I'm not one of those bloggers with a calendar that I use to determine what to post about next; you know, making sure I'm on target with the latest trend or projected fad. Blogging is much simper for me. I decide to make something and if we love it, it will show up here with a week or two. Oh come on, who am I kidding...way too often I've just made it a day or two prior to posting; I only wish I was that organized...but I promise...soon I will even be back with cocktails on Friday!
I've created more than one dish that was simply the providence of having items with close proximity in the fridge...and that's pretty much how this cocktail came together for today.
I agreed to sample a bottle of VieVité Rosé wine and had just opened the packaging up in the kitchen after it arrived yesterday. While I've always loved wine I don't do wine reviews per se as I consider this to be a recipe site so I knew that I would be blending some seasonal concoction together with the wine as an ingredient. I sat it down next to a watermelon I had just purchased at Sprouts and well...there it was, right before my eyes. Almost too easy, right? That's my excuse for being a year behind the trend...the stars had not aligned yet for me!
Do you remember when Rosé wine was synonymous with a too sweet concoction that we drank in our twenties...you know when the excitement of ordering an adult beverage was huge but our tastes were limited? I liked the color, the sweetness and come on...it was pretty too! Wow have things changed. I still love Rosé but today I prefer something with more character and depth and gone are the days of drinking sweet wines. Not to say that I won't use a wine in a sweet cocktail but it's the dryness that works so well with fruits and simple syrups to keep it from going over the top.
The VieVité exudes the colors of a true French Côtes de Provence rosé wine with a beautiful translucent pink hue. The nose of ripe tropical fruit is balanced with a pleasant bouquet of white flowers and a discreet touch of spice and I knew it would bring the perfect element to this cocktail.
On the palate, well-structured fruit and balanced acidity creates a crisp and delicate finish. While this cocktail calls for a full bottle of wine, I made a point of tasting the VieVité chilled and it was exceptional.
If serving with food, it is best with with grilled white fishes, salmon, crab cakes with aoli sauce, prawns, lobster, ceviche, sushi and even a spicy seafood stew. Given VieVité's fruit forward flavors, it will also balance out and complement dishes like tandoori Thai chicken, Indian curry dishes, and ethnic foods with spicy seasoning and it would also be great with pasta tossed in fresh puttanesca sauce, traditional bouillabaisse, and all Mediterranean cuisines with olive oil, garlic and herbs. My job now it to locate a source in Denver; this is a beautiful wine.
Balancing it with the watermelon, lime juice and simple syrup means using a light hand with the watermelon simple syrup. Taste as you go and make sure you don't overpower the wine element with too much sugar. Looking for something a bit stronger? Try adding a bit of vodka.
If making this recipe as I did, it makes a full pitcher, but that's what I wanted. I was having friends over to celebrate the end of the deck build and decorating!
I know I've mentioned (probably over and over) the yard projects I've had going on this year so I thought I would include a bit of what the accomplishments this year have been. After a full three year 'discussion' with my builder they finally acquiesced and replaced all of my sod. I happened to arrive as it was being installed in 2014 and the contractor had tried to pull a fast one and it was evident they had not prepped the clay the sod was being installed on top of...and I've had problems.
The yard was a minefield of both lumps and divots that were dangerous to navigate once the grass got long enough to disguise them and when watering, the water ran off the clay onto my sidewalk instead of being absorbed. Yes, I was tenacious but they had to finally agree I had a mess and it got done. At the same exact time my deck should have started!
We had to postpone it a bit because my yard was all dirt for almost 2 weeks; the time between sod removal and placing of new product was a bit longer than expected but I didn't want anyone working in mud. Once it was completed, it was June and hotter than the optimum temperature for new grass so I've been consumed with both regular yard work and a killer water schedule. Truth be told it's been a bit of a struggle but it's amazing how a couple of days of cooler temperatures this past week and regular afternoon rains have FINALLY seen it start to take hold and look nice. Look it's GREEN...Whew!!
Still, the most exciting thing was the deck. I've waited two years for this baby. My neighbor has built several decks over the past couple of years and while not a full time deck builder I trusted him to do mine. He had done the neighbor's next door in 2015 and was scheduled to do mine last spring/summer but he went through a difficult medical procedure and didn't have full use of his hand so we had to postpone until this year. FINALLY...I needed it so bad!
The foundation for my home was already poured when I bought it and a small back porch was included. I mean SMALL. It was 12 feet wide by 10 feet deep and that was bad enough but to make it even worse, the concrete patio was poured with a 3X3′ step that you walked out on before stepping down to the actual patio making it effectively 12 feet wide by 7′ deep. I know I must have tried my table and chairs in every configuration possible and the fact is they barely fit. Every single time someone came to visit and we went out there I felt I was on duty to make sure no one tripped on that dumb pad.
So...we covered the entire thing and then expanded it too. Now 22′ wide and 12′ deep it's a REAL deck and roomy enough that I've yet to trip over a kid or a dog. No more rock and more rock either...that alone is priceless! I had my 20 year old white outdoor table and chairs from Crate and Barrel sandblasted and painted with a neutral gray for the covered porch area and I had an epiphany one day and remembered a patio privacy fence my dad had made in one of the homes we lived in and before we were done I had one too. House are close in this neighborhood (too close) and I like a more intimate setting when I have friends over and that wall does the trick. It shields the area from the sun, blocks a lot of kid noise and even keeps the rain out. I LOVE it!
The area with furniture is all new, covering a bunch of rock I hated. One thing about a delay? I got a killer deal on some furniture and accessories from Pottery Barn for the new area. Waiting until end of season sales was so worth it! The railing was inspired by a neighbor and it turned out perfectly. His was more metal; I made mine a combination of wood and metal. It seems less bulky and for lack of better terminology, more see through...I like seeing my flowers and gardens in the actual yard too!
I spend a lot of time out here now. Every meal certainly but I can also do some social media work on my tablet, visit with the neighbor kids and of course, sip the cocktails I love making with friends...Cheers!
by Creative Culinary
