Clos du Val Napa Cabernet 1992: 20+ years and yet still going strong!

I bought this Cab from the Weinhaus, downtown Asheville, NC, in 1994.  I don't even remember why I bought it but I'm sure I thought I would be drinking it well before 2013.  I didn't even have a wine cellar back in those days to properly store my wine.

Through all the moves, the former roommates, the wine nights I hosted, etc, etc - it didn't get opened.  I'm not sure how nor why it lasted with me all these years.  Perhaps it has something to do with my preference for Pinot Noir and I was just never in the 'mood' for it.  I guess it's just a survivor.

That's not all this basic Clos du Val Cab did though, it flourished as well.  I didn't really expect to say that about this wine at this point because I anticipated it being past its prime and possibly an old bottle of red wine vinegar.  Kudos to Clos du Val for creating a long living wine!

I brought my old friend out of the cellar last Saturday night when we decided to make wheat pasta with meat sauce for dinner.  I would typically grab a Sangiovese based wine or even my old stand by, Pinot Noir.  Since I was organizing my cellar data and reminded myself about this '92 earlier in the week, it made sense to finally open it and see how bad it was by now.  There were other bottles screaming to be opened as back up if this one met my prediction.

My first surprise was the cork.  It showed about a half inch of saturation while the top 3/4s were pristine - didn't see that coming!  With a little hope in my heart I showed my wife the cork and grabbed a glass for a taste.  Slowly pouring a few ounces without disturbing the sediment is always a fun challenge.

The wine was dark and garnet without much rim variation - in other words it didn't look its age.  It showed a dark berry, plum nose and seemed surprisingly fresh for a 20+ year old.  Relishing the smell I went in for my first taste and found black cherry and blackberry fruit smoothly integrated with fresh herb and a hint of tar.  The finish was a little flat but again surprisingly fresh for a basic Napa Cabernet of that age.

I love wine, even more I love being amazed by wines like this Clos du Val that out shines my expectations!

I hope you have wine revelations of your own that will keep your love of wine glowing bright!

Cheers!

Western North Carolina City, Tailgate and Farmers Market Opening Dates 2013

Yes, it is spring.  One way to know for sure, even with the confusing cold and snow?  Tailgate tents are going up, and area farmers markets are opening outdoors for the harvest season.  At spring tailgates, expect fresh greens, spring onions and asparagus; meats, cheeses, baked goods, value-added farm items like preservers, and a wide selection of plant starts.  Produce offerings will differ from market to market based on the location of the vendor farms - micro-climates vary greatly in the region.  Last winter was also much warmer, so early April markets won't have the exact same offerings as they did in 2012.

Find a list of spring tailgate opening days below. Markets listed are all members of the Mountain Tailgate Market Association (MTMA), a collaborative group of farmer- and vendor-only area markets. For a complete list of the 90+ tailgates in the region, including their season start dates (a new feature for 2013!), visit ASAP’s online Local Food Guide at appalachiangrown.org. The 2013 print guide hits stands in late April.

Mountain Tailgate Market Opening Dates 

Asheville City Market: April 6, Saturdays 8 am-1 pm

     Parking lot of the Public Works Building at 161 S. Charlotte St.

Asheville City Market South: April 3, Wednesdays 2-6 pm

     Town Square Blvd. in the center of Biltmore Park Town Square, I-26 Long Shoals Rd. exit in South Asheville.

Bakersville Farmers Market: May 25, Saturdays 8 am-12 pm

     In the Bakersville Community Medical Clinic parking lot, opposite the US Post Office.

Black Mountain Tailgate Market: May 4, Saturdays 9 am-12 pm

     Behind the First Baptist Church in Black Mountain at 130 Montreat Rd.

East Asheville Tailgate Market: May 17, Fridays 3-6 pm

     In the upper parking lot at Groce Methodist Church on Tunnel Road in East Asheville.

Flat Rock Tailgate Market: May 2, Thursdays 3-6 pm

     Parking area behind the Hand in Hand Gallery in Flat Rock on Greenville Hwy. (225 S.).

French Broad Food Co-op Wednesday Tailgate Market: April 3, Wednesdays 2-6 pm

     In the parking lot of Build It Naturally, next to the French Broad Food Co-op on Biltmore Ave. in downtown Asheville.

Haywood’s Historic Farmers Market: April 20, Wednesdays/Saturdays 8 am-12 pm

     Located in Waynesville at the HART Theater/Shelton House )Museum of NC Handicrafts) parking lot at 250 Pigeon Street (Hwy. 276 S.).

