Reflection: The Food Lover's Guide to Wine by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg

Photo from http://drinks.seriouseats.com/

I'm obsessed with the end of the world. It's probably from the lack of oxygen while not breathing during movies about the apocalypse. The suspense in end-of-the-world movies about kills me. Zombies, aliens, natural disasters, diseases: they all seem possible to me.

And so I find myself considering, if I had to pack a bag in twenty minutes, what would I shove in it. Sure, Smartwool base layers, socks galore, and water are all viable options, but I know to stay sane I would need a few books. Jane Kenyon's Otherwise, Jane Austen's Pride and Predjuice, and definitely THE ultimate in cooking reference Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg's The Flavor Bible. Yes, I would choose The Flavor Bible over any of Nigel Slater's, Jamie Oliver's and Alice Waters' cookbooks. If you know me, that's says volumes about how much I respect and use The Flavor Bible. I've cited in many of my BG News articles, and I've opened it countless times while developing recipes or planning elaborate Sunday evening meals. Want to know what flavors are compatible with rosemary? Look up rosemary and you will find yourself immersed in a list that will NEVER lead you astray. God bless you, Karen and Andrew.

When Sarah L., co-star of Spatula and dear friend, showed me the latest addition to the Page and Dornenburg collection of food books, I flipped my lid: The Food Lover's Guide to Wine. There's no doubt I'm a food lover. And there's even littler doubt that I love wine--maybe to a fault at times...But as a food lover, I've been really wanting to work on collecting awesome wines and, better yet, pairing them with food that would create a holy matrimony on my palate. Additionally, becoming a gluten-free household has made us much more aware of wine's radness! As Page and Dornenburg share through quotes from Michael Pollan, Alice Waters, and Julia Child (aka gods of food and wine), food is better when paired with wine AND, when consumed moderately, wine is actually good for your health. In the preface, the authors thoughtfully and intelligently spell out the benefits of drinking wine and defend wine as something that is accessible to Americans --"...in 2010 the United States became the world's largest wine-consuming country for the first time in history..." (x).

In the following chapters, the authors include a timeline of notable events in American wine history; reflections from articulate, down-to-earth sommeliers; a how-to for talking about wine; and the beauty of winemaking. These are the chapters I really found myself lost--in a good way--as I read and reread passages, taking notes. What I really enjoy is the authors' writing style. They identify with their audience  by using casual diction, a relatable tone, and humor at times. At least I laughed out loud when I read the last point in the "What Information Is Required on a Wine Label?" box: "The government warning ('Consumption of alcoholic beverages impairs your ability to drive a car or operate machinery')" (95).

Probably one of my favorite lists is the "Wines Under $15." As someone who does not drink commercial pop (soda) and who is on a budget, this list of over 150 wines really hit home. I realized many of them were ones I have found and bought at my local Kroger or better yet at The Anderson's. Also, I'm a fan that the authors championed boxed wines. Too often boxed wines get bad reputations, when, many times, they can stand up a good bottle of value wine.

Finally, I like how the wines are listed. The authors provide pronunciation, country, region, color, grapes, weight, volume, dry/sweet, acidity, tannin, flavors, texture, temperature, comparables, season, pairings, tips, aging, producers, and iconic examples for more than 250 wines. AWESOME, right? I've learned a lot from just nonchalantly flipping through Chapter 4 a little bit each evening, sometimes while listening to tunes or watching Law & Order. I do have one criticism, though; for a recent dinner party I hosted, I referenced The Food Lover's Guide to Wine for what wines to serve with each course, but because the lists are arranged by wines rather than food, it was a bit difficult. I do feel, though, that's an easy fix; next time I'll reference What To Drink With What You Eat, another book by Page and Dornenburg, one that's definitely on my wish list. For The Food Lover's Guide to Wine what I have been doing and plan to continue to do is find a wine that sounds interesting to me, and then plan a menu around its "pairings", of course, using The Flavor Bible to help me fully construct it.

Which reminds me. My next blog post should be a menu that's worthy of the end of the world...with a stellar wine list.

Food as Homage

Quite frankly I'm not good with good-byes.

I think it has to do with an unresolved issue from my childhood. (But that's another story for another blog.)

We've lived in BG for seven years collectively, and damn me, every year I become close to someone who leaves. My last heartbreak was RR.

