Alchemy Restaurant & Bar in Ashland Features Ledger David Wines
Alchemy Restaurant & Bar, located at the Winchester Inn in Ashland, Oregon strives to take fresh local ingredients and transform them into stunning cuisine. The idea extends to the wines they select and the cocktails they craft. “Everything works together to create something greater than itself,” says Drew Gibbs, owner of Alchemy.
Ledger David Cellars is happy to share some of our most popular wines with the restaurants famed food pairings:
Our 2011 Malbec pairs nicely with their pomegranate marinated flank steak with grilled prosciutto wrapped peach, citrus Parmesan risotto and mixed green salad with maple and raspberry vinaigrette.
The 2011 Cabernet Franc pairs well with the half rack of lamb stuffed with sweetbreads and ground veal, corn and fava bean succotash with mint chimichurri.
To pair the 2010 Tempranillo Reserve, they suggest the Sous Vide rib eye with Foie gras potato apple hash, truffle butter, sunny side up egg and smoked sea salt.
The 2012 Sangiovese Rose´ pairs beautifully with the endives stuffed with garlic roasted beets, candied sunflower seeds, Rogue Creamery blue cheese and shallot tarragon vinaigrette.
Our 2011 Chardonnay pairs with the crab salad: fresh Dungeness crab, orange supreme, baby arugula, house made mustard aioli, and walnut oil.
Burrata Tomato and Blueberry Salad Paired with Ledger David 2012 Sangiovese Rosé
Hi everyone,
Well the hinges of Hades have melted off the gates and July was the hottest on record here in SW Oregon. Fire and smoke are making my running and biking a little more challenging and I don’t like heating up the kitchen or standing in front of a grill or BBQ when its 103 in the shade. I want to be refreshed!
In this kind of weather, Ledger David Cellars’ Sangiovese Dry Rosé paired with a salad is just what I need to cool me down and nourish me as well. Not only will this salad make you feel great, it is delightful with the Rosé. Superb summer eating that is quick, fresh, local and easy. It can be your lunch or serve it up as your starter course for dinner. You’ll love it!
Enjoy,
Robert Trottmann
Burrata Tomato and Blueberry Salad Paired with Ledger David 2012 Sangiovese Rosé
Serves Two. It’s best when plated rather than made family style. Ingredients for Salad:
1 ball of Rogue Creamery burrata (it comes two to a pail)
6 ounces fresh blueberries
2 heirloom tomato
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup sunflower seeds or other chopped nuts (optional)
Fresh ground black pepper
Robert’s riff on goddess dressing.
Instructions:
Slice the tomatoes into wedges and place equally in or on the bowl or plate. Slice the Burrata into ¼” slices and place over the tomatoes wedges evenly. Coarsely chop the basil and evenly distribute over the Burrata and tomatoes. Add fresh ground pepper. Add the blueberries. Add dressing as you like and garnish with a leaf or two of whole basil leaf.
THE DRESSING: Robert’s riff on Goddess Dressing (mine is less salty, richer in flavor and more balanced than Annie’s)
1 cup maranatha tahini (made in Ashland OR)
½ cup canola oil
¼- ½ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
½ soy sauce or tamari (You could substitute braggs liquid aminos-Its delicious as well)
½ cup organic apple cider vinegar
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
1/8 cup chopped chives or scallions
¼ cup sesame seeds
3 cloves minced garlic
¾ cup water
Whisk or blend ingredients until well blended and refrigerate.
I love this stuff so this quantity works well for me. You can half the recipe and still have plenty. Cheers!
Liquid Assets in Ashland Features Primoris and Dark Night in its Summer Wine Line Up
By Special Contributors Denise & Jim Daehler
Owners, Liquid Assets Wine Bar & Restaurant
Liquid Assets is very excited to announce the opening of our new room and kitchen remodel. We have added a big beautiful room overlooking the creek. It will be used for meeting space, private parties and an extension of our dining and bar area. Our kitchen will be receiving its face lift July 21st. We are installing a hood system, induction range with convection oven and fryer. We are very excited with the possibilities this will open up for our menu along with the ability to start hosting winemaker dinners.
