tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52508268257687852512024-03-05T21:58:10.648-08:00Wine With A TwistWine with a twist. What's that about? It's not about the same old "sip, swirl and spit." It's not that my 90 is way better than your 89. It's not that bigger and bolder is always better. It's as simple as what you like. It all depends on your point of view.Janice Fuhrmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17341504197772811450noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250826825768785251.post-49929375392085653672015-04-18T13:34:00.000-07:002015-04-18T13:34:56.285-07:00The Versatile Bloody Mary<br />
There may be as many stories of how the Bloody Mary came into being as there are recipes for this must-have mid-morning drink. Bloody May fan and expert creator Patrick Laguens, former food and beverage director at Telluride’s Hotel Madeline and now director of the Telluride Wine Festival, subscribes to this one: Comedian George Jessel was the first to order tomato juice with vodka as a regular pick-me-up at the 21 Club bar in New York. But in 1934, bartender Fernand Petiot of the St. Regis Hotel spiced up the combo with Worcestershire Sauce, lemon, salt and pepper, dubbing it the “Red Snapper,” -- “Bloody Mary” being too course for the sophisticated King Cole Bar.<br />
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Laguens believes the Bloody Mary endures because “it screams for innovation. After the vodka and tomato juice, you need to get your Fernand on and get creative. Every bartender I know has their own secret recipe,” he says. And there are countless regional recipes that take their cues from local flavors, ingredients and traditions.<br />
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<b>The West: The SMAK Mary</b><br />
Laguens created the SMAK Mary at the Hotel Madeline in 2012 (“smak” is Swedish for flavor). His Colorado Rocky-Mountain-style Bloody highlights the state’s lauded beef and lamb: A 16-ounce curvaceous glass rimmed in smoked celery salt and filled with housemade tomato juice based on beef stock, topped with a skewer holding three stuffed olives (jalapeno, blue cheese, and pimento), pickled okra, a baby corn cob, pickled green beans, pickled asparagus, celery, pearl onions, lemons, limes, pepperoncinis, and two strips of bacon. Topping it off are two sliders, a cheeseburger and a lamb burger. And no, there isn’t a vegetarian version.<br />
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<b>The Southwest Bloody Mary</b><br />
Prepared with tableside theatrics and made-to-taste at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess in the Ironwood American Kitchen, the resort’s main dining room. This regional version uses handcrafted Tito’s vodka from Texas, raw horseradish, fresh vegetables, Worcestershire, tomato juice, and a “secret” blend of southwest spices, including crushed green peppers, garlic, dried horseradish, pepper, and onion. Each guest who orders it is given a packet of the secret spices wrapped in red satin to prepare the cocktail at home.<br />
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<b>The South: West Paces Mary</b><br />
Since the New York St. Regis launched the Bloody Mary, it has become a practice of its properties around the world to infuse the original recipe with local flavors, transforming the drink into a reflection of different cultures. The West Paces Mary, served at the Atlanta St. Regis, adds spices and a Southern twist: the pungent and briney pickling liquid from a jar of okra and a garnish of tomolives, a pickled green tomato that looks like a green olive.<br />
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<b>New Orleans: the Gumbo Mary</b><br />
Good times are sure to roll from another of Laguens’ creations: the Gumbo Mary. He starts with a Bouillabaisse and adds his basic Bloody spices. “I put the holy trinity of New Orleans cooking in (celery, green pepper, and onion), a skewer of shrimp, crawfish tails, an Andouille sausage stuck between bay leaves and a piece of okra, then I drop in an oyster and sprinkle with Choctaw Indian File powder to honor the native people of Louisiana.”<br />
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<b>The Mid-West: Classic Wisconsin Bloody Mary</b><br />
At Will’s Northwoods Inn in Chicago, the classic Wisconsin Bloody Mary is only part of the regional experience patrons take in. With taxidermy from Wisconsin and zeal for the state’s professional sports teams, this is the largest “Wisconsin bar” in Chicago. The spicy Bloody Mary here comes with generous amounts of vodka, a sidecar of Leinenkugel, a Wisconsin beer, and a submerged dill pickle.<br />
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<b>The Northeast</b><br />
As every New Yorker knows, everything is bigger and better in their hometown: at midtown eatery Prune, there is a Bloody Mary menu with a dozen different renditions of the drink, many of them regional, including a Southwest (with tequila, chipotle peppers and lime), a Green Lake (with vodka, Wasabi and a beef jerky swizzler) and Chicago Matchbox (with pickled Brussel Spoouts, baby white turnips and caperberries).<br />
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<br />Wine With a Twisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00703838527626687529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250826825768785251.post-56253498401044042082014-10-30T20:17:00.002-07:002014-10-30T20:17:17.520-07:00Planes, Boats and Trains <br />
In the past year I've had the opportunity to experience and analyze the selection, service and tasting of wines aboard different conveyances. For wines that fly, see my story on how wine professionals work with airlines, including <a href="http://www.cathaypacific.com/">Cathay Pacific Airways,</a> to provide appropriate bottles for the shake, rattle and roll of air travel posted on <a href="http://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2014/10/inflight-wine-reaches-new-heights">Wine-Searcher</a>.<br />
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On a quieter note, a <a href="http://www.vikingrivercruises.com/">Viking River Cruise</a> along Germany's Rhine River last December visiting Christmas Markets was another opportunity to journey from one place to another while relaxing and enjoying quality wine, food and service. Viking smartly highlights the wines of the regions it travels in -- easy to do when you are in one of the world's great wine regions with arguably the world's most noble white wine (Riesling). On that 8-day journey, I enjoyed a 2012 Horst Sauer Silvaner, a 2012 Dr. L Riesling from Winery Dr. Loosen and a 2012 Riesling from Winery Johannes Ohlig. But with a mostly American and Canadian customer base, Viking also serves wines that might be less exotic and more comfortable -- Chardonnay, Soave, Chianti and Cabernet Sauvignon. For a bigger picture of the cruise aboard the Viking Jarl, see my travel companion's story on the travel web site <a href="http://www.nancydbrown.com/2014/10/22/rhine-river-christmas-market-cruising.html">What a Trip.</a><br />
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Now, what about trains? I've always wanted to travel on <a href="http://www.rockymountaineer.com/">Canada's Rocky Mountaineer,</a> where its "GoldLeaf Service" transports you through the beauty of British Columbia and the Canadian Rockies, with local fare and delicate Okanagan Valley wines. Stay tuned.Wine With a Twisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00703838527626687529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250826825768785251.post-59908655652063871322014-10-24T19:20:00.000-07:002014-10-24T19:20:31.546-07:00Book Review: French Bistro <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"If there's one thing I love more than anything, it's food that is tied to a beautiful feeling." That's the opening line in the new cookbook, <i>French Bistro</i>, by Maria Zihammou, and it's an apt starting point because the photographs, hand-written notes, recipes and entertaining tips do create a "beautiful feeling" in the reader. French bistro food is, obviously, the subject of many, many books, but if you are looking for a new book that conveys the full sensory experience of enjoying what this culinary culture has to offer, it's a good choice. With recipes from A to D (appetizers to desserts), and easy-to-follow recipes for such classics as pâté, steamed mussels, onion tarts, and one-pot chicken dishes, <i>French Bistro </i>could well transport you to, well, a sublime French-bistro-sort-of-feeling.<br />
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<i>A copy was provided me by Skyhorse Publishing. Would I buy it at $17.95? If I'd never been to France and was curious about the overall experience of dining there, or if I wanted to reproduce dishes I'd eaten there, yes. It's a lovely introduction.</i><br />
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<br />Wine With a Twisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00703838527626687529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250826825768785251.post-6586984798440461712014-09-03T09:59:00.000-07:002014-09-03T09:59:41.368-07:00Book Review: Shroom by Becky Selengut<br />
