infusions

Deborah
We are on the edge of Spring and I am bouncing with joy. The longer days mean the growing season can really begin. I had the incredible good fortune to be invited to tour a NYC public school's new rooftop greenhouse, courtesy of Wellness in the Schools (WITS) and New York Sunworks. WITS worked tirelessly to get the (massive) funding for this fantastic project. The pictures tell the whole story. I will only add that we were also invited to taste the crops, picking cherry tomatoes right off the vine and plucking tender baby greens from their hydroponic homes. Heaven!

 

Isn't this sublime!? This pristine space is used for growing and teaching. What lucky students. The blue tub in the center is a fish pond that houses tilapia. Not for eating! They do something nutritious for the plants with the waste.

 

Cherry Tomatoes!

 

Cucumbers!

 Snap peas!

Hydroponically grown greens and herbs.

Everything was so fresh and green. The air made you woozy from all the Oxygen.

In case you were wondering if worm poop was good for anything.

A nibble on this kale confirmed that it was as tender as any lettuce I have ever eaten. Now this is a kale salad I would be interested in.

As a Wellness in the Schools cook I was invited to work with a few of our other cooks to come up with a harvest tasting menu to present to the entire school next month- eight hundred servings! We naturally thought of salads and are now planning the details for this exciting event. In order to showcase the leafy greens we are preparing a selection of vinaigrettes to dress them with. One way to get some variety into a standard oil and vinegar emulsion is to create some fruit infused vinegars. The fruit will give the vinaigrette a distinctively perfume-y yet subtle fruity flavor.

 

To pursue this thought and in an experimenting mood I picked up a ripe mango at my corner grocery store. Mangos come into season in May (in the Caribbean, that is) so I am pushing things a bit, but we in NY are the lucky recipients of the imported crop, so mangos in their season are worth seeking out, even here. Strawberries, again I'm pushing it, will be everywhere soon (ish) and citrus fruits are on the way out from the winter season. So stradling all this and common sence be damned, I made a few infusions for my own consumption and I would be happy to share them with you if you would like to come over for a salad.

 Get yourself some tender leafy greens; they will soon be flooding the farmers markets.

Infused vinegars: mango, strawberry and tangerine

Fruit Infused Vinegars

•Use 1/4-1/2 cup of fruit to 1 cup of cider vinegar. 

•For citrus fruits use just the peel and add a tablespoon of the zest.

•Wash and chop the fruit and smash it a bit with the back of a spoon or the side of a knife to bruise it a bit.

•Put the fruit and the vinegar in a clean jar and cover. Leave in a cool dark place or fridge for at least 24 hours.

•Strain the fruit out before using.

The strawberry vinegar is my favorite. The sweet springtime flavor really comes through. The tangerine vinegar has a beautiful bouquet. The mango vinegar had the more subtle flavor. I suggest using the ripest mango possible. Young tender salad greens will be elevated to a fragrant high when you dress them with these vinegars.

Amanda

I am in awe of all that WITS is accomplishing. Any plans for Mr. Telepan to launch it nationally??!! What an incredible gift he (and his staff) are giving to the children.

These infused vinegars sound wonderful! And simple! You can choose your wine based on the choice of fruit. For example, for a vinaigrette using strawberry, or cherry infused vinegar, pick a bright Rose with lot of ripe fruit flavors. The wines you choose should have good acidity to stand up to the acidity of the vinegar. For citrus infused vinegars, opt for a crisp Sauvignon Blanc with the characteristic citrus flavors. A bright, bubbly will work also, like Prosecco. Rieslings are also know as being highly acidic wines, and work very well with salad too. In fact, this would be a great option for a vinaigrette using mango-infused vinegar.

The main thing you want to do when pairing a salad with wine is to create flavors that are in balance. If your wine does not have enough acidity, and the dressing is to overpowering, it will fall flat. It might be a good idea to use a little more oil when making your vinaigrette - this will soften the acidity thus making it more wine-friendly. The fruit, too, will soften the acidity of the vinegar. Adding a bit of cheese to your salad is also a great idea! Cheese serves as a great neutralizer for vinegar's astringent acidity. These tips should make your wine and salad pairing much easier!

Here's to Spring and all the beautiful, healthful gifts nature has to offer us!

And congrats, Deb, for all the wonderful things you and WITS are achieving together! You are truly making a difference.

What's that green?

