lummi island wine tasting february 10, ’17
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Bread this week
Pain Meunier – also known as miller’s bread as it was developed to honor the millers who mill the wheat. Always a popular selection. Made with bread flour and fresh milled whole wheat as well as cracked wheat and wheat germ. This bread pre-ferments a portion of the flour, water, yeast and salt overnight before mixing the final dough. A delicious bread that makes great toast -$5/loaf
Fig Anise – Ever since introducing this bread last summer it has become very popular. Also made with bread flour and freshly milled whole wheat it includes dried figs, honey and anise. Lovely mediterranean flavors that make this bread go well with meats and cheeses- $5/loaf
And for a bit of pastry –
Chocolate Babka Rolls – Made with an enriched dough that is full of sugar, eggs and butter, rolled out, spread with a dark chocolate filling made with more butter, sugar and a touch of cinnamon. These are delicious. Be sure and get your orders in early as always with pastry I can only make a limited number- 2/$5
February schedule update
We remind our Faithful that although the shop is officially “closed” through February, it will be open for a number of Bread Fridays over the next several weeks, with Sue A. pouring.
Those of you on the bread-order email list will hear from Janice the weekend before each such Friday, and we will update this blog each Friday AM to confirm schedules. Through most of February, tastings will be Impromptu and communal, and purchases are, of course, encouraged and welcome!
We will reopen on our regular schedule either Feb 24 or Mar 3.
Sonoma Rain
While it has been snowing all week on Lummi Island, it has been raining all week here in Sonoma. Today is promised an additional 1-2″ accumulation. The ground is totally saturated, so it sits in pools or runs to lower ground. Here is a pool on top of the lawn (yes, there is grass under there.) Supposed to get a few dry days starting tomorrow, when we will start our trek home.
lummi island wine tasting feb 3, ’17
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Bread this week
Whole Wheat Ciabatta – Made with bread flour and fresh milled whole wheat, a bit of olive oil and two different pre-ferments, an italian biga and a poolish; each brings different flavor characteristics to the bread. The dough has a lot of water, making for a very slack dough that can’t be shaped, merely cut into pieces before baking. All of this adds up to very flavorful artisan bread -$5/piece
Prairie Bread – This bread reflects all the goodness of the prairie, made with a mix of bread flour and fresh milled whole wheat, oats, and cornmeal, and using a poolish preferment. Then loaded up with poppy, flax, sesame, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds. A little brown sugar brings a nice touch of sweetness to the bread. A nice loaf all around loaf – $5/loaf
And for a bit of pastry –
Pain aux Raisin – Made with the same laminated dough used for croissants, but it is rolled out, spread with luscious pastry cream and sprinkled with golden raisins. Then rolled up, sliced and baked. These are my favorites! Be sure and get your orders in early as I can only make a limited number- 2/$5
Wine shop winter schedule
We remind our Faithful that although the shop is officially “closed” through February, it will be open for a number of Bread Fridays over the next several weeks, with Sue A. pouring.
Those of you on the bread-order email list will hear from Janice the weekend before each such Friday, and we will update this blog each Friday AM to confirm schedules. Through most of February, tastings will be Impromptu and communal, and purchases are, of course, encouraged and welcome!
We will reopen on our regular schedule either Feb 24 or Mar 3.
New Ikea prefab Börder Wåll draws White House interest
lummi island wine tasting January 27, ’17
(note: some photos will enlarge when clicked)
Yes, Bread this week!
Buttermilk Currant – Made with a mix of bread flour and fresh milled whole wheat. The addition of buttermilk makes for a tender crumb and honey and currants add some sweetness. Just a bit of rosemary really enhances res the flavor a flavorful bread that makes great toast -$5/loaf
Buckwheat Walnut & Honey- Made with a mix of bread flour and fresh milled whole wheat. The addition of buttermilk makes for a tender crumb and honey and currants add some sweetness. Just a bit of rosemary really enhances res the flavor a flavorful bread that makes great toast -$5/loaf
And for a bit of pastry –
Chocolate Croissants – Delicious laminated croissant dough, filled with dark chocolate. Beautiful crisp layers and luscious chocolate make for a pretty fabulous pastry. Be sure and get your orders in early as I can only make a limited number- 2/$5
Wine shop winter schedule
We remind our Faithful that although the shop is officially “closed” through February, it will be open for a number of Bread Fridays over the next several weeks, with Sue A. pouring.
Those of you on the bread-order email list will hear from Janice the weekend before each such Friday, and we will update this blog each Friday AM to confirm schedules. Through most of February, tastings will be Impromptu and communal, and purchases are, of course, encouraged and welcome!
We will reopen on our regular schedule either Feb 24 or Mar 3.
Chez Nous
At the moment we are camped at Harris Beach State Park near Broookings, OR, a lovely spot, on our way to Sonoma for Grandparent duty. Wishing you all a Festive and Meaningful Groundhog Day, and that one morning soon we may all wake up from the Dystopian Nightmare in which we find ourselves.
lummi island wine tasting jan 20 ’17
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No Bread this week
Janice, our Stalwart Baker, is away this week, headed for the National Capitol, Pink Hat in hand, to join the Million Women March on Saturday. There are similar marches in Seattle and nearby in Bellingham as well. And yes, my Fellow Men, We are strongly encouraged to attend in Solidarity.
