A Trifecta of Polar Plunging, Ribs and Big Break Zinfandel

It is a long winter in Bayfield. We have at least 5 months of cold and snow (hopefully) and what better way to raise money for the Bayfield Rec Center than jumping in the water on March 3rd? This was the second plunge for Sadie and I have to admit, my daughter is far more adventurous than me. After she climbed out the frigid water, Sadie wrapped herself in a sleeping bag and watched the other jumpers....while she was still soaking wet. In light of her heroic act, I decided to make one of her favorite meals for dinner- smoked pork ribs. As I am sure you are beginning to surmise, I am always looking for a reason to make a special meal or throw a party. Lord knows, jumping into freezing water with snow blowing sideways is enough of a reason for a rib dinner.

About 10 years ago, I decided I wanted to learn how to barbecue and smoke meat. Have you noticed the men 'manning' the grill are drinking beer, laughing and hanging out outside? That's for me, I thought. While I love time spent in my kitchen, there is nothing like starting the grill and cooking outside. I wish it was that easy for me. I have a tendency to complicate everything and research, pick apart and dive head first into the details of whatever it is I am fixated on. Let me tell you, there are a lot passionate barbecue pit masters out there with endless theories and rules for success. A couple of things I have learned: the rub matters, low and slow is the only way and sauce goes on AFTER the meat comes off the smoker. When we were visiting Ted's Mom in Alabama (a good place for barbecue research, among other things), we bought nearly every rub we could get our hands on. I settled on Bad Byron's Butt Rub as my favorite.

I put the rub on the ribs and let them sit for a couple of hours to let the salt and spices flavor the meat. I used my electric smoker, it is easier to maintain the temperature when it cold out than my Kamado grill/smoker. Since Sadie was plunging and I wasn't sure when we would be back, I smoked the ribs at 200 degrees for 3 1/2 hours and I wish I would have had the temperature at 225. The ribs were good but not as tender as I like. I put them in a covered Dutch oven and popped them in the oven for about 45 minutes. As I was pulling the ribs out of the oven, Bonnie Raitt's song, Angel From Montgomery, was on Pandora. It was a good omen for a good dinner.

Zinfandel is the obvious choice for barbecue. It just so happened, I had a lovely Zinfandel just waiting for the perfect opportunity to come to dinner. I must admit, I have a prejudice against 'supermarket wines' and I was not too keen on trying the Cline Big Break Zinfandel. I am glad I did; it is a spicy, complex, 100 year old vine zinfandel. The second glass was much better than the first, this wine definitely needs air and space to breathe in order to come to life. Zinfandel is becoming one of my favorite wines- I love its boldness and complexity.

Dinner was a hit. We turned off all electronic devices and sat around the kitchen table. Of course, there were ten different conversations going on at once, George was making the rounds begging for scraps and Ted announced, 'I bought a vintage lifeboat on Craigslist today.' It was a typical Dougherty dinner.

In Like A Lion On Leap Day

Mussels with Bacon, Cilantro and Tomato

What is the first thing I do when I hear a snow storm is coming? I start planning dinner. I collect cookbooks and there is a series I am particularly fond of- The Best American Recipes. They were published annually and included the best recipes from newspapers, magazines, books and the internet. You can pick them at used book stores or Amazon.com, I believe they are out of print. I pulled the 2003 - 2004 cookbook off my shelf and ran across the perfect snow storm dinner- Mussels with Bacon, Cilantro and Lime. Although, the snow didn't start until well after dinner, it was the perfect precursor to the biggest snow storm we have had all winter.

After dinner is situated, the next hurdle to the perfect snow storm experience is the wine. I need to stop here and explain my deep and profound love of wine. There is something about uncorking (or unscrewing) a bottle of wine- you are unleashing the winemaker's intentions into your kitchen, dining room, sauna, etc. Think about it, winemaking is a little like raising a child- you tend the vines, pick the grapes when you think they are ready and hopefully create a wine that is meaningful and resonates with the wine drinker. The beautiful part of winemaking is that is a leap of faith- you provide the raw materials for greatness but it is what happens in the bottle and environment that ultimately determines the outcome. How can you not be awed when you have that first sip and it hits you, 'this is something special'. Don't get me wrong, I am a mere babe in the woods when it comes to wine knowledge. There is so much more to learn but like all good students, I have a healthy amount of awe and appreciation for the teachers and subject. Now back to the snow storm dinner. When I came in the kitchen, Ted had opened a bottle of wine. I have to admit, I was a little flummoxed. First of all, he is a resolute amber-colored liquor imbiber. Secondly, I am a little controlling when it comes to what we we drink with what we eat. He opened a bottle of 2008 Bogle Phantom- a gnarly blend of old vine zinfandel, petite sirah and old vine mourvedre. Outstanding choice for the mussels with tomatoes and bacon. Bogle Phantom is one of my favorites- it definitely needs times to 'gather itself' but once it unwinds- it is a great wine. If I had the self-control, I am sure it would improve with age in a cellar.

When we woke up on the 29th, the snow was just starting. It was one of the best days we have had all winter. The freedom a snow day gave us was a gift and we made sure to enjoy every minute.

Mussels with Bacon. Cilantro and Tomato

1/4 pound bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (use the best bacon you can find)

2 large shallots, thinly sliced (I substituted yellow onion)

1 large jalapeno, thinly sliced (I used the seeds)

14 ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes, drained

1/2 cup dry white wine

3 1/2 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

1/4 cup butter

Cook the bacon in a large enameled cast iron Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Pour off all but 2 tbsp of the fat. All the shallots and jalapeno, season with salt and pepper and cook until softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half. Increase the heat to high and add the mussels. Cover and cook until the mussels open, about 5 minutes. Add the butter, lime juice and cilantro and serve with crusty bread.

And So It Begins

I have to tell you, writing the first blog post of your very own blog is a little mind bending. Where should I start? A funny aside about my food obsessed yellow lab, George? A touching story about taking my two daughters and their friends to Minneapolis for the weekend? A tidbit from our family archive when we took our five kids across Lake Superior, in a boat, to Isle Royale? I opted to keep it short and simple. A first blog post should be a little like cocktail party conversations- a brief overview, a funny anecdote and a promise to get together soon. Here are the players you will get to know over the course of my blogging adventure. Trust me, they are a brilliant bunch of people, critters and places.

Ted- captain of the ship, leader of the pack and the man with a plan.