And Then There Were Grapes
“If Bacchus ever had a color he could claim for his own, it should surely be the shade of tannin on drunken lips, of John Keat's 'purple-stained mouth', or perhaps even of Homer's dangerously wine-dark sea.” ~ Victoria Finlay
The Accidental Grape
Long, long ago in a land of swirling grapevines, a sultry red Cabernet Franc crept into the vineyard where the sassy Sauvignon blanc lived. Their earthy courtship was as unexpected as the offspring that materialized from their pairing. Sounds like a great story, doesn't it? Well, apart from giving grapes the anthropomorphic treatment in that telling, that's basically how Cabernet Sauvignon was born. Dating back to the 17th century in the Southwest of France, these two grapes accidentally bred, creating what is the most popular grape throughout the world. With over 700,000 acres, the Cabernet Sauvignon is only slightly ahead of the Pinot Noir in vine distribution worldwide. While Bordeaux is considered home of the Cabernet Sauvignon, California produces a large volume of high quality Cabernets, with Chile, Australia and Spain coming in right behind Napa Valley.
A full-bodied wine that is quite high in both acidity and tannins, the Cabernet Sauvignon features two taste profiles you don’t normally find in wine. The combination of acidity and tannins not only give the wine a wonderfully velvety mouthfeel, but also a long cellar life. Typically aged in oak barrels, expect flavor notes of blackberry, black cherry, and currants, threaded with a toastiness of wood, smoke, cedar and spice that lingers indolently on the palate. As with all wines, Cabernet Sauvignon will retain tastes from the terrain they were grown. Here is a list of the top Cabernet regions and their taste profiles:
Bordeaux, France
Tasting Notes: Black Currant, Anise, Tobacco Leaf, Plum Sauce, Pencil LeadNorth Coast, California
Tasting Notes: Black Currant, Blackberry, Pencil Lead, Tobacco, MintSouth Australia
Tasting Notes: Black Plum, White Pepper, Currant Candy, Chocolate, Bay LeafChile
Tasting Notes: Blackberry, Black Cherry, Fig Paste, Baking Spices, Green PeppercornCourtesy of winefolly.com
And Then There was Wine
Over the course of the last year, much to my surprise, I finally broke away from exclusively drinking white wine by approaching the tastings at Trader Joe's with a more adventurous spirit. Red wines now on the menu, I developed a broader appreciation, along with a more accepting palate, and came to love red wines. Finally understanding why so many people call Cabernet the King of the Red Wines, I present three wonderful wines from this grape to tempt your adventurous spirit...
Hillgate Cabernet Sauvignon
TJ's Wine Profile: The color of deep garnet, with raspberries, dried cherries and chocolate on the nose, this wine has smooth, well-integrated fruit notes with cocoa, caramel, vanilla and oak on the palate.
Blend Composition: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Market Price: $9.99
TJ's Price: $4.99
My personal impression: Raspberry on the nose with a trace of smoke. Soft texture with black cherry and some of the raspberry, chocolate, warm spices and a subtle amount of oak. Nice finish. Great value. A limited buy so it won't last long on the shelves.
Barrel Heist Cabernet Sauvignon
T.J.’s Wine Profile: When we first tasted Barrel Heist Bourbon Aged Cabernet Sauvignon, the panel loved the balance of this rich, full bodied Cabernet married with the toasty vanilla, spice and complex flavors from the Bourbon Barrel aging. We immediately started negotiating large, direct quantities, where we could get the cost and retail down. At $6.99, this wine compares favorably to the leading branded Bourbon Barrel Cab that costs several $ more.
Blend Composition: 91.41% Cabernet, 8.59% Petite Syrah
Market Price: $10.99
TJ's Price: $6.99
My personal impression: Robust and fruit forward with notes of smoky vanilla, caramel, cinnamon, and cocoa. Sweet berry fruit with oaky flavor close this one out on the finish. Bourbon barrel wines are very popular now and I can see why with this wine. Highly recommend.
Liberte Cabernet Sauvignon
TJ's Wine Profile: Our Liberte Cabernet has become a crew and customer favorite. Some wines have obvious value and this is definitely one of them, from the quality of the wine to the packaging and the price. This wine is a vineyard-specific situation where those blocks are dedicated to Liberte and farmed to the highest standards as a result of our ability to commit in advance (the vineyard team knows where the wine is ultimately going) and to buy and sell large quantities, which translates into lower costs.
