Hungry Hungry Hungarian Apple Soup

Hungarian Apple Soup and Lynfred Winery’s Vin De City White: 4/5

Lynfred Winery’s Vin De City White: 58/100

With a not so stellar experience with Lynfred Winery’s Vin De City Red, I was hesitant to try the Vin De city White. Now all things considered, Illinois does not have the climate to produce a note worthy red, right now it’s 11 degrees, with sub zero winds. But a great white wine can be produced in a colder climate, so I held a glimmer of hope for my second pairing.

Having to work during the day yesterday, trudging through the icy weather to and from work, there was no way I was going to leave the house twice to make a special trip to the grocery store. So I was faced with the dilemma of dinner upon rolling out of bed. Since Shelbey and Zach, my veggie friends, were coming for dinner, I had the added task of finding something vegetarian friendly.

After flipping through Better Homes and How to Cook Everything with no avail, I hit the internet, google searched “ best vegetarian winter recipes”, and landed on Hungarian Apple Soup (http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/hungarian_apple_soup.html). Chalked full of nutritious apples and veggies, I even found a reviewer who swapped sweet potatoes for the yukon gold. Sounded interesting, but apples, onions, sweet potatoes and sage? Would they all go together.

Hesitating a moment, I decided to give it a shot. After a short shift at work, and a quick pit stop at the grocery store, I was back in the comfort of my home, watching slow moving tendrils of steam rise off neighboring high rises. I think I’m ready for spring.

Just as allspice and nutmeg make meatballs Swedish, the Hungarian element in this soup is paprika. Probably Hungary’s number one exported spice, Paprika is made from various dried peppers similar to chili powder or cayenne pepper. Dependent on the pepper used, paprika can be very spicy or slightly sweet—my paprika was a medium red color, and not too spicy. As with any spice, you can always add more, but it’s harder to take away, so taste as you go.

Described as having aromas of toasty apple and pear, I thought if anything would enhance the flavors of the wine, an apple soup would do the trick. Corking the bottle, I was met with an upfront aroma of apple, and surprisingly no burning sensation of ethanol. Maybe their was hope after all. Letting the wine chill, I headed back to the soup.

The recipe above only makes two servings, but is very easily doubled. After a good 10 minutes of peeling and chopping, the bulk of the work was done. Simmering in a bath of vegetable stock the smell of sage and paprika ransacked my nostrils and caused Shelbey to question what was cooking from the sofa. Putting my nose close to the soup, the sweetness of the apple and onion melded with the sage, producing an intoxicating aroma almost good enough to bottle.

When I made tomato soup a couple weeks back, I told you about my immersion blender, well this was another excuse to use it. Now a regular blender would work just fine, but there would be the chance that you would spill hot soup all over yourself and your kitchen, so having an apparatus to put into the pot just seems safer and cleaner. If you like your soup extra smooth I recommend passing it through a sieve to eliminate any inconsistencies.

To accompany the soup I warmed some pita bread with a bit of olive oil in a pan, giving the dish a further European flair. After adding the sour cream the soup took on a muted orange color, very pretty against white porcelain. Finishing the bowl off with a dollop of sour cream and a pinch of fresh parsley, the presentation looked almost professional, if I do say so myself.

Pouring a glass, I was surprised by the wine’s slightly brown canary color, hopefully created by the oak, and not by oxidation. Giving a swirl, the legs streaked down the sides of my glass instead of breaking apart into beads—a positive sign. Bringing the glass to my nose I was met with the aroma of ripe crab apple, with an slight hint of pear and lemon, much more indicative of the mid-west, than the red wine’s black cherry. Swishing around a mouthful, I was overcome with an overwhelming bitterness, but a left with a lingering apple finish.

Taking a spoonful of soup, the warm liquid coated my palate with a unobtrusive sweetness, and a underlying earthly herb flavor from the sage. Comparable to a pumpkin soup, or squash soup, the apple flavor was not the star of the dish, but contributed to the overall balance. Not to salty, or spicy, the soup was thick enough to feel substantial as a vegetarian entree. If I make the soup again I will probably add another apple to see if the over all effect is any different.

Trying another sip of wine, the over all effect was much less bitter, due to the sweetness of the soup. The apple flavors of the wine evoked the apples in the soup, and left a pleasant aftertaste. Although I would have to say the wine was a bit unbalanced, when paired with the soup the overall effect was enjoyable.

Shelbey, Zach, and Michael all loved the soup, but Shelbey traded the rest of her wine for a cup of coffee. Unfortunately, with all of the award winning wines that Lynfred Winery has in their portfolio, the Vin De City White and Vin De City Red were not very notable. Retailing at $10.00 a bottle, you are better off finding a bottle of Barefoot on sale. I’m anxious to try some other selections from the winery, and maybe when I make it out there when the weather is warmer, I will sing a different tune, but for right now, I will continue to search for the next Perfect Pair.

Semi-Lynfred Let Down

Swedish Meatballs and Lynfred’s Vin De City Red: 4/5

Lynfred’s Vin De City Red: 54/100

Having the day off, Michael and I lazily lounged about the apartment—outside the day was cast in a gray monotony, scattered with flecks of gentle snow. Finally gaining enough momentum, we decided to go and get something to make for dinner. Featuring Lynfred Winery this week, I was a bit unsure of what to pair with a “table wine”.

As I flipped through The Better Homes Cookbook, I thumbed to the meats section, littered with titles like Hamburger Pie, and Chili-Pasta Skillet, not exactly what I was looking for. Then I scanned across Swedish Meatballs, and was automatically transported to Ikea. If you’ve never indulged in a plate of swedish meatballs from ikea, I’d at least do it once. I never feel as Swedish, or quite in the mood to furniture shop, as I do with a stomach full of Ikea’s meatballs.

