Reviews of wines and spirits for the curious drinker.
Ham and Cheese Soufflé
Few dishes are as elegant, or as easy, as a soufflé. They can be savory or sweet, and are equally good for breakfast, lunch, brunch, or dinner. I adapted this ham and cheese soufflé recipe from one in The New York Times Cookbook by Craig Claiborne. It was the first cookbook I ever got, and is still one of the best.
Pizza Marengo
Chicken Marengo was created by Napoleon’s cook, Dundand, at Marengo, a small town in the Piedmont region of Italy. Napoléon had just defeated the Austrians on June 14, 1800, and, so the story goes, was famished. Dundand, however, had very little to work with, the commissary having been left behind because Napoléon was in hot pursuit. So he foraged around and came up with some chicken, tomatoes, garlic , and crayfish–some fried eggs got in the picture somewhere, too.
Is this one of the best bargains in French brandy? Maybe. Maybe not.
When most spirits enthusiasts hear the name Gran Gala, they immediately think of the popular Italian orange liqueur often compared to Grand Marnier. What many drinkers don’t realize is that Gran Gala also produces an authentic French cognac—a surprisingly affordable bottle. At a time when many well-known cognac brands command prices of $40, $50, or significantly more for their entry-level offerings, Gran Gala VS often sells for less than $25. That price alone makes it worthy of a closer look.
Salami Pizza
I had olives and sliced meats left over from a charcuterie board, so I came up with a pizza recipe to use them.
Giambotta Pizza
Start dough at 4p for dinner between 7p and 8p
1 cup warm water (90 to 110 degrees F.)
2 tsp instant-rise yeast
3-1/4 cup bread flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup olive oil (extra virgin not necessary)
Combine ingredients and knead by hand for 10 minutes or machine
for two to five minutes. Coat dough ball in a thin film of olive oil or cooking spray, cover in plastic wrap, and let rise in warm place until doubled in size.
Turkey, Olive, and Tomato Pizza
I had plenty of turkey left over from Thanksgiving and a big jar of green olives from Costco, so I came up with a recipe to use them.
Continue reading “Turkey, Green Olive, and Sun-dried Tomato Pizza”
Tuna Souffle
I adapted this tuna souffle recipe from a salmon souffle in The New York Times Cookbook by Craig Claiborne. It was the first cookbook I ever got, and is still one of the best.
A Mac and Cheese for Adults
In addition to being a wine blogger, I am also an amateur chef with advanced skills. All of my friends have fond nostalgic memories of mac and cheese which they enjoyed while growing up. However, I had never had mac and cheese, but finally wanted to try it. I decided that the Blue Box wouldn’t do, so I came up with a recipe that captures their enthusiasm, but that would appeal to adult tastes.
Cava de Oro Tequila Extra Anejo
Cava de Oro is a tequila brand produced in Jalisco, Mexico at a facility historically known as Tequilera Puerta de Hierro (NOM 1477), near the town of El Arenal, Jalisco. The brand traces back to founders Gildardo Partida Meléndez and Leticia Hermosillo Ravelero, who began working in the agave fields in the early 1990s — planting, harvesting, cultivating and marketing blue agave (specifically the 100 % Blue Weber agave used for tequila). Over time, the facility expanded, first installing an “alembic” (still), then packaging equipment, and eventually launching the Cava de Oro brand.
I didn’t grow up in Chicago, but I’ve lived in the suburbs for over 40 years. Two things that I discovered when I moved up from Texas were blues music and deep dish pizza, both of which I love to this day. This riff on Chicago Deep Dish is far from authentic, but uses the ingredients I had on hand.
Chalk Hill Sauvignon Blanc 2021
One fine spring day in 1972, attorney, private pilot, and wine aficionado Fred Fruth was piloting his plane over the Russian River Valley area. Down below, he hoped he saw what he had been searching for: a property that had the climate and soils to grow first-class wine grapes. Furth and his second wife, Peggy, purchased the land, named the estate Chalk Hill, and started producing wine about a decade later. They gradually planted more than 270 acres of vines. Years later, Furth said, “I have always been interested in wine because my grandfather had vineyards. I’m actually more interested in the working-the-soil aspect, but I have many very talented people in the winery who know how to produce a world-class wine. When I bought this property, I was told it was too hilly to be a vineyard, but I simply planted the grapes in rows going uphill. People said you can’t do that, but I’d seen it done in Germany so I knew it would work.” After a rich and varied life, Furth died in 2018 at the age of 84.
Lawyer Bill Foley acquired Chalk Hill in 2010. Although Foley is titled as “vintner,” I doubt he sees the interior of the winery very often. He is a vintner in the broader sense of “someone who sells wine.” He also owns the National Hockey League’s Vegas Golden Knights, is the Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors for Fidelity National Financial Inc., is Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors for Fidelity National Information Services, Inc., and owns fifteen other wineries.
Continue reading “Chalk Hill Sauvignon Blanc”
Grilled Nectarines
Celebrate spring with this recipe from Alec Graham, Chalk Hill Estate Vineyards’ onsite chef who oversees the culinary program there. I have a number of posts on Chalk Hill’s wines. Just search for Chalk Hill.
Chalk Hill Sauvignon Blanc Windy Ridge 2021
One fine spring day in 1972, attorney, private pilot, and wine aficionado Fred Fruth was piloting his plane over the Russian River Valley area. Down below, he hoped he saw what he had been searching for: a property that had the climate and soils to grow first-class wine grapes. Furth and his second wife, Peggy, purchased the land, named the estate Chalk Hill, and started producing wine about a decade later. They gradually planted more than 270 acres of vines. Years later, Furth said, “I have always been interested in wine because my grandfather had vineyards. I’m actually more interested in the working-the-soil aspect, but I have many very talented people in the winery who know how to produce a world-class wine. When I bought this property, I was told it was too hilly to be a vineyard, but I simply planted the grapes in rows going uphill. People said you can’t do that, but I’d seen it done in Germany so I knew it would work.” After a rich and varied life, Furth died in 2018 at the age of 84.
Aged eggnog?!
WTF is that? I had never heard of such a thing until I stumbled across a recipe for it on Alton Brown’s web site. As it turns out, it is indeed a real, if arcane, preparation, even covered by Cook’s Illustrated, which researches all things food. The idea is that the eggnog ages for at least two weeks, and up to a year. One benefit of aging is that after three weeks, the alcohol renders the eggnog completely sterile. Some writers suggest that is plenty of time; longer aging means that the eggnog loses its eggy freshness and becomes aggressively boozy. I don’t think I will be able to confirm that. I expect the batch I made to only last a month or so.
Mackerel Soufflé
The first cookbook I ever got, and to this day is still my favorite, is Craig Claiborne’s The New York Times Cookbook. Not long after getting the book, I was asked to bring dessert to a dinner party. I made chocolate-covered cream puffs. They were a huge hit, and people were amazed that I hadn’t purchased them. Cooking out of this book over the years since, Craig taught me that it isn’t hard to cook and eat well, if you are interested in doing so.