A Couple's Run Gone Bad...

Happy Hump Day all. How is your week going? Mine is going by pretty quickly – thank goodness.

I started yesterday off by skipping my morning run and opting to sleep in instead. I kn0w – I’m so lazy. But I really love my sleep.

For breakfast I had a 3-minute breakfast cookie and was impatient with letting it cool, so it fell apart a bit. Oops. Still yummy.

I grabbed a coffee on my way into work and snacked on a granola bar around 11:00 a.m.

For lunch I had a salad with romaine lettuce, carrots, cheddar cheese, walnuts, dried cranberries and chickpeas – with balsamic vinaigrette.

Late afternoon snack was…what else – Chobani yogurt with granola.

As the afternoon progressed the weather outside looked absolutely amazing. I texted Hubby to see if he might be game for an after-work run. He finally relented and said yes.

I flew home after work and got ready for our run. Hubby seemed a bit hesitant when I told him my plan was to run 4-5 miles. His first run of the season was on Monday night and he probably ran about 2.5 miles. He agreed to the distance, but only if we could take things slow.

Things started off okay – we ran about a 9 minute mile pace for the first two miles. However, as we got close to the end of the promenade around 115 Street there were some shady characters milling about and it made me uncomfortable. I told Hubby I’d like to pick up the pace a bit when we passed them on the way back.

Well, he had his headphones in and thought I was just saying I wanted to pick it up in general on the way back. So, as we turned around and passed those sketchy peeps I picked up the pace a bit. But then once we were past them, Hubby didn’t say anything about our speed, so I thought maybe he wanted to push things a bit longer.

Well…apparently he did not want to push things. We finished our run and he was not a happy camper. He had not intended to run that fast on his second run of the season and I think I pushed things a little too hard. I guess I’m so used to him zooming right by me when we run that I thought he is just always that speedy. I forgot that I usually don’t start running until the Spring (as does he) and generally have to take things easy at first and build up my endurance and speed.

Sorry I pushed you Hubby! I hope you’re not too sore today. Here are our stats from the run: 

Mile 1 – 8:58
Mile 2 – 9:06
Mile 3 – 8:40
Mile 4 – 8:24
.36 – 3:03

Total mileage – 4.36 miles in 38.18

Do you run with your significant other? How do you balance your differing endurance levels and speed?

To be fair: Hubby has definitely pushed me on many, many runs in the past. They were all pre-Garmin, so I can’t tell you exactly how fast we were running. But, I clearly remember finishing the Central Park loop (6.1 miles) in about 50 minutes, which was a record for me at the time. And he was completely unphased and wondered why I was nearly hyperventilating. A taste of his own medicine perhaps?

After our run last night, I had to throw in the last load of laundry (that I avoided didn’t have time for this weekend) so dinner needed to be quick and easy. I made one of these fellas:

Mmmm ketchup and pickles – yum!

A little while later I was definitely in need of some dessert. I decided to get creative a  make a mini cookie. It had:

1/8 cup granola
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup egg whites
1/8 cup of protein powder
1 packet of Truvia
Drizzle of agave
1/2 teaspoon of peanut butter

I nuked it in the microwave on high for 45 seconds and it was amazing!

It was a little sticky, but it was delicious and gave me that dessert taste that I needed. It probably had a few more calories than necessary, but oh well.

You’ve seen many a glass of wine on my blog, but here’s just a few more reasons why it’s usually my alcoholic drink of choice.

A few more reasons why I love wine… 

The Claim: A Glass of Wine With Dinner Aids Digestion - I love wine, so I’ll go with this one. Although I have no clue if the wine I pair with my food with actually aid in digestion, I think it best to at least give it a try.

Wine may help women keep weight in check - ok, I’m not sure how much weight (pun intended) I’d give this study, but again – It might be a good idea to conduct my own study to substantiate.  

Have a good hump day all – I’m sad that I’ll be pounding away on the treadmill tonight – no running buddies around or willing (the consequence for pushing Hubby too hard last night).

[Via http://eatreadrun.com]

Douglas Green Ladies' Day with Honey Jewellery

This year’s Wellington Harvest festival (21-23 March) promises to be an exciting event as the people and wineries from this breathtaking region prepares to welcomes guests.

Douglas Green will also sponsor and present a few thrilling events.

On Saturday 20 March:

The Douglas Green Ladies’ Day with Honey Jewellery and food demos at the VIP Lounge DGB. From 10:00.

Join us for some Wine & Jewellery

Douglas Green is also a co-sponsor of  “Valiant Swart’s acoustic sounds under the stars”. This performance will be at the Breytenbach Sentrum from 18:00.

