Brim to the Dregs

Paul Dolan Wines

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 05 Sep 2017 20:08:00 +0000

Paul Dolan was one of the pioneers of organic and biodynamic winemaking. His family lineage includes well-known names like Carlo Rossi and Concannon, and he honed his winemaking skills at Fetzer Vineyards in the early days of the California wine boom.

Although Dolan is no longer connected to the winery that bears his name, the winery still sources organically grown grapes from vineyards in Mendocino County and Potter Valley. The winery stresses the importance of careful vineyard management and strives to express the unique terroir in each of their wines.

Paul Dolan Vineyards Zinfandel Mendocino County 2015

100% Zinfandel, 15% ABV, SRP $16.99

Dark red with aromas of blackberry, cherry preserves and pepper, this is a wine that definitely needs time to open – especially considering its youth and alcohol content. The flavors are a mix of red and black fruit, complimented by notes of cinnamon, pepper and allspice. This is a big, plush zinfandel with soft tannins and a lingering finish.

Paul Dolan Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Mendocino County 2015

98% Cabernet Sauvignon/3% Cabernet Franc/1% Petite Verdot, 14.5% ABV, SRP $22.99

The 2015 vintage was overall pretty kind to California winemakers, but particularly good for cabernet growers. The light, early harvest produced wines of depth and richness, and this wine is no exception. The aromas are classic: black cherry, cedar, cassis and a hint of cinnamon. The deep color hints at the full-bodied and lush layers of flavor: cherry, black currant, red licorice and vanilla. The bracing tannins suggest this wine could use some more time in the bottle or some time in a decanter (which is what I did).

Paul Dolan Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc Mendocino County 2015

100% Sauvignon Blanc, 14.5% ABV, SRP $16.99

I have one word for this wine – delicious. I have a weakness for big, ripe sauvignon blanc – especially when it’s done in stainless steel.

Earlier I mentioned that 2015 was a good vintage for California, and this wine shows the bright, deep flavors that come from really good fruit. The nose is rich with aromas of melon, citrus and lemongrass. The flavors are a mix of tropical fruit, honey and baking spice with enough acidity to balance the richness.

pauldolanwine.com

(These wines were provided as samples.)

McPherson Cellars Tre Colore 2015

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 18 Mar 2017 22:09:00 +0000

One of the things I’m most interested these days in regard to wine is wineries outside the states that a lot of people associate with U.S. wine production – California, Oregon and Washington.

I'm talking about wines from Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, New Mexico and North Carolina, just to name a few states that are producing great wines.

I like buying these wines for a couple reasons. First, I like supporting the wineries themselves, since most are small, independent operations – as opposed to the giant, corporate-owned wineries whose products take up the bulk of shelf space in many wine retailers. Second, I want to encourage retailers to put more of these wines on their shelves.

Wines from Long Island or Virginia don’t exactly leap off the shelves. People tend to buy what they know.

So, when I discovered a local retailer carrying wines from Texas, I immediately picked up a few bottles. I'll admit I was not familiar with Texas as a wine producing state, but I should have known better.

Texas was the site of the first North American winery established by Franciscan monks around 1662. Today, Texas has 4,000 acres of vineyards, eight American Viticultural Areas (AVAs), 350 bonded commercial wineries and ranks fifth in U.S. wine production.

There will be more Texas wines in my future, but here are my thoughts on one.

McPherson Cellars Tre Colore 2015 Texas Red Wine

50% Cinsault/50% Carignan/10% Viognier, 13.9% ABV, $12.99 @ Bottles

Tre Colore is bright and fruit forward without being cloying. It’s light-bodied with notes of cherries, raspberry, cinnamon and hint of floral/honey owing to the small amount of viognier. It’s food friendly and would pair well with so much. It would definitely be the perfect red to pack for a picnic.

The McPherson family has a history in the Texas wine industry that goes back over 40 years. Kim McPherson started the McPherson label in 2000 and opened McPherson Cellars in 2008 in a converted Coca-Cola plant in downtown Lubbock.

All the grapes for McPherson wines are sourced from the Texas High Planes AVA, which is in west Texas – south of the panhandle region. The grapes for the 2015 Tre Colore came from the Castaño Prado and Lost Draw vineyards.

