Oh, Belly!

I discovered this wonderful dish when it was served to me on a Finn Air flight. I loved it so much I developed my own interpretation!

This rice salad is garnished with mandarin oranges and pecans, and is served with hard cooked eggs, herring (from a jar) or salmon, and rye crackers or bread with butter. It is a fabulous lunch or a light supper.

This dish requires very little cooking, and it can all be done in advance. For 4-6 servings you will need about 3 cups of cooked rice and 4-6 hard cooked eggs.

(You can make your own rice or you can use any leftover plain white rice you might have from an Indian or Chinese take-out meal that you had the day before.)

Make the dressing for the rice first.

Combine:

½ cup plain yogurt (I use Greek yogurt)

2 tablespoons of rice vinegar

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 tablespoon of dried dill

Rice Vinegar has a very mild flavor. You could use plain white vinegar, but I would definitely use less. (Maybe only 2 teaspoons!)

Add the rice to the dressing, then add:

3 tablespoons of chopped parsley

3 tablespoons of chopped green onion

And a sprinkle of salt and pepper

This all can get done in advance.

When you are ready to serve your rice salad, be sure to assemble each plate in the kitchen, and present the plate as a done deal. Don’t put all the separate bits into serving dishes and let everyone help themselves. Each plate should have lots of eye appeal!

Put a spoonful of rice on the plate.

Garnish with some drained, cold, mandarin oranges and some pecans.

Cut the hard cooked egg into wedges and add to the plate.

Drain the herring from the jar and add that too!

Use some of the leftover parsley for extra garnish.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!

Cheers!

Source: http://startcooking.com/blog/77/

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Frida Ghitis says Dennis Rodman has brought attention to the case of Kenneth Bae, held by N. Korea, but there are a number of other Americans being held captive in nations from Cuba to Iran

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Kasten says he won’t discuss whether the manager will be in place for the remainder of the season.

Kasten says he won’t discuss whether the manager will be in place for the remainder of the season.

Source: http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/sports/~3/jwnpFClVPw8/la-sp-0518-dodgers-notes-20130518,0,6568474.story

Amarone Pinot Nero Wine Preservative: Sulphur Dioxide Soave Clarendon Hills Merlot Clarendon Brookman Valpolicella Spotting a Faulty Wine

FOLSOM, Calif., May 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — In 1993, the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) published landmark research from Loma Linda University showing the heart protective quality of walnuts.  In the two decades since, 91 studies and counting, worldwide, have linked numerous…

Source: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/2013-marks-20th-anniversary-of-landmark-clinical-research-from-loma-linda-university-207521451.html

Burgundy (White) Serving Wine at the Right Temperature Brunello di Montalcino Silvaner Inexpensive Australian Dessert Wines What Are Organic Wines? Super Tuscans

A federal judge on Friday ordered a preliminary injunction blocking an Arkansas law that would ban abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy, a court official told CNN on Friday.

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Silvaner Inexpensive Australian Dessert Wines What Are Organic Wines? Super Tuscans Quincy Burgundy (Red) Marsanne

ARLINGTON, Texas, May 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – The Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America (BPAA),  the bowling industry’s premier trade organization today announced that PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi will be the keynote speaker at the 2013 International Bowl…

Source: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pepsico-chairman-and-ceo-indra-nooyi-to-be-keynote-speaker-at-2013-international-bowl-expo-207362601.html

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I figured since Easter is only a week away that I should do a weekly round up to help with Easter meal planning. Here are some of the best from fellow foodie bloggers: Orange, Brown Sugar Glazed Ham via Simply Scratch 3 Variations of Deviled Easter Eggs via Not Eating Out in NY Rosemary Roasted [...]

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Pinot Blanc Chinon Petit Rouge Pinot Noir Nero d Avola Sparkling Wines Dehlinger Merlot Sonoma County

Source: http://cookingforassholes.blogspot.com/2012/06/food-newswire-woman-who-over-pronounces.html

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The Kings, who not long ago appeared likely to be moved to Seattle, are sold to a group led by software tycoon Vivek Ranadive and will stay in state capital.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson announced to screaming throngs of Kings fans Friday that the deal to sell the NBA franchise to a group led by software tycoon Vivek Ranadive has been signed.

