Caprese PenneWhat a day. What a bad, bad day. Go to post The number of hours I spent blogging this weekPeople often ask me how much time I put into…Go to post June Income Report – $2,797.02Hiya! I’m back for my monthly cameo on…Go to post Honey Walnut Power SaladAlmonds and a Diet Coke. That was my sad lunch…Go to post December 12, 2012Gingerbread French ToastTime for Christmas listing. This year, that means ordering a few smallish, lightish things on Amazon and having them shipped to family and friends, also known as I'll just give you a real present next year. Followed by a trip to the zoo mall to buy waveboards, remote control cars, and watches for the kids at the orphanage. I've been asking around with the preteen kids to find out everyone is hoping for this year, and some of their gift ideas just plain old MELT me. Like my girls told me, in all seriousness, that they want math workbooks. Continue Reading Coconut Lime ChickenWill you think weird things about me if I spend…

Go to post Common Roots Cafe + $50 GiveawayHey-o Minneapolis friends! Common Roots Cafe in…Go to post The Necklace: Afton’s Story, Part FiveThis post is part of a ten-post series I’m sharing…Go to post Skinny Crab and Artichoke Dip with JalapeñoForget the game; I’ll be neck-deep in the mini crockpot.…green tea wine recipeGo to post September 21, 2016Southwest Turkey Breakfast StacksThis is sponsored content from Sargento Foods. top us wine writersThe opinions stated are my own. best gourmet wine basketsWe're obviously going to talk about these southwest turkey breakfast stacks that make us all look like we live in a magazine. wine new york strip

But first, can we have a word about meal prep and fridge organization? *pushes glasses up on face* Be advised: I'm in all my back-to-school organizational and preparedness glory right now, and I couldn't be happier. I have exactly zero kids in school. I am not a teacher anymore. AS IF IT MATTERS. best wine country drivesBack-to-school is a pounding rhythm that beats within my rule-following heart every beginning of September.…top 10 wine industry in indiaContinue Reading Coconut Peanut Butter OatmealI eat oatmeal for breakfast every. best price on wine coolerGo to post Fraction PancakesCooking pancakes with my class?  pics of wine partySounds like so much fun! best wine day trip from paris

Go to post Creamy Pumpkin Spaghetti with Garlic KaleBut November?! Oh my gosh, it’s somehow already sweet, cozy…Go to post Creamy Tomato-Balsamic SoupNever underestimate the power of warm creamy tomato-balsamic soup, soft…Go to post September 20, 2013Filipino HumbaOk, so humba. I feel pretty comfortable calling this my favorite Filipino food, although it's a close tie between this and Pancit. It is officially my favorite favorite when it is made in that hot little kitchen half way up a bumpy mountain road by the CSC aunties, because never once did I eat a better tasting Filipino Humba than the versions from each of the orphanage houses. Humba is really similar to pork adobo, but there's frying involved. Yes, I know how you feel. It's unfamiliar to Westerners (except, um, bacon?) and therefore it…Continue Reading Detox Moroccan-Spiced Chickpea Glow BowlIt’s Fridayyyy! Who’s having fun with their life over the next…Go to post Cinnamon Sugar Radish ChipsRadish chips. Go to post Blueberry Orange Brunch Cake with Agave and PistachiosThis post is sponsored by Wholesome!® – we used their Organic…

Go to post 12 Easy Recipes You Can Make in a Slow CookerTemps are dropping, days are shortening, and I’m getting hungry…Go to post September 3, 2013Behind the Scenes: 5 Time-Saving Tips for Food PhotographyLast week when I finished taking pictures of the Zucchini Parmesan, I stepped back and looked at my workspace and just laughed at my scrappy homemade system of shortcuts. I remembered a few requests I've had to do a post showing the "behind the scenes" of a food photography shoot, and yes, it feels really funny to call it a food photography shoot because it's so un-fancy. But I'll show you anyways because that's what bloggers do. So if you're a food photographer, a person who like shortcuts and time savers, and/or someone who enjoys posts that start with the…Recipes For Dinner DateDinner Party Meals Main DishesCreamy Chicken Recipes For DinnerDinner Date Recipes RomanticWine Sauce RecipesRomantic Chicken DinnerElegant Chicken RecipesWhite Wine Chicken RecipesDinner For 4ForwardBe it for a Friday night dinner party or for a romantic date night, this Chicken in Creamy White Wine Sauce has you covered!

