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Lola's Diner
©2008-2010

Review: Druid's Fluids Wine

Awhile back I was contacted by Troon Vineyard. They are an Oregon winery located in the Applegate Valley, in the southern part of the State. I can't tell you how excited I was when I got the email notifying me that the shipment was on it's way. I have to say though, I was a little nervous. I'm not a wine aficionado by any means. I'm not a fan of the Merlots and Pinot Noirs I've tried and was hoping I would get something I would enjoy. Troon Vineyard did not disappoint. They sent 2 bottle of 2007 Druid's Fluid Red Table Wine for my review.
According to their website, 'a long time local favorite of Troon Vineyard is Druid’s Fluid, which they call, "the wine for everyone". They are excited about getting the word out about this much beloved wine, and are aiming to place it in the hands of the people.'

According to the Technical Notes on the website:
"The Druid’s Fluid was first made in the 2000 vintage on accident due to a nitrogen deficiency in the soils that we had no way of predicting. Bottled upon the request of everyone who tasted our “mistake”, we have increased the production on each succeeding vintage yet it still sells out every year. A wine made for the people.

The Grape Variety/Origination is: 55% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Zinfandel, 7%
Syrah, 1% Other (Tempranillo, Tannat)- Applegate Valley

Winemakers Comments: Possibly the best Druid's Fluid released to date. Tons of fruit,
blackberry, currant, spice, plum, with a nice level of oak on the nose. The wine is dangerously easy to drink, ultra-smooth, and delectable. Notes of chocolate mousse, raspberry, and mincemeat leap generously from the glass. Flavors are of cranberry and cassis.

Tasting Comments: Bright, red/black hue. Aromatics of fresh bing cherry. The slight sweetness is integrated well with alcohol and acid. The traditional sweetness plays on the finish but is balanced by a definite tartness reminiscent of ripe pomegranate.

Druid's Fluid is 13.50% alcohol.
PH: 3.52
Total Acidity (g/L): 6.7.
The wine is aged for 7 months."

Being that I'm not a wine aficionado, you're not going to get from me 3 paragraphs about the color, the wine's opacity, acidity, balance, finish, etc. (I got all that technical jargon when I googled 'Wine tasting how to'.) That's why I went to their website to get the technicals on this wine from their Virtual Tasting Room. I know some of you may know a thing or two more than I do and can appreciate this information. I'm not going to pretend to know everything about wine. I don't.

I have to say that I really enjoyed this wine. I really like the fact that it is made of a blend of grape varieties, rather than just a single variety. It certainly makes me rethink my previous impression of the Merlot grape variety.

2007 Druid's Fluid is available on their website for $18 per bottle (2 bottle minimum purchase) plus shipping and handling.

Troon Vineyard also has other wines available and you can view those here.

Troon Vineyard also has a wine club called Cellar Dwellers that offers a 10% discount on wine and other discounts and perks.

You should know that when you do order wines shipped you need to allow the wine to rest for at least 2 weeks

Lola's Diner Disclaimer: I was given products to review. This review is 100% my opinion and has not been edited or reviewed by anyone. I was not compensated in any other way for this product review.

Lola's Diner
©2008-2010

Wordless Wednesday - Still Winter...

Photo courtesy of Anastasia. Isn't she awesome?

Lola's Diner
©2008-2010

Kids and their bedrooms...

I'm doing more and more shopping online lately. Due to my back issues, my trips out and about are very limited. I've been looking for kids beds since my son somehow managed to break the garage sale hand me down (probably older than I am) he has been using since he was a toddler. His mattress is currently on the floor, awaiting a new bed.
In looking for a kids beds for him, I'm looking for something well built, yet that doesn't break my bank balance, especially since I had to replace my daughter's bed not too long ago. Some of you may recall the sleepover from hell we had a couple of years ago. My daughter's bed was a garage sale hand me down as well and did not take kindly to 6 teenage girls jumping on the bed listening to the Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers. (I would have caved too, listening to them all night long!) The pièce de résistance of that evening though was not what happened to the bed. It was when one of the girls decided that hanging another girl's unmentionables on the ceiling fan was a good idea and said victim locked herself in the bathroom until I was able to coax her out. Kids...good times!

