HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

I hope that each and every one of you had an absolutely awesome Thanksgiving! Ours was a lot of fun, probably because we don't have any blood relatives in the vicinity, so our guest list is comprised of friends who share our farts and foibles, and are good-humored under most circumstances. We had 11 humans and 4 dogs. The feast began around noon and finished up around 10 p.m. We had turkey, ham, oyster stuffing (YUM!!! Check out the recipe in last week's Dallas Morning News Wednesday Guide section, bread stuffing, mashed potatoes (made with homemade creme fraiche, which gave it a little extra panache), mashed rutabagas (my new favorite veg), homemade focaccia and homemade rolls, broccoli cheese casserole, pumpkin pie and chocolate bourbon pecan pie. It was all totally awesome. Now, it would have been nice if the Cowboys won the football game we were watching, but considering that three of us cooks (and the dogs) napped all the way through half of it, well, . . . whatEVA! Great day.

And no, I do NOT go shopping on Black Friday, though I ventured forth timorously to purchase a needed item (ironing board) and then scuttled back home to prepare for the arrival of a friend from England.

Let the holiday festivities continue!

Beaujolais Nouveau 2010 C'est Arrive!

No wine blog would be complete without some kind of tribute to Beaujolais Nouveau, since it's such a big deal. The funny thing is, the wonder of Beaujolais Nouveau is really the wonder of really good marketing. Oh, it's a nice wine -- light, sparkling, with a definite YOUNG flavor about it -- but it's the hype that really gets us every year.

Wikipedia has a very nice article about the origins of Beaujolais Nouveau: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaujolais_nouveau, which I am too lazy to paraphrase. Suffice to say we had a good time trying it at Taste of Texas, a little wine shop in historic downtown Plano. I do enjoy the big labels that large stores like Sigel's will bring in for their wine tastings, but I'm partial to the small, individually owned stores because they bring heart and passion to their business, which is evident at both Parker Wine Cellars and Taste of Texas. Now if we could just get a small family French restaurant in Murphy, I'd be a happy gourmand.

However, back to the Thanksgiving countdown! We have the wine ready for the feast. I picked up a smoked turkey from the Harry & David Outlet Store ($39.99 on sale, 10 lbs., and tastes better than anything I could make) and I have a standing request by my son to make pumpkin pie. (My friend Sheila made one using crushed walnuts, stevia and melted butter for the crust, thereby making it Atkins-friendly, which sounds DELICIOUS.) Margaret is in charge of mashed potatoes and gravy, Chris is going to attempt oyster stuffing, I'm making traditional stuffing, and I think we have a ham coming on board, as well as some veggie sides. Oh, and I'm going to try to make that focaccia that takes parts of two days, because that is REALLY good, as well as some traditional rolls. I think we're having 16 people, consisting of friends and relatives of friends, and I am most thankful for all of them and the love we have for each other.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Galloping Toward Thanksgiving!

The week ended and the weekend slipped by so quickly that I had no time to blog about Jeff's suggestions for Thanksgiving wine, but I will NOT let another day go by without sharing last Thursday's offerings:

2008 DAEDULUS BLANC 'JEZEBEL'~~ From an extremely small winery in Dundee Oregon in the heart of the Williamette Valley, comes our white wine pick. Only 845 cases were produced of this charming blend of Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer and Riesling that can flourish with Turkey or quiet the masses as an apertif. A nose of peach and honeysuckle gives promise to a palate full of crisp honeydew melon, granny smith apple and almond that teases with just a hint of sweetness. The finish highlights show a balance of acid and structure found in what Oregon can do and do well. Although it works very well in late November, don't think this pleasing little selection wouldn't work the other 11 months of the year. (MY NOTE: This was a very nice white wine, a little more robust -- if you can ever call white wine "robust" -- than what you would expect. It would definitely hold its own with a Thanksgiving feast.)

