Sparkling Wine - Not Just for New Year's Eve

I had the pleasure of attending a Sparkling Wine and Champagne class put on by Savvy Cellar Wine Bar and Wine Shop, a local go-to for all things wine. The class was an early Christmas gift from my husband and I had a great time, despite being one of a few people going solo for the night. I learned so much about champagne and sparkling wine that I felt compelled to dispense my knowledge before the night of champagne (New Years’ Eve) commences.

Some food (or wine for thought): many people believe that sparkling wine is only meant for special occasions but I happen to belong to the camp of people that believe sparkling wine is good for any day AND any special occasion! Sparkling wine can be used with many different types of food and can be served throughout a meal. It is also great by itself either in the company of others or by you alone as well. There is no wrong time or occasion to enjoy sparkling wine.

I was able to try seven different sparkling wines, all of them wonderfully distinct from the other. Being a bit traditional in my wine choices and an ardent lover of Pinot Noir, I of course prefer champagne. I love the yeasty, full, creamy flavor of the French beauty. Champagne is only made from three wine varietals – Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, or Pinot Meunier.

Good champagne can be a bit pricey so I was so happy to learn of a close cousin of champagne, the sparkling wine from the region of Champagne, France. There is a delicious and very similar type of wine to champagne and it’s called Crémant (pronounced cray-mawn). Crémant is simply any other sparkling wine from France! So it’s still a French sparkling wine with all its lusciousness, just from a different region of France. At the class, I had the opportunity to try Crémant d’ Alsace, which is a Crémant from the region of Alsace, France. It was divine and it only runs about $18-20 for a bottle. I tried a Rosé variety made from 100% Pinot Noir.

The Cremant that I was served at the class

Sparkling wine is made all over the world and has many different tastes. As I mentioned earlier, the French sparklers are creamy and yeasty, with a full mouth feel. New World sparklers (California) are a bit crisper with higher mineral feel in the mouth. Other sparkling wines that I tasted were Prosecco from Italy, Espumante Bruto from Portugal, a sparkling Shiraz from South Africa, and a sparkling Moscato (sweet wine) from Italy. I purchased a bottle of the Moscato for Ashwin, as he loves the sweet stuff.

My personal favorite for New World - Domaine Carneros

Cheese plate and sparkling from Domaine Carneros

Some sparkling wine tips: Avoid the wines that have had CO2 added to make the carbonation, as this will result in horrible headaches. You don’t have to spend a fortune to get a good sparkling wine. Be adventurous and buy a couple of different types of sparkling wine to try. Pair it with any type of food and I guarantee it will be great.

Please share what type of sparkling wine you have chosen for your New Years’ Eve celebration (or any random Monday).

Happy New Year – Cheers! 

With Gratitude and a Happy Tummy

It has been over a month since my last post (forgive me) and Thanksgiving has come and gone. Although the holiday of gratitude and thankfulness is behind us, I would still like to my express my appreciation for a few things in my gastronomical world.

First and foremost, I am most grateful for the fact that my husband and I can fill our kitchen with any type of food that we desire. We are not food insecure as many of our fellow Americans are. Food insecurity and hunger is a huge problem, especially as the price of healthy food rises and wages remain stagnant. Recently, my husband and I donated a monetary contribution to our local food bank because we would like the support to remain in our community. I encourage you to give anything - donated food items, money, or your time if you can't afford either.

Next, I am very thankful for the ability to afford wholesome, healthy food including organic fruits and vegetables. We are so fortunate to be living in an area where there is an abundance of farmer's markets, farm stands, and ethnic markets (our local Indian grocery store sells produce for a fraction of the cost of the regular grocery store). Cooking and eating healthy does not have to cost a fortune and it can be fun too! I have a pot of Portuguese potato and kale soup (Caldo Verde) on the stove right now and the cost was minimal and it is very healthy. It's even vegan (we left out the sausage).

Lastly, I am grateful for having access to so much great wine, beyond Napa Valley. Don't get me wrong - Napa is fantastic and is one of my favorite places. But California has so many wonderful little wine countries to explore - Lodi, Mendocino, Anderson Valley, Jackson/Plymouth, etc to name a few. I recently became a member of a winery in Anderson Valley. The experience and the wine at Navarro Vineyards won me over and if you are ever on a drive up to Mendocino, I urge you to stop in for a tasting. They even make their own cheese!

Watch for this sign on Highway 128

To conclude, I am grateful for so much more but these are my top three when it comes to my love of food and wine. What are you grateful for in regard to epicurean delights? Please feel free to leave comments - I would love the feedback.

