Mid-week I found myself meandering though the aisles of the Carmel Public Library looking for that perfect cookbook - - that cookbook containing the recipe for my birthday dinner.  I held one book and then another…..and another.  Finally, my hands rested on the one - Chez Jacques by Jacques Pepin.  I thumbed through the book and found it…the recipe!!  Beef Stew in Red Wine Sauce (or boeuf bourguignon).  Mmm…. heaven! 

Although I can make a beef stew in my sleep, this recipe is somewhat different in its approach and therefore, made the perfect recipe to experiment with on my birthday.  Flipping through the book, I found a recipe for a tapenade……NOW we’re talking!!  I love nothing more than to eat and drink while I cook. The thought of a pungent tapenade on a crisp warm baguette and a glass of red wine just about put me over the edge! 

The beef strew recipe called for 2 pounds of flatiron steak - - a luxury for sure!  I typically use a chuck roast or stew meat……but Jacques said flatiron and flatiron it will be.  I went to Vine and Table to choose a wine to accompany our dinner.  Jacques mentioned for this recipe, one should use the SAME wine to cook with so a good, yet inexpensive, red wine was in order (the recipe called for an entire bottle in the stew).  I chose the Rosemount Estate Mudgee Hill of Gold Shiraz for its full body and soft aromatics.  Actually, this wine has become a staple at my house lately.

I rushed home to get the house in order before The Man arrived.  Walking through the door, my house seemed a little chilly.  It had been quite the cold week, so I thought nothing of it.  I walked over to the thermostat and turned it up a couple of degrees.

I began peeling baby pearl onions and chopping cremini mushrooms and set out the ingredients for our cooking adventure.  Ambiance was in order, so I created an Edith Piaf station on Pandora, lit a few candles and put on my cute apron just in time for The Man’s arrival. 

The house was still chilly….I checked the thermostat again - the unit didn’t turn on.  Geez Louise….these things always seem to happen at the most inopportune moment.  The Man and I went down into the basement to look at the heating unit.  Actually, I’m not sure why we went down to look at the heating unit….it just seems like something people do.  We took off every removable panel and just stood there…..looking….and looking….as if the unit would suddenly whip back into shape and start working with a stern look (hey, it worked for my kids).  He looked at me….I looked at him…..we fiddled with a few switches (hoping the house wouldn’t blow up if we hit the wrong button).   What to do???  Where’s MacGyver when you need him??  It’s Friday night at 7:00pm and there is no way I can do without heat in the middle of an Indiana February for an entire weekend.  Reinforcements must be called…..

It was time to open the wine and start cooking to take my mind off of the possibility of replacing my entire heating unit.  I could just see the dollar bills streaming through the front door……leaving me….sending me to the poor house.  Why do these things happen when I am cooking a special dinner??  Smoke alarms, broken disposals, leaky pipes, work emergencies…..all seem to appear the moment I take a cookbook off my shelf!

The Man makes the tapenade in the food processor.  It was unbelievably easy!  1 ½ cups pitted Kalmata olives, 2 Tbl capers, 2 cloves (I added 4 or 5) of garlic, 4 or 5 small figs, a small tin of anchovies, some freshly dried marjoram, ground pepper and ¼ cup olive oil.  Pulse it all in the food processor and voila! Tapenade!  We cut a fresh baguette, spread some goat cheese on it and topped it off with our creation…..delish!!  Taking a sip of wine, I realized I was in a Mediterranean Nirvana….pungent flavors combining with smooth, red wine….sigh….  

The kitchen fills with a bouquet of sautéed beef, garlic, onion and wine.  Our creation was looking good!  Edith Piaf provided the ambiance and the stress of the day seemed to melt - at least for a moment.  My son came home with a girlfriend….they had it in mind to make chocolate chip cookies.  My ambiance-filled kitchen soon bustled with enough creative energy to rival a 5 star restaurant with four people sharing kitchen space, measuring cups, ingredients, and even the oven.  The doorbell rings--it was the furnace repair man.  I had completely forgotten about the repair man!  I invite him in…..offer him a glass of wine and some dinner (he must have thought I had lost my mind)…..and sent him down to fix the problem.  Bustle….bustle…..bustle…..a symphony of sound and smell began to play in my kitchen.  I take a moment and watch the smiles on the faces of those I love….. seeing the warm interaction….stealing bites of cookie dough in between tastes of beef stew….dancing with my man….and realizing that there is a reason my kitchen is my favorite place in my home.

