Looking to try a new red? Stop by Plum Market in Bloomfield Twp. and pick up one of our favorite Spanish reds.  We currently have Bodegas Alejandro Fernandez Tinto Pesquera Crianza 2008 | Plum Price: $24.97.  Pesquera comes from the Ribera del Duero region of Spain and is comprised of 100% Tempranillo from both benchland and high elevation vineyards.

It’s aged in a combination of both French and American oak and has notes of raspberry, strawberry, soy, and baking spices with a gentle touch of vanilla.  It’s medium to full-bodied with moderate tannins and potential to age for another 10 years or so.  Try it with a roasted leg of lamb with a pomegranate molasses rub.

Anthony, our Plum Market Wine Team Leader, isn’t famous but he sometimes dresses as if he were, so Darin (Assistant Store Team Leader), took a moment to interview him in anticipation of our June 13^th opening.

D: What’s your favorite movie?

A: ‘Bring me the Head of Alfredo Garcia’

D: That is a good and uncommon answer.

A: Thank you.

D: You can have any wine, any food you want with it, anywhere in the world at any time in history. What would you have?

A: A 2007 William Fevre Chablis Bougros, Oysters, in Paris in…1996.

D: Why 1996?

A: Why not? Hey, would the time-space continuum thingy make my wine disappear?

D: It might. You might have to go with an existing vintage. I don’t know how The Theory of Relativity works on wine. What can we expect opening weekend from the Plum Wine Team?

A: On Friday, June 14^th we’ll be hosting an Austrian wine tasting – two sessions 11-3 and 4-8.

D: What’s your most loved Austrian Wine?

A: The 2010 Wiener Gemischter Satz. Come on down and we’ll taste it together.

Both the wines mentioned will be part of Plum’s opening day inventory. Anthony is pictured pretending to stand at our wine bar (still under construction). Come visit some lovely summer evening after we open and enjoy a bottle. See you soon!

Join the conversation: #plummarketCHI

April 23rd is National Picnic Day!  While the weather is still hit or miss, we want to make sure you’re ready when the sun does comes out so you can spend some time with loved ones at your favorite outdoor spot.  Tell us about your favorite picnic food creations and be entered to win the following picnic supplies:

Picnic Day Giveaway (value $150) includes:

BlueQ Bag
5 Sistema Containers
2 Preserve Containers
World Centric Cups, Cutlery, and Plates
Coola Sunscreen
Matt’s Organic Lemonade
Tyrrell’s Chips
AND a $50 Gift Card to purchase your fave picnic foods!

Looking for more ideas for perfect picnic foods? Check out our Picnic Pinterest Board!

Lamb can be a welcome change of pace from beef or pork, and it pairs well with so many flavors, making it fun to cook and even more fun to eat! Looking for the right cut and superior quality of lamb for your spring recipes? Plum Market is very excited to feature our favorite:  Mountain State Rosen (MSR), coming to you fresh from our butcher cases.

We love MSR and here’s why:

MSR lamb is 100% born and raised in the US by families of ranchers and growers who are dedicated to their land, their animals, and their trade. The lamb comes from MSR’s own co-op family of ranchers, primarily in the Western States.

Mountain States Rosen was the first company to offer an All Natural, Never Ever lamb program, ensuring the animals never receive antibiotics or added hormones.  Their vertical integration ensures “best in class” products from the feed,  to processing,  and delivery.

Mountain States Rosen is committed to producing the highest quality lamb in a responsible manner, focusing on 5 pillars of sustainability:  Animal Care-in-Production, Environmental Quality, Economic Viability, Social Viability, and Community Support.  All of these standards combine to help make Mountain States Rosen producers of the highest quality lamb.

Now, how to cook it…

We’ve scoured the World (wide web) to find some of the tastiest lamb recipes around, so check out these, and some other great recipes for Spring on our Pinterest board!

It may not feel like it now, but it’s Spring, and warm weather is just around the corner! What does that mean for beer drinkers? It means everyone’s favorite, fruity summer ale is back! Our shelves are stocked with Bell’s Oberon. Enjoy this seasonal wheat beer with one of our many exotic selections of citrus fruit or some succulent, red raspberries for a perfect warm weather snack.

Spring beers have something to offer for everyone. So what else is our beer team drinking this season? They’ve come up with a couple of their favorite craft selections for you…

Experience one of Grand Rapid’s finest brews, Founders All Day IPA. It’s sharp hop profile, light body, and pleasantly crisp, bitter finish is perfect for an afternoon ball game or BBQ. Like Oberon and All Day IPA? How about Lagunitas Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’? This unique California beer flaunts a silky body, strong hoppiness and a complex wheat flavor that is sure to help you relax after some springtime gardening or mowing the lawn on a sunny afternoon.