Until next time...cheers and happy eating!

Beer and Bubbles Under the Redwoods

It’s been about a little over two weeks since my last post as life has managed to get in the way of my creative flow; however, during this time, I have had an opportunity to reflect on a wonderful trip that I had with my mother to Mendocino. What this experiences has taught me is the importance of simplicity and plain, old-fashioned fun and how they should be the most important ingredients in any occasion.

Let’s start with Mendocino. This coastal village has been a long time family retreat of ours and was the same place that Ashwin and I spent our honeymoon before jetting off to India this summer. The village is charming, tranquil, and has an all-around relaxed vibe. My mom and I had a three night, four day weekend planned for ourselves in this little haven, starting late Friday morning. Our plan was to stop at Roederer Estate in Anderson Valley, which is a winery that makes some exquisite sparkling wine. My mom and I had stopped at this beautiful estate on our previous trip to Mendocino two years ago and Ashwin and I also made a visit to the winery on our way up in July Each visit was pleasant and we enjoyed the tasting experience, even retreating to the outdoor patio to take in the spectacular views with a glass of bubbly.

The Roederer Estate tasting room sans snobby staff and patrons

Unfortunately, this visit was far from charming and relaxing. My mom and I met at the winery, dressed in casual but decent clothes and found a spot at the tasting bar and waited to be served. Our attendant had to finish her conversation with some middle-aged pseudo-rich guy who was bragging about his burgeoning wine collection…you know the type. Long story short, after one measly pour and being blatantly ignored by her and some older woman with a large set of keys (I think she was the tasting room manager), my mom and I just left the winery. The alleged manager looked right at us and went on to pour glasses for people who arrived after us. I had never had such lousy service at any winery nor have I ever felt so invisible.

I drove along Route 128 angrily until I decided to pull into the Navarro General Store to calm down and get a bottle of water. My mom joined me inside and we ended up purchasing a beer and a small bottle of sparkling wine (albeit bitter and made in Ceres, CA) and sat out on the picnic benches under the redwood trees.

Navarro General Store - a welcomed retreat on Hwy 128 on the way to Mendocino

We ended up having a great conversation and laughing about the whole ridiculous, pretentious attitude of the winery staff as well as the “Muffy and Biff” crowd that bellied up to the bar that particular day.  We continued on to Mendocino and had a wonderful, relaxing weekend, which I will detail in another entry. Right now, I just want to reiterate the importance of having a fun experience, regardless of what you do. It shouldn't matter where you are or even how you are dressed (just be clothed), as long as you are having fun and enjoying the company of those you love, whether it’s at a French chateau or a roadside general store in the heart of the redwoods.

Cheers!

Restaurant Review: Double Barrel Wine Bar

On Sunday my friend, Amanda, and I had the pleasure of having an exquisite lunch experience at Double Barrel Wine Bar in Livermore. Not only was the conversation and company stimulating, but the drinks and plates were definitely worth raving about. Since I live in the South Bay Area and Amanda is in Stockton, Livermore ends up being our meeting place because it is right in the middle. I found Double Barrel Wine Bar simply by using Yelp.

I made a reservation the Wednesday before, which was simple to do using their online service. I received a quick response back, saying that my seating request was reserved for Sunday at 1pm. At the time of the reservation, it would have been most helpful if the restaurant staff would have warned us about limited parking on Sundays because of the farmer's market that was being held right in front of their location. I had to drive around for quite some time looking for a parking space and ended up parking in garage on the other end of the downtown area. When I left the house I was wearing heels but after parking ridiculously far from the restaurant, I opted for the flip-flops that I had packed just in case (and am I glad I did). I had made a reservation outside but when I arrived there, Amanda was waiting for me at our saved table, which unfortunately was located near a screaming banshee child. The waitress was very accommodating and relocated us inside, which was much cooler and calmer.

The tapas menu was one page, while the wine menu was a nice booklet size collection of the many tasty glasses and bottles they had available. We started our meal with the delectable Artisan Cheese Board, which features three types of cheese from the local Cowgirl Creamery, as well as mixed nuts, flat bread, and port-infused grapes. The cheese was heavenly and we enjoyed every last bite of it. Along with our cheese board, we enjoyed some bubbles, me a sparkling rose from France and Amanda, a prosecco from Italy. Both were light and refreshing.

Artisan Cheese Board and Sparkling Wine

So many tasty options!

