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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 6, 2016)
Page 4C EAT, DRINK & EXPLORE East Oregonian Saturday, August 6, 2016 An exciting wine trail in Walla Walla By DORYS C. GROVER For the East Oregonian It’s no longer a secret — the vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley on the borders of Oregon and Washington are producing some of the award-winning wines and top wine grape growing regions in the world.. On an overcast, warm Sunday afternoon we (Janyth Hotchkiss, Patricia O’Day and I) visited ive wineries where vineyards were marching in perfect rows across the hills of this historic region that is famous for the Marcus Whitman Mission, the Battle of Frenchtown, and Old Fort Walla. With water, the rocky soil has proven ideal for the newest desig- nated American Viticultural Area (AVA). Within the Walla Walla Valley AVA lies The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater, Oregon, AVA, which was approved in early 2015. The distinguishing feature of The Rocks District is its soil, which consists primarily of dark-colored basalt cobblestones. Syrah and Cabemet Sauvignon account for almost half of the planted vineyards here. The district takes its name from the Walla Walla River, where smoothed cobblestones are scat- tered across some 2,800 hundred acres of planted vineyards. The rocky soil adds to drainage so that the vines root deeper, which provides advantage to the plants. The sun-baked rocks give warmth to the soil and aids to growth so that the grapes ripen during the early autumn months. The secret to a great glass of wine rests with roots in its vineyards. We picked up a free visitor’s Photo contributed by Dorys Grover Janyth Hotchkiss and Patricia O’Day sample wine at Basel Cellars in Walla Walla on July 10, 2016. guide and found that there are currently some 84 vineyards in the valley. Many have attractive tasting rooms where gold and silver medals and blue, yellow and white ribbons grace bottles of their products. The irst winery we visited was College Cellars. Students from viticulture classes of the Institute of Enology and Viticulture at Walla Walla Community College study for careers to become wine tasters or vineyard owners. They have a hands-on experience in wine making, viticulture practices, and wine marketing and sales. “The student winemakers in 2014 produced the hottest vintage in eastern Washington,” according to Eli Magun, wine hospitality manager at College Cellars tasting room. The Collegiate viticulture wines featured dozens of grape varieties, contributing to the subtle complexity of student winemaking award winning wines. Magun poured a sparkling 100 percent Riesling (September 2014 harvest) from the vineyards of Les Collines, Cockbum Ranch, and Leonette Loess. The wine won two silver medals: Seattle and San Francisco Chronicle wine competi- tions. A wine we particularly liked was a 2013 Scholarship Red that won six medals, including a gold from Texas Monthly. We met Woody (Joshua Wood), hospitality manager at Basel Cellars, which was featuring seven wines, a 2015 “2901” white blend; 2014 Estate Semillon; 2011 Claret; 2011 Merlot; 2011 Malbec; 2006 Syrah, and a 2011 Cabemet Sauvignon. The Merlot had a lingering juicy lavor and the dark Malbec had smooth, full-bodied lavor of berries (blackberries and black cherries). Either would be a ine dinner wine. The Cabemet was lusty, with oak-fruit lingering on the palate. This wine would age well. Photo contributed by Dorys Grover Basel Cellars is one of more than 100 wineries in Walla Walla. Basel Cellars has a beautiful lodge for overnight guests and a ine restaurant. On the grounds is a swimming pool. Hiking, bird watching, and horseback riding are available. Bryant Williams, the tasting room associate at Amavi Cellars, gave us good advice about several wines. Patricia purchased a 2014 Ceres, which is a 100 percent Tempranillo varietal. Amavi is well-known for their Syrah, which had a rich color and tasted of various fruits with low tannins. Their Semillon had a fresh, fruity taste. With darkness approaching, we pulled into The Flying Trout winery and had a brief tasting. A 2013 Deep River Red was quite nice