Snow Day Comfort Food

For once in Alabama, WE HAVE SNOW! Which of course means that there's no bread, milk, or toilet paper in a store for miles, and just about every company has closed down for the day. So I thought it would be the perfect time to try out a new wine with a comforting classic: grilled cheese and tomato soup (don't worry, it has a twist to it).

While I was perusing the wine aisle of Publix this weekend, my eyes fell upon a gem of a wine. I introduce to you Lila Wines rosé in a can. It was only $12, so naturally, I had to try it. From the minute I opened it, I knew it was a good decision. It smells like a bowl of ripe strawberries, and it tastes even more delectable. (Yes, I just used the word "delectable" about canned rosé.) On top of that berry nose, Lila settles on your palette with some soft slate minerality and an even softer tart finish. So, not only do we have the convenience of a can, but we actually have a good wine in it too!

Lila Rosé

Price: $11.99

Varietal: Negrette

Region: France

Vintage: 2016

Retailer: Publix (again)

Seriously, this wine is so drinkable, plus it's super affordable, so what's not to love? The whole pack comes with four 8.4 ounce cans, and each can has about 1.5 glasses of wine. All in all, you're paying less than $15 for a liter of soft French rosé. And it tastes just as good in the adorable can as it does in a wine glass, or a coup if you're extra like m

And for such a delightful wine on this snowy day, I decided to up my comfort food game. My go-to comfort meal is a grilled cheese with tomato soup. While I was at Publix looking for this week's wine, I also found a loaf of Tuscan roasted garlic bread--the garlic is baked into the bread--and I decided that it would go great with a little brie.

I won't bore you with a recipe on grilled cheese; just choose your bread and cheese, and grill it up! The twist on our soup du jour--which is made from scratch--is a little balsamic vinegar and some sage.

So without further ado, dig into this cozy dish!

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Balsamic Sage Tomato Soup

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 30 min | Total Time: 45 min

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp olive oil

1 white onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups tomatoes, diced

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

6 oz tomato paste

1 cup vegetable stock

1 tsp sage, ground

salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a medium pot, heat olive oil on medium.

2. Add onion and sauté until fragrant and slightly translucent.

3. Add garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes, until fragrant.

4. Add in balsamic vinegar and stir. Turn heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.

5. Add tomatoes and turn heat to medium.

6. Add the rest of the ingredients, plus an extra splash of balsamic vinegar, and stir until combined. Stew for 10 minutes.

7. Blend and serve with a can--or glass--of Lila French Rosé!

Salud et bon appetit, mes amis!