Tag Archives: grapes

Grapes, Yes, Again

That’s what you seem to want! I’d like to show you a comment from the original post:

“One of the people responsible for developing those grape varieties you spoke about was Gary Woodbury, a former chemistry teacher at FHS and owner of Woodbury fruit farms. Welch’s didn’t always treat local farmers well, and having other options became desirable. He and my dad (and others?) ran experiments with lots of strangely-named grapes and made wine for years. I remember wathcing the tastings at dinner: uncork it, talk about it for a half an hour, and then grimace and spit when it was horrible. Several worked out well though, and Gary left teaching to become a vintner for a while as the operation grew. They had a spumanti and a champagne that was pretty good, and western NY State is on the map in the world of wine.”

Woodbury Vineyards is on the Seaway Trail. If you ever get to NY State please start in Chautauqua County (it’s 1.5 hours west of the Buffalo airport but worth it) and make sure not to miss the Adirondacks. We took a trip up there a few years ago with Jim’s folks and it’s something we’ll all remember fondly (I hope). Niagara Falls is a powerful reminder of what water can do, as well as the Erie Canal, Finger Lakes et al.

The comment came from a gentleman I grew up with and knew in grade school. I think we had a mutual crush on each other in the fifth grade and he even carved me a wooden violin but was too shy to give it to me. We touched base nearly ten years ago and he’s a great guy, architect and pilot, smart guy. I wish him well in his endeavors and will have to let him know how the grape dishes turn out! Cheers, Dee

Liverwurst and Buttermilk… and Grapes

Isn’t that what Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney had at that lovely Vermont inn, home of the General? Danny Kaye did “choreography” and Bing sang his most illustrious holiday song…..

I want a sappy Christmas movie! Or at least a song on the car radio that makes me break down in tears and be thankful for all my blessings. My blog has snow (must have initiated itself because somehow I asked for it last year). It’s pleasant but the real stuff is falling and Jim’s car spun out this morning and I tried like heck to have him switch cars and take my AWD with brand new snow tires down the mountain. He made it there and back, thank goodness. There’s something to be thankful for.

Yesterday, two of Jim’s colleagues and their children came over for lunch and video games (Star Wars). She brought a nice bottle of Chianti and five pounds of black, seedless grapes of variety I’m unfamiliar. They look like Concords but are twice the size and oblong. She must have read my blog about the grapes!

So, we can’t eat them all and I’m thinking of a grape pie from the new cookbook my grade school music teacher just sent me, or a grape crumble I found from the grape growers’ website, and perhaps schiacciata con a’l uva, a grape pizza of sorts.

Thanksgiving is not the only time to be thankful. I’m thankful to have my dear husband, and to know that most of my family is alive and speaking to one another. Jim’s family is doing well with some losses this year and more babies we didn’t get to meet on turkey day. And every day we’re alive and living in a winter wonderland is precious and should be cherished. With All Wheel Drive. And snow tires.

The coolest thing is that six-year old Michael, upon exiting our home yesterday, said “We’ll be back tomorrow!” So I guess we have to be thankful that we’re not old fuddie-duddies like we thought we were.

Hope you’re enjoying the holiday season and not stressing too much. Cheers! Dee

Last Chanterelles

I got a pound at the last market of the season. Tomorrow I’ll brush them, cut them in large bite-sized pieces and cook them, then freeze most or all for the winter months. These are slightly larger than the others but that will just save time cleaning them.

Chanterelle mushrooms

Chanterelle mushrooms

I also got two pints of cherry tomatoes, red and orange/yellow. We’re having organic steak this evening, organic roasted red potatoes with olive oil and rosemary and garlic. Also 1/3 of the cherry tomatoes, toasted in a hot skillet with a drop of olive oil, salt, pepper and dried basil.

Jim felt like going shopping this morning (an unusual task for both of us, especially on a weekend). He finally noticed the leaves changing. I’m waiting ’til next weekend when the reds and the Aspen yellows may be at their peak, or I’ll try to make time for some good shots during the week. I don’t have a telephoto lens so have to be relatively close to the subject at hand. Fun day. We started with the chanterelles and tomatoes, placed in a huge cooler in the back of the car, then moved on to lunch, sieves for drains for kitchen and bath, and an inexpensive meat pounder so I can make my chicken saltimbocca after six months.

Then we looked at the tread on Jim’s “new” Bass shoes and it was time for a new pair, so we got socks as well and that’s how the day was spent, before prepping for dinner, after I feed and walk the dog. Must get going now. Hope you enjoyed your weekend. Cheers, Dee

p.s. 118 hits this week on How To Eat A Concord Grape! Guess it’s grape season but my first post (or one of the first, I haven’t checked) is the most viewed on this site. Go figure.