Eat – Drink…

Source: http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/thestew/2011/03/22-lunches-33-dinners-at-chicago-chef-week.html

Xérès How to Cook with Wine Chenin Blanc Wines Frascati Secco Top Rated White Meritage from Napa Valley Letting a Red Wine Breathe Understanding Wine Labels

Still think that social networks like Twitter aren’t worth your investment of time? Read this for an example and a couple of tools that might help change your mind (disclosure; Vrazon is reseller for the second) A post by a friend, Poppy Dinsey (@poppyd) made me think about this issue today. Since I met her, [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/_g4iLqC4p4k/

Aligoté Port Wines Auslese Inexpensive Italian Sweet Wines Sparkling Wine The Basics on Cooking with Wine Chiroubles

Source: http://cookingforassholes.blogspot.com/2012/11/chile-chili.html

Chiroubles Leonetti Merlot Washington Provençal Rosé Verdelho Chardonnay Unusual Wine and Food Pairings Xérès

Source: http://tablascreek.typepad.com/tablas/2013/04/budbreak-2013.html

St. Emilion Vino Novello Pairing Wine and Pizza Gavi How to Store Leftover Wine Sancerre Wine Buying Strategies

Source: http://cookingforassholes.blogspot.com/2013/01/ladyboy-coconut-shrimp.html

Champagne Maçonnais (White) Choosing The Right Wine Vino Nobile de Montepulciano Wine Accessories Pinot Blanc Chinon

Source: http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/thestew/2011/03/friday-5-a-cocktail-to-kick-off-the-weekend-2.html

Cabernet Sauvignon Frascati Bardolino Cava How to Choose Wine Dolcetto Meritage

MORTON GROVE, Ill., May 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Lifeway Foods, Inc., (Nasdaq: LWAY), a leading supplier of kefir cultured dairy products, today announced the $7.4 million acquisition of the Golden Guernsey dairy plant in Waukesha, WI, to provide additional manufacturing capacity for its…

Source: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lifeway-foods-acquires-golden-guernsey-dairy-plant-for-74-million-207537981.html

Etiquette for Wine Tasting and Serving Tafelwein Vinho Verde Vernaccia di San Gimignano Liebfraumilch Charles Shaw: Inexpensive Wines Pouilly-Fumé

Sophomore, 15, eclipses long-standing marks in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters at City Section track and field championships.

Frozen yogurt. That’s the reward 15-year-old sophomore Marissa Williams of Palisades plans to give herself after turning in the greatest performance by a girls’ distance runner in City Section history Wednesday night at the City track and field championships at Birmingham.

Source: http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/sports/~3/zXZFvM_aIQU/la-sp-0523-city-section-track-20130523,0,7988515.column

Edelzwicker Storing Wine in a Wine Cabinets List of Components in Wine Rosé Champagne What is Vintage Wine? Chianti Choosing Wine Glasses

Note: For every entry received in this mixer giveaway, I will donate 10 cents to Oklahoma tornado relief efforts on behalf of PW friends/readers.   Today I’m giving away three (3) KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixers…in the color of each winner’s choice!   For this giveaway, to keep the focus on the great need following Monday’s devastating tornado, I will donate a dime for every entry received to tornado relief efforts in Oklahoma. (If there are…

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/pwcooks/~3/dSSur-1XwWo/

Best Red Wine Regions in the World Beaujolais Vin Gris Matching The Right Wine with Food Make Your Own Wine Amarone Pinot Nero

The walkout by patient care workers shuts down some services at medical centers in L.A., Irvine, San Diego, San Francisco and Sacramento.

A strike by University of California patient care workers Tuesday caused the cancellation of hundreds of surgeries, the closure of laboratory stations and the diversion of emergency room patients, officials said.

Source: http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/features/health/~3/_z-llyrtAHY/la-me-uc-strike-20130522,0,450437.story

Vino Nobile de Montepulciano Wine Accessories Pinot Blanc Chinon Petit Rouge Pinot Noir Nero d Avola

When it comes to dairy, the French are commonly considered the best producers in the world, with some regions being given the protection of AOP status. And when we’re looking for something special to smear on our bread we reach out for French products, because they’re the best. Right? Well, maybe not.

As the Isigny AOP butter website puts it “How do we explain the fact that gourmets favour Isigny butter? It is simple! The Isigny terroir has the advantage of a mild, damp climate”. Mmm, remind you of anything? The British climate is nothing if not mild and damp – so why aren’t our dairy products held in equally high esteem?

British: you can’t put a better bit of butter on your knife.

There are lots of fabulous butters available in the UK and you don’t have to look far to find them: most supermarkets stock butter from small, local producers and typically the price will be less than that of the big-brand butters. So you can support small businesses and dairies, pay less and most probably get a better tasting product – what’s not to like?

The UK’s mild summers punctuated with frequent bouts of drizzle produce green and pleasant lands that are perfect for dairy production. The best cream comes from dairy cows grazed in meadows, so climate is crucial because it affects what will grow in the fields and therefore what the cow eats. And a cow’s diet has a marked effect on the flavour of butter.

