Thoughts
Witty title, I know.
It’s no secret that two of my favorite beverages are coffee and wine. I am for real not exaggerating when I say some days those are the only liquids I drink. I am horrible about drinking fluids and staying hydrated. Unless of course it’s providing something more, like caffeine. {Although my addiction to decaf coffee is exactly the same.}
I’ve got the wine part of the discussion covered. It’s on the 90+Cellars blog today.
I share one of my first wine-tasting experiences where it’s obvious I know exactly nothing and then maybe-sort-of what I’ve learned since then and some of my recommendations for some not-so-traditional Easter recipes. Go check it out. Then come back.
Time to talk about my other love, coffee.
My switch to the Keurig was a slow one. Yes, a cup of coffee in under two minutes is a wonderful thing, but I was hesitant to commit to the switch. We drink a lot of coffee in this house. Plus we already had an instant single cup machine {there just weren’t many pods available} that we rarely used because who only needs one cup of coffee?
I was first swayed by the Keurig’s appeal when I won a mini-Keurig. It didn’t totally win me over, but then I worked with Keurig on a local campaign and I reluctantly fell in love. There’s just something about the magic of already hot water that produces a cup of hot, steaming coffee with a push of a button. I love that it’s always hot without having to sit on a burner for an hour or being reheated in the microwave.
But here’s the thing. I like a good, strong cup of coffee. Kind of how I like my wine. Full-bodied, bold. Dark roast. It’s hard to find in a K-cup. Now I’ve found my favorites for sure, but still. {Favorites by the way are Tully’s and Brooklyn Beans.} It’s hard to find a bold decaf. Those just don’t seem to be something that go together in coffee world. And it’s hard to find good bold, dark roasts in the more affordable options. Sure, between Amazon, Costco, and Aldi I find cups at pretty fair prices, but by the time you drink, oh, three cups a day per person, it adds up. You might as well hike on down to the coffee shop and get a real cup of fresh, bold roast coffee.
Plus, the last little thing {which should be higher on my list of concerns but truthfully isn’t} what about the hot water streaming through the disposable plastic material over and over and over?
All these things add up to using reusable filters, but here’s where I don’t get it. None of the ones I’ve tried have worked. Some don’t have holes on the bottom and you’d literally have to slam the lid down to puncture through the plastic. Or they don’t hold the right amount of your own coffee to make a cup taste any good, even if you use the smallest setting. Or maybe I’m just doing it all wrong.
So tell me. How do you make a good cup of coffee in a Keurig with a resusable cup? What cup do you use and what’s the secret? Is the only non-plastic cup I’ve seen on the market worth it? Seriously, I know this is lame, but coffee is important stuff. Spill the beans! Or I’m going to have to re-buy an old-fashioned coffee pot. 
PS I finally did a two year old update for the kynado. It’s on tiny sneakers today.
Travel
A few weekends ago we drove north while my family drove south, ending up in Fredericksburg, VA.
First stop? A winery. Visiting wineries is like the adult version of going to a playground. {Not that I would pass up a chance to do apple turnovers on the monkey bars…}
There’s food. There’s wine. There’s grapes. There’s stomping. {Allegedly}. And call me a dork, but I like learning how things are made, wine included.
Our first stop was actually in Stafford, at Potomac Point Winery.
We learned lots of cool facts about the history of wine and how the vineyard came to be, but the husband decided my page of wines and notes was better used as a list of deck building supplies.
It was a little dreary…
…but that didn’t matter once we were inside taking a tour.
At least it didn’t rain enough to close the road. Can you imagine the water reaching the 5 foot mark? I wouldn’t want to live in that house…
The next day the sun came out as we walked around the historic town of Fredericksburg, right along the river, although it was still deceptively cold for a sunny spring day.
Family <3
The trip wouldn’t have been complete without the apparently famous Carl’s ice cream. Nothing like a pineapple shake to keep me entertained on the drive home.
Most of the time when people travel they go to the big cities: New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Boston… but seeing the small towns is fun too.
What small towns have you visited and liked? What about big cities? I’ve either been or want to go to all the ones listed above. 
Guest Posts
HELLO SoS readers!!!!
