American Winery Blog

This is one of my favorite recipes, at any time of year, but at summer it’s extra special because you can pair it with a crisp white and it becomes a more ethereal experience.  I really enjoy these tacos with the Yorkville Cellars Sauvignon Blanc.  The flavors meld beautifully, and I like the way the crispness of Sauv Blanc cuts through the garlicky aioli.  YUM

The two keys to making this recipe work are using a fruity yet mouth warming salsa, and of course the aioli.  The great thing is that it’s really not that invasive.  Once you’ve mixed up the Aioli, and chopped up your veggies, all you have to do is put the tacos together.  

(more…)

It was 1993 - the summer before my sophomore year at Kamiakin High School - and The Cranberries “Linger” was playing on the radio. I remember the look on my mother’s face, a mixture of surprise and suppressed pride at the proclamation I had just made. I had just planned my first dinner party - on the guest list, my college-bound boyfriend and his family. And I was going to do the whole thing by myself.

This is a fond memory from my past, as I have always loved to cook. My love and joy for cooking probably stemmed from my belief in the old adage “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach,” and from my total conviction that it was the only way I was going to land a husband. Cooking and entertaining are passions my mother and I share, and with her guidance, I’ve never been intimidated by preparing food for others. I enjoy all aspects of cooking - scouring cook books and magazines for new dishes to try, preparing menus, and lets not forget - wine pairing.

(more…)

Update! Summer is a time for Rose and Barbecues. This recipe is a rendition of one that came to be from a good friend and chef, Chris Ainsworth. He owns and operates Saffron Mediterranean Kitchen with his wife in Walla Walla and it is a must try for any visitor. Gazpacho is a great “soup” that you can serve during the warmer months and is great as an appetizer to a summer barbecue.

The finished product! Photo via CrystalBradley

Many Gazpacho’s are made with tomatoes, but this involves one of my favorite fruits, grapes!

1 large bunch green, seedless grapes
1/4 cup toasted almond slivers (place on a baking sheet in a preheated 350 degree oven. 3 minutes or less)
4 whites of scallions - chopped
1 Jalapeno pepper - cut in half and seeded * see Note
1 peeled English Cucumber *
4 cloves garlic
12 oz plain yogurt (2 yogurt cups)
1/4 cup buttermilk

Chardonnay vinegar to taste
Pepper and nutmeg
4 greens of scallions - for garnish *

Note:  If you like spicy foods, you can keep the seeds or you can use a Serrano pepper.  English Cucumbers are sweeter and have less seeds, but by all means, feel free to substitute a regular Cucumber.  I sometimes even use chives for garnish!

You may have noticed that I add no salt. My diet restricts it (a challenge to learn to cook without it!) but if you like your sodium, use only to taste.

1. Pick grapes and trim all the produce. Place all ingredients minus the seasonings in a blender and puree until smooth.  Don’t put the grapes in first!  They can get stuck under the blades.
2. Refrigerate your gazpacho until time to serve. Season to taste with the chardonnay vinegar, pepper and nutmeg. Garnish with the green scallions and serve!

This refreshing summer soup would be well matched with either of my two favorites: Jeriko Estate 2006 Rose, or Harmony Wynelands 2007 Rose. The serrano pepper lends a bit of smokiness that pair nicely with a crisp off-dry rose. Enjoy!