Award Winning Strawberry Wine

After this year's WineMaker Magazine Competition I will have won medals of all types (gold, silver, bronze) for my Viognier, Amarone and Strawberry wines since 2008. My Strawberry wine has been a special project based on a local product I knew I could source.

We talked a lot about Strawberry wine while I was on the conference trip and luckily we brought some to share. I introduced the topic when answering a question about how I processed fruit a whole bunch of times. I said I froze it and then let it defrost so I could crumble it into straining bags, easily extracting pits if needed. Excitement was shared many times at how useful this practical trick is.

The response to the wine was amazing and we thank all of your for it. I never expected this fun hobby would net me such awesome feedback. I wanted to share my recipe for this wine and my thoughts on what this year will hold.

This year will be year four for us making Strawberry wine, and the recipe has never been the same from one year to the next. Here is the list of ingredients for the first batch in 2009 from frozen fruit.

2009 Strawberry Wine

(6 gallons)

1 tbsp Bentonite prepared in hot water

20 lbs sliced strawberries (in straining bags)

1.5 lbs golden raisins (in straining bags)

12 lbs sugar

1/4 tsp KMeta

1.5 tsp Pectic Enzyme

5 tsp Yeast Nutrient

1 tsp wine tannin

10 tsp Acid Blend

1 pkg Lalvin D-47 Yeast

This was the wine I brought to the competition and that won the gold medal. I sulfite the fruit after it defrosts and pitch the yeast 24 hours later. The fermentation process is really like any other, you need to macerate the berry bags twice a day and then when you are done there won't be anything left. It fermented nearly dry and halted easily. I did back-sweeten it with some white grape concentrate but only a few percent total volume. But here is my problem. This was frozen fruit and it didn't look as nice. Here is the second recipe we made from fresh fruit. We know the color and flavor is better here but we over-sweetened it and it lacked balance. Bronze medal though!

2009 Strawberry Wine #2
(6 gallons)

25 lbs sliced strawberries (in straining bags)

12 lbs sugar

1/4 tsp KMeta

1.5 tsp Pectic Enzyme

5 tsp Yeast Nutrient

1 tsp wine tannin

10 tsp Acid Blend

1 pkg Lalvin EC-1118 Yeast

Over two weekend days in June 2009 we picked 38 pounds of berries at Sunnycrest Farms in Londonderry, NH. It was fun and Margot picked on me for making her work. All in good fun!

You will notice a couple of changes right away. No bentonite up front, no golden raisins, more fruit and a different yeast. The fruit broke down to about 31 pounds and 6 was reserved frozen until the wine was complete to be used in a strawberry sugar syrup to flavor the wine. Otherwise I added the routine of adding yeast nutrient 1/3 of the way through. This wine fermented similarly to the past years.

We drank almost all of it, excluding a sweetened version made as a dessert wine that needs some age. Nothing lost in all of it for sure.

For this year I think I will use some amount of white grape juice where I had previously used golden raisins, and leave the fruit quantity the same as the second recipe. I am not sure if I will switch the yeast again, but what I can tell you is that I will use Go-Ferm to rehydrate the yeast and a good nutrient at 1/3 and 2/3 of the way through the ferment.

The sweetening syrup should have one cup of sugar to every 3 cups of fruit or less to start. Some water or white grape juice can be used to liquefy the reserve berries. If you need more sweet then add more plain sugar syrup or white grape juice in a second round. In the end I would expect you might end up adding 5-8 % of the original volume back up to 6 gallons in flavoring, it really depends on how dry the berries ferment. My second batch needed less than 5% fruit and sugar. Without the sweetener the wine is like a very light rose with clear fruit but quite dry.

I hope I can produce another good drinker because we are so low on it we are worried there might be panic! I hope anyone who tries it the best of luck. This can be the best wine with a blue cheese topped salad on a hot day.

If you have questions about this recipe or other wine and food topics just drop me a line at jasonphelps@yahoo.com or leave a comment on this post. I look forward to meeting many of you again and happy winemaking!

--Jason

Winery Visits in Woodinville, WA

Chateau Ste Michelle & Columbia Winery Visits
Woodinville, WA - May 2010

As far as we can remember Chateau Ste Michelle was the maker of the first Washington wine we ever had. We recall it being a Riesling from a tall, sloping bottle and that we had it many times after the first. This Riesling has popped up at many gatherings since and has been offered to us by friends far and wide. And why not? It is a very good wine.

So as we would be in Seattle for the tail end of our Pacific Northwest vacation, we arranged a tasting at Chateau Ste Michelle (CSM) in Woodinville, about 30 minutes northeast. What a beautiful property! Some of the buildings date to the 1800’s and the grounds contain flower gardens established by the original owners. It was raining so we didn’t get much in the way of pictures to share.

Our private tasting was in the library of the main house. The interior of this house was ornately decorated, with beautiful cortains, rugs and  large works of art on the walls. Beside a very nice couple from Edmonton, Alberta we had the full attention and service from Christina from the Chateau's staff.

The wines poured for the tasting were from several select vineyards in the Columbia Valley, or were blends from several labels that are made in much smaller batches than those wines from CSM we can get at home.

2007 Cold Creek Chardonnay - Nice fruit flavors and a smooth finish. An excellent example of a commercial Chardonnay that was not “over-made”.

2005 Ethos Reserve Merlot – Excellent nose and complex flavors. Washington Merlot was a surprise for me, something I hadn’t really had previously.

2006 Wahluke Slope Syrah – Bold and coating on the tongue. This was my favorite of the group. Flavors of dark berries and strong coffee.

2006 Artist Series Meritage – Smooth and complex, lots of flavors from a blend of Cab, Merlot, Malbec and Petite Verdot.

2006 Ethos Chenin Blanc Ice Wine - We had a choice for our last wine and once offered the ice wine it was decided. As you would imagine it was very sweet with incredible fruit flavors and that ever popular honeyed backbone. This was a nice treat to finish up the tasting.

As each wine was presented some distinctions about the locations and conditions of the vineyards were offered as well as history and background of the labels and how they came to be.

After the tasting Christina suggested we take the tour which is not only fun and informative but gets us three more tastings of different wines. How could any self respecting wine drinkers refuse?

The facility we visited is the site of the white wine production for CSM and of course the visitor center. Impressive in size for sure, it is amazing to think that they have another facility at least as large to produce the remainder of their wines. Some history of the winery was offered, and displays of medal winning wines, recent partnerships, and expansions were found along the tour walk. The bottling line was in the middle of a break in the action, but looking at the raw material queued up I could see how much volume it could produce!

At the end of the tour we lined up at the tasting bar and sampled three additional wines, including the Muscat Canelli which was tart and fruity with hints of spice. The tasting room and retail store are dressed in lots of wood and feel very much like you are working in the winery.

We wandered around the retail store for a bit and selected six bottles of wine to have shipped back east. Combining our favorites from the tastings to enjoy at home is sure to bring back some fun memories.

Across the street is the Columbia Winery, a Washington producer that we have more recently become familiar with. I had been told by some friends that their red wines were worth trying so I added this stop to our trip to check on that advice. It was good advice to take for sure!

Columbia Winery’s tasting facilities and tasting room have a very different feel than CSM. I would describe it as not channeling the history of the property and buildings that CSM can. With a modern feel, dark wood and lots of light the contrast was a nice way to transition to a different batch of wines.