-DeborahWalking across Central Park this Friday afternoon I was floating on air; the promise of a new season had me elevated. Good fortune found me with my camera. Bad fortune showed the battery quickly dying. I managed to shoot a few Springtime sightings before the camera went black.

Daffodils are beginning to pop up at the 69th Street entrance on Central Park West.

Buds!

and more buds!

The grass is doing its damnedest to make an appearance.

Even the sea lions at the zoo were taking advantage of the blast of sunshine.

My giddy mood altered quickly when I got home to discover my sweetie hubby sick and cranky with a wicked head cold. SOUP was all he wanted, so I got down to business, looked into my empty cupboard and fridge and improvised a simple miso soup to soothe his throat and warm the belly.

Miso soup is so easy to make and it can handle a variety of ingredients. The miso paste itself comes in several types. I like a medium flavored miso (red) for soups rather than the dark versions (barley) or the light (white) misos. I'm not a connoisseur, but I find the medium color the most versatile. It is fun to sample different misos to see which you prefer.

MISO SOUP
Preparation:
•Heat up a quart of water or vegetable stock in a saucepan.
•When it comes to a boil add a cup of thinly sliced or grated vegetables
-some possibilities are scallions, carrots, winter squash, summer squash, mushrooms, sprouts, leafy greens, tofu, green beans, sea vegetables
•cook for about five minutes until the vegetables are tender.
•add a swig of soy sauce.
•add a small bundle of rice noodles, stir and cook five more minutes.
•place a quarter cup of miso into a stainer and lower the strainer into the soup pot stirring to dissolve the miso into the broth, do not let soup boil once miso has been added.
•taste and adjust seasoning
•serve

My husband was grateful for the steaming savory liquid, but seriously questioned what the green stuff was. SPINACH, eat it!

Amanda I would love a glass of wine right now. Forget the miso soup. What will make me think of Spring?

Amanda
In the wine world, nothing shouts "Spring" more than a beautiful, crisp glass of Rose! I haven't gone that route yet. Rather I am waiting, ever so patiently, for that first perfect Spring day. I don't want my first sip of Rose for the year to be wasted on a not-so-great day. I wait too long for that moment to have it thrown away if the weather is not "just right". So I will continue to wait.

There's nothing like sipping a glass of Rose outside, on a warm, sunny Spring day. Extremely versatile when it comes to food, pair a pretty pink wine with barbeque, grilled vegetables, salads, fish, and even omelets. There are so many wonderful values out there, and a plethora of styles to choose from. For a bigger, bolder style, seek out a Rose from the Bordeaux region of France. The Chateau Fontenille Bordeaux Clairet is a fine example, and only $11.99! A blend of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, this Rose is full of fresh fruit and fine character. For something more crisp and light, France offers plenty of options. Look for something from Tavel, or Cotes de Provence. Domaine Ott, while pricey, can offer beautiful representations of Provence. Their Les Domaniers is a spicey blend of Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah. At around $22 it's not necessarily an "everyday" wine - but it is worth the price! Looking for something with loads of fruit? Check out a Rose from Chile, Spain or Argentina. One of my perennial favorites is the Crios Rose of Malbec from Susanna Balbo. This Argentine gem can be found in the $10 price range.

Roses are fun, warm-weather wine. Remember, these are meant to be enjoyed when young - do not cellar these. Make sure the ones you are buying are recent vintages too - look for 2010's. Stay away from anything like 2008 or before. So, go stock up on some Roses! Crack open a bottle on the first perfect Spring day that comes your way!

popped!

I kind of find it therapeutic, actually. Put on some music, have a little drink.  It's very different to cooking in a school kitchen. It's like having a massage, really.

-Jamie Oliver speaking about cooking at home for his family 

(from interview with Patt Morrison LA Times)

-Deborah

The music is on, the drink is poured. Let the massage begin! Jamie Oliver cracks me up. He is a very earnest bloke and I really admire his work. His heart and soul are truly in the right place. I am trying to imagine cooking at home as a massage and while I would not quite phrase it that way I get what he means. It is relaxing and keeps you loose and toned, both stimulated and at peace. On a good day at least! 

This week my cooking mind went blank. End of winter ingredient options are not that exciting any more. I don't know where it came from exactly, but I started having a craving for popcorn. Not the stuff you make in the microwave, but the stove top version made from whole kernels. 

