by Christine | Life, Observations, Writing
Sometimes, a girl just needs a place to put some random and stray thoughts down, you know? So here goes.
~ No one should bomb Norway. No way, no how. Too, too sad. I wish I could hug everyone there.
~ No one should go past the barriers at Niagra Falls. No way, no how. Too, too sad that they died.
~ Amy Winehouse. Too, too sad. Finally bought her Back to Black cd…but that’s me, all over it – but only when it’s all over.
~ Google + Well, from everything I’m hearing – I’m glad I didn’t jump on that bandwagon. I still may, but they’ve got a lot of ‘splaining to do.
~ Hey Mambo Red – Just bought another 3 bottles of it. 2 for camping. Truly. No joke. Stop it! (sipping on the 3rd bottle as we speak…)
~ Speaking of wine – hubby picked up two more bottles of the Ironstone Symphony. One’s in the fridge. We don’t go camping for two more weeks. May just have to pick up another bottle.
~ even though she spelled my hero’s name wrong, Eva’s Sanctuary gave DEMON SOUL a 4.5 stars out of 5. Can’t complain!
~ Didn’t see Deathly Hallows part 1. But LOVED part 2. Alan Rickman is the man. THE MAN! Best of luck to the three main kids. Whatever they do, they’re set for life – monetarily. I hope.
~ Don’t understand folks putting their first – or subsequent – chapters of their works in progress up online. If it’s bad, um, oops? And if it’s good – same go. As someone else’s gramma used to say about premarital sex – why should I buy the cow when I get the milk for free? (Even if the milk (book) is bad.)
~ Love the supportive writer community. I don’t know – is it just the folks I’m connected with on Twitter/Facebook/email? Or is it all writers? Don’t care. Love it!
~ Why is it you replenish a drink, but you never plenish it?
~ Borders closing. My heart breaking. School kids everywhere losing a place to be tutored. Writers everywhere losing a place to write. Readers everywhere losing a place to get lost in a book. Lose/lose proposition. Damn you, Amazon.
~ Yay for young people willing to join the Peace Corps after college. Shannon D, I’m so proud of you.
~ Hate politics. Doesn’t matter which party at this point. It seems it’s “party above country” – and that’s just WRONG. #governmentfail
~ Still love Joss Whedon. How can I not? Buffy 4-Ever.
~ Having a broken leg sucks. Going on vacation with a broken leg is better than not going on vacation – even if it’s camping.
MASHUP OF AWESOMENESS:
Below are some of the wonderful places I’ve been in the last week or so. Hope you enjoy.
Visit a different side of Paris with John Sealander. I’ve been there in the snow. It’s another world, totally.
If you haven’t discovered Eden Bradley/Eve Berlin yet, you should. She writes fantastic, sexy, intelligent books.
Susan McMartin suffers for beauty, after an enforced absence. Truly funny.
Les Floyd discusses the weekend’s news in this heartfelt and inspiring post. He’s my new hero.
If you haven’t heard of Savvy Authors yet, and you’re a writer, then you need to go there. Now. Tons of helpful information no matter how long you’ve been writing.
Don’t forget to pick up your copy of DEMON SOUL. Just got a 4 star review in September’s Romantic Times Book Reviews, and a 4.5 star review at Eva’s Sanctuary. Try it – you’ll like it!
That’s all for now, folks. Remember, summer is about half over. Have fun, love much, and drink responsibly!
by Christine | Wine Friday
As usual, I’m here tasting cheap wines so you don’t have to. I’ve got a couple of winners below – white wine drinkers, rejoice!
With a broken leg, I treated myself and the family to more salmon sausages for dinner. Pre-dinner, however, the hubby and I needed a booster shot – and we decided to sip a wine we hadn’t heard of before.
Ironstone Obsession – Symphony 2010 Ironstone Vineyards, American Canyon – Napa Valley, California. Alcohol 12.5% by volume. $11.99 regular price, $6.99 on sale at Vons – they’re pimping it on an end cap.
