New Year’s Transformation Bathroom DIY

Posted on January 22, 2015 by Kellie Stargaard

We all know the New Year is a time for change and a time when most people set about

Metal pan from Tractor Supply

Metal pan from Tractor Supply

making changes to their bodies, habits and attitudes, at least for the first couple of hours anyway. But why limit the changes to just your person, what about transforming the one thing that says the most about you and your family; your home.

Since moving into our home four years ago we’ve had constant projects as we bring our home out of the 1970’s and give it a more updated even if sometimes rustic, comfortable feel. We tackled the half paneling that covered the walls in the living room, dining room and hallway shortly

Great-grandfather's tools

Great-grandfather’s tools

after moving in and applied fresh coats of paint. We then completed a full, and slightly nightmarish, renovation on our master bathroom and a remodel on our half bath. Over the past two years, I knew the color for the half bath wasn’t quite right and this weekend we completely transformed that bath into a rustic “farm” bath and we love the changes.

Repurposed tin candle holder

Repurposed tin candle holder

I like things that aren’t mass manufactured or mainstream and if you’ve been reading my blog you know my husband and I enjoy making things ourselves. After trying a few different ideas for a sink we settled on a shallow metal pan we picked up at Tractor Supply. I knew I wanted a rustic feel for the faucets so my husband picked up some copper pipes, outdoor faucets and got out his soldering tools. The vanity was handmade and stained by my husband, plumbing hooked up, fresh paint on walls and a few old tools once belonging to my great-grandfather for décor and we were in business.

We replaced the toilet paper holder and towel holder just a couple of years prior but I knew I wanted something that would fit into the rustic décor. So down came the old but still new fixtures (those will be used in our upstairs guest bath) and up went a primitive looking peg rack that I brought with us from Tampa but was still just lying on the floor of the guest room. Then for the paper holder my husband used pieces of the leftover copper pipe and soldered a totally original TP holder.

Want to know where we got the idea? I placed an egg basket that once belonged to my

Great-grandmother's egg basket and washboard

Great-grandmother’s egg basket and washboard

great-grandmother in the bathroom for TP and flour sack towels. Yes, that simple placing of an old repurposed basket is what set this ball in motion.

I know you’re asking “Kellie, what does this have to

 

do with wine?” and my answer, “Nothing, but it has everything to do with making something your own and you never know where the inspiration will come from.”

 

 

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Skinnygirl® California Red Blend –Diet Wines Don’t Make Sense

Posted on January 8, 2015 by Kellie Stargaard

Welcome to 2015! Did you make any resolutions? This year I resolved not to make any

Found image doing an online search. Giving credit to Mother's Kitchen blog.

Found image doing an online search. Giving credit to Mother’s Kitchen blog.

resolutions. Each year I have 5 or so things I’d like to make happen, change, etc. Each year they never happen, leaving me to feel like a failure. So this year I’m just going to implement a few changes I’d like to see in my life. One is to drink less wine, yes my beloved, you are full of empty calories that do nothing but stick to my hips, stomach and butt. Not only will cutting down help my waistline but my wallet too. Oh but how I do love to sit and catch up with my husband each evening while listening to music, wine glass in hand. But wait! They make diet wine now, I mean lite wine, right? That Skinnygirl® stuff, I must rush out and buy a case now. Well, maybe I should start with just one bottle.

Aromas of musty berries, well that’s a little bit of a put off. Maybe I’m just being judgmental, sniff, sniff. No, that’s a very musty aroma. First sip ACK! Strawberry flavored sweet, very sweet, tea. I’m just being harsh; another sip and another, and another. No, strawberry flavored artificially sweetened, sweet tea. I don’t like sweet tea and I do not like this wine. For $13 it should have some redeeming qualities but I can’t find a single one. We didn’t even finish the glass. Down the drain it went.