This is the way I made it as a kid, in a wide pot with a coating of vegetable oil at the bottom, heated high until the three or four test kernels I had thrown in would pop. My rule of thumb then is to cover the bottom of the pot with a single layer of kernels, cover and shake. If the popping gets too frenzied and you are concerned about burning, move the pot off the flame for a few seconds periodically to allow the heat to come down. 

Popcorn can be found in farmers markets and health food stores.  It would probably be worth going organic on this one if you can. My Grenada spice mix (sea salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and bay) was still beckoning me so I sprinkled that on top of my popped corn with a little drizzle of melted butter. What a treat! Surprisingly, the cloves in the spice mix really stood out and tasted amazing on the popcorn. I could not stop eating it. (Maybe that is not such a good thing?)  Other spice mixes would work equally well. Try curry powder or chili powder or even a blend of dried herbs. 

Popcorn with wine? Why not? It makes a great snack or party appetizer. The seasoning can be whatever you want and you could make the case that it is healthy or at least not heinously UNhealthy, so enjoy!

Amanda
I totally agree with Jamie Oliver. I find cooking extremely therapeutic - the chopping, dicing, mincing, etc. It's hypnotic. It relaxes me and just puts me completely someplace else, mentally. It's my "go to" drug so to speak.

I am tired of microwaving popcorn. In fact, I use the microwave less and less and would just love to get rid of the thing already. Next time I make popcorn, I will definitely use this method, especially since it means I don't have to go out and buy a new popcorn maker. I never would have thought of just cooking it on the stove, in a pot. Love this idea.

I would not get crazy over a wine pairing of course. Anything will do - just decide what you are in the mood for, and what the setting and occasion are. For a night curled up with a good book or movie, I would sip on something comforting - red perhaps that's rich and "warm". I might even pour myself a snifter of cognac or armagnac, especially if it is a chilly night. If this is part of party starters, I'm drinking Prosecco or Cava. If the boys want to enjoy it for their poker night or baseball game with the guys, a seasonal beer might be fun, e.g. Sam Adams Summer Ale on a warm night.

For this particular fun snack idea, I would not pair with the ingredients but rather with the context of the setting, the company, and your frame of mind!

The Spice Island

Deborah

Nutmeg growing on the tree, Grenada's most famous crop.

The best way to kick the prolonged winter blues is to get out of town. Last week, spent in the incredible Caribbean island of Grenada, was completely restorative and beyond inspiring! This charming island hosts a rain forest and is dense with lush beauty. We saw a lot of rain while there which is unusual for this time of year, but the result is a lot of healthy greenery. The people of Grenada are so kind, warm, and gracious my heart was captured the minute I arrived.

The Grand Etang Forest Reserve in Grenada has trails for hiking.

The Seven Sisters waterfalls was a short hike into the forest. The water was really that green and a perfect temperature for cooling off. Too bad we didn't get to see any monkeys.

Pink Gin Beach, a dramatically beautiful beach on the southern tip with billowing clouds worthy of a Turner painting.

Sea shells collected by the 

sea shore

Ahhhhhhh, paradise!

The benefits of rain!

Lest you think all I did was walk around with my jaw hanging open admiring all the natural beauty, let me assure you that my jaw was also moving up and down quite a bit eating all the delicious local delicacies the island has to offer. The smell of nutmeg follows you just about everywhere and that is not a bad thing as far as I am concerned. I had nutmeg waffles, nutmeg ice cream and nutmeg scented polenta, just to name a few spectacular offerings. The resort where we (husband and I) stayed was the incomparable LaSource. The food was fantastic and much local produce was featured. I began to take notice of the braised vegetable dishes that usually contained pumpkin and chayote, two very typical Caribbean crops. 

The green chayote is about the size of a large grapefruit. These whole spices which include nutmeg and cloves are sold strung together as natural air fresheners for your kitchen. I bought mine from a beach vendor. (Check out my friend Pat's blog post about shopping on the beaches of Grenada.)

These vegetables are easy to cook, have great flavor and are very satisfying. Pumpkin has a nice creamy texture and sweet nutty flavor. Chayote (or christophene) has a crisp watery texture and a light bright flavor. The two combined create an attractive dish. I picked up a Grenadian spice mix at the market which is a blend of cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and bay leaves. I am going to be using it to season EVERYTHING for a while.

I cannot say enough about the wonderful island of Grenada, it is well worth making a visit to this very special place!

