Enotria Guide – iPhone app

You can study wine books all you like, but it isn’t until the first time you try saying St-Estèphe out loud, and draw blank stares from around the room, that you realize you might want to learn how to pronounce some of these regions and wine terms properly.

Enter the Enotria iPhone app. A simple wine guide that helps you learn the correct way to say over 200 regions and wine words, focussed on Italy, Spain and Germany. Updates will expand the database to Spain and Austria, among others, and include google maps of the wine regions. And to give back to the wine world, developer Melissa Lavrinc Smith is giving away one scholarship for the introductory course given by The Court of Master Sommeliers for every 7000 downloads.

If you’re a fan of wine and apps that focus on doing one thing well, it’s $2.99 well spent.

Source: Organic Wine Journal | 2 Sep 2010 | 11:52 am EDT

Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream

This vegan Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream is a great healthy dessert recipe with added spices that warm it up for those chilly Fall nights steadily approaching. http://www.elanaspantry.com/mexican-chocolate-ice-cream/

Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream Rating: 0 Created: Sep 1, 2010 9:09:53 PM

Source: Food.com: Vegan Recipes | 1 Sep 2010 | 9:09 pm EDT

Coconut Sticky Rice in Banana Leaves (Khao Dome)

These tasty treats are something like tamales in their construction (not their taste!) and are great for on-the-go snacking or as a dessert. Don't let the prep time scare you... most of it is soaking time. My dad bought these for me as a special treat from our favorite Laotian restaurant when I was younger, and when I ventured out on my own I tried making them myself. I went through several recipes I found online with no success... I couldn't get the rice as glutinous and soft as the ones from the restaurant! Eventually I broke down and asked the owner what the secret was: cook the rice beforehand, and cook it again with the "sauce" to really get the gluten going. I've made this countless times since, and it's perfect!

Coconut Sticky Rice in Banana Leaves (Khao Dome) Rating: 0 Created: Sep 1, 2010 1:39:05 PM

Source: Food.com: Vegan Recipes | 1 Sep 2010 | 1:39 pm EDT

Caramel Treatment (Deep Treatment for the Hair)

I have waist length hair and this keeps my length looking shiny, soft to the touch and less frizzy. If you have very fine hair wet your hair down and leave it in for two hours. This is excellent on course hair as well. I have a girlfriend with African heritage and it works wonder on her hair. You can substitute a jar of plain banana babyfood for the bananas. This recipe works well if you only use the bananas, one liquid oil (olive or almond), one solid oil (shea or coconut) and one runny sweet (molasses or honey). If you don't have everything on hand do not sweat it. This freezes well.

Caramel Treatment (Deep Treatment for the Hair) Rating: 0 Created: Sep 1, 2010 1:05:40 PM

Source: Food.com: Vegan Recipes | 1 Sep 2010 | 1:05 pm EDT

Tempeh and Cauliflower With Rice Noodles

This is adapted from the Tempeh Cookbook and is not exact. (Author of the book is Dorothy Bates)

Tempeh and Cauliflower With Rice Noodles Rating: 0 Created: Sep 1, 2010 12:03:36 PM

Source: Food.com: Vegan Recipes | 1 Sep 2010 | 12:03 pm EDT

Baked Zucchini With Garlic, Tomato and Onion

Very simple and flavourful zucchini side dish. Roma tomatoes are my personal preference, but use whatever type is fragrant and in season. I prefer kosher salt - I find it brings out the freshness of the tomatoes - but any salt will do. Herbed salt is also wonderful in this recipe.

Baked Zucchini With Garlic, Tomato and Onion Rating: 0 Created: Sep 1, 2010 11:55:15 AM

Source: Food.com: Vegan Recipes | 1 Sep 2010 | 11:55 am EDT

10 Best Organic Wines – Decanter Magazine

We’re a little skeptical of any “best of” list when it comes to wine, but Decanter Magazine has selected their 10 Best Organic Wines from their Decanter World Wine Awards 2010. If you’d like to see their selections you can find the list here.

