'Tis enough of winter.....

Okay, so it's winter in New England -- we've had enough snow to last us a long, long time.

That being said - it's perfect red wine drinking weather.

If you're looking to expand your horizons and try something different - let us know, we're more than happy to make recommendations.

New in the freezer are things like:  Uncured Applewood Smoked Bacon, Demi Glace, Wild Boar Roasts, Duck & Armanac Sausage, Buffalo Steaks & Venison Medallions.  Coming next week should be Duck Legs and Boar sausages - amongst a few other surprises.

In the refrigerator - we have caviar; right now King Salmon is all that's left but look for Sturgeon, Paddlefish as well as smaller Salmon Roe; they have a fabulous shelf life, are in beautiful bottles and would the perfect accompaniment for a romantic Valentine's Day dinner.

Speaking of the Valentine's holiday - keep checking for tasting information!  I've got three tastings lined up and some include bubbles...!

Here's a tried and true recipe for the wild boar; I made it myself last week and it was fantastic.  If you've never had boar before (I certainly hadn't!), it's not as gamey as you might think.  There was a little something that was reminiscent of duck - but it was like the most delicious, darkest piece of pork you'll ever see.  Try it for yourself and see!

Take the roast and coat it with kosher/sea salt, black pepper, red pepper and then drizzle with honey. (You can drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil on top prior to seasoning; it's a lean meat - so it won't be greasy.)
Place a few cloves of garlic in the roasting pan as well.
Preheat oven to 425; cook the roast for 15 minutes at 425, then reduce to 345 for the next 30 minutes.

Remove from oven, slice it - then add additional salt/pepper & honey.  Add a little garlic salt if you like at this point; then finish under the broiler for 5-7 minutes to get a completely finished roast and a little crisp from the honey.

Serve with a delicious Cote du Rhone -- or try Chasse Garde Fitou!

Enjoy -and let me know what you think!

New ideas for the new year!

One of the new things I'd like to try in the Melrose store - is to feature a celebrity chef demonstration monthly.  I'm looking to have someone come in, do a cooking demo and we'll pair it with wine.

I've got a few chefs in mind I'd like to approach, but if anyone has a good suggestion on someone who is a favorite of theirs - please feel free to pass their name onto me.  You can either post their name here - or feel free to email me!

The beginning of the year is a good time for those of us who are retailers to try and shake up our inventory -bringing in fresh and exciting new products, while keeping the some of the same tried and true lines as well.  If there's anything new that you've tried over the past year - and you think we should give try it - don't hesitate to let me know.  Not only are custom orders something we specialize in - it also provides an opportunity for something new to grace our shelves.

We're looking forward to celebrating with you this year, whether it's a new job - new house, new baby; wedding, engagement, graduation - or just celebrating the end of the work week.

Cheers!