The Leaves Have Started to Change

And so, it seems, am I!

 

I believe it started right before we left Ogden Dunes.  I guess I could "blame" our wonderful neighbors, Ken & Curt, whom we affectionately called "The Guys"!

 

Blame is too strong a word, tho...

 

In so many ways, they enhanced our life.

 

This is one of those ways:

 

I am now drinking dry red wine!  I (we, actually) have always been sweet and semi-sweet oenophiles.  Dry wines were such a turn-off.  I felt as if I needed a water chaser! 

 

However, The Guys would serve drier wines (red & white), so when they had us over for dinner (which was always Top Chef quality) I would go for the red.  And it would go down easy! 

 

We needed to restock our wine "cellar" after moving and went for some Cabs, a California red and a lambrusco.  Right now, they are covered in Halloween wine bottle tags, like: Cats Prowl, Zombie Virus and Red Blood, and mixed in with our Halloween food & drink table décor ~~ Eat, Drink and Be Scary!

 

One of my favorite wines, and it only comes out this time of year, is Leelanau Cellars Witches Brew!  Unfortunately, it is a winery in Michigan, so I won't find it here in Colorado!  (Perhaps I could have it sent to me....hmmmm!)  In the meantime, tho, I have made my own spiced wine, using a Cab and mulling spices! 

 

I'm going to try it right now to see how it compares ~~ the verdict:  aromatic fall bouquet with a deep blood-red color, but not enough flavor.  Maybe I would need to add some sweetness....apple cider, perhaps?! 

 

In addition to the dry wines, I am now wanting a darker roast coffee.

 

I even asked for the special dark to be brewed at Waffle House Sunday morning!!!   HA!  We bought a single-cup coffee maker on clearance at Walmart right after we moved in and found an espresso ground coffee at Big Lots (yep, Big Lots) that helps to give me the richer flavor I now desire.  So, we will now be on the lookout for deals on darker roasts for home brewing as I will continue to seek out the same when at a coffee house!  (My new gig at Starbucks should help me learn more about coffee roasts, while also affording me a discount on bags of coffee!!)

 

I used to be a "the lighter the beer, the better" kinda gal, but now, when we are making our microbrew selections, I am looking at the ales with malt and described as having a toffee flavor!

 

What?What?  Who am I?!?  It's crazy! 

 

Tho, I still love a hefeweizen and Oskar Blues has a very flavorful one!