Not Your Grandmothers Grapefruit

I just want to start off by letting everyone know this isn't your grandmother's baked grapefruit.  That is, unless your grandma is the type to start the day off with a stiff drink.  Well maybe not a stiff drink, but a little something, something.  I would not recommend this breakfast before a busy day at work.  Think more along the lines of a champagne brunch or breakfast in bed.  This dish was actually really fun for me.  I got the idea around New Years Eve, I was thinking of my wild days in the military and how we used to put alcohol in anything we could.  Jello, fruit, gummy bears; like I said, anything we could.  A vodka watermelon was always a crowd pleaser.  I didn't really feel like buying a watermelon (or eating a whole one myself) so I picked a smaller fruit and tried to class it up a bit.  I've been craving grapefruit lately so that became my muse.  I can distinctly remember being made fun on in culinary school for topping my grapefruit with honey, so lets see what people think of this.  Pick out a nice white wine (I had a Torrontes on hand).  Torrontes is not a common household wine, it has a slightly acidic taste, a little on the dry side for a white and a wonderful fruity pebble smell. (yes, like the cereal)

  A good Sauvignon Blanc or nice Riesling would work too.  The method is the same as a vodka watermelon.  Pierce a small hole in the flesh of the fruit and fit with a funnel.  I used the topper to a squeeze bottle to compensate for the small size of the grapefruit.  Add wine a funnel full at a time until the fruit will no longer absorb it.  This can take quite a while to accomplish, I checked mine every half hour for the better part of the evening.  Once your satisfied with the fruit to alcohol ratio you can slice it in half and separate the segments.  If you are prepping the night before, just put your wine saturate fruit into the fridge until you are ready to slice and use.  There is such a thing as a grapefruit knife but I find a paring knife to work just fine.  Pop the grapefruit in a 350 degree oven for five minutes, just enough to take away the chill.  Remove from the oven and crank it up to a high broil.  Top the grapefruit with honey and put it back into the oven for just a couple minutes, checking frequently.  The top of the fruit will swell up under the heat and the honey will darken and caramelize.  Remove and enjoy!  If you don't have honey on hand a couple spoonfuls of white or brown sugar will do the trick. 

This is round one for grapefruit. I still have a couple left in the kitchen and plan to try a meringue topped treat.  Stay tuned!

James Arthur Vineyard

I apologize for the delay since my last blog. Man, life can get hectic. August was a struggle for me but why focus of the busy and the bad? I had a few great evenings in August and that is what I care to share with everyone. If you ever find yourself in a bad spot and in desperate need of a relaxing evening, James Arthur Vineyard is just the place your looking for. A short drive down a couple of country roads and you are out of the city and in a little paradise. The vineyard soothes all your senses, first with the lush colors. Deep green vines, grass and leaves complemented by the royal purple of the grapes and of coarse the bright blue sky which slowly fades in to shades of orange and pink. Although the temperature is the same as the rest of the city it feels just a degree or two cooler. This trip to the vineyard was the only night in all of August that we were pleased to sit outside. The night was filled with friendly chatter but we were also lucky enough to have some outdoor music provided by the staff. The vineyard hosts live bands on their patio Friday nights during the summer. And of coarse the wine! Something for everyone's tastes. Reds, whites, blushes, meads, the list goes on and on. The vineyard also hosts special events where you can blend and bottle your own personal wine. The other really cool thing about the vineyard is that you can bring your own food. They do sell cheeses, breads and meats to complement their wines but they allow you to bring in snacks of your own. This particular trip to the vineyard was for Theary's going away. I was not excited to see her go but was thrilled to spend the evening eating and drinking with good friends. To my surprise one of Theary's good friends brought some homemade butters to snack on the bread with. Her inspiration? My blog! She used my original recipes for two of her butters and then created one of her own. A delicious spread with smoked salmon and green onions. Overall it was the perfect setting for Theary's going away. Just the right balance of music, food, wine and good company.

Wine