Vindulge

From Wine Country to Apple Country

Fall is definitely here.  I can tell because I wake up every morning and instantly throw on socks and my UGG boots and yearn for something warm to drink.  This is my first fall living in New England and since everybody raves about New England falls I figured I had to go do something quintessentially “fall” to welcome the new season.  It just seemed appropriate.

Back in Oregon, for me that would usually mean visiting wine country during the fall/harvest season, one of the most exciting times to actually visit a winery where you can witness the action of the grapes coming in, vineyard and winery staff hard at work, and experience the sights and smells of harvest.  But since I am not in Oregon this fall I thought I’d experience a different harvest; apple harvest at a local apple farm. 

So a couple weeks back I was visiting some family in Syracuse, NY, and on our way back to CT we decided to stop at an apple farm and see what it was all about.  Besides, I had never visited an apple farm before, nor picked my own apples so I thought “when in apple country…” 

We visited Beak & Skiff Apple Farm and Country Store in Lafayette, NY, at the recommendation of my hubby’s awesome cousin who is from the area.  Here are a few of the highlights.




I loved that they had every variety for sale available to taste.  Call me an apple ammeteur but I was pretty surprised how incredibly different each variety tasted when you compare them side by side!  So cool.

After all that apple sampling it was time for a treat.  Fresh warm apple fritters paired with hot apple cider.  So delicious on a crisp fall afternoon! 

I spy a winery...

After the apple picking we noticed they also have a winery so it was pretty much a no brainer that we’d stop in to check out their apple wines.  Now let me just preface this by saying that I typically consider fruit wines (wines made from fruit other than grapes), in a very different category as grape wines, therefore I judge them and even drink them differently than I would sipping a glass of grape wine.  I know many folks who turn their noses up at fruit wines.  Not me.  I appreciate all fermented fruit beverages, in different ways.

They had a lineup of about six wines to try, from dry to sweet, still and sparkling, all apple wines, and I have to say, the sweet ones weren’t half bad if you think about them like drinking a cocktail rather than a glass of wine.  They also had a distillery that was very tempting to visit… but perhaps next time.

As for all the apples we bought at the farm… all 15 lbs of them… well, when life gives you apples, make an apple crisp!  And that’s exactly what I did.  Now since I have never attempted baking an apple crisp before I decided to consult my food guru, Ina Garten, for her advice since Ina has never (EVER) let me down when it comes to her recipes (which is precicely why she’s my favorite).  What I found was her recipe for Old-Fashioned Apple Crisp from the Barefoot Contessa Parties! cookbook.  I have to admit that sadly the pictures I took of my apple crisp didn’t come out, but I promise you it looked exactly like the one in this picture ;)

(Click for recipe) Ina Garten's Old-Fashioned Apple Crisp
I used about ¾ Crispin apples and ¼ Macoun apples, and followed the rest of her recipe pretty much to a T.  Ina never ceases to amaze me with her talent.  The recipe came out delicious. 

If you live in an area with fresh apples, I highly recommend this recipe.  It is incredibly comforting and delicious.  It makes a lot, but you could easily halve the recipe to make a smaller portion, or even customize into ramekins for individual portions.

Wine Recommendation:  This apple crisp would be excellent paired with a blanc de blanc sparkling wine. This is sparkling wine made traditionally from Chardonnay grapes and is typically crisp with predominant flavors of apples (among many other delicious flavors).  You can go for a brut (dry) or demi-sec (sweet) version.  Trust me, both will compliment the warm, sweet, and devine apple dessert.   

Now I have to know, what are your favorite fall traditions?   Outside of Oregon, I’ve never really lived anywhere with a real fall season and am anxious to get into the fall spirit, especially now living in New England.

Smoked Pulled Pork Sandwiches: The recipe of all smoker recipes!

This post is long overdue.   I was first inspired to write about this recipe over a year ago when my hubby and I started making it.  For some reason it kept getting pushed off, and pushed off.  And finally the time has arrived for this, the recipe of all smoker recipes.  Our signature recipe.  The one that defines us as bbq folks.  And as we wrap up grilling season in many parts of the country I decided to pay homage to the greatest smoker recipe ever in honor of my favorite season of the year.

We premiered this recipe at our 2009 PBR-BQ (basically a BBQ celebrating all things PBR and meat. Believe me, the theme was NOT my idea, otherwise it would have been called "Bubbles-BQ") last summer for an intimate group of, oh, 50 of our closest Portland-based friends, and have been making it ever since.   At that particular party, the meat (about 30 lbs of the pulled pork and brisket provided by a friend) was completely gone within 20 minutes.  This recipe has even been endorsed by two vegetarians who ate multiple servings (true story) and one local Portland chef who described it as "the best bbq he's ever had".   I kid you not.  It was that good.

Now I have asked my hubby, the smoker master, to describe here the detailed process that leads to a good smoked recipe, especially smoked pork shoulder (aka pork butt).  I am the sauce girl, the side girl, the appetizer girl, the everything but the meat girl.  So I will leave it to the meat man to describe the meat smoking process in his own words and I'll cover the rest.  So, without further adieu …

Smoked Pulled Pork Sandwiches with a Simple Cole Slaw and Homemade BBQ Sauce
(aka the BEST pulled pork sandwiches you’ll ever have)

The Meat:
Grab 7-8 lbs pork shoulder (or pork butt), bone in from a local butcher.  Sometimes the butcher will call it “Boston Butt”.  I highly recommend bone in because it gives it more flavor, but will work either way.

Dry Rub:
Ingredients:

¾ cup brown sugar

Then I take the ¾ cup again and just fill it to the top with:

3 tablespoons paprika (for more flavor splurge for smoked paprika)
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon ground pepper
1 tablespoon Coleman’s Dry Mustard
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

That should equal the second ¾ cup.

Instructions:  Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl.  Reserve about 2 tablespoons for the mop.