If you are a lover of tinned fish, Cole’s Brand is a must try.  And if you’re not a fan of tinned fish, put your adventure pants on and try some!  The smoked rainbow trout is lightly smoky with a hint of nuttiness and packed in olive oil for a velvety smooth texture.  You will be amazed at the flavor and quality of this often-mocked pantry staple.  They are delicious served on a piece of toasted bread or cracker with avocado and lemon juice or eaten straight from the tin.  They offer varieties of wild mackerel and sardines as well, all of which are equally delicious.

April is Michigan Wine Month! Don’t miss the Michigan Wine Showcase; in the meantime here’s a handful of Michigan wines that are dependably excellent, vintage after vintage!  Their wineries and winemakers have set a standard that makes us proud.

L. Mawby Blanc de Blancs, Leelanau Peninsula

Sleek, dry sparkling wines from northern Michigan’s master of bubbles, Larry Mawby.  Try using it instead of a French Blanc de Blancs Champagne, and look to be happily surprised!

Bel Lago Auxerrois, Leelanau Peninsula

(Pronounced “oh-zair-rah”)  A sophisticated Chardonnay alternative, made from a lesser known European white varietal.  Complex and dry.

Left Foot Charley Pinot Blanc, Old Mission Peninsula

Left Foot Charley takes the modest Pinot Blanc grape to an artistic level!  Bryan Ulbrich is the irrepressible owner-winemaker – pick up any of of his bottlings and look to be fulfilled. And check out his whimsical website!

Chateau Fontaine Pinot Gris, Leelanau Peninsula

Silky smooth dry white wine – it’ll make you stop buying Italian Pinot Grigio!  Chateau Fontaine’s wines have gotten terrific critical acclaim within the past couple of years.  Owners Dan and Lucie Matthies are the nicest people, you can’t help but celebrate their success.

Chateau Grand Traverse Gamay Noir, Old Mission Peninsula

Softly dry, lighter-bodied and easy drinking, an excellent Pinot Noir alternative!  Gamay is the red grape in France’s Beaujolais region.

Black Star Farms “Leorie Vineyard”, Old Mission Peninsula

A Merlot-Cabernet Franc blend, one of the most impressive red wines that Michigan makes.  Rich, full-flavored and age-worthy.  From a very special vineyard site on Old Mission, an amphitheater that protects the vines from the northern elements.

-Contributed by Madeline Triffon #madpicks

Stop by our carving station on 3/17/13 in the Plum Kitchen and you’ll find the following selections to help you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day:

All Natural Niman Ranch Flank Steak | Crusted with Herbs, Garlic, and Mustard and served with Smithwick Beer and Candied Shallot Demi Glace  $19.99/lb

Traditional Corned Beef & Cabbage | Slowly braised Sy Ginsberg Corned Beef, Cabbage, Potatoes, and Carrots  $14.99/lb

Guiness & Lamb Stew | All Natural Leg of Colorado Lamb braised in Guinness Beer, Beef Stock, fresh Rosemary and Thyme, with Carrots, Onions, Celery, Red Skin Potatoes, and finished with Sour Cream and fresh ground Black Pepper  $19.99/lb

Bangers | All Natural Pork Sausage with Caramelized Onion Gravy  $6.99/lb

Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie | Garden fresh vegetables tossed in Bechamel Sauce, topped with signature Mashed Potatoes and baked till golden brown  $10.99/lb

Roasted Root Vegetables & Brussels Sprouts | Carrots, Parsnips, Potatoes, and Brussels Sprouts roasted with Herbs and Olive Oil  $9.99/lb

Chomps | Smashed New Potatoes with Garlic, White Cheddar Cheese, Scallions, and Sour Cream  $8.99/lb

Okay, so we’ve all heard of SuperFoods, things like berries, nuts, honey and green foods, but did you know you can get the same kind of health benefits from chocolate? Yes, we said it. Chocolate! The newest trend in confections is functional chocolate.  It’s about time, but it was well worth the wait. Chocolate with added health benefits is showing up all over the shelves, and we haven’t missed a beat.

Good Cacao is a prime example of how to promote overall health and satisfy your cravings for chocolate. They offer bars with coconut and Omega-3. These are all-natural, gluten free and vegan.

