Beyond Merlot: Wine Reviews for Newbies

I am typically not a fan of Syrah (or Shiraz-same wine different name, FYI). It almost always falls into the “too bitey” category for me, with a peppery kick in the throat that I find unpleasant. The wine guy and I have talked about this and apparently that’s white pepper, whereas I prefer the black peppery flavors such as those in Red Zinfandels. However, lately I have had several french wines composed of a blend of Syrah and Grenache (another wine I don’t typically drink, this one because it is too weak). To my surprise, I have enjoyed the results. Turns out the soft, sweet fruitiness of the Grenache balances the concentrated, spiciness of the Syrah and results in a balanced, fruity, easy drinking wine.

At $6-$9 a bottle, the Ted the Mule Syrah Grenache is very good and very affordable. Originally I bought it for cooking and while it made a mean Sirloin, I was impressed by how smooth the taste was. At $6 a bottle I would be forgiving of many sins, however it turns out to be a very nice wine-fruity and smoky with just a hint of dry spice.

Sorry it’s been so long, wine is expensive! I’ve been trying to focus on under $10 bottles lately. Do you have any recommendations? Email me at Katie at chaosinthekitchen dot com.

We’re getting into that ridiculously hot stretch of summer. The last couple of weeks before school starts: when the heat is so oppressive that the thought of eating anything not straight from the refrigerator turns the stomach a bit. To combat this, I’ve been experimenting with salads and homemade salad dressings (that and trying out the few new restaurants in town).

This dressing is an easy way to make plain old ranch a lot more exciting. It is flavorful and slightly spicy with a nice thick, yet pourable consistency. Delicious on salads, it is also a great dip for chicken fingers or oven fries. I would love to make it totally from scratch one day. This makes me feel fancy enough for now though, I mean I am stirring the ranch mix into the mayonnaise. That’s from scratch, right?

Kicked-up Ranch Dressing

• 1 cup mayonnaise (any substitutions at at your own risk! Light mayo would work fine but miracle whip-I think not.)
• 1 0.4 oz buttermilk ranch dressing mix packet (about 1 tbsp mix)
• 1/2 tsp coarse ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 cup milk, any kind
• dash tabasco sauce

1. Combine all ingredients, mixing well.
2. Don’t bother tasting it at this point, it will be thin and bland. Just put it into a seal-able container and put it in the fridge to chill at least 1/2 an hour.
3. Now taste it and adjust seasonings as needed. Like magic, it should have thickened up nicely and the flavor will be really punched up.

Calories per tbsp: 42

I like to serve this simply over a green salad with homemade croutons and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Why would you want to add water when you could add flavor?

I think I probably learned this particular trick from a certain chicken broth company’s propaganda. It has always stuck with me, though, as a universally great kitchen tip. Consider substituting some other flavorful liquid for all or some of the water called for in a recipe. Chicken, beef, mushroom, or veggie broths are a great substitute in savory dishes and breads. If you want a more subtle flavor try adding a few tablespoons of fruit juices, beer, wine, coffee, liquors or flavoring extracts in place of some of the water.

My favorite use for this technique is when making quick breads and roasts. This trick works in many different situations, such as: poaching and braising liquids, packaged mixes, bread doughs, marinades, etc… Anytime a recipe calls for water, evaluate the purpose of the water and you will often find that a more flavorful substitute will work. Low sodium stocks are a great substitute in that they won’t significantly change the existing flavors but will simply give the dish a little extra depth of flavor. Just remember to use low-sodium stocks so you don’t accidentally over-salt your meal! With sugar based liquids like fruit juice, you will need to remember the sugars may caramelize and judge your recipe accordingly.

Only because they really deserve it, I am doing my first amateur restaurant review. One of my favorite aspects of vacationing is the opportunity to try out new and interesting restaurants. I know where to get a great steak, seafood, or Mexican dish. What really excites and impresses me is something a little different. Something I can’t get at home. Something local and delicious and interesting. On our recent trip to Hot Springs, Arkansas we figured our meals would mostly consist of home cooked meals at my grandparents’ and fast food along the road. While eating and visiting with my family was delightful, when offered the opportunity to eat dinner in town, sans children, we nevertheless jumped at it. We asked around and looked at a few menus before deciding on Central Park Fusion Cuisine.

The restaurant itself was eclectic and casual with a frog fountain out front, a patio, and a large great room with comfortable booths and tables inside. I was surprised, and pleased, to see a kids menu offering the usual kids’ fare. We eat pretty early here in the Chaos household so the restaurant was fairly empty when we got there. This gave us plenty of time to chat with our friendly and enthusiastic waitress. I was disappointed by the “by the glass” wine choices and the wine list in general. However, after being informed by our waitress that in Arkansas it is apparently legal to cork the bottle and take it with us, we chose a tempranillo with plans to take it back to the hotel.

Knowing that we wouldn’t be able to return for some time, the biggest problem we had was deciding which dishes we couldn’t leave Hot Springs without trying. That was a tough choice and I already have my choices picked out for the next time we pass through. The menu was a delight to pore over and our waitress was helpful and knowledgeable. We chose appetizers of Fried Brie, Duck Confit Egg rolls, and Caramelized Scallops. Our entrees were the Mushroom Risotto and Boursin Filet Mignon. For dessert we shared a banana creme brulee just to prove we could still shove some more food in our mouths.

The fried brie and duck confit egg rolls were interesting and tasty. Honestly, I cannot compare them to anything I’ve had before, which was exactly the point in ordering them. The caramelized scallops were delicious-slightly sweet and meaty-and served atop an equally delicious truffle scented polenta with fresh corn. On a return trip I would order them again, and I would definitely try the Angus beef and pork confit mini burger (aka “truffle slider”).

Our entrees were equally good. I had the creamy, hearty mushroom risotto. It was a huge portion and ultimately I broke my promise to the waitress not to have any leftovers. Mr. Chaos chose the Boursin filet after debating heavily between the lollipop pork chop and the orange/chipotle duck breast. His filet came sandwiched between the delicious polenta and a generous dollop of Boursin cheese with some perfectly cooked asparagus spears on the side. While the steak itself was overcooked-he ordered medium rare and got closer to medium well-the combination of flavors in the dish was so delicious we hardly noticed and didn’t bother sending it back.

The dessert was good: a banana creme brulee we ordered-despite being stuffed-simply because we’re suckers for creme brulee. Overall, the meal was fun, entertaining, and delicious. The second best aspect of our meal-after the adventurous nature of the food-was the price. At $24 our bottle of wine was the most expensive item on our bill. Our entire meal was less than $100. That’s pretty incredible considering the amount of food we ordered and the care obviously put into the creation of each dish.

Ultimately, the only lasting disappointment of the night was knowing we will only get to sample this restaurant on return trips to Arkansas. My review is very amateurish and my few criticisms should be taken lightly. We were not able to sample our dishes numerous times or under various conditions. We are not restaurant reviewers but we were so impressed that we wanted to send our experience out into the void with the hopes that some other wayward foodie traveller will pick it up and have as delightful an experience as we did.