Racking Our Wine!

Last weekend, our friends Kevin and Maryella, with whom we're making wine, came over to show us how to "rack" our West Side Lucky 7: Rebel Red.

What is racking? It's the process of removing wine from the barrel (or keg, in our case) into another container while leaving the junk to be dumped out. Then the keg is washed and the wine pumped back into it. 

Here's what happened in our garage last Saturday!

First, we had to "thief" a bit of wine for each of us to test! We all determined: it's fantastic. Now on with the process.

A food grade plastic hose is attached with zip ties to a stainless steel rod, leaving about an inch of the steel longer than the hose. 

This is a work-around to purchasing an expensive pumping apparatus. 

The rod/hose is inserted into the barrel.

Next, the other end of that portion of the hose is hooked up to a small pump. 

Another section of the same type 

of hose is attached to the output of the pump. 

The end of this hose is placed into a food grade plastic container (or another barrel).

This will be the temporary receptacle for the "racked" wine.

Starting in pill form, Campden is crushed with a mortar and pestle. 

Campden is a sulfur-based product used in making wine, beer and cider. It kills certain bacteria and inhibits the growth of most wild yeast.

The Campden is then mixed in a beaker with just enough purified water to dilute it.

Then the mixture is added to the wine prior to pumping it back into its barrel.

Another method of racking the wine utilizes a gravity pump.

This approach is slower and requires that a very, very heavy barrel or keg filled with wine be hoisted onto a high ledge, shelf or other surface.

But the upside of gravity pumping is not purchasing an electric pump, saving winemakers a few precious dollars! 

Fortunately for us, our friends have a pump, as this is their third year as winemakers.

We're contributing other things to the process, such as wine labels, laughter, and of course, the chronicling of our adventure via this blog!

Meanwhile, the sediment at the bottom of the barrel needs to be dumped, otherwise it will ruin the fantastic nature of our wine, turning it into something like red wine vinegar. Yuck!

So the keg is overturned and the "gross lees" is returned to the ground!

It looks like flat wall paint.

The barrel gets washed with hot water, making it a clean receptacle for our "racked" wine!

The wine is pumped back in to the keg, then a piece of oak wood is tied to a nylon string and lowered into the receptacle.

Here's a photo of our wine being pumped back in its keg where it will continue to do its chemical magic. 

We will randomly do barrel tastings to make sure everything is on track.

During these tastings, we will determine whether or not to keep the wine "oaked," and also if it's time to test for residual sugars.

Shannon at Maloy O'Neill asked us to have a lab do this analysis so that we don't bottle our precious creation too soon!

WE'RE MAKING WINE!

First, the back story: Our friends Kevin and Maryella got us involved in the winemaking process! In October of 2007, we helped them pick, crush & de-stem, and then press their blend of three grapes: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Zinfandel.

They decided to call the vintage "Love Triangle."

I designed their "vineyard" label, and also the vintage label!

Groovy, baby, indeed!

Get it? Love Triangle, a blend of THREE grapes.

That day in 2007, they asked Ron and I if we would like to do the entire winemaking process the following year, and we said yes.

Fast forward to September 2008. Kevin told us he was concerned about the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes he was planning to get from a friend who also has a micro-vineyard. Apparently, the area experienced something called "grape shatter" and the crop was almost entirely decimated.

Skip to:

Ron and I had joined Maloy O'Neill Winery's membership club the previous month (although we'd been visiting the winery for over two years). One day in the tasting room, we talked with winemaker Shannon O'Neill about our upcoming wine making adventure, and he expressed enthusiasm: "Do it! You gotta do it!" He also offered advice and equipment in support.

That's when Ron (he has expert timing!) mentioned about the loss of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. Shannon graciously offered his grapes to us after the main picking, and even gave us the gate code!

Fast forward to October 17, 2008. Ron, Kevin and I went to the vineyard and picked grapes until we were overheated, exhausted and in need of cold beer! With the grapes from Kevin's friends and the grapes from Shannon, we ended up with seven red varietals in these approximate percentages:

Syrah (30%), Petite Syrah (25%), Cabernet Sauvignon (15%), Merlot (10%), Cabernet Franc (10%), Malbec (5%) and Tempranillo (5%).