Source: http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/sports/~3/e6eytgZ6FCo/la-sp-nba-report-20130518,0,3585902.story

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St. Ignatius High School has produced a very impressive list of alums working in the world of wine. The Alumni Department at S.I. forwarded me this list of graduates affiliated with wineries in the Napa Valley, Sonoma and beyond. Continue reading →

The post San Francisco Prep High School churns out Winery Owners and Winemakers appeared first on Napa Valley Wine Blog.

Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/napablog/san-francisco-prep-high-school-churns-out-winery-owners-and-winemakers/

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CookingBooks/~3/WBNlveB86Ss/gorgonzola-stuffed-pears.html

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Source: http://cookingforassholes.blogspot.com/2012/11/chile-chili.html

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CHICAGO, May 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Nespresso, the worldwide reference in single-serve coffee, will unveil its newest machine innovation for U.S. professional customers – the Aguila – on Saturday, May 18, at the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago, IL. Aguila is…

Source: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nespresso-introduces-latest-b2b-innovation-aguila-at-national-restaurant-association-show-may-18th-207710711.html

Brunello di Montalcino Silvaner Inexpensive Australian Dessert Wines What Are Organic Wines? Super Tuscans Quincy Burgundy (Red)

Source: http://cookingforassholes.blogspot.com/2012/07/blueberry-and-nectarine-sonker.html

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In some ways, it’s just a number, but it’s a big number with enormous implications.

Source: http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/edition_us/~3/T8ZJyONR-II/index.html

What is Tannin in Red Wine? Rosso Piceno Types of Wine Glasses Cabernet Sauvignon Frascati Bardolino Cava

Gilt City is offering a five course meal paired with one glass of wine at the Mandarin Oriental Boston’s Asana restaurant for $65. The going rate for their 5 course tasting menu is $85 and this offer includes a glass of wine (that I’d estimate at being worth around $10 minimum) so this is a value of around $30 per person. A good way to try out a swanky restaurant at a swanky hotel if you’re interested.

But the deal comes with an interesting kicker that can make this deal quite compelling if you’re into spa visits. It includes a $50 gift certificate good towards a treatment at the Mandarin Oriental Spa. Beware that most treatments run north of $200. But if you’re interested in getting to know this hotel and its amenities, and can navigate the restrictions that accompany this deal it can be a good one.

But wait, there’s more! You can whittle the price of the Gilt City voucher down a little more with a couple tricks.

First, buy the deal through a cashback portal like FatWallet which is currently offering 4% cashback on Gilt City purchases.

Second, if you’re not a Gilt City subscriber you can get $15 off your first purchase by being referred by a friend. Like me! I’ll also go $15 off my next Gilt City purchase if you sign up so thanks in advance for using my referral link if you so choose.

Alright, got it? $65 – $15 = $50 plus 4% cashback from FatWallet. That’s $48 for the meal with a glass of wine and the spa gift certificate as an added bonus.

Just make sure you check out the restrictions on the offer page to make sure you can take full advantage of this offer.

Here is a link to the offer on Gilt City
Offer expires 1/21/2013.

Related Reading:

• My Mandarin Oriental Boston hotel review
• My Mandarin Oriental spa review

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/ZUaWKpzvjyA/deal-alert-65-five-course-meal-wwine-at.html

How Champagne is Made Fleurie French Study Says Wine Drinkers May Be Healthier Rioja Top Five Common Misconceptions About Wine Sushi and Wine Cooking with The Right Wine

Pho moves into the suburban mainstream at Pho & Rolls in Rockville Town Square.

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Cooking with The Right Wine Scheurebe Champagne Maçonnais (White) Choosing The Right Wine Vino Nobile de Montepulciano Wine Accessories

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CookingBooks/~3/yRp9SADm3k0/tomatillo-and-green-grape-gazpacho.html

Bordeaux (Red) Cirò 2005 Sauternes Dessert Wines How to Clean Wine Glasses Dôle Most Expensive Wine in the World Madiran

The volcano’s rumblings have already emitted a “continuous ash, steam and gas cloud” that extends up to 60 miles away.

Source: http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/edition_us/~3/Y2MszmMQzz4/index.html

Sparkling Wine 1917 Wine Trivia St. Emilion Vino Novello Pairing Wine and Pizza Gavi How to Store Leftover Wine

Anthony Bourdain paced the stage last night at D.A.R. Constitution Hall, sometimes walking stiffly, like a wounded prey animal (or a wounded prey animal in a nice black jacket). But the chef, cable program host, cooking show judge, writer, book publisher and (the horror!) James Beard Award winner did most of the stalking, scoping out his favorite targets and piercing their bloated public persona with his poison-dart satire.

