We are excited to share with you that our Aphrodisiac Wine Pairing Event is BACK! And this year is going to be better than ever before.

Let me assure you we do not use the term aphrodisiac lightly. Each food pairing will artistically weave together ingredients proven to ignite your inner desires. I have a feeling the fun will continue well past our event.

We are excited to be working with Chef Wendy Bennett for the first time. Wendy owns the newly opened Wine Country Cooking Studio in Dundee, located above the Red Hills Market. She stopped by last week to taste through the wines for the event with Charles.

Watching Wendy sniff, sip and savor our wines was quite fun. It became clear this Chef has a palate designed to further awaken flavors and aromas through food pairing. It was exciting listening to her ideas and watching a menu take shape as she tasted. The aphrodisiac ingredients she will be utilizing are arugula, pine nuts, leeks, fennel, cinnamon and chocolate.  I bet you didn’t know all those foods had such powers.

Wendy has lived in many different parts of the United States. Her diverse experiences and background in fine foods have led her to develop a state of the art cooking school in the heart of Oregon Wine Country. We are thrilled to have Wendy as our neighbor and guest chef at the event.

Have a look at the menu Wendy will be serving to accentuate our wines.

2010 Grenache BlancGrilled ShrimpwithArugula Pesto and Shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano

2007 SymonetteFire-roasted Fennel, Finocchiona Salami, Idiazabal with a Fig Jam Drizzle

2007 QuailhurstWild Mushroom Risotto with Duck Confit and Crispy Leeks

2007 Sundown SyrahCinnamon Chocolate Bread Pudding with Caramel Bacon Sauce

You are sure to have a sumptuous time at this event! But, the fun doesn’t have to stop there. With every three-bottle purchase you will receive a voucher for $20 off a future cooking class at Wine Country Cooking Studio. Wendy’s classes are all extremely hands on and most importantly you get to eat a gourmet meal at the end of it. Check out her class schedule here. And to further entice you take a look at the beautiful kitchen you’ll be able to cook in. A couple lucky people may even win a cooking class compliments of Dobbes and Wendy; you’ll have to come to find out.  

Due to limited space this event requires reservations. So if you’d like to do something special for your sugar-pot-pie I highly recommend emailing Charles ASAP charles@winebyjoe.com or give him a call at 503-538-1141 ext. 157. We will be taking reservations through Tuesday, February 7th.

Dobbes Family Circle Club Members can purchase tickets for $15 (Gold Club is complimentary) 

General Admittance is $20.

The event will be held in our Barrel Room. Plese check in with the tasting room to be escorted over.

The event will be come and go from 1:00 to 4:00.

We can’t wait to see you Sunday, February 12^th

Joe is extremely proud of the entire team that helped us get where we are today. Wine By Joe started out as an idea in his head and sketches of a stick figure holding bottles that he doodled on scraps of paper. Today we are proud to offer six “really good” varietals to people all across the country and beyond.

Thank you to all our friends, family and followers. Without you we would not have made it to a moment such as this. Cheers to 2012 and many more “really good” vintages!

Read Article: HOT SMALL BRANDS OF 2011

The Oregonian Article 

Portland Business Journal Article

FinRoad Article 

Market Watch: The Wall Street Journal Article

San Francisco Business Times

 The Street Article 

Bacchus Capital Management Congratulates Wine By Joe as #1 Hot Small Brand 2011

Leading Oregon Wine Producer Wins Coveted Wine Business Monthly Award

SAN FRANCISCO, January 25, 2012 — Bacchus Capital Management, LLC, a San Francisco-based private equity firm providing strategic capital in the wine industry, congratulates its portfolio company Wine By Joe on its recognition by Wine Business Monthly as the #1 Hot Small Brand of 2011. This award is one of the most prominent in the industry, recognizing leaders and innovators who are making great wine today.

“Wine By Joe is at a pivotal point in its evolution, as a business and a brand”, stated Joe Dobbes, Founder, President and Winemaker. “All of us at Wine By Joe are honored to receive this recognition from Wine Business Monthly, which shows that 10 years of hard work, strategic thinking and a deep passion for winemaking are paying off. Today, Wine by Joe is the 3^rd largest wine producer in Oregon, employing a team of nearly 30   dedicated and hard-working individuals.  We’re proud of what we have accomplished, the reputation we’ve earned and achieving this recognition.”

