Year of the Rabbit

This week is the start of the Year of the Rabbit in the Chinese calendar.

It's a fun and exciting time, one which we all can take part in if only to enjoy a special 'take-out' New Year dinner.

If you live in a metropolitan city you probably have access to Chinese restaurants where you'll be able to enjoy some of the specialty foods served for the New Year celebrations.

I've had the opportunity to enjoy delicious and very special Chinese New Year dinners over the years. It was always fun and interesting. Some of the restaurants provided the guests with special menus which would have the history about the foods being served.

I remember back when tea was the only beverage served with dinner, but today there are a few "gourmet" Chinese restaurants with a wine list that will compliment their menu.


Today many neighborhood restaurants will have only a house red or white wine. Most often it will not be as food friendly as it should be. In that case you can always choose a Chinese beer.

The Chinese beer will go well with the foods on the menu. It's the rule of "choose a wine from the same region as the food," in this case it would be the Chinese beer. There are several varieties of Chinese beer to choose.

If you want to celebrate The Year of The Rabbit with a glass of wine and your favorite Chinese take-out here are a couple of suggestions for choosing a wine to go with your favorite dishes.

WHITE WINES

• Szechuan style dishes are spicy -- Gerwurztraminer (which means 'spice grapes') is a white wine that has a spiciness to it which makes it perfect with very spicy dishes.

• Cantonese style dishes have subtle flavors -- German Riesling is a nice fruity wine for the subtle flavors of the Cantonese dishes. You can also try a Riesling from South Africa.
  

For most Asian style dishes white wines will be the better choice.

RED WINES

• There are many rich dishes made with pork, duck and beef. These dishes will need a rich red wine that are higher in tannins which will cut through the fats in the dish.

• Choose a Pinot Noir or maybe a Merlot if the tannins are more pronounced to enjoy with the beef, pork and duck.
  

The "Rabbit" is one of the luckiest signs of the zodiac. It's no wonder that the rabbit's foot is chosen as a lucky charm.

To all, "Good Luck" in this Year of the Rabbit!


Salute!

Winelady Cooks

Need Chocolate

Sometimes you just want what you want. For me it's usually just chocolate. I'm snowed in today and, well, I'm out of chocolate.

I know there are hundreds of thousands of you out there who have been "Snowed In", without power, and may be in distress much longer than necessary.

Usually I'm good in these situations. It's temporary and I can manage.

I can find lots of things to do to keep busy. As long as I have power the computer can fill in when boredom strikes.

I always have a full pantry so I cooked, made cookies, finally cleaned up the kitchen then made a cup of tea.

That cup of tea was begging for chocolate, well, actually it was me not the tea. I had a chocolate chip cookie but needed more chocolate. You know how that is when you just crave something on these crazy days?

I used all the chocolate chips in the cookies I just baked so I went to the cabinet and found ONLY 2 dark chocolate Hershey kisses. "That's it? OMG, how could I forget to buy chocolate candy?" In our house, chocolate candy is a staple like the milk, eggs, and coffee. I can't believe I ran out.

BUT, when your car is in a snow pile that is physically impossible to dig out in a few hours it hits you like that snowball from behind when you least expect it and realize there is now way out!

The thought of being unable to get to the store was getting to me. Then I remembered the Ghiradelli package my sister sent for the holidays. Oh, thank goodness I found it. There they were, falling out of the box were the little packets of Ghiradelli squares in all their glory.

Sometimes all we need is Chocolate! at times like this.

As soon as I finish shoveling that car out of the snow pile I'm going shopping -- for chocolate of course.


Stay safe and warm,

Winelady Cooks

Wordless Wednesday

Something Hot on A Cold Day

I shared this on the following Wordless Wednesday linkys:
It's A Blog Party Say Cheese



Wordless Wednesday
A Beautiful Mess
www.5minutesformom.com
Wordish Wednesday
Angry Julie Monday
Busy Working Mama

Super Bowl Desserts Week II

I don't know if I should spread this around but I'm not a big football fan. Though I did go to the Jets/Giants game at the Yale Bowl in 1969. I don't know why I agreed to go except that I may not have been thinking clearly then (I was with child).

