Wine Wednesday: 2008 St. Francis Sonoma County "Old Vines" Zinfandel!

Katie Madigan, Winemaker for St. Francis Winery

Earlier this week I had the pleasure of meeting Katie Madigan, newly appointed Sonoma County winemaker for St. Francis Winery & Vineyards. Katie succeeded previous winemakers Tom Mackey and Dennis Borell and joins Artisan Winemaker Heather Munden to complete an all-female winemaking team at the winery - goooo girl power!

Katie majored in Chemistry at UC Santa Barbara and first joined St. Francis as a harvest intern in 2002. When asked how she made the leap from Chemistry to winemaking, the gregarious and quick-witted Madigan replied, "I loved chemistry and then they put me on a tractor and I was golden!" In 2004, she became a full-time lab technician and, following her studies in Enology and Viticulture at UC Davis, she was promoted to Assistant Winemaker in 2006. Since joining the winery she has implemented new techniques including night-picking Chardonnay grapes in order to preserve the fruit's delicate aromas and flavors. Her goal is to, "ensure that our Sonoma County wines express true varietal character and the best attributes of their terroir."

This week's Wine Wednesday recommendation is the 2008 St. Francis Sonoma County Old Vines Zinfandel. Although no legal definition for the term "Old Vines" exists in California, these vines range from 55 to 100 years old and produce low yields of fruit with highly concentrated, intense flavor. The vines, on their original St. George rootstock, are dry farmed and rely entirely on natural rainfall with no additional irrigation in order to produce higher quality fruit. This delightful Zin has oodles of ripe, black fruit, cassis, pepper and spice with a long luscious finish. It is well balanced with just the right amount of tannin and represents a fabulous value for the price. It immediately had me thinking of Summer cookouts and would pair deliciously with grilled meats, burgers or BBQ.

Wine: 2008 St. Francis Sonoma County Old Vines Zinfandel

Grape: 89% Zinfandel, remainder a blend of Alicante Bouschet, Mourvedre Carignane, Syrah & Petite Sirah

Oak: 25% new American oak

Alcohol: 15.5%
MSRP: $20
Best Enjoyed: within 5-8 years

Perfect for: Summer sipping; pairing with burgers, steaks, BBQ and just about anything that comes off the grill!

Where to find it: Total Wine

Cheers,

Savoring the Moment with the Fabulous "Ladies Who Lunch"!

While I do most of my cooking in the comfort of my own home, it's so much fun sharing the experience and the fabulous recipes of "Savor the Moment" with friends and family. The other day, I was fortunate enough to share some delicious recipes with a group of new friends, the fabulous "Ladies Who Lunch"! My Mom (that's her in the pink Lilly pants) belongs to this lovely group of ladies who meet once a month in one of their Ft. Lauderdale homes to catch up, have some laughs and enjoy a delicious lunch together. They split the hostessing duties so a different pair of gals hosts each month - a great way to split the work! Last month it was my Mom's turn to co-host and while discussing the menu one day, she asked if there were any recipes from "Savor the Moment" I could recommend. Before I knew it I had planned the menu, volunteered to make the entire lunch and do wine pairings with each course - yikes!

Once she accepted my offer, I got to work on the logistics. I chose two recipes I had made before and one I hadn't - I don't recommend making three recipes for the first time when cooking for group! The new recipe I chose was an hors d'oeuvres, the delicious Smoked Salmon on Potatoes with Dill Sauce (pg. 74). Now, I have never been a big fan of salmon. I have tried really hard to like it and sampled it in many forms: grilled, baked, broiled, etc..but to no avail. It wasn't until an encounter with smoked salmon in Paris last year at the historic Café de Flore that I actually REALLY liked it! At first I thought it was just the location but ever since returning home, I am still a fan! For this recipe, I used Scottish Smoked Salmon I bought at Carmine's Gourmet Market in Palm Beach Gardens. It had a nice, mild, briny flavor and wasn't as strong as the Nova Smoked Salmon they also had. The recipe calls for serving the salmon atop roasted new potatoes with a delicious dill sauce and seemed like the perfect way to start off lunch with the Ladies!

For the main course I went with the tried, true and delicious Chutney Chicken Salad (pg. 130) served on a bed of organic mixed greens. This flavorful blend of chicken, mango chutney, curry powder, raisins, celery and almonds is a hit every time! Cooking the bone in, skin on chicken breasts in a pot of salted water imparts the most fabulous flavor and texture to the chicken. Once cooled, just remove the skin from the chicken, cut into pieces and gently mix with the other ingredients. It couldn't be easier to make and this recipe can also be prepared in advance, which made it a great choice for the menu.

Dessert was a no-brainer and one of my favorite finds of the past few weeks! The Frozen Lemon Mousse (pg. 246) is so light, refreshing and perfect for Summer I had already made it twice before this lunch! It calls for a few delicious, fresh ingredients including lemon juice, lemon zest, eggs, sugar and cream and, according to the cookbook, can keep for up to two weeks in the freezer. It does take a little time to make and involves beating egg whites, whipping cream, folding and mixing but, let me tell you, it is well worth it! I prepared it the night before and popped it in the freezer to to let all the lemony, delicious flavors chill and meld together.

