The Daily Herald from Arlington Heights, Illinois • Page 56

PAGE 6 SECTION 3 DAILY HERALD WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2008 DF3 Ross: Berry, spice flavor Sonoma wines Contained from Rige 1 family deeded land to California for the Jack London State Historic Park, now 800 acres and host to 75,000 visitors annually. There's a legacy of another sort on 200 acres retained by London's heir, Milo Shepard In 1970, Sliep- ard planted the Jack London Vineyard. In three decades, the Jack London Vineyard has forged a collaboration between time-tested agriculture and modern business, a crucial step in the survival of America's young wine industry. I got up close and personal with the vineyard (especially "the part of me that sits on the as I bumped and vaulted through terraces and careening gulches in Shepard's V-8, four-wheel drive pickup. Sonoma Mountain rises 30 miles from the Pacific Ocean to 2,463 feet, the remnant of an ancient volcano.

Two million years ago a massive eruption spewed lava over 6,000 acres, creating three distinct watersheds and rich, rocky soils. Shepard farms 13 blocks separately to reflect each exposure, soil and drainage condition. It's a European model that California is just learning: grapes grown and wines crafted, not to satisfy a formula or trend, but to express the unique flavors of a region, the goutde terroir. Sonoma Mountain's flavors are concentrated berry-spice with unique chocolatey-ness. These, Shepard refines further by matching cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot, zinfandel and syrah grapes to each block.

"The vineyard is what makes the wine. The winemaker blends flavors that the good Lord puts into the grapes," he says with gracious understatement. The winemaker is Kenwood Vineyard's Mark Stupich. In Not burned out, says happy hot pepper taster 1976, Kenwood received sole rights to make and market Jack London's wine. "It's all about structure," says Stupich.

And sometimes structure is about operating capital. A temperature spike during harvest, for instance, causes grapes to lose water and chemical balance bad for the wine's flavor and longevity. Bad for the grower, too, who is paid by the ton. A small winery may not have enough capacity to receive grapes or juice. "You either pull another wine out of its fermenter prematurely or let the vineyard grow overripe," says Stupich.

"It's a constant danger." So Kenwood's new owner, Heck Estates, invested in a new temperature-controlled fermenting room. "It's not so we can make more wine," Stupich assures me. "It's so we can pick and crush at optimum ripeness." Still, "new ownership" is bad news when oversupply has slashed grape prices by more than 50 percent. According to the local Sunday Press Democrat, many small growers are being forced to let unsold grapes hang on die vine to rot. What would be die harm, one might ask, of stretching the Jack London wine a teensy bit, with juice from cheaper sources? So far the reduced quality is not an option for Shepard, Kenwood or Heck Estates.

Time will tell if the team holds this resolve. If they do, the wine of Jack London Vineyard will strengthen its position as not only a delicious drink, but an example of the rugged individualism of die American wine industry a legacy London would be proud of. Advanced Sommelier and Certified Wine Educator Mary Ross writes Good Wine tiuice a month in Food. Ross' choice Zinfandel 2000 Kenwood Vineyards Jack London Vineyard, Sonoma Valley Suggested retail and availability: About S20 at wine-shops It's hard to choose between Jack London wines. The cab is elegant and lean, the merlot plump.

The zinfandel wild berry and brown spice flavors and a caress of chocolate for me. While all the wines amplify the flavor and soften Ihe texture of red meat, for a new taste sensation, try the zin with chocolate, a rich mole sauce for instance, or bittersweet biscotti.The bottle's emblazoned image is London's alter ego and symbol of Wolf. BY CHERAMIE SONNIER Bill Snay, who loves eating hot peppers, has the perfect job. He's plant manager of Bruce Foods hot sauce production plant, and is its official taste tester. Some days he tastes the company's Original Louisiana Hot Sauce or one of the brand's six other flavors, depending on the production schedule.

Other days it might be hot sauces under the Louisiana Gold or Red Rooster labels. He likes them all. Although he prefers his hot sauces really hot, he checks for a taste that's somewhere in the middle. And, he insists, "I'm not burned out." His love affair with hot pepper? began in his home state of Ohio where he first bit into a fresh hot banana pepper. Now he's worked for Bruce Foods for 22 years.

