We did it! We successfully fermented our own
honey wine. It tastes like springtime in a glass.
I think the next step from here is to work on bottle
aging (it seemed a little intense for the first try).
Stay tuned :)
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Friday, March 29, 2013
Latest Obsessions
*Bathing Suit
I'm a sucker for Japanese-style prints, and I like one piece
suits because I love leotards and they are basically the same thing.
*Italian Class
The Fluent City class is pretty awesome. Very
laid back with a focus on having everyone actually
speak-which can be embarrassing but is the only
way to learn.
*The Guide to Natural Sweeteners
Because I will always have a sweet tooth, but
at least I can make better choices.
*The DesignSponge Instagram Challenge: Pets
The cuteness is overwhelming
*The Butcher's Daughter
Had an amazing gigantic salad there last week, their
juice list looks pretty badass as well. Can't wait to go back.
*St Lucia
One of my favorite bloggers took a trip there recently
and it looks insanely gorgeous. A tropical getaway sounds
pretty tempting at the moment.
Happy Weekend!! <3
I'm a sucker for Japanese-style prints, and I like one piece
suits because I love leotards and they are basically the same thing.
*Italian Class
The Fluent City class is pretty awesome. Very
laid back with a focus on having everyone actually
speak-which can be embarrassing but is the only
way to learn.
*The Guide to Natural Sweeteners
Because I will always have a sweet tooth, but
at least I can make better choices.
*The DesignSponge Instagram Challenge: Pets
The cuteness is overwhelming
*The Butcher's Daughter
Had an amazing gigantic salad there last week, their
juice list looks pretty badass as well. Can't wait to go back.
*St Lucia
One of my favorite bloggers took a trip there recently
and it looks insanely gorgeous. A tropical getaway sounds
pretty tempting at the moment.
Happy Weekend!! <3
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Wine: A Tasting
Last Sunday, our friends put together a wine tasting
(and amazing dinner) at their apartment.
The theme was Abe Shoener, who is doing some
pretty awesome things on both coasts.
On the west coast he has The Scholium Project
(the website is a wealth of info on their winemaking-
highly recommend reading through it)
and half of the wines in the Red Hook Winery on the east.
We started our tasting with
"Naucratis" from Scholium and
Clone 95 from Red Hook, both 2009
Naucratis is a Verdelho and Clone 95 is a
Chardonnay. Surprisingly, I preferred the
Chard! It was reminiscent of a lovely white
Burgundy. 36 months on neutral oak gave it
some pretty floral notes but also some petrol,
and because the grapes are from Long Island
you still get those typical stony notes on the back.
The Naucratis just kind of fell flat for me,
I wanted more from the nose, and more acidity
on the palate. It was, however, a good pairing
with sharp cheese.
The net 2 wines were Scholium's The Prince in His Caves,
and the unphotographed Red Hook Gristina Chard.
The Prince and the Gristina are both skin fermented.
The nose on the Prince made me shout (with joy).
Semi-typical Sauv Blanc nose but with a little more
Yuzu, herbs, and light funkiness. I don't really wear perfume
but if I did I'd want the scent to be something like this.
On the palate it had great acidity and a fuller body, I really
loved this wine. As for the Gristina the nose was more of
apricots and herbs, there was definitely a little menthol
hiding somewhere in there. Very refreshing and balanced.
Now for the reds, we tasted the Red Hook Rebirth from
the Sea-which, I should note was named before Sandy struck.
If you don't know Red Hook was basically destroyed because of
Sandy. They recently opened their doors again, the husband and
I are planning a trip out there soon.) Brico Babelico from Scholium
and Groth's 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon. The Brico clocked in
at 17.14% alcohol. It is a Barolo style Petite Sirah, and good
gracious it is packing heat, and smells of pancakes. (read: maple
syrup) It was a little too big for me, I felt like I couldn't really enjoy it
and you'd think that it might just need food but I actually think that
food made it worse. The Red Hook wine was a
Bordeaux blend (Merlot, Cab Sauv, Cab Franc) and this one
I kind of liked but the presence of vanilla always kind of halts
my taste buds. Sometimes I feel like it hides the varietals under
a cloak of oaky spice- but if I had to choose
oak for my wine I'd take French or Slovenian.
