Archive for the ‘Wine and dine’ Category

It’s an age old tradition to pair wine with food. Everyone’s familiar with the idea of wine and cheese or wine and chocolate, but how about pairing wine with your braai?

 

The basic concept of pairing wine and food is to match the flavour intensity of the food with the wine you drink. For example a lightly flavoured piece of meat is complemented by a mildly flavoured wine. This way the flavour of one doesn’t overpower the flavour of the other.

When talking about the flavours of food, what better to you get than your assorted meats on an open flame? Also, anyone serious about a braai(bbq) knows about flavour, knows about patience, and knows that aroma can be as important as taste.

You have all sorts of braai styles, meats, sauces, wood or charcoal, shapes of the actual braai and of course – many different wines. It’s the perfect pair!

Here are a few thoughts on what works.

 

Try a Muscadel with spicy chicken wings or even with fish.

How about a Welmoed Sauvignon Blanc with grilled chicken?

Welmoed Cabernet Sauvignon pair remarkably well with sauced up ribs.

A Welmoed Merlot can bring out the best in grilled pork chops or a Shiraz with a smoked red meat.

Some do tend to follow the rule that red wines pair well with red meat and white wines with white meat. This is a certainly a helpful hint, but remember there’s nothing wrong with a bit of experimentation.

Next time you light that fire, think of which cork you pop.

 

 

Source: bbq.about.com

 

We have a few tips on how to make the day of love even more memorable.

 

It’s very simple to follow the norm when it comes to being romantic on the 14^th. You get roses, do dinner and a show, surprise with a necklace and there’s nothing wrong with that. But, maybe you want to spice it up. Make it a night to remember. Just throw the rule book out of the window. Here’s a list to change the game plan a bit.

 

1: Movie

A romantic movie serves well as an aphrodisiac, but not with 50 other people in a cinema. You want it to be exclusive. Get that laptop, rent a classic, relax in the garden under the stars and enjoy embracing each other.

2: Recreate Your First Date

The first date you were on will always be solid in your recollection. The sparks and electricity were dancing in the air. Try to recreate this as close as possible. Wear the same or similar attire. Go to the same event or restaurant and ask for the exact seats. It’s a lovely way to rekindle the flames.

3: An evening in

How about staying home and doing everything you never have time for. Prepare a marvelous elaborate meal together. Use an excess of rose pedals and candles. Give one another a sensual massage while listening to your favourite album.

4: A Personal Tasting

Imaging you’re connoisseurs of wine and cheese. Choose a romantic setting; take a few bottles of wine and a variety of cheeses. Pretend you’re at a tasting and pairing event and exchange pleasant banter.

5: Drive and Walk

Appreciate spontaneity. Get in the car and just start driving nowhere in particular. Once you have reached the ideal place. Just go for a walk. Escaping the buzz and to simply enjoy nature and ones company.

Go on and embrace the unexpected and really just have fun.

Welmoed Wines has made memories more memorable since 1690 so ,this year,  try a Welmoed Merlot or the sensational Welmoed Sauvignon Blanc   to make your day of love more memorable.

 

Source: kirkwood.patch.com

In the romantic month that is upon us, it’s essential to embrace our senses. Walking through a market, we are overwhelmed by the smell of flowers, brand new teddy –bears and helium filled plastic hearts.

How to truly appreciate ones senses, is to pair the two most important things in life – Wine and Chocolate. Some might think the pairing should be handled only by experts, but it’s easy and fun to do it yourself.

So, if you want a quick escape from this month’s busy festivities and do a wine and chocolate pairing from the comfort of your own home, here’s what you do.

Firstly keep in mind, you won’t necessarily find the perfect matches straight away, but that’s the best part. You have to keep on experimenting, which means more wine and chocolate.  A general tip is to match lighter chocolate with lighter-bodied wines and the stronger the chocolate, go with a more full-bodied wine.

Here are a few simple hints to get you started.

 

Try a Sherry with a nice buttery white chocolate.