2008 APOLLONI 'LAURINE' PINOT NOIR~~ Also coming out of the wonderful and famed Williamette Valley, here is a stand out on what is probably Oregon's best known grape. Cooler growing conditions really highlight what has always been considered the 'hardest grape to grow' and mix that with a little winemaker savvy, and you get a true crowd pleaser. Using Dijon and Pommard clones (considered some of French Burgundy's finest) and 100% French Oak, this Northwest native brings an abundance of possibilities to the table. A nose of earthy dark berry and mushrooms gives way to a palate of blackberry, coffee and sweet smoky vanilla that all meld into one whale of a sip. Finishing strong and tight, this beguiling fusion of happiness and satisfaction can bring out some of the best of what you decide to put with your Turkey or Ham. (MY NOTE: Excellent choice; great pinot. But read on . . .)

2007 K VINTNERS 'THE DEAL' SUNDANCE VINEYARD SYRAH~~ Folks, if you have never showed up at one of our Thursday Night Soiree's yet, this should give you more than enough reason. Famed winemaker (and certified crazy) Charles Smith has a gift of making what some of the greatest Wine Critics consider the finest Syrahs on the planet. Getting no arguement from me, this borderline Masterpiece approachs perfection on nearly ever level. It delivers more aromatically and on the palate than just about any big red. Bacon, game, lavender, incense, and blueberry scents jump from the glass and tease with true conviction and intrigue. Velvety on the palate with layered dark fruit, succulent blueberry and cassis flavors with a plethora of spice notes, not to mention impeccable balance, this pleasure-bent Syrah shows what grape juice in the hands of a true artist could and should be. The only problem may be that it can almost make you forget about the Turkey.
Robert Parker, Jr~~~94 POINTS (MY NOTE: Awesome wine. We bought a bottle but are going to save it for a special meal, perhaps a tenderloin. It really stands out.)

Lamb, Yorkshire Pudding and Drunken Figs

Ah, I love cooler weather! It makes big elaborate meals feel more appropriate, and the stores obligingly put forth rib roasts and leg of lamb and large roasts for consideration in the meat section. Tom Thumb had leg of lamb on sale for $3.99/lb., which was too good to pass up. I snatched up the last one in the bin and was out the door when I realized it was a 6-lb. leg.

Well, that's just too much for four people to eat, even if two of them are teenagers, so I called in reinforcements for dinner. By the time the roast was out, we had five friends over to help us with the lamb.

Leg of lamb: stab it a few times with a sharp knife and insert slivers of garlic in each stab wound. Pour a little beef broth and red wine over the leg, and sprinkle generously with Cavender's Greek Seasoning or salt/ pepper/ rosemary/ oregano/ basil/ whatever your favorite spices are. Sear the top with the oven on broil until it gets a bit brown and crispy, then turn the oven to 350 degrees and cook the roast for 15-30 minutes per pound.

Yorkshire pudding: 1 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 2 eggs, 1 cup of milk. Whisk it all together. Pour it into a pan that has some of the hot sizzling grease from the roast in it (I use a big souffle dish) and bake it at 425 degrees for 35 minutes. It's okay to up the heat on the lamb leg and shove the pud in there with it for the last 35 minutes of cooking time, just figure less cooking time for the lamb.

As for the drunken figs, I found out this past week, to my surprise, that the last figs of the season had actually ripened. I thought the cool nights would retard their growth, as it usually does, but my son pointed out that I had very ripe figs waiting to be plucked. I hated to let them go to waste, so in between putting on the lamb and the pudding, I looked up fig preserve recipes. There weren't enough for a big batch, but I was able to get two jars of Drunken Fig Jam prepared: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Drunken-Fig-Jam-350120. I figured anything that had cognac in it couldn't be all bad, and we tasted it after dinner and pronounced it fit for the holidays. It should taste awesome with cheeses and crackers or a topping for baked brie, or over ice cream or simply on toast for breakfast.

Chris made the veggies for dinner, which included a really great roasted potato recipe that had cheese and bacon on it, which I will post when he sends me the link.

