Moving Forward

All I can say is WOW! And thank you. The feedback was amazing. I appreciated every comment on the blog, on Facebook, Twitter and in personal emails and texts. I hope you like the new look. Several people commented that the black background with white print was a little hard to read. I would also like to take a moment to welcome all our new readers. This blog originates out of Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada. So it was nice to see all the new readers from the United States this week, in addition to Ireland, Turkey, Venezuela, Norway and India. Welcome one and all.

My good friend GK who set up my original blog 12 years ago, called and told me I needed to update the style. As a matter of fact, I think his exact words were ‘For the love of God girl, that blog style needs to be updated, make it cleaner, more modern.’ One of my friends who gave me feedback, FM, said I should share some of the comments. He was curious as to what the other readers had to say. So I will, protecting their identity, using just their initials. Long time reader of my blog RS, & his wife M, who lives in Newfoundland gave this feedback.

“Good afternoon Darlene, I look forward to your blog each Saturday. Maxine and I are wine people as well, we were white wine drinkers at the beginning, but now it’s red and almost all red. We do buy a bottle of white every now and then. You know I like to cook, and I do enjoy your recipes. Some of the wines you feature you can’t get here on the rock, and the wine here is a little more expensive than in Nova Scotia. In my opinion just keep it going as it is. Cheers.”

One of the constant themes with the feedback, was ‘Keep the recipes’. I had a friend tell me this past week, we are always struggling to find new recipes that are delicious and easy, so keep them up.

JL from Alberta had this say to say

“Love your blog, Darlene. I think adding some recipes is a great idea …..in my opinion!

I have a couple of friends with the initials A.M. and here they are with their thoughts.

“Love all the recipes!”

“Would certainly welcome new recipes, along with your wine reviews, Darlene. Have enjoyed both in the past!“

So the recipes are going to become a part of the blog, which I’m super happy about. I’m even practicing short 2 minute videos on preparing and seasoning my dishes. This comment from KT bought a smile to my face

“Someone wants to know what is your suggested wine pairing for a BBQ deboned turkey, injected with white wine and sage and rubbed with apricot jam?. Just so you know, I recommended a Riesling!

This week, I want to share the easy way to make crispy potatoes in your oven or on your BBQ. I use these aluminum pans a lot when I BBQ. They help keep your BBQ cleaner and are perfect for grill cooking. You can buy them at the grocery store or the dollar store, but Costco sells 30 for $6.

One of the things I have learned this year is how to master the art of crispy potatoes without a deep fryer.

Peel and slice the potatoes in whatever size you like. I’ve made them to look like fries, but I’ve also done this with bigger chunks.
Put the potatoes in a bath of cold water and let them sit for at least 30 minutes
Pat dry on a dishtowel
Rub cornstarch on your hands and lightly coat the potatoes with the cornstarch
Add vegetable oil, and cook in an oven of 400-degrees or on your BBQ until they are done. Times will vary depending on grills and ovens, but 25-minutes is a good average.
Hold the salt till the towards the end, as putting the salt on raw potatoes will take some of the moisture out, and your potatoes won’t be as fluffy on the inside.
Salt is mandatory though, when it comes to potatoes.

Another reader suggested not doing a ‘grocery list’ of wines, just do one per week. With the recipes and everything else, one wine per week is great. So that’s what I’m going to do, and the wines will vary from red, white, sparkling, rose, and even a scattered dessert wine.

This week’s wine is from Cupcake.

This week this wine was $3 off and priced under $14 here in Nova Scotia. Regular price is around $16 so it’s still a great value. I’ve had the Cupcake Red Velvet before, and because it contains Zinfandel, there is a tinge of sweetness there. My friend Angie, who I shared this with, said when she saw the name Cupcake, she thought it might be a sweetened red wine, but it isn’t. We both enjoyed it. One thing this vineyard does is pick the grapes when they are very ripe, which adds richness and a velvety palate. Great news, they make a wide variety of wine styles. Winemaker Jessica Tomei believes wine pairs best with good friends and family and great food. There is something for everyone, including Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Sparkling and Rose. Which Cupcake wines are available in your area?