with a lingering spicy taste. They featured their famous Malbec and Malbec blends, which Janyth particularly likes. Our last stop was Balboa winery, which was closed. In the past we have purchased their Syrah and Malbec and they have some very ine red varietal blends, not to mention their excellent Cabemet Sauvignon, and Gren- ache-based blends. Most of the wineries have special membership rates and will ship their products. The city of Walla Walla is charming, with a mix of old and new, and an emphasis on new technology. Transportation to Walla Walla may be by air. RV parks, wine tours, and car rentals are available. The historic Marcus Whitman Hotel and many national motels provide guests for housing, and the city has many ine restaurants. The Washington wine country ranges from Yakima west to eastern Washington. ——— Dr. Dorys Grover is a member of the International Wine and Food Society, Northeast Texas Chapter A crispy variation on the Caprese salad By ELIZABETH KARMEL Associated Press The Caprese salad of fresh mozzarella, basil and tomatoes is universally loved. I personally make it all summer long and although I mix up the tomatoes based on what I can buy at the farmers’ market, it is virtually the same every time. Since it is tomato season and we waited a long time for this moment, I looked for a new take on a summer favorite — and found it in “Cravings,” model Chrissy Teigen’s cookbook that she co-wrote with Gourmet magazine alumna Adeena Sussman. Teigen adds a few new elements: She uses burrata — fresh mozzarella with a creamy center — and cuts the tomatoes in different shapes and sizes, some slices, some wedges. She omits the traditional basil and adds arugula and delicious, crunchy prosciutto chips, which take this Caprese from ordinary good to extraordinary great. The prosciutto chips (she calls them crisps) are easy to prepare and make such a difference that I can’t believe that I never thought of baking thin slices of prosciutto into “chips.” You can substitute them in almost any recipe that calls for bacon. Once the prosciutto bakes and cools, it is crispy and crunchy, salty and addictive. You’ll ind this a welcome addition to an already popular summer recipe. ——— Elizabeth Karmel is a barbecue and Southern foods expert. She is the chef and pit master at online retailer CarolinaCueToGo.com and the author of three books, including “Taming the Flame.” Sara Moulton via AP Stuffed eggs with tuna, topped with dill, and guacamole, topped with tomatoes. Revitalize stuffed eggs with tuna, salmon or guacamole By SARA MOULTON Associated Press AP Photo/Richard Drew Caprese salad with crispy prosciutto. CAPRESE SALAD WITH CRISPY PROSCIUTTO Adapted from “Cravings: Recipes for All the Food You Want to Eat,” by Chrissy Teigen Start to inish: 20 minutes Serves 6 • 4 cups baby arugula • 1 (8-ounce) ball burrata or fresh mozzarella cheese • 2 pounds assorted ripe tomatoes cut in a variety of shapes (wedges, slices, chunks, etc.) • 3 tablespoons best-quality olive oil • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar • 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper • 6-12 prosciutto crisps (recipe follows) Scatter the arugula on a serving platter and place the cheese in the center. Arrange the tomatoes around the cheese. Cut a small opening in the burrata/mozzarella ball so you can see the center, and then drizzle olive oil all around the platter. Drizzle balsamic vinegar on the tomatoes and arugula. Season the entire salad with the salt and pepper and top with the prosciutto crisps. PROSCIUTTO CRISPS Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the prosciutto in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake until wrinkled and slightly shrunken, 11 to 13 minutes. (It will crisp as it cools.) Cool, eat whole as a snack, or crumble and use as a garnish for salads, eggs, or anything that could use crispness and ham. (For me, that’s everything.) Nutrition information per serving: 245 calories; 158 calories from fat; 18 g fat (7 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 42 mg cholesterol; 862 mg sodium; 8 g carbohydrate; 2 g iber; 5 g sugar; 14 g protein. If it’s already time to start gearing up for school — and if you’re open to