# CHEERS To The Weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!



## leah elisheva (Apr 4, 2014)

Happy Friday Smoky Cookies!!!!

It's almost 9 a.m., and I've gotten some writing work done, watched the news, eaten breakfast, tackled last night's incoming e-mail, grilled swordfish, eaten a magnificent and simple dinner, groomed one of my dogs, cleaned up the furry kitchen afterward, and am now onto what's next!













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However, with the sunshine out, and SPRING officially now here, I wanted to simply share my "simple sword"...













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and wish everyone a sensational Friday and start to the weekend!













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So whether you're grilling, smoking, or baking or broiling per se; please make your weekend's start up sensational, and share some wine with somebody else today as well!













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Just thought I'd send some good energy out to the wonderful winos!













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Thanks for sharing in my simple but wonderful morning!













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CHEERS!!!!!!!!!! - Leah

(And please share what's on deck for you this great weekend, and what you're eating, drinking and SMOKING, right here)!!!!


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## noboundaries (Apr 4, 2014)

You have such a great "eye" for photos Leah and plate beautifully.  Excellent photography, not snapshots at all.  I'm going to have to learn to do that, but practice with calf liver or something I don't like eating.  When food I want to eat is ready, my stomach acts like a drooling, scrambling puppy about to tear into a meal!

I won't know what's on deck for making this weekend until I stop by the grocery on the way home from work to see what's on sale.  That's pretty much how I decide every weekend.

Bon appetit!


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## leah elisheva (Apr 4, 2014)

Hey thank you *(Noboundaries)!*

That's so very kind!

Indeed, to look at food and not dive in is pretty bizarre!

If it is "meat," then I just rationalize this by the fact that it needs to 'rest' some. (7 seconds still counts as a rest! It DOES)!!! Smiles.

With fish, well, I just say to myself: "but if you hurry and snap a picture - unprofessional picture as it be," (plus I don't 'alter' my photos and so they are simply posted as they are), "then it will still capture a little 'something' to share with others."

Or so I do say to myself anyway!!! Smiles.

In any event, happy weekend to you!

I look forward to hearing about what you do eat and drink once you're off work and into the cooking groove sometime over the weekend!

This group is just such great fun!!!

Cheers! - Leah


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## bkleinsmid (Apr 4, 2014)

Morn'n Sunshine...........I'm not completely sure what all is happening this weekend. Maybe bacon wrapped chicken parts on the smoker tonight (Jeff's news letter gave me that idea). I do know that I will have two hams, two sides of bacon, and all four hocks off my neighbors hog to smoke in the morning. I will have pizza tomorrow night with the rodeo committee while we go over plans for the upcoming rodeo in May. Sunday promises 25 lb of pork to grind, mix. and stuff into hog guts to make Brats. Then on Monday I will have to do nothing but stair at the smoker while the brats hang out.

BTW........tiny bit of rain today but high 60's to mid 70's and blue skies through Monday. Sorry Leah.......lol

Brad


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## leah elisheva (Apr 4, 2014)

Back at you* Brad!!!*!!!

And WOW does your stock of food sound pretty fantastic!!!

And wasn't Jeff's newsletter picture just beautiful???? I love "Thursdays" for that fun reason!!!

The Rodeo Committee sounds like the best part however! That must be an entire culture, experience, and fun!!!

Happy weekend to you out in the sunny west!!!!!!!! Share some food/sips when you eat!!!

Cheers!!!!!!!!!! - Leah


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## noboundaries (Apr 4, 2014)

Well, good evening everyone!  Ahhhh, my weekend has begun.  I'm being the bachelor this weekend as my wife picked up a fun consulting gig for three days.  She's off to Reno.  I do business there all the time so I waved goodbye earlier today as she drove off in my truck to brave the Sierra snow and one "no slack" highway patrolman over Donner Summit.  She just called while I was typing and she's arrived safely in the Biggest Little City in the World.

