Thursday, December 31, 2009

$650 for New Year's Eve dinner?

$650 for New Year's Eve dinner?

From Salon.com, a mini-interview on the extravagant cost of New Year's Eve dinners.

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New Year's Drink

This is the last day of the western calendar year, and many will be celebrating with various fizzy or sparkling drinks. Tonight, we'll probably open a bottle of Barboursville's great brut sparkling white wine, made predominantly with pinot noir grapes and some chardonnay. Another recommendation for a fantastic, toasty, yet not overly wrought sparkling white from the US is Domaine Meriwether's brut. Both are wonderful and far less expensive than equivalent Champagnes.

Happy New Year to one and all!

Good Cheese

Good cheese is remarkably hard to find, only complicated by food safety regulations here in the U.S. (and no, I am not arguing for abolishing food safety standards, but for a recognition that they limit our ability to enjoy some foods that people have safely consumed for hundreds of years). The NYTimes had a nice piece this week about one man's attempt to create a better Camembert without contravening these regulations. You'll find the story here.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Knowing your meal

A new generation of urbanites is learning where there food comes from in an intimate fashion. Woe betide a society that willfully ignores the connection between animals and food on the table.

Second Careers in winemaking

Today's New York Times has a good piece about people choosing to open vineyards and wineries as second careers. A friend of mine once remarked that one way to make a million dollars is to start out with ten million dollars and buy a vineyard (thanks, Ole).

Saturday, November 21, 2009

What's open

I've got some people coming over in mid-December for a mini-scotch tasting and I realized that most of my bottles were biased to Islay, so I've spent the last few weeks trying to expand my Highland exposure, including adding the Glenmorangie 18 year old and the Dalmore 12 year old. This got me to thinking about what is the perfect age for a scotch. Obviously the first answer is "it depends", but I think some scotches lend themselves to perfection, or nearly so, at certain ages. I've convinced myself of this in the last few weeks as I have had the opportunity to taste some older (20+ year olds) scotches, and not always been that impressed.

I used to think that 18 was a perfect age, but then I started to taste some other scotches that were wonderful at younger ages and then tired or woody even at 18. For instance, the Bowmore 15 year old is a beautiful malt, the 18 is excellent, but the 25 is very woody. The Highland Park 18 year old is close to perfection, but the now bygone 15 year old Laphroiag is a fantastically balance malt. And the Dalmore 12 year old is amazing; I would think more age would detract, rather than add, to its flavor profile. The Ardbeg young whiskies were amazing examples of young malts that had plenty of character.

Many distilleries have started to migrate towards no age statements on the bottles, which eases the burden of having enough of particular aged stocks. Some turn out really well, others not so much. I don't know how much of that is a commercial decision and how much is a decision based on the quality, but I have read and heard that many age statement blends (e.g., Johnnie Walker Black 12 year old) often contain much older whiskies (by law they can't contain younger whiskies). In the end, though, it comes down to what you like and want to drink, not the age on the bottle. Some people love Glen Grant five or eight year old; others think the Macallan 53 year old Lalique is the pinnacle of taste. The great thing about scotch is that there is a malt for every taste and wallet. Slainte!

Voltaggio!

For those who have watched Top Chef on Bravo this year, Bryan Voltaggio is a familiar face. We recently had lunch at his restaurant, Volt, in Frederick Maryland. In typical fashion, I did not know about this restaurant until I saw the show, but Leslie has been wanting to go there for more than a year since she first read about it. As part of our anniversary celebration this year, we made a day of traveling up to Frederick (about 45 minutes north of DC), exploring the downtown area, and having a later lunch at the restaurant.

Volt is in a large, stone town-house in the downtown area, near all the kitschy shops and restaurants. This is fine dining with a slight hip twist (if you consider all the servers wearing chuck Ts with their suits hip). And the lunch menu is a bargain -- three course for about $20, and not skimpy courses at all. Add $15 and you get wine pairings, including with dessert. I decided to test the kitchen's mettle by ordering... roast chicken. I think Jacques Pepin said once that a true test of a chef is making the simplest thing (omelet, roast chicken). I was not disappointed. It was flavorful, moist, and perfectly seasoned, with crispy skin. Dessert could have been better, however. We had the baked pear with crumble and ice cream, but the pear was still very hard and crunchy -- probably not ripe -- and the crumble was slight. Despite that, it was a wonderful dining experience, and the waitstaff were excellent. Definitely worth the trip.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Tasting Fancy Wine

A recent post on the Atlantic's Food channel offers an excellent idea -- go to a pre-auction tasting to sample high-priced, much sought-after wines and decide if they are really worth the expense. I suspect most wines in the multi-hundred dollar a bottle price range are not significantly better than some very good $50 or even cheaper wines. But I don't actually know that, because I have not had the opportunity to sample the more expensive bottles. And, it is nerve-wracking to think about splashing out, say, for a Bordeaux first growth and discovering you don't like it that much (that would be $750 or more not well spent).

Saturday, November 14, 2009

A couple of Ardbegs

There is no getting around it -- Ardbeg is not for the faint of heart. It is a very rewarding drink, however. I have spent some quality time with a couple of Ardbegs recently -- the Ardbeg Still Young (an eight year old) and the Airigh nam beist from 1990.

First the Still Young: It has a light straw color, but a truly powerful, yet soft nose. It is bottled at 56% abv, so one must be careful, but the trademark Ardbeg notes are there. Sea air, straw, and some burnt sugar. It has a sweet peatyness on the tongue. With water some floral notes come out, and a little seaweed (but nothing like Laphroiag). Even with water, it has nicotine spice when I drink it. Definitely not for the faint of heart, but shows that a young whiskey can be a great whiskey.

The Airigh (which means Valley of the Beast, and is apparently a 16 year old) is also a light golden straw color, but less smokey than some other Arbeg's (such as the fantastic Uigeadail). There are plenty of sweet, flowery notes overlying some real heft. It has a "thick" nose to it -- it just smells like a substantial dram, in a good way. The mouth feel is full and coating, with some bite and spice.

Both are wonderful drams, and worth the effort to seek them out.

Bowmore 25 Year Old

The Bowmore 25 year old (this one is still in the old-style bottle, so it is probably a 2007 bottling) is a deep copper color with lots of sherry, burnt cake, and some rubber on the nose. It is a little thinner than I expected on the tongue, and some wood comes out. With water it develops some winey (not whiny) hints, more Christmas (fruit) cake. Like port wine. It is sweet and very smooth; a soothing dram, but the burnt notes and some of the wood don't impress.

I came back to this one a couple of times and still find something a little off-putting in the nose. I get biscuit this time. I want something better, but the nose just seems wrong/off/strange to me. I can't put my finger on it. With water the traditional Bowmore notes (including some of the trademark plastic) comes out, but it is very subdued. And lest you be misled, I like the plastic notes on the Bowmore. The Sherry incluence is still there, but not overpowering.

Overall, this Bowmore is not all that a Bowmore can be. I've had some independent bottlings (such as from Berry Bros, Cooper's Choice, and Old Malt Cask) that are stupendous. This official bottling leaves a little to be desired.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Scotch Tasting Event

A couple of weeks ago I attended the Single Malt and ScotchWhisky Extravaganza here in DC, held at the JW Marriott downtown. This was my first time at an event of this type featuring whisky. I've been to a number of wine events that are somewhat similar -- large crowds trying to stretch their glasses out for a few drops of liquid, lots of gulping of said liquid, and many conversations demonstrating various levels of education about the product.

It was a bit difficult to really get a sense of the scotch being poured, but many of the representatives there were pretty knowledgable and engaging (though not universally so -- one or two didn't have a clue about the products). I enjoyed talking to a number of representatives, including the folks from Morrison-Bowmore (pouring Bowmore and Auchentoshen), the Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America (the sponsors of the event), Ardbeg, and Glenmorangie. At best, though, I can only say what I liked and what I didn't like, and what I would definitely want to explore further.

On the plus side, the Balvenie had some great drams, including the 17 year old Madeira and the 21 year old portwood. Highland Park was pouring their 25 and 30 year olds, which was a treat, but the volunteers didn't know a lot about the whisky, or at least were not sharing too much information. I already mentioned Ardbeg (new Corryvrecken is great) and Glenmorangie (the Astar is okay, the 18 year old much more sophisticated). I also tried the Suntory's 12 and 18s, and the Hibiki ("balance") blend, all three of which are wonderful whiskies. The Laprhoaig 18 year old I took back to a table to enjoy with my dinner (the buffet had some great choices, but was constantly ransacked by ravenous, and I suspect a bit tipsy fans). The Laphroaig is a smoother dram than the 15. I've managed to secure a bottle (finally!), so I hope to spend a bit more time digging into it over the coming weeks. I was also surprised that I liked some of the Auchentoshens (the three wood is quite good) -- I've had the 12 year old before and found it insipid and lacklustre. Finally, I enjoyed the Scapa 16 year old, which apparently was one of the fan favorites that night.

