Wine Tasting Kit

I've opened up an Etsy shop with my cousin.  We have a listing for a downloadable wine tasting kit.  A great way to enjoy wine with your friends.  Or, to ponder wine on your own.  To make a purchase, please click on this link.  CHEERS!

All good things ...

 ... must come to an end.

RECIPE INDEX

      * Represents, TFM co-worker and customer favorite recipes.

** Recipes I'm sharing.

2013 RECIPE INDEX
2014 RECIPE INDEX   
2015 RECIPE INDEX
2016 RECIPE INDEX
2017 RECIPE INDEX
2018 RECIPE INDEX
2019 RECIPE INDEX

2020 RECIPE INDEX


A


B
** Boozy Cherry Coke Float

C
** Crab Stuffed Shrimp

D


E


F


G
**  Ginger Manhattan

**  Ginger Party Nuts

H

- Hatch Chiles

    ** Hatch Chile Cream Sauce

    ** Hatch Fire Roasted Salsa

    ** Roasting and Freezing Hatch Chiles
**  Honey Barbecue Baked Beans

**  Honey Barbecue Baked Beans with Bacon

**  Honey Barbecue Chicken

**  Honey Barbecue Grilled Shrimp

I

- Instant Pot

    ** Chorizo Shredded Pork

    ** Italian Pork Ragu    

J
** Jammin Sangria

K


L
** Lemon-Basil Beurre Blanc

M


N


O


P
** Pickled Grape Salad

Q

     

R

** Rosé Sangria

S


T

U


V


W
** Watermelon-Strawberry Sangria

** Wild Alaskan King Salmon en Papillote with Lemon-Basil Beurre Blanc

X


Y

Z

Recipes: Ginger Party Nuts - Ginger Mahnattan - Jammin Sangria - Boozy Cherry Coke Float - Pickled Grape Salad - Honey BBQ Baked Beans - Honey BBQ Baked Beans with Bacon - Honey BBQ Grilled Shirmp - Honey BBQ Chicken

 I displayed fun party food for Labor Day weekend.  

Let's start the party with nuts and beverages ...

Ginger Party Nuts
¼ c. Ginger People Fiji Ginger Syrup
1 lb. (4 c.) unsalted mixed nuts
½ c. Ginger People crystallized ginger, coarsely chopped 

        (I used the whole 3.5 oz. bag)
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. coarse salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
3 Tbl. sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 350^o.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, add Ginger Syrup.  Heat on medium until just warm.  Add remaining ingredients, mix well.  

Arrange nut mixture in a single layer on prepared baking sheet.  Bake 15 minutes or until nuts are golden, stirring occasionally.  Cool completely, then break into bite-size pieces.  Store in an airtight container.

*****

Ginger Manhattan

4 oz. bourbon

2 oz. sweet vermouth

1 oz. Ginger People Fiji Ginger Syrup

Garnish: orange twist

Pour bourbon, sweet vermouth, and ginger syrup into a cocktail shaker (with or without ice).  Shake well.  Pour into a glass and garnish with an orange twist.

 

Yields: 2 cocktails

*****

Jammin Sangria

1 bottle Jam Jar Sweet Shiraz

1 bottle Blood Orange sparkling soda

2 c. apple juice

2 c. triple sec, or orange liqueur (optional)

sliced fruit of your choosing:  orange, lemon, lime, apple, kiwi

Pour all (cold) ingredients into a pitcher.  Serve.

*****

This next recipe is from Stonewall Kitchen.  Have to say, their recipes have never failed me.  

Boozy Cherry Coke Float

(Stonewall Kitchen)

1 c. vanilla ice cream

2 Tbl. juice from Tillen Farms Bada Bing Cherries or Bourbon Bada Bing Cherries

2 oz. bourbon or whiskey (optional)

16 oz. cola

Garnish: Tillen Farms Bada Bing Cherries or Bourbon Bada Bing Cherries

Divide the ice cream amongst two chilled glasses.

Top each glass of ice cream with 1 tablespoon of cherry juice and 1 ounce of bourbon or whiskey.

Slowly fill the glasses with cola, top with cherries. Serve immediately with a straw and a spoon.

For a family friendly version, simply leave out the bourbon or whiskey.

I prepared this at home with the Bourbon Bada Bing cherries.  So much fun.  I used TFM's vanilla bean ice cream. BUT, I only used half the amount of cola.  I found using less cola let the bourbon flavor shine through.

*****

Moving on to side dishes ...

Pickled Grape Salad

(Pati Jinich - patijinich.com)

2 c. Cotton Candy Grapes

1 jalapeno, halved seeded, thinly sliced

2 Tbl. orange juice

2 Tbl. lime juice

1 tsp. lime zest

1 tsp. orange zest

½ c. cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

½ c. fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped

½ tsp. ground cumin

½ red onion, sliced

1 rib celery, sliced

1 tsp. Kosher salt

2 Tbl. olive oil

In a medium bowl, toss the grapes with the jalapeno, lime and orange juices and zests, cumin, red onion, celery, salt, and olive oil.  Toss until fully coated.  Add cilantro and mint and toss to incorporate.

Yields: 4 to 6 servings

My friend in Arizona turned me on to Pati Jinich.  I watch her show on PBS.  Aside from delicious recipes, it's interesting to learn about Mexican culture.

