Always Ravenous

Adventures in Food and Wine

Savory Cheese Crostata Paired with Moldovan Wines #WinePW

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Savory Cheese Crostata

Wine Adventure anyone? Ever hear of Moldova? Moldova is located between Romania and Ukraine in Eastern Europe. The country has a rich and long wine history, the first known grapevines dating back to 7000 BC and winemaking around 3000 BC. It has the highest density of vineyards globally, with plantings of international and indigenous grape varieties.  Some of the world’s largest wine cellars are in Moldova, including the cellars at Milestii Mici – registered in the Guinness Book of World Records with over 1.5 million bottles of wine. What better way to explore Moldovan wines than to taste and pair them with a savory cheese crostata.

This month the Wine Pairing Weekend group is traveling virtually to Moldova. Jeff from FoodWineClick is our host and arranged for wine samples from Wine of Moldova. Don’t miss more adventures on Moldovan wines from the group at the end of this post. And join us for our Moldovan wine chat on Twitter, Saturday, July 11th at 11:00 AM ET using hashtag #winepw to follow the conversation.…

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Picnic Fare Paired with Finger Lakes Wines #WinePW

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Picnic Fare Paired with Finger Lakes Wines

This month the Wine Pairing Weekend group is taking a virtual trip to the Finger Lakes wine region in Upstate New York. The eleven finger like lakes were formed by glaciers back in the ice age. Iroquois tribe legend believes the Finger Lakes to be those of the Great Spirit.  While the region has a cool continental climate, the warming effect of the lakes and steep vineyard slopes put this region on the map for producing top quality aromatic Riesling along with Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Gewürztraminer, Merlot, and Pinot Gris. I’ve packed my picnic basket full of picnic fare and, of course, some Finger Lakes wines, as I taste and pair my way through this unique American wine-growing region….

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Tasting Tuscan Sangiovese Paired with Comforting Pot Roast

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Tasting Tuscan Sangiovese Paired with Comforting Pot Roast

I am in this mood. Foods that I haven’t cooked for years, I am now craving like pot roast. Rituals that got squeezed out of my routine are back, like Sunday Suppers at the table with family.  It seems over the last three months, many of us have more time to think, daydream, and indulge in hobbies.  I have enjoyed cooking with more leisure (time) and less stress. My way to travel under these restricted conditions is tasting wines from different regions of the world. Where have I been lately? Central Italy in Tuscany tasting Sangiovese. Can you guess what I paired with my Tuscan Sangiovese? You guessed it, pot roast!

This month the Italian Food, Wine, and Travel group are traveling (virtually) to Italy, exploring the different regions that produce wines made from the Sangiovese grape. Join us on Twitter for our chat, Saturday, June 6th, at 11:00 AM ET using hashtag #ItalianFWT to follow the conversation. Curious about what the other Italian Food, Wine, and Travel writers discovered? Check out their articles at the end of this post.…

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Cru Beaujolais: Tasting and Food Pairings

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Cru Beaujolais: Tasting and Food Pairings

Beaujolais is a region in France, south of Burgundy and north of Lyon. There are three classifications of Beaujolais; Beaujolais AOC, Beaujolais Villages, and Cru Beaujolais. (for more background information on the classifications check out an earlier post here). Cru Beaujolais is the jewel of Beaujolais producing wines with varying styles, complexity, aging potential, food-friendly, and outstanding high-quality-to-value price point. There are ten crus from north to south; St. Amour, Juliénas, Chénas, Moulin-à-Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Régnié, Brouilly, and Côte de Brouilly. Each Cru has unique characteristics that can be attributed to its climate, soils, altitude, aspect, and winemaking.

This month the French Winophiles are exploring Cru Beaujolais. Join us for our Twitter chat Saturday, May 16th, at 11:00 AM ET using the hashtag #winophiles to follow and join the conversation. Don’t miss more great Cru Beaujolais articles from the group at the end of this post.…

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Why Sparkling Wine is a Versatile Food Pairing

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Why Sparkling Wine is a Versatile Food Pairing

Thanks to Domaine Carneros for sponsoring this post by providing me with two bottles of their sparkling wines. All opinions are my own.

When was the last time you popped open a bottle of sparkling wine? Almost certainly for a birthday, holiday, or other celebratory events. Sparkling wine comes in a range of price points, so why not open a bottle with dinner tonight or Sunday brunch? Sparkling wine is a versatile food pairing with its refreshing acidity, cleansing bubbles, and lower alcohol….

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A Taste of Hermitage Marsanne #winophiles

Shrimp in Curry Coconut Broth Paired with Marsanne

Hermitage is one of 8 appellations in the Northern Rhône wine-growing region of France. (The other appellations are; Côte Rôtie, Cornas, Saint-Péray, Crozes-Hermitage, Condrieu, Château-Grillet, and Saint Joseph.) The appellation is known for producing some of the most sought after Syrah wines. But it is Hermitage’s white wines made from Marsanne and Roussanne that are…

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Food and Wine in Ancient Greece

Ancient Greece is recognized with developing the culture of food and wine through trade, colonization, social and religious events, and medicinal uses. The ancient Greeks believed wine was an essential part of life and a gift from Dionysos, the God of Wine. Hippocrates, a Greek physician, regarded as the father of medicine, known for the…

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California Cooking Gaby Style with California Wine Pairings #WinePW

Sweet Potato Quinoa Chili paired with California Zinfandel

California dreaming can sneak up on you while savoring a California wine paired with a meal inspired by California cuisine. California is a state with an abundance of food products from top quality wines to year-round seasonal vegetables, cheese, and meat products. If you are in a cooking rut or need some ideas as we…

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