I found this great recipe for slow-cooker chicken that called for ¼ cup of white wine. Knowing that an open bottle of wine means drink now or make vinegar, I came up with the brilliant idea of buying a screw top bottle in the hopes that screw tops are a better re-sealer than stuffing the cork back in the bottle.
Not so. Once wine is opened, the bottle releases the air inside and the chemical reactions that have been slowed by that air, or actually lack of it, begin immediately and voila - vinegar! However, screw tops are an ever more popular sealing method from winemakers so I thought I’d try a few. Besides, theoretically, shouldn’t screw tops be easier to open?
Years ago, I worked on a project looking at packaging for meals served to the elderly. The one thing I remember came from the Nestle representative which I will paraphrase as best I recall – package design is done by 30 year old men – 30 year old women have half the grip strength of 30 year old men – 60 year old men have half the grip strength of 30 year old women - 60 year old women have half the grip strength of 60 year old men – which is why all the women I know will admit to having encountered something that we can’t open. In the case of wine, I use a wing corkscrew that uses leverage to extricate the cork rather than the professional waiter corkscrew that relies on muscle. Maybe, screw tops will be my easy-open choice of the future.
Found a bottle of lasOlas Verdejo Rueda 2009, Rueda, Spain, in my “wine cellar” purchased on an orange tag clearance at Meijer. The name reminded me of my favorite place to eat fish tacos, Las Olas, on the beach, San Diego, California. Las Olas means “The Waves” in Spanish and is a popular name for anything from Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale, Florida to California-based Las Olas Wines by American Vines “targeted to surf and coastal communities.” Please note, Las Olas Wines by American Vines is no relation to lasOlas wine from Rueda, Spain. I found a wine blog that recommended lasOlas as a choice for “Readers seeking alternatives to oaked wines and Chardonnay” which should be true as it is aged in stainless steel containers “giving it a clean and vibrant feel on the palate.” I say, not so much.
“Best Screw Top Wines” is an article on www.nbcwashington.com by Theo Rutherford, wine director, Fiola, Washington D.C. His summertime domestic picks are: Matanzas Creek Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma, CA; Conundrum, California; Belle Glos “Meomi” Pinot Noir, Rutherford, CA; Charles Smith “Red Velvet Devil” Merlot, Columbia Valley, WA; Four Vines Zinfandel, Paso Robles, CA. According to wine-searcher.com, all are in the affordable range of $14-$25. Unfortunately, no Fort Wayne retailers ever appear on the wine-searcher.com merchant list; Vine & Table, Carmel, IN and Kahn’s Fine Wines & Spirits, Indianapolis, IN always do so add those to your Sunday drive list. No, wait - you can’t buy beer, wine, or spirits in Indiana on Sunday. Attention newcomers to Indiana - Indiana is one of the last states clinging to the Prohibition-era laws that do not allow beer, wine, and liquor sales on Sunday.
However, you can eat my slow-cooker chicken with white wine on Sunday, or any day. It’s delicious!
Chicken Thighs with Olives & Tomato Sauce www.myrecipes.com
12 chicken thighs, skinned
Sprinkle with salt & pepper
Cook chicken in large skillet with small amount olive oil to brown – about 2 minutes on each side
Remove chicken from skillet and place in slow cooker
To skillet, add 1 ½ Tablespoons minced garlic – sauté 30 seconds or so
Add ¼ cup white wine – scrape sides of pan to loosen browned bits – cook about 30 seconds
Place mixture in slow cooker on top of chicken
Add 3 Tablespoons tomato paste, 28oz can of diced tomatoes (drained) and 2-3 tsp crushed red pepper
Cover and cook on HIGH setting for 4 hours (I used 8 thighs and cooked 3 hours)
Add additional S&P to taste, some sliced pitted kalamata olives and a few capers if you like ‘em (I do)
At the last minute, add chopped flat-leaf parsley for a little flavor and some color
Serve over spaghetti squash, pasta or rice, or alone with salad & the rest of the wine!
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