For more info about the festival: www.harvestfestival.co.za

[Via http://douglasgreen.wordpress.com]

Shenandoah Food and Wine Finds

For the past couple of years Gabriele and I have rented a cabin in the Shenandoah for a quick, relaxing getaway from DC. It’s located about 14 miles outside Front Royal, VA. We’ve always had a nice time, but last weekend was especially fun due to some new food and wine discoveries.

The first find was Vino e Formaggio, in downtown Front Royal. It’s run by Christian Failmezger, a former lawyer and sommelier originally from Austria. He had an impish charm and a lot of enthusiasm, and welcomed us warmly into his shop. He set us up with a gratis tasting, and talked about his philosophy of selling wine in what in his words is still “bourbon and budweiser” country.

He sells almost nothing over $25, and understands he may be introducing his customers to wine for the first time. So he offers a lot of whites and semi-dry wines, and expects a new customer to take a year or more before being interested in reds. He poured us a white wine from Steineger that was predominately the Gruner Veltiner grape, a new one for me. It smelled like a Sauvignon Blanc, but tasted more subdued, not as grassy and with a pear fruit taste dominating.

We had three reds, a forgettable Californian Merlot and French Bordeaux, and then the winner in our opinion. It was a Ruvei Barbera d’ Alba 2007, an expensive wine for the shop at $17. We both like Barberas, and this one was nice, light bodied, very dry but with nice fruit, high acidity and easy tannins. We bought a bottle, and a dessert wine as well. We had a blast, and returned the next day to stock up on a picnic lunch. The serrano ham was fantastic.

Prior to leaving for the weekend, I had used Twitter to ask folks about the best place for dinner in the area. I got back a lot of good suggestions, and some good buzz about a place called Element. It’s one of two restaurants located in a small former apartment building run by David and Stacy Gedney, who met while working at the Inn at Little Washington. Aparment 2g upstairs was booked for the night, so we went to Element.

The vibe is casual and a little funky, without trying too hard to convey it. It’s a small place with only about a dozen tables, and the bartender also waits on the tables. The menu was very small — four apps, four entrees to choose from — but everything was really good.

We started with mussels, and seared tuna. The mussels were large, but perfectly tender and delicious. The tuna was fantastic, perfectly done and served over a salad with a mild Asian sauce that accentuated rather than masked the freshness of the fish. When we go back, I’ll seriously consider asking them to double the portion and have it as my entree. This night I had chicken breast, a different choice for me and done well, very simply. Gabriele had very tasty Mahi Mahi coated with pecan panko, with a delicious Indian couscous side.

As readers of this blog know, we’re big GSM fans. So when I saw two on the wine list, I asked our server for his recommendation. He steered us to the Qupe “Los Olivos Cuvee” 2007. It’s from the Santa Ynez valley in central California, 58% Syrah, 26% Mourdevre and 16% Grenache, a lot more “M” than usual. The wine was excellent, starting with a fresh, subtle bouquet and tasting of restrained fruit through to a smooth finish with a hint of vanilla. I tasted currant fruit, and the wine was a little elusive, hard to describe. It went very well with the meal, and it was very fun to have this kind of meal in downtown Front Royal. We’ll be back, either to Element or to check out Apartment 2g.

We also hit a couple of wineries over the weekend while enjoying some beautiful weather. Narmada winery was pretty and very accommodating. We only liked one of the wines we tasted, their 2008 Melange. It’s their Bordeaux style wine, 60% Cabernet and 40% Merlot. It was nice, very smooth and without the creamy Merlot finish I don’t care for, picked up a bottle for $21.

On the other side of Rt. 211 from Narmada is Gray Ghost winery. Our pourer was very friendly and knowledgeable, and the winner here was a bit of a surprise, their Victorian Red. It’s basically a blush wine, though they don’t describe it that way. 65% Cabernet Franc, and 35% Chardonnay. It’s very flavorful, with a lot of cherry and cranberry fruit that will be enjoyable on a summer day. (OK, Gabriele picked this one but its not bad, and it was only $15.)

So fine food and wine is alive and expanding in the Shenandoah. But make sure you bring you bottle home and leave plenty of time to enjoy the views.

Where the Blue Ridge meets the Shenandoah River

[Via http://cparente.wordpress.com]

Saturday Night Binge!

OMG!!! I can’t believe that I did this.

Mike and I went to my girlfriend Robin’s house for a house warming she was having Saturday Afternoon.  So, I got up with every intention of making some salsas with the VitaMix to take to her party!

