Wine making and proper storage techniques have been around for centuries. The process of wine making is complicated and lengthy, but the process of storing the wine to maintain its quality and taste is just as important and difficult.
It doesn’t matter how good a wine is or how much of maturing potential it has, because unless stored correctly, these features may prove futile. It is generally thought that a cool place in the garage or the back of the basement is ideal for storage, but in reality very few places actually possess the perfect conditions for wine storage.
Ideal storage conditions are cool (around 55 degrees Fahrenheit), not subject to extreme fluctuations in temperature, not too dry (to avoid the corks from drying out) and not too damp. A relative humidity of around 70% is generally recommended so as to keep the corks in good resilient condition and thereby prevent them from shrinking. More important than the actual temperature of wine storage is the degree and rapidity of temperature fluctuation that the wine is subjected to. A gradual change of temperature of ten or so degrees between seasons is not a matter of great concern. But this kind of fluctuation on a daily or weekly basis will cause damage to the wines and cause them to age prematurely.
It is necessary that wines should be stored in an area free from harsh light and vibrations. Bright light can prematurely age a bottle of wine. Clear bottles are more susceptible to damage but ultra violet light can penetrate even dark-colored bottles. Once a bottle of wine is laid down, it should preferably stay there until it is opened. These days many wine collectors entrust their collection to a professional wine storage operator who has the knowledge and expertise required to ensure correct storage and to maintain the quality of the wine.
e-WineStorage.com Wine Storage provides detailed information on Wine Storage, Wine Storage Racks, Wine Storage Cabinets, Wine Storage Systems and more. Wine Storage is affiliated with i-WineCellars.com Wine Cellar Design.
The moment you pull that cork, wine comes in contact with air. And once that happens, the oxidation process begins. If you’re not planning on consuming all the wine in one sitting, you need to know how to store the remaining wine so it won’t go bad.
Oxidation is the chemical reaction that occurs when oxygen comes in contact with wine. At first, oxidation is a good thing; it helps “open up” the wine, revealing different facets of its bouquet and aroma. However, after a couple of hours, further oxidation is a bad thing. It starts to damage the wine and will eventually ruin it.
Many of us have had the experience of leaving an unfinished bottle out all night without the cork back on. The difference in flavor and aroma the next day is striking and unmistakable. Even if re-corked the next day, the wine will usually taste flat, “raisiny,” and unpleasant — all a product of the oxidation process.
So how do you preserve an open bottle of wine when you don’t want to (or can’t) drink the whole thing in one sitting? There are only four reliable methods of preserving the remaining wine, some more reliable than others:
1. First, put the cork back on and put the wine in the fridge. The oxidative process slows down dramatically in cooler temperatures. This is a very easy — and a fairly reliable — method when you don’t have any other choices. Certainly much better than leaving an open bottle on the kitchen counter overnight.
2. A second option is to transfer the remaining wine to a half-bottle (375ml) and put it in the fridge. Doing this eliminates most of the air that would normally come in contact with the wine in a standard-size bottle (750ml). While more effective that method #1, this involves carefully transferring the wine over, which is only practical to do with a funnel.
3. A third alternative is to pump out the air in the bottle with a “wine pump.” You can get a wine pump virtually anywhere these days, even in stores such as Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, and Linens and Things. These pumps are fairly reliable, but I’ve found they work best if you also stick the bottle in the refrigerator after pumping out the air (no pump can completely remove the air from the bottle). Otherwise, you’ll still notice a slight difference in taste the next day, and a more pronounced difference the following day and beyond.
4. Use a wine preserver spray. This, by far, is the most effective and dependable method of keeping wine fresh. While these sprays cost about $10 a bottle, they are extremely reliable and effective. In my opinion, this is the only way to store opened wine. The spray is actually a blend of harmless inert gasses (gasses that don’t react with wine), which keep the wine from spoiling. Spraying the inside the bottle displaces the oxygen already present and leaves a blanket of inert gas over the wine. The amazing thing is, the gas will preserve the wine for days, even weeks! Try a can and see for yourself. Look for them at many local wine shops and online by searching for brands such as “Private Preserve.”
