Wine of the Week - STO 2011 Late Harvest Dolcetto

This is a thick, rich dessert wine from Sort This Out.  The first Dolcetto I've ever had, and I was impressed. On the nose was mostly plum, with a hint of spicy pepperoni and scent that I could closest equate to worcestershire sauce. When you taste it, expect all sorts of plum.  That's definitely the dominant flavor.  But there's complexity.  I tasted some raspberry and some cherry.  Very long, sweet finish, with sustained acidity. This wine is a little on the young side, and a bit harsh, but I decanted it (with a stopper) for a day and it was great.  (Unstoppered, it would probably need three or four hours to decant.) As a late harvest dessert wine, you know it's going to be heavy on the alcohol.  17.5% to be exact.

Miso Tempeh and Kale wrap/salad

Oh yum. That's all I have to say. And it's great for a quick dinner or healthy lunch. Double the recipe and have plenty leftover to take to work the next day. I found it at http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2012/07/kale-avocado-wraps-w-spicy-miso-dipped.html

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp white miso paste
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp agave or maple syrup
black pepper
2-4 Tbsp oil (I used olive)
1 package tempeh, sliced into 8 logs
1 bunch kale
1/2 cup red onion, sliced thinly
1-2 tomatoes, sliced, diced or cut into weges
1 small avocado, sliced or diced

Directions:
1. Mix miso, vinegar, agave (or syrup), a sprinkle of black pepper and 1-2 Tbsp of oil together to make dressing.

2. Heat another Tbsp or so of oil in a saute pan on medium heat.

3. Dip tempeh logs into dressing, then lay them into the hot pan. Allow them to cook for a minute on each side until all sides are carmelized, being careful not to overly blacken. Remove from pan and cool.

4. Remove kale leaves from stem and chop into small pieces.

5. Wash kale well. Run it under (or dunk in) hot water, then dunk it into very cold water. Then dry the kale in a salad spinner and/or with a towel.

6. Transfer kale into a dry bowl, toss with dressing and onions.

7. To serve, either make a salad of kale, tomatoes, avocado and 2 tempeh logs or put all of the components on a wrap (I used whole wheat tortillas) and enjoy.

Caprese Pizza

Oh, pizza, how I love thee. I'm always craving pizza. Could eat it every night of the week if I had no self-control. One night, I was itchin' for something a little different, and came up with this caprese pizza: Throw these Ingredients on top of pizza dough/crust Pizza dough or crust Basil pesto Sliced heirloom tomatoes Fresh soft mozzarella Fresh basil leaves Bake for about 20 minutes and enjoy!

Wine of the Week - Behrens and Hitchcock 1996 "Ode to Picasso"

Excellent.  Just plain excellent.  Bold and full-bodied, yet balanced and rounded.
Red fruits aplenty on the nose, and a little bit of new car leather.
On the tongue is a nice, bitey acid at first.  Strawberry on the back of the palate.  A little bit of tobacco. Just a tasty, layered wine full of nuance; something new to discover with every sip.  Very long finish.
The very secretive label did not reveal the percentage of alcohol nor what blend was inside the bottle.  Some mysteries are best left unsolved.  Just drink and enjoy.

Strawberry yogurt pops

With summer coming to a close, I decided to make us a cool treat. I found this recipe from Sparkpeople.com, but had to change some of the details. The quantities she used don't really work for the popsicle-makers I have. A dozen strawberries, chopped 1 cup vanilla yogurt 2 tbsp orange juice Blend together and fill your popsicle cups. A very creamy yet healthy treat!