La Gourmandesse

2008 Spinelli Montepulciano D'Abruzzo, $7.40. LCBO# 454629.

I’m long overdue for a review of a new $10 wine, and have had this one waiting to be sipped and judged for a while. I paired this Italian red with our pizza masterpiece, as it only seemed fitting. Unfortunately, it was far less spectacular than the pizza.

While this bottle comes in at the same price point as one of my Italian favourites (Farnese Sangiovese Daunia, $7.40), it doesn’t have nearly the same body and soul. I know I’m comparing apples to oranges as far as grape varietal, but I’m really comparing value for money and drinkability in the cheap Italy aisle at the LCBO.

Part of this wine’s weakness may be the alcohol content- it sits at 12%, which gives an almost watery quality. While it does go down easy with nothing much to complain about taste-wise, it’s also missing something to make it interesting.

It started out promising, a nice ruby red colour and slightly earthy nose. But the taste is a bit indistinguishable; the LCBO references dark berries, leather and herbs. My palate picked up “mediocre but very affordable red wine.” It also says this is medium bodied, where I would call it light.

I think this is a case of what you’re looking for in a red. When I pick up an Italian table wine, I’d like it to be full and robust, and bring something to the meal. Hence my love of Farnese. However, if you are not a full bodied red kind of person, this wine might be your style. It’s light, easy to drink, and doesn’t overpower the food. It might also be good to drink on its own- not so much flavour that it overwhelms your taste buds.

Overall, I give this wine 7/10 for taste and 3.5/5 for value.

The masterpiece.

We are dedicated pizza lovers, with a penchant for last minute trips to Woodenheads. Inevitably, the place is packed and we end up sitting at the bar- which is more fun than a table anyways. Their cheerful bar staff makes great mojitos, and the informality makes the pizza even tastier.

Kevin’s pizza of choice (I don’t think I’ve ever seen him deviate in 2 years) is the Sicilia. It is a classic- just tomato sauce, spicy salami, mozzarella and some fresh basil. I tend to mix it up, but always end up stealing a bite or two of this work of art.

This weekend, we wanted to put the basil in our herb garden to work, and make some pizza of our own. And so, with the help of Pasta Genova, we created our own masterpiece. That lovely little Italian deli sells their own fresh pizza dough for a steal, and also has everything else you need- the salami, mozzarella and sauce.  I love one stop shopping and jostling with the other Pasta G lovers for a space at their tiny counter.

Our pizza ended up a bit oval shaped, with a lack of a real rolling pin and the dough’s elastic nature, fighting to make it match our baking sheet’s shape seemed futile. I understand why pizzas are round! The dough from Pasta G was perfect, very elastic, not sticky and fairly easy to flatten out.

Shaping the dough.	Slathering of pizza sauce.
Deli perfection a la Pasta Genova.	Mozzarella coverage.
Into a 350F oven.	Basil chiffonade in progress.

We baked the pizza for 30 minutes at 350F, as suggested by the Pasta G staff. The result was wonderful- crispy crust, piping hot toppings and melty cheese.

Kevin & I agree that this gave Woodenheads’ Sicilia a run for its money. I think this is one my proudest creations. So simple, quick and easy, with a seriously intense pay off in deliciousness.  Perhaps pizza is about to become my go-to dinner.

And so, while it probably won’t replace the fun of a visit to Woodenheads for a true Sicilia, I’m proud of what we recreated. Paired with a bottle of $10 Italian red, my wallet thanks me for creating a date night on the cheap.

Finished deliciousness waiting to be inhaled.

Spaghetti and meatballs perfection.

In light of some recent rather nasty dental work, soft foods have been on the menu. I’m not sure that the dentist meant that I should eat spaghetti and meatballs, but since “ground meat” was on my list of ok foods, why not make the leap?

I love pasta. I don’t actually eat it all that frequently, but I seem to like to write it love letters. Also, after discovering Catelli Smart, I don’t feel nearly as guilty when I eat it. This dish combines two of my great food loves: ground beef and spaghetti. I don’t know if my Alberta childhood contributed to my beef fetish, but I just love the smell of ground beef frying with onions.  Add some salt and I could probably eat the whole pan.

I have recently figured out the perfect meatball. Finely mince half an onion, add a minced garlic clove, mix all that up with some ground sirloin and an egg, some salt and pepper and a few shakes of italian breadcrumbs and you will have a tasty product.  I make the meatballs large enough to just fill my cupped hand when I squeeze it shut. Drop them into a hot pan of oil and mix them around as they fry so that all the sides get nice and brown.

For this dish, I tried a new version of spaghetti sauce. Although I find Giada De Laurentiis to be horribly annoying on tv (she even tops Rachael Ray for me), she does make fabulous Italian food. I used her Marinara Sauce, with the addition of some fresh rosemary and oregano, and the substitution of diced tomatoes (including the juice) instead of crushed. It made the sauce a little chunkier and richer.

To finish, I threw the meatballs in the sauce and tossed the cooked spaghetti in with it all. Could this get more comforting?