Peppers, he explains, always have more heat when they are fresh, and are rated for heat on the Scoville scale. For example, a jalapeno registers 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville heat units; the cayenne pepper, 8,000 to 25,000, depending on the variety; and the habanero, 150,000 to 300,000. The real heat of a hot pepper is in its seeds and placenta, which is what the seeds are attached to. "Pepper season is August 15 to November 15," Snay explains. "We get fresh peppers in, grind them and mix salt with them, which preserves them and starts the fermentation.

It's like a pickling process." The resulting pepper mash is stored in 112 fiberglass tanks, each 12 feet in diameter, with a capacity of 23,650 gallons. Fermented mash is drawn off as needed and sent to the sauce room where it goes into tanks that hold 2,500 to 3,000 gallons each. The fermented mash is "mixed with vinegar and then milled, or cut finer and finer," Snay explains. "It's then separated, and the pepper chaff (seeds and skins) are sold to boiling plants where they boil seafood." Snay reaches into a 250- pound drum and lifts a handful of what looks like red sawdust. That's me chaff, he says.

Each hot sauce that Bruce Foods makes has its own flavor profile, Snay says. "We have peppers that come from different fields, different states, different countries. "If the (pepper-growing) ASSOCIATED PRESS I'MOTOS Bill Snay, Bruce Foods hot-sauce production-plant manager and official taste tester, says the company's Original Louisiana Hot Sauce has fans around the world. season is hot and dry, thejpep- pers are hotter than if the season is wet and cool." If it's wet when the peppers are growing, they will usually have more liquid and will be more succulent, he continues. "That dilutes the heat." The hot sauce production crews work two, 10-hour shifts, four days a week, he says.

As he shows visitors around, both a 12-ounce and a 6-ounce bottling line are operating. After being filled, the bottles get a fitment cap, and then their finished red caps. The filled bottles are washed off, a tamper evidence seal is applied, and the botde then goes through a heat tunnel to shrink the seal. From there, they go to a drop packer into cases. An inspector checks the bottles before the box is sealed to make sure the labels are on straight and the boxes are properly coded.

regularly check the hot sauces to make sure they meet specifications, Snay says. "We are getting ready to build a tech lab at headquarters. It will be like a research lab. We develop our own recin.es. We have a quality assurance manager who is a food scientist.

I'm just strictly peppers and hot sauce." "The Original 6-ounce Louisiana Hot Sauce is the highest volume hot sauce item sold in groceiy stores in the United Slates," said Bruce Foods' president and chief executive officer, Pepper chaff, the seeds and skins discarded during the making of hot-pepper sauce, is sold to seafood-boiling plants. J.S. Brown III, a grandson of the turer now churns out some company founder. 250,000 bottles a day at its Cade, But the sauce has fans around production facility to keep the world, and the manufac- up with demand. Cooking classes TODAY Preparing Fish and Seafood Kitchens otters the ot selection and sfrjiage as wel' as five basic cook- inrj techniques tor and wafou.

1 Tin; clan will be held from 7 lo 10 at 2701 Siltoy Avc Park Midge. $55. (8-57)966 7574 Cheese Cooking with Ihc Best Chfils fueculive chol Dunne Bosiet ot Cite Absinthe. Chicago, will feat HID cooking with cheese trnm 7 to 0 at DoubleTree fiuusl Suites. 2111 Quttcifield Hoad.

Downers Gtovc Giles Schnicrle. owner cf The Great Amoncan Cheese Collection, will be on hand with tips tor buying, cannq and serving crwne and in cru-usemakjnij The class will he held in ilif! hanrjuet room S3ii S20 (members) 930-13001 or on line www itastChefs corn Market Lunch Learn to make ot local tor met markets an niter a special tour ot Chicago's Green Cily Market foNcwnd hy a cookmq class and luncheon with their finds Mro! at Green City Market at 10 a or join the class 11 30 a al The Chopping Block. 1324 Wenstcr.Chic.iyo S2S (773)472-6700 Seafood 101 Learn the ol seafood preparation anrt presentation tor every day -'ind entertaining nionus this class being at 7 in. at The Chopping Slock in Chicago $50 Guest Che! Corcortan O'Connor, executive Mjtrche and fiioco. Chicago.

dftinonr.tiatn his culmnry tnvonicr. trom 6 30 to 30 Cnlphnlon Culinary Center's KiJdmn. 1000 Washintjlrjn Bivrt Chscaqo $125. i312) 529-niOO THURSDAY Preparing Fish and Seafood Prairn; Kitchens otters the basicr. of scli-ction and storaqo as f.vc basic cooking technique'; tot fish and srjnlood Ttie class be held Iron 7 to 50 p.ni at N.ipe:viile North High School Naperville $55 ie47)96fi-757-i Gel Into The Kitchen Kitchen's popular class lor novice cooks tontines thy hows and whys ot cooking at Gallery 37 Center tcr tlw Ans Gfi Handoiph St.

