My Juicy Apple Life

Lately I've been on an apple kick.  I cannot get enough of apples!  The scent, the taste, the color of apple blossoms and shiny red and green apples.... I am smitten!  Apples are bright, sweet, cleansing and satisfying.  In case you hadn't noticed from my other posts, when I get on a "kick" with something, I truly incorporate whatever it is into my daily life in multiple ways.  The apple trend is one I've been riding for a few weeks now.  As the summer comes to its fullest point, I am looking ahead to fall, relishing the day I go apple-picking!    ......My Juicy Apple Life.....


1.)    Apple-cinnamon bagels from Country Bagel with walnut-raisin cream cheese from Bagels Over Broadway in West Chester. 

Bagels Over Broadway also serves Green Mountain Coffee... Yum!   If you like Green Mountain, you may be surprised to learn that prices on single-serving Green Mountain "K-Cups" for Keurig brewers are likely to go down this winter!  

 Homemade bagels by Savvy Baker.  Click here for recipe.

2.)  Apple themed home decorations

I got mine on clearance from LAST fall's leftovers.  With fall just around the corner, brand new stuff is filling the shelves day by day.   You can't go wrong with an apple centerpiece!  Whether faux or real, apples bring a pleasing smile to the onlooker.  And who says apples have to go with pinecones?  Fresh flowers look great, too!

Photo by Michelle Rago

3.)  Apple cider

Forget the Woodchuck you drank in high school.  Apple cider is all grown up.  There are reports that it's the next big "microbrew" trend, particularly on account that it can be made locally in the U.S. and it's gluten-free. One thing is for sure, sales are growing.  I am not sure where all the cider drinkers have been hiding because it's really a classic if you find the right brand.   Esquire magazine gives a good intro of food pairings for highbrow domestic ciders.  If you are truly highbrow like me, however, you enjoy a good cider from the British Isles.   My favorites are Strongbow for a light cider (English origin) and Samuel Smith's cider and related fruit flavored ales for a change from the everyday.

4.)  Raw apple pie

 The "raw food" movement is about eating a diet rich in fresh nuts, legumes and berries among other raw foods.  Food is not generally cooked above the low 100 degrees Fahrenheit.  I will feature more information on the raw food movement in upcoming posts.  For now, I let you know that a favorite dessert for people on a raw diet with a wide appeal is Apple Pie, a classic dessert that tastes delightful cooked or raw.   Recipe by Rawmazing.

5.) Apple perfume

The trend started with DKNY Be Delicious and has generated lovely spinoffs...

Golden Delicious  and Fresh Blossom Duo

 

I can practically taste the apples just by looking at these pictures!  I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

 XO Gardentina

What Your Favorite Herb Says About You: QUIZ

What does your favorite herb say about your personality?   Read to find out!

 

 Courtesty Herbal remedies at herbsandnutritionalhealth.blogspot.com

Basil - You make long lasting friendships.



Dill - You are at ease when things are in order.

Fennel - You like to explore things to their fullest.
Ginger - People envy your ideas.

Lavender - Seeing your family happy gives you great joy.

Mint -You are able to make up your mind quickly.
Orange - You have a lot of friends.
Rosemary - Friends are comforted by your presence.


 

Find this and more cool pics at Favim.com

Wine Review: Give me the Red Guitar Sangria

Sangria is a heavy wine, a hearty wine for enjoying with cherished friends and loved ones. To me, Mother's Day seemed like just the occasion for an outdoor barbecue with a side of sangria.  (Although it's likely raining when you read this, it truly was a spectacularly sunny Mother's Day last weekend.)  Yes, the sangria paired nicely with fresh sliced tomatoes and spicy grilled corn on the cob!  The burgers weren't bad either.

Red Guitar is a Spanish brand of table wines, and who better to sell you a Sangria than a Spaniard?  The Red Guitar Sangria lives up to its description. It tastes like grapes, oranges, cherries and lemons.  It is a summer sipping wine.  Too heavy for fine dining but perfectly suited for casual, close-knit occasions like making mom feel special.  You can find it at Wegmans and PA liquor stores.

The Red Guitar Satisfaction Chart

Buying a Gibson Les Paul red guitar costs approximately $1600.00

Buying a bottle of Red Guitar Sangria comes in a lot cheaper at around $10.00

Recipe: Spicy Grilled Corn on the Cob

Do-ahead:  Boil the corn on the cob and set aside in a covered container directly after cooking.

Note: Boiling the corn before grilling will produce a softer, less crisp kernel of corn.  If you prefer a crunchier kernel: Try grilling the corn in the husk or else wrapped in aluminum foil.

Ready to cook:  Peel back the top inch of the wrapper of a brand new stick of butter.  Butter the corn with the stick of butter like you were applying lipstick.  Then rub the corn in the spice mixture before grilling.  Grilling will take a lot less time if the corn was boiled ahead of time, about 10 minutes.  If you are cooking fresh corn, allow 30 minutes.

