For the Love of Food

 Not up for battling those lovers’ crowds on VDay?  Why not head out one night later, and make it a ‘more the merrier’ kind of event!
Bring your lover, your best pals or a whole gaggle of food lovers for this – one of our most popular events of the year – a dinner celebrating our love and adoration of food!

Let’s just start by saying: Not that I have a whole lot to complain about this week, with my PACKERS GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL, and all. 

But…I have to tell you, sometimes these frigid Midwestern temps get the best of me.  The only words I seem to hear on Kare11 these days are ‘Arctic Blast’ and ‘More Snow!’  Does it ever stop?  Not when you’re a Minnesotan and it’s almost February.  This is the time of year where most of us jump to get on an airplane, pack our bags for someplace warm and get the heck out of Dodge.  But, not me.  At least, not yet!

Instead of reaching for those thick nasty reds that bring my blood sugar up within a matter of seconds (Cough…CALI ZIN!) – I decide instead to pull for those whites that keep me thinkin’ of fun, sunny temps.  Maybe a delicious New Zealand Savi, that reminds me of cut grass and white puffy clouds, or even those ‘unoaked’ Chards that have a fresh citrus-y side to them that allow me to think of a clear blue sky in the middle of May.  Anything! to get my mind out of the gloomy gutter that winter sometimes becomes us here in MN. 

Last nite after leaving the gym, I was reminded of those yukky frigid temps.  My hair wet and already frozen by the time I’d hit the car, crunching through the thick grey ice that clogs up underneathe everyone’s cars and having to sit in the car for at least five minutes before it would warm up enough for me to take off – those are the things that bum me out about these winters.  With not an ounce of energy left, we decided to stop by one of our favorite joints on our way home in hopes of breaking our winter gloom. 

Cafe Maude, a sweet south Minneapolis neighborhood joint with a great cocktail list, a superb bar-tending staff and a yummy little food menu.  Instead of perusing the Red Wine List, I went straight for the Whites.  Looking for a way to transform my frowny mid-winter attitude, I went right for a wine that I knew would remind me of the better, and sunnier days to come. 

Hugel & Fils ‘Gentil’ ~ a wine that revives an ancient Alsatian tradition.  Wines assembled from noble grape varieties in Alsace were called “Gentil”.  Gentil “Hugel” allies the suave, spicy flavour of Gewurztraminer, the body of Pinot Gris, the finesse of Riesling, the grapiness of Muscat and the refreshing character of Sylvaner.  So sunny, happy and down right ‘transforming’. 

And after thinking about my ‘attitude adjustment’ all day – I decided to stay on the white trail today by opening a bottle of The Gaucho Club Torrontes. Another wine, incidentally under $15 on the shelf!, is another that brings out the smile in days like today.  Happy, green, a bit spicy and a whole lot of delicious white peach and crisp green apple.  Reminds me of sitting outside in the spring time.  Just sunny enough to warm my face, yet cool enough to keep the flavors subtle.  A fun, inexpensive, Argentine white with attitude.  Yum!

Tonite, I’m on a roll with the Kistler ‘Les Noisetiers’ Russian River Chardonnay.  Even though this one will not have those crisp, clean, minerally flavors like the ones above – it is guaranteed to bring me some happiness.  Kistler, a winery known in CALI, for its big over the top heavy styled fruit.  Drippy with oak in some vintages, yet perfect enough for the heavy grilled Porterhouse steak I’m about to grill up.  Yep, I said it!  A white wine with steak!

I’m completely over those individuals that ALWAYS reach for Red when eating meat and ALWAYS put their hand up when I offer a glass of white when they walk into any one of my events or classes saying ‘Oh no, I don’t drink White!’  Those are the peeps that I put into my ‘Need a little Love’ file  - a little white wine love. 

The only thing that both of the two ‘types of drinkers’ above tell me is ~ “I don’t know enough about wine, help me!”

I’m here to tell ya – it’s not about the color of your meat but the preparation of your dish.  Is a Porterhouse fatty?  Does it have some char and dark heavy drippy notes to it?  Oh yeah, baby!  Reason #987 why that heavy drippy Kistler Chard will pair perfectly to my steak tonite!