Our wine at Liquid Assets is always rotating, however, one of our favorite glass pours for the summer is the 2012 Primoris Chenin Blanc. Quickly becoming a staple on the menu, the Primoris pairs beautifully with our Salmon Rillettes and Crab Cakes. If you are looking for an elegant red wine, the 2011 Dark Night, is a Liquid Assets top pick. Paired with our Sous-Vide Pork Shank, the savory characteristics of the Tempranillo, in this blend, makes for an exquisite combination.
Ledger David Hires New Events and Sales Director
Deanna Eames has joined Ledger David Cellars as its new events and sales director. Deanna is an integral new addition to the Ledger David team and brings with her nearly two decades of sales and marketing experience.
Most recently, she was a regional sales and brand manager at Willamette Valley Vineyards where she planned and implemented successful sales and marketing strategies for the nearly 100,000 case winery. Prior to launching a career in the regional wine industry, Deanna worked as a sports marketer for well-known national brands including Oakley.
Please join us in welcoming Deanna!
2011 Malbec Wins 93 Point Gold at Los Angeles Int’l Wine Comp
Gold was the color of our first vintage 2011 Malbec at the 2014 Los Angeles International WineCompetition! Ledger David received four medals for each of the wines we submitted at this year’s highly competitive competition.
We’re pretty proud of the results, which also included a silver medals for our 2010 Tempranillo and our 2012 Primoris Chenin Blanc, and a bronze for our 2013 Sauvignon Blanc. For more information about the Los Angeles International Wine Competition, click here. Cheers!
Ledger David Cellars Invited to Pour First Vintage 2011 Malbec on the Britt Hill
By Regina Vaccari
Britt Festival goers now have another new reason to visit the Britt Hill in Jacksonville this season. As if a new Britt Classical conductor and a new performance garden isn’t enough – there’s now a new wine on the summer line up.
The request to pour Ledger David wine on the hill came from Britt organizers this past spring and Ledger David was honored to heed the call.
“As a southern Oregon native, I’ve grown up with the Britt. It’s exciting to be able to partner with this organization now as a local business owner,” says Lena Varner.
Ledger David Cellars will be pouring its first-vintage 2011 Malbec alongside just a handful of other reputable southern Oregon wineries. Folin Cellars and Quady North will join Ledger David in the red wine category. EdenVale, Valley View and Wooldridge Creek will offer wines in the white wine category.
According to event planners, concession sales derived from food and wine sold on the Britt Hill help sustain the annual music festival.
“We are just a small part of keeping this organization alive – but it means a lot knowing that our kids will share in the same unique cultural experience that I’ve enjoyed since I was a child.”
The 2011 Malbec makes its official public debut over Memorial Day Weekend, May 24-26 at Le Petit Tasting Room. The Britt Festivals 2014 concert series starts in June – official ticket sales begin on May 16. For more information, visit www.brittfest.org.
Pan Roasted Chicken with Sweet Sausage and Peppers
This recipe makes an amazing pairing for the 2011 Sangiovese. It looks a bit complicated, but it isn’t. It does require spending time in your kitchen though, tending to the Soffritto, brining the chicken and roasting the peppers. It is a relaxing dish to make and is a great way to enjoy a glass of wine while visiting with family or friends while you fill your home with fantastic smells. While you don’t have to brine the chicken, the effect of doing so really enhances the dish. Once you start brining, you’ll be hooked. It is simple to do and does wonderful things to your poultry, fish and other meats.
The Soffritto will be the newest trick in your arsenal of awesome food tricks and you’ll want to have some around to use all the time.
I encourage you to take this one on. The results are worth the effort and the Sangiovese will thank you!
Enjoy,
Robert
Pan Roasted Chicken with Sweet Sausage and Peppers
Paired with 2011 Ledger David Cellars Sangiovese
Ingredients
Two 2-1/2 to 3 Lb. Chickens
Chicken Brine (See below)
Canola Oil
3 Sweet Italian Sausages (Taylor’s from Cave Junction is perfect)
Pepperonata Rustica (see below)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Fleur de sel
¼ Cup Flat Parsley
Cut chicken into 8 pieces (2 legs, 2 thighs, 2 breast halves, & 2 wings). Pour brine (See brine recipe below) into a container large enough to hold the chickens, add the chicken and refrigerate no longer than 12 hours (no longer or the chicken will be too salty).