The Mop: 
A mop is a liquid-based solution I’ve used to baste the meat over a long period of time on the smoker.  I typically use the apple cider mix as it adds a little flavor too.  You apply it with a brush or spray bottle if you opt to use just liquid and no dry rub in it (*Note from experience, if you try the spray bottle after putting dry rub in the liquid, it will clog the bottle and not work so well).
Ingredients:

½ cup water
½ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
2 tablespoons of the reserved of the dry rub

Instructions: Mix it all together in a medium sized bowl and reserve the day you do the smoking.

Instructions for smoking the pork butt:

Day before: 
I love the idea of a meat marinating overnight with a dry rub so it soaks into the meat.  The pork butt is a combination of fat and fibrous meat and I think it lends itself to the rub.  So, up to 24 hours prior to firing up the smoker, grab a big jar of Dijon mustard and your dry rub.  Use cold water and rinse the meat and pat dry.  Apply a light mustard coating to the entire butt to use to adhere the dry rub.  Too much, and your rub becomes a paste; so don’t go too thick.  Your dry rub can be sprinkled on all sides, lightly patted into the meat.  Then place into a container in the fridge, covered overnight.  The next time you're getting the meat is to put it on the smoker.

Day of:
Be patient, this is an all day event.  Be sure to buy a 12 pack of your favorite beer, one for each hour of cooking.  A 7 pound butt can take up to 13 hours on the smoker, so be prepared!  Take your meat out of the fridge, and uncover.  Then get your smoker prepared and bring it up to 225 degrees (we use a Traeger smoker).  Put the meat into the smoker and start the low and slow process of cooking the meat.  *I should note, I make sure the fat side (you’ll see that the top of the butt will have a considerable amount of fat) is on top, as it cooks the fat will render and baste the meat.  

Monitor your smoker to keep the temp at 225 throughout your day.  About five hours into smoking it’s time to start applying your mop. Using a paint brush or a kitchen brush, lightly apply the mop to the top and sides of the pork butt, no need to be exact, the idea is to open your cover and quickly apply so you don’t lose your heat, but apply the liquid.  Do this once an hour for about six hours.  If you don’t use the dry rub in the mop and it’s just liquid, then use a spray bottle.

At about the nine hour mark, start taking temperature reads.  When the thermometer is put in the meat I stay away from touching the bone and I am looking to get the meat to 190 degrees F.  If the pork internal temperature is too low, you get a meat that doesn’t pull apart and is not truly moist and delicious.  If it’s too hot then you can expect it to be dry and a little tough, so I go for 190 degrees.  Most of the fat is rendered down and the meat is adequately moist.  So, total cooking time can take up to 14 hours but usually 12 is average for seven pounds.  (*Factors like weather, if it’s hot, cold, raining all can add or subtract the time).  At 190 degrees F take the meat off the heat and let it sit for about 30 minutes, then you’ll use a large fork and a small fork and begin pulling (or shredding) the meat apart.  Be sure to eat some, you’ve earned the taste test!

Let the meat rest for 30 minutes. Notice the bark (described below).

Shredding the meat

The bark:  As you mop and watch the meat, you’ll note the browning of the meat and outer fat layer.  This is good!  The brown sugar in your mop caramelizes over the time it takes to cook and makes for a thick crust that adds a ton of flavor, so that is a good thing. 

Smoke Ring:  With any smoking, you want to see a pink layer of color right under the bark, this smoke ring is a sign of a well penetrated meat with good smoke flavor and is totally normal.  It’s a badge of honor.

Preparation:  After shredding the meat, serve on your favorite small bun (we LOVE the dinner rolls they have at New Seasons in Portland, but any style will do as long as you like them), place as much or little bbq sauce on the bun and a tablespoon or so of the cole slaw and enjoy all your hard work! 

Homemade BBQ Sauce
At first glance this sauce may seem like it has a lot of ingredients. But take a look in your pantry, you probably have everything you need sitting right in there!  And it’s so worth it to make your own homemade sauce.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium finely chopped onion (about 1 - 1 ½ cups)
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 1/2 teaspoons paprika
2 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 cup water
½ cup tomato sauce
¾ cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
6 tablespoons brown sugar

Instructions:  Set a medium saucepan to medium-high heat, add the butter and once melted add the onions and cook until very soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add all dry spices and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 more minutes, or until the tomato paste begins to brown. Add the water, tomato sauce, cider vinegar, liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar, and stir to combine.  Lower heat to low simmer and cook uncovered until the sauce has thickened and reduced, typically about 30 minutes.

Once the sauce is at the consistency you like you can opt to use a hand immersion blender to make the sauce smooth.  It only takes a few pulses.  If you like it chunky, no need to blend the sauce.

Let cool.  Can be made days in advance and kept in the refrigerator. 

Simple Cole Slaw (the easiest cole slaw you’ll ever make)
Since there is so much incredible flavor in the pork we like to keep the cole slaw very simple. No heavy sauce or mayo needed.  Just a little flavor and crunch.  And the cumin gives it a unique flavor that your guests will love.

Ingredients:

Pre-shredded cabbage mix (1 lb bag)
2 tablespoons cumin
2-3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 handful of diced green onions (about 1 bunch, just the green parts, save the white for something else)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions:  Mix and toss all ingredients together.  Easy as that! 

It may seem crazy to invest so much time into sandwiches, but this is truly a special treat.  If you want to really see how good smoked pork can be, I highly encourage you to try this recipe and let me know what you think!

Happy Smoking

As for wine? Well, in all honesty when you're savoring the deliciousness that is these amazing sandwiches you aren't really thinking about wine.  Most of the wine is consumed during this long 12 hour smoking process.  I recommend a low alcohol spritzer wine like Vinho Verde so you're not tipsy come sandwich eating time.  However, we did recently serve this meal at our Portland going away party, served with an array of white wines (since it was 95 degrees out that day).  I will highlight the wines we drank in the next post. 