Lola's Diner
©2008-2010

Cookbook Review - Daisy: Morning, Noon and Night by Daisy Martinez

I was so excited when I was contacted about reviewing Daisy Martinez's book, 'Daisy: Morning, Noon and Night'.
If you've read this blog, or my other blog, Lola's Victory Garden, you know how I'm always looking for new recipes to try to change up our meals at home. Just because we can't afford to eat out in a restaurant, doesn't mean our meals have to be boring. You also know how I'm always looking for recipes that are frugal. Ms. Martinez's book fits the bill with several recipes for chicken dishes, roasts, ribs and shrimp. (Ok, shrimp isn't usually frugal, but a splurge once in awhile is a big treat.) I was doubly excited because I've always wanted to make Tamales and Empanadas.

Looking through the book I found so many recipes that I can't wait to try. Nearly every recipe has a photo, which I love because I always like to see what my dish should look like. The recipe instructions are well written and offer many notes for those who are not familiar with certain Latin foods and ingredients. There are even substitutions listed for some items which you may not be able to find at your local grocer.

The book divides the recipes into groups. Breakfast/brunch type recipes. Lunch and dinner type recipes. And yes, there are Desserts too! There is also a section for Cocktail Parties, Dinner Parties, Buffets and Menus.

There is even a section that goes over the Basics and Ingredients. Some of the recipes require advance preparation by the way of ingredients that require a recipe. What am I talking about? Sofrito, Adobo Rubs (wet or dry).

"The reason why everyone should own a copy of 'Daisy: Morning, Noon and Night' is because it really shows the diversity and the beauty of the Latin cuisina. So if you're thinking it's all about tacos and enchiladas, that's in there, but there's a whole lot more."

I made a batch of Sofrito, since as Ms. Martinez says, "In my house, sofrito makes its way into everything from yellow rice, black bean soup, sauce for spaghetti and meatballs to braised chicken and sautéed shrimp. Not only that, it freezes beautifully, so in about In 10 minutes you can make enough sofrito to flavor a dozen dishes. I’m telling you, this stuff does everything but make the beds. " I should warn you though I failed to pay attention that this made 4 cups and I used my little Cuisinart Food Processor and it was a bit overflowing, But it worked out fine.

I put 3 of the containers in the freezer and in keeping with Ms. Martinez's idea that you can use it in everything, I took a large oven roaster chicken, loosened the skin and spooned the Sofrito under the skin. I had a bit leftover and just spooned that into the cavity. I baked my chicken as I normally would. The chicken was the most moist, flavorful chicken we've had. My family loved it and can't wait for me to try Ms. Martinez's tamale recipe later this week.

A tip for the Sofrito recipe: You can find these Ajíes dulces in any mexican grocer. I had a lot of extra peppers so I just washed them and put them in a freezer bag in the freezer for my next batch of Sofrito.
'Daisy: Morning, Noon and Night' by Daisy Martinez is available March, 2, 2010 and is available for pre-order at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com and Borders.com.

Lola's Diner Disclaimer: I was given this cookbook to review. This review is 100% my opinion and has not been edited or reviewed by anyone. I was not compensated in any other way for this product review.

Lola's Diner
©2008-2010

Snow Watch 2010 Part Deux?

Not that I'm complaining, but how do we go from a forecast of 12 inches or 10 inches, down to 2-4 inches? And are we really supposed to believe this?

This is the second time this year we have had a forecast of a large amount of snow. We didn't get all of it...not that I'm complaining.

In any case, I am prepared for it. I picked up our prescriptions, stopped at the grocery store to stock up on bread and milk, and Blockbuster for movies. I rented Whip It (2009), 500 Days Of Summer (2009), and Gigantic (2008). I've also got the 2 jugs of ice melt that never got used from the last forecast snowstorm. We are well prepared in the event of a snow day. Are you?

Lola's Diner
©2008-2010