Braised Pumpkin and Chayote with Grenadian Spices

2 Tbs. butter

2 cups cubed pumpkin

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 cups cubed chayote

1/4 teas. ground nutmeg

1/4 teas. ground cloves

1/4 teas. cinnemon

1/2 cup water (or coconut milk) 

1/2 lime

3 Tbs. toasted peppitas for garnish

Heat butter in a saute pan and add the cubed pumpkin and the salt and pepper. Cook stirring frequently for 10 minutes till the pumpkin is almost cooked through. Add the chayote, the spices and the water. stir to copat all the vegetables with the butter, pan juices and spices. Cover and cook for another ten minutes till the chayote is tender. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 lime over the vegetables and top with toasted pepitas.

To toast the peppitas (pumpkin seeds) lay them flat in a pan, sprinkle with a little olive oil and salt  and place in 350 oven for 5 minutes till lightly golden brown.

Amanda
Welome home! Sounds (and looks) like you had a marvelous trip! The pictures are gorgeous. I hope you came back well-rested! As for your delectable recipe...I have looked up and down for pumpkin this time of year and have been unable to come across any. Where did you find it? And, is the chayote readily available? That is a vegetable (or fruit?) I am entirely unfamiliar with.

Gewurztraminer would be a very interesting, and I'm sure beautiful, choice for this dish. Typically off-dry, this grape produces wines with astounding floral aromas. Flavors of lychee and passionfruit are common. Gewurz (it's nickname) is incredibly unique and really cannot be compared to any other wine. Loaded with spice, it would complement the Grenadian spices in Deb's dish perfectly.

To find the finest expression of Gewurz, look for one from Alsace, France. Styles range from dry to very sweet. The sweet wines are perhaps among the most delicious I have ever experienced - they are indeed heavenly. But for Deb's recipe, I would stick with dry or slightly off-dry.

And, as an "aside"...20 more days till Spring! Yay! Looking forward to switching culinary gears and loading up on all of nature's Springtime goodies!

spicy potatoes

Deborah
A sign of impending Spring,  forced forsythia branches from my backyard.

We are heading into the home stretch. I can just feel it. The days are getting longer and the wind has shifted, blowing in the beginning of a new season. Don't hang your coat up yet. There are still plenty of cold days to go, but the countdown to warmth has begun.
Cooking remains back to basics until the farmers markets kick in again. I am looking at potatoes with a weary eye, but not giving up hope. I came across a Thai version of these stir fry potatoes and decided to give them a try using the chili's my sister brought back for me from her recent trip to Cambodia.

Needless to say I got a little carried away with the chilies when preparing this recipe, overly excited by my special ingredient, I ended up making it a little too spicy for my husband to eat. Sorry sweetie. I loved it, spicy is always good for me. The chopped scallions give the dish a burst of freshness and some needed color.

This dish is easy to make and quite delicious to eat. Watch out for the chilies and make it as spicy as you like.

Spicy Wok Fried Potatoes

• boil 4 unpeeled red potatoes in a pot of salted water till cooked tender (the potato will slide off a knife when stabbed)
• drain potatoes and coarsely chop them.
• heat about 3 Tbs. canola oil in a wok
• add 2-6 dried chilies, depending on your taste
• stir fry the chilies for barely a minute then add the potatoes. Cook on high heat stirring frequently for about 3 minutes. Let the potatoes get brown and crispy.
• add one bunch of chopped scallions and salt to taste and continue to stir fry for another minute.
serves 2

With the leftovers (the portion my husband wouldn't eat) the next day, I adding a couple of beaten eggs to the potatoes and pan fried them to make something akin to a Spanish tortilla. Wonderful!

Amanda
Mmmmm. Spicy, fried potatoes. Doesn't get much better than that! And I love what you did with the leftovers! Such a great idea! The perfect wine for this meal jumped out at me immediately. It was the spicy element of the chilies that immediately cried out for a "sweet-ish" Riesling. The reason for me is really two-fold. First, a wine slightly on the sweet side is really what you want to look to pair with spicy foods. The sweetness of the wine will quell the heat of the chilies, which is very important. A drier wine, higher in alcohol, will only intensify the heat. Plus, the heat will destroy the flavors of the wine. So, sweetness is definately a quality you want to look for. Second, Rieslings are acidic wines. The acid of the wine will help cut through and balance the richness of the oil.

