Saddle Creek Resort Introduces New Menu Items for ‘Focused Food and Wine Pairings'

Saddle Creek Resort – the gated, 900-acre Castle & Cooke community in the scenic California Foothills – announces new menu items for its popular "Focused Food and Wine Pairings" held each Saturday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. and featuring the contemporary American cuisine of Executive Chef Richard Whipple.

Menu highlights include:
- Ahi Tuna Tartare with Potato Gaufrettes
- Roasted Baby Beet and Goat Cheese Salad with Pickled Shallots
- Butter Poached Black Tiger Prawns with Sun Choke Puree and Vanilla Beurre Blanc
- Crispy Liberty Farms Duck Confit with Baby Artichokes and Blood Orange Marmalade
- Seared Colorado Lamb Loin with  Blue Cheese Potato Gratin and Rosemary Jus
- E. Guittard Chocolate Terrine with Custard Sauce and Pistachios
The Focused Food and Wine Pairings showcase wine from local and regional vineyards, as well as produce, meats and fish from local farms and nationally-recognized organic purveyors. Attendance is limited to Saddle Creek Golf and Sports members and resort guests, with pairings taking place in the Member's Lounge area of the Copper Grille.
 
A veteran of the Northern California culinary arts scene, Whipple taps his 25-plus years experience to prepare up to seven seasonal entrees per gathering. A protégé of Philippe Jeanty of Domaine Chandon, Whipple was the Executive Chef at Deuce Restaurant in Sonoma before coming to Saddle Creek. Whipple, along with longtime food and beverage manager Ron Azzopardi, carefully select complementary wines for each dish, including the robust red and delicate white treasures of Calaveras County and popular Napa and Sonoma selections.
 
"We are excited about the reception the Focused Food and Wine Pairings have received from our members and guests," says Saddle Creek General Manager Bill Troyanoski. "This type of event is just one example of how Saddle Creek is creating a unique culinary experience that complements our other amenities."
 
Wines are selected from the following local vineyards:
? Lavender Ridge
? Newsome Harlow
? Chatom Vineyards
? Twisted Oak Winery
? Ironstone Vineyards
Rather than being confined to a table for upward of two hours, attendees are encouraged to mingle, exchange thoughts and opinions about the fare and wine, as well as ask questions of Whipple and Azzopardi regarding the offerings and pairings. The overall atmosphere is resort casual and food is displayed in a self-serve setting to provide a sensory-driven, interactive experience.
 
For more information about Saddle Creek Resort or the Focused Food and Wine Pairings, please call 800-611-7722 or visit www.saddlecreek.com .  
 
About Saddle Creek Golf Club
 
Designed by Carter Morrish, Saddle Creek's award-winning golf course is framed by the Sierra Mountains and challenges players of all levels with five sets of tees, nearly 100 bunkers and an ethereal collection of shimmering lakes. To create an atmosphere of tranquility and isolation, Morrish devised a routing in which no two holes run parallel to each other. Saddle Creek's thoughtful design and sublime conditioning have led to numerous national accolades, such as being rated one of the top four semi-private courses in Northern California by Golf Today.
 
For the third consecutive year, Saddle Creek ranked among the Top-10 courses in California in Golfweek's "America's Best Courses" ratings, appearing at No. 9 on the prestigious list and moving past the famed South Course at Torrey Pines – site of the 2008 U.S. Open Championship.
 
Saddle Creek was also included for the second straight year on Golfweek magazine's Top-100 listing of "America's Best Residential Golf Courses." The resort placed No. 40, ahead of esteemed residential courses Reynolds Plantation, PGA West, Isleworth, Hammock Dunes, Colleton River and others.
 
In its December 2004 issue, Fairways and Greens magazine rated the course one of the top golf resorts in the Western U.S., citing its exquisite course conditions, top quality service, meticulous attention to detail, high-end residential opportunities and comfortable and convenient bungalows. Most recently, Saddle Creek was included in the 2006/07 ZAGAT listing of "America's Top Golf Courses."
 
About Saddle Creek Resort
 
Saddle Creek’s diverse and award-winning real estate blends resort and residential atmospheres. Custom homesites start at $300,000 and residential opportunities range (home and lot) from the $600′s to over $1 million. Boasting views of small lakes and forested hills, these picturesque homes serve as countryside retreats and as the ideal escape from the San Francisco Bay Area, roughly two hours away. 
 
Each neighborhood is carefully planned to complement the golf course, and architectural design guidelines ensure each home is unique and blends with the overall residential theme. New custom homes are available now to fulfill the dream of a sophisticated country life. Castle & Cooke will release Quail Creek’s custom homesites later this year, and Copper Glen Foothill Collection of Country Homes early 2006.
 
Residents and guests of Saddle Creek can also enjoy the beauty of the Quail trail with miles of hiking trails and mountain biking and nearby skiing, snowmobiling, and the nearby Lake Tulloch. Also of interest are the sports club, featuring a 3,000-square-foot facility offering yoga and aerobic classes, a large pool, kids' wading pool and a Jacuzzi spa. The Saddle Creek Lodge features a fully-stocked bar and an extensive wine list, stunning vistas and the food of Executive Chef Richard Whipple at the acclaimed Copper Grille.
 
Castle & Cooke, in their goals of enhancing the overall communities where they have ongoing developments and operating facilities, are adding to the Saddle Creek Resort experience. Currently in development, the "Copperopolis Town Square" will bring an exciting new dimension to Copperopolis with its traditional town square, specialty shops, boutique art galleries, restaurants and many other businesses and that complement a retail-focused, mixed-use town that set along the banks of a beautiful creek and lake.
 
Saddle Creek Resort, as well as Coyote Creek Golf Club outside of San Jose, is owned and operated by Castle & Cooke, Inc. that, along with its affiliated companies, has operations in over 24 states.  The company's diversified businesses include the development and ownership of real estate, leasing of transportation equipment, manufacture of brick and ownership of public warehouses. The company's real estate developments include master planned communities such as Mililani Town on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, Lake Sherwood in Thousand Oaks, California, and Seven Oaks in Bakersfield, California.  The company also owns two of the world's highest-rated resorts on the 98% owned island of Lana'i in Hawaii.
 

March 29, 2006   Posted in: United States North