July 21st, 2008
After a week of reflection (read: laziness) I’m finally recapping the Long Island winery jaunt that I took with a couple of my longtime girlfriends. With the gracious help of Lenn Thompson and Susan Kostrzewa we took a two-day tour of some of the North Fork’s gems including: Paumanok, Bedell Cellars, Peconic Bay Winery, Lieb Cellars, Macari Vineyards, and The Tasting Room. As with any tasting trip, the roster of wines contained clunkers and wowers but overall I was impressed by the wines, the beauty of the region and the kind people that we met. We had engaging conversations everywhere about anything from the joy of screw caps to bluntly honest recommendations (and dissuasions).
Some highlights:
• Kareem at Paumanok whose family owns the winery was a joy to chat with. Their crisp, unoaked Festival Chardonnay reminded me that I do like unoaked Chards. I purchased a bottle and enjoyed it at the Philharmonic in the park last week (while procrastinating on this post). My friends Julia and Ali really liked their Chenin Blanc as well. I believe Paumanok is the only winery to make a Chenin Blanc in the North Fork. It was a nice example.
• The folks at Bedell Cellars were incredibly generous in letting us stay at their beautiful guest house, owned by Michael Lynne. Kelly Urbanik who was recently promoted to head winemaker (in her 20s, you go girl!) told us about how she’s focusing on using less oak in their Chardonnays as we sampled their stellar 2007 straight from the barrel. It drank beautifully with seering acidity and an expressive nose. We had a lunch of lobster salad plus beet, walnut and goat cheese as well as many other goodies with she and Jean. The first vintage of Musee, a red blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot had elegant berry aromas but could use some time to reveal itself more fully. The Taste White was an intriguing blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Gewurztraminer and Riesling with layers of floral aromas and stone fruits.
• We watched drunken bocce ball players as Pascal took us through a tasting and a cellar tour at Peconic Bay. Much like at Bedell, we had a 2007 Chardonnay preview which gave a great glimpse into what’s in store for this vintage. The wines are seemingly remarkable thus far.
• Dinner at the Frisky Oyster was a perfect conclusion to a day of tasting. After a stiff martini break, we verged back into wine with a 2007 Raphael Sauvignon Blanc alongside crisp zucchini blossoms, oysters stuffed with spinach, and shrimp quesadillas. After a walk on the pier and an ice cream, we were beat.
• On Sunday morning after a lovely breakfast at the guest house of croissants, corn muffins, berries, and coffee we hopped over to the Tasting Room where Theresa Dilworth poured some wines from boutique wineries in the area. These guys are too small to have their own tasting rooms so they have their wines poured and sold in this shop. I really enjoyed a Comtesse Therese (name sound familiar?) 2007 Rose and a Schneider Syrah 2004 made from Hermitage clones had nice spice and depth. There were some elegant Rieslings being poured here as well.
• We traveled West to make our way back, stopping at the Village Cheese and snagging a local goat cheese, a creamy NY State blue, a parmesan, and a baguette for lunch later.
• We nearly missed the discrete, Lieb Cellars tasting room where we met Lenn and tasted a vast portfolio of Lieb wines. I loved the Bridge Lane Cabernet Franc and their Blanc de Blancs was a unanimous hit.
• Our final stop was Macari which had a vast tasting room full of tourists but the gorgeous view and terrace made fighting the crowds worthwhile. Their 2007 Sauvignon Blanc was sublime with expressive grapefruit notes and a lingering finish. It was quite a combo with our goat cheese. Their $10 Collina 48 Merlot was surprisingly good too. Who says decent wine can’t be affordable?
What an enjoyable and eye-opening trip. It was funny to see myself buying Merlot, Rose, and Chardonnay which aren’t my typical favorites, but were made well here. Many examples of red blends are being crafted here as well that I neglected to mention. They seemed to miss the mark in a lot of places but that’s not to say they won’t get there. This is certainly an ever-evolving region. New Yorkers, if you haven’t made it out to the North Fork… what are you waiting for?
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July 14th, 2008
Does it get any easier than a 4-ingredient recipe? This is a real quick, healthy side dish for weeknight meals or alongside something more complex.
Serves 2
4 Zucchini
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp kosher salt
Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a baking sheet with pam or drizzle olive oil.