Blend Composition: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 15% Syrah
Market Price: $14.99
TJ's Price: $9.99
My personal impression: Pleasant aroma of black cherry and spice. Medium bodied, with a hint of sweetness from the blend composition, but works well. Smooth and soft textures. The spice leads into a long, dry finish. Already bought a bottle for Thanksgiving!
The Perfect Pairing
A classic combination. The richness of the beef coupled with the silky tannins of a Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s an exquisite blend of flavors that will have you asking, why not add the wine directly to the stew?
Jacques Pépin’s mother served this quintessential beef stew at her restaurant, Le Pélican. Jacques likes the flatiron—a long, narrow cut that’s extremely lean but becomes tender and stays moist. He doesn’t use stock, demiglace or even water in his stew, relying on robust red wine for the deep-flavored sauce.
Throw in a comfy chair tucked away by the fireside with a bowl and spoon and it sounds like a sublime experience to me.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pounds trimmed beef flatiron steak or chuck, cut into 8 pieces
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- One 750-milliliter bottle dry red wine
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 thyme sprig
- One 5-ounce piece of pancetta
- 15 pearl or small cipollini onions, peeled
- 15 cremini mushrooms
- 15 baby carrots, peeled
- Sugar
- Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions:
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, melt the butter in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Arrange the meat in the casserole in a single layer and season with salt and pepper. Cook over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 8 minutes. Add the chopped onion and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, 5 minutes. Add the flour and stir to coat the meat with it. Add the wine, bay leaves and thyme, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
Step 2
Cover the casserole and transfer it to the oven. Cook the stew for 1 1/2 hours, until the meat is very tender and the sauce is flavorful.
Step 3
Meanwhile, in a saucepan, cover the pancetta with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Drain the pancetta and slice it 1/2 inch thick, then cut the slices into 1-inch-wide lardons.
Step 4
In a large skillet, combine the pancetta, pearl onions, mushrooms and carrots. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1/4 cup of water and a large pinch each of sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until almost all of the water has evaporated, 15 minutes. Uncover and cook over high heat, tossing, until the vegetables are tender and nicely browned, about 4 minutes.
Step
Step 5
To serve, stir some of the vegetables and lardons into the stew and scatter the rest on top as a garnish. Top with a little chopped parsley and serve.
The Cork Master Knows
Describing a glass of Malbec to a friend of mine, I caught myself using words that for anyone not familiar with "wine talk", sounded a bit, er, ridiculous. Poking a little fun at the self importance of oenophiles, nobody does ridiculous better then Niles and Frasier Crane. Especially when it comes to their love of wine.
Comments
Thanks for the grape stories
Telling stories helps us find an anchor in this chaos and navigate difficult circumstances.
And the wine doesn't hurt either!
Grape Stories
Good morning QMS! The stories we tell to each other help us connect, don't they? And you're right, the wine doesn't hurt either. It's not too soon to start selecting the wine you'll be drinking for Thanksgiving. I know what I'll be dunking!
So good to see you were the first comment of the day :).
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
Having again dreamed of a Hogwarts-like setting last night,
reading today’s essay, like an olfactory and gustatory Pensieve my mind brings forth and manifests an imaginary memory of savoring a wine of complex, dark, yet impossibly good character called Severus Grape.
Severus Grape
Good one Lotlizard! Your dreams sound very interesting. Why Hogwarts, you think? Do you have a secret desire to be magical?
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
No secret.
Still waiting for that owl with the letter.
Hahaha!
Keep us updated
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
Cooking with wine
Thanks for this -- I don't know anything about wine so every bit someone takes the time and care to explain is an appreciated learning experience.
Past my teenage party days I've never been a big drinker (alcoholic parents) and then a couple of health issues arose which meant that not drinking alcohol altogether was the healthier choice for me so I stopped but I love cooking with wine. White wines make delicious cream sauces, and that stew recipe looks great. I will definitely try it out sometime this winter.
Here is a tried and true recipe for the world's easiest pot roast:
3lb-3.5lb boneless chuck roast
2 large onions, sliced thick
5+ cloves of garlic
1-2 cups your fave Cabernet Sauvignon (substitute: beef stock)
olive oil
kosher salt & freshly cracked black pepper
1. On the stovetop heat a swig of olive oil to medium-high in a dutch oven or stew pot large enough for the roast to lay flat. (lie flat? I can never remember which if the word doesn't apply to chickens-who-lay or people-who-lie, lol.) Sprinkle the roast all over with kosher salt while you preheat the pot.
