Pinwheels and Bubbles

The next in line for Holiday favorites comes from cjsiege, who has a sparkling personality and a penchant for sparklies to match. CJ has provided a recipe for Chevre Pinwheel appetizers, which can serve as a base to be jazzed up, or can be served as-is. I had a thought pop in mind immediately upon reading the recipe that I knew would work perfectly. And indeed, this comes pretty close to being a perfect pairing!

Wine: N.V. Mumm Napa Brut Rosé
Meal: Chevre Pinwheel Appetizers

Before I get into the scoring, let me just preface by saying that this reminded me very much of being a fizzy version of the grenache rose just recently reviewed, so some of the comments may seem quite alike. Also, because this is a non-vintage, I am not scoring on aging. Aging means nothing to a non-vintage, so the overall rating will be out of 10 points.

Color: (5/5)
Rich pink, almost salmon colored with good clarity. Nicely sized bubbles that trail from the bottom of the glass to the top that make really pretty patterns when you twirl the glass.

Nose: (11/15)
Strawberries and raspberries up front. Summery, pleasant, but simple.

Taste: (8/10)
More fizzy in the mouth than the bubbles would lead you to believe. Tastes very much like a raspberry spritzer, very similar to the grenache rose in the previous post. Nice and dry, clean. Really tasty.

Finish: (6/10)
Short but pleasant. Nothing memorable about it though.

Overall: (7/10)
Really good stuff, very easy drinking. Fun to drink, too, with the fizziness!

Total: 87pts

What led me to choosing this was the chevre cheese that is featured in the pinwheels. I knew it would need something with good acidity to counterbalance the creaminess of the cheese. Since it is an appetizer, it was also a great chance to be able to go with a sparkling wine. And how appropriate that this was for CJ, mistress of sparklies! The wonderful thing about this pairing is that the wine really brings out the herbs in the pinwheels. It cleanses the palate of the cheese, and it just works really well.

I made two versions since the recipe makes two rolls - the basic recipe, and one with salami rolled in. Both were just amazing!

Want to make this meal?

Chevre Pinwheel Appetizers

Makes 32 little appetizer things.

2 cans crescent roll dough (the new Pillsbury one that doesn’t have perforations is ideal)
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
4 oz chevre (goat cheese), room temperature. (Flavored is good, too.)
Herbs/spices of choice (Italian seasoning, or thyme & sage, or dill, or garlic & chive, etc.)
2 T mayonnaise, divided

Thoroughly mix together cream cheese and chevre until they are well blended. Add 2 tsp (dried) or 2 T (fresh) herbs & spices to taste, flavoring the cream cheese.

Lay a long sheet of wax paper on the workspace – at least 24 inches. Open and unroll the crescent roll dough onto the wax paper. If the dough is perforated, squish the perfs back together again. Make sure the long edge of the rectangle faces you and the short edges are to the left & right sides. Using a silicone or rubber spatula, spread 1 T mayo across the surface of the dough, leaving about 1 inch clear on the long edge closest to you. The aim is a micro-thin layer of mayo across the dough – except for the last 1 inch. (You need that edge clean so you can seal the roll.)

Using an offset spatula, pat & smear ½ of the cheese mixture all across the dough – everywhere the mayo is. You’ll need to pat it into place instead of spread, because the mayo will make the dough base slippery. Starting at the long edge away from you, roll the dough toward you in a relatively tight spiral. You should end at the un-mayo’ed edge closes to you. Re-roll the entire dough log in the sheet of wax paper, twisting the ends closed. Place the roll in the fridge for at least 1 hour before you even THINK about slicing it.

Now, make the second roll exactly the same way you made the first roll. Chill it, too.

After thoroughly chilling the rolls, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 jelly-roll pans with parchment paper. Slice each roll into 16 discs. (Be careful doing this. I’ve sliced my fingers too many times while doing this part. Try keeping the roll wrapped in the wax paper. Sometimes this helps. ) Lay each disc flat to bake. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-18 minutes, rotating the pans as needed about halfway through. Remove to a cooling rack. Serve warm. These can be reheated if wrapped in Release foil and baked for 5-8 minutes from the fridge.

The mayo is actually a critical part of the recipe. If you don’t put the mayo layer on, the cheese is completely absorbed by the dough, and you don’t get the pretty pinwheel effect.

CJ says: The basic recipe (dough, cream cheese, and mayo layer) is a great springboard. I’ve mixed in parmesan cheese, then put a layer of prosciutto on top of the cheese, rolled and baked. That is yummy. I’ve also used veggie cream cheese, then topped with strips of roasted red pepper and shaved slices of provolone for a vegetarian version. I’ve also used feta cheese and minced kalamata olives mixed in to the cream cheese for a greek version.

Chicken a la Sparky

Tonight begins the December special event! This recipe comes to us from MarkDaSpark, affectionately called Sparky. His grandmother used to make this for special events, and the recipe was deciphered by his aunts. When he passed it on to me, we realized there were a few pieces missing. So we figured it out, and here's what happened! The selected wine was chosen from Sparky's cellar. I just happened to have a bottle in my own.

