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When Tequila Is Food

Ok, so nobody specifically said that Is My Blog Burning had to be a food. Or did they? I didn't read the details on purpose. I do know that IMBB #14 is about the color orange. And if need be, I can certainly argue the merits that Mango and Orange Margaritas are, indeed, food. Here goes:

1) Mangoes. Mangoes are a fruit and are indeed orange, they qualify as food, so right there, I got it sealed. Plus, mangoes are chock full of nutritiony goodness, like most orange foods, they contain vitamins A and C, and moderate amounts of calcium and potassium. See, four whole types of vitamins and we haven't even gotten to the orange yet.

2) Oranges. Oranges are also a fruit and are, duh, orange, and are also a food. Vitamin-wise, it's all good, with lots-o-Vitamin C, some folate and cancer-fighting superpowers. Interestingly, mangoes are actually a better source of Vitamin C as they contain almost twice what the orange does. Still, oranges are food, so I'm two-for-two.

3) Limes. Limes are totally food, everybody knows that, and even if they aren't orange, I already got orange covered (see 1 and 2). Limes rock because they make food taste better, and like other citrus fruit (see 2) are a good source for Vitamin C and phyto-chemicals. Sweet. Three-for-three.

4) Cazadores Tequila - Yum, cactus! Ok, blue agave is not orange (see 1 and 2) but some folks actually eat cacti, so I can almost qualify Tequila as food...Ok, still, three-out-of-four isn't terrible.

5) Grand Marnier - Hellloooo? Can you say "orange liqueur"? Totally food. Ok, so current score: food = 4, non-food = only one silly little one.

6) Ice. Ice is neither food nor orange, I'm not going to try to fool you. But water is the essence of life (and air and some other stuff) and is awfully important, so let's just call ice neutral, shall we?

Final score: Food = 4, Non-food = I can't remember, maybe one, Neutral = one.

So enjoy this very ORANGEY and very FOOD FILLED Mango and Orange Margarita.

A cup of frozen mango
1/2 cup ORANGE juice
Juice of one lime
4 ounces of Cazadores Tequila
2 ounces of Grand Marnier (Cointreau, Citronnage, or any other Triple Sec can be used)
A couple handfuls of ice

Put everything in a blender and, well, blend. Until margarita-ey. Lime slice to garnish. Then eat.

Is it time for a Limoncello update or what?!

So remember I made limoncello?  Well, I finished half of it and I decided to let the other half marinate for another few weeks and see if the additional time made any significant difference in the taste or color.  To the first half, I strained the lemon peel from the vodka and added to the beautiful yellow fuming liquid (remember, this is 100 proof vodka, please avoid open flames), 2 cups of sugar dissolved in two cups of water.  I had some empty bottles with those sealer tops from the Le Village warehouse sale (get the Apple Cider and the Cherry Soda with NO high fructose corn syrup - so so good), and they were absolutely perfect for my Limoncello.  I planned on making some dorky labels, calling it Molly's Cello of Lemons or Eye-talian Licker Straight from Cal-e-for-neye-a, but I didn't get around to it.  Good thing I have a whole nother batch left!

Of shut up, that was funny.

We tasted a bit right away, over ice and -wow- was it strong.  I chucked it in the freezer to have when it was REALLY cold, and it was definitely better.  Refreshing, very lemony and not too sweet, I can see how it would make a great summertime sipping drink while you watch the kids play kick the can and while Momma makes the pasta and cousin Alberto flirts with the neighborhood girls, or whatever stereotypical things Italians do during the summer.  I've never been there, so sue me.

I'll probably make the next batch once I get over to Draegers to get some more of those bottles, suffering through Le Village soda in the meantime.  I guess that means another update is in order.  Also, who wants some???

WBW #7: It's so obscure, I can't even find it.