Now the down-side (and again, with the caveat that I am offering first impressions without spending a lot of time over each). Johnnie Walker Blue disappoints in its lack of complexity. The Chivas Regal 21 year old Royal Salute was flat and wooden. I find most Glenmorangies okay, but nothing stellar. And the Michael Collins Irish single malt and blend were not my cup of tea. Dewars had several of their drinks on tap, so to speak, and I found the Signature unimpressive, while the 18 year old Founder's Reserve worth a second go (watch this space for more in depth on that one in the future). Old Malt Cask was there pouring a New Zealand single malt (Milford) that was awful. I skipped the Glenrothes, Glenfiddich and the Macallan (I've tried their entire range before and posted on my thoughts).

I had a good time and enjoyed the opportunity to try a lot of different whiskies, though I don't think I need to go back year after year, simply because most of the offerings are official distillery bottlings which won't change much from year-to-year.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Edible? Yes, but not that great


The fall issue of Edible Chesapeake has a recipe for apple cider donuts, which I made last weekend. Donuts they were, but of apple cider there was barely a trace (in either the donut or the frosting). There is something off about the recipe as well -- I had to add at least an additional cup of flour to get a dough close to manageable given all the liquid in there.

Is this really that old?

I have read many reviews of older whiskies that indicate the oak dominates the palate. I was a little nervous about buying and trying the Duncan Taylor Miltonduff 38 year old (distilled in 1966 and bottled at 41% abv in 2004) from their Rare Auld line, but found the price a steal for its age. The color was much lighter than I expected; I would call it Mountain Dew color! It has a floral nose that is slightly subdued, but very pleasant at first. With time, it opens up and has some beautiful, floral notes. Sweet sugars, hibiscus, and honey. With water the biscuit comes out and the drink comes alive. The mouthfeel is light, but round. And there is no hint of oak, just a delicate, flowery dram. I get some Twix bar too. If I were to taste this blind, I would never guess its age by a long shot.

I am a lucky man

Sitting in my study is a gift from my wife for our fifth wedding anniversary -- a bottle of Highland Park 30 year old. Now that's love!

Gourmet's Demise

How often does the demise of a magazine make the front page of the New York Times, or any major newspaper for that matter? I am willing to bet it's not often (and I am also unwilling to spend the time to find out if any other publication's passing has appeared next to the latest from the war front). By now it is well known that Gourmet magazine's November issue will be its last as Conde Nast, the publisher, cuts back in the financially dire times. Conde Nast will continue to publish Bon Appetit, the more proletarian and larger circulating of the two magazines.

The reasons for Gourmet's demise are probably many, but a major impetus came from falling advertising revenues and Gourmet's apparent reliance on higher-end advertising. Subscribers to Gourmet will receive the remainder of their subscription in the form of Bon Appetit. For me, a person who subscribed to both magazines, this means I probably don't have to send Conde Nast any money for about the next five years. Gourmet's demise has spawned many op-eds (including from one-time victim of Conde Nast's voracious appetite, Cook's Illustrated publisher Chris Kimball).

I can't say that I was shocked to hear about Gourmet's demise, but I find it a bit presumptuous of Conde Nast to think that Bon Appetit is a suitable replacement. It's not. Bon Appetit has far more recipes, but far fewer profiles and travel pieces. Some have blamed Gourmet's elitism for its passing -- but it still had nearly one million subscribers in its final year (BA has about 1.4 million). I liked Gourmet because it took the time to explore food issues in depth, especially the concern about sustainability in recent years.

I had the full range of emotions when I heard the news last week, including a tinge of anger, but I quickly recovered. I was very surprised at the magazine I received in the post this week, however. The final issue of Gourmet showed up in my mailbox and appeared not to have noticed it was already a corpse. To turn Mark Twain on his head, the truth of its demise has not been exaggerated enough! The forward by editor in chief Ruth Reichl made no mention of the magazine's passing; the pages indicate nothing about a final issue; and the packaging even exhorted me to subscribe and give gift subscriptions for the holidays (only $4 per gift!). This smacks of a hasty decision kept from the magazine's staff and is at the very least insulting to the reader. Why not give the staff one last hurrah? Why not a final opportunity to honor and celebrate everything the magazine has stood for over a 68 year history? Sadly, no. Next month I will probably have two copies of Bon Appetit sitting in my mailbox, and a small void in the food world.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Slightly weird, but good: Wild Goose Pumpkin Patch

Wild Goose is a Maryland local brewery that makes some excellent beers. One of their seasonal concoctions is the Pumpkin Patch, which actually has some spices you would associate with pumpkin pie. It is 6% abv, but certainly doesn't taste that way. It's an unusual flavor at first, but will grow on you, trust me. The spice is mild and the hops have just enough bite, without going overboard. The Pumpkin Patch is available through mid-November.

Check out other posts at epi-q.blogger.com.

Saturday, September 19, 2009

The Glenlivet Nadurra

I hate to say it, but some single malts can be boring. The Glenlivet's Nadurra is a case in point. Michael Jackson (the whisky and beer writer, not the singer) described the Glenlivet's house style as flowery, fruity, and peachy and suggested it as an apertif. Certainly this bottle (bottled in March 2008 from batch 0308E at 56.2% ABV) is quite floral on the nose, but also very flat and closed at first. The color is a very light, golden straw, which leads me to think it must come from a first-fill bourbon cask, or even a naked cask. There is some cereal (wheat?) on the nose, but it takes a long time (15 minutes or more) to open up just a tad more. Then I get some honeysuckle and a little vanilla. Perhaps a little dry biscuit. It starts sweet and bright on the tongue, but then develops an off taste the longer it lingers in the mouth. With water there isn't much more to the nose and it does grow a little sweeter on the tongue, but otherwise I find little to interest me in this one.

These are my first impressions and I will certainly give this another chance (have to, I have a whole bottle), but my first encounter is not encouraging at all.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Finding a Wine to Drink With Offal - The Atlantic Food Channel

Finding a Wine to Drink With Offal - The Atlantic Food Channel

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Preparing offal can be quite laborious, but the results can be quite stunning. This piece from the Atlantic's food channel talks about the whole process down to paring a wine with the beef heart described in the article. Makes me want to run down to my local french restaurant and demand some offal!

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Too many Virginia wine events?

The title is somewhat facetious, but it can be quite confusing tracking events when Virginia is now replete with wine events. It certainly confused me as we headed out to what we thought was the Virginia Wine Festival this weekend. Last year's festival was held at the Fairfax County Fairgrounds, which was awful in many respects. Earlier this summer I received an email announcing that the wine festival was moving back to the Plains near Middleburg. Except it wasn't the Wine Festival we were used to; rather it was wine and polo at the Plains. And none of our favorite wineries (Barboursville, Am Rhein, Keswick, Chrysalis, Veritas, etc) were there. Frankly, most of the wineries were not very good at the Wine Festival at the Plains, but there was at least one rough gem we discovered. Gabriele Rausse, one of the original founders of Barboursville and Jefferson Vineyards, was there in person to sell his new wines under his own name.

As soon as I saw Gabriele, I knew he was a real old-world wine maker. Wearing a sweater over his button down shirt and with his jeans, his hands spoke of decades spent in the fields. The experience shows in his new venture that clearly outshone the others there. Both his reds and his whites are very good, including a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Touriga, the basic bianco, and a Trefosco, which is a little-grown, and little-known, grape from the upper northeast of Italy near the border with the former Yugoslavia. Not everything works perfectly, but I'm sure more time will lead to better wines. And Gabriele is passionate about using french oak for his aging, despite the expense (upwards of $1000 a barrel). We bought several bottles of each.

And so, it's on to the "real" festival this coming weekend to see some old friends...

