March 2013

March 2013 Volume 2 • Issue 5FREE

TownTasterM A G A Z I N E

The Green WinerBlending of Wines?

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DOWN TO EARTHArea chefs supporting local farms and bringing you REAL food!

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Publisher PCI Publishing, LLC

EditorValerie Longo941-932-8884

Web DesignSyd Krawczyk

Concept Digital Media

Social MediaLenny Longo

Graphic DesignMara Stork

Contributing Authors

Town Taster and PCI Publishing, LLC does not en-dorse or warrant any products or services contained herein, unless otherwise expressly noted. The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors. Submitted materials will not be returned. Whole or part of this publication may not be used or duplicated in any way without written permission from PCI Publishing, LLC.

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March 2013 Volume 2, Issue 5

Mike & Mary BlairThe Three Kitcheneers

Lenny LongoVeronica & Larry Wagner

Larry Woodham

Cover Design by The Three Kitcheneers

Did someone say spring? If you are like me, you are saying, “How is it March already?” and wondering if we ever really saw winter this year in Florida. Well, it is true and we are staring “season” right in the face. As restaurants are getting more crowded and the beach is beginning to attract more visitors let us get back to basics for this issue.

Do we really know… what came first the chicken or the egg? Well it all starts with the farmers! I bet you would be pleasantly surprised if you asked your favorite chef where their ingredients come from. We have so many chefs who are stepping up to the plate and are going out of their way to support our local agriculture. As you may have noticed, we have a soft spot for buying local and promoting the benefits of fresh local ingredients! Read on, find out WHY this is an important topic in our community.

As we announced in our last issue – we will be airing our premiere radio show in March. At the time of printing, we are busy working on a lineup that will keep you coming back for more. Check our website for updates and the show schedule.

And finally, do you like to WIN? We do! But what we love more is hearing from our readers and finding out what YOU like and how we can continue to improve and bring you the best information out there. Flip to page 11 for your chance to WIN a $25 gift certificate to Charisma Café in Village of the Arts. In keeping with this issue’s theme of farm to fork dining – you can’t get much fresher than this!

Extra, Extra Read all about it…

From the EditorValerie Longo

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Each week we will select a random number from those who sign up to receive a FREE gift certificate to a local restaurant!

What are you waiting for?!BONU

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“Love and food are the two greatest thingsin the world, and I’ve got a love for food.”

~ Carmen

Carmen & Kay Rizzo, Owners

515 27th St E. Bradenton, FL 34208 (941) 745-1540 carmensitaliancafe.com

“Absolutely excellent!!! The food, of course, and the ambience, friendly staff. The perfect place to go. We’ll definitely be back.”

~Gloria, TownTaster reader

Ask about our weekly specialsDishes are fresh & made to order

Desserts straight from ItalyFull Liquor Martini Bar

Tues - Wed: 5:00 pm - 10:00 pmThu - Fri: 11:00 am - 10:00 pmSat - Sun: 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Karaoke – Friday 10pm Live Entertainment Most Nights

Ladies Night Out • March 26 • 5:00 - 10:00 pm in the Martini Bar

C

elebrating Our 5th Anniversary

Open at noon on Easter Sunday

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on the coverEggplant SandwichRecipe and photo by Three Kitcheneers

in this issueThe Three Kitcheneers Farm to Fork in Your Kitchen ..... 7

Down to Earth Area chefs supporting local farms and bringing you REAL food! ... 8

Love to Eat & Eat to Live ...... 10

Reviewed by You YachtSea Grille ..................... 12 Currents ................................ 14

The Green Winer Blending of Wines?................ 16

Eggplant Sandwich1 large eggplant from Worden Farms (sliced about 1/2 inch thick)1 red roasted pepper (seeded and cut into sandwich size pieces) Fresh spinach from Worden Farm1 ball of fresh Mozzarella from Mozzarella FellaSalt and pepper to tasteSprinkle of Extra Virgin Olive OilSprinkle of Balsamic Vinegar

Heat a grill or grill pan to hot.

