Category Archives: Food

Tequila & Tacos: Coconut Tequila Lime Fish Tacos for Cinco de Mayo

02 Wednesday May 2018

Posted by in Cinco de Mayo, Cocktails, Food, holiday, Tequila

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Tacos. They make us happy. It’s a proven fact!

Plus, if you’re hosting Cinco de Mayo at your home, tacos happen to pair perfectly with tequila for the ultimate fiesta nibbles to have on hand this year. So make your celebration a hit with your guests by whipping up this yummy Coconut Tequila Lime Fish Taco recipe thanks to Altos Tequila and Grilled Cheese Social!

TACO PREPARATION
INGREDIENTS:
• Tomatillos – 2
• Garlic – 1/2 clove
• jalapeno pepper (remove seeds if you don’t want it too spicy) -1/2
• Cilantro – 1 bunch, divided
• Avocados – 2
• juice of 2 limes, divided
• salt to taste
• purple cabbage, roughly chopped – 1/2 head
• raw sugar – 1/2 tbsp
• corn tortillas
• cooked fish (from below)

DIRECTIONS:
1) Bring a pot of water to a boil and add tomatillos, garlic, jalapeno pepper and
salt. Cook until soft.
2) Strain and reserve a half cup cooking liquid.
3) Add those ingredients to a blender along with the meat from two avocados, the juice of 1 lime and a handful of cilantro.
4) Add cooking liquid until a creamy consistency is reached. Salt to taste.
5) Meanwhile, add chopped purple cabbage to a bowl and toss with lime juice, sugar, and salt.
6) Let sit you cook the fish component of the tacos below.

FISH PREPARATION
INGREDIENTS:
• garlic powder – 1 tsp
• chili powder – 1 tsp
• Cumin -1/4 tsp
• Salt – 1/4 tsp
• fresh mahi, cut into 2.5″ fillets -1 lb
• Altos Tequila Plata – 1/3 cup
• fresh jalapeno, seeds removed – 1/2
• juice of half a lime
• coconut oil – 1 tbsp

DIRECTIONS:
1) Combine garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, salt, lime, jalapeno and Altos Tequila Plata in a small bowl and whisk until combined.
2) Add the mahi and let sit for 5-10 minutes.
3) Add coconut oil to a pan and turn the heat to medium-high.
4) When it’s hot, add the fish with the liquid that it is marinated in.
5) Let the fish cook on one side until golden brown and then flip and sauté until the fish is fully cooked through.

That’s it! Once it’s all ready, pour yourself a Tequila Paloma cocktail to pair with the tacos (trust us, it’s a win-win pairing), and enjoy!

Big Game Planning and Baked Chicken Wings Recipe

30 Tuesday Jan 2018

Posted by in Food, Recipe, Tailgating

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The Big Game is almost upon us. Whether you’re cheering on Philadelphia or New England, we’ve got plenty of tips to help you throw the best football viewing party of the year. Wondering what you’ll need to prepare? Here’s a quick checklist.

  1. Beer, wine, and spirits – scientifically proven to make football better
  2. A keg – for the viewing party with more than 15-20 guests
  3. The perfect snacks for pairing with beer – nachos, wings, and chili, oh my!
  4. Cocktails – the Big Game calls for the perfect cocktail, like this Spike D Lemonade or Sweet Tea Touchdown
  5. Boozy Tailgating Food Recipes – alcohol makes tasty foods even tastier

Speaking of boozy food recipes, our friends over at [ yellow tail ] have a great way for you to start your Big Game planning with this delicious recipe for baked chicken wings in a savory merlot sauce.

Baked Chicken Wings in a Savory Merlot Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons [ yellow tail ] Merlot
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 minced garlic clove
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1-1/2 lbs chicken wings
  • Toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions:

In a large bowl, whisk together the [ yellow tail ] Merlot, soy sauce, garlic, honey, and ground ginger. Add the chicken and toss to coat thoroughly. Allow dish to marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a large shallow baking dish with nonstick spray and arrange the chicken in a single layer. Brush remaining marinade evenly over the chicken and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the oven and reduce the heat to 300°F. Baste the chicken with any accumulated juices, return to the oven and bake for 40 minutes or until the juices run clear.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Gear up for game day

21 Wednesday Sep 2016

Posted by in Beer, Food

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With football season in full swing, Sundays become much more than yards rushed and touchdowns made. Victory stands on the back of coolers and snack tables across the country, and Total Wine & More can help you make the perfect play when it comes to pairing brews and food.