Following the success of her Skinny Girl Margarita, reality TV star, Bethany Frankel, (now there’s a reason to rush right out and buy this wine, I say in my most sarcastic voice) released four new wines under the Skinny Girl label. I was puzzled by this low calorie wine concept. Calories in wine come from the alcohol, which is derived from sugars in the grapes, or added sugars. These sugars are not always present in the end product as they’ve been turned into alcohol. Ah, I think I’m on to something here; the alcohol content of Skinny Girl wines is just 10%. I’ve had beers that contain more alcohol. So if each 5 ounce pour of Skinny Girl is 100 calories and the average 5 ounce wine pour of other wines has less than 125 calories, what’s the point? Stick with the good stuff.

Did I mention this is the brain child of reality TV star, Bethany Frankel? I truly think the wine is marketed to female wine drinkers who aren’t wine drinkers. College girls, forty-somethings who just want to get out of the house for a girls night but not true wine drinkers. Sorry gals, but this wine is nothing but a big fat zero.

Freezing cold day here in NE Georgia, seems like a good day to get the turkey carcass out of the freezer and make some stock. Tonight’s dinner menu; slow cooked pork steaks with mashed potatoes and roasted cauliflower. Nice winter comfort food. Stay warm!

 

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Pacific Rim Sweet Riesling Columbia Valley

Posted on December 22, 2014 by Kellie Stargaard

Did someone put a time warp speed on Christmas? How can it be here when the last I checked it was still 15 days away. Did I sleep through a week? Anyway, it’s here. My last post I told you how Christmas Eve always seemed like a party. Well even though it’s just my husband and me this year, I still want to keep that festive, fun party like feeling.

My husband will be working the day of Christmas Eve but I’m lucky enough to have the

Cheesecake cranberry trifle

Cheesecake cranberry trifle

day off from work. Even more reason for me to keep things easy and serve foods that can be prepared mostly ahead of time so I can spend more time with my husband once he gets home. A sample of the menu is this; meatballs made with venison and pork, a mixture of olives, cheeses, Westphalia ham, bread and a simple make ahead desert, using a frozen Sara Lee cheesecake. I’m usually all about making things from scratch but we can all use the extra time and extra help during the holidays. For the dessert wine pairing, Pacific Rim Sweet Riesling Columbia Valley.

Sweet RieslingAromas of peach and citrus with sweet peach and honey flavors. I’m not a huge fan of sweet wines so I served this as an aperitif and paired with my version of a trifle. I cut a quarter of a frozen Sara Lee cheesecake and cut into bite size pieces while still frozen. Using leftover whole cranberries, I made a simple cranberry sauce. Just add a little water to a small pot, add cranberries and heat on medium until berries begin to pop. Stir in a tablespoon of sugar, can add more to taste, and stir the mixture occasionally until sauce thickens. For extra flavor, add fresh rosemary sprigs.

I used pretty glasses that belonged to my Granny as the serving vessel and layered with cranberry sauce, cheesecake and topped with whip cream. The tartness of the cranberries worked well to offset the sweetness of the wine. Since I only used a quarter (I was making for two, use more for more trifles) I have cheesecake left for additional desserts. One on the menu for Christmas Eve, will be Cheesecake Truffles.
Ingredients
• 1 Sara Lee Original Cream Classic Cheesecake, slightly frozen
• 1 package of microwavable chocolate coating
• 20 toothpicks
Instructions
1. With a spoon, remove filling from cheesecake and form into bite
size balls.
2. Place a toothpick into each ball.
3. Freeze formed balls for three hours or until firm.
4. Melt chocolate coating in the microwave as instructed.
5. Using the toothpick, dip the balls in the coating and place on a
piece of waxed paper.

Additional recipes using Sara Lee frozen desserts:
Cranberry Cream Topped Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients
• 1 Sara Lee Pumpkin Pie, baked and chilled
• ¼ cup dried cranberries
For the cream:
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ cup mascarpone
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ⅓ cup cranberry sauce
Instructions
1. Bake Sara Lee Pumpkin Pie as instructed.
2. Combine all ingredients for the cream and whip until it holds
peaks.
3. Cut pie into portion sizes.
4. Garnish with a large spoonful of cranberry whipped cream.
5. Sprinkle with dried cranberries.