Were you there? You should have been! Our first to be monthly Pick 24 tasting Party was a solid success.  Our crowd of 60+ people enjoyed some great wines as well as some of the best cheeses from around the world. We anticipated a turnout of around 30-40 people, but when 60+ of you showed up we were thrilled! Our 24 wines were well received with the favorite for the night being the Tikal Patriot 2007, a 60/40 blend of Bonarda and Malbec from Argentina.

If you were not one of those in attendance, our “Pick 24 Release Party” is scheduled on the first Wednesday of the month and is a time for wine enthusiasts to gather together and taste the monthly selection of 24 wines that have 90+ rating points from a national or international grading system. We do charge a nominal $10 fee for the array of cheeses, dips, breads, and fruits provided. Our goal is to offer everyone the chance to ‘try before you buy’, and on the night of the party, we offer additional discounts, over and above the sale price for purchases of 3, 6 or 12 bottles.

This month we had 2 pouring stations, each with 12 wines each. Our original estimate of 30-40 attendees would have been well served with the 2 lines, but with the fantastic turnout of 60+ people we found ourselves falling a little behind.  In an effort to serve and get you, our customers, a better turnaround in the tasting line, we are going to go to 4 tasting lines with 6 bottles each. One of our customers thought a tasting sheet for notes would be helpful, so next month, we will be adding a tasting sheet with all of the prices of each wine.

Our list of “Pick 24” wines are placed in the wine bins in the center of the store and remain on sale through the month of March. Stop in and have a look, there might even be a bottle of one of the wines open to taste. Also, don’t miss this opportunity to register for next month’s party so you too can sample the selection and if you find something you like, can enjoy the special pricing for party attendees.

Special guest flying in from afar to share their particular wine knowledge & expertise always makes for a fun and exciting event. I am really excited about our upcoming Bouchaine Vineyards tasting on March 2nd. Greg Gauthier of Bouchaine will be at Vine & Table gourmet market from 5-7 pm, pouring their fantastic Chardonnays & Pinot Noirs. About 3 weeks ago, I was able to taste through the wines and was very fortunate to have Greg agree to return to Carmel and personally share these wines with our friends and neighbors here in Carmel.  I think you’ll love these wines as well. This is a free tasting and I recommend you stop on by.

The best part of this event will be talking to Greg. The title of VP of Wine Production & Sales at Bouchaine only tells you where he is today, not where he has been. For instance, with stints with Sebastiani, Sutter Home, Klein Family Vineyards, Chalone, and Rodney Strong Wines, Greg has plenty of stories about each of those wineries. In fact, Greg has frequently managed to be in the right spot at exactly the right time. He had a key role in successfully launching Sebastiani Vineyard's Country Varietals. He helped establish Sutter Home as a national brand. He redesigned the package for Sutter Home's innovative single-serving concept; miniature wine bottles sold in a 4-pack are now ubiquitous. Greg ultimately became Director of Sales and Marketing for Sutter Home's first foray into fine wine with their Monteviña Winery in Amador County.

Stop by, meet Greg, discuss the Bouchaine wines, along with Greg’s history in the wine industry, taste some wonderful wines and we might even have a treat in store for you as well… perhaps a G. Gauthier Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir to taste.

Cooley Distillery, Ireland's only independent whiskey distiller, has been named Distillery of the Year at the 16th Annual Malt Advocate Whisky Awards.