Thinly slice the zucchini lengthwise and toss with olive oil and salt. Sprinkle with thyme and roast for about 30 minutes or until desired softness. Enjoy!
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July 8th, 2008
As a country founded by immigrants, some say that American cuisine is a fusion of everything. We have the best of Italy, France, Germany etc. and we’ve fused it together over the years, to create a melting pot of food culture. Dissenters on the other hand, may feel that American cuisine is actually the absence of any style. Fast food is our cuisine, it’s the only development we can truly consider our own. Regardless which camp you may be in (or maybe an entirely different one), it’s interesting to note a study by the James Beard House published this month, that sought to answer that very question: “Is there an American cuisine? If so, what is it?” The study was conducted among visitors to their web sites as well as readers of Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine and other “experts in various fields related to food, nutrition, and gastronomy.” A few hundred people participated overall. Overwhelmingly, participants felt that there is an American cuisine and described it using words like “comfort”, “melting pot”, and “regional.” The most fascinating part was a table that listed the top 5 American foods.
TABLE 2: Iconic American Foods
Hamburgers and Cheeseburgers 44.4%
BBQ 39.3%
Fried Chicken 31.6%
Mac’n’Cheese 29.1%
Apple Pie 26.5%
To me it was somehow a mixture of surprising and obvious. These are comfort foods that largely originated in the South and Midwest. But as a New Yorker I have to ask, what about pizza? Do people think of foods that are associated with one ethnicity (Italian food) as being Un-American? I think that whether it originated here or not, it’s just as much a part of American cuisine as hamburgers. And hey, didn’t hamburgers come from Germany anyway? Does something have to originate here, to be considered part of our cuisine? One could argue that all of our food was born out of another country. I’m of the belief that American cuisine exists and is ever-changing. One day sushi will be just as American as apple pie. I’m blabbering, but you get the picture here I hope. Do you agree with these 5? What’s missing? Do you feel there is an American cuisine?
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July 3rd, 2008
Now that July 4th is here I’m finally getting on the ball and posting this ribeye recipe which goes great with sweet potato fries. If you’re looking for a last-minute barbeque dish for the weekend, this is it. I sauteed the steaks but you can easily throw them on the grill instead. Soy sauce and porcini mushrooms sound strange to you? Trust me, it makes the steaks incredibly flavorful. I made this for E’s birthday with some sesame asparagus and he loved it.
Serves 2
Steak:
Ingredients:
2 2-inch-thick boneless rib-eye steaks (about 3 pounds total)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 ounce dried porcini mushrooms* (half of 1/2-ounce package)
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
Preparation:
Place steaks and soy sauce in large resealable plastic bag. Seal bag, releasing excess air; turn to coat. Let steaks marinate at room temperature 2 hours or up to overnight.
Process porcini mushrooms in spice mill or food processor to fine powder. Mix 1 1/2 tablespoons mushroom powder, rosemary, and pepper in small bowl.
Drain steaks; pat dry. Sprinkle mushroom-rosemary rub generously over both sides of steaks, pressing to adhere.
Heat oil in heavy large skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium-high heat. Fry steaks until browned and cooked to desired doneness, about 8 minutes per side for rare, adjusting heat to medium if browning too quickly.
Transfer steaks to plate; tent with foil to keep warm. Let rest 10 minutes. Cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices and serve.
Sweet Potato Fries with Garlic and Herbs:
Ingredients:
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 1/2 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams), peeled, cut into 1/2-inch-wide slices, then again into 1/2-inch-wide strips
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 garlic clove, minced
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 450°F. Spray large baking sheet with vegetable oil spray. Toss sweet potatoes with oil in large bowl. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Spread sweet potatoes in single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake until sweet potatoes are tender and golden brown, turning occasionally, about 30 minutes. Transfer sweet potatoes to platter.
Mix parsley, thyme and garlic in small bowl. Sprinkle over sweet potatoes.
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July 1st, 2008
Two weeks after opening night, Yerba Buena was bustling with people munching on inspired Pan-Latin fare, a cross between Peruvian, Cuban, and Argentinian food. Yerba Buena reaches above the mark with sophisticated décor, beyond many of the shabby chic alphabet city establishments (which I love as well). An open kitchen lends well to the narrow space, allowing aromas of roasted suckling pig and chipotle BBQ ribs to spread throughout the room.
