A Book Club Meeting featuring Julia Child’s My Life in France

On the heels of celebrating my visit with Elisabetta of Sono Montendoli, I had the opportunity to delve into the life of yet another great woman—Julia Child. I was leaving for Europe and a good friend had just finished reading My Life in France by Julia Child and Alex Prud’Homme. She was completely taken by the book and thought that I MUST read. And as it turns out, it was also the latest selection for our book club. I hosted the meeting at my home.

So last Friday night, I hosted a fun-filled event for 10 women. We started the evening off with a Crémant from Alsace that was paired with Julia’s mussels. Her butter-rich recipe was a bit different from my usual preparation (straw, please). For the main course, I made Julia’s casssoulet and a simple arugula salad. The scramble to get all this done on a Friday night was well worth it (well, maybe not for the one surprise vegan present). For the pairing, we had the 2005 Domaine Santa Duc Côtes du Rhônes Les Quatre Terres. The earthiness nuzzled in nicely with the robust meat flavors. As classic pairing formula goes “Grown Together, Go Together.” This wine will definitely be in the Everyday Libations selection for October. At $15.50 a bottle, this served up big flavor for the fall. And for dessert, an apple tarte tatin! C’est formidable!

Over the course of the evening, we each took turns talking about what we liked/disliked about the book, and why Julia Child is still relevant today. For the most part, we were all inspired by Julia—a woman who blossomed late in life and was able to follow her passion.  Her stories about post-war Paris, her sweet relationship with her husband and her dedication to recipe research were all things we enjoyed. Julia’s candid comments about Simca and other friendships showed us that she was human, and in the words of one woman, “Her honesty made the book believable.” There was one naysayer in the group. She felt that Julia Child was a bit of an ingrate and she should have been more politically tolerant of her father, since she benefited from his wealth. She also felt that Julia’s intolerance with Simca’s point of view was problematic.

In the end, Julia Child is just as relevant today as she was 40 years ago. From a cooking and business leadership standpoint, she is a great role model. She made smart decisions that helped her achieve her success. I, for one, loved this book and am inspired by yet another powerful life force.

Small Wine Producers Can Be Great Artists

Florence, the home of many of the world’s greatest art, is where I was inspired by the philosophy of Michelangelo. He saw a soul in the block of marble, and felt that it was his duty to liberate it for the world to see. My 11-year-old daughter, Alex, a gifted artist in her own right, understood this artistic sense of duty. She said, “Sometimes when I look at a blank canvas, I can see what it will become.” As with almost everything, I started to think about how to apply this philosophy to food and wine. The truly artistic chef, like a sculptor, can see the essence of a simple tomato, plum, or chicken and coax out the best flavors. And the same holds true for the truly gifted winemaker—their passion and essential knowledge of the grape is evident in each sip.

One of the reasons I try to focus my wine selections on the small producers from around the world is that I want to taste that passion. The artistry in winemaking exists in the winemaker’s skills and their ability to interpret what the terroir brings them. The wine starts in the vineyard and finishes in the cellar. Michelangelo worked with the simplest of tools: his eyes and hands, a chisel and a hammer. The small winemaker usually has to rely on a similar set of basic tools: a few choice implements and his nose, since they usually can’t afford the state-of-the-art technology that makes everything easier. In the end, they tend to use less process, which, in my humble opinion, leads to unique wines with personality. As in great art, the wine can be extremely reflective of the artist’s skills and thoughts.

Though to be fair, this is not to say that large producers can’t impart passion. There are many that can, Ridge Vineyards, for example. I like to track down and find these unique wines, large or small. And I should also say that not all small winemakers have something that should be imparted. Like in art, nothing is cut and dried.

There are many winemakers that are following the lead of a great artist: Elisabetta of Montenidoli, Cyril Marès of Mas des Bressades, Bob and Jim Varner of Varner Wine, just to name a few. For my part, I will continue on this quest to present these wines of personality to you.

Under Elisabetta’s Spell

Alex and I were invited to have lunch at the home of Sergio and Elisabetta of Sono Montenidoli. We are greeted outside by Sergio with a refreshing rosato with fried zucchini blossom flowers. OMG! Delicious! We couldn’t stop eating these addicting little treats. The views and the old olive oil urns that have become a part of the landscape immediately had their effect on me, and I began to relax. Sergio, a quiet and contemplative man (makes my Joe look like a Jack Russell in comparison), gives us a tour of the facility. In the winery, I see a nice balance of Old and New world techniques. I ask Sergio if he helps with the winemaking. He replies, “No, I am Elisabetta’s left arm.” “Not the right?” I ask. He explained that Elisabetta does everything and he is the rock. Of course, he did not say it like that, he is much too humble. I can feel the spell of this beautiful place begin to work its magic

We walk back to their home (built in the 13th century by the Templar Knights) and see Elisabetta looking out from the dining room window above. With great enthusiasm, she says (do you best Italian accent here), “Angelina, it is so good to meet you!” That’s it, I’m a goner, I am completely under her spell now. I am in a fog. It was like the soul of the land just greeted me with her voice. It gave me goosebumps.

