Chloe Wines

Chloe, meaning "blooming", is a line of wines sourcing grapes from from around the world.  This gives their wine maker, Georgetta Dane, the opportunity to choose exactly what she wants to work with to craft her wines. Born in Romania, she and her husband emigrated to the US in the late 1990's.  She has a masters degree in food science and cut her teeth at Kendall-Jackson before moving on to her own brand.

Normally, I would consider this just another label and not think about it again.  There are a lot of "labels" on the market that do the same thing, but all too often end up "settling" with whatever they can get, and that is usually what someone else doesn't want.  Whereas, Chloe, pays a premium and gets the juice they want, and this shows in the finished product.

Chloe wines are marketed as an upscale choice for special occasions.  This is evidenced by their "Red Carpet Ready" program which walks the consumer through the process of creating the perfect cocktail party, not to mention that their wines are already dressed in black tie.

So, for an average cost of about $14.99, I recommend grabbing a few for your next special occasion, or any occasion for that matter.  Since we are approaching St. Patrick's Day, here is a recipe I posted last year for a Hearty Irish Stew.  Both the Pinot Noir and Red Blend will pair nicely with this.

Acorn Squash and Apple Soup

1/2 lb. Pastrami, thinly sliced
4 Acorn Squash
2 T. Butter
1 Onion, minced
1 Carrot, sliced
2 Apples, cubed
1/2 tsp. Sage
1/4 tsp.  Basi1
1/4 tsp.  Nutmeg
4 C. Chicken Stock
1/2 C.  Fruity white wine (Moscato or Riesling)
1/2 C.  Half and Half
Salt and Pepper to taste

Slice the squash in half and scoop out the seeds.  Place the cut side down on a cookie sheet and roast them at 350 degrees until they are soft (about 20 mins.)  When its cooled, scoop out the flesh and set aside.

In a soup pot, melt the butter and add the onions and the spices, salt and pepper.  Saute for about 5 mins. and then add the carrot.  Next,stir in the Pastrami.  After another 5 mins. add the wine and apples.  Let the wine reduce for another 5 mins., then add the chicken stock and the squash.  Bring it to a boil, lower the heat, and let it simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the salt and pepper to taste.  Finish by adding the half and half.

When serving, crumble some Blue Cheese on top and open a bottle of Dry Creek Chenin Blanc.

Curried Potato Soup

This is a "kicked-up" version of Potato Soup using curry powder and Victory's Headwaters Cheddar Dip as the cheese ingredient.  Victory Brewing Company collaborates with Key Ingredient Market to craft specialty cheese spreads using Victory Beers.

Curried Potato Soup

• 12 oz. Bacon
• 2 medium onions, minced
• 2 lbs. Potatoes, diced
• 6 C. Chicken Stock
• 2/3 C. Butter
• 3/4 C. Flour
• 4 C. Milk
• 2 tsp. Curry Powder
• 1 C. Ham, cubed
• 1 C. Sour Cream
• 1 6.5 oz. Victory Headwaters Cheddar Dip

Render the bacon in a pot with a little butter.  Once crispy, remove the bacon onto a plate with paper towels to soak up the drippings.

In the same pot, add a little more butter and the onions, salt and pepper and curry powder to taste. Cook the onions until tender (about 5 mins.).

Next, add the the remaining butter and flour and stir to create a roux (about 10 mins.).

Now add the chicken stock, milk and potatoes and cook until potatoes are tender (about 20 mins.)  Be sure to keep it on a low boil.

Finally, add the cooked bacon, ham, sour cream and the cheddar dip.  Heat through until warm and the cheese is completely melted into the soup.

Serve with a Chardonnay that has a touch of oak.  The Penfold's Koonunga Hill Chardonnay works well.  Any leftover soup can be frozen in an air tight container.

Cheers!

Recipe for Hearty Irish Stew

2 cup diagonally sliced carrots
2 cup diagonally sliced parsnips
2 cup sliced onions
1.5 lbs small white potatoes,
each cut into quarters
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 lbs boneless lamb stew meat
1 1/2 cup beef broth
4 c. plus 3 Tbsp. cold water
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350° F. In heavy 6-quart Dutch oven, spread half of vegetables; season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and half of thyme. Top with meat, then remaining vegetables. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and remaining thyme. Add broth and 4 cups water. Cover and cook in oven 2 1/2 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender.

Transfer meat and vegetables to bowl; cover and keep warm. In cup, blend flour with remaining water; stir into hot liquid in Dutch oven. Heat to boiling on top of range; boil 1 minute. Skim off fat. Return meat and vegetables to Dutch oven.

Enjoy with North Carolina's Own The Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout

Available at

Main Street Produce

100 East North Main Street

Littleton, North Carolina 27850

252-586-8468

Thanksgiving Wines & Beers

As Turkey Day approaches, most people are thinking of what size turkey to buy, how many people will it serve, what side dishes to make and where to seat old Uncle Luke.  But I'm not like most people.  Yes, I do consider the same things, but I consider them in the context of what wines and beers I'll be serving.

Since turkey is the guest of honor, not old Uncle Luke, turkey is the first consideration when thinking about wines and beers.  However, there are so many different side dishes, and no two are made the same.  You have to consider the tartness of cranberry sauces, the creaminess of creamed onions, the various savory flavors in stuffing.  Not to forget the sweet potatoes or mashed potatoes, all being smothered in someone's version of gravy.

