Hopfinger vs. Tucker. Where do you put your money?

I’m one of those…how shall I say…opinionated individuals. Even when I’m really trying not to express obvious displeasure or great thrill, I’m an open book. This quality makes me a terrible poker player (4 aces! Whoopie!) but a good source for candid, genuine, often unsolicited, advice and recommendations. Tonight I'm attending an event that is tailor-made for my particular skill set.

The beer aisle at Whole Foods.

Say what you will about Whole Foods (and there are lots of questions and issues, as this article points out, it's a great store for the drinker—particularly the drinker of beer.

Clockwise from top left: Des Jardins, Florence, Bloomfield, Williams-Sonoma founder Chuck Williams (who'll be honored at the dinner), Keller, Falkner, Fox, Cosentino.

I’m a big believer that more is more. Though it’s fun, and often revelatory, to go to a restaurant and enjoy a particular chef’s talents, it’s even more fun to eat your way through an event that combines the efforts of, say, seven of the country’s best chefs.

The Carneros Inn, with all of its understated luxury, is certainly one of the premiere places to stay in Napa. Not being a connoisseur of such things, however, I can more confidently attest to the cocktails served at its restaurant, Farm. Pictured here is their modification of Cuba's famous drink. It's called a cucumber mojito.


The cucumber mojito at Farm.

The key to it is not only the cucumber, but the fact that the mixologists dialed back on simple syrup, this reduction of sweetness clarifies the flavors and makes it all the more refreshing.