“Working with the team at Bacchus has given us the growth capital we needed to begin substantially building our own three brands, Dobbes Family Estate, Wine by Joe, and Jovino, as well as our custom winemaking, bulk wine and control label business,” Dobbes continued. “As this award reflects, Wine By Joe is on the move.”

 “Joe has been a leader in Oregon for many years and on our radar screen for a long time. He is deeply involved in Oregon due to his custom crush business and it is nice to see him getting more recognition for his own brands today,” said Cyril Penn, Editor of Wine Business Monthly.

 “Supporting Joe is in line with our strategy of backing market leaders and innovators, who are running good businesses and in this case taking a leadership position in his region,” commented Sam Bronfman II, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Bacchus Capital Management. “We are proud to be associated with Joe Dobbes and his world-class Pinot Noirs and Pinot Gris wines.”

“We are delighted with the recognition of Wine By Joe’s quality. This is the second Bacchus portfolio company to win the award: Cameron Hughes Wine was voted the #1 Hot Small Brand of 2010 by Wine Business Monthly,” commented Peter Kaufman, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Bacchus Capital Management. “It’s pleasing when our portfolio companies achieve this kind of recognition.”

About Wine By Joe

Joe Dobbes, an Oregon native, has built a thriving business by combining knowledge gained through invaluable apprenticeships in France and Germany and the experience of over   25 years of winemaking.  In 2001 Dobbes launched Wine By Joe, a multi-tiered business based in Dundee,Oregon.  Recognized for the elegance and craft of his wines, Dobbes is now one of the largest producers in Oregon with 214 acres of estate vineyards.  While an industry leader in custom winemaking and bulk wine production, Dobbes’ focus is on crafting traditional Burgundian style wine under his three different brands: Dobbes Family Estate, the luxury Pinot Noir label; Wine by Joe, a value-priced Oregon appellation label, and Jovino, an offering available on-premise. The company is solely owned by Joe Dobbes.

For more information, visit the web site: www.joedobbeswines.com.

Bacchus Capital Management

Bacchus Capital Management is an investment firm co-founded in 2007 by Sam Bronfman II, Peter S. Kaufman and Henry F. Owsley providing strategic capital and making equity investments in United States wineries and wine businesses. Quinton Jay and Rob Rupe are the Managing Directors.

Bronfman and Jay bring extensive wine industry experience through leadership positions at Seagram Chateau and Estate Wines, Diageo Global Wines, Artesa Vineyards and Winery, Etude, Quintessa and Bonny Doon Vineyard. Kaufman and Owsley are leading investment bankers specializing in credit analysis, valuation and restructuring.

For more information, visit www.bacchuswinefund.com

About the Wine Business Monthly Hot Small Brands of 2011

The ninth annual Hot Small Brands list includes some of today’s most exciting brands from small- and medium-sized producers—a select group. Since 2003, WBM has sought to publish an annual list of up-and-comers that had experienced the most growth in a short period of time. Growth is measured in case sales, which was typically the result of smart marketing. WBM gravitates towards wineries and brands that represent market trends or innovation, that take a leadership position in their regions, or that make unusual varietals or unexpected wines. There are some larger wineries on the list as well. These are wines that winemakers will want to check out. This list also represents a collection of wines Wine Business Monthly editors would serve at a party. Several of the wines and wineries listed have much in common. Beyond their common passion, most are relatively new in a long-term business.

More information about the Hot Small Brands of 2011 can be found at: www.winebusiness.com

CONTACT: Hilary Peck of Bacchus Capital Management, +1-212-486-3600 ext.125, hpeck@bacchuswinefund.com, or Nicci Ischer of Wine By Joe +1-503-538-1141, ext. 116, nicci@winebyjoe.com.

Thanks again to everyone who was involved. We can’t wait to see you next time!

I sat down with Charles this afternoon to get a preview of what to expect at this Sunday’s 2010 Barrel Tasting Event from 1-4. I am very excited about the event myself because it will be the first time I have tasted from the barrel.  

Charles estimates that 2010 will be a similar vintage to 2007. Both were cooler and wetter, than say 2009, an extremely hot year. Most wineries around the valley are currently pouring 2009s, so they may be fresh in your mind. Prepare yourself for something different from the 2010s.

