This family of fine wine is named after the matriarch who came from Italy, Elena Napoli.
peter pearce photo
Bodega ELENA de Mendoza, Argentina
2010 RED BLEND
62% Malbec
21% Syrah
17% Bonarda
This family has developed some top wines from Argentina that I happen to enjoy. The Malbec and the Red Blend from Bodega Elena de Mendoza are my favorites.
According to the web, the “legs” or “tears” of wine that run down the inside of the wine glass are a sign of alcohol. The heavier the legs, the lower the alcoholic content of the wine. If this is in fact true, then these wines are low in alcohol and big in flavor. The legs may be attributed to sugar, I don’t know.
This Red Blend, like it’s sister Malbec, is loaded with solid flavors and not too sweet.
It’s not too dry either, but just right. These wines will slowly undress for your tongue, landing softly, pleasuring your taste buds, leaving you wanting another sip.
This tasty limited edition Malbec was also grown and bottled in the Mendoza region of Argentina and is imported by WX Imports, Novato, CA
Do Not Confuse with the 2011 which wasn’t good.
www.espueladelgaucho.com
This is another fine Malbec that is now on my Top 5 Malbec list. Not as good as my favorite, Bodega de ELENA, but gets close. This winning wine is a 2012, so maybe could use a year to age, but is a very good selection.
The Espuela del Gaucho has unique, slow running, heavy legs. It carries a lighter body, that lands gently on the tongue, joyfully leaving hints of mixed berries grown in the fresh Andes air and then drifts away.
This is another quality Malbec from Argentina, that any California cab or Merlot drinker will enjoy for under $12.
New Orleans has much history and many things cultural to share that a creative human can appreciate and enjoy.
photo: Pete Pearce
The city has flavored many musicians, jazz and otherwise as well as helped season many top chefs.
Another gift of New Orleans is the Po’ Boy sandwich. (www.poboyfest.com/history)
Pictured here is my homemade tribute to the Catfish Po’ Boy with pepper jack cheese. Ingredients procured and fish fried at Ralph’s market seafood section.
Imagine that table filled with platters of various appetizers, while us guests sip sangria served up by kitchen mermaid Rachael Ray and enjoy the smells of BBQing meats by another of my favorite grillers wafting in from outside through the open french doors to the patio.
In the meantime, the musical entertainment plays and we wait for the Dude of Food to throw the fresh coconut crusted cod in the pans heating up on the grill of this kitchen in the home of some fabulous people for all to enjoy
This is the Dudes favorite Malbec yet! This is the first of the bottles that I have opened that came with a real cork. Good 1st impression. Upon tasting this wine, I was immediately aware that the taste game had changed.
The bar had been raised. This is serious wine. This full bodied wine smoothly drifts over your taste buds, dangling flavors of blackberries and plums, leaving a rejoicing smile and desire for more.
There was no crazy tinny aftertaste. This was immediately my new favorite Malbec.
If it is a dollar more than the other Malbec’s in this price range, pay it! Get this Malbec!
(Note) April 2013 issue of Bon Appetite magazine includes McCormick gourmet selection recommending this wine also.
Chef Alex, from Border Grill Santa Monica, creates a special that happened to be one the Dude of Food will never forget. This egg dish has been raved about to all my friends in the neighborhood. The shell is pancake batter. The inside is poached.
If you like to be refreshed with a delicious fresh squeezed orange juice mimosa, then you need to get yourself over to the Border Grill in Santa Monica one of these weekends. Bartender Geronimo will keep an eye on your glass so you can concentrate on what awesome dish to order next.
Once you get your whistle wetted, it’s time to settle into an entree section with some incredible dishes to choose from. Chef Alex prepares these dishes with a full spectrum of forethought and care. The meats are naturally raised. All of the produce is organically grown on local farms.
The shrimp grits were pretty good and a great way to begin. The shrimps were big and they had a cajun taste to them that reminded me of Drew Brees and the Saints. The Yucatan eggs benedict stoked my taste buds pretty hard. The flaky crusted bisquit was light and perfect.
The next thing I had was another mimosa, and the steak and eggs. This experience was cool.
It seemed I just couldn’t go wrong.
The beef came and reminded of that delicious skirt steak from the Brazilian steak house. It was tender and tasty with a perfectly cooked egg on it.
I was loving it.
Geronimo brought me another mimosa and chef Alex made some machaca chilaquiles for me. I was having a really good time just hanging out and enjoying really delicious food. The chilaquiles and mimosa came and my day just kept getting better. The tender chunks of beef were in a tasty sauce with guacamole, light eggs and pico de gallo. Delicious.
The next thing I tried were the Oaxacan pancakes. These were super yummy. They were light and had Mexican chocolate chips and coffee caramel syrup with whipped cream on them. Like I said, they were really good.
The staff at the Border Grill is amazing. I have tried both the downtown and Santa Monica spots and have found everyone to be really friendly and knowledgeable. This proved true again and my crush on the Border Grill became stronger.
The next item i tried was the peanut butter & jelly with bacon, egg and jalapeno sandwich. It was not my favorite thing, but I have to say it was pretty good. Standing on it’s own it was good, but the other dishes were just so tasty that they all couldn’t be the best.
Chef Alex came out and introduced himself and was another really nice person from the Border Grill tribe.
He was real cool, knowledgeable and hospitable. He let me in on a secret and made me the daily special ‘special’ which was a pork tenderloin wrapped in bacon with an egg. Again my taste buds danced and my good time continued.
The level of awareness is respectable. These folks have earned their places and a lot of thought and preparation goes into this operation to ensure your good experience.
A friend of mine arrived and she tried some of the things i hadn’t so I tasted the bisquit and gravy and the bread pudding french toast. The french toast is another favorite.
This brunch happens in Santa Monica from 10am-3p and if you like food or mimosas, then the Dude highly recommends you give this a try. If you don’t like this you’re still a caveman.
One of histories oldest dishes, that many folks refer to as Italian food, is actually from Greece. Early layered pasta creations existed in ancient Greece and were mentioned as early as 146 B.C. Later, in the Naples region of Italy, this dish became a staple and grew in popularity becoming what we now know as lasagna. Motto bene.
Come share the secrets of easily creating a delicious lasagna as the Dude of Food prepares lasagna before your eyes.
