Bone dry

• February 2010

  A Pair of Recipes Guaranteed to Become Instant Classics in your home From Mark Peel's Award Winning Los Angeles Restaurant: Campanile Mark Peel's restaurant, Campanile, needs no introduction. It's been featured in magazines and newspapers virtually since the... Read more A Pair of Recipes Guaranteed to Become Instant Classics in your home From Mark Peel's Award Winning Los Angeles Restaurant: Campanile Mark Peel's restaurant, Campanile, needs no introduction. It's been featured in magazines and newspapers virtually since the day the doors opened, and for good reason. Chef Peel's cooking has always been about collecting the elements of classic recipes and redistributing them in unusual, and often offbeat ways. While Campanile is nominally an Italian restaurant, the delicious dishes frequently have influences that range across the classic cuisines of Europe, all based on the freshest ingredients available to the kitchen. Nowhere is that more evident than in Family Dinner; Campanile's Monday night meal. A tradition in Los Angeles, the Campanile Family Dinner is a three-course meal, served family style, naturally, that revolves around a specific theme. These dinners, and the recipes developed for them, have created such a demand that Chef Peel knew it was time to give everyone a chance to enjoy them. Thus was born New Classic Family Dinners, simply a great cookbook full of time-tested recipes that are simple to prepare, yet deeply satisfying. I've chosen a pair that will make for a delightful late winter or early spring dinner. Chef Mark Peel Mark Peel is the owner and executive chef of Campanile restaurant, a Los Angeles favorite for 20 years, and winner of the 2001 James Beard Outstanding Restaurant Award. He has worked in France at La Tour d’Argent and Le Moulin de Mougins and in the U.S. at Maxwell’s Plum, Michael’s, Chez Panisse and Spago. In 1989, he opened both La Brea Bakery and Campanile with business partner Nancy Silverton, where he has earned such accolades as Food & Wine magazine’s Best New Chef, six James Beard Award nominations for Best Chef, and the 2005 California Restaurant Association Chef of the Year. Buy: New Classic Family Dinners Leeks Vinaigrette Click here to download a printable PDF file of this recipe. Makes 4 servings For some reason, Americans don’t use leeks as much as Europeans do. This classic French bistro dish may change your habits. Leeks are sweet, tender, and only mildly oniony; I love their gentle flavor and their pale, translucent green color. This works best if you have a baking pan that the leeks fit snugly into in a single layer. It will keep for several days in the refrigerator, but give it time to come back to room temperature before you serve it or the flavors will be muted. Leeks 2 pounds leeks, white and light green parts only 1⁄2 cup dry white wine 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1⁄2 cup extra virgin olive oil 1⁄4 lemon, cut in paper-thin slices, seeds removed 3 or 4 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs Topping 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 hard-boiled eggs 2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley   1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Cut the leeks in half lengthwise and trim away all but 1⁄8 inch of the root, so that they hold together in one piece. Place in a bowl of cold water and swish to loosen the dirt, then run cold water over them, fanning the layers to wash away any dirt that may linger in between. Lay the leeks side by side, cut side up, in a baking dish. They should fit in one snug layer. Pour on the wine and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Drizzle on the olive oil and place the lemon slices over the leeks. Top with the parsley sprigs. 2. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and place in the oven. Roast for 30 minutes. Uncover, raise the heat to 450ºF, and return to the oven for another 15 minutes, until the leeks are tender but not mushy and are beginning to color very lightly. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. 3. Using tongs, remove the leeks from the baking pan and arrange in a gratin dish or in a wide bowl or platter. Pour the liquid in the pan into a bowl and whisk in the vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and olive oil. Pour over the leeks. Allow to cool, or if serving the next day, cover and chill. For best results, refrigerate overnight. Bring back to room temperature before serving. 4. Press the hard-cooked eggs through a sieve or chop them very fine, and season with salt and pepper. Arrange over the leeks, sprinkle with parsley, and serve. [PAGEBREAK] Monkfish Osso Buco with Risotto Milanese and Gremolata Click here to download a printable PDF file of this recipe. Makes 4 servings One day I was looking at a large monkfish and it occurred to me that monkfish tail looks something like a veal shank. I wondered if I could use monkfish for osso buco, the classic Italian braised veal shank seasoned with gremolata and served with risotto Milanese. I tried it out, and it worked. When you order the fish, specify to the fishmonger that you want the bone in. Do not get the monkfish slices from the narrow end of the tail. Make sure they’re at least 2½ inches in diameter.   7 cups Chicken Stock (see recipe below) Kosher salt 8 1- to 1½-inch-thick slices monkfish, preferably with the bone in (about 2 pounds with the bone, 1½ pounds without), at least 2½ inches in diameter Freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons canola oil 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1½ cups arborio or Carnaroli rice A generous pinch of saffron (about ½ teaspoon) ½ cup finely chopped onions or shallots 1 fat garlic clove, cut in half, green shoot removed, then sliced 1 cup finely diced peeled tomatoes (fresh or canned) ½ cup dry white wine 1 tablespoon unsalted butter   GREMOLATA 1 teaspoon finely chopped lemon zest ½ teaspoon finely chopped orange zest 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh flat-leaf parsley   1. Place the chicken stock in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Season well with salt. 2. Season the fish generously with salt and pepper. Heat a wide saucepan over medium-high heat and add the canola oil. When it is hot—you can feel the heat when you hold your hand above it—add the monkfish pieces, cut side down. Work in batches so you don’t crowd the pan. Sear for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until lightly colored, and transfer to a platter or a baking sheet. 3. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Turn the burner heat to medium and add the olive oil to the pan. Add the rice and stir constantly over the heat, until the rice begins to smell toasty, like popcorn, and the kernels are opaque. Crush the saffron threads between your fingers and stir into the rice, along with 1 teaspoon salt. Add the onions or shallots and garlic and continue to stir for 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Add the tomatoes and continue to stir and scrape the pan for about 3 minutes. Reduce the burner heat to medium-low. Add the wine and stir until it has been absorbed by the rice. 4. Begin ladling in the simmering stock. It should just cover the rice and should immediately begin to bubble, though not too hard. If it is boiling hard, turn down the heat a bit more. Stir until just about absorbed, and add another ladleful. Stir often and continue to add stock whenever you see that there is not much left in the saucepan. Gradually the mixture will become creamy. 5. After about 25 minutes, the rice should be cooked al dente and the mixture should be creamy. Al dente means “toothy” in Italian, so it should be just firm to the tooth in the center of the grain. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Continue to add stock and cook if necessary. It should not take more than 30 minutes. Be careful not to let the rice stick to the bottom of the pan. 6. When the rice is al dente and the mixture creamy, cover the rice one more time with stock. Making sure that you can see the stock bubbling, place the monkfish fillets on top of the rice and tip in any liquid that has gathered on the platter. Cover and place in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. 7. Meanwhile, make the gremolata. Combine all of the ingredients on a cutting board and mince together. Set aside in a small bowl. 8. After 10 minutes, remove the fish and rice from the oven. The fish should be opaque and firm all the way through. If it is not, return to the oven for another 5 minutes. Take the fish off the rice. If the rice is not creamy, stir in another ladle or two of stock. Stir in the butter. Spoon the rice onto a platter. Top with the fish. Sprinkle on the gremolata, and serve. VARIATION: Add 1 cup cooked peas or cooked pearl onions (or ½ cup each) to the rice when you stir in the final ladleful of stock. Chicken Stock Makes 4 to 5 quarts You have the option of using canned chicken stock or broth in these soup recipes, but homemade stock will always taste better. The stock should simmer very slowly over low heat for about 4 hours, never boiling, and you need to skim the top regularly. A rapidly boiling stock won’t cook the chicken bones faster, it will just churn the ingredients and cause them to break up, clouding the stock and mucking up the pure flavor of chicken a good stock should have. This makes a lot of stock and requires a large stockpot. If you’re going to spend the time, you might as well make a large quantity; it freezes well, and you’ll be glad to have it on hand. 4½ to 5 pounds chicken backs, bones, and wings, trimmed of fat 4 to 5 quarts water, as needed 2 tablespoons canola oil 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped 1 large leek, sliced and cleaned 2 stalks celery, sliced 1 medium carrot, sliced 6 fat garlic cloves, halved, green shoots removed 2 teaspoons kosher salt A bouquet garni made with 4 sprigs each of thyme and parsley, 2 bay leaves, and ½ teaspoon cracked black peppercorns HOW TO MAKE A BOUQUET GARNI A bouquet garni is a bouquet of herbs and other seasonings that go into soups and stews to add flavor. I usually tie the ingredients into a piece of cheesecloth, but if your bouquet garni consists only of herb sprigs and a bay leaf, you can tie them together with kitchen string. To tie them into cheesecloth, cut a square of cheesecloth approximately 8 x 8 inches. Place the ingredients on the cheesecloth about 2 inches in from the bottom edge. Fold the ends of the cheesecloth in over the ends of the herb sprigs, then fold the bottom edge over and roll up the cheesecloth. Tie up with a piece of kitchen string, wrapping the string from one end to the other and back to make sure the packet is secure. Another way to make a bouquet garni is to use the dark green ends of leek greens instead of cheesecloth. Wash the greens and cut two 8-inch lengths. Lay them overlapping, and place the ingredients on top. Fold the sides up and the ends in over the ingredients, then tie up with kitchen string. 1. Combine all the chicken and bones with the water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Using a ladle, skim off any foam that rises, turn the heat to low, and simmer 3 hours. Skim off the foam from time to time. 2. Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onion, leek, celery, carrot, garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook gently until the vegetables soften slightly, 5 to 10 minutes. Scrape into the pot with the chicken and add the bouquet garni and remaining teaspoon of salt. Continue to simmer for 1 hour. 3. Strain the stock into a large bowl or pot through a cheesecloth-lined strainer. Refrigerate overnight and lift off the fat from the surface. Transfer to smaller containers and refrigerate or freeze. Two Dishes that make for a light yet delicious meal Leeks Vinaigrette By Chef Mark Peel For some reason, Americans don’t use leeks as much as Europeans do. This classic French bistro dish may change your habits. Leeks are sweet, tender, and only mildly oniony; I love their gentle flavor and their pale, translucent green color. Monkfish Osso Buco with Risotto Milanese and Gremolata By Chef Mark Peel One day I was looking at a large monkfish and it occurred to me that monkfish tail looks something like a veal shank. I wondered if I could use monkfish for osso buco, the classic Italian braised veal shank seasoned with gremolata and served with risotto Milanese. Photos by: Lucy Schaeffer    (hide)

