Saturday, March 31, 2007

Weekend Wine Friday In Key West


Luck had it that I went down the wine isle at Publix yesterday after I picked up about 3 lbs. of King Crab Legs. While going down the wine isle, which I always do just in case something new has arrived, I spotted a bottle of 2005 Chateau Ste. Michelle Pinot Gris with a little coupon necklace that gave you $2.00 off any seafood purchase. Pinot Gris, that sounds good with crab legs, so into the basket it went. We were totally surprised when we opened this bottle of wine at how good it was. Crisp, like the type when you bite into green apples and the wine filled up your mouth with good earthy fruit, like melon. It was a wonderful wine for under $15.00 ! It went so well with the crab legs with melted butter. Another successful spring wine evening!! No better way to start the end of your day!

Cheers!

Friday, March 30, 2007

Mr. Mondavi's Wine In Key West



Yes, Mr. Mondavi graced our taste buds last night. We had a Robert Mondavi Woodbridge Pinot Grigio. I must honestly say though, it was a nice somewhat fruity and floral wine but a little thin. It was great though for a nice sipping before dinner wine, especially chilled nicely. If I had to serve it with dinner, the dish would have to be something light - maybe a nice white fish.


OK - it's Friday and time for weekend wine in Key West. Not sure what will be on the menu for tonight, but I will have the scoop for you tomorrow.


Peanut Butter Cookies !!!! Just like grandma used to make in that wonderful farmhouse kitchen in the hills of Kentucky. While these cookies were baking I could shut my eyes and see myself with her back in that kitchen many years ago. Ahh, memories of smells are the greatest. Sometimes they are better than photos.


Cheers!

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Wine and Soup In Key West



Ever have one of those days where you visit someones site and their food makes you hungry? I had one of those day's yesterday. So I got my lazy butt up and made a big pot of Pasta E Fagioli. I make mine with 2 or 3 different kinds of dried beans, garlic, onions, celery, carrots, lots of different spices, beef broth or for the veggie folks I sometimes use vegetable stock and tiny pasta. I let this simmer all morning because the beans need to cook. When it is ready I add a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese on top. So satisfying and good for you because it has a ton of fiber in it. And I believe anything that simmers on the stove with everyone in the house passing thru asking, "Yum, what is cooking?" is a winner.


The wine I choose was a Fetzer 2005 Valley Oaks Sauvignon Blanc. It is so crisp and clean with hints of lemon. You could pair this wine with the soup, but I had it for my evening wine. I really enjoy this wine as it is a nice way to start the end of your day!


Cheers!

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Scallops With White Wine In Key West



Sauted Pancetta Wrapped Scallops With A Fennel, Grapefruit & Avocado Salad is a Spring dish just waiting to be devoured ! A a nice crisp chilled white wine that has a hint of grapefruit and enough acidity to hold up to the salad and you have one happy person! These scallops were made to melt in your mouth and then chased down to your tummy with the Louis Jadot Chapelle Aux Loup Saint-Veran wine following right behind. This was our last dish served on Friday at our tapas, weekend wine in Key West event. Ahhh!


Last night we made our grilled lamb again because it was such a big hit on Friday. We marinated the lamb in garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, mustard, basil, marjoram and a little lemon juice. Threaded it on skewers and popped those guys on a nice hot grill. I chose a nice inexpensive zinfandel "Dancing Bull", which is one of my favorites, to go along with the lamb. We accompanied this with a simple potato salad and grilled bread. The "Dancing Bull" 2004 Zin is produced by Rancho Zabaco Winery in Healdsburg, Ca. It is a great wine full of black cherry's, with a hint of spice which pairs well with all kinds of spicy or full flavored dishes. It is really great with pizza (another day). Perfect evening!


