Running...Not in Europe!

Can you believe it?  The Wine Gurus went to Europe and left us behind!!  (I've never really liked the Wine Gurus - I'm just humoring them...and their wine...)

Well of course, we had to have a send off for them!  This time was our turn for dinner and wine, and their turn for dessert.

We made a Beef Brisket in Red Wine that came out wonderfully tender again - what a great recipe!  We also made a dish with (my favorite) sunchokes - but we added in some artichoke hearts and mushrooms and sauteed with lemon-herb butter - delicious! (I have to give credit to the Feb. issue of Fine Cooking Magazine!)

Then we made a side dish - Quinoa with Garlic, Pine Nuts and Raisins.  Quinoa is something I have been reading about in my cooking magazines, and seeing more and more recipes using it.  Here's a little information...Quinoa is not a grain, but a seed!  It has a fluffy, creamy, slightly crunchy texture and turns a little nutty in flavor when cooked.  Quinoa is actually a relative of spinach and Swiss chard!  And as you cook the Quinoa, the seeds begin to expand and burst open!

This is my second try with Quinoa.  The first time I made it just like rice and served it plain with Citrus flavored Salmon.  Hubby swore he had a hallucinogenic experience after eating this combination, so he was reluctant to try it again.  But adding in the pine nuts and raisins made this try much better!  No talking pillows for Hubby this time!

So, our wine theme this evening was international Pinot Noirs.  We found a Cono Sur Pinot from Chili, and a Rex-Goliath from France.  The Cono Sur was "immature".  We could honestly taste that this wine had some more "sitting" to do.  The Rex-Goliath was very tasty and smooth.  The Wine Gurus brought a Zinfandel that they have taken a liking to - they found this one at Costco.  By the way, did you know that Costco is the largest wine distributor in the U.S.?

The Manzanita Creek Zinfandel was a nice finish to the meal.  It was slightly heavier than the Pinots, but very smooth.

Finally, we had a fantastic desert of Baklava (thanks to Mrs. Wine Guru)!  Very flaky and sweet!  I just loved the sweet contrast with the walnuts.  

So, thank you Wine Gurus for your wonderful dessert and (as always) your delightful company!  And, as you drink your way across Europe - raise a glass to us back here at home!

Running...with a Bottle in Each Hand!

I've been open to drinking wine for a few years.  Every so often I'd order a glass at dinner or pick up a bottle that looked interesting, but didn't have really any idea about what I was drinking.  And, while I am loathe to admit it, I once ran with a crowd that ordered White Zinfandel - I know, I know, and I beg your forgiveness!

Well, my unsavory past ended when I started drinking with my "Wine Gurus".  The Wine Gurus love wine.  They own a plethora of bottles, belong to numerous wine clubs, plan wine vacations, and have a great affinity for reds, although, they embrace a good bottle of white as well.

But the amazing thing about the Wine Gurus is that they have introduced Hubby to wine.  They have turned his "bitter wine" face into a countenance of ethereal pleasure!  (You like those big words - yes, I used a thesaurus.)    

We have the most fun with our Wine Gurus when we hold our periodic "wine tasting competition" evenings.  We've done Oregon vs. California (Oregon was our winner on that one), Sonoma vs. Napa at  our local Fleming's Restaurant (that one was undecided), and our latest evening was spent comparing 2 World Market Pinot Noirs.  Blackstone 2007 vs. 2008.  We decided that they were relatively mild, but unremarkable, and ended the evening with a bottle of Castle Rock that we would definitely buy again.

We try to pay our respects to the wine tasting experience, and use "wine" words, like bouquet, nose, floral, earthy, front-end, back-end...  Our attempts to sound like true "Vinophiles" are usually abandoned by the end of the evening.  Believe me, the term "back-end" takes on a whole new meaning after 3 bottles of wine!

Hubby had the most marvelous quote from the evening, 

"Wine is the most enjoyable when shared with friends!"

So, here's a glass raised to my friends the Wine Gurus!  Love ya!