Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff, or Stroganov, is a dish most of us are probably familiar with. It seems to me to have been particularly popular in the 1960s. Although maybe that’s just because my mom loved it and we had it fairly often when I was a kid growing up. In case you’ve never had it, Stroganoff consists of sautéed pieces of beef served in a sauce with sour cream. It originated in mid-19th Century-Russia and has become popular around the world, with variations as numerous as the countries in which it appears.

We know the name derived from the Russian diplomat and minister of the interior, Alexander Stroganov, but how it came about and why is still mystery. The recipe appeared for the first time in a classic Russian cookbook in 1871. Over time, the dish changed from containing floured beef cubes sautéed and sauced with mustard and bouillon and finished with a small amount of sour cream, to include onions and tomato sauce and sometimes mushrooms.

Traditionally in Russian, Beef Stroganoff is served with a side of crisp potato straws. In the UK and Australia the dish is usually served over pasta, and in the U.S. over egg noodles. Definitely my favorite way to eat it!

The “Bible” (Larousse Gastronomique, published in 1938) lists Stroganov as a cream, paprika, veal stock and white wine recipe. And many of the recipes I looked up for Beef Stroganoff contain most of these ingredients or a version therefore. But I make mine a little differently.

In fact, I don’t use beef at all!

Consider this meat-free version containing mushrooms instead. It makes for an excellent vegetarian lunch served with a salad. Or, serve it alongside a steak or some roasted chicken for a heartier dinner. This recipe will serve about 3-4.

Mushroom Stroganoff

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 pound mushrooms (I like using a combination of a few dried wild mushrooms such as porcini, which I reconstitute in some hot water for about 20-30 minutes, as well as mostly fresh mushrooms, preferably the darker Italian crimini mushrooms and portobellos and a few of the regular white).
1 good sized shallot, minced
2 or more garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp dry sherry or white or red wine (whatever you have open)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 - 1 cup sour cream or creme fraiche
1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
fresh chopped parsley

Directions:
Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the mushrooms gently, stirring occasionally until they are softened and just cooked. If you have a cast iron pan, cook until they are a little browned. This will add some additional flavor to the final product.
Add the shallots, garlic and sherry/wine and cook for a minute more. Season well.
Stir in the sour cream (start with 3/4 cup and see if that’s enough for you) and heat to just below boiling. Stir in the thyme, then scatter the parsley on top. Serve over egg noodles, rice, pasta, or boiled new potatoes.

Wine recommendation: I would open just about any red wine to go with a Stroganoff especially something hearty, like a Zinfandel or Syrah. In fact, I think the pepperiness of a Syrah/Shiraz would be ideal.

What to Cook this Week

Where I live, it was just 108 degrees last week and now it’s 68. Crazy. And very much welcome, I might add. So, it’s official: Fall is here! And as you may know, Fall is my favorite time of year. I love the transition (albeit a fast one this time) from the heat of summer, to the cool, crisp evenings and mornings of Autumn. I especially love the way the light changes. I just noticed this the other day, while I was out for my daily walk. Where the light is harsher and brighter in summer, ambient light becomes warmer and richer and more golden in Fall. The sky is just different. Clouds are different. It’s an amazing transition.

With the shorter days now, Fall is the time to start making stews and nourishing broths for soup, for casseroles, braising vegetables and meat, and of course baking!

At some point, despite all the recipes on the internet, we can sometimes find ourselves fresh out of ideas. So I’m here to help. “What to Cook this Week” is a new feature, meant to provide you (and me) with a few ideas for things to put on the menu this week.

I look to what’s currently in season to help inspire me. This time of year it’s not hard to come up with the usual fall-themed ingredients: apples, artichokes, broccoli rabe, Brussels sprouts, grapes, kale, parsnips, pears, pomegranates, pumpkins, rutabagas and winter squash, to name a few.

Today I want to cover apples and I have 2 recipes for you to consider.

Apples are good so many different ways. They can be, and usually are, made into something sweet (like the apple oven cake that I simply love), but they can also be used in savory dishes, like alongside a pork loin. In fact, fruit is often used with pork. I’ve seen apricots, as well as berries, used. Fruit tends to offset the gaminess of the meat a bit. If you’ve never had this combination and think it might be weird, try it anyway. You might be pleasantly surprised.  Here is a recipe I usually make this time of year.