Cheers:)

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

More Tapas Night With Wine In Key West


Smoked Salmon Potato Cake topped with mustard cream, smoked salmon, capers and a fresh dill sprig. We served this yumtious (is that a word?) plate of goodies with the Louis Jadot 2004 Chapelle Aux Loups Saint-Veran. This crisp, slightly acidic wine went down very well with the potato cakes. Remember the grilled lamb I told you about yesterday? Well we are making this our main course tonight as it was sooo good! I think I will pair it with a zinfandel tonight. More on that later !

Monday, March 26, 2007

Lamb With Greg Norman's Wine In Key West


Let's celebrate Spring! As I stated yesterday, here is the grilled lamb with a tzatziki sauce and grilled onions. The tzatziki sauce is a mixture of plain yogurt, cucumber, mint, parsley, red wine, garlic, salt and pepper and it compliments the lamb so well. We had the Greg Norman "Shark" red wine with this tapas. With the smooth tannins, plum and dark cherry flavors, it was a big hit with the grilled lamb.

A few tapas and a couple of good bottles of wine is a great way to celebrate Spring!

Cheers:)

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Greg Norman Wine In Key West



Our second wine that we choose to accompany our tapas and wine evening was Greg Norman's Australian Estates 2004 Limestone Coast "Shark" Shiraz. UMM - this was a really nice shiraz with a mouth full of plums and cherry's. The tannins were so soft and smooth, not a bang as they sometimes can be. This was great with the grilled lamb that I will talk about tomorrow.

Hope you are having a relaxing weekend!

Cheers!

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Wine And Tapas In Key West Weekend Wine


Went back to Publix yesterday to get another bottle of the Arrogant Frog, as you will note in yesterdays post. But all the caps were damaged. So I will get back to you all on the results of that wine at a later date.


Now for Wine Weekend - Friday. WOW - A Wine and Tapas night that was too good! Chris the chef made 8 different dishes for our little event and we had 2 wines to accompany. So in the next few days I will tell you a little about each dish and the wines that went with them.


First off, I will start off with a good ol' staple starter, in my books, Cantalope wrapped with prosciutto. So simple even I can make it. The cantalope was sweet and juicy with that salty, but not over salty prosciutto. When that hits your mouth - what can I say! Oh yum! We opened our first bottle of wine which was a Louis Jadot Chapelle Aux Loups Saint-Veran from France. This crisp, sorta high acidity wine went very well with the cantalope and prosciutto. Such a happy time in your mouth!

More sips and bits tomorrow - Cheers!

Friday, March 23, 2007

Corked Or Screwed Wine In Key West


I know when a wine has a bad cork it is called "corked" or some say "corky" but last night I had a bad screw top. So is that called "screwed" or "screwy"??? Anyhow, after bringing all my wine home from Publix yesterday, I noticed that the screw cap on the Arrogant Frog Ribet White was busted. Just the other day I was touting on how I was enjoying the screw cap on wines, but now found out how that could be bad. Actually, I still like the screw top idea and this is the first encounter I have had with this type of seal. So I thought, well I could take the bottle back and get it exchanged or I could try the wine and see how it tastes. OK Deb, let's go for it and unscrew this baby. Well, it did not taste corky for sure or screwy. The wine to me was fine! So, I am going to go back to Publix today and purchase another bottle and see if they do taste the same. And since, it is Friday and time for "Weekend Wine", I will get back to you tomorrow and let you know my results.


Cheers!

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Loser Wine In Key West


What a bummer !!!! The Stellar Organic Merlot that I told you about yesterday was really not very good. We opened it before dinner to taste and was so disappointed. The aroma was OK, but it tasted like grape juice. I know merlot's are not a bold, jump away in your mouth type of wine, but this one did not even limp. Very weak and not very fruity. We kept drinking it thinking maybe it would come around after being open to the air, but it got worse. I have been trying to give every organic wine I can find a taste test, but actually have not found one that I would buy again. I do not know why, but the flavors are just bland. But...I will not give up. I will keep my search going for the perfect organic wine! I am on a mission!