Industrial scale butter production involves extracting small amounts of cream from whey, a by-product of cheese-making, and cultures are then added to the cream to improve longevity. Continuous churns are used, with the capacity to produce 22,000 lb of butter per hour. It results in a consistent if perhaps uninspiring product, but there are still companies around making butter the old fashioned way.

 “[Large manufactures] add cultures to the cream to make it last longer. But ours doesn’t have any of that in it because it’s good quality milk so it lasts anyway,” says Linda Weeks, who’s been running Netherend Farm Butter in Gloucestershire with her husband, Wyndham, for over 30 years. They are one of many licensed organic producers in the UK, all seeking to provide high quality products in what has become a difficult market.

Their butter is made in small batches using a churn. “There’s an art to it,” says Wyndham “you know when it’s ready because it starts banging in the churn”. They’ve won many accolades from chefs and food writers in recent years, but seem slightly bemused by the attention their product is garnering, having always made it the same way. “A few years ago more chefs started wanting to use English produce and it gained in popularity,” says Wyndham. Netherend Farm’s success proves that excellent butter is produced in this country, just as it always has been.

 

What to look for in a butter
If you are making flaky pastry a high fat content (or, more specifically, a low moisture content) is considered an advantage. However, any butter you buy in the UK will have a fat content of between 80-83% – so the difference really is incremental. This is why spreads cannot be used in place of butter in baking but margarine can be – the fat content of spread is usually around 70% fat, whereas margarine has a fat content similar to butter. 

Flavour, however, does vary. Butter is undoubtedly best when made from the milk of free-range cows. Organic definitely pays dividends. And the fresher the cream, the better the butter. But it all boils down to taste, so try different butters and see what you prefer. There’s definitely no need to rely on mass-produced, imported butters.

Make it at home
Butter is made from pasteurised cream with a fat content of around 40%. This is agitated or churned to separate the liquid from the fat. Prills of fat are formed in a liquid (buttermilk) which is then drained off.  The remaining prills of fat are then thoroughly washed (to improve the taste and extend the shelf life of the butter) and worked to create a smooth texture before salt is added and the butter is shaped.

If you’ve ever over-whipped cream when making a desert, then you were well on your way to making butter. Though breaking the fat molecules from the water is easy, you still need to strain the buttermilk and clean the remaining butter effectively, and that’s what is difficult to do at home. Any buttermilk lingering in the fat runs the risk of producing a ‘cheesy’ taste. It’s a fun experiment to do with children though, and you need nothing more than a whisk and a tub of cream.

Have you ever tried to make butter at home? What do you look for in a butter?

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/food/2012/08/in-praise-of-british-butter.shtml

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Once you try this recipe, you will never buy pre-made Alfredo sauce again! It is totally decadent and off the charts delicious – full of so much flavor and richness that you totally need to spend extra time on the treadmill after eating this Fettuccine Alfredo!

To make Fettuccine Alfredo, you will first have to know how to cook the pasta. For a quick review, check out my “How to Cook Pasta” video.

In addition to the 1 pound (450g.) of dried fettuccine, the only other ingredients needed to make this recipe are:

• 8 Tablespoons (113 g.) of unsalted butter
• 1 cup (235 g.) of heavy cream
• 1 cup (120 g.) of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Follow the directions on the back of the package of pasta that you bought and be sure to add plenty of salt to the cooking water.

While the pasta is cooking, grate the parmesan cheese…

…measure out the heavy cream and cut the butter into tablespoon size chunks (to make it easier to melt.)

When the pasta is cooked, pour it into a colander and let the water drain off.

While the pasta is draining, over low heat, melt the butter in the same pot you cooked the pasta in.

Return the drained pasta to the pot with the melted butter.

Add the cream….

…and the grated parmesan cheese.

Toss everything together over low heat until the pasta is coated with the cream, butter and the cheese.

Add some freshly ground pepper. (You can use white pepper if you have it but black pepper is fine to use as well.)

Give the Fettuccine Alfredo a taste to see if it needs salt. Some brands of Parmesan cheese are saltier than others, so give it a taste before automatically adding in the salt.

That’s it! Time to enjoy!

Source: http://startcooking.com/blog/421/

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Source: http://cookingforassholes.blogspot.com/2012/11/specktacular-clam-chowder.html

The Basics on Cooking with Wine Chiroubles Leonetti Merlot Washington Provençal Rosé Verdelho Chardonnay Unusual Wine and Food Pairings

Source: http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/thestew/2011/03/dancing-people-lovin-food-commercials.html

What is Tannin in Red Wine? Rosso Piceno Types of Wine Glasses Cabernet Sauvignon Frascati Bardolino Cava

San Antonio was up 2-0 against Oklahoma City in 2012 conference finals before the Thunder swept the next four games. Series goes to Memphis, where Grizzlies have won 19 of last 20.

San Antonio was up 2-0 against Oklahoma City in 2012 conference finals before the Thunder swept the next four games. Series goes to Memphis, where Grizzlies have won 19 of last 20.

