I love caramel...

...Maybe you do, too.

But when I tasted HMG's creme brulee dessert with sea salt crust I started thinking that I shouldn't be liking caramel, I should be worshiping it. This is just one of many amazing things I have eaten at the Harvest Moon Grille and I know your experience at this restaurant will be just as satisfying.

The thing is, food is complex. And the real flavors are somewhat elusive. You think you know what a grit taste like, and then you have one that was milled only hours before and you're like, "whoa...." Yes, that's really the only thing you can say cause it's so dang good.

Now, speaking of misunderstanding, take wine for instance. "Red or white?" they ask you. As though choosing it was like pointing to a color wheel at a decorator store.

"What am I eating?" Is always my reply. Because wine is meant to be paired with food and it only works if the flavors compliment and enhance eachother. It's like a footman in a Cinderella story. He dresses nice, but he's only really useful when he's helping the lovely princess into her carriage.

So here's why I'm yapping about caramel (man, I want to run down there and order it again!) On May 29th, we will have the opportunity to visit the culinary expertise of chef Cassie Parsons of the Harvest Moone Grille as she selects wines and some delicious bites for our May event. We're excited about this new venue with free parking for the first two hours and a historic and gracious environment.

I hope you are thinking about attending. Worship or not, food is meant to be explored and doing it with friends and wine is just plain smart.

READ THE DETAILS BELOW AND RSVP TODAY!

Rebalance Your Life With Networking, Women and Wine!

For me, sixth grade was a long, tortuous year. In spite of having at least enough coordination and height to be the tetherball champion, I was always the last one chosen for four-square, teased incessantly about my A+ grades, and rode my Schwinn bike home alone each day.

However, I was able to find one element of triumph in this jungle of rejection, and that was during gym. In particular, the balance beam. It was only 6 inches off the ground, a detail not lost on my acrophobic brain. In fact my tall, lanky frame felt almost graceful as I trotted across the smooth, wooden path. When I reached the end, I dipped my foot and swirled around with ease, a move choreographed to compliment the arc of my dancing arms and solid posture. I found the journey mesmerizing. A calculated series of fluid movements that meant unwavering concentration on staying completely parallel to the bar, head held high, proud and confident.

As I reflect on those years, I realized that we all seek balance in one way or another. We crave that feeling of equality, weight distributed between two events, two people, or even two opposing ideas. Gravity and nature have created that in us, and we thrive on that dominant sense.

The trouble is, that it’s is constantly slipping out of sync. Each day our delicate intentions are thrown to and fro, tumbling about in our hearts and minds like so many bee-bees, stuck inside a closed sphere, causing us to obsess over how they got there and how to extract them. We are often drawn to the imbalance as opposed to celebrating those things that are in perfect harmony and wellness. A habit that causes us much pain.

I don’t think I’ve spoken to anyone this past year who hasn’t had some challenges on various scales. Two-thousand and nine is almost a memory and to some of us, a swift utterance of “good riddance” escapes our pursed lips. Even though the difference between 09 and 2010 is divided only by one greeting with the moon, we all look forward with relief to the reinvention of prosperity in 2010. We can’t wait to receive the balance we feel we are lacking and for the wheel weights on our vehicle of consciousness to be found.

For Networking, Women and Wine, 2010 will center around restoring balance in your life. Our events will continue to celebrate the metaphor of wine, its flavors and explorative elements. We will continue to emphasize the unique qualities of women, and we will offer you assistance in reestablishing balance in your life.

From social, to visceral, to spiritual, to practical advice, together we will find that harmonious balance bar, sweep gracefully along its path, and then, become beacons and strength to others around us seeking meaningful connections and true friendships!

Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival in Blowing Rock, NC

A tent has many meanings. An inert word of sorts there is nothing lilting or romantic about its terse, quick pronunciation. It may be a boring word, but what happens under a tent is usually worth telling about.

I have many fond memories of being in tents. Girl Scout weekends, circus performances, and backyard forts to name a few. If you’re like me, all of the memories like this are vivid and fond, evoking thoughts of celebration, rites of passage, or time with friends and loved ones.

