How To Maximize Your Wine Tasting Experience

In the past I hosted monthly wine tasting classes and people found these tips helpful. People who do not know much about wine, but enjoy drinking it, may notice a lot of wine jargon. Wines can be cheap and expensive, wines may seem like they all taste the same, and the labels can be overwhelming. If you want to learn more about the wine you are drinking, this page is a great place to begin.

I practice these 4 steps every time I drink wine at home, restaurants, wineries, etc. They are referred to as the 4 S's: See, Swirl, Sniff, Sip.

See

• Hold your glass at an angle and look at its color 
• It is best to look against white paper or a table cloth
• As wine ages the coloring changes 
• For white wine, the color and hue change from a light straw color to a golden yellow 
• For red wine, the color and hue change from a purple to a brick red 
• Check for clarity or sediment 

Swirl

• Swirl the wine and look at the way it slides down the glass 
• When legs/tears are longer, this usually is related to higher alcohol content 
• When legs/tears are shorter, this is usually related to lower alcohol content
• Swirling also releases all the aromas the wine has to offer

Sniff

• After you swirl the wine, put your nose right into your glass
• What does it remind you of?
• Your first impressions are the most vivid 
• The odor will change as the wine breathes 
• Practice using an aroma wheel:
• Identify aromas
• Learn terminology 
• What do you smell?
• What does the smell remind you of?

Sip

• Take a medium size sip and let the wine roll around your mouth and the sides of your tongue
• Experience the finish of the wine. The wine's "finish" is referred to as the aftertaste or flavors at the end after swallowing the wine

Delicious Resources

There are a few resources I have discovered to be useful. I periodically update this page whenever I find a fun website that is inspiring. The links are included below:

~ On the Kendall Jackson website there is an amazing food and wine pairing guide. You can search by  type of wine to see which foods would pair best with the wine you have on hand. It does not include all of the varietals. Therefore, I will sometimes use this other Food and Wine Pairing website. It is limited with courses, but it helps with selecting which main dishes will taste best with a certain wine. This other Pairing webpage is also helpful in regards to explaining why certain wines pair well with certain foods.

~ The NY Times has a great vegetarian recipe database. You can enter in a vegetable or other ingredient (e.g., molasses) and it brings up a bunch of recipes to make as side dishes or main courses. It also has desserts, muffins, etc.

~ Martha Stewart has a great seasonal produce recipe guide. When you click on one of the items, it provides a little background and what it is often used for.

Making Wine and Spices Dance

This is one of my favorites movies. I miss those winter days in upstate Ithaca, NY with my family, snowed in watching movies like French Kiss. One of my favorite scenes is when they are at his childhood home and they are discussing aromas, herbs, and wine.

Wine and spices compliment each other well. Here is a great chart you can download/pdf made by Kendall Jackson to use as a guide. Whenever I combine herbs/spices with wine, it appears as if they are dancing. For example, I love to make marinades....and after I put all of my spices in a bowl with some olive oil, I add the wine and the spices will start dancing!


Over the weekend we hung out with friends and the question came up, "What is the difference between a spice and an herb?" So we did some research and found the distinction between the two.

Herbs are obtained from the leaves of herbaceous (non-woody) plants. Herbs can be both fresh or dried. Herbs originated from temperate climates such as Italy, France, and England.

Spices are obtained from roots, flowers, fruits, seeds or bark. Spices are native to warm tropical climates and can be woody or herbaceous plants. Spices often are more potent and stronger flavored than herbs; as a result they typically are used in smaller amounts. Some spices are used not only to add taste, but also as a preservative.

Some plants are both herbs and spices. For example, the leaves of Coriandrum sativum are the source of cilantro (herb) while coriander (spice) is from the plant's seeds. Dill is another example. The seeds are a spice while dill weed is an herb derived from the plant's stems and leaves.

Here is a great Herb & Spice Guide which provides suggestions on use and what form it is found (dried vs. fresh). Here is another list of Herbs & Spices where you can click on any herb or spice and get its background.

Some herbs and spices are hard to find. I found a great online store called Penzeys that has those unique flavorings not easily found in local stores (such as juniper berries or lemon grass). Penzey's actually has a store in downtown Menlo Park, CA. If you are ever wine tasting or passing through Murphy's CA (home of Ironstone Winery), another great place to buy herbs and spices is at The Spice Tin. What a great shop! I always find gifts for people there (Birthday, Christmas, House-warming, etc).

There is a great recipe that I found in the Wine Spectator (issue Jan 31-Feb 28, 2009) for Short Ribs cooked in wine and herbs. It is a great Sunday dinner dish that takes a few hours to cook.

Short Ribs in Wine
(serves 4-6)

4-5 Ibs. beef short ribs, cut into 3" pieces
salt & freshly ground pepper
5 sprigs fresh rosemary
5 sprigs fresh thyme
2 whole sprigs of sage
2 bay leaves
1 sprig marjoram
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 large white onion, sliced
1 large carrot, 1" chunks
3 Tblp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cups full-bodied red wine
1-1.5 cups beef broth

Take the leaves off all of the sprigs of rosemary, thyme, sage, and marjoram. Mix in a bowl with the basil, salt, and pepper. Roll and rub the ribs with the herb mixture. In a large deep skillet or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over med-high heat. Add the ribs in batches, browning the meat well on all sides - about 10 minutes total per batch. Removed the ribs and set aside for a bit.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In the remaining fat in the pan, saute the onion and carrot until onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute 2 minutes more. Stir in the wine and broth, scraping the bottom to loosen brown bits. Cook over high heat until liquid is reduced by a third to a half.

Add bay leaves and ribs, bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat, cover the pan, and transfer to the oven. Let the meat roast gently for 2-3 hours, turning carefully once per hour. Remove from the oven when the meat is tender and beginning to pull away from the bone. We sauteed some brussel sprouts with Parmesan cheese for a side dish. We also made some mashed potatoes with garlic, butter, and chives.

