Pomegranate molasses is readily available in Middle Eastern grocery stores or online. Pomegranate molasses, also referred to as pomegranate syrup, is a tart-sweet reduction of pomegranate juice with the consistency of maple syrup. Used in the cuisines of the Middle East, India, Armenia, and Georgia, pomegranate molasses varies in taste, color, and viscosity by region.

Named after a town in central Italy outside of Rome, Amatrice was in the news in August 2016 for a devastating earthquake that leveled this beautiful old village famous for its iconic pasta sauce al’ Amatrician. Many restaurants and chefs around the world have been serving this dish since then as a way of fundraising for earthquake victims. It’s a simple preparation but with amazing flavor. I’m using bucatini here, a long pasta with a hole in the middle, but spaghetti or any other pasta that you like works fine.

Baking salmon at a low temperature ensures that the fish will be very moist since most of the delicious oils and moisture aren’t lost.

This recipe depends on getting the best scallops available. Diver scallops (which are also known as dry pack) are those that are harvested daily and never put into a brine solution. As a result the texture is meatier and they sear or grill beautifully, as opposed to those that have been soaking in a brine solution which is usually laced with tripolyphosphate and which encourages the scallop the soak up the water.

Asian flavors have become the most popular ethnic foods in America. The crisp Les Pierres Chardonnay with lovely balance can go beautifully with these flavors.

In this first presentation of this exclusive SonomaCutrer.com Live-stream series, the James Beard award-winning, Chef John Ash, shared his insights on the basics of wine: Serving, Selecting, and Tasting.

On Wednesday, July 1st, Club Cutrer members gathered together in the newly renovated tasting room of Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards. With a perfectly chilled glass of wine in hand, everyone’s attention turned to SCV Head Chardonnay Winemaker, Cara Morrison, as she introduced long-time friend of the winery Chef Ash. In addition to the in-house audience of Cutrerians, remote viewers also joined the live discussion and submitted questions online that were answered on the spot by Chef Ash.

Watch the full video of this informative and entertaining presentation on the basics of wine serving, storing and tasting that highlights both practical and fascinating aspects of wine culture.

During the hour, Chef Ash covered a wide range of wine topics and questions including:

• Why are wine bottles so many different shapes? (Chef says: Part tradition, part science)
• What temperatures should I serve red and white wines at? (Chef says: most people serve reds too warm and whites too cold)
• What do I really need to do to get a newly opened bottle to breathe? (Chef says: Get aggressive with it)
• What is “corked” wine and how does it get that way?
• What should I look for in a wine glass?
• Why do some wines use a screw cap and others don’t?
• What are sulfites? Why should I care if they’re on the label?
• Should I send a wine bottle back if it’s bad? What if I just don’t like it?
• What’s the difference between sustainable, organic, and bio-dynamic wine?
• Should I store wines standing up or lying flat?
• Should I store wine in the dark?
• If the screw cap is so effective, why isn’t everyone using it?

Watch the full video and get satisfying answers to these and more questions, along with Chef Ash’s take on why legendary chef Julia Child always drank wine while she cooked.