And, if you don’t normally drink ‘White Wine’, then start by having it from a New World climate – one that has some body, some fat and an unctuous palate so that you can relate it to your Napa Red Wine fetish.  A New World climate will give you the ‘body’ you’re looking for, just in a different color!

Red Wines, White Wines, drink what you want?  I’m just here to tell you that there’s more to the world of Winter Drinking than Red Wine.  So, turn up the lights in your apartment, turn on some Don Ho hula music, pop a cork to a delicious white wine, and sit back and relax – you can pretend you’re sitting on the beach in Maui (well, sort of!). 

Happy Drinking!

After another crazy exhausting weekend of work, I settle in this morning with my usual English muffin and peanut butter along with my giant mugged latte.  I haven’t headed outside yet and I don’t really plan to venture far today, as I’ll spend my morning indoors with my hubby and small petting zoo (2 cats and 1 insane dachshund) preparing for what could be one of THE biggest games in Green Bay Packer History!

I wondered all week if I should begin my usual Sunday morning a little different due to the extreme importance of our game this afternoon?  I joked with friends that I was going to build a bonfire in the back yard and that I’d spend the morning running naked around it, painted in green and gold, chanting Aaron Rodgers name.  As I look outside now, maybe not so much. 

So I stick to the inside, still naked, painted in green and gold, chanting ARodg’s name!  Ha!

But most importantly, I pull back in the same conversation I’ve had with myself all week ~ “What the heck am I going to drink today?” 

I could do a couple of things… 

Drink a bunch of wine that has to do with the colors GREEN or GOLD. 

1.  Drink only ‘orgainc wines’ = GREEN   OR    2.  Drink only thick, syrupy, deliciously coated Sauternes all day = GOLD.  Could be doable for the first, but the second – ouch.  I might be sick by noon.

I guess I could always stick to drinking a few labels that have animals on them, bigger than a BEAR?   Hmmm, getting hotter.  Like, ELK COVE’s Willamette Valley Pinot Noir or a WOLF Blass’s Aussie Shiraz.  Both could almost act a bit like a voo-doo doll.  I like that, too.  Yet after much liberation, I think I’m going to just stick to something that sounds good on a day like today.

With a frosty -4 temp outside much doesn’t sound good, except for a wine that will add a little ‘snuggle’ to the game today. 

So, I’m choosing a few RED BLENDS for my afternoon game time. 

Knowing that I’ll be eating a few yummy sammies from my new neighborhood joint, Patisserie 46, and heading in for seconds on that disgusting buffalo chicken cheese dip my husband buys from Kowalski’s, I better have something that will take care of the coating both will leave on my arteries today. 

 I head downstairs to the cellar and find a few of my favorites…

1.  Peterson Winery’s ‘Zero Manipulation’ ~ MY FAVORITE Dry Creek, CA producer creates this ‘one of a kind’ Carignan, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Zin little packet of delicious-ness.  So juicy, unctuous and gooey, yet completely ‘in control’ red blend.  Ripe, yet would still go well with one heap of sticky ribs.  I HEART this wine any time of year.  (Only sold at Surdyks in the Twin Cities, for less than $20 on the shelf)

2.  Toad Hollow’s ‘Eric’s the Red’ ~ This, a blend of 18 (yes, 18!) different red grapes ranging from Zinfandel to Cab Franc and Mourvedre is one yummy little snuggle bug.  Called the ultimate bbq wine, this is a great one for almost everyone to love.  There’s a little something in there for every person at your party today!  Dark fruit, red fruit, blue fruit – oh my!  And, can be found on most retail shelves, again for under $20.  A great wine from Paso Robles. 

3.  Villa Antinori Tuscan ‘Rosso’ ~ Has become one of my new ‘house’ wines.  Why, because you don’t have to spend too much to find this wine just serious enough to pair to even the most sophisticated palate.  A blend of Tuscany’s usual suspects:  Sangiovese, Cab, Merlot, Syrah.  A really nice Super Tuscan.  Great for ‘that guy’ who’s coming over today who really likes wine, yet also great for folks who are looking to step outside their ‘New World Wine’ box.  Earthy, spicy, a bit dirty with red fruit – great for burgers on the grill today.  Can be found at most high end retail outlets for under $25.

