This month we're going to be tasting a Pinot Noir from California. You might remember Pinot Noir as the much rhapsodized wine from the 2004 Sideways. The wine is highly romanticized because when done well it is highly complex with subtle flavors reflective of the growing region. However, it is also known as being fickle and hard to work with as the fruit is highly susceptible to disease while on the vine and the flavor varies a lot from year to year.
So what to pair with this seductive wine tha…
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Added by Laura Zavelson on November 19, 2009 at 6:57am —
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I love the bottle for this month's #tmwc wine tasting – the Leverano Rosato is one of my summer favorites. It's glorious hue may remind you of white zin, but don't even think about them in the same sentence. This dry rose (rhymes with chardonnay but I can't find that accent mark on the keyboard) is crisp, a little acidic and absolutely refreshing. Drink it chilled like you would a white wine.
The wine gets it's color from red-skinned grapes. When the grapes are crushed the skins stay in contact…
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Added by Laura Zavelson on July 29, 2009 at 12:32pm —
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Hope you're all looking forward to this month's wine tasting as much as I am. If you haven't joined us for one yet, you should really check it out. It always puts me in a good mood and gets me laughing. This month's wine is a Gruner Veltliner (GV), a grape varietal that is mostly grown in Austria. Dry, crisp and minerally, this wine is great for summer sipping – and usually fairly inexpensive. (By the way - the Gruner should have those dots over the "u" but I can't figure out how to do that on m…
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Added by Laura Zavelson on June 22, 2009 at 11:30am —
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Summer and picnics go together. If you’re like me, I’m always on the lookout for easy recipes that are a step above PB&J, but don’t require that I spend my entire day kitchen. So below, I’ve included a few favorites that travel well and aren’t too messy making them perfect for outdoor concerts, days on the boat and nights at the beach.
Antipasto Skewers
There are a lot of variations to this recipe. I like this one with it’s relatively short list of ingredients and the addition of balsamic v…
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Added by Laura Zavelson on June 13, 2009 at 7:47am —
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If you’re like me, you can barely remember what you had for lunch much less the name of that fabulous merlot you ordered at the restaurant on date night. Or how about that pinot they were tasting at the art show over the weekend? You liked it a lot. But now you’re at the grocery store facing a wall of wine and you have NO IDEA what it was called.
Here’s where TwitterMoms get a bonus. There’s a cool new (FREE) tool called Wine by the Bar that you can use with Twitter to record wines when you’re…
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Added by Laura Zavelson on May 11, 2009 at 7:13am —
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This month’s wine is the William Hill Estate’s Napa Valley Chardonnay. For those of you who have a child hanging off one arm, need to send in cookies for teacher appreciation day tomorrow, while participating in a conference call while shopping for this wine and don't have time to read the rest of this, here's the bottom line--it's is yummy. Grab some buttery microwave popcorn to munch while you tweet and we'll see you on Friday.
For those who want to know a little more.... I think this wine sh…
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Added by Laura Zavelson on April 20, 2009 at 6:35pm —
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I'm a twist 'em apart, lick off the creme and then eat the cookie kind of person. However, I hear that there are other methods out there. Care to share your favorite way to eat an oreo?
Did you know that the Oreo is the best selling cookie in the U.S.? We eat something like 6 BILLION of these little chocolate wonders a year. Introduced in 1912 by Nabisco, the cookie changed very little over the years until the DOUBLE STUF was introduced in 1975. Apparently their was a lemon filled oreo in the l…
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Added by Laura Zavelson on April 8, 2009 at 3:44pm —
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As we're celebrating with Merlot this Friday with the #tmwc, I thought I'd offer some ideas of what you might want to eat while you tweet? As always, I'll walk us through the time zones so everyone can get in on the action.
For those west coasters who will be enjoying a starter -- I'm going to suggest cheese again. You just can't go wrong with the classics. Since merlot is a medium bodied wine but low in tannins, you can pair it with popular cheeses like parmesan, gouda, cheddar, jack or smoked…
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Added by Laura Zavelson on March 25, 2009 at 1:45pm —
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Since our TMWC selection this month is a lovely Merlot, I thought it would be nice for us to introduce ourselves.
Merlot is a popular wine among drinkers, less so among collectors. It is the most widely planted grape in the Bordeaux wine region of France and is probably the second most widely planted grape in the world behind Cabernet Sauvignon.
In general, merlots tend to taste of currant, black cherry and plum and smell of violet or rose, caramel or bay leaves -- sometimes a little pepper to…
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Added by Laura Zavelson on March 19, 2009 at 7:00pm —
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Maybe you've already discovered local food. And maybe you're already a regular customer at your local farmer's market. This year, you may want to take the next step and get involved with Community Supported Agriculture or a CSA.