Henderson County Tailgate Market: early spring TBA, Saturdays 7 am-12 pm

    Parking lot at 100 N. King Street (between First and Second Avenues).

Historic Marion Tailgate Market: May 14, Tuesdays 3-6 pm, Saturdays 9 am-12 pm

     Public parking is available on site, at the Marion Depot, or the public parking lot across from the market on the corner of Logan Street and West Henderson Street.

Leicester Farmers Market: March 30, Saturdays 9 am-2 pm

     Parking lot of Leicester Landing Shopping Center. Behind Zaxby's. 338 Leicester Rd.

Madison County Farmers & Artisans Market: April 6, Saturdays 9 am-1 pm

    Across from the tennis courts on the Mars Hill College Campus.

Mills River Farmers Market: May 4, Saturdays 8 am-12 pm

     Directly off of NC 280 in the G&B Energy Plaza, Mills River.

Montford Farmers Market: May 1, Wednesdays 2-6 pm

     In the lower parking lot of the Asheville Chamber of Commerce, 36 Montford Ave.

North Asheville Tailgate Market: April 13, Saturdays 8 am-12 pm

     On the UNC-Asheville (UNCA) Campus Commuter Lot #C. Enter UNCA from WT Weaver Blvd traffic circle. Market is first lot on the right. Follow yellow signs for additional parking.

Oakley Farmers Market: May 9, Thursdays 3:30-6:30 pm

     In the parking lot behind Oakley United Methodist Church at 607 Fairview Rd, Asheville.

Spruce Pine Farmers Market: May 1, Wednesdays 2-5 pm

     On Pollyanna's Porch, next to Wildflowers, on Upper St. in downtown Spruce Pine.

Transylvania Tailgate Market: April 20, Saturdays 8 am-12:30 pm

     Located in the parking lot behind Comporium on the corner of Jordan St. and Johnson St.

Waynesville Tailgate Market: May 15, Wednesdays/Saturdays 8 am-12 pm

     At the American Legion, just off S. Main St., Waynesville.  Behind Bogart's.

Weaverville Tailgate Market: April 10, Wednesdays 2:30-6:30 pm

     On the hill overlooking Lake Louise behind the yellow Community Center on Weaverville Hwy.

West Asheville Tailgate Market: April 9, Tuesdays 2:30-5:30 pm

     718 Haywood Rd., in the parking area between the Grace Baptist Church and Sun Trust Bank.

Yancey County Farmers Market: April 20, Saturdays 8:30 am-12:30 pm

     S. Main St. at US 19E in Burnsville, at the Burnsville Town Center.

ABOUT ASAP (APPALACHIAN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PROJECT)

ASAP’s mission is to help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food. To learn more about ASAP’s work, visit asapconnections.org, or call (828) 236-1282.

Happy Valentine's Day - Southern Style

Need I say more!?

What my godson decided will be the perfect snack for the Super Bowl . . .

And you're not going to believe it but its chicken salad - with a kick!

So, my wife and I invited our godson over along with his best friend.  But we did this last minute and didn't make it to the store for the past several days.  The fridge and freezer did not offer a lot.

Rather than run out to the store we used what we had in the pantry - and they actually loved it, especially when we started to play around and work out a few varieties.

The winning combination was chicken salad on one of three different crackers with stone ground mustard and topped with a slice of jalapeño.  It really doesn't sound very good when you read it - it’s something you'll just have to try on your own.  As for the three crackers:

1) Townhouse Toppers Garlic & Herb Crackers - soft with a nice herb influence but not as good with the mustard, chicken salad, jalapeño combination.

2) Original Triscuit Cracker - great crunch and mouth feel but again not as good with the mustard, chicken salad, jalapeño combination.

3) Whole Wheat Ritz Cracker - The winning combo! - nice crunch but not too much, nice flavor without overwhelming the topping and unanimous decision was that it was the perfect cracker for the mustard, chicken salad, jalapeño combination.

 So we've decided it will be the top pick snack choice for the Super Bowl.

Chicken Salad Recipe (easy to make out of the pantry, only takes minutes)

Ingredients

Chicken (3 or 6 oz can - fresh if you happen to have it, we're going for ease and simplicity here)

(The rest of the ingredients are based on a 3 oz portion, increase as desired)

Prepared Mustard  ⅛ tsp

Worcestershire Sauce  5 drops

Lemon Juice  ⅛ tsp

Sweet Pickle Relish  1 TBLS

Mayonnaise  4 TBLS

Garlic Salt  ⅛ tsp

Black Pepper  ⅛ tsp

Instructions

If using canned chicken, drain the chicken first.  Mix all the ingredients thoroughly.  If in doubt add what you are unsure about in little at a time.  Taste and adjust for your taste profile.

