Wine Club Dinner At "The Buzz"

15 Wednesday Dec 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food, Wine Dinners

On December 14, 2010 we attended the Wine Club Dinner at The Buzz in Boise. The theme tonight was Gewurztraminer and Carmenere.

Cristi informed us that these dinners will continue next year, 2011. The yearly theme will be the Small Family Owned Wineries and she will start with Indian Creek Winery from Kuna, Idaho. The price per person for the full dinner (see photos below) and 6 to 9 wines will remain the same at $15.00. WOW! Reservations are encouraged. With the cost of this meal and the wines served, it would be the polite thing to do – Make Reservations. You can contact the Buzz to make your reservations at Their Website, by phone at (208) 344-4321 or by email at Buzz Wine E-Mail.

The menu for tonight was awesome. Spicy, yet sweet. Along with the dishes prepared by Debbie, I will also list the wine that was served with the dish and the score (20). Enjoy and see you at the next Wine Dinner in January 2011. Have a great Holiday Season!

Firecracker Chicken and Fiery Vegetable Bites
2009 Chateau St Michelle Gewurztraminer, 12.5% alc, (19), $10.00

Blossom Cups with Shrimp
2009 Sawtooth Winery Gewurztraminer, alc 13.0%, (15), $10.00

Red Pepper and Fennel Soup

(This was an awesome soup!)
2009 Nbed 2gether Carmenere, alc 13.5%, (19), $10.00
(We bought 1 bottle!)

Spicy Chopped Salad
2007 Trimbach Gewurztraminer, alc 14.0%, (20) $22.00
(This is a benchmark wine and we bought 2 bottles! Spend the money.)

Ropa Viejo with Santa Fe Vegetables
2009 Santa Rita Carmenere, alc 13.5%, (17), $1`0.00

Chocolate Sybil Cake
2005 Korta Carmenere, alc 13.5%, (15), $10.00

So there you have the ingredients for the last of the 2010 Wine Club Dinners! We are looking forward to the wine dinners at the Buzz in 2011! Cheers! And don’t forget to make reservations.

Quarterly Wine Dinner At "The Buzz"

06 Monday Dec 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, What's For Dinner?, Wine Dinners

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Another great time at the Buzz on Sunday, December 4, 2010 for the Quarterly Dinner. A small, but intimate and friendly group was there. And the food was awesome and adventuresome again. Good job Debbie!

The following photos are of the dinner. The wines we had with each course is listed plus my scores (20), twenty being the top. Thanks to Joe Dewey for presenting these wines and thanks to Cristi and Tom and Joe for matching the food with the wine.

Appetizer
bread, cranberry sauce, cream and blue cheese ball, crackers

Smoked Salmon Chips
Crab and Celery Root Remoulade
2007 Silverado Sauvignon Blanc 15.9% alc (16) $18.00
2009 Peachy Canyon Red Blend 15.2% alc, (17) $18.00

Supreme Pizza Soup
2007 Barnard/Griffin Cabernet Sauvignon 14.3% alc, (18) $15.00
2008 Liberty School Cuvee 14.5% alc, (18) $14.00

Ginger Spiced Cucumbers
2009 Famega Vino Verde 14.5% alc, (16) $10.00
2009 Ryan Patrick Naked Chardonnay 13.8% alc, (18) $12,00

Chicken Wellington
broccoli casserole, roasted cauliflower pasta
2006 Sawtooth Petit Verdot 14.5% alc, (15) $19.00
2007 Kennedy Shaw Merlot 14.5% alc, (18) $14.00

Chocolate Carmel Pecan Bars
2005 Terra Blanca Late Harvest Gewurztraminer 13.0% alc, (20) $16.00
2008 Bonterra Zinfandel 14.0% alc, (17) $16.00

So there you have the Quarterly Dinner at the Buzz. It was good! And I want to point out that we never know the prices of these wines until after dinner. One tastes on wine quality, not price! Cheers!

Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling at "the Buzz"

10 Wednesday Nov 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Photos By: Bob Young, Special Events, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food, Wine Dinners

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Another great Wine Club Dinner at the Buzz last night, 09 November. Really good food and some exceptional wine to go along with the dinner. And Cristi had her helper with her, as shown here. (I’m not allowed to say who this is. Can you guess?) If you missed this one, here are some more to look forward to. Mark these on your calendar! (1) On 18 November is the Beaujolais Nouveau from 6:30. No scheduled dinner, but Bistro type foods will be available. (2) 05 December the Quarterly Wine Dinner. This is a special dinner with surprise wines picked to accompany the dinner. There is a very nominal charge for the Wine Dinner. (3) 14 and 15 December the monthly Wine Club Dinner and Tasting of Carmenere and Gewurztraminer. $15.00 per person for a 5 to 6 course full dinner and 6 to 8 wines. Reservations are strongly suggested!! Look in the sidebar for a link to the Buzz. Here are some photos from last nights dinner. Enjoy the photos; We enjoyed the dinner! Thank-You Debbie, Chisti and Tom for a great evening and dinner. My point ratings are in (20). 20 is the highest rating.

I must apologize: I missed a photo of the Spaghetti Squash that Debbie made. And it was good!! I was too busy eating it and talking!

Empty

Apple-Rosemary Blue Cheese Bites
2009 Chateau St. Michelle Riesling 12% alc. (20) $10.00

Chicken Florentine
(I though this was awesome. Just a hint of curry made this a real treat and a surprise ingredient to this Florentine.)
2006 Grafign Cabernet (Argentina) 14% alc (18) $12.00

The Original Caesar
2007 Blue River Riesling 9.5% alc (18) $12.00

Beef Bourguignon
2008 Louis Martini Cabernet 13.9% alc (18) $17.00

Banana Split Brownie Pizza
2006 Kestrel Cabernet 13.9% alc (19) $21.00

The 2008 Winter Scene Riesling 10% alc (18) $14.00 went with the Spaghetti Squash.

Hope you enjoyed the photos as much as we enjoyed the Wine Dinner. See you there next time? Hope so. Just make reservations. Cheers!

Wine Dinner With Joe Dewey

08 Friday Oct 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Things To Do, Wine Dinners, Wine Tasting

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Here is some information from Joe Dewey about what looks to be an exciting evening at the 36th Street Bistro in Boise. Cheers!

Greetings
I’m proud to announce my partnership with 36th Street Bistro for an October Wine Dinner featuring culinary delights from Chef Joe Leseberg and a line-up of outstanding wines from Kestrel Winery in Prosser WA. I will be there to pour and talk about these small lot, hand crafted, highly rated wines so please make a reservation and join us for an evening of great pairings Wednesday October 20th anytime from 5:30 pm until the restaurant closes – the cost is an unbelievable $40.00 per person. Call now (208) 433-5108 to reserve your table – seating is limited. Looking forward to seeing you then Joe Dewey, Idaho Distributing Company.
Please view the links below to preview the menu and wine selections.

36th Street Cafe and Kestrel Wines.

—
Joe Dewey
5213 Morris Hill Road
Boise ID 83706
(208) 353-0725

Food and Wine. What a Delightful Way To Spend an Evening!

15 Wednesday Sep 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Classics, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Special Dinners, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food Festivals, Wine Dinners

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Another great night at the Buzz in Boise. 14 September 2010 was Wine Club Night where we had an awesome dinner to accompany a great selection of Chenin Blanc and Shiraz/Syrah. Chenin Blanc is a white wine that is very versatile and can be aged for decades. Other names for Chenin Blanc are Steen – South Africa, Vouvray – France, Pineau de la Loire – France and Cremant de Loire among others. Syrah/Shiraz, both the very same grape is a deep, rich red wine. Historically, Shiraz is so called south of the equator and Syrah north of the equator. The Shiraz grape was once thought to originate in Persia, but through recent, 1999, DNA studies, it actually originated in France from two obscure grapes Dureza and Mondeuse Blanche. Syrah/Shiraz is not the same as Petite Sirah and should not be confused with it. Usually the flavors and aroma include blackberry, plums and pepper but can vary greatly from region to region. It is heavily affected by climate: Warmer climates more plums and chocolate. Cooler climates more pepper. (From the Buzz tasting notes) So here is what we had for dinner and the wines that accompanied each course. My point scores are in [20], 20 points being the highest. And all this for $15.00 per person. You can’t beat it! Check with the Buzz for the date and time of the next tasting dinner. Cheers!

Tea Smoked Chicken
2006 Remy Pannier Vouvray
[11.0% alcohol; $18; [13] I didn’t get a whole lot out of this wine.)

Star Puffs
2008 Dry Creek Chenin Blanc
[12.5% alcohol; $12; [18] Full of pears and vanilla.]