On The Label: “For four generations, sustainable viticulture and farming have been our way of life. Our family invites you to share a glass of this seductively aromatic, refreshing Obsession Symphony wine. Symphony is a modern grape variety which began development in 1948, in California. It is a cross between a Muscat of Alexandria and Grenache Gris. The first wines made from this grape were declared they showed “a symphony of aromas and flavors,” which is evident with the first taste.
“This delightful wine is at its best when served fresh and youthful. We like to have a glass on its own, but it is an incredible accompaniment to any spicy dish or summer salads.”
Since the label mentioned Muscat, I decided this would be a good before-dinner drink – and am not disappointed. The flavor of Muscat is strong and lovely, a nicely grapey taste that I don’t often get in a white wine. Better? It’s very faintly sweet – reminiscent of a true Muscat wine, but not overpoweringly, gaggingly sweet. Which makes it a perfect summer sipper, in my book. It is also, very faintly, effervescent. Not a sparkling wine, but it has a lively zing to it that would, I expect, go very well with Thai or Chinese foods, or crisp salads. Perfect for ladies and gents who lunch under a summer umbrella, shading them from the heat of the sun.
Unfortunately, since I’d just brought the wine home, it wasn’t chilled. So I poured it in a short glass over a few ice cubes – and it was lovely. Run, don’t walk, and get a couple of bottles of this for pure summer enjoyment.
The hubby likes it, too, and has approved purchase of this wine to take camping with us. Huzzah!
My Rating: ~ Very, Very Drinkable!~ I have yet to find a white that inspires the slut in me. But this came extremely close!
Regarding Salmon Sausages…
While I was there today, walking awkwardly in my boot, I talked to the lovely owner of OceanFresh (who I recognize by sight but, alas, always manage to forget his name), and told him of my pimping out his salmon sausages in my blog a few weeks back. He told me he’d been getting calls from all over, wanting him to send the delectable items. I believe he’s working on that. I do know that they were such a hit that first weekend, they are a staple now at the fish counter – YAY! PLUS, they’re still $5.99 a pound. Folks, what a deal – sausage that’s GOOD for you! Plus it’s one of the tastiest ways to cook salmon – in the casing, it stays nice and moist.
Recipe for Salmon Sausage: 1 per person. With a fork, poke the sausages three times on one side, then three times on the other. Put all the salmon sausages in a frying pan large enough to hold them all (or two pans). Add 2 tlb water per two sausages, squeeze half a lemon over all if you wish; put heat on medium low, and cover. Cook for 5 minutes, watching pan every now and then. After 5 minutes, take the cover off and continue to cook, allowing the water to cook off. Brown sausages until desired color.
Remove, and eat. Yum! I pair this with smashed potatoes and green beans, plus the wine highlighted below.
My Rating: ~Stay away! These are MY salmon sausages, you slut!~ Seriously. If you live in Simi Valley, or the San Fernando Valley, and you HAVEN’T come out and tried these, you’re a fool. Those of you who live more than an hour away are exempted from this pronouncement.
Kenwood Chardonnay 2009 Sonoma County 13.5% alcohol by volume. Regularly $13.99, but cut to $8.99 for fast sale (?!!) at Vons.
On the label: “This Chardonnay is made with fruit grown in select cool climate vineyards. The wine was partially barrel-fermented in small oak barrels and aged on its lees, giving it an appealing balance of fruit and oak.”
From the website, more informative than the label: “Combining grapes from the cool climate regions of southern Sonoma Valley and the Russian River Valley, Kenwood’s Sonoma County Chardonnay nicely balances the classic fruit flavors of this varietal with subtle notes of French oak aging. Fruit aromas of Pippin apples and Meyer lemon combine with gingerbread and vanilla notes, lush and viscous mouth feel with a crisp mineral quality to the finish.”
First off, I must confess I love Kenwood. That’s all wrapped up with the 1980’s and the guys I worked with (see My Wine Credentials, to the right), plus going to Sonoma and visiting the winery way back when. So I am predisposed to LOVE Kenwood wines.