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Remove the chicken from the brine (discard the brine) and rinse the chicken under cold water and remove any herbs or spices sticking to the skin. Pat dry the chicken or let air dry. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
Heat some canola oil in a large ovenproof sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium heat until hot. Add the chicken thighs and drumsticks and cook for three minutes. Add the sausage and cook until the chicken is golden brown and the sausage is browned and crisp. 10-12 minutes (it won’t be fully cooked); once the chicken is browned, turn the pieces over and sear the other side for 1 minute. Transfer the individual chicken pieces and the sausages to a plate as they are ready.
Season the chicken breasts and wings with salt and pepper, place skin-side down in the sauté pan and cook until the skin is crisp and golden and the chicken is almost done. About 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Drain any remaining oil from the pan and return to the heat. Add the Pepperonata to the pan, bring to a simmer and add the chicken tucking it into the peppers. Cut the sausages in half and nestle them into the pan. Transfer to the oven and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Drizzle the chicken with olive oil, and sprinkle with fleur de sel, top with the parsley leaves and serve directly from the pan.
The Pepperonata Rustica
Ingredients
6 Yellow Bell Peppers
6 Red Bell Peppers
Canola Oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces Anaheim or other mildly warm peppers, drained, peeled and seeded.
1-1/2 cup Soffritto (see below)
1-1/2 Chicken or Vegetable stock
¾ Teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1 Tablespoon minced chives
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper (it makes clean up a breeze).
Cut the bell peppers lengthwise in half and remove the stems and seeds. Toss the peppers with oil to coat and salt and pepper to taste. Arrange the peppers cut side down on the baking sheets, the red peppers on one and the yellow on the other.
Roast the peppers until the skin is blistering, 30-35 minutes for the red and 35-40 for the yellow, do not allow the edges to blacken. Transfer the peppers to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap or place in an airtight container with a lid.
When the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel them. Tear them lengthwise into strips about ¾” wide. Tear the Anaheim’s the same way. Combine all the peppers, the Soffritto, stock and chipotle in a medium sauce pan over medium heat, season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes to soften the peppers completely and meld the flavors. Transfer to a bowl or platter and sprinkle with the chives.
The Soffritto
Ingredients
3 cups finely diced yellow or Spanish onions
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
16 ounces seeded and diced plum tomatoes (I use canned tomatoes this time of year)
½ teaspoon minced garlic
Combine all the onions, oil, and a pinch of salt into a 8-9” sauce pan and set over medium heat. As soon as the oil starts to simmer, reduce the heat to low. It is important to maintain an even LOW heat. The onions need to stew but slowly caramelize. Adjust your heat so that the oil bubbles gently. The liquid will become cloudy as the onions release there liquid, but once the water moisture has evaporated the oil will clear. Cook for about 2-1/2 hours or until the onions are a shade darker than a golden raisin and the oil is perfectly clear. Check the pan often and scrape any onions that are caramelizing on the edges back into the oil.
Meanwhile make a quick tomato puree. Halve the tomatoes and scrape out the seeds. Finely chop the tomatoes and add to the caramelized onions. Cook for 2-2-1/2 hours longer or until the onions and the tomatoes start to fry in the oil. The mixture will start to sizzle and small bubbles will cover the entire surface. Gently stir the mixture—the onions and tomatoes will separate from the clear oil. Turn off the heat and add a pinch of salt and the garlic and let the Soffritto cool. The Soffritto will keep covered in the refrigerator for a week. Drain it before using. The oil can be used to start another Soffritto.
The Chicken Brine
5 Lemons cut in ½
12 Bay Leaves
4 ounces flat parsley
1 bunch thyme
½ cup honey
1 head garlic/ cut each clove in half
¼ cup black pepper corns
2 Cups kosher salt
2 gallons of water
Combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil for 1 minute stirring to dissolve the salt. Remove from the heat and allow to cool, then chill in the refrigerator before using. NOTE: This is enough brine for 10 lbs. The brine can be kept refrigerated for 3 days.
Ledger David Cellars gains recognition at the 2014 SavorNW Wine Awards
By Jeff Kloetzel
The annual SavorNW Wine Awards are designed to showcase Northwest wines and promote awareness of our great Pacific Northwest wine regions. The SavorNW contest is a professional, single-blind judging of wines from all over the Pacific Northwest. Ledger David submitted 6 wines for consideration this year, and over 550 bottles were evaluated at the February 2014 event. “Judges are instructed that any medal in our competition should be an above-average example of Northwest wine making,” said Gary Hayes, Executive Director of the SavorNW Wine Awards. Silver Medals are above-average wines with distinctive character and Gold Medal wines are above-average wines with exceptional character.
