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.
lummi island wine tasting new year’s eve aught-fifteen
Eleventh Annual “East Coast New Year’s Eve” Extravaganza
As the Fortunate Few well know, our annual “East Coast New Year’s Eve Party” has become an Established Tradition. From 7-9pm on New Year’s Eve we provide the wine, you bring something delicious to share, and when the ball drops in Times Square three hours away, we all hoist our glasses and toast the New Year! The Young at Heart move on to the next party, and we old timers can get to bed at a decent hour! We welcome this annual opportunity to thank all of you for your support this past year, and to toast ahead to even more fun in aught-sixteen. Arrrr, lads and lassies, ye best mark yer calendars now ‘n’ start planning yer finger food!
Important Note! Speaking of Finger Food, we will again this year have a Secret Operative sampling the dishes and Assigning Points! Yummiest Dish wins a $25 credit, and Yummiest-Looking Dish wins a $15-dollar credit! Let’s see if Competition really does improve Quality!
Early 2016 Schedule
High-level negotiations are continuing about maintaining Bread Fridays and accompanying Friday wine tastings from 4-6pm Fridays from January 8 through February 5. As of press time today we are confirming Bread Fridays and accompanying wine tastings on January 8 and 15, 2016…! At present a few details remain to be worked out about . Also note that the wine shop will NOT be open on Saturdays in January or February. Stay tuned!
Wine Club Reminder!
In 2015 we changed wine club subscriptions to Calendar Annual. That is, all memberships started between January 1 and August 31, 2015 expire on December 31, 2015, while subcriptions after September 1 will continue through 2016. So be sure to re-up next time you’re in the shop to continue enjoying our fantastic membership benefits, like $5 weekly tastings and no-sales-tax purchases!
At left, sunset just ten days from Winter Solstice, already noticeably further north…kind of comforting, huh…?
lummi island wine tasting december 23 ’15
(note: some photos will enlarge when clicked)
Holiday Special! Friday Breads on Wednesday!!
Arrr, take note, me hearties, ‘ere we are another Solstice, ‘n’ the days now be gettin’ longer again, and maybe a bit brighter– a good time fer raisin’ our glasses to the turn o’ the Seasons, eh…? Sure, and we wish ye warm comforts that carry ye through the Winter, startin’ with these fine breads…!
Pain aux Noix – the “noix” are hazelnuts, making a rich and flavorful bread made with bread flour, whole wheat, honey, butter, and milk, and loaded with ground and chopped hazelnuts. – $5/loaf
Stollen – A rich and delicious traditional Christmas bread, loaded with dried and candied fruit, fresh orange and lemon peel, almonds, almond paste, and plenty of spices. Brushed with butter and powdered sugar after baking. Rich and decadent – $5/loaf.
Fruit and Spice buns – Half bread flour and half fresh milled whole wheat. Plenty of sugar and butter with dried fruit, spices, orange peel and juice, topped with pearl sugar. -2/$5.
Rest of the Year Schedule
- Wednesday, December 23 — open 4-6:30 for Bread pickup and wine tasting.
- Saturday, December 26 (Boxing Day) — open for regular Saturday hours, 2-6 pm.
- Thursday, December 31… see below!
Early 2016 Schedule
High-level negotiations are working toward continuing Bread Fridays and accompanying wine tastings through January from 4-6pm through February 6, though a few details still need to be worked out. Also note that the wine shop will NOT be open on Saturdays in January or February. As of press time, however, we are confirming Bread Fridays and accompanying wine tastings on January 8 and 15, 2016…! Stay tuned!
Wine Club Reminder!
In 2015 we changed wine club subscriptions to Calendar Annual. That is, all memberships started between January 1 and August 31, 2015 expire on December 31, 2015, while subcriptions after September 1 will continue through 2016. So be sure to re-up next time you’re in the shop to continue enjoying our membership benefits, like $5 tastings and no-sales-tax purchases!
Eleventh Annual “East Coast New Year’s Eve” Extravaganza
As the Fortunate Few know well, our annual “East Coast New Year’s Eve Party” is now an established Tradition. From 7-9pm on New Year’s Eve we provide the wine, you bring something delicious to share, and when the ball drops in Times Square three hours away, we all hoist our glasses and toast the New Year! The Young at Heart move on to the next party, and we old timers can get to bed at a decent hour! We welcome this annual opportunity to thank all of you for your support this past year, and to toast ahead to even more fun in aught-sixteen. Arrrr, ye best mark yer calendars now ‘n’ start planning yer finger food. And please RSVP (758-2959 or Email) if yer plannin’ to attend!
Important Note! Speaking of Finger Food, we will again this year have a Secret Operative sampling the dishes and Assigning Points! Yummiest Dish wins a $25 credit, and Yummiest-Looking Dish wins a $15-dollar credit! Let’s see if Competition really does improve Quality!
This week’s wine tasting
Lambert de Seyssal Royal Seyssal France $22
Great sparkling wine from the Savoie region; 50% Altesse, 50% Molette from clay/limestone soils. Stacked sur latte for 3-4 years, yielding complex aromas, fine perlage (bubbles), and crisp acidity. Yummy stuff!
