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Sunday, October 10, 2010

Sage & Lemon Chablis

Oooookay.  I feel kinda bad admitting this "out loud", but...I have "issues" with Giada.  You all know the one I'm talking about.  The part that makes me feel crappy about saying it...I have no clue why.  You know how some people just get under your skin?  That just about describes the way it is with Giada.  And my skin.  I do fancy myself as being pretty kind and open-minded and accepting, though...so I am about to face this head on and cook with Giada for the next six months.  At least one time a week, she and I, we're gonna head into the kitchen together.  She's bringing the lemons, the ginormous smile,  and the skinny factor.  I'm bringing a clean slate and liquor.  I'm pretty positive that between the two of us and plenty of alcohol, I'll develop a whole new set of feeling towards her...but check back with me in six months to make sure.
She tried sneaking some RosĂ© into the kitchen this week...but I quickly nixed that.  I stood my ground and told her that this had to be a two-way street.  We're substituting a good wine for that sissy, frou-frou one, Teeth.  Capisce? 

Rosé Chablis w/ fresh Sage & Lemon
adapted from Giada's Family Dinners
yield: 1 bottle  but you can bet your bottom dollar that I doubled this for our first kitchen encounter

-1 (750-ml) bottle rosé Chablis wine
-8 fresh sage leaves, bruised
-peel of 1 lemon, removed in long strips w/ a vegetable peeler

Combine the wine, sage, and lemon peel in a clear glass container.  Cover and let stand at room temperature for one day.  Strain the wine into a pitcher and discard the solids.  Or don't...I just did it in a couple of empty bottles and left the solids right in the bottle.  Sure, I occasionally had a sage leaf or two slide into my mouth.  No biggie.
Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. shyeah, right.  Serve either chilled or at room temperature.


So, with a little compromise, everything worked out pretty well during our first encounter.  I'm sure that the alcohol didn't hurt, either.  Benvenuto, Giada!

Until next week, Giada... 

...and I'll see any of you Giada lovers or skeptics over at IHCC where we're now cooking with Giada De Laurentiis for the next six months!

**UPDATE: The reasoning behind me choosing Chablis over another wine is because it already has a bit of a lemony nose and I thought I'd be accentuating that.  The lemon was very pronounced, as was the sage.  I admit, I normally drink my wine sans additions, but I liked this version for a special occasion wine.  Perhaps to give as a gift...especially if you're using a cheapo wine and are just laughin' it up with the girls. I'm not saying I'd give it to the local vintner (in good conscience)...and yeah, Chablis packs a little punch...

*This post is linked to:
IHCC cookbook sundays Hey What's For Dinner


Would you like to comment?

  1. Merhabalar, Umutluhayatlar berna hanımın "fırında çupra" tarifini bugĂŒn bloglardan seçmelerde yayınladım.
    http://gencalsabahattin.blogspot.com/
    Her pazartesi yapılan yayınlarda sizinde yayınlanmasını istediğiniz yemek tariflerinizi beklerim.

    Saygılarımla.

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  2. Is that website for real? Or are they mocking her? I've tried several of her recipes and I have to admit, I haven't repeated them... Her recipes just aren't all that for me... Her porportions can be off.. If u read the reviews of her recipes many people re do them... Adding lemon to chablis? hmm, not sure about that..

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  3. OUCH! If by "that website" you mean IHCC, then yes it's for real. I'm one of the four bloggers that administrate it, actually. We put four chefs/cooks up for a vote in a poll...and the majority chose Giada, that's why we're with her for 6 months. And DOUBLE OUCH...the chablis was MY adaptation because I don't like Rosé (which is what the recipe called for). It was good. I thought.

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  4. I may be in the minority but I like Giada - she's always been good for a home-cooked, easy meal. As with all chefs, there are recipes that I say "no" to - I can see they wouldn't work for me. I am not a huge Rose fan = but some chablis - if it is not too innocuous. Lemon?

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  5. didn;t mean to offend.. the pics of giada didn't seem like her.. as far as the wine recipe, i was told never to add anything... and that was told to me from someone who owned a winery..