So…it’s all there. The fruit. The Meyer lemon. (For my money, there is no other lemon. Meyer is king.) Okay, maybe the gingerbread is missing, lol…but the subtle oak is there. Is this a huge Chardonnay? No. Is it deep, fruity, with oak and a nice finish? Absolutely. The French oak is the perfect touch. THIS is the under $10 bottle of Chardonnay I’ve been looking for – and Von’s is dumping it? WTH? Okay. So I go back tomorrow and pick up a couple more bottles. I can handle that. Summer, after all, is half over.
My Rating: ~Very, Very Drinkable!~ Again, it’s not a heart-tugger. It doesn’t convert me to slut status. But it’s close!
Remember, these are my opinions based upon the phases of the moon, which bone is currently broken, and whether my cat is by my side or not. Your taste buds will undoubtedly vary. Please drink responsibly!
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Have you read DEMON SOUL yet? You can find it at Crescent Moon Press or Amazon.com. Happy Reading!
by Christine | Life, Writing
<Begin Rant>
This has not been the easiest year for me. Back in December, a major life-changer happened to me, which slowed me waaaay down in many, many ways.
But it’s seven months on now. I should be back up to speed. I should be dancing in the streets, getting fitter than ever, and having parties. Right? Well…
The dizziness is still there, but the latest MRI shows no reason for it, and I’m in limbo until the docs at Neurology decide where I really belong. In the meantime, I’m not sure if my surgeon’s office managed to get the paperwork back to disability on time – if it’s not there by tomorrow, I’m off disability which really sucks. Why? A job I went for, that I really wanted, was given to another person – and truly, it should have been given to that person, so there you go, but the steady income would have been nice. And then, on Friday, I broke my fibula, way down by my ankle.
This is about where I broke mine, on my left leg.
Say what? How? Um…would you believe, walking? I didn’t trip over anything. I didn’t stumble. My ankle just refused, went POP! – and down I went, in absolutely the most pain I can ever remember being in. Of course, I was alone in the house. Isn’t that always the way? Hopping everywhere HURT like hell. Crawling was good, but slow – and hard to carry anything when you crawl. Seriously. So I suffered, with an icepack on my ankle, propped up, and watching the news until one of my sons came home.
An early trip to the doc on Saturday proved it to be broken, when I had been sure it was just a terrible sprain. No such luck (but then, terrible sprains are known to be harder to heal than broken bones…so…?). They gave me an airsoft cast, crutches, and a referral to an orthopedic surgeon. Everything I’m seeing on the internet tells me it’s a 6 to 8 week recovery time, with NO WEIGHT on the foot. That’s totally rubbish and I refuse to follow this advice what I expected; but now that I have crutches, I hate them. HATE them.
Seriously? You give a girl, who’s already dizzy 85% of the time, a pair of crutches? Someone who’s not totally sure where the ground is at any given time, and you want me to take BOTH FEET off the ground and rely on TWO STICKS shoved into my now-aching armpits? SERIOUSLY?!!! Are you DELUSIONAL, or is it just me?
Yeah, there’ve been some falling issues. As in, using the damned crutches, I’ve totally lost my balance and fallen flat on my face. More than once. Luckily inside and on carpet, but still. Oh, and I’ve fallen into the bathroom sink, and sideways into a doorway…you know, now that I think about it, that’s a lot of falling for less than 24 hours. So I use the damned things but it’s crutch, step-step. Crutch, step-step. Not ideal and I recognize that.
I’m hoping against hell that the docs next week give me a walking cast of some sort. I am DESPERATE to keep both feet on the ground, and a wheelchair WILL NOT WORK in my house. It was built in the 1960’s – narrow hallways, 30″ doorways, and all. Not to mention the 16 years’ worth of clutter we’ve piled around the house. It’s all a trap for the unwary. (Why, suddenly, do I feel a need to get rid of 50% of our furniture?)
So while I’m in full pout mode, I’m trying to be a good girl. Getting up infrequently. Using my crutches properly most of the time. Keeping the leg elevated, and blah blah blah.
And I’m writing. It’s the only reason I can think of that I broke my ankle – the Universe wants me to sit on my ass and write instead of, oh, get a steady-paying job. And if disability is out the window? I keep telling the Universe that threats don’t make a writer more productive. At least, they don’t make THIS writer more productive.