Chicago This is the second ot Inur hands-on class runs fi to 8 30 other dosses cine; Oct 2 and 9 $30 (312) or www Girls Night: Minis le.irn to make and bite-sire noshes lor great 7 at Ihe Chopping Rior.k in Chir.ngo SSO (bring ycur OA hnv- erage). FRIDAY Elegant Mexican Comer Cocks lor Couples Cook tour of the mere elegant sifle ot Mexican cuisine in ihir, class si.irtmg at fi at Corner Cooks Chestnut. Winnetka $65. (847)441-0134 KnllR Skills Learn to usn kitcnen's most basic and essfinhnl tool with confidence, undfirstanrjing and sntety this class being offered at 10 a nt The Chopping Block in Chicago $50. 6700 SATURDAY Great Cnel Series Ac part Th? Chicago Botanic Garden's 2003 Great Chef Series.

Steve Jackson personal chef to the Chicago Bulls wii prepare specify recipes wiih garden-fresh ingredients al 1 30 and 2 30 the open-air kitchen and amonifncafer of (fie Rngtinstern Garden at (fie Chicago Botanic Garden, on Lake-Cook Road in Glencoc (a halt mile east ot the Edens Admission to the Gardcnr, and Great Chef is free, parking is SB 75 Call (B47) 835-5'140 or visit the Wen at www chic.iqobotamc org Petit Fours Polhn and de cuismf; Michael Maddov ot in fiti do Pans feafurn a classic petit ULTRASplMIC Mini-Blmd Cleaning! fours dfinuitistrafiori anrf in ffirs norm ctasr; fit 1015 IV DimrJcc toad. Arlington Hciqtits S'iO (847) Mti-0222 Dinner in 30 minutes or less Join HOI West Rnslawant whorfj chof Rolnrul SUiRilftr will aivc do motir.tr;! I ion ol simnli! dinner mitiucG tliat Lit; jirtjiiared in ipr.n 30 Ttiir. 10 in rl.isr; r. Iiee nut vntioiir, nrc required. TiiO rustamant is locator! Mfll SI Onk Hmok K)3Q) or onlrtifi www ccm Knife Skills Learn to UGU the kitchen's most basic cr.wntml liwi wiili commence.

nnO snfuly in lius being ollurer) at 11) in and again nl 7. rn at ill'! Chopping Block in Chicago S5(J Table for Two Italian Cooking, Italian Arias Beyond Ihe G-'tnie old dinner a movie thr, will feature a lull iinja! and singing Iconics from Hit; Italian icpcrtoiift ur, 30 pm at Iff? Chopping Chicago. $75 per person (tiring ycur own bcvpt- aqcl tff Kids in the Kilchcn Maggiano's Lidlc Italy will Host a for ctiildnjn 8 to 12 whtcM will tcofurc liinr.nes and alter school snacks for kidr, to make on own Tlic will watch Hie chefs prciwie and r.liarn in Hie fun making flavorful dishes ami their creations The tree class will also mrlurie lips tor Ilic class will In: held fium 11am tr. 1 in nt Maijrjiano's Uttcagn. I11 Grand Avc.

(31?) (vW-7770 Women Only Join rhnl Holier! Siiintvcky at tlio Four Seasons Hotel Chicane as he demonstrates 'our-cfiurw tjourmet meal anrt a hands-on lesson on lioiv lo preiiair: each course along the 1 way The class will ho held in the holnl kitchnn from 10 in. to noon the hotel. 120 E. Delaware Place. Chicago $75 SUNDAY Groat Cnel Series As part of The Chicago Botari'C liardcn'r, 2003 GffWl CM Series.