This is the kind of wine I want to drink more of: small production (1988 cases), from a family-owned winery and full of character.

Eric Asimov recently wrote about buying wine like you would food. It’s worth a read.

New Wines From Adler Fels

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 09 Mar 2017 13:17:00 +0000

It’s probably been 20 years since I opened a bottle from Adler Fels Winery. Granted, I don’t drink as much California wine as I used to. But if my memory serves me correctly, it was a chardonnay, and it was quite good.

Alder Fels has been around since 1979, and more recently has produced lots of wine under other labels. These two new wines are part of a refresh/rebrand of the flagship label.

Adler Fels Chardonnay The Eagle Rock 2015

50% Sonoma County/50% Monterey County, 14.4% ABV, SRP $19.99

This is a classic California chardonnay with notes of peach, honeydew melon, and a touch of vanilla, finishing with balanced acidity. I’ve always had a soft spot for well-crafted Monterey County chardonnay, and the addition of Sonoma County fruit gives this wine added complexity.

Adler Fels Pinot Noir The Eagle Rock 2014

76% Santa Barbara County/24% Sonoma County, 14.4% ABV, SRP $27.99

This lovely, subtle pinot noir leads with notes of tart cherries, olive, licorice and tobacco. The finish is long and supple. Give this wine a little time to open up, as it really developed over the course of the evening.

The winemakers for Adler Fels are Linda Trotta and Aaron Bader. They’re a well-known winemaking team, who among many, many other previous endeavors are the duo behind the official wines of The Bachelor TV series. Yes, such things do exist.

If you’ve got a few minutes and need a mindless chuckle, here’s a video review of those wines. Trust me, it’s worth it.

AdlerFels.com

The Ethics of Meat

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 15:12:00 +0000

Are you a vegetarian? Vegan? Pescetarian, flexitarian or omnivore? Don’t even get me started on meatatarians. Maybe you’ve gone paleo?

When it comes to food politics, the divisions can be just as contentious as regular politics. And we all know how that is these days.

I was reminded of this the other day while reading an exchange on a local Facebook page devoted to sustainable food issues. Someone posted information regarding an event where pork was being served. Someone responded with a passionate denunciation of the event because of the presence of meat and advocated for strictly vegetarian events.

While I understand passions run high when discussing such matters, what struck me was the tone of the conversation. The person who posted the event was very diplomatic in pointing out this was a forum for all sorts of sustainable food issues – vegetarian and non-vegetarian alike. The anti-meat person was basically shouting down anyone who disagreed.

I'm not suggesting that all vegetarians are zealots with poor communication skills, but it did make me reflect on my own journey with food choices.

Almost ten years ago, I started changing my food-purchasing habits. Thanks to an increase in local sources of humanely raised meat and poultry, my shopping options were more diverse.

At the same time, I was reading more and more about the horrific conditions in major meat and poultry farms and processors. Finally I made the decision not to participate in supporting that system.

Occasionally I’m in a position where I need to eat food of unknown or unsustainable origin. That’s part of life. Unless you’re growing and foraging all your food, you’re most likely eating something that exploits animals, people, or land.

When it comes to meat, I’d be most comfortable eating abundant game animals like deer, which desperately need to be culled. But due to local regulations prohibiting the sale of venison and my lack of friends who hunt, that’s not an option. So, I buy all the meat, poultry, and seafood we eat from the best sources I can find – usually local, small farms and fisheries.

All that being said, I still struggle with the ethics of eating meat, especially farmed meat. Some day I may decide to stop.

But what I will never do is lecture other people about their choices.

If you’d like to ask me about my decisions or have an intelligent conversation about your food politics, I’d be happy to engage you. I welcome the opportunity to hear different perspectives and consider alternate points of view.

This is what gives the sustainable food movement the opportunity to make real changes in our food system. By involving vegans, farmers, meat processors, fishermen (and fisherwomen), and people of all eating persuasions, we can move common concerns into the mainstream while having respectful conversations about our individual concerns.

And conversely, scolding people rarely accomplishes anything. So let's keep the conversations civil.

The same goes for politics.

Five Simple Ways to Cook (More) Like a Chef

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 16:07:00 +0000

Disclaimer: The only way to cook like a chef is to go to culinary school or cook for a long, long time in restaurants.