Chips, Salsa, and Dip

In the realm of party snacks, there are few things more sacred than chips and salsa. Malt- forward and boasting a touch of sweetness, Amber and Red Ales complement this dynamic culinary duo, countering the heat of the salsa and the saltiness of the chips. We carry a wide assortment of highly rated Amber and Red Ales to satisfy any fans, no matter what jerseys they wear. Given a score of 92 from Draft magazine and awarded a World’s Best medal at the 2013 World Beer Awards, Oregon’s Full Sail Amber is a sweet, malty and medium-bodied Ale with a spicy, floral hop finish that represents everything we love about this beer style.

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Wings

If, like many of us, you can’t help but gravitate to the platter of wings, we have just the beer for you. The bold flavors of Buffalo wings meet their match in the form of India Pale Ales (IPAs). Thanks to their bitterness and citrusy hop flavors, IPAs enhance the taste of Buffalo wings, while easing the heat of the wings’ sauce for more enjoyable snacking. In addition to giants like Sierra Nevada, Total Wine & More sells a remarkable collection of IPAs, from World Beer Cup Gold medalist Ballast Point Sculpin IPA to 97-point Firestone Walker Easy Jack.

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Grilled Meats

No game-day party or tailgate is complete without some type of deliciously chargrilled meat. It’s happy coincidence that much of the NFL season takes place in the fall, a time of year when our shelves are stocked with limited-release Oktoberfest beers. These seasonal beers were born to pair well with German-style foods, which mean they’re perfect for brats, burgers and hot dogs off the grill. Paulaner Oktoberfest, a perennial favorite, offers up the light hoppy flavors and notes of sweet malt that have become synonymous with the style.

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You can find Paulaner and countless other fantastic game-day beers at your local Total Wine & More.

Braai Basics: Throw Another Boerevors on the Braai!

19 Friday Aug 2016

Posted by in Food, Wine

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There’s Southern cooking, and then there’s really, really Southern cooking – as in food from the Southern Hemisphere. This week, as we gear up for our annual exploration of wines from below the equator, we’re also thinking about the great cuisines that accompany them.

For South Africa, that’s braai. “Braai” in the Afrikaans language means “barbeque” or “grilled meats,” but it also encompasses the idea of a social gathering, like American backyard cookouts.

Key elements of the Braai are meat … and more meat.  Steaks and chops and other cuts go on the grill, along with boerevors – the traditional beef sausages originally made by colonial South African farmers (and their Dutch ancestors before them). No cole slaw and potato salad at the braai – there’s pap, a porridge made from cornmeal, and chakalaka, which sounds like a party all by itself.

Chakalaka is in fact a spicy vegetable affair served alongside the griiled meats. “I don’t even have a recipe from the braais at my home because the chakalaka always changed depending on the person making it,” says Total Wine & More’s own Siyanda M., a native of South Africa. “That’s pretty common, but the base ingredients are tomatoes, onions, carrots and beans.”

Here’s a recipe Siyanda says sounds like home (recipe via www.whats4eats.com):

INGREDIENTS

  • Oil — 3 tablespoons
  • Onions, chopped — 2
  • Bell peppers — 2
  • Hot chile peppers, minced — 2 or 3
  • Garlic, minced — 2 or 3 cloves
  • Curry powder — 2 teaspoons
  • Tomatoes, chopped — 3
  • Baked beans in tomato sauce — 1 (15-ounce) can
  • Salt and pepper — to taste

Makes 4 to 6 servings

METHOD

  1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium flame. Add the onions, bell peppers, chile peppers, garlic and curry powder. Saute, stirring frequently, until the onions and peppers are cooked down and wilted, about 4 to 5 minutes.
  2. Stir in the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in the baked beans, salt and pepper and stir to heat through. Serve hot or cold.
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Celebrate the braai properly! Grab a wine from South Africa to sip during the event.

With the chakalaka simmering on the stove, and the meats grilling up on the braai – that’s the word for the grill, as well as the gathering – let’s talk about what to pour. It’s customary for those participating in the braai to sip on wine, so we think it’s the perfect chance to try some exceptional values from South Africa. Our Discover the Southern Hemisphere event, with tastings going on all weekend (August 18-21), is featuring a few South African wines perfect to sip around the braai:

  • Neethlingshof The Caracal is a red Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Full-bodied with notes of dark fruits and oak, it’s perfect to accompany rich and charred red meats off the grill.
  • Spier Chenin Blanc is a classic, elegant white wine blancing tropical fruit and mineral flavors, ideal to sip with appetizers or grilled chicken.
  • Spier Rosé is a delightfully refreshing rosé of Pinot Noir, crisp and fruity, versatile enough to enjoy throughout the braai.

Discover the Southern Hemisphere at your local Total Wine & More through this Sunday, Aug. 21.

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