Merlot came up again and scored big with both of us. We tried Merlot, Syrah and red blends from the Otis and Red Willow vineyards, and finished with the Geuwrztraminer. All of the reds were rich and flavorful with nice complexity. We are very familiar with the Columbia Cellarmaster’s Riesling but had never tried the Geuwrztraminer from the same line. With a strong fruit and floral nose the wine was sweet, but not in an overpowering way. Another strong finish.

Ready to move on and get something to eat before heading back to the city we asked our server for a recommendation. In the course of the conversation we found that we had travelled across the country to meet someone who used to live in Boston and had previously worked at the company I now work for. Truly a small world. The food recommendation resulted in the Purple Café & Wine Bar, from which Margot’s pizza blog entry from a couple days ago came.

If you are going to be in the Seattle area you should definitely take a look at the large concentration of wineries in the Woodinville area and build your own adventure.

Cheers!

--Jason

Breakfast at the Gorge

Ahhh Breakfast…going out to dinner is great, but give me a good breakfast over that any day. Starting my day usually with a fruit smoothie, or Special K cereal it is nice to take a break on vacation. Words like griddle, toast, and omelet or better yet……homefries, make me so happy. I suppose I get it from my Mom who lived for weekends when she could make her and my dad breakfast: eggs (his poached, hers were fried), toast and bacon. I mean, when the woman finally had her dream trip to France she went out and bought a fry pan, eggs and bacon because the host breakfast of fruit ,cheese and bread did not cut it. Now that is commitment!

One of the things that I most looked forward to when we recently stayed at the Skamania Lodge in Washington was the fact that they had a full restaurant on premises that served breakfast. Boy, I was not disappointed. On my own for breakfast and lunch each day (that Jay guy was in winemaking classes….) I got to plan my day. And plan I did, entirely around breakfast. I figured if I had a big breakfast a wee bit later in the morning I could skip lunch. It was well worth it.

If you are interested in checking out their dining options you can do so here http://www.skamania.com/columbia-gorge-dining.php

Day One: Meandered down to the restaurant which has breath taking views of the gorge. The smell hit me immediately. They had a good looking buffet but I was all about the Salmon Hash that I had seen on the menu. When it came I was not disappointed, you could tell it was all freshly made. Shredded potatoes (not those crappy frozen ones) julienned peppers and onions that we slightly crunchy and not greasy at all. This nest of flavor was topped with two poached eggs and a huge piece of fresh salmon. I was happy that the salmon was not over marinated or smothered with some sauce. It had a light, slightly spicy, dusting of flavor. Topped off with some freshly made sourdough toast and strawberry jam and I was a happy gal. Note: this illustrates one of my favorite things about breakfast over other meals, you can always blend salty and savory with sweet.

Day Two: Well, I’ll be honest this was the morning after I was at a Winemaker dinner with over 400 amateur winemakers who all brought some wine to share……I’ll leave my condition to your imagination. Moving a bit slow I decided that room service was best. This time I went all out, the Blue Dungeness Crab Omelet, served with homefries of course and a fresh fruit smoothie. Everything was good and hot. I would say though that the flavors were not quite as balanced as the Salmon Hash the day before. There was a lot of crab but even the quantity could not make up for the huge amount of cheddar cheese fighting for attention. It would have been better, I think, to have used a smaller amount of a more flavorful cheese, like goat or maybe even gorgonzola. This would have added some salty flavor without smothering the crab flavor. The smoothie was great and, let’s say, medicinal for my ailment.

On our last morning I finally had company and we decided to go to the restaurant and partake in their champagne buffet. The food was good, and there was A LOT! Pastries, and omelets, carving stations, desserts, an assortment of lunch items. Though I enjoyed all the food it was not quite as good as my made to order breakfasts were. I had Jay try the Salmon Hash after my wonderful experience and it was only OK. The salmon had been shredded rather than one large filet and the potatoes, peppers and onions a little limp, all of this as a result of being a “buffet”.

In the end, if you head to the Skamania Lodge, definitely get some breakfast. But, if you go to the buffet remember the golden rule: No matter how much it costs….it’s still a buffet, even if they are serving champagne.

Mangia,

Margot

Iced Coffee with Espresso Hazelnut Cheesecake Ice Cream

I saw this recipe for Espresso Hazelnut Cheesecake Ice Cream in the Foodbuzz Top 9 today. Check it out at http://www.foodbuzz.com/recipes/2301662-espresso-hazelnut-cheesecake-ice-cream.

At first I was thinking about what kind of wine would go well with this ice cream, but that might not be the right flavors here so I am going to recommend something else.

Iced Coffee.

Ice cream with iced coffee on a hot day? Sounds good to me. I would recommend making a strong coffee (1.5 - 2x normal) and letting it chill well. Pour the coffee and add your favorite cream and sugar combination and mix. Add a few cubes to keep it cool long enough to drink. The flavors in both the iced cream and coffee should meld well. I know there isn't much in the way of contrasting flavors with this pairing, but I do think the hazelnut in the ice cream will make its way to the coffee for a nice treat.

Cheers!

--Jason

Best Ever Pizza

I am happy to introduce Margot as new contributor to the Ancient Fire Wine Blog. She has been a regular character in the adventures, but generally just a hungry and thirsty participant and a silent editing partner. Silence no more! Take it away Margot.

http://www.thepurplecafe.com/

There are times in your life that you know you have just experienced “The Best”. We do not know when they are coming most of the time but when those moments happen it is like fireworks and neon signs blinking to alert us to them. Heck, Food TV has even built a show around this called “The Best Thing I Ever Ate”. Prior to our trip to the Pacific Northwest Jay and I saw the episode about pizza. At the time I was firmly on the side of those “celebrity” chefs that chose the traditional style pizza: thin crust, good tomato sauce and mozzarella. I was a pizza purest. Sure I had my fair share of fancy toppings and sauces but in the end I thought that the title of “The Best” should go to the Old School style….. Then, on our trip….

We were in Woodinville, a Washington town known for the huge amount of wineries and wine tasting rooms that lined the streets. After touring and doing a private tasting at Chateau St. Michelle and then hitting the Columbia Winery tasting room, we were hungry. Not knowing where to head I asked the woman doing our tasting where she would go for a snack. She immediately said “The Purple Café”. Taking her suggestion we headed out to get a quick bite, nothing fancy, just something to get us through till dinner.

Pulling into the strip mall the outside of this place is much understated. The interior was quaint with three of walls consisting of shelves filled with wine bottles (much to Jay’s delight). Our food order consisted of the following: scallops wrapped in bacon and the Parma Prosciutto Pizza. Hoping to pair a wine that went well with both selections Jay suggested I order a gewürztraminer, named Sleight of Hand “The Magician” from the Columbia Valley in Washington. His intuition was accurate as the wine paired well with both menu items we ordered.

The scallops wrapped in bacon came first and they were cooked perfectly. The scallops were juicy and soft, the bacon crisp, thick and salty.

Then, the pizza arrived, it looked unassuming; thin crust, piled with arugula with glimpses of the gorgonzola cheese and prosciutto peaking through. When I bit into it, ahhhhh heaven, the fireworks went off and the sign starting blinking “BEST EVER, BEST EVER”. The balance of the ingredients was perfect. I am a huge fan of mixing sweet with salty, when it is done right, and in this case it was. The crust was crispy and really allowed the toppings to play center stage. The sauce in this case was a red onion jam which was sweet and savory at the same time lending itself to pair nicely with the creamy saltiness of the gorgonzola cheese. The prosciutto was found throughout each slice, but used sparingly as to not overwhelm the rest of the flavors. Topping it with the arugula was genius, as the crisp, fresh flavor helped to enhance your experience of the rest of the flavors.

