As the cold nights set in, our minds turn to cooking: the warmth and good smells it brings not to mention the tangible rewards of a full belly! We've been trying to elevate our dinners from that bowl of cereal that sometimes has to suffice on those busy summer nights to something with a bit more soul. We plan to share some of these with you; with accompanying wine and beer pairings of course.

For starters, tonight we enjoyed a piping hot bowl of pumpkin risotto in our test kitchen along with a nice glass of Coturri Chardonnay for Alan and a Fraoch Heather beer for me. This one is definitely worth sharing and apparently was served to Siegfried and Roy by Wolfgang Puck drizzled with reduced beet juice for a Halloween meal. We were out of butter and it still tasted incredibly creamy and delicious!

In other news, we've just posted the calendar for the next two months - and it's good! November brings a battle of the beers: brown bagged blind tastings that will focus on ingredients, style and true personal preference.

November also brings with it our holiday wine special! Starting November 1st we offer 25% off of any case of wine, mixed or straight or 15% off of 6 bottles. Our Sunday organic tastings carry on as always and as the holidays approach check out Alan's selections for great gift and holiday meal pairing ideas. (Alan's got a knack for wine pairing, so bring your menus with you.)

In final news, we've started a Facebook page for a little day to day contact with everyone. Alan always lists the line up for our Friday night beer tastings, as well as the weekly wines on tap. Sign up and leave a comment.

And now for the recipe, enjoy... Christie