Source: http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/sports/~3/Ac22XfjMMoA/la-sp-spurs-grizzlies-fyi-20130523,0,5383266.story

Wine Preservative: Sulphur Dioxide Soave Clarendon Hills Merlot Clarendon Brookman Valpolicella Spotting a Faulty Wine What is Tannin in Red Wine? Rosso Piceno

Donna Brazile says lack of transparency and due process at GOP-led hearings shows their true intent: To damage Clinton’s presidential prospects, and Obama’s credibility

Source: http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/edition_us/~3/u-i6IRHaBdA/index.html

Marsanne Merlot Basics Of Scoring Wine Great White Wines in The 2006 Vintage German Riesling Auslese Winemaking in Bordeaux Plan a California Wine Tour

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CookingBooks/~3/y-7v-RlrHzY/beginning-of-year-in-paris.html

Verdelho Chardonnay Unusual Wine and Food Pairings Xérès How to Cook with Wine Chenin Blanc Wines Frascati Secco

How about getting soaked in the most expensive swimming pool of the world at the San Alfonso Del Mar resort in Chile? The length of this 20-acre pool is equal with the three football fields and contains almost 66 million gallons of saltwater. It is almost 115 feet deep. Of course, it holds the Guinness [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/vagablond/ysSN/~3/ZAWBDLj7ICE/

Cava How to Choose Wine Dolcetto Meritage Prosecco Lambrusco Corking Your Wine Bottles

As we ring in this New Year, I want to personally thank everyone that has checked in on my blog and my Facebook page in 2012. My New Year goals for 2013 are to explore more Texas wine and to write about our experiences and wine finds. Texas grows each year with more wine and […]

Source: http://thegrapesaroundtexas.com/2012/12/31/happy-new-year-2013-texas-wine/

Choosing Wine Glasses Castel del Monte Chenin Blanc Aligoté Port Wines Auslese Inexpensive Italian Sweet Wines

Our good friends Kris Engelhardt and Kathy Bunting let it be known that they were on their way over with raw oysters yesterday, and it occurred to me that it would be the perfect opportunity to open the magnum of Wyncroft Riesling that had been resting in our cellar for some years. The wine was [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/gangofpour/uncZ/~3/A-fSnb7stWI/2004-wyncroft-riesling-madron-lake

The Story of a Cork Belvedere Merlot Alexander Valley Robert Young Vineyards Top Ten Inexpensive Champagnes and Wines Wineries of Ontario Canada Top Portuguese Vintage Port Viognier wine menu

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Edelzwicker Storing Wine in a Wine Cabinets List of Components in Wine Rosé Champagne What is Vintage Wine? Chianti Choosing Wine Glasses

In the increasingly close quarters of our global village, Europe is responsible for bringing at least three different substantive and prodigious professional wine journals to market over the last several years.  Each is written by a ‘Who’s Who’ of wine experts.  Meanwhile, stateside, the U.S. has experienced an explosion of pithiness with amateur wine writers writing online.

This juxtaposition becomes relevant after reading a recent post titled, “Are wine blogs going tabloid” by professional wine critic and writer Steve Heimoff.  In his brief post, with a decidedly American point of view, Heimoff summarizes his thoughts with the rhetorical query, “Why do certain bloggers revert to sensationalist stories that don’t, in the long run, matter?”

Good question.  The easy conclusion suggests that controversy and hyperbolically bombastic articles lead to attention and traffic. 

Certainly, two recent books that I’ve been reading bear out this discouraging notion:  Newsjacking:  How to Inject Your Ideas into a Breaking News Story and Generate Tons of Media Coverage and Celebrity, Inc.

Both books cover similar ground in examining how brands can subvert the 24-hour news cycle for business benefit and how the 24-hour news cycle has been subverted by celebrities using easy technology while leading our news culture into tabloidesque territory.

When considered with Heimoff’s point, it is an easy deduction to suggest that 1 + 1 does in fact equal 2 – the sensational does sell and, by proxy, online amateur wine writers are a reflection of our larger media culture.

However, in suggesting this, there is at least one bigger contextual point being missed as well as a caveat.  First, it’s an exclusive view that doesn’t take in the totality of the global wine media village and second, while sensationalism may sell, the lascivious isn’t always what’s shared.

No, it seems our schadenfreude and more primal instincts are kept private, while our shock and awe comes to the fore, at least according to one study.

The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania recently examined the most emailed articles on the New York Times web site in March of this year (link initiates a PDF download), looking for the triggers for what causes somebody to share an article, what makes one thing more viral than another?

Their conclusion?  Positive content is more viral than negative content, but both, in general, are driven by “activation” – the notion that high arousal (emotive pleasure or outrage) drives shareable content.  According to the research abstract:

Content that evokes either positive (awe) or negative (anger or anxiety) emotions characterized by activation (i.e. high arousal) is more viral.  Content that evokes deactivating emotion (sadness) is less viral.  These results hold (dominance) for how surprising, interesting, or practically useful content is, as well as external drivers of attention.

This brings us back to my earlier mention regarding the European wine journals that have come to market in recent years.  Simply, they’re an antidote to the U.S. proclivity for the vapid.

The World of Fine Wine, the family of Fine Wine magazines based in Helsinki and Tong based in Belgium all represent an Old World counterpoint to what can be deemed as the extemporaneous and superfluous coming from the New World.