With the thought, I was sold. Now the recipe out of Better Homes was a little to processed for my tastes—using bouillon cubes, and store bought bread crumbs, so I hit the internet and found Alton Brown’s Swedish Meatball recipe (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/swedish-meatballs-recipe/index.html) As with most Alton Brown recipes you can expect higher quality ingredients and exact measurements. Does that mean the recipe will not turn out delicious if you make your meatballs larger than 1oz? Of course not, but I have to hand it to Alton, his food can be practically cloned if you follow his recipes to a T.

Traditional Swedish Meatballs are made with ground pork and beef, but looking to save a buck, I decided to substitute ground venison for the pork. (but that’s kind of killing a “buck”, isn’t it?) My mom and dad live on a ranch in the middle of nowhere, just south of the Wisconsin border, and with solitude comes deer, especially in the mid-west. Not big hunters themselves, my parents allow their friends to come and hunt on the land, and once or twice a season, are rewarded for their kindness with an abundance of venison. When I make it home, my mom doesn’t let me leave without a good couple pounds of free meat—fine by me.

If you’ve never cooked with venison, you’ll be surprised to find how lean it is. Alone, venison has a gamey flavor, but when mixed with ground beef or used in chili or sloppy Joes, you won’t even notice. Not caring for the flavor when I was younger, my mom became a professional at disguising venison, and as she would say, “It’s good free meat, we can’t just let it go to waste.”

So what makes Swedish meatballs, Swedish? Nutmeg and Allspice. When mixed in with the meat balls, the flavors seep out into the grease while they are frying in the pan. And when the gravy is made with the leftover drippings, it takes on a warm spicy undertone, indicative of Swedish Meatballs.

Since I was pairing a table wine I thought the subtle warmth of nutmeg and allspice would bring out the vanilla and cherry in the wine. Allowing my bottle to breathe, I corked it before I started cooking. Taking an initial whiff of the bottle I was met with a strong ethanol aroma, like sniffing a bottle of vodka, which made me a bit concerned about the quality of the wine.

Adding the cream into the pan, my gravy took on a warm carmel hue and sent smells of onions, nutmeg, and beef floating about the apartment. As the gravy reduced, I prepared Michael and I’s plates with rice and green beans. Have you ever wondered how restaurants get their rice to hold such a wonderful shape? It’s easy, take a biscuit cutter, or small shallow bowl, and pack in some rice, good and tight. The starches in the rice will hold like glue so when you lift your bowl, a nice “rice castle” will be left behind, and your presentation will look clean and professional. Topping my rice castles with meat balls the plates were complete and ready for photography.

Pouring a glass of wine, the aroma of black cherry and oak met my nostrils with a slight burn. With a semi translucent reddish purple hue, I noticed the legs of the wine begin to separate instead of streak down the side of my glass. Examining my glass, I could not find anything that would be making the wine do this, but as soon as the wine hit my palate I knew what the culprit was. Having a very high ethanol concentration, the Vin De City Red attacked my palate with a harsh, burning sensation of a very young Cabernet Sauvignon. With high levels of acidity, and a noticeable astringency, my first swallow caused my face to twist a bit—not exactly what I was expecting.

Followed by bite of meatballs, the warm underlying spice was able to tame the burn in my mouth from the wine, making the flavors of cherry and vanilla more present as the meal continued. Sending little rushes of nutmeg and onion around my palate, coated in a rich creamy gravy, the meatballs were, do I dare say, better than Ikea’s—not to fatty, or salty. Combined with the wild rice and green beans, the result was a meal I didn’t have to feel guilty about eating.

Following my first bite with another sip of wine, my palate was more accepting, but still a bit reluctant. In my mind a pairing should enhance both the food and the wine, and with this I think the food played a lion taming role. Unfortunately I have had many better $10.00 wines. Just in case the wine needed an exceptionally long time to breathe I saved a small glass for lunch today. Although better than last night, the harsh presence was still over powering.

What will the Vin De City White hold? Hopefully a Perfect Pair.

Lynfred—a local winery

Illinois doesn’t necessarily come to mind when thinking of wine, especially Chicago. But nestled in the suburb of Roselle is Lynfred Winery, Illinois’ oldest and largest continuously operating bonded winery. Once I found out they were so close to home, I made my greatest effort to contact them about a sponsorship. To my surprise, my excitement was shared, and before I knew it a bottle of Lynfred Winery’s Vin De City Red, and Vin De City White were at my door, complete with an artistic rendering of Chicago’s skyline.

Debating on visiting the winery for a first hand tour, I decided that I would get much more out of a visit when it’s not 14 degrees outside with a wind chill of -10. So I hopped on their website and did a little research.

History

Opened in 1979 by Fred and Lynn Koehler, Lynfred Winery began in a restored historic residence housing an expansive cellar with 18 inch thick wall, capable of standing up to the harsh Illinois winters. 1985 brought home Lynfred’s first double gold chardonnay at the Reno Wine Competition. Ranging from classic red and white varietals, to fruit wines, such as plum, apricot, and blueberry, Lynfred has been taking home metals ever since. Expanding in 2002, Lynfred Winery now includes a tasting room, bed and breakfast, and gift shop, drawing in visitors from around the world.