So there it is, the best pizza I ever ate, in a strip mall in Woodinville, Washington. Though I will most likely never get back there again I am thankful for being able to have that “Best Ever” moment. Never found when you are looking, but there for you to stumble upon…until the next one, memories will have to do.

Mangia!

--Margot

Washington Wine Reviews

While on the trip for the WineMaker Magazine Conference Margot and I picked up some Washington wines to bring to meals and share with our new winemaking friends. Based on the responses we got everyone sure liked meeting us with wine in hand!

White Salmon – San Crispin Field (Rhone Style Blend)
Underwood, Washington
http://www.whitesalmonvineyard.com/

This was the most balanced and food-worthy red wine I had on the whole trip. With aromas of red fruits and peppery/spicy flavors it wasn’t overpowering nor was it too subtle to be taken seriously. I had it with dinner which consisted of rare prime rib, steamed salmon, steamed vegetables and garlic mashed potatoes. The wine went well with everything and especially the prime rib for me because I don’t like it rare. Wine saves the day!

Coyote Canyon – Viognier 2008
Prosser, Washington
http://www.coyotecanyonwinery.com/

This was a truly delightful wine shared over lunch at the conference. The aromas from this wine were exceptional with abundant flowers and fruit. The wine was medium dry with that very slight hint of sweetness that made it versatile with a variety of food flavors. I love Viognier and have made it every year I have been making wine. I now have a new target to shoot for with my newest batch I am starting this week.

Brehm Vineyards – Riesling 2008
Underwood, Washington
http://www.brehmvineyards.com/

Peter Brehm was a presenter at the conference so I was excited to meet him and of course wanted to try some of his wines. He is also involved in the White Salmon winery from which the first selection came. This Riesling is what I would call a classic and “true” representation of the origins of Riesling. Tight and focused with moderate aromas of stone fruits this wine is dry and reminded me of an Alsatian style Riesling. We included this in our farewell wine & cheese tasting. It paired well with apple slices and the Willapa White sheep’s milk cheese. Peter’s claim to fame at the conference is his frozen grape business of which I have yet to take advantage. Based on my tastings of his wines I just might have to get some grapes and try my luck!

Overall our experience with wines from Oregon and Washington was excellent, and we only scratched the surface. I don’t have any words of wisdom on how to select which vineyards to visit or what wine bars to drink at, but I can tell you that trying a broad range of selections from the region will turn up many winners.

Cheers!

--Jason

Oregon Wine Reviews

Last week while out in Oregon and Washington Margot and I picked up, or were served, a number of different wines from the area. We have written up reviews of three notable wines that would be worth looking for and adding to your entertaining menu.

Phelps Creek Vineyards – Celilo Rose 2007
Hood River, Oregon
http://www.phelpscreekvineyards.com/

The Phelps Creek Rose is made from Merlot and has a deep red color. Slightly sweet and with nice aromas of berries this wine was a lively talking point over lunch at the WineMaker conference. At first when I offered some wines to share there was some reluctance, maybe courtesy amongst strangers, but once this bottle started around the table there was no stopping it. I did get a second glass and smiled at the empty bottle when it was time to go back to class. I enjoyed it with some tossed salad, tossed marinated artichokes, tomatoes, Italian meats/cheeses and some bread. With a smooth finish it complimented all of that very well. We didn’t make it out to Phelps Creek but we ran into several folks who did and said it was worth the trip.

King Estate – Signature Pinot Gris 2008
Eugene, Oregon
http://www.kingestate.com/

Working from a recommendation from Pam at the Sticks Forks Fingers blog (http://sticksforksfingers.blogspot.com/) we quested for some King Estate Pinot Gris from the moment we started wine shopping after landing. We didn’t end up finding it until five days later at the Pike & Western wine shop at Pike’s Place market in Seattle. It was the last bottle. Surely a sign from the wine gods that I was to have it after all. The wine has wonderful aromas of pear, peach and flowers. It reminded me of a Vigonier, which is probably why PG is my new favorite white wine. The flavors were more citrus and tropical with a backbone of mineral and steely flavors. The finish was long and smooth. We enjoyed this wine with some Willapa White Sheep’s Milk cheese. The cheese has a soft texture and mild flavors, like a very light goat cheese. The wine wasn’t as dry as I had expected, though this is good for me, and the cheese made the wine taste a bit sweeter. We also tried it with some smoked salmon, which turned out to be a neutral pairing; something I could offer in the future and be sure it wouldn’t come off wrong.

Walnut City Wineworks – 2004 Reserve Pinot Noir
Mcminnville, Oregon
http://www.walnutcitywineworks.com/

While surfing the food shops at Pike’s Place Market we were looking for items to include in our farewell wine and cheese tasting back at the hotel. We had some open wine already, and the King Estate bottle from above, so I was hoping for a half bottle of a good red wine to round out the party. I was in luck. This wine has a nice earthy nose with flavors of tobacco, leather and mushrooms. The wine was very drinkable with a smooth finish. At more than five years old the color had a slight brown tinge to it, something I was not surprised about at all. I enjoyed this wine with smoked salmon, Kalamata olives and the Willapa White cheese described above. All of those pairings were fantastic and I savored every bit. This was by far the best Pinot Noir I had on the trip.

All three wineries have online storefronts and wineries in Washington state do have direct shipping access to New Hampshire where I live so I am sure if I am jonesing for some anytime soon I can click away and wait a few days.

Cheers!

--Jason

WineMaker Magazine Conference Recap

(Skamania Lodge, Stevenon Washington)

The third annual WineMaker Magazine Conference was held in Stevenson Washington from May 20th to the 22nd, 2010. Over 400 amateur and small winery winemakers assembled at the Skamania Lodge in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge area for 3 days of education, networking, wine tasting and fun.

The format of the conference contains seminars and panels during the day including topics such as Testing for pH, Country (Fruit) Winemaking, Vineyard Management and Award Winning Tips from Past Winners. Two full days for sure. Each day there were keynote addresses over lunch and a wine evaluation seminar in the mid-afternoon. Attendees were obliged to bring wine to share at meals and of course to meet your fellow attendees, swap tips and have fun.

I chose a program focused on lab testing including for SO2 (Sulfite), pH, Total Acidity and Malolactic Fermentation. These measurements will all be a key part of the new batch of wines I will start this month.

In addition I sat in on seminars for Adjusting Wine Must Before Fermentation, Award Winning Tips, Yeast Nutrition and Improving Wine During Aging. After two days my head was spinning from all of the information I was soaking in, but with some good notes taken down I will be prepared to leverage what I have learned immediately,

One of the most interesting seminars was on entitled Same Grape, Different Yeast hosted by Sigrid Gertsen-Briand from Lallemand, a maker of wine yeasts, enzymes and yeast nutrients. During the seminar we were introduced to four white wines and two red wines, each from the same starting batch of wine infused with different strains of yeast. The goal of the seminar was to see firsthand through an evaluation of these wines how the yeast selection affected the end result. We were encouraged to evaluate the wines for color, clarity, aroma and taste as well as blend them to better understand how the individual components might be better together. The white wines where from the Chardonnay grape and at the table I was sitting the highlight was the blend of sample #2 with sample #4. The result was a well balanced smooth Chardonnay with pleasurable aromas, good flavors and a medium finish. How cool!

