Gobble Gobble Gobble Up That Vino....

During the Thanksgiving season, if putting together a remarkable spread is not a task in itself, then we all stumble upon the decision of pairing wines with our culinary creations.  Five tips I can pass on to you are…


1. Start with bubbly. Sparkling wine is a great aperitif to sip while you wait for the turkey to finish cooking. It adds a celebratory note to the meal and goes well with starters like soup and salad.

 My suggestion is an affordable NV Roederer Estate Brut ~ you won’t be disappointed!

2. Consider the turkey. Unlike most poultry and game birds, turkey meat is very dry in texture. So you need a mouth-watering wine to complement it. Good options are crisp whites like riesling and pinot grigio. And yes, you can drink red wine with white meat: pinot noir, beaujolais and zinfandel all have juicy, berry-ripe flavors that go well with turkey.
 A couple of my picks would be MacMurray Ranch Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast, a Selbach Oster Auslese Reisling, and if money permits…try a bottle of 2007 Domaine du Vissoux Beaujolais ~ your palate will applaud you!

3. Look beyond the bird. The range of side dishes means that you don't have to match your wine just to the turkey. Since Thanksgiving dinner is often a banquet-style meal, with everyone choosing the trimmings, why not do the same with your wines? Offer both red and white, and possibly more than one depending on the size of your group.



4. Complement or contrast. A big, buttery chardonnay from California or Chile can complement the roasted, smoky flavours of squash, chestnuts and pecan stuffing. But if you would rather have a contrast to the richness of cream sauces and dressings, try a crisp New Zealand sauvignon blanc.

Some I would suggest are Peju Province Chardonnay or Babich Black Label Sauvignon Blanc

5. End on a sweet note. If anyone still has room left when it's time for pumpkin or pecan pie, offer a late harvest wine or icewine. If you're a chocolate fan, try serving a liqueur with complementary flavours such as raspberry or blackcurrant.  I recommend Bonny Doon Framboise for a different feel.  If you stomach has space still, I love the finishing touches that a great port can leave you with.  I suggest Taylor Fladgate 20 Year old Tawny ~ a staple in my liquor cabinet!!!

So happy turkey day to all, and hopefully these suggestions will take your meals to a new level of enjoyment!

~MWAH!

Gin Rummy....OK, Just Gin Then!!!!

Well one of my favorite bevies of choice is definitely gin.  So I thought a mere tribute to all things gin was due!!!

First off, a little hx!  Gin is classified as a hard alcohol, flavored with the seeds of the juniper bush.  Gin is a rather dry alcohol and is rarely enjoyed on it's own, but used instead as a base for many different types of drinks.  Good gin is very smooth, with a strong juniper flavor exciting the senses!

The invention of gin is usually attributed to a Dutch physician in the 17th century, though there is some contention in this area, with many claiming that the Italians (of course it would be the Italians - didn't they discover everything? Bwahahaha!!!) 

had been drinking a nearly identical liquor for some time before this.  Whatevah the case it may be, it was actually in good ol' Holland that gin first achieved it's popularity, being widely sold as a tonic to treat ailments such as gallstones, rheumatism, and stomach aches.  Juniper was added not only for flavor, but because the berries have a number of healing properties, including acting as a diuretic and helping with arthritis.  Sounds good so far.....

From the Netherlands, gin spread to England (like all great liquor did!), where it quickly achieved mass appeal.  The flavor was simplified somewhat from the Dutch gin, which was often aged in wooden casks & ended up taking on more co

mplex flavors.  When, in the early 18th century,  the Brit government allowed gin to be stilled without a license, the market of this product took off like no one's business!  Hence, by the middle of the 18th century, more gin was being consumed in England than beer!!

Today, the most modern style that we consume  is dry gin.  However, we are seeing a flood of ultra premium gins hitting the market.  These are made in small batches and produced exclusively from whole fruits, giving it a balance of taste that makes it ideal for gourmet cocktails.

Gin is most commonly seen in the much loved and coveted "Martini",  in the Gimlet, the Tom Collins, or simply on it's own, mixed with a splash of tonic and a wedge of lime served over ice.

This is one of my favorite summer cocktails that I want to share with you:

The Longdog

2 oz. gin

2 oz. tequila

2 0z. triple sec

2 oz. lime juice

2 oz. lemonade

Pour all ingredients into a shaker with some ice and shake vigorously!!! Work it baby!!!

Pour into a collins glass (tall), unstrained.  Top off with additional lemonade if you can't handle the punch!!  Garnish with lime and bottoms up!!!

MWAH~

Who Knew Mud Could Taste Soooo Good?

So the other night, a dahling g/f of mine popped over and we indulged in an amazing bottle of Pinot from Central Otago, New Zealand.  Mudhouse Wines boasts high end products that have won many accolades in the industry, with "every bottle that leaves their vineyard is a highly qualified ambassador for premium New Zealand wine."  

This 2008 vintage was sourced from a single vineyard with a climate of a long warm summer with cool nights ~ which in turn result in perfect ripening conditions for a Pinot Noir!!! Yum 

yum!!!  

