Wine Tasting - Veraz Garnacha 2009

"We are all mortal until the first kiss and the second glass of wine."

 - Eduardo Galeano

I wish you a most wonderful and pleasant day my friend.  May happiness and prosperity abound.  However, please remember that neither happiness nor prosperity need be measured in gold.  A smile shared can certainly be worth all of the gold in the world.

Oh happy day!  Can life simply get any better?  You walk into a neighborhood produce market to buy some Cabernet Sauvignon, some oat patties, some onion, some whole grain bread and a couple of other staples and you are informed that your order total meets $20 or more.  "You're entitled to one of those bottles of wines over there for free today.", we were informed as the sales clerk pointed at the display.  I think that my little plastic tennis shoes burned rubber as I scurried across Eat More Produce to grab that bottle of Garnacha!

Chucky's Point Score:  86

Tiffany's Point Score:  89

Veraz Garnacha 2009

Appellation:  Campo de Borja, Navarra, Spain

Grape Varietal(s):  100% Garnacha

Rating:  88 points (2009) Wine-Searcher, 87 points (2008) Wine Enthusiast

Price:  $0 at Eat More Produce in March 2012 (with $20 purchase)

Vintage: 2009

Producer:  Veraz

Alcohol:  14.0%

Tasting notes as follows.

Chucky's Tasting Sheet

Chucky's Notes:  "The first thing that I observed after swirling my glass is how quickly the windows dissipate.  Very nice floral and cherry on the nose followed by surprisingly bold red tastes on my palate.  At first it appears like a light bodied wine on my tongue but then big bold red fruits quickly grab and do not readily let go.  A truly wonderful wine.  I might go back to Eat More Produce and buy some more bottles.  Lucky, lucky me!"

Tiffany's Tasting Sheet

Tiffany's Notes:  "It's been so long since I've had a Garnacha that I can't remember the style.  I love the tart cherry apple taste along with the cinnamon finish.  This is a wonderful value and a perfect everyday wine to keep on hand!  Even Eat More Produce's lower-end wines always come through for me!"

From the label:

“This wine was produced from old-vine Garnacha grapes cultivated on chalky ans sandy soils.  Dark cherry red colour with violet hues.  Intense blackberry and raspberry fruity aromas, and well-balanced acidity.  The wine is soft and persistent on the palate.”

We may have been given free wine but  by no means whatsoever was it anything less than superior.  Neither Andy nor Troy were around when we shopped today therefore I was unable to inquire how this sort of deal came about.  However, since it's not inferior wine I'm venturing to guess that the vintner made a whole heckuva lot of it?  It's a 2009 so I would think that it'll remain good for at least another year or two?

But ~ I'm not complaining.  This is deliciously refreshing wine.  Like Tiffany so eloquently put it, "... a perfect everyday wine to keep on hand."  If you like Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir you're not going to regret a Garnacha.  Garnacha is to Spain what Carménère is to Argentina and Shiraz is to Australia.  It's the perfect grape for it's place, an optimum varietal and terroir match.  If you're lucky enough to live near Eat More Produce, you'd better get down there quick before we return!

Hi-dee hi-dee free-wine-tastes-mighty-fine-ho my friend.

Siam Garden Thai Restaurant, Winter Park, Florida

"Looking for peace is like looking for a turtle with a mustache;  You won't be able to find it.  But when your heart is ready, peace will come looking for you."

 - Ajahn Chah

May you be deluged with bountiful waves of happiness today.  Once that smile parks itself upon your face you will not be able to let go.  I wish you only the best today and nothing less.  Be good.  Be happy.  Pass it along and share the feeling with others.

In mid-February Tiffany and I were able to use a Restaurant.com certificate at Siam Garden Thai Restaurant in Winter Park, Florida.  If memory serves me correctly, I paid $3 for $25 restaurant credit.  Of course, there are provisions associated to each Restaurant.com deal, all of which seem quite acceptable.  In this case, I believe we were restricted to dinner hours only and 18% gratuity is required.  For this particular coupon, the minimum $35 purchase could apply to alcoholic beverages.  This is not always the case with every Restaurant.com deal so read the restrictions print carefully before purchasing, okay?