First of all- THANK YOU to Heather for letting me ramble on entertain you all with my musings! I am Sarah, and I blog over at Savoring Sarah. Usually it is about food, restaurants, and festivals, but, with a wedding looming in July, there is a spattering of wedding/fashion chatter in there as well! Oh, yeah, and sometimes I run races and sprint triathlons.
(FYI, it was VERY VERY hard to find a picture of myself either A)not making a RIDICULOUS face, or B)drinking wine. Hard, as in impossible. See how much fun I am!?)
You *might* remember me from this summer- I was one of Heathers’ roomies at HLS!
And other than being a HUGE SoS fan, I am a public health educator and I live in the boonies. AKA, Northern Michigan. If we were standing face to face, I would be pointing at a random spot on my hand to explain where I live. The mitten, you know??
No? Okay, well anyway. WAYYYYY up there. But living in the boonies has its perks. I am skilled at starting fires with sticks, shucking more ears of corn in a minute than you could in an hour, I am immune to the smell of manure, and I have a lot of time to cook & drink wine.
In fact, I think I started cooking because of my love of wine! Northern Michigan is-surprisingly-becoming known worldwide for its vineyards. My experience with wine started at 18. My first job was as a waitress in a hoighty-toighty high end restaurant..like, they actually served food on REAL PLATES! I kid, I kid. But I did take SEVERAL classes on wine, and – before I had ever even tasted wine- I could pick out aromas.
Nowadays, I spend most of my spare time wine tasting, going to food and wine festivals, and drinking wine on the weekends. I wanted to share with you some pointers on pairing wine with your food, and some great recipes to start you out!
Rule #1:
There are no rules. Drink what you like! What you like to drink always takes precedence over any recommendation that I might make.
That being said, wine and food could be comparable to an intimate relationship. Any 2 (or 3, or 4, or more…a la the Bachelor Pad hot tub?!) can be paired together, but certain combinations are dynamic, or sensual, or explosive, or straight up dysfunctional. This is simply my guide to making the most of your culinary marriages 
Start by thinking about the dish or meal as a whole. Is it mild or flavorful? Spicy? Sweet? Is it rich or acidic? Light? Heavy? Ultimately, the wine you choose should taste good on its own yet elevates the flavors of your food by complementing, mirroring, or contrasting. Brush up on some terminology here.
I am skipping over the basic wines we generally hear the most about- chardonnay, cabernet & merlot..not to mention the “big three’s” wild step sister, white zin. White zin really is best served out of a box during a rousing game of slap the bag. You KNOW I know you know what I’m talking ‘bout…
So let’s dabble into some lesser known, but INCREDIBLY delicious and versatile varieties.
Gewurztraminer:
Exotic and fruity aromas of lychee, rose petal, apricot, pear, and clovelike spice (gewurz is German for spice). Gewurztraminer is most often made in a dry or off-dry style, though sweet versions can be found (dominant in Northern Michigan!).
Dry/off-dry pairs well with fruit, poultry, and dense fish like swordfish or mahi mahi. It also is perfectly paired with spicy foods. The sweet versions are best suited for appetizers like bruschetta, cheese plates and desserts like fruit pies & milk chocolate dishes.
From Savoring Sarah (SS): Mango Curried Chicken
From Side of Sneakers(SOS): Salmon with Mango Orange Salsa
Pinot Gris:
Pinot Gris has flavors ranging from apple, pear, and peach to melon, citrus, banana, and tropical fruit. Occasionally, there’s also a vaguely smoky, nutty, or vanilla taste that suggests oak. Pinot Gris is known for its soft texture and good acidity; few dry white wines are as silky smooth as a good Pinot Gris. The wine is called Pinot Grigio in Italy, where it is made in a leaner (lighter) style with crisp acidity.
Pinot Gris brings out the best in pasta, ravioli, anti pasti, mild fish (tilapia, whitefish), and briny seafood like oysters. Because of its acidity, it does not do well with cream based sauces (think of what happens when you squeeze a lemon into milk…curdle!!!).
From SS: Spaghetti with Spicy Sausage, Artichokes and Peas
From SOS: Tilapia ‘Fish Sticks’
Riesling
Riesling, aka the MAC DADDY of wines in Northern Michigan, is considered by most connoisseurs to be one of the world’s greatest (if not the greatest) white wine. It can be made in the full spectrum of styles, from bone dry to incredibly sweet and rich. Rieslings age best of all white wines, so the longer that bad boy sits, the more complex the flavors become.