For those of you with sharp memories the press was not very kind to the Oregon 2007 vintage. They described the wines as flat and uninteresting. As many of us believed back then, the press did a terrible job foretelling the future of the vintage and we hope they do not make the same mistake with the 2010s. I guess it has worked out well for those of us here who know just how magnificent 2007 wines are drinking today. If you haven’t had a bottle recently I highly recommend pulling one from your cellar and if you don’t have any left we still have some tucked away in the tasting room we’d love to share.

Sorry, back to 2010. I get carried away because I am such a fan of the cooler vintages and am thoroughly enjoying as many 2007 bottles as I can find right now. But as far at the ‘10s go Charles believes they will really start coming into their own around the middle of 2013. And then continue to get better from there for another eight years.

Per Joe’s request we will be pulling the wines from the barrels before the event and decanting them. Joe wants the wines to put their best foot forward and recognizes the importance of letting them breathe before hand, as well as bringing them up to temperature from the cool barrel rooms they’ve been living in for over a year.

The 2010s we will have available for tasting are as follows:

Quailhurst Single-Vineyard Pinot Noir. This was the very first single-vineyard designate Joe ever bottled back in 2004. The fruit is from the Chehalem Mountain AVA and the vineyard is located on Parrot Mountain. Since the beginning this wine has been a favorite of our club members. Michael selected this as his personal favorite last week when he pre-tasted the 2010’s. It is very light right now, but Charles believes it is the most Burgundian in style. When we say a wine is Burgundian we mean it is more earth driven, elegant, and very food-friendly. We’ll bottle approximately 228 cases.

Meyer Single-Vineyard Pinot Noir. This wine turned out to be Charles favorite during his pre-tasting. I also want to give Charles credit where credit is due. He blind tasted all the wines and correctly identified each one. Nice work! Meyer vineyard is in the Dundee Hills AVA and the 2010 is showing the typical Dundee red dirt character. Meyer is always one of our most unique single vineyard Pinots. Charles believes it will probably be one of the earliest to open up, but still recommends holding it until mid 2013. We’ll bottle approximately 155 cases.

Symonette Single-Vineyard Pinot Noir. We’ve seen the popularity of this single-vineyard wine grow amongst our club members. It is showing more layers than the Quailhurst or the Momtazi. And we love the age of the vines the grapes are grown on in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. They are 29 years old, making them the oldest vines we deal with. I like to think that this wine has more of a story to tell us with each sip. Charles and Michael both agreed they picked out flavors of rhubarb and sweet tarts. Yum! Symonette is our most limited. We only have 2 barrels, which will equate to about 50 cases. This makes Sunday an even better time to purchase futures of this wine.

Momtazi Single-Vineyard Pinot Noir. We are extremely excited about the Momtazi because it is the first time we are bottling it as a single-vineyard. We’ve been buying fruit from Mo Momtazi in the McMinnville AVA for years, but have decided that this year it deserves to stand on its own. And as with most wines from the Mac AVA it has a lot of oomph behind it. As Charles would say, “it’s got grip.” We’ll barrel approximately 136 cases.

Circle Cuvée. Although we thought we may only sample single-vineyards at the event we are far too excited about the Circle Cuvée to not share it with our friends. This wine is exclusively available for club members throughout the year and is included in one of their shipments. On Sunday that same rule applies for futures purchases; however we will be letting everyone in attendance taste. I think this wine is good enough to make everyone join the club. It is showing the most fruit of any of the wines and due to the fact it is the only blend you’ll be tasting I think you will find the many layers quite appealing.

Have I talked you into coming? It will be a great chance to be educated on what wine tastes like young, before it is ready to drink. Just like Joe, you too, can know how to assess a wine out of barrel and forecast what the future will bring. And Joe will be there to answer all your questions, or hopefully most of them. Patricia, Charles, and Michael will be there too and they’d all love to see you.

All club members who attend will be admitted as our guests. We welcome anyone and everyone else to come out as well, but we will have to ask a $20 per entrance. Join us for fine wine, tasty food from the Red Hills Market, and good tunes from guitarist Jason Okamoto. Come and go at your leisure; we just hope you don’t miss out on this once a year event.

Sybaris owners, Matt and Janel Bennett, were host to a wine dinner Sunday night, which benefited their neighbor across the street the Historic Carousel & Museum. Matt and Janel were so kind to ask Dobbes Family Estate to be the chosen winery, to complement and help accentuate the delightful food.

Matt also invited a friend, Chef Brian Polcyn, to act as the guest chef for the evening. Chef Polcyn is a highly renowned, award-winning chef and Charcuterie expert. He has authored a book, “Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing,” which I have been told is the book to have for any chef utilizing Charcuterie in their restaurant.

