Dancing Spoon

Château d'Yquem Video Interview

Wine About

by J. Michael Wheeler
They pick each individual grape by hand. They pick the ripest fruit; they pick the most rotten. If they are not ripe enough and not rotten enough they leave it for the next wave of picking. They are, of course, picking grapes for the legendary Château d'Yquem, the very best Sauternes, one of the most remarkable wines in the world. Château d'Yquem is located in Sauternes in Bordeaux and is one of the worlds most expensive sweet white wines. In fact, it's simply one of the world's most exclusive wines all categories.

Sandrine Garbay, Château d'Yquem's the chief winemaker and cellar master (maitre de chai) is interviewed by Dancing Spoon Community member Per Karlsson . She has been in charge of wine making since at Château d'Yquem 1998. More interview information.

Andre Simon, a wine writer, merchant, and gourmet, described Château d'Yquem as “distilled dew and honey with the fragrance of all of the fresh wild flowers of the field greeting the dawn.”

Those weren’t the words that flowed from my lips after tasting Château d'Yquem for the first time, but only because I lack the poetry. The 2001 vintage was rated 100 by both Robert Parker and the Wine Spectator.

Young Yquem is a beautiful brilliant golden color and the wine darkens to a deep tawny with age. And age it can do. The Antique Wine Company has a listing for an 1811 bottle priced at £41,000.00!   

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Aerates your wine while you pour it!

Soiree Bottle-top Wine Decanter
The Soiree is a wine accessory that fits into any standard corked wine bottle, and comes with an extra gasket that will work with any screw cap bottle; allowing you to pour, without dripping, directly through the Soiree. Once you place the Soiree in the wine bottle, the Soiree aerates your wine as you pour it. The Soiree allows you to decant just the portion of wine you want - a glass or a carafe. The Soiree can also be used to pour the wine into a decanter, further expediting the "opening" of your wine. Soiree fits securely into any wine bottle allowing you to pour, without dripping directly through the Soiree. In using the Soiree to aerate your wine, you will notice the subtleties and character of the wine emerge immediately upon entering your glass. Soiree delivers a truly open wine just by pouring through it!

Hand selected wine accessories are at Foodie's Emporium! Click here.

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Vulcan Fire Grilled Shrimp

Ordinary Out of the

OOO by Kate Krukowski Gooding
Vulcan Fire Grilled Shrimp and Blood Orange Asparagus Salad
I always try new things that are Out of the Ordinary. And when I discovered Vulcan Fire Salt at The Spice House, I just had to try it. Coupled with the Caribbean Calypso Seasoning (featuring lemon, lime and orange zest) this dish is good it almost made the shrimp sit up and take notice!

Vulcan, according to history, was originally an Italian fire-god, particularly associated with destructive fire. He is also known as a Roman god of beneficial and hindering fire, including the fire of volcanoes. And Vulcan was yet further identified with the Greek smith-god Hephaestus, who has a constructive use of fire in metalworking. I brought these gods past histories together into a modern and beneficial practice we can all use; cooking and grilling.

Vulcan Fire Grilled Shrimp and Blood Orange Asparagus Salad
Serves 6
Ingredients Shrimp

  1 large clove garlic
  1 tablespoon Vulcan Fire Salt*
  1 tablespoon Caribbean Calypso Seasoning*
  2 tablespoons olive oil
  2 teaspoons lemon juice
  1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Night of 1,000 Cupcakes!

Cupcakes 3,006 Little

J. Michael Wheeler

Cupcake lovers celebrate the glory that is the cupcake in Jaffrey, NH with the 4th Annual Night of 1,000 Cupcakes! On Thursday, July 16, 2009, from 5:30 – 8:30 pm, the front lawn of the Jaffrey Civic Center will be covered with thousands of cupcakes!

Every summer since 2006, hundreds of bakers, decorators, judges and connoisseurs have gathered for this cupcake celebration. Guinness Book take note: last year’s count was 3,006 brilliant little cakes!

