Citrus Season

These lemons were given to me from a friend's family tree and they have been inspiring me all week.  They are perfect for a salad that's always on my table, Kale Caesar.  Everyone loves eating Kale when it's prepared in this salad and many versions have popped up on trendy restaurant menus over the past few years. The most important part about preparing it is the order of operations. Pretty similar to most of my winemaking techniques, actually. Follow these steps in this order and enjoy a salad that celebrates the winter season of Citrus.

Kale Caesar

3 C finely chopped Kale with stems removed
3 T olive oil
1/2 t sea salt
2 cloves pressed garlic
Juice from half of one lemon
3 T grated Parmesan cheese

1. Make the dressing as far ahead as possible. This could mean 10 minutes or overnight. The longer it develops flavor is best. If 10 minutes is all you have, then add more garlic and salt.

2. Blend together Olive oil, pressed garlic, and salt. Stir and let sit.

3. Add dressing to Kale and toss thoroughly.

4. Add juice from half a lemon and toss thoroughly.

5. Add Parmesan cheese and toss.

Since this salad is a staple at our table, occasionally I like to mix it up and add pomegranate seeds or avocado. Pumpkin seeds and local mandarins would be great too. Topped with bacon would be delicious for an afternoon football game with the guys.

The Citrus in this salad is so vibrant that it really livens the earthiness of the Kale. Which brings me to wine pairings.

This time of year I walk through cellars full of citrus aromas from the new vintage. Citrus is one of the components that dominates very young wines after fermentation, especially whites. After time, the high note of lemon or grapefruit, even blood orange, dissipates and further aromas of the wine emerge. Wines that are bottled early retain a prevalent citrus component. It's so refreshing, crisp, and delicious. Look for a new release wine to pair with this salad in the coming months. Some producers are already bottling their 2013 whites for release. If you can't find one, check out the Southern Hemisphere for their 2013 bottlings. Sauvignon blanc, stainless fermented Chardonnay, and white blends are most common to find early. Rose should be released soon too!