{Smokehouse to Vineyard}
A Little Side Action...
Most work days, I am
looking for a corner at restaurant bar where I can sit and enjoy a class of
wine and a snack while I put in orders from the day’s work. For the last two
hours of the day, my phone is attached to my ear and my fingers are glued to
the keyboard. Even though I don’t have much time socialize, I do like it when a
friend or a co-worker can join me. Let’s face it. We all enjoy a friendly face
at the end of the day.
At least once a week, I try to meet up with a friend of
mine who lives close to me so we can catch up on local happenings. Nine times
out of ten, when I ask where she is, she’s at Dead End BBQ enjoying a glass of
Chardonnay and a helping of the Macaroni and Pimento Cheese. At first I
laughed, but she told me I didn’t know what I was missing. She was so right! Honestly, I think we all
have our favorite places to get barbeque. Mostly that is based on the style and
quality of what we like. However, for me, the next important thing besides the
barbeque is the side items. So when my friend shared with me her favorite
afternoon snack, I was more than willing to try it out.
First, if you haven’t had
the Macaroni and Pimento Cheese at Dead End BBQ, you need to….soon. It’s
creamy, cheesy, slightly smoky… total perfection. The pimento pepper adds a
mild, subtle sweet flavor that contrasts well with the slight saltiness of the
cheese. Again, total perfection. It’s so perfect that Dead End decided to put
it on a sandwich; thus the Mac-Attack was born!
Secondly, if you haven’t
tried the Macaroni and Pimento Cheese at Dead End with their Noble Vines 446
Chardonnay, you need to… soon! 446 Chardonnay is a single vineyard Chardonnay
from San Bernabe Vineyard in Monterey, California. The first “4” in 446 stands
for the Clone 4 grape, the wine’s “claim to fame.” The clone was cultivated in
Carneros, California by Napa’s famous winemaker, Louis Martini. This grape
clone is now grown in “Block 46”, the remaining part of 446, in San Bernabe. At
the peak of ripeness, the grapes are picked and sent through the winemaking
process. The end result is a wine with aromas of ripe pear, pineapple and
melon, with flavors of peach and coconut with hints of lemon and toasty vanilla
spice. 446 is medium-bodied, with a creamy mouth feel, which compliments the
Macaroni and Pimento Cheese perfectly. Other great 446 pairings include the
Smoked Sausage and Cheese, the Dead End Mac-Attack and the Grilled Smoked Bologna
sandwich. I personally guarantee each one!
I’m glad my friend isn’t
afraid to experiment with what she likes, and I’m thankful that she’s more than
willing to share. Thanks to her, Noble Vines 446 Single Vineyard Chardonnay has
become one of my favorite go-to wines to enjoy by itself, or with my favorite
foods. Dead End BBQ was already one of my go-to restaurants. You can never go
wrong!
-Kim