It was soooooo long ago I don't remember too much about the game, but there were two things that were very memorable.

I met Joe Namath, not just passing by met, but actually shook hands and made small talk for several minutes met. Who didn't love Joe Namath back in his hey day. And then how could I forget how hot it was that August afternoon sitting in the stadium.

Let's just say that the one thing I do enjoy about football is the entertaining.

A few popular dishes served on game day are spicy wings, chili, potato skins and nachos which are all my favorites. I would have to make all of these if I was entertaining a large crowd.

But let's fast forward to my next dessert selection, Churros. This is not a 'make-in-advance' recipe. However, it is fun to have helpers when making churros. You shouldn't have a hard time finding assistants for this since everyone always wants to help and this would be more fun than just cleaning up.

Churros are easy to make and in a quick 30 minutes they will be ready to serve. This recipe is from my son-in-law. He is a great cook and is always tweaking recipes. This is one he and my daughter worked on for their 'perfect' churro.

Churros

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
  
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
  
• 1 cup water
• 2 TBLS. butter
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp. granulated sugar
• Canola oil for frying
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar & 1-2 TBLS. cinnamon (mix this in a large plastic freezer bag) and set aside for dredging.

Directions:

1. Pour about 1 inch canola oil in frying pan and heat to 350 degrees. Have it ready so you can add the dough as soon as it's done.
2. Mix flour and baking powder in a small bowl and set aside.
   
3. Heat water, butter, salt and sugar to boil. Immediately add the flour mixture and stir until mixture forms ball. Remove from heat.
4. Put dough in either a pastry bag with a star tip or use a plastic freezer bag and cut one corner off about 1/2" to 3/4" to pipe the dough into the hot oil. Make the strips approximately 4 inches long, or a length you desire.
5. Cook in the hot oil until lightly browned and turning to be sure they are evenly browned. They cook quickly - approx. 2 minutes - but it depends on the thickness of the dough.
6. Drain churros on paper towels and while still hot roll in the cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Traditionally Mexican churros are served with a spicy hot chocolate. If it's a cold snowy day this would be the perfect hot drink to serve with the churros.

GO TEAM!

I'll have one more dessert next Tuesday for the Big Game day. Hope to see you then.



This recipe is linked to:




It's A Blog Party
Hearth and Soul
33 Shades of Green
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday



Mangia!
Winelady Cooks

More Dirt on the Color of Wine

Terroir is the beginning of grapes' journey to the glass. To simply define "terroir" it would be to say it is 'a sense of place'.

That sense of place refers to location, soil, exposure, climate (to name a few). Each one of these components, individually and together, affect the quality of the grapes.

To keep the details of terroir simple just for this post, not every grape variety will grow in every type of climate. Some varieties need cool climates and some warm climates. Some prefer hot days and cool nights and some grow best in coastal climates . . ..


Now you ask how does terroir affect the color of the wine? The grape's terroir will affect the sweetness and acidity of the grape. The amount of sugar and acidity in the grapes will play a part in the wine's color.

Color in wine is also affected by the wine's aging in wood barrels or bottle aging.

A wine aged in barrels can be more intense in color. When a wine stays in the bottle a long time it can change colors.

The bottle of wine may just be hanging around and forgotten, or it may be a great vintage that has been aging. The longer the wine stays in the bottle the wine will either lighten or darken.

Red wines will lighten with age and white wine will darken from the oxygen which eventually changes the color of the wine. Both the red and white wines are affected by the oxygen, though it is more noticeable in white wines.

The color of wine is a subject that gets tossed around in many a conversation by so-called wine enthusiasts.

Some wine experts and enthusiasts will say that the color of the wine in his/her glass will be a clue as to the grape variety and/or the wine's condition -- it's either a fine aged wine, or the wine has oxidized and "gone bad".

