That wine was made where?

Introducing Brengman Brothers Winery

Brengman Brothers
Winery

I am now a believer! All great domestic wines aren't made on the west coast.  On a recent trip to Traverse City, Michigan, I had a chance to visit the Brengman Brothers winery. Having lived in the Napa valley for several years, I was a bit of a California wine snob.  The operative word here is was. 

Robert Brengman, one of the Winery owners was a gracious host. He and winemaker, Nathanael Rose, took me into the aging room for a private barrel sampling. It was a memorable experience. I once thought that Michigan only produced Rieslings and Gewurtztraminer, but that myth has been dispelled. What I tasted was a variety of wines including some of the best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that I've had. After speaking with Nate, I was educated on the Michigan growing region. Nearby Lake Michigan protects the area from some of the harshest winter weather. In fact, the growing season in their area is actually longer than the famed Napa valley. 

The Aging Room

Brengman Brothers produces several different labels. The Brengman Brothers label is a line of high quality Estate grown wines. Try The Artist Series Pinot Noir and Barrel Fermented Chardonnay. The Block 65 Blend is a melange of Pinot Gris, Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc. A very clean and crisp wine with hints of Ginger and cinnamon. The Runaway Hen label serves up several wines for everyday drinking. The White Table Wine and Late Harvest Riesling are my favorite. 

The tasting room is open daily from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm. Stop by and try some wine. You'll be glad you did!

The Brengman Brothers

Ciao,

Chef Joe      

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The King is here!

It's mid-May and the small town of Cordova, Alaska

Cordova, Alaska

is buzzing. You see, this is the launching point for many of the areas commercial fisherman in search of the lucrative Copper River King Salmon. The opening of the season was on May 15th and the first commercial fishing session was limited to 12 hours. Needless to say, fishing was less than spectacular. However, conditions have improved and we are starting to see more and more Kings make their way to fine restaurants and retailers.

Copper River

Copper River is a world renown fishery. It's treasure being King and Sockeye salmon. These are some of the first wild river fish caught and if you ever had the pleasure, you can definitely taste the difference. Here's why, the fish are returning to the river where their life began, only to spawn and start the circle of life again. The laborious journey requires great strength. Prior to making the trip, the salmon go on an intense feeding frenzy. As a result, the fat content in the fish is tremendously high. And.....fat means flavor!

That being said, my preference in preparing Copper River

King Salmon

Kings is to keep it simple. The fish has such a wonderful flavor, it would be a crime to cover it up. One of my favorites is Cedar Planked Salmon. It's very easy to cook and the smokiness from the cedar plank is a wonderful addition to the flavor of the salmon. Cedar planks can be found in various cooking stores or on line. Here's my recipe for Cedar Planked Salmon. Get some King salmon while you can, the season doesn't last very long! 

Ciao, 

Chef Joe

 Cedar Planked Salmon

Serves 2

2 ea.       King Salmon portions, skin off, 6-7 oz. each

1/4 tsp. Kosher Salt

1/8 tsp. Fresh Ground Pepper

1/2 cup Tarragon Mustard Butter (recipe follows)

1 ea.       Small Zucchini, cut into 1/2" planks

1 ea.       Small Yellow Squash, cut into 1/2" planks

6 ea.      New Potatoes, quartered

2 ea.      Cedar Planks, soaked in cold water for a minimum of 2 hours

As needed Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Kosher Salt, Ground Black Pepper

1)     Prepare your charcoal grill with medium high hot coals

2)     Lightly rub the salmon portions with olive oil and season both sides with the first quantity of salt and ground black pepper. Reserve

3)     Place the new potatoes in a small mixing bowl. Sprinkle with olive oil kosher salt, black pepper and fresh thyme leaves.  Toss well and arrange on the outer edges of the heat grill.

4)     Place the seasoned salmon on the cedar planks and place the planks in the center of the grill.

5)     Place the squash and zucchini in the mixing bowl used the season the potatoes. As like the potatoes, toss with olive oil, salt, black pepper and thyme. Arrange the vegetables on the grill around the Salmon.

6)     Brush the salmon with the softened tarragon Mustard butter. Turn the vegetables and potatoes over, close the lid of the grill and cook (with vents half open) for 6 minutes. Open the lid of the grill, baste the salmon again and cook until the fish is firm to the touch, approx. 3-4 minutes.

7)     Arrange the vegetables and potatoes around the edge of two dinner plates. Place one Cedar plank salmon on each plate and brush one final time with the butter.

Tarragon Mustard Butter

1 stick    Unsalted Butter, softened at room temperature       

1/4 tsp.  Kosher Salt

Pinch     Ground Black Pepper

2 Tbl.     Dijon Mustard

1 Tbl.      Fresh Tarragon Leaves, rough chopped

Combine all ingredient in a small mixing bowl and blend well.

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Summer Screams of.........  Strawberries!

I don't know about you, but when Summer comes I get excited about the foods of that season. One of my favorites..... Strawberries!

Peppered Shrimp & Balsamic Strawberries

I've loved strawberries since I was a child. I remember growing up in Maryland, Mom would take us to the farm where we could pick our own strawberries. You can imagine how that went (one for the basket...one for me, repeat!). 

When you go to check out with the farmer, he would weight your basket and you pay by the pound.  When I approach with my basket and badly stained cheeks, he promptly put me on the scale!  A day I'll never forget!

When one thinks of strawberries, thoughts generally end up in desserts, smoothies and drinks.  But there's more to them than that.  Here's an interesting appetizer, Peppered Shrimp & Balsamic Strawberries.  The spiciness of the pepper combined with the acidity of balsamic vinegar and sweetness of the berries create an interesting flavor experience.

Enjoy the season!

Ciao, Chef Joe

Peppered Shrimp & Balsamic Strawberries

Serves 2

10 ea.     Large Shrimp, peeled, deviend, tail on

1/2 tsp.  Fresh Ground Black Pepper

1/4 tsp.  Kosher Salt

8 ea.       Strawberries, hulled and halved lengthwise

1 Tbl.     Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Tbl.     Balsamic Syrup

2 Tbl.     Unsalted Butter

1/4 tsp.  Fresh Tarragon Leaves, rough chopped

               Fresh Tarragon Sprigs for garnish

4 cups    Steamed Popcorn Rice* (follow preparation instructions on the package)

1)    Liberally season the shrimp on both side with ground black pepper and kosher salt.

2)  In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over high heat.  Add the shrimp and season one side for approximately 1 minute. Turn the shrimp over and lower the heat to medium. Add the strawberries and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are opaque and firm to the touch, approximately 2 minutes.

3)  Turn the heat off and add the balsamic syrup, butter and tarragon.  Gently stir until the butter has melted and all ingredients are combined.

To Serve:

Divide the Popcorn rice between two plates.  Arrange the coated shrimp and strawberries over the rice and garnish with a sprig of fresh tarragon.

*	Popcorn rice is a variety of rice found in southern Louisiana. It's a kissing cousin to Jasmine rice and when cooked has a nutty aroma. If you can't find Popcorn rice, Jasmine rice is a great substitute.

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Grand Concourse, Pittsburgh, PA - facebook.com/GrandConcourse

Gandy Saloon, Pittsburgh, PA - facebook.com/GandyDancerSaloon

Meriwether's, Southfield, MI - facebook.com/Meriwethers

River Crab, St Clair, MI - facebook.com/RiverCrab