How about something different

[cdskier]

My sister was in town visiting this weekend so I had to do some wine and food pairing. Opened a 2014 Damiani Meritage that was drinking really well. Damiani is another Finger Lakes producer that really excels at dry reds (although they've gotten a little pricey the past couple years. For example the 2014 Meritage that I bought in 2018 was only in the upper $20s back then meanwhile the current vintage release is now $45).

One of my sister's favorite dishes is Short Ribs, so I made some red-wine braised short ribs topped with shaved fennel and arugula served over Risotto to go along with the Meritage.

Started with a Pet Nat along with a simple arugula salad with prosciutto, pears, and aged gouda.


Missed out on the final weekend at Sugarbush, but got to spend some time with my sister and my 17 month old niece instead...so it was worth missing the skiing since I don't see them that often as they live down in MD.

 

[jimmywilson69]

damn that looks delicious. Yes I have had Damiani, pretty good stuff!

Finger Lakes Wine has gotten a lot more expensive across the board.

 

[zyk]

Looks great! Slightly different but just returned from a week of hiking in NH. Had to pick up some slow chair tripel. Someday if the triple is gone hopefully the tripel will remain...

 

[cdskier]

damn that looks delicious. Yes I have had Damiani, pretty good stuff!

Finger Lakes Wine has gotten a lot more expensive across the board.

Thanks.

I'd say the price thing varies a lot. Some wineries have increased prices (of their wines) a decent amount, while some others have had minimal increases (and quite frankly there are some wineries that are selling their wine too cheap and SHOULD raise prices a bit). From my own personal data, I'm not necessarily paying much more now on average per bottle than I was in the past. My overall yearly average price paid per bottle has been fairly steady (of course this is complicated a bit because as I buy more from some wineries, I get bigger discounts which can help offset any base price increases). I just pulled a pivot table together of average price paid per bottle for some of the varietals/types I buy the most of in the Finger Lakes. There's a lot of variables at play here that can skew the data up or down in any given year (case club discounts, single vineyard/reserve/library bottles that cost more, etc). Overall at least for what I'm purchasing personally, I'm happy to see there isn't really a substantial increase in how much I'm paying.

 

[Kingslug20]

A few weeks ago i heard the F35 jets flying over my house more than usual...turns out they sent 8 of them to Europe to patrol.
I knew something was up. This is not good.

 

[cdskier]

Actually cooked my Father's Day meal for my dad and brother last weekend since my brother wasn't going to be around this weekend. I ended up having to scramble a bit to come up with the menu since originally my brother told me he was going to be around this weekend and then all of a sudden his plans changed and I had to move dinner up a week. In the end though I was pretty happy with the results...

First course featured a Seared Tuna Tostada with Black Bean Mango Salsa and a Roasted Yellow Pepper Vinaigrette. This was paired with a 2020 Pet Nat Riesling.



Second course was Grilled Shrimp on Tortilla Chips with an Avocado Puree and a Jalapeno Pesto. This was paired with a single vineyard 2014 Dry Riesling



Third course was Grilled Lamb Chops with a Tapenade Butter and Toasted Israeli Couscous Salad with Grilled Summer Vegetables. This course was paired with a 2017 Syrah.



The final course was a Chocolate Hazelnut Crema Catalana paired with a 2015 Ratafia wine (this is a fortified wine that is pretty interesting and inspired by a style made in the Champagne region of France).

 

[drjeff]

Actually cooked my Father's Day meal for my dad and brother last weekend since my brother wasn't going to be around this weekend. I ended up having to scramble a bit to come up with the menu since originally my brother told me he was going to be around this weekend and then all of a sudden his plans changed and I had to move dinner up a week. In the end though I was pretty happy with the results...

First course featured a Seared Tuna Tostada with Black Bean Mango Salsa and a Roasted Yellow Pepper Vinaigrette. This was paired with a 2020 Pet Nat Riesling.
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Second course was Grilled Shrimp on Tortilla Chips with an Avocado Puree and a Jalapeno Pesto. This was paired with a single vineyard 2014 Dry Riesling
View attachment 54594
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Third course was Grilled Lamb Chops with a Tapenade Butter and Toasted Israeli Couscous Salad with Grilled Summer Vegetables. This course was paired with a 2017 Syrah.
View attachment 54596
View attachment 54597

The final course was a Chocolate Hazelnut Crema Catalana paired with a 2015 Ratafia wine (this is a fortified wine that is pretty interesting and inspired by a style made in the Champagne region of France).
View attachment 54598
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Impressive Culinary skills there CD!