Art exhibitions, live music, wine & punch accompany an embarassment of cupcakes, all delicious, beautiful and, well, stimulating. Sets of gourmet cupcakes will be raffled off.

Dancing Spoon is pleased to join the Night of 1,000 Cupcakes as its first ever media sponsor. The JCC is located at 40 Main Street in Jaffrey, NH. Admission is always free and open to the public.

Directions to The Night of 1,000 Cupcakes!

Award Categories and Sponsors.

Join the Night of 1,000 Cupcakes Group on Dancing Spoon Community!

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Frieling 0103 5-6 Cup French Press: Beautiful? Yes! But, there is more than what meets the eye. Double-wall construction keeps coffee or tea hot and cold drinks cold longer. (55 customer reviews)

Features:
• 18/10 stainless-steel, double-wall construction keeps coffee or tea warm after brewing
• Full-length handle is comfortable in the hand
• All-steel mesh plunger easily pushes down coarse coffee grounds or loose tea leaves
• Also works as a pitcher for hot or cold beverages
• Measures 8-5/8 inches tall; disassembles for dishwasher or hand washing

 The Best for Coffee Lovers at Foodie's Emporium.

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Monaco's Bluefin Tuna Ban

Seafood Sustainable

by J. Michael Wheeler
Country Goes Bluefin-Free
Seafood Choices Alliance reports that the whole country of Monaco has gone bluefin-free to help protect the troubled tuna species. The fish will no longer be on menus or for sale in Monaco's shops and restaurants. Monaco's transition to a bluefin-free territory is especially significant not only because it is the first territory in the world to take this step but also because the principality has a long tradition of fishing and eating bluefin tuna. This pioneering move by Monaco comes at a time of growing international support for bluefin to be listed as an endangered species when the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) meets early next year in Doha, Qatar.

In France, at the end of 2007, Auchan Group decided to stop selling bluefin tuna in all its stores, as well as in its Atac and Simply Market brands. In 2009, after various years of progressive reduction, Carrefour has announced it would not market Mediterranean bluefin tuna in Europe anymore.

Seafood Choices Alliance is an international program that provides leadership and creates opportunities for change across the seafood industry and ocean conservation community. Founded in the United States in 2001, Seafood Choices helps the seafood industry— from fishermen and fish farmers to processors, distributors, retailers, restaurants, and food service providers —to make the seafood marketplace environmentally, economically and socially sustainable.  Info Seafood Choices Alliance

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Bottomfeeder: How to Eat Ethically in a World of Vanishing Seafood
Dividing his sensibilities between Epicureanism and ethics, Taras Grescoe set out on a nine-month, worldwide search for a delicious—and humane—plate of seafood. What he discovered shocked him. From North American Red Lobsters to fish farms and research centers in China, Bottomfeeder takes readers on an illuminating tour through the $55-billion-dollar-a-year seafood industry. Grescoe examines how out-of-control pollution, unregulated fishing practices, and climate change affect what ends up on our plate. More than a screed against a multibillion-dollar industry, however, this is also a balanced and practical guide to eating, as Grescoe explains to readers which fish are best for our environment, our seas, and our bodies.

At once entertaining and illuminating, Bottomfeeder is a thoroughly enjoyable look at the world’s cuisines and an examination of the fishing and farming practices we too easily take for granted.

Hand selected books for foodes are at Foodie's Emporium! Click here.

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Brew Coffee in a French Press

Tricks Tips and

J. Michael Wheeler

Making coffee in a French Press is simplicity itself: medium to coarsely ground coffee is placed in a cylinder, hot water is poured into the cylinder and a plunger separates the coffee from the grounds. Done.

Like other brewing methods you can vary the amount of coffee to your preferences. Illy suggests one tablespoon per 8 ounces, others recommend two tablespoons per eight ounces (I use two). Almost universally, it is recommended to let the coffee brew for 3-5 minutes depending on the grind (always use a medium to course grind). Illy, at its web site, tells us you don’t need to let the coffee brew at all. I’ve tried both ways. The Illy method yields a cleaner but less rich cup of coffee. It’s up to you.

