Luther Robinson introduces Black Tie, a dry, red wine from The Girls Gone Wine winery in Broken Bow, OK.
Duke Halsted uncorks Estancia Zinfandel to breath before serving.
Teresa Blackburn-Korn
“Spring” was the theme as members of Vinamare Food and Wine Pairing Club gathered at the home of Luther and Barb Robinson on April 5.
Eric and Teresa Korn started the evening by serving Moet and Chandon Imperial Champagne paired with an appetizer plate of ripe strawberry, shaved Parmesan cheese and spring roll featuring chicken and fresh-cut vegetables in a delicate, crispy wrapper with a drizzle of dipping sauce.
Jim and Patti Lafferty also chose a French libation with their selection of Domaine Chenevieres Chablis from the northern Burgundy region of France. The straw color and crisp flavors made a perfect pairing match for homemade potato soup with spring asparagus and leeks. The soup was a fabulous hit, and the recipe is included below.
On a recent trip to Broken Bow, Oklahoma, Barb and Luther Robinson visited The Girls Gone Wine winery and picked out a dry, red wine called Black Tie to share with the group. Barb and Luther went all out by preparing a baked spring ham with cherry sauce, cheese grits and a spring salad to pair with their wine selection. They shared the story about Girls Gone Wine, and everyone agreed that Broken Bow would be a great destination for a road trip. Check it out at www.thegirlsgonewine.com.
For dessert, Sue Halsted prepared mile-high strawberry shortcake consisting of baked meringue and pecan patties stacked and separated by lots of fresh strawberries and whipped cream. Duke Halsted selected a 2010 Estancia Zinfandel from Paso Robles, CA, to pair with the strawberries and cream. The black raspberry and cinnamon flavors of the wine were amazingly delicious with the fresh strawberries.
Leek, Potato and Asparagus Soup
Ingredients:
2 Tbls vegetable oil
1/4 stick butter
2 large leeks, washed and chopped (I didn’t use the green part)
1 large onion, chopped
2 large pototoes, peeled and cut into one-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups of water
1/2 to 3/4 pound asparagus
2 cups milk (I used 1% milk)
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Put the oil, butter, leeks and onion in a large pot. Cover and cook about 8 minutes, stirring every minute or so until the onion is translucent and the leeks have softened. Add the potatoes and water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium and cook until the potatoes are soft, about 12-15 minutes. Add the milk and cream, and then use an immersion blender to blend the onions and leeks. The potatoes end up being too big to blend, so you have the chunks of potatoes left in the soup. Add the asparagus. Stir and cook, covered, at least 5 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.