2001 St. Pauls Lagrein Exclusiv "Gries"

I learn so much on Wine Blogging Wednesdays, and the topic of Obscure Red Grape Varietals, hosted by Andrew at Spitoon.biz, packed my little brain full of new wine info.  I always like to start my post by looking for a little bit of information about my topic.  That's where I usually run into problems as I hit the wall of my total lack of knowledge about wines from outside of California.  Hey, I'm working on it, ok? So the problems...what is Lagrein? And where IS St. Pauls Winery exactly? And now that you ask, where the heck is South Tyrol??  In fact, their map has them somewhere between Innsbruck and Verona. Would it kill you people to add some more specific content to your website for ignorant Americans? I mean really...

God Bless the Free Encyclopedia: "Historically, Tyrol was a County of the Holy Roman Empire, later the Austrian Empire and finally a Kronland of Austria-Hungary, which extended beyond the boundaries of today's state. Historical references to Tyrol (before World War I) include today's Tyrol (North Tyrol and East Tyrol), but also South Tyrol and the Trentino (Welschtirol). After World War I, Italy annexed South Tyrol and the Trentino according to the provisions of the Treaty of Saint Germain."  Ah yes, the pesky Treaty of Saint Germain.  So South Tyrol is the part that is in Northern Italy. OK.

So then, what is Lagrein?  I find out Lagrein is an ancient grape native to the Bolzano which is apparently the ideal region for growing Lagrein, as the climatic conditions and terraces and hills allow it to perfectly ripen.  I guess that was the easy part.  More about the Alto Adige here.

From their website:  "This Lagrein comes from Gries, a pleasant district of Bozen (Bolzano), the capital of South Tyrol. It grows on deep and well aerated gravel soils."  I also was informed that St. Pauls is Co-operative Winery and consists of 215 wine growers, and that only the very best grapes are chosen to grace their wines.  Of course!

OK, so to sum up:

Italy ----> South Tyrol (aka Trentino-Alto Adige)----> Bolzano ----> Gries ----> Lagrein grapes for the St. Pauls that I tasted

Sounds like a great place to visit.  Enough history, onto the tasting...

Why You Should Go to the Ferry Building

I am always a tad behind when it comes to experiencing anything new and exciting, usually I get around to trying it a year after it first comes out. Visiting the Ferry Building Marketplace in San Francisco was no different, except that it took me almost two years to get there after its initial opening. On my second visit, Chris and I decided to eat at Hog Island Oyster Company. After waiting in line for about 15 minutes, we got a great table by the window where we could enjoy the absolutely most perfect day ever in San Francisco (see picture - fun with Picasa 2 and although I always seem to do this right after Sam has, I swear that she just beats me to it, or how about imitation is the highest form of flattery? either way, she has been an inspiration - sheesh, I'm going to cry over here - sniff, sniff) and our Hog Island Sweetwaters, 6 raw and with a mignonette with cilantro, and 6 Oysters Beurre Blanc, clam chowder piled HIGH with probably 20 or more Manila clams, and fresh bread for the sopping (of the beurre blanc, of course, can’t waste a drop of that scrumptious stuff). We also had some wine but indulged in only a glass as we planned on going to my favorite Ferry Building destination, the Wine Bar.

The Wine Bar is such a great way to spend a couple of hours on a weekend afternoon, though I imagine going during the week wouldn’t be too bad either (damn working). Having tasted nearly everything on the menu the last time we were there, I tasted a couple and then had a glass of my favorite, a Hungarian white, an Oremus Tokaji Furmint, which meant I learned many things that day since I had never heard of that wine and had never tried anything from Hungary. This is why I love the Wine Bar...who else pours stuff like that? Chris had the Ridge flight which tasted 5 of their Zinfandels side by side, in which Chris decided that the Lytton Springs is still his favorite.

What a perfect day!

Limoncello!

So last weekend I finally got around to making Limoncello.  I had a recipe from the LA Times for, like, EVER and I was always on the lookout for great organic lemons.  I finally settled on some Myers from the Ferry Building.  I scrambled to get from the Wine Bar to the little produce store before it closed because I needed 12 pounds of lemons.  Well, if 12 pounds of lemons sounds like a lot, it is.  In fact Chris claims that he said 12 lemons, not 12 pounds, but whatever.  It means that I decided to make twice the amount of Limoncello.  You try zesting 27 squishy, thin skinned lemons.