The magazine suggested a Cotes du Rhone for this dish, but we didn't have a bottle on hand. Instead we tried the Ménage à Trois and it was excellent.

Are you making a mattress stuffed with rosemary?

I am in the midst of reading a book my mother gave me by Marlena de Blasi called A Thousand Days in Tuscany. It is great! Marlena often asks her friend from town to find her more rosemary. He says to her one day, "Are you making a mattress stuffed with rosemary? I have never known a person so fixed on this weed as you are."

Italians are known for their use of this fragrant herb in many food preparations. Perhaps this use grew from the fact that rosemary grows spontaneously on the rocky terrain along the Mediterranean coasts in incredible quantities. Rosemary is also very popular in other cuisines such as those of France, Spain and Greece. Rosemary is a perennial plant and in warmer climates (such as Southern Italy or Texas) it can grow to be a shrubby five or six foot high bush loaded with blue flowers.

The word rosemary means “dew from the sea”.... from the Latin word rosmarinus. Maybe this is why I find that Sea Salt and Rosemary compliment each other well, especially in bread.

There is a great bread recipe in the Joy of Cooking, where you can add any herb you desire to the dough. I have modified this recipe a little. Rosemary or Italian Seasoning taste amazing in this bread. It is on page 597 (Fast White Bread) and makes one or two loaves, depending on how large you want each loaf.

On page 591, it explains that you don't have to let the yeast dissolve prior when you use higher temp water (but only up to 130°F or you might kill the yeast). Also, when you use milk, the bread is more tender/cake-like. When you use water, it makes a chewier bread. I like water because it makes a heartier bread and I use it at dinner to soak up deliciousness.

2 cups flour (bread flour is best)
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 pkg (2 1/4 teaspoons) quick-rise or active dry yeast
1 tsp. sea salt
1 cup very warm (115°F to 125°F) water
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted or softened
1 Tbsp. Rosemary or Italian Seasoning

In a large bowl, mix the yeast, water, butter, sugar, salt, and rosemary together. Add 2 cups of flour. Continue to add 1/4 cup flour at a time until the dough is moist, but not sticky. It ends up being about 1-1.5 cups flour.

On a floured surface, knead for about 10 minutes by hand (or with the dough hook on low to medium speed) until the dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer the dough to an olive oiled bowl and turn it over to coat with olive oil. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place (75°F to 85°F) until doubled in bulk, 40 to 45 minutes. Grease a cookie sheet if you want 2 long thinner loaves or grease a 9x5" loaf pan for 1 loaf.

Punch down the dough. If you want 2 long/thin loaves, shape them and place onto greased cookie sheet. If you are using a 9x5" loaf pan, form it into a loaf and place seam side down in the greased pan. Oil the top of bread and cover loosely with a clean cloth. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 20 to 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Bake the loaf for 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350°F and bake about 30 minutes more. If you made 2 smaller loaves on a cookie sheet, only cook about 20 minutes more. Bake until the crust is golden brown, or if the bottom sounds hollow when tapped. Remove the loaf from the pan to a rack and let cool completely. One tasty tip is to take out the dough out of the oven after 8 min between temperature changing (from 450°F to 350°F) and brush olive oil on the surface, sprinkle with sea salt, and put back into oven.


There is an easy Pork Tenderloin recipe that I make with Rosemary and tastes great with the bread. It is quick and barely any mess to clean up. I love that! There is an optional sauce consisting of tomatoes you can serve on top (see below). The bread tastes great when soaking up the tomatoes.

Rosemary Pork Tenderloin

pork tenderloin
potatoes (red look nice, but any will do)
Rosemary (fresh preferably, but dried will do)
onions
garlic
mushrooms
white wine
chicken broth
olive oil
butter
fresh ground black pepper

Preheat oven at 425°F. Cut the potatoes into cubes. Slice up the onions into 1/4" slices. Slice the garlic cloves into thirds. Cut mushrooms into large pieces. Spread all of these out in the bottom of a casserole dish/bowl with a cover. Put about 1-2 Tbsp. of butter cut into small bits and drop in various places in bowl. In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup white wine, 1/4 cup chicken broth, 1 Tbsp Rosemary, 1/8 tsp black pepper (chicken broth has a lot of sodium so I don't add salt to this dish), and 1 Tbsp of olive oil. Whisk together. Pour over vegetables. Cover and bake for about 30 minutes. Remove casserole from oven. Stir vegetables around in the wine/broth liquid. Put the pork tenderloin on top of the vegetables, submerging at least 1/4 of it into the liquid. Cover and bake for another 20-25 minutes, or until pork is done (depending on thickness of cut). Cook tomatoes in the last 5-10 minutes of cooking pork (see below).

Sauce: Heated Tomatoes
2 - 2.5 cups diced fresh tomatoes
1/2 tsp black pepper

In a saucepan, bring tomatoes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour over pork.



Another great way to cook rosemary is with potatoes as a side dish. There are two ways you can prepare these; as crispy potatoes or roasted potatoes. Depending on the look you want for your dish or the mood you're in, they are both delicious. The crispy potatoes are great for a more casual dinner, maybe served with burgers/steaks at a cookout, use to replace french fries, have as unique breakfast home-fries, or as a side dish for brunch. The roasted potatoes are great if you are going for presentation. They look nice with steak, fish, or a fancy lunch.

Roasted Red Potatoes with Rosemary

small red potatoes (whole or sliced in half)
rosemary, crushed
sea salt
olive oil

Preheat oven at 425°F. Wash and dry potatoes. The potatoes look nice if they are not sliced, but take longer to cook. They also look nice sliced in half. Mix in a bowl the potatoes, rosemary, sea salt, and olive oil. Make sure the potatoes are well coated in olive oil. Spread out into a glass baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake 50-60 minutes. Gently stir potatoes every 20 minutes to prevent burning onto the side of the glass dish. Uncover the last 10 minutes of baking.

