Escabeche (es-kah-BECH-ay) is usually associated with Mediterranean cuisine. It is not a recipe as much as it is a preparation. At its most basic it is fish marinated overnight or longer in something acidic before serving.

It is traditionally served cold or at room temperature on a hot day. The acid in the marinade is usually vinegar but can also include citrus juice or wine. Essentially it is pickling, but I hesitate to admit that because I don't want any preconceived notions about pickled fish turning you away from this perfectly delicious recipe.

That said, there are versions of escabeche in many, many cultures. It is not always made with fish either. In Spain chicken, rabbit or pork versions are common.

There are examples in Pacific-Asian cuisine also. But the origin of the word escabeche is Persian. The idea was brought to Spain by the Arabs during the Moorish conquests. The word derives from al-sikbaj, the name of a popular meat dish that was cooked in a sweet and sour sauce, usually vinegar and honey or date molasses.

I have a tale to tell. It's a tale with a simple lesson. The lesson is this, use great ingredients from quality vendors and you will bring something special to the table. This post may start with a lesson, but it ends with a Giveaway. A giveaway from Tyler Florence and Marx Foods. So I hope you'll read through to the end and take place in this contest. In the meantime I have Roasted Lamb Loin with Sheep's Milk Ricotta Gnocchi, Morel Mushrooms, Pea Tendrils, and Lamb Jus.

You see it all started a couple of weeks ago. I went to the Pebble Beach Food and Wine Festival (#PBFW). I had a fantastic time.

I knew I would love it. It is just my kind of event. Mostly 'cuz there was great food and lots of it. I certainly had my fair share of the offerings and that would have been enough to qualify the weekend as very special indeed. But it was also a great opportunity to learn. Because there were cooking demonstrations and wine tasting events too.

One of these events was a cooking demonstration by Tyler Florence.

So when proposals came due for this month's FoodBuzz 24-24-24 challenge I immediately knew what I wanted to do. I decided I would recreate the meal he presented that day here on Sippity Sup for all of you. I realize it may not be quite the same as being there, but hey it's better than a swift kick in the pants, right?

I have added a cookbook to Sup's! Shop at OpenSky for you today. Its focus is the California Wine Country. Which, on its face, may seem like a bit of publisher’s culinary shorthand, and an attempt to shove a bit more “casual elegance” down the throats of us gullible foodies.

But if you’ll stick with me I think you’ll see why I chose to bring to you this particular book. It’s called Seasons in the Wine Country, which might cause you to raise your eyebrows and wonder just which wine country I mean.

I'll give you a hint about that and say that the marketing manager of the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, Cate Conniff, put this collection of recipes together. That’s right, I said marketing manager. But before you throw in your green and white striped side-towel and go running from my virtual kitchen, let me just say this book is way more than a promotional tool.

If you are at all familiar with the food scene in California then you probably have figured out that the wine country this book is celebrating is the well-traveled oeneophilic valley known as Napa.

The breadth and depth Napa’s reputation is growing; partly due to the success of the CIA campus that opened there in 1995. It could be argued that the early gastronomic pilgrims to the area (including great chefs like Thomas Keller) has helped the region become as well known for its culinary destinations as it has for the world-class wines that originally put this valley on our foodie radar.