2008 Ruffino Orvieto Classico, $11.75. LCBO#31062

I am on a white wine kick lately…..must be all the sunshine and blooming bulbs putting me in the mood for summer sippers.  This week’s Wine Wednesday offering comes from Italy, one of my favourite affordable wine locations.  This bottle clocks in at a bit over $10, but is still very affordable at $11.75, and was given to me by my very generous friends, Juliana & Kamary. I am told that this is their go-to bottle of wine.

The wine is a medium straw colour, and has the aroma and taste of apples and pears. Very slightly off-dry, as well as light bodied, clean and crisp.  Definitely easy drinking!  Could be fun on the patio, served extra chilled. Would go well with some spicy Asian food or seafood. We paired it with a spaghetti concoction featuring scallops, roasted tomatoes, olive oil & garlic.  Very tasty, and a good balance for the delicious oiliness of the pasta dish.

Overall, I give this bottle 8/10 for taste and 3.5/5 for value.

2008 Sangiovese Daunia, $7.50. LCBO#512327.

I found this wine during the LCBO’s food pairings promotion. It was in the “goes well with spaghetti” section, so therefore I had no choice but to add it to my basket. Surprisingly we branched out from our usual carb-loading and tried it with chicken, which still worked.

The fact that it was on sale for $7 made me feel like it was daring me to try it. How good could any wine be for $7?  I was feeling a bit jaded because I took a leap on a cheap bottle of Cesari  Merlot ($7.30, LCBO#572453) a few weeks ago and it was so pitiful I haven’t even bothered to write it up.

I think this is my favourite Wine Wednesday pick so far. Farnese delivers on a robust wine that won’t break the bank.  In fact, you can even buy the 1.5L version for $12.50!  I can’t quite believe that I am extolling the virtues of a wine that costs less than your dinner ingredients, but there you have it. Wine Align calls it the best wine you can find for under $8, and so far on my wine tasting journey, I would have to agree.

The wine is deep plum coloured, has an earthy nose, and a fruity, almost sweet taste. There’s just enough oak and spice to balance the wine, which has a smooth finish and a medium to full body.  It hits all the right notes for me, especially since I love full and fruity wines.

This Sangiovese is great to sip alone, but pairs well with most dinners that I would concoct. The 1.5L would be a smart idea for a holiday dinner or a big party, as long as your host is fairly un-snobby and/or doesn’t read this blog (and thus know what a cheapskate you are).

Overall, I give this wine 8.5/10 for taste and 5/5 for value.

2008 Ogio Primitivo, $8.80. LCBO#86421.

Ogio Primitivo has been my go-to economy wine for a few years now. It was featured in 2008 in the Toronto Star’s Wines Under $10 column, and I was sold.

I’m a Zinfandel lover, and Primitivo is a cousin of that grape. The rich berry fruitiness of those grapes keeps me coming back time after time. Ogio comes from Puglia, a region in southern Italy well know for deep, rich “food wines.” This bottle is a favourite of mine for spaghetti nights or steak. It’s a great, reasonably priced Italian wine that has yet to let me down.

The wine is ruby red, a bit earthy, with a dry berry-cherry taste and medium body. It has a sweet-sour quality and a bit of spice.  Great on its own and even better with food.

Overall, I give this wine 8.5/10 for taste and 4.5/5 for value.

Fresh linguine and bolognese sauce from Pasta Genova

I’m going to state something incredibly controversial- Pasta Genova is amazing.  Gotcha. Of course we all know it is the best place ever. For friends who have not had the pleasure of eating some of their wonderful Italian fare, make sure I take you there on your next visit to Kingston!  I’ve banned myself from clothes shopping lately, and Pasta Genova seems to have taken over as my favourite place to shop…second only to the LCBO, naturally, which is conveniently located around the corner.

I can’t quite believe it now, but somehow I lived in Kingston for a year and a half without knowing of its existence. Fortunately a friend brought some of their foccacia bread to a potluck and I was hooked after one dip in the balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Pasta Genova has become our Friday night destination for a take home feast. Their green olives marinated with garlic and cumin are not to be missed, as well as the Friday cheese sticks. I just can’t get over how reasonable the prices are for fresh pasta, sauce and pizza dough.  They’ve always got lots of fresh herbs, and their variety of pasta sauces and cold cut meats can’t be beat. I’ve never tried their made-to-order foccacia sandwiches, but have heard good reports.

So here’s to Pasta Genova, my Friday night friend, and great partner to a glass of red wine.

2009 Casa Thaulero Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon, $7.45. LCBO#621953

This weekend I had the pleasure of officially beginning my Quest for an Affordable Bottle. Now,  I’ve obviously drank cheap wine in the past, it’s just that this time I did it with purpose.

The bottle of choice was a Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon from the Casa Thaulero winery of Abruzzo, Italy. For under $8, I do feel this wine is a decent value. It is a very pleasing deep ruby red, with a simple berry-like taste, medium body and smooth finish.

I didn’t feel that the wine was full bodied or complex enough to stand up to the red meat it is suggested to be paired with. I think part of the problem is that the wine is very young, only from 2009.

I would buy this wine to drink on its own, or perhaps with some appetizers, but I like a wine to have a bit more of a backbone when paired with steak or a meaty pasta sauce.

Overall, I give this wine 7.5/10 for taste and 4/5 for value.