lummi island wine tasting june 9 ’17
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Bread this week
Pain Meunier – aka ‘miller’s bread.’ Developed to honor the miller who mills the wheat and contains all portions of the wheat berry, bread flour and fresh milled whole wheat as well as cracked wheat and wheat germ. Always a favorite this is a great all around bread. – $5/loaf
Fig Anise – Ever a local favorite! Using a sponge that is fermented overnight then mixed with bread flour and fresh milled whole wheat. Honey, dried figs and anise bring in all the flavors of the Mediterranean. – $5/loaf
And for pastry this week, in honor of our Recent Ursine Visitor…
Bear Claws! – Made with a danish pastry dough rich in cream, eggs, sugar and butter. The dough is rolled out and filled with almond paste, powdered sugar, egg whites and just a bit of cinnamon to round out the flavor. Then, because bears love honey, topped with a honey glaze after baking. Claw-Lickin’ Good! -2/$5
Sunday Concert June 11!
Singer/songwriter/therapist (and Lummi Island familiar) Rob Hutchings has played his music in the wine shop numerous times over the past year, where many of us have enjoyed his expressive and emotive style: “With these songs of awareness, we celebrate our creative connection with an intention of healing.” For this concert Rob is teaming up with bluegrass mandolin/guitarist Perry Welsh, who brings his dynamic picking/strumming patterns to this musical collaboration in which unique rhythms frame the narrative elements of Rob’s songs. It’s gonna be fun! Listen
Music from 4-6pm. Suggested donation is $15. Wines available by the glass.
Space is limited, so please email us to reserve space!
Horchata & Chocolate
As mentioned last week, we have replenished our dwindling stock of Theo’s Chocolate Bars. And even though we are by Popular Demand heavily stocked in favor of Very Dark Chocolate, some of us also have a fondness for good Milk Chocolate, and the new Cinnamon Horchata bar is particularly irresistible.
Horchata is a Spanish beverage dating back to the Moors in Valencia over a thousand years ago. The original recipe used ground yellow nutsedge (aka tigernuts), water, and sugar. Today there are many regional and ethnic variations found across the Spanish-speaking world, which may or may not include milk, ground almonds, sesame seeds, rice, barley, and/or tigernuts. The most familiar version found in the US is the Mexican recipe, which typically includes rice, vanilla, and cinnamon. There are also versions that include coconut milk, peanuts, cashews, nutmeg, cocoa, or allspice. It may or may not be strained.
It just Makes Sense that a savory concoction that has been popular for a millenium has been adapted to local ingredients, while never straying very far from its flavorful origins. We are told it is a common menu item in Mexican restaurants, and we are looking forward to exploring its possibilities. In the meantime…blending these flavors into a Chocolate Bar was a True Inspiration!
Mar a Lago Update
At some point…like Now, maybe…it might be useful to consider the Remote Possibility that Trumpism as a Movement may be something Most Devoutly to Fear rather than to Mock, Dismiss, or Ridicule. Since the Foundation of any Society is a Commitment to Shared Values, at some level Political Control can be amplified by eliminating the ability even to think about them from the language. This idea was the Primary Theme of George Orwell’s 1984. Its language of Newspeak was designed to make critical modes of thought and expression impossible by eliminating even their Possibility from spoken and written language.
The beginnings of Newspeak in the Real World date back to The Great Reagan, who actually held a starring role as “President” in the real year 1984, with his Iconic claim that “Government Is The Problem!” Fast forward to Now and consider just One of the Many Bizarre Current Changes happening in Public Dialogue, i.e., the Attack on Facts over the last two years on Talk Radio, Fox News, and a bazillion Internet websites, to the point that “Free Press” has been dismissed as “Fake News;” long established Scientific Facts have been relabeled Questionable Opinions, and Constitutional Protections are being redefined as Establishment Elitism. Sad!
This week’s wine tasting
Flaugerges Les Comptes Blanc ’14 France $13
Aromatic, fruity aromas lead into a vibrant, generous, unctuous palate with lilac and peach overtones, good minerality, and pleasing length.
Gassier Esprit Rose ’15 France $15
Very clear with shades of peach; floral nose with notes of pear, peach, and apricot; round and delicate on the palate with notes of peach, mandarin, and grapefruit.
Zenato ‘Alanera’ Rosso Veronese Italy $15
Dark, inky color; rich and focused nose, with ripe berries, dusty oak and a precise note of waxy vanilla bean. On the palate delivers extracted flavors of cherries, strawberry, clay and even a hint of crushed mint. Soft tannins, rounded finish.
