Actually, I can't talk about Kevin because I haven't seen it yet but I am off to see it tonight, at the lovely cinema I told you about where you can take your wine glass in with you and the seats don't make you feel like your head will be itching by the end of the film. I did read the book ages ago, whilst pregnant with Eldest Boy. I can't lie: it scared the hell out of me. As mothers, as parents we are responsible for bringing our children up as best we possibly can. If they do go and do something like that, is it our fault? Really interested to see what side the film comes down on, nature or nurture. To be continued...
A very big thank you to Simon & team for KMWC's new look. You can find him here.
Current white in the fridge: Tesco Finest Argentinian Chardonnay, 2009, £4ish on offer, Tesco
This is a ridiculous wine at a ridiculous price. I mean, it is a really, really good wine: guilty-pleasure sweetness from the tropical fruit flavours (it is off-dry rather than bone dry), full-bodied, ripe and incredibly more-ish. It is made by one of my favourite producers in Argentina, the romantically named Bodegas Esmerelda, owned by the Catena family. Normally, wines that go on offer for under £4 are to be approached with extreme caution. Not this one: approach with an empty trolley. We had it with leftover chicken tarted up with a spicy sauce from a jar. Everyone was happy, most of all me.
Current red on the side: Recchia Bardolino 2010, £5.69, Waitrose
This is going to sound lame, but rather like I can't tell you about Kevin, I can't tell you about this one yet either. I bought it as I'm on a quest to find a good Bardolino for a regular. Everything about it looks promising: a blend of Corvina, Molinara and Rondinella grapes made in the Veneto region in Italy and from a good producer, by all accounts. Tomorrow night we'll be having something vaguely Italian to eat - not sure what yet, but a tomato-based concoction most likely - so will try it then. Again, to be continued...
Chin chin x
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
Tuesday, 18 October 2011
Dressing Fancy
Fancy Dress parties and me do not have a happy history. There was the time Bearded Husband decided we should go as Derek & Clive to a New Year's Eve party. As other girls glowed in beautiful dresses, I sweated profusely in a Mac, flat cap and men's shoes. I even had a ham sandwich wrapped in foil in my pocket, I kid you not. Last Saturday night we went to a 40th with a strict 1970 dress code. Determined to learn from experience, I went in a fairly inoffensive lime green (oxymoron?) dress accessorised with my own boots and fake fur coat and told people that I was my mum. In stark contrast, the birthday boy wore all-in-one spandex with cut-out chest bought online from America (he's still on the mailing list). There was a Spacehopper (girl), Scooby Doo (boy) and lots of Village People (all male). As we get older, the aim is clearly to out-ridiculous each other when it comes to donning a costume. Next time, I'm going back to the flat cap and ham sandwich.
Current white in the fridge: Waitrose Chablis 2010, £7.86 on offer, Waitrose
Waitrose has been running 25% off lots of their wines as part of their Wine Showcase (better name next time)? It ends tomorrow. I realise this isn't helpful to you now but I do write about whatever I happen to be drinking at the time of writing and this is it. Apologies. Anyway, if you like Chardonnay but don't like oaky flavours, this wine will make you happy. Chablis is a region pretty far north, so the climate is cooler than most others in France. Combined with unique soils (best bits are full of marine fossils), the region makes crisp, dry whites characterised by what is often referred to as a 'steeliness'. I prefer 'edgy and slightly uptight'. The SJP of white wines. I drank mine very cold, without food. Put it with seafood or roast chicken for better results.
Current red on the side: Artesano de Argento Malbec 2010, £4.74 on offer, Tesco
This too is currently on offer, but I don't think it finishes tomorrow, so not quite as unhelpful as the one above. Anyway, this Argentine beast made from Malbec grapes grown in vineyards across the Mendoza region is as supple as spandex. The grapes are selected from different vineyards, altitudes and microclimates to make a more interesting wine. But, whatever they tell you on the label, the proof is in the glass and this wine is a definite step up from the cheaper Argento range made by the same people. More weight, flavour and mmmmmm. You know what I mean. This one does need food; simple ragu with grated cheese did it for me.