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Evan Williams Single Barrel 1999 Vintage

Evan Williams makes some excellent bourbon and has released single barrel vintages since 1990. The latest in stores is the 1999, bottled in February of this year, so not quite 10 years old. It's bottled at 86.6 proof, or 43.3% ABV. 10 years is a long time for bourbon to spend in a barrel, and this one shows it. The color is quite a light gold, but the wood hits the nose right off the bat. Vanilla is in there (as one would expect from oak barrels) and it is spicy and sweet at the same time. It has a very round mouth feel -- soft and smooth. Adding water brings some more sweetness forward, but it still has lots of wood. I would recommend trying this one on ice. The chill softens the wood and brings out more of the spicy notes.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Bowmore Gold

Bowmore is getting ready to release another extremely rare bottling to go along side the Bowmore Black and White of recent release. Unless I win the lottery, I am not going to have the $7,000 needed to buy this new one, but one can always dream (I did enter their sweepstakes to win a bottle of the Bowmore White, but I guess I am not a winner of a golden ticket). Here are the details John Hansell provided on his blog today:


Gold Bowmore is the third and final release of the three limited editions:
o Black Bowmore – 827 Bottles Released in 2007o White Bowmore – 732 Bottles Released in 2008o Gold Bowmore – 701 Bottles Released in Fall 2009
• Release date: September 2009
• Suggested Retail Price: $7,198.00 / USD
• Availability: 701 Bottles worldwide
• Packaging: Hand-numbered bottle presented in a Burr Elm box
• Gold Bowmore is 84.8% proof
• Gold Bowmore was distilled on 5 November 1964
• Matured in three (3) Bourbon casks and one (1) Oloroso sherry cask then married together
• 45 years of aging in the famous Bowmore Number One vault – below sea level
• Colour: Rich Gold / Aromas: Passion fruit, papaya, and vanilla
• Flavors: Ripe exotic fruits, creamy vanilla, hint of smoky peat
• Other: The oak Oloroso casks retain a tremendous amount of sherry walnut flavors resulting in a darker, reddish-amber whisky color
• The casks are aged below sea level in Bowmore’s coastal cellar – the Number 1 vault.
• Floral notes are deeper, flavors more profound, color is darker than usual allowing it to develop in a fashion similar to a fine vintage port.

New York Times on Sustainability and Healthcare

There were two interesting pieces in yesterday's NYT that I wanted to bring to everyone's attention. The first was a front page piece on the Hoki fish from New Zealand, which apparently is the fish you usually are eating in a fish filet from McD's or in frozen fish sticks. The story reminds us that there is no permanently sustainable fish stock -- what's plentiful today can easily be over-fished tomorrow. I was also interested to see how political pressure can result in continued stamp of approval from the Marine Stewardship Council, even after evidence begins to emerge that a fish is no longer plentiful.

The second piece was an op-ed by Michael Pollan pointing out that many of our current health-care issues can be traced to our eating habits. You may agree or disagree with him, but it is an interesting argument to address.

Tuesday, September 01, 2009

Gordon Ramsey's Rep

His restaurants have been voted most overpriced and disappointing in a recent poll. I have eaten at one of his restaurants (three years ago) and thought it was good, but not great. Rabbit was over-salted, if I remember correctly, but the service was excellent.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Three Beers for Sam Adams

Sam Adams, the original micro-brew (or at least the one that made well-made, craft beer famous in the US), runs a competition for home-brew champions. The 2008 winners are now available in a special six-bottle box that comes with two bottles of each. Here's my take on the beers:

Double IPA -- This is a cloudy, bright red-orangy color beer. It has a very bright and lively nose, but is very bitter and round in the mouth. The flavor lasts a while, but you have to really like a hoppy, bitter beer to want to come back to it.

Traditional Bock -- The bock is a rich crimson color that produces a hefty head and has a sweet smell. It is smooth and not bitter at all. I get some cocoa with this one.

Cranberry Wit -- I was most worried about this one, because I tend not to like fruity beers (especially the Belgians). But this one proved my worries were misplaced. It is bright, not too spicy, and has some bite, without being too much. The cranberry itself is not very evident, but it gives a summery, light, yet flavorful taste that is a nice change from the lemon or other summer flavor beers. My surprise pick for the best of the three.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar: Grand-Puy-Lacoste 2001

Sometimes it's pleasant to just enjoy one's drink, rather than analyze it to death. This past weekend I made some steaks with a pepper-cream sauce and popped open a bottle of Grand-Puy-Lacoste from the 2001 vintage. A few years ago I bought some of this fifth growth bordeaux, in part, because Hugh Johnson mentioned in his memoir that it was one of his stand-by good wines to drink. The wine was, simply put, sublime. Soft, fragrant, not too tannic, it was a perfect drink for dinner.

Unfortunately more recent vintages have started to reflect the crazy Bordeaux price spikes of recent years. The 2001 was about $35 a bottle in 2006. The 2005 was more than $80 a bottle on release and the prices continue to climb. I am glad I was able to scrounge some pennies together to buy a few of the 2001s to age.

Is Organic Food "Better"?

The never-ending debate over organic versus conventional food continues. Even Penn & Teller have gotten into the act, seeking to debunk what they see as the myths surrounding organic food. James McWilliams has a different take, part of which I agree with. His important corrective is to point out that arguments over whether organic food is more nutritious or better tasting in some scientifically identifiable way is besides the point. I agree with him on that. And I would add that the term "organic" is at the center of a huge fight now, because there is so much money involved and it is one area that is still seeing remarkable growth. What this means is that "organic" is a misleading term some times that masks a very diverse community. Cascadian Farm, for instance, is a pretty large operation these days. And its products are shipped all over the country, creating almost as large a carbon footprint as conventional products. The confusion, then, is often between "organic" and "local." I haven't run the experiment, but I am willing to bet a locally grown tomato that is conventionally raised will taste as good, if not better, than an organic tomato from California (which is 3000 miles away from where I live). I know that they both beat a conventionally grown, non-local baseball, er, tomato that you get in the super market. In terms of taste, there is probably not much difference between organic and conventional bananas, but the conventional banana probably does more harm to the soil because of pesticides. McWilliams goes on to point out the "organic" movements origins are spiritual. That may be, but I guess I am not that concerned with the spiritual origins -- most movements grow beyond their roots, otherwise they cannot survive.

Why Small Farms Are Safer - The Atlantic Food Channel

Why Small Farms Are Safer - The Atlantic Food Channel

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The writer doesn't go into a lot of detail about how small farms approach their work, but he has an important point to make. Food contamination can happen anywhere, but is probably less likely if the farm and processing is not industrially-based. Mono-cultures are also more subject to problems.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Laphroaig 18 Year Old

I asked some of the "netizens" a while back about finding the new Laphroaig 18 year old here in the US. According to Malt Advocate editor John Hansell's blog from August 11, the bottles should be appearing in shops this month. Hopefully that means my two-month old request to the local county store will soon be fulfilled.

Bringing Farm Fresh Food to the People

I like this idea to bring farm-fresh produce to areas that normally wouldn't see it. We have a continuing problem with so-called "food deserts" that needs addressing.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Massachusetts Farm Video

Six minute video from the Atlantic on an organic farm in Massachusetts. Nice little diversion from your day...

Sunday, August 09, 2009

Amish Four Grain Ale

A quick take on this brew from the Lancaster Brewing Company (which says it is located in Wilkes Barre, PA on the bottle, but shows up in Lancaster County on google -- it might be a difference of where it is brewed and where it is bottled). It's 5.6% ABV, which is a little high for a normal ale, but not egregious. It has a golden-red color and a bright, citrusy flavor. The oats in the brew do give a sweetness to it. A decent beer, but not a regular for my taste (don't like sweet beer, really).

Sweetbreads


Sweetbreads are probably not your normal fare in most households, but when I saw these at the farmer's market from Groff's Content, I had to buy some to experiment. After cleaning them over the course of the day (basically they sit in water that you replenish a few times), I used a Jacques Pepin recipe that seemed simple and made use of summer produce. In fact, with the exception of the olive oil, everything in this recipe (including the butter, corn, garlic, heirloom tomato, and onion) came from local producers. Pretty good, I think. The bread crumbs even came from a local bakery (I bought a small country white loaf, cut up slices and dried them in the oven before pulsing in a food processor). Overall, the dish turned out really well, though I could have more finely pulsed the bread and taken the heat in the pan down a little to keep a more even, golden brown exterior going.

Monday, August 03, 2009

Dogfish Head

The Atlantic's food blog section has Clay Risen's piece on Dogfish Head's experimenting with ancient beer recipes that don't necessarily adhere to the German Rheinheitsgebot. My take is, good for them for experimenting, but I doubt I will like most of their beers given the 9% alcohol by volume. I would be interested in seeing how the different ingredients add unusual flavors (honey, rice, chocolate nibs), but have always found beers above about 7% too strongly alcoholic, which detracts and masks any other flavors. Should I be adding water to my beer?

Sunday, August 02, 2009

Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength

I discovered that my local shop had the Laphroaig cask strength when I asked about the new 18 year old. The cask strength was not on the open shelves, but I spied it in their list on the computer and asked about it. They keep some of the good stuff for random reasons in the back office, perhaps when they don't have enough bottles to keep it on the shelf.

