Great !

Pageviews today 65 Pageviews yesterday 34 Pageviews last month 991 Pageviews all time history 3,266

VIEWERS THIS MORNING.........

United States 67

Slovenia 12

Denmark 6

United Kingdom 3

Canada 2

Saudi Arabia 2

Singapore 2

Germany 1

France 1

Namibia 1 VIEWERS THIS MORNING !!!

HANG TIME.......................

Hang time..........The longer the hang time the greater the fruit's depth and complexity-perfectly ripe grapes produce superior, long-aging wines. On the other hand, if the hang time is too long, the grapes will become overripe, which will affect both flavor and aroma of the finished wine. If it takes a grape 120 days to ripen normally and it has been an extra hot year and they ripen in 110 days or it has been a really cold summer and they ripen in 130 days.....would there be a difference in the taste of the grape? Certainly! Long ripening allows for the tannins, not only the sugars to maximize in strength, thus affecting the taste of the grape which will in turn affect the taste of your wine. Perfectly ripe...not over ripe, grapes will make a superior tasting wine.
There are many factors which go into a great tasting grape, which will in turn help give you a great tasting wine....climate, sun, stress, temperature fluctuations, frost, wind and soil...to name a few. None of these ever stay the same so the winemaker needs to constantly be on their toes as to what the precious vine may need or not need at any given time.
So the next time you raise your glass to toast someone or some occasion, don't forget to cheer on the growers of the fruit in your cup.
Cheers!

Pageviews last month
543
Pageviews all time history
907

When I began this blog on October 25 I had a dream to reach 1000 views by January 1.2011. Well I am 93 views away from having that come true! And have 2 more weeks in which to do so. Maybe that will be reached at the end of this week! Then I will have the blog put together for a book. Then next year I will work on a 2 volume set for 2011.

Cooking with wine.....

It used to be 37 years ago when I was first married that I would want to cook with wine. So off to the supermarket I would go looking for cooking wine. I was naive enough to think that you wouldn't dare add the real thing to your dish. Then one day about 14 years ago while cooking some pasta and shrimp for my dinner and drinking a glass of Cabernet I thought "I'll just add a splash of this".....To think I had never ever thought to try "real" wine in cooking prior! That moment was the beginning of a new journey for me when in the kitchen. I wanted to add a splash to everything. One of my best findings was on the day I was drinking White Zin. I had some left a few days after opening the bottle....It was not pleasing to drink anymore but so not to waste it I added it to some extra virgin olive oil, a bit of balsamic vinegar, put some herbs for added flavor and viola! Zinfindel dressing which has become one of my favorites to use on greens and pasta. So don't dump out that bit of wine or the wine that is just not pleasing to you....save it on your counter and use it in your cooking. My son has taught me to use leftover red wine to dye unfinished wooden picture frames. Now I do this quite often. (That's a tip for crafters) Today I leave you with the thought to be creative in your cooking. Just do not over do it. You really don't need as much as you think...more is not better all the time. One of my best findings is wine added to burgers! I think a bit of wine pulls out the natural flavors a bit more....and if you have a favorite recipe that you add wine to and would like to share it, please do so in the comment box.

Ricotta Pasta & Spinach
1 box pasta
1 C ricotta cheese
1/3 C romano cheese
2 T butter
1 package FRESH spinach...cleaned and stems removed
white or red wine to taste (I like to use between 1/4-1/2 C)

Cook pasta, drain (save 1/2 C cooking water for sauce) rinse
Toss with butter
Combine reserved water with ricotta in mixing bowl
Add your wine
Stir till blended
Mix in the Romano
Toss in fresh spinach...it will wilt

Serve with alone or with a side of chicken or shrimp. Or even chop up and place in your pasta. Make a nice field greens salad
Pour your self a glass of wine & enjoy!

Tasting Wine.....