I made the Tropical Avocado Salsa – Again. Which turned out even better the second time???

Plus, I made a Pineapple Salsa:

Ingredients:

1Can Cut Pineapples

1/2Orange Bell Pepper

1/4Cup Cilantro

Directions:

Oh they tasted soooo good. I also brought along some Tortilla Chips and some Ritz Crackers for dipping. After finishing the dips and running some last minute errands, we arrived at Robin’s house around 1pm.

I met Robin’s parents, her in-laws; it was such a lovely time. And Robin had out her appetizers (my salsas) and then a lunch which consisted of grilling hamburgers and hot dogs, shrimp gumbo, and a big Strawberry Salad. I had every intentions of eating. In fact I was snacking on my dips that I had brought. But as the afternoon went on, my glass of wine kept getting filled (Not once was my glass of wine empty for more than 10 seconds) and before I knew it, it was around 7 or 8 pm in the evening. 

Well, Mike had to pull me away from the festivities which had winded down to an almost screeching halt and drive home. Needless to say, I jumped right into bed and passed out when I got home.

The next morning, I woke up feeling sluggish and brandishing a headache from the night before. I didn’t do much, but watch movies and drink some Fruit Smoothies, Juice and water. I did have enough energy to get up and make my own version of a Strawberry Salad for lunch and for dinner, Mike got take out from The Outback Restaurant. I ordered a Baked Potato and had some more of my Strawberry Salad.

Barbara’s Strawberry Salad:

Ingredients:

Baby Green Lettuce

Spinach

1Cup Cut Mushrooms

3Green Onions

1Carrot

1Small Bunch Broccoli

6Strawberries Fresh Cut

Oil & Vinegar Dressing

Directions: Wash, cut up all vegetables and fruit and mix into salad bowl. Pour Oil & Vinegar on individual serving.

[Via http://rawtolose40.wordpress.com]

Barbera Meeting 2010: Monday, 8 March

Upon arising this morning I knew that this would be a special day, as I would be tasting the best of the Barbera originating from the Asti province of Piedmont.

On this Monday morning, bright and early at 9:00, winebloggers and journalists arrived at the Barbera Meeting in Asti. The group was international coming from all over Europe, Asia and the United States. Our task this morning was devoted to tasting and evaluating 68 Barbera d’Asti wines. The itinerary was as follows:
Barbera d’Asti DOCG 2008,
Barbera d’Asti DOC 2007,
Barbera d’Asti DOC 2007 Superiore,
Barbera d’Asti DOC 2006
Barbera d’Asti DOC 2006 Superiore.

A grand selection of wines to taste were presented to us and it was impressive. The tasting started promptly at 9:30 and were finished by 11:30. This afternoon a bus will take the bloggers and journalists to a number of wineries in the Asti province. Our Italian hosts and hostesses had presented a beautiful wine tasting venue in a charming elegant bulding dating from the year1733.

I know exactly how a really good quality Barbera should taste and I definitely found some prime wines. Being Monday morning, it was certainly not a typical Monday—a room filled with an international atmosphere and the best of the Barbera wines form the Asti region. Tasting such a large amount could for some be a daunting task, but the key to being objective and sustaining oneself as a serious wine taster is not to get too overwhelmed by the wines themselves, in the meaning that one loses concentration from consuming too much.

The aromas definitely aroused my senses and my palate and all ready midway thorught he tasting I had spotted some favorites and by the end of the tasting I definitely knew which ones I would recommend and buy. What will be interesting is to see the final tallies for each wine tasted. The only criticism I have of this mornings tastings is that only those with Internet connection were able to have their evaluatins recorded for the statistics. A number of tasters had no computer and were primarily writing notes. In some ways a computer could be a bit cumbersome on the table,
nevertheless results were recorded. It will be interesting to see the final results for the Barbera d’Asti wines.

More people are expected to arrive tomorrow and that includes guests who registered through Face Book and Twitter. This morning’s tasting consisted primarily of wine bloggers and journalists, but more are on the way. The day is not over yet and more is to come….For now I have some photos to show you…..

[Via http://piemonteislife.wordpress.com]

Dinner Party

Spring brings to your doorway friends and flowers, loud parties and good wine. In preparation for our dinner party I cleaned and scrubbed, fluffed and folded. I even stripped the old bamboo blinds off the windows and let the warm afternoon sunshine in.

The best kind of dinner parties leave you with more friends than when you came, satisfied but not stuffed and end before any glasses are broken.

May it be a long Spring.