The first night was the swap meet. Right off I am going to be clear that I saw more open bottles of wine at the swap meet than I had anywhere else before. Risking damage during transit, Margot and I brought three bottles of our wine to share, a 2009 Strawberry, 2009 Chateau du Roi (CDP from a kit) and the 2010 Symphony. We dropped the CDP on the swap table and plucked a Cab Franc up to open. I have to admit that I don’t recall (and didn’t capture) the maker of the wine or my impressions. I was having too much fun. We opened our Strawberry at the table and then shared it around with some of the folks we met earlier in the day. The feedback was a great honor. Those of you who have had it know it well and the reaction here was much the same. The bottle was empty not long after it was opened. I went on that night to try upwards of 20 wines from all over the country made from a range of grapes and fruits. Some Merlot from PA, Zinfandel from CA, Cab Franc from WA and the list goes on. Not everything I had was to my liking, but when considering the enthusiasm with which they were poured and the camaraderie this event offered my detailed evaluation is not important. I had the very last sip of a 1982 homemade Merlot. It was showing some age but was drinkable and a treat to try. We were having fun and everyone I met, like myself, acknowledged that they were there to learn how to do it better. Some of the local commercial wineries and amateur winemaking clubs were also pouring their wines.

(Margot and Kelly & Robbie Rogers from NC)

The second night was the closing of the conference which was capped off by the competition awards dinner. Between Margot and I we had entered fifteen wines and hoped for some luck again this year with the judging. Boy did we end up surprised! We sat at a table with folks from NY, NJ, NC and a local winemaker from MA, Noel Powell, who I had corresponded with via the web prior to the conference. In all our table took home 12 medals , a nice concentration that got us some attention for sure. The big joke was the fact that my name got called nine times! “And once again from Londonderry New Hampshire, Jason Phelps” was how it went for the last two. The recognition was amazing and fellow attendees stopped by as we were packing up from dinner to congratulate me. So many people offered their kind words of support, and thanks for tips and encouragement I had offered to them over the two days. I felt like a rock star. Rex & Barbara from CA were the big winners taking the winemaker of the year award for the third time, something I was surely a runner up for. A true honor indeed. I personally congratulated both of them and let them know we hoped to see them again next year. With some of his tips in hand, he presented on the awards winning tips panel, we plan on giving them a serious run for the top award the next time around.

(Heading to the Podium!)

(Noel & Jason Representing for New England!)

On Sunday morning we enjoyed the deluxe Champagne Brunch at Skamania and headed off to Portland and ultimately Seattle. The next few blog postings will contain wine reviews for Washington, Oregon, winery visits to Chateau Ste Michelle & Columbia Winery and dining and drinking reviews for Seattle. Don’t touch that dial!

--Cheers!

Jason

Chocolate and Raspberry Wine

Chocolate and berries show up pretty much everywhere, since everybody knows they are good together, so nothing I am about to say is terribly original. That doesn't mean that through careful work and selection you couldn't create a memorable experience for yourself.

I came across a Raspberry wine from Pasek Cellers from Washington State. Find out more about them at http://www.pasekcellars.com/.
The wine is tart and somewhat sweet so it paired well with both cheese and chocolate. They have a dessert variety as well which would be more suited to very sweet desserts. The wine is a deep red color with a fantastic raspberry aroma. The flavor is spot on with enough tart and sweet in balance with each other. The finish is not very long, but long enough to please. Having made berry wines in the past I know how much product goes into a batch. I can only imagine the quantity of berries required for this wine.

I paired the wine with a Patric Chocolate from the Sambirano Valley in Madagascar, a 67% cacao small batch offering. The chocolate itself has nice fruit flavors including dark fruits and red berries. The bit of chocolate and sip of wine were excellent together. The fruit in each found and connected with the other. The chocolate has the familiar bitterness of a darker style but doesn't come off as harsh.

Just for fun I found a chewy brownie recipe from Laura at the Cooking Photographer blog that would be worth a try with the wine. The recipe even mentions backing off on the sugar which would be beneficial with a wine that is not super sweet.

http://www.thecookingphotographer.com/2010/03/julies-chewy-cocoa-brownies.html

Cheers!

--Jason

Great Wine & Cheese Pairings

Mardi at the Eat. Live. Travel. Write. blog posted about her experiences with a tasting of cheeses and wines. It made me think of the many times we have done this and how wonderful it always turns out to be. Check it out at:

http://www.foodbuzz.com/blogs/2275393-all-you-need-is-cheese-and-wine
http://www.spotlighttoronto.com/site/index.php/event-salut2010-allyouneedischeese.html

In particular we have a favorite lunch when we are in VT. A cheese plate with crusty bread, fruit, multiple cheeses and some of our homemade wine. Whether it is after snowshoeing, yard cleanup or hanging out with friends, nothing is as much fun OR as tasty.

We often try to have a hard cheese like Parmesan, softer cheeses like aged cheddars and smooth cheeses like goat or brie. For fruit we have found berries and multiple kinds of apples are great matches. Bread can span a wide range from plain French bread to multi-grain with lots of tasty seeds and grains.

One of the best pairings we have discovered this way is Chavrie plain goat cheese and golden apples. When we pair with wines we often go with white and pink wines to try to pair well with the cheese and the fruit.

Wow, now I am hungry.

Cheers!

--Jason

The WineMaker Magazine Competition Results Are In!

Once again this year the WineMaker Magazine International Amateur Competition was the largest competition of its type, drawing over 4500 entries!

Ancient Fire submitted 15 entries in multiple categories and was honored with 9 medals, including 4 gold. Representing a broad spectrum of styles our awards included:

2009 Moscato - Gold
2008 Viognier - Gold
2008 Cabernet Sauvignon - Bronze
2008 Amarone #2 - Gold
2008 Amarone #1 - Bronze
2009 Riesling Ice Wine - Silver
2009 Plum Riesling - Gold
2009 Strawberry #1 - Gold
2009 Strawberry #2 - Bronze

Check out the competition wrap-up at http://www.winemakermag.com/competition.

Congratulations go out to everyone who entered for once again making this competition a significant force in the home and amateur winemaking landscape. Commercial wineries should take notice!

UPDATE - I got a mention from a fellow competitor on their blog about their winemaking in CA. Check it out. Some of the pictures of their vines will make you want to move! http://skincontact.blogspot.com/

Cheers!

--Jason

The Ultimate Food & Wine Experiences

Catchy title, huh? I am not running a list of things that I think are the ultimate experiences, nor do I think I have had enough exposure to draw such a list from. What I am going to do is offer the one thing I have learned that will help raise each food & beverage experience you have to its maximum potential.

Express your sensations and emotions about your experiences with the people you share them with.

When you enjoy a dish or a wine and you express the feelings and the sensations you have you give it more life. If you research the place where a dish comes from or walk the vineyards where a wine is grown the sense of place becomes part of your experience. Discussing everyone's distinct and unique perspectives from an experience fills in details and makes it bigger than one person could have felt alone. Even when something doesn't strike your fancy or isn't representative of the expectations, getting at the heart of the experience with your companions will complete the occasion.

Lisa and Charles at the Authentic Suburban Gourmet blog have been running a series on a class they are taking that is articulating and expressing this idea for the participants. Check out this week's post at http://www.foodbuzz.com/blogs/us/california/san_francisco/2278290-rhone-valley-thinking-eating-and-drinking-part-5- and be sure to go back and read the first four weeks. The reviews of the food, wine, conversation and reflection will help you adopt this principle in your own life.