We're calling it "Lucky 7: Rebel Red." The rebel part is that we accidentally picked some grapes that were previously not authorized by Shannon!

However, we brought a sample of the wine to Shannon after it had been in the barrel (technically in steel kegs) for seven weeks. He was blown away! And of course, since he is a Supertaster (for real), he detected the Malbec. Ack!

But all is forgiven due to the fact that Shannon loves the wine and wishes he had made it himself. He made us promise to get an accurate alcohol testing, and to check for residual sugars before bottling. If we do everything right, we will end up with "Lucky 7: Rebel Red" being worthy of a $36 per bottle price tag in Shannon's tasting room (even though we're not selling it).

We'll be bottling this fabulous melange in 8-12 months. Label coming soon!

Mushroom Wild Rice Soup

This is a rich, flavorful and unique soup! And it's fairly easy to make but will require about an hour of preparation time, and another hour (minimum) to simmer. Soups are ALWAYS better the second day, so make it in advance whenever possible! Let's get our ingredients in order. 

Oh, and since the Wild Rice will take 50-70 minutes to cook, get it going first, then use the cooking time to chop, slice, dice and otherwise prepare the remaining ingredients!

MUSHROOM WILD RICE SOUP

INGREDIENTS:

WILD RICE

2 cups Wild Rice

1 stalk Celery, finely chopped

1/2 Tbsp Butter

Salt and Pepper

MIREPOIX (What's This?)

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1 medium Onion, chopped

2 small stalks Celery, no leaves, sliced diagonally

3 medium Carrots, diced

1/2 cup Red Wine, to deglaze pan

SOUP

12 oz. Mushrooms, sliced thickly (I prefer a mix of Crimini and White Button)

5-6 cups Beef, Vegetable or Chicken Stock

1 Tbsp Butter

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 tsp Thyme (fresh is best)

Salt and Pepper

METHOD:

Before chopping mushrooms and ingredients for the mirepoix, start by cooking the Wild Rice with a finely chopped Celery, a pat of Butter, and Salt and Pepper. Don't substitute other oils; better to leave out the Butter if you're watching fat content. 

While the Wild Rice is cooking, peel and mince the Garlic, peel and chop the Onion, slice the Celery, and peel and dice the Carrots. Place Butter and Olive Oil in a large stock pot and melt over medium high heat. Add Garlic, Onion, Celery and Carrots, saute for 10 minutes or until all ingredients are fairly soft.

Bring flame to medium, deglaze the pan with Red Wine. Add Thyme and Mushrooms, and a bit of Salt and freshly ground Pepper. 

Cook for 10 minutes or until Mushrooms are soft. Add Wild Rice and enough Chicken, Vegetable or Beef Stock to more than cover mixture. Simmer for at least one hour, several even better, stirring occasionally and checking liquid level. Add more stock if necessary.

If making  a day ahead, allow soup to cool completely, then refrigerate. Reheat over medium flame, checking stock level so that the Wild Rice doesn't burn on pan bottom.

Serve hot with fresh bread or croutons. Serves 6-8 large portions.

Chef's Notes: Top each bowl with grated Gruyere or Emmental for more flavor and texture.

Jalapeno Cheddar Bread

I'm making Barbeque Pork with carrots and potatoes in the crock pot for dinner tonight, so I made my own version of coleslaw to accompany it.

Then I thought it would be fun to make some homemade bread, in case Ron wants to have a traditional stacked sandwich for lunch tomorrow with the leftovers.

But I took it a step further and made Jalapeno Cheddar Bread, based on a recipe from KittenCal on RecipeZaar (her recipes are very, very good!).

BBQ Sauce for the Pork (roughly 1.25 lbs) included: 1/2 cup prepared barbeque sauce, 1/2 red wine, 1/4 cup seedless blackberry preserves, pat of butter, salt and pepper and some all-purpose seasoning.

