Drink In Life

2019 Seattle Wine and Food Experience

Posted on February 27, 2019 by drinkinlife

Highlights from this years fabulous Grand Tasting event of the Seattle Wine and Food Experience held at the Bell Harbor International Convention Center in Seattle.

Celebrating in the Emerald City at the 11th Annual Seattle Wine and Food Experience.

With an itinerary of four distinctive epicurean events, the eleventh annual weekend of local feasting and tasting included Comfort (Thursday, Feb. 21), POP! Bubbles & Seafood (Friday, Feb. 22), the extremely popular Grand Tasting (Saturday, Feb. 22), and a brand new event Sunday Supper (Sunday, Feb. 23).

This annual Grand Tasting extravaganza of all things edible and drinkable included a variety of scrumptious small plates.

The Grand Tasting featured restaurants and chefs who were included in the February issue of Seattle Magazine’s list of 100 Best Things to Eat. These mouth watering dishes were a major highlight and included many top culinary talents serving delicious gourmet bites.

The Chef In The Hat, Thierry Rautureau, the talent behind Loulay Kitchen & Bar and Luc restaurants, brought a French twist to the Grand Tasting with his Hot Chocolate and Toast. Hot chocolate, made with fresh milk and powdered cocoa from Seattle’s own Theo Chocolate. Chef Rautureau’s toast incorporates pieces of brioche, grilled to perfection and served with salted butter.

Sweet sensations were plentiful and included some of the best baked goods in the Pacific Northwest. Baker Mi Kim of Raised Doughnuts was serving up some beautiful Raspberry Doughnut Holes, Seattle’s A La Mode Pies and Chef Chris Porter offered a variety of small bite pies. Chef Chera Amlag of Hood Famous Bakeshop wowed with a Ube Cheesecake and Seattle’s Wandering Goose Chef Heather Earnhardt baked up a rustic Cherry Hand Pie.

A Beautiful 2015 Columbia Valley Vineyard Syrah from Woodinville’s Damsel Cellars.

Washington and Oregon Wineries played a key role at the Grand Tasting, providing wines to suit any palate. I really enjoyed the diversity of the wines, and the conversations with the producers added to the overall experience. Event organizers hit the mark by arranging the venue in a way which allowed you to easily stroll, or taste your way through the Convention Center.

A few of my favorite sips from the Grand Tasting included wines from Silvara Cellars in Leavenworth, WA., Pearl and Stone Wine Co. in North Bend, WA., Double Canyon and Seven Hills from Walla Walla, WA., and some absolutely fabulous Mead Wines from Sky River Mead in Woodinville, WA.

The event brought Spirits front and center displaying some of the best selections of an ever growing number of innovative distilleries making handcrafted, locally-distilled spirits from local ingredients. The unique and large gathering of distilleries at the Grand Tasting included WhistlePig® Rye Whiskey from Vermont, Idaho Distillery 44° North® was pouring their flavorful Potato Vodkas, and from Snohomish, WA. Skip Rock Distillers shared their variety of spirits.

Brews and Ciders helped round out the beverages offered. Matchless Brewing from Tumwater, WA really caught my attention with their ingenious use of flavors and easy drinking brews.

For a Good Cause

The Seattle Wine and Food Experience benefits Northwest Harvest, Washington’s leading hunger relief agency. Supporting a statewide network of 375 food banks, meal programs, and high-need schools with a focus on improving equity in Washington’s food system.

Seattle Wine and Food Experience is a whole weekend filled with the best wine, food, and beer that the Pacific Northwest has to offer, with over 200 vendors. This sampling from the Saturday Grand Tasting event is just one of the reasons for you to mark you calendar and get ready to attend the 12th Annual SWFE next year! With four days to choose from there will be something for everyone.

I hope to see you there next year.

Images © Drink In Nature Photography and Drink In Life Blog.

A Celebration of Citrus

Posted on February 15, 2019 by drinkinlife

Winter Fruit Salad with Orange Poppy Seed Dressing

In the winter fresh fruit salads can be made with the last of the Fall Harvest fruits such as Apples and Pears along with year round fruits that are available in the produce section like Raspberries, Bananas and Kiwi. When the height of Citrus season arrives a variety of these citrus delights can be combined to complete a bright and delicious Winter Fruit Salad.

For the Salad start by peeling and chopping 4 Honey Crisp Apples and 2 Bartlett Pears. Place them in a strainer filled with water and ‘Fruit Fresh’ to help the fruit from turning brown for about 15 minutes. Then drain and allow to sit while you prepare the rest of the fruit.

Peel and slice 4 ripe Kiwi, 2 Bananas and put them in bowl. Peel and segment 8 Mandarin Oranges, and 2 Grapefruits. Rinse a carton of fresh Raspberries and allow them to drain. When your fruit is drained of excess moisture, place it all together in a large bowl. One option is to add the sliced Banana and fresh Raspberries when ready to serve.

The addition of fresh citrus to a Winter Fruit Salad adds a taste of sunshine to a cold Winter Day

Orange Poppy Seed Dressing

A mild sweet dressing with a splash of Orange Liqueur.

I added the juice from a Cara Cara Orange and the zest from the fresh Mandarin Oranges, which gives a unique combination of Orange flavors to the dressing.

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed orange juice & Zest of 1/2 an Orange
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 ounce Orange Liqueur -Optional

INSTRUCTIONS
In a small bowl, whisk all the ingredients together. You may also place the ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake well.

The Orange Liqueur is optional but you will be surprised by the added depth that it gives to the Orange flavor.

I like to keep the Winter Fruit Salad and the Orange Poppy Seed Dressing separate and serve the two combined in single serve bowls.

Keeping the dressing separate from the salad allows the fruit to hold up better for a couple of days in the fridge.

“Mindful eating is about awareness. When you eat mindfully, you slow down, pay attention to the food you’re eating, and savor every bite.” – Susan Albers

Blood Orange Thyme Bourbon Cocktail

With the produce section of the grocery store tempting me with Grapefruit, Mandarin and Blood Oranges, my thoughts instantly go to making a delicious citrus cocktail with the fresh squeezed juice.

The key ingredient to this cocktail is the fresh squeezed Blood Orange Juice.

INGREDIENTS:
For 2 cocktail:

1/2 cup fresh squeezed blood orange juice
1/2 cup bourbon
4 tablespoons Thyme simple syrup
Seltzer water
Few dashes orange bitters

For Thyme simple syrup: Add 1 cup water and 1 cup of Raw Sugar in a saucepan bring to a boil and turn off the heat. Add 5 Sprigs of fresh Thyme, cover and let cool for 15 minutes

For cocktail:
In a large measuring cup mix together fresh Blood Orange juice, Bourbon and Thyme simple syrup.
Add ice to 2 short cocktail glasses. Fill each glass half way with juice/bourbon mixture. Top with seltzer and a dash of bitters, garnish with a slice of Blood Orange.

A Cocktail to Celebrate the Citrus Season. Enjoy!

Purchasing your fruits and vegetables during their peak seasons, will not only allow you to enjoy them more, you’ll save money while maximizing their nutritional value.