Pound Cake Bread Pudding
Ingredients
• 1 Sara Lee All Butter Pound
Cake, diced into 1-inch cubes
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups heavy cream
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ cup raisins or dried
cranberries (optional)
• ½ cup pecans or pumpkin
seeds (optional)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cut pound cake into 1-inch cubes.
3. In a large bowl combine eggs, cream, sugars and vanilla.
Beat until mixed.
4. Add fruit and nuts, if using.
5. Place the diced pound cake in a separate bowl and gently pour
egg mixture over. Take care not to break up the pieces; gently
stir by hand.
6. Let rest for 15 minutes to allow the cake to soak up egg mixture.
7. Pour mixture into a greased 8×8-inch baking dish.
8. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 to 45 minutes until it springs back
when touched.
9. Note: After 30 minutes of baking, dunk the floating pieces into
the mixture.

I’m writing this over a busy weekend for this gal. I’m finishing another DIY Mercury Glass project, glass ornaments this time and they look awesome! Later I’ll be making Christmas tamales using smoked pork butt and Chuck Roast both from Iowa and given to us by our neighbors, dinner in Dahlonega to see the Christmas lights and the usual weekend cleaning and relaxing (I hope anyway).

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah y’all!

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2013 Sea Glass Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Kellie Stargaard

I’m unbearably homesick and feeling very nostalgic this year. While walking Rooster down

Granny's Christmas Ornaments

Granny’s Christmas Ornaments

our deserted country road, I began thinking back on all my Christmases and I long for those from my childhood. Not the presents really but the people and the magic. Because in the 1970’s, Christmas still was magical to me.

In school I remember coloring mimeograph copies, you know the ones that felt wet and cool and had that sweet chemical smell. Always the same images of wreathes, holly, candles, snowmen and Santa. We’d decorate the classroom tree, which always had the ugliest glass ornaments. We’d string garland we made with strips of paper, glitter and glue and there was an aroma of baking cookies wafting from the school cafeteria.

At home we’d put the tree up a week before Christmas. I grew up in SW Florida so live trees didn’t last too long. I remember one year while at the tree lot a truck pulled up full of fresh trees and snow! Ah, snow! I grabbed a handful, made the best snowball I could and tossed it at my mom. It was great. Then later at night we’d drive around and look at Christmas lights.

060Christmas Eve was like a party. My mom would make her version of Swedish meatballs, crudité (I’d eat all the cucumber and green pepper) trays of mini chocolate Santas, mini cheesecakes, cold cuts, cheese and more.

My Granny would fly down to spend Christmas with us. my great-aunt Bobby and my uncle Sam, my aunt and uncle and extended family members always came over on Christmas Eve. I loved having all those people around and I think that’s what I miss the most now. The tree is up, the house is decorated in reds and greens but I feel blue.

Blue, hey that reminds me of a really great wine I recently had, 2013 Sea Glass SantaSea Glass Barbara County Pinot Noir.

Dark fruits, tobacco and cocoa aromas. Bright red berries and cherry flavors, full bodied with firm tannins and a smokey finish. I can’t remember where I found this wine but it was under $15. I think I’ll seek out another bottle since that brought some happiness to my glass.

We paired with smoked pulled pork served over polenta cakes, topped with Italian gravy and fresh basil. The smokiness of the pork and the wine were a divine intermingle of flavors.

The only technical info I could find was on the 2012 so I don’t have any additional info to share.

Almost a week has passed since I started this post. Got a little busy with work so everything else took a backseat. My husband and I attended out local theater’s production of White Christmas on Sunday. If you have a local theater in your area I urge you to take in a show. The talent can really be amazing and you can probable get tickets for under $20 each. I love supporting my new area through local owned restaurants, stores and the theater. Speaking to my BFF today I told her how blue I was and she reminded me I live in an amazing area. Surrounded by The Blue Ridge Mountains, wineries, waterfalls, meandering creeks and rivers and to top it off, I have an amazing husband. Yeah, I guess I have it pretty good.

