Wine Wednesday: Fetzer Cabernet Sauvignon

Wine Wednesday
So this is the first of a new series of post that we have decided to start where we review the different wines that we try and even the different vineyards we go to. We hope that you enjoy this series and we look forward to hearing what wines you like.

Our first wine is going to be the first of a group of wines from the Fetzer vineyard, check out their website for each different wine they have recipes to go with, and do not be surprised if you see traces of some of them here. Our first wine in the Fetzer Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine has a particular special meaning to me as it is the wine that my matron of honour bought for the bachelorette party. Everyone loved it. It actually became many girls favorite wine. I have see two different years, 2006 and 2009. The 2009 is easier to find but I personally like the 2006 better, to me it has more body and flavor. 


Flavors: black cherry (this is the reason that it was originally chosen), chocolate and as smooth as velvet
Aromas: vanilla and spice 
Parings: Dark chocolate (you will think you died and went to heaven with this combo), strawberries. You can also be pair it with any red meat or pasta but I personally do not think this is the best option. To me this is a great wine to drink with dessert or socially. To pair with the main course of a meal does not allow for all the flavors to come out to their full potential.
Price: $8
Rating: For the yumminess of this wine compared to the price I would have to give this wine 9 out of 10 wine glasses. 

Italian Mushroom Sauce

Neither Ronnie or I are big mushrooms fans, in fact until recently I could barely eat  mushrooms. My goal for this year is to become more accustomed to mushrooms, especially their texture. I want to do this because there are so many dishes out there that just sound utterly amazing but have mushrooms, and thus at the moment I can not eat them. :( So here is my first attempt at my goal and I must say it went really well.

Ingredients:
2 Cups beef broth
2 Tbsp butter
4 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp of basil ( can add more if desired, also rosemerry is a good addition)
2 cloves of garlic, crushed or 3-4 Tbsp crushed garlic
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Cups white meadow mushrooms, chopped
1/4 dry white wine

Procedure

1. Heat the broth in a sauce pan and also heat up small frying pan.
2. In the frying pan cook the butter and flour together to produce a roux, or thickening agent. 
3. Add the roux to the broth using a  whisk t.o combine. Let the mixture simmer  and slightly thicken. Occasionally stir to keep the consistency.
4. Add basil and salt and pepper
5. In the same frying pan add the oil and garlic.
6. Sauté the mushrooms in oil, cover and let sweat.
7. Deglaze the pan with wine and add to sauce, stir and let simmer for about 5 minutes. 

This sauce is great on a variety of dishes I poured it over angel pasta and green beans, but the uses for this sauce is endless. So other ideas are over chicken, in beef stroganoff or with any type of pastas.

Simple Chocolate Fondue

Ingredients:

8oz heavy cream

1 bag (120z) semisweet chocolate chips

1 Tbsp vanilla

nutmeg to taste

Procedure:

• In a fondue pot heat up the cream, and vanilla on medium.
• Once the cream starts to slightly bubble begin to add the chocolate by the handfuls. Make sure you stir constantly.
• Once thick and blended add nutmeg to taste.

Dippers:

strawberry or strawberry cake

pound cake

oreos

bananas

pretzels

Homemade Potato Gnocchi

Ingredients:
6 large Idaho or Russet potatoes

2 Tbsp and 1 tsp salt

dash of freshly ground white pepper

2 eggs, beaten

4 Cups unbleached flour

Procedure:

• Boil the potatoes in their skins for about 40 minutes, until easily pierced with a skewer. 
• When cool enough to handle, peel and rice the potatoes. You can use a cheese grater for ricing the potatoes. Set the riced potatoes to the side with as much of the surface as possible exposed to the air. 
• Boil 6 quarts of water and 2 Tbsp of to a boil.
• On a cool surface gather the riced potatoes into a mound, forming a well in the center. Stir the remaining 1 tsp salt and the white pepper into the beater and pour the mixture into the will. Work the potatoes and eggs together with both hands, gradually adding 3 cups of the flour and scraping the dough up from the wrk surface with a knife as often as necessary.  (should take no more than 10 minutes, the more it is worked the heavier the gnocchi will become.)
• Dust the dough, your hands, and the work surface lightly with flour and cut the dough into six equal parts. Continue to dust as dough feels sticky. 
• Using both hands, roll each piece of dough into a rope 1/2 inch thick, then slice the ropes at 1/2 inch intervals. Indent each dump ribbed, you can do this with a fork or the cheese grater. 
• Drop the gnocchi into boiling water a few at a time, stirring gently and continuously, cook 2-3 minutes, until they rise to the surface.
• Remove the gnocchi from the water with a slotted spoon or skimmer and place the on a warmer. 
• Add sauce once all are cooked. Grated cheese is great on these. 

You can also freeze the gnocchi to do place the uncooked gnocchi on a cookie sheet and freeze for about 30-45 minutes, then place in a bag. The freezing on the cooking sheet prevents the gnocchi from sticking to each other. 

Easy Beer and Cheese Fondue

Ingredients

2/3 cup dark lager/porter (we used a Samual Adams, made sure you use a better beer not something like coolers or busch)

16oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 1/2 tsp dry mustard or 2 tsp kosciusko mustard (which is a spicy mustard and Ronnie's favorite)

2 tsp cayenne pepper

2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce

Procedure

• In a Fondue pot mix beer, mustard, cayenne pepper, and worcestershire sauce and heat at 375 or on high until bubbles form.
• Gradually add in the cheese. I did about a hand full at a time stirring after each handful.
• Once all the cheese is melted reduce the heat to 200 or low.

Dippers:

apples

pears

pretzels

a hard bread ( i.e. french french bread)

bread sticks

Raw veggies ( broccoli, cheery tomatoes, carrots, or celery)

Coconut Raisin Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 can sweet potatoes, mashed
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup raisins 
• 1 cups pecans
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 
  

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, brown sugar, milk, butter and raisins. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish. Sprinkle with pecans and coconut.
3. Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven.

A Tokazowski Christmas Ham

Ingredients

• 1 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 cup ginger ale
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, halved
• 1 (12 pound) fully-cooked, bone-in ham
• 1 (15.25 ounce) can pineapple slices in juice, drained
• 1 box round wooden toothpicks

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the maple syrup, orange juice, ginger ale, brown sugar and honey. Stir in the juice from the maraschino cherries, and half of the cherries.
3. Score the outer edge of the ham with a sharp knife in a diamond pattern. Cuts should be about 1/4 inch deep. This will allow the ham to soak up the juice. 
4. Place the pineapples onto the top of the ham, and secure with toothpicks. Place cherries into the centers of the rings, and secure with toothpicks also.
5. Place the ham into an oven bag, and carefully pour the juice mixture over it, keeping all of the juice in the bag. It may look like there is too much juice, but the ham will soak it up while baking.  Tie the end of the bag closed with the ties provided, place in a large roasting pan, and cut a few small slits in the top of the oven bag.
6. Bake the ham for 2 hours in the preheated oven. The internal temperature should be 160 degrees F (80 degrees C) when done. Be sure not to touch the bone when taking the temperature. Remove ham from bag to a serving plate, and let stand for 10 minutes before carving.