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  6. Lemon Sage Chablis, YUM! Going to give that a try. Thanks so much.

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  7. LOL...you are too funny! I actually like her a lot. She does have this bubbly personality. She is like a 10 in the scale and sometimes I need her to bring it down to a 5. :) But I think she is pretty down to earth, and that counts a lot for me. Plus her recipes are good. You know who gets under my skin? The Neelys and Bobby Flay!

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  8. Looks like a refreshing drink that would make most anything more tolerable. Even things that get under your skin. Love your photos, btw.

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  9. I giggled my way through your whole post, stood in awe of your wonderful photography, and vowed I would come back here weekly to see what you and Giada are up to over here...I cannot wait to see what the next six months will bring. I like Giada's recipes, I use them a lot, and I have to say, they work for us. Have not tried ANY of her beverage recipes...you think I should start with this one?

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  10. KBF...you didn't offend. :D I wouldn't "normally" add anything to wine, either. But special circumstances sometimes call for extreme measures!

    CocinaDiary...ditto w/ BF for me!

    Kayte...I'd say it's worth a try. At least once :D

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  11. how about with lime? I put lime in almost everything these days......why not wine....with a hot pepper maybe....

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  12. i have to admit...i think she is a good cook. i also admire her..for coming out of the shadow of her very famous family and really making it on her own. but...
    her annunciation and the 3 descriptives for everything she puts in her mouth..it's salty, crunchy and creamy...is very annoying. and her hands bug me..but so do rayrays (my least fave celebrity cook).
    i think you will have fun cooking her stuff.

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  13. You are so funny - you really do make me laugh.

    As you know I'm a big fan of Giada's food - as for the person - who can say? I'm pretty sure that what we see on TV is just a very contrived television persona (like virtually all TV chefs), and is pretty far removed from the real person - I'm prepared to give her the benefit of the doubt. Let's face it - she makes great food so there must be plenty of good in her heart - mean, nasty, horrible people make mean, nasty, ugly food.

    Anyway, as you say - I'm sure with enough alcohol to lubricate the path, you will grow to love her :-) Or at least like her a bit. You're off to a great start - although I would never normally add things to my wine - I think this is a great idea for a fun occasion, maybe to tart up a couple of bottles of "el cheapo" for a large barbeque or suchlike, and I think the chablis was a great choice.

    Sue :-)

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  14. Giada is a force to be reckoned with creating quite an empire for herself. She does have some experimentation issues but for the most part I enjoy her food:D

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  15. Lol! Mom is a Giada fan - but I don't trust a skinny Italian. Still - I'd try that lemon/sage wine!

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  16. Christy...I just found out earlier today that she came from a famous family! Her grandmother was absolutely drop dead! Giada looks a lot like her.

    Sue...yes, exactly my thoughts! Fun for once in a while. And tv personalities are definitely contrived for ratings, etc. Gordon Ramsay is like THE sweetest guy on earth...completely opposite of his "in the kitchen" Hell's Kitchen personality. Must look past it to the food. And good point about the food....she's looking better already ;)

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  17. Oh, Rue...I forgot to say HA HA HA HA HA! ;)

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  18. Hmm I have issues with a lot of FN chefs but not Giada so much. Don't know why. Alcohol always helps to smooth over a rough first encounter! Delicious.

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  19. Adding sage and lemon to wine...I'll have to think about that one. Giada isn't my favorite TV personality, but I do like many of her recipes and look forward to the next 6 months.

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  20. I'd have to say I agree with you about Giada. I can't watch her show, but I don't know why!
    (I'd comment on the Chablis but I don't drink.)

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  21. Glad you are settling into Giada. ;-) Although I do find her a bit perky at times, I have always really enjoyed her recipes. This looks delicious and I love the swap to Chablis. Sometimes adding a little something to wine brings a fun change--this looks like a great way to use some of my sage up too.

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  22. Yum! I am all for playing with booze. And I have a huge sage bush out back, what a great idea!
    I have had great luck with all of Giada's recipes that I have tried so far, here's to a delicious (and boozy) year!