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A DIY Christmas

Posted on December 4, 2014 by Kellie Stargaard

For the last couple of weeks my husband has been asking me what I want for Christmas.

DIY Mercury Glass

DIY Mercury Glass

He even went so far as to tsk, tsk me for not having anything in my Amazon Wish List. So I’ve spent the last few days thinking about what I want, looking through Amazon, other sites and finally on Pinterest. Then it hit me, this year I don’t have a laundry list of wants; jewelry, clothes, scarves (I have more scarves than any person should own in NE Georgia), etc. Something’s changed. There was a time when all I wanted was clothes, makeup, records and money. I still want money and welcome it but my wants and my needs have definitely shifted. Material things aren’t important to me anymore. Don’t get me wrong, I still like and want things but now I think I enjoy finding something old and repurposing or making something myself.

So here’s what I want for Christmas: I want a small primitive ladder to use in the transformation of our half bath (to take place early next year). I want to find a great place to hang the 100 year old window frame that has been sitting in the garage for the last two years. I want a room divider for the wine room made out of the old doors I just purchased from a salvage store. They’re from India and they are awesome. I also want a table made

Old salvaged doors

Old salvaged doors

out of the old window with metal lattice (also from India) I got from the same salvage store and use old spindles for the legs. Looks like I just want my poor husband to spend a lot of time making things for me. But I know those are things he enjoys and since he just rebuilt his workbench in the garage, I know it will get a lot of good use.

 

 

 

 

Some of the things I can do on my own. I love mercury glass and have several pieces but it has been getting harder for me to justify purchasing more. But now, I know how to DIM – do it myself, mercury glass. And no clear glass will ever be safe again.

Simple and easy. Making your own mercury glass just requires a clear glass vessel (think

DIY Mercury Glass

DIY Mercury Glass

votive holder, flower vase, pitcher, plate, martini glasses, etc.), Looking Glass spray paint and a spray bottle with mister.

I purchased two martini glasses from the Dollar Tree, Krylon Looking Glass spray paint from Michael’s and I was in business.

DIY Mercury Glass

DIY Mercury Glass

Clean the item you want to use. Using the mister on your spray bottle, lightly mist the side that you want to paint, you want beads of water so the paint won’t adhere to the glass. Give a light coating of spray paint and allow to dry for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes lightly dab any pooling paint or water that has collected at the bottom, do not wipe the sides. If the coverage is too sheer, repeat the process until desired effect is achieved. You can spray both sides for a more opaque look.

 

*Keep in mind if you want to use for drinking or eating, spray the side that will not be in contact with food or beverage.

Frosty branch

Frosty branch

Another DIY project, those over-priced branches that look like they’ve been covered frost. I gathered branches from my back yard; I live in the woods, so I have lots of branches. I then sponge brushed Mod Podge on the ends and dipped in clear plastic beads. The Mod Podge holds the beads amazingly well and I saved a boat load of money by doing it myself.

 

 

 

While perusing Christmas ornaments I came across Dangly thingthese long dangling beaded ornaments priced around $20 for 10. I immediately thought, “I can make that.” So I did. I just used jewelry wire and few jewelry making tricks, beads and crystals from an old chandelier and made my own design. No two are the same and it only took about 30 minutes. You can make them fancy if you spend a little more on beads, I just used what I had on hand.

 

Maybe it’s time to reign in the entire Christmas gift giving fuss. It’s wonderful to give and receive but I’m not the only one who feels Christmas is just a season for over-spending. I have everything I need so this year just send cash. It’s the one thing I can always use.

