Faithful readers know I have an Instant Pot, a Christmas gift that keeps on giving. I’ve used it multiple times a week for the last six months and have enjoyed 80 percent of the recipes I’ve tried, returning to many multiple times. Instant Pots are great because they cook dinner quickly and allow you to make things that normally would take two or three times as long, such as roast chicken.
Thanks to my co-worker, who found a great recipe for rotisserie style chicken in the Instant Pot, we had lovely roast chicken, roasted beets and garden cucumbers for dinner last night. The best part? The chicken cooked in the Instant Pot and the beets cooked in the crock pot. I had dueling pots on the counter doing all the work! The other benefit is that while things are cooking in the pots, you can clean up and get ahead on the dinner prep dishes or even start lunches for the next day. It’s a huge time saver. Not to mention while the chicken and beets are resting, I can clean up the pots! Easy peasy!
Review of Ruché
Roast chicken had been on my list of upcoming recipes mainly due to the fact that we purchased a unique wine from Decker’s Wine and Spirits in Fayetteville, New York a few weeks ago. Having never visited Decker’s, we had a rare day off and decided to make the nearly 25 minute trip out to the east side of town. The owner recommended what he called “the most unique wine in the store,” a Ruché from Italy.
The best way for me to describe it is much the way he did – light bodied, a bit like Chianti, dry and fruit forward but with floral hints to the nose and taste. It was delightful! He suggested pairing it with something lighter, such as roast chicken, to really allow the wine to sing on its own and he was right. It was absolutely delicious!
What is Ruche?
Pronounced ROO-kay, the grape is from the Piedmont region of Italy and is one of the lowest production varietal wines in Italy. Some say it actually came from France, and has been adapted over the years but others say it’s indigenous to the hills just northeast of Asti. Our bottle cost just under $20 and for the price, it’s a steal. Just a wonderful wine, exploding with unique nuances and flavor.
Decker’s
Tucked away down a little road off the main drag in Fayetteville, Decker’s Wine and Spirits is family-run, offering estate-bottled wines from around the world. A quick walk through the store indicated lots of French and Italian wines, but really any region is present. What I liked most about it was how quiet and peaceful it was to just browse and review all the different wines. Plus, the owner is knowledgable and willing to offer suggestions. We purchased four bottles, one of which was the Ruché. And if the Ruché is any indication, we’ll be having a great time with the other three! Cheers!
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