Catena Zapata Cab Franc San Carlos ’14 Argentina $19
Purple color with ruby tones. Elegant aromas of spices, garrigue, red berries, cassis, and raspberries, with layers of cedar. Mouth-filling and rich with flavors of cassis, raspberries and notes of black pepper and oregano. The finish is bright and fresh with finely grained tannins.
Finca el Tesso Crianza’13 Spain $17
87% Tempranillo, 8% Graciano, 5% Cab Sauv from 50 year-old vines; Bright and polished with enticing aromas of chocolate, baking spices, licorice, and sweet flowers, with lush notes of black raspberry.
lummi island wine tasting june 2 ’17
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Bread this week
Whole Wheat Ciabatta – Using an italian biga pre-ferment as well as a poolish. Once mixed the dough is then fermented overnight in the refrigerator. These long, slow ferments add a lot of flavor to the final bread. Made with regular bread flour and fresh milled whole wheat. A little olive oil for more flavor and a lot of water. With so much water this bread can’t really be shaped, just cut into pieces and baked. A great rustic bread – $5/loaf
Prairie Bread – Named for the ingredients that reflect all the goodness of the grains that grow on the prairie. Using regular bread flour and fresh milled whole wheat as well as oats, and cornmeal. And as if that wasn’t enough it is loaded up with poppy, flax, sesame, sunflower and pumpkin seeds with just a hint of brown sugar for a little sweetness. – $5/loaf
And for pastry this week…
Traditional Plain Croissants – Even the croissants are made with a pre-ferment, a little sourdough for flavor and something called preferment dough, also known as old dough, that is fermented overnight. Made with bread flour and a bit of freshly milled whole wheat, also milk, butter and sugar, before being laminated with more butter. I’ve heard some say that these are better than any they had in Paris (France, not Texas!). – 2/$5
Sunday Concert June 11!
Singer/songwriter/therapist (and Lummi Island familiar) Rob Hutchings has played his music in the wine shop numerous times over the past year, where many of us have enjoyed his expressive and emotive style: “With these songs of awareness, we celebrate our creative connection with an intention of healing.” For this concert Rob is teaming up with bluegrass mandolin/guitarist Perry Welsh, who brings his dynamic picking/strumming patterns to this musical collaboration in which unique rhythms frame the narrative elements of Rob’s songs. It’s gonna be fun! Listen
Btw, for those of you who are musicians, Artisan Wine Gallery offers free wine tastings to anyone who volunteers for a fifteen-minute gig in the shop during our regular open hours! Acoustic music sounds great in our space, no amps necessary…all you have to do is show up!
Music from 4-6pm. Suggested donation is $15. Wine by the glass.
Space is limited, so please email us to reserve space.
Hours This Week
We are away for a few days this weekend on Family Business. The wine shop is open for Bread Friday with and wine tasting as usual, but Closed on Saturday. We apologize for any inconvenience, and look forward to seeing you all next weekend.
lummi island wine tasting may 26 ’17 Artists Studio Tour Weekend
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Bread this week
Buckwheat Walnut & Honey – a nice flavorful artisan bread. Made with fresh milled buckwheat and bread flour. A little honey to balance the earthiness of the buckwheat and some toasted walnuts for a nice crunch. This bread goes well with meats and cheeses – $5/loaf
Spelt Levain – People often ask if I ever use spelt, I have in a few things including some really delicious scones I made for the island cleanup. This will be the first time for using in bread for me. Spelt is an ancient grain similar to wheat and has a nutty, slightly sweet flavor. It has gluten but it isn’t as strong as the gluten in traditional wheat. This bread is made with a levain, or sourdough, traditional bread flour and about 1/3 spelt flour and fresh milled whole spelt. It should make a great all around bread – $5/loaf
And for “pastry” this week…
Hamburger Buns! Made with bread flour and freshly milled whole wheat, some milk and butter for a tender crumb, and topped with a flavorful onion topping. These are nice soft buns that go well with everything. 4/$5
Bread pickup and weekly Wine Club Happy Hour Friday 4-7.
Studio Tour Artist: Anne Gibert
As we mentioned last week, our Studio Tour artist this weekend is Anne Gibert, our talented neighbor a few hundred yards down the road. Anne likes to paint from her own photographs, taken at random here on the island, or in Alaska, or wherever. Her photos, and therefore her paintings, include a number of Islanders, including men and women and various critters that many of you will recognize.
Many of you will recall Anne’s show a couple of years ago of Twenty Two Portraits of Lummi Island Women, which drew a lot of enthusiastic interest. Unfortunately this time only a Lucky Half-Dozen will get the “Pow’r the giftie gie us To see oursels as ithers see us!”