4. Ernie Els Guardian Peak ‘Frontier Red’ ~ Now this is a great one for today’s match up!  So gamey, again spicy, rich, dense, firey, goopy, chocolatey, earthy, and just down right GOOD JUICE!  For roughly $16-$18, you can find this little gem in some of the smaller retail locations.  A great pizza, pasta, rib, bbq, chocolate covered anything, blue cheese burger wine!  A blend of Shiraz, Cab and Merlot – it is a truly one of my ‘go to’ wines on a day like today.  Sort of a ‘turn up the heat’ kind of wine without feeling any ‘alcohol’ heat – if you know what I mean.  I love this little South African baby!

So that’s it, Game Day Fans!  A couple of great red blended babies to start your day.  If you don’t drink ‘em all today, you can save them for the Super Bowl. 

And lastly, my suggestion to you all…pick the Pack, baby – cuz it WILL be us going to the Super Bowl in February NOT those sorry ass Bears! 

Happy Bear Roastin’ Packer Fans.  May the best Midwestern team win.  GO Pack GO!!!

While there are many with this title these days from our great neighboring cities…there are only a couple I consider, The Real Deal.  And, my friend, Chef Tyge Nelson, is truly one of them.  The kid has produced some of THE best food I’ve had in the Twin Cities, let alone the U.S.   Seriously.  Do we have a new James Beard nominee on our hands?  That’s my prediction!

In today’s Star Tribune ‘Taste’ section Chef Tyge is featured for his new joint, The Inn.  I can hardly wait to get there!  Check out what the Trib had to say.

For more fun with Chef Tyge…come check out our class at Cooks of Crocus Hill on Feb 18th!  Sign up today for one killer food & wine duo.

“Tapas with Leslee & Chef Tyge” – 2/18/2011

Cooks of Crocus Hill – Grand Avenue – St Paul, MN

These two are no strangers.  Teaching sold out classes at Cooks is old hat for these two culinary pals!  So, get ready to get your small plate on! Having honed his craft in the culinary cubbies of La Belle Vie and Solera, Chef Tyge now heads up the new restaurant kitchen of The Inn, downtown Minneapolis. He and Leslee, Cooks’ resident sommelier, will bring you a menu of tapas and wine combos sure to fight off the winter chill and get your blood boilin’.

Menu:  Roasted Beet Salad with Bitter Greens, Sesame and Yogurt; Olive Oil-Poached “Salt Cod” with Romesco, Preserved Lemon and Clams; Braised Beef Short Ribs with Truffle, Farina and Brussels Sprouts; Sherry-Poached Dried Fruit with Crème Fraîche Ice Cream and Almond Lace Tuile.

These culinary classes are a huge success at Cooks. If you’re wanting to sign up for one of them, please do so early.  We don’t want you to be left out in the cold while everyone else in MN enjoys these hot culinary classes. Please call Cooks @ 651.228.1333 to reserve your seat today!

Chef Tyge and Sommelier Leslee, old pals with always a new vision on food and wine!  These two love to heat it up at Cooks when they get together.  Surely one Twin Cities wine class that will not only have you lovin’ the pairings but also having you laughing from the crazy banter they create.  Twin Cities own, Chef and Sommelier Pairings – try one, you might like it!

The World of Whacked Wine… 

Here it is.  All laid out for you.  Remember ALL of those bottles with the crazy wine labels I was forced to drink over a month ago and put up my YouTube Video discussing it?

Well, here it is in print, now as a columnist for Artful Living Magazine. 

Check it out~ http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/153e2067#/153e2067/22

Now you know I L-O-V-E Pinot Noir.  To a point where I can truly check myself in as a real Pinot-phile.  (No, that’s not a naughty word!)
“Hello, my name is Leslee and yes, I am obsessed with Pinot.”

Hmmm…does that sound right?

Here, I decide to take three of my favorite producers from one of my favorite growing regions of Pinot, the Willamette Valley, and compare them back to back. 

Stylistically, I find the wines from:  Archery Summit, Bethel Heights and the St Innocent to compare all very different.