The Wine

As we have seen, there are no set rules when it comes to wine making. While wineries such as Dr. Konstantin Frank believe in vinifera (pure) wine, for others, like Oriel it’s about location, scouting out the best wineries and wine makers. For Lynfred Winery it all boils down to taste. Selecting “the finest” grapes from California, Washinton, Michigan, and Illinois, Lynfred wine makers are able to produce the over 50 varietals, from the comfort of home. Now is that cheating? Some would probably say so, but if it tastes good, who cares. All wines are available for purchase on their website at www.lynfredwinery.com

Contact

Lynfred Winery is located at 15 S. Roselle Road in Roselle, IL and is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. 7 days a week, with cellar tours conducted between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. January through October. Stranded in the city with out a car? The winery is a short mile walk from the Roselle stop of the Elgin bound Metra train.

The Featured Wines

Retailing for $10.00 a bottle, Vin De City Red is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Described as having aromas of cherries, vanilla, spice, and soft oak, the wine has a medium body, and an alcohol content of 12.5% Suggested as a perfect everyday wine, I will be pairing this wine with Swedish meatballs, wild rice, and green beans.

Also retailing for $10.00 a bottle, Vin De City White is a blend of Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc. With aromas of toasty apples and pears, and a medium body, this wine is recommended for veal, pork roast, and rosemary, but I think I will be pairing it with a heavier vegetarian dish.

Look back tomorrow for the first review, hopefully it will be a perfect pair!

Multi-cultural Menagerie

Seafood Paella and 2006 Oriel ‘Mana’ Sauvignon Blanc: 5/5

2006 Oriel ‘Mana’ Sauvignon Blanc: 89/100

When talking about dinner the other night I recommended Cafe Iberico, one of Chicago’s best places for Spanish tapas and paellas. With an authentic Spanish decor, a meat and cheese market, reasonably priced food, and delicious sangria, I’ve never had a bad experience at Iberico.

But with a bottle of 2006 Oriel ‘Mana’ Sauvignon Blanc, from Marlborough New Zealand to pair, I decided to bring Cafe Iberico to me. Usually if we go to Iberico we’ll get an assortment of tapas, and maybe a paella to share, but it would be hard to make a small assortment of appetizers, with out dirtying every dish in the house, so I decided to make a seafood paella instead.

Traditionally a workers dish, paella has grown to become a staple of Spanish cuisine. Once made in the fields over an open fire for workers to eat as they pleased, paella is now served in most households in Spain, and paella competitions are held yearly— I would compare it to Barbeque of the south or pizza from different coasts. What makes most paellas special is saffron.

Saffron is the dried stigmas of the saffron crocus. Each flower only bears three stigmas (saffron threads), making saffron one of the most expensive spices in the world. Entering the grocery store I headed straight to the spice isle, afraid I wasn’t going to be able to find any saffron. I guess it was my lucky day, 1 gram of saffron was marked down from $18.99 to $9.34. I know, I know, I know, 10 bucks is still a lot for a gram of a spice, but the great thing about saffron is a tiny bit goes a long way.

Now the recipe I was following (http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=225789) called for white fish, jumbo shrimp, and little neck clams. Snagging a pound of shrimp for $3.00 and a 1/2 pound of white fish for $4.00 I decided to save my money and skip out on the clams, which I found out Michael doesn’t like anyways. Deciding to use my homemade fish/chicken stock versus, the clam juice broth, I cut down the cost of the dish some more. When all was said and done I spent about $30 dollars, but the dish feeds 8 people, making it under 4 bucks a serving, and I was looking forward to leftovers.

As I described yesterday Oriel’s 2006 ‘Mana’ Sauvignon Blanc retails for $20.00, which is usually more than I spend on wine, so I wanted to make something of the same caliber. Now you might think, Spain is basically on the opposite side of the world from New Zealand, but both Valencia, Spain (where paella is most popular) and Marlborough, New Zealand are near salt water, which mean seafood. While I would consider Spanish food to be a bit more exotic than traditional Maori cuisine, ‘Mana’s’ minerality, acidity, and tropical flavors crave the exotic.

Since I am not the owner of a traditional paella pan, I decided to break the recipe in half between two large skillets, which made cooking very labor intensive. When it comes to complex recipes like this, it is very important to make sure you’ve prepped properly. Read through the recipe a couple times, chop your veggies before anything goes near heat, and grab all the spices you will need to use, so you don’t leave one out. A fancy cooking word for all of this is preparing your “Mis En place” (putting in place), which will expedite the cooking process, and leave your attention to the dish, instead of the shrimp you forgot to de-vein.

You remember that smoke detector from last week? It’s gone.

Sizzling peppers, garlic, onions, and herbs sent an intoxicating aroma throughout our apartment, which unfortunately lingered around all of yesterday too. Taking on the distinctive golden yellow color from the saffron, I added the broth to the rice and veggies, letting the flavors intertwine. After the the rice was cooked near al-dente I arranged the fish, shrimp and pimento on top, and covered with a towel, allowing the heat to finish the cooking.

Keeping to tradition, I brought the entire skillet to the table with and served with a wooden spoon. Talk about a vibrant dish, carmine pimento yielded to green peas and yellow rice with pops of pink shrimp.

Awakening the aromas of the wine, I gave my glass a swirl. Met with bright ripe fruit flavors of melon with a back bone of slate, the aroma was warming and refreshing. Taking my first generous swig, my palate was coated in tropical flavors with a bright acidity. Swallowing, I was left with a crisp finish and a slightly chalky after taste.

Grabbing a bit of everything on the plate I practically shoved the fork into my mouth. Vibrant onions and peppers danced about my tongue before being swept away by hearty shrimp and peas. A well balanced dish, with bright lemony overtones, I was transported to Cafe Iberico, the bustling dining room, and then off to Spain, the smell of salt water in the air.

Following the bite with another sip of wine, the Sauvignon Blanc was able to enhance the acidity in the dish, creating vibrancy and awakening the palate. The brightness of the wine was not overpowering, but rather brought out the floral quality of the saffron, and the low hum of paprika and red chili.