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In general, I don't care for the common practice of shortening words in the English language. I respect language too much and many shortened words just sound infantile. "Veggies" instead of vegetables? No, thank you. "Fridge" instead of refrigerator? Sorry, don't like it, won't say it. "Apps" rather than appetizers? What people won't stoop to, to save a syllable or two!<br />
So when a publisher sent me the new mushroom cookbook "Shroom" the other day, you can imagine my initial reaction. In addition, I was a child of the '70s so I associate the word "shroom" with psychedelic drugs, specifically, hallucinogenic Psilocybin mushrooms. Doesn't everybody? As if to prove that association, the front cover of the book announces it as containing "Mind-bendingly" good recipes. <i>Wink-Wink.</i> Can't wait until my Cannabis cookbook arrives.<br />
Despite all these distractions, Shroom is a beautiful cookbook, conventional in most ways. Though I like mushrooms cooked or raw, I personally would not have been moved to buy a cookbook solely based on this one edible, even though the recipes indicate a wide-ranging use for them -- all savory, thank goodness (I was half-expecting a mushroom ice cream). Incorporating mushrooms into everything from bread pudding to grits to burgers can't be a bad idea, especially given their nutrient value, and I look forward to trying some of the dishes in this book. Who knows, maybe I'll become a "Shroomhead," or a fungi-fanatic.<br />
With wit and skill, author Selengut shares her deep enthusiasm for the toadstool and gives us 75 recipes, including Beech Mushrooms in Phyllo with Georgian Walnut Sauce and Pomegranate, Pasta with Morels, Leeks and Oven-Roasted Tomatoes, and Roasted Chanterelles and Bacon with Sweet Corn Sauce. Beautiful photography by Clare Barboza and <b>wine pairings</b> for each dish by Sommelier April Pogue complete the package. Here's her recipe for porcini salad:<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Porcini Salad with Pine Nuts and Lemon Salt</span></b><br />
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SERVES: 4 as an appetizer; PAIRING: Austrian Grüner Veltliner<br />
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This is a deceptively simple composed salad that really highlights the versatility of porcini. When thinly sliced and roasted—but not overly so—porcini can be subtle, delicate, and sublime. The heat is applied lightly here, so that you can appreciate the subtlety of the dish, while the pine nuts echo the nuttiness and depth of the porcini and the lemon zings it up an octave.<br />
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Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed<br />
1 pound fresh porcini mushrooms, sliced<br />
¼ inch thick (cap-through-stem slices)<br />
1¼ teaspoons fine sea salt<br />
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes<br />
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon (save lemon halves for squeezing on salad)<br />
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted (below)<br />
1 stalk celery (see Note), shaved paper-thin into half-moons on a mandoline (leaves cut into chiffonade and reserved for garnish)<br />
About ¼ cup shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano (use a vegetable peeler)<br />
Fresh chervil leaves, for garnish (substitute small flat-leaf parsley leaves)<br />
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Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line 2 baking pans with parchment paper and brush with olive oil.<br />
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Lay the porcini slices on the parchment. Brush with more olive oil. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the salt over the top. Roast until lightly browned in spots, 15 to 25 minutes, flipping once after 10 minutes.<br />
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In a spice grinder, pulse the red pepper flakes, lemon zest, pine nuts, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt to a chunky consistency.<br />
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Arrange the cooked porcini slices on plates. Sprinkle the celery over the mushrooms. Drizzle olive oil over the salads (1 to 2 teaspoons, but you don’t need to measure), followed by a squeeze of lemon juice. Sprinkle the pine nut mixture over the top. Garnish with cheese shavings and celery and chervil leaves.<br />
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NOTE: Try to take off as many celery strings as you can prior to shaving the stalk on the mandoline (otherwise, they get caught in the blade). Use a paring knife—starting at the top, grab the strings between your thumb and the side of the knife and pull downward, stripping them off. If you don’t have a mandoline, use a very sharp knife and cut the celery as thinly as you can manage.<br />
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TOASTING NUTS: There are a few ways to toast nuts. If you watch carefully, you can do it in a skillet on the stovetop, but I find the easiest and safest way to go is to preheat your oven to 350°F. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and pop them into the oven. Pine nuts really enjoy burning (they’re evil), so keep a close eye on those and check after 4 to 5 minutes. Ditto for sliced almonds. For the bigger nuts (whole almonds, walnuts, and others), take a peek at them after 8 to 10 minutes.<br />
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From Shroom: Mind-bendingly Good Recipes for Cultivated and Wild Mushrooms by Becky Selengut, Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC 2014. $35. <br />
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<br />Wine With a Twisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00703838527626687529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250826825768785251.post-86916105420065276712014-08-12T15:12:00.001-07:002014-08-12T15:12:47.310-07:00Book Review: We The Eaters Anybody who eats, which is everybody, and anybody who cares about what they eat, which <i>should be </i>everybody, needs to read this book.<br />
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An intelligent analysis of our current food system, written by a food activist, <i>We The Eaters</i> takes the position that we can all be better-fed, healthier and happier if a few fundamental things change on our dinner plates.<br />
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Founder of Food Tank, a food think tank, author Ellen Gustafson claims that Americans' consumer habits "have spread fast, cheap, fat and sweet around the world." And she asserts, "we can spread Community Supported Agriculture, more rational meat eating and heirloom grains around the world too."<br />
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Food Tank's vision is "building a global community for safe, healthy, nourished eaters." Among recommendations Gustafson makes in the book for a better dinner plate and a better food system worldwide: buy local and regional, think fair trade and low impact when you buy global, remove hidden corn from our diets, avoid "diet" foods, cut added sugar, avoid commercially produced soda and processed foods, quit fast food, reduce waste, and grow something edible.<br />
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<i>We The Eaters: If We Change Dinner, We Can Change the World </i>by Ellen Gustafson; Rodale Books, $24.99<br />
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Wine With a Twisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00703838527626687529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250826825768785251.post-36477323062804900812014-08-04T11:32:00.000-07:002014-08-04T11:32:45.573-07:00Hard Cider: Not a Hard Sell <br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hard cider is a fast-growing segment of the beverage market these days. After little exposure to this delicious, satisfying and low-alcohol beverage, I was suddenly given the opportunity to taste it everywhere I went in the last year or so. I tasted it in Southwest Colorado at a weekend festival, in France with Bretton-style galettes (savory crepes), and in Germany at Christmas market stalls. My latest taste of hard apple cider was three bottlings of Devoto Orchards cider from Sebastopol, California, once mostly an apple and plum growing region that has undergone a big change -- nearly all the land once used for orchards is now covered in vineyards.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Handcrafted, small production ciders like those from Devoto Orchards -- where Stan Devoto grows more than 100 certified organic apple varieties on 27 acres -- really highlight the fresh taste of the quality apples used in them. Devoto's are dry and elegant with no cloying sweetness. I enjoyed them all but my favorite was Cidre Noir, a blend of Devoto's heirloom apple varieties -- Arkansas Black and Black Twig apples -- that hang on the trees for nearly seven months, developing acid and flavors in a dry-farmed environment. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"1976" -- Named for the year in which the founders of Devoto Orchards planted their first apple orchard in west Sonoma County is made from 17 varieties of apples, including Ashmead's Kernel, Hawaiian and Winesap. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Some 90% of "Save the Gravenstein" is made from the centuries-old Gravenstein variety which botanist Luther Burbank once declared thrived best in Sonoma County. The remaining 10% is juiced from Pink Pearl, Burgundy and Akane varieties. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Alcohol levels for each is 6.9 %, and prices range from $11.99 - $13.99/bottle at high-end grocery stores and bottle shops. </span><br />
