Sip & Savor | Winter 2021 by Rosebud Media

Winter 2021

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S2 | Friday, December 10, 2021

Wi n t e r 2 0 2 1

ADVERTISING INDEX Callahan’s Siskiyou Lodge.........................18

Rogue Karting ...........................................38

Cartwright’s Market...................................30

Rogue Rock Gym ......................................31

Crackin & Stackin......................................13

Rooted: Eat More Plants ...........................23

Crater Cafe ................................................35

Rosario’s Italian Restaurant ........................8

Jackson and Josephine Counties’ Guide to Wining and Dining!

Jefferson Spirits..........................................8

Roxy Ann Winery ......................................35

Luna Mexican Cuisine .................................3

Sharp Delicatessen and Marketplace.........21

S TA F F

Original Roadhouse Grill ...........................20

Shoji’s of Medford.....................................18

CEO & Publisher: Steven Saslow

Point Pub and Grill....................................11

Tap & Vine at 559......................................40

Porters Restaurant and Bar.........................6

Wayback Burgers......................................16

Posh Organics...........................................33

White Lotus Day Spa.................................38

Vice President, Advertising Sales: Scott Sussman Design & Production: Paul Bunch, Terrie Rogers, Kim Samitore Print Sales Manager: Laura Perkins Sip & Savor is published quarterly by the Rosebud Media Advertising Department 111 N Fir St., Medford, OR 97501 General Information: (541) 776-4422

Winter 2021

ON THE COVER IDE I N Ss 30-39

Luna Mexican Cuisine

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Serving authentic Mexican food using family recipes and fresh ingredients.

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S4 | Friday, December 10, 2021

A guide to soy sauce

here some of us might reach for salt, smart cooks know to grab a bottle of soy sauce. Sure, soy sauce delivers that same salty flavor as straight-up sodium chloride, but it’s also a multifaceted ingredient that lends sweet, savory and acidic depth to a dish. “I think soy sauce is such a special ingredient, but not just for Asian cooking,” says cookbook author Grace Young. “It’s such an incredible flavor enhancer.” Even if you have your heart set on improving your soy sauce know-how, one look at the store shelves can make you question your resolve. With so many different varieties and products, “It can be very confusing,” says cookbook author and longtime public television host Martin Yan. Well, we’re here to help. Here’s how to make sense of and make the most of this powerhouse ingredient.

How it’s made. There are two main production processes for soy sauce, Yan says. The first is the traditional method, in which cooked soybeans, and frequently wheat, are fermented with molds for a few days, then with a salt brine for a few months to more than a year. The fermented mix is then pressed to extract the soy sauce, after which it is pasteurized. The pasteurization provides more opportunity for flavor to develop under heat. This natural process permits plenty of variety in quality. The better, more flavorful soy sauces are fermented longer, which allows the proteins in the soy (and wheat) to break down into the amino acids that lend the condiment its glutamate-rich content. Glutamates trigger the taste response we know as umami, or perception of savoriness.

A guide to soy sauce. Photo by Scott Suchman for The Washington Post.

The first extraction of soy sauce is the richest, which Young says may be labeled premium, premium superior, premium light or superior first extract. Manufacturers may do additional rounds of salting and extraction, which get weaker each time - and result in them being less expensive. (You can also find white soy sauce, a milder, sweeter option that is extracted before the color turns.) Double-fermented soy sauce is a potent product in which a first extraction is the basis for a batch that goes through the entire fermentation process again. The second production process is chemical. In this method, hydrochloric acid is used to break down soybeans, after which the mixture

may be doctored with other colors, flavors and chemicals. These types of soy sauce can come across as overly salty or metallic tasting. Young thinks hydrolyzed soy sauce is so common that it “sets the wrong baseline” for what people think soy sauce tastes like, citing the analogy of people who in a taste test preferred orange juice made from frozen concentrate as opposed to the fresh stuff, based on what availability used to be like.

Types. Soy sauce can be classified in a few overarching categories. Light. This is the most common variety, dominated by Chinese- or Japanese-produced soy sauces, though depending on where you shop, you may come across Thai,

Vietnamese and Korean (ganjang) options. Light “is what we think of as regular soy sauce,” according to Young. You may also see it referred to as thin or superior light. Traditional Chinese soy sauce is all or mostly soy, while Japanese (shoyu) has closer to half soybean, half wheat, which is sweeter (thanks to the wheat starch) and less salty than Chinese varieties. Compared to dark soy sauce, Yan says, light has a paler color, thinner consistency and saltier flavor profile. Light soy sauce is multifunctional, meaning it can be used in many types of situations, including marinades, dipping sauces, stir-fries, braises and steamed dishes (fish, poultry and vegetables). Young says you

shouldn’t limit your use of this type to Asian fare, as a little soy sauce can add depth to a wide variety of dishes where you might otherwise season with salt. Think tomato sauce, soups, stews, chili, meatballs or meatloaf. “It blends so magnificently,” you won’t even detect the soy flavor, Young says. Dark. Also called black, double dark or superior dark soy sauce, this variety is thicker, sweeter and less salty than light soy sauce. Yan says it ferments longer and may be mixed with molasses or caramel before bottling. It’s very good in braises and other hearty dishes, and sometimes a recipe will call for both light and dark for a proper balance. Dark soy is a trademark ingredient in such dishes as red braised pork belly, short ribs and char siu pork, Young says. “I never use it for dipping anything,” she says. Tamari. This Japanese variety originated as what was left over after extracting miso paste, Yan says. It is slightly thicker and can be more complex than light soy sauce. Tamari is popular as a gluten-free substitute for regular soy sauce, though you should always read the label, as some brands may include wheat. Young enjoys tamari as a dipping sauce for sushi and sashimi. She recommends Kikkoman’s gluten-free tamari-style sauce and the San-J organic tamari. Flavored. You’ll find quite a number of iterations of soy sauce mixed with other ingredients. One large category is sweetened, a typical ingredient in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Its thickness means it coats rice and noodles well. The version referred

to as kecap manis may include palm sugar and spices (galangal, star anise, lemongrass) in the mix. Young recommends the Bango brand. Other flavored varieties you may see, especially when browsing the shelves of Asian markets: mushroom, seafood and chile. If you want to add flavor to your soy sauce, Yan recommends blending your own, using ground dried mushrooms or dried shrimp, red pepper flakes, etc.

The sodium question. There is no way around it. Most soy sauces have around 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams of sodium per tablespoon, Young says. She and Yan represent two schools of thinking on this. Yan is not a big fan of so-called lite, not to be confused with light, soy sauces, which generally have 40 to 45% less sodium than regular. You may see these labeled as less sodium or reduced sodium. He would rather use half of a regular soy sauce (diluted with water or broth as needed). He also urges people to keep in mind the amount a recipe calls for and the number of servings. How much of the soy sauce will you actually consume? “You’re not drinking the soy sauce,” Yan says. “It’s for flavoring.” Young says sodium is on her mind a lot. “I think this is a really serious consideration for Americans,” she says. Whereas in the past, when she may have preferred Yan’s strategy, some (but not all!) of today’s brands offer excellent-tasting reduced-sodium options that she highly recommends, including Yamasa and Kimlan. Young notes that you can also mix a low-sodium soy sauce with coconut aminos for more flavor without a lot of extra

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sodium. Which approach you take may depend on who you’re cooking for, what you’re making and how often you plan to use the soy sauce.

You get what you pay for. The same pervasive thinking that prompts people to expect and demand that their Chinese takeout be cheap carries over to soy sauce, where it can be hard to overcome the expectation that you can get a huge bottle for a few bucks. Yan encourages cooks to consider soy sauce the same way they do olive oil or balsamic vinegar: Aim to buy better or best quality. The most important thing to do, Young says, is read the label. It should indicate that it is naturally (or traditionally) brewed or fermented, though the exact language can vary. Read the ingredient line and check whether it lists hydrolyzed proteins or other additives and preservatives. “When time is part of your recipe, you taste the difference,” Young says, explaining that naturally brewed soy sauces that have been fermented for a year or more can have close to 300 identifiable aroma compounds. If you’re looking for a better than average but not overly dear soy sauce, Young recommends Kikkoman’s organic soy sauce, Yamasa and Kimlan. Osawa’s organic is another she likes, though it’s somewhat less accessible. Yan likes Lee Kum Kee, especially its premium and double-fermented options. These all make good everyday soy sauces. As with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt, there are special items you invest in when you

Friday, December 10, 2021 |

really want soy sauce to shine, especially in small amounts. Young raves about Zhongba, made by the same family in China since 1828, which will set you back $14 for about 17 ounces (they also have a handcrafted version stirred daily that clocks in at $40 for about 24 ounces). For a unique product worthy of gift-giving, she suggests the Bluegrass Soy Sauce from Kentucky’s Bourbon Barrel Foods ($8 for about 3 ½ ounces or $55 for 32 ounces), which is unique in that it includes yeast and is aged in, of course, bourbon barrels. Yan is a fan of Jammy Chai, a first-press Chinese soy sauce with a history going back to 1608, sold in beautiful ceramic bottles ($22 for about 17 ounces). These are the types of products you would use for delicate dumplings or steamed fish, or as a judicially dispensed table condiment, so that the flavor can really be showcased.

Stocking and storing. If you’re looking for advice on what soy sauces to keep on hand for a well-rounded Asian pantry, Young recommends a better-quality light, a reduced-sodium, a dark and a more splurge-worthy/special occasion bottle as described above. Yan advises storing soy sauce in the bottom of a cool, dark cupboard. You can also refrigerate it. After opening, bottles will generally last about a year, Young says. Over time - and if the cap is not on tightly - you will lose the aromatic compounds that give soy sauce its distinctive qualities. She says she typically prefers smaller bottles to make sure she uses them fast enough while they’re in peak condition.

on local restaurant & winery gift certificates!