How to Use Put the French Press on a flat, dry surface and holding handle of the press, pull the plunger straight up and out of the pot.

Place one or two heaping tablespoon (7 - 8 grams) of coffee into the pot for every 8 ounces of water. A medium to course grind should be used. Try different grinds to suit your taste. Too fine a grind can clog the filter and make it difficult to press.

Pour hot (not boiling) water into the pot.

Stir the water and grounds a couple of times then fit the plunger into the cylinder with plunger base above the water.

Set your timer (buy a timer) for 3-5 minutes. I let my coffee brew for four minutes.

When ready, push the plunger down using a slow, steady motion. Slow and steady pressure produces the best results. (Pushing too fast could cause hot coffee to shoot out from the spout of the pot. Not a good thing.)

Let the pot rest for a minute or so to let the coffee settle. Like good red wine, there will be sediment at the bottom of your coffee cup; don’t drink it!

Wash the pot in mild detergent and water and dry thoroughly after each use.

Extras:
To heat the water for my coffee I use an electric kettle. I fill it the night before, and as soon as I wake up in the morning, I stumble into the kitchen and click it on. When I stumble back, the water is hot and the first thing I do is to pour hot water into the French Press to pre-heat it. Then I pour that water into my coffee cup to pre-heat that. Then I make my coffee.

It’s hard to find a better tasting cup of coffee brewed at home this side of a really great espresso machine.

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Frieling 0103 5-6 Cup French Press: Beautiful? Yes! But, there is more than what meets the eye. Double-wall construction keeps coffee or tea hot and cold drinks cold longer. (55 customer reviews)

Features:
• 18/10 stainless-steel, double-wall construction keeps coffee or tea warm after brewing
• Full-length handle is comfortable in the hand
• All-steel mesh plunger easily pushes down coarse coffee grounds or loose tea leaves
• Also works as a pitcher for hot or cold beverages
• Measures 8-5/8 inches tall; disassembles for dishwasher or hand washing

 The Best for Coffee Lovers at Foodie's Emporium.

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Guarded Secrets of Food, Inc.

Food Factory

by J. Michael Wheeler
Where Does Food Come From?
"From the store," most kids answer. They are, of course, wrong. Most food comes from the factory. On the PBS program NOW, (Food, Inc.Behind the food we love—Secrets that giant food companies don't want you to know. Week of 6.5.09) David Brancaccio talks with filmmaker Robert Kenner, the director of "Food, Inc." What goes into the production, packaging, and sales of our foods?

"Food, Inc." takes a hard look at the secretive and surprising journey food takes on the way from processing plants to our dinner tables. The two discuss why contemporary food processing secrets are so closely guarded, their impact on our health, and another surprising fact: how consumers are actually empowered to make a difference.

Here's the trailer for Food, Inc.

Why is factory food so cheap? And is the cost at the supermarket or fast food joint the real cost? How does it affect our personal health and the health of the nation? The modern supermarket has, on average, 47,000 products! Food, Inc. Behind the food we love—Secrets that giant food companies don't want you to know. Watch NOW's David Brancaccio talks with filmmaker Robert Kenner, director of Food, Inc. on PBS.org

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The Food of a Younger Land: A Portrait of American Food--Before the National Highway System, Before Chain Restaurants, and Before Frozen Food, When the Nation's Food Was Seasonal

Award-winning New York Times–bestselling author Mark Kurlansky takes us back to the food and eating habits of a younger America: Before the national highway system brought the country closer together; before chain restaurants imposed uniformity and low quality; and before the Frigidaire meant frozen food in mass quantities, the nation’s food was seasonal, regional, and traditional. It helped form the distinct character, attitudes, and customs of those who ate it.

Click here to buy The Food of a Younger Land: A Portrait of American Food--Before the National Highway System, Before Chain Restaurants, and Before Frozen Food, When the Nation's Food Was Seasonal

Hand selected books for foodes are at Foodie's Emporium! Click here.