[Via http://lovelylindsay.wordpress.com]

Spice Up Your Life with Rotundone

By Jamie Drummond

Yes… it is a bit of a mouthful, but the fact remains that a hitherto unrecognized aroma impact compound… are you ready for this?… the bicyclic sesquiterpene rotundone is responsible for the distinctive pepper-like aromatics and flavours found in many wines, most frequently in the Syrah/Shiraz varietal… and found in the highest concentrations in cooler climate Australian, Rhône and Hawkes Bay (New Zealand) bottlings.

Wine geek talk you may think? And yes, you would be right, but the recent scientific research conducted by the Australian Wine Research Institute shows that this compound is also responsible for the “pepperiness” one detects in many other foodstuffs… black and white pepper included.

The majority of black and white pepper that we see hails from Indonesia, where in white pepper the softer fruit layer surrounding the seed is removed through a slow fermentation (up to two weeks) in water.  Black peppercorns are slightly different, with the dessicated fruit layer being left upon the seed in its unfermented state. Incidentally, white pepper has markedly higher levels of rotundone than its black counterpart.

“Supertasters” employed by the AWRI were able to detect the rotundone compound at concentrations as low as 0.4 ng/l in both water and wine, making it one of the most powerful aromatic compounds known. However, when one looks a little more deeply into said research one will discover the findings that around 20% of the population has no sensitivity to this compound at even the highest of concentrations. This surprisingly broad anosmia opens up a whole can of peppery worms as the implications of this are wide ranging indeed…

From the Australian Wine Research Institute papers:

“Whereas most of the sensory panelists were sensitive to rotundone, approximately 20% could not detect this compound, even in water, at the highest concentration tested (4000 ng/L). Thus, the sensory experience of two consumers enjoying the same glass of Shiraz wine or sharing the same meal seasoned with pepper might be very different”

During a recent presentation at the 2010 Hawkes Bay Syrah Symposium, Associate Professor Markus Herderich of the AWRI spoke of there being over 700 volatile compounds in wine that have be identified through a combination of both gas and mass spectrometry coupled with detailed sensory evaluation. Through this work it has been discovered that there are only around 12 “impact compounds” which are linked to what the human olfactory organs can actually perceive, with rotundone being one of these compounds. If all of this is getting a little bit too geeky for you then it will probably make you feel a little better to discover that you are most probably already familiar with a number of these compounds, most notably that old chestnut 3-isopropyl-2-methoxypyrazine … yes, that’s the compound responsible for the herbaceous/grassy/green pepper aromatics that one finds in many a wine, particularly Sauvignon Blanc.

The chemistry surrounding the myriad flavour and odour of spices has long been an important area of study for natural products scientists. As far back as the 1800’s researchers have isolated and identified numerous pungent substances in black pepper, including a major component named piperine, something that most students of organic chemistry will be made aware of in their very first semester. Rotundone, the main component in the pepper aromatic, was a much more recent discovery.

Given its name by the Indian Scientists who first discovered this compound in the roots of a native plant named nut grass (or cyprusrotundus) in 1967, the isolation of rotundone  has been a long and arduous task indeed. Despite its incredible potency, with a mere 5ml of the stuff being enough to ensure that every bottle of wine in Australia would appear to exhibit peppery aromatics,  an understanding of how rotundone is formed has proven itself to be most elusive until now.

Alan Pollnitz, who led the team at the Australian Wine Research Institute:

” (The) Industry wants results – they want to know how to grow their grapes to get this compound… Well, some of them do – some of them don’t, some of them have got this secret sewn up just because they happen to have their vineyards in the right spot!”

Scientists are now looking into how rotundone levels can be carefully managed in wine through the use of different root stocks, viticultural practices and new winemaking techniques coupled with the effects of different climates. Of course with this knowledge comes considerable power (read: manipulation), power that cuts to the very heart of the philosophical and cultural context in which wine lives, and scientific findings once again bang heads with the inherent romanticism of wine. Others argue that this “manipulation” is no different from a winegrower choosing to pick his grapes a few days earlier than his neighbour.

Many a puritanical wine lover will find this application of science yet another step too far in the wrong direction, a direction where, with the understanding of rotundone as a nutraceutical, their beloved glass of wine becomes just a little bit more of a chemically engineered beverage. One thing is for sure, these findings won’t be disappearing any time soon. I am pretty sure that we will be hearing a lot more about this compound over the coming years.

Edinburgh-born/Toronto-based Sommelier, consultant, writer, judge, and educator Jamie Drummond is the Director of Programs/Editor of Good Food Revolution… and he readily admits that the term rotundone will be seeing some inclusion in his future tasting notes.

[Via http://goodfoodrevolution.wordpress.com]