Need to find a path? Click here.
WPC – Straight And Narrow Path – Photography
12/24/2016Need to find a path? Click here.
Nürnberger Lebkuchen – Food Review – Trader Joe’s
12/24/2016
December 24, 2016
Gingerbread on first bite, but there’s much more here. Second bite, read the ingredient label. This is a mini fruit cake without the bad reputation. It’s like eating a puzzle as you try to match the flavors in your mouth with the ingredients. Third bite, this cookie has history. It was created by 13th century monks in its present form. Where would foodies be without monks? Think about it. But before the monks the history goes back to the Roman legions. Where would men in short skirts be without the Legions? Maybe, don’t think about it.
Roulé Rouge – Wine Review – Trader Joe’s
12/24/2016
December 24, 2016Can organic grapes make an inexpensive California wine good? On first opening, the cork had a fairly strong scent of vinegar reminding me of our first-generation next-door neighbor when I was growing up, who used to press his own grapes and make large barrels of wine in his backyard. He’d give my parents some bottles which generally turned to vinegar in a few weeks. But man, those few weeks were fun.
I doubt this one will turn to vinegar even if it has no sulfites added. And that, no added sulfites, is another reason I picked this up off the shelf. How many wines do you see with no, added sulfites?
Being a blend per the label, the wine is non-vintage and non-varietal (although a 2015 Trader Joe ad claims this is 100% Merlot). Umm, well, if we go with the label, that leaves out cutting and pasting from some Merlot review. But that’s another reason this wine reminds me of that backyard brew so many years ago. There’s no telling exactly what went into the bottle
What came out of the bottle is a fairly smooth mildly dry red table wine that’s very drinkable once you realize that red wines don’t really have to taste the same. This one will puzzle your taste buds into saying, what is that? When they give up trying to answer that question they’ll say, I like it. The only possible negative is a strange earthy taste that’s really not very objectionable once you get used to it. Maybe the taste is a bit of young tannins or maybe they do ferment in old wooden barrels? I don’t know if being organic had anything to do with it, but this inexpensive wine is good.
Growing up, we ate a lot of pasta with a thick red sauce that started as canned whole tomatoes and olive oil in tins, both from the old country, washed down with the backyard wine. This wine brings back pleasant memories. Price $5.99.
WPC – Fish Anticipation – Photography
12/18/2016
Anticipating more?, click here.
WPC – Blurring New Horizon – Photography
12/16/2016
Imperium Lager Beer – ALDI – Food Review
12/16/2016
December 16, 2016
Aside from the fairly recent rise of the craft beer industry, most beers consumed in America are lagers. Coming from Belgium this ALDI beer of the month is also a lager, but with the usual European flavor. Generally European beers have more of everything when compared with American beers; flavor, calories, alcohol and bitterness. This lager is somewhat of a transition between the two. The bitterness is reduced making it closer, but still different, from an American lager. For Americans desiring more from their beer, this is a way to take a step in that direction. Price $6.49 – 6 pack, Calories – unspecified
ALDI – German Pound Cake Trio – Food Review
12/16/2016
December 16, 2016
Maybe this should be labeled as half-pound cake? The cake is surprisingly light and fluffy with a consistency similar to but firmer than a Twinkie. The cakes have a nice taste and are not overly sweet. There’s a thin layer of jam, with some pieces of fruit, embedded in the cake, sometimes rising to the surface. Each cake comes in an individual thin cardboard tray. This is a quality product similar to what local bakeries might have. The only negatives are the price and calories (watch it, the box listed calories are for half a cake – really?). The regular price is $3.99 per box of three cakes. It seems many people agreed about the price as this was marked down to $1.99 when I purchased it. One of the nice things about ALDI is we get to try some imported products that otherwise we’d never know existed. For that reason alone, this is worth a try, if and when it comes around again to the ALDI freezers – especially if the price is $1.99. Calories 380 per whole cake
WPC – Relax – Photography
12/10/2016
For those curious, there were no cigarettes smoked after the making of this image.
For more relaxing moments, click here.
Il Tarocco Chianti Classico – 2014 – DOCG – Wine Review – Trader Joe’s
12/10/2016
December 10, 2016This is another fine wine from Italy at Trader Joe’s for a very reasonable price considering the quality. The wine is dry and totally smooth with an earthy mouth feel and enough bite/character to separate this from a lesser Chianti. This is possibly the most enjoyable wine I’ve had in 2016.
You may ask, what does the word Classico add to a Chianti? Chianti Classico specifically refers to an official area within the Chianti region of Italy. That specific area was also the first in what’s now the Chianti region to attempt to define and regulate its wine. Being the first to define the Chianti wine, and predating the official Italian regulations, the wine gets to wear the “classic” designation. Along with the geographical requirements, a Chianti Classico wine has a different set of production regulations which separate a Classico from the standard Chianti designation. After that it’s up to the skill and pride of the winemaker to produce a quality product. In this bottle, there is an overabundance of skill and pride producing a very very nice wine. Price $9.99.
ALDI – Season’s Choice Black Bean Chipotle Burger – Food Review
12/10/2016
December 10, 2016
This was quite a surprise to find a mainstream store carrying something so spicy. Have the Zantac ready!
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