No Recipe Required with Lesley Taylor

This is a cross-over episode with content from my most recent Substack newsletter. If you're not already subscribed and following me there, here is the link.

The two Syrah/Shiraz wines I'm talking about in this episode are:

François Villard L'appel des Sereines Syrah 2020, Saint-Michel-sur-Rhône, France ($22.95 at the LCBO,) 13% ABV, 3g sugar/L.

Thompson Estate Four Chambers Shiraz 2021, Margaret River, Western Australia ($21.25 at the LCBO, on sale, regularly $24.95) 14.2% ABV, 3g sugar/L.

You can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and my new website. My e-mail address is "cook at noreciperequired dot ca."

Just a quick update on what's new in the No Recipe Required world!

Here's the link to subscribe to my weekly newsletter on Substack (contrary to what I said in the episode, there is no "dot CA" in my account name there): https://substack.com/@noreciperequired

Thanks for listening and supporting me for the last 3 years!

No notes... just listen to the randomness of this episode. And if you're reading this and can tell me how many times I used the word "random" in my intro and outro, maybe I'll have a prize for you!

Since 2024 has just started and this is the first episode of the year, I'm calling this a new season, so welcome to Season 5, Episode 1 of the No Recipe Required Podcast!

This episode with my dear friend and co-host, Leo Troy, really is quite random, hence the title "The Random Episode." I talk a bit about the wine I was drinking, how sourdough bread is made, New Year's resolutions, and eating more veggies.

If you want to learn more about vegetarian and vegan eating, check out my 4-part series from February of 2022 (S2, Ep. 10-13) where I do a real deep dive with two long-time vegans, a dietician, and a nutritionist about all things plant-based.

Part 2 of my random chat with Leo will come out soon, so stay tuned for that. In that episode, he turns the table and interviews me!

In this episode I give you some new content and tips on cooking a turkey, as well as how to simplify your holiday meal prep by doing things in advance.

Tourtière can be very divisive, and I give my thoughts on what makes for a traditional tourtière spice blend.

I finish off with some wine selections that might be worth a bit of a splurge from what you normally spend on a bottle of wine. After all, it's Christmas, so why not treat yourself!

Wine Links:

Michel Gassier - ⁠Nostre Païs⁠ $21.75

Michel Gassier - ⁠Fleur de Syrah⁠ $22.95

Xavier Vignon - ⁠Côtes du Rhône⁠ $17.95

Xavier Vignon - ⁠Lirac ⁠(Grenache/Syrah) $20.75

Xavier Vignon - ⁠Châteuneuf-du-Pape⁠ $72.95

Grant Burghe - ⁠The Holy Trinity⁠ $41.95

Past episodes mentioned in this episode:

Splurge Worthy Wines (part 1) - ⁠Bonus Ep. 3⁠

Splurge Worthy Wines (part 2) - ⁠Bonus Ep. 4⁠

Splurge Worthy Wines (part 3) - ⁠Bonus Ep. 5⁠

⁠Family Holiday Recipes⁠

S4.E3. ⁠Sparklers with Cousin Jano

Here are the wines I talked about in this episode:

⁠

https://www.lcbo.com/en/gerard-bertrand-pollinat-syrah-29506 ⁠

Gerard Bertrand

Pollinat’ Syrah $15.95

Sud de France

⁠

https://www.lcbo.com/en/quinta-da-rede-reserva-2017-431742⁠

Quinta da Rede

Reserva 2017 $20.95

Douro, Portugal

⁠

https://www.lcbo.com/en/colchester-ridge-crew-meritage-2016-426833⁠

Colchester

Ridge CREW Meritage 2020 $23.95

VQA Harrow, ON

To order Tourtières for pick-up in Toronto, go to ⁠noreciperequired.ca⁠. I will also be having a pop-up event on Saturday, November 4 and Sunday, November 5 from noon to 3PM at Mess Hall, 1125 Gerrard St. E. at Leslie.

In this episode I chat with my cousin, Alexander, who is a product consultant at the LCBO in Toronto. He LOVES Riesling, so he was the perfect person to have on to talk about all things Riesling. In the previous episode, I gave you my thoughts on the Pierre Sparr Riesling from Alsace that was this month's Wine Club selection. While Alexander and I talk about Riesling as it's made in Canada, France (Alsace) and Germany, we are tasting the 2017 Riesling from Stanners Vineyard in Prince Edward County. I bought this at my local farmers' market a few weeks ago, and since I'd just baked a Peach Pie yesterday, I figured this was a good time to open this bottle and share it with Alexander.

Here are the wines we talked about in this episode:

Please don't turn your nose up at Riesling! The wine I've chosen this month is a dry Riesling from Alsace (France.) Pierre Sparr Grande Réserve Riesling 2020, $18.95

If you can't find this exact wine, look for a Riesling from Alsace (France) that has 5-7g of sugar per Litre. This one has 6g/L. Many popular red wines are in the 4-7g/L range, in fact, the Ripasso we tasted last month had 12g/L!

This wine is pale yellow in colour and has nice viscosity. Aromas of peach, honey, honeysuckle. Mouth feel is medium bodied, citrus, minerals, med-high acidity, and dry yet juicy.

Let me know what you think! In a couple of weeks I'll be talking with my cousin, Alexander, who is a product consultant at the LCBO and who LOVES Riesling. After that, you and I will surely know more about Riesling than we ever did before.

Here are the wines we tasted on this episode:

No Recipe Required Wine Tasting Club Selection:

Cousin Jano's other favourite sparkling wines:

There are 2 reviews in this episode: first, I give my review of a new book by wine writer Natalie MacLean called "Wine Witch On Fire: Rising from the ashes of Divorce, Defamation, and Drinking too much." I was a beta reader for this memoir, and I've heard Natalie speak about it in person at her book launch as well as on her own podcast, The Unreserved Wine Talk Podcast with Natalie MacLean. In this episode I read a passage from her book that I found to be impactful for me, as well as giving my thoughts on the book as a whole (spoiler alert: I really liked and and recommend that you read it.)

Secondly, I give my tasting notes on this month's Wine Club selection, Monte Zovo Sa' Solin Ripasso Superiore DOC ($23.95 at LCBO.)

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this wine, as well as on Natalie's book once you get a chance to read it. You can reach me on Instagram @noreciperequired.ca, or join the Facebook group, No Recipe Required Challenge.