The cask strength is a deep, lusty gold color that reminds me of a Sauternes. Before adding water it is a bright nose with lots of prickle. There is light seaweed, and salt, some smoke, nicotine, and even banana, mango and turpentine (none of these are bad things, mind you, if you are a Laphroaig lover). It's not as loud as I expected the cask strength to be. I even get something crispy like celery. The taste is not a thick mouthfeel, some burn and a long lasting presence. Pork chop? (I have no idea why that springs to mind).

With water it is rounder and I get salt water taffy. Definitely some more sweetness. The smoke is still there. I get some green pepper now and licorice. Maybe a hint of mint chocolate at the end of the whiff. The mouthfeel is rounder now and still long lasting. This is powerful stuff, not for the faint of heart. I still would plunk down the money for the 15 year old, while it lasts, though.

Saturday, August 01, 2009

Beer: Hook & Ladder Brewing Company Backdraft Brown

I found Hook & Ladder at a local craft beer store in Rockville (Gilly's). The Backdraft Brown is a well-hopped beer that has hints of chocolate and nuts. It is smooth and has only a slight bitterness that gives the beer a slight edge. Recommended, definitely.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Farewell Talisker Cask Strength

Och, we hardly new ye, Talisker Cask Strength. The bottle I bought last year at the distillery has yielded its final, fine dram. It was a great bottle and well worth the money, even at the prevailing exchange rate of $2 to the pound at the time.

I am still waiting for my local county liquor store to get the Laphroaig 18 year old in. Hopefully soon and not too outrageously priced...

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Famous Grouse 18 Year Old Malt

I previously talked about Chivas Bros 18 year old blend; now I have the Famous Grouse 18 year old Malt. There is a big difference between the two, though. Chivas produces blends, which can include a large dose of grain whisky to provide a base for the malt whisky. Famous Grouse also produces blends, but the 18 year old malt is 100% malt whisky (or pure malt in the old parlance, blended malt scotch whisky in the new version). The 18 year old malt is a rich whisky and definitely worth the money. It's easily one-third (or less) the price of the Johnny Walker Blue Label, but brings just as much flavor (though with barely any smoke). Honey, flowers, fruity notes, but with power. Loved it.

Chocolate Mousse

For those who know me well, chocolate mousse is a bit of an obsession and a bugbear for me. An obsession that dates to the time when I was about eight and my family spent three weeks in Paris. It seems like I had chocolate mousse for dinner just about every night. When we got back to the States, I saw it on the menu at a Long Island restaurant, so I ordered it. What came out was a large, grayish stack of something almost completely, but not entirely, unlike chocolate mousse. Since that time, I have tried chocolate mousse at many restaurants and discovered a disturbing trend (to me at least). Even French restaurants in the US started producing a thicker, denser mousse that (as it was explained to me at one French restaurant in Philadelphia some years ago) appeals more to the American palate. This is my bugbear. Why would the French of all people bend their cuisine to others?

In recent weeks I have tried to recreate the chocolate mousse of my brief sojourn in Paris. There are two important elements to a great chocolate mousse: texture and flavor. To me, the mousse should be light and airy, not thick and creamy. And it should have a rich, cloyingly bittersweet chocolate flavor. If too thick, the rich flavor will be too much to get through more than spoonful. I have tried a couple of recipes and discovered a couple of things. Most start with melting chocolate of some kind and then folding in beaten egg whites and/or whipped cream. The proportions are important, because the chocolate can easily be overwhelmed by whipped cream. The second issue is how the chocolate is combined with the white ingredients. One recipe I tried had only 4 oz of chocolate, a cup of whipped cream and four egg whites. When blended, even if you cool the chocolate to room temperature, the cream will still be cold enough to cause the chocolate to sieze and produce flecks throughout the cream, not evenly distribute.

I then tried a recipe that called for twice the chocolate, half the cream, and using both parts of the egg. The chocolate is melted with 4 Tbsp of water and then blended with the egg yolks before stirring in some of the cream and then folding in cream and egg whites. The texture turned out very well, but too sweet because of the superfine sugar called for to add to the egg whites (it called for 3 tbsp, but I only put in 2 and it was still too sweet). It meets one of my two criteria, but tThe search goes on...

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

2004 White Rose Nekaia Pinot Noir

We opened up this pinot noir (another from our trip to Oregon's Dundee Hills and Willamette Valley a few years ago) to go with some lamb chops I made on Sunday. White Rose has an unusual tasting room at its vineyards that sits atop a hill and looks almost like a medieval great hall in miniature. But don't let this nod to the sci-fi/fantasy convention set fool you. The wine is very good. The 2004 Nekaia has bright rhubarb and cherry notes and just enough tannins to let you know the wine is there. It is a wine meant for food, particularly some mild game (yes, I know that's almost an oxymoron) or lamb. The wine is tart but not thin and has a medium finish.

The Macallan 1851 "Inspiration"

Jim Murray called this whisky "flat and uninspirational." Macallan has made a cottage industry out of producing replica whiskies -- bottles that are of more recent production but that supposedly replicate the flavor of the Macallan produced at a given time. A few years ago they came out with a set to replicate the Macallan from the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, with appropriate artwork to evoke the images of the time (trains, open-top cars, but no tanks or spitfires for the 1940s). Then they came up with the 1851 Inspiration for the duty free market. It comes in a squat bottle similar to the 19th century type (think Aberlour A'bunadh) with a wax seal on the top. I bought my bottle in the Seoul duty free about a year ago and had thought when I read more about it that I wouldn't like it. I was worried it would be a fiery or overly sherried malt.

Imagine my surprise, then, when I opened up this bottle finally and poured out a light golden liquid. It had a lighter, sugar (but not caramel) smell and betrayed very little sherry influence. According to the Grain Mash, it was partly aged in ex-bourbon American oak casks, which raises a few eye-brows I suppose at the genuineness of the flavor profile, but I am more likely to be charitable given that Macallan is trying to recreate a flavor, not the method per se. Anyway, the nose continues with sweet flowers, bubble gum and Big Red gum (the spicy cinnamon kind). This is a very unexpected flavor and aroma from Macallan, at least for me. There is a lot of high sweetness and it is sharp and brisk on the tongue, but not in a harsh or rough way. With water it settles down. It really reminds me of a young Bowmore at this point, though with a little less plastic. In fact, if you had given this to me blind, I would never have guessed Macallan and would have sworn this was closer to the Bowmore Legend. Quite an enjoyable whisky and certainly not, in my view, flat and uninspirational.

Monday, June 22, 2009

GMO or Organics?

I have heard many people touting genetically-modified foods as the only means to feed a growing planet. This blog post at the Atlantic's food section is the first place I have seen the thesis posited that organic farming can be as productive as conventional. Worth exploring further. I had thought that organic is difficult to do (particularly poly-cultural farming) on the scale that conventional farming is done, but it may just be more labor intensive.

Talisker Cask Strength (2007 edition)

If you recall from almost a year ago, I visited the Talisker distillery and picked up a bottle of the 2007 edition of the cask strength, exclusively available at the distillery. It is bottled at 53.9% ABV and has a pale gold color. The nose has the typical sea salt, but also some sweet licorice and biscuit, fresh pasta dough, rubber and thick plastic. With some water added I get a little chocolate biscuit as well. The whisky is nice and spicy on the tongue and has a very long finish. It's not oily at all. I really enjoy this whisky; it is one to savor for a long time over the course of an evening.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Great Pizza in Bethesda

We had lunch today at Mia's Pizza in Bethesda and were very impressed by the pizzas on offer. The menu includes two specialty pizzas of the day and a regular line-up of more than a dozen. The crusts are thin but not crunchy, and the sauces are just enough to highlight the toppings. I liked the spice the pepper flakes added to my salsiccia pizza, which made the pepperoni and mushrooms seem brighter.

Fish Ethics

Mark Bittman has a good piece in today's New York Times about the complicated issues involved in trying to eat fish sustainably given the confusing array of problems facing global fish stocks and terminology.

Thursday, June 04, 2009

Port Wine

Port wine is supposedly less attractive to wine drinkers these days -- it's naturally hard to conceive that it will ever hold the cache and reputation it once held for 19th century high society, but it is a shame that more people don't partake of this great drink. One of our favorites at the affordable end of the scale is Dow's 2003 Late Bottled Vintage port, which can be found for about $25 a bottle most places. And now the major houses are starting to sell their 2007 vintage ports, which is apparently quite a good vintage. Jancis Robinson was recently singing the vintage's praises in the pages of the FT. Given the reasonable prices for some of these, it might be worth putting a few bottles in your basement. I made some chocolate mousse this past weekend that pairs very well with port and I am glad I had a spare bottle around to enjoy with it.