As for wine, we worked our way through a Meritage and a pinot noir, which both complemented the lamb and the wonderful company.

I'm Wining About the Rain

Thank God or Baccus that it was raining again tonight. It was raining last Thursday after work when I went to a Scotch tasting at the Sigel's Liquor Store near my office so the 25 mph crawl north in heavy traffic was about my speed, and again tonight when I started at Sigel's with a Steele Vineyards wine tasting and finished up at Parker Wine Cellars for Jeff's weekly offering.

The Steele wines included an outstanding pinot noir (Steele Pinot Noir Santa Barbara '07) and syrah (Shooting Star Syrah '08) at very reasonable prices. There was also an intriguing sparkling wine called Black Bubbles made with syrah that tasted like a dry kir, and a lovely syrah port.

Thus fortified and accompanied by my Ultimate Santana CD (my favorite until I got "Guitar Heaven," which is arguably his best album EVER), I drifted slowly up North Central Expressway to Parker Wine Cellars and the wines of Turkey Flat, from the land down under. And in case you're wondering, my husband Chris is on the left and Jeff is on the right in the photo above that does not contain wine bottles.

We sampled:

2008 BUTCHERS BLOCK WHITE~~ The 2008 Butchers Block White is a blend of 58% Marsanne 28% Viognier and 14% Roussanne that all seem to fit together wonderfully. Marsanne & Roussane are premium varieties originating from the Northern Rhone in France where they are the dominant white grape varieties used in making the great white wines of Hermitage. Viognier also has it's origins in the Northern Rhone, where it is used to make rich and aromatic white wines in Condrieu, or to soften and add complexity to the Syrah wines of Cote Rotie. Using partial barrel fermentation and extended contact on the lees, this Aussie aims to please wine lovers no matter where you're from. This blend offers a complex nose of lemon and toasted oats, fresh apricots, and citrus peel with lifted aromas of orange blossom showing nutmeg and toasted barrel nuances. The palate is rewarded with a rich, medium bodied white, intertwining flavors of honey, pear and green apple that all are enhanced from time on oak. The finish is lengthy and quite satisfying and definetly will show well on a Dinner table. (MY NOTE: At the Steele wine tasting we sampled Writer's Block Roussane '09, which impressed me with its fresh floral notes UNTIL I tasted this wine. While the 100% Roussane made for a nice flavor, the combination of Roussane, Viognier and Marsanne added a complexity to the wine that was far superior, in my opinion.)

2008 ROSE~~ I've always been a fan of the overlooked and neglected 'True' Rosé. In this case, a true 'pink' wine that ignores all the trappings of being the same color as something completely different than expected. Using a blend of Grenache (63%), Shiraz (18%), Cabernet Sauvignon (13%), Dolcetto (6%) this pure pink beauty tantalizes with its look and delivers on its taste. The color is rose petal pink with a plethora of red fruit flavors such as strawberries, cherries and red and black currants. Fresh and vibrant on the palate, the bright fruit shines through to a crisp finish where the fruit characters linger; tapered out with subtle tannins giving the wine enough body to complete this serious rosé. Surprise your guest with what some pink wines can do. (MY NOTE: I'm a sucker for rosé, and this one was lovely.)

2006 "THE TURK"~~ With plenty of bottle time this blend is made from 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Shiraz, 24 % Mourvèdre and 18% Grenache that all seem to enjoy each others company. Deep red to purple in the glass, the nose wafts with blueberry, cherry and allspice that hits the palate full force with gobs of black currant, ripe plum, black cherry and cinnamon. Here, they all seem to mingle on your tongue before a big finish of soft tannins and a wonderfully balanced structure that defines enjoyment. This one is really drinking well now, and would do just fine with a partner in food, or your partner and a DVD. (MY NOTE: You'd expect this to be a heavy wine, but it really wasn't. It reminded me a little of a Super Texan. Great flavor!)

