Site Meter Wine Outlook » fun purchases

fun purchases

Watermelon Sangria Makes Us Happy

Monday, August 27th, 2007

Watermelon SangriaThe other day at work, I continued my experimentation in sangria making. The time before when I made it with pineapple, mango juice, and peaches, I was struck with the urge to give watermelon a go. Turned out to be a pretty good idea, one worth repeating in your own kitchen.

Watermelon Sangria
*Half of a small seedless watermelon, cut into very small pieces
*Half a can of cream soda ( I used diet, but I think regular would be better)
*Bottle of sparkling wine

Mash the watermelon until it’s nice and juicy, then add soda and wine. Freeze for an hour, pour, and enjoy.

A Zinfully Good Meal

Thursday, July 5th, 2007

scallops with morelsThis post is from a dinner about two weeks ago, but I couldn’t not share. The first course was my second go at a delicious preparation of scallops I got from a trusty wine cookbook: The Perfect Match. You season them with olive oil, sea salt, and thyme, then sear quickly on both sides. The sauce is made with morel muchrooms, sun-dried tomotoes, and shallots sauteed in Chardonnay and a little butter, with more thyme. Therefore, they are ideal dining companions for a slightly buttery Chardonnay.

Rosenblum St.Peters Church ZinfandelThe main course was courtesy of BK–perfectly seared lamb served with a medley of zucchini and seps (kind of mushroom) drizzled with a bit of the Zinfandel. The wine was another older vintage from Rosenblum, one with a cult following. In 1888, a vineyard was planted behind St. Peter’s Catholic Church up in Sonoma County, within the city limits of Cloverdale, with soil of black loam and its fair share of gravel. Among the wines taken from the library, the 2002 St. Peter’s Church Zinfandel was the most expensive. Quite a splurge, but it was one of my favorites I tasted (and I was reimbursed). This time the nose brought me smoke, vanilla, and blackberry with tons of chocolate, pepper, and spice on the tongue. It was thick and delicious, and I only wish there were more.

,

Saturday Morning Happiness

Saturday, June 16th, 2007

Rosenblum library winesLast night’s member appreciation party seemed to go quite well, though I don’t have much to compare it to. At the Fogarty club events, I always had to work in the tasting room, far from the action (and the cookies). However, this time I ran a register, while kind souls brought me little tastes of library wines. I even got to slip outside once, where there was live music and more pouring stations. And at the end of the night, I had the chance to buy some of the older vintages, coming home with two of my favorites: the 2002 Rosenblum Monte Rosso Zinfandel and the 2002 Rosenblum England Shaw Syrah. Spending that paycheck before I even get it!

Farmer's MarkethydrangeasOn another happy note, this was the first Saturday morning I’ve had free since I moved to California. The few that I wasn’t working were taken off for specific purposes, such as the Gilroy Garlic Festival. Today, however, I walked over to the Redwood City Farmer’s Market and took my time browsing through produce, flowers, and other fun items. My trip home was much tougher, loaded down with goodies such as tomatoes, squash, an olive boulot, and peaches that might make it into a cobbler later, maybe with some dessert wine.

, ,

This Thing Called Collecting

Tuesday, April 24th, 2007

Yesterday I got a very exciting delivery, something I’ve been wanting for ages and finally broke down and ordered. It was “The Chosen Collection”– all 7 seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in one boxed set with new special features, interviews, etc. Now. Before you go calling me crazy either because

A) You don’t understand why I would want it in the first place…(Hey, I feel you. I was a doubter once, too, thinking it was a silly kids’ show and would ashamedly buy the dvd’s for my brother. Until I actually watched it and realized the genius of Joss Whedon and his ability to turn plotlines about vampires and demons into metaphors for life)
–OR–
B) You’re wondering what the heck this has to do with wine…

wine coolerLet me explain. I had a brief moment of guilt, when I was slicing through taped cardboard, where I wondered if I was cheating. Part of the joy of collecting is the chase, the search. Whether it’s digging through dusty, unalphabetized shelves trying to find that one book of poetry or trying on 10 pairs of shoes until you find the perfect ones, there’s beauty in the act itself. Now do you see where I’m going? My little wine cooler is (over)stuffed with bottles, but most of those bottles represent memories. Some travelled with me across Mississippi and then across the country, many were bought at wineries after lovely afternoons of tasting, and some were generously given to me by friends or others in the wine biz. Some are old friends and some I can’t wait to try. (more…)

,

A Bottle of Bubbles from Back Home

Thursday, February 22nd, 2007

If you have loved ones far away and would like to share wine with them, shipping is not the only answer. Good thing, because it’s illegal to ship to many states, plus there’s the extra cost and worry that the wines could freeze in the winter or cook in the summer.

I bring this up as my sweet mom called me last week, trying to be sneaky, asking what wine I would buy for someone within a given price range. Turns out, she wanted to get me a bottle for Valentine’s. Well, I finally took advantage of her generous offer, via the Bevmo website. I found the wine online, she paid, and I picked it up the next day. This could also have been done by phone, for those areas without internet-savy stores.

As for my bottle, my mom had mentioned sparkling, and I’m never one to turn down bubbles. I tried to think of something I wouldn’t normally buy myself, so I got the Moet & Chandon White Star. It’s one of those wines everyone knows, and I know I had some ages ago, but can’t really remember what I thought. Although after going to see Legally Blonde last night, in its final week before heading to Broadway (and finding it unexpectedly funny and smart), I’m thinking I should have gone for some pink bubbles. Elle certainly would….

But I’m happy with my selection. Thanks again, Mom!

