Hello weekend . Last night, my dad made frozen margaritas for “cocktail hour”. I can’t even remember the last time I had a margarita…I MISS THEM! Paired with crackers and cheese, I was a happy girl. I love him so much!

Not only did my dad prepare cocktail hour, he also manned the grill! For dinner we bought a swordfish steaks from our local fish monger (Who sells fish at different locations during the week from his truck! He gets his fish fresh everyday and it’s the best!), and grilled them on our charcoal grill. I made a spinach salad with cherry tomatoes, avocado, kalamata olives and feta cheese in balsamic. I love how creamy the avocado and feta make this salad! Hermann J. Wiemer Chardonnay was perfect for this Summer meal.

Perfectly grilled! Good work dad!

Tonight is my last dinner at home before leaving for the Culinary Institute of America. I’m still have two more nights at home before I leave, however; tomorrow I’ll be at my Aunt & Uncle’s house celebrating both of their son’s birthday. I’m hoping dinner tonight will be a good meal…I have NO idea what to make!

Bittersweet,

Nora

We walked into the barrel room and were immediately greeted by tall tables, beakers, and 5 mystery wines. It was our mission to create a combination for Reserve Dry Riesling and Dry Riesling. Making sure the ratios were in check for what would equate to 5,000 gallons of wine! Not an easy task. We came up with several possibilities, but we were not satisfied when we had to bring our final product to the judge’s table.

Dad was the chemist.

Mom was the official taste tester.

Oskar and Fred Merwarth (winemaker) judged our creations. We were the 3rd runner up…out of 6 teams. Eh, it was fun and we learned SO much!

Our education continued when Fred took us to the vineyard. He explained how they harvest and what makes the layout of the vineyard so unique. It was a GORGEOUS view! He mentioned that it has been raining a lot in the past few weeks and that he has not been able to take a tractor out. The leaves on the vines were fairly yellow because of the saturation.

We also discovered that Wiemer has another business: The Nursery! They sell varietals around the country, and Fred explained the extensive process they go through each year. Ohio, Michigan and Virginia are just a few states that are really starting to get in to the business.

He taught us abut vine grafting. All of these bins are full of vines that have been coated in wax, getting ready to sell and plant.

Lunch was AMAZING, and perfectly crafted to compliment the wine. It was a production by Chef Michael Murphy (also catered the barrel tasting last Summer). Rumor has it that he may also be opening a bed and breakfast in the area! If he does I will surely take a weekend visit to eat his thoughtful foods, enjoy the distinct Rieslings of the area to pair and basque in beautiful view of the Finger Lakes.

Clockwise: Green Beans, Peanut Noodle Salad and Chicken, Spinach Salad with Dried Pears, Candied Pecans and Riesling Vinaigrette. Salmon with Herb Aioli. Served (of course) with their  2009 Semi-Dry Riesling and 2009 Dry Riesling.

Dessert was a Late Harvest Riesling, Various Cheeses & Dried Fruit, Grilled Pineapple and a Ginger Cookie (Okay…I had another ginger cookie before the day was over–topped with candied ginger and oh SO good!)

The day was not yet over, after lunch we had a tasting of Rieslings from around the world along side the Hermann J. Wiemer wines.

Look at all of those glasses! We tried samples from Austria, Australia, Alsace and Germany along side the Rieslings produced at Hermann J. Wiemer. I found that I actually preferred the Wiemer wines when tasting around the group.

We also had more cheese. The smoked mozzarella and fig-chevre were my favorites with the Rieslings. I especially liked the smokey taste with the very sweet wines.

It’s always such a pleasure to visit the Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyards.  A very special thank you to Fred and Maressa Merwarth, and Oskar for such an enchanting day. I left with a whole new appreciation and passion for the wines of the Finger Lakes Region.

NOTE TO ALL RIESLING LOVERS: On Thursday, 5/26 the Finger Lakes is featuring a Riesling Hour on Facebook and Twitter!! Taste along and follow the conversation! Visit: http://RieslingHour.com for more information.

