Diving Into The Devil's Cellar For Halloween

Photo: Casillero del Diablo

Halloween is always a fun party and there are certainly a lot of clever wine labels suited for the season. But a fun label doesn't guarantee a good glass. So one of my go to wines this time of year, comes from Concha y Toro; Casillero del Diablo.

Translated, the label means "Devil's Cellar" and goes back to an old tale from Concha y Toro's founder, Don Melchor. He started a rumor that a devil lived in the cellar of his Chilean winery,  hoping it would keep the thieves out. The folklore lives on and today you'll find the devil on the bottle, just above the label.

I opened a Casillero del Diablo Chardonnay and Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon for pumpkin carving festivities this week. The cab is full of plums and cherries with a little toast; good with our grilled meats and nutty appetizers. It was also nice to drink on its own.

The chardonnay has some apple, citrus and a bit of vanilla so I thought it would compliment our caramel fondu; apples and pretzels for dipping. Not only was it a great pairing but the salty toasted pumpkin seeds, hot out of the oven, were also a good accompaniment.

The best part about these wines is the value. You can find an array of Casillero del Diablo in the $10-$15 range; perfect to keep for house wine not only this time of year, but all year long.

The winery is currently running a costume contest on twitter and Facebook for a DSLR camera, so post your photos for a chance to win.

Let il Tesoro Tickle Your Tastebuds

Antipasti goodies

My recent trip to Italy made me realize I've been quite negligent in getting the word out, on some amazing stateside, Italian restaurants I've dined at lately, such as il Tesoro on Sanibel Island.

This is one of my favorite physical spots on the island, a location tucked away in tropical foliage. The building itself has housed a number of successful restaurants but many move on as they outgrow the small intimate space. The wooden floors, the low ceilings, very romantic and cozy.

But what about the food this small kitchen continues to crank out? The menu is full of pastas and fish, as well as hearty selections such as lamb shanks, braised short ribs, veal and more.

I started with a plate of delicious meats, cheeses, olives, artichokes and other antipasti delights, after being tempted by them from the counter, as soon as I walked in the door.

Next up was the Lobster Agrodolce ($17). The lobster tail is tempura fried, served with tomato and red onion salad and a sweet and sour sauce. What a treat. The Fuggotini ($15), or "stuffed purses" were full of goat cheese, roasted pear and sautéed with brown butter and fresh sage. There was nearly a fight over the last bite.

il Tesoro's Fuggotini

I also tried a perfectly cooked swordfish special over a rich and creamy risotto and the Lamb Shank Osso Buco; it is braised with a spicy tomato and roasted eggplant sauce, served over saffron risotto ($35). Filling and fabulous.

And by all means....save room for dessert; decadent cannoli's, tiramisu and other daily treats.

There are SO many things on the menu that look and sound SO good, I can't wait to go back and try more at this island treasure.

The owners have a second location in New York City that I would assume is just as fantastic as on this island. So my NYC friends, let me know when you go! Bravo il Tesoro. I'll see you again soon.

Best Travel Dress

Always looking for functional, fashionable items, I found a fun wrap dress at a charming boutique on Sanibel Island called B Unique Boutique. The dress, Wrap It by Tish, is featured in my column, "What's In Store," for the September/October issue of Bonita & Estero Magazine: on stands for a few more days or online here.

Designer Tish Grosek is a dynamic, inspirational woman, who created this piece so she could have something versatile to wear, from a beach cover up to a cocktail dress. Fabric and design were the keys to making this work, and after some trial and error, she nailed it. It wasn't long before friends and strangers asked where she bought it and viola, a business was born. Well, it wasn't quite that easy, as she would tell you.

The dress comes in short and long, I thought the long might give me more options and the basic black would be good for traveling and pairing accessories. I played with the dress at home to be sure it was as functional as Tish told me but couldn't wait to REALLY put it to the test, on the road.

My Wrap It was of the core items I packed for a six-week trek through Europe and I have to say, it's  one of the best travel dresses I've ever had. I tucked and wrapped and folded it into a variety of styles, including a shawl and a skirt.

Ah, the skirt. It was a rainy day and the way I wore the wrap found its fabric barely off of the ground. As I walked through Paris, stepping over and in puddles, I noticed that the rain was beading up on the front of my skirt and rolling off. NICE. And the bottom that inevitably got soaked, dried before I was finished with my first glass of rose at lunch.

