Wine with Cheese

Wine with Cheese

Pairing wines and cheeses is a favorite way to enjoy wine – and cheese! If you are just beginning to explore which wines go with what cheeses, we have some tips for you:

The easiest way to pair is to start with the type of cheese you like the best. There are 4 groups of cheeses: Hard, Soft, Blue Cheese, Goat Cheeses, Rind Cheese and Melted Cheese.

The pairings go as follows:

Hard Cheeses (cheddars, parmigiano, Manchego) go well with a medium body red wine. The most common and most favorite pairing is Cabernet Sauvignon with hard cheeses. But some pair people love pairing a chardonnay with cheddar.

Soft Cheeses (cheese spreads, brie, camembert) are paired with fruity wines. Often these will be a pinot noir or sometimes a rosé.

Blue Cheese (Roquefort, Gorgonzola) are strong cheeses that pair with a sweet wine or sherry.

Goat Cheese pairs with a rosé or a fruity Beaujolais (red) wine.

Melted Cheese (fondu) pairs with a sharp white wine.

Summer Wine Cocktails

Summer Wine Cocktails

Summer wine cocktails are a real summertime thing! Typically, wine’s with mixers are associated with something to add bubbles or a spritz, but those are not the only options for a cool summertime wine cocktail.

Here are some of our favorites!

Ginger Sweet Tea with Wine

Combine a pitcher of fresh brewed tea with a bottle of Moscato and add some ginger syrup. Ginger Syrup is easy to make. Bring equal parts of sugar and water to boil stirring constantly. When the sugar dissolves, remove from heat and let it cool. Add fresh grated ginger. Once the syrup is cooled, strain it and add to the tea. Let it chill in the fridge before serving.

 

Wine Slush

Find your favorite Rosé and pour it into a pitcher. Put this in the Freezer for at least 6 hours. Put the frozen Rosé in the blender along with watermelon juice, agave nectar, lime juice, and a handful of strawberries or raspberries. Blend, Pour, Enjoy!

 

Sangria! 

A basic recipe will combine a Chardonnay with favorite summer fruits – oranges, limes, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries and then some spice like fresh basil. The mix of fruit and wine will need an overnight (no cheating) in the fridge to allow the fruits to ferment and absorb the wine. Before you serve, add the sparkling water or soda water that gives the fizz.

Dress up your Sangria with peaches, plums and nectarines! Puree a peach, plum and nectarines and add a splash of fresh lemon juice. Add to a rosé and elder flower liquor (our favorite, St. Germaine). Add this to some chopped fruits. Then drop in some vanilla beans for the secret flavor.  Let it stay in the refrigerator overnight and then add a splash of sparkling water before serving.

Tips for a great recipe:

Pick a wine that has a lower ABV or alcohol by volume level. These will not only mix well, but allow you to refresh without a higher alcohol consumption.

Summer Wine Spritz

Summer Wine Spritz

Summer Refreshers

Add some refreshment to the hot summer days with Wine Spritzers. For the most common spritzers use 3 oz of any wine you enjoy, over 4 oz of ice, then add 3 oz of a soda (citrus flavors work well) and garnish or add your favorite fruits (cherries, pineapples, lemons, limes).

Sangrias are another favorite for the season. Strawberry-lime sangria is a blend of rosé, lemon-lime soda, fresh strawberries and mint, while citrus sangria is a great combination of grapefruit, orange, lemon, and lime.

If you are feeling fancy you can mix up a bishop cocktail, made with red wine, rum, simple syrup, and lime juice, or a glamour girl martini, which combines rosé, peach schnapps, and cranberry juice.

Recipe for Simple Syrup:

Simple Syrups can include all sorts of flavors from lavender wildflowers from a spring yard to rhubarb to cranberries. But the base of any simple syrup starts with two ingredients – water and sugar.

A base recipe will keep in the refrigerator for a month in a tightly sealed glass jar.

Boil ½ cup water

Slowly add ½ cup granulated sugar

Stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Cool. Store in glass tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator.

 

Port-Like

Port-Like

 

What Makes a Port Wine?

With a competition to name our next wine, it has not been a secret that we are about to debut our newest wine, a Port-Like flavor blended with the peaches we love in Middle Tennessee. So, without further ado, we would like to introduce you to Pulaski Pure Peach, our newest wine and our Port-Style limited edition. But what makes a Port Wine? Here you go:.

Formal Port Wines all have one main feature. They come from Portugal. And, obviously, our Big Creek Winery is not importing from Portugal. But we do share features of Port Wines.

Beyond the common starting place, they share the feature of being a rich, sweet wine that, because of the sweetness, is usually enjoyed as an “after dinner” or dessert wine. There are two main categories of Ports with the first being a berry or fruit base with some chocolate and the second being a tawny port that leans to caramel and nuts.

The colors of Port Wines reveal their ingredients:

White Ports (made usually with grapes), best served cold at 40° F.

Rosé Ports (made often with Strawberry, Raspberry, Cranberry and Caramel) best served over ice.

Tawny Ports (made with Caramel, Raspberry, Hazelnut, Cinnamon, Clove, Fig) best served at 50° F or cool.