Wine: 2007 Epiphany Grenache Rosé Rodney's Vineyard
Meal: Chicken Fricassee

Color: (5/5)
Salmon pink with good clarity. Seems to have sat on the skins just long enough to impart this beautiful shade.

Nose: (11/15)
Strawberries right off the bat, a touch of citrus and mineral. Grapefruit becomes distinct after a bit.

Taste: (8/10)
Strawberry and raspberry up front with a little creaminess. It has a good rich mouthfeel. Plum follows, turning into Jolly Rancher watermelon. No heat - really easy drinking. Bright, almost crisp, with good acidity.

Finish: (8/10)
Vanilla and cherries, melting away to a little woodiness. Fades away to some green herbs (parsley in particular) then dissipates.

Aging: (2/5)
2 years and holding well, but would recommend drinking sooner rather than later. This is its peak, for sure.

Overall: (4/5)
Really tasty. I'm enjoying this quite a bit. Make sure it gets a good chill before drinking it.

Total: 88pts

The wine really complements this meal by cleansing the palate so that each bite has a nice fresh taste. The recipe yields 4 servings of fall off the bone chicken with enough sauce to drown the noodles. "I remember I used to love drowning the rice or noodles in the sauce," says Sparky. I can see why. I went with egg noodles tonight.

Want to make this meal?

Chicken Fricassee, courtesy of MarkDaSpark
1 fryer, cut in pieces
1 bunch chopped parsley
1 white onion
2 small cloves of garlic
1 cup white wine (your choice, I used leftover Muller-Thurgau)
1 can button mushrooms, drained
1 can pitted kalamata olives, drained
2 bay leaves, whole
1 can chicken broth, 14oz
1/2 stick butter, divided

Chop parsley and garlic together finely. Chop onion separately and brown in 2 Tbsp butter until golden in color, then add parsley and garlic with a shot of olive oil for moisture. Cook together for 5 minutes.

Sauté chicken pieces in 2 Tbsp butter over medium-high heat until the skin is golden brown. Transfer chicken and liquid into a dutch oven or a 4-qt stock pot and deglaze pan with chicken broth. Add parsley mixture and bay leaves to chicken, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add broth, mushrooms, olives and wine to the stock pot, simmering for 10 minutes or so. Serve over a bed of steamed rice/noodles. It doesn't hurt to simmer longer.

Enjoy!

Something Fishy

Not rating the wine tonight as it wouldn't be fair - it's been open for 3 days already. This is more of a "I threw dinner together and it turned out great and I wanted to share" kind of meal.

Wine: 2007 Anne Amie Müller-Thurgau Cuvée A
Meal: Deep-fried Catfish and green bean casserole

The wine is much drier than the last Müller-Thurgau I reviewed, but much of the flavors remain the same. It's quite lovely, and is clearly holding up well after a few days in the fridge. Goes quite nicely with the meal, as well - its light flavor compliments the lightness of the fish.

Want to make this meal?

Deep-fried Catfish
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp white pepper
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 egg
1 Tbsp water
1/2 lb catfish nuggets

Mix together in a bowl the cornmeal, flour, peppers and spices. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Coat the nuggets in the egg wash and then dredge in the flour mixture.

Heat a deep-fryer to 375 degrees. Place the nuggets in the oil and cook for 5-6 minutes until golden brown.

Dipping sauce
1 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp horseradish
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl until smooth.

Side with your favorite green bean casserole (I just heated up frozen Green Giant green bean casserole).

Enjoy!

Holiday Special Event!

Hey guys, special event on a·pair·i·tif coming up in December, and I need you all to participate!

Send me your favorite Holiday recipe and I will prepare it and find something to pair with it either from my cellar and yours (if you have CellarTracker and if I can find it locally or it's something we have in common). If I don't have/can't find the wine in your cellar that I would pair the item with, I will choose something from my own cellar to do a pairing and rating on, but will also suggest the wine from your cellar.

This event will be limited to the first 5 people I receive recipes from, due to time constraints. Please send the recipes to me via email at cheron at apairitif dot net.

Dinner Fit for a Super Hero

This evening's wine comes to us from Super Hero Wines, one of the labels produced by Scott Harvey. This is the latest in his line of InZINerator wines, all zinfandel, with charming, comic-book style labels. The 2006 featured here is represented by the Femme Knight, given a touch of sweetness by the addition of 2% Forte, Scott's own port-style wine. It is because of this that I chose this wine to go along with my port-reduction glazed pork chops, and it works well!

Wine: 2006 Super Hero Wines InZINerator
Meal: Port-reduction Glazed Pork Chops with potatoes and green beans

Color: 5/5
Deep plum, excellent clarity. Color just slightly pulls back from the glass, but only barely.

Nose: 12/15
The first scent to come to mind was of roses, followed by violets. Very floral nose, with a finishing scent of spices, predominantly cinnamon. A very mixed potpourri nose, but kind of simple at the same time.

Taste: 7/10
Start with a bite from a fresh plum. Pop in a few chocolate-covered raspberries and cherries. Take another bite of the plum. That's it. Not very complicated, on the sweeter side, really needs some food to temper it.

