APPLE CIDER THYME FRENCH ONION AND VERMENTINO

I am finally settling into home after a weekend trip to Seattle where I attended an incredibly inspiring food photography workshop (can you tell?) and visited one of my best friends and her family. She is six months pregnant and needed some down time from her regular life as an attorney.

Her husband, the cook in the family and artsy architect, was eager to share some wine-and the cooking duties. I was thrilled to be in their newly renovated kitchen to cook something seasonal and comforting. Leaving the extended indian summer in California and landing in Seattle was just the inspiration that I needed for one of my favorite fall recipes. Insert kitchen assistant here! Just kidding, but it was awesome to have help with chopping the onions. Thanks E!

This recipe can be made gluten free and vegetarian without sacrificing the flavor. If you love traditional french onion soup, I would top your oven safe bowl with a piece of crusty bread. Then smother with cheese. Pop that in your hot little oven on broil for 3-4 minutes while you sip on the wine you just poured to go with it.

I like to allow the flavors to come together for as long as possible and practical. It's similar to aging wines to allow the components of the fermentation and the grape to harmonize before bottling. You don't have to wait tha-at long to eat dinner, but the best comes to those who wait. I will make the soup and allow it to sit for as long as I need -to do just a couple more things around the house. Then I heat it up one last time and sit down with a great glass of wine to enjoy.

ADDITIONS

5-6 large yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced in rings
4 C chicken broth
4 C fresh pressed apple cider
4 T butter
5-6 sprigs of Thyme
salt and pepper to taste
shaved gruyere to top



PROTOCOL

1. Melt butter in large stockpot

2. Add sliced onions and cover. Saute on medium heat until soft, about 15-20 minutes. Stirring occasionally.

3. Add broth, cider and thyme and cover. Bring to simmer and heat for approximately 20- 30 minutes. The longer the thyme is infused, the more flavorful it will become.

4. Season with salt and pepper, remove the thyme sprigs.

5. Shave Gruyere on top and serve.

WINEMAKER'S NOTES:

October in Seattle reminded me of fall as a kid when the warm winds mixed with rainy showers gave life to the decomposing fall foliage (which I happen to think smells amazing! So I guess that's why I LOVE to use the description 'mushrooms from under [the forest floor] for wines that possess a unique earthy and spicy aroma). The thyme in this recipe hits similar notes that feel earthy and woodsy.

We enjoyed this recipe with a Vermentino from Italy. The crisp acidity in the wine complemented the slightly sweet soup. We found an inexpensive Vermentino in a local Seattle wine shop that was delightful. I love Vermentino because it has a very rich flavor from the skins, but remains crisp with lots of minerality. Perfect for this soup on an autumn day.

Cheers!

Harvest Salsa

The grape crush v. 2014

During the harvest season, I am so focused that all other aspects of life nearly cease to exist. I dedicate my full attention to the process and opportunity that comes just once a year, The Crush.

The harvest experience is fast paced as each sun-ripening day the grape flavors and maturity progress. The daily activities involve a sensory experience walking the vineyards in various soils tasting grapes. I love tasting wine grapes. I add their flavors to my reference log and file it away to later decipher the very source of the forthcoming wines.

There are grapes everywhere. Just last night, I found a skin on my bumper, seeds in my pant cuffs, and sticky juice on my elbows.  After a long day sun drenched day in the field, I love to enjoy this recipe with my family and a refreshing glass of chilled wine. 

Harvest Salsa

Additions: 

3 C. table grapes, halved

1 white onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeño, finely chopped

1 T. olive oil

Juice of one lime

salt and pepper to taste

Protocol:

Mix ingredients together keeping the grapes chunky. Enjoy with a cool refreshing white wine and crispy tortilla chips. Great on tacos too!

Using the seasonal abundance, I love to enjoy this recipe with white wines with high minerality. I recommend a Vermentino, Grenache Blanc, or Gruner Veltliner. The recipe is simple and fresh for a fast paced harvest season.

Scent memories of summer

It's amazing what our scent memory can do to take us back. The smell of sunscreen- a Coppertone bottle, with a it's bumpy texture and brown bottle. The lotion generously spilled out into warm sunshine and outdoor adventures while slathered on girls lined up on colorful towels giggling on the grass and boys squirting water at the lake.

