Our latest Wine Word of the Week is solera which refers to a system of fractional blending and aging associated primarily with fortified wines (i.e. Sherry, Madeira, Port) and non-vintage sparkling wine (i.e. Champagne). The purpose of the solera is to produce wines with a consistent "house style" rather than exhibiting the nuances of vintage variation which is most commonly seen in the majority of wines sold in the US today.A solera system is comprised of a set of casks or barrels arranged in tiers which contain different vintages of the same type of wine. The word "solera," taken from the Latin "solum" meaning "floor," literally refers to the lowest level of casks which contains the oldest wine, while the youngest wine is located in the top tier. In this dynamic system, older vintages of wine are partially removed (5-30%) for bottling and the casks are then "topped off" with wine from the cask above it which contains a younger wine. Over time the wines assimilate in the cask and the younger wine takes on the desirable characteristics of the older one. This barrel replenishment occurs all the way up until the first tier of barrels is topped up with the current vintage's wine.Today the use of the solera is quite rare, occurring almost exclusively in the traditional regions mentioned above. This is likely due to the method's cost and time intensive nature, since a large portion of wine remains in the solera system for years before making its way into the market, not to mention the actual cost and number of casks required.Thanks for checking out our latest Wine Word of the Week and to see previous “words,” please click here. If there’s a wine word you’d like to learn more about, please leave it in the comment section below – we’d love to hear from you.Cheers,
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Our latest Wine Word of the Week is solera which refers to a system of fractional blending and aging associated primarily with fortified wines (i.e. Sherry, Madeira, Port) and non-vintage sparkling wine (i.e. Champagne). The purpose of the solera is to produce wines with a consistent “house style” rather than exhibiting the nuances of vintage variation which is most commonly seen in the majority of wines sold in the US... Read More
The post Wine Word of the Week: “Solera” appeared first on The Glamorous Gourmet.
Back to school sales, Halloween displays and the bittersweet conclusion of family beach vacations are all signs the end of Summer is near. And while I do love Fall, I inevitably dread bidding adieu to the delightful frozen, sweet treats that are a welcome antidote to the sweltering South Florida Summer days.So in an effort to savor the remainder of the season, for the rest of August I'll be whipping up some fabulous frozen cocktails and treats starting with this delightfully tasty, tropical dessert: Mango & Rose Water Sorbet!
While native to Southern Asia, mangoes have been cultivated in South Florida since the 1830's. And Summer is prime mango season when this oh-so fragrant, delicious fruit, know as "the apple of the tropics," can be found in great abundance.These fruits are usually round or oblong shaped and come in a variety of colors ranging from greenish yellow to reddish orange (see photo above). When ripe, mangoes have gloriously orange flesh which is home to a flat, oblong pit that runs the length of the fruit and is notoriously difficult to remove. But it's well worth every bit of effort! Friends, there's nothing like a juicy, perfectly ripe mango right off the tree. So much so, that many Floridians with mango trees can attest to poaching this time of year.
Thankfully, we have wonderful neighbors whose generosity has been the source of inspiration for many delicious, mango-inspired dishes, both savory and sweet. Because while mangoes are generally sweet, different cultivars can have somewhat different flavor profiles. Some are decadently sweet while others are more spicy and savory. Any mango you like the taste of, however, will work just fine in this recipe!And if you're ever the lucky recipient of some mangoes or have a tree with oodles of fruit - never fear! Mangoes freeze remarkably well, so consume as much as you can and then break the rest down into chunks and freeze them in two cup batches. They'll keep nicely in the freezer for up to 6 months...if you can wait that long to eat them!