Ruby Ports (made with Blackberry, Raspberry, Cinnamon, Chocolate) best served slightly cool at 60° F.

Port Wines also have special wine glasses. They are smaller than other glasses, holding about 3 oz servings. Both the sweetness of the wine and the fact that it is generally a higher alcohol percentage means that smaller portions are in order.

Chefs love Port Wines. They make terrific toppings for all sorts of dishes, frequently substituted for a balsamic glaze topping. Port Wines reduce easily and can be a recipe substitute for brown sugar or maple syrup.

Port Wines are a kitchen staple and a wine cellar option. They are designed to age well over very long periods of time. Those bottles with long corks can age for 100 years, although we hope you will enjoy your bottle and come back for more. Once opened, a Port Wine sealed with a vacuum style wine cork will keep for 2 weeks.

Look for announcements as we debut the Big Creek Winery newest wine!

Escape the Cold with Mulled Wine

Escape the Cold with Mulled Wine

The traditional winter treat for warming up those freezing cold days is Mulled Wine. The tradition of defending against winter chills with Mulled Wine seems to date back to the Roman Empire when soldiers would heat wine to keep themselves warm. As the Empire spread, so did the idea of Mulled Wine.

Today, we think of Mulled Wines as a holiday beverage, but it is a wonderful way to enjoy wine and to spread the luscious scent of spices as you prepare it. The trick to keeping alcohol from burning off is to do this on a low heat and to allow it to gently heat over 30 minutes and to let it stand in a covered pot to cool a little before serving. The longer the wine stands, the more robust the infusion of the spices will be.

Our favorite Mulled Wine is:

  • 1 bottle of your favorite red wine
  • 3 whole cinnamon sticks
  • 2 inch piece of ginger sliced
  • 1 tbs of whole cloves
  • 1/4 cup Maple Syrup
  • 2 oranges cut in half

Stir all ingredients into a large pot (5 cups). Squeeze the orange juice into the pot and then add the orange rinds. Gently warm the wine mixture for about 30 minutes. Make sure that you don’t let the wine come to a full boil. The longer it heats, the more the spices will infuse the wine. Let the wine cool a little bit

Strain the cloves, ginger and cinnamon as you pour glasses. Serve warm with a slice of orange as a garnish.

 

 

Chicken, Mushroom and Artichoke Casserole

Chicken, Mushroom and Artichoke Casserole

By Denise Grisham, author of Man that Stuff is Good

For pairing with Hunter’s Run Cranberry Wine
 
 

It’s hard to believe five years has passed since I started the “Man, That Stuff is Good!” blog. When I scroll through the folders on my computer, I’m even more overwhelmed by how many recipes I haven’t gotten around to posting. To say I’ve been in a transitional state for the past four years has been an understatement. It seems I woke up one day and my zing, energy, gusto, etc. flew out the door. In hindsight I realize how excessive stress can and will destroy your health. Add to that, as my husband tells me, “you do too much for everyone.” He has accused me of putting other peoples needs (personal and work) in front of my own and worrying about the consequences of other’s peoples actions and trying to fix it for them. Guilty as charged. I’ve been working on changing that to a positive. It’s hard to say No when you are a people pleaser at heart. The last six months I quit doing so much for people who did so little for me. All I can say is I’m sorry I didn’t do it sooner.

My last doctor appointment showed that my TSH jumped in one year from 3.78 to 4.958 with 5 being the magic number that a traditional doctor will begin treating you for hypothyroidism. To me, that was like saying, “OK. I realize you stay fatigued, have brain fog, your skin is dry, hair is falling out, nails are breaking, face is puffy, you can’t lose weight, muscles and joints ache and you can’t sleep. However, we’re gonna wait and check your blood again in a few months. Then, if you push five and over, we’ll see about prescribing a synthetic hormone.” After thinking about it a week, I opted to check into a holistic option. If it works, the proof will be in the next blood test. I will say, two weeks in and my energy has improved and I seem to be sleeping better. And the cause of that stress? Let’s just say the sooner you get rid of it, the sooner your health can begin to improve.

Time to get off the soap box. I believe in the motto “Life is Good” and try to embrace that everyday!

Here is a simple casserole filled with two of my favorites: artichokes and mushrooms. The pictures show my old counter tops so it’s been a while since I fixed it. I have my scratch pad sheet with my hand-written notes of what I put in the casserole dish. I don’t know if I was making this with stuff in the fridge or what. I’m really surprised I don’t have spinach in this dish. The next time I do it, it will.


INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (stewed and shredded)
16 oz. sliced, fresh Portabella mushrooms
2-3 cans quartered artichokes, drained (I used 3 cans, but I love artichokes)
Olive oil
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste
Garlic salt to taste
1 tablespoon capers
5 oz. shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large casserole dish, layer artichokes and mushrooms.
Sprinkle bread crumbs over the top. Season to taste.
 Add chicken to casserole. Pour broth and lemon juice over meat and veggies.
Drizzle olive oil over the top.
Spread capers over all. Top with shredded Parmesan cheese.
 Bake until mushrooms are cooked and Parmesan cheese is melted.
Serve with steamed broccoli and carrots for a delicious, healthy meal.
Baked Stuffed Zucchini

Baked Stuffed Zucchini

The perfect pairing with Milky Way Blue Blueberry-Blackberry Wine

By Denise Grisham, author of Man that Stuff is Good

 
 
My Aunt Kay was telling me about how my cousins loved it when Grandma Albert fixed them baked zucchini. Why hadn’t I thought of that before? This is the perfect way to use this quickly overgrown vegetable. Basically you will mix up an “Italian sausage meatloaf” and add whatever goodies to the mix to make it even better! Grandma poured tomato sauce over the zucchini but I opted to use two jars of canned crushed Roma tomatoes from the pantry.
 
Lay the zucchini on the counter to figure out which way to cut it in half so that it will lay flat. With a heavy duty serving spoon, scoop out all the seeds so that all you have left is the firm flesh.
 
Lay the zucchini on a baking sheet. (Salt and pepper to taste) I try to make this a little on the healthy side and leave out the additional salt, but Andy thinks the zucchini is too bland if you don’t add additional seasonings.
 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a medium bowl mix well:
  • 5 mild Italian sausages (casing removed)
  • 1/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup onions, chopped
  • 1 cup colored peppers, chopped
  • 1 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped
  • 2 tsp. minced garlic

Stuff into the zucchini “boats”

 
Cover with your choice of sauce or two cans of crushed tomatoes. Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered for one hour.
Top each zucchini with 2 slices of mozzarella cheese. Return to oven and bake until cheese is nicely browned and melted, about 20 minutes.
 
If the zucchini is not tender enough, cover with aluminum foil so the cheese doesn’t burn. The flesh of baked zucchini a lot firmer. Spoon extra tomato sauce over the top and serve with garlic bread.
Classic Greek Chicken Paired with Campbellsville Bear

Classic Greek Chicken Paired with Campbellsville Bear

By Denise G. Grisham, author of “Man That Stuff is Good“

  • 6 leg quarters
  • Juice of two lemons
  • 1   tbsp. dry oregano
  • 1   tsp. minced onion
  • 1   tsp. Lawry’s garlic salt with parsley flakes
  • 5   tbsp. olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Arrange leg quarters skin side up in an aluminum lined casserole dish. Pour lemon juice and drizzle olive oil over chicken. Top with spices. Place in 350 degree oven, uncovered, for one and a half to two hours, or until skin is a nice golden brown. Check that it is done by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest meat portion for a reading of 165 degrees. For more on this dish, visit HERE.

Thanks to Denise Gaudette Grisham for supplying this original recipe. She is the author of “Man That Stuff is Good,” a robust and popular cooking and food website. Denise says that this dish is best paired with a slightly sweet wine that can provide a “nice balance to the lemon juice.” She and her husband, Andy, serve steamed broccoli and carrots with the dish. We suggest the Campbellsville Bear, but please visit the winery for a tasting so you can choose your favorite.

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://manthatstuffisgood.blogspot.com/2012/07/classic-greek-chicken.html

Not Just For Drinking!

Not Just For Drinking!

Wines have always been a favorite ingredient for any adventurous chef! Wines will be used to create a zesty marinade. But it can also be used as a way to add pizazz to a dish before serving. Some will also use wine as a liquid to replace water or other cooking liquids.
The idea of using wine – just like using any other seasoning – is to enhance a food without covering up its natural taste.
If you are cooking the wine, the alcohol will evaporate, leaving flavor, but no alcohol. The amount of wine is always an art and sometimes a trial and error. Too much wine will overcome the food, but too little will not add to the flavor.
Just like any marinade or ingredient, it is always best to use the wine in the recipe rather than pouring wine on the food just before serving. The wine’s flavors will seep into the food and enhance its flavor it is not a last minute thought. The rule is to add the wine not less than 10 minutes before the food has finished cooking
The best cooks will add wine to only one dish in a meal. You would never want every food on the plate to be seasoned with garlic or any other seasoning and you also don’t want all the food items to be wine-flavored.
And don’t feel like you have to use the entire bottle of wine… An opened wine will last just fine in your refrigerator for up to 1-2 weeks IF you are planning to use it to cook with.

Pecan Shortbread (Paired with Blackberry Wine)

Pecan Shortbread (Paired with Blackberry Wine)

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup finely ground pecans

1/4 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

1 egg yolk

Lightly grease a large rimmed baking sheet and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, pecans, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. With a pastry cutter or 2 forks, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles fine meal. Add the yolk and blend with a fork. Lightly knead the dough on a very lightly dusted surface until smooth.
Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet and flatten it into a 6-inch round. Refrigerate until well chilled, around 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Using the blunt side of a knife, score the dough into 8 wedges. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. While still warm, cut into wedges with a serrated knife. Let cool to room temperature.

Yield: 8 servings

Note: Can be drizzled with chocolate if desired. Store in an airtight container and use within 3 days.

​Recipe courtesy of picktn.org.