Thank goodness I had the bottle of Red Bicyclette Syrah ready to be opened. It was delightful. I know, I know, they are completely 2 different grapes, but we could not take the Stellar (although we did finish the bottle - never waste). So we enjoyed the Syrah for the rest of the evening and with our pasta dinner. Remember, the Red Bicyclette is from a little corner of the very best place in France. This Syrah is rich and fruity and makes your tongue happy when it arrives. It went well with our pasta dinner which was just a saute of, olive oil, shallot, garlic, cremini mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, one fresh cayenne pepper, fresh asparagus cooked with a little chicken broth, white wine, a spoonful of tomato paste, a pinch of sugar, salt and pepper. It was served over Dreamfields Pasta, the linguine shape. I accompanied the pasta with some toasted bread with olive oil and a small salad.

Needless to say, it was an interesting evening of wine tasting, one of my favorite things to do.

Cheers!

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Which Wine Tonight In Key West


I guess it will depend on which pasta dinner I decide to make as to which wine I will choose.

OK, the choices are, one of my favorite brands of late, Red Bicyclette 2004 Syrah. Yep, I am on a red kick tonight, as it is still cool in Key West. The other choice is Stellar Organics 2006 Merlot. I have been tasting a few organic wines lately and am sorta doing research on them. I like the idea of the ones that are sulfite free.


If anyone has any good websites or suggestions for organic wines, please leave me a comment. Looking for organic wine in Key West can be a little bit of a challenge.


OK, I am off to the kitchen to check what goodies I have in the frig so I can decide which pasta dish to make.

Cheers!

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Wine Repeat Key West


It was so good that we had another bottle last night ! I am speaking about "Fernleaf" Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. One of my dinner guests had not tasted it and I definitely wanted them to try it. Again, another plus for this crisp, dance in your mouth wine. We served it with a penne pasta dish. Our sauce was a fresh tomato and basil blend. We infused olive oil with garlic and used some of that oil to saute chopped onions, fresh tomatoes, and added some white wine to simmer the sauce for awhile. We then added the pasta, lots of freshly chopped basil from the garden and grated parmesan cheese. We sliced up some Pugliese bread, a European style bread with a soft center and crisp crust, and toasted that lightly with the rest of the garlic infused olive oil. Our salad was a simple fresh mixed green one with a balsamic vinaigrette. The Fernleaf wine, since it is bold, complimented the whole meal.


Happy First Day of Spring !!:)

Cheers!

Monday, March 19, 2007

Gardening Cilantro In Key West


Cilantro is one of my favorite herbs and is so easy to grow, as you can see I do mine in containers. It's real name is Coriandrum Sativum and has been around for quite some time. It was introduced to Chinese cooking about AD600, but I use it in all kinds of cuisine. My favorite is in the simple salsa I make with roasted red, green and yellow bell peppers, fresh tomatoes, fresh cayenne pepper from the garden, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper, a pinch of sugar and LOTS of chopped cilantro. Mix all together and let it set for awhile to let the flavors meld together and YUM ! Great on chips, grilled chicken, grilled pork or even a nicely grilled piece of fish. It is very versatile.


Remember, you cannot tell a gardener by their green thumb, but by their brown knees !

Cheers!

Sunday, March 18, 2007

Wine Weekend Con't. In Key West


Cool Saturday night - great for home made pizza. Feature wine last night was a "Mirassou" 2005 Sauvignon Blanc. This family has been making wine since 1854 and are located in Modesto, California. So being in the business that long shows us they are doing something right! This was a very nice wine for under $10. It was a nice fruity wine without being sweet, very crisp with a hint of that grapefruit hit that I enjoy. It stood up very well with my pizza. I was going to go with a red, but am glad I chose this wine for the evening.