I’m no chef, but I’ve worked in and around restaurants long enough to pick up some tricks. Here are five easy things will up your game in the kitchen considerably.

1.    Use the best ingredients you can find.

Does this really need much explanation? Fresh, top-notch ingredients need less effort and preparation to shine. And if you’re putting a lot of work into a meal, it makes even more sense to start with the best raw materials.

2.    Get a good, sharp knife and learn some basic skills.

How precisely your ingredients are sliced, chopped, minced or julienned is a sure sign of kitchen talent. A former employer once made this point by taping a too-thick slice of onion to the kitchen wall with a nasty note. Check out this great intro to knife skills.

3.    Keep textures and tastes in balance.

All soft or all crunchy is monotonous. The same goes for sweet or tart flavors. Mix your dishes and ingredients to create a harmonious mix of textures and flavors. Watch how the pros at your local restaurants do it and steal ideas liberally.

4.    Sauces, salsas and condiments are your best friends.

There’s nothing more valuable to improve a meal than the flourish that these three things provide. Why do you think cookbooks have entire sections devoted to them?

5.    Think about how your plate looks.

And I’m not just talking about your dinnerware. Use different colors. Stack something. Drizzle something. Again, watch how restaurants do it and steal ideas.

Bonus tip: Fresh parsley and cilantro should be in your fridge. Always.

I’ll admit I’m not always good at this, but these two herbs are cheap and available year-round in just about any grocery store. Use them for garnish or to add a fresh kick at the end of cooking. You can bet your favorite restaurant does.

Above all - be fearless and have fun. The best chefs never stop learning.

Wine Review: Pullus Pinot Grigio 2012 Štajerska-Slovenia

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 18:26:00 +0000

If you've written off pinot grigio, this wine might change your mind.

I rarely buy pinot grigio unless it's placed directly in my hand, as this bottle was by my local merchant. The world is awash in thin, generic white wine that gives this very worthy grape a black eye.

Pullus Pinot Grigio is produced by Ptujska Klet, the oldest winery in Slovenia. When was the last time you saw this claim on a bottle of wine?

Yeah, since 1239. If you're interested in learning some more about this fascinating winery, check this out. If you'd rather taste the most interesting and delicious pinot grigio you're likely to have anytime soon, run - don't walk - to go find this wine. It will be worth the search.

The first thing that catches your eye is the beautiful pale salmon color in the glass. The winemaker allowed extended skin contact, which gives it that lovely color.

It's very dry and bursting with fresh flavors. I picked up melon, a hint of red berries and notes of herbs. It's complex, yet refreshing. Served with seared grouper cheeks over gnocchi and greens, it was a perfect match.

Pullus Pinot Grigio 2012 Štajerska-Slovenia - ($13.99 - Vino Garage)

Man's Best Friend

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 18:59:00 +0000

After a two-year break from writing this blog, it’s hard to pick a topic for a comeback post. Eventually, you just have to pick something and go with it.

Some my favorite posts have been about our dogs, so that seems like a safe bet.

The picture above is our latest dog, Abi. She came to live with us about a year and a half ago.

It’s been almost four years since we lost a truly epic dog. Peanut was an amazing girl, and my eyes still mist over every time I think about her. After she passed away, our whole family needed time to mourn.

I understand why some people choose to fill the void left by the passing of a pet right away, but I just can't do it. I need the loss to fade before I can give a new animal the emotional investment they deserve.

It took a long time for me to wrap my head around adding a new dog to our household. The decision was eventually made by a simple fact – Hogan was lonely.

He had never been an only dog. After Peanut was gone, he had a couple dog buddies, and we tried taking him to the dog park. But Hogan isn’t a run-with-the-pack kind of guy. He likes to have a friend he really connects with.

One day a friend sent me a link to a rescue group's Facebook photo of a female Belgian Malinois that needed a home. I fell in love. And that is how Abi came to live with us.

It took a long period of adjustment, lots of guidance on feline diplomacy, a stolen sandwich, a chewed piece of wall and much patience from all parties involved, but Abi has become one of the family.

I don’t know how she ended up at the animal shelter where she was rescued the day before she was to be put down. She certainly bounced around quite a bit for the first year of her life.

It’s hard for a dog to get used to a new home with new rules. It was hard for Hogan to get used to living with a new dog, especially one whose idea of fun is a ferocious neck-grab takedown.

