Food, Wine, and Turkey?
Food Tips
Not sure how long to cook that turkey? Here is an easy timetable guide: Oven temperature 325 °F
Cooking Time, NOT Stuffed8 -12 lbs.: 2 - 3 hours
12 - 14 lbs.: 3 hours
14 - 18 lbs.: 3 - 4 hours
18 - 20 lbs.: 4 hours
20 - 24 lbs.: 4 - 5 hours
Cooking Time, Stuffed8 - 12 lbs.: 3 hours
12 - 14 lbs.: 3 - 4 hours
14 - 18 lbs.: 4 hours
18 - 20 lbs.: 4 hours
20 - 24 lbs.: 4 - 5 hours
Crazy about Garlic??Using fresh garlic is a great way to add flavor and depth to your dishes. To easily peel garlic, place a few cloves in the microwave for 10 seconds. You can peel the skins right off. If you'd like to peel a large quantity of garlic all at once, place a whole bulb in the oven at 300 degrees F. Take it out as soon as you see the individual cloves start to open. Garlic added to sautéed dishes can burn easily, so be sure to add it last when you are also cooking other vegetables.
Cooking Time, NOT Stuffed8 -12 lbs.: 2 - 3 hours
12 - 14 lbs.: 3 hours
14 - 18 lbs.: 3 - 4 hours
18 - 20 lbs.: 4 hours
20 - 24 lbs.: 4 - 5 hours
Cooking Time, Stuffed8 - 12 lbs.: 3 hours
12 - 14 lbs.: 3 - 4 hours
14 - 18 lbs.: 4 hours
18 - 20 lbs.: 4 hours
20 - 24 lbs.: 4 - 5 hours
Crazy about Garlic??Using fresh garlic is a great way to add flavor and depth to your dishes. To easily peel garlic, place a few cloves in the microwave for 10 seconds. You can peel the skins right off. If you'd like to peel a large quantity of garlic all at once, place a whole bulb in the oven at 300 degrees F. Take it out as soon as you see the individual cloves start to open. Garlic added to sautéed dishes can burn easily, so be sure to add it last when you are also cooking other vegetables.
"What is the best way to care for potatoes?"Potatoes are nutritional powerhouses. Many nutrition experts believe that potatoes are one of the best sources of complex carbohydrates available. They are low in fat and high in potassium and Vitamins B and C. When choosing potatoes, look for ones that have a smooth skin and no sprouts. Stay away from those with wrinkly skin or soft spots. To store potatoes, keep them in a cool dark place away from onions, but do not store in the refrigerator. Do not rinse or wash potatoes before storing them and they will last well for up to one month.
"How do I bring my old cutting board back to life?"If you have an older, dried out wooden cutting board, it is easy to bring it back to life. Warm a small container of mineral oil in a bowl of hot water. Using a soft cloth, wipe the oil into the surface of the board. Leave the oil on the wood for four to six hours and then wipe off the excess. Your cutting board will be enriched and improved.
"How do I avoid making the whole house smell while cooking fish?"
If you avoid cooking fish because of the odor it leaves in your house, there are some ways to avoid this. Make sure the fish you buy is as fresh as possible. If it is hard for you to get fresh fish, buy frozen instead. Choose recipes that include lemon juice, vinegar, or other acidic ingredients. These items will help avoid that fishy odor. Baking or steaming your fish will leave fewer odors than frying. During and after cooking, place a small pot of water on your stove. Add some cloves and let it simmer. This will help contain the odor and will leave a nice spice smell in your home.
Wine Tips
The turkey is in the oven, now which wine should I serve with dinner?No matter what your main entree this holiday season, here is a general guide to picking the perfect wine.
Turkey – Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
Pork – Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio
Duck – Merlot or Chardonnay
Roast – Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon
Vegetarian – Riesling or Pinot Nior
“How can you preserve wine once you open the bottle?”It is important to remember that wine begins to deteriorate once you pull the cork. Initially it may get better allowing air in to smooth out and enhance the tastes of the wine, but it quickly (in a matter of days) begins to lose some of its freshness, which diminishes the wine’s flavors.
What you need to do is protect the wine from Oxidizing (affected by oxygen). We recommend that if you don’t finish the wine that same day, then place the wine in the refrigerator (yes, even the red wines). The cool temperature will slow down those changes. Also, pour the remaining wine into a smaller bottle. This will slow down the wine’s oxidation by reducing the amount of air that can affect the wine.