What about wine that’s already spoiled? Whatever you do, don’t dump it down the drain. Instead, keep it in the fridge (with a cork on) for recipes that call for a little wine. I always keep a bottle of “spoiled” wine in the fridge for this purpose. And when a sauce calls for a little wine, I don’t have to use the good stuff.
Another idea is to pour it in ice trays and freeze it. And again, when you have a recipe that calls for wine, break off a few “wine cubes” instead.
Some may argue that it’s best to use fresh wine when cooking. I say do what you’d like. But in my house we never waste a drop of wine!
Ed Gandia is a wine writer based in Marietta, GA. He is the author of the “The Bargain Hunter’s Wine Shopping Guide” ( BestWineBargains.com BestWineBargains.com) — an eBook that teaches wine lovers a simple method to find the best, most consistent $10-and-under wines sold in the U.S.
Natural chocolate is a perfect hybrid of words and meaning. But recent examinations of the benefits and makeup of chocolate support the claim that natural chocolate may be good or you. Chocolate serves as a natural relaxer, an antioxidant, and a positive health contributor. Natural chocolate is actually made from the seeds of the cacao tree, commonly derived from cacao beans.
Natural chocolate benefits derive from products pressed from the cocoa bean and not made from the cocoa butter product cooked from the fruits of the cacao tree. Natural chocolate will include the high concentration necessary and associated with European dark chocolate made with less sugar.
If chocolate consumption represents one percent of the American diet, it is from fatty products loaded with sugar. Natural chocolate is more regularly found in bitter chocolate products like baking chocolate, specialty bars and special natural chocolate products found in organic food stores. It is not likely to be in very sweet and sugary chocolate candy or chocolate products with milk added.
Consuming natural chocolate does not share the same dietetic stigma today of consuming candy and other forms, since products used for cake frosting, chocolate chips, and ice cream are filled with fat, sugar and preservatives. To determine if a product contains the benefits of natural chocolate, make sure the ingredients do not contains cocoa butter or dark colorings.
Eating natural chocolate has become a significant choice for a snack. As a meal supplement or dessert, natural chocolate is a snack that is less empty that other fat filled sugary and starchy snacks. This does not mean that any chocolate candy bar automatically applies. Dark chocolate includes falconoid, which is present in natural chocolate but gets filtered out in the processing of other chocolate products such as syrup, powders, and candy.
Natural chocolate exists when no chemicals or alkalis have been applied in the fermentation and manufacturing process, Natural chocolate may be considered something like a glass of wine or a frozen yogurt for enjoyment with a side benefit. Adding natural chocolate cocoa to your morning coffee may keep high blood pressure down, circulation up, and the heart healthier.
The Flavenols and Flavenoids in natural chocolate can exhibit health benefits that mimic prunes, blueberries, and coffee. Natural chocolate may have caffeine in it, but doctors now show that caffeine found in coffee may also have the same kinds of health benefits, include living a year longer and analgesic or serotonin effects on the body.
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Fred Goldman is the Founder of D-lectable.com Sugarless Candy Store. You’ll find healthy snack choices including sugarless chocolate, d-lectable.com” target=”_blank natural chocolate, and more at
Buffalo steak has gained quite a bit of popularity over the last decade, especially among the health-minded. Since the buffalo industry is not as wide-spread as the cattle industry, buffalo steak, especially if ordered directly from an independent rancher, either in person or over the Internet, is not packed full of hormones and other chemicals, and the animals are left to roam and graze as they did in days of old.
Buffalo steak is extremely healthy, packed full of vitamins and minerals, including vital Omega-3 fatty acids, which help lower cholesterol and decrease the risk of blood clots. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, buffalo steaks cut from grass-fed bison have a fraction of the fat (up to 75% less fat per serving) of beef steaks and are extremely high in iron and protein. Buffalo steak is even recommended by the American Heart Association for a heart-healthy lifestyle!
