Notes from a Cooking Class - Great tips for Nearly, Newly, and Already-Weds!

As some of you remember from a previous post, I met Chef Mary Ellen at an event and signed up for one of her cooking classes. Those who know me were a little surprised ... not because I am a domestic goddess and don't need any pointers - quite the opposite! I have never shown much interest in this subject, until lately. Maybe my wine tasting business has expanded my horizon in the whole arena of food and wine - or maybe I have been enjoying more wine and realize it might be a good idea to add a little food to the equation. In any case, I went, I cooked, and I loved it! 10 of us gathered in a catering kitchen in Manhattan Beach and after 2 hours of slicing, chopping, combining, stirring, mincing, grilling (yes, we covered it all), we ended up with Stuffed Pasta Shells, Halibut Fish Tacos, Wok-fried Chicken, Chicken Cilantro Soup --- and Dark Chocolate Cookies with Hazelnuts and Dried Cherries. Here are a few of Mary Ellen's tips that might help you "Nearly, Newly and Already Weds" ---- as well as the "Single Chefs" out there:

Supplies to keep in your pantry:
Chicken Broth
Kosher Salt
Olive Oil
Vinegars
Canola Oil
Pasta
Black Pepper
Rice
Sugar
Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

Dry Goods to keep on hand:
Garlic
Onions
Potatoes

Things in the Fridge:
Butter
Mustard & Mayo
Parmesan Cheese

With these items available, all you need is a quick trip to the store for fresh items, and creating a meal (should be) easy.

Here are some interesting tips we learned:

SALT: The standard salt that most of us have in our cabinet can taste metallic and should be replaced with Kosher Salt for everyday cooking (Smart & Final), Fine Sea Salt for baking (Trader Joes), and Maldon Salt as a finishing touch. This salt has a very heavy grain and you just need a pinch.

SPICES: Usually need to be replaced after they have been opened for 6 months to a year. To test, rub the spice in your fingers. If the color is off and/or you can't really smell it --- toss it! (Seems obvious, but if you're like me, you probably have a cabinet filled with spices - that are "scary" old!)

KNIVES: You only really need a couple in the kitchen. It's better to invest in just the few you need rather than the whole blocked set ... something to keep in mind when you are registering for your wedding gifts! She suggested a large chef knife, a santoku knife (serrated), a large bread knife and a paring knife. Depending on how often you use them, you should get them sharpened professionally every 6 months to a year. Local readers might want to visit a vendor in the Manhattan Village Mall who sharpens knives and charges by the inch.

Now for a recipe....My cooking partner and I made the soup, and it was absolutely delicious. If I can do it ---- anyone can do it. Of course, Mary Ellen was on-hand to answer questions, but it was actually pretty easy and is a great item to make in bulk and freeze...

Chicken, Cilantro and Rice Soup (Serves 4-6)

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 1/2 cups diced yellow onion, about 1 medium
1 tablespoon minced garlic cloves (available already peeled in a container at Maraki Market)
1/4 cup seeded and diced jalapeno
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3 piquillo peppers, pat dry and diced (available in a jar at Trader Joes)
1 (14.5 ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
2 (24 ounce) containers chicken broth (free range, organic)
3 cups shredded cooked chicken (easily made from pre-roasted chicken)
1 cup long grain rice
1 cup chopped cilantro leaves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Garnish with: diced avocado, shredded jack cheese or cheddar cheese, sliced green onions and tortilla chips

Heat canola oil in a large saucepan. Add onions and saute over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, jalapeno and cumin, cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Stir in the piquillo peppers, tomatoes, and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and add shredded chicken and rice, gently simmer for 15 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir in cilantro leaves and season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve immediately with garnishes.

I hope you enjoyed a glimpse of my experience.
Bon Appetit!

The Art of Hosting a Summer Wine Party

Hello to my wine-loving friends out there!

 I thought I would share these great tips on hosting a wine event with you. 

Cheers and have fun....Cynthia

Season Finale: Taking the Last Sips of Summer

These sandy beaches and long, warm nights will soon give way to golden leaves crunching beneath our feet and fall’s first chill. Now is the time to take the last sips of summer with simple home entertaining that is easy on the host and easy on the wallet.

