Red Red Wine

"God made Cabernet Sauvignon, whereas the Devil made Pinot Noir."

If only every cab could be Opus One, Silver Oak or Groth Reserve! And may the last drop I drink be from the legendary Chateau Léoville Las Cases... okay, back to reality.  There are shoes to buy and bills to be paid.

Here are some of my favorite reds.  Not a cab on the list, yet lots of pinots.  Strap on your seat belt.

• Roessler Cellars Bluejay Anderson Valley Pinot Noir - ($30-$35, 90 points)  When I was living in Atlanta, I purchased a bottle of this on name alone.  It was so memorable I tried to buy it online, but it was sold out.  I joined the wine club just so I get a surprise bottle every so often in the mail.  It's one of my little joys.
• Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Merlot - ($13-$25, 88 points) The price of this wine jumps all over the place, so get it when it's cheap.  Every time I serve it, someone admires the wine and asks what they're drinking.  They're always surprised it's KJ.
• Zaca Mesa Santa Ynez Valley Syrah - ($20, 92 points)  A cook a mean petite filet and this big and bold red pairs perfectly with it.  It would be spectacular with lamb too.  A steal for the quality and not for the faint of heart!
• Francis Coppola Diamond Pinot Noir - ($12-$20) Easy to drink and summery, I was seduced by all of the Coppola wines after visiting the vineyard in Napa. The winery seems straight out of a film (naturally).  It's dark and sexy and built like one of those homes in the Godfather.  Not to break the spell, but I love pairing this pinot with hamburgers!
• Cambria 2006 Julia’s Vineyard Pinot Noir ($18-$23, 93 points)  Wine Enthusiast calls this the best Pinot Noir at this price on the market and number one of their top 100 wines. Here's how they describe it.  Absolutely dry and silky, with complex flavors of cherries, Mandarin orange, cola, pomegranates, licorice and cinnamon spice, made even richer by smoky oak. How could you resist?
• Francis Coppola Sofia Rose - ($12-$16) This deep pink wine is nothing like a white zinfandel. The finish is dry and I couldn't resist the sexy bottle.  Perfect for our dwindling summer afternoons and gorgeous as a hostess gift.

Shall We Chardonnay?

I like to cook with wine, sometimes I even put it in the food. - Unknown

I've received lots of emails from those of you just getting into wine, or want to bring something special to someone's party.  Love this!

I'm a California girl and love our wines, so I'm going to pick some of my tried and true favorites.  These chardonnays are easily available in Cali.  I went for six that instantly came to mind, so if you see one of your favorite whites missing, please share your recommendations in the comments section.

• Chalk Hill Estate Chardonnay - ($35-$45, 93 Points) My mother introduced me to this splurge.  Cakebread used to be my fave chardonnay to blow money on, but Chalk Hill is even better.
• Sonoma-Cutrer Sonoma Coast Chardonnay - ($15-$25) I see half-bottles of this wine in nearly every mini-bar across the country.  Don't be put off by it and give it a try.   
• La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay - ($12-$25, 90 points)  What restaurant doesn't offer this wine?  It's consistent and better than Kendall Jackson, which is nearly always on the menu with La Crema.  The extra two dollars a glass is worth it.
• Au Bon Climat Santa Barbara Chardonnay - ($20-$25, 90 points)  I have special memories associated with this wine. When I turned 21, it was one the first bottles I ever ordered in a restaurant.  It was at Patina (which I believe is now Providence?) and it was light and fruity and I still enjoy it with fish and chicken.
• Acacia Carneros Chardonnay - ($12-$25) This is what I keep in my home at all times and buy in bulk when it goes on sale.  It's what I usually have with dinner at home, unless I'm drinking red! 
• Gainey Chardonnay - ($20, 92 points) I visited this charming Santa Barbara vineyard around Halloween one year and I remember thousands of pumpkins on the drive up.  Not only is this winery worth a visit, this wine that doesn't get the same attention as the others, but stands up to the rest.

Here are some budget-friendly wines under $10:  Coppola Chardonnay, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Kendall Jackson, Clos du Bois.

There is a Spanish saying that goes...  Good wine ruins the purse; bad wine ruins the stomach!

Blow Torches & Tarts

My first apple tart was incredibly easy and fun to make.  It was also my first time using a blow torch. (You can see I got carried away in some places!)  Sure, the broiler can give you a similar effect, but there's something exciting about using power tools in the kitchen.  I'm shooting a vid to show you how I made it.  I'll post the recipe too.

Almond Joy of Cooking

Nice photobomb @hoverkitten!I love Almond Joys and wanted to try my hand at making candy, so I thought Food & Wine's Coconut Chocolate Candy Bars sounded great. There was no photo provided, but the recipe popped up as a staff favorite, so I thought I'd give it a try.

WARNING. Heed the following bits of advice before attempting these tricky treats yourself

1. Unsweetened coconut is hard to find. I found it at Gelson's after going to Ralph's, Bristol Farms, Pavillions & Trader Joe's.

2. You're gonna stir that coconut milk for more than 45 minutes. Nonstop. It can be hard to find too, but I found it in the Asian foods section of Ralph's.

So I started with two pots cooking, but wait to melt the chocolate. It takes less than 5 minutes to melt, while making the coconut filling takes about an hour.

The best part of making this recipe? Toasted coconut smells heavenly. Don't be tempted to buy the sweetened or it will taste WAY too sweet. This is just shredded coconut spread on a sheet, in the oven for 4 minutes and done. After making the devil's brew that is the coconut/coconut milk/corn syrup/butter concoction, I let it cool in the fridge. This is when you should melt the chocolate and spread a thick layer of it on a cookie sheet w/ wax paper. I patted the filling onto the cooled spread out dark chocolate, then drizzled the rest of the chocolate on top.
You can see I didn't make a thick enough base. It's top heavy, but it tastes like a yummy almond joy or Mounds I guess, since there aren't any Almonds in it! Sprinkling almond slices on top would not only make it prettier but tastier too. (It's so tasty too! Vitameatavegamin anyone?)

Here's the recipe with my notes in italics:

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
One 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk, stirred
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
11 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped and melted

Directions

1.Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the shredded coconut on a baking sheet and toast until lightly golden, about 4 minutes. Let cool completely.

2.In a medium saucepan, combine the coconut milk with the sugar, corn syrup and 4 tablespoons of the butter. Cook over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until thick as jam, about 40 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the toasted coconut. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.

3. Now begin melting the dark chocolate. I used a bag of dark chocolate chips. Cover a baking sheet with wax paper. Using an offset spatula, spread half (or more) of the melted chocolate on the wax paper in a 10-by-7-inch rectangle. Refrigerate until firm, about 10 minutes. Spread the coconut mixture over the chocolate and refrigerate until set, about 10 minutes. Spread the remaining melted chocolate over the coconut (and add almond slivers if you like while it's still wet) and refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes. Trim the edges of the rectangle, then cut into 40 squares. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Another link to the recipe