Grenache.
No words necessary.
No words necessary.
Big thanks to our Instafans who share the love with us each week!
Garden & Gun has done it again. I saw this recipe and immediately headed out to the grocery store. Take my advice and try it with the LIGHTNING CdP Blanc!
From Soul: A Chef’s Culinary Evolution in 150 Recipes, by Todd Richards
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE TOAST
2 firm-ripe peaches, halved and pitted
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon blended oil
1 medium-size ripe avocado
4 (1⁄2-inch-thick) slices multigrain boule-style bread
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1⁄4 cup thinly sliced red radishes (about 3 ounces)
1 bunch watercress
1 teaspoon gray sea salt
1⁄2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
FOR THE PIMENTO CHEESE
4 bacon slices
1 tablespoon blended olive oil
2 small red bell peppers, stems removed, finely diced (about 1 1⁄4 cups)
2 teaspoons adobo sauce from canned chipotle peppers
1⁄4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons hot sauce
1⁄2 teaspoon dry mustard
1⁄2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1⁄4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
4 ounces white Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
4 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons thinly sliced chives
PREPARATION
For the Toast:
Note: If watercress is unavailable, arugula or curly mustard greens can be substituted.
For the Pimento Cheese:
“Great pimento cheese is all about spice. Red peppers and hot sauce are essential to cutting through the richness of the cream cheese and Cheddar. You need that spicy zing to tame the fat. Mustard also steps in to balance the rich flavors.” —Chef Todd Richards
Dear Friends,
Here at LIGHTNING we are excited about some long-awaited changes to our hospitality options and we can finally share the news with you!
We will continue to personally host our guests, by appointment only, as we always have, and now we are able to offer a more spontaneous option for tasting our small-production wines as well. Both of these tasting experiences will be located in the Oxbow District of Napa, at 1031 McKinstry Street.
Impromptu – Lightning Wines is thrilled to be a part of the Feast It Forward network in the Oxbow District of Napa. Feast! is all about food, drink, entertainment, and giving back. Open Wednesday–Monday, from 11-6, guests can enjoy a selection of our wines with no appointment required.
Classic Lightning – Of course you are always invited to enjoy a curated, seated tasting of our most exclusive wines, paired with a few of our favorite nibbles. Personal guidance through our wines is how we have come to know so many of our customers so well. Please continue to contact us by e-mail or phone as this tasting experience is only available by prior arrangement.
Although the location of our tastings will be changing, a few things have NOT changed! We continue to focus on making delicious Rhône-inspired wines and are always eager to share these wines with you! As always, we appreciate your support of Lightning Wines and will continue to work hard to entertain you and your clients, your friends and family, and all Grenache lovers, with great wines and a great time.
We look forward to seeing you soon –
Randy, Rosemary & Brooke
It feels like many of the normal things I grew up with in West Texas are now considered hip. Some are surprising to me (like having chickens in your backyard) and others not surprising (like pimento cheese). One snack always on the table at parties back home was a cheese ball, so I was happy to see this yummy recipe in a recent issue of Garden & Gun.
Sounds good right? Randy is heading to the grocery store now so we can test it….
From Vivian Howard’s Deep Run Roots: Stories and Recipes from My Corner of the South
INGREDIENTS
¼ cup high-quality blue cheese (I like Maytag)
⅓ cup (5½ tablespoons) butter
¼ cup fresh goat cheese
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons cream cheese
¼ cup chopped dates
2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions (both white and green parts work here)
½ teaspoon hot sauce
¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup Salt-and-Butter-Roasted Pecans (recipe below), roughly chopped
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
SALT-AND-BUTTER-ROASTED PECANS
2 cups pecan halves or pieces
2 tablespoons melted butter
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
PREPARATION
For the cheese ball:
Take the blue cheese, butter, goat cheese, and cream cheese out of the refrigerator to soften 30 minutes before making your cheese-ball mixture. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine all the ingredients except for the pecans and parsley. Paddle it up till homogenous. It will be loose and sticky and you’ll wonder how you’re ever going to form that mess into a ball. The answer is, you transfer the bowl to the refrigerator for 15 minutes or so. During that time the cheese mix will firm up enough for you to pat it into a sphere. Once it’s stiff enough to hold up, form the ball and roll that ball in the pecans, followed by parsley.
For the salt-and-butter-roasted pecans:
Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Toss the pecans thoroughly with the melted butter and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet and slide that sheet onto the middle rack of your oven. Roast the pecans for 11 minutes if using whole pecans and 10 minutes if you’re using pieces. Bring the slightly darkened and toasty-smelling pecans out of the oven and hit them with the remaining salt. Let them cool 5 minutes before you eat them. These will keep for 7 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
Dream closet – XXOO – Brooke
Some days I just need french fries and red wine for dinner. And a salad to balance it out…..
Earlier this week I was flipping through all the photos I’ve accumulated over this year. Many of these photos are from YOU – moments with Lightning that you wanted to share with us via email, text or through shout-outs on social media.
Your story is our story – in each photo you share, at every dinner you invite us to, in all the tastings we host. Randy and I wanted to take a moment to say thank you for including our wines in your 2017 story.
If you tasted with us this year in Napa for the first time … if you shared our wines with your friends … if you sent us an email or photo about your #grenachelove … if you joined our wine club or purchased our wines … thank you, thank you, thank you!
Even if we’ve never met in-person before, please know that we are so appreciative, and don’t take your interest for granted. You make our story!
We look forward to having more good times with you in 2018. What can you expect from the Lightning crew in the new year?
—> New single-vineyard designated Grenache wines, highlighting our excellent farming partners.
—> A new tasting experience. We are excited to be a part of the Feast it Forward concept in the Oxbow District and are happy to offer both private and more casual tastings!
—> More in-home tastings We love being on your home-turf to host tastings for our club members and like-minded friends. (Give us a shout if you ‘re interested!)
Have a delectable holiday season. You know that extra piece of fudge won’t kill you! Wear your pj’s all day and watch old holiday movies. Share some Grenache with your friends. Whatever you do, have fun – and we can’t wait to see you in the new year!
The first thing I noticed about this band was the outfits. I am a huge fan of Fort Lonesome‘s custom stitched pieces and they did a killer job on the bespoke Western Wear the band wears on their album cover and at awards shows. Then I heard their album ‘On the Rocks‘ on a road trip and it was one hit after another. I can’t get enough of them! And obviously, I now want my own custom ‘B Lightning’ outfit.
Most people move to red wine thoughts when the weather cools down but when I saw this recipe in Garden & Gun, I knew it was a perfect pairing with our Lightning CdP Blanc. The lemon in the sauce just pops and pairs with the wine and the vibrant acidity in the wine balances out the creaminess of the sauce. A fabulous Autumn pairing!
Spaghetti Squash With Kale and Pecorino Romano Cream
Scrape seeds from a halved squash. Roast at 350°F, cut sides down on sheet pan, for 15 to 20 minutes. Rest 10 minutes. Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a sauté pan over medium. Add ½ tsp. chile flakes, 4 cups chopped kale, 2 tsp. lemon juice, 1 tsp. butter, and ½ tsp. salt. Cook 3 to 5 minutes. In a saucepan, heat 1 tbsp. butter over medium-low. Add 2 tsp. each minced shallot and garlic. Sweat them for 5 minutes, then add 2 cups heavy cream. Simmer 10 minutes. Stir in ½ cup grated pecorino Romano, ¼ tsp. sherry vinegar, ¼ tsp. salt, and pinch of pepper. Use fork to scrape squash to form strands. Add to pan with kale, and toss with 1 cup of sauce. Top with chopped toasted walnuts and parsley.