Me?  I'm now sipping the last of a 2010 Sangiovese, letting the magic of the vine wash away a character building day.  On the way home from work I picked up a nice 5 lb Boneless Cross Rib Roast to smoke some roast beef, plus a 3.5 lb chuckie to cut up and make faux burnt ends I read about in another thread here in SMF.  As I was pouring the last of the Sangiovese I checked the wine rack and there's a 2010 Super Tuscan that's begging to keep me company at dinner tomorrow night.  Ahhhh, let the hours unwind.

Happy Weekend All!

Ray


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## moikel (Apr 4, 2014)

Cattlemans cutlet last night with  Wynns black label cab/sav,Just grill them on cast iron griddle made some compound butter.

Tonight will be Octopus marinated in EVO,garlic,chilli,lemon,cbp. Will poke around the cellar for something to drink.

I will do that on the griddle as well. Chinese greens on the side.

Football on sunday ,dear old friend flying in from Singapore for a holiday. 

Lunch at the pub,courtesy bus will take us to the game.Tigers vSea Eagles ,very Sydney .


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## leah elisheva (Apr 5, 2014)

Wow these weekend updates are delicious!!!! I love it!!!

*Ray,* when Super Tuscans are involved, EVERYTHING is wonderful!!! How amazing! And your cooking plans sound incredible too! So fun!

And *Mick,* that must have been sensational yesterday too! And now octopus!!!!! Oh fantastic!

I'm excited to taste everyone's meals via the screen even!

Such a fun group over here in Wino land!!!! Happy Saturday!!!!!!!

Cheers!!! - Leah


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## moikel (Apr 11, 2014)

Autumn here now,very wet rained for weeks now .The upside is its mushroom season. These guys are not native they came as vagrants with imported pine trees for our plantation timber.

Its still warm so the season might go to June. Lactarius deliciosus ,Saffron milk cap. 

These will be a pasta sauce for lunch,mushrooms,garlic,lemon juice ,white wine,parsley,shallot,chilli.













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## moikel (Apr 11, 2014)

OK thats it I cooked a vegetarian meal
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






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I didn't have any white wine so I subbed vermouth,gave it a bump with chicken stock.













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I had a glass of Erin Eyes shiraz 2012 from Clare Valley . Really good match. 2012 will really show case wine making in this country,particularly reds. I can't wait to see what else is going to be released from that vintage.


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## leah elisheva (Apr 12, 2014)

Mick that's absolutely beautiful!!!

And happy autumn season to you! We alas have SPRING!!

That Erin Eyes wine does sound great!

I'm entering day 5 of not drinking my bottle of wine daily, (doing this until the 19th just to see what all you folks' weekly regimens are all about and yet still get back to my norm by that Easter weekend when family visits etc.), and I don't get the allure yet, haven't lost any weight from that cut yet either, but it must be healthier inside, and better for one, and so I'm giving it a try. Smiles.

But your mushrooms look incredible!!!!!

If that's a vegetarian meal, then you give vegetarian some real excitement! BRAVO!!!

Cheers!!! - Leah


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## moikel (Apr 12, 2014)

GF  drinks champagne while gardening & reorganising the house. I abstain but had that glass with lunch.

Those mushrooms  are a great thing ,very seasonal & I love truly wild foraged food.

You guys deserve Spring, its fine here just wet.Nasty cyclone way up north thats all over the news.


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## noboundaries (Apr 12, 2014)

Moikel, I'd think about become a vegetarian if my meals looked like that!  Delicious!

Okay, thought about becoming vegetarian long enough.  Back to my carnivorous nature.  Hickory wood is my favorite to smoke on beef.  My wife's favorite is mesquite.  For that reason I switch back and forth between the two for moo'ers.  Last night I hickory smoked a couple 3.5 lb tri tips on the Smokenator equipped Weber Kettle.  They came out looking and tasting wonderful.  My wife, a born Texan with mesquite sap in her veins, said the words I thought I'd never hear.  I was feeding her pre-meal bites of the tri tip while she was chopping sweet carrots.  She looked at me and said "I may be disowned by my West Texas homeland, but I think I like hickory better than mesquite!"  Almost brought a tear to my eye.

As you can see, I didn't take pics.  I really need to try and develop that habit of pic'ing my food.  I've been cooking so long it just doesn't cross my mind.

