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 As much as I would have loved to lounge in bed on Sunday morning, I had to be at the office early. So I begrudgingly hopped out of bed to face a few hours of work.  By the time I got home, the sky was already turning pink from the sun beginning to set. I turned on the last quarter of the Jets game and got very comfy on my sofa. My plan was to be a “hermit” for the evening and mellow out. However, a good friend thought I needed his company and arrived with sushi and wine.  Most people enjoy green tea, sake or beer with sushi. But, there are many wines that complement the spiciness and exotic flavors of Japanese food. Dry Rieslings, Chardonnay, dry Rosé, sparkling wines, Gruner Veltliner and Gavi are good matches. Subtle fruit tones and high acid wines are the best go to for sushi pairings.  Last night we enjoyed a 2010 Broglia “La Meirana” Gavi di Gavi made with 100% Cortese grape. This was a crisp wine with subtle flavors of stone fruit and honey. It was very easy to drink and quite delicious! Broglia is considered the oldest winery in Gavi. Check out their website for the history. http://www.broglia.it I have lots to do before Thanksgiving!
Happy Monday! Cheers! Penina  The last few days have been quite busy, but I’m taking a little time to exhale this weekend. The skies are blue, the temps a bit chilly, but it’s a beautiful day to spend outdoors.  The other evening a friend and I shared a bottle of 2013 Smith-Madrone Riesling from the Spring Mountain District of Napa. This 100% Riesling is 12.6% alcohol and comes from Stu and Charles Smith’s 42-year-old vines. This pale yellow wine is vibrant with lively acidity and is quite refreshing. Aromas of stone fruit, apples, honeysuckle and a hint of grapefruit were present. The palate was a feast of lime, apricot, honeysuckle, citrus notes and a hint of spice. The finish was long with a creaminess lingering on the palate. I wouldn’t hesitate to serve this at Thanksgiving! http://www.smithmadrone.com/index.htm  A friend recently asked why he hadn’t seen any “knitting” posts on my blog for such a long time. I must admit that my journeys have taken me down a different path of late. However, with the winter months soon to be upon us, I will be knitting once again. I need to knit a few more scarves and hats to keep my friends and me warm on the slopes and trails this season! Happy Saturday!
Cheers! Penina  Quite a few years ago I had the opportunity to take some cooking classes with a local chef in her home. One of the recipes she prepared became a favorite at our Thanksgiving table, Butternut Squash & Cauliflower Gratin. Over the years I have tweaked and revised the recipe, but there is no way around avoiding the heavy cream. You will need a 9” baking dish. 2 Tbsp. Butter or olive oil 4 cups of medium diced butternut squash 2 to 3 shallots finely diced 2 cloves garlic finely chopped 1 ½ cups heavy cream chopped thyme and sage (to your taste) salt & pepper nutmeg Grated Gruyere cheese (or another favorite cheese) 1. Heat butter or olive oil in heavy bottom sauté pan 2. Add butternut squash, season with salt & pepper, cook for 4 min. 3. Clear space in center of pan & add shallots and garlic. Cook until translucent. 4. Add cream, herbs, spice and cauliflower 5. Cook on medium heat for 10-15 minutes. 6. Put mixture in baking dish and top with cheese. Put under broiler until top is golden brown. Serves 6 Happy Thursday!
Cheers! Penina Knowing how much I love to taste “new” vodkas, the other evening my friend introduced me to vodka that I had never heard of.  Snow Queen Vodka is produced in Kazakhstan using organic wheat and sand filtered artesian spring water from the foothills of the Himalayas. The vodka is distilled five times with Kazakh birch charcoal. Snow Queen was launched in London in 2004 and the US in 2006. It has won numerous awards including Gold Medal winner and Vodka Trophy at the International Spirits Challenge 2014. Needless to say, the bottle is beautiful! The nose carried a hint of wheat and nuts. The palate offered a very clean and creamy texture with traces of vanilla. The finish was long with lots of cream and a hint of pepper. It was quite refreshing and ever so smooth. Snow Queen is 80 proof and although I like to drink vodka “neat”, it would also make a great Snow Queen martini or a go to ingredient in cocktails. It would also make a lovely gift for the holidays! http://www.snowqueenvodka.com 
I know that I promised a great side dish recipe for the holiday table and it will be posted tomorrow!
