Benedictus Fructus

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Kumbya

Published on May 17, 2012 by in Wine

I enjoyed Kumbya, a white California table wine, just this week on a warm early Southern California evening. It was a delightful, light, playful wine with a fruity start and crisp finish. I had a glass for winding down after a long day, and it was perfect for that. If thinking about food, It would pair well with with light fare but would not stand up to the more substantial (e.g., steak and potatoes). For a light white, it was delightful.

What is the connection to my blog you say? Well, I picked this in honor of Vatican’s charitable attempt to help guide the good sisters connected to the LCWR back into a more harmonious balance with the Church.

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Petrone’s Pizelles & Chocolat Bonnat

Published on April 29, 2012 by in More

Farmers Market Clock TowerToday I renewed a family tradition by taking the family on a shopping trip to Farmers Market at 3rd and Fairfax in Los Angeles. This is a place I have been going to since a child, and I continue to return. It has evolved much from when I was young. There is much I miss, but there is a lot there worth going to see. It still has the charm of a Los Angeles long past. The bustle and variety of all of the shops, the smell of wonderful foods, and the simple pleasure of shopping in an “old school” environment are a recipe for a pleasant trip.

We spent a few hours there, but I want to share some of the goodies we bought at Mr.Marcel’s Gourmet Market.

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Grace & Faith

Published on August 28, 2010 by in Wine

I have for you two wines whose names naturally go together – Grace (score 88)  and Faith (score 90).

This was a delightful evening we shared with friends.  Lynn and I had our friend Fr. Brendan over to help us discern the proper scoring of our wines, and the wines were perfect for the occasion – what could be better than grace and faith in the midst of good friends sharing good food and good wine.

Grace, properly speaking is a Chianti Classico made by Il Molino di Grace (the windmill of grace). It has an exceptional Chianti character that  is well worth the enjoyment.  The wine impresses from the pour with a deep opaque red.  The nose was rich in spice and fruit. The wine was well balanced and was appropriately firm with soft tannins providing a good backbone.

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Petrus Gouden Tripel Ale

Published on July 30, 2010 by in Beer & Ale

Petrus Goudent Tripel ale bottle and mugRating: 88

This week I have the pleasure of formally introduced the Tripel Ale to Benedictus Fructus. Specifically we have the Petrus Gouden Tripel Ale from Belgium. Tripel refers to the brewing process where up to three times the malts are added.  It also corresponds roughly to strength-  this one is 7.5% alcohol. Petrus is an abbey style ale, which refers to the style – which is a take on the Trappist monk style, but it is a commercial brewer.

With a name like Petrus, this one had to get on our tasting list.  Petrus refers to St. Peter. The label shows St. Peter holding the keys to heaven in one hand and a frothy pint in the other. Of course delights such as Beligian Tripels provide only a shadow of the joy in heaven. Which means heaven must be a pretty awesome place, given the pleasure in these treats.

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2007 Banfi Chianti Classico

Published on July 24, 2010 by in Wine

Bottle of Banfi 2007 Chianti ClassicoThis Chianti was perfect for the summer afternoon that we tasted it. It was a pleasure to drink, and a pleasant surprise from many of the Chiantis that I have had in the past. This one was a beautiful, opaque, ruby red elixir that showed nice legs clinging to the sides of the glass after an initial swirl. The scent was very appealing, with earth plum notes.  The wine was quite well balanced – not thin like many Chiantis can be and not overly acidic.

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© Robert Kaiser