RosinaWilson.com

Think Pink ~ Drink Pink ~ Join Me on WebTalkRadio!

Rosina Wilson — Sat, 18 May 2013 23:30:43 +0000

The wines we call Rosé ~ a handy “umbrella term” ~ can run the gamut from delicate and bone dry to rich, bold and fruity. Colors vary widely, from pale copper and “onion skin” to raspberry and garnet.

They’re made from dozens of grape varietals and blends, all over the world. (See pic, left, for bottles from California, France and South Africa.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They go by lots of different names, too: Vin Gris, Blanc de Noirs, Rosato, Rosado or various “proprietary names” devised by their wineries.

And when they’re good ~ which these days is pretty much the norm ~ they’ll deliver an amazing bang for the very few bucks they cost.

They’re great on their own, and they pair well with an amazing range of foods ~ *especially* those you *don’t* usually associate with wine.

What’s more, they’re a terrific welcome to warm weather. And now that it’s Spring (with apologies to Stephen Sondheim!) ~ Everything’s coming up Rosés!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hmmmm. Wordplay and tasty vino…

Must be time for another WebTalkRadio show, hosted by self-described bad-ass, Michelle Colston. (My on-air visits as Michelle’s “wine guru” are a monthly thing now, btw.)

Michelle invited me back to talk about, as she puts it, “the black sheep of the wine family ~ Rosé,” and how “what used to be misunderstood as cheap and sweet is now trending on the wine scene.”

Here’s a link to our “Drink Pink” show. *Join us* as we talk about…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

••• How Rosé can bring the best of both white and red wines to the table
••• How Rosé can be the most *un*intimidating wine to shop for and enjoy
••• Why Rosé once got a bad rap, and how that’s changing
••• How Rosé brings value, versatility and a refreshing change of pace
••• How Rosé can solve your tricky food-pairing dilemmas (Michelle, in fact, calls it “the beer of wines.”)
••• Meals that Michelle and I like to cook (including new recipes) that make great partners for Rosé (see pics, below and right)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Speaking of which, here are a couple of sneak peeks at my latest recipe-testing adventures. They’re for my upcoming pasta book, which I’m releasing on Amazon in June.

Above: a “Frutti di Mare” combo (mixed seafood in tomato sauce) with mussels, clams and shrimp, served on shell-shaped pasta.

At left, my pasta-lover’s twist on the classic Salade Niçoise from the South of France (home of some *great* Rosés, by the way). It features tuna, anchovies and hard-boiled eggs, plus potatoes, several vegetables, and bowtie-shaped pasta.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That pretty, cranberry-colored vino alongside it is the downright delicious “Rendezvous Rosé” from Carol Shelton Wines in Sonoma County.

I had enjoyed this beauty, a five-varietal blend consisting mostly of Carignane, at a couple of recent wine events.

The first was the Pinot Noir Summit, where Carol Shelton herself was pouring it (see pic). (*Click Here* for story and pics, and *Click Here* for the fun video.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I came across the “Rendezvous Rosé” again (but without knowing what it was) while judging the North Of The Gate Wine Competition last month.

My four-person panel was presented with a “flight” of California Rosés, based on everything from Pinot Noir to Merlot to Mourvedre.

(Check out the *amazing* range of colors in the pic above. Their flavors were even *more* varied!)

Though we awarded medals to all of them, only one earned a coveted Gold. You guessed it. It was the “Rendezvous Rosé,” which then went on to win “Best of Class” in the final Sweepstakes round of the judging.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In mid-June, I’ll be judging once again at the San Francisco International Wine Competition. As always, I’ll bring you behind the scenes with me.

Before that, though, I’ll be releasing my first two Drink Wine With Dinner® eBooks (Introduction and Great Flavors…) on Amazon, in both Kindle and print formats.

Actually, they’re both available *now* ~ for *free* (as PDFs) ~ to my subscribers.

So if you haven’t already done so, why not head to the handy “Sign Up Now” box (upper right). Then just fill in your (first and last) name and email addy, and both eBooks will be yours!

The pasta book will follow soon after that. I’ll keep you posted!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As always,
Cheers, my friend,
Rosina

PS ~ I now have a new-and-*greatly*-improved YouTube channel!

Come check out my growing collection of videos ~ http://www.youtube.com/user/DrinkWineWithDinner.

Click around and enjoy! (You can also help me build back the “views” I lost after converting the old channel…)

And stay tuned for *lots* more video interviews, winery and restaurant visits, and step-by-step recipe “how-to” videos.

Cheers,
R

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Pink*Drink*Pink*Think*Pink*Drink*Pink*Think*Pink*Drink*Pink*Think*Pink*Think*Pink*

Random Posts

WineFoodBUZZ Newsletter ~ Spring 2013

Rosina Wilson — Fri, 10 May 2013 05:57:20 +0000

Welcome back to Wine Country, my friend! It’s been a really busy season around here, with lots more on the horizon.

Come join me, my friends, and my wonderful daughter Siri for some fun and tasty Springtime adventures…

On the day of the Spring Equinox, I jumped in the ‘vertible and headed up to Sonoma to check out the vineyards. As you can see, I caught a really lucky break on the timing, with lots of signs of new life wherever I looked.

These close-ups show an old vine at the stage called “bud break.” See the serrated edges of the tiny leaves as they start to unfold? Little clusters of flowers come next, then minuscule grapes, and by October or so, we’ll be looking at Harvest 2013…

Just down the road, I spied another vineyard that also was starting to wake from its winter dormancy. (See below.)

The vines were backlit by the sun, and as I drove by, their new leaves showed up as vivid flashes of pale, translucent green.

Look closely at the left photo below ~ the vine in the center shows the most new growth. (Click the pic for a closer look!)

As you can see from their thin trunks, these vines are quite a bit younger than the shaggy, moss-encrusted “granddaddy vine” above.

*****************************************************************
By the way, are you curious about the rose bushes at the edge of the vineyards? Beyond the added beauty and elegance, and the Old-World tradition, there’s a solid scientific reason to grow them there.

