another wine blog

Vinography has an excellent article entitled Terroir vs. Pleasure in Wine that discusses flaws in wine, whether they are part of the terroir, and whether they should be eliminated.

Some excerpts:

How many times have I told myself not to meddle in the world of terroir? Having (or starting) discussions about the traditionally French notion of how wines possess unmistakable signatures of their place of origin is not unlike having discussions about religion and sexual orientation: you need to take care who you have them with.

and

While not a part of the main post, the conversation in the comments quickly turned to the role of the Brettanomyces yeast and whether it is a fundamental flaw, or whether it might be considered part of the regional terroir of the southern Rhone. While some might object to the suggestion that Brett and its typical horsey, barnyard aromas are a part of terroir, the question of whether it represents (or represented at one time) a regional style.

and

To wit: if the scientists in South Africa manage to figure out what causes these aromas and then what to change in winemaking or winegrowing to eliminate them, should winemakers go ahead and effectively erase what many have come to consider a fingerprint of the region in an effort to make their wines taste better?

The author raises some excellent points. Like many wine lovers I seek out some wines that are known to be “flawed.” However, like the author, I really dislike the flaws commonly found in South African wines that give it its terroir.

I was sent a message with the following question: If you could only drink 2 wines, one white one red, for the foreseeable, what would they be?

The questioner is writing a book, and his final chapter will include answers from wine lovers to this question. Unfortunately, I don’t believe that I can help him by providing an answer.

Wine is not like that for me. Some times I am in the mood for one type of wine or another. I have had great wines that did not impress me at the time because of a variety of factors, and some of my favorite wine experiences were with lesser wines due to the company, the situation, or the meal. Even weather can have an effect on what I want, or how I percieve a wine.

Even more importantly, for me, much of my love for wine stems from searching for new experiences. I want to taste something new, discover a new favorite, learn something new in every glass.

If anyone does have an answer to this question, I’d love to hear it. Cheers!

This is definitely a sangria with some zing. Give it a try on a hot summer afternoon.

1 bottle of Zinfandel or Syrah
2 cups Vernor’s ginger ale
1/4 cup simple syrup
2 lemons cut into wedges
1 orange cut into wedges
2 limes cut into wedges
1 ruby red grapefruit, segmented
1 oz good gin

Make sure that all ingredients are well chilled before combining if you plan to serve this right away, if making ahain chill the wine and fruit mixture and add very cold ginger ale just prior to serving.

Add wine, simple syrup and gin to a large pitcher and mix gently. Keep in mind that you will be adding ice, so choose a pitcher that is large enough. Give each lime, orange and lemon wedge a quick squeeze into the mixture before adding to the container. Add grapefruit segments and stir. If time allows, store the sangria in the refrigerator for a few hours before moving to the next step. If time does not allow, this sangria will still be delicious, but the extra time will make eating the fruit much more fun. Immediately before serving add ice cold Vernor’s ginger ale and cup or so of ice and stir.

Do not substitute another ginger ale because the unique taste of the Vernor’s is what ties all of the flavors together, from the oakiness of the wine to the forest qualities of the gin as well as the astringency of the grapefruit. If you really dislike gin, try using rum instead, but gin works much better.

You mean that I have been wasting my time spending all of those hours at the gym? I only needed to drink more red wine?  I think I will start tonight.

The findings, to be presented this week at The Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in San Francisco, show that in laboratory experiments with so-called “pre-fat cells,’’ resveratrol prevented them from converting into mature fat cells. Resveratrol also hindered fat storage in the cells.

The compound also reduced production of certain cytokines, substances that may be linked to the development of obesity-related disorders like diabetes and clogged coronary arteries. Resveratrol also stimulated the formation of a protein called adiponectin. The substance, known to decrease risk of heart attack, is diminished by obesity.

“Resveratrol has anti-obesity properties by exerting its effects directly on the fat cells,” said the study’s lead author, Pamela Fischer-Posovszky, a pediatric endocrinology research fellow in the university’s diabetes and obesity unit. “Thus, resveratrol might help to prevent development of obesity or might be suited to treating obesity.”

This is my last piece on BBQ for a long time, I swear.

As I mentioned yesterday, every year Texas Monthly Magazine ranks and reviews the Top 50 BBQ Joints in Texas. One thing that is a constant each year is that Smitty’s Market in Lockhart, Texas will be in the top 5, if not in the number one slot. This year was no exception, as Smitty’s earned a perfect score of 5.