Remember, when you are pairing wine with food, you want to pay attention to the dominant flavors (sauces, dressing, spices) in the dish. For particularly spicy dishes, you want to stay away from a lot of reds - especially ones high in tannin. If you are really craving a red, look for a simple Grenache perhaps. There will be an abundance of fruit which can work well with spicier foods.

To become acquainted with Riesling, look for German wines from St Urbans Hof or Peter Mertes. Trimbach, from Alsace is another terrific producer worth seeking out. These producers all make wines in the $10-$15 price range.

a fine romance

Deborah

 Cards for everyone in the family. Gotta spread the love!

There is something romantic about a tart. Even the word TART sounds sexy and risque! With Valentine's day on our doorstep my fancy has turned towards pastry crust. In particular I am thinking about a whole wheat crust for a savory tart. Improbably for this time of year I could not shake the desire to fill my tart shell with zucchini. Potatoes and mushrooms would help fill it out.

By sauteing the vegetables before adding them to the crust the flavors get built up. The idea is to cut the vegetables into a small dice so they cook quickly and stay tender.

The crust I had in mind was a simple whole wheat crust. I found a recipe online and then tweaked it a bit. The results were divine! The crust tasted great and had a truly delicate texture which is exactly what I was after. For the filling I added a few eggs and some cheese to the vegetables, almost like a quiche, but a little less eggy. This tart makes a nice starter to a romantic dinner or could be served as part of a breakfast, say, in bed!

Zucchini Potato Mushroom Tart

The Filling:
2 medium zucchinis cut into a small dice
1 cup mushrooms, cut into a small dice
1 medium red potato, cut into a small dice
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbs. Butter
2 Tbs olive oil
2 eggs beaten
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup cheese coarsely grated (fontina, chedder, grueyer, or goat)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the the oil and the butter in a saute pan. Add the zucchini and the garlic and cook quickly for 4-5 minutes until the zucchini browns a bit and is tender. Remove zucchini from pan and put into a bowl. Put the potatoes in the pan and saute for 7-8 minutes until the potatoes are tender and brown in spots. Put the cooked potatoes in the same bowl with the zucchini. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook for 5 minutes until tender. Add the mushrooms to the bowl with the other vegetables. In a separate bowl mix the eggs, the cheeses and the milk and then pour it over the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the tart shell and bake at 350 for 25 minutes until set.

The Tart Shell:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white flour
1/2 cup butter (cold), cut into small pieces
2 Tbs. vegetable shortening
1 Tbs. sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4-5 Tbs. Milk

Put the flours, the salt and the sugar in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter, bit by bit, pulsing once or twice with each addition. Add the shortening and pulse a few more times. Slowly add the milk, one Tbs. at a time, pulsing as you go untill the dough just comes togetther. Remove dough from the food processor and wrap in plastic wrap, flattening the dough into a disc. Refridgerate dough for one hour.
Heat oven to 4oo degrees. Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it out on a flat surface between two pieces of saran wrap. Roll it out gently to about 1/4 inch thick and wide enough to fit a 9 inch removeable bottom tart pan. Transfer the dough to the pan and gently crimp the edges. Bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes till the crust is golden. Remove from oven and proceed to the instructions for the filling above.

Happy Valentine's Day !

Amanda

Looks incredible! Staying home on Valentine's Day is so full of possibities! There are an infinite amount of things to cook and wines to drink. Candles, a little Barry White in the background perhaps...A plethora of ideas to "set the mood".

Deb's tart seems like the perfect Valentine's dish. And, I have the perfect "romantic" wine  to partner with it - its soulmate if you will. The Hugel Cuvee Les Amours Pinot Blanc is without doubt a delicious match for this tart! From Alsace, France, it is more fleshy than usual for a Pinot Blanc. It is creamy yet bright and fresh, with aromas of flowers and citrus fruit. The body, texture and flavors all work in sync with the flavor profile of the Zucchini Potato tart to create the perfect marriage! A mouthwatering combination!

And what's also amazing about this wine is the price. It can be found for around $10-$11. Hugel is one of the top producers in Alsace, and one of my personal favorites. It will simply shine next to Deb's work of art!

a wintery lentil salad

Deborah

Let's not even mention the weather. Forget it. There is nothing to say. The good news is that being cooped up allows one to spend some time thinking about things. Like recipes!
Lentils were on my mind and I felt a longing to combine them with a strong lemony flavor. Lentil salad I'm thinking, with a lemon vinaigrette. I would need some dark leafy greens for the "bed" and some cheesey cheese to keep it interesting. I stopped on my way home today and picked up a bunch of spinach and some Danish Blue cheese.  Ready to get started!