Coat your eggplant with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Place on hot grill and grill until tender, about 4-7 minutes. Take grilled eggplant off the grill and build your sandwich placing other ingredients on top in whatever order your heart desires!

Sprinkle a little more olive oil and vinegar on top and serve!

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M a r c h TasTe-ful evenTsMarch 2-3Mixon’s Orange Blossom festivalSarasota's own Wallendas will be the featured act at 10am, 12pm & 3pm. Arts & crafts booths, entertainment, food vendors, kids rides and activities and Orange Blossom Tram Tours. Mixon.com or 941-748-5829.

March 3Gumbo challenge at the Bridge street Market The Bridge Street Market and Manatee Children’s Services present a creative Gumbo Cook-Off competition starting at 11:00 till the Gumbo runs out. Sample some of the most delicious traditional and inventive Gumbo recipes from acclaimed local chefs and culinary aficionados from Anna Maria Is-land. For more info: [email protected]

March 3ucP chocolate sundaeJoin United Cerebral Palsy at Michael’s On East to sample and savor chocolate creations from over 40 restaurants and vendors. Adults $20 advance, $25 at door. VIP tickets $30 advance. Tickets at ucpsarasota.org or call 941-201-1466.

saturday March 9 IMG lobster & seafood Buffet $28.95++ Per person. 5-7pm. Includes one lobster per person and all you can eat seafood buffet.

friday March 15IMG Gourmet Wine Pairing Dinner$39.95++ Per Person. Wine of Argentina 5 Course Dinner & Professionally Paired Wine. 6pm Seating

sunday March 31IMG Grand easter Buffet $34.95++ Per Adult/ $19.95++ Per Child Under 12. 12 & 3PM Seating’s Only

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March CalendarCouples Cooking: Thai for Two (H) ................... Mar 1, 19Got Shrimp? (D) ............................................................... Mar 2Basic Knife Skills (H) ...................................................... Mar 4, Soups for the Winter Soul (H) ..................................... Mar 5The Basics of Culinary (Six Part Series) (H) .....................................Mar 6, 13, 20, 27Taco Loco (H) .................................................................... Mar 7Pizza Pizzazz (H) .............................................................. Mar 8Weekend Warrior Breakfast (H) .................................. Mar 9Wine Country Small Plates (D) ............................ Mar 9, 29Indian Home Cooking (H) ..........................................Mar 11One Pot Wonders (H) ..................................................Mar 12Sushi 101 (H) ..................................................................Mar 14The Shamrock and the Peach (D)............................Mar 15Zydeco Steakhouse (D) .............................................Mar 16This is Vegetarian!? (H) ................................................Mar 18International Soup Kitchen (H) ................................Mar 23Ravioli Reality (H) ..........................................................Mar 25Dim Sum a Yum-Yum (H) ...........................................Mar 26Classic Pairings (D) .......................................................Mar 28French Bistro Dinner (D) .............................................Mar 30

Call or stop by for times and cost.(D) Demonstration • (H) Hands On

Let us know you saw us in TownTaster

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Check out www.ThreeKitcheneers.com for recipes, articles and webisodes. All food, all the time.

There isn’t anything more I enjoy doing on a Saturday morning than visiting our local farmer’s market. It has really become a Saturday morning ritual for my family & I. The crowd is full of happy people pushing their little ones in strollers, walking their dogs on leashes. The smell of various food vendors cooking up some great local fare. Music in the streets. People holding signs that say “free hugs.” True story! All of those things make the market so much fun to visit each week. But the truth is, I go to stock up on my groceries.

Yep! Each week I am able to feed my family on the delicious produce from Worden Farm and the incredible local catch from Maggie’s Seafood. And my most favorite treat of the week is Doug’s Fish Taco’s! Oh, these babies are so delightful! This trifecta is really the whole reason to live! Doug uses Maggie’s fish and Worden’s organic produce to make these organic, gluten free tacos! Oh and wait, did we mention how much we love the unlimited refills from Local Coffee & Tea! It’s to die for!