Read full article >>

Source: http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/c/34656/f/636606/s/2beab59b/l/0L0Swashingtonpost0N0Cblogs0Cgoing0Eout0Egurus0Cpost0Cthe0Etop0E10A0Emoments0Efrom0Eanthony0Ebourdains0Edc0Eshow0C20A130C0A50C140C0A2c881460Ebcc70E11e20Eb5370Eab47f0A325f7c0Iblog0Bhtml0Dwprss0Frss0Ifood/story01.htm

Dolcetto Meritage Prosecco Lambrusco Corking Your Wine Bottles Bordeaux (Red) Cirò

You can buy either whole pineapples or pre-cut fresh pineapples in the produce section of the grocery store. In my grocery store it costs almost $2 more to buy the precut pineapple.

The mighty pineapple is really easy to slice, as long as you have a big sharp knife.

Start by removing the top

Then the bottom

With the pineapple sitting firmly on the cutting board, start slicing off the outer layer of skin.

Then cut it into slices.

Trim out the very center as it tends to be very tough to chew.

The juicy, sweet, and tangy flavor makes it a great addition to fruit salads or fruit kabobs.

If you are making a gelatin fruit salad (Jell-O!) you have to use canned pineapple. The natural enzymes in fresh (and frozen) pineapple do not allow the gelatin to set.

Be sure to buy pineapples that have crisp green leaves and feels uniformly soft to the touch. Specific soft spots means the pineapple has started to go off.

Pineapples do not continue to ripen, or get any sweeter off the vine. Uncut, kept at room temperature, the acidity levels will decrease.

Be sure to wrap up leftovers tightly in plastic wrap. They should last about 3 days in the refrigerator.

Source: http://startcooking.com/blog/79/

French Study Says Wine Drinkers May Be Healthier Rioja Top Five Common Misconceptions About Wine Sushi and Wine Cooking with The Right Wine Scheurebe Champagne

Betcha didn’t know that June is National Iced Tea Month.

Well, now you do, and there’s no better beverage to enjoy on a hot summer day!

The way the story goes, Richard Blechynden, a tea plantation owner, attended America’s first World’s Fair in St. Louis. He had planned to give out free samples of his hot tea, but it was such a warm day that no one was interested! So, he threw in some ice and offered his beverage “on the rocks.” The treat was so refreshing, he quickly had a long line of people waiting to taste it.

There are many ways to make iced tea, and countless variations on the basic recipe. If you haven’t tried iced tea before, maybe one of these variations will pique your curiosity. And if you’re not a fan of iced tea, it’s worth trying a new version – there’s probably one out there that suits you.

The basic method for making iced tea is:

• Boil water (the amount depends on how much tea you’re making!)
• Steep tea (loose or bagged, whatever flavor you like)
• Strain the tea if you used loose leaves, or remove the tea bags.
• Add sugar to taste. Some people prefer unsweetened, and some people use up to 2 cups of sugar for a 2 quart pitcher. It depends on personal taste.
• Cool. Some people refrigerate it, others pour it over ice (which also dilutes it a bit), and some people mix it with ice water.
• Serve and enjoy.

Sounds simple (and vague) enough, right?

Right! Anyone can make iced tea and its variations:

• For a true Southern Iced Tea, read this entertaining recipe by Lemon Tartlet. She adds a bit of baking soda to the water before boiling. This cuts down on bitterness from accidental over-steeping and reduces cloudiness in the tea.
• There’s a step-by-step guide to making Lemon Iced Tea (with photos) at Cooking For Engineers.
• Poppytalk gives us the easiest method of all. Brew loose tea in a special pitcher that has a removable diffuser, remove the diffuser, and refrigerate. No sugar, no flavoring, just pure iced tea!
• Tea Party Girl, an advocate of loose leaf teas, gives us a simple method for making loose-leaf iced tea, which ends up costing pennies per pitcher.
• But if you’re a tea bag person, you can try CFWhitney’s mother-in-law’s tried and true tea bag method.
• Thai iced tea is made from a specially flavored tea and is absolutely delicious. Try topping it with coconut milk or sweetened condensed milk for another twist on this Asian favorite!
• If you’re into more exotic iced teas, try tea sangria, which has fruit mixed into it.
• Rhubarb iced tea sounds amazing – it calls for rhubarb stalks to be boiled before adding tea and sugar.
• Ginger peach iced tea is one of many delicious-sounding iced tea recipes

Whether you brew for 3 minutes or overnight in the fridge, prefer a simple black tea or a raspberry herbal, enjoy your iced tea this summer!