Here is what Texas Monthly had to say about them:

Don’t bother going in the front door. You’ll end up in the parking lot behind the boxy brick building anyway, doing the Smitty’s shuffle: At peak hours, the lines invariably stretch out the back door. Patiently, you inch your way forward, passing the waist-high brick pits and perusing the list of post oak–smoked meats (brisket, pork ribs and chops, shoulder clod, sausage, prime rib).

Salivating, you finally place your order for a pound or so of meat (in this ancient hall there are no platters or sandwiches). You pay with cash or check (here there is no debit or credit). You proceed to the high-­ceilinged dining room, staring at the meats on your butcher paper (here there are no plates). Yet again you are made to stand in line, to order sides and drinks. At last, faint from hunger, you squeeze in at one of the long communal tables and tear into some of the finest barbecue in Texas.

Smitty’s began around 1900 as Kreuz Market, a German butcher shop that sold fresh meat during the week and smoked whatever was left over on the weekend. The Kreuz name endured even after Edgar “Smitty” Schmidt bought the business, in 1948. It was still in use in 1999, when a dust-up among the late Edgar’s three children caused his son Rick to take the Kreuz name to a new building down the road (see page 126). Fortunately, daughter Nina Schmidt Sells and her son, John Fullilove, kept the fires burning and reopened under the current name. They made a few concessions to modernity, such as repainting the dining room and offering sauce (you have to ask for it). Other than that, the place is still the proud bulwark of tradition it has always been. May it never change. Patricia Sharpe

Rating: 5.
208 S. Commerce, 512-398-9344. Open Mon–Fri 7–6, Sat 7–6:30, Sun 9–3. [Map] smittysmarket.com

Trying to describe the BBQ at Smitty’s Market, or the experience of going there is likely impossible. As well written as the above description is, it hardly prepared me for what I found at Smitty’s. Yes, you stand in the Texas sun waiting to get in, and then move from the frying pan literally into the fire. A smoky haze hangs in the air and stings your eyes. The walls are blackened by decades of wood smoke and most of the like comes from the fire pits. The pits that are described above are directly next to you as you wait in line. The fire is on the ground about a foot away from your legs. It is hot, and if you foolishly move up instead of leaving a gap in the line next to the fire, embers crack and hiss as they shoot toward your legs. Did I mention that I was wearing shorts?

Then the rest of the experience is as described, except for one thing that they left out. The friendly camaraderie that develops with your line mates. There was a friendly family in front of us who provided us with conversation and tips since it was our first visit. They also ended up sitting next to us at one of the long communal tables.

After a lot of food talk we discovered that one of new friends was Adrian Galindo, Executive Chef of The Inn Above Onion Creek in Kyle, TX. One of these days soon I hope to visit and sample some of Mr. Galindo’s cooking.

But back to the BBQ. I had read so much about Smitty’s Market, and watched features about it on the Food Network, that I was trying very hard not to let my expectations get out of hand. I had eaten plenty of very good barbecue over the years. I even pride myself on being able to turn out some pretty good ‘cue of my own. However, I was prepared to be disappointed. I mean, how much better could it be than what I have eaten before?

A lot better. After the first bite of their spectacular pork ribs I knew that I was really only eating BBQ for the first time. Their impossible tender, juicy and perfectly seasoned brisket was insulted when I dipped it into the sauce and let me know that I have a long, long way to go before I consider my feeble attempts at the smoker to be even adequate. Their sausage links redefined for me what sausage should be. All of the above are eaten with your hands off butcher paper, which just seems right.

I was right, trying to describe this food is impossible. It has to be experienced. If you ever can get to Lockhart, Texas, I strongly recommend that you brave the sun and fire pits of Smitty’s Market and experience the revelatory joys of barbecue nirvana.

Every year Texas Monthly Magazine ranks and reviews the Top 50 BBQ Joints in Texas. This year’s issue had a lot of surprises. One of the biggest surprises for me was the inclusion, for the very first time, of a restaurant that uses a mechanical cooker. Not only that, but it is not even a “joint” in my opinion, it is actually fairly upscale.