Right now I’m watching them sleeping side-by-side. Dogs – just like people – need time to form a relationship. Seeing the bond and love between them reminds me of something else common to dogs and people.

There’s nothing like having a best friend.

Sunday

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 15 May 2011 17:08:00 +0000

Once again, I've been seriously slack about keeping up with the blog. My days have been super busy, and blogging is something that's easy to leave undone.

Today has been a blur of multi-tasking: Lowe's, Home Depot, a last-minute search for hardwood charcoal, cooking, chores, etc. I neglected to think about the fact we might want some chilled white wine this afternoon, so I dropped a bottle of riesling in a ice bath for a quick chill.

When I pulled the bottle out, it had shed its label, but I like the way it looks now.

It looks very simple and refreshing, which it definitely is. It's a wonderful glass of wine for a busy afternoon: crisp flavors of apple and pear with just a hint of sweetness. Lovely.

We picked this bottle on a recent trip to the Asheville Wine Market. The price tag soaked off as well, but as I recall it was around $14 for a 1 liter bottle.

I've got a pork shoulder on the grill and there's slaw to be made and much more to be done, so I need to keep this short. Hope everyone is having a good Sunday.

I know I am.

Cheers.

Playing in the Dirt

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 17:11:00 +0000

Whew.

I spent the better part of the morning working on my garden. I planted nine tomato plants, seven basil plants, two eggplants, one squash plant, one zucchini plant and one mystery plant in the squash/zucchini family that was donated by a kind neighbor.

I've washed off the sweat and dirt, and this is going to be a short post because I need to fix lunch (and feed the cat before she starves to death which she is indicating is imminent). Some studies have shown that playing in the dirt can improve your mood. I'm inclined to believe it because I feel pretty good right now.

My garden is a humble endeavor, but hopefully a couple months from now we'll start reaping the rewards of my efforts. I'll no doubt add on some plants in the coming weeks as room allows. After that, I'll be providing tender loving care and anxiously awaiting our bounty.

Hope you're having a great Saturday wherever you are.

Dig Deep

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 00:16:00 +0000

One of the curiosities about winemaking is that the best grapes do not grow where you might expect. Although grapevines may thrive in fertile soil and perfect weather, the best wine grapes come from less than ideal locations.

Grapes grown in rocky soil with imperfect weather conditions develop more depth and character than their coddled counterparts. You can make wine from those grapes grown in ease, but it won’t be as good as the wine from vines that had to really work to produce grapes.

It’s easy to see the correlation with other aspects of life. Adversity and stress build character. Too much adversity isn’t a good thing, but a life of leisure rarely creates depth and character.

It’s important to keep challenging oneself throughout life, both mentally and physically. We all need to step outside our comfort zone occasionally.

I was reminded of this when E and I joined a gym after a much too long hiatus for both of us. Although I don’t relish the 5 a.m. trips to the gym, it feels good to challenge my body. It’s a small thing, but it’s been a nice change of pace.

I get stuck in a routine all too easily. My weeks frequently look startlingly similar: the same schedule, the same rituals, the same meals, the same wines. The weeks turn to months and the months to years. I need something to shake up my life from time to time.

One reason grapes develop more character in poor soil because it causes their roots to dive deep into the earth in search of nourishment.

Here’s to diving deep in life.

Cheers.

The IOU Project

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 10:38:00 +0000

This is a totally random post. On second thought, most of my recent posts have been rather random.

I was just contacted by these folks, and I don't claim to know anything about what they're doing. However, it looks interesting, and the video itself is stunning from an artistic standpoint.

It's worth a watch.

Spring Fever

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 10:19:00 +0000

This is a difficult time to be a blogger living in South Carolina.

It isn’t easy to get behind the wheel of the laptop when it’s a gorgeous spring day. This is the time of year when my mind is on everything but blogging.

Another reason I’ve slacked off from blogging is the lack of inspiration I get from the wines I’ve been drinking. They’re good – but they're often good in a familiar, homogenous way.

I was reminded of this when I read this article about the demise of California cabernet sauvignon. I would suggest that the same phenomenon is changing wines around the world – and not necessarily for the better.