Tip: You may have heard of “sun tea”, which is made by starting with room-temperature water and tea bags in a jar, then brewing the tea by placing the jar in a sunny spot for a few hours. This method, however is not recommended.  Bacteria can develop in the tea and it can become a potential health risk. Sorry!

Source: http://startcooking.com/blog/418/

Soave Clarendon Hills Merlot Clarendon Brookman Valpolicella Spotting a Faulty Wine What is Tannin in Red Wine? Rosso Piceno Types of Wine Glasses

5 Point Chardonnay 2011 When we saw this wine in the local grocery store we were a bit skeptical about purchasing it. However, after getting it home and chilling it for a few minutes we soon cut the foil, popped the cork, and found it to be a really nice, easy, everyday drinking wine. At […]

Source: http://thegrapesaroundtexas.com/2013/03/27/5-point-chardonnay-2011/

Champagne Maçonnais (White) Choosing The Right Wine Vino Nobile de Montepulciano Wine Accessories Pinot Blanc Chinon

I made this colorful, crunchy, and yes, carb-filled salad for a late lunch yesterday. My mom was visiting and was making a batch of her healthy muffins when I said “Since you’re making your healthy muffins, I’m going to make us a salad for lunch!” “Oh, sounds perfect,” my mom exclaimed. “And I’m going to put noodles in it,” I said. “Because we’re worth it.” I got no argument from my mom, so I moved…

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The winner of the pretty blue pot is… #35477 Sally C. “Bones all the way!” Congrats, Sally! Contact prizes@thepioneerwoman.com to claim your pot! (GIVEAWAY CLOSED) Today, because it looks like rain might be headed my way, because that means I don’t have to garden, because I made guacamole yesterday, and because I love ya, I’m giving away one of these gorgeous, vivid blue Le Creuset 7 1/4 Quart French Ovens.     This is a…

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Buying Wine as Host Gift Vouvray Wines for Summer Grilling Nuits St George J. Lohr 2005 Estates South Ridge Syrah Gewurtztraminer Sparkling Wine 1917

At $46.85 million, the Lakers star is fourth on the U.S. list behind Floyd Mayweather, LeBron James and Drew Brees.

At $46.85 million, the Lakers star is fourth on the U.S. list behind Floyd Mayweather, LeBron James and Drew Brees.

Source: http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/sports/~3/PECUi4eTFjk/la-sp-0516-highest-paid-athletes-20130516,0,7141110.story

Cooking with The Right Wine Scheurebe Champagne Maçonnais (White) Choosing The Right Wine Vino Nobile de Montepulciano Wine Accessories

In case you missed the previous posts, I am doing a 5 part series on recipes for those with dietary allergies or intolerances. Last week I did the Gluten Free Series and can be found here at this link in case you missed it. Moving on! It was amazingly simple to find dairy free recipes. [...]

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Syrah California Wine Tasting Tour How Cork is Made Sparkling (Brut) Reading Italian Wine Labels Madeira Wines Build Your Own Wine Cellar

Romance may be getting short shrift among college students these days, replaced instead with quick “hookups” devoid of any real emotion, a new book argues.

Source: http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/edition_us/~3/mCoahbko0dU/index.html

Champagne Maçonnais (White) Choosing The Right Wine Vino Nobile de Montepulciano Wine Accessories Pinot Blanc Chinon

The league rules that the Sharks center, a repeat offender, made an illegal hit to the head of Kings center Jarret Stoll.

The league rules that the Sharks center, a repeat offender, made an illegal hit to the head of Kings center Jarret Stoll.

Source: http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/sports/~3/Yb_CehGUi8Y/la-sp-sn-nhl-suspends-raffi-torres-jarret-stoll-hit-20130516,0,7989465.story

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President Obama is using his successful 2012 campaign tactics to try to make sure his healthcare law benefits those who lack insurance.

WASHINGTON — Seeking to ensure his landmark healthcare law is successfully implemented, President Obama is reprising his 2012 election strategy in hopes of enrolling millions of uninsured Americans in health plans this fall.