Left with an entire left over skillet of paella, Michael packed some for lunch the next day, while I wrapped the rest and put it into the fridge. Buzzing in a saffron glow, our apartment felt warm and relaxed, like a cool spanish night. As Project Runway finished on the T.V. I thought of New Zealand and Spain—I really want to travel. For right now I will have to settle for traveling through food—another perfect pair.

A Bit About Oriel Wines

There’s nothing better than walking through your front door to a bottle of wine. Receiving a voicemail from my door man, letting me know I had a present waiting for me at the front desk, I was very excited to get home from work. Lo-and-behold, dropped off by the Chicago distributor himself, a bottle of 2006 Oriel ‘Mana’ Sauvignon blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand sat waiting for my arrival.

Now Oriel Wines is not your typical winery, instead of investing time and effort producing the wines in one geographical location, they are wine scavengers, scouting out the best vineyards and wine makers around the world, and let me tell you, they are getting some awesome acknowledgment for their product. Is that cheating? I’m sure some would say so, but what other winery can say their wines come from Spain, Germany, California, France, New Zealand... you get the picture. I would just call them resourceful.

According to Oriel, “making great wine is like making great food—to make a little with the very best ingredients is possible, to make a lot is not.” So instead of producing barrels and barrels of wines, they hand make small amounts, assuring quality and specific characteristics. Now I’ve had many great wines that are “mass” produced, but when you are working on such a mass scale I am sure it’s not very hard to loose quality.

Every where from Food and Wine Magazine to The Chicago Tribune, and even Rachel Ray has something to say about Oriel wines, and the proof is in the review. Receiving the title as one of “the years best Chardonnays”, Oriel’s 2006 Russian River Valley Dylan Chardonnay was given 94/100 by Wine and Spirits Magazine, for it’s ripe fruit, layering flavors, and sophisticated minerality.

So what about the bottle I received?

Produced by Ant Mackenzine of Oriel and Spy Valley Wines in New Zealand, ‘Mana’ is 100% Sauvignon Blanc. A traditional Maori (Mow-ree: the indigenous inhabitants of New Zealand) word meaning “the ethereal substance from which magic is formed and souls are made”, Mana boasts a passion fruit and ripe melon aroma with hints of mineral, and bright flavors of tropical fruits.

I’ve actually had the opportunity to visit New Zealand, and we had a short visit in Marlborough. With picturesque sunken valleys, breathtaking mountains to the south and the edge of the island to the north, the geographical location is ideal for wine making, especially Sauvignon Blanc.

Acknowledging the importance of the Island’s history, there’s no surprise that a Maori word has made it’s way onto a wine. In my visit to New Zealand Maori influence and culture was still recognizable throughout both islands.

Receiving a 9-9.5 out of 10 points from Alder Yarrow of Vinography, 88 points from Wine Enthusiast, and 87 points from Wine Spectator this wine was not scored as highly as Dr. Konstantin Frank’s 2007 Dry Riesling of New York, but still scored fairly well.

Retailing for $20.00, you can purchase this wine on Oriel’s website, (www.orielwines.com.) and have it shipped to your door.

Pairing

With a tropical fruit and bright mineral flavor, I would recommend pairing this wine with baked white fish with fennel and carrots, seafood dishes, lightly spiced thai food, or with a delicate lemon sorbet. With a fairly pronounced acidity, ‘Mana’ would be able to stand up to some heat but not super spicy mexican or thai cuisine, and would definitely fall short if paired with super fatty meat, or a rich dessert.

For my pairing I made a seafood paella with shrimp and white fish. Check back later for the review, it’s bound to be a perfect pair!

Savory Saturday Scallops

Coquilles St. Jacques a la Parisienne and 2007 Dr. Konstantin Frank Dry Riesling: 5/5

2007 Dr. Konstantin Frank Dry Rielsing: 93/100

Arriving home, I discovered the newest addition to our cook book collection tucked away in Michael’s Borders bag—Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Receiving so much publicity these days from Julie and Julia, Julia Child’s classic culinary capsule received a well deserved second wind this past year thanks to Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, and Julie Powell. I won’t lie, there is a large chance this blog would not have been started if it hadn’t been for Julie and Julia.

So keeping with the importance of the week, I decided to make a recipe to pair with Dr. Konstantin Frank’s highly acclaimed 2007 Dry Riesling. Retailing at $17.99 a bottle, this wine won double gold from the New York State Fair Wine Competition and The Big E Wine Competition, gold from the Los Angeles International Wine Competition, and received a score of 93/100 from Wine & Spirits Magazine—truly the fruit of Dr. Frank’s labors.

Described as pairing well with shellfish, I asked Michael to thumb through Mastering and pick out something shellfish-y for dinner. Meant to be devoured, rather than thumbed through, Mastering the art of French Cooking, is unlike the cook books we are used to seeing on the shelves today. Rather than lists and lists of recipes all organized into categories, Mastering, builds upon itself, using prose and techniques in an accumulative progression, more like a novel than a reference book. Having said that, Michael handed me the book opened to Coquilles St. Jacques a la Parisienne (Scallops and Mushrooms in White Wine Sauce) http://www.bigoven.com/72221-Coquilles-St-Jacques-a-la-Parisienne-recipe.html. Traditionally the recipe functions as a first course, so I decided to make some basic risotto (http://culinaryarts.about.com/od/ricegrains/r/risotto.htm) to substantiate the meal.