  From the article Recipes from Mark Peel's New Classic Family Dinners

  
  

• February 2010

  Hmmm, I thought I posted a reply a few days ago. Anyway, I have always found ... think an Orvieto that wasn't bone dry would go well. When I lived in Rome one of our regular wines came right from your region, Colli Trasimeno

  Forum post in the topic owner/cooking school by bropaul

  
  

• February 2010

  Taking a Look Back at a Vintage of the Decade Have they stood the test of time? While I remain enamored with the great wines of California’s past, I am on the fence in regards to what can be called their more modern style first embraced in the very early... Read more Taking a Look Back at a Vintage of the Decade Have they stood the test of time? While I remain enamored with the great wines of California’s past, I am on the fence in regards to what can be called their more modern style first embraced in the very early 1980s. The wines from the 1960s and 1970s were often made by winemakers operating in the field, basing their actions on the accumulated wisdom of the generations that had come before them. In one fell swoop, the University of California at Davis changed almost all of that. In the late 1970s there was a backlash against wines that were perceived as too tannic, alcoholic, and over-ripe. Boy how things have changed! In an effort to tame these brutes, and bring elegance to the wines of California the concept of “food wines” was born. A marketing major could not have come up with a better idea! Food wines, simply put, were wines that were to be lighter, more elegant and less aggressive in their youth. What the winemakers actually achieved was to strip the glory that is California from the wines and make them resemble cheap, almost innocuous table wines.  Guess what happened next. What to expect: Napa Cabernet Sauvignon California's Napa Valley has been a source of world-class Cabernet Sauvignon for well over a century. It's warm climate, and varied terrain, allows for many styles of wine. One thread that runs through almost all the Cabernet based wines from Napa is their lush, ripe full-bodied feel and rich flavors of currant and berry. Wines from the valley floor, particularly around Rutherford, are famed for a dusty quality, while those coming from the hillsides surrounding the valley, Mt. Veeder, Diamond Mountain and Howell Mountain for example, tend to be a little leaner with more obvious structural elements. Learn more about Napa Valley There was another backlash but now the winemakers in California were equipped to properly deal with whatever might come. I won’t go so far as to call the techniques used trickery, in fact they are more akin to make-up, but their effect on California’s wines has been dramatic and very wide spread. The goal of the winemakers during this backlash to the “food wine” movement was admirable. They simply wanted to find a way to put that Californianess back in the bottle while making the wines softer and more accessible in their youth. While some regions produce fruit that is ideal for this style, many simply do not. The only way to get to there, rich fruit and soft tannins, especially with Cabernet Sauvignon, which is not exactly famous for its soft tannins was to get them ripe. Now there is ripeness, and then there is RIPENESS. Unfortunately some very influential people in the world of wine seem to have a distinct fondness for RIPENESS so those wines garnered many, many points. Points, being the harbinger of a wine’s retail success, are pretty highly valued in the wine world. It’s no surprise that winemakers, and more importantly winery owners, figured out that really ripe wines got, in general, higher scores than less ripe wines. So what’s a winemaker to do? Harvest riper and get those tannins soft and supple, or even non-existent. But of course as grapes ripen they lose balancing acidity. Not a problem, they can acidify. And as grapes get really ripe they accumulate tremendous amounts of alcohol producing sugar. Not a problem. Produce a wine with 16% alcohol, or add some water to the must, or extract some alcohol with new machines. It’s not a problem. Well you know what was a problem. The wines that were produced.  I hate to generalize, and I really am a fan of very many California wines, but the truth is that many wines produced in California today, and expensive wines at that, are produced in a style that makes them sweet, fat and easy to drink on release yet obscures most of the character of the grape and virtually all of the terroir. Another issue I have with these wines is that they just don’t age well. Allow me to be more precise. These wines simply do not have the balance to age into a wine that is elegant, velvety and full of complex flavors and aromas. All too frequently these wines are attractive in their youth, full of super fruity flavors and creamy choco-mocha oak but with a few years the fruit drops out, the wood tannins and acid remain and you get one painful surprise in the mouth; nastiness. I’ve been drinking California cabernet long enough to see follow the wines through these cycles and to my mind 1991 had remained one of the benchmark vintages of the past two decades. The vintage produced wines with exceptional balance and lovely, ripe fruit that retained freshness and purity. Even after quite a few years the wines gave all indications of evolving well and seemed to promise great things in the future. Well, the future has arrived and I was looking forward to a long planned retrospective tasting of this fine vintage.  So it was that I joined 10 of my fellow wine geek friends to sample 20 wines from this outstanding vintage.  We tasted the wines single blind, in that we knew what wines we were supposed to have but not the order. I remembered a few of the wines but I did not keep the list handy. The wines were served with dinner, roasted marrow and bone-in sirloin steak, medium rare, for those interested. Would the wines vindicate the winemakers who choose to follow the recipes of UC Davis, or would they show the error of those ways and serve as a warning for the vintages that followed. That's the signpost up ahead - your next stop, the Violate Zone.   [PAGEBREAK] Two great values from 2005 for the cellar. 2005 Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains Priced from $24.99 The aromatics are still a bit raw with rich notes of wild plum and blackberry tones that follow through on the moderately rich mid-palate, with a rather restrained feeling on the palate.Already showing well this should be a wonderful wine with spicy black fruit accented by vanilla and cedar spice tones. 2005 Field Stone Alexander Valley Cabernet Priced from $12.45 This features toasted oak as well as floral top notes and subtle suggestions of sage embedded in the red cherry fruit of the nose. On the palate this is already silky with a  finish that is nicely spicy with  layered  jammy red cherries and spice leading to a nice mineral tone on the finale. The Wines: 1991 California Cabernet Sauvignon Flight One 1991 Mount Veeder Reserve – This came off as a bit hot and compressed on the nose with a lean profile that included notes of dried meat, dusty earth, and small, somewhat dried berry fruits. In the mouth this was lean and a bit linear with good acidity and tannins that were mostly resolved. There’s not a tone of varietal character, and while the wine is a bit hot it has good length and retains good fruit on the finish with a nice touch of mint. Solid yet uninspiring. ( The lack of varietal character should not be taken as a negative here since this is in fact a Meritage blend that includes all five of the Main Bordeaux grapes) 87pts 1991 Mayacamas – Fresh leather and herbal, almost artichoke tones greet the nose with earthy, slightly bretty notes lurking underneath. With air this gains lovely complexity with notes of cherry fruit, a bit of rubber, black olive, and rocky, mountain fruit minerality. This is very youthful and linear in the mouth with tannins that are a touch drying but well integrated. The fruit here remains fresh and red though it tapers off a bit early leaving a finish dominated by minerals, leather and a nice medicinal tone. Snappy, young and transparent, this is interesting and enjoyable.  91pts 1991 Dominus – Clean and pure on the nose with a nice edge of vegetal funk up front and background notes of smoke and oak all over a very cassis driven core. This is decidedly varietal on the nose but note very California. In the mouth this is pretty soft with some fairly dry tannins still making their presence known. The fruit is soft and subtle with some dark, dried fruit notes that lead to a cinnamonny finish. Overall this promised more than it delivered and was rather dry and graceless.  I have had better bottle of this, but they were all in the past. My last experience with this unfortunately mirrored this one.  84pts 1991 Rafanelli – This smells chunky and full with a lovely sweetness to the fruit that gains floral accents and hints of mint, though the wood aromas do become more assertive as it sits in the glass.  