 

A Pinot Noir or the medium bodied Welmoed Merlot   will compliment milk chocolate, a creamy mousse or even a chocolate accented cheesecake.

 

Muscats do wonders with mild milk chocolates.

The Welmoed Cabernet Sauvignon is a marvelous match with dark chocolate.

To end things off, appreciate a well aged Port with a dark chocolate dessert or a truffle.

That’s the basics. So invite someone over, get creative and enjoy your palate.

 

Finding new ways to improve on traditional recipes can be a mouth-watering exercise. Here is a ‘improved’ pasta recipe which is sure to impress and delight your friend/ family.

 

Ingredients

• 1 small onion
• 3 slices bacon
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1 pound ground beef chuck
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan plus more, shaved, for serving
• 3 tablespoons bread crumbs
• 1 large egg
• salt and black pepper
• 350g spaghetti
• 3 cups marinara/tomato based pasta  sauce

Directions

1. Heat broiler. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. In a food processor, combine the onion, bacon, garlic, and parsley; pulse until finely chopped, 10 to 15 times. Transfer to a medium bowl, add the beef, Parmesan, bread crumbs, egg, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper, and mix gently to combine.
2. Form the beef mixture into 16 meatballs (about 2 tablespoons each) and place on a foil-lined broilerproof rimmed baking sheet. Broil, turning once, until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.
3. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
4. Heat the marinara sauce in a large skillet over medium heat, 2 to 3 minutes; add the meatballs and toss gently to coat. Serve over the pasta and sprinkle with the shaved Parmesan.

 

Recommended wine: The versatile Welmoed Rosé will competent this dish.

 

Source: realsimple.com

 

Whether you’re a hardcore resolutionist or you defy any attempt to start fresh on January 1, there’s no denying that the New Year provides an opportunity to take stock and perhaps see where some improvement might be needed. For all of us who take wine seriously enough to think about it, talk about it and spend good money for it, it makes sense to include wine in our New Year’s planning and resolution-making.

1. Life is too short, don’t drink bad wine

Just because a wine is cheap does not mean that it’s bad but we’ve all had a bottle that few can swallow. Spit it out and open a new bottle.

2. Try a new grape varietal every month

There are 24,000 names for varieties of wine grapes, corresponding to between 5,000 and 10,000 actual varieties. However, only about 150 are commercially important. This means that you should stick your neck out and try a different varietal every month. Compare different brands to each other and see which one you preferred. Live a little!

3. Drink bubbly throughout the year, not only on New Year’s eve

Another day on earth means we’ve got a reason to celebrate! Pop open that bottle of sparkling wine where ever and whenever you feel like it. If today is your last day, enjoy every second with a glass of bubbly in hand and cheers to the legacy you’re leaving behind.

4. NEVER EVER drink wine out of a plastic cup

Just don’t! Not on the beach, not at a barbeque, never. It’s just not cool.

5. Drink more wines that support a good cause

Don’t just fill your glass, make a difference and fill other people’s hearts with your love. Look out for wines that support much needed causes. Welmoed supports many good causes including the Wines With Heart Foundation,  a project that raises funds for charities based in South Africa’s Cape Winelands, and WIETA – which is committed to the promotion of ethical trade in the South African wine industry and agriculture as a whole.

Credit: Content adapted from original post on WineTimes.co.za

 

Leg of lamb is one of the traditional South African dishes served at family gathering and Christmas is no exception. There are leg of lamb recipes which have probably been in a family for generations and is prepared and enjoyed this time every year.

Here is a mouth watering leg of lamb recipe which will be perfect for a Christmas dinner.

Ingredients

 

1 lemon, strips of zest removed with a peeler and juice squeezed

6 cloves garlic

1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil

salt and black pepper

1 2.5-3kg bone-in leg of lamb

1.4 kg very small carrots, scrubbed

2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 cup fresh mint leaves

6 scallions or onion , chopped

2 teaspoons honey

 

Directions

 -Heat oven to 200° C. In a food processor, pulse the lemon zest, garlic, 2 tablespoons of the oil, and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper until coarsely chopped.