Crispy Red Potatoes with Rosemary

red potatoes, cut into 1" cubes
rosemary, crushed into small pieces
sea salt
olive oil

Boil red potatoes for about 10 minutes, until tender but not fully cooked. Drain and then gently mix in a bowl the potatoes, rosemary, sea salt, and olive oil. On a cookie sheet, spread the potatoes out. Bake at 400°F for 30-40 minutes, flipping every 10 minutes to prevent burning (depends how hot your stove is).


Rosemary also compliments chicken very well. This is another clean-up free dish and barely makes a mess. You can throw a bunch of vegetables in with the chicken and bake in the oven. I use a combination of pieces; thighs, legs, and breasts with the skin on to retain juices. You can also stuff a whole chicken with stuffing and put in the pan with vegetables and rosemary. Other ideas are adding apples for a sweeter taste or you could squirt lemons over everything before you put into oven.

Vegetable ideas: asparagus (whole), zucchini/yellow squash (cut into thick slices or sticks), carrots,

Rosemary Chicken & Vegetables

Chicken (thighs, legs, breast)
small red potatoes
olive oil
rosemary
sea salt
pepper
onion
mushrooms
garlic, cut cloves in half
vegetables (your pick)
chicken broth
white wine
apples, cut into quarters (optional)

Preheat oven at 350°F. Mix rosemary, sea salt, and pepper together in small bowl. Put everything else into a large baking dish. Drizzle olive oil over them and 3/4 of your spice mixture. Gently stir the vegetables to lightly coat with oil and spices. Add the apples. Place chicken in pan in vegetables. Rub olive oil on top of skin and sprinkle the rest of the spices on top of chicken pieces (or onto whole chicken). Pour a chicken broth and white wine into bottom of pan to prevent dryness and burning. Cover dish and bake for 45 minutes. Check it after 25 minutes or so, gently stir around the vegetables to see if they are burning. If it looks like it is getting a dry, add a little chicken broth or water. When you insert a meat thermometer, chicken should be 165°F or higher when it's done.

There is an Italian variation of this dish served with polenta that I found on BBC's website. This dish would be nice with a great salad.

Rosemary Chicken & Polenta

Polenta
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3/4 cup finely chopped red onion
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 quart chicken stock or broth
1 cup coarse ground cornmeal
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces Parmesan, grated

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the red onion and salt and saute until the onions begin to turn translucent, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the garlic and a splash of chicken broth, and saute for 1 to 2 minutes, making sure the garlic does not burn. Turn the heat up to high, add the rest of the chicken stock, bring to a boil. Gradually add the cornmeal while continually whisking. Once you have mixed in all of the cornmeal, pour into 13x9" baking dish. Cook for 35 to 40 minutes, gently stirring every 10 minutes to prevent lumps. Once the mixture is creamy, remove from the oven and add the butter, salt, and pepper. Then gradually add the Parmesan.

Once set, turn the polenta out onto a cutting board and cut into squares, rounds, or triangles. If you have extra pieces after making this dish, save for another meal. When you are ready to use the leftover polenta, brush each side with olive oil and saute in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, or grill. Serve on the side.

Next:
chicken pieces, skin on (thighs, legs, breasts)
cherry tomatoes
crushed rosemary
garlic cloves, halved
polenta, cut into triangles
olive oil

Preheat oven to about 410-420°F (depending on how hot your oven is). Spread out the polenta pieces in the bottom of a baking dish or roasting pan. On top of the polenta, place the chicken pieces, tomatoes, garlic, and rosemary. Add crushed black pepper if desired. Drizzle olive oil all over. Bake for 25 minutes, or until meat thermometer says 165°F or higher. The polenta will also start to become crispy on edges.



Pot Roasts are great with red wine and rosemary. After cooking for a few hours, their flavors become squisito!

Rosemary Pot Roast
(Serves 6-8)

2 to 3 pounds beef roast (chuck), about 2 inches thick (tri-tip, top round or brisket also work)
1 Tbsp. chopped rosemary
1 Tbsp. chopped thyme
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp chopped dill
1 tsp freshly cracked pepper
2 bay leaves
1 cup dry red wine
4 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
6 to 8 small red potatoes, cut into halves
1 small onion, peeled and thinly sliced (shallots are good)
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1" chunks (or use about 16 whole baby carrots, peeled)
2 small turnips, peeled and quartered
2 small parsnips, peeled and cut into thick slices
(You may also add Jerusalem artichokes, rutabagas, golden beets, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, or any other vegetables you like)

For the meat and vegetables:
Preheat your oven to 325°F. In a large "stovetop to oven" pan (dutch ovens are great), heat the oil over medium high heat. Roll the roast in salt-&-peppered flour. Add the roast and brown well on both sides. Remove from the pan and place on a plate. Stir in the onions, rosemary, thyme and bay leaves. Cook, stirring, for about 2-3 minutes. Pour the wine into the pan and boil until reduced to a thick syrup. Add the stock and the Worcestershire sauce and bring back to a simmer. Add the cracked pepper and the roast to the dutch oven.

Cover the pan and place in the oven for 1.5 hours. Remove the pan from the oven and add the potatoes, onion, carrots, turnips and parsnips. Replace the cover and place back in the oven for 30 minutes longer.

To serve:
Remove the meat and vegetables from the pan and keep warm. In the pan, skim any excess fat from the broth. Stir in the dill and parsley and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Pour broth into a gravy dish to serve with meat. Serve the meat and vegetables along with crusty delicious bread and the broth. Also, offering mustard and horseradish on the side are great for spreading on the roast.