The other element I wanted to add to this salad was roasted shallots, deeply caramalized and gooey. The finished salad would require a lot of steps, but none too complicated and all fairly quick.

For the lemon vinaigrette I wanted it to be super tart and lemony so I made a lemon oil by heating the zest of a lemon and a few cloves of garlic in olive oil to intensify the flavor.

Lemon zest, garlic cloves, and black pepper corns get heated in olive oil.

While the lentil were boiling I quartered a few shallots and popped them in the oven to roast. It then occured to me to toast up some peppitas (pumpkin seeds) while I was at it for a little crunch. The preparations all required a bit of busy work, but the results were worth it. 

 

The salad was a smash hit as far as I'm concerned. The lentils were still warm and had a great earthy flavor, the spinach wilted slightly and had a fresh irony taste, the peppitas gave a nutty crunch, the shallots were smooth and sweet and the blue chese gave the knock-out punch: sharp, tangy and creamy. Each bite held a multitude of flavors and textures with the assertive lemon vinaigrette bringing it all together. Without TOO much trouble I had a salad that would be right at home in a trendy restaurant and it barely took me half an hour to make.

What weather?

Flushing Meadow Park in Queens, NY was so peaceful and quiet this weekend. Is it too soon to be thinking of picnics?

French Lentils, Blue Cheese and Roasted Shallot Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

ingredients:

3 cups water

3/4 cup French Lentils

zest of one lemon

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 shallots, peeled and quartered

1/4 cup raw peppitas

juice of one lemon

1/2 teas. salt

freshly ground pepper

1 bunch spinach, washed and spun dry

1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan and add the lentils, let them cook for about 20 minutes, till tender, then drain and allow to cool a bit.

In another small saucepan add the olive oil, the garlic cloves, the peppercorns and bring to a low simmer for about five minutes, then turn off heat and allow the oil to cool. Peel and quarter the shallots and toss with a tablespoon of the lemon oil. Put the shallots in a small pan and roast for 15 minutes till very golden and tender. Put the peppitas in a small baking tray and toss with 2 teaspoons of the lemon oil and toast in the oven for 5 minutes till golden (watch that they don't burn). Strain the rest of the olive oil and reserve to make the vinaigrette.

Make the vinaigrette: in a small bowl combine the lemon juice, salt and ground pepper to taste. Slowly add the rest of the olive oil, whisking as you go. 

Arrange the spinach leaves on a platter. Mound the lentils in the center of the platter. Arrange the roasted shallots around the lentils, sprinkle the blue cheese and the peppitas over the salad and then drizzle the lemon vinaigrette on top.

Serves two.

Amanda
Wow! Absolutely gorgeous! Can't wait to try this healthy wintertime salad. For wine, my thoughts actually go in two directions. The first would be to focus on the blue cheese component of the salad, and enjoy a wine with a touch of sweetness. Typically a sweeter wine is the perfect match for a blue cheese, whether it be a Sauternes or even Port. The sweet quality of the wine is a delicious contrast to the salty nature of the cheese - a match made in heaven!

With that in mind, I would choose a Chenin Blanc. The grape has different characteristics depending on where it is grown. For example, in the Anjou region of France the wine will exhibit a dryer style, while in Vouvray,  it will be more off-dry (slightly sweet). The honeyed, floral flavors of Vouvray would lead me to this option. Chenin Blanc is a very versatile wine when it comes to food, but there are such a large variety of styles that you should be familiar with what you are buying when you are searching for the ideal match. The wines can be very dry or very sweet, and lots of places in between! I would choose an off-dry style for Deb's salad - this will work marvelously with the strong, dominant flavors of the blue cheese.

My other inclination would be to focus on the flavors of the lemon vinaigrette and match a wine accordingly. Sauvignon Blanc is fresh, tangy and citrusy with good acidity. With this in mind, a Sancerre would be my second choice.

While either wine, though very different, will work - I'm leaning towards the Chenin Blanc! I guess the only way to find out for sure is to make the salad, pour two glasses of wine, and see for myself! But if you are unfamiliar with this grape, make sure you seek the assistance of a knowlegeable salesperson so you know what you are getting!