Maybe we’re just getting what we’re asking for. While the United States has surpassed France as the world’s largest consumer of wine, we’re enjoying it differently than in the past. Fewer people are drinking wine with food.

I’m prone to this myself. Even though I’m an obsessive geek who agonizes over wine and food pairings, I still enjoy a big, plush, round red wine that doesn’t need food to show its stuff.

It does make me sad to see so many wines go to a New World style driven by the desire to score big ratings. Perhaps naively, I’m hoping that with more people drinking wine some of those people will start demanding something different, which will translate into more interesting wines in the stores.

I doubt, however, it will happen anytime soon, which means I won't have to drag myself off the porch to write about it.

Food for Thought

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 11:06:00 +0000

Today I'll leave you with this link without any commentary.

Regardless of your perspective, it's a topic worth considering.

Me and Julian Assange

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 16:11:00 +0000

This post has nothing to do with Julian Assange. It’s about writing for the web.

I’ve been blogging for over four years now, and I’m still a little clueless about the way things work in the blogosphere. I write because I like to write, and I write about things I care about. The finished product is something I want to feel good about.

Some posts are inevitably better than others. However, I don’t write a bunch of junk just because I think it will get hits. I also don’t write provocative headlines to get hits.

When I started blogging, I naively thought that good writing and consistent posting would earn me some readers. Over the years, I’ve gained and lost quite a few readers, but I’ve never picked up a large following. Part of that is my fault for being deficient in the consistency department. I guess another reason for my low readership is not playing the game correctly.

For lots of bloggers, the key to success is to write posts with little or no substance and give them catchy titles, like “Your Mom Thinks You’re a Loser!”

Actually, I’d read that post, because I’m not sure which side of that fence my mom falls on. But she loves me, dammit!

If you’re blogging in an effort to earn money, clicks equal cash, I suppose you do what you have to do. I’m still clinging to the outdated idea that content quality matters.

I’ve got blogging on my mind, because of this article in The Times about blogging and how it’s changing. My regular readers know I'm also struggling with what the future holds for Brim.

Writing anything of any worth on a regular basis is hard work, and blogs are no different. I can relate to the feeling of pouring time and effort into something and having very few people pay attention. Recently I’ve gotten some very nice compliments on Brim, which really does mean the world to me.

I write because I have thoughts, ideas and opinions that need to see the light of day. I write because I want to share the things that bring me joy–and sorrow. I write because I am a writer, and that’s what we do.

Just the other day, I stumbled on this article from The Times Magazine about how Amazon is peddling narrative nonfiction. It gives me hope that maybe good writing isn’t dying a slow death. It also makes me think more seriously about getting a Kindle.

I especially like the last line of the story. It's something I often say.

Thanks for reading.

Ode to Cap'n Crunch

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 01:42:00 +0000

Among the many atrocities committed by my parents during my youth, perhaps none was so severe as the sugar deprivation. There was a strict two-cookie limit, as well as an outright ban on sugar-masquerading-as-breakfast-cereal.

Fortunately, I was eventually emancipated and went on to have a torrid love affair with junk food of all types, including serious liaisons with the Cap'n. When I heard the now-discredited rumor that the Cap'n was no more...I was numb.

Okay, I wasn't really. But I was stunned when E told me she never tasted those sweet little cubes of goodness. I can clearly recall exactly how Cap'n Crunch tastes, even if it's been over 15 years since I last had it.

I have to admit I still love junk food. I rarely indulge my cravings anymore, a nod to both healthy living and my ongoing battle of the bulge. I've learned the hard way that real food makes me feel and look much better.

You've probably noticed I'm a big fan of Mark Bittman. I'm glad the The Times has given him more room to write about food and the larger issues that go along with it, as he does so well in this post.

Over the last five years I've drastically changed the way I eat. Junk food has almost disappeared from my diet. Meat and poultry are becoming less of main characters and more of supporting actors. I also care much more about where they come from.

Vegetables, fruits, grains and legumes are becoming the foundation of my diet. I'm far from perfect, but the change is underway. I know my eating habits won't save the world, but it will make me feel better.

And if I ever decide to backslide, good old Cap'n Crunch will be waiting for me at the grocery store.

10 Years Gone

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 10:19:00 +0000

It’s now officially been a decade since I moved to Columbia. It occurred to me this past weekend, when I noticed the wisteria vine outside our home is on the cusp of blooming.

