Mouthing Off

A few days ago, the wine department here convened (a three-person convention) to taste through 20 Napa Valley Cabernets from the 2004 vintage. That year saw generally warm summer weather that ended with a number of hot spells, which brought grapes in a number of weeks early in most cases. Based on this limited sampling I'd rate it just a notch shy of the 2001 and 2002 vintages, and somewhat better than 2003 (though those wines, which seemed in many cases thin and austere when first released, have come more into balance, I find).

Of the 20 wines we tasted, the best of the tasting for me were the following:

2004 Quintessa ($100) Though this biodynamically produced wine had a distinct earthy funk when it was first opened, that aroma blew off after a while, leaving scents of tobacco and black currants. Dense and complex, its rich cassis flavors sank in and lingered.

2004 Marston Family Vineyard ($90) Aromas of eucalyptus and currants lead into a big, powerful, tannic Cabernet, full of spicy, even peppery blueberry and blackcurrant flavors. This is a seriously muscular wine, and is so tannic that drinking it right now is more an exercise in endurance than delight. Still, it's got so much substance behind the tannins that in a year or two it should settle down, then age beautifully after that.

2004 Vineyard 7 Cabernet Sauvignon ($90) Luc Morlet recently took over as winemaker here from Christian LeSommer, keeping this newish Spring Mountain's French bonafides firmly in place. The most elegant and gracefully aromatic of my top wines, this was more red currants and wild berries in the aroma with a light scent of minty oak; flavors suggested cocoa, cherry and blueberry, all wrapped in soft but distinct tannins.

2004 O'Shaughnessy Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon ($75) The most ebulliently fruity of these wines, but by no means a juicebomb, this Howell Mountain Cabernet was ripe and dense and purely delicious (and even more inviting when I tasted it again the next day). Think blackberry, spicy tannins, superb texture, streamlined tannins.

I'll report on a few more 2004s over the next couple of weeks-several bottles didn't arrive in time for the tasting, and there was one corked wine that deserves a retaste. Dishearteningly, there was nothing among the mix that I'd really consider a super value; some wonderful wines, but some mighty steep prices, too.

Working in the Test Kitchen definitely has some serious perks, especially come dinner time. A slice of this, some extra peeled that, a dribble of something else—which often gets pitched at the end of the day—and I have the basis of a (usually) delicious dinner.  But it also puts enormous pressure on me. As I was walking out the door this morning, my son shouted, "Think of something really really really delicious for dinner tonight." My day hadn't even begun and already I was stressing... Well, it's 4:00 and all I've made today was an eggnog so boozy (we're working on Christmas recipes) I might not even make it to 5:00, let alone dinner.  Luckily my kind-hearted coworker, Melissa Rubel  put aside a succulent, braised lamb shank that with a few twists and turns may just feed my clamoring brood.  I must remember to pick up some tomatoes and rigatoni. Stay tuned for my lamb ragu recipe next week! Until then, try this one from Chef Michael White.

Harold McGee has written a wonderful Curious Cook column for today’s New York Times Dining section about how scientists have discovered compelling evidence of the superior flavor of organic produce over the conventional kind, thanks to the help of our fellow omnivores, rats. In a two-decade study of organic wheat, lab rats ate significantly more organic wheat biscuits than conventional ones when given a choice between the two. McGee gives a lucid explanation of why organic would taste better. It’s ironic to think that the creatures who’ve wreaked such havoc  in the New York City restaurant scene lately may have better palates than we do.

Last week I blogged about restaurant El Bizcocho’s plan to host a beer vs. wine dinner. Sommelier Barry Wiss and Stone Brewing Company CEO Greg Koch both felt confident that their respective drinks would win. The dinner took place September 27, and since I couldn’t be there, El Bizcocho chef Gavin Kaysen sent me a quick update at 12:13 a.m.: “We are in the cheese course now, and so far, it looks like beer may take the victory...stay tuned. GK”

The next day I learned that the course-by-course score came out even, with beer winning three courses and wine winning three. It was the overall popular vote in which beer took the night, racking up a total of 210 votes, just six ahead of wine. Wiss was unavailable for comment, but Koch, who had felt pretty sure his beer pairings had a chance at sweeping the dinner, admitted that wine turned out to be a noble and fun adversary. “Wiss pulled out a couple of real winners in his matchups, and of course, he’s always welcome to a rematch,” said Koch.