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Wine With a Twisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00703838527626687529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250826825768785251.post-5337271345910612962014-06-27T15:09:00.000-07:002014-06-29T11:15:57.598-07:00Comté All the Way<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrHPY84058en_Rf0a0k2hKL_Gw51E3aVaBmd-khb4U4qvsMneJlarOBFvMVwVEsNoXz9VV4O8JPT_yv5v7_ZQW09UkVfJVEnDVVTEVJqmlLRnZLgfRy_LoupvPfUaJRijnMGWwYeKwmV8/s1600/CheeseAging.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrHPY84058en_Rf0a0k2hKL_Gw51E3aVaBmd-khb4U4qvsMneJlarOBFvMVwVEsNoXz9VV4O8JPT_yv5v7_ZQW09UkVfJVEnDVVTEVJqmlLRnZLgfRy_LoupvPfUaJRijnMGWwYeKwmV8/s1600/CheeseAging.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Young Comté wheels starting to age</td></tr>
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Just spent four days in France devoted to cheese --- one cheese, in fact, <a href="http://www.comte-usa.com/">Comté.</a><br />
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What a trip: In the Jura mountains of eastern France in alpine ski country, I met Norbert, a shepherd who takes care of heifers before they are ready to give birth; in the tiny village of Villette-les-Dole, I saw how dairy farmer Jean-Francois cares for the local Montbéliarde cows, providing them a natural, quality diet that produces the raw milk that, in turn, gives Comté so much of its flavor -- which runs from milky and relatively fresh to almost crunchy in texture and nutty in taste. Also visited <i>fruitieres</i> (cheesemakers) and <i>affineurs</i> (cheese-agers) to see firsthand how it's made from beginning to end.<br />
The cheese is a natural partner to the idiosyncratic wines of the Jura region, but complement most any wines. Comté (pronounced "con-tay") is a cheese made in the artisanal, authentic manner that so many consumers are seeking these days. Ask your cheesemonger for a taste!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8WqmYSnJk7xmSIuQdUBFzcRTL1MpuNYzKWWWK_Mj_mFboiRrT1F_DZlGl1ldtj31bznDam1JNwx1yJ6nXFc01cdzVDe1ANXUSwfLSTmJuZBhNeneaL15aeaVrbPXpBE8OYuf4nzsCu-4J/s1600/MontelbiardCows+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8WqmYSnJk7xmSIuQdUBFzcRTL1MpuNYzKWWWK_Mj_mFboiRrT1F_DZlGl1ldtj31bznDam1JNwx1yJ6nXFc01cdzVDe1ANXUSwfLSTmJuZBhNeneaL15aeaVrbPXpBE8OYuf4nzsCu-4J/s1600/MontelbiardCows+.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adorable Montbéliarde cows</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhtyLZdwV32SJVlSLDmM4Vg9p8bq-pMgvUjbbyFvOPif7uZF-id5Vey6J0NjukmOFh7riqo5wXvWlWGCrui7lUQ_kZtuNgNWRD9Ex_W9BgwYXYIxRVk5qXLej5PGOEafRu1RCiMwu33_HI/s1600/Comte.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhtyLZdwV32SJVlSLDmM4Vg9p8bq-pMgvUjbbyFvOPif7uZF-id5Vey6J0NjukmOFh7riqo5wXvWlWGCrui7lUQ_kZtuNgNWRD9Ex_W9BgwYXYIxRVk5qXLej5PGOEafRu1RCiMwu33_HI/s1600/Comte.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Only high-quality Comté wheels carry this marker </td></tr>
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<br />Wine With a Twisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00703838527626687529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250826825768785251.post-34880651758125938402014-06-21T01:10:00.001-07:002014-06-21T01:11:45.298-07:00Variety in GenevaGeneva, Switzerland, is home to the second largest United Nations office in the world with 193 member nations. Maybe that's why I saw such a striking variety of restaurants within only a couple of blocks of my hotel (and Lake Geneva) there last week.<br />
No, Switzerland is not all fondue and raclette. And Chasselas.<br />
There was a Korean pub, an Indian restaurant, a cafeteria offering an "Orientale ambiance" and a cafe featuring organic and local foods. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBOWsBgbAFRQ-BJKMtfFFCPm4VkT2mtOngetTqCTYSPRqqSkO_YllJiLeIuN776lJecQ60z3JuId6J7XLK7Y8KkXJViTbSspJtc-bgZm4CXz232F8gTrgf2SBOQots4uIMY2Eti8I5VAWO/s1600/GenevaRest2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBOWsBgbAFRQ-BJKMtfFFCPm4VkT2mtOngetTqCTYSPRqqSkO_YllJiLeIuN776lJecQ60z3JuId6J7XLK7Y8KkXJViTbSspJtc-bgZm4CXz232F8gTrgf2SBOQots4uIMY2Eti8I5VAWO/s1600/GenevaRest2.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">K Pub, 8 Rue de la Navigation</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bollywood, Place de la Navigation 6, 1201 Geneva, Switzerland Add caption</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Chez Leyla, 35 Rue des Pâquis, 1201 Geneva, Switzerland</span></td></tr>
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<br />Wine With a Twisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00703838527626687529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250826825768785251.post-48954420977166040042014-06-11T17:01:00.000-07:002014-06-11T17:01:48.087-07:00Vinexpo Asia-Pacific 2014<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRE7cXoIa0O37xCDU1DhVciYbWn0_6L-RK2cVH8_5Pse7a-Sw2yJjIlpetnon4at-S61MesptqwSNYsYZx5PN4IbDOCTy3qrloUF7Jl0LjkxgItkeclG9EUK4hjfI7oLBlHxZG0Ip43DJ/s1600/Vinexpo+2014+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRE7cXoIa0O37xCDU1DhVciYbWn0_6L-RK2cVH8_5Pse7a-Sw2yJjIlpetnon4at-S61MesptqwSNYsYZx5PN4IbDOCTy3qrloUF7Jl0LjkxgItkeclG9EUK4hjfI7oLBlHxZG0Ip43DJ/s1600/Vinexpo+2014+.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The listing of 1,300 exhibitors at Vinexpo Asia-Pacific </td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I attended the three-day Vinexpo Asia-Pacific in Hong Kong May 27-29, the largest wine fair for the trade in Asia. It was a robust program of tastings, in-depth seminars and meetings between wine producers and Asian buyers designed to acquaint the Asian -- and especially the fast-growing Chinese -- market with wines from all over the world. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The most extensive tasting of a mainland Chinese winery was a 10-year vertical of Grace Vineyard's "Chairman's Reserve." This is one of the best wineries in China and it was a privilege to taste the wines and to hear the articulate Judy Chan talk about her family's winery -- one of the first quality grape-wine producers in the country. For more information on the meeting and what took place there, see my stories <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: navy; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.winebusiness.com/news/?go=getArticle&cms_perview&dataId=133500" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">California Vintners Optimistic About Asian Market</a> and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #222222;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2014/05/angelus-goes-for-gold-with-21-carat-bottle" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Saint-Emilion Chateau Goes for the Gold</a>.</span></span> </span>Wine With a Twisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00703838527626687529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250826825768785251.post-25713568942623836912014-05-21T14:31:00.001-07:002014-05-21T16:33:43.906-07:00Summer SippingThe warmer months are my favorite time of the year to enjoy wine. That's because my tastes run to clean, refreshing, palate-cleansing wines, usually with zippy acidity, and citrus or berry flavors, especially Sauvignon Blanc and dry rosés. Wines that complement the lighter, zestier fare we usually eat in summer appeal me to me more than weighty, intense wines that compete with the flavors of what's on my plate. Recently, I've tasted a bumper crop of just such wines that come with <b>moderate alcohol levels and reasonable price tags -- more reasons to drink them. </b>I highly recommend the following:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZpNjCJRCXQQITgeoy0rv8MYMFCdeOOgPW3Saq_ylDJCktW1Pw2J465Cl3IQ5dp-vpwX42E5fkmWj20Wc40FE69Jj52bYKkzeuK4txIbD55c2gBGpw5DQ4dVcA1TV96QwmQ0Rk7E7U5tyY/s1600/%2527SantaJulia_InnovacionChenin-Chardonnay_2013.jpg%2527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZpNjCJRCXQQITgeoy0rv8MYMFCdeOOgPW3Saq_ylDJCktW1Pw2J465Cl3IQ5dp-vpwX42E5fkmWj20Wc40FE69Jj52bYKkzeuK4txIbD55c2gBGpw5DQ4dVcA1TV96QwmQ0Rk7E7U5tyY/s1600/%2527SantaJulia_InnovacionChenin-Chardonnay_2013.jpg%2527.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></div>
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<b>2013 Santa Julia Innovacion, Chenin Blanc-Chardonnay blend, </b>$9.99 (1 liter bottle), Argentina, Vegan-friendly. Available at Whole Foods.<br />
