Book Review: The United States of Arugula

The United States of Arugula, by David Kamp
We were a little late discovering The United States of Arugula (published in 2006), but found the book to be a wonderful history of American food in the 20th century. Beginning in the late 1930s, the book chronicles the taste makers that changed America’s eating habits from meat and potatoes to sun-dried, free-range, and organic. The biggest changes began in the 1950s, with Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and with her appearance on American television. The story ranges from personalities who may not be well known to most people (such as Clementine Paddleford or Mollie Katzen), to the icons of American food – Alice Waters, Thomas Keller, Wolfgang Puck, and a host of others. If you have an interest in food and cooking – and in how we went from canned peas to baby Arugula in the grocery store – The United States of Arugula is a great read.

French Onion Soup & Marsanne

WINE
d.A. (Domaine Astruc) Marsanne 2005 – France
Deep, pineapple nose. Tastes of pineapple and honey (not sweetness). Definitely some oak. Marsanne is a “third-tier” grape that is usually worth a try (at any reasonable price). Yes. $8

DINNER
French Onion Soup
(Recipe for 2)

• In a medium sauce pan, sauté 3/4 of a large onion in equal parts olive oil and butter, until the onions begin to brown and caramelize a bit.
• Add ground thyme, white pepper, sage, and whole thyme, to taste. (Tarragon is often a traditional spice, but we don’t care for it.)
• Add 2 cans of beef broth, or equivalent stock. (We’ve also made this with chicken stock as well as with homemade veggie stock – most anything works.) Add about 1/4 cup dry white wine and a few shakes of Worcestershire sauce. Scrape the pan to make sure all onion is well mixed. (If using a lighter chicken or veggie stock, we sometimes add red wine instead of white. Or even sauté red onions instead of yellow.)
  
• Simmer uncovered, and cook until reduced by about 1/3. The longer you simmer, the more infused will be the onion flavor.
• Put into individual broiler-proof soup tureens.
• Top each soup with a round of toasted French bread, and about 1/4 cup of grated Gruyere (or other) cheese.
• Broil just until cheese melts completely but before it starts to brown.
• Serve with additional slices of French bread (toasted or not) and Parmesan cheese.
• (Some recipes call for a flour roux after the onions have been sautéed, but we find any flour in the soup makes it drab and grainy.)

George Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages 2005 – France

Classic French Beaujolais-Villages – nose of lemon, black cherry, a little plum. Light tastes (it is a Beaujolais) of red grapes and a little spice. Some good minerals and acid. We enjoy the Gamay grape for just this type of wine that it makes – light and fun, yet if you go beyond the Beaujolais-Nouveau or Beaujolais to the Beaujolais-Villages wines, you gain much more in complexity and character. Many folks serve Beaujolais slightly chilled; we prefer it at cellar or cool room temperature. (See our previous entry for our opinions on wine temperatures.) Yes. $8 on sale (usually about $11).

d.A. (Domaines Astruc) Shiraz/Viogner 2006 – France

This was a pleasant surprise from the “value” section of our local wine shop. Floral notes and violets on the nose (which we’d attribute to the 20% Viogner), and well-integrated tastes of earth, mushrooms, and a tiny bit of tangerine on the mid palate. We’re constantly surprised by the French winemakers who are finally catering to an American market by listing grape varieties, but this wine lists the classic French Syrah grape with the trendy Aussie spelling! House/Yes. $10

Lost River Community Red 2005 – Washington

The label doesn’t say what grapes are in this red blend, but it tastes to us sort of like the common Aussie blend (but less common in the U.S.) of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Another nicely made wine from Lost River, but it’s just another average, OK, “red” wine. Maybe. $12

House Wines

(We’re going to be traveling and away from computers for a week, and we aren’t going to even think about posting again until we return on February 17. Enjoy your wines and dining until then.)

If you’ve been wondering what are our House wines, here is the complete list. We have not indicated differing vintages (and there can sometimes be vintage variations), nor different bottlings within a winery’s offerings. In a few cases, we have specified a particular wine. (For example, Mark West is a California winery which sources grapes from around the world. We don’t care for their California Pinot Noir, but did hugely enjoy their wine made from Corsican grapes.) On this list, you’ll find wines from California, Washington, Colorado, France, Australia, New Zealand, and Spain. (Next up, we’re planning a concentrated effort to see what’s new and exciting in South African wines, as well as to revisit some of our old tastings from Chile and Argentina.)

This is the cheat sheet we take with us to the store, although we’re always sampling and trying new offerings from the shelves. Also, this doesn’t represent all the wines we enjoy – rather it is the ones we like that we find most reliable at a good price, without having to do any thinking. We do have a separate list of higher-end (and higher-priced) wines we know and love, but those are for special occasions and not for our House wines. With a few exceptions (such as some of the Colorado wines), these should be widely available, affordable (under $20; most are $10-15, or even less, especially on sale), and reliable year-after-year.

