"A slice of good cheese is never just a thing to eat; it is usually a slice of local history: agricultural, political or ecclesiastical." - Patrick Rance, The French Cheese Book
Rule 1: Look for artisanal cheeses, handmade from small dairies.
Rule 2: Look for cheese with naturally formed rinds, no plastic or wax.
Rule 3: Cheeses pair well with wines from the same region - Tuscan cheeses complement Tuscan wines, for example.
Rule 4: Generally, hard cheeses are best with red wines and soft with white. But many soft cheeses, even strong or distinctive goat cheeses, are excellent with red wine too.
Here are some favorites:
Viognier - camembert, triple crème brie
Cabernet Franc - Gouda, aged cheddar
Tannat - Manchego, Mimolette, Gruyere
Norton - goat cheese with black pepper, strong aged cheeses, Roaring '40s Australian Blue
Malbec - Parmigiano-Reggiano (aged parmesan), Morbier
**Recommended cheese book: "The Cheese Plate," McCalman and Gibbons
Mulled Wine
During the cold winter months curling up in front of the fire with a glass of hot, spiced wine is a tradition in many parts of the world. Here we call it, mulled wine. In Sweden it's called glogg; in Germany, Gluhwein; in Italy, Vin Brulee; in Brazil, Quentaro and in France, Vin chaud. Similar to Wassail, but not quite the same, it's made with red or white wine simmered with a number of spices including cinnamon, cloves, cardamon, allspice, oranges, and sugar or honey.
In medieval times, hot wines were called Ypocras or Hipocris. Thought to be very healthy, they were named after Hippocrates. Cookbooks from the 1500's listed methods of mulling "Clarrey", or Bordeaux. In Victorian England mulled wine was a favorite and a variation called "Negus" was even served to children at their birthday parties.
In "It's a Wonderful Life" Clarence, the angel, believes that wine will bring love and joy to those who drink it and asks for a glass of mulled wine that is "heavy on the cinnamon, easy on the cloves."
There are many variations of mulled wine. Here is the recipe for Leckie's Mulled Tigerwine which was enjoyed by guests at our Valentine's Celebration:
LECKIE'S MULLED TIGERWINE
1 bottle red wine (We recommend our Norton or Mountain Cyn)
2 cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces
5-7 whole cloves
1 vanilla bean, split open
1/2 cup Raw Sugar
1 orange, juiced
1/2 tsp Angostura Bitters
2 oz. brandy (optional)
2 oz. Triple Sec (optional)
Add wine, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla bean and raw sugar to a large pot and bring to a simmer. Turn off, cover and let steep for an hour. Return to a simmer, add the remaining ingredients and let steep covered for an additional 30 minutes. Cool and bottle until ready to serve. Reheat and serve.
Full bottles will save for several days in the refrigerator.
MARTHA'S SHRIMP AND AVOCADO FETTUCCINE WITH VIOGNIER
(serves six)
4 T butter
1/2 tsp minced garlic
2T minced fresh parsley
1/2 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
3T Tiger Mountain Vineyards Viognier
3 T
1/3 c heavy cream
1/4 c freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper
red pepper flakes (pinch)
1 firm avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
Step 1: Melt 1 T butter over medium heat; ad minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add parsley, shrimp and Viognier and stir for 2 minutes, until shrimp turns pink. Place on side dish.
Step 2: In the same skillet, melt 3 T butter and reduce heat to low. Add cream, parmesan and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook 3 minutes until cheese melts and sauce is smooth. Add salt and pepper.Add sliced avocado, saving a couple of slices to put on top.
Step 3: Cook fettuccine al dente; drain and place in warm serving dish. Add shrimp mixture and toss to coat fettuccine thoroughly. (Hint:If you wish to cook and drain the fettuccine ahead, add a little olive oil and toss as you set aside while finishing the sauce, so the fettuccine does not become sticky.)
SERVE WITH CHILLED TIGER MOUNTAIN VIOGNIER!