melissawaskiewicz, Author at France 44

by Bill Nosan

When the Twins start playing baseball, it’s officially grilling season in Minnesota. So if you haven’t already, it’s time to clean off the winter residue from your grill and heat that thing up. At its roots, grilling is pretty simple. It really only requires four basic things: Heat, Protein, Time & Beer. I’ve heard a distant, crazy rumor that beer isn’t actually necessary for grilling, but as member of the beer department, I can say without certain, that rumor is completely false.

So grab a beer and join me. Maybe you’re like me and feel that making a meal for your friends & family is one of the things you enjoy most. It’s something that I truly love–it brings me joy. Preparing the meal outside on the grill is even better, maybe because being outside grilling doesn’t feel like a task. It feels more like fun–fresh air, talking to your neighbor, watching your dog dig a hole in your newly seeded lawn… It’s probably just buried deep down in our DNA that we just enjoy being outside cooking over a fire. But I think the real reason is that grilling just makes your food tastes better (and you get to be outside drinking a beer).

Either using propane, charcoal or wood as a heat source, we basically grill the same way. Indirect heat (slow & low), direct heat (fast) or a combo of both. It doesn’t take much time to learn what proteins & veggies do best using what method. There are about 1001 ways you can learn all the different grilling techniques for all the different types of food, so I won’t dive deep into that for this simple blog post (see below for how you can learn more).

One of my go-to, quick grilling favorites, is preparing flat cuts of beef (Flank, Skirt, Bavette, etc). These cuts are great with direct heat and they cook up fast. Depending on the grill, give the beef roughly 5-6 minutes on each side on high heat for medium rare, then let it rest for 10 minutes. We want to use high heat to brown & sear that piece of meat. Remember, searing does not lock in juices. We sear to create browning (the Maillard reaction). Those sear (grill) marks are what help your food taste great. The more surface area you can brown, the better the outcome. Careful to just sear, not char (burn) your food. I love these flat cuts because you can have beef & veggies off the grill and on the dinner table in half an hour or so.

Another quick tip is for fish. I use direct heat while using a griddle or a carbon steel/cast iron pan. The fish will hold its shape & release better off the solid, flat surface as opposed to the individual grill grates. Learn how to control your grill temperature and the rest is pretty easy.

So besides a grill and a heat source, what do you actually need? The Neanderthals basically had a few rocks & a sharp stick to grill, so you really don’t need much for grilling your dinner. But if you want to up your game just a bit, you’ll need a few helpful tools:

A good thermometer is key—The Cheese Shop sells the Thermoworks brand and I use their ProNeedle. It’s small and incredible useful.
A good pair of tongs (make sure you check if they work every few minutes). Get one long enough so you can keep the heat away from your hands.

I use a good apron because I’m sick of food stains on my clothes. Plus, an apron has pockets to hold all your tools as well as a backup can of beer or two.
Speaking of beer: I prefer clean & crisp while grilling. We have amazing, locally made options. I prefer to have a beer while I’m grilling and a glass of wine already poured waiting at the table for the actual meal.
But here’s the best “tool” you need: good, quality ingredients. Much like making a world class cocktail at home, preparing restaurant quality food at home starts with quality ingredients.

Do you want to learn more? Lots more? Join Thomas from the Meat Shop & Adam from the Wine Shop next week for our virtual Grilling & Wine class, filmed on the outdoor terrace of the Lorient building (kitty-corner from the store). They will showcase some of France 44’s incredible house-made sausages, charcuterie products, and fresh meat cuts. You’ll also learn which wines pair best with them when you get to the dinner table. They’ll cover prep and cooking tips to elevate your grilling game this spring and summer, and give you the inside scoop on classic wines and some new, unique favorites. Attendees will get charcuterie and cured meat on their cheese plate, and receive a special event discount for France 44 meat products purchase post-event. It’s going be fun so I hope you join them.