SAUVIGNON BLANC
Brancott, Yvecourt, Columbia Crest, Turning Leaf, Covey Run, Canyon Wind, Geyser Peak, Barnard Griffin

GEWURZTRAMINER
Villa Wolf, Meridian, Chateau St. Michele, Columbia Crest, DeBeque Canyon, Covey Run

TRAMINER- RIESLING
Rosemont

RIESLING
Covey Run, Clean Slate, Snoqualmie, Chateau St. Michelle, Beringer, Greenwood Ridge, Columbia Crest

CHARDONNAY
Peace, Stonehedge, Carlson, Penfolds Thomas Hyland, Cambria, Redwood Creek(France)

VIOGNER
Domaine de Caillan, Oxford Landing, Yalumba

CHENIN BLANC
B&G Vouvary, Beringer, St. Chappell, Yalumba

ROSE
Beringer, Buehler, B&G Rose Anjou, Le Ville Ferme

PINOT GRIGIO
Columbia Crest, Stone Cellars

MUSCADET
Clos de la Clemanciene, Remy Pannier

GAMAY
George DuBeuf Beaujolais-Villages

ZINFANDEL
Ravenswood, Rosenblum, Stonehedge, Ridge

PINOT NOIR
Castle Rock, Coyote Creek, Mark West(Corsica), Scarlett of Paris, Beringer, Redwood Creek(France), Parducci, Cambria

CABERNET SAUVIGNON & MERLOT (and Blends)
Barnard Griffin(C-Merlot), Columbia Crest(Merlot-C)

SYRAH/SHIRAZ
Columbia Crest, Castle Rock, Yalumba(S-Viogner), B&G Cotes du Rhone, Red Diamond, Los Planos, Rosemount(S-Grenache), Lindemans, Domaines Astruc(S-Viogner)

GRENACHE
Los Rocas

TEMPRANILLO
Penascal, Tapena

SPARKLING
Bouvet Brut, Cristalino, Segura Viudas, Domain Chandon, Gloria Ferrer

PORT
Sandeman Tawny

Gnarly Head Zinfandel 2006 – California

This has a black cherry and almost perfumy nose. It tastes smoky, with blackberries and plums. There’s not too much oak or toast, and it has a dry finish. Yes. $12

Trimbach Gewurztraminer 2004 – Alsace, France

Yes, the French make Gewurztraminer, just as do the Germans. Alsace is on the border of France and Germany, and in many ways shares cultures, cuisines, and wine from both countries. This Gewurztraminer has a deeply aromatic, floral nose. The tastes are of honeysuckle, with some real weight and depth – almost as if it has seen some oak (which would be unusual for a Gewurztraminer). This is so different from a soft (every-so-slightly sweet), ethereal American Gewurztraminer. For us a Yes, but be forewarned if your Gewurztraminer tastes run toward the lighter style. $17

Quick Bouillabaisse & Chardonnay

DINNER
After watching a very old episode of Julia Child’s old TV show, The French Chef, we had a craving for a simple bouillabaisse. Thus, our Bouillabaisse for Two Recipe.

• About 3 cups fish stock, clam juice, or whatever’s on hand (we had some frozen shrimp-shell stock) in a saucepan
• Separately, sauté a leek, some sliced onions, and crushed garlic in olive oil (we used fennel oil) until soft
• Add some kind of sliced tomatoes (we used grape tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise) and simmer until the tomatoes just begin to soften
• Add vegetables to stock pan, and add a half cup of white wine
• Season with saffron, thyme, white pepper, and salt
• Let this simmer for 15-20 minutes to blend the flavors
• About 5 minutes before serving, add fish or shellfish (we used a few shrimp, and a couple of small Dover Sole filets)
• Serve in large bowls, accompanied by warmed buttered bread

WINE
Domaine Talmard Macon-Chardonnay 2006 – France
The nose starts off almost like a Sauvignon Blanc – crisp apples and grassiness. The tastes come on wonderfully with green apples, some buttery oak, and a hit of citrus/grapefruit on the mid palate. It has a nice, “unusual” lingering finish for a cheap white wine. We tend to like cheap French whites more than cheap French reds. The label gives a nod to Americans (actually listing Chardonnay as the grape, rather than having to know that most Macons are Chards), and the taste is another of those 50/50 French/American styles. Yes. $10

Welsh Rabbit (Rarebit) Recipe

A lot of words have been spent justifying calling melted cheese on toast Welsh Rabbit or Rarebit. The consensus seems to be that Rabbit is the original phrase.

Ken’s dad was arguably the world’s most un-creative cook. If you’ve ever suffered through “pizza” topped with canned tomato sauce, pieces of cooked ham, and canned green chilies, you’d understand. Anyway, he did have one excellent signature creation – Welsh Rabbit.

Our version is pretty close to Dad’s. It’s basically a roux white sauce, to which beer and cheddar cheese is added. It works well thick over toast, or thinner as a cheddar cheese sauce for vegetables, baked potatoes, or other dishes. Here’s our version (remember, we don’t measure much).