Source: http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/features/health/~3/PznmHyrsbu4/la-na-obama-healthcare-20130511,0,179313.story

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BEIJING, May 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/- Deyu Agriculture Corp. (OTCBB: DEYU) (the “Company”), a Shanxi Province, China-based vertically integrated producer, processor, marketer and distributor of organic and other agricultural products made from corn and grains, today announced its…

Source: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/deyu-agriculture-corp-announces-first-quarter-2013-results-and-schedule-results-conference-call-and-website-207345131.html

Corking Your Wine Bottles Bordeaux (Red) Cirò 2005 Sauternes Dessert Wines How to Clean Wine Glasses Dôle Most Expensive Wine in the World

My mom, Stanford professor Nalini Ambady, needs a bone marrow transplant as soon as possible. But donors of South Asian descent are in short supply.

Source: http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/edition_us/~3/BYIj29dbX18/index.html

Make Your Own Wine Amarone Pinot Nero Wine Preservative: Sulphur Dioxide Soave Clarendon Hills Merlot Clarendon Brookman Valpolicella

For the 160-plus inmates at the U.S. prison camp, each sunrise brings a day that most would rather starve than endure.

Source: http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/edition_us/~3/B3QENyaEDMk/index.html

Fleurie French Study Says Wine Drinkers May Be Healthier Rioja Top Five Common Misconceptions About Wine Sushi and Wine Cooking with The Right Wine Scheurebe

A 18-year-old teenager from Katy, Texas, captured the largest certified alligator in Texas during a recent public hunt.

Source: http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/edition_us/~3/lWBwB3TVZPM/pkg-teen-nabs-800-lb-gator.ktrk.html

Dehlinger Merlot Sonoma County Qupe Syrah Central Coast Falanghina Sherry Wines Barbara d Alba Sangiovese Cannonau di Sardegna

Our good friends Kris Engelhardt and Kathy Bunting let it be known that they were on their way over with raw oysters yesterday, and it occurred to me that it would be the perfect opportunity to open the magnum of Wyncroft Riesling that had been resting in our cellar for some years. The wine was [...]

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Sparkling Wine 1917 Wine Trivia St. Emilion Vino Novello Pairing Wine and Pizza Gavi How to Store Leftover Wine

Tickets to Savor — the Brewers Association’s annual beer and food gala held in Washington since 2008 — usually sell out fast, perhaps in as little as 10 minutes. But this year’s event will be held in New York, and beer aficionados seem to be in less of hurry.

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No other part of fruit growing creates more uncertainty and confusion than pruning.

Terminology such as renewal pruning, replacement pruning, tip bearers, spur bearers, fruit buds and growth buds abound and cause confusion and trepidation. And that’s before the question of winter or summer pruning has been raised. So, as it’s freezing out there, let’s deal with winter pruning hints.

Pruning an apple tree

Get yourself a good sharp pair of secateurs and a modern pruning saw with a very sharp blade. Both will last you all your life with care.

Stand back from the tree and take a good look around it first. Then, decide how you would like it to look when you have finished and what you are trying to achieve. Pruning in the garden is often as much about the shape of the tree and how it fits with the available space, as it is about getting maximum fruit crop.

Pyramid shape

Always ensure that you try to maximise the amount of sunlight that can enter the tree. Remember that in the summer there will be a full crop of leaves, which will block out much of the available light. The more sunlight that can reach developing buds, the stronger will be the fruit buds for the next year, and that means lots more big juicy fruits.

Unless you have trained trees, the best shape to aim for is an ‘A’ shaped tree, ensuring the maximum light penetration.

The best fruits occur nearest to the main stem or main branches, so it’s important to prune out long straggling branches with little fruit bud on them and retain the shorter more productive wood.

Generally you can tell fruit buds from growth buds by the fact that the fruit buds are plump and white with a downy covering, whilst growth buds are brownish, longer and thinner.

Most trees will have some dead wood in them, especially if they have not been pruned for a few years. Cut out that dead wood, and very often, you will find that new shoots grow from around the pruning cut, and a replacement can be selected the following year if need be.

Never let a branch stay in a tree that is more than half the diameter of the main stem. Ideally, branches should be no more than one third the thickness of the main stem.

Do not be afraid to make more pruning cuts than you imagined that you would. In the middle of summer, you will wonder why you did not cut more branches out. If you are not very experienced at pruning, then try this: Prune the tree to how you think it should look. Go and make a cup of tea and then come back out and prune it again. After the second pruning it should be about right.