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Pacific Rim Dry Riesling Columbia Valley

Posted on November 20, 2014 by Kellie Stargaard

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere I go. Deck the halls with boughs ofDSCN2696 holly, fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la. Jingle bells, jingle bells. It’s Christmas, yippee! I’ve been scanning the channels for Frosty and Rudolph but I just can’t seem to find them, what the heck? Insert record scratch here Hold on, I just glanced at the calendar, it’s not Christmas yet, it’s only mid-November, why are we racing through one of the best months and our beloved Thanksgiving Feast? Seems like Thanksgiving Day is now just a speed bump into Shopping Season.
We’re all busy but why should we stress out and race through Thanksgiving to fall full forward into the extended holiday rush? I know some people thrive on the rush of last minute shopping but do yourselves a favor and slow down and truly enjoy the holiday based around food, friends, family and giving thanks for the bounty.

Recently I received three Pacific Rim Rieslings samples and recipes for pairing with Sara DSCN2699Lee baked goods. The first Riesling I sampled was Pacific Rim Dry Riesling from Columbia Valley, WA.
Aromas of peach, honey and almond. Crisp acidic flavors of white stone fruit, tropical pineapple and minerality. The wine is on the dry end of Rieslings and pairs with an array of dishes and desserts.
Region: Columbia Valley
RS: 1.00%
TA:0.83
pH: 3.8
Alcohol 13.5%

We all know we’re always rushing around not just during the holidays but the remainder of the year too. Too much work, too many appointments, activities, chores, responsibilities, etc. While my husband and I do a lot of from scratch cooking, we have been known to take a few short cuts at times. Sara Lee givesyou a hand with the base for dessert, there’s still baking and mixing involved so go ahead, I won’t tell. With the samples I received Sara Lee recipes, that pair with each of the Rieslings. Three that pair well with the dry Riesling are listed below.

Triple Berry Cheesecake Crumble
Ingredients
• 1 Sara Lee Original Cream Classic
Cheesecake, thawed
For the berries:
• ¾ cup strawberries, hulled and
sliced
• ¾ cup blueberries
• ¾ cup raspberries
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
For the crumble:
• ½ cup butter, softened • ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 cup flour
Instructions
1. Combine all ingredients for the berries and stir gently.
2. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Mix all crumble ingredients in a mixer just until pea-sized crumbs
are formed.
4. Lay crumbs in a single layer on a cookie tray.
5. Bake for 12 to15 minutes until golden brown.
6. Cool and crumble the mixture.
7. Slice cheesecake into serving sizes.
8. Top each slice with berry mixture; sprinkle brown sugar crumble

Cinnamon Crème Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients
• 1 Sara Lee Pumpkin Pie, baked and chilled
For the crème:
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• ¾ cup mascarpone cheese
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
or cinnamon
Instructions
1. Bake Sara Lee Pumpkin Pie as instructed.
2. Combine all crème ingredients and whip until it holds peaks.
Cranberry Pound Cake Trifle
Ingredients
• 1 Sara Lee All Butter Pound
Cake, diced into ½ inch cubes
• 1 pkg. instant vanilla pudding,
prepared to box instructions
• 1 can cranberry sauce,
removed from can and
stirred until smooth
For the whipped cream:
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• 1 ½ tablespoons powdered
sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
1. Combine all ingredients for whipped cream and whip until it
holds a peak.
2. In a glass bowl, layer cake, pudding, cranberries and whipped
cream.
3. Repeat until all ingredients are gone.
4. Note: Try to save enough whipped cream to cover the top of
the trifle.

Ok, how easy are those recipes. And because you did something extra to them you can say, you made them yourself.

We also paired with dinner. It was my take on that box with the big white glove that you add to ground beef. I don’t like the box stuff since I don’t eat too many processed foods and I find the mix to be too salty. This night I gave it an Indian twist. I also used it as a way to clean out some leftovers in the fridge.

DSCN2702Kellie’s One Skillet Meal
1 lb ground beef
6 baby portabella mushrooms
½ cooked butternut squash – peeled and cubed
3 canned potatoes (hey, it was in the fridge) – cubed
1 can light coconut milk
Tandoori seasoning to taste
Fresh ginger – grated
Fresh nutmeg – grated
Pinch Cinnamon
Panch Puran – toasted
I buy this mix at Indian grocery stores. You can make your own with fennel seeds, fenugreek, whole cumin and mustard seed. You can leave out completely but I love the aroma and the texture it gives dishes.

