Wine and Food Tasting - December 22nd and 23rd

Friday, December 22nd (12:00 to 4:00 PM)
and

Saturday, December 23rd (12:00 to 4:00 PM)

(Commonwealth Pkwy., Midlothian)

Wine  

• (I will select the wines when I get to the store.)

Food 

• Assorted Cheeses
• (Saturday) Wild Hibiscus Flowers

Wine and Food Tasting - December 2nd & 3rd (Updated 12/1/17 5:30 PM)

Get your party on!

With Thanksgiving over, it all turns to parties from now until New Year's Eve.  

TFM Corporate has a required sampling this weekend.  I haven't had any time to put my stamp on it.  It's exactly as Corporate has asked.  However, I will try and sample wine.

Saturday, December 2nd (12:00 to 4:00 PM)
and
Sunday, December 3rd (12:00 to 4:00 PM)

Food, Wine and Cocktails follow.  The food is not all being sampled on the same day, nor at the same time.  I will put one or two items out and rotate through the offerings.

Food

• Fromage d'Affinois with dried apricots and Marcona Almonds
• Fromage d'Affinois with (not sure what yet) and Stonewall Kitchen Sea Salt Crackers
• Maryland Crab Cakes with Stonewall Kitchen Lemon Herb Aioli
• Coconut Shrimp with Stonewall Kitchen Curried Mango Grille Sauce
• Flying Meatballs - Brandy, Beef, Turkey, Three Meat, and Buffalo Chicken
• TFM Frozen Appetizers

Wine

• (Not sure.  Have to see if anything new is in at a reasonable price point.)

Cocktail (non-alcoholic)

• Cranberry Smash
• Spicy Paloma

After this weekend, I am off to East Hanover, NJ to sample for Stonewall Kitchen and La Tourangelle at Bed, Bath & Beyond.  Will also go see my parents in NY for Dad's 90th birthday.  I won't be back to the store until the weekend of Christmas.  Will post when I return from NJ and my TFM has told me what's going on.  

Recipe: Turkey/Ham and Brie with Cranberry Horseradish Sauce

For a quick and delicious appetizer or sandwich, you will want to prepare the following recipe.  Great for holiday leftovers.  Great anytime of year.

Turkey/Ham and Brie with Cranberry Horseradish Sauce
Sliced Turkey or Ham
Sliced Brie
1 jar Stonewall Kitchen Cranberry Horseradish Sauce
Sliced bread or baguette

Spread Cranberry Horseradish Sauce on one side of bread/baguette.  Top with turkey or ham, and brie.  Leave open faced, or make into a sandwich.

Customers, and TFM employees, could not get enough of these tasty little bites.  I had 4 cases of Stonewall Kitchen's Cranberry Horseradish Sauce and sold all but one (dang it, one) jar.  So close to selling out of product. ENJOY!

Wine and Food Tasting - November 21st and 22nd

I'll have a fun wine and food tasting Tuesday and Wednesday. Since it's Thanksgiving it will be a party!  Wines will be special too.

Yes, this is me!  A bottle of bubble while I'm cooking.

Tuesday, November 21st (1:00 to 5:00 PM)

(Commonwealth Pkwy., Midlothian)

Wine   

e Elouan Rose
e Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc
e Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais

    Nouveau
e Meiomi Pinot Noir 

   (2015 v. 2016 comparison tasting)

Food  

• Crostini with Stonewall Kitchen Cranberry Horseradish Sauce, turkey and Brie
• Assorted cheeses

Wednesday, November 22nd (1:00 to 5:00 PM)

(Commonwealth Pkwy., Midlothian)

Wine   

e Sonoma-Cutrer Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
e Alto Limay Rose

e Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau

e Belle Glos Pinot Noir Las Alturas
e Gruet Brut Sparkling

Food   

• Brie with Blake Hill Orange, Lime and Ginger Marmalade
• Assorted cheeses

Recipe: Pumpkin Sausage Sauce

A fun filled, busy day Saturday!  I SOLD OUT (I love those words) of La Tourangelle's EVOO spray.  By Sunday, I barely had any Pumpkin Pasta Sauce left in the store and Meat Department said I sold a lot of sausage.  Yippee and a pat on my back!