Prune trees every year. It will retain the shape, prevent the wrong thickness of wood in the tree and ensure that diseased or broken branches are removed.

Remember, pruning a tree will never kill it, and will almost always improve it greatly both in the quality of the fruit and the longevity of the tree. Always remove the pruning from the ground around the tree as they will often start to grow fungus upon them which can easily transfer to the tree or fruit.

Imagination is your strongest weapon in pruning. Imagine what the tree will look like after you finish; what it will look like in the spring covered in blossom; and importantly how great the apples will taste next Autumn.

Will Sibley is the Chairman of the horticulturally research focused East Malling Trust.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/gardening/2011/12/pruning.shtml

French Study Says Wine Drinkers May Be Healthier Rioja Top Five Common Misconceptions About Wine Sushi and Wine Cooking with The Right Wine Scheurebe Champagne

Source: http://cookingforassholes.blogspot.com/2012/06/food-newswire-woman-who-over-pronounces.html

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In the movie Ratatouille, the little chef Remy rejoiced in discovering the pleasures of combining certain foods to maximize their flavors. He would have certainly done his happy dance after trying this Pear and Blue Cheese Salad!

When brought together on one plate, the five simple ingredients used in this recipe create an explosion of taste and texture that put it in my top five list of the best salads ever!

As true with many salads, you can adjust the amounts according to your tastes. To make enough for two people, I’m using:

• 3 ounces of salad greens
• 1 pear
• 3 ounces of blue cheese
• 1/4 cup of pecans
• 2 Tablespoons of salad dressing

You can choose your favorite variety of pears, just make sure that it is really (really!) ripe.

I used Stilton blue cheese. There are many varieties of blue cheese available at the grocery store, all with a slightly different flavor; some much stronger than others. The price of blue cheese can vary dramatically depending on where it is from.  If in doubt as to which one to buy, ask the person in charge of the cheese counter to explain them. They may even offer you a taste test!

Whole pecans look nice on the plate, but you can use chopped pecans as well.

A simple vinaigrette salad dressing is all you need for this salad. You can make it yourself or buy your favorite brand.

Slice the pear in half and remove the core. I used a small paring knife and a melon baller to remove the core.

Once the core is removed, you can cut the pear into slices or chunks. To add a bit of a fancy touch to the look, I cut the pear into slices, leaving 1/4 inch at the top uncut. You can then fan the pear out on the plate.

Assemble the salad right on the individual serving plate. Start with the lettuce, then add the pears. Crumble the blue cheese and dot it around the plate, then sprinkle on the pecans. Finally, drizzle on some salad dressing.

You can serve this salad with some crusty bread and a glass of wine.

Lunch is ready!

Enjoy!

Source: http://startcooking.com/blog/292/

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The Sacramento Kings won’t be headed north to Seattle after all — despite its owners reaching a deal to sell the team to a Washington state group — after NBA executives voted Wednesday to reject such a move.

Source: http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/edition_us/~3/CRj1e8KmbsY/index.html

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Photo by James Trosh

As you probably read, saw or otherwise heard this week, former New England Patriot quarterback Drew Bledsoe visited the State House to meet with lawmakers and the media. Bledsoe was advancing the notion that out of state wineries should be able to ship wine to Massachusetts residents.

If you’re new to the story here’s a brief history of the battle surrounding the direct shipment of wine in Massachusetts.

Bledsoe’s celebrity from his time with the Patriots combined with his ownership of Washington based Doubleback Wines makes him the perfect person to bring more visibility to this long standing issue. I thought the strategy behind his appearance was brilliant.

The story most repeated from his visit was a tale of Tom Brady trying to order a case of Doubleback and not being able to ship it to Massachusetts. Brady instead “shipped to a friend/relative in another state” – a maneuver many of us are all too familiar with. As the story (surely embellished) goes Brady’s father in California drank the entire case of $89/bottle Cabernet before Brady had a chance to try it.

Even if that tale isn’t entirely true it’s one that uses familiar names to illustrate how, basically, annoying current shipping laws are.

One thing worth noting is that Bledsoe’s wine is distributed in Massachusetts. I see a lot of people asking where they can buy it. The best way to find where it’s currently available in Massachusetts (or any wine in any state for that matter) is to use Wine-Searcher. Here’s a link showing where Doubleback is currently available in Massachusetts.

