Tag Archives: Thanksgiving

Wine

Turkey Day Boozy Beverage Options

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Groceries are grabbed, baking is (mostly) finished, and our free range turkey from Autumn’s Harvest Farm is dry brining away. Now it’s time to focus on the booze–what to drink with a meal that includes a LOT of different flavors? So many booze choices, none of them wrong…..

Thanksgiving is a perfect occasion to serve a bunch of different beverages. They are so many foods and textures, there is no single right or wrong wine style to pair. Sparkling wines like Champagne or Prosecco are great for serving during appetizers and lighter nibbles, such as cold shrimp or cheese plates.  Bubbles are also fabulous with dessert.

Wild Brute Cabernet Franc
Wild Brute Cabernet Franc

I am a big wine drinker, and I love my dry, bold reds, so I will have a selection of bottles Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir to serve during the main event.  One of my favorites is from Wild Brute Winery, who readers will hear more about VERY soon. But wait,  isn’t turkey a bird, so you need to drink a white wine with it? Nope! Rules are made to be broken in this case. The richness will hold up against bolder flavors-go ahead and try that NY State, cool climate Pinot Noir with your turkey. Delicious! As for white wines, local Finger Lakes Rieslings are world-famous–and heavily publicized at the moment. Fox Run just made the Wine Enthusiast 100 for 2015 for their Fox Run 2011 Reserve Riesling–but at number 47, Herman J. Wiemer shows up on the SAME LIST for their 2012 Magdalena Vineyard Cabernet Franc (at 94 points, TELL ME AGAIN HOW NY STATE CAN’T MAKE QUALITY, INCREDIBLE RED WINES). Sorry, back from the rant–not all Riesling is sweet, which is a common misconception….but if you’re looking to try something different, go for a Gewurtztraminer. This German grape has a floral, almost hoppy fragrance, and the taste is spicy, fruity, and different than any other. It pairs well with lots of different flavors, without overpowering lighter foods. Give your guests a chance to try something they might not be brave enough to sip on their own!

Eve's Cidery flight
Eve’s Cidery flight

Lastly, Hard Cider is one of my favorite drinks to have with large, family style meals….especially during the fall, and harvest season. Hard apple and even pear ciders are currently enjoying a popularity swing, and several local New York State producers are making high-end artisanal, traditional styles of sparkling and still ciders (with or without bubbles). Some of my favorite local cider products are from Eve’s Cider, Bellwether Hard Cider, Redbyrd Orchard Cider, and Naked Flock Cider out of the Hudson Valley.

I’ll be posting cooking and pairing updates throughout the day tomorrow–post YOUR FAVORITE BOOZE pairings in my comments, on BoozyLife FB, or follow along live on Twitter @boozylife 🙂

Wine

Local Turkeys Hang Out at The Piggery

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Well, it’s that time again. Time for obligatory Thanksgiving blog posts! What to cook, what wine to serve, and how to survive the holidays abound. Me and the tattooer are staying local this year, and that means we’ll be putting on the traditional dinner at Casa Molina for family and friends that want to swing in. We try to keep it simple, local, and delicious….but this year we are going really LOCAL.

Turkeys roaming at Autumn's Harvest Farm in Romulus, NY
Turkeys roaming at Autumn’s Harvest Farm in Romulus, NY

First up, the turkey. In the past, my dad has had the fresh turkey hook-up from having owned a restaurant for twenty years. This year, I’m super excited to bring the bird! Today, we grabbed a little thirteen pound turkey from our friend Heather Sandford, who with husband Brad Marshall own and operate local pig farm and butcher shop The Piggery (follow the link for their beautiful blog and website). Incredibly, my husband and I were lucky enough to score a REAL PERNIL from them last Christmas, which was rated as ‘absolutely divine’– that came from Puerto Ricans that KNOW their pork, and it is VERY serious business.

The Piggery, Ithaca NY
The Piggery, Ithaca NY

The Piggery has a retail space in Ithaca (423 Franklin St, down by Red Feet Wine Store) that has a fantastic selection of their far raised pork-plus goodies from all over the Finger Lakes, from cheeses, breads, spreads and oils, plus beef and poultry sourced from Autumn’s Harvest Farms in Romulus, NY. Our little Thanksgiving turkey guy lived a happy, pasture life, wherein he roamed free and ate certified organic grains, bugs, and all the good stuff turkeys eat in real life. No factory farming here, kids. This is how our great-grandparents did it….no antibiotics or chemicals, just quality meats from well lived and cared for animals on local farms. Here is a pic of the star of the show…

The star of turkey day 2015
The star of turkey day 2015

Next up, what booze I’ll be bringing to the table…local wine, hard cider, brews, and cocktails to enjoy with your holiday spread and beyond!