Lamberts Downtown Barbecue calls what they do “fancy barbecue”, and they certainly live up to that billing. This is what Lamberts has to say on their Web site:

Lamberts Downtown Barbecue is located in the historic Schneider Brothers Building, in the heart of the 2nd Street District in downtown Austin. Lamberts’ open kitchen serves up modern Texan cuisine: all natural barbecue, wood grilled steaks, fresh seafood, family style sides, and homemade desserts. Two bars offer inventive cocktails, locally brewed beers on tap, premium tequilas, scotches, bourbons and live music upstairs six nights a week.

That put it about three or four blocks from where we were staying in Austin so it was definitely on my list of places to eat on our visit. Especially after reading what Texas Monthly had to say about them.

AUSTIN
Lamberts Downtown Barbecue
Building used to be: One of Austin’s first general stores.

Can a place that cooks its meat in a gas-burning rotisserie make really great ’cue? Well, the brown-sugar-and-coffee-rubbed brisket was delicious, the maple-and-coriander-­encrusted pork ribs were tender, the pulled pork was perfect, and the chorizo-ish jalapeño hot links were unforgettable. Sides and desserts were extraordinary. A jícama-and-­carrot slaw, in particular, had plenty of cilantro and lime to cleanse the palate, and the hot blackberry fried pie prompted an “oh, my God.” KV

Rating: 4.25.
401 W. Second, 512-494-1500. Open 7 days 11–2 & 5:30–11.

The rating system goes to 5, so a 4.25 within spitting distance was more than I could resist. So one late morning while my wife was conventioneering to her heart’s content I decided to walk off one of the worst breakfasts I have ever eaten by walking around Austin.

I headed down world famous 6th Street letting the exercise, sunshine, and heat melt away the powdered eggs and sleazy sausage patties. I passed the legendary blues club and Austin landmark, Antones, and stopped to ponder all of my heroes that had stood on the same spot before heading down to a corner I always end up on when I visit Austin. The corner of 6th and Lamar has three places that I always have to stop in, Book People, Waterloo Records, and Amy’s Ice Cream. All three are extraordinary examples of what we have lost by supporting national chains instead of funky local businesses. It is one of the reasons I love Austin so much, it lets these type of places thrive.

Then it was time to head back and return to my quest for perfect BBQ. I started back the way I came until I could cut down to 2nd Street. Going that way took me past the local Saturday Farmer’s Market and I could resist strolling through it. Being that this was Austin, even the market had a live band to accompany all of the fresh produce and artisan cheeses and meats, but I couldn’t stay long, I was on a mission now. Not to mention, that horrible breakfast was forgotten and I was HUNGRY!

2nd Street does not look like a place for world class BBQ. Sushi, maybe, but not Texas brisket. It is sparkling clean, new, and modern, and I couldn’t see Lamberts, but I damn sure could smell it. Wood-smoked meat may possibly be the finest smell in the world. After almost passing it up my nose got me where my eyes couldn’t, and I walked into Lamberts.

Again, my eyes were telling me that I was in the wrong place. This had to be a martini bar or some other hipster hangout. This was the polar opposite of Peters BBQ, which is exactly what a BBQ shack should look like from my experience. But my nose knew that I was in the presence of barbecue greatness.

I sat down and, over a glass of very fine ale, looked over the daily menu. The traditional plate of 3 meats and sides was tempting, especially for comparison’s sake, but I saw something that I couldn’t resist. Frito pie with pulled pork. I had to see what a place with a growing reputation like Lamberts could do with such a humble dish.

The plate arrived and it was a glorious mess. A bed of fritos supported huge hunks of juicy, tender, smoky pulled pork all covered with an ancho chili queso sauce. On top of that was a perfect amount freshly chopped cilantro and slowly melting pieces of goat cheese.

BBQ purists are probably rolling their eyes in disgust reading the above paragraph, but not if they had ever tasted this dish. Every bite was different as each ingredient, including the lowly frito, played off the others to create new flavors. I can’t wait to try it again.

As my wife was unable to leave the convention center for lunch, I spared her having to follow the same sleazy breakfast that I had been subjected to with some concession food, and got a 2 meat platter to go. Despite being stuffed to the gills, I had to taste a little of everything she had, as well. The brisket was very exceptionally tender and juicy, although not as smoky as traditionally cooked BBQ, the sausage were equally good, and the sides were fantastic, especially the jicama slaw.

Next time I want some of the pork without all of the embellishments. My one regret was that I had no room for the fried blackberry pie.

I spent the afternoon in the hotel gym and the lap pool as penance, but it was worth it.