Have you ever heard of “the canary in the coal mine,” where miners actually bring caged birds into the mines with them? If toxic gases are present and the canaries sicken or die, this early warning lets the miners get out alive.

Roses do exactly the same thing for grape vines. They’re susceptible to many of the same plant pests that vineyards are, and they usually show the effects first.

Once again, it’s an early warning, alerting the vineyardist to potentially serious problems. (This is a Chardonnay vineyard, mid-season, at Handley Cellars in Mendocino County.)

*****************************************************************
I celebrated my March birthday a month late this year, so that my daughter Siri, who lives in New York, could join in the festivities.

(*Click Here* to join us for sushi in Japantown, and to see Siri’s *gorgeous* clothing and jewelry creations, which she sells online ~ and at her Brooklyn boutique, Treehouse.)

Proud mom, can’t you tell?

So I got to streeeetch out my birthday celebration for a few extra weeks, and while Siri was here, we invited a small group of friends over for a festive dinner.

*****************************************************************

Heirloom red beans, butter-sizzled asparagus, multicolored potatoes and a gorgeous farmers’ market salad gave us something to nibble on while the main dish finished cooking.

*****************************************************************
If you think that the stuff in the cast-iron pan (below, right) looks like the beginnings of a risotto or paella, you’re definitely on the right track. Click on the pic, though, for a better look.

Although I *love* both of those rice-based dishes, I’ve discovered that using *rice-shaped pasta* (in this case, orzo) as the foundation makes for an easier, much more forgiving dish that doesn’t depend on absolutely split-second timing.

Regardless, my “Orzo Paella” is patterned pretty closely after the Spanish classic, right down to the traditional healthy pinch of saffron. Jammed with plenty of sausage, chicken, mussels and good-sized shrimp (see Susan and Liz’s bowls), it made for quite a tasty feast!

It’s also a terrific dish to make when you’re drinking an assortment of wines (including what your guests bring). The pasta is a nice, neutral backdrop (just as rice would be).

For an added dimension of flavor and fun, we brought out extra wine glasses so we could try something lighter, such as a white, rosé or sparkler with a shrimp or mussel; then a sip of Zin or Syrah with a bite of sausage.

Siri provided the deep, dark, *delectable* “Chocolate Decadence” birthday cakes (from our favorite bakery, Sweet Things), which truly lived up to their provocative name. Thanks, precious daughter. This has truly been a birthday to remember always!

*****************************************************************

For the first time this year, I had the great pleasure, and great honor, of serving as one of only eight judges at the “North Of The Gate” wine competition.

Directed by my good friend Valery Uhl, “NOTG” focuses on California wines from the San Francisco Bay Area northward. (In addition to the better-known regions of Sonoma, Napa and Mendocino, this also includes areas such as the Livermore Valley and Sierra Foothills, east of the Golden Gate.

*****************************************************************
For more details, including tasting notes and medal highlights (the *amazing* number of Gold and Silver medals we awarded at “NOTG” reflected the superb quality of the wines overall), just *click here*…

*****************************************************************
As mid-May approaches, my tastebuds are gearing up for one of my top favorite wine events of the year: the three-day Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival, May 17-19.

A cool-climate region of Mendocino County, just inland from the Pacific, the Anderson Valley ranks among the *world’s* top growing regions for Pinot Noir and other cold-and-foggy-weather-loving wine varietals, including Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris.

(*Click Here* for my fun video featuring the Pinot Festival, plus the “Alsace Varietals” Festival, held in February.)

*****************************************************************

Have you joined the fun, interactive “Drink Wine With Dinner® Club” yet? Just *click* for exclusive “insider’s” content, and stay tuned for my guided “Simultasting” video webinars, coming very soon.

Join by the end of May, and you’ll receive my first two eBooks ~ Drink Wine With Dinner ~ An Introduction (featuring my foolproof “5 Non-Rules” of food and wine pairing) and Drink Wine With Dinner ~ Holiday Recipes ~ absolutely *free*.

In June, both books are moving to Amazon, and they’ll be *for sale* in both Kindle and print formats. So please do *grab ‘em now* while they’re *still free*! (And please do feel free to share the link ~ http://bit.ly/Free-eBooks-etc ~ with your friends and Social Media contacts.)

Shortly after that, I’ll also be releasing my new Delicious Pasta Sauce Recipes book, also on Amazon.

I’ve been testing recipes almost every day. Some are twists on old favorites; others are brand-new inventions!

Here’s a look at one of my latest: shell-shaped pasta with shellfish sauce (shrimp, clams and mussels).

Stay tuned ~ I’ll have the full recipe for you, including a how-to video, in the next few days…

*****************************************************************

As always,
Cheers, my friend,
Rosina

*****************************************************************
WineFoodBUZZ ~ WineFoodBUZZ ~ WineFoodBUZZ ~ WineFoodBUZZ ~ WineFoodBUZZ

“BUZZbits” ~ Dinner at Central Market!

Rosina Wilson — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 09:09:54 +0000

The once-sleepy (yet still *thoroughly* charming) town of Petaluma, at the southern edge of Sonoma County, now houses a *huge* array of diverse and delicious restaurants.

I’d been hearing lots of buzz lately about a “California-Mediterranean” place called Central Market. So when my good friend Valery Uhl (with whom I judge at several wine competitions) invited me to join her there for dinner, I didn’t hesitate.

The quintessential Renaissance Woman, Valery directs the North Of The Gate Wine Competition, also in Petaluma. (More on “NOTG” in my next post.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She also grows Pinot Noir in the Pinot-perfect Russian River AVA, and judges wine competitions as far away as Japan.

In her “other life,” Valery is a highly regarded radiation oncologist. (And amazingly, she’s modest about *all* of her accomplishments!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As you can see, we got off to a great start with our wines. The perfectly aged 1983 Inglenook Cabernet that Valery brought merited the special decanter in the photo above. (Its broad base helps bring out the subtle nuances of older wines, while the narrow neck helps to hold back any sediment.)

