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Slashfood http://www.slashfood.com Slashfood http://www.slashfood.com/media/feedlogo.gif Slashfood http://www.slashfood.com en-us Copyright 2009 Blogsmith, LLC. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Cupping with the CoffeeMeisterhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/17/cupping-with-the-coffeemeister/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/17/cupping-with-the-coffeemeister/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/17/cupping-with-the-coffeemeister/#commentsFiled under: Tastings, Coffee, How To

Erin Meister trains baristas for North Carolina-based Counter Culture Coffee and sporadically maintains the blog Meet the Press Pot from her home in New York City. This is the sixth in a series of tips for the caffeine-addicted.

Early in our relationship, whenever I told my husband I was headed to a cupping, he (a coffee lover but not a fanatic like me) would imagine something, er, otherwise-related. Now that he knows cupping as a coffee-tasting ritual he might be disappointed -- or relieved -- but at least he understands why I'm a bit jittery when I come home from one.

The cupping process traces back to the 19th century, when beans were graded basically on a "yes" or "no" scale: Too many defects (like disease or mold) earned an ix-nay, while just about everything else was considered acceptable.

Today, cupping serves several different purposes: At the coffee's point of origin it allows farmers, importers, brokers and roasters to test the quality of a crop; after roasting, the roasters themselves will cup coffees for consistency, flavor profile and to detect the effects of aging; and at the consumer level, coffee cuppings are the rough (and fun!) equivalent of wine tastings, and are becoming widely available to the public.

Continue reading Cupping with the CoffeeMeister

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]]>coffeecoffee cuppingCoffeeCuppingCoffeeMeistercuppingmeisterErin Meister2009-06-17T15:00:00+00:00Brooklyn Beer Experiment Showcases Homebrewinghttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/08/brooklyn-beer-experiment-provides-exposure-for-local-homebrewers/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/08/brooklyn-beer-experiment-provides-exposure-for-local-homebrewers/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/08/brooklyn-beer-experiment-provides-exposure-for-local-homebrewers/#commentsFiled under: Tastings, Beer

Pouring a beer

Kyle Spencer, 23, and Xiao Yu, 24, are barely of drinking age and have been brewing beer for less than a year, but nonetheless wear their ambition, literally, on their sleeves.

"Brewing for a living is something we both wanted to do," says Spencer, promoting his nascent brand by wearing a gray, short-sleeved Beta Beer T-shirt alongside partner Xiao Yu. Despite his expert presentation, Spencer is nervous: For the first time his product will be tasted by "actual people who have beer backgrounds."

This kind of fledgling enthusiasm was par for the course at the Brooklyn Beer Experiment, a new cook-off in a city obsessed with cook-offs, part of the groundswell of our nation's craft-brewmania and a first from competitors turned co-organizers Theo Peck and Nick Suarez. "We were cook-off rivals," says Suarez, "and decided we could do this as well as anyone else could." Sunday afternoon at Brooklyn's the Bell House -- a space primarily used as a music venue -- more than 25 chefs infused their eats with beer, and local homebrewers like Spencer and Yu hawked their wares.

Continue reading Brooklyn Beer Experiment Showcases Homebrewing

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]]>beer experimentbell housebrooklynbrooklyn beer experimentbrooklyn new yorkbrooklyn nycook-offcraft beerdogfish headDogfishHeadexperimenthomebrewhomebrew-offnew yorknick suarezthe bell housethe brooklyn beer experimenttheo peckMike Pomranz2009-06-08T17:30:00+00:00Do Homebrewers Do It Better?http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/10/do-homebrewers-do-it-better/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/10/do-homebrewers-do-it-better/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/10/do-homebrewers-do-it-better/#commentsFiled under: Tastings, Beer, Trends, Festivals, Celebrations

Inside Jose Pistolas

Last week, we discussed the possible financial benefits of homebrewing. After last night's Extreme Beer Homebrew Challenge at Jose Pistolas for Philly Beer Week, I was reminded of one of the other major advantages of homebrewing: The ability to experiment.

The event brought out some of Beer Week's finest: Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head was anointed the "Uber Joe Pro" and happily dropped by to help serve up his Palo Santo Marron and Red & White. Though not offering up brews of their own, Lost Abbey's Tomme Arthur and Avery Brewing's Adam Avery were also a few of the notable names who showed their support.