The majority of us who enjoy a glass of wine with our meal probably don't really notice the color of the wine. Oh of course we know if it's red or white, but the color hues in the glass don't really affect our like or dislike for the wine.

Follow along next time as we delve a little further into the color of the wine in our glass.


Salute!
Winelady Cooks

Wordless Wednesday

Snow Obsessed?

These puffy clouds look like snow.

I must move on -- Spring is coming . . . soon I hope.



I shared this on the following Wordless Wednesday linkys:
It's A Blog Party Say Cheese



Wordless Wednesday
Solitude at weloveiowa.blogspot.com
www.5minutesformom.com
Wordish Wednesday



Winelady Cooks

Super Bowl Desserts Week 1

Entertaining on Super Bowl Sunday is fun. My favorite entertaining tip for this BIG day is to order in when you have more than 8 people.

Over the years I realized it's way too much work to cook for a large crowd when I was commuting to work everyday. I'd rather make cookies and desserts.

Each Tuesday for the next 3 weeks I'll post an easy to prepare recipe. My first recipe is a chocolate chip cookie that you can make and clean up in one hour or less. It will take a little longer if you dip the cookies in chocolate.

This is a flexible recipe. You can use chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, raisins, dried cranberries or nuts. And you can even dip the cookies in chocolate as I did (my fav). This is easy to prepare and you can make the cookies this week and freeze them until game day.

Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 1 stick butter
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 TBL. vegetable or canola oil & 2 TBL. water
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips (optional white chocolate chips, raisins, dried cranberries - if you use two of any of these items use 1/2 cup of each)
  
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or your choice (optional)

Directions:
350 degree oven -- use parchment lined cookie sheet for easy cleanup
Makes approximately 36 cookies

1. In a medium bowl blend together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and pinch of salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl cream the butter and both sugars until light and airy (1-2 minutes). Add in the oil, water and vanilla and beat until fluffy.
3. Slowly add in the flour a little at a time and blend well. Add in the chocolate chips and nuts if desired and mix with a wooden spoon just until all blended.
4. Drop by teaspoonfuls on parchment lined cookie sheet. Press down to slightly flatten and bake in 350 degree oven approximately 10 minutes, or just until the cookie is set in the middle and lightly browned on the bottom.
5. Remove from cookie sheet to cool on wire racks.

COOKIE TIPS:

• don't over-bake the cookies if you like a chewy cookie. If they bake too long they will be a crispy cookie.
• If you like chocolate, dip the cookies in melted chocolate. Set aside on wax paper while the chocolate sets.
• Place the chocolate covered cookies in a plastic container with waxed paper between each layer. Freeze until game day. Remove from freezer at least 4 hours before game starts.

I've shared this recipe on the following:

It's A Blog Party Delicious Dishes

Hearth and Soul Hop-Volume 31!

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday




Mangia!
Winelady Cooks

The Color of Wine

Wines are usually labeled red, white or rose. When you are shopping for a wine you might ask the salesperson for a specific style of red or white wine.

The red wines most often come in dark bottles so it may be difficult to see its exact color through the bottle. The color is more defining when it is in the glass.

There are varying shades of red wine as described by wine writers and tasters with descriptors from claret to almost black and many shades of red in between.

White wines have a yellow hue from pale yellow to sunshine in a glass. Some white wines have more of a golden color and there are some whites with a greenish hue. Many of the white wines we most often choose to drink have a light-straw yellow color.

Rose wines come in many shades and few are actually a rose color. The range of pinks in some rose wines vary from blue-pink and all tones in between to purple-pink and even orange-pink.


The varied hues in the wines come from the type of grapes, the ripeness of the grapes, the area where the wine is produced, they way the wine is made (vinification), and the age of the wine.

When making red wine the grapes are crushed and fermented with the skins of the grapes. Because there are red and black grapes the color is determined by the grape variety.

White wine is made by crushing the grapes and the skins are removed. Some white wines are made using red grapes. Many varieties of red grapes produce white juice so that by discarding the skins the wine will not have color.