The delightful Maria Terry (below right), a sommelier, wine writer, and fellow NOTG judge, brought a stellar *white* wine to start our dinner: the 2007 Flowers Chardonnay, “Camp Meeting Ridge” (also beautifully aged), from Sonoma Coast (which is *prime* Chardonnay country!).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the three of us checked out the menu, we decided to order up an assortment of the restaurant’s appetizer specialties to share, plus whatever else sounded irresistible.

Central Market prides itself on making *everything* they serve in-house (the perfectly crunchy-chewy bread included). And for the full farm-to-table experience, the chef-owner grows much of the produce for the restaurant himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Out came a wonderfully crisp pizzetta (little pizza) from the wood-fired oven, with delectably musky fontina cheese, smoky bacon and deep-flavored roasted mushrooms.

It’s no mistake that you’re seeing both red and white wines paired with the pizzetta here, especially given the age of the wines. The 2007 Flowers Chardonnay matched up nicely with the caramel/nut-like melted cheese and the toasty crust, while the mushrooms and bacon heightened the subtle flavors of the 30-year-old Inglenook Cabernet.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After passing around a few more appetizers (my favorite being the spicy lamb cabbage rolls), we realized we needed some more white wine for the crab cannelloni to come.

Rather than going for anything “mainstream,” we agreed on a relatively obscure (outside of Italy, at least), but *deliciously* nutty, rich and crisp Sicilian wine called “il giglio” (the lily). It’s a blend of Inzolia and Grillo, two of Sicily’s three major white varietals. All of us loved what this unusual wine had to offer ~ and we found it a wonderful change of pace!

(PS ~ The crab cannelloni ~ rich, luscious and decadent ~ will be a definite “must-order” from now on!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Throughout our relaxed and leisurely meal, everything felt perfectly paced. Our server kept an ideal balance ~ attentive yet never intrusive ~ and always genuinely warm and hospitable.

So. Did we save room for dessert? Well, no. Did we *have* dessert? Welll, let’s say we couldn’t resist. (Could *you* say no to this sumptuous chocolate temptation? And for a final wine pairing, we ordered up tiny glasses of the thick, syrupy Pedro Ximenez (aka “PX”), an ultra-sweet type of sherry made from sun-dried, raisined grapes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Valery, Maria and I all toast to your health and happiness. See you next time for another adventure in Food, Wine and Fun!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As always,
Cheers, my friend,
Rosina

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“BUZZbits” ~ Dinner at Central Market! “BUZZbits” ~ Dinner at Central Market!

Random Posts

BUZZbits ~ Siri’s Visit ~ “Sushi Boat” Lunch (and a Japantown Surprise…)

Rosina Wilson — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:11:36 +0000

It’s not often that my daughter Siri can carve out big chunks of time away from her busy Brooklyn boutique, Treehouse.

(Just click for a look at Siri’s beautiful, one-of-a-kind jewelry and clothing).

So when Siri said she’d be able to spend a week with me, I was thrilled!

As always, we squeezed some fun and tasty meals into our all-too-brief time together. One of our top spots is Isobune, a little “sushi boat” place in San Francisco. Check out the pics and the “how-to,” join us for lunch, then scroll down to see what else we found in Japantown after our meal. (Caution! Proud mom alert ahead…)

****************************************************************

Here’s how the “sushi boat” experience works: Have a seat at the long oval sushi bar and nod hello to the sushi chefs. Check out the flotilla of little wooden gondolas in front of you, heaped with tiny plates, gliding past you in a “moat” of flowing water.

When you see something you want, grab it before the boat it’s on drifts out of reach. (If you miss it, don’t worry ~ the chefs keep making more, and they take custom orders, too!)

The variety here is amazing ~ from standards like tuna, salmon and shrimp to oysters on the half-shell and “chef’s special” combination rolls ~ and you never know what goodies you’ll find on the next little boat that floats your way.

Just keep helping yourself to whatever looks good. And when you’ve finally had enough, servers count the empty plates stacked up in front of you to tally your bill. (Siri and I usually rack up at least a dozen.)

****************************************************************

So, are you curious about what else we found in Japantown? (Here comes the “Proud Mom” alert!)

While we were walking to Kinokuniya Bookstore, where we always stop after an Isobune meal, Siri mentioned that Treehouse had recently been written up in two Japanese magazines.

Siri’s work is very popular in Japan, and she has a friend in Tokyo with a boutique that carries her clothing and jewelry. (She even taught a craft class there during a visit to Japan several years ago, and everyone in the class was wearing something Siri had made!)

Yep, you guessed it. The bookstore had one of the magazines, Printemps, in stock. What’s more, they had the right issue.

And there on page 12 was a very impressive writeup, with photos (click the image for a close-up) ~ including a stunning shot of Siri. (Wonderful! Wow!!!)

(They also carried the other magazine, but “Siri’s” issue had just sold out.)

****************************************************************

Here’s one of Siri’s gorgeous necklaces. (I have quite a collection ~ and no two are anything alike!)

To see one of Siri’s clothing designs, just scroll up and check out the pic of the two of us at Isobune. She’s wearing one of her lovely, hand-patterned tops.

(You can see two more *here* ~ just scroll down to the “Visiting Siri” section.)

With our tiny cups of warm sake, Siri and I raise a toast to your good health and happiness. Kanpai!

Until next time,
Cheers, my friend ~
Rosina

****************************************************************
BUZZbits ~ Siri’s Visit ~ “Sushi Boat” Lunch (and a Japantown surprise…)

Random Posts

BUZZbits ~ Rosina’s Recipes ~ “Linguine with Three-Ingredient Mussels”

Rosina Wilson — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 07:52:00 +0000

Every once in a while, a real winner of a recipe comes along. You know, the kind you like to make all the time. And the kind that people always ask you for.

This is one of those. And if you love mussels the way I do, it’s a quick, easy and thoroughly satisfying way to get your mussel fix whenever the cravings hit.

