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What You Need to Know About Serbian Wine

Wine and the locals who enjoy it have endured quite a bit in what is now Serbia. After a troubled past — both in terms of wine production and general conflict — the country is looking to make a name for itself. Not bad for a young Balkan nation born in 2006, in the ashes of a lengthy spell with communism.

In the era of Yugoslavia, this part of Eastern Europe was known well for its wines. Larger producers made enough of the stuff that it made its way around the continent. By the 1970s, the area was operating at peak scale, making something to the tune 600 million liters per year. It was among the top ten wine-producing countries on the planet, not entirely surprising given that the Former Yugoslavia was quite large, geographically, consisting of not only modern Serbia, but Montenegro, Kosovo, Slovenia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Macedonia.

About a decade later, the region began to fragment and the ripple effect eventually consumed much of the wine industry. However, as of the 2000s, the Serbian wine scene has shown solid signs of recovery, with smaller, artisanal-minded producers joining some of the larger-scale dinosaurs of old that managed to weather the storm. With little going head-to-head with very large, there’s a fascinating mix of good, interesting wines as well as some poorly made, commercial wines coming out of Serbia.

About 65% of what’s planted are white grapes, the rest red. The Romans kickstarted the region’s viticultural campaign long ago. Today, a few intriguing native varieties remain, like Smederevka (white) which got its start along the famed Danube River. There’s also Prokupac, often turned into a rosé, but known increasingly as an intriguing medium-bodied red. Wine critics believe this variety may have the best chance of becoming Serbia’s calling card for imbibers. And there’s Mézes Fehér, a sweeter white that can also be made into an interesting orange wine. More recognizable varieties like Chardonnay, Cabernet, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Blanc live here, too.

There are quite a few growing areas within Serbia’s borders but the three major regions include Central Serbia, Kosovo, and Vojvodina. It’s a cool and fairly mountainous country, with many suitable slopes and protected growing areas. Smaller operations especially are looking to share uniquely Serbian flavors through carefully crafted wines.

While the industry expands, important trade gatherings like the Beo Wine Fair in Belgrade continue to turn the international wine community’s head toward Serbia. Look for more options to pop up at your local boutique bottle shop or wine-loving restaurant.

Ready to dig into Serbian wine? Here are a few to try:

Vino Budimir 2015 Tamjanika Zupska

Vino Budimir 2015 Tamjanika Zupska

This wine features another indigenous Serbian grape, Tamjanika, which is closely related to Muscat Blanc. People tend to compare it to a bright Pinot Gris, with nice focus and dry as a sand dune. Vino Budimir is located in the southern region of Zupa and is also known for its riesling.

Janko Bas 2015 Prokupac

Janko Bas 2015 Prokupac

If you’re looking for a good everyday food wine, this is it. This Prokupac by Janko Bas is good and rustic with a lot of vigor and juicy flavors. It’s also generally a great bargain, regardless of vintage.

Chichateau 2017 Fabula Mala Bijela Chardonnay

Chichateau 2017 Fabula Mala Bijela Chardonnay

Chardonnay can assume many forms, which is one of the reasons why the varietal is so endearing. This one comes from one of the more experimental wine zones (Fruška Gora Mountain) and is a nice mix of fruity and funky.

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Cracking the case: Why eggs are the new darling of the black market
White eggs in an egg carton.

In a frustrating, yet somehow wholesome turn of events, eggs have been added as the newest addition to the long list of illicit items being smuggled over the Mexican/U.S. border.
Between November 1 and January 17, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents reported over 2,000 instances of attempted egg smuggling over the border, according to the New York Times. In the same 11-week period the year before, only 460 similar instances were reported.
The surge in this unusual crime is undoubtedly due to the increasing cost of eggs in the states. The guilty party? The avian flu, still wreaking fresh havoc on all birdkind as the days tick by without any real solution. From turkey shortages this past Thanksgiving to what's now apparently turning into eggs being sold shadily in little plastic baggies, the effects of this gnarly virus are extraordinary.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, avian influenza has affected more than 58 million birds in both commercial and backyard flocks. By the end of last year, the illness had killed more than 43 million egg-laying hens. Due to the egg shortage this continues to create, obviously, their cost has skyrocketed.
In Mexico, however, the price of a kilogram of eggs - which equates to more than a dozen jumbo eggs in American terms - is currently running between 31 and 50 pesos, or $1.59 to $2.79 in U.S. dollars. Compare that to our average of $7.37 per dozen in California, and a new career in the underground egg game starts to look interesting.
While it has been illegal to bring eggs and uncooked poultry into the U.S. from Mexico since 2012, most instances until now were simply cases of ignorance and a few discarded eggs as a consequence. Now, though, the powers that be are cracking down.
On January 17, San Diego Director of Field Operations, Sidney Aki, tweeted, "The San Diego Field Office has recently noticed an increase in the number of eggs intercepted at our ports of entry. As a reminder, uncooked eggs are prohibited entry from Mexico into the U.S. Failure to declare agriculture items can result in penalties of up to $10,000." For ten thousand bucks, you can buy at least a couple of weeks' worth of eggs, so maybe it's best not to risk it.
Either way, no matter how you get your eggs home this week, we recommend storing them in the refrigerator...removed of all duct tape and white, powdery residue.

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Splurging is a habit we can't seem to kick. Amid a less-the-perfect economy, we still love to eat expensive caviar, collect wildly high-priced spirits bottles, and order drinks with actual gold in them. Creatures of habit, I suppose.

The latest development within the topic? A coffee cup with an asking price of $150. Yes, a Portland coffee roaster offered a rare and limited-run cup of coffee. It goes down as perhaps the most expensive cup of coffee ever. The real question begs: Is it worth it?

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oyster blade steak cuts 13839614695 d08e418609 k

We love a lesser-known cut of beef. Tri-tip, for example — one of the most delicious of all steaks and a prized treasure to any Californian — away from the West coast, is often dismissed as a curious cut with no real culinary value (how dare they). Until the last few years, flank and skirt steaks were both scoffed at as cheap, tough cuts, hardly worthy of the time spent to prepare them. It's hard to believe this blasphemy, yet somehow, it's true. Underappreciated, shier types of steak often fly under the radar for decades without anyone pausing to appreciate their unique character and flavors. We say it's time to end this nonsense.
Enter the Oyster Blade. Commonly brushed aside due to its center vein of connective tissue, this flavorful piece of meat is one of the best steak cuts in town. Similar to the flat iron, the oyster blade differs only in the way it's butchered. A flat iron comes from the meat being cut along the long grain from the top and undersides of the gristle. When the meat is cut across its grain, the gristle line lies in the middle of the steak, and that is an oyster blade cut. Both cuts come from below the shoulder blade and are tremendously flavorful and savory.
Because of its signature line of gristle, oyster blades are too often overlooked. But if you know how to prepare this delicious cut of beef, your flavor reward will be immense. Like most lean cuts, the Oyster can be tough, but only when prepared incorrectly. While it can be deliciously pan-seared or grilled, our favorite preparation is a slow-cooked braise. Giving this flavorful cut of beef time to release its meaty flavor will give you one of the most savory stews or roasts you've ever prepared.

Oyster Blade braise recipe

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