*****

Honey BBQ Baked Beans

(Stonewall Kitchen)

3 (15 oz.) cans beans, drained and rinsed (Pinto, Soldier, Great Northern)

1 lb. kielbasa, or your favorite sausage

1 medium sweet onion, large dice

¼ c. brown sugar, packed

½ tsp. dry mustard

½ tsp. cumin

¾ c. Stonewall Kitchen Honey Barbecue Sauce

Empty beans into 2-quart bean pot or ovenproof casserole dish.

Slice kielbasa into rounds or chunks and sauté until browned. Remove from pan and put into bean pot.

Add onions to sauté pan and cook until soft. Add to beans.

In separate bowl mix Honey Barbecue Sauce, brown sugar, dry mustard and cumin together. Blend well and add to beans.

Bake beans, covered, in a 350^o oven for 2 to 3 hours.

Yields: 8 to 10 servings

I prepared this for Labor Day weekend. Everyone enjoyed them. I modified the recipe slightly since I used bacon and not kielbasa ---

Honey BBQ Baked Beans with Bacon

(Anita modifed from Stonewall Kitchen)

3 (15 oz.) cans beans, drained and rinsed (Pinto, Navy)

½ lb. bacon, cut into ½" slices

1 medium sweet onion, large dice

¼ c. dark brown sugar, packed

½ tsp. dry mustard

½ tsp. cumin

¾ c. Stonewall Kitchen Bourbon Molasses Barbecue Sauce

In ovenproof  pan (I use my Le Creuset) cook bacon, but do not make crispy.  Add onion and sauté  until onions are translucent.

To pan add brown sugar, dry mustard, cumin and Bourbon Molasses Barbecue Sauce.  Stir until thoroughly incorporated.

Bake beans, covered, in a 350^o oven for 2 to 3 hours.

Yields: 8 to 10 servings

*****

Honey BBQ Grilled Shrimp

(Stonewall Kitchen)

1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

¼ c. Stonewall Kitchen Honey Barbecue Sauce

¾ c. pineapple chunks, drained

1 bunch spring onions, cut into 2" lengths

In a ziploc bag or shallow dish, marinate shrimp in Honey Barbecue Sauce for 15 minutes.

Skewer shrimp alternating with pineapple and spring onion.

Grill shrimp until they are pink and just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side.

Yields: 4 servings

This sounded like an easy peasy meal.  Could even make into an appetizer.  My family does not eat shrimp, I prepared this using using chicken.

Honey BBQ Grilled Shrimp Chicken

(Anita modifed from Stonewall Kitchen)

1 lb. boneless chicken breast or thighs, cut into 2" cubes

½ c. Stonewall Kitchen Honey Barbecue Sauce, 

        plus more for drizzling when serving.

¾ c. pineapple chunks, drained  

1 sweet onion, but into wedges

In a ziploc bag or shallow dish, marinate chicken in Honey Barbecue Sauce for 15 minutes.

Preheat broiler to high.

Skewer chicken alternating with pineapple and onion. Place on baking sheet.

Place chicken under broiler and cook until cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side.  Remove to serving platter and drizzle with additional Honey Barbecue Sauce.

Yields: 4 servings

Recipes: Rosé Sangria - Watermelon-Strawberry Sangria - (Instant Pot) Chorizo Shredded Pork - Hatch Fire Roasted Salsa - Hatch Chile Cream Sauce - Roasting and Freezing Hatch Chiles

 Let me begin with ...

Aside from not being able to sample, this was just like old times!  THANK YOU Pat, Libby, Susan, Donna & Steve, Cathy & Jim and (in spirit) Helen & Pat for coming to see me and support me.  It's been way too long since we all got together and chatted. This was just like old times.

Now on to the recipes ... I shared a few oldies from the archives and a couple of new ones.  Click on the title and you will be directed to the recipe.

Watermelon-Strawberry Sangria - This is Bobby Flay's recipe from his show Barbecue Addiction.   Requires a bit of prep, but a very refreshing cocktail.  Especially for the Labor Day weekend.

Rosé Sangria - Ina Garten's recipe which I modified.  (Apologies Ina Garten.)

(Instant Pot) Spanish Chorizo Shredded Pork - This met with rave reviews when I sampled it in 2019. 

 

Hatch Fire Roasted Salsa - This recipe is easy peasy.  Just add Hatch Chiles and a couple other ingredients to TFM's Nom Nom Salsa and take it enhances the flavor and texture.

Hatch Chile Cream Sauce - Great for finishing off your tacos, chicken, pork.

I have a nice assortment of recipes and products for next weekend.  Perfect for Labor Day celebrations and backyard BBQs.

Product Table every Saturday

With Covid and Delta I'm not able to sample and most of my regulars (aka Moochers and this is said with love) haven't been in the store.  Life at TFM, for me, is not lively nor fun. So, I've asked my new manager (agh! training another one as to what I do - but I love Ernie) if I could set-up a table every Saturday featuring wines, recipes, new products, and whatever else I can think of to chat about and sell.

Beginning this Saturday, August 28th from 11AM to 3:30PM I will have a table setup with recipes and products.  Without sampling (oh so sad) I will be at the table talking about what I'm featuring that day.

Please stop in and chit chat with me. Brighten my day! Show my new manager that I am loved. 

Wine Review: Forge Cellars Seneca Lake Dry Riesling Classique

 

Winemaker's Notes:  Grapefruit and violet

The winemaker's notes are very concise don't you think?

I was thrilled to have a dry riesling.  Forge Cellars 2019 Seneca Lake Dry Riesling Classique (New York) is light bodied and nicely balanced.  Palatte had some minerality, hint of citrus and a slight tartness.  Would pair perfectly with seafood.  HIGHLY RECOMMEND.  TFM's price is $16.99