Jul 8
Here’s a link to some of the recipes I have gathered and updated for some favorite wines at Wines for Humanity.
Crab Salad Cups to pair with our Duca d’Amalfi, Bordeaux Sec or Sauvignon Blanc
Rare Beef Tenderloin to pair with our Blue Creek Blend, Bordeaux Blend or Pinot Noir
Both delicious and easy!
Enjoy!
Jun 5
I had the honor today of sitting in on a radio program on WHBY 1150AM, Good News Fox Cities with Steve Rose. His two guests were Jean Detjen, Project Starfish, and Karen Harkness, Director of Community Development for the City of Appleton.
Jean talked about her project to help provide for kids to have their basic needs met in school. If they need shoes for basketball or a musical instrument to play in the band or funds to go on a field trip. That’s what Project Starfish helps with. She is partnering with schools in the area, starting with middle schools and hopes to grow it to elementary and high school. The good news with this project is that all kids receiving the help have to identify how they will pay it forward. With Project Starfish, she is growing a culture of caring with our youth. It’s beautiful!
Karen talked about what good things are coming up for the community and let us know that Appleton recently launched its new website. The new website is designed to help you find the information you need based on what you are looking for, rather than having to know what department to go to. Very cool.
I hope you heard the broadcast. If not, definitely check out the website on Monday and listen to the broadcast. Good News Network
Oh, and be sure to listen each and every Saturday to the Good News broadcast, 7:30am. It’s fun, starts out your day on a positive note and sets the stage for a great week!
May 27
The other week a few members from my wine meetup group and I went to Uncorked in Neenah for their blind red wine tasting. The blind portion consisted of 7 wines, and Keith shared 3 of them before the actual blind event started, letting us know what it was that we were tasting. He provided a sheet of details on all 7 of the wines, including aromas, flavors, color.
I came in a little late, so had to rush through the first selection which was a Merlot, and then he gave us a Malbec and Cabernet (Joel Gott 815). (I should have kept the sheet telling me what all the wines were; that would have been so much better for this blog.)
When we had tried and evaluated the 3, Keith covered up all the reds and we went through the blind tasting. (You’d think it would be easy to guess those we had already tasted.) The only easy one was the Australian Shiraz — Jip Jip Rock. Can you guess why? (I’ll tell you at the end of the blog.)
The tasting was so interactive and so much fun because what you believe you know (a Zinfandel and Syrah) when tasting blind can be similar or remind you of something else that you may guess incorrectly.
The 7 wines varietal:
Sangiovese, Malbec, Merlot, Zinfandel, Syrah, Cabernet, Pinot Noir
There were easy guesses: Pinot Noir, Cabernet, Sangiovese and there were no so easy guesses (the nose really threw me off on a couple). I’m not a sommelier and they are well trained in noticing the little nuances of wines to select each and every one correctly.
In the end, I ended up getting the Malbec and Merlot mixed up (it was the nose — the Malbec when I smelled it in the first three had a very distinctive scent, and at the end of the evening, apparently my senses were fatigued, because everything had that same aroma).
It was fun to talk through what you thought, to evaluate and compare and ultimately to find out if you knew as much as you thought you knew.
I will be trying a blind tasting for my wine meetup group in the near future — perhaps a blind white or a blind Cabernet with price points. Want to join us? Let me know.
(The Australian Shiraz was easy to guess because it was the only wine with a screw cap aka Stelvin closure.) Read more on different wine closures in this thorough article: Wine Closures
May 10
Mother’s Day has come and gone, and I wanted to write a short article on what Moms are. My Mom isn’t alive anymore, and because of that, each Mother’s Day is bittersweet. It reminds me of how much I miss her and how grateful I am for what she was able to give me when she was here.
Moms are special people. Even when you argue with her, you know that you can always count on her to be there no matter what. They are fiercely protective, whether it’s a human mother protecting her young or a lioness protecting her cubs, she will fight anything that tries to harm her child.
A Mom never stops being a Mom. Have you ever noticed how one of the first people you call when you need something is Mom? Have you ever noticed that when you’re scared, feeling blue or frustrated, you can call Mom and suddenly everything seems so much better? It doesn’t matter how old you are or how old your Mom is, she will always be your Mom, loving you, taking care of you, guiding you and protecting you.
For those of us who have lost our mothers, we know that she lives on through us, with all her years of wisdom and love guiding us, still helping us take the right path. For all who are so fortunate enough to have your mom around, be sure to appreciate her and show her how much she means to you, because when she’s gone, you’ll long for just one more day with her.
For the mothers who struggle with finances, emotional burdens, other hardships … hang tight. Even when things seem their darkest, you have been given a gift in your child. Children can show you how much compassion, patience and love you have.
For all the Mothers who each and every day give love, support and sometimes sacrifice so much for their children, I raise my glass to you.
To my Mom, I miss you each and every day and am so grateful for all the love and guidance you gave me.
To my son, words can never express how honored I am that God chose me to be your Mom.
Apr 21
The Wine, Food and Friends Event held on April 17 was great fun. A fantastic musician came to entertain us, John Pfeiffer. You’ll definitely want to contact him for your events coming up.
We had great wine — ranging from a Germany Riesling to an Hungarian Red to an Australian Shiraz to a California Cabernet Blend.
Enjoying many different great wine regions, we paired it with fantastic food from Zuppas in Neenah. Stuffed mushroom caps, crab cakes and Beef Tenderloin crostinis that were fantastic!
To top it off we had cheeses, and cheesecake made by Bettersweet Bakery in Plymouth. Yum!
If you were unable to make it, you missed fantastic food, wine, entertainment and a great time with new friends.
The event was an Open for Business event where I talked a little bit about Wines for Humanity and what we’re all about. If you are part of a non-profit or charity organization and need to raise funds, contact me so that I can help you!
Cheers!