Pumpkin Sausage Sauce

1 jar TFM Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
3/4 to 1 lb. bulk sweet Italian Sausage
La Tourangelle EVOO spray
2 to 3 Tbl. chicken broth
1/3 c. raw pumpkin seeds

Heat a medium pot and spray with La Tourangelle olive oil.  Add pumpkin seeds and cook until lightly toasted.  Remove from pot and set aside.

Using same pot, heat and spray with La Tourangelle olive oil. Add sausage and cook thoroughly.  Add TFM Pumpkin Pasta Sauce.  Rinse jar with broth, add contents to pan.  Simmer until heated through.  Serve over zucchini noodles or your favorite pasta. Garnish with pumpkin seeds.

This was the HIT of the day.  Delicious and perfect for the fall.  

I used La Tourangelle's EVOO as it has a nice hint of pepper on the finish.  With this hint of pepper and salt from all the other products, I didn't have to use any seasoning.  Just cook and serve.

You can also add more sausage for a thicker sauce and serve over rolls as Sloppy Joes.

Another option is to use a tad less sausage, and more chicken (or vegetable broth) to make a soup.  Garnish soup with a dollop of sour cream, a drizzle of La Tourangelle's Walnut Oil, and pumpkin seeds.

No matter how you look at it, it's comfort food!

Enjoy!

Wine and Food Tasting - October 29th & 29th

Saturday, October 28th (12:00 to 4:00 PM)

(Commonwealth Pkwy., Midlothian)

Wine  
Retrofit Chardonnay stated on their bottle, "Compare to Rombauer".  They threw down the gauntlet and I accepted the challege!  I do enjoy a comparative tasting.

• Retrofit Chardonnay
• Rombauer Chardonnay
• Acacia Pinot Noir
• Plungerhead Old Vine Zinfandel

Food 

• Zucchini Noodles with a Sausage Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
• Cream Cheese Biscuits with Pumpkin Butter
• Cheese and Chocolate pairing

Sunday, October 29th (12:00 to 4:00 PM)

(Commonwealth Pkwy., Midlothian)

Wine  

• CA'Montini Pinot Grigio
• Chateau Maycott Riesling
• Misbehaved Pinot Noir

Food  

• Zucchini Noodles with a Sausage Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
• Cream Cheese Biscuits with Pumpkin Butter
• Cheese and Chocolate pairing

October 21st & 22nd

I will not be at TFM this weekend. I'm actually on vacation, doing the Lighthouse Challenge in NJ.  I will be at TFM the following weekend (Oct. 28th and 29th) with food and wine.  I'll post the details later next week.

Food Tasting - October 14th

It's time to get ready for the holidays.  Baking season will begin and holiday parties too. We will be sampling La Tourangelle Oils and Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup .

La Tourangelle is on sale this month.

There will be two samplings.  I will be at Fresh Market, Commonwealth Pkwy.  Pat will be at TFM Huguenot.

Saturday, October 14th (1:00 to 4:00 PM)

La Tourangelle Olive Oils  

• EVOO
• Walnut Oil
• Almond Oil
• Pecan Oil
• Hazelnut Oil

Lori will be sampling Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup.

Saturday, October 14th (12:00 to 4:00 PM)
(Huguenot Rd., Midlothian)

Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup

• Wild Hibiscus Flowers with goat cheese, black pepper and chive
• Wild Hibiscus Flowers with brie, pistachios and citron sea salt on a lemon cookie

Wine and Food Tasting - September 30th

It's not a TFM Corporate sampling!  I get to do my thing!!!

Saturday, September 30th (12:00 to 4:00 PM)

(Commonwealth Pkwy., Midlothian)

Wine  

• Charles & Charles Chardonnay
• Kung Fu Girl Riesling
• Leap of Faith (Red Blend)
• MAX Cabernet

Food 

• (Quite a few new cheeses have come in.  I will be sampling a selection of those.)