I made my pizza dough a couple of hours ahead of time so it could rise and be punched down a few times. I spread on my own pizza sauce that I make ahead of time and I freeze in batches that are enough for one pizza at a time. Then I add my toppings of choice for the evening which were thinly sliced onions, a couple of freshly chopped Serrano peppers from my garden, thinly sliced red bell pepper, a few thinly sliced porcinni mushrooms, a few small chopped broccoli florets, a little goat cheese and lots of mozzarella cheese with some freshly grated parmesan on top of that. Pop it into a 425 degree oven for about 10 minutes, and depending how fast the cheese melts, and I am ready for a pizza party !
Cheers!

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Weekend Wine Key West


Strike up the band, it's weekend wine in Key West. Yep, I love Friday nights as it is time to try a new wine that I have not had. The Aussie's have struck again. Wine of the night was a "Jacob's Creek" , from Rowland Flat, SA Australia, 2005 Semillon Sauvignon Blanc with more of the semillon grape (57%) as to the sauvignon (43%) grape. It was a nice dry, crisp blend with just a hint of that, how do I want to say it, good Mother Earth grassiness that our friends down under can produce. Not quite the grassiness as the New Zealand wines, but still a bit of that flavor. I would serve it with mild foods like seafood, poultry, or a mild white meat as the wine is not extremely bold.


It is another wine with a screw top which I am really starting to like. It is described as a closure using a bonded circle of foam and foil which produces a perfect seal and eliminates a chance that the wine could spoil by oxidation. Sounds pretty scientific to me. I buy it !


Low 70 degree temps with winds from 20-30 mph today with a few clouds. So tonight's wine might have to be a little heavier. We will see because if it is going to be home made pizza night, we may needs a wine with a bit more body. More on that tomorrow!

Cheers To All !

Friday, March 16, 2007

Wheat Berry's In Key West


Every once in awhile I get on a healthy let's eat all grains, fresh veggies, etc. kick. Well this week I picked up the April issue of "Eating Well" magazine. One reason is that I have just filled my pantry with boxes of whole grains from our natural food store here in Key West called "Sugar Apple" and one of the grains is Wheat Berry's. (Check out my photo of newly cooked wheat berry's with my tomato gems and sage). I have a nice salad recipe using them but wanted to cook them in something warm. In Eating Well they have a whole article on Wheat Berry's this month with some yummy recipes. I made the "Zesty Wheat Berry-Black Bean Chili". It was awesome and sooo easy. But most of all, I felt really healthy with all the ingredients that the chili included. If anyone is interested in the recipe, just leave me a comment or check out the magazine.


Found a great site this morning for organic gardening. I have spent over an hour on the site so far and must close it for now as I do need to tend to my garden. The site is http://www.organicgarding.com/ Check it out !

I planted a mixture of hot pepper seeds in a few containers and boom, they are all about 6 inches tall now and screaming for their own pots. Gotta go - Time to transplant!

Tomorrow I will review another one of my inexpensive wines as it is Friday and time for weekend wine !

Cheers:)

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Basil Sitting Pretty In Key West


You know I have been showing you all of those great photos of the newly harvested tomatoes from my garden, but this morning the herbs ganged up on me wanting their photos taken. So here is my basil sitting pretty in her flower pot. Actually I have 2 separate basil plants in that pot. One is regular basil and the other is lemon basil. The lemon basil is great with steamed fish, a dish so easy to make. I usually use a mild light fish, like tilapia. Just take aluminum foil or parchment paper, place fish on, add fresh herbs (like lemon basil, thyme, rosemary) a little salt and pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. Seal the fish in the foil, pop in the oven at 350 for about 20 minutes, or until the fish flakes apart. Nice thing about this is there is no cleanup, except throwing away the foil.

But the real showstopper is fresh tomatoes with chopped fresh basil, a little olive oil and salt and pepper and maybe a splash of balsamic vinegar. Is your mouth watering yet? Well put all of that on sliced grilled baguette, a glass of chilled white wine - oh my gosh, it is a party in my mouth !

OK, after that comment, I am off to the garden !

Cheers!!!