Grilled Rack of Lamb and Pinot Noir: A food and wine pairing

A couple weeks back we had some friends over for dinner.  The plan, they bring the wine, we come up with food to pair with the wine.  They had a couple of nice Italian wines they wanted to drink so our challenge was to come up with something to pair with a '97 Brunelleo (made from a clone of the Sangiovese grape from Tuscany), a '00 Barbaresco, and an '03 Barbaresco.  Barbaresco’s  (made from Nebbiolo grapes in the Piedmont region) can tend to be very tannic when young, but with 10 and 7 years of age respectively, I knew they probably would have had some time to relax, but I still knew we needed something to balance the tannins that remain… meat.  We had already decided on a stuffed shell with a rich red sauce (for acidity) but still needed meat.  Thinking of something not too heavy, but rather light and earthy, we decided on lamb.  It would provide some meat fat to soften those remaining tannins, and also harmonize with the earthy flavors of the Northern Italian wines. 
  
Dinner turned out to be a great success, the wines were delicious (my favorite was the ’00 Barbaresco, hubby liked the Brunello) and the pairing worked out quite well! 

Since lamb is something we rarely cook these days (I have no idea why since this one was so delicious), we decided to recreate the meal this weekend, but this time for just the two of us… and no Italian wines. 

Instead, I was thinking Pinot Noir.  I had recently received two samples of Pinot Noir from two different wineries in two different states.  Wondering how they both would pair with the grilled lamb, I opened up the two and tasted them side-by-side then again paired with the lamb (recipe below). 

Lamb can be a great pairing for Pinot Noir when done right and with the right Pinot.  Assuming the Oregon one would be on the lighter side we went with a light herb season and grill, no topping or sauce, simply to taste the pure lamb flavors with no interaction from a heavy sauce.  Much like we did with the Italian wines. 

I tasted the wines first, before dinner, and then we had them side by side with the main dish, Grilled Rack of Lamb with Herbed Crust and (yes AGAIN) Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese (I told you, we can’t stop eating this salad.  Plus, I had a feeling the beets would pair well with the Pinot… and you know what, I was right). 

The wines:

Four Graces 2008 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
Four Graces is a family own winery located in the Red Hills of Dundee in the Willamette Valley.  Named after owner’s Steve and Paula Blacks four daughters, Four Graces wines are made with only grapes grown on their own two vineyards and with sustainable farming techniques with a focus on both organic and biodynamic practices. 

Their 2008 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is their base level Pinot Noir and the initial smell is undeniably Oregon with its light earth and funk characteristics, with undertones of cherry, rose, and herbs.  The body was dry with more of that funk, along with spice (pepper), soft tannins, with a light yet elegant finish.  The only thing I was missing on this light bodied wine was more of a fruit balance to the earth, but that came out with the pairing.  For the price, this is a nice example of an everyday light bodied Oregon Pinot Noir.

Appellation:  Willamette Valley
Grapes:  Pinot Noir
Retail:  $29
Alcohol:  13.7%

The pairing:  The earthy flavors of the lamb met with the soft earthy flavors of the wine, but neither the meat nor wine really “improved” so to speak.  The beets, however, paired with the wine turned out to be a delicious pairing.  The rich and sweet roasted flavor of the beets really brought out the bright fruit that was hiding behind the earth of the wine and really freshened it up.  To me, that’s what a successful pairing does, it enhances both the experience of the wine and the food.  While the lamb slightly overwhelmed the wine with a little too much earth meets earth flavors, the beets provided a great fruit balance.  Thumbs up!


Consilience Winery 2006 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard
Consilience Winery, located in Los Olivos, California in Santa Barbara County was founded in 1997 by two couples wanting to produce great wine in Santa Barbara County.  Their focus seems to be mostly on typical Rhône varietals of Syrah, Grenache, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Viognier, along with some additional non-Rhône varietals of Zinfandel and Pinot Noir.  The majority of the fruit they work with is sourced from growers throughout the county. 

I tasted their 2006 Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot Noir initially at a Pinot Noir twitter tasting at Storyteller Wine Company two weeks ago.  The wine was somewhat unfairly represented among over 15 Pinots from Oregon and stuck out like a sore thumb (in a bad way).  It was too big, dark and high alcohol for that crowd.  Since I received a bottle at home I decided to give the poor guy a second chance.  Sadly, even unsurrounded by the flavors of Oregon, the wine still seemed too big, hot, and unbalanced.  This wine is a BIG wine, something I’m not used to in my typical Pinot.
 
It had lots of dark berry, cola, leather, and concentrated candied cherry flavors throughout and the alcohol was screaming through on the nose.  Dark fruit followed this wine through the finish with spicy bold flavors I’m more used to seeing in a Syrah.  Is this really Pinot Noir I thought to myself?  The wine was just off balanced to me and hot. Very hot.  I couldn’t get past the high alcohol on this wine at over 16%.  But perhaps with food it will be different?

Appellation:  Santa Barbara County
Grapes:  Pinot Noir
Retail:  $36
Alcohol:  16.2%

The pairing:  The Lamb definitely calmed down and softened the wine bringing it down to a level more drinkable, but still had noticeable alcohol.  I still didn’t love the wine, but the food did definitely cover up some of the heavy characteristics of the wine.  The beets provided too much added sweetness and richness already in the wine that it ended up enhancing the already distracting rich flavors in the wine.  To me, it just wasn’t a successful pairing. Perhaps the wine needs something a little bolder to stand up to its big flavors, or perhaps the wine is just too big for me.

Now, for the moment you’ve been waiting for… The recipe

Grilled Rack of Lamb with Herb Crust

Serves 3 (multiply recipe for extra people)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. of lamb racks
• 2 tablespoons each of fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary and sage) all finely chopped
• Salt and pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil (about 1 tablespoon)

Directions:
Snip a little fat off the lamb to prevent major flare-ups on the grill.  Salt and pepper the lamb and rub with olive oil to coat.  Sprinkle half the herbed dry rub on both sides and place in a container in the fridge for at least one hour to marinate.

Set grill to medium heat.  Grill both sides of the lamb until the internal temperature is 140 degrees (for medium to medium rare) approximately 6-8 minutes per side.  Remove from grill, then sprinkle the remaining herbs on the meat.  Let the lamb rest for 15 minutes.  Cut and serve along side with Roasted Beet Salad (recipe here) and a delicious Pinot Noir or older Barbaresco if you have it!

