Wine Me Wednesday- Crispin Cider

Today's star may not be a wine, but it definitely deserves mentioning in this week's Wine Me Wednesday.  While waiting to be seated at the incredibly popular Founding Farmers restaurant with our family, my dad and I stumbled upon a relatively hidden gem across the street.  Wine Harvest is a cute little wine and beer shop that also serves sandwiches and cheese platters at surprisingly reasonable prices.  The staff were very friendly and I surely intend to go back on my next visit to try one of their intriguing dishes.

Since we had plenty of time to stop for a drink before our table was ready, we did.  My dad ordered a glass of one of the darker ales on tap, and as it was relatively early in the day and I hadn't eaten yet, I opted for a lighter beverage.  I gave my request of something light and refreshing to the fantastic bartender and he placed the beautiful glass you see posted in front of me.

Crispin is a light, refreshing, hard apple cider.  As its name entails, it is quite crisp, especially when served in a tall glass over ice.  The price tag for 4 bottles runs roughly $7.00 online and at 1.75 per bottle, the price is definitely reasonable.

I imagine that the beverage would pair rather nicely with a salad comprised of greens, glazed pecans, apple slices, crumbled cheese and a light vinaigrette.  Perhaps a few pieces sliced chicken breast to add a bit of protein to the mix.

All in all, I'd say that Crispin is my new favorite hard cider.  If you're in the mood for a refreshing drink (and of course, over the age of 21 in the USA), why not give it a try?

Wine Me Wednesday: TableLeaf Moscato

Welcome to the first "Wine Me Wednesday"

As you will see by the information in this post, I really need to take a wine tasting class... or drink more wine to have a better idea of what is going on.  Maybe both?  In any case, here is my first crack at writing a review.

TableLeaf Moscato

I enjoyed a delightful new wine from my stash on Sunday (TableLeaf Moscato, $7.99 for a 750 ML bottle).  The white wine had a refreshing, crisp, strong grape flavor.  I suppose it could be classified as a "fruity" wine, a grape is a fruit after all...  yep, definitely need to take that class.

The pairing wasn't my best choice, but that isn't the wine's fault.  A mild cheese and a few crackers would have gone very nicely with this bottle.  However, I hadn't been grocery shopping yet, so bow-tie noodles, some jarred marinara sauce and a piece of bread were an okay option.

To sum it up, the wine was very tasty.  If you're looking for a light, refreshing glass of grape flavored goodness, give this Moscato a shot.

The "No Pots/Pans" Challenge= Obsolete

Good news, everyone!  The "No Pots/Pans" challenge is now obsolete.  I found a rather nice, decently priced set at the "big box store" in the next town over.  It's a 12 pc set by Tramontina, in bronze.  The aluminum is nice and thick and the color is even nice.  I've cooked with the pots twice so far and can honestly say that I think it was a good purchase.  The thicker metal allows the heat to distribute more evenly and retains the heat rather nicely.

There were plenty of cheaper sets at the store, of course, but the cheapness wasn't only visible in the price.  Since this purchase was more of an investment, the roughly $80 price tag was totally worth it.  So far, I am impressed by my new set.  Now for the test of time.

The first thing I cooked in the new pots (after seasoning them of course, per the instructions on the package), was a quick and easy bow-ties with sauce.  Garlic & herb bread and a nice glass of Moscato rounded out the meal.

first meal in the new place

Cooking Challenge 1: No Pots/Pans/Microwave

As I continue to get moved/settled into my new digs, Menu Mondays and Wine Me Wednesdays are on a bit of a hold.  The kitchen is mostly ready to go (pictures will be shared eventually).  I've unpacked/washed/put away the dishes and bake-ware, moved in 2 wire shelves for added storage, filled my filtered water pitcher and stocked the ever-important wine rack with an assortment of whites, reds and blushes.  Once I find a decent set of pots and pans, figure out where to put my microwave, and move in a few more pieces of furniture, the kitchen will be all set and a new challenge can begin.

Having no pots or pans should not prove to be too big of a problem in the short term (and I intend for it to be short term), I still have my bake-ware and a crock pot and there are plenty of dishes out there that require no stove-top cooking.  Salads, crockpot soups and stews, pizzas, breads, and more can be cooked or created without the use of the stove.

Now the challenge is to find recipes that can be easily converted to feed just one person, on a budget, with the occasional serving left over for a next day lunch.  Time to get started!

Stocking the Pantry

What should a single person with limited space keep in the pantry/fridge/freezer?  That is an excellent question.  More to come on this topic.