Dreaming of Fall in Piedmont and the Weekly Menu #ItalianFWT

We are celebrating Fall in Italy this month, and I have chosen to focus on Piedmont, Northern Italy, with a Ragu di Salsiccia and a bottle of Barbera d'Alba Superiore from Josetta Saffirio.

An Algerian Chicken paired with Organic Wines from South Africa #EattheWorld #WinePW

When I was visiting my friend Linda in Tucson last month,  she gifted me a packet of Ras el Hanout that she had picked up during a cruise to northern Africa.  I decided to use it to make this Algerian Chicken dish.

Then, since I am hosting our Eat the World event this month, I invited the others to visit Algeria with me.

Italy Day 10 - Spoleto and Truffle Hunting

 Day 10 started off quietly.  We got to sleep in a bit. After a leisurely breakfast, we walked into town, passing the Roman Theater that still hosts performances to this day.

Red Wine Risotto and the Weekly Menu #MoviesandMunchies

Have you watched the Netflix film, Toscana, yet?  We watched it and I enjoyed it so much I decided to choose it for our Movies and Munchies pick this month.

It is a wonderful, touching film filled with tons of food inspiration....

The Wine I Paired with Classic Summer Fare #WinePW

Summertime and the Livin' is Easy.  Here on the Farm our days consist of lounging in the pool and grilling dinner for whoever happens to stop by.  I always try to have a variety of wines available to please any palate, but for my palate, I prefer this hearty red blend from Decoy, especially when it is burgers on the grill.

We are pairing wines with Summer Fare this month......

Exploring a Dealcoholized Wine

So as the New Year begins I, as I'm sure many of you, think about taking better care of myself.  I work out several times a week, I walk daily, and I try to eat healthily for the most part.  But I DO like my wine and that wine turns immediately to sugar and belly fat.

I had been seeing and hearing more and more about non-alcohol and dealcoholized wines and decided to do some tasting research on my own.

Altos de la Guardia Rioja paired with Tacos Ticos #WinePW

This full-bodied red wine from Spain is made with Tempranillo grapes providing spicy notes combined with summer fruit.  It has a high alcohol content (14.5%) and was strong enough to stand up to deep-fried taco ticos with which I served it.

It's time for a Wine Pairing Weekend featuring Junk Food.......

Celebrating a New Wine Collaboration with a Bottle of Cahors gifted to me from Family visiting from France

Cahors wine, named for the town in Southern France where it is made, is Malbec dominant and delicious.

My son-in-law's parents gifted me this bottle while they were visiting from France during the holidays.  

La Pappardella Croatina served with the Pasta for which it is named #ItalianFWT

When you buy a bottle of wine named Pappardella it is only natural that you should pair it with the pasta for which it was named.  

We are traveling to the Lombardy Region of Italy today......

Churasco and Carmenere; A Perfect Match #WorldWineTravel

Our World Wine Travel Group has been exploring South America in 2023.  This month we were invited to open a bottle of Carmenere.

Roasted Salmon with Beaujolais and Grape Coulis #Winophiles

Tender, flaky salmon fillets, roasted to perfection and topped with a Beaujolais wine and Grape Coulis.  

Enjoy this meal paired with the same wine used to make the coulis for a wonderful, easy meal this Holiday Season......

Getting to know Cinnabari from Dracaena #WinePW

My favorite California Winery has a new blend this year that they call Cinnabari.  Dracaena wines specializes in Cab Francs. They also have a Chenin Blanc that is the best I have ever enjoyed and a Rose that is a summertime favorite for me.  When I opened my club selection this time I was excited to see this bottle of Cinnabari included.

Celebrating Day of the Souls with Carbonada en Zapallo and Trapiche Cabernet Sauvignon #WorldWineTravel

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.  I received wine for tasting purposes with the understanding that I would write an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are strictly my own.  I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post.

I am in full-on Halloween mode here on the Farm.   All Hallows Eve is right around the corner and I have been making lots of fun foods and meals to celebrate.  When I was lucky enough to receive a bottle of Trapiche Cabernet from Mendoza Argentina for this month's World Wine Travel, I wanted to continue the celebration.

Barton & Guestier Chateau Magnol and Instant Pot Beef Brisket #Winophiles

Beef Brisket doesn't have to take all day.  You can feel free to go to work, run your errands, go on a shopping spree, or go for a hike.  When you get home, pull out your trusty Instant Pot and dinner will be ready a short time later.

I paired this dinner with a Bordeaux Blend from Barton & Guestier for our French Winophiles event this month......

Gnudi inspired by Murder in Siena paired with a Merlot Wine #MerlotMe

Gnudi is a cousin of Gnocchi, made using ricotta cheese instead of potatoes.  It is light, fluffy and delicious.  It is similar to the filling you might find in ravioli but without the wrapper.

I was inspired to make this dish after reading Murder in Siena by T.A. Williams.......

Celebrating our Homecoming with L'Ecole Merlot and the Weekly Menu #WinePW #MerlotMe

It's October.... which means we are celebrating Merlot here with the Wine Pairing Weekend Gang.  I was happy to receive wines from L'Ecole Winery and Chelsea Goldschmidt.  I was not home to accept delivery as I was in Egypt so it was exciting to see what wines arrived while I was gone.

I opened the bottle of L'Ecole for our first dinner home on Wednesday evening.  I will be opening and pairing the bottle of Chelsea Goldschmidt soon and will be sharing those notes with you during this celebratory month.

Fall is in the Air #Winophiles

Fall is a very busy time of year.  Folks are getting back to school and work, sports and after-curricular events are scheduled each night of the week. In this household, we are pulling out the fall decor, closing up the pool, and getting back to choir, as well as preparing to leave in 10 days for our trip to Egypt.

Italian Marinated Steaks with Angoris Schioppettino #ItalianFWT

I opened a bottle of Angoris Schioppettino Friuli Colli Orentali for this month's Italian Food Wine and Travel Club. 

The Friuli Colli Orientali designation means that this wine is from the Eastern Hills of Friuli.  This wine is 100% Schippettino, a red Italian wine grape grown predominantly in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of the country.

2 Treats from Emilia-Romagna; Gnocco Frito and Celita Sangiovese and the Weekly Menu #ItalianFWT

Tender, delicious dumplings of fried bread dough sprinkled with parmesan cheese and served with a side of Marinara Sauce pair wonderfully with this Celita Sangiovese from Emilia-Romagna.

Blue Cheese Sauce to put on that Steak you are Grilling Up to Pair with a Malbec Wine #WorldWineTravel

This sauce is sooooo good that I had to stop myself from eating it with a spoon so that there was enough left for guests to enjoy with their steaks.  Sweet Vidalia onion caramelized in butter and then combined with Blue Cheese and Cream for a decadent, savory sauce.

A sauce this creamy and delicious demands a strong wine and this Malbec from Argentina was up to the task.......