Winesday with Gary Vee: a White Burgundy Sure to Make Shellfish Sing!

This week, Gary's got a hot tip on a lovely white Burgundy that's perfect for you shellfish fans out there! Check out what he has to say about the 2009 Domaine Gilbert Picq Chablis 1er Cru Vosgros:

 

"Nothing says summer like some mollusks. I absolutely adore shellfish of all kinds, especially west coast Kumamoto oysters. Now, this pairing might sound cliché… and as a general rule, I think it’s overrated… but this 2009 Gilbert Picq Vosgros Chablis 1er Cru is a quintessential “oyster wine”. It’s got great viscosity and weight, but all the acid to keep it food friendly. Many wine writers have criticized the 2009 vintage in White Burgundy for lacking acid for long term aging, but this wine will age into the next decade, no problem. I tasted more than fifty 2008 & 2009 White Burgundies in my most recent newsletter, and no other bottle was better fit for summer afternoons with a half-dozen bivalves!"

Gary's tasting notes: "Aromatically a little more interesting than the village level, with some fresh lychee and grassy components. Then on the palate this wine has beautiful viscosity and extremely focused fruit. I love the mid palate transition to the finish, which make it a very technically sound wine... like John Stockton in basketball. It also has wonderful integration of flavors. Word on the street is that the '09 Chablis don't carry the same acid that the '08s, however this wine will fool you into thinking otherwise. Cellar it 10-15 years easy. Picq continues to peak."

 

2009 Domaine Gilbert Picq Chablis 1er Cru Vosgros

100% Chardonnay

90+ points

$27 MSRP

Guilty Pleasures: Strawberry Cupcake = Summer on a Plate!

The Glamorous Gourmet is here to brighten your Monday with the latest installment of Guilty Pleasures! I came across this little gem at All Star Cupcakes in Boca Raton and, I have to say, it is essentially Summer on a plate! This delightful strawberry cupcake is deliciously pink, perfectly sweet and even has actual fruit on top to balance out the "guilty" - what's not to love about that? It was so yummy I was inspired to break out the Wedgwood for the photo. I think Aunt Mary would definitely approve!

All Star Cupcakes bakes their cupcakes fresh every day and makes all kinds of delicious flavors including S'mores, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Red Velvet just to name a few. If your week is off to a slow start or if you have a Summer Soiree or luncheon coming up, swing by and pick up a few of these lovelies. I guarantee they will be very well-received! What's your favorite cupcake flavor?
 Have a delicious day! 

"Just for the Grill of It: Wines that Pair with your Favorite Grilled Fare!"

I am happy to report, last night we kicked off the first event of our Second Annual "Art of Wine & Food" Summer Series at the Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale! Entitled "Just for the Grill of It," the evening featured wines that are perfect for pairing with Summer's mouth-watering grilled fare. The wines were complemented by delicious dishes created by the talented Chef Chris Golas of Hugh's Culinary.

When selecting the wines and envisioning my backyard full of friends and family for a day of poolside grilling, three criteria came to mind: (1) the wines had to be approachable and appeal to a variety of palates; (2) they had to be food-friendly and capable of standing up to the variety of fabulous flavors and (3) affordability - why pop the cork on that $50+ bottle of California Cab in blazing 95 degree heat and risk Uncle Bobby pouring half the bottle into his bright yellow Solo cup that still has a half inch of beer in it? Sometimes it's wise to not only pair the wine with the food but also the occasion - just sayin'!