• Melt 2-3 tbsp of butter in a saucepan
  
• Add equal quantity of flour, cook on low heat for a minute or so
• Add maybe 1/4 cup milk, and stir constantly
• Add some beer (another 1/4 cup) - a good beer, please, not some watery American "light"
• Season with some combination of prepared Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, white pepper, sage, thyme, a tiny pinch of nutmeg, and either a dash of cayenne or a shake of Tabasco-type sauce
• Add grated Cheddar cheese 1/2 cup at a time, alternating cheese with beer until you have your desired consistency (thicker for traditional Rabbit over toast; thinner as a cheese sauce)

Tonight we had a thinner sauce over leftover broccoli-mushroom popovers and some pan-braised asparagus (please don’t ask us where that came from in January). Our wines were leftovers, too – a dry Riesling for Francesca and a hearty Zinfandel for Ken. Both worked well.

Wine Prices

Many of the wine prices we list are a little vague – often because we have lousy memories and also forget to record the price when we purchased the wine. On other occasions, we list the price we paid and also what typical retail is (ie: “$8 on sale, usually about $13”). In keeping with our wine philosophy, we’d say that 80 percent of the wines we discuss are below $15 retail. But we – and you – seldom need to pay $15 for a $15 wine.

Many retailers, especially supermarkets in many states (California and Washington are two we know of), frequently have a variety of wines on sale. And almost all wine retailers – whether a wine store, a liquor store, or a supermarket – offer case discounts (even mixed cases) of 10-20 percent for a case of 12 wines.

Part of our goal with this blog is to show that you can consistently find excellent wines at nearly every price point, especially affordable wines. Of course, when you go too low in price you’ll end up with a few stinkers, but we’ve had $30 bottles we didn’t like either.

Another good way to find affordable bottles is to stick with one producer you know and that you’ve had good luck – four of our “go-to” affordable wineries where we feel we’ll seldom go wrong are Columbia Crest (Washington), Rosemount (Australia), Beringer (California), and B&G (France). Try some of the wines we list as House wines, and if you agree with us, then try a few others in that winery’s line.

Louis Bernard Cotes du Rhone 2006 – France

As much as we like French wine styles, we really wanted to like this red. But... This Grenache/Syrah blend has a nose that’s almost alcohol-y, and tastes that have little fruit (a hint of dark plum), but lots of minerals, earth, acids, and tannins. Somewhat harsh (maybe young). A Maybe, at best. $13

Pepperwood Grove Pinot Noir 2006 – Italy

Another of the California/Euro hybrid Pinots, but this one isn’t successful. Cheap-tasting, harsh, young “red” wine. We’d had it on our No list before, but hadn’t tasted it in several years (and had forgotten to look at that list when we purchased this bottle). We know why. Pinot Noir from Italy sounds to us like Chardonnay from China. No. $10 (thank goodness we only paid $5 on sale, and only bought one bottle).

“Go With Anything” Wines

Are there wines that can truly go with anything? Within reason, we think it’s possible. The wine would be white or rose (pink, blush, whatever you want to call them), have some acidity, and just the barest touch of sweetness. These wines won’t necessarily be the “best” with certain foods, but we think they can go with anything – steaks, burgers, asparagus, artichokes, salads, fish, shellfish, even some cheeses. (To us, that may actually be the toughest “go-with-anything” challenge. We think most cheese needs a completely dry wine, but try some of our following ideas and see what you think.) So, our choices for wines that you could take to a dinner where you don’t know what’s being served, or wines to have on hand just in case you can’t think of what to open with a particular meal.

• Beringer White Zinfandel
• Cristalino Rose Brut Cava
• Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling

If you can’t find (or don’t like) these particular wines, look for something similar – any Spanish Cava, a dry-ish Rose, a not-too-sweet Riesling. You might also experiment with Gewurztraminer, Chenin Blanc, or maybe even a light-weight Pinot Grigio.

Food and Wine Pairing

There was an interesting article in the January 19 Wall Street Journal about Tim Hanni, who has developed a wine consulting business and a method to help pair wine with hard-to-match foods. He also is promoting “progressive wine lists,” and we’ve shopped in wine stores where basic wine progressions similar to his were used (light-bodied whites, medium, full, etc.). Hanni’s credentials are impeccable – one of the first Americans to pass the “Master of Wine” exams – yet some of his recommendations seem odd to us. We really don’t want our asparagus to taste like salt and lemon juice (his basic spice suggestion) just so we can drink a big Bordeaux with it – just pass the white Zinfandel and we’ll enjoy it just fine.

Wine and food pairing is an art – just as food and spice pairing is. Try some of our “cheap” wine suggestions from this blog with different foods. If something doesn’t taste good together, open another cheap bottle of something else. To us, that’s far better than changing the flavor of the food we so carefully created.

Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling 2006 – Washington

This starts with a nose of apple, peaches, and apricots. The tastes come on with citrus, peach, apricot, and a little white pepper. The barest hint of sweetness, nice mild acidity. Yum. A new House wine for us. $6 on sale (usually about $9).

[Update: As previously mentioned, if we find a wine rated elsewhere, we will note those ratings – but only after we write our reviews. This received an 86 from Wine Spectator.]