Wish I could send some of the sunny weather we're having out here back East and to Australia. Under my breath I'll whisper that we had to run the air conditioner the last two days.   But hey, it's the weekend and family is visiting!  Our daughter and her fiancé will be here in about 3 hours.  They always bring wine because his family is the one that belongs to the co-op winery.  No telling what they'll bring but it will be red.

I almost never buy commercial wine for that reason but I did pick up a bottle of inexpensive "Pacific Redwood Organic Red" table wine at Costco the other night.  Made in Mendocino County, the smoke capital of the West for another reason entirely.  The wine has no date, no sulfites, and is labeled much like the co-op winery.  I'll serve it with lunch today with the tri tip we'll be eating with flour tortillas, avocados, grilled green onions, and fresh salsa.  We also have some lavash and tzatziki that will be on the table too, another of our daughter's favorite with tri tips.

I'm also putting a couple of orange juice brined whole chickens on the WSM later today for dinner tonight.  We'll bust out a rare co-op Chardonnay for the poultry.

Leah, only 7 more days of your Lent sacrifice, 6 if you use Australian time!

Happy Weekend Everyone!

Ray


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## leah elisheva (Apr 12, 2014)

Wow, everyone's wives here sound absolutely amazing!!! I wish we all could eat and drink together but the screen has provided fantastic fodder nonetheless!

Ray, your FOOD, and the wines, and the great company coming etc., sound just delightful!

And isn't Mick's dish incredible? This time of year is just delicious!

I like the way you think Ray, about "Australian time" and such!

While 6 hours sounds far better to me than 6/7 days; I'll give it at least to tomorrow anyway, and see what the moon, and the stars, and now ALAS the great SUN even, do bring! A tricky dance it is to go without wine. It's taught me how much I adore the habit, and yet also taught me that I "CAN" go without it, but just am not entirely sold that it's the better option.

Stay tuned!

Meanwhile, back to the porch and that vitamin D! I have a near year's supply to catch well up on!!! Smiles.

Happy Saturday to all!!!!!!!!

Cheers! - Leah


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## foamheart (Apr 12, 2014)

Moikel said:


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LOL.... I saw these and thought they were some regional bread at first, Then I read and noticed a couple a stems, I guess they could be considered almost a type of regional bread.  Nice 'shrooms, those are pretty buns ya got there....LOL


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## moikel (Apr 12, 2014)

Foamheart said:


> LOL.... I saw these and thought they were some regional bread at first, Then I read and noticed a couple a stems, I guess they could be considered almost a type of regional bread.  Nice 'shrooms, those are pretty buns ya got there....LOL


They are a good thing. We don't have all those boletus mushrooms here that Europe has.Its dried or frozen porcini,morels,chanterelles .We have another vagrant called a slippery jack which again is pine forest Boletus  luteus,good but not a porcini.

We know have a full blown truffle industry & ship them to Northern Hemisphere in their "off" season. Persistence paid off with people importing the inoculated trees at great expense from Europe. You can go for weekend farm stays at some of the truffle forests in season.

I love all that hunter gatherer stuff, not sure either of my dogs are retrainable as truffle hunters
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	

















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## foamheart (Apr 12, 2014)

All my dogs were always great hunters, but they ate the biscuits after capturing them. LOL


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## leah elisheva (Apr 13, 2014)

Beautiful picture of your dog Mick!

And I'd love to train mine to truffle hunt! (Or teach them to pay the phone/internet bill even)?

Three of mine from the past (one of which is no longer here) learned to dine at the table years ago, and that was mighty interesting when company came around.

Dare I admit however, that I enjoyed my dogs as dinner companions MORE than certain guests!? (They have exceptional palates you see).

Cheers! - Leah













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## foamheart (Apr 13, 2014)

Leah Elisheva said:


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After the police dogs raided the poker game!


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## leah elisheva (Apr 13, 2014)

Hah ha ha!!!!!!! That's right Foamheart! They were awaiting salmon in that one, and found the need to 'start with tea' to be some kind of Draconian torture!