And as much as I love RR, Babs leaving kills me.

~

brrrrringggg.brinnnggggg.

"Hello?"

"Babs, you want some kale with chicken and mashed potatoes? I don't think I got the consistency right on the taters. You need to let me know.”

“I’ll be there in 5.”

Babs lives one street over from us. Not only is she one of my best friends, she's my neighbor.

~

My all-time favorite movie is The Royal Tenanbaums.

It’s slogan is “Family is a sentence.”

What’s funny is when I think of Royal Tenanbaum I think of my Pops, who’s a very charming, go-getter, family guy.

And when I think of Royal, I think of Babs who is always ready to help, without question or hesitation.

And if anybody can make family a sentence, it’s her.

For crying out loud, she’s leaving a full-time teaching job to get her PhD in Non-Fiction.

This is a woman who knows a sentence.

~

I used to eat a lot of frozen, processed food. As a kid, I swore I would hate brussels sprouts and spinach for all my life.

I never even heard of kale until three years ago.

Most times I think I’m a foodie fraud. I just learned how to cook—pretty well. I just happen to have a good personality that let’s be “cool” with chefs, farmers, and marketers. (Thank God.) But basically, I think with my stomach. Does that make me foodie?

I wondered that until I started bringing samples to Babs. She’s the one who made me believe my cooking was worthy to blog about. When I’d take her something and the next day get an email/review that was 10 paragraphs long describing what was great and what it could use, I was inspired, motivated, and, more important, confident. I owe my decision to dedicate a blog about food to Babs.

~

“I’ll be over in 5 minutes.”

~

As many know I have a crazy black Lab named Bleu. But if you really knew him, he has his mellow moments. I swear. Even though most don’t believe me.

But Babs does.

She always has.

And no matter how high Bleu jumps on her or how inappropriate his sniffing gets, she always laughs and gives him a calm command.

As a dog owner who thinks her dog is a child, I can’t thank her enough for being so patient and calm. Most people find Bleu obnoxious, but not Babs. If anything, Babs sees how Bleu takes after his Mama, and I think she recognizes that sometimes the affection that Bleu and I express is awkward, enthusiastic, inappropriate, and just plain crazy.

I could go into detail but it’s just not necessary.

But every time I’ve called Babs to see if she wanted to go for a walk with me and Bleu at Wintergarden or Oak Openings, she’s always said, “I’ll be over in 5 minutes.”

And every time during our walks we get so wrapped up in our talks about food or family or just “stuff,” I think we’ve both forgotten that Bleu was with us, and unexpectedly Babs witnessed the craziest of black labs heeling and sniffing without any misbehaving or horrible misbehaving.

In other words, our walks have made me and Bleu better a better person/dog.

~

Quite frankly, I only like to go to Revolver Restaurant with FD. Alone.

When I tell people I think about food every minute of every day, I’m not lying. When I’m teaching, I’m thinking about food. When I’m grading, I’m thinking about food. When my boss is asking me to do something in the office, I’m thinking about food. When I’m doing yoga, I’m thinking about food. When I’m on Facebook, I’m thinking about food. When I’m writing about food, I’m thinking about food.

FD knows this. He lives it. For crying out loud, I cook for him. And I know he appreciates it. So when I have that moment of awe as I sip Butternut Squash and Apple soup at Revolver, most on-lookers think “orgasm” and FD just grins.

But it’s not sexual. It’s just foodie appreciation.

Babs gets that.

I texted her that a dish I made with chicken, wild mushrooms and kale would bring her tears. She wasn’t lying when she texted me back—after picking up the dish in 5 minutes and eating it for breakfast—“I wept.”

That’s Revolver.

If you sit there with this “yummo” glazed over-stare, you’re not getting it—the experience.

If you orgasm, obsess, try to break down ingredients and cooking methods, and sigh countless times, you get it.

That’s Babs.

No pretense. No “I’m smarter than all chefs.” No “I have to prove I’m an awesome cook.” Just “I love food and I want to try to make that.”

There’s no other way to put it: Babs and I have a food love affair.

Her blog gets into the juicy details of dishes, and quite frankly I normally would. I love Revolver, and any chance to review them lightens my heart.

But…

That is meal I can’t review objectively.

