For all you Champagne and sparkling wine lovers who find yourself oddly without a viable drink option on beer-centric St. Patrick's Day, this month's installment of Cocktail Couture is dedicated to you!Beer is another form of bubbly after all and the Black Velvet is a delicious mixture of Champagne and Guinness, an Irish stout which is one of the most well known beers on the planet. The drink was created at Brook's Club in London in 1861 to mourn the death of Prince Albert. It's color was intended to match the black armbands worn by his mourners.The Black Velvet is made by filling a flute halfway with Guinness and then topping it off with Champagne. You can pour the Champagne very slowly or over the back of a spoon for more of a layered look as pictured above. The result is a deliciously decadent drink with a creamy, luxurious texture! The brightness of the Champagne lightens the heaviness of the Guinness while preserving it's mouth-watering chocolaty, nutty flavor. Feel free to adjust the ration to suit your taste but most of all - have a fabulous St. Patrick's Day!What's your favorite St. Patrick's day drink? Please let us know in the comment section below!Sláinte,
For all you Champagne and sparkling wine lovers who find yourself oddly without a viable drink option on beer-centric St. Patrick’s Day, this month’s installment of Cocktail Couture is dedicated to you! Beer is another form of bubbly after all and the Black Velvet is a delicious mixture of Champagne and Guinness, an Irish stout which is one of the... Read More
The post St. Patrick’s Day Cocktail Couture: Black Velvet! appeared first on The Glamorous Gourmet.
For all you Champagne and sparkling wine lovers who find yourself oddly without a viable drink option on beer-centric St. Patrick’s Day, this month’s installment of Cocktail Couture is dedicated to you!
Beer is another form of bubbly after all and the Black Velvet is a delicious mixture of Champagne and Guinness, an Irish stout which is one of the most well known beers on the planet. The drink was created at Brook’s Club in London in 1861 to mourn the death of Prince Albert. It’s color was intended to match the black armbands worn by his mourners.
The Black Velvet is made by filling a flute halfway with Guinness and then topping it off with Champagne. You can pour the Champagne very slowly or over the back of a spoon for more of a layered look as pictured above. The result is a deliciously decadent drink with a creamy, luxurious texture! The brightness of the Champagne lightens the heaviness of the Guinness while preserving it’s mouth-watering chocolaty, nutty flavor. Feel free to adjust the ration to suit your taste but most of all – have a fabulous St. Patrick’s Day!
What’s your favorite St. Patrick’s day drink? Please let us know in the comment section below!
Sláinte,
Calling all Francophiles! My latest installment of "Fast & Fabulous" features a classic French recipe adapted with weeknight simplicity in mind: Quick Coq au Vin. This delightful gem of a dish is perfect any time you feel like something comforting and delicious but don’t have tons of time to spend in the kitchen. It’s on regular rotation at our house and I have a feeling you’re gonna feel the same way.
Coq au Vin is a French dish that's been around since the days of Julius Caesar. Since then, it has experienced various incarnations but it wasn't until Julia Child featured the recipe in her legendary 1961 cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, that it reached its current level of culinary cult status.
While "coq" technically refers to a cock or rooster, today the recipe is generally prepared using a chicken which is then braised in red wine (typically Burgundy) along with bacon, mushrooms and thyme. Braising the chicken can be a time intensive process, which can relegate this recipe to more of a weekend or special occasion dish. However, this genius "quick" version substitutes boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the whole chicken which cook much faster, making it a suitable selection for weeknight enjoyment.
The initial recipe was shared with me a few years ago by one of my favorite wine writers and friends, Tony Ventura. I have made it countless times since then and have made a few tweaks which I think enhance the dish such as using fresh thyme instead of dried (which you can always use in a pinch), increasing the amount of sauce and using pre-sliced cremini mushrooms to enhance the flavor and cut down on the prep time. I also use prosciutto instead of Canadian bacon which I think looks and tastes better but feel free to use Canadian or any other type of bacon you prefer.
