I am often asked by friends and family as to which are my “favorite” wines. The answer is that it depends on what I’m in the mood for and what I’m going to drink. And it also depends on the occasion. I’m not going to open up a $60 bottle of wine for a weekday meal night. But here are my personal favorites for under $25. Please add your favorites in the comment section!

Michelle’s Great Wines Under $25.00

General Tips:
Since it is not always easy to find a particular wine at a store, here are my recommendations for browsing…

• Wines from Argentina, New Zealand, Chile, Spain are great buys right now
• Cheap California and French wines tend to be questionable. In general, CA/French wines under $10.00 should be avoided.
• Look for little-known varietals for good buys: Cabernet Franc, Viognier, Torrontes, Petite Sirah, Vouvray, Carmenere
• Hot California regions right now: Mendocino, Paso Robles, Lodi, Monterey (St. Rita Hills), Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara
• Stainless-steel (or “unoaked”) Chardonnays pair well with a variety of foods and are easy to drink

White Wines

How to read:
1. Varietal
2. Producer
3. Region/Country
4. Descriptors
5. Price

Sancerre
Chavignol, Domaine Vincent Delaporte
Sancerre, France
Crisp, tangy lemon, grapefruit, granite, excellent white wine.
$20.00

Torrontes
Crios de Susana Balbo
Salta, Argentina
Intensely floral, lavendre, mandarin, honeysuckle, long finish
$14.00

Sauvignon Blanc
Picton Bay
Malborough, New Zealand (South Island)
Tropical flavors, pineapple, pear, twist of lime, fresh and zesty
$10.00 at Trader Joe’s

Roussane, Marsanne, Viognier
Anglim Cameo
Paso Robles, USA
Spicy finish, lower acid, minerality, aromatic, floral
$16.00

*****************
Red Wines

Cabernet Franc
M. Cosentino Cab Franc
Napa Valley
Rich, chocolate, lush, ripe
$13.00

Red blend
La Loggia Barbera D’Alba
La Loggia
Barbera D’Alba, Italy
Beautiful acidity, blood orange, tart, juicy, pomegranite
$6.00 at Trader Joe’s

Malbec
Catena Zapata ** Excellent all-around producer
Mendoza, Argentina
Dark stone fruits, lush, chocolate, cherry
$20.00

Petite Sirah
Bogle Vineyards ** Excellent all-around producer
Lodi and Clarksburg, USA (East of SF Bay)
Leather, nice full body, dark prune, plum, tobacco, orange rind
$9.00

Petite Syrah, Zinfandel, Mourverde blend
Phantom, Bogle Vineyards
Lodi, Clarksburg, Amador, USA
Dark, earthy, leather, blackberry, plum
$17.00

Malbec
Ben Marco
Mendoza, Argentina
Leather, dark plum, blackberry, blueberry, smooth, low acidity
$20.00

Pinot Noir
Chalone Vineyard ** Excellent all-around producer
Monterey County, USA
Fresh raspberries, orange rind, cranberry juice, light tannins, red stone fruits
$16.00

Zinfandel
Edmeades
Mendocino County, USA
Rich, almost sweet, relatively light body, tannins nearly absent, easy to drink on its own
$20.00

Pinot Noir
Morton Estate White Label Hawkes Bay
New Zealand
Well-balanced Pinot Noir with sweet cherry, licorice, earthy, mushroom, long finish.
$16.00

Tempranillo
Fuerza Winery/Laurel Glen Vineyard
Mendoza, Argentina
Chocolate, coffee, cassis, nutty, hazelnut
$5.00 at Trader Joe’s

Negrette
Santa Barbara Winery
Santa Barbara, CA
Fragrant berry aroma, dark blackberry, coffee
$24.00

Red wine blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Montepulciano)
Trentatre, produced by Santini Wines
Montepulciano, Italy
Lush, rich, ripe, rich plum
$6.00 at Trader Joe’s

Carmenere
Casillero del Diablo (Concha y Toro)
Rapel Valley, Chile
Complex, fruity, long finish
$9.00 at Trader Joe’s

While browsing through my Twitter feed, I came across this article in the San Francisco Chronicle on Mendoza, the primary wine region in Argentina. Like many foreign visitors, reporter David Armstrong portrays the region as the Southern Hemisphere’s Napa or Sonoma: beautiful wineries flanked by fruitful vineyards, with nearly no mention of what ails this region. Armstrong stayed in one of the fanciest hotels in Mendoza, the Park Hyatt, and was shuttled to and from the prettiest wineries in the region by a private car. He describes his visits to Catena Zapata, Salentein, Zuccardi — “gleaming, modern wineries”– but fails to mention that many of these behemoths are only accessible by dirt roads. No, not rustic dirt roads. Rough, rocky dirt roads because the regional government has no money to pave them.