2. Brown the roast on all sides, takes about 3-5 minutes on the top and bottom and 1-2 minutes on the skinnier sides. Set the roast aside on a plate.
3. If the pan needs more oil, add some. Add the thickly sliced onions to the oil, cover, saute about 4-5 minutes, just until they start to get soft. Add the garlic cloves, mix those in, saute covered another minute or two, just until the garlic becomes fragrant.
4. Slide the roast off the plate onto the bed of onions and garlic, along with any accumulated juices. Pour the wine (or stock) over top of the roast. Salt & pepper the dish (if you choose stock over wine, season more aggressively), cover, let the heat come up to a good simmer, then turn the heat down to low and let it go low and slow just like that for about 5-6 hours. Flip the roast over once at the halfway cook time mark.
The world's easiest pot roast
Thanks so much for the recipe. As the weather cools down, I love to do stews, and I also love to cook with wine. So glad you found the wine info helpful.
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
Most contain a little glyphosate
Link to a study showing amount of Glyphosate in Beer and wine
While the USDA has no "safe" limits established for this chemical residue some scientists in Germany found that very small amounts can be bad for you.
Check out the link to the study.
Thanks for that study. It is interesting that they even find it
in rainwater. That makes it inescapable even for those who have never used it, a very sorry state of affairs that was predicted long ago and dismissed by Monsanto, and hence the FDA as well, as ridiculous. Monsanto has made it impossible to be perfectly organis because you can't even trust the rain.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
glyphosate
As do you and I. Regardless of how we eat, drink, or conduct ourselves. The shit's environmentally insidious. (Apologies to honest fecal matter everywhere, all of which also has glyphosate in it.)
It is my understanding that if you have set foot in an indoor garden supply shop this year (which includes nearly all hardware stores) your glyphosate level will be several times higher than this.
The sooner there's a worldwide ban on glyphosate, (USA included) the better.
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
You are doing a fantastic job
to make a non wine drinker and lousy cook (compared to the good recipes and all of it you post) bow in awe of your skills. I need to learn writing. I never wanted to be a writer and always just wanted to read. Still don't know if I should learn writing in English or German. I don't remember your story anymore, you have German background somehow. How did you learn to write that well? It's time to learn writing for me. Time is running out. So, I better start doing something about it.
Thanks to give us this Open Thread out if its open holes drips wonderful stuff.:-)
My parents were both German
And immigrated to Canada in 1958, where my Sister and I were born a few years later. I grew up in Southern California and learned both English and German, but by the time I went to school, I only spoke English. I've been writing stories since I was six years old. All in English.
Glad you enjoyed the wine stories.
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
Thank You for sharing your family history
it makes it so much easier to understand each other.
As in most cases, that what one imagines is different from the realities. I am glad you put me on the ground with your explanations.
Thinking this through, it makes me a little proud, because my son has a somewhat similar story just a decade and some years later, and he is still fluent in German and also in English. We speak to each other in both languagaes, often within one sentence.
When it comes to writing I always ask if it's still ok to write in German and he says yes. There is a nice thing about it. If I want to say something not meant for the ears of his girl friend I switch to German, meany mother that I am. She isn't that much into anything German, just wants some German chocolate and can't understand that I can't send that to Maui, as the customs control at the HI airports just never allow any food items on to the islands and take it away (and eat it themselves I am sure
)
BTW, are you aware of the wineries on Maui? MauiWineI am not sure if it is the same one I visited 12 years ago, probably not. Seems as if Maui has now many wineries.
So many changes everywhere I go, it makes me dizzy.
Have a nice remaining day.
That painting of a feline Dionysius or Bacchus (^_^) n/t
Caravaggio is probably turning over in his grave
But, gosh, I laughed out loud when I saw the cat dressed up as his famous Bacchus, so of course I had to use it! Interesting thing about Carravaggios models; he used to pick them up off the street, pay them and feed them, and they were often prostitutes.