Pan-Seared Salmon with Teriyaki Sauce; Mushroom Saffron Risotto; Pinot Grigio

DINNER
We eat salmon a lot, and in a lot of different ways. We also make our quick homemade Teriyaki sauce, which is:

• Soy sauce or Tamari
• Sake or dry white wine
• Maple syrup
• Crushed garlic
• Crushed ginger
• Mix equal parts of soy, wine, and maple syrup; add garlic and ginger to taste.

Salmon
We like salmon cooked pretty lightly, so we first sear it skin-side down in olive oil. As soon as the skin side begins to get pink, we flip the filet over, peel off the skin, and cook the second side for another minute or two. We add a splash of the Teriyaki just before the fish is finished, then remove and plate the salmon. We add the rest of the Teriyaki sauce to the pan, to heat it and reduce it a bit. Drizzle some sauce over salmon, and serve the rest on the side.

Risotto
Risotto rice is cooked differently from Japanese or Chinese rice.

• Soak a pinch of saffron threads in a tablespoon or two of warm water.
• Sauté sliced mushrooms and set aside.
• Sauté some finely chopped onion in butter.
• Add dry Risotto rice to onions in pan and coat the rice with the butter.
• Add saffron and its soaking liquid, and a quarter cup or so of white wine.
• Add warmed vegetable or chicken stock a quarter or half cup at a time, and wait for rice to absorb all the liquid before adding more.
• When rice is fully cooked, add the mushrooms.

WINE
A Columbia Crest Pinot Grigio (previously reviewed) went perfectly with the smoky and smooth tastes of both the risotto and the salmon.

GraEagle Red & Enchiladas

WINE
GraEagle “Red Wing” 2004 – Washington
The first taste is a quick blast of green pepper (not unpleasant). This wine then mellows out to just another red. Some nice solid acidity. Not bad, but just nothing special. A red blend of 49% cabernet sauvignon, 12% merlot, 39% cabernet franc. This was a gift, and we haven’t researched the price (wouldn’t that be unseemly?), so without that guidance, we’ll stick with a Maybe. (As we've said before, our "ratings" are value dependent -- a wine might be a "Yes" at $10 but a "Maybe" at $20.)

[Update: As previously mentioned, if we find a wine rated elsewhere, we will note those ratings – but only after we write our reviews. The 2005 vintage of this wine received a 91 from Wine Spectator.]

DINNER
Green chili & cheese Enchiladas, with creamed spinach topping.

Lost River Syrah & Pumpkin Soup

WINE
Lost River Syrah 2005 – Washington
This is another nicely made wine from our closest local winery. It exhibits good Syrah character, in a style that the winemaker describes as between California and France. It’s nice to see a winemaker not just imitating California or Australia. Black cherries and spice on the nose, tastes of spice, chocolate, and very dark berry fruit. Yes. $22

DINNER
Pumpkin Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• Fresh pumpkin (about 1/3 of a medium pumpkin)
• Desired spices
• Butter
• Carrot – 1 large sliced
• Onion – half medium thick chopped
• Chicken or Veggie stock – about 4 cups
• Olive oil

Method

• Cut pumpkin into manageable size pieces
• Sprinkle with spices and drizzle with melted butter
• Bake in 350 degree oven until tender
• Scoop out flesh and cut into 1-inch cubes
• Sauté onion and carrot in olive oil until start to soften
• Add stock and cook another 15-20 minutes
• Add pumpkin and cook another 5 minutes
• Remove about half of soup, and blend until smooth
• Return blended soup to pot

Serve with crusty bread or a side salad.

Campanile Pinot Grigio Friuli 2005 – Italy

Nose of ripe apple, melon. Conversely, crisp taste overwhelmingly of lemon; nice acidity. This is a “nice” wine that just doesn’t develop any depth or real character. Maybe. $9

Rose, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel & New Year’s Eve Dinner

DINNER
East African Peanut Soup and South African Curried Parsnip Fritters
These are variations from recipes in an old Time-Life “Foods of the World” cookbook. Hearty, spicy, excellent for a cold New Year’s Eve.

WINES
Aperitif
Nathanson Creek (Sebastiani) White Zinfandel NV – California
This just can’t be a 4-dollar wine. It isn’t some syrupy sweet factory white Zin; it’s almost like a continental Vin de Pays rose. Nose of papaya and strawberry. Crisp tastes of kiwi and mild raspberry; even a little acid, and not at all sweet tasting. At this price, it’s a House wine for sure.

Dinner wines
Narrow Gauge Inn Cabernet Sauvignon 1992 – California
A friend had given us this bottle a few years ago, with the caveat that it might not be good anymore. He was right. This had turned completely. So...
Narrow Gauge Inn Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 – California
We had another more-recent bottle that we were holding, so thought it best not to hold any longer and try it now. It was already getting old, but still drinkable. Earthy, leather, woody, with obvious oak and integrated tannins. For us, it was still unfortunately a No wine, but then it takes a special Cabernet to get us excited. Price on these two unknown as they were gifts. Both were “special bottlings” for the Narrow Gauge Inn hotel outside Yosemite, from the Guglielmo winery. And then...
Ridge Zinfandel Pagani Ranch 2005 – California
We had this as our ultimate backup wine. (Francesca just couldn’t get into the Cab at all.) This isn’t one of our top Ridge wines, but to us any Ridge is better than most other reds. A Yes/Maybe for this specific Zin. About $25.