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<b>Deccolio Prosecco, </b>$12.99, Italy, Kosher for Passover. Available at Whole Foods.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW_OcLyLSdFVxQehVvyHNJ4S34CuLLSb2kaFyfs7QwtvCZx_TIQmb4iASkJJ4Fu-ll0MpqhgAcS4BdLhZeLGoiA6nEthqxXOTvHhXko_1icuk-oLGvGtOt1zn5kTPA4dCHweLCFRpwWu6B/s1600/%2527ElPerroVerde_2013.jpg%2527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW_OcLyLSdFVxQehVvyHNJ4S34CuLLSb2kaFyfs7QwtvCZx_TIQmb4iASkJJ4Fu-ll0MpqhgAcS4BdLhZeLGoiA6nEthqxXOTvHhXko_1icuk-oLGvGtOt1zn5kTPA4dCHweLCFRpwWu6B/s1600/%2527ElPerroVerde_2013.jpg%2527.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></div>
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<b>2012 El Perro Verde</b>, $14.99, Angel Lorenzo Cachazo, Verdejo, Spain. Available at Whole Foods. <br />
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<b>2013 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc</b>, $28, New Zealand. Available in every U.S. state.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQwKCCVDWUqzsZAADXMfJpAuZTkfSjihKkfind-GGnEy3eWAeVY3pKQI74UxBuJfCPqYBdrjrI0Lhqfk4XFdQ6xRzk7esOG4xchi3hfwL7LctNoXgmG6iCAxHXENq5RlVsQkMvX1AKuqgL/s1600/Las+Rocas+Rose+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQwKCCVDWUqzsZAADXMfJpAuZTkfSjihKkfind-GGnEy3eWAeVY3pKQI74UxBuJfCPqYBdrjrI0Lhqfk4XFdQ6xRzk7esOG4xchi3hfwL7LctNoXgmG6iCAxHXENq5RlVsQkMvX1AKuqgL/s1600/Las+Rocas+Rose+2013.jpg" height="200" width="50" /></a></div>
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<b>2013 Las Rocas Rosé, </b>$14, Calatayud, Spain. </div>
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<b>2013 Dry Creek Vineyard Dry Chenin Blanc,</b> $12, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma.</div>
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<b>2013 Dry Creek Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, </b>$18, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma. </div>
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<b>2013 Dry Creek Vineyard Fumé Blanc,</b> $14, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma.</div>
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<b>2012 LoveBlock</b> <b>Pinot Gris,</b> $24, Marlborough, New Zealand.Wine With a Twisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00703838527626687529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250826825768785251.post-25660316472004433972014-05-11T17:21:00.001-07:002014-05-11T17:21:56.047-07:00New Vino!<br />
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Juice pouches for adults. </div>
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That's basically what <a href="http://nuvino.com/">Nuvino </a>is: premium wine from around the world in a lightweight, single-serve pouch with a spout. Its developers tout the advantages over wine as it is traditionally sold: Nuvino pouches are easy, convenient, portable, unbreakable, resealable and come in eco-friendly packaging.<br />
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No heavy glass bottles, corks, corkscrews or fragile glassware.<br />
I like the idea that you can taste the fruit of vastly different vineyards on various continents for a $3.99 investment: Sauvignon Blanc from Chile’s Maule Valley, Chardonnay from South Africa’s Cape Winelands, Malbec from Mendoza’s Maipú wine region in Argentina; and a Red Blend from Australia’s Swan Hill wine region.<br />
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PreservPak technology preserves the nuances of the wines for up to 18 months while adding no flavors of its own. It is available in 16 states, starting this month, and will be nationwide by the end of the year.<br />
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And the wine? I tasted the Sauvignon Blanc and the Chardonnay and they were not displeasing or, put another way, perfectly drinkable. You won't find nuances of tropical fruit, forest floor, weighty mouthfeel or powerful intensity, but I don't think the intended customers for Nuvino (Millennials) are looking for any of that stuff anyway. They're looking for novelty, a drinkable wine, easy portability, maybe even a conversation starter. And it's all here.<br />
<br />Wine With a Twisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00703838527626687529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250826825768785251.post-46231712067626698062014-05-04T16:39:00.000-07:002014-05-09T23:12:39.776-07:00San Francisco's Schroeder's <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">At times during its 120-year history, <a href="http:/">Shroeder's</a> German restaurant in the heart of San Francisco's Financial District -- the oldest of its kind on the West Coast -- was a beer hall that admitted men only. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">This week it is re-opening after a remodel in a handsomely-renovated space that respects its heritage while updating both the environment and the menu for modern sensibilities. As recompense for the past, I </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">am hoping the new owners will institute some version of a ladies night. "Fräulein Fridays" anyone?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">Physically, the place is striking. Old murals, wood paneling and the rosewood bar were smartly preserved while harsh lighting is gone and the old linoleum is off the floors, replaced by beautiful wooden floors with tables to match. And the r</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">estaurant's new owners, Andy Chun and Jan Wiginton, are bringing the food back into the beer hall with a staunchly German menu of Bratwurst, Wiener Schnitzel and beef tongue, and the bar focuses on German beer, wine and liquors. Several speciality cocktails developed just for Schroeder's contain at least one German component, such as the refreshing </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;">Derby Radler, a German beer cocktail with bourbon, sage liqueur, fennel seed syrup and lemon</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">. The Rieslings range from sweet to dry (as they should), and there are 21 draft beers.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">German food is not exactly the height of <i>chic, </i>so kudos to the new owners for making an effort to preserve an historic piece of San Francisco -- and to Chef Manfred Wrembel for adding a contemporary twist to old favorites: the thinly sliced beef tongue is topped with a horseradish <i>creme fraiche,</i> asparagus and capers; the potato pancakes are made with cheddar, apples and beer; and the <i>Spätzle</i> (noodles) are served with corn, tomato, ricotta, and onion blossoms. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">This is definitely not your grandmother's German restaurant.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span>Wine With a Twisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00703838527626687529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250826825768785251.post-78238991350883713202014-04-22T19:45:00.001-07:002014-05-09T23:13:30.565-07:00Book Review -- Almonds: Recipes, History, Culture <br />
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This lovely and unique book about almonds contains cultural history, recipes. nutritional information and gorgeous photographs. It is cookbook, coffee table book, culinary history, and around-the-world tour of the cultures that incorporate almonds in a meaningful way. And I'm not just saying this because I worked on it!<br />
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The lengthy introduction to the recipes covers a lot of ground -- the anatomy of the nut, the cultivation of almond orchards in California, the nutrition it provides, even its place in art and literature. <br />
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Did you know da Vinci once sculpted from almond paste? Or that 100 almonds for every person on earth are grown each year -- most of them in California? Or that its abundant nutrition qualifies the almond as a "superfood?” Or that the sweet almond we like to eat has a "bad-boy cousin" -- the bitter almond -- that is poisonous?<br />
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Once you've digested all this information, move on to the recipes, which traverse the full scope of the meal from starters to desserts and drinks. There is the simplicity of Burnt Sugar Almonds and a Banana Almond Smoothie and more complex dishes like Almond-and-Mint-Crusted Lamb Chops and Spanish Meatballs in Onion and Almond Sauce.<br />
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<i>Almonds: Recipes, History, Culture </i>is by Barbara Bryant, Betsy Fentress and Lynda Balslev; $21.99.<br />
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<br />Wine With a Twisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00703838527626687529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250826825768785251.post-65276930453189267802014-04-18T11:59:00.000-07:002014-05-09T23:14:32.424-07:00Wine Review -- Back Holm on the Ranch<br />
