When to refrigerate wine

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Wine likes to be kept at a constant, cool temperature. True wine connoisseurs go to great lengths to make this possible. Some will build out an entire wine cellar in the home and install high-end cooling systems designed specifically for wine. Most people however do not have such a budget. And, sometimes you don’t even have to go to such lengths.

Take white wine for example: often it should be served cold. The solution? Put it in the refridgerator! It’s pretty simple, really. Almost everyone has a fridge, so just save a little corner for a nice bottle of Pino and voila, you’re done. Granted, people put all kinds of things in the old ice box. My suggestion would be to sacrifice a few of the more… fragrant foods in favor of that delicious bottle of vino. In other words, I wouldn’t recommend keeping fish in the fridge, or anything else with a strong odor. That smell will carry over to your precious bottle of wine and will taint the experience after you open the bottle.

Obviously you can’t put every bottle of wine in the refridgerator. Most just weren’t meant for such a harsh environment. But, when it’s good to serve it chilled, then that’s where it belongs. After all, it’s certainly much better than adding ice.

Doing minor repairs on our home because of a big storm

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Guest post written by Carolina Hewitt

One of the things that I always have to worry about when we’re having a huge storm is weather our siding is going to fly off of the house. It’s that old. We’ve been thinking about switching out our siding for a while. Well, a tree fell on our house during a storm about a week or two ago and it messed up our siding. We were really lucky to have on that in damages from a fallen tree, though.

After getting some local quotes for new siding, I thought it would be worth looking online to see what kind of pricing I could find there. While I was looking, I ran across some info on Sears Home Improvement after I looked through it a little bit I decided to go through them.

We actually picked out a new color for our siding, which looked so much better than the old white siding. It even made it through hurricane Irene and I couldn’t be happier about it! Plus, my husband is really glad that we were able to save so much money on it.

The Vineyards of California

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The vast, lush terrain of California’s wine country is a place of pilgrimage to the connoisseur of the rich vintages produced in the region. California’s wine country, the seat of the country’s viticulture is spread across four counties, the major vineyards being in Napa and Sonoma counties and other vineyards in Mendocino and Lake Counties. With more than 400 winemakers in the valleys such as Napa Valley, the region is home to some of the world’s best loved Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc.

Exploring the Wine Country

A tour of the wine country is best done by setting up base in a town and understanding the history and tradition of winemaking before actually tasting the wine. Wineries in the region are hospitable and popular the year round except for the winter months. There are also guided tours of wineries where you will gain the knowledge of the winemaking process and be invited to an official tasting. Wine tasting is an art that requires an understanding of the aroma and flavor of the wine. Sonoma Valley is considered the first wine-growing area in California and wineries are proud of their grand tradition and their signature wines. So make a trip to the place where good wine is held in high regard.

Horses Bring Adventure to Wine Country

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Horseback riding is no longer an activity strictly for outlaw cowboys and English Polo players. The sport, beloved by many, has branched out, working its way into the vacation destinations and hobbies of people all over the world.

Particularly in California’s northern region near Napa Valley, known to many simply as “wine country,” horseback riding has become an extremely popular addition to the trails, vineyards and rolling hills. In a region so beloved for it’s simple beauty and traditional sophistication, it comes as no surprise that horseback riding would fit nicely into the mold. The only surprise to many vacationers is to discover their horses adorned in saddles and horse bridles. Because the region is truly so picturesque, riding bareback through the vineyards seems like a classic cinematic experience come to life.

 

For novice riders, wine country provides the perfect backdrop to practice riding in a slow-paced and manageable environment. The horse trails in wine country vary in difficulty, but all are manageable for riders of all ages and skills.  Many locations offer trail riding packages that includes trail gears such as a horse halter bridle and a horse saddle. Horse trail riding experience can be as adventurous or tame as you desire.

After you finish a long, winding ride through the ripening vineyards on a trained horse, head indoors to watch the sunset with a glass of some of the world’s best wine. All the restaurants and wineries feature vast selections of wine to please even the pickiest of palettes, and the first-rate food compliments it perfectly.

Many vacation destinations boast horseback rides, from the Grand Canyon to Disney Land, but none seem to compliment the surrounding environment like that of Napa Valley. Wine country has long been considered one of our nation’s greatest and most stunning treasures. The calming horseback rides only add to the area’s sophisticated appeal by exposing visitors to the landscape in a truly unique and memorable way.