Which is my favorite?

Take a look.  You might find one that you’ll like too!  (Of course, in HD!)

No joke, the conversation comes up at least once a nite in classes, in home wine events, corporate wine tastings and cooking demos.  If I had a FAQ Page…(hmmm, good idea!) THIS sulfite conversation would be at the top of the page.  Folks complaining and blaming sulfites for their headaches, hangovers and more.  Yet, they never really realize that it’s probably the other parts of the grape ‘skin’ that ends up causing more of their problems, as sulfur is a bi-product of every fermentation process.

Via Twitter this morning, someone linked a great story by Mary Gorman-McAdams, a wine educator in NY State, on the subject. 

It displays the fabulous truths behind that oh so abused word, ‘Sulfite’, with an article titled:  

Sulfites in Wine:  The Myths, the Facts and the Truth

“Contains Sulfites.” Just two little words — yet so frequently misunderstood! Words you see on almost every bottle of wine. What are sulfites? Are they really bad? Do they cause wine headaches or other related ills?

The term ‘sulfites’ is an inclusive term for sulfur dioxide (SO2). SO2 is a preservative and widely used in winemaking (and indeed most food industries), because of its antioxidant and antibacterial properties. SO2 plays a very important role in maintaining a wine’s freshness.

Consumption of sulfites is generally harmless, unless you suffer from severe asthma or do not have the particular enzymes necessary to break down sulfites in your body. The amount of sulfites that a wine can contain is highly regulated around the world. Any wine containing more than 10 parts per million (ppm) of sulfur dioxide must affix to the label ‘contains sulfites’.

Myth #1: Red wine has extra sulfites, and therefore causes headaches

In the EU the maximum levels of sulfur dioxide that a wine can contain are 160 ppm for red wine, 210 ppm for white wine and 400 ppm for sweet wines. Quite similar levels apply in the US, Australia and around the world.

The fact that red wines typically contain lesssulfites may seem surprising to people who blame sulfites for their red wine headaches!

Red wines contain tannin, which is a stabilizing agent. Additionally, almost all red wines go through malolactic fermentation. Therefore, less sulfur dioxide is needed to protect the wine during winemaking and maturation. So there goes myth #1.

Myth #2: Sulfites in wine cause headaches

Medical research is not definitive on the relationship between sulfites and headaches. There are many other compounds in wine such as histamines and tannins that are more likely connected to the headache effect (not to mention alcohol!).

Myth #3: Wine should be avoided, because of the sulfites it contains

Another surprising fact is that wine contains about ten times less sulfites than most dried fruits, which can have levels up to 1000 ppm. So if you regularly eat dried fruit and do not have any adverse reaction you are probably not allergic to sulfites.

While the figures I have stated are maximum SO2 levels, discussions with many winemakers over the years would lead me to believe that in practice, sulfite levels are generally well below the maximum permitted limits.

Myth #4: Sulfites are inherently unnatural

Apart from the potential allergic reaction, many people are against sulfites, because they feel they are an unnatural addition when making wine. While that view is valid, it is important to remember that sulfites are also a naturalby-product of the yeast metabolism during fermentation. So even if you do not add any additional SO2, your wine will still contain sulfites.

A better understanding of how sulfur dioxide breaks down and binds during winemaking, better winery hygiene, and more careful viticultural practices to ensure healthy grapes (i.e no rot) have all greatly helped to reduce the need for SO2 additions during winemaking. Today, there are many winemakers who refrain from adding any SO2 until after the fermentation is complete.

Why sulfites are necessary

There are really very few wines that are made without some use of SO2. This is because wine is perishable, prone to oxidation and the development of aldehyde off-odors. SO2, particularly for white wines, is important for freshness. Wines without any SO2 generally have a shorter shelf life – about six months, and need to be kept in perfect storage conditions. Given that a winemaker has very little control over the wine’s storage conditions from the time the wine leaves the winery until it is consumed, it is little wonder that SO2 is so widely used to help guarantee that the bottle of wine you open will be fresh and clean, and taste as the winemaker intended.

Additionally, one of the reasons that you see more wines labeled ‘made from organically grown grapes’ than labeled ‘organic wine’ is because in the US organic wine must not have any added SO2.