Wine and cream give this sauce an elegant feel while keeping the chicken nice and juicy!In Europe, one of the most common ways to prepare chicken is to roast the whole bird. A recipe in this fashion is to rub the chicken with lemon, garlic and herbs before seasoning it with salt and Espelette pepper. For good measure, one can stuff it with more garlic, lemon, rosemary and thyme, freeing this stuffing and placing it beside the chicken to cook, 20 minutes before it is ready. Because of the acidity of the lemon and the pungency of the herbs and garlic, a ripe aromatic white wine or a full flavour rosé would be perfect. For fun, one can try a fuller reserve style of Austrian Grüner Veltliner such as the Stadt Krems, Reserve Stein that will have enough structure to handle the texture of the meat and a spicyness which plays with the Mediterranean flavours. To stay true to the Mediterranean touch, a Bandol Rosé such as Laffran-Veyrolles from Provence would also be perfect.

During the Intermediate Cuisine Certificate at Le Cordon bleu London our students learn how to insert black truffles slivers under the skin of the chicken before poaching it in stock and serving it with a creamy sauce finished with white port. This classic recipe, from Lyon in France, works wonders with a mature white wine, especially when the wine starts to take on the aromas of the truffle itself. A great seven year old Meursault or Chassagne-Montrachet 1er cru from a good producer should do the trick. Another classic dish is Coq au vin where a good quality chicken is marinated and then poached in red wine with bacon, button onions and mushrooms. Originally, the cooking wine used was red burgundy but considering the current price, it might be a better idea to pour it in a glass rather than in the sauce! The most important feature that a cooking wine needs is low tannins, as too much tannins might make your dish taste bitter once the liquid reduces. If on a budget, Grenache or Garnacha would be my grape of choice.

As a wine for pairing with Coq au vin, a soft, low tannins, red cherry flavoured cool climate New World Pinot Noir would be perfect. The silky texture of the wine should enhance the flavour of the chicken and marry with the aromas of the sauce. A favourite, at the moment is Tabali, Talinay Vineyard Pinot Noir from Coastal Limari in Chile. If one is looking after their waistline, preferring to remove the skin and grill the chicken breast instead, a fresh spicy red such as the Navarra Garnacha produced by Zorzal in Spain would fit the bill. Its ripe and juicy blackberry flavour will toy with the smokiness from the grill. This wine is light enough so as not to overpower the delicate flesh of the chicken breast. Disregarding how the chicken is cooked, one of the most important considerations to have is for the bird to be free range or sustainable. The meat is usually tastier, firmer and tends not to fall apart when it has been slow cooked. It is also a much healthier food than the battery raised, antibiotic fed, mass produced chicken that one should always avoid to eat if they can!

Matthieu Longuere is a Master Sommelier based at Le Cordon Bleu London, a leading culinary arts, wine and management school. Sommelier in the UK since 1994, he has won numerous awards and accolades for wine lists in the establishments for which he has worked: Lucknam Park Country House Hotel, Hotel du Vin Bristol and La Trompette. Since joining Le Cordon Bleu in 2013, he has developed the school’s comprehensive Diploma in Wine, Gastronomy and Management; a unique programme which combines the theory of wine with a strong emphasis on practical learning. Alongside the full Diploma, he also teaches an array of evening classes which are relaxed, yet studious, making them perfect for beginners as well as the more knowledgeable. Don't believe the myth, says Matthieu Longuère MS... Matthieu Longuère MS’ quick guide to fun wine tasting themes: Unusual wines from their country of origin Historical wines Holiday… Our recent Canapés and Wine Pairing Masterclass at Le Cordon…