The Whisky Awards, run by Malt Advocate, North America's leading whisky magazine, recognize excellence in the world of whisky. Now in its sixteenth year, this annual award program is the oldest and longest-running in the industry. The awards honor the world's greatest whiskies and distilleries, and the individuals who make and promote whisky around the world John Hansell, Editor of Malt Advocate, commented, "The most compelling justification for selecting Cooley for this award isn't just the variety of the whiskeys they make. It's the quality. They are now putting out the best whiskey they have ever produced. In an era where hundreds of small distilleries are starting up across the globe, Cooley can be an inspiration to them all."

I had the pleasure of meeting Jack Teeling, Executive Director of the Cooley Distillery, two years ago in Chicago at Malt Advocate’s annual WhiskyFest. Jack is the son of John Teeling, who was the inspiration and founder of Cooley. As a result of that meeting I was able to bring all of Cooley’s brands to Indiana.

Not everyone may be familiar with the Cooley Distillery or its brands (there are quite a few). The company was founded in 1987 with a vision of producing quality whiskey in the more traditional style. The distillery is located on the beautiful Cooley Peninsula, which is close to the border with Northern Ireland. After distillation the whiskey is taken to the Kilbeggan Distillery in Kilbeggan, County Westmeath. Here it is put into cask and laid down in the old warehouses, where it ages until ready for bottling.

Brands include:
Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey, a nice easygoing blend along (also available as a very limited edition15-year-old);
Tyrconnell Single Malt Irish Whiskey, along with three new 10-year-old wood finishes;
Connemara Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey in regular bottling, cask strength and 12-year-old edition;
Greenore 15-year-old Single Grain Irish Whiskey – This is the world’s oldest bottling of Irish grain whiskey ever released!

So if you are looking to try something other than your usual Irish tipple then it might be worth investing some of your hard earned dollars on a bottle from the Cooley distillery. Any of their products will provide a taste of the independent spirit of Ireland.

Slainte,
Denis

Cooking is beautiful - - it’s art using Le Creuset and local produce en lieu of paintbrushes and pastels.  The combining of ingredients…the chopping…the preparations are, for me, therapeutic…creative…and even sensual.  There is nothing like drinking a glass of fine wine, stirring your creation and dancing to Amos Lee in-between tasks. 

My man and I are obsessed with cooking.  Since I am southern and he is Serbian, our creations can wreck your diet in a heart beat and have enough spice to kill any germ within a mile radius.  When the opportunity came to blog about our cooking adventures, we jumped at the chance to combine our love for food with our love for writing.  We invited another couple to join us for dinner and a Moroccan dish was chosen - Beef Tangine with Sweet Potatoes.  This dish was packed with flavor with an abundance of turmeric, paprika, cayenne pepper and green chilies.  Selecting wine for dinner was a little intimidating, so I went into Vine &Table to get wine recommendations.  Our friends aren’t experienced wine drinkers, so the wine needed to both hold up to the dish and be smooth enough for everyone to drink.  Jeff suggested the 2007 vintage Vietti Barbera D’Asti, an Italian Red from the Piedmont region, and the 2004 vintage Kuentz-Bas Millésime Pinot Blanc, an Alsatian white wine.  Since there was one non-wine drinker, Matt suggested that we also serve Kingfisher beer, an Indian beer that would stand up to the Moroccan spice.

So….the cooking begins.  We are running late (as usual).  I click on Pandora and choose the Amos Lee station for ambiance (after all, what says Moroccan better than Amos Lee).  I patted down the stew meat and begin to brown it in olive oil.  Veso works on the goat cheese stuffed zucchini.  I slice the onions and sweet potatoes, add cilantro and other spices, throw in some wine for good measure and put the Tangine in the oven.  For dessert, we create a risotto-like rice pudding using left over Riesling and Fume Blanc instead of the Muscat called for.  Being southern, I grew up on rice pudding, but this one incorporated a different technique.  I add the rice to melted butter, stir in the wine, cream and milk….stirring….stirring…stirring (constant stirring and slow incorporation of the liquids makes for a good risotto so it should make for an amazing rice pudding).  We put the rest of our creations in the oven and *ding-dong* the doorbell rings….15 minutes early.  No problem….

We set out a platter of marinated olives, artichokes, and dates for pre-dinner munchies and opened the Pinot Blanc.  The aroma of crisp pears and apples fills the room.  The wine was crisp, smooth and well balanced with a beautiful fruit forwardness that lingered ever so softly in your mouth.