Kooper's Tavern (Baltimore)

I can only tell you that Kooper's Tavern in Baltimore's Fells Point area (think TV's Homicide police HQ) has a fantastic crab cake. You would probably expect that in Maryland, but this one was a cut above many others I have had in the Old Line State.

Monday, June 01, 2009

De Pijp' Restaurant

The Pipe (De Pijp') is one of those places that you have to know someone to find. In a side street of Rotterdam behind a nondescript door, the Pipe is a hole in the wall in every sense of the word. When you walk in, the first thing you notice (well, that I noticed) was the small kitchen in the middle of the restaurant that requires negotiating around servers picking up plates in order to get to your table. The next thing you notice is all the stuff tacked to the walls and ceiling: pictures, souvenirs, and even a collection of neck-ties. It reminds me of a local sports bar with lots of history, which this restaurant has certainly accumulated in its 100 plus year existence. It supposedly served as a meeting place for the resistance during the second World War (others tell me it was where the student union, after it was banned by the Nazis, continued to meet). The Pipe is a good place to enjoy some typical Dutch cuisine (yes, there is such a thing) and even more typical Dutch humor and bluntness. Because the food is very good, and the service is very blunt and humorous. If you have thin skin, don't go here.

And don't ask for Grolsch beer either, because, like many restaurants and bars, they only serve Heineken (the larger of the two major beer manufacturers in Holland). The servings are generous (I had a large helping of liver with well caramelized onions) and piping hot. The desserts, which include chocolate mousse (both white and dark chocolate) and various types of crepes, are excellent. I cannot boast that this is the best restaurant in Rotterdam or that it is the best place for Dutch food, but it is a very good choice for a group that wants to enjoy themselves and experience Dutch hospitality and vittles.

Save the Baguettes!

A feel-good but somewhat disturbing story in today's New York Times that should be read in its entirety. The story concerns a french couple that moved to northern New Hampshire town and opened a bakery that quickly became a vital part of the town's social fabric. One problem -- the State Department deemed its financial impact "marginal" and denied a visa renewal for one of them (the other is a US citizen now). That's the disturbing part -- that someone in State's bureaucracy made a decision based purely on financial data provided in the application, not on the actual impact (tangible and intangible) on the town. The feel-good part is that a letter-writing campaign and contacts with one of the state's senators led to a new interview at the Embassy in Paris and a reversal of the decision.

Chivas Regal 18 year old "Gold Standard"

I tend to get less out of blended scotch than I do single malts. What I mean by that is that the blending may make a well balanced and harmonious (more or less) scotch, but I have much more trouble picking out individual flavors or scents. This may well be the point, but makes my notes shorter. I spent quite some time on the 18 year old from Chivas. I like their blends, and this one is quite good. It has a golden color and a slightly smokey, sherried smell. I detect a little sandlewood as well. With water I get some biscuit, but little else. The body is rich and oily. The finish is medium and satisfying. I bought this bottle on sale for about $55, which is about right given its flavors, but I wouldn't make this a regular purchase.

Black Sheep Riggwelter Yorkshire Ale

Continuing our late spring/early summer odyssey through some British beers, we turn to a young company making outstanding beers: the Black Sheep brewery in Yorkshire. The Riggwelter is a dark, dark, dark beer with a slight reddish tinge around the edges. As you might expect, the nose is strongly infused with coffee and cocoa notes. I didn't detect bananas as the brewers maintain one should. Given that, it is surprising that this ale is not strongly bitter. It has a smooth, full and rich body, but a short finish. A refreshing drink that is on the edge of greatness.

Minor achievement: This is my 100th posting to this blog. It has taken me quite a while, indicating I am far from prolific or diligent, but it is a minor achievement.

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Wexford Irish Style Creme Ale

Let's start by saying it pays to read the can carefully before buying. This ale is not from Ireland -- it's from our good friends at Greene King Brewing Company in Suffolk, England. The can is similar to the Guiness draught can, so when you pop the top it can create something approximating a real draft pour. And it does look beautiful as the bubbles cascade down the ale in the glass. The ale is a deep crimson color and the can produces a great head of creamy foam. The can says to serve this well-chilled, but it lacks much of a nose when cold. It drinks well once the liquid chill is gone and is almost devoid of any bitterness. This is a simple ale that lives up to the promise of "smooth mellow creaminess we believe you will enjoy." Well not everyone, but it is a simple ale for drinking during your next Magners League match.

Friday, May 22, 2009

La Maree *** (3 of 5 stars)

La Maree was allegedly former French President Francois Mitterand's favorite restaurant. Located on a straigh-line along rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore from the Elysee palace in Paris, it is a quiet restaurant with a few high-end neighbors (particularly Perrier-Jouet on a neighboring corner). Since the economic down-turn, however, this restaurant (like many others) has introduced a set price menu that is a fantastic value -- 29 euro for two courses, 35 with dessert.

I showed up at about quarter to eight and was the first one in the place, so I had my choice of tables. It is a comfortable, understated restaurant, but fully aware of its main focus -- producing great food. The staff was welcoming and very attentive (even after more diners showed up). I started with a crab gazpacho with tomato sorbet and a basil bread that gave off an enveloping fragrance. The gazpacho was light and not overpowered by the crab. I had a glass of 2007 chablis with it from Brocard that went well with everything. The amuse bouche was a sardine mousse with toast that I found more palate cleansing than very flavored with sardine.

The main course was a Daurad filet that was cooked to perfection and accompanied by grilled polenta pieces, tomato chutney and an artichoke puree. Frankly, the fish alone was delicious enough to stand on its own, but the added polenta and tomato was well paired. The artichoke puree served better as a difference in texture rather than a flavor profile in itself.

To end, of course, I had the chocolate mousse, which was described as "Caribbean" with toasted almond slivers and a toulle as well as ginger. The mousse was very good, but thicker textured than I like in my mousse. It paired well with a 1988 sauternes that a light nose, but rich, deep flavor. It had pear notes paired with something similar to an orange-like acidity at the end.

A great dining experience and a good deal to boot.

Greene King's Olde Suffolk English Ale

This is an unusual ale from the giant pub-owner and brewer based in Bury-St. Edmond's (those of you who remember the great show Lovejoy will know that Bury is in East Anglia). The late Michael Jackson pointed out that the Olde Suffolk is the only ale made these days with a blend of aged beer (in large oak tuns) and young beer. Interestingly, the bottle proclaims quite boldly that caramel color has been added, which is a huge point of contention in whiskey production. Bottled at about 6% ABV (which the bottle won't tell you), it is quite weighty for an ale. It wears it well, but is teetering a bit on the edge of strong alcohol. The caramel color and the aged beer gives this ale a rich, deep red color, almost bringing it into stout color range. The nose is rich, with some mild chocolate and fruity notes. I don't get the caramel or toffee that others are picking up, but it might be too cold for that (I had this bottle in the fridge). I'll let it come closer to cool room temperature and give it another go... mmm, the chocolate comes out more now. Very reminiscent of a stout now, but the taste is a little thin for my taste. I think the higher alcohol detracts from what could have been a great ale.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Blue Hanger

Berry Brothers and Rudd, the famous London purveyors of fine wine and spirits (and home of Cutty Sark blended scotch whiskey), have released the fourth edition of the Blue Hanger vatted malts (vatted means there's no grain spirit in it). I tried some of it on a recent trip to London and have been enjoying the bottle I purchased. This fourth edition is a little different from the prior third edition, which consisted of 30 year old whiskies. The fourth has much younger whiskies, but the fine gentleman with whom I spent an hour discussing the merits of various distilleries and scotch trends assured me that some of the whiskies were as old as 31 years and no younger than 16. The result is a sherried, deep whiskey, that will certainly satisfy. I can't say that it is a remarkable whiskey, but it is not an ordinary one either. Worth savoring and seeking out if you are in London (no shipping to the US, alas).

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Back in town

After a trip to London, Paris, and Rotterdam, I have a few things that I will write about in the coming days, including Francois Mitterand's favorite restaurant, BBR Bowmores, and dives in Rotterdam.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Reef *** (Three stars)

While I was in Houston, I went to Reef Restaurant not too far from my downtown hotel for dinner one night. Reef is Bryan Caswell's restaurant (he was Jean-Georges Vongerichten's executive chef at Bank in Houston) dedicated to seafood. I found it while trolling around Gourmet Magazine's website, hoping to find someplace decent to eat. The restaurant is a modern style, with a spare but chic dining room that has a view into the kitchen, as well as a lounge/bar area on the other side. It also has a private room near the glass-encased wine cellar.