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

New Gems From The Key West Garden


Check out my new babies ! Aren't they just simply marvelous ! They were planted in containers the first week of January, harvested today. Oops, one has a small crack in it - OK into my mouth - Yummy! These guys will not last long - but with photos, you always have the memories !!!

Cheers :)

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Pepper's Are Becoming Red In Key West


Out in my small jungle of potted plants this morning, I am finally seeing some red ! The Cayenne's are finally turning from green bean green to their fiery red. These babies are hot ! Cayenne's are one of my favorite peppers to cook with. Even a simple fresh veggie stir to go over Dreamfields Pasta gets some personality from these guys. Now you say - what wines go with cayenne peppers? Tune in for more on that later!


Just in case you want to whip up a veggie stir for yourself, I just saute in some olive oil a few anchovies, a shallot, fresh sliced garlic, a chopped fresh cayenne (2 if you are brave) then add chopped fresh tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes (if I have them) a few cremini mushrooms, of course some white wine, let all simmer for a bit and then add some fresh herbs from the garden, like basil, oregano, or thyme. Pour over pasta and top with a bit of grated Parmesan cheese. Serve with some fresh bread (that I hope to be baking soon) with some extra virgin olive oil. Then pour yourself a glass of the wine that you used to saute your veggies in, and walla -fresh as fresh can be. (If you want more green in your sauce, add some chopped up asparagus or broccoli.)

Cheers ! And oh yes, Bon Appetit !

Monday, March 12, 2007

Key West Wine Sunday



You can see the bottle of RedBicyclette 2004 Chardonnay in the photo is empty. Why? because we drank the whole thing last evening. I have given you a post on the Rose' of this brand but decided last night to try the Chard. Even though they call is RedBicyclette, the wine was white! I am not an American Chardonnay drinker, as most seem too thick and buttery. (If anyone knows of one that is not, please leave me a comment!) But French and Australian Chards seem crisper, fruitier, and much lighter. Personally that is what I prefer. This wine was crisp, sorta like an apple, and had a little spice and fruit to it also. Very pleasant for under the $10 limit. I will purchase this one again.


Now you ask, why the bread cookbook? Well, I have been inspired (again) to bake bread. I was checking out Farmgirl Fare's site this morning and she and two other bread master's are setting out to do a major bread project. Please click on her link to the side here and find out all the details. She has an awesome site and I would like to know how she has the time for all the things she does ! I guess I will need to get up even earlier than I do now to tend to my garden and get the bread going. But I figure a nice loaf of bread and some good cheese may give my wine comments even more depth. Hopefully I can pass on some good advise for tastings!


Well, I am off on my Red Bike on search of some good bread books!


Cheers !

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Sunday In Key West


Sunday's - ah especially Sunday mornings. A few birds are happily singing in our palm tree outside the door. Windows are open, sunny and 72, nice island breeze. What more can a person ask for - how about a nice cup of tea and a good book. OK. Relax and read. Fang the cat is deciding which book she will choose for the day.

Cheers !

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Weekend Wine Key West




What a way to start off a beautiful Friday evening. We did a flight tasting of 3 different California sauvignon blancs from 3 different areas. Each of these had a really different personality.


We started off with a Frog Leap 2005 Sauvignon Blanc. Frog Leap is in Napa Valley in the town of Rutherford. To me it was a very perky, clean, wake your mouth up taste. It reminds me of when you put a piece of fresh grapefruit into your mouth and you get that feel good pucker going on. I really liked the way it tasted on the back of my tongue. (Also it had a cute plastic cork, it said "Ribbit") ALC.12.9% by Vol.


Secondly we tasted a Kunde Estate 2005 Magnolia Lane Sauvignon Blanc. Kunde Estate is located in Sonoma Valley in the town of Kenwood. Smooth, almost creamy, but with a hint of that same grapefruit, citrus bite as you drink it. It seemed the warmer the wine became, the more fruity it became. It was a completely different taste than the Frog's Leap. It had a screw top which is great if you happen to misplace your opener! ALC 13.5% by Vol.