Msttltew Koury of Rivers writ pam specialty lecrper, with gatden-liesh ingredients at 1 30 and 2 30 in the open-alt kitchen and amphitheater of the Heticnstem Garden at the Chicago Botanic Garden in fiiencoc Call (Hi7) KK-5440 or visit the Web at www clncagobotanic org. Knilc Skills Learn to use Ihc kitchen's most basic and essential tool with confidence, understanding and safety in thir, dans being offered at 5.30 at The Chopping Block in Chicago S5Q (773)472-6700 Building Blocks Learn cooking from Ihe ground up in this class offered at 10 a rn. and 2 m. al The Chopping Block Chicago S50 (773) 472-0700 MONDAY Building Blocks Learn cooking from Ihe ground up in this class ottered at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.

at The Chopping Block Chicago SSO PALL COLLECTIONS ARE ARRIVING DAILY LA-NEW YORK FOR HER LAKE ZURICH (Jewel Shopping Center) 847.438.6789 Mon. Frl. 10-6, Sal 10-5. Sun 12-5 GRANITE TILE HARDWOOD BLOWOUT! to OFF Sq. Ft.

Completely Installed With Coupon $999 I Sq. FI. Com on HH Installed Wilt Completely Installed With Coupon Masland Tultex Mohawk 1 Waverly Millken CustomWeave WundaWeave Avalon Cou-ture Expressive Designs Queen World Galaxy And all other major brands! FREEINSTALLATIOH! WHY CHOOSE I CARPET MILL OUTLET? Same Family owned and operated since 1963. We carry ONLY 1st quality carpeting, no seconds. There are no tricks or surprises.

All representatives and installers are experienced and trained in their Held. We provide quality service during and after each sale ensuring your complete satisfaction. Allow Carpet Mill Outlet the chance and We'll get the job DONE RIGHT! GUARANTEED! OKR1500BRURDGS IN-STOCKSONSJILEI PLUS GET AN ADDITIONAL WITH THIS COUPON L.U9 I MIM AUUI I 1000FF Same Family Owned And Operated Since 1963 blinds NoAppit; Needed For Drop-Off; 717-5665 Naperville CMcagbland'sOnly Olscoiini flooring Superstore! DOWNERiS iBROVE MORTON GROVE just west df the 2 blocks west if the ijfRf.59BSTMtonfid,:'. AcrossIrwHappihtsitiPets' EderrExpressway" -63fl-829 90l)0 JUST BUGS 'Mirti-ffif-S-S; SAT 9-6; SW SHOP-MOliK (MQ Blanton Plumbing Sewer Inc. 847-855-0000 630-830-0900 815-385-9855 (Toil Frco) 800-954-1584 Vincent's VjFIooring (847)338-2557 DailyHerald 847-427-4444 (847)419-1140 (630) 483-9000 NU-VIEW CONSTRUCTION (847) 358-19OO (847) 398-2993 CRYSTAL CLEAN I I WINDOW WASHING MARK SARICH 847-922-9592 Wolff's Flea Market (847) 524-9590 WWW.Wolffs.com 847-640-7787 408 E.

Devon Elk Grove Village (847) 459-4919 Garage Sale season is here! Place a Daily Herald Fast Track Classified to promote your sale and our famous Garage Sale Kit is FREE It contains everything you'll need to make your sale a big success And, best of all, you'll receive a bunch of valuable coupons from our fine sponsors: Krispy Kreme. Garibaldi's Restaurants. Gameworks, plus money saving olfers from the companies listed in this ad To place your Fast Track Classified Ad, Call 847-427-4444 or (630) 955-0008 Or quick as a whistle, online at xilr pnunj; M.irls .11 iuM SJ-i 11(1 tor .1 (. iir.liT. online- I'M- wniiK Illltl DOII.MI HIM." in llu- nil- I'tclil in H-I cm- .1 iliM mini i.il i.lu-is.

rr.il liulril. Illllilcd lo JHU.IIC p.tflu^ only Presented hy: feaWTs. 9 KEN YOUNG SKYLIGHTS SOLAR TUBES 847-358-3026 Hunt Wry is.444-ieoo Hnttmn DIRECTV. Call 847-301-1058 (847) 427-9700 DAN'S RELOCATORS 630-675-1336 800-734-1725 Paving 630-918-7677 847-652-2200 MARENGO Auto Body and Glass 815-568-1777 A-l Concrete Raising Co. (847) 359-2456 DailyHerald II-K I'l.

Hll lh 847-427-4444 1-800-S7B-0410 ONE STOP HAULING MATERIAL REMOVAL WANTED TO BUY 847-289-9618 847-809-4495 1.