Simply put, this is not a "one size fits all" meal.  A white and a red should be on the table.  If serving beer also, an IPA and a dark beer such as a Porter should be available.  The main thing is to make sure they are nicely balanced and flexible enough to handle many flavors.

The Natura Chardonnay from the Casablanca Valley in Chile is a good choice for a white wine.  Unlike many Chardonnays, this one does not have any oak influence, just pure fruit flavor.
http://www.theorganicwineshop.com/2012-Natura-Chardonnay_p_150.html

For a red, a nice California Zinfandel has the right touch of spice and fruitiness.  Specifically, the Girasole Zinfandel from Mendocino County.
http://www.theorganicwineshop.com/2009-Girasole-Zinfandel-_p_20.html

For a few beer choices, I would recommend Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA or the Port City Monumental IPA.  IPA's have a crisp flavor profile with some citrusy notes.  A couple of Porters to mention are the Highland's Oatmeal Porter and the Avery New World Porter.  Porters have a nice, malty flavor profile with hints of coffee and sometimes chocolate.

If you have any questions, please visit me on my Facebook page, www.facebook.com/thefermentedgourmet.

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

 

Don't forget the dessert!

Observations: My Special Purpose

Now that it's been almost a full year of making and selling wine and beer jellies, I thought I'd take some time to reflect and begin planning for the holiday season.  In doing this, I was reminded of a short clip from the movie, The Jerk.  Right before Steve Martin is about to leave the nest and go in search of his "special purpose", his adoptive father makes sure he understands one thing.  That is, the difference between shit and Shinola.  Once Steve Martin sees the difference, his father told him he would be fine.

My take on that is this.  Know the basics of what you are doing, keep it simple, don't try to complicate things, and definitely understand the difference between shit and Shinola.  That said, here are some things I've observed over the past few months.

There are only a few of what I'll call "stand alone" wine or beer jellies that have an appeal to people who taste them.  I think I went overboard when I started and made too many choices, which had the opposite effect of what I envisioned.  Our best "stand alone" jellies now are the Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout, FullSteam Carver Sweet Potato Lager, Highlands Oatmeal Porter, Dante Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and the Cortija Rioja jellies.

Next, I see that any jelly that has an element of heat or spice out-sells the others by a wide margin.  The Natty Greene's Old Towne Brown/Chipolte, Pinot Grig-Inferno and Broadbent Vinho Verde/Piri Piri jellies are winners!

Any jelly that I've added fruit to enhance a certain flavor profile of the wine or beer has also done very well.  That can be seen in our Natty Greene's Wildflower Wit/Strawberry, Big Boss HighRoller IPA/Three Fruits Marmalade and our Victory Storm King Stout/Fig Jam.

I am very please with my latest creation, the Craggie Antebellum Jelly.  It is brewed with molasses, ginger and spruce tips.  I believe this one will be another "stand alone" winner.

So, let's start thinking about the holidays and what you're going to get for your wine and beer lovers on your shopping list.  One thing I have seen over the past few months is how many people have commented on what a great gift idea this is.  Another is how creative our customers have been in their uses of our jellies in their kitchens.  There are so many applications of these jellies as glazes on meats, sweetening agents in viniagrettes and many other ways.

Cheers to the upcoming holiday season!  You can find us on-line at www.thefermentedgourmetshop.com. You can also "like" us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/mainstreetproducenc.

FG

Wine Scents

If you were riding with me cruising around the Internet, you would most likely feel like a passenger in a car driven by Stevie Wonder.  No offense to Stevie Wonder, but I don't think I would want to be riding shotgun with him at the wheel.  Suffice it to say, I'm like one of those people with the bumper sticker, "I stop at yard sales" or "I brake for squirrels".  Simply put, when something catches my attention, I go there.  This practice often takes me off course into unknown territories.  However, sometimes it takes me to sites or blogs that I am familiar with the subject matter, and that brings me to today's topic.

I found a site promoting a "kit" that helps one learn more about the vast aromas inherent in particular wines.
Interesting, I thought as I clicked through all the pages on the site.  The kit is very comprehensive as it guides the user around all the aromas that can or should be prevalent in certain wines.  Here is the link to their site  http://www.aromaster.com/. 

Please don't read too much into this.  I think this is a wonderful tool to help people gain a better understanding of everything the wine world has to offer.  The concern I have is that it might be too complicated for the everyday consumer of wine.  In fact, this is a tool I used back in my days as a full-time wine consultant.  It was my job, and my responsibility, to be educated on all this.  The average consumer doesn't share this burden.  Notice I called it a "burden".  Yeah, it was a tough job, but somebody had to do it!

Anyway, I could go on forever about this, but I want to make one simple point.  There are only two ways of describing a wine, and this applies to all wines, whether a consumer, amateur or professional.  Those are, "I like it" or "I don't like it".  Enjoying wine is a very subjective experience.  One should not feel compelled to "like" a wine simply because someone else does.  Moreover, when in the presence of one of those "geeky-know it alls", you shouldn't feel ashamed or inadequate just because you can't smell the "stewed strawberry and earthy, forest floor" aromas that the geek is proudly smelling.  Again, either you like it, or you don't.  It is that simple.  If the geek happens to ask you if you are "picking up" the same aromas, just tell him that you never had your nose pressed against a forest floor, and you're not sure what he is talking about.

Enjoy wine, but enjoy the ones YOU like, explore the wine world at your leisure, and reduce your thoughts about wine to the two ways I mentioned.  You like it, or you don't, period...!!!

FG