Have a look at the menu Chef Polcyn created specifically for the benefit. He even brought many of his ingredients all the way from Michigan.

CHARCUTERIE RECEPTION

Proscuitto di Michigan, shaved parmesan reggiano

Speck with all night tomato and roasted fennel salad

Lardo with cracked black pepper

Classic chicken galantine with onion raisin chutney

Duck liver mousse croustade 

~Wine By Joe Pinot noir 2009~

~Wine By Joe Pinot blanc 2010~

DINNER

First Course

Crispy pork trotters with sauce gribiche 

~Jovino Pinot gris 2010~

Second Course

Pan seared sea scallop with hand rolled gnocchi, pancetta, guanciale, wild mushrooms and spuma 

~Dobbes Family Estate Viognier 2010 ~

Third Course

Maderia brined hickory smoked duck breast on warm winter root vegetable salad and balsamic reduction 

~Dobbes Family Estate Grand Assemblage Pinot noir 2010~

Fourth Course

Pig Plate- Slow roast loin, shoulder confit, grilled belly, braised red cabbage, spaetzle and butternut squash puree 

~Dobbes Family Estate Grand Assemblage Syrah 2009~

Fifth Course

Double Ginger Boston Cooler 

Sixth Course

Pineapple upside down cake, not your mother’s Jello salad, orange-carrot macaron, Suzette sauce

Mary, our NW Regional Sales manager, told me that what Chef Polcyn did with a pig that evening was a true work of art. I could hear the marvel in her voice. She said it was a real honor to have Chef Polcyn in Oregon.

By the end of the night spirits were high, bellies were full and $125,000 had been raised for the Historic Carousel and Museum. I urge anyone who makes the trip toAlbany to dine at Sybaris to also allow time to enjoy the Museum. The early 1900’s carousel is undergoing a thorough restoration. The amazing volunteer staff is crafting everything 100% by hand. It is a remarkable feet that I promise will astound you. If you are interested you can even volunteer yourself to carve or paint the carousel creatures. The project is estimated to last another three to four years.

As I sit at my desk reflecting on the evening I see a common thread that runs from Joe, to Matt, to Brian, to the carousel. Each one is a craftsman. Well, the carousel itself is not, but those donating their time and efforts sure are. Just as passion is the driving force for Joe to make high-class, astonishingly good wine year after year, passion also drives these others in their craft. What a wonderful event to marry all these people and their crafts.

Thank you Sybaris Bistro (Matt and Janel); thank you Chef Brian Polcyn; thank you Historic Carousel and Museum; and thank you, thank you, thank you to each and every person who enjoyed the night as much as we did!

If you don’t already believe me see what people are saying about Sybaris Bistro…

“If your soul craves unusual dinner fare that evidences remarkable creativity, take a short drive toAlbanyfor an extraordinarily well-executed and pleasurable food experience atSybaris.” -Diane Reynolds, Salem Statesman Journal

“This bistro is considered by many as one of the finest restaurants in theWillametteValley.” -traveloregon.com

Click here to visit the Sybaris Bistro website.

Click here to visit the Historic Carousel and Museum website.

Click here to learn more about Chef Brian Polcyn’srestaurantForestGrill inBirmingham, MI.  

Click here to learn more about Chef Brian Polcyn’s restaurant Cinco Lagosin Milford, MI.

Spiced Chocolate Truffles
Paired with Dobbes Family Estate 2009 Grand Assemblage Syrah

INGREDIENTS

1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound high quality bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-processed)

PREPARATION

1. Over medium heat bring cream and butter to a boil.

2. Remove from heat and put 1 pound of chopped chocolate into the mixture. Let it sit undisturbed for five minutes. Using a rubber spatula slowly mix the melted chocolate into the cream. Add cayenne and cinnamon. Taste and add more cayenne if desired.

3. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature and then refrigerate until firm (approximately one hour). You should stir the mixture five or six times during this period. As the mixture gets harder, stir it more frequently.

4. Using a tablespoon or melon baller form the cooled mixture into one inch balls. Many people do this step without touching the mixture but I suggest you use your hands to form truffle shapes. Place truffles on a cookie sheet covered with parchment or wax paper.

5. Chill truffles for 15 minutes.

6. Put cocoa into a shallow bowl and toss a few truffles at a time until coated. Using your hands or a spoon remove truffles to a plate.