-Place the lamb in a large roasting pan and rub with the lemon mixture. In a large bowl, toss the carrots, 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper; set aside.

-Roast the lamb to the desired doneness, 90 to 105 minutes for medium-, adding the carrots to the pan after the lamb has cooked for 50 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

-Meanwhile, in the food processor, puree the parsley, mint, scallions, honey, lemon juice, the remaining ½ cup of oil, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Serve with the lamb and carrots.

Recommended wine: The well-balanced Welmoed Cabernet Sauvignon will competent this dish.

 

Source: realsimple.com

 

The holiday looms, and so does Christmas. All you want to do is chill out after what’s been a hard year. But that’s not always the easiest thing to do – you know the bit about life being “the thing that happens while you’re making other plans”.

For some, chilling out may mean booking a camping site 20 km from the nearest village a year in advance. Or going into a Trappist monastery until the festive season is over.

But most people will have a more sociable time – either at home, visiting relatives, or at the seaside somewhere. Who knows, you might need to get back to the office in January to get some rest. In order to get the most out of your break , women24.com suggest that you try and avoid the following festive season stressors.

Guests galore. You have a big house, and over Christmas it fills up with aunties, grannies, nieces, uncles – you name it. Instead of looking after four people, you are now looking after twelve. This is no holiday for you, as you are the unofficial entertainment committee, the caterer, the conflict resolution specialist, and the local cleaner. If you live in a popular destination, you might have to put your foot down. Or at least put together a duty roster for the cooking and the cleaning. And, for heaven’s sake, don’t feel you have to be the unofficial tour guide. Take a day or two off and let the guests entertain themselves.

Feeding frenzy. Food, food, food. It’s all over during the Christmas season and it’s lying in wait for you everywhere, and we’re not talking about celery sticks either. It’s chips, cakes, cheese snacks, chocolates, to name but a few. And, after all, you’re on holiday. So why not? That’s fine, but just don’t get into a new habit. Most people end the festive season with quite a few kilos that were not there in November. Don’t become a festive season fatty.

Booze bonanza. From the office party to friends’ homes, to family barbecues – booze is no stranger to the festive season. And often, other people are paying for it. By all means have a beer or two, if you’re not driving, but don’t binge on booze. Drinking too much is something that carries its own punishment with it, a bit like eating that second helping of hot Indian curry. And do remember, that everyone likes you to have a drink or two, but nobody likes having a social embarrassment at their parties. Fall down drunk, or insult one of the other guests, and you can be sure you’ll be off the party list. Forever.

I’m so lonely. Some people wish everything could be a little quieter. Others wish for a break from the peace and quiet and they dream of the phone ringing or a horde of guests arriving. The secret is to arrange a few things in advance. Invite people for supper, get a friend to go with you to a movie, or organise a day or two away in a different place. Don’t wait until the festive season is upon you before doing something about your social calendar. It’s not going to happen by itself.

Exercise inertia. Most people give their exercise regimes a break during the festive season. It is, after all, the end of the year. Problem is, many people overindulge completely on the food front at the same time, and coupled with a fortnight of couch-potato-ism, your waistline might be expanding at the rate of knots. Go for a walk with the family, run along the beach, play volleyball. Do anything to burn up those extra calories. And get back into it early in the new year.

Credit card crisis. The last of the Big Spenders. If that describes you in the shopping centre with your Christmas bonus and your credit card, you’re obviously a sucker for all those Christmas ads. And you’re going to be stony broke in January, and depressed in February when the credit card statements start arriving. Point is that you can probably buy just as nice a present for R100 as you can for R200, or R400. You just need to plan it well. It’s the thought that counts, not the size of the present.

Sunburn stress. The sun in the southern hemisphere is vicious , and skin cancer is a real danger. And remember that the damage is cumulative. Burning yourself to a crisp or having a whimpering and sunburnt child on your hands, is no way to spend Christmas. Speak to your pharmacist and get a high-factor sunblock before you head for the beach. And speaking of the beach – watch out for bluebottles or pieces of broken glass in the sand.

