Napa, USA
When Dario and were in Napa visiting Emily and Charlotte, we stopped at the Robert Sinskey Vineyards for some wine tasting. The tasting was pretty overpriced, frankly, and there was only 1 wine — the 2008 Pinot Gris — that we all really liked. I will say that although we tried several other wines elsewhere that we enjoyed, the pinot remained our favorite of the day. For me that’s saying something, since I usually don’t go for white wines at all.
To help us feel better about the big tasting fee, they gave us leetle snackies and, if we liked, recipe cards. By far the best snack was the rosemary roasted almonds. They served them with a red wine that they called “POV,” for “point of view.” Meaning, they don’t tell you anything about the grapes or the mix, they leave it up to your point of view, no expectations. We didn’t much care for it on its own, but the almonds helped a lot!
As I was packing for Ireland, I came across the recipe card, so here you go!
Pic from Bitchin' Camaro, a scrumptious food blog.
– 3 cups whole, blanched almonds
– Olive oil, enough to cover almonds
– Sage
– Rosemary
– Kosher salt
1) In a large, heavy bottom sauce pot over low heat, just barely cover with olive oil 3 cups whole blanched almonds.
2) Stir frequently, for about 25 minutes until the bubbles go from small and quick to large and slower and the almonds have taken on a deep golden color.
3) Add the leaves of 3 bunches each of Sage and Rosemary, and allow to fry; about 5 minutes. (Caution: Oil will bubble rapidly!)
4) Strain from the oil (reserve) and place on absorbent material (brown paper bag, cloth, paper towels). The olive oil can be used for this process up to two times more; keep refrigerated!
5) Sprinkle liberally with kosher salt, and allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Yum! Enjoy! :D