 

Cheers

Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad, a must try summer salad

I went berry picking with a friend the other day at Kruger's Farm on Sauvie Island and after picking an abundance of raspberries we perused their market for additional goodies when I spotted a 10 lb bag of beets.  Mind you, I’ve never bought raw beets before, and have just recently grown fond of them.   It all started a few weeks ago.  Hubby and I were checking out restaurants in Hartford, Connecticut, last month and ate beet dishes three times during our four day trip there. Our favorite was the roasted beet salad with pistachio crusted goat cheese at Max’s Oyster Bar in West Hartford.  Delicious.  Ever since then I’ve wanted to recreate it, or at least come close.

So, when I saw this 10 lb bag I just thought, I have to have it. I don’t even really know what to do with that many beets, but I’ll surely figure something out.  And I did.

After deciding to roast a whole tray of them at the suggestion of my berry picking companion, I proceeded to make salads all week. Lots and lots of different types of beet salads.  And this one in particular was so delicious that even the hubby loved it.  I mean he really loved it!  So much so that the first time I made it for him, he opted to eat the entire thing and skimmed on the main dish, which was penne with my sausage marinara sauce, one of his favorites (recipe here, only I substituted the meatballs for chicken sausage).  I knew when he ate the whole salad before even touching the main dish, this salad was a keeper.  Now, he’s requesting this beet salad on a regular basis, and salad is rarely something he requests.  I have a feeling I’ll be back at Kruger's soon not only for more berries to satisfy my berry obsession this summer, but for another 10 lb bag of beets! 

Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad
Serves 2

Dressing:
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoon shallots, chopped
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt & pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salad:
3-4 medium sized beets, roasted and quartered
About 3 cups fresh arugula
3 tablespoons dried cranberries (a small palm full), for sweetness
3 tablespoons sunflower seeds, candied walnuts or pecans (a small palm full), for crunch
1 oz goat cheese (a small palm full), crumbled

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Rinse the beets, then layout to dry.  Layer beets on a baking sheet, and toss with about a tablespoon of olive oil. Just enough to coat the beets.  Roast until knife tender (approx 45- 60 minutes).  Let cool, then remove the skins.  Warning! Make sure to wear an apron or clothes you don’t mind getting a little red.  And know that your fingers WILL get red. Very red.
This step can be done ahead of time.  I roasted a whole tray of beets this way, then, once cooled and skins removed, put in the fridge and used throughout the week.

In a large bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. 

Add remainder of the salad ingredients, toss together, serve and enjoy.

Wine Recommendation:  Highly recommend to serve a dry rosé sparkling wine with this salad.  It will surely balance the acidity of the dressing and highlight the sweet roasted flavor of the beets.  Plus it’s the perfect summer drink in my opinion.   A great example would be  the Argyle Brut Rosé, available for $45.  If that's a little too spendy, then opt for another summer favorite, the Lucien Albrecht Cremant d'Alsace Brut Rosé, widely available for around $18-$20.

Cheers

A Different Kind of Bubbles...

After the wettest and one of the coldest Junes on record for Portland I’ve been impatiently waiting for some real summer weather to come around… and it finally did, on July 6th.  And boy, this week has been quite the scorcher with temperatures into the high 90’s.  Finally!  And though I can’t celebrate this fabulous weather with liters of bubbly wine like I normally would this time of year (read why here), I am instead exploring my other favorite bubbly beverage… sparkling water. 

Since sparkling water will be my primary drink of choice this summer I needed to explore my options to make sure I am making the right decisions when it comes to my bubbly water purchasing decisions.  So I sent my hubby on a mission, specifically to Trader Joe's (where we do a good deal of our shopping these days) and told him to buy every variety of sparkling water they have available (non-flavored) and blind taste me.  There were four.  Perhaps in the near future I will branch out to some other local stores to continue this journey…

And today I sat in the back yard in 90+ degree heat as I conducted my first blind sparkling water tasting.  I am still sitting here, in the sun, as I type the results sipping on my new favorite bubbly drink (recipe below) imagining I am actually sipping on real Champagne.  Come on, a girl can dream, right?  I figured since I am not drinking a lot of bubbly wine these days I better find the next best thing in a non-alcohol version.  So sit back, relax, and allow me to geek out a little over some sparkling water.

How I tasted:
The water bottles were refrigerated for one day prior to the tasting and poured for me in four small clear water glasses. I decided to taste them out of the glass most commonly used for drinking water instead of Champagne flutes like my original plan (over dramatic).  I tasted them all for bubbles (size, length, and feel in the mouth), flavor, and overall balance.  I chose non-flavored waters so they would all be judged equally.  Even though I prefer a good wedge of lime in my bubbly water.  Actually what I really prefer is real Champagne or even a simple sparkling wine… but please indulge me for the purpose of this post.  

And here are the results, in order of my preference.

Favorite for overall balance:  
San Pellegrino, Sparking Natural Mineral Water
San Pellegrino Terme, Lombardy Region, Italy
Glass bottle
Out of the four, this water had the best balance of bubbles, mouthfeel, and flavor.  It had a good, refreshing, bubbly mouth without being too powerful, nor did I find the flavor of the minerals in the water distracting, but rather neutral.  It is delicious and refreshing and I could drink it all day long.

Runner up and longest lasting bubbles:
Trader Joe’s Sparkling Natural Mineral Water, United States
Plastic bottle
The large bubbles on this water lasted forever and certainly had the most fizz on the mouth.  The flavor, like the San Pelligrino, was neutral and not a strong “minerally” flavor or aftertaste.  For those who like long lasting bright bubbles and a neutral flavor, this is a good choice.  My daily go-to water is actually the Trader Joe’s Lime Flavored Sparkling Water, but for this blind tasting I wanted all non-flavored waters.  I’m glad I still enjoyed this one (sans the lime flavoring).

Gerolsteiner Sparkling Natural Mineral Water, Germany
Glass bottle
The bubbles on this wine were decent but didn’t last very long (about 3-4 minutes in the glass).  The mouth, however, provided a strong fizz despite the lack of visual bubbles, almost harsh.  If you like a strong kick to your bubbly water then you may like this one.  To me, it was good, but very middle of the road.  