To quote Julia, “This is a book for the servantless American cook who can be unconcerned on occasion with budgets, waistlines, time schedules, children’s meals, the parent-chauffeur-den-mother syndrome, or anything else which might interfere with the enjoyment of producing something wonderful to eat.”— basically a cook book for most gay men in their 20‘s today. But let me just tell you, she wasn’t lying. Costing $14.99 a pound, the scallops took care of the budget, the entire recipe consumed a full stick of butter, taking care of the waistline, and while some recipes can be set aside to cook all day, this recipe required almost 2 hours of uninterrupted attention. Was it worth it? Every bite.

Creating a truly cohesive meal, I used the Dr. Frank Dry Riesling in both the risotto and the scallops, hoping to transfer some of the acidity and minerality to the dish. Finishing in the broiler, the scallops bubbled and browned, sending the smell of swiss cheese and shallots out the door and into the elevator. Our poor neighbors must be hungry all the time. Using some left over greens, I decided to make a wilted salad to top the dish, providing bitterness that would juxtapose the rich and smooth flavors of the meal.

Sitting and salivating, Michael snapped some pictures while I plated my dish. Making the composition pop, the cream colored scallops and risotto stood in an enjoyable contrast with the purple and emerald greens—probably one of the prettiest dishes I’ve made yet.

Inhaling over the wine, I was met with the aroma of bright citrus and mango that gave way to apple and pear blossoms. Noticing a greenish yellow hue, I swirled my glass, watching noticeable legs tear down the sides. Taking a mouth full I was met with a a bright acidity, not as overpowering as the Rkasiteli, and a pronounced minerality. Swallowing, I was left with a lingering dryness and slatey flavor, like having put my tongue on a piece of limestone.

Cutting like butter against the weight of my fork, I speared a scallop. Gathering a bit of everything, I took my first bite. With a rich creaminess the risotto provided a needed texture, which gave way to the buttery smooth scallops. Providing depth and contrast the greens added a needed salty bitterness which awakened all the areas of my tongue.

Following the first bite, I sipped the wine again. Awakening the wine in the dish itself, the Riesling created a harmonious quality in my mouth, like icing on a cake. Having a lingering dryness the Riesling was able to keep my palate fresh for each new bite of scallops, while the mushrooms and greens provided depth to the lighter flavors of the wine. Every bite, and every sip, only added warmth and harmony to my palate.

Weighing heavy in our stomachs, Michael and I decided on a very small second portion to pair with the rest of our wine. As I cleaned the dishes, I thought a little about Julia Child, and how different food must have been in 1950’s France. That’s another joy of cooking at home, you truly get to see what goes into the dish, and recreate a little bit of tangible history. Another Perfect Pair.

Lasagna Love

2008 Salmon Run Pinot Grigio and White Lasagna: 5/5

2007 Dr. Konstantin Frank Rkatsiteli and Stuffed Mushrooms: 5/5

2008 Dr. Konstantin Frank Cabernet Franc and Vegetarian Lasagna: 5/5

2008 Salmon Run Pinot Grigio: 90/100

2007 Dr. Konstantin Frank Rkatsiteli: 87/100

2008Dr. Konstantin Frank Cabernet Franc: 90/100

“To new friends, to old friend, to boyfriends, and girlfriends.” Clinking our glasses over steaming slices of lasagna, we all laughed in nervous anticipation of the evening to come. Lifting the first bite to my mouth, I stole a peek of everyones face. A first bite is like meeting someone for the first time, it’s either love or hate, and fortunately everyone’s faces said love.

Since I’m featuring such important wine this week, I wanted to make some food with some importance. So talking over dinner plans on Monday with my new co-workers and friends, Victoria and Lauren, I inquired about favorite foods. Once lasagna left Victoria’s mouth, the debate was over. Lauren and Victoria were to bring stuffed mushrooms for appetizers, I was going to make lasagna, and Michael, dessert.

Having 8 wines to choose from, the problem was not having too few wines, but rather, too many (but that’s not really a problem). Reading through the wine descriptions, I wanted to make sure to choose wines that would compliment the food perfectly.

Since Shelbey and Zack, my veggie friends, were coming for Project Runway Thursdays, I decided to make two lasagnas. A vegetarian lasagna I found on Recipe Zaar (http://www.recipezaar.com/Vegetarian-Lasagna-14684) in a red sauce, and a white lasagna in a prosciutto cream sauce with wild mushrooms (http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/porcini-and-prosciutto-lasagne) found on the Food & Wine website. Pairing well with red sauced pasta dishes, Dr. Frank’s 2008 Cabernet Franc, retailing for $19.99, was the perfect match for the veggie lasagna, and the 2008 Salmon Run Pinot Grigio, retailing for $9.99, lends itself to light cream based pasta dishes, like white lasagna. Can you get more perfect than that?

So the evening was set, all I had to do was cook, and let me tell you, there were a lot of steps. Making two completely different lasagna’s, requiring two different sets of prepped ingredients, and two different kinds of noodles, was a bit time consuming. But luckily for me, I had the whole day to prepare, and with Michael at work, it was just me and the stove.

Michael and I’s smoke detector has a mind of it’s own. Around 7 o’clock I decided to put the lasagnas into the oven. Since the vegetarian required 45 minutes at 350, and the white required 20 minutes at 425, my plan was to cook the veg for 20 minutes at 350 and then have both finish together at 425. But apparently when living in a one bedroom apartment there is enough carbon monoxide released from a 400+ degree oven to piss of the smoke detector. So you are probably thinking, why don’t you just take the battery out? Well it’s wired into the ceiling, so the most you can do is press the cancel button, putting it into stand by for two minutes before it starts yelling again. So the lasagnas finished cooking together at 375, with no screaming smoke detectors.