I’ve had many perfect meals there with FD, or with FD and his in-laws, or with friends, but the meal I had there with FD, Babs, and me probably could bring me to tears if mentioned randomly to me at any moment in my life.

Babs’ go-getter/I’m-only-here-once mentality was divine. Her joy from the morels was the only factor in my food-envy of our first dish. Her portion-control restraint is mesmerizing and her ability to indulge without alcohol is mind-blowing (at least to me).

In other words, Revolver is on their game and using the FRESHEST of ingredients; they rock—as always. But last night, Babs made it rock. Her humor, her family stories, and her passion about food made it one of our most memorable Revolver times.

Well, I have to admit, Dan’s goat dish really helped.

And the fact that you’d only take reallyreallyreallreallyreally special people who love food, are adventurous, and care about where food came from to Revolver.

Babs is one of those people.

~

Babs is only moving to Nebraska, but in our four-year friendship, I’ve told her secrets I only tell my sister.

Who happens to be non-verbal.

I bet both will never spill the beans.

That’s how trustworthy Babs is.

~

I’ve always been horrible with conclusions.

How do you say good-bye to someone who is such an important part of your life?

I don’t know.

All I know is I’ll make her that “good luck” mix of songs, hug her, help her load the truck, and, that night, sob in FD’s arms.

I will miss her. Horribly.

But I plan visit ASAP.

Jools' Favorite Beef Stew & Mine Too!

During these sad months of longing for dinosaur kale I have turned to another vegetable.

Parsnips.

They don't compare to kale, but they're keeping me busy, happy, and quite full.

I've never really thought about parsnips. They've gotten lost in a family of other, more-popular root veggies: the baby carrots and the robust red bliss potatoes. But parsnips shouldn't be ignored. They're sweet sourness adds so many layers to simple dishes like roasted vegetables or more complex (flavor-wise) dishes such as Zinfandel Braised Short Ribs.

After making the absolutely-heavenly-so-easy-to-make-cook-them-tomorrow Short Ribs for friends on Saturday night I had a few parsnips leftover, and, of course, I turned to Jamie Oliver to see what recipes he had to ensure I use them wisely.

I came across Jools' Favorite Beef Stew in Jamie's Dinners. I was excited by how easy the recipe is but I was reluctant to make it. Beef stews, in my experiences, are pretty boring. I've tried countless stew recipes, but they always seem to turn out the same--edible but not memorable, a conglomeration of lack-luster tomato and beef. I had a feeling I'd like my mate Jamie's, though; he adds one whole bottle of red wine. I'm a sucker for red wine.

This was by far one of the best beef stews I have ever eaten. The flavors stood out. From the parsnips to the butternut squash to the lemon zest (a necessary step; do NOT skip). This stew partied on my palate and settled quite nicely in my tummy. I served it over some leftover mashed parsnips and potatoes, which was divine.

I did do something a little different from Jamie. I softened the onions and sage with a bit of garlic too. I didn't flour the beef cubes; I just browned them for a few minutes before adding all the veggies, wine, and broth. I brought all that to boil and dumped it into a Crock Pot. I let the Crock Pot cool, set in the fridge overnight, and put it in its cradle before heading to work the next morning. After being on Low for 8 hours, we came home a delightful little but hearty meal.

Leave it to Jamie for yet another success.

You know if Julie Powell hadn't done the whole Julie / Julia Project, I would totally do a Jamie / Amanda project. Or sacrifice my dignity for the sake of sounding catchier and rename it The Mandie / Jamie Project.

Even writing Mandie makes me cringe.

Alas, no worries, since that's been done before. I just need to find my own little niche. Or at least get on one of Jamie's shows...

A Simple Little Dinner I'm Quite Proud Of

I don't just get comfort from "comfort food." All food comforts me. Cooking comforts me. And I embrace that, especially on days I can't (for more reasons than one) articulate the exact reasons why I'm sick and tired, achy, bitchy, pissy, whiney, exhausted, done-with-it-all, etc., etc.

Today was one of those days I came home from work and just needed to decompress with a counter-shark lab at my feet, a glass of wine (the best $6.99 wine I've ever had in my life!), some stellar recipes, and my LeCreuset.

Suddenly, all became right my own silent little-world-bubble.

