May I Suggest...
By Barbara Kozlowski (11/07/08)
For the Village Wine Rack

MAY I SUGGEST. . . GIN. Yes, Gin. And today’s Gins are not ‘your father’s’ gin. A statement made by a brand relations manager ‘For years, Gin has been the ugly stepchild of the spirits world’ and rightly so. Have you ever had a ‘cheap’ Gin? To me it is one of the foulest tasting and smelling spirit ever distilled. Most recently, the Gin world has changed. Juniper berries are not the primary aroma and taste. More botanicals and lime have been added and the results are a more palatable Gin (unless, of course, you prefer the Juniper aroma and taste). Several years ago, I was invited on a Miss Buffalo cruise sponsored by TANQUERAY. This cruise was to kick-off and reintroduce TANQUERAY 10, a citrus-based Gin with little or no hint of the Juniper berries. Not being a lover or even liker of Gin, I tried it with tonic and found it refreshing. Since then, many more Gins have been introduced into the marketplace from SEAGRAM’S Twisted Gin (fruit flavored Gin) HEDRICK’S Gin that recommends a cucumber for a garnish, TANQUERAY RANGPUR which features a hint of lime, and several ultra-premium Gins like PLYMOUTH, NEW AMSTERDAM, PINNACLE and “Q” to name a few. If you’re a Gin lover or would like to try a new spirit, stop in to the VILLAGE WINE RACK and ask Candy about these, new and updated versions of ‘the spirit world’s ugly stepchild’.

BEER definitely has a place at the table. Unlike the old ‘red wine with red meat and white wine with white meat’ saying, beer can be related to a cook’s adage ‘If it grows together, it goes together’. For instance: if you are serving pork and sauerkraut, pair with a German lager; roast beef and popovers pair well with an English ale; pair a dark, slightly sweet Mexican beer with chili; fish won’t be overwhelmed by Hoegaarden, a Belgium import or pair a beer like Budweiser with shell fish and spicy crabs; stouts and porters can compliment cheesecake or chocolate chip cookies or be really decadent and put a scoop of good quality vanilla or chocolate ice cream, carefully drop it into a glass of stout or porter, let it melt a bit and shave a little bittersweet chocolate on top. That’s a very adult way to end the evening. There are so many different styles and tastes in the beer industry that can compliment the foods we serve. I really prefer a good beer with pizza than a glass of wine. Try it sometime, you may be surprised. For some help with pairing beer and food look to the following books: The Brewmaster’s Table by Garrett Oliver; Great Food, Great Beer by Anehauser-Busch brew master George Reisch or Lucy Saunders’ Best of American Beer and Food.

With a chill in the air, there is something about a simmering pot of soup, fragrant and appetite stimulating. Try this FALL ROOTS SOUP.

The Recipe: FALL ROOTS SOUP
4 tbsp unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups of chopped leeks, white and light green parts only
1 1/2 lbs carrots, peeled and sliced
1 medium rutabaga 1 to 1 1/4 lbs peeled and diced
8 cups chicken stock
1 1/3 cups creme fraiche
3 tbsp finely chopped flat leaf parsley

Melt butter in heavy large pot with cover, when hot, add leeks, carrots and rutabaga. Saute until vegetables are softened, add stock, bring to a simmer and lower heat, cover and cook until vegetables are tender. Using an immersion blender to puree the soup or in batches with a food processor or food mill. Whisk in 3/4 cup of creme fraiche, taste and add salt if needed. Serve in shallow bowls with a dollop of creme fraiche and a sprinkling of parsley.

BON APETIT and SKOL!!!!