A natural question that might fall out of this is why direct shipment is important if wines are already available here? Well, for one thing, there are thousands of small production wines that aren’t distributed here that enthusiasts would like access to. When this happens, enthusiasts ship wines to neighboring states which is a hassle and generates tax revenue for neighboring states. More on that scenario here.

But even when a specific winery is distributed in Massachusetts we’d still like the option of buying directly from the winery. This is most typically to gain access to wines in high demand with limited availability. Or specific bottlings produced in small quantities. Or because we’re just interested in establishing a direct relationship with the winery. If you’re on the mailing list and a regular customer you’re more likely to be given special treatment when visiting a winery or informed of events in your area.

In total, restrictive direct shipment laws make it inconvenient for wineries and wine enthusiasts to do long-term business together. It’s just not right. Some might even say they’re unconstitutional.

What’s Next?

I spoke with Jeremy Benson from Free the Grapes yesterday. After Bledsoe’s visit I sensed a “Now what?” vibe in the air. The media seemed excited to get pictures of Bledsoe, and legislators seemed thrilled to get their pictures taken with him. But where do we go from here?

Benson acknowledged that in Massachusetts politics “nothing happens quickly”. A tangible mid-term benefit of the Bledsoe visit is that when a wine shipping bill comes up for hearing the media will hopefully be more apt to report on the story and supportive legislators will be more apt to make this issue a priority. It’s one of those “important but non-urgent” things that seems to elude action for too long.

There are 4 virtually identical bills in the House currently, all entitled “An Act regulating the direct shipment of wine”:

• H230 Jones
• H243 Madden/Peake
• H258 Moran
• H294 Speliotis

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/vYQxYbVj0vM/drew-bledsoe-visits-state-house-now-what.html

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Christmas has arrived again already at Cotehele, and the gardeners are busy putting together our Christmas decorations and really putting the ‘d’ in decoration!

"Last year’s garland suspended the whole length of the main hall of the Tudor house at Cotehele."

We have a tradition here in Cornwall of constructing a garland made of Pittosporum foliage which is suspended the whole length of the main hall of the Tudor house. It is 18 metres (60 feet) long and about 30cm (12″) in diameter and this is the base for our dried flower display.

My memories of this summer are not that it was a particularly good one but the success we have had with the flowers tells another story! Seven months after planting our annual plants we have collected, prepared, bunched and dried over 30,000 flowers for the Christmas garland.

Now that November has arrived the flowers are individually placed into the foliage. This work is being completed by teams of 6 to 8 people per day, but as a first for us this year the Garden Team have invited our visitors to ‘have a go’. Although we were a little unsure about this initially, we have been delighted to welcome all those who have lent a hand with staging this unique display.

Building the garland will continue until 25 November and then until 31 December (excluding Christmas Day and Boxing Day) and will be on display in the Hall, with the doorways and walls decorated with winter foliage and the log fire blazing.

Here’s my top five flowers for drying, as used in the Cotehele dried flower garland:

• Limonium sinuatum: also known as statice. Its flowers are borne in tufts of vivid colours, everything from blue to pink, yellow or white, and the stems are striking for the unusual wings running their length. It’s tender and is grown as an annual: sow in late spring and give it the sunniest spot you’ve got.
• Limonium suworowii: the Russian statice forms a big, hefty plant with pink or lilac-coloured flowers. The flowers are very different, borne in vertical sprays rather like astilbes. Another tender annual; treat just as you would for statice.
• Rhodanthe chlorocephala subsp. rosea: These annual daisy flowers look as though they’re glowing from within: deepest pink on the outer petals gives way to such a pearly pale pink it’s almost white at the centre. You can get them in every shade of pink imaginable, but ‘Pierrot’ is purest white with a yellow-ringed brown centre.
• Helichrysum bracteatum: Densely-petalled pincushions of bracts, the straw flower comes in a rainbow of shades, yellow, orange, crimson or white – sometimes two or three in the same flower. It’s an annual needing a warm spot with sharp drainage to do well – give it the right conditions, though, and it’s an easy, drought-resistant plant.
• Ammobium alatum: lovely silvery woolly leaves and heavily winged stems topped with clusters of small button-like silvery-white flowers like perfect little sculptures, each petal crisply outlined and the centre a clear buttery yellow. Grown as an annual, it flowers from June to September.

David Bouch is head gardener at Cotehele House near Saltash in Cornwall. You can see the Cotehele dried flower garland from 25 November till 31 December during normal opening hours.