Rose wines are made using red grapes with minimal skin contact and sometimes a blending of red and white grapes are used.

Terroir and oxidation are two additional factors affecting the color of wine. Follow us next time to get the dirt.


Salute!
Winelady Cooks

Pork Chops with Apples

Have you been feeling trapped?

Can't get out because of the blinding white landscape?

I'm taking a wild guess here that you are not alone. It's the snow isn't it? Actually it's beauty and the beast out there!

The backyard is a gorgeous winter wonderland and then out front there are mile high mountains of snow that are full of soot and dirt. Not very pretty.

All that snow has wiped me out today so I wanted something fast. There was a lot of shoveling and I'm too tired for anything involved.

Simple pork chops sauteed with apples in a light white wine sauce is easy and fast. A side of rice with peas and onions and a tossed salad make a very satisfying meal after a tiring day of snow shoveling.

This recipe will serve two. You can increase the ingredients to serve more. It's flexible and you can add any other ingredients that suit your tastes.

Sometimes reading a recipe can make it look more complicated than it actually is, so here's a quick "what to do" -- peel apples and saute them for a few minutes, then saute pork chops, add broth to chops with apples and simmer till done!

Here is the recipe I used.

Easy Pork Chops with Apples

Ingredients

• 4 boneless pork chops less than 1/2 inch thick
• 1-2 peeled and sliced apples
• 1 TBLS. butter
• 1 TBLS. olive oil
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2-3 TBLS. dry white wine (optional)
• 2 tsp. water & 1/2 tsp. flour
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Season the pork chops with pepper and set aside.
2. Heat a large saute pan and add the butter. When butter is hot add the apples and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring them until lightly browned. Don't over cook because they will continue to cook later with the chops.
3. Remove the apples and add a little olive oil to the pan if needed. When the oil is hot saute the pork chops on both sides until lightly browned -- approximately 2-3 minutes on each side.
4. When all the chops are browned add the apples to the pan with the pork chops. Stir in the broth and wine (if using). Cover and simmer for 7-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chops.
5. Make a slurry with the water and flour to thicken the sauce if you desire. Stir the flour mixture into the pan to blend well and add salt and pepper to taste and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens. If you don't want to thicken the sauce then just add the salt and pepper to taste and serve.
   

This recipe is linked to:



Healthy Home Economist
Designs By Gollum



Mangia!
Winelady Cooks

Wordless Wednesday

Winter sunset before the storm.

Digging Out this morning!

I shared this on the following Wordless Wednesday linkys:
Say "Cheese" at it'sablogparty.com



The Wordless Wednesday
Wordless Wednesday at 5MinutesForMom.com
Wordless Wednesday at traci66.blogspot.com
Wordless Wednesday at weloveiowa.blogspot.com



Winelady Cooks

Umami, Talk About Learning Something New

Have you seen the t.v. commercials and print ads that mention "umami"? They have been around for a couple of years.

I decided to find out more about umami, so off to the library I went, digging out my car from under the snow pile and scraping the ice off the windshield.

Why not just do a 'google' search? I really needed to get out. I was getting cabin fever and it seemed like I've been in the house for a month (it was only 1 day). The library was going to be my sanctuary for a few hours.

Well, what an eye-opener. Turns out the library is quite a bit different now than I remember. They use computers -- what a concept!

When I realized I would have to use their computers I decided I may just as well go home and use my own computer.


So now for the findings on the Umami research. It's a Japanese word, it translates to "good taste", it's been around for centuries, and the 'foodie world' uses it pretentiously.

Umami is not really a taste but it is a taste enhancer that is derived from glutamates which is an amino acid which is naturally found in many foods we eat every day. You can think of Umami as the concept of enhancing the flavors of a food.

Glutamates are a natural amino acid and should not be confused with mono-sodium glutamate which is a man-made product.

Some of the common food items containing glutamates is meat, cheese, seafood and many other protein rich foods, as well as tomatoes, potatoes, shiitake mushrooms, carrots, seaweed and asparagus, just to mention a few. These foods with high amounts of glutamates interact with other foods to create distinct flavors.