Cheers!

Jason

Viognier with Mustard, Herb & Cheese Crusted Pork

I saw this recipe for Mustard, Herb & Cheese Crusted Pork in today's Foodbuzz Top 9. It comes from the Joelen at the What's Cooking Chicago? blog. http://www.foodbuzz.com/blogs/2275145-mustard-herb-cheese-crusted-pork-

For several years I have made a Viognier, but only one year (the first) was very good in my opinion. Since then whenever I can find a Viognier I haven't had I will grab it and give it a whirl. I love the powerful nose of flowers and the fact that it often has a full body and is lush with a long finish. It is a very food friendly wine. And since I LOVE wine and food it is a hit for me.

I had a 2007 Viognier yesterday from Coyote Canyon Winery. The nose was very floral and enticing. With just a hint of residual sweetness the wine oozed with apricot and had nice full body. I checked the winemaking notes at the web site and found that they uses sur-lee aging on this wine to increase the body and mouthfeel, definition a good choice.

For those not familiar with this technique a quick explanation will be useful. When wines have ceased fermentation and begin to settle the sediment creates an obvious (in a glass vessel is where it is most obvious) layer at the bottom of the container. These are the lees. Around the world there are many strategies for using the lees or not, and for how long. Sur-lee aging is the process of retaining the lees and periodically mixing the wine to re-distribute the lees and the wonderful flavor and aroma compounds present in them. This can be tricky because other stuff can be hiding there, so you have to know your fermentation to make this choice successfully. When this does happen properly the wine is enhanced with aromas and flavors that make it even more pleasurable to drink.

I make this wine and food pairing recommendation based on the wine's ability to balance the bite from the mustard and for it's body to hold up to the cheese and crust on the pork. The pairing will the pork will, aside from the seasoning, will also be quite nice, something my wife and I have tried several times.

Cheers!

--Jason

Mixology & Getting Your Guests Involved

This week there has been a lively discussion on a post from the Merry Gourmet about crafting cocktails for a hosted party. Being wine drinkers, we very much are too, she and her husband wanted to find a cocktail they could unveil at an upcoming party that would be easy to make, AND crowd pleasing.

Check out the post and the comments at http://www.foodbuzz.com/blogs/2271025-the-pamplemousse-cocktail. The buzz around the post got it into the Foodbuzz Top 9 today.

When my wife and I first started hosting parties at our house we often had beer, wine and non-alcoholic drinks available. This satisfied most guests, but we did notice a few guests preferred spirits or a cocktail. If we were lucky we had something around and I could whip a drink up. That didn't satisfy me at the host.

As my winemaking got going I started seeing lots of shows about mixology and realized some of the spirits being used are really wines, fortified and not. Vermouth and Lillet Blanc are two that immediately come to mind. I started experimenting using my wines with other spirits in martini style drinks. I have included a recipe below from one of our Friday night happy hours that my wife and I (just us!) often do to bring the week to a close.

This experimentation required a more complete bar, bar tools and some knowhow. I have to say it was fun to bring my knowledge to a functional level and now I experiment all the time. These days when we host parties we typically have a list of commonly requested drinks available, some left field selections we have come up with or like and of course enough range in the bar for me to pick up the bartenders bible in response to a request I am not familiar with.

The final dimension that has really made this a wonderful journey to be on is getting our guests involved. Not long after the first party where the "bar was open" our friends starting asking how I learned how to make the drinks and often professed fear at trying it at home. I love to share and I had to answer this call. At the holidays in 2009 we held mixology lessons to demonstrate how to approach making drinks, how several were made and then asked guests if they would like to give it a try. I had good expectations, but the response was overwhelming. Several friends have said since that they have gotten positive feedback from their own bar skills when hosting at home. I couldn't be happier.

Nothing in this was all that surprising once I stepped back and considered that our friends have always been interested in the the dishes we make, how I make our wines and now how we tend bar. Margot has even gotten into challenging me to come up with new drinks. That is never a bad thing!

Here are some recipes for drinks that you can make at home or have your guests make to add some fun to an upcoming party.

Old Fashioned

2 oz bourbon whiskey
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1 splash water
1 tsp sugar syrup (make ahead, more if sweeter is desired)
1 maraschino cherry
1 orange wedge

Mix first four ingredients in a rocks glass. Add ice. Squeeze the orange slightly to add some juice to the drink. Place orange and cherry in glass and serve.

Devils Kiss (this is an original martini with homemade wine)

2oz Strawberry Wine (a berry liqueur will work in place)
2oz Pomegranate Vodka
1 oz Sweet Vermouth
1 oz Grenadine
1 twist of lemon
1 maraschino cherry

Mix with ice in a shaker for 20-30 seconds. Strain into martini glass. Serve with a lemon twist and cherry.
 
On a recent visit to Jamaica I experimented with a few combinations requested from the very willing bartenders.
 
White Jamaican (White Russian, Caribbean style)

2 oz Appleton 12 year old rum
2 oz Rum Cream
1 oz Tia Maria

Mix and serve over ice.

Street Pharmacist

2 oz Appleton 12 year old rum
2 oz Rum Cream
1 oz Amaretto

Mix and serve over ice.

Cheers!

--Jason

Food & Beverage Pairing: Art, Science and Passion!

Early morning today. Pounded more coffee than usual so my mind was primed for some reflection. As luck would have it I ended up having a spiritual experience that oddly represented the topic at hand, creating successful pairing experiences.

Pairing the mellow groove of the Cosmic Game by Thievery Corporation (arguably the best world-inspired independent record of all time) with the book “Lessons in Wine Service from Charlie Trotter” was accidental. What happened was magical. The music is uplifting and melodic, soulful and exploratory and provides a foundation for the listener to go in their own direction. The book is focused, direct and full of information. The game, excellence in food and wine service. The stage, Charlie Trotter’s world renowned restaurant in Chicago and its remarkable staff.

The philosophy that launched and has nurtured Trotter's restaurant is incredible and offers insights that should be considered by anyone striving to create an organization of excellence in any trade.

Almost since I became aware of the role I have been pondering and refining a definition of what I think it is to be a sommelier. What I have explained to those that have asked is that I feel a sommelier is someone who is skilled in the application of art, science and their senses to the challenge of creating memorable food with beverage experiences. That definition goes well beyond just the food and drink; the actors, location, conversation and occasion all play a role in success.

Already halfway through the book I have considered the following elements of the Trotter philosophy to be guiding principles of my own journey:

1. Be flexible. Food is a moving target and both it, and beverages, need to be molded to maximize experiences.

2. Listen with the whole of your being for all the information you can glean from an opportunity to apply your skills. Share this knowledge with everyone involved in the event.

3. Know your environment and the assets of your peers, food and beverages to a depth that you can convey any of their facets needed to succeed.

4. Continually seek out new experiences and new education to enhance your skills. See the journey as the reason, not the destination.

5. Push yourself to be better each time you try and learn from things you don’t feel were done well.

With these principles in hand I feel an energy building that I can tap into to carry me as I continue on my own interesting and exciting journey.

Cheers!

--Jason

Food Photography & Pairing with Coq au Vin

The number one item in today's Foodbuzz Top 9 is a stunning photo taken at just the right moment of Coq au Vin cooking with a flambé clearly underway. The photo was posted by Laura Laurentiu at the My Home Kitchenette blog. Awesome!