Rieslings typically have strong aromas of apples, peaches, pears, with crisp mineral/steel background. When made with riper, late-harvest fruit, Riesling displays varying intensities of a honeylike character.
Rieslings go wonderfully with fruit salads, soft cheeses, veggie centered poultry dishes, crostini, and savory desserts (to balance the sweetness Rieslings posses) like goat cheesecake, bittersweet chocolate, and shortbreads.
From SS: Herbed Chicken with Balsamic Bell Peppers
From SOS: Pineapple Cashew Quinoa
Sauvignon Blanc
A dry wine made in a variety of styles, sometimes called Fume Blanc in the United States, Sauvignon Blanc has a grassiness or green herbaceousness, like the fresh scent of spring in bloom. White melon, grapefruit, and subtle fig to white peach, pineapple, mango. Sauvignon Blanc ranges from buttery and rich to crisp and light.
Personally, I like my Sauvignon straight up. This is my go to sipping wine because it is so light and balanced and flavorful. When paired with food, however, I think it tastes best with spicy asian foods, grilled foods, white and cream based seafood dishes and pizza.
From SS: Grilled Satay Chicken with Spicy Peanut Sauce
From SOS: Shrimp and Grits
Barolo:
Made from the Nebbiolo grape; other reds made from this grape include Nebbiolo (lightest), Barbaresco (medium), Barolo is deepest, fullest flavored. Bouquet of violets, smoke and rose, with flavors of cherry, truffle, fennel, licorice and tar. High levels of tannin- which some people are sensitive to, so be careful!
Pair with earthy & rich foods, like beef, lamb, mushrooms, full flavor cheeses and coffee based desserts.
From SS: Sundried Tomato & Goat Cheese Stuffed Portabellas
From SOS: Pimento Cheese Smothered Filet with Roasted Broccoli
Sangiovese
Sangiovese is a unique grape that has high acidity and a thin skin, which makes it difficult to master. Spicy black cherries, plum, vanilla, oak and other unripe fruit flavors are most prominent. The dryness makes it a great wine to pair with entrees, but can be difficult to find an appropriate dessert that matches well.
The acidity makes it perfect to drink with any tomato-based dish, pastas, and hearty meat stews, particularly of the Italian style.
From SS: Tomato & Leek Braised Chicken
From SOS: Vegan Eggplant Parm
When it comes to pairing food with wine, never forget Rule #1- NO RULES! The more you experiment with wine and food, the more you teach yourself. And that really is the best way to learn- in the kitchen, with a glass of good wine.
Are you a wine lover? What’s your favorite kind of wine?
Restaurants
All this recent snow {and I use the word snow loosely} as resulted in lots of cancelled plans and plan Bs. Most have been on the inconvenient side, but not all of them. Last night we ended up having a last-minute free evening for a date night!
Thanks to Living Social I had a coupon for Rioja, a local wine bar here in Greensboro. It’s small, quaint, and laidback- a perfect place to unwind with a glass of wine, craft beer, or bite to eat.
The main objective was a glass of wine, but I was eager to try some of the tapas on the menu. The husband and I have very different tastes, so coming to a compromise required a little bit of difficulty. I was happy with what we ended up with though!
I started with a glass of Quasar Carmenere, a red wine from Chile. It was similar to a Malbec, which is my favorite- dark & peppery and so much better than the $3 bottle of wines I tend to have in my kitchen.
The husband had a Smutty Nose Old Brown Dog Ale. It was so good I ended up getting my own to follow up my wine. I’m classy, I know. But it was served in a classy glass, so that counts, right?
I’ve always been happy with the drinks I’ve gotten at Rioja, but I’d never tried the food before. I was pleasantly surprised!
First up, the spinach artichoke dip with corn tortilla chips. The husband hesitantly said this is way better than my spinach dip. I tentatively agreed by saying this might be the best spinach artichoke dip I’ve ever had. Not too much spinach, plenty of artichoke chunks, and a tangy background kick.
It was gone in seconds.
