What to do with all of those tomatoes?

If you are a tomato lover like me, and you planted a few (or many...) tomato plants, you are going to be asking yourself that question very soon, if not already. Here is one of my favorite tomato recipes, courtesy of my mother-in-law:

Broiled Tomatoes over Angel Hair Pasta

Ingredients:
Fresh garden tomatoes
Fresh basil, oregano and thyme (or dried if you do not have fresh)
Olive oil
Fresh garlic and/or garlic powder
Shredded parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
Angel Hair pasta


Cook pasta according to directions. Preheat broiler. Slice tomatoes in half horizontally. Place on baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, fresh basil and oregano, garlic powder, pepper and shredded parmesan cheese. Put in broiler until cheese is brown and tomatoes are soft.

Drain pasta. Place in saute pan. Add olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper and whatever spices you want (basil, oregano, thyme, fresh or dried garlic, etc.) Saute until well mixed.

Serve tomatoes over pasta, with more cheese and herbs, if desired.

What to drink with this meal??? You need a wine that has good acidity to stand up to the acid in the tomatoes. So choose either a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc for white, or a Chianti or Valpolicella for red.

Loosen to pair up with Oregon winemaker to make Pinot Noir

I read this morning that Ernst Loosen, the German winemaker famous for his Rieslings, is going to pair up with J. Christopher winery in Oregon's Willamette Valley to make a Pinot Noir.

He already pairs up with Chateau St. Michelle in Washington State to make the phenomenal Eroica dryRiesling, and I have high expectations for his Pinot Noir.

Loosen was Decanter's Man of the Year in 2005.

http://www.ste-michelle.com/Eroica_Riesling.cfm

http://www.drloosen.com/

http://www.jchristopherwines.com/

Lebanon's wineries in trouble from the violence

Lebanon's major wine producing area is the Bekaa Valley, about 50km east of Beirut. Most of the grape varieties planted are the same ones used in Southern France (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre), but there are also plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon--the winemakers are inspired by the wines of Bordeaux.

Decanter has reported that due to the current violence in the Middle East, Lebanese wineries could be targets. They could be turned into weapon factories, and the caves that store the wines could be used to hide and store weapons.

Let's hope that the situation improves over there in the very near future, and not just for the sake of the wineries, of course.

A rebranding for the South of France

The South of France, including the large Langudoc-Roussilon area, can be a great source for value wines in the VDP category. This quality category (which means "vin de pays," or, in English, "wine with geographical description,") is a step lower than the AOC (Appellation d'Origine Controllee,") and a step up from Vin de Table (table wine.) With VDP wines, winemakers are allowed to use non-traditional grapes and winemaking techniques, so there is a lot of great experimention going on. The result can be some truly terrific wines.

The winemakers from this area are going to rebrand themselves as "Sud de France" (South of France), and wines from this area will have blue labels so they are recognizable to consumers.

Some people feel that this won't really help, and that the winemakers need to step up and make better quality wines before the rest of the world will notice them. When I France a few years ago, I tried a bunch of wines from this area, including some truly fantastic wines (especially roses...). I think that as winemakers figure out what grapes grow best in what areas, and perfect the winemaking techniques for those areas, the wines will no doubt keep improving. And the new branding can only help the consumer.

Do I have to smell the cork?

You're dining at a restaurant. You order a bottle of wine. The server or sommelier presents the bottle to you to make sure it's the right one, before he opens it. After he uncorks it , he hands the cork to you. What should you do?

A. Smell it--if it has an odd smell the wine is definitely corked, so send it back without even tasting it.
B. Smell it--if it has an odd smell it means the wine is definitely fine.
C. Give it a quick glance, and then set it on the table.
D. None of the above

All you really need to do is C--Give it a quick glance, and then set it on the table.

What can the cork tell you about the wine? Well, for one thing, if it's wet, then the wine has most likely been stored on its side (either that, or it's been jostled around on its way to the table). Storing a wine on its side is a good thing--it reduces the amount of oxidation taking place in the bottle, since less oxygen is coming in contact with the wine. But if the cork is bone dry, don't discount the wine, especially if it's young. Oxidation most likely hasn't taken place yet anyway.

