The ViniCode™

September 04 - Alsace Riesling and Sauerkraut - Podcast

Although Alsace belonged to Germany for several centuries it is French by adoption. The region expresses its own identity distinct from the rest of France in a number of ways, including naming their wines after the grape variety and not the region. The finest of the Alsace wines is Riesling. Unlike their German cousins the French version is most often bracingly firm and bone dry. Look for Trimbach with a worldwide reputation for producing pure and refined wines. Like their wines, the foods in Alsace tend to be unique as well. If you ever see a dish that is served "a l'alsacienne" it will invariably include "choucroute" or sauerkraut. Following the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, sauerkraut, originally an Eastern European dish, was brought to the attention of French chefs. In its simplest form, it's cabbage that has been finely shredded and fermented. The name says it all, sauerkraut means sour cabbage! For more information please visit http://www.vinicode.com.
See recipe below.

August 20 - Kabinett Riesling and Tarte Tatin - Podcast

In our look at the world's sweet wines day four takes us up north. Since Germany is at the northern extreme of viticulture, they measure the quality of their Riesling by how ripe the grapes get. Kabinett is a Riesling that must be made from fully ripe grapes. The name comes from the idea that this wine was of good quality and could be placed in the cabinet and sold by the producer at a later time. These wines are very light in style, low in alcohol and have a gentle sweetness great for summer sipping. To complement the riesling, why not try your hand at a tarte tatin? Tradition says that the first one was created Stephanie Tatin in 1889 at her hotel in France. She left the apples for her apple pie cooking too long in the butter and sugar. By the time she smelled them she knew the damage was done. So she tried to rescue the dish by putting the pastry on top and placing the whole pan in the oven. Turns out she shouldn't have worried, her upside down tarte was a huge hit. For more information please visit http://www.vinicode.com.
See recipe below.