Peace out, winos x
Current white in the fridge: Waitrose Chablis 2010, £7.86 on offer, Waitrose
Waitrose has been running 25% off lots of their wines as part of their Wine Showcase (better name next time)? It ends tomorrow. I realise this isn't helpful to you now but I do write about whatever I happen to be drinking at the time of writing and this is it. Apologies. Anyway, if you like Chardonnay but don't like oaky flavours, this wine will make you happy. Chablis is a region pretty far north, so the climate is cooler than most others in France. Combined with unique soils (best bits are full of marine fossils), the region makes crisp, dry whites characterised by what is often referred to as a 'steeliness'. I prefer 'edgy and slightly uptight'. The SJP of white wines. I drank mine very cold, without food. Put it with seafood or roast chicken for better results.
Current red on the side: Artesano de Argento Malbec 2010, £4.74 on offer, Tesco
This too is currently on offer, but I don't think it finishes tomorrow, so not quite as unhelpful as the one above. Anyway, this Argentine beast made from Malbec grapes grown in vineyards across the Mendoza region is as supple as spandex. The grapes are selected from different vineyards, altitudes and microclimates to make a more interesting wine. But, whatever they tell you on the label, the proof is in the glass and this wine is a definite step up from the cheaper Argento range made by the same people. More weight, flavour and mmmmmm. You know what I mean. This one does need food; simple ragu with grated cheese did it for me.
Peace out, winos x
Wednesday, 12 October 2011
Working Girl
According to a recent survey, 32,000 women left their jobs in the past year, not because they didn't want to work but because it didn't pay to do so. I nearly choked on my Sunday-night-cheese-&-crackers-in-front-of-Downton when I read this. So, we've got thousands of workers leaving their jobs every year because they can't afford to work. Having stepped off the ladder, they can't get a footing back on because the world's moved on and THEN they are made to feel like they should be able to launch an insanely successful business from their kitchen table.
The other day, my 2yo daughter trotted past the kitchen door pushing her 'baby' in a buggy. I asked her where she was going. 'To work,' she said. A tiny part of me was proud (the other part guilty, obviously). I just hope things change by the time she's doing the maths.
Current white in the fridge: Aspen Estate Pinot Grigio, 2011, £4.99, Majestic
Given how many 'light' versions of food are on the market (although I'd rather go for the full-fat version, just *ahem* less of it) there are surprisingly few relatively lower alcohol wines on the market. Sometimes, you just don't want the heat or the hangover of a 14%-er. This one is a delicate little number at 11%, light on the palate too with easy citrus fruit and a twang of tangerine to boot. Goes perfectly with the peace and quiet of post-smalls' bedtime.
Current red on the side: Rio del Bio Bio Pinot Noir, 2009, £4.74, Tesco
With such a fabulous name, this wine came with expectations. Happily, it delivered. Made from the Pinot Noir grape this is a ripe, smooth red with definite Pinot character (raspberry, spice) albeit with the sound turned up compared with Pinot Noir from its homeland in Burgundy, France. Chile is a hot country by and large but the Bio Bio region in the south is cooler, with strong winds and more rain than most. Call it a labour of love, but one that is clearly paying off for those who've decided to make Pinot Noir down there. Consumed with Spaghetti Bolognese and a lovely match they made too.
Hi ho x
The other day, my 2yo daughter trotted past the kitchen door pushing her 'baby' in a buggy. I asked her where she was going. 'To work,' she said. A tiny part of me was proud (the other part guilty, obviously). I just hope things change by the time she's doing the maths.
Current white in the fridge: Aspen Estate Pinot Grigio, 2011, £4.99, Majestic
Given how many 'light' versions of food are on the market (although I'd rather go for the full-fat version, just *ahem* less of it) there are surprisingly few relatively lower alcohol wines on the market. Sometimes, you just don't want the heat or the hangover of a 14%-er. This one is a delicate little number at 11%, light on the palate too with easy citrus fruit and a twang of tangerine to boot. Goes perfectly with the peace and quiet of post-smalls' bedtime.