But clearly, the night belonged to the dozen plus homebrewers who proved that though they might not be "rock stars of craft brewing" like their previously mentioned contemporaries, they are certainly on the frontlines when it comes to making small batch experimental brews that only a homebrewer would have the balls to try. And though these guys might be lawyers and IT professionals during the day, many of them have superhero-like secret identities as certified beer judges and casual creative consultants to their big-name counterparts.

Continue reading Do Homebrewers Do It Better?

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]]>craft beerextreme beerextreme beer homebrew challengeExtremeBeerhomebrewhomebrewerhomebrewingJose Pistolasphilly beer weekspeakin sudsMike Pomranz2009-03-10T17:00:00+00:00Talking Green Flash Brews with Chuck Silva at Philly Beer Weekhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/09/talking-green-flash-brews-with-chuck-silva-at-philly-beer-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/09/talking-green-flash-brews-with-chuck-silva-at-philly-beer-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/09/talking-green-flash-brews-with-chuck-silva-at-philly-beer-week/#commentsFiled under: Tastings, Beer, Festivals

Green Flash Brewing Co. Brewmaster Chuck Silva

"I have a quote for you," said Green Flash Brewing Co.'s Brewmaster, Chuck Silva. And when the man who hand-crafted one of your favorite beers in the world tells you he has a quote, you listen. "The harder you work, the luckier you are," said Chuck in response to my query of how Green Flash has managed to have such great success in such a short amount of time. "It's not that we've been lucky, it's just that we work hard and we've had good fortune."

Chuck Silva has been Brewmaster with Green Flash for approximately four and a half years now. In that time, Green Flash has grown from a small San Diego brewery to one of national prominence and availability. It's hard to believe, but Mr. Silva wasn't even Green Flash's first Brewmaster (they existed for two years without him), which just shows how instrumental he has been to their success. I was lucky enough to be able to accost Chuck during a Philly Beer Week event at the P.O.P.E. (fully known as the Pub on Passyunk East, which, as a bar, is post worthy in it's own right, but I'm going to stay on task for the time being), and he was polite enough to answer a number of questions regarding his brews.

Continue reading Talking Green Flash Brews with Chuck Silva at Philly Beer Week

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]]>BrewmasterChuck SilvaGreen FlashGreen Flash BrewingGreen Flash Brewing CompanyImperial IPAIPAPhilly Beer WeekPhillyBeerWeekPOPESan DiegoSilvaSpeain SudsWest Coast IPAMike Pomranz2009-03-09T17:04:00+00:00Come Join Me For Philly Beer Week - March 6 - 15http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/05/come-join-me-for-philly-beer-week-march-6-15/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/05/come-join-me-for-philly-beer-week-march-6-15/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/03/05/come-join-me-for-philly-beer-week-march-6-15/#commentsFiled under: Tastings, Parties, Beer, Festivals, Celebrations, Winter

Being a beer writer isn't as fun and easy as it looks. Most weeks I spend more time staring down a computer than a pint. I do say "most weeks," however. This coming week will not be one of those weeks.

From Friday, March 6th through Sunday, March 15th, Philadelphia will be host to Philly Beer Week 2009 -- a 10 day extravaganza featuring over 650 events from well over 100 participants, including dozens of different breweries and brewers crashing the city limits and some points beyond.

They've tagged the event "America's Best Beer-Drinking City," and though that title can certainly be debated, the official Philly Beer Week website lays out some compelling evidence to back their claim. A quick look at the event map makes you wonder if there's anywhere in Philadelphia not involved in Beer Week and the list of events is nothing short of overwhelming.

I'll be in town tomorrow (Friday) until Wednesday, March 11th, blogging about events along the way. My first stop will be the Opening Tap if you want to come follow me around. But better yet, check out phillybeerweek.org and see what strikes your fancy. As a former Philly resident, so many of these amazing bars have a special place in my heart, I wouldn't even know how to start playing favorites. You'll probably see me everywhere, because almost anywhere you can get to is worth the stop.

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]]>2009americas best beer-drinking citybeer weekphiladelphiaphiladelphia beerphillyphilly beerphilly beer weekphilly beer week 2009speakin sudsMike Pomranz2009-03-05T15:00:00+00:00Open That Bottle Nighthttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/02/26/open-that-bottle-night/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/02/26/open-that-bottle-night/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/02/26/open-that-bottle-night/#commentsFiled under: Tastings, Wine, Winter

dusty wine bottles

This year is the 10th anniversary of Open That Bottle Night, an evening invented by Wall Street Journal wine writers Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher, and they invite you to participate.