On the palate this begins as dark and earthy but quickly blossoms to reveal a core of rich, chunky, dark cherry and blackberry fruit. There is good acid here and a fair amount of tannin too but everything remains in balance and the fruit, though it is a bit monolithic, ultimately retains the upper hand. The finish is long with hints of eucalyptus and wood spice contributing complexity. This is delicious and probably as good as it’s going to get. It’s a gutsy, old style Cabernet that’s packed full of fruit but I do not get the sense that it’s going to develop into a particularly complex wine and my best guess is that the structure here will win out over the fruit sooner rather than later. But for today and the next 3-5 years  it’s a winner. 93pts   Flight Two 1991 Fisher Wedding Cuvee – Slightly corked but smelled as though it could have been a very nice wine. 1991 La Jota Howell Mountain Selection – Hard and rich smelling with great depth on the nose. This is imposingly rich and packed with fruit blackberry fruit accented with bay leaf, cocoa and baking spices. Wow this smells impressive, and on the palate it delivers the goods. Remaining very young and rich this is packed with dark cassis fruit and has a huge palate presence filled with ripe fruit tannins and superbly integrated acidity. It’s not yet fully open on the finish but the snappy, crisp acidity gives this phenomenal focus through the mouth and keeps that intense core of fruit fresh and bright. The finish reveals notes of earth, spice and some herbal stemminess and gains surprising finesse with air. A real find.  95pts 1991 Newton – Very woody on the nose with jammy notes of seared black fruit and eucalyptus top notes. Air brings out good complexity with a slight vegetal tones being joined by hints of coffee, leather and oak spice. In the mouth this is surprisingly soft and short. The mid-palate has plenty of jammy black fruit and the finish reveals rich, chocolaty oak but the overall package never shows enough integration.  A clumsy wine . 84pts 1991 Guglielmo – This smells shallow and weird with notes of melon and cherry contrasted by lots of mushroom and forest floor aromas. In the mouth this opens with rather sweet and pleasant fruit but then quickly turns dirty, hard and lean with searing acidity on the finish.  I want to like this but it is simply a bit painful to drink. 70pts   [PAGEBREAK]     Flight Three   1991 Forman - Very black fruited on the nose with notes of currant and cherry that almost conceal a touch of brett and hints of mint, tea, and bean starch. In the mouth this is lean and crisp with lots of tannin and not a lot of fruit. There's a lot of espresso to be found on the palate and a pleasnt, mineral tinged, crisp fruit skin element but the wine is very short. I like the taut structure but this lacks a bit of depth. 86pts 1991 Phelps Insignia – This smells like Bordeaux, balance and complex with intriguing notes of aromatic herbs, cigar wrapper, earth, small berries and plums. Smells a bit like Merlot. On the palate this is very nice with a richness to the ripe fruit balanced by ripe tannins and supported by well integrated acids. This doesn’t change much in the glass, and while it is a touch soft and monolithic it retains a lovely, aromatic nose and an elegance in the mouth that is appealing. 90pts 1991 Montelena – The nose on this is youthful and complex with lots of oak spice buffered by plenty of red and black fruits with a jammy edge to them. There are lovely complicating notes of wet horse, grilled peppers, leather and chalky soil adding to the bouquet.  On the palate this is surprisingly elegant and composed with a fine, layered fell and deep flavors of black currant edged with smoke and earth. The backend is still a bit hard and feels a touch extracted but the balance to allow this to continue to improve is here and I expect this can only get better.  93pts 1991 Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains – Liquory on the nose with nice freshness and notes of coffee beans, dilly American oak, fudge and toast help to frame the sweet, slightly jammy black berry fruit. In the mouth this is a bit simple and a bit short but the fruit is pleasantly spicy with a nice crisp edge to the black berry tones. The tannins are present but well integrated, just supporting the sweet rich fruit. A very nice example a California Cabernet and peak and perhaps just beginning to fade away 89pts   Flight Four 1991 Mondavi Reserve – Smells like wood and candy at first with notes of smoke and leather adding some detail. Air brings a brightness to the nose that recalls candied citrus peel as well as a lovely floral top note. The bouquet is fresh, complex and evolving In the mouth this feels a little compressed with a bit of obvious wood still in evidence but the bitter cherry fruit remains assertive through the palate and leads to a nice finish with notes of slightly under-ripe fruit that remains fresh, vibrant and detailed, this will not blow anybody away but rather seduces you with it’s subtle detail. 90pts   1991 Simi Reserve – Reticent at first then quite seductive with deep black raspberry fruit joined by creamy oak and nutty nuances and finally a floral top note. In the mouth this is soft and still creamy with confected notes of black cherry and chocolate dominating a mid-palate, which has not structural center. On the backend the oak gains the upper hand and the finish is limp and dominated by oaky flavors.  This has seen better days and appears to be only a shadow of it’s former self. 84pts 1991 Ridge Montebello – Very bright on the nose with red currant fruit and a hint of boysenberry all joined by very complex notes of vanilla, raw meat, sun dried tomato, and balsamic notes. This smells down right sweet. In the mouth this is very rich and seems to have been acidified. The mid-palate is hollow and remarkable soft considering the acids on the finish, which is also bitter. The nose was promising but this bottle is a disaster 80pts I’ve had this wine several times and it has consistently been one of the greatest California Cabernets I have had the pleasure to drink. I can only hope that this was a bad bottle. 1991 Dunn Howell Mountain – Coffee and candied currants great the nose followed by black currant jam, hot iron, minerals and rocks. This smells hard and pure with a penetrating scent that is pure mountain fruit. On the palate this is bright and crisp, taut like a drumskin, with very fine, minty edged black cherry fruit. The tannins are lovely, crisp and fine grained if particularly abundant and the acid is solid and in balance. There is a very fine kernel of nervous, sweet fruit lying at the core of this wine that peeks out on the long finish to reveal it’s sweet red berry notes and subtle medicinal edge. A great wine that remains very youthful but is amazingly precise and fresh.  95pts   Flight Five 1991 Spottswoode – Deep and spicy on the nose with hints of allspice, white pepper, vitamins, vanilla, toast and old chicken bouillon cube all blending for an intriguing, if not totally appealing bouquet.  Up front this offer a nice bit of sweet, bright red fruit but the mid-palate becomes dominated by the acidity as it turns harsh and hollow which becomes unrelenting on the moderately long finish. With air this fleshes out a bit as the fruit gains traction and begins to cover the mid-palate but the finish remains raw and aggressive. I’ve had better bottles of this and can only assume that this has seen less than ideal storage over the years. 86pts 1991 Cain Five - This offers a rather appealing Bordeaux like nose of violet florality, leather, a bit of brett and forest floor all knit together with a subtle yet sweet wild black fruit character.  On entry this is rich and soft with spicy fruit tones edged in black tea with more dried fruit tones appearing on the mid-palate. The finish lacks some flesh and turns subtly spicily vegetal with a soft yet natural feel. This is certainly ripe feeling but with good balance, and a fair amount of tannin still obvious, this does retain an appealing mouthfeel. But the brett might be an issue for some.   88pts 1991 Beringer Private Reserve – This smells like totally typical, straight forward Napa Valley Cabernet. There are leafy edges that frame the cassis fruit and an underlay of toast and spice. With air the nose gains a nice perfume with almost lemongrass vegetal tones and hints of roast coffee beans and candied raspberries. On the palate this is nice and crisp feeling with integrated tannins that give the dark fruit a slightly hard feel. The finish is short and while the fruit is rich this seems like a wine that will never actually mature and the best we can hope for is that it fades away gradually.  89pts 1991 Frogs Leap -  Aromatically this is starts off very restrained with a big note of bologna and subtle berry tones. With air this blooms, revealing medicinal cherry fruit that is slightly candied and supported to subtle cedar cigarbox tones. On the palate this is very light and easy with spicy red fruits that lead to a somewhat flat, neutral mid-palate. The finish is a bit hot and laced with assertive coffee cream tones. A wine that seems to be starting to fall apart. Drink these soon if you have them 86pts.    (hide)