In addition, it barely took up any room in my luggage and somehow stayed wrinkle free.

If you are looking for a wardrobe piece that is functional, fashionable and FUN, you've got to get one of these. Wrap It comes in two lengths and a variety of colors for both casual and elegant looks. This is a great gift for that 'hard to buy for' person on your shopping list this season.

We All Scream For Irish Cream

I was busy celebrating National Liqueur Day last week and forgot to hit "publish"on this post. Better late than never.....

Although today is not the kind of 'national' day that lets us sleep in, it does call us to celebrate. Today is National Liqueur Day! Yes, there really is such a thing.

And just in time for the holidays Kerrygold has introduced a new Irish Cream Liqueur to the Florida market. I have purchased many delicious Kerrygold cheeses and their lovely REAL butter, but an Irish Cream? Well why hasn't it happened sooner?

Sin City cocktail from Kerrygold

Made from natural cream, using milk from grass-fed cows, Kerrygold adds premium aged Irish whiskey and rich chocolate to make a decadent, delicious treat. It's smooth and creamy over a few cubes of ice, or for an extra special treat try mixing 1 oz of Kerrygold Irish Cream, 1 oz Cinnamon Vodka and .5 oz of Espresso Vodka. Shake with ice, strain into a martini glass and sprinkle with cinnamon.

But the recipe I REALLY want to try (if I can save enough Irish Cream) is the Caramel Irish Cream Cupcakes! Put these on your holiday baking list!

CUPCAKES:                                                  BUTTERCREAM:

1 box of fudge cake mix                                  1 cup shortening

3 large eggs                                                     1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 melted Kerrygold Butter                           8 cups powdered sugar

2/3 cup milk                                                    8 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup Kerrygold Irish Cream                      1/3-1/2 cup Kerrygold Irish Cream

                                                                       1/4-1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 F

Using a large mixing bowl, add cake mix, eggs, butter, Irish Cream, and milk and mix on low until combined. Then mix on high for 2 minutes. Pour batter into paper lined cupcake pans. Bake for 20 min. Cool completely. In large mixing bowl mix cream, shortening and vanilla for 2-4 minutes. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Combine Irish Cream with cream in measuring cup and slowly add to sugar mixture, using more cream for a creamy consistency, use less milk for a stiff consistency. Garnish with chocolate and caramel syrup.

Let me know they turn out and CHEERS to National Liqueur Day. Bravo Kerrygold.

Befriending The Box

I've always been a fan of rose' and have loved exploring the subtleties of this beautiful, dry, pink wine, in the Southern Rhone. It is so important here that there is an entire region/village/town that only produces rose', no other wine; Tavel. It is awesome and it tends to be a bit more pricey than its neighboring region/village/town called Lirac. In Lirac is where I discovered rose'..... in a BOX. So good!

Find wines bottled as well as boxed in many Rhone tasting rooms

The beleaguered boxed wine (in the US) is a man's best friend in France, at least for everyday consumption. Boxed wine is meant to drink, not age, in packaging with a vacuum seal technology that prevents air from contacting the juice once opened. Air is the enemy of an opened bottle. The box is also a bargain, providing twice as much wine for the money.

Special containers allow regulars to get their wine to go

Not only did this fun tasting room in Lirac sell wine by the bottle and box, but also BYOC: bring your own container. Reduce your carbon footprint, save a few Euros and have your house wine close at hand. The box of rose' we bought has for sure been close at hand, so convenient; like getting water out of the tap. Too convenient as a sip here and a splash there adds up quickly.

We found out just how quickly the random afternoon sips added up today, as suddenly we had to tilt our 5-liter box a bit to get a full glass. When the flow turned to drops things got serious. 'Someone' pulled the wine bag out of the box and began wringing the ends, almost like trying to get that last bit of toothpaste out of the tube.

By the photo, it is clear that we had more than enough Euro's on the table to go out and buy another box, or better yet, walk to the cooler and open a REAL bottle. But who wants to take the easy route? It was great sport to see how much we could milk from the vacuum sealed, vineyard utter.

The absurdity of our attempt and echoes of our laughter ended in sweet success, as each of us got enough crisp, cold wine to enjoy on the terrace with some local cheeses, fruits and sundried tomato tapenade; while contemplating the next bottle....or box. Cheers!