On Monday, December 13, go to SOGiftCards.com and find gift certificates from dozens of local restaurants, wineries, and local businesses for 10% off face value. On Tuesday, they will be 20% off, and so on until the final day of the sale on Friday, December 17, when all remaining gift certificates will be 50% off. Buy as many as you like, but don’t wait too long - the certificate to your favorite local business may be gone!

ONLINE GIFT CERTIFICATE SALE 5 DAYS ONLY! Monday, December 13 through Friday, December 17

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S6 | Friday, December 10, 2021

Friday, December 10, 2021 |

Sorel liquor is back with a big investor and a goal to help lift up more Black distillers

Jackie Summers, the creator of Sorel liquor, at Clover Club in Brooklyn, N.Y., on July 23, 2021. Photo The Washington Post by Clay Williams

Jackie Summers keeps a photo of a bottle of Sorel, the liquor brand he founded in 2012, on his phone. In the image, it sits beside bottles of Averna and Campari, beloved Italian spirits that trace their origins to the 1800s. He’s been thinking about the future of his product as he prepares to re-launch it this month following a five-year hiatus. Summers sees it living on for centuries, like its Italian forebears, being mixed into cocktails he’s never thought of, in bars he can’t possibly imagine, long

after he’s gone. “There is a culinary firmament where Sorel belongs,” he says. Like the monks who crafted spirits centuries ago, Summers figures he will be forgotten, a humbling thought. But he’s not modest about Sorel, a version of the hibiscus-steeped “red drink” that accompanied enslaved people from West Africa to the Caribbean, where his ancestors made it. His concoction wowed craft-cocktail makers before his company, Jack From Brooklyn, folded in 2015.

Summers, who says he was the first Black person in the country to hold a distiller’s license since Prohibition, says one thing sets his product apart from well-established brands: “Mine is even higher rated.” He can back his century-spanning ambition with numbers: 100,000 bottles will be available online and in 10 states by the end of the month, and his projections show them selling out by year’s end. He plans to launch in another 20 markets next year. The brand got a major boost this

spring with a $2 million investment from a fund designed to grow Black-owned spirits companies. It was founded by Fawn Weaver, founder and CEO of Uncle Nearest, a company named after the Black distiller and formerly enslaved Nathan “Nearest” Green, who taught Jack Daniels the art of whiskey-making. The infusion of cash also put Summers under the tutelage of Weaver, a former real estate investor who has made Uncle Nearest the fastest-growing whiskey brand in the nation. SEE SOREL, S9

S8 | Friday, December 10, 2021 |

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SOREL From Page S7

She saw Sorel’s potential to be the next Uncle Nearest. But it can be hard for white investors, she says, to imagine a black-owned liquor company succeeding, partly because there are so few examples of them. “Uncle Nearest can’t be the only one,” she says. “I want to make sure that every single person who passed on him regrets it for the rest of their lives.” Sorel is a crimson-hued global tour: the hibiscus is from Morocco, clove from Brazil, cassia (sometimes called Chinese cinnamon) from Indonesia and ginger from Nigeria. The liquor is based on sorrel, the red hibiscus tea ubiquitous in the Caribbean. Summers notes the exact recipe of the drink varies depending on where it’s made, and that it often comes spiked. “People

serve the tea to the kids, and when they go off to bed, the adults add some rum,” he says. He’s careful to say he didn’t invent the drink; he was just the first one to create a shelf-stable version. The process, Summers says, took exactly 624 tries, each iteration tweaked a little. Hibiscus can be astringent, and many temper its puckery qualities with sugar to a cloying effect. Summers instead uses botanic notes for balance. I see what he means: The garnet-red liquid is shot through with baking-spice warmth and juicy floral notes, all cut with the zing of ginger,

“There is a culinary firmament where Sorel belongs,” Jackie Summers at Clover Club in Brooklyn, N.Y. Photo The Washington Post by Clay Williams

with just a touch of sweetness. I can appreciate its appeal to bartenders, who prize versatility, all the better to create their own signature concoctions. Like a kid with a gold-star sticker, Sorel plays well with others. I mix it with good ginger beer and a thick lime wedge for a spritz-like quaff that leaves a pleasant tingle on my lips. I stir it into my favorite cocktail, a Negroni, per a recipe on the company’s website, where it lends depth but politely doesn’t hog the spotlight. That drink’s orange-peel garnish makes me think of clove-studded citrus, and I’m suddenly picturing Sorel in coldweather drinks, from party punches to hot toddies, where the spices would take on a festive holiday character. Maybe in an Old-Fashioned in place of bitters. And I try it the way Summers likes it best: neat with a single ice cube for what I can imagine as a low-key (it’s 15 percent alcohol) after-dinner sip where its flavors shine. The drink is nearly as complex as Summers, whose biography reads like a movie pitch: Raised in Queens by a scientist mom and a jazz musician dad whose own parents immigrated to Harlem from Barbados and Nevis, respectively, he initially took to the corporate world, with stints in finance and publishing. In between was an interlude as an underwear model. A cancer diagnosis in 2010 shook him. After having a tumor removed from his spine and beating long-shot odds of survival, Summers decided to make a career from the things he loved - spending time with people he liked and drinking great drinks. Despite zero experience in the liquor industry, he envisioned a commercial version of the drink he’d long made for friends. After perfecting his recipe on his home stove, he scrounged for funding, got a distillers’ license, and set up shop in his adopted neighborhood of Brooklyn. Sorel was an immediate hit with bartenders and critics. Liquor writer F. Paul Pacult gave it five stars. Nowfolded Lucky Magazine touted it as the 2012 holiday gift to give in multiples. Hurricane Sandy destroyed his facility in 2012, and although he was able to rebuild without insurance money, a few years later, he ran out of money and steam. Next came what he calls “the pause.” “I basically had a nervous breakdown,” he says. Summers, who was briefly homeless, recalls waking up one day in 2017 in a pile of garbage to the sensation of snowflakes falling on his cheeks. Later, he secured an apartment and recovered with the help of meditation and prayer (he says he is a practicing Taoist). He started teaching, writing and speaking about cocktails - and making plans to revive his company.

Friday, December 10, 2021 |

Sorel Liqueur created by Jackie Summers, at Clover Club in Brooklyn, N.Y. Photo The Washington Post by Clay Williams

When the deal with an investment group he was working with fell through this spring, he emailed Weaver, whom he had met on the speaking circuit, to ask for advice. Send over your “deck,” she told him, referring to the PowerPoint slides startups use to pitch to funders. Within days, Weaver was on board. “She was willing to see me for me and not what I represent,” Summers says. “When you are a large Black man who walks into a room with confidence - me being me intimidated people.” Weaver agrees. “I truly believe his funding fell through because he has this Brooklyn bravado, and the bandanna, and all that - and people aren’t used to that.” She sees it as part of her job as a successful black woman in an industry dominated by white men to help other people of color get a foothold. Within few weeks, Weaver helped put the relaunch of Sorel into motion, using her relationships with suppliers and distributors to get the product back on shelves. Production is being handled at Laird & Company, the distillery known for its applejack, a family-owned company Summers felt shared his values and standards. He keeps a control batch whipped up in his kitchen on-site to compare to the large-scale batches. Bottles are coming from China.

Distributors have been locked down. And while his ambitions for Sorel stretch through the generations, Summers has more immediate plans for it, and for himself. He wants to be a role model for other Black people and people of color in the beverage industry - and serve as an ambassador of the spirits world. We need these living avatars,” he says. “Food has had James Beard and Julia Child and José Andrés - all who occupied positions because of their passion and their goodwill to men. There are no living avatars in liquor.” He’s looking into creating an import company for the Moroccan hibiscus he uses, because he says he’s on track to be that country’s biggest buyer of the flowering plant. The government of Barbados has invited him to set up a manufacturing facility there, and he’s drawn to the idea of helping the economy of his grandparents’ homeland become less tourism-dependent. And he knows he doesn’t want to sell out to a big beverage conglomerate, something that’s important to Weaver, whose goals include creating generational wealth for Black business owners. “The only thing better than making a company that someone wants to pay $100 million for,” Summers says, “is making a company they can’t afford to buy.”

S10 | Friday, December 10, 2021

very year, I bake dozens and dozens of cookies - mostly for work, but also for my friends and family. Whether it’s through personal experience or things I pick up from professional bakers, I never fail to learn something new or find a better way of cooking. With my third go at our annual holiday cookie issue, I once again had my

share of aha moments. Here are some of my biggest revelations. I’m sharing them with you in the hope that they help your baking go smoother and smarter.

Buy a few extra sheet pans. Many cookie recipes call for multiple batches and may require additional space for chilling and decorating. I ran into this several times, wishing I had a few more

sheet pans to speed up the process without a constant carousel of filling and clearing pans. I would have said two is the very minimum of what you’d want. After testing, however, my new ideal number is four. Of course, you’ll find many more uses for them year-round, too. The Washington Post Food team’s favorite option is the Nordic Ware Baker’s Half Sheet, which is durable, affordable and

sold in more economical two-packs.

Chill out. This certainly applies to your mentality, but it’s extremely helpful for your dough, too. Chilled dough will hold its shape better when baked, whether it’s scooped rounds for drop cookies or cutouts. Dough destined for cookies created with delicately shaped cutters especially benefits from a stint in the freezer, before you punch

the cookies out - and even after. If you’re hoping to shape a log of dough for slice-and-bakes and finding it too soft to handle, pop it into the fridge for 15 or 20 minutes. That will make it easier for a round or square shape. To avoid the dreaded flat bottom on rounds, you can do a few iterations of pulling the dough in and out of the refrigerator and rolling, so that you even out the shape SEE COOKIES, S12

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S12 | Friday, December 10, 2021 |

COOKIES From Page S10

as the dough firms up.