Finger Lakes and Riesling,

Nora

We were going to have champagne with appetizers but it was not chilled yet. We decided to end the year with our favorite local wine: the 2008 Semi-Dry Riesling from Hermann J. Wiemer. Grafton 4 year Cheddar, Baked Brie with Maple-Pecan Topping. Ciabatta Bread with Dipping Oil.

This didn’t last long. I usually like to have 3 cheeses on a cheese board and thought we had a blue but this was more than enough. I had a hunk of bread with dipping oil and then stuck with the cheese board. Grafton 4 year is my favorite cheddar and I had multiple chunks right off the block. The baked brie was to die for and I think I lost count of how many crackers I had. This brie is stronger and earthier than most. It was lovely with the sweet topping. I could have had a few more of these and called it a night, but we had a decadent meal planned.Filet Mignon with Rosemary-Mushroom Gravy.Asparagus.Lobster Tails with Tarragon Butter.Mixed Green Salad with Lemon-Tarragon Vinaigrette.My Plate

Dinner lasted a few hours.Simi Chardonnay

Multiple glasses of wine and another small bite of lobster later, we were ready for dessert.Chai Spice Cake with Vanilla Bean Custard SauceKey Lime Dip with Graham Crackers

My friend brought over a key lime dip. It was very creamy and sweet. I had a few crackers like this:

Last but not least, there was Blanc De Noir at midnight with a splash of chambord. We all agree that this sparkling wine is better by itself.

Oh what a night! A nap might need to happen today.

Cheers to 2011!

Nora

]]> http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2011/01/01/ringing-in-the-new-year/feed/ 5 http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2010/12/12/blue-cheese-onion-mushroom-arugula-pizza/ http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2010/12/12/blue-cheese-onion-mushroom-arugula-pizza/#comments Sun, 12 Dec 2010 11:19:56 +0000 Nora http://www.livelifeeatright.com/?p=5528 This isn’t your average pizza.Whole Wheat Pizza Dough with Bleu d’Auvergne, Basil Olive Oil, Arugula, Caramelized Onion, Mushrooms and Fig Balsamic Reduction.Hermann J. Wiemer Dry Rose (**I wish I paired a Riesling but this was still good.)

Hi my name is Nora and I am addicted to Farmer’s Markets. At 9am this morning I found myself tasting olive oils and eating cheese with a cappuccino in hand. An odd combination but I had to taste before buying! I joked around with some Italian men at the European Cheese Shop as I made my blue cheese selection. Yes. I think I  have found a new home.Cheese Heaven?Bleu d’Auvergne. (French Blue–creamy, spicy, sweet and nutty. SO delicious!)

I bought the stars of my dinner at the coffee shop next door to the cheese shop,  thus the cappuccino. An olive oil stand was randomly located inside the coffee shop!Fig Balsamic and Basil Olive Oil.

Let’s Get Cookin!Brush Whole Wheat Pizza Dough evenly with Basil Oil.Top with a few TBS of cheese and bake about 1o minutes.Caramelize 1/2 of a small onion. Add about 5-6 white button mushrooms, quartered.Remove pizza from the oven and layer  with arugula, onions, mushrooms and more blue cheese. Place back in the oven and cook another 10-15 until edges are golden.Finish with a fig-balsamic reduction.If this is wrong, then I don’t want to be right. DELICIOUS!And for dessert… a few of these puppies:Dark Chocolate Almond Macaroons. I’m running low.

Bread, Cheese and Wine,

Nora

What are your favorite nontraditional pizza combinations?

I love the calm. The slow. The comfort of home. Last night my parents and I went to church and returned home for a cozy supper. It was bitter cold outside, a perfect night for red wine. We sipped on this Cabernet Franc with cheese and crackers as dinner was cooking.Sirloin Steak. Roasted Butternut Squash. Brussels Sprouts.