The Groth had a little bit more age to it, being a 2005.
It still had some of the toasty notes, but it also had some
really nice tart cherry flavors as well. It was pretty mellow,
and I'm sure with a few more years on it, it would be
even more enjoyable.
The winner for me, was Red Hook's Clone 95 Chardonnay.
with The Prince in His Caves running a very close second,
I am a sucker for petrol-y, caramel flavors in my Chard-
and this delivered.
An extra thank you to P & J, for being such amazing hosts!
I also wanted to post a photo of the adorable Meester
(and amazing dinner) at their apartment.
The theme was Abe Shoener, who is doing some
pretty awesome things on both coasts.
On the west coast he has The Scholium Project
(the website is a wealth of info on their winemaking-
highly recommend reading through it)
and half of the wines in the Red Hook Winery on the east.
We started our tasting with
"Naucratis" from Scholium and
Clone 95 from Red Hook, both 2009
Naucratis is a Verdelho and Clone 95 is a
Chardonnay. Surprisingly, I preferred the
Chard! It was reminiscent of a lovely white
Burgundy. 36 months on neutral oak gave it
some pretty floral notes but also some petrol,
and because the grapes are from Long Island
you still get those typical stony notes on the back.
The Naucratis just kind of fell flat for me,
I wanted more from the nose, and more acidity
on the palate. It was, however, a good pairing
with sharp cheese.
The net 2 wines were Scholium's The Prince in His Caves,
and the unphotographed Red Hook Gristina Chard.
The Prince and the Gristina are both skin fermented.
The nose on the Prince made me shout (with joy).
Semi-typical Sauv Blanc nose but with a little more
Yuzu, herbs, and light funkiness. I don't really wear perfume
but if I did I'd want the scent to be something like this.
On the palate it had great acidity and a fuller body, I really
loved this wine. As for the Gristina the nose was more of
apricots and herbs, there was definitely a little menthol
hiding somewhere in there. Very refreshing and balanced.
Now for the reds, we tasted the Red Hook Rebirth from
the Sea-which, I should note was named before Sandy struck.
If you don't know Red Hook was basically destroyed because of
Sandy. They recently opened their doors again, the husband and
I are planning a trip out there soon.) Brico Babelico from Scholium
and Groth's 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon. The Brico clocked in
at 17.14% alcohol. It is a Barolo style Petite Sirah, and good
gracious it is packing heat, and smells of pancakes. (read: maple
syrup) It was a little too big for me, I felt like I couldn't really enjoy it
and you'd think that it might just need food but I actually think that
food made it worse. The Red Hook wine was a
Bordeaux blend (Merlot, Cab Sauv, Cab Franc) and this one
I kind of liked but the presence of vanilla always kind of halts
my taste buds. Sometimes I feel like it hides the varietals under
a cloak of oaky spice- but if I had to choose
oak for my wine I'd take French or Slovenian.
The Groth had a little bit more age to it, being a 2005.
It still had some of the toasty notes, but it also had some
really nice tart cherry flavors as well. It was pretty mellow,
and I'm sure with a few more years on it, it would be
even more enjoyable.
The winner for me, was Red Hook's Clone 95 Chardonnay.
with The Prince in His Caves running a very close second,
I am a sucker for petrol-y, caramel flavors in my Chard-
and this delivered.
An extra thank you to P & J, for being such amazing hosts!
I also wanted to post a photo of the adorable Meester
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
The Meal Plan: Week 2
So the budget of $80 already kind of went out the window...
For this week we ended up needing more things from the grocery store
than from the greenmarket. (nuts, peanut butter, berries, bananas etc.)
But we also made adjustments to buy more of the things that we ran out of
last week (apples, spinach, other fruits)
But I think the whole process really went well.