  From the article 1991 California Cabernet Retrosepctive tasting

  
  

• January 2010

  Finger Licking Super Bowl Snacks Big Easy Baked Wings and Circle City Rackettes With the Super Bowl looming I think it's was time to share to some of my favorite recipes for the greatest game watching snacks on earth: Wings and Ribs! Now getting real Bar B Q... Read more Finger Licking Super Bowl Snacks Big Easy Baked Wings and Circle City Rackettes With the Super Bowl looming I think it's was time to share to some of my favorite recipes for the greatest game watching snacks on earth: Wings and Ribs! Now getting real Bar B Q ribs at home is impossible without a smoker out back but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy some finger lickin good baby backs, and just because we lack a deep-fryer in our kitchens doesn’t mean we have to to wing deprived come game day. For these Super Bowl snack my motto is KISS, not the band though their song Shock Me might be appropriate if you start getting heavy handed with the spices. No, I am, of course referring to Keeping it Simple, and not necessarily calling anybody Stupid, but that’s how the saying goes. So how does one make great wings and ribs at home with a minimum of muss and fuss? Gregory Dal Piaz is a proponent and admirer of a broad range of wines and styles. During his decades of collecting and tasting he has discovered that a wine need not cost a fortune to drink well. Feel free to ask him questions at the Snooth Forums where he regularly engages with beginners and experts alike. Well the truth is you just have to improvise. Instead of deep-frying our wings we’ll be parboiling them and then backing them, same for the ribs. While this seems to violate my KISS plan the truth is a little extra work up front will make both the ribs and wings taste better and leave you more time to watch the game. Both recipes are a little on the spicy side so will pair well with beer and light, crisp whites. On of my favorite wines for these types of dishes (spicy, fatty, intensely flavored) is Txacoli from the Basque region of Spain. Txacoli is a very light white wine, usually with a tiny bit of fizz that cleans the mouth and refreshes the palate. If you can find one I highly recommend it for game day!  If not you can right ahead and pair your favorite white or rose with both the ribs and the wings. The ribs are also red friendly, particularly when paired with something like a fresh Garnacha from Spain, Sangiovese from Italy or Zinfadnel from California. I think the key to a successful paring here is to try and keep the wines light, fruity, and refreshing. So enjoy these Super Bowl snacks while rooting for your team,and check out next week’s email for a pair of Super Bowl inspired recipes!   [PAGEBREAK] Two great treats for the big game: Pick your winner! Big Easy Wings By: Gregory Dal Piaz These wings are baked instead of fried making them a bit healthier, so you eat a few more, and you will becasue these are addictive!  With my two step cooking process you'll get crisp, delicous wings ready to toss in your favorite sauce. Circle City Rackettes By: Gregory Dal Piaz I'm baking ribs as well, and while they're not Bar-B-Qed, these savory ribs will keep you coming back for more. The trick is marinating them overnight in a zesty blend of white wines, herbs and spices. Lip-smackingly delicious! Big Easy Wings Click here to download a printable pdf file of this recipe Buffalo wings are deep fried to golden perfection, something most home chefs are not quite prepared to do. I duplicate most of that crunch with a two part cooking process. Begin with raw chicken wings and separate them into three sections: the drumette, the tip and the middle. The tips can be saved for stock but aren’t much good for Buffalo-izing. While you are sectioning your wings bring a large pot of parboiling liquid to boil. I like to use some salt and white vinegar in my parboiling liquid. I add salt 1 gallon of cold water until it’s just noticeable and  then add 1 qt of white vinegar to the pot. Bring the liquid to a vigorous simmer before adding the wing sections. Due to the difference in size I prefer to add the drumettes first and about 3 minutes later the middle sections.  Allow the liquid to simmer as you parboil the wings, leaving the drumettes in for about 10 minutes, and the mids in for about 7. You can complete the parboiling in batches if you have to. Remove from the liquid. You can reserve the liquid and use it for the ribs at this point. The wing sections should now be rinsed well, drained and placed in the fridge for at least 12 hours to allow them to dry, ensuring that they crisp up well in the oven the next day. To finish the wings: Preheat your oven to 375F Arrange the wings on a baking sheet, leaving space around each wing. Bake the wings on the top rack for 30-45 minutes depending on size and desired degree of doneness. I frequently use a rack to keep the wings out of the rendering fat but if you just lay them out on the baking pan flip the wings about halfway through the baking process to get them evenly browned. Remove the wings from the oven and drain them on paper towels before tossing them with your favorite sauce. Franks Red Hot is of course the classic sauce for Buffalo style wings though I am partial to New Orleans’s own Crystal hot sauce and in light of the Saints am sticking with it for my wings. Buffalo sauce is a blend of Hot Sauce and butter so before tossing your wings you might want to whisk in a bit of butter. Try melting 5 tbsp of butter per quarter cup of hot sauce for a more authentic flavor. [PAGEBREAK]   Circle City Rackettes Click here to download a printable pdf file of this recipe. As with my Big Easy Wings, I parboil these ribs to produce an easy to cook tender finished product. While I