Vegetable Spring rolls with sweet plum sauce

Oh... Thai cuisine!  Perhaps my absolute favorite ethnic cuisine if not closely tied or behind that of Vietnamese cuisine.  When it comes to Asian foods and health, both Thai and Vietnamese dishes simply cannot be beat.  Trust me ~ Walk into a Thai or Vietnamese restaurant and you will almost inevitably find several healthy low-fat vegetarian options.

Tom Yum soup with tofu

But ~ Please do be careful when ordering.  Take our Tom Yum soup, for example.  Yes, it's a seafood-based broth (fish sauce) but I have seen some restaurants offering a vegetarian option.

In the case of Siam Garden, I did not bother to ask the waiter because Tiffany and I don't pass-up seafood broth dishes when dining out.  However, had I made a similar dish at home I would most certainly substitute a vegetable for a fish-based broth.

Pad Thai and Spicy Cashew with tofu

When dining Asian-style, be cognizant that many dishes may include dashes of fish sauce, oyster sauce, broths derived from shellfish, and so forth.  When in doubt, ask your waiter or waitress to check for you.

The ambiance, menu selections, prices, service and food is simply wonderful at Siam Garden.  The first time that Tiffany and I went in and sat down to order we both had that eerie feeling as though we had been there before.  But, why?  After a few minutes we notice the unique pattern on the walls was identical to that we find at Maitland Breakfast Club.  Come to find out from Sandy at MBC, the location used to be home for Siam Garden before they moved to Winter Park!

For only $37 (bill plus cost of Restaurant.com certificate), tip included, we were able to dine on incredibly tasty vegetarian Spring rolls, two bowls of Tom Yum Soup with tofu, Cashew Nut entree, Pad Thai with tofu entree, and four glass of wine!  I challenge you to find a better deal.

Hi-dee hi-dee Siam-Garden-in-Winter-Park-is-recommended-by-Tiffany-and-Chucky-ho my friend.

Return to Ravalia's Pasta Bar & Italian Rotisserie, Casselberry, Florida

"Once again I'm saved by the miracle of... lasagne!"

 - Garfield

Salutations and wishes of wellness to you!  May this day bring sunshine, warmth inside, and a smile upon your face.  It's your day and you steer the minutes my friend.

Ever have one of those wonderful nights when everything simply appears to go so well and every single piece falls into place?  Tiffany and I had this night when we elected to drop by Ravalia's Pasta Bar & Italian Rotisserie tonight.  After we got off of work we had to run some errands and wanted a quick and delicious dinner afterwards.  Hmm... I had a hankering for some fresh pasta and what better place to get some!  "Let's go to Ravalias!"

Veggie lasagna with breadstick

As with every customer who enters, we were warmly greeted upon our arrival.  Al Ravalia was working tonight and he was so excited to announce some recent menu additions.  Much to our surprise he clearly remembered that Tiffany and I are vegetarian.  Tonight's special just happened to be vegetable lasagne.  And then there is the newly offered pizza!  Ravalias now has flat bread and has changed gelato manufacturers.

This is one of the beautiful things that Ravalias is doing.  They're constantly evolving to meet customer's needs.  They were getting so many requests for pizza that Al felt compelled to offer it.  But, here is no ordinary run-of-the-mill pizzeria.  This is Ravalias and they're not ordinary... They're extraordinary.  If you want "bread circles" topped with overly processed tomato sauce and flavors disguised in fatty meats, you need to go to "Pizza Hoot" or "Doomenos".

From the pasta to the pasta sauces to the sandwiches to the pizza to the lasagna and to the flat bread, everything is made fresh.  Everything is made delicious.  Tiffany and I were telling Al tonight that neither of us can remember the last time that we bit into a slice of pizza and tasted the sweetness of something as simple as the onion slices.

The lasagna?  Absolutely incredible!  At first bite you are reminded that it's made with fresh pasta.  Another thing that immediately comes to my attention, this isn't American food.  Instead, it's Italian food and made authentically so.  Instead of the lasagna being laden with massive amounts of cheap fatty cheeses it screamed of flavor throughout.  Sweet fresh tomato sauce, incredible tasty eggplant with texture, succulent bell pepper, slices of fresh mushroom, and so on.  I could not help but notice that the delectable flavors of the ingredients shined through in every single bite.

Pizza (Neapolitan-style) now available!

Ours was a veggie pizza.

