Golden beets with buffalo mozzarella, plus single-malt whiskies and award-winning local Chardonnays
From the new Kevita beet and apple cider vinegar tonic to our favorite artisanal purple kraut, we are steeped in beets this summer. Nothing was quite as ravishing as a recent salad in which I sliced roasted golden beets from Dirty Girl Produce atop arugula and small globes of buffalo mozzarella. With a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of Meyer lemon, the combination was both fresh and rich. Actually it was fantastic. And easy.
Please roast beets in this fashion: cut off the leaves (save them for a braised side dish), roll in olive oil, and wrap in foil. Bake for at least 40 minutes in a hot oven, 425 degrees or so, and check them every now and then to see if they’re done. If a knife can slide into the center easily, you’re there. Remove from oven. Wait one minute. Then, take a paper towel and gently rub off the skin. Voila! You may choose to slice and marinate the beets as they cool, something I always like to do. Then use on salads or pastas or even all by themselves next to a piece of salmon.
Water of Life 2.0
At our house we enjoy a wee drop of single malt after dinner every now and then. Mostly now. And for those occasions, we have at the ready three single-malt whiskies at all times. One is the “house” whisky, and at our house (at least this summer) it’s the absurdly satisfying Glenfiddich. Then there’s the luxury single malt, which is and always will be the incomparable Highland Park, distilled way up in the Orkney Islands and pretty much as perfect as a single-malt whisky can get. Finally, we like to have something a bit unruly, unusual and idiosyncratic for the odd evening. Usually, that’s Laphroaig (pronounced “la-froyg”), made on the tiny island of Islay (“eye-la”). Made at the 225-year-old distillery, this exotic creation is pungent beyond belief and exudes a seaweed tang (OK, it tastes like iodine and smoke) along with the matchless huskiness of peat fires. However, a few weeks ago, I reached for the Laphroaig on my favorite aisle at Shopper’s Corner only to find … no Laphroaig! Not to be daunted, I scanned the shelf for something with the word “Islay” on it, and found Ardbeg, 10 years old and 46 percent alcohol. The distillery just turned 200! It’s always a pleasure to try new spirits, so we were game for a taste. The color was noticeably pale and golden for a whisky perfumed with so much caramel, smoke, cinnamon and seaweed. I found it less blustery than the monster Laphroaig in those characteristic peat and seaweed tones of Islay, and with a disarmingly sweet opening. Honey, tar, smoke and a top-note of licorice fill out the middle. The finish contains a delightful burn and continues long after you’ve swallowed, but your dreams, I assure you, will be filtered through a soft veil of peat and smoke. Set aside around $50. It’ll last you a while.
Wines of the Week
Well, according to the high rating just received by Ryan Beauregard’s Chardonnays by the folks at Wine Enthusiast, you probably should run out and try some of these supple creations. First, grab two 20’s and a 10—Beauregard wines don’t grow on trees—and then have a go at the lovely 2013 Beauregard Ranch Chardonnay, Ben Lomond Mountain. And/or, try the 2013 Bald Mountain Vineyard Chardonnay, Ben Lomond Mountain (which took a Gold Medal at the 2015 Chronicle tasting). Both of these stellar Chardonnays earned 93 points. Congratulations to the Beauregard wine team. Remember, you get what you pay for. beauregardvineyards.com
PHOTO: Golden beets work well in salads because they don’t stain your other ingredients beet-purple. They are also delicious, and in abundance at local farmers markets. MARIA GRUSAUSKAS