Buffalo steaks can be cooked in the same manner as beef steaks, with one important difference – buffalo cooks in much less time because of the low fat content. We can all see the benefit in meat that cooks much more quickly, but there is a down side to this. Because of the low fat content, it is extremely important to use every measure possible to keep the moisture in the buffalo steak. Searing both sides of the steak and then cooking until done to your preference will ensure that the moisture is locked in so that you’ll be left with just mouth-watering flavor. Try rubbing the outside of the buffalo steak with your favorite steak seasoning or a mixture of salt, pepper, and garlic before grilling or broiling for a great taste sensation. Just be sure to cook at a lower temperature than you would for beef steak, and you’ll have a perfect buffalo steak in no time.
By gourmet chefs and meat-lovers everywhere, buffalo steak has been coined as more beefy than beef. Without the thick fatty marbling through the cut of meat that is common in beef steak, buffalo is packed with hearty meaty flavor through and through. Try a buffalo steak for an escape from the ordinary and a step back into historical life on the plains.
Antoinette Boulay writes for sizzlersranch.com Sizzlers Ranch, where you can find tips on how to sizzlersranch.com/buy-beef-online buy beef online and sizzlersranch.com/bbq-quail-recipe barbeque quail
The Carignane grape variety is one of the most widely planted grapes in the world. It’s popularity stems from the high crop yeilds that it produces as well as the characteristics that it can bring to a wine. Wine made from Carignane usually has red-fruit characteristics, deep violet and purple color, strong tannin structure and high levels of alcohol content. It is sometimes peppery like Syrah. These characteristics have made it very popular as a blending agent in the vast quantities of local table wines (jug wines) that are consumed around the world. It often provides the ‘backbone’ of these wines and is blended with other grape varieties that bring additonal flavor characteristics.
Carignane is thought to have originated in northern Spain and grows well in a ‘Mediterranean’ climate. As a result, it is widely grown in many of the countries that border the Mediterranean Sea including France, Italy, Spain, and Algeria. Carignane is the most widely planted grape in France. It has also found a home in almost every other wine producing country around the world.
Carignane Wine Tip:
The Carignane wines are generally dry and range from medium to full-bodied. They have lots of “life” to them, are recommended with fuller-bodied foods and are best served at cool room or cellar temperature. Carignane grapes produce more red wine than any other grape variety.
greatwinesmadesimple.com/” target=”new Wine Ratings – Wine ratings, wine and winery related information for the enjoyment of fine wines.
While your neighbors are putting up their Halloween decorations and scouring supermarkets for bargain candy, it’s the perfect time for you to deep fry a turkey. If you’ve been thinking about deep frying a turkey for Thanksgiving but want to try it first, October is the perfect time. It’s close enough to Thanksgiving for you to gain some valuable experience but still far enough away that your family won’t get tired of turkey sandwiches.
In October, Thanksgiving is still over a month away. It’s the perfect time to dig your turkey fryer out of the attic, buy some peanut oil and test out some new dry rubs or injector sauce recipes. Let’s face it once November comes it’s too late to subject your family to a turkey test run when they’re going to have it again in a few weeks on Thanksgiving. That’s a lot of turkey. And Thanksgiving dinner is a time to be thankful, not a time to try out new recipes. What if your bird tastes terrible? You don’t want your family to remember this year as the one where Dad ruined Thanksgiving.
Deep frying a practice turkey a month early will increase your comfort level on Thanksgiving. Let’s face it when working with five gallons of boiling oil you can use all the comfort you can get. And you’ll also get to enjoy a wonderful deep fried turkey without all the stress and the hassles that the holidays bring.
Your prep work should include making sure your propane tank is full and check to see if your fire extinguisher is charged and ready for action. Be sure to find your gloves and goggles and collect all the necessary equipment that you’ll need for the big day. Put it somewhere on hand like the garage. This way when Thanksgiving comes you’ll have one less thing to worry about.
And remember when you deep fry a turkey you won’t have turkey drippings to make gravy. October is the perfect time to plan your gravy options. You could fry up the giblets and neck in a pan and use those drippings to make your gravy. Or you could buy your gravy at the store. The deep fried turkey will be moist enough that gravy will be more important for the mashed potatoes but it’s still a good idea to plan ahead.
