Last Saturday night, I teamed up with the incredibly talented Chef Remi Hayashi- Girouard of Goody Goodie. She always throws curve balls at me with her complex dishes, but I believe I nailed this one. (Sorry for the self-congratulatory slap on the back, but seriously... if you only knew what I was up against!)
The Menu and Pairings: Appetizers
First Course
Second Course
Third Course
Palate cleanser Watermelon-Shiso vodka shooter Fourth Course Korean BBQ ribeye beef, herbed ginger somen noodles and cucumber-watermelon tsukemono (japanese pickles) Pairing: 2011 Domaine des Corbillieres Touraine Rouge Comments: High acid red with no oak... nailed it! Phew! That was the most challenging. Fifth Course Prosecco Granita Sixth Course Panna Cotta with Tarragon cherries (CAN YOU SAY PERFECTION? This is where Remi was dubbed Mary Poppins...perfect in every way.) Seventh Course Orange citrus soufflé with Grand Marnier shot Pairing: 2011 Chateau Les Arroucats Cuvee Virginie Sainte-Croix-du-Mont Comments: The lighter bodied dessert wine with a touch of orange citrus was the perfect echo to the ethereal lightness of the soufflé. If you want to buy some of Remi’s world famous cookies (and you know you do!), check her out at http://www.goodygoodiecreamandsugar.com/ www.goodygoodiecreamandsugar/Home.html. You will fall in love with her and all that she creates (except for the weight gain part... still working on that one).
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6) Know-it-all
Description: Typically a lawyer or someone with an incredible memory (or both!). Not only can they rattle off a wine factoid they read 10 years ago, but they can quote it verbatim from the author. Pros: Handy to have around at tastings as they do like to chime in. Easy to please with most wines, since they like to try new wines and they can actually remember them. Cons: Typically, the good memory does not align with a good palate. They sometimes like a wine because they “know” they should. Wine Recommendations: Doesn’t have to be expensive—just make sure you have crossed your T’s and chilled the wine to the correct temperature. Can’t go wrong with a good Burgundy. 7) Swill Drinkers Description: You have to love the golden retrievers of the wine world. They buy 2 buck chuck and actually drink it! They are frugal, like to rattle off the prices of their latest low-budget conquests and usually drink more than 2 glasses a night. Pros: Easy to please. They will drink anything. Cons: They will drink anything... including the expensive Cabs you were saving for a special occasion. Wine Recommendations: Yellow Tail Shiraz 8) Casual Wino Description: Not really into wine but definitely into the social experience that wine or a cocktail imparts. They always have a smile on their face as long as their glass is full of...whatever. Pros: So easy to please. They often have a palate and can converse about the wine, but they don’t really care. When asked about a wine they will tell you, “Yes, it's great. I like it.” Cons: When asked about a wine they will tell you, "Yes, it's great. I like it.” They aren’t ever going to love any wine. Wine Recommendations: Stick to the $10 to $30 range. They do have a palate. A light and bright sauvignon blanc will do the trick. 9) The Classic Collector Description: Typically a male with disposable income now that their kids are out of college. They don’t entertain that much, but when they do they drink Bordeaux or Burgundy from a distinctive region. Pros: Usually has a good palate and knows their wine area of interest very well. Cons: They don’t like to venture out of their comfort zone. A Tempranillo from Spain could send them into a tailspin. Wine Recommendations: Château Lynch-Bages. 10) In the Biz Description: In the wine business so has access to fun and interesting wines. Reads, eats, and drinks wine. Pros: Will drink almost anything, since they need to maintain a palate for what other people are drinking. They will drink and understand anything from a Bordeaux to 2 Buck Chuck. Cons: People never like to bring wine to their house for dinner (bringing sand to a sand box). Always have wine on their breath from all the "tastings". Wine Recommendations: Anything! Again, one type is not necessarily better than another. As long as we're all drinking wine, we should all get along. The wines don’t mind, so why should we? Over the years, I have met many wine drinkers, and I can tell you, they come in all stripes and colors. I chuckled the other day thinking about all the different personalities I come across and how it sometimes feels like I should develop a Match.com site for wine and people. As many WU members know, I believe wines have personalities, and I often feel like I am pairing the personality of a wine with the personality of the purchaser—winematch.com, anyone?