Squisito Red Sauces

Many families have their own special red sauce recipe. Some recipes take all day long to cook and some only 20 minutes. Herbs, wine, and other various ingredients are blended and simmered until the cook finally finds the taste they are looking for. Here are a few family recipes that I found squisito!

The Kalaf Family Red Sauce
(from my Aunt Katherine Kalaf Styler)

lots of red wine, for cooking & drinking
lots of roma tomatoes
lots of garlic
lots of parsley
lots of basil
lots of oregano
lots of onions
optional: mushrooms, sausage, bell peppers, meatballs, hot pepper flakes

This is the kind of recipe where the person making the sauce gets to decide what to put in. This type of sauce requires drinking wine during the process.


Garlic Bread

Every meal with red sauce needs bread. There is a great bread recipe in the Joy of Cooking that I have modified, by adding rosemary or Italian seasonings. Here is a delicious way to make a garlic swirled bread.

2 cups flour (bread flour is best, but all purpose will do)
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 pkg (2 1/4 teaspoons) quick-rise or active dry yeast
1 tsp. sea salt
1 cup very warm (115°F to 125°F) water
2 Tbsp. butter, melted or softened

Inner Garlic Ingredients:
4 Tbsp. butter, melted/softened
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
2 tsp. parsley
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese


In a large bowl, mix the yeast, water, butter, sugar, salt, and rosemary together. Add 2 cups of flour. Continue to add 1/4 cup flour at a time until the dough is moist, but not sticky. It ends up being about 1-1.5 cups flour.

On a floured surface, knead for about 10 minutes by hand (or with the dough hook on low to medium speed) until the dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer the dough to an olive oiled bowl and turn it over to coat with olive oil. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place (75°F to 85°F) until doubled in bulk, 40 to 45 minutes. Grease a cookie sheet or grease a 9x5" loaf pan. Combine butter, garlic, parsley and oregano.

Punch down the dough. On a floured surface, roll the dough into a large rectangular no more than 9" wide. Spread garlic/butter mixture evenly over top of dough, leaving 1/2" at end to help seal loaf. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top of butter mixture. Tightly roll dough up into cylinder shape, pinching and tucking ends to form a tight seal and pinching seam to seal. Place seem side down into prepared pan. Oil the surface of the loaf and cover loosely with a clean cloth. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 20 to 45 minutes. (If desired you can top the loaf with Parmesan cheese or sea salt)

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Bake the loaf for 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350°F and bake about 25-30 minutes more. Bake until the crust is golden brown, or if the bottom sounds hollow when tapped. Remove the loaf from the pan to a rack and let cool completely.


Here is another red sauce that has more vegetables than most sauces. This style of sauce is chunky with veggies, has great flavor, and only takes about 30 minutes to cook! My friend JF provided me with this recipe.

Jean-François's Family Basil Tomato Sauce
(from JF's mom in Quebec)

2 tbsp olive oil
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 onions, finely chopped
1 red pepper, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, pressed
6 Ibs. of tomatoes, peeled, seeded, diced
½ cup chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp of fresh chives
½ tsp fresh rosemary
salt and pepper
sugar to taste
red wine, optional

In a large pan, heat oil. Add everything except garlic and tomatoes, and cook for 5 min on low heat. Stir in garlic and some red wine, cook 1 minute stirring constantly. Turn heat to medium. Add tomatoes, cook for 20 mins, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened. Remove from heat, add the spices and sugar to taste. Pile on top of pasta and if needed, drizzle with any type of oil you like (olive oil, truffle oil, etc.)
Makes 3 cups.

Shrimp is the fruit of the sea

...."Anyway, like I was sayin', shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. Dey's uh, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There's pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich. That- that's about it."

Bubba never mentioned Shrimp Scampi during his long hearty discussion of shrimp plates with Forrest Gump. However, to make up for it, they offer it on their menu at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. & Market. I have not been to this restaurant to try Forrest's Favorites. However, I do have my own version of Shrimp Scampi that I would like to share with you.

My secret: low heat is key! The flavors need to mesh. Also, raw peeled and deveined shrimp is now just as cheap as the non. Why spend so much time peeling the shell and deveining if the price is the same? Check out the prices for both to save yourself some trouble.

This dish is great on a warm summer night with an avocado & tomato salad, bread, and a chilled buttery white chardonnay!


Shrimp Scampi
(serves 2)
Pair with a buttery Chardonnay

3/4 lb. medium shrimp, raw/peeled & deveined
1 lemon
garlic
parsley, fresh
olive oil
butter
fresh parmigiana cheese
pasta (linguine, angel hair, thin spaghetti, etc.)

- Count out enough shrimp for each quest. After peeling/deveining the shrimp, put into a bowl and mix with a little wine and chopped garlic to marinade for a bit.
- Chop more garlic and a handful of parsley into small bits (if you own a chopper, put the 2 in together).
- Start boiling the water for the pasta. Add olive oil and some salt to the water. When water comes to a boil, add pasta (the box usually will say how wide in diameter the servings are, e.g. 3/4" in diameter per person for thin spaghetti).
- On low, heat 8" skillet (cast iron pans work the best) with 1/2 inch deep olive oil in pan, add 2 Tbsp of butter.
- Add to the skillet 1/4 cup white wine, squeeze in 1/2 a lemon, add the parsley and garlic, and salt/pepper to taste. Simmer on low, occasionally stirring to mix flavors.
- Add flavors when needed. Taste it! If it's too lemony, add some more wine or olive oil. If you think its lacking something, add a little more. You need just the right amount of liquid so the pasta won't me too dry. It took me 2 times to make this recipe before I had the flavors perfect.
- When pasta is nearly finished cooking, add the raw shrimp to skillet. While keeping the temperature on low, the shrimp should take about 5-7 minutes to cook. The edges of the shrimp will start to curl up. They will be white/pink and no longer translucent/gray looking.
- Serve the shrimp and sauce over the pasta, with parsley sprigs to garnish.


