Simmering Sunday - Spiced Wine
Ooh, it's that time of year again. Autumn is a magical time for me. Aromas of rich pumpkin and apple spices fill the crisp air. The days get shorter and we all seem to slow down a bit as we watch the gorgeous, colorful leaves fall from the trees. Autumn is truly my favorite season of all. A favorite of mine this time of year is Spiced Wine. Here's a great recipe....
Ingredients:
1 quart of red wine
1 cup of rum or brandy
2 cups of water
1 vanilla bean (cut in half lengthwise)
10 cardamom pods
5 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
2 tsp. whole allspice
2 tsp. orange zest
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
sugar to taste
Preparation:
Put all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer slowly for 15 minutes. Strain (so vanilla bean, cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick, allspice, orange zest and lemon rind are strained out of the liquid). Keep warm and serve.
This drink will keep you warm from the inside out. Salute! :-)
Ingredients:
1 quart of red wine
1 cup of rum or brandy
2 cups of water
1 vanilla bean (cut in half lengthwise)
10 cardamom pods
5 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
2 tsp. whole allspice
2 tsp. orange zest
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
sugar to taste
Preparation:
Put all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer slowly for 15 minutes. Strain (so vanilla bean, cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick, allspice, orange zest and lemon rind are strained out of the liquid). Keep warm and serve.
This drink will keep you warm from the inside out. Salute! :-)
Labels:
Simmering Sunday
My Favorite Wines
I love wine. Who doesn't, huh? ;-) I've tasted many different wines over the years. Some were expensive while others were not. What I have noticed is that not all expensive wines taste good and not all inexpensive wines taste bad. Here are some of my favorites....
Oak Grove Zinfandel - This wine is my favorite "everyday" wine. Since the wine is so inexpensive (cost: $9 at Total Wine) you could drink it everyday if you chose. It is a rich wine that gives you a burst of wild raspberry and plum flavors and follows with a touch of peppery spice. This medium to full-bodied red is sure to please both your palate and pocket.
Dominican Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon (2003) - One of the best cab's I've tasted! Fantastic value (cost: $15 - $20 at Total Wine)! It is a rich, full-bodied wine that goes down smooth with a long finish. It has strong hints of vanilla and oak. It is delicious -- you won't be disappointed.
Saintsbury Carneros Pinot Noir - This is an amazing wine -- a huge favorite of mine! Saintsbury has a few different Pinot's. Make sure you get it from the Carneros region. It is an elegant, medium-bodied wine with rich flavors of black cherry, sour cherry and spice. Another fantastic value (cost: $20 at Total Wine)! It is delicious and super smooth.
Beringer Private Reserve Chardonnay - This is my ultimate favorite white wine! It's from Beringer's Private Reserve not to be mistaken with the regular Chardonnay. It is a rich, full-bodied Chardonnay with aromas of butterscotch, lemon curd and toasted almonds which evolve into rich tropical flavors that are balanced by bright citrus notes. It is a wine for special occasions (cost: $35 - $40 at Total Wine). This elegant, luscious wine is a must for all Chardonnay lovers!
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon (2006) - This is a truly amazing wine! Each year tastes different. In my opinion, the 2006 vintage was exquisite. It is a rich, full-bodied wine with powerful aromas of ripe blackberry, dark cherry with notes of vanilla and cocoa. This wine is pretty expensive (cost: $60 - $80 at Total Wine) but so worth it. Great for special occasions or if you just want to splurge. This wine makes my taste buds happy!
WINE TIP: Red and white wines should be poured towards the middle of the glass. Sparkling wines should be poured against the side of the glass. When you finish pouring a glass, twist the bottle slightly to stop any drips.
Look for more wine tips and fun facts in the coming weeks. Salute! :-)
Oak Grove Zinfandel - This wine is my favorite "everyday" wine. Since the wine is so inexpensive (cost: $9 at Total Wine) you could drink it everyday if you chose. It is a rich wine that gives you a burst of wild raspberry and plum flavors and follows with a touch of peppery spice. This medium to full-bodied red is sure to please both your palate and pocket.
Dominican Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon (2003) - One of the best cab's I've tasted! Fantastic value (cost: $15 - $20 at Total Wine)! It is a rich, full-bodied wine that goes down smooth with a long finish. It has strong hints of vanilla and oak. It is delicious -- you won't be disappointed.
Saintsbury Carneros Pinot Noir - This is an amazing wine -- a huge favorite of mine! Saintsbury has a few different Pinot's. Make sure you get it from the Carneros region. It is an elegant, medium-bodied wine with rich flavors of black cherry, sour cherry and spice. Another fantastic value (cost: $20 at Total Wine)! It is delicious and super smooth.
Beringer Private Reserve Chardonnay - This is my ultimate favorite white wine! It's from Beringer's Private Reserve not to be mistaken with the regular Chardonnay. It is a rich, full-bodied Chardonnay with aromas of butterscotch, lemon curd and toasted almonds which evolve into rich tropical flavors that are balanced by bright citrus notes. It is a wine for special occasions (cost: $35 - $40 at Total Wine). This elegant, luscious wine is a must for all Chardonnay lovers!
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon (2006) - This is a truly amazing wine! Each year tastes different. In my opinion, the 2006 vintage was exquisite. It is a rich, full-bodied wine with powerful aromas of ripe blackberry, dark cherry with notes of vanilla and cocoa. This wine is pretty expensive (cost: $60 - $80 at Total Wine) but so worth it. Great for special occasions or if you just want to splurge. This wine makes my taste buds happy!
WINE TIP: Red and white wines should be poured towards the middle of the glass. Sparkling wines should be poured against the side of the glass. When you finish pouring a glass, twist the bottle slightly to stop any drips.
Look for more wine tips and fun facts in the coming weeks. Salute! :-)
Labels:
Wine
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