AT HOME WITH WINE… Let me tell you about a little something that hardworking British firecracker Karen Anne Murray has lined up for this Saturday, October 9th from 4:30 to 9:30. She’s bringing in Bay Area Chef Charlie Vollmar to conduct a food class. He’ll focus on foods prepared at home or ordered in a restaurant and their special relationship to wine. To illustrate his points, local wine guru George Edwards, owner of Wine Market in the Country Club Shopping Center in PG, and former longtime Sheik of the Pebble Beach Company’s entire beverage program, will be on hand.

Chef Vollmar will create a luscious five-course tasting menu with items from Creamy Portobello Mushroom Soup with Chèvre Cream to Medallions of Beef with Rustic Porcini Sauce and dessert. This one’s gonna be special. Give Karen a call at 393-9479 for all the details, or just stop at 354 Orange Ave. (off Contra Costa) in Sand City. Check out eddisonandmelrose.com too for a look around, and visit George in PG for knowledge and magic. His number is 393-9479.

A SHORT BLURB… Another important thing…October 16th is a big day for me, my partner Jeff Moses, my family and friends, plus all the people down the road who will ultimately benefit from us doing well. What I’m talking about is the upcoming Brew With A “BOO” Festival at Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View. We’re partnering with Bill Graham Presents on a big, fun beer festival/Halloween bash and if all goes well, we’ll be positioned to create further interesting activities in other venues throughout the country that are owned by those folks.

We’ve got the incomparable Gary Coleman on board as “Broo Master.” He’ll be overseeing the festivities and doling out his creative charm. Mr. Coleman is a friend of UGO Online (ugo.com), a really cool high-tech firm that sponsors us from time to time. You can learn more about it at brewwithaboo.com. Spread the word to any friends you have in that area, maybe get a caravan together from down here…also, please throw out some loving vibes into the universe for us. Thanks.

FUN EN ESPANOL… Marci Bracco, the High Priestess of PR, and now the driving promotional force behind the amazing Mills Family Farms, just got back from a vacay in Spain. She’s a great gourmand from way back and a true food and beverage simpatico; these are her words: “Spain was amazing. Spain rivals Italy for me—and Italy is my own Country! Seville left me breathless—could live there in a heart beat.  The food and wine; OH MY GOD!!!!!!! (I deleted about nine more exclamation marks). Grilled baby squid in white wine and garlic, seafood paella, tapas, tapas and more tapas, Iberian Proscutto (OH MY GOD IT WAS GOOD). Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Now back to reality.” Take a page from Marci’s beautiful book and grab life by the tapas, baby.

A FEW QUICK THINGS… Ted and Cindy Walter at Passionfish are becoming big players in the sustainable food culture. They’re headed to Chicago (isn’t that a blues song?) for the Seafood Summit on Oct. 26 through the 28. Call them at 655-3311 for more info…Jeff Jake, Tallest Toque at Pebble Beach, sent word about Jerry Regester now being Executive Sous Chef at the Lodge; and Steven Tevere from The Left Bank in San Mateo and Meadowwood in St. Helena is now the man at Stillwater. More reasons to get inside those gates and explore the Peninsula’s showpiece. Hasta lumbago.