Up in the dining room, they keep their shutters open all of the time because of the 5 swallow nesting there. While we are eating, we are treated to the glory of these beautiful birds. (For those of you thinking, “ooh, that seems unhygienic,” just go with the whole romance of the setting. It was fine.) Over the next few hours, we feast on a multi-course meal paired with their wines and also learn about Elisabetta. Elisabetta is not only a phenomenal winemaker, but is also amazing on many levels. I am getting dizzy from her passion and skill

The Menu:
First course: Dressed sardines, seafood frito misto and a crudité
Wine: Vernaccia Tradizionale 2005

Second course: Fish in parchment with herbs
Wine: Vernaccia Fiore 2005 and Il Templare 1999

Thirds course: Braised Oxtail
Wine: Il Garrulo 2005(served slightly chilled)
Wine: Sono Montenidoli 1995

Fourth course: Salad

Fifth course: Gelato with a caramel of sorts on top, a pastry that had noodles in it and some type of baked fruit compote (plums?)

Sixth course: Fruit

All of the food and wines are excellent. Over lunch, we discuss Elisabetta’s philosophies and the land. Since the mid-60s, Elisabetta and Sergio have owned their 375 hectares (about 926 acres), of which many acres are forest and about 57 acres are vineyards. They have planted about half with Vernaccia and the other half with Sangiovese, with some Canaiolo, Trebbiano and Malvasia thrown in. They were biodynamic from the beginning, far before it was a trend. Elisabetta says, “I am the ‘SSM’ of wine. I am, first, a servant to the land. Second, I am a servant to servants (workers) of the land and I am a servant to Montenidoli”. The idea of this “SSM” is her holy trilogy. She is truly inspired by the land and her house built by the Templar Knights. When she sees her employees in the morning, she doesn’t say, “This is what needs to be done today,” instead she asks, “What needs to be done today?” She continues describing her philosophy, “All my energy goes into teaching the employees of what the land is. I am the land. You have to be pure.” The intensity and passion with which she speaks comes through not only in her voice, but also in her eyes. I feel as is if the land and her soul were one.

I ask her about wine trends and, of course, Robert Parker. She says she feels sorry for Parker. “To have only ONE way to taste, drink and enjoy wine is sad. To only enjoy one style is more than unfortunate.” She believes wines come to life and when opening a bottle, she will ask, “With what shall I eat with you?” She loves the whole concept and theory of food and wine pairings and I believe you can see this in her style of winemaking. You can definitely drink them alone, but with food, the party has begun. And saving the best quote for last: “The wine world is full of pedophiles. Everyone drinks their wine too young!” That’s it, the spell is complete. Not only does she have talent, a palate, and wisdom, but wit and a sense of humor to boot.

While touring her land with her the next day (she really needs to be in an ad for Land Rover), we see the two very different soils: the deep red, iron-filled soil which is perfect for Sangiovese, and midway up the hills, it is highly calcareous, the perfect terrain for great white wines. We also glimpse yet another project of Elisabetta’s; she has just built a building for the elderly people of San Gimignano. Stop it already…she makes time to give back too??!!

I suddenly feel like with even my busy life, it is as if I’m standing still next to this phenomenal person. Elisabetta is a winemaker, a cook, a mother, a wife, a business person, a caretaker of the land and its people and gives back. My daughter and I will never forget meeting her and letting us steal a few hours from her busy life to learn what a truly passion filled and devoted person can do. She is an inspiration as well as a life force. Every time I sip her wines I can taste the land and her inspiration

Cheers to Elisabetta for sweeping me away and putting me under her spell.

See a slideshow of Angela’s visit, and some wonderful Montenidoli wines you can order.

How important is “green” in your wine buying decision?

I recently attended at a San Francisco Professional Food Society networking event at Yield. Yield is a new wine bar here in San Francisco that emphasizes the “green” side of wine. Here is a description from their website:

“Yield is the first “green” wine bar in San Francisco…We are committed to supporting sustainable winemaking and agriculture, as well as family owned and operated wineries. All of the wines featured on our rotating wine list are environmentally friendly — they are made from grapes that are farmed organically and biodynamically. While some of our featured wineries even receive certification, all of them are as focused on making the best wine possible as they are on making it in the most environmentally conscious way.”

