Gulp goes REALLY Southern in July with Australian Wines and BBQ

Boy did Gulp start the month of July off right!  On the 1st we gathered at our usual Tiki and sampled the grapes of Australia while enjoying the foodie pleasures of BBQ and exotic meats.
Before we get to the recap we need to do a welcome back Shout Out to one of our favorite Gulpers, Bridget!  “Hey Bridget!  You were very missed!”

We also need to do a round of Gulping applause to guest chefs Jim Brogan and Kelly Schultz for their delicious chili!

Onto the pairings!
First Course:  For this hot and steamy day Coreen started us of just right with a cold New Zealand Brown Rice Salad.   Cool and refreshing it was loaded with "down under" flavors like kiwi and granny smith apples.  Crisp celery and sweet onions balanced the tart fruit while the brown rice was nutty and lent a lovely savory note to this dish.  It was paired with a favorite Sauvignon Blanc of mine from Kim Crawford.  This wine from the Marlborough region is crisp and tropical with passion fruit and citrus notes. It is a medium body wine that is totally sip-able and pairs well with seafood, salad and of course, chicken.  It really played nicely with this salad.  Steve Hussey said “For a guy who usually likes to eat only dead animals this salad is really good and the wine brings a really nice balance to the dish.”  I agree Steve.

Second Course:  This course was very special because regular Gulpers Jim and Kelly made it and it was “larupin’ good.”  They made a buffalo chili.  Yes it was made with buffalo meat and it was delicious!  The flavors were smoky, spicy, and meaty.  They cubed the buffalo instead of grinding it for a more hearty texture and to make sure we could taste the meat.  It was the star of this dish but the supporting flavors of san marzano tomatoes, chilis, black beans and onions really kicked it up.  This tasted smoky and slow cooked.  Coreen added a side of corn bread for a perfect sweet, savory flavor component.  I wanted to be sitting around a campfire or a cozy dining room in winter with friends enjoying this  dish.  It was paired with a Wolf Blass Yellow Label 2008 Riesling.  This is a medium body wine from Australian.  The grapes are harvested from the Eden Valley area.  The dryness of this straw colored wine was a bit different from the usual Rieslings I drink.  Most people I spoke with thought the citrusy sweetness of the wine upped the spicy, smoky flavors of the chilis and made the tomatoes sweeter.  I was the only dissenter of the group.  While I loved the chili and the corn bread, I didn’t like the Riesling at all.  It smelled like gasoline to me.  I know I may be a bit off.
Now for our crash course on Australian Wines. Take it away Lebeau:
 

Third Course:  Bring on the Kanga Bangas and Brats!!  Yes, my friends we had kangaroo and pork sausage brats.  They were served with an evilly delicious ear of roasted corn drenched in cilantro lime butter.  Crikey!  That is some good Sh#$@!t!   The kangaroo meat was different.  It didn’t taste like chicken, at all.  It was earthy, gamey and leaner than pork sausage. It was spicy and smoky.  I think it tasted a little like gator.  Then I bit into the pork sausage and it was sweet, mild and juicy.  I had them together and it was a lovely matched made in mouth heaven.  The spice of the kanga banga amped up the pork and the juiciness of the pork brought out some sweetness in the kangaroo.  These bratty treats were paired with Angoves Nine Vines Rose’.  This wine hails from the vineyards of Adelaide in Southern Australia. It is a grenache, shiraz blend. It is birthday pink in color.  Just looking at it made me happy and smile.  Then I took a sniff and was rewarded with honey and strawberries.  The flavor matched the aroma.  It was very fruity without being sweet.  This would be perfect on a hot steamy afternoon in a lounge chair watching the sun set, kind of like today.  While this was probably my favorite wine of the day it wasn’t my favorite pairing.  As John Hazard said, “The subtle notes of the wine were overpowered by the kanga bangas.  It almost made the meat drier.                                                                                                          The pork sausage paired much better.”  Barry thought the corn paired the best with the wine.

Fourth Course:  This was the main course, not just because it was an entree’, not just because it was BBQ.  This was the main course because it was freaking off the hook delicious!  BBQ spareribs slathered in a deep smoky, sweet sauce served with the best cole slaw I have ever eaten.  It was paired with Penfolds Bin 138 Barossa Valley red wine.  First the food.  The ribs were juicy succulent and the bbq sauce was sucked off every finger in the place, (not by me).  I don’t eat cole slaw.  I don’t like the vinegary, wilted, wet salad but I LOVED this one.  Lebeau was the creator of this side.  The cabbage was still crunchy and it was dressed with a light hand.  I could taste the fennel, a touch of vinegar and the cabbage.  I had seconds.  The pairing was probably the best of the day. Penfolds Bin 138 is a blend of grenache, shiraz, and morvedre grapes.  This dark ruby colored wine is chocked full of juice.  It smells like cinnamon, dark cherries, and a hint of smoke.  The flavor is right on the money, deep, dark and delicious.  Along with the cherries and smoke I could taste cloves and touch of chocolate.  Dang this stuff was good.  Add the ribs and this was the BEST pairing of the day.  In fact it was so good it was the first time of the day the group was nearly silent except for the occasional groan of pleasure.  Awkward.
To fill in the silence Coreen shared big news and fun upcoming events and John Hazard explain why he is the BOMB: 

Fifth Course:  After all the big flavors of the previous courses Coreen offered up a light and delectable treat to finish the day.  Honeyed cream cheese stuffed strawberries.  This was creamy, sweet, tart, strawberry nirvana.  After such a quiet fourth course this one was filled with exclamations:  “Oh wow!  OMG, this is good!  Can I have another?!  Coreen this rocks!”  It was the perfect bite and palate cleanser.  While it wasn’t paired with anything I did have it with the Penfolds.   I know what you are thinking, the wine overpowered the strawberry, right?  Wrong!  It was lovely!  The fruits paired up beautifully and the spice of the wine amped the sweetness of the honeyed cheese filling.  It was truly delicious.


Well my friends that will do it for this pairing.  Thank you Coreen and Lebeau for all the wonderful courses created and the paired wines we enjoyed!  Look at all the happy faces!

		BBQ and Aussie Wine VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

May’s Gulp was Delicious or as the Spanish would say: Mayo estabo delisioso!

After the hubbub and excitement of April’s excellent Dig In! event it was nice to gather once again under the Tiki at BX Beerdepot for “Spanish Wines and Tapas.”
The weather threatened rain and even sprinkled a bit but that didn’t dampen this group of Gulpers spirits as we made our way through Spain and their delicious cuisine. 

As always Coreen and LeBeau did a fantastico job bringing the topic of the day to our eyes, noses and taste buds.  We had some new faces this month so let me take this moment to say,  “Welcome everyone and we look forward to seeing you at future Gulp Gatherings!”


Before I get to the food and wine let me just tell those who might not know what the heck  “Tapas” are.  Tapa in Spanish means “top”.  It is a way of serving snacks and appetizers and originated in where else? Yep, Spain!  10 points to anyone who guessed it right!  In Spanish taverns and pubs they use small plates to serve snack food that will sit on “top” of a customer’s drink so they don’t have to sit at a table to nosh.  They can hold the drink and food with one hand, use the other for eating, and mingle amongst their friends all at the same time!  That is my kind of multi-tasking. 

With no more further ado I give you the pairings:

1st course:  This was a classic Tapas course, a variery of olives some of which were stuffed with jalapenos, pimento paste or almonds along with roasted and smoked almonds to munch on.  This was paired with a red sangria made with red wine, (of course), fruit juice, apple slices, sparkling water and everclear.   The olives were briny and spicy while the almonds were salty and crunchy.  Add to them a sip, ok gulp, of refreshing and fruity sangria you have a big flavor party going on in your mouth.   I thought the sangria could have been a little sweeter and then I ate an olive and some almonds and the salt and brine made the sangria sweeter to me.  This is why I love pairings.  Separate items come together to bring a deeper, new taste experience that alone you couldn’t have.

2nd Course:  Another classic Spanish dish, gazpacho, was paired with the sangria.  This cold vegetable soup is a perennial summer favorite all over the world.  It is a tomato based soup with other summer veggies thrown in and pureed for a smooth refreshing meal.  Coreen included cucumber, garlic, olive oil, bell peppers and onions. For an added dash of tart she used white wine vinegar.  She served it in a hollowed out cucumber cup!  Way to be a crafty foodie!  She had small plastic cups for those who wanted seconds and ate their first bowl.  This soup was cool, fresh and creamy!  I am not a gazpacho fan but I was one who went back for seconds.  The pairing with the sangria didn’t work really well for me.  Unlike the first course the soup sucked all the sweet out of the sangria and rendered it almost flavorless.  Barry suggested a gin and tonic would be have been a nice match up with the soup.  The crisp quinine flavors would have maybe stood up to the soup better.  For me this course was all about the soup and I want more!!!  Recipe Coreen?

3rd Course:  This was a surprise course because before the wine could be served Cory from BX heard what it was going to be and offered up his own home-brewed hefeweizen.  The pairing for this German style wheat beer was Coreen’s interpretation of Tortilla Espanolla.   This is a traditional Spanish dish made with eggs and potatoes to create a thick omelet.  Coreen kicked it up a notch by adding a topping of crumbled and browned chorizo and slices of avocado.  Hats off to Cory for his suggested pairing!  It was awesome!  The beer was full of banana, cloves and honey.  I was surprised by the creaminess of it. I haven’t tasted that in a beer before.  I asked Cory where all the banana flavor came from and he said it was from the yeast used in fermentation.  I love it when I am having fun AND learn something.   The tortilla was filled with soft shreds of potato and creamy egg and spicy chorizo.  It was so very delicious.  When I added the beer to the food it was the best pairing of the day.  One regular Gulper said it was the best course since the bacon brownies.  (That might have been me). 
4th Course:  This course was one of the most famous of Spanish dishes, Paella.  Coreen’s version featured seafood.  Tender shrimp, scallops and mussels were enveloped in creamy rice.  Mike Berlyn said he loved this dish.The pairing for this course was Jaume Serra Cristalino Kava.  Kava is Spain’s version of champagne.  It was sparkling, with a tropical aroma.  The flavor was a little musky and it was interesting to taste dates and figs.  It was a refreshing sparkling beverage.   Paired with the paella it was ok.  I think it might have worked better if the paella was hotter, the problem was the weather was very windy and the sterno wouldn’t stay lit. 



5th Course:  This was a really lovely course.  It was a perfect bite paired with a delicious wine.  Coreen prepared a Chile Lime Shrimp in a pastry shell.  It was crunchy, tangy and creamy thanks to a dollop of goat cheese.  It was paired with Abadia de San Campio Albarino.  I loved this wine.  It smelled like honeyed apples.  The flavor matched the aroma and was a little acidic.  When paired with the shrimp it balanced out the acid in the shrimp and upped the sweetness of this delectable tapas.  Corey offered another of his home brews to go with this course.  This one was an IPA with big citrusy notes that played as well with the shrimp as the Albarino.
Now, I am sure you are as ready as I am for a small break in the food.  Before we have the next course I would like to have Lebeau talk about the different designations of Spanish wine.  If you remember when we did Reislings we learned that German has a very strict quality control and labeling system for their wines; well, so does Spain.

  Take it away Lebeau: (please be kind to the videographer.  She was drinking during this filming).

Lebeau talks Spanish wines

6th Course:  Now that we are back to the food this next course is Bleu Cheese with bacon on crostini.  Need I say more?  Oh yum!  This was paired with a Scala Dei, Priorat DO, Negre 2009.  Made from grenache grapes this wine is deep in aroma and flavor.  The nose was full of dark berries and plums.  The flavor was chocolate, black cherry and mineral with a nice acidity.  The pairing, in short, was delicious.  John Hazard said he loved how the food transformed the wine.  The smoky bacon and creamy cheese dropped the acidity and pumped up the chocolate and berries.

7th Course:  Dessert!  Coreen made a lovely rice pudding that was full of cinnamon, vanilla and creaminess.  It was paired with the Priorat.  Michelle loved this pairing.  She said it amped up the creamy cinnamon flavor of the pudding.  I had seconds.  I think that says it all.


8th Course:  Okay, my friends this final course was so simple and yet it was one of the best things I have ever tasted and by the silence and then moans of pleasure I think the rest of the group would agree.  Ready?   Coreen took cubes of manchego cheese and covered them with a thin layer of apple paste.  The nutty, buttery, slighty tangy cheese was blessed with the sweet, thick, apple paste.  This was so good the only words that fit are “Mouth Orgasm!”  I was so involved enjoying this course I forgot to take a dang picture!

There you have it!  A wonderful day of food, wine, friends and learning.  I can’t wait to see you all on July 1st @ 4pm where we will be featuring Australian wines and BBQ!

		Look at all the Happy Faces! VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Dig In! Was Freaking Fantastic!!!!!

 

Earth Day couldn’t have been a greater day!  The rain came, went and stayed away.  Guests came and stayed.  Seminars, music and salsa dancers kept the crowd informed and entertained.  The volunteer staff of Gulpers kept the stations supplied and supported with professionalism and fun.  All in all the day couldn’t have gone better if we had planned it, oh wait!  We Did plan it!  Good job guys! 

 

While we rocked the day with bleu cheese mac and fudge infused shephard’s pie.  The real stars of the day were our phenomenal vendors!  Please show them the love by checking out their websites or visiting them the next time you shop at the weekend green markets in Lake Worth, Palm Beach Gardens, West Palm Beach or Wellington.

 

 

Now Please stand and lift your glasses in Toast:  To Coreen, Lebeau, Sally and Marie.  You guys did it!  You took Coreen’s inspiration and turned it into a reality!  Congratulations on a job well done!  Let’s do it again after we all finish our naps!

 

 

 

 

http://goodnessgraciousacres.blogspot.com/

 Florida Fresh Meat Company

 Porky and Beth's BBQ at Bedner's

Quiet Creek Goat Cheese

 Bedner's

Tito's Handmade Vodka

 Winter Park Dairy and Cheese

Michelle Getty, LMT

 Beau Myers Artwork

Terra Verde Farm Club

 Pascale's LLC-Gourmet Jams Preserves and Hot Sauce

Raw Vegan Gourmet

 Pickled Pink

 Bx Beer Depot

 Just One Backyard

TrendTea,

R & R Honey Co.

Bubba’s BBQ Sauce

Flair for Fudge

Truly Caribbean Foods, Inc