Tomato sauce, cheese, fresh tomato slices, basil, black olive and onion.

The pizza?  Incredible!  A healthy version of the norm.  It's not over bearing with bread.  I would venture to guess that our entire pizza contained less dough than the usual traditional slice pizza.  Instead it's warm, crunchy and chewy.  Again, it's not over-loaded with any one item or cheeses.  Each bite allows the full flavors of each ingredient to shine without any one item becoming over bearing.  "Think it looks delicious?"  "Ha!"  "Just wait until you are able to order one yourself and have a bite!"

Psst... Al let us try an upcoming dessert item tonight.  You simply have not lived until you have tried what could be described as a hot baked pizza crust spread with delicious creamy Nutella spread.  I thought is quite similar to a fresh gooey chocolate chip cookie eaten fresh from the oven.  Ha!  I just gained 10-calories recalling this desert treat!  But, this my friend is one of those special desserts worth every single calorie consumed.  It's just more time happily spent on the treadmill.

Hi-dee hi-dee some-places-are-simply-too-good-not-to-keep-returning-ho my friend.

Return to JT's Seafood Shack, Palm Coast, Florida

"I wouldn't eat a hamburger for 40,000 dollars."

 - River Phoenix

Hello my friend!  May this day only be outdone by tomorrows.  Share a smile and tread lightly on this wonderful planet of ours.

Huh?  What's this?  Say, Chucky ~ what do we have going on here?  It's beginning to feel a little like "Burgerpalooza".  Yesterday a blog posting on Eat More Produce's Oat Patties and now another blog posting on JT's Seafood Shack's Veggie Burger.  What gives my 4-foot tall plastic bubble headed friend?

Can you say "sheer coincidence"?  I'm going back through some saved photos and posting events from days gone by.  Today's blog post happens to be from a visit to  JT's Seafood Shack which Tiffany and I had on our way home from St. Augustine via State Road A1A along the Atlantic coast.  It was back in February and was a most beautiful day.

$6.75 at JT's Seafood Shack will get you all of this!  Simply amazing, huh?

In honesty, this was our third trip back to JT's Seafood Shack and the Boca Burger has been different each visit.  During our first-time visit we were served the most amazing Boca burger that we had ever eaten.  We were truly excited to be so close to veggie burger nirvana!  A thick juicy veggie burger having a texture amazingly like its original counterpart (the animal flesh, er... hamburger).

Sitting in front looking towards the back room and kitchen area.

We arrived early before actual lunch opening.  Sadly, JT's no longer is doing the breakfast.  It certainly was not for the lack of patronage so it must have been because of the inherently low breakfast menu profit margins and that inevitable period of lull between serving breakfast and the lunchtime crowd?  I feel so fortunate to have experienced the JT breakfast era as the morning food is as incredible as the lunchtime menu!

A look from across JT's most excellent restaurant.

On this visit we were served two standard Boca patties stacked onto the bun with all of the accompanying items:  red onion, lettuce, tomato, and pickle slices.  We asked the waiter why the difference from our last visit and he did not have a clear answer as he was new to JT's.

Tiffany recalls the waitress during our first visit explaining that they were temporarily out of Boca patties and were substituting another veggie patty.  Whatever the substituted patty, it was incredible!  The double stacked Boca patties were perfectly fine.  Just not something over the top like we were served during visit #1.

Excuse me as I salivate while typing this blog post.

We have been back once since this visit and, yet again, we were served something slightly different!  Oh, it was an original Boca burger but it was really thick.  About the same thickness as the two stacked standard Boca patties which we ate the prior visit.

However, on a good note, we truly enjoyed every veggie burger that we have been served at JT's Seafood Shack.  After all, who would even expect a fish restaurant to accommodate us vegetarians?  In my humble opinion, this in itself is a most wonderful thing.

In every case the vegetarian burger offered by JT's was tasty, cooked to perfection, accompanied with all of the trimmings, served with an overly generous portion of French fries, and provided at a cost that simply cannot be beat.  We simply LOVE this place!

Psst... Tiffany and I already have our next trip planned for JT's Seafood Shack in Palm Coast, Florida.  Perhaps we'll see you there?  Just look for the little plastic bubble-headed couple sitting at a table up front.  We'll be ordering vegetarian and drooling when our food has been served.  Bon appétit!