Nevertheless, even with only six “surprise” Portraits, one of the subjects (not a Pigeon!) was offended to the point of asking that the painting be removed from display. And so we have yet another example of the Reciprocal Nature of “Rights.” Does the Artist have the right to photograph Anyone and Anything and then render that photo into a painting? Or does the the Subject have the Right Not to be photographed or painted? This is one in a nearly infinite number of cases of reciprocal impacts about which the Law is Undecided. Should the Artist have to pay the Subject for the Right to Paint and Display, or should the Subject have to pay the Painter for the Right to Withhold From Display?
As of this writing, the Law appears to be with the Artist, so it is Most Gracious of Anne to remove the painting solely for the Comfort of the Subject. And it seems Most Self-Absorbed for the Subject to Castigate the Artist for creating an Artifact that in the Main has Nothing Whatsoever to do with the Subject (I Bet You Think This Song is About You…).
Reminder: Studio tour hours are Saturday and Sunday from 10-6. Meet the artist from 10-1 each day, followed by wine tasting from 1-6.
Polarities
Every once in a while I recall a scene from the old Kung Fu TV series, in which David Carradine played Caine, a wandering Shaolin monk in the US West. Each episode was punctuated with several instances of his young self being taught by the Shaolin Masters.
In one episode, Caine had sold a sextant that had belonged to his Father. His teacher asks why, when he has very few mementos of his father. Caine replies, “But Master, have you not taught us that to Dwell in the Past is to Rob the Present?” To which the Master replies, “It is true, to Dwell in the Past is to Rob the Present; but to Forget the Past is to Rob the Future!”
So it strikes us this week with the Removal of the Confederate Generals from various Memorial sites in New Orleans this week. Lee was a West Point Grad torn between conflicting Loyalties. It costs us little to admire him as a Tragic Hero in a Difficult Time, and though Times have Changed in the 150 years since Lee walked in the World, the Confederacy is a vital part of our History. To Remember is to Consider, not to Glorify. And to Forget is to Lose Perspective.
Mar a Lago Update 5/25/17
It has been a Strange Week for the Royal Family. At home the Media Jackals are sensing Weakness and Jumping Up and Down in True Chimp Fashion as more and more information seems to indict many Administration Players for Wrongdoing. Abroad the Acting King visits Foreign Courts with Scripted Praises aimed at the Two-Year-Old Audience.
Just today the Crown Prince was named as an Important Witness with possible Light to Shed on the Broad Topic of WTH is Going On. Each day the entire situation becomes more Surreal; i.e., we are all Bruised from Pinching Ourselves every few minutes and asking, “Am I Crazy? Is This Really Happening?”
Meanwhile back in what passes for “Government,” Dissembler in Chief McConnell draws a Sharp Line in the Political Sand, paraphrasing Stephen Decatur’s famous Toast from 200 years ago: “My Country–May she ever be Right! But Right, Far Right, or Outa Sight Right, My Country!”
This week’s wine tasting
Barone Fini Valdadige Pinot Grigio ’15 Italy $14
From the high Italian Alps of Alto Adige; crisp, clean, and focused on the palate, with ripe, juicy flavors of honeydew melon and ripe apples, bright acidity, warm minerality, and a lingering finish.
Mas des Bressades Rosé ’15 France $12
Spicy aromas and flavors of ripe red berries, orange, and pungent flowers; Nicely concentrated and supple, gaining weight with air, picking up bitter cherry and melon notes and a lingering red fruit liqueur quality.
Monte Antico Rosso Toscana ’12 Italy $10
A blend of sangiovese, merlot and cabernet sauvignon. Medium to full body with dried cherry, milk chocolate and light chili aromas and flavors. Long and delicious. Caressing mouthfeel with bright acidity.
Dom. Mas Blanc Collioure Piloums ’14 France $12
Unique, easy drinking soft blend of syrah & grenache; earthy, toasty, and pruney aromas lead to an unusual palate with notes of cherry and tobacco, good body, a bright thread of acidity and a touch of bitters. A great value!
