Winning cook

Napa resident Stefanie Poulin was recently chosen as a finalist in the Kikkoman-Johnson & Wales University Imaginational Recipe Challenge. Selected from nearly 300 entries, Poulin, a J&W alumnus, competed at J&W's North Miami Campus on Feb. 4, preparing her original reciped for "Pan Seared Sea Scallops with Roasted Green Chile Soy Sauce" for a panel of judges. She won $1,000 as a finalist.

Although Poulin was born and raised in Montreal, she created her recipe to reflect the influence of Latin culture on the cuisine of California. A personal chef, Poulin specializes in healthy foods for her clients, preparing complete meals for individuals who are on special diets or simply want to eat better, but don’t have time to cook at home. She chose to use low-sodium soy sauce in her recipe because it "replaces the use of regular salt and adds the delicious flavor of fermented soybeans."

Poulin lightly tosses the scallops in the sauce before searing; it "aids significantly in the caramelization of the scallop -- or any seafood, for that matter.

Students and alumni from all of J&W’s campuses were invited to submit creative recipes for appetizers, entres or desserts using Kikkoman soy sauce. The six finalists’ recipes were evaluated by a panel of three judges.

Fume Bistro will hold its second breast cancer benefit dinner "Celebrating Life" to be held at Fume Bistro 4050 Byway East Napa on Wednesday, March 22, at 6:30 p.m. $125 per person includes a Mumm sparkling wine reception and four-course dinner paired with the local wines. The menu includes Dungeness crab salad (Cakebread sauvignon blanc; squab with Ceja pinot noir; filet mignon with Silver Oak cabernet sauvignon and bittersweet chocolate and apricot tart with Far Niente Dolce.

Proceeds from the dinner and silent auction will be donated to the Queen of the Valley Breast Center and St. Helena Women's Center in Napa Valley. Advance ticket purchase id required. Call 257-1999.

Chef Chris Manning of the Restaurant at Domaine Chandon will be creating a unique menu one Sunday evening each month to complement wines from favorite local "tastemakers." Guests are invited to either dine at the "winemaker" table or dine on their own. Guests at the winemaker table will be treated to a three-course prix-fixe menu, while guests dining on their own may choose either to order the prix-fixe or a la carte menu. Between courses, the evenings Manning and the guest winemaker will mingle with guests at individual tables to share insights on the evening's highlighted wines, or simply to say hello.

The schedule: Feb. 26, Domanine Chandon's sparking winemaker Tom Tiburzi, and a celebration of new world bubbly;

March 26: Domaine Chandon still winemaker James Kress, "A Passion for Pinot";

April 30: Domaine Chandon director of winegrowing Rick Aldine,"Sustainable Winegrowing";

May 21: Newton Vineyard's winemaker Stephen Carrier, "Beauty with Age"; Newton library wines;

June 25: Tom Tiburzi, "A Crowing Moment"

July 23: Newton Vineyard, Sua Hua Newton, "Unfiltered, Unfined, Uncompromised";

Aug. 20:Chandon director of enology Gloria Mercado-Martin,"Secret Synergies";

Sept. 17: Still winemaker James Kress, "Dynamic Duo" showcase of the classic Champagne varieties: chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier;

Oct. 15: Rick Aldine, "Grape Expectations," insight into the winery's expectations from the 2006 harvest;

Nov. 12, Newton Vineyard winemaker Stephen Carrier; "From the Vineyard" insight on working with a challenging terroir and cultivating the grape to achieve great wines;

Dec. 10, Gloria Mercado, "Bubbly from Beginning to End."

Dinners are $95 per person, paired with wines or $65 without, plus tax and gratuity.

Reservations can be made by calling the restaurant at (800)736-2892, or made at www.opentable.com.