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  23. I've never tried any of Giada's recipes, but I sure enjoyed your post!

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  24. Hi dear,

    Keep rocking..fabulous new recipes you come out with!!

    Dr.Sameena@

    www.myeasytocookrecipes.blogspot.com

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  25. So I must say that Giada can cook some pretty amazing dishes. I've tried a few to much success. But like you, something about her rubs me the wrong way! I admire you taking your annoyance head on, and challenging yourself to cook her recipes at least once a week. I'm excited to see all that is to come!

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  27. Ciao Bella !I'm with you with giada ! Her grandmother was really a woderful actress (she worked with Pasolini too) I give you the link to the italian wikipedia which is much richer ! Salute ! to the italian wikipedia which is much richer ! Salute !

    http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silvana_Mangano

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  28. HA! You are too funny, but glad to see you are open minded to try cooking with her. I personally like her, have one of her cookbooks though I have yet to use it. Fun post!

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  29. I can't stand the Food Network, and Giada is one of the prime reasons. She brings teeth and cleavage and lineage, but not much more. I watched once -- probably the final time, in disgust -- as she made little fried pastry balls. Instead of stirring vanilla seeds into the batter, where the flavor would infuse the entire pastry, she rolled them into the cinnamon sugar coating ... where they clumped up and wouldn't stick to anything but each other. AAAUUUGGGHHH!!! And she's getting paid millions for this incompetence?!?!? I will be intrigued to see how well you can tolerate her in your fabulous kitchen ... ;)

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  30. Don't care for Giada, but I sure LOVE YOUR PHOTOS!!!!!!!!!!!

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  31. I don't have a Giada opinion - I have only seen her show once. I hope you can drink enough wine to you, know tolerate her! Whatever you cook you will give the girlichef magic and it will be great!

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  32. Your choice of wine sounds perfect with the sage and lemon! If I were a wine drinker I would absolutely be all over this. I do like to cook with wine though, so I may make this for cooking with...I bet it would give so much flavor to a dish!

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  33. Those are some gorgeous pictures and the shadows are really cool! I love how you choose to ring in the next six months with a cocktail;-) I have to say that I do like the idea of doctoring up wine by adding in aromatics, plus it looks really pretty!

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  34. Super cool idea, thanks for sharing.

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  35. Wish i could swing by to taste youre chablis,

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  36. I'm with ya, but 6 months your either gonna love her or loather her...love your adaptation..

    sweetlife

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  37. Giada...I'm not sure what bugs me about her. (But I can tell you that she doesn't get under my skin the way Sandra does....wine or no wine LOL). It'll be interesting to see how you feel about her in the next 6 months. Are we gonna witness a chick fight? LMAO!!!

    BTW I love your pictures!

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  38. Don't feel bad. I know what you mean. She seems totoally sweet and lovely, but, there's this thing she does, when she leans into the food to take a bite and describes it that gets under my skin, too. I feel better admitting that out loud. LOL. I have made several of her recipes, though. They were all pretty fabulous! =)

    This drink looks wonderful!

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  39. Sometimes I find Giada a bit much...can someone really be that happy all the time? They make fun of her all the time on Food Network Humor. I'm always cracking up.

    Ok now onto the wine. It looks fantastic. I have never thought of adding stuff to wine. It's gotta be great. Plus your pictures are amazing!

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  40. LOL you are cracking me up!! I am with you on the Rose, I am SO not a fan of that, so good call on the Chablis...and, of course, we were thinkign alike. I did do my antipasti, put I had to throw in a beverage, too. A little (or a lot of) alcohol never hurts!!

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  41. No wine would last two weeks in my house and I agree with you 100% on the Rose. I haven't had Rose since I was about 18. This sounds really interesting actually and I'd be willing to try it. Thanks for linking this up to Cookbook Sundays Heather!

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  42. Love that glass shadow shoot! Now did that just sound like a name of something??? Not sure about this recipe, but I would be willing to try it- loved the history and exchanges in the comments, I learn so much from them often enough!

    Not sure hubby would let me do it either, lol!

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