Finally, here are some of my go-to drinking options for grilling:

Utepils Helles 4pk Cans | $8.99 | Helles, the bright golden beer style, made Bavaria’s Beer Gardens world renowned for hundreds of years. This Helles is brewed with MN artesian spring waters and authentic Bavarian malt and hops.

Fair State Pils 4pk Cans | $9.49 | A German-style pilsner, dry and crisp with a grassy aroma from a large kettle addition of Hallertau Mittelfrüh hops. One hop, one malt, lager yeast. Simple and delicious.

Oberto Barbera D’Alba | $19.99 | This quality Barbera hails from three small vineyards, all located in the village of La Morra, where the world’s finest Barbera comes from. It is a deep purplish red color, and shows subtle oak notes and fruity overtones on the nose; very elegant, with acidity, tannin and fruit blending perfectly on the palate.

Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel | $23.99 | A blend from sites in Dry Creek Valley and Alexander Valley. Flavors of dark ripe cherries and sweet raspberries emerge on the palate, followed by a rich velvety finish.

by Karina Roe

Australia is one of the biggest wine-producing countries in the world, but you wouldn’t know it from the tiny amount of shelf space it occupies at France 44. Although the Australian viticultural scene can trace its history back to the early 19^th century, we’re more likely to think of outback critters adorning magnum-sized bottles with screw caps.

Every wine has its time in the sun: Slovenia and Croatia were all the rage a few years ago. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc sales continue to astound. We can’t keep the orange wine and pét nat shelves stocked. Rosé is no longer just a summer fling. And I can’t believe I’m actually saying this, but Australia is on deck.

There’s a reason that over 360,000 acres are planted to grape vines in Australia. Australia has some of the oldest and most complex soils on the planet, with a near-perfect climate to boot. Disease pressure is fairly low, and some parts of the country (especially South Australia) have never experienced phylloxera, the devastating root-nibbling louse that destroys vineyards, because of their strict quarantine regulations. And did you know that Australia is home to some of the oldest still-producing vines in the entire world—some well over 125 years old?

But beyond all these mind-bogglingly cool facts is that annoying marketability issue: Australia has been bogged down by the bottom-shelf “critter wine” stereotype since the 90s, and it’s been a hard image to shake. Much of the wine drinking world has embraced premiumization, shifting away from mass-produced value brands. And although Australia does indeed make incredibly complex, unique wines at premium prices, very little of it has made its way into the United States market and has stayed in Australia’s home market.

But would we be writing a blog about cool Australian wine if that was where the story ended? No, a new day is dawning on Australia’s shores, and that day is rife with deliciously well-made wines from signature grapes like Semillon and Grenache, exciting experimental varieties like Nero d’Avola, Nebbiolo, Carignan, and many others. Australia is having its moment in the sun and frankly, we can’t wait to see what the future brings.

Brokenwood Semillon – Semillon is one of the underground superstars of the Australian wine world, and this production from Brokenwood is the perfect introduction to this vibrant, nervy white wine. Drink it tonight or age it for a decade—it’ll stun you both ways.

Yalumba Grenache – For those looking to add something different to their usual repertoire of California Pinot Noir, this is a must-have. Coming from old Barossa bush vines, this Grenache is packed full of ripe red fruits while staying light on its feet, with a bit of spice to create a dry, lengthy finish.

Ricca Terra Nero d’Avola – This very tasty minimal-intervention Nero d’Avola (a southern Italian grape) comes from Ricca Terra, a young winery founded by a former Yalumba winemaker. Ricca Terra plants “alternative” varieties that make sense with the changing climate (read: serious drought conditions) in South Australia instead of just planting cash crops, and Nero d’Avola has hence become their flagship grape.

Jamsheed Harem La Syrah – We all know Shiraz is the calling-card red in Australia, but this Syrah (with the spelling as a nod to France) from Jamsheed is a far cry from the jammy fruit bombs we’re familiar with. Floral, earthy, and with a wildly complex personality, it still has the stuffing to stand up to anything you can put on a grill.

Heat, Protein, Time, and Beer: Grilling Tips from Bill

Shedding New Light on Australian Wines