generally prefer spare ribs, working with baby backs is much easier since they are a uniform size and width so I’m going with babybacks for this recipe. For easy of handling I like to trim my ribs in to 3-rib rackettes. Once you have your rackettes prepared prepare your parboiling liquid. I like to use some salt and white vinegar in my parboiling liquid. I add salt 1 gallon of cold water until it’s just noticeable and then add 1 qt of white vinegar to the pot. Bring the liquid to a vigorous simmer than add the rackettes. Allow to simmer for 18 minutes before removing the rackettes and allowing them to drain. While waiting for the parboiling liquid to boil you can prepare the marinade for the ribs For each rack of ribs combine 1 cup of sherry wine 1 cup of white wine 2 cloves of garlic, minced 1 chipotle pepper, minced 1 tablespoons Dijon mustard 3 tablespoons of light brown sugar 1 tablespoon Spanish smoked paprika 1 tsp oregano 1/8 tsp ground allspice The grated zest of one lemon (reserve the rest to squeeze over the finished ribs) Once the rackettes are drained place them in a sealable plastic bag with the marinade for at least 4 hours but preferably overnight. To finish the ribs Preheat the oven to 375F Place the ribs on a rack meaty side up, and place above a baking pan. Then fill the pan with the marinade, or any liquid, as it’s really there to prevent the dripping fat and juices of the ribs from burning and filling the kitchen with smoke. Bake the ribs on the middle rack in the oven for about an hour.  I like to reserve some of the marinade and dip the ribs back in after the first half hour. After an hour the ribs have a nice density tot hem but if you want them to fall off the bone add an additional 20-30 minutes in the oven. Arrange the rackettes on a serving platter and give a squirt of lemon juice over the whole lot before serving.    (hide)

  From the article Super Snacks for the Super Bowl

  
  

• January 2010

  This weekend I headed up to the Conneaut/Geneva/Ashtabula/Lake Erie area of ... which is oaked, not bone dry with a smooth texture and butter crunch taste about it...but it took me all weekend to find such a Chardonnay (I found what I wanted at our very last stop at Harpersfield... Read more This weekend I headed up to the Conneaut/Geneva/Ashtabula/Lake Erie area of ... which is oaked, not bone dry with a smooth texture and butter crunch taste about it...but it took me all weekend to find such a Chardonnay (I found what I wanted at our very last stop at Harpersfield Vineyard). It seems everyone has switched to a stainless steel Chardonnay and all taste very high in acid and sharp. I've seen a trend in Stainless steel/unoaked chardonnay over oaked Chardonnay recently. Being a raving Chardonnay fan, I like them both and think they both have their place if they are done right, but in the winter especially I really prefer the warm tones of an oaked Chardonnay. Has anyone else noticed this trend? Which do you prefer? Does anyone know of any easy to find oaked Chardonnays that are particularly good? You have 15 minutes to make changes | Edit discussion | Delete discussion    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic This is not the Chardonnay... by WineGeekJen

  
  

• January 2010

  To explain a bit further, I was thinking of champagne or the best sparklers ... sparkling as first choice, bone dry riesling second, and Tavel rosé or Beaujolais third.

  Forum post in the topic Help with wine paring for... by dmcker

  
  

• December 2009

  jesdocswife, that wine you had is made by Gallo from purchased grapes and it's designed to be really cheap and basically, for cooking IMO. Pinot Grigio is a grape and became really popular recently, so expect to find a lot of it and most of it will be pretty bad. When a grape gets... Read morejesdocswife, that wine you had is made by Gallo from purchased grapes and it's designed to be really cheap and basically, for cooking IMO. Pinot Grigio is a grape and became really popular recently, so expect to find a lot of it and most of it will be pretty bad. When a grape gets popular it's suddenly planted all over and everyone puts out their own bottles and you end up with oceans of terrible wine. However, you CAN find good pinot grigio, aka pinot gris, but you have to look. However, if you didn't like it, and I dont blame you, maybe you could mention what you didn't like? Is it the fact that it wasn't sweet? Most wine isn't sweet but if that's your preference, you can look at the wines dmcker recommends. Great choices. "White merlot" is actually a rosado, or rosé, which means it's made from red grapes but they don't let the juice have much contact with the skins once the grapes are pressed. Some rosé wines, like white zinfandel, tend to have a lot of residual sugar left. Not all do however, and most of the better ones don't, so you need to ask which specific one you're trying if that's what you want. Dmcker is probably right that the old world, or at least Germany, sets the standard for riesling, but the interesting thing about that grape is that it's one of the few that produces good wine in areas that you wouldn't ever suspect. So you can find it grown in places like Australia, where it frequently produces bone-dry wines with no sweetness at all, or Washington state, or New York, or Michigan, which is what I'm going to have tonight. We usually have riesling on Christmas and for whatever reason, I'm including one from Michigan today. Moscato, or muscat, or moscatel, can often come in slightly sweet versions too, but not always. It smells like flowers, so people sometimes assume it's sweet, but you should ask the people at your wine store if you're in doubt. Best.    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic looking for a sweet white wine by GregT

