Wine Time

The Boy and I took a very impromptu three day trip up to wine country this past holiday weekend.  We got incredibly lucky and found a great hotel in Rutherford last minute.  Many different, but amazing wineries were visited, and our bellies were stuffed with unbelievable food.  The weather was perfect and I couldn't be happier spending time away in wine country with the man that I love.

Here is a list of the wineries we went visited and highly recommend them:

Paraduxx

Frog's Leap

Elizabeth Spencer

Plump Jack

Flora Springs

Round Pond

Honig

Beaulieu Vineyards

We managed to score a reservation at Ad Hoc in Yountville and loved it.  If you are not familier with Ad Hoc, they create a new 4 course menu every night, for about $50 a person.  Here was our menu:

(1) Endive & Masche Salad - caramelized cauliflower, shaved celery, kalamata olives, toasted pine nuts, raisin caper vinaigrette
(2) Spiced Beef Hanger Steak - grilled pencil asparagus, white spring onions, espelette butter, crispy baked potato, bacon creme fraiche
(3) Central Coast Goat Gouda - fuji apples, wildflower honey, marcona almond butter
(4) Cinnamon Beignets - maple anglaise, chocolate and strawberry sauce

Lovely, perfect weekend.  If only all weekends were 3 days long and spent in Wine Country.

White Wine Sangria

I got inspired a few years ago watching Bobby Flay make White Wine Peach Sangria. He added so much fruit to it but it looked extremely tasty. Whenever I made it, I always tweaked it to accommodate whatever I had in my fridge. I tweaked this recipe and added a few slivers of jalapeno to cut through the sweetness, but that is totally optional.

This weekend it was beautiful outside. It was the first time this entire year where it actually felt like California in San Francisco. There was no fog, it was hot, and I'm talking 85 degrees hot, and everyone was in a fantastic mood. Football is back, it's time to fire up the BBQ and get cooking. For me, sangria and summer always go together. The boy and I were craving a summery drink to quench our thirst from the heat. White Wine Sangria seemed like a perfect solution. Use a dry white wine, nothing too sweet. Add some juice (I like the Orange, Peach, Mango juice that is at Trader Joes) some booze, and some fruit and voila...

White Wine Sangria

1 bottle of white wine, chilled (I used Sauvignon Blanc, a white Rioja or Pinot Grigio would work well too)

1 to 1 1/2 cups juice (Orange, Peach, Mango, Pineapple, etc)

1/4 cup triple sec or Cointreau

1/4 cup brandy or Cognac

1 apple, sliced

1 orange, sliced

hand full of mint leaves

1/4 jalapeno, thinly shaved (optional)

1/2 cup sparkling water or sparkling fruit juice

Add all ingredients into a big pitcher and let sit for a few hours in the fridge. Pour into wine glasses and enjoy!

Basic Risotto

I'm not feeling so hot today. I think I'm coming down with the flu, right before a business trip. When I get sick I crave homey things. One thing that I LOVE is risotto. You can add lots of different flavors to risotto because it really absorbs whatever you put in it. I made a classic risotto because I have a sore throat and didn't feel like getting fancy. The trick to risotto is to add the broth a little at a time and constantly stir. So pull up a stool, pour yourself a glass of wine (if you're not under the weather) and start working those arm muscles, it's worth it in the end.


Risotto

1 shallot, finely diced
2 cups of aborio rice
1/2 -3/4 cup dry white wine
5-6 cups of hot chicken stock (put it in a sauce pan and keep it on medium low on the stove)
olive oil
salt and pepper
fresh thyme leaves
Parmesan cheese


In a deep and wide sauce pan, heat the olive oil. Add shallots and saute till translucent, don't burn. Add the rice and stir for a few minutes till the rice starts to become a little translucent at the ends. Add the wine and stir, scraping the bits off the bottom of the pan.


Start ladling the chicken stock 2 ladle fulls at a time into the rice. Adjust the heat to medium/medium high to make the liquid evaporate at 2-3 minute intervals. Keep ladling in the stock every 2-3 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed. After about 15-18 minutes of stirring, season with the salt, pepper, and thyme and taste. Adjust to your likings of salty and pepperiness. Once the rice is soft but still a little al dente, pull off the heat and grate Parmesan cheese on top. Consume.


*You can add mushrooms and more thyme to make a delicious second risotto.