September is California Wine Month, and one of California’s most distinguished wines is Zinfandel (it is known there as a “heritage grape).” National Zinfandel Week is the third week in November and National Zinfandel Day is November 19th.

Zin, as it’s called for short, is a black-skinned wine grape (photo #6) that produces a robust, bold and spicy red wine that can stand up to the most robust and rich foods.

While the Zinfandel grape is only grown in some 10% percent of California vineyards, one of the Zins, made by Ridge Vineyards near Santa Cruz, California, is known the world over.

Zinfandel grapes have a high sugar content, that enables the wine to be fermented into higher levels of alcohol, the best frequently reaching 15.5% A.B.V.

The taste of the Zin depends on the ripeness of the grapes from which it is made and the microclimate in which it is grown.

 
> The history of Zinfandel is below.

> The year’s 25 red wine holidays.

> The year’s 22 white wine holidays.
 
 
RED ZINFANDEL VS. WHITE ZINFANDEL

Don’t confuse red Zinfandel with White Zinfandel, the latter a wine produced during an accident at Sutter Home Family Vineyards in 1948.

It was created when the fermentation of a vat of Zinfandel, a natural process, suddenly stopped in the middle. The interim stage where it stopped showed wine with a pink shade.

Winemaker Bob Trinchero tasted it, and found it to be like a semi-sweet rosé.

He named the blush-style (i.e. pinkish) wine White Zinfandel, and it subsequently had six times the sales of his Red Zinfandel. The California blush wine craze was on!

When “Zinfandel” is mentioned, however, it refers to the red wine.

On to the good stuff: Ridge Zinfandel, a collector’s wine, made to age.
 
 
RIDGE VINEYARDS ZINFANDEL

The best Zinfandel, hands down, is produced by Ridge Vineyards, headquartered in Cupertino, California, which has been producing Zinfandel since 1964.

The vineyard focuses on single-vineyard bottlings, with each bottling displaying the unique qualities of its terroir*.

Today, Ridge has some 20 different vineyards growing Zinfandel. Each vineyard’s harvest goes into a single bottling with that vineyard’s name.

Some are full-bodied, some are medium-bodied.

Two of our favorites—Geyserville and Lytton Springs—are blends.

You can see all the vineyards on the company website.

In addition to Zin, the vineyard produces an acclaimed Cabernet Sauvignon; and in small quantities, Carignane, Grenache, Petite Sirah and Syrah. Its one white wine, Chardonnay, is made in limited amounts.

Ridge produces wine at two winery locations in northern California.

 
The signature wine of Ridge is its Monte Bello, a Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon mixed with varying percentages of other grapes grown in the same location: usually Merlot, Petit Verdot, and occasionally, Cabernet Franc.

Monte Bello is simply splendid, a wine ready for long aging. Just about every wine collector wants it.

 
A good vintage can lay down for several decades, and still show its great structure, complexity, and balance.
 
 
PAIRING FOODS WITH ZINFANDEL

While Ridge pairs with the finest steak, it also pairs with a more humble burger. With turkey, it’s a winner (we always have a bottle on Thanksgiving).

Zinfandel pairs with food that demand full- or medium-body red wines. Note that different brands of Zin are light, medium or full-bodied. Most of the Ridge wines are full-bodied.

 
 
HISTORY OF ZINFANDEL

Based on archaeological studies, domestication of the wild grape vine, Vitis vinifera, occurred around 6000 B.C.E. in the southern Caucasus. A mountainous region at the intersection of Europe and Asia, it stretches between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.

[1] Ridge Monte Bello, Ridge’s signature wine, is not a Zin but a Bordeaux blend. Sought after by collectors, it’s hundreds of dollars a bottle. The Zinfandels are more “accessible” (all photos © Ridge Vineyards).

[2] Ridge Lytton Springs Zin with rack of lamb.

[3] Ridge and other Zins are also great drinking with a burger.

[4] Ridge Geyserville, one of the top three Ridge Zins, with roast duck.

[5] You can’t go wrong drinking Zinfandel with steak.

[6] A cluster of Zin grapes: black-hued, large and juicy.

Croatia once had several indigenous grape varieties related to Zinfandel. This diversity suggests that the grapes have been grown in Croatia longer than anywhere else—perhaps as early 1300 B.C.E., making it one of the oldest grape cultivars grown today [source].

Known as Crljenak Kaštelanski (“black grape of Kastel,” prounounced tserl-yee-EHNAK kashh-tell-ANN-skee), these wines formed the basis of Croatia’s wine industry in the 19th century.

Many of the vines of Europe were wiped out in the phylloxera epidemic of the late 19th century, including Crljenak Kaštelanski. Today just nine vines of locally-known “Crljenak Kaštelanski” remain, discovered in 2001 on the Dalmatian coast of Croatia.
DNA analysis has revealed that Zinfandel is genetically equivalent to the Croatian grapes Crljenak Kaštelanski and Tribidrag, as well as a 100% match to the Primitivo grape variety grown in Apulia region of Italy (the “heel”), where it was introduced in the 18th century, likely from Croatia.

Crljenak Kaštelanski found its way to the U.S. in the mid-19th century. In 1829 Colonel George Gibbs, a horticulturist on Long Island, received shipments of different grapevines from the Schoenbrunn Collection of horticultural materials in Vienna, which documented and maintained grapevines from the Austria-Hungarian Empire.

His estate in Queens, Long Island ultimately became Ravenswood Winery and is now located in Sonoma, California.

Gibbs visited Boston in 1830 and sold some vines to local horticulturist Samuel Perkins, who began selling “Zenfendal” soon afterward [source].

In 1830, Gibbs also supplied Prince with “Black St. Peters,” a similar variety that may have come from England, where many vines have “St. Peters” in their names. Little is known about this vine, except that the Black St. Peters vines that arrived in California in the 1850s were the same as what became known as Zinfandel by the 1870s [source].

Zinfandel grapes were brought to California in 1852 by Frederick Macondray, a sea captain who carried on trade between California and Massachusetts and who was also involved in horticulture ventures.

Zinfandel soon was planted in Napa and Sonoma Valleys and rapidly became California’s most important wine grape. “Zeinfandall” was first exhibited at the Mechanics Institute Exhibition in San Francisco in 1858.

Much of the early planting of Zin was done by New Englanders who had come to California with the Gold Rush. They had planted 34,000 acres of Zin by 1888, making it California’s most planted wine grape of the time. [source]

(Today, the red grape plantings are 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Pinot Noir, 14% Merlot, 9%-10% Zinfandel, with lesser amounts of other grapes [source]).

Zinfandel was adopted by the Italian immigrants who arrived in the late 1800 and early 1900’s who kept it alive and thriving during Prohibition with their home winemaking.

We thank them for the survival of this wonderful wine.
 
 
WHERE DID THE NAME ZINFANDEL COME FROM?

A lot of research has been done to make a connection between Crljenak and Zinfandel. Here’s a full discussion.

The short version includes the names found in a Czech ampelography book—ampelography being an area of botany focusing on identification and classification of grapevines.

The names were Zierfandler and Zierfahndler, vines which may have been the Czech versions of Crljenak. A version of the names likely arrived with the Schoenbrunn grapevines. “Zinfandel,” or a variation of the spelling, was likely bestowed by Gibbs on the Crljenak Kaštelanski vines.

At least, that’s how we piece together the story!

— Kris Prasad

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*Terroir, pronounced tur-WAH, is a French agricultural term referring to the unique set of environmental factors in a specific habitat that affect a crop’s qualities. It includes climate, elevation, proximity to a body of water, slant of the land, soil type and amount of sun. These environmental characteristics gives the wine (or other agricultural product) its character.
 
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

Baby gold potatoes, ready to peel the day before (photo © Melissa’s Produce).

September is National Potato Month.

We’ve got a tip for anyone who peels potatoes, to cut down on potato prep time.

The solution is a time shuffle: Peel the potatoes the day before.

Sound obvious? It is!

We peel potatoes the night before, while we’re watching TV.
 
 
THE TECHNIQUE

1. WASH, peel and cut the potatoes as desired.

2. SUBMERGE them in water overnight to prevent them from browning.

It’s an easy hack!
 
 
> Potato History
 
> The Different Types Of Potatoes

Summer isn’t over yet, and the upcoming long weekend calls for lots of refreshment.

We’re making a pitcher of rosé sangria, which is lighter and more thirst-quenching than a the more traditional red-wine sangria.

You can make the sangria up to two days in advance, so it’s ready to pour when you’re ready to kick back.

The recipe is from Sun Basket, a purveyor of boxes of meal ingredients to cook at home. Sun Basket focuses on organic produce and eggs, antibiotic- and hormone-free meat and Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch-approved fish. All diets are accommodated, and gift subscriptions are available.
 
 
RECIPE: ROSÉ SANGRIA

In addition to the ingredients for this recipe, you’ll need a fine-toothed grater like a Microplane, and a large pitcher or glass jar with a lid.

For a more concentrated drink, omit the sparkling water. We personally prefer a less concentrated drink, so we can have more glasses of sangria!

Ingredients For 6 Servings

 
Preparation

1. PREPARE the fruit and ginger. Cut the nectarine in half and remove the pit; cut the fruit into quarters, and then into ¼-inch-thick slices. Remove the green hulls from from the strawberries and cut them in half.

2. GRATE or peel and finely chop enough ginger to measure 1 teaspoon.

3. MAKE the sangria. In a large pitcher or glass jar, combine the sugar, nectarine, strawberries, raspberries and ginger. Stir with a long-handled spoon until the sugar dissolves.

4. ADD the rosé and vodka, and stir until incorporated. Chill to allow the flavors to meld.

5. TO SERVE: Fill the individual glasses with ice. Pour the sangria into the glasses, filling each three-quarters full. Top with sparkling water and serve. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
 
 
> What Is Rose Wine & Why Should You Be Drinking It?

> The History Of Rosé Wine

> Have A Rosé Tasting Party

> Rosé Wine & Food Pairings
 
 
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*Turn table sugar into superfine sugar by pulsing it in a food processor.

[1] Make a batch or two of sangria and enjoy it all weekend (photo © Sun Basket).

[2] Add juicy peaches or nectarines (photo © Good Eggs).

[3] Don’t forget the berries! This sangria uses both strawberries and raspberries (photo © Good Eggs).

[1] Top your brownies with almond “flowers” (photo of espresso brownies © NordWood Themes | Unsplash).

[2] In addition to protein, almonds are one of the healthiest nuts (photo © Murray’s Cheese).

No one would refer to brownies as a protein food.

But here’s a fun way to add some protein to your brownies: Create a flower made of whole almonds on top (the center is a small piece of chopped almond).

Just press the almonds into the brownie tops while they’re still warm from the oven.
 
 
BROWNIE RECIPES

 
 
> The History Of Brownies

We love bread, unashamedly. We’d rather eat bread than meat. We don’t need any condiment; just bread, delicious bread.

Of course, that means good bread, artisan bread, bread from small bakeries like Atoria’s Family Bakery in Gilroy, California (they ship nationwide).

Grandmother Atoria grew up in Assyria, the kingdom of northern Mesopotamia that became the center of one of the great empires of the ancient Middle East (it now comprises northern Iraq and southeastern Turkey).

Atoria would watch her mother and grandmother bake flatbread in a rustic hearth oven, using their family lavash recipe.

After migrating to America, where she was unable to find authentic lavash, Atoria started to bake her own.

It wasn’t long before she decided to turn the bread of her youth into a business, and Atoria’s Family Bakery was born.

Thirty years later, Atoria’s grandchildren manage the business, and produce three of the most popular flatbreads in the U.S.:

 
Atoria’s breads are made with simple, non-GMO ingredients; never with artificial preservatives, colors or flavors.

The breads are cholesterol free, certified kosher by OU, and certified vegan.

We love this line from the company’s website: “We don’t have time to take shortcuts.”

It shows!

We consume lots of flatbreads, and Atoria’s lavash, naan and pita are noticeably more flavorful than the brands available in our local markets.

Depending on the type, flatbread may be unleavened, made from flour, water, and salt.

Naan and pita recipes, traditionally do contain leavening, and Atoria’s pita includes it as well. Chapati, matzoh and Mexican tortillas, for example, are not leavened.

Leavening adds flavor to the flatbread.

 
 
TREAT YOURSELF!

Head to the website and order some of all three types of flatbreads.

They freeze beautifully, although you’ll want to dig in the minute they arrive.

Ready to roll? Here are Artoria’s tips to “wrap like a pro.”

Check Out The Different Types Of Bread In Our Bread Glossary
 
 
THE HISTORY OF FLATBREAD

The earliest evidence of people using fire to cook food dates back some 75,000, among Neanderthals and Homo Sapiens.

Man learned how to make between 1.7 to 2 million years ago. What remained was to discover that grains could be ground and mixed with water to create the first version of bread.

Flour-and-water flatbreads, baked on a fire-heated rock or in embers from the fire, have been a staple for much of humanity for the past 5,000 years. The technique developed the world over.

Commercial yeast, to make loaves of bread rise, was only isolated in the 1870s and marketed in 1876 (by the Fleischmann Brothers).

Prior to then, bakers had to rely on wild yeast as it drifted through the air. When yeasts were captured, i.e. when dough began to rise, a piece of “starter” was retained to make the next loaf.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF LAVASH

Lavash is an ancient flatbread from the area of the South Caucasus (modern Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia), although it may have originated in what is modern Iran or Turkey.

Evidence of lavash baking has been found dating to 3000 B.C.E. [source].

The word may derive from the Aramaic, “to knead.”

While crispy lavash crackers may be the way in which many Americans have been introduced to lavash, the original is a soft, thin, large rectangle of flatbread, traditionally baked in a tandoor oven or on a terracotta griddle.

While the earliest flatbreads were baked on hot rocks, when griddles were created* the breads had to be made thinner to fully cook through without burning.

While different regions may vary the thickness, lavash is thin like a tortilla.

When fresh, lavash is quite flexible and can be used for wrap sandwiches. But it dries out quickly and becomes brittle and hard.

In Armenian villages, dried lavash is stacked up and can be rehydrated later (lavash has the longest shelf life of any bread—it can keep up to one year).

The dried lavash is sprinkled with water to make it pliable again. The hard lavash can also broken into pieces and added to stew.

Lavash is one of the most widespread types of bread in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkey [source].

Like food history? Check out more than 600 food histories on The Nibble, including:
 
> The History Of Bread
 
 
THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FLATBREADS

There are dozens of types of flatbread made around the world, with some listed below. (Here’s a full list.)

 
The grains may be different but the cooking techniques are similar [source]: The dough is kneaded and rolled flat.

Flatbread can be thick and soft like naan or thin and crispy like matzoh.

It can be baked in an oven, fried in hot oil, grilled over hot coals, or cooked on a hot pan, tava, comal, or metal griddle.

Also note that some of these flatbreads are used referred to as pancakes—but not the kind Americans eat for breakfast.

Rather, they are used to scoop or food, wrap around food, or used as a base for a topping.

Pancakes differ from flatbreads in that they made in a round shape; and in addition to water, flour and salt, pancake ingredients may include eggs, milk and butter.

To illustrate the crossover between foods, naan flatbread is also made with milk and butter.

There’s much more to learn about flatbreads.

Stay tuned!
 
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*This may have occurred around 104 C.E. in Rome; the details.

[1] Atoria’s artisan lavash (all photos © Atoria’s Family Bakery).

[2] Atoria’s lavash.

[3] Atoria’s artisan naan.

[4] Atoria’s artisan naan.

[5] Atoria’s artisan pita.

[6] Steak fajitas, made with lavash.

[7] Flatbread pizzas, made with naan.

[8] For a simple yet delicious wrap sandwich, spread hummus, mayo or ricotta on lavash and top with tomatoes and herbs.

[9] How about a BLAT (bacon, lettuce, avocado and tomato)? Here are Atoria’s tips on how to roll a lavash wrap “like a pro.”