Dare To Get Messy!!!!!!

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leah elisheva

Master of the Pit
Original poster
Sep 19, 2013
3,028
214
Seacoast of New Hampshire
Happy Saturday Great Winos!!!

(And as for any one else who is reading this: PLEASE DO come join our fun group)!

It's open, you are VERY WELCOME, and nobody grades or cares what wine you do or do not drink, or what you know about wine even! No, not at all!

Although we DO simply care if we'd ENJOY "having a drink with you on a Saturday morning!" As this is a warm circle of fabulous people who just love life and chatting and sipping and smoking. What could be better???

So come join the fun!

Warm people, good smoking-wine pairings, travel stories, family stories, or whatever you wish are indeed welcome here; and with some smoking in mind, seeing as it's a smoking site and I am TRYING at least to honor and obey that! Smiles.


So I picked up some cooked crab at the store this morning...(not sure what or how I was going to play but did buy it nonetheless)!


I smoked it, despite it being cooked, and on my little gas smoker, for 15 minutes at low heat - just to see if flavor got in - it did! And it warmed up the tomalley and that was creamy and dreamy and just divine!


I had some odds and ends to use up today as well - brown rice spaghetti, curly parsley, a red pepper, raw shallot, olive oil, gray sea salt and CAYENNE!!!!!


Well, the inner part of the crab, tomalley or whatever it is, was INCREDIBLE!!!!!!

And it was while picking and sucking and gulping and prying apart all of THAT loveliness, that I did realize, that "getting messy" in life, is something that I just so enjoy!

Sure, if I stopped drinking a bottle of wine daily, I could lose 10 or 12 pounds. But to me wine is beautiful, and so I don't wish to give that up.

And yes, if I did not eat a 1/2 pound of pasta daily, use sea salt, and eat a pound of fish myself daily too, or of steak, easily, and with a cup of olive oil; I could be different too.

Yet what an EMPTY (pun intended) existence.

If not for humor, sensitivity, and a lust for life, I could be so quite different, but I am not sure that's better?


And so, my deep thoughts today, and open discussion for winos and all, is that by smoking great food, eating with gusto, drinking well, (versus just drinking to get drunk), and also loving and laughing and learning fully too - yes by daring to get "messy" (with one's food, mood, and so it goes); one lives! 

Case in point: I cannot imagine ordering my lobster already "cleaned out" and put neatly back into the shell, or being reserved to the degree that I never hugged anybody, or picking at my food and restricting and counting calories, and feeling guilt. Or giving up wine!


I wouldn't want to miss out on all that full Bacchanalian splendor and fun. To scrape shellfish to the shell, and nosh on steak to the bone, and howl at the moon and jump into the cold and powerful sea, or whatever it be!

And so, here is to everyone getting messy!

Yes you get hurt, dirty, (smoke in the eyes while smoking food even), and so it goes!

But what scares me MORE, is never feeling any of that. And so, I feel pretty lucky to experience it all!


Happy Saturday, and to all!

Chime in with your smokes, and your sips, and/or your thoughts even; as this is a fabulously accepting and welcoming group, and so do pull up a chair and we will pour you a glass and toast to life!

Cheers! - Leah
 
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Happy Saturday to you as well Leah! I love your take on embracing the messiness that is life. Thanks for the words of inspiration. I think I'm now going to go get two bottles of a nice Malbec and proceed to mess up my kitchen. One bottle for Coq Au Vin and the other for my lovely wife and I to enjoy with it. Hell, maybe I'll get three bottles and REALLY mess up the kitchen. [emoji]128540[/emoji]
 
Damn on the coq au vin Andrew!!! HOW AMAZING!!! PLEASE PLEASE POST PICTURES HERE WHEN YOU ARE DONE!!!

And I would get at least 3 bottle of Malbec (since one is for cooking, and I am a one bottle of wine gal daily, for me, except when having an occasional "social and celebratory increase" - such as this evening, when there will be a rare yet 'every now and then here" extra course, more wine, and so it goes!

For those aghast, just hang onto your hat! If you saw what I ate in one day, and daily, (approx 3-4 thousand calories and sometimes more), the wine wouldn't seem crazy.

