Create a Cold-Weather Solution

(Family Features) While it can be a challenge, there are several ways to pair food and wine appropriately during winter, despite bitter weather.

Just because it’s colder doesn’t mean it’s time to stop enjoying the lively and nuanced flavors of chilled wine. While once only sipped on warm days of summer, rosé, for example, has become a year-round wine to enjoy any time with its crisp and cool strawberry and rhubarb flavors.

A warm, comforting dish, like this Roasted Chicken with Salsa Verde from James Beard award-winning chef Jonathan Waxman, combines well with rosé during the cold season. As the chicken roasts in the oven, it warms the kitchen and fills the house with wonderful aromas, tempting any chef or home cook to steal a sip of wine.

One reasonably priced wine that matches chicken well is Angeline California Rosé of Pinot Noir. The crisp flavors of light red fruits combine with the herbs accompanying the chicken. It’ll also complement the many other flavors of winter, when an array of dishes hit the table and challenge hosts to find the right wine to serve.

For more wines that work well in wintertime, visit angelinewinery.com.

Chicken and Salsa Verde
Recipe courtesy of chef Jonathan Waxman

Chicken:

• 1          fresh free-range organic chicken (4 pounds)
  
• sea salt, to taste
  
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  
• 1/4       cup extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 1          lemon

Salsa Verde:

• 1/4       cup capers in salt
  
• 4          anchovy filets
  
• 3          cloves garlic
  
• 1/2       cup chopped fresh parsley
  
• 1/2       cup chopped arugula
  
• 1/2       cup chopped fresh basil
  
• 1/2       cup chopped fresh cilantro
  
• 1/4       cup chopped tarragon
  
• 1/4       cup chopped fresh chives
  
• 1/4       cup chopped fresh sage
  
• 1          cup extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 1/4       teaspoon sea salt

To make chicken:

1. Heat oven to 450° F.
2. Wash chicken in hot water. Dry with paper towels.
3. Using kitchen shears, cut out backbone of chicken and remove any fat (this can be added to chicken stock). Using heavy chef’s knife, cut out breastbone. Season halves with sea salt and black pepper.
4. Place chicken halves, skin side up, on two sizzle platters and dab with olive oil. Cut lemon in half and place 1 half, cut side down, next to chicken on each platter.
5. Roast chicken 35 minutes, basting every 10 minutes. When done, remove chicken to platter and pour off excess fat. Cut each breast in half and cut the thigh from the leg. Serve with salsa verde (recipe below) and garnish with roasted lemon.

To make salsa verde:

1. Soak capers in cold water 1 hour then drain.
2. Soak anchovies in cold water 15 minutes then pat dry and remove bones.
3. Using mortar and pestle, smash capers, anchovies and garlic, until smooth, then transfer to large bowl.
4. Add all herbs and olive oil.
5. Season with sea salt. 

Pair each serving with Angeline California Rosé of Pinot Noir.

SOURCE:
Angeline Winery

Pick Your Cherries and Eat Them Too

How to pick the best cherries and make them last longer

(Family Features) Now that sweet cherry season is officially here, these summertime rubies are a must-have for any barbecue or party, whether they’re baked in a pie, crushed into a cocktail or eaten as a fresh out-of-hand snack. But first things first, what should someone look for when searching for the perfect cherry?

The Perfect Cherries
Cherry enthusiasts should keep an eye out for firm, shiny and smooth skins. In general, the darker the cherry, the sweeter, and with most varieties darkness is a sign of ripeness. The stems should be green and flexible. Northwest cherries, in particular, are known for their extraordinarily sweet flavor, due to the area’s excellent growing conditions. There are a wide variety of sweet cherries, ranging up to the extra-sweet, yellow-fleshed Rainier cherries. Though so similar they’re often sold as their collective “dark sweet cherries,” the most common varieties include Bing, Sweetheart, Chelan, Lapins, Tieton and Skeena.

Keeping Your Cherries Fresh
Fresh cherries should be kept in a tightly sealed bag or container and can keep for approximately two weeks in the fridge. While this cherry season will be short, you don’t have to limit these tasty, healthy treats to just the summer. Buying an extra bag (or two, or three) to freeze allows you to have sweet cherries all year long.

To create festive cherry dishes for the summer season, try this Cherry Martini or Cherry Almond Pie and find more recipes and cherry tips at nwcherries.com.