Good Cacao also has a Lemon Ginger Dark Chocolate Bar to support Immune health. It’s high in antioxidants and probiotics. Good Cacao is a product you can feel good about buying, with 97% certified organic ingredients and biodegradable packaging.

Xan Confections (pronounced Zan) offers a special collection of satisfying, all-natural chocolates, called CocoXan. They boast products like CocoHeart and CocoBrain, infused with CoQ10, an antioxidant that helps support healthy brain, heart and digestive functions. Xan even sells chocolate to help satisfy cravings while minimizing PMS systems! Hold your applause please, ladies.

Sacred Chocolate is slowly stone ground below 115 degrees Fahrenheit and hand poured in a small, certified organic, vegan, and carbon balanced factory in California. Why, you ask? Because unroasted cacao (raw chocolate) contains countless health benefits and traditional roasting methods can destroy these “sacred” properties.  Sacred Chocolate is loaded with antioxidants and, with flavors like Mint and Coconut & Nibbs, this is one tasty Super Food!

Raw Chocolate by Gnosis is made from ethically sourced Raw Cacao from Bali, Ecuador, Peru, Grenada and Madagascar. These bars are certified organic, vegan, kosher and are free of gluten, soy and dairy.  Because Gnosis chocolate is never headed above 118 degrees, all of its valuable nutrients, antioxidants, and vitamins are protected. At Gnosis, they believe that chocolate is food, not candy, and it should be enjoyed regularly. No arguments there!

German-based Beauty Sweeties makes Pure White Chocolate Bars with Q10, Aloe Vera and Collagen. With flavors like pomegranate/raspberry, acai, and mango/peach, each bar has a purpose, providing Vitamin E, antioxidants and beta carotene. This beautiful treat is all-natural and good for you, and even claims to provide cellular energy and neutralize free radicals. Imagine eating chocolate and looking and feeling better! Guess you really can have it all…

Contributor:  Jeffrey Mar, CSW | West Bloomfield Wine Team Leader

We asked Jeff what’s happening on the local scene in the beverage world.  Here’s what he had to say:

LIQUOR

Going local is no longer a trend; it is a way of life.  Michigan has in recent years eased restrictions on small distillers and we are beginning to see the fruits of their labors on our shelves. New Holland Distillery in Holland, Michigan has been at the forefront of this craft-distilling movement and is keeping us busy trying to grab a case of their small-batch whiskeys.  Rifino Valentine has found a home for Valentine Distillery in Ferndale, Michigan and has recently launched a fresh, citrusy Liberator gin, with plans to launch a whiskey in the next few months.  Other small distilleries to watch for in Michigan – Journeyman in Three Oaks, Michigan is about to release a limited batch Ravenswood Organic Rye; Northern United Brewing, comprised of Jolly Pumpkin, Grizzly Peak and North Peak,  has entered the scene this past year with their ‘Civilized’ line of spirits including Sakura cherry vodka and White Dog.

Overall, vodka still rules the market in Metro-Detroit with big international brands maintaining a strong presence on the liquor shelves. McClure’s Bloody Mary mix, from a local pickle packing family, has been a hot item this winter season.

BEER

Local Michigan breweries have been leading the charts in the beer department, with Kalamazoo based Bell’s Brewery topping that. Jolly Pumpkin, Founder’s and New Holland are in demand breweries, keeping the calendar filled with exciting release date schedules.  Seasonals such as Bell’s Hopslam bring a flurry of anticipatory phone calls from local hop heads.

Look for brewers to release craft lagers, supplementing the hopped-up IPA’s and dark stouts that have been center-stage.  Look for thirst-quenching, crisp and refreshing six-packs from craft brewers that won’t bust the bank or end-up in a basement collection.

WINE

Metro-Detroit has a love for wine, always has, and that love is growing!  People are drinking wine every day with meals, bringing bottles to parties, and stocking their cellars with new vintages and styles.  We are seeing huge turn-outs at casual and formal wine-tasting events and the growth of a savvy clientele that knows the basics and is looking for what to drink next!

Sticking to local is always a smart idea, and Michigan wines are on the rise.  We are seeing a few new wineries enter the scene, and greater quality from established favorites like Blackstar Farms, L. Mawby, and Chateau Grand Traverse.

Big Little wines, loosely connected with Mawby, have brought us some fantastic new labels recently – the lush white blend, Mixtape has been the hit this winter; Verterra is producing a range of high-acid whites that we have recently noticed. Chateau Fontaine has completed a custom crush pad facility that has sent their wines over the top for quality and value.