Verify your oven temperature. It took a few frustrating batches of cookies that weren’t turning out quite right this year - too pale, too much spreading - for me to buy a new oven thermometer and see what was going on. The answer? My oven was heating to the set temperature at a much slower rate than I realized. After figuring it out, I started waiting a full 30 minutes (at least) for the oven to reach the temp, and my results improved. Depending on what you find, you’ll want to tweak your temp or cook time, calibrate the oven or call in a pro for a repair.

Bake a test cookie. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve filled a whole pan with cookies only to realize after baking that I should have done something differently - spaced them out more

If you’re hoping to shape a log of dough for slice-and-bakes and finding it too soft to handle, pop it into the fridge for 15 or 20 minutes. That will make it easier for a round or square shape. Photo by Tom McCorkle for The Washington Post.

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or less, chilled the dough more, adjusted the bake time. (I often find myself yelling this at my TV while watching “The Great British Baking Show.”) Especially if you’re working with an unfamiliar recipe, do yourself a favor and sacrifice one or two cookies as guinea pigs to see how they bake. The time commitment isn’t long, as cookies bake pretty quickly, and you may end up saving yourself grief in the long run. If you have a smaller pan, such as a quarter sheet or jellyroll pan, use it for the test batch, while you prep the rest of the dough on your half sheet pans.

the refrigerator or freezer. Pack them up with finished cookies to share with loved ones (no need to get the containers back!) or to freeze extras for future cravings. They’re sturdy, reusable and easily cleaned.

It’s OK to reshape.

Want to know how pros sometimes get perfectly shaped cookies? They reshape them partway through baking. It takes a little bit of intuition and a gentle hand, because if you do it at the wrong time or too forcefully, you may end up doing more harm than good. About halfway Put those takeout containers through baking is usually a good to good use. benchmark, so the cookies are I continue to lean on takeout at the sweet spot between set when it comes to supporting my and malleable. Setting a round local restaurants, so you better cookie cutter over a drop cookie believe I’ve built up an impressive and gently sliding it around in a stash of containers over the course circle can even out the round, and of the pandemic. And thank good- the dull side of a butter knife can ness, because they were invaluable be used to gently nudge a square for all my cookie testing. Use them cookie back into shape. If you’re to hold pre-measured ingredinot sure about timing and method ents if you’re doing advance prep. and want to experiment, here’s They’re also great for holding where to try that test cookie I scooped portions of dough in mentioned above.

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S13

S14 | Friday, December 10, 2021

Saying grace How a moment of thanks, religious or not, adds meaning to our meals Emily Heil The Washington Post

rett Levanto and his family had never said grace before meals, not regularly, anyway. But what began as a temporary challenge transformed them in small ways. This year, his daughter decided to start saying grace before dinner during Lent, and he and his wife were encouraging, thinking it would be a nice thing to try out. He was surprised at the effects it had. “It’s just been lovely. I really dig the way it creates a structure,” says Levanto, 38, who lives in Alexandria, Va., and works for a small lobbying and law firm. “Everyone has to get to the table and be together and not be distracted. We focus on where we are.” The family sits, holds hands, and takes turns saying a free-form grace. They might say what they’re thankful for, or speak about a sick friend who is in their thoughts. The parents aren’t prescriptive about what a proper grace is supposed to sound like, he says. “If my son’s heart is telling him to thank God for mac and cheese, well, thank God for mac and cheese!” They all say “amen,” and then dinner is off and running. Although the grace might take less than a minute, it sets a crucial tone. “It creates a grounding feeling - a moment of stillness,” he says. “I feel like our dinners at home are much better now - like, ‘Now we are together, and this is what we’re doing.’ I mean, I’m not going to say we have Rockwellian dinners or anything.” That’s a reference to painter Norman Rockwell, of course, whose images of wholesome middle-American dining include the iconic “Saying Grace,” painted for the cover of the Saturday Evening Post in 1951. It depicts a young boy and an older woman bowing their

heads in a crowded diner, as other patrons, seemingly engaged in the more familiar rituals of modern life - smoking or reading the newspaper - look on. At the time, it might have felt to many Americans that this tradition was fading. But it hasn’t. The state of grace in contemporary America is hard to quantify, though the practice remains prevalent: Almost half of all Americans said they regularly took a moment before meals to give thanks, according to a 2017 poll by The Washington Post and the Kaiser Family Foundation. This past Thanksgiving, it was probably heard at tables around the country. The very purpose of the holiday, after all, is to express gratitude. Many families who don’t typically pray before meals will do so, and those that do might expand the ritual. Kenneth Minkema, executive editor of the Jonathan Edwards Center at the Yale Divinity School, notes that the holiday’s roots trace back to the American colonists, who celebrated days of giving thanks for their bounty in the fall, and then in spring, they marked days of atonement when they fasted and reflected on their sins. “These days, we’re mostly only doing the fun part,” he says. The act of saying grace - broadly defined as a moment before a meal in which people give thanks - seems to be as varied as recipes for stuffing. The words people utter may be secular or religious, perhaps blended from various traditions. They could be familiar phrases repeated over and over, or invented on the spot. People create games to get their children involved. They say grace over fast-food burritos and elaborate holiday meals. For Pat Cuadros, the words are always the same: The Catholic grace that begins “Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts . . .” has always been the start to her meals. The setting

varies, though. She has said those words - sometimes to herself, silently, or aloud when she’s with other observant friends - in Chipotles, in airplanes, and in restaurants. She said them at Thanksgiving dinner this year with her mother and two brothers. If she were dining with a new friend, she’d ask if it was OK to take a moment to pray silently before they ate. “Everyone has always been OK with it,” says Cuadros, a 34-year-old writer and editor for the Department of Agriculture who lives outside of Fairfax, Va. “It can be a conversation starter. But in college, I always had a backup plan - I would think, ‘If it’s going to be really awkward, I can pray in the car ahead of time.’” Cuadros says the ritual feels

automated in some ways - after all, she has repeated the same words thousands of times. Still, she always finds meaning in them, and relies on the practice to remind her of her family and values. “It doesn’t ever lose meaning because I am truly grateful, and I know the moment is going to fortify me and reinvigorate me for the day,” she says. “Growing up in a single-parent home, you really do appreciate every meal.” To Minkema at the Yale Divinity School, grace serves several purposes. Reciting the same words together or participating in a regular ritual creates a feeling of connection with those around us, he says. “It serves to strengthen and confirm the bond of family or community,” he says. “It helps to

acknowledge that we are one.” And across religions, it is also an acknowledgment of the source of the food before you. “There is the creator/God but also other people, the earth, and the moral responsibilities that go along with that,” he says. “It also has a way of pulling you inward and reminding you of those responsibilities.” M.J. Ryan, whose books on gratitude include “A Grateful Heart: Daily Blessings for the Evening Meals from Buddha to the Beatles,” says that whether the motivation is religious or secular, taking a moment to truly feel gratitude can affect one’s life long after the dishes are cleared. The human brain is hardwired to focus on the negative, she notes. That’s a survival mechanism that helps us spot danger or problems. (Our ancestors found it was far better to notice that lightning storm on the horizon than the lovely blue skies above.) “Taking in the good is a counterbalance to that negativity bias we have in our brains,” she says. She recommends that people regularly find time to practice gratitude, and the beginning of a meal is a natural place to start. “It’s a built-in moment,” she says. “The food is an objective thing to look at that we have and can be grateful for.” People who routinely say grace do so for reasons both spiritual and practical. Terrence Geary, 50, a food-systems consultant and real estate professional in Newport, R.I., didn’t usually say grace at home with his wife and their young son. But his son recently stumbled

on a pre-meal meditation track on his wife’s phone, and became entranced with it. At first, Geary who is an avowed food lover - says he found himself impatient as he watched his piping-hot rigatoni grow cold while the family followed the instructions to appreciate the smells and the colors of the dishes before digging in. But he came around, he says, once he realized how the repeated ritual offered his son structure and stability - something that has been in short supply in these turbulent times. “We moved around a little in the last year and a half,” Geary said. “So anything we can do to make him feel at home and feel grounded, like

Reciting the same words together or participating in a regular ritual creates a feeling of connection with those around us. life is getting back to normal, is a good thing.” A pre-meal ritual can offer moments of both levity and seriousness. When Anna Saufferer’s extended family gathers - and they do, a lot, for birthdays and holidays, even the minor ones - the tradition is to do a pre-meal “nose goes” game. The last person to touch their nose is the one to say the blessing. “Someone is always too busy chatting or drinking their wine to notice,” she says. “Then some of the aunts and uncles might give a long-winded one, or the kids might

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go, ‘God’s neat, let’s eat!’ It’s a fun way to keep everyone on their toes and to make it not just the parents’ responsibility.” Saufferer, a 25-year-old public-relations manager in Seattle who attends a nondenominational Christian church, usually says a short, traditional grace when dining with her immediate family: “Come Lord Jesus, be our guest, and may these gifts to us be blessed,” which is a variation on a common Christian prayer thought to have Lutheran roots. Other relatives say their own graces in their homes, too. But she says adding the game when they all get together for meals creates a special feeling of togetherness, which they haven’t been able to enjoy in the last year and half, when the pandemic has made big gatherings impossible. “I’m excited to get back to family,” she says of the upcoming holiday celebrations. “And no matter what, there are small blessings and gifts that we can turn to, and [saying grace] helps us get our mind and hearts ready.” Dinesh Rathi, a freelance translator from Haymarket, Va., always recites the same mantra before meals. He says it in Sanskrit, with his eyes closed, and the words include the plea: “Let there be peace in me; Let there be peace in my environment; Let there be peace in the forces that act on me.” Rathi, 52, says it connects him to his spiritual master, the swami Shivom Tirth Mahara, who passed away in 2008, and of his teachings. And it serves as a daily reminder, he says, to consider how interconnected humans are. “No matter what is going on, I try to reflect on

Friday, December 10, 2021 |

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the day,” he says. “I think about what I might have done, and I hope I will not make the same mistake tomorrow. We all need to be compassionate and tolerant of each other in this world.” Grace can even change people’s experience of a meal. Levanto recalled that recently, he was alone with his son and daughter, scrounging up a dinner of leftovers for them. He had eaten at work, and typically, he says, he would have put food on the table and then gone off to do a little more work or catch up on news on his phone. Instead, he joined them in saying grace, and then stayed to talk to them as they ate. “In the before times, I would have just slapped the food down,” he says. “But I had the impetus to sit, so I chatted with them and had varying degrees of success in asking them about their days.” That kind of intentional slowing down is what saying grace is all about, says Tim O’Malley, the academic director for Notre Dame’s Center for Liturgy. “If you think about the modern household, it’s efficient - we get together, we eat, we run,” he says. “Saying grace is a note of slowing down.” And he thinks that as we become more distant from the source of our food, whether that is the life of the animal we are eating or the hands of the people who picked the produce, we might forget to be thankful for them. “It might be the most damning thing in modern culture, that receiving without gratitude,” he says. Saying grace, though, “is medicine to the ingratitude that we can develop.”

