Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Art and Entertain me
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Old World Winery's winemaker Darek and Chef Helena on Sonoma County Today
Click here for Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 to see Sonoma County Today's interview with Darek Trowbridge, winemaker at Old World Winery and Chef Helena, interviewed by Dana DiRicco on her local TV show Food & Wine of Sonoma County.
Part 2 - Continuing interview:
Part 3 - Continuing interview:
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Helena as Finalist for Cook-Off in NYC
Cacique Go Autentico Challenge Click here to see competition
CONGRATULATIONS to Stella Ortega (Chicken a la Diabla), Leah Lyon (Shrimp Rajas Al Carbon Panela Tostaditos), Helena Giesea (Helena's Cactus Frittata), and Susan Ten Pas (Roast Squash w/ Pear Soup & Chorizo Meatballs). We were delighted by all the creative and truly brilliant recipes submitted, and were honored by the care and hard work that went into the videos. Selecting finalists was no easy task, but these four brought something extra to the challenge, and we’re excited to watch them bring it again… on camera!
Watch the Go Auténtico Finalist Cook-off premiering on The Cooking Channel, friend us on Facebook for cook-off updates and video snippets, or check back in February to see these 4 finalists compete at Celebrity Chef Aaron Sanchez’s restaurant in New York City to win a trip to Napa Valley and The Culinary Institute of America!
Watch Finalist Helena’s creative spin on a traditional Hispanic ingredient, nopales, and try making Cactus Frittata yourself with silky Crema Mexicana, robust Cotija and mild Panela for a fun and festive vegetarian dish.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Inside-Sonoma.com Article

Old World Winery 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon
Out in the flatlands of the busy little crossroads town Fulton, neighbor to a seasonally pungent onion field and a dusty heavy equipment lot, Darek Trowbridge is going native. The university-trained winemaker, and scion of a multi-generational winemaking family, makes wine the old way. That means using the vineyard’s native yeast instead of laboratory products, minimal sulfur, and managing fermentations with the heat of the sun or the cool of the shade. And if the name evokes a romantic, simpler time when grapes were trodden under bare feet while the whole village came out to celebrate? Naturally, that’s exactly what harvest looks like at Old World Winery.
If you’re in the area, there’s an opportunity to check out Trowbridge’s unusual, under-the-radar wines this Thursday, November 18. This second in a series of “Flavor Art” dinners, held in a decorative little tasting room in the winemaker’s backyard, will feature hors d’oeuvres followed by a four-course meal by Chef Helena Gustavsson Giesea. Six wine pairings include a floral, library selection 2002 Zinfandel with maple syrup and chili-glazed turkey breast (of course, I tried to get that recipe pairing for this post–alas, meanwhile, here’s one for the Cab, from last month’s dinner).
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Chewy Mocha Cake – Swedish Brownie Version 
Moist, chewy and simply delicious!
8-10 portions
4 Egg
3 Cups Sugar
2 Sticks of Melted Unsalted Butter
1 1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
8 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
1/4 Cup Espresso Coffee or Strong Coffee
1 Dash Salt
1. Turn oven to 375º F
2. Whisk egg and sugar fluffy
3. Add melted butter and coffee
4. Sift in flour, salt and cocoa powder
5. Fold mix with spatula until even but still fluffy
6. Pour into a greased cake pan with releasable sides
7. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the cake lets go of the sides but still is sticky inside.
Serve with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, topped with whipped cream.