As Tong publisher Filip Verheyden notes in the Tong manifesto (link initiates a PDF download) :

We live in times of “instant” gratification.  If we want to talk to someone, we pick up our mobile phone wherever we happen to be.  If we want to know something, we click an internet button.  We’re going at 200 km per hour. 

…The articles that appear in Tong demand the reader’s attention.  You can’t read them fast and put them away; you have to take the time to understand.  I’d say it takes an evening to read and think about each article.  These are not issues to put in the recycling bin.  Even after five years or more, each will continue to convey the essence of its theme…

The World of Fine Wine and Fine Wine magazine are both similarly endowed with length and verve.

My takeaway based on the Wharton research and the stunning dichotomy between what we’re seeing in the U.S. vs. European wine content is two-fold:

1)  The sometimes sensational aspect of online wine writers, especially domestically, should heed the research and focus their pot-stirring ways on matters that provoke an emotional response from readers, ideally with a positive consequence – like HR 1161 for example instead of tired, lame attempted zingers aimed at Robert Parker.

2)  In addition to a legacy sensibility about the nature and style of wine, the Old World is also drawing a culturally defining line in the sand in how they view and report on wine – it’s with substance, permanence and integrity.

The conclusion is anything but.  However, as the world becomes a smaller place and the U.S. and our wine media becomes a part of the world chorus, losing lead vocal, I would hate for our place in the gallery to be rendered completely voiceless based on a lack of substance which is the seeming trajectory that we’re on. 

It’s just a thought…

If you’re interested in seeing an example of Tong’s long-form think pieces, you can see examples here, here and here.

Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/old_world_vs._new_world_in_more_ways_than_just_the_wine/

Sparkling (Brut) Reading Italian Wine Labels Madeira Wines Build Your Own Wine Cellar Shiraz Oaks Barrels in Winemaking Icewine

UCLA hurdler’s parents, Donn Thompson and Lori Smith-Thompson, also excelled in the sport.

UCLA hurdler’s parents, Donn Thompson and Lori Smith-Thompson, also excelled in the sport.

Source: http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/sports/~3/_pxQh807dg4/la-sp-turquoise-thompson-ucla-20130523,0,3716116.story

Auslese Inexpensive Italian Sweet Wines Sparkling Wine The Basics on Cooking with Wine Chiroubles Leonetti Merlot Washington Provençal Rosé

Source: http://cookingforassholes.blogspot.com/2012/06/blueberry-streusel-ice-cream.html

Petit Rouge Pinot Noir Nero d Avola Sparkling Wines Dehlinger Merlot Sonoma County Qupe Syrah Central Coast Falanghina

Source: http://tablascreek.typepad.com/tablas/2013/04/the-costs-of-alcohol-state-franchise-laws.html

Dehlinger Merlot Sonoma County Qupe Syrah Central Coast Falanghina Sherry Wines Barbara d Alba Sangiovese Cannonau di Sardegna

The Army has suspended the top general at Fort Jackson in South Carolina due to allegations of adultery and assault, an Army spokesman says.

Source: http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/edition_us/~3/1RQAu_GMGo4/index.html

Merlot Basics Of Scoring Wine Great White Wines in The 2006 Vintage German Riesling Auslese Winemaking in Bordeaux Plan a California Wine Tour Top Australian Tawny Port

Source: http://tablascreek.typepad.com/tablas/2013/04/can-i-get-an-ice-bucket-for-my-red.html

Beaujolais Blanc 2005 Cline Cellars Syrah Cool Climate Sonoma Coast Barbara d Asti The Story of a Cork Belvedere Merlot Alexander Valley Robert Young Vineyards Top Ten Inexpensive Champagnes and Wines Wineries of Ontario Canada

Are you thinking that you’ll save a ton of money by saving all your grocery receipts and deducting the cost of your gluten free food? Before you collect a lot of paper, take a minute to see if the savings are worth the effort. This article was originally published in 2011 and has been updated [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GlutenFreeCookingSchool/~3/nMT6RXj1AzU/

wine ratings Verdicchio Buying Wine as Host Gift Vouvray Wines for Summer Grilling Nuits St George J. Lohr 2005 Estates South Ridge Syrah

I figured since Easter is only a week away that I should do a weekly round up to help with Easter meal planning. Here are some of the best from fellow foodie bloggers: Orange, Brown Sugar Glazed Ham via Simply Scratch 3 Variations of Deviled Easter Eggs via Not Eating Out in NY Rosemary Roasted [...]

Thanks for reading! You can also follow me on twitter and http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CookingDuringStolenMoments/~3/f2cGXB-aw8Q/

Icewine Champagne Wines Pinot Grigio Pinot Gris Etiquette for Wine Tasting and Serving Tafelwein Vinho Verde

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CookingBooks/~3/Ooyo1rEkdWM/sausage-and-beef-kebabs.html

Chiroubles Leonetti Merlot Washington Provençal Rosé Verdelho Chardonnay Unusual Wine and Food Pairings Xérès

LOS ANGELES, May 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Stand up for real food tomorrow, May 17th, as food revolutionaries all around the world take a stand for good food and essential cooking skills. With over 1,000 activities on the map, Jamie Oliver’s 2nd Annual Food Revolution Day will be a fun…

Source: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/get-involved-tomorrow-with-jamie-olivers-2nd-annual-food-revolution-day-207746911.html

J. Lohr 2005 Estates South Ridge Syrah Gewurtztraminer Sparkling Wine 1917 Wine Trivia St. Emilion Vino Novello Pairing Wine and Pizza

Nail biting encounter with the grand dame of Indian Cooking

The post Miss Masala meets Madhur Jaffrey appeared first on Quick Indian Cooking.