On the palate, this wine showed flavors of plums & spicy herbs, with a distance of Maraschino cherry.  As this is matured in new and used French oak barrels for up to 12 months, the oakness shows through perfectly within the fine mix of tannins.  This 100% P.N. is a must pick up for anyone's cellar, as it is around a $25 bottle that will be great for drinking in the next 3 years.

Grab a bottle and a good friend or two and enjoy this

 little gem!!!

~MWAH

Whose In The Dog House?

Well, I found this little ditty kicking around on the rack downstairs and thought I would dust her off and try her out.  The rage right now seems to be catchy little names and funky little labels to grab the customers attention.  Although, I know for sure that I didn't buy this one, it was indeed a gift with a story behind it ~ someone was in the doghouse, not I though!!!!

This was a 2004 Dog House "Zeke's Zin" from California.  It reads 76% Zin, 11% Syrah, and a mere 9% Petite Syrah.  I think the retail on this would probably be around $15 (like I said, I never bought it!).  Pretty full on the palate ~ showing big blackberry jam profiles with the small indication of coffee beans on the finish.  And so it sat....gathering some air in the bottle.... and finally it became not too shabby.  Much more easier to drink after a couple hours exposed. Maybe a burger would have helped this along a little further?!

This is a great little company, donating all proceeds from these wines to Guide Dogs for the Blind.  Another fun little value wine, with a fun little brand.  Check them out!!!

~MWAH

A Tisket A Tasket, A Cheeseball For Your Basket...

So I thought I would post the recipe to my favorite couple of cheeseballs ~ these are great to make and wrap and pop in a picnic basket with some crackers and your favorite bottle of vino!!!

Hope you enjoy....

"Everybody Wants Some" Cheese Ball
1 8 oz. block cream cheese 
2 c. shredded sharp cheese
8 oz. crushed pineapple (drain well, squeeze)
2-3 T. of bell pepper cut very finely
2-3 T. of spring onion (white and green)
celery salt to taste
pecans--chopped finely

Mix with hands wearing plastic gloves. Roll in finely chopped pecans. Wrap in waxed paper until serving time. Keep refrigerated. Serve with a variety of crackers.

Feta Cheese Ball
1 8 ounce pkg cream cheese
1 4 oz pkg feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup margarine or butter
1/3 cup chopped ripe olives (I used Kalamata)
2 tbsp finely chopped green onion
1/4 cup snipped parsley or finely chopped toasted almonds (I used parsley)
Assorted Crackers

Bring cheeses and margarine to room temp. Beat till combined. Stir in olives and onion. Cover and chill 4 to 24 hours. To serve, shape into a ball. Roll in parsley or almonds. Serve with Crackers. Makes 2 cups 

Goat Cheese Ball
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
8 ounces goat cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons chopped fresh or 1 1/4 teaspoons dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup basil pesto
1/2 cup dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
Garnishes: dried tomato slivers, fresh oregano sprigs
French bread slices or crackers

Process first 5 ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Spread one-third of cheese mixture in bottom of a plastic wrap-lined 8- x 4-inch loaf pan. Top with pesto; spread one-third cheese mixture over pesto. Sprinkle with dried tomatoes; top with remaining cheese mixture. Cover and chill 8 hours.
Invert spread onto a serving plate, discarding plastic wrap. Garnish, if desired. Serve with French bread slices or crackers. 

Yumm Yumm!!! Enjoy!

MWAH~

Welcome Friends.....

Well, hello there!!!!  I started this blog as an addition to my others, to rant and rave about our favorite libations!!!!  A little bit about me ~ I have been in the liquor industry as a rep for some time, just completing my Level II of the WSET program based out of London, England.  

I have always enjoyed entertaining and trying new cocktails and over the past few years, have found myself intrigued with wines from all over the world!!!!  So I figured, what a better way to share my finds with you, the readers, than on a blog.

I am super excited about this weekend, as I am joining up with a dahling friend of mine to promote this fun new product her wine agency is representing.  Mad Housewife Wines!!!!

This will be a fun filled Sunday on the Beaver Dam Golf Course, where Mad Housewife Wines will be poured for all participants!   Can I get a woot woot??!!  I love the concept behind this product, as they use tag lines such as " Dinner be damed, the dishes can wait!!!".  They focus on this product being 100% Californian, being easy to drink for the woman who has had a hectic day cooking and cleaning and just needs to put her feet up and have a glass without having to understand a lot about wine, without all the "madness"!!! Their four varietals are classic, easy to drink products of Chardonnay, White Zin, Merlot & Cab Sauv.  Their philosophy is, above all else, wine should be fun, relaxing, and something you can afford to look forward to at the end of each & every day!!! Sounds good to me sistah?! The label is exquisitely catchy to the eye and once again "FUN" ~ not to mention there is a lot of pink involved in the branding which sucks me right on it!!!!  Check out their website here to see all the fun recipes and hilarious paraphernalia that you can pick up!!!!  Purchases of the White Zin donate money to help fight breast cancer so why not?! For more info on these wines contact tanya@winerunners.ca.  These bountiful bottles retail for about $15 in Alberta, and make an inexpensive conversation piece at your next bbq or party you are invited to!!!!

~MWAH