SEPTEMBER 2019

DID YOU KNOW. . .well, I know you didn't know that the winery and the house were hit by lightning! What an event, especially since we didn't actually know it until the next day.

I was coming up from the Jersey shore and was stuck on the Parkway in a torrential rainstorm. The roadway was completely flooded. I kept trying to call Jerry to tell him I had no idea when I would be getting home. He, on the other hand, was involved in the same storm, although his was with violent thunder and lightning. No wonder the phone line was constantly busy. Who could he be talking to? I guess we had already been hit.

By the time I arrived home, the sun was out and the air was sweet. Jerry walked over to tell me that he had gone over to the winery after the rain stopped, just to make sure everything was OK. On the way, he noticed a really large trench by the big maple tree. "Boy, we must have a really big rodent or, maybe it was a bear! Come and see." He was right -- about 4 feet long and 2 feet wide. Dirt was mounded up on both sides and mud was splattered all over the front porch and windows. What in God's name did this?

The next morning on my way to open the winery, I stopped to check out the ditch. I just happened to look at the tree next to the hole. . there was the answer. It wasn't a rodent nor was it a bear. My favorite old maple had been hit by lightning. The scar went from the very top, blew bark everywhere and the lightning must have shot out the bottom, dug the deep trench and threw mud everywhere! That's not all. . . we lost six phones, a few laptops and the cash register computer (with all supporting data).

OK, so I guess I can scratch that off my bucket list. Ha.

                                                                Thanks for listening, Maryl.

                                    STUFFED ROAST PORK
Ingredients:
1 cup El Paso Winery's "Wine of the Month" -- Merlot
6 dried prunes, roughly chopped
6 dried apricots, roughly chopped
1/2 cup golden raisins, chopped
6 toasted pecans, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 pork tenderloins, (approximately 1-1/2 pounds each)
Salt and pepper
6 apples
6 medium onions

Combine the prunes, apricots, raisins, pecans and garlic in a small bowl. Add the wine and set aside to soak. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Make a lengthwise cut in the pork tenderloins, but do not cut all the way through. Flatten slightly with the side of a cleaver or a rolling pin. Spread the fruit and nut mixture over the tenderloins and season with salt and pepper. Roll the roasts and tie with string. Season the outside liberally with salt and pepper.

Roast for 30 minutes per pound, surrounded with the apples and onions. (These may be roasted in a separate pan, if you do not want them to roast in the fatty juices released by the pork).

To serve, slice the pork tenderloins into 1-inch thick slices. Place on plates with the pan-roasted apples and onions, and mashed sweet potatoes.

Serve with EPW Merlot.                                                                  Serves 4 to 8.




COOKING WITH WINE                                                                                       Serves 4.