Candied Nuts Offer Wonderful Contrasts To Many Fall Dishes...And Great Snacks Too!

Nuts are distinctive and appealing.  They are slightly sweet, slightly fatty and slightly bitter.  All attractive qualities to the cook interested in balancing textures and tastes.

But nuts can be much, much more.

Gently roasting nuts can coax hidden aromas to emerge, transforming them into rich tasting morsels. Taking it a step further and putting a layer of caramelized sugar on them will emphasize the nut’s natural sweetness and create wonderful contrasts between sweet and savory.

Roasted and candied nuts are perfect during the fall months. They can be added to salads, tossed about with game dishes – especially if a fruit sauce is involved, pulverized and mixed together with a little flour and butter to create an interesting pie shell, coated in chocolate or simply enjoyed alone as a snack.

But difficulties await the uninitiated!   More...

Fresh Mountain Cranberries Make Fantastic Preserves, Chutneys, Compotes, Sauces and Pies

One of the real special treats this time of year has to be the arrival of fresh Mountain Cranberries (Preiselbeeren). You have to be quick and persistent to find these seasonal treats as they are only available for about 2-3 weeks each year and only with a few vendors at fresh food markets – but your efforts will be rewarded.

Fresh mountain cranberries make fantastic preserves, chutneys, compotes, sauces and pies. They are a core autumn ingredient throughout central and northern Europe, often paired with a variety of game dishes.

As its name suggests, the mountain cranberry is closely related to the large American cranberry. Both fruits are extensions of the Ericaceae family tree, which also bring us the blueberry. Most of these fruits are quite tart and have high concentrations of vitamin C, dietary fiber and high levels of antioxidants.     More...

Weinpavillon 2008 in Obermeilen on the 13th and 14th of September 2008

The term terroir is frequently brought up within the world of wine, and talked about as if it were the great mysterious secret in defining wine. Everyone uses the term a bit differently, which only feeds its aura. You’ve probably heard it before when listening to wine experts explaining the subtle characteristics of a particular wine, ‘oh yes, the terroir of this vineyard has left a lasting mineral note laced with slate and chalky soil underneath the layers of complex fruit hidden between fine floral notes with just the right touch of French oak.’

Yes, terroir is a great term to use when you want to impress wine drinkers with less knowledge, and this little show is often fully displayed during public wine tastings.

So what does all this have to do with the upcoming Lake Zürich wine tasting?  More...