Suddenly, I hear a familiar alarm go off...that trusty smoke detector that seems to sing with joy every time I cook.  The individually wrapped baby zucchinis were dripping olive oil onto the oven floor!  I opened the oven door and smoke billowed out filling the kitchen with a thick haze.  Smoke detectors throughout the house began to cry danger!-danger!-evacuate!.  Doors were opened, windows cracked…and finally….the incessant beeping stopped.  Nothing says “I’m a great cook” like the sound of a smoke detector blaring while your dinner guests stand by.  Time to open the red wine to calm my nerves!

We sit down for dinner - the Barbaresco d’Asti was a beautiful red wine with soft aromatics and a smooth finish that melted in your mouth.  It paired wonderfully with the earthy Beef Tangine…..as a matter of fact, we were wishing we had purchased another bottle.  Dessert came and we finished off the last of the Pinot Blanc.  The crisp fruitiness of the wine paired well with the creamy rice pudding with flavors of allspice and nutmeg. 

We sit around the table talking and catching up……and I remember why I love the art of cooking……it leads to the art of eating! 

Check out Becky’s Blog, The Divorced Diva’s Guide to Survival at www.divorced-diva.blogspot.com. 

“When it comes to wine, place matters,” says the Oregon Wine Board. Everywhere in the world this is true to one degree or another, but it seems to be at the pinnacle in Oregon. Wine grapes just seem be to like sponges that draw flavors and attributes from the place in which its vines grow. For example, the aroma in a glass of red wine may reward you with specific flavors of cherry and cola; yet taste the same variety from a different vineyard and you could get subtle hints of pine and black cherry. Soil types, climate, location, and topography work together to change or create what you smell and sense about a wine and its origin. The French call this “terroir”. In Oregon, they refer to it as "sense of place".

Oregon is so diverse in both land and weather winemakers and wine growers can successfully grow both cool- and warm-climate varietals. The soils change dramatically from one place to another and each offer a great opportunity to grow high-quality grapes, and make fantastic wines. For this reason Oregon’s wineries find themselves in the enviable position to bottle their wines in small batches out of “single” vineyards. Each single vineyard is so different in land, sea, wind, and heat & cold that each wine can be totally different in the glass, on the nose, and in the mouth. Even if the vineyards are just yards away from each other. Below is a rundown of the “terroir” of Oregon’s largest wine areas. Here you can see some of the major differences between these areas, but keep in mind…the real difference is in the bottle!

Willamette Valley
Climate: The Willamette Valley is relatively mild throughout the year, with cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers. This temperate climate, combined with coastal marine influences, make the gentle growing conditions within the Valley ideal for cool climate acidic grapes, including Pinot noir. Soils: The Willamette Valley is an old volcanic and sedimentary seabed that has been overlaid with gravel, silt, rock and boulders brought in by the Missoula Floods from Montana and Washington between 10,000 and 15,000 years ago. Topography: The Willamette Valley is protected by the Coast Range to the west, the Cascades to the east and a series of hill chains to the north. Its namesake, the Willamette River, runs through its heart. The Result: Pinot Noir show crisp acidity, with a wild cherry or current character.

Yamhill-Carlton District
Climate: The Yamhill-Carlton District is protected by high elevation areas, which results in less rain than surrounding areas and moderate growing conditions perfectly suited for cool-climate Pinot Noir grapes. Soils: Yamhill-Carlton is comprised of coarse-grained, ancient marine sedimentary soils, over sandstone and siltstone that drain quickly, making them ideal for viticulture. Grapes grown in such soil often result in wines lower in acid. Topography: Yamhill-Carlton vineyards grow on sites with elevations between 200 and 1,000 feet, avoiding low valley frost and high elevation temperatures unsuitable for effective ripening. The Result: Soft earthy mouth feel in Pinot Noir, showing black raspberry & anise.