Pork Loin with Apples, Prunes and Mustard Cream Sauce

Ingredients:
1 (4-lb) boneless pork loin roast
1 3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Granny Smith apples
1 Tbsp butter
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup packed dried pitted prunes, quartered
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp coarse-grain mustard
1/2 cup dry white wine

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F.
Heat oil in an oven-safe heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot, then brown the pork on all sides, 6-8 min per side. Transfer skillet to oven and roast the pork until the thermometer inserted diagonally at least 2 inches into the meat registers 150F, about 40-50 minutes.

While pork roasts, peel, quarter and core apples, then cut into 1/4 inch thick wedges. Add a little butter to a pan and cook onion over moderate hear, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3-5 minutes. Add apples, prunes, broth and water and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally until apples are tender and prunes have plumped up and softened, 10-12 minutes. Stir in cream and mustard and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and keep sauce warm, partially covered. Transfer pork to a cutting board, cover with foil, and let stand 10 minutes. Add wine to skillet, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until reduced to about 1/4 cup, 2-3 minutes. Stir pan juices into cream sauce along with remaining 3/4 tsp salt and 3/4 tsp pepper and heat sauce over moderate heat, stirring, until hot.

Serve the pork and sauce alongside potatoes, ideally mashed, but you could also roast them if you wish, and tender green beans or roasted broccoli. Serve with one of the following wines: Dry Riesling (not a sweet one, a dry one), Viognier, Malbec, Grenache or Nero d/Avola.

Now for something else with apples. Next time you head to Costco, or buy a ton of apples at the farmer’s market because they simply looked so good, make applesauce. This is a super-healthy version, without sugar, and honestly 100% better than anything store-bought.

Applesauce makes a great snack, and if you have a baby or toddler to feed, you’ve gotta try this sometime. It’s soooo easy! And what’s nice is you can control the spices that go in. Let’s say you want to add the complexity of pumpkin pie spice, or any of those spices individually, like maybe just the cinnamon and nutmeg, you can do that. Experiment each time you make it until you dial the spices in just the way you like ‘em.

Cinnamon Applesauce

Ingredients:
4 pounds tart apples, cored, peeled (optional) and sliced
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup water

Place everything into a slow cooker bowl and stir. Cook on low for 6 hours.

For a smooth applesauce, place in a blender or food processor and, in batches, puree until smooth.

That’s it for this week. I hope you make the pork and applesauce and feel free to leave a comment below with the results, or how you changed it up, if you did, and what you thought.

What to drink on Thanksgiving

The big day is rapidly approaching. Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday! A day to gather to give thanks for all the special people in our lives and for all that we have. I like having a day where we celebrate all that. And the food isn’t bad either!

The food is of course the star, but what you serve to drink is equally important.  We take the time to carefully select how we’ll prepare the bird, what side dishes we’ll make, what hors d’oeuvres we’ll put out and what kinds of pies we’ll bake, so should we take care what we serve to drink.

Now, I’m going to make a number of assumptions. First, I’m going to assume we’re talking about wine, not mixed drinks or non-alcoholic beverages. Next, I’m going to assume you’re serving a traditional Thanksgiving meal, which usually means turkey.  Now you may serve ham, or goose, or cornish game hens, or Turducken or whatever that wacky thing is, or God-forbid some vegetarian fake “turkey” tofu roll thing (which, by the way, I’ve tried and is the most disgusting thing ever!) so I realize that turkey isnt the only thing people eat at Thanksgiving, but it’s what most people eat, so that’s what we’re going with here.

A special meal deserves a special wine, but that doesn’t mean expensive, necessarily. It just means good. While expensive usually does mean good, it doesn't always. Taste is subjective, after all. Naturally you can do whatever you like, and heed the advice of any of the “experts” online or in wine shops, but since this is my blog, I’m going to tell you what I like, and why.