As I’ve written about previously, that spring in 2001 is when I realized I loved my new neighborhood with its tree-lined streets, sidewalks and explosions of azaleas, dogwoods and wisteria around every corner. The first couple months in Columbia were a pretty heady time for me. Of course, that was before I realized I had misjudged my employment prospects and before the events of September 11.

The reality is that the last ten years have been full of ups and downs. Regardless, I still can’t help feeling nostalgic for that spring now ten years past. It was a vastly different time in my life.

My divorce was official, and I had ended my first post-marriage relationship. I was exploring a new city, making new friends and loving it. It was truly a new beginning.

My two dogs, now both departed, were in the prime of their lives. My hair, now graying and receding, was thick and dark. My career path, now winding, appeared to be moving straight ahead and rising.

Ten years brought so many changes. E came into my life almost seven years ago. A new dog will be four years old in a couple months. I see another career change looming on the horizon.

One of my first discoveries was a wine store with a really good selection not far from my new home. It’s the same wine store that E and I frequently visit after our Saturday morning trip to the All-Local Farmers' Market and Rosewood Market.

It’s also the store where I stocked the shelves, answered thousands of wine questions and learned a bit more about wine. That job paid the bills and kept my wine collection stocked for several years. Working retail isn’t exactly a walk in the park, but I loved talking to people about wine.

If I’ve learned anything over the last ten years, it’s that I want to spend more of my life doing the things I love. That's my goal for the next ten years.

Winespeak

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 12:49:00 +0000

Don't miss this post from The Pour about using words to describe wine. If you write about or talk about wine, you inevitably end up describing it. It's easy to lapse into winespeak.

I've consciously backed away from the most egregious types of winespeak in my writing. Using descriptors like "wild violets and lychee fruit" doesn't really help anyone. Every now and again you might encounter a wine that is worthy of such talk, and there's nothing wrong with batting around the smells and tastes of a wine with your friends, but there's no need to get carried away.

Wine is fermented grape juice. Sometimes the best thing to do is eat, drink and enjoy.

Cheers.

Signs of Spring

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 21:58:00 +0000

While much of the country is still locked in winter's grip, the end is in sight here in the Carolinas. We still have more cold weather to come, but there's light at the end of the tunnel.

I was reminded of this while I was working in the yard today (in short sleeves). Among the long-neglected leaves were a couple of dandelions, just starting to show some yellow.

The days are getting longer, and we'll have many warm days to come. It's also time to start thinking ahead to spring planting.

One of my goals for this year is to ramp up my gardening skills. I come by my gardening impulses naturally, as both my parents have seriously green thumbs. Presently, my skills might not be apparent upon viewing our yard, but what some people might see see as "neglected" is actually "biodiverse."

The local bird population definitely appreciates it. My approach is to let nature do its thing with minimal interference. More on that later.

In the meantime, bring on spring.

Eat, Drink & Be Local

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 17:25:00 +0000

Every year around Valentine's Day, I like to share my rant about what a ridiculous "holiday" it is. On the other hand, it's a great time to indulge yourself, your friends or your sweetie. Just steer clear of the kissing teddy bears at your local drugstore.

Instead, support your local merchants. Slow Food Columbia has partnered with the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce to encourage everyone to patronize local businesses for their faux holiday celebrating and all year long.

In that spirit, we started out the day at the All-Local Farmers' Market where we picked up lots of local food to enjoy over the weekend: City Roots greens, Sea Eagle tuna steaks, Wil-Moore Farms steaks and Heather's bread. You won't catch me anywhere near a restaurant until the rush has passed.

E also surprised me a little early with some cool new art from The Half and Half.

"Euripedes"

"Lessons in Beer Drinking"

On a side note, the ALFM raised $3,000 for Wil-Moore Farms this morning. The goal is $15,000, so we're going to keep working until we get there. Donate online at stateplate.org.

Time to Rally

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 11:44:00 +0000

There are moments when I wish I had legions of readers. Okay, there are lots of moments.

I'm wishing for the legions at this moment because I want to do everything I can to get the word out about lending a hand to Robin and Keith Willoughby of Wil-Moore Farms. It's been less than a week since we heard the news that one of their barns had burned, and the local community has sprung into action.