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
Good morning Anja et. al. Thanks for the OT and the recipe
and the wine reviews. That recipe is quite similar to some from Julia and Irma both, I suspect that there are hundreds of variants differing mostly in the details. Even more if you include variants of Reverend Jane's pot roast. You can even do variants of both in an instant pot. Around here, we've reached the point where we pretty much just wing it with the recipe details and quantities. The big key, which Julia used to emphasize, is to never use any wine you wouldn't drink.
A strangely similar concoction that I haven't made in decades (waaay too many servings) is done in a crock pot.
1 pound lamb shanks cut into chunks
1 pound of dried lentils
1 large onion, chopped.
1 750 ml bottle of decent red
1 or 2 bay leaves, salt and pepper
rinse and sort the lentils, then throw it all in a crock pot and cook it until done, which is something like 8 hours on low and 4 hours on high.
Have a good one.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Good Julia tip about cooking with wine
Your recipe looks yummy. I like adding in the lentils. True, the quantities can be large if you're not cooking for a lot of people, which is why I make a lot of stews in the winter. They freeze well and I love a good lunch.
Have you selected your wine yet for Thanksgiving? I'm bringing a Meomi Pinot Noir to my Sister's house. Her in-laws aren't red wine drinkers so it'll just be the two of us drinking that wine. If my Sister and I manage to finish that bottle off, the Liberte Cabernet will be the back up wine. Haven't drank a lot of wine since September, but since I won't be taking part in the desserts this year, I'll indulge in the wine. Who knows, I may not even be able to drink more than two glasses?
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
Sorry for the delayed response, but we definitely have.
We have 6 guests who partake, so each gets one slightly light pour per bottle. Appetizers will be accompanied by a Sbragia Family Vineyards Blanc de Blanc Brut, which may reappear later at dessert time.
One guest is a big pinot fan, so we will start with a pair of Navarro Vineyards 2016 "Methode Ancienne" pinots from the Anderson Valley, one filtered and one unfiltered and otherwise exactly identical. Sort of a mini comparison tasting, but sequential and not side by side. Since I first started hosting T-Day, I've always poured zins, originally Louis Martini "Monte Rosso" zins, but the elder Martini passed on and they were bought out and we switched back to Sonoma county, which we generally prefer anyway. This year we're going with a Seghesio "Old Vines" (Sonoma Valley) followed by a Seghesio "Rockpile", from the Rockpile ava. We start about 2 pm, so that should be enough but not too much to get us into the evening. Besides that, two of our guests often bring wine as well. They showed up with a wonderful cab franc last year and either a valdigue or a charbono.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Seghesio "Old Vines"
That's a Zin, isn't it? Great choice. Should compliment the Turkey perfectly. Your choices sound so intriguing! We will probably do sparkling wine with the apps, but my Sister's in-laws will be in charge of that. Last year they brought a "Brut Crémant de Bordeaux" that was actually quite nice. Fruity and citrusy with a spicy finish. Look forward to seeing what they bring this year. I plan on staying overnight at my Sister's house, so I can partake in as much wine and "medicinal" herb as I'd like.
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
good morning
Another pretty fall day here. There's nice color and it isn't too cold. The cold weather is due this weekend. Trade day was busy this morning, but I only bought avocados. You learn to only buy what you need or will use rather than snapping up all the bargains....making others junk into your junk.
Yesterday, I added another roof to the well house creating a shelf area for drying crops after washing. Just added the sink last week. So we'll be ready for harvest time. The fall/winter veggies all look good. Even the ones browsed by the groundhog are regrowing. A single strand of electric fence around the base of the garden fence seems to have done the job.
I've been on a pinot noir routine of late, but like the Cabernet. The cheapest red seems to be burgundy for some reason.
Well thanks for the info, OT, and recipes. Have a nice day everyone.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Good morning Lookout
Glad to hear the groundhog isn't back. What kind of winter veggies do you grow? I love a good Pinot Noir. In fact I will be bringing a very nice bottle of Pinot Noir to my Sisters house on Thanksgiving. Will also be bringing one of the Cabs as a back up wine in case we are in wine drinking mood.
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
Good morning, Anja ~~
Making me hungry with your recipe! Reminds me of beef bourguignon, yum!!! Reverend Jane's recipe looks great, too! Can you tell I'm hungry? Not eating for another couple of hours, so better sip my delicious coffee with stevia and flax milk! That keeps me sated until I break my fast.