Here is a simple Shrimp appetizer that pairs well with a nice golden Viognier.

Shrimp Cocktail

Large shrimp, cooked/peeled/deveined
Cocktail sauce
Bowls or fancy dishes

Pour cocktail sauce into a bowl for each guest. Thaw the shrimp and then hang each shrimp on the edge of the bowl. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Wine & Cheese Please

There is a wine tasting room in downtown Murphys, CA called Lavender Ridge and they serve complimentary cheese with their wines. Like most tasting rooms in Murphys, there is a $5 tasting fee per person, but Lavender Ridge does not charge an additional fee for the cheese like some places do. Every time we visit Murphys we stop by this tasting room because it introduces us to different cheeses and they sell the cheese in the store! 

Pairing wine with cheese is always fun before or after dinner or for a party. Wine and cheese pairing parties are a fun way for people to try new combinations. Each person brings a bottle of wine and a cheese that they think would pair well with their wine. Sometimes we find that we favor certain cheeses over others due to which region and animal they come from. Artisanal is a website and lists different cheeses with the region and animal they come from. There are lots of resources out there on pairing wine and cheese and they often all say that it comes down to the acidity of the wine and the fat content of the cheese.

Sometimes it is a matter of finding a store that has these wines and cheeses available. If you can't find a certain cheese, ask the store's cheese monger or an employee in the wine section for alternatives. Here is a nice guide that the Wine Inquirer provides:

Appenzellar:	Gewurtztraminer, Riesling
Blue d’Auvergne:	Port
Triple Cream Brie:	full Chardonnay
Brillat-Savarin:	Sparkling wine
Camembert:	full Chardonnay
Chabichou du Poitou:	a Loire white, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pouilly-Fume
Cheddar(Farmhouse,aged):	Port, Beaujolais or Pinot Noir. A white or red where tannins and acidity are not too strong.
Compte:	Beaujolais or light Pinot Noir for reds
Double Gloucester:	Port
Dry Jack:	Cabernet
Epoisses:	White Burgundy (a rich Chardonnay is a good substitute and often less pricey)
Feta:	Greek white (Assyrtiko or Moschofilero)
Garrotxa:	Rueda white, Garnacha rose, light tempranillo
Gruyere:	Alsatian Riesling, Beaujolais
Le Chevrot:	Sauvignon Blanc
Livarot:	dry or off dry Riesling
Manchego:	Cabernet Sauvignon
Manchester:	Chinon blanc (from Savennieres)
Parmigiano-Reggiano:	Sparkling red before dinner, Port after
Aged Gouda:	Red Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon
Piave:	Fruity reds from the Veneto region such asa Valpolicella
Roquefort:	Sauternes; for reds try a Banyuls or Madera
Shropshire Blue:	Port or Sauternes
Stilton:	Port or Sauternes
Valencay:	Sauvignon blanc or naked (unoaked) Chardonnay

Here is a great chart that indicates certain wines and their level of sweetness (click on image to enlarge):

These Italian pairings listed below we tried and were really great. However, this was in 2011, so you may have to look for more a recent vintage. In bold is the region or varietal of wine:

• Bortolotti Prosecco NV (sparkling wine/dry - Veneto):
  Paired with Robiola Bosina (soft - Piemonte) 
• Luisi Moscato d'Asti 2010 (sparkling wine/sweet - Piemonte):
  Paired with Gorgonzola (blue cheese - Lombardia)
  
• Gini Soave Classico 2010 (white wine - Veneto):
  Paired with Pecorino Toscano Fresco (semi-soft - Tuscany)
  
• Ruffino Orvieto 2010 (white wine - Umbria):
  Paired with Piave Vecchio (hard - Veneto)
  
• Cavallotto Dolcetto d'Alba 2009 (red wine - Piemonte):
  Paired with Provolone (semi-soft - Lombardia)
  
• Castello d'Albola Chianti Classico 2008 (red wine - Tuscany):
  Paired with Taleggio (soft - Lombardia)

If you are looking for party cheese recipes, here are some ideas that combine cheeses and the fun part is trying different wines with these combinations. This is nice for a larger group and is more unstructured that just pairing one wine with one cheese.  
Party Cheese Balls

If you want to make the cheese balls the day before a party, roll the cheese into balls and refrigerate them (only up to 24 hours or they start to become less fresh). Coat them right before guests arrive, no more than 1 hour before the party.

Cream cheese and cheddar cheese ball
- 2 pkg. (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened
- whip cream cheese until fluffy
- 1 pkg. (8 oz.) Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (add more if needed)

Shape into 1 large ball or several mini sized balls. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm.

Salmon cream cheese ball
- 1 (8oz) pckg cream cheese

- 2 Tbsp Sour Cream

- 1 Tbsp. lime juice

- 1 green onion, chopped

- 4oz of Smoked Salmon, chopped

- 1 tsp dill, optional
- Combine ingredients in a food processor bowl and process for 30 seconds to 1 minute until a chunky texture. Season the cheese mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge for two hours.
- Shape the mixture into a ball and press down gently to form a larger cheese ball. Place the cheese ball on the center of a plate or platter and surround with crisp veggie slices.

Coating ideas
- finely chopped nuts
- dried cranberries
- chives
- bacon pieces
- herbs
- spices (such as paprika, ground white pepper, garlic powder, onion powder)
- I find that spicy things (cayenne, hot pepper flakes, hot sauce, etc.) don't pair as well with wines high in alcohol or acidity

Dipping ideas
- bagel chips
- veggie sticks
- sturdy chips (kettle chips)
- crackers


Leaning Tower of Cheese
This is a great recipe! It makes enough for a group up to 10 people. You may need to double it for larger groups. This pairs well with Rieslings, Chardonnay, or Barbera.