Mix all ingredients in a large skillet and cook on med until coconut milk has thickened. Serve with rice or naan. I know ground beef isn’t traditional with all Indian food but it’s your home, make what you want, the way you want.

Since Mother Nature has decided it should look and feel a lot like Christmas, I say bundle up next to a cozy fire and let the festivities begin. Cheers!

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Simply… Cooking with MawMaw’s and Granny’s Cast Iron

Posted on November 6, 2014 by Kellie Stargaard

Yesterday I read Rick Bragg’s, “Southern Journal”, at the end of the November issue of

Maw-Maw and buggy

Maw-Maw and buggy

Southern Living. In this issue he was talking about his mother and her refusal to cook “on new stuff”. For some time now I’ve realized the older I get the more I want to simplify my life. While some can’t wait for the latest technological gadget, I find myself drawn more towards a more traditional lifestyle.

The article got me thinking about the array of cast iron I’ve accumulated over recent years. Some are from my great-grandmother, MawMaw, some from my Granny, others we’ve purchased from garage sales, thrift stores or received from other people. Most are old but we do have a few new pieces as well.

Prior to moving to NE Georgia I was talking to a friend who lives in the area. She was talking about the outlet malls and the Le Creuset outlet. She seemed genuinely over joyed with this cookware and while I’m sure it’s great and they certainly are nice looking, I told her, “I have my Granny’s old cast irons.” She replied with, “But it’s Le Creuset.” I think that’s when I realized there is a huge difference between the things I value and what many other people value. That’s ok though, different strokes for different folks.

Slow roasted pork

Slow roasted pork

So why do I value things that are old? Why don’t I feel the need to run out and spend money on the latest and greatest, the “in” thing, the fancy, shamancy gadget? I don’t know, I wasn’t always in this mind set of “old” sometimes is better than “new”, but there’s something about having old family items. A living and useable piece of history, I find comforting, a little like a piece of them is here with me. When my husband and I cook fried chicken in those old skillets, it takes me back to my childhood when my family still lived just blocks away from my Granny. I remember picnics with cold fried chicken cooked in one of these skillets. The memory always makes me smile.

We use ours at least twice a week. We even cook pizza on them, no need a pizza stone, ifDSCN2692 you have a big enough pan, just stick it in the oven on high heat, place your pizza in the pan and stick back in the oven.

Tonight I’m making an Indian dish with chicken, okra and some left over pole beans and eggplant. I don’t have a clear direction on it yet but whatever it becomes, it will be just one warm dinner our of 100’s cooked in that old cast iron skillet.

My favorite quote from Rick Bragg’s article is, “Rust waits on idle metal. These pans, these skillets are never idle.”

Mac & Cheese with bacon

Mac & Cheese with bacon

 

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Apothic Dark

Posted on October 30, 2014 by Kellie Stargaard

BonaventureYou’re alone driving in a strange down when you take a wrong turn and found yourself hopelessly lost. You turn around trying to find your way back but you get further and further away from anything. Every turn seems to take you deeper into darkness, no street lights, old abandoned fields and by the old steps leading to nothing but weeds and the occasional chimney, now standing alone, this once was a thriving area.

You continue driving with no signal on your phone and your GPS stopped working as soon as you left the main road. You see a single house raised slightly above the road. You park in front of the steps and walk step by step up to the ragged porch. An uneasy feeling washes over you and you know you should run in the opposite direction yet something continues to draw you to the front door.

Hesitantly you walk up the old gray wooden porch steps sagging from years of neglect. The porch is overrun with old vines and cobwebs. Slowly you knock on the door, your heart pounding and fear is starting to take hold. You peer into the dirty and dark windows looking for any sign of life when you catch a streak of white out of the corner of your eye. You hear heavy foot falls from behind you. Gripped with fear you turn to see who’s approaching then you see it…

BOO!!! Did I scare you? Oh, you probably have the lights on don’t you. Well there’s no longer any reason to be afraid of the dark, not when it comes to this week’s wine anyway, Apothic Dark.

