Tribute to the Late John Ash
Memories of a Friend
by Heidi H. Cusick
John Ash at Fetzer’s Valley Oaks Garden in Hopland
John Ash, known as the Father of Wine Country Cuisine, passed away in August. He not only put Mendocino County on America’s food and wine map, he launched the farm-to-table movement here.
In the 1980s, under the leadership of Jim Fetzer, Fetzer Vineyards purchased Valley Oaks ranch in Hopland and hired gardeners extraordinaire, Michael Maltas and Kate Frey, to work their magic growing organic fruits and vegetables. John was tasked with creating a culinary program.
“Working hand in hand with Sid Goldstein, our VP of Food and Wine,” remembered Fetzer, “the two pioneered educational programs, food and wine pairings, cookbooks, and public appearances to showcase not only Fetzer’s wines, but also the bounty of our gardens and the philosophy of sharing those experiences with both consumers and the broader food and wine community.”
Bridget Harrington, former owner of Patrona Restaurant in Ukiah, said she worked “thousands of hours” with John for ten years from 1994-2004. “To John, the people were very important, especially those he was cooking for, and the various cultures whose cuisines he regaled in. He taught me so much about cooking … and about how to be a human and live a great life. I’m really sad about losing him.”
“John was the star power and Bridget got the work done,” recalled Joel Clark, then Fetzer’s Director of Operations for Visitors/Hospitality. “He was great with flavor profiles as they related to food, fruit, sugar, acid, and creating quite wonderful wine and food pairings.”
“There was excitement in the way he used the garden. Everyone was on fire!” enthused culinary assistant Colleen Stewart. “John drew chefs from all over the country to cook. When Julia Child came that was exciting … I never saw so many cameras.”
“We had a sense of never wanting the scene at Valley Oaks with John to end,” according to George Rose, a renowned photographer and public relations pro. “Chefs who participated at the Culinary Center were captivated and went on to create their own farm-to-table menus.”
A favorite memory of all the Fetzer staff was what The New York Times called “Woodstock for Food Lovers.” In 1994, 126 chefs, nutritionists, gardeners, and farmer’s marketers camped out on the lawn at Valley Oaks for three days. Led by the national Chef’s Collaborative and run by John Ash and Alice Waters, other glitterati of the food world included Rick Bayless, Michael Romano, Susan Spicer, Joyce Goldstein, Mary Sue Milliken, Sibella Kraus, and Ellen Haas, an assistant Secretary from the USDA. The chefs were let loose on the gardens to prepare extraordinary organic dishes served communally on long tables.
In addition to his work at Valley Oaks and his cookbooks, John Ash eagerly participated in Mendocino’s Crab and Wine Days and Wine & Mushroom Fests when they were inaugurated in the early 2000s. He rode the Skunk Train with mushroom afficionados to Northspur to prepare lunch during a daylong culinary symposium.
And he demonstrated crab recipes on a floating dock in Noyo Harbor. Gene Mattiuzzo, formerly of Caito Fisheries, noted the inherent hazards. “John was on the dock making crab cakes when a tidal surge began … as the ocean surf rose and broke into the harbor, the river surged against it, causing knee-high splashing on the dock. John had to grab dishes and food to keep it from rolling off the table … while those standing on the pier gasped with each new surge. John, in his unflappable way, kept on describing the next recipe steps with total aplomb. As if this is how he always taught classes!”
For Jim Fetzer, “John left a lasting imprint on all of us who had the privilege of working alongside him. His legacy continues to inspire. We miss him dearly.”
Dungeness Crab in Wine & Vermouth
From The Earth to the Table: John Ash’s Wine Country Cuisine
1996 Julia Child Cookbook of the Year
Serves 2 as a main course, 4 as an appetizer
Can substitute Eastern Blue or Alaskan King crab, as well as fresh mussels, clams or shrimp.
INGREDIENTS
3-4 pounds cooked and cleaned Dungeness crab in the shell
¼ pound unsalted butter
2/3 cup dry vermouth
½ cup dry white wine
1 ½ cups clear fish stock
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 teaspoon cold water
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Freshly ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Crack and separate the crab into sections. Set aside.
In a saucepan, combine the butter, vermouth, wine, stock, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, lemon juice, sugar, and dissolved cornstarch. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the crab, parsley and pepper to taste and warm through.
Ladle into large bowls. Serve immediately with a full-bodied Chardonnay or a good amber ale.
Heidi H. Cusick, a long-time local food and wine writer, created the first Mendocino Crab & Wine and Wine & Mushroom festivals as well as the culinary program at what was College of the Redwoods in Fort Bragg. She and John Ash had wine on her deck a year ago after his book party at Campovida (formerly Valley Oaks), celebrating the publication of Hog Island Book of Fish & Seafood, his last cookbook.
Photo by George Rose.
