Wine Food Pairing - What to do with Zuchini?

Wine food pairing is always looking for new and exciting ways to prepare zuchini. This time of year it is so bountiful and let's face it guys, it is very healthy! But, alas, it seems if you have 1 zuchini, you have 100 ... and I don't know about you , but these guys grow to be humongous ... I mean you can dress them up and take them out for a ride ... LOL!


OK, enough of this silliness ... it is still HOT in Florida and sometimes it is just nice to have a light veggie meal versus a heavy meat laden one. So I took my "squash" and sliced up several, quite thin with my mandolin ... long ways ... like lasagne noodles and layered them in a glass casserole dish along with marinara sauce, chopped basil, fresh mushrooms and sliced sweet vidalias. Between each layer I sprinkled various cheeses ... a sharp cheddar, mozzarela and them a grated parm. On the very top went some panko bread crumbs along with the cheese.

Popped into the 375 degree oven for 45 minutes. The last 10 minutes I slid a tray of my very awesome garlic bread in to toast up. I could tell right away that it would be scrumptious from the aroma's coming from the oven ... oh MY!

I paired this ""lasagne" with a Concha y Toro Casillero del Diablo Sauvignon Blanc 2008 from Chile. This is a clean bright wine, straw in color has slightly greenish hues. Fresh, citrus with notes of peaches and hints of gooseberry it made the meal a hit!

What's not to love about wine and food that is at its very peak of freshness? Wine food pairing is sometimes about the creation of simple, fresh meals. CHEERS!

PS. for some cool new cookware and gadgets check out ....

Wine Food Pairing - A Few Halloween Nuts

Wine food pairing is mentally preparing for the upcoming Halloween ... always a favorite I plan in advance for my "big" events ... so my pretties ... I've put together a quick JibJab of some of my favorite folks ...

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Don't be sad if you didn't make this production ... I'm sure that there will be a few more.

It is amazing what a chilled pinot grigio and a hand full of nuts can do.

Wine food pairing. CHEERS!

What a Zany evening!

actually we were laughing our butts off ... lol ... the other comedian "Sloan" was great too ...

in reference to:

"Captain Brien's Off the Hook Comedy Club on Marco Island Florida. What a great way to spend a Saturday evening,"
- Adventures of Wine Food Pairing! (view on Google Sidewiki)

Wine Food Pairing - Bob Zany Off the Hook

Wine food pairing with friends at Captain Brien's Off the Hook Comedy Club on Marco Island Florida. What a great way to spend a Saturday evening, but laughing our heads off with great friends and enjoying some tasty wine!

Comedian and radio host Bob Zany from The Bob and Tom Show performed live and he had everyone roaring with laughter .... take a watch ...

A chilled Chardonnay and hot comedy ... wine food pairing ... it's all about the fun. CHEERS!

Wine Food Pairing - Don't be KOI!

Wine food pairing ... ahhhh ... what could be nicer than enjoying a delicious mimosa for brunch while enjoying the pond. Fresh warm banana bread, made from bananas off our own tree ... YUMMO.

These first few cool (70's) mornings in the autumn are some of my favorite in Florida ... I just had to get out the camera and throw together a quick video so everyone could enjoy our pond, the orchids and of course, the Koi Kiddies.

Too bad you can't a have a tastie of bread, too ... LOL!

Looking forward to seeing all our northern friends and neighbors soon.

Wine food pairing ... sometimes it is all about the fellowship. CHEERS!

Wine Food Pairing - Quotes to Ponder ...

Wine food pairing ... ponders a few "deep" thoughts ...


The Value of a glass of wine ...

"Sometimes when I reflect back on all the wine I drink I feel shame. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the vineyards and all of their hopes and dreams . If I didn't drink this wine, they might be out of work and their dreams would be shattered.

Then I say to myself, "It is better that I drink this wine and let their dreams come true than be selfish and worry about my liver."

~ Jack Handy

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may leave you wondering
what the hell happened to your bra and panties.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~
"I feel sorry for people who don't drink wine. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day. "

~Frank Sinatra

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may create the illusion
that you are tougher, smarter, faster and better looking than most people.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"When I read about the evils of drinking wine, I gave up reading."

~ Henny Youngman

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may lead you to think
people are laughing WITH you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I think not."

~ Stephen Wright

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may cause you to think
you can sing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"When we drink, we get drunk. When we get drunk, we fall asleep. When we fall asleep, we commit no sin. When we commit no sin, we go to heaven. So, let's all get drunk and go to heaven!"

~ Brian O'Rourke

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may cause pregnancy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."

~ Benjamin Franklin

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol is a major factor in dancing like a retard.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza."

~ Dave Barry

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may cause you to tell your
friends over and over again that you love them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To some it's a six-pack, to me it's a Support Group. Salvation in a can!

~ Dave Howell

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may make you think you can
logically converse with members of the opposite sex without spitting.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~
And saving the best for last, as explained by Cliff Clavin, of Cheers.
One afternoon at Cheers, Cliff Clavin was explaining the Buffalo Theory to his buddy Norm.