To purchase Dobbes Family Estate 2009 Grand Assemblage Syrah call our tasting room at 503-538-1141 ext. 118.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Paired with Dobbes Family Estate 2009 Skipper’s Cuvée Pinot Noir

INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter 
8 ounces (230 grams) semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated white sugar 
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Topping: 1 cup (110 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

 
PREPARATION

1. In a heat-proof bowl, placed over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

2. In the bowl of your electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), beat the eggs and sugar until thick, pale, and fluffy (about 3 to 5 minutes). (When you slowly raise the beaters the batter will fall back into the bowl in slow ribbons.) Then beat in the vanilla extract. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and beat until incorporated.

3. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm enough to shape into balls (several hours or even overnight). Some of you will want to skip the refrigeration, but believe me it is essential for these cookies to reach their potential.

4.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

5. Place the sifted confectioners sugar in a shallow bowl. First, form the chilled dough into 1 inch (2.5 cm) balls, and then roll each ball in the sugar. Make sure each ball is completely coated, with no chocolate showing through. Place the sugar-covered balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.

6. Bake cookies for about 8 to 10 minutes or just until the edges are slightly firm but the centers are still soft. (For moist chewy cookies do not over bake. Over baking these cookies will cause them to be dry.) Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. These cookies are best eaten the day they are baked, which often is not a problem. However in a proper air-tight container they should hold for 5-7 days.

 
To purchase Dobbes Family Estate 2009 Skipper’s Cuvée Pinot Noir call our tasting room at 503-538-1141 ext. 118.

Simple Springerles
Paired with Dobbes Family Estate 2009 Gewürztraminer

INGREDIENTS

2 eggs
1/2 pound confectioners’ sugar, plus extra for dusting molds
1 teaspoon pure anise oil
2¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon anise seeds, gently crushed (optional)

PREPARATION

1. Using electric mixer, beat eggs in a large bowl until very pale and frothy, 3-5 minutes. Add sugar and anise oil. Continue beating until mixture is smooth, light and well combined.

2. In another large bowl, sift together flour and baking powder. Working in batches, sprinkle flour mixture into egg mixture. Stir, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, 1-2 minutes, until dough is well combined and firm, not sticky. (If still sticky, sprinkle in more flour, 1 teaspoon at a time, until texture improves.) Using clean, dry hands, work dough into a ball. Press dough into a flattened round, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.

3. Generously dust large, clean work space with flour. Divide chilled dough into two sections and, working one section at a time, roll out to 1/2-inch thickness. (Lightly flour rolling-pin if dough begins to stick.)

4. Using a pastry brush, lightly dust cookie mold with confectioners’ sugar. (This helps prevent dough from sticking in crevices.) Place mold on dough and press firmly and evenly to imprint. (Don’t wiggle or the image will blur). Repeat, dusting mold with additional sugar as needed, until entire section of dough is imprinted.

5. Using sharp knife or cookie cutter, trim around edges of printed designs. Gently transfer cookies to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat rolling, printing and trimming process with remaining dough. Then set baking sheets aside, uncovered, and allow cookies to dry (or “cure”) 12 hours or overnight. (If it’s humid, double the drying time. The goal is for a “crust” to form, which prevents the images from distorting.)

6. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place baking sheet in center of oven and bake 6-10 minutes, checking frequently to make sure cookies do not brown. When done, cookies are slightly puffed, nearly white on top and pale golden underneath. Transfer to a rack to cool. Once cooled, brush cookies with a confectioners’ sugar glaze (recipe below), if desired. Springerle will keep, stored in an airtight container, scattered with crushed aniseed, for 6-8 weeks.

To purchase Dobbes Family Estate 2009 Gewürztraminer call our tasting room at 503-538-1141 ext. 118.

Molded Ginerbread Cookies
Paired with Dobbes Family Estate 2010 Viognier

INGREDIENTS

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup dark molasses
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons agave syrup
3¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
Scant pinch red chili powder
4 teaspoons ground ginger
1½ teaspoons allspice
3½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon baking powder
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

PREPARATION

1. Using an electric mixer, cream butter until light and fluffy. Add sugar and continue mixing until pale and creamy. Add egg and mix until incorporated. Stir in molasses, honey and agave syrup. Scrape down sides of bowl and mix until well combined.