Blu Italy Sparkling Natural Mineral Water, Italy
Plastic bottle
I was least impressed with both the bubbles and flavor of this water.  The bubbles dissipated almost instantly (within 1-2 minutes of being poured), and had the most off balance flavors of the four waters, with a slightly oily finish.  This water had the strongest “mineral” flavors, which can throw some people off.  Personally I like the flavor of natural minerals in my water if balanced by a good mouth of bubbles.  

Recipe Corner:
And now for my new favorite summertime bubbly water recipe.  I found myself with an overabundance of fresh berries after a trip to the farmers market last week and came up with this most refreshing drink.  I’ve since made it everyday and hope you enjoy it.

Fresh Lemon Berry Fizz

Ingredients/supplies:

• 1 pint glass filled ½ full with ice
• 2 medium size fresh Oregon strawberries OR a small handful of mixed berries (for this photo I used raspberries and blackberries)
• Juice of ½ a lemon
• 1 teaspoon sugar (more or less for preferred sweetness)
• optional 1 oz good vodka (if you want an "adult" version)
• Sparkling water

Directions:
Fill your glass ½ way with ice and add the berries and sugar.  Muddle them together until the berries are well crushed. Note: you do not need a muddler, I used the backside of a butter knife and it worked just fine.  After the berries are nice and crushed add the fresh lemon juice and fill the rest with sparkling water and stir together.  Taste for desired sweetness.

Variations:  You can omit the sugar and lemon and just mix the berries with your favorite lemonade mix.  I first tried this recipe with just berries and a small amount of crystal light lemon mix (no sugar and no fresh lemon).  It came out great.  But if you are trying to avoid artificial sweeteners (like I am these days) then go the natural way by making the lemonade from scratch. 

Alcohol drinkers? Just add an ounce of vodka into the mix and it will make for a super refreshing berry cocktail.

 

Homemade Salsa Bar

As some of you may have read either here on this blog, facebook, or even twitter, I had an incredible week with my mom, sister, and 3 ½ year old niece while they were visiting.  It’s always sad, and even emotional to see family leave.  But whenever I miss my mom, I try to cook some of her famous recipes, and it always brings me back home. 

I promised you in my salsa post that I would try to get as many recipes out of my mom as possible to put on the blog, but I quickly realized that’s a lost cause.  The woman just doesn’t use recipes, she uses whatever ingredients are at hand, and it changes constantly! I found myself following her around with a notepad trying to take diligent notes, but the second I turned my head she changed things up on me.  So I gave up note taking and just enjoyed her company and simply tried to pay attention to her techniques instead. 

I did, however, find out one of her biggest cooking secrets and managed to get her to reveal two more salsa recipes that I am posting here.  The secret to, well, probably all of her recipes is simple… bouillon cubes! 
Yes, I am very serious.  The woman puts bouillon into almost everything (soups, meat rubs, boiling water, if she’s cooking, there’s likely bouillon in it)!  Admittedly I did not stock any bouillon in my house before she came to visit, and now I have over a years supply thanks to mom.  Yes, my mom wouldn’t leave until I was sufficiently supplied with enough bouillon to feed an army.  So now that you know her secret, now let’s move on to the salsas.

 

Yolanda’s Salsa Bar (why Yolanda? Well because that’s my mom’s name)

Our family’s standard salsa is posted here, but these other two are becoming regulars and are requested by friends anytime my mom visits. 

Revenge Salsa ... otherwise known as Chipotle Garlic Salsa
(this was cleverly named by my sister and by reading the ingredients it’s not hard to understand why)

Ingredients:

• The cloves of 1 entire garlic bulb (yes the entire thing), skin removed, smashed but dicing is not necessary
  
• 1 whole bunch of cilantro (or 1 large handful)
• ½ can Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce (about 4 peppers), recommended brand Embasa, (7 oz can)*
• 1 (6oz) can tomato paste
• 1 ½ (15 oz) cans tomato sauce
• 1 bouillon cube
• Juice of ½ lime
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:  Place all ingredients into the blender and pulse until the salsa looks like a paste.  Pour into serving dish and eat at your own risk. 
*If you want the salsa more mild, use less chipotle peppers. If you are up for the challenge try using the whole can of chipotles.  We used 4 peppers in this recipe. 

My sister named the salsa revenge… well… you can pretty much figure it out.  I mean, look at how much garlic and chipotle are in the recipe!  The scary thing is that it is addictively good, and not as spicy as it looks. Plus, if you have leftovers it makes for an excellent marinade for chicken (and no the chicken does not come out spicy).

 

Tomatillo and Rosted Green Chile Salsa

Ingredients:

• 10 tomatillos
• ½ bouillon cube
• Juice of ½ a lime
• 1 handful of cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1 bunch of green onion (all of the white part and 1 inch of the green part), chopped
• 1 small handful roasted green chiles (about ½ cup)
• 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon good sea salt or finishing salt
  
• Pepper to taste
• 1 avocado, chopped

Directions:   Boil the tomatillos in water with the bouillon cube for about 25 minutes, or until soft.  Let tomatillos cool enough to peel the husk/skin off, and discard the skin.  Add tomatillos to a blender along with remaining ingredients (except the avocado).  Pulse until blended together, but not pureed like a soup (you still want a few chunks).  Pour into serving dish and add the chunks of avocado and mix into the salsa.

There’s nothing spicy about this salsa so it is a nice cooling alternative to the revenge salsa.

There you have it.  My mom’s standard salsa bar.  My sisters and I joke that someday we will get enough recipes out of our mother to make a cookbook… but until then, these blog posts will have to do.  I love you mama!  

Mama, teaching me her cooking secrets

My Mama's Salsa

My mother is visiting this week from sunny Arizona! Hooray! That typically means a week full of some of the best Mexican food ever. Growing up, I sadly wasn’t as appreciative of my mothers cooking skills, but now I take advantage of every minute with her in the kitchen.  This week we will be spending a lot of time cooking up some deliciousness and this time I will be taking very good notes.

So, in honor of my mom’s visit, I will post as many recipes as I can coherently piece together.  By coherently, I mean that my mom never measures nor uses recipes, but rather “a bunch” of this, or a “handful” of that, and the ingredients are usually a combination of whatever she finds in the refrigerator or pantry, therefore it’s very difficult to get her to actually write out an actual recipe that makes sense to the average home cook.  See my Christmas post on green chili turkey for a recipe that took years to finally write down.