Current red on the side: Rio del Bio Bio Pinot Noir, 2009, £4.74, Tesco
With such a fabulous name, this wine came with expectations. Happily, it delivered. Made from the Pinot Noir grape this is a ripe, smooth red with definite Pinot character (raspberry, spice) albeit with the sound turned up compared with Pinot Noir from its homeland in Burgundy, France. Chile is a hot country by and large but the Bio Bio region in the south is cooler, with strong winds and more rain than most. Call it a labour of love, but one that is clearly paying off for those who've decided to make Pinot Noir down there. Consumed with Spaghetti Bolognese and a lovely match they made too.
Hi ho x
Bully for you.
This is a vlog on bullying done by BritMums. I blurb on a bit but Penny's advice about throwing comments in the bin is BRILLIANT.
Wednesday, 5 October 2011
Delicious Autumn
I love this time of year. Yes, of course I love the falling leaves, scrumping, resulting apple cakes and all that. But what I really love is the fact that the weather demands a fairly generous glass of red. A close second is the TV schedule and the fact that leaving the sofa on a Saturday night is no longer an option until at least late December. Anyway, tonight I had leftover Shepherd's Pie for supper. With the currently Bearded Husband away I almost went wine free, until I heard the wind howl outside. Then I thought: alone + Autumn chill + leftovers + no wine = very average. On the other hand, alone + Autumn chill + leftovers with lots of ketchup + glass of delicious red = better than average. Glass half full, me.
Current red on the side: Tesco Finest Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, £8.99, Tesco
Now, I love Californian wines but they get a bad rap here for two reasons. Firstly, an awful lot of it is sold here in the UK as White Zinfandel, an odd combination of grape and sugar and alcohol. Now I have drunk the odd glass of this and it's not killed me but life is definitely too short to drink mediocre wine. Moving on, lots of other Californian wines are utterly gorgeous but too expensive to tempt me over more reasonably priced alternatives from other countries. Then, every now and again, a wine pops up that doesn't leave me feeling short-changed, literally. This is one such: smooth ripe Cabernet from the Sonoma County region. It loved my leftovers.
Current white in the fridge: Tesco Finest Picpoul 2010, £4.75 on offer, Tesco
This is not an Autumnal wine. In fact, it is a brilliantly zippy lemon-fresh white from the Languedoc region in the South of France. Dream partner is grilled white fish and the wine tastes of apples and pears. Apples! That's vaguely Autumnal, no? Anyway, it's in our fridge this week and I love it and it is currently on offer so I am telling you about it. Made from the Picpoul de Pinet grape, grown in vineyards around the village of Picpoul.
Do the maths x
Current red on the side: Tesco Finest Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, £8.99, Tesco
Now, I love Californian wines but they get a bad rap here for two reasons. Firstly, an awful lot of it is sold here in the UK as White Zinfandel, an odd combination of grape and sugar and alcohol. Now I have drunk the odd glass of this and it's not killed me but life is definitely too short to drink mediocre wine. Moving on, lots of other Californian wines are utterly gorgeous but too expensive to tempt me over more reasonably priced alternatives from other countries. Then, every now and again, a wine pops up that doesn't leave me feeling short-changed, literally. This is one such: smooth ripe Cabernet from the Sonoma County region. It loved my leftovers.
Current white in the fridge: Tesco Finest Picpoul 2010, £4.75 on offer, Tesco
This is not an Autumnal wine. In fact, it is a brilliantly zippy lemon-fresh white from the Languedoc region in the South of France. Dream partner is grilled white fish and the wine tastes of apples and pears. Apples! That's vaguely Autumnal, no? Anyway, it's in our fridge this week and I love it and it is currently on offer so I am telling you about it. Made from the Picpoul de Pinet grape, grown in vineyards around the village of Picpoul.
Do the maths x
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)