+ // Crisp // Fruit, Hops // Fruit // Medium
Purchased at Brooklyn Larder the week of my Beer and Bachelor Chow.
A really neat label, courtesy www.stillwaterales.blogspot.com.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
QUICK REVIEW
Massachusetts, Stillwater Artisanal Ales, Stateside Saison
+ // Crisp // Fruit, Hops // Fruit // Medium
Purchased at Brooklyn Larder the week of my Beer and Bachelor Chow.
A really neat label, courtesy www.stillwaterales.blogspot.com.
+ // Crisp // Fruit, Hops // Fruit // Medium
Purchased at Brooklyn Larder the week of my Beer and Bachelor Chow.
A really neat label, courtesy www.stillwaterales.blogspot.com.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Beer and Bachelor Chow
First stop: Brooklyn Larder for some beer. Their selection of beer is always diverse and interesting, especially considering their small space.
Looked gross but tasted great - like most bachelor food. Right guys?
Next stop: The grocery store for ingredients to make the most unhealthy dinner possible.
Baked Meat and Cheese
1/2 lb Ground Sirloin
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Chili Pepper
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves of garlic, diced
1 small onion diced
1lb cream cheese
1 can Black Beans
1/4 lb crumbled Blue Cheese
In a sauté pan, heat the oil, then add the garlic and onion, and sauté until translucent. Add the ground beef and spices, then brown the meat. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Once cooked, layer the meat in the bottom of a 9x9 baking pan. Slice the cream cheese 1/4" thick slices, then layer over the beef. Layer the black beans over the cream cheese, then sprinkle the blue cheese evenly on top. Bake in the over for half an hour, until the cheese is melted. Serve with tortilla chips.
Eat this with a heavy beer: this is a pretty rich meal with some hearty flavors. The Farmhouse Ale from Stillwater Artisanal Ales that I selected went well, as it provided some fruity flavors to the savory and saltiness of the food.
This was a good warm-up for my other indulgence that week--wine with buffalo wings. Check back on Friday for details!
Looked gross but tasted great - like most bachelor food. Right guys?
Next stop: The grocery store for ingredients to make the most unhealthy dinner possible.
Baked Meat and Cheese
1/2 lb Ground Sirloin
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Chili Pepper
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves of garlic, diced
1 small onion diced
1lb cream cheese
1 can Black Beans
1/4 lb crumbled Blue Cheese
In a sauté pan, heat the oil, then add the garlic and onion, and sauté until translucent. Add the ground beef and spices, then brown the meat. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Once cooked, layer the meat in the bottom of a 9x9 baking pan. Slice the cream cheese 1/4" thick slices, then layer over the beef. Layer the black beans over the cream cheese, then sprinkle the blue cheese evenly on top. Bake in the over for half an hour, until the cheese is melted. Serve with tortilla chips.
Eat this with a heavy beer: this is a pretty rich meal with some hearty flavors. The Farmhouse Ale from Stillwater Artisanal Ales that I selected went well, as it provided some fruity flavors to the savory and saltiness of the food.
This was a good warm-up for my other indulgence that week--wine with buffalo wings. Check back on Friday for details!
While the wife is away, the husband will play. Or at least eat and drink the junk he wouldn't when the wife is at home. Tina took a week away to visit her family, so I took the chance to whip up some bachelor food. Meaning, if it was healthy, I wasn't having it.
Friday, October 7, 2011
How-To: Recognize Aged Wine
Taste is a big clue to determining how well a wine has aged. This is complex and will be left to the master sommeliers. For the rest of us, there are two other important ways to recognize how a wine has aged:
1. By smell: Wines dull as they age and are not as "bright" in smell.
The “aroma” will smell new & fresh in young wines. In contrast, older wines often smell "off" or even dull. We call these aromas “bouquets."
2. By sight: Wines change color as they age.
Before you sip, tip your glass forward, almost sideways, and look at the color of your wine.
Whites darken over time. They start off with a greenish tint, transform through yellow and then gold, and finally become brown.
Green à Yellow à Gold à Brown
Conversely, reds lighten over time. They start off purple, become red, then brick/orange-ish, and, like white wine, finally become brown.
Purple à Red à Brick/Orange-ish à Brown
In addition, you'll begin to notice sediment in bottles that are aged. This occurs mainly in red, where the pigmentation from the grape skins settles to the bottom of the bottle.
So, when we talk about a wine "aging well," a big factor is how long it retains its youthful colors. If you purchase a 2009 red wine that is already brick/orange, you know it hasn't aged well. Likewise, a 2006 white wine that retains its yellow coloring has held up very well to the aging process.
Go ahead, try it for yourself, and let us know what you see in your next glass.
1. By smell: Wines dull as they age and are not as "bright" in smell.
The “aroma” will smell new & fresh in young wines. In contrast, older wines often smell "off" or even dull. We call these aromas “bouquets."
2. By sight: Wines change color as they age.
Before you sip, tip your glass forward, almost sideways, and look at the color of your wine.
Whites darken over time. They start off with a greenish tint, transform through yellow and then gold, and finally become brown.
Green à Yellow à Gold à Brown
Conversely, reds lighten over time. They start off purple, become red, then brick/orange-ish, and, like white wine, finally become brown.
