As Frank Sinatra crooned (or Sid Vicious belted), “Regrets, I’ve had a few.” Yes, I’m no saint, and have made my share of mistakes, as a hostess and as a guest. Recently, a good friend shared an email from a dinner guest with her food concerns. I was horrified and asked if I could to post on my personal Facebook Wall. My oh my, the responses were overwhelmingly ones of disbelief, pity and horror. And yes, this is not a joke, this did happen. Here is the post:
Picky eater alert!!! OMG! This is soooo over the top. These people really should just stay home. I have a few food allergies but I always try it or eat around it. I would never in a million years have a hostess try to conform to this. This is beyond allergies. This was sent to a vegetarian friend who was entertaining: Thank you so much for asking! Due to a sensitive digestive system (past health problems ) & producing breast milk, I do need protein with my food and we really do our best to keep organic especially with (daughter's name).I apologize in advance as this may seem quite challenging but the secret is just to keep the food simple. We eat a lot of just barbecued meat and steamed vegetables.(daughter's name) is pretty easy and will eat a handful of whatever I am eating as long as it's not too spicey. You are right I am keeping her away from sugar, colorings, preservatives etc. Here is what works foodwise for me: YES to: Organic or pesticide free meat & veg Love lamb,chicken,salmon (wild) well cooked, (husband) likes medium rare. Not a big red meat eater, but will eat it if it's organic/ pretty pure (unless I am in final trimester of pregnancy, buffalo (its antibiotic free) can be frozen, beef Dark leafy greens 4 iron,love beet leaf tops favorite, then chard or curly kale, just a few leaves enough Broccoli,asparagus,green beans, artichoke, carrots, zuccini,peas,potatoes,pumpkin, sweet potatoes etc Avocado, ( love, love guacomole), tomato not big on lettuce Eggs & quinoa great,stay light on grains Butter Plain is good we generally steam veg pretty well done, and cook in butter or barbecue NO to: Gluten ( wheat, oats,barley etc ) Bell peppers (green or red peppers) totally intolerant Sugar (maltodextrin,glucose, corn syryp, honey,artifical sweetners like aspartimine ,fruit juices in food) totally intolerant. Agave & stevia ok,occasional glycerin. Watch this as most pre-prepared foods have sugar in them including a lot of smoked food.watch sauces,marinades etc Flavors (artifical or natural) do not digest Not too hot spice wise - I'm a mild, but as I am recovering from a cold garlic and ginger are great, but leave some plain for (daughter). Mushrooms, vinegar Raw meat Onions- occasionally are ok as long as well cooked & small quantity Go easy on the dairy (milk,cheese),often intolerant in newborns,if do it go for goats or sheep products Margarine,deep fried foods hard 2 digest Yeast (don't handle it well) Microwaved food (don't digest well) Soy products(tofu,soy sauce etc) (intolerant) Gsm (Husband) has problem with a preservative often put on lettuce in restaurants we think its a glycerin of some sort. We love fresh fruit but I can not mix it with other food, not that keen on cooked tomatoes either.
0 Comments
Definitely back in the swing of things since the remodel. The last dinner party I threw before the remodel was for one of the book clubs I belong to. Fittingly, the first dinner party in the new dining room was for the same book club. We read The Crimson Petal and White by Michael Faber. The book was just ok, a fun read but I’ve read better books. The whole time leading up to the dinner, I was angry with myself for choosing a book that took place in Victorian England. It was a challenge to be inspired by a cuisine that I am not very enamored with. But Beef Wellington à la Gordon Ramsay, saved the day as well a delicious sticky toffee pudding.
My apologies for being off the radar for a few months. I have been trying to finish up a major remodel on the home front, and food and wine actually became a lost art. Last Sunday I was finally able to unearth my collection of cookbooks and wine books. It was seeing long-lost friends, I quickly was overwhelmed with all of the menu possibilities. I got right back into the groove last night. I was the host for my book club meeting for Jonathan Franzen’s Freedom. The menu I chose didn’t exactly pair with the book for I had been craving a Niçcoise Salad with Rosé for some time now. We finished off the meal with a light summer dessert of Fresh Berry Pavlova. I do have some lovely Rosés in stock now for your summer fun. They range in price from $12 to $15 a bottle (a 10% on case orders), with several different varietals to choose from (Syrah, Grenache, Merlot and Pinot Noir). All from France! Call or email me today to receive your rosés in time for July 4th. We survived the holidays in our MAJOR construction zone, thanks to great friends and family. Let’s just say it was a Charlie Brown kind of Christmas, complete with a pathetic fake tree.
