Three topics in thirty seconds: Red wine, summer heat, grocery store wine.
My mind is scattered today. This is strange (for me) for a Monday but it has left me with an urge to think about a variety of random topics. One motivating factor for me here at work to get stuff done is the wine we are opening later tonight at Erica’s house. In light of all this I bring you: 3 topics in 30 seconds. Ready? Go!
Seasonal Summer Dishes
Asparagus stalks. Via Zed.Cat
I love summer for the simple and delicious dishes it means I get to eat on a nightly basis. One favorite of mine is thick slices of a tasty heirloom tomato with a sprinkle of fleur de sol. I also enjoy roasting asparagus on the grill with olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt. Favorites in the AmericanWinery.com office?
- Sauteed morels
- BBQ Tri-tip steak with soy sauce marinade
- Cucumber and tomato salad.
- Grilled Salmon with a squeeze of lemon
What’s your go-to summer dish?
Image via siukankay
Red Wine in the Summer
Brooklynguy wrote about his experience at a restaurant that told him it was too hot for reds. Nobody shared this news with me so I persist in drinking the reddest of the red. Tonight is Erica’s wine and cheese party here in Walla Walla and it is red only! If it weren’t 90 degrees out I would throw a bird in the oven and pop open a bottle of syrah for dinner beforehand.
Do you have an aversion to bringing the oven up to 475 degrees during the summer?
Buying Wine at the Grocery Store
I have a hard time finding what I want in the supermarket when thirsty. Most of the time I stand staring into space debating the merits of a pinot grigio over a chardonnay. This means I often give up and go grab a six pack from the other aisle.
How can wineries and distributors better market their wines during the summer?
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July 24th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Jeff – I definitely prefer cooking on the grill in the summer. When you live in an old house that does NOT have a fan attached to the oven, and the oven itself is such an inefficient unit. . . . bringing the oven up to 475 degrees in the summer is almost as bad as walking on hot coals.
July 28th, 2008 at 8:58 am
Lynn,
No doubt. At least on the grill you can walk away from the heat rather than turning up the ac.
July 28th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Grocery store-
I am the wine specialist at a store here in Walla Walla, and I try to display wines that work with the season, events, etc. Unfortunaty, most of the wine is brought in by the big distributors and they get bonuses for pushing mega brands (California, $10 and under) while there is nothing wrong with these wines, I wish I had more control and the space to display more Walla Walla and other NW wines. Grocery stores are pretty much controlled from a corporate office and most of the wine stewards (if there is one) have very strict guidelines on how much and where and what we can display.
July 28th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
Dee,
Interesting that when it comes down to it, there isn’t much of a choice for variety for the individual store. I’ve lived in Walla Walla for the last few years and frequently buy Walla Walla wines at the grocery store rather than just head to the winery itself. That seems like it could get frustrating on a routine basis. Is there any sort of wiggle room for which mega brands you can choose?
June 3rd, 2009 at 9:45 pm
Sweet blog. I never know what I am going to come across next. I think you should do more posting as you have some pretty intelligent stuff to say.
I’ll be watching you . :)