Purple à Red à Brick/Orange-ish à Brown
In addition, you'll begin to notice sediment in bottles that are aged. This occurs mainly in red, where the pigmentation from the grape skins settles to the bottom of the bottle.
So, when we talk about a wine "aging well," a big factor is how long it retains its youthful colors. If you purchase a 2009 red wine that is already brick/orange, you know it hasn't aged well. Likewise, a 2006 white wine that retains its yellow coloring has held up very well to the aging process.
Go ahead, try it for yourself, and let us know what you see in your next glass.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
QUICK REVIEW
US, New York, Finger Lakes, Wilhelmus Estate, Traminette F-R, 2007
+ // Fruity // Grape, floral // Grape, some spice // Light
For more information, read Tina's article on the Traminette grape, published in Palate Press!
+ // Fruity // Grape, floral // Grape, some spice // Light
For more information, read Tina's article on the Traminette grape, published in Palate Press!
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Did you know... About Sancerre
Sancerre is another way of saying "Sauvignon Blanc." French wines are most often named after their region. Sancerre is no different: it's a wine region in the Loire Valley. All white wines produced in Sancerre are made from the Sauvignon Blanc grape. (A red Sancerre will be Pinot Noir.) Nifty, huh?
 |
| A map of the Loire Valley . . . Sancerre is at the eastern edge of the green shape. http://www.terroir-france.com/wine/loire_map.htm |
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
QUICK REVIEW
US, New York, Finger Lakes, Wilhelmus Estate, Noiret, 2009
+ // Spicy // Pepper // Black pepper, green pepper, oak, dark berry // Full
The Noiret grape is one of three new grapes released by Cornell in 2006. This grape produces a spicy/peppery red wine.
+ // Spicy // Pepper // Black pepper, green pepper, oak, dark berry // Full
The Noiret grape is one of three new grapes released by Cornell in 2006. This grape produces a spicy/peppery red wine.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Recipe: Fried Zucchini Flowers
The summer months bring some interesting ingredients to the local farmers market. I like to try picking up something a bit different, to avoid making the same every week. On a recent trip, I saw zucchini flowers. I’ve tried cooking with them before, with minimal success, but though I would give them another try. Most recipes I have found treat them as a side dish, but I wanted to use them in something more substantial. Here's the recipe I've created:
Fried Stuffed Zucchini Flowers
Ingredients:
1tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 Medium Onion, diced
2 Cloves of Garlic, diced
1lb Ground Beef
Salt and Black Pepper
8oz Cream Cheese
12 large Zucchini Flowers
Vegetable Oil for frying
2 large egg yolks
1 cup ice water
1 cup all-purpose flour
Directions:
In a large sauté pan, heat oil. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onions are clear. Add the ground beef, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook the ground beef until golden brown, then drain and set aside for five minutes. Rinse the zucchini flowers under cold water, then open the petals. Mix the cream cheese into the beef mixture, then spoon approximately ¼ cup of the mixture into each flower, then close the petals to seal the mixture in.
Meanwhile, pour 3 inches of oil into a deep fryer or heavy pot and heat to 375 degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly, then stir in the ice water and flour until the batter is the consistency of heavy cream. Dip 2 flowers at a time in the mixture, coating completely, then drop them in the hot oil. Fry the flowers for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown, then drain them on a plate with paper towels. Repeat with the remaining flowers.
Served with fresh vegetables (beets, yams, and potatoes), this was a fun and delicious meal. The flowers imparted a nice hint of flavor, and the fried batter added a crisp texture, complementing the rich creaminess of the meat and cream cheese filling. A glass of 2009 Viognier from Hawley rounded out the meal, the crisp minerality of the wine contrasting the the vegetables and deep fried flavors.
This recipe was also picked up at Wines.com, check it out!
Fried Stuffed Zucchini Flowers
Ingredients:
1tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 Medium Onion, diced
2 Cloves of Garlic, diced
1lb Ground Beef
Salt and Black Pepper
8oz Cream Cheese
12 large Zucchini Flowers
Vegetable Oil for frying
2 large egg yolks
1 cup ice water
1 cup all-purpose flour
Directions:
In a large sauté pan, heat oil. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onions are clear. Add the ground beef, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook the ground beef until golden brown, then drain and set aside for five minutes. Rinse the zucchini flowers under cold water, then open the petals. Mix the cream cheese into the beef mixture, then spoon approximately ¼ cup of the mixture into each flower, then close the petals to seal the mixture in.
Meanwhile, pour 3 inches of oil into a deep fryer or heavy pot and heat to 375 degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly, then stir in the ice water and flour until the batter is the consistency of heavy cream. Dip 2 flowers at a time in the mixture, coating completely, then drop them in the hot oil. Fry the flowers for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown, then drain them on a plate with paper towels. Repeat with the remaining flowers.
Served with fresh vegetables (beets, yams, and potatoes), this was a fun and delicious meal. The flowers imparted a nice hint of flavor, and the fried batter added a crisp texture, complementing the rich creaminess of the meat and cream cheese filling. A glass of 2009 Viognier from Hawley rounded out the meal, the crisp minerality of the wine contrasting the the vegetables and deep fried flavors.
This recipe was also picked up at Wines.com, check it out!
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