Worden Farm is an 85-acre certified organic family farm in Southwest Florida, founded and actively run by husband and wife team, Chris and Eva Worden. The farm's organic produce is available directly to the local community in season, Fall through Spring, at farmers markets. The farm produces over 50 different varieties of certified organic vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers, without conventional pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. Sustainable, ecological techniques are used to conserve resources and protect soil and water resources, wildlife, and human health.

Maggie and Gary have been in business for more than 16 years. They set up each week at four different markets to bring you the freshest seafood around! The fish are either caught by Maggie's, by other local boats for Maggie's or shipped in fresh by one of two select seafood wholesalers with outstanding reputations. Either way, Maggie's knows the time it was caught

to the location it was caught in.

Chef Doug Vogel is another valued member of the farmers market. He brings years of culinary experience and an amazing palate. He prepares everything fresh, to ensure that you have a wonderful dining experience while shopping for your fresh seafood and produce.

Local Coffee + Tea started with a shop in Siesta Key Village in 2007. They now operate at Selby Gardens and on Saturdays at the Sarasota Farmer’s Market.

A special thank you to Doug from Maggie’s Seafood for providing the mouth-watering recipe from last month!

We’re sharing our latest recipe from farmers market to fork! Enjoy!

in your own Kitchen!

Green Bean Sauté with Shrimp1 lb Maggie's Seafood Shrimp1 lb Worden Farm organic green beans1cup Worden Farm organic cherry tomatoes1/2 cup pinenuts5-7 cloves of garlicjuice of 1 lemon1 tsp zest of lemon4 tbsp Olive Oil

For the Green Beans: Coat pan with olive oil and heat to medium. Sauté garlic and green beans until tender, about 6-8 minutes. Sprinkle lemon zest over top, salt and pepper to taste. Let simmer in pan with lid on and burner off.

For the Shrimp: Coat pan with olive oil and heat to medium/ high. Once the green beans are near finished (for timing purposes), add the shrimp and sauté till they turn pink. Salt and pepper to taste.

In a large mixing bowl, juice 1 lemon (careful not to get the seeds in there). Add the green beans, garlic, shrimp, tomato, pine nuts and remainder of lemon zest. Mix and serve.

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Many people don’t realize that our area is so rich in agriculture… Did you know

that agriculture is second only to tourism in Manatee County? Well thankfully many local chefs not only know this, but also make it a priority to support our farming community.

There is no doubt that the relationship between farmer and chef is an important factor and that the true recipient of this effort is passed right down to local diners. Why is this a main focus for many restaurants? Kim Hoffman of Charisma Café in the Village of the Arts said it perfectly; “local farmers are a part of our community, when we purchase from them we know how it was grown and that each fruit or vegetable was picked

at the right time during peak ripeness.” She believes this and practices it – all of her ingredients come from local farms, farmers markets and her garden. She values the relationship with the growers and knows that quality and freshness shine through in every one of her dishes. Around the corner in the Village of the Arts, Chef Gaetano Cannata of Ortygia takes regular trips to local farms to purchase his ingredients and his restaurant is surrounded by homegrown herbs which enhance his creations. All of his greens are locally sourced and right now, he is serving up Roasted Fennell and Eggplant Caponata which both come straight from local growers.

It is refreshing to hear local chefs concerned not only with the quality of

their food but the economic impact that buying local has on our community. Chef Lan Bradeen of Melange in Sarasota talks about the bond created within the community and the importance of keeping our money circulating locally. She explains, “by personally meeting our farms and farmers, we generate an appreciation of where our food comes from and the labor and caring that is involved. We feel more connected to our neighbors, thus strengthening bonds within our community”.

Sharing the gift of sensational flavor is a result of this dedication to excellence. Sourcing local ingredients may take some extra steps for restaurant owners and chefs, but that doesn’t deter them. In fact, it is an initiative for some

DOWN TO EARTH

Area chefs supporting local farms and bringing you REAL food!