Sulfur-Free Wines

 All that said, we are beginning to see a number of ‘natural’ wines on the market, where little or no SO2 is added. As indicated earlier, this is easier with red wines, because the tannin acts as a as a natural anti-oxidant. It also helps if natural wines are sold locally.

Some sulfur-free wines to look for include:

• Catherine & Pierre Bretonfrom the Loire. They make one wine without any SO2 addition during winemaking. 2006 Catherine & Pierre Breton Bourgueil Nuits d’Ivresse ( $26), is 100% Cabernet Franc. It is made from organically grown grapes, unsulfured and unfiltered. The label clearly states that the wine “doit être stocké en dessous de 14ºC”, – a warning that the wine should be stored at below 14 degrees C (57 degrees F). Note: There is a tiny amount added before the bottling to keep the wine stable in shipping, but it is so minimal as to be undetectable in testing.

• Pierre Frick from Alsace makes a range of wines ‘sans souffre’. The 2007 Riesling and Pinot Noir wines ‘sans souffre’, are available at Chambers Street Wines in NYC (at about $22 to $24).

• Frey Vineyards, Mendocino– one of the first organic and biodynamic wineries in California. Their range include wines made without the addition of any sulfur dioxide. Organic Natural Red, NV from Mendocinois a blend of Carignan, Zinfandel and Syrah and costs only $8. Their unsulfured white Organic Natural Whitealso, $8, is a blend of Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay.

• Domaine des Deux Ânes,in the Languedoc, is another organic wine producer using very little sulfites. I mentioned one of their wines in last week’s post on the wines from the Languedoc Roussillon. Great value, delicious wines and widely available.

What is your view on sulfites in wine?

Mary Gorman-McAdams, DWS, is a New York based wine educator, freelance writer and consultant. She hold the Diploma in Wine & Spirits from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), and is a candidate in the Master of Wine Program.

Was it a Throwdown?  Hmmm…If it was, it was a perfect union of FOOD, WINE & BEER challenging any one out there that could come close to what we pulled off last nite!  Bring it, Flay!

The Perfect Pairing Team of Chef Mike Shannon & Sommelier Leslee Miller strikes again!   This time with our friend and colleague, Cicerone Michael Agnew of A Perfect Pint.   

Looking for a Cozy Way to spend your winter nites…here it is, eat and drink your way to MN Paradise!  Named some of the Twin Cities Best Food and Wine Pairing Classes - Chef Mike and Sommelier Leslee are unstoppable.  With the addition of Beer Geek, Cicerone Michael, they are Untouchable.  Displaying only their true raw & enthusiastic talents last nite, they brought the Cooks of Crocus Hill of St Paul classroom to a hault with some of the Twin Cities Best Pairings to date!

Cozy Comforts of Beer, Wine & Food  was the name of the game and these three brought their best goods to the table.  From top to bottom, the menu was laid out with a collection of Braised Winter Greens, 4 Cheese Mac n Cheese (OMG, by the way!), a Ginger Orange Cornish Game Hen, Braised Pot Roast to a S’more Pot de Creme.  While each bevi expert lined up their wares rotating courses with impeccable pairings, it wasn’t until the two paired each a beer &  a wine to the final courses of Pot Roast and the S’more Pot de Creme, that we were all sweating from the unbelievable chemistry of Food, Wine, Beer Heaven.  While the dishes were outstanding, and with Chef Mike at the helm, who can deny Amazing Food?  His original creation of a “Sommelier Requested” (wink) S’more Pot de Creme  was the cherry that hit the topping.  A quick torched smudge of marshmallow cream over a baby pot of crunchy graham and decadent chocolate creme, come on!!  Get out of town?!!  Where does he pull these creations out of?!  Again, proof that a southern boy knows how to make dessert. 

With all that said, we wanted to share with you first hand  What we Paired, Why we Paired and How we Paired  these last courses ~

Sharing our Best Kept Secrets of the key to Perfect Pairings!

For the rest of the Beer and Wine Pairings to each course, Check out A Perfect Pint’s Blog today listing all beers and wines poured!