Look forward to a new post featuring a pairing with these beauties!
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Istanbul Sweet
Hey friends!
We fly home tomorrow and we’ve had a great time. Rest assured, I have sweets to pair on my return.
Liz
Lil’ Bunny Foo Foo
I love lazy Sundays. I recently discovered Parks and Rec so I am main-lining that while I enjoy the various snacks left over from a recent party. It’s just the rest I need.
Today’s post features more candy from Britain (and the next post…). It’s nice when my friends provide me candy and/or wine. It makes my posts a lot more fun knowing there are readers with a vested interest in my work.
This pairing was a HIT. Unfortunately I don’t know where you are going to buy the candy, but the internet is a cool place for that kind of thing.
Candy: Malt Easter Mini Bunnies (apparently they do different candies for different seasons)
Don’t Be The Bunny
Wine: El Burro, Kickass Garnacha 2011
Ok so there’s an animal theme going here
The Dream:
Garnacha. I don’t remember ever drinking it, but wines from Spain are always a good choice. I read the description which mentioned hints of tobacco and cherries.
Pairing to milk chocolate is a bit tricky. I wanted something a little heavier with a lot of flavor since milk chocolate can be less dynamic. The chocolate also had a nutty filling, so I also wanted a wine that could match that nuttiness. I thought the fruit notes could pair nicely with a nutty center.
The Reality:
This went very well. The wine smells like red ripe cherries. Flavors like black pepper, cherry, and chocolate filled the mouth.
The chocolate is wonderful. It is rich and melty with a hint of hazelnut. There is a crunchy creamy center which is refreshing against the think chocolate.
When combined, the wine becomes a little less sharp and a bit less round. But I want another bite of chocolate immediately. I like the tanginess of the wine with the smooth chocolate nuttiness. Although both are very full and flavorful, each sip of wine refreshes the palette.
The Take Away: A little bit of nuttiness goes a long way paired with a nice red. I bet you can find something similar to these bunnies here in the ole USA.
Get Naked
Naked Winery is featuring a quote from my blog on one of their sale sheets. They thanked me with this sweet swag, including fake tats.
Bacchus
Hey all
Look at this candle from the find retailers of the Etsy shop Witch City Wicks
It smells warm and peppery. This candle company comes strongly recommended.
Blueberry Licorice
This is the latest candy I’m using for a pairing. What do you think would be its ideal mate?
A Paradise Pair (Almost)
A few beautiful weekends ago, Sam and I used our Living Social coupon for a wine tasting at Paradise Springs winery in Virginia. I would love to walk you through the verdant estate and describe each wine, but I don’t have great notes. It’s a bit rude to write down everything your hostess says as she serves you the fine wines. Instead, I bought two bottles and I will feature each of them here with a pairing. You should visit the winery though, it is wonderful. There was a family having a party for a one yr-old there…and that family is legend to me now.
I also did a lousy job taking photos of the candy and the bottle. I have an excuse, but you’re not interested in that. You are sick of my excuses and complaints. I don’t blame you.
The Candy: Riesen (terrible stock image since I bought the bagged ones)
Riesen (Photo credit: Sean MacEntee)
The Wine: Paradise Springs, Norton 2011. There’s no good image, so here is some wine with our cheese plate…
The Dream:
You may not know about Norton…I didn’t. Here’s a good short description from the Paradise Springs website:
“The Real American Grape® was first cultivated in Richmond, VA in 1830. Having the highest concentration of Antioxidants in any red grape, Norton is “the healthiest wine you can drink”! This distincly dark-colored wine has jammy black fruit flavors such as blackberry & plum and finishes with notes of baking spices.”
SO American right? Anyway, they cultivated Norton for a long and they neglected it but it made a comeback baby. I find it pretty interesting, so you should read up more in this Wiki article.
Riesen is a chewy, chocolatey affair and Norton is sharp and dry. Its tart flavor is reminiscent of the bitter skin of a green apple, which I imagine is caused by the baking spices. Could this distinct wine cut through the rich Riesen chocolate and leave the palate refreshed?
The Reality:
I was wrong. The sweet Riesen makes the dynamic wine bitter and unpleasant. I am not a huge fan and wouldn’t “ship” this pair. I thought Riesens had more of a dark chocolate flavor, but they are definitely way too sweet. I think a more bitter chocolate could be a good match here since anything sweet is just going to emphasize the bitterness of the wine. Perhaps a hint of coffee could be beneficial.
I guess we have a rematch.
Take away: Please, please try Norton when you have a chance! It might be a bit pricey, but it is a unique grape that deserves to dance upon your tongue…was that creepy to say?
Arak-ing Good Time
Have you had Arak? It’s a delicious liquor from the Middle East. It tastes like licorice and is made from grapes. So it’s like a combo of candy and wine!
I will have a post up tomorrow.
Classy Bunny
I just got this excellent print! Do you like it? As you may know, I’m a proud bunny owner. This classy bun just may be my mascot. Once I’m on my computer I will provide a link to the artist.
Uncorked, Unwrapped 