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Corking Your Wine Bottles Bordeaux (Red) Cirò 2005 Sauternes Dessert Wines How to Clean Wine Glasses Dôle Most Expensive Wine in the World

Photo by James Trosh

As you probably read, saw or otherwise heard this week, former New England Patriot quarterback Drew Bledsoe visited the State House to meet with lawmakers and the media. Bledsoe was advancing the notion that out of state wineries should be able to ship wine to Massachusetts residents.

If you’re new to the story here’s a brief history of the battle surrounding the direct shipment of wine in Massachusetts.

Bledsoe’s celebrity from his time with the Patriots combined with his ownership of Washington based Doubleback Wines makes him the perfect person to bring more visibility to this long standing issue. I thought the strategy behind his appearance was brilliant.

The story most repeated from his visit was a tale of Tom Brady trying to order a case of Doubleback and not being able to ship it to Massachusetts. Brady instead “shipped to a friend/relative in another state” – a maneuver many of us are all too familiar with. As the story (surely embellished) goes Brady’s father in California drank the entire case of $89/bottle Cabernet before Brady had a chance to try it.

Even if that tale isn’t entirely true it’s one that uses familiar names to illustrate how, basically, annoying current shipping laws are.

One thing worth noting is that Bledsoe’s wine is distributed in Massachusetts. I see a lot of people asking where they can buy it. The best way to find where it’s currently available in Massachusetts (or any wine in any state for that matter) is to use Wine-Searcher. Here’s a link showing where Doubleback is currently available in Massachusetts.

A natural question that might fall out of this is why direct shipment is important if wines are already available here? Well, for one thing, there are thousands of small production wines that aren’t distributed here that enthusiasts would like access to. When this happens, enthusiasts ship wines to neighboring states which is a hassle and generates tax revenue for neighboring states. More on that scenario here.

But even when a specific winery is distributed in Massachusetts we’d still like the option of buying directly from the winery. This is most typically to gain access to wines in high demand with limited availability. Or specific bottlings produced in small quantities. Or because we’re just interested in establishing a direct relationship with the winery. If you’re on the mailing list and a regular customer you’re more likely to be given special treatment when visiting a winery or informed of events in your area.

In total, restrictive direct shipment laws make it inconvenient for wineries and wine enthusiasts to do long-term business together. It’s just not right. Some might even say they’re unconstitutional.

What’s Next?

I spoke with Jeremy Benson from Free the Grapes yesterday. After Bledsoe’s visit I sensed a “Now what?” vibe in the air. The media seemed excited to get pictures of Bledsoe, and legislators seemed thrilled to get their pictures taken with him. But where do we go from here?

Benson acknowledged that in Massachusetts politics “nothing happens quickly”. A tangible mid-term benefit of the Bledsoe visit is that when a wine shipping bill comes up for hearing the media will hopefully be more apt to report on the story and supportive legislators will be more apt to make this issue a priority. It’s one of those “important but non-urgent” things that seems to elude action for too long.

There are 4 virtually identical bills in the House currently, all entitled “An Act regulating the direct shipment of wine”:

• H230 Jones
• H243 Madden/Peake
• H258 Moran
• H294 Speliotis

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/vYQxYbVj0vM/drew-bledsoe-visits-state-house-now-what.html

Cava How to Choose Wine Dolcetto Meritage Prosecco Lambrusco Corking Your Wine Bottles

Source: http://tablascreek.typepad.com/tablas/2013/05/lyricism-and-the-power-of-a-great-wine-review.html

French Study Says Wine Drinkers May Be Healthier Rioja Top Five Common Misconceptions About Wine Sushi and Wine Cooking with The Right Wine Scheurebe Champagne

Tornadoes destroyed homes and tossed trees around like toothpicks as powerful storms ripped through Oklahoma and the Midwest on Sunday and Monday.

Source: http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/edition_us/~3/6Kcc3JmUs8k/index.html

Côtes de Provence Burgundy (White) Serving Wine at the Right Temperature Brunello di Montalcino Silvaner Inexpensive Australian Dessert Wines What Are Organic Wines?

Source: http://tablascreek.typepad.com/tablas/2013/05/how-times-change.html

Côtes de Provence Burgundy (White) Serving Wine at the Right Temperature Brunello di Montalcino Silvaner Inexpensive Australian Dessert Wines What Are Organic Wines?

Romance may be getting short shrift among college students these days, replaced instead with quick “hookups” devoid of any real emotion, a new book argues.