Source: Organic Wine Journal | 1 Sep 2010 | 11:24 am EDT

Easy Brown Rice With Peppers and Zucchini

Found this recipe on Prevention.com and modified it slightly... it's actually very good, healthy and simple! Also looks very nice, because of the beautiful colors.

Easy Brown Rice With Peppers and Zucchini Rating: 0 Created: Sep 1, 2010 11:16:23 AM

Source: Food.com: Vegan Recipes | 1 Sep 2010 | 11:16 am EDT

A Greener Champagne Bottle – New York Times

An article in today’s New York Times Business Section talks about Champagne switching to lighter bottles to reduce their carbon footprint.

The Champagne industry has embarked on a drive to cut the 200,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide it emits every year transporting billions of tiny bubbles around the world. Producing and shipping accounts for nearly a third of Champagne’s carbon emissions, with the hefty bottle the biggest offender.

Read the whole story.

Source: Organic Wine Journal | 1 Sep 2010 | 11:10 am EDT

Tempeh Fajitas

This one is slightly adapted from The Tempeh Cookbook, by Dorothy R. Bates. Adapt the chili pepper to your taste. I'm partial to serrano chilis; for me they provide a kick without overwhelming. For the tempeh use any flavor variety that appeals.

Tempeh Fajitas Rating: 0 Created: Sep 1, 2010 10:53:53 AM

Source: Food.com: Vegan Recipes | 1 Sep 2010 | 10:53 am EDT

Green Onion Potato Salad

Variation of a Bobby Flay recipe

Green Onion Potato Salad Rating: 0 Created: Aug 31, 2010 1:04:56 PM

Source: Food.com: Vegan Recipes | 31 Aug 2010 | 1:04 pm EDT

Tropical Coconut Shake

This fruity and creamy mocktail is ideal for serving with hot, spicy meals or as a refreshing treat. Packed with vitamins and fiber, this is also an ideal drink for those who are feeling under the weather.

Tropical Coconut Shake Rating: 0 Created: Aug 30, 2010 2:16:33 PM

Source: Food.com: Vegan Recipes | 30 Aug 2010 | 2:16 pm EDT

Mango Coconut Whiz

This creamy fruit and coconut drink is full of vitamins. Children will love it, and so will adults. Delicious when served with a spicy curry or chilli dish. It also makes a cold and delicious treat for hot summer afternoons. Enjoy!

Mango Coconut Whiz Rating: 0 Created: Aug 30, 2010 1:33:45 PM

Source: Food.com: Vegan Recipes | 30 Aug 2010 | 1:33 pm EDT

Barbeito Madeira Boal 5 Year Old

Every time Lyle tastes Madeira he falls in love with it and thinks he should drink more. You may not like the smell of vulcanized rubber in real life, but in Madeira it’s a beautiful thing. Find out how the Barbeito Madeira Boal 5 Year Old measures up.

Source: Organic Wine Journal | 30 Aug 2010 | 10:33 am EDT

Château Soucherie Coteaux du Layon Chaume 2007

The key to a good sweet wine is the right balance of acidity, and this one has it. Made from Chenin Blanc, Lyle can’t stop raving about this bottle. Learn all about wet wool and fancy lemons in this review of Château Soucherie Coteaux du Layon Chaume 2007.

Source: Organic Wine Journal | 25 Aug 2010 | 5:00 pm EDT

Spumante Rosato “Col Rosé” Spagnol

At first, Lyle thinks this is the perfect glass of sparkling wine to have on a date, but does the romance last? See how fast the love can fade in this review of Spumante Rosato “Col Rosé” Spagnol.

Source: Organic Wine Journal | 20 Aug 2010 | 2:54 pm EDT

Benaza Godello 2008

Godello is one of the best indigenous grapes of Spain. Versatile, it can be made into fancy ageable wines or inexpensive simple quaffing wines. This is one of Lyle’s favorites from our Tangled Vine Bar shoot.

Source: Organic Wine Journal | 18 Aug 2010 | 5:10 pm EDT

The Blur of Midsummer

Shinn Estate is in the first year of their organic certification process. Barbara Shinn shares her progress with us.