The basics:  Salsa

My mom makes dozens of different types of salsa, but this one is my favorite and anyone who ever tastes it will agree that it is definitely a winner.  And this recipe I have down pat and have been making it for years.

What is the secret to this crowd-pleasing salsa you might be wondering?  Canned stewed tomatoes and a whole lot of cilantro.  Yes, canned stewed tomatoes!  Of course we use many fresh tomatoes when they are in season for pico de gallo styles of salsas, but this particular recipe is a fool-proof way to get the same tasting delicious salsa year round, no garden fresh tomatoes needed. 

 

Ingredients:

• 1 15oz can stewed tomatoes (any flavor will do, I usually select one with Mexican spices or just plain)
• 1 small 4oz can diced green chiles
• 1 bunch of green onions, diced (use all the white part and about 2 inches of the green, the rest of the green portion you can save for scallions for another dish)
• 1 clove garlic, diced
• 1 small jalapeño, diced
• 1 large handful cilantro, roughly chopped (lots and lots of cilantro is one of the keys to this recipe so don’t be shy with it)
• Salt and pepper, to taste 

Directions:  Add all ingredients into the blender. Yes, the blender!  This isn’t a chunky salsa.  Pulse just a couple of times, but be very careful not to puree, I didn’t say this was a soup.  Pour into your favorite salsa dish and serve with a smile and your favorite chips.  Nobody will ever know how simple it is.  And you can keep the canned tomato thing a secret.

What wine goes well with salsa?  Dos Equis!!!  
Er… I mean semi-sweet Riesling or sparkling wine!

***Bonus! If you want a fun gift idea for a friend or loved one, why not jar up your homemade salsa and give it to a special someone, along with a bag of chips. Nothing says I love you like some homemade goodies. 

 

 

 

Spaghetti, Turkey Meatballs, Bacon Goodness, and a Delicious Sangiovese

I am a huge proponent of eating healthy (yet delicious) when I can, often altering recipes to make them healthier, and that almost always includes substituting ground turkey for beef when called for.  I have dozens of recipes for turkey burgers, turkey meatloaf, turkey chili, turkey tacos, and yes turkey meatballs. And just when I thought my spaghetti and turkey meatballs couldn’t get any better I discovered an ingredient that brought them to a whole new dimension.

The secret ingredient?  Bacon! 

No I am not, and have never been, a bacon freak that loves to discuss the subject on a daily basis, twittering about bacon, joining bacon fan clubs, etc.  Heck, I barely ate the stuff until very recently, but I have to say, I am quickly discovering the secret of bacon.

A recent edition of Bon Appétit magazine included a recipe for spaghetti and meatballs with a bacon tomato sauce; with bacon both inside the meatballs and in the sauce.  After reading the recipe I was struck with curiosity and decided to give it a try (of course substituting the suggested beef for turkey).  What sparked my interest is that I often run into a common dilemma when cooking poultry… drying out.  Turkey can easily dry out creating a product that is not as desirable for a carnivore to eat as its juicy beefy counterparts. But, when I tried the bacon paste (below) mixed into the ground turkey it added the missing component; fat, which added a much-needed moisture to the meatballs.  End result? The meatballs don’t taste bacon-y, just moist and delicious!  And the amount of bacon added is so minimal that you have nothing to worry about.  Believe me, it’s still a healthy meal!  Below is my usual recipe for my red sauce and meatballs; only I have now added the bacon to both, inspired by Bon Appétit.   I can’t wait to try the bacon paste in other turkey recipes, including my Gorgonzola stuffed turkey burgers!  Yum.

  
 

Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs with Bacon Goodness 

This may seem like a lot of instructions, but don’t worry, it is very easy and your reward at the end will make it all worth it!  And if you don’t feel like making the meatballs, the sauce is a great, easy, red sauce for any type of pasta. 

Serves  4

Meatballs:

• 3 slices peppered bacon
• 1 package ground turkey (approx 1.25 lbs)
• 1 lg garlic clove, finely minced or pressed with garlic press
• 1/3 c. Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup panko or regular bread crumbs
• ¼ cup onion, finely diced (or grated as suggested in the Bon Appetit recipe)
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Salt
• Pepper

Sauce: 

• *3 strips of bacon, diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small-med sized red onion, diced
• 2 med garlic cloves, finely diced
• 1 celery stalk, finely diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
• ½ cup red wine (Sangiovese works well for this recipe)
• 1 (28oz) can whole tomatoes (quickly blended to take out the chunks)
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 dried bay leaf
• Salt
• Pepper

Instructions for the whole shebang (meatballs and sauce together):

Starting with the meatballs:  Place the bacon in a food processor and pulse it until it turns into a paste.  Transfer to a large bowl.  Add all other ingredients and gently combine together being careful to not overwork the meat.  Roll into golf ball sized balls and set aside.

In a large pot over medium high heat cook remaining bacon until crispy.  Remove bacon bits and set aside.  Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the bacon drippings.  Add meatballs and cook one side until brown, approx 4 minutes.  Be careful not to move or turn the meat prematurely.  Turn meatballs and brown other sides. Continue to cook until all sides are golden brown, about 10-12 minutes total. Remove meatballs and set aside on a tray.

Using the same pot, with all the goods inside start on the rest of the sauce: 

* My normal sauce usually doesn’t start with the bacon, but I couldn’t resist, the addition is so good.  Typically, my sauce (without doing the meatballs) starts out by cooking up 2 spicy chicken sausages (removed from casings, and broken up into bits, and cooked until browned).  This time I substituted the bacon for the sausage, but the remainder of the sauce is made the same way.

Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and let cook 1 minute. Add the celery and carrots and sauté until all the vegetables are soft, about 7 minutes. Add red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, and wine and let reduce for 3-4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bay leaf, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 25 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf.  Add the meatballs to the sauce and allow them to reheat in the sauce and simmer for about 10-12 minutes.