Crowd control. Think of Christmas, and what many people see are teeming masses of people in a shopping centre, all of them with a mission, and accompanied by at least two unwilling and exhausted kids. It can be avoided – do your gift shopping in November and do a bulk grocery shop before 18 December. Milling crowds can be exhausting, and elicit everything but the Christmas spirit in you. In fact, it can bring on a bout of trolley rage.

Gift of the grab. Frantic last-minute gift-buying is a killer – not only don’t you get what you are looking for, you also spend a fortune on it. Rather than give unwanted and expensive presents, go for gift vouchers – at least people will appreciate them, even if they are not the most personal of offerings.

Family fest. Family. You get them, you don’t choose them. And never is it more obvious than at Christmas time when Uncle Freddy is holding forth on all his achievements, or Aunt Doris is slurring after her third beer. Or your cousin’s kids are running around screaming, chasing your poor cats. Then there are the endless questions about when you are going to tie the knot, have babies etc. Family get-togethers seldom do much for your self-esteem. Just repeat the mantra, “It will soon be over for another year.”

Welmoed has a wide wine range that will suit any palate for all the festive season occasions.

Source: women24.com

Some call it fusion cooking others call it a meal-from-stuff-in-fridge. This minced beef chow mein looks like a great easy meal without stretching the budget.

 

Ingredients

• 1 packet of instant noodles
• 4 tablespoons (60 ml) soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) finely chopped fresh ginger, or 3 teaspoons (15 ml) dried ginger
• 1 onion, finely sliced into narrow strips
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
• 1 carrot, finely sliced into strips that are roughly 4 cm long
• ¼ cabbage, finely sliced into thin strips
• 6 mushrooms, finely sliced
• 400 gram minced beef
• 1 teaspoon mild curry powder
• Salt and black pepper, to season to taste
• ½ teaspoon (2½ ml) green Thai curry paste
• 1 cup of boiling water
• ½ cup chicken stock
• Oil for frying

Method

1. Boil water and pour over instant noodles in a bowl. After 5 minutes, pour out warm water, add 1 tablespoon soy sauce and a little oil (to prevent the noodles from sticking), and set aside to cool.
2. Place 2 tablespoons soy sauce and half of the chopped ginger in a ramekin.
3. Heat a heavy, large pan over medium heat.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons rice bran oil in the pan and pour over the soy sauce and ginger. Set aside to allow the flavours to develop.
5. Lightly stir fry onion and garlic, until the onion lost the worst of it’s bite, but is still firm. Remove from pan and set aside.
6. Add a little oil (not too much!) to the pan and lightly stir fry carrot to soften it somewhat, but remove it from the pan while still firm. Set aside.
7. Turn up the heat and stir fry the minced beef. Add curry powder, the remainder of the ginger, and a good pinch of salt. Remove from pan when cooked and set aside.
8. Add ½ teaspoon green Thai curry paste and boiling water to pan and stir briskly to deglaze the pan (this will dissolve the residue left after frying the minced beef). Pour the liquid into a ramekin, but discard the meat residue.
9. Turn pan down to medium heat again, add a little oil, and lightly stir fry the cabbage and mushrooms until softer but still firm. Remove and set aside.
10. Briefly fry noodles until smoky.
11. Add the onion and garlic, carrots, meat, cabbage and mushrooms, as well as the liquids that you’ve set aside, and the chicken stock.
12. Let the dish heat through, while stirring gently. You want to fry it just long enough to heat it through, retaining all the lovely individual colours and flavours, but not so long that it starts sticking to the pan’s bottom or turn into a mushy mass.

Serve immediately, with freshly brewed green tea and steamed baby corn.

Recommended Wine: the Welmoed Pinotage Rose will be the perfect match with dish.

 

 

 

Source: rainbowcooking.co.