The memories of summer are a unique marker in time. Each summer is filled with unique adventures at different stages of life. This year, our family has had a fun summer together. With one son about to start preschool and the other entering first grade, there will never be another summer exactly like this one. Life has been full of watermelon and mint, hot peppers, little trips, late nights, crisp wines, grilled eats, outdoor baths, river time, and lots of exploration. I wonder which scents will remind me of this summer? The one when my husband and I looked at each other and said, 'that was a great summer.'

What are some of your favorite scent memories? How was your summer marked this year? I love to hear from you!

Basil and Cherry: Creating sweet and spicy

When I first set out to write about Basil, I couldn't separate it from the tomato. It's that ying and yang.  The seasonal flavor conjures up visions of... basking under tuscan sun amidst sunflower fields sipping Chianti with a second course of pasta on it's way-totally satiated.  Basil and tomato are so classic and delicious with all wines Sangiovese that I just wanted to post an italian flag and go on vacation instead of working on creatively incorporating basil into wine pairings.

However, I love the fragrant scent of fresh basil leaves with a woody, spicy, and sweet complex flavor profile. I wanted to include it in a recipe that used the aromatics, from it's mint origins, to brighten flavors and show off more wines during summer. Then, I started to get creative and followed the stone fruit season to make some super yummy salads and dressings that taste delicious with wines of all kinds.

Since I feel best eating summer fresh salads after a long hot day in the vineyard or garden, I created a couple salads that are wine worthy. I hope you enjoy them!

Putting the kids to work pitting late season cherries- great for dexterity

Cherry basil dressing

Cherry Basil Vinaigrette

Additions:

1 C Cherries, pitted
1/2 C apple cider vinegar
5 T honey or agave syrup
1/4 C Cherry juice
1/4 C chopped basil
3 T olive oil
1 t lemon zest
1/2 t garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste


Protocol:

In small saucepan, heat cherries, vinegar, and honey. Simmer for 5-7 minutes. Once it has cooled, add it to a blender and combine remaining ingredients. Place blender on high for 30 seconds to puree. Enjoy within 5 days.

Enjoy as a salad dressing or marinade for pork. Drizzle over fresh grilled salmon.


Wine notes: 

This pleasing combination of flavors remind me of the profile of Counoise, a rare blending grape from the Rhone valley of France. The wine- like the dressing- is spicy, cherry, aromatic, light in color, and an interesting component of a blend.

This dressing is delicious with spinach salad topped with strawberries, feta cheese, and toasted pine nuts. Enjoy with Rose of all types and varieties, Grenache,  Counoise, and Sangiovese. Add bacon and substitute blue cheese for the feta to enjoy with a bigger red wine like Syrah or Claret style Cabernet Sauvignon. The cherry flavors in the wine are complimentary to the dressing.


***It's a short season that cherries and basil overlap and time is of essence for seasonality. However, frozen cherries would be fine if you no longer can find them fresh.

A mid summer's night snack

It seems that we are tumbling through summer with lots of somersaults and a a few cartwheels too. The longer days are packed with activities while my husband and I maintain our work schedules. Yep, living life to the fullest in this season is just non stop. Here we are in mid summer and our table has been pleasantly crowded with friends and family- Just how I love it. While entertaining, I like to find a few bites that can easily transition from drinking whites to reds and maybe back again if it gets that late. With our herb garden in full swing, we can impulsively pull flavors to match the wines we are drinking. I've shared a few of my favorites below.

Summer wine bites

Melon with fresh mint

Melon and mint combine refreshing summer flavors to pair with barrel fermented white wines. Creamy and delicious the mint lifts the aromatics from the wines while the melon complements the flavors and texture of the wine.

Figs from our tree with honey and oregano make a savory/sweet treat 

Figs and everything are delicious, but this combination adds some depth to pair with rustic reds like Mourvedre, Zinfandel, and even Barbera. They could be served as an appetizer or dessert.

Castelvetrano olives marinated in olive oil, lemon zest, and rosemary

Marinating olives is really simple and delicious. I buy the big jar of Castelvetrano olives and fill a small canning jar, add about 1 inch of olive oil, zest of one lemon, 2 sprigs of rosemary. Then I rotate the jar for a few days in the refrigerator to coat all the olives. They are so flavorful. So many wines are complemented by lemon that they make an easy transition from whites to reds while you entertain.