Armstrong talks of the smooth ribbon of macadam that is the Route 40. There is little mention of the stray dogs (many of whom have not survived the highways and lay dead and gutted on the sides of the roads), the shantytowns (nearly right next to the vineyards he so glamorizes), the buses spewing diesel exhaust, the construction factories. Ladies and gentlemen, if you are expecting a wine country with rustic hotels and beautiful scenery at every turn, you will be disappointed. This is no Napa. The “gourmet ghetto” that is Chacras de Coria, a nearby suburb of Mendoza sold as a foodie haven, is a settlement of wealthy homeowners who live in gated, guarded homes lined with unpaved sidewalks. We left our car outside for five minutes outside of the gated confines of our hotel and were immediately told that it was unsafe to do so.

The saddest part, however, is that this reporter failed to get the true story about Argentina’s wine economy. One winery owner I talked to said he had little interest in investing any more money in Argentina. “You never get paid and you have to sue people and spend 10 years in court waiting for your money,” he said. “The political situation here has made it inhospitable to businesses.” Security, after the barrels, is his biggest expense. Every winery has a guard and a gatehouse to keep unwanted visitors — and it isn’t just for show.

Yes, there are wonderful wines being made in Mendoza. But many investors have left the country (Ruca Malen used to be owned by Kendall Jackson. KJ decided to pull out because of the terrible business conditions and the winery is now owned by KJ’s lawyers) and with the current economic crisis, times have only gotten worse. Tourism in Mendoza crashed this year, a result of the global crisis and the swine flu. Most hotels were under 50 percent capacity (funny, Mr. Armstrong, how you never mentioned this) and tourists were a rare and lonely sight. Times haven’t been good in Argentina’s wine country and they aren’t getting better.

Is it worth it to visit this wine country? Obviously tourism would bring badly-needed capital to the area. I hope that Mendoza’s wealthy wineries band together to bring economic development to the area. Poverty, infrastructure and crime all need to be addressed. For now, tourists need to be well informed before visiting. Read past the glossed-over accounts of Mendoza and learn the true story before you visit.

I had the chance to pick up some fabulous blue cheeses yesterday from Taste Artisan Cheese & Gourmet Shop in Hillcrest — what a treat! George Palmer of Taste helped me select these two cheeses to end a very special meal (C’s birthday dinner).

The Cashel Blue is a beautiful tangy, creamy cheese from Ireland and is the creation of a wife-and-husband team (Jane and Louis Grubb). It’s a semi-soft, cow’s milk cheese with an assertive taste.

The Valdeon Cheese we tried (the one in the back of the plate) hails from Spain. It has a stronger flavor than the creamy Cashel and is saltier than a Stilton. This cheese is made from cow’s and goat’s milks and made a lovely pairing with an elegant, earthy Pinot Noir. The cheese is often wrapped in sycamore or maple leaves when aged.

This is one of my favorite dishes from Mexican cuisine. If the cactus leaves in the grocery store or farmer’s market look intimidating, don’t let it stop you from trying it. The result is a crunchy, flavorful salad that adds a wonderful tangy flavor to any Mexican meal.

Try to find cactus leaves (nopales) that are already de-spined. In some Mexican grocery stores, you’ll find some that are already chopped up in little bags. I prefer to work with the whole leaf, but if you can only find the chopped-up kind, don’t despair, it will work, too.

Now, let’s talk slimy. Nopales, like okra, release a slimy liquid when cut. A good way to loosen the slimy from the cut leaves is to throw a very clean copper penny into the pot when you are boiling them. Apparently it neutralizes the slime. I don’t know if it’s an old wives’ tale or if it really works, but try it and see what you think!

Ensalada de Nopalitos

4-6 large cactus leaves (a little more than a pound)

2 cups water

2 small white onions, chopped, divided

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 tsp dried oregano, divided

1 dried chile de arbol, wiped clean & toasted

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 copper penny

2 tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

1 Tbsp olive oil

Juice of 1 lime

***********

1. Slice the nopales into 2 inch x 1/2 inch strips that are all equally the same size.

2. Place the nopales in a saucepan with the water, vegetable oil, one of the onions, chile de arbol, oregano, salt and the penny and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the water has evaporated and the nopales toast slightly in the pan. Remove the copper penny.