What does Umami have to do with wine? Nothing more than trying to taste and identify the flavors. Wine tasting can be challenging, but it's important to remember that we each will taste something different in the same wine.

Each of our palates is distinctly different. Most often if we are seated at a table and each person was given the same food and drink we each would taste something different.

Many wine snobs or wine experts will taste and identify very different flavor profiles and characteristics in the same wine. Imagine how confused we get when we read wine reviews and don't get the same taste and flavors for the same wine.

Our personal tastes, perceptions, and palates are definitely different. This doesn't mean we will never enjoy wine because we didn't taste the same things the experts did. It only means that eating and drinking is a very personal experience. What our senses tell us has no bearing on what we should or should not like based on the written notes of experts.

This is important for us to remember not only for food and drinks, but for everything we have an opinion about. My mother-in-law used to say that's what makes horse races. Cliche yes, but very true.

Please join me next week as I continue the 'learn something new' journey.


Salute!
Winelady Cooks

Wordless Wednesday

It's January - not much left to say!

I shared this on the following Wordless Wednesday linkys:
Say "Cheese" at it'sablogparty.com



The Wordless Wednesday
Wordless Wednesday at 5MinutesForMom.com
Wordless Wednesday at traci66.blogspot.com
Wordless Wednesday at weloveiowa.blogspot.com



Winelady Cooks

Always Learning Something New

The New Year gives us the opportunity to start 'anew'.

I learn something new every day and one thing I learned this holiday is that kids today are a wealth of information. Who knew?

When I was working full time there was not a day when I didn't learn something.

It's humbling to realize that there is so much going on in the world everyday we can't be so full of ourselves to think we know it all.


And so my winding road takes me to the large learning curve of the expansive world of wine. There is so much to know, learn and enjoy. It could take a lifetime to get through it all but I hope that my little blog can be the one small step to help guide you through the complexity.

Many wineries are looking to reduce their carbon footprint and are practicing sustainable farming. This of course is a 'good thing' since we want to continue to enjoy living on this planet, however this practice can result in higher wine prices.

Nonetheless, wines made today are produced with more skill and knowledge giving us quality wines that are certainly better than the wines made in the past.

We can still find great wines under $10, however in time that price point may increase a bit as more winemakers choose sustainable farming and yields may be smaller at harvest.

I look forward to sharing wine facts that can help with your decision to select a wine you will enjoy for dinner at home or dining out. Join us every Monday for fun facts, helpful hints, and tips and tricks.

Like me, I hope you will learn something new every now and then. If you have any suggestions for topics or questions please let me know. Subscribe to my feed, friend and follow us, don't be shy.


Salute!
Winelady Cooks

Resolve Not To Make Resolutions

Happy New Year!

What more can I say that has not already been written about 2010 and what's to come in 2011. Well for one thing I'm not a philosopher -- that's a good thing, believe me.

I never make resolutions for the new year. I don't know why, but for me it seems that they can be almost impossible to keep. So why should I beat myself up because I couldn't keep a promise.

Here's one tip (sorry I couldn't help it), only make promises you can keep. You've heard that before I'm sure.

Anyway, here's my take on how to resolve not to make resolutions. Live each day with a smile and always think positive even when it seems to be impossible.

I have found that when things seem to be too challenging it's good to remember there are always options. When we realize this we can usually handle the seemingly difficult.

I'm definitely not the pied piper, but I'm a mother to my grown children and I'm blessed that they are comfortable talking to me about the good, the bad, and sometimes the not so good. Though I never give advice I do share my thoughts and opinions and I always give them options. It seems to help and make the wounds heal without scars.

The options may not always be the 'cream of the crop' but what the options always do is to make us see the light at the end of the tunnel. It may not always be the brightest light, but it is always a light to help guide the way.

Well that's it for my 2011 resolve not to make resolutions. All the best to you and yours for a new year filled with love, peace, health and prosperity.


Salute!
Winelady Cooks