Adventures of Wine Food Pairing!

Wine Food Pairing - Turkey, Turkey Woo HOOO!

2009-11-13T20:06:00.004-05:00

Wine food pairing ... 'tis the season to start thinking "fowl" and funny thoughts with about the star of the show ...

What kind of music did the Pilgrims like?
Plymouth Rock

Which side of the turkey has the most feathers?
The outside

Why did they let the turkey join the band?
Because he had the drumsticks

Why did the police arrest the turkey?
They suspected it of fowl play

What's the key to a great Thanksgiving dinner?
The turKEY

What did the turkey say before it was roasted?
Boy! I'm stuffed!

OK, I just had an awesome turkey casserole prepared by my good friend Aunt Patti. If I remember correctly she said that it was an old family recipe that she had "tweaked" a bit. Filled with wild rice, turkey (of course) bacon along with cream of mushroom soup, fresh mushrooms, onions and topped with panko crumbs, it was a delicious hearty and savory mix.

It was just the perfect foil for the chilled Cavit Pinot Grigio that I sipped before, during and after this feast. Crisp and in light character with terrifc scents and fruit flavors ... what is not to love about this wine and food combo?

Turkey in all forms make for some super wine food pairing ... gobble, gobble ... it is all about the good times along with the turkey and wine. CHEERS!

Wine Food Pairing - Pinot Brasserie in Las Vegas

2009-11-11T12:19:00.014-05:00

Wine food pairing ... as you all know, I love an adventure that includes wine and food, but the awesome wine food pairing event that I was privileged to attend certainly is at the top of my list!

Guests of Drs. Darlene and James McCord ... Alfred, Houdini and I ... along with a chosen few were treated to a delightful 5 course culinary experience at the Pinot Brasserie located in the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas.

Pinot Brasserie has the warm ambiance of an urban Parisian brasserie. Celebrity chef Joachim Splichal traveled to France to locate accessories and antiques that provide the perfect backdrop for his signature California-French cuisine paired with an award winning wine list. We dined on a "killer" surf and turf and a decadent chocolate soufflé ... Oh MY ... and that doesn't include the cocktail party leading up to dinner where I sipped a Pinot Grigio that was crisp and chilled to perfection while munching on yummy Hors d'oeuvres. Those tasty pre-dinner treats ranged from puffed to flaky and all totally delish!

I have included some of the pictures that I snapped while enjoying every sip and morsel ....

We began our adventure with Baby Field greens, caramelized Bartlett pear, Roquefort crostini with a pear cider vinaigrette. What better way to set the pace ... Louis de Sacy, Tradition Brut, N.V. Champagne a delicate golden color with lots of tiny bubbles ... tickled the tongue and promised the palate good things to come!

Onion soup Gratinee Baguette, Gruyere cheese was our second course. This wonderful warming soup was paired with Justin, Paso Robles 2007 Chardonnay. This bright, crisp wine with flavors of peach, apricot, Meyer lemon and vanilla was the perfect compliment for the hearty soup. A mixture of deeply colored, caramelized onions, chicken stock, and layers of toasted French baguette.

Topped off with a thick, creamy cheese crust it tasted as good as it looked!

Our entree was Maine lobster and a "grilled to perfection" Filet Mignon, potato mousseline, mushroom, creamy spinach and Bordelaise sauce. With this we enjoyed a "Two Rivers" 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon. Houdini and I shared and I swear he was smacking his furry little lips... LOL!

Our fourth course was a Fromage ... an assortment of delicious imported and domestic cheeses accompanied with honeycomb, raisin walnut bread, grape and fig compote. Served with Penfolds Tawny port ... can you say YUMMO?

Now, for our fifth and final course ... a Belgian chocolate souffle served with a Gran Gala orange liqueur sauce. Now really ... what's not to love about this?