I outlined this recipe in a recent “WineFoodBUZZ” newsletter, but I’ve had so many requests for more info that I cooked it again, snapped a few step-by-step pics, and put together this “BUZZbits” mini-post (with some wine ideas) for you.

****************************************************************

But here’s the great news: I have another reason for showcasing my “Linguine with Three-Ingredient Mussels” here.

I’m releasing a new eBook in May, and I wanted you to enjoy a little taste of what’s inside.

It’s called 21 Pasta Sauce Recipes ~ a Drink Wine With Dinner® Book. (This is Recipe #10, by the way.)

FYI, I’m planning not only a standard eBook pdf format, but also versions for Kindle and Amazon POD (print on demand).

****************************************************************

The first time I made this dish, I had something completely different in mind. My friends and I were drinking California sparklers, so I’d planned to keep the mussels and pasta light, and not overpower the bubbly.

Then a couple of people switched to red wine. And I realized I could change the recipe just a bit, keep everybody happy with their choice of vino ~ and do it all with just three ingredients…

The secret? BACON!!! It’s a magic ingredient that kicks everything it touches into overdrive. What’s more, adding bacon to “white-wine food” can tip it over the edge, and make it “red-wine friendly.”

Plus, everybody loves the stuff. And even though I stuck to three ingredients for this simple sauce ~ bacon, onions and mussels ~ you can play around with the recipe any way you want. (Just scroll down for some ideas…)

****************************************************************

LINGUINE WITH THREE-INGREDIENT MUSSELS
(Here’s the basic recipe ~ I’ll suggest some tweaks for you at the bottom…)

To serve 4 to 6:
1 pound pasta (a long shape like linguine or fettuccine, or your own favorite)

3-4 ounces bacon (I used applewood-smoked), coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 pounds mussels, thoroughly washed

Sauté the bacon and onions together over low heat, stirring often, until golden and caramelized (see photo).

This develops the sweet, rich onion flavor, and brings out the smokiness of the bacon.

Add the mussels, *cover*, and turn heat to high. The mussels will take only 3 to 7 minutes to cook, depending on their size ~ when they open, they’re done.

(Check out the before-and-after pics of the mussels.)

****************************************************************

So, could that be easier? Hardly! And if you could even *find* a dish like this in an Italian restaurant, it would set you back at least $15 or $20 a serving.

Cost aside, though, it’s a great last-minute supper to cook up when you want something a little special, without going to lots of trouble.

You can “tweak” this recipe any way you want ~ for variety’s sake or to make use of seasonal or special ingredients…

*Herbs* ~ You can cook a hard-textured herb such as bay leaf or rosemary along with the mussels, but with tender herbs like basil, parsley or tarragon, add them at the end, when you toss the pasta.

*Vegetables* ~ Make this pasta dish a full meal by adding cooked peas, asparagus, green beans, multicolored bell pepper strips…

*More Protein* ~ Mussels are great by themselves, but they also blend well with things like chicken, sausage, and of course other types of fish or shellfish.

****************************************************************

As we saw at the beginning, something as simple as adding bacon can open up whole new possibilities when it comes to choosing wines.

In future posts, as well as in my upcoming eBook, 21 Pasta Sauce Recipes ~ a Drink Wine With Dinner® Book, we’ll keep exploring the hows and whys of wine and food pairing.

****************************************************************

By the way ~ If you haven’t already received my *free* Drink Wine With Dinner® ~ An Introduction eBook, just head to the handy “Sign Up Now” box (above right) and fill in the blanks.

You’ll also receive a (free) subscription to my “WineFoodBUZZ” newsletter, and a “Wine Lover’s” membership in my new Drink Wine With Dinner® Club.

Coming soon for Club members: Guided “Simultasting” webinars. You’ll taste wines right along with me and my expert guests, and we’ll brainstorm about foods to match.

I’ll keep you posted!

As always,
Cheers, my friend,
Rosina

****************************************************************

BUZZbits ~ Rosina’s Recipes ~ “Linguine with Three-Ingredient Mussels”

Rosina’s Recipes ~ “Pasta Primavera Your Way” ~ on WebTalkRadio!

Rosina Wilson — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 09:00:48 +0000

Here in Northern California, our mild climate keeps the farmers’ markets hopping year-round with all sorts of flavor-packed, ultra-fresh fruits and veggies.

Even so, when March arrives, a whole new wave of goodies crops up (literally) in the market stalls. I bought armloads of whatever looked good ~ *Click here* for the video of what I did with it…

(By the way, that unusual building behind me is the landmark Marin County Civic Center, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The Sunday farmers’ market is off to my left, in the parking lot.)

As you’ll see from the photos and video, this was a fantastic Spring day at the market. There were piles of pencil-thin asparagus. Mounds of skinny little string beans and baskets of tender spring broccoli (photo, below). Thumbnail-sized red-and-white radishes. Sweet baby carrots, and tiny red-onion shoots (photo, below), smaller than my pinky. Leeks no wider than my ring finger. (And in case you’re wondering, my hands are pretty small.)

***************************************************************

So, what’s an Italian gal to do with all this farm-fresh bounty? Make Pasta Primavera, of course! (FYI, Primavera is Italian for “Spring,” and the prima part means “first,” so it makes sense, if you can, to use first-of-the-season veggies.)

By the way, this first week of Spring also marks my debut as the new “Wine Guru” on WebTalkRadio. You can *click here* for the audio as I join my sassy Texan cyber-buddy Michelle Colston (cool photo, left), on her “Undiscovered Goddess” show, to talk about “Pasta Prim” (as Michelle calls it) and the wines that love it.

I’ve dubbed this version “Pasta Primavera *Your* Way” because it’s so flexible, you don’t even *need* an ingredients list or a recipe. Just have fun shopping for the freshest produce you can find, cook it simply (sauté in olive oil and/or butter, or use vegetable or chicken broth for a lower-fat version), serve it on your favorite pasta, pour a glass of vino and enjoy.