Tonight I made Lamb Chops with Yogurt Sauce (Everyday Food), Lemony Shredded Brussels Spouts (Everyday Food), and Baked Carrots and Parsnips (Jamie Oliver--At this point can I cook a meal without using one of Jamie's recipes???).

I was quite pleased with how everything turned out. (Even though I wish the picture showed the true colors a bit better...)

This completely local-foods meal took me 40 minutes to prep and cook. That's rad. And I didn't use a different skillet for the brussels sprouts. While the chops were resting I cooked up my precious little cabbage heads in the same skillet I seared the lamb in so they took on a little more flavor. And lemon. Thank God for lemon. It pulled this whole meal together. And mint. The yogurt sauce calls for cilantro, but I couldn't bring myself to by that plastic-container-crap from the grocery store. So I used our crazy-ass mint (from our organic gardener) that won't die no matter what. And it was awesome! I also used a red candy onion (from the same organic farmer) rather than a shallot, and it was perfect too. All the flavor in the sauce brought out the lamb's flavor. --I'm thinking next year I going to buy a lamb--

Writing this post kinda makes me want to eat it all over again. Right now.

Luckily, I've learned to control myself through Weight Watchers...

A Weekend of Cooking, Eating, and Grading

This weekend almost all of my dreams came true.

My all-time favorite poet joined FD and I for brunch at our house. We had bacon, goose, radishes, tomato salad, kale chips, and roasted potatoes. Everything we ate came from Ohio. It was a fantastic little meal, but what made it so fantastic was sharing it with Rachel Zucker. (Thanks, Rachel! I hope we can share another meal together soon!) My only regret: I didn't take any pictures.

[After brunch and before dinner I graded essays.]

For dinner that night, we invited friends over for homemade pizzas: one game pizza and one

pepperoni-onion-mushroom pizza. I served a side salad of bibb lettuce, radishes (clearly, I'm addicted to them), and red onion with the Everyday Food garlic and herb vinaigrette. Again,

great company. My only regret: I didn't take any pictures.

[After dinner I tried grading essays, but that was a futile cause.]

For lunch the next day, my foodie friend Lenz made me Chicken Liver Pate with wine soaked figs, as she promised. I was happy. And I finally remembered to take pictures.

What I loved about the pate was whatever condiment/garnish we added changed the flavor. On its own, the pate was rich, salty, and metallic-y (in a good way). Paired with a radish, the pate took on some heat and the pepperiness of the dish came alive. With yellow mustard, the sweetness moved to the forefront. With a fig, the earthy, gaminess came alive. I loved every bite. And if we hadn't decided to have a 3-course lunch, I would have eaten half the mold pictured above.

Our second course was artichokes with white wine reduction, butter, and Canal Junction's Burr Oak cheese dipping sauce. Lenz boiled the artichokes in salted water for about 45 minutes. In the meantime she made the sauce. We sat down to a feast of leaves and hearts. I was impatient for the third course, so quite frankly, all the peeling wasn't worth it to me. Lenz helped me get the heart, and after that I waited for the main course of game and polenta--my new food addiction.

As a token of appreciation, I'll let Lenz post her own polenta recipe. It's one I'm going to use again and again. As she says, polenta is the grown-up version of Mac 'n' Cheese. I adore it. And this course's was no exception. My only regret was that we didn't bake it right away after serving it. It got hard. I attempted reheating it on the stove later that day with more water and bouillon cubes. It just wasn't the same. Next time I'm baking it right away. Definitely.

Confession: Lenz and I cooked and ate from 11-3. That's food dedication.

[I graded later in the evening--after my wine buzz wore off...]

[The next morning and afternoon I graded like a fiend.]

Sunday was our dear friend Babs' birthday, and I wanted to give her something special. Of course, that gift would be a meal. But not just any meal. A Jamie Oliver meal. If I can't give her the man, I can, at least, give her his food.

For our first course, I served a simple garden salad with mushrooms, radishes, and red onion. Then for dinner I made her the Steak, Guinness and Cheese Pie with Puff Pastry Lid with a side of peas with the artichokes' wine, butter, and cheese dipping sauce. I was quite proud of how

everything turned out. (Though, I'm not sure why my pie filling was lighter and less liquidy than Jamie's...I will need to explore this more...) The taste, though, was spot on. It was the perfect birthday/comfort food I could have made for Babs' October birthday, and I think she was quite happy. My only regret: Babs made her own dessert because I suck at baking. And her cream cheese pound cake with pomegranate and cranberry sauce was a perfect ending to a spectacular meal.