What exactly is Open That Bottle Night? It's an excuse to open a bottle you've been hoarding and saving for a special occasion (that never seems to roll around). It's a night where you can savor an incredible wine all by yourself, with someone special, or with a big group of foodie friends. It's a night where you have a reason to Open That Bottle.

As a confirmed wine hoarder, I love the idea. I tend to save special bottles and then never open them because it's never the right time, or I don't think the occasion warrants it. OTBN is about letting go of those packrat tendencies. I've gone through my wine and can't decide what to drink. I'm leaning toward the 2005 Fort Walla Walla Cellars Treaty, a gift from my parents and a truly amazing wine, but then again, it's supposed to be good for another decade or longer, so maybe I should hold off. I've got some unique wines like Norton from Missouri, and a bunch of South African Cabernet.

The important thing is to open something. And this year, you can Twitter about it. What will you be drinking on Saturday for OTBN 10?

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]]>Februaryopen that bottle nightWall Street JournalwineGretchen Roberts2009-02-26T14:00:00+00:00SF Beer Week Starts Tomorrowhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/02/05/sf-beer-week-starts-tomorrow/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/02/05/sf-beer-week-starts-tomorrow/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/02/05/sf-beer-week-starts-tomorrow/#commentsFiled under: Tastings, Beer, Festivals, Celebrations

So, I know I can be a little East Coast centric with my beer posts. That's what living on the East Coast for the past 7 years or so has done to me. But this only makes me all the more excited to be able to promote SF Beer Week which begins in the San Francisco Bay Area tomorrow.

Running from February 6th through to Sunday, February 15th, more than 100 San Francisco breweries and pubs are participating in around 150 events intended to celebrate the early roots of the modern Renaissance in artisan beers.

With the relatively recent explosion of craft beers and microbreweries across the entire country, it's easy to forget that San Francisco was one of the major forefathers of the brewing revival. Legendary beer writer Michael Jackson went so far as to state in his seminal book The World Guide to Beer, "The rediscovery of American beer began in the West...not in trend-addicted Los Angeles...but in and around San Francisco." He often spoke affectionately of the Anchor Brewery and references Fritz Maytag's involvement with the company as a major turning point in American brewing.

When Maytag became involved with Anchor in 1965, no more than a couple hundred active breweries existed in the U.S. -- maybe less. Today, the country boasts over 1,400 craft breweris, and as SF Beer Week reminds us, "Northern California alone has more breweries than most states and enjoys an unrivaled reputation for the quality and diversity of its craft beer."

Additional info and event listings can be found on the SF Beer Week website at www.sfbeerweek.org.

[Photo Credit: SFBEERWEEK.org]

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]]>Bay AreaBeer Weeksan franciscoSF Beer WeekMike Pomranz2009-02-05T15:00:00+00:00Carmenere - Wine of the Weekhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/02/02/carmenere-wine-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/02/02/carmenere-wine-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/02/02/carmenere-wine-of-the-week/#commentsFiled under: Tastings, Wine, South America, Beef, Comfort Food, Soups/Salads, Winter, Wine of the Week

April may be the cruelest month, but January is surely the coldest. It's the perfect time to break out big, robust red wines that warm your body and soul. And what better to eat with a big red wine than a big steaming bowl of chili?

This weekend we had about a dozen people over for a blind tasting of six Carmeneres, all from Chile (the country--don't get Chile and chili confused!). Carmenere is Chile's signature grape, brought over from Bordeaux in the late 19th century. The wine is deeply dark and full-bodied, and in Chile can have a somewhat vegetal flavor, though it can also be quite fruity and spicy.

The six we tried ranged in price from $10 to $47. Chile is known around the world for its value wine, and it definitely delivered in our tasting. When the bags were pulled off, it turned out that several of us put the $10 wine in our top favorites. Surprisingly, everyone from the least- to the most-experienced tasters felt that all of the wines were good, and comparable in their quality, even though the prices were not.

More tasting notes and my "Chili for a Crowd" recipe after the jump.