***************************************************************

Since every trip to the market is different, “*Your* Way” will probably never be the same twice. You can vary things even more, and pack in some extra protein while you’re at it, with easy add-ons like shrimp, chicken (your own or the pre-cooked rotisserie kind) ~ or even bacon, with or without the eggs.

By the way, if Spring is taking its sweet time to arrive in *your* part of the planet, please don’t hesitate to take advantage of the freezer case at your local grocery.

Frozen peas (especially the delicate little “petit pois”), string beans, broccoli, even artichoke hearts, stand in nicely for fresh ones while you wait for warmer weather.
***************************************************************

You can also be totally flexible when it comes to matching wine with your Pasta Primavera. In fact, you can tweak your recipe to “steer” it toward whatever color, style or varietal you decide on.

How? Let’s take a look at these three wines, from Martin Ray Winery in Sonoma County. They’re very different from each other, but depending on the Pasta Primavera ingredients you start with, and what you do with them, your finished dish can make a great match with *any* of them!

Thinking Sauvignon Blanc? Use olive oil for cooking, add some extra herbs, and maybe top everything with a dollop of creamy goat cheese. For Chardonnay, use butter, and maybe some cream, as in the original recipe from Le Cirque in New York. (Simple shrimp or chicken would work well for both of these whites.)

But what if you want to up the ante, and pop the cork on something red? No problem. Just add in some roasted or barbecued chicken, with dark, crispy skin.

Or sauté up some mushrooms (portobellos are a nice, full-flavored choice.) Or toss in some cooked bacon, or whatever meat (pork, beef, lamb…) might be lurking in your fridge.

***************************************************************
Come to think of it, roast chicken, mushrooms *and* bacon sound like a great combo to me ~ especially if I wanted some Pinot Noir with my “Pasta Prim.” (And since it’s my fave red, I often *do* tweak my recipes to steer them straight toward Pinot.)

So, for my most recent batch of Pasta Primavera, to go with the Pinot Noir from Angeline (Martin Ray’s sister wine brand), I came up with this outside-the-box idea that even works with seafood (see photo). Just start with bacon fat in your skillet, as I did with these huge shrimp, to build in deeper, darker color and flavor.

As a bonus, this is also a great way to turn that old “(only) white wine with fish…” rule on its head. Try it for yourself ~ and see what you think!

Here again is the video of my Pasta Primavera adventure ~ from farmers’ market to finished plate. And here, once again, is the link to today’s WebTalkRadio show with Michelle Colston.

I hope Michelle and I inspire you, now that it’s Spring, to round up some pick-of-the-season veggies, find a wine or two that you love, and cook up some Pasta Primavera ~ *Your* Way!

As always ~
Cheers, my friend,
Rosina

PastaPrimavera***PastaPrimavera***PastaPrimavera***PastaPrimavera***PastaPrimavera

“Bouquets to Art” and Cliff House Birthday Dinner!

Rosina Wilson — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 12:27:02 +0000

You’ve heard the quip, “It’s deja vu all over again”? Well, that’s just what it feels like at “Bouquets to Art,” held each March at San Francisco‘s renowned DeYoung Museum.

During “Bouquets,” nature literally does imitate art. For the five-day exhibit, 100+ floral designers create unique, often spectacular arrangements, inspired by the paintings, sculptures and other artworks in the museum’s permanent collections.

“Bouquets to Art” is a highlight of early Spring for me, and several of the friends I enjoy it with have been going for decades.

Here’s a sampling of some of this year’s “Bouquet” and “Art” pair-ups. As you can see, some of the designers take a direct approach to interpreting the originals. Others simply echo the colors, or shapes, or even the mood of the museum piece.

Yes, that’s a splashy Sam Francis painting above, and a bold Dale Chihuly glass sculpture below. At the bottom, the arrangement of variegated leaves and orchids is patterned after the intricately woven basket in the background.

*****************************************************************
***bouquets to art***bouquets to art***bouquets to art***bouquets to art***
*****************************************************************

*****************************************************************

Oh, and did I mention that we dress up every year? Susan and I, “birthday girl” Ahna, and the rest of the “regulars” always take the floral theme quite literally…

*****************************************************************

*******************************

We’re enjoying some post-”Bouquets” libations in the museum café, and that glass of vino hits the spot. As you can imagine, all the talking we do, about the Bouquets and the Art and how they fit together, is downright thirsty work.

*****************************************************************
Cliff House ~ Cliff House ~ Cliff House ~ Cliff House ~ Cliff House ~ Cliff House
*****************************************************************

Beyond that, *five* of us have Pisces birthdays ~ so after the friendly museum guard ushered us out of the café at closing time, we headed to the Cliff House ~ a century-old San Francisco institution ~ for some more celebrating.

Turns out we’d lucked into their “half-price Tuesday” wine-by-the-bottle special. So we ordered up some Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and bubbly rosé, plus a bit of just about everything on the menu to share. (Guess we’d worked up an appetite as well as a thirst!)

*****************************************************************
Out came the scallops and prawns, the salmon, and the lovely, rare duck breast.
*****************************************************************

*****************************************************************
We compared two Sonoma Chardonnays as the sky darkened behind Seal Rocks.
*****************************************************************

*****************************************************************
Just fold back the tender flesh of this pan-fried sole, and out comes the skeleton.
*****************************************************************

*****************************************************************
We had to try a couple of desserts besides Ahna’s “on-the-house” birthday treat.
*****************************************************************

*****************************************************************
Last call ~ Looks like we’re going to close *this* place down too!
*****************************************************************

*****************************************************************
Guess that’s it for today. Once again, Happy Birthday Ahna! And happy Bouquets to everyone. I can’t wait to see what the floral designers come up with *next* year!
*****************************************************************

As always, until next time ~
Cheers, my friend,
Rosina

PS ~ Happy Birthday Grandma Rose. (I miss you very much, carissima mia!)

*****************************************************************
*****************************************************************

“Bouquets to Art” and Cliff House Birthday Dinner!

