When life hands you grape seeds, you make cookies

Another amazing thing coming from wine production....

With the leftover grape seeds and skins after wine production, a sonoma-based company discovered a way to make flour to use in your baking recipes. Its a good way to help with the environmental footprint and a good example to set that there is a way to use everything that nature gives us.

Gluten-free diets has become huge and here is another thing to throw into the mix. What a wonderful way to introduce this new product instead of always having to make this "i-went-out-of-my-way" gesture when trying to entertain.

 With the moisture content naturally being higher the shelf-life can be expected to be longer in your treats. The best part about it, there is a noticeable difference in taste due to the type of flour used. Higher quality grapes produce a higher quality flour. The lovely ladies at WholeVine sells the flour, oil and baked products on their site.

I can see it now! Sebastiani cookies! Cline biscuits! Yummy. (My mouth is watering just typing this) (Napa Valley Register)

Randoms

Watch Alton Brown sabre a bottle (Eater)
Want to be the cool person at the party? Bring a machete.

Wines for Thanksgiving (NY Times)
Want to keep quoting the NY Times Dining & Wine section thru dinner?

Should you really drink cheap wine? (Talk-a-Vino)
Don't bother reading this if you only drink wine to get drunk. If you answered yes to this, please email me so we can be friends.

Are you for Champagne disgorgement dates? (Dr. Vino)
The ULTIMATE snobbery when it comes to this conversation. I can see it now "I only drink Billecart with a two year post-disgorgement or more...I would scowl at you but my Botox stops me from moving my face too much...I eat caviar because my rich friends do....I tell my husband I lost my luggage so I can buy a new wardrobe when we land in Paris....I am so important"

Chef Thomas Keller (CBS News)
CBS reporter plays with his eggs, shuts her eyes and moans when he serves her, and he laughs in her face when she says she is scared of him. My kind of guy...

Beer hydrates better than water (ABC News)
This must be the best news I have heard my entire life (allow me to point out THAT I WAS RIGHT) . Now if only someone can confirm excessive drinking can extend lives, hangovers make us smarter and keg-stands help against wrinkles, then I can call myself God. You're welcome.

Up and Coming Wine Regions (Reuters)
Now you can stop ordering the California Chard all the time! Next!

Mahi Mahi (Chilean Sea Bass) with Cauliflower

This recipe is from the Sept 2011 issue of Food Network Magazine in their Weeknight Cooking section. I  LOVE this magazine. Its such a friendly read and has a picture index that allows you to jump to whatever meal you interested in. If you can read and follow direction....this magazine can make you into a rockstar cook. The only complaint  I have is that it hits the newsstand before I get it in the mail.

The recipe called for Mahi Mahi but when I went to the supermarket they were out. So, I went onto the internet immediately and looked for its substitute which was Chilean Sea Bass. (The magazine says swordfish is a good one, too)

This needed:

4 six-ounce skinless Mahi Mahi fillets (3/4 inch thick)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 head cauliflower, florets cuts into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 golden raisins
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
*lemon wedges for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Season the fish with salt & pepper. Heat one tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the fish until golden brown on one side, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet, cooked-side up, and roast in the oven until cooked through, about 10 minutes (With the sea bass, it needed about 15-17 minutes if you wanted well done)

This dish needs a mild-flavord firm fish. The texture and consistency is very important due to the crunch of the cauliflower and almonds as well as the acidity from the raisins 

2. Meanwhile, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower and cook, stirring until golden brown and crisp-tender, about six minutes. Add the almonds, raisins, coriander, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste; cook until the almonds are golden, about 2 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and parsley. 

3. Divide the fish among plates and serve with the cauliflower and lemon wedges

The cauliflower side dish made this amazing. I would think this would go with any soft/mild textured meat or poultry. I admit that I did not think ahead and pair this with a wine that I thought would compliment any of this but if I can go back in time it would be a riesling (because I think it would have picked up the flavor of the golden raisins) We did have a chardonnay with this and it wasn't a religious experience. This is why I hate "default" white wines....some just don't do the trick.

Lemon and Garlic Chicken Thighs

Last night I refused to eat leftover Chinese food for dinner. I am not a fan of it anyway, so imagine having to eat it again two days later from the fridge. Gross. I also refused to do any new food shopping considering I have so many meats in my freezer and plenty of spices and veggies to use. So, I looked up Food Network's website and entered my main ingredient, chicken thighs. 


They have been frozen forever so I put them in the sink to defrost a few hours before I planned on starting. Growing up, my mother would trickle warm/cool water over the packaging from the faucet so I thought I would do the same since things like that always remind me of her. (she would love to know I just wrote that)


Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 8 chicken thighs with bones and skin, about 3 1/2 pounds
• 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 cups thinly sliced onions
• 30 cloves (about 2 heads) garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 pound angel hair pasta
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Season the chicken thighs with 1 1/4 teaspoons of the salt and 1 teaspoon of the freshly ground pepper.