It made me wonder, how does “green” or organic factor when people buy wine? Is this just a San Francisco phenomenon? As someone who buys all organic meats and produce, organic is not a huge factor for me when it comes to wine. Many wines on the market today are organic or a product of sustainable farming, they just don’t put it on the label. For me, “Is it good” comes first, then “Does it have value,” and “Does it come from a small production winemaker,” and finally, “Is it ‘green’?” I would say it is definitely on my radar, but would not sacrifice flavor for it.

I ended up posting this article on a few different boards…. Chowhound, Sugar Inc and Facebook a few weeks ago. The response I received back was that most agreed with me. On Chowhound, many people went into a longer discussion as to what “green” was and the carbon footprint of a wine bottle.

What about you? How does “green” figure in your wine buying decision?

Fortune Cookie Chronicles, Chinese Food and China taking the lead in wine?

You know how sometimes you start focus on a subject (new word, new song etc.) and then you start to see it everywhere. As I was putting this piece together, the tragic earthquake in China happened. So, to begin on a very sober and serious note, my heart and prayers to go out to the families who have been impacted with the recent events (and in my mind, the ongoing travesty). I hope that all loved ones can be found. Before launching into the more lighthearted part of my post, I want to pause for a moment in respect for the displaced and affected people.

My Chinese fixation started with Jennifer 8 Lee’s recent book, The Fortune Cookie Chronicles. In addition to being a fun read full of food tidbits, it really gave me insight into the Chinese influence on American culture. Lee starts off with the Powerball mystery and then delves into fortune cookies, chop-suey, the invention of take out and delivery by Chinese restaurateurs in New York City, and quite a few other Chinese American (and in some cases, Jewish American) culinary and cultural escapades. Her style of writing is open, friendly and witty. The downside of reading this book is I have been craving Chinese food ever since!

Of course, this begs the question, what wine have I been pairing to this craving? My pick is a Pinot Blanc from Alsace. The pairing works since you need acid to cut through the grease and body to stand up to the proteins. This wine can even handle spicy Hunan dishes. I have been known to bring my own wine to a few neighborhood restaurants. I am now on the verge of bringing my own glasses (which would border on possibly offensive). I don’t understand why they buy the wine glasses and then proceed to CHILL them. Oh, the aroma of a refrigerator is just what I want to smell along side my Pinot Blanc. YECH! So, I guess I have to eat my Chinese food in the comfort of my own home. As my darling husband would respond… “She is a princess.”

So, after many nights of devouring Chinese food and Pinot Blanc, I run across a report from a reputable merchant in England where they have four Master of Wines on staff. It states their belief that by 2058 China will lead the world in wine production. Berry Bros & Rudd write, “Already the world’s sixth largest wine producer and number four in terms of area under vine, China, we predict, will be the world’s leading producer of volume wine by 2058 and that Cabernets and Chardonnays of real promise will be made. With the right soil, low labor costs and soaring domestic demand, China is set to take the world of wine by storm.” I’m not sure what to think but am intrigued by the basis of their argument. I have yet to taste one of these wines but I am now on the hunt.

The Fortune Cookie Chronicles

Pinot Blanc from Alsace

Visualize your taste

As some of you are aware, I also own a design agency. So it was much to my pleasure to discover this art/wine website: chateaupetrogasm.com. My two worlds collide on this website. Don’t think “stuffy art and wine”—think “art as communication.” To build my mental tasting notes, I sometimes think about what I would see if you could put a visual to a taste. See if you can pair up the picture with words:

1.

2.

A. Chalk Hill, ML on Sauvignon Blanc
B. Pinot Noir

Pairings below, no peeking!

______________________________________________________________________

PAIRINGS

1. B: Pinot Noir/flowing scarf—The ethereal quality of a great Pinot makes me think of a silk scarf gently blowing in the wind. This image from Singing in the Rain also conjures the sensuality and passion that a great Pinot can have.

2. A: Chalk Hill, ML on SB/ purple and green circles, intersecting
It’s not a typical practice to put Sauvignon Blanc through malolactic fermentaion (ML). ML makes a wine more round, and typically Sauvignon Blanc is an expression of fresh citrus or wild grass aromatics. So it seems counterintuitive to put ML on a Sauvignon Blanc, but in this case it works. As soon as I tasted it, I saw an image of green and purple circles intersecting. The focus, of course, is the color that’s created where the circles intersect. If it’s the right percentage of green and purple, you get a beautiful color…if not, it looks like mud.

