lummi island wine tasting march 4, ’16
https://www.weekendbakery.com/posts/more-artisan-bread-baking-tips-poolish-biga/(note: some photos will enlarge when clicked)
Friday Breads (email us to get on the preorder mailing list! )
Cinnamon Raisin – This rustic loaf is made with bread flour and 25% freshly milled whole wheat and rolled oats, cinnamon, and honey for sweetness. Lots of raisins are added which really takes this loaf up a notch. Makes fabulous toast and maybe even better french toast – $5/loaf.
Buckwheat Walnut & Honey – Takes a portion of the buckwheat and bread flours and ferments them overnight in a “poolish.” The next day the rest of the flours are added along with toasted walnuts and some honey to balance the earthiness of the buckwheat. This is a great artisan bread – $5/loaf.
And on the sweet side…
Brioche Tart au Sucre – A delicious rich, buttery, and egg filled brioche dough is rolled into a round tart base, topped with more eggs, cream, butter and Demerara sugar. These are soooooo good. Get your orders in early as they go fast and I can only make a limited number 2/$5.
Anciano
As many of you know, we are not fans of Market Hype, so we don’t know yet what to make of these wines. The outfit is called “Anciano,” located in Spain’s La Mancha wine region (it gets Very Hot), and it has adopted an interesting schtick of producing a number of different tempranillo wines based on their ageing pattern. There is a 3-yr., a 5-yr, two 7-yr, and a 10-yr. The longer it is aged, the higher the price. In general, more age brings more character, and the taster is presented with a very straightforward economic problem, trading off the increases in price against the increases in the perception of quality.In our case, we opted for the 5-yr “Riserva,” because the increase in quality over the 3-yr was well worth the improvement. Our impression was that for the other wines in the series the price increased a bit faster than the quality. And since we know that all of you make similar tradeoffs, we decided to stock this one and put it before you for your impressions.
You heard it here First, Folks
The World has watched in Hypnotic Horror over the last several months as the Fall Release of Donald Trump 2.0 has continually upstaged the latest releases from the other Campaign Machines. At this point it is impossible to say if that is because he has such Great Appeal, or if the Others have So Little. Either way, none of the contenders left standing as we go to press (Trump, Cruz, Rubio, and Kasich) is acceptable to both the Far, Far, Far, Far Right and the Far. Far, Far Right that now dominate the Republican Party. At present a dank and steamy Fog is starting to rise from the Oxygen-starved Fen that gave rise to these Creatures of Darkness, and it appears that none of them can actually pass for Human amid the General Electorate.
Therefore, for some many months now, we have been predicting that the Dark Lords behind the scenes are conspiring and casting Spells over boiling cauldrons to rid their Party of this smarmy army of egomaniacal Poseurs, and to replace them with One of Their Own through Nefarious Means. There is already precedent for their compromise candidate, so no one should be surprised when it happens. As the sage has said, “To judge the direction of the wind, it is enough to see a single blade of grass…”
This week’s wine tasting
Anne Amie Amrita White ’14 Oregon $14
Palate-tickling blend of pinot blanc, viognier, and riesling; aromas of quince, Rainier cherry, and lemon; palate of strawberry, raspberry, and nectarine; good match for Asian spices.
Anciano 5-Yr Tempranillo Riserva ’08 Spain $11
Aromas of damp earth, mocha, tobacco, and black cherry. On the palate it is sweetly fruited, easy-going, and nicely balanced leading to a seamless, fruity finish.
Portteus Bistro Red ’13 Washington $10
54% Merlot and 46% Cabernet Franc. A food friendly wine with delicate yet elegant mouthfeel. Notes of blackberry, pomegranate, cocoa, honey and licorice, with a creamy finish.
Podere Ciona Montegrossoli ’13 Italy $14
Merlot from a hilltop vineyard in Chianti Classico, showing bright red fruit, subtle smoky notes, and a full-bodied, lush, feminine style.
Vina Pedrosa Ribera Del Duero Crianza ’10 Spain $31
Deep ruby. Spicy, focused dark berry, cherry, licorice and pipe tobacco aromas and sappy, penetrating blackberry and bitter cherry flavors, youthful tannins and lingering finish.
lummi island wine tasting feb 26 ’16
(note: some photos will enlarge when clicked)
We’re Back!
Hopefully just in time for Spring…already a few daffodils blooming out front, the occasional frog chirp (some call it a “peep”), a bit of forsythia, and green tendrils on the Indian plums. Still looking for more tree blossoms and lots more sunshine, but hey…at midday the warmth is glorious!