In my opinion the best wine to serve alongside a roasted turkey is Pinot Noir. Not just because it’s my favorite varietal, but because it’s so very well suited to roasted bird. Roasting results in a heavier flavor profile than other preparation methods, so an aromatic, fruit-forward white like Riesling or Gewuertztraminer, or a juicy red like Zinfandel would also work. Chardonnay is perhaps the last wine most experts would recommend because dry wines can die in the presence of all the fruit, sugar, and salt that is part of the typical Thanksgiving meal. A touch of sweetness, ergo the Riesling and Gewuertztraminer, makes a much better choice than Chard. If you absolutely cannot stand the thought of a red or a slightly sweet white, were you to prepare your bird a bit differently, let’s say with a citrusy note, an acidic, slightly nutty Italian white or Chenin Blanc could be a good choice. If your gravy is deep and dark in color or contains red wine, then I would recommend a Zinfandel. However, if you’re simply preparing the bird without much hoo-ha and doing a lighter gravy, even with the addition of white wine, Pinot Noir is the ticket.

With flavors ranging from cranberries to black cherries, this grape is ideal for Thanksgiving because of its fruit-forward nature. The lush fruit component pairs well with many of the typical side dishes of the holiday.

The Pinot Noir grape is delicate, and requires a careful hand to coax out its potential. It requires a winemaker who really understands the complexity of the grape. To better understand what I mean, here’s a scene from one of my favorite movies, Sideways, where Maya asks Miles why he’s “so into Pinot Noir."

And then, of course, there’s Maya’s reason for why she loves wine!

Clearly this is the moment Miles falls in love with Maya!

Given the tradition of the day, it seems fitting that we pick an American wine, since it would seem sacrilegious to do otherwise. I am particularly fond of La Crema Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast) or just about anything from the Russian River Valley in California.  The best Pinots come from regions with chalky soil and cooler night time temperatures. Some of the most notable regions for Pinot Noir are the Sonoma coast, Russian River Valley, Central Coast, Monterey County, Santa Cruz Mountains and the Carneros District of Napa and Sonoma. That’s just California! In Oregon, the Willamette Valley produces some excellent pinots. Naturally there are many outstanding pinot noirs from Italy, Germany, France, of course, and New Zealand, but this holiday we are sticking to US wines.

If you’re looking for a wine that will work well this holiday, you can’t go wrong with Pinot Noir. Just another thing I am thankful for this Thanksgiving: Pinot!

A votre sante, to your health! And Happy Thanksgiving!

Curried Chicken Salad

Summer is the perfect time for lighter foods when it’s hot and we don’t want to turn on the oven. And chicken salads are ideal. They are also easy to prepare.

I’ve been making this salad for several years and I never tire of it because I really like the flavor combination of spicy and sweet. I came across the recipe this morning and am thinking about making it again this weekend since the weather remains hot and muggy where I live. There’s something cooling about this salad even though it has some spice from the chutney and curry. The spice is minimal, though, and is really just there to add flavor, not heat.

The salad's great served on a bed of Boston or Bibb lettuce. You could even use the lettuce leaves to sort of scoop up the salad with.

There is no substitute for the wine. If you leave it out it really does affect the taste, even though it’s only 1/3 of a cup. Trust me, I’ve tried. For the mayo, you can use a dairy-free variety if you’re lactose intolerant. I like Vegenaise from Follow Your Heart. I think it’s one of the best-tasting, healthy, dairy-free and eggless mayos out there. They make a variety of mayos to choose from. I usually get mine at the health food store where you’ll see a larger selection, but I’ve even seen 1-2 varieties at the regular supermarket.

Here’s the recipe.

Curried Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

6 chicken breasts (depending on the size, you may need only 4)

1 1/2 cup good quality mayonnaise 

1/3 cup white wine

1/4 cup mango chutney

2-3 Tbsp. curry powder

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup chopped celery (finely diced)

1/4 cup chopped scallions

1/4 cup raisins

a little grated fresh ginger

Instructions:

Roast the chicken breasts in a 350 degree F oven for 35-40 minutes. While those are cooking, puree the mayo through the salt in a food processor until smooth. This will be your sauce. 

Combine the celery through ginger in a bowl. When the chicken breasts are cool enough to handle, cut them into bite-sized chunks. Add the sauce, toss, and chill for a few hours.

When you’re ready to eat the salad, add 1 cup of warm, salted toasted cashews, if you like. Pecans also work nicely.

Enjoy for lunch on a hot day!

Happy New Year!!!