Our last wine to taste was a Merryvale Starmont 2005 Sauvignon Blanc. This wine was 90% sauvignon and 10% semillion. So this wine again was different from the two previous ones. Maybe because this was our third tasting, but this wine to me was a little weaker than the other two. It was very light, refreshing and good on a Key West evening, but just did not have the "umpf" like the other two. It's ALC. 13.5% by Vol.




After our tasting, we dined on Chris' wonderful Shrimp Scampi over a charcoal fire. That was accompanied with a sun dried tomato risotto, a mixed green salad with a light mustard vinaigrette, and a bruschetta made with fresh tomatoes (no not out of my garden just yet), fresh basil (yes out of my garden) fresh garlic and a balsamic vinegar dressing. All three wines paired greatly with this meal.




Good wines, good food, good weather and most of all good company !


Cheers!

Friday, March 9, 2007

Wine Selection Key West Thursday


Into my inexpensive wine (cheap under $10) shelf last evening and came up with a dandy ! It is a East Coast, New Zealand wine called "Fernleaf". I had their 2005 sauvignon blanc that was outstanding. It reminded me of "Cloudy Bay" due to the grassyness. I had it quite chilled and the fruitiness and that grassy flavor also went well with the steamed fish with herbs that I had fixed for dinner with a side of asparagus. I love the "green" taste of asparagus. It really is so connecting to the earth and the wine complimented that aspect. Finished off that whole bottle last evening ! It was such a beautiful night out with clear skies and just a few vapor clouds to give the sky some character.


I am looking forward to this evenings meal and wines to accompany. My guys gave me 3 nice sauvignon blancs for my birthday, so we are going to have a flight tasting early this evening. Then Chris is going to prepare shrimp on the grill. He marinates the shrimp as though it was going to be scampi but then puts them over a charcoal grill. More on that whole event tomorrow! Happy Friday !

Cheers !

Thursday, March 8, 2007

Dreamfields Pasta In Key West




If you are like me, I have tried almost every "good for you" pasta on the market. The best that I now stock in my pantry is Dreamfields Pasta. It only has 5 grams of digestible carbs, has a lower glycemic index than regular pasta, more fiber (which at my age is a good thing) and no trans fats. It comes in all the shapes and forms a person could need. I made some awesome lasagna roll ups from it and have made great mac and cheese, salads, and it tastes so good sometimes I just have olive oil and parmesan cheese on it for a side dish. What I really like about it is I can have the serving size of 2 oz., which seems like it would not be enough but it really is, and I am full for the rest of the evening ! I purchase my Dreamfields Pasta at Publix, but I know it is sold nationwide so you can probably find it at your grocery store. I highly recommend it.


I have put their website on my favorite list to the side here so you can stop by and pick up a free $1.00 off coupon they are giving away. I also like the site because they have some yummy recipes that are fairly easy to make. I signed up for their newsletter which is cool as they send out new recipes frequently. Now do I sound like a commercial or what ! Seriously, it's good stuff, try it ! Let me know what you think.
Cheers!

Wednesday, March 7, 2007

Smooth Sailing Key West


It's My Birthday !

Smooth Sailing The Day Away !

Cheers:)

Tuesday, March 6, 2007

Lettuce In Key West



Look ! The mesclun is coming up so nicely with the flowers smiling and protecting the newly sprouted greens. Yep, I am excited as another one of my container gems is taking hold. I planted these seeds from "Cook's Garden" on 2/27. We have had nice sunny days and fairly cool nights so these guys are lovin' it. Since I do not have the rabbit, deer and cow munchers that I encountered when I grew lettuce up north, hopefully this mesclun will survive. Oh, that is unless the lizards or some strange bug that I am not familiar with decides to dine at my place. Also these containers are not hugh, but might be just big enough to get me a couple of good crops for my salads.