  
  

• October 2009

  I try to drink something new all the time, but have noticed that I am ... making it not a classic bone dry chablis, but a more complex one, while keeping the very mineral taste - Saint Aubin 1er cru Les Cortons 2007 from Domaine Roux Arguably even better than the Puligny which is a... Read moreI try to drink something new all the time, but have noticed that I am ... making it not a classic bone dry chablis, but a more complex one, while keeping the very mineral taste - Saint Aubin 1er cru Les Cortons 2007 from Domaine Roux Arguably even better than the Puligny which is a lot more expensive and is grown at only about 1km distance. This wine is ultra-complex, yet immediately inviting. It can probably be drunk until 2015 or so, but even now already it is delicious. - Meursault Les Criots 2004 from Domaine Buisson Batteault Upon first opening and smelling, this is not very inviting. The typical Meursault stench you learn to love after a few sniffs and definitely after the first sips. This is a Meursault of the classic type from a classic producer and a very good year. I will drive to Burgundy's cote d'or early next spring to try many of these wines' peers and bring back a trunk load to crowd my wine closet with ;-) Does anyone have suggestions of white burgundies I should not miss out on    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Wine mileage by torchtaker

  
  

• October 2009

  Worth every guilty ounce of truffle cream sauce Cutting the fat with ... class wines that range from bone dry to unctuously sweet. Germany is most closely associated with Riesling, where all styles are made, and the range of flavors runs the gamut from steely and crisp with... Read more Worth every guilty ounce of truffle cream sauce Cutting the fat with ... class wines that range from bone dry to unctuously sweet. Germany is most closely associated with Riesling, where all styles are made, and the range of flavors runs the gamut from steely and crisp with crunchy, mineral driven flavors to fresh lime, apple, and peach notes and beyond to the rich honied, candied fruit tones of the great dessert wines. Find more German Riesling Worth every guilty ounce of truffle cream sauce Autumn is truly a great season for food and wine lovers.  As the temperatures drop and the leaves begin to fall, we find ourselves craving the rich and hearty foods and wines that truly make life worth living.  Maybe it’s a creamy spiced squash bisque or a rich succulent braise that triggers those happy thoughts of good times and good friends.  For me it’s the foods of Northern Italy that always fit the bill.  One of my favorites is a pasta dish I mastered while working as a chef at T.H.O.R.: Fettuccine in truffle cream sauce. Fettuccine in Truffle Cream Sauce Not a dish you could eat every day or even every week but, when the cards are down and inhibitions are lifted, this is a plate that is sure to please with its bold flavors beautifully intertwined in an elegant, decedent, yet simply prepared sauce.  The woodsy, smoky and slightly salty flavors of the prosciutto combined with the fresh, sweet vegetal flavors of the peas, which balanced by the creamy sauce, wafts intoxicating aromas of truffles into the air.  The best part about this recipe is that the majority of the work is in the preparation, meaning you can prep your ingredients before your guests arrive, entertain them with a bubbly, and then return to the kitchen to finish the dish in literally 10 to 15 minutes. So what would you pair with such a dish?  I used this opportunity to experiment with Riesling, more specifically dry (trocken) Riesling from Germany, and I’m sure glad I did.  My theory was that the same lively acidity Riesling is known for would cut through the rich creaminess and intense flavors of the sauce, which it did in spades.  Also, Riesling is known for aromas and flavors different from most white wines, all of which added new dimensions to the truffle cream sauce.  For a dish such as this you would want to find a dry Riesling for its brisk acidity and citrus, mineral qualities.  Riesling is also known for being a wine that truly reflects the place in which it is grown.  This fact was truly apparent in the two wines I selected, as one was a single vineyard selection and the other a blend.  2006 Weingut Paulinshof Kestener Paulinshofberg Riesling Auslese Trocken The single vineyard 2006 Weingut Paulinshof Kestener Paulinshofberg Riesling Auslese Trocken sliced through the truffle cream sauce like a hot knife and added new dimensions to the sauce with it’s flavors of sour apple, orange zest, and hazelnut, leading to a sweet mid-palate with tongue curling acidity.  On the nose, it showed lime and melon, which managed to hold its own against the cream sauce’s heady aromas of truffle.  As you dig deeper the fruit is backed by the smell of chestnut, slate stone, and almond skins, which provide wonderful details and complexities.  This was everyone’s favorite of the night but, while not necessarily expensive, cost almost twice as much as the other wine. 2007 Peter Stolleis Haardter Herzog Riesling Kabinett Trocken The 2007 Peter Stolleis Haardter Herzog Riesling Kabinett Trocken was a light yellow straw in color with fresh aromas of peach nectar, lemon, and a bit of butter cookie.  The palate showed lemon rind and sweet pear but was all focused on the first impression with very little mid-palate performance.  The acidity was fresh and focused which did its job against the truffle cream sauce and followed through to a sour citrus finish.  Not a wine to think on but made for a wonderful simple sipper that paired well with the dinner and could have scored much higher in everyone’s book if it wasn’t evaluated against such stiff competition as the other wine. In the end, both Rieslings held their own and complimented the dinner quite well.  However, if it was up to me to make this again I would go for the 2006 Weingut Paulinshof simply because of its multiple levels of flavor and rich textures which truly complimented the decadence of the truffle cream sauce.  So next time you find yourself craving the finer things in life without spending hours in the kitchen, I invite you to try this recipe and pair it with a dry Riesling.  I think you’ll find it’s worth every guilty ounce of truffle cream sauce.   