This will actually taste better if you let it sit for a while first  - place in a sealable container and put it in the fridge an hour or so before needing.  But rest assured that it tastes great as soon as you’ve mixed it.

NOTE:  This is about the same recipe we use for making tuna salad as well.  Maybe a little more lemon juice with the tuna though.

In the Rat Pack days at Frankie Bones

Frankie Bones, located in Gerber Village in South Asheville, is a great neighborhood restaurant that makes you feel welcome and at home.  The theme is a throwback to the Rat Pack era in the early 1960’s of a classic big city restaurant with lively music and sounds, high back burgundy leather booths and hand-shaken martinis.

The martini menu offers many of the classics as well as other popular hits.  You are entertained with the server bringing the show tableside and shaking the martini next to you before serving it up.  If you’re a martini drinker, definitely order one and relish the personal attention.

The menu is also inspired by the throwback big city theme but also offering some very unique dishes.  Chef Erik Freeman is obviously dedicated to quality and presentation as well as utilizing local products when he can.  I was very impressed with the quality of our courses and know that only comes from a Chef who insists upon that kind of consistency.

I’m looking forward to our next visit already.  Here’s a run-down of our dinner…

Twice Baked Potato Spring Rolls ($7.) with a four cheese blend, crumbled bacon, green onions and sour cream is a perfect starter for carb lovers.  A beautiful take on spring rolls featuring potato, what could make a person happier!

Strawberry Walnut Salad ($9.) of mixed greens, sliced strawberry, mandarin orange, walnuts, red onion and raspberry vinaigrette.  I noticed that although my wife decided to forego a salad she definitely loved this salad when I offered her some but honey next time I’ll order one for you too.  I want the whole salad!  Oh, and the bread is fantastic especially with their herbed butter  - you'll find it difficult to stop eating it.

Pot Roast ($16.50) showcasing slow roasted beef with whipped potato, pan jus and grilled asparagus.  Always a huge fan of my mother-in-law’s pot roast I was a bit nervous ordering this at a restaurant.  I was just in the mood for it though so with trepidation I ordered it.  I had nothing to fear.  It was so tender and delicious!  It was also a large portion – I took about half of it home with me.  Unfortunately, I didn’t get to eat it.  My wife struck again and took it to work for lunch.  It’s a good thing I love that woman!

My wife had a special of the day that was Pork Tenderloin.  I wasn’t paying close enough attention and do not remember the details but suffice it to say, there were not leftovers from that dish!  And yes, I did eat some of it – we both play that game.

Contact Information

Frankie Bones Restaurant & Lounge

(828) 274.7111

2 Gerber Rd. Ste. 101

Asheville, North Carolina 28803

http://fbdining.com/

Maple Black Pepper Bacon - its not just for breakfast!

Why is it that we are encouraged to start our day with a healthy breakfast?  The vast majority of us only know breakfast as the meal where you get to eat bacon, pancakes, waffles, omelets stuffed with bacon and cheese, eggs and bacon, toast with jelly and bacon, sausage link and patties with bacon on the side … I seem to be on a rant, but you get the idea.  We love bacon and we love it for breakfast!  So if you’re gonna have breakfast go to a place that’s known for its breakfast but also for its bacon and that means Sunny Point Café is the place for you.  Sunny Point is so proud of their breakfast they make it available all day long!

At Sunny Point Café the maple black pepper bacon is one of the most popular sides ordered.  They even give a variety of bacon facts on their website:
There are references to bacon in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and the works of Shakespeare.  Hmm, does this support the theory that Shakespeare was the pen name of Sir Francis Bacon!  You decide.

The first reference to bacon served for breakfast is believed to be in London, 1560.

Bacon is a favorite hangover cure - in England a "bacon buttie" is eaten to soothe sore heads after a night of indulgence.  British scientists have actually come up with the formula for the perfect bacon buttie N = C + {fb(cm) . fb(tc)} + fb(Ts) + fc . ta  Really, Google it!

Kevin Bacon is more than the actor you love from "Footloose", he and his brother have a band, named... yep, you guessed it:  The Bacon Brothers.

Be prepared to wait because the secrets out and everyone in town knows that Sunny Point has a good breakfast and of course good bacon.  Don’t worry, you can grab a cup o’ joe and get the caffeine flowing and in nice weather you can enjoy a stroll through the garden.  What garden?  Well, Sunny Point has an adjacent garden that helps provide the nutritious local products they use to create their delicious meals.

