Brandini Farms, is located in a small village in La Morra called Brandini, on top of a hill overlooking a wonderful view. Vines are exclusively local and from them important wines are obtained: Dolcetto D’Alba, Barbera D’Alba, Langhe Rosso, Langhe Nebbiolo and Barolo. Please join me for a tasting of these fantastic Italian wines partnered with a six-course dinner from Five and Ten.
Menu
1.
shaved brussel sprout salad
Quinterelli Bianco 2005
2.
lobster and braised bacon risotto
Brandini Dolcetto d’Alba 2007
3.
chicken thighs & chanterelles with leek polenta
Brandini Langhe Rosso 2004
Brandini Langhe Rosso 2007
4.
grilled Piedmontese beef strip steak with grilled endive, peperonata and olive oil
Brandini Nebbiolo 2005
Brandini Barolo 2005
5.
Roccolo cheese with toasted hazelnuts and green tomato chutney
Well I am not going to post the mahi mahi recipe today, definitely tomorrow though. It is a new recipe of mine and I want to make a few more additions. However, to keep you interested in dolphins, here is a picture of me supporting them.
Tomorrow, I will be posting a recipe using hakurei turnips. First, I wanted to give you a little bit of info about this cute little root. Hakurei (three syllables) turnips are a Japanese white turnip that I am sure many of you have been seeing in your CSA box or at the market. Do not fear these turnips, this tasty root vegetable has mellow, fresh flavor and are very good raw. Give them a good wash, trim them up a bit and take a bite!
If you didn't get a butternut squash in your CSA box this week, go pick one up at the Athens Farmers Market, open 'til noon on Saturday. Or if you don't live in Athens, I am sure there is a farmers market nearby. Check out this site to find local foods in your city.
Once you get your squash, make this tasty soup to warm yourself up on this chilly Saturday.
roasted butternut squash bisque
2 pounds butternut squash
2 T brown sugar
2 T unsalted butter
2 T water
2 T unsalted butter
½ cup yellow onion, diced
½ cup leek, cleaned and minced
1 piece celery, minced
1 T fresh sage, chopped
pinch of allspice
1 small apple, cored and diced
1 quart chicken stock
bouquet of thyme, bay and parsley
zest of one lemon
salt to taste
oven to 400
Cut and scoop the squashes.Place in roasting pan and rub with the butter and the sugar.
Pour water in pan, cover with foil and roast for one hour. Remove foil and roast for 15 minutes more to lightly brown squash.
Remove squash and let cool.
In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat.Add onion, leek and celery and sweat until translucent. Add apple, sage, allspice, chicken stock and bouquet.Cook until apple is tender, about 15 minutes.
Scoop cooked squash, discarding the shells.Place cooked flesh in soup base. Remove bouquet.Season, puree.serve. Enjoy!
If you live in Athens, you have probably heard about The Tree That Owns Itself, located at the intersection of Finley and Dearing Street. A new idea has emerged: populate the world with seeds from the Tree That Owns Itself in order to create a generation of trees that cannot be cut down or destroyed because of their self-ownership. Click here to learn more about this project.
The dinner will be delicious, wines phenomenal, and evening memorable. Not only will we be enjoying wines from Fisher Vineyards, but Juelle Fisher, the matriarch of this family-owned and operated California winery will be in attendance. Juelle and her husband Fred founded Fisher Vineyards in 1973 on 100 acres in the Mayacama Mountains on the western slopes of Spring Mountain.
The winery began with this mission....
"To grow and produce wines of consistent, world-class quality that express their unique mountain or valley heritage in the truest sense of terroir; the resulting wines should pay tribute to the land we are fortunate to care for, as well as each member of our team, which together will yield classic balance and style that transcends time." http://www.fishervineyards.com/winery/winery_and_cellar.php
Today, Fisher Vineyard's wines are given some of the highest ratings and best reviews....
"From an older (33 years) Chardonnay vineyard, the 2005 Chardonnay Whitney's Vineyard possesses attractive notes of honeyed lemons, poached pears, white peaches, and spices. Medium-bodied and elegant with expressive aromas as well as flavors, it should drink well for 2-3 years."
"Bright red. Sharply focused redcurrant and cherry scents are complemented by tobacco and brown spices. Deeper cassis and bitter cherry on the palate, along with spicecake and succulent herb qualities. Combines power and depth smoothly, finishing with slow-building sweetness and excellent clarity."
October 13th Tablas Creek Vineyards Wine Dinner! These wines are off the chain!
"Tablas Creek is the realization of the combined efforts of two of the international wine community's leading families, the Perrin family, proprietors of Château de Beaucastel, and Robert Haas, founder of Vineyard Brands. They had since the 1970s believed the California climate to be ideal for planting Rhône varietal grapes. In 1987, they began the lengthy process of creating a Châteauneuf-du-Pape style vineyard from scratch in the New World. The Tablas Creek Vineyard Partnership was born, with the Perrin and Haas families as majority partners, and French and American wine loving friends as minority partners." http://www.tablascreek.com/history.html
That's them talking. To me Tablas is a quintessential American winery paying homage to the Rhone in all the right ways. The place is an incubator for what's great in US winemaking! The wines are all rated crazy high by Mr. Parker.
1. green tomatoes, red tomatoes, buttermilk dressing Tablas Creek Vineyard, Cotes de Tablas blanc, 2007
2. white bean and lobster soup with buttery bread crumbs Esprit de Beaucastel blanc, 2007
3. duck choucroute garni Cotes de Tablas rouge, 2006
4. American lamb with caponata and polenta Esprit de Beaucastel rouge, 2006
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