We’re celebrating being in wine country with “A Glass of Something Nice.” Join Claud and the gang at The Carneros Inn as they walk you through the basic varietals, show you the latest in wine gadgets, and discuss Chef Jeffery Jakes’ all time favorite food and wine pairings. Recipe Courtesy of The Caneros Inn

A Glass of Something Nice
Citrus-Porcini Dusted Filet Farro
Pan Seared Dayboat Scallops with Fennel Puree

Crisp Oatmeal Wafers:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 6 tablespoons honey
• 2/3 cup all purpose flour
• 6 tablespoons rolled oats, toasted
• pinch of salt

• 4 ounces soft mild California goat cheese
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup heavy cream

• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 cup black plums, sliced into sixths
• 2 star anise
• 6 white peppercorns
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 sprig of fresh thyme
• pinch of salt

• 2 cups lightly toasted pistachio nuts
• 2 cups + 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4 cups + 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 cups + 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 12 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
• 2 tablespoons Frangelico liqueur

Crisp Oatmeal Wafers:
Cream the butter, confectioner’s sugar, lemon zest and salt. Add the honey and flour and mix well. Cut a 1 3/4 inch square template from a piece of thin plastic (sour cream container lid works). Spread the batter evenly onto a silpat mat or parchment paper. Sprinkle the tops of the wafers with the toasted oatmeal. Bake at 350-degrees until golden brown, approximately 5 minutes. Prepare 3 wafers per serving for presentation.

Sweet Whipped Goat Cheese:
Thoroughly combine 4 tablespoons of heavy cream with the goat cheese and sugar. Whisk the remaining heavy cream to very soft peaks, and fold into the goat cheese mixture. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Spicy Plum Sauce:
Cook the sugar in a heavy bottomed sauté pan to a nice golden brown caramel color. Deglaze the caramel with the orange juice and add the sliced plums and spices. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve, pushed hard on the solids. Season the sauce with a pinch of salt. Thin with water if necessary. Reserve the plums removing the spices.

Pistachio Ice Cream:
In a medium pot over medium flame, combine the milk, 1/2 the amount of sugar and the vanilla bean. Bring to a simmer and remove the heat. Let the vanilla bean steep in the liquid for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the vanilla bean from the milk. Place the pistachios in a blender and add the hot milk to them. Blend the pistachios with the milk for about 1 minute. Ribbon the egg yolks into the remaining sugar. Temper the pistachio milk into the ribboned eggs and sugar. Return the entire mixture back to the stove and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly to a temper of 160-degrees F. Add the heavy cream to the ice cream base, season with the Frangelico and salt. Place over ice bath until chilled and spin in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer’s directions.

Presentation/Assembly:
Layer three of the oatmeal layers into small spoonfuls of the sweetened goat cheese cream. Place a few pieces of the reserved plums on the plate. Top them with a scoop of the pistachio ice cream. Spoon some of the spicy plum sauce around the dessert. Sprinkle the sauce with a few picked tips of the fresh thyme leaves.