“We have asked all our green grocer produce purveyors to supply us with the most local products available. With this, we not only contribute to the local economy, but we insure that our customers are getting the freshest and finest fruits and vegetables possible." - Chef Steven Devlin, Café L’Europe

Stuffed pepper, Ortygia, Bradenton

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to break the mold and become aware on a whole new level. Chef Leo Gianulis of Currents in the Hyatt Regency in Sarasota revamps his menu every few months to be able to accommodate the growing seasons. They take the guess-work out of knowing where the ingredient come from as the menu is full of notes indicating which items are local, sustainable, gluten-free, grass-fed and vegetarian. We got an inside glimpse of how fresh their greens really are… They actually stay attached to the root system in their cooling area until ready to be cut and put on a plate! When you can taste the garden on your fork, the chef is doing something right! Chef Lan takes special interest in the regional differences of her ingredients.

“Each food product tastes different according to where it comes from, much like wine tastes different from different regions. Florida cruciferous vegetables, for example, tend to have a richer flavor, and denser texture than the same vegetables from a more Northern region, due to the climate and soil type.” Using local produce not only in her salads and entreés, their sister establishment, Pangea Lounge, uses citrus and honey from Mixon’s and Hi Hat Ranch for their cocktails.

We love seeing the variety of ways that local restaurants pledge to bring customers the best of the best. Carmen’s Italian Café highlights ingredients from Dakin Dairy, O’Brien Family Farms and Taylor & Fulton Tomatoes. Chef Carmen

is proud to use these fresh ingredients to enhance his family recipes. The fresh tomatoes make all the difference in Carmen’s homemade marinara sauce. The menu at The Grill at O’Bricks in Bradenton boasts the Tommy O'Briens' Strawberry Blue Salad honoring the famous sweet strawberries from O’Brein Family Farms. O'Brien’s is Rick's favorite place from which to source seasonal fruits and vegetables such as banana peppers, peaches and bell peppers. It's impossible to beat the combination of fresh and local...and the taste proves that!

Hydroponic greens from 3 Boys Farms (Ruskin) used by Currents at Hyatt Regency Sarasota.

Citrus from Mixon Fruit Farms (Bradenton) used in salads and cocktails at Melange and Pangea Lounge.

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I started this journey in 2008 and I’ve been asked how I have lost the weight, and kept it off, for the past five years. I don’t want to be “that guy” who shoves his views down other people’s throats because what works for me won’t work for everyone. However, maybe you will find some inspiration to start searching for your “right way”.

When I began losing the weight, I was bothered with the thought that the odds were against me--statistically speaking, I only had a small chance of keeping the weight off. I then started researching success stories of people who have lost, and most importantly, kept off weight. There are two predominant factors that stood out above all:

1. Most of the people that kept off the weight used a food journal of some sort or counted calories in a way to stay accountable to themselves--I was doing this on my diet anyway as I love to quantify things, well everything. I know the majority of humans do not calculate food, because they don’t have a problem, but for me this has been and still is number one.

2. There was NO definitive way that people lost and kept of the weight with regards to the exercise or macronutrients they consumed--meaning there was no magic formula of working out and eating mostly protein, mostly carbs or whatever fad diet was being sold at 2am. However, I did notice that the people that lost and kept off the weight had a system that “worked for them”--there was no set system for all! The diet (or what I call a “way of life”) had to work for them in a way that kept them motivated and coming back for more, literally and figuratively. Sure, lots of people lost weight on various macro-centered diets, but keeping it off was MY main concern!

Once I acknowledged these two things, things started making sense. For me, I noticed that became very irritable when I cut back my carbs. Was it worth it? I stopped thinking it was when I realized the diet wasn’t maintainable with work and family--even though I was losing weight. I was about to throw my hands up in the air and go get a pizza if this continued. I decided to try something different, more carbs, which worked for my chemistry make-up. Again, YOU may be different and may lose weight and function perfectly with MORE protein or more carbs--only you can figure this out.

The gist of what I’m saying here is everyone is different. If you are losing weight with a diet, but want to rip people’s heads off, I advise trying different foods with different volumes until you feel it’s manageable. Since weight loss and the maintenance of your weight loss should be a lifetime journey, you have plenty of time to experiment. Don’t be in a rush.