Happy Sunday!!! Cheers! - Leah


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## noboundaries (Apr 13, 2014)

Cute doggie pictures Moikel and Leah.  I can't contribute anything there.  We just feed feral cats and families of raccoons that visit our backyard.  We live in a tract neighborhood but have the only large oak tree within a quarter mile.  In our small backyard we've been visited not only by the cats, raccoons, and the occasional skunk, but turkeys, geese, owls, and goshawks.  Mother Nature is always surprising us in our backyard.

Leah, that organic red table wine I mentioned above was an interesting experience.  On first taste my future son-in-law and I were like "nope, this is not good, but not horrible."  Fairly young tasting grape juice and alcohol.  No wood character at all.  Obviously bottled right out of stainless steel fermentation tanks from a mix of grapes.  It had a familiar taste though I couldn't quite shake, so we kept sampling.  Then it hit me, "THIS IS MY DAD's TABLE WINE!!!!"  Tasted almost exactly like the stuff I used to share at university 40 years ago.  My wife, daughter, her fiancé and I finished the bottle with gut-busting laughter while I shared stories of the dozens of roommates and students I turned into winos back then.  I'm going to get Dad a bottle for the next time we see him. 

We had a great weekend with our kids.

Happy Week-End All,

Ray


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## moikel (Apr 13, 2014)

Great lover of owls!
Especially the Powerful Owl which eats possums & fruit bats both critters that We are over run with.
I had a few glasses of home made red in Italy & it was exactly what I drank way back when I got invited into Italian households 30 years ago. Lighter colour,lower alcohol, no much age,not much oak easy to drink.
The widow 2 doors up still has her late husband winemaking kit in the garage,if only I had a decent shed!


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## foamheart (Apr 13, 2014)

Moikel said:


> The widow 2 doors up still has her late husband winemaking kit in the garage,if only I had a decent shed!


Rich? Good Lookin?


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## noboundaries (Apr 13, 2014)

Foamheart said:


> Rich? Good Lookin?










Can't stop laughing.  Didn't see THAT one coming!

Now my wife is laughing!


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## moikel (Apr 14, 2014)

Foamheart said:


> Rich? Good Lookin?


My GF, Croatian heritage & a nurse.Not afraid of the sight of blood,not about to give her an excuse to shed mine!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





The place in question is an L shaped block with separate street front ,when the doors are open I can see the press, massive big glass containers with the wicker wrapped around them,few other bits & pieces. All gathering dust. He was a northerner from Veneto bit unusual because its mostly southerners around here. 

He had the concreting contract for the municipal council.Hell of a lot of concrete jobs for cash money after hours with "left over" concrete he was quite the character .Not afraid to trash talk the Sicilians &  Calabrians in my hood about their regional differences
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





He used to make good wine that shed might have some mojo maybe I can sub let
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





. Its got the big concrete laundry tubs I think there was a bit of salami made there as well. Tile roof not metal much better for curing .


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## leah elisheva (Apr 14, 2014)

Top of the Morning Sweet Vino Cookies!

Funny, I've never eaten owl, but the mere mention in any capacity of an animal does prompt such thoughts...

As for Veneto and wine, a hearty Amarone can pull me away from my White Burgundy on any day - and is the perfect pairing with anything heavy for the record, (whether it be wooly mammoth with fig & marrow risotto, or, OK OK you get the idea)...

Never underestimate a charming widow! A guy I used to bump into on walks locally, had simply kept rapport up with the woman a couple houses down, shared a meal or two, and then she died and left HIM her house! He walks back and forth still, maintaining both homes! (Though one is for his cat mostly).

What else?

OH! *RAY!!! *Your story, of the wine, and family, and tableside stories, is just fantastic! That you will give a flask of that wine to your Pop, is wonderful to!

So if I haven't said it before enough, I LOVE THIS FABULOUS WINOS GROUP!!! We have such fun!

Meanwhile, you should be mighty impressed that I am on day 7 (dare I believe it myself) of "stepping away from the vino" just until this coming Saturday when my brother visits and we shall drink as if prohibition shall begin at any second, hence me saving up some reserves or giving my system a little break this past week, and trying to see how all of you are during the week without wine etc. as I found that so impressive.