Looking at the cork can also verify the wine's authenticity--the cork often has the name of the winery on it, so you know that what you ordered is what you are getting. (This used to be more relevant long ago when wine counterfeiting was commonplace. I'm not sure that you have to worry about your bottle of Screaming Eagle or Penfold's Grange being a fake...)

So what about smelling the cork? In my experience, a cork can smell funky and the wine in the bottle can be fine, or vice versa. So smelling it is not a good judge of quality. You'll need to actually smell--and taste--the wine, to judge that.

Feel free to take the cork home, though. A lot of wine lovers (myself included) collect them, and fill vases, bowls, baskets, etc. with the corks from bottles they have enjoyed.

Want to remember what you drank? Write it down!

As an icebreaker at my wine events, I often ask guests to share with the group a wine they have tried recently that they enjoy. A lot of times, I get the same response: "oh, I can never remember the names of the wines I drink." That can be very frustrating, because you may drink something you like, then never be able to find it again. The solution? Write it down!

Here are some tips:

1. Keep a wine journal. This can be either an actual wine journal (spiral or hard bound, sold at wine stores, amazon.com and The Wine Enthusiast catalog), or something as simple as a small blank notebook or journal. Note the producer, wine name, and your overall impression of the wine (aromas, flavors, finish, assessment.) Finally, don't forget the vintage if there is one listed--wine can vary greatly from year to year.

2. Use your PDA. Software exists for keeping track of wines you try, or you can just use the notebook software that comes with your PDA's operating system and jot down the info.

3. Use your cell phone. Again, use the notebook feature, or you can even use the audio feature to record the wine details. Write it down when you get home.

4. Download my tasting notes sheet. Print out a bunch of copies, staple them together, and use it as a makeshift wine journal. (You can also use this sheet when you hold a home wine tasting.)

If you take my advice and write it down, you will have a starting point the next time you go to a wine store or restaurant. Happy sipping!

Another great inexpensive sparkler

I'm always on the quest to find sparkling wines that are tasty and inexpensive, especially when I'm using them to make Mimosas or other cocktails. Zardetto Prosecco Brut falls into that category. It's a blend of 95% Prosecco and 5% Chardonnay, and while it doesn't offer any of the yeasty, bready complexity that traditional method sparkling wines do (Italian Prosecco is made in the tank method, which keeps the cost down), it's clean, light and refreshing, with flavors of lemon and apple, with crisp acidity.

Mix it with OJ to make that Mimosa, or enjoy it on its own. At $12 a bottle, buy a case to keep around--and don't save it for a special occasion. Prosecco (like most sparkling wines except for vintage Champagnes) is ready to drink as soon as it's bottled. And sparkling wines are great with food--the acidity cleanses your palate. Try it with sushi, popcorn, pasta with cream sauce, chicken on the grill--you name it.

A wonderful evening at CityZen

Like many other DC-area residents, I've read and head all the accolades (and sometimes criticisms...) of CityZen restaurant. Being a major foodie, and wanting to see if it (and if star chef Eric Ziebold) lived up to the hype, my husband and I decided to go there for our six year anniversary last Saturday. We were not disappointed.

After perusing both the tasting menu and the prix fixe options, we opted for the chef's tasting menu--five courses, plus several amuses bouches, etc. not listed on the menu--for ninety dollars per person. Every course listed included some of our favorite culinary ingredients, so it was a no brainer for us. And it was amazing. Here is a rundown of what we had:

* Welcome canape from the chef: a mushroom "fritter" of sorts. Tiny, yet bursting with earthy mushroom flavor
* Amuse bouche: flan topped with olive oil. Silky smooth and decadent
* Tuna Nicoise: tuna carpaccio, topped with peppers, yukon gold potato crisps, haricots verts, arugula and olive oil. Fantastic fish, and the potato crisps and arugula added just the right amount of crunch
* Sweet Butter Poached Maine Lobster, with truffle and white corn chowder. This was my favorite course. The lobster literally melted in my mouth, and the chowder was just the consistency I prefer in seafood chowder--not too thick, and not too thin. And delicious to boot.
* Bouillon Poached Ribeye of Prime Midwestern Beef, served with sugar snap peas, chanterelle mushrooms and sauteed duck foie gras. This was my husband's favorite course. The meat was delicious, but the seared foie gras was incredible. Neither of us is a huge foie gras fan (and I was surprised to see it on the menu, since a lot of chefs are removing it because of the forced feeding humanity issue...), but we agreed this was the best we had ever tasted.
* Assorted Artisanal Cheeses. The cheese trolley was a welcome sight, as we are both huge cheese lovers. Each of us was entitled to "4 to 5" selections from the trolley. We opted to each try five, and then share them. They were served with Spanish almonds, raisin bread, and fruit compote (apricot and anjou pear.)
* Palate cleanser: strawberry sorbet with ginger cream. Strawberry is not the first fruit I think of to pair with ginger, but it totally worked.
* Peppermint Patty: Peppermint Souffle Glace with Valrhona Chocolate Sorbet and Italian Pistachio Cream. This was refreshing and decadent at the same time. The mint ice cream tasted as if I had pick spearmint from my herb garden, and the mint cookie it was served on top of tasting like a Girl Scout Thin Mint cookie (but even better...) And the chocolate sorbet was bittersweet and delicious.

We enjoyed Albarino and Garnacha/Carinena with dinner, and my husband had a glass of Ruby Port with the cheese and dessert courses. The sommelier was knowledgeable, friendly and very very tall (we were told he had just started, and he is a great addition to the staff.)

Besides the food, the service was beyond compare. Little touches made a big difference. An anniversary card signed by the staff, including Eric Ziebold, was presented to us as soon as we sat down. And when I asked for a copy of the menu to take home, it was waiting for me at the host's stand, also signed by Eric Ziebold and placed in a large envelope. We counted eleven people who took care of us in some way that evening, and we may have missed one or two. But the service was always subtle and just in time, not in your face or annoying.

Will we return to CityZen? Absolutely. Not next week, or even next month. But when we are looking for that perfect evening for a special occasion, it will be at the top of our list.

2004 Onix Priorato

While dining at CityZen on Saturday night for our anniversary (a restaurant that I personally believes lives up to its hype and accolades, but more on that tomorrow...), we enjoyed a glass of 2004 Onix Garnacha and Carinena. This wine comes from the Priorat region of Spain--one of the oh so trendy wine regions right now. Since the grapes are also ones used in the Rhone Valley (where they are called Grenache and Carignan,) the profile was very much like that of a Cotes du Rhone blend: red fruit flavors, some spiciness, a touch of acidity, and just the right amount of tannins.

I believe the by-the-glass price at CityZen was $11 or so (definitely a major mark up...) I just found this wine online for $17 a bottle. Worth seeking out, especially if you are looking to brush up on wines from Priorat.

A mid-priced Pinot Noir that's worth a taste

It's often hard to find a good, yet decently priced Pinot Noir. Those that are cheap are often produced in the wrong climate (too warm), and lose the varietal characteristics that Pinot lovers seek out (earthiness, coupled with subtle raspberry and cherry flavors and a bit of spice.) Many stellar bottles can run upwards of $30 (or, in the case of Burgundy, lots, lots more.) What's a Pinot Noir fan to do?

2004 Angeline Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley fits the bill. Priced around $13 a bottle, it offers tart cranberry and cherry flavors, along with a bit of spicy and earthiness on the palate, and a medium-bodied finish. This winery also has Pinot offerings from Mendocino and Sonoma, but I'd stick with the Russian River Valley, since the cool microclimate there has been known to make Pinot thrive.

Enjoy it with practically any food--duck, salmon, chicken, smoked cheeses, or even all by itself. Chill it for just a little bit to make it even more refreshing this summer. And congratulate yourself for having such good taste (and for saving money.) Heck, at this price, buy several bottles, or a case. It's a great house wine to have around.