We had delicious food to eat, every single day and no
additional money was spent on food. Here is this week's list
I didn't do anything really breakfast-y because we
usually just have oatmeal. I have muesli (misspelled)
on the list but I never found good dried fruits (sans sulphur)
So that is kind of going by the wayside.
Spiced Halibut on Fennel/Grapefruit Slaw (we used tilefish)
Creamy Tomato Mushroom Pasta (we will be adding ground turkey)
Roasted Beets on Greens
Sesame Kale Salad
Lunch meat for sammy's
Veggies for juicing
I made the Westphalian Beef Stew on Sunday so that will be a nice
dish to carry us through the week, and last night the husband made
roasted tilefish with a grapefruit slaw. It was ridiculously delicious.
We had a very small amount of things leftover last week,
we've been trying to find ways to use them or
if it is an item that I can use for stock, I'll just
throw it in my freezer bag filled with scraps
(a fantastic tip that I got from my domestic goddess
friend, Rebecca)
I think this project is going well so far.
Now I really can't wait for the spring/summer
harvests to happen. I am dying for some tri-star strawberries,
heirloom tomatoes and fresh peas.
For this week we ended up needing more things from the grocery store
than from the greenmarket. (nuts, peanut butter, berries, bananas etc.)
But we also made adjustments to buy more of the things that we ran out of
last week (apples, spinach, other fruits)
But I think the whole process really went well.
We had delicious food to eat, every single day and no
additional money was spent on food. Here is this week's list
I didn't do anything really breakfast-y because we
usually just have oatmeal. I have muesli (misspelled)
on the list but I never found good dried fruits (sans sulphur)
So that is kind of going by the wayside.
Spiced Halibut on Fennel/Grapefruit Slaw (we used tilefish)
Creamy Tomato Mushroom Pasta (we will be adding ground turkey)
Roasted Beets on Greens
Sesame Kale Salad
Lunch meat for sammy's
Veggies for juicing
I made the Westphalian Beef Stew on Sunday so that will be a nice
dish to carry us through the week, and last night the husband made
roasted tilefish with a grapefruit slaw. It was ridiculously delicious.
We had a very small amount of things leftover last week,
we've been trying to find ways to use them or
if it is an item that I can use for stock, I'll just
throw it in my freezer bag filled with scraps
(a fantastic tip that I got from my domestic goddess
friend, Rebecca)
I think this project is going well so far.
Now I really can't wait for the spring/summer
harvests to happen. I am dying for some tri-star strawberries,
heirloom tomatoes and fresh peas.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Just Like Honey pt. 2
So the countertop Mead is is happening.
Not necessarily bubbling up in the way the kombucha does,
but there is a release of pressure when you unscrew the cap
and the smell is definitely that of fermenting honey.
According to the book, there should be an intense bubbling
so we'll see if that happens. I'm wondering if I'm just expecting
something grand and the above photo is considered "intense".
Oh well, this is a learning process. I'll keep everyone posted!
Not necessarily bubbling up in the way the kombucha does,
but there is a release of pressure when you unscrew the cap
and the smell is definitely that of fermenting honey.
According to the book, there should be an intense bubbling
so we'll see if that happens. I'm wondering if I'm just expecting
something grand and the above photo is considered "intense".
Oh well, this is a learning process. I'll keep everyone posted!
Friday, March 22, 2013
Latest Obsessions
*Lopez di Heredia 1995 Vina Bosconia ($97) &
Zilliken Saarbuger Rausch Riesling Kabinett ($34)
Ok these are above the normal wine budget, but
they both blew my mind. I never imagined I'd
a Spanish wine that was so magical- I think it's the mix of
new and french oak, and the extreme aging.
*The Story of Cosmetics
This is why I use baking soda and apple
cider vinegar on my hair, coconut oil on my skin,
and natural toothpaste. Because sodium lauryl sulfate
is in everything, and if I'm trying to get it out of my shampoo
why would I want to brush my teeth with it.