[After dinner I could not grade. I was too full. But I finished this morning. Go, me!]

All in all, this was the best weekend I've ever had with grading.

Food does make everything better.

Symon's Roast

I heart Michael Symon.

Here's a cook-dude who could open restaurants in LA, NY, or Chicago, but he keeps it real and opens them in Cleveland and Detroit. That brings a huge smile to my face.

Our families are in Cleveland.

Some of best of friends are in Detroit.

We can eat Michael Symon's food whenever we want.

Located in the historic Book Cadillac Hotel is Detroit's gorgeous Roast. But I'm conflicted.

I didn't like Roast as much as I like Lola, Symon's flagship restaurant.

The deal is this: the food was good, the service was good, the atmosphere is good. But it all just felt good. I wanted to have a fuckyesawesome!-spaz-freakout, but it never happened. Did I drink too much wine? Did order too much food? I feel like it's my fault that I missed something I shouldn't have.

What I enjoyed most was the company of our friends Sarah, John, and E (who took this magnificent pics for my blog! Thanks, E!)

Let me be clear: in the moment of dining at Roast, I was in food heaven. The beef tartar was to die for. The rib eye with shallot confit was amazing. The roasted chicken was mouth-watering. The short rib smelled divine.

But I was disappointed that our server didn't describe each meat on our charcuterie board. The wild boar was incredibly salty. The roasted bone marrow wasn't all that special. The brownie with lime was disgusting.

Can you see why I'm torn? I thought after a few weeks, I would feel happier about our visit. That I would have made my peace with the pro's and con's to the point it would be all pro. But I still feel a little ripped up and just not right about it.

Would I go back? For sure. Maybe I will drink less wine. Maybe I will only order one starter. Maybe I will ask our server to talk about the food more.

The definite is I want to go there again with our D-town dinner companions. They rule during every dining experience we have with them, even if the meal isn't all that.

And I will always heart Michael Symon, even if I'm not sold on Roast.

(For all the fab photos taken by E., check out my Facebook album.)

Revolver: The World's Best 30th Birthday Dinner!

For FD's 30th birthday I wanted to do something really special.

The very rad and ultra-dear-to-my-heart Debi and Michael at Revolver Restaurant made Dan's 30th the best meal of our lives.

I requested Frank Zappa for the revolver and an eight-course meal for our bellies. Michael, Debi, and their team came through with flying colors.

Seriously, if I could I would go back every night for the next year to have that exact same dinner.

I just ate and I'm so hungry just thinking about it after posting these fine pics from the night.

Photos are of the courses I'm still obsessing over. (Too bad Blogger SUCKS at posting pictures; otherwise I would have posted EVERY course. Check out Facebook if you want to see every course.)

Amuse-bouche: cantaloup granita with arugala. Served with Cava.

Heirloom tomato salad with sea salt and balsamic gelato. Served with (and I

quote from our notes) "an Italian varietal we've never heard of before but are in love with."

Tempura-battered zucchini blossom stuffed with zucchini bread, with tomato cinnamon sauce. Served with Sauvignon blanc.

Sweet corn bisque with mascarpone cheese. Served with Chardonnay.

Sweetbreads with creamless corn,

chanterelles, pickled beet, and balasmic black garlic sauce. Served with Riesling. (Hands down the best dish of the night! A mouth orgasm!)

Dickman Farm chicken with crispy skin wafers, potatoes, heirloom beans, olives, and tomato. Served with Cote 'd Rhone.

Foie gras ravioli with shaved leeks, smoked duck breast, and cinnamon. Served with Pinot Noir. (Another mind-blowing dish!)

Aged prime rib with polenta and truffle reduction. Served with Bordeaux. (The best piece of beef I've ever had in my life. And I eat a lot of beef.)

Quatro of ice cream: cherry with bitter chocolate, coffee, blueberry with blueberry jam, and goat cheese with sea salt. Served with Port. (Heaven in my mouth.)

I can't thank Debi and Michael enough for another fantastic meal that was completely perfect. Seriously, I'm considering naming our children after them (if we have kids).