Here are a few highlights I like from chateaupetrogasm.com
http://chateaupetrogasm.com/2008/04/19/2005-reif-estate-winery-vidal-icewine-niagara-peninsula-ontario-30/
http://chateaupetrogasm.com/2008/04/16/2008-manischwitz-eldeberry-wine/
http://chateaupetrogasm.com/2008/04/03/2006-yellow-tail-shiraz-grenache-se-australia-9/

Do you have a visual/wine connection you want to share?

Nurturing your taste buds

I remember reading an article a while back about how a diet made up of a small variety of food can lead to faster weight loss (think Jared Fogle from Subway). People who varied their diet more tended to take the weight off slower. I am definitely in the camp of very varied diet (very healthy, but varied). I love to explore new flavors everyday…you could say that is what I live for. So, on January 1, I set out to lose weight. Yikes! I can attest to the findings of this study. The days I didn’t vary my diet I lost more weight, and the days where my palate was tantalized, I didn’t lose anything.

This led me to think how powerful our taste buds are, especially for someone like me who lives for flavor. Even though I had more success losing weight when I ate the same type of food, I felt like a dull person. It amazes me that my taste buds could be the driving force behind my moods and how I felt about myself. I could feel my palate start to atrophy and whither away on the no variety diet plan. This created a situation that when I did eat something new, my mood spiked to a new high and it was springtime in my mouth—a refreshing and exhilarating experience for my taste buds.

I’m not here with an easy plan to “lose 50 pounds in 10 days.” I’m here to preach the holistic benefits of pleasing your taste buds. So, if you are trying to lose weight, stick to the diet with less variety. But, if you’re in maintenance mode, I would recommend exercising your palate. Don’t get into a funk where you only drink “light, innocuous Pinot Grigios.” Of course, it’s okay to have a favorite, but I would implore you to build new flavor experiences, it will feed your overall happiness…. I promise!
Checklist for exercising your taste buds:

• A Blind Tasting—Try two different varietals that you haven’t had in a while compared with your “favorite.” Really do a blind tasting (cover the labels on the bottles or have someone else pour for you)…you may be surprised by the outcome.
• Reach for New Cuisines—We don’t eat a ton of Indian food. We love it, but I am always engaged and surprised after a great meal. Here’s a simple soup to get you started: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/241886.
• Flavor Profiles—Go back to basics and try these elements on their own and then how you can change a food and wine experience with them. The elements of flavor are: salt, sweet, sour, bitter, and the fifth is savory (or what the Japanese call umami). Try potstickers with some Riesling: the clean flavors from steaming interact seamlessly with the clean crisp taste of the Riesling. Then try it with some soy sauce. And then finally, add some hot chili oil to the soy. The Riesling holds up all the way through, but the flavor experience is VERY different with each progression.
• Examine a childhood favorite—Challenge yourself…is it the childhood memory that makes you love it or is it truly the flavor and texture you love? This is harder than you would think!

Build it and they will come.

Finally, sommeliers and food/wine fanatics around the world are finding their field of dreams. The game is slowly changing for winemakers to make wine, not just to appease the likes of Robert Parker (or the mass public who don’t know better), but to tantalize a gourmand palate. The wines that I speak of are not flabby, overpowering and have high alcohol content, but ones that have drive and a directed force with all of the elements in balance. They can work with food without overpowering and they have a voice, perhaps not a loud one, but a sincere one.

Some of you may have heard the owner and winemaker for Ojai Vineyards finding fault with his current style of winemaking. This is HUGE! Ojai Vineyards has received top-notch scores from Parker and this is basically saying, “You are wrong, Mr. Parker!” The plan for Adam Tolmach is to pick sooner so he has less ripe grapes. “We got the scores we wanted, but we went away from what I personally like,” Mr. Tolmach says. “We lost our rudder when we went for ever bolder, riper flavors.”

The demand is coming from sommeliers and educated consumers that aren’t interested in opulent high power and high alcohol wines. As global warming continues, the wines from California will grow higher and higher in alcohol, making it an impossible task for two people to share a bottle of wine. So I guess global warming is good for one thing, and one thing only—to shake up winemakers to create more wines in balance.

The future of wine looks good for those of us who like a bit of subtlety. As the quote goes, “Build it and [they] will come.” Thank you to all who enjoy well-balanced wines and forgo the showy and opulent wines.

