October 2018 * Strong Coffee to Red Wine

Sweet Potato Soufflé (Casserole)

Published October 29, 2018

I can’t believe it is almost November. It seems like it was April just a few days ago. In the autumn I start to think about Thanksgiving and the foods we eat, like the sweet potato. A few weeks ago, Gary bought some sweet potatoes from a co-worker whose family grows on their farm. He ordered a small box. When she brought it to work is was a 1/2 a bushel. Think a case of copier paper. We have sweets for days and plenty for family and friends too. Since they came straight from the farm, I knew I had time to figure…

Ceritas Wine Dinner at Edmund’s Oast

Published October 26, 2018

Wine Dinner – What is it? Just because you are drinking wine with your dinner does not make it a wine dinner. Sorry, I had to say that even though it may seem obvious. So what is a wine dinner? A Wine Dinner is a structured meal with a set number of courses (three to four) with wine paired to each course. Which comes first, the food or the wine? That depends on which is the “feature” for the event. If the food is the showcase, it comes first, and wines are selected from the wine list that best compliment the…

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Pantry Raid – It’s What’s 4 Dinner

Published October 25, 2018

Before I get to my pantry raid, let’s talk pumpkin. As Halloween approaches and jack-o-lanterns appear on the porches all over the country, there is a question I have to ask. If you bought an extra pumpkin at the market, should you make it into a pumpkin pie? I am here to tell you, don’t do it. You can, for sure, but it will not turn out as you would expect. Herein lies the problem. All pumpkins are squash, but all squash are not pumpkins. In some countries, all squash are called pumpkins. But in most countries, all squash and pumpkins…

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Ehlers Estate * The Reds * A Chat * A Bonus

Published October 22, 2018

Welcome to Part Two from my visit to Ehlers Estate in Napa Valley. If you missed the first post about this experience, you would find it here. Today, I am continuing the Tasting portion of the visit, followed by a chat with the new winemaker and after that, the bonus. But you are going to need to keep reading to find out what it is. Ehlers Estate * Tasting of the Reds Cabernet Franc, Say what? Cabernet Franc is a grape variety that the casual wine drinker may not be familiar. It is an old grape variety and is a…

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Gorilla Trekking in the Mist – Day Two

Published October 19, 2018

The gorilla trek on day two started the same as the day before. Only this time with the promise kept for a challenging hike. The journey in the van to get to our starting point was longer, and the hike from the start was beyond our wildest dreams. As I said in the day one post, that trek was about three and a half hours in total. One hour with the gorillas and the remaining two and a half driving and hiking round trip. Day two was a very different day. Exceptional in every way but definitely different. Now This…

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Pork Roast – Lemon & Herb Stuffed

Published October 17, 2018

Remember the dinner party that started with the Oysters Casino? Well, this is the post for the main event. Lemon-Herb Stuffed Pork Roast served with Twice Baked Potatoes with Bleu Cheese and Rosemary and Zucchini Ribbons in Butter and Fresh Parsley. I was so happy with how this dinner turned out. It is a definite do-over. Lemon & Herb Stuffed Pork Roast Ingredients 1 6 to 7-pound boneless pork roast, excess fat trimmed to 1/4-inch thickness; butterflied ¼ cup chopped fennel fronds 2 – ½ oz package fresh rosemary, de-stemmed and chopped 1 ½ oz package fresh sage leaves, chopped 6 garlic cloves,…

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Ehlers Estate Tour and Tasting Part 1

Published October 15, 2018

Ehlers Estate Wine with a Purpose When on a wine tasting trip in Napa Valley, it is easy to get lost in the blur of so much wine. There are vineyards at every turn and tasting rooms for wineries dotting the valley from top to bottom. It is so easy for several wine tasting experiences to blend into a single event. That was not the case for the tasting we had Ehlers Estate. They knocked it out of the park. Our experience at Ehlers Estate was the first one of the day at ten o’clock in the morning. I am…

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Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda

Published October 11, 2018

I am expanding the blog to include a Travel section. Over the years I have traveled to some pretty cool places. These trips were quite impactful, and I continue to be asked about them. So I thought that I might do a few posts about some of my previous trips. At the moment I will be featuring past excursions that include my time in Rwanda, Myanmar, Kenya, and Manitoba. They won’t all be this exotic for sure, but let’s get this going with our first day of gorilla treks. Walking with the Greatest of Apes Ever since I saw my first…

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Month: October 2018