Below, see chef Kaysen’s menu, along with the pairings and the votes.

English Pea - Morel, Truffle, Sherry
Trinchero Napa Valley Reserve Chardonnay, Vista Montone Vineyard 2005 (25 votes)
Koningshoeven Dubbel (44 votes)

Hamachi - Mango, Fennel, Basil
Napa Cellars Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley 2006 (47 votes)
Russian River Damnation (22 votes)

Soft Shell Crab - Tomato, Brioche, Tartar
Angove’s Nine Vines Grenache/Shiraz Rosé Tea Tree Gully, Adelaide Foothills, South Australia 2007 (31 votes)
Avery Brewery “White Rascal” (38 votes)

Lamb - Eggplant, Spinach, Polenta
Angove’s Vineyard Select Shiraz McLaren Vale, South Australia 2004 (48 points)
Stone 07.07.07 Vertical Epic Ale (21 points)

Ossau-Iraty - Quince, Arugula, Pecan Dust
Montevina Sierra Sunrise Nebbiolo/Syrah/Zinfandel Rosé 2005 (14 points)
Forét Organic Saison (55 points)

Panna Cotta - Lavender, Rhubarb, Strawberry
Montevina Terra d’Oro Moscato 2005 (39 points)
Stone Imperial Russian Stout-2004 (30 points)

At last week’s Expo East Natural Foods show in Baltimore, I saw probiotics crammed into chocolate bars and quinoa morphed into a drink. And it seemed like there were hot moms at every other booth shoving spoons of reheated organic frozen baby food at willing passersby. My favorite product was one that re-imagined the freeze pops I ate as a kid. Instead of filling plastic pouches with neon-colored sugary syrups, the guys behind The Power of Fruit stuff them with a combination of pure juice and chunky bits of fruit, and nothing else. They’re squeezable and as fun to eat as a freeze pop, without turning your teeth electric blue.

Besides featuring some alluring shots with crutches and canes, Gwyneth Paltrow's gigantic W Magazine article in September included a surprising annoucement: that she'd be part of an American Public Television series airing on PBS nationwide that would take her on a food tour around Spain with superstar chef Mario Batali and New York Times columnist and cooking show host Mark Bittman. For anyone who thought that was a joke... it's not. Gwyneth and Mario both lived in Spain as teenagers (Batali says he "learned how to really eat and really drink in Spain,") and the two are good friends; Mario and Mark are likewise good friends; and it now just remains for Mark and Gwyneth to become BFFs. And for anyone who thinks this is just another foodie road trip on TV... it's not. The stars were each given a different kind of Mercedes to tool around Spain in (Mark has a station wagon so he could load up the trunk with as much food and wine as he can carry and Mario will be driving a latest-model sports car). All the cars are equipped with HD cameras to capture every second of the trip, and to further the reality-world experience, Mario, Mark and Gwyneth apparently don't know exactly where they're going. But they just held their press conference in Madrid and filming starts tomorrow.

Frankly, I despise the word "foodie." It conjures up images of a friend's ex-girlfriend, who would berate him for digging in her fridge whenever he was hungry, indiscriminately eating whatever he found instead of "saving it for special moments." Or I'd think of another friend's brother, who said my friend ate his blueberries "too fast" to really enjoy them. So I felt more than a bit disinclined to  like the book How To Be A Better Foodie: A Bulging Little Book for the Truly Epicurious, coming out later this month. But Brit writer Sudi Pigott's book is so over-the-top—its pages are pink and chocolate-colored, to "conjur[e] up delectable thoughts of freshly peeled, plump langoustines and hot chocolate of deep intensity and single-plantation integrity"— I couldn't help but love it. Some favorite, outlandish topics (and their brilliant headlines) that Pigott covers: "Better Foodies simply don't do humble condiments," "Slick oils to be proud of" and, of course, "The Better Foodie's wardrobe: Dressing to disguise and stylishly accommodate gustatory greed."