Recipes: Blue Cheese-Horseradish Spread - Grape Salsa

Life has become all about what TFM Corporate wants sampled. However, I still put my spin on it if I feel a recipe falls flat.  This weekend I prepared a Blue Cheese - Horseradish Spread to go with flank steak.

My Version:

     Blue Cheese – Horseradish Spread

     17. 6 oz. container Fage Total (Greek yogurt)

     8 oz. blue cheese crumbles

     ¼ c. Stonewall Kitchen Horseradish Aioli

     ½ tsp. salt

     Place all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.  Mix until 

     thoroughly blended.

Customers enjoyed this recipe with a deliciously tender flank steak.  A nice balance of blue cheese and horseradish.  Aside from "delicious", comments included, "the bomb", and "amazing". It paired perfectly with Bogle Phantom Chardonnay.  This is a definite must try.  

TFM Corporate:

      Blue Cheese – Horseradish Spread

      17. 6 oz. container Fage Total (Greek yogurt)

      5 oz. blue cheese crumbles

      2 Tbl. Stonewall Kitchen Horseradish Aioli

      ½ tsp. salt

      Place all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.  Mix until 

      thoroughly blended.

Customers never sampled this recipe as I felt it tasted too much like Greek yogurt with very little blue cheese flavor and no horseradish notes.  Sorry, but I don't want yogurt flavor with my flank steak.  

About a month ago TFM Corporate's sampling was grape themed.  The only recipe worth posting was TFM's  Fresh Grape Salsa. 

Fresh Grape Salsa

1½ lbs. red seedless grapes, washed, de-stemmed and quartered

½ clamshell fresh mint, finely chopped

½ small red onion, finely chopped

1 Tbl. TFM red wine vinegar

½ - 1 Tbl. agave syrup

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and chill at least one hour.

Serve over goat cheese with TFM French Rounds or your favorite cracker.

Definitely a customer favorite.  Customers were amazed  they enjoyed grapes in a salsa.  Perfect over goat cheese.

Food and Wine Sampling - September 17th

I've gotten over my little snit and for days, weeks, months (not years) I've been trying to figure out how I reincorporate wine sampling.  I think I finally figured it out yesterday and will give it a test run today.  Fingers crossed!

Sunday, September 17th (2:00 to 6:00 PM)

Wine  

• Sam told me the Halloween wines were in receiving.  She was going to put them out last night.  Not sure what we have in stock, but I'll be pouring 3 of them.  I'm hoping Bogle Phantom was delivered.  This year they also introduced Bogle Phantom Chardonnay.

Food 

• Flank Steak with a Blue Cheese-Horseradish Dip
• Frontera Tortilla Chips
• Frontera Salsa
• Tomato
• Tomatillo
• Jalapeno Cilantro

Food Sampling - August 19th & 20th

I will be at the Commonwealth Pkwy Fresh Market on August 19th and 20th.  It's all TFM required sampling and no wine.  No wine.  No fun.  Doubt I'll be posting anymore.  

Food Sampling - August 5th & 6th

I almost forgot to post.  A lot of food will be sampled this weekend and if history tells me anything ... it will all be on my table.  Therefore, no room for wine.  Those of you who know me ... NOT FUN.  Oh, the theme seems to be grapes.

Saturday, August 5th & 6th (2:00 to 6:00 PM)

Food (I believe this is what I'm sampling.  I'll find out for sure when I go in on Saturday.)

• Preparing sausage and grapes with balsamic vinegar in the slow cooker.
• Goat Cheese and Grape Salsa
• Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches

Wine and Food Tasting - July 29th & 30th

I'll be at the Commonwealth Pkwy. Fresh Market this weekend.  Hopefully I won't have a lot of surprises handed to me for sampling like I did two weeks ago.  If I'm just sampling the meal deal as expected, I will be able to pour wine.

Saturday, July 29th (2:00 to 6:00 PM)

Wine  

• (Have to see what's in stock.)