Still unsure of the entire allure, I have been "good" and not even had a glass. Though I'm smoking a Sauterne soaked rabbit midweek, and so let's see if some of that fine grape makes it into the dear marinade!

Happy new and quite fabulous holiday week cuties!!!! Make it delicious!!!

Cheers!!! - Leah


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## moikel (Apr 17, 2014)

Easter w/e so headed to the coast . 
Couldn't catch any fish water still to dirty after all the rain so I had to buy fish for Good Friday.
Other meals will be duck,orange & pistachio sausages tonight. 
Cattle mans cutlet another night & suckling pig roasted another night.I will fossick through the wine that's down here there is a lot old Shiraz from Heathcote,Barossa & some Wynns cab Sav somewhere.
Thanks to failed guard dog white cockatoos have gnawed through umbrella stand , not happy.












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## leah elisheva (Apr 17, 2014)

Happy Easter wishes to you and your gal Mick!!!!

I just LOVE your doggies and the lounging shots! Adorable!

Your menus sound superb! And I'm a changed woman having learned the phrase, "Cattleman's Cutlet" after your post and photo of such recently. I love the mere sound of that even! Fantastic stuff!

I'm hosting my brother Saturday, and am making steak tartare (with the meat's fat saved and seared and used as 'cracklings' in the black rice etc.) and we're starting with some raw clams and raw oysters (since he is coming to the coast after all) and also WINE! 

This is day 10 for me, attempting what you master during the weeks. I don't feel like a changed being yet (perhaps a bit of a grumplet) but I suppose it is a healthy step and here's to that!!!

Report back on all you drank/ate (and everyone please do so here too) when back or able.

Meanwhile, happy all!!!!!

Cheers!!! - Leah


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## moikel (Apr 17, 2014)

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My butcher friend makes the duck sausages,duck,orange peel,pistachios ,nutmeg & bits. I had to do them in the oven no gas ! Bit hard to get a delivery now!I had salad with my own smoked cheese,some onion jam on the side.
The Wynns Cab/Sav is an Aussie Icon,this bottle 2003 decanted it . Really impressive,great bones always long lived,still fruity,bit of leather & cedar. 












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## leah elisheva (Apr 17, 2014)

Oh that looks delightful and so cozy there too! Fabulous stuff! Here's to a scrumptious weekend!!!!! Cheers! - Leah


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## moikel (Apr 18, 2014)

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Tonight's wine ,bit of a classic . 
We are having fish so I will have it with cheese.
Marlin steaks with Thai flavours.


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## leah elisheva (Apr 18, 2014)

That sounds great! And you'll be proud to know that I made it, today is day 11 - taking a page out of your abstinence on vino - and tomorrow, when entertaining/cooking/hosting, I am enjoying some wine again indeed!

Happy Easter to you & yours!!! And to all our wonderful winos!!!!

Cheers! - Leah


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## moikel (May 23, 2014)

Thought I  would drop this in here.

I am home alone,ran up to supermarket & saw this half leg of lamb
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





,never seen it its the thick end only $9 a kg bone in.

I pot roasted it with homemade bacon,carrots ,celery,onion,red wine chicken stock,big bunch of herbs,then ten minutes out threw in a bunch of frozen peas.

Drank it with a Witchmount shiraz from Victoria ,won the World shiraz challenge in 2007 .Great distinctive glass of wine.













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## leah elisheva (May 23, 2014)

Mick that looks mammoth and amazing! From your "cowboy cutlets" down there to this leg, I am in awe!!!! Great to see! And vino too! Cheers! - Leah


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## moikel (Aug 17, 2014)

Bit left field but this is tonight's dinner,Sunday night.
Lamb shanks in a Southern Italian style.
Slow cooked ,bacon,garlic ,onions,red wine,tomato passata ,veal stock,bunch of herbs.
Warrabilla Cabernet Sauvignon  2007 ,big ,bold 15.6 % alcohol ?From Rutherglen couple of hours from where I grew up.












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## leah elisheva (Aug 17, 2014)

Oh I love lamb shanks Mick! That looks and sounds incredible!

And interesting on the wine!!!

Fantastic!!!! Cheers!!!!!!! - Leah


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