November 2018 Reading & Tasting

Book

November, hey. You made it. The month of food, family, and a fury of Black Friday shopping. I found a book that represents at least two of those, JELL-O GIRLS by Allie Rowbottom, a memoir from the great-great-great-granddaughter of the man who bought the patent for Jell-O in 1899.  The story documents the extreme privilege of her family, as well as the alcoholism, suicides, and mysterious ailments they endured. Rowbottom explores her family's trauma, as well as in the every day American. I selected this memoir for the timely themes, but also because it sounds wild. 

Wine

To pair with our book, we will be drinking one of the most widely planted grapes in the world, but one I love for its ability to take on many forms,Grenache. It's a late ripening grape, so it usually grows in hot and dry conditions like Spain, but can also be found in France, Italy, the United States, and Australia. Typically, you can pick up notes of Grenache for its strawberry-black cherry-raspberry Fruit Roll Up notes, with hints of cinnamon and tobacco. However, when blended with other grapes, you may taste something completely different. The one I'm drinking is French, and blended with Syrah, Carignan, and Cinsault, and tastes more like licorice and spices and than strawberries.