Click here to download a printable PDF of this recipe. Fettuccine in Truffle Cream Sauce This recipe is all about planning and timing.  When working in fine dining, every plate is prepared separately in its own pan, no matter if the entire table orders the same thing.  However, at home, this would be nearly impossible, as you’d find yourself running out of burners very quickly.  I have adjusted my recipe, which was initially intended for a single plate for a party of four. When it comes to the truffles, look for white truffles.  If you have the funds to actually buy truffles for shaving over this dish then that’s great.  However, if you’d like to keep the cost of your meal outside of the stratospheric cost range, you can easily use truffle oil.  Be careful, though, when purchasing truffle oil by looking for a brand that has actual truffle in the oil, and stay away from anything that has ingredients that read “truffle flavoring.”  I use white truffle oil from Wild Forest Products. Lastly, a note on the prosciutto.  When you go to your butcher, ask for them to slice the prosciutto thick, about 1/8 of an inch.  At that size you will likely need about two slices for this recipe.  This will speed up your preparation.  Trim the fat and cut the prosciutto into a small dice. 1 lb bag of fettuccine (timing in recipe is for dry pasta) ¾ cup Prosciutto di Parma (small Dice) 1 cup peas (frozen is fine but go for a good quality brand) 1 shallot (fine dice) 3/4 cup white wine (if possible, use the same wine you are pairing) 1 cup vegetable stock 1 quart whipping cream (at room temperature) 1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano (grated) 4 tbls butter (cubed) truffle oil (see recipe instructions for use) salt and pepper (to taste) fresh parsley (minced) 1 tbls. canola oil. Preparation Start a pot of salted boiling water.  This is not for the pasta; it’s for the peas.  Also have a bowl half filled with ice water to create an ice bath.  Place the peas into the boiling water and let them par-cook for 4 - 5 minutes until they turn a vibrant green.  Immediately strain them and throw the peas into the ice bath.  Strain them again and set them aside, covered, in your refrigerator. Heat sauté pan over medium heat and add about a tablespoon of canola oil.  Carefully use a paper towel to coat the pan with the oil.  Add the small dice of Prosciutto di Parma to the pan and cook off.  You’re looking for a toasted appearance on each side.  While the prosciutto is cooking, cover a plate with a paper towel (think about how you cook off bacon for Sunday breakfast.)  Once the prosciutto is toasted on each side, take off the heat and move onto the plated paper towel.  Set the prosciutto aside. Have all of your ingredients ready and close to the oven.  Place your serving plates in an oven at the lowest temperature (this will keep the sauce from breaking when you plate the food.) Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil for the pasta.     Place a large saucier or sauté pan over medium low heat.  Melt 2 tbls of the butter in the pan and add the shallots and season with salt.  Allow the shallots to sweat in the butter until they are translucent. Turn the heat up to medium and allow the pan’s temperature to come up, but be careful to not let the shallot take on any color.  Add the white wine and allow it to reduce.  As the white wine is reducing in the pan, add the pasta to the boiling pasta water and set your timer to 2 minutes short of the recommended cooking time. (You are now at the point of no return.) Add the stock and whipping cream to the saucepan and raise the heat to a medium high.  Stay close to the pan and continue to mix regularly to make sure that the cream is not burning on the bottom of the pan.  The idea is to reduce the cream by 1/3. After about four minutes, add the pre-cooked prosciutto to the pan and continue to reduce.  If reduction appears to be going too quickly then turn down the burner to medium low.   Taste and season lightly with salt. The timer for your pasta should go off about the same time as the cream has reduced to desired level. Pour the pasta into a colander and quickly rinse out the pot with hot water.  Place pan back on the stovetop over a low flame. Drizzle pasta with truffle oil and toss.  Then add the pasta back to the pot and pour the reduced cream sauce over the pasta along with the par-cooked peas and stir to combine. Turn off the burner and add half of the grated Parmigiano Reggiano and last two tbls of butter.  Stir to bring the sauce together and taste.  Season with salt and pepper if necessary. Remove the plates from the oven and portion the pasta out with tongs.  (Don’t worry about the sauce at this time because it will collect at the bottom of the pan.)  Once you have portioned out all of the pasta, use a ladle to sauce each plate from what is left at the bottom of the pot, making sure to distribute the peas and pieces of prosciutto evenly. Drizzle each plate with truffle oil.  (Be careful not to overdo it.  Truffle and truffle oil can go from good to overwhelming very quickly.) Then sprinkle with the remaining parmigiano and then with parsley. With a warm paper towel, clean the rim of the plates and serve. Learn more about German wine and Food Pairing: On Snooth Learn to Decipher German Wine Labels An easy guide to help you find Dry Riesling German wines, whose labels offer you all the detailed information you need to make a great selection, can be very intimidating. It’s time to make it a bit easier. In case you missed our recent article, it helps one learn how to tell dry wines from sweet and find a Riesling to match your needs. Fettuccine in Truffle Cream Sauce By: Eric Guido Autumn is truly a great season for food and wine lovers.  As the temperatures drop and the leaves begin to fall, we find ourselves craving the rich and hearty foods and wines that truly make life worth living. For me it’s the foods of Northern Italy that always fit the bill.    (hide)

  From the article Worth every guilty ounce of truffle cream sauce

  
  

• October 2009

  "I prefer drinking in the nude." "The taste is different, fresher and the ... landscape--preferably with a bone dry champagne--definitely something I am always up for..

  Forum post in the topic Posing Naked to Save French... by dmcker

  
  

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