I'm not much of a wine drinker. I'll drink it, don't get me wrong, but the older I get, the less I like to drink. What I hate is feeling bad or having it interrupt my sleep. Oh, well, age is hell!
Beautiful day today. Last one for a while. Should get into the low 70's. Tomorrow we get a storm and lower temps. We should settle into the 60's after the storm and stay there for a couple of weeks. The milder the better, for me.
Enjoy your Tuesday, folks!
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
Thanksgiving should be interesting this year
Im still on my no sugar, dairy, or grains and even my skinny jeans are loose now. My Sister is being very supportive this Thanksgiving by making a few vegetables dishes that I can eat, and she will not be eating dessert either, so I won't be the only one at the dinner table not partaking. But we will be drinking wine. I'm feeling great so far. The inflammation in my knees and elbows is gone and no pain any more. Miraculous.
Have a great day, RA!
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
I'm so far out of the loop, Anja ...
So, first, thanks for another excellent essay; despite the fact that I've missed so many for a variety of reasons, they are always excellent (and informative). Second, I didn't realize you were trying a restricted eating plan. Is it Whole30 or something similar? About a year and a half ago, I tried Whole30 and damn, did I feel tremendously better. Ultimately, I reintroduced almost everything but the best thing I took away from it was kicking my added sugar habit -- especially in my morning coffee. I also crave sweets way less now, which can only be a good thing.
The funny part about losing weight
is that I followed my Sister's advice (she's a dietitian who lost a lot of weight years ago for health reasons) and only found out later is was essentially the same as the Whole30. My Sister, again, being ahead of the curve by years.
The great news is that I'm feeling better than I have in years, but man, the sugar habit was so very hard to break. Those first 2 weeks, I'd wake up in the middle of the night craving sugar like some meth addict. So, while eating dessert for the holidays is calorically negligible, I just don't want to introduce the cravings again. That said, I will be drinking wine, and I know that has sugar in it, but it metabolizes differently, so hopefully I'll be ok.
I've also basically turned my kitchen into a lab experimenting with new vegetable dishes and I look forward to sharing them here in my OT!
Good to see you Eagles!
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
I can't wait to read about your lab experiments!
My mouth is watering already.
I love that your sister was so ahead of the curve on the principles that Whole30 is based on. Just think if she'd had the benefit of social media and viral marketing!
I hear you on not wanting to reintroduce the cravings, and good on you for resisting. I did take "comfort" in the idea that you can always go back to the plan when you sense yourself drifting back into old habits, or are not feeling as great as you'd like to. Resisting desserts is easier for me now, but not salty crunchy things, which are definitely NOT part of Whole30!
Good to see you, too, amiga!
On another note ~~~~
I dropped this in the EB late last evening, but it needs lots of views.
This is a must watch, in my opinion. If you have any doubts about what's going on in Israel regarding the human rights abuses, etc. of the Palestinian people, this will quash those doubts. I never heard of Kim Iverson, before, but came across this video in another blog.
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
Kim Iverson is very good . . .
Watch her work on the petro-dollar.
I have seen that video in my feed . . . will go and watch it now.
Marilyn
"Make dirt, not war." eyo
Dem Party, not Russia, has delegitimized the democratic process
https://consortiumnews.com/2019/11/04/its-the-dnc-stupid-democratic-part...
Good morning, Anja,
A fortuitous OT as beef was on a good sale yesterday, so i purchased carrots and other fixings in preparation for a stew. Wish i had one of those cabs to follow recipe, but hey, i've a little Sauvignon Blanc, so i'll add that to the stock.
Nice day out, a little crisp and have no plans beyond these walls. Yesterday was full, on the go all day, making this a welcome respite.
Will have to wait until travel comes again before going to a Trader Joe's around 10 days before returning to the hill. I'll hopefully get to check today's wines then.
Have a happy day.
Fortuitous indeed!
Nothing like a good beef stew when the weather gets a little chilly
No need to worry about the wine. The high acidity in Sauvignon Blanc will pair nicely with the beef. Look forward to hearing about your future wine purchases!
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
Vin Mariani
Probably the most notorious Bordeaux wine in history was produced by one Angelo Mariani. While it was being made and sold, it was considered a universal tonic and restorative. I speak, of course, of:
source
That's right, "Vin Tonique ala Coca du Perou", created by marinating coca leaves in a deep red, rich Bordeaux wine.
