Spring 2011

"Knife Skills 101" by Teena Hildebrand

Most of us learn at a very early age to be intimidated by kitchen knives, especially the large, long ones. Who hasn't injured themselves one time or another using a dull knife or a freshly sharpened one? What about Uncle Bob's annual circling around the kitchen with that huge carving knife, incessantly running it up and down the honor? And at every family gathering thereafter Uncle Bob's confident countenance qualifies him as the guy for the carving job.

We used to think of countenance simply as a demeanor or disposition but, when drilled down, countenance really reflects the character and feelings of the heart. Uncle Bob's confident countenance comes in part from his skill and having the proper tool for the task but mostly from the respect & encouragement of those around him. Like "Iron sharpens iron" over the years it's become apparent that Frank's countenance in the vineyard and winemaking, mine in the kitchen and wine club, and both of ours in the things we do jointly is directly related to much more than skill - it's also the continual "honing" of the right tools for the right job, usually done by someone other than us, and, even more, the respect & encouragement of those around us.   
 
I confess I wasn't born with culinary knife skills and farmer Frank must confess that he only pruned (poorly) one single, solitary vine in his entire life prior to planting & farming 10,000 vines. And even though a tool for sharpening knives always rested in the back of a drawer it rarely ever got used and even though an adolescent Frank worked in his father's farm equipment & tool repair shop he never actually learned to use the tools that today he can't live without.  Truth be told - other chefs, culinary teachers, foodie friends, industry peers, farmers, tractor repair guys, neighbors, pastors and even many of you came one by one to not only help hone our tools and skills but to sharpen our countenance as well. If there's a "take away" from this it's that we simply can't do what we do without the continual miracle of "iron sharpening iron" where the most unexpected and unlikely people come alongside us to sharpen our countenance, enabling us to dream bigger, hope longer, keep a happy demeanor, maintain steadfast mental composure (that's the tough one), and continue to love what we do and the people journeying with us. May this truly be a new year of opening doors to unexpected and unlikely people whom God will use to sharpen you. Look around, you're surrounded by them! 
 
"As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend." Proverbs 27:17 NKJV
 
See you in the cellar,
Frank & Teena