A CSA creates a direct link between a local farm or group of farmers and you. Basically, you become an investor in the farm for this year's growing season and you reap weekly dividends in the form of fresh, seasonal produce direct from the farm. Your investment helps th…
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Added by Laura Zavelson on March 5, 2009 at 4:30pm —
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In preparation for tonight's TweetUp or just in case you're curious, here's a little bit more about Pinot Grigio and what to expect when you taste one from California.
Pinot Grigio is actually the Italian name for Pinot Gris. The grapes are one in the same. According to Wikipedia, researchers at UC Davis determined that Pinot gris has DNA very similar to the red wine grape Pinot noir--remember that wine from the film Sideways?-- and that the color difference is derived from a genetic mutation t…
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Added by Laura Zavelson on February 26, 2009 at 1:29pm —
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Hello TwitterMom wine lovers. Hope you're getting psyched for the tweetup. This time we're doing a white -- a pinot grigio--and let me tell you, as far as pairings go it's all about the cheese and crackers.
I wish I wrote this but not so much:
"Pinot Grigio flavors can range from melon to pear and some even offer a subtle tropical or citrus fruit, often there is a honey or smoky flavor component as well. As for color, Pinot Grigio is typically a pale, straw-like yellow with some golden hues th…
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Added by Laura Zavelson on February 19, 2009 at 4:30pm —
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Hi all -
I just made this recipe and wow. These are the
bean & 'bello burgers from the most recent issue of Self. I got them off www.epicurious.com and they were fantastic. Served them with a side of sweet potato fries.
I don't endorse everyday meal recipes very often. This one is worth it.
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Added by Laura Zavelson on February 16, 2009 at 4:27pm —
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Ok ladies. Mardi Gras is February 24. That means we have a lot to do in a short time.
Got beads? Check.
Ordered King Cake? Check.
Invited good friends? Check.
Got ingredients for the classic NOLA beverage the Hurricane? If not, read below.
Here's a bit on the origin from the Pat O'Brian's website:
(BTW - Pat O'Brian's is a toursity restaurant in the French Quarter generally credited with inventing the beverage.)
"Served in a Pat O'Brien's logo glass and garnished with an orange slice and a cher…
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Added by Laura Zavelson on February 12, 2009 at 4:30pm —
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Aphrodisiacs are named for Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of sensuality. While the term encompasses anything believed to increase sexual desire, we're going to focus here on foods that are easily available and that you would actually want to eat.
As a disclaimer, I have to admit that me…
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Added by Laura Zavelson on February 5, 2009 at 8:00pm —
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The Food Network. Top Chef. Iron Chef. Emeril. Ina. Jamie. Paula. Rachel.
Today, you can't have a top restaurant without a marquis chef. Clearly, chefs are celebrities in their own right as food prep, exotic ingredients and creative presentation have captured the imaginations and appetites of Americans everywhere. Eating and entertainment have become synonymous and we just can't seem to get enough.
Quite literally, we somehow remain unsated. Our country is facing a health crisis of epidemic pr…
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Added by Laura Zavelson on January 30, 2009 at 11:26am —
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Beer lovers: This blogs for you. But it's also for those who don't drink that much beer because I've got some ideas that might make it more fun. Because you know the Superbowl is almost here (it's on Feb 1) and of course that means beer. But back to that in a second.
So why do women account for only about 25 percent of the beer consumption in the US? I mean I drank plenty of beer in college and well into my 20s. But now, I almost never order beer at a restaurant and I only drink it at home occa…
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Added by Laura Zavelson on January 23, 2009 at 5:29am —
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(*Alt. Title for those who don't know the 1970s TV show Alice: Food Trends: Southern Cuisine and Comfort Food)
It turns out Southern Food is a trend. If you don't believe me, check out this article from Bon Apetit in December "
The Southern Food Boom." Gourmet did a whole
issue on i…
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Added by Laura Zavelson on January 15, 2009 at 8:00pm —
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Happy Friday and welcome to the weekend. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been looking forward to tonight's TwitterMoms Wine Tasting Tweet Up (#tmwc) all week.
So let’s talk about what we’ll be sipping. The selected bottle is the Panarroz Red ’06 out of Spain. How you taste this wine will depend on your individual likes and dislikes, however, the Panarroz is generally described as full of berries, a little peppery, smokey, and with a smooth mouth-feel.
The wine is actually a blend of three dif…
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Added by Laura Zavelson on January 8, 2009 at 8:00pm —
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