Hi-dee hi-dee who-really-needs-ground-animal-flesh-anyway-ho my friend?

Eat More Produce Oat Patties

"McDonalds announced it's considering a more humane way of slaughtering its animals.  You know thaty fatten them up and kill them.  You know the same thing they do to their customers, isn't it?"

 - Jay Leno

I humbly extend oodles of my finest well wishes to you my friend.  May you be blessed with a day full of joy, happiness and health.  May the bluebirds of happiness flutter around you the entire day through as you tread lightly and leave a green footprint behind.

What can I say about Eat More Produce other than it's a mecca of healthy food at incredible prices?  Hydroponic vegetables, locally grown produce, locally made jams, freshly made salsa, cage free eggs, bulk grains, excellent wine, and I can go on and on.  And then there are their freshly made oat patties!  It's absolute vegetarian burger nirvana with delicious taste and texture to boot.  No ~ The raviolis are store-bought.  You know... With much regret, the big box type of store.

Eat More Produce Oat Patty Burger with Whole Wheat Ravioli

Kudos to Andy and Troy hiring the masterful chef who creates these most delicious patties!  From what I am able to gather they sell a whole heckuva lot of 'em.  I now find myself apprehensively walking into Eat More Produce fearful that there are no Oat Patties available in the cooler.  I fear that I may have to return another day for my anticipated "oat patty fix".  Hmm... I wonder whether it's possible to have oat patty withdrawals?

The ingredients are listed as:  oatmeal, steel cut oats, Chia seeds, Quinoa, oregano, cayenne, curry, garlic, salt, dried Shitake mushrooms and pepper.  Sounds simple, eh?  But ~ Like any successful recipe, the secret and talent is in the precise proportional blending of ingredients.  Trust me... Eat More Produce's chef has the recipe pinned down to a delicious tee.

Orlando's BEST Handmade Vegetarian Burger Patties.

Psst… They are killer awesome & delicious!

Yes, I could make them myself as I do keep all of these ingredients on-hand.  But at the incredible price of only $3.99 for 2 patties, why?  I'd venture to guess that each patty is approximately 4- to 6-ounces.  You cannot tell from the packaging but they're thick like an old-fashioned hand-made animal flesh (er... "ham") burger.  And, it's not as though they're not fresh either.

These cook up easily (saute over medium heat for approximately 2 minutes per side), hold together wonderfully, and are 2-die-4 delicious!  As a matter of fact, they're so huge that Tiffany and I share each burger.  We select a quality whole grain bun, add some Vegenaise, blue cheese and top it with fresh avocado.  Talk about scrumptious?

Tonight we'll each be eating half an Eat More Produce oat patty with some steamed veggies on the side.  Life simply cannot taste better my friend!

Hi-dee hi-dee I-will-stack-this-oat-patty-burger-against-any-of-your-animal-flesh-burgers-my-carnivore-friend ho!

Wine Tasting - AlVerdi Sangiovese Rubicone IGT 2010

"In water one sees one’s own face.  But in wine, one beholds the heart of another."

 - French Proverb

Greetings to one, greetings to all!  Let’s make the day special.  There is no-one who can stop you from doing so as you are the engine of your own action.

Lucky, lucky me!  It was Sunday afternoon, Tiffany and I had time to spare, and we had a bottle of red wine whose screw-top came loose!  I don't know how it happened other than Tiffany held the bottle steady with one hand while her other hand grabbed the screw-top cap and twisted.

Chucky's Point Score:  90

Tiffany's Point Score:  91

AlVerdi Sangiovese Rubicone IGT 2010

Appellation:  Rubicone, Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Grape Varietal(s):  100% Sangiovese

Classification:  Indicaxione Geografica Tipica

Price:  $7.99 (or 2 for $14) at Eat More Produce, February 2010

Vintage: 2010

Producer:  Alverdi

Alcohol:  12.0%

Tasting notes as follows.

Chucky's Tasting Sheet

Chucky's Notes:  "Delicious!  Heavy on the strawberry notes and very complex.  Every second of taste upon my palate results in a plethora of wonderful tastes.  A very berry red wine and very well-balanced! Absolutely killer wine for the price.  Love it.  The red and oak flavors blend like a symphony."

Tiffany's Tasting Sheet

Tiffany's Notes:  "Wow!  Another Sangiovese has won my heart!  The cherry and peppery bouquet follows right through to the palate!  Bold fruity punch is what I love about this wine.  The wine has the perfect balance all around. Love it!"

From the label:

“A dry, well-balanced red wine with aromas of cherries and violets.  Perfectly suited to accompany grilled meats and pasta dishes.”

From the distributor's web site:

AlVerdi Rubicone Sangiovese IGT 2008 Fact Sheet

AlVerdi Rubicone Sangiovese Fact Sheet

In one simple word, "Wow!"  This is nothing less than a superb Sangiovese.  With each sip you can taste the vine's struggle to produce its nectar.  You can smell the vintner's hard effort to produce the wine and the driver's effort to move it from the vineyard to the distributor's shelves.  This selection does not taste good... It tastes extremely good!

Hi-dee hi-dee every-now-and-then-you-simply-must-put-on-your-swim-trunks-and-dive-right-into-your-bottle-of-wine-ho my friend.

Wine Tasting - Kenwood Vineyards Vintage White Wine 2010

"You have only so many bottles in your life.  Never drink a bad one."

 - Len Evans

Hello my friend!  I hope that you have a very pleasant day.  May every hour surpass the last today.

Andy at Eat More Produce was excited to show us a half dozen or so new wine arrivals when we visited this afternoon.  Amongst the many wonderful choices was this vintage white wine selection which he raved about.  We are unable to buy all of the fabulous new selections because there are only two of us to drink the wine (er... only so much time to drink it in?).  We happily chose this one (and a couple of other selections).

Chucky's Point Score:  89/91 (14°C/8°C)

Tiffany's Point Score:  89/91 (14°C/8°C)

Note:  First score = Temperature 14°C.  Second score = Temperature 8°C.  The proper temperature to serve a Chardonnay is 8°C.

Kenwood Vineyards Vintage White Wine 2010

Appellation:  Kenwood, Sonoma County, California

Grape Varietal(s):  69% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Chardonnay, and 1% Muscat

Rating:  87 points Wine Enthusiast, 2009 vintage

Price:  $9.99 (or 2 for $18) at Eat More Produce, March 2012

Vintage: 2010

Producer:  Kenwood Vineyards

Alcohol:  13.5%

Tasting notes as follows.

Chucky's Tasting Sheet

Chucky's Notes:  "Wonderful windows on my glass.  I allowed my glass to sit too long and it was drank slightly too warm (14°C instead of 8°C).  However, it’s an extremely pleasant white wine!  A wonderful blend of grapefruit, fruits and butter on the taste.  The taste on my palate closely matches the aroma on the nose (balance).  Delicious white blend!"

Tiffany's Tasting Sheet

Tiffany's Notes:  "It’s been so long since I’ve had a white wine that I forgot how wonderful they can be.  I love the punch of grapefruit and pear along with a grassy and mineral taste on my palate.  This is a nice light smooth wine.  Very refreshing!  Perfect for the upcoming hot Florida afternoons.  Very nice!"

From the label:

“This year’s Vintage White Wine combines Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay to create a well-balanced and flavorful blend.  Its fruity/floral flavors and fresh acidity make it an excellent accompaniment to lighter fare.”

From vintner's web site

This selection is a most delicious and refreshing white blend.  It amazes both Tiffany and myself how closely we scored this particular selection.  About the only distinct difference were our palates when it comes to acidity.  Almost universally I tend to taste acidity when Tiffany does not.  This can simply be attributed to a difference in taste buds.

We both wished we had bought another bottle of this wine because it quickly became empty.  Hey!  The bottle had a hole in it.

The two wine scores?  I decided to use a wine thermometer today and let the glass warm too long before realizing my mistake.  We both reviewed this wine at 14°C which is a little too high for a Chardonnay.  Upon tasting our second (and subsequent) glass at 8°C, we both agreed that had we done our tasting properly we’d be about 2-points higher each.  It’s truly amazing what a difference the proper temperature can make.  Therefore, I highly recommend a wine thermometer when tasting your chilled wines.  From now on, I certainly plan on adding it to our white wine tasting regime.

Hi-dee hi-dee white-wines-are-so-fine-ho my friend.