Source: http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/edition_us/~3/mCoahbko0dU/index.html

Sangiovese Cannonau di Sardegna A Look at Wine Bottles Inexpensive Spanish Sherry Wine Beaujolais Blanc 2005 Cline Cellars Syrah Cool Climate Sonoma Coast Barbara d Asti

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Castelli Romani Marsala Wines Paloma Merlot Spring Mountain District wine types Chateauneuf-du-Pape How Champagne is Made Fleurie

With hopefully a few weeks of summer to eke out, I got thinking about how to manage outdoor cooking and eating in a more effortless and stylish way than I have in the past.

When the sun suddenly shines and I decide to throw an impromptu barbecue, it’s often the same food that I reach for – sausages, whole mackerel, courgettes halved lengthways and brushed with olive oil; all fine food but it’s time for something new.

So who better to ask than Sam and Sam Clark of award-winning restaurant Moro in London? They will be cooking at this weekend’s Wilderness Festival where food is arguably the headlining act (the line-up of chefs also includes Yottam Ottolenghi, Fergus Henderson and Valentine Warner).

Not only are they facing the challenge of cooking for around a thousand hungry and discerning festival-goers on barbecues, they also have a vast experience of outdoor cooking – from a three-month culinary honeymoon spent driving their campervan through Spain, Morocco and the Sahara, to the numerous feasts they cooked on their allotment immortalised in their third book, Moro East.

Cooking outdoors
Sam(antha) Clark shared her tips for eating in the great outdoors as inspired by their travels. “Food seems to taste better outside,” she says. “On Sunday in Spain there is a great tradition of driving to the countryside (campo) to have a picnic. Most natural parks provide permanent barbecues to cook on.”

“Keep it seasonal and simple but with fresh, bold flavours. We often cook paella outside for large parties; there is a bit of theatre involved that is a talking point of the party and when ready, it looks stunning.”

The Moro team will be using two simple drum barbecues to recreate the flavours of Moro in the wilds of Oxfordshire; but they’ve even been known to use an old wheelbarrow. After stumbling upon an abandoned one with a flat tyre at their allotment, they couldn’t resist turning it into an impromptu grill to prepare Mechouia, a Tunisian dish of smoky-grilled vegetables scented with spices.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/food/2012/08/outdoor-entertaining-moro-styl.shtml

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While many of D.C.’s summer interns will spend the next few months getting someone else’s coffee, a few lucky interns at Qualia Coffee will actually learn to roast their own.

The quirky Petworth coffeeshop/roasting company/good brew evangelist is looking for interns to learn the trade, says Qualia’s owner and roastmaster, Joel Finkelstein. Finkelstein currently roasts all the beans that Qualia sells in-house and at local farmers markets, but demand is up and there’s no one to man the roaster when he has jury duty.

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After years of controversy, the latest version of the “psychiatric bible” — the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders — has been released.

Source: http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/edition_us/~3/QK68RCRNbIA/index.html

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Reliever, 30, spent 10 years toiling in the minor leagues and independent leagues, coming close to quitting, before earning his first extended stay in the big leagues.

If you just got married and bought a house, this would be a good year to land a job in an industry with a minimum annual salary of $490,000.

Source: http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/sports/~3/qx7l57VER2M/la-sp-0521-angels-de-la-rosa-20130521,0,5690054.story

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Source: http://cookingforassholes.blogspot.com/2013/01/ladyboy-coconut-shrimp.html

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HOT! HOT! HOT! Well maybe not! You can actually control the amount of heat in this recipe for Jalapeno Peppers Stuffed with Sausage in two ways:

1. The type of sausage you choose
2. How you clean the peppers

You need just four ingredients needed to make this recipe:

• 1 and 1/2 pounds of jalapeno peppers (about 18 small to medium)
• 8 ounces of cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 pound of sausage

Start by softening the cream cheese. Just take it out of the refrigerator, open the wrapping, and let it sit on the counter while you cook the sausage. It will soften on its own!

I chose HOT Italian sausage to make this recipe. It ended up with quite a kick! Choosing sweet Italian sausage or pork sausage would definitely have decreased the amount of heat. Buy whatever sausage you prefer, depending on YOUR taste or that of the people invited to your party.

***

Let’s startcooking!

With a sharp knife, slice through the casing of the sausage.

Remove the skin and add the sausage to a large frying pan that has been pre-heated on medium-high heat.

The sausage needs to get broken up into bits and cooked completely.

One way to break the sausage apart is with a spatula (shown above), but it does not do a great job at breaking apart the meat as it cooks. You could try using a fork (shown below) which works a bit better…

…or a potato masher (below), which actually works the best!

Once the meat is cooked put it into a bowl lined with paper towels.

Once all the fat has drained from the cooked sausage, which will only take a minute or so, remove the paper towels and throw them away.

Add the softened cream cheese and the grated Parmesan cheese.

This needs to get totally mixed together.

If the cream cheese is not soft it will make mixing quite difficult.

It should end up looking like the photo below.

Now for the peppers!

(Please take a moment to review my photo-tutorial on Handling Hot Peppers.)

Wash the jalapenos and cut them in half with a sharp knife.

OK! We’re now ready for the second way to control the heat of your final dish – cleaning the inside of the peppers.

The outside flesh of the peppers contain a lot of flavor. Most of the “heat” is contained in the internal seeds and the membrane that they are attached to.