Running a little behind Victoria and Lauren arrived as the lasagnas were finishing, so we just ate everything together. So after the toast it was time to get down to some serious business—eating. Calling my name, I started with the Pinot Grigio and white lasagna. With a lively aroma of lemon lime with a hint of fresh cut grass, I swirled the wine and sniffed, and sniffed again. Coating my palate with a nice medium body, the Pinot Grigio had structure, and acidity comparable to a fresh granny smith apple. Biting into the white lasagna, my mouth was coated in rich cream and salty prosciutto, with an underlying earthiness from the mushrooms. Following the bite with another swig of wine, the marriage was warm and comforting, like a fleece blanket. Enhancing the delicate flavors of cream and mushroom, the lasagna rang with a renewed freshness, before being wiped clean from the acidity of the wine.

Next up, the mushrooms. Victoria was kind enough to modify her recipe to include a vegetarian option. Both mushrooms were covered in a remoulade sauce, one with crab and crab stuffing, the other with a potato stuffing. Having such a pronounced flavor like crab, I decided to pair the shrooms with the 2007 Dr. Frank Rkatsiteli, retailing for $17.99. Forewarned by a reader, Rkatsiteli is not your every day wine. Taking a whiff, I was met with a spicy yet fruity aroma. Coating my palate, the sides of my tongue went wild from acidity, while my palate rang with a fruit forward flavor. Biting into a mushroom, the crab and remoulade cut through the lingering acidity, while the oils mellowed out the tinny-ness of the wine. Taking another drink, the wine cleansed the palate, keeping the mushrooms fresh.

Completing the trifecta, I finished the meal with the vegetarian lasagna and Cabernet Franc. I have to be honest, I was a bit concerned when I first smelled this wine. As recommended, I let the wine breathe for a couple of hours before consumption, but didn’t wait to smell. Met with the fragrance of my grandmother’s prune cocktail, at first the wine wreaked of a mix between an old folks home and a spice cabinet, but after a couple of hours the profile completely changed. Developing more depth, the prune turned to plum, and the spices were warm and inviting. Showcasing subtle tannins and a structured medium body, the Franc coated my palate with a lingering finish. Followed with smooth ricotta, al dente zucchini, and a warm herbiness, the lasagna did not leave me missing meat. Sandwiching the bite, the wine brought out the complexity of the lasagna’s herbs, while creating a harmonious rich flavor.

As nine o’clock rolled around, the new season of Project Runway sounded form the T.V., Michael hit the kitchen to finish his Snow Ball Cupcakes, and the rest of us plopped in the living room. Transformed in a span of a couple of hours, we were no longer strangers, we were friends, brought together by food. Another Perfect Pair.

Dr. Konstantin Frank Week on The Perfect Pair.

As some of you may already know, yesterday I received a very generous shipment from Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery in New York. Lugging the 23 pound box to my apartment, my insides gurgling with excitement, I wasting no time getting into my apartment and ripping open the package. Reading through the list of the wine included my eyes scanned over 8 wines. 8 wines!

As a service to Katie Cornelius and Fred Frank, I am featuring Dr. Konstantin Frank wines all this week. But before any food is made, I just want to take a minute to tell you a little about the winery.

Overview:

History

Fleeing a destruction ridden Europe during World War II, Dr. Konstantin Frank decided to uproot his family to America. After a short spurt working as a dish washer in New York City the Frank family moved upstate, where Dr. Frank worked for the Gold Seal Vineyard until he started Vinifera Wine Cellars in 1962.

Determined to grow vinifera (pure) wines of northern Europe, Dr. Frank helped transform New York from a sweet wine producer of only a few dozen vineyards, to a multimillion-dollar industry of fine wines, currently with over 200 vineyards state wide.

Handed down from generation to generation, Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars is still family owned and operated to this day by Dr. Frank’s grandson, Fredrick Frank.

Location

On the west banks of the Finger Lakes, Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery is located at 9749 Middle Road in Hammondsport, New York, about 1 hour and 45 minutes south east of Rochester. The winery is open daily, year round.

Publicity

Dr. Frank winery has been featured on NBC’s Today Show, and ABC’s Good Morning America, and written about in Time Magazine, and The New York Times. Dr. Frank was listed as the “greatest wine producer in the Atlantic Northeast” for 5 years running by the Wine Report, and have had multiple double gold wines from various nation-wide competitions.

Wines

Originally having only one label, Dr. Konstantin Frank now boasts three: Dr. Konstantin Frank (1962), estate grown vinifera grapes, Chateau Frank (1980’s), specializing in sparkling wines, and Salmon Run (1993), more affordable wines produced with viniferas from nearby vineyards.

The wines I get to choose from are from the Dr. Konstantin Frank and Salmon Run labels:

2008 Dr. Konstantin Frank Cabernet Franc

Described as having notes of roasted red pepper and prune, this Cabernet Franc rests on the palate with subtle tannins and ends with a smooth, long finish.

2007 Dr. Konstantin Frank Rkatsiteli

Pronounced rah-KAT-see-TELL-ee, this wine, native to Russia and Georgia, is now the second most planted white grape after Spain’s Airén. Dr. Frank’s boasts flower, herb, and typical spicy aromas, with a crisp acidity, and a fruit forward flavor.

2007 Dr. Konstantin Frank Dry Riesling

Given a rating of 93 points from Wine & Spirits, this dry Riesling is described as having, crisp acidity, a pronounced minerality, and notes of mango, citrus, and pear blossom.

2007 Dr. Konstantin Frank Gewürztraminer

With an array of aromas—grapefruit, lime, lychee, banana, and spice, this Gewürztraminer starts with honey and ends with a slatey finish, characteristic of Dr. Frank’s vineyards.