Just sitting here reviewing what I learned so far on wine......let's start with tasting..It used to be just simply..."I like it"...."oh no, I don't like it" This is how I tasted my wines and then I just stuck with the one brand I liked and never ventured out of that safety zone. But in the past 3 or so years I have grown not only older but grown with a desire to explore other territories and add more favorites to my list. In my coming out of my comfort zone I have found a lot of new wines (new to me) that I love and at our tasting a couple weeks ago Lisa brought a wonderfully smooth tasting white which surprisingly I will drink again. You can scroll down and read about our first tasting to see what wine Lisa brought.
As I have grown in my wine knowledge...and it is a slow process, enjoyable process, I have learned to savor every drop and let it meld in my mouth and let it speak to me. This luscious fruit of the vine is becoming my best friend. It is almost like I can have a conversation with my glass of wine now.
So simply what I do is take a nice look after its pouring, sorry but looks matter here. If it does not look appealing I do not think it would taste very well. After I have a mental picture of it I take a slow sniff to experience what I am hoping will be pleasant smells. If something does not have a pleasing smell I do not think it will taste too wonderful. But, remember not everything smells the same to each person. That is why our little wine tasting group will be good for us......what one smells or taste that another doesn't possibly by speaking this out and sharing you can then train your nose to pick up what someone else caught on to right away. After I savor a few of these moments I find myself envisioning the fields, the bright sun shining in the vineyard, the hardy vines climbing and wandering, the spectacular, plump, firm grapes just waiting to be picked by the tender care the pickers give them. Gods rain bathing them from time to time while growing. All of nature in sync to just bring you the most fabulous taste to bring to your table, to compliment your foods, your socializing with friends, to bring to your side while sitting in your home in front of the fireplace. Yes a glass of wonderfully tasting and well made wine can truly become your great friend. It is knowing I feel, when to stop and just have this be an enjoyable experience and not to go beyond your boundaries to have it wreck havoc on your life that wine can not only ease the stresses of a day, give joy to celebration, help your health & heart but it can take you to distant lands and dreams to put a smile on your face.
Getting back to this glass of wine I was tasting.....I then after the sight and smells are married in my mind swirl the wine in the glass as to see what the legs (the wine drippings on the inside of the glass.....do not swirl too fast or you will have legs on the outside of the glass also!!!) When swirling the wine the aroma starts leaping out at you. This I think I read is opening up the scents. Now after all this swirling and releasing it is time to really get your nose in there and see what you find. I know in public some may look at you and think "what is that person's problem". By the time you get to have your first sip your neighbor at the next table may be ordering his second cocktail. And if he or she is they are probably the ones thinking you are the one with the problem....But I am learning over the years if you make your wine drinking an experience and not just a thirst quencher or reason to have a drink, you will possibly find yourself drinking less and enjoying more. After this deep smell is when it is time to take your first sip...you want to wet your lips, raise the glass to your lips and once the wine hits your palate just savor the wine for the moment and just see if you can taste what you have smelled. Some like to swish the wine in their mouths before swallowing, it is all in preference I feel...there are no rules....it wouldn't be pleasurable if there were rules. My tasting stops at the sip and then after all this testing and learning is done I then enjoy my glass of wine with my meal or appetizer. Even living alone or dining alone can be made an occasion when treating your glass of wine like this. Not every sip just the first.....after the first and you have learned your wine you will have such a pleasurable experience that I think you will look forward not to your next drink to gulp down but to your next glass of wine to spend time with. Our lives are normally based on rush here and rush there with not much doing anything but going through the motions of life, getting things done but then wondering where did time go. Take time to "Smell the Wines"! and learn and pass your knowledge on to others. You will be surprised just how little people really do know about their wines but every now and then you will in your meetings, happen upon a real connoisseur and it is then you become even more intrigued...be sure to have a pen and paper (or bar napkin) with you then! You can learn a lot from someone willing to share their knowledge. Because of their love for it they will want you to experience what they do.
Till next time.....

A Favorite Quote

I recently read a quote which made me chuckle....."Don't worry if you can't understand wine-speak. Nobody can. It's a language invented by drunk people." this was said by Jay Fedigan, documentary film maker. I read this in Jonathon Alsop wine book....Wine Lover's Devotional...365 Days. This book along with The Wine Bible have been a great influence in my understanding of wine.


This blog is now available to be delivered to your Kindle if you wish to SUBSCRIBE

THINKING & DRINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX ©2010

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.....LET'S DRINK BOXED WINE!






After a few years of wine drinking I decided to try the wine's in a box. I am partial to Australian reds. Yellow Tail wines are among my favorites to drink. So when I saw the Hardy's (who makes Yellow Tail) had wine in a box I was sold! For $17.99, sometimes on sale for $14.99 I could get a box equal to 4 bottles. That made it about half the price I was paying to purchase it in the bottle. In the bottle sometimes if you did not finish the bottle it would be wasted. With the box, drinking my small glass ordered by my doctor each night my box of wine would last me between 3 or 4 weeks. Among my favorites in the Hardy's box was Shiraz & Cabernet Sauvignon. It would stay fresh the entire month and there was no waste. I may have felt a bit silly squeezing the foil bag till the last drop was released for me to savor, but when I think of all the savings it did not matter to me. A month or so ago over at Gaynor's house I tried the Hungarian wine Pinot Evil ...this is becoming a nice change for me to switch back and forth with. If you click on the boxes of wine above they will take you to places on the web you can read about the wines.
Lisa's favorite wine in a box is Fish Eye Cabernet...she says " I am partial only to the Fish Eye box. Very decent and not as large a box as, say, the Franzia and others. I like the Shiraz/Cab blend. "