- 1.5 oz. sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese, softened
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 5 slices provolone cheese
- 4 oz. pesto

Bring a small pan of hot water to boil. Turn off heat. Put the sun-dried tomatoes in water, cover, and sit for 5 minutes. Drain and finely chop.

In a small bowl, mix cream cheese and garlic together. Line a medium bowl or loaf pan with a large piece of dampened cheese cloth. Layer with 1/3 of the provolone cheese. Spread with 1/2 the pesto. Pour in 1/2 the cream cheese and garlic mixture. Layer with 1/2 the sun-dried tomatoes. Layer with 1/3 provolone, remaining pesto, remaining cream cheese and garlic mixture and remaining sun-dried tomatoes. Top with remaining provolone cheese. Pull cheese cloth around the layered mixture and gently press into a bowl to mold and remove excess oil. Chill in the refrigerator 3 to 4 hours. Remove cheese cloth and turn upside down onto a large dish to serve.


Blue Cheese and Celery
Kalaf family recipe. This pairs well with Sauvignon Blanc or a Viognier.

- Blue Cheese (Stilton, Danish, etc)
- cream cheese
- splash of white wine
- celery
- paprika (or chopped pecans)

In a bowl, crumble the blue cheese into fine pieces with a fork. Add small amounts of cream cheese and taste as you go along. It is roughly 3 parts blue cheese to 1 part cream cheese, depending on how strong of a flavor you like the blue cheese. Add a splash of white wine to make it creamy. Cut celery into bite size pieces. Find a nice plate to put the celery filled cheese on. Put cheese filling in each piece, a plastic knife works best because it is flexible. When finished, sprinkle paprika lightly over the top (or chopped pecans).

How to Raise an Alligator Pear

An alligator pear is actually an avocado and is given this alternative name for its alligator-like skin. Avocados provides more protein than any other fruit and contains more potassium than bananas.

You can grow your own avocado tree at home from using the pit! They are great low-maintenance indoor trees, but usually do not bear fruit due to genetic alteration (you would have to graft the seedling with a fruit producing seedling).

Here are simple directions on how to grow your very own avocado tree. Keep in mind that it will be at least 2-3 months in water before it will be ready for planting.

1. Peel and eat avocado, taking great care not to cut the pit. Rinse any leftover fruit off the pit. Don't remove the brown seed cover.

2. Stick 2-4 toothpicks about 5mm into the pit, narrow side pointed up. The toothpicks will rest on the edge of a container (jam jar, small bowl, glass).

3. Fill container up with water so the bottom half of the pit is submerged and top half is not. Keep the narrow end up.
















4. Keep container near a window or well-lit area. Change the water every 2 days to avoid mold and bacteria growth.

5. The avocado takes several weeks to begin to root. Over the next 2-3 weeks, the avocado's brown outer layer will begin to dry out and wrinkle, eventually peeling off. Soon after, the pit should begin to split open at the top and bottom. After 3-4 weeks, a snake-like tap root (mine had two) should begin to emerge at the base of the pit.

6. When the stem is six to seven inches long, cut it back to about three inches. When the roots are thick and the stem has had a chance to re-grow leaves (after at least one pruning), your baby avocado tree is ready to be planted in soil. Remove the sprouted pit from the water container, and gently remove each of the toothpicks. Fill a pot with potting soil to 2 cm below the top. Smooth and slightly pack the soil, adding more soil as needed. Once the soil is prepared, dig a narrow hole deep enough to accommodate your avocado's roots and pit. Carefully put the avocado pit in the soil, keeping the top-half of the pit above the surface of the soil. This ensures that the base of the seedling trunk doesn't rot under the soil. Pack the soil lightly around the pit.

Water plant daily, or enough to keep soil moist (not muddy). If the leaves turn brown at the tips, the tree needs more water. If the leaves turn yellow, the tree is getting too much water and needs to be permitted to dry out for a day or two. Low lighting and/or improper watering can create weak stems and branches, which could cause the plant to collapse under its own weight. You may need to transfer tree to a new pot in a year or two. (Instructions for growing in a garden)


There are some great salads out there that contain avocados. Here is one of my favorites. It is very easy and light. It is excellent as a side dish to something heavy, such as pasta. Make this salad at the last minute, or cut up and add the avocado to the salad right before serving. When the avocado's skin is removed, the air causes it to turn brown. So serve immediately, for the sake of presentation.

Avocado & Tomato Salad
(serve immediately)
4 large tomatoes, diced
4 avocados, diced
chopped fresh basil
roasted corn (optional)

Corn
Drain a can of whole kernal corn (or cut cooked corn off the cob) and spread onto baking sheet. Mix with 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Roast at 450°F, stirring often until golden.

Salad Dressing
You can use olive oil with some white wine, salt, and pepper.
Or use this vinaigrette recipe below:

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 lemon
3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil (according to taste)


Here is a creamier version of the avocado and tomato salad.

2 cups sweet corn kernels
1 avocado (cut into bite sized pieces)
1 cup tomatoes (cut into bite sized pieces)
1 cup black beans
2 green onions (sliced)
1 handful cilantro (chopped)
4 slices bacon (chopped and cooked)
creamy salsa verde dressing (see below)

Mix all together with dressing. Make sure you serve this immediately due to browning of avocado.

Creamy Salsa Verde Dressing
1/2 cup salsa verde
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon sugar
1 lime (juice)
1/4 cup cilantro

Puree everything in a blender or food processor.

BASIL (Ocimum basilicum)

There are many varieties of basil. Sweet basil is the one I use the most for red sauce, pesto, caprese salad, etc.

When I buy fresh at the market I put it in a tall glass or vase on the counter in the corner of the kitchen. First I rinse the basil, snip the ends of the stems at an angle, and pull any dead looking leaves off. Placing into something tall and narrow helps support the stems. I have a Pom glass that works great (which they no longer make!). Having a green plant in the kitchen looks great and basil has a nice fresh aroma. Don't put vase of basil in the sun, they will wilt immediately. After a week or so basil begins to get wilty and droopy looking. Keep an eye on it if you haven't used it up yet. When some of the leaves start looking black, they are on their way out and and need to be dried. Snip off and lay the leaves on a paper towel to dry out.

