Fall Wines

I'm a wine lover.  Nine times out of ten, it's what accompanies dinner.  For the most part, I choose based on season vs. entree.  Spring and Summer are for white varietals, typically a Sauvignon Blanc or Sancerre while Fall and Winter are for Pinot Noir and Shiraz.  I'm always on the hunt for a drinkable, well-balanced wine with a good value.  I try to stay within a $12-$20 range for most bottles making the occasional splurge for special occasions.  I also try to maintain a healthy selection at home in case I have spontaneous visitors, although, the other day when I purchased 7 bottles, the checkout man looked at me with a raised eyebrow.  To me, wine is like olive oil - you can never have enough on hand =)

Below are 2 favorites for Fall & Winter.

Pinot Noir
Vintjs Pinot Noir is from the Willamette Valley in Oregon and is made by Joe Dobbes, an Oregon winemaker for the last 20 years.  This wine is medium-bodied with notes of cherry, spearmint and blackberry.  Hints of blueberry also line the palate.  The taste is mellow and rich and finishes with dark plum.  I always have at least 2 bottles on hand.

Shiraz 
Layer Cake Shiraz is from South Australia which is one of the top shiraz-growing regions globally.  Specifically from the McLaren Vale region, an area whose microclimates are known for producing complexity, this Shiraz is full, creamy and offers notes of dark chocolate, mocha and licorice.  The mid-palate is spicy and the finish is long.  It feels decadent, just like a layer cake =)

Le Petit Diner

Lately, I have been terrible about keeping much of anything in my fridge and there is little hope ahead because of travel and the holidays.  So I'm forced to get creative with takeout.  And while I am not a fan of the word diet, I am mindful of portions.  My motto is (most) everything in moderation.  I abandon this motto on 3 occasions: when my mom bakes, when I eat at my aunt Diane's house and on Christmas Eve.  

Tonight, I stopped into Pierrot Gourmet, the European-style cafe attached to the Peninsula Hotel, and I ordered the petite version of the tuna melt tartine.  Accompanied with a mesclun salad (that I ditched due to a salad for lunch), this is a fantastic dinner option for anyone who is in the mood for hearty but doesn't want to slip into a food coma.  The sourdough bread is lightly toasted and generously topped with tuna salad featuring french string beans, cherry tomatoes and kalamata olives which add a salty bite that I very much liked.

Next time, I'm trying the tenderloin slider on a mini-pretzel roll with mustard-horseradish and red onion jam.  Yum!

Sunday Dinner

My cousin Lauren is wonderful at entertaining.  Whether having a party for 12 or a family dinner for 4, she is the ultimate host - managing conversation among her guests while plating her always beautiful but more-so delicious meals.  The ambiance is always cozy, and did I mention she's great with lighting?  Anyone who has been a guest at one of her dinner parties knows just the special knack to which I'm referring.  

Tonight was no exception with a simple menu of Parmesan-chicken and lemon-vinaigrette greens, an old Ina Garten favorite!

Ingredients

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 extra-large eggs

1 tablespoon water

1 1/4 cups seasoned dry bread crumbs

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving

Unsalted butter

Good olive oil

Salad greens for 6, washed and spun dry

Lemon Vinaigrette Ingredients

Juice of 2 lemons, about 1/4 cup

1/2 cup good olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions for preparing chicken

1. Pound chicken breasts until they are 1/4 inch thick; can use a meat mallet or rolling pin.
2. Combine flour, salt and pepper on a dinner plate.  On a second plate, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon of water.  On a third plate, combine bread crumbs and 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan.
3. Coat chicken breasts on both sides with flour mixture, then dip both sides into egg mixture and dredge both sides into bread-crumb mixture, pressing lightly.
4. Heat 1 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large saute pan and 2-3 chicken breasts on medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes per side.  Add more butter and oil for remaining chicken breasts. 
5. Whisk vinaigrette ingredients and then toss salad greens; place mound of greens on each chicken breast.  Top with additional Parmesan cheese.

Recipe taken from Ina Garten's, Barefoot Contessa, 2002.