But wait, there’s more…

What less locals know is that along with lunch, Sunny Point also offers dinner!  I know, who saw that coming!?  Yes, of course breakfast is available, but switch it up and try some of Sunny Point’s other delectable food.  They have a dedication to locally sourced products used to create dishes that draw us back again and again no matter what time of day we choose to return.

Be sure to check out the Sunny Point menu because they do have non-bacon dishes as well as healthy choice options on each menu.

Contact Information

Sunny Point Café

(828) 252.0055

626 Haywood Rd

Asheville, North Carolina 28806

http://www.sunnypointcafe.com/

Luella's Bar-B-Que: Some of Asheville's best BBQ!

Luella’s has long been one of my favorite Asheville BBQ joints.  Oddly enough it seems like I cater from there more than I dine in.  Either way, Luella’s offers some incredible Que to go with their perfectly smoked meats – pork, beef, chicken sausage, turkey – check the menu, it’ll be quicker.  So whether you’re in the mood for pulled pork, brisket, wings or a slab; chances are that Luella’s has what you’re looking for.

I’ve tried many of the various choices and have been very happy with each.  Of course, the choice of BBQ sauces with the ability to mix and match makes eating Luella’s BBQ an even better experience.  I love BBQ and there’s nothin’ better than letting me mix up the sauces.

You’ll have sides to choose from as well.  Once again, Luella’s has what you need and want.  Everyone offers a variety of different sides so here are my favs from Luella’s:

Pimento cheese, deviled eggs, sweet potato chips, slaw, mac’n hoop cheese, fried okra, hush puppies and collard greens – and the collards are some of the best!

The Story
Jeff Miller is Proprietor & Pit Boss of Luella's Bar-B-Que.  The grandson of Luella and father of Luella "Elly", he loves barbecue, restaurants and barbecue restaurants.  Jeff says his 25 year career has taken him into many kitchen where teeth were cut and bones were broken.

Luella’s Bar-B-Que is named after owner and Pit Boss Jeff Miller’s grandmother Luella.  “Grandma Lue” did all the cooking when the family would get together for Sunday dinner and holidays.  Scratch cooking from the garden at its best.  What she handed down was an understanding of how great food is created – honest good cooking, made with a loving hand.

The History

Luella Fern Yoder was born on July 22, 1922 in rural eastern Iowa.  She was one of 8 children growing up on a farm.  Her mother called her “Elly” when she was being scolded for misbehaving.  When Luella was behaving, she married Monroe Yoder on Valentine’s Day in 1943.  Grandpa Yoder raised Hereford hogs in the 1950’s to show at fairs and farm shows.  His grand champion prize hog was named Big Boy.  The mother of 5 children, Luella cooked not only for her family, but also for the public school system.

The Sauce

Every Pit Boss has his/her unique recipe to success and most have a few secret sauce recipes.  At Luella’s, their approach to great barbeque is to create sauces that best complement their perfectly seasoned and smoked meats without overpowering the flavors that they’ve worked so hard to get just right.  They smoke the meat, not the sauce.  The flagship sauces are Sweet Pisgah (ketchup based) and Scooter’s Vinegar Sauce (vinegar based, eastern NC style).  Both of these homemade sauces are gluten-free. Now and then they will create other choice sauces and your server will have the details of what they may be offering. 

The Green Thing

Luella’s is an official member of the Green Restaurant Association!  After months of research, new policy & equipment installations & staff education, their efforts were realized as they were presented with a 3-star certification.  They join a small handful of Asheville restaurants working to make Asheville the greenest restaurant city in the nation. Doing their part by maintaining an environmentally consciousness work ethic is an important piece of their Mission.

If you would like a visual of their achievement, you cannot miss the shiny solar panels happily sitting on the roof!  Sundance Solar Systems worked to make this piece happen. Other changes they’ve made include:

Donate all of the fry oil waste to Blue Ridge Biofuels.

Composting with Danny’s Dumpster has reduced their landfill waste by 50%.

New low-flow faucets reduce water usage by 60% and the rain barrel waters their plants.

Luella’s staff is now sporting organic cotton shirts.

All of the carry-out containers and bags are biodegradable or recyclable.

Motion lighting inside helped to save energy used.

They support local farms, and feature a local meat from Hickory Nut Gap every Tuesday!

Luella’s is also part of the Asheville Independent Restaurant Association.

For complete details visit Dinegreen.com & search Luella’s Bar-B-Que.

Contact Information

Luella’s Bar-B-Que

(828) 505.7427

501 Merrimon Avenue

Asheville, North Carolina 28804

http://luellasbbq.com/