Our friends at Drinkplanner have some excellent advice dealing with open bottles of wine. As always, the advice is good, snarky, and delivered with a wink.

To give everyone a quick respite from tales of Austin, here is a nice Summer recipe. More BBQ tales soon.

This refreshing Mediterranean-style pasta salad works as either a side dish or a full meal and is very wine friendly. It can be eaten cold, room temperature, or hot. I rarely make vegetarian dishes, but this is one that tastes so good no one will notice that there is no meat in it. Besides, I know that I have at least one vegetarian friend who reads this, so this can be my token recipe nod to him. I promise that it won’t happen often, though.

Ingredients:
1 box of ziti pasta (I usually use whole wheat)
1 bunch of fresh curly parsley (stems removed, finely chopped and divided into 3rds)
5 cloves of garlic (chopped)
1 large shallot (chopped)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 lemon (both juice and zest)
1 8 oz jar of artichoke hearts ( drained and rough chopped)
1 can of chickpeas (drained)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 lb feta cheese (cut into small cubes)

Cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the shortest time stated on the box’s cooking instructions to ensure proper texture. Drain and rinse with cold water until pasta is cool to the touch. Place a large, high sided skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is good and hot add the olive oil and reduce heat to med-low. There should be enough oil to thickly cover the bottom of the pan, if not, add a little more. Once the oil is up to temperature stir in the garlic, shallots, and pepper flakes. Stir often and watch closely to make sure that no color is being imparted to the garlic or shallots. A burnt taste from either will ruin this dish. Think of these ingredients as being boiled in the olive oil more than being fried. If necessary, reduce the heat. Cook for 2 minutes.

Add the can of chickpeas and stir. Allow the chickpeas to cook for another 2 minutes so that they absorb the flavors from the oil. Stir in both the artichoke hearts and the chicken stock. Wait about 30 seconds and then add the lemon zest and the first 1/3 of the parsley. Stir well, and then add the pasta, and mix well again. Grind on some pepper to taste, stir again, and add the second 1/3 of the parsley and stir some more. Now stir in the lemon juice and then the cheese. Continue to stir until all of the ingredients are nice and warm and the cheese begins to melt slightly and stolen taste ensures that it is warm and creamy throughout. Stir in the remaining parsley and serve hot, room temperature, or refrigerate.

I made this the other day and ate it hot out of the pan for dinner, then later cooled off with a nice Pinot Gris, and then again right out of the fridge for lunch the next day. It tasted great all three ways, with each being quite different.

This recipe can be used as a starting point for a lot of variations. Add some grilled chicken for a heartier meal, or some fresh mint or thyme. I suggest a nice crisp white wine with this, but it could easily be paired with a nice Pinot Noir, as well.

One of my favorite places in Austin is a place called Cork and Company on Congress Avenue right in the heart of downtown. Cork and Company is everything a great wine bar should be. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable, the selection is varied both in styles and price range, and the pours are not stingy.

In addition, the place just oozes Austin cool. The bar is managed by Crockett Moore, a sommelier, who looks like he just stepped off of a Social Distortion album cover, although he was probably born about the same time as the band was being formed. Don’t let the tattoos or his youth fool you, this guy is serious about wine and knows his stuff. If you get the chance to visit, I highly recommend telling him what you generally like and then letting him pour. I did, and it made for a very enjoyable afternoon.

Cork and Company has many events, wine classes, speed dating, tastings, and a daily happy hour with pretty decent wines for $5 a glass. However, I am told that their Mama Mia Night has been voted as one of the best things to do in all of Austin on a Monday night. For $13 you get authentic hand tossed pizza paired with a flight of very good Italian wines.

If you get the chance, pop in and see Crockett and his staff. They will make sure that you have a great time. I found the clientèle to be very friendly, and the guys working there filled in any temporary lulls with great service and conversation. Over the course of a few visits I had some great wine and discussed sports, politics, and of course food and wine. What could be better?

Corkand Company is located at 308 Congress Ave in Austin, TX

I have no idea where you are right now, which is probably quite a relief to learn, but I am pretty sure that wherever it is, it probably isn’t as cool as Austin, Texas.

I recently had the pleasure of spending a few days in Austin. My wife was a delegate at the recent Texas Democratic Convention. As I was not, nor was I particularly interested in the proceedings, I had a lot of time to wander aimlessly through the streets of one of my favorite places on earth. Four days of eating, drinking, people watching and exploring. I had a ball.

