Wine & Country Living

This week I took a drive out along Highway 12 to­ward Pasco and ended up at Ice Harbor Dam and Fishery.

If you haven't been out to the dam and watched the indig­enous fish climb the stairs, you simply must. When I walked into the room with the underwater window display, a smile came to my face and remained there for my entire visit. I couldn't help admiring the determination as the fishclimbed the stairs to the river above. It's just fascinating.

Ice Harbor Dam's water reserve and fishery is an informa­tive, all-natural activity available for all ages to enjoy, and it's free to attend. They also feature a wonderful natural history museum and picnic area winding along the river.

On the drive back to Waitsburg, I felt a little guilty know­ing I'd be enjoying a big wild salmon barbecue in a few weeks, but then I remembered the laws of nature.

As I pulled up to the house, there stood my wine guy with a bottle of '06 Glen Fiona, Walla Walla Syrah, a gold medal winner in the 2010 San Francisco International Wine Com­petition. Glen Fiona winemaker William Ammons is most artistic with his locally grown and produced Syrah, available to us for just $19.95 a bottle. The nose of this Syrah is riddled in tar and crushed sweet marjoram. A mouth of juicy wild berries and deliberate lico­rice candy melts over the tongue. This whimsical Syrah is a best buy, earning 10 Barrels from Wine and Country Living. Here's a recipe to pair with a bottle of such distinction.

Blueberry Lavender Pate

Serves 2

Method:

In a food processor, whip all ingredients together until smooth. Line a soup bowl with plastic wrap, ends overlap­ping

at about four inches all around rim of bowl. Spoon pate mixture into bowl. Fold over plastic wrap ends and gently but firmly press down on terrine to assure even molding of ingredients. Place bowl in refrigerator for six hours or more. Unmold pate onto plate lined in fresh mint or herb branches. Unfold plastic wrap ends and invert bowl, carefully peeling plastic wrap from mold. Serve with crackers or baguette paired with a bottle of '06 Glen Fiona Walla Walla Syrah.

Contact Judith at: http://www.chefjudithhenderson.com