Marchetti Rosso Conero ’13 Italy $10
All from “free run juice,” yielding enticing notes of smoky, exotic spice, vanilla, dried cranberry, ripe plum, and bitter dark chocolate.
Pugliano Treggiaia Italy $11
A smooth and satisfying blend of sangiovese, canniolo & cab, showing bright fruit, food-friendly acidity, aromas of cherry and herbs, and an easy, friendly mouthfeel. A long-time favorite here.
Renegade Red ’12 Washington $11
Nicely crafted blend of Cab, Merlot, and Cab Franc; shows lots of red and black fruits, scents of loamy minerality, and fine grained tannins that are matched with balanced acidity.
Terra d’Oro Zinfandel ’11 California $14
Vibrant aromas of clove and big, generous fruit lead to concentrated flavors of juicy plums and blackberries,all with a good dose of toasted oak.
lummi island wine tasting december 18 ’15
(note: some photos will enlarge when clicked)
Friday Breads (call us to get on the preorder mailing list! )
Heidebrot – a German country bread that is about half bread flour and half fresh milled rye. It uses a rye fed sourdough, unlike the normal wheat fed sourdough. A great artisan bread with a nice rye flavor – $5/loaf.
Pecan Flax Seed – Also made with rye levain, bread flour and freshly milled whole wheat. Plenty of flax seeds, toasted pecans and a little honey make for a flavorful loaf. Really delicious- $5/loaf.
Brioche au Chocolate – A lovely brioche dough that is full of eggs, butter and sugar, rolled out and spread with pastry cream and chopped dark chocolate. Folded over and cut into rolls and baked. My oh my! – 2/$5.
More Italian arrivals!
As mentioned last week, our Fall Italian wine pre-order from Small Vineyards just recently arrived; therefore this weekend we are pouring another All-Italian tasting! These twice-a-year shipments from SV reliably bring great wines at very modest prices, and though we would have preferred them a month ago, on the plus side here they are just in time for the Holidays! Many of you will recognize fondly familiar labels as well as some new labels altogether or new wines from wineries we have been enjoying for years.
Our lead-off white is a pinot blanc from the spectacular alpine region of Alto Adige, tucked up along the Italian borders with Switzerland and Austria. The next two on the tasting list (Arcangelo Negroamaro and Treggiaia Sangiovese) are popular favorites with many of you. Number Four is new, a Super-Tuscan blend of cab and merlot, and Number Five is a an interesting Sangiovese from Perazzeta, one of our long-time favorite producers, from a just rediscovered vineyard harboring a sangiovese clone thought long extinct.
Wine Shop Holiday Schedule
For reasons mostly involving Bread Coordination, this is more complicated than usual, so read carefully!
~This weekend, December 18-19: Open as usual, Friday 4-7, and Saturday 2-6.
~Wednesday, December 23: Open for first-ever Bread Wednesday from 4 to around 6:30, sort of “Friday on Wednesday.” Come pick up your bread, taste some wine, and wish The Gang a Happy Christmas!
Friday, December 25, Christmas Day– Closed
Saturday, December 26 (“Boxing Day” in Canada!): Open for usual Saturday hours, 4-6
Eleventh Annual “East Coast New Year’s Eve” Extravaganza
Well after ten years our “East Coast New Year’s Eve Party” has become an Established Tradition. From 7-9pm on New Year’s Eve, we provide the wine, you bring something delicious to share, and when the ball drops in Times Square three hours away, we all hoist our glasses and toast the New Year! The Young at Heart can move on to the next party on their dance cards, and we old timers can get to bed at a decent hour! It’s also our chance to thank you for your support this past year, and to look ahead to more fun in aught-sixteen. Mark your calendars and start planning your finger food!
Important Note! Speaking of Finger Food, we will again this year have a Secret Operative sampling the dishes and Assigning Points! Yummiest Dish wins a $25 credit, and Yummiest-Looking Dish wins a $15-dollar credit! Let’s see if Competition really does improve Quality!
This week’s tasting
Kaltern Jubilee pinot blanc ’14 Alto Adige (It) $14
Clean, with whistling-bright acidity and fresh and floral nose with overtones of apples, pears, stone fruits and quince, and juicy fruit-basket aromas on the finish.
Palama Negroamaro ’12 Italy $10
Elegantly expansive, rich and robust, with silky mouthfeel, layered aromas of steeped spices, and palate of blackberry jam with accents of cinnamon, leather, tobacco and smoke.
Pugliano Treggiaia Italy $11
A smooth and satisfying blend of sangiovese, canniolo & cab, showing bright fruit, food-friendly acidity, aromas of cherry and herbs, and an easy, friendly mouthfeel. A long-time favorite here.
Micheletti Bolgheri Rosso ’14 Italy $18
Blend of cab and merlot, showing aromas of dark cherry, dusty plum, and cinnamon…a great value!
Perazzeta “Emma” Sangiovese ’14 Italy $18
From a clone of Sangiovese thought extinct for 150 years– rich and spicy, with aromatic hints of eucalyptus.
2072 Granger Way