By Request: Mushroom Stroganoff Recipe

Our Mushroom Stroganoff recipe is inspired by the Horn of the Moon cookbook’s Mushroom Tofu Stroganoff.

INGREDIENTS

• About 1/2 cup dried Bolete mushrooms (or other earthy dried mushrooms)
• 1/2 cup warm water and 1/2 cup half & half or milk
• 2 tbsp Butter
• One medium chopped onion
• 3 crushed garlic cloves
• Basil (fresh or dried)
• Dill (fresh or dried)
• Salt
• About 3 cups thick-sliced button mushrooms
• Cayenne pepper
• Spinach Fettuccini (or the noodles of your choice)
• 2 tbsp Butter
• 1 tsp Poppy seeds
• 1/2 cup chopped Arugula
• 1/4 cup chopped chives
• 1 to 1-1/2 cups sour cream

METHOD

• Soak dried Bolete mushrooms in warm water and milk/half & half for a couple of hours.
• Sauté chopped onion, crushed garlic, basil, and dill in butter for 10 minutes.
• Add thick-sliced fresh mushrooms, cayenne pepper, a little salt, and chopped rehydrated Boletes. Sauté another 10 minutes or so. Add Bolete soaking liquid. Simmer until reduced by about half.
• Cook spinach fettuccini in a large pot of water.
• While the noodles are cooking, melt butter and add poppy seeds in a fry pan and cook for 5-10 minutes.
• Turn off mushroom pan (if still simmering) and add sour cream and chopped Arugula and chives.
• Toss noodles with butter/poppy seed mix.
• Plate the noodles, and top with the mushroom/sour cream sauce.

Ridge Geyserville Zinfandel 2005 & Christmas Eve Dinner

WINE
Ridge Geyserville (Zinfandel) 2005 – California
Rich, fruity (black cherry, blackberries, some spice), smooth, perfect balance of fruit and tannins. This, to us, is the perfect red wine – possibly our best Ridge yet, and we’re huge Ridge fans. 77% zinfandel, 17% carignane, 6% petite sirah. The label says it will “develop greater complexity over the next ten years.” We suggest buying a case and opening a bottle (or more) every year until then. Wow. House/Yes. $35

[Update: As previously mentioned, if we find a wine rated elsewhere, we will note those ratings – but only after we write our reviews. This received an 88 from Wine Spectator.]

DINNER
Mushroom Stroganoff, with fresh button mushrooms and wild dried (and rehydrated) Boletes. You wouldn’t know it was vegetarian.

Best Affordable Holiday Wines

We thought we’d list three wines – sparkling, white, and red – perfect for the holidays. All are affordable (under $12), widely available, and go good with most any type of food. They may not be our absolute favorites in each category, but all are excellent, versatile, and reliable.

Sparkling – Cristalino Rose Brut Cava Non-Vintage (Spain)
This is a wonderful, fun “adult Kool-Aid” wine. Very little sweetness for an inexpensive pink sparkler. Good with food, or on its own. We generally appreciate the price/quality ratio of nearly all Spanish Cavas. Cristalino also makes a nice regular Brut, just as pleasant and affordable, if you can’t bring yourself to go with a “pink” wine.

White – Barton & Guestier (B&G) Vouvray 2005 (France)
A wonderfully integrated expression of Chenin Blanc. Tastes of pear, apple, and definitely some weight (more so than the typical ethereal California Chenins). The faintest hint of softness (pretty typical of almost all Chenins) but with just the same hint of acidity to balance it out. A pleasant surprise if all your impressions of Chenin are cheap, light, and sweet.

Red – Beringer Founder's Estate Pinot Noir 2005 (California)
It's hard to find a reliably good yet affordable California Pinot. This Beringer tastes like the skin of a red apple, with a nose of roses and blackberries. It's slightly smoky, with some decent tannins. Just enough weight to be sipped on its own, but still light enough to pair well with most holiday dinners.

Covey Run Late Harvest Riesling 2005 – Washington

Honey, sweet (4% residual sugar), some pear notes. Not enough acid to balance the sweetness, for us. This would be good for those folks who simply like pleasant sweet wines. A No for us. Probably about $10.

Rosemount Estate Shiraz Grenache 2004 – Australia

When we first tried this wine years ago, it was Grenache/Shiraz, probably indicating that the blend was more Grenache than Shiraz. Now it’s 55% Shiraz, probably because of Shiraz’s ascendancy in popularity. It’s pretty close in taste to a pure Syrah (see our Columbia Crest review), and has almost a beefy nose. Plumy tastes, fresh and fruity. A House wine for all these years, and still so. About $10.