A new kind of tent memory is emerging for me and now becomes a fitting antidote for my adult yearning to return to those celebrations of youth. It all started with the Blue Ridge Wine Festival’s Grand Tasting in Blowing Rock last Saturday the 18th of April. Suspended above hundreds of thirsty oenophiles, the big, white billows of canvas and rope that made up the grand tasting tent, housed the proverbial grape escape of the mountains - a monument to flavor, friendship and opportunity.

I could see the tent as we walked up the main street, watching as people jostled through the crowd to buy a ticket and begin sipping. Once inside, the experience transformed each visitor. Large, purple and green balloons of all sized were affixed to the posts to resemble robust clusters of chardonnay, pinot noir and cabernet grapes. Booths displaying trinkets, books, hats and shirts were nestled between dozens of winery displays large and small, local and international. Wine flowed from the bottles of hundreds of varietals. Food and appetizers were a-plenty with everything from pate, to mini-gourmet cheeseburgers and blue cheese to carrot cake to choose from.

While making the rounds with my logo-etched glass I stopped and visited with many of the winemakers, tasting some familiar North Carolina favorites like the inventive Hanover Park, the young but stunning wines of Stony Creek, the skilled winemaking flavors of Childress Vineyards, and the newly branded and innovative wines at Round Peak. I became a raving fan of Semler Winery in Malibu, an avid admirer of Zuccardi Wines’ Malbec of Argentina, wowed and impressed by the Saddlerock Chardonnay from California. All of which covered my palette with memories I will talk of for weeks.

One of the most exciting parts of the Festival was the mood of the crowd and their eagerness to socialize and learn about their fellow tasters. Since most of us were standing tight as sardines as we waited for each new pour, it was impossible to avoid becoming friends with the person standing next to you. We created our own little sub-cults, gathering around specific kiosks for extra sips of our favorite port or a sparkling white. We clinked glasses, exchanged emails and shared our deepest secrets of disastrous marriages, risky career moves, religious and political opinions, and even recent shoe bargains. In the end, we were all meant to find each other as we huddled under this modern teepee; destined to find new flavors and new friends. It was a perfect entrée to summer in the mountains.

Maybe, as a child, you held your breath as you watched the man on the high wire, hoping the circus wouldn’t end. For me, when the Festival ended, I exited this tent clutching the handle of a wine tote, blue stains on my teeth, and laughter in my heart.

For more information about this annual event, and all of the activities during this 4 day long celebration, log on to BlueRidgeWineFestival.com or NCWine.com.

Liquid Metaphors

As wine lovers, there is a natural curiosity about the journey of the grape to the glass aside from the pleasure it gives you when tasted. We hold wine bottles like museum treasures, admiring labels, gently inspecting the familiar indentation in the bottom of the glass cylinder, and when the cork is removed (or more and more often the top is unscrewed) we can’t help but pause in anticipation of what the liquid will look like as it cascades into our goblet.

Do we have this same fascination and yearning when making connections with other women or with potential clients, or even with the friends and acquaintances we make every day? Are we thinking about what made them who they are, what kind of a journey they have traveled to arrive at this moment in our life? We would be better off if this logic was used with every human we approach.

For Networking, Women and Wine, the vino we enjoy during our events is more than just the icing on the cake of connections, it’s the mascot of our mission. We look to formulate metaphors based on the wine experience to help define ways to create authentic and meaningful alliances, resources and friendships. We also look to the process to help uncover ourselves and the amazing value we have to offer as individuals, not as faces lost in a crowd of monochromatic followers.

If you think about wine it cannot be made alone. It is not naturally occurring but is the product of nature (the terroir and chemistry) art, (the wine maker, vineyard manager) and time.
It is one of man’s first inventions and is aligned with thousands of years of our human history.

Ancient wine drinkers, (if not inebriated most of the time!) experienced better health and reproduction, and wine is a part of many of our collective, human, ceremonial histories. Grapes are the largest fruit crop on earth and are fairly adaptable plants, growing in a wide variety of soil types, from light sand to packed clay, and flourish around the globe.

