I have decided to start this blog in an effort to record everything I do that has anything to do with wine. Why? Because I am 22 (going on 23), unemployed, and after a very recent move from my lovely apt in Burlington, VT, am living at home with my (wonderful) parents. I graduated May 2009 with an Anthropology degree from UVM, only to find myself working at a wine vineyard and wine shop, slowly but surely becoming fascinated by and enthralled in the world of wine. Now, back in the NYC area, I am struggling to find a position in wine retail. I thought that perhaps blogging about my adventures in the world of food and wine would help me to learn a thing or two while documenting what I consume. Let's start by delving into a tuna dish I cooked the other night, quite simple and very delicious. After defrosting two albacore tuna steaks, I marinated them in a concoction of olive oil, lemon juice, chopped anchovies, oregano, LOTS of garlic, salt and pepper. Letting the steaks marinate for about 30 minutes, I proceeded to make the fish's sauce - chopped celery, tomatoes, kalmatta olives, capers, and lemon juice. I sauteed these ingredients on med-hi heat for about 10 mins while grilling the tuna on a grill pan for roughly the same amount of time. In my attempt to be somewhat original, I decided to saute broccoli in another sauce creation, consisting of grapefruit juice, white wine vinegar, hot sauce (i used Tabasco, but would have much preferred the floral qualities of a specialty habanero sauce), and honey. Upon completion, this meal was extremely satisfying and tasty. In my typical state of "enough is never enough without more," (Thank you, Ani Difranco), I quickly toasted half of a whole wheat pita and finally sat down to eat it all accompanied by sun dried tomato hummus. I drank a glass of Riesling with the meal, but recognize that a lighter, more acidic white wine would have been a better choice. I am not going to bother mustering up an Italian white that might have paired nicely with the Sicilian Tuna, as I am disturbingly unfamiliar with Italian varietals, but instead suggest a nice Spanish Albarino or Argentine Torrontes. I am particularly fond of Albarino, characterized by its mouthwatering aroma similar to that of a full bodied, spicy yet floral Gewurztraminer, followed by a delightfully crisp, delicate body and citrus meets floral flavor. An idea just came to me while writing this admittedly mediocre blog - as I mention wines that I've tried or that I'd think would pair well with particular foods, I will follow this mention with a detailed yet brief history of the grape varietal itself. Albarino: Where? Northwestern Spain; the Galicia region; in the lower inlets (Rias Biaxes), also sparingly grown in California in regions that are believed to share similar climatic conditions to those of Galicia; generally cool, windy, and rainy, furthermore vines are trained high, allowing winds to dry them out and avoid rot, mildew and other fungal diseases. Notably, albarino grapes develop thick skins, contributing to their intense aromas. Tasting notes: Typically, wines made from Albarino are very aromatic, often described as having scents of almonds or apples, peaches, with flavors of citrus and grass. The acidity of albarino makes the perfect wine for a seafood dish, ESPECIALLY one dominated by olives, capers, and lemon juice! Yum....
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