Have a great Wednesday! Cheers! Penina In between errands yesterday, I was glued to the news with updates on the tragedy that took place in Paris. I was relieved that my niece and cousin were okay, but I still felt unsettled about it all.  At the urging of my friend, I finally relented and agreed to join a few people for a low-key evening. I’m happy that I did. Soft music in the background and wonderful aromas emanating from the kitchen put me in a good mood. I brought homemade whole wheat Cuban bread that was still warm from the oven. My host provided the food and wine.  We drank Santa Barbara Winery 2008 Stolpman Vineyards Santa Ynez Valley Sangiovese. The vineyard is located in Ballard Canyon, which is known for the production of Syrah wines. Although Sangiovese is historically the prime grape of the Chianti region of Italy, the warm climate of Ballard Canyon is nicely suited to growing this grape. The wine was ruby red with heady aromas of cherry, raspberry, a soft floral bouquet and spices. The aromas segued onto the palate with more “jammy” flavors of cherry, red fruit and spice. I wouldn’t normally choose a Sangiovese grape for Thanksgiving, but this particular bottle might be a consideration. It had soft tannins and didn’t challenge the flavors of the food. It is perhaps past peak, but still very drinkable. http://www.stolpmanvineyards.com Have a peaceful Sunday!
Cheers! Penina  As I sit here this morning and try to digest the events of the tragedy in Paris yesterday, my heart begins to ache for all of those who needlessly lost their lives and for the families and friends that must now bear the burden of that loss.
Last night was supposed to be a collective celebration of accomplishments for a few of us that would have included fine dining, a special bottle of wine and laughter. Instead, we gathered around the television with scotch or vodka in hand and watched the sobering events in Paris unfold. I should be sitting here now writing about an exceptional bottle of wine and a delicious meal. However, I am more concerned about my niece who is doing a semester abroad in Paris and is thankfully safe and sequestered in an apartment with her friends. I am worried that we haven’t heard from my cousin who lives in Paris. My stories can wait for another day or two. My thoughts and prayers are with France and the senseless loss of innocent lives. Peace, Penina  Well, it’s Friday the 13th! I’ve always considered the number “13” lucky, especially since my youngest son was born on that date! However, some people see it as a very unlucky day. There is actually a term for this phobia, known as “friggatriskaidekaphobia”. No joke! Frigga was the name of a Norse goddess, for whom Friday is named and triskaidekaphobia is the fear of the number thirteen.  The origins of Friday the 13th are steeped in history and myths. Superstitions about the number 13 date back as far as 1700 BC. There are many stories surrounding Friday the 13th of which I won’t elaborate on here. I say, embrace the day and make something positive out of it!  And speaking of positive, I closed two significant deals yesterday and celebrated the beginning of the evening with a good friend, Veuve Clicquot and a special dinner. I love the sound of a champagne cork gently popping and the rush of bubbles tickling my mouth! Have a “Super” Friday!
Cheers! Penina  It’s a very rainy day here and as much as I would like to snuggle in for the day, I have much to do.  However, before I run off, I’d like to tell you about a wine I had last evening that would pair well with any Thanksgiving feast. We opened a 2009 Ketcham Estate Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. The color was deep ruby red with delightful aromas of cherries, strawberry, a bit of raspberry and spice. This medium bodied wine offered ripe fruit, black cherry and subtle spice on the palate with a long fruit filled finish. Soft tannins, balanced acidity and smooth texture had us all agreeing that this would make an excellent wine to serve with the assortment of food that usually graces the Thanksgiving table. http://www.ketchamestate.com I’ll return tomorrow with a fantastic side dish recipe!
Happy Wednesday! Cheers! Penina  Sunday was a beautiful day and perfect for outdoor activities. It began with a brisk nature walk and taking in the last of the leaves that were still clinging to the trees. Although I had much to do that required me being indoors, I found an abundance of reasons to keep me outside.  As the sun began to set, I turned my thoughts to creating a seasonal dinner for my friend and I. It was too late to start making bread and soup, so I went “simple”. I baked acorn squash with cinnamon and maple syrup; roasted brussel sprouts in olive oil and tossed them with toasted almonds. I then seared sea scallops with capers and shallots. The whole dinner took about 30 minutes to prepare!  We opened a 2014 J. Lohr Riverstone Chardonnay from Arroyo Seco Monterey, Central Coast, CA that complemented the meal beautifully. I reviewed the 2013 back in June and this vintage was just as good. The color was pale yellow with aromas of peach, strawberry, honeysuckle and nuts. The aromas carried over onto the palate with a hint of oak and a smooth buttery feel on the finish. I have a few more bottles, one of which is already in the refrigerator on standby! You can’t go wrong with this chardonnay or the price. It retails for around $14.00. http://www.jlohr.com I’m off to the city on an adventure!
Happy Monday! Cheers! Penina |
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