Chef Joachim Splichal is a leading figure in America's evolving food and restaurant industry. In 1995 he was inducted into the James Beard Foundation Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America, was named "Best California Chef" by them in 1991, and has twice been nominated "Best Chef of the Year" in 1991 and 1994. He was named in 1996 "Treasure of Los Angeles" by the Central City Association and Los Angles Mayor Richard Riordan. In 1997 he was voted Restaurateur of the Year by the California Restaurant Writers Association.

Wine Food Pairing - What to do with Zuchini?

2009-10-11T10:21:00.005-04:00

Wine food pairing is always looking for new and exciting ways to prepare zuchini. This time of year it is so bountiful and let's face it guys, it is very healthy! But, alas, it seems if you have 1 zuchini, you have 100 ... and I don't know about you , but these guys grow to be humongous ... I mean you can dress them up and take them out for a ride ... LOL!

OK, enough of this silliness ... it is still HOT in Florida and sometimes it is just nice to have a light veggie meal versus a heavy meat laden one. So I took my "squash" and sliced up several, quite thin with my mandolin ... long ways ... like lasagne noodles and layered them in a glass casserole dish along with marinara sauce, chopped basil, fresh mushrooms and sliced sweet vidalias. Between each layer I sprinkled various cheeses ... a sharp cheddar, mozzarela and them a grated parm. On the very top went some panko bread crumbs along with the cheese.

Popped into the 375 degree oven for 45 minutes. The last 10 minutes I slid a tray of my very awesome garlic bread in to toast up. I could tell right away that it would be scrumptious from the aroma's coming from the oven ... oh MY!

I paired this ""lasagne" with a Concha y Toro Casillero del Diablo Sauvignon Blanc 2008 from Chile. This is a clean bright wine, straw in color has slightly greenish hues. Fresh, citrus with notes of peaches and hints of gooseberry it made the meal a hit!

What's not to love about wine and food that is at its very peak of freshness? Wine food pairing is sometimes about the creation of simple, fresh meals. CHEERS!

PS. for some cool new cookware and gadgets check out ....

Wine Food Pairing - A Few Halloween Nuts

2009-10-10T14:20:00.004-04:00

Wine food pairing is mentally preparing for the upcoming Halloween ... always a favorite I plan in advance for my "big" events ... so my pretties ... I've put together a quick JibJab of some of my favorite folks ...

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Don't be sad if you didn't make this production ... I'm sure that there will be a few more.

It is amazing what a chilled pinot grigio and a hand full of nuts can do.

Wine food pairing. CHEERS!

What a Zany evening!

2009-10-05T16:52:00.001-04:00

actually we were laughing our butts off ... lol ... the other comedian "Sloan" was great too ...

in reference to:

"Captain Brien's Off the Hook Comedy Club on Marco Island Florida. What a great way to spend a Saturday evening,"
- Adventures of Wine Food Pairing! (view on Google Sidewiki)

Wine Food Pairing - Bob Zany Off the Hook

2009-10-04T17:37:00.006-04:00

Wine food pairing with friends at Captain Brien's Off the Hook Comedy Club on Marco Island Florida. What a great way to spend a Saturday evening, but laughing our heads off with great friends and enjoying some tasty wine!

Comedian and radio host Bob Zany from The Bob and Tom Show performed live and he had everyone roaring with laughter .... take a watch ...

A chilled Chardonnay and hot comedy ... wine food pairing ... it's all about the fun. CHEERS!

Wine Food Pairing - Don't be KOI!

2009-10-03T14:42:00.005-04:00

Wine food pairing ... ahhhh ... what could be nicer than enjoying a delicious mimosa for brunch while enjoying the pond. Fresh warm banana bread, made from bananas off our own tree ... YUMMO.

These first few cool (70's) mornings in the autumn are some of my favorite in Florida ... I just had to get out the camera and throw together a quick video so everyone could enjoy our pond, the orchids and of course, the Koi Kiddies.

Too bad you can't a have a tastie of bread, too ... LOL!