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ajor producers of alcoholic beverages are introducing a number of products with low alcohol content. The aim is to meet the needs of consumers who are concerned about drinking too much amid an upsurge in “home drinking” during the novel coronavirus pandemic. Another factor is the growing concern worldwide over risk factors for disease. In July, Asahi Breweries Ltd. launched its Beery line of beerstyle beverages with 0.5% alcohol nationwide. The line was first released in March in the Tokyo metropolitan area and elsewhere, with strong sales mostly to customers in their 20s and 30s.

Sapporo Breweries Ltd. released The Drafty, a beer-inspired beverage with 0.7% alcohol, in September. “We want to give new options to people who like beer but want to reduce their alcohol intake,” a Sapporo marketing employee said. Mercian Corp. is introducing low-alcohol wines. At the end of August, the company released a Bon Rouge red wine with 6% alcohol, about half the level of regular wine. The domestic market for low-alcohol beverages is growing. According to research firm Intage Inc., sales of such products to households amounted to 419.1 billion yen in 2020, up about 70% from 2013. In addition to drinking at home, demand is also coming from people who do not like alcohol.

The aim is to meet the needs of consumers who are concerned about drinking too much amid an upsurge in “home drinking” during the novel coronavirus pandemic. In 2013, the World Health Organization cited alcohol as a risk factor for conditions including cancer and diabetes, and set a goal for member states of reducing the harmful use of alcohol by at least 10%. The “sober curious” lifestyle movement among young people in Europe and the United States epitomizes

a growing shift away from alcohol consumption. In March 2016, the Cabinet approved the basic plan for promotion of measures against alcohol-related harm. The plan urges the alcoholic beverage industry to consider displaying alcohol content on containers. The nation’s four beer giants — Asahi, Kirin, Sapporo and Suntory — have started displaying the number of grams of alcohol in their main products. “It is becoming the responsibility of manufacturers to provide products of various levels of alcohol content and give data on the number of grams,” said Kazuo Matsuyama, head of marketing at Asahi Breweries.

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Outdoor decorating trends:

natural, cozy, sustainable By KIM COOK Associated Press

Home, as we know, has become more central to many of us during the pandemic, and that means outdoors as well as in. This holiday season, designers and retailers have suggestions for updating window, door and yard decorations. Trends include sustainability, naturalness and coziness.

NATURE SHOW New York interior designer John Douglas Eason appreciates a season where “over the top” is often just what’s needed. “But that said, I like subtle holiday design, incorporating nature and keeping it tonal. I love monochromatic gourds with a gnarly tree branch tossed in for interest and fresh greens,” he says. Eason suggests luminarias to

light walkways, “and I’ve been playing around with the idea of connecting them with thick garlands and woodland elements. “I really think a more natural holiday design is absolutely on point this season.” When the holiday is over, he notes, recyclable decor can go back to nature “and help to ensure the gift of a safer earth for generations to come.” Professional organizer Shira Gill, whose new book, “Minimalista” (Ten Speed Press), offers decluttering tips, also suggests going biodegradable. String a popcorn and cranberry garland for window boxes or railings, or make a frontdoor wreath out of tree trimmings or fallen twigs. “These can all hit the compost bin when the new year rolls around,” she says.

HOLIDAY LODGE

white deer in various poses, as well as a sleigh and deer combo. If heading off to a cozy cabin is more aspirational than doable, you A slim, white-lighted tree would can still achieve the chalet vibe. A look enchanting on a city stoop or in a suburban yard. few birch logs placed in a galvaInstead of the usual wreath, nized steel or enameled planter, hang a set of Terrain’s leather and with pine or cedar boughs and silver sleigh bells. some faux or real moss bedding the pot, will look inviting with or TRADITIONAL COLORS without a strand of warmly hued Nicole Fisher, who bases her fairy lights. BNR Interiors firm in New York’s Peel-and-stick removable Hudson Valley, likes to blend the decals can dress up a front door time-tested colors of Christmas or street-facing windows. Temwith fresh twists. paper’s white Christmas Village “My color palette this year is wall decal set gives you pine trees, going to be green and red with deer, various buildings and an black and white accents,” she array of stars to create a silhousays. “I love the traditional conetted scene. cept of black and white, but Grandin Road also has a silhoualso how it’s unexpected for the ette theme, with powder-coated holidays. Harlequin and checkmetal deer and mountains. ered prints in small doses, for Home Depot’s Polar Wishes colSEE DECORATING, S20 lection includes a herd of lighted

S20 | Friday, December 10, 2021

DECORATING From Page S19

ornaments or decorative accents, work for both inside and out of the house.” She likes magnolia-leaf garlands with green tops and a rich burgundy red on their fuzzy undersides. “They’re my favorite to use because they pop against a blanket of snow,” Fisher says. “They’re also very hardy and last through the entire season, always looking fresh.” If you can’t find magnolia garlands locally, Food52 quick-ships good-looking fresh ones. And there are lovely faux versions that you can embellish with extra pops of green, red or copper magnolia sprigs, at Etsy,Jamali Garden and West Elm. Garlands of all kinds of greenery can warm up the look of railings or frame doorways. Leave them au naturel, or dress them with metallic accents and small decorations for your overall theme. A 9-foot multicolored garland

This image provided by The Home Depot shows their Polar Wishes collection including lighted white deer and sleigh figures. A winter white theme is one of this season’s most popular; it appeals to modern, naturalist and traditional home decorators. (The Home Depot via AP)

at Lowe’s is battery-operated, if you don’t have an outdoor plug nearby. Set the timer, and the lights go on and off at the same hours each evening. There’s also a 24-inch wreath with the same features. Why not bathe the front door itself in holiday colors? “It might sound extreme,” says Leigh Spicher, national design director for homes developer Ashton Woods, “but you can paint your front door to coordinate with seasons, especially if your home is a neutral color. So this means you can have a red or green door for the holidays, and then repaint it a bright yellow for the spring.”

MODERN WINTER Gill’s aesthetic is minimalist, but striking. “Engage all the senses,” she advises. “Project festive images on your front door – think snowy winter wonderland, or a slideshow of your favorite holiday memories.” Like Eason, she loves the idea of lining walkways with lanterns or tall white candles for “a chic, minimalist look that still feels festive and lovely.” LightShow’s Projection SnowStorm sets an 8-foot-wide blizzard of snowflakes dancing across the front of the house. Another version has gently falling snowflakes across a 30-foot expanse. While winter white is great for a modern look, Eason says adding colors to the scheme can make it “2020s fresh.” “Womp up your contemporary design with vintage ornaments, or

This image provided by Grandin Road shows their oversized fiberglass ornaments. The ornaments are whimsical and eye-catching. Kids can imagine they’ve fallen off a giant’s Christmas tree, and adults can enjoy the bold, statement-making patterns. www.grandinroad.com (Grandin Road via AP)

add gorgeous velvet ribbon in teal, purple or a scrumptious chocolate brown,” he says. Peachy-pink is another trending holiday shade, in bright and blush tones. For Hanukkah, Wayfair has fabric door and garage murals printed with blue, white and silver symbols and greetings.

a garden or walkway have been given a holiday dress-up with candy cane stripes and a snowy cap, at Lowe’s. Inflatable décor may not be for everyone, but if you’ve got little kids, it’s hard to ignore the delight sparked by seeing a gigantic character on a front lawn. Lowe’s has favorites from Toy Story, Frozen, Grinch, Peanuts and Star Wars. At Home Depot, there’s a big MillenKIDS’ CHRISTMAS nium Falcon, inflatable sleighs, Grandin Road’s bright, oversize trees, Santas, snowmen, and a fiberglass ornaments look like they gingerbread house you can walk plopped off a giant’s Christmas through to get to the holiday fun tree. Or keep things small: Those indoors. handy little solar stick lights that you pop in the ground around