Here’s how Ledger David wines fared:
- Tempranillo ‘10 – Gold Medal
- Primoris (Chenin Blanc) ‘12 – Silver Medal
- Sauvignon Blanc ‘12 – Silver Medal
- Chardonnay ‘11 – Silver Medal
- Sangiovese ‘11 – Silver Medal
- Cabernet Franc ‘11 – Silver Medal
We’re proud to have received medals on all of our submissions. This marks the first Gold Medal (and fourth medal overall) for our 7-month-old Tempranillo ’10 – and yes, we’re happy with that recognition!
Taste these award-winners and other estate wines at our Le Petit Tasting Room in Central Point (open Oct.-April, Thurs. through Mon., noon-5pm and May-Sept. daily noon-5pm) next to Rogue Creamery and Lillie Belle Farms. Visit www.ledgerdavid.com for more information on purchasing wines and to find out how you can join the Primoris Wine Club.
Baked Custardy Orzo with Spinach, Bacon and Feta
By Robert Trottmann
Ingredients:
Salt to taste
1 cup orzo
12 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 pounds leeks, white and tender green parts only, thinly sliced
10 ounces baby spinach
8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
Freshly ground pepper
4 large eggs
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup milk
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°. In a large saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the orzo until al dente. Drain and transfer to a medium bowl.
2. In a large skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat until browned, 8 minutes. Add the leeks and cook until tender, 8 minutes. Add the leek mixture to the orzo, leaving 1 tablespoon of fat in the skillet. Add the spinach to the skillet and cook until wilted; transfer to a colander and press out the excess liquid. Add the spinach to the orzo, fold in the feta and season with salt and pepper.
3. In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the yogurt and milk, season with pepper and stir into the orzo. Scrape the mixture into an oiled 12-by-8-inch baking dish and bake for about 45 minutes, until the eggs are set and the top is browned. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Pairs with Ledger David Sauvignon Blanc.
A Whirlwind of a Cheese Monger & Wine Weekend
By David Traul
As always, the Oregon Cheese Guild’s Cheesemaker Dinner on March 14th started with a Seriously Great cheese spread. Many of the cheeses were brought to the event by small, artisanal producers from all over Oregon. I enjoyed the Pinot from Willamette Valley Vineyards while mingling with the festive crowd at the historical Ashland Springs Hotel.
(I think Robert probably took 50 photos before dinner — the cheese spread was so amazing!)
Next– on to the four course meal. Kudos to the Chef. The wine and food pairings were exquisite.
It was interesting to hear Cheese Expert (also known as a Maître Fromager aka Cheese Monger) Max McCalman’s insight into the US’s place in the world of cheese and that we are slowly becoming better recognized for our high quality artisan cheeses.
It’s my turn to talk and, as always I’m a bit nervous at such a large event with over 120 attendees – many intensely passionate about food and wine. I spoke briefly about the Ledger David Primoris (Chenin Blanc), Sauvignon Blanc and Tempranillo that were served at the event. As a tribute to national Pi day, I also posed the question of the significance of the ratio of a wheel of cheese circumference to its diameter, which got a few nods and words of agreement.
Deanna McArdle Eames from Willamette Valley Vineyards gave a heartfelt talk on the quality of the region’s wines and cheeses. Then Robert and I enjoyed the final pairing (lime and thyme-infused Briar Rose ricotta with reduced balsamic paired with WVV’s Muscat-Frizzante´) before we were off to rest. Had to gear up for the farmer’s market style cheese festival, which boasted over 4,000 attendees this year.
On Saturday, our toddlers, Ledger and Slater enjoyed petting the calves, getting their faces painted and tasting cheeses, jams and thick sliced bacon before Lena joined me to work at the Ledger David wine tasting booth.
Regina, Robert and Heather were hopping all day long at the tasting room and Jeff stopped in for a two-hour jam session. The sun was shining and the big doors were open as guests moved between the tasting room bar, the patio and the picnic area to enjoy wine, cheese and live music.
Overall a fabulously successful weekend and a great event to be held in southern Oregon celebrating Quality Artisanal products.
Hats off to the Rogue Creamery and the Oregon Cheese Guild for allowing the Ledger David family to participate in another great year!