Here’s an excellent injector sauce recipe to try:
Buttery Injector Sauce
1/2 cup Chicken Broth
4 tbsp Butter
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
Salt to taste
Melt Butter in a pan or microwave
Mix butter in a bowl with the rest of the ingredients except salt
Add salt slowly and taste. The sauce should only taste slightly salty
Whisk or use electric mixer until well blended and ready to be injected
Inject mixture into turkey
Place turkey in oven bag or in a large bowl with a cover
Refrigerate overnight
Whether it’s your first deep fried turkey or you are an old pro, try using October to practice. It will make Thanksgiving a little more relaxed and enjoyable. The more prepared you are, the smoother your day will go and that’s something to be thankful for.
Anthony Tripodi is the webmaster of BigTurkeyFryer.com – The Deep Fried Turkey Guide. For more information about Deep Fried Turkey including deep fryers, recipes for injector sauces and dry rubs, and more, visit bigturkeyfryer.com bigturkeyfryer.com
There are exciting times ahead for Spanish cuisine. An extremely good crop of young, ground breaking chefs are placing Spain firmly on the culinary map, even eclipsing their old neighbours to the north in France. According to many Spain is taking over where France started from in the seventies where they pioneered the Noveau Cusine movement. That same effervescence that sparkled in France twenty years ago is starting to bubble over in Spain causing critics to look to the Iberian Peninsula to lead the next great shift.
Spain’s traditional culinary centre in the Basque country is looking over its shoulder to see Barcelona hot on its heels and fast emerging as Spain’s other great gourmet capital. The Basque region is still the place to go for food in Spain but its place at the head of Spain’s gastronomic table is under threat. The man spear-heading this revolution? Ferran Adria. Adria is at the head of the new wave; his much vaunted “El Bulli” restaurant in Rosas on the Costa Brava is one of the hot places in the world to try and get a table and is fast becoming a must on the checklist of gourmand worldwide. It’s not an easy business to secure a table, “El Bulli” is only open for six months a year (the other six Adria spends in his Barcelona based kitchen/laboratory dreaming up fantastical new recipes) and sits proudly in second spot in the worldwide restaurant list, 8,000 people dined there last year and over 300,000 tried to get a table. Adria’s now legendary thirty course meal is an assault on the senses that challenges our perception of food and taste. New pioneering techniques of cooking are pushing back the boundaries. Adria’s Basque contemporary, Juan Mari Arzak refers to the Catalan as “the most imaginative chef in all of history”.
That’s high praise indeed from the man who was partly responsible for starting this movement back in the seventies. Arzak and fellow Basque chef Pedro Lubijana, inspired by a 1976 conference in Madrid hosted by legendary French chef Paul Bocuse, decided to stir up the kitchens of the Basque country. They brought together a group of twelve local chefs and took turns to invite local gourmets and food critics to sample their menus free of charge. Before they realised it, other chefs were asking to get involved and a movement was born. Arzak still plies his trade today at his eponymous restaurant just outside San Sebastian, also ranked in the top fifty restaurant list and owner of three Michelin stars.
The future of Spanish cuisine looks in good hands as there are a fine crop of young chefs emerging hot on the heels of Adria and Arzak. Chefs such as Jordi Villa at the highly rated “Alkimia” in Barcelona lead the vanguard; the 29 year old is famed for his steak tartare with olive oil ice cream. Jordi Butron is making waves in Barcelona, he runs the “Espai Sucre”, a dessert school and restaurant that is committed to creative cuisine. The Basque country has a few protégés up its wily sleeve as well, Josean Martínez Alija, is the precocious 26 year old manning the stoves at the Guggenheim’s restaurant in Bilbao with aplomb, and Andoni Luis Aduriz, an introverted chef cum mad professor who famously studied the molecular structure of liver so as to reinvent the texture of foie gras. His restaurant in the hills outside San Sebastian is making people take note in a region where culinary excellence is a way of life.
Mike McDougall has five years experience working as a travel writer and marketeer. He is currently working to provide additional content for babylon-idiomas.com/eng/htm/learn-spanish-spain.htm Babylon-idiomas, a Spanish language school with an excellent presence in Spain and Latin America.
This work is covered by a creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/uk/ creative commons license.
This recipe, shrimp scampi is a popular dish in restaurants, but did you know that it is quick and easy to make at home as well? We southerners love our shrimp and shrimp scampi is one of the best. Shrimp served with a white wine and garlic butter sauce, what could be better? There are many variations of shrimp scampi, served alone, or often over pasta. This can be eaten either way.
