Is this you???

My husband and I are burned out by the week activities and find ourselves scrambling to either meet a group of friends on the weekends or stay at home, cook passionately and discover a great bottle of wine. So this last weekend, we decided to stay at home with friends!

Weekends for me are for downtime, relaxing and drinking at home. I open the first bottle of wine and take the first sip, holding the flavors in my mouth. Then I rinse my palate and start on the second glass from a whole different bottle. Wasteful? Not at all, just left overs for the next day. My reaction to the first is okay..but to the second glass it is better.

My first glass is a Spatburgunder from Germany. A young, oak driven Pinot Noir that needs a salmon dish, wild rice, and rice pudding to enhance the flavors. The second one really doesn't need anything. The reason this occurs is because your palate has matched a wine that does not require any food or snacks to accompany it. When this happens you might want to make note of the grape and the region.

My second distinct glass of wine, the Pinot Noir from Sonoma, sings without food. An abundance of bing cherry, spicey fruit, and earthy flavors drive this wine home! I break down and pour a whole glass. This is it -- I found my weekend wine :). My special thanks to Flowers Winery for my beautiful Pinot Noir! If you are out looking for something new, explore, ask, and discover your weekend wine.

The snow is falling and what better opportunity to bake. As a cook, I don't spend a lot of time baking little treats. I love the plethora of spices and seasonings that are used on a daily basis in cooking so baking becomes a creative expression to test/taste the results without any hurry.

As the snow falls more, I get the urge to bake something yummy - that is - how my son describes my baking, yummy. He loves sweet little things and tells me  that anything sweet makes his day.

So I grab the mixing bowl, throw a little of this and little of that into the bowl and begin to make a basis spritz cookie recipe. I need something more..Indian spices...yes that is it. And then it appears.. the final mix and we all love it.  The final test will be with my son. Does he love it? I wait while he samples several. It is too quiet!

Finally, I love it Mom, it is yummy with the fluffy stuff in the middle. I smile.

So there you have it. If you have a little time and want to make these bite size cookies then go to my Recipes & More section and download the Indian Spritz Cookie Recipe.

I do think you will be pleased with the results on your next snowy day.And it just so happens I have a great New Zealand Dry White Riesling that should go nicely with these delicious cookies.

Sanlucar de Barrameda is famed for its own style of ‘Fino’ - a great Manzanilla, often described as salty, briny and having an olive scented tang. A quintessential accompaniment to Tapas (simple foods) and jumbo shrimp is simply the best with Sherry. Sanlucar de Barrameda is 35 km northwest of Jerez and at the mouth of Guadalquivir river of Spain. Here you will find, one of the largest state of the art technological wine cellars producing 13% of the world's sherry production. Barbadillo is spread out over two estates, Gilabin and Santa Lucia, located in an area known as Upper Jerez (pronounced hare-eth). Two wonderful styles of sherry can be found from this Bodega in the Sanlucar de Barrameda, Oloroso and Cream. Oloroso is a highly revered, very aromatic long-aged Sherry that traditionally has not been protected or influenced by flor. More than any other type of sherry, Oloroso is exposed to oxygen to produce a golden brown color. Bodegas Barbadillo, S.L. produces some of the finest nutty and caramel flavors that ooze from his 'Full Dry' Oloroso Sherry; a rich, meatier and dense Sherry that makes it perfect for many creative cooking bases and drinks. This wine is fortified with grape spirits (18 to 20 percent) before it enters the Oloroso Solera casks. As a result, a richer more complex Sherry is produced! The Barbadillo Cream 'Full Rich' Sherries are sweetened Oloroso. Some 'Full Rich' Cream Sherries are mud-thick and smell of chocolate, licorice, figs and nuts. Try mixing this Cream Sherry with Campari, red Vermouth, and a twist of lemon over ice.

So which Sherry is better to cook soup bases with? Cream or Oloroso? Since 'Full Dry' Oloroso Sherry is not as sweet as the Cream, it will be the right choice. Oloroso Full Dry, changes the base of my soup stock imparting elegance, richness, and salty brine flavors. All which are essential to my recently posted crab bisque recipe (see Recipes & More link on my sidebar) that uses a little less than a cup of this 'Full Dry' Sherry. Before you run out and grab a cheap bottle of wine to make soup bases, try my recommended Sherry option instead. I think you will find this combination of seafood and Sherry are the perfect marriage.

Let's look at 2008. This year, things fell apart - EVERYWHERE! I think 2008 has taught us a lot of things..I for one am more conservative with my choices. I still purchase the same quantity but I am careful what I spend on each bottle.  One thing for certain, I've not seen a drop in wine purchases. A little nip to take the edge off seemed to help this year. Yahoooo for that!!!

Let's look at 2008 as the year for discovering better everyday values in wine. I know that many of us welcome better pricing and more choices. I certainly do!

Now that 2008 is nearly finished, I am happy to see it go. I have a positive feeling about the New Year and know that it will bring happiness to all of us in one way or another.

Happy New Year!!!

A specific wine, not a style! Contrary to beliefs in some parts of the world, Champagne is not a generic term for any sparkling wine, but the PROTECTED name of a sparkling wine produced from grapes grown in a specific and very defined area or Northern France. Why the big stink you say over the word Champagne? Look at this another way, no other vine growing region can challenge Champagne's claim to produce the worlds finest and greatest sparkling wine around. Other countries have tried and have successfully produced similar sparklers but not champagne. I could go on about climate, terrior, slope, soils and agricultural aspects of the Northern parts of France; but this is truly not important to most. What is important, will be whether or not you can explain the difference to someone else.

In a nutshell, describe it like this:

Champagne, from Northern France is a protected name from which the most elegant and finest pinot noir and chardonnay grapes are grown and produced into the sparkling wine. Champagne houses that are common to most are Veuve Clicquot, Pierre Peters, and Laurent-Perrier.

Here are several choices that should satisfy your cravings. I will start with the country that most consumers are familiar with - that is (what they are looking to sink their money into right now).

Australia produces some of the most compelling Shiraz' to date and primarily this is due to climate,  terrain of the valleys, and soil. Recent publicity has consumers looking into Mclaren Vale of Southern Australia for some great choices. For full body Shiraz with a lingering tastes of bittersweet chocolate, and blackberry; look for Two Hands "Angel Share" McLaren Vale, South Australia. Around $25.00 p/b.

My next choice, a Cote Rotie from the Northern Rhone wine region of France - yes - pronounced just like it looks. Sweet dark fruits give way to cedar box and dark chocolate from this Syrah grape. Cote Rotie's are classic Syrah's  that are mouthfilling. Cote Rotie's will cost around $45.00 and are really worth it.

 
The last will be from California, specifically Qupe -- http://www.qupe.com/default.html
Wine from Qupe (this is central coast) produces Syrah grapes that tastes like dipped sweet licorice, cranberry and boysenberry fruit jams. The fine soft tannins are a delight without food. Roughly $17.00 p/b. Enjoy!!