This text is a part of an interview sequence known as Tools of the Trade, a column that includes expert-approved ideas, methods, and product suggestions. Food52 earns an affiliate fee on qualifying purchases of the merchandise we hyperlink to.
In the event you imagine that boxed wine cannot be top quality, Woody Hambrecht and Ross Dawkins are right here to alter that. Profession winemakers and decades-long buddies, the pair are the co-owners of Ami Ami, a direct-to-consumer model centered on offering high-quality, eco-conscious, and scrumptious boxed (sure, boxed) French wine.
“Most wine manufacturers are hyperfocused on the wine, within the phrases of ‘Let’s lead with which [vine] row it got here from or what brix it was picked at,‘ however that is not the core focus for us” Ross defined. “We’ve three many years of expertise making high-quality wines all over the world. You may belief us. We need not clarify the nuances of each single factor to you. We’re making an attempt to interrupt down these limitations of pretension round wine and make it extra inclusive and accessible.”
When the duo determined to create the model—named after their daughters who’re each named Sophie and are greatest buddies, as ami is French for “a pal”—they knew they needed to create a high quality, high-end product that might be handy, accessible, and memorable, whatever the event. Most significantly, they needed to package deal their wine in a method that was sustainable. “Greater than two-thirds of glass in the US just isn’t recycled and results in a landfill,” they write on their site. Not solely that, the carbon footprint of producing and transporting glass is immense. This impressed the shift from extra conventional glass packaging to boxed. In spite of everything, it creates half of the carbon footprint and is extra environment friendly and simpler to move.
Primarily based in Healdsburg, Calif., the pair are deep within the coronary heart of wine nation. With this, and their apparent roles within the wine group, comes a schedule full of wine tastings, winery visits, and infinite internet hosting—whether or not it is a yard barbecue, ceremonial dinner, or yard comfortable hour. “I like internet hosting,” Woody mentioned. “I have been internet hosting for so long as I can bear in mind; it’s very in-built my household tradition. I stay on this stunning ranch, we develop plenty of our personal meals, we increase pigs and chickens, and now we have orchards. So, we’re in a position to make the most of plenty of the stuff that we develop and it is simply certainly one of my nice joys in life to have the ability to share that with individuals.”
Residing amongst numerous vineyards undeniably comes with its perks. “In the event you’re a winemaker, you are additionally in all probability a reasonably good prepare dinner—these two issues go hand in hand,” Ross mentioned. “So with our buddies, we’re all competing to host as a result of all of us need to be the host and are all tremendous valuable about our wine, we’re tremendous snobs about our meals, so all of us compete for the title.” Spend a warm-weather day in Healdsburg and also you simply may end up at an informal yard barbecue stocked with among the greatest wines within the nation. “It is type of ridiculous going round Healdsburg to just a little barbecue since you’ll discover distinctive wine and distinctive meals that the chef simply whipped up.”
All of this thought-about, once I started my hunt for consultants on internet hosting outside gatherings centered round nice drinks, nice meals, and nice buddies, Woody and Ross felt like an apparent alternative. So, we sat down and talked all issues Ami Ami, yard barbecues, internet hosting ideas and methods, and extra. Preserve studying for 10 of the pair’s necessities for an ideal yard bash, whatever the season.
1. Ami Ami Summer Duo, $60
“Who would not need this once you’re internet hosting of us at your private home?,” Ross asks. “There are two bottles in every field, so it goes additional [than a typical bottle] and it seems to be nice on the desk. It actually is ideal—and that is not simply us making an attempt to oversell this—particularly for an out of doors barbecue. It may be utilized in spritzes or loved as-is, and it is so handy.” The comfort of the packaging goes additional than simply for entertaining, Woody provides. “It is nice if you wish to come residence and similar to have one glass of wine,” he says. ”Reasonably than having to open a bottle, you possibly can have that one glass of wine with out the strain to complete the bottle so it would not go unhealthy in a few days should you do not.”