Place the flour in a shallow dish. Lightly dredge the chicken in the flour and set aside.

I made sure to dredge with as much flour as I can get stuck on there for the extra crisp!

In a large wide saute pan with 2 to 3-inch sides, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the thighs and brown well on both sides, about 6 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

I did the chicken in batches. Keeping the stovetop at a med/high heat really helped with the browning and I didn't have to rush so I wouldn't worry about burning them

Add the onions to the oil and cook, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the chicken until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, crushed red pepper, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the bay leaf and cook 1 minute.

Smashing the garlic was the most fun! I put the wide part of a knife blade flat over each clove and slammed it with the palm of my hand. Stress relief!

 Add the lemon juice, chicken broth, and browned chicken thighs to the pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover tightly, and place in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, remove the lid and cook an additional 15 minutes, or until cooked through and tender.

Leaving the chicken skin exposed while in the oven allowed it to stay crisp while the rest of it absorbed the sauce

While the chicken is baking, cook the pasta until al dente, 4 to 5 minutes for dry pasta. Drain well and toss in a large bowl with 3 tablespoons of the parsley and the butter.

To serve, place a portion of pasta in the center of 4 large plates. Arrange 2 thighs around each serving of pasta and drizzle lemon garlic cooking liquid over the pasta. Garnish with additional parsley and serve immediately.

Can't see it too well in this photo but I also scooped some of the onion from the pan over the chicken which made a huge difference in the taste

I paired this meal with an Albarino wine from Spain. I try my best to pair with interesting wines instead of your  common ones such as Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. This was great! This brought out the lemon flavor as well as the black pepper in the dish which made it very interesting.



Emeril Lagasse: Lemon-Garlic Chicken Thighs

You can pay for school but you can't buy class

I am a very sweet person inside. Somewhere. Its not like I pride myself on being a bitch but it comes so naturally to those who deserve it that I somehow think its ok.

I have been in the restaurant business since I was thirteen years old and I have always loved it. I love giving my best and creating and "experience" for those around me. I have been able to deal with every kind of personality out there which, in some evil way, has created the monster I am capable of being today. I don't have to be one at all but once triggered, I have no regrets when it comes to chewing you up and spitting you out.

Is it neccessary to snap your fingers when you need my attention at the restaurant? Do you really feel the need to flip your hair at me like you have a place on this Earth if it weren't for your rich husband? Can you explain why I need to do anything more than pour your drink at the table and make sure you're not choking on anything that you feel the need to make comments to others you're seated with because I am not laughing hysterically at your jokes? No. None of this is necessary and yet people do it.

People should work at least one year in a restaurant before they go off in the world. It has given me a very thick skin but most of all its like one big psychology lesson. I have learned so much about people where I feel almost psychic. I know how to make people smile instantly. I came to realize that my demeanor can change someone else's in a split second. It takes nothing for me to smile and make sure you're okay and enjoying yourself. This is what makes me happy. I want people around me to feel at ease so I give off the energy immediately. Sometimes you just have to check your demons at the door...

Passion is what drives me. Wine and food is number one on this list. When I am confused on deciding what to eat when I go out I will always ask my server and read into their response. Selling me the specials of the day? The most expensive wine? Losing eye contact with me? Shrugging when they talk? That's all fake and they're taking you for a ride. When I am suggesting something at my restaurant, I pretty much pound it into your head that you're going to love it. I go into such detail about a food & wine pairing that you won't know what hit you. I believe in it. I believe in my passion and I believe that you didn't know something can taste so good. Why? Because you're in good company and the psychology of it all can really help in making dining an amazing experience...and if you don't like the dish I suggested, I will buy you a drink and make sure you get something you like because I want you to be happy.

So, go ahead at sit at my bar and don't say hello when I ask how you're doing... Interrupt me when I am trying to take someone else's order...Tell me how much more you know about my job than I do...jerk.

Brasato di Manzo

I LOVE TO COOK. 

If there was anyway to turn back time, I would have gone to culinary school. My favorite recipes are the complicated ones. I love things that need to marinate, braise, roast for long periods of time. The more ingredients, the better!

Last night I made Brasato do Manzo which means "braise of beef" in Italian. This is from the Oct 31, 2001 issue of Wine Spectator with Angelo Gaja on the cover (great article on him by the way!) and the Chef who donated this amazing recipe was Chef Michael White from Osteria Morini in New York. 

Short Rib seasoned with sea salt and pepper

The mis en place was easy to gather so I didn't feel like I had to replace anything I couldn't find in the supermarket. The only thing that I can say was "fancy" was that I had to get plate-cut short ribs and then trim down myself but I just bought them pre-packaged according to how much I thought we were going to eat. 

