Amazing Layer Cake Story: Chase and Jess

One Hundred Percent Pure

OK, so there is this wine group in Denver, CO; The Bacchanalian Society of Denver; and I have been trying to make my name for myself in the community through various volunteer opportunities, etc… but we signed up for this Bacchanalian event which was a big wine tasting. Everyone is to bring three bottles of the same wine and then everyone does blind tastes tests throughout the night and votes on the best, and Winner took home everyone’s third bottle of wine (and there are lots of Snobs in the group). So anyway, we had been wine drinkers, but not really snobs, for several months…. and all of a sudden our friend at work turned us on to Layer Cake Malbec, which I honestly found to be Amazing!

So we get an invitation to this wine event, and we bring three bottles of Layer Cake Primitivo, because I am so impressed with Layer Cake brand even though I have never tried the Primitivo… And the winners of the event, with at least 150 entries, by a land slide is…… Layer Cake…. Team Wine-osaurous. So the announcements comes at the end of the night, and they say, I think the winner is a returning member; and it is Wine-osaurus!!! And I’m like, no we are new to the organization, and we are rockin’ Layer Cake!!!! Hell yeah, in your face to all you high class overpriced winery’s!!!

Thank you Layer Cake, we love you, and we made a huge name for you in owning every other Italian Red wine in this huge competition held amongst Lamborghini and Ferrari tonight, we won, and it was amazing and all due to your hard work.

Thank you Layer cake crew, we owe our gratitude to you, and we won like 72 bottles of wine tonight all thanks to you, your team really made a name for your product tonight, Amazing!!!!

Thanks,
Chase and Jess
Layer Cake Fans!!!,
Denver, CO

Wine Wednesday: Layer Cake Shiraz

Great blog post on Layer Cake Shiraz from Clean and Fresh Mommy. The original blog post can be found here

I was a bad girl this weekend. Too much alcohol, too many bad-for-me foods, too many late nights.

It started Thursday night, when some girlfriends and I met up for a much-needed Girls Night Out. We hadn’t gotten together in awhile, so there was a lot for us to catch up on. About three margaritas and a beer’s worth of catching up. Probably didn’t get to bed till midnight, only to be awakened by my daughter at 6 a.m. Cost for this evening: a raging headache and case of heartburn from too many margaritas.

Friday night hubby and I parked it on the couch, ordered Thai food and watched “Couples Retreat.” I had very low expectations for this movie, so was pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be decent. One particular scene actually had us both in tears it was so funny! Still recovering from my Thursday night, I konked out right after the movie.

Saturday night was dinner at our friends’ house. I alone consumed a beer, almost an entire bottle of wine and two chocolate martinis. Dinner was a recipe out of the Paula Deen cookbook, so I don’t even need to go into any other detail as the woman isn’t known for her health food! Left their house around 11 p.m., drunk as a skunk. Cost for this evening: another splitting headache and an even worse case of heartburn thanks to the booze and rich foods.

Pretty worthless all day Sunday, as one might expect. Which pisses me off since I did it to myself. I’m getting too old to suffer a hangover, especially when I have a toddler that does not relent, even when mommy’s head feels like it might explode.

Needless to say, I have been back on track this week. But I would remiss if I didn’t talk about one of the wines I enjoyed over the weekend. I mean heck, if it was good enough to down a bottle, it has to be good, right?

Layer Cake Shiraz

My apologies that I don’t have a personal picture – since we were at friend’s house, I felt a little weird whipping out the camera so I could have documentation for my blog. But let me just say, this wine was phenomenal! Very rich, very smooth, it went down (a little too) easy.

This particular wine is from Australia, so given how much I enjoyed it and how much I have been enjoying my New Zealand varietals, I think I might have a new favorite region for wine producers. This area is definitely on my radar now when I’m in the wine department shopping!

Cost was about $17.99 for a bottle and worth every penny. And with such a cute label, this would also be a great wine to bring to a party or give as a hostess gift.

Layer Cake Wines Recipe: Green Curry

Green Curry Recipe

The winemaking team at Layer Cake Wines travels the globe making great wines for the people. During our travels, we do everything possible to eat and drink as the locals do. We made a Green Curry while bottling the 2008 Layer Cake Shiraz in Australia and wanted to share the recipe with our friends.

Green Curry Preparation total time (1hr):

Ingredients:

Carrots

Onions

Garlic

Ginger

Lemongrass

Basil

Cilantro

Fruit: Mango, Papaya, Apples, Banana, Pears (Fruit provides the sweetness, use ripe fruit and whatever you have on hand, it’s going to be a part of your curry base and not garnish)

2 cans of unsweetened Coconut Milk
Chicken Stock
Green Curry Paste

Sushi Sticky Rice/Brown Rice/Uncle Bens

Versatility: Curry goes well with Shrimp, but, works with Chicken and Pork. Curry is also a perfect accompaniment for roasted vegetables and tofu for a vegan/vegetarian preparation. So it’s your choice.

Curry:

Prepare a mirepoix.

Cut up your onions, carrots, garlic, ginger and peel back a layer on your lemongrass so fresh flesh is exposed and cut in half. The best way (since this doesn’t have to be pretty) is to dice your onions, cut the carrots across the length into thick wheels and to peel cloves of garlic. The ginger should be sliced into nice chunks. The fruit should be added to this mixture, no peels. Cube mango, apples or pears and just break up a banana.

Open your can (s) of Green Curry, Coconut Milk and Chicken Stock (water can be substituted)

In a sauce pot on MEDIUM HIGH:

Heat a small pancake worth of olive oil and then add your mirepoix (vegetable/fruit mixture) and allow to cook till tender.

Slow cooking is good cooking, our goal is to allow each component to develop it’s full potential flavor wise. Ultimately, caramelization of the onions, carrots, ginger, lemongrass..is your desired result.

At this point, the green curry should be added to your caramelized mirepoix. Stir into the mixture so the curry covers all of your mirepoix.

The spice compound of the curry requires heat be applied to maximize the oils and flavors of the curry

As the smell of the curry rises to meet your nose, the oils have been released and it’s time to add your liquid.

Start with a cup of chicken broth and water mixture (50-50) is my preference.

Then add 1-2 cans of coconut milk and stir in thoroughly and simmer.

The coconut milk is going to thicken your curry rapidly; it’s also going to sweeten it some and add body. Depending on how pungent and how thick you would like your curry, it’s time to adjust and then reduce to intensify the flavors. Adding stock and water, (or just one or the other) will allow you to thin the curry. Go slowly as to not overwhelm your sauce…you can never go back, only add.

As you achieve consistency, it’s best practice to strain all of the aromatics/mirepoix from your curry through a fine sieve and then salt and pepper to taste.

The curry sauce will hold over night should you want to make it ahead.

Enjoy!!!!