Columbia Crest Pinot Grigio 2006 – Washington

Floral nose; tangerines and mild spice on the taste. Another “good surprise” Pinot Grigio for Ken (see previous entry of Stone Cellars Pinot Grigio on Nov 21). We’d love to see just a tiny bit more acidity on the finish; nonetheless, a House/Yes. $9 on sale (usually about $13).

Covey Run Morio Muskat 2005 & a BIG Snowstorm

Covey Run Morio Muskat 2005 – Washington
Muscat is one of those under-appreciated grapes/wines, much like Chenin Blanc. Muscat/Moscato is a different grape than Muscadelle (and a different wine than Muscadet). We often try any of these that we see, as such adventures can lead to real treasures. This wine has floral notes and sweet citrus on the nose. Tastes of tangerine, grapes. We find this somewhat similar to an inexpensive Riesling, but sweeter and more “grapey” (in a good way). It’s a pleasant sipper, but we’d love to see a bit less sweet and a bit of acid to balance it out. Yes for Francesca, Maybe for Ken. $8

Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava – Spain

Nice mixture of citrus, kiwi, and bread dough on the nose. Tastes of lemon, melon. Nice dry/melon/acid finish. Yes. $7 on sale (usually about $10).

Thanksgiving Salmon & Domaine Ste. Michelle Sparkler

WINE
Domaine Ste. Michelle Blanc de Noirs (Non-vintage) – Washington
Not what we expect from a sparkler made from Pinot Noir grapes. Nose of lemon and a touch of yeast. Tastes of lemon, citrus, and maybe a little tangerine. We had this several years ago and had forgotten our rating, but looking back on old notes it’s still the same. No. $10 on sale (usually about $14).

THANKSGIVING DINNER
Due to our circumstances of a new move and not wanting to travel, it was just the two of us for Thanksgiving dinner for the first time in years. We had salmon in herb butter, a lemon/herb rice creation, good old Ocean Spray cranberry sauce from a can, and our famous pumpkin chocolate cheesecake (which has been a hit at any holiday occasion we’ve brought it to).

Lost River Rainshadow

Lost River Rainshadow 2006 Columbia Valley – Washington
This is a 60/40 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillion, similar to a French white Bordeaux blend. The Semillion softens the acids of the Sauvignon. This wine is neither-here-nor-there for us, but it’s pleasant and “good wine making.” If you like this type of blend, and/or semillion, it’s definitely worth a try. A Maybe wine. $12.

Wine & Cellar Temperatures

We don’t have a fancy wine cellar, but we do have a basement room which stays in the mid 50s in winter and the mid 60s in summer. In winter, we bring a few bottles of red up at a time so we have a selection for each evening’s meal that is closer to 65-70, which is our preferred red drinking temperature. In summer, we just leave everything in the “wine room” until we’re ready to select a bottle. For whites, we keep age-worthy wines (big Chardonnays, Hungarian Tokaji, some German Rieslings) in the “cellar” and our everyday drinking whites in a second refrigerator in our studio/cabin. When drinking whites, we usually prefer them when they’ve been out of the fridge for about 10-15 minutes, but we’re not sticklers. Sometimes we like certain whites crisply cold, other times almost up to cellar temperatures. When in doubt, experiment.

Stone Cellars Pinot Grigio

Stone Cellars (Beringer) Pinot Grigio 2005 – California
For a long time Ken had a prejudice against Pinot Grigio, considering them flabby, boring, and just “white wine.” Francesca kept bugging him to try some. This is a pleasant wine, with some orange/citrus on the nose, and light tastes of pineapple. A bit of acidity makes it crisp. A Yes wine. $8

San Juan Vineyards Siegerrebe 2006 - Washington

San Juan Vineyards 2006 Siegerrebe – Washington
We first found this wine several years ago at the winery. It was the only wine they produced from grapes grown on the island (San Juan Vineyards has other nice wines, but grapes are sourced from other Washington locations). The Siegerrebe is a cross between a Gewurztraminer and a table grape. This wine has a great floral nose, and tastes of lemon and apple. A very pleasant sipper. House/Yes. $12.

Red Diamond Syrah & Crepes

WINE
Red Diamond Shiraz 2002 – Washington
This was a nice surprise. Full of plum and black cherry notes. Also some nice edge – as if it had a tinge of Viogner in it (which some winemakers blend in sparingly) – that gave it almost an apple-skin tang. A House wine. $8 on sale (usually about $12).

DINNER
Breton Crepes. Whole wheat crepes, with sautéed vegetables and fried egg on top. Spinach side salad.

BEER

Not only do we love wine and food, but we’re also home beer brewers. We appreciate a well-crafted IPA or Amber Ale, and we always buy the small-name craft beers at stores or pubs. But corporate America has been subtly sneaking into the craft beer marketplace, by introducing beers that by their labels can seem like true craft beers, but aren’t.
Not only do the faux craft beers taste (to us) more watery and less “crafted,” but we deplore the deception that is made to confuse consumers (and, of course, probably to try to drive the small brewers out of business by the big corporates).
Blue Moon is made by Molson Coors, and tastes as wimpy as does any beer with “Coors” on the label. Henry Weinhard is owned/made by Miller. Redhook by Anheuser-Busch.
If you want great-tasting real craft beers, consider avoiding the above brands, as well as beers by Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing, Widmer Bros. Brewing, Goose Island, and ZiegenBock. These brewers are owned all or in part by one of the Big 3. We’ll report on others as we become aware of them.