Continue reading Carmenere - Wine of the Week

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]]>blind tastingBlindTastingcarmenerechilechiliwinewine tastingWineTastingGretchen Roberts2009-02-02T14:00:00+00:00A Hedonist in the Cellar - Book Reviewhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/29/a-hedonist-in-the-cellar-book-review/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/29/a-hedonist-in-the-cellar-book-review/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/29/a-hedonist-in-the-cellar-book-review/#commentsFiled under: Tastings, Wine, Books, Raves & Reviews, Happy Hour, Liquor Cabinet

cover of a hedonist in the cellar A few years ago - which, if memory serves me, corresponds to "the Paleolithic era" when you're young - jaws dropped all around the oenophilic community when Jay McInerney was named wine columnist for House and Garden magazine.

McInerney has been considered something of a voice of a generation (read: mine), but I always thought he was unfairly freighted with mis-perceptions and even some guttersniping: a talented writer who writes about the social milieu can be misunderstood as having an attitude, and even if they do, it is the writing that should, and ultimately does, speak for itself.

It seems that many among the cigars-and-snifters crowd dismissed McInerney's wine writing as disdainfully as they would a box of Franzia, while many among the hipster-wine-bar set dismissed McInerney's wine writing as cloyingly as they would embrace the "irony" of that selfsame box of wine. But anyone so dismissing often so dismissed for no better reason than the fashion of scorning the 1980s, a critical posture that the decade itself certainly bears some responsibility for. I've actually read one reference to this best-selling - and, to my mind both as reader and writer, very talented - author as a "wine brat."

Continue reading A Hedonist in the Cellar - Book Review

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]]>eric dieselhedonist in cellarjay mcinerneyJayMcinerneyEric Diesel2009-01-29T10:07:00+00:00Win Tickets to the 18th Annual ZAP Festival Here!http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/27/win-tickets-to-the-18th-annual-zap-festival-here/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/27/win-tickets-to-the-18th-annual-zap-festival-here/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/27/win-tickets-to-the-18th-annual-zap-festival-here/#commentsFiled under: Tastings, Wine, West Coast, America, Winter

Zinfandel Festival

Zinfandel. It's so good, it has its own festival. Want to go? The public tasting, where you can taste Zins from 275 winereries, is Saturday, Jan. 31 from 2-5 p.m. at the Fort Mason Center in San Francisco. I've got four tickets to give away, which I'll give away in twos. Post in the comments below and two people will win.

Since the timeframe is so short, please post by 8 p.m. Eastern tonight in order to enter, and I'll get tickets out first thing tomorrow.

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]]>contestzinfandelzinfandel festivalGretchen Roberts2009-01-27T14:00:00+00:00Forming the Washington State Bartender's Guild - Raising The Barhttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/26/forming-the-washington-state-bartenders-guild-raising-the-bar/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/26/forming-the-washington-state-bartenders-guild-raising-the-bar/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/26/forming-the-washington-state-bartenders-guild-raising-the-bar/#commentsFiled under: Tastings, Cocktails, Spirits, Raising the Bar

Today is a special day for me. It is a special day for all spirit and cocktail enthusiasts throughout the state of Washington. For in a few hours, several of the nations premier absinthe producers and our own resident experts will gather downtown in a small artists loft for the first event produced by the Washington State Bartender's Guild.

This event will be the exclamation point on a long process that began last summer when I cornered Andrew Friedman, owner of a wonderful local bar named Liberty, and we began discussing how to form a collective of bartenders into a guild, similar to what the bartenders in Oregon had recently done. We recruited several talented bartenders and began laying the groundwork.

We started with a Mission Statement:

The WSBG exists as an organization of professionals and enthusiasts with an enduring mission to elevate the standard of bartending as a craft. The key to this goal is simple: we are a state- wide collaborative community dedicated to a heightened expectation of quality cocktails, spirits, wine and beer, the promotion and recognition of an excellence in service and an ongoing education of our membership.

Continue reading Forming the Washington State Bartender's Guild - Raising The Bar

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]]>absintheKeith Waldbauer2009-01-26T08:59:00+00:00Forget Wine Tasting - Have an Experiencehttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/23/forget-wine-tasting-have-an-experience/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/23/forget-wine-tasting-have-an-experience/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/23/forget-wine-tasting-have-an-experience/#commentsFiled under: Tastings, Wine, Champagne, Trends, America, Local Eating

It used to be that a trip to wine country meant trekking from winery to winery, tasting wine, cleansing one's palate with plain crackers, and then, stomach rumbling, heading over to a restaurant to satisfy the food craving. These days, plenty of wineries are trotting out more than just 1-ounce pours: they're putting out gourmet food, special events, and even live music to lure in and entertain customers.