All of these combine to serve as a vehicle for us to present ourselves as women, daughters, sisters, mothers, neighbors, angels and friends. We meet as women to enjoy and learn about wine - this drink that so closely resembles our struggles and triumphs through life - to create another chapter in the history of wine and enhance the future of every women who joins us.

A Green, St. Patrick's Tasting with Childress Vineyards

St. Patrick was born in Kilpatrick, Scotland in 387 AD under Roman rule. After a kidnapping at 16, imprisonment, and escape he dedicated his life to his beliefs and changed the belief system of the country of Ireland forever.

I share this because much like wine, whose journey twists and turns from the vine to the tongue, our life's passions take us in many directions before our true expression is unfolded.

Take Nascar Racing icon and powerhouse Richard Childress, owner of Childress Vineyards. http://childressvineyards.com/story/ It's a story about following a passion that is different than your original course. It is evident that he knows surrounding himself with the best talent, attending to every detail and pleasing people will always bring success.

This passion and the perfection of it was evident during an exquisite winemaker's dinner held in the barrel room at Childress Winery, Tuesday March 17, 2009. Hosted by his talented winemaker, Mark Friszolowski, we spent an evening enjoying a completely green menu with foods harvested and grown locally.

Tasting up to 11 wines, our palettes were tickled with flavors from sea to earth. Seated at a long wooden table, decorated with stones, twigs, candles and satin and punctuated with large floral bouquets of white and green, we heard about Childress history, drank pre-release whites, sold out reds, and remarked at the mouthwatering pairings before us.

A sampling of our gastronomic adventure included the matching of a burnt red Heirloom Charred Tomato Bisque soup with their pre-release Trio white wine blend. A crisp, full mouthed and refreshing wine. Release of this new Trio blend is happening April 24th so don't miss out! http://childressvineyards.com/home.asp

Another of our favorite taste sensations was the Smoked Salmon with Sour Cream, Chives and Caviar. Heaven on a fork for us and the smooth, velvety salmon woke up the amazing floral notes of the Rose of Cabernet Franc.

The Braised Short Ribs had been cooking all day, according to one of the chefs seated near me, to enjoy a rare night on the other side of the kitchen. She said the aroma and flavors had been filling the winery with anticipation for the evening's event. By the time the meat arrived in front of us, the collective sigh that rose from the 100 people seated at the long table seemed to flicker the lights strung above us. Paired with the NC Fair Best of Show Winning 2004 Syrah, long sold out, we knew this memory would never fade.

As the last food course was cleared, we were poised for our Irish Bread Pudding which paired with the 2008 Late Harvest Viognier, convinced us that the luck of the Irish is best celebrated with wine, and being green.

Cheers to you Mark and Richard and your staff Ron and myself, and from the women in Networking, Women and Wine!

Two Days of Wining in Yadkin Valley

On Thursday the 5th of February, cloaked in the noble intention of business research, Carmen and her husband John and my husband Ron and I set out to enjoy two days of Dixie wine tasting in the beautiful Yadkin Valley. As we crossed over I-40 we could see the beginnings of the Blue Ridge out in the distance and knew that she was whispering her magic upon the rolling hills of North Carolina's fertile wine country, beckoning us to taste her blue skies and viniferous music.

Our first stop was the charming grounds of Laurel Gray Vineyards where a crisp Chardonnay started our journey. They offer a well rounded variety that does not have any kind of an identity crisis. It's forward, balanced and begging for food (and summer!). The surprise of course is that you can sip on a Chardonnay of character this far east of the California grape gurus. Their 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon and their luscious 2005 Estate Reserve Cab are flavorful and well crafted. The 2006 bursts in your mouth with tart cherries, mellow licorice and ends with a purposeful explosion of buttered toast. As we took a mouthful with their famous Cabernet Chocolate sauce we considered camping there for the rest of the day, but more grapes were calling.
As a sidebar, don't miss the detour to the Amish General store not far from the vineyard. Simple and clean surroundings, decadent pastries, and a deli sandwich awaits you that is slathered with the leanest corned beef I've ever had. It's a perfect rest stop.