I like using small fresh leaves for dishes that are not cooked, like salads. Whole leaves offer better presentation. However, for things like red sauce I break the leaves up into pieces the size of my thumb nail. Big enough so you taste them but so big so that they overpower a spoonful/bite.

Dried basil purchased at the store is fine. However, I have discovered that if you are going to use dried basil, basil tastes best when you buy it fresh and dry it out yourself. I just bought a bunch to dry out and help last through the winter. You will never get full flavor when using dried basil, so keep this in mind when substituting dried for fresh. If you find yourself in dire need and without fresh basil, use 1/3 the amount of dried basil substituted for fresh. One tablespoon of fresh chopped basil equals 1 teaspoon dried.

If you have a pot of basil growing, pluck only the big leaves. When the flowers start to bud, nip it away quickly. Once the flowers start to grow and bloom, the leaves will lose their flavor. You must bring the pot indoors in winter and keep it near the window and warm.

There are many varieties of basil. The most common is sweet basil, which is what I have. Other types often used are cinnamon basil (used in some teas), lemon basil (used with fish) and anise basil (used in Thai curries, also called Thai basil). The leaves of sweet basil curve when they are ripe, while the other types are somewhat flat and differ in length, but maintain a similar shape. You might also have seen purple basil in more “exotic” dishes. The leaves look like the sweet basil’s but are dark purple in color.


One great side dish that uses fresh basil are stuffed tomatoes with ricotta cheese.

Stuffed Roma Tomatoes

8 Roma (plum) tomatoes, cut in half
1.5 cups (approx) of ricotta cheese
handful of fresh chopped basil
handful of fresh chopped parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
breadcrumbs
kosher salt
olive oil

Cut your tomatoes in half, length wise, and scoop out the pulp and seeds with a melon baller or anything else that you can use to get the insides out. Turn the tomato halves upside down on paper towels to drain out the moisture. In a bowl, mix ricotta cheese with the garlic & herbs. You could add Parmesan or other herbs if you like. Spoon the ricotta mixture into the tomato halves and place the tomatoes onto an oiled baking sheet. Top with dried seasoned bread crumbs, or Ritz cracker crumbs (Panko crumbs work too). Drizzle with olive oil and kosher salt and bake in a 400F degree oven for 20-30 minutes. Let it rest a few minutes before serving.


There is a great recipe that involves cooking Roma tomatoes in olive oil and herbs all day. I found this idea on one of my favorite blogs (Orangette) that Sarah suggested to me. The finished product compliments many delicious repast. You can use any herb you like, but I think basil is great for this. Depending on what I am craving or the meals I plan on making, I will switch around the herbs (e.g. ground coriander, basil, oregano, dill, Italian seasoning, fresh ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, etc).

Pomodori al Forno
Ripe tomatoes, preferably Roma
Olive oil
Sea salt
Herbs

Wash the tomatoes, cut off the stem end, and halve them lengthwise. There are two ways these can be cooked.

1) Baking sheet: Preheat the oven to 200°F. Pour a bit of olive oil into a small bowl, dip a pastry brush into it, and brush the tomato halves lightly with oil. Place them, skin side down, on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle them with sea salt and ground coriander (or another herb you would like)—about a pinch of each for every four to six tomato halves.

Bake the tomatoes until they shrink to about 1/3 of their original size but are still soft and juicy, 4 to 6 hours. [I usually let mine go for the maximum time.] Remove the baking sheet from the oven, and allow the tomatoes to cool to room temperature. Place them in an airtight container, and store them in the refrigerator.

2) Baking Dish: Preheat oven to 250°F. Pour 1/2 cup oil into 13x9x2-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Arrange tomatoes in dish, cut side up. Drizzle with remaining 1/2 cup oil. Sprinkle with oregano (or a different herb you like, garlic cloves are nice submerged in the oil too), sugar, and salt. Bake 1 hour. Using tongs, turn tomatoes over. Bake 1 hour longer. Turn tomatoes over again. Bake until deep red and very tender, transferring tomatoes to plate when soft (time will vary, depending on ripeness of tomatoes), about 15 to 45 minutes longer.

I usually pour everything into a mason jar and refrigerate until I want to use it. It is good up to about 2 weeks. You can use it for a variety of things:

- use the tomatoes in a salad (e.g. caprese)
- use the oil for salad dressing or on top of a pasta dish
- drizzle oil and put tomatoes on top of steak with onions
- use the tomatoes on top of homemade pizza



Pesto is another great way to use basil. My mother taught me a great trick for storing pesto in the freezer. Spoon about 1/8 cup (or whatever would be the portion you need for a meal) onto a sheet of Press-n-Seal by spacing out the globs. Cover it with another layer of Press-n-Seal, making sure the edges are sealed to prevent freezer burn. Store in the freezer and you can cut away the portions with scissors whenever you want to use the pesto.

Pesto

3 cups fresh basil leaves
3 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
pinch of salt
fresh ground pepper

Put basil leaves, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor. While processing, add olive oil slowly. Use the pulse when adding the cheese, salt, and pepper.

To help preserve the bright green color of fresh basil, chill the olive oil before adding it to the food processor (the cold mitigates some of the heat generated in the food processor). Some people add vitamin C to preserve color.

You can use pesto in a variety of meals:
- sandwiches: use peso in place of mayonnaise or mix it in with mayonnaise
- Make a pesto sauce for a pasta dinner

The attack of the Blight

For all of you gardeners back home in NY, my condolences. Your tomatoes' lives have been cut short. Late Blight, a highly contagious fungus, has become widespread in the Northeast.