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The Carmel Valley Appellation is not unknown, but hardly gets the kind of attention (and thus crowds) that Napa and Sonoma to the north do. That's the good news. More good news: Holman Ranch wines.<br />
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The family-owned Holman Ranch Vineyard and Winery is about a dozen miles from the Pacific Ocean and the ride inland from the dramatic coastline envelopes you in green, rolling hills, vineyards and quiet.<br />
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The climate is ideal for the wines Holman specializes in. Warm days from the inland valley location and cool nights from the marine layer are wonderful for quality Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris.<br />
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There is a tasting room, an entirely underground winery, and a grove of 100 olive trees in the vineyards producing several different varieties of Tuscan olives. With gardens, horse stables, mountain views and the solitude of the countryside, it is also a wedding site and provides overnight guest rooms in its restored stone hacienda.<br />
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But onto the wines. This is a small production winery; only 3,000 to 5,000 cases are produced, and the prices are extremely reasonable. Some notable wines for the upcoming summer season:<br />
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2012 Pinot Gris: Wonderfully dry and refreshing with subtle flavors of lemon and other bright citrus. This is the kind of wine that cleanses your palate and leaves your mouth feeling clean, not weighed down by butter or oaky tones, so is a good match with food. $16 <br />
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2012 Rosé of Pinot Noir "Blushing Bride:" The deep color suggests cranberry juice, but the crisp high acidity indicates it's no juice drink. Subtle flavors of red berries. Dry, light and crisp. Rare (only 100 cases produced); $20<br />
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2012 Sauvignon Blanc: Sauvignon Blanc is a favorite wine of mine and I am often disappointed -- but not by this one. Wonderful varietal character (many SBs simply do not taste like SBs) with an assertive but not overwhelming taste of grapefruit (or gooseberry, if you prefer) and again the clean, crisp finish of the two wines above. Most California Sauvignon Blanc does not use the musque grape clone, but that is what brings out the aromatic character of this particular one. A gem. $18.<br />
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The Holman Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil, pressed and bottled on the estate, is rich and sturdy with a nice bite to it ($20 for a 375ml bottle). You can taste it in the wine tasting room and it can be packed together with wine in gift baskets.<br />
<br />Wine With a Twisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00703838527626687529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250826825768785251.post-38878129077822039052014-04-11T14:45:00.000-07:002014-04-20T14:37:35.665-07:00Restaurant Review -- Worth a Gamble: 630 Park Steakhouse<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The new 630 Park Steakhouse</td></tr>
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It's a glitzy, high-end Las Vegas-type environment, spacious with tall ceilings. Its interior design features include a "Wall of Wine," a "Wall of Fire" (pictured) and beautiful Swarovski crystal chandeliers reflecting the movement of the flames. White tablecloths and luxuriously-upholstered leather booths with damask-covered bolsters for your back complete the feeling of sumptuousness.<br />
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And that's before you even open the menu, which trumpets a dozen cuts of steak, including some off-the-menu items like Japanese wagyu and rare items like large bone-in filets. Real wagyu, somewhat of a rarity in the U.S., is dense with spidery veins of fat streaking the red meat. If you order it here, you can even view the Certificate of Authenticity Traceability, which certifies it as genuine wagyu beef and even states the carcass number.<br />
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Only one warning: Prices are not for the faint of heart. If you think paying $23 for a glass of local Cabernet Sauvignon, $52 for a Kansas City strip, or $80 for a rich wagyu steak of only 8 oz., might induce cold sweats, dimming vision, trembling and a temporary loss of consciousness, then 630 Park Steakhouse is not for you. <br />
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But if you are out for an extravagant, celebratory evening -- one that includes gambling or not -- this could be just the ticket.<br />
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You may have guessed already that this haven of red meat luxury is located in a casino, the newish <a href="http://www.gratonresortcasino.com%E2%80%8E/">Graton Resort and Casino</a> in Rohnert Park, California. Some 70% of the four-month-old steakhouse's customers drift in from the gambling tables, estimates Chef Jerrett Davis, but he wants to attract a bigger share of dining-only, "foodie" customers from Sonoma County and the San Francisco Bay Area beyond. Graton's cavernous casino also contains almost a dozen other dining choices, all more casual than 630 Park.<br />
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Chef Davis' menu lifts the ordinary wedge salad ($10) to deluxe heights: The generous crisp wedge of iceberg was sprinkled with copious amounts of flavorful bacon, and rich chunks, rather than petite crumbles, of Blue cheese (and could have been a meal in itself). The lobster chowder ($12) was a creamy melange of lobster, potatoes and bacon. Opulent without being overly heavy, the sides of creamed spinach ($10) and potatoes au gratin ($9) were both delicious.<br />
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That $23 glass of Cabernet, by the way, was an excellent 2011 A. Rafanelli Cabernet Sauvignon from the nearby Dry Creek Valley of Sonoma. A 2013 Unti Rosé ($11), also from Dry Creek Valley, was lighter, but also a good companion to many of the dishes on the table.<br />
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Diners who don't eat meat won't be disappointed either. The menu offers Ahi tuna steak, rotisserie chicken and lobster tail, among other main dishes, and many more vegetable and starchy side dishes.<br />
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<br />Wine With a Twisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00703838527626687529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250826825768785251.post-51222529470108383392014-03-15T11:32:00.000-07:002014-05-09T23:10:36.775-07:00Foods To Fancy <br />
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Is your chocolate ethical? Your peanut butter fair-trade? Are your frozen sandwiches gluten-free, soy-free and guilt-free?<br />
Such are the pressing questions facing consumers these days. We all have to eat, but when, oh when, did that simple act of survival become so complicated?<br />
As full of potential mines as the hunt for acceptable food has become, it's good to know that there are so many pleasing choices today in the marketplace.<br />
Visiting the Winter Fancy Food Show, North America's largest specialty food and drink trade show, at the end of January in San Francisco reinforced that notion for me: everywhere I looked there was something tantalizing: Moravian cookies from the American South and pure butter shortbread from Scotland, coffees and teas with a multitude of flavors added, and smart chips made of seaweed, chickpeas, or quinoa. Due to my schedule, I only saw a fraction of it (there were 80,000 products on display). Can't wait until next year.<br />
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Here are a few of my favorite discoveries from the show. The Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City will be held June 29 - July 1, 2014.<br />
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<b>Walkers Shortbread Chocolate Scottie Dogs: </b>Yum. Just the right amount of chocolate allows the purity of traditional shortbread ingredients (butter and sugar) to shine through.<br />
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<b>Numi Indulgent Tea and Savory Teas </b>The indulgent line refers to chocolate teas, such as Chocolate Earl Grey and Chocolate Mint (a good substitute for dessert at only 5 calories a cup). The Savory Tea line is an ingenious mixture of vegetables, herbs, decaf tea and spices -- a light broth without the heavy salt of most bullions, and decidedly different flavors like tomato mint and carrot curry.<br />
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<b>Vintage Italia Pasta Chips</b>: traditional baked pasta transformed into a creacker-like snack in a variety of simple, Italian flavors -- Alfredo was my favorite. The payoff? Cholesterol-free, no trans fat, no saturated fat or sugars.<br />