I’m trying hard not to snarl and bite at my family, especially my poor hubby who did NOT need me crippled at this point in time. He’s feeling quite put-upon, even while he realizes I feel the same thing a thousand times more than he does.
So I’m saving snarling and biting for my work. Since I don’t get fancy cable (at almost $70/month, oh come on – it’s a time-wasting luxury), I only watch a couple soap operas during the day. The rest of my time (since I won’t be cleaning house any time soon) will be spent writing. I’m a captive to my work.
All in all, I’m okay with that. I just wish I didn’t have to go through the pain process. I’ve had more than enough of that this year.
I guess there’s only one thing left to do today…oh, hubby….could you please pour me a glass of wine? </end rant>
~ ~ ~
Have you read DEMON SOUL yet? You can find it at Crescent Moon Press or Amazon.com. Happy Reading!
by Christine | Wine Friday
I drink cheap wines so you don’t have to. In these strange economic times, you still need a good wine to either serve guests, take to a host, or just enjoy with a loved one, but you don’t want to break the checkbook, shelling out for a $40 bottle of wine that you might not actually like. That’s where I come in. There are some terrific wines out there under $10. I’m searching them out, and reporting back to you. Enjoy! ~~
In California, red wine blends are often called a “Meritage”. This just means that it’s more than one grape varietal in the wine, but it sounds sexy. Meritage. See? Sexy!
I am a huge red wine fan. I love my reds with a passion, and don’t much care who knows. Often, a red blend (labeled anything from “meritage” to “red” to “table wine” is less expensive than their varietal cousins, but not always. Some blends have vintages; others don’t.
Hubby and I spent a week in Rome, Italy during a February with rain, sleet, and wind. We had a marvelous time in the relatively tourist-free city, and in every restaurant we went to, we stuck with the house wine. Invariably this would come to us from a cask, or a big jug (no label), and served in what looked like jelly glasses (no stemware anywhere). I can say without a doubt that we did not have a bad glass of wine in any restaurant we went to. I can also say with certainty that all the wine we’d been served were blended wines. What a discovery!
Thanks to http://barrellsonline.com for the photo.
Today I’m bringing you four red blends that I think you red wine drinkers will like. White wine fans, check back next week for some goodies, okay?
pro.mis.Q.ous <California red table wine> Santa Rosa, California Regularly $16.99; on sale for $9.99 at Vons.
On The Label: “[referring to many partners.] The act of blending multiple, mutually attractive grape varieties in an assortment of unorthodox combinations. Implies a wanton disregard for convention. May result in an intense sensory experience. Practice safe sipping.”
This wine is a Zinfandel, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petite Syrah blend. It’s color is deep red. The taste is big and bold, with a hint of the Zin pepper coming through. Terrific with a traditional steak dinner, or any hearty fare – bbq in the summer to lavish Italian dishes in the winter. (Not, however, a wine that goes well with sweets.)
My Rating: ~ Very Drinkable ~ especially at the sale price! Plus the label is fun, lol.
Red Velvet 2009 Cupcake Vineyards $11.99; on sale for $7.99 at Vons.
On the Label: “Our Red Velvet is made up of grapes from some of the finest vineyards in California. This wine shows a heady nose of chocolate, deep rich blackberries, red fruits, and a creamy mocha finish that is unmistakeable in its intensity and length. Its reminiscent of a blackberry chocolate cupcake with a mocha coulis. Enjoy with a sweet and spicy Hoisin steak, a bbq bacon cheeseburger, or even dark chocolate fondue.”
Hubby and I were divided about this wine. I believe the wine lived up to its label; hubby wasn’t as enthusiastic, but I have to add in his preference for lighter wines. I found it smooth, straight from the bottle (no fussy airing needed). The blackberry, the chocolate, the mocha finish – all were there for me. It’s got a big-mouth feel for a price I’d expect to be three times what I paid for.
My Rating: ~ Very Drinkable ~
The House Wine, 2007 Red Wine The Magnificent Wine Company, Walla Walla, Washington $10.99; on sale for $7.69 at Vons
On the Label: Not too much, actually. But here’s the breakdown for you: 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Syrah, 30% Merlot, 3% Malbec, 2% Zinfandel, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petite Verdot
Upon first, straight-from-the-bottle taste, it’s big, full of tannins. After it mellowed for an hour in a pitcher, it settled nicely into a terrific food wine.