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Grillin' Basics Part Two

Tips Grilling

 by J. Michael Wheeler
Grill Greener
In L.A. where I grew up, it was always grilling season. Here in New England it isn't. (There are exceptions: see Shep's Winter Grilled Turkey.) So when the last of the snow is gone and any bit of vegetation merely thinks the word sprout, we break out the grillin' gear. This year we're also concerned with grilling greener. How do you lessen your carbon (bare)footprint? Here are a few ideas and some links for more info:

• Gas grills have lower emissions than charcoal or electric grills. A gas grill emits about half as much CO2 as charcoal grills and about one-third as much as an electric grill.

• Use sustainable-farmed charcoal or chips. If you do use a charcoal grill, the Forest Stewardship Council certifies producers that follow good resource management.

• Avoid lighter fluid which releases Volatile Organic Compounds. VOCs are hazardous to health. Use a chimney starter instead.
Check out these Grill Greener links: The Sundance Channel's The Green Blog and Treehugger How to Grill Green.

Tips: Grilling with Cedar Planks
Using wooden planks for grilling adds moisture and flavor to your grilled food. Grill with the lid closed: it's the best of both worlds, steaming and grilling combined. Turn thick pieces of fish and chicken. Thinner cuts like baby red snapper don't need to be turned during grilling. Using a cedar plank will take a little longer than regular grilling.

You can purchase cedar planks that are sold for specifically for grilling, (like the Camerons Products Cedar Planks pictured here) or you can go to your local lumberyard and buy untreated cedar planks. You can buy them as 1 x 4 inch planks in varying lengths. Ask to have them cut it into 12" lengths, which would handle two or three pounds of fish or chicken.

Soak the planks in water for one hour or longer before grilling. When the grill is hot, put the plank on the grill, smooth side down and char. Turn the wood over and then place fish or chicken on top to cook. The planks maybe reused.

Buy cedar planks for grilling. Click here.

Easier Grilling
Time to uncover the grill, find the super-long tongs, and fill the beer tub with ice, beer, and maybe a nice Spanish Albarino: it's grilling season. And while we can all get over-the-top with complicated, time-consuming preparations and fussy ingredients, sometimes keep it simple is just the way to go.

Thin is In Grill thin cuts of marinated meat. Marinating starts the cooking process and because the meat is so thin, it cooks quickly.

Organic Timers Grill foods that tell you when they're ready. It's easy to know when most shellfish is done: Shrimp curl and turn pink, and clams open.

No Fuss Foods Grill foods that are hard to under- or overcook. Salmon is great served rare or medium.

Common Cooking Temps If all the ingredients in a meal cook over the same temperature, then you can grill them all simultaneously.

Read more grilling articles, Click here.

Grilling Recipes
We've got some very tasty summer recipes at Dancing Spoon Magazine. Try Kate Gooding's Smoked Duck in a Raspberry Sauce is from her new Dancing Spoon column Out of the Ordinary. Gloria Bakst brings us Black Cod or Sable Grilled in Miso Marinade and Nori Topped Summer Salad an inventive, refreshing salad using a world of ingredients.
Find more grilling recipes, Click here.

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Weber 22-1/2-Inch One-Touch Gold Charcoal Grill, Blue.
Qualifies for FREE SHIPPING!

Weber 22-1/2-Inch One-Touch Gold Charcoal Grill
Weber Gold Series, 22-1/2" Dark Blue 1 Touch Charcoal Kettle Grill, Heavy Gauge Porcelain Enameled Steel Lid & Bowl, High Capacity No Rust Ash Catcher, Patented 1 Touch Cleaning System, Heat Resistant Nylon Handles On Lid & Bowl, Hinged Cooking Grate, 10 Year Limited Warranty.

• Charcoal grill with heavy-gauge porcelain enamel to prevent rust
• Nickel-plated cooking grate includes 2 hinged side openings for easy re-fueling
• Tripod base, nylon handles, and all-weather wheels provide easy maneuvering
• One-Touch stainless-steel cleaning system; removable high-capacity ash catcher
• Measures approximately 23 by 27 by 35 inches; 10-year limited warranty

Hand selected grills and grill accessories are at Foodie's Emporium!
Click here.