<b><br /></b><b>Giovanni Rana pasta: </b>fresh pastas and sauces (Alfredo, Pesto, Bolognese) that will make you wonder why you've been buying that dried and canned stuff for so long. <a href="http://www.giovannirana.com/">Giovanni Rana </a>pasta and sauces include Cheese "Delicato" Tortelloni, Chicken Rosemary and Mushroom ravioli, a light and delicate Alfredo sauce and a Pesto sauce that made me forget I had grown tired of pesto.<br />
The family-owned company began in Verona, Italy, and is now selling 13 filled and flat fresh pastas and 4 sauces. Thin pasta dough and sauces made from top-quality ingredients like DOP Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and DOP Genovese basil imported from Italy. Some products available at Costco. Giovanni Rana products will be at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York.<br />
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<b>José Andrés Olive Oil Potato Chips and Mussels in Escabeche. </b>These chips are<b> </b>light, salty and satisfying. The Esbabeche Mussel appetizer is a classic tapas dish from the Spanish-Ameican chef said to have introduced tapas to the U.S. The mussels come from Galicia, and are shelled and cooked by hand in a traditional "escabeche" sauce of olive oil, vinegar, paprika, salt, bay leaves, pepper and cloves.<br />
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<b>Enzo Olive Oil:</b> California estate-grown, extra virgin, organic olive oils in robust flavors like garlic, basil and Meyer lemon. Their unflavored line of oils comes in Delicate, Medium and Bold, a great idea for more (or less) sensitive palates.<br />
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<br />Wine With a Twisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00703838527626687529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250826825768785251.post-7965807450344185302014-02-19T20:17:00.000-08:002014-02-19T20:17:11.457-08:00A Burger, Wine (or Beer) on Tap, and ThouThe gourmet burger market seems as robust as ever since it began about a decade ago. But recently I visited some new upscale hamburger restaurants that seem to be paying as much attention to their drink offerings as they are to their burgers.<br />
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Two of them -- Eureka! and ROAM -- opened recently in the San Francisco Bay Area, the former in Berkeley and the latter in Lafayette, an East Bay suburb of San Francisco. Eureka belongs to a relatively new chain in California with 10 restaurants scattered throughout the state; ROAM in Lafayette comes after two shops have been doing well in San Francisco.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a dirty job ... tasting beers at Eureka! in Berkeley, Ca</td></tr>
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Besides good food and an upscale atmosphere, Eureka! specializes in craft, small production whiskies and 30 different craft beers on tap. It offers artisanal whiskey cocktails and unusual pairings such as four different small batch whiskeys or two whiskeys and two beers. The possibilities are many, and the staff will help you with your selections as well as matching whiskeys and/or beers with your food.<br />
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For dessert at Eureka! the staff suggested I eat my butterscotch pudding (delicious!) with an Old Rasputin Imperial Stout, a heavy dark beer. Normally, I would not lean towards drinking a dark beer at all, nor would I order an alcoholic drink with dessert, as sweets and alcohol together usually don't appeal to me by the end of a meal. But I accepted the suggestion and the pairing was wonderful, with a great complementary melding of flavors.<br />
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For a longer review of the food at Eureka! see my restaurant review on Nancy D. Brown's <a href="http://www.nancydbrown.com/2013/11/22/eureka-where-beer-whiskey-and-burgers-come-together.html">What A Trip </a>website. <br />
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A little more casual than Eureka! but still cool and contemporary, ROAM offers sustainably-produced wine on tap in a range of varietals. I tasted a Riesling (fruity, but not too sweet) a Sauvignon Blanc and a Pinot Noir -- all good. The craft beer at ROAM comes on tap and bottled.<br />
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Eureka! focuses on its burgers and other main dishes and has only one or two dessert options. At ROAM, there are a variety of Straus Family Creamery milkshakes in some very with-it flavors like Salted Caramel and Blue Bottle Coffee as well as Tahitian Vanilla Bean, Chocolate and Strawberry.<br />
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Not only do these two establishments show that burger cuisine has come a long way, but they show that wine, beer and cocktails can be great burger partners.<br />
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<br />Wine With a Twisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00703838527626687529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250826825768785251.post-24525888095831946352013-12-18T13:22:00.000-08:002013-12-18T13:22:26.063-08:00Merry Christmas Markets<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Touring several Christmas Markets in France and Germany earlier this month was a once-in-a-lifetime experience I hope to repeat! Although my own mother is from Berlin, I never knew about these markets until recently. Christmas markets started in Germany and many cities and towns put up temporary villages of gaily-decorated wooden booths selling Christmas decorations, gifts and delicious treats. But they are not just gift markets. From Cologne, Germany, to Strasbourg, France, I saw people of all ages enjoying themselves in the invigorating winter air glugging down Glühwein (hot, spiced mulled wine, red or white) and generally making merry with friends and family.<br />
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I was on a "Rhine Getaway" river boat tour with <a href="http://www.vikingrivercreuises.com/">Viking River Cruises</a> that traveled from Amsterdam to Switzerland so I was able to stop each day to experience a different Christmas market. There was a charming one in Rudesheim am Rhein, a small wine-producing town that's a huge tourist draw in the Rheingau area of Germany, where Riesling and some Pinot Noir (known as Spätburgunder) grow on insanely steep slopes overlooking the Rhine river.<br />
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I doubt the Christmas markets were ladling out the high-quality wines this region produces and exports around the world, but the warm Glühwein steeped with fruit and spices like cinnamon and cloves tasted great nonetheless.<br />
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The highlight of the markets for me since I wasn't looking for any more holiday decorations or gifts -- was the plentiful food options. All kinds and sizes of <i>wurst</i> were being grilled and placed on <i>brochen</i> (hard rolls), or atop sauerkraut, potatoes or <i>spätzle</i> noodles, and just as food tastes better when you are camping or hiking so did these simple dishes taste especially satisfying in the mid-40s daytime temperatures and perhaps even better in the colder night air.<br />
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Another especially interesting visit was to the several Christmas markets in Strasbourg, a city that has passed between France and Germany five times in its political history and therefore has strong influences of both in its cuisines and culture. In the Strasbourg markets, there were cookies, pastries and crepes (as in all the other Christmas markets I visited) but also beignets and these beautiful chocolate-covered fruit kebabs.<br />
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The food was such a draw that I even passed up a couple of excellent meals on my boat, the Viking Jarl, just to graze at the Christmas markets. All-in-all, a culinary treat.<br />
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Wine With a Twisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00703838527626687529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250826825768785251.post-73515628507933185582013-11-08T10:05:00.000-08:002013-11-08T10:05:24.496-08:00Wines from Southwest France<br />
The consumption of wine in France is highly regional; the French tend to drink locally -- the two exceptions they will generally make are wines from the world renowned regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy. I, too, know wines from those two regions and a few others in France, but it was a voyage of discovery for me to visit the <a href="http://www.winesofsouthwestfrance.com/">South West France</a> (<i>Sud-Ouest</i>) wine region in September, an area that includes appellations inland and south of Bordeaux such as Gascony, Galliac and Cahors. I found some hidden gems in the areas I visited and at a subsequent wine tasting in San Francisco that involved tasty, refreshing white wines at super values. Although the wines are not household names (yet) in the U.S., they are available in both retail stores and at restaurants. These are a couple of the most impressive values: <b> </b><br />