Napa's Del Dotto winery

A friend of mine recently returned from a trip to Napa Valley to do some wine tasting. He said his favorite wine tour was at Del Dotto Vineyards. There, he and his group got to do barrel tastings of their wines, including tasting the same wines fermented and aged in both French and American barrels. He said it was amazing to see the difference in the side by side comparision with the different kinds of oak.

French barrels cost more than American barrels (roughly $800 per barrel, compared to $500.) Much of the reason for this is due to the way the grain runs in French oak--coupers can get less barrels out of the same amount of French oak than they can with American oak, so they need to make up the cost somewhere.

So what are the flavor differences between French and American oak? French oak imparts a more subtle, savory flavors due to the tight grain of the wood. American oak, on the other hand, has stronger, sweeter flavors of vanilla, coconut and spice--the wood grain is wider and looser, so it tends to impart more flavor.

Of course, the cheaper way to add oak flavor to wine is to dump oak chips into the barrel, or use an oak stave (think giant tea diffuser filled with oak chips...).

However winemakers choose to oak their wines, oak adds tannin, structure, and often the ability for the wine to age. And over time, the tannins from the oak treatment, as well as from the wine skins, will drop out of the wine as sediment, leaving a smooth, silky, complex wine.

Wine tasting vs. Wine smelling

I often tell guests at my wine tastings how important the sense of smell is when tasting wines. We can technically only detect four basic tastes--sweet, sour, bitter and salt--and luckily, there is no salt in wine! But we can detect thousands of smells, so when it comes to wine tasting--the nose knows.

At the Masters of Wine Symposium in Napa recently, Dr. Charles Wysocki of the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia backed up that theory. He also went further, saying that not only are smells detected differently in different people, but that certain scents (such as musk and bananas) can't be detected at all by some people.

This goes along with the other piece of advice I give to those attending my tastings--that wine tasting is extremely subjective, and there are no right or wrong answers. Just because a wine critic or the latest issue of Wine Spectator says that you should smell or taste something in a wine, doesn't mean that you will. Everyone's sense of smell and taste is different, and one person's dream wine is another one's "yuck."

1+1=3: You do the math

Bodegas 1+1=3's 2005 Cabernet Rose from the Penedes region of Spain is another great rose I just discovered. With tons of raspberry and watermelon on the nose, with an excellent crispness, and a bright pink color, it's medium-to-full bodied, and could be enjoyed with picnic fare, salmon, or chicken.

The winery's actual name is "U Mes U Fan Tres," a reference to the addition of 1+1=3 in Spanish, although I'm still trying to figure out why.

Look for this wine in the wine department at Whole Foods for about $14.

Wines to Have on Hand

Wine lovers will want to keep some bottles on hand in your home for weeknight meals as well as for entertaining. If you find yourself in the mood for wines that go beyond the typical Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, here are some appealing alternatives, which are interesting, yet readily available:

Alsatian Riesling:
If you hear “Riesling” and automatically think “sweet wine,” it’s time to rethink that view. Rieslings from the Alsace region of France are fruity, yet bone dry. With hints of green apple (and sometimes honey), as well as great acidity, they are fantastic wines to enjoy any night of the week. Producers to look for: Domaine Lucien; Hugel; Trimbach. Food pairings: Fruit and cheese tray; Asian food; grilled pork chops.

Italian Valpolicella:
Light, red, and fruity, Valpolicella is made in the Veneto region of Italy from the Corvina grape. It’s light in tannins and full of sour cherry flavors, and would be perfect for a Sunday dinner (if the meal is al fresco, all the better). Seek out wines that say “Classico” on the label for the light, fruity style. “Ripasso” means that the grapes have been dried, giving a more intense, heavier wine. Producers to look for: Villa Maffei; Sartori; Allegrini. Food pairings: Bruschetta; beef stew; tomato-based pasta dishes.