Love to Eat & Eat to LiveIt’s Not a Diet, It’s MathBy Lenny Longo

Lenny Longo is now entering his fifth year of maintaining 120+LBS of weight loss. The articles written in TownTaster Magazine are his story, which will contain lessons learned with tips, advice and/or answers to questions people have asked him. Lenny has no formal training in any health field and what works for one person may not work for another. Please be sure to consult your physician, before making changes to your regimen.

LocaL Farm Markets

Manatee CountyBradenton Farmer's Market

Old Main St. (12th St. W) October-May, Saturday 9am-2pm

bradentonfarmersmarket.com

Bridge Street Market Historic Bridge St. Bradenton Beach

November-May, Sun 10am-3pm bridgestreetmerchants.com

Brown's Grove Farm Market 12255 US Hwy 301N, Parrish

Year Round, Tues-Sat, 10am-5:30pm brownsgrove.com

Lakewood Ranch Farmers Market Main St.

November-April, Sat 9am-12pm

San Marco Plaza Farmers Market 8215 Natures Way, Lakewood Ranch

Year Rond, Fri 9am-2pm sanmarcoplaza.com

Sarasota CountyDetwiler's Farm Market

6000 Palmer Blvd Year Round, Mon-Sat, 8am-7pm

detwilermarket.com

Old Myakka Farmers Market Old Myakka Schoolhouse

15800 Wilson Rd Year Round, Sat 9am-2pm

oldmyakkafarmersmarket.com

Phillippi Farmhouse Market Phillippi Estate Park

5500 S. Tamiami Trail October-May, Wed 9am-2pm

farmhousemarket.org

Sarasota Farmers Market Main St & Lemon Ave

October-May, Sat 7am-1pm June-September, Sat 7am-12pm

sarasotafarmersmarket.org

Siesta Key Farmers Market 5124 Ocean Blvd

October-May, Sun 8am-12pm June-September, Sun 8am-12pm

siestafarmersmarket.com

Yoder's Produce Market 3434 Bahia Vista St

Year Round, Mon-Sat 8am-8pm yodersrestaurant.com

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Authentic Italian Cuisine

Fresh & MADe TO OrDer• Pizza • Pastas • Appetizers •

Desserts • Soups/ Salads • Sandwiches • Lunch Specials

All cooking done on premises!

Three Locations: Bradenton • Lakewood Ranch • Parrish8 348 US 30 1 N., Parrish • 941.723.1111

www.ferrarositaliangrille.com

TownTaster Reader SurveyTell us what you think for your chance to WIN

a $25 gift certificate to Charisma Café in Village of the Arts.

Enter by mail: Send this completed form to: PO Box 161, Ellenton, FL 34222Or go to TownTaster.com to complete this survey.

Only one submission per household please.

Where did you pick up this month’s issue?

Address, Phone, Email (to contact if you win):

___ Yes, please add me to your mailing list and send each issue right to my home for FREE!

What do you like best about TownTaster?

What would you like to see more/less of?

What is important to you when dining out?

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Each month, our TownTaster reviews are completed by loyal readers who want a chance to share their dining experiences. If you would like a chance to be chosen as a TownTaster and enjoy a dinner for two - register on our website TownTaster.com

A special thanks to this issue's TownTasters

Mike & Mary Blairfor giving their

stamp of approval to YachtSea Grille

About our TownTasters:Age: 50’s

Hometown: New Jersey (over 35 years ago)

Current City: Bradenton Favorite Food: Ethnic (Like Greek and Italian)

Hobbies: Dining

101 Riverfront Blvd.Bradenton, FL 34205

(941) 896-9660YachtSeaGrille.com

R e v i e w e d B y y o uTell Us What You Think

APPROVED

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YachtSea GrilleSimple stated, the YachtSea Grill provides wonderful

flavors, quality food, attentive friendly service and fair prices. Now for more details my wife and I had the pleasure of dining at the YachtSea Grille on a Saturday evening that was being threatened by rapidly cooling temperatures. What makes this unique is that the YachtSea is an open air establishment that is designed like a casual restaurant on the back of a cruise ship. It is blessed with casual outdoor furnishings, yet very comfortable. The management has gone out of their way to protect the brave from the elements by using temporary walls and space heaters. Due to the temperatures the seating was available without a wait. I am guessing this is not always the case.