Here's how it went:

"Well ya see, Norm, it's like this. A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members.

In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine. That's why you always feel smarter after a few beers."

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may make you think you are whispering when you are not.

Well, wine food pairing brings you only the best in wine blogs.

CHEERS!

Wine Food Pairing - Couscous and Pineapple

Wine food pairing in the hot, hot summer ... in Florida it seems like we have even gone past the dog days of summer and have moved to the " will this humidity never end" days ... lol!

OK, so I put my thinking cap on and came up with a variation of a couscous dish that I had up in Melborne Florida a couple of months ago. It was cool and refreshing ... sounded perfect!

Now, I digress here a bit, but I had just harvested my one and only pineapple ... yes ... my very own pineapple ... I thought that it deserved something special, also ...



I broke out my Israeli couscous. Israeli couscous is made of little spheres of toasted pasta and looks like a necklace that has become unstrung. This pasta is also called Middle Eastern or pearl couscous and is a cousin to the coarser Mediterranean fregola.

I toasted this in a saute pan first to bring out that nice nutty flavor, added curry powder then simmered it in chicken stock. Like all pastas, simmer the little beads until they soften. You'll notice that this grain absorbs the liquid, so there's little to drain off. On the side I prepped a cup of mayo, blended in more curry powder and some of the juice from the fresh pineapple ... a few bits of left over rotisserie chicken to make this a meaty dish for the gang.

OK, combine all the ingredients, fold in chunks of pineapple ... spoon this on to a few romaine lettuce leaves on a large platter and garnish with toasted sliced almonds and frozen baby peas (they give a nice crunch and a burst of sweetness as they thaw). Oh MY! Refreshing, tasty ... just what the doctor ordered on a summer's day.

A cold white wine spritzer on ice and life is not only good, it is great!

Wine food pairing .. it is all about the wine and food. CHEERS!

Wine Food Pairing - Edamame, Who?

Wine food pairing needed a light, quick interesting snack for surprise company ... what about edamame? Who? What?

Edamame is a green vegetable, also known as the soybean. It is harvested at the peak of ripening right before it reaches the "hardening" time. The word Edamame means "Beans on Branches," and it grows in clusters on bushy branches.

To retain the freshness and its natural flavor, it is parboiled and quick-frozen. I found mine in the frozen food aisle at Wal-mart!

In East Asia, the soybean has been used for centuries as a major source of protein. As a snack, the pods are lightly boiled in salted water, and then the seeds are squeezed directly from the pods into the mouth with the fingers.



Now you guys know that I am all about flavor and plain old soybeans, while nutritious, just don't cut the mustard. SOOOoooo ..... I re-created Roy's seasoning ... used at the famous Roy's Restaurants.

Into a ziploc went sugar, cayenne and kosher sea salt ... toss in the thawed par-boiled soybeans, give a quick shake and heap them into your serving bowl ... too simple ... and tasty!

I paired this "bad boy" up with a chilled Chardonnay and everyone was thrilled ... and toasty. Remember salt does make you thirsty ... LOL!

Wine food pairing with edamame ... who would have thought? It's all about creativity .... CHEERS!

Wine Food Pairing - Size does Matter!

Wine food pairing would like to offer a bit of cultural news for a welcome change. After all this is a cutting edge website ... lol!

David Is To Be Returned To Italy

After a two year loan to the United States ,
Michelangelo's David is being returned to Italy ...

His Proud Sponsors were:

Wine food pairing thought this was just too funny not to share with everyone. Wine, food, carbs and grease ... it's all about the fun. CHEERS!

Wine Food Pairing - My Living Will ...

Wine food pairing likes to take a look at serious issues, occasionally ... like ...


MY LIVING WILL



Last night, my friend and I were sitting in the living room and I said to her,


'I never want to live in a vegetative state, dependent on some machine and fluids from a bottle. If that ever happens, just pull the plug.'


She got up, unplugged the Computer, and threw out my wine.


She's such a bitch.....

OK, maybe it is just funny because I can relate. Wine food pairing, it's all about the wine. CHEERS!

Wine Food Pairing - Don't Gross Out the World

Wine food pairing takes a quick look at worldwide dining culture ... OK, we all know some of the basic, right ... er ... maybe ...LOL!


Take the quiz and see how you do, just click the picture .... I scored just over 50% ... I guess I should just stay home!

Wine food pairing ... wine ... slurp ... food ... burp .... look into my eyes ... CHEERS!

Wine Food Pairing - Meetup at Pincher's Crab Shack!

Wine food pairing just attended the first Naples - Marco Island Boating & Fishing Meetup at Pincher's Crab Shack in Naples Florida. We had a terrific time and met a lot of great potential "Crew Members" for our boat the Funlovers. Take a look ...

Pincher's Crab shack had excellent service, even though we had a large group. Our waitress, Jess, was super and she kept us in line as best she could!

Pincher's has 2 for 1 happy hour all day and a super menu with all types of goodies. If you get by Tin City in Naples, Florida be sure to stop in and say Hi.

Wine food pairing is all about the food, fun, friendship and a few spirits. CHEERS!