Napa Corn Pasta

We got to get away for a bit last week.

I haven’t posted anything in a very long time…. sorry for that.

But… we got to get away for a bit last week… !!!!!

There were a few commitments that needed to be attended to which led us to Napa Valley.  It was his first time there.  I had been there once before.

Since we have been back many people have asked us what wineries we went to… only one.  They are surprised that we drove all the way up to wine country to not participate in some wine train, spending the entire trip sloshed on wine tastings.

Mainly, cause it just ain’t our style.  Secondarily, because for us, getting away is about being together, being with family, experiencing small things.  Not being packed to the rim with activities and sight-seeing tours and museums and places of interest.

We lounge.

We have conversations we’ve been meaning to have for months.

We connect.

We live in a time where we… all of us… are blessed to be able to go anywhere we desire, have access to anything we want, (most often in a mini-computer we carry in our pocket that we call a phone).  We have Facebook and Tumblr and Twitter and Pinterest.  And, yes, we are all “connected”, but that is a very different from “connecting”.

Don’t get me wrong, I am very grateful for the people I have met on Twitter.  Except for one, everyone I tweet with is essentially anonymous, and I do value the connections I have made.  I cherish the support we give one another, I look forward to reading what they have to say and what is going on in everyone’s life.  I would truly miss them if we were no longer linked to each other.

But that is very different than looking into someone’s eyes.  Seeing the subtleties of their face move when they talk, the joy in their eyes when they are listening to me or when we are experiencing something together.  I cannot describe the sense of peace it gives me to sit with those that I care for (whether it be my man, friends or family) and not have to say a word.

To be so comfortable with one another that you can simply have the space to just… be.

 

 

One of the greatest things about our time away was the food.  Holy Cra-Moly! The FOOD!

The flavors that I experienced were some I have never had before.  The tomato’s, the breads, the fresh olive oils and vinegars. Daily, I had my breath taken away.  There was this pea shoot salad that was gone so quickly, you would think I were a magician with a disappearing act.  Everything was lovely.

This recipe was not something I ate, but inspired by something someone else ordered.  It was a fish dish with this colorful corn, heirloom tomato and green bean salad.  I knew immediately that these were flavors I wanted to try at home… but my way.

If you have never made a corn sauce for your pasta, I really hope you give it a try using this recipe.  It is such a change of pace from the standard tomato or other cream based sauces.  And, nothing to me really says summer more than this pasta…

you can almost taste the sun in your mouth