Sole Poached in White Wine: Worthy of Monet's Table

Impressionist painter Claude Monet ate his main meal at 11:30 a.m. so he could take advantage of the afternoon light. Monet would get upset if his talented cook, Marguerite, served the meal a few minutes late. Author Claire Joyes and photographer Jean-Bernard Naudin document the artist's love of food in "Monet's Table: The Cooking Journals of Claude Monet," one of the most beautiful cook books ever published.

In the 1880s nobody thought about dieting, Joyes explains, and Monet ate what he wanted and all he wanted. Photos show an aging Monet becoming a rotund Monet. He loved simple, good food and, above all, fresh food from his gardens and farm yard. Fellow artists - Whistler, Cezanne, Rodin and others - were often invited for lunch. Guests were never invited for dinner because Monet went to bed early.

Monet adored fresh fish, especially pike from his fish pond. The cook book has lots of fish recipes, including Filet de sole a la Veron. The fish sauce - egg yolks, fish broth, wine, butter and herbs - is made first. Then the fish is dredged in flour and melted butter and broiled.

Today, many of us are eating healthier and this recipe for Sole Poached in White Wine is not only healthy, it's a one-pan recipe and you can make it in 15 minutes. Pair the fish with crusty bread, a green salad, and fresh fruit and you have a fabulous French meal. Serve the meal on blue and white plates and you'll feel like you're sitting at Monet's table.
Tip! Still under the influence of the aromas you've inhaled in step II, take a sip of the wine. Don't make it too big or too small.

INGREDIENTS: 1 1/2 pounds sole, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 medium onion (chopped), 1 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon lemon pepper, 1 garlic clove (peeled), 3/4 cup chopped canned tomatoes (drained), 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, 1/4 cup dry white wine, 1/4 cup fat free half and half, 1 tablespoon soft butter, 1 tablespoon Wondra flour

METHOD: Pour olive oil into skillet. Saute onions in oil until soft. Add salt, lemon pepper, and garlic clove. Lay fish on top of onions. Scatter chopped tomatoes and parsley over fish. Pour wine around fish. Cover loosely with foil and cook over medium heat 5-10 minutes, or until fish flakes with a fork. Remove foil and garlic clove. Drizzle half and half into sauce. Work flour into butter and stir into sauce. Cook over medium heat, shaking the pan a bit, until sauce has thickened. Makes 4 servings.

Copyright 2006 by Harriet Hodgson.

http://www.healthwriter.blogspot.com
Tip! A third alternative is to pump out the air in the bottle with a “wine pump.” You can get a wine pump virtually anywhere these days, even in stores such as Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, and Linens and Things.

Harriet Hodgson has been a nonfiction writer for 27 years and is a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists. Before she became a health writer she was a food writer for the former "Rochester Magazine" in her home town of Rochester, MN. Her 24th book, "Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief," written with Lois Krahn, MD, is available from http://www.amazon.com A five-star review of the book is also posted on Amazon.

Direct Mail Marketing and Wine Labels - What's Your Big Idea?

Not long ago, I read that well-known California winemaker Rodney Strong had passed away. While recounting his professional career, the article cited Strong's innovative direct mail marketing tactics.

An excerpt:

"Strong developed a marketing strategy that involved direct mail in which he offered to sell wine with a buyer's individual information on the label - 'From the wine cellar of so-and-so,' or 'A gift from such-and-such corporation'."


Tip! Taste. Finally, taste the wine.

The program continues to this day, as living testament to its effectiveness.

That story got me thinking about the way we market our products and services in relation to their uniqueness.

For instance:

Why do so many companies today waste time and money marketing average products and services to hard-to-impress consumers? Why don't more companies follow the Rodney Strong model (remarkable product / service idea first; marketing second)?
Tip! Color - Take a look. View the wine, examine its color.

Marketing the Remarkable Rodney Strong took something simple but interesting -- personalized wine labels -- and made it available to his audience. Why was it so popular? Because nobody else was doing it at the time. Rodney gambled on an idea, and it worked. He made something that was remarkable to his customers. Then, all he had left to do was tell them about it (in this case through direct mail), and they asked for it by the thousands!

Here's the idea again:

Come up with a remarkable product or service, and then start telling people about it. Word-of-mouth will take it from there.

How Do You Measure Up? If you struggle when creating your direct mail message, it might indicate that your product or service could use a shot of "the old remarkable."

Or think of it this way...

If you stripped away all the marketing glitz and set your product on a shelf by itself (or described your service on a plain piece of paper) -- would it seem remarkable? Would it impress members of your target audience? Or, are you relying on your marketing to add the pizzazz?
Tip! Swirl – I am quite sure you have seen diners swirling their glasses of wine at least somewhere once. This step is integral to the art of smelling as swirling acts as a catalyst in releasing the wine's bouquet.

Instead of struggling to promote something average, dig deep to find the above-average aspect of what you're selling. If there isn't such an aspect ... go back to the drawing board and make one.

* You may republish this article in its entirety as long as you include the byline and author's note. If publishing online, please leave the hyperlinks active.

About the Author Brandon Cornett is the editor of PostcardSmart.com, the Internet's largest website dedicated entirely to direct mail marketing with postcards. For more expert articles on postcard marketing, visit http://www.PostcardSmart.com.