B&G Bistro Wine Pinot Noir 2005 – France

It appears that the “Pinot Noir light” craze is here. This is fresh, fruity, like a Beaujolais Nouveau but with Pinot Noir instead of Gamay grapes. To us, better than either a Beaujolais Nouveau or the previously rated Echelon Pinot. And better than most reds we've had in bistros in France - this has some balance and roundness, not the youth and harshness too typical in France. Yes. B&G is a very reliable producer (see our review of their Vouvray). $9.

Echelon Pinot Noir 2006 – France

Still another French/California hybrid. Like a French bistro wine – pleasant, “red” wine. If it were 5 Euros in a café in Paris, it would be good. At $11 on the U.S. grocery store shelves, it’s a Maybe, at best.

Parducci Petite Sirah 2004 – California

Tastes of plum, dark cherry. Nice and dark – as a winemaker once said to us, “wine that stains your teeth black.” Petite Sirah is a related grape to Syrah/Shiraz, but individual nonetheless – almost Zinfandel-ish at times. A Yes/Maybe wine for us. $11.

Ridge Zinfandel – California

Ridge is one of the oldest and most well-respected Zinfandel producers in the world. They focus on a philosophy of making smaller-production bottlings from individual vineyards, and, as often as possible, using old-vine Zinfandel grapes. Some of the vines are more than 100 years old. We’ve loved Ridge wines for years, and they are our go-to wines for special meals. They’re also the wines we turn to when we want consistently great reds, no matter the occasion. Many of Ridge’s Zins are actually “Bordeaux-style” blends – but the main grape is Zinfandel rather than Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. To paraphrase something we read in a wine magazine several years ago: “Your $100-a-bottle cult Cabernet wine snob friends won’t believe that they’re drinking a $30 bottle of Zinfandel.” Most Ridge wines are in the $25-35 range. Several of their bottlings can be found at retail, but others are only available through the winery’s mailing list.

Choosing Restaurant Wines

Recently, the Wall St. Journal’s wine column discussed what to do when a less-experienced wine enthusiast asks your (more-experienced) opinion in picking a wine from a restaurant wine list. The column discussed the dilemma of not knowing their price range, and not wanting to ask and embarrass them. Our solution is quite simple: We narrow it down to red or white, then simply suggest two wines, one inexpensive and another higher-priced bottle. We hand them the wine list so they can read the descriptions (and also “privately” see the prices). The decision is thus theirs, and we all get to experience a fine wine.

Beringer Pinot Noir & Eating Local

WINE
Beringer Founder's Estate 2005 Pinot Noir (California)
It's hard to find a reliably good affordable California Pinot. This Beringer tastes like the skin of a red apple, with a nose of roses and blackberries. It's smoky, with some decent tannins. A House/Yes wine (definitely a House for Francesca). Price unknown, probably under $12.

[Update: As previously mentioned, if we find a wine rated elsewhere, we will note those ratings – but only after we write our reviews. This was recommended by Smart Money in their August 2007 issue. We don't know what vintage or grape source - a critical issue with Beringer's Pinots.]

DINNER
Most of us can’t very well eat completely “locally,” as the authors of Plenty (the 100-Mile Diet) did. (And although it’s a great book and a wonderful message, one must remember that it was obviously written by two journalists with a “concept” for a book in mind.) But we really enjoy eating as local as we can. Last night we had corn from the farmer’s market, picked that morning from a field about 8 miles away – amazingly sweet and tender. We accompanied it with a Shaggy Mane Mushroom Alfredo (the Shaggy Manes were from our pasture), spiced with home-grown basil. Yes, the Alfredo noodles were commercial. The wine was a Columbia Crest Riesling (don’t know how far from our Washington home it was grown and produced, but still within the same state). Chocolate-chip cookies from a local bakery (and we really don’t care where they got their ingredients – at least they were “home made” and not from a package at the grocery store). At the farmer’s market we also picked up local tomatoes, peaches, and lettuce mix – all from no more than 20 miles away. For us, it’s certainly about health – for ourselves and for the planet, but it’s also supporting local producers and simply a way to eat the freshest foods imaginable. The sad part is that even a simple meal such as this would be totally unavailable, impracticable, and downright impossible for 90 percent or more Americans - ain’t no wild Shaggy Mane mushrooms growing in New York City.

Columbia Crest Sauvignon Blanc 2005 - Washington

Columbia Crest Sauvignon Blanc 2005 (Washington)
Another Sauvignon in the "half-way" style between California and New Zealand. Green apple on the nose; with tastes of green apple and some grassiness. Also a nice bit of acidity. Yes. Pretty sure it was less than $10.