After about an hour or so, we decided to order some tapas, or small plates. Amanda ordered the Runny Egg Sandwich and I decided on the Tomato-Mozzarella Empanadas, which were a new item not yet on the menu. Our food arrived fairly quickly and the plates were simple, but beautiful. Everything tasted fantastic and were a perfect accompaniment to our glasses of bubbly.

Runny Egg Sandwich

Tomato-Mozzarella Empanadas

After our lunches, we explored the dessert menu and toyed with the idea of just sharing one dessert; however, there were so many heavenly choices that we opted to order two desserts. Amanda ordered the Meyer Lemon Tiramisu and I decided on the Campfire, which was an amalgamation of chocolate mousse, molden smoked salt, toasted marshmallow, and milk chocolate crumble. It even arrived on a wooden plate, which transported me back to my childhood, sitting in front of the campfire, making s'mores. I also tried their sparkling wine flight, which was a trio of tasty, international bubbles. My favorite, of course, was the $21.50 glass of NV Henriot Brut Souverain from Champagne, France. It was everything a good champagne should be, yeasty and crisp, almost like baked bread. It went beautifully with my chocolately dessert.

Campfire with the fabulous champagne

Meyer Lemon Tiramisu

Despite the hectic parking situation and my flip-flop breaking on my walk back to the parking garage (forcing me to walk back with one barefoot), my experience at Double Barrel was great. If you're looking for a good place for tasty small plates and a great wine selection, check them out. If you come on a Sunday afternoon, be sure you give yourself extra time (and patience) to find parking.

Cheers and happy eating!

One Pot Wonder: Persian Stew with Sweet Potatoes and Spinach

As the chill of fall begins to set in, we begin to crave warmth and cozy sustenance. What better way to celebrate the autumnal equinox than to prepare a delicious pot of stew or chili, the kind that will fill your home with a divine bouquet of spices. The last two times that I prepared dinner, it was a "one pot wonder" kind of meal. These wonders usually consist of a bunch of savory (or sometimes sweet) ingredients thrown into a big pot and left on the stove to simmer and blossom into hearty, filling bowls of awesomeness. Today’s entry will focus on the Persian stew, or what I like to think of it as, Christmas in a bowl.

On Thursday night I made Persian stew, or khoresh, with sweet potatoes and spinach. I retrieved the recipe from Mollie Katzen's website, which is quickly becoming my go-to for great vegetarian recipes and ideas. Before I could prepare the stew, I first had to blend the Persian Allspice. I can say, without a doubt, that this is one of the most divine things I have ever smelled in my life. The spices, coriander seeds, cardamom pods, cumin seeds, cinnamon, turmeric, ground ginger, cloves, and black pepper, had to be condensed into one ground format. To make these happen, we threw everything into our coffee grinder (now part time spice grinder). It worked fabulously, as the end result was a golden-colored dust of aromatic spices.

After the spices were made, it was on to prepping the vegetables, which actually wasn’t a lot of work. The onions and garlic needed to be chopped, along with peeling and chopping of the sweet potatoes. I also chopped the nectarines that I was using as a substitute for plums. I have found, thus far in my cooking experience, that it is best to prep all of your ingredients ahead of time. This prevents you from running around the kitchen like a mad woman (or man), trying to get everything together to throw in at just the right time. Veteran cooks probably know this, but this is something that I have had to learn the hard way.

After everything was prepped, I heated olive oil in my pan over medium heat and threw in the onions and the Allspice to sauté together. Again, the bouquet of this mixture was heavenly. I actually ended up having a coughing fit because I was just standing over the pot, inhaling the spices. Don’t inhale when standing over such an intense mix of spices.

After the onions were sautéed, I added the sweet potatoes, garlic, 2 cups of orange juice (1 cup fresh squeezed, 1 cup store bought), and the remaining salt. The stew was to now simmer for 30 minutes. Just imagine the scents now, as the pungent spices mixed with the sweet orange juice. Our house smelled amazing! It reminded me of Christmas, with a zesty, sweet scent hanging in the air.

The smell is unbelievably good! 

At the last few moments of cooking, I added the spinach and the nectarines and let it simmer for another 5-10 minutes. The end result was a thick, spicy stew that tasted like winter with its cinnamon and orange aromas. I served it with leftover chapatis, although basmati rice would have been a fantastic compliment to the meal. Ashwin claims it is one of his most favorite things that I have made for him so far.

So tasty!

Recommended wine pairing: a lush, fruit-forward California Pinot Noir. I specify a California (preferably coastal) Pinot because Oregon pinots (while amazing) tend to be more on the earthy, spicy side and you don’t want to take away from the spice component of this dish.

Cheers and happy eating! 

First Homemade Indian Curry = Mastered!