The pairings for the evening included:
Wild Rock Elevation Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand 2009

This blend of 93% Sauvignon Blanc, 4% Riesling and 3% Viognier is pale, lemon yellow in color with a tinge of green. Aromas of fresh lime, grapefruit and white flowers are followed by flavors of lime, nectarine, grapefruit, and green apple. This wine has a bright, citrus acidity and finishes crisp, clean and dry. It is perfect for pairing with grilled fish, seafood and lighter meat dishes. Price: $16/bottle

Food Pairing: Grilled Mahi with Lemon Shallot Beurre Blanc

Cline Cellars Ancient Vines Zinfandel, California 2009

This Zin has a lovely smoky purple color and aromas of ripe blackberry, plum and chocolate. On the palate, mouth-filling flavors of black cherry, blackberry and spice are accompanied by appreciable tannins and a noticeable “heat” from the alcohol which clocks in at 15%. Enjoy this wine paired with grilled meats, pork, blue cheese burgers and barbecued meats.

linkPrice: $18/bottle

Food Pairing: Grilled Peaches with Honey Balsamic Glaze over Pork Medallions topped with Crumbled Blue Cheese

Robert Oatley Shiraz, Mudgee, Australia 2007  
This 100% Shiraz has an opaque ruby color with just a tinge of brick/orange around the rim denoting it age. This wine had aromas of blackberry, leather and spice followed by flavors of blackberry jam, plum and spicy black pepper. This is a juicy, full-bodied red with well-integrated tannins and weighs in at 13.5% alcohol. Enjoy this wine paired with grilled pepper steak, burgers and barbequed dishes.
Price: $20/bottle

Food Pairing: Open Faced Tenderloin Slider with Cognac Peppercorn Sauce   

Please join us next month at the Museum for "The Rosé Lifestyle of St. Tropez with Château D'Esclans" which will be held Thursday, July 28th. We are very excited to have guest speaker Paul Chevalier, National Fine Wine Director for Shaw-Ross International Importers joining us to take us on a sensory tour of these delightful rosés. I look forward to seeing you there!

Cheers,

Winesday with Gary Vee: A Fabulous Sparkling Wine for Summer Sipping!

What's not to love about a refreshing glass of sparkling pink bubbles to sip by the pool this Summer? Gary Vaynerchuk of the Daily Grape has a recommendation exclusively for readers of The Glamorous Gourmet for a delightful and affordable Spanish Cava that will deliver in the glass and not break the bank! Check out what he has to say about the
2008 Parxet Titiana Brut Rosé Pinot Noir Cava:

"With the summer weather you're going to want to drink something fresh and lively. Cavas are produced in the same method as Champagne at a fraction of the price. Many can be hit or miss, but this one both has a friendly price tag and impressive structure for its price point. Lounging by the pool or cooling off after mowing the lawn…this wine is a no brainer."

Gary's tasting note: Tight nose, not showing much and not nearly as aromatic as the other sparkling roses. But a subtle elegance and complexity, just a preview of strawberry fruit. Very complex fruit, quite earthy with beets along with rose petal and ripe black raspberry flavors dominate this complex bottle of bubs. I like the finish and mouthfeel, and in general I'm impressed. Not knowing what it costs when I taste it, if this wine is $20 or under, I might text my friends to pick up a bottle. (Trouty just told me this is only $15. Winner winner, chicken dinner. I think everyone needs to add this to their wishlist).

2008 Parxet Titiana Brut Rose Pinot Noir Cava
100% Pinot Noir
90 points
$15 MSRP

A Day in Old Salem with the Fabulous Rebecca Subbiah of "Chow and Chatter!"

Me, Rebecca & Princess Jasmine

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting someone in person I had "known" online for about two years. She is a familiar face in the "foodie community" here on Blogger and I am sure most of you already know her, the fabulous Rebecca Subbiah of "Chow and Chatter."
 
Rebecca has been an inspiration I think to many of us who have been at this blogging thing awhile. She has "led the charge" in many ways, not only in posting delicious recipes on her site, but also demystifiying alot of the technical stuff such as blog optimization, increasing page rank and yes, she has even developed an amazing app full of mouth-watering and health-conscious recipes on iTunes. Did I mention she is also a Registered Dietitian, expat from the UK and Mom to the adorable Jasmine who I had the pleasure of meeting on our day in Old Salem? Well, consider yourself "in the know."