I started with a glass of Argyle Brut sparkling wine and the Kanzuri cured African pompano with cucumber and cucumber water. Kanzuri is an Indian paste that has some spice to it, but somehow the curing process ended up yielding a gummy, tasteless fish. The spice itself has a pleasant sweet and sour dynamic, but the cucumber slices were essential to offset the fish with some texture. When I remarked on the fishes gummy texture, the waiter offered to get me something else (which I declined).

The main course was much better (and was a recommendation from the waiter). I had the red fish on the half shell with truffle infused polenta (as a replacement for the normal mac n' cheese side). The red fish has a great spice crust that doesn't overwhelm the fish, but brings some heat as a counterpart to the moist fish. The polenta was fantastic, with a reassuring corn flavor and a subdued truffle infusion that didn't scream too much as truffle infusions can. The yeast rolls with sea salt that came with the meal went well with the sweet relish jam. This restaurant likes to match spices with everything and does it well.

I had a mini-dessert called milkshake "no minors" which has kahlua and a dark chocolate tuile that was a pleasant way to end the meal.

The wine list had an interesting entry called Bin 713 that featured wines in which Houstonians have been involved -- which could mean anything from owning a vineyard to having a minority stake. None of the wine is actually grown in Texas; it's all from the West Coast, apparently. It seemed a strange thing to highlight on the menu.

Jim Beam Distillers Series

Jim Beam's Distillers Series is a limited release bourbon from the great bourbon maker. In fact, its release was announced last October with an availability only running through January 2009. So it was somewhat serendipity that I ran across a bottle (cluelessly not knowing what I was looking at) in a liquor store near the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. This is a seven year old that is bottled at 90 proof. The bottle itself has small portraits of each of the seven master distillers going back to Jacob Beam in 1795. The liquid inside is a dark crimson (I wonder if bourbon is colored with caramel coloring like some other whiskies?) and has a rich nose, with tons of spice, hints of chocolate, some burnt sugar and caramel (the gooey stuff, not the coloring agent). This is a fascinating bourbon: with water it is soft and round, a fabulous bourbon with tons of complex layers; on the rocks it is very spicy and has some roughness to it.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Major Changes to Laphroaig's line-up

Laphroaig recently announced a major change to its line of whiskies -- Prince Charles's favorite tipple is being replaced. The last 15 year olds are going quickly to be replaced soon with an 18 year old expression. No word from Beam Global Spirits when the first bottles will arrive in the US. Here's John Campbell's complete announcement:

Laphroaig 18 year old

This is a fantastic new expression that is replacing our venerable 15 Year Old. It is not without shedding a tear or two that I wave goodbye to our multi award winning "15". I have been to our warehouse in Glasgow and retrieved the last 65 bottles. For the collectors amongst you I have made 30 available for "Friends" on a first come first served basis. But frankly the new "18" has a flavour to behold. Not only has it enjoyed the extra 3years sleep, we have bottled it at the higher strength of 48% ABV and thus avoided the chill filtering process. It is absolutely delicious and I hope to have some of the first bottling available for you in a month or two.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

My dream project

Yale students working on the Yale community farm have started a tradition of roasting (actually, smoking) a whole pig for the last class of the year. That would be my dream project, except that a whole pig would not fit in my smoker at home (you can see what kind I have and where I got it here). I have tried smoking chicken (I end up getting frustated and finishing it off as a blackened mess on the grill) and pork butt (which takes a long time on its own, that I usually bring it in for a couple of hours in the oven). Ribs I have not had any problems with, especially baby back.

Better BBQ in Texas

I told you about the bad, now how about some good? Well, H3 Ranch down at the Ft. Worth stockyards is mainly a steak restaurant, but it also does some BBQ ribs that are pretty good (St. Louis style pork ribs, not beef ribs) and smoked steaks that are nice treat since it's not usual to find smoked steaks in BBQ places. I actually had the rainbow trout, which is grilled over hickory wood and comes with a rice pilaf that has great spice (but not too much) and sauteed veggies (zucchini and squash). The fish was flavorful and moist. I tried a bit of my neighbor's filet mignon, which was good as filet should be. H3 is not a cheap place, but it is competitively priced for a steak joint, plus you can sit on a horse saddle at the bar or watch the cooks sweating over the grill.

Thursday, April 09, 2009

Bad BBQ in Texas

There are undoubtedly wonderful things about Texas, and even about Texas BBQ, but I have to say the Sonny Bryan's BBQ is definitely not one of them. This is a chain in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area that offers lots of choices, but not many of them are good. I wanted to try a mixture of things, so I went with the half-pound plate with two veg, which lets you try up to three meats. I tried the pulled pork (tasteless), the ribs (some taste, but not very good), and brisket (equally tasteless). The BBQ sauce that came on the whole plate was obviously made with too much tomato paste (no BBQ sauce should have much, if any, paste in it), which gave it a metallic, sharp tomato flavor. The coleslaw had no flavor either. The only semi-redeeming piece on the plate was the fried okra, which was okay, as long as you added mayo to it.

When in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area, stay away from Sonny Bryan's.

Friday, April 03, 2009

Laphroaig 15 Year Old

The Laphroaig 15 year old is apparently Prince Charles's favorite scotch. I can't say that I blame him, because it is a rich, smokey, briney wonder. I found it had a light copper color and that first whiff tells you right away that it is a Laphroaig, though perhaps a bit softer and less sharp than the quarter cask or the 10 year old. I almost felt as though it didn't even need any water. It has strong smoke, even some ash-like qualities. (These are good things, but definitely an acquired taste). The flavor has some powerful spice and smoke. When water is added, I get some wine notes, perhaps caramel and something sweet. A little plastic too, but very subtle. The smoke, spice, sea-salt, and brine are all still there, but more subdued, and the 10 year old's seaweed is not truly in evidence. Wonderful stuff, and well worth the price (I got mine at a Pennsylvania state store for $57, which I considered a steal).

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

Going Whole Hog

The New York Times has a piece today about a heritage breed of pig from Hungary that has been bred back from the edge of extinction. The Mangalitsa pig has much higher levels of body fat than the pigs we're used to in the US and they take longer to mature. Much of this results from our misguided obsession with eliminating fat from our diet, so pigs have been bred much leaner in the past fifty years than they used to be. The USDA recommends cooking pork to 160 degrees internal temperature to ensure food safety, particularly against trichinosis. The thing is, we all have had pork cooked to that temperature, and it's far too dry. In fact, cooking to 137 degrees kills most of the bugs, so you can be reasonably assured of better tasting meat and little chance of illness if you cook to 135-140 (the temperature will rise another 5-10 degrees depending on cooking method as you let it rest).

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

"Natural" is clear as mud

Thanks to Andrew Sullivan's blog, I discovered the food blogs on The Atlantic's website. There's a good little piece about the problems with regulations on "natural" meats. If you really want to get a headache, follow the links to the government's website requesting comments on new regulations regarding the label "natural". You would think the term would be easy to define, but it is in many people's interest to give it counter-intuitive meanings. (Be careful if you are reading this after May 11, 2009, because the comment period ends/ended then and this link will no longer work).

Wine Prices Heading Down?

Excellent piece in the New York Times today about the slow decline in pre-arrival prices for Bordeaux wines. The prices are still much too high given the giddy heights they reached in 2005, but perhaps an extended recession will provide the downward pressure needed to bring them back down to earth. That having been said, I doubt I will be in a position to afford a case of first growths ever -- the demand and awareness is just too great and very different from the early 1960s and 1970s when they were relatively unknown to a broad audience of wine-drinkers.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Trying Some Blended Scotch

I have written about a couple of blends in the past, but I wanted to try a couple of more widely available blends head-to-head to see how they stacked up against each other as opposed to weighing them against single malts.

The two I have chosen are the Famous Grouse and Cutty Sark. Obviously blends like Dewars and Johnnie Walker are very famous, but these other two are very respectible brands and surprisingly popular in the United States. Cutty Sark is produced by Berry Brothers and Rudd, which belies its incredible reach with its modest store near St. Jame's Court in London. The Cutty Sark (named for the ship which graces its label) is a lighter-colored blend that looks a bit like a chardonnay in the glass, while the Famous Grouse is a deeper, copper color. The Cutty Sark's nose is a little sharp with a whisp of sherry and plastic. I expected a stronger sherry note from the Grouse, but was surprised at how subdued this one was as well (I am also recovering from a cold, which may be effecting it, but I had some Laphroaig later which came through loud and clear). Some biscuit and a little pear or other light fruit. The Cutty Sark is easy on the tongue, a little sweet and some oil, whereas the Grouse is much softer. Both have some spice, but not overly so. The Grouse's nose opens a bit with water, particularly the biscuit, but neither explodes with new smells. The Cutty Sark didn't change at all. With water the Cutty Sark is almost too diluted. It is a brasher, younger-tasting whisky than the Grouse, which needs no water at all to enjoy.