July 3, 2010

I dug up the biodynamic horn prep 500 this morning. This year the compost took an extra month to come to fruition. I had to be patient as I kept the horns buried and let the worms do their work. Last winter was very cold and wet and the winter composting was practically nonexistent. Now that I have waited the compost is perfect and I will keep it in hibernation until I use it in the spring.

July 6, 2010

It is 8:30 in the morning and it is already 86 degrees. The sun looks ominous as it continues to rise…it is a huge orange ball with a distinct outline, so close to the earth it looks surreal. The wind turbine sits still and no bird or cricket is making a sound. By noon it will be 100 degrees. We are having the hottest and driest year ever in the history of Long Island winegrowing and the soil that was so spongy a few weeks ago is turning to dust. Tonight I will have to begin a round of irrigation.

July 10, 2010

In the afternoon I ride my bike to the middle of the vineyard and switch over the irrigation zones to prepare for the nighttime watering. When it is this hot the waves of heat and humidity bounce back up from the dried grasses into my face and my sweat streams out. Carlos is on the tractor everyday but has to stop by lunchtime because the air conditioning is out; if it is 85 degrees outside the inside of the tractor is at least 100. The cover crop has gone dormant and only the vines are green. Unbelievably, I see tiny spots of some downy mildew on new leaves, but it gets burnt out in a day; the mildew pressure from humidity is barely countered by the heat. This is priceless information because it is easy to assume that a hot dry year would not allow for this type of mildew, but the humidity obviously plays the lead role.

July 20, 2010

This morning Carlos washed the caked dirt off the radiator of the tractor and it gushed coolant. The tractor is down and Bobby, my usual mechanic doesn’t have time to replace it. Anthony, our winemaker, considers the task for a moment and miraculously says he can do it. John Deere is overnighting a radiator from Canada…this is like manna from heaven.

July 26, 2010

Black rot in the South Merlot. This is not like manna from heaven.

My vineyard crew discovered it as they were cleaning stray canes from the trunks. Carlos called me and presented me with a handful of clusters with brown berries scattered throughout. Standing there in the break between the North and South block I felt as though the air was sucked out of my body and my guts were curdled. We immediately went in and removed any clusters showing signs of infection. This quick response is necessary when farming organically in a region just discovering how to farm wine this way. Sanitation is key so that I can move on and bring in a beautiful crop.

August 3, 2010

The black rot is at bay and the berries are maturing and becoming immune to infections such as this. Alice Wise our local Cornell extension specialist along with the plant pathology department of Cornell University upstate were incredibly valuable in diagnosing the problem. It is useful to have the assistance of this knowledgeable team which will help in avoiding this kind of problem in future seasons.

August 7, 2010

Although the nights are cooling and the mornings soften, the rhythm of this hot summer still reverberates in the vineyard. The vines are making due on a parched diet of very little water. I have to find the balance between withholding water for ripening purposes with the need to keep the vines somewhat hydrated. I pull soil plugs in every block to see how much moisture is available and am amazed that each block will completely dry out in a matter of 4 days. I can’t fathom how the vine’s roots are able to seek and find nutrients in the dry ground. I guess this is why we have made wine from grapes for centuries.

We are now finishing veraison….and so begins the ripening season…..

Source: Organic Wine Journal | 17 Aug 2010 | 10:08 am EDT

Fritsch Gruner Veltliner Windspiel 2009

Some wines you just want to drink and not talk about. This Gruner is like a laser beam on your palate – so Lyle gives you the basics, then disappears to go drink some more.

Source: Organic Wine Journal | 16 Aug 2010 | 10:04 am EDT

Organic Wine – What The Labels Really Mean

Our friends at Organic Vintners published a small primer on organic wine labels and what they really mean at Mile Hi Green.

Many consumers don’t connect that wine is an agricultural product manufactured from grapes. Like most agricultural products, conventional wine grapes are treated with harmful chemicals to deal with pests, viruses, weeds and fungi. While winegrowers are romanticized as purists, they are dependent on a slew of chemicals to produce high yields and unspoiled fruit. Since you cannot wash wine grapes, much as you would an apple you plucked from a tree, the harmful chemicals unfortunately make their way into your glass of wine.