The recipe calls for 100 proof flavorless alcohol, like Vodka, which I found was not as easy to find as I thought it would be.  Actually, we found it at BevMo but I was hoping to actually make Limoncello with a very good alcohol base.  The options were Absolute, Smirnoff and Stoli, none of which I was too thrilled about.  So since I had to make two batches from my 27 lemons (grumble grumble) I decided to go with the best and worst of the three to see if there really is any difference with better Vodka.  It steeps for two weeks so I will check back in with an update when it's time to add the sugar.

UPDATED IS HERE!!!

Touch My Monkey - WBW 5: Wacky Named Wine

I had been on the lookout for a wacky label for Wine Blogging Wednesday 5, hosted by chez pim, and since Derek stole (I jest) my original selection, Woop Woop, I decided to write about my new favorite drinkable white, 2004 Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand.

Monkey Bay caught my eye with the fantastic, shining colors, Maori graphics, and the great swinging green monkey! This is a wine that had great promise, I could tell, promise of a fantastic wine find or promise of great, gimmicky suckage.

Fortunately for me, this $10 Sauvignon Blanc, was quite delicious. Zesty and bright, I tasted flavors of lemongrass and green apple.  It is perfect for a everyday drinking white and its a wine "that you can bring to a party, and it it'll make you look good, but you won't be devastated if you don't get any" (WOW)  I really enjoyed it and will buy it again. As it turns out, the only place to find it in California is Whole Foods, so I guess I know where to get the best, and only, price for it. Check it out.

Eat my meat

For Guillermo, who once proclaimed "I am going home to eat my meat."

After an afternoon of wine tasting, it seemed appropriate to eat some steak.  I had gotten a good tip from Chowhound that Coles Chop House was a great place to go and sit at the bar and eat some food. 

We sat at the big, wooden bar because we didn't have reservations (duh).  The bartender was very knowledgeable and professional, and made a great Mai-tini (tasted like a Mai Tai) for my friend, and a fancy glass-o-juice for me.  The menu offered many meat options, mostly a la carte (which I don't get, $39 for a steak and I don't get a potato?) and then many sides.  We were advised that the sides were large enough to share so we ordered two (huge) baked potatoes and some Broccoli with Hollandaise (just ok) to accompany one New York Steak (16oz, $39), one Rib Eye (16 oz, $26) and one Fillet Mignon (10 oz, $31).  Chris and I shared a VERY mediocre Caesar salad, while Gloria enjoyed a very tasty Warm Spinach Salad with Pears and Apple Wood Smoked Bacon Vinaigrette.  We also ordered a bottle of the lovely 2002 Ridge Zinfandel, Lytton Springs, which is one of Chris's favorite. 

I tasted all three steaks and thought the New York Steak the best, and most flavorful, though I am starting to discover that I am getting kind of grossed out by eating a big piece of beef, and I barely touched my Rib Eye, which is usually my favorite cut.  Basically, the less I can actually taste COW the happier I am.  Besides my newest food weirdness, both the New York and Fillet Mignon were excellent and recommended.

This was a nice, traditional place to visit, especially for steak lovers (men).  Do make a reservation, however, and avoid the Caesar salad.  Also take a moment to appreciate the beautiful building itself, which, according to their website, "the Williams building was the first commercial block constructed north of the Napa Creek...In 1897, the Williams Building...was the scene of the last public execution held in California. That day, Billy Roe was hanged for murdering Lucina Greenwood of Napa in 1891." 

Wow!  Meat, wine, history and public executions!  Does it get any better?

Coles Chop House
1122 Main St
Napa, CA 94559
Tel: (707) 224-6328

Eat Much?

Today I was planning on working but recovering after a gluttonous weekend was much needed.  But what a wonderful weekend it was.