Check it out at http://www.foodbuzz.com/top9?number=1#s

I have been amazed at some of the photos I have seen in the last few weeks and definitely am challenging myself to get better with my own camera while I am in the kitchen. On to the food and wine.

In May 1995 Julia Child appeared on Good Morning America and cooked Coq au Vin. The background and of course the recipe for the dish can be found at http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/recipe?id=7113750. Similar to Beef Bourgogne (see my post on it at http://bit.ly/aAYHE3) the dish is meat, in this case chicken, onions and mushrooms braised in red wine. The key is the ragout of salt pork that sets up flavors for the finished product.

The recipe provides three possible wines for the braising, Zinfandel, Macon or Chianti. Macon caught my eye based on a recent tasting of a white from the same area. Macon is an area within the Burgundy region in France. Historically it had been known for its red wine, but is known much for the white wines made from Chardonnay produced there today. Red wine is still produced from the Pinot Noir and Gamay grapes and is typically dry, light, fruity and is considered an everyday drinking wine. Hailing from Burgundy and being an everyday style of wine I can understand the recommendation to use it in the dish. I did a couple of quick searches and couldn't turn up any that I could buy and I suspect since it is not a wine superstar it might not make it to the states.

Using this wine as a guide however, you could substitute a young Pinot Noir from Burgundy or even a Beaujolais (Nouveau from the current year if it is around November, or Beaujolais-Villages at other times) which might offer some of the same light, fruity and subtle flavors intended here.

For pairing I would suggest staying in the same realm of how the dish is made. Chianti, also recommended for cooking, has in my experience been a light and fruity wine that would do well here. The last Chianti I recall having (I believe something unremarkable was more recent) was from DaVinci and I do remember it being light in both nose and flavors, but smooth and an easy drinker. The Vinthropolgie blog has a nice write-up on Chianti at http://vinthropologie.blogspot.com/2010/05/italy-in-glass.html.

Cheers!

--Jason

Hard Cider & Rhubarb Pie

I found a recipe for an all rhubarb pie in my Foodbuzz feed this week. It comes to us from the Foy Update blog. I have never made a 100% rhubarb pie before and the one time I have used it in pie I cut it with strawberry. Check it out at http://www.foodbuzz.com/blogs/2258418-rhubarb-pie-recipe. Family recipes (from the post if you didn't read it) are real gems because they have likely been tried so many times and if ever there was a fix needed it has surely been done. These recipes work! I am going to have to seek out some local rhubarb and make a tasty pie that will of course have the homemade crust everyone is always fighting over...

I was thinking about what to pair the pie with. Foy mentions coffee, which definitely work. The strong flavors in the coffee will match well with a pie that has some characters as well. In a similar vein I am going to recommend hard cider and the still (no bubbles) type specifically. I make one like this with some residual sweetness that should match well with both the sweet and sour from this pie. The apple flavor will settle in nicely with the rhubarb as well. The most recent batches of cider were made from several styles of yeast and the Sweet Mead yeast in particular imparted a nice nutty background to the beverage. I think that would work nicely here as well.

Good cider might be hard to find in many places and there are several suggestions I have for that. First off, if do you live near an apple growing region there will most definitely be cider makers around. Seek them out and try their products. I live in NH and our best cider makers are the folks at Farnum Hill Ciders which you can check out at http://www.povertylaneorchards.com/.

If you have to go to the grocery store look for some of the ciders imported from Europe as I believe their flavors are cleaner and less adulterated. Cider Jack and the generic styles from Woodchuck are not what I am recommending, they are too far from the apple through the large volume commercial process. Woodchuck does have pear and green apple styles that are worth a try.

Cheers!

--Jason

Arugula & Parmesan Pizza

Inspiration for this pizza came from Ted Allen's bit on The Best Thing I Ever Ate: Pizza. He professed a love for the Arugula & Parmesan pizza from Graziella's in Brooklyn. I had never had such a pizza and wanted to adapt a recipe and make it home.

1 multi-grain pre-baked pizza crust (from the grocery bakery)
1 medium onion, sliced
3/4 cup cleaned and chopped arugala
1/2 cup onion, garlic & basil pasta sauce
6 oz finely sliced parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp butter

six dried basil leaves, torn

Sauté the sliced onions with the butter until golden. Set aside. Place pizza crust on a baking sheet and place in 400 degree oven for 5 minutes. Remove crust and top with sauce, spreading evenly. Add arugula, onions and basil distributing over the crust. Lay slices of parmesan across the crust leaving some room between them. Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown. Cool slight, cut and serve.

I have to say that this pizza tasted incredibly clean and fresh. I went light on the sauce and the cheese wasn't dripping everywhere so it was easy to eat. The salt from the cheese helped balance the sweetness in the sauce.

My wife and I agreed we are going to experiment with pizza once a month and try to focus on using fruits and vegetables that we haven't had yet on a pie. We'll be sure to bring the recipes here so all of our epicurean adventurers can tag along for the ride.

Cheers!

--Jason

Pulled Pork with Carmelized Onions, Cole Slaw and Grilled Romaine

(This sign hangs over the island in the kitchen in Vermont. You have to visit to know the truth...)

In April when my parents, Margot and I were at our place in Vermont we were talking about the menu for Vermont house cleanup and summer kick-off weekend, from which we just returned. My mother mentioned she had a pork roast she wanted to use and Margot reminded me of the Food TV show on which we saw a recipe for slow cooked pork with Coca-Cola mentioned. My mother and I collaborated on the plan where she would bring the roast and side dishes and I would bring a dry rub to prep the roast with, the complete recipe and a willingness to pull it off.

When we arrived on Friday night I defrosted the pork and applied the rub. The recipe for the rub was posted on Foodbuzz earlier in the week. You can pick it up at http://www.foodbuzz.com/recipes/2255787-sweet-smoky-dry-rub.

At about 8:30 the next morning we sliced two onions, placed them in the slow cooker and put the roast on top. Any of the rub was scraped off the plate and dumped in the cooker. More flavor, more better! We then added one 12 oz can of original Coca-Cola, 1 cup of chicken broth and 1 tsp of liquid smoke and turned the cooker on to high.

After two hours we flipped the roast and turned the cooker down to low. For five hours we could smell the roast cooking and were sure we were on to something. In the early afternoon the roase was flipped again. After the five hours we turned the cooker back up to high with the expectation of serving dinner three hours later.

At 5:30 PM I took the roast out and placed it in a roasting pan covered with foil and set it in a 250 degree oven. I removed the onions from the cooker and placed them in a sauté pan with 2 Tbsp of melted butter over medium heat. The onions slowly cooked for 45 minutes and were perfectly caramelized.

The cooking juices from the slow cooker were added to a stock pot and set on medium-high heat. I added

• 1 cup of ketchup
• 1/2 cup of VT maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp of bourbon
• flour to thicken
• salt & pepper to taste

We also grilled some split heads of romaine lettuce drizzled with olive oil and a vegetable seasoning blend. When everything was ready we cut the pork down, it didn't need much, and served it with the onions, BBQ sauce, grilled romaine, cole slaw and potato salad. The picture you have all been waiting for is below.

This recipe came out better than I had expected. We paired it with a 2005 Merlot from our Ancient Fire homemade wines, a wine that was purposely left to age this long to see whether it would last. And it did. It was showing some age, but was still very drinkable. The pairing with the sweet & smoky pork was right on. I also tried it with a 2008 Shiraz, also homemade, and although the wine was fruit-forward and spicy I felt it overwhelmed the dish.

As we at the comments about the meal we were flying fast & furious. Here are a couple to give you an idea of the enthusiasm.

