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Post by saunterelle on Oct 28, 2008 12:42:26 GMT -5
Great suggestions Joe. I haven't had too many Black Muscats, the only one I remember tasting was from Rosenblum Winery. Nice and floral but very sweet. Recommending it with grilled steak is an excellent call and shows you're thinking outside the box. Actually, one of the hottest wine/food pairings right now at the top avant garde restaurants is a sweet, late-picked Riesling (trockenbeerenauslese) with steak, so you're probably on to something!
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Post by subdjoe on Oct 28, 2008 20:00:54 GMT -5
Good lord, are they just finding out about that now? I've been doing that for 25 years or more. Think about it - a burger and a soda. How far off is it from a steak and a sweet wine. The Elysium and Gan Eden are not quite as sweet as most of the late harvest stuff I have tried. Nowhere near as sweet as, say, Mogen David Concord Grape.
One key thing I have found is to, in general, ignore the 'experts.' Drink what you like with what you like. Have fun, experiment. Try champaign with tacos and enchiladas. Pinot noir with apple pie. (the type made with sliced apples and baked, not the beverage)
Buy something you have never heard of just because it catches your eye. Try some off the wall liquers.
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Post by Mink on Oct 28, 2008 22:17:37 GMT -5
I know what you mean subdjoe. Once a year, I buy a bottle of Korbel Brandy for my Christmas eggnog season. I finally purchased the real nutmeg to shave on top. After the season ends, which is when eggnog is no longer available, what do I do with the rest of the bottle of brandy??? I add just a touch to regular meals and it's amazing what superb results I get! That one bottle never gets wasted!! Getting back to Christmas, my younger sis makes some mean bourbon balls once a year, always a treat, even for the kids!
The same with my bottles of wines and it doesn't matter if they are white or red. I love the white but I get reds as gifts and add either or to whatever I am cooking, not on a regular basis, but I love cooking with them all.
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Post by subdjoe on Oct 28, 2008 22:36:51 GMT -5
Yeah, the cheap Korbel stuff is good for eggnog, or cooking. Not all that great for drinking. If you have extra, you might try flavoring it. Say, slice up a quart of apples, add sugar to taste and a small stick of cinnamon. Add the brandy and put it in a sool dark place. Shake it up once a day for two weeks. Let it set for a few months. Decant. Don't throw out the apples, they make a nice topping for ice cream. You can do the same with berries or stone fruits, but those break down so much you can't really use the fruit.
If you have red wine that you don't drink straight, try mulling it. Wine, some apple cider, cut up an orange and lemon into it, throw in cinnamon, cloves, and a touch of nutmeg. Heat in a crockpot or double boiler. Serve hot.
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Post by Mink on Oct 28, 2008 22:46:05 GMT -5
You think Korbel Brandy is cheap? Maybe I think it is because I don't buy but once a year. What better choice is there?
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Post by subdjoe on Oct 28, 2008 23:58:22 GMT -5
It may not be inexpensive, but it is cheap. I'd have to see the lables to remember what I prefer. But a bottle of the good stuff is about 35 to 50 bucks and lasts us a year or more. And I usually go more towards cognac than brandy.
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Post by Mink on Oct 29, 2008 0:07:48 GMT -5
I see, well, I get the Brandy specifically for the egg nog. I never heard of cognac and egg nog. Is Corvassier (sp) a cognac or brandy? I know that is expensive and I tried it once. I had it at a restaurant where my brother-in-law was trying to teach me about drinks  anyway, it was a small "shot", but it went down smooth. |
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Post by subdjoe on Oct 29, 2008 0:56:53 GMT -5
Courvoisier is a cognac. Now, all cognacs are brandy, but not all brandy is cognac. I consider Courvoisier a low end decent cognac. But I think that for the price you can do better. I wish I could remember the name of what I prefer. The label was all in French, and no name really stood out. On the neck is a lable that shows a shield, barry with 3 red maltese crosses.
Something local that I think well of is Carneros Alembic.
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Post by saunterelle on Oct 29, 2008 7:30:05 GMT -5
Some of the best Brandy/Cognac in the world is made by Germain-Robin out of Ukiah. You can find it at Bottle Barn in SR. Relatively inexpensive because it's local. germain-robin.com/ |
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Post by Mink on Oct 29, 2008 22:55:16 GMT -5
Alright then! I'm all for keeping it local and when it is a great product, it's another plus.
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Post by subdjoe on Nov 22, 2008 19:20:04 GMT -5
Ah! Fall is here! Time for soups and stews. Just made up a pot of split pea with a ham hock in it. Make up a pan of biscuits, and we are golden.
One hint for split pea soup, add half a bottle of good beer, and a shot of single malt.
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Post by JustMyOpinion on Nov 22, 2008 20:24:52 GMT -5
Good grief subdjoe I'd be big as a house if I cooked like you!
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anyway, it was a small "shot", but it went down smooth.