So, we’re going to remove the seeds and membrane with a knife …

…or a spoon or melon baler.

Even the slightest bit of that white membrane will give these Sausage Stuffed Jalapenos quite a kick!

Fill each jalapeño half with about 1 to 1 ½ Tablespoons of filling. A small pepper will require less filling.

Some of the filled peppers may tip over in the oven. To prevent this, you can “snuggle” or “nestle” them together on the baking sheet. (Be sure to use a baking sheet with sides!)

Bake them in a pre-heated 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) oven for 20 minutes.

You can see how some of the larger ones sort of toppled over. Next time, I am going to try to get smaller jalapeños and be sure to nestle them together on the baking tray so they will remain upright.

I left the top stem on some of them just for presentation purposes.

However, be warned. You don’t eat the stem! (Warn your guests.)

Enjoy!

Source: http://startcooking.com/blog/467/

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A chocolatey twist on a Bengali classic

The post Out with the old appeared first on Quick Indian Cooking.

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The Story of a Cork Belvedere Merlot Alexander Valley Robert Young Vineyards Top Ten Inexpensive Champagnes and Wines Wineries of Ontario Canada Top Portuguese Vintage Port Viognier wine menu

QI have a statue of a blue heron, but the neck is broken. The statue is about four feet tall, and I think it is made of concrete or a composite of concrete and another material. I would like to have it repaired, but I have contacted a few lawn and garden centers that carry statues and also a memorial headstone company to no avail. Do you know who can do this? I would be willing to travel to other parts of Virginia, Maryland or West Virginia.

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Infielder joins the club, his third in the last three weeks, after being picked up on waivers from the New York Yankees. ‘They just told me to take my essential stuff,’ he says.

Chris Nelson , the newest Angel, strode into the clubhouse just after 8:30 Sunday morning, found his corner locker and began to unpack. It didn’t take long.

Source: http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/sports/~3/w7_ODz04Cl0/la-sp-0520-angels-notes-20130520,0,6354573.story

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Photo by James Trosh

As you probably read, saw or otherwise heard this week, former New England Patriot quarterback Drew Bledsoe visited the State House to meet with lawmakers and the media. Bledsoe was advancing the notion that out of state wineries should be able to ship wine to Massachusetts residents.

If you’re new to the story here’s a brief history of the battle surrounding the direct shipment of wine in Massachusetts.

Bledsoe’s celebrity from his time with the Patriots combined with his ownership of Washington based Doubleback Wines makes him the perfect person to bring more visibility to this long standing issue. I thought the strategy behind his appearance was brilliant.

The story most repeated from his visit was a tale of Tom Brady trying to order a case of Doubleback and not being able to ship it to Massachusetts. Brady instead “shipped to a friend/relative in another state” – a maneuver many of us are all too familiar with. As the story (surely embellished) goes Brady’s father in California drank the entire case of $89/bottle Cabernet before Brady had a chance to try it.

Even if that tale isn’t entirely true it’s one that uses familiar names to illustrate how, basically, annoying current shipping laws are.

One thing worth noting is that Bledsoe’s wine is distributed in Massachusetts. I see a lot of people asking where they can buy it. The best way to find where it’s currently available in Massachusetts (or any wine in any state for that matter) is to use Wine-Searcher. Here’s a link showing where Doubleback is currently available in Massachusetts.

A natural question that might fall out of this is why direct shipment is important if wines are already available here? Well, for one thing, there are thousands of small production wines that aren’t distributed here that enthusiasts would like access to. When this happens, enthusiasts ship wines to neighboring states which is a hassle and generates tax revenue for neighboring states. More on that scenario here.

But even when a specific winery is distributed in Massachusetts we’d still like the option of buying directly from the winery. This is most typically to gain access to wines in high demand with limited availability. Or specific bottlings produced in small quantities. Or because we’re just interested in establishing a direct relationship with the winery. If you’re on the mailing list and a regular customer you’re more likely to be given special treatment when visiting a winery or informed of events in your area.

In total, restrictive direct shipment laws make it inconvenient for wineries and wine enthusiasts to do long-term business together. It’s just not right. Some might even say they’re unconstitutional.

What’s Next?

I spoke with Jeremy Benson from Free the Grapes yesterday. After Bledsoe’s visit I sensed a “Now what?” vibe in the air. The media seemed excited to get pictures of Bledsoe, and legislators seemed thrilled to get their pictures taken with him. But where do we go from here?

Benson acknowledged that in Massachusetts politics “nothing happens quickly”. A tangible mid-term benefit of the Bledsoe visit is that when a wine shipping bill comes up for hearing the media will hopefully be more apt to report on the story and supportive legislators will be more apt to make this issue a priority. It’s one of those “important but non-urgent” things that seems to elude action for too long.

There are 4 virtually identical bills in the House currently, all entitled “An Act regulating the direct shipment of wine”:

• H230 Jones
• H243 Madden/Peake
• H258 Moran
• H294 Speliotis

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/vYQxYbVj0vM/drew-bledsoe-visits-state-house-now-what.html

Barbara d Asti The Story of a Cork Belvedere Merlot Alexander Valley Robert Young Vineyards Top Ten Inexpensive Champagnes and Wines Wineries of Ontario Canada Top Portuguese Vintage Port Viognier

A former “top cop,” who had the honor of sitting next to first lady Michelle Obama during a televised presidential speech four years ago, is facing rape allegations.