Goose Ridge g3 Red ‘`14 Washington $14
Syrah-cab-merlot blend; supple ripe plum and blackberry notes with hints of spice, vanilla, black currant and Bing cherry. Nicely balanced with a lush, round mouth and a long, lingering finish.
lummi island wine tasting may 19 ’17
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Bread this week
Multi Grain Levain – Made with a sourdough culture and a flavorful mix of bread flour, fresh milled whole wheat and rye. A nice mixture of flax, sesame sunflower and pumpkin seeds and some polenta add great flavor and crunch. And just a little honey for some sweetness. A great all around bread that is full of flavor – $5/loaf
Breton – Incorporates the flavors of the french Breton region. Bread flour and fresh milled buckwheat and rye make for interesting flavor and the salt is sel gris -the grey salt from the region- that brings more mineral flavors to this bread. Goes great with meats and cheeses – $5/loaf
And for pastry…
Fruit & Spice Rolls – Not as sweet as many of our pastry choices these include almost half whole wheat and plenty of butter, sugar and egg, dried cranberries and golden raisins along with fresh orange peel and orange juice plus anise, cinnamon, mace and cardamon; an interesting and flavorful bun to have with your morning coffee. – 2/$5
New stock of Theo’s Chocolate!
We have been carrying a selection of Theo’s Chocolate bars since the time some years ago when we did one of their Factory Tours. They are located in Seattle in the old Red Hook Brewery in Fremont, and give tours twice daily. In case you are wondering, Yes, you get Lots of Samples! And since, as they are fond of saying, they were the First Organic, Fair Trade, Fair for Life certified Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Factory in North America (OMD, does that mean there are now Others?), Who could Possibly Resist? Who would Want To…?!
Even more interesting, for the first time in many years a few of our old-favorite bars are no longer available…for example the Coconut Curry milk chocolate seems to have gone the way of the Dodo, along with a few others. On the other hand there are some new items we are trying out that many will find irresistible: Salted Almond Butter Cups, Coconut Bites Dark Chocolate, and Salted Almond Clusters.
Admit it…it’s really comforting to have these little Diversions Available in these Troubled Times. We all need a little Treat from time to time, n’est-ce pas?
Anne’s New Show
Although we have another week before Studio Tour, today we installed our new show of Anne Gibert’s recent paintings. The painting at left is from an old photo of her mother, and it goes well with the flowers (Bird of Paradise??) next to it.
This show also includes portraits of a number of Islanders, both men and women, that many of you will recognize and recall Anne’s show a couple of years ago of Twenty Two Portraits of Lummi Island Women which drew a lot of enthusiastic interest. Unfortunately this time only a Lucky Half-Dozen will get the “Pow’r the giftie gie us To see oursels as ithers see us!”
Mar a Lago Update
Hey, it’s been another busy week for Alternative Reality. Is this Entertaining or What? We begin to Marvel and Wonder, “Wow…how long can they keep this up?” It’s a little like one of those occasional Fireworks displays where the Finale goes On and On and you think it is Like So Over This Time, and then Wham and Kaboom, here comes another Show Stopping Display. And we are Reduced to mesmerized Oohs and Ahs. Oh, the Wonder of it!
As we go to press here today Special Prosecutor Mueller has been Assigned to Get to the Bottom of the Russian Connections and the Mediaverse is Abzolutely Abuzz! The inescapable Image is of Gandalf the Grey plummeting into the Abyss with the Balrog…will he Ever Reach the Bottom? Will he Ever Return? Will we Ever Know What Really Happened? More to the point…will we ever Find a Way Back to our Own Reality?
Preliminary betting reports from Las Vegas are starting to lean toward mild-mannered (but somewhat cogent) Ultra Conservative VP Pence (who BTW just filed to start his own PAC…) to step in for the Twitster-in-Chief as his Tiny Supply of Marbles Rolls and Clatters Away at Every Turn. Sad!
This week’s wine tasting
Maryhill Viognier ’15 Washington $14
Vibrant aromas of orange zest, honeysuckle, and pink grapefruit; flavors of lemon, pear, and white peach. The mouthfeel is delicate, yet full-bodied, with lingering notes of fresh flowers.
Jean-Luc Colombo Rosé Cape Bleue ’15 France $11
Soft, delicate pink bouquet with subtle hints of peach, rose petal and pepper on the nose; complex flavors with intriguing notes of raspberry, cherry and black olive.
Rubino Marmorelle Rosso ’14 Italy $11
Negroamaro-Malvasia Nera blend; aromas of cherry, black currants, blueberries and blackberries; hints of nutmeg and cocoa that follow through on the warm and satisfying palate.
Chateau de Cabriac Corbieres ’14 France $14 /strong>
Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan, Grenache; aromas of black berry fruits; palate shows blackcurrant, blackberry and hints of coffee. The flavors continue to develop to a dense and powerful finish.
Cloudlift Panorama Merlot ’13 Washington $24
Elegant merlot-dominant blend with Cabernet Sauv (11%) and Cab Franc (9%) aromas of coffee, flowers, dried herbs, and red- and black-fruit followed by elegant, lightly creamy fruit flavors that carry through the finish.
2072 Granger Way