Pot Roast at the Old Salem Tavern

The three of us had a wonderful lunch at the Old Salem Tavern in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. I happened to be in town visiting family and conveniently, Rebecca lives in the area and was kind enough to show me around. This historic town is actually a "living museum" in which the people working in the shops and the restaurants dress in historical costume like the Moravian settlers who founded the town in the 1700's - it was quite charming! Luckily, it was a beautiful day and we got to eat lunch outside - the lack of humidity was positively delightful. 

One of the specialties of the Old Salem Tavern just happened to be Pot Roast and came highly recommended by our server. As I had been eating my way through North Carolina for a few days already, I figured "why stop now?" It turned out to be delicious and pretty much defined the phrase "comfort food." Rebecca and I had a lovely time getting better acquainted, discussing blog-related things and watching Jasmine who was, let me just tell you, positively delightful! 

The Winkler Bakery in Old Salem

After lunch, we walked down to the historic Winkler Bakery that has been making baked goods for over 200 years. Jasmine got an ice cream cone and I purchased some yummy Moravian sweet bread and lemon cookies to bring back to the family. Needless to say, they were very well-received! It was such a lovely day and I'm very glad I had the opportunity to meet Rebecca and her daughter. If you enjoy good food, be sure to check out her blog "Chow and Chatter" where you can find wonderful recipes from around the world and also find out more about her many culinary endeavors including her app on iTunes. 

Have you had the chance to meet someone in person you originally met through blogging?

Have a delicious day,

The Glamorous Gourmet on Facebook!

Happy Sunday, Everyone! I hope you're all enjoying your weekend and celebrating all the fabulous Fathers out there today with some delicious meals. I am writing because I have a small favor to ask - it's painless I promise! I have just started "The Glamorous Gourmet" page on Facebook since, due to some policy I don't quite understand, I cannot change the name of my "Stephanie Savors the Moment" page. In the interest of consistency, I think this will make things easier and less confusing in the future.

I plan on using the new page in much the same way as the old one, to alert readers to new blog posts, upcoming events and sharing fun food and wine facts. It's always great to get a good conversation going! By clicking the link here, you will be taken to the page and all you have to do is click "like" to sign up. I greatly appreciate you taking a minute to do this and I look forward to seeing you there!

Merci,

 

Still Savoring: "Frozen Lemon Mousse" - the Perfect Summer Dessert!

With the weather heating up I can't help but think of one of my all time favorite recipes from "Savor the Moment," Frozen Lemon Mousse. This creamy, citrusy dessert is so light and refreshing it just screams Summer. Much to my surprise, I realized that I've never posted the recipe for this gem before, so voilà, my gift to you!

The recipe is a little labor intensive but, it you are a lemon fan, I think you will find it entirely worth it! Garnished with fresh raspberries and a sprig of mint, this dish is so delicious your guests will be lining up for more. It also serves twelve and can keep in the freezer for up to two weeks but, I have to say, it has never lasted that long in my house.

Please let me know what you think and I hope you truly enjoy this recipe as much I as have. What are your favorite Summer desserts?

Bon Appétit,

Frozen Lemon Mousse (pg. 246)
 4 egg yolks
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
4 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups whipping cream

Garnish
fresh raspberries or blueberries
sprigs of fresh mint

Combine the egg yolks, lemon juice, 1/4 cup sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl and mix well.
Beat the egg whites in a medium mixing bowl until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and salt and beat until soft peaks form. Add 3/4 cup sugar gradually and beat until stiff and glossy. Whip the cream in a bowl until stiff. Fold the egg whites and whipped cream gently into the egg yolk mixture. Spoon into a bowl. Freeze, covered with foil, for 8 hours or longer.
Let the mousse stand in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours before serving. Spoon into 12 dessert dishes and garnish with fresh raspberries or blueberries and a spring of mint.
Serves twelve