And the whole Revolver team was so completely awesome. Jonah, you're our rock star!

Thank you all for a meal FD and I will obsessing over for years to come.

Revolver, you rock & we love you!

Wines: Some Whites

Stella Pinot Grigio from Italy: Richard from Maumee Wines ranted about how fabulous this wine was. In the moment of wine-buying we were with him. Right now after drinking it, not so much.

Maybe I just don't understand white wines like reds, but this wine tasted good without being anything special. It's fine with pasta, fish, or chicken, but it wasn't anything special.

$8.99, Maumee Wines, Maumee.

~

On the other hand, if the 2008 Mapema Sauvignon Blanc from Argentina was a girl, she'd be one of my best friends.

It's sassy and has swagger.

It reminds me of the time when I took FD on his birthday to a Steely Dan concert in Cleveland and this group of sassy women started cheering when they said, "Here's 'FM.'" The group of women started jumping, grinding, and singing. And trust me, these were sassy women, not some crazed fans.

I was scared.

I was fascinated.

Emotions this wine re-kindled.

It was AWESOME.

$11.99, Maumee Wines, Maumee, OH

Broadbent Porto Auction Reserve

I love a good story.

And the label on this Port has a fantastic story. It begin, "Wine is art." I call that a good hook. But then it gets even better: "Auction Reserve celebrates the first 'Fine Wine' auction at Christie's in 1966...Lot 1 of the auction was Port."

Christie's and wine in the same sentence makes my heart skip a beat. Add to it Port, and I'm in love.

New to drinking Port, commonly known as a dessert wine, I found this one to be the best yet. It was rich but subtle. Smooth but fiesty. And it pairs fine with quality chocolate or even a Reese's Peanut Butter cup. We had it with a "light" fruit crisp and I imagined my mouth a 70's swinger lounge: plush carpets, rich velvets, dim lights, lots of love.

This Port was a bit on the expensive side because it is sold by the half bottle (which is perfect for a 2 person household or a small dinner party), but I assure you it is worth every single penny.

$17.99 Maumee Wines, Maumee

Wine: Altos Las Hormigas Malbec 2008 Argentina

We opened the Altos Malbec two evenings ago--amidst multi-tasking with laundry, food prep for a gathering the next evening, getting the dog his dinner, helping a friend who locked her keys in her car, etc. etc.--to have with our Leftover-Love Casserole.

I didn't really think about the wine or reviewing it that evening. I was busy.

But then I thought about that wine this morning in the shower, and I actually remembered it.

The first taste was like 4th of July in my mouth. The moment is rolled over my tongue it was like a big firework surprise--the one that kicks off the spectacle! Then a few moments of smaller bursts that I appreciated. Then a grand moment after a particular big sip.

This Malbec was fruity and spicy. Complex but fun.

However, I would not label this Malbec as a drinking wine. It's best with food to bring out a spiciness--like the hot chili pepper in the Leftover-Love Casserole--or to spice up a boring meal.

While I would get this wine again, I would rather experience other Malbecs so I can learn more about them.

$8.99, Maumee Wines, Maumee

Dinner: Rigatoni (Not Really) with Sweet Tomatoes, Eggplant, and Mozzarella (Jamie Oliver)

First, I must give my deardeardear friend Babine a shout out for "turning me on" to Jamie Oliver.

Before: English Gardener at the BG Farmers' Market.

After: For recipe please support your local bookstore or local library for Jamie Oliver's cookbook Jamie's Dinners: The Essential Family Cookbook.

*Meal was PERFECT with House Wine.

Playing during dinner: Goonies on TBS.

Wine: House Wine by Magnificent Wine Co., Mattawa Washington

A-MAZING.

I LOVE this wine. It's buttery, savory, not dry. I taste berries, but I also taste ocean--is that even a wine adjective?

As Goldilocks says, "It's just right."

It's a perfect drinking wine. It's a perfect dinner wine. Other reds are more complex, but this wine tastes great.

I definitely would buy a case. Probably one of my favorite wines in quite awhile for the price.

$10.99 The Andersons, Maumee

Wine: CA Cabernet Sauvignon Snap Dragon 2007

Who in their right mind only opens one bottle on a Saturday night?

As a second bottle, drinking wine, Snap Dragon is perfect. Heavy but fruity. Makes me wanna go berry picking. Or walk the dogs...