2008 Dr. Konstantin Frank Semi Dry Riesling

Sending out a bouquet of flowers and pears, this crisp semi dry Riesling, coats the palate with citrus and peach, before ending with a fruity finish.

2008 Salmon Run Rkatsiteli

Completely fermented in stainless steel to capture characteristics of tropical melon, this Rkatsiteli presents both tropical and traditional notes, with an elegant dryness.

2008 Salmon Run Chardonnay Riesling

49% Chardonnay and 51% Riesling, this blend strikes the nose with plum, melon, citrus, and hazelnut, coats the palate with a creamy texture, and holds out with a lingering finish.

2008 Salmon Run Pinot Grigio

With a goal of producing a traditional tasting Italian Pinot Grigio, this wine begins with delicate honeydew, lime, and lemon aromas, followed by tart green apple and gooseberry flavors.

Where to buy Dr. Konstantin Frank Wines

All Dr. Frank wines are available for purchase on their website at www.drfrankwines.com and are distributed in Illinois by Bon Vivant Distributing at www.bvdwines.com

Keep an eye out this week for two posts featuring Dr. Konstantin Frank wines!

Short Rib Satisfaction

Short Ribs and 2007 Cellar No. 8 Zinfandel: 5/5

Cellar No. 8 Zinfandel: 89/100

“I love meat,” Michael said ripping into the hunk of beef, a carnivorous burning in his eyes. When asked what he wanted for dinner last night I was met with Michael’s one word response—meat. I couldn’t help but agree, nothing says winter like some good stewed meat.

Now not all cuts of meat are created equal. When talking beef, a cow is broken up into 7 primary sections: chuck, foreshank and brisket, rib, short loin, sirloin, short plate and flank, and round. Depending where the meat comes from, depends on what the cut is called. A ribeye steak, obviously comes from the rib of the cow, where a T-bone comes from the short loin. Some cuts lend themselves better to braising like pot roast, while some are better from grilling like the filet mignon. For a wonderful picture, visit this website: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/BeefCutTenderloin.svg

After thumbing through The Better Homes Cookbook and How to Cook Everything, I landed on a short rib (from the chuck of the cow) recipe that sounded, simple and splendid. As Mark Bittman mentions, short ribs are tuff and lend themselves to braising or cooking in liquid vs. grilling. Since my cast iron dutch oven was starting to feel neglected, I thought Bittman’s Short Ribs simmered with Potatoes and Mustard recipe, http://www.recipezaar.com/Short-Ribs-With-Mustard-Potatoes-and-Onions-91091, would be a perfect meaty treat, and a great excuse to use the dutch oven.

Now, in some cases red meat may pair just fine with a heavier bodied white, but in the case of a good hunk of fatty beef, white doesn’t stand a chance. With four hefty short ribs, each with a fair amount of marbling, I was going to need a red with at least and alcohol content of 13.8% with notes of dark fruit, pipe tobacco, and chocolate.

As some of you know, the alcohol content in wine comes from the murderous nature of yeast. Like a serial killer, yeast metabolizes (murders) the sugar, and breaks it down into alcohol and carbon dioxide—the more sugar murdered, the higher the alcohol content. But this process takes time and attention, and when reaching the shelves, usually translates to higher price tag. Although the short ribs probably deserved a $60 dollar bottle of wine, my bank account was singing a different tune.

Scrounging the wine isle I tried to find something that would fit the bill. Finding nothing in the Cabernets and Merlots, I moved to Zinfandel. No, not White Zinfandel, most commonly associated with the box in your mom’s refrigerator, traditional Zinfandel. Primarily a California based wine, Zinfandel is known for its bold, concentrated flavors of dark fruits, and heavier body.

There, on the top shelf nestled next to Sin Zin, was a bottle of 2007 Cellar No. 8 Zinfandel. Out of Sonoma County California, Cellar No. 8, part of Asti Winery, specializes in only red wines. With an alcohol content of 13.9%, and described as having a nose of cigar, leather, and chocolate, the wine was everything I was looking for. Originally $12.99, the wine was on sale for $9.99, which kept my bank account happy as well.

A final side not about heavy reds. Allowing heavy reds to breathe is a must. Not only will the wine open up, revealing more intense aromatics, the flavor profile will change as well, usually for the better. For our anniversary last year Michael got me a Vinturi Wine Aerator, which aerates the wine per pour, saving you the breathing time.

Speaking of aromatic, as the beef simmered on the stove, tendrils of onion and wine wafted about the apartment straight into Michael and I’s already grumbling stomachs. Turning the short ribs every 15 minutes was an act of self mutilation, until, finally after 2 hours of agony, everything was almost ready to enjoy.

Listed after the recipe was a modified version of the short ribs recipe with a horseradish reduction sauce. Not really caring for horseradish, I decided to make the same reduction sauce, but with more dijon mustard instead. After removing the meat and veggies from the cooking liquid, I boiled the liquid, allowing it to reduce, and added 2-3 tablespoons of dijon mustard. Once the liquid was thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, the sauce was ready.

Topping our plates with rice, I served the the mountain of meat and veggies family style. Piling up my plate, my mouth dripped in anticipation, waiting for the glistening meat to softly caress my palate. The sauce smelled of sweet wine and mustard, and as I spooned it over everything, my stomach growled, I’m not even kidding.

The the short ribs were tender and spongy, like an inflated pot roast. The meat met my mouth, releasing its rich fatty juices with an underlying base of carrots, celery, and onion. Soaking up the flavors of the meat and veggies, the potatoes provided a perfect heartwarming texture to the meal.