Both are enjoyable whiskies that one can enjoy on the rocks, neat, or with a splash of water. I haven't tried them with ginger beer, but I have read that the Famous Grouse goes particularly well with a well-crafted ginger beer. In any case, I would probably choose the Grouse in future and rank it now above the Dewar's White Label as a "house" whisky. The Cutty Sark is too rough for my taste as a blend.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Additions to the collection

Thanks to recent trips, I have added a bottle of Laphroaig 15 year old and Bowmore 25 year old to the collection. I will also have a comparison of two great blends -- Cutty Sark and The Famous Grouse -- in a post in the near future.

About that Highland Park Single Cask

I've tried it diluted with a bit more water (it is a cask strength) and have found it to be less rough and rounder, but still too sherried for my taste.

Boston Beer House

I was up in Boston this past weekend for a good friend's wedding. We had a form of bachelor party on Saturday night. We sort of forgot that this was the weekend before St. Patrick's Day. In Boston. In a major college hang-out. So our wait to get in the beer mecca Sunset Grill was more than two hours (thankfully the White Horse Tavern just down the street was a decent place to spend a few hours getting, ahem, warmed up). One of the best things about the Sunset Grill, as opposed to Brickskeller in Washington DC, is the prodigious number of beers they have on tap, not just in bottle. The difference from Brickskeller that I was less enamored of, was the division of the menu by beer type (e.g., stouts, blonds, lagers) rather than region. I suppose it makes sense if you want to explore new beers in a style you like, but the divisions were more than I thought possible. Who knew beer could be divided into so many different categories? The best thing to do is go to the Sunset Grill and discover for yourself. The food is pretty good too, such as the pulled pork sliders, fajitas, and potato skins.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

The perils of single cask scotch

For some reason, which I have yet to investigate, Montgomery County liquor stores have a couple of Highland Park single casks bottled exclusively for the County. Otherwise, everything in the store is official distillery bottlings. Recently the local store had one of these special single cask bottlings on sale (they normally go for about $90 a bottle). The Highland Park 15 year old from cask 3701 was distilled in 1991 and bottled in 2006 at 55.1% abv. The first thing I noticed was a deep dark coppery red color and the nose was full of burnt sugar and tons of sherry. This is a bit rough and burning, partly due to the higher alcohol, but I think also because it is coming from a sherry barrel without anything else to smooth it out. It reminded me a bit of Aberlour's A'bunadh, which I reviewed last summer. That's not a compliment. I think this shows the perils of bottling a single cask, because the sherry in this whisky completely overwhelms any of the island qualities I expect from Highland Park, which is unfortunate given how great Highland can be. This whisky is terribly one dimensional.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Assaggi Mozarrella Bar and Restaurant (****)

Assaggi used to be Centro, but a year or so ago changed its name. The chef is Domenico Cornacchia and he has a restaurant to be proud of. This is a happening place, but that doesn't detract from the food and the wines. The wines by the glass are well chosen and cover the spectrum, including some good choices for under $10, which seems to be the new medium price point for a glass of wine these days. The menu highlights the mozzarella bar, which we did not try, but there is so much to choose from, including a lengthy list of daily specials, that one almost feels overwhelmed by it all. We tried a few of the salads, each of which was well seasoned, not over dressed, and mixed textures well. The pasta dishes are very good. I tried some buckwheat noodles (pizzocheri, which are long, flat noodles similar to papardelle) with potatoes, chard and bitto cheese. The others in the party had a fantastic potato gnocchi dish with a veal short rib ragu' that Leslie was still raving about two days later. A wonderful restaurant, and a gem in downtown Bethesda. Now go, mangia bene!

Friday, February 13, 2009

Bistro du Coin

I can't give you a real rating for Bistro du Coin for two main reasons: I only had one dish and it was drowned in a lot of (mediocre) Cote du Rhone wine, which is to say I had had at least four glasses before I had my dish. That said, the maple-leaf duck breast was executed perfectly, cooked exactly how it should be (if the chef recommends medium rare, eat it medium rare, don't make them cook it longer) and given a nice creamy peppercorn sauce. The plate also came with a cake of carrot-potato gratin that was excellent and worked well in mopping up the sauce.

Bistro du Coin is loud and proud of it. It's tall, almost cavernous interior is designed to augment the laid-back, bustling atmosphere of a busy french bistro. Eating here is not for the stuffy, but for those who want to have a good time with friends. You don't have to worry about being too loud here!

Craigellachie 15 yo


This scotch is from the venerable independent bottler Gordon and McPhail, which has been around since 1885. Craigellachie has only seen one official distillery bottling, a 14 year old released in 2004. Otherwise, most of the 3.6 million liters of production goes into blends, primarily Dewar's White Label. The independent releases of recent years have garnered high marks from many reviewers. This is my first time trying Craigellachie (I bought it the same time I purchased the disappointing Miltonduff, which has grown on me a bit, but not enough to change anything I said about it) and I was quite impressed. It has a golden-copper look to it and is full of bright, complex scents, such as caramel, roasted pecans, some sherry, deep port with an undertone of coconut or maybe pineapple. And that's all before adding any water to the glass. The nose is not astringent at all, though you will definitely do injury to your nose if you inhale too deeply before adding water.

Once I added water I got some fireplace, a little bit of plastic (but a pleasant plastic if you can imagine what that might be), some sweet sherry, and toffee. It has a mild oilyness on the tongue and a pleasingly long finish. Quite a good drink. If you are interested, you can find Gordon and McPhail's tasting notes here.

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Wychwood Beer

So here they are, three beers from Wychwood, which is a relatively young brewery in the Cotswalds, but it traces a history back to the early 19th century on the site currently occupied by Wychwood.

First up is their Hobgoblin Dark English Ale, which is very dark, but doesn't have a strong hoppy nose as you might expect. I get some dark roasted chocolate flavor and it drinks smoothly -- no bitterness at all. The Fiddler's Elbow, which is an ale hopped with Styrians (which is I believe a Central European hop), has a pale golden color, a bright citrusy nose, and a crisp and clean flavor with just a slight bit of bite. It reminds me of a toned down sam Adams Summer Ale. Finally, there is the Golden Pale Ale (the one in the middle, but the third one I tried), which is an organic brew. It's made with Plumage Archer barley malt and Target hops. What does that mean? I have no idea. It has a golden color similar to the Fiddler's Elbow, but with more bite and some nice bitterness on the tongue. This beer is very much alive.

Oya (** Two Stars)

I struggled a bit with how to rate Oya. It's really a lounge that happens to serve food -- some very good -- in a "hip" setting with lots of people out to be seen. One of the matre'd's looked like he just walked out of a Ralph Lauren ad, another one was confused about whether our party was two or three people (three), so there was some moments of panic as they tried to find out where to seat us. And this was at 9pm on a Saturday night. It describes itself as an Asian-French Lounge and Restaurant, but I think the emphasis is much more on the Asian than the French.

First off, the cocktails are quite good -- a new take on the dark and stormy (known as the "darker and stormier") was delicious, not too strong, and definitely not too sweet. The sushi is excellent as well. I love unagi (eel), and theirs was some of the best I have ever had. The hamachi (tuna) and tempura tuna roll were both excellent. The menu is flexible and one can put together a meal of smaller plates (which are still substantial enough), or go with a traditional entree. We opted for the smaller plates. Most of these were good, but not great, and often had some, er, interesting flavors. The short rib was a bit dry and stringy, and the sweet potato puree underneath was just strange -- too much vanilla or some other flavoring made it seem like marshmallow. It didn't help that it was served barely above luke warm. The lobster dumplings were not very flavorful, in fact I couldn't really tell that the filling was lobster. The scallops were wonderful, but the mushrooms accompanying it were not very warm and unadorned, so lacking in flavor.

My advice -- stick with the sushi.

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Watch this space

I have a couple of things in the can that I have to put up on the blog, including my impressions of dinner at the super-cool, loungy Oya in DC's Chinatown and some more beer reviews -- this time a set of three from Wychwood. Hopefully in the next day or so....

A Tale of Two Lunches

I recently revisited two old favorites for lunch to see how they held up, particularly in the deepening recession and, in one case, following a change in kitchen leadership.