Cherry Martini
Servings: 4

• 2     cups pitted, halved Northwest fresh sweet cherries, divided
  
• 1/4  cup almond liqueur
  
• 2     teaspoons sugar
  
• 12   lady fingers, split in half lengthwise
  
• 4     whole Northwest fresh sweet cherries with stems
  
• 1/4  cup whipped lowfat cream cheese, divided

1. Mix halved cherries, liqueur and sugar; marinate 1 hour or longer.
2. Arrange lady fingers against sides of 4 martini glasses. Before serving, spoon 1/2 cup cherries over lady fingers and swirl 1 tablespoon cream cheese over cherries in each glass. Garnish with whole cherry and serve.

Substitutions: Orange liqueur may be substituted for almond liqueur. Angel food cake or pound cake, cut into 3-by-1-by-1/2-inch strips, may be substituted for lady fingers. Lightly toast strips, if desired. Sour cream or creme fraiche may be substituted for cream cheese.

Cherry Almond Pie
Servings: 8

• 1/2  cup sliced almonds, divided
  
• 1     pastry (9 inches), for double crust pie
  
• 1     egg, beaten
  
• 4     cups pitted Northwest fresh sweet cherries
  
• 1/3  cup sugar
  
• 3     tablespoons cornstarch
  
• 1     teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• 1/4  teaspoon salt
  
• 2     tablespoons red wine
• 
  Red Wine Glaze
  
• 2     cups powdered sugar
  
• 1/3  cup red wine

1. Heat oven to 375°F.
2. Finely chop 1/4 cup almonds.
3. Roll dough into circle approximately 16 inches in diameter and sprinkle chopped almonds over top; roll gently to embed nuts in dough.
4. Transfer dough to lightly greased baking sheet lined with parchment paper, if desired. Brush with beaten egg.
5. Mix cherries, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt and wine. Spoon cherry mixture onto dough, leaving 4-inch border. Lift edges of dough over fruit, leaving 5-inch circle of cherries showing in center. Fold in edges of pastry to form circle.
6. Brush pastry with remaining egg mixture; sprinkle with remaining almonds. Bake 30 minutes, or until pastry browns and filling bubbles.
7. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting. If desired, serve with Red Wine Glaze to drizzle over each serving.
8. To make Red Wine Glaze, mix together powdered sugar and red wine.

SOURCE:
Northwest Cherry Growers

Fun in the Sun

Backyard essentials for a summer outdoors

(Family Features) From a leisurely afternoon watching the kids play in the sprinkler to an evening cookout with friends under the stars, it’s the perfect time of year to bask in the comfort and beauty of your own backyard. Take this year’s outdoor enjoyment to a new level with items designed to keep you and your fellow revelers safe and ready for food and fun.

Easy Summer Entertaining
There’s something about summer that makes casual get-togethers great. The menu can be simple, an outdoor setting makes decorating a cinch and the options for entertainment are nearly endless. Put a special touch on your celebrating with these ideas:

• If you find yourself short on seating, create conversation areas using colorful quilts or blankets.
• Add lighting to dim corners with a simple strand of twinkling Christmas lights or take it up a notch with festive strings of lantern-style lights.
• Create a refreshing breeze and help keep pests at bay with fans set on low to circulate the air. For a simple decorative touch, add some streamers that will dance in the wind.
• Thread a variety of fresh fruits on bamboo skewers and insert ends into the rind of an upside-down watermelon half for a pretty and practical centerpiece.
• Greet young guests with small buckets filled with dollar store treasures like sidewalk chalk, jump ropes and water guns to ensure they stay entertained while the adults have some fun of their own.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images(three photos: people at party, cooler, and grill)

SOURCE:
Family Features

For the Love of Wine

Industry transitions as wine becomes more casual

(Family Features) Whether it’s relaxing at home, dining out at a restaurant or celebrating with friends and family, Americans are enjoying wine at a wider variety of occasions than ever before. In fact, 85 percent of frequent wine drinkers now believe that wine is equally appropriate for casual and formal settings alike.

Today’s attitudes and behaviors toward wine drinking were recently captured in the second Gallo Consumer Wine Trends Survey, commissioned by E. & J. Gallo Winery. The survey of 1,000 frequent wine drinkers found that 82 percent enjoy between one and five glasses per week, which they enjoy at a wide range of occasions.