I personally like sipping big, chewy wines where many people won’t do it without food. In this wine, the Cab. Sauv. and the Syrah blend to make it a robust wine, and even though there’s almost the same amount of Merlot in it, the Merlot doesn’t have much of a mellowing influence. Waiting for this wine to settle made me itchy. If you are a timid red wine drinker, this one isn’t for you.
We had this with bratwurst fresh from the butcher, corn on the cob, melted onions, and cucumbers and lime.
My Rating: ~Drinkable~ But for goodness sakes, don’t pay over $10 for it!
Hey Mambo 2008 Bistro Style Wine $8.99; on sale for $6.49 at Vons. Vinted and bottled by The Other Guys, Napa, California Part of the Sebastiani Family of Wines Alcohol 13.5% by volume.
On the Label: A blend of Syrah, Zinfandel, Barbera, Petite Syrah, and Alicante Bouchet grapes.
I loved this wine. I loved this wine so much that I went back to the store the next day and bought two more bottles of it, just to make sure I loved it. My first crack at it came when the family was all in a good mood – home made pizza on the table, hubby telling stories about how he chewed his arm off that day for a movie shoot. The wine had aired in my glass for about 15 minutes, and as the night grew later and the laughter kept coming, the more I appreciated the wine. Big in my mouth, but gentle and luscious, too – with hints of smoke and berries. I deliberately set my notebook aside, and just enjoyed the wine.
There’s a lot to be said for blends – they can give you a more complex and enjoyable time than a varietal can, and yet the quality can vary wildly. This blend is three years old, and my guess is with one more year under its belt, this will be an absolute wow of a wine.
My Rating: ~ Stay away! This is MY wine, you slut! ~
Plus, I’m really digging on the Sebastiani family – now they’ve got two labels under their umbrella (Hey Mambo plus Smoking Loon) that I’m totally gaga over. Thanks, folks!
Remember, this is my wine experience, with my moods, phases of the moon, taste buds, and all that jazz. Your tastes will undoubtedly vary. Cheers, and remember to drink responsibly!
~ ~ ~
Have you read DEMON SOUL yet? You can find it at Crescent Moon Press or Amazon.com. Happy Reading!
by Christine | Wine Friday
NOTE: Please assume the accent over the “e” on the word Rose. (Pronounced rosAY.)
Rose wines and summer just seem to go together. So while I was in my local grocery store, I looked for Roses. I found two – and they were both in the sparkling wine category. (Quite good and I’ll get to one of those in a minute.) For straight, still wine called Rose, I found exactly – one. One. ONE. Are the wine buyers crazy?
Whatever happened to Rose? I remember in the late 1970’s, Mateus used to put out a decent Rose, in a nifty bottle, too. Almaden also put out a Rose. Then, somehow, when I wasn’t looking, in the early 1980’s white Zinfandel hit the scene and took over. The new category of “blush wine” appeared, forever altering the state of Rose in America.
Let’s get something clear. White Zinfandel, or any other “blush” wine, tends to be sweet and lower in alcohol (and often, cheap). Because of this, many casual wine drinkers think that all pink wines taste the same. Not so, grasshopper! I mean, yes, any wine with the word “white” before the varietal is most likely sweet. And while that isn’t necessarily bad, it’s most definitely not a Rose.
I shall now quote from the EVERYTHING GUIDE TO WINE book by Peter Alig: “Even though a rose has acidity and tannins acquired from the grape skins, its fruit flavor disappears quickly, which is why you should always buy the most recent vintage available. Like a white wine, a rose should be served well-chilled.”
Okay, now that I’ve gotten that short rant out of the way, on to the wines! I’ve got one sparkler and two still Roses for you today.
Chandon Sparkling Rose Alcohol 13% by volume. Regularly $19.99 a bottle, on sale for $12.99 (I know – but for sparkling wines, I’m upping my limit to $15.!)
