Don't Heat Up The Kitchen Chicken BBQ Dinner

It's Labor Day Weekend and I don't need to say it, but I will, it's hot hot hot!
Here's a simple meal I put together to avoid heating up the kitchen
in triple digit weather.

Ingredients - no, I don't measure things out. It's a little bit of this and a little bit of that.

• Chicken Breasts, Thighs and Legs
• Your Favorite BBQ Rub
• Finely Chopped Onion or Slivered Scallions
• Shredded Ginger
• Chopped Garlic
• Red Wine - I use some of my leftover garage wine -Little Anthony Syrah
• Aluminum Pan - Make a rectangle pan out of aluminum foil, large enough to hold all the meat, or use a disposable aluminum pan

Cover the chicken with the rub and grill until it's almost done.
Let the coals cool down a bit or turn the grill on low.
Put chicken and ingredients in the pan and back on the grill.
Flip the chicken occasionally, add a little red wine as the sauce cooks down.
Cook until the meat is falling off the bone.

Serve with grilled asparagus or fennel and roasted fingerling potatoes

Wine Pairing - slightly chill some Pinot Noir or Vacqueryras (made from Syrah and some Grenache) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacqueyras_AOC

Little Anthony and the Garagistes

Garagiste - Yes, I confess, I am a garagiste.
What's a garagiste? The name originated with a group of innovative wine makers in the Bordeaux region who wanted to make a style of wine that was less traditional and didn't take as long to age, and their wine was referred to as garage wine, "vins de garage," and so the name garagiste was born.
Little Anthony was born when I started making wine in 2003 with the encouragement from my friend and mentor, Mike Bonaccorsi, and innovation aside, it's not easy making wine that is really drinkable, especially in the garage.
But by 2005, I'm happy to say, Little Anthony received a Gold Medal at the Orange County Fair.
The 2008 Chardonnay turned out great. The grapes are from the Herman Vineyard in Carneros, California. It's clean, light, crisp, and very sauvignon blanc in style. There's no oak and no secondary fermentation.
The '07 Syrah aged 18 months in French Oak, and these grapes were from the Larner Vineyard, up in Santa Ynez, California.
This vintage is intense, with spice and enough acid for a balanced finish.
Making wine at home is fun, rewarding and it's always great to give barrel samples to friends and family.