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Mac and Cheese with Lobster

Ordinary Out of the

OOO by Kate Krukowski Gooding
Grown Up Mac and Cheese with Maine Lobster
I worked in Suisse Chalet in Arosa, Switzerland the summer of 1979. On my 25th birthday my boss took me to a little town in the Alps, called Medregen, for a fondue celebration. The fondue was delicious, of course and we drank shots of Kirsch in the traditional way. The restaurant used Gruyere, Emmantheuler, and Apenzel in the dish. I obviously loved it enough to remember all the ingredients. Because Apenzel is not readily available to everyone I made some substitutions, I really like how the cheddar and cream cheese rounds out this dish. I hope you do too!

Ingredients
Mac & Cheese
Serves 6

8 ounce rotini pasta
2 tablespoons salted butter
1 cup whole milk
4 ounce Gruyere cheese, grated
4 ounces Emmantheuler, grated
6 ounce shredded sharp cheddar cheese
4 ounce cream cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 pound cooked lobster meat, chopped
1 tablespoon dry sherry
2 tablespoons concentrated lobster stock* (recipe below or use store bought)
Salt and pepper to taste 

Fresh, Really Fresh, Eggs

Trends Food

by J. Michael Wheeler
The Hip Egg
In case you hadn't heard, the chicken coop is what's new.  Kathy Lohr (Backyard Coops Make Chicks Chic, All Things Considered, May 21, 2009) reports that “Chickens aren't just for farms anymore. That's right — urban hens are hip. Across the country, city dwellers — attracted by the idea of having fresh eggs, a new hobby or even unique pets — are keeping flocks.”

Chicks And The City
The backyard chicken movement is catching on, thanks no doubt to the variety of resources for people who want to learn more about keeping chickens in their backyards. There are Web sites, coop tours, and in Atlanta, there's even a class called "Chicks and the City." The class, offered through a community garden's education program, teaches everything would-be urban chicken farmers need to know.

Some cities don't allow residents to keep chickens, because they worry about the noise, the smell and the rodents that are attracted to the feed. And, of course, there are those who say they don't want chickens next door. Yet many are taking another look at the idea.

From how-to to where-not, Lohr's story makes great listening. Click here to Listen.

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The Food of a Younger Land: A Portrait of American Food--Before the National Highway System, Before Chain Restaurants, and Before Frozen Food, When the Nation's Food Was Seasonal

Award-winning New York Times–bestselling author Mark Kurlansky takes us back to the food and eating habits of a younger America: Before the national highway system brought the country closer together; before chain restaurants imposed uniformity and low quality; and before the Frigidaire meant frozen food in mass quantities, the nation’s food was seasonal, regional, and traditional. It helped form the distinct character, attitudes, and customs of those who ate it.

Click here to buy The Food of a Younger Land: A Portrait of American Food--Before the National Highway System, Before Chain Restaurants, and Before Frozen Food, When the Nation's Food Was Seasonal

Hand selected books for foodes are at Foodie's Emporium! Click here.

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Grillin' Basics Part One

Tips Grilling

 by J. Michael Wheeler
Grillin' Basics Part One
Cooking on an open fire goes all the way back to prehistoric Barbecue-Man. And while he probably wasn't clutching a can of Budweiser in one hand and a can of charcoal starter in the other, the basics of cooking over an open fire remain the same.

I admit that the start of each grilling season it takes me a while to get my chops back. I'll over cook the salmon or under cook the sliced potatoes. So in the interest of loosening up for the grill we present some Grillin' Basics.

Paint it black and the kettle grill pictured here looks pretty much like the one in over 85 million American backyards today. But this one is the very first. Read more...

Burn Baby, Burn
Of course if you use a gas grill for your outdoor cooking your selection of fuels is, well, gas. But for those of us who prefer to cook on real fire, there are more choices. Here are some of them:

Lump Charcoal Usually made from softwood. It comes in a variety of sizes. Easy to light, but quick burning.

