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Recipe Feature: Grilled Peach and Arugula Salad
The guests of Platypus Wine Tours will frequently ask our Culinary Staff for recipes for some of our unique and delicious dishes. Once again, we are sharing the recipe for one of our famous salads, perfect for sharing with summertime visitors. This Grilled Peach and...
Tips for Navigating Napa Wine Tours: Dos and Don’ts for a Flawless Experience
A Napa wine tasting tour can be fun and educational as you move safely through the delightful landscape of the region. Tour guides offer exciting and insightful commentary along the way, allowing your group to enjoy their experience as you move from one boutique...
From Grapes to Glass: Understanding the Wine-Making Process on Napa Tours
Napa Valley is one of the premier winemaking areas of the world. With over 400 wineries growing grapes throughout a relatively small but diverse area, the winemakers produce award-winning, state-of-the-art wines from material grown in diverse conditions. From the...
Napa Valley’s Historic Wineries: Preserving the Legacy of Wine in California
Certain wineries are the essence of the California wine industry, a premiere accolade for one of the several hundred wineries throughout the region. Whether you visit these during your Napa Valley wine tour or Sonoma wine-tasting outing, you should be aware that you...
Napa Valley Art and Wine Scene: Where Culture and Creativity Meet in the Vineyards
Art and wine become natural partners as people visit the area to experience both. While this is only a glimpse, you get the idea that the art and wine scene in Napa Valley is stronger than ever. Wineries are art lovers. Whether winemakers exhibit their artistic nature...
Sirah vs Shiraz vs Syrah vs Sera
Sometimes a single letter can mean a world of difference, but yet we need to be careful about why we may face different spellings for the same thing. Or sometimes we see similar spellings that mean very different things. In some cases, they may be the same, only...
Recipe Feature: Apple Cider Chicken Skewers
The culinary experts at Platypus Wine Tours, a premier wine country tours company in Napa Valley and Sonoma County, frequently share recipes for some of their delightful and unique creations. Platypus Wine Tours’ Sonoma and Napa tour guests will often ask how certain...
Recipe Feature: Taco Salad
PLATYPUS WINE COUNTRY TOURS’ TACO SALAD RECIPE INGREDIENTS 2 Heads of Romaine Lettuce Chopped 1/2 Cup Shredded Jack and Cheddar mix 1 handful of Tortilla Chips Crushed 2 Roma Tomatoes, Small Dice 1/3 Cup of Sliced Black Olives 1/4 cup of your favorite Ranch Dressing...
Recipe Feature: Classic Spring Fritters
Recipe for Platypus Wine Tours Classic Spring Fritters Ingredients to Assemble 2 Eggs 1 Cup Milk 1 tsp Salt 1 1/2 Cups AP Flour 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder 1/4 tsp White Pepper Vegetables 1 Cup Fresh Peas 1 Cup Fresh White Corn 1 Cup Zucchini (small dice) 1 tsp Fresh Dill...
Recipe Feature: Potatoes Au Gratin
Potatoes Au Gratin by Platypus Wine Tours Ingredients 2 lbs. potatoes (peeled and thinly sliced) 2 cups heavy cream 1 tbsp crushed garlic 1 tsp thyme 1/2 cup panko/bread crumbs 1 cup parmesan cheese (shredded) 1 tbsp salt 1/2 tsp white pepper Method Preheat the...
A Guide to Tasting Room Etiquette: Navigating Wine Tasting Like A Pro
Wine tasting should be a relaxed, educational, and enjoyable experience. Wineries tend to strive to create a comfortable experience for all, hoping that guests will purchase their wines, become regular consumers of it, and spread the good word about their product. As...
Recipe Feature: French Onion Soup
The culinary staff at Platypus Wine Tours of Napa is always looking for and testing new recipes to share with their California wine tour guests. During a typical Platypus Wine Tour, guests are treated to a high level of comfort in the tour vehicles, enjoy a carefully...
Recipe Feature: No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Platypus In-House Culinary Team Platypus Wine Tours offers a delicious lunch and tasty bites for guests to enjoy during their Wine Country California tour. Dedicated to making each experience as delightful and flavorful as possible, the Platypus Culinary Staff has...
Recipe Feature: Turkey and Brown Rice Soup
Ingredients: 1 Yellow Onion (Diced) 6 Celery Stalks (Rough Chop) 2 Carrots (Quartered and Chopped) 3 Tbsp. Garlic (Fine Chopped) 2 lbs. Diced Cooked or Raw Turkey (also may be ground turkey rolled into meatballs) 2 Cups of Brown Rice 4 Tbsp. Quinoa (may use Chia...
Holidays in Napa and Sonoma Valley
Wine Country California is the perfect place to experience the joys of the Holiday Season. The businesses and communities of Napa Valley and Sonoma County are once again extending their famous hospitality in so many ways, with each year bringing new, exciting events...
Recipe Feature: Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake
Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Ingredients: Crust 1 cup crushed graham crackers 1/4 cup of melted butter 1 tbsp spoon of sugar Filling 16 oz of Cream Cheese (2 packs) softened 1 cup of Sugar 2 large Eggs, lightly beaten 15 oz of Roasted Pumpkin (1 Can) 1 1/4 tsp Ground...
Panzanella Salad Recipe
Here is their recipe for creating your own Panzanella Salad à la Platypus Wine Tours: Panzanella Salad Ingredients 2 Cucumbers or 1 English Cucumber (Medium Dice) 2 Medium sized Tomatoes (Medium Dice) 1/2 Red Onion (Sliced Thin) 1 Tbsp Garlic (Fine Chop) 4 Oz Sherry...
Mushroom Cream Pasta Recipe
As the weather begins to cool during the Fall months that coincide with Harvest Season in wine country, foods that are warmer and more comforting during this time are more appropriate. We are featuring the Platypus Wine Tours’ version of a Mushroom Cream Pasta Recipe....
