Super Bowl Snacks

2020 continues with putting some serious effort into the Union Wine Co. FIELD NOTES   This is a part of their site that tells employee stories, showcases recipes and cocktails as well as a few cool How To’s…

This is one of those posts.  Check them all out in the above link.

Take your Super Bowl Snacks

to the Next Level

Whether you will be rooting this Sunday for that dreamboat Jimmy G and his 49ers or the insanely talented Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, I think we can all agree on a few things.  One- let's just hope its a close game. Two- at least we don’t have to watch the Patriots again.  And three- whoever is in charge of snacks better come correct.

For those Super Bowl party-goers who are more interested in the commercials and the J-Lo halftime performance (you know who you are…), the afternoon’s snacks become even that much more crucial. So we figured we’d suggest a few new style treats that are bound to impress your guests and make you the hit of the party.

First off, we thought we would show you our take on the classic Jello Shot.   There are few constants in this crazy and unpredictable world of ours, but i think its safe to say that everyone loves Jello Shots.  The original ones, made with vodka or grain alcohol can really sneak up on you and pack quite a punch. So we decided to mellow it out a bit and make two flavors using our canned Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir.  We had planned on matching team colors, but since its going to be red all the way around, we went a little off script. (Thanks a lot Aaron Rodgers.)

Blue Raspberry Pinot Noir Jello Shots

You don’t need to be a culinary wizard to pull off Jello, that’s a big part of the allure.  Simply combine 1 package of Blue Raspberry Jello with 1 Cup of boiling water.  Whisk to combine.  Let cool slightly and add 1 C Pinot Noir.  Separate into small cups.  Makes about 15.

Strawberry Pinot Gris Jello Shots

Repeat the same steps as above, just use the Strawberry Jello and 1 Cup of boiling water with 1 Cup of Pinot Gris.  Both of these turned out delicious and don’t quite pack the punch of the ones you may have had back in your college days. (We all have to get up early on Monday for work!)

Another game day favorite is Chex Mix.   There are lots of different variation on the classic baked mix and we encourage you to add any ingredients that strike your fancy. We recently discovered the Jacobsen Ramen Seasoning and thought we would try something a bit cross cultural. The wasabi peas really add an amazing and unexpected kick.

Japanese Ramen Chex Mix 

2 C Rice Chex

2 C Wheat Chex

1 1/2 C baby pretzels

1 1/12 C bagel chips (broken into smaller pieces)

1 C Wasabi Peas

1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter

1 (heaping) T Jacobsen’s Ramen Seasoning

1 T Worcestershire Sauce

1 t onion powder

1 t garlic powder

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Spread the first 4 ingredients equally among two half sheet pans. (Don’t add the wasabi peas until after cooking is complete.)

On the stovetop, melt butter and whisk in remaining ingredients.  Evenly coat all dried ingredients and cook for one hour, removing the pans every 15 minutes to stir around for even cooking. Once cooled, stir in the peas and store in glass Mason jars.

For our final recommendation, we wanted to stick with a tried and true classic- pigs in a blanket.  We recently tried some pre-made store bought ones and they were terrible, and crazy expensive.  There is no substitute for making them from scratch, and its so easy, there is no excuse not to.

Literally the hardest part of this is how Pillsbury makes you open the rolls with the back of a spoon.  It's so weird, but it works so i guess you can’t argue with success.

Take the Lit’l Smokies out of their packaging, rinse them well, dry them off and set them aside. Then open the crescent rolls. there will be 4 separate squares and each square is divided into 2 triangles.  Cut each triangle into 3 smaller triangles.  Place a Lit’l Smokey on each triangle, and roll up. Place these evenly spaced on an ungreased cookie sheet and keep refrigerated until ready to cook.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and cook for about 12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway thru to insure even cooking. Remove any that are getting too brown.  Then just squeeze out some ketchup and mustard for dipping and you will be Good To Go!

Whoever you end up rooting for, everyone here at Union wishes you a safe and exciting Super Bowl Sunday!

Bon Appétit!  And make sure you have plenty of Underwood Cans on hand for all your guests.

Photography, Text and Recipes by David L. Reamer. (@dlreamer)

Thai One On

2020 continues with putting some serious effort into the Union Wine Co. FIELD NOTES   This is a part of their site that tells employee stories, showcases recipes and cocktails as well as a few cool How To’s…

This is one of those posts.  Check them all out in the above link.

Thai One On:

A Refined Bar Set for a Refined Cocktail

Here at Union, we do our best to stay humble. We don’t believe in putting on airs or pretending to be anything but the best we can be. And we hope this attitude shows through in all of our products. We don’t go out in constant search of the next best coolest thing, but that being said, we are always on the lookout for objects of beauty, style and design. We recently came across this Shaker and Bar Set and it was love at first sight. Designed by Leather goods legend Frye, in a collaboration with Crate and Barrel, the acacia wood and antiqued gold finished stainless steel was just too amazing to pass by. 

But to put such a stylish and refined set of tools to an appropriate task called for creating an equally stylish and refined cocktail.  Enter the Som Cordial…

If you are familiar at all with the Portland dining scene, then it's safe to say you've been a fan of Andy Ricker and his Pok Pok empire for many years.  One of the first chefs to bring real street-style Northern Thai food to Portland, Andy led a revolution in the local culinary scene. Starting by cooking out of a literal shack between two houses on SE Division Street, Andy has grown his empire steadily.   

Several years ago he started to bottle and sell his flavored drinking vinegars called SOM.  These were very concentrated flavors and meant to be mixed with club soda- a refreshing staple in Thailand that helped easy the spicy heat of the cuisine. From that start, Andy refined the mixer from straight flavored vinegar to cordials, a non alcoholic mixer that’s served  the same purpose but was a bit more debonair. You can read a short explanation HERE from the New York Times.

We will soon be switching our focus to our Underwood Rosé and Rosé Bubbles, but while winter is still with us, we love creating new Underwood Pinot Noir cocktails. Without the overwhelming notes of cinnamon or nutmeg (kind of overused at this time of year in out humble opinion…) this cocktail keeps the weight of red wine but adds the sweetness of Clementines and the subtle tartness of the Som Cranberry Cordial.  Everything is tempered with just a splash of club soda for an intense yet refreshing cocktail.

The Thai One On

2 oz Underwood Pinot Noir

1 oz Som Cranberry Cordial

Juice of 1 Clementine or Tangerine

Splash of Club Soda

Ice

Simply enough, combine enough ice for 1 glass, add this and the first three ingredients to the shaker and in the infamous words of Andre 3000, ‘…shake it like a polaroid picture!’

Pour ice and liquid into the glass and top off generously with club soda. Repeat as many times as necessary.

There are many flavors of the Som drinking vinegars and Som Cordials and we recommend trying them all.

Bon Appétit and keep those #pinkiesdown.

Photography, Text and Recipes by David L. Reamer. (@dlreamer)