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<b>2012 <a href="http://www.plaimont.com/">Plaimont </a>Colombelle L'Original Blanc. </b>This wine is made from Colombard and Ugni Blanc grapes, usually used in Cognac, in the Gascony region. It is a refreshing white wine with the tart, grapefruity essence of many New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs, but subtler and more delicate. Suggested retail price is $8.99.<br />
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In a similiar vein, the <b>2012 Domaine Duffour</b>, also from Gascony, tickled my palate with its fresh, citrus-like brightness. It is made of Colombard with Ugni Blanc, and an additional local grape called Gros Manseng, which has great potential for winemaking in the area. Moderate alcohol level of 12% and suggested retail price of $9.99<br />
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<br />Wine With a Twisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00703838527626687529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250826825768785251.post-63335840328335668822013-11-06T12:43:00.000-08:002013-11-08T10:03:00.202-08:00Napa Valley Wine Train <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I used to live in the Napa Valley and the <a href="http://winetrain.com/">Napa Valley Wine Train</a> was a familiar sight chugging through the vineyards along the valley's main artery, Highway 29. <br />
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I had not been on the train for about a dozen years, so I was pleased to revisit late last month for the 3-hour lunch excursion that begins in the city of Napa and travels north to St. Helena before reversing course and returning to Napa.<br />
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I rode in the elevated Vista Dome, a 1952 Pullman dining car with gleaming Mahogany paneling and brass accents. A glass of Domaine Chandon sparkling wine was poured as we sat and menus for a four-course lunch were presented with at least two choices in each category and five choices of entrees (beef, salmon cooked two ways, duck and a vegetable plate). Chef Kelly Macdonald prepared the food for the Vista Dome car in a kitchen located in the car itself. Price per person for lunch or dinner in this car is $144 -- not inexpensive, but there are other cars with their own menus at lower prices.<br />
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Someone asked me to report back on whether the wine train was too "touristy." It certainly attracts plenty of tourists who were enjoying themselves -- this is not a commuter train used by anyone for reasons other than viewing the valley's vineyards while eating, drinking and soaking in the Napa experience. But is it artificial, gaudy, inauthentic, rowdy or otherwise obnoxious? Hardly. Service is friendly and helpful (kudos to Gerald, our server), the food and wine high quality, the views serene and colorful, and it's a fun ride.<br />
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Train, culinary, or wine purists may find fault that it's not a <i>real</i> train, or that the food or wine menus are more limited than you would get in a local restaurant or wine bar, but the whole package adds up to a special experience you can't get anywhere else in California wine country.<br />
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Wine With a Twisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00703838527626687529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250826825768785251.post-20807045082368776122013-09-27T10:48:00.001-07:002013-09-30T15:04:51.602-07:00St. Emilion's Jurade <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Jurat's uniform is a red robe with a white, pleated jabot, white cuffs<br />and a red toque. </td></tr>
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On Sept. 15, I stepped into the magical world of the Jurade in the medieval village of St. Emilion in Bordeaux. It was approaching harvest time, so it was the perfect time to visit the world’s most renowned wine region.<br />
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St. Emilion’s <a href="http://en.vins-saint-emilion.com/">Jurade </a>is today an official brotherhood of wine lovers, investors and producers, all admitted to promote the Merlot-based wines of the right bank’s picturesque village. It used to be the local government and stretches back to 1199. Twice a year, at harvest time and in the spring, its members hold a formal ceremony -- complete with flowing red robes, banners and a procession through town -- to induct new members. In the fall ceremony, the <i>Bans des Vendanges,</i> or harvest proclamation, the new harvest is officially declared by releasing clusters of black balloons, resembling grape bunches, into the air.<br />
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This year, a record group of 21 Asian wine lovers and investors were inducted into St. Emilion's Jurade to take on the role of ambassadors to the rest of the world for the village's wines. Five of them, from Singapore, China and Hong Kong, were inducted Sept. 15 paralleling recent increased investment in St. Emilion in the past few years.<br />
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Amid pomp and pageantry, and against the backdrop of the fairytale village and a gorgeous blue sky, the new members were welcomed into the exclusive group during a day-long event that included a 90-minute mass, an induction ceremony in the <a href="http://www.wmf.org/project/saint-emilion-monolithic-church">Monolithic church</a> and a formal luncheon lasting several hours. For someone from the California suburbs, it was like falling asleep and waking up in another, more charming, era.<br />
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The actual 2013 harvest was about two weeks late this year, due to cool weather in the growing season and hail in August, but has just gotten underway.<br />
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Wine With a Twisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00703838527626687529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250826825768785251.post-1082671908571312132013-08-04T15:58:00.000-07:002013-09-27T10:30:26.797-07:00Summer Wine ... and the Sipping is EasyAm enjoying some wonderful wines this summer that remind me of how simple and enjoyable wine drinking can be when you strip away all the trappings of so-called "serious" wines (translated: pricey Cabernet Sauvignon and other robust, multi-layered reds).<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">2012 Dry Creek Vineyards Dry Chenin Blanc</span></b>: from the not-exactly-celebrated appellation of Clarksburg in northern California, this is a favorite wine of mine and of many oyster lovers -- it frequently wins the Pacific Coast Oyster Wine Competition. With its crisp acidity, low alcohol of 12.5% and $12 price tag -- what's not to love?<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">2012 La Rochelle Pinot Noir Rosé:</span></b> A subtle stunner from the LaRochelle Winery in the Livermore Valley near San Francisco. The Pinot Noir grapes for this pale salmon-colored rosé wine come from the Santa Lucia Highlands in Monterey, a wonderful environment for Pinot Noir. Bone-dry with a nice high acidity and a moderate 13.4 % alcohol. Winemaker Tom Stutz has been making this style since the 2007 vintage and models it after a Coteaux Champenoise, a still wine that comes from the Champagne AOC. Production in Champagne of this style of rosé is very small and so it is with the LaRochelle's rosé. It is available through the winery online or at its tasting room in Livermore Valley. $24.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">2012 Maison Joseph Drouhin Laforet Chardonnay.</span> </b>As I am not usually a chardonnay fan, this wine was a pleasant surprise. A delightfully, non-weighty wine made from Chardonnay grapes coming from all over Burgundy, it is a wonderful introduction to the whites of this hallowed region (which can get <i>very</i> weighty) with a crisp acidity, fruitiness and nice body. $18.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">2012 Marchesi Antinori Castello della Sala Bramito del Cervo</span> </b>Chardonnay from Umbria, Italy. Another nice surprise: 100% Chardonnay from Umbria, the neighboring region to Tuscany, this well-balanced wine is fermented for a short time in oak barrels, but the result is ethereal and the wine is a perfect partner for light foods, from salads to raw seafood. $18.<br />