For the coleslaw, I thinly sliced 1/2 of a small red cabbage and shredded one carrot, added 1 tablespoon minced red onion, 1/2 teaspoon celery seed, 1 tablespoon sugar, salt, pepper and all-purpose seasoning. Tossed it together with 1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise and a squirt of whole grain mustard.

And now for the bread. I halved the recipe to make a single loaf. It turned out fantastic, by the way! Surely, you could make this more decadent by adding oil and/or butter and more cheese to the dough and topping, but I chose to keep it light & fluffy!

JALAPENO CHEDDAR BREAD

INGREDIENTS
3/4 tablespoon dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups flour (more as needed)
2 tablespoons pickled jalapeño peppers, coarsely chopped 
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/2 egg (room temperature) 
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (optional)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cheddar cheese cut into 1/2" cubes

METHOD
In large bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, salt, sugar. Place chopped jalepeños, egg, and hot pepper sauce (if using) in a small bowl. Warm milk and water in a pan to reach 110 degrees F.

Make a well in the dry ingredients. Place dry yeast in the well. Slowly pour warm liquids over the yeast.

After the yeast has proofed (foamy and bubbly), gradually stir in flour from sides of the bowl. While there is still liquid in the bowl, add jalepeño peppers, egg and hot sauce. Continue mixing until dough is soft and semi-sticky.

Remove from bowl, place on floured surface, and knead for 8-10 minutes. Add in cubed cheddar cheese during the last few minutes of kneading, and mix until combined.

Cover the dough with a clean towel and let rest for 10 minutes. Oil a large bowl.

Gather up dough and knead gently for an additional 30 seconds. Then place dough in the oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a towel, and let rise until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours.

Press down dough (you don't have to punch it, really!). Shape into a ball, (I made mine into a weird twisty shape).

Place parchment paper on a baking sheet, spritz it with oil and then sprinkle with corn meal, placing the dough on top. Cover with a clean towel and let rise again for 1 hour or until doubled.

Optional: Brush top with an egg white that has been mixed with 1 teaspoon cold water.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25-35 minutes or until the crust is a dark golden brown.

BAKER'S TIPS:

1) Always start bread recipes with a reliable yeast product.

2) I highly recommend the method above for proofing yeast. This is a traditional French bread method. Since I started using this method, my bread dough is faithfully and delightfully easy to work with, and my baked products are soft and oh-so delicious!

Gingerbread Freaks!

It's that "wonderful" time of the year, when Ron and I make our traditional cookie to share with friends and family: Gingerbread Freaks! I make the dough and bake the cookies. We frost them in bizarre fashion and then create a narrative about each cookie character. 

Here's a cookie depiction of our friend, winemaker Shannon O'Neill of Maloy O'Neill Vineyard!

This year, the best of 2008 are featured on YouTube in a video called Gingerbread Freak Show!

We chose the sanctioned androgynous "gingerbread person" as our main cutout shape, supplementing with guitars, eighth notes, and butterflies for a pleasing array and broad palette for both decoration and narrative!

Here is my cookie portrait of a fictional character I call "Hannah Montana's Backup Guitarist."

He's got three guitar picks in his left hand, while standing next to his Hannah Montana signature Flower Power acoustic guitar with custom pickups.

A note to the wise:

Be sure to watch the pageant with your most open-minded friends and family members, as some of the characters are "edgy" and not compatible with the "warm fuzzy" that is Christmastime!

Take, for example, I.T. Parker in Distress, after a tragic accident while splitting a cord of Redwood:

Following is a fabulous recipe I found on RecipeZaar and embellished a bit, plus a recipe for Royal Icing.

GINGERBREAD FREAKS

INGREDIENTS
3 cups all purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1-3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup molasses
2 teaspoons vanilla

METHOD
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves until well blended. In a large bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, and egg on medium speed until well blended. Add molasses and vanilla and continue to mix until well blended. Gradually stir in dry ingredients until blended and smooth.

Divide dough in half and wrap each half in plastic and let stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours. (Dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, but in this case it should be refrigerated. Return to room temperature before using.)