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What’s next in craft beer after 25 years? President and original brewmaster Steve Wagner sees craft brewers continuing to innovate as consumer tastes shift away from strong IPAs and toward better-for-you beers and lighter seltzers. people to come to San Diego and come to Stone.” As a homage to its heritage, teve Wagner got started in Stone recently released a Stone the craft beer business in the 25th Anniversary Triple IPA with a usual way — first as a fan of robust 12.5% alcohol kick. beers, then as a home brewer and Easygoing and thoughtful, eventually as an employee haulWagner had a career before craft. ing hops and sterilizing tanks at a He played bass in a modestly production brewery. successful punk-folk fusion band What’s unusual, though, is how based in Los Angeles. Called The far Wagner’s journey in the craft Balancing Act, the band cut a industry has taken him. couple of albums and toured. Now 63, Wagner is co-founder, As a member of a touring band, president and the original brewWagner could ask show promoters master at Stone Brewing, which he for certain backstage perks. “Me and partner Greg Koch grew into and the drummer — the two guys the ninth-largest craft beer maker who liked beer — would ask for in the U.S. some local beer, whether that was Stone produced 347,000 barrels a regional beer or if there was any of beer last year (each barrel equals craft beer available at that time, 31 gallons.) It employs about 800 which there wasn’t much.” workers, mostly in San Diego Wagner and Koch first met in County. This month, it celebrates the music business. Koch operated its 25th year anniversary with a a music rehearsal studio where series of events at its local tapWagner’s band practiced. rooms and bistros. “As he tells the story, he didn’t Stone wasn’t the first craft know me that well because my brewery in San Diego by any band actually paid their rent on means, nor was it the first to brew time,” said Wagner. strong, hoppy India Pale Ales that Though they didn’t know it back the region is known for. then, both shared an interest in But it was an early leader in craft beer. Wagner joined a homebrewing and bottling a high-pow- brewing club, and one weekend ered West Coast-style IPA attended a UC Davis extension year-round. That move helped class on sensory evaluation of cultivate San Diego’s cachet as a beer. hotspot for interesting craft beers, Koch signed up for the same particularly IPAs. class. “It was one of those ‘What “Shortly after that, we started are you doing here?’ moments,” sending our beer into Arizona and said Wagner. “And we ended up, additional states, and that helped over a beer that night, hatching develop the reputation of San plans to start our own brewery.” Diego,” said Wagner. “I think we It took a while. Wagner became were successful at creating a good a brewer at Pyramid Brewing in buzz about our brewery and our the Pacific Northwest, which is beer to spread the word, to get

Mike Freeman The San Diego Union-Tribune (TNS)

Stone Anniversary 25 Triple IPA in the garden area of Stone World Bistro at Stone Brewing on Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021 in Escondido, CA. (Eduardo Contreras/San Diego Union-Tribune/TNS)

best known for its Hefeweizens. He pursued the job in part to see whether he liked working in a production brewery. He did, so much so that he didn’t want to leave. “It took Greg pushing me,” he

said. “My wife and I were living up in Portland. I was working up there and really enjoying it. It took Greg saying, ‘Alright, are we going to do this thing or not?” They explored possible locations SEE CRAFT BEERS, S24

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CRAFT BEERS

A lot of distributors were thinking, this is a fad, and it’s on its From Page S22 way out now. It was a tough time because we had to overcome those in Southern California and settled on North County. Since then, types of objections. Q: But there also was a bounceStone has expanded across San back when craft really took off Diego and on the East Coast. Along the way, Wagner has wit- again, right? A: When you’re in it, it was a lot nessed the evolution in the craft slower than it probably seemed industry — including the recent (from the outside.) It was like a rise of hard seltzers and low or five-year overnight success. non-alcohol craft beers. Our first year, we were draft Ahead of Stone Brewing’s only. We only had kegs. And what 25th anniversary festivities, he ended up saving us was the small reflected not only on the past but mom-and-pop restaurants. We also about where craft beer, and would go in there and tell them Stone Brewing in particular, are our story and have them taste our headed. beer. And they would say, bring Q: Thinking back to when you started Stone, how was the indus- me keg next week. We’ll put it on tap and see what happens. try different? Q: You were able to get a A: We started at probably the following? worst possible time because it A: Yes. They were willing to take was sort of the first shakeout in a chance on us because they were craft beer. I think Sierra Nevada entrepreneurs themselves. There started in the 1980s, and a bunch was a feeling of kinship. And the more breweries had come in. word kind of spreads in the restauSome people, unfortunately, had rant business. Everybody watches quality issues with their beer or what everybody else is doing. supply problems. Maybe their Q: Do you have a favorite beer? heart wasn’t in it. It was more A: Stone IPA has always been of a money-making thing. So, my favorite beer. We released there was not great quality beer that on our first anniversary. But out there, and a lot of frustration I didn’t have expectations that it among retailers and distributors with not being able to get a consis- was going to become a huge seller. tent supply of beer or a consistent The usual reaction back then was, wow, this is so bitter, and it’s quality of beer.

so strong. And that’s the way it turned out. It was a slow grower for us. Everybody liked our Pale Ale in San Diego. This was a step beyond for most people. But you know, people’s palates changed as they got more adventurous and tried different things and then decided they liked it. Q: And that helped create the wave of IPA popularity that ran for years? A: It’s still going. It is still the most popular style in craft beer, which is amazing 25 years on. Q: But tastes have changed again. What do you think when you see the evolution that is happening out there? A: It is a normal generational shift in a lot of ways. The oldest craft breweries are probably 35 years old. People like me who started these companies and drink this beer are aging and not drinking as much. Young people coming up are interested in different things. Some of their focus is on better-for-you and healthier things, or sweeter things. I think that is normal and healthy. As a company, we need to decide either we’re going to just keep doing what we do and gradually age out, or we’re going to get interested in other things, too, and expand our potential audience. Q: So, you embrace this change?

A: Yeah. It’s not as easy as it sounds, but we look at things like the hard seltzer category. We don’t want to be just a follower and jump into this. But is there something that we can do that will raise the bar or that would be really Stone-esque? And when we looked at that category, it’s very popular. But none of the flavors really impressed us very much. We have an incredible innovation team. We thought that we could probably do something better and raise the bar in this category. (Stone introduced its Buenavida line of four hard seltzers in the Southern California market earlier this summer.) Q: The same goes for the beer category, right, with Buenaveza Salt & Lime Lager and the Dayfall Belgian White beers that are different from what you’re known for? A: Absolutely. Part of that is Maria (Stipp’s) influence, our CEO. She said we have this reputation for doing great things. But we need to continue to grow, and to grow we need to add new fans. So, we need to make Stone a little more approachable in some ways and try different things. Now, we need to put a unique Stone stamp on it. But let’s try some things that may be in the early days you guys would never have thought of trying. She has really helped Greg and I expand our minds and be open to trying different things if we think there is a good reason to be there. Q: Do you still homebrew? A: No. I take that back. I did one batch during the pandemic. My sons, who are in their 20s, finally asked me to teach them how to homebrew because they were home from college and stuck at home. It was like Dad, can you? I’ve been waiting for 20 years for you guys to ask me. So, we actually brewed a batch of beer, which is pretty cool. ©2021 The San Diego Union-Tribune. Visit sandiegouniontribune. com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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S26 | Friday, December 10, 2021

Everything you ever wanted to know about See’s Candies

We recently interviewed Egan to ask him about his time at See’s hat’s it like being the Candies, how the company develking of a chocolate ops new flavors and who comes up empire? Pat Egan became the with all the samples. This converpresident of See’s Candies in 2018 sation has been edited for length (and the CEO in 2019) after leaving and clarity. an energy company also owned by Q: Do you remember the first Warren Buffett’s conglomerate time you tried See’s Candies? Berkshire Hathaway. He believes A: I don’t know that I can he’s a quick study but admits he remember the particular piece used flashcards to ensure he could distinguish between the more than but I can remember the shop — the Hillsdale shop in San Mateo, 100 pieces of candy See’s offers. And he’s visited every single See’s where I lived until I was 10. We Candies store (there are more than still have a shop there. It must have been around Easter time 240). Jenn Harris Los Angeles Times (TNS)

because I can remember bunnies and decorations and eggs. When we moved to Portland, Oregon, I can remember there was a shop in Washington Square Mall. I used to hang out at the mall and stop by See’s to get my free sample and buy something for my mom or my family. Q: Is there a research and development team? How does the company come up with new flavors? A: We have an R&D team. The flavor ideas come from a combination of [sources]. I always

ask what customers are requesting [and] we have a marketing and merchandising team that stays on top of trends. We don’t introduce a lot [of new product] so we want to make sure it stays. It’s a rigorous process with food scientists and we have to make sure the pieces all match our profile. We are the largest confectioner of our kind that doesn’t add preservatives. Q: Can you walk me through the introduction of one of the new pieces issued each month during this centennial year?

A: We have to look at the equipment that we have. For the salted caramel piece, which we introduced in August, we make great caramel and we have great dark chocolate, but we had to alter the caramel a bit to balance best with the salt. We went through a number of salt vendors because the size and appearance of the salt needed to be right. It was a selection process that took us several months. Because we’d never had salt on the outside of a piece before, we had to retrofit a piece of equipment that was made for bread-making that would sprinkle just the right amount of salt as it was coming down the enrobing line. Q: How much have the recipes changed since Mary See was making the candy? A: We’ve still got Victoria Toffee, walnut fudge, peanut brittle, Maple Walnut Cream, and some of the simpler pieces are pretty much almost the same recipe. We started using Challenge Butter in our third year of operation. We’ve used Guittard chocolate for decades as well as Mariani nuts and Blue Diamond nuts. A lot of our ingredients are sourced out of California. Our honey comes from southeastern Washington state. Our cherries are from Michigan, raisins from California, berries are from Pacific Northwest. Q: How does See’s choose its locations?

Q: What are some of the things you’ve done to modernize the company since you started?

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Q: Can you name every piece of candy?

communication with customers. We have Instagram, TikTok and Twitter and we’ve just increased the level of engagement. Q: Is the candy still transported in liquid tanker trucks? Tell me more about the trucks. A: The chocolate gets melted at our supplier Guittard [in Burlingame], then it’s pumped into a tanker truck and it arrives at the La Cienega facility . It goes into our pipes and tanks. At this time of year, we’ll get as many as one to two trucks a day of both milk and dark chocolate. The most recent volumes we get are 50,000 pounds of chocolate per tanker. Q: Where is the candy made?