And here I was all proud of myself for some reverse sear Cowboy Cut Ribeyes on my Big Green Egg and brussel sprouts and cauliflower au gratin for dinner for me and my kids tonight after some golf with my son this afternoon!

 

[jimmywilson69]

Wow!! @cdskier impressive cooking and wine pairings! How was the Hector Syrah?

 

[cdskier]

Impressive Culinary skills there CD!

And here I was all proud of myself for some reverse sear Cowboy Cut Ribeyes on my Big Green Egg and brussel sprouts and cauliflower au gratin for dinner for me and my kids tonight after some golf with my son this afternoon!

Thanks! That sounds good too. A nice thick Ribeye is always a good choice! I need to try that reverse sear steak thing one day. I always hear people talking about it but have never tried it myself.

Wow!! @cdskier impressive cooking and wine pairings! How was the Hector Syrah?

Thanks! The Hector Syrah is excellent (and consistently excellent year after year). There's only a handful of places in the Finger Lakes that make Syrah, and of them I would say Hector is the best (although Red Newt just released their first one a couple years ago and if subsequent vintages are as good as the first one, they could be right up there with Hector).

 

[jimk]

Is @cdskier a chef de cuisine: a chef who manages a professional kitchen?

 

[Hawk]

Who is this guy? I know how to find you now. Just follow your nose throught the village. LOL

 

[Hawk]

I bet those lamb chops set you back. My wife and I looked at a rack the other day. It was like $40. Yikes!

 

[cdskier]

Is @cdskier a chef de cuisine: a chef who manages a professional kitchen?

Hah...nope. I just cook for fun at home. My real job is IT for a Pharma company.

I bet those lamb chops set you back. My wife and I looked at a rack the other day. It was like $40. Yikes!

Yea...they were $37/lb at Kings (which usually tends to be the pricier super market around here, but I like the quality of the stuff there better than the closer and cheaper stores). I was in Shoprite later that day (which usually is cheaper) and they were $39/lb there. Definitely reserved for special occasions!

 

[Hawk]

Looks really nice with the pearl Couscous with the grilled vegies. I like the rosemary on the Lamb also. Dinner at you condo!

 

[ss20]

Is @cdskier a chef de cuisine: a chef who manages a professional kitchen?

No. If he was he would've served his family some kind of heat n eat pop it in the toaster oven dish .

With me in/out of food service for most of my adult life I've never dressed a dish as nice as CD did for my family lol

 

[snoseek]

No. If he was he would've served his family some kind of heat n eat pop it in the toaster oven dish .

With me in/out of food service for most of my adult life I've never dressed a dish as nice as CD did for my family lol

Truth right here.

 

[mister moose]

Yea...they were $37/lb at Kings (which usually tends to be the pricier super market around here, but I like the quality of the stuff there better than the closer and cheaper stores). I was in Shoprite later that day (which usually is cheaper) and they were $39/lb there. Definitely reserved for special occasions!

I've seen lamb loin chops (the mini porter house ones, my favorite for WAY under that, more like 12-14 a pound, Nice cooking skills though.

What was in the Jalepeno pesto and avacado puree? Thats a dish I might try to emulate. (Leaf off the cilantro)

 

[cdskier]

Looks really nice with the pearl Couscous with the grilled vegies. I like the rosemary on the Lamb also. Dinner at you condo!

Thanks Hawk!

I've seen lamb loin chops (the mini porter house ones, my favorite for WAY under that, more like 12-14 a pound, Nice cooking skills though.

What was in the Jalepeno pesto and avacado puree? Thats a dish I might try to emulate. (Leaf off the cilantro)

I prefer rib chops to loin chops personally. I don't recall the price of the loin chops. They were definitely less than the rib chops, but I'm still thinking they were in the 20s last week. I'll also add these are American Lamb prices. I'm not a fan of the cheaper Australian lamb.

As for the Jalapeno pesto and avocado puree...here's the recipe those came from: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes...ocado-puree-and-jalapeno-pesto-recipe-1946925 (I just substituted shrimp for the scallops).

 

[ThinkSnow]

Has anyone traveled by car to Canada recently with their dog? Planning a trip up north later this summer and was wondering what needs to be in place so I'm not turned around at the border. Anything special needed at the border both going & coming back? So far all I've been able to determine is an up-to-date rabies vaccination.

 

[jimmywilson69]

@cdskier was in the FLX this past weekend. Still a few 2020 vintages popping up. Weis had a 2020 Merlot that was very good. Domaine Leseurre Still hasn't released any of their 2020 reds. Will be curious how his turn out as Sebatian is very particular on his wine.

Went to Ravines for the first time and am now a member of their club LOL. Good stuff all around there!