Spice mixture:  Mix the spices in a bowl:  Salt (kosher), Smoked Spanish Paprika, Sugar (white), Cayenne Pepper or substitute red pepper flakes if you must, Dill and/or Chopped Cilantro else substitute chives if you must, Thyme

Book Review of Unquenchable by Natalie MacLean

Style

Unquenchable is the 2011 sequel to wine writer MacLean's 2007 debut novel Red, White and Drunk All Over.  I have not read her first work.  I am likely to catch it on audio book at some point.  Unquenchable was a difficult read at first.  MacLean is clever and tries to be even more clever.  Switching around the sentence structure would help a lot.  Often the adjectives or adverbs were presented before the subjects of the sentence was known to the reader.  My mind grew tired of playing guessing games.  My mind enjoyed the intellectual stimulation of the book's varied topics, locales, and characters, though.  

It was refreshing to hear about winemaking and the wine industry from the point of view of a female narrator.  Also, I am not surprised in the least that a buxom blonde gained access to forbidden wine cellars. The industry has a ways to go in terms of acceptance.

It is an interesting oddity that the author shared she dislikes getting dirty in the soil but she took on a book writing journey to visit so many outdoor locales.  I am curious to know if visiting the fresh outdoors changed her perspective on going outside at all.  I feel very sorry for people who live their lives trapped indoors.

Content

The book is highly entertaining and educational interspersing of personal stories, expert interviews, nonfiction wine history, prose on the love of winemaking and wine drinking, and scientific techniques of winemaking. The author moved from one topic to the next in a comfortable, conversational manner.  She kept the romantic prose to an acceptable level.  I foretell a film documentary in the future. 

Often I wanted more information on what she was talking about.  (The difference between Labrusca grapes and Vinifera grapes?)  Maps of the places in the book would have also helped greatly with context (Where is the Moselle River?)  I place these faults on the book editor, who should have offered guidance in these respects.  The spelling of words and names in the book and the placement of punctuation was flawless, however.  Kudos to the editor in that regard.

The book referenced many quotations from authors who I have not read personally and am not ashamed to admit not reading.  I am talking about the types of authors who frequent lists of books to read for PhD candidates in English Lit.  As an everyday mere mortal, I dive into those books rarely.  I do not begrudge Natalie's sharing of her interest in reading lofty titles.  Rather, I hope she taps into it a bit more to give a unique reading experience which is her own personal style.  An idea for a future book:  Whimsying and Wining on Famous Writings:  Wine pairings to Book excerpts by Famous Authors.

On the Author

Ms. MacLean delivers a good amount of personal narrative in the book so I think it appropriate to discuss her personage.  She comes across as highly likeable, because of her good humor, balanced perspective, and natural curiosity and observation of things.  She is a person I would not mind sharing a taxi with.  The kind of person who would make a watchable guest judge on "Iron Chef".  (Anyone out there reading from Iron Chef?)  

I do think she is too overly humble and self deprecating in the book at certain moments.  Women have been beaten down throughout the ages to accept mediocrity in themselves and apologize when it is exceeded.  Ms. MacLean need not apologize for her wine expertise nor her humanity during stressful situations.  She's written a bestselling book that is deservedly so.

 

For More Information

Read the Natalie MacLean Blog

Get Food/Wine pairings from her

Buy wines she recommends

amazon.com

 

barnesandnoble.com

Making macarons and reading book of same name by Annie Rigg

Trend:  Macarons from the bakery are in style now.
Macaron is a cookie.  Macaroni is a pasta!

 

www.Amazon.com

 
Review of the book by Annie Rigg, Photography by Kate Whitaker:  
"Macarons: Chic & Delicious French Treats"
Published in 2011 by Ryland Peters & Small.

There are suggested suppliers for food coloring and the flavor extracts used in the macaron filling.
Very clear instructions with plenty of detail for novice macaron cookie bakers.
The recipes have two parts: the making of the macaron "shell", or sponge cookie; and the filling.
Photos of each recipe clearly depict the appearance of the finished macaron shells and fillings.


The book is divided into three basic chapters:  fruits, sweets, and nuts.
The book focuses on the macaron baking process itself, not really the decorating of the macarons.  Refer to cupcake books for more creative decorating ideas.
The book has a macaron recipe base that you can modify for your own ingredients.

A Cheese A Day Keeps The Christmas Blues Away?

DiBruno Brothers, the gourmet cheese and meat shop in Philadelphia, has put together

The 12 Days of Cheesemas
Cheese Pairings for The 12 Days Of Christmas

Enjoy!

To go along with this, I have put together

The 12 Things I Love About Cheese 

1. Ooey gooey
2. Creamy
3. Salty
4. Buttery
5. Distinctive texture to touch
6. Air pockets
7. Layers
8. Happy colors! 
9. Able to hold other flavors within (dotted with spices, meats, nuts or vegetables)
10. Can be eaten cold or hot
11. Mouth forms a smile when you say it (Camera flash!)
12. Protein source when you're not in a meaty mood
    

Yes, Cheese is great. It's all those things and more....  Merry Christmas!

Photo by Jan Scott   Cheese Tree Recipe Here

Virtual Wine Tasting

Check out my Etsy "Treasury List" entitled "Wine Tasting Jaunt"

Etsy is an online community for buyers and sellers of handmade crafts and vintage items.

A "Treasury List" is an online filmstrip of things I like, designed around a theme.

Below are a few of my latest "treasures":

 Wine Gift Box ~ Can be personalized

Impressive Wine Rack

Comfy Handwarmers

Jump over to Etsy.com for the complete "Treasury List"

Titled "Wine Tasting Jaunt"

Filed under e-Curator: BrandywineLife