We had a nice time away in our little trailer, very enjoyable despite lots of El Nino-driven rain in Oregon and California. It’s good to be home, and looking forward to seeing all of you soon!
This Week’s Breads
We understand Bread Fridays have continued in our absence, and look forward to bringing wine back to the tradition this week.
Pain au Levain – Sourdough starter with fresh milled whole wheat and rye flours. Wheat germ is added as well for more flavor and a little malt powder for sweetness to balance the whole grains. A great all around bread – $5/loaf.
Semolina w/ Fennel Seed & Golden Raisins – Half bread flour and half semolina flour. A little butter softens the crumb and fennel seed and golden raisins punch up the flavor. – $5/loaf.
And, on the sweet side:
Pan di Cioccolate – A delightful chocolate bread. Made with levain (sourdough), honey, vanilla, espresso and chunks of chocolate make this a tasty treat. This is not a small, soft breakfast roll, rather it is a regular sized loaf with a crisp crust that is great for breakfast with coffee or afternoon tea – $5/loaf.
Wine Club Reminder!
All wine club memberships are now per calendar year. Subcriptions since September 1, 2015 will continue through 2016, but many of you will have to renew to continue enjoying our Fabulous membership benefits, like $5 tastings and no-sales-tax purchases!
This week’s wine tasting
Krauthaker pinot grigio ’14 Croatia $15
Vibrant and harmonious, with well pronounced fruitiness and freshness; straw-yellow colour, crystal clarity; Nose hinting at apples, pears, peaches, kiwi, lemon peel and hay. Salty on the palate, with refreshing acidity.
Dupeuble Beaujolais ’13 France $14
High-pitched boysenberry and floral scents, with hints of white pepper and pungent herbs. Tangy and precise, with good lift to its bitter cherry and blue fruit flavors and silky, slow-building tannins.
Domaine La Croix Belle Caringole ’12 France $10
Syrah, Carignan and Merlot blend from Languedoc’s Cotes de Thongue region; fresh and supple with flavours of cherry, and black olive, and herbs.
Robert Ramsay Mason’s Red ’13 Washington $16
Easy-drinking cinsault-dominant Rhone blend; subtle nose of black cherry paste with a hint of cinnamon spice that expands on the palate to a soft anise finish.
Micheletti Bolgheri Rosso ’14 Italy $18
Blend of cab and merlot, showing aromas of dark cherry, dusty plum, and cinnamon…a great value!
lummi island bread friday january 15 ’16
January-February Hours
Reminder: the wine shop is officially closed till March 3. We will NOT be open on any Saturday until March 5!
However, Bread Fridays will continue from 4-6 pm through February 5! And although there will no wine tastings during this period, you will be relieved and pleased to know that you will be able to purchase wine when you stop by for bread pickup. After all, it is Winter, and we all Devoutly Eschew the grim specter of a Winter Wine Emergency! And who knows?..Maybe some Kind Person will buy a bottle and share it with you over the latest bread samples! Even better, maybe YOU will be that kind person!
This Week’s Breads
Barley Rye with Pumpkin Seeds – a mix of fresh milled whole wheat rye and barley flours. It also includes some buttermilk to soften the texture of the crumb and some honey to balance the whole grains and finally it is loaded with toasted pumpkin seeds for a little crunch and texture. A great artisan bread, perfect with meats or cheese – $5/loaf.
Kamut Levain – One third fresh milled kamut berries. Kamut is an ancient grain from the middle east, also known as khorasan wheat. It is higher in protein and many minerals than modern wheat. It is always organically grown and non-GMO. It has a beautiful golden color and great flavor. Makes great toast! – $5/loaf.
And then, for a wee bit of sweetness:
Chocolate Croissants – Levain and a pre-fermented dough. Laminated with european butter before rolling out and loading up with chocolate! Ooh la la, some like better than any to be found in Paris. Delicious! – 2/$5.
Making Change
In some ways it was inevitable. In some ways it could never happen, but here it is: the People are suddenly refusing to drink the Partisan Kool-Aid. What IS Bizarre is that the two Rebels who are rising to the surface of the same Muck are polar opposites. So from some very broad viewpoint lots of people are Rebelling against the no-longer-bearable Status Quo.
Having been on the Far Left of the Far Left for a very long time, I can totally understand where the Bernie fans are coming from. When he speaks, I feel great internal congruity: yes, yes, yes, yes, this is what I have been thinking for as long as I can remember. The underlying model is respect for complex interdependent systems on which all Life depends. With humility, intelligence, and careful management, we and our living world can thrive.