For serious wine geeks, this trend no doubt annoys. Geeks would rather do what they do best--taste the wine, preferably covering as much ground as possible--and not have to consider that the cost of the live band has somehow worked its way into the case of Cabernet they just bought.

But for people who view wine-tasting and a visit to wine country as a social or romantic event, the wine experience can be a lot of fun. We're talking food and wine pairing classes; sessions with the winery's private chef, who may have been lured away from a top restaurant; music and wine pairings (and there's evidence to show that music does influence what you drink and how you taste it); and more.

More after the jump.

Continue reading Forget Wine Tasting - Have an Experience

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]]>tastingwinewinetastingGretchen Roberts2009-01-23T14:01:00+00:00The State of Texas Wine - Wine of the Week http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/11/the-state-of-texas-wine-wine-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/11/the-state-of-texas-wine-wine-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/01/11/the-state-of-texas-wine-wine-of-the-week/#commentsFiled under: Tastings, Wine, Southern States, America, Local Eating, Wine of the Week

Becker Vineyards Prairie Rotie

I was in Texas in November for the San Antonio Food & Wine Festival, and while there hopped up to Becker Vineyards in the Texas Hill Country, an hour or so northwest of San Antonio, for a lunch and tasting.

Becker Vineyards is probably the best-known winery both within and without Texas. Even if you don't know a lot about Texas wine, you may have heard of Becker. The winery was founded by Dr. Richard and Bunny Becker in 1992, and they've been pioneers in Texas wine ever since, helping pave the way to credibility for Texas wine as a whole.

I only brought back one bottle of Texas wine from my trip: the Becker Vineyards Prairie Rotie, a Rhone-style blend of Carignan, Mourvedre, Syrah, and Grenache. The name "Prairie Rotie" is something of a joke. Cote Rotie, a Syrah made in the northern Rhone in France, translates to "roasted slope," because most of the vineyards are located on sun-drenched hills. So "Prairie Rote" means "roasted prairie," because Becker's vines are on the prairie, not steep, terraced hills.

More "Wine of the Week" after the jump.

Continue reading The State of Texas Wine - Wine of the Week

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]]>prairie rotetexaswineGretchen Roberts2009-01-11T14:00:00+00:00New Wine Resolutions - Wine of the Weekhttp://www.slashfood.com/2008/12/28/new-wine-resolutions-wine-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/12/28/new-wine-resolutions-wine-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/12/28/new-wine-resolutions-wine-of-the-week/#commentsFiled under: Tastings, Wine, Champagne, Lists, Celebrations, Holidays, New Year's, Winter, Wine of the Week

No resolutions

Do me a favor and skip the annual "I will work out more this year" resolution that's practically designed to make you feel like a failure, and make a resolution that you can really get into this year. Of course I'm speaking of wine resolutions, the kind that are easy to make and hard to break. Here are mine:

1. Travel the world through wine. I actually get to travel quite a bit, considering that I have two young kids at home. Last year I went to California twice, to Washington, to Texas, to South Dakota, and to New York. Everywhere I go, I try to taste and experience as many new wines as possible. But you can taste the whole world through wine right at home by branching out beyond the same old bottle of California Chardonnay that you pop open twice a week for dinner. Try a Tempranillo from Spain, a Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile, a Riesling from Germany, a Vouvray from France, a Malbec or Torrontes from Argentina, a Barbara from Italy. I want to taste more around the world, and learn about the cuisines to match.

2. Get certified. I've been writing about wine for several years now, and it's time to take some classes beyond my own self-study. Many wine writers don't, and it's certainly not a requirement, but one of the reasons I love the world of wine is its infinite possibility for education (as well as entertainment!). I'm looking into certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers in 2009.

Read more after the jump.

Continue reading New Wine Resolutions - Wine of the Week

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]]>foodnew yearsresolutionswineGretchen Roberts2008-12-28T14:02:00+00:00Inexpensive New Year's Eve Idea - Beer Swap Partyhttp://www.slashfood.com/2008/12/23/inexpensive-new-years-eve-idea-beer-swap-party/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/12/23/inexpensive-new-years-eve-idea-beer-swap-party/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/12/23/inexpensive-new-years-eve-idea-beer-swap-party/#commentsFiled under: Tastings, Parties, Beer, Celebrations, Holidays, New Year's, Winter

Fireworks

When I was young and thought I was cool, New Year's Eve used to mean big cover charges for overpriced open bars (the bars may have been open, but finding a space to get to a bartender wasn't) and overrated entertainment (am I supposed to be able to recognize the name of any DJ?).