Ashwin and I take turns cooking dinner 1) to share the responsibility and 2) because we both love the fun art of cooking. Last night was my turn and Ashwin challenged me to make an Indian dish. I have (once) made an Indian chaat, or snack, called Bhel Puri, which was mostly just putting a bunch of yummy ingredients together in a semi-dry mix. It's my favorite chaat, actually. It turned out pretty well and I actually made myself sick from eating almost the entire bowl for dinner.

Bhel Puri that I made in February, along with a bottle of Domaine Carneros Chardonnay

Last night I ventured into my first curry with a recipe for Olan, which is a pumpkin curry from the southern Indian state of Kerala. I found the recipe in a cookbook that was given to me as an engagement present by a family friend. The book is huge and full of delicious, incredible recipes. Being that it is fall now, I felt the urge to create a warm, cozy curry and pumpkin was the winner. I, of course, was going to pursue this dish from scratch with bare, raw pumpkins and all.

Carving, gutting, and peeling the pumpkins was the hardest task of all in this process. I was worried I would cut my hand when I was trying to split the pumpkin in half in order to gut it. After a little recon online, I came across a source that helped me out in this time of need and I was able to split the pumpkins open, revealing their fleshy, raw smell and soft, silky flesh. 

One pie pumpkin and one white pumpkin, conquered! 

After the fresh pumpkins were quelled into obedience, I had to peel the suckers. The white pumpkin was fairly easy and its skin came off when I used the potato peeler. I did manage, however, to also peel a bit off of my left thumb, breaking my prep rhythm and putting me in First Aid mode. My newly bandaged thumb and I moved onto the pie pumpkin, which was not able to be dominated by the potato peeler. Thankfully, my gallant husband arrived home from work and was able to help me chop the skin bits off of the pumpkin chunks. In hindsight, I would have baked the pumpkins ahead of time because they were going to be mashed into submission anyway.

While the pumpkins hit the stove to soften, I prepped the remainder of the recipe which was fairly easy. I cut a green chili, which I used instead of the three that were required by the recipe. I decided to go a bit light on the spice side of the recipe, apprehensive of the assault on my tongue that it may cause. Once my coconut oil was hot and the mustard seeds jumping, I threw in the chili and curry leaves, which filled our home with a vibrant, distinctive smell that transported me back to my in-law's home in Bangalore. I then mixed in the now-mashed pumpkin to finish cooking and boy, what an aroma that concoction had. The color of the cooking curry was a vivacious yellow, speckled with the green of the chili and curry leaves.

The Olan is almost complete - we can't wait to devour it!

We decided to serve the luscious curry with chapatis, in lieu of the recommended basmati rice, just in case the dish was too heavy. Nothing is worse than being over stuffed with rice when you have a delightful curry you should be focusing your fork (or fingers) on.

The finished Olan - oh, what a dish!

The Olan was phenomenal, full of flavor, and perfect for a semi-chilly fall evening. The skinned finger and pain in the rear pumpkin domination was completely worth it. The curry tasted velvety, creamy, and a bit zesty. The fresh coconut that was added after it was cooked added a depth of flavor that transported me to a tropical locale. We cleaned every last nibble from the skillet and our plates. Poor Ashwin didn't even have any to take to work with him today...but it was a fantastic evening meal. I plan on preparing this dish to go along with our Thanksgiving dinner this year.

Suggested wine pairing: I recommend a sparkling wine or a dry white wine, like a Sauvignon Blanc. Since it's also a tad sweet, a sweeter, dry white, like a Reisling, would work as well. 

Cheers and happy eating!

Recipe Review: Eggplant and Almond Enchiladas

A little over a week ago I was able to catch a broadcast on our local public radio station, KQED, that was featuring Mollie Katzen, a well-known Jewish chef and writer of all things vegetarian. To be honest, prior to the radio program, I had never heard of Katzen. After hearing her tantalizing talk of whipping vegetables into palatable pleasures, I did some research of my own on her website and discovered some alluring recipes. The one that spoke to me the most was "Eggplant and Almond Enchiladas," and I tried my hand at it this weekend.

I prepared the enchiladas over the course of the weekend, making the Mexican red sauce on Saturday morning and refrigerating until Sunday evening for dinner. The red sauce portion of the recipe was easy to follow and its robust, zesty smell filled the whole house. Next time I make it, however, I will be modifying the level of spice, as it was just a little too powerful for me. Ashwin, of course, loved the spice level.