Dundee Hills
Climate: Dundee Hills area is effectively an island protected from great climatic variations by surrounding geographic features. Because of their slope and elevation, Dundee Hills vineyards benefit from warmer nights and less frost and fog than the adjacent valley floors. Soils: Dundee Hills is known for its rich, red volcanic Jory soils, which were formed from ancient volcanic basalt and consist of silt, clay and loam soils and thus superior quality wine grapes. Topography: Dundee Hills is typically volcanic over sedimentary sandstone. The Result: Riper grapes with fuller mouth feel. Blackberry, meat, & cola are sometimes found at the center of the palate.

Who doesn’t love a Super Bowl party? A day spent watching an American pastime, enjoying ridiculous commercials, and of course, indulging on classic football-fare: pizza, chicken wings, sub sandwiches, chili, and the list goes on from there. In fact, Super Bowl Sunday has become the second largest “food-day” in the US (Thanksgiving takes the lead)! With all this good entertainment, good company, and good food, it would be a huge mistake not to have good beer to go along with it all.

Beer and Super Bowl Sunday go together like Manning and Wayne, like Brees and Bush, like the Cowboys and cheerleaders. It’s the one day even wine snobs drop their noses out of the air and throw back a few cold ones. Despite what commercials you see during the game, the best beers to go along with your grub don’t arrive by silver trains from the Rockies and don’t have three frogs as their spokespersons. Serving mediocre beer is as much a bad decision as running the ball up the middle on third-and-long.

What you are in need of is a good “session” beer! While there is no legal definition for the term session beer, it refers to any beer that has a balanced flavor of malt and hops, alcohol content of about 5%, and a clean finish. The purpose of a session beer is to allow the drinker to enjoy several beers in a reasonable amount of time without being overwhelmed by flavor or alcohol. In other words, a beer that can be enjoyed for all four quarters of the game without leaving you passed out on the couch. Now, session beers would definitely include those American macro-breweries, but why not support a microbrewery that might not be able to afford multi-million dollar commercial spots during the game?

One fun way to enjoy a variety of beers throughout the NFL post-season is to feature beers at your parties that are from each team’s home state. Here are a few suggestions for beers that would be appropriate to serve and support your favorite team with:

2010 NFL Post-Season Six-Pack Beer Lineup:

AFC
Indianapolis Colts – Three Floyds ‘Alpha King’ Pale Ale ($12)
San Diego Chargers – Stone Brewing Co. Pale Ale ($13) 
New England Patriots – Harpoon ‘UFO’ Hefeweizen ($10) 
Cincinnati Bengals – Thirsty Dog ‘Labrador’ Lager ($13)
New York Jets – Brooklyn Brewing Co. Lager ($10) 
Baltimore Ravens – Flying Dog ‘Tire Bite’ Golden Ale ($10) 

NFC
New Orleans Saints – Dixie Lager ($11)
Minnesota Vikings – Bard’s Tale ‘Dragon’s Gold’ Lager ($10)
Dallas Cowboys – Shiner Bock ($9)
Arizona Cardinals – Cave Creek Chili Beer ($13) 
Green Bay Packers – Lakefront ‘Cream City’ Pale Ale ($10)
Philadelphia Eagles – Victory Brewing Co. ‘Prima’ Pilsner ($11) 

Whether you’re into football or not, Super Bowl Sunday is fun for everyone, and the right beer makes it that much better. All of these beers are available at Vine & Table gourmet market in Carmel, Indiana, as well as, more than 750 other beers – all chillin’ in the beer cave!

Enjoy and GO COLTS!
Matt Dailey

Winter is certainly upon us right now as we course seamlessly into a new year. It is frigid outside and I am thinking about winters in Ireland which are downright balmy compared to this. The cold is certainly taking a hold on people as there is a lot of sniffling and runny noses about the place.

Thankfully the H1N1 flu shots are starting to make appearances around these parts and I will be lining up for my own one soon enough. Along with the regular flu shot and a dose of vitamins every morning I am hoping I have things covered.

So as I was thinking about colds, flu, chesty coughs and the like recently, I was also thinking back to times past when there was no quick-fix jab to the arm. Monks used whiskey as medicine (before the locals found better uses for it), and to this day in many homes the best cure is a small drop of the crathur (whiskey).