3. Allow the nopales to cool to room temperature. Place them in a salad bowl and add the chopped tomato, the other chopped onion, olive oil, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice and dried oregano.

4. Add salt and pepper to taste – serve!

Steve Heimoff’s take on the Parker drama (read the WSJ article about how Parker’s independent wine writers received free trips & meals from wine importers, including a $25,000 trip to Australia) is that wine writers are poor and that it is inevitable that they will be treated to free wine, meals and trips throughout their career. Why is it that wine writers can accept free meals/trips while news reporters, who are probably paid less, hold themselves to higher standards? Is it because wine writing is less serious? If so, that’s pretty sad. Sounds to me like Heimoff is protecting himself because he’s taken free meals and trips from wineries/wine import companies whose wines he’s rated.

Heimoff argues that his reviews are always independent, but studies looking at whether doctors are influenced by the free lunches and goodies given to them by pharmaceutical companies show that indeed, physicians subconsciously prescribe more drugs when they are given the free gifts. (Read this NYT article for more).

So if doctors are influenced, why wouldn’t wine writers be? After all, doctors are making decisions that could affect someone’s health — prescribing an unnecessary drug could even kill the person. When it comes to reviewing wine, the consequences are less serious, so wouldn’t the temptation to give someone a few extra points be even greater?

I’m disappointed by Heimoff, and certainly disappointed by Robert Parker’s fellow writers. I think Parker should fire critic Jay Miller and find someone who isn’t going to accept $25,000 worth of free gifts. It’s embarrassing and will bring down the quality of his reputation and that of the Wine Advocate’s.

Respected critics should never accept gifts. There is no such thing as a free lunch (or a free $25,000 trip).

Dear Tofu,

This dalliance of ours has come to an end. I wish I could say it was me, but really, tofu, it’s you. Your gelatin-like texture, your bland boiled taste, your unappetizing color. And we’ve both tried. I know you tried to hide underneath layers of sauce, trying to camouflage yourself, and you know I tried to scramble, bake, fry, boil and steam you. But it wasn’t meant to be.

Yes, we had our hey-day, back in my vegetarian days, when I embraced you fully. We tried to convince the members of my family that you were tasty, baked and dipped in a thai peanut sauce, hidden in soups and swirled into smoothies. But somehow they didn’t take to you. They outed you amid the strawberry and banana in the fruit smoothie, they picked at you in the stir fry. And no matter how much we tried, they always preferred the chicken or fish to your little white self.

You know I’m a fan of your relatives, the crunchy tempeh, the silky soymilk and the wonderful miso. We continue to get along well and they’re part of my life.

But ever since you appeared in my college cafeteria day after day, over-sauced and dripping in oil, our relationship began to sour. I turned back to eating meat after I could no longer stand eating you and only you. I attempted to including you in my meals, but you usually went bad in the back of the fridge before I could add you to a recipe. No matter how much we tried, it wasn’t working out.

You know we’ll remain acquaintances. I’ll say hello to you in Japanese restaurants when you’re swimming in the salty broth of miso soup. You’ll peek out from underneath curry sauces in Thai dishes. But we can no longer see each other regularly. I can’t do it anymore.

Take care, tofu, and I guess I’ll see you around.

Michelle

Preserved lemons are incredibly easy to make, are perfect housewarming gifts and add a wonderful savory touch to Moroccan & Mediterranean cooking. If you have a friend with a lemon tree (or you’re lucky enough to have one yourself), this is a perfect way to deal with a bounty of lemons.

Easy Preserved Lemons

1. Start with about 4 to 5 lemons, well-washed (ideally organic). Cut them into quarters.

2. Pour a good amount of sea salt (not treated with iodine) into a large Mason jar.

3. Pack the lemons tightly inside, sprinkling with salt as you pack each layer in. Add a couple of bay leaves and a sprinkling of peppercorns into the jar.

4. Pour distilled or filtered water into the jar until about an inch off the top. Make sure none of the lemons are peeking above the water. Pour a small layer of olive oil over the water to prevent mold.

5. Close the jar and place in the fridge. In about two weeks, your lemons will be ready!

The aromas of fermenting kimchi are wafting through the house fiercely. I’ve completed step II and with the recent heat wave, the fermentation has picked up speed and is going full-force. Those wonderful microorganisms are turning the brine acidic and adding those nuanced flavors we’ve come to associate with kimchi.