No cooking for me tonight -- thank you, Chick-Fil-A and Kung Pow Diner!

GREAT Tuna Recipe!

I found this on Epicurious.com and tried it last night: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Peppered-Tuna-Skewers-with-Wasabi-Mayonnaise-108936.

This was such a simple recipe that I had to share it (even though it's wine tasting night and we're going to TWO of them on the way home -- woo-hoo!). It helped that I had leftover fried rice from the night before, so all I had to do was cube two tuna steaks, drop the cubes into soy sauce for a little while (I added some juice from the pickled ginger, just because I wanted to), mixed 2 Tablespoons wasabi powder with 1 1/2 Tablespoons of water and added the paste to 1/2 cup mayonnaise (next time I may add a few drops of sesame oil for extra flavor, but it was fine as it was), drained and patted dry the tuna cubes, seasoned them with fresh ground pepper, sauteed them in a wok in a little oil for a couple of minutes, and voilà! dinner was served. The skewers were too much trouble for a family dinner on a taekwondo night, but I'll definitely do it for party appetizers this holiday season. The flavors just popped, and the whole family was impressed (except for Jackson, who doesn't like tuna in general).

I'll wine later.

I DID IT!!

I made homemade foccacia without using the bread machine. Now, some of you may snort derisively and think it's no big deal, but kneading has never been one of my accomplishments. When I was first married, I did try to make homemade French bread, and the baguettes ended up so incredibly hard and tough that my new husband and his best friend were able to re-enact the light saber battle between Obiwan Kenobe and Darth Vader in our apartment living room with barely a loss of crumb. I retreated to the safe comfort of a bread machine, but deep down I yearned for the good, solid comfort of making my own bread. Back to my Greek peasant roots, as it were, milking the goats, milling the flour, and putting it all together. I am Woman, watch me roar.

Yeah, well, instead I wore out three bread machines, and I have absolutely no shame or complaint about the quality of bread that has come out of them. In fact, tonight I'm going to set the bread machine on Timer (if I remember to do this after watching 2-3 episodes of "Nip/Tuck") and hopefully have a hot loaf of bread waiting for breakfast tomorrow morning.

HOWEVER, back to my accomplishment: I bought a copy of "Cook's Illustrated" magazine (October 2010) issue and decided that their recipe for Rosemary Foccacia might be suited to my talents. (If you can't find the recipe online or in your own issue of "Cook's Illustrated," let me know.) First, I had to make the Biga (or starter) the night before, which I dutifully did. The next day, Sunday, I got started with the bread dough around 3 p.m. and it really did take a while but I had two foccacia rounds ready for dinner at around 7 p.m. The article explained why it took so long, in detail worthy of a Chemistry class, but bottom line is that I folded the dough in on itself three separate times, with 30-minute rest periods, before shaping and baking; there were a few 5-minute rest periods in there too.

It was absolutely awesome, much better than bread machine dough, and really delicious. I'll do it again . . . when I have that much time. In the meantime, my Zojarushi bread machine suits me quite well.

Buon Giorno!

This past Thursday, Jeff chose Italian wines, a great choice for our somewhat cooler weather:

2008 FONTEVECCHIA VERDICCHIO DEI CASTELLI DI JESI ~
Just saying it may wear you out, but this classy little white fills the bill for showing up and showing off. The Fontevecchia (ancient spring) vineyard production is only about 7,000 cases per year. The Vineyards are located in the Marche region of the Country, on the crest of a hill within the prestigious Castelli di Jesi Zone. Located approximately 7 miles from the Adriatic Sea, with the grapes taking full advantage of the cooling seaward winds at about a thousand feet above sea level. Made with 100% Verdicchio grapes the nose begins with pineapple and mango that ease on to the palate with waves of tropical fruit, kiwi and hint of creamy white peach that leaves a finish that satisfies. A really good balance of acid and minerals show that the structure has a backbone that could stand up to some light to medium dishes, or just kick the slippers off and relax. (MY NOTE: This was an excellent white wine for me, dry at the outset with a teasing, sweet finish that just laid on my tongue for an instant.)