Mom - "That dinner would rival any BBQ dinner you would get in the Big Easy!"

Dad - "When you do pulled pork dinner, make sure you aren't a beginner."

Margot - "I love you, I love you. I feel sad for women whose husbands like sports."

I didn't really know what to say other than it was damn good and I would make it again any day.

Cheers!

--Jason

For The Love of Dandelion Wine

The way I heard it I might be channeling the passion for dandelion wine of an ancestor. At a family reunion a few years back I was telling a great uncle about my winemaking exploits. He recalled a memory of seeing jugs of dandelion wine fermenting in the basement of the home and family member that I can’t recall my relation to. This practice was lost in the generations since and has only been rekindled recently, and largely due to the availability of free dandelions at the family vacation place in Vermont.

An untreated lawn full of dandelions is the bane of many homeowners. Dandelions are a weed and propagate vigorously so if you have them, you have them! To a home winemaker it is quite the opposite. Cheap wine!

I made dandelion wine for the first time in 2009. With five years of winemaking experience to my credit I was hoping for a successful go, but I was still unsure if making wines from grapes and fruit would translate to flowers.

Around mid-day on a cool, partly cloudy day in May of 2009 I picked two one gallon zip seal bags of dandelion flowers. This ultimately netted me six bottles of citrus-infused sweet wine with strong aromas of grass and flowers. The result was much more than I had expected. Reviews of the wine from tastings we have had exceeded any expectations I had, and have been a great honor.

I used a recipe published by Jack Keller, a VERY well known winemaker and winemaking educator on the web, which you can find at his web site at http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/reques2.asp. I opted for the first recipe which uses golden raisins to increase the body. This year I will be using some white grape juice in place of the raisins for the same effect.

This weekend, at the house in Vermont once again, I picked four full bags of dandelion flowers. Obviously this quantity will greatly increase the resulting amount much to the chagrin of my family. Oh the hardship of using free produce to make 20-30 bottles of wine!

I haven’t considered the pairing opportunities with such a wine but I surely will in the coming months. I do still have a few bottles of the batch from 2009 which I can enjoy while I wait for the newest vintage to be ready.

Cheers!

--Jason

Pairings with Smothered Pork Chops

This recipe AND blog caught my attention this morning in the Foodbuzz Top 9. Any blogger than calls themself The Manly Housewife has got to be pretty cool! And then Smothered Pork Chops with Deep Fried Green Beans and Garlic Toast? That is pretty sick, but a damn good plate of food I am sure! Check it out at http://www.foodbuzz.com/recipes/2249013-smothered-pork-chops

Pork is a white meat but depending on how you cook it and what you cook it with red wines can be the better match. With a spice rub, bacon, onions and mushrooms I am going to go red this time. I'll keep an eye out for a pork recipe to pair with white wine for some contrast.

Because of the earthy flavors alongside the pork I am going to first suggest a Pinot Noir and specifically the Francis Coppola Diamond Collection. The last time I had this wine was during a sensory evaluation course. It was paired with slices of deli roast beef. The mouthful was magical. This is a fruit-forward Pinot Noir with oak and a nice complexity, but I think this dish is bold and can handle it.

As I was thinking about this pairing Grenache also came to mind. I could imagine another bold pairing and the warmth from the wine in good balance with the food. While definitely a budget wine, the Shiraz-Grenache from Yellow Tail is bold and fruity with some spice and a drinkable profile. Some folks debate the quality of high volume production wines like Yellow Tail and I don't ever disagree. If you like them you should be able to have them around as often as you need solely because of price. I think they are a good value, but I definitely upgrade for specific pairings and experiences.

Cheers!

Jason

Lunch at Gourmet Dumpling House, Boston

I had lunch in Chinatown with a former colleague today. It turns out that Richard and I have more in common than we had found out when working together for a few years in our past lives at Fidelity. Richard likes good food and is very willing to share his finds and favorites with others. What more could someone ask for in a foodie friend?

I will quickly dispense with the Chinese food stereotypes. My wife and I eat the typical American style Chinese food from the local places in NH every few months. We both like both rice and noodle dishes and of course the typical fried selections. We have been to a few authentic Asian restaurants including for Dim Sum, but our experience is pretty limited. This is going to change, I can tell.

We headed over to Gourmet Dumpling House, my pick of 4 choices from Richard’s recommendations, which turns out to be his favorite. A lucky pick for sure. After being seated he shared a funny anecdote about how one of his past teams had asked him to assume the dinner outing organizer role, down to picking the dishes. Since I wasn’t familiar with the menu and was very interested in trying new things this also worked out well for me.

Our order consisted of the Mini Juicy Dumplings with Pork, Twice Cooked Pork and Sautéed Julienne Beef with Long Horn Peppers. The pork and beef dishes also come with white rice and the soup of the day, a seaweed soup with a pork broth.

The soup had an interesting flavor that was certainly new to me, much like briny spinach. The seaweed had a bit more structure to it, like sliced pea pods or slivered green beans. I didn’t finish it only because everything else started arriving and smelled so good.

The juicy dumplings also seem to be called soup dumplings in a series of Yelp reviews. I add that for those that might have seen the reviews and would want to know if these are the same. Richard explained a useful procedure for eating the dumplings, because as the name infers, they do have broth inside and it will be messy if you are not careful. Thank you much for the advice. I had one misstep, but the broth hit the napkin and not my pants so I was all set. Essentially you use the special spoon provided in coordination with your chopsticks to secure a dumpling such that you can puncture the top or side, make sure you orient the puncture area upwards; and suck the broth out before biting into the dumpling. That is fun food! The broth was very flavorful and the pork inside was moist, seasoned well but not spicy. I will definitely be back for this dish and some of variations I see on their menu as I write this.

The Twice Cooked Pork came next. As best as I could tell the dish contained green chilies, cabbage or Asian lettuce in addition to the pork. Richard asserted the pork looked like bacon which I had to agree with. If so, the second cooking was most likely the preparation in this dish. The texture of the meat was not as juicy as bacon might infer, more like crispy skin perhaps. The sauce was spicy but easily manageable. Good combo with the rice.

The Sautéed Julienne Beef with Long Horn Peppers arrived and from the moment I saw it I knew I was going to enjoy it. There was almost as much pepper as there was beef! Richard clearly stated that the restaurant typically uses very fresh peppers and they would likely be hot. No problem I thought. This dish was indeed spicy, the kind that builds and then just lingers. Luckily it didn’t keep building but it didn’t go away for about 30 minutes either. It was so good I couldn’t stop eating it. The beef was well cooked, lean and not fatty. The brown sauce was light and the pepper seeds were everywhere. The visual gives away its truth!

In discussing the dishes Richard explained that the selections were more representative of northern Chinese cuisine and that the dumplings are normally associated with Shanghai.

The restaurant is small and will be quite busy during the lunch and dinner rush. We went at 1:30 and were seated about a minute later. It would be worth a wait if you have it. The food was hot, quickly prepared and of excellent quality. The service was prompt and excellent. You can also buy canned beer, what looked like small bottles of wine and sodas. I stuck with the tea.

Our conversation over lunch was interesting as we agreed that our mutual love of food was something we had never really talked about before and now need to catch up on. We also shared an appreciation for the book Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. In Outliers Gladwell lays down a good argument that success is a combination of luck, location, openness, desire, skill and isn’t easily created. I offered up a sense of the serendipity that that book has helped me be more open too, the basis of my goal of becoming a sommelier and exploring food and wine. Good times.