[Update: As previously mentioned, if we find a wine rated elsewhere, we will note those ratings – but only after we write our reviews. The 2006 vintage of this wine received an 85 from Wine Spectator.]

Covey Run Sauvignon Blanc 2005 - Washington

Covey Run Sauvignon Blanc 2005 Columbia Valley (Washington)
A nose of grass and floral notes. The flavors and mouthfeel are half-way between a California and New Zealand style – tart green apples, tangerine. Smooth and pleasant. A House/Yes wine (especially at this price). $6.

Columbia Crest Semillon/Chardonnay 2002 - Washington

Columbia Crest Semillon/Chardonnay 2002 Columbia Valley (Washington)
This has some pear on the nose, and is a buttery, creamy blend. Just not distinguished enough. A Maybe for Francesca, a No for Ken. $4. (At that price, though, it’s certainly worth a sample in case your tastes aren’t the same as ours, as we generally like Columbia Crest wines.)

Chateau Ste Michelle Gewurztraminer 2006 - Washington

Chateau Ste. Michelle Gewurztraminer 2006 Columbia Valley (Washington)
This very slightly soft Gewurz has a citrus, floral nose. It has nice layers of taste – lemon, tangerine, and a hint of cinnamon spice. A House/Yes wine. Price unknown (probably $7-10).

Ravenswood Zinfandel 2005 - California

Ravenswood Zinfandel 2005 Vintners Blend California
The label says it again – full, dark, spicy, fruity. Ravenswood has long been one of our House wines, and remains so. We’re obviously Zin fans (as our accolades of Ridge have shown), and Ravenswood is at the top of our reliable, affordable list. Raspberry, pepper, and a nice touch of oak/tannin. Hard to go wrong with this one. A House wine. $10.

[Update: As previously mentioned, if we find a wine rated elsewhere, we will note those ratings – but only after we write our reviews. This received an 85 from Wine Spectator.]

Redwood Creek Pinot Noir 2005 - France/California

Redwood Creek Pinot Noir 2005 (France, via California)
This Pinot Noir Vin de Pays d’Oc is “produced” in France but imported and bottled by Frei Brothers Vineyards in California. More California winemakers are looking outside their borders, and it’s paying off. We previously found a great Corsican Pinot Noir from Mark West (California), and this Redwood Creek is another example.
The wine has a cherry nose, and lots of layers of flavor and texture – black cherry, some tannins, even some of our preferences for “French dirt” tastes. It’s almost “halfway” between a true French style and a California fruity one. A House/Yes wine. $6 and a fabulous buy.

Famous Fish Tacos

We’ve proclaimed ourselves the masters of Fish Tacos, so thought we’d share the secret recipe.
Fish – our favorite is Halibut, but we had Cod last night, and have enjoyed other flaky fish. We didn’t care for Talapia.
Cooking Spice – a homemade mix (all ground) of:

• Cumin – 1 tsp
• Coriander – 1 tsp
• Smoked Paprika – 1/2 tsp
• Red Pepper – 1/4 tsp
• Salt – 1/8 tsp
• Garlic powder – 1/8 tsp

This makes enough spice for several dinners. We grind all with a large mortar & pestle, and store the left-over spice in a tightly closed jar.
We pan sauté the fish in Olive Oil and maybe a teaspoon of the spice mix, until the fish flakes apart.
Tacos – We alternate corn and flour, but generally prefer flour tortillas “soft fried.” We use a 1/8-inch layer of Olive Oil in a large fry pan, and cook the tortillas until they are “not-quite” crispy. Drain on paper towels.
Vegetables – We almost always use chopped onion and cabbage. Usually red onion and green cabbage, but sometimes red cabbage and yellow onion. We’ve also substituted Arugula for the cabbage and it tastes great, but offers a different texture.
Crema/Sauce – We experiment with Cremas a lot. Last night we used:

• 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup Sour Cream
• juice from half a lime
• approximately 1/4-1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
• grated 1/4 of a very large green apple (maybe 1/2 cup grated)
• several splashes of a Tabasco-type hot sauce
• a few grindings of salt

Other Cremas we’ve made (usually always with the base of sour cream/mayonnaise) have been garlic & lime; sweet red pepper sauce & onion; green onion & green olive. The possibilities are endless.
NOTES: We seldom measure anything (unless we’re baking, which we don’t do much). We experiment and substitute a lot. When in doubt, we think fewer elements are better than many. (For example, we’d rather have our fish tacos with fish, crema, cabbage, and onion, rather than a “normal” taco loaded with meat, beans, cheese, lettuce, onion, salsa, sour cream, black olives, jalapenos, tomatoes, and more.) We don’t worry about pairing any particular wine with any dish. We usually drink whatever wine we opened before dinner with whatever we end up cooking.

Chateau Ste. Michelle Rose 2006 - Washington

Chateau Ste. Michelle Dry Rose 2006 Nellie’s Garden Columbia Valley (Washington)
Floral, rose notes on the nose. A fizzy strawberry taste, but not sweet. A Maybe for Francesca; a No for Ken. $7-10 (we don’t remember).