It contained about 8.5 percent cocaine extract, according to my source article (I recommend the whole article most wholeheartedly; not just fact-filled but really fun,too!)
Vin Mariani had friends in the very highest of places:
source
Again, I recommend the article at thenonist.com very strongly.
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
A Bordeaux, eh?
I dunno, I think maybe the coca leaf might've paired better with a racy little Sauvignon Blanc.
Interesting story there, told with a bit of tongue in cheek
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
pairings
I wouldn't know; I've never tasted coca leaves. But it is my understanding that Monsieur Mariani used a Bordeaux.
Name another blog where wine pairings for cocaine come up in the natural flow of conversation!
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
You started it! Hahaha!
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
Interesting things go with coke
Like what?
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
Umm...Bordeaux
or maybe a racy little Sauvignon Blanc.
Definitely goose gravy.
Bwahahaha!
Definitely goose gravy!
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
Late to the party again!
Overslept this morning and so did not have time to do much more than read briefly the OT and not the comments. Tuesday is one of my stretch and strengthen class days and since I was riding my bike to class had to speed my morning up. We are having some beautiful days right now with morning temperature in the 40's which is nice for bike rides.
Cabernet Sauvignon is my go to wine most of the time. I have ventured out to the Petit Syrah and Zinvandel. The recipes you and others included today all sound yummy. Will probably wait until I head down to Austin area since right now am eating down the things in my freezer before heading out. Always empty the refrigerator/freezer before I leave to cut down on things that are left running. Have a good week and thanks for the OT.
Life is what you make it, so make it something worthwhile.
This ain't no dress rehearsal!
It's interesting...
I think I had to prime my palate to really enjoy Cabernets. I was so used to white wines that I really did take to the tannic finish on my palate. It might've also helped that I started with Pinot Noirs and Zinfindels before I got to the Cabs.
Hey, when you get to Austin you'll have to give us a nice music and food report
Good to see you anytime you get here Jakkalbessie!
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
Fun OT - thanks!
The stew recipes look wonderful!
I made somewhat similar food for the crew here today. Round steak braised and cooked like a roast in onions and mushrooms. Mashed cheesy tators, corn, and broccoli. Thought about putting wine in the onion mushroom gravy but didn't think the kids would like it. Good comfort food.
Will try your stew sometime when it is just old folks here.
Cheers!
Marilyn
"Make dirt, not war." eyo
onion mushroom gravy
Sounds delish! My Mother used to put red wine in her goose gravy for Christmas dinner but as a kid I never knew it. Went well with the fluffy potato dumplings. Like really well. Talk about comfort food!
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
Another Late to the Party person here!
Work at the office was very intense, and I brought a case file home with me, intend to spend a couple of hours reviewing my legal brief, lining up all my exhibits to offer into evidence. It will be a late night for me.
The stew recipe looks wonderful, and if very similar to mine. I, too, use red wine lavishly when I prepare it.
My dirty little secret: My palate is not sensitive or sophisticated, so I am not a candidate to be helpful at a wine tasting. However, on occasion, a wine might have something about it that appeals. I like beer, cook with wine, essentially.
I think the most wonderful wine I ever drank was at a local winery in the country of Georgia. That country is, as far as the tour guides knew, the only country to practice their unique process of fermentation. Mashed grapes, covered with water, put into clay pots, put pots in a hole in the ground, cover them, come get them 6 months later. It was the most interesting flavor of any wine I ever tasted. The clay pots added something you just can't imagine.
Several of the wineries are getting their product out from the country and into the world.
I hope one day it will be readily available.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Hola, Anja! Wanted to
let you know that soon Mr M will be back in the saddle as 'head cook.' Of course, I'm still chief bottle washer.
And, several of his parting company retirement gifts are cooking appliances--our selection. Already, he's received a couple of none-cooking-related gifts (via UPS). So, the kitchen items should be on the way soon. Hope to see him put them to good use, instead of them just 'collecting dust.'
BTW, bookmarked your OT several weeks ago, for easier access, since I'm fully expecting him to try out more than a few of your delicious-sounding vegetarian dishes. If we have much luck, will let you know.
Take care. Hope your babies are all doing well.
Mollie
I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive.
~~Gilda Radner, Comedienne
Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.
~~Cicero
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
So glad to hear that Mollie!
Btw, love the picture of Kaity
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier