I can't think of a better way to kick off the Fall season than with a glass of spice infused Autumn Sangria.  My good friend, Maranda, gave me this recipe years ago and I always make a batch around Labor Day to celebrate the coming of Fall. 

First I'm gonna show you how to make it.  Then we're gonna clink glasses and have a little toast.  Okay ... maybe just clink your glass to your computer monitor ... just be sure to not spill any on the keyboard.

First, grab yourself two really cheap bottles of Merlot.  If you're a fan of the movie Sideways ... and you don't like Merlot ... tough.  You need a strong red wine to keep the flavor after we manipulate it with some sugar and spice.  And you need it to be cheap wine so that you don't cry when we pour all the ingredients in.  Since you can't really find a rich earthy Barolo that's cheap, trust me with the Merlot.

Next, you'll need a little sugar and spice to make everything nyahiiice.  A big pinch of cinnamon and a little pinch of clove and nutmeg.   Some apples and cinnamon sticks for flavor AND decoration.  And a whole boatload of sugar.  One cup, to be exact.  And a bottle of ginger ale.

Pour the two bottles of wine into a deep sauce pan on medium heat.

This is the look I give my friends when they question whether or not the "full" two bottles of wine are going into the recipe ... or if one is for the cook.

Now this is why I'm telling you to use the cheap stuff.  Pour in the cup of sugar and spices.  Even though you're using a cheap Merlot, believe me when I say it's gonna taste goooooood.

Stir the wine as the spices and sugar melt and blend in.  This whole process takes about 8 to 10 minutes.  Be sure to not "boil" the wine.  You just want it to get a little warm simmer.  Boiling would burn off the alcohol ... and then defeat the whole purpose of making sangria!

While the wine is simmering, this gives you time to chop up some apples.  Cut the slices fairly thin and mix in a few varieties to add some color and make it fancy schmancy looking.  Also add about two handfuls of cinnamon sticks.  I almost spelled sin-a-men sticks.  Freudian slip?

 After the wine has simmered for about 10 minutes, pour into a pitcher or punch bowl, add the ginger ale and a cup of ice and refrigerate for 24 hours.  This allows all the spices to marinate and blend.

If you are going to serve immediately (within 24 to 48 hours) then the apples and cinnamon will really spice it up and also give it a festive look.  After 48 hours, strain the big bits out so that all you have left is the liquid. 

Raise your glass ... a toast to Fall ...

" Frame your mind to mirth and merriment,
Which bars a thousand harms and lengthens life."

 --Taming of the Shrew/Shakespeare

Autumn Sangria

Ingredients

2 bottles Merlot

1 bottle ginger ale

1 cup sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground nutmeg

½ tsp ground clove

4 to 6 apples

6 to 10 cinnamon sticks

Directions

In a medium pot, combine Merlot, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Let simmer for ten minutes, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved.

Pour immediately into a sealed pitcher or other container. Chop apples and add them along with the cinnamon sticks to the mixture. Add ice and ginger ale. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.

For a more carbonated punch or mimosa, add the ginger ale to the wine after it's cooled ... then it will keep the fizz.

###

Yesterday we headed over to the Mount Dora Historic Inn to learn how to make ... quite possibly... the best omelet I've EVER had. Seriously. First of all, the salty scent of frying bacon got the best of my empty belly when we first stepped in the door. But when Chef/Innkeeper Jim Tuttle walked out with a bottle of chardonnay and said, "we're going to need some wine to make this breakfast," I knew it was going to be a fabulous day.

Chef Jim shared with us his secret to making the best omelet, cooking asparagus, and even a little dance that makes water boil faster. The recipe of the day was his Bacon Asparagus Stuffed Omelet with Buerre Blanc sauce. It's the perfect gourmet breakfast for two.

****Now, there are so many different methods for making an omelet. Some add water, some add milk, some cook with butter, some with oil, there really is no "wrong" way ******

Want to make your own awesome omelet? Here's what you'll need

Freshly cooked bacon and asparagus, eggs, 1/2 stick of butter, 1/2 Cup fresh grated cheese, dried mustard powder, salt, freshly ground pepper, a dash or two of Tabasco

First, start off by taking a look at my side notes for creating the buerre blanc sauce and perfectly cooked asparagus.

Now, let's get started on the perfect omelet. Chef Jim has a couple of secret ingredients I've never added to my omelet mix ... Tabasco and mustard powder. The first step is an easy and familiar one ... just break your eggs into a deep mixing bowl and whisk together.

Then sift your mustard powder through a sieve to break up any clumps and add about 5 "dashes" of Tabasco to taste. Personally, I usually don't like hot sauce, especially on my breakfast. But adding the Tabasco at this stage gives it a little more flavor without the kick. Also add just a dash of water (Chef Jim's not known for measuring things) and whisk together again. You're about ready to start your omelet.

Bacon. Bacon. Bacon. I hear the voice of that pooch in the bacon strips commercial chattering on in my head.  I'm just as crazy about bacon as he is ... except ... of course ... this is the real thing.

Prepare the bacon as you normally would. The TIP here is, after you've finished cooking it stove top, sandwich between paper towels and microwave for about 10 to 15 seconds to further absorb the extra grease. This tip makes for extra crispy bacon.

Chef Jim likes to use butter AND olive oil to coat his frying pan. So, just in case the olive oil and asparagus threw you for a loop and gave you the impression that this is a "healthy breakfast" ...  let me just say that the taste is worth EVERY calorie. Especially the buerre blanc sauce. Mmm. On with the omelet .

Chef Jim quoted Julia Child as saying, "an omelet contains a hard outer shell of eggs containing a soft scramble." Here's his tip on how to get an evenly cooked omelet. Lift up the cooked edge and allow the uncooked egg to flow around it. This creates layers of cooked egg. See the sequence below ...

At this point, you want to flip your omelet and layer with the goodies you've pre-prepared such as the bacon, asparagus and sprinkle with cheese.

Here's another extra step I had never considered. Jim pops his omelets in the oven for 3 minutes at 375 degrees in order to bring everything to the same temperature. Note, if you are going to do this, you need to make sure you have oven-safe frying pans (without any plastic parts) and remember to use oven mitts to remove them!

Flip them onto your serving plate ... drizzle with buerre blanc sauce ... savor the moment ... sprinkle with paprika ...

Bacon & Asparagus Stuffed Omelet

Ingredients

Bacon
Asparagus
7 Eggs
1/2 stick of Butter
1 Cup Fresh Grated Cheese (we used muenster and cheddar)
Dried Mustard Powder
Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper
Tabasco

Directions

1) Create your buerre blanc sauce and perfectly cooked asparagus.

2) Break your eggs into a deep mixing bowl and whisk together.

3) Sift your mustard powder through a sieve to break up any clumps and add about 5 "dashes" of Tabasco to whisked eggs.

4) Prepare the bacon as you normally would. The TIP here is, after you've finished cooking it stove top, sandwich between paper towels and microwave for about 10 to 15 seconds to further absorb the extra grease. This tip makes for extra crispy bacon.

5) Add butter and olive oil to coat frying pan.  Bring heat to medium high.

6) As egg is cooking, lift up the edge and allow the uncooked egg to flow around it. This creates layers of cooked egg.

7) When omelet is firm,  flip and layer with the goodies you've pre-prepared such as the bacon, asparagus and sprinkle with cheese.

8 ) Add omelets to the oven for 3 minutes at 375 degrees in order to bring everything to the same temperature.

9) After baking for 3 minutes, slide omelet onto your serving plate ... drizzle with buerre blanc sauce ... savor the moment ... sprinkle with paprika ... and enjoy!

###

Chef Jim, with the Mount Dora Historic Inn, shared with us this recipe to accompany his Bacon and Asparagus Stuffed Omelet. So, what exactly is Buerre Blanc Sauce? Literally, buerre blanc translates to "white butter." Now, add to that butter a little wine. And in this recipe, add a little cream. Sounds sinful and naughty, does it not? Buerre blanc sauce is a rich and savory French sauce that will make a flavorful addition to any dish, from eggs to fish. There are many different variations such as citrus, lemon, shallot, wasabi and more, but today we're going to stick with simplicity.

There are only 4 basic Ingredients: Wine, Heavy Cream, Butter & Salt.

You'll love how it starts ...

Open up a bottle of chardonnay or your favorite unfinished white wine from the night before.

Add a half cup of wine to a medium sauce pan over medium heat.

Stir wine until it becomes a little syrupy and the volume is reduced by half.

See how there is a line on the pan from the initial pour of wine?

Pick a spot as your "half way" point to measure when it's reduced by half.

The wine will also thicken and become a little syrupy.

At first it's going to smell a little weird ... like vinegar.  But don't fret.

That's normal.  And the butter and cream that's added will cut down on the acidity.

Next, add in 1 Cup of Heavy Cream and whisk together with the wine.

Also add a pinch of salt to bring out the flavor.

After the wine and heavy cream are whisked together, add a full stick of butter.

Most recipes call for "chunks" of butter to be added.

This little tid bit was Chef Jim's secret for easy whisking.

As the butter melts, you can more easily blend it with the wine and cream

without getting clumps of butter stuck to your whisk.

Let it simmer until it's bubbly.

And Chef Jim says, "when you think it's bubbly enough, let it go just a little longer.

Voila! Serve over your Bacon & Asparagus Stuffed Omelet.

Basic Buerre Blanc Sauce

Ingredients

1/2 cup of white wine

1 cup heavy cream

1 stick of butter

pinch of salt

Directions

1)  Add a half cup of wine to a medium sauce pan over medium heat.

2)  Stir wine until it becomes a little syrupy and the volume is reduced by half.

3)  Add heavy cream, pinch of salt and whisk together.

4)  Add whole stick of butter, and whisk butter into wine and cream reduction as it melts.

5)  Let it get a little bubbly and simmer.  Then serve!

###