On June 26th of 2008  I was lucky enough to get a seat at the table for one of Durhams Wine Authorities Food & Wine Pairing classes. It was held at the Wine Authorities store, a locally owned shop that specializes in small vineyards that produce small quantities of very good wine at very good prices. Hosted by owners Craig Heffly and Seth Gross the event was catered by the wonderful and talented chef, Tom Ferguson, of Durham Catering Co.

I had not been to a food and wine pairing class before, or at least an official one. I guess I can’t count the evenings at certain friends houses who would bust out a bottle of red from their wine rack and say something like, “Hey, this would be awesome with that cheese!” Our Wine Authorities friends explained WHY a wine works or doesn’t work with various foods.

First, each table accommodated 4 students with 4 place settings. Six wine glasses sat upon a piece of paper at each students setting. The paper had 6 circles in which was written six different types of wine that was to be poured. Also, there was a sheet of paper with “The Challengers” written at the top and the list of what wines were going to be tested against the six courses of food. It was really exciting!

We began with Seth breaking down the five senses of taste; sweet, sour, salty, bitter & spicy. (That is Craig pictured above) Then he explained the power of taste cancellation or manifestation when wine and food are paired. An example of this might be sipping a sweet Riesling while eating a something spicy, like Jambalaya. What occurred in my mouth was that the sweetness of that wine cooled the spice from the dish. Then I tried the same dish with a Cabernet Sauvignon which tasted tart against the spice. It was a great experience and forced me to really taste, and savor, and think about what was going on with my taste buds.

The food was served on small plates in six courses and beautifully plated in miniature. There were poached oysters in tarragon, apricot brie mini tartlets, spicy jambalaya, lamb (one of my least favorite things to even look at, unfortunately), salmon in butter and chocolate souffle’.

We made notes after each tasting and discussed what was going on in our mouths.  It was fun to hear how everyone was perceiving each wine and how varied every ones tastes were. And as Craig and Seth pointed out, there are no WRONG choices when it comes to each persons tastes. If you liked the Muscadet with that sweet brie then so be it! It’s your mouth and your taste. Who can argue with that?

After the class we bought a few bottles and talked with the other guests. It was a great event and I would highly recommend attending their next class if you can.

Craig and Seth are masters, truly, at their art. They are passionate teachers and really love what they are doing. To have the knowledge that both of them posses takes years of tasting and traveling and we, here in Durham, reap the rewards of all their hard work. If you have not visited them you should make an all out effort to go. You will find two friends who are more than willing to guide you through the wines in a completely non-stuffy atmosphere, and hey, where else in Durham can you try wines in various amounts from a machine called the “Enomatic”! If nothing else, visit them just to check out that sleek, sexy European wine dispenser.

I would again like to say “Thanks guys for having me” and here’s to you,  Salut!

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“Hi everyone. My name is Shirle’ and I am a cookbook addict.”

If there were a Cookbook Addicts Anonymous I might have had to find a meeting because I was a true Cookbook junkie. I would join cookbook clubs, buying tons of books, with the hope that I would somehow make every dish in its pages, only to have the book sit on the coffee table, or better yet, my desk, collecting dust. This went on for a few years until one day I realized I had barely touched a recipe in any of them.

I then had to stop and think about how to manage the task of figuring out what I wanted to make from all the books I had acquired. It was as if I had a huge mountain before me and didn’t bring the proper shoes to climb in.

Then my friend Sarah Daily brought me the climbing boots I needed.

She had this idea, born from The Wine Authorities, our friends Craig and Seth’s Wine store here in Durham, and how they label their wines. The have this system where each bottle is labeled “Daily”, “Weekly” or “Monthly”. It’s a brilliant way to help the shopper know whether the wine should be paired with Monday nights leftover pizza or paired with something that takes all day to braise for that party of 12 you are throwing.

Sarah took their insight and easily transferred it to my dilemma. “Why not look through each recipe quickly and label it with either a “Daily” tag, one that you could whip up in 30 minutes or less; a “Weekly” tag, a recipe that you might want to make for a nice weekend dinner or a “Monthly” tag, one which would require considerable time to make something very special.”

When she came up with this idea, seemingly out of the blue while we biked along, I was instantly fixated on the details. “What kinds of post-it notes should I use? I don’t like the boring yellow ones. They need to be 3 different colors. Maybe I can print something on my computer.” The ideas were rushing in so fast. I went to Staples the next day and found this 3 pack of multi colored with flower ones that fit the bill. I then took a Sharpie marker and labeled each one with a D, W and M and got busy on the latest book I had received in the mail. (It was the Splendid Tables, “How to Eat Supper”…Hey,it was a thank you gift from WUNC’s Spring telethon…)

This has changed how I now look at all my cookbooks. Instead of having this insurmountable task (and guilt) of not ever using that “Vegetarian Table of North Africa” book that sits about my desk I now have a new and exciting way to deal with it-whether I cook anything out of it is another question, but at least it will be picked up, given the once over and tagged.

Then it’s on to joining another cookbook club

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Confused by coriander? Stumped by savory? What is the dif between dried and fresh in the herb world? Well, hopefully this tiny tutorial might help ease your fear of flavorful spices and herbs. It’s easy to add flavor to a recipe without adding salt or sugar, simply use herbs and spices to contribute color, savory taste and sensational aroma, without adding the fat and sodium. So let’s get spicy!