From that little chuckle about wine personalities, the list below sprang spontaneously into life. Some people can have two or three wine personalities, and people do evolve so it’s best not to pigeon-hole anyone. And remember, one is not better than the other. This is really about celebrating our differences and perhaps laughing just a little bit at ourselves and each other. No matter what type of wine drinker you are, cheers! 1. Point Drinker Description: Buys wine based on points awarded by Robert Parker. Typically will only let wines with 92 pts or more pass their lips. This type is mostly male (this is a statistical fact, not a stereotype, I swear!). Pros: Good friends to have as they will spend money on good wine, they like to share, and their 92 point wines are usually fabulous! Cons: Not good to invite over for blind tastings. They rely on their point system and don’t like the vulnerability of going off the rails—if they lack actual wine knowledge and/or palate, they don’t want anyone to know it, least of all themselves! Wine Recommendations: Any wine with 92 pts or more that has Michele Roland or Helen Turley as a wine consultant. 2. Real Housewives of Chardonnay Description: Need I say more? They like Chardonnay and most likely are females, drinking in groups (see note above about statistical facts and stereotypes). Pros: If you are making fried chicken, invite them over and they can bring the wine. Easy to please with a buttery, chilled chard. Cons: Easy to displease if you don’t have a buttery, chilled chard for them on hand. Wine Recommendations: Rombauer Chardonnay for the weekend and La Crema for the weekday. 3. The Traveler Description: Travels a lot and likes to eat and drink what the locals are eating and drinking. Looks for authentic experiences. Pros: They are open to trying new varietals as long as they are authentic. They bring interesting challenges back for their faithful wine buyer at home. Cons: For someone who sells wine, it is sometimes hard to source a specific wine they had on their travels. You won’t find them socializing with the Real Housewives of Chardonnay. Wine Recommendations: Varietals that are indigenous to an area. Elisabetta’s (Montenidoli) wines, for example. 4. The Color Snob Description: Usually states unequivocally, “I only drink red wine,” or “I only drink white wine,” or my favorite, “People who drink rosés are strange.” Some people prefer one color. I am not addressing those people here. Color Snobs wear their color association proudly and can be quite obstinate about their preference. Pros: Whatever color they drink, they are typically open to any price point. Cons: A real bummer to have around if you are on a picnic and all they want to drink is a big, heavy cabernet. Wine Recommendations: red wine, white wine, but never—ever—rosé. 5. The Social Climber Description: Selects wines based on a pretty label or the recommendation of a close friend they want to impress or get to know better. Pros: Good friends to invite to dinner as they're likely to walk in with a couple of rare bottles that you would never buy. Cons: Nervous energy abounds if the person they were trying to impress doesn’t take notice or doesn’t show up. Never hand this person the wine list in a restaurant, as you will pay for it one way or another! Wine Recommendations: Screaming Eagle To be continued...... there are quite a few more! To start, one should never try to diet at the same time as attempting a throwdown cookoff. Talk about setting oneself up for failure! My goal was 20 out of the 20 best ever and sadly I only made it to 8 out of 20. I did make some additional ones from the online list (best 100 recipes), but I just ran out of time.
Check out the slideshow of the recipes I tried, but you really can’t go wrong with any of the F&W’s best ever recipes. As someone who entertains a lot, I found all the recipes interesting, and if not unique, they were definitely solid recipes you could serve guests and know they'd have some very tasty food. From the Magazine - 8 of 20 1. Roasted Carrot and Avocado Salad with Citrus Dressing - A bit of a pain to make but one of the more interesting salads I have had of late. Actually made this one twice as we did enjoy it. 2. Chicken Goulash with Biscuit Dumplings - This was my daughter’s favorite and I must say it was pretty awesome. Not sure if I would serve it to guests as it is very casual but it delivers on flavor. 3. Roast Chicken Salad - Ok, didn’t actually make this exact recipe, but I have made the original Judy Roger’s recipe from her book. This is a welcome, simplified version and an AWESOME recipe. 4. Nacho Burgers - Next Giants game these will be served. 5. Sirloin with Piquillo Peppers and Capers - This had to be my favorite in terms of most flavor for the least amount of effort. Confession: did have a dinner guest and good friend do the BBQing (thanks Andrew), but it truly is stress-free dish to prepare. 6. Tuna Ceviche with Avocado and Cilantro - Clean, clean, clean flavors. Great appetizer. Not big flavor here, but lovely to start the evening with this app. 7. Apple Pie Bars - Home run! In fact, I don’t even think I will ever make apple pie again. 8. Double-Chocolate Layer Cake - I ended up making this recipe 4 times. It is pretty frickin’ awesome. From the top 100 1. Panko-Coated Chicken Schnitzel - Easy-peasy... a perfect weeknight meal. 2. Tuscan Baby Back Ribs - My good friend and chef, Jody Denton, created this recipe and I have made it many, many times over the years. Always a crowd pleaser! All in all, it was a fun time trying and tasting. At one dinner party over the past month, we all discussed what the parameters for “best ever” are. For the most part we all agreed that our most memorable meals, best-ever, were not so much about the food as the people we shared it with. I would agree, but it is sure nice to have good food and wine accompany fantastic friends!
