We Can't Make it Any Easier

Kung Fu Girl - Sneak Peak at Our Thanksgiving Picks

Every Thanksgiving table deserves a good Riesling. They appeal to novice and expert wine drinkers, pair well with just about any dish and are reasonably priced. We found a stellar one for Thanksgiving. Food & Wine Magazine says "Washington-state winemaker Charles Smith earned his reputation with some formidable (and fairly expensive) Syrahs, but lately, he’s been focusing on a line of quirkily named, inexpensive wines. This floral, slightly off-dry Riesling is one of the best.."

Eric Asimov from the NY Times calls the 2008 Kung Fu Girl riesling “fresh, juicy and exuberant” and “perfumed, with lively flavors of citrus, flowers and minerals.” Perhaps more importantly, he urges you to try riesling, a very versatile grape.

89 points Wine Enthusiast: "This 2008 is the third vintage for this extraordinarily popular Riesling, again showing bright, vivid, punch citrus fruit and juicy acids. Residual sugar is about 1.5% and once again it is sourced from the Evergreen vineyard. With production climbing to 20,000 cases, this should be easy to find at least until fall." (08/09)
Single bottle $13.99/ solid case $11.89 per bottle (15% case discount on solid cases)

Talking About Rieslings

Friday night I had the pleasure of being invited to speak about one of my favorite grapes, Rieslings. I was invited by the King George Wine Society, who are a lively and interesting group of wine lovers. They kindly let me pick the topic, s0 I seized on the opportunity to speak about a white wine that to my mind doesn't get enough attention. The reasons I love Rieslings are many, but here are I few I highlighted.

1. The quality to cost ratio is excellent considering the majority come from small producers whose labor seems to hardly be counted relative to more known wine regions (such Burgundy).
2. The ones with residual sugar have a low alcohol content making them excellent food wines, and suitable for a second glass without getting sloshed.
3. They pair beautifully with a vast array of foods, making it easy for anyone to look like a food and wine pairing genius.
4. Their lively acidity combined with a touch of sweetness makes the fruit flavors come alive on the palate in a way unique to this grape.
5. The higher quality versions age beautifully and remain reasonable priced (for a high quality wine).

These are just a few of the reasons we at kybecca love Rieslings, and why I in particular am so fond of them. For a partial list of the ones we carry click here.

Feeling Fatigued By Stylized Food Presentations?

Well, me too.
Don't get me wrong I think making food beautiful is part of the fun and enjoyment, but something shifted in me over the last couple of years on the subject of food presentation. At this point an overly manipulated looking dish, and you know the one's I mean with the vertical towers and driblets of sauce, leave me feeling cold. It may be pretty, but that doesn't mean I want to eat it. My reasoning is that food should look like what it is, and I think artful presentations should highlight the ingredients and be presented in a manner that says "this is so delicious, come eat me!" That is why I am such a huge fan of Saveur magazine and their recipes. First of all, they work, and best of all the end product looks like the photo.
Simple and delicious.


Last Sunday Matt made one of the recipes from the website. A sweet spicy combination of Indian-Chinese Sweet and Spicy Cauliflower paired with the Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese 2003. Totally outstanding recipe and pairing. The wine worked so well with the sweet/spicy of the Cauliflower and the ginger batter was very tasty. Best of all the dish looked just like the picture from the recipe.
Inviting, elegant, and recognizable as food.