New Zealand Pinot Noir:
Although the country has typically been famous for their Sauvignon Blancs, wine lovers are starting to sit up and take notice of New Zealand Pinots, which are being compared to French Burgundies. The areas of Marlborough, Martinborough, and Central Otago have climates that are well suited to this fickle grape. Cherry aromas abound, along with silky tannins, good acidity and a bit of earthiness to keep things interesting. (Keep in mind that most New Zealand wineries have gone to screw caps to seal their wines, but they are far from “jug wines.”). Producers to look for: Spy Valley; Rockburn; Te Kairanga. Food pairings: Roast chicken with mushrooms; seared duck breast with sour cherry sauce; grilled salmon.

California Zinfandel:
Repeat the following: “Zin is red, Zin is red, Zin is red.” Not for the faint of heart, the Zinfandel grape produces wines that are big and bold, with intense raspberry and cherry flavors, and an alcohol content that can be upwards of 16%. If you are ready to do some serious cooking with red meat, this is the wine to choose. Producers to look for: Ravenswood; Ridge; Kunde Estate. Food pairings: Grilled rib eye steaks with peppercorn rub; sautéed lamb chops with rosemary; smoked sausages and cheeses.

Virginia has clamped down even harder on wineries

A new law in Virginia now bars in-state wineries from selling directly to stores and restaurants. Wineries will still be able to sell to consumers through their tasting rooms, but in order to sell to restaurants, bars and stores, they will need to go through distributors. This could be the death of smaller wineries.

And what does it mean for the average consumer? Well, quite simply, that the price of Virginia wine, which is my opinion is in general already too high per bottle, will increase even more. Although I live in Virginia and like to support the local wine industry as much as possible, I just can't see spending $15 to $20 for a bottle of unripe Cabernet Sauvignon when I can get one from CA or Australia that's riper and higher quality, for the same price or less. I think they do better with varietals such as Viognier, but the price tag is often just too steep for me.

Bubbly ice cream

The hot weather in the DC area lately has made me want to break out my electric ice cream maker and ice cream cookbooks. While my favorite flavor is good, old-fashioned (well done) vanilla, I am also a fan of funky flavors, including ice cream made with wine. And what better wine to use than Champagne?

Here is a great recipe for champagne ice cream with strawberry sauce, courtesy of http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com. Enjoy!


Champagne Ice Cream with Strawberry Sauce

ICE CREAM
3 1/4 cup whipping cream
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3 eggs
3/4 cup champagne
1 tbl vanilla

SAUCE
10 oz frozen strawberries in syrup thawed
1 tsp cornstarch

CHOCOLATE CUPS
Purchased chocolate cups

In medium saucepan, combine 2 cups of the whipping cream, sugar, corn syrup and eggs; mix well. Cook over medium heat 12 to 14 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Cool completely.When ready to freeze, stir in remaining 1 1/4 cups whipping cream, champagne and vanilla. Prepare ice cream freezer and freeze according to manufacturer's directions.

In food processor bowl with metal blade or blender container, process strawberries until smooth. Strain if desired; discard seeds. In small saucepan, combine strawberries and cornstarch. Cook over medium heat 5 to 8 minutes or until slightly thickened. Cool; cover and store in refrigerator.

To serve, place 1 scoop of ice cream in each chocolate cup. Drizzle strawberry sauce over ice cream. Garnish as desired.

A red, a white and a blue for Independence Day

Happy Independence Day! Whether you are spending it at a picnic or BBQ, going to the beach, watching the fireworks, or just relaxing on your day off from work, here are some patriotic wines (from the U.S. of course...) to enjoy today:

Red: Laurel Glen Vineyards Reds--This California wine is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, Zinfandel, Carignan and Malbec. It has ample tannins and would pair with a nice juicy steak on the grill.

White: Bully Hill Goat White--Bully Hill winery is located in New York State, and they make fun, non-cerebral wines with catchy names and funky labels. This white is made from a variety of native American grapes: Aurora, Vidal and Seyval. It's an easy-drinking, picnic wine.

Blue: Chateau Morrisette Our Dog Blue--Not technically "blue", this Virginia Riesling is slightly sweet, though not overly so. Enjoy it with food (think cheese and fruit tray, or Dim Sum), or all by itself.

Enjoy your holiday, and happy sipping!