These marches are the first in what is likely to be a Long Series of outcries against the Next War on Democracy that these Right-Wing Bozos have been pawing at the Earth and Drooling over since Stealing yet another Election through Gerrymandering, Disenfranchisement, Fake News, and the Complete Endorsement of Corporate Media. Some might call it The Day the Earth Stood Still (photo, left). Or, as the old song made iconic in the 60’s by Barry McGuire said, “And you tell me, over and over and over and over again my friend, you don’t believe we’re on the Eve of Destruction…?” Lyrics
Still, despite the Despair we “Latte-Sipping Coastal Elites” feel for Our Planet and our Fellow Beings, there is always some redeeming Joy in Unity. So join us at the Wine Shop on Friday night for some Warm Support and perhaps something of a Salon on what to do next. Despite the lack of Bread, there will be Wine, and it seems likely that at some point all might break into some catchy Tunes, maybe something like “Bring back, bring back, bring back my Bernie to me, to me…” or even This One…, each a step on our path to recovery of our Abandoned Hope.
Btw, for an excellent measure of where we have been for the last Eight Years, check out this long list of Obama’s accomplishments while in office on tonight’s Rachel Maddow show…lots more than most of us remember….
Wine shop winter schedule
The wine shop will be open Friday, January 20, as mentioned above.
Although we will be away for a bit, the shop will also be open for a number of Bread Fridays over the next several weeks. Those of you on the bread-order email list will hear from Janice the weekend before each opening, and we will update this blog each Friday AM to confirm schedules. Through most of February, tastings will be Impromptu and communal, and purchases are welcome.
We will reopen on our regular schedule either Feb 24 or Mar 3.
Wine Club Reminder
As mentioned last week, we are now in a New Calendar Year, and all members must renew annual memberships to continue enjoying our Fabulous Wine Club Benefits in 2017. This year promises to be a Particular Bargain because, let’s face it, your need for wine is Certain to Increase as Civilization As We Know it Crumbles, Implodes, and Fades into a Cosmic Cinder. Our Philosophy; even Apocolypse is Better when shared with Good Friends and Good Wine!
Humor and Philosophy Crossroads
I started this blog in 2009 with no particular plan about what it was about, other than to let the handful of friends know what wines we are pouring each weekend. It has evolved into a weekly Practice that I have come to enjoy. As in making pottery, I sit down, throw a blob of stuff on the page and mess around with it till feels “complete,” whatever that means. It is a creative process with no particular goal except that it is what I do on Thursday evenings.
The problem with this particular Moment in History is that it seems Far Too Important and Far Too Grave to be watered down with Humor. This so-called Election and its concomitant assemblage of the Millionaire Politician Class in Wannabe Obeisant Service to the Billionaire “We Own the Whole F-ing World” Class has brought us to an Existential Brink: the coming Annihilation From Within of the Free Country some of us have Imagined Really Existed since the 1950’s. As of today, that Illusion is Now Over. Now we can Actually Feel what those fictional Spacefarers would have to feel when the Disembodied Voice told them, “Resistance is Futile. Life as you have Known it is Over. You too will be Assimilated.” Ironic, yes. Funny, no.
Over the next few weeks our editors and staff will be groping toward a new focus, hopefully one that can Make a little bit of Difference as our Nation and our World accelerate toward some Marxist Hell where, as was recently announced, the Richest Eight Capitalists in the World own as much Wealth (i.e., Income-Producing assets) as the poorest Three and a Half Billion People on the Planet. And now comes Trump and the Overseers to tell us that if only we will lower taxes Even More on these Obscenely Wealthy individuals, Everything will Get Better.
Folks, Resistance may indeed be Futile. All we have is that there are Way More of Us than of Them. Our job from now on is to find ways to give that Some Traction.
This week’s wine tasting
San Martino Prosecco Italy $11
Pale straw yellow in colour, aromatic and elegant nose (unusual in prosecco), with notes of apple and banana; pleasantly full and harmonious on the palate.
San Lorenzo Il Casolare Bianco ’14 Italy $12
Organically farmed blend of Verdicchio, trebbiano, alvasia; aromas of lemon zest, white pepper and green almonds. Notes of grapefruit, apples,and juicy citrus; finishes clean and fresh.
Castel de Remei “Gotim Bru”
Blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha, Cab, Merlot, and Syrah; perfumed and pleasant, with ripe aromas of plums, raisins and prunes, some floral overtones and notes of spicy oak.
Tarima Hill Monastrell ’13 Spain $14
Complex, perfumed scents of dark berry liqueur, cola, incense and smoky oak spices. Plush and expansive, with cherry compote and blueberry flavors with notes of bitter chocolate. Rich, smooth, and lively.
Cloudlift Stratus ’12 Washington WE 93pts $32
85% petit verdot, 15% merlot; aromas of fresh and dried herbs, pencil lead, mocha, potting soil and flowers; in the mouth shows rich coffee and cherry notes backed by exceptionally integrated tannins and a lingering finish.
2072 Granger Way