This recipe for Mango & Rose Water Sorbet combines the flavor of juicy, ripe mangoes with fragrant rose water and citrusy lime in a perfectly icy, dairy-free, Summer dessert. I must warn you, it's so refreshing it's extremely hard to stop eating! You can find rose water at some specialty grocery stores but I purchased the Cortas brand on Amazon with delicious results. A splash of dry white wine further enhances the deliciousness. Use whatever bottle you have in your fridge but I particularly like the crisp, citrusy Drouhin Vaudon Chablis.The only piece of equipment you'll need is a food processor but other than that, the preparation couldn't be easier! The result is a delightfully icy, refreshing dessert with lovely floral-tinged aromas and flavors of tropical deliciousness. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do and if you have a favorite Summer sweet treat I'd love to hear about it in the comment section below.Cheers,
"Mango & Rose Water Sorbet"
Recipe Type: Dessert
Author:
Serves: 1 quart
Ingredients
Back to school sales, Halloween displays and the bittersweet conclusion of family beach vacations are all signs the end of Summer is near. And while I do love Fall, I inevitably dread bidding adieu to the delightful frozen, sweet treats that are a welcome antidote to the sweltering South Florida Summer days. So in an effort to savor the remainder of the season, for the rest of August I’ll be whipping... Read More
The post Summertime Sweets: Mango & Rose Water Sorbet! appeared first on The Glamorous Gourmet.
One of my favorite food and wine pairings during the Summer months is a Tuna Niçoise Salad paired with a dry, Provençal rosé – sheer deliciousness! But why limit the wonderful Niçoise flavors to just one dish? When a friend kindly offered us some fresh swordfish steaks over the weekend, these delicious flavors immediately sprang to mind as we happily accepted his generous offer. Niçoise (pronounced nee-SWAZ) essentially means “in... Read More
The post Perfect Pairings: Swordfish Niçoise & a Provençal Rosé! appeared first on The Glamorous Gourmet.
"A bottle of white, a bottle of red, perhaps a bottle of rosé instead." - Billy Joel, Scenes from an Italian Restaurant"Trey, I was like yo, Trey, do you think you could buy me a bottle of rosé?" - Nicki Minaj/Trey Songz, Bottoms UpIn the wine world, nothing says Summer like rosé! This coppery-pink elixir is currently being consumed by the case in hot spots ranging from East Hampton to St. Tropez. It's crisp, refreshing and incredibly versatile as demonstrated by mentions from artists ranging from Billy Joel to Trey Songz. In keeping with the season, we’re giving away a very special bottle of rosé this month to one lucky winner, the Château D'Esclans Garrus Côtes de Provence Rosé - a $100 value!This wine is from one of my favorite Provençal producers, Château D'Esclans (for more about them and our visit, please click here) and is the crown jewel of the Chateau's portfolio. Proprietor Sacha Lichine has elevated the "glamour factor" of rosé, taking it from an "everyday wine" to something exceptional with his artisanal approach. The grapes for Garrus come from very old Grenache and Rolle vines which produce concentrated fruit with lots of flavor. The juice undergoes fermentation in both new and second year demi-muids and Burgundian style bâtonnage occurs twice weekly for 10 months. The result is a full-bodied rosé with heady aromas of strawberry, ginger and spice. On the palate, flavors of red berries, vanilla and clove are framed by ever so balanced tannins and acid. This sublime bottling will pair with dishes ranging from pan seared scallops to filet mignon or...nothing at all!To enter the giveaway for the Château D'Esclans Garrus Rosé, simply leave a comment at the end of this post and tell us your favorite Summer vacation spot. From your own backyard to Martha's Vineyard we want to know which place you love to escape to this time of year. Entering the giveaway is that simple and for additional chances to win, you can (1) sign up to receive our weekly newsletter by clicking here and/or (2) leave a comment on another one of our blog posts. Each additional comment will count as one additional chance to win.This giveaway is open to anyone 21 years of age or older who lives in the continental United States and ends Wednesday, August 5, 2015 at 8:00pm EST when a winner will be randomly drawn. The lucky winner will be contacted immediately to arrange expedited shipping and the cost of shipping is included as part of the contest.Best of luck and remember, you have to play to win so leave your comment now!Cheers,
“A bottle of white, a bottle of red, perhaps a bottle of rosé instead.” – Billy Joel, Scenes from an Italian Restaurant “Trey, I was like yo, Trey, do you think you could buy me a bottle of rosé?” – Nicki Minaj/Trey Songz, Bottoms Up In the wine world, nothing says Summer like rosé! This coppery-pink elixir is currently being consumed... Read More
The post Summertime Giveaway: Win a bottle of Château D’Esclans Garrus Rosé! appeared first on The Glamorous Gourmet.
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