Judith Henderson’s Wine & Country Living

On Saturday I stopped for gas with 35 mile an hour winds at 12 degrees; it burned my lips off! I boarded the Rover, applied a wide swipe of Burt's Bee's lip balm and went directly home, put a pot of water on and made a big mug of hot green tea with lemon and honey.

While sipping my tea, I wondered if decaffeinated green tea offers the same health benefits as regular green tea. After researching, I found that the decaffeinating process of heating and leaching does remove some of the tea's natural disease- fighting antitoxins. The compounds in the green tea leaf, known as catechins, in its purest form can decrease the risk of heart disease, dementia and certain types of cancer. It's of- ficial: natural green tea is a health food!

This weekend the region was graced by hundreds of wineries throwing open their doors and tantalizing our taste buds during the Annual Holiday Barrel Tasting Event. While delivering "Winter White Pate Fromage" orders to wine bars and winery tasting room customers, I stopped at Saviah Cel- lars for a taste of Winemaker Richard Funk's Funk Estate 2010 Syrah.

Richard, a microbiologist and soil specialist turned winemaker, is always a humorist but also a serious winemaker producing scrumptious wines and mentoring to start-up wineries across the state. When Richard walked the terroir and chose the Funk Estate acreage, the soil was virgin, folded with basalt, rocks and pebbles rich in calcium and magnesium, lending to the rich savory taste in the Funk Estate 2010 Syrah vintage.

With first sip, the 2010 17-month small-barreled Estate Syrah opens the senses in juicy Bing cherries, swooshing the cheeks in a rich mouth feel, savory cardamom spice, a grat- ing of parsnip, ending in a long legged puddle of sassafras that tickles the tongue. Saviah Cellars 1979 JB George Road, Walla Walla: 509-522-2181.

Readers, until next week, "Eat Art, Drink Imagination!"

Parisian Pork Chops Pears & Parsnips

Serves 4

In a large wide skillet, add one tablespoon butter and four one-inch thick pork chops, salt and peppered; brown chops, plate and keep warm. In the bottom of skillet, add to fond and drippings; three tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, one tablespoon olive oil, three small parsnips peeled and sliced 1/2-inch thick, two pears chopped into one-inch chunks, ½-cup apple juice and one tablespoon parsley chopped fine.

Sautee all to "toothsome," re-add chops and simmer while basting and reducing sauce. Platter parsnips and pears with chops on top; hold platter warm. Reduce skillet drippings into a sauce. Drizzle skillet sauce over all and serve. For a "scrummy" bite, pair this week's food recipe with the incom- parable Funk Estate 2010 Syrah.

For more recipes, color photos & Moveable Feasts Cater- ing: chefjudithhenderson.com.