A: When I got here, we didn’t have PayPal or Apple Pay. Now we have those. We’ll have Venmo and Klarna. I don’t know that it’s necessarily going to change our volumes or revenue, but it’s really just making sure it’s as convenient as possible for the customer. Our ecommerce has doubled in the last two years. We cracked 1 million shipped orders in 2019; this year we’ll be at about 2 million and a lot of that volume will be in the next two weeks. We’re also leaning on social media and other means of

S27

depending on our production schedule and our shops.

We’ve still got Victoria Toffee, walnut fudge, peanut brittle, Maple Walnut Cream, and some of the simpler pieces are pretty much almost the same recipe. A: It’s sometimes good to have a grocery-anchored spot where there is another reason for customers to come through. Malls have upsides and downsides. If it’s the right mall there is lots of traffic; sometimes even in the L.A. area and in San Francisco, tourists might be coming through there. The challenge is we actually have a lot of customers who buy a lot of volume so parking and parking close to the shop is a key consideration. We’ll open only eight shops this year due to construction delays and other things. Last year we opened 10. We’re usually 10 to 12 shops a year.

Friday, December 10, 2021 |

A: We have three production facilities. The one on La Cienega is where we make our peanut brittle and some other brittle-type products [and chocolate candy]. Candy centers get made, then go through the enrobing line. The chocolate is then cooled and put into stock boxes. It’s shipped to a packing facility in Carson. There’s another production facility in South San Francisco. The lollipop factory that exclusively makes pops is in Burlingame. Year-round the number of employees is in the 2,500 range. This time of year it’s between 6,000 and 7,000

A: We actually have flashcards and I use them. I can pretty much recognize all of our pieces now. I am not sure when the cards were developed. I have mine at home. When I started with the company I used those for the first couple of months. Q: How do shop associates choose the free sample of the day? A: It varies, based on if we’ve got a new piece and if it’s something that we want to get some feedback on. Sometimes it’s as simple as we have a fair amount of it in the shop so it manages our inventory. If a customer requests to sample a piece, we honor that request as long as we have that piece. Ultimately the shop manager can make that decision. ©2021 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Wine lover?

Consider visiting the Okanagan in Canada instead of California’s Napa Valley by Karen Gardiner Special to The Washington Post

186 wineries export their wines: Around 90 percent of British Columbian wine is sold within the province. So if you want to drink Okanagan wine, you’ll probably have to go there, and the experience and personal touch make it worth the trip. “It’s a very welcoming region,” says Laura Kittmer, communications director for Wine Growers British Columbia. “There’s a lot of family-run wineries, so you walk into the tasting room and you’re literally speaking to the winemaker, the owner and the tasting room manager.” Culinary options, including fine dining and taco trucks, are top-notch, too. “What grows together, pairs well together,” Kittmer says. As a younger wine destination, the Okanagan also still offers a wallet-friendly experience. Tasting fees

are typically less than $10 (compared with $58 in Napa, both in U.S. dollars) and are often, though not always, waived with a purchase of a bottle. It’s easy to hit up multiple wineries in a day by following a wine trail or downloading the Wines of BC Explorer app. Although it’s about 155 miles long, the Okanagan is surprisingly diverse, climate-wise. Travelers typically fly into Kelowna, in the Lake Country subregion, where the province’s oldest continually operating winery, Calona Vineyards, was established in 1932. Wineries here are known for such varietals as riesling, chardonnay and pinot noir. At one of the best, Quails’ Gate, you can visit the lakeside tasting room, have a winepaired meal at Old Vines Restaurant and sleep it all off at the adjoining

guesthouse. At the valley’s southernmost tip, which is surrounded by a shrubsteppe semidesert and is one of Canada’s hottest spots, conditions are ideal for reds such as syrahs and merlots. Nk’Mip Cellars near Osoyoos Lake is majority-owned by the Osoyoos Indian Band, and it claims to be North America’s first Indigenous-owned and operated winery. Next door, in the Spirit Ridge Resort, the Bear, the Fish, the Root &amp; the Berry serves Indigenous-inspired cuisine, and the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre describes the history of the Osoyoos people. Location: The Okanagan Valley in south-central British Columbia.

apa Valley has the storied history, scenery and celebs Napa Valley conjures up images of grand hillside chateaus, opulent tasting rooms, long dinners at Michelin-starred restaurants and perhaps a little celebrity spotting, all factors that have contributed to its anointing as America’s most celebrated wine region. Plucky Napa pinned its place on the global wine map by beating French wines in blind tastings at the 1976 Judgment of Paris. To say this was unexpected is an understatement, and it proved to be a turning point in California’s wine industry. The number of wineries in the Napa Valley increased from a few dozen in the 1970s to approximately 475 today - good news not just for the wine industry but also for the state’s tourism industry. Napa became a major attraction, creating a market that supports some of the country’s poshest restaurants and hotels - the French Laundry and Auberge du Soleil to name two - and, in turn, crowds, particularly evident in late summer and fall. There are still workarounds: You can avoid weekends or head for wineries off the jampacked main road. Or you could go north of the border instead. Location: About 50 miles north of San Francisco. The Okanagan is Canada’s more laid-back, younger wine country Stretching from Shuswap Lake in the north down to the U.S. border, the Okanagan region of British Columbia (sometimes called the Okanagan Valley) is dominated by the approximately 85-mile-long, serpent-shaped Okanagan Lake. One of Canada’s sunniest areas, the fertile basin has long been known as the country’s fruit basket. (If you visit in summer, you can stop at roadside stands to fill up on just-picked apples, cherries and peaches.) Cycling or hiking the Kettle Valley Rail Trail, which is part of the province’s longest trail network, is a popular pursuit, as is skiing the deep powder at Big White Ski Resort and boating on the lake. But today, the Okanagan is better known for its wine. Unlike Napa, few of the Okanagan’s Kalala Organic Vineyards in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, a different kind of wine destination. Photo by Wines of British Columbia.

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S32 | Friday, December 10, 2021

Best Gift Books to Give 2021 Forget the shortages, there’s something on this list for everyone Christopher Borrelli Chicago Tribune (TNS)

ou’ve probably heard that the supply-chain crisis has been particularly hard on bookstores. These next few weeks, the most sought-after titles could be frustratingly sought after, even after you’ve stopped soughting on Christmas Eve. Santa is facing ships stuck outside ports, nonexistent warehouse space and manufacturing stoppages. Laying a finger aside of his nose, while laying another finger astride the shipping options of online merchants, Santa appears primed for an ulcer. Or as my Italian grandmother would say, “Madone!” But here’s what I say: Great gift books — great gifts! — come out of left field. Plus, most likely, the best readers on your shopping list are curious by nature. In other words, don’t sweat that supply chain this year, and forget what’s expected. Focus on what would be unexpected. What follows here are oodles of conveniently grouped ideas for book lovers, but with a twist: Very little here is obvious. Maybe one or two ideas. But the rest are helpful reminders: What everyone is desperate for is not usually what gets a smile on Christmas morning. The child’s keepsake: One of my favorite book gifts to give has been something, anything, from the posterity-minded folks at the Folio Society in the UK. (Don’t worry, they also have a U.S. shipping point.) New this fall is a handsome box set of Roald Dahl classics ($115) with Quentin Blake illustrations: “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “James and the Giant Peach” and “The Twits.” The cover fabric is nearly tweedy. The big splurge: If you missed — or loved — that blockbuster Frida Kahlo exhibit at the College of DuPage earlier this year, two things: It was not a cheap ticket, and Taschen’s gargantuan, bottomlessly interesting survey, “Frida Kahlo: The Complete Paintings” ($200), is the keeper, that rare monograph as rich as any museum show. Reproductions are vivid and huge, the history is free of art speak, and the archival materials — diary pages, personal photos, even architectural plans for her home — feel fresh. If there’s money left: “Mexico: The Land of Charm” ($35, Dec. 7) is a

fascinating compendium of roughly 50 years of travel brochures, calendars, hotel directories and auto club advertisements designed in the early 20th century to encourage Americans to vacation in Mexico. (Speaking of Kahlo, even husband Diego Rivera painted a few travel ads.) For the Marvel fan who has everything: “The Story of Marvel Studios” ($150) is the authorized history of the franchise that ate Hollywood, which means it reads like a fraction of the probing, less-polite history someone will eventually write. (This thing is so uplifting, Robert Downey Jr.’s afterward inserts a Maya Angelou quote.) Now the fun part: “Marvel Classic Black Light Posters” ($125) is an actual Hulking portfolio, a recreation of the 12 Day-Glo posters that Marvel sold mostly though head shops in the early 1970s. A handful were created by Jack Kirby. Silver Surfer rides a rainbow, Captain America smashes the margins of the panel itself. It’s a big (20 by 30 inches) smile of a treat. Roy Lichtenstein would approve. Forgotten no more: “Chasing Me to My Grave: An Artist’s Memoir of the Jim Crow South” ($30) is the oral memoir of Winfred Rembert, who made his name evocatively recreating scenes of his youth — the harrowing, like chain gangs and near lynchings, but also juke-joint dances and summers on the water — with the most original of canvases: carved, painted leather shards. This book is an illustrated autobiography of plain-spoken pains and moments of strength, alongside vernacular art that stops you short. Rembert died at 75, just last spring; this is the memorial that he should have lived longer to enjoy. The Roger Ebert memorial landfill: “For Promotional Use Only: A Catalog of Hollywood Movie Swag and Promo Merch from 1975-2005” ($52) arrives via production house A24, which apparently just ran with this clever archive of total junk. Who is it for? No idea, and yet here is page after page of the sort of freebies that journalists receive in the mail, to remind them that “The Color Purple” (satin jacket) or “Kill Bill” (letter opener) is coming soon. A cataloging of “Fargo” letter shredders, “Waterworld” mini-tomato plants and