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Another delectable wine from Antinori is the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>2010 Peppoli Chianti Classico. </b> </span>A modern take on traditional Chianti Classico, this wine is young, fruity and approachable, with a silky smooth feel in the mouth. It is 90% Sangiovese and 10% Merlot and Syrah. $28.Wine With a Twisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00703838527626687529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250826825768785251.post-50907633445513442232012-11-30T17:51:00.000-08:002012-12-14T10:57:52.108-08:00Holiday Gifts to Sip and Use<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Emeril Lagasse</span></b> is the latest celebrity chef happy to winnow down the ever-expanding world of wine choices for you before you decide what you really like or what pairs well with your food. The Food Network star chef has "curated" a wine sampler collection that is being sold on <a href="http://www.tastingroom.com/">tastingroom.com, </a>coming after similar sampler collections by other celebrity chefs (Curtis Stone) and celebrity sommeliers (Rajat Parr). <b>Emeril's Holiday Party Sampler </b>and his <b>Everyday Sampler </b>each contain small sample bottles (1.7 ounces or less than half a glass of wine in a typical restaurant) of two white wines and four reds -- all high-quality such as Napa's Patz & Hall and Dry Creek Vineyards in Sonoma -- and have suggestions for what foods to pair with the wines. Example: a duck confit panino from Emeril's recently released cookbook is suggested with Fess Parker's Syrah. The tasting samplers may be a great holiday gift for those who aren't able to visit wineries for tasting, who want the convenience of wine arriving at their front doorstep, or who just enjoy exploring different wines without having to pay for and drink a whole bottle. Emeril's Holiday Party Sampler $39.95 and Emeril's Everyday Sampler $32.95. Tastingroom.com also has wine-by-the-glass samplers, a great idea for controlling wine appetites!<br />
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I thought I was drinking red hots when I tasted <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">SinFire</span>, </b>a cinnamon whiskey from <a href="http://www.hrdspirits.com/">Hood River Distillers </a>in Oregon ($17). If you or someone you're shopping for loves spicy/sweet flavors or Red Hots in particular, this is a unique gift -- great for cocktails. For tamer appetites, Hood River Distillers <b>Pendleton 1910</b> Canadian whiskey is also a good choice ($40). <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
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One of my favorite wines to serve during the holidays is a French-style (meaning dry) rosé wine -- it's so pretty on the table and the combination of fresh, bright fruit flavors and crisp acidity goes well with a variety of appetizers and holiday dishes. The <a href="http://www.stfranciswine.com/">St. Francis Winery</a> <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">2011 Sonoma County Rosé </span></b>blended from Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, is a winner for the holiday table. ($20). Another wonderful choice is the <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">2011 Scalabrone Rosato </span></b>from Tenuta Guado Al Tasso in western Tuscany. Red berry flavors and a palate-cleansing liveliness. $19.<br />
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Newly available in the United States from <a href="http://www.wjdeutsch.com/">Deutsch Family Wine </a>and Spirits is <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Enza Prosecco</span>,</b> a lovely Italian bubbly with pronounced flavors of pears and apples. This was tasty on it's own but would meld well in a variety of champagne cocktails for the holidays. At $14.99, it's a bargain.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQo973sdq_O5X-6Ge_8ovTHqSwaf9WEjS7CiSJmkUsO43b2uLESm7h8ctE9X1KvkClnRxCCNQJVenKSzWt4DTNszCmIN1A_QdYuAzxDJWg4Q3t0RSE8xTZdq0eqN0WPI67O2NO7z_cwQc/s1600/Pop-open+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQo973sdq_O5X-6Ge_8ovTHqSwaf9WEjS7CiSJmkUsO43b2uLESm7h8ctE9X1KvkClnRxCCNQJVenKSzWt4DTNszCmIN1A_QdYuAzxDJWg4Q3t0RSE8xTZdq0eqN0WPI67O2NO7z_cwQc/s200/Pop-open+.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Nice stocking stuffer for a beer drinker/dog lover -- or yourself: The <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Pop Tag</span></b> is a stainless steel keychain/beer bottle opener that you can personalize with a hand stamp so you and/or your friends will never be caught unequipped. The <a href="http://thepoptag.com/">Pop Tag </a>also comes in a version for your pooch - ID tag & bottle opener in one. ($14.99).<br />
<br />Wine With a Twisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00703838527626687529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250826825768785251.post-71937135200924275422012-07-25T13:43:00.002-07:002012-10-23T14:50:32.338-07:00Telluwhat:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo credit: Telluride Tourism Board/Ryan Bonneau </span></div>
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If you haven't been to <a href="http://www.telluride.com/">Telluride, Colorado,</a> you may not know that it is a town of almost year-round festivals; the Telluride Film Festival, Brews and Blues Festival, and Bluegrass Festival are but a few of the better-known ones. There are so many busy weeks filled with exuberant fun fests to attract visitors to this remote Southwestern Colorado ski town, that a local threw up his hands and petitioned for a "Nothing Fesitval," which ends in a naked bike ride through the charming town's main street. I don't know about you, but I don't call that "nothing." <br />
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I went to Telluride at the end of last month for the <a href="http://www.telluridewinefestival.com/">Telluride Wine Festival </a>hoping to discover some good Colorado wines. Alas, I arrived a day after the only event that focused on local wines, so was able to taste wine from just one in-state winery, <a href="http://www.guydrewvineyards.com/">Guy Drew Vineyards,</a> located in southern Colorado near the New Mexico border. I quite liked the Unoaked Chardonnay ($16) and Pinot Gris ($18), and enjoyed talking to Mr. Drew, an impassioned vintner. More than a few of the Colorado residents I chatted with at the festival said they preferred California wines to their own state's. But the Colorado wine industry, like those in most other U.S. states, doesn't have the distribution, name recognition or track record of the mighty California wine industry. Someday, it may.<br />
<br />Wine With a Twisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00703838527626687529noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5250826825768785251.post-26295357988294490702012-07-20T13:28:00.000-07:002012-07-20T13:28:32.086-07:00Eastern Townships, Quebec<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had never heard of the quiet, rural area east of Montreal known as the Eastern Townships before I visited in late June, but I went there in search of the local wine. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> What I found was much more.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The farm-to-table and locavore ethos is very strong in the Eastern Townships, or <i>Cantons-de-l'Est,</i> an area sprinkled with lakes, mountains and hamlets that serves as a convenient getaway for harried Montrealers.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Everywhere I visited, from a chocolate shop and museum, the <a href="http://www.museeduchocolatdebromont.ca/">Musée du Chocolat de Bromont, </a>to <a href="http://www.bleulavande.ca/">Bleu Lavande, </a> a picturesque lavendar farm, a commitment to local products was evident. Even cheese made by resident Benedictine monks from the <a href="http://www.st-benoit-du-lac.com/">Abbaye de St-Benoît-du-Lac,</a> was incorporated in dishes at local restaurants, such as Le Hatley, the fine dining room at the <a href="http://www.estrimont.ca/">Estrimont Suites & Spa</a>.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> One of the greatest commitments of all is being made by the vintners establishing wineries and growing estate wine grapes in the Eastern Townships. I had the pleasure of visiting <a href="http://www.domainelesbrome.com/">Domaine Les Brome</a>, situated on a hillside of Mount Brome with views of Lake Brome and the Eastern Townships. European-styled wines are made from a variety of grapes the vintners here are still experimenting with to see what grows best in the local climate and soils. Domaine Les Brome's dry Vidal, Seyval Blanc/Chardonnay blend and Baco Noir were especially good.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With more vineyards than any other area in Qu</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">é</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">bec Province, the Eastern Townships area even has an official wine route that links 16 vineyards in Brome-Missisquoi with five in Dunham, where Québec's first vineyards were established in the early 1980s. The small towns brim with antique shops, artists' studios, French-style cafes and Victorian architecture, so there is plenty to do and see.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> A recently established network of cafes, The Cafés de Village des Cantons-de-l’Est, akin to the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>cafés de pays</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> in France, requires members to emphasize local products, such as produce, coffee, beers and wine.</span></div>
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