Packing Blues

I absolutely hate packing! I love the end result of moving but I hate the process. To help ease the pain, the hubby and I are drinking Newcastle beer and listening to our vast collection of music. Ahhh suddenly packing is not so bad. As I mentioned in a previous post, beer has its time and place and today it absolutely fits the bill. If you have never had Newcastle, its a brown ale from England. I love the taste and body of this beer. It reminds me of when I am baking whole wheat bread. The smell of yeast and that nutty whole grain flour is reminiscent of the taste and aroma of this beer; hearty and smooth.

As for the music, I downloaded the new Rise Against album which helped me finish cleaning out the kitchen cabinets. Same old angst from these guys but I can't help but love it. Also hubby just downloaded the new Matt & Kim album for me so I'm excited to give that a go. What music keeps you pumped up? I have so many favs that this discussion could literally go on and on...

Columbia Crest Two Vines Merlot-Cabernet 2008

Lately I have been really loving these bold reds like merlot and cabernet sauvignon from Washington State. This blend is no different. I have had it twice in the past two weeks, both times impressed by the smooth, rich, and complex flavors. The blend is 51% merlot, 43% cabernet franc, and 6% cabernet sauvignon. This is a fruit forward wine with flavors of raspberry and blackberry; finishing with rich vanilla notes from the oak aging. I found that it paired wonderfully with my simple spicy red sauce (see below) and fresh linguine. The fruitiness of the wine accentuated the kick of heat in the pasta. 

It is my mission this year to talk my husband into a road trip to Oregon and Washington to explore the wine regions of these states. As I mentioned above, I have really been turned on to merlots from Washington State in particular. A little trip to the Washington Wine Commission's website revealed to me that Washington is now the second producer of wine in the United States (California being the top, of course). The state's geographic situation on the northwest corner of the country provides the ideal micro-climates necessary to produce multiple varietals. 

I guess I better start packing...that's right less than a week before the big move and so far I only have, count 'em, TWO boxes packed! 

Simple Spicy Red Sauce

1 cup of crushed canned tomatoes (I like to buy the whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes and make a puree using the food processor but any good quality canned tomato will work)

4 generous tablespoons olive oil

1 heaping tablespoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons dried chili flakes

3 garlic cloves finely sliced

Heat olive oil over medium low heat. Add garlic, oregano, and chili flakes. Saute until the mixture softens in the oil and becomes fragrant, about 2 minutes. Pour in crushed tomatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on low for ten minutes, et voila! You can make so many variations of this sauce. Last night, I added sauteed mushrooms but in the past I have used pancetta, olives, chicken, fresh basil, the possibilities are endless!

Polenta & Pork & Merlot

For the last few days my husband has been giving me not so subtle hints that I should prepare pork chops over some creamy polenta. Today I finally relented and I am glad I did! The pork was succulent and smothered in a mushroom garlic pan gravy. I seasoned the bone-in chops with herbes de provence which is something I never tried with pork before. My blend included lavender and complimented the rosy pork excellently. Tonight's wine is one of my new favorites, Columbia Crest Grand Estates Merlot 2007. I drank this wine several blog posts ago and it was just as good today. Velvety, smooth, and supple, this wine really is quite a bargain at less than $10 a bottle. The round, rich fruit flavors mingled nicely with the sweet character of pork and the earthy depth of the mushroom sauce.
On a side note....who is as disappointed as me that Tiffany is still kicking around on Top Chef Allstars?!??!! She has sucked this whole season and somehow managed to survive. I just don't get it! Tonight I do understand why Carla got the boot, I mean hello? Don't serve raw pork....ever! I like Carla's personality and spirit though; I just don't think she is cut out to compete on such a high level. Who are you rooting for?
Only two more days at my job! :D

Last week behind a desk

As I discussed in my last posting here, I am moving back to the Bay Area. This will be my final week working at the local cable co and I am excited for the next chapter in my working life. Yes I am taking a huge pay cut and I won't be supervising anymore...I'm going back to the front lines as a barista, but somehow I am still excited. I was never meant to sit on my ass all day staring at a computer screen and I never became accustomed to "watercooler" chat. Even though the pay was great, I do not see myself ever making a permanent home in that world. I've always loved making edible, or drinkable, things for people and I look forward to doing so again. Today coffee, tomorrow wine! Well I can hope anyway. For now I think its best to take it one day at a time and just enjoy being home for awhile.

Do you ever wonder what life would be like if money wasn't an issue? I mean would you make the same choices? What profession would you pursue if you didn't have to base it on a salary projection? I have spent a lot of time at jobs I hated and that I knew were not taking me anywhere just because I needed the money. I'm sure most of us have had to do the same thing for one reason or another. But think about it...really think about. How many years of life do you want to keep selling off to the highest bidder? Ok time for me to get off the soapbox...just food, eh drink for thought.