rethinking the typical lunch box fare, consider losing the sandwich and embracing the stuffed egg. There’s nothing more elemental and satisfying than good bread, but the standard loaf is loaded with empty calories. Eggs, by contrast, are low-carb, high-protein and gluten-free. And just about anything you can slide between two slices of bread can also be stuffed into a hard-cooked egg. Still, I’m not talking about the typical version, loaded with mayo and a sprinkling of paprika. I mean eggs illed with any number of more substantial, and tastier, ingredients — from tuna or avocado to chicken or roast beef. First, how to boil an egg. As a student of Julia Child, I spent decades “boiling” eggs the way she taught us, which was, in fact, not to boil them. She started by putting the eggs in a pot of cold water, then brought the water up to a boil. Next she turned off the heat, covered the pan and let the eggs sit until they were hard-cooked. Finally, to stop them from cooking, she pulled the eggs out of the pot and chilled them briely in a bowl of ice water. This method results in egg whites that are more tender than if they had been conventionally boiled. Then a few years ago, I heard from a couple from Chicago who suggested steaming the eggs. This method turns out to be easier to time than the no-boil method because you don’t have to wait for the water to heat up. But much more important is the end result: the whites are ridiculously tender. HARD-BOILED EGGS Start to inish: 40 minutes (5 minutes active) Servings: Makes 6 hard-boiled eggs • 6 large eggs Fit a collapsible steamer inside a medium saucepan and ill the saucepan with about 1 inch of water or to just below the level of the steamer basket. No water should be touching the eggs. Put the lid on top of the pan and bring the water to a medium-high boil over medium-high heat. Using a large, long-handled, slotted spoon, place the eggs in a single layer in the steamer, being careful not to burn your hand with the steam. Steam the eggs for 12 minutes. Transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice and water and let them cool completely. This will take 20 to 30 minutes. When they are cool, crack them all over and peel under cold running water, starting at the wide end of the egg and making sure to get under the membrane (which makes it easier to peel the egg). TUNA OR SALMON STUFFED EGGS Servings: 12 stuffed egg halves • One 3.5 ounce can tuna or regular salmon, or smoked salmon, drained • 6 large hard-boiled eggs • ¼ cup mayonnaise • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice • 2 tablespoons minced celery, plus celery leaves for garnish In a medium bowl mash the tuna with a fork until it is in small lakes. Cut the eggs in half and remove the yolks. Add the yolks to the tuna and mash the mixture well. Stir in the mayonnaise, lemon juice and celery; salt and pepper to taste. Mound a heaping spoonful of the yolk mixture into the cavity of the whites and garnish with the celery leaves. GUACAMOLE EGGS Servings: 12 stuffed egg halves • 1 medium ripe Hass avocado (about ¾ cup) • 6 large hard-boiled eggs • 3 tablespoons minced scallions • 2 to 3 teaspoons minced serrano chile (with the seeds and ribs) or to taste • 1 tablespoon mayonnaise • 2 to 3 teaspoons fresh lime juice, or to taste • Coarsely chopped cherry tomatoes, sprinkled with kosher salt for garnish In a medium bowl mash the avocado with a fork until it is mostly smooth with a few lumps. Cut the eggs in half and remove the yolks. Add the yolks to the avocado and mash the mixture until it is smooth. Stir in the scallions, chile, mayonnaise, lime juice and salt and pepper to taste. Mound a heaping spoonful of the yolk mixture into the cavity of the whites and garnish with the chopped tomatoes. TUNA OR SALMON STUFFED EGGS Nutrition information per serving: 86 calories; 56 calories from fat; 6 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 99 mg cholesterol; 68 mg sodium; 0 g carbohydrate; 0 g iber; 0 g sugar; 7 g protein. GUACAMOLE EGGS Nutrition information per serving: 62 calories; 43 calories from fat; 5 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 94 mg cholesterol; 64 mg sodium; 1 g carbohydrate; 1 g iber; 0 g sugar; 3 g protein.