The trip started with great BBQ and ended with the greatest BBQ I have ever tasted. In between there was even more BBQ. Oh, and wine. Lots of wine. Also, some beer and a whole lot of other food. Over the next few days I will be posting about some of the experiences I had in Austin.

The first one, as is fitting, happened on the way there. My wife and I were getting quite hungry. We decided to try one of the small BBQ joints that dot the side of the Highway 71 between Houston and Austin and settled on an establishment called “Peter’s BBQ” in a little town called Ellinger. Peter’s looks like what a Texas BBQ shack should look like, so we pulled in.

To set the scene properly, I should tell you that I was wearing a Detroit Red Wings Stanley Cup Championship shirt and my wife had on a “Texans For Obama” t-shirt. The crowd of locals turned and stared at us. I guess it was quite apparent that we weren’t from around those parts. Scenes from “Easy Rider” began playing in my head accompanied by Charlie Daniel’s “Uneasy Rider” as a soundtrack.

It would be an understatement to say that I wasn’t feeling particularly welcome at this point, but decided that, screw it, the food smelled and looked incredible, the locals could burn their eyes on us for all I cared. I was frickin’ hungry. So, we headed up to the counter to order.

The two folks behind the counter could not have been friendlier, and that eventually extended to all of the people we found working there. Just plain nice people. So, we both ordered some sliced brisket and were told to help ourselves to all of the sides and fixings we wanted in the main room. We took our food into the other room, where we still seemed to be quite an attraction for the gentlemen seated there, and saw two full tables of food laid out. The sides and fixings were extraordinary and plentiful. Everything from jalapenos and onions to three different kinds of beans and potato salad, all of it very good. There was even an assortment of desserts ranging from banana pudding to cobbler. Amazingly, this vast array of food was constantly being added to. Even more amazing is that it all cost $7.95.

The BBQ was fantastic, as well. The brisket was tender as could be, and visibly juicy. It had a nice thick smoke ring that delivered with plenty of flavor. After a few bites I forgot about the good old boys staring at me, and eventually they seemed to forget about us. Soon more, and much friendlier acting, people came in and the buffet kept being replenished.

I wish Peter’s had a Web site that I could provide a link for, but it doesn’t seem that they do. The best I can do is give their physical address. 301 Hwy 71, Ellinger, Tx. Even if I was certain that the same group of surly locals were going to be staring at me every time, I will be stopping at this place on every trip to Austin. Great BBQ!

I didn’t know it at the time, but there were even greater culinary adventures coming.

Like my last post about a bargain wine, this one is also not about a great wine. However, this is a very good one that comes close to greatness, if there is such a category for humble table wine.

Little James Basket Press is a non vintage single varietal French  Vin de Table from Saint-Cosme. The wine is 100% Grenache from the Southern Rhone. Not quite as cheap as my last bargain wine, this one is still a steal at around $12, and I have seen it for as low as $10.

This wine delivers soft gobs of sweet cherry flavor along with some floral and ripe, juicy blackberry flavors. For all that, it has a very pleasing dry finish with just a hint of minerals. Chill this in the fridge for about 15 minutes and  NV Saint-Cosme Vin de Table Français Little James’ Basket Press will very likely become your go-to Summer red wine. It is for me.

TNow that’s what I call a bargain wine!

I have absolutely no idea, but I hope that the players for my beloved Detroit Red Wings are busy finding out.

Okay, that was a lame way to work my obsession with Detroit sports into my blog about my obsession about wine, but I couldn’t help myself. On the bright side, I don’t follow baseball and the Detroit Lions aren’t likely to inspire any posts here, so the readers of AWB can content themselves that they are probably safe from any more interruptions of this sort until Hockey and Basketball season start up again.

On a totally unrelated note, I am taking a few days of vacation and am spending it in beautiful Austin, Texas. I hope that they stocked up on wine. I plan to be celebrating the Wings winning the Stanley Cup all weekend!

This is not a great wine by any means of reckoning, but it costs around 7 bucks a bottle. Besides, who can drink great wine every day? This is a very drinkable wine at an exceptionally low price.

This wine is 100% Riesling and has never seen any oak. As a result it is crisp, sweet and goes down great on a hot Summer evening. It is quite refreshing, and has great big pear and apple flavors all coated in a honey finish.