Coq au Vin is typically served over buttered egg noodles and accompanied by a glass of red Burgundy, since that’s the wine that is usually used to make it. I like the Vincent Girardin Pommard "Les Vignots" ($49) but I also love pairing this dish with a Cru Beaujolais which is about half the price but still delivers amazing flavor! I like the Domaine du Pavillon de Chavannes Côte de Brouilly Cuvée des Ambassades ($20) and the Joseph Drouhin Domaine de Hospices de Belleville Fleurie ($25) which are both tremendous values for the price!
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do and I’d love to hear what you think of it in the comments section below!
Print Recipe"FAST+ FABULOUS: QUICK COQ AU VIN"
Adapted from Debra F. Weber, Your Guide to French Cuisine
Serves: 4-6
INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
8 boneless, skinless organic chicken thighs
2 Tablespoons good olive oil
1 lb. Cremini mushrooms, trimmed & sliced
4 oz. prosciutto, torn into strips
1 cup dry red wine
2 cups organic chicken broth
1 1/2 Tablespoons tomato paste
Egg noodles cooked according to package directions
1/3 cup Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
) In a large zip-lock plastic bag (1 gallon or larger), add the flour, thyme and salt and shake the bag to mix well. Add the chicken and shake to coat thoroughly.
) Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over med-high heat. Add chicken (preferably in one batch) and cook on both sides until golden brown - approximately 10 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate.
) To the same pan add the mushrooms and bacon and saute for 5-8 minutes, until both have browned.
) Stir in the wine, broth and tomato paste. Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
) Return chicken to the pan and cook for 10 minutes.
) Serve chicken over a bed of egg noodles and garnish with the chopped parsley
Calling all Francophiles! Our latest installment of “Fast & Fabulous” features a classic French recipe adapted with weeknight simplicity in mind: Quick Coq au Vin. This hearty, comforting dish is perfect for taking the chill off a dreary Winter’s night and is so delicious it will quickly make it into your regular recipe rotation. Coq au Vin is a French... Read More
The post Fast & Fabulous: Quick Coq au Vin! appeared first on The Glamorous Gourmet.
Calling all Francophiles! Our latest installment of “Fast & Fabulous” features a classic French recipe adapted with weeknight simplicity in mind: Quick Coq au Vin. This hearty, comforting dish is perfect for taking the chill off a dreary Winter’s night and is so delicious it will quickly make it into your regular recipe rotation.
Coq au Vin is a French dish that’s been around since the days of Julius Caesar. Since then it has experienced various incarnations but it wasn’t until Julia Child featured the recipe in her legendary 1961 cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, that it reached its current level of popularity. While “coq” technically refers to a cock or rooster, today the recipe is prepared using a chicken or capon which is braised in red wine (typically Burgundy) along with bacon, mushrooms and thyme. Braising the chicken can be a time intensive process, relegating this recipe to a weekend or special occasion dish. This “quick” version substitutes boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the whole chicken which cook much faster, making it a suitable selection for weeknight enjoyment.
The initial recipe was given to me a few years ago by one of my favorite wine writers and friends, Tony Ventura. I have made it countless times since then and have made some changes which I think enhance the dish a bit such as adding fresh thyme, increasing the amount of sauce and using pre-sliced cremini mushrooms to enhance the flavor and cut down on the prep time. This Quick Coq au Vin is particularly delicious served over buttered egg noodles and accompanied by a glass of red Burgundy, we like the Vincent Girardin Pommard “Les Vignots” 2011 ($49) or a Cru Beaujolais like the Domaine du Pavillon de Chavannes Côte de Brouilly Cuvée des Ambassades 2012 ($20) – a tremendous value for the price!
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do and if you have a favorite quick Winter recipe I’d love to hear about it! Please let me know in the comment section below.