Random Posts

Pinot Summit 2013! Taste With the Winemakers ~ Cast Your Votes…

Rosina Wilson — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 11:45:21 +0000

March may not have roared in like a lion this year, but it did bring one of the coolest wine events on the planet ~ the Pinot Noir Summit ~ to San Francisco.

The Summit is to Pinot Noir what “The Oscars” are to film. And each year, even though I take part in the preliminary judgings (which narrow a field of almost 500 wines by over 90%), I can’t wait to taste *all* of the judges’ favorites in one place.

(*Click here* to track the action in my special Pinot Summit video!)

Now in its 11th year, the Summit gave 500+ Pinot fans a chance to blind-taste the judges’ top-ranked wines, rate them for themselves, then cast their own votes.

To keep everything fair and unbiased, by the way, all the bottles were wrapped in foil to hide their labels, with random “color codes” to identify them.

****************************************************************

Here’s a cool twist (which makes the Summit unique among wine judgings): Female and male tasters’ “ballots” (blue and red poker chips, respectively) were counted separately, to see if gender might play a role in preference.

(BTW, that’s my hand below with the red chips, voting for my favorites, which included “Crimson” and “White.”)

****************************************************************

Barbara Drady, CEO and “Chief Wine Evangelist” of Affairs of the Vine and the brains behind the Pinot Noir Shootout and Summit tastings, calls Pinot Noir “the most exciting, confounding, and challenging wine there is.”

I’m with you 100% on that, Barb. I’d also add things like “alluring,” “versatile” and “food-friendly,” and I know you’re on board with all of those!

****************************************************************

The day actually began with a pair of winemaker seminars ~ but these were anything but dull academic lectures.

As the panelists discussed their Pinot Noirs, the sold-out audience tasted and focused on one wine at a time. Ultimately, we compared (and painlessly learned about) Pinots from regions as diverse as Oregon, New Zealand, and quite a few cool-climate corners of California.

Here, Barbara Drady joins panel moderator Fred Swan of NorCal Wine, along with winemakers Michael Zardo of Ten Acre Winery and Alan DeWitt of Guglielmo Winery.

****************************************************************
While the votes were being counted, the Grand Awards tasting, at dozens of individual winery tables where owners and winemakers poured, unveiled the color codes so that we could match our favorite Pinots with their producers.

****************************************************************

Here’s my longtime friend and Carneros District winemaking pioneer Eugenia Keegan, now of The Four Graces in Oregon’s Dundee Hills. (On a non-Pinot note, Eugenia is also spearheading the “Old Vine Grenache Project,” with vineyards in France and Spain.)

CEO Rickey Trombetta Stancliff and her daughter, enologist/assistant winemaker Erica Stancliff, of Trombetta Family Wines, poured their elegant, refined Gap’s Crown Vineyard Pinot. This lofty site, in the red-hot (because it’s foggy and cool) Sonoma Coast AVA, is widely considered “Pinot Heaven.” (AVA, by the way, is short for American Viticultural Area, commonly known as “appellation“).

****************************************************************

TR Elliott Winery, in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma, has long been one of my personal favorite Pinot Noir producers, and I’ve often enjoyed judging Pinot with owner/ founder Ted Elliott. Ted’s a grand-nephew of President Teddy Roosevelt, btw (hence the TR), and you can meet him, and his Pinots, in this 2012 Pinot Summit video.

Elizabeth McKeague, sales and marketing manager for TR Elliott and Ted’s niece (notice the family thread here!), is pouring me their wonderful new Russian River Chardonnay, a fine addition to their previously Pinot-only line. (Several of the Pinot producers, by the way, brought other varietals for us to sample.)

****************************************************************

One of the most intriguing aspects of the Pinot Summit, and most other tastings and judgings I take part in, is the excitement of discovery. With so many wineries making top-notch wine now, I always find at least one that’s new to me.

Though I hadn’t tried Portalupi wine before, their velvety, beautifully balanced 2010 Russian River Pinot, which I knew only as “Crimson,” had earned my highest score, 94 of 100, in the blind tasting.

I am, however, *very* familiar with Handley Cellars, one of the original wineries in the Anderson Valley of Mendocino County. (FYI, from May 17-19, the Anderson Valley is holding its annual Pinot Festival. Just click the link for more info, and *check out my video*, which includes last year’s Festival.)

The Handley 2009 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir (described as “great now… long life too… black cherries, cola and vanilla…”) earned an impressive second-place finish among the female judges. I hadn’t tasted it in the “Challenge” (the “blind-tasting” wines had been split into two manageable chunks of 21 wines each, and I only tasted a few in the other group), but (not unexpectedly) it placed among my top three in the Grand Tasting.

****************************************************************

I’ve had the pleasure of judging with owner/winemaker Carol Shelton also, and at her eponymous Carol Shelton Winery, in Sonoma County, she crafts a wild and varied kaleidoscope of wines. Carol’s amazing Zinfandels, btw, sport truly out-there names like “Wild Thing” and “Monga Zin.” (The second one’s from Cucamonga (really!) ~ a growing region east of LA with old-vine Zin vineyards.)

Carol’s 2011 Larson Vineyard Pinot, from Sonoma-Carneros, earned a judges’ gold medal. With comments such as “Lush rich dark fruit… blackberry and red berry aromas… notes of black pepper,” it ranked among the overall favorites, and I loved it. Carol’s also pouring me some Rendezvous Rosé, a dry, complex, multi-varietal blend.

****************************************************************

And before we knew it, it was time to open the envelopes and reveal the long-awaited results of the Wine Challenge blind tasting.

As Barbara noted in her “Shootout and Summit Wrap Up,” the “Pinot Noir lovers… embraced wines of elegance and varietal authenticity rather than burly Syrah-like Pinots.”

In other words, tasters appreciated Pinot for Pinot’s sake. To me, this validates the wine’s recent “pendulum swing” toward delicacy, finesse and true Pinot character.

