Direct from Italy! Not on your grocery store shelf!
1st: Podere Brachetto, sweet sparkling wine that tastes like chocolate strawberries. $8.75/glass $35/bottle
2nd: Podere Gavi, similar to pinot grigio, white wine, crisp, clean $7.50/glass $30/bottle
3rd: Podere La Vigna Rosso, baby brunello, just a touch less aging $10/glass $40/bottle
4th: Tiberini Vino Nobile “fossatone” single vineyard 03 vintage $55/bottle

Tiramisu is fun and easy to make. The ingredients are simple. My only advice is make sure you follow the steps correctly. The most difficult part is cutting out the first piece.

I can’t believe its been a week since the last farmers market. Time goes by so fast.
Both this week and last week I ran into Tina Thompson, a local Clarkstonite and one my best wines reps from National Wine & Spirits. Tina and I were curious about the price differences between normal eggs and free-range eggs. The normal eggs were going for about $3/$3.50 dozen and the free-range eggs cost about $4.50 dozen. Last week Tina purchased both to do a taste test and the results are in. She said hands down the free-range eggs were tastier.
One way you can tell the quality of an egg is the hardness of the shell. If you crack the egg and it is soft and brittle its a pretty economical egg. Thats from a farm that’s “pumping” them out if you will. Their primary concern would be quantity not quality. Another trick is the color of the egg yolk. A bright yellowish orange color most likely comes from a chicken that has a good feed. The last big hint is the difference in taste.
Stephanie at Ginn Farms said a major factor in determining the price of the eggs is the cost of grain. She religiously uses flax seed. She said the diet of a laying hen determines the nutritional quality of the egg. Flax seed is the best way to increase Omega-3 in eggs.
Try the egg test yourself at home and see if you notice a difference.

Any way enough about eggs. Today I purchased some organic tomatoes. Yes tomatoes this time of year. How you may ask? Stephanie got them from Green Thumb Produce in Cass City, MI. They are from an Amish farmer that uses some ‘heat the ground method’ and is able to plants crops in his greenhouse during the winter. I was fascinated about this method and will have to do some research (but thats a whole other blog). If you have any information on this farming practice please email it over to me. Thanks. In the meanwhile be sure to stop over from some awesome Caprese Salad or Margarita Pizza. I gave one of the chefs the night off to enjoy the fireworks thus I’m cooking! See ya later.