The day of the lunch, I packed everything up, including the wines I had purchased the day before at Total Wine, and headed down to my
Mom's place in Ft. Lauderdale. Preparing everything the day before really cut down on the anxiety factor! Once there, I assembled the Scottish smoked salmon on the potatoes I had roasted that morning, each filled with a savory dollop of the delicious dill sauce, and garnished with a sprig of fresh dill. My Mom's co-hostess with the mostess, the lovely Barbara Rogan, arrived soon after and we did some last minute preparations. Once the ladies arrived, we served the Smoked Salmon on Potatoes with Dill Sauce with a Lucien Albrecht Brut Rosé Crémant d'Alsace NV, a sparkling wine made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes from Alsace, France. The salmon was nicely complemented by the crisp, light flavors of berries and spice and, lets face it, bubbles always set a festive mood. The hors d'oeuvres and wine were well received and it appeared the Ladies were off to a great start!

When it was time for lunch, we plated the savory, fragrant Chutney Chicken Salad atop beds of organic mesclun greens and served with a 2007 Sonoma-Loeb Sonoma County Private Reserve Chardonnay. As the subtitle of this delicious recipe suggests, it goes perfectly with a Chardonnay and the Sonoma-Loeb did not disappoint with complex, rich, buttery flavors of ripe pear, apple, fig and toasty oak. The duo seemed to be a hit with the fabulous ladies and after some great stories, lots of laughs, and few glasses of wine, it was time to clear all the empty plates! The Frozen Lemon Mousse, served with some juicy, ripe raspberries and sprigs of fresh mint, was the perfect dish to serve following the flavorful chicken salad. I just can't get enough of its delightfully creamy texture and refreshing lemony deliciousness. Judging from the empty parfait glasses, the Ladies were in agreement too!

I so enjoyed sharing recipes from "Savor the Moment" with the "Ladies Who Lunch"! Cheers to Dot Cobb, Barbara Rogan, Joann Voight, Diane Gill, and Susan Goldstein. It was such a pleasure and I hope you enjoyed lunch as much as I did meeting all of you. I have included the recipe for the Chutney Chicken Salad below - hope you enjoy it!

XO,




Chutney Chicken Salad (pg. 130)
2 lbs. bone-in chicken breasts
salt to taste
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon curry powder
3 tablespoons mango chutney
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely shopped scallions
Cook the chicken in salted water in a large saucepan for 30 minutes or until tender. Cool and cut into pieces, discarding the skin.
Combine the mayonnaise, curry powder, chutney, lime juice, raisins and almonds in a large bowl. Add the chicken, celery and scallions and mix well. Serve on a bed of lettuce. Serves four

"Savor the Moment" Top 10 Valentine's Day Recipes (and a few Champagne Recommendations!)

Valentine's Day is this Sunday and I'm sure everyone already has their cards bought, presents wrapped and flowers ordered - right? If not, don't fret! Why not dazzle your siginificant other in the kitchen this year? With your cooking skills, of course!

Here are The "Savor the Moment" Top 10 Valentine's Day Recipes (according to me). I chose these recipes from those I have already made and blogged about (except for one, can you guess what it is?) - they are some of my favorites. Whether you're throwing a party or making a romantic dinner for two, these recipes will have your guest(s) lining up to kiss the cook!

The "Savor the Moment" Top 10 Valentine's Day Recipes:

1. Brie in Puff Pastry with Berry Sauce (pg. 58) (instead of a bow, make a puff pastry heart to put on top)

2. Roasted Sea Bass in Prosciutto (pg. 178)

3. Filet Mignon with Shallot Sauce (pg. 149)

4. Pork with Cherry Sauce (pg. 166)

5. Chicken Veronique with Fresh Peaches (pg. 172)

6. Tortellini alla Prosciutto (pg. 205)

7. Green Beans and (more than) Friends (pg. 216)

8. Champagne Truffles (pg. 36)

9. Praline Bananas Foster (pg. 137)

10. Fallen Chocolate Souffle Cakes (pg. 254) For this delicious and decadent recipe click here: http://tinyurl.com/ygh7egz

As far as wine goes, there are a few requirements: a sparkling wine must be involved at some point in the evening - actually, that's the ONLY requirement! Whether it's a Cava, Cremant, Champagne or Prosecco, here are a few fabulous recommendations to satisfy your Valentine's Day cravings. These bottles can all be found at your local Total Wine store:

1. NV Mionetto Prosecco Brut $15.99

2. NV Roederer Estate Brut Estate Anderson Valley $19.99

3. NV Schramsberg Vineyards Blanc de Blancs $35.99

4. NV Laurent Perrier Brut Rose $79.99

5. 1998 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame $159.99

6. 2002 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Brut Rose $399.99

I hope everyone has a very Happy Valentine's Day spent with the ones they love. Please don't forget to savor every moment - enjoy and cheers!