"Dry" white wine

I feel like I'm kind of boring these days and have nothing much to write about.  But then I thought of my grocery shopping discovery last evening, and I knew I had a subject to write about.

We are trying to consciously become healthier by avoiding processed foods as much as possible and also eating less meat.  So for me as the cook of the household, it's a learning curve.  But I'm loving it.  I've been trying new recipes several times a week, and it's fun.  I think the last time I tried out so many new recipes was when I was pregnant with Anthony and the More with Less Cookbook had just come out. 

So yesterday I found a new one that sounded really awesome.  It has a long title: Vegetarian Barley Casserole with Sun-dried Tomato and Basil Pesto.  One of the ingredients called for is dry white wine.  

Now you all might as well know that I have never had an alcoholic beverage in my life, except by accident a few times.  (And PLEASE - I am not looking down my nose at anyone who does drink alcoholic beverages.  I might be, however, if you get drunk.)  So I'm not very knowledgeable on such things.  

My children just love to recall the time back in 2002 when Jeremy won a two-night stay at a hotel at a beach in New Jersey.  He decided to give it to Dick and me for Christmas.  The stay came complete with fine dining and a complimentary bottle of Champagne.  We honestly were not sure if Champagne was alcoholic or not, so we called Jeremy that night to ask him.  Oh, the phone calls flew between the children after that call.  They were greatly amused, and wished that Jeremy had told us that it wasn't alcoholic.  We actually still have that unopened bottle of Champagne.  We're saving it for a time when our entire family  - children, spouses, and grandchildren, are all together at one time in one place.  If that ever happens, we will open it, and I will drink some.  

Now, where was I?  Oh, at the grocery store last evening, looking for some dry white wine.  Now remember that in Pennsylvania alcoholic beverages are only sold in state stores, not grocery stores.  But I kid you not, I thought that dry white wine would be in powder form, and that maybe it wasn't alcoholic and that maybe they would have it at the grocery store.  I had no idea where to look.  So I texted Lori, asking her where they would have it at Giant.  She apparently did not notice my text, so I googled "dry white wine" on my cell phone.  To my great surprise I discovered that it's not dry at all, certainly not in powder form, and in fact comes in nice big bottles with fancy sounding names.  So I knew then that I would not find it at Giant!!   

So go ahead, you may laugh at me.  I'm learning other things too.  Do you know what quinoa is?  If you think it's a grain, you're wrong.  It's actually seeds from a flower.  And did you know that cilantro and coriander come from the same plant?  Cilantro is the stem part of the plant and coriander is the seed part.  

There you go.  All that wonderful information, and it didn't cost you a dime!