Dried vs. Fresh Herbs

Because dried herbs have more of a pungent flavor they can be substituted for fresh herbs at a ratio of 1 to 3 , as in 1 tsp of dried to 3 tsp of fresh. Dried herbs are super convenient and can be great for longer cooking times, but they also don’t have the same flavor as fresh herbs, they can even get stale. So, make sure your dried herbs are still fresh by crushing some between your fingers and seeing if they still have a strong aroma. And PLEASE always store them in an air-tight container away from light and heat. I know so many folks who keep them over or near the stove, bad idea friends. It’s like spice and herb torture!

“Sugar & Spice…” What are Sweet Spices?

If you’re trying to reduce sugar in your life, then call on your “sweet spices.” These spices are not actually sweet tasting, but add a depth of sweetness when cooked with naturally sweet things. They include spices like cinnamon, cloves, allspice, ginger, cardamom, anise, and fennel. So, next time you are baking or making a dessert think of these and cut the sugar.

Savory (not the Jawbox song) Spices

Do you find you prefer salty to sweet? Cajun to Creme Brulé? Well, then savory spices might take over your spice rack. Let’s start with the big ones, black pepper, oregano, basil, thyme, tarragon, dill, marjoram and yes, summer savory to name only a few. These are the power herbs and spices that go into many cuisines of the world. They add depth, richness and aroma that are key to their unique cultures recipes. India and lower Asia rely heavily on many of the spice trade staples such as cumin, garlic, ginger, coriander,and even chili powders. And, my fave, smoked paprika - the greatest spice known to man! (Seriously, give it a try.) And guys, any spice with the word “Salt” after the spices name is a huge no-no, so don’t fall victim to that sodium trap! Powdered and granulated garlic or onion is great, but kick out that salt.

Spice Tips:

Always store in airtight containers in a cool, dark place, never over the stove.

Replace you spices and herbs every six months.

Whole spices retain their flavor longer (up to 3 years) and can be used whole or you can grind with a mortar and pestle or a cheap coffee grinder.

Get the best flavor from your spices and “toast” them in a dry skillet over low heat, stirring frequently, until they start to release their aromas.

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CAN YOUR CAN OPENER OPEN YOUR CAN?

So, I was having an issue with my can opener the other day. It was grinding along, not cutting the can as smoothly as it had when I had first purchased it. My hand was going into spasms from trying to crank the handle so hard…

Now, I cook in a lot of homes and deal with a lot of can openers , from cheap dollar store types to super high tech-cut on their own- fancy ones…

I have found that 2 things cause can openers to fail, and when these two things combine they make for a very inefficient tool…that is MOISTURE and TIME.

On a can opener there are metal parts that get wet every time you use it. That being said, think about what actually happens when you get that can opened…next thing you know you’ve thrown the opener in a drawer (or washed it off after splattering tomato sauce everywhere)…and there it sits, wet….and then whatever it was in that can that you just opened starts to dry and stick to those mechanical parts…this can cause rust, or at least cause dried on gunk to clog up the gears.

So, I was wrastlin’ (as my southern parents call “wrestling”) this can opener and a thought came into my head…WD-40. OK. now, I thought that maybe that would be a good idea because it would lube up the parts and make it work…but does anyone really know WHAT WD-40 is made from?….I was too busy to look it up, so I went for the next best thing…Olive Oil!…I used my oil spray bottle and gave the cogs a spritz or two and Viola!…a brand new lease on life for my pink KitchenAid can opener!

It’s now sitting in the drawer, ready to sink it’s little tooth into my next canned good….and the best part is that it’s been oiled naturally. Try it the next time you have an opener issue.

SMALL OVENS-LARGE CONTAINERS…what to do when you have to bake a bunch of stuff at the same time but your casserole dishes and baking sheets are too wide, too long and you have one too many things that need baking, roasting, etc…

Make your own 1/2 pans!
I came up with this solution at a clients house. Their oven was built in 1950 and was about 24″x24″…no lie!

So, I had 4 different sides I needed to bake and was standing there stumped when I thought, “man, I wish I had 4 small , square baking dishes.” Then I thought TIN FOIL!…I now use this technique even when there is enough room in other ovens…it’s also a great way to reheat 2 items at once in the oven…with NO clean up!…just recycle the foil.

First, tear off a sheet of foil that is LONGER than you need, at least by 2 inches on either end of your casserole or baking sheet.

Next, fold the foil in half, or if one item needs more room fold it off to one side. Basically, you want to make a new “side” inside your container.

Lastly, you then place the foil in or on your casserole, pan, or what have you and making sure that the foil is covering all sides of the container. Spray with some oil,include your food and cover with another piece of foil, and bake away.

VACUUM SEAL YOURSELF
Have you ever seen those commercials were some guys is screaming at the top of his lungs about “THIS GREAT NEW KITCHEN GADGET THAT EVERYONE NEEDS CALLED “SEAL-A-MEAL!” …?

Well, you don’t need to send off for that or any other OXY-MORON product he’s pushin…

Try this technique the next time you desire to get the air out of your head…head of lettuce that is!…or sweet rolls, which is what I needed to seal.

All you need is a ziplock bag (chose your size), a straw or even a pen tube, and your food.

Place the food in the baggie and tightly zip the zip part, but leave a bit unzipped at the end. Fit the straw into that small opening (it should just fit the straw).

Next, while holding the area around the straw so that no air can escape start sucking the air out of the bag. I take small “huffs”, putting my finger over the straw hole as I exhale then take another drag on the straw. Stop huffing when the bag is snug around all the food with each side of the bag pulled in tight to itself.

You can store stuff a long time by using this method as air is not your foods friend..or you can buy that machine from the yelling dude on TV and have more crap to clutter your life and kitchen…it’s your choice.

I’ll post up more ideas as I get time…hey, if you have any send them my way!

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