The Benefits of Red Wine

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Red wines take their warm, rich pigmentation from the phenols in the wine, a phenomenon that occurs when wine stays in contact with the skin of the grapes. The therapeutic effects and benefits of red wine are due to the antioxidants in red wine called polyphenols. These benefits include improved gastric and cardiovascular function. A specific chemical, Resveratrol is believed to be beneficial to the prevention of diabetes and gastric ulcers. The alcoholic content of wine is known to combat the build-up of harmful cholesterol, the major cause of heart disease.

Wine Tasting

Wine tasting is an art and a delight to the senses. Though the practice of wine tasting has grown in popularity in recent times, it has been a tradition among wine-makers, sommeliers and connoisseurs for hundreds of years. A wine is judged for its aroma or bouquet, flavor, pigment and varietal character. Professional wine tasters have evolved several terms to determine the quality, desirability and consequently, the price of a wine. Wine tasting is also a popular celebrity pastime, with the rich and the famous, combining wine and fashion. For example, a celebrity auctioned her playsuit wardrobe for charity. The event was conducted as a private wine tasting party, drawing hundreds of the glitterati.

White Wine – Wines with Rare Distinction

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White wine differs from red wine not only in the grapes they each are made from, but also from the technique used to extract the wine. White wines are made from green or golden grapes. Certain types of white wine are made from red grapes, but only from the pulp of these grapes, without allowing the wine to come in contact with the phenols in the skin. White wines are known for their lightness and acidity which pairs well with white meat and cheese.

Pairing Food with White Wine

Wine pairing brings together the aroma and flavor of the food and wine. For centuries, wine has been an essential part of a meal and the natural characteristics of a wine are used to highlight an array of flavors in the food. Salads and cheese also alter the texture and taste of white wine. For example, fish salad is usually paired with a Frascati wine. The mild flavor of Cheddar cheese is balanced with the aroma and flavor of Chardonnay, the cheese highlighting the gentle flavors of the wine. White wine is also a good choice with white meat cooked with spices such as at restaurants that serve Indian food in Jersey City and other warmer coastal climates.

Salads – Healthy and Nutritious

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A Continental or Italian food menu is incomplete without the wholesomeness of a healthy, delicious salad. No other element of a menu is as versatile, nutritious and customizable as the salad. Salads can form the appetizer, main course, side dish and even dessert. As a simple green salad or a rich bound main course salad, salads are created to delight the palate and lighten a meal. Salad recipes range from a simple green salad with green leafy vegetables to complex salads that combine meat, fruit, cheese, and wine and are found in almost every cuisine in the world.

The Gourmand’s Guide to Salad and Wine

While any combination of vegetables and fruit is loosely called a salad, several salads are considered as ‘standards’ among chefs and diners. Some of these include salads such as the Caesar Salad, Chefs Salad, Cobb Salad, Nicoise Salad, Greek Salad and Russian Salad. Each salad has its own distinct flavor and sets the tone for a meal. Salads are paired with red and white wines – some of the popular pairings include Beaujolais with a Caesar Salad. Chardonnay works well with Cobb and Chefs Salad while Sauvignon Blanc is the wine of choice for pasta salads. Several salads are also served with apple cider vinegar, known for its fat-burning qualities.

 

 

Fashioning Pizza to Delight the Palate

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While most pizza restaurants will boast of the thick, stuffed crust on their pan pizzas, true pizzerias take pride in their hand tossed pizza. The Windy City of Chicago has lent its name to a style of pizza making – the deep-dish pizza. The city’s love for a wholesome pizza is seen in its stuffed Chicago style pizza as well as its classic hand tossed pizzas. The craft secret of a well-made hand tossed pizza lies in the moisture and airiness that tossing lends. These crusts retain a light, crisp-and-tender texture that act as the perfect base to the toppings.

Pizza in The Windy City

Chicago’s most famous pizza places are not the ones with the flashiest signs, but the ones that reflect the quiet confidence of some of the best pizza chefs in the United States. Chicago pizza places such as Giordano’s on North Rush Street, Gino’s East Pizzeria and Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria are the highlight of the city’s traditional pizza culture. Pizano’s Pat Brickhouse Special is one of the favorites. If you would like to learn to toss pizza, there are tutorials and instructional classes on how to toss pizza, reflecting the city’s great love for one of the world’s favorite foods.