Archive for January, 2010

One of the most popular products we’ve  introduced this year has been the Wine Chicken Cooker

The handcrafted stone cooker cradles the bird, while the wine of your choice steams the inside, allowing its flavors to steep throughout the meat. Many of us have tried it at home and yielded moist, delicious results. You can even get creative with other beverages. A member of our staff used Red Stripe beer with curry seasoning!

Here are 5 creative recipes you can use, to make the most of your chicken cooker:

(Still need to purchase one? Find it here.)

Chef’s Tip: Always start your chicken in a cold oven i.e. , do not preheat.

Roast Chicken with Wine
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 1- 1.5 hours

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken 3-4 pounds, thoroughly rinsed
1/2 cup white or red wine
1/2 cup of olive oil
2 tbsp. Italian spices
2 tbsp. oregano
2 tbsp. thyme
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper

Preparation:
Thoroughly mix the ingredients together in a bowl. Add 1/2 of the mixture to the well of the chicken cooker and the other 1/2 of the mixture to season the outside of the chicken. Plug the chicken with a piece of aluminum foil. Place the chicken into a “cold” oven and bring the temperature up together. Cook at 350F uncovered for 1 1/2 hours, basting occasionally with the drippings.

When finished, the internal temperature should be 180F when taken at the meatiest part of the thigh without touching the bone. Let chicken rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

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Cult wines are a particular set of wines which command fanatical followings due to their low supply and high quality. A cult wine can be from any region but the phrase is most often used to refer to cult Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, California. A cult wine usually commands high prices of over $100 per bottle or thousands at a wine auction. “Rockstar” winemakers are at the helm of the limited production, and to own one of these wines is usually a sign of status, connection, pride and wealth. Some of the longstanding top names are:  Harlan, Screaming Eagle, Caymus, and Dominus

As featured in Wine Enthusiast Magazine, for more wine information visit WineMag.com.

After reading thousands of creative entries, we have finally selected our grand prize and 1st place winners for the Blitzen caption contest. We knew what Blitzen had to say, but what’s on Vixen’s mind? The answers were more hilarious than we could have imagined! Congratulations to our Grand Prize winner Sandy M, who will receive a FREE 18-bottle Touchscreen wine refrigerator. Plus, our first prize winners Stephen, Sandy B., Charlie, Madonna and Rob will receive $50 gift certificates to Wine Enthusiast. Check out their winning captions, here!

Then, celebrate our winners during our Blitzen Blowout! Find up to 60% off all Blitzen accessories.