The Disenfranchised of the Far Right are harder to figure. But looking at their Poster Boy, my take is they are Angry, Afraid, and Frustrated, and their most basic impulse is to find Someone to Blame and an Authority Figure to Punish them. The underlying view is Linear and Childlike, and therefore deeply vulnerable to the Demagogue who best convinces them that there is a Simple Answer to their Complex Questions.
Either way, the Good News is that we are Witness to a more Primal Exploration of these gut-level polarities this year than for a long time. It’s Quite a Show!
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lummi island wine tasting january 8 ’16
Off-season Bread Friday!
Multi-Grain – Basic bread flour with 25% fresh milled whole wheat and 10 % fresh milled rye flours, loaded with flax, sunflower, and sesame seeds – $5/loaf.
Janice’s Whole Wheat – Half and half bread flour and fresh milled whole wheat. A little honey is added to balance the whole grains and make for a flavorful loaf. Really delicious- $5/loaf.
Bear Claws – A lovely, rich Danish dough, full of eggs, butter and sugar. Dough is rolled, spread with almond filling and shaped into the traditional Bear Claw form, baked, glazed, and sprinkled with sliced almond. – 2/$5
January-February Schedule
The first thing you need to know is that though we (Pat and Rich) are officially On Vacation from the wine shop till March, Janice plans to continue Bread Fridays at the wine shop from 4-6 pm through February 5.
The second thing you need to know is that we (Pat, Rich, and Janice) will be here this Friday to offer you our usual wine tasting from 4-6 while you pick up your Bread. However, note that we will NOT be open on any Saturday until March 5!
The third thing you need to know is that we do not have a Clue as to whether other Fridays will involve wine tastings of any sort or not. At present it looks as though Janice will be in the shop from 4pm-6pm on January 8, 15, 22, and 29, plus February 5 for Bread Pickup. Although we will not be available to pour tastings, we are still exploring ways to continue that service on these Fridays without our having to be there. So far we have not developed an appealing structure to make that happen, so please Stay Tuned!
New Year’s Notes
This year we offered prizes for the best-tasting dish and also for the best-looking dish. We appointed a Judge (who must remain Anonymous, of course— though I can say the person’s initials are “MM.” Which, if you think about it, are just about the Perfect initials for a Food Judge, n’est-ce pas?
The Best-Tasting dish was Peter’s old family Mexican dish with layers of meat, veggies, cilantro, and wonderful chiles…folks, you all need to invite him to your next Potluck, that’s all I’m saying! Complex, flavorful, and fresh. YUM!
The Best-Looking dish was one of two great plates brought in by Mary Jane, and yes, they were both Delicious! The winner, shown at left on its Festive Red Holiday Platter with a disarming row of little green Hearts, was a pastry filled with many of the same rich and spicy flavors as the other winner.
We would like to thank all of you who came by for making this one of the warmest (and best-fed) of our Eleven repetitions of our East Coast New Year’s Eve Party. Thank you all, and wishing us all Good Fortune in the coming Year of the Fire Monkey.
2016: Year of the Monkey
According to the Astrology Club , The Monkey is an inventive and independent problem solver who symbolises irrepressible curiosity and creative energy. Intelligent, hyperactive, and sociopathic, the Monkey is free from inhibitions and guilt, not hesitating to test his theories on an unwitting audience. His innate problem-solving tendencies can turn the Monkey into a tricky, opportunistic, and deceptive tactician, whose unscrupulous and adolescent fantasies can both entertain and lead to Disaster.
Hmm…I’m getting a bad feeling about this…!
This week’s tasting
La Quercia Falanghina ’13 Italy $18
100% Trebbiano from hillside clay soil; a lovely, straw-yellow wine, with rich notes of white flowers, sea salt, and pear.
Estezargues Cuvee des Galets ’14 France $10
Grenache, Syrah and Carignan from organic and biodynamic vines, fermented with natural yeast, and bottled without filtration. Explodes with plump juicy berry fruit, liquorice and spice, showing appealing character and freshness.
Domaine La Croix Belle Caringole ’12 France $10
Syrah, Carignan and Merlot blend from Languedoc’s Cotes de Thongue region; fresh and supple with flavours of cherry, and black olive, and herbs.
Lost River Western Red ’12 Washington $17
Lovely blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc; dark fruits on the nose, smooth and rich in the mouth, enjoy with rich sauces or all by itself.
2072 Granger Way