“Look for the stupa on your left,” my directions said. I had driven up to eastern Connecticut last Friday evening to eat a field-side supper at artist David Brown’s Hay House Farm in Old Saybrook, which is probably (our fact-checkers are on it) the only farm in the world that boasts both a hemispherical Buddhist monument (the stupa) and a cottage made from straw and spackle.  

The dinner was the ninth of 10 such events hosted this summer by “Dinners at the Farm,” a series of outdoor meals founded by three Connecticut food pros: chef Jonathan Rapp of the River Tavern restaurant in Chester, Drew McLachlan of Feast Market in Deep River and Chip Dahlke of Ashlawn Farm in Lyme. Earlier this spring, the three partners outfitted a candy apple–red 1955 Ford F600 with a six-burner gas stove and a smoker grill and hammered out the logistics of feeding 150 mouths in a grass field, at night, with no electricity or plumbing (or wine cellar, or steam oven…).

They did a mighty fine job. It took some time to spot the stupa, so I arrived just as the sun and moon were swapping seats. An enormous white tent was decorated like a Hamptons wedding reception, with white linens, fresh flowers and gleaming place settings. The seven-course dinner ($85 plus wine, if you want it), served family-style, was one of the better-orchestrated meals I’ve had in some time, an impressive feat given the spartan conditions. The menu was based on ingredients from within a 30-mile food shed: Fresh eggs were lightly scrambled with bacon and sage for a creamy bruschetta; local pork was sacrificed for an amazing ragù served over pappardelle; fat fillets of Long Island Sound swordfish were grilled and served with a spicy eggplant sauce.

There’s only one event left this season—this Friday—but McLachlan assured me the dinners will return next year. "But we might cut it back a few dinners," he said. "The logistics behind one of these things are insane." 

I just got back from a 17-day trip to South Africa and Botswana that was the journey of a lifetime. Here are some highlights:

In Cape Town: Baia, a restaurant on the wharf, where I had unbelievable, simply prepared seafood, including a local specialty, kingklip (a firm white fish) and a huge platter of lightly grilled langoustines that comes with dipping sauces. Cape Town locals say this is one of their most expensive restaurants, but compared to NYC prices I actually found it to be a bargain! The Showroom, my other top pick, is actually located in a car showroom with a Lamborghini for sale on the menu. It's sophisticated dining but very fun, allowing you to pair your meal with any number of delicious sauces. I paired duck with harissa, which they made with a mortar and pestle right at the table, and I matched the Fish Bowl, a huge bowl filled with your choice of mixed seafood in a light Asian broth, with the scrumptious Champagne Veloute sauce-a to-die-for combination.

In Franschhoek, South Africa: Reuben's, for lamb curry on a very cold and rainy day in the winelands.

My top two favorite safari camps (I went to four) were Tintswalo Safari Lodge, in the Manyeleti Game Reserve in South Africa, and Vumbura Plains, in the northern part of the Okavango Delta in Botswana. They were both cozy and elegant and blended beautifully into their natural surroundings (think lots of glass and wood). The staff at each place was extremely friendly and accommodating. I think the highlight was at Vumbura, though. My room was made of screens (no shutters or coverings), so I could fall asleep and wake up to all the sounds of the bush and the noise from the hippo who lived right outside my room!

In my eternal quest for the perfect cupcake, I came across an article about a major cupcake debate, which actually has a formal title: "The Cupcake Problem." (The term was apparently coined by Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition at New York University.) In an effort to cut down on the sugar, fat and empty calories that children are eating, schools are now suggesting that cupcakes be banned. I find this outrageous, and apparently so do a lot of folks. It's possible to imagine a school without candy and soda, but the buck stops at cupcakes. I guess schools would like to see birthdays celebrated with whole grain muffins (what fun!) or maybe we can just stick a candle into an apple and take ALL of the fun out of it. Well, I'm not alone...apparently, cupcakes mean a whole lot to Americans. I'm personally feeling very patriotic right now.

As a reminder of how creative, adorable, fun, and delicious a cupcake can be, check out some of my favorite blogspots: cupcakeblog.com and cupcakeproject.blogspot.com.