Merlot food pairing is a simple task to master, you only need a few basic background rules. Number one, forget everything you hear about how only certain wines go with certain foods. Wine connoisseurs aren’t the only people who can enjoy wine, normal people can too and you don’t need a wealth of knowledge to do it. Here’s a few tips to get you started with merlot food pairing:

1. Choose your wine, then choose your dish to accompany it. This may sound backwards, however, if you truly want to match the finest of flavours, this is the way to go. Merlot is probably the most popular red grape wine in the world. There are many varieties and flavours to choose from. You will find wine with hints of robust plum and chocolate flavours to wines with hints of pepper and spice. Once you choose a wine, start creating your main course.
2. Match merlot wines with fatty or heavy meats. Perhaps this is the only supposed wine pairing “rule” you may want to adhere to. The full-bodied merlot is robust enough to stand up to heavy meats such as t-bone and porterhouse steaks, and you often see it paired with duck as well. Merlot and red meat food pairings go hand in hand.
3. Don’t shy away from pastas. Like heavy meats, merlot can also stand up to pastas with heavy sauces such as Alfredo and Bolognese. Think hearty foods when you practice merlot food pairing.
4. Think merlot and cheese. Yes, merlot food pairing extends to cheeses and fruits too. Again, think along the lines of heavy robust flavors like cheddar, brie, and blue cheese. For fruits try prunes, apricots, and red grapes. Fruits served in heavy syrup like pears work well too.
5. Try merlot with spicy ethnic foods. Pungent spices like cumin, paprika, and cayenne pepper are great merlot food pairings. The bite of spice, with a swish of a dry, earthy merlot makes a brilliant pair.

A good rule of thumb with merlot food pairing is to try nearly anything once; you never know what flavours you might like thrown together. Try varieties from different regions and price ranges. Experimenting is the wine lovers’ game.

 Recommended wine: The Welmoed Merlot is a fantastic wine with  deep ruby red colour. Nose reminiscent of mulberries cassis and plums, hints of mint with underlying nuances of wood, spice and vanilla.  Medium to full bodied wine with well-integrated wood, balanced ripe fruit mid-palate, and a persistent, yet soft, tannin finish.

 

 

Source: mademan.com

 

Beef stews, or variations of this dish,  are served as traditional dishes in many cultures and countries. Here is a great traditional beef stew recipe which is sure to delight your family or friends.

 

Ingredients

• 1400 g cubed beef stew meat
• 30 g all-purpose flour
• 3 g salt
• 50 ml olive oil
• 50 ml Worcestershire sauce
• 450 g carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 4 large potatoes, cubed
• 1 g dried parsley
• 3 g ground black pepper
• 475 ml boiling water
• 60 g onion soup mix
• 50 g butter
• 3 large onions, quartered
• 15 g minced garlic
• 120 ml burgundy wine
• 2 (170g packages fresh button mushrooms, halved
• 60 ml warm water
• 25 g cornstarch

Directions

1. Toss the beef, flour, and salt in a sealable bag until the beef is coated.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Combine the beef and Worcestershire sauce in the skillet; cook until the beef is evenly browned on all sides; transfer to a slow cooker, but do not clean the skillet. Add the carrots, potatoes, parsley, and pepper to the slow cooker.
3. Combine the boiling water and soup mix in a small bowl; add to slow cooker.
4. Melt the butter in the skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onion and garlic in the melted butter until soft; transfer the onion and garlic to the slow cooker and return the skillet to the heat. Combine the wine and mushrooms to the skillet; cook until the mushrooms begin to absorb the wine; pour the mixture into the slow cooker.
5. Place the cover on the slow cooker and set to High; cook for one hour. Reduce heat to Low and cook until the beef is fork-tender, 6 to 8 hours. Whisk together the warm water and cornstarch; stir into the stew; cook uncovered until stew thickens, about 15 minutes.

Recommended wine: The Welmoed Merlot will be a perfect match with this fantastic dish.

 

Source: allrecipes.com