Pigs, Peas and Pinot

I'm just jumping in with this....

I wanted to create a cute logo, take great pictures and write the perfect introduction for my new blog......our new blog. I'm Rhonda, a food magazine addict, and my BFF who shares in the love of farming, food and wine...is Rob. I will let you all know who we are and what we do at a later date. But for now....I'm getting started with the third item in the title, Pinot. However, not specifically Pinot. I just needed a wine that started with "P".

My husband, Scott, says I have a huge problem. I have to agree with him. I cannot and will not toss out any of my food magazines. I won't even lend them out. How can I? When I get on a certain ethnic food kick, such as Indian, I'll pick up an old "Food and Wine" and be thrilled to see a great article and fantastic recipes from the very region I want my kitchen to turn into...India. Another magazine I dig out may speak about Tuscany, Mexico or even cured meats of Poland. I'm excited once again to read about such ventures. Sometimes I miss these articles or I may simply forget about them.

Last week I ventured through a "Saveur" magazine from Jan/Feb 2010. The main concept for this issue was the "Best 100". Readers share their favorite ingredients, chefs, tools, tips and more that they cannot live without.

"What's this on page 36?"

A reader writes about her discovery of Malbec wine. Apparently, the Malbec grape originated in France but was mainly used in blends to enhance the ruby red color of red wine. The Argentines brought this very dark grape down to their fertile soils and dry climate and mastered the Malbec wine. I'm immediately intrigued by the description....richly red, dense, balanced. I must have had wine from Argentina at some point but I don't recall ever trying Malbec. I was recently telling Rob how I am getting bored with the wine selection at our local grocery store. I would much rather browse in a small wine shop and ask questions about certain varieties and countries. I remember seeing Malbec on the shelf but it never seemed interesting enough to purchase. I usually stayed with what I knew for my house wines....a California Cab.

When it comes to red wine, the most important thing I look for is the ability to NOT see through it in the glass. Then a close second would have to be not too much fruit. I prefer descriptions of the non-fruit qualities, such as oak, cedar, cocoa, coffee, leather, truffle....

So, with the reader's advice and a desire to get to know Argentina a little better, I enjoyed a wine that evening that held everything I love in a red....dark color(can't see through!), very full bodied and an incredible balance of fruit, non-fruit and spice aromas. I already went through all the Malbecs at the store. Now on to the little wine shop....

As I sit here dining on Moroccan Koftas and Israeli Couscous Salad with Pesto, I realized that now is the perfect time to begin sharing our love for real food and great wine along with the experiences, places and stories that make it all happen. From Rhonda's pigs out in the field to Rob's Daisy the Jersey cow. From discovering Shrimp and Grits in Charleston, South Carolina to discovering a great winery in St. Michael's, Maryland.....and all the experiences in between.