This is probably not a wine to serve to your snobbiest wine friends, unless of course, you don’t show them the bottle until after they rave about it for a bit. In fact, my wife laughed at me when I bought it after aan in-store tasting. I laughed a week later when she had a glass with dinner and wanted to know which of our wine clubs had sent it.

That’s what my youngest son thinks, at least. Being 13, he may be a bit prone to hyperbole, but I am pretty sure it is at least in the top 100. I had a fairly cheap late harvest Riesling with this, and it was a fantastic summery meal. This is a variation on a salad recipe that I read somewhere recently and then recreated and expanded on from memory. I would credit the original, as unrecognizable as it might be from this recipe, if I could remember the source.

Start with three chicken breasts and half them, slicing as you would if you were butterflying them. On a large cutting board spray a small amount of water and then lay out a good sized sheet sheet of plastic wrap. Give that a little spray of water, as well. Place one of your chicken pieces in the center, spray another equally sized sheet of plastic wrap and lay the wet side down on the meat. Using a meat mallet, flatten the chicken so that it is a fairly uniform thickness.

Technique is important while flattening the chicken pieces. The plan is to get them to the correct thickness, not to beat them to a pulp. To do this requires a little strategy. What you are trying to do is to get the thick parts to the same thickness as the the thin parts. Use your mallet, flat side, please, to simultaneously lightly hit and push out to the edges. This works fast and does not require much force.

Once the chicken is to the desired thickness, cut the chicken into strips and place in a bowl or a bag. Add buttermilk to cover all of the chicken. Add 1/2 tbsp of each of the following; garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper and them scrunch it all around. Let this sit for 30 minutes or so.

Place a large non-stick pan over medium heat and pour in enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan once it is hot. Take the buttermilk drenched chicken and roll in panko bread crumbs until well coated. Gently add the chicken pieces once the oil begins to smoke a little. Cook on both sides until golden brown. Take care not to crowd the pan, and cook the pieces in shifts. Once they are cooked and drained, place into a 250 degree oven to keep warm.

Turn the heat down to medium-low and add 1 tbsp of butter along with 4 sliced garlic cloves and 2 slices shallots and stir often, taking care to not let anything burn. As soon as you see even the slightest bit of color on any of the garlic deglaze with 1/2 cup of white wine. Reduce until the wine is mostly gone and then add 1/2 cup chicken stock and continue reducing. Once the liquid is reduced to about 1/4 of the original amount add roughly 20 halved cherry (or other small) tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in a 1/2 cup of thinly sliced strips of basil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, mound a good handful of raw baby spinach on each plate and spoon some of the hot reduction over the top. Add some room temperature crumbles of goat cheese and then arrange some of the chicken strips around the spinach in a spoke pattern.

By the way, the aforementioned 13 year old is an avowed salad hater. Something he mentioned a few times around mouthfuls of both helpings of this salad.

For the record I do not care for pilsners. They remind me of the crap I used to steal from my dad’s refrigerator. They tend to be blank on the nose, weak at the front and have a nasty finish. Add in their low alcohol content which provides little to no mouthfeel and I don’t know how people drink them on a regular basis.

On the other hand, it’s hot in Texas. Really freaking hot. All the beer I had in the house was heavy, either big barley wines, IPA’s, dark ales, or even a home brewed wee heavy or two. So, last time I was at the local liquor megastore I was on the hunt for a light refreshing beer. As the opening paragraph suggests, I was not looking for a lager. But, a lager is what I found.

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company makes very fine beer. They even make a very good Christmas Ale, a style that more often than not tastes like Santa and his reindeer went on a bender and pissed all over a lot full of Christmas trees which were then boiled down and bottled. Anyway, I took a chance that they would be able to do a nice pilsner style lager right.

They did not disappoint. This beer has a bit more color than your typical American pilsner, still not much nose, but it has a great taste, with very little of that unpleasant hop finish one associates with the style.

Sierra Nevada Summerfest Lager even has a perfectly respectable 5.0% alcohol bite and some refreshingly tangy hops. This was the kind of beer I was looking for. This is the perfect beer for right after coming in out of the sun, or to go with any kind of summer fare from salads to burgers to BBQ.

I will be picking up some more of this brew and hope I can find a local watering hole that has it on tap. For now I will settle for drinking it while I type this review and keep my kids away by blasting some old Black Oak Arkansas (with my late hometown girl Ruby Starr).