Let us begin with appetizers. The YachtSea is already renowned for their Polynesian Pork Shanks which earned them a number one rating for appetizers locally. We opted to try something different and ordered the smoked fish spread with crackers. It came beautifully presented with a few miniature onion rings on top. The flavor was good and satisfying. It would have been ample for up to four people.

My wife then ordered the soup special for the night that was her favorite part of her meal. She had Butternut Squash with brandied apple soup. It was a superb blend of flavors and could certainly have been enough for a meal. It was presented in unique table ware that began to set our expectations that this is no ordinary restaurant with their attention to details.

We then ordered our main courses. Each included bread which turned out to be pretzel rolls with whipped herb butter, a choice of salads, Caesar or traditional with a variety of dressings and one side.

Mary selected the special of stuffed grouper with a blend of lobster meat and cilantro. She chose their Caesar salad with optional anchovies and steamed green beans. The salad was ample and fresh. Again the attention to detail was wonderfully displayed by serving the salad in a uniquely stylish bowl with a chilled quality fork. The grouper was excellent; the stuffing flavorful. The green beans were prepared nicely with oil and garlic.

Imagine my surprise when I ordered a steak dinner at what I mistakenly assumed was a seafood restaurant and was delivered the best, by far, steak in this area I have ever had. It turns out the owner is from Kansas City, relocating here around a year ago and he brought his experience with beef to the Suncoast. I ordered the most expensive item on the menu, the Stuffed Filet with Boursin (cheese) and Prosciutto. I ordered a traditional salad with the apple vinaigrette dressing and apple coleslaw. The salad was very good and the dressing unique and refreshing. I will certainly order this again. The beef was delivered and beautifully presented. The aroma was perfect. I wanted to see just how well the steak was prepared and cut a small piece of it off without any of the stuffing or prosciutto. It was cooked to perfection and the best tasting Angus beef I could imagine. I looked at my wife

and she instantly knew I had a winner. I then took a bite of beef with the boirsin cheese and prociutto and was sure I had been eating in a five star restaurant in New York or New Orleans. How can this be? Well thanks to Kurt and his chef Chris, it can be and it is right here in Bradenton Florida. Along with his amazing meal came coleslaw that stood well on its own. Flavorful and fresh, a nice simple balance to the beef I was savoring.

Now one might assume that the final course of the meal being desert might be a bit of a letdown, given the scrumptious meal we had up to this point. Wrong assumption! Both of our dessert choices were again delivered with an eye toward details. Dessert was artistically presented, served with a chilled fork, ample and fresh. Mary swooned over the blueberry marble cheesecake with a strawberry compote and I ended my meal with pecan pie drizzled with light caramel over the top and whipped cream to add as desired.

Our experience was topped by attentive yet unobtrusive service from our server Andrea, and with the talented guitarist/soloist. One could easily converse as the music played; yet it was a delightful addition to the ambiance of our dining.

As we were finishing our meals we were listing which friends and family we will bring here next. We hope to see you there!

Mike and Mary Blair Town Taster Readers

Each month, our TownTaster reviews are completed by loyal readers who want a chance to share their dining experiences. If you would like a chance to be chosen as a TownTaster and enjoy a dinner for two - register on our website TownTaster.com

A special thanks to this issue's TownTastersVeronica & Larry

Wagnerfor giving their

stamp of approval to Currents

About our TownTasters:Age: 30-35 Hometown: Bradenton

Current City: Parrish Favorite Food: Fresh & Local

Hobbies: Travel & Dining

1000 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota, FL 34236

941-953-1234 ext. 1260

R e v i e w e d B y y o uTell Us What You Think

APPROVED

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Mr. Cheesecake & More Where Elegant Meets Delicious!