A ‘Hot Toddy’ is one of the best concoctions to put together for a runny nose or a cold, and after a good night’s rest in the bed you should be right as rain in the morning. It is as simple as boiling up the kettle, scalding a cup with hot water, adding a good spoon of honey, an even better shot of Irish whiskey (I like to use Power’s), top up with hot water, add a slice of lemon that has been studded with about 5 cloves and sit back and take in the lovely aroma. Then, drink it slowly and feel your fever fade away.

Now if you are suffering from a sore throat then I have the answer to that too, courtesy of my Kosovan sister-in-law. She likes to make ‘Whiskey Socks’. What, pray you ask, are whiskey socks? Whatever they are I can vouch for them working. My brother has always had the misfortune for developing severe sore throats, but now he has access to a quick cure.

For this remedy you will need one long footballer’s sock, preferably about 2ft long and freshly laundered! Pour a about a pint of whiskey into a bowl and then soak the sock in the lovely liquid. Squeeze out any excess whiskey into a glass (no need to waste it!). Put the bowl, with the sock still in it, into the microwave and heat for a minute or two. Be very careful as you don’t want to cause an explosion. When the sock is ready, sit the patient down, wrap the sock around their neck like a scarf and have them drink the glass of whiskey. An early night and they should be up in the morning as fit as a fiddle.

So now I have given you two excellent remedies for the winter blues but don’t blame me if you get the flu, I’m not a doctor, go get yourself that quick fix-jab.

Sláinte,

Denis

Wishing you and yours a Happy and Safe Holiday!

Cheers!
V&T team

Happy Holidays!  This time of year is always full of festivities and cheer. We finally have the chance to be in contact with old friends and family that we have not made time for all year long. It is also a time when we meet new friends and participate in events that we cherish for years to come. Each event, whether it’s the office party, the family get together, or New Year's Eve celebration, is made special by the festive décor, the great food and extraordinary drinks.

When invited to parties, I traditionally bring a bottle of something special to my hosts. I recently found a bottle of Dutton-Goldfield Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir to take to a friend’s party. (I should have bought two…one for me!)  We arrived at their beautifully decorated home to find great hors d'oeuvres on festive platters. Everywhere I looked I saw the special seasonal items that just made the atmosphere really come to life. That is our host's tradition.

We also bring the same opportunities into our family events and traditions. Leading up to Christmas, my wife and daughter love to make cookies together. I then do my part and eat them! Like many, our family tries to duplicate some of the same traditions every year. Christmas Eve is our family time at home and church. For most of the last 13 years, I leave work, hurry home, and then we head off to Christmas Eve services at church. After church we go home for a special dinner and great wine, and then settle in around the Christmas tree and the fireplace for eggnog and gift giving. The gifts are not nearly as important as the time and traditions we share.  Wouldn't you agree?

Since I am the wine geek in my family, I always choose the wines, and I have already picked out our list for Christmas Eve. For starters, we’ll have an aperitif of Mumm NV Napa Rosé Sparkling wine. The pink hue of this wine is reminiscent of the colors of the season and will be a great beginning to our meal. For our first course, my wife will fix – per tradition – her incredible lobster bisque and for this I have chosen the 2004 Domaine Jean Boillet Meursault. Our main course will be a beef filet that I usually grill our on the patio. I hope the rain/snow mix holds off at least through the dinner hour! With the filet, I am planning the 2003 Hewitt Cabernet Sauvignon. Our dessert? Crème brulee! The only wine, in my mind, to pair with crème brulee is Sauterne. This year we’ll have the 2005 Chateau Guiraud Sauterne. After all that, it is off to the tree for a few presents, a little eggnog and then to bed to await the arrival of Santa and all his little treasures.

The morning brings us the opportunity to celebrate all of the treasures that lie before us. What better way to celebrate than with a grand bottle of Dom Perignon Champagne!

I hope this season brings you all the treasures you desire, and that you and yours have the merriest and happiest of holidays.