Cheers!

--Jason

Pairing with Brie & Strawberry Salad

I saw a recipe in the Foodbuzz Top 9 today for Eggs Muerette published in the From Argentina to Paris blog. Not being fan of poached eggs I decided not to attempt a pairing. I would need to eat this dish to do it justice. I did take the opportunity to take a look at recent postings by Cristina in her blog, and found a recipe for a Brie Cheese & Strawberry Salad. That sounds delightful!

Check it out at http://frombatoparis.blogspot.com/2010/04/king-of-cheeses-brie-cheese-and.html

We have paired Brie with our homemade Strawberry wine several times and found the creamy cheese and the sweet and fruity wine just melted together in your mouth. I can see this salad with ripe berries and a zesty dressing could do the same. If you can't find Strawberry wine, and I can't sell you the homebrew, you could also try a couple of other things for a range of effects.

Rose Regale, a sweet proseco from Italy, will invoke some of the same aromas and flavors as the Strawberry wine, and the bubbles will add some zip as well. A dry white wine that came to mind was Gruner Veltliner from Austria. A a great match with the flavors in herbs, greens, and stinky cheese this wine will meld well with the flavors in this recipe for a more subtle pairing (on the wine side) than the other two. The Weingut Hirsch Veltliner #1 would be a good and reasonably priced selection to try.

Cheers!

Jason

Easy Meatless Tacos

Some nights cooking a good meal just can't take a long time. When you get home from the city at 7 and back from a walk with the dog at 7:45 getting food on the table before 9 can be a challenge.

Tonight we combined a Zattarain's Low Sodium Dirty Rice Mix kit with other simple ingredients to make tasty no meat tacos.

1 box Zatarain's Low Sodium Dirty Rice Mix
1 onion
1 red sweet pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp dried mexican oregano
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp lime juice
1/2 cup shredded cheddar or mexican cheese blend
4 soft tortillas or wraps
salt & pepper
salsa, sour cream
diced green chilies

Prepare the rice according to the instructions with the following exception. When using no meat we have found reducing the water in the rice mix by 1/4 cup will ensure it isn't sticky. Slice the onion and pepper, and keep them separate. Over medium heat sauté the pepper with olive oil until just starting to brown, remove from pan. Add butter and sauté onions until well wilted and beginning to brown. Add peppers back to pan. Add chili powder, cumin and oregano and mix well. Add lime juice and mix again. Sauté for a five to 10 more minutes and season with salt and pepper before removing from the heat. Assembling the tacos is more a matter of preference. In the picture above you will see that I first placed rice on the wrap, then onion & peppers and covered that with cheese. I used a medium salsa, sour cream and some green chilies for a bit of zip. You could choose to use lettuce and tomato or a whole range of other toppings to accent the core ingredients.

I attempted a wine pairing with this dish using a 2008 off-dry Gewurztraminer/Riesling blend from my own home-made collection. The wine has definitely improved since I last sat down to evaluate it. The aromas are more pungent and some tropical flavors have come through that weren't noticeable before. The wine definitely is a little hot, something I knew from a super speedy fermentation that took me by surprise at the time, a facet that was magnified with the tacos. While the pairing wasn't a huge success it was tasty and is something I will attempt again with another wine with similar flavors and sweetness.

Cheers!

Jason

Late Harvest Wine with Lavender Sugar Cookies

I caught this recipe for Lavender Lemon Sugar cookies in the Foodbuzz Top 9 today. It is brought to us by the 52 Kitchen Adventures blog.

http://www.foodbuzz.com/recipes/2238861-lavender-lemon-sugar-cookies

I immediately thought of a late harvest wine that is sweet, but not too sweet, with enough acidity to work well with food. I realized I hadn't had one that I could recomend first hand.

I have experimented with lavender from my own garden and with some more on the way this year I plan to try some additional preparations. Not only does it smell great during the growing season, think about a strategically placed flower box where the breeze blows into the house; it smells great during cooking and makes a wonderful compliment to both sweet and savory dishes.

After a bit of research I found a Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc made by Errazuriz from the Casablanca Valley in Chile. From the description seems like it would do the trick. The description includes mild aromas and flavors of melon and pineapple and is summarized as being a more intense version of its traditional dry sibling. I can imagine some amped up grassy and herbal notes as well that present as fresh fruity in nature. I read the review at http://www.slashfood.com/2006/12/21/dessert-wine-notes-errazuriz-sauvignon-blanc-2005-late-harvest/ as the basis for my conclusion. Both the healthy, but not super-high, sweetness and crisp acidity are mentioned which I think are requirements for these delicate cookies.

This is truly a fanciful pairing that is imaginative and inspiring. Hopefully it forms as wonderful of a mental picture for you as the experience should prove to be.

Cheers!

Jason

Fiddleheads!

I had heard of fiddleheads, seen recipes for them on the web and even seen the growing wild but I had never had them until tonight. They showed up in my local Shaws and I grabbed 3/4 of a pound intending to see what they tasted like. The recipe I pulled together below was paired alongside some simple broiled shrimp scampi. I actually paired a new beverage for me with the whole meal, Ti Quan Yin Oolong Tea. The tea went very well with the shrimp. The fiddleheads were just awesome on their own. I didn't have a chance to take a picture since I was in a rush to get dinner on the table in the 8 PM hour!

We found the flavors and textures of the fiddleheads included things we had experienced in Brussels sprouts, celery and fresh greens.

Here is some information from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension on fiddleheads. http://extension.umaine.edu/publications/4198e/

Sautéed Fiddleheads with Garlic, Green Onions and Thyme

3/4 lb fresh fiddleheads
6 green onions
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 cloves of garlic
2 Tbsp butter
salt & pepper

Snip the browned ends off of the fiddleheads, set to soak in cold water for 5 minutes
Rinse thoroughly
Blanch fiddleheads (boil for 1-2 minutes, sink in ice water)
Thinly slice white part of green onions and mince the garlic
Over medium heat melt the butter in a saucepan, add garlic and thyme leaves
Sauté until aromas from garlic and thyme are easily detected
Add the onions and fiddleheads and sauté until cooked, approx 10 minutes
Season with salt & pepper

Cheers!

Jason

Pairings with Grilled Chicken Quesadillas

I found the recipe (linked below) for Grilled Chicken Quesadillas in the Daily Foodbuzz Top 9. It is brought to us by the Sea Salt With Food blog.

http://www.foodbuzz.com/blogs/2235642-grilled-chicken-quesadillas

This is definitely a dish that will make one happy after the onset of the warm weather in New England.

My first pairing suggestion will be beer, and Hefewiezen specifically; served with a lemon wedge. Widmer Brothers in Portland, Oregon makes what they call America's Original Hefeweizen. This is the signature beer for Widmer Brothers a brewery with a great story hailing from a city teeming with craft brewing lovers. Wheat beers like Hefeweizen are generally light and gentle which results in the ability to pair with a range of flavors including citrus, spices, greens and lighter meats. This recipe includes all of those things and I think this pairing is not to be missed.

For the wine drinkers I am going to come closer to home and recomend a dry Seyval Blanc. Another subtle beverage with light flavors, the wine should allow to food to be easily found and in good balance. The acidity in the wine can stand up to a bit of citrus and a slight hint of sweetness can fend off any spice or heat in a dish like this. LaBelle Winery in Amherst, NH makes a dry style Seyval that would be a good fit.

Cheers!

Jason