Written by Stacy Fisher RD, LD on 12 August 2010
Last night, Scott Collier, winemaker and founder of Rockroom Winemaking Cooperative, led an incredible wine tasting experience for a group of Austin Slow Foodies.
As we bathed our palates in 7 delightful wines, we discussed organic and biodynamic winemaking processes, labeling laws, a
nd the ever-popular question of how well the Texas climate is suited for winemaking.
The 2008 Pacific Rim Riesling was our starter wine. Sweet and crisp, it finished with a bitter grapefruit for me. Sugars are often added to wines like Rieslings to counterbalance the high acidity. We also learned that German wines are typically more acidic because of the colder climate.
The second wine, Rockroom Winemaking Cooperative’s 2008 Chardonnay (not for sale), was much different than any wine I’ve tasted before. The wine was made using grape juice from the San Giacomo family vineyards in Sonoma, CA, and the natural fermentation process (no sulfites) resulted in a very unique flavor. It was bright and almost bitter, leaving a bold, mineral-like feeling on the tongue.
The smell of the third wine, a 2008 Chimango Malbec Rose from Argentina, immediately made me think of butterscotch candy. While the flavor was not sweet, per se, I was still detecting hints of butterscotch as I finished the glass.
The 4th wine we tasted, a 2007 “La Encantada Vineyard” Rockroom Winemaking Cooperative Pinot Noir from Santa Rita Hills, CA, was made with organic grapes with minimal processing. Since Pinots are some of my favorite wines, this came in at #2 for my favorites of the night.
Our fifth tasting was by far my favorite. The 2006 Sustainable Red Parducci from Mendocino County, CA overwhelmed me with its flavor the first time I tasted it at Wink Restaurant in Austin. If you’ve never tried this one, move it to the top of your list immediately.
Moving on to our 6th tasting, a 2005 Rockroom Winemaking Cooperative Cabernet Sauvignon (not for sale) from the Texas Hill Country, we learned that the grapes came from a vineyard near the Hamilton Pool area here in Austin. It was a much heavier wine with a bold flavor – a quite nice one at that.
Our final tasting was of a 2007 Bonterra Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon from Mendocino County, CA. Organic grapes were used to create this lovely tasting wine.
We also learned that a Texan was involved in saving the French wine industry in the late 1800′s. A devastating root disease called Phylloxera louse was threatening French vineyards - until Thomas Munson of Denison, TX, found a solution using hybrid rootstocks. It’s interesting to think that some of the French wine today may be actually part Texan!
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Written by Stacy Fisher RD, LD on 10 August 2010
Fair trade coffee from Texas Coffee Traders
I like to mix up my coffee selections, and this week I was lucky enough to snatch up the only bag of Cafe Monteverde from the Texas Coffee Traders booth at the farmers’ market. I mostly toggle between Columbian and Nicaraguan varieties, but this week I wanted to try something different.
I typically pay between $10-12 for one pound of whole-bean coffee (which is only a couple dollars more than I pay for similar beans at my local grocery store), but the Cafe Monteverde was priced a little higher at $15.
This particular coffee thrives in volcanic soil near the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve in Costa Rica. Cafe Monteverde is part of a sustainable coffee project, so Texas Coffee Traders gives a portion of it’s proceeds back to the Costa Rican community. It’s labeled natural because it’s allowed to dry on the plant before harvesting.
The inviting vanilla aroma of the beans could easily be mistaken for a scented candle or a sweet potpouri. After brewing, however, all traces of sweetness vanished. The aroma of the liquid was a bit acrid if anything. Even more surprising was the flavor, which was not at all bitter, but smooth with almost no aftertaste.
It’s a really nice coffee, but not necessarily my favorite. I prefer bolder flavors, and this one felt a little light on my tongue. If you prefer lighter bodied varieties you’d probably really enjoy this one.
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Written by Stacy Fisher RD, LD on 09 August 2010
It seems I’ve been on a cucumber kick lately. With so many kinds to choose from each week at the farmers’ market, it’s sort of hard not to be. This week, Tecolote Farm’s Italian cucumbers caught my eye, and I’m glad they did.
Italian cucumbers are shaped a lot like lemon cucumbers - round, and ranging in size from a grapefruit to a small spaghetti squash. Their fuzzy rinds have distinctive green stripes (as opposed to the yellow stripes of the lemon cucumber).
Cut it open, and you’ll find a pastel green center with a sweet aroma. The flavor is reminiscent of a honeydew melon, but the crisp texture is undeniably that of a cucumber.
While cucumbers are mostly comprised of water, they do contain some carbohydrate and small amount of nutrients such as potassium and vitamin K.
Sliced thinly, they are delightfully sweet and crunchy – a great topping for any salad. If you enjoy pickling, consider using several cucumber varieties to create a colorful and refreshing summer treat.
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Written by Stacy Fisher RD, LD on 04 August 2010
I have tried and tried to like eggplant, but I just can’t do it.
It’s bright purple (and sometime white) hues are beautifully alluring. Breathtaking, really. But there’s just something about the flavor I can’t get past. I can deal with the rubbery, mushroom-like texture, but my interest wanes immediately after my taste buds detect its peculiar flavor.
I’ve come to the conclusion that I don’t like eggplant only after several honest attempts to acquire a taste for it. I’ve crossed my fingers while trying new recipes, hoping that I might be able to find a complimentary ingredient that tricks my taste buds into liking it. I’ve ordered it when dining out, hoping that culinary expertise would outshine my humble cooking abilities. Even with those failed attempts, I would probably still be open to trying new recipes if I found something interesting enough. In the meantime, though, I have tastier veggies to devour.
It’s comforting to know that we don’t have to befriend every vegetable that exists. Instead, we can choose from a wide variety of fruits and vegetables that we do enjoy to meet our nutrients needs. If you don’t like one or more of them, it’s not the end of the world.
Colors can help guide your healthy choices. To make sure you’re getting a healthy balance of nutrients, consider making a list of the fruits and vegetables you don’t like – and then make an alternate list of similar colored fruits and vegetables that you do like. For instance, if you don’t like asparagus, consider broccoli or spinach (they all contain lutein). If you don’t like eggplant, consider blueberries or plums (they all contain anthocyanin). If you don’t like cantaloupe, consider carrots or mangoes (they all contain beta carotene).
Let your unique taste buds be your guide. But choose wisely and choose often.
Tags: taste
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nd the ever-popular question of how well the Texas climate is suited for winemaking.
