Wine Anyone?: Wine Tasting @ Stella Marris

Hey Country Squire! Are you a wine connoisseur? Or do you just want to know what wine goes well with what dish? Well, I’m in the latter category. Being a wine newbie, I’m not exactly sure what a good wine tastes like. But with various wine tastings being held around the city, I’m slowly learning. Would you like to go to a wine tasting? Well, you’re in luck, as there is a wine tasting today at Stella Marris‘ over on Fischer Steel, about 4 minutes from Country Squire.

Stella Marris and United Liquors are hosting the wine tasting from 5 to 8 pm. Just in time for dinner. $15 includes wine and appetizers from the new summer menu. Call 755-5553 for reservations.

Let me know if you attend. Grab some friends, make a date, and have some fun!

Need directions from Country Squire?

Head west on Country Squire Ln toward Carriage Ln. Turn right at N Germantown Pkwy. Turn left at Walnut Run Rd. Continue onto Fischer Steel Rd. Stella Marris will be on the left.

Red Wine, or White?

Imagine being in the Napa Valley at dinner party, where there are so many types of food and all the wine you can drink. However, you have no idea what wine goes with what food. Yikes! Well here is what I think are the best tips for food & wine matching!

To get the full experience of great food, I think it should have a nice wine to compliment it.  Lighter foods = lighter wines, heavier foods = heavier wines. Think a nice Riesling for a seafood meal and a room temperature red wine with steak and potatoes.

Another thing to consider is geography. Got Japanese food? Dare to be different and grab some Japanese wine! They’re both from the same place, so why wouldn’t they be great together? The last thing I’ll share is that only YOU know what wine you favor, no matter what the food. These rules won’t mean a thing if you happen to hate red wine. Make up your own food & wine matches for your tastes.

What food & wine match do you like?

Say NO…to vending machines

It’s a daily process for me. I walk right by the honey bun, knowing that while it may be calling to me in all of it’s cinnamon-y goodness, it’s not good for my hips. Taste buds, yes, hips, no. This is the daily battle that many of us who work in an office face: whether to raid the vending machine or not.

I often need a sugar rush to get me through my day, though this wouldn’t be so if I ate a well balanced lunch. Well, how do I begin to do this? Shine! lists ways to help you balance your daily meal consumption to be more productive at work. You will need a few starters:

- Have a new food attitude: carbs are not the enemy. Fat isn’t either. Limiting both may help your waistline, but not your brain capabilities.

- Have a stash of snacks: Not the honey bun. But having a host of healthy snacks like trail mix, peanut butter crackers, or Snickers will help get you through your day. The combination of carbs and protein in these snacks will stabilize your blood sugar, fill you up, and keep you energized.

- WILLPOWER: Don’t eat big meals. Being full actually reduces the supply of energy to your brain. So eat half of your meal, and take the rest home.

What do you eat to stay energized at work?

Best Burgers in Town!

There aren’t many ways that you can mess with a burger. It’s a classic! I can honestly say that I have not had a really bad (bad as in bad) burger in a very long time. Well, unless you count a paper thin variety of what used to be a burger at one fast food chain…but I digress.

My motto is, the messier, the better! If the ketchup is perfectly aligned with the mustard, and the pickle is directly in the center of the cheese, then that’s not what I need. Fortunately for me, there are plenty of restaurants out there that get these combos right, and I’m not talking about the golden arches! Here are a few of the best burgers in town:

Alex’s Tavern: This. Is. One. Great. Burger! The “Alex burger”, or the “Greek burger” officially, is one of the best burgers I’ve ever had the pleasure of biting into. It’s slightly crunchy on the outside, suprememly juicy on the inside, and topped with only the freshest, locally grown ingredients. What’s the key ingredient? The fact that the burger is hand formed, and splashed with Alex’s special Greek seasoning.

Uncle Lou’s: Though they’re infamous for their fried chicken, Uncle Lou’s can make a mean burger! The jumbo burger (which is coincidentally the smallest burger on the menu), is pretty much huge. And you can’t forget the sauce! The “Sauce of Love” gives the burger just enough kick to put it at the top of my list!

What list would be complete without Huey’s? They’re celebrating their 40^th anniversary this weekend. There’s a reason for that, don’t you think?

I know I left TONS of places off of my list, but hey, there are only so many hours in a day. Do you have any to add to the list?

Recipe of the Week: Pancake Wraps

Hey Country Squire! Do you love pancakes? We do! And to show you how much we love them, we’re sharing this recipe with you!

Pancake Wraps:

• 3 Morningstar Farms® Maple Flavored Veggie Sausage Patties, or anykind of meat that you would like
• 6 frozen Kellogg’s® Eggo® Nutri-Grain® Pancakes or 6 frozen Kellogg’s® Eggo® Buttermilk Pancakes
• 1 tablespoon(s) apple, cherry, or strawberry preserves

Directions

• Prepare Kellogg’s® Eggo® Nutri-Grain® Pancakes according to package directions.
• Cook Morningstar Farms® Maple Flavored Veggie Sausage Patties according to package directions. Cut each patty in half.
• Spread preserves on warm pancakes. Top each with sausage patty half. Fold pancakes around sausage patties. Serve immediately.

That’s a Spicy Meatball! Super Bowl Party Recipe

These are sure to be a hit at any Super Bowl Party!

1 package (about 18 ounces) fully-cooked beef meatballs
2 to 3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon honey
Prepared blue cheese dressing
Prepared ranch dressing
Celery sticks

Directions:

Cook meatballs according to package directions.

Meanwhile, combine hot pepper sauce, butter and honey in large bowl; mix well. Add meatballs; stir to coat. Serve with dressings and celery sticks, as desired.

Enjoy!