Tips for Visiting Wine Country

Thanks for reading my wine and food pairing tips!

We had a lot of fun at my How to Plan Your Wine Country Vacation class last Friday. As usual, the table was full of props, and Chuck, my bravest student, provided a live demonstration of how to spit into a spit bucket.

My most valuable advice is to practice spitting before you leave for wine country. A confident spitter will actually SPIT in the public spit bucket and feel MUCH better at the end of the day than the shy tourist who feels compelled to swallow every taste of wine. So SPIT in the shower every morning, it's good practice!

If you missed the class, here is the Youtube video version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYl5P_LzGWw



No class this Friday, as many will be taking advantage of the three day weekend!


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How to cook with French seasonal herb blends

In an article for the Los Angeles Times entitled, 'Fines herbes: Spring's zesty fab four,' Bob Chamberlin provides tips on cooking with traditional French herb blends.

Look on your spice garden for these herb pairings:

Fines Herbes - tarragon, chives, chervil and parsley, is a seasoning for Springtime dishes.
Herbes de Provence - thyme, rosemary, lavender and bay leaves, is a seasoning for summertime dishes.
Bouquet garni - bay leaf, parsley and celery leaves with onion, is a seasoning for fall and winter stews.

Chamberlin recommends using Fines Herbes for:
Egg dishes;
With butter as a seafood sauce;
As a vinagrette with Tarragon vinegar; and
As a crepe batter.


Do you let your herbs 'team up' to flavor your dishes?


Related Article:
Herb and Wine Pairings
http://kathleenlisson.blogspot.com/2008/01/wine-friendly-spices-season-your-food.html


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Food and Beer Pairings from Brewery Ommegang

I recently visited Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, NY and chatted with the brewmaster Phil Leinhart about possible food pairings with their Belgian-style beers.

Phil offered these suggestions:

Pair the Witte with salad, any dish that would benefit from a citrusy boost
Match the Hennepin with Asian food
Try the Abbey Ale with burgers
Serve the Three Philosophers with desserts

What are your favorite beer and food pairings?

Remembering Robert Mondavi

The Wine Spectator reports that Robert Mondavi has died at his home in Yountville, California. He was 94.

Mondavi teamed up with Baron Philippe de Rothschild of Bordeaux's famous Château Mouton-Rothschild to create the Opus One winery in Napa Valley and led the effort to create one of my favorite stops in Napa - COPIA, the American Institute for Food, Wine and the Arts.

I had the pleasure of visiting the Mondavi Winery with my father a few years ago, and I always enjoy a glass of the winery's Cabernet Sauvignon.

My prayers go out to his friends and family in their time of grief.

Tips on Planning Your Wine Country Vacation

Thank you for reading my wine and food pairing tips.

This evening's wine class offers tips on Planning Your Wine Country Vacation!

How to Get the Most Out of a Vineyard Visit

Date: 5/16/2008 7:00 p.m. Grooms Tavern, Clifton Park, NY
Fee: $5

Have a couple of days free on your schedule? Want to get out of the house, recharge your batteries, and spend quality time with a loved one or group of friends? Visiting a few of New York's 240 wineries is the perfect opportunity to get back to nature and have fun learning about wine in a peaceful, picturesque environment. 'How to Get the Most Out of a Vineyard Visit' will feature time and money saving tips and tourist information for a relaxing daytrip or weekend at one of New York's many wine trails.

The classes are $5 each and are open to everyone, not just Clifton Park residents. Interested wine lovers can call 371-6667 for more information on how to register.


For a jump start on your wine country summer vacation planning, download the Finger Lakes Wine Country Travel Guide here:
http://www.fingerlakeswinecountry.com/

Features include:

List of local Accommodations
Finger Lakes Wine Trail Map
Ideas for day trips to regional attractions
Tips for enjoying the Finger Lakes all year round

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How to Cook with Vermouth

Fun To Know: Stress Free Cooking Volume 2 - Main Courses and Desserts

While I wouldn't say that the recipes shown are totally stress free, this is a solid cooking video for the novice chef. Barbara Seelig Brown offers several recipes that include a wine and / or vermouth sauce. Good resource for cooks who want a tasty meal at home using that final bit of white wine from last night's bottle.

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Review of Pocket Sized Wine Tasting Guide

I shared my copy of the credit card sized Essential Wine Tasting Guide with fellow members of my wine tasting club this week, to rave reviews.

The Wine Tasting Guide is a foldable double sided sheet of 'crib notes' for wine tasters.

Have you ever tried a wine and not been able to put your finger on it's specific aromas and flavors? This guide includes a list of common flavors for Champagne, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Gris / Grigio, Semillon, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Rose, Pinot Noir, Grenache, Cabernet Franc, Zinfandel, Mourvedre, Petite Sirah, Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Shiraz / Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Other wines profiled include Ice wine, Port, Cognac and Sherry.

The guide also gives aromatic descriptions of common wine faults and a temperature guide for serving different types of wine.

I recommend the Essential Wine Guide and other wine aroma guides as inexpensive teaching aides for new wine drinkers that are exploring the world of wine.

Five Ways to Use a Wine Aroma Guide:

Cooks can pair the aromas listed for a wine to a favorite dish for a new wine and food pairing.

Impress your grandpa at the next family gathering with your spot-on description of his favorite Port, Cognac or Sherry.

Hostesses can place the guide on their coffee table to inspire conversation at their next wine tasting.

Hold your own wine judging like my friends Alex and Cati do, and use the guide to help your guests score the wines.

Wine Fanatics can even try their hand at judging a 'real' wine competition - the Golden Nose in Corning, NY. Bring along the wine guide as a 'cheat sheet' for your conversation with other judges!

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