2008 ENZU DI SETTERUE NERO D'AVOLA SICILIA~ Another mouthful in more ways than one. Nero d'Avola actually means "black of Avola," which is a small town in southeastern Sicily. Some of these wines are made as big, full-bodied wines that have some aging potential, while others are made in a more youthful style designed for near-term consumption. This example of the Nero D'Avola grape follows that latter pattern, as it's a medium-bodied, deeply colored red wine that offers aromas of sweet dark fruits and hints of spice. The palate and finish picks up a bit of vanilla, from the Slovenian oak in which its aged and rounds out a little of the rough edges. The finish lingers and actually hints more of 'new world' as opposed to 'old world.' in this bottle's particular case. A really good food wine that stands up to some bigger and fuller dishes. (MY NOTE: Very nice red wine, worth the money.)

2008 ENZO DI SETTE RUE PRIMITIVO SALENTO~ What's up with the mouthful of names this week, eh? Here is a wonderful little red wine that is drinking close to exceptional right now. The Primitvo grape has long been believed to be the grandfather of the Zinfandel grape, and exudes such a style and flavor. Dark purple in the glass, the nose begins the promise of pleasure in a liquid form, and then delivers. Wild blackberry and mineralistic spice waft lovingly into your olfactory while your palate begins to enjoy levels of ripe raspberry, smoky oak, cocoa with just a slight twist of licorice. Medium to full bodied, the finish is stout and firm with a near perfect balance of strength, but subtle softness that makes you understand you may have found a classic wine. (MY NOTE: Another very nice red wine.)

THE SURPRISE: A Ripasso Valpolicella. THIS was an outstanding wine that was a mouthful of sheer pleasure. The price is over $20 but, as the knowledgable wine hostess pointed out, if this wasn't a "ripasso" but an amarone, it would be twice the price, so it's good value for the money.

Viva Italia! I went home and made spaghetti for dinner. Seemed fitting somehow.

Scotch First, Then Wine . . .

As I sit here, sipping on a nice Layer Cake shiraz (from South Australia, 2009) and munching on Lindt dark touch-of-sea-salt chocolate, I am reflecting on the week that was. Oh, sure, it was incredibly busy -- always is -- but some of it was FUN busy and, in addition to the Parker Wine Cellars tasting (next post -- I'm running behind), I went to the Preiss Imports Tasting Festival at Sigel's. This was not a wine tasting but a Scotch and liqueur tasting at the Sigel's store down the street from my office.

It was a dark and stormy night . . . Well, not really, but it WAS raining and rather chilly. I do believe the hot summer is finally a memory and we have moved into autumn with chilly nights and cooler days. I love this time of year.

The program allowed for 12 tastings, and the vendors were generous with their helpings (which made me glad that traffic was moving at about 25 mph on the way home). I tasted:
Springbank 15-year Single Malt Scotch (pretty good)
Benriach 16-year Single Malt Scotch (pretty good)
Duncan Taylor Glenlivet 1970 Single Malt Scotch (REALLY good . . . but see next one)
Armorik French Single Malt Whisky (this one made me sit up and take notice -- I've never had a French single malt Whisky, and was more than pleasantly surprised. The smooth flavor really stood out, and there was a delicate finish that made me enjoy this as much if not more than the 40-year-old Glenlivet.)
Leopold Gourmel Cognac Ade des Fleurs (very nice)
English Harbor 5-year Rum (YES! This is really good and, if Santa's listening, I want a bottle for Christmas. It's not for mixing with fruit juice, but for gentle evenings -- assuming I have any -- with a glass or snifter in front of a fire.)
Brewdog Hardcore I.P.A. (Beer. I know, seems odd at a Scotch tasting, but it was AUSTRALIAN beer, which makes it okay. And pretty good too!)
Luxardo Amaro Liqueur (seriously orange-flavored liqueur, not too sweet, and had me thinking about the recipes I could make with this -- crepes, cakes, or just a lovely after-dinner drink)
Luxardo Grappa (just because I've never had any before but heard of it. Didn't dislike it, but it was unremarkable.)
Parfair Amour Creme de Violet Liqueur (very nice -- the violets were unmistakable but not overpowering, and I was thinking that sugar cookies with a touch of violet liqueur would be quite delicious.)