Not sure if I told you this, but I do have one tomato plant that is doing very well, so far, in the ground ! When I dug the hole for it, I added much needed "real dirt", cut the top off one of my small trees so the morning sun would hit it and am talking to it every single day. Now I am not going to brag on this little dude yet, as I do not want to jinx it. So...more lately on it's progress.




Hope you all are having a marvelous day!


Cheers!


Monday, March 5, 2007

Key West And An Organic Read


Hey, cool day in Key West today with lots of wind. So winter has returned once again. But I cannot complain as the skies are a Caribbean Blue. Thank You Mother Nature and the Gods of Heaven ! Also want to thank them as they have been doing a terrific job on the moon the past few nights.


Just finished a good book by Joan Dye Gussow, "This Organic Life - Confessions of a Suburban Homesteader". Not only is it a good read for the organic gardening crews out there, but it is about Mother Nature and one couple's ups and downs with her. Joan really educates us on why we need to care about and how to care about what we eat. She is very passionate and cares so much about the environment, our planet, and the way we live. The book is a little about alot. She tells her story, and the book reads like a novel, but also she shares some of her recipes from the goodies that she harvests from her garden. It also has bits of history, a little science, a few gardening instructions and just a tinge of politics included.

This is one serious lady when it comes to her garden. When I finished reading this, I went right outside and made sure my tiny garden was happy. Very inspiring !


Cheers!

Sunday, March 4, 2007

Key West Sunday


Hey All,

Cool front coming thru today. Some wind and only in mid 70's. Funny as it was 84 yesterday and only 74 today - humidity down which makes it lots cooler. But...the tomatoes love it. Cool nights and warm days. And hey, I have some lettuce coming up. More on that later. Hope all my friends up north are surviving. It is March, full moon that was eclisped and spring is not too far away ! Catch ya tomorrow.


Cheers ! :)

Saturday, March 3, 2007

Key West Gardening


Good Saturday Morning!


It is warm, humid and very sunny today. Temps about 82. Out in my small (actually tiny) garden this morning and, WOW, some cherry tomatoes are ready for the salad bowl. They are in a pot and were planted around the first week of January. I had to pluck on off and taste - yummy !


My tomoatoes that I planted in my home made soil are not looking so good. I was trying to give them an organic home in some really good mix, but something is just not right. I think they will not survive. If anyone out there has a good receipe for container growing soil, please send me a comment. So, back to the gardening books. Any good recommendations on organic gardening books or website ?????


Cheers for today :)


Friday, March 2, 2007

Everything Is Coming Up Rose' in Key West


Hi All !

Another absolutely marvelous day in Key West today. And what a day to enjoy a bottle of "Red Bicyclette" Rose' Wine. I tried a nicely chilled bottle of this the other night for my happy hour, which starts every evening at 5:30 in case you would like to join in. The Rose' was a 2005 Produit de France, French Rose'. It had very nice flavors of raspberry and cherry and was so fresh with no long after taste. Perfect on a near spring evening in Key West.


The big chat in Key West today is Kenny Chesney's appearance at Hog's Breath this afternoon at 4 and tomorrow evening at Margaritaville. It is rumored that Jimmy Buffet will appear with Kenny tomorrow night at his place. Also you can tune in today on the Hog's Web Cam for the concert.


There ya go - another day in paradise!

Cheers!

Thursday, March 1, 2007

Key West Sunny Flowers


Key West weather is awesome today ! 80 degrees and a wonderful island breeze. Not only does this weather make me smile, as you can see it makes the flowers in my yard happy.

I hope you visit my site on a regular basis now that I am getting the hang of this blog thing. I will be back tomorrow with another one of my inexpensive (cheap under $10) wine suggestions. Now that I am getting out to the world, I will be seeking more great wines for everyone to try.

Have a great day and you are always welcome to come to Key West where the weather is simply marvelous !

Cheers !