Looking forward to seeing all our northern friends and neighbors soon.

Wine food pairing ... sometimes it is all about the fellowship. CHEERS!

Wine Food Pairing - Quotes to Ponder ...

2009-09-24T20:42:00.009-04:00

Wine food pairing ... ponders a few "deep" thoughts ...

The Value of a glass of wine ...

"Sometimes when I reflect back on all the wine I drink I feel shame. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the vineyards and all of their hopes and dreams . If I didn't drink this wine, they might be out of work and their dreams would be shattered.

Then I say to myself, "It is better that I drink this wine and let their dreams come true than be selfish and worry about my liver."

~ Jack Handy

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may leave you wondering
what the hell happened to your bra and panties.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~
"I feel sorry for people who don't drink wine. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day. "

~Frank Sinatra

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may create the illusion
that you are tougher, smarter, faster and better looking than most people.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"When I read about the evils of drinking wine, I gave up reading."

~ Henny Youngman

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may lead you to think
people are laughing WITH you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I think not."

~ Stephen Wright

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may cause you to think
you can sing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"When we drink, we get drunk. When we get drunk, we fall asleep. When we fall asleep, we commit no sin. When we commit no sin, we go to heaven. So, let's all get drunk and go to heaven!"

~ Brian O'Rourke

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may cause pregnancy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."

~ Benjamin Franklin

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol is a major factor in dancing like a retard.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza."

~ Dave Barry

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may cause you to tell your
friends over and over again that you love them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To some it's a six-pack, to me it's a Support Group. Salvation in a can!

~ Dave Howell

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may make you think you can
logically converse with members of the opposite sex without spitting.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~
And saving the best for last, as explained by Cliff Clavin, of Cheers.
One afternoon at Cheers, Cliff Clavin was explaining the Buffalo Theory to his buddy Norm.

Here's how it went:

"Well ya see, Norm, it's like this. A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members.

In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine. That's why you always feel smarter after a few beers."

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may make you think you are whispering when you are not.

Well, wine food pairing brings you only the best in wine blogs.

CHEERS!

Wine Food Pairing - Couscous and Pineapple

2009-09-04T08:49:00.006-04:00

Wine food pairing in the hot, hot summer ... in Florida it seems like we have even gone past the dog days of summer and have moved to the " will this humidity never end" days ... lol!

OK, so I put my thinking cap on and came up with a variation of a couscous dish that I had up in Melborne Florida a couple of months ago. It was cool and refreshing ... sounded perfect!

Now, I digress here a bit, but I had just harvested my one and only pineapple ... yes ... my very own pineapple ... I thought that it deserved something special, also ...

I broke out my Israeli couscous. Israeli couscous is made of little spheres of toasted pasta and looks like a necklace that has become unstrung. This pasta is also called Middle Eastern or pearl couscous and is a cousin to the coarser Mediterranean fregola.

I toasted this in a saute pan first to bring out that nice nutty flavor, added curry powder then simmered it in chicken stock. Like all pastas, simmer the little beads until they soften. You'll notice that this grain absorbs the liquid, so there's little to drain off. On the side I prepped a cup of mayo, blended in more curry powder and some of the juice from the fresh pineapple ... a few bits of left over rotisserie chicken to make this a meaty dish for the gang.

OK, combine all the ingredients, fold in chunks of pineapple ... spoon this on to a few romaine lettuce leaves on a large platter and garnish with toasted sliced almonds and frozen baby peas (they give a nice crunch and a burst of sweetness as they thaw). Oh MY! Refreshing, tasty ... just what the doctor ordered on a summer's day.

A cold white wine spritzer on ice and life is not only good, it is great!

Wine food pairing .. it is all about the wine and food. CHEERS!

Wine Food Pairing - Edamame, Who?

2009-07-26T07:40:00.005-04:00

Wine food pairing needed a light, quick interesting snack for surprise company ... what about edamame? Who? What?