, , , ,

Wine Orders Online: Oh, What a Feeling

Monday, January 29th, 2007

I am very pleased to say I just made my first online wine purchase. Though I fear this may be the start of a dangerous habit…

Our next theme for the winetasting group is Riesling, and I’ve been wanting to try one from New York (especially the Finger Lakes AVA) for some time now. I’m not very patient, and after not finding any in several stores over the past week, a rather dim light bulb went off in my head.

Lenn of Lenndevours kindly steered me in the direction of three different wineries, and I chose Dr. Konstantin Frank, as the name stood out from some of my previous reading.

Let’s just hope it gets here by next Tuesday. Otherwise, I’m pulling out my old Guntrum standby–the Yellow Fantasy.

p.s. I also added a bottle of Cabernet Franc to my order,while I was at it, for the sommelier who says she’s coming to visit me.

, ,

About Wine Outlook

This site is your go-to for answers about wine, courtesy of someone in the business. Firsthand knowledge and hours of research logged each week provide informed and impassioned suggestions for what wine to serve with meals (sometimes with recipes), places to go for education or fun, and what to buy or not buy. Wine Outlook is where you go when you’ve had too much to drink or not enough.

Wine Outlook Author(s)
    » Farley

Blogging Flair

Add to Technorati Favorites Top Food & Drink blogs Food & Drink Blogs - Blog Top Sites As Seen on Delightfulblogs.com

Food, Cooking & Wine Channel Posts

  • The Benefits of Pomegranate Juice
    Pomegranate tea is not only a great tasting tea it is also packed with antioxidants and health-benefits not found in other fruit teas or even juices. Try these two pomegranate juice recipes and add [...]
  • Drinks galore
    The only alcohol in my day has been the last bit of blackberry liqueur I drank so I could wash the jar and make way for the medlar liqueur. I think I need more pretty bottles. They can wait, [...]
  • The joy of still more drinks
    I don't intend to be unpredictable in my blogging. It's rather like my life, though, which has more than its share of not knowing what will happen until the day arrives. This is a shame, [...]
  • Words and more words, some of them quite yummy, some ... not
    I'm taking a break from drinking. I promise to get back to it, though, and write more curiously influenced posts. Today I have two things to talk about: search terms and one of the community [...]
  • Speaking of People You Want to See at Rosenblum...
    is back!! When I began my job at , there were a few things people asked about on a regular basis: when would the St. Peter's Church be available, when was the next Open House, and how was Miguel [...]
  • A little break in the weather
    I'll finish my drinks test tomorrow night. Today it's all too much for me: I look at the array of bottles and think I shall never touch liquor again. More than that, I think I shall have an [...]
  • The Peanut Butter Diet, Does it Work?
    People love peanut butter, unless, of course you have an allergy to peanuts. Americans, as a whole consume 800 million pounds of peanut butter a year. Even if you don't have an allergy, you may [...]
  • Rosenblum: It's All About the People
    Tuesday after work, we had a baby shower for Sean and his wife, Jolie. They are expecting their first baby May 23, though Jolie and the doctor think little Harper may come into the world a bit [...]
  • Status report and Chocolate Ricotta muffins
    My garage freezer inventory: * 1 9”x 13” pan of eggplant parmesan * 3/4 of a large baked ziti in three portions * 2 8-cup containers vegetable soup * 1 3-quart and 1 [...]
  • Me, I'm not drunk.
    My second drink of the day (I'm really beginning to sound like a chronic tippler, aren't I?) is # 8. It's a little sour, but even more refreshing than the mint ones. I think I'm going to have [...]

Hot Off The Press

  • Weekend Roundup
    Hey guys! I hope everyone had a wonderful and relaxing weekend! There are a few photos from this weekend that I caught but didn't really get a chance to put up, so I figured Monday morning would be [...]
  • Reminder: Crafty U Giveaway
    Don't forget to enter the Watching the View Crafty U giveaway. I know many of you entered via the comment method, but don't forget that you can also gain an entry by linking to my contest from [...]
  • The Mad Dog Gets His 300th
    In spite of all the drug crap that has been going on in the sports world, there's one guy who we may be certain that might not ever be dragged into the debate -- Greg Maddux. This weekend, he [...]
  • Grab a Bunch for Your Kidneys
    Eating four of these a week can cut your kidney-cancer risk in half. Hint: You need to peel it. Yep, we're talking bananas. They're bursting with phenolic compounds that appear to thwart [...]
  • D.C. Photo of the Day
    National Museum of Natural History, April 2008 Photographer: Kjersti Wasiak While you may notice most Photo of the Day posts feature photos taken by me, I encourage others to submit their [...]
  • Photo Gallery: Florida Marlins vs. Washington Nationals; May 9th, 2008 -- Washington, D.C.
    Florida Marlins vs. Washington Nationals; May 8th, 2008 -- Washington, D.C. [...]
  • Haiti Trip #3 -- Visiting
    On the 1st of May 2005, I arrived in Haiti for the third time in 14 months. My mother-in-law traveled with me. It was a wonderful opportunity for her to become acquainted with the homeland of her [...]
  • Keuchel Named SEC Pitcher of the Week
    Sophomore Dallas Keuchel was named the Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Week on Monday afternoon after his brilliant start on Sunday secured a series sweep of #13 South Carolina at Baum [...]
  • Ryan Gosling Takes Time to Speak Up for Chicks
    If Ryan Gosling has time to write a letter expressing his concern for animals, even while working abnormally long days on movie sets, then we should be able to find a few minutes to do the [...]
  • Evangelical group issues a manifesto
    I don't know about you, but when I see the word "manifesto" I get curious. And then I saw this headline. What in the world was a group of evangelical Christians issuing a manifesto about? It [...]