FRIDAY

We met some friends at Zibibbo (by the same folks at Lulu in SF), a lovely Mediterranean restaurant in Palo Alto that was new to me. The food was pretty good but the wine list! It was awesometastic. 2oz tastes of lots of stuff that could also be purchased by the glass (6oz) or a pichet (9oz). I considered for a moment just saying "Pour me a taste of every wine on this page" since so many were new to me but alas, I settled just one. Do I remember what? No, so don't ask. Apparently, Zibibbo has won the Award of Excellence by Wine Spectator magazine. I concur!

For dinner we had:

Fresh Pulled Bocconcini with Chilies and Basil
Housemade Salumi (hey, that's how they spelled it)
“Israeli Cigars”: Crispy Phyllo filled with Potatoes, Caramelized Onion and Chives
Grilled Chicken Skewers with Feta Cheese and Pickled Red Onion
Charcuterie Plate with House Cured Meats, Cornichon, Mustard and Baguette
Pizza with Piquillo Peppers, Mozzarella Cheese, and Arugula
Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Barley and Sage
Broccoli with Mornay Sauce

The food was pretty good, the Israeli Cigars and Brussels Sprouts were my favorites. The bill came to about $300 including two bottles of wine and cocktails for 4 folks. The restaurant design is gorgeous, the web site describes just one room with phrases such as "beautifully lit" "surrounded by bougainvillea and olive trees" "bubbling fountain" "roaring fireplace" "coziness" "arbor-covered"...you get the picture.

SATURDAY

So Gloria, Chris and I spent a lovely afternoon at Copia for the Taste of Sonoma which featured more than 70 vintners. Holy crap! We did not, however, attempt to taste them all, unlike the last time we went to Copia for the Taste of Santa Cruz Mountains.  Let us just say that the delicious Trout Almondine that was consumed later at Bouchon is somewhat of a blur. But I digress.

Taste of Sonoma is a walk around wine tasting on both levels of Copia and it was packed. We had to stand in line at some tables to taste, I almost would suggest that they limit the number of tickets sold lest I knock someone out...Despite that, we enjoyed ourselves immensely and found a couple of real treats out of the bunch, namely:

Copeland Creek 2001 Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast - made by jack-of-all-trades Don Baumhefner
Lancaster Estate 2001 Red Wine, Alexander Valley - it must be good 'cause Chris grew up practically next door.
Woodenhead 2002 Pinot Noir, Elk Prairie Vineyard, Humboldt County - yummmmalicious AND we scored a couple of bottles of 2002 Braccialini Vineyards Zinfandel, which we have yet to try.
Hanzell 2000 Pinot Noir, Hanzell Vineyards, Sonoma Valley - My favorite of the day, like a cherry danish.

See a theme? I guess me likes me some Pinot Noir. Since I was driving, I had to be selective about what I drank, lest a repeat performance at Bouchon. But I digress.

We also were treated to snacks by the lovely and talented Sheana Davis, who had a beautiful and tasty display of cheeses: Vella Cheese Company Toma (YUM), Achadinha Cheese Company Broncha, and Laura Chenel Chevre with breads and a Winter Cherry and Currant compote. The Toma was to die for and I always love fresh chevre. The chevre had a nice sage honey over it which was at times overpowering and too sweet. But all this was gratis which means, I'm not complaining! We also got treated to some pate and mini cream brulees, which rocked, from The Girl and the Fig. They also brought along tastes of their vinegars and sauces, can you say GRUB? The Fig and Port Vinaigrette was so good, I now have to go buy some. I hear they have it at the Pasta Shop...and maybe I'll have to go check out the restaurant some day soon.

All and all, it was a beautiful day, so we also spent some time outside in the amazing gardens. I love the food sculptures that decorate the outdoors of Copia, so much that I took pictures! See the day here.

BORED YET??

SUNDAY

Short and sweet, a lovely little breakfast at Oliveto with Chris and Mom.  I have to recommend the pizza with an egg and pancetta. All the pastries looked yum as well, as did the prosciutto and toast. I have been to the cafe many times over the years for a pizza and a glass of wine, or for a latte, but had never been for breakfast. It was a treat so go for breakfast! That's it!