Food 

• Preparing Enchilada Meal Deal

Sunday, July 30th (2:00 to 6:00 PM)

Wine  

• (Depends how Saturday goes.  Customers at this store don't purchase much wine and this Fresh Market has a nice selection. Hmmm...)

Food 

• Preparing Enchilada Meal Deal

Wine and Food Tasting - July 15th & 16th

I will be at Fresh Market on Commonwealth Pkwy.  Since I have to cook, not sure I'll also be able to pour wine. 

Saturday, July 15th (2:00 to 6:00 PM)

Food

• Cooking Meal Deal - Lettuce Wraps

Sunday, July 16th (2:00 to 6:00 PM)

Food

• Cooking Meal Deal - Lettuce Wraps

Recipe: Tropical Hibiscus Spritzer

Aside from the required TFM Corporate sampling and pouring wine, I also sampled a Spritzer.  Everyone enjoys Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup, but I never sample enough recipes using the syrup.  

Tropical Hibiscus Spritzer

2 c. orange juice

1-1/3 c. pineapple juice

½ c. Wild Hibiscus syrup

Seltzer or Prosecco

Mix all ingredients in a pitcher. Serve over ice and top with seltzer or Prosecco. Garnish with orange wedge, pineapple wedge and Hibiscus flower in syrup.

Customers enjoyed.  This Spritzer is refreshing and great for a hot summer day.

Wine and Food Tasting - July 1st & 2nd

UGH! Found out I'm outside grilling.  That means I won't be pouring wine.  But, I'll try and have a refreshing non-alcholic beverage.  This also means, if Saturday is too hot for me, I won't be working Sunday.  Which could snowball to losing my job, but such is life.  Not off to a banner start at my new store.  (Apologies for venting, but hot weather doesn't agree with me, lost the AC at the house and won't be replaced until Monday, and add a hot grill to that ... not pretty.) 

Yippee!!! I'll be inside sampling.  So, I'll still be employed by TFM on Sunday.  Someone else will be outside grilling and bringing me the hamburgers and hot dogs.  Now we can have a party.  I'll be wearing two hats - wine distributor and TFM employee.  Hope below makes sense.

Saturday, July 1st (12:00 to 3:00 PM)

Wine  

• Cavit (not sure which varietals)

Sunday, July 2nd (2:00 to 6:00 PM)

Food

• Grilling:
• Hamburgers 
• Hot Dogs

Condiment

• Dillapeno

Wine (3:00 to 6:00)

• Chocovine Original

Beverage

• Tropical Hibiscus Spritzer

Sunday, July 2nd (2:00 to 6:00 PM)  

Food

• Fresh Fruit:
• Watermelon
• Pineapple
• Sugar Kissed Melon

• Grilling:
• Hamburgers
• Hot Dogs

Wine

• Elouan Rose
• Classic Margarita
• Strawberry Margarita
• Chocovine (Original)

I'm Back!

No, I have not dropped off the face of the earth.  Nor have I retired.  Life has been so hectic.  I will begin posting again.  

Posts will resume next week.  I'll be sampling at TFM Commonwealth Pkwy (off Hull St.).  I have transferred from the Huguenot store to here.  I will be doing required samplings from TFM Corporate, but will be opening wine.  TFM Commonwealth Pkwy. has a great wine selection so I'm looking forward to wandering and choosing what to pour. Hopefully, Pam (store manager) will let me do other samplings as well.  It's always fun to try new products and recipes.

In the meantime, I am headed to the Fancy Food Show in NYC.  

Wine and Food Tasting - January 13th & 14th

Friday, January 13th (3:00 to 6:00 PM)  
(Fresh Market - Huguenot)

Food

• Effie's Homemade
• Nut Cakes
• Oat Cakes

Wines

• Mark West Pinot Grigio
• Mark West Pinot Noir

Saturday, January 14th (1:00 to 4:00 PM)  
(Fresh Market - Commonwealth Pkwy.)

Food

• Effie's Homemade
• Nut Cakes
• Oat Cakes

Wines

• Mark West Pinot Grigio
• Mark West Pinot Noir