Edamame is a green vegetable, also known as the soybean. It is harvested at the peak of ripening right before it reaches the "hardening" time. The word Edamame means "Beans on Branches," and it grows in clusters on bushy branches.

To retain the freshness and its natural flavor, it is parboiled and quick-frozen. I found mine in the frozen food aisle at Wal-mart!

In East Asia, the soybean has been used for centuries as a major source of protein. As a snack, the pods are lightly boiled in salted water, and then the seeds are squeezed directly from the pods into the mouth with the fingers.

Now you guys know that I am all about flavor and plain old soybeans, while nutritious, just don't cut the mustard. SOOOoooo ..... I re-created Roy's seasoning ... used at the famous Roy's Restaurants.

Into a ziploc went sugar, cayenne and kosher sea salt ... toss in the thawed par-boiled soybeans, give a quick shake and heap them into your serving bowl ... too simple ... and tasty!

I paired this "bad boy" up with a chilled Chardonnay and everyone was thrilled ... and toasty. Remember salt does make you thirsty ... LOL!

Wine food pairing with edamame ... who would have thought? It's all about creativity .... CHEERS!

Wine Food Pairing - Size does Matter!

2009-07-22T15:45:00.007-04:00

Wine food pairing would like to offer a bit of cultural news for a welcome change. After all this is a cutting edge website ... lol!

David Is To Be Returned To Italy

After a two year loan to the United States ,
Michelangelo's David is being returned to Italy ...

His Proud Sponsors were:

Wine food pairing thought this was just too funny not to share with everyone. Wine, food, carbs and grease ... it's all about the fun. CHEERS!

Wine Food Pairing - My Living Will ...

2009-07-19T08:48:00.004-04:00

Wine food pairing likes to take a look at serious issues, occasionally ... like ...

MY LIVING WILL

Last night, my friend and I were sitting in the living room and I said to her,

'I never want to live in a vegetative state, dependent on some machine and fluids from a bottle. If that ever happens, just pull the plug.'

She got up, unplugged the Computer, and threw out my wine.

She's such a bitch.....

OK, maybe it is just funny because I can relate. Wine food pairing, it's all about the wine. CHEERS!

Wine Food Pairing - Don't Gross Out the World

2009-07-17T12:46:00.005-04:00

Wine food pairing takes a quick look at worldwide dining culture ... OK, we all know some of the basic, right ... er ... maybe ...LOL!

Take the quiz and see how you do, just click the picture .... I scored just over 50% ... I guess I should just stay home!

Wine food pairing ... wine ... slurp ... food ... burp .... look into my eyes ... CHEERS!

Wine Food Pairing - Meetup at Pincher's Crab Shack!

2009-07-11T19:36:00.003-04:00

Wine food pairing just attended the first Naples - Marco Island Boating & Fishing Meetup at Pincher's Crab Shack in Naples Florida. We had a terrific time and met a lot of great potential "Crew Members" for our boat the Funlovers. Take a look ...

Pincher's Crab shack had excellent service, even though we had a large group. Our waitress, Jess, was super and she kept us in line as best she could!

Pincher's has 2 for 1 happy hour all day and a super menu with all types of goodies. If you get by Tin City in Naples, Florida be sure to stop in and say Hi.

Wine food pairing is all about the food, fun, friendship and a few spirits. CHEERS!

Wine Food Pairing - Does Red go with Chia Obama

2009-07-10T14:53:00.004-04:00

Wine food pairing really tries to shy away from making any political statements ... after all, I have had wonderful wine and food experiences with folks from every party imaginable and well, some that have no party at all! I say live and let live ...

Now take a look at this and tell me what you think?

I was enjoying a nice Chilean red when I first saw this advertised and laughed so hard I almost had wine come out my nose. In fact, I think the Chia Pet goes quite nicely with red wine ... lol ...