“Twister” neckties. Does not expire 12 /26: My problem with Christmas-themed Christmas presents is they look tired within 24 hours. “American Christmas Stories” ($30) explodes that idea thoroughly. Compiled by Library of America, it’s got memoir, sci-fi, crime — an expansive take on how Christmas can come across; more important, it’s got variety — Ray Bradbury, Sandra Cisneros, Ben Hecht, Gene Wolfe, Nathan Englander, W.E.B. Du Bois, and many other authors not often associated with holiday classics. Same could be said for “A Vader Family Sithmas” ($15) by Chicago’s Jeffrey Brown, a new set of “Star Wars” gag comics perfect for kids. (“May the Force be with us, everyone.”) Somehow, it’s just shy of kitsch — not unlike Chicagoan Rob Elder’s original “Christmas With Elvis” ($20), a thoughtful portrait of the King as told through his Christmas recordings, the gifts he bought for himself, his Christmas cards and charitable givings. The never-expected: First of all, this is not a book. It’s a puzzle. Except, it’s a 1,141-piece puzzle ($50) by Oak Park-based cartoonist and genius Chris Ware, adapted (if that’s the right word) from his form-shattering, ephemera-stuffed “Building Stories” graphic novel. The image is a mashup of pages from the work itself; and since this is Ware, the packaging is just as clever — it all comes in a small cardboard brownstone.

Books on books: If there’s someone in your life always reading, here you go: “Bibliophile: Diversity Spines” ($19), a one-stop snapshot of (the dedication explains) “marginalized writers and readers” and their books. It’s a recommendation party, full of Jane Mount’s Insta-ready illustrations, broken into memoir, horror, classics, coming of age, etc. “The Art of Oz: Witches, Wizards & Wonders Beyond the Yellow Brick Road” ($40) somewhat annoyingly starts with the premise that Oz is real; artist Gabriel Gale includes a Google “map” of Oz. But the heart is solid: Gale’s interpretations of the beasts that Baum (working in Chicago) dreamed into his 14 Oz books, alongside earlier illustrations. That said, “The New York Times Book Review: 125 Years of Literary History” ($50) is the gem here, the must-have, a trove of what-to-read-nexts, yet drawing on history with authority. W.H. Auden reviews Tolkien (“No fiction I have read in the last five years has given me more joy”), Pynchon reviews Marquez; Zadie Smith punctures her own acclaim (“A lot of the book is an exercise in ‘Look at me,’”). Archival photos, ancient book advertising, Q&As. A 1902 editorial knuckle-raps the “Prurient Prudes” of an Evanston library for excessive censorship. There’s even a fun batch of angry author letters. It’s newspaper history done right.

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GIFT BOOKS From Page S32

Your museum, reworked: That the bright, textural collages of “Mickalene Thomas” ($125) are still mostly enjoyed by those grounding in contemporary art is a crime. Aside from an introduction by Roxanne Gay, the art speaks for itself here, domestic spaces full of reclining Black women, somehow transcendent and matter of fact, all at once. Beautiful as this survey comes off, you have to experience firsthand the pastiche of fabrics, paints, rhinestones that mark Thomas’ work. Still, this is the place to start. “Another History of Art” ($25), however satiric, works a similar kind of magic. Canadian artist Anita Kunz (best known for her New Yorker covers) reimagines the history of art as entirely female. So we get Leona da Vinci, Paula Klee, etc. Sounds like a one-note joke, but here are classics remade for monkeys, faux jewelry, mansplaining. Pretty charming stuff. Same for the continent-spanning “African Artists: From 1882 to Now” ($70), another of Phaidon’s terrific history-in-a-book approaches to what could be an encyclopedia of options. Here we get more than 300 artists, sample work and a bit of curatorial context, like an exhibit you can tour on your own time. Santa baby: This should make you feel old and dusty. Dan Savage, Chicago-born purveyor of fine sex talk, has been dispensing advice for 30 years now. Though it’s thin and brief, “Savage Love: From A to Z” ($20) has it where it counts. The format looks kind of slight, but Savage’s alphabetized essays — R is for rejection, B is for bondage and so on — allows for left turns and direct talk that rarely avoids the big picture of every permeation of relationship. J, for instance, is for Jesus, because religion often intrudes. Tolerable Christmas morning nostalgia: “Toys: 100 Years of All-American Toy Ads” ($40) is exactly that, the Sears Christmas catalog you never get now, minus the tool section. Think 500-plus pages of toys, from windup tin cars made in Freeport, Illinois, to MC Hammer dolls. There’s scant history between the ads, but that’s welcome: What’s more telling than a Depression-Era billiard table ad from Brunswick, made on South Wabash Avenue? “Pac-Man: Birth of an Icon” ($75) does exactly what a good coffee table history should do, it goes deeply into every aspect of a very specific thing. I mean, there’s one page here on whether the Pac-Man ghosts are actually monsters. There’s a great dive into how Chicago-based Midway

imported the game to America. The way we were: Not to sound like a philistine, but “Cairo in Chicago: Cairo Street at the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893” ($120) could use more pictures. Because, at that price, what’s here — between pages of overwritten history — is fascinating, a breakdown of the life and authenticity of a single popular exhibit. (Who doesn’t want to know more about “The Hot-Hot-Hot Man”? Or the “Startling Torture Dance” that moved to Clark Street after the exposition closed?) “Lost Chicago” ($25) is the more accessible (and welcome reissue) option, local historian John Paulett’s decade-old tombstone of sorts to Chicago’s fallen movie theaters, amusement parks, harbors — even industries, such as meatpacking and mail-order empires never more. Sweet soul music: It’s hard to tell if “The King of Gospel Music: The Life and Music of Revered James Cleveland” ($60) is biography or box set. Though it hardly matters. Robert Marovich, Chicago gospel historian, makes no bones that the city is the foundational heart of gospel, and Cleveland, a Bronzeville native, its genius. A glossary of album covers is a bonus — then you get a four-CD retrospective. It’s a generous charmer of a package. “Soul R&B Funk: Photographs 1972-1982” ($70) lets the images of Bruce Talamon tell the story, and as a corrective to decades of overly-familiar classic rock doorstops, it’s the indispensable resource of a great period. “Soul Train” gets a joyful section, and the Earth, Wind & Fire costumes alone beg for their own exhibit. Essaying the holidays: An essay collection is ideal, if paired to the right person. It suggests the recipient is busy not brainless, curious but discerning. A few ideas: “Essays Two” ($35) by Lydia Davis is focused on literary translation, but the real subject is writing, and language itself. More accessible, “These Precious Days” ($27) by Ann Patchett, who hits an essayistic sweet spot with thoughts on the ordinary (parents) and specific (her love of Snoopy), including the most perfectly titled essay ever: “The Moment Nothing Changed.” For a bit of hometown sneer: “Things are Against Us” ($25) by Lucy Ellmann, an Evanston native (and longtime Scotland resident, known for her remarkable “Ducks, Newburyport”). She’s working in a tone familiar to lovers of E.B. White and Norah Ephron — knowing, funny, exhausted. Subjects include the patriarchy, staying home and underwear (“Bras: A

“The Baseball 100,” “Savage Love: From A to Z” and “Chasing Me to My Grave: An Artistâs Memoir of the Jim Crow South.” (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Life Sentence”). A whole new world: You know you have received a good gift book when you look up and the landscape seems different. “Atlas of the Invisible” ($40) takes this literally, with design-heavy info-mapping of cellular connections in the Great Lakes, eviction rates, the ethnicity of immigrants living on South Halsted Street in 1895. A cartographer’s dream, and often revelatory. Similarly, “The Atlas of a Changing Climate” ($35) considers deforestation, thawing ice, receding wetlands, but in a snappier package of maps and graphs. A nice one-stop, straightforward explainer of how the environment works, minus the ideology. “Tropical Arctic: Lost Plants, Future Climates and the Discovery of Ancient Greenland” ($30) — featuring movie-esque, concept art-ish illustrations by the Field Museum’s Marlene Hill Donnelly — reconstructs Triassic-age Greenland, when it was actually green. “Two Worlds: Above and Below the Sea” ($60) is an ingeniously simple idea. As the title explains, here is a global tour of the split-vantage images we often get in an aquarium — surface, waterline, submerged — translated to real oceans and rivers. For instance, an abandoned seal pup (above), and the icy expanse (below).The reefs beneath coastal Indonesia. A large crocodile gliding just beneath the waterline off Cuba. Everything in its right place: Once at the dawn of civilization, you turned to an encyclopedia if you needed to know the layers of Earth’s crust or find a bio of Henry Ford. Princeton University Press’ Pedia series ($17 each) — five volumes so far, including “Treepedia,” “Dinopedia” and “Birdpedia” — is a charming reminder of the analog joy of looking it up.