We left off with a bunch of cabbage, bell peppers, garlics and kohlrabi fermenting in a vat of brine (If you missed it, check out Step I). Here’s the next step:

Kimchi Step II

Next we’ll need to prepare the spicy, garlicky paste that will give kimchi its characteristic flavors. Feel free to make it as spicy, garlicky or fishy as you like. Here’s what I used:

10 garlic cloves

4 Tbsp chili powder (choose how spicy you want to make it)

2-3 anchovies (make sure they contain no preservatives, as they can kill your microorganisms) or 2 tsp fish sauce

4 Tbsp grated ginger (I used baby ginger, which is particularly fresh & spicy)

1 leek, chopped

*****

1. Place all of the chili paste ingredients in the food processor or blender and process until it forms a nice paste.

2. Take your vats of brined kimchi and drain the brine above the cabbage into a container (save this for now). Taste the kimchi. If it is too salty, rinse it with water. If it is not salty enough, add more salt.

3. Using your clean hands, massage the chili-garlic paste into the kimchi until every last bit is covered.

4. Once you are finished, press down on the kimchi until brine comes up above the cabbage. If there isn’t enough liquid, use the brine you drained off. Make sure there is about an inch or so of brine above any of the kimchi.

5. Weigh down the kimchi with a plate so that the cabbage stays below the brine (this will prevent mold from growing on your kimchi).

6. Cover the top with a cloth or a plastic bag (but make sure it can still breathe) and leave in a warm spot. You’ll be leaving this baby to ferment for several days, several weeks or up to a month. It depends on (a) the flavor you want and (b) the weather. We’ve been having hot, hot, hot weather in San Diego so my kimchi was ready to go pretty quickly, but if you’re in a cooler place, it might take longer.

How do you know when it is ready? It will smell sour and fermented. After several days, take a little piece and try it out.

7. Every day, check the kimchi to make sure that the cabbage is still submerged underneath the brine. If a little mold has formed on top, scoop it out. This is nothing to worry about — it’s just on the surface and has not affected your kimchi.

I just finished reading “Served: The Ballsy Waitress” on SeriousEats.com by Hannah Howard. This new waitress is encouraged by her staff to confront a group of customers when they leave her a small tip.

“You should feel free to say something,” T., the fromager chimed in. “Just go up to them really sweetly. Say, ‘Is this what you meant to leave? Just wanted to make sure there wasn’t a mistake or anything, and that everything was OK.’”

I followed her advice. Verbatim. It was a little awkward, but I played it pretty cool. I definitely made them uncomfortable. They huddled together and recounted their cash.

“Um, I don’t get it?” One of the women in the group asked me after their pow-wow, “Is something wrong?”

“Well,” I said, “You guys left less than five dollars gratuity on a 66 dollar check. That’s less than ten percent, and I wanted to make sure everything was OK.”

What would you, as a customer have done in this situation? I’ll tell you what I would have done, I would have been pissed off. Tips are earned, not guaranteed, and if for whatever reason they felt like being cheap, that’s their problem. To confront a customer about such a matter is rude. I’ve been in several cabs where the taxi driver made me feel bad because I didn’t leave enough tip. Well, the music was turned up loud, the cab stunk, and the driving was terrible. So I left what was appropriate.

Look, I’ve worked as a waitress. I’ve dealt with lousy tippers. That’s just the way it is and by confronting people, you’re just going to encourage them to eat elsewhere. Treat your good tippers particularly well and they will keep coming back. That’s the way it works.

There was a wonderful rebuttal by Rebecca Thistlethwaite of Honest Meat to the latest free-range debate Op-Ed article in the New York Times written by James McWilliams.

In the original Op-Ed, McWilliams tells us that free-range pork actually has higher levels of trichinosis, a parasite that can be potentially fatal. Pigs that are kept outdoors, he argues, have more contact with wild animals such as rats, which can introduce the parasite into the herd of pigs.

But the rebuttal was excellent. The Honest Meat blogger argued that the study quoted by McWilliams was a preliminary study, the levels of trich were not statistically significant (v. important for research) and the study design was flawed.

So what’s the verdict? Should you eat free-range meat?

I argue that you should. Disease spreads faster in high-density feed lots, so antibiotics must be used, leading to antibiotic resistance… It’s cruel (take a look at the picture in the Honest Meat post) to raise animals so closely together. Plus, free-range meat just tastes better!

Oh, and take a look at the editor’s note in the NYT: the study was published by the National Pork Board. So much for good science.