1/2 cup)
Several Mission figs, quartered, for garnish
Toasted almonds dipped in powdered sugar, for garnish

Caramel
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water

In a medium saucepan, bring the cream and sugar to a simmer and remove from the heat. Add the pumpkin puree and whisk together. Remove the gelatin from the cold water and add to the mixture.

For caramel: Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan and cook on medium heat until the sugar starts to brown. Be careful, once the sugar starts to turn a caramel color, it will get dark rather quickly. The caramel should be a deep brown, but not burnt. Pour the caramel equally into any four-ounce mold. (A cupcake tin or ramekin works well.

For pumpkin puree: If you decide to use a fresh pumpkin, you can use Sugar Pie, Red Kuri or Apple Blossom. (I used Sugar Pie when I made it at home and it was great.) Split the pumpkin in half and roast on a sheet tray with the exposed side facing down. Roast at 375 degrees until tender, at least a half hour. Let the pumpkin cool and remove the flesh. Place in a food processor to get a smooth puree. While pureeing, add enough maple syrup to enhance the sweetness of the pumpkin, to taste.

Pour the panna cotta mixture over the caramel and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

To serve, place the ramekin in a little warm water bath to help loosen the panna cotta. Run a knife along the sides, place a plate on top, flip over, and gently tap the ramekin to release the panna cotta and caramel sauce. Serve with a few Mission figs and garnish with powdered almonds.

After months of star searching here in the Bay Area for restaurants worthy of a Michelin star — or two — or three — the results are in.

Stars have been delivered — or not — to the worthy few.

Today, nearly a year after the inspections began, who got what can be found in the pages of “The Michelin Guide: San Francisco Bay Area & Wine Country 2007,” ($16.95, Michelin.)

For months, restaurants have been on edge, updating their decor, revamping menus and doing their very best to earn the respect of the unseen, entirely anonymous Michelin inspectors.

For those who are unaware, Michelin is the outfit that has for more than 100 years traveled the world rating restaurants on the sly.

Inspectors visit restaurants several times, rating them according to various criterion, including quality of food and value.

So far, only 50 restaurants in the world have ever earned three stars. The Bay Area added just one to the list — the French Laundry in Yountville. The French Laundry’s star status, it should be noted, comes as no surprise. This reservations-only establishment is widely understood as a must-do on the list of all foodies — even though it does mean shelling out some $250 for a meal.

Four more Bay Area restaurants received two stars, putting them in the top 400 restaurants in the world. What’s interesting about the four that made this list is that at least two of them — Cyrus in Healdsburg and Manresa in Los Gatos — are somewhat surprising. The other two are the celebrated San Francisco restaurants Michael Mina and Aqua.

Another 23 stars were sprinkled around the Bay Area to establishments such as The Ritz-Carlton, Boulevard, Gary Danko, Fleur de Lys, Range, and Masa’s in San Francisco. In wine country, some of the one-stars landed at Farmhouse Inn, Bistro Jeanty, Terra, and Auberge de Soleil.

One star means they are among the 1,000 top restaurants in the world.

What does all of this mean? Narsai David, radio talk show host and longtime Bay Area foodie explains: “It’s the first guide in the Bay Area that sets forth objective standards. All of the restaurants are judged by professionals according to specific (criterion.) Do I agree with all of the guide? No. Do I think that San Francisco deserves to have more than two restaurants receive two stars, Yes. But I am pleased to see the standardizing of the review process.”

Who got how many stars and who deserved them will no doubt be the topic of much discussion all over the Bay Area for weeks, even months to come.

Why was Slanted Door — Naret’s admitted favorite San Francisco restaurant — left starless? What went wrong with Postrio? Farallon? Left Bank? Oliveto in Oakland? How could Chez Panisse get only one star? These are just a few of the whispers floating about.

Whispers, disappointments and disagreements aside, most guests at the Michelin San Francisco celebration Monday night were on good behavior, chatting politely and offering congratulations all around.

Guests — mostly winners, friends of winners and press — nibbled blackened shrimp and delicate sushi; miniature croutons topped with Caesar salad and spoons of cheesy truffle-infused pearls.

Even though winners had been notified in advance, as had the press, the room went nearly silent as the guide was served — on silver platters. Well-dressed restaurateurs and foodies hungrily opened their books, looking for details. Did Slanted Door get into the guide at all? Campton Place?

Flipping through the guide in search of stars, it seems the East and South Bay were all but ignored. Many favorite restaurants did not even get a listing at all.

In a post-party interview, Jean-Luc Naret, director of the Michelin Guide, acknowledged the inevitable debates and sour grapes, but insisted that in the end, the mere arrival of the guide to the area is a great compliment to San Francisco Bay Area’s cuisine:

“What people need to realize is that it is a huge compliment just to be listed in the guide,” he said. “It means that inspectors were impressed with the restaurant, impressed with what you are doing.

“The other issue is that we are not here to be in competition with (local media,) nor are we trying to be a replacement for other local guides. We are here because we see San Francisco as a place that deserves to be included on an international level.

“By bringing the guide here, we are putting San Francisco cuisine on a par with the rest of the world.”

One of the most exciting facets of this guide, he says, is the Bib gourmand, a rating of restaurants that serve great food at good value, under $35 per meal.

“This is a category that we include in all of our European guides, but we did not include it in our New York guide. We launched it here in San Francisco,” Naret says.

A third category lists restaurants that serve great food for less than $25.
“These are the restaurants that our inspectors say is fantastic. These are their favorites. These are the restaurants that if they were using their own pocket money, they would return to.”

Restaurants outside of San Francisco that made the Bib gourmand category include Bay Wolf in Oakland, Olivia in Berkeley, Cafe Gibraltar in El Granada, Junnoon in Palo Alto and Koi Palace in Daly City.

More of the East and South Bay restaurants grabbed space in the under $25 category. Those restaurants include Cafe Fanny, Cesar (Spanish), Kirla (Japanese), Ajanta (Indian), all in Berkeley.

Nan Yang (Burmese), Pizzaiolo, Le Cheval (Vietnamese), Soi Four (Thai), Tacubaya (Mexican), and Zachary’s Chicago Pizza, all in Oakland; Amber India in Mountain View; Hunan Home’s (Chinese) in Los Altos; Osteria (Italian) in Palo Alto; Piazza Italia in Burlingame; Pizza Antica at Santana Row, San Jose.

The guide also includes listings and ratings of hotels and brunch spots.

– Jolene Thym