Read the full story.

Source: Organic Wine Journal | 12 Aug 2010 | 3:02 pm EDT

Soy Milk Maker Review

Best Selling Vegan Products Soy Milk Makers Vegan Shoes Cookbooks Live Superfoods We've gotten a few queries lately from our readers about which soy milk maker we recommend.  As many of you know, we own the  Tribest Soyabella Soymilk Maker.   Jane got it that soy milk maker as a Christmas gift from her mom [...] Related Information:

1. Home Made Almond Milk
2. Vegan Chocolate SoyMilk Review
3. Got Milk?
4. Silk-y, Chocolate-y Goodness
5. I Miss Milk

Source: Vegan Bits | 11 Jul 2010 | 10:13 am EDT

Let the Eater Beware

Best Selling Vegan Products Soy Milk Makers Vegan Shoes Cookbooks Live Superfoods Jane and I were out and about today and popped in to an ad hoc cooking class. The teacher was presenting different summer recipes and one of them sounded very interesting. After the class was over we chatted with the teacher for a [...] Related Information:

1. Vegan Beware!
2. Buyer Beware
3. Just Wrong
4. Vegan Grilling
5. New Vegan Strips… No Bacon, but Plenty of Silicone

Source: Vegan Bits | 19 Jun 2010 | 11:58 pm EDT

Vegan Chicken at Chipotle

Best Selling Vegan Products Soy Milk Makers Vegan Shoes Cookbooks Live Superfoods If you live in the Los Angeles area, you can now order vegan chicken at Chipotle. This option is not available at all LA area Chipotle restaurants. In fact, it's only available at two of their stores: 244 South Beverly Dr. - Beverly [...] Related Information:

1. Gardenburger’s — Black Bean Chipotle Burgers
2. OK, Maybe I Don’t Have This Vegan Thing Down Yet
3. Sometimes It’s Just Tough
4. Whole Foods – Vegan Chicken Curry Salad
5. Vegan Chicken Sonoma Salad – Whole Foods

Source: Vegan Bits | 30 Apr 2010 | 12:02 am EDT

Vegan Lasagna

Best Selling Vegan Products Soy Milk Makers Vegan Shoes Cookbooks Live Superfoods I'm a fan of the vegan brownies and vegan banana nut chip muffin recipes in The Joy of Vegan Baking, by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau.  So when we found out that she had a new cookbook out,  The Vegan Table, I rushed right out to [...] Related Information:

1. Spanakopita
2. Hearty Winter Fare
3. Spaghetti Redux
4. Veganomicon — Smokey Grilled Tempeh and Cheater Baked Beans
5. Cream of Tomato Soup with a Surprize

Source: Vegan Bits | 26 Apr 2010 | 11:55 pm EDT

Vegan Matzoh Ball Soup

Best Selling Vegan Products Soy Milk Makers Vegan Shoes Cookbooks Live Superfoods In the past I've written about certain foods we haven't been able to successfully "veganize" -- no matter what other people might say. One of the things we'd pretty much given up on was a Vegan Matzoh Ball Soup, but then two things [...] Related Information:

1. Vegan Matzoh Ball Soup
2. Vegan Asparagus Soup
3. Cream of Tomato Soup with a Surprize
4. Ingredient
5. Carrot Soup and Homemade Bread

Source: Vegan Bits | 14 Apr 2010 | 9:12 pm EDT

---

Suggest An Article

LivingECHO Articles was created in an attempt to get public participation in the growing debate on issues concerning the environment. Here you will find our Ecopedia, our reference guide to current eco-related terminology, and articles written on news, events, education, lifestyle and more.

You can submit your own article here for us to review, or email us at articles@livingecho.com.

Note:

• You can submit one picture per article.
• All Articles will be approved by an editor before it is posted.
• All articles must comply with our Media Policy.
• All articles must have a Title, Author, Date, Byline, and Article content (written in plain text).