April Wine Specials: Wines from France

Each month at Zupan’s Markets, we feature 12 wines on special from a certain category, country or grape variety. For this month’s wine specials we are featuring approachable, affordable, mouthwatering French wines.  Each of our 12 selections, which could easily be found in bistros all over France, are wonderfully food friendly, represent their areas of origin, and are great values.

Steeped in tradition and romance, French wine can provide a profound wine experience.  It can also cause a befuddling shopping experience. Unlike New World wines, where grape variety is prominent,  the most important part of the French wine label is the appellation designation, indicating the wine’s quality level and where the grapes were grown. For example, in the U.S. we name a wine “Pinot Noir,” but in France the same wine would be named “Bourgogne” for the place where the Pinot Noir is grown.

This appellation distinction and regulation of wine making began in 1936 when the Appellations d’Origine Controllée (AOC) system was extended to wine making throughout the country. Translated, AOC means “controlled designation of origin” and was first started in the 15th century to regulate the making of Roquefort cheese. The French developed the AOC system to provide protection for specialized products only made in distinct regions, supporting the idea of “terroir” or that certain regions produce products with distinct and consistent character. This system allows for strict production regulations, including wine making techniques, authorized varieties and vine cultivation.

Over the years France’s wine classification system has been reformed and currently includes three categories. Listed from most basic to highest quality they are Vin de France, IGP (Indication Géographique Protégée) & AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée). This year even further changes are happening to replace AOC with AOP (Appellation d’Origine Protégée), however the new distinction only means minor changes to terminology with no changes to the appellations themselves.

With all that said, what is most important to remember in the discovery of French wine, is that in each bottle is the delicious result of centuries of trial and error, passion and stewardship. It is with that knowledge that we invite you to take the plunge into the wonderful world of French wine.

Check out the full list of wines on special this month.

Cheers!

Zupan’s Markets Guacamole Champions

Winning recipes pictured. Starting in the top left and moving clockwise: Bernard (Lake Grove), Kim (Macadam), Eli (Burnside), Robin (Belmont)

Did you know it’s estimated that 8 million pounds of guacamole is consumed during the Super Bowl? With that much green goodness being smashed up, Zupan’s Markets decided to hold a competition this week among its store associates for the best recipe. With 32 different entries the decision was a hard one for store associates, who were the judges. Unique ingredients included pomegranate seeds, bacon and curry. But in the end there could only be one champion per store.

 

Below we have included the 4 winning recipes for you to try. Have a guacamole secret of your own? Share it with us!

Lake Grove Champion – Bernard, Produce
INGREDIENTS:
4 avocados
1 lime
6 garlic cloves
1/2 cup cilantro
1 sweet onion
2 jalapenos
1 container pico de gallo
salt and pepper to taste

Macadam Champion, Kim, Service Deli
INGREDIENTS:
1 jalapeno, diced
4 oz green chiles
6 avocados
6 green onions, chopped
2 oz lemon grass, chopped
Juice from 1 lemon
1 tomato, chopped
4 T chopped garlic
1 T pepper
1 T smoked sea salt
4 T cilantro, chopped

Burnside Champion, Eli, Meat
Jícama Classic Guacamole
INGREDIENTS:
5 avocados
2 shallots
1 large lime
¼ lb jícama
1 T sea salt
1 t granulated garlic
1 t black pepper
1 bunch greek oregano, chopped

Belmont Champion, Robin, Service Deli
INGREDIENTS:
6 avocados
Juice from 5 limes
1/3 c sour cream
2 t salt
2 t cumin
1 t dry oregano
4 roasted jalapenos
2 t granulated garlic
1/4 t red pepper flakes
Smash with whisk

Top with roasted corn, four roasted, peeled & chopped poblano chiles, crumbled queso fresco, chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

Zupan’s Truffle Mac

PASTA INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb penne, rigatoni or your favorite shaped pasta
• 6 qts water boiled with 2 T salt
• 1.5 T Italian black truffle oil – or 3 T Oregon truffle oil
• 2 T evoo – use the best finishing oil you can get your hands on
• 2 cloves garlic – smash with the flat side of a chef’s knife on your cutting board, add a big pinch of salt, chop and smash until it’s become a paste
• 1 T fresh chopped thyme
• .5 t The Meadow’s truffle salt
• .25 t cayenne pepper

PASTA METHOD

1. Boil pasta in salted water to the al dente stage,1 to 2 mins less than mfg recommendation

2. Drain pasta fully and immerse immediately into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process, drain again

3. Toss cooled pasta with truffle oil, evoo, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper – adjust seasonings

CHEESE SAUCE INGREDIENTS 

• 4 T salted butter
• 5 T white flour
• 3 c whole milk separated, 1 c, 2 c
• 1.5  lbs grated Tillamook Vintage White cheddar cheese – or any extra sharp cheddar
• .5 lb grated Parmesan Reggiano – separated into 2 equal amounts
• 2 t Dijon mustard
• .25 t grated nutmeg
• .5 t cayenne or white pepper
• salt to taste