I have never yet tried Fisheye Wines but I will be sure to do so soon. I value Lisa's opinion.
Chrissy has no favorite wine in the box (YET).....we will have to work on that for her.
As soon as Gaynor gets her wine list into me I will be sure to post it here for you.
Personally I think the box wine is the way to go..I still like buying a bottle or 2 now and then for when I want to try a new wine or have the full effect of a nice evening opening a bottle and sharing it with my friends.
How about you? Do you have a favorite in the box you would like to share with us? We are always looking for new ones to try. Comment below and let us know so we can try them.
Everyone have a wonderful weekend and please be careful...do not drink in excess and then drive. Be safe.....Live to love & Love to live & don' t forget to "Live life fully & abundantly"

Share
|

I must not fail to mention...although we had 5 bottles of wine...we did not consume all 5 bottles. We behaved ourselves! There was more than half the Ice Wine left, a great amount of the homemade wine (to become salad dressing, cook with or pour down the drain ).....:( and a smaill bit of the other 2. The hostess gets to keep all leftovers since she opened her home to us.
So actually we did not consume all that much wine.

Share
|

Our 1st Gathering!

I had spent nearly 3 hours on this blog this morning and at the slip of my hand on the laptop I lost it all....so I will be back at another time to start with a fresh mind to fill you in on our findings. Right now I may say it was a wonderful gathering of close friends and learning. So I will be back.....it is now 6am and I need to sign off for a bit. There needs to be a go back button on this blog editor or if there is one I need to know where it is located!

Well it is an hour later so lets give this another try. I have come up with the idea to type a section then save the blog and go back into it for another section. That way at least if I hit something by mistake I do not loose all my work. Live and learn. This may take me a most of the day to finalize but bear with me.

Let me introduce our entourage for this study:
Chrissy, Gaynor, Jackie, Lisa & myself. At this first study hosted by Chrissy we had a turnout of 5. As I stated before 5 or 6 is a nice number. I feel if it were ever to grow to more than 10 it would be more of a social time and not a learning time. I feel 10 different bottles of wine is a bit much for 1 study. I tend to still lean with the idea that 5-6 is the perfect number. If in time we each bring 1 other close friend with a learning interest of wine into the study we could probably have the same effect. In future plannings I think it would go well if we would now and then have a larger crowd at certain times in which to be a social time for us to share with some friends some of our favorite wines we will find in the next several months. I know it sounds good to want to include everyone we know, but somehow I feel the intimacy I felt with this first one would be taken away. So perhaps my friends will agree to some extent with me that larger times will be for social occasions of our choosing and field trips to wineries and wine bars. My intentions are that we learn and enjoy one another and the wines & foods. I am glad though that I see the interest which is evident on my friends faces and joy in their voices that they wish to share...this to me is a good sign that this has been a good idea!

Chrissy was the hostess for the first study. She was excellently prepared. I had loaned her my books to prep. Chrissy did a presentation on which glass to choose, how to host a wine tasting party, wine & food pairings, keeping an open bottle of wine and which wines can survive & wine serving temperature guidelines. She had prepared a simple pumpkin soup to go with her offering of an Italian Tuscan Wine Rosso Tuscana 2008.
It was bright ruby red in color, with cherry and strawberry notes and was soft & velvety in the mouth. It had thin, soft legs. This was a very good wine and a great accompaniment to the soup.
You can find out more with link provided above.

My wine was next. I had brought a bottle of homemade wine which was given to me as a gift. There was no label on the bottle and the person who gave the wine to me had no idea of i ts makings. I had thought it possibly could be a white zin. It was pale pink in color. Fruity and dry and low in alcohol. It was not a hit at our taste! It was much like drinking watered down juice. BUT, it did have strong legs. There was no sediment in the wine. I had thought possibly this would be a bad tasting wine so I pared it with sweets....dried strawberries,cranberries,cherries, raisins and dark chocolates. Chocolate always makes things better! But to my surprise this wine did not leave a bitter, bad taste...it just left no taste or impression. This wine I think could be used to make a wonderful salad dressing or cooking with. I try to not waste.

Lisa was next. She brought a Napa Chardonnay 2007 from Robert Mondavi Wineries.
Chardonnays are grown and planted all over. They are a long, cold fermentation. Part of the juice is cold fermented in stainless steel tubs. The remainder of some is them placed in French Oak barrels. This wine can be buttery, oaky and fruity. The best cheeses t o go with this may be provolone, Gruyere and mild cheddar. 55 degrees is the correct drinking temperature. This is from the southern tip of the Napa Valley. This wine was dry to semi dry a wonderful taste on your palate. I am a red wine drinker but this Chardonnay I would drink again. Good choice Lisa! Its notes were tropical fruit, floral and spice. Lisa pared this with a wonderfully delicious pork loin roast with butter herb sauce! Yum!!! She also baked her hubby's favorite 2 layer dark chocolate cake with cool whip icing & chocolate shavings! OMG!!!! Lisa.....you can cook for me any day...or if you ever have leftovers!