On The Label: “Methode Traditionnelle. At Chandon, we are true California sparkling wine pioneers. Founded in 1973 by Moet & Chandon, we draw on our French heritage and the innovative spirit of California to create sophisticated and vibrant sparkline wines that enliven all occasions. Taste profile: Strawberries, spice, creamy finish. Pairs with: Salmon, paella, fruit desserts.”
The color is flawless, a pretty deep pink with the bubbles absolutely making my glass shimmer. If I were throwing a wedding, THIS is the champagne I’d use – it’s pretty, it’s relatively inexpensive, and it tastes good. Not sweet, but not too dry – plus it is an American sparkler, which means it doesn’t have the French yeasty taste (which you either love or hate).
I think the winery shortchanged themselves. This sparkling Rose would go fantastic with Asian foods of all kinds, cut through spices, brighten up a roasted chicken or a pork chop. I must say it went very well with my 4th of July fireworks. Fresh and fabulous, it’s a celebratory wine to share with girlfriends – or the perfect wine for Valentine’s dinner at home.
My Rating: ~ Stay away! This is MY wine, you slut! ~
Nine Vines Rose, Vintage 2008 Angove Family Winemakers, South Australia Grenache 70%; Shiraz 30% Rose Regularly $8.99, on sale at Von’s for $4.99 (Score!) Alcohol 12.5% by volume
On the Label: “Argove’s Nine Vines Rose is a blend of Grenache and Shiraz, picked early to capture the vibrant natural fruit flavours and freshness of each variety. Zesty fruit flavours of red currant and raspberry from the Grenache combine with spicy cherry of the Shiraz to give a refreshing drinking experience. Enjoy this wine with spicy warm chicken salad or your favourite curry. The red wine drinker’s white wine.”
Hmmm. This was a solid wine. Not sweet at all, which made it taste better in my book. It had an easy sipping to it, with not much fruitiness which makes me think it was the 2008 vintage (maybe a 2010 would have been fruitier? dunno…). It went well with a spicy Mexican casserole, and would also have made a good sipping wine.
Was it my favorite by far? No. Was it a stand-up Rose? Absolutely, especially for the price. I had a Rose by Zaca Mesa that probably sat around too long – as it was about the same in flavor, but cost four times as much. (That was back when I was still a part of their wine club. I miss that wine club!)
My Rating: ~Drinkable~ And at $5 a bottle, I might have to load up on some for the summer.
Beringer California Collection White Merlot 2010 Regular price, $6.49 on sale for $4.43 at Vons. Alcohol 12.5% by volume (Hmmm…same as the Nine Vines…)
On the Label: “This carefully crafted wine has enticing flavors of ripe red berries. It is soft, smooth, friendly and delicious. If you enjoy our White Merlot, make sure to try our Pinot Grigio. Serve chilled.”
Okay. First off, I thought I’d plucked an infamous white Zin off the shelves at the store. When I pulled this out of my fridge, I was properly shocked that yet another terrific grape had been “blushed” for the masses. Oh well. The white Zin will have to wait.
The wine color is pretty – pink and sassy, and the red berry fruit is definitely there. But swirl the glass, and you’ll see the sweetness in how slowly the glass sheds the wine. It is sweet. It is almost Kool Aid sweet, but not quite. I’m drinking it right now because there’s nothing else open, I just had a job interview, and it’s after 10:30 on a hot summer night. Plus I don’t want to pour it down the sink, and hubby’s been doing his part in consuming it. (He likes sweeter wines than I do.)
For me, even after dinner, this is too sweet. Diluted strawberry cough syrup comes to mind. For me, even under $7 at regular pricing, this wine is too expensive since I really just want to pour it out.
My Rating: ~Barely Drinkable~ (Hubby says ~Drinkable~) It just totally depends.
Remember, I’m rating based on my taste buds, mood, the moon’s phase and all that other stuff. Your tastes will undoubtedly vary.
Do you have a favorite Rose? If so, where in heck did you get it? Please share!
Oh, a side note: OceanFresh, the place that sold salmon sausages last week, did so well in selling them that they’ve put them on the regular list!!! Woo! More salmon sausages…I’d better get some this weekend while they’re still at the $5.99 introductory price.
Happy weekend, and cheers!