Cornmeal Bilini Bites
2009 Simonsig Chenin Blanc (South Africa)
[11% alcohol; $14; [18]; Minerally taste. Went very well with the Bilini]

Gina’s Fiesta Salad
2007 Renwood Syrah
[13.5% alcohol; $11; [19]; Hints of cinnamon and wood.]

Roasted Spicy Mayonnaise Chicken
Herbed Quinoa
Grilled Eggplant and Pepper Salad
Herbed Creamed Bisquits
2008 Morse Code Shiraz
[14% alcohol; $11; [19]; Tar, cloves, spice, pepper. Great selection with the entree!]

Cousin Jonnies Red Velvet Whoopie Pie
2007 Red Syrah/Shiraz Blend (Australia)
[14.5% alcohol; $14; [20]; Chocolate, spicy, pepper. Smooth. A real treat of a blended Syrah with Shiraz. This wine went great with the Whoopie Pie]
The plates are empty. Our stomachs are full. Our thirst for good wine is achieved. So until next time …. Cheers!

Exciting Events at "The Buzz"

11 Saturday Sep 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food, Wine Dinners

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You say you need a night out? You say you want a different wine dinner experience? I say, check out these events at The Buzz this month! Good food! Good wine! Good company! Great price! I don’t know where in Boise you can beat this night out. See you there! Look for their logo in the sidbar and a hot link. You must be 21 to attend these functions!

September Wine Club

It may seem a little late this month due to the first being a Wednesday, but we are all ready for our feature wines this month of Chenin Blanc and Shiraz (Syrah). So join us on September 14th or 15th at 6:30 for our Wine Club Dinner. Reservations required. The cost is $15.00 per person with 10% off all featured wines after the dinner.

Quarterly Dinner

Our next Quarterly Dinner is September 26th at either 5 or 7:30. If you have not had the opportunity to join us for this event, please try to attend. This is a fun filled evening, you will be served a five course dinner (this quarter’s theme is Classics with a Twist), with each course you will be served two different wines. After each course we vote on which wine was paired better with the food. The cost for the dinner and wine tasting is $30 per person with featured wines being 10% off after dinner. This is a fun event to bring a group to and discuss wine. Reservations are required and seating is limited.

Reservations for any of our events may be made online at Buzz Wine or at (208) 344-4321. Also follow us on Facebook and watch for information on Twittertasting…coming soon.

Cristy and Tom

Buzz Coffee and Wine
2999 N Lakeharbor Lane
Boise ID 83703

Sunday Dinner? How About Lamb?

08 Sunday Aug 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Local Harvests, Party Time, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Things To Do, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food, Wine Dinners

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Every once in a while, I say, “Let’s not have chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy and peas for Sunday dinner.” And Robin will usually say, “OK. What do you want?” So today – actually yesterday I said, “How about a leg of lamb, some Swiss chard, fresh bread and a fresh salad?” “OK”, says, Robin. Marnie and Mac are away for the weekend, so I asked Robin if we could ask Chris and Maddie for dinner. They accepted!! Maddie has never eaten lamb, though. I let her know that it is OK to say you don’t like something …. You just have to say what it is you don’t like and why. So now I have to make sure that there is no “wild and gamey” taste in the lamb, but still not cooked to death! 160 degrees off the grill will be fine. Hmmmm. “Off the grill.” Maddie said she liked it and took another slice. So here we go! Enjoy the dinner … Chris and Maddie did! But then, so did we!

Grandson Chris and Maddie.

Grilled Lamb
Marinated 24 hours in
Olive oil, Crushed Mint, Whole Grain Mustard, Gin and Herbs

Nasturtium Salad with Fresh Greens, Tomato and Nasturtium Blossom
with
Nasturtium Infused Vinaigrette

Fresh Grain Bread
Oat Flour and Organic Oregon Whole Wheat Flour

Fresh Swiss Chard with Onion, Garlic, Basil and Young Turnip

Grilled Lamb with Mustard Gravy Reduction

Parsley Potatoes

So there you have our not-so-traditional Sunday Dinner. Serve this with a lucious 2004 Koenig Vineyards Couvée Amelia and you have an awesome dinner! Sorry you missed it! Cheers.