Gaynor brought a wonderful ice wine. The ice grapes are pictured above. The ice wine she chose was a NY Johnston Estate....Sweet Dreams 2001 & this was a great wine. In ice wine the grapes must be thoroughly frozen on the vine. This Ice Wine was a Vidal Ice Wine with 10% alcohol. You could taste and smell the honey, apricots and peaches. Gaynor pared this wine with water crackers topped with a slice of pear and Gorgonzola. As Chrissy said it nicely...."YUM,YUM....OH GOSH...YUM!!!" Indeed this was! Gaynor you were a hit with your choice!

And finally Jackie. She brought a South Australian Merlot 2007 from Oxford Landings. This wine had nice heavy legs, peppery taste and smell along with the sweetness of cherries. Jackie pared this with herb crusted crackers, sun dried tomatoes and feta cheese. Simply delicious and greatly pared. I am partial to reds so Jackie's and Chrissy's were immediately my favorites. I already knew I loved Ice Wine but have only had it on a few occasions. I now have another brand to add to my favorites. And Lisa's Chardonnay was exquisite to me as I will now occasionally have a glass of this particular Chardonnay, but my heart belongs still to the reds!

We first set out sampling each persons wine choice and discussing it for a while. Then we cleansed our palates with water crackers. We rinsed our crystal glasses out with water after each sampling so as not to have traces of the previous wine. After we had finished sampling we then ate our wonderfully prepared items and indulged in a fantastic luncheon and glass of wine of our choice.

We discussed growing our group eventually and are making plans for the next study. We are planning on attending Greendance Winery.
This will be our field trip for the fall. Gaynor will be the hostess for the December study.

Chrissy has agreed to be the leader in place of any hostess who would like her to do so.
I will be the one who will write the blog.
Gaynor has agreed to be the photographer.
We will add duties as we see fit....women who work together will stay in touch!

SIMPLE PUMPKIN SOUP RECIPE
1/2 C onion
3T butter
2C mashed cooked pumpkin
1t salt
1T sugar
1/4 t nutmeg
1/4 ground pepper
3C chicken broth
1/2 C half & half or fat free half & half
Chop the onions and brown with butter in pan. Put mashed pumpkin with onions in pan. Add salt,sugar,nutmeg and pepper. Slowly add chicken broth and heat thoroughly, but do not boil.
To serve pour into a tureen and add cream. Makes 4-6 small servings.

How It Began

It all began in May of 2010. I had just published my
first book and was searching for ways to promote my book into the bookstores. It started with my favorite book store to visit, The Penguin Bookshop
in Sewickley, PA, the town in which my son lives and I frequent often. Upon going to visit another authors book signing I was browsing the shelves in the shop and stumbled across this book "The Wine Bible". Being a Christian the title grabbed my attention. When I took it from the shelves and opened its pages I found it was filled with so much interesting information that I just had to have it. So because of my great interest in wine which had entered into my life over the last decade I decided to purchase this book.
After my divorce as I started to socialize once again, a few of the men I dated were very educated in wines and the vineyards. I attended many wine tastings and learned a lot during this time. My drinking this luscious drink became an educational time and a pleasurable time, not a time of drunkenness. At one point in that past decade of my life my doctor advised me to drink wine (a small portion ) each night in order to build my blood and energy levels. I took his advice and I did so at least 5 nights a week and when my next rounds of blood work came in my blood was excellent for a 50 something woman and my cholesterol level was called impeccably remarkable by my primary care physician. They credited this to the wine & also my diet since I was 29 yrs old.
Getting back to the book.....I rather enjoyed this book immensely the next couple months. So when an author was to speak at the bookshop on his latest book, Wine Lovers Devotional 365 Days of Wine I decided to see what he had to say. I then purchased my copy.
So now I had 2 wonderful books to further educate myself in the makings of wine. While my long time, great friend Chrissy was visiting one day I then shared my books with her. I had been considering beginning a "Wine Bible" Study group consisting of a small group of my friends who shared a common interest...wine. Here we could learn and grow together in our knowledge of the vine. So as Chrissy was looking at the books I was hoping she would grab hold of my idea and then she brought the subject up and it was then I knew this should be. So from July till now we discussed doing so and on Monday we are having out very 1st "Wine Bible" Study.
Being Christian women for many years now the both of us know what the Word of God says about wine and drinking. So as we set out on this wonderful adventure with our close friends we do hope to remember He is Lord of our lives and we never would want to do anything to take away from that or cause one of our friends ( or ourselves) to stumble.
What God commands Christians regarding alcohol is to avoid drunkenness.

Ephesians 5:18

18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

So Lord please remind us of this as we enjoy learning of just one of your wonderful creations, the fruit that comes from the vines.