CHEESE SAUCE METHOD

1. Melt butter on med heat for 4 mins or until fully melted in a 1 qt pot

2. Whisk in flour

3. Cook butter/flour (roux) on med heat for 2 mins, stirring occasionally – if the roux gets a little color don’t worry, it won’t change the flavor of the cheese sauce unless it gets really dark

4. After 2 mins, vigorously whisk in 1 c whole milk until it’s become a smooth paste and you see no lumps, add more milk if it’s too thick to whisk easily

5. When it’s smooth whisk in the additional 2 c whole milk

6. Turn up heat to med/high and bring to a boil stirring constantly so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot – if it does DON’T scrape it off with your whisk, you don’t want to incorporate burnt milk into your smooth, velvety béchamel

7. Remove béchamel from the heat and whisk in handfuls of grated cheese – all of the cheddar and .5 of the parmesan – fully incorporate each handful of cheese before adding the next

8. If the sauce cools down while your adding the cheeses and they aren’t fully melting in, place the pot back on med heat for a minute or two, stirring constantly

9. When all cheese is incorporated add mustard, nutmeg, pepper and salt

COMPOSING AND PLATING

1. Preheat oven to 400°

2. Toss cooled pasta with 1.5 to 2 c of warm cheese sauce – the actual amount of sauce you’ll need depends on the shape of the pasta and how saucy you like your mac

3. Pour sauced pasta into an oven proof casserole (or individual ramekins) and top with the remaining grated parmesan and a little crouton dust

4. Bake at 375º for about 20 mins or until nicely browned on top and hot in the center

5. Removed mac from the oven and finish with chopped parsley and crushed Zupan’s garlic croutons.

ENJOY!

Olympic Provisions Frank and Beans

Local salumeria Olympic Provisions shared this perfect Super Bowl Sunday recipe. Easy to make ahead of time or double to feed an entire crowd of hungry fans.

 

 

Olympic Provisions Frank and Beans

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound dry Great Northern Beans (or any white bean)
1 pound hunk of bacon
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ cup molasses
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons dry mustard
½ cup ketchup
1 medium yellow onion, diced small
1 medium green bell pepper, diced small
2 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 Olympic Provisions Frankfurters
1 scallion, thinly sliced
Fried eggs (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Sort then soak beans overnight. Drain and rinse. In a medium heavy-bottom pot, add beans and bacon. Cover with water by 3 inches. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook until tender, about 2 ½ to 3 hours. Salt to taste.

Preheat oven to 325°.

Remove the bacon and roughly dice. To the cooked beans, add back the diced bacon and the brown sugar, molasses, honey, dry mustard, ketchup, onion, bell pepper, salt and pepper. Bring just to a simmer, cover with a lid or aluminum foil, then transfer to the oven. Bake about 3 hours, stirring occasionally. When done, the cooking liquid will be thick like syrup.

In a large heavy-bottom sauté pan on medium heat, gently sear frankfurters. They are done once nicely browned. Slice frankfurters and serve atop baked beans. Garnish with sliced scallion and if desired, fried eggs.

*Canned cooked beans can be used in lieu of starting with dried beans.

Summer beers you must try.

Looking for the perfect beer to pair with your summer fare?  Chris Denton, our Belmont Beer Steward Extraordinaire, shares his top six picks for this summer.

21st Amendment Brewing:  Bitter American ISA
This fairly new style of beer features a similar aggressive hop profile as a traditional IPA but with an alcohol level of less than 5%, as opposed to the 6-8% of most IPAs.  This beer comes in a picnic-friendly six pack of 12 oz. cans.  Pair this outstanding beer with anything from fried chicken to grilled salmon.

Fort George Brewing:  Quick Wit
Quick Wit is inspired by the cloudy, thirst-quenching beers from Belgium, like Hoegaarden with a Northwest twist.  It starts out with aromas of clove and orange peel and finishes with a generous helping of malt, perfect for a post-hike beverage.  It’s available in a four-pack of 16 oz. cans.

Maui Brewing:  Mana Wheat
Aloha! This wheat beer is made with local Maui pineapple juice added – perfect for your next backyard tiki party.  It’s available in a six pack of 12 oz. cans.

Pelican Brewing: Kiwanda Cream Ale
Located in the tiny town of Pacific City along the Oregon Coast, this brewery has been brewing award-winning beers for 14 years.  This beer is based on the pre-Prohibition beer style — light and golden in color with a floral hop aroma.  It’s perfect with shrimp salad or fish & chips and is available in 22 oz. bottles.

Heater Allen: Pils
This is a super smooth beer and is based on the crisp, golden beers of the Czech Republic.  It’s perfect with grilled bratwursts or fish tacos and comes in 22 oz. bottles.

Stillwater/Mikkeller: Two Gypsies Saison
This beer is a deep gold in color and has aromas of clove and spice, but is more full-bodied and hoppier than a pilsner. It’s available in a 750ml bottle and is the perfect beer to have after working in the yard all day!