Doc's Draft Original Hard Apple Cider $4.99 ***

Fall 2011.  It is Cider Season.  While at Fairway, JPH picked up a couple of bottles of Doc's Hard Cider:  The 22oz original version (left) and a 22oz bottle of Doc's Draft Hard Pear Cider (our favorite - sorry, no picture).

We taste tested both as JPH was baking pumpkin pies for Sunday night's dessert. The Original Hard Cider was dry, crisp, slightly sparkly and 5% ETOH.  Easy to drink - a hit.  But then we tried the Hard Pear Cider  - it was sublime, fragrant and had just a hint of sweetness; hands down was the winner for the day (after the pies that is...).

I'll be writing a lot about Hard Cider this Fall, because Adventures in Home Brew continues.  We have a three gallon carboy of Soon's Orchard and Farm Market's Apple Cider in the basement bubbling away.  Details to follow....

Making Wine Vinegar... The signs of obsession...

It was a good Christmas.  I got to Long Island and there was a huge, open bottle of wine waiting for me.  Unfortunately, it would be days before I could drink it.  Work & Dr's appointments totally messed up my drinking schedule.  And even though we have invested in the vacuum bottle bottle re-corker/stopper, Il Bastardo would not wait for me.  (The story of my life!!!) I decided that the leftover bottle of Il Bastardo 100% Sangiovese would be my inaugural attempt at making wine vinegar.

I've always toyed with the idea of making my own wine vinegar with the leftover wines I have.  (yes, sigh, the unfortunate part of living alone is a lot of leftover wine)  So, I now have an Italian crock to make wine vinegar in (see below for a pic of my first attempt)  and on order, I have a 5L oak barrel for the same purpose.  2010 will not only be a year of travel for me but it will also be the year of Wine Vinegar! (I'm beginning to think that in a former life I was an Italian farmer's wife)

More posts to come.

 

UPDATE:  I had to switch to a 5 litre oak barrel.  I was worried about the brass fittings on the crock above.   The Barrel is working out perfectly! Here it is now (1/2011) left, and when I first bought it (1/2010) below (notice that I had the stand upside down!).  I've used the vinegar sparingly, but it does have an amazing taste. 

Carpineto Dogajolo Super Tuscan (not TJ's) ****

After waking up at 6:30 to the sun streaming in and birds singing - I had to remind myself that I was smack dab in the city - NYC to be exact. Last night, after seeing a friend star in an off Broadway play, we went to a celebratory Italian dinner where we shared a bottle of `07 Dogajolo Super Tuscan Red. It was a really good wine, after it had a moment to breath. (which allowed me to wax on about the wonders of the vinturi) I do think that this was my first experience with a "Super Tuscan". I liked it, the glasses went down easily with my Caesar Salad and Eggplant Parmesan with Linguine. Even though we were stuffed, as a "dolce" the four of us shared a light and tasty chocolate mousse cake. I'll have to wait for them to remind me of the name of the restaurant. (it was a good night out)

Adventures in Fermentation

Meanwhile, I tasted the Ginger Beer today. (I stand corrected - I am brewing Ginger Beer, not Ginger Ale) It is really good, and I'll be making this all summer. I modified it though, I added some iced tea to the mix; it cut a bit of the ginger bite and added some caramel color. I'll re-bottle it this afternoon in plastic for the picnic.

Menu:
Home fermented Ginger Beer/Iced Tea
Shrimp & Chicken summer rolls with plum dipping sauce
Cold buttermilk fried chicken
Strawberry shortcake with homemade biscuits, fresh strawberries and aerosol whipped cream (my one concession)

Stages of Fermentation
(note the added color from the Iced Tea)
click on thumbnails to make larger

Day One - Freshly Bottled.......... Day Two - Bubbling Away.......... Day Three - Drink!

I am going to be tinkering with home fermenting all summer - it is cheap, fun, and tastes really good. Maybe one day, I'll graduate to making homemade wines... but until then, you'll get plenty of Trader Joe's reviews.

Condesa De Sarabella `07 Grenache $4.99 ***

Memorial Day Weekend - 2009 is the kick off to my Birthday week. So today is all about home. I woke up and gardened, then started fermenting homemade Ginger Ale for Monday's picnic.

As I have been puttering cooking and cleaning, I decided to uncork a bottle of wine. Condesa De Sarabella, a Grenache from Spain. First sip - good. Fruity. I taste blackberries. It is a full bodied, but not heavy, fruity red with very light tannins, some acid. I really like it. It could make an AMAZING Sangria. (the sun is shining, it is beautiful out - my mind always strays to sangria)

After a run through the vinturi: Different - more balanced, but it hides the fruity flavor. I prefer this straight out of the bottle. The vinturi makes it a pedestrian wine. Keep the Spanish flair, pour it right into the glass and enjoy.

Today's menu:
Mixed Greens
Potato & Pickled Beet Salad
Roasted Wings in Honey BBQ sauce
Coffee Ice Cream

Here is the "Before" picture of the Ginger Ale (next to my tomato plants who are going to be re-potted outside this afternoon). If you see the spots of color in the background, those are my Roses coming into bloom. My roses make me smile.

We'll be drinking the Ginger Ale on Monday.