A couple of days ago I recommended Polka Dot Riesling as a good wine to eat while cooking barbecue, yesterday I used it to make a nice cold, refreshing sangria to drink WHILE I was barbecuing. This white sangria tastes like a crisp, tart lemonade, but much less sweet.

Start by chilling a bottle of a bottle of white wine of your choice, I liked the way that the Polka Dot worked in this, but any tasty cheap white that you like should taste fine.

Melt a healthy tablespoon of good honey into a cup of apple juice and then let cool.

Juice 2 lemons and two limes into a pitcher and then fill with ice. Pour in your apple juice and the bottle of wine. Slice another lemon and lime to garnish, stir it all together and drink cold.

I iced this down 3 times yesterday and it did not get watery. It was a great refreshing drink for sitting outside in the Texas heat tending a smoker full of ribs. Just enough alcohol to keep me slightly mellow, but not enough to get drunk even though I was drinking it like lemonade. That allowed me to stay out in the heat and drink a nice Zinfandel with the ribs later on.

You can doctor this up in any way that you like, but I prefer this crisp, light version. Adding some cognac, brandy, other fruits, or even some fruit schnapps might suit your tastes more, though.

Sometimes life becomes too routine, it feels like you are stuck in a rut. Perhaps the rut seems to be approaching chasm status. The work week can’t get over fast enough and the weekend is over before you know it was even here. Sunday brings a sense of dread because you can hear Monday scratching at the door.

Maybe the cure is to rediscover what we are passionate about. Although I attended culinary school, I ended up on another career path. The Web came along and it totally captivated me. Very early on I wanted to become part of it, help build it, maybe even shape it somehow. To some extent, I have. It used to be a passion for me. I sprang out of bed every morning wanting to create.

Over time the web changed. It became more useful in a many ways, but a whole lot less fun and more commercial. Those changes have allowed me to work at some amazing places while providing me with a pretty good income for a culinary school drop-out. On the other hand what was once my passion is now just a job. Not only because I do it every day, but the creativity and sense of wonder has vanished for me, and what is left is routine.

Yesterday I attended a large picnic for a political group that my wife is active with. I had been volunteered to man the grill. The fare was simple, burgers and hot dogs, and the crowd was large. That doesn’t exactly sound like fun, does it? Especially if you factor in the hot Texas sun.

Strangely, that is exactly what it was. It WAS fun. A lot of fun. Possibly the most fun that I have had in quite some time. Standing over a huge grill, in the hot sun, flipping hundreds of burgers and dogs, trying to get every single one of them perfect made for a wonderful afternoon for me.

Cooking food well for other people makes them happy. Seeing them enjoy themselves, at least partially due to my efforts, makes me happy. “Flipping burgers” is a term thrown out by every parent as a motivator when their child is slacking on their school work. “If you don’t study harder you will end up flipping burgers!” In fact, one of the reasons I dropped out of culinary school was the revelation visted upon me by a chef who shrugged and said, “Cooking gourmet food or flipping burgers is all the same. You take a process and repeat it every day.” Little did I know at the time that defines almost all jobs. Passion is what makes the difference between a great career and a job. He should have told us that.

Tomorrow while I am sitting at my desk, doing my relatively impressive sounding job, I will be dreaming of my rediscovered passion. As the routine sets in I will daydream about flipping burgers. Lots of them.

Despite it being a day for solemn remembrance, especially in the times we find ourselves, Memorial Day weekend, for many, also signals the opening of the BBQ and grilling season for many folks. Being in Texas, that season never ends, but for a lot of people this is the weekend when they break out the grill for the first time. It is also a weekend when family and friends gather around the grill and celebrate the beginning of the Summer season.

As this is not a political blog, I will not dwell on the solemn aspects in this space. Suffice it to say that our brave young men and women and their families are rarely far from my thoughts anymore, and my fervent hope is that their sacrifice and pain is brought to an end soon.

Returning to the actual theme of this piece, people will be gathering around the grill all across the country this weekend, and on through the summer. We won’t go into what constitutes BBQ today (maybe tomorrow), but whether the fare is burgers and hot dogs, jerked chicken, pulled pork, or the Texas delicacy, slow smoked brisket, it is hard to beat grilled, smoked and barbecued foods for celebratory Summer gatherings.

Beer and soda tend to dominate the drink choices at such gatherings. The reasons are simple, those drinks go well with the menu, they are cheap, and they are traditional. As wine becomes more popular, it is starting to appear more often at these type of less formal gatherings. But what to serve?

