Tuesday, January 3, 2012

New Years Day was a relaxing day for us at our house. We ate all day focusing on our traditional New Year's meal of Chinese food. Boy was it good, we even had left overs for the next day, with my busy days I am a huge fan of leftovers. We played games and visited with family and friends. I made a Coke cake and frosted it two different ways, so as to suit everyone's tastes. This is one of my favorite cakes as it is chocolaty, rich, and moist. I can satisfy my sweet tooth with only one or two bites. (Much better for my waist line).
Along with this scrumptious cake we enjoyed a bottle of Snoqualmie 2008 Merlot. This is a Columbia Valley Merlot. I personally enjoy Merlot from Washington State, as they tend to have a fuller body and slightly more tannin at the back then Merlot from other regions of the world. This is a great everyday wine with a very reasonable price point. In my blogging I am trying to keep with wines that are readily available in Boise. If you have interest in purchasing any of these just let me know so that I can ensure we have them at the shop.

This weekend I will have Coke Cake at the Buzz for the dessert special for all of us to enjoy.

Cheers.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

New Year/New Beginning

With the beginning of a new year, I find myself reexamining where I am in relation to where I want to be. I have set some goals for the year that are very reachable; with a little organization and discipline. The kids and Tommy are going to be involved in helping to achieve these goals. The first step in this is to blog about the food and wines we have been enjoying and will be enjoying.

I will continue to present foods and wines in what I refer to as the real world approach. These are wines that are affordable and palatable and foods that can be prepared with ingredients from the grocery store. As a mother of two teenagers, a practicing RN, owner of a small business and assisting in the care of my in-laws I live in the real world and that is where my focus will be.

We, of course, rang in the New Year with a little bubbly. We enjoyed a toast of Schramsberg Cremant. What a great start to the new year. This was a slightly dry cremant without the chalky taste of a true Champagne. Price is under $40. I served mine in a white wine glass, over the past few months I have been exposed to some research that states that the flutes cause the carbon dioxide of sparkling wines to build up at the top of the glass and alter the nose and even effects the taste, I do have to say that I enjoyed the cremant more out of a glass than a flute. Try it the next time you are enjoying a sparkler and see what you think.

At the Buzz last night we had a group that was playing Pathfinder (a game similar to Dungeons and Dragons), I put out a small buffet for them to enjoy with their game and had compliments from them all on my Chicken Enchiladas (by the way went very nicely with the cremant) I was very excited to inform all of the participants that this is one of the entrees that we have in stock for our take and bake line. They are good.

I should go now and decide what to make for New Years and which wine to drink tonight. Happy New Year to everyone.