Bonnie Carroll's Life Bites

KU DAY TA TEA LOUNGE IS CELEBRATING CHINESE GREEN TEAS
AND CHINESE CULTURE FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST

Ku Day Ta Tea Lounge, a high-end tea lounge located in the Great Mall in Milpitas, California, is brewing a tea revolution. For the month of August, Ku Day Ta is celebrating Chinese Green teas and tea culture with tea education, tea tasting, green tea and food
pairing, a Lion Dance Performance and music.

China is the birthplace of tea, where it was accidentally discovered by
Emperor Shen, over 5,000 years ago. Today Chinese Green teas are known for
their delicate and sometimes tangy flavor. They are rich in vitamin C, and
are also reported to have the following health benefits: reduce cancer and
heart disease, boost metabolism and aid in weight loss and lowers
cholesterol. Experts also report that green tea stimulates concentration
better than any blend of tea, claiming that it improves the ability to think
and meditate for prolonged periods of time.

Join Ku Day Ta for our Celebration of Chinese Green Tea and Culture

August 22nd 2-6 p.m.

2:00pm-3:00pm Green Tea Tasting with Snacks
3:00pm-4:00pm Traditional Chinese Guzheng string live performance
4:30pm-5:30pm Lion Dance Performance. Cost: $15

The national and annual Beer Summit known for 28 years as the Great American Beer Festival (GABF). At this monumental and fantastic happening close to 50,000 people will gather to sample beer, craft beer, and food and beer pairings for the September 24-26 festival.

Korbel California Champagne has popped the cork on a brand new website that captures the sparkle of America’s favorite méthode champenoise champagne. Fresh and fun, the enhanced website (www.korbel.com) shows the many ways wine lovers can toast life with Korbel.

The new Korbel California Champagne website incorporates a range of recent computer and web advances with eye-catching visuals and effortless navigation. Integrated videos celebrate the effervescence of Korbel champagne and offer a spectacular introduction to Korbel’s beautiful cellars in the heart of Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley. Buttons access highlights of Korbel’s 127-year champagne making history as well as its current “Featured Champagne” and “Featured Cocktail.” Cursor-activated drop-down menus take users to a full range of content, including a guide to Korbel’s méthode champenoise California champagnes, details on recent awards, tips on champagne buying, serving and toasts, information on visiting Korbel Champagne Cellars, a calendar of upcoming winery events, and how to become a Korbel VIP. Beautiful wine country images complement the website’s elegant interface and uncluttered design. The web address for Korbel California Champagne is www.korbel.com.

Established in 1882, Korbel Champagne Cellars produces the United States’ most popular méthode champenoise champagne. Owned and managed by the Heck family since 1954, Korbel currently makes eight champagnes and a limited amount of still wine. In a separate facility, Korbel also produces one of the country’s most respected brandies.

FOR A BEST BET, PAIR CHEESE WITH CHARDONNAY

Cheese Expert Laura Werlin Reveals Her Top Tasting Tips for the White Wine

Chardonnay has long-been the bestselling white wine in the nation. Made from the Chardonnay grape, it is a versatile wine that complements many foods. Often served with poultry, pork or seafood dishes, Chardonnay also works exceedingly well with a wide range of cheeses.

For wine and cheese pairing suggestions, Bridlewood Estate Winery turned to Laura Werlin, award-winning author and one of the country's foremost authorities on cheese. “Compared to reds, white wines, like Chardonnay, work better with most cheeses,” said Werlin. “Most people don't like to hear this, but I promise you, it's true.”

Werlin shared her top four cheese selections to enjoy with a bottle of 2007 Monterey County Chardonnay from California’s Central Coast region, a wine that displays ripe aromas and pure flavors of nectarine and golden apples.

I. Humboldt Fog (or fresh chèvre)
   • Milk source: Goat
   • Cheese characteristics: Tangy, slightly earthy and buttery with a cream-chalk texture.
   • Wine and cheese together: The acidity in both the cheese and wine match each other perfectly. The cheese also brings out the creaminess in the wine, creating a wonderful richness.
   • Wine, cheese and accompaniments: Mint on an oil-brushed crostini.

II. Feta (not too salty)
   • Milk source: Goat, sheep or a blend of the two
   • Cheese characteristics: Despite its crumbly nature, feta has a creamy texture in the mouth. It’s moderately salty and surprisingly buttery with tangy overtones.
   • Wine and cheese together: The salt in the cheese and the fruit and minerality in the wine create a yin-yang in the mouth, with each component keeping the other perfectly balanced.
   • Accompaniment: Sliced English cucumber.

III. Tete de Moine (or P’tit Basque, young Manchego, Ossau-Iraty)
   • Milk source: Sheep
   • Cheese characteristics: This cheese has a good amount of salt and nutty characteristics, similar to melted brown butter. The texture is smooth, not rough or crumbly.
   • Wine and cheese together: The nutty and buttery cheese creates a deeper, richer flavor in the wine, which balance out the citrus notes.
   • Accompaniment: Lighter toasted Marcona or regular almonds.

IV. Parmesan (or Parmigiano-Reggiano, Grana Padano, aged Asiago)
   • Milk source: Cow
   • Cheese characteristics: A grana-style table cheese like Parmesan is salty, a little grainy and toothsome. It also typically has a sweet, pineapple-like finish.
   • Wine and cheese together: The salt in the cheese and the fruit in the wine balance each other beautifully, with no single element overpowering another.
   • Accompaniment: Pesto topped olive bread.

Bridlewood’s 2007 Monterey County Chardonnay is a blend of 91 percent Chardonnay, 6.5 percent Viognier and 2.5 percent other white varietals. It is available at retailers nationwide and at www.thebarrelroom.com. Suggested retail price: $15.

About Bridlewood Estate Winery
Bridlewood sits in the heart of Santa Barbara County’s wine country in the Santa Ynez Valley. Formerly an Arabian horse farm, Bridlewood is dedicated to wines sourced from acclaimed vineyards throughout California’s sun-drenched Central Coast. Winemaker David Hopkins seeks structure, balance and a touch of elegance in each of Bridlewood’s wines. For more information, visit www.bridlewoodwinery.com