941-747-5955Check us out on the Web!

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1128 30th Ave. WestBradenton, FL 34205

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Cheesecake Wedding Cakes • Layered Cakes of Cheesecake/Cake • Specialty CakesGroom’s Cake • Mini Dessert Trays • Cannolies • Cream Puffs • Eclairs • and More!

Bring This Ad In For$5 off a purchase of $20 or more!

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With this Blog, we are going to turn our attention to the much misunderstood wine process of…”Blending of Wines”!

This has become such a common practice by wineries, that we thought it warranted a good dose of facts!

Firstly, we are all familiar with blending ‘stuff’. When we pour cream into our coffee and stir it with our spoon, we are ‘blending’ the two ingredients together. Likewise, if we were to take the juice from a Valencia orange and the juice from a fresh Mango and pour and stir them together, we would end up with a ‘Valencia Orange/Mango’ blend. In any case, blending seems to be a fairly straightforward and a simple process. Is it, however, just as simple and straightforward for wine?

To answer this question, we’re going to have to enter a ‘fantasyland’. For the sake of seeking the truth to this question, we need to pretend that we shared a winning lottery ticket! Even after we paid off all our debts, we have some money left. After some brainstorming, we elect to start ‘Our Own Winery” (yep, that’s the name that we chose). One of the first decisions that we need to make is whether we want to make ‘filtered’ or ‘unfiltered’ wines. Since most of the wines at our local wine store are ‘filtered’, we decide to follow their suit. The second decision that we need to make is what kinds of wines that we are going to make. Since most of the same wines are ‘Red, White & Rose’, we elect to follow the pack. From now on it gets a little tricky. Since most of the filtered wines are ‘mixed & blended’, we’ve got to go to our ‘color chart’ and pick a ‘color’ for each of our wines. Once we settle on our colors, we’ve got to find a bunch of supplier sources for our juices. Since Nature doesn’t care about our ‘color chart’, we’ve got to line up enough juice suppliers so that we can vary our juice purchases each year from each

source. In other words, this year we might need to buy 30% from supplier ‘A’, 30% from supplier ‘B’ and 40% from supplier ‘C’! Next year, however, that ratio might not work. Instead, we might need to buy 10% from supplier ‘A’, 60% from supplier ‘B’ and 30% from supplier ‘C’! Whatever the combination, we’ll need to dump these juices into our

mixing tank and ‘Mix & Blend’ them all together. If we’re lucky, the combined color should match our ‘color chart’. Wow!...I sure hope that all that juice sourcing and mixing and blending to match our ‘color chart’ is worth it!

The fact is….it’s NOT worth it!! You see, color has “NO” affect upon the Taste, Flavor or Bouquet of our wines! If there is “NO” positive affect upon our wines, it should “NOT” be done! What all wineries should be doing is celebrating the fabulous diversity in the colors and tastes of the grapes and fruits.

Naturally, the colors of our wines are determined by how much sunlight, rain and nutrients that the plants and fruits receive. Logically, the natural colors of our wines will/should vary from year to year and from harvest to harvest. For wineries to step in and artificially create consistent colors to match a color chart is a disservice to us all!

So, now that we’ve got the facts, perhaps we need to step back and review our winery plans. It would be a whole lot better for us to create our wines in concert with Nature. Instead of ‘mixing and blending’ we’ll concentrate on making our wines to be the best that they can be. Then, when our wines are ready for us and our customers to enjoy, we’ll tell everyone why our colors are different this year from last. In wine making as in everything else in life, it’s always best to be honest and forthright!

Until next time… ”Salute and Happy Days”!

(This ‘Green Winer’ wine Blog is created by me, Larry Woodham. The views and state-

ments contained herein are exclusively mine. They DO Not necessarily reflect the views of TownTaster magazine. If you have any

comments or questions on this Blog or sug-gestions for future Blogs, please email me at

[email protected].

B l e n d i n g o f W i n e s ?