Back to our trip, or shall we say back in time for a visit to Italy and Raffaldini Vineyards in the Swan Creek growing region. "Chianti in the Carolina's" is the motto and when you drive up to the large, stone villa, you know the fun is just beginning. First of all, you must request Paula next time you're there. She made the experience delightful and had a lot of insight into the winemaker and the story of Raffaldini. But stealing the stage were some fantastic wines. Of note the Vermentino is crisp and summery. The fruit is ripe but tannic. It is wonderful with smoked oysters, turkey and honey mustard sandwiches (Yep, that's what we had for lunch. Yum!). The Sangiovese is charming and full bodied. For $15.00 it's a steal and very popular. So much so that unless you're in the wine club, you can only buy 6 at a time (only 12 for members!). This is valuable stuff.
Their MCCCXLVII is ethereal and warm boasting a rustic blend of Malvasia Nera (yah, that's a grape!) with smaller portions of Sangiovese and Syrah. If you're not craving a moist bite of lamb with this wine then pass your 6 bottles on to me! (Yes, there's a limit on purchasing this wine, too.)

As we sped up I-77 toward another favorite, we remarked about the surprising complexity of North Carolina wines. Yes, there's a distinct flavor to this region, and not unlike the people they're polite and refined, but they always share their opinion with confidence and authenticity. We knew there were more stories awaiting us.
Round Peak, in Mt. Airy is one of those vineyards not to be missed. And since the winery recently changed hands in December, the new owners and wine maker have even more plans to explode onto the scene. If you haven't had a Round Peak Cab, you're missing a great value. All award winners, you'll want to zero in on the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon (memorable, earthy and wonderfully dry), the 2004 Cabernet Franc (woodsy and tart with plumy flavors), and the 2005 Merlot (better than the 2004!). Oh, and ask for Ken Gulaian. He is the new owner and he's passionate about creating wines that will make you sit up and take notice as well as supurb plans to enhance the entire tasting experience!

Dinner at TwentyOne and Main, in Elkin is an oasis of perfection. The Salmon and Scallops will lay you out and don't forget to try the fried artichoke hearts. This restaurant is classy and inventive and a perfect ending to a day of wine tasting.

Friday dawned with anticipation, and after enjoying our prized Amish breakfast rolls we headed out to Shelton for a plethora of amazing flavors (By the way, the best time to taste wine is the morning when your palate is rested and clean.) Let's start with the 2005 Estate Cab Franc which is just plain transforming and Shelton makes the most of this NC friendly grape. Their Kudzu Block Syrah tastes deep, poignant and smokey and the Family Reserve Claret is mysterious and romantic. Hurry and you'll be able to buy a case of this Claret closeout wine for half of it's $40 price tag. A deal worth getting in the car for -- uh now. Hurry! Yes, go!!!

After our aforementioned lunch of oysters and white wine, we sped back down 77 and over 421 to Hanover Park Vineyards. The second oldest winery in NC, you'll find some hard to find favorites and a Cab Franc that rivals any I've had. The Chambourcin is reminiscent of eucalyptus, spice and licorice. The 1897 is a more complex blend of the popular Michael's Blend which sells out quickly every year. Outside this 100 plus year old home, four rocking chairs simply call your name for reflection and tasting.

We ended our day by discovering Westbend Vineyards (we're told this is THE oldest winery in North Carolina), a hidden jewel in the crown of southern viticulture. The Chambourcin tastes like Christmas with clove and earthy flavors that will surprise you. Westbend wines are all award winners from a smile generating Cab Franc to their amazing Estate Cab (one of the best cabs we drank all day!)

After returning home with our collection of engraved glasses, enough wine to serve at a wedding, and a wonderful dinner at Caruso's in Cornelius (Oh my, don't miss it!) We realized that we can't leave this kind of business planning to just anyone. We'll have to do this again and again until we've discovered every nook and cranny of the wonderful world of North Carolina wines!