Cheers,
A

Confessions and Irritations of a Food Freak - by Angela Camacho

1. Don’t obsess about your food in front of your guests.
2. Make sure your guests have plenty of water whenever you are plying them with bottles of wine.
3. Try to remember people’s food allergies (the real ones).
4. Be gracious upon accepting hostess gifts. Your guest made an effort.
5. Be gracious when a hostess gift is not presented. Gifts are just that, do not expect one.
6. Be gracious when people are late for a valid reason and let ‘em have it the next day if they were just being flaky.
7. Don’t spend your whole paycheck on one dinner party. Be realistic.
8. If you do know something about wine, be gracious about what’s being served. If you don’t know anything about wine, keep your snotty comments to yourself. You’ll eventually get caught.
9. If vegetarians are present, don’t toast the baby veal for having his legs tied up so that you can eat tender meat.
10. When you are a guest, remember to engage in conversation with the other dinner party guests by asking questions.
11. Whether you are a guest or a host, remember to not dominate the dinner conversation for the entire evening.
12. When you are the host, don’t ask someone to bring over the entire meal.
13. Do not tell dirty jokes/un-P.C. jokes unless EVERYONE is drunk and you know everyone in the room extremely well.
14. Don’t brag about how much a wine costs. If it is a special wine, there are subtle ways of bringing up this point.
15. Don’t cook things that are way beyond your skill level, hoping you might get lucky.
16. If you are the hostess’ husband and you have been at the ballgame all day smoking cigars and drinking and you find yourself ill…try to find your way to a bathroom that is out of ear shot of your guests.
17. If you are a guest and are weary of the hostess’ food, don’t bribe the other guests to take the first bite.
18. If you are the guest and you don’t like the food, learn how to eat, smile and distribute the food on your plate like you have eaten a lot.
19. Don’t get drunk before dinner is served.
20. If you are the host, be constantly aware of your guests’ food and liquid intake. Be prepared to keep their glass full and have plenty of food.
21. If you are the guest, don’t grab the wine bottle and take swigs from it because the host forgets to refill your glass.
22. Be gracious upon accepting compliments. Say “thank you” and “you’re welcome”.
23. If you don’t know how to cook, then you can reciprocate the dinner invitation by ordering food in or taking your hosts to dinner. Or try taking a bloody cooking lesson.
24. Keep a sense of humor about you.
25. If you don’t have a lot money to entertain, a smile and a gracious attitude can go a long way when serving peanut butter and jelly—no joke!
26. If you are the host, make sure there are non-alcoholic drinks for those persons who cannot drink alcohol.
27. If you are the guest, be aware that the hostess has gone to a lot of effort / money for the party. Be gracious and thankful.
28. If you are family, all of these rules still apply.
29. If you are the hostess, remember to eat something so when you have a sip of wine, it won’t go straight to your head.
30. If you are a guest, don’t start to eat until the hostess is seated and has lifted her fork.
31. When toasting, don’t slam your hostess’ crystal into others. Try a simple “tink” or simply raising your glass and looking at each person in the eyes and nodding is perfectly acceptable.
32. Don’t go to someone’s house and immediately turn the ballgame on.
33. If you are the hostess and there happens to be an “important” game on and it isn’t too distracting, offer your guests the TV.
34. For the most part, the TV should be off when you have guests over.
35. If you are the host and your dog pees when excitedly greeting guests, make sure he is put away for the evening.
36. If you are the host and you know that a guest is allergic to your cat, make sure they are away for evening.
37. If you are the guest with cat allergies and you know that your host has one, remember to bring a non-drowsy decongestant.
38. If you are the hostess, keep your eye on the prize and remember why you are going to all this effort.
39. If you bring a bottle of wine over to someone’s house, don’t expect that it will be opened that night. If you want to bring a special bottle to share, discreetly arrange before the dinner party.
40. If you are the guest, don’t arrive with uninvited guests.
41. If you are the guest and it was ok to bring your child/children, make sure your children are well behaved or don’t bring them. Don’t let your child leave the dinner table with greasy, dirty hands and faces, no matter how old they are.
42. Try to RSVP to the hostess in a timely manner, not hours beforehand.
43. If you are the guest, don’t stay too late. Your hostess has worked hard and still has a ton of cleanup to do.
44. If you are the guest, don’t dash off right after dessert is served.
45. If you are the hostess, make sure your spouse/significant other is in the room seeing to the conversation and guests while you are serving up dinner.
46. If you find you have cottonmouth, you probably have been talking too much and not asking enough questions.
47. If you are a picky eater (not real allergies), inform your hostess of ONE OR TWO things you don’t like to eat. If you are served something you don’t like, pick around it or next time, stay home or bring your own food.
48. If you are the hostess, try to accommodate vegetarians when you can.
49. If you are the guest and you are a vegetarian, don’t demand everything that is served be vegetarian.
50. If you are the guest, don’t overbook yourself for the evening.
51. For both parties, take the high road and kill ‘em with kindness and a smile. You might actually have fun.