“What is the proper temperature that wines should be served?”
There is an old tale about Europeans complaining that when they dine in the U.S. they find that white wines are served too cold and that red wines are served too hot. So is there some truth to this rumor?
Most Americans like their cold beverages cold. With wine however if a white wine is served too cold the flavors are muted and dull. The proper serving temperature of most white’s wines and rosés is in the low to mid 50°F. Sparkling and dessert wines can be served a little bit colder, mid 40°F, but certainly never near freezing. Red wines, on the other hand, benefit from a slight chill. The wine tastes a bit more refreshing if it is served around 65°F which is generally cooler than room temperature.
“I found two bottles of 1962 Château Mouton Rothschild in my grandfather’s house. How much are they worth?”Great news! This is an excellent year from a famous wine estate located in Bordeaux, France. Currently the wine sales ranges are from $500-900, averaging around $800 apiece. But, and this is the issue, can you still get that much, if anything?
Well, the answer is ….it depends. What a prospective buyer will need to make sure is that the wines are still in good condition. For example, how were they aged? Were they kept in a temperature and humidity controlled room? Does it have a constant temperature of around 55°F. Were they protected from ultra violet radiation (sun light)?
The wine will have no value unless it can be proven that it was stored properly. Too many people are unaware and keep their wines in a room where the temperatures may fluctuate 20° throughout the year. The wine may be kept in a sunlit room (that will surely prematurely age it.) Or else the bottles are stored upright which over time will allow the corks to dry out, shrink and let air in.
So, to ensure longevity for good wines follow these simple rules: Bottles should be stored on their sides so that the liquid will keep the corks moist and prevent them from drying out. Also, keep them in a dark space with a constant temperature. Somewhere around 55°F is ideal but less than 70°F is still okay, simply avoiding temperature changes is the most important thing.
Duck – Merlot or Chardonnay
Roast – Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon
Vegetarian – Riesling or Pinot Nior
“How can you preserve wine once you open the bottle?”It is important to remember that wine begins to deteriorate once you pull the cork. Initially it may get better allowing air in to smooth out and enhance the tastes of the wine, but it quickly (in a matter of days) begins to lose some of its freshness, which diminishes the wine’s flavors.
What you need to do is protect the wine from Oxidizing (affected by oxygen). We recommend that if you don’t finish the wine that same day, then place the wine in the refrigerator (yes, even the red wines). The cool temperature will slow down those changes. Also, pour the remaining wine into a smaller bottle. This will slow down the wine’s oxidation by reducing the amount of air that can affect the wine.
“What is the proper temperature that wines should be served?”
There is an old tale about Europeans complaining that when they dine in the U.S. they find that white wines are served too cold and that red wines are served too hot. So is there some truth to this rumor?
Most Americans like their cold beverages cold. With wine however if a white wine is served too cold the flavors are muted and dull. The proper serving temperature of most white’s wines and rosés is in the low to mid 50°F. Sparkling and dessert wines can be served a little bit colder, mid 40°F, but certainly never near freezing. Red wines, on the other hand, benefit from a slight chill. The wine tastes a bit more refreshing if it is served around 65°F which is generally cooler than room temperature.
“I found two bottles of 1962 Château Mouton Rothschild in my grandfather’s house. How much are they worth?”Great news! This is an excellent year from a famous wine estate located in Bordeaux, France. Currently the wine sales ranges are from $500-900, averaging around $800 apiece. But, and this is the issue, can you still get that much, if anything?
Well, the answer is ….it depends. What a prospective buyer will need to make sure is that the wines are still in good condition. For example, how were they aged? Were they kept in a temperature and humidity controlled room? Does it have a constant temperature of around 55°F. Were they protected from ultra violet radiation (sun light)?
The wine will have no value unless it can be proven that it was stored properly. Too many people are unaware and keep their wines in a room where the temperatures may fluctuate 20° throughout the year. The wine may be kept in a sunlit room (that will surely prematurely age it.) Or else the bottles are stored upright which over time will allow the corks to dry out, shrink and let air in.
So, to ensure longevity for good wines follow these simple rules: Bottles should be stored on their sides so that the liquid will keep the corks moist and prevent them from drying out. Also, keep them in a dark space with a constant temperature. Somewhere around 55°F is ideal but less than 70°F is still okay, simply avoiding temperature changes is the most important thing.
No comments:
Post a Comment