The New Year is a time for new beginnings, a clean slate, celebrating the old and welcoming in the new. And what better way to celebrate than with some food and a few drinks? Nothing brings people together like a delicious dish. But this particular holiday calls for meals that bring luck, health and prosperity to the upcoming year. And not all foods are created equal when it comes to ringing in the New Year. Every culture has a different dish they consume for New Year's, but they all share similarities, like hoping for happiness and prosperity in the future.

 

Greens

Cabbage, kale, chard and collards are all cooked on New Year's because of their vibrant green hue. They resemble money, therefore symbolizing good fortune in the coming year. It's believed that the more you eat, the healthier and prosperous you will be. These greens are enjoyed in a variety of ways across the globe. The Danish like to sprinkle stewed kale with cinnamon and sugar, while the Germans enjoy sour cabbage, otherwise known as sauerkraut.

Round fruits

Resembling money or coins, for their round shape, are fruits like oranges and

clementines. In the U.S., people eat these by the slice, but how many slices they eat is the important part. Americans snack on 12 slices, which represent the number of months in a year. Other countries, like the Philippines, eat 13 slices because the number is said to be lucky.

Cornbread

In the Southern United States, cornbread can be found on the plates of many on New Year's. Its warm yellow shade represents the color of gold. Some even add kernels of corn to their bread to symbolize gold nuggets for even more prosperity in the coming year.

Champagne

It may not be found on a plate, but every year, people pour a

glass of Champagne and toast to a wonderful year as well as a prosperous future. Champagne, otherwise known as sparkling wine, is loved for its bubbly nature. It was first made from grapes in the region of Champagne, France. Hugh Capet, King of France in 989, drank the bubbly at his coronation banquets, which intrigued monarchs. Champagne was also the drink of choice for King Louis XIV.

Tips for serving Champagne:

• Serve Champagne chilled, between 39 and 48 degrees Fahrenheit. You can store the beverage in a wine refrigerator or fill a wine bucket with water and ice and give the bottle about 30 minutes to chill to perfection.
• Always leave the bottle corked until you're ready to serve.
• Serve in long-stemmed flutes, which helps the flow of bubbles and even makes the aroma of the beverage stronger.
• Never chill the flutes - leave them at room temperature.

Here's to a happy and healthy New Year for all!

Mulled Wine

Mulled wine is a traditional European beverage served hot or warm during winter, especially around Christmas time.  As the weather cools down in the northern hemisphere, it is particularly enjoyable now.

I grew up with this drink and therefore associate it with the holidays. In fact, there is no other time of year in which I even want it. It just says Christmas. I always thought it gives you a warm glow from the inside out, which is so appropriate for the holidays. So it’s not surprising that in German, mulled wine is called Glühwein ("glow-wine," either from the hot irons once used for mulling, or from how it makes you feel)!

Glühwein is popular in all the German-speaking countries and in the French region of Alsace. At this time of year, the Weihnachtsmarkt, or Christmas market, is open and often one enjoys a steaming hot mug of it as one visits the food and craft booths of the market.

The drink is usually prepared from red wine, heated and spiced with cinnamon sticks, cloves, star aniseed, citrus, sugar and at times vanilla pods. It is sometimes drunk mit Schuss (with a shot), which means that rum or some other liquor has been added.

Another popular variant of Glühwein is the Feuerzangenbowle. It shares the same recipe, however here a rum-soaked sugarloaf is set on fire and allowed to drip into the wine.

In England, mulled wine is typically sweeter than in other European countries.

In France, vin chaud ("hot wine") typically consists of cheap red wine mixed with sugar, cinnamon, and lemon. They don’t like theirs too sweet.

In the south and southeast of Brazil, where a large amount of European descendants live, it is called quentão or vinho quente ("hot wine"). It is typically made with red wine, cachaça (rum), cinnamon sticks and cloves. It is served as part of the Festa Junina, celebrated during winter in the month of June.

Glogg is the term used for mulled wine in the Nordic countries: Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, Estonia and Finland.

Versions of mulled wine can also be found in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Macedonia, Moldova, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Serbia, and Turkey.

In Quebec, Canada, red wine is mixed with maple syrup and hard alcohol and heated. The drink is called Caribou and is very popular during the Quebec Winter Carnival.

Clearly, mulled wine recipes around the world are variations on the same theme. An inexpensive red wine, sugar or honey added to sweeten it, and then spiced with anything from peppercorns to cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg, and finally fruit: sometimes apples and nearly always citrus fruits, such as lemon or oranges.

