Ponti Dry Vermouth $4.99 (second review)****

Some days are for drinking wine, others are for cooking with wine.  After roasting a chicken yesterday, I picked the meat today for Chickpea chili with shredded chicken and the rest went into stock, which is bubbling away on the stove as I type this.

I was tempted to open a nice Gamay that I have waiting - but since there has been a fair amount of drinking over the past few days, my consumption today will only be cooking oriented.

I love this vermouth for cooking.  It is fortified, shelf stable, and perfect for any light dish that needs a kick. Thank you Julia Child for turning me on to cooking with good dry vermouth.  And thank you Trader Joe's for stocking Ponti, a great cheap bottle that tastes a lot more expensive. The price has gone up a dollar since my last Ponti review - but it is still a fantastic buy if you want a shelf stable white cooking wine.  (I don't drink martinis so I can't vouch for it as a mixer)

Menu
Chickpea Chili with Chicken

Ponti Dry Vermouth **** $3.99

This is my go to cooking wine. Thank you to Julia Child cooking goddess - I keep a bottle of Ponti on top of my fridge right next to the kalamata olive oil (TJ's $6.99), it is shelf stable and goes with everything that calls for white wine in cooking. I use a bottle every two months or so. (and no, purists don't give me crap about the top of the fridge being too hot for wine & oils - my kitchen is cold and I cook a lot - so this is not an issue!)

Ponti is great for Saturday am eggs - sautée some onions and spinach in a little olive oil & butter (maybe add a little tarragon if you are daring) then pour in a little Ponti and reduce. Scramble some eggs, add the mixture then omelet yourself up!

There is even a chorizo option for the man in your life (smile)

I could go on and on about cooking with vermouth - but I seem to be hung up on Sat am breakfast...

Either way at $3.99 what a deal!