Pasta:  Cook pasta according to box instructions.  I always use whole wheat pasta because I love the added benefits of the whole wheat and added protein.

Place a layer of pasta on your plate and top with a few meatballs and extra sauce.  Shave some fresh Parmesan cheese over the top, serve, and enjoy with a delicious glass of Sangiovese.  

Leftovers?  Use any remaining sauce and meatballs to make a delicious meatball sandwich the next day.  Add a slice of mozzarella cheese on top and place the sammy under the broiler to allow the cheese the melt and enjoy more meatball goodness for the second day in a row.

Wine Pairing:

For an acidic and somewhat heavy dish like red sauce I recommend a wine equal in acid and weight, and a typical sidekick for red pasta sauce is Sangiovese and I recently discovered a delicious new Sangiovese made by the owner of one of my go to wine shops.  

2007 VIOLA Sangiovese, Nicolas Cole Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley, WA

Retail:  $24  
Where to purchase: cork • a bottle shop

This wine was made by Darryl Joannides, owner of cork • a bottle shop, with grapes from Walla Walla, Washington.

This Sangiovese had plenty of dark berry fruit with some roasted meat aromas along with spice and vanilla.  The mouth was rich and bold with some pretty spice characteristics with medium tannins and strong acidity.  

The pairing: Now let me tell you, this is precisely why the Italians know what they are doing.  Red pasta sauce with Sangiovese = happy marriage.  I can’t really think of a better pairing to demonstrate how acid in wine paired with equal acid in food work together to create a perfect harmony.  The acidity in both dishes complimented each other very well.  The pasta and meatballs brought out a smoky characteristic to the wine that wasn’t as distinct before.  The spice and richness of the sauce was right on balance with the weight of the wine.   Mmm mmm good.

Please try this for yourself.  And even if you don’t feel like making the recipe exactly, consider adding a bit of bacon paste to your next ground turkey recipe.  It’s pretty awesome and gives you the moisture often missing from lean meat like turkey!

A Few of My Favorite Things

The holiday season is my favorite time of year (well, next to summer of course), for so many reasons.  But I wanted to share a few of my top reasons today.  Things that get me into the spirit of the season.  

The Music

For me, the first thing that gets me into the holiday spirit is the music.  It is fun.  It is festive.  And most of the time it is beautiful.  I do also realize I know more people in my life who dislike Christmas music then enjoy it, and for those of you reading this (and you know who you are) please stop listening to the 24 hour Christmas music station.  They usually suck and give Christmas music a bad rap!  Really.  Most of the music they play is cliché and cheesy.  Of course I still listen to that station because I like it all (the good stuff and the cheesy).   If you want a few really good Christmas CD’s start with any of Harry Connick Jr.s CD’s (he currently has three and they are all great).  Other places to start would be Mariah Carey or Sarah McLachlans Christmas CD, or any of the Starbucks compellation CD’s (they usually put together great mixes). 

 

The Movies

I love most movies with a holiday theme, but my top three are the ones I have to watch at least once a season.  Movies where it just wouldn’t feel like Christmas if I didn’t watch them.  

#3:  (Well this ones a tie)  Elf & Home Alone:   Sit back and open up a nice easy drinking everyday bottle of white or red to watch these funny and heartwarming movies.  

#2:  Scrooged:  Open up a bottle of bubbles to watch this awesome modern version of the Charles Dickens' classic, A Christmas Carol, and celebrate Frank Cross’ transformation as he realizes the true meaning of Christmas is love.   J   Always puts a smile on my face. 

#1:  It’s A Wonderful Life:  Open up a bottle of the king of kings of red wine, Cabernet Sauvignon (from Napa or Sonoma), to pair with the Christmas movie of all Christmas movies.  Both are American classics. 

 

The Food

To me, food is such an important part of the holiday season.  And you wont find much in the baking arena around my family.  Mostly because my mom (admittedly) cannot bake, but she is one of the best cooks I know. 

Growing up, we used to get all the family together to form an assembly line to make tamales while listening to the classic holiday tunes.  It brought us all together, even when times were busy and tough.  We always made time to make this holiday specialty.  It taught me that the season is and will always be about bringing friends and family together, regardless of how busy and hectic things are.  All of that stops, just for one or two days (hopefully more), while we enjoy each others company, eat, drink, tell stories, and laugh.  That’s why it is such an important time in my life.  It is a time to stop, focus on what is important in our lives, relax, and hopefully enjoy a nice meal (hopefully with some fantastic wine) together with our favorite people in our lives.

Another annual specialty in my family is my moms famous (and it is famous, well it is to me) “Green Chili Turkey” recipe.  See, in our family, we have to throw a little southwest flair into everything we do, so instead of a traditional turkey, my mom has been making her Green Chili Turkey for years and brings it over to my Uncles house for his annual Christmas Eve party.  I cannot imagine a Christmas without it!  Well actually this year I have to, since it is one of the few Christmases in my life that I am not going home to be with my family.  So, since I won’t be there this year for Christmas or my Uncles' annual party I decided to live vicariously through them by sharing my moms recipe and making it myself this year.  So here it is:

 

Mary’s Mom’s Green Chili Turkey

Mind you, this recipe has never really been written into recipe format, just through the experience of making it each year with my family, so bare with me, and just respond to this post if you have any questions… seriously.  This is the most basic way of making Green Chili Turkey. If you want to experiment, try it this way first, then put your own flair and favorite spices into it.

Ingredients:

• About 3 cups of shredded turkey (whatever your favorite method of cooking a turkey.  A mix of white meat and dark works well)
• 4-6 roasted green chilies, sliced (if they are hot chilies, no more than 4).  You can use canned green chilies if you must, but the real thing is so much better.
• 1 can of cream of chicken soup (or if you’re feeling up for it, make your own homemade cream of chicken soup, it indeed will add more flavor, I’ve done it both ways… depends on how much you want to put into this.  The can is just fine for starters.)
• 1 lg or 2 sm bell peppers (sliced)
• 1 large onion, red or yellow (sliced)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• Salt & Pepper, to taste
• Cayenne pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Start by sautéing the bell peppers and onions together in a large skillet (with the olive oil and butter) until soft (about 10 minutes)

Add the can of chicken soup (follow directions on can, may need to add some water, at least 1/2 cup to thin)

When mixed, add the roasted green chilies and turkey

Add your spices (adjust them to your liking)

Let cook together for at least 25 minutes

Transfer into a Crock Pot during your holiday get-to-gether.  It will allow it to stay warm and tasty all night long and it will continue to develop its flavors.

