Yummy….

Last night for din-din, I cooked bourbon and peppercorn marinated shrimp kabobs with a baked sweet potato and grilled squash.  It was a perfect summer meal on a beautiful summer evening.  I was particularly impress with the wine I had with my meal sans family.  On a whim I grabbed a bottle of Dancing Bull Sauvignon Blanc 2005 out of the cooler at my local Price Chopper.  It was on sale and i enjoy their Zinfandel, so I thought “what the hell.”  I was not disappointed.  For a mere $7.99, the wine was very well done and very “usable” as far as it would be an easy pairing with most foods but with the shrimp and the sweet potato it was perfect.  It was a fresh and juicy with bites of grapefruit, apple and, I think, pear but it was not too sweet, there was a herby-undernote that I couldn’t place but it balanced the ripe sweetness very well.  Overall, for the money, this is a sweet deal. 

It’s official…

People, I am willing to make the announcement that all the economists in the country are unwilling to make:  we are in a recession.  How do I know? you ask.  Well, aside from my C+’s in both Macro AND Micro-Economics during my prestigious education at SUNY Binghamton, I can safely say that we are in a recession because today….I. Bought. Box. Wine.  Yes, it a sad moment and I have not committed this shameful act since I was barely passing those previously mentioned Economics courses.  And I wasn’t proud of it then either, my friends. 

Our finances are stable here in Average Mom’s Castle in the Clouds, do not fret, but we embarked on our first family vacation since, well….. we became a family and it, of course, cost more then had planned for especially due to the astronomical gas prices.  So….. my vino money is on hold until payday and I was forced to succumb to that lowest of grocery store shelves and bought a box of Franzia House Crisp White Wine.  I still can’t even believe I just typed those words.  I haven’t tasted it yet but suffice to say, the fact that I had to buy it just means that I will most likely drink more than I should.

I will keep you apprised of my opinions of this fermented grape juice ( I can’t really call it wine).  It is a looming cardboard reminder, which now lives in my refrigerator, and every time I open that yellow-ish door I have the happy memories of all the reports I have heard about the decline in the housing market, the credit crisis, increasing unemployment rates and shitty teacher salaries.  Actually, I don’t need the reminder about the latter, that comes courtesy of my paycheck.      

It’s here…..

The new vintage of Red Sox wine.  The first vintage straight up sucked.  No fancy wine-speak here.  It tasted like poo, especially the Shilling Schardonnay, BUT this vintage has a Sauvignon blanc varietal that might have a chance, plus I love Sauv blancs in the summer.  Apparently there is also a Cabernet sauvignon and a Cab blend but it is so difficult to make a truly unique Cab, or blend thereof, that I have already assumed they will super-suck. 

I hope I am wrong.

How did I find out that they made it to market already……?  My husband purchased them today and tried to SNEAK THEM INTO THE MAN ROOM without me noticing them.  I think for two reasons.  First, he has been harassing me non-stop about “the recession” and “gas prices” and definitely felt guilty that he had purchased my favorite past-time because it had a picture of his favorite past-time on it. Second, HE HAS NO PLANS OF DRINKING THEM!  at all…..ever….they are destined to sit in his man-room gathering dust next to his sports almanacs and old wrestling dolls (sorry, but I don’t clean in there, my OCD has it’s limits.)  SO, this means I must buy a whole new set to taste and enjoy.  All proceeds go to charity, so really…I’m like, helping and stuff. 

By the way, I will let you know if they suck as hard as the first batch once my husband leaves for a weekend and I drink his I get a chance to actually open some up.