We could not have one more turkey meal. 4 meals in a row (minus breakfast of course) is my max. My mom seared steak in a large skillet with butter and beef broth. I roasted butternut squash with herbed olive oil and the Brussels sprouts were leftovers.After dinner I brewed a warm, cinnamon-orange loose leaf tea to have with a leftover chocolate chip cookie bar my cousin made for Thanksgiving.

And because I am 100 years old and my eyes started to close around 9:30pm while watching college basketball with my parents. I got the nudge to head up to bed around 11:30 and had my 8-hours plus some. Sleep is good. In fact, sleep is so good that my parents were still sleeping when I woke up. There was snow on the ground and the peanut butter jar was calling to me. I whipped out the sauce pan and my mom’s over-sized polish pottery mug and made oatmeal.1/2 cup instant oats cooked in 1/2 cup vanilla soy milk, 1 cup water, 1/2 banana, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, ginger. Topped with 1 TBS crunchy natural peanut butter, raspberry jam and local honey.Pretty.

I just opened a new jar of natural peanut butter. You know, the annoying kind that you have to stir down the 1/2 inch of oil that is sitting on top. I know not everyone likes this variety, however; I love it. It is my grocery store brand and the crunchiest I’ve ever come across. It has the best roasted peanut flavor. A little honey drizzled on top is all the sweetness I need. No wonder I can’t keep this in stock at my house!

Packing up the Truffle (I don’t think she wants to leave!).

Enjoy Family Time,

Nora

What is your favorite meal for a cold day?

At the end of the night I was full of food and love. I am so grateful to have such a fantastic family, and appreciated that I could be with them all on this day. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It is a time to pause and realize how fortunate we are for the important things in life.

Grateful,

Nora

Call me crazy, but I have been craving mashed potatoes (spud-crazy?). Sweet potatoes would not satisfy. I needed the starchy, creamy, doughy red skinned potato. And you know what? I needed it smashed with garlic, butter, whole milk, salt and pepper. Yep. A whole pot of potatoes all for me!And what to serve with my creation? Hmm…some hearty protein. I adore the sweet Marsala Wine Sauce created in Chicken Marsala to contrast the garlic. Chicken Marsala it was. I also felt compelled to add some color to my plate.  Roasted Brussels Sprouts is my favorite “green” side dish in the Fall/Winter season.Scallions for garnish. Recipe to come!Yea. This main course blew my mind. WHY DO I NEVER MAKE CHICKEN MARSALA?!?!?!

I love home cookin’!

Comfort,

Nora

What are your favorite comfort foods?

Mushroom, Leek and Spinach Tart

(Serves 1)

• ~1/8 recipe of Pâte brisée
• 1 TBS good olive oil
• 1/2 medium leek (Green and White Parts)
• 2 white mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup baby spinach, julieanne
• 1 Egg
• 1/2 TBS heavy cream
• Pinch (~1/8 TBS) nutmeg
• Fresh Cracked Black Pepper to taste
• ~2-3 TBS freshly grated Gruyere Cheese

1. Pre-heat oven to 375
2. Spray an individual tart dish with non stick cooking spray. Roll pastry dough out to 1/4 inch thickness and shape into dish. Cover with aluminium foil and weight with pie weights or dried beans. Blind bake for 20 minutes.
3. Over a medium heat, add 1 TBS olive oil. Add leek until tender. Add mushrooms until tender. Add spinach until wilted. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
4. Arrange mushroom leek and spinach mixture on the pastry.
5. In a small bowl beat egg and heavy cream. Mix in nutmeg, pepper and Gruyere.
6. Pour egg mixture evenly over the tart. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown.

Would it be wrong if I made this again tomorrow?

Enjoy!

Nora

I’m not trying to be “Negative Nora” but Monday can be difficult! The weekend fun is over, and it’s back to the grind. Luckily, a crazy Monday can always be remedied with satisfying food and a glass of wine. Or maybe it was two glasses of wine .Chicken Florentine Meatballs with Cranberry Sauce on a bed of Spinach. Roasted Carnival Squash. Green Beans with Shallots and Lemony-Hazelnuts.Hermann J. Wiemer 2009 Frost Cuvee.

