The Swirling Dervish

Wine Stories, Food Pairings, and Life Adventures

Menu Skip to content

Home
Sample Policy
About
Wine Adventures
Contact

Tag: Applegate Valley

May 30, 2019 theswirlingdervish

Oregon Wine Trail Part 6: Troon Vineyards and Applegate Valley – A Journey to the Other Side of Oregon

May 21, 2019 theswirlingdervish

A Taste of the Oregon Wine Trail Part 4: Quady North Wines from Southern Oregon

March 8, 2019March 10, 2019 theswirlingdervish

Leah Jørgensen’s Blanc de Cab Franc and Red Lentil Soup for #WinePW

Search for:

Follow Blog via Email

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 6,063 other followers

Follow The Swirling Dervish on WordPress.com

Instagram

On this #TravelTuesday I’m headed to Alaska via the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. A couple of months ago Gabe and I spent a Sunday afternoon at the Met and wandered through an exhibit of crafts and artifacts made by First Nations tribes in the Pacific Northwest. This unique piece is a rattle made of copper and abalone, and was crafted by copper workers inspired by the locals. Intending to capitalize on trade spurred by the gold rush, artists took their inspiration for this piece from accessories used by ancient shamans. Few such rattles exist. It captured my attention as I walked past, seeming to jump right out of the glass case. Makes me think about the gold rush town and the original people who left such an imprint on the culture there. And I really want to know more about the role of the shaman and his/her tools. . . . #travelblogger #firstnationsart #klondikegoldrush #shaman #explore #alaska #copperwork #metropolitanmuseumofart #nyc #explorenyc #museum #rattle

What are you daydreaming about as we roll into a new week? After scrolling through my IG feed today, I’m imagining trips all around the world. But right now I’m in NYC, getting the first taste of chilly, late autumn weather. Despite that, the city still shines brightly, especially as the sun comes and goes. Here’s a shot from the Central Park Reservoir (Jackie O’s favorite place to get some exercise!) Sunset always looks good across the water! . . . #nyc #centralpark #sunsetlover #thebigapple #mondaymotivation #skyscape #lifeinthecity #walkingtour #silhouette #citylife #travelphotography #travelgram

How good does my apartment smell right now?! Homemade broccoli rabe lasagna, just out of the oven: perfect for a chilly Saturday night dinner. And what better to pair it with than a 2015 Rioja Reserva from @bodegasmuga? I’m always grateful when my husband and I are in the same place at the same time, and I can cook us a nice dinner. Small pleasures like this are what life is all about. What are you celebrating today? . . . #homecooking #lasagna #rioja #bodegasmuga #dinnerfortwo #simplepleasures #foodandwine #wineblogger #onepotmeal #getcooking

Have you visited St. Mark’s Place in NYC’s East Village? The Guardian called it America’s Hippest Street, citing the unique place it occupies in art, music, and culture. Did you know that the album cover for Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti was inspired by an actual streetscape here? Last week I ventured down for dinner at @la_palapa, a fantastic Mexican restaurant housed in a building that was once home to Leon Trotsky, among others.(Cool, right?) My husband, who’s a native New Yorker, loves this little corner of the city, claiming it still boasts some of the real flavor of the Big Apple. Here’s an example of the vibe on St. Mark’s Place: the pedestal of a street light decorated with mosaics promoting local businesses (in this case, St. Mark’s Wine and Liquor.) If you’re in the city and have a few minutes to stroll around, check it out. You might even have a surprise encounter with a ghost of New York past! . . . #NYC #StMarksPlace #walkingNYC #travelblogger #citylife #bigapple #streetscene #oldnewyork #streetcred #urbanwalk #iloveny

Last week I had the chance to taste the white wines of Lugana DOC (aka liquid gold) with authentic Mexican cuisine at @la_palapa in NYC. What a fiesta! All in all we sampled 6 wines, from a traditional method sparkler (pictured here) to a late-harvest beauty. Each wine was paired with a delectable dish featuring the spices and ingredients of central Mexico. I loved the idea of mixing things up, creating cross-cultural pairings that made me think about both the food and wine in new ways. If you’re interested in all the details, each of the pairings is described further in my latest post, now up on the blog. Thanks to Susanna Gold @vignetocomms and the good folks at @la_palapa for such a intriguing - and delicious - evening! . . . #luganadoc #lapalapa #nyceats #consorziotutelalugana #italianwine #foodies #fishtacos #shrimpmole #goodeats #winelover

My latest post, titled, “You Paired That with What?!?” Is up on the blog. It describes a rather unorthodox pairing with a plate of fresh sea scallops, mashed sweet potatoes, and arugula salad. Let’s just say my original plan was a lovely white Burgundy from Saint-Véran, but that didn’t work out as expected. Plan B was a dry Palo Cortado Sherry that was a surprise hit. Thank goodness I had all those bottles of fortified wines lying around after my recent WSET diploma exam! Palo Cortado starts out as a Fino style sherry, aged under a yeasty blanket of flor that protects the wine from oxidation. After tasting and analysis, the winemaker decides it would be better as an oloroso style sherry, aged in barrel and exposed to oxidation. Sort of like an Amontillado, but with slightly fuller body. And totally dry. I loved this wine and found my new favorite pairing for seared sea scallops! Do you have an unexpectedly delicious pairing for Sherry? P.S. Not to worry: the Saint-Véran was a superstar pairing the next night, with grilled swordfish. . . . #Sherry #InternationalSherryWeek #PaloCortado #Lustau #fortifiedwine #wsetdiploma #foodandwine #winestudent #wineadventures

Follow me on Twitter

Blog at WordPress.com.