The shrimp can be cooked in the butter if desired, rather than boiling it, if you prefer. The key to good shrimp, as with all seafood, is not to over cook it. Shrimp is done when it turns pink. This is very quick. Longer cooking times just toughen the shrimp. This is especially important in this recipe, because you will be heating the shrimp again in the sauce at the end.
Shrimp Scampi
1 pound medium shrimp
2 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup chopped chives
3 Tablespoons garlic, minced -more or less to taste
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
2 Tablespoons parsley, snipped
1/4 cup dry white wine (or water)
Parmesan cheese, optional
Lemon wedges for garnish, optional
Bring a pan of water to a boil. Add the shrimp and cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat. The shrimp is done when it turns pink. Do not over cook.
Devein and shell the shrimp.
In a large skillet, melt the butter. Saute the onion and chives. Add the garlic, stir fry for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Stir in the pepper, seasoning salt and parsley.
Add 1/4 cup dry white wine, whisk, and return the shrimp to the pan to reheat.
Serve over spaghetti or linguine, or alone.
Top with parmesan cheese if desired. Garnish with lemon wedges if desired.
Try this recipe- scampi shrimp will soon be one of your favorites. It is quick and easy, even for a busy night.
Are you interested in more southern style seafood dishes? Sign up for our newsletter at easysoutherncooking.com/meats/meats.html Southern Meats and Seafoods and get quick and healthy recipes delivered to your email regularly.
Diane has just finished a free cookbook of her favorite southern recipes. Download easysoutherncooking.com/easy-southern-favorites.html Easy Southern Favoritestoday. These recipes are guaranteed to have them begging for more. Best of all, its free!
Diane Watkins is a traditional southern style cook. She enjoys cooking, teaching, and writing about good food and family. For more information on southern cooking and recipes visit her website at easysoutherncooking.com Easy Southern Cooking
Okay, you’ve either gotten married or are planning to pretty soon. Congratulations! I’m sure you’re aware that this means you will be responsible for at least half the meals you and your loved one will eat from here on out! Not to mention future children, your visiting family members and – of course – inlaws.
A while back, one of my young daughters (who I hope wasn’t getting any ideas), asked me which 10 recipes I thought every newly married person should be able to make. After thinking, off and on, about it for a few days, I came up with what I believe are the top ones. Before we get to the recipes, I’d like to just share a few words that would have made life a lot easier on me had someone shared them with me when I first began cooking!
Cooking is an art. It isn’t a chore to be endured or a duty to get out of the way. It truly can be one of the most rewarding and satisfying things you’ll ever do. Just like most things, anyone who wants to become good at it can. Anyone who wants to become great at it can. There’s an ancient Chinese Proverb that says, “The only difference between a good housekeeper and a bad one is an hour a day.” I took the liberty to edit the proverb to tell you, “The only difference between a good cook and a bad one is an hour a day.” If you make up your mind to become a great cook and dedicate even just one hour a day to honing your skills, you’ll earn your apron’s stripes!
A few things you should always remember:
Never leave the kitchen when you’re baking cookies or biscuits. I wouldn’t advise ever wandering away from the kitchen while cooking, but when it’s something like cookies or biscuits, doing so is usually disasterous. They’re just looking for a reason to burn and take your departure as the open door they need.
When getting cookbooks, go to the used bookstores – or check online auctions or Amazon.com. The cookbooks that were written in the 70s and 80s were some of the best. You’ll find ingredients you’ve actually heard of, for one thing, plus they tend to have more of the basic recipes you’ll need for starting out.
Watch Food TV! It is really addictive, and even more informative. I’d suggest you not ever, under any circumstances, miss an episode of Paula Deen’s “Paula’s Home Cooking”, Rachel Ray’s “30 Minute Meals” or Alton Brown’s “Good Eats”. They’re the top, in my opinion. After you’re more familiar with your way around the pots and pans, you’ll be ready for Emeril, but you have to work up to him!