2. In another large bowl, stir together flour, cocoa powder, chili powder, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, salt, pepper and baking powder. Working in batches, sprinkle flour mixture into butter mixture, stirring gently until a firm dough forms and starts to pull away from sides of bowl.

3. Flour your hands and pull the dough from the bowl, knead once or twice into a ball (if it’s so sticky it glues to your fingers, sprinkle in a teaspoon or so of flour and knead again). Place round on a large piece of plastic wrap, flatten gently with palm of hand and wrap tightly. Refrigerate dough at least 3 hours.

4. Generously dust a large, clean work space with flour. Divide chilled dough into four sections and, working one section at a time, roll out to 1/2-inch thickness. (Lightly flour rolling pin if dough sticks.)

5. Using pastry brush, lightly dust cookie mold with confectioners’ sugar. Place mold on top of dough and press firmly and evenly to imprint. (Don’t wiggle or image will blur). Repeat, dusting mold with additional sugar as needed, until entire section of dough is imprinted.

6. Using a sharp knife or cookie cutter, trim around edges of printed designs and gently transfer cookies to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat rolling, printing and trimming process with remaining dough. Then set baking sheets aside, uncovered, and allow cookies to dry (or “cure”) at least 3 hours.

7. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place baking sheet in center of oven and bake until cookies are slightly springy at center and faintly browned at edges, 8-15 minutes depending on size and thickness of molds used. Transfer to wire rack to cool. Once cookies have cooled, brush with a confectioners’ sugar glaze, if desired. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

To purchase Dobbes Family Estate 2010 Viognier call our tasting room at 503-538-1141 ext. 118.

Lemon Meringue Cookies
Pair with Dobbes Family Estate 2010 Grenache Blanc

INGREDIENTS

For the Meringue:

2 large egg whites
pinch of salt
2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

For the Lemon Curd:

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
pinch of salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter

PREPARATIONS

For the Meringue Cookies:

1. Place two racks in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Foil will also work in a pinch. Set the baking pans aside.

2. Place the egg whites (save the yolks for the curd) in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat egg whites, on medium speed, until foamy. Add the pinch of salt and increase speed to medium-high. Slowly begin to sprinkle in the sugar. Continue to beat eggs until they become thick, glossy and hold stiff peeks. The egg whites will be the consistency of melted marshmallow.

3. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the lemon zest and vanilla extract. Spoon into a piping bag, fitted with a large star tip. Pipe about a teaspoons worth of meringue onto the baking sheet. Stars can be close together, as they won’t spread or puff during baking. Pipe stars onto the two baking sheets until no meringue remains in the bag. Using the back of a spoon, flatten out half of the meringue stars, making them as flat as possible, but not necessarily a larger circle than the original piped star. The flattened star will become the bottom of the sandwich cookie.

4. Bake meringues for 2 hours, until no longer sticky , but firm and hardened.

5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheet before filling and sandwiching.

For the Lemon Curd:

1. Place a fine mesh strainer over a medium bowl and set aside.

2. In a medium pot, whisk together lemon juice, granulated sugar, eggs, yolks, and pinch of salt. Place the pot over a medium-low flame and add butter. Stir mixture with a whisk, and spatula. The spatula will help you get into the corners of the pan, ensuring that none of the curd over-cooks too much. Cook the curd until the butter is melted, and the mixture is the thickness of warm hot fudge. The whisk will begin to leave a trail of whisk marks and the mixture will have the distinct smell of lemon curd. You don’t really need to boil lemon curd… it’s probably done it if gets to the boiling stage.

3. Remove from the flame and immediately pour into the fine mesh strainer over the medium bowl. Press through the strainer, leaving any cooked egg bits in the strainer, and not in your beautiful curd.

4. Place curd in a jar, with a piece of plastic wrap placed directly over the curd. Place in the fridge until completely cold.

5. To fill the cookies, spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of curd onto a flattened bottom cookie. Top with a star shaped cookie. Place cookies in a single layer on a tray and place in the freezer for 20 minutes to an hour. I love these cookies right out of the freezer. You can also fill them and serve them immediately. These cookies do not last well if  left to sit.

6. Curd should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Curd lasts for about a week. Meringues should be kept in an airtight container, in a dry area, at room temperature. Meringues last for about 5 days… though humidity makes them sticky balls.

 
To purchase Dobbes Family Estate 2010 Grenache Blanc call our tasting room at 503-538-1141 ext. 118.