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Hunsader Farms5500 CR 675, Bradenton, FL 34211

www.hunsaderfarms.comFarm Market: 941-322-2168

Birthday Parties • Playground • Petting Zoo

Homegrown Fruits & Vegetables

Available Daily

U-pick Hotline: 941-331-1212Daily Updates for current picking

Now AvAiLABLeFlorida Sweet Onions,

Homegrown Strawberries, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Lettuce,

Mustard & Collard Greens

Pita’s/GyrosOverstuffed Wraps100% Fruit Smoothies

Now Open! 8215 Tourist Center Dr. • Bradenton • 359-1234

Fresh SaladsAnd Much More...

(Just off Cooper Creek Boulevard, next to World Of Beers)

Coupon Required

EXPIRES 03/31/13

Coupon RequiredCoupon Required

EXPIRES 03/31/13 EXPIRES 03/31/13

Upgrade To ACombo MealFREEWith purchase of pita,

salad or wrap. Reg. $1.95Not valid with any other offer

One coupon per customer, per visit.

Chicken Pita

FREEWith purchase of Chicken

Pita, & 2 drinks at Reg. price.Not valid with any other offer

One coupon per customer, per visit.

Any 2 Pitas

$ 999

Excludes mega pitas.Not valid with any other offer

One coupon per customer, per visit.

Reg. $11.99You Save $2.00Just

NEW Coming Soon: 2121 Siesta Drive, Sarasota

19

Home of the$2 Margarita!

MEXICAN RESTAURANT941-723-4300

www.elsombrero941.com

EVERY DAYSPECIALS!

New Mariachi WednesdayLive Tableside Music from 6:30-8:30 every Wednesday

50% - 90% Off at El Sombrero Mexican RestaurantAmerican Car Wash, Sushi, Posh Salon,

Mobile Apps, Devito's Oil, and More

Go to www.PurpleGorillaDeals.com to redeem

Text “Sombrero”to 941-343-7393

to receive more discounts from El Sombrero and other local businesses

MON: $1 MARGARITAS, $1 ENCHILADAS

TUE: $1 TACO TUESDAYWED: Kids Under 10 Eat Free

THURS: $7.99 BUFFETFRI - SUN 'till 7pm : $1.5O PINTS,

$2 MARGARITAS ALL DAY GREAT DINNER SPECIALS!

MOBILE APP'S ALSO 50% OFFGo to www.PurpleGorillaTechnology.com

Saturday, March 9th LobSter & Seafood buffet

$28.95++ Per Person • 5-7 pm Includes one lobster per person and all you can eat seafood buffet

Thursday, March 14th rod Stewart tribute ConCert

$29.00 Per Ticket • Dinner 5:30, Show 7 Includes Dinner, 1 Drink, & Dessert

friday, March 15th GourMet wine PairinG dinner

Wines of Argentina $39.95++ Per Person • 6pm Seating 5 Course Dinner & Professionally Paired Wine

Sunday, March 17th St. PatriCk’S day brunCh

$15.95++ Per Person • 11-2:30pm Corned Beef & Cabbage Buffet

Sunday, March 31st Grand eaSter buffet

$34.95++ Per Adult • $19.95++ Per Child Under 12 12 & 3PM Seating’s Only

4350 El Conquistador Pkwy, Bradenton, FL 34210941-758-1467 • imgacademygolfclub.com

March Events

MAke your reservAtions toDAy

19900 19900

The Master Cabinet Maker, Inc.

All Custom Cabinetry

www.themastercabinetmaker.com

941-723-0278 ̧Custom Design & Remodeling¸ Kitchen, Bath, Home Office¸ Entertainment Center & more¸ Outdoor Polymer Cabinets¸ Custom Countertops

Locally owned and operated by 3rd generation woodworker

m A d e i n P A l m e t t o , F l U S Am A d e i n P A l m e t t o , F l U S A

Hop on overto our showroom for a new kitchen design !

On AiR

Coming Soon The TownTaster Radio Program will feature exclusive interviews with restaurant owners, chefs and other talented foodies in our area

On-Demand – visit our website to listen ANYTIME. Hear programs in the car, at the office, at home whenever you are ready.