Niagara’s Wine Region Doesn't Dissapoint

This month my husband and I enjoyed a week-long motorcycle ride to Niagara Falls for our anniversary celebration. Our route took us up through the Upper Peninsula, down along the eastern shore of Michigan, and across the green belt of Ontario. We experienced all kinds of regional culinary wonders—from cudighi (a regional spicy Italian sausage) and fresh perch, to poutine (French fries topped with cheese curds and gravy) and juicy strawberries.

Among all the edibles that the trip had to offer, the one aspect of local cuisine that truly enchanted me was Ontario’s wine region, specifically Niagara-on-the-Lake and the Niagara Escarpment. I had read that there were “some wineries” in the area, and we had planned on checking them out, but the wine culture and appreciation that we experienced was more enthusiastic than I had anticipated.

As we motored across the highway toward the falls, between bridges and views of Lake Huron, vineyards neatly dotted the landscape. I learned that Niagara’s wine region lies at approximately 43°, and while it’s no Burgandy, France, the conditions are decent enough that about 70 wineries operate in the surrounding Niagara area.

Unlike Dara & Co’s own Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl, I’m no wine expert, so I took recommendations from servers and/or sommeliers when I was ready to start tasting. The standouts included the famous Inniskillin ice wine, a Konzelmann Estate Gewurztraminer, a Creekside Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, and a reasonably priced Trius Cabernet Sauvignon 2007.

You can catch a glimpse of a Niagara Peninsula winter while you watch a video about how ice wine is made here.

Ready to try some wine from the Niagara Peninsula? It’s not easy to find in the Twin Cities, but you can get your hands on a bottle of Inniskillin Riesling Ice Wine 2007 at France 44.

Niagara’s Wine Region Doesn't Dissapoint - Dara & Co. - July 2011 - Minnesota

Rationalizing a Move to MN: An Attaboys Roundup

I have very few family members in MN. I think some of them should move here. Therefore, I'm compiling a somewhat objective roundup of rationale for making a move to MN/MPLS, in the form of a list of attaboys that might be appealing to my family members:

Brains and Know-How

1. Minneapolis was named the third most literate city in the nation last year by the Center for Public Policy and Social Research
2. Minneapolis is named one of the top ten smartest cities in America by the Daily Beast

Quality of Life

1. Minneapolis was named the best city for finding employment by Forbes Magazine
2. Minneapolis, St Paul has the best airport food, according to airfarwatchdog
3. Minneapolis named top vacation spot by National Geographic Magazine
4. Target Field was named the Sports Facility of the Year by Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal
5. Minneapolis Named One of 18 'Coolest Cities' in America by Men's Journal
6. Minnesota named 'Most Hipster State in the U.S.'
7. Minneapolis has the best parks system, according to Live Science.

Health and Fitness

1. Minneapolis-St. Paul named the healthiest, fittest metropolitan area in the United States by the American College of Sports Medicine
2. Minneapolis named Bicycling's Top City by Bicycling.com
3. Minnesota named by best trail state by American Trails (biking, equestrian cross-country skiing, off-highway vehicle, water, snowmobile trails, and several thousand hiking trails)
4. Minneapolis is the fittest large city in the U.S., according to new rankings from MapMyFitness.
5. Named one of the top ten cities for organic eaters to live by Organic Authority.

Medical

1. Minneosta named one of the top 10 friendliest states for physicians by Modern Medicine.
2. Rochester (just 1.5 hours away) named one of the 10 best cities of the next decade by Kiplinger
3. Four Minnesota hospitals were named among best in nation by Thomson Reuters

Help me make the case. If I forgot a good one, comment below, yo.

[where: Minnesota, Food, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, 55418]

It’s International Pickles Week!

It’s International Pickles Week! - Dara & Co. - May 2011 - Minnesota

It’s the third week in May! You know what that means? It’s International Pickles Week! Whether they’re slung aside a sandwich or perched atop a Chicago dog, pickles are an ever-present side dish, especially in Minnesota in the summer. Thus, I thought I’d devote some time to Minnesota’s pickling tradition.

Perhaps Minnesota’s greatest claim to pickle fame is Gedney pickles. In 1879 (before Ford sold his first automobile), Mathias Anderson Gedney moved to Minneapolis with pickles in mind. With a handful of recipes, he opened his first Gedney pickle plant in 1881 in Minneapolis at the corner of Lowry and Pacific. Gedney’s plant eventually relocated to Chaska, where it still operates today.
 
There is no shortage of pickles in Minnesota, whether you’re scanning jars at the State Fair, raiding your auntie’s root cellar, or a munchin' on a plate of potluck pickle roll-ups at Psycho Suzi’s Motor Lounge. Perhaps you want to go the extra mile in the name of pickles this week? The Strip Club Meat and Fish serves up a pickle small plate featuring vegetables that are pickled in-house and deep fried. Or you could try your own hand at frying some pickles using this Gedney recipe:

Gedney’s Deep Fried Pickles Recipe
Preparation time: 60 min. Serves: 8
· 24 dill pickle spears, chilled
· Egg wash, recipe follows
· Breading, recipe follows
· Canola oil, for frying

EGG WASH
· 2 cups milk
· 2 eggs
· Pinch of lemon pepper
· Pinch of dill weed
· Pickle juice

BREADING
· 2 1/2 cups cornmeal
· 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
· 1/2 cup lemon pepper
· 1/2 cup dill weed
· 4 tsp paprika
· 2 tsp garlic salt
· Pinch of cayenne pepper, or more to taste

For egg wash: In a baking dish, whisk all ingredients together, except pickle juice. Add pickle juice, to taste, and whisk to combine.

For breading: Combine all ingredients in a baking dish.

Using only very cold dill pickle spears, dip pickle into egg wash and then coat with breading. Repeat until no pickles remain, and arrange dipped pickles on a sheet pan lined with waxed paper. Chill for at least 30 minutes. In a deep fryer, heat oil to 375 degrees F. Alternatively, heat oil in a large, heavy pot suitable for deep-frying. Carefully add chilled pickle spears, in batches, to the hot oil and fry for about 3 1/2 minutes or until golden. Move to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Do you have a favorite pickle in the cities? Know a great pickle recipe? Please share!
 


[where: Minnesota, Food, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, 55418]