I personally, and the majority of my wine-judging colleagues, support this view wholeheartedly. And I’m absolutely delighted that the Pinot-loving public feels the same way ~ and voted to make it official.

You’ll find the complete results, including appellations, retail prices and the original judges’ scores, at *Affairs of the Vine.*

Meanwhile, here’s a summary for the “Wine Lovers” of both genders:

Female “Wine Lovers” ~
3rd Place (CRIMSON) Portalupi Wines 2010 Pinot Noir
2nd Place (RED) Graton Ridge Cellars 2010 Paul Family Estate Pinot Noir
1st Place (ORCHID) Canihan Family Vineyard 2009 Pinot Noir

Male “Wine Lovers” ~
3rd Place (LIGHT BLUE) Double Bond 2007 Wolff Vineyards Pinot Noir
2nd Place (ORCHID) Canihan Family Vineyard 2009 Pinot Noir
1st Place (PERIWINKLE) J2 Winery 2010 Doctors Vineyard Pinot Noir

****************************************************************

Did you notice? One Pinot, from Canihan Wines, appears on both lists, taking first place among the women and second for the men. Above, Bill Canihan, the man behind the wine, accepts both of his well-deserved awards.

An aside ~ I first met Bill, and his dad, Bill Sr., at a Family Winemakers of California tasting in San Francisco a few years ago. The name Canihan rang a bell, and when I tasted their spectacular Syrah, I figured it out.

It was the wine that had just won “Best of Show Red Wine” in the San Francisco International Wine Competition (one of the world’s largest and most prestigious wine judgings), and I remembered tasting it ~ and voting for it.

Incredibly, this was Bill’s first-ever release. And with awards and accolades accruing ever since, that big win was anything but “beginner’s luck.”

I hope you’ve enjoyed spending the day with me, with Pinot Noir, and with the dedicated, passionate people who transform this fussy, finicky “heartbreak grape” into some of the most fascinating wine on the planet.

As always,
Cheers, my friend,
Rosina

PinotNoirSummit2013

****************************************************************

WineFoodBUZZ Newsletter ~ Jan-Feb 2013

Rosina Wilson — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 18:43:52 +0000

Welcome back, my friend, and happy 2013. I hope the New Year is off to a flying start for you.

Once again, my friends and I rang in the New Year with some fun, unusual and tasty food and vino.

This kaleidoscope of colorful veggies, with its warm dipping sauce of butter, olive oil, anchovies and garlic, is a specialty of the Italian province of Piemonte. It’s called bagna cauda (or caoda) in the local dialect, meaning “hot bath” ~ and not only is it addictively delicious, it’s the best use I know of for that funky old fondue pot that’s gathering dust in your garage.

Mussels are a tradition at my New Year’s Eve table. This year, when I was ready to start cooking them, I saw that a few guests had already made a switch from bubbly to red wine. No problem ~ I just added bacon to make the mussels more red-wine friendly.

The “Three-Ingredient Mussels” that resulted is one of the simplest “recipes” that’s ever come out of my kitchen: Chop bacon finely. Sauté bacon with finely chopped onion until both are cooked through. Add thoroughly washed mussels to pan; cover and cook until shells open, about 5 minutes depending on their size. (The broth at the bottom of the pan is delicious, too!)

Here’s my main dish ~ Pasta with Lamb Shanks. I simmer the sauce for hours, until the tender meat literally does fall off the bones. It’s Southern-Italian inspired, and “rustic” trumps “elegant” with deep, rich, long-cooked flavors.

Look closely, by the way ~ you’ll see a 3-pasta mix of sauce-gripping penne, farfalle and gemelli, for extra texture.

***********************************************************************
ZAP~ZAP~ZAP~ZAP~ZAP~ZAP~ZAP~ZAP~ZAP~ZAP~ZAP~ZAP~ZAP~ZAP~ZAP
***********************************************************************

I recently got to indulge my passion for Zinfandel at the annual ZAP (Zinfandel Advocates and Producers) Festival in San Francisco. The first event ~ “Epicuria” ~ teamed each of 50 Zin-producing wineries with a chef, restaurant, caterer, dessert company or the like.

At left, a hearty stew of lamb sausage and butter beans from A16 in San Francisco, served with D-cubed Cellars Zin. Below, I’m with Chef Andrew Wilson of the Carneros Bistro in Sonoma, enjoying his succulent duck confit tartlets with Wilson Winery Zin. (No, I’m not related to either Chef Andrew or the winery family. Darn!)

One of my favorite pairings of the night was accidental. I still had some of the luscious Harris-Kratka Vineyard Zin, from Rock Wall Wine Company, in my glass when my nose (and *lots* of recommendations) led me to the agnolotti (small filled pasta) with porcini mushrooms and two kinds of truffles (!) from Il Davide, a restaurant very near me in San Rafael. I had three helpings, and the pasta and the Rock Wall Zin truly did each other proud.

***********************************************************************
AlsaceVarietals*AlsaceVarietals*AlsaceVarietals*AlsaceVarietals*AlsaceVarietals
***********************************************************************

Another of my favorite winter events brings a taste of Alsace to the Anderson Valley of Mendocino. Alsace, a cool-climate region of northeastern France which used to be part of Germany, grows Germanic varietals such as Riesling and Gewurztraminer, and other whites including Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Muscat.

All of these “Alsace Varietals” also thrive in the Anderson Valley, just inland from the Pacific, and each February, the Anderson Valley Winegrowers Association honors them with a festival of their own. All the local producers take part, plus wineries from New Zealand, Michigan, New York and Alsace itself.

A special Food and Wine Pairing presentation this year featured the renowned mother-and-son duo of Chef Joyce Goldstein and Master Sommelier Evan Goldstein, and afterwards, at the Grand Tasting, Chef Burt Cohen of nearby Boont Berry Farms cooked up a big batch of Chef Joyce’s Rock Cod with Spicy Peanut Sauce to serve the capacity crowd.

Luscious pork belly, hand-tossed pizzas, wines that go with everything. Mmm!