Architectural digesting: “Progression” ($75), by Chicago-based architecture firm FGP Atelier — led by Francisco Gonzalez Pulido, Mexico-born design partner of the late Helmut Jahn — feels at times like a tribute to Jahn, full of airy, glass-encased swirls. It’s classic gift-book: elegant, opaque, dense with images spanning the globe, full of explainers of Pulido’s best-known works, including a Mexico stadium with serious wingspan. Even more classic: “Atlas of Interior Design” ($87), a survey of 400 great rooms, designed since the 1940s, on every continent. Envy is the proper response, followed by, could I afford this? Maybe not the sculpted Zeus-like mask fireplace in Tuscany, but maybe the Spartan casual of Brazil. Ideal armchair fantasy house hunting. Sir Paul, pen pusher: I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting much from another coffee table book of rock lyrics. (Both Dylan’s and Springsteen’s were undercooked.) I certainly didn’t expect more of “The Lyrics” ($100) by Paul McCartney. Though at 79, he seems to recognize these songs are the same as autobiography. He writes personal history, then, for each of the 154 songs in this two-volume set, an essay, a reminiscence, or a clarification. Filled out with candids and Beatles ephemera, it’s all pretty absorbing: He still isn’t sure about the opening chord of “Hard Day’s Night,” and when Michael Jackson called to work on “Say Say Say,” his first thought was: How did this girl get my number? ©2021 Chicago Tribune. Visit chicagotribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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S36 | Friday, December 10, 2021

A Unique Holiday Stay in the Grinch’s Cave

Visitors can book the ultimate holiday stay at the Grinch’s magical, multi-level residence from Dec. 13-23 on Vacasa.com

r. Seuss Enterprises, a leading global children’s entertainment company, has announced that it is teaming up with Vacasa, North America’s leading vacation rental management platform, to create one of the most unique experiences just north of Who-ville in the Grinch’s famous cave! The Seusstastic

story of How the Grinch Stole Christmas! will be brought to life for a limited time, giving holiday revelers the chance to experience the Grinch and his dog Max’s home like never before. Adventurous travelers, families, and Grinch enthusiasts looking for a steal this Christmas can celebrate the holiday season in the most whimsical way — by actually

booking the Grinch’s infamous cave on Vacasa.com. (Unfortunately, the Grinch himself will be taking a holiday from the holidays as far away from all the caroling, candy canes, and Christmas cheer as he can.) Located “Three thousand feet up, Up the side of Mt. Crumpit,” guests can book the Grinch’s cave on Vacasa.com starting Dec. 3 for stays leading

up to the Christmas holiday from Dec. 13 - 23. Given the Grinch’s reclusive ways, the cave is set on the outskirts of town, just outside Boulder, Utah, on a beautiful, remote property. The nightly rate for a stay will be $19.57* in honor of the book’s original release in 1957, and will include Vacasa’s signature guest and home care— with a few extra touches.

The Grinch’s rocky residence is within a hand-carved cave on the side of a massive stone mountain. Designers have decked the halls of this multi-level 5,700 square-foot lair with everything a Grinch fan could imagine. There’s a kitchen stocked with roastable beast, Who-pudding, and an emergency stash of Who-hash. A music room includes the Grinch’s organ alongside Max’s drum set leading into the study, main bedroom, guest bedroom, and more. Everywhere they go, visitors will be completely immersed in the world of the Grinch. Even more, the house is outfitted with all of Grinch’s gadgets; his overthe-top coffee machine, armoire with green furry pants, and all the kitchen supplies one would need to host a festive FEAST! FEAST! FEAST! True to the beloved Dr. Seuss tale, the cave will have all the details that make the Grinch’s Mt. Crumpit home so iconic. When asked why he won’t be at the cave to greet visitors, the Grinch commented, “I just don’t really want to. Now go away.” (After all, that’s what Vacasa is for.) Grinch fans staying at the Grinch’s cave will have the added benefit of Vacasa’s 24/7 guest support and elevated home care. Just like every other Vacasa vacation rental, the Grinch’s cave will be professionally cleaned and cared for by a dedicated local team, so guests can pack up their snoof, and their tringlers and fuzzles and enjoy a worry-free stay.

Interested visitors are encouraged to visit vacasa.com/Grinch for a 3D tour of the cave, and to mark their calendars for booking release times—the limited stays are expected to fill immediately. *$19.57 nightly rate does not include local lodging tax. About Dr. Seuss Enterprises Dr. Seuss Enterprises is a leading global children’s entertainment company focused on promoting literacy, education, self-confidence and the wonderful possibilities of a child’s imagination through the works of Dr. Seuss. The company was established in 1993 and is based in San Diego, CA. Global endeavors include publishing, film, TV, stage productions, exhibitions, digital media, licensed merchandise, and other strategic partnerships. For more information about Dr. Seuss Enterprises, visit Seussville.com, or follow on Instagram. About Vacasa Vacasa is the leading vacation rental management platform in North America, transforming the vacation rental experience by integrating purpose-built technology with expert local and national teams. Homeowners enjoy earning significant incremental income on one of their most valuable assets, delivered by the company’s unmatched technology that adjusts rates in real time to maximize revenue. Guests can relax comfortably in Vacasa’s 35,000+ homes across more than 400 destinations in North America, Belize and Costa Rica,

knowing that 24/7 support is just a phone call away. In addition to enabling guests to search, discover and book its properties on Vacasa.com and the Vacasa Guest App, Vacasa provides valuable, professionally managed inventory to top channel partners, including Airbnb, Booking.com and Vrbo. In Summer 2021, Vacasa entered into an agreement to become a publicly traded company through a business combination with TPG Pace Solutions Corp. (NYSE:

Friday, December 10, 2021 |

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TPGS; “TPGS” or “TPG Pace Solutions”), a special purpose acquisition company (“SPAC”). Interested parties should refer to the definitive proxy statement/prospectus filed by Vacasa, Inc. with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for important information regarding TPG Pace Solutions, Vacasa and the proposed business combination. For more information, visit https://www.vacasa.com/press.

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Pair this refreshing $12 lambrusco with burgers, pizza or charcuterie By Dave McIntyre Special To The Washington Post

n October, I wrote about a possible holiday shortage of popular champagne labels because of supply chain issues, reduced supply and surging demand. While we’ll still be able to find lesser-known champagnes (and I’ll have some great examples next week), this holiday season is a chance to go rogue and explore some alternative bubblies. Why not some red sparkling from Portugal, or Lambrusco from Italy? Or go local. Wherever you are, your local wineries are producing sparkling wines from unconventional grape varieties or unconventional methods such as pétillant-naturel. If you’re feeling conservative, there are always reliable bubblies from California that put American flair on the traditional model. GREAT VALUE

Cinta Lambrusco Dell’Emilia Rosso Two stars (Excellent) Emilia-Romagna, Italy, $12 Slightly sweet, refreshingly carbonated and straightforward with its deep, dark-cherry flavors, this inexpensive red bubbly would be a good match for your holiday smorgasbord, especially if you load up on charcuterie and other savory, spicy snacks. It’s also a worthy partner for burgers, pizza or barbecue. Alcohol by volume: 7.5%. Bottle weight: 435 grams (Light).

Portugal’s Vinho Verde territory along the Douro River east of Porto and west of the Douro Valley region where port and some of Portugal’s more esteemed table wines are grown. This is 100% vinhão, a grape also known as sousão, known for its deepred color and high acidity. Made in the traditional champagne method with a second fermentation in bottle, and aged for 12 months on its lees, it produces a sprightly bubbly with bright flavors of pomegranate and tart cherry. It’s a delicious wine for grilled or smoked meats, roast pork or pizza, and would be fun at casual holiday celebrations. ABV: 10.5%. BW: 780 grams (Sparkling). GREAT VALUE

Roederer Estate Brut Three stars (Extraordinary) Anderson Valley, Calif., $30 Roederer Estate, in California’s Mendocino County, is the U.S. outpost of the Louis Roederer Champagne House. The winery grows its own grapes, using biodynamic practices (though certification is not

mentioned on the label). The blend is about 60-40 chardonnay and pinot noir. In the champagne tradition, only about 120 gallons of the first-pressed juice from each ton of grapes is used to make the blend. (This is called the cuvée; the rest, called the taille - and there are gradations of this - is considered lesser quality.) Despite being made by a French-owned company in the French style, it’s very American in its outspokenness. Aged at least two years on the lees, the result is a wine of impressive complexity, brimming with flavors of orange zest, lemon curd and verbena. The long finish makes it difficult for me to complete this sentence, as I wait for the next nuance to unfurl. ABV: 12.5%. BW: 840 grams (Sparkling).

Horton Vineyards Súil Sparkling Viognier Three stars (Extraordinary) Virginia, $35 Virginia wine pioneer Dennis Horton popularized viognier in Virginia back in the 1990s, and later introduced a sparkling version.

Horton died in 2018, and the winery is now guided by three generations of Horton women: Sharon, Dennis’s wife, continues to manage the vineyards, while daughter Shannon handles the winemaking, with help from her daughter, Caitlin. Rebranded as Súil, a Gaelic word meaning “hope,” the sparkling viognier is still made by hand through riddling, disgorging and recorking, and in limited quantities. It is worth seeking out: Bone dry (with no dosage of added sugar at disgorgement), it has the honeysuckle and jasmine notes of viognier with a laser beam of freshness. This wine recently won a silver medal at the Champagne &amp; Sparkling Wine World Championships in London, probably the first such honor for a Virginia bubbly. Brava! ABV: 12%. BW: 880 grams (Sparkling). Available at the winery or through hortonwine.com. Prices are approximate. Check winesearcher.com to verify availability, or ask a favorite wine store to order through a distributor.

GREAT VALUE

Cantina della Volta Brutrosso Lambrusco di Sorbara 2017 Three stars (Extraordinary) Italy, $24 Made in metodo classico, the Italian term for the champagne method with the second fermentation in the bottle producing the bubbles, this light, delicate, almost diaphanous wine is more rosé than red. It entrances with flavors of maraschino cherries and mint. ABV: 12.5%. BW: 900 grams (Sparkling)

Quinta do Ferro Tinto Bruto Two and a half stars (Excellent/Extraordinary) Portugal, $27 Another red sparkler, from

FROM LEFT: Cinta Lambrusco Dell’Emilia Rosso, Cantina della Volta Brutrosso Lambrusco di Sorbara 2017, Quinta do Ferro Tinto Bruto, Roederer Estate Brut, Horton Vineyards Súil Sparkling Viognier. Photo for The Washington Post by Scott Suchman

S40 | Friday, December 10, 2021

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