You can make this warm, soothing drink at home very easily for yourself, your family and friends this holiday season, as I plan to do. There’s nothing like it to put you in the Christmas spirit!

Mulled Wine

Ingredients:

3/4 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 orange
10 whole cloves
1 (750 milliliter) bottle red wine

Directions:

In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer. Cut the orange in half, and squeeze the juice into the simmering water. Push the cloves into the outside of the orange peel, and place peel in the simmering water. Continue simmering for 30 minutes, until thick and syrupy.

Pout in the wine, and heat until steaming but not simmering. Remove the clove-studded orange halves.

Serve hot in mugs or clear glasses that have been preheated in warm water (cold glasses might break).

Makes six 4 oz servings.

I also wanted to list Jamie Oliver’s recipe, which has a few additional ingredients and sounds really good. http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/recipe/jamie-s-mulled-wine

Mushrooms as a bed for chicken

Winter is here alright. I know, you're thinking, "you're in California. How bad can it be?" Well, it's cold for us, ok? It got down to 34 degrees last night and there was frost on everything this morning. This kind of weather is perfect for a meal that makes us toasty warm. Chicken on a bed of mushrooms.

Oh, I hated mushrooms as a kid. All slimy and rubbery and moldy. Ick! I’m even still repulsed to this day when I go out into the yard and unearth the weird and wacky specimens that are freely popping up in my lawn. I have to wear gloves – I can’t seem to touch them with my bare hands.

My taste for mushrooms waxes and wanes. Sometimes I like them, other times I don’t. I guess it’s kind of a love/hate relationship, but this is the time of year when I want them.  Their chewy texture and meaty taste adds heartiness to otherwise bland dishes. Their woodsy nature makes them pair especially well with herbs. It’s as if you were going out into the forest. There is something so earthy about mushrooms that makes them ideal to appreciate in the winter.

So I was craving a dish with mushrooms and began searching the archives (i.e., cookbooks). I hadn’t looked in my Silver Palate cookbook in a while and was delighted when lo and behold I found “Chicken with Mushrooms”. How perfect to use mushrooms to boost the flavor of chicken. It is easy to make, although the soaking of the dried mushrooms calls for a 2 hour time span, I don’t know that you can’t achieve this in 30-60 minutes. If you have time, you can certainly go with 2 hours. I went with 1.

If you do an internet search for Silver Palate Chicken with Mushrooms recipe, you’ll find quite a number of sites featuring it. Clearly a popular and much-loved dish over the years. People are in love with it.  You can make this dish with some degree of certainty that it will be one you go to over and over again.

Chicken on a bed of mushrooms

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chicken broth

2/3 ounce dried wild mushrooms, thoroughly rinsed under running water,and drained (such as cepes, morels, etc, all one kind or a mix)
1/3 lb fresh cultivated mushroom, wiped clean with damp paper towel (button)
3 1/3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup finely-chopped shallot (or 3 green onions, finely-chopped, plus 1 T minced garlic)
2/3 to taste salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup medium port wine
1/4 cup heavy cream
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
a few tsp. chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
In a small saucepan, bring broth to a boil; pour over the wild mushrooms in a small bowl and let stand for about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Thinly slice cleaned mushroom caps, discarding stems.
In a skillet over medium to medium-to-low heat, melt butter and gently saute shallots or onion/garlic mixture for about 5 minutes (do not brown).
Drain liquid from wild mushrooms and reserve.
Finely chop the wild mushrooms and add them and the fresh mushrooms to the skillet with the shallots (or onion/garlic mixture) and saute over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 7- 10 minutes.
Add the reserved mushroom liquid, Port, and cream to the skillet and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
Pour mushroom mixture into a shallow baking dish and arrange chicken breast halves in a single layer on top of the mushrooms.
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.
Bake in the middle level of the oven for about 25- 30 minutes, until chicken is done.
Sprinkle with finely chopped parsley.

Serves 4.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!

What I'm drinking now

We’re in the thick of summer now and all this sweltering heat and hot wind calls for something cool and refreshing to drink. When I unwind, I like a glass of wine, and though reds are great when you want comfort and soothing, the heat really calls for something crisp, clean and white.