I think the Hermann J. Wiemer 2009 Frost Cuvee would be a great wine with Thanksgiving fare. It is a blend of Riesling and Gewurztraminer with accents of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. I can taste the sweetness of the Riesling and toasty notes of Chardonnay the most. It isn’t overly sweet or floral. I imagine that it would be excellent with dishes that include thyme and rosemary. Have I mentioned that I am REALLY excited for Thanksgiving? 10 days and counting. No big deal.

I also have a confession. I could eat this apple-orange cranberry sauce by the spoonful. Okay fine, so maybe I did eat it by the spoonful. No one was watching, so no one will ever know . I enjoy the tart flavor of cranberries and decided to cut the sugar in half from a traditional sauce recipe. I added cloves and cinnamon for extra warmth and flavor. I repurposed the thick sauce by  combining it with water, bringing it to a simmer, and adding frozen leftover chicken meatballs to reheat and flavor. This was an AWESOME idea. The meatballs have Panko in them and the combination reminded me of turkey and stuffing rolled into one! I’ll go as far as to say I impressed myself with this idea.

My sauce was so delicious. I may have dipped into my leftovers for breakfast.1/3 cup Rolled Oats, 2 TBS Oat Bran (found while cleaning my cabinets and needed to use), cooked in 1/2 cup Vanilla Soy Milk, 3/4 cup water, Cinnamon, Allspice, Cloves, Ginger. 1 TBS Chia Seeds and 1/2 Large Banana. Topped with Apple-Orange Cranberry Sauce, Walnuts, Almonds, Dried Blueberries and Local Honey.

Yum. Swoon. I hope I am not bored with Thanksgiving flavors on the actual day.

Happy Food,

Nora

What are your favorite ways to “repurpose” Thanksgiving leftovers?

I decided to splurge and pick up a couple of cookies at my bakery. I sampled their Whole Grain Oatmeal and Whole Grain Peanut Butter cookies earlier in the week. I needed to focus and figure out what was in them. They were incredible. Apparently the Peanut Butter Cookie does not contain butter or egg! I use both butter and egg in my peanut butter cookies and they do not taste half as good! WHAT IS THE SECRET?!?I think they use creamy peanut butter with finely ground  roasted peanut. This probably helps the texture to become chewy and the flavor intense. I really liked these because they were not overly sweet. I’m thinking they use a scant amount of light brown sugar.I throughly dissected the oatmeal cookie. Okay, this is a winner. My super detective skills tell me that this cookie has dried cherries, cranberries, dates, apples, cranberries, apricots and raisins. Finely chopped walnuts. Oatmeal, whole wheat flour,  brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg. I cant decide what else might be in these but I can tell you this: my mom would love them. They are wholesome, and just make you feel good inside.After my cookie-capades, I brewed a cup of Uji Gyokuro Green Tea. I am a sucker. This tea is quite expensive so I only bought a small amount. No other green tea can compair. It has an intense grassy flavor and rich mouthfeel. A small amount goes a long way. The way I feel about wine is now extending to tea. I have a whole new appreciation.
Soy-Maple Ginger Salmon. Roasted Broccoli and Mushrooms. Roasted Mustard Red Potatoes. Hermann J. Wiemer Cuvee Frost.For dinner tonight, I felt obligated to make a real meal. I finally had the time, and for the past two nights I have been eating pounds of sweet and sour cabbage along with random contents of my refrigerator. This was delicious and satisfying. Maple and soy are a match made in heaven. I was also pleasantly surprised by the Hermann J. Wiemer 2009 Frost Cuvvee. It had a much stronger Chardonnay taste than past vintages. It was so intriguing that I had to have a second glass.

Tomorrow my friend is having a “Thanksgiving” potluck. I may have a few ideas in mind. Stay tuned for some home cookin .

Cookie Minded,

Nora

What is your favorite type of cookie?