Category: Weekly Whet (Page 10 of 16)

John Sarich, Hamid (the color at Ste. Michelle and wonderful host), and I threw back a quite a few glasses of this gorgeous wine.  So good, in fact, that it is a finalist in the Sunset Western Wine Awards ~ ceremony to be held during the “Savor the Central Coast” four-day culinary event at the end of September.  I wonder if Hamid will bring a sleeping bag…

On this week’s radio prgram, Chef John Sarich, culinary director of Chateau Ste. Michelle, shares the perfect match for his Asian Crab-Noodle Soup: The 2009 Eroica Reisling. The flavor profile of this Reisling is summed up by winemaker Bob Bertheau:” src=”sites/all/modules/wysiwyg/plugins/break/images/spacer.gif” alt=”<--break->” />

“This Riesling exudes mandarin orange and sweet lime aromas and flavors with subtle mineral notes. The mouth-watering acidity is beautifully balanced by flavorful Washington Riesling fruit. After a decade we have truly found our ‘Eroica style,’ striving for beautiful bright fruit with crisp acidity and enhanced minerality.”

2009 Eroica Riesling

Columbia Valley

100% Riesling

FOOD PAIRINGS

Asian Dishes

Indian Curries

Crab

Scallops

The Tablas Creek Vineyard’s Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc 2009 is a wine that will keep you wondering… and wanting more. The Esprit is a blend of three estate-grown varietals that touch all the senses. Roussanne provides the core richness, minerality, and flavors of honey and spice, while Grenache Blanc adds green apple and anise flavors, a lush mouthfeel and bright acids. Picpoul Blanc completes the blend, adding a saline minerality and tropical notes. The Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc 2009 is a finalist at Sunset Magazine’s Western Wine Awards (held at Sunset’s Savor the Central Coast).

Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc 2009

1975 Cases Produced

62% Roussanne, 26% Grenache Blanc, 12% Picpoul Blanc

FOOD PAIRINGS

Haas Familys’ Carrot, Leek and Potato Soup
Cooked shellfish (lobster, softshell crab, shrimp)
Roasted or grilled vegetables (eggplant, asparagus, peppers)
Foods cooked with garlic and olive oil
Rich fish dishes (i.e., salmon, swordfish)
Asian stir fry

I believe Heidi’s famous last words on the Weekly Whet before she left, were something to the effect of “find some kind of really interesting Celtic cocktail, but do something besides whisky for a change.”

I nodded obligingly. She’s right after all; intotheSoup.com is loaded with columns and radio shows dedicated to the subject matter. But let me tell you, folks, Google was not having any of this “Celtic-cocktail-sans-whisky” business. As it turns out, the Celts don’t mess around with muddling, shaking, fancy juices or syrups.

I delved deeper into the archives of the web and found a minor reference to a drink called “Black Velvet” (wasn’t that an 80s hair band?). Finally, I had my cocktail for the week–as, um, interesting as it may be.

Ingredients

• Champagne or Sparkling Wine
• 1 bottle of Stout
• 1 Pint Glass

1.) Fill the pint glass 1/2-way with Champagne

2.) Fill it the rest of the way with the Stout

3.) Enjoy (?) and refill as needed:)

Courtesy of Ray Pearson

Ray Pearson is a seasoned traveler and well-versed in most spirits–especially whisky (he’s a certified expert!). His travels often allow him to try an unusual cocktail or two. Here’s a recipe he picked up while traveling in the ruggedly beautiful little mountain town of Silverton, CO.

Ingredients

• sugar (enough to rim the glass 1/2 way)
• 1 spoonful peach jam
• ½ lime
• 2 oz Platino Rum
• 5-6 muddled mint leaves
• 3-5 cubed peach pieces
•  Soda water

1.) Pour the peach jam, lime juice, and rum in a cocktail shaker

2.) Muddle mint leaves in a cocktail glass and add peach pieces

3.) Shake contents of shaker for 30 seconds, and pour contents of cocktail glass

4.) Top off with soda water and give it all a good stir. Enjoy!

While we were sadly unable to locate the the EXACT recipe for those fantastic margaritas coming out of Chef Silvana Esparza’s Barrio Cafe, we’re hoping this one is similar (fingers crossed). Into the Soup’s resident cocktail enthusiast did a little bit of web-research on margaritas and found that she has been taking a frowned-upon shortcut in her personal margarita-making, by using the dreaded “table salt” (SHAME!). But, hey–sometimes those finances are tight, and Friday night logic dictates that the need for Tequila and limes>the need for Kosher salt. Don’t judge me.

Ingredients

• 2 oz (4 Tbsp) good tequila
• ½ oz (1 Tbsp) Grand Marnier or Triple Sec
• 2 Tbsp lime juice (juice of 1 lime)
• 1 Tbsp water
• 1 tsp Organic Agave Nectar
• Ice cubes
• Kosher Salt for rimming your glass

1.) Mix the water and agave nectar in a separate dish to create a simple syrup-like sweetener

2.) Pour remaining ingredients and agave nectar-syrup into a cocktail mixer

3.) Shake/Mix well

4.) Pour contents of mixer over ice in your salt-rimmed glass

5.) SALUD! Enjoy!

Courtesy of Ray Pearson and the Montanya Rum Distillery, Silverton, CO

In all the time Ray Pearson has been contributing to intotheSoup.com and into the Soup radio, I’ve secretly been waiting for a giant box of knick-knacks, magnets, and key chains to arrive in my mailbox from his extensive travels. At last, my heart is content because in place of knick-knacks and silly things, Ray sent me some lovely cocktail recipes to share! Here’s my favorite because, well, I really like Steinbeck, and I really, really like rum.

 Ingredients 

• ½ fresh squeezed lemon
• 1 oz rosemary simple syrup
• 2 oz Platino rum
• 3 muddled basil leaves
• 1/3 cup grapes

1.) Muddle grapes and basil in a cocktail glass

2.) Add lemon juice, simple syrup, and rum to a cocktail shaker and shake well

3.) Pour contents of shaker over muddled grapes and basil

4.) Top off with soda water and give the cocktail a good stir. Enjoy!