Food and Wine Wednesday

Yummy Blackened Cod

| Melia Alexander

Good food without the wine but with great company can be just as good, right? Especially when it’s with a couple of dudes from The Male Observation Lab who introduce you to a fabulous restaurant!20140804_123518Check out my lunch:

20140804_120505It was perfect! Moist and tender with just the right amount of heat to it. Yum!

The next time Mr. Alexander and I are in the Portland area, I’m thinking I need to introduce him to Corbett Fish House. And if you’re in the area and want great food, stop on by. I think you’ll like it, too!

Happy eating,
Melia

 

Bottle Porn

| Melia Alexander

Ah, yes, it’s time for Food and Wine Wednesday!

I’m usually discerning when I buy wine, taking the time to consider variety and year and country of origin – kinda like buying a car. . .. Or a fine cotton blouse. 🙂

But I digress. . ..

On this particular day, I did something out of character. I bought a bottle based not on content, but on, well, the bottle. Having admitted that, how cool is this?

P1170647It spoke of cool white wine on a warm summer day. And you know something, it was pretty tasty, too!

Have you done the same thing? Were you surprised in a good way? Bad? Please share!

Happy drinking,
Melia

Birthday Yummies

| Melia Alexander

It’s Food and Wine Wednesday! Welcome!

I know my birth month’s come and gone and I’m way behind on this, but I just had to share what Mr. Alexander made for dinner that night:


Why’s this such a big deal? For so many reasons, but mainly because he’s not a huge fan of salmon (more for the rest of us!) and he chose my birthday to grill one on a cedar plank. Was it ever delish!

The best part? He’s discovered a way he can enjoy one of my fave fish!

Do you remember what your last birthday dinner was?

Happy eating,
Melia

Beets? Me!

| Melia Alexander

Our adventures in Food and Wine Wednesday continues!

P1170542I love beets. I know, I know! Most of you would rather skip a meal than eat beets. That just means there’s more for the rest of us. 🙂

I’ve done some searching a la Google, and found some interesting ways to prepare beets. Beet pancake, anyone? How about Beet Tahini? Or even Beet Ice Cream?

Turns out the possibilities are almost endless with this yummy root vegetable. And while I’m open to trying new stuff, my fave recipe involves roasting these babies in a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Super simple. Super yummy!

Are you a beet fan? How do you like it prepared?

Happy eating,
Melia

Route 5

| Melia Alexander

Welcome to Food and Wine Wednesday!

We’re fortunate to have some pretty cool wine bars in our area, and I finally took the time to visit Route 5 a couple of weeks ago. Check it out:

The weather was wonderful. The wines (and the food!) we sampled were awesome. And the company of a gal-pal made it even more special! It was a great way to end a great weekend.

What’s one of your fave hang-out spots to meet a gal-pal on a lazy summer day?

Happy tasting,
Melia

Food and Wine Wednesday: Asparagus Salad

| Melia Alexander

Had lunch with my amazing mother-in-law not long ago. When I saw asparagus salad on the menu, I knew what I was having. It did not disappoint! The poached egg and light lemon vinaigrette on it made the perfect combination. Nom!

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Hey, all you asparagus lovers out there! What’s your favorite way to prepare it? Share your fave recipes with the rest of us!

~Melia

Food and Wine Wednesday: Ultra-Vanilla Ice Cream

| Melia Alexander

I’m definitely my father’s daughter. I have his smile, his goofy sense of humor, and I lurvvv ice cream!

Not sure why it took so long, but I finally broke down and bought an ice cream maker last year. And I’ve spent the better part of that time experimenting to find the best ice cream recipes. By far my fave is my version of vanilla ice cream. It’s creamy and really versatile. I’ve topped it with berries, dark chocolate sauce, and homemade fruit sauces – yumfest! P1170553

Here’s my recipe for Ultra-Vanilla Ice Cream:

3 cups heavy whipping cream (’nuff said!)
1 1/2 cups whole milk (I wouldn’t go with anything less)
2/3 cup maple syrup (the pure stuff)
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla (Use the best quality pure vanilla you can – it DOES make a difference!)

Mix everything together in a medium bowl and toss it in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. (I find I get the best results doing this first.) Get the ice cream maker out (follow manufacturer’s instructions for freezing the bowl). Stir the mixture once more, then pour into the bowl. After 25 minutes, you’ve got ice cream! If you want a firmer texture, remove the ice cream from the bowl (at least, that’s what my manufacturer says) and place into another one to freeze for an hour or so.

Yes, it’s that simple.

Enjoy!

~Melia

 

 

Food and Wine Wednesday: An Afternoon at King Estates

| Melia Alexander

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One of the funnest things an author gets to do is research for an upcoming book. And although there’s a lot to be said for gathering information off the Internet, in some cases, nothing captures La Muse’s attention better than actually visiting a location. Particularly if wine’s involved.P1170433

To La Muse’s happy discovery, my next project takes place at a vineyard. And surprise, surprise there are vineyards all around us!

So it was with great research determination that I set off for one of them recently, a fave, as a matter of fact: King Estates.

Cousin and I found a table on the side patio, set out our stuff, and soaked in the ambiance of the place. I took notes and started to jot ideas for the series. We even brainstormed ideas for my characters, including some of the outrageous things that could happen to them. LOL. *And claps hands together like a happy five-year-old*

I love my author-job!

On a scale of one to five bottles of wine, how happy do you suppose I was that afternoon?

Happy researching,
Melia