On one Friday recently I went to Notti Bianche in the Foggy Bottom area. I had been here once before for lunch and a few times over the last couple of years for dinner. It is, as the name suggests, an italian restaurant, and a quite good one at that. Since the Washington Post's Tom Siemtsa's original review of this restaurant, the young chef has moved on and been replaced by Chef Cox, Equinox alumnus and chef also at Circle Bistro on the other side of Washington Circle. It would be unfair of me to compare the two chefs' products, since I have only ever had lunch during Cox's reign and dinner under his predecesser. I will say that Notti Bianche is still quite good, though perhaps not quite as good as before. I started with a mushroom minestrone with tiny sausage meatballs that was delicious and warming. The seasoning was perhaps a little subtle and could have been emphasized a little more. I had more trouble with the clam and sausage bucatini, which lacked a real sauce and had some pecorino that seemed to have bound itself to bread crumbs for a sand-like texture (which is not pleasant when you cut into it along with some strange greens -- think fingernails on blackboard, if you're old enough to remember real blackboards). The service was fine, but then I was the only one in the place for the first 45 minutes of my meal. Two other gentlemen showed up close to one o'clock, but no one seemed to be beating down the door for a moderately priced lunch. I won't rate the restaurant until I've gone back to try some other dishes.

The next day I went to Addie's Restaurant, part of the mini-empire Chefs Jeff and Barbara Black have built up around the Maryland suburban DC area. This place was much busier (admittedly on a Saturday, but later in the afternoon), and I must say the food was excellent. I had a fried artichoke and pine nut salad. The artichokes were perfectly light and tasty, the salad was not overdressed, except for far too many pine nuts and golden raisins, but you don't have to eat all those. I made a small pile on the side of my plate. For my secondo I had gulf shrimp pasta with lemon sauce that was divine -- the shrimp were sweet and had a mild smokiness to them, while the sauce brought some flavor that wasn't overpowering or too acidic or buttery. An great place to eat and the staff are very welcoming and attentive without being overbearing.

Saturday, January 31, 2009

Belhaven Twisted Thistle IPA

This is a great beer. IPAs tend to be lighter and Belhaven is no exception. It has a rich, hoppy smell, some bitterness on the tongue, but it is mild and drinks easily. I would not drink this straight from the fridge, though. Let these beers sit out for 20 minutes or so to release their flavors. Like most British ales, they should be cool, but not cold. If you enjoy your Coors Light ice cold, don't bother drinking this beer. The Scottish Ale is a delight as well.

Miltonduff

Now that I have cleared down some of the "open-stock" of whiskies (currently only the Bowmore 12 yo and Talisker Distillers Edition), I have allowed myself to open a new bottle. Unfortunately, next on the list is a Gordon & McPhail bottling of Miltonduff 10 year old. Miltonduff is quite a large distillery with three pairs of stills and 16 washbacks , but the majority of the production goes into blends such as Ballantine's and Teacher's. G&M claim this is a light, floral malt with some cereal (wheat?) notes. I got flat wood and that's about it. It smelt like the inside of a new oak barrel before any charring or aging. It opens up and gets sweeter with water, diluting its copper color a bit, but I didn't get much out of this one. The finish is flat and thin. If you want a second (more expert) opinion, try Serge Valentin. I'm starting to doubt the wisdom of trying all the active Scotch distilleries...

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

I should have bought a whole case

A few weeks ago I finished up my bottle of Bruichladdich's 3D3 Norrie Campbell Edition. From my first taste last spring, I knew this was a special bottle. It is a much more heavily peated whisky than Bruichladdich's normal line, something like 40 parts per million, but the use of three different vintages, from three different warehouses and three different peating levels yielded an exceptionally complex and layered scotch. I would put it ahead of JW's Blue Label, myself, and at about $65 a bottle at the time, it was a steal. I really should have bought a case, or at least a few more bottles, but alas it seems to be out of stock at my usual store. I hope Bruichladdich continues to bring out 3D3. I think their current project in the peating realm, though, is the Octomore and new sherry bottlings.

Rare Malts

The Classic Malts collection has released some new rare malts, including a 29 year old Port Ellen and the 30 year old Talisker which I got to smell in cask last summer. Details on the malts is available on the Malts website. The prices, I expect, will be pretty hideous. The Whiskey Exchange has the 2008 bottling of the Talisker for about 200 GBP a bottle on their website, which is not as bad as you might expect, but I expect once the 2009 bottling hits the shelves, it will be more expensive, recession notwithstanding. The eighth edition of the Port Ellen, which I think is last year's bottling, sells for upwards of $400, so this is not for the faint of heart.

A small comment on pricing for these bottles. I do not begrudge the companies for charging high prices for them. There is a lot of risk inherent, as well as cost, in holding stocks for thirty years or more. Not all those whiskies will be worth selling at the end of that time, some may drop below the legal level of 40% ABV and therefore cannot be sold as whiskey unless you have similar stocks that can bring it above that price. I also look to the wine world, where a bottle of a First Growth Bordeaux from 2005 now goes for $500-$1000 a bottle, and is not going to last more than one night. Compare that to a bottle of scotch, which will last a (sane) drinker many weeks if not months. Which is not to say that splashing out on a $400 bottle of scotch is not a big deal. It is. But it is also a relative bargain and if it is truly worth it (which I doubt is the case for a first growth, but then I have never had one) from a taste and enjoyment perspective, then why not.

Now, a $12,000 bottle of 50 year old Macallan or the $15,000 Ardbeg Double Barrel is a bit extreme and I will never play in such a league, but I could see myself one day buying a 34 year old Bowmore as a special treat.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Glendronach 12 Year Old

Some folks (such as Jim Murray) think relatively highly of Glendronach, which is owned by Pernod Richard. It is a strikingly colored whisky with rich crimson color, most likely from the sherry ageing. Like its Speyside co-habitant Abelour (also in the Pernod empire), it is a double cask matured whisky, meaning it spends time aging in both sherry wood and traditional oak barrels. The bottle gives no information about the amount of time spent in each, and unfortunately Pernod Richard seems to be spending most of its time and effort promoting Chivas (its blended whisky) and the Glenlivet (referred to as a "premium malt", though I don't know what makes it supposedly better than others in their portfolio). You'll have to turn to independent websites such as MaltMadness for distillery information, because there doesn't appear to be an independent website for the whisky. The nose has tons of sherry notes and some woodiness, perhaps sawdust. Mouthfeel without water is hot, but round. Once I added water it softens and becomes richer, more lush, but not really more complex. It is pleasant, but I wouldn't call it a knock-out.

Saturday, January 03, 2009

Rogue Brutal Bitter

I've written about Rogue before, though in the guise of Morimoto beers. This time I am writing about one of their beers bottled under their own label -- Brutal Bitter. Naturally, the name is going to tell you something about what to expect in the bottle. American brewers have taken Bitter to all-new heights from their British namesakes, and some of them truly are bitter affairs, with lots of bite that can often overwhelm the rest of the flavor. This beer is an off-amber color -- not quite fully red, but not quite a traditional ale color. It has great hops on the nose and you can tell it will have some bitterness, but when you take that first sip, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised, particularly if you serve it cold (not too cold, mind you). It has some bite, to be sure, but this is no bitter beast. The bitter sits at the back of the tongue in a cloying way. I've had some bitter beers that leave you wanting to scrape your tongue clean, but this one just has me reaching for more.

Friday, January 02, 2009

Lange Freedom Hill Pinot Noir

Pinot noir is not for the faint of heart. I don't mean stoutness is required to drink it, but a fat wallet helps to enjoy truly great pinot noirs, whether from Burgundy, New Zealand, or Oregon, the trio of great producing areas. New Zealand has some reasonably priced Pinots, but the truly complex ones will still cost a pretty penny.

Burgundies, particularly the Nuit-St-Georges and Cote de Beaunes, are the holy grails of pinot. Oregon is another great source, and for the money, probably one of the better "bargains." I put that in quotation marks because "bargains" in Pinot Noir are relative. Which brings me to the subject of this post -- Lange's 2004 Freedom Hill Pinot Noir, which we bought on a trip to Oregon's beautiful Willamette Valley a few years ago. At $60 a bottle (we only bought one), this is not for the faint of heart, but it is truly a fantastic wine. I think it is better than some of the stuff coming out of Archery Summit and Domaine Serene, two of the more well known Pinot producers in the area. The Freedom Hill is one of Lange's cuvees, which is a fancy way of saying not your ordinary plonk (which sells for about $25 a bottle on their website, but you can get for $20 at places like Corridor Wine). It is rich, some cedary notes, and has beautiful, but less brash fruit. It aged quite well for the four years in the bottle and no doubt could have gone longer, but it went well with our Christmas lamb. A quick search on two of the more popular wine search engines (www.wineaccess.com and www.wine-searcher.com) revealed that the Freedom Hill is not really available in the DC area, but you lucky residents of states (such as Virginia) that allow direct shipping can order it through the vineyard or another site. Happy hunting!