Next up was the grilled cheese. {Do you see the husband’s influence coming in here?} Crusty, grainy bread with Manchego, cheddar, and roasted garlic, with apple slices and kettle chips. The best thing on the plate was the single spear of pickled, spicy asparagus- I need to figure out how to make those. That doesn’t mean the grilled cheese wasn’t good- it was. Especially with the sundried tomatoes I swiped from another plate’s garnish. 
We ended with the husband’s top pick, spicy chicken salad bruschetta. Chicken salad with cranberries, pecans, and red pepper flakes.
I was impressed with the food, of course the drinks, and even with the waiter/owner(?)/manager Jake, who I’ve never not seen there. It’s always a nice touch when the owner likes the place enough to hang out there.
I need to go back to try some of the tapas the husband was too ‘fraid to try- like the stuffed dates and apple and fig honey bruschetta! What a wimp. 
Do you like small, quaint places, or loud, hopping joints?
Travel
Charlottesville is hands down one of my favorite towns. Because of it’s location and it’s entertainment options, Cville has become the rendezvous point for my mom and I since I moved to NC. It’s exactly between the two of us, and there’s always something to do.
We’ve been to wineries, breweries, restaurants, historical touristy attractions, and more. But never have I gotten to enjoy the town with friends and such good food. 
This weekend Cville turned to KERFville!
The place: Cville
The occasion: Kath’s b-day
The crew: Meghann, Sarah, Allie, Christine, and the birthday girl herself. (Plus Cara & Brittany & more!)
I pulled into Cville just in time for lunch at the Downtown Mall- a trendy-yet-quaint outdoor shopping & dining spot in the center of town.
Soup, salad, and pumpkin bread at Eppie’s was just the start of good weekend of eats.
Spinach, date, corn, and goat cheese salad. Good at first, but by the end I was over it. The extra pumpkin bread may have hitched a ride in my purse. 
Followed by peppermint patty fro yo & brownie goo at Arch’s.
Forget about the fro yo- it was all about the ooey gooey side of brownie batter.
Just in case ice cream & brownies weren’t enough for birthday celebrating, we hit up two local wineries: Blenheim & Kluge, both of which I find extremely difficult to pronounce, even before you factor in the wine.
First up, Blenheim:
I took copious notes. See?
(Why take notes when you can just drink?!)
I’ve never met a wine I didn’t like, but I wasn’t blown away by any of them.
Next up: Kluge
It didn’t matter what the wine tasted like, they get automatic kudos for presentation style. (But the wine was really good.)
We might have split 14 wine samples between the 7 of us.
So far: good meal, good dessert, good wine… what more could you want?!
How about some serious beer sampling?!
Homebrews a la Matt. The oatmeal stout was like coffee & beer all combined into one (my kind of beer!).
I don’t even need to tell you the pumpkin brew was delicious.
We even got a lesson in the history of pumpkin beer, followed by a showdown of bottled pumpkin brews. I think I might have found a rival for my beer-nerd buddy Ian…
First there was one. Then two.Then three.
Let the showdown begin!
The Cottonwood & Schlafly’s were the clear winners. Cottonwood for multiple bottle consumption, Schlafly’s for enjoying pie in a bottle. (Try saying Schlafly’s 3x fast. I can hardly spell it.)
Of course there was good food too. I can’t even begin to tell you what was there.
All I know was Andrea’s butternut squash & mushroom empanadas were to die for, the pumpkin goat cheese rocked my socks off, and those gingerbread cookies were as good as they look. Yum.
Just in case all of that wasn’t enough, the celebration ended the next morning with a giant batch of the infamous KERF oatmeal.
Kath: putting the glamorous back in oatmeal.
How do you think this selection of toppings worked out for my incredibly indecisive nature? Too.many.choices!
Some of everything’s the way to go. Coconut peanut butter, buckwheat granola, ginger pear preserves, Allie bars… I’m sure there was more…
I’m pretty sure I need to start eating oatmeal on my porch. If only my porch looked like this…
So glad to see my North Face buddies, Cara & Meghann! (They were at the scene of the knee crime…)
And thanks to Cara for being the hostess with the mostest!
And with that, the weekend was over in a flash. Whew. (Picture overload much?)
