CHAMPAGNE
AND
VALENTINES DAY

Champagne is a sparkling wine that is grown and produced in France, in the region of Champagne. The grapes used to produced this sparkling wine are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. There are many other sparkling wines all over the world but none are considered true Champagne. Some sparkling wines are made in same methods as that of Champagne, which are labeled Methode Champenoise.

Sparkling wine comes in a wide range of taste from extremely bone dry to sweet floral Flavor. The finish of the last process in making Champagne typically determines this. As sediment collects on the cork, it is removed by placing the neck of the bottle in a freezing brine solution, which results in the sediment popping out under pressure when the bottle is opened. This clears the wine. In turn this leaves a space in the bottle. This is filled with a dose of sugar solution. The percentage that is added determines how it labeled. The wines are labeled according to their fruitiness, as follows from dry to sweet. Natural or Extra Brut, Brut, Extra Dry, Sec, Demi Sec, and the sweetest Doux, which is not carried much in America. Asti’s from Italy, are in the range of a Demi Sec for sweetness. In contrasts, Prossecco’s also from Italy are in the palette range of Brut to Extra Dry.

Other descriptions are Blanc de Blanc, which is only made from Chardonnay grapes from Champagne. Everywhere else in the world it is made from just white grapes. Blanc de Noir is produced from Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier from Champagne; other areas usually just use Pinot Noir. Rose which is usually assumed to be sweet is actually very dry and sometimes one of the best Champagnes of the winery. Adding a small amount of red wine creates this. Other producers of sparkling wine may form the rose wine from skin contact of the red grape used.

Champagne can put a sparkle to any Valentines Day dinner or just on its own. To make it exciting try adding a small amount of Framboise (raspberry liqueur). Be sure to add it sparingly until you get the desired amount of fruit flavor. Another way to serve your Champagne is with a strawberry in the glass, where it picks up the flavor of the fruit without adding any sweetness.

I hope this article helps you when determining what type of sparkling wine/champagne you choose for that special occasion. So, enjoy your Valentines Day, with a glass of Champagne!

Check out ‘Eye of the Hawk,’ the Harley Davidson of beers


The official program of the 1996 Great British Beer Festival called Eye of the Hawk Ale “the Harley Davidson of American beers.” Is it a compliment to compare a beer to a Harley? Turns out it is. The program goes on to characterize this ale from Mendocino Brewing as robust, crisp, and of substantial body and character.
Having sampled an “Eye” before dinner the other night, I’d have to agree. When I saw the 8 percent alcohol rating, I was prepared for a strong, unwieldy brew, but to my surprise, a couple of sips later, I found that despite the punch, the first adjective that popped to mind was “smooth.” Pleasant finish, no aftertaste and a brilliant coppery color.

Eye of the Hawk is The Little Rooster’s Beer of the Month and one I’d recommend to anyone who wants to try an award winner that’s been pleasing palates since 1984.

“Eye” is the second Mendocino brew featured by The Little Rooster, and why not? This brewery, operating on the east coast in Saratoga Springs, NY, and on the west in Mendocino, CA, turns out an array of brews that continue to win respect everywhere beer-lovers get to know them.

Beer and food preference vary, of course, from person to person. I tend to match a complex beer like this to a simpler entrée, such as a pasta tossed with a cream sauce. Whatever your preference, give “Eye” a try; it’s a great intro to the various raptor-themed beers from Mendocino.

Chicken in a crock,
it’s not fast, but easy

Somewhere in your closet, chances are there’s a Crock-Pot, or slow cooker, if you prefer. Most people who have received wedding presents or housewarming gifts have been given a Crock-Pot and most everyone has put it on a shelf, unsure of what to do with the damn thing.

Guess what? The Crock-Pot is popular once again. The current issue of Fine Cooking features it and The New York Times the other day carried an article on this simple and inexpensive device.
I pulled mine off the shelf recently and tossed together the following recipe, with great success. It took me about a half hour and the crock pot about seven hours.

1 young chicken 3 ½-4 lbs.
2-3 tbs minced garlic
3 medium carrots
2 stalks celery
one large onion, chopped
8 oz. mushrooms
1 can stewed tomatoes
a dozen or so black olives
fresh herbs of your choice to taste
red wine
chicken broth
flour or cornstarch for thickening sauce
salt and pepper

Trim excess fat from the chicken, salt and pepper it inside and out. Dust with flour and brown it, whole, in a frying pan, turning it with tongs. Meanwhile, chop celery and carrots and onion into bite sized pieces and put them into the Crock-Pot. Set the chicken on top and add the mushrooms, whole or halved, olives, garlic, fresh herbs and enough red wine and chicken broth to bring the whole mix to no closer than an inch from the top of the pot. Turn it to high and forget about it for five hours or so. Then look in on your creation and dump the stewed tomatoes over the top and close up again for at least another hour or so. Don’t check it too often (though it sure will smell good right about now) because you’ll let heat out.

Once the bird has had about seven hours of cooking, take it out using the tongs and set it on a platter. Ladle out a bit of the sauce and thicken it with a teaspoon of cornstarch or flour and then return the thickened sauce to the pot and mix in. Serve chicken and sauce over brown rice.

The beauty of this recipe is that it’s totally flexible. Once you brown the chicken and put it in the pot with some garlic, wine, chicken broth and onions, it doesn’t really matter much what else you add in terms of vegetables or herbs and spices. The Crock-Pot will transform whatever you put in there into something wonderful.

Did you know?

The Crock-Pot is over 30 years old. Out of curiosity, I typed crockpot.com into my Internet browser. Sure enough, up comes Rival, the first manufacturer’s home page, complete with history and recipes. Come to find out the Crock-Pot was originally named the “Beanery” till someone came up with the catchier name some 30 years ago. Rival has since sold more than 80 million of them. It’s great to see a simple, low-tech idea succeed.

-- Scott Brinckerhoff

Scott Brinckerhoff of Haddam is a freelance writer specializing in business communications. He also brews beer, keeps bees and cooks "seriously." Each issue, he'll provide offbeat comments on our monthly beer, along with a recipe.