If you have an abundance of green tomatoes, there are several yummy ways you can cook them. Fried Green Tomatoes is a popular side dish.

The NY Times has a decent recipe, and one of my favorite cooking blogs has one as well. However, I like my breading on the green tomatoes more crispy and similar to tempura. This can be achieved with a few simply ingredients.

Fried Green Tomatoes
(as Tempura)

Slice the green tomatoes very thin (1/4" or less). Cut up any other ingredients you desire as well. You could use zucchini, yellow squash, green peppers, sweet potatoes, broccoli, shrimp, chicken, etc. Remember, whatever pieces of food you use, the oil level in the pan needs to be high enough to cover at least 3/4 of the piece so when you flip it, it cooks on all sides. Also, the pieces are only cooking for about 3-5 minutes. Slice them thin enough so they won't be soggy and uncooked inside the crisp layer.

Tempura Batter
1 egg beaten
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup cold water (40°F)
2 Tbsp dry white wine (optional)
1 cup flour, sifted

Mix flour and baking powder together in a small bowl. Mix the egg, water, and wine together in a large bowl. Make sure to use ice cold water to prevent sticky batter. Sticky batter makes the food oily. Dump flour and baking powder into a sifter. Whisk quickly the sifted flour/baking powder into the liquid. Do not over mix the batter. The batter should be on the thicker side; when you take a spoonful and hold it up high, it should drip thickly down into bowl. You can add spices here if you'd like (pepper, salt, garlic salt or garlic powder, lemon pepper, etc). Chill this batter for 15-20 minutes.

Canola oil works best when frying food. It has a neutral flavor. Using cast irons pans or woks work well for this. Make a layer of oil in pan at least 3/4 the height of your food you wish to fry. Heat to 375°F or put the end of a wooden spoon in the oil and if the oil bubbles up around it, the oil is ready. Fry 3-5 minutes or until golden brown. Remove with tongs. Drain on paper towels or paper bags. I keep the oven on 220°F or so with a cookie sheet. After I cook a batch, I put them on paper towels for a bit and then transfer to the oven to stay warm until served. Do not cover to keep warm or the condensation will make them soggy.


Traditional salsa verde calls for tomatillos, which can be hard to find unless you have a good farmer's market nearby. You can substitute tomatillos with green tomatoes and lemon juice.

Salsa Verde

3 medium green tomatoes, diced
1/2 of a lemon, squeezed
2 jalapeno peppers
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1/2 of a lime (juice and zest)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Place everything in a food processor and blend. Taste, add more lemon or lime juice if necessary.

Another simple way to use green tomatoes is for pasta sauce. Marlena De Blasi mentions in her book that crushed green tomatoes over pici is most delicious. Pici, thick hand-rolled ropes of pasta, is great when made at home, but any pasta can be used with this sauce. This sauce can be served Cold or Warm.

Crushed Green Tomato Sauce

Cold Version
Crush the raw green tomatoes in a bowl with a potato masher or other kitchen tool. Add minced garlic, olive oil, and fresh basil. Serve over room temperature pasta.

Warm Version
Cut the green tomatoes into quarters. In a medium sauce pan, heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil on medium. Add the green tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes. Crush tomatoes in pan with a potato masher or other kitchen tool. Add more olive oil, minced garlic, and fresh basil. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve over warm pasta.



Here is another great recipe using green tomatoes and zucchini. It calls for breadcrumbs and I found that the homemade bread crumbs taste the best. Here is a quick way to make homemade bread crumbs.

Homemade Breadcrumbs
Take any 4 slices of bread that you'd like (stale bread works best, but not necessary). Tear into quarters and put into a food processor (do this in phases if food processor is small). Pulse for 15 intervals until the bread has an even, course mixture.

This Greek side dish has a hint of a lemon that will be great to soak up with a crusty bread. It would be a great side for a chicken dish, kibbe, or burgers.














Green Tomatoes & Zucchini
(Serves 4-5)

olive oil
1 medium red onion, halved & sliced into 1/4"
1/2 tsp salt, sea salt is best if you have it
1/2 tsp pepper, freshly ground is best
1 tsp sugar
4 tsp minced garlic

1/2 cup dry white wine
2 Tbsp oregano, fresh & chopped is best
1 tsp lemon juice
3 medium green tomatoes, cored and cut crosswise into 1/4" slices
3-4 medium zucchini, cut diagonally into 1/4" slices
1 cup feta cheese, however much you desire
2 cups bread crumbs, homemade is best
Pine nuts (optional)

Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray the sides and bottom of a 1 1/2-quart gratin pan or an 8-by-10-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium skillet, over medium-high heat, add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add the onion, salt and sugar and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions soften, about 5 to 7 minutes. Turn the heat to medium-low, continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until they turn golden brown and caramelize, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Add 3 teaspoons minced garlic to the onions and cook for about 1 minute, watch closely to not burn the garlic. Add the white wine. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of oregano, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon of minced garlic. Add the sliced tomatoes, zucchini and salt and black pepper and toss to coat.

In the gratin or baking dish, arrange the first row of zucchini, by standing them up and then tipping them at a 45-degree angle against the side of the pan, slightly overlapping the edges. Next, arrange a single layer of tomatoes next to the zucchini in a shingle pattern. Repeat, alternating rows of vegetables until all are used. Then evenly distribute the onion mixture over the vegetables. Bake until tender about 40 to 45 minutes. Meanwhile, if you like pine nuts, you can toast them in a skillet and add them after the tomatoes have been cooking for 20 minutes. There has been some suggestion as to the quality of the pine nuts that should be used.

Remove the gratin from the oven. Raise the oven temperature to 450°F. Evenly sprinkle the feta cheese over the gratin. Mix the bread crumbs with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and spread in an even layer over the top. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the top with 1 tablespoon chopped oregano. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve.