Between the Vines: One woman's wine-soaked musings

It's an absolutely glorious thing when your food and wine bring out the best in each other

There is hardly a pinot noir I've tasted that I haven't liked.  More accurately, there's hardly a pinot noir I haven't liked at least a little bit when served with food.  I may never buy a bottle of that particular one again, or order a glass of it in a restaurant, but I can usually find something "good" about it.

There are, however, some I like far more than others and will be sure to buy and drink again--the 2006 Pinot Noir ($21.90) from Robin Ridge Winery in B.C.'s Similkameen Valley is one of those.

Now, before you start to think that a pinot noir from North America is all I drink, let me assure you that I am quite in L-O-V-E with many varietals (types of grapes) and many of the grape-growing regions throughout the world.  I tend to be more partial to the cooler-climate and food-friendlier wines, but that's just a generalization because there are certainly several warm-climate wines I would walk a mile to drink.  But, I digress.

I had picked up the bottle of Robin Ridge Pinot Noir at Denman Place Wines while I was in Vancouver earlier this week and decided I'd try it out with my world-famous (okay, make that family-and-friends famous) hamburger soup--an oh-so-easy, very tasty, and teenager-filling meal when accompanied with some crusty bread and a freshly tossed salad.

The wine surprised me with first its aromas and then its velvety balance. I found red cherries and berries, a light reference to carnations, and some smoky tobacco on the nose.  When I sipped it, I was blessed with a whole mouthful of ripe strawberries, a little vanilla, a rich earthiness, and a really decent finish. This is a full-bodied pinot noir that keeps its elegance.

The wine was perfect with my soup!  And even better--the soup was perfect with my wine.  It's an absolutely glorious thing when your food and wine bring out the best in each other.

Next time, I may try a little Robin Ridge Pinot Noir in the soup.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I'm not a chef, but I am a pretty good cook, at least I am according to those who keep returning for dinner. So, here's how I make the soup--in under an hour:

• I simply brown about 500g (that's just over a pound for my friends from the U.S.) of extra lean ground beef, a chopped-up cooking onion, a couple of finely chopped cloves of garlic, and two or three stalks of celery, diced and with the leaves if you have them.
• Then I add two or three 900ml (just less than a quart each) Tetra Paks of good-quality, low-sodium beef bouillon, some freshly ground sea salt and black pepper to taste, about a tablespoon of dried thyme, a bay leaf, and about half a cup (sometimes more) of real wild rice--not the instant stuff.
• I bring it all to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 40 minutes.
• Five minutes before the end, I add two cups of frozen peas, or broccoli, or both.
• Just before I serve it, I add about a tablespoon of lemon juice.

Copyright (c) 2008 Kathleen Rake.  All rights reserved.

Two days on the West Coast with Michael Port et al: a systems love-in

I just completed two days with Michael Port at his Beyond Booked Solid event in beautiful Vancouver B.C., where the three key take-aways for me were (A) systems, and how even a fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants gal like me can easily implement them, resulting in more profitability with less work; (B) the Beyond Booked Solid (BBS) report, a tool for effective, one-page, portable problem solving; and (C) how to identify and eliminate waste.

I guess I should add a fourth take-away:  (D) The name game at the beginning of the two days.  I have to tell you, Michael, I am going to appropriate that one for my various writing workshops!

Was the two-day workshop inspiring? Yes.  Motivational? Yes.  Practical? Yes.  An opportunity to meet some phenomenal entrepreneurs from around North America, who, like me, are booked solid and wonder, What's next? Yes again.

Copyright (c) 2008 Kathleen Rake.  All rights reserved.

Another Monday in paradise; another B.C. pinot noir

Depending on your perspective, I am either too early or too late for Central Kitchen + Eurobar's "wine geek" Wednesday, when you can quaff selected labels for $5 a glass.  Instead, I show up tonight (Monday) when Martinis are the feature.

I'm not fretting about the Martinis, though, because I ordered myself a glass of wine anyway--the Salt Spring Vineyards' 2006 Pinot Noir to go along with my light supper.

This Salt Spring Island selection is a bright wine ($9 for the glass at this restaurant), with an earthy, vegetal aroma and a flavour layered with tart red berries and cherries.  It paired perfectly with my first course, the menu's Vine Ripened Tomato--a salad of sliced red and quartered yellow heirloom tomatoes, sprinkled with shaved pecorino cheese, freshly chopped basil, olive oil, and a balsamic reduction.  After the salad, I had a small bowl of the featured soup, a salmon bisque. I liked the wine combined with this dish, too.

So yes, the food was good.  The wine worked well.  And the people-watching at the eatery, which sits right at the corner of Denman and Comox Streets, was grand.

Copyright (c) 2008 Kathleen Rake.  All rights reserved.

A very (very) simple pinot grigio

Rick, Alex, Daniel, and I had dinner down at English Bay tonight, which is, by the way, just as lovely as it's ever been on a sunny late-summer day.  In fact, we went to the Boathouse, which happens to be exactly where the English Bay Cafe used to be.  I haven't been there since the last time Bernie and Ellen came to visit from Ontario...

The Boathouse is a short walk from my hotel, the Coast Plaza.  So, after I registered and put all my gear into my room, the four of us went for a wander along English Bay and then made the circuit back to the Boathouse.

Alex (our 15-year-old son) chose the coconut shrimp that came with a generous helping of French fries and a small Asian-influenced slaw; Daniel (our 10-year-old Korean exchange student) picked chicken strips and chips.  They both consumed enough iced tea to keep afloat the freighters out in English Bay.

Rick had the chicken penne in a garlic cream sauce with sun dried tomatoes and red peppers, while I had first the whiskey crab soup, followed by the crab-and-shrimp cake.  The soup was definitely a five-star choice, but the cake, while stuffed with shell fish, was way too salty.

We took the waitress' recommendation and sipped on one of their promotional wines, the Beringer California Collection 2007 Pinot Grigio.  This is a very simple wine with citrus and stone fruit on the nose, followed by some peachy-citrus fruit and the teeniest suggestion of mineral on the palate.  Its flavour finished very quickly, but with a hint of some sort of tropical fruit...trouble is, I can't tell you which one.

The wine did its job, though, in that it was an easy-sipper that didn't clash with the food.  At 12.5% ABV and a seven-dollar price tag on Beringer's website (I can't find it listed on the B.C. Liquor Stores' site), one shouldn't expect more.

By the way...just so you know...we paid $39 for that bottle of wine at the Boathouse.  Hmmm... 

Copyright (c) 2008 Kathleen Rake.  All rights reserved.

I'm off to Vancouver to spend two days with Michael Port...but not in a weird way ; )

In just a couple of hours, I'll make the two-hour trek into the West End of Vancouver, B.C. for my two nights at the Coast Plaza Hotel (the one on Comox Street, near Stanley Park) and my two days with Michael Port at his "Beyond Booked Solid" event. I've worked with Michael over the telephone and online before--twice within the Product Factory--so I am really looking forward to this in-person opportunity.

I've never stayed at the Coast Plaza, but I have been there once for a Valley Women's Network dinner meeting, at which I was served an organ-meat-tasting steak and house red wine that seemed warm enough to bathe in.  Hopefully, that dinner (or lunch, for that matter) experience isn't repeated this week because I really do love to enjoy my food and wine.  And, you know what?  I'd really rather write about positive experiences...

I've also spent an afternoon at the Coast Plaza while a good friend of mine, Teresa Pippus, owner of The Joy of Working, was delivering her "Everybody Makes a Difference" workshop.  I thought the environment worked well for Teresa's event, so I'm expecting it will work for Michael's, too.

Copyright (c) 2008 Kathleen Rake.  All rights reserved.

EAT! Fraser Valley

We took a quick trip out to Abbotsford's Tradex last night and wandered our way through the first EAT! Fraser Valley, a sister event to the popular EAT! Vancouver.

A $12 ticket gets you in the door (it's a $10 ticket if you bring a non-perishable food item and donate it to Salvation Army).  Another $20 will supply you and a chum with a gourmet snack from one of the Valley's participating restaurants and a taste or two of wine or beer.  We each had the burger-on-a-stick from Q Steakhouse and I had the bisque from Raven's on the Beach.  We didn't sample Bluestone's fare because the line-up was way too long, and we didn't stand in Paliotti's long line-up because, well, we eat there at least once a week because we like it so much!

After noshing, we made our way to the wine, beer, and "other" section, where we spent more than our fair share of time at Lotusland Vineyard's pouring counter.

If you'd like to read one of Kathleen Rake's Friday! Magazine wine columns, go here: www.ClickMediaWorks.com

Copyright (c) 2008 Kathleen Rake.  All rights reserved.

B.C. government's newest blunder

Too bad.  So sad.  The reigning B.C. Libs have decided that we don't need a fall sitting of the legislature.  They didn't ask me if I'd like us to have one.

Copyright (c) 2008 Kathleen Rake.  All rights reserved.