Now, to the top ten recipes you’ll need. Either consult some of those cookbooks I told you about, or a website, such as foodtv.com or buttermilkpress.com, or ask various family members for their favorite recipes for each. They’ll get a real kick out of that. Plus, if you happen to ask an inlaw for their favorite recipes, you’ll get off on an especially agreeable note!
Breakfast/Brunch:
1. French Toast and Pancakes. Nothing will impress him or her quite like a tall, warm stack of delicious pancakes with butter melting off the sides.
2. Egg dishes: Scrambled, fried and poached. Note: When cooking eggs, remove them from the skillet before they actually look completely done. They continue cooking even after they’re removed to the platter.
3. Buttermilk BIscuits. Buttermilk in a recipe makes everything instantly better. Whether it’s biscuits, pancakes or cornbread, it’s presence improves the flavor ten-fold.
4. Great coffee. You absolutely must be able to make a sensational pot of coffee. Do your research, try out different beans and always, always grind your own coffee. You can get a grinder for under $20.00, and it will be 20 of the wisest dollars you ever invest.
Lunch:
5. Hamburgers and their cousin, Cheeseburgers. I’ll let you in on a family secret, a little garlic salt is the difference between, “Honey, this is good.” and “Wow! My mom (dad) never made burgers like this!”
6. At least one really good homemade soup. I know, the little red and white cans are awfully convenient (and you’ll find about 10 in my own pantry), but being able to make a sensational potato or vegetable soup is a great big feather in your culinary cap.
Supper/Etc:
7. Fried Chicken. Back to the Buttermilk for a minute, soaking your chicken in buttermilk (in the fridge) for about an hour before coating and frying makes for a juicier, more flavorful meat.
8. Mashed potatoes. Never. Under. Any. Circumstances. Use. Instant. Potatoes. Don’t even look their way in the store. Peel, boil, and mash your potatoes with milk, butter and….pssst, another family secret, sour cream. It’s worth the effort.
9. Yeast rolls. Okay, I’ll admit it, these aren’t as easy to make as the other 10 or so foods talked about here. That’s because yeast is tempermental. It can be likened to Goldilocks, of all things. It gets angry if the liquid is too hot, it gets angry if the liquid is too cold. It wants it just right, and when the temperature isn’t just right, whereas Goldie laid down, your bread will lie down. Flat rolls. Ugly rolls.
10. (3-way tie!) Chocolate Chip Cookies, Apple Pie and Your sweetheart’s favorite cake. Master the desserts and even when the main meal isn’t up to par it’ll be okay. The last thing a person eats, after all, is the thing they’ll most recall. You know the saying, all’s well that end’s well.
Congratulations, good luck, and have fun. It may sound like something out of a 1940s cookbook, but that really is the biggest secret. To most things in life, actually.
Visit buttermilkpress.com Buttermilk Press for more articles, cooking tips, food facts, resources, and more. E-mail the author at mailto:joi@buttermilkpress.com joi@buttermilkpress.com
Drinking to people used to be and still is in many ways the same today as it was done many years ago in Greece. Out of respect, the person performing the toast should stand up, and everybody stands up too. If the person being toasted to is important enough, everybody else must also raise their glasses. If wearing a hat, men should always remove them. While the toast is spoken it is very important to look the person you are toasting to in the eyes. To end the toast, a silent bow or a simple little nod of the head will do. Everyone then sips the wine.
Taking small sips for the toast is the modern and correct way of doing it. A long time ago, you were expected to drink everything in the cup and most often it would be a rather large cup that would be passed around and shared. Today we have our own glasses which we use instead of sharing just one cup.
The Two Person Toast
Toasting is also very popular between two people. In ancient Greek times, this was called “proposes” or “the drink before”. The person who initiated the toast sips first and then hands the cup or bowl to the person being honored. If it was a special occasion such as a wedding, the cup itself would usually be a permanent gift to the receiver. For example, a bowl full of wine might be given from a father-in-law to the son-in-law. The cup or bowl would become the symbol of the bride (given away as we still call it) by her father. The two men and two families have now become one through the shared wine.
Evelyn Whitaker writes articles for german-toasting-glasses.com German Toasting Glasses german-toasting-glasses.com german-toasting-glasses.com which specializes in custom german-toasting-glasses.com engraved wedding gifts from Germany.
