Rogue Voodoo Doughnut - pretzel, raspberry and chocolate ale

Verdict 

VerdictSo we got a new beer in at work and I immediately bought it

I mean come on! I love Rogue! I love Voodoo doughnuts! I love pretzels, raspberry and chocolate! It has to be fabulous right?!?! 

Verdict: AMAZING!!! Oh my god! The raspberry is what you notice first, then the chocolate then the pretzel .. The flavor blooms in your mouth. It's exceptionally smooth. There is a nice malty quality. Fantastic dessert beer! 

Watson Girls Huckleberry Pie

My Aunt doesn't like to cook but she makes a mean pie and is great at canning chutneys, jams etc. 

This recipe comes from her and is one my mom uses as well. I tried my hand at it the first time today. 

The focus clearly is awesome huckleberries. 

Preheat oven to 350F 

I made a shortbread crust with:

2 sticks (1 cup) sweet cream salted butter

2 cups all purpose flour 

2/3 cup confectioners sugar 

I melted the butter a smidge in the microwave to soften and then mixed in the flour and sugar and mix up till well blended and resembles cookie dough 

Press into a pie pan I used a 9" but there is enough dough for 10" or 11" the crust will just be thinner. 

Bake empty pie crust 12-15 min or until golden. Set aside to cool when done and turn off the oven, you won't need it again. 

For the filling: 

Take 2-3 Tablespoons Cornstarch

mix with 1/2 cup water

In a pot on the stovetop boil

1/2-2 cups huckleberries (blueberries would work well also) 

1/3-1/2 cup sugar and the water cornstarch mix.  

Stir at a boil for about 2 minutes or until the mixture is thick.

Take off heat. 

Stir into mix 1 Tablespoon Butter and 

An additional 2 cups of fresh berries. 

Pour into cooked pie shell. 

Let set in refrigerator. 

Enjoy and get bliss end out on huckleberries 

Wine ! - Chateau Ducasse Bordeaux 2013

I have started reading The Wine Bible by Karen MacNeil because I have started working at an awesome Wine, Beer and Specialty Food store: Brix Bottleshop here in town. 

While I am pretty confident about Washington wines and to some degree Oregon and Idaho wines my global knowledge is a little lacking. This book has mostly good reviews and is used in several sommolier training courses so I thought it would be a good guide. My friend Justina ( who is knowledgable to the utmost) hates it for some reason, but I am reading on with caution. 

The first area covered in the book is Bordeaux so tonight I sampled a lovely white variety: 

The Chateau Ducasse Bordeaux 2013 reasonably priced around $16. 

The nose is subtle, a bit mineral and floral with a bit of citrus. 

Initially in the mouth, the wine has light lemon zest and orange blossom with a bit of nice mineral, it softens by the end with a touch of honey. 

This is a very lovely drinkable wine indeed I'm finding it hard to limit myself to one glass. It fills the mouth with subtle complex flavor in a fantastic smooth way and is excellent with food. 

Tonight I made a ratatouille/polenta bake hibrid with eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, polenta and onion with a bit of Italian herbs, ricotta and Parmesan and the wine partnered quite well. 

This is one I will most definitely come back to.... Some day after I explore a bunch of other wines on my journey through the Wine Bible.