We did open it to bathe the dogs, which was fantastic. They were mellow; we were mellow.

Like a said, a perfect drinking wine from someone who prefers to drink wine—bottle after bottle.

God, I hope I don’t get gout.

A steal at $8.99.

Dinner: Vension Steaks with Herbed Potatoes & Beans

Venison steaks from a family friend with a red wine reduction and herbed heirloom potatoes--both herbs and potatoes from Homestead Gardens--and green beans from BG Farmers Market.

Teamwork: it's how FD and I cook. He was on the venison & I was on the veggies.

As awesome as this meal was I want to quickly note a few revisions I would make:

Cook reduction a bit longer and the venison a bit shorter. Separate the veggies--to cook, simply stem, add butter and parsley, mint, chives, and basil--from the meat. Roast the potatoes after steaming. Add more rosemary to the venison meat.

What to keep the same: WINE, ingredients, china (Kate Spade Gramercy Park), company (FD, my fav foodie companion for life), and music (Hank Williams: cooking & dinner; The Amps: dish washing.)

(Dan just rushed in my office, saying, "Everything we cooked tonight was Ohio based, except for the flour, wine, and vegetable oil." We don't count our Spanish Blood Orange EVOO because we buy it from the Olive Tap in Medina, Ohio with thanks to my sis-in-law Tra. If we broke down the cost, we don't have a meat cost and with the veggies we got about 4 servings, which would be about $.75 per person. Not bad, especially when the majority of the profit goes to local farmers! Oh, and FD simmered the reduction for 5 more minutes and it was perfect. Still learning; as G.I. Joe would say, "Knowing is half the battle!")

* To keep it "everyday" photos are taken with my iPhone. No fancy photography, just quick snapshots, then on to the eating.

Wine: 2005 Cabernet-Sauvignon by Domaine Des Cantarelles (Red Rhone Wine from France)

Richard at Maumee Wines recommended this wine to us when we asked for a Bordeux.

After one sip I felt like the first time I was allowed to eat at the adult table. This wine is complex and rich. I say this fondly--I taste the exhaust fumes from my '79 VW Super Beetle. I'm assuming that's what Richard meant when he said he tastes "tar and leather" with this wine. Though, I had vinyl seats, not leather ones. I get a sense of oak and tart cherries and butter too. If I could afford to do so I would buy 5 cases of this wine. I adore it. But it's not for the faint of heart. For example, I wouldn't recommend this wine to my mother who's beginning to get into red wine; she would probably say, "It's too strong and dry."

Will definitely buy this one again. $16.99.

Maumee Wines: Maumee, Ohio

During our visit to Revolver Restaurant this week, we asked their wine expert, Rachel, where she goes to her wine, and she recommended Maumee Wines in Maumee, Ohio.

Of course, the next day we visited Maumee Wines.

At Maumee Wines, we met Richard Fortney, owner, wine connoisseur, and gourmand. Immediately after introducing ourselves and stating Rachel recommended his wine shop to us, Richard launched into finding wines we like that were in our price range ($10-$15). Initially we vowed to only buy a bottle or two. Anyone who knows us, though, knows that just silliness; we left with a case.

Of our case, we've tried two wines so far:

A 2006 Chianti by Castello Sonnino from Italy: When we cook we usually have a before-meal glass and then wine with our meal. What's interesting about this wine is we didn't like it on its own. It needs food for its body to really come alive. We had it with homemade light Pesto, Buitoni Whole Wheat Tortellini, and Broccoli from Homestead Gardens. Sipping after a taste of food the wine opened up. It was spicy and cut the basil and garlic in the pesto perfectly. The finish was smooth and subtle. A great Italian dinner wine for $11.99. Do not drink without food.

A 2007 Saint-Esprit Cotes-Du-Rhone from France (obviously): A fantastic drinking wine, I could see this bottle pairing well with Indian food (as Richard recommended) as well as Thai or simply pizza. We cracked open this bottle after going to Pizza Papalis and found it to be perfect on its own with the lingering taste of deep dish pizza on our palates. Definitely a wine I will buy again, especially for the price: $10.99.

Maumee Wines is located at 2556 Parkway Plaza, Maumee, OH 43537. (419) 893-2525.