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Goosecross: Savoring Saffron
Just to be honest, I’m not the cook in the family – no interest, no talent. Fortunately, my husband is, and in spades, and he keeps the battle of the scale going for me 
So, imagine someone like me faced with the prospect of using saffron – nope – ain’t gonna happen. Waaay to intimidating!
That is, until I listened to this Fun Fact from our great friend at Let’s Go Cook Italian, Diane DeFilipi. Two minutes of saffron made simple. Maybe I’ll give it a try… Or get my husband to
Goosecross: Not All Pumpkins are Created Equal
Getting ready for Thanksgiving? Give a listen to this two-minute Fun Fact on the best pumpkins for baking!
Speaking of Thanksgiving, Colleen has a great Thanksgiving menu for you on our homepage! Of course it includes pumpkin pie, which is absolutely delicious with a glass of our Chenin Blanc. So much to be grateful for! Happy Thanksgiving!
What wine do I serve on T-day?
The Perfect Menu for Mother’s Day!
It’s just a few, short days away and you want to do something really special for the one who gave you milk and cookies after school and dried your tears when your feelings got hurt, right? Well, Colleen, a thankful daughter and a mother herself, came up with this stress-free, three-course menu that’s as easy as pie – sorry, no pie included and absolutely yummy!
- First course: Endive with Goat Cheese and Smoked Salmon Goat cheese + Sauvignon Blanc =
Dill weed + Sauvignon Blanc = And, honestly, this will take you all of ten minutes to prepare, it’s very tasty and pretty to look at, too! Don’t forget the Sauvignon Blanc!
- Entrée: Grilled Steaks with Black & Raspberry Reduction Sauce Mom will be berry happy you grilled up such a delicious steak! And that reduction sauce does a great job of bringing out the very-berry character of our 2006 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon!
- Dessert: Super-easy and delicious Orange Muscat Slush! A great, refreshing dessert for an al fresco lunch or dinner! Just pour the State Lane Orange Muscat into dessert cups and mix in a heaping tsp. of superfine sugar and a good squeeze of lemon, to taste. Put the dessert cups in the freezer for about 1.5 hours (for 4 oz. cups, longer for bigger). It should be nearly hard. Stir it up so that the frozen rim mixes with the liquid interior and freeze, again, for about 15 minutes. Stir in some berries, if you like, and serve! If you want pink slush, just puree some berries and stir them in (strawberries or raspberries are particularly good). Enjoy!
About Orange Muscat: Never heard of it? You’ve got lots of company! There are only a few hundred acres of it in the entire state, but those of us with access take full advantage…
A berry happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers, daughters and sons out there! Cheers!
Just Released: 2006 Napa Valley Merlot
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Better stop by the tasting room! We’ve just released our 2006 Merlot and it’s sure to put a smile on your face. About 1/2 the grapes were grown on our estate right here at the winery. This mid-valley location allows for plenty of ripeness and full, opulent flavors. The rest of the fruit came from the Carneros, where it’s a bit cooler, so the component is a little leaner and higher in acid, which, besides being delicious, brings elegance to the the total blend and helps it comply with our ever present “food-friendly” requirement.
Speaking of food, a springtime release makes me hungry for Spring Lamb! Colleen put together a delicious recipe that has springtime written all over it – lots of herbs and even some fresh lavender! So, better fire up the grill for Spring Lamb with Honey-Thyme Root Vegetables and be sure to try it with our hot off the presses, 2006 Merlot!
2006 Merlot Audio Winemaker Notes
More recipes, paired with wine!
Cheers!
New Recipe: Duck Breast with Black Mission Fig Sauce
The incredibly concentrated, luscious 2006 ÆROS® has just been shipped out to our club members and, as always, we celebrate with food! Colleen united the savory with the subtly sweet when she dreamed up this delicious recipe for Duck Breast with Black Mission Fig Sauce. Needless to say, it’s fabulous with a glass of the ’06 ÆROS (what wouldn’t be???). Makes me hungry just thinking about it! Enjoy!
More Comfort Food n Cab Franc!
Maui onions, sour cherries, heavy cream, almonds – who needs chicken? Just give me the sauce and I’ll disappear into my room for awhile…
Another great pairing for the Cab Franc! My guess is the cherries are the clincher… Better try Colleen’s recipe for Cream Cherry Chicken! What a perfect project for a cold, cloudy weekend! YUM!
New Recipe: Coq au Vin!
Mmmm… with smoked applewood bacon, mushrooms, shallots, fresh herbs, lots of wine… Just thinking about the Coq au Vin makes me ravenous!
Yes, it’s comfort-food time as the days get shorter and shorter and the nights colder and colder. And, Colleen has come up with her own special take on a classic – the perfect hunker-down, satisfying dish to warm you from the inside. And it’s an incredible match for our newly released 2006 Cabernet Franc (sorry – only 575 cases, so it’s for Wine Club only). I’m going to go out on a limb, here, and suggest that it’s probably going to be pretty-darned tasty with the earthy flavors of our Syrah or Merlot, too!
In any case, any time you want something truly delectable and a recipe that’s been tested and re-tested go to Colleen’s Kitchen. Of course, they’re all paired with wine! Bon appetit!
Colleen’s Special Mother’s Day Menu
If you don’t know Colleen, or at least her recipes, you really should! She’s always in the kitchen coming up with something new and delicious. She knows we’re all busy, so she keeps it simple, yummy and always tests each recipe personally. And, she and David painstakingly take the time to taste and make the wine pairing that they agree is the most delicious with each recipe!
She’s created a memorable, mouthwatering menu for Mother’s Day, so enjoy!
- Bibb Lettuce & Asian Pear Salad with Lemon Shallot Vinaigrette
- Chicken Breasts in Orange Sauce
- Asian Style Cold Noodles served with Lemon Ginger Sauce
Perfect with Goosecross Chardonnay
A gorgeous dessert that’s delicious with Goosecross Chenin Blanc
Happy Mother’s Day! Here’s to you, Mom!PS: For over 100 recipes, paired with wine, just go to Colleen’s Kitchen.
NVWR® 11 – Colleen’s Kitchen
April 11, 2006 by David
Filed under Napa Valley Wine Radio
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Colleen Topper, our Proprietor and Director of Public Relations also acts as our in-house chef. She has developed a remarkably extensive collection of her own recipes for you to enjoy at goosecross.com. Today Nancy Hawks Miller, our Director of Education talks to Colleen about where she gets her ideas and how she goes about creating new recipes for our visitors to enjoy.
Text: Colleen’s Kitchen