Now that I'm older, wiser, and so cool it's mind blowing, let me wax poetic on New Year's Eve for a moment and provide you with my three step plan for New Year's Eve 2009.

First off, everyone wants to get as drunk as possible on New Year's Eve and that. is. fine. You've just left the previous year in your wake and it's almost as if that last day doesn't even happen: Instantaneously, it's a whole year ago and, therefore, can be disregarded. Also, New Years Day is probably the only day of the year where you can be hungover and no one will look down on you. No one. If anything, your stock will rise. So step one, booze is a must.

After the jump, read why steps two and three lead me to believe a beer swap party is the perfect event for this New Year's Eve.

Continue reading Inexpensive New Year's Eve Idea - Beer Swap Party

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]]>beer swapbeer swap partynew years evepartyspeakin sudsMike Pomranz2008-12-23T12:00:00+00:00Box Wine - Wine of the Weekhttp://www.slashfood.com/2008/12/08/box-wine-wine-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/12/08/box-wine-wine-of-the-week/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/12/08/box-wine-wine-of-the-week/#commentsFiled under: Tastings, Parties, Wine, Trends, Celebrations, Holidays, Hanukkah, Christmas, New Year's, Winter, Wine of the Week

Bota Box Wine

'Tis the season for holiday parties! I'm bringing the food and beverages to a cookie exchange this week, and I've decided to make some mulled wine for the occasion. Wine people tell you when you're cooking with wine or using it as a base for other drinks, you still want something drinkable, and I absolutely agree with that. But I wouldn't waste a $20 bottle in a heated, spiked drink or on a big crowd of party-goers. Instead, I turn to box wine as the ideal party wine. Why?

Box wine is inexpensive (around $20 for the equivalent of four bottles), and the quality has gotten much, much better over the years.
Boxes are lightweight, easier to transport, and greener than glass bottles, so when you're serving in quantity, those numbers add up.
Box wines stay fresh for a month after opening because of the vacuum seal, unlike bottles, which should be refrigerated and drunk within 3 days if possible.

Now, let's be clear that boxed wine will not blow away the connoisseurs in your group, but it's a great budget-friendly choice for parties. If you're serving it as is, decant it for a classier look. When your guests ask what it is, be mysterious: "Oh, just a little something I picked up the other day when I took the private jet out to California for an afternoon meeting."

Here are a few decent box wines to try:

Bota Box Pinot Grigio or Shiraz ($16)
Black Box Merlot or Shiraz ($22)
Banrock Station Chardonnay or Shiraz ($19)

My mulled wine recipe is after the jump.

Continue reading Box Wine - Wine of the Week

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]]>box wineholiday partymulled winewineGretchen Roberts2008-12-08T14:01:00+00:00Recession White - What Took Them So Long?http://www.slashfood.com/2008/12/05/recession-white-what-took-them-so-long/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/12/05/recession-white-what-took-them-so-long/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/12/05/recession-white-what-took-them-so-long/#commentsFiled under: Tastings, Parties, Wine, Raves & Reviews, America, North America, Holidays

Recession White

Well, what do you suppose popped up at the liquor store next to the Recession Red?

Recession White!

Ladies and gentlemen, it's $3.99, it has a plastic cork, and it's totally decent. It's a mild, dry California chardonnay; gentle oak without too much vanilla (why do all the chardonnays I'm tasting lately have so much vanilla?). I would recommend pairing Recession White with bold, stinky cheeses or, you know, ramen noodles if you're in this for the price tag.

Between Recession Red and Recession White, I'd say the red is the better value. I'd pay more for that wine -- but I don't have to. This chardonnay is definitely acceptable, though, and mild enough to please a crowd. So bring it to a dinner party. I did on Monday and was met with smiles all around.

I've had a number of inquiries about where in New York I've found this delightful duo of Recession wines for $3.99 so I'm gonna go ahead and say it: Adel Wines & Liquors on Columbus Avenue between 105th and 106th Street.

I'll see you there.

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]]>adelcheap wineCheapWinenew yorknew york cityNewYorkNewYorkCitynynycrecessionrecession whiterecession wineRecessionWhiteRecessionWinered wineRedWinewhite wineWhiteWinewineAnnie Scott2008-12-05T18:59:00+00:00The Biggest Wine Region You've Never Heard Ofhttp://www.slashfood.com/2008/11/14/the-biggest-wine-region-youve-never-heard-of/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/11/14/the-biggest-wine-region-youve-never-heard-of/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/11/14/the-biggest-wine-region-youve-never-heard-of/#commentsFiled under: Tastings, Wine, Eastern Europe, Europe, Festivals

Bulgarian wine regions

Start a conversation about value wines and you may hear votes for Chile, Spain, and Australia. Try this one on for size: Bulgaria. As scarce as Bulgarian wines are in the U.S., distributor Steve Ondush of Grapes Unlimited, who was pouring a series of Bulgarian wines at the San Antonio New World Wine & Food Festival, told me that Bulgaria is actually the second largest exporter of bottled wine in the world. So how come we don't all drink it here?

For one thing, most of the wine is exported to western European countries, where it's regarded as a value wine. For another, though Bulgaria has been producing wine practically since time began, its industry has been interrupted a few times, first by a 500-year domination by the Ottoman Empire and later by Communism. The current wine industry is less than 100 years old in this little Eastern European country tucked between Romania, Greece, and Turkey.

I tasted through all of the Grapes Unlimited selection and can make these generalizations from the wines I tried:

1. The red wines are much better than the whites, which tend to be on the sweetish side, and not in a good way.
2. Reds tend to be old-world style, less fruity and alcoholic than American or other new-world red wines.

Favorite of the tasting was the 2003 Damianitza No Man's Land Gold from the Melnik region of Bulgaria. It's a blend of 65 percent Merlot and 35 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, grown on the five-mile strip of land that used to separate communist Bulgaria from its southern neighbors. The wine was good now but had firm enough tannins to make me think it could still age for a bit. Not bad for a "value" region.

Have you had Bulgarian wines? Will it be America's next go-to value wine?

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]]>bulgariabulgarian winedamianitzamelnikred winewinewine tastingWineTastingGretchen Roberts2008-11-14T14:00:00+00:00Cheese balls - A modern party food?http://www.slashfood.com/2008/11/12/cheese-balls-a-modern-party-food/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/11/12/cheese-balls-a-modern-party-food/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/11/12/cheese-balls-a-modern-party-food/#commentsFiled under: Tastings, Parties, Hors D'oeuvres, Cheese

cheese balls

While I'm sure some foods of the past will stay firmly in the galleries of regrettable foods, or so I hope, some wrench themselves out of the tacky and make a new gourmet place for themselves. Cheese has already gone back to the fondue, but what about the cheese ball?

They're still available in stores, they have their own special day, Amy Sedaris digs them, and they pop up here and there at parties, but as the AP/Dallas Morning News says: "this classic party food earned an ugly reputation it's been mostly unable to shake - an orange softball filled with garish industrial cheeses, smacking of an untraceable sweetness, and coated with stale, often soggy, nuts." The piece goes on to discuss the intricacies of a cheese ball and how to make your own globe of cheesy goodness. But their best bit of advice: use a tablespoon and make bite-sized balls.

Think of the party possibilities! You can make a variety of outer layers and they're much easier to grab by guests -- no trying to hold a drink while cutting cheese and trying to slop it onto a cracker. You can have nutty outsides for the nut-friends and other outsides for the allergy-laden. There are tons of options.

Are you ready to open your arms to the cheese ball?

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]]>cheesecheese ballcheese ballsCheeseBallCheeseBallsMonika Bartyzel2008-11-12T17:02:00+00:00The state of American winehttp://www.slashfood.com/2008/10/17/the-state-of-american-wine/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/10/17/the-state-of-american-wine/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/10/17/the-state-of-american-wine/#commentsFiled under: Tastings, Wine, Lists, America, Local Eating

fancy american wine

So everyone knows that California rules the U.S. wine roost, and Oregon, Washington, and New York aren't far behind. If you really pay attention, you'd add that Texas and Michigan are two up-and-coming wine regions worth looking into.

But did you know that all fifty states--yes, even North Dakota--make wine of some kind? "Of some kind" is the operative phrase here, as Time writer Joel Stein found out while doing a recent tasting of wines from every state of the union. What he found: lots of fruit wines, low quality in many states that simply don't have the right climate, and some surprises. Read the full story and see what Stein thought of your state's wine.

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]]>american wineAmericanWinejoel steinu.s. winewineGretchen Roberts2008-10-17T14:00:00+00:00