Wine & Country Living

Today, I boarded an airplane coming home from the annual Seattle Green Festival where 2,400 people attended. I spoke in the afternoon to a packed room of people who share a common interest in the way we eat and think about food today, a theme that currently runs through my webpage, cookbooks, and food and wine columns.

Previous to climbing on stage, I'd been in a yoga class promoted in the festival's brochure, wearing a pair of leggings and festival sweat shirt and in my state of yogi bliss, I almost missed my introduction on stage.

Backstage, I quickly put on my head set and crossed to center stage, hooked up my transmitter and realized I was still in my leggings and sweat shirt! I was aghast and mumbled something to that effect and the entire auditorium laughed out loud. Someone yelled out "you look great," as I bowed gracefully, thanked the heckler and begin my talk.

Now in street clothes, two hours later, I was finally going home after three days out on the road. When the plane touched down in Walla Walla, a good friend was waiting to share a welcome home dinner and wine. We had a luscious salmon dinner at White House Crawford and shared a bottle of 100% Columbia Valley '08 Rulo Syrah, a wine dripping in blueberry jam with a winding satin finish in woodsy trufflelike nuances.

The Rulo Syrah is a signature bottle for Winemaker/ Owner Kurt Schlicker, who makes all Rulo wines bigger than life. For being focused on quality and for that woodsy truffle finished, Winemaker Kurt Schlicker, your '08 Syrah has earned 98 points from Wine and Country Living! Congratulations Kurt and staff at Rulo Winery. Until next week, "Eat Art, Drink Imagination!"

Spicy Blood Orange Syrup

Makes 1-Cup

Juice of 2-blood oranges

frac14;-cup fresh squeezed orange juice

1-tablespoon red wine vinegar

1-teaspoon orange peel zest

frac12;-cup honey

frac14;-teaspoon minced fresh ginger

1/6-teaspoon red pepper flakes

Method: In a bowl, whisk all using broad strokes until ingredients begin to emulsify and become thick and glossy. Drizzle syrup over fresh-cut, room-temperature feta cheese wedges with simple water crackers to swipe. Pair with Rulo '08 Syrah.

Hear Judith's quarterly web cast with recipes and photos at: www.chefjudithhenderson.com