SANGIOVESE

Sangiovese is a red grape principally grown in Tuscany Italy. It is their largest produced grape predominantly used in the wines from Chianti. By the way, it is the only grape that is permitted in the Brunello de Montalcino wines. This grape is also planted in other central areas of Italy including, Umbria, Marches, and Latium. Sangiovese di Romagna is the same grape but the soil in the Romagna region is so different that you get a wine that is structurally unique. Although it is not as popular as its Tuscan counterpart, due to its lighter more rustic flavors. Sangiovese is used in Italy’s newest sought after wines called “Super Tuscans”, which are a blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. These wines have a rich full flavor yet are a little softer and less earthy than Chianti.

Sangiovese needs a warm long growing season. However, if the climate gets cold too quickly, the wine will become more acidic and develop harsh tannins.

Today this grape is grown in California and Washington State but unlike its Italian cousins, the west coast Sangiovese is a bit softer. You will also notice a lack of the rustic flavor in the west coast version because of different soil and much younger vines. The Sangiovese grape makes great medium to full-bodied wine that will pair with any red sauce or beef dish.

Heart of Darkness stout is easier to swallow than Conrad’s novel

Heart of Darkness is one of those novels that high school and college literature teachers love to force on students. I don’t remember much about it except that it had to do with British colonialism in Africa and it was a tough read, like most Joseph Conrad novels.

The tale has been around for more than 100 years, far longer than a memorable stout of the same name. Heart of Darkness stout, compliments of the folks at Magic Hat Brewing, is February’s Beer of the Month at The Little Rooster, and a fine choice it is.

A seasonal brew, you won’t find HoD in the beer cooler in July, and that’s OK, because there are better choices for quenching your thirst after mowing the lawn. But on a cold winter’s night, in front of the fireplace, with icicles hanging from the eaves, Heart of Darkness warms the spirit, stimulates the appetite and smoothes any mental rough edges that may have developed during the day.

But enough of that. What can we say of this stout? Color: it’s black, with a modest creamy head. Aroma: smoky, with a hint of licorice and strong coffee. Taste: Smoked malts, roasted barley and hops combine to produce a brew that’s more sweet than bitter. The finish offers a fleeting touch of citrus. In other words, this is a complex beer that’s perfect for a cold winter’s night, an end-of-day reward that’s well worth waiting for.

Give Heart of Darkness stout a try – it won’t be around for too long, and it’s much easier to understand and enjoy than Joseph Conrad’s tale.

Fish with Turkish spices livens up a winter night

Turkish food does not evoke images of fish. When we think of Turkish cuisine (if indeed we think of it at all), we ponder variations on eggplant, garlic, hummus and lamb.
But Turkey is a maritime nation and the coastal cities and towns are known for all manner of interesting combinations of fish, fruit and herbs.

I’ve had the pleasure of visiting Turkey twice and can vouch for how inventive the cuisine is. The following recipe is adapted from Classic Turkish Cooking and meets my criteria for being simple, offbeat and delicious.

I made this dish one cold night using tilapia, an unexciting fish that was absolutely transformed by the unusual flavors of this recipe.

Fish, Turkish Style
(serves 3-4)

4 fish fillets (any firm fleshed fish will do)
2 red onions, halved and sliced
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
6 plum tomatoes, peeled and left whole (or, substitute canned plum tomatoes)
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp currants, soaked 30 minutes in water
1 tsp ground cinnamon
6-8 oz. Water
salt and pepper
for garnish, chopped parsley or saffron

Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet and add the onions and garlic. Once they are softened, add lightly floured fish pieces. Quickly brown them on both sides and remove from pan. Stir in the vinegar, cinnamon, currants and tomatoes with about half of the water and cook for 10 minutes. Pour in the rest of the water, adjust the seasoning and place the fish in the sauce. Cook gently for another 10 minutes.

Serve hot, sprinkled with parsley or saffron and accompanied by rice or lentils.

Did you know?

Stouts and porters are often mistaken for one another. Both rely heavily on roasted barley and are very dark, but stouts come in several varieties, unlike porter. Among stout varieties are dry stout, loaded with hops; milk stout, which uses lactose as a sweetener, and oatmeal stout, which uses oatmeal for the same purpose. Dry stouts like Heart of Darkness should be served in heavy tumblers or tall glasses at a slightly warmer temperature than you would enjoy a lager. They mate up well with spicy shellfish or oysters.

-- 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, long with a recipe.