Charcoal Briquettes Slow burning, easy to find. Some claim they give food an unpleasant taste.

Self-igniting Charcoal Briquettes or lump charcoal treated with a flammable substance. Easy to light. Let all of that flammable substance burn away before cooking.

Wood Hardwoods like oak and olive burn slowly and the aromatic smoke imparts a great taste to the food. Wood fires must be tended carefully to keep an even and steady heat.

How Hot is Hot Enough?
"Heat your grill to medium-high and place the . . ." How do you determine the temperature of your grill? While some grills have built-in temperature gauges, and there are even infrared heat seekers to tell you how hot your grill is, you've got a couple of built-in thermometers yourself: your hands.

Place your hand, palm facing down, just above the grill where you'll be cooking. (Please don't wear long, loose-fitting clothing while grilling.) Without being too macho about it, hold your hand over that spot and count how many seconds it takes before you say "ouch" and have to take your hand away from the grill.

Here's a chart to help you determine your grill's temperature. If you can hold your hand above the grill for this long, the grill is that hot:

· Two seconds is high heat
· Three seconds is medium-high heat
· Four seconds is medium heat
· Five seconds is medium-low heat
· Six seconds is low heat
· Seven seconds or more means you have time to open another beer

Read more grilling articles, Click here.

Grilling Recipes
We've got some very tasty grilling recipes here at Dancing Spoon Magazine. Kate Gooding's Grilled Wild Turkey with Apricot Glaze on Basmati Rice is from her new Dancing Spoon column Out of the Ordinary.  Gloria Baskt is very much into cedar planked grilling. She's got several tasty recipes like Cedar Plank Grilled Snapper and Lime Ginger Marinade for Cedar Plank Grilled Chicken.

Steak lovers might want to try David Haley's Chimichurri Grilled Flank Steak. He has some great wine suggestions too. And for something really over the top check out Steak & Truffles: Wow. As part of his Super Bowl Shuffle, Chef Gavan Murphy gave us grilled Mini Beef Sliders and Asparagus Skewered Shrimp.

Find more grilling recipes, Click here.

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Weber 22-1/2-Inch One-Touch Gold Charcoal Grill, Blue.
Qualifies for FREE SHIPPING!

Weber 22-1/2-Inch One-Touch Gold Charcoal Grill
Weber Gold Series, 22-1/2" Dark Blue 1 Touch Charcoal Kettle Grill, Heavy Gauge Porcelain Enameled Steel Lid & Bowl, High Capacity No Rust Ash Catcher, Patented 1 Touch Cleaning System, Heat Resistant Nylon Handles On Lid & Bowl, Hinged Cooking Grate, 10 Year Limited Warranty.
• Charcoal grill with heavy-gauge porcelain enamel to prevent rust
• Nickel-plated cooking grate includes 2 hinged side openings for easy re-fueling
• Tripod base, nylon handles, and all-weather wheels provide easy maneuvering
• One-Touch stainless-steel cleaning system; removable high-capacity ash catcher
• Measures approximately 23 by 27 by 35 inches; 10-year limited warranty

Hand selected grills and grill accessories are at Foodie's Emporium!
Click here.

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Roasted Ambercup Chili

Ordinary Out of the

OOO by Kate Krukowski Gooding
Roasted Mexican Ambercup Squash Chili
I love this squash right out of our garden, baked, buttered and salted. Add some spices and watch this hearty squash settle into the cockles of your stomach! Ambercup Squash is in the Butternut Squash family.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon pumpkin seed oil (or canola oil)
1 tablespoon butter
1 ½ cups onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder *
1 tablespoon ground roasted cumin
1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
½ teaspoon Chris’s hot sauce
1 14oz can diced tomatoes with juice
½ cup dry red wine
1 Ambercup Squash, halved and deseeded  (can substitute butternut)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons fresh, chopped Cilantro
2 scallions chopped for garnish (optional

Locavore: An App for That

Technology Foodie
by J. Michael Wheeler

Eat Local? Yeah, there's an app for that.
Okay, I admit it, I’m an iPhone evangelist. I use my iPhone for every thing from organizing my shopping list to running my business to listening to an ever-changing mix of music to looking at the Eiffel Tower from space.