Fenaughty Apricots

Visiting vineyard manager, Ron Mansfield, during the summer season is a delicious occasion. Many of the ranches that he manages have stone fruit planted beside the vineyards which fill his packing shed during July through September. I've eaten the best plums, peaches, and pears straight from the vineyard while rattling back to the barn in Ron's truck,  leaving a trail of red dust behind. The Fenaughty ranch has two rogue trees that don't get pruned or sprayed. The broad and broody branches were covered with bright apricots this week. The upside of many of them were marked by the evidence of the hail storm in early May. The fruit was firm, tangy, and full of flavors that mimic those found in Viognier grapes. We grabbed a couple bags and began picking. The experience of tasting fruit with Farmer Ron is grounding. His dedication to ripening tree fruit with perfect balance is admirable to a winemaker. I couldn't wait to get the fruit back to my kitchen and create a meal paired with Viognier.

Fenaughty Apricot Dinner

Chicken apricot skewers on the BBQ

Fennel and apricot slaw

Saffron Rice

Apricot crumble

Selection of Viognier

Grilled chicken and apricot skewers. The cilantro leads flavors
from Viognier to Grenache.

Fennel Apricot Slaw

This is a simple and delicious way to bring wine friendly flavors together in summer months.

Additions:

1/2 head of red cabbage, thinly sliced

2 fennel bulbs, fronds removed, thinly sliced

1 C. diced apricots

4 pieces of cooked bacon, crumbled

Dressing:

1/2 C Mayonaise

1/4 C Red wine vinegar

Fennel Fronds, chopped

2 t sugar

Salt and Pepper to taste

Protocol:

Mix the first four ingredients thoroughly. Then, whisk the dressing in a separate bowl. Toss the dressing over the fennel mixture and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

This salad is delicious with Viognier and also could transition to Grenache with the fennel and bacon flavors.

Summer Begins: Outdoor cooking and eating

To be honest, I haven't been cooking much in the last couple weeks. A lot of time on the road at wine competitions and new client development has left me eating out and drinking beer. Funny how that works. At a recent wine competition we tasted over 90 wines per day for 3 days and all I wanted at the end of the day was a cold beer.

This week we settled back into our home after a week of family vacation greeted by the summer routine-early and eager mornings followed by long slow evenings. My herb garden is bursting with great flavors and the tomatoes are setting. We picked the first figs from our tree this week too-I'm ecstatic that they are only an arms reach from my outdoor claw foot tub. The vineyards have set too and now time to let the California sunshine do it's job to ripen the fruit. I've dusted off the outdoor table to make regular, rather than occasional use. It's time to get out of the house and enjoy the outdoor living. And, yes, even girls can grill. I think I've always loved grilling because it frees up a dish that I didn't have to clean and cleaning the grill consists of turning it on and rubbing it with a brush-not too hard. Winemakers do enough cleaning that sometimes you need a break. We don't even clean until it just LOOKS clean. We clean the stuff you can't see. Pretty neurotic! So, back to the grill...

My dad is in town- a good excuse to fire up the grill with burgers, a family favorite.  Of course, my dad and I came up with some variations too. I also recently posted my nut burger recipe which adds variety to summer entertaining if you wish.

Winemaker's Burger

Additions:

1 lb. grass fed beef
1 lb. ground turkey (you could substitute lamb or pork here)
1/2 C shredded cheddar (with lamb, I would add feta. Often, I add blue cheese or parmesan)
1 T Garlic powder
1 T Onion powder
1 T garlic paste (or minced garlic)
1 egg
1 t Tamari or Braggs Aminos
1 t Worcestershire sauce
1t Wheat germ
1 t oregano
1 t parsley
1 t basil

Protocol:

Mix all ingredients thoroughly with your hands and let marinate for 1 hour. Then, form desired patty.
Turn grill to high heat, place burgers on hot grill for 3-5 minutes on each side. Top with cheese if desired. Add as many fresh grilled veggies, pickles, and other desired veggies to the top.

Some suggestions: grilled peppers, zucchini, onion, sautéed mushrooms, bacon, avocado, kale, and hummus or tahini, fresh mint, and olive tapenade. Special sauce of equal parts mayo, ketchup, and mustard.

Wines:

I'm not picky about my red wines with burgers, but I do love a glass of wine to accompany my time tending the grill and diving into this juicy morsel.  Depending on the meat variations, you can get really creative. Barbera is one of my go to reds for burgers and I also enjoy Zinfandel with the herbs in the lamb burger variation. Whatever your wine of choice, chill it down to cellar temperature, about 55-60 degrees, before taking it outside to enjoy a warm summer night.

I didn't grab a photo before these were downed by the boys, but I think you get the idea. You've seen a picture of a burger, right?

Cheers!