Gourmet Round Up #1 We had the pleasure of dining at RN74 and Michael Mina’s new space (at his old space of Aqua). While RN74 left us wanting more, Michael Mina’s was solid. So much so, that despite the price tag, I can’t wait to return and have the lobster pot pie. With the first course we had Marisa Cuomo Falanghina Ravello, Costa D’Amalfi 2009 from Italy and it carried the appetizers with ease and paired well with the crab tortellini with lobster sauce. Next, the sommelier, Jenna Boyer, steered us to the Can Blau, Montsant 2008 from Spain. This workhorse of a wine paired well with the lobster pot pie, the rack of lamb and the crispy fish two ways. It just goes to show you that you don’t need to reach for the most expensive wines on the list nor are you limited to white with fish. Jenna then poured us a Royal Tokaji le Puttonyos “Betsek” 2000 from Hungary. The citrus butterscotch notes with pleasant acidity worked with the lighter desserts but not the chocolates. None the less, the dessert wine had amazing complexity and could have been dessert itself. Gourmet Round Up #2 My lovely husband knows me well. While our remodel should have been a present itself, he surprised me on Christmas Eve with a white truffle. I quickly whipped up an upscale mac and cheese (fettuccine with Robliatta cheese) and shaved the truffles atop for our first course that night. Our white Côtes du Rhônes paired marvelously with the whole dish. If you ever have a chance to indulge in white truffles, here is my approach for a wine pairing. You need a wine that doesn’t mind playing second fiddle and being a backdrop. So first off, an aromatic wine is out... so no Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, or Gewürztraminer on its own. Second, you want some body to fully give the truffle support. In our case the Marsanne & Roussane was perfect amount of body and acid level. Next time, I might try a Bordeaux Blanc or white Burgundy. Gourmet Round Up #3 We enjoyed many meals at close friends: A tequila/tamale feast, a crab dinner and an elegant Christmas dinner. We are so blessed to have so many great friends and even more blessed to have friends who love to entertain and know how to cook! So, 2011 will be a great year (once we are past the remodel) and I look forward to sharing more wine and culinary moments with you. Don’t forget to friend us on Facebook and share some of your wine and culinary moments on our wall! Cheers, Angela Camacho
The other day I received a lovely surprise in the mail. Some dear friends of mine sent me Thomas Keller’s new cookbook, Ad Hoc at Home. Besides having absolutely stunning photography, I noticed a few techniques featured in this book that I have never used. I was intrigued, since who else would you want to learn a few new techniques from other than Thomas Keller? I wouldn’t say the recipes were as inspiring like in The French Laundry Cookbook, but they are not supposed to be. This is about creating first rate family-style meals—the Thomas Keller way.
On Saturday, I set out to dig into the cookbook and challenge myself. I actually followed the directions (which is challenging in a different way) and made a few recipes from the book. Here is the menu:
In a nutshell, the new techniques used in the cauliflower soup (parchment lid) and blowtorching the prime rib and the meringue were great additions to my repertoire. However, I don’t know if all the nuances that Keller introduces are worth the effort. For example, the garlic croutons that go on top of the soup required a garlic oil that took 40 minutes to cook. In the future, I would just sauté the croutons with some smashed garlic, butter and oil and remove the garlic after 5 minutes. It may not come out as nuanced but it would save 40 minutes. This book is not for the beginner but would be a great addition to the home chef’s library as a reference on great classic technique. I'll definitely refer to it again and I'll definitely be making this menu again! WINE NOTES: We enjoyed a Falanghina from Campania with the soup and a 2000 Chateau Malescot St. Exupery, Margaux, France (a garagiste-style Bordeaux). The Margaux was a wine WU shipped quite a few years ago. It was smooth, had great integrity and had legs to go a few more years in the cellar. I had the great fortune to be invited to Danish Lunch at Lars and RoseAnn Kronmark’s home last Sunday in St. Helena. The day was absolutely perfect. Perfect food, perfect wine (which is technically illegal for a Danish lunch), perfect aquavit, and most importantly, great conversations and friendly people. After looking at the pics, I am sure you will want some herring. Thank you, Lars and RoseAnn for an incredible day. Hi-LAR-IOUS! Last night I attended a “Sommelier Smackdown” between Chris Blanchard, of Cuveé Restaurant in Napa, and Rob Renteria, of Martini House in St. Helena. For those who think wine people are all stuffy, this evening would have blown their minds. We laughed hard and often from the antics, the banter and the fun of it all, while Chris and Rob tasted and commented on three courses of pairings. In fact, my friend Leslie “The Beer Drinker” Liberatore, recorded my sister’s and my laugh (in stereo) from the hilarity of it all. Check out my short video recap of the night. |
AuthorAngela Camacho, a certified sommelier and author of a best selling wine tool, The Wine Wheel®, shares her obsession with wine and food. Archives
May 2016
Categories
All
|
Connect with us
Phone 415 242 2030
Email: info@wineunleashed.com |
© 2015 Wine Unleashed
|