Send Out the Invites:
The promise of glasses overflowing with wine is always a winner. If you’re pressed for time or don’t want to bother with the snail mail, go to www.evite.com to create a great invitation that includes your theme (wine of course has got to be center stage). To make it extra easy on yourself, invite each guest to bring a dozen of their favorite appetizers. Easy on them. Easy on you. Fun to share, compare and trade recipes of favorites.

Pick The Perfect Spot:
Take the party outdoors and take advantage of the late afternoon or early evening. When twilight comes the magic truly begins. Go for lots of candles – from simple votives floating in a bowl to tapers placed in your best crystal or silver (yeah, remember those wedding gifts? Or, the gift from Aunt Edna tucked away in the closet. Bring them out and let them shine up the night).

Set the Mood:
Here’s the deal. A great party track can make your event memorable. They’ll be humming those tunes long after they’ve said goodnight. Put your DJ face on and create your playlist, download your favorites and let the music soar. Here are some suggestions for a large outdoor gathering : "A Minha Menina" by Os Mutantes, "The Noise of Carpet” by Stereolab, "Lebanese Blonde" by Thievery Corporation, "Dance with Me" by Nouvelle Vague, "Let me Down Easy" by Bettye LaVette, “Summer Wind” by Frank Sinatra, “Blue in Green” by Miles Davis and “Harvest Moon” by Neil Young.

Pop the Cork:
Chill the white in a large bucket of ice (pouring water into the ice makes it easy to push the bottles down for a better chill), pop the cork on the reds and you’re good to go. Arrange wine stems on top of a bar, table or tray and let guests help themselves. Pitchers, or decanters of still or sparkling water (toss in a sliced lemon if you choose) make a nice touch. Add non-alcoholic beverages to the offering so there’s something for everyone. Enjoy the season’s finale with family and friends. Toast to their health, their joy, their happiness. The memories will last all winter long.

Paraduxx Winery, Napa Valley and WineShop at Home

During my visit to Napa this past weekend fI had the opportunity to spend 2 afternoons doing one of my favorite things ... wine tasting!!

One of my favorite experiences this year was the tasting at Paraduxx, along the "less travelled" Silverado Trail. We were escorted to a "seated tasting" outdoors in a beautiful garden...very serene and peaceful. The setting was only surpassed by the wine itself. We were served 4 wines (in Reidel glassware, no less) along with a plate of tasting foods to pair with the wines. My two favorites were the 2004 Paraduxx Napa Valley Red Wine and the 2006 lateral blend. I love the spices of Zinfandel - and this wine with 65% of this grape is exceptionally smooth with just the right layers of spice. We did not want to leave --- but we had 3 more stops to go, so off we went. Be sure to treat yourself to this winery when you want the true Napa Valley experience.

Sip Wine To Save The Big Cats...

Hello and thanks for visiting my blog!

Those of you who know me are aware of my deep love for animals and especially felines ... large and small. I felt it was appropriate to start my blog with an important message about this subject and how it relates to my wine business.

As an Independent Wine Consultant for WineShop at Home, a winery in Napa Valley that produces limited quantity boutique wines, I had the good fortune of attending our Leadership Conference in Sonoma this past January. One of my most memorable moments was the presentation about our new release EVO brand wines and our partnership with National Geographic in supporting the Big Cat Initiative. I was stunned and saddened to learn of the serious challenges now facing our large felines. Can you believe that there are only 6000 Snow Leopards left in the wild? And that the lion populations in Africa have dropped 30-50% during the past 20 years? Our EVO wine labels are designed to celebrate nature and create awareness of ecological causes. The labels on our new release EVO Merlot and EVO Sauvignon Blanc reflect animals that are near to becoming extinct. Each animal is in half profile, communicating that without our help, they will fade completely from view. Part of the proceeds from each bottle of these wines sold will go toward this cause. These wines would make a special gift for your animal loving friends. I would love to go onto my wine website and see that you have purchased EVO. If you would like to buy a case of 12 bottles, call or email me first so I can save you the shipping costs. Since many of us enjoy drinking great wine anyways, why not sip for a really, really important cause!

Cheers!