Now, if you must have your very own Chia Obama, please order it from me ... with the downturn in the economy, I really need the money .... Just click on the head!

Wine Food Pairing - South Beach Florida!

2009-07-07T10:40:00.002-04:00

Wine food pairing in South Beach ... what an adventure! So many choices. BTW we ended up dining at ENSO and it was the best!

Wine food pairing ... check it out for yourself. CHEERS!

Wine Food Pairing - BBQ in Banana Leaves

2009-07-02T15:18:00.004-04:00

Wine food pairing in southwest Florida is different than, let's say, Michigan. First off, when you decide in the afternoon to go fishing for mahi mahi you'd better have a really long pole and next of all if you want to BBQ that dolphin wrapped in banana leaves you might not have any growing in the backyard!

Take a look at the fun we had last weekend ...

The mango salsa was made with mangoes from our neighbors tree ... yummy ... pair the whole dinner with a chilled, crisp pinot grigio and you have the best that Florida has to offer.

Wine food pairing, it is all about the food. CHEERS!

Wine Food Pairing - Off the HOOK with Capt Brien

2009-06-21T19:12:00.006-04:00

Wine food pairing goes "off the hook" with Capt. Brien's on Marco Island.

Summer time in Florida means that you can always get a great seat at all the terrific eateries without a wait. What better place to go hang out than Capt. Brien's comedy club?

The cool "club" atmosphere was just perfect on a brutally hot humid Florida afternoon. James, our waiter, was terrific ... friendly, knowledgeable he made the afternoon a treat!

I went for the house pinot grigio, chilled and crisp it was the perfect compliment to my shrimp and avocado club sandwich.

BigAl decided on his standard fare of grilled chicken Caesar ... mmm ... crispy lettuce and a tangy dressing.

We were much too early for the entertainment ... Capt. Brien's is famous for his "off the hook" comedy club ... so we just had to keep ourselves entertained ... oh my!

A great afternoon with super wine and food ... two thumbs up for Capt. Brien.

Wine food pairing on a Saturday afternoon. CHEERS!

Wine Food Pairing Attention Cork Soakers!

2009-06-17T18:50:00.002-04:00

This is purely an education video that is presented by wine food pairing ...

Oh my ....

CHEERS!

Wine Food Pairing - Red is BEST!

2009-06-09T15:56:00.005-04:00

A study has been concluded in Copenhagen and the results are out ... consuming red wine on a daily basis leads to a longer life! Even 3-5 glasses a day. YIPPEEEE!

This is my kind of study!

(CBS) This story was first published on Jan. 25, 2009. It was updated on May 21, 2009.

Eighteen years ago, 60 Minutes first examined the so-called French paradox, which suggested that the French - despite a high fat diet and high consumption of wine - had a remarkably low incidence of heart disease compared with Americans. Most researchers agreed that there was something in the wine that offered protection, and a few years later, even the highly cautious federal dietary guidelines say that moderate consumption of red wine can be beneficial.

As 60 Minutes reported in January, scientists across the country have identified a substance in red wine called resveratrol that they believe might do more than just protect the heart, but could in very high concentrations significantly extend life by preventing a number of age related illnesses.

If they're right, we all may soon be taking a pill that could give us an extra decade or two of healthy old age.

Wine food pairing ... here is to your health. CHEERS!

Wine Food Pairing - Enjoy Favorite Wine Country

2009-06-05T08:29:00.002-04:00

Now is the time to travel to your favorite European Wine Country. Wine food pairing in Austria this time of year is superb!

When you arrive ... have a glass of wine for me. CHEERS!

Wine, Food and Humor ... the BEST!

2009-06-02T10:46:00.004-04:00

AHHHH .... wine food pairing ... it is all about the great food and wine .... but don't forget a good dash of humor! BTW I'll have the Chianti with the lasagna that I didn't order ... LOL!

Cheers!

Wine Food Pairing - in Florida it is Hot, Hot, HOT!