2 tablespoons of canola or vegetable oil

1 cup yellow onion (chopped)

1/2 cup carrot (peeled and chopped)

1/2 cup celery (chopped)

1 28-oz can diced Italian tomatoes, undrained

1 bottle of hearty red wine such as Chianti or Sangiovese

3 bay leaves

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

4 to 6 cups of beef stock

fresh grated horseradish

I fried up the short ribs until brown on all sides in a large dutch oven. They were set side-by-side on the bottom of the pan so they all had some frying time. I did it in two batches. Then set them aside in a bowl. In the same pot, the onions (which I put in first so they can soften), the carrots, celery, tomatoes, wine, bay leaves and rosemary were thrown in there. I returned the short ribs in there and then poured enough stock to cover everything. Brought it up to a boil, then down to a gentle simmer, put on the cover and left it there for 3 hours. 

The apartment smelled AMAZING with all this going on, everything felt so warm at cozy!

I took the short ribs out and put them on a plate with aluminum foil tented over them to retain the heat. Then I took the pot and poured everything through a fine strainer into a saucepan. I had to throw the vegetables out which was a little sad because I hate throwing out food but what else can I do with it? All that was left was reducing the liquid to about 2 cups over high heat for 45 minutes. 

I returned the short ribs to the reduced liquid to warm them back up and I also wanted them to absorb some of it. When plated, I grated the horseradish and served it up! We ate it with tuscan bread and Chianti. Its usually suggested to drink the same type of wine that you cooked with and I think that advice is perfect when it comes to appreciating a great food & wine pairing. I bought a less expensive Chianti to cook with and the guy at the wine shop was a great help. A good salesperson would suggest the same thing and then a better quality when it comes to drinking with the meal.

Tenuta Di Arceno, Chianti Classico, 2007

Wine faults are not always your fault

Before you decide to turn to your friends and act like you know what you're talking about, at least you should know what you're talking about...

Lets talk about wine faults! Here are two:

Corked wine: The odor is a result of a bad cork. There is a microorganism called TCA (Trichloroanisole) that like to eat away at cork and can impart a "musty" smell to wine. You can't ever tell if a wine is going to be corked until its opened. There is also no preventing it. This is another reason why winemakers have decided to switch to plastic corks or screw caps but then the intimacy of opening a wine is taken away so its a pretty hard decision to make. Also, when wine travels in cases, there is a good chance the whole batch will be corked. 

Detecting a corked wine depends on your nose. I have come across so many, I can smell it from a mile away. If you're not sure if its corked, leave it open for a few minutes, it comes out stronger over time. The smell is like wet newspapers, cardboard, a basement after a flood, etc. The natural aromas of the wine are gone usually. There is also no health risks so don't worry about getting sick. 

A sommelier at any restaurant usually will test the wine for you and should be pretty good at detecting this wine fault. If you're home and get one, re-cork the wine as soon as you can and return it. I have never heard of a wine store that won't take it back. This is a very common thing. Just don't drink half the bottle and expect your money back....we know that trick, too!

Oxidized wine: This happens when a wine is left open too long. Compounds start breaking down in the wine and give off a "sherry-like" or vinegar on the nose and brownish in color. The flavors are flat and lifeless. Wines start changing the moment you open them and can actually improve the flavor when decanting or after a day or two with the cork back in. After a few days, you might as well use it in your salad. Its a fine line but why are you waiting so long to drink it anyway?

So, before the holidays get here and you're stuck with family you are not crazy about make sure you know what you're talking about when you make fun of them in a group email to your friends because you sound like an idiot and not the snob you think you are :-)

If you tell them its Sangria, they will order the Sangria

No one at my job is buying the Sangria. The owners passed on their recipe when we first opened and its always returned by guests. It sucks.

I can't remember all the ingredients but I do remember putting in a whole cup of white sugar and bottle of champagne in it. SO GROSS.

So, when I saw our Sangria container empty I decided to wing it and make my own. There were a ton of things I could have done but I had to think what recipe would be "bartender-friendly". That means that I could have made a Sangria that required a fruit-base and fruits to soak for days before even serving it. In the restaurant world, that would never make sense because I don't have the time. I need to make it with what I had on hand and could be made in five minutes.

Yes, there are places that are really involved with their cocktails and pay attention to the details I mentioned but where I work, it's not that type of place. We are a fast-paced bar, laid back and more of a "scene" than anything else. So....ya' gotta keep it simple, Sally.

Anytime I have had Sangria, there was a citrus and apple involved. Pretty simple.

I grabbed:

Montepulciano (red wine)
Grand Marnier
Apricot Brandy
Hennessy
Orange Juice
Apple juice

The red wine was the majority of the recipe and kept tweaking the rest until it tasted right. Well, maybe I tweaked a little too much because for some reason my manager and I couldn't stop tasting it!

What can I say? My job is so rough sometimes :-)