Regardless, PLEASE post your stuff, as that sounds incredible, and enjoy that Malbec! ("Malbec" was one my license plate years ago, and so that makes me smile)! Cheers!!!!! - Leah
 
I'll definitely put some photos of the dinner here. I have a couple questions. First, I've never cooked with Malbec and am a little concerned it might get a little overpowering when reduced. I love it's rich flavor and full body for drinking, but I'm slightly worried that it might be just those characteristics that might make it not the best choice for coq au vin. I'm gonna try it anyway unless someone chimes in here and advises otherwise. Second question is what's a good region for a not too pricey Malbec? I was thinking South Africa as I've had some from there that was delicious. But maybe there is a better place? Any advice here would be appreciated as my wine knowledge is right up there with my expertise in the inner workings of female emotions.
 
Hey Andrew!

Your most affordable and common Malbecs will be South American - Argentinean mostly. If you don't have any reaction to added chemicals (many of those wines - like "Alamos" have since been bought by Gallo and American wineries that pump them with additives which don't need to be labeled) but if you can drink anything and not get a reaction, unlike me, than South American and Argentinean Malbecs will do just fine.

Otherwise, Cahors (pronounced Cahor) the black ink of Cahors, (from France) is also Malbec, and less jammy than the South American ones. You might find an affordable Cahors, (Malbec from France) in a liquor store or grocery or Trader Joe's maybe?

Chilled Beaujolais, yes CHILLED, is perfect with Coq au vin and there are plenty of those out there too!

OK, hope that helped! I am excited about your meal!!!

Cheers! - Leah (And to happily and deliciously "messing up" the kitchen and with gusto)!
 
As promised...
First we browned the bacon


Then we browned the chicken in the bacon fat



Then we browned the onion, shallot and garlic in the chicken and bacon fat...


Then the star of the show arrived. My wife graciously agreed to stop at the store on the way back from an appointment, and I didn't have the heart to ask her to go to the wine store too. So this is what we have. Kind of apropos though.



Then everyone went back in the pool with some herbs and the whole thing went into the oven. Stay tuned.
 
Now that looks incredible!!! It must have smelled amazingly too! And how perfect on your rooster indeed!!! Just beautiful!!!!!!!!! More, more, more!!! Cheers! - Leah
 
Thanks Leah! It was pretty good if I do say so myself. And you're right, the aroma was awesome. It was a "cheater" recipe I'd seen online and took a lot less time and prep than the traditional recipe, but still maintained almost all the flavor and character of the original. Only thing I might do differently next time is marinate the chicken thighs overnight in the vino. One of the things I love about coq au vin is the purple chicken, and this one didn't have that.
As it was a pretty late supper, I didn't get any pics of the finished product. Just served it over rice with a spinach salad.
 
Hello messy Wino Cuties! And happy Tuesday to you!


I made some little luscious "bird's nests" of wheat-free spaghetti (brown rice spaghetti from Trader Joe's) on the half shell with poached oysters...


And mixed in chopped red pepper, chopped raw elephant garlic, Italian flat leaf parsley, basil, and AVOCADO oil, blue sea salt and cayenne...


And even the dogs were just salivating and getting excited!


While I love RAW oysters and then REALLY LOVE raw clams; this simple concoction was indeed a fun and SPICY (Hey now, cayenne revs your metabolism, kills stomach bacteria, clears the sinuses, provides antioxidants, increases mood and slays depression like a knife, and so BRING IT ON! Yes, Yippee Cayenne Mother FU...Full of spices!!!!!) but yes, a lovely meal!


Twirling & Swirling is ALWAYS a gorgeous thing. Drank Italian "Gavi" (white bone dry and fabulous wine made of Cortese grape and just a crowd pleaser when REALLY cold) and all was well!

Now go get messy! Assignment from the Wino group indeed!!!!!!!!

Cheers! - Leah
 
Yummmmm , Crab
drool.gif


You amaze me . . . but then you are on the Coast , (jealousy
icon_evil.gif
).

Keep it coming , and . . .
 
I love blue crabs but whatever the local type is will do. He sometimes we just break off the back shell, remove the gills, slap on some garlic butter and throw on the grill. Those look to be dungeoness and they are good too. I never tryed smoking them, grilling, frying, boiling, etc... but never smoking. Next time I will have to try it. Thanks for the idea Leah and as always your plating is totally awesome.
 
Thank you so much Foamheart!!!

And whether grilled, smoked, or whatever varietal; HERE IS TO GETTING MESSY and enjoying one's food, libation, and life fully!

Many thanks and Cheers to today!!! - Leah
 
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