When I was a kid I was almost as excited about the approach of Halloween as Christmas or my birthday. Something about ghosts, haunted houses, witches, black cats and things that go bump in the night drew me in and still do. I’m also a little obsessed with cemeteries but have to be careful nothing follows me home, if you know what I mean.

My love for Halloween and spooky things followed me into adulthood. I don’t get dressed up now unless going to a party but I do wear a set of cat ears and paint whiskers on my face, even though we don’t have a single Trick or Treater on my road. Aside from decorating my house, I always seek out some yummy and spooky looking wine for Halloween night. This year it’s Apothic Dark.

1334Aromas of dark plum and black cherry. Medium to full bodied with firm tannins, lush black cherry, vanilla bean and a hint of mocha in the smooth finish. Truly a delightful wine.

A limited release I found this at BJ’s Wholesale Club for around $8. I have to say it is one of my best recent wine fines for under $10 in sometime. I picked up two bottles but now wishing I’d purchased more.

From the Apothic website:
Combining Old World mystery with New World sophistication, Apothic is a true original. Named for the mysterious place, Apotheca, where vintners stored their most coveted concoctions in 13th century Europe, Apothic blends fuse Old World intrigue with modern sophistication. Winemaker Boyd Morrison lets the character and flavor of each varietal guide the shape of his blends.

Winemaker Debbie Juergenson crafts Apothic wines by blending distinctive California grapes, allowing the characteristics of each varietal to give shape to the wine.

leg 1This year I’ve got a few anomalies in photos. The first was in May after our rooster, the chicken, not the dog, attacked me and hit an artery. I was taking photos to send to my husband to show what a mean bird he really is and caught a strange light. I took the photos in three different rooms and the same light is in all photos. I’ve taken 1000’s of pictures with this phone and this is the first time something like this appeared. If anyone has any answers for what that is other than a spirit, let me know. I did send the three pics to someone who is an armature paranormal investigator and her response was, “holy shit Kellie, there’s something there.”

1219More recently was on a trip to Savannah and dinner at The Olde Pink House. We were in the downstairs bar, lit only by candlelight. I ordered the She Crab soup and took a picture. Later when we returned home I uploaded the photos to my PC and found this same light. I think it was checking out my soup, which by the way was delicious.

Happy Halloween!

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Chianti Days are Upon Us

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Kellie Stargaard

Ok, so Chianti Days isn’t really a thing but I always seem to enjoy Chianti when the tempsDSCN2516 are cooler. Maybe it’s because it lends itself so beautifully to the hearty dishes of fall and winter, maybe it’s because my wine cellar temps really start to drop and resemble European wine temps more, meaning I can grab a bottle of red without pre-chilling or maybe it’s because they take me away to another place. Whatever the reason, as soon as the leaves begin to drop and blanket our deck and forest floor aka our backyard, I find myself filling my glass with that wonderful Italian wine.
This week seems to be the first official week of fall, although the calendar indicates it’s been fall for a full month now. Mornings in NE Georgia are in the mid-40’s, highs in the 60’s and this week we’ll have two consecutive mornings in the upper 30’s. Time to switch out the warm weather clothing and bedding for winter wear and time to switch out those wines too. Oh, I’ll still enjoy Rose’s and whites but I’ll be hitting the reds a lot more. This week I’m crazy for Chianti with three recent samples from Banfi. I’ll cover two of those wines in this post. Look for the third coming soon.

Chianti Classico Riserva Banfi Tuscany 2010
Deep ruby in color with aromas of plum and black cherry. Flavors are lush with ripe DSCN2517blackberry and currant with a hint of toasted vanilla bean in the finish. This isn’t your grandmother’s Chianti. I say that because on occasion I find Chianti to be so dry I feel like dust will come out of my mouth. This wine is well structured but tannins are supple and well balanced with the acidity.
Region: Chianti Classico, Tuscany, Italy
Varietal: Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Canaiolo Nero
Acidity 5.5 g/l
Residual Sugar 1.6 g/l
Alcohol 13 %

We paired with cherry tomatoes made into mini Caprese salad, Kluskie Polish noodles with fresh basil pesto and Bohemian Smokies from Pataks Meats, a manufacturer of fine European meats. I love to eat with my fingers so meals like this are my favorite. I did use a fork for the noodles, which would have been a little messy.