By now WU readers know how much I love and enjoy Elisabetta Fagiuoli of Montenidoli, so I won’t yatter on too much about her and her wine (although that is akin to sitting on one’s hands). She was recently in town for the SlowFood show and, long story short, I pulled together an impromptu wine dinner for 10 people. She brought a fellow Tuscan winemaker, a Tuscan cheese maker and a couple that own a bar here in the city. I had my family and a friend (retired wine importer and the person who connected me with Elisabetta). Over the past few days as I have been talking about this special night, everyone has asked me, “How did you pull that off?”
Here is how I pulled it off: 1. Supportive Husband and Daughter Without my family’s support and enthusiasm for what I do for a living, this night would never have come off successfully. It’s hard not to take them for granted, and I continually remind myself to be grateful. Thank you, Joe! Thank you, Alex! Without you, it just wouldn't have happened. 2. Plan simple food, nothing fussy This is not the time to dust off the extreme gourmet’s cookbook and start experimenting. Go for a simple menu and yes, you can use pre-made foods. For my starter, I grilled asparagus and made a truffle aioli, and then presented salumi with paté and crackers. Also, have everything mis-en-place (French for "everything in place" - all set up, as Americans say). Once guests arrive, there should be no more chopping. 3. Have lots of plates and glassware Wine dinners, of course, require a lot of glassware. Also, with many courses, you'll need quite a few plates and silverware. Over the years I have amassed a large supply for parties. For plates I use plain white plates from Target and Ikea. For silverware, I have two nice sets for 12 and a few backup sets of lower quality. Glassware is tough for storage, and it does cost a pretty penny. It is more important for guests to have one nice glass for white wine and one nice glass for red wine, and guests can reuse them for whatever is flowing. Your guests do not need a clean glass for each wine. Of course, all these supplies need to be easily accessible and ready to go 4. Potluck Typically, I don’t really like potluck, but since this was Elisabetta I accepted the contributions. My guests brought all the wine, the cheese course, and dessert. I only had to do appetizers, salad, and the main course. 5. Linens clean and pressed already Take a page from Martha Stewart and have all your linens pressed and ready to go. 6. Some Luck Thank goodness the house happened to be clean! 7. Teamwork Our friends make fun of us but Joe and I have our roles down to a science. I cook and plate and serve the food, and he removes the plates and rinses them in between courses. Our rule of thumb is that at least one of us has to be seated at the table throughout dinner. 8. Kitchen layout When I designed my kitchen, I had my “counter extended” put in (see pic). This allows me to plate food for 10 or 12 with ease. For this dinner, when guests arrived, I already had the plates spread out in the kitchen with the beets already in place. So when it was time to serve the salad, all I had to do was dress the arugula and plate. 9. Guests can help Let guests help open wine, decant, and serve. They can be taking care of the front of the house while you are in the kitchen busy putting on the finishing touches. 10. Don’t get stressed Remember why you are doing this and enjoy your company and conversations. All in all we had a blast. Were there mistakes? YES! Most of the time, guests don’t even notice (and friends are always forgiving). I just remember the magic of the evening and how at the beginning of the meal I didn’t know some of these people and by the end they were like family. Saluté! Winery Links: http://www.montenidoli.com/ http://corzanoepaterno.com/ Dining out over the holidays was fun and a few were memorable. Living in San Francisco we become so spoiled as to what is at our fingertips that the unique and special sometimes become the norm. So when I stumble upon a restaurant that is really turning the crank on uniqueness, I sit up and notice.
The wine menu is equally unique and is concentrating on small producers and lesser known wines like Jacqueres. Of course, WU members are used to Jacqueres but trust me in that the mass is not in the “know”. The wine director is Maz Naba and he is doing a rock star job in meeting the match with the outstanding food. Run. Don’t walk to the Rich Table. As a friend and chef said, “It’s the vershizzle”. AMEN! http://richtablesf.com/index.html The last winemaker that I met on my trip to Burgundy was Paul Pernot. Again, I cannot thank Jeanne Marie de Champs of Domaines et Saveurs for her time and introductions to these fine winemakers. I have been selling Pernot’s wines for many many years now and knew what to expect somewhat based on my experiences with his wines. Like his wines, Paul Pernot is a seemingly simple man, but behind the exterior is honest hard work, a drive, a purity, and great complexity. There is nothing precious about the man, the vineyard, or his wines. Pernot is about tradition, pride, and passion for crafting his wines.
Paul Pernot is 5th generation burgundian winemaker. His great-great grandfather, a négociant in Puligny, started the vine purchasing. Between vineyards that were inherited and his purchases of the past 30 years, the estate has grown to over 23 hectares (about 57 acres). The vines are all in great shape and range in age from 20 to 55 years in age. Paul and Michel, his sons, are the ones that actively run the winery now, but Paul is very much still the patriarch. They are carrying on the tradition with great results. Pernot’s wines are known for their minerality and clean fruit, and they know how to use new oak in a supporting role. The Bourgogne Blanc is a no-brainer purchase at $23.50 a bottle, but when you pick up your case to get you through crab season, go for a few bottles for the cellar, too. Your only disappointment will be that you should have bought more for your cellar. On my recent to trip to Burgundy, Jeanne Marie de Champs of Domaines et Saveurs took precious time out of her schedule to show us Burgundy through her eyes. One of the winemakers we met with her was Jean-Pierre Cornut of Chateau de la Maltroye.
Before I even laid eyes on Jean-Pierre I knew I was in the right spot. His home and winery were exactly how I envisioned them—not a stone out of place. It truly has to be the tidiest winery I have ever visited. Jean-Pierre Cornut was an aviation engineer in Paris when his father fell ill in 1992. The family estate soon became Jean-Pierre’s responsibility. His meticulous personality has led him to success: He has transformed a very good estate into a first class estate. He prides himself on having the cleanest cellars in France. In constant search for perfection, he could not miss harnessing the elusive nature of Pinot Noir. After meeting him and tasting his wines with him and Jeanne Marie de Champs, I completely understand him and his wines. He appreciates art and design. Even though he is very into precision, I get the feeling he understands that all he can do is give structure and support to what his vines give him. You might not say he is a nurturing personality, but it is very apparent that he is extremely passionate about what he does. With his passion comes the endless desire to seek perfection in such a mercurial grape as pinot noir, while handling the body of Chardonnay, and consistently making brilliant vintages. Don’t worry about Jean-Pierre not getting out to have fun, as I am sure the gorgeous Ferrari in his cellar lets him release any frustration he might have with what nature gives him. Now when I think about how much “drive” his White Burgundies have, I will have a nice picture of his Ferrari in my mind. Amazing wines and a brilliant winemaker. One of his Red Burgundies is featured in this month’s Company Coming but he has many more Burgundies (white and red) that would be a fabulous addition to any wine cellar. _________________________________ 2010 Chateau de la Maltroye Chassagne-Montrachet (white) $56 Rated: 88 by Stephen Tanzer, Sep 12 Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar Pale, bright yellow. Citrus peel and a hint of olive on the nose. Plush, sexy and open-knit but with enough acidity to maintain its shape. The olive element carries through onto the palate. Nicely dense village wine with moderate lift. 2009 Chateau de la Maltroye Chassagne-Montrachet Clos St. Jean Rouge $65 2009 Chateau de la Maltroye Chassagne-Montrachet La Boudriotte Rouge $66 2009 Chateau de la Maltroye Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot Vignes Blanches $90 Rated: 91 by Stephen Tanzer, Sep/Oct 11 Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar Bright yellow. Lemon, lime and powdered stone aromas. Then surprisingly fat and open-knit, with good limey lift to the smooth peach fruit. Finishes nicely dry and fresh, with a perfumed floral quality and a hint of warmth. Nicely coats the palate, but this is not a particularly weighty example of Morgeot--or of 2009. |
AuthorAngela Camacho, a certified sommelier and author of a best selling wine tool, The Wine Wheel®, shares her obsession with wine and food. Archives
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