One of my favorite wines lately is Riesling, a white grape variety which originated in the Rhine River region of Germany, where my family is from. According to Wikipedia, Riesling “is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines. Riesling wines are usually varietally pure and are seldom oaked. Riesling is usually included in the "top three" white wine varieties together with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. It is a variety which is highly "terroir-expressive", meaning that the character of Riesling wines is clearly influenced by the wine's place of origin.”

For many years, Riesling was the most grown variety in Germany and in the French region of Alsace. But it is also grown in other parts of the world. There are significant plantings in Austria, the Czech Republic, Luxemburg, northern Italy, Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada, South Africa, China and the Ukraine. It is most commonly grown in colder regions.

Riesling is best consumed when young, as it makes a fruity and aromatic wine. Aromas of green or other apples, grapefruit, peach, gooseberry, honey, rose blossom or cut green grass are common. However, Riesling’s naturally acidity and range of flavors also makes it suitable for extended aging. Sweet Riesling wines, such as the German Trockenbeerenauslese, are especially good for cellaring since the high sugar content provides for additional preservation.  Some of these have oldies have been enjoyed 100 years after bottling!

The most expensive wines made from Riesling are late harvest dessert wines, produced by letting the grapes hang on the vines well past normal picking time. Through evaporation caused by the fungus Botrytis cinerea (“noble rot”) or by freezing, as in the case of ice wine, the remaining liquid is concentrated and the resulting wine offers richer layers on the palate. 

In the late 19^th Century German immigrants to the United States brought with them Riesling vines and were first planted in New York. Plantings appeared in California by 1857 and followed into Washington in 1871. Today, unfortunately, Riesling grapes in California lag far behind Chardonnay in popularity, although late harvest dessert wines are becoming increasingly more so. Both regular Rieslings, as well as late harvest Rieslings, make excellent choices for summertime sipping.

In the summer, I enjoy what my mother likes to make on hot days: a Weinschorle. I mix equal parts Riesling and plain sparkling mineral water for a refreshing and cooling treat on a hot summer day.

Riesling is a versatile wine for pairing with food because of its balance of sugar and acidity. It can be paired with white fish or pork, the drier ones go well with chicken dishes, and the sweeter ones are some of the few wines that can stand up to the stronger flavors and spices of Thai and Chinese cuisine.

Ideally, Late Harvest Rieslings should be served somewhat chilled and paired with cheese, fruit and nuts on lazy summer afternoons. After which, you can nap in your hammock. Or they can be enjoyed together after a meal, as the French do.

If you are new to this wine, try experimenting. Grab a Riesling each from Germany, France, Washington, California or even New York, and see if you can spot differences in what the soils from each of those areas contributed to the wine. The good thing about drinking this varietal is that you can easily find bottles under $10 that are excellent. Chateau Ste. Michelle from Washington is the worldwide leader in the production of Riesling wines by volume and they are good. You might try other Washingtonians such as Hogue or Columbia Crest, which are also nice. From California, try Pacific Rim Sweet Riesling or the J Lohr White Riesling Bay Mist, and from Germany try Dr. Heidemanns Riesling or Dr. Loosen or anything called Piesporter Michelsberg. From France, you can't beat Trimbach Riesling. Go to your neighborhood wine shop and ask for recommendations based on whether you like your wine sweet or more dry. They can steer you in the right direction.

Speaking of wine shops, I have a new one near me called “Total Wine”. It’s a great store. I like it better than BevMo because they seem to carry more. Tastings and other upcoming in-store events are posted online at www.totalwine.com. But don’t overlook your neighborhood wine shop - that small place that offers a personal touch to the wine tasting experience. It’s a great place to hang out with friends or make new ones.

Enjoy your next bottle of Riesling. Zum wohl (to your health)!

Food & Wine

Food and wine...meant to go together, like Laurel and Hardy, Fred and Ginger, yin and yang...... Though pairing food with wine may seem intimidating if you are new to entertaining/cooking/drinking, you really don't need any fancy degrees to make a wine selection. But if you need help, there are a ton of websites and books available out there should you need some suggestions. While those are a great place to start, I think doing your own homework will take you even farther.

Deciding what to serve with which foods comes from experience. When you one day hear yourself utter these words, you will know you have arrived: "We should open that bottle of ____ to go with this ____ I just made." (You fill in the blanks). When that day comes, you will have a good understanding of the marriage between food and wine.