Preheat oven to 375°. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Place one portion of the dough on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle flour over dough and rolling pin. Roll dough to a scant 1/4-inch thick. Use additional flour to avoid sticking. Cut out cookies with desired cutter and place on baking sheet 1-½ inches apart.

Bake one sheet at a time for 7-10 minutes. Allow the cookies to stand until firm enough to move to a wire rack. Cool your freaks completely before decorating outlandishly with Royal Icing. Use the broken pieces, too, as these make for interesting freaks!

ROYAL ICING INGREDIENTS

3 egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 teaspoons water
1 pound confectioners' sugar

METHOD
Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat slowly until they are all blended. Then beat at medium speed until the icing forms stiff peaks, about 5 minutes. Add more sugar if the icing is not stiff enough, or a few drops of water if it is too stiff. Divide into small bowls if making colored icing. Use immediately or cover the bowl with a damp cloth to prevent drying when not in use. Allow at least 24 hours for royal icing decorations to dry, at room temperature.

Yield: 2 1/2 cups

Enjoy!

Shrimp Ceviche (Coastal Ecuadorian)

It's taken me a month, but I finally edited the Gourmet Again! show with Tania, our guest from Guayaquil, Ecuador, schooling us on her version of Shrimp Ceviche, otherwise known as Ceviche de Camarones.

The recipe is fantastic!

SHRIMP CEVICHE

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs. Medium Uncooked Shrimp, thawed, shelled and deveined

(Set aside Shells and Tails for later)

ONION SAUCE:

1 Medium Red Onion, sliced very thin and chopped coarsely

1 Large Tomato, peeled and chopped

1 cup Lemon Juice

Salt and

Pepper

6-8 oz. White Wine

2 cups Orange Juice

1-2 cups Lemon Juice

1 cup Cilantro, chopped

3-4 Tbsp. Ketchup

1-2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

2 Tbsp. Mayonnaise or Vegenaise

METHOD:

In a large stock pot, bring 8–10 quarts of salted Water plus the White Wine and shrimp shells and tails to a boil. Add Shrimp and cook thoroughly until pink, about 3-5 minutes depending on the size. Remove shrimp immediately and place in a bowl to cool. Remove shells, fragments and tails, and discard.

Allow the shrimp water to cool completely.

To prepare the Onion Sauce, place Onions, Tomato, 1 cup Lemon Juice, Salt and Pepper in a covered bowl. Refrigerate at least 45 minutes.

Place Shrimp in a large bowl and add enough of the cooled shrimp water to cover the shrimp plus 1 inch more. Add Orange Juice, 2 cups of Lemon Juice, Cilantro, Ketchup, Onion Sauce, Salt and Pepper to taste, then Olive Oil and Mayonnaise.

Refrigerate at least one hour.

Serve the Shrimp Ceviche with Fried Plaintain Chips, Bread or Fresh Popcorn, and condiments on the side: Mayonnaise, Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper, Ketchup, Peppers, extra Lemon Juice.

Most importantly, serve the Shrimp Ceviche with really cold Beer!

Here's a picture of Tania serving the Shrimp Ceviche! Muy delicioso!

It was a beautiful night with our wonderful Ecuadorian friend, and our first dinner outside on our new patio set!

It's been a while....!

Hey everyone! In the last few weeks, plans have been changing left to right, uptown to downtown, pepperoni with extra cheese to vegan. You get the idea.

No new "Gourmet Again!" cooking shows until my Ecuadorian friend and soul sister, Tania, arrives for a nice long visit. We will be doing a traditional meal from her country. What a blast that will be!

Needless to say, we HAVE been cooking. Just not taping our efforts due to time constraints! I made some fantastic turkey burgers tonight that Ron grilled to perfection, as always.

Also, per Ron's request, I will be making a special post to honor my favorite vegan lunch. True, I have MANY favorites for lunch, including curry chicken salad with golden raisins, tuna salad with fresh parsley and chickpeas, and others, but this one is really unique. Look for that coming really soon, with pictures of my original creation!

Finally, every week I'm baking a new Brownies recipe. So far, the best have come from RecipeZaar. Check it out. New one in the oven tomorrow.....