Source: http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/edition_us/~3/XCxP-A1KdCk/index.html

How to Store Leftover Wine Sancerre Wine Buying Strategies Wine to Drink with Chocolate Ribera del Duero Mourvedre Know Your Wine with this Varietal Table

Spring arrives. People tell me that this must be my favorite time of year. I smile outwardly while screaming on the inside.

Sometimes I think the whole point of gardening is to mitigate against the craziness of April by getting as much as possible done at other times. When I savor the spring, it is because I look at work already done: the climbing rose I pruned and tied in January, the burgeoning Asian maple I planted in October, or the hundreds of tulips I buried in November.

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Summer is here and that means barbecues, parties and ball games. So who wants to be slaving over a hot stove while the rest of the world is having fun in the sun?

Chicken and Wild Rice Salad (video)

But, alas, your family has to eat. Telling them that salad is on the menu will probably elicit cold stares. The meat-and-potatoes camp will surely mutiny when faced with a pile of rabbit food. That’s why we’re talking about hearty, satisfying (and meaty) meal salads. These make-ahead salads are easy to prepare and will get you out of a steamy kitchen at the hottest time of the day.

Presto, Dinner is Served!

Even without a recipe, you can create your own meal salad by adding some of the following ingredients to a bed of lettuce and other vegetables. Leftover pasta, rice or couscous can also be the basis of a meal salad.

• Protein sources like marinated grilled chicken breasts, strips of lean flank steak or low-fat cubed deli ham can really jazz things up. Hard-boiled eggs, cheese and even tofu can add considerable amounts of protein to a main dish salad.
• Fish and seafood rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, crabmeat, scallops and fresh grilled tuna will turn a plain salad into a classy dinner that you’ll be proud to serve to guests.
• Good carbohydrates include lots of colorful vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds and whole grain breads and pastas.
• Save time and buy your favorite bottled dressing or save money and with just a few ingredients, you can make your own!
• Buy a big loaf of whole-grain bread or delicious focaccia and you have a complete and balanced meal on every plate!

Meal Salad Recipes

1. One of the most popular salads is Chicken Caesar Salad, and it’s also easy and inexpensive to make. Serve this with a big loaf of crusty French bread and a plate of ripe heirloom tomatoes on the side. Short on time? Buy a rotisserie chicken and a good bottle of Caesar dressing, and you’re good to go!
2. Get your omega-3 quota with Grilled Scallops over Mixed Greens and Herb Salad. (FYI: Cooking  Scallops  video)  This recipe is quick to make and will really impress your guests. Substitute cooked shrimp or salmon if you prefer. Pretty on the plate too!

   

3. Another salad with lots of eye appeal is Salad Nicoise (shown above).  You can make a beautiful arrangement of vegetables, tuna, olives and hard-boiled eggs and take a picture before you eat it. And with only five ingredients, you can afford to make your own Vinaigrette Salad Dressing.

   

4. Make your own Taco Salad -pictured above! There are tons of twists on this salad, including this one that can be set up buffet style. Invite the neighbors over and let the kids help themselves! Just about everything, including the ground beef, can be chopped, sliced or made ahead and assembled just before dinner. Serve with a big bowl of chips and a side of salsa.
5. This Grilled Steak Salad is so quick and easy, your guests will think you’ve been busy all day! You can grill the meat in advance on a grill pan and let it chill until ready to serve or arrange it when it’s done marinating. The meat is so tender and tasty, you’ll forget it’s a salad!
6. Just because you’re a vegetarian doesn’t mean you can’t sit with the meat lovers! This Chilled Tofu Salad with Miso-Ginger Vinaigrette has plenty of taste and pizzaz. Rich in protein, this salad takes roughly 20 minutes to make, including the dressing. Serve with a side of crispy chow mein noodles.
7. Potato salad does not have to be weighted down with a mayonnaise dressing.  This red bliss potato salad with lemon vinaigrette dressing is perfect for any indoor or outdoor party.
8. Serve this Chicken Salad with Grapes on a bed of leafy greens, bring along a basket of pita pockets and you have an instant picnic lunch. Too hot in the kitchen? Buy a rotisserie chicken or thaw a bag of frozen chicken breast strips. Don’t like grapes and walnuts? Substitute craisins and chopped pecans. Experiment and make it your own!

   

9. A picture perfect edible landscape, this gorgeous Cobb Salad, with its colorful rows of vegetables, meats and hard-boiled eggs looks too good to eat! Low carb and easy, too!
10. Layered Salads are impressive and delicious. Here’s a selection of Layered Salads that are perfect for make-ahead summer entertaining! A delicious Overnight Pasta Salad with ham and eggs or the ever popular BLT Salad will please everyone. Add some salami or pancetta to the Italian Layered Vegetable Salad and these three salads will feed a crowd.

    

Source: http://startcooking.com/blog/417/

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