Service was a bit spotty, though one can’t be too critical of such a new restaurant. There were moments when some dishes were ready and brought promptly, while others had to wait with empty plates. The passion in the venture was evident though as the owner himself pulled out a chair for my friend, and brought my cocktail from the bar to the table, insisting that I not carry it myself. Our waitress was excited to tell us about her favorite dishes, while answering any questions about the various sections of the menu, listed as “Para Picar”, “Frios”, “Botanas”, “Chanco”, and “Para La Mesa.” My vegetarian friend appreciated the small “Vegetales” section, as most of the dishes featured either pork, chorizo, or short ribs.
Cocktails here are carefully designed by former Pegu Club bartenders, like the Desert Rose, made with rose infused Plymouth gin, prickly pear puree, and lemon juice. The wine list complements the food, with offerings from Argentina, Spain, and Chile for the most part. We ordered a Martin Codax Albarino 2006, which was crisp and delightful with the heat from dinner.
We started with a fiery guacamole then had appetizers of crispy calamari salad, crispy grouper tacos with jicama, and a citric grouper ceviche. Entrees were pillowy arepas served with homemade bacon and “three types of cheese, ”and empanadas with chihuahua cheese, corn and huitlacoche mushroom. We also shared wild mushrooms and sweet plantains with a spicy truffle crema. We closed the meal on a sweet note with black and white chocolate fondue served with churros, strawberries, bananas, and coconut cake.
Yerba Buena delivered a meal with distinct flavors in a beautiful setting, for a modest price tag. I think they can tie up some of the loose ends and become a great Alphabet City staple destination.
Yerba Buena: 23 Avenue A (betw 1st and 2nd streets)
Cuisine: Latin American
Average Entree Price: $17-$19
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June 22nd, 2008
As some of you know, when I’m not consuming great food and wine, I’m often working it off in the Spinning room as an instructor. This Saturday, June 28th I’ll be riding in Spinning Nation 2008, a national spinning event to raise money for some great causes like prostate cancer and AIDS research. So what do I need from you? No, you don’t have to sweat- it- out with me, but if you can donate a little bit of money to the cause I’d really appreciate it. My fundraising page is here.
You can donate any amount of money electronically, it’s very easy. Thanks so much for your support!
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June 17th, 2008
This is actually a Bobbly Flay recipe that I stumbled upon on GroupRecipes.com.
It’s a wonderful mix of earthy, spicy, and rich flavors and it’s quite simple to make. If you’re short on time or don’t have a blender, buy some chili oil at the store which will work just as well as making your own.
- 8 cups mushrooms (I used cremini, oyster, shitake, and hen of the woods), stems removed and cut into sizeable pieces
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots
- 1/2 cup chile oil, recipe follows or use store bought
- 8 ounces goat cheese, cut into 8 slices
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
Chile oil:
- 1 cup olive oil
- 2 ounces dried New Mexico peppers
- 1 ounce dried arbol chile powder
- 2 tablespoons ancho powder (or regular chili powder works fine if you can’t find arbol or ancho, like me)
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Place all chili oil ingredients in a blender and puree. Strain mixture through a fine strainer. Reserve. This may be done up to one day in advance.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the mushrooms with the olive oil, and shallots, then season with salt and black pepper.
- Arrange the mushrooms evenly in one layer in a heavy roasting pan and roast for 15 minutes or until tender. Drizzle with 1/2 cup of chile oil and top with the slices of cheese. Bake until hot, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven, garnish with thyme, and drizzle with the remaining chile oil. Serve with lots of crusty French bread or as a side dish.
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June 16th, 2008
I’ve been loving artichokes lately and this dish is a delightful and healthy way to enjoy them. It’s just as nice served cold for barbeques or hot for dinner indoors with a hearty protein dish.
3 tbsp lemon juice
4 artichokes
2 cups vegetable stock
1 small bunch of parsley, chopped
6 cloves garlic, halved
2 tbsp olive oil
salt
1 lb penne pasta
3 tbsp shaved parmesan
1 tbsp chopped chives
Pour lemon juice into a bowl. Prep the artichokes by removing the tough leaves on the outside, stop removing at the place where the leaves turn from yellow to green. Slice the top of the leaves off at the point where the color changes. Then quarter the artichokes and scoop out the furry inner roughage. As you complete each artichoke, drop into the bowl of lemon juice.