Finish: 7/10
The plum continues on the finish along with the sweetness, and a touch of vanilla with a little bit of cherry cough syrup. The finish goes on and on, but it's mostly plum. I like the finish more than the palate.

Aging: 2/5
I'd say this will probably stick around until 2012. 6 years from vintage date.

Overall: 3/5
Certainly not my favorite from Scott Harvey. I liked the 2004 vintage better, which does not have the Forte addition. Apparently when bottling the magnums of the 2006, it was a different blend that is more in the dry style, closer to the 2004. It's tasty, definitely a food wine. Trying to drink it alone is tough.

Total: 86pts

The port sauce really helped to temper the sweetness, as its own sweetness overpowered the wine's, allowing a better flavor to come out. Really good pairing.

Want to make this meal?

Port-reduction glazed pork chop
1 cup Port (or port-style wine)
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 Tbsp vanilla
1 pork chop, bone-in
1 sprig thyme
2 tsp Lawry's seasoning salt

Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Season the pork chop with the salt and place on the tray, with the sprig of thyme on top. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan, begin heating the port. Once it begins to steam, stir in the sugar and vanilla. Bring to a boil, then allow to reduce until the desired consistency is achieved.

Baby White Potatoes
Melt 1 Tbsp butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add a can of whole white potatoes, drained, with a pinch of Kosher salt, a sprinkling of ground pepper, and 1 tsp dried rosemary. Heat until golden brown and slightly crispy on the edges.

Green beans
Prepare cut green beans in your favorite method. Mine are canned and microwaved just to give me some delicious green.

Enjoy!

It's Almost Time...

It's coming up on that time of year again, when the most dark and delicious event of the wine world takes place! For full event details and up-to-date information, check out the official event page at PS I Love You.

Farewell to Summer

The end of summer is upon us and fall is fast approaching. I decided to go for a nice transitional meal tonight - grilled pork chops with a garnish reminiscent of summery caprese salad, and polenta on the side. And the grill called for Ty Caton's Field Blend.

Wine: 2005 Ty Caton Field Blend Red
Meal: Herb-crusted Pork Chop with Polenta

Color: 5/5
Deep deep purple, inky dark loveliness

Nose: 14/15
Raspberries, currants, black pepper, mustiness, blueberries, touch of oak, a touch of earth. A sit'n'sniff all day wine!

Taste: 8/10
Blackberries & chocolate at the front, black pepper on the mid-palate. Somewhat herby.

Finish: 8/10
Raisinettes, vanilla, oak.

Aging: 3/5
Drinking beautifully now, seems like it will hold a little while longer.

Overall: 4/5
Arguably one of my favorites. One of Ty's "lower end" bottles, makes a great every day drinker that also works well on special occasions. Lovely, lovely wine.

Total: 92pts

The wine really works well with the meal. They both just seem to complete each other, which is as it should be. It's really well-balanced, and seems like this wine has really come together and is nicely integrated now. What do I mean? Well, I first had one of these in July of 2008, and this is what I wrote about it:

This stuff is fantastic. Lasted me 4 days and held up all throughout. Very fruity nose on day 1, berries on the palate. Day 2 brought out a little bit of oak on the nose, with a spiciness across the palate. Day 3 brought with it a cocoa finish, with slightly more pronounced oak. Day 4 it began to fade, but was still full of flavor. Very well-balanced wine. This is stuff to stock up on.

I scored it at 90pts back then.

Want to make this meal?

Please note that the fresh herbs are important to this dish. Don't use dried stuff. Go get it fresh.

Herb-crusted Pork Chop
1 bone-in pork chop, at least 1/2" thick
2 Tbsp kosher salt
1/4 cup (unpacked) dark brown sugar
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig oregano
12 leaves basil
1 tsp chopped chives

Remove the thyme and oregano leaves from their stalks. Tear up the basil leaves. Place all herbs, salt, and sugar into a bowl and toss well. Pack the mixture onto both sides of the pork and allow to sit for about 10 minutes.

Heat grill to medium (~350 - 400 degrees). Do not rub off the herb crust from the pork prior to cooking. Cook pork directly over medium heat for 6 minutes on each side, or until the meat reaches 165 degrees. Allow to rest for about 5 minutes, then top with caprese topping.

Caprese Topping
1 can diced tomatoes
1 tsp kosher salt
10 leaves basil

Strain the juice from the tomatoes and reserve. Tear up basil leaves, and place in bowl with tomatoes and salt. Toss lightly to mix and place in refrigerator until ready to serve.

This can be served as a side dish with fresh mozzarella if desired.

Polenta
3 slices pre-made polenta
Tomato juice reserved from can

In a small skillet over medium-high heat, heat up tomato juice just until it begins to boil. Gently place polenta rounds into the pan and cook for about 2 minutes on each side. Top with remaining (and now thickened) tomato juice.

Pre-made polenta - you can generally find this in grocery stores. It comes in packaging reminiscent of sausage. I still have yet to successfully make home-made polenta, but this stuff comes close.

Enjoy!