There's a link to some more information about what happened at stateplate.org under News. There's also a link to make a donation via PayPal. This Saturday at the All-Local Farmers' Market, some of the vendors will be donating a portion of their sales to support Wil-Moore. They'll also be "passing the hat" and donating 50 percent of ALFM t-shirt sales.

Please do whatever you can to help out.

Small farms are a labor of love and a gift to the community. It involves long hours, hard work and occasional heartbreak. We're so fortunate to have Wil-Moore Farms and all the wonderful products they bring to our tables.

Hope to see you there.

Home Cooking

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 22:23:00 +0000

I like to cook. That doesn’t mean I like to cook every single night or that every meal I prepare brings me great joy.

No, there are nights when cooking infuriates me. There are meals that miss the mark – sometimes broadly and sometimes narrowly. There are times when I fall into a cooking rut and prepare the same five or six dishes over and over until I can’t stand the thought of any of them.

There are also times when cooking gives me immense satisfaction, and I walk away from the table feeling satisfied in body and soul. Last night was such a night.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m not a particularly skilled cook. I’m in the vast middle ground talent-wise, and my repertoire is pretty limited. But, I enjoy the act of cooking, and E boosts my confidence with her (wisely considered) praise.

Something I take small pride in is the ability to improvise. When you hit the kitchen after a long day at work, it’s useful to be able to look at what’s in the fridge and forge the contents into something tasty.

I had soup on my mind, but my failure to locate a ham bone derailed my dreams of bean soup. This is where the improvisation starts.

A roadmap to soup:

Foundation

What better way to get started than bacon? I had two lonely strips of thick-cut bacon in need of a home. I diced them and dropped them into a medium soup pot over medium heat. When they were brown and crispy I removed the bits with a slotted spoon.

Quite a few soup recipes start with a foundation of sautéed vegetables to form a base of flavor. The French call it a mirepoix. Latinos or Italians might call it a soffritto. I call it whatever I have in the fridge: a couple stalks of celery, two small carrots, half a red onion, part of a red pepper and a couple cloves of garlic. I diced everything (the garlic very finely) and sautéed the mix in the bacon drippings.

Liquid

I would have loved to use chicken broth, but I had none. I’ve sworn off canned broth, so that leaves water. I warmed up four cups in the microwave. When the vegetables were softened and aromatic, I added the water along with a couple bay leaves.

Body

Now it was time to give my soup some body. I still had beans on my mind, so I added a can of white beans, drained and rinsed. I needed something to thicken things up, and I had some potatoes that were also in need of using. I peeled and diced the potatoes into half-inch pieces.

I simmered the soup for about 20 minutes, partly covered. While it was simmering, I gave some thought to the seasoning. Since I used water instead of broth, I was concerned it wouldn’t have the deep flavor I wanted (and I cursed not being about to find a ham bone again).

What I did have was some country ham trimmings from Four Oaks Farm. I pan fried and chopped the trimmings so I had about a quarter cup. Into the pot they went.

Once the potato was nice and soft, I removed the pot from the stove and gave the contents a thrashing with a potato masher. I wanted to thicken the soup while still leaving some small bits of potato. It needed a dash of salt and some ground pepper.

Finish

To add a little more depth of flavor, I added a handful (1/3 cup?) of grated parmesan cheese. The final touch was a dash of hot sauce.

Perfection in a bowl.

This is hardly a recipe. I may have left out a step or an ingredient, because as usual I wasn't taking notes.

The moral of the story is that you can follow some basic guidelines and create some really good food from whatever you have at hand.

Sad Sunday

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 21:54:00 +0000

I had a much different post planned for today, but some bad news has my mind on other things.

I frequently mention our Saturday visits to Columbia's All-Local Farmers' Market. One of our favorite vendors is Wil-Moore Farms, a local source for cheese, eggs, chicken, goat and much, much more.

This morning, a fire destroyed one of their barns along with around 1000 chickens. Thankfully, no one in their family was hurt, and the fire didn't spread. My heart goes out them, and our thoughts will be with them as they work to recover.

Hearing of their loss makes me even more thankful for them and the other local farmers, food artisans and craftspeople who keep us supplied with so many good things.

This morning I cooked up a pork shoulder from Caw Caw Creek Farm. You just can't compare the rich, earthy flavor of the meat to the stuff that comes from the grocery store.

