Food (and wine) Porn

My days off lately seem to largely consist of sleeping in without an alarm, a trip to the co-op, an afternoon at the coffee shop down the street, and a mouthwatering feast of feasts to wrap up the night. Life is good, I must say.

Today was no different. Inspired by the crock-pot that I discovered in my belongings during my latest move (a gem of an appliance that had sadly never gotten attention from me), I embarked on an online search for a worthy recipe. Winner: Jambalaya. The recipe I chose was nothing out of the ordinary, and the only change I made was in adding an habanero and red chili pepper (which did wonders in stepping up the spice factor).

Given the fact that I owed myself a sleep-in after a stunning night out, the crock pot didn't actually get rolling until about three in the afternoon; the fast track was my only option. Next time I'll have to plan better so the grub stews in it's juices for an entire day, not just half of one.

I set off for the cafe around four and tossed a bottle of 2008 Villa Maria Marlborough Riesling in the fridge before leaving my chilly bachelor pad, my mind and mouth drooling at the prospects of the aromas that would fill them upon my return. Three hours of coffee, conversation, and cigarettes with old friends (one who's an old, Ethiopian Mathematical Genius of a Janitor at the U of M who knew me at the green age of 18 when I was slinging espresso to pay my tuition) warmed my soul and a long dive into a book on Biodynamic Wine by Nicolas Joly filled my carefree time.

Seriously, when I opened the main door to my apartment complex, I could smell the cayenne, thyme, onion and pork stewing in harmony two floors above. Unlocking the door to my apartment, I was hit with a humid wave of sensory bliss. Two more hours passed before I put on a pot of wild Minnesota rice, dropped some frozen shrimp into the jambalaya, and waited, very patiently.

The Riesling tasted pretty watery and un-appealing before dinner, part of which I attribute to the fact it was very very cold. As it warmed a bit, notes of kiwi-fruit and grapefruit tickled my tongue with pleasant acidity, though I wished there would have been a touch more of residual sugar. (If you've never had Riesling from New Zealand, I compel you to do so. You are definitely missing out). Nonetheless, when I finally filled my bowl and dived into the meal I'd spent the better part of the day preparing and followed a mouthful of severely spicy mush with a sip of the waxy juice, I actually yelled out loud in joy. Even though I had nobody to share in the wealth, I like to think I make my neighbors jealous with the aromas that frequently waft from under my door and through my walls. Now I can't stop thinking about how the left-overs will taste tomorrow for lunch, and the day after, and the day after. Too bad I can't drink wine with lunch at my current job in the States.
Oh the joy in being a food loving wine-geek.

Espress-OH

There has been much discussion as of late in my apartment about coffee. Ever since the glass beaker on my French-press coffee maker cracked we've been in a dilemma as to whether or not we should IMMEDIATELY replace it, or opt for a stove-top espresso maker as a temporary (and well justified) fix. Luckily the daily drip-brew machine suffices, and eases the daily grind, but more and more I've been dreaming about espresso. I might just have to splurge on a nice piece of hand-crafted Italian goodness (see: espresso maker.) Given the set of perfect color coordinated mini-cups and saucers that Kolina acquired in Italy, specifically for our NEW apartment, I'd say it's a no-brainer. That being said, the first cup I make will be a-la-Frederico (one of the farmers I lived with in Italy.)
-Fill the cup with two teaspoons of plain sugar, after the batch is complete, splash a dose of boiling espresso into the cup and mix into a sweet paste. Add enough espresso to fill the 'tasse' (excuse my french) and shoot it for a brilliant start to the day. Repeat if desired. Cheers, in a coffee-loving-morning-starting sort of way.

Good Morning?

Like most people, a cup of coffee is practically essential to my morning routine. This morning I was lucky enough to wake up early to my lovely lady already having brewed a pot of the dark water. I scored some fresh-local-roasted-fair-trade-organic-freshly-ground-breakfast-blend (wow what a mouth-full) coffee at the co-op the other day. There's nothing better than having a few hours before work to take my time winding up for the day. Unfortunately after I had read through the morning news and sipped through my first dose of daily fuel, my stomach pains overtook me as I simultaneously noticed the curdled cream stuck to the sides and huddled at the bottom of my mug. Bum bum bummer! Apparently the half and half from a week ago expired far sooner than I anticipated, and upon inspection it's aroma resembled that of the moldy provolone cheese I discarded yesterday evening. Maybe I should just start drinking my java black; it would save me a lot of (stomach) pains.