Cheers,
“Quick Coq au Vin”
Adapted from Debra F. Weber, Your Guide to French Cuisine
Serves 4-6
1/3 cup all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
8 boneless, skinless organic chicken thighs
2 Tablespoons good olive oil
1 lb. Cremini mushrooms, trimmed & sliced
6 oz. Canadian bacon, diced
1 cup dry red wine
2 cups organic chicken broth
1 1/2 Tablespoons tomato paste
Egg noodles cooked according to package directions
1/3 cup Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
1.) In a large zip-lock plastic bag (1 gallon or larger), add the flour, thyme and salt and shake the bag to mix well. Add the chicken and shake to coat thoroughly.
2.) Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over med-high heat. Add chicken and cook on both sides until golden brown – approximately 10 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate.
3.) To the same pan add the mushrooms and bacon and saute for 5 minutes.
4.) Stir in the wine, broth and tomato paste. Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
5.) Return chicken to the pan and cook for 10 minutes.
6.) Serve chicken over a bed of egg noodles and garnish with the chopped parsley
A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of judging the 8th Annual American Fine Wine Competition. As many of you know, the competition was founded eight years ago by the fabulous Shari Gherman and dynamic duo of Monty and Sara Preiser and showcases some of the finest wines in the United States. While many of the highest scoring entries hail from California, Oregon, and Washington state, there are always some delightful surprises! Over the past few years, wines from Virginia, Ohio, and New York have definitely impressed and serve as reminders that, when it comes to wine, we should all think (and shop) outside the box.The judging of over 700 vinous entries took place over two days at Florida International University's state-of-the-art Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management. Each day began promptly at 9am with all the judges divided into teams of four - palates primed and ready! We then sipped and spit our way through flight after flight of white, red, sweet, and sparkling wines, evaluating and assigning medals where appropriate. With our teeth-staining task complete, I'm happy to share the results with you (drumroll please!):"BEST OF CLASS"Dry Riesling - 2013 Glenora Wine Cellars, Finger LakesCabernet Sauvignon - 2012 Peju Province, NapaChardonnay - 2012 Maldonado Los Olivos, NapaDessert Wine - 2014 Glenora Wine Cellars Riesling Ice Wine, Finger LakesDry Rosé - 2014 Burbank Ranch Picnic Meadow Grenache Rose, Paso RoblesMerlot - 2010 Rombauer, CarnerosOther Red Blend - 2012 Cougars Leap, Black Rock Cuvée, Lake CountyOther Red Single Varietal- 2012 Michael David, Inkblot Tannat, LodiPinot Noir- 2011 Russian Hill, Ellen's Block, Russian River ValleyCabernet Franc- 2011 Cairdean, NapaRed Bordeaux Style Blend - 2012 Arietta, H Block, NapaSauvignon Blanc - 2012 Arkenstone, Howell MountainSparkling - 2012 Hagafen Cellars Brut Cuvée and 2008 Domaine Carneros Le Reve (tie)Syrah - 2012 Cline Cellars, CarnerosViognier - 2013 Russian Hill Estates, Russian River ValleyZinfandel - 2012 Frank Family, Napa"BEST OF SHOW"Dry Rosé - 2014 Burbank Ranch Picnic Meadow Grenache RoséDessert Wine - 2014 Glenora Wine Cellars Riesling Ice WineSparkling - 2012 Hagafen Cellars Brut Cuvée and 2008 Domaine Carneros Le Reve (tie)Red - 2011 Cairdean Cabernet FrancWhite - 2012 Maldonado Chardonnay, Los Olivos Vineyard (second year in a row!)I hope you enjoyed the results and I'd love to hear what you think: are you fans of any of our winners or did you make any new discoveries? Please let me know in the comment section below. Also, on April 24th, 2015 the American Fine Wine Competition Charity Gala will take place at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino. This promises to be another amazing evening filled with fabulous food, wine, and fun so be sure to mark your calendar! For more information and/or to purchase tickets, please click here and I hope to see you there.Cheers,
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