 

Per tasting notes: The alcoholic fermentation with a medium period of maceration is followed by at least 2 years of aging, of which a minimum of 12 months is in slavonian oak barrels. The wine concludes its evolution with at least 6 months of bottle aging.

Placido Chianti Tuscany, Italy
Ruby red in the glass. Aromas of strawberry and what I refer to as Band-Aid smell. This aroma to me is a strong indicator of an old world style wine. Flavors are dry with astringent tannins loads of black fruits. It took some swirling for the flavors to open but I would expect this of this style of wine.
Placido ChiantiThis is your Italian Grandmother’s wine. My husband loves old world style, while I prefer new world so he loved this wine.
We paired with an eggplant, asparagus, mozzarella Panini with basil pesto. The wine really paired wonderfully with what I consider to be an adult version of the grilled cheese sandwich. Sorry no pictures of this delicious sandwich. I know, bad blogger but sometimes you just have to eat your food while it’s hot.

Region: Chianti Classico, Tuscany, Italy
Varietal: Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Canaiolo Nero
Acidity 4.6 g/l
Alcohol 12.9 %

Per tasting notes: Maceration with the skins lasts for 8-12 days during primary fermentation. The grapes are pressed and a second fermentation takes place. The wine undergoes a malolactic fermentation and is then aged in temperature-controlled stainless-steel for five to six months before bottling.

Temps will be in the upper 30’s this week and I’m still working on harvesting and using the basil. Earlier in the week I made compound butter, Green Goddess Sauce and basil herb dressing. See my earlier post on the compound butter and basil dressing.
I did repot two of the plants and brought them inside for the winter. Last winter was so cold the rosemary didn’t survive. I’ve heard reports this winter will be colder. I may need an indoor greenhouse.

Tonight I’m making homemade gnocchi with beef stew and fall squash. My first attempt at gnocchi last year turned out really well. I used a fork to roll them and that was a little difficult so I may break down and purchase a gnocchi board. Any suggestions on where to find one on the cheap?

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Simply… Fresh Food Basil Compound Butter & Herb Mustard Vinaigrette

Posted on October 21, 2014 by Kellie Stargaard

Tomorrow morning temps in NE Georgia will be in the upper 30’s. Too cold to risk keeping the basil outside any longer. I decided to replant two of the basil plants and try growing them inside over the winter. But I still had too much basil to replant, so I decided it was time to make basil compound butter.

If you’re ambitious you can make the butter yourself but I had a hunk of Amish unsalted butter in the freezer so I set that on the counter and let it thaw. Next I harvested a bunch of basil, rolled the bunch into a chiffonade (pile, roll tightly) then cut. I added the basil to the butter along with two cloves of garlic and a touch of salt. Here comes the fun part, you can mix with a spatula or just get in there with your hands, which is my preferred method. Just mix until basil, garlic and salt are well incorporated into the butter.

Compound Butter

Compound Butter

I then put the whole thing on parchment paper and flattened a bit. Then simply begin rolling up the parchment until you have a log. You can skip this step and just put in an airtight jar but I wanted to freeze my compound butter and cut what I needed as I go.

Compound Butter

Compound Butter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But I still had some basil left that I didn’t want to risk losing so I whisked up a quick herb mustard vinaigrette.

I didn’t measure anything just about 2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard, a bunch of chopped basil, 2 cloves of chopped garlic and a pinch of salt. Threw it all in the food processor and blended. I think it will be wonderful over roasted radish and salad turnips.

Basil Indoors

Basil Indoors

Herb Mustard Vinaigrette

Herb Mustard Vinaigrette

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