"Pink is the new black."  I'm serious.  If you thought wearing all that black was cool, then stay "with it" and go pink.  The hipsters, mods, fashionistas and even architects are drinking pink wines nowadays.  So use that quote when you answer your friends when they ask you (because they know you know) what they should be drinking now.  They'll thank you and so will we.  Cheers. 

Here's what we're drinking...

We're starting at the very beginning; a very good place to start to quote our second favorite nun.  On the rosé front, these three wines are perfect introductions to the genre: Abel Clement is a Côtes du Rhône blend (Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault) that's great with salads, fish pastas and straight fish.  Next, we have another French from the Côtes de Provence named Domain Sorin. Sorin is produced near the Mecca of rosé - Tavel -- and shows off a nice, light orange color...almost.  This is a bright, refreshing wine that is easy to drink every day the sun comes out.  Last is a local favorite: Syncline.  You've heard us rave about these folks for a while now and their screw-capped rosé is part of the reason:  All French varietals in this strawberry/watermelon nuanced pink.  These three rosés make it hard to choose a favorite.  Stay tuned for Rosé 201 in the editions to come, or just ask Stephen or Ben what they like next time you're upstairs.

Upcoming Tastings

26 April
Fort Walla Walla Cellars will be here tasting Bordeaux-influenced Washington Wines

03 May
Goose Ridge wines from the Columbia Valley - classic NW wines!

 

This is a big change:  Zoe's Meats have replaced Boar's Heads Meats.  Honestly, this was a difficult decision to make.  We have sold Boar's Head meats for a generation and until recently we were one of the very few places to buy them.  With their rightful expansion, we had to remain what we've always been; qualitatively unique.  We searched the entire country for a replacement that was as good as and as broad as Boar's Head.  In the end, we found a local artisan right here in Seattle to save us from becoming a "me too" purveyor of deli meats.  Zoe's Meats is a local producer of all natural deli meats and we are extremely proud to sell their products.  I think you will enjoy these meats for their pure flavors and freshness.  Next time you are in, ask to try them and please tell us what you think.  With all this said, we will continue to sell the Boar's Head products no one else carries - like Taylor Pork Rolls, Pepperoni Sticks, Coppa and others.

On the cheese front:  We just got new cheeses in from Beehive Cheese Co. "Barely Buzzed" coated on the outside with coffee and lavender.  Don't roll your eyes till you try it - it's wonderfully unique.  We also received Emigrant from them - a firm, gratable cow that's a nice change from Reggiano.  Juniper Grove has arrived so we're stocked on Pyramids, Bûches and Farmer's Cheese.  Finally, look for cheeses from the many producers coming to the Cheese Festival.  You'll notice them with this year's art design attached.

Hold on...I'm going all over the board in this section.

Do you like chocolate?  If you answered "yes," then you can't have these chocolates.  If you answered, "I don't like chocolate, I love chocolate!" then you are worthy of these chocolates.  Cocoa Chai Chocolates are local (Queen Anne) and Ivy Chan (maker) has the gift of making amazing chocolate.  She created special chocolates (not truffles - the difference is truffles are formed by hand) for us using Nutella, Limoncella, Coffee, Blood Orange and Balsamic Vinegar.  They're beautiful and decadent.  Another chocolate reserved for us snobs is from Claudio Corallo. Try the chocolate laranja from the northwestern islands off the coast of Nigeria.  Made with Mr. Corallo's favorite chocolate and orange peel, this Florentine found what he was searching for only on these two small islands.  Yeah, it's esoteric but boy is it good (and cool!).

I must start a new paragraph to mention a new line of canned sardines from Italy: Pollastrini di Anzio.  Two flavors are available to us: Spicy in Olive Oil and Spicy in Tomato Sauce.  These are wild caught sardines from the Mediterranean Sea.  Aficionados take note.   Finally, from Casina Rossa, we have a delicate Saffron & Acacia Honey.  Probably best with harder pecorinos or cows (think Spilimbergo or Piave Vecchio), this honey makes you think of spring.

Michele and I saw a recipe in of all places, a kitchen catalogue the other day and tried it with a few modifications.  The fresh herbs make the dish.  If you don't have these exact herbs, improvise.  Stay away from rosemary, though - it can be a bit 'stemy', texturally.