Wine: Tobin James - FAT BOY

The last 2 weeks we have been busy busy busy - trying to get rooms ready to move my copious amounts of junk into. [I can admit its mine, the holiday decorations, itso storage cubes full of yarn and scrap book material, and of course, my excess of clothes. I am a woman who likes to nest, after all].

We have officially set up our wine fridge. I filled that puppy up, and plugged her in. As dinner was boiling away on the stove, I opened a bottle of red - room temperature is the best serving, right? No need to be chilled!

Tobin James Fat Boy Zin was the lucky little fellow to be picked.

Only a few cases of this wine are bottled in this particular style, reads the label. The grapes are cultivated from 50 year-or-older vines. "FATBOY is like the best friend you had as a kid, big, brash, and maybe slightly obnoxious, but always well loved!" Well said Tobin, well said.

This is definitely a robust zin. Jammy. Velvety mouth-feel. I love Zin's, especially jammy zins. But this had a nice little kick to it. Not quite a tannin tang but definitely a punch on the first taste with a dry and smooth finish its a gorgeous deep dark color, no opacity. Full on red, red , red.

Wine's are totally like romance. You have to be in the mood for the type - fun, light, and flirty; Moscato, Reisling, Rose. Mischeivious; Syrahs and Pinot Noirs. Dangerous and seductive; Zinfindels and Barberas. Full blown drama: Cabs, Merlots, Sangioveses. (I think I am having gossip girl withdrawals as we have watched no TV for the last two weeks, including Netflix  ).

But I digress.

Tobin James Fat Boy: find it if you want a rockin' Zin that bites back.

Recipe: Garlic, Red Pepper, and Olive Oil pasta Dressing

I had been seeing a recipe floating around Pinterest, something about lemon, olive oil, and garlic coated pasta.

So I put my own spin it: minced caramelized onions and garlic, red pepper flakes, thyme sprigs, kosher salt, pepper, all sautéed in olive oil.


I omitted the lemon since the husband isn't a fan... And added onions because who doesn't love caramelized onions?

Also, we added some shrimp and I threw some dethawed frozen peas in for more greens... And topped with Parmesan Cheese!

The fun thing about this recipe is that it is so versatile: you don't need pasta to make it happen. I recreated it again with a cup of cous cous, added sautéed chicken breast, and ate it over romain lettuce.

Healthy. Flavorful. Light. And totally doable any time!

Recipe:
1 onion minced finely
2-3 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and Cracked pepper to taste
1-2 sprigs of thyme
2-3 tablespoons of olive oil


Sauté together until onions are caramelized.

After pasta is drained, or cous cous is ready *, coat evenly with the olive oil dressing and serve with some grated Parmesan cheese on top.

Recipe: Nutty Irishman

I love a good mudslide, so I took what I had on hand and made it a little bit... Nutty:

Ingredients:
3-4 ice cubes
3-4 scoops vanilla coconut ice cream *
1-2 shots baileys Irish cream
1 cup vanilla almond milk **

Blend ingredients until desired consistency is reached.

Swirl in chocolate syrup, as much or little as desired.

Enjoy said nightcap/desert.

* Any Vanilla icecream will do, soy, coconut, dairy, almond, lactaid. Gelato. Yogurt. I am pretty sure you can't do wrong.

** Don't have vanilla almond milk? how about coconut milk? Soy? Rice? Dairy is cool. Just throw in a dash of vanilla extract. But it wont be nutty! 

Wine: a Month of it.

Moving is Chaotic. Drinking wine is not.

Okay, it can be when you are trying to clear your wine fridge.

So I am presenting to you the wine I have been drinking for the past month to empty said wine fridge. It is a sad time for me; I like to be fully stocked with special wines from wineries we have visited. The bright side? I get to refill the fridge once we are all settled in.... [insert mischievous smile here].*

Alapay Late Harvest Viognior - Pineapple and Apricot notes similar to a moscato, Avila Beach, CA

Fancy Schmancy Chimays

Cypher's Phoenix - Syrah, Paso Robles CA

Tobin James Sangiovese & Zinfandel, Paso Robles CA **

We already drank the Sangiovese, Saving the Zinfandel for our first night in our new home.

**Gifts from my Husbands Coworkers, year subscription included!

Girl talk nights over wine were much needed.  This night included sharing a bottle and a half and talking til 2:00 am. 

Col Di Sasso Cab Sav & Sangiovese Blend (Excellent!)

Big Kahuna (Fresh & Easy , 2.99 comparable to 2 buck Chuck) Shiraz

Alban Vineyards Reva 2008 Syrah was actually a rare find at a local Liquor Store [Old Doc's].

Alban Syrah's usually sell out as soon as they are stocked. It really helped that I was skimming the enire store by chance and found it. It is  the most expensive  wine I have purchased [At 89 dollars] but it was a Christmas gift to my husband; his favorite wine maker. We opened this bottle to celebrate our new beginnings. It was a true Syrah and aging had done it well. I can see what all the fuss is about ***

Ah, the 2008 lace. DeLorimier makes outstanding reds (award winning). This was one of the first wineries we stopped at on our trip up the California and Oregon Coast the summer of 2009. In 2010, my would-be in laws joined us in revisiting this winery and became members. 5 years later we drank this bottle, rich and syrupy, but not too sweet.

For me, wine holds memories of the tastings, of good times with loved ones, and a sensory experience (aromas and tastes). My wine fridge is really a sentimental vessel that takes me back to these shared times, these memories.  

The best part of emptying my fridge? Sharing the wine with Friends and family, and knowing new memories are to come.

*Dear recycled wine bottles; I know I drank more of you, and if you are not on this list, I am terribly sorry. I still enjoyed you, but simply forgot to photograph you.
**Gifts from my Husbands Coworkers, year subscription included!
*** 50 Shades of Grey Author EL James names Alban Vineyard  wines in her book series (in Fifty Shades Darker, chapter Six). It's kinda cool to be able to say you enjoyed drank fancy pants wine; We adore the Roussanne though I can't recall if we have had the 2006 Estate Roussanne that was named in the book (Alban Estate Grenache 2006 was also named). Now to get my hands on a La Grande Annee Rose 1999 Bollinger Champagne, though the price has inflated due to the books release and popularity.

Recipe: Home Made Bread (Pizza & Buns!)

Lately I have been making this bread that has been driving my husband wild.

Who knew good bread, really good bread, could make a man moan?

Recipe:
6 1/2 cups flour
1 packet yeast
2 3/4 cup warm water
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
(Disregard the Starbucks and Chocolate Tea in the background)

Let the yeast activate in the warm water for 2-4 minutes (I do this in my kitchen-aid mix master with the paddle attachment). Add sugar, salt, and olive oil. Gradually mix in flour.

Once combined, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 2 hours. Then you can divide it into 4ths and make 4 pizzas or four loafs of bread:

Or you can make super delicious MOZZARELLA FILLED BUNS, gently brushed with olive oil, and topped with shredded cheese and oregano:

 Check out that cheesy center:

The way to my heart is certainly through my stomach and this is definitely the comfort food the Husband and I have been needing lately.

***I bake ALL of the aboved items (Bread, Pizza, Buns) for 20 minutes or until golden and delicious.

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