All in all, it was a very satisfying evening!

Good Grief, It's November Already!

Somehow I managed to delete the photograph of last week's wine tasting at Parker Wine Cellars, but I'm several days late with it anyway, so I thought I'd treat you to a shot of the three ducks (looking like they're at a prayer meeting) that were transformed into Peking Crispy Duck with the help of three 16-oz. Budweisers and Margaret's magic touch. We enjoyed the meal from a couple of Fridays ago so much that we decided to re-do it for Hallowe'en, to the delight of our families.

I do love the holidays! In our neighborhood Hallowe'en is a big deal because there are so many families with children, so I always buy a lot of candy. We put a CD of scary noises in a boombox and hide it in the bushes, and there's always one little kid during the evening who is really and truly scared. This year there was a slight glitch in the CD, though, and I went outside at one point and was greeted with Shirley Bassey belting out "Goldfinger" from behind the Italian cedar tree. Oh well, as Chris pointed out, SOME kids MIGHT be scared by that!

The evening progresses from tiny toddlers who carefully pick out one piece of candy, to 13/14-year-olds who shyly grab a handful when prompted. When the 6-foot dude dressed as a banana shows up around 9:30, I know the evening is over and just let him and the rest of the big kids take double handfuls of what's left.

However, I'm not going to neglect Jeff's wine tasting last Thursday, because it was really good. We sampled wines from Viu Manent, a Chilean winery. Here's Jeff's synopsis:

2010 SAUVIGNON BLANC~~ Made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc, this one is just a baby but showing off even in its infancy. Cold macerated for 24 hours, then settled, racked and then a cool fermentation in all stainless steel tanks keeps this fun little wine a dry and crisp keeper. Pale and clearish green in the glass, the nose seems to pick up lime and grapefruit teases of the nostrils. The palate is a considerable amount of guava, mango and bits of green apple that shows off the youth while the finish is close to balanced with the acidity standing out due to its short time in the bottle. Still a great wine with light foods or just as an apertif for mingling guest. (MY NOTE: The grapefruit taste was definitely there, and it was a very refreshing wine.)

2009 CARMENERE RESERVE~~ A keeper and a pleasant surprise in anyone's book. Made with 100% Carmenere that started with cold maceration with twice daily pump overs, this wine then saw stainless steel for natural malolactic fermentation and then on to the oak. Here the maturation process saw this wine reside in 96% French Oak and 4% American Oak for 10 months before being put in the bottle. Deep ruby red in color, the nose excites the brain with hints of black berry, plum and sweet herbs, while the palate shows a gathering of black cherry, mocha, leather and coffee. The finish is lengthy and bold showing a structured balance with a tiny bit of soft tannins thrown into the mix just for giggles. (MY NOTE: I bought a bottle of this -- it is EXCELLENT.)

2009 MALBEC RESERVE~~ Another 100% varietal that shows off some of Chile's finest work. Also the ten day maceration process with daily pump overs brings the juice to the forefront when it sees 96% French Oak and 4% American Oak for its final trip to the bottle. Dark purple in the glass, the nose shows us aromas of spice, red plums and fresh coffee that all hit the palate with a mouth full of polished opulence. Black berry, blueberries and milk chocolate converge to stay on the lengthy finish for what seems like minutes. Big and brooding, the structure shows muscle with medium tannins backed by enough acidity to put this wine on a dinner table and be proud of your choice. (MY NOTE: I was really torn -- this was delicious as well, and I dearly love a good malbec, but the Carmenere intrigued me and won out . . . this week.)