2009-05-14T14:14:00.010-04:00

Wine food pairing ... right now in South Florida, where I live, it is HOT ... up in the 90's already .. YIKES!!! Who wants to eat heavy food and sip on a full bodied red ... not me, anyway ...

I barely can stay out of the sprinkler in the yard ... LOL!

So ... for an appetizer that substitutes for a dinner down here, I have chosen to do peel and eat shrimp that I can prepare ahead of time. I like my shrimp with a bit of zip to them ... so many times you get them already steamed and the only thing you taste is the cocktail sauce that you dip them in ... a real thumbs down for me ... so I do it myself.

Large shrimp that I have peeled, de-veined with the tails still on .... I would rather have the mess of peeling at the kitchen sink and I also like the seasonings to actually season the shrimp.

ingredients:

* 1/2 cup water
* 1 pound shrimp 1 pound shrimp
* 4 teaspoons Old Bay® Seasoning
* 1/2 cup vinegar
* 1/4 cup beer
* 2 teaspoons Tony Chacheres Original Creole Seasoning .. for the "zip"

I put all of the ingredients in the pot, stir well and bring to a boil ... then turn off the "fire" and add the shrimp, cover for about 2-3 minutes and you should be good to go! Check the shrimp for a nice pink color ... you don't want to over cook these bad boys and get them chewy. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

I dip in Thomas Fish Camp Cocktail Sauce ... with a tangy taste of horseradish and mustard it is the perfect cocktail sauce!

Now, we all know that we need some fresh veggies to go with our "dinner" and to avoid getting silverware out on the table, a quick platter of crudites that you can pick up with your fingers, is the way to go ... I usually go for the baby carrots, some "negative calorie" celery and a cherry tomato or two and to dip ... I mix up:

1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 oz. Bleu Cheese crumbles

Stir together all ingredients, adding cheese last. Refrigerate to blend flavors ... YUMMO!
this is a quick tasty dipping sauce for the veggies and you can place it in the middle of the platter to make it easy for everyone!

One of my very favorite drinks on these hot, muggy days is a white wine spritzer .... I like to add a personal touch to these traditional drinks and make them extra special.

Start with lot's of ice, then add pinot grigio, club soda and xango, to taste. Xango is a mangosteen based juice ... not only does it taste great, but it has tons of antioxidants so it is good for you, too! With a squeeze of fresh lime ... oh MY! Life is good!

With food and wine like this, it almost makes you wish for summer days everyday.

Wine food pairing ... fun in the sunshine. CHEERS!

Wine Food Pairing visits Freddie Mitchell BBQ

2009-05-11T15:07:00.006-04:00

Wine food pairing will always jump at the chance to have some lip smackin', bone suckin' BBQ!

We recently stopped in at Brother's BBQ, owned by former Philadelphia Eagle Freddie Mitchell ... what a treat! The restaurant serves a large plateful of delicious meaty ribs for under $10 and this comes with a choice of 2 homemade side dishes.

The real treat was the special BBQ sauce ... I asked Freddie, yes, he was passing through the restaurant keeping the diners entertained ... what was in the sauce. He wouldn't give me the secret recipe, but would say that it was mustard based ... I bought some to take home and I still haven't come close to duplicating it with its depth and richness...

It was a terrific meal and next time we pass by Lakeland, Florida we will be sure to stop in again ... the only thing missing was the wine list ...Wine food pairing with sweet iced tea ... LOL:-)

CHEERS!

Happy Mother's Day Thoughts ... CHEERS!

2009-05-10T18:17:00.003-04:00

Wine food pairing wishes all the Mom's out there a Happy Day!

My Mom passed away almost 7 years ago, but it doesn't matter because she is never far from my thoughts and I always get a bit teary eyed for a moment on Mother's Day.

So from Deenie, and all my "friends" some 50 years ago ...

Happy Mother's Day, Mom ...

lot's of love ... d

CHEERS!