I have no doubt that the local food scene will rally around Wil-Moore and do whatever we can to help them recover. It also strengthens my resolve to buy local food whenever I can.

Five Tips for Buying Wine

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 20:08:00 +0000

When I was new to buying wine, I clearly remember being overwhelmed and intimidated by wine stores. One boutique wine shop in particular stands out.

I ended up buying a bottle of French white wine and being terribly disappointed. In retrospect, the bottle was probably corked, and I should have taken it back. Lesson learned.

When I was selling wine, I saw people who were obviously struggling with the process. Here are my top five suggestions for buying wine:

1.) Location is everything.

Finding a wine seller with a knowledgeable and friendly staff will improve your wine buying experience in leaps and bounds. Even some grocery stores now have someone on staff to help shoppers. Ask for help.

Whoever helps you should ask lots of questions. If they don’t or if they come off as pompous jerks, you should look elsewhere. Shopping for wine should be fun.

It’s worth the effort to go out of your way if you have to. You’ll end up spending less in the long run and enjoying the wine a lot more.

2.) Take notes.

I’m terrible at this. Fortunately, while I can’t remember anyone’s birthday to save my life, I can easily recall wines I drank ten years ago. That’s selective memory in action.

Keeping a wine journal is the best way to remeber wines you want to buy again, wines you never want to see again and it gives you easy way to tell a waiter or wine salesperson what you've liked in the past.

3.) Fear not.

There is far more good wine than bad wine. Don’t be afraid to buy a bottle just because it looks interesting. The more wine you buy the better your instincts will get.

4.) Buy low.

Price does not equate with quality. If you’re still reading this, you’re probably someone who doesn’t buy lots of wine. More expensive wines frequently aren’t made for casual wine drinkers or novices.

Inexpensive wines are typically easy drinking and accessible. They don’t need to age or be decanted. It also stretches your wine budget.

One important exception to this rule – avoid cheap cabernet sauvignon, merlot and chardonnay from California. Although there are exceptions to this exception, California churns out a flood of mediocre, low-priced bottles of these three wines.

Look for Spanish garnacha or temperanillo (or blends of both), Argentine malbec and Italian sangiovese.

5.) Know your importer.

This is something that has served me well over the years. If I like a wine, I take note of who the importer is. Importers have a certain style and tend to have some consistency across their portfolio.

Even if the wines are from different grapes, wineries or even countries, quality is frequently the common denominator. Three importers that instantly come to my mind are Eric Solomon, Jorge Ordóñez and Columbia’s own Spanish Vines.

Friday Night Link

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 00:19:00 +0000

It's a cold, rainy night here in Columbia. It's a great night for baked spaghetti alla puttanesca (thanks to E for the leftovers), arugula salad and fresh bread.

If you need something to warm your heart, check out this story from the NY Times.

Happy Friday.

Weeknight Cooking

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 21:07:00 +0000

Cooking during the work week is challenging. At least it is for me anyway.

I usually have something in mind by the time I hit the house, but after I've chopped, diced, sautéed, boiled and cursed a few times -- I'm worn out. This explains why I rarely have blog posts about weeknight dinners.

Tonight I arrived home a little early and whipped up some crab cakes real quick. During the week, it's easier for me to make things I've made a hundred times before.

I'm writing this short post while I sip on a glass of wine. My are crab cakes resting in the fridge awaiting a hot skillet, and the last thing I have to do is make a dressing. I'm serving the cakes with a simple side of dressed arugula.

We're (possibly) going out later so something light seemed in order. Since it's a weeknight, some inexpensive wine was also in order.

Domain de la Hallopière Vin de Pays du Val de Loire 2009 ($7.99, Green's Beverage)

Chardonnay from the Loire Valley? I wouldn't have expected it either. Chardonnay is more commonly used as a blending grape in the Loire, but this wine is a real find.

It's juicy without being overripe, clean and fresh with notes of white peach and lemon. I'm guessing it was done in stainless steel, because there's not a hint of oak. Fine with me.

Now it's time for that dressing. I'm thinking about a little mayo, some mustard, fresh lemon juice and a spoonful of hoisin sauce. We'll see how that works out.

Cheers. It's almost Friday.