Serve with your favorite side dishes (or over your favorite warm rice… so warm, comforting, and yummy).  You can serve by itself, or with tortillas and salsa.

Try it and add what you like. I would love to hear your ideas on the recipe!  It can be prepared so many ways. 

No Wine???

For me, my favorite things about the holidays mostly revolve around my family, and well, my family really are not big wine drinkers (it’s weird, I know!).   However, the beverages you’ll mostly likely see us imbibing over the holidays are margaritas, beer, brandy, eggnog, and other mixed drinks. 

 

 Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays as I dedicate this blog to my family, miss you and enjoy the sun and fun in Phoenix!

Winter Solstice & Celebration Worthy Wines

This month, for Wine Blogging Wednesday #64, wine bloggers were asked by Jeff "El Jefe" Stai of Twisted Oak Winery to write about the following theme:

"Pick any winter holiday or observance EXCEPT Hanukkah, Christmas Day, Kwanzaa, or New Years Day or Eve, and choose a wine to celebrate it! For purposes of this WBW, the holiday date chosen must be between December 7, 2009 and January 7, 2010. You may also pair a food with your chosen holiday and wine, but that is optional." 

Although those who know me know that I think about few days during this time period besides Christmas, I could indeed think of another wonderful day to write about.  Winter Solstice.   You see, as you may know, I am in no way shape or form a fan of winter.  It is cold, it rains a lot, and it is dark. What is there to like? And it just keeps getting darker and more gloomy until this magical day in the middle of December.

Winter Solstice occurs each year around December 21^st or 22^nd (in most years) and is the day where the sun’s daily maximum position in the sky is the lowest.  It is considered the shortest day with the longest night.  To some it represents a celebration of rebirth giving a reason to gather and celebrate a new beginning.  For after that day, the sunlight starts to reappear for longer and longer periods each day. I live in the Pacific Northwest, which means it is darker here than many other locations in the US because we are so far north.  This is why I chose to celebrate Winter Solstice this year.  Because I want my sunshine back!!!

So I invited a good friend over who shares my dislike for rain, cold, and darkness and we had a winter feast involving some amazing wine, food, and a couple holiday movies.  

We started out with a super easy and delicious appetizer: 

Goat cheese topped with caramelized shallots.

Basically, all you do is thinly slice a shallot, put it in a small pan with about a ½ tablespoon of butter and a drip of olive oil over medium heat and let them cook for about 12-15 minutes (or browned/caramelized).  Then add a pinch of brown sugar and salt and let them incorporate with the shallots.  Then serve over a log of goat cheese with crackers or toasted baguette slices.  Deeeelish.

 

The Wines

 

 

We nibbled on the goat cheese with shallots while sipping on a celebratory bottle of 1998 Argyle Knudsen Vineyard Brut which was tasting delicious!  Argyle is one of my favorite bubbles producers in Oregon and for good reason.  Their bubbly is consistent and delicious year after year.  The Knudsen Vineyard Brut, which is a blend of 70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, has been one of my favorite wines of theirs since I moved to Oregon and started drinking Argyle.  For being over 10 years since its vintage, this wine was toasty with a beautiful body and texture, with crisp yet delicate bubbles.  If you haven’t had any of Argyles bubbles before, please seek them out. They are reasonably priced and can stand up to some of the best sparkling wines in the world. 

As we continued to nibble on our appetizer, we moved onto a 2005 Olivier Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet, from Burgundy France.   In the celebratory mood, I wanted to open something that reminded me of my trip to France a couple of years ago.  Burgundy was a truly amazing region to visit and gave me an intensely deeper understanding of why that small wine region is one of the most important in the world.  This white wine is made of Chardonnay grapes and was beautiful, floral, with green apple and lemon, along with mineral notes on the palate with a long balanced finish.  I had this same wine about a year ago and this time it seemed much more balanced and had mellowed out a bit. 

Not quite ready for dinner yet we moved onto a most delicious bottle of 2007 Chateau Montelena Potter Valley Riesling.  On my what a beauty!  This is what Riesling should taste like.  Bright and perfumed with honeysuckle, dried apricot, and honey on the nose moving into a very well balanced and refreshing mouth with more honey, and a very teeny tiny touch of sweetness.  This was a fresh and refreshing Riesling and I want more… now!  You may know of Chateau Montelana for their mesmerizing Chardonnays and Cabernet Sauvignon but you should really seek out this beauty.  I bought it last summer for about $20 when visiting the winery for the first time and am now kicking myself for not buying more.

After our refreshing treat it was finally time for dinner.  My friend, who is also an amazing cook, made the Lasagna with Mushrooms and Lamb Sausage, featured in the current Food & Wine Magazine, and paired it with a wine she brought, the 2005 Domaine Serene "Two Barns" Pinot Noir, from the Dundee Hills in the Willamette Valley.  The wine had toast, spice, rich cherry, dark berries, lush, and a touch of vanilla. At one point I announced, “wow, it smells like everything that’s yummy about a good Pinot Noir”, and the body matched the nose.  Rich and beautiful and amazing with the sausage and mushrooms in the lasagna.  

As we finished up our evening we ended with another recipe featured in this months Food & Wine Magazine, Chocolate Pots de Crème with Maple Caramel and Salt.   WWWOOOWWW!  All I have to say is rich and delicious.  I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, there are really few culinary things better in this world than salt and caramel together.  It is an amazing match!  I am just sad we forgot to take a picture of it.  We were too busy devouring each bite.  

All in all I’d have to say it was a nice way to celebrate the end of the nights getting darker and the beginning of the return of sunlight for us here in the Pacific Northwest, and the rest of the northern hemisphere for that matter.   It was also a fun excuse to break out some lovely wines that have been hiding away in the basement. 

 Cheers