My Anderson Valley vintner friends Heather McKelvey of Philo Ridge Vineyards, Shirlee Londer of Londer Vineyards and Claudia Klindt of Claudia Springs Winery, are not only great gals, but they all make some of the finest, most food-friendly wine anywhere.

***********************************************************************
ComingSoon!ComingSoon!ComingSoon!ComingSoon!ComingSoon!ComingSoon!
***********************************************************************

Before I sign off, I’m looking forward to March ~ and the fantastic Pinot Noir Summit (*Click Here* for half-price tickets!) ~ on Saturday the 16th, at Herbst in the Presidio in San Francisco.

You can blind-taste all the top-scoring Pinots from three painstaking months of preliminary judgings, pit your palate against the experts who selected them, and vote for your own favorites.

*Click here* for a fun video of the 2012 Pinot Noir Summit. Enjoy!!!

***********************************************************************
‘byefornow…’byefornow…’byefornow…’byefornow…’byefornow…’byefornow…
***********************************************************************

See you next time for more Wine, Food and Fun!
Until then,
Cheers, my friend ~
Rosina

WineFoodBUZZ Newsletter ~ Jan-Feb 2013 ~ WineFoodBUZZ Newsletter ~ Jan-Feb 2013

BUZZbits ~ It’s Zin Week 2013. Get Set to Get ZAPPED!

Rosina Wilson — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 09:42:32 +0000

Calling All *Zin Fans* (as in Zin*fan*del) ~

Welcome, my friend, to Zin Week! From Thursday, 1/31, through Saturday, 2/2, Zinfandel ~ arguably California’s feistiest wine ~ grabs the spotlight at ZAP’s annual Zinfandel Festival. (ZAP, btw, is “Zinfandel Advocates and Producers” ~ the folks behind all the fun!)

Thursday’s “Epicuria” walk-around tasting pairs 50 top-quality Zins with Zin-friendly bites such as Five-Spice Duck Confit Sliders, Pork Belly Banh Mi, and Achiote-Braised Lamb, all crafted by top chefs and restaurants including Mustards Grill, Carneros Bistro (see photo, below) and Rose Pistola.

***********************************************************************

Both of Friday’s events take place at the Fairmont Hotel on San Francisco’s Nob Hill. From 10:30 to 1:00, “Flights,” a seminar-style tasting, offers a unique look, through the eyes of winemakers and other experts, at the flavor profiles of Zinfandels from four different geographical areas.

At 5:00, the “Casablanca”-themed Winemakers Dinner, a charity benefit featuring over two dozen wineries, kicks off with a meet-the-winemakers reception and a live and silent auction. The lavish dinner menu, designed specifically to pair with Zin, features Peking Duck BBQ Sliders, Seared Day Boat Scallops with King Trumpet Mushrooms and Beurre Rouge, Bone-In Sonoma Lamb Chops and, for dessert, a killer Chocolate Decadence Cake. (Mmmmmm. Doesn’t get much better than this!!!)

Then on Saturday, at the uber-popular “Grand Tasting,” 200+ wineries will pour their pride-and-joy Zins. I can’t wait (as always) ~ the ZAP Festival is truly one of my flat-out fave events of the entire year!

This pic brings you a tiny taste, from the exclusive, MediaOnly “Zin Zone” press room, of the outrageous parade of Zins that awaits. And it gets even better every year!

***********************************************************************

To whet your appetite, *click here* for my fun vid from last year’s Grand Tasting. And for all the deets of *this* year’s ZAP festival, *click here.* See you in SF!!!

Oh, by the way, be sure to get there early. This is one of the Bay Area’s premier wine events, and here’s what the crowd looks like later in the day…

Cheers, my friend,
Rosina

PS ~ Don’t worry if you can’t actually be at the Festival. In the next week or so, I’ll bring the Festival to you with some very special content ~ including pics, vids and tasting reports. Stay tuned!

All best, and
Cheers once again,
Rosina

RosinaWilson.com

Think Pink ~ Drink Pink ~ Join Me on WebTalkRadio!

Random Posts

WineFoodBUZZ Newsletter ~ Spring 2013

Related Posts

“BUZZbits” ~ Dinner at Central Market!

Random Posts

BUZZbits ~ Siri’s Visit ~ “Sushi Boat” Lunch (and a Japantown Surprise…)

Random Posts

BUZZbits ~ Rosina’s Recipes ~ “Linguine with Three-Ingredient Mussels”

Related Posts

Rosina’s Recipes ~ “Pasta Primavera Your Way” ~ on WebTalkRadio!

Related Posts

“Bouquets to Art” and Cliff House Birthday Dinner!

Random Posts

Pinot Summit 2013! Taste With the Winemakers ~ Cast Your Votes…

Related Posts

WineFoodBUZZ Newsletter ~ Jan-Feb 2013

Related Posts

BUZZbits ~ It’s Zin Week 2013. Get Set to Get ZAPPED!

Related Posts

RosinaWilson.com

Think Pink ~ Drink Pink ~ Join Me on WebTalkRadio!

Random Posts

WineFoodBUZZ Newsletter ~ Spring 2013

Related Posts

“BUZZbits” ~ Dinner at Central Market!

Random Posts

BUZZbits ~ Siri’s Visit ~ “Sushi Boat” Lunch (and a Japantown Surprise…)

Random Posts

BUZZbits ~ Rosina’s Recipes ~ “Linguine with Three-Ingredient Mussels”

Related Posts

Rosina’s Recipes ~ “Pasta Primavera *Your* Way” ~ on WebTalkRadio!

Related Posts

“Bouquets to Art” and Cliff House Birthday Dinner!

Random Posts

Pinot Summit 2013! Taste With the Winemakers ~ Cast Your Votes…

Related Posts

WineFoodBUZZ Newsletter ~ Jan-Feb 2013

Related Posts

BUZZbits ~ It’s Zin Week 2013. Get Set to Get ZAPPED!

Related Posts

Rosina’s Recipes ~ “Pasta Primavera Your Way” ~ on WebTalkRadio!