After hosting the Julia Child Book Club meeting, I realized that I could entertain despite this economy. How, you ask? By finding recipes that feature inexpensive ingredients that are interesting and full of flavor, with leftovers that also can be made into other dinners and freeze well. A personal side note for me—I try to make healthy versions of the recipes. For the book club, I spent around $100 on ingredients for the cassoulet. From that one dish, I was able to feed 10 women, and had about 4 frozen dinners (for 3 people in my family, so 12 more servings). For a total of 22 servings, that comes out to $4.54 per serving! Plus, it’s healthy and if you are a protein and legume lover like me, a cassoulet is your ticket. The frozen portions were also a huge time saver for me, which a working mom like me can really appreciate.

And what about wine, you ask? Besides the obvious answer of drinking less wine (which I do not recommend) and that you order your wine from me, here are some tips to keep your palate buzzing without breaking the bank.

1. Try less chic varietals. The mass produced varietals, such as Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Cab Sauvignon, will not be the same value as a boutique Merlot. Ever since the movie Sideways, Merlot has dropped in sales and it is a PHENOMENAL grape!! Where as with Pinot Noir, California Cabernets and Champagnes it is extremely hard to find a deal. Also, check this month’s club selections of the Zweigelt and the Barbera, the lesser known varietals can be great values.
2. Check out blends. A perfect example is the Santa Duc Quatres Terres. This is a Rhône blend with a label that is hard for the average wine consumer to decipher. But since you follow WU, you are now in the know. Even domestic wineries have less expensive blends that sometimes are surprising on the flavor delivery. This month look to “Crimson” by Stephen Vincent.
3. Preserve your leftover wine. I am asked this question at least twice a week: “What is the best way to preserve your wine after the bottle’s been opened?” Simple, buy a can of Private Preserve and a simple soda pop closure. This product will take the air out of the bottle, and keep your wine preserved this best. Your bottle will last even longer if you put it in the refrigerator. Check out the special in our wine store today.
4. Look where the dollar is still strong. Yes, the dollar can still get you good wines from South America, South Africa and Australia. The dollar is also beginning to make headway against the Euro a little so I suspect EU wine prices will come down a bit as well.
5. Buy old vintage wine that retailers are liquidating. WU can’t help you with this one since we don’t keep a ton of inventory. Right now, look for 2005 whites or 2004 /2005 reds. Of course, this will not hold true for all wines, since some wineries’ current releases are 2005, but many have released their 2007s and 2008s.
6. Buy half bottles. If you just don’t trust yourself to stop at half a bottle to stretch your wine over a few dinners, you can buy some half bottles. Also, in restaurants this is a GREAT place to find some good values.

With a little ingenuity, there’s no reason why you can’t still enjoy the finer things in life while watching your budget. A toast to you and your fulfilled but economical palate!!