Though I'm certainly no wine expert, I can tell you what I like. Ultimately it really does just come down to this: no matter what anyone tells you, either you're going to like it, or you won't. 

Often, I hear people say they only like Cabs or Chardonnay or whatever. While I think that's great that they know what they like, I think they are limiting themselves. There are so many wines out there from so many different parts of the world, and each offers new taste experiences. Be open to the differences in, say, a wine from South America or Africa. Consider different grape varietals from what you are used to. Have you ever heard of Gruener Veltliner or Nebbiolo? You may find one downright fabulous. Consider trying varietals that have been rescued from near extinction and are making a comeback, such as Viognier, or the Carmenere grape once grown in France but now thriving in Chile.

Over time, too, our tastes may change. I once drank Chardonnay. Now, I can't stand it. I had to give it up because no matter how many I tasted, I found that only the really expensive ones had the butteriness I was longing for. Most of them left me pucker-mouthed from their ueber-acidity.

These days I'm into Viognier and Pinot Noir. Interestingly enough, though one is white and the other red, they have similar characteristics. Both grapes are finicky and require a great deal of care in their handling. Both do best with climates that offer warm days and cool nights. Both are difficult to grow. I think that's one reason I appreciate them so much. They are also quite versatile with a broad range of foods and can even be enjoyed alone.

My sister introduced me to an Italian grape she enjoys: Nebbiolo. I recently found such a wine for a real bargain and keep going back to get more. I hope the store doesn't run out!

Take advantage of the wine tastings at your local wine shop, or head to a big retailer like Total Wine for a huge range of wines of every conceivable price point. I found a French wine for under $4 there once, which I really liked for an everyday wine. Don't let the price tag of some of these wines discourage you. Price does not necessarily always mean what you think. You may not like the expensive stuff and you may really like a cheaper bottle.

And why are some of them so dang expensive? A lot of factors can affect the price of wine. Limited grape production, for example, or the amount of special handling required. Ice wine, for instance, is usually pricey because the grapes stay on the vine several months longer than usual (most grapes are harvested in September/October). These hang on until the frost comes, intensifying their sugar content, and then the shriveled things have to be hand-picked in the dead of winter. Naturally the more care that goes into production, including the blending that the winemaker oversees, can drive up price, but more isn't always better. What if a $50 bottle doesn't taste good to you? 

Do not be intimidated by wine or the snobs who tell you what to drink. After all, it's just glorified grape juice!

Sangria - to beat the heat

The 4th of July is upon us and what better way to celebrate with friends or family than by relaxing in the shade with a glass of something cool and refreshing. I have just the thing! Beer, you ask? No, Sangria.

Sangria is a wine punch typical of Spain. Usually used is a light, dry, young, acidic inexpensive fruit-forward red wine such as Rioja, Tempranillo or Grenache. French varieties can work too including Gamay and Beaujolais. To give the punch its characteristic fruitiness, chopped or sliced fruit, often citrus in nature but even apples, peaches and berries or melons can be added. For some sweetness honey, sugar, simple syrup, orange juice of some kind of fruit nectar are added. Also added is a small amount of brandy or cognac and orange liqueur, ice and carbonated water for a little fizz.

Sangria is thirst-quenching and delicious on a hot day. If you can get past the idea that it's nothing but a glorified wine cooler from the 80's, try this.  You might be pleasantly surprised.

Several recipes can be found on the internet. They are all fairly identical. This is the one I usually make.

Classic Sangria

1 orange, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
1 lime, sliced
2 Tbsp. superfine granulated sugar, or better yet, simple syrup
1 bottle red wine, preferably Spanish
1/2 cup cognac or brandy
1/4 cup orange liqueur such as triple sec, Grand Marnier or Cointreau
2 Tbsp. orange juice
1 cup chilled carbonated mineral water or club soda

Wash and slice the fruit. Dissolve sugar in cognac and orange liqueur. Add this mix and the fruit to a pitcher or punch bowl. Pour in the wine, stir to mix. Chill overnight or for at least 8 hours before serving. When ready to serve, add in the mineral water to give it some fizz. Serve with ice cubes if you wish.

Ole! And Happy Fourth.