Malasian Curry Dinner

18 Sunday Jul 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Celebrations, Main Dish, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, What's For Dinner?, Wine Dinners

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The Malaysian Curry Dinner on 17 July presented by Chef Derek Selbo was a good event. This was our first time at one of his events and the crowd looked like a good one, about 65 people. My only comment is that this curry was a sweet curry and I did not expect this. Neither did one other individual at our table. It was good, nonetheless. What I was expecting was more along the lines of a Punjab or Bombay style curry, which has more cumin and turmeric in it than the Malaysian. On the other hand, the Malaysian is a lot more fruitier. I guess just personal preference and what you were first exposed to. (My first exposure to East Indian curry was in New Delhi in the mid 1950’s) One thing that really impressed me was the diversity of the crowd. See the photo of the folks at our table. The wines were varied as everyone who wanted to, brought a bottle. We took a bottle of 1998 Rose Creek Johannesburg Riesling and a 2007 Estencia Pinot Grigio. Enjoy the photos!

Chef Derek Selbo

Some of the crowd.

Curried Hard Boiled Eggs and Nam.

Saltine with Cream Cheese and Pickle and Strawberry Jam, Stuffed Celery, Chutney and Nam

Chicken Curry, Coconut, Tomato Relish, Bananas and Rice

At our table: Robin, Frank, Suzy, Claire (England) and Marcia (Tobago).

The moon rises between the trees and the end of a good dinner and good company.

"the Buzz" – Semillon/Grenache Wine Dinner

14 Wednesday Jul 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Party Time, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Things To Do, Wine Dinners

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So, here we go again. Another wonderful wine dinner at the Buzz! The July Wine Club dinner featured Semillion and Grenache and a full dinner. Not really my favorite varietals, but one must learn to enjoy them. Besides, it’s always good to see what happens when you try these wines with food – as all wines are designed to accompany food.
The photo to the left are two of three additional wines. “Additional” wines are usually served before the party begins. So, tonight we had nine wines and a full dinner all for $15 per person! Here are photos of the dinner selections and the wines that accompanied each plate. My ratings are in parenthesis (17) and rated out of 20 possible points. Percent alcohol and prices are also listed.

We started with a Summer Vegetable Pancake with Basil Chive Cream. (The Basil Chive Cream would be awesome with smoked salmon) This was an incredible dish. To accompany the dish, we had a 2009 Falling Star Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc from Argentina. 13%. $10. (17) This was a sharp wine – briar, lemon, earthy with lemon grass.

Jerked Chicken Kabobs with Water Chestnut Appetizers and Mango Cucumber Salad. This was so delicious and went very well with a 2008 L’Ecole Semillon. Washington state. 14.2%. $13. (18). This wine accompanied the Jerk Chicken and the spiciness of the chicken very well. It enhanced the Mango Cucumber Salad and did not overpower it. The cucumber went very well with the wine. The wine had hints of cinnamon and citrus with the water chestnut.

Turkey Lettuce Tacos. Wow! Another delightful plate. 2008 Tapena Grenache 13%. $11. (18). This was a surprise. Pepper and chocolate. Well balanced with spices. Great with the different taco.

Andalusian Gazpacho. What a wonderful cold soup. Great on a hot summer day. It went extremely well with a 2007 Las Rocas Garnacha. 13%. $13. (19). My favorite wine of the evening. Cherry overtones. Old World style. Went very well with the soup and balanced the spices that were present in the gazpacho.

Cucumber Tomato Quinoa Salad and Fennel Pork Burgers with Grape Relish. You know, Cristi and Tom, you out did yourselves here!! The Fennel Pork Burger with Grape Relish should be on your Bistro menu.

Frozen Chocolate Cheesecake Squares. Anything with chocolate has to be Yum-O! This was no exception. And the wine? A Bitch Bubbly Grenache. $13. (17) Actually, the red pie cherry of the wine went well with the cheesecake.

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So there you have another exciting evening at the Buzz. If you missed this event, you just gotta make the next one. Remember: The Second Tuesday and Wednesday evenings of every month. Just call for reservations. And the same wines and meal are presented each evening, so if you can not make it on one of the evenings, it is repeated on the next. Do enjoy and cheers!

Wine Dinner With Joe Dewey

08 Thursday Jul 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Party Time, Restaurants, What's For Dinner?, Wine Dinners

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We received this from Joe Dewey. A wine tasting at the 36th Street Bistro in Boise. Hope you can make it! “Here are some attachments and info about the Arbor Crest Dinner on July 21st from 5 – 8 pm. $40.00 per person includes the wines”. For more information contact Joe Dewey.