"FrenchWine" news and stories

• Tips and recipes for indulging in the pleasures of pound cake.
• Gee, do you know what ghee is? Also, what's a good substitute for mirin?
• Le ouch -- French wines are hurting after households drank almost 10 percent less wine in 2008 than 2007.
• Grill a whole chicken this summer, not just a part or two.
• Anthony Bourdain visits Seattle and chats about Mario Batali.
  
• How to get the whole family involved when you make super tasty and creamy mac 'n' cheese.
• Busting bacteria -- tips to keep away food poisoning at outdoor parties.
• Restaurant chains bust out more value meals to increase customer traffic.
• Diving into unusual varietals -- widen your palate with wines from Tempranillo to Malbec.
• Merlot is thriving in Washington state.
• Recipes: Grilled Eggplant and Red Pepper with Mint-Cumin Dressing, Lamb Loin Chops with Port Wine Sauce, Lemon Meringue Pie, Fennel Seed and Thyme-Crusted Grilled Shrimp, Smart Coleslaw with Pears, Walnuts and Cranberries, Smoked Turkey and Cheese Panini, Western Tennessee-Style Bone-In Pork Rib Chops

Yesterday's San Diego Union Tribune featured an article about several new offerings from French winemakers who are taking aim at the low-end wine market in the U.S. XL Wines' Jet Lag comes in 8.8 ounce screw-top bottles that look like shampoo or cologne and are meant to fit in a carry-on bag. Sounds pretty close to a hip flask. According to the article, other XL offerings include bottles with no names, only clock faces and times of day on the labels. Then there's Los 3 Bandidos, a Pancho Villa-inspired French wine with advertising mired in bullet holes and tales of Mexican revolutionaries. Most are expected to sell for $8-$10.

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