2. Compostable Stemless Wine Cups, $14+
The pair loves these compostable cups for his or her mix of being eco-friendly and nicely designed. “So many plastic cups or different compostable cups do not have a pleasant design. These have a gorgeous form and are sustainable—they’re an incredible various to plastic,” Woody says.
3. Polaroid Go Instant Camera, $100 $90
“This one comes from my spouse,” Ross says. “We received married in 2017, she needed a Polaroid at our wedding ceremony, and I needed to Google what it was. I’ve by no means seen something at an occasion or occasion get extra consideration than a Polaroid—it is an absolute no-brainer. There’s one thing so particular about them and it is an effective way to make reminiscences with out it being one of many 3,000 iPhone images that get taken all through the day.”
4. OXO Good Grips Coiled Grill Brush, $40
“Do not forget the necessities, proper?” Ross says. “Gotta have a pleasant, clear grill.” Woody has an entire system to get his grill good and clear. “First I get my fireplace going. As soon as it is at a reasonably excessive warmth, I exploit a brush to interrupt down no matter is leftover from our final barbecue. Then I take a paper towel, throw a bunch of olive oil on it, and wipe the grill. However, you want that brush to interrupt down the carbon out of your final cookout—you are solely nearly as good as your instruments,” he says.
5. “Sizzle” Extra Virgin Olive Oil, $14+
“I’ve a extremely curated residence, the bottle sits subsequent to my range, and that is what I prepare dinner with mainly day-after-day,” Woody explains. ”I believe it is an incredible product and it is an incredible package deal.” Ross, additionally a Graza lover, agrees. “I’ve received a month-to-month subscription that arrives at my doorstep each single month,” he says. “Cool packaging, unbelievable olive oil, and tremendous academic [about where it comes from, how it’s harvested, why Picula olives are used, and more].”
6. French Oak Serving Boards, $74+
“Once I host I at all times have a cheese and charcuterie board,” Woody says. “I have been doing it for over a decade and so they’re simply stunning.” Bubbles and charcuterie are customary in Healdsburg, Ross confirms. “If individuals are arriving and there isn’t any charcuterie served after they arrive…are you even internet hosting?” he jokes.
7. Yeti Tundra, $325
“The period of time I’ve spent, earlier than getting a Yeti, strolling to and from the fridge to get individuals drinks is ridiculous,” Ross says. “I can’t imagine it took me this lengthy.” Now, no extra working backwards and forwards from the yard to the kitchen for chilly drinks. The pair depends on a Yeti Tundra to maintain drinks close by and ice-cold, even when it is sitting exterior, proper underneath the solar. “I do not even understand how they really make these, however I’ve had ice sit in them for like two weeks and never soften.”
8. Emile Henry French Ceramic Pizza Stone, $70
“My child is in a pizza part,” Woody says. “We eat pizza nearly each night time and this makes for a greater high quality frozen pizza. It additionally faucets into my chef fantasies—it makes me really feel just a little extra severe within the kitchen.” Ross, whose daughter can be in a pizza part, has used the stone for cooking flatbreads on the grill, too.
9. Lazzari Mesquite Charcoal Lump, $19
“That is the actual stuff. If you are going to do one thing, do it correctly,” Ross says. “Fuel grilling is tremendous handy and tremendous useful, however coming from South Africa—we name grilling over coals a Braai—and you’ll be canceled in South Africa should you invite individuals over and crack on the gasoline. Outdated winery wooden is definitely among the greatest wooden for grilling, however I like this model for coals. I am really standing exterior now an enormous bag within the nook,” he provides.
10. KHEM Studios Simple Meat Board, $90
“What’s nice about this reducing board is it has the trough to seize the juices,” Woody says. “Say you throw a steak on the grill, you let it repose for 10 minutes, begin reducing that steak and it is nonetheless going to launch some juices and people juices are taste, so you have to seize it.”
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