Place artichokes in a saucepan with vegetable stock, parsley, garlic cloves, a drizzle of olive oil and salt to taste. Bring the liquid to a boil and simmer for 12 minutes or until tender and until the liquid is reduced about halfway.
Cook the pasta for about 8 minutes or until ‘al dente’ and set aside.
Spoon the artichoke mix on top of the pasta and top with parmesan and chives. Toss, and salt to taste.
Filed under Pasta, Recipes | Comments (4)
June 11th, 2008
This month’s Wine Blogging Wednesday is hosted by Dr. Debs, of the wonderful GoodWineUnder$20. As we turn to typical summer whites like Sauvignon Blanc, she challenged us to explore some out-of-the-box varietals like those of the Rhone. Typical white Rhone varietals are Roussane, Marsanne, and Grenache Blanc. These wines tend to be more full-bodied than other white varieties, so they’re not often the most popular. They offer a refreshing change of pace though, and can be perfect accompaniments to spicy foods.
On this Wine Blogging Wednesday, I find myself at my parents’ house, so I raided their collection and selected a Roussanne from Carneros. It’s the Truchard 2006 Roussanne. The grapes were grown in a mixture of clay, shale, sandstone, and volcanic soils. The wine is a whopping 14.1% alcohol, quite high for a white wine but not atypical for these fuller whites.
This is the first time I’ve tasted a white Rhone varietal from outside the Rhone, and my Dad and I sampled it while heating up some Thai take-out for dinner. For fun, we tasted and rated separately, (Dad even covered up his paper!) and then compared afterwards.
My note: It has a pronounced nose with some orange blossom and crisp green apple notes, a medium-full body with bracing acidity and a nice, lingering finish. I do sense some heat on this wine, though the acidity balances out some of the high alcohol. 88 points.
Dad’s note: Rich vanilla up front with some bright citric notes. The alcohol is quite apparent and needs to blow off for the citric notes to further materialize. 87 points.
Overall, this is a nice wine but we did not love it. It went well with the Thai noodles with shrimp and cashew chicken that we ordered but we were happy enough to move on to other bottles, without finishing this one. I think we mutually agree that the alcohol was a bit much but it was a rather well-made wine, in any case.
Following my tasting I looked up the wine in our Buying Guide and found that the 2005 was given a 91 point rating and an “Editor’s Choice” designation from the magazine. Perhaps some heat during 2006 prevented the new vintage from reaching such great heights.
Has anybody else sampled a Roussanne from Carneros? How does it measure up to our opinion of the Truchard? Thanks to Dr. Debs for creating such a neat theme this month and of course to Lenn Thompson, the creator of WBW.
Filed under Wine Blogging, Winoland | Comments (8)
May 28th, 2008
The New York Times today, reported on a unique, West African berry that is said to actually trick the tongue into detecting sweetness in sour foods. The berry is said to temporarily alter the taste buds (for about an hour). The article reported on certain “flavor tripping parties”, like the one held in Long Island City last weekend, where partygoers challenge themselves to eat berries and then sample bitter and spicy foods including anything from tabasco sauce to brussel sprouts. “You have to trust me” says the Supreme Commander who hosts these parties, bringing the expensive ($2 each!) berries plus a buffet of assorted foods to sample. In the video in the article (no embed code provided), watch people drink vinegar out of plastic cups and one guy mix apple cider vinegar, tabasco, and mustard and remark that it’s “not delicious, but tolerable” as others glug straight tabasco next to him.
Pretty incredible! It’s the first I’d heard of these berries but then I learned about a guy named Curtis Mozie who grows the berries in Ft. Lauderdale. He says they’re actually quite useful for chemotherapy patients who suffer from a metallic taste in their mouths. If they were more affordable, I could see them being used as a great way for kids to get used to eating vegetables or for other picky eaters who need some help getting in their less tasty nutrients. Or how about for curing a sweet tooth when dieting?
Any other ideas on how this miracle fruit can be used? Have you tried it yourself?
Here’s a video on it for more information:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIo98M4tKLc[/youtube]
Filed under Geekiness, Gastronomy | Comments (3)
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