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Here at BOW, we sometimes like to write about what we're up to. This Blog page is our chance to report from the front line of wine making and we hope you like our silly little thoughts!
Thanksgiving Turkey
Posted on: 24th November, 2009
So my favorite part of Thanksgiving is making the turkey for my family. I am the cook in this operation. Sharon has an adversarial relationship with food which extends from eating the stuff to cooking the stuff. When we first were together I'd have a big dinner ready for her when she got home. She dutifully ate it for the first 2 months, knowing it was my loving gift to her, but finally she made it absolutely clear that I was not to keep it up as she couldn't get in enough hours at the gym to counteract my loving efforts. To this day she is perfectly content with cheese crackers, and a glass of wine while standing in the kitchen.
For my part, being limited in what I may prepare for the love of my life means that turkey week is an especially big deal. We have family needing the special treatment and I have carte blanche to do my best at cooking waaaaay more than anyone would ever want to eat.
We start with organic free range farm fresh turkey (a pleasant new development associated with living in the country and getting to know Derek and Amanda and their farm to fork friends). I lightly brine the bird on Weds nite while making the stuffing which, for me, is the very heart of the endeavor. Garlic and Italian croutons, dried fruits and nuts, diced sausage links sautéed in honey water, green onions, sliced apples, fresh mint and basil, and a surprise ingredient chosen each year are mixed together then stuffed into every bird crevice; (I lift the skin from the breast for additional stuffing), and then a juice of chicken stock, orange juice, honey and rum is poured over the stuffing, soaking it completely. In the oven for a few hours under foil and the wet stuffing bastes the bird perfectly. Out it comes steaming and very moist. Ta Da! Brian is in heaven whipping up the gravy and mashed.
Of course, a couple of hours later we can barely breathe and out comes the fine whiskey for a degustation and then we all contentedly pass out.
Friday and the weekend are days of amazement for you and your visiting family at BOW. The winery will be decorated with Christmas wonder! Magically, there will be golden globes and snowflakes everywhere inside BOW. The patio will be tented and there will be a dozen local artisanal craftspeople showing their wares. Woodpecker Farms will have fine food snack mixes, there will be beautiful hand knits by Laura Wyne, Wingo Wine Works will have fine furniture from Wine equipment, artist Christopher Snow will be in the BOWHaus, Lisa Yost will feature Silpada Jewelry and Melanie Walck will offer Made By Mel Jewelry, there will be Fresh Baked Glass from Ric & Lori Strong, we'll have our friends with wonderful selections from Books n Crannies, Bill Pursche will join us with copies of his excellent book, "The Canine Commandments" (all proceeds go to animal rescue), Linda Hedrick will offer Handmade by Design, Photographer Anne Whiting will be on hand, and there will be personal massages offered by Blue Mountain Healing Center. We call all of this the "Black Friday Recovery Ward Weekend". The idea is simple: skip the mall madness, taste some wonderful wines with family, and select from among the finest and most thoughtful gifts. Bundle up, bring a picnic, put your feet up at the fire pits, let the dogs and the kids play outside. Live life fully rather than staggering through the shopping mall maze. Breathe deeply of the wine and wood smoke and feel alive in the country and discover the holiday spirit at BOW.
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- One Journey at a Time. My brother Ben and his wife Kathy travelled around the country this summer with their two kids, Genevieve and Sebastian. Kathy wrote a storyu of the trip and she has posted her photos and story of their visit to us. Enjoy!
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- A lovely online article about BOW in Tasting and Touring Magazine.
- A visitor's blog and photos about BOW from late May, 2009
- A story about BOW's grand opening from the May 8, 2008 Fauquier Times Democrat.
- Editorial in the Fauquier Times Democrat regarding Green Business as Good Business. The editorialist, Joe Gumino, a good friend of BOW, died unexpectedly soon after this editorial was published and we miss him dearly.
- Check out a great article on Barrel Oak Winery's successes in the first year. Thank you Bill Walsh at the Fauquier Times Democrat!
- Read about our green building in the Piedmont Virginian.
- Read about BOW in the Wall Street Journal Online!
- The Unemployed Mom. See what a mom thinks about BOW as the child friendly winery of Virginia!
- BOWHaus Joy: The other other Red wine! Celebrate the 40th anniversary of Virginia is for Lovers with a bottle of our very special limited release. Have you seen it? Our beloved Bogart is racing up the label!
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