*Getting Rid of Clutter
I started going through our studio yesterday and cleaning
some things out. We now have 3 massive bags of stuff to
donate to Salvation Army, and I haven't even gone through
the whole room yet. I'm not going to go super minimalist,
but I don't think I need to hang on to my whole Kinder Surprise
collection (just the little Painty Ten figure) or to my required
reading for some of the Pratt classes.
*Breathing Deeply
It fights anxiety and stress, and gets me to sleep quicker.
Something I've taken from yoga classes.
*Peanut Butter Bites
They are raw, and ridiculously delicious
AND they really help with my cravings for sweets.
Did I mention that they are highly addictive?
*I can see buds on the trees in the backyard.
Despite the flurries that keep showing up,
I know that spring is trying to break through.
Zilliken Saarbuger Rausch Riesling Kabinett ($34)
Ok these are above the normal wine budget, but
they both blew my mind. I never imagined I'd
a Spanish wine that was so magical- I think it's the mix of
new and french oak, and the extreme aging.
*The Story of Cosmetics
This is why I use baking soda and apple
cider vinegar on my hair, coconut oil on my skin,
and natural toothpaste. Because sodium lauryl sulfate
is in everything, and if I'm trying to get it out of my shampoo
why would I want to brush my teeth with it.
*Getting Rid of Clutter
I started going through our studio yesterday and cleaning
some things out. We now have 3 massive bags of stuff to
donate to Salvation Army, and I haven't even gone through
the whole room yet. I'm not going to go super minimalist,
but I don't think I need to hang on to my whole Kinder Surprise
collection (just the little Painty Ten figure) or to my required
reading for some of the Pratt classes.
*Breathing Deeply
It fights anxiety and stress, and gets me to sleep quicker.
Something I've taken from yoga classes.
*Peanut Butter Bites
They are raw, and ridiculously delicious
AND they really help with my cravings for sweets.
Did I mention that they are highly addictive?
*I can see buds on the trees in the backyard.
Despite the flurries that keep showing up,
I know that spring is trying to break through.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Just Like Honey
I randomly pulled out my book on fermentation last night
and started flipping through it. I landed on the page for how to
make Mead and it seemed so easy, the husband and I had to try.
1 part raw honey to 4 parts filtered water in a jar with a lid
shake vigorously to combine and continue to shake a few
times a day for about 10 days. (a jar without a lid is recommended for
honey that isn't raw) Be sure to release the pressure
that will build up by unscrewing the lid after shaking.
The natural yeasts in the raw honey should start the fermentation
and the bubbling should begin.
This is a shot of day 2, after shaking there is a thick foam of
bubbles at the top. I was told our honey was raw-I guess
this will be the true test!
After our little experiment last night I started really
reading through the book and it is extremely fascinating.
Just the history of fermentation, the current war on bacteria,
and all of the things that you can ferment. I told the
husband that I thought it would be awesome if we had a whole
countertop of jars with fermenting foods in them. We already have
the kombucha looking like an alien specimen-why not add a few more?
and started flipping through it. I landed on the page for how to
make Mead and it seemed so easy, the husband and I had to try.
1 part raw honey to 4 parts filtered water in a jar with a lid
shake vigorously to combine and continue to shake a few
times a day for about 10 days. (a jar without a lid is recommended for
honey that isn't raw) Be sure to release the pressure
that will build up by unscrewing the lid after shaking.
The natural yeasts in the raw honey should start the fermentation
and the bubbling should begin.
This is a shot of day 2, after shaking there is a thick foam of
bubbles at the top. I was told our honey was raw-I guess
this will be the true test!
After our little experiment last night I started really
reading through the book and it is extremely fascinating.
Just the history of fermentation, the current war on bacteria,
and all of the things that you can ferment. I told the
husband that I thought it would be awesome if we had a whole
countertop of jars with fermenting foods in them. We already have
the kombucha looking like an alien specimen-why not add a few more?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)