Cellar No. 8 was not lying when it came to aroma. With heavy notes of sweet tobacco and earthy leather, smelling the Zinfandel was like walking into a cigar shop in a new leather coat. With some fairly noticeable legs, and a faint ruby translucence, I was a bit worried that the body would stand up to the meat. To my surprise, the subtle tannins weighed equally in a harmonious nirvana.

Together the rich earthy flavors of the wine provided a further back bone to the short ribs. The sweet mustardy reduction was able to bring out the rich spicy flavors of the Zinfandel, without over powering the subtle tobacco undertones.

Feeling satisfied, we decided to leave some leftovers for today, which I am going to eat right after finishing this post. Another great thing about this recipe, it only required one pot, and a handful of dishes, making clean up a breeze. As Michael and I polished off the wine, and put on the White House Iron Chef we missed last week, we buzzed with satisfaction—another perfect pair.

Turned Up Tomato Soup

Chipotle Tomato Soup and 2008 25 Lagunas Malbec: 5/5

2008 25 Lagunas Malbec: 90/100

Spoiled this Christmas, my good friend Rocio got to spend the holidays in Mexico, but now that she is back to sub zero Chicago, I thought soup was in order when she invited me over last night. Now some of you may read this, go to the cupboard, and grab a can of Campbell’s, but hear me out.

Growing up I was probably no different from you, when my family was looking for a heartwarming meal on a cold afternoon, a can of Campbell’s chicken noodle or tomato soup fit the bill. When my mom did make soup from scratch it was usually potato, split pea, or chili, but never tomato. So until yesterday, I thought tomato soup must have been a challenge to make.

So with the idea in mind, I hit the cook books, found the soup section in Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything, and thumbed through to tomato soup. (This recipe is very similar: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/tomato-soup/detail.aspx) There, to my surprise, was a recipe involving two steps. Two steps? But two steps isn’t hard, there are more steps in frying an egg. The recipe only required 30 minutes, and Bittman even suggested using canned tomatoes unless tomatoes were in season, so the only chopping required was for carrots and onions.

Now since Rocio had some left over authentic tacos she was planning on preparing, I wanted to add a little something to the soup to compliment the authentic mexican flavors. The answer? Chipotle. No, not the McDonald’s owned burrito chain, the pepper. For those of you unfamiliar with chipotle, it’s a smoked jalapeno that provides an excellent slow growing, smoky heat.

The reason I want you to contemplate Campbell’s the next time you go for something quick, is the fact that you could have fresh tomato soup in practically the same time, with a fraction of the salt and twice the flavor. After the onions, carrots, and tomatoes finished sauteing in a skillet I transfered everything to the crock pot for portability, added the vegetable stock, and pureed with my hand held blender. Now you can use a regular blender if you don’t have a hand held, or you can leave it chunky, but if we are talking traditional, pureed is the way to go. That’s it, really, and if you make a large enough batch you can put some in the freezer for the next cold week.

To add a bit of texture, I whipped up some croutons out of the leftover garlic bread from Michael’s spaghetti last week, yet another simple thing to do. Heat the oven to 450, cut the bread into cubes, lay them on a cookie sheet, and bake until golden brown, rotating once while cooking.

Thinking that the Crock pot would be a perfect way to transport the soup to Rocio’s, I packed myself up, and set out for the train. About 4 block from my house the crock pot, full of sloshing soup, started getting heavy. I could have taken a cab, but didn’t grab cash, so I clenched my biceps and trudged on. When I made it to the train, about 8 block later, my arms were screaming, but the soup was secure.

To stick with my south of the border theme, I decided to pair my spicy tomato soup with a $10 bottle of 2008 25 Lagunas Malbec from San Juan, Argentina. Malbec, Argentina’s signature wine, is known for it’s plum and berry characteristics, medium body, and earthy tannins. Having an alcohol content of 13.5% the nice medium body of the 25 Lagunas would not over power the soup, while the ripe fruit flavors would bring a complexity to the tomato and stand up to the chipotle.

Making my way to Rocio’s apartment, I felt my arms turn to jello and my fingers start to shake. With her apartment in sight, I took one last deep breath and completed my journey without dropping a teaspoon. Inside her studio apartment, the pale gray walls buzzed with friendship. Zack, having visited Argentina this past year, was excited after discovering the Malbec.

Needing a moment to breath, the Malbec sent a very alcoholic blackberry scent into my nostrils, only to be replaced by a warm inviting nose of ripe plum and berries. As Shelbey assembled bowls of soup in the kitchen, I topped each with croutons, and passed them along to the gang of hungry masses scrounging for places to sit in the living/bedroom. As we settled on the bed, futon, floor and chairs, I gave my soup a stir, and my wine a swirl and I was ready to dig in.

With a bright acidity and a much needed crunch from the croutons, my throat was filled with a warm stream of tomato-y goodness. Slowly growing spicier by the bite, the chipotle accented the authenticity of the tacos, like a grilled cheese does with classic tomato soup.

With some pretty noticeable legs, the wine lay heavy on my palate, coating it in rich fruit flavors with an earthy undertone. Lingering in my mouth, the tannins left me with the remnants of earthy tannins—truly a wine you could loose your nose in.

Combating the smokey heat, the Malbec was able to stand up to the chipotle without overpowering the flavor of the soup. While cutting through the acidity, the wine’s presence was made known, but let the rich tomato and herb flavors of the soup shine through. Where the soup may have grown monotonous after a bowl, the wine brought out the depth and complexity of the ingredients.

As we sat, occupying every where except the bathroom, everyone talked and laughed, sharing each others company in the tight living quarters. Even without a dining table, good food is able to unify old friends and mere acquaintances. With the lingering flavors of chipotle and dark fruit, I smiled, reflecting on another perfect pair.