I am always looking for new food adventures, and I had many great ones throughout the year.  Here is a list of my top 10 food or food-related discoveries of 2009 (in no particular order):

(1) the red pepper velvet cake at Dirt Candy in NYC
(2) the skillet bacon jam from Skillet Street Food in Seattle
(3) the pechiole al tartufo (truffled wild peaches) from Conti Foods in Florence, Italy
(4) the professional cheese knife from Claudine Vigier of La Fromagerie du Comtat in Provence
(5) the amazing tasting menu and setting at La Petraia, a restored working organic farm and agriturismo in Tuscany
(6) the chilaquiles from Primavera at the Saturday morning SF Ferry Plaza Farmers Market
(7) Cibreo Restaurant in Florence, Italy
(8) The Nibble Bar from Askinosie chocolate, made in Springfield, Missouri using cacao beans from Ecuador
(9) the brussels sprout salad at Bottega Restaurant in Napa Valley
(10) three crushed dried chili peppers from Whole Spice in Oxbow Market in Napa – chili aleppo, chili marash and chili urfa

One of my favorite places for produce in Napa Valley is LMR Rutherford Gardens.  Not only can you buy excellent organic produce right from the farm but they also encourage you to walk around the farm and stay for a while.  The produce is fresh and seasonal, of course, but they also have a great selection of grass-fed beef from their farm.  As well, they sell amazing olive oils from their own olive trees.  My favorite for finishing soups, crostini and salads is their Prato Lungo extra-virgin olive oil.  It has a fresh, grassy, citrusy aroma and a smooth, peppery taste.  They sell fresh eggs from the chickens on their farm, as well. 

When visiting LMR Rutherford Gardens, be sure to check out their huge fig tree – you can’t miss it, really.  It has a wonderful picnic table underneath and the most amazing figs you’ve ever tasted (in season, of course)!  Also walk around and see what farm animals are close by.  You’ll likely see some activity going on, too as this is a working farm. 

This farm is owned by the folks at Long Meadow Ranch.  They re-open for the season on May 2nd.  Their hours are Wednesdays-Fridays in the afternoon from 1pm-6pm and on Saturdays from 9am-5pm.  They also sell at the St. Helena Farmers Market on Fridays from May-October. 

LMR Rutherford Gardens
1796 S. St. Helena Highway (Highway 29)
Rutherford, CA  
http://www.longmeadowranch.com/RutherfordGardens/index.rutherfordgardens.htm