My criteria for an outdoor party like this is that the wine should have some sweetness to pair with the naturally sweet flavors, be low in alcohol so the fiery spices aren’t unduly enhanced while keeping my guests from falling over or peeing in my wife’s flower beds, and it should be inexpensive. Another plus is that it should taste good chilled, so I like whites here. There are plenty of reds that go well with ‘cue, but out in the hot sun I prefer something more refreshing.

A wine that meets all of those criteria is Polka Dot Riesling. It has a flowery nose with hints of peaches and apricots. Those flavors carry over into the taste along with a bit of residual sugar, providing a sweetness that matches perfectly with spicy, smoky food. It also has the required fresh crispness that is refreshing on a hot day.

At 10.5% alcohol with a price tag around 8 bucks it also fits all of my other requirements. One more thing to recommend it is the packaging. It looks like a fun party wine, and it is.

This wine was a Double Gold Champion at the Houston Livestock and Rodeo wine competition. Oh, and did I mention it was only around $8?

I hope that everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day weekend, and may God bless and keep our troops and their families.

Here just some random items and thoughts.

• For all of the reputation that wine drinkers have as being snobs, attending wine events always seems to lead to meeting the friendliest people on the planet. Rooms full of strangers quickly become rooms full of friends once the wine starts to flow. There are people that I have shared a glass and a conversation with at wine events whose path I never would have crossed otherwise. Some of these people treat me like a long lost friend when wine happens to cause us to see one another again. Considering that I live in a city of over 4 million people, that is quite a remarkable thing.
• Speaking of wine events, the second one put on by my friend, Kwjuana Thomas, last night at Bar Boheme was another fantastic success. Even with the addition of more seats the crowd spilled out of the tasting area and into the bar. There is a reason for this, as Kwjuana is personable, very knowledgeable, and most of all, possesses a deep passion for wine. Oh yeah, and she is a lot of fun. All of which makes me very happy to announce that she has offered to pop in now and then to guest blog here. I am looking forward to reading whatever she has to say.
• A site that I posted about a while back, Must Love Wine, is really growing. This site is a lot like what MySpace once was, except for grown-up winos. Check it out if you haven’t already.
• And speaking of sites I have mentioned here, the folks at Drinkplanner just keep posting highly entertaining articles.
• And speaking of THIS site, I plan to do a redesign soon. I’m not exactly sure when this will occur, but I am open to suggestions on what changes to implement. If you have an idea, a request, or a comment please send it to me or leave it as a comment.

Anyone in Houston on Friday night should go visit my friend Kwjuana Thomas of New Age Wine for a night of Spanish Wines at Bar Boheme. Tell her Joe sent you! Kwjuana really knows her stuff and always pours some nice wines. I don’t usually plug local events, but I am a fan and had a blast at her last tasting. I hope to have as much fun tomorrow night as I did last time.

Here is a press release that she sent me about the event that has a lot more information:

You are invited to join Bar Boheme and Kwjuana Thomas of New Age Wine for a night of Spanish Wines.

Join us on Friday, May 23rd as we welcome New Age Wine’s Kwjuana Thomas and indulge in “The Riches of the New World” featuring wines from South Africa and New Zealand.

Kwjuana’s wines have been in constant rotation on Bar Boheme’s list since we opened, and now is your chance to sample several items from her portfolio. Kwjuana will be pouring samples of 6 different wines, ranging in style from the light and enticing Riesling to the earthy and seductive Bordelais blends of South Africa.

Samplings:
Crossroads Destination Series Chardonnay 2005, New Zealand
Piko Sauvignon Blanc 2006, New Zealand
Lamont Riesling 2005, Central Otago, New Zealand

Vrede En Lust Simond 2003, Western Cape, South Africa
Vrede En Lust Classic 2003, Western Cape, South Africa
Vrede En Lust Reserve 2002, Western Cape, South Africa

For more information on New Age Wine and to see a list of their wines please visit http://www.newagewine.com/

Date: Friday, May 23 from 7pm- 7:30pm Mingling Minutes
7:30pm-9:30pm Seated Tasting
Cost: $10 (includes sampling of wines from 7:30 to 9:30 pm and nibbles)

RSVP: Reserve seating for yourself and your guests at www.kthomas@newagewine.com. Simply email the subject of this email with the number of guests you plan to bring.

We look forward to seeing you!

Cheers!
–
Kwjuana L. Thomas