“We are always glad to see Americans’ love of wine expand each year as they experiment with flavors, varietals and packaging formats,” said Stephanie Gallo, third generation family member and vice president of marketing at E. & J. Gallo Winery. “For more than 80 years, Gallo has strived for excellence and will continue its family tradition of crafting innovative wines that cater to Americans’ evolving wine preferences.”

A more casual approach to wine suggests that shoppers are more likely to try new wines across a range of prices. In fact, more than one-third of survey respondents classified themselves as a “wine adventurer,” while only 3 percent of those surveyed self-identified as “wine snobs.”

Exploring and experimenting
More sipping occasions means more opportunities to try new wines. The top factors that inspire a frequent wine drinker to try something new are recommendations from friends, family members and coworkers. Additionally, 86 percent of wine drinkers would be encouraged by a server, bartender or sommelier recommendation, followed closely by a recommendation from a wine store employee.

Not surprisingly, millennials are more influenced by the digital world than older generations. Survey data shows that millennials are more likely to be encouraged to try a new wine if it is featured prominently and positively in the media or if it is recommended on social media.

Selecting your sips
The occasion itself still influences the wine choice for many. While wine drinkers identified Chardonnay as the most popular choice for casual get-togethers, Cabernet Sauvignon was most often the front-runner for formal environments.

At the same time, sparkling wines are breaking out of formal occasions and becoming more popular for everyday moments. Interest in Rosé is also expanding beyond the peak summer months of June, July and August as more wine drinkers reach for blush wines in April and September.

However, looks still matter in the wine aisle. Millennials are four times more likely than baby boomers to select a bottle of wine based on its label, frequently looking for personality and originality. Baby Boomers, by contrast, look for region of origin and tasting notes on the label.

Thinking inside the box
Mirroring the changes in wine drinkers’ shopping habits, the wine industry is thinking “inside the box” these days. Boxed wine has evolved considerably in the minds of consumers, thanks in large part to its convenience. The extended freshness of boxed wine allows wine drinkers to enjoy it at their own pace and the box’s portability allows for easy transport to all types of occasions. In fact, 1 in 4 surveyed agree that boxed wine is best for large social gatherings and is becoming higher quality.

Wine in a can is a relatively new concept that more than one-fourth of frequent wine drinkers expressed interest in trying – particularly for outdoor excursions. Among fans of alternative packaging, outdoor events remained the primary occasion for the use of these products, which also include mini bottles and tetra packs.

“The increase in popularity of these new packaging options is undeniably making wine more portable, practical and possible to enjoy anywhere,” Gallo said. “A single-serve package, in particular, offers a convenient option for those who reluctantly grab a beer simply because it is easier.”

Overcoming wine fears
As wine culture becomes more approachable, common fears among wine drinkers are less prevalent. The survey found that fears, such as mispronouncing a wine’s name or being judged for wine choices, are still on the minds of some wine drinkers, but those who enjoy it regularly are not dramatically affected by these concerns.

“As an industry, we must continue working to remove these barriers in order to nurture wine’s expansion into everyday occasions,” Gallo said. “By exploring the more emotional implications of wine culture and sharing these findings broadly, we hope to welcome more people into wine.”

Pairings for every occasion
When it comes to food and wine pairings, the proper match can exponentially improve the eating experience – no matter what the occasion. The key is to choose wines and foods that complement each other in their components, richness and textures. To help get you started, Gallo Family Vineyards recommends the following pairings:

• Fresh fish: Complement garlic butter baked salmon or another favorite fish with a glass of Chardonnay for its rich fruit flavor and lush texture, or Sauvignon Blanc for a more crisp finish.
• Barbecue: Pair grilled items, such as shish kabobs, burgers or corn on the cob, with a Riesling for its vivid and sweet flavors.
• Red meat: Enhance the robust taste of roast beef or grilled steak with Cabernet Sauvignon for its black fruit and spice notes.
• Chicken: Serving an oven-roasted chicken with medium-bodied Pinot Noir will bring subtle flavors of cherry and sweet fruit.
• Dessert: Complement a slice of cheesecake, chocolate covered strawberry or chocolate chip cookie with Moscato. The light-bodied, refreshing flavors of peach, honey and ripe citrus are a perfect match.
• Pretty much anything: Rosé is often underappreciated when it comes to food pairings. From spicy Mexican to chicken salad, pecorino cheese and peach cobbler, it is an excellent option for dishes year-round.

To learn more about the evolving wine culture, visit gallowinetrends.com.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images (group of people)

SOURCE:
E. & J. Gallo Winery