The enchiladas themselves were easy to prepare with the simple steps provided in Katzen's recipe. I rolled the enchiladas, which were bursting with the succulent filling. They were then heavily doused with the piquant red sauce, sprinkled with Jack cheese, and then baked in the oven for 30 minutes. We decided to serve them with Ashwin's lime and cilantro rice.

The enchiladas blanketed in the homemade red sauce served with lime and cilantro rice

The enchiladas were scrumptious, velvety, and completely satisfying. They exceeded my expectations, as the spices and various textures danced on my tongue. My only regret is not garnishing them with a bit of cilantro on top to add some color to the muddled red of the sauce. Ashwin took a small dish of the enchiladas to work for lunch and returned home with an empty vessel, every last morsel (probably) licked clean.

Prior to having made this recipe, I pre-ordered Katzen's latest cookbook, the Heart of the Plate: Vegetarian Recipes for a New Generation. After this gastronomical feat, I am looking forward to diving head (or mouth) first into enticing recipes such as Cumin-Scented Black Bean Burgers, Spiced Carrots in Thick Cranberry-Orange Vinaigrette, and Caramelized Onion and Lemon Marmalade. 

Now go wipe your mouth and get cooking, if you haven't already. Happy eating!

Baby, Light My Fire (With an Outdoor Pizza Oven)

Last night Ashwin and I had the pleasure of attending a casual dinner party at a colleague's beautiful, older home in a cozy neighborhood on the bay in Alameda. It had been raining most of the morning and afternoon but the skies cleared just in time for the soiree. Homemade pizza was on the menu so I brought a bottle of 2010 Chalone Pinot Noir (Monterey, $18.99 at Bevmo), as red wine and pizza always go well together.

The atmosphere was warm and inviting and we were in love with the beautiful kitchen she had; however, we were more in awe of the grand outdoor pizza oven that was the center piece of their backyard. The wood fire was already going in the oven and the dough was being made for the made to order wood-fired pizzas that would be coming later. We learned that the oven can get up to 900 degrees Fahrenheit and can cook more than just a superb pizza. Glancing through a cookbook that was produced by the same maker of the ovens, I saw stunning pictures of full Thanksgiving dinners made in the outdoor wood-fire oven. Ashwin and I are now predicting an outdoor wood fire pizza oven in our home-owning future.

A different model of the wood-fire pizza oven from the same importer

The stunning oven is imported from Italy by Mugnaini Imports, located in Watsonville, CA. The company sells various different sizes and specs of indoor and outdoor wood-fire ovens. They also offer classes at different locations on wood fire cooking techniques and how to perfect the art of wood-fired pizza.

Back to the pizza. It was crisp, golden, delectable, and done in no more than 3 minutes! We had various pizzas with a multitude of toppings, the next one outdoing the previous one. Peppers, prosciutto, tomato, zucchini, olives, mushroom, pepperoni, etc. We also tried our hand at Indian-style pizzas, with homemade naan baked in the oven and topped with goat cheese and cilantro. With the remaining dough, our hostess made wood-fired oven baked foccacia bread. Can you imagine anything tastier than that?

Always the Patron, Never the Chef...until Now

My passion for the finer things has often lead me to new and enticing restaurants, featuring great menus and even greater wine lists. Before my husband and I were married, we spent many dates at a highly-rated restaurant, wine bar, brunch locale, etc., eager to try out their fare. Lately, however, we have been practicing our culinary skills in our own little kitchen here in Mountain View. When I first started cooking for us, it would take me forever to even just do the prep work and often resulted in a minor cut or scrap to the hand. I was also concerned about needing to cook vegetarian, as Ashwin is mostly a veg eater. Sure, I could get by with baking a couple of chicken breasts in the oven and throwing a green salad together. I had also managed to bake a few items but nothing astounding.

I've managed to create some tasty dishes lately (husband-approved) and am getting more comfortable in the kitchen. I love the feeling of creating something myself from scratch in my own kitchen, albeit small. The smells, the tastes, and just the energy of the kitchen is sublime. We often have a great Pandora station going while we cook - usually Michael Buble or Madeline Peyroux - and open a great bottle of wine, which makes any occasion even better.

Last week's menu consisted of lots of yummies, the main ones being tofu parmigiana and kale and black bean tacos. Both of these recipes were found on allrecipes.com, which is a wonderful resource for all things food and cooking.

Kale and Black Bean Tacos

Tofu Parmigiana with green salad and my own balsamic vinaigrette

This week's menu features delights such as eggplant and almond enchiladas, Olan (Indian Pumpkin Curry) and a Persian stew made from spinach, sweet potatoes, and peaches. Yum!