And now I can use it to find what foods are local, the nearest farmer’s market, food that’s in season and food that soon will be in season. This newest foodie app on the iPhone is called Locavore:

Eating local food when it’s in season is an increasingly popular goal amongst people who are interested in eating the tastiest, healthiest food while also being good to the environment.

Food of a Younger Land

by J. Michael Wheeler
Regional cuisine was the way of life in America before the interstate, fast food, and the homogenization of our menus. To chronicle the cooking and eating habits, traditions, and struggles of local people In the 1930s, FDR created the Federal Writers’ Project under the New Deal as a make-work program for artists and authors. The project, called “America Eats,” and writers were dispatched all across America. It was abandoned in the early 1940s because of the World War and never completed.

Mark Kurlansky’s latest book captures these remarkable stories, and with authentic recipes, anecdotes, photos, and his own insights, guides us to a time when Americans had never heard of fast food and the grocery superstore was a thing of the future.

Braised Mustard Greens

Community From Our

Mustard Greens (or Chard) Braised with Ginger, Cilantro, and Rice
Mustard Greens? Chard? They’ll be in your local farmer’s markets soon, but what do you do with them? Originally grown in the Himalaya region of India, mustard greens are nutrient-rich and contain high amounts of vitamin and essential minerals. Mustard greens add a pungent, peppery flavor to recipes and are good eaten raw or cooked.

Member Anthony Theobald posted this tasty recipe on our Dancing Spoon Community. If you haven’t tasted the Dancing Spoon Community yet, you’re in for a treat. This is really the place for you. Connect to people who are passionate about the culinary world. Create your own group, start a discussion, post a blog, meet other foodies! Join Now!

Wine: Healthy & Happy

Wine About

by J. Michael Wheeler
Eric Olsen sent us some thoughts about wine and health:

How good is a glass or three a night for your health? Many of you have, no doubt, been reading the latest about wine and health and, like me, are quite pleased. Not in a told you so attitude, but you had to wonder why we feared a natural product from the earth that's been around for centuries, if not longer. "Wine is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy" just about sums it up (Ben Franklin).

I came across a nice succinct piece from an article in Wine Spectator’s Wine & Health News entitled "Wine and Health Round-table" that had many quotes from doctors and other professionals in the health field. Amid all the claims and counter claims one quote stood out, from Dr. Mitchell Krukoff, Duke Medical Cardiac Center, as making, I thought, the best sense: "Wine is at the core of some of the most balanced human lifestyles. I'm sure you've heard of the Mediterranean diet. I think as much as chemistry is interesting – at the end of the day, the real message is where does (wine) fit in your lifestyle? How does it help balance this very amped-up, stress riddled culture that we all live in, with the ability to feel relaxed, to breath and to actually enjoy what God has given us.” Good job, Ben and Mitchell. Pour yourself a nice glass of wine tonight, swirl it around, breath deeply, relax and smile. It just might be good for you.

Eric Olsen is the proprietor of a jewel of wine shop in Salem, Massachusetts . For more about Eric's shop, Salem Wine Imports click here.

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Aerates your wine while you pour it!

Soiree Bottle-top Wine Decanter
The Soiree is a wine accessory that fits into any standard corked wine bottle, and comes with an extra gasket that will work with any screw cap bottle; allowing you to pour, without dripping, directly through the Soiree. Once you place the Soiree in the wine bottle, the Soiree aerates your wine as you pour it. The Soiree allows you to decant just the portion of wine you want - a glass or a carafe. The Soiree can also be used to pour the wine into a decanter, further expediting the "opening" of your wine. Soiree fits